Edition 124 Vol.3 week 19 9th of January , 2011

BIAS TOWARDS NONE !!!

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Barrow Imposes Nazi-Law!Prominent Attorneys prepare to fight Barrow’s Draconian-law

(L) Attorney Dickie Bradley (R) Attorney Anthony Sylvestre

Contributed This Wednesday morning on Open Your Eyes, we Belizeans got our eyes opened, with guests Anthony Sylvestre and Dickie Bradley. The two attorneys were guests on the show and their topic was a new law called the amendment of the Crime Control and Justice Act. This law was sneaked out of Belmopan and in the Government Gazette of the 18 December 2010 which came out in the Christmas week when everyone was distracted with Christmas. As the two attorneys explained, this new law is a disturbing devel-opment against the poorer classes of Belizeans. Here is what we under-stand from the discussion. The highest law, the constitution enshrines protection of life, liberty, privacy, etc. A person cannot be deprived of his/her liberty except through proper process of law and the courts.

Every person is entitled to bail. Bail means a person is charged based on an accusation by the police and is taken to court. The court can grant bail or deny it - when bail is denied the person goes to jail for a specified period. The UDP government of Dean

Barrow has been passing some dra-conian strange laws since they came to power in 2008. The worst has to be the forcible and unconstitutional taking-over of Belize Telemedia from its private owners which will cost taxpayers well over three hun-dred million dollars with interest.

Barrow and his minions have also passed several amendments to the constitution which has eroded the rights of Belizeans. There was an ef-fort to introduce “Preventative De-tention” but this had to be withdrawn because of widespread opposition. The UDP Government changed the constitution to take away the right to seek justice from the Supreme Court where a person’s land has petroleum or other minerals and the govern-ment confiscates that land. This law was challenged and struck down by the Supreme Court and the Belize Court of Appeal. The Barrow government has passed a Statutory Instrument, which was not even discussed and debated in the National Assembly, which makes it illegal for fishermen and boat owners to have a flare gun used to warn other boats of a dis-tress to sea. Also outlawed was the

Cruise Tourism hijacked!!...the pirating of cruise tender operationsBelize City, Thurs. Jan. 6 A 2:00 p.m. this afternoon Be-lize’s Prime Minister Dean Bar-row and a delegation that in-cluded tourism minister Manuel Heredia, Jr., his CEO Lindsay Garbutt and Belize Tourism Di-rector Seleni Matus met with the media at the Philip Goldson Inter-national Airport just before leav-ing for Miami, Florida for a series of meetings with the managers of the cruise ships that call on Belize on an almost daily basis during the tourism high season. Belizeans became aware that yet another crisis-like situation was brewing when Vaughan Gill, the co-host on Vibes Radio’s Morn-ing Buzz talk show, revealed Monday morning that a company BTALCO whose principal share-holder is former Tourism CEO

Mike Singh, had brought in two large boats to provide tendering services to the cruise ships that were calling on Belize. The tender-ing or ferrying service is provided

by a fleet of 35 locally built and operated boats, and is a necessity since Belize does not have a port facility where the cruise ships, the largest of any kind of ships to call

on Belize, can dock. Efforts to build a cruise ship port in Belize City has been the subject of much controversy since ground was broken in 2001, and after the dredging of the harbor to create a channel and a turning basin, and the expenditure by the contractor of what he claimed was approxi-mately $25 million, the project was halted midway by the Barrow administration two years ago. After the news broke, almost immediately the to-be affected op-erators began to sound the alarm. It was quickly confirmed that two massive catamarans capable of ferrying 250 passengers at a time had been brought in at the Big Creek Port and had been con-signed to BTALCO. By late evening it was being re-ported that Carnival, the largest

Barrow Backtracks Ch5 Media Embargo see page 18

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KING BARROW, THE DICTATOR = MOGABE/AYATOLLAH The Prime Min-ister appeared on LOVE FM on Wednesday to explain and dis-guise all the failures of his govern-ment which are many. This time around, the host, Ernesto Vasquez and Ava Sosa, were hard hitting in their interview. The many is-sues that were brought up ranged from the Sale of BTL shares to the Tourism Industry being taken over by foreigners under the watchful eyes of UDP government. The host of the LOVE FM Morning Show addressed and forced the Prime Minister Barrow to comment on every one of them. The status of the Belize Telemedia Limited sale of shares was dis-closed. It was pathetic to hear the Prime Minister admitting that the Belizean people were not as excit-ed about the shares as the govern-ment had predicted. The Prime Minister admit-ted that his decision was wrong headed and was a betrayal of the Belizean tax payers. The Prime Minister of Belize admitted that he was only able to sell $4.5 million worth of shares to the Belizean people, and that is only a drop in the bucket. The former sharehold-er of BTL has valued his shares at $600 million and the purchased shares sold to the Belizean people

are not even 1%. It was sad when the gov-ernment stated that the Belizean people were dying to buy shares, now where are those purchasers? It is obvious that these people are not as confident about the shares and the performance and the fu-ture of BTL. In the past, the sale of BTL shares took off and were oversubscribed, today under the dictatorship of Dean Barrow, less than 1% of the shares were sold. With embarrassment the Prime Minister was forced to extend the purchase date of BTL shares an-other forty-five (45) days. In addition there is no stra-tegic investor on the horizon so the government will become li-able to pay the former shareholder the entire value of the shares, less the Social Security Board $50 mil-lion share purchase and the Beliz-ean $4.5 million therefore; the net is the responsibility to the govern-ment/Belizean tax payers which amounts to $546 million. The other major issue was the cancelling of the tender opera-tions by Carnival Cruise Lines and giving it to a foreign connected unit. This decision was provided to the Prime Minister and he stated publicly that he was in agreement with the Carnival Cruise Lines de-

cision. Many of the tenders were in shock by the decision of the Prime Minister to support Carnival’s decision. They could not fathom how their party leader was being traitorous to them. The Prime was reminded that he needs to be on the side of Belizeans sometime between the Wednesday morning interview and evening news, it was reported that the Prime Minis-ter was planning to visit Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami, Florida to discuss the way forward. The position of the Fed-eration of Cruise Tourism Asso-ciations of Belize (FECTAB) was fighting this same scourge which is the taking over of Tourism In-dustry by foreigners. However, the Prime Minister did not seek an audience with Carnival, but instead tried to ridicule the execu-tives of FECTAB who identified that this was a trend being prac-ticed by Carnival. Prime Minister Barrow has clearly failed to do his job to protect the livelihood of Be-lizeans. When asked about the situ-ation about the high cost of fuel at the pump, again the Prime Minis-ter chose the side of the foreigners and passed the bukut to the Beliz-ean people. The price of gasoline is above $10.00 per gallon and there

is no relief in sight. The Prime Minister was unsympathetic and state that he believes the world price will go down and hopefully this will impact the pump price of gasoline. He further admitted that he wants Belize Natural Energy to build an oil refinery but did not say when and how that will benefit the poor people of Belize. In the meantime the Op-position, People’s United Party, is being quiet on all these issues. It may seem as if though the Leader of the Opposition is complacent with the post he holds of collecting tax payer’s money for free. The performance of Opposition leaves a lot to be desired and they should share the responsibility of the state the economy is in. If they step up the government has to react, how-ever the PUP is in hibernation and the government is on vacation therefore the Belizean people are the ones paying for these sleeping and relaxing trips. We don’t know how longer the Belizean people can endure this suffering but we hope when they decide to react they demand that the dictator, King Barrow/Mogabe/Ayatollah, ensure the innocent and poor are not affected. OPEN YOUR EYES THE PEOPLE ARE AWAKE!!!

No strategic investor for BTLBarrow extends Sale of Shares Offer 45 Days more

More than sixteen months after seizing Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) in August 28th 2009 from its rightful owners, Prime Min-ister Dean Barrow has been hav-ing a difficult time if not hard-sell finding investors to buy over Be-lize Telemedia Limited and take it back out of government hands. The so-called Belizeanization and national interest that Barrow boast

(L) Anwar Barrow (R) Alan Slush-he acted upon is hardly demon-strated given the infinitesimal number of shares purchased by Belizeans. Barrow claimed he was Belizean-izing Telemedia and giving the company back to Belizeans but there are no takers. Nothing more than hot air coming out Barrows’s mouth every time. Every time Bar-

row speaks. It’s a different story or a different strategic investor, first it was a Mexican Telecommunica-tions company, then Digicel that was looking for a controlling ma-jority interest, then it was said that a group of Belizeans and now a Taiwanese entity. Certainly, the true picture re-vealed up to the 31st of December shows nothing significant besides a $4 5Million. Dollar purchase of shares by Belizeans and the NP understand that most of that figure in sales of shares were purchased by the so-called well-to-do Beliz-eans abroad, where is the Group of rich Belizeans Barrow said was interested in purchasing the con-trolling interest share?

Apart from the $50Million dol-lars squeezed out of the Belizean workers’ Social Security Funds with collusion from Barrow’s po-litical appointed majority board members that acted against the ex-pressed wishes of those who rep-resent the workers of this country, the $4.5 million dollars of shares purchased by locals does not even represent a 1% of what the pre-vious owners of Telemedia are claiming in compensation much less than 44.5% shares that Bar-row was anticipating Belizeans will be anxious to make a pur-chase grab on. The local participation in the pur-

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chase of share so-far has not con-vinced anyone that there was any-thing more than a political ploy in the seizure of BTL. Any genuine interest to Belizeanize Telemedia would have been visible, certainly in terms of fi gures and the out-pouring and publicizing Teleme-dia style in the long lines of Be-lizeans waiting to get a piece of the action. The futile attempt by Prime Minister Dean Barrow to attract a foreign-strategic investor has been obvious because not one of all the mentions he has made has come forward to sign a MOU. In fact, all sensible foreign inves-tors and multi-nationals that previ-ously expressed interest changed their minds after doing their due diligence on the prospect. All have concluded that the erratic behav-iour of Prime Minister Dean Bar-row and his government is too risky, especially when considering the seizure of BTL and the legal excuse used to expropriate it. This UDP government has set a prec-edent to legislate laws with seem-ingly malicious intent to meddle into different sectors, including the telecommunications and bank-ing sectors. Recently, he repealed

No strategic investor for BTLContinued from page 2 a tax he imposed on the telecom-

munications sector to the conve-nience of BTL only because he now controls it. On the matter of compensation, Prime Minister Dean Barrow is doing everything in its power to retard the compensation to the pre-vious owners and paying millions of Belizean tax payer’s dollars in litigations to his ex-wife as GOB’s Attorney to represent the govern-ment of Belize and or defend his political agenda. Belize Telemedia Limited is fast becoming a white elephant if not a hot-potato in the hands of PM Barrow but his ego is much bigger than an elephant that it impedes his ability to reason and do the right thing. Since there are hardly any takers to purchase BTL as revealed up to the end of 2010, he has extended the sale of shares for forty-fi ve more days hoping that a turn of events may just be more convincing and favourable in the sale of shares. Barrow also announced this Wednesday that SSB will soon be appointing two new Members to the Board of Di-rectors and his son (eyes and ears) Anwar Barrow and his Financial Advisors will be vacating their seats as Board members.

Got News...Share your views and opinionsCall: 501-628-3215

Barrow Imposes Nazi-Law!Continues from page 1use of bulletproof vests which can also be used to save lives. A person with a bulletproof vest is denied bail for three months and on conviction is sentenced to an automatic imprisonment for 3 years. The latest Barrow law discussed on Open Your Eyes interferes with the Su-preme Court and the Judges. Under this law any person denied bail for a range of offences for which they cannot ob-tain bail from the Magistrates’ Courts, must now wait for TEN working days – FOURTEEN regular days – before a Supreme Court Judge can hear a bail application. This means that the per-son must remain in prison for 14 days before a judge can hear his/her matter. Many innocent young citizens, females and elderly persons, are going to jail under the Police State being introduced by Barrow. Under the new law the Judge MUST require land title if he decides to grant bail. This means many citizens with leases or who have mortgages cannot assist relatives and friends. As most Be-lizeans don’t have title to land bail will be very diffi cult for the poorer classes. Bearing in mind that every person is innocent until proven guilty what Bar-row is doing is punishing people and locking them up without a trial. Another disturbing feature of the new Barrow law is that the court is being told that they should order a person to remain in his house for such periods and times as the court sets. This is a Ge-

stapo law and is unheard of in the his-tory of Belize. Yet another frightening feature of this latest Dean Barrow law is that “Any po-lice offi cer without using a warrant can arrest and remand a person into custody for breaking any bail condition.” This represents a direct attack on the liberty of Belizeans. Barrow is now giv-ing the Police the authority that only a court should have. Only a court, after hearing a matter, can remand Belizeans to prison. Now the Police without fol-lowing any procedure can lock up citi-zens in jail. Open Your Eyes has done a great ser-vice in bringing to the attention of Be-lizeans the dangerous laws being passed by Dean Barrow who has refused to consult the Bar Association or groups of citizens as he continues his dictato-rial behavior in government. This contributor understands that there is another terrible law rushed through by Barrow which has not yet been published in the Gazette. It makes provision to lock up owners of vehicles, property, buses, even bicycles if some-one else had a gun or bullet while bor-rowing or renting or using such house, boat, bike or property.We are yet to hear from Her Majesty’s Opposition Leader, calling upon him to categorically state for the records that upon coming to offi ce, the New PUP Government will repeal all of Barrow’s draconian laws that Belizeans are being subjected to under this UDP oppressive regime.

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Education is the key to the future!

REID BETWEEN THE LINES CRUISE WHORISM

Belize’s Tourism industry seems once again on the verge of turmoil as news broke of yet another at-tempt to cut out the small opera-tors and bring in big investors. Vaughan Gill of Vibes Radio broke the story on Monday morn-ing and further snooping by other members of the media confi rmed his report of two large catamarans being brought in to monopolize the Cruise ship tender business. Over the past decade or so, Cruise Tourism has established a fi rm foothold in Belize but the jury is still out as to whether this will prove a good or a bad thing for our country in the long run. On a whole, for the present, tourism might look like it is working for Belize. An estimated 25 percent of Belizeans receive some benefi t, whether directly or indirectly from the industry but closer scrutiny re-veals that what our people really receive are in effect, just crumbs. The real money from cruise tour-ism never actually comes ashore, except for a little “slighters“ which goes to line the pockets of a few select and privileged individuals.In reality, most tourists that arrive in a country via cruise ships bring very little money to spend. They are mostly window shoppers or as we used to say, “look-i-loos.” Most costs are prepaid to the big cruise providers who in turn, pay whatever entry fees and head-tax are imposed by the host country. They come, they look, they touch and they leave. Locals mostly make money in the role of tour-guides, bus drivers or if they are lucky, doing a little business near a tour destination; fortunately some tours still provide for the purchase of meals from local providers. Some are beginning to think that it requires too much servitude on the part of our people.Another way in which Belizeans have been able to wrest a few crumbs from the tourism table has been in the way of tenders. Be-cause of Belize’s shallow waters, ships are unable to dock at our shore and therefore, smaller boats must be used to ferry tourist to and from their massive ocean liners. A few local entrepreneurs have for the past decade or so, been provid-ing the service in the way of about twenty-fi ve boats. All of the boats were made in Belize by Belizean boat makers and at investments

G. Michael Reid

that has run well into the tens of millions of dollars. There are some 75 persons who work with the boats, either as crew or main-tenance workers. In a surprise move this past Mon-day; boat owners were informed that their services and boats would no longer be required. A foreign owned and Hawaii based compa-ny has reportedly been given the contract to ferry passengers from the big ships to shore. Sources re-veal that said company is connect-ed to some high ranking offi cials in the government and as a result, has been able to bypass most hur-dles and costs. This is unfair to these local operators who, num-ber one are Belizeans and number two have invested huge sums of money in their businesses. This is not a wise move and one that was done with no consultation and blatant brazenness. A couple of months ago, a similar thing happened, this time with tour operators. In August of last year, another foreign based company, this one in Jamaica, secured a contract to provide tours for cruise tourists. The government seemed all in favor of this and only after much noise by FECTAB, (Federa-tion of Cruise Tourism Associa-tions of Belize) was some agree-ment reached that gave assurances

to the tour guides that they would not be entirely displaced. Up to present, Chukka Bakabush is still operating and from all reports is steadily expanding business. At the end of the day, the intent here seems to replace Belizeans with foreign owned companies who offer more modern and so-phisticated service. To make the situation direr, many of these com-panies are bringing workers with them. The problem is that tour-ism cannot be only about making money for big investors and a few politically connected people. Be-lize is for Belizeans and whatever use is made of our country must benefi t us fi rst and foremost.Cruise tourism, while provid-ing some benefi ts in the form of jobs, places a heavy toll on our environment. Our once healthy and vibrant barrier reef is already showing serious signs of decay and all over, the negative effect of mass tourism can be seen and felt. While it is not spoken of much, our folks in the rural areas who depend on fi shing and hunt-ing for their daily bread are suf-fering. Many of our once pristine areas are trampled over and one wonders how long before we are discarded like a used up harlot.

While tourism makes a lot of mon-ey for a few people, the long term damage is unfathomable. Over the past years, the term “sustain-able tourism” has been coined but seems almost oxymoronic. It is defi ned as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. The un-fortunate thing here is that if these people have their way, neither will the needs of the present be met nor will future generation have any environment to enjoy. Maybe it is time that we took a long hard look at the benefi ts and detriments of mass tourism. Local operators and guides will have to adopt one primary motto, “cut us in or cut it out”!Once in, they will then have to do all within their ability to preserve our precious environment for fu-ture generations. We must resist invasion from foreign groups and stop selling ourselves so cheaply. We have lots to offer. We must be clear; you can come but you can-not own. You can enjoy but you cannot reap a harvest that belongs to our people. We must not allow a few greedy local politicians to sell out and allow our patrimony to be destroyed. Our children will hold us responsible. Belize for Belizeans always!

Cruise Tourism hijacked!!Continued from page 4cruise line, had given an operator an exclusive contract to undertake all its ferrying or tendering servic-es. It was also being reported that the local operator, Tino Castillo, was just a front for an American businessman by the name of Rich-ard O Shay. By Tuesday the tender opera-tors, who had been in business for 14 years, had become agitated be-cause they were being told that the new policy was to go into effect within two days, today Thursday, and that they were being summar-ily shut out. For the operators it was a panicked time. One operator likened it to a bomb being thrown in their midst while Jason Marin explained that many of the operators had a multi-million dollar investment in their service, and they simply could not allow their livelihood and lifelong investments to be wiped out, just like that, By Wednesday the operators had forced a meeting with Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia, Jr., his CEO and the BTB Director. He-redia assured the operators that no less than the Prime Minister would go to Miami to negotiate

with Carnival. That morning Barrow had ap-peared on the Love FM morning talk show where he appeared at fi rst to side with the cruise line, saying that Carnival had written to him explaining their change in corporate policy. He quoted the letter as saying: “Our guests will now be transport-ed in tenders with a minimum ca-pacity of a hundred and fi fty per-sons. This will allow us to bring greater numbers ashore in a short-er period of time as well as in a safer and more comfortable man-ner. In the past our guests have felt uncomfortable and unsafe in the smaller tenders and have not enjoyed getting wet during the crossing. This new arrangement will bring the locals more work than they have had before. All in all, we anticipate moving guests in greater comfort and shorter transit times encouraging multiple visi-tors ashore. We are confi dent this will result in more business to lo-cal shops, restaurants and land tour operators.” He further stated: “I don’t know that we can stop progress. That is not the business of the govern-ment to stop progress. Try to make

progress as consistent as possible with compassion but don’t stop progress. You can’t.” He reiterated this after the pro-gram in an impromptu press con-ference outside the station, saying: “Well according to Carnival, fi rst of all it is not true that the tender-ing is being given to a foreigner. They say it’s to Tino Castillo. Whether he is partnering with a foreigner I don’t know. They say this is a Belizean company; they give the name of the company.” “Carnival is saying - look what we are doing is to ask that larger tenders be used but that doesn’t necessarily mean less business for the pool of tender operators - that the larger tenders will in fact be able to ferry additional passengers who now can’t come off because when you go with the smaller ten-ders - the time constraint is too much. They do say that the new arrangements will mean more business overall for all tender op-erators because Tino Castillo will continue to sub-contract among the pool of tender operators.” “What they do say though is that there is a minimum carrying ca-

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9th of January , 2011

KREMANDALA $ELLOUT

“X” CAN’T CRITICIZE BARROW & THE UDP

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Wilfully ignores the Corrupt Practices of Barrow and the UDP

A PAID AD

Can’t be TRUSTED!!!

Bought and paid for...Silent on issues a� ecting black South-side Belizeans while pretending to be theirguardian

Belmopan, Monday 3rd January, 2011

There are many political pundits that believe Prime Minister Dean Barrow has been calculating his strategic moves in the Belize Ju-diciary in order to fulfi l his per-sonal and political objectives and the appointment of Justice Man-uel Sosa confi rms that Barrow is looking for someone that will serve his government’s purpose. Justice Sosa, 60 years of age was sworn in as President of the Belize Court of Appeal on Mon-day of this week by the Gover-nor General, Sir Colville Young, at Belize House, Belmopan. Witnessing the swearing-in cer-emony was the Attorney General, Hon B. Q. Pitts. Justice Sosa’s new appointment follows the de-parture of former president, Jus-tice Elliott Mottley who resigned at the end of December 2010 after Barrow reduced his ap-

Barrow’s Stategic Appointment of Pointman to Appeals CourtJustice Manuel Sosa Sworn in as president of the Court of Appeal

pointment from life to one year. Justice Sosa’s legal career spans some 34 years after he was fi rst called to the Bar in 1976 upon qualifying from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica.Sosa pursued private law practice in Belize from 1976 to 1998 and was elevated to Senior Counsel in 1988. He also held the positions of President and Vice President of the Bar Association and served on both the Bar Committee and the General Legal Counsel.Justice Sosa was appointed as a temporary Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize in 1993 and a sub-stantive Justice in 1998. The same year he was awarded the honour of the Commander of the Most Ex-cellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty the Queen.Justice Sosa served as the Chief Justice of Belize for a short period in late 1998 after he was appoint-ed by the then out-going UDP

Government just hours before the 1998 General Elections. Subsequently, he was removed by the new incoming PUP Govern-ment and instead appointed as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in early 1999. During the last 10 years, he presided over appeals heard by the Court of Ap-peal on several occasions. Although in some quarters

men and meticulousness many view him as a UDP Conservative and his appointment as President of the Belize Court of Appeal is seen with much scepticism.Justice Sosa was born in Coro-zal Town and is now 60 years old. He is married to Mrs Elba Sosa nee Rosado and is the father of three children.Justice Sosa is the fi rst Belizean President of the Court of Appeal. Other Judges of the Court of Ap-peal are Justice Denys Barrow, Justice Dennis Morrison and Jus-tice Brian Alleyne.

of society regards him highly in the profession for his legal acu-

APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENSESNotice is hereby given that Alvin Hyde Sr. is applying for a SHOP LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Hydes Tender Meats & Grocery, Roaring Creek, Cayo District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LI-CENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Alvin Hyde Sr. is applying for a BEER LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Roaring Creek Sports Bar, Roar-ing Creek Village, Cayo District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Eleanor Tzul is applying for a Publican Special LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at White Swan Bar, Hope Creek Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LI-QUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Long Chao Li is applying for a Restaurant and Bar LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at E & E Night Club, Placencia Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LI-QUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Richard Williams is applying for a Publi-can Special LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Get-Together-Bar Sarawee Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LI-QUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.

9th of January , 2011Page 6

pacity that they want to insist be used and I believe that is 150.” But when it was pointed out to him that this would disqualify all the local tender operators Barrow began to back track. He told the gathering of report-ers: “Well exactly, ultimately any tender to operate must get some kind of license from the Port Au-thority so there is always the last resort. The thing is that while we have to be concerned about the elimination of small tender opera-tors who no doubt have loans to service and that sort of thing, ulti-mately you don’t want to give the impression that you are anti-prog-ress either. Carnival says that peo-ple get wet in the small tenders, it’s not safe and you are not effi-cient because you are not bringing on shore to increase your business for Belizeans as many passengers as you could, so, it’s dynamic, it’s fluid, I don’t think we can take a black and white position. Govern-ment will do its best to try to have all parties arrive at a solution that will not stop progress but that will not be oblivious to the concerns of the small tender operators.” What Barrow et al will return with from his meetings in Miami is anybody’s guess at this point, but we do know that local tender operators will not allow their in-dustry to be hijacked by anyone, let alone foreigners. There have already been ex-pressions of solidarity from sev-eral sectors of Belize’s business community, and if Mr. Barrow was to return without an agree-ment from Carnival that there will be no change in the present operations, things in the industry could get very dicey if Carnival tries to impose its new policy. The Belize Shipping Agents Associa-tion in particular issued a public statement saying that it: “stands in solidarity with Belizean ten-der operators and owners in their objection to the apparent hijack-ing of the cruise passenger tender business by a foreign interest.” The release also notes: “The Belizean tender operators have successfully managed and ex-ecuted their responsibilities as tender owners to the cruise ship industry for the past fifteen years. Throughout this period we have maintained an exemplary safety record, as there have been no ma-jor incidents or medical mishaps to cruise ship passengers during the tendering process. We see no need for the attempt by any for-eign entity to establish a monopo-ly in the tendering process.” Of keen interest for many ob-servers is the role that former

Cruise Tourism hijacked!!Continued from page 4 Tourism CEO now BELTRAIDE

Executive Director Mike Singh has played in this matter. Singh has already been caught out in a cruise tourism matter when it was revealed that his real estate com-pany Century 21, had arranged the sale of property in Placencia for a cruise tourism village long before anyone else there even knew that the village was being considered as a cruise destination. Although Singh asserted that it was an arm’s length transaction done by an as-sociate of a company in which he no longer participated in its busi-ness, the skepticism was high. As of press time there has been no word from Mike Singh as to BTALCO’s and his participation in the latest brouhaha involving the industry. Last month it was announced that he was leaving the Tourism CEO position, effective January 1st, and it is difficult to be-lieve that he had no prior knowl-edge of what was being proposed. For the record the company is both incorporated in Belize and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Accord-ing to an internet search BTALCO Limited Inc was incorporated on Thursday, November 03, 2005 in the State of Florida by Arlene S Singh, Lynette Ross, Michael Singh, and is located at 2091 SW 60th Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317. Btalco Limited is current-ly not active. Michael Singh rep-resents Btalco Limited Inc as their registered agent there. Here in Belize, as of January 5th, a Belize registry search lists BTALCO as owned by Michael Singh as head Principal, Arlene Singh second, and Lynette Singh Ross. It is also noteworthy that the two boats are vessels that were reportedly the property of Nor-wegian Cruise Line, one of the lines that call on Belize, and that they had been laid up for nearly 5 years after being used in Hawaii. Our information is that the ves-sels, which must be worth at least $1 million if they are seaworthy, were declared to be valued only US$70,000 on the Customs dec-laration. The tender operators say that the boats are “junk” and base their assessment on photos they have seen of the crafts. The newspaper has also learned that a third smaller vessel is re-portedly also on its way from Mi-ami. Of significance also is that when contacted by a media house Tino Castillo said that he had formally declined the offer which is inter-preted to mean that he stands in solidarity with his fellow tender operator.

Police Say Sylvio Espinosa Killed Carlos Espat

By Rhenae NunezBelize City, Thurs. Jan. 5, 2011Four months after his murder that stunned many in the pro-fessional, political and social circles of Belize, Belize City police say that they have their man. He is twenty-two year old Sylvio Espinosa, a Nicaraguan who re-sided on Gentle Avenue in the King’s Park Area of Belize City, and who was picked up by Be-lize City police on Wednesday, January 5th. Police allege that he is the person responsible for the death of revered educator Carlos Espat, 47, brother of Al-bert Division Area Representa-tive, Mark Espat. Carlos Espat was found dead

in the bathtub at his home at the corner of King and Albert Streets, Belize City on Saturday morning September 4th, 2010. A postmortem examination determined that Espat died from “Broncho Aspiration due to head and chest injuries due to blunt trauma”.Espinoza appeared before Chief Magistrate Margret McKenzie today, and was charged with murder and offered no plea. Espinoza was denied bail and remanded to the Belize Cen-tral Prison until January 14th, 2011. Espinoza’s brother, who spoke on behalf of his brother because he speaks no English, and told the court he has been in the country for over 3 years.

Florencio Marin Jr. Endorsed

Corozal Town, Monday 3rd January 2011On Sunday 2nd January 2011 in the PUP Stronghold of San Joaquin Village, Florencio Marin Jr. was endorsed as the PUP Standard Bearer for Corozal South East. Many of the Party’s top officials, including Party Leader Hon. John Briceño, were in attend-ance to show their support for Marin Jr., who won his seat in 2008 by the narrowest of margins.Traditionally, Corozal South East has been a sure seat for the PUP. Florencio ‘Lencho’ Marin Sr. never lost, even in the toughest times for the Party. This year it was a bat-tleground for the Village Council Elections. And even though the Blue were able to secure the bigger villages, there was some unease as the UDP was able to make inroads and even win a few.At the time of the village elections, however, it was rumored that Narda Garcia, the Communications Director, and her close cabal in the Northern Caucus, were working to undermine Marin Jr. who had supported Francis Fonseca in the 2008 PUP Leader-ship Convention. Narda was not present on Sunday, and reports reaching this publi-cation are that she was upset about the endorsement. Apparently she was supporting another candidate in the area.It is also noteworthy that none of the other PUP parliamentarians who signed a letter in October along with Marin Jr. demanding positions on the National Executive were present. In September, Mark Espat, Cordel Hyde and Francis Fonseca traveled to San Joaquin to celebrate the Party’s birthday with Florencio. But like all Hyde/Espat alli-ances, this one proved to be a passing dalliance as well.Chairman of the PUP, Henry Charles Usher swore in Marin Jr., saying that he was confident that Florencio would set and maintain the standard of the Party to serve the people and deliver a victory.

