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Thursday, March 28, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

Photo: Students and staff of Stella Maris...

BPD awards 3 officers with Women Police of the Year

Photo: (l-r) Myrna Pena, Carmella Cacho, and...

Suicide on the rise!

Photo: Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator by Charles...

Features

BPD awards 3 officers with Women Police of the Year

Photo: (l-r) Myrna Pena, Carmella Cacho, and Shanice Bevans; BPD Female Police of the...

Suicide on the rise!

Photo: Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator by Charles Gladden BELMOPAN, Wed. Mar. 20, 2024 Since entering the...

NCA launches 8-year Strategic Plan

by Kristen Ku BELIZE CITY, Mon. Mar. 18, 2024 Belize’s aging population, which comprised 6% of...

Belize places Top 40 at Miss World 2023

Photo: Elise-Gayonne Vernon, Belizean contestant by Kristen Ku BELIZE CITY, Tues. Mar. 12, 2024 22-year-old Elise-Gayonne Vernon...

How to increase profits (and kill thousands of people without really trying)

Last week, Belize TV news sounded an alarm about counterfeit toothpaste that was being sold at bargain prices in local stores. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the usual “they’re stealing our trademark which is protected by intellectual property rights.” This was “don’t buy it and if you have bought it, dispose of it ASAP because this stuff can kill you!” What’s the story and how did it come to this?

New Belize Consul General office in Chetumal

In 2005, the Government of Belize closed the Consul General’s Office in Chetumal, Quintana Roo as a form of cost-cutting during Government’s austerity initiative. Those austerity measures are still in place, but ever increasing cross border collaboration has caused GOB to take another look in that direction. Last week the Government of Mexico officially accepted credentials for a new Honorary Consul of Belize to the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Our reporter, Jorge Aldana, has the story.

“Street crime” & punishment

“Street crime” is in the forefront of the news now, and well it might be, given the continuing escalation that is occurring in Belize City. I use the term “street crime” to differentiate between what goes down on the South Side of Belize City from the crime that has hijacked almost all the resources of this country, crime perpetrated by those people who were elected by Belizeans to fulfill their campaign promises that they would make life better for all of us. Of course, so-called “white color crime” and “street crime” are inevitably linked, no matter how politicians try to avoid their share of the responsibility for it.

On with the elected Senate – a new premise

As the discussion of the elected Senate continues in our various media, there is one aspect that it appears there is complete consensus on – the Senate is supposed to be a watchdog, a check-and-balance to the House of Representatives. Various formulas and strategies have been forwarded as to how, as a people, we might get the Senate to perform the functions we want it to, so as not to continue with the dictatorship of Cabinet or the majority party in the House. Thus, the proposal for an elected Senate.

Bass ackwards

Cat and Dog sat out in the park. They were silent for a while, but they were ready to come out again.

It’s the real McCoy, Jack!

There are a number of stories that purport to explain the origin of the term, “the real McCoy.” The most credible version goes as follows: In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s, one of the hardest punching boxers was a lightweight fighter who went by the name, “Kid McCoy.” Of course, every barfly with a few too many in him boasted, “Don’t mess with me, I’m Kid McCoy.” As the story goes, one guy went after a man who had said the above and got knocked out with one punch. When the man got up off the floor, he groaned, “That was the real McCoy.” Journalists as a rule are skeptical; some would say cynical. I plead guilty more often than not, but I believe that Derek Aikman’s kidnapping was the real McCoy. Here’s my reasoning.

No elation in this corner

I guess I shouldn’t feel the way I feel. Maybe I should have expected this, because it sure makes sense. I am not at all in the mood to jump up and down and scream: “Victory is ours.” Know why? Because it’s not! Sure more Belizeans than ever before chose to stand up and make public their anger and disgust at the Musa-Fonseca faction of the PUP for their arrogance and the contempt that they show for the people they were elected to govern. That does make the future seem maybe a tad more promising but; and it’s a BIG, BIG BUT.

The “tyrant” lingers – fix the Constitution

They say actions speak louder than words. But words do have meaning, and judging by the words spoken by our Prime Minister in the House on Friday, 25th May, and repeated in television ads yesterday, it seems he still has not gotten the message sent by the Belizean people. He still thinks he is supposed to play the part of the strong ruler, the tyrant or the despot, until it is time for the next general elections. It must be that his knowledge of the Belizean Constitution gives him that notion. It stands to reason then, as the late Baba Odinga Lumumba and others have said, that Belizeans need urgently to re-write our Constitution.

There is nothing new under the sun

I have just returned from Belmopan, Friday, May 18th, and I have decided to begin this piece while the memory of what happened is still fresh in my mind. First thing, the LOVE FM 12:30 p.m. news, according to some people who claim to have heard it, gave the size of the crowd as 400! I didn’t hear that myself, but the crowd was ten times that, give or take a

Understanding the homosexual factor – Part IV Homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality — the deadly connection

In discussing the relationship between homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality, a number of pointers may have to be mapped out. In addition, certain lead ideas may have to be established to increase our horizon in understanding the broad implications of a lifestyle that has taken on so much social clout that it has been able to, on many issues, suspend, reconstruct, or reorganize reality to the detriment of all. Homosexuality is a lifestyle, not a way of living. It is recreational, it is incidental, and an end, not a means to an end.

No respect!

That’s exactly what “our government” has been getting lately. Now please don’t get me wrong, the majority of our politicians don’t deserve any respect, but as a Belizean, the contempt GOB is getting from people like Dean Boyce and Phillip Johnson pisses me off no end, and it should engender the same reaction from most Belizeans. The correspondence from these people not only indicate that they have no respect for GOB, they also have no respect for the Belizean people and maybe that to a certain extent, speaks volumes as to our people’s reluctance to stop these politicians from doing many of the things that they do.

To be continued, Part II

May 1st, Labor Day. When I was growing up in New York it was called May Day and it was the day of celebration for Communists and socialist types like my mom and dad, so as a youngster I marched in several May Day parades. I don’t think May Day is celebrated in the same way any longer, although today has been a rallying point for US immigrant activists. When will governments learn that people will risk everything to acquire a decent standard of living for themselves and their families? The huge majority of “illegal immigrants” in America are not criminals: they are people just like you and me. I still maintain that if these immigrants had blue eyes and blond hair and came from Western Europe, there would be no “immigration crisis” in the US today.

THE KREMANDALA THREAT

When historians consider Kremandala and the challenges the organization has had to overcