I woke up one morning last week with the thought in my head that maybe, just maybe the way to get our local intellectuals moving forward, fu stap simpa, is to grab their ball and run with it. I thought, okay, I should stop in at the café when next I am in Belmopan and do some research on PR (Proportional Representation) models used in foreign nations, so that I don’t make a fool of myself. Then I said, naa, what the heck, better I make a fool of myself…
This PR piece is not about our system of government. (I don’t care to be distracted.) This piece is simply about electing our most capable leaders, and the mechanism that will keep those lions and lionesses focused on doing the people’s business (no silliness, Braa) when they are in the House. Oh, while I am taking full licks for any, ehm, misdemeanors here, I accept that we can strengthen the soup.
1. There will be no coalition governments. No crossing of the floor. No!
2. The leader of the party that gains the most popular votes will be called the prime minister, and his/her party will be called the government.
3. The electorate will vote for a party, not a candidate.
4. All parties will have a stated philosophy, and all parties contesting the general elections will present a manifesto to the people.
5. All parties will present a pecking order consisting of at least 15 persons.
6. The Cabinet will not consist of more than 10 members.
7. For every 3% of the popular vote a party will get a member in the House.
8. For every 10% of the popular vote a party will get a man or woman in the Cabinet.
9. Parties can combine fractions of votes to complete the requirement for a member in the House. Such a member will be called an independent.
10. Parties can also combine fractions to complete the requirements for a member of Cabinet. As per point 9, such member will be called an independent.
11. In the event of a tie in popular votes between the top two vote getters, there will be a run-off between the leaders of those two parties, the winner becoming the PM, and his party gaining the right to be called the government.
12. Of course, there will be elections every four years.
There, you dratid intellectuals, it’s loose (my old computer acted crazy when I was about re-ordering the points), but…. Anyway, it’s a start. Talking serious talk about serious starts, every good one deserves an end of story. Since those bohgaz in the House want to play games, well, they can do what they want with the Senate.
One guest was sufficient, Ya Ya
If I were the principal of a high school, I would ask for a recording (tape) of last Sunday’s KREM Sunday Review, with Ms. YaYa and her guest, Mr. Maurice Underwood. I would show that tape to all my students. I would demand that they report on it, and that it form a part of their Social Studies grade.
On some more KREM, I see that Mr. Hubert Elrington is off the Sunday night show (Belize Exposure). I think he got the heave ho after some very extreme behavior in a one on one discussion a few weeks ago with the show’s host, Mr. Bert Tucker. Gudnis, Mr. Hubert really try da man patience!
One of last Sunday’s guests, a very sincere lady named Ms. Rose Armstrong (she has some strong points) took exception with Amandala’s description of “Southside” Belize City. I have written before that I one hundred percent agree with the Amandala’s description. So, I, ehm, offer a little argument I think will help the lady improve the strength of her good soup.
Southside is a geographical term used “from I know myself” to describe the area of Belize City that lies on the south side of the Haulover Creek. Southside had a little reputation for badness (I grew up on a street that had seven bars), but things were still tranquilo when I lived there. Things have gone south since.
Check, almost all the slums in Belize are in the south side of Belize City. Ask any person from Toledo, Stann Creek, Cayo, Orange Walk, or Corozal where they’d rather live in Belize City if they had to reside or camp there. They’ll tell you…the north side. Things have gone so dread in Southside Belize City that it has earned Belize nation the bad title expressed in the Economist magazine recently.
Lady, there is a big problem in Southside Belize City. The problem wasn’t caused by people identifying it; it was caused by absentee parents, the cocaine trade, foolish laws against marijuana, and other such things that tear at the social fabric. By refusing to accept that “Southside” has a problem, not North-side, you play into the hands of insincere or ignorant people.
Belize needs leaders on the Southside to get real, not play ostrich. Positive reinforcement and celebrating the achievements of stars in that neighborhood are important, part of the solution. But ignoring hunger burning in the bellies of the children cannot make the pain go away.
We need leaders who are “scientific,” just like Brother Hubert said. If you don’t like the geographic term “Southside”, coin another. But you have to differentiate, define the area as distinct from North-side, because the problem is on the south side.
While you are getting your heads on straight, here’s a few ideas for you, us. Insist that all youth in the area go to high school. Stop encouraging slums. Form cooperatives, like our old people used to, and build houses and fill lots. Organize sports, with strong leadership. On the drug “problem”, take a stand against an atrocious hypocritical system that throws decent, hardworking fathers and brothers into jail for a stick of weed.
As for the discussion about the children of single parent homes, I don’t think that you and H. Sedi Elrington have license to talk like “authority” about that.
Memories of two great heroes
Hey, I was a little child when Malanga Mayen and Charlie Good were Belizean stars, but I think my memory is pretty good.
My most outstanding memory of Malanga was his goal that led All Belize over a selection from Mexico (was it Veracruz?). Malanga took the ball from deep off the left flank, drove to the center of the field, and burned the net from 25 yards out (north goal on the MCC). Final score: Belize 1 – Mexico 0. Hurray.
Charlie Good? He was a dominant portero, but my most famous memory of him was in defeat, inside the boxing ring. Thor knocked him out. I think this fight was a rematch, Charlie Good winning the first bout. Anyway, after about 15 seconds out cold on the canvas, Charlie Good revived. To our surprise he immediately started bouncing up and down in his corner. Pretty soon he was in the middle of the ring, shadow boxing, yap, making ready for the big fight. The referee had a time explaining to him that the fight was over.
Ah, we had heroes then. Then along came men with little minds, and greedy hearts…who stole our ball…and stepped on our balls, excuse mi.
My gudnis, a fist fight
The last time I got in a fight was in high school. I got scratched on my face and neck and chest. When my adversary grabbed a big stone, I ran home. I remember thinking how horrible a world when a guy wouldn’t fight with honor.
Well, hope is alive. Story from UB Campus last week is that some of our boys there had a difference, and they had a good old time scrap. Respect, guys.
Hey, fists on some guys are dangerous weapons. A good wrestling match is the preferred mechanism to see who run things. But in a world where it has become “manly” to pull a knife or gun against a man fighting on with bare knuckles, we’ll sing songs for fists.
Yu won’t trap me
I don’t know what trap Brother Clinton Uh Luna is setting (“A story of Spaniards in Mexico City” (last Sunday’s Amandala)), so I’ll take a very wide berth. In this part of the world, our part, the British were lambs…if you compare them with the Cortez Conquistadors.
On di gully side
Very good article in last week’s Belize Times, Mr. Anthony Sylvester. You are one of the, ehm,…few sober PUP. Somewhere in Proverbs it says: kyaaless wordz kaas laif. No, the honorable Minister of National Security can’t have read the report of the ’92 Crimes Commission.