9th of January , 2011 Page 7

Long hair can be sexy and fashionable when taken care of. However, keeping long hair styles healthy takes more than routine shampoo and conditioner applications. While long hair care doesn’t need to take loads of time, it’s important for your overall hair health. Most people un-derstand proper nutrition and vitamins can help your hair stay healthy. However, there are also a few beauty techniques that can show you how to keep your long locks away from split ends and tangles. Washing Your Long Hair Doesn’t Need To Be a HassleThe number one mistake women make when it comes to their hair is over-washing. Sure, you may feel like your hair should always be clean. You may be a lady who feels the urge to shampoo on a daily basis. The good news is you can keep your hair clean, without using sham-poo daily. If you must “wash” your hair daily, do so without shampoo. Either opt for a water-only wash, or opt for using conditioner only if your hair is dry or damaged. However, shampoo should only be applied every other day (at the maximum). Your hair will be shiny and silkier than ever before!How to Protect and Care for Your Hair at NightMany women fi nd long hair annoying when they sleep. They often throw their hair up into a ponytail or a tight bun, just to get it out of their face during the night. This can be damaging to long hair. Bedtime hair routines should start with combing or brushing. After all tangles are out, arrange your hair into a loose braid. Tie your braid off with ac-cessories made specifi cally for fi ne hair because they won’t cause your hair follicles to break. Sure, an old fashion rubber band can be used on your hair. But, it’s certainly an accessory you should avoid if at all pos-sible. If you’d like, you can even wrap your hair in a silk scarf to keep it smooth and natural throughout the night.Long Hair Still Needs To Be Salon Styled Cut Another major mistake women make with long hair is avoiding the salon. In fact, many women only venture to the stylist if they need a products or a formal updo. Although you may want to keep your length, to avoid split ends you will need to have a trim. Small cuts can help your hair retain its best shape and natural volume. This is particularly important if your hair is thick or curly. If you learn how to accessorize with clips you can stretch your trims to about 12 weeks. However, trims are ultimately necessary!Long Hair Care: Don’t Overdo It With HeatWhen you have long hair, you understand the time it takes to get it dry. Sure, a blow dryer may seem like the most obvious tool to use for this task. However, the amount of heat you need to dry long hair completely can damage your hair. Think about allowing your hair to air-dry for about 20 minutes after washing it. Then you can attack it with the hair dryer. It will cut down on your drying time and the amount of heat ex-posure your hair gets.

Taming your long hair into beautiful healthy locks

Long hair can be sexy and fashionable when taken care of. However, Long hair can be sexy and fashionable when taken care of. However,

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I don’t want to read too much into Barrow’s (or Gapi’s) holiday and/or end of year mes-sages, for the simple reason that neither man was expected to say anything of consequence, and nei-ther man disappointed. The now ritual annual exercise is a tremendous waste of time and money, and if it does anything at all, it only serves to further deepen the divide that is now so character-istic of our Belizean nation. And to my mind, we ended the last year even more divided than when we started. It is clear from Mr. Barrow’s speech that the perception that we live in two Belize’s is reinforced. In Mr. Barrow’s Belize, we have recovered from the 2009 economic recession, thanks to his heroic ef-forts and good stewardship, and the economy is growing fast. The greatest manifestation of his expert guidance and skilled care is to be seen in his rescuing of the sugar industry and the Corozal Free Zone, and having quickly “healed” Belize from the ravages of Hurri-cane Richard. His administration, he claims, has repaired, rehabilitat-ed and rebuilt all of the 1,140 hous-es that were damaged, and have set the citrus industry aright after its farmers lost 25% of its orange crop, and 80% of the grapefruit crop. Sleep well and rest easy, he told us, in his assessment, Belize is on the road to peace and prosperity in 2011. While I hardly expected Mr. Bar-row to say anything substantial, I am struck by his continued ef-frontery. I shouldn’t be surprised since this brazenness, this playing fast and loose with the facts, is an almost characteristic refl ex now. It once played well to the larger gal-lery of the electorate, but they are becoming wearied of it, and if it resonates anywhere anymore, it is only among his party’s faithful who will, no matta wat, lap up ev-ery word. I don’t have phantom facts and I do not need to statisticate: the past three years, 2008, 2009, and 2010, have been the worst of times dur-ing my lifetime in Belize. And fur-thermore, after further review, I am forced to conclude that 2011 might be worse than any of the previous three. According to Mr. Barrow, in the macro economic context Belize’s economy is doing well. And ac-cording to him, our hurricane re-covery efforts have gone very well. His administration’s managerial competency is further demonstrat-

Damn!...Barrow won’t Change course!

ed in their rescue of the sugar in-dustry and the Corozal Free Zone. These things, he posits, made 2010 a good year. He then goes on to promise more of the same for 2011 - now that is what will ensure that the new year will quite likely be worst than the old year. My problem with Mr. Barrow’s macro economic outlook is simply this – no sector of our economy has recovered to pre-2007 levels, not even Government spending, if you were to use the quantum totals that include Cap II and Cap III. If you continue to compare 2010 to 2009, it must show some improve-ment in some areas for the simple reason that the economy shrank in 2009, and output and productivity in nearly all sectors fell lower on average to less than that of 2006. If it were not for oil produc-tion, which actually benefi ted from 2008’s skyrocketing prices, and government spending, we prob-ably would have taken a 5 year step backwards. This administration and the Be-lizean people owe the previous administration a humungous debt of gratitude for diversifying Be-lize’s economy so that even though nearly all sectors were rocked by the world economic recession, (and despite the fact that the Barrow ad-ministration was very, very late in recognizing the brewing storm), we were still able to weather the storm without taking a 10 year step back-wards. I did not hear Mr. Barrow say what lessons he had learned from this horrible experience, and what he intended to do about it except present another “stimulus plan” recycled as a “spending menu” which we used to know as a Capital III budget, of nearly all re-hashed projects from the previous admin-istration. Mr. Barrow’s utterances have done nothing to inspire confi dence in our economic prospects, a confi -dence that is so sorely lacking right now. I am hopeful that it does not have the effect of making inves-tors tighten their death grip on their money. Even though I am no economist, not by a country mile, I am sure I could offer at least three credible suggestions for improving Belize’s economic prospects over the short term, the medium term, and the long term. It is no wonder that we are in a form of malaise because Mr. Barrow obviously cannot do the same.

9th of January , 2011Page 8

Caribbean news2011: CARICOM...time to make up your mind!By: Sir Ronald Sanders Consultant and former Caribbean diplomatAt the end of the first decade of the 21st Century, I wrote with a profound sense of disappointment that it was a “lost decade” for the Caribbean Com-munity and Common Market (Cari-com). We had failed miserably to com-plete the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and we had equally failed to build collectively the capacity that all Caricom countries desperately require not only to bar-gain effectively in the international community but also to implement the things for which they have bargained. The first year of the new decade was even worse, and 2011 portends great-er grief unless Caricom governments make up their minds about real and effective integration. The time for tin-kering at the edges of integration has run out. Caricom states must now either re-solve to proceed with integration, and by so doing maintain some autonomy over their affairs - and crucially a Ca-ribbean culture and identity, or they can flirt with such short term opportu-nities that they might derive individu-ally from external governments that find it convenient in their own interest to dally with a few states separately. The latter is not a sustainable devel-opment option, and is wholly reliant on the designs of the donor, not the bargaining strength of individual Car-icom states. Respect lost: Failure to strengthen Caricom has not only weakened our already weak states, it has lost us re-spect in the international community. And, this is true of every aid agency and every international and multi-lateral financial and trade institution including the Canadian International Development Agency, the European Commission and the European De-velopment Fund, the United States Agency for International Develop-ment, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). What they see from their perspective is a region that fails to carry out its own agenda – a region that pays lip service to regionalism. The things that are obvious to them are blatant.They include: failure to complete the CSME; discrimination by Caricom states against themselves as they try to block market access to each other for goods and services while they are happy to give better access to others; and a marked reluctance to apply for

readily available money for regional projects – governments are interested in national projects only. There’s also the comedy that has been made of the Caribbean Court of Jus-tice (CCJ) with Trinidad and Tobago declining to participate in a Court whose headquarters is located in its capital as a direct consequence of its insistence that it should be there; and, more recently, the heavy hint from Ja-maica’s Prime Minister, Bruce Gold-ing, that Jamaica might opt for its own final Court of Appeal, notwith-standing that it has an eminent jurist on the Court, and the opportunity for others. A Jamaican conundrum: The recent Golding heavy hint is strangely out of synchronisation with the Jamaican government’s measurable attitude to the institutions of the Caribbean Community where Jamaicans now prevail and will be even more domi-nant by April 2011. Jamaicans now head four principal regional institutions: the Caribbean Development Fund, the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Caribbean Centre on Money and Fi-nance, and the Office of the Trade Ne-gotiations (OTN) of Caricom. By April, a Jamaican will also head the Caribbean Development Bank putting five Jamaicans at the head-ship of these regional organisations, and another Jamaican will most likely move up from the number 3 position in the OTN to number 2. In addition, of course, Jamaica has a jurist on the CCJ itself. No other Caricom country can boast of heading so many regional bodies.These Jamaicans are all highly capa-ble people working in the service of not only Jamaica but all of Caricom, and accepted by all of Caricom to look after Caricom’s interest. What then is the problem with the CCJ? If Caricom can show such confidence in Jamaicans, what is missing here? The CCJ shambles has added to the level of frustration and - now increas-ingly - disrespect for Caricom in the international community. But, not amongst them alone. The frustration is now manifest among the region’s academics, business people, media, and all those who spent the better part of their lives try-ing to maintain a Caribbean identity and culture, and, at least, a modicum of Caribbean autonomy over the re-gion’s affairs. It is obvious to all who are, or have been, involved in our region’s devel-opment that none – not one – of our countries will successfully maintain Caribbean autonomy, culture and

identity if the present trend of indi-vidual and opportunistic bargaining with larger and more powerful coun-tries continues. None of the Caricom states have the capacity, individually, to cope with the demands of today’s globalised world. For instance, in the case of the Eco-nomic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU), few governments have established ma-chinery for implementing their obli-gations, and it would be a great sur-prise if any have set up arrangements for monitoring implementation by the EU. What would seem to be a simple thing - like sending notifications that requirements have been met - has not been done. And, not only in relation to the EPA, but also in regard to the WTO. Strategy?:It may be, of course, that this is a deliberate strategy – a strat-egy not to fulfil obligations until the obligations of the treaties are enforced by the other side through costly arbi-tration and, eventually, punitive mea-sures. If that is indeed the strategy, it is a game of high-stakes poker, and not one that the region can win. The point

is that Caricom states have to decide whether they see their development in terms of gifts for the odd build-ing, a new airport terminal, a bridge here and a road there that are small plasters for sores, but do not make the region holistically healthy. While there is a place for these things in development plans, they cannot be the entire plan. What Caricom has always needed – and what is urgent now – is a comprehensive regional plan devised jointly by governments, the private sector, trade unions and the best Caribbean brains that can be assembled from in and out of the region. And, that plan must inte-grate production in a practical man-ner utilising resources from every country that has them, facilitate cross border investment, and encourage re-gional amalgamations of productive enterprises. The beggar thy neigh-bour policies that have characterised the region’s dealings for a decade and a year, should not continue into 2011. It is time for leaders of individual states to make up their minds, state the case for regionalism boldly, and stop playing with the aspirations of the Caribbean people.

Caribbean News in Brief T & T “No work day”Public servants and the government of Trinidad and Tobago were squaring off on Tuesday, as state employees prepared to follow their union’s advice and embark on a “no work day”. The Public Service Association and its members are stepping up protest ac-tion to press for a 15% salary increase.They have been offered 5% by the government. Finance Minister Winston Dookeran and other government officials have warned that state employees are prohibited, under the Industrial Relations Act, from taking strike action. However PSA President Watson Duke says the union and its members would not be intimidated by such warnings.

Greenidge wants fair hearingA leading Caricom official, whose contract has not been renewed, says he has not been given a fair hearing by bosses at the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat. The contract of former Senior Deputy Director of the regional grouping’s Office for Trade Negotiations, Carl Greenidge, was not renewed after it expired last month-end. The non-renewal came on the heels of the Guyana government informing Caricom that it had lost confidence in Mr Greenidge because a section of his tribute at the funeral of the late Winston Murray, an opposition politician, had been offensive. Mr Greenidge says he wants explained, the process used to deal with complaints. He has since entered the race to become the presi-dential candidate for Guyana’s main opposition Peoples National Congress.

Antigua ratifies treatyAntigua and Barbuda has become the first state in the sub-region to sign the Instrument of Ratification for the Revised Organisation of Eastern Carib-bean States Treaty of Basseterre establishing OECS economic union. The Castries-based OECS Secretariat says last Thursday’s action by the An-tiguan government has helped move the people of the member-states of the organisation “closer towards increased benefits associated with the free movement of skills and persons”. The secretariat says the move will also result in better business opportuni-ties.Officials say at least four independent OECS countries must ratify the revised treaty to give it effect.

9th of January , 2011 Page 9

Education is the key to the future!

GUATEMALA CITY – Guatema-la’s top security offi cial says the Zetas drug gang from Mexico had set up an operations center in the border province of Alta Verapaz where the government declared a state of siege Dec. 19. Interior Minister Carlos Menocal says a two-week-old military offensive against the cartel is making prog-ress. In his words, “This is just the beginning.” Menocal said Mon-day that authorities have seized planes, vehicles and $40,000 in cash. He said the Zetas “had their base, their hiding place, their op-erations center in Alta Verapaz.” The Zetas initially began on Mexi-co’s Gulf coast, but have extended their operations to other parts of Mexico and into Central America.

GUATEMALA CITY – Five peo-ple are dead and 10 others injured from a fi re inside a Guatemalan passenger bus that police say may have been caused by an arson at-tack. National police spokesman Donald Gonzalez says investiga-tors have not ruled out mechanical causes. But he acknowledges that some witnesses say the bus was attacked.

ZETAS Cartel based in Guatemala

5 Killed, 10 Injured in Guatemala Bus Fire

Firefi ghter Carlos Hernandez told a local radio station Monday that someone tossed a fi re bomb at the bus in the capital, Guatemala City.Street gangs have demanded pro-tection money from bus drivers on the route in the past and killed drivers who refused to pay. Rights activists say 60 drivers were killed in 2010.

Chavez backers, foes rally for Venezuela parliamentCARACAS – Support-ers and opponents of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez traded taunts and held dueling ral-lies on Wednesday at the start of a new par-liament shorn of power by the socialist leader’s assumption of rule by decree.Although the new Na-tional Assembly has greater numbers of op-position lawmakers -- who had hoped to curb the former soldier’s self-styled “revolution” -- the outgoing parliament hobbled it by awarding Chavez decree powers for 18 months.Opposition support-ers gathered noisily in downtown Caracas be-

Chavez backers, foes rally for Venezuela parliamentCARACAS – Support-ers and opponents of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez traded taunts and held dueling ral-lies on Wednesday at the start of a new par-liament shorn of power by the socialist leader’s assumption of rule by

Although the new Na-tional Assembly has greater numbers of op-position lawmakers -- who had hoped to curb the former soldier’s self-styled “revolution” -- the outgoing parliament hobbled it by awarding Chavez decree powers

Opposition support-ers gathered noisily in downtown Caracas be-fore the new lawmakers took their seats. � ey accuse the president of staging a “coup” against the Assem-bly and say he is turning the South American OPEC member into a dictatorship.“Our tasks in the National As-sembly are now very clear: to stop the imposition of communism in Venezuela, this communism that creates death, sadness and dark-ness,” said one opposition leader and new Caracas legislator, Maria Corina Machado. Several thousand opposition supporters gathered to cheer their lawmakers o� to the as-sembly, some shouting “Down with the revolution! Down with corrup-tion!” while others waved banners reading “We are back!” and “We are the majority!”On a corner opposite, women in red pro-government T-shirts sang back: “Ooh! Ah! Chavez no se va! (Chavez will not go!)”Police, some in riot gear and car-rying shields, blocked streets in the area and kept watch from a heli-copter.But apart from isolated scu� es there was none of the trouble that has marred past rallies in Venezue-la.Chavez, 56, says he needs decree powers to speed through urgent reconstruction a� er December � oods smashed infrastructure and le� 140,000 homeless. He insists he is ruling in the name of a poor majority downtrodden for decades until he took o� ce in 1999.CHAVEZ WIELDS BOLIVAR’S SWORDAll sides are eyeing the next presi-dential election in December 2012, when Chavez will seek re-election and the opposition hopes to � nd a unity candidate who can unseat him. � e newly united opposition coalition won about half the popu-

lar vote at a September legislative election, giving it 40 percent of seats in parliament and a symbolic boost in its long and largely fruit-less political battle against Chavez.In a charged � rst session in the As-sembly, lawmakers from both sides chanted slogans and mocked each other. Opposition representatives waved signs saying “52 percent” in a reference to their total vote in September and shouted “Freedom” for two absent colleagues under arrest on murder and corruption charges that they say are politically motivated.Government legislators shouted back: “Imperial lackeys!” and “You will not return (to power)!”A government rally on the other side of parliament that also drew thousands went peacefully, to the relief of Caracas residents who largely stayed o� the streets fearing violence.Chavez joined that gathering bran-dishing a sword used by his idol and 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar.He called for unity and applauded the day’s events but also slammed opposition lawmakers as “counter-revolutionaries.”“� ey will never return to power,” he told a cheering crowd, before urging them to focus on the 2012 vote.“You will say if you want to carry on with Chavez or you want the right-wing back. � ose who want to be a Yankee colony, go with them; those who want the fatherland, come with me.”Over the year-end holiday period, Chavez moved to sideline the op-position’s election gains by pushing a host of laws through the outgo-ing parliament to entrench social-ism and boost state control in areas

ranging from the Internet to bank-ing. A devaluation of the currency last week stirred passions even more, with critics saying it proved that the president had mismanaged the economy and oil revenues.� e opposition has returned to parliament for the � rst time in � ve years following a boycott of the 2005 legislative election, a move it

now regrets.� e Democratic Unity coalition has 65 seats in the 165-member Assembly, compared to 98 for Chavez’s ruling Socialist Party. A smaller party, which recently broke with Chavez, has two seats.“Bit by bit, we’re getting them out of power!” said pro-opposition pensioner Oswaldo Sanchez, 62.

9th of January , 2011Page 10

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Iran invites world, to tour nuclear sites except the US TEHRAN, Iran – The Tehran gov-ernment confi rmed on Tuesday that it has invited world powers and its allies in the Arab and develop-ing world — but apparently not chief critic the United States — to tour Iranian-nuclear sites before a high-profi le meeting late January on its disputed nuclear program.The Associated Press reported the invitation to tour the facilities on Monday, citing a letter from a se-nior Iranian envoy that suggested the visit take place the weekend of Jan. 15 and 16.A diplomat familiar with the invi-tation said the U.S. — the greatest critic of Iran’s nuclear ambitions — and the other Western powers in the group were not invited, in an ap-parent attempt to split the six pow-ers ahead of planned talks on Iran’s nuclear program later this month.An Iranian offi cial speaking on con-dition of anonymity from a Euro-pean capital said facilities to be vis-ited include the nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz and the Arak site where Tehran is building a plutoni-um-producing heavy water reactor.Both facilities are considered sus-pect by the West because they could be used to make the fi ssile core of nuclear warheads; Tehran’s refusal to shut them down has triggered U.N. Security Council sanctions.On Tuesday, Foreign Minis-try spokesman Ramin Mehman-parast confi rmed the offer, saying it went to “the E.U, the non-aligned movement and representatives from 5+1 countries.”The “5+1” countries are the six world powers negotiationing with Iran over its nuclear program: the fi ve permanent U.N. Security Coun-cil members — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — plus Germany.Mehmanparast said Iran would identify the invited countries at a later time, adding that the invitation was a sign of Iran’s “good will” and greater transparency about its nu-clear program. Iran insists its nucle-ar program is designed to generate power, but the West suspects that’s just a cover to build bombs.Mehmanparast did not give a fi rm date, but said the tour would take place before the January talks.The new round of negotiations is meant to explore whether there is common ground for more substan-tive talks on Iran’s nuclear program. A round of talks in Geneva in De-cember yielded no breakthrough.The U.N. Security Council has de-manded that Iran freeze uranium enrichment — a process that can produce both fuel and fi ssile war-head material. But Iranian negotia-

tors fl atly ruled out discussing such demands at the Istanbul meeting, Western diplomats familiar with the talks said. The offer of a visit comes more than three years after six dip-lomats from developing nations visited Iran’s uranium ore conver-sion site at Isfahan, which turns raw uranium into the gas that is then fed into enriching centrifuges. Partici-pating diplomats told reporters they could not assess Iran’s nuclear aims

based on what they saw there.The new offer appeared more wide ranging, both in terms of who was invited and sites to be visited.Dated Dec. 27, the four-paragraph letter offered no details beyond of-fering an all-expenses paid “visit to Iran’s nuclear sites.” But a diplomat familiar with its contents said it was mailed to Russia, China, Egypt, the group of nonaligned nations at the U.N. International Atomic Energy

Agency, Cuba, Arab League mem-bers at the IAEA, and Hungary, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. He spoke on condi-tion of anonymity because his infor-mation was privileged.China, and to a lesser degree Russia, have acted to dilute harsh sanctions proposed by the U.S. and its West-ern allies on the Security Council, leading to compromise penalties en-acted by the council that are milder than the West had originally hoped.The outreach to Moscow and Bei-jing in Tehran’s offer to visit ap-peared to be an attempt to leverage any differences between the Eastern and Western powers meeting the Iranians in Istanbul.On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Min-istry spokesman Hong Lei acknowl-edged that Beijing has received an invitation and hopes the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program would be resolved through dialogue.The Foreign Ministry of Hungary also confi rmed receiving the Iranian letter and said it is discussing the of-fer with other EU member nations and EU foreign policy chief Cath-erine Ashton.

US Economy still weak despite improvementsWASHINGTON – Federal Re-serve offi cials in December felt the U.S. economic recovery was still weak enough to warrant monetary support despite growing signs of strength, Fed meeting minutes re-leased on Tuesday showed. Wall Street economists have been busy revising up their forecasts for eco-nomic growth in recent weeks on the back of signs showing busi-ness activity and consumer spend-ing picking up steam.But the Fed’s policy-setting panel, which at its December 14 meet-ing made no changes to a $600 billion bond-buying program fi rst announced in November, was much less sanguine. The minutes did suggest the central bank is counting on a short-term boost to growth from the recent tax cut deal between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress.However, the minutes of the meet-ing showed policymakers are also still worried about risks to growth, including anemic hiring and a bat-tered housing sector, which has been fl irting with a renewed slump. “Even with the positive news re-ceived over the intermeeting pe-riod, the most likely outcome was a gradual pickup in growth with slow progress toward maximum

employment,” the minutes said.“The recovery (remains) subject to some downside risks,” they add-ed, citing housing and debt trou-bles in Europe as potential trouble spots. The U.S. economy, having emerged from its deepest reces-sion in generations in the summer of 2009, has expanded in fi ts and starts since. Gross domestic prod-uct rose at a 2.6 percent annual rate in the third quarter, a pace still seen as too low to bring down the country’s 9.8 percent jobless rate.The rather dovish tone of the minutes suggested those thinking the central bank might curtail its

controversial bond-buying plans, known in the markets as the sec-ond round of quantitative easing or QE2, may be getting ahead of themselves. Some Fed offi cials indicated a “fairly high” thresh-old for reconsidering the $600 bil-lion in purchases, and some noted more time was needed before any such re-evaluation.“Members generally felt that the change in the outlook was not suf-fi cient to warrant any adjustments to the asset-purchase program,” the minutes said. Meeting partici-pants generally thought infl ation would remain below levels con-sistent with the Fed’s mandatefor “some time.”

APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENSESNotice is hereby given that Eluterico Tush is applying for a Malt & Cider LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Lute’s Bar, San Roman, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Clemente Tush is applying for a Shop LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Clem’s Grocery Shop, San Roman, Stann Creek District under the INTOXI-CATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edi-tion 1980.Notice is hereby given that Julio Saqui is applying for a Restau-rant LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Cock’s Comb Diner, Maya Center, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.

9th of January , 2011 Page 11

Barrow’s un-soaked Bread

I was cautiously interested in what Prime Minister Barrow had to say to the people of Belize in his New Year’s speech but I also anticipated what he would have said – Barrow never disappoints. This year, he brings a brand new twist called a “spending menu”

This was Barrow at the begin-ning of 2009. “In order to get us through the externally imposed constraints, we can and certainly will borrow concessionally from the international fi nancial institu-tions, the multi-lateral fi nancial institutions. And when I calculate it, we’re looking at around $200 million to be accessed by us from the international community in this current year. That then is our version of the stimulus package that of course so many very coun-tries in the world are resorting to. This will increase employment, pump money into the economy, and create the rising tide designed to fl oat all boats even at time of recession.” The Opposition, PUP hosted a press conference at the Fort George Hotel in January of 2010 during which Honorable Mark Espat described Prime Minister Barrow’s 2009 phantom stimulus package as “counterfeit hope”. Fast forward to the beginning of 2011 when Belizeans are in dire need for rescue and relief from not just the effects of the global recession but from UDP inepti-tude – Barrow introduces or rath-er recycles his phantom stimulus package. Barrow has failed the Belizean people and failed us so terribly that misery and hopeless-ness pervades the land like a sti-fl ing miasma – the only way out for many is death. This year PM Barrow brings the remix – a “spending menu” as he calls it, that promises a whole lot and one can only hold their breath hoping that one or more of his promises will come through. (In-terestingly but not ironic, though, he does not mention the much trumpeted RESTORE Belize Program.) I liken Barrow’s New Year’s speech to un-soaked bread. It appears cooked with a golden brown exterior but when you slice in, it is mushy - raw. Reminiscent of his 2009 stunt, PM Barrow brings us another whap that he has colorfully dubbed a “spending menu” - I have to give it up to the PM for his iridescent nat-ter. The tab for the 2011 “spending menu” is $213.1 million. Accord-ing to Barrow, $12 million will be spent on small, countrywide pov-erty alleviation projects via the Social Investment Fund; $30 mil-lion is for “municipal infrastruc-ture to be shared among fi ve dis-trict towns and Belmopan City”; $62 million in EU money will be spent on the Belize Rural De-velopment Programme (BRDP) in the South, and the Accompa-nying Measures for Sugar in the North; $30 million will be spent

on the Belize City Southside Pov-erty Alleviation Project (this has been ongoing for years – meaning they started under the PUP); $44.3 million will go towards extend-ing the Southern Highway from the “Dump” outside Punta Gorda Town to the village of Jalacte near the Guatemalan border; $14.8 mil-lion will be spent on the rehabili-tation of the existing facilities at the Northern Border; $10 million will be spent on “social interven-tions in Belize City to help deal with gang violence and another $10 million for streets, drains and fl ood mitigation on the Northside of the old capital.”The UDP-friendly Channel 7 re-ported in January 2009 that the “stimulus package consisted of concessionary loans.” The pack-age included, “US$60 million from the IDB for tourism devel-opment and solid waste manage-ment; $30 million from the CDB for the restructured DFC; $10 mil-lion for upgrading of drainage in Belama and the adjoining sections of the Northern Highway; $10 mil-lion as well for the fl ood affected Western Highway; $30 million for urban renewal in Belize’s towns; $20 million from the CARICOM Petroleum Fund, $10 million from the IMF for unconditional bal-ance of payments support related to fl ood damages; and $10 million from the Commonwealth Debt Initiative.”It appears that although Barrow was careful in choosing his words this year. The 2011 “spending menu” bears a striking resem-blance to the 2009 phantom stim-ulus package. In both instances Barrow promised improvement to municipal infrastructure. He called it “urban renewal” in 2009 and in 2011 he referred to it as money allotted for “municipal infrastructure” This year like in 2009, Barrow also promises work on the major highways. There was a twist in reference to monies from other international fi -nancial agencies. Barrow boasts of a $62 million from the European Union for the Belize Rural Devel-opment Programme (BRDP). But the truth must be told of monies from the EU for the BRDP is not monies for government to spend or decide how it will spend. Govern-ment contributes a minor portion to the fund but the programme is for the European Union’s repre-sentatives to run – therefore I fi nd it disingenuous on the part of the Prime Minister to speak as though that $62 million is being given to his government to handle as if this UDP administration suddenly

became the paragon of good gov-ernance and transparency and the bull that they facetiously told us. Not so.Belize and the European Union signed on to a grant fund for ru-ral development on November fi rst, 2005 – the programme was launched in Double Head Cab-bage Village, Belize District, in October of 2006 with a starting amount of $16.9 million. The pro-gramme works on an incremental basis therefore Barrow and his im-pulsive government do not get to control and dictate or take over. Their participation is on a collab-orative basis with the EU’s BRDP ultimately deciding. Barrow did not expound on where the funding for the other projects will come from. Hopefully in the near future we will know. The fi gures on our economic growth have been all over the place – seems like a toss-up be-tween what is conjured in the mind of some wishful thinking Barrow appointed stooge. From projections by the Central Bank of Belize, to that circumspect report by the SIB, to what is recorded internationally – who knows the true picture of Belize’s economy? We all do – we live it each day and none of the nonsense that is spewed from the mouths of Bar-row or his emissaries diminishes the suffering of the 43% who are poor, the well over 12.6% who are unemployed and the gripping hold that that high cost of living and high crime has had on our nation. The PM, opened this year by re-calling his 2010 presentation in which he said that he tried to “mark a sense of purpose, prom-ise and possibilities” (imagine the possibilities). He said that, he pre-dicted that the world wide reces-sion, “would run its course; that our economic diffi culties would peak and decline by the end of the year.” He pats himself for having accurately predicted this at the start of 2010. The PM quoted the Caribbean Centre for Money and Finance saying that most countries of the Caribbean reported negative or low growth rates with Belize re-porting 3.5% growth and Guyana and the Netherland Antilles re-porting 0.8% growth. Barrow fur-ther stated that Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) instead posted that our economy only grew by 2.4% instead of the 3.5%.

Old reliable SIB posted the fol-lowing on their website: “Pre-liminary gross domestic product (GDP) fi gures released today by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) show that in the fi rst half of 2010 the Belizean economy grew by 2.4% when compared to the same period in 2009” There was nothing to support the posting. Oh well – what the heck. If you should choke on the “spend-ing menu” then the PM has laid blame on a “foreign marauder and his local fi fth columnists”. Barrow continues to try to make Lord Ash-croft the big bad boogieman and in so doing make him the common enemy of the people of Belize. Just a couple things wrong with that – fi rst, is that he continues to collect a share of what is earned by Barrow and Williams and some of the earning is derived from the Belize Bank which is Ashcroft’s. Secondly, the people of Belize see the hypocrisy of this whole matter – Barrow represented Lord Ash-croft and his interests in Belize for years to the point where he be-came insensitive to the cries of the Belizean people. His famous line rings clear in my head, “I am an attorney who is being well paid.” Barrow the attorney for Ashcroft uttered those words while Beliz-eans were dragging their phones down the street bawling out for lower telephone rates – so give me a damn break Mr. Prime Minister. I think Mr. Barrow needs to make up his mind at some point to tell the Belizean people what went wrong between him and Lord Ashcroft – after all we need to know. I thought it did not matter but now I change my mind, we ought to know – “transparency” remember? How did Barrow go from a friend to a foe and explain to us again why we should be the pawns who bear the expenses of this fi ght? The PM damn well knows that his 2011 speech is just a pipe dream and the failure that it is bound to be is not Michael Ash-croft’s fault but his and his alone. No longer can he blame the PUP – they left enough money in the kitty that gave him a good start in 2008 but they chose to squan-der it giving away $4.5million to Edmond Castro for a road in the middle of nowhere. No longer can he blame the super-bond; Godwin Hulse set them straight on that. Like a drowning man he clutches on to the Ashcroft boogieman line – it won’t fl y, the jig is up. I have said it before and I will say so again – demonizing Ashcroft does not make him any less deserving of fair compensation for his com-pany that he, Barrow impulsively took over! Pay the man! Barrow’s bread is golden brown on the out-side but raw on inside.

Notice is hereby given that Veronica Coronado is applying for a Restaurant LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Taste of India Restaurant, Hopkins, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Re-vised Edition 1980.

9th of January , 2011Page 12

As we walk into 2011, there is little relief knowing that chaotic crime festered 2010 is gone. As we were about to close the fi nal chap-ter on 2010, we awoke to the real-ity of the life that confronts us as we head on into 201 with the price of fuel now beyond $10 per gallon for both premium and regular fuel. Fossil fuel is most essential for the productive sector and if the price continues to rise, the cost of pro-duction will continue to go up and food prices and of other commodi-ties and services will defi nitely in-crease which means that life will only get harder. There are no hope or expectations as we walk into 2011 because the government is helpless and lacks the competence to envision and implement any viable solution that might bring any comfort in their handling of the economy. They have obliterated all the investor confi dence that existed during the previous PUP administration and no investor in their right minds will come into Belize with their hard cash to invest when Prime Minis-ter Dean Barrow has demonstrated to the world that his vindictive ar-rogance has impaired his ability to reason sagaciously and act as a true Government leader for the benefi t of its people. As long as PM Barrow continues to ignore the root causes and fail to act to rescue the iconic local businesses from closing their busi-ness, people will continue to lose their jobs, and the suffering will get wider. The greatest challenge lies ahead for all Belizeans, will we continue to pretend that all is well or will we wake up to the reality and stand up collectively and make the change. What is our New Year’s Resolution? Will we drive out the oppressors out of Belmopan? Al-ternatively, will we cringe even though our children are suffering. If we want to see the silver lining behind the dark cloud, we must stop U.D.P. corruption, cronyism, nepotism and arrogance. In 2010 the then CEO of tour-ism, Michael Singh, who is the brother of the Minister of Police, Dough Singh and the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority was among those suspected to be asso-ciated with a suspected drug ves-sel that was found in the area of the air strip. He was again later under suspicion of being involved directly or indirectly with the land-ing of planes at the Phillip Gold-son international airport carting human traffi cking cargo. This is the same Michael Singh was ada-mant in bringing cruise tourism to the Placencia Peninsula against the

wishes of the villagers in Placencia and may have signed the special ar-rangement with “Pride of America” a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise to manipulate the tendering of cruise ship services in Belize. The same CEO tourism Singh again was in-volved in the high handing behav-ior of the Chukka Baka Bush permit that was opposed by local tourist operators and FECTAB. Anyways the long and short of it is that Singh was moved as CEO of tourism in what some peo-ple think was a disciplinary action, but when he became the director of Beltraide it was seen as an obvious promotion. So the personal deals that Singh hooked up for himself through his affi liate companies and business associates, he can now grant concessions and license too. One of these such sweet heart deals is the one that we are looking at now where two major tenders con-nected to Pride America Ship Hold-ing and Bitalco, which are a local company owned by the Singhs’ ar-rived at the Big Creek Port recently. Pride America operates out of Ho-nolulu Hawaii and has tremendous resources. These two hundred and fi fty seating capacity tenders will easily monopolize and certainly squeeze out the local industry in so far as tendering tourists from the ship to the Fort Street, Tourism Vil-lage. With this, almost exclusive capacity to operate this would im-mediately kill the local investors and small operators in a fl ash. There are estimated thirty local tenders operating with cruise ships. If this is allowed to happen, we are talk-ing to hundreds of workers will add to the thousands that are out cold without jobs. If you consider the family dependents of these workers losing their jobs, we are looking at thousands directly affected because of this greedy action by Mr. Singh. These smaller business investments related to the tendering are now un-der pressure and these people have loans and mortgages to pay, fam-ily to feed and students to send to school. Just when we thought noth-ing could get worse UDP’s like Singh tightens the squeeze on an already struggling economy while foreign investors under scalpers like the Singh’s reaping the sweets of the tourism industry. Nobody can tell me that the Prime Minister is not aware of what is happening with the Singhs. Obviously, this continues to be a part of Barrow’s cronyism and for those people who are FOBs could live high off the fat of the hog when the rest of Belizeans to take the stick with no grease. The dis-placement of local investors creates further frustrations, which lead to crimes and violence. This is what

the Barrow administration has for Belizeans in 2011, just imagining the possibilities and living in the harsh reality. The continued deterioration of the socio-economic aspect and its effects on the populace will contin-ue to be the political issue that will drag us deeper into the hell-hole in 2011. We will just have to wake up and take our issue to the streets to bring down the inept UDP govern-ment in Belmopan. The reason why I am concentrating so much on the thousands of people who are los-ing jobs, is because this govern-ment has no clue on how to stimu-late the economy or attract foreign investors to our shores because they have down a wonderful job at burning those bridges. At the same

time, this government is embarking on an immigration amnesty to le-gitimize the status of some twenty thousand immigrants and turn them into as Belizeans so they can use them in the coming general elec-tions as a tool to remain in power come 2013. Twenty thousand more adults at an average of fi ve people per family represent an additional hundred thousand person into our population who will be competing for food from the same food bas-ket, who will be competing for jobs that are already scarce, who will be competing for available land against Belizeans who were born right here. This is not to scare anybody, but it is a caution for us to prepare our-selves for the reality of what is to come. The truth of the matter is that this government has created a ter-rible economic situation and there is no pretty ending end in sight. Usu-ally, this time of the year is defi ned as mauga-season but the entire 2011 will appear as an extended mauga-season. Brace yourself, tighten your belt because life wah get harda out

APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENSESNotice is hereby given that Anhel Sho is applying for a Malt & Cider LIQUOR LI-CENSE to be operated at Fermina’s Bar, Independence, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Iris Magdaleno is applying for Restaurant LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Iris Place, Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Lawrence Noralez is applying for a Publican Special LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Culture V, Dangriga, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Ysela Julissa Contreras is applying for a Publican Special LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Bucana Bar, San Juan Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Qiong Xian Chen is applying for a Malt & Cider LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Yummy Yummy Food, Dangriga, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Simon Chen is applying for a Restaurant LIQUOR LI-CENSE to be operated at Rainbow Restaurant, Dangriga, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Ramon Amaya is applying for a Publican Special LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Coastal View Bar, Hope Creek Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Alfonsa Judith Nunez is applying for a Restaurant & Bar LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Yugadah Cafe , Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Santos Izaguirre is applying for a Publican Special LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Bar Los Olivos , Cow PenStann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Milagro Quintero is applying for a Publica Special LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Aqui Te Vez Bar, Swasey Village, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Peter Chiac is applying for a Malt & Cider LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at D-Tatch Bar, Pomona Village Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Clifford Augustine is applying for a Publican Special LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at Blak Lyon International Cafe, Hopkins Vil-lage, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING OR-DINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that Gaynor Brown is applying for a Publican Special LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Seventh Haven, Independence Village,Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.

9th of January , 2011 Page 13

Got News...Share your views and opinionsCall: 501-628-3215

By: Nuri Muhammad Hundredth MonkeyA friend remarked recently that

despite the economic hardship that most Belizeans across the nation ex-perienced during the recent holiday season there were several members of the Cabinet and their families and friends that seem to have enjoyed the holiday and had a lot to cele-brate. He said that despite the vibes on the streets, there were some UDP Ministers that really believed that they could actually be the govern-ment for a second term. Could it be he asked, that they have looked across the political di-vide into the camp of the PUP and are confi dent that that party is so broken that “all the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men could not put that party together again?” So he surmised, that there is glee because where there is no viable opposition, there is no potential government, therefore, they think that “da den wan continue fu run tings”. What else could they be cel-ebrating as Belizeans suffer the im-pact of an economy that has become stuck in recession, (a code name for hard-times); massive job losses from collapsing businesses; the near collapse of the sugar industry and similar fears echoed by those in the citrus industry in an open-letter to the Prime Minister last weekend; and the expanding unemployment rate; a crime situation that continues to get worst despite operation after operation and bogus quick fi x pro-grams, yet the situation continues to spiral. But how did the UDP get us to buy into their collective denial of re-ality. Even today, after three years of their incompetence we are still ac-cepting them blaming the PUP for everything that is wrong. Certainly new administrations tend to blame their predecessor for the problems they meet in their fi rst year in offi ce but it’s been three years now and the blame game continues. What hap-pened to us and how did they get us here? There is something called sub-liminal seduction that most of us know very little about. In a nutshell, it is the technique of suggesting viewpoints, arguments, assump-tions or even choice of consumer products through hidden messages that reach the subconscious mind and by-pass the conscious rational mind. There are several techniques of mind control using subliminal seduction. One technique is to im-plant pictures of certain consumer products below the images you are watching on your TV screen, in a magazine, a newspaper or a bill-board. In other words, while you are looking consciously at one picture there are other pictures implanted beneath what is visible by the con-scious mind but is picked up by the unconscious mind. This technique of implanting ideas in the unaware mind is not new and goes back as

far as early religious institutions. In most cases it was used for good but history also says that it has been used by the unscrupulous whose in-tention was to control the individual or the masses. This technique was also used in the forties during WWII when both the Germans and the Americans used these techniques to enhance patriotism and nationalism during the war. Both populations saw their government as the noble side fi ght-ing against the evil side. It was a useful tool of wartime propaganda. During the sixties and seventies corporations from Wall Street and Madison Avenue also used these techniques in their commercials to sell their products whether that product was healthy or detrimental. A good example of this was how the tobacco industry hid the dan-gers of smoking while promoting its product to millions of unsuspecting smokers, many of them children. For decades they got away with this because they were not regulated by the US federal government since the use of hidden images in this tech-nique of advertizing could not be properly quantifi ed. Even today this technique of subliminal seducing consumers to buy what they don’t need, with money they don’t have, to impress the people they don’t like, continues. But there is another kind of sub-liminal seduction that does not rely on scientifi c techniques in commer-cials as much as it relies on the tried and tested method of mind control and infl uencing opinions. This is called the phenomenon of critical mass and was popularized in a book by Ken Keyes Jr. called The Hun-dredth Monkey. Critical mass is a sociological perspective on human behavior that developed in the early sixties and is used in the commercial industry but is more frequently used in political campaigning before and after an election by those governments, like the UDP, who, despite winning, re-main in a campaign mode long after an election is over. How does criti-cal mass work? As the story goes, a group of Japanese social scientist conducted a study on an island fi lled with thou-sands of monkeys somewhere in the Sea of Japan. Daily they would supply the monkeys with sweet po-tatoes. In the beginning they noticed that all the monkeys consumed the potatoes without washing it. After some time they noticed that one monkey regularly took her potato down to a stream and washed it be-fore eating it. After some time that monkey taught her mother how to wash her potato and they would both take their potatoes to the stream and washed them before eating. Gradu-ally a third monkey did the same, then a fourth, a fi fth and so on. Af-ter many months there were many monkeys washing their potato while the great majority still continued to

consume the unwashed potatoes. But those who washed their potato continued to grow; soon it was nine-ty, then ninety one, ninety two and so on. For a long time it was ninety nine monkeys washing their pota-toes before eating it but when the hundredth monkey started to wash his potato, almost miraculously, the whole island of thousands of mon-keys began to wash their potato before they ate it. This is called the Hundredth Monkey Theory and it suggests that people tend to follow change when they think a signifi cant sector of the society is following that change. And a local commercial ask the question: “Have you made the switch yet?” The use of subliminal seduc-tion through critical mass as a tech-nique is part and parcel of politics today. For example polls were used very skillfully during the last gen-eral elections to create impressions of what the majority was thinking even though it was never the major-ity polled. KREM’s Two Cent Cam and Channel 5 continue to use the straw poll technique even today. Framing assumptions to bring you to a subconscious conclusion before your conscious, rational mind has time to think it through, is the role of subliminal seduction; to persuade you in a direction by emotional per-suasion rather than rational thought. The UDP presented itself as the ‘saviors of Belize’ in the 08’ general elections. Clearly, there is no doubt that as early as 2007 Mr. Barrow and his advisors knew from the cri-sis hitting the global economy and particularly the US, that there were diffi cult fi nancial times ahead for Belize if they took offi ce in 2008. They knew that the world recession and the global economic downturn

would have a domino effect on all small nations like Belize, but despite this, the UDP presented themselves as “knights in shining amour” who had come to save Belize from the economic hard times created by the PUP and bring economic prosperity. They promised jobs, jobs, jobs. They practiced collective denial about the impact of the world reces-sion and pretended that, under their stewardship, Belize would experi-ence a great economic expansion once they got to Belmopan. They told the nation, through the media, that there were world agencies like the World Bank, European Union, IDB and CDB that had tons of money to give Belize but would not give because of the corrupt PUP; but “once the PUP were gone this money would come fl owing into Belize”. They succeeded on the whims of a slogan like, “imaging possibili-ties” rather than advising the nation to “prepare to meet the realities of a global recession”. So they framed their political argument on excit-ing our national imagination with possibilities that originated in their imaginations and convinced us, that if we could only use our collective imaginations, we too could believe as they believed that all things would be rosy under the UDP. We collectively bought that like the ‘hundredth monkey’, and the UDP was swept into offi ce; and the rest is history. Now the shoe is on the other foot. There is a growing sentiment of dissatisfaction with the UDP gov-ernment and its ineffective or non-existent policies. Like the proverbi-al monkeys on that Japanese island, one by one, opinions are chang-ing and dissatisfaction is grow-ing; ninety one, ninety two, ninety three……………….(Comments are welcomed at nuribze@gmail.com).

Monday, Jan 3, 2011

There were two drowning inci-dents reported since the start of the New Year. The fi rst incident was reported on New Year’s Eve at the lagoon of Country Side Park near the Spanish Lookout commu-nity around three in the afternoon last Friday. It claimed the life of twenty nine year old Eddy Dueck, twenty-nine who was visiting from Canada. Police investiga-tions reveal that Dueck was out in the park for a picnic outing and had gone into the lagoon on a jet-ski only a short while when his jet-ski was seen fl oating but he had disappeared under water. Authori-ties and relatives who searched the lagoon recovered Dueck’s body twelve hours later on New Year’s

Two Drowning Incidents Reported over the New Year’s Weekend

Day fl oating in the lagoon.The other case was reported near South Water Caye sometime around noon on Monday and it claimed the life of sixty four year old Judith Ferrill, a US citizen of the State of Colorado. Police in-vestigations reveal that Ferrill had gone on a scuba diving venture with fourteen other tourists when she began experiencing breathing problems in the water. She was quickly removed from the water and was placed in a boat where attempts were made to revive her but proved futile. She died short-ly after. In both cases the bodies were transferred to the morgues of their Regional hospitals for Post mortem examinations to certify the causes of death.

9th of January , 2010Page 14

Belize City, January 1, 2011

Team Bennys Megabytes’ Costa Rican import Marco Salas Arias won won 21st edition of the an-nual KREM “Sugar & Cream” New Year’s Day cycling classic. Salas Arias clocked 3:59:55 on his 90 mile ride from the Corozal border to the fi nish line at the Mahogany Street junction with the Central American boulevard in Belize City to win the $2,000 fi rst prize, a round trip ticket from to the continental USA from American airlines and the winners’ trophy.Salas and his teammate, Juan Carlos Rojas, had dominated the second half of the race after leaving Orange Walk Town. They crossed the fi nish lien together with hands raised together in a V-for-victory salute, and Salas front wheel was only slightly ahead of Rojas, who claimed the $1,500 2nd prize and trophy.Salas’ time was nowhere near the record of 3:29:00, but the Radio KREM out-side broadcast crew had time to in-terview both riders, before the 2006 Cross Country champion, Team Western Spirits’ Shane Vasquez, the fi rst Belizean, crossed the fi nish line 16 minutes later to win the $1,000 3rd prize.Team Zamir’s Allen Castillo took the $500.00 4th prize, and Team Santino’s Hernan Ochaeta won the $350 5th prize.Henry Moreira, riding unattached, won the $275.00 6th prize, and Team Zamir’s Venezuelan import Gil Cordoves pulled in 7th to win a $200 prize, edging out Team C-Ray’s Brandon Cattouse who claimed the $175.00 8th prize.Team Western Spirits’ Peter Choto outsprinted Team Indeco’s David Henderson of Belmopan to take the $150.00 9th prize, while Henderson took the $100.00 10th prize.Some 84 riders, 73 Belizeans and 11 for-eigners, began the race, which saw only 46 fi nish. A 5-man breakway soon established a half mile lead on the main group with Christian McNish taking the fi rst $100 prize sponsored by Vista Auto Rental at Hotel Maya in Corozal, and he was still leading at San Joaquin where he also won one night’s ac-commodation with lunch at the Cahal Pech Village Resort.Team

Belize City, January 1, 2011

M a r c o s S a l a s A r i a s w i n s 2 1 s t a n n u a l K R E M “ S u g a r & C r e a m” N e w Ye a r ’s c y c l i n g

Western Spirits’ Jose Choto was in the breakaway along with his teammate Angel, Allen Castillo, and Team Typhoon’s Nissan Arana of Orange Walk. Chotowon a $300 prize sponsored by St. Anthony’s Training Co. at Mile 75, then Allen Castillo won a DVD player spon-sored by CD Plus at Mile 55 in the Louisville Village, where Tzib got dropped form the lead group which was down to 4 riders Salas, Rojas and Team Sugar City’sGuatemalan import Luis Santizo were chasing

the lead four, and they caught them at San Pablo, but it was Team Ty-phoon’s Nissan Arana of Orange Walk won the sprint for the biggest station prize , $1,000 sponsored by Hon. Johnny Briceno and Jaime Bri-ceno at the Shell One Stop gas sta-tion in Orange Walk Town.Arana, Castillo and McNish got dropped from the lead group leaving Orange Walk Town and only Salas, Rojas, Santizo and Belizean Jose Choto remained. By mile 45, Salas ans ro-jas had opend up a 5 minute lead on their nearest rivals. Rojas took the $100 prize sponsored by Brothers Habet at Mile 35, and he and Salas would sahre all the reamingin prizes

ontheir breakawy rifde to the city.sclaiming the $200 prize offered by Eustest Dawson Auto Sales at the Crooked Tree Junction and a $50 of-fered by All Upholstery. He would also claim a case of Campari Pre-mium Wines & Spirits at the mile 30 marker. Salas was still on the pace to win two computerized eye exams and a 20% discount on eye-glass frames offered by Dr. Amin Hegar and Belize Vision Center, as they passed through Biscayne Vil-lage. Belizeans Giovanni Choto,

Hernan Ochaeta and Shane Vasquez were mounting a chase, but they were 7 minutes behind the lead duo.Rojas took over the pace to win a $100 gift certifi cate sponsored by Celebrity Restaurant & Bar at the mile 20 marker, then Salas won a $922.50 gift certifi cate for a full body treatment, use of jungle wa-terfall pool and the Japanese min-eral bath at the Maruba Resort & Jungle Spa. Salas and Rojas took time out to rehydrate with Red Bull as they passed the junction with the old Maskall road at mile 19, and Sa-las claimed a $100 sheep sponsored by Belize Rural North area rep-resentative Hon. Edmond Castro.

Salas won another sheep from Cas-tro at the junction with the Burrell Boom bypass road, where they were leading the chase group by 10 minutes. Rojas took over the pace to win a $100 sheep sponsored Mark Velasquez and family at Mile 13 ½, also winning a $100 prize sponsored by Dr. Joel Cervantes and Neurosurgical Spinal Services at Mile 13, and a $400 prize offered by Allen Thurton and his familySalas won the $50 prize sponsored by Belize Optical Service at Mile

11 ¼. Then Ro-jas took over the pace to win the $150 prize of-ferd by Jaime Price Piling at the Lords Bank Junc-tion, and another $50 of Internet access from Zitro International and Western Union at mile 9. He also won $50 free ca-ble from Centaur Cable Network at Mile 8 ¾. He also won a $300 prize offered by Del-mart Hardware & Lumber Yard at the Airport junc-tionRojas was till on the pace pass-ing the Haulover Bridge, where he won two $100

prizes each from Rosado›s Hard-ware and Freetown Drugstore Salas took over the pace passing Maheia›s United Compound to claim a $100 prize from Maheias United Con-crete Supplies, and Rojas won a Large BBQ Grill from Bilal Weld-ing at mile 3.Salas took over the pace at the fi rst roundabout at mile two and a half to win two months weightlifting and toning at Neal & Gordon’s Gym, the Rojas won a bottle tequila offered by Royal Wholesale and Retail as they en-tered the city, as well as a $75 prize offered by Santos Diaz & Sons in memory of 1981 Cross Coun-try champion Alpheus Williams.

9th of January , 2010 Page 15

Belize City, January 1, 2011

Team Sagitun’s Shalini Zabaneh of the Sagitun cycling team won 21st annual KREM New Year’s Day female cycling classic, while Johnny Quintal of Mexico’s Depre-dadores team of Quintana Roo won clocked 2:49:16 to win the junior race, both had ridden 50 milea from Orange Walk Town to the fi n-ish line in front of the Mahogany Street junction with the Central American boulevard in Belize City.Shalini clocked 2:54:43 to win a $500 fi rst prize and a Digicell phone package and a trophy, while quintal claimed the same prizes as the 1st junior.Shalini fi nished 24 minutes ahead of Patricia Chavarria, riding unattached, who clocked 3:18:27 to win the $300 2nd prize. Former women’s Cross Country champion Anthea Sutherland, riding for the Truckers Posse, clocked 3:20:09 to win the $200 3rd prize.Kira Ei-ley and Telemedia Swoosh Fiona Humes clocked 3:41:09 as they fi nished 4th and 5th respectively. Humes’ teammate Carmita Gabb clocked 3:55:11 as the 6th female.Shalini Zabaneh had completely dominated the fi eld of 7 women

Shalini Zabaneh & Johnny Quintal win 21st KREM Sugar & Cream New Year’s female & junior cyclingclassic

who began the race in Orange Walk, and Shalini claimed all sta-tion prizes along the way, includ-ing $50worth of Internet access from Zitro International & Western Union 6 fi nish Lords Bank junc-tion, a $50 prize from the Ladyville Community Store at mile 9 ¼; $50 worth of cable from Centaur Cable Network at the mile 8 ¾ mark, a $100 prize from Vista Auto Rental at the Airport Junction, as well as

two Computerized eye exam and a 20% discount on eyeglass frames from Dr. Amin Hegar and the Be-lize Vision Center anda bottle te-quila from Royal Wholesale and Retail; a $100 prize from Rosado’s Hardware at the Haulover Bridge; a $100 prize from Maheia’s United Concrete Supplies at the Maheia’s United Compound, a barbeque grill from Bilal Welding at Mile 3 and a $100 prize from the Ramos family.

Team Indeco’s Giovanni Lovell was the fi rst Belizean in the junior race; he won the $300 2nd prize, while the Twin Town Cycling team’s Austin Armstrong led the sprint for the $2000 3rd prize and trophy.Cayo High Road’s Kyle Gentle was 4th, Team Indeco’s Joel Borland was 5th, and Adrian Li-narez of the Clear the Land team was 6th. Gentle’s teammate Aiden Juan was 7th, Team Depredadores’ Christian Cambranes of Quintana Roo was 8th and Juan Umana of the Cayo High Road team was 9th.The Mexicans also dominated the Mas-ters’ Category 4/5 race with Depre-dadores Freddy Ramos and David Balam taking 1st and 2nd place; Ramos clocking 2:48:49 to win the fi rst place trophy.Belizean rider Barney Brown of the FT Williams team took 3rd while Depredadores’ Omar Gomez was 4th and Truck-ers Posse’s Amir Gonzalez was 5th. Manuel Antonio Baas of the Merida team was 6th and Brown’s team-mate Mark Gentle was 7th. Kenneth Butler, riding unattached, was 8th. Team Typhoon’s Albert Conorquie of Orange Walk was 9th and his teammate Charles Slusher complet-ed the top 10.

Punta Gorda, January 2, 2011The Toledo Ambassadors and San Felipe Barcelona have qualifi ed to the semifi nals of the Caribbean Motors Cup football competition alter both teams posted big wins in the quarterfi nals on Sunday, Janu-ary 2. The Toledo Ambassadors had to go to a penalty shoot-out to eliminate Hankook Verdes 4-2 at the Toeldo Union fi eld in Punta Gorda Town, while San Felipe eliminated Griga United 3-2 at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga.

The end of 90 minutes regulation time saw the Toledo Ambassadors struggling in a nil-zip stalemate with the Hankook Verdes and 30 minutes of overtime produced no goals, sending the game into a pen-alty shootout.Wilmer Garcia con-verted for the Ambassadors’ fi rst penalty, but Marlon Meza convert-ed for Verdes to tie the ball game at 1-1. Toledo’s Tarrel Flores missed his penalty, but Ambassadors’ goal-ie Frank Lopez made a big save to stop Amin Cano’s try. Robert Muschamp converted his penalty to lead 2-1, and Lopez stopped Pe-dro Guerra’s try. Dalton Eiley con-verted his penalty for the 3-1 lead, then Jose Monroy pulled one back for Verdes when he converted his penalty. The Ambassadors were

Toledo Ambassadors & San Felipe Barcelona enter 2010 Caribbean Cup football semi� nals

still up 3-2 when Elio Ramirez con-verted his kick for the 4-2 win, ren-dering Verdes’ 5th try unnecessary.Griga United had every opportunity to win when they hosted San Fe-lipe Barcelona at the Carl Ramos. Griga dang fans roared their ap-proval when Dennis Serano blasted in the fi rst goal in the 32 minute of play, and the Griga defense ancored by Karim Peters, Allan Flores and Harrison Tasher frustrated the best efforts of san Felipe’s strikers Os-car Acevedo, Harvey Cruz and De-ris Benavides to hold on to their

1-0 lead up to the half time break.Something had to give and De-ris Benavides tied the score at 1-1 when he scored the visitors’s fi rst goal inthe 55th minute of play.

Griga United regained the lead 2-1 when Alexander Peters scored their 2nd goal in the 63rd minute of play, and they led 2-1, until Har-vey Cruz penetrated the defense to score the visitors’ 2nd goal inthe 72nd minute of play. Botyh sides now strived for the game-winner, and it seemed the game might have

to go into overtime, until Oscar Acevedo scored San Felipe’s 3rd winning goal in the 90th minute of regulation time.The national team is competing in the Central Amer-ican championships in Panama on January 14-18, so the compe-tition will be on hold for 2 weeks until their return. The semifi nals are scheduled to begin with F.C. Belize hosting the Toledo Ambassadors at the MCC grounds on Sunday, Janu-ary 23, while the Belize Defence Force will host San Felipe Barcelo-na at the Norman Broaster Stadium.

9th of January , 2011Page 16

The EditorThe National Perspective Newspaper25 Nanche StreetBelmopan City

Dear Sir/Madam:Please allow me some space in your newspaper to set the record straight concerning the political situation in Orange Walk East, especially fol-lowing the results of the Orange Walk East Convention.Members of the media have men-tioned their extreme state of surprise that Mr. Marcel Cardona could have “lost” control of Orange Walk East in such a short space of 2 years 10 months since the last General Elec-tions held on February 7, 2010.What has taken place in Orange Walk East during the past almost 3 years can only be described as “clear acts of political opportunism, sabo-tage, cannibalism, ingratitude and assassination” by the UDP Leader-ship (especially the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Gaspar Vega and the Prime Minister Mr. Dean Barrow) of one of its very own duly elected Area Representatives, Mr. Marcel Cardona.In 2003, after Mr. Dean Barrow and the UDP had suffered its second consecutive General Election de-feat, the UDP only held 7 seats in the House of Representatives (later to be increased by one following the Cayo South Bye-election, follow-ing the death of Agripino Cawich in October of 2004), as compared to the 22 seats initially held by the PUP. Everyone was rumoring that the UDP was dead and buried by the PUP, never to resurrect into our political history. At this time, there were no signs of the presence of Gaspar Vega or Landy Burns in Or-ange Walk – only Mr. Cardona, who single-handedly started rebuilding and resurrecting the UDP. In fact, according to the public re-cords at the Belize Archives and Records Service in Belmopan City, both Mr. Gaspar Margarito Vega and Mr. Orlando “Landy” Burns had already unsuccessfully attempted to gain political offi ce at the Municipal level on several previous occasions, but had been fi rmly rejected by the people of Orange Walk Town. In the March 11, 1997, Town Board Elections in Orange Walk Town, Gaspar Margarito Vega along with Orlando ‘Landy’ Burns, Mr. Derrick Alarick Gillett and other UDP candidates were fi rmly rejected by the people of Orange Walk Town. In the March 8, 1994, Town Board Elections in Orange Walk Town, Mr. Gaspar Mar-garito Vega, along with Mr. Der-rick Alarick Gillett and other UDP Candidates, were again fi rmly re-jected by the people of Orange Walk Town. However, quite surprisingly, poorer and less fi nanced UDP candi-dates like Mr. Herman Meza, Mr. Rene Gomez, and Mrs. Agripina ‘Pinita’ Espejo were elected, whilst the richer, more fi nancially affl uent UDP Candidates were rejected. In the April 30, 1988 Town Board Elections in Orange Walk Town, Mr. Orlando “Landy” Burns again unsuccessfully attempted to gain political offi ce as a UDP Candidates

in Orange Walk, but was once more fi rmly rejected by the people of Or-ange Walk Town. Quite surprising-ly, Mr. Orlando “Landy” Burnsalso unsuccessfully ran as an “IN-DEPENDENT” Candidate in the December 29, 1981 Town Board Elections held in Orange Walk, but was again fi rmly rejected by the people of Orange Walk Town. Prior to this election, he also participated in the 1977 PUP Convention for the 1978 Town Board Elections, but was again fi rmly rejected by the people of Orange Walk Town. Per-haps this explains why he next ran under the banner of an Independent Candidate, before then moving over to the UDP Camp.Hence, it is quite perplexing why Mr. Orlando “Landy” Burns has adopted the campaign slogan that “WE TRUST in LANDY BURNS” or “CONFIAMOS EN LANDY BURNS”, since there is no previous evidence of the peo-ple of Orange Walk Town having previously placed their TRUST or CONFIDENCE in Landy Burns in any previous election. The only ex-planation appears to be that in the month of June of 2010, he carbon-copied the campaign slogan and picture pose of Goburnatorial Can-didate for the PRI in the State of Quintana Roo in Mexico, when he started printing his political propa-ganda in Chetumal and publicizing his campaign posters, bumper-stick-ers and billboards.In 2003, when the names of both Mr. Gaspar Vega and Mr. Landy Burns were taboo for most persons in Or-ange Walk, the UDP Leader Mr. Dean Barrow had to look for a new, young, dynamic face in the person of Mr Marcel Cardona, to help rebuild the goodwill and confi dence of the people of Orange Walk, in the UDP once again. But now that the UDP has won, Mr. Cardona has become expendable, to make way for the UDP OPPORTUNITS, LEECH-ES, VAMPIRES, BLOODSUCK-ERS, or the likes of the previously mistrusted Gaspar Vega and Landy Burns once again. The reason why the UDP had been rejected in the past was due to persons like Gas-par Vega and Landy Burns, and the reason why the UDP shall again be rejected in the next Municipal and General Elections is because of the resurgence of the likes of Gaspar Vega and Landy Burns. This clearly shows that the UDP are not truly honest and sincere, and are just OP-PORTUNISTS or USERS of the poor people (including Mr. Cardona and the 2481 Orange Walk East Vot-ers, who voted for Mr. Cardona in the 2008 General Election)!The result of the UDP Convention on December 12, 2010, was not Mr. Gaspar Vega winning for Mr. Landy Burns with 1,377 votes the UDP Orange Walk East Convention, but rather the dooming of Mr. Landy

� e Real Story behind Orange Walk East!Burns and the entire UDP in Orange Walk and possibly even the Corozal District to a major UDP loss in the upcoming municipal and general elections.What was displayed at the UDP Convention has left many Orange Walkenios talking about the corrup-tive power of the apparently end-less supply of money on the part of Mr. Vega and Mr. Burns. It was only a short time ago, that in dur-ing his divorce proceedings in 2002, Mr. Vega claimed he and his busi-ness were running broke, and so could not provide more than $200 monthly maintenance for his chil-dren with his previous wife, Danna Vega. This was the reason why he was forced to sell his cable station to Mr. Net Vasquez of Channel 7 in Belize City. But after a little under three years of being in Government, Mr Vega and Mr. Burns have found suffi cient ways how to make big money off of this UDP Government, that money to buy the votes of most of the persons who participated in the UDP Orange Walk East Con-vention was not a problem for them. And this realization was particularly nauseating for the more observant individuals, who now come to the realization that with the election of a new UDP Government that prom-ised to be transparent, accountable and corruption-free, we have really changed “black dog for monkey!” – since the UDP is evidently now deeply involved in CORRUPTION of its own.But worse than that, the UDP Or-ange Walk East Convention was a total mockery of the electoral pro-cess. Mr. Gaspar Vega was heard to boast that ‘lent’ Landy Burns and had pushed in some 367 voters from Orange Walk North into the Or-ange Walk East Voters List during the last Transfer Period during the months of July and August of 2010, whilst he pushed a further 300 fi rst time voters from villages that do not form part of Orange Walk East, such as San Felipe, August Pine Ridge, Yo Creek, and others, during the last four weeks prior to the Orange Walk East Convention. These per-sons were being accepted to vote at the UDP Orange Walk East Conven-tion, merely based upon a Receipt of Application for Registration Slip of Paper issued by the Elections and Boundaries Department, upon the persons being taken in to APPLY for registration into Orange Walk East. Of course, the application does not guarantee that these persons would ultimately be accepted as Orange Walk East voters, since the staff at Elections and Boundaries would need to independently investigate and confi rm that they indeed reside at the addresses indicated in Orange Walk East.In fact, some pretty strange faces, including a number of Rastas who are believed to be from as far as

Dangriga and who are not known to have ever lived in Orange Walk East, were brought in from other parts of the country, to vote for Mr. Landy Burns in the Orange Walk East Convention!Clearly, Mr. Marcel Cardona could not single-handedly fi ght against the odds that were placed against him. His UDP Party had engaged, through the machinations of Mr. Gaspar Vega, Mr. Dean Barrow, Mr. Landy Burns, Mr. Elodio Ara-gon, Mr. Ruben Campos, and other top offi cials of the UDP, on a “cam-paign of political punishment, op-pression, victimization, repression, sabotage, cannibalism, ingratitude and assassination” against Mr. Mar-cel Cardona. This campaign was coupled with a ground campaign by both Mr. Burns and Mr. Grijalva, to weaken Mr. Cardona, and make him lose credibility, by telling the people not to vote for Mr. Marcel Cardona, since he could do nothing for them, since both Mr. Vega and Mr. Bar-row and the entire UDP Govern-ment were against him, and it did not make any sense to put him back in power, since he would get noth-ing done for them whilst the UDP was in power. If they wanted lands to build their houses or to farm, or nationality papers for their fami-lies, they had to vote for Mr. Landy Burns, since he had the full support of Mr. Vega, Mr. Barrow and the en-tire UDP Government.Therefore, Mr. Marcel Cardona was sandwiched by both the UDP Gov-ernment and the PUP Opposition Party, who did not want Mr. Car-dona to win, because he was consid-ered to be more popular than either Mr. Burns or Mr. Grijalva. That is why Mr. Grijalva was sent to divide Mr. Cardona’s support base, to al-low Mr. Burns the opportunity of winning over Mr. Cardona, once Mr. Grijalva had divided Mr. Car-dona’s supporters or the Anti-Landy Burns supporters.In fact, I know for a fact that Mr. German Vega, the Deputy Prime Minister’s brother, was campaign-ing with some big money in Orange Walk East, since he was paying fam-ilies (including my extended family) in villages such as Chan Pine Ridge, Palmar, Tower Hill, Carmelita and Santa Martha, between $1,500 and as much as $2,000 for the fami-lies to pledge ALL the votes of their family members to Mr. Landy Burns. Mr. German Vega even paid many well-known PUP families to come out and vote for Mr. Landy Burns on Convention Day! And since the PUP did not want Mr. Car-dona to win (since he was consid-ered to be the greatest threat to the PUP in a General Election), the PUP families gladly came out to sup-port Mr. Landy Burns, since it was virtually killing two birds with one stone – and being paid for it! Even the Belize Times Newspaper men-tioned this fact, and made humour of the fact that Mr. Burns had helped to put ham and turkey on the tables of many PUP supporters, who in the next General Elections, would cer-tainly not be voting for Mr. Burns, but would be supporting the PUP’s

Continued on page 17

9th of January , 2011 Page 17

candidate.So big monies were being spent before Convention Day, and on the Convention Day itself, to BUY the UDP Orange Walk East Convention Result!This is why I consider Mr. Marcel Cardona a hero, because against all the odds that were pitted against him, he did not give up, nor did he run away from the challenge. He boldly faced the might and power of the entire UDP Government. Like in the movie “300”, he with his small army of volunteer campaign work-ers and meager financial resources, faced a combined army of well-paid campaign workers and unlimited campaign financing, comprising Mr. Gaspar Vega’s entire Orange Walk North campaign machinery, Mr. Chendo Urbina’s entire Orange Walk Central campaign machinery, Dr. Ricardo Fabro’s entire Orange Walk South campaign machinery, and both Mr. Landy Burns and Mr. Denny Grijalva’s entire campaign machinery.Now I dare to ask you: “Could the re-sult have been different with so much destructive determination, financial and human resources pitted against Mr. Cardona?” Sources within the Vega/Burns camp estimate that Mr. Gapy Vega invested close to $1mil-lion in each of the Landy Burns and Denny Grijalva camps, in order to help bring down Mr. Marcel Cardo-na. Both Mr. Burns and Mr. Grijalva ran a prolonged 15-month nega-tive campaign against Mr. Cardona, with salaried campaigners visiting house-to-house, spreading lies and rumours about Mr. Cardona during this period. In the two months near-ing Convention Day, both Mr. Gri-jalva and Mr. Burns had each hired at salaries of between $150-$200 per week, over 150 otherwise jobless or unemployed persons (including single mothers, gang-members, al-coholics, and drug-addicts) to comb the streets, spreading their negative campaign against Mr. Cardona. Furthermore, people were being paid by both the Landy Burns and Denny Grijalva camps as much as $500 per vote on Convention Day. Most persons received between $150 and $200 for their vote on Con-vention Day! This UDP Convention showed the worse in our democratic system. This UDP Convention in Orange Walk East showed that Con-ventions are not about working the democratic system to select the best or most suitable candidate, but rath-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Real Story behind Orange Walk East!Continued from page 16 er who had the most money to buy

out most of the voters on Conven-tion Day! For many voters, it was also about prostituting one’s prin-ciples to the corrupt vote buyers, and selling one’s vote to the highest bidder!And this is the reason why my im-mediate family and I will not be supporting Mr. Landy Burns in the next General Elections! I do not support the anti-democratic and cor-rupt principle of ELECTION VOTE BUYING.And from the look of things, those 621 votes which Mr. Marcel Car-dona garnered were truly SOL-ID VOTES from the HEARTS, SOULS, and CONSCIENCES of Orange Walk East Voters, who real-ized the grave injustice being com-mitted by this UDP Government against its own sitting Area Repre-sentative and the people of Orange Walk East, and supported Mr. Car-dona unconditionally, without de-manding the payment of a single dime for their votes.Significantly, many persons who voted for both Mr. Denny Grijalva and Mr. Marcel Cardona have gone on record on the local radio stations to vow to vote PUP in the next Gen-eral Elections, rather than give their vote to Mr. Landy Burns. So what will be the result for Mr. Landy Burns? Did Mr. Vega truly win Mr. Landy Burns the UDP Orange Walk East Convention, or did Mr. Vega truly DOOM both Mr. Burns and the entire UDP Party to a major election defeat in the next General Elections?For my part, my family and I would wish that Mr. Cardona would switch party, and maybe run for the PUP against Mr. Landy Burns. If the UDP do not want him or value and appreciate him, then maybe the PUP would value and appreciate him and treat him better. I am sure that most UDP persons who supported Mr. Cardona in the Convention, would not mind voting for him again, even if it be under the PUP Ticket. Then with the active support of the PUP (both in terms of voter support base and financial support), I feel confi-dent that Mr. Cardona would give Mr. Burns a sound beating, since then it would be man against man, and not man against the entire whole world or entire UDP Government and PUP Opposition put together!Yours sincerely,P. TorresFrom Orange Walk

Offshore medical college re-locates to San Pedro amidst allegations and

questionsBelmopan, Thurs. Jan. 6 Residents of the nation’s cap-ital are unsure exactly when it is that American Global Uni-versity School of Medicine (AGUSM) took down its sign and closed its doors here on Dry Creek Street, in Belmo-pan, and stopped answering its phone number (501) 822-3082, (which now appears to have been disconnected) and responding to faxes to its list-ed fax number (312) 873 3815, but the building is now shut-tered closed. It was reported here in the Na-tional Perspective three weeks ago that the beleaguered off-shore medical school had ap-plied for and was rumored to have been given a new charter to operate, and was re-locating to San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. It has been dogged for the past three months by alle-gations that it was a diploma mill that was willing to sell transcripts to “students” who never attended a single class, as well as allegations that it was a front for a human traf-ficking ring. Its principals have also been accused of failing to possess the medical credentials they claim, and that they have been tried and convicted of fraud in the United States. Although challenged by the newspaper to refute the claims after they protested that they were untrue or otherwise inaccurate, those principals have as yet failed to materialize. It is also being rumored that under its “deal’ with the Gov-ernment of Belize, AGUSM will be turning what it now lists on its new flashy website as its “Belize Campus” into an international nursing training school. The problem is that its website is touting that the school is actually located in San Pedro, even though there is no San Pedro address to be found anywhere on the web-site. According to the website the school has students en-rolled, including a “Basic Sci-ence Student in the Spotlight” who accordingly is: “Hello my name is Marjeli Hernandez. I was born and raised in Be-lize. I am a volunteer mem-ber of the National Emergency Management Organization, re-sponsible for disaster manage-ment in Belize.” The blurb is accompanied by a photo of an attractive young woman eye-

ing a beaker filled with some unspecified liquid in what is presumably a laboratory. The problem is that calls to NEMO have so far failed to produce Ms. Hernandez but we will keep trying. According to the website the school is also “… proud of dozens well qualified medical science and clinical science faculty members who are unit-ed in a common purpose: Ded-ication to teaching the next generation of physicians.” The problem with that is that it fails to lists the dozens of faculty members. In fact it only provides the names and credential of four persons it purports are faculty members, and up to this point we have been unable to verify their identity and credential claims. It also touts “The size and location of AGUSM’s medi-cal science campus” which it says “contributes to a special atmosphere where faculty and staff are able to concentrate on maintaining the optimum conditions for students to ac-quire the basic medical knowl-edge necessary for their clini-cal experience.” The problem with that is that no one seems to know where this fabulous campus is located. A check with our San Pedro sources say the school is ru-mored to be re-locating to the Reef Village condominium complex, but so far no one has been able to confirm that this is indeed so. The website claims that “Largely because of its com-mitment to basic teaching and faculty development, the University has attracted dis-tinguished visiting profes-sors from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Many of these scholars have joined American Global Uni-versity School of Medicine on a permanent basis and work with the administration, to create new programs beyond medicine.” It evens says that “Premedical Science, Basic Science and Clinical Science faculty members as well as honorary visiting professors are listed below:” but except for three pictures of presum-ably staff members there is no list of names. And yet again, on its website located at http://www.agusm.org/, the school claims that it “… has a standing relationship with many excellent hospitals

and clinical centers” but fails to list even a single one. It in-stead lists 17 states where its affiliated hospitals and clinical centers are supposed to be op-erating. There have been too many stories regarding Belize and fraudulent offshore medical schools, and the Government of Belize needs to investi-gate and verify for the world to see that AGUSM is what it

claims it is before the nation receives yet another black eye. We say with no prejudice to-wards anyone that the name of Hon. Erwin Contrerras, a powerful Cabinet minister, has been linked to the school, and has been reported to have in-terceded on their behalf. It is past time that Mr. Contrerras and the Government of Belize clear up all the allegations, as-sertions, speculations et cetera.

9th of January , 2011Page 18

Barrow backtracks: re-vokes Channel 5 media

policyBelize City, Tues. Jan. 4The Barrow administration sent out its fi rst Cabinet briefi ng of the New Year, and the fi rst in seven months to inform, and we quote: “Cabinet met in regular session today, Tuesday, January 04, 2011. Relations with Channel 5. Cabinet has agreed to lift the ban and reinstate normal relations with Great Belize Productions /Channel 5 on the commitment of Channel 5 to be visibly fair and impartial. The next regular meeting of Cabinet is scheduled for Tuesday, January 11, 2011.”The release represents the fi nal step in the Barrow administration completely backtracking from its previously announced policy that it was suspending normal relations with the media house be-cause it found its coverage odious.Since that announcement the policy and the administration has come under heavy criticism both at home and abroad, and even from the Obama administration.Following a meeting of minds with Channel 5’s CEO Amalia Mai just before the Christmas holidays, the Prime Minister had conceded that he had to rescind the policy but required his Cabi-net’s rubber stamp to make it offi cial.

National Transport vs. GOB: the latest chapterBelize City, Wed. Jan. 5

Late this evening Acting Chief Justice Samuel Awich reserved judge-ment in the matter of National Transport vs the Government of Belize until January 17th when he will say what he has decided in regards to an application by the defendants. For many observers this is yet another chapter in the saga of the Barrow administration versus the Novelo family, a saga that be-gan before the 2003 General Elections when Barrow accused the family, Belize’s oldest public passenger bus service operators, of conspiring with the former administration to monopolize public transportation. Today was another in a round of hearings began early last year before former Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh, who had ruled in favour of the company’s application for a judicial review of the implementation of a new zoning policy by the Department of Transport, which had had the practical effect of depriving the company of the majority of their road service permits on the Southern and Western Highways. At the time the company had also won an injunction that forbade the Department from imple-menting the same on the Northern Highway. The fact that this latest round of hearings began after the com-pany was foreclosed upon last month by the Belize Bank and forced into receivership is coincidental but has great bearing on the case. In today’s session, Lois Young, the attorney for the defendants, asked the court to dismiss the claim for judicial review and/or lift the injunction citing mainly that the applicants had not fulfi lled all the terms of an archaic (1884) law called the Public Authority Protection Act, which requires 31 days notice to public authori-ties before a suit is lodged. The company’s counsel Lisa Shoman rebutted that the Act only applies in cases where there is a suit, and not in cases such as this one which is an application for judicial review and not a suit. The newspaper notes editorially that most of these ancient stat-utes were designed to perpetuate colonial rule and sorely needs to be revised to refl ect the realities of modern democracies. Also at stake is whether or not the Transport Department acted properly in not only cancelling the company’s road service per-mits because after it had gone into receivership, the receivers had asked for some time to sort through the company’s affairs before resuming operations. The company has claimed that it is the intention of the Barrow administration to force them out of business and that it was the zoning implementation which has resulted in their being unable to meet their fi nancial requirements.

BirthsHYRON MARCELINO Jr. to Hyron Marcelino Sr. and Florentina Delone Baltazar nee GomezEROLL to Ustaqio and Petrona Pop nee TeulRONALD ALEXANDER III to Ronald Alexander Jr and Geral-dine Dorothy Reneau nee FlowersRayna Agbeke to Sarafa and Veronica Sitou nee SucuquiKRISTY to Yan Hua and Liu Ye Ye nee TanGIADA MARIELLIE to Carlos Alberto and Claudia Crespo nee RequenaDUSTIN EDMUNDETHAN to Edmund Laine and Rachellee Berry nee BlancaneauxRADY NOEL JR to Randy Noel Sr. and Yvonne Marie Puc nee BudnaEZEKIEL ALEXANDER to Luis Joseph and Christine Katherine Zabaneh nee BurnsWENDIE RAYNE to Joseph and Jeannie Reimer nee Reimer

Marriages� omas Francis Garcia to Faye Rosalie Welch both of Belize CityJorge Antonio Rendon to Margarita del Carmen Solano both of Douglas, Orange WalkGregory Butler to Alexandra Huckerby both of Blancaneaux Lodge, CayoDerek Anthony Meyer to Brandi Michelle Ray both of Texas, USATony Perkins Jaggers to Olga Marina Martinez both of Sittee Riv-er, Stann CreekCharles Patrick Lopez of Dangriga, Stann Creek to Joy Diana Cuthelkin of Sittee River, Stann CreekAugustus Alexander Benjamin to Romelia Arcelia Pineda both of Punta Gorda, ToledoMarcelino Cano to Bertha Lucely Cunil both of San Pedro, Am-bergris CayeJe� rey Baechler to Michelle Dawn Peterson both of Minnesota, USABarukh Farchi to Nicole Michelle Falsey both of New York, USAJamille Duren Cott to Lyla Rose Chun both of Belize CityJason Deon jones to Gracilia Kuylen both of Lord’s Bank, BelizeBenedictor Michael Sho of San Jose, Toledo to Patrocina Marissa Ah of San Antonio, ToledoMarcelo Carrias to Solangel Pott both of Belize CityPedro Botzec to Maria Luisa Flota both of San Pedro, Ambergris CayeAmador Castillo Jr. to Cindy Julieta Rosado both of Orange Walk Town, Orange WalkJavier Villanueva to Nuria Cruz both of Crooked Tree, BelizeSandy Sharwyn Smart to Myrna Lee Garcia both of Belize CityCarlos Hermin Gonzalez to Ermelinda Helena Perez both of Or-ange Walk Town, Orange WalkAaron Martin Krohn of Seine Bight, Stann Creek to Dalila Vio-leta Vanzie of Dangriga, Stann CreekPamphilo Edwards of San Antonio, Toledo to Catalina Canti of Santa Cruz, ToledoCarlos Ernesto Chavez to Nadia Yucely Ramirez both of Belmo-pan, CayoVirgilio Ash to Leocadia Chuc both of San Miguel, ToledoWalter Jose Castillo to Mito Komori both of Santa Familia, CayoJusto Cal to Santos Catalina Ramirez both of San Ignacio, CayoAntony Ayala to Ada Sylvana Pena both of Belmopan, CayoIsrael Romero Jr. to Claudia Elida Torres both of Armenia, CayoLuis Alberto Lemus to Norma Leticia Barrera both of Santa Ele-na, CayoMoises Perez of Cristo Rey, Corozal to Neidy Cob of San Pedro, CorozalEdwin Enrique Arana to Jacqueline Yasmin Tzul both of San Joaquin, Corozal

Deaths� omas Grimshaw, 58Tina Maria Moore, 27Anne Matilda McFadzean, 81Eric Micheal Lewis, 38Marian Alice Drummond, 97

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HEAlTHY LIVINGDo you have ongoing gut prob-lems—abdominal cramps with bouts of diarrhoea or constipation—with-out a known cause? You could have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Doctors diagnose IBS after ruling out other conditions and diseases, such as infl ammatory bowel disease (which causes ulcers and damage in the intestines not seen in IBS). Stress and certain types of food can make IBS worse, while medication may help.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the intestines. It causes belly pain, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Irri-table bowel syndrome is a long-term problem, but there are things you can do to reduce your symptoms. Your symptoms may be worse or better from day to day, but your IBS will not get worse over time. IBS does not cause more serious diseases, such as infl ammatory bowel diseaseor cancer. What causes IBS?It is not clear what causes irritable bowel syndrome, and the cause may be different for different people. Some ideas for what causes IBS in-clude problems with the way signals are sent between the brain and the digestive tract, problems digesting certain foods, and stress or anxiety. People with IBS may have unusu-ally sensitive intestines or problems with the way the muscles of the in-testines move. For some people with IBS, certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, and some antibiotics may trigger pain and other symptoms. What are the symptoms?The main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are belly pain with constipation or diarrhea. Other com-mon symptoms are bloating, mucus in the stools, or a feeling that you have not completely emptied your bowels. Many people with IBS go back and forth between having con-stipation and having diarrhea. For most people, one of these happens more often than the other. IBS is quite common. Most people’s symptoms are so mild that they never see a doctor for treatment. But some people may have troublesome symp-toms, especially stomach cramps, bloating, and diarrhoea. How is IBS diagnosed?Most of the time, doctors can diag-nose irritable bowel syndrome from the symptoms. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and past health and will do a physical exam. In some cases, you may need other tests, such as stool analysis or blood tests. These tests can help your doc-tor rule out other problems that might be causing your symptoms.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

How is it treated?Irritable bowel syndrome is a long-term condition, but there are things you can do to manage your symp-toms. Treatment usually includes making changes in your diet and lifestyle, such as avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms, get-ting regular exercise, and managing your stress. There are also medicines that may help with your symptoms. If diet and lifestyle changes do not help enough on their own, your doc-tor may prescribe medicines for pain, diarrhea, or constipation. Other Con-ditions With Symptoms Similar to Ir-ritable Bowel SyndromeA number of other problems may cause symptoms similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including: Abuse of laxatives or antacids.,Use of sorbitol or other ar-tifi cial sweeteners.,Lactose intoler-ance., Infl ammatory bowel disease., Malabsorption syndrome, such as celiac disease. ,Tumors of the di-gestive system.,Problems with the pancreas.,Parasitic infestation, espe-cially in people who have traveled to areas with poor sanitation.,Thyroid disease.,Diverticulitis., Diseases of the female reproductive or-gans, such as endometriosis., Gal ls tones . ,Gas t roesophageal refl ux disease (GERD). Exams and TestsIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be diagnosed based on symptoms. In most cases, only minimal tests are needed. A health professional di-agnoses IBS when a person has the typical symptoms of the disorder and, if needed, tests have ruled out other possible causes. The amount of testing that may be done depends on several factors: your age, how your symptoms come on and how severe they are, and how you respond to the initial treatment. For example: For a 20-year-old woman who has all the typical symptoms of IBS, a routine blood test may be the only test need-ed. Irritable bowel syndrome is more

common in young women, and so if symptoms are typical of IBS, exten-sive testing is probably not needed., For a 55-year-old man whose symp-toms started recently, more exten-sive testing is probably needed. People over age 50 are less likely than younger people to develop IBS symptoms for the fi rst time, so it is more likely that symptoms may be caused by another problem., If you get better after some initial treatment for symptoms that the health profes-sional suspects are caused by IBS, no further tests are needed., Depending on your symptoms, results of the ini-tial tests, or your response to treat-ment, other tests may be done. Tests may include: Medical history and physical examination., A blood test for celiac disease, which may be considered if you have diarrhea as your most common IBS symp-tom., Complete blood count (CBC), which provides information about the kinds and numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and plate-lets in the blood; and sedimentation rate, which checks for infl ammation in the body., Stool analysis, which may include testing for blood in the stool (fecal occult blood test), infec-tion (stool culture), or parasites (ova and parasites test)., Thyroid function tests and imaging tests, such as colo-noscopy, are occasionally done.Treatment OverviewIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) but manageable condition. Treatment will depend on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they af-fect your daily life, and will likely in-volve changes to your lifestyle. It is important that you work closely with your doctor to create a treatment plan that will meet your needs. Learn all you can about your condition so you can effectively communicate con-cerns and questions to your doctor.Initial treatment

No single type of treatment for irri-table bowel syndrome works best for everyone. You and your doctor will need to work together to determine what may be triggering your symp-toms. It will be necessary for you to adapt your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities. Let your doctor know if parts of your treat-ment are not helping your symptoms. For some people who have IBS, cer-tain foods may trigger symptoms. The following suggestions may help prevent or relieve some IBS symp-toms: Avoid caffeine and alcohol., Limit your intake of fatty foods., If diarrhea is your main symptom, limit dairy products, fruit, and artifi cial sweeteners such as sorbitol or xyli-tol., Increasing fi ber in your diet may help relieve constipation., Avoiding foods such as beans, cabbage, or un-cooked caulifl ower or broccoli can help relieve bloating or gas. Getting regular, vigorous exercise (such as swimming, jogging, or brisk walking) may help reduce tension and make your bowels more regu-lar. Medicines may be used along with lifestyle changes to manage symptoms of IBS. Medicines for IBS may include anti-cholinergic for cramping, medicines for diarrhoea or constipation, antidepressants, or ant anxiety drugs.If stress triggers your symptoms, some form of psychological therapy or stress management may help you deal more positively with stress and help prevent or reduce stress-related IBS episodes. Ongoing treatmentTreatment for irritable bowel syn-drome (IBS) usually involves long-term management of your symp-toms. It is important that you have a good working relationship with your doctor to monitor your symp-toms and identify changes in your diet and lifestyle that can help re-lieve the symptoms. Keeping a jour-nal of your symptoms can help you identify triggers that make symp-toms worse. Be especially aware of signifi cant changes in symptoms, such as the appearance of blood in your stools, increased pain, severe fever, or unexplained weight loss. If any of these occur, your doctor may want to conduct additional tests to determine whether there is another cause for your symptoms. In treat-ing chronic IBS, be sure to maintain the changes to lifestyle and diet that relieve symptoms. Quitting smok-ing, avoiding caffeine and foods that make symptoms worse, and getting regular exercise should all be perma-nent parts of your daily routine.

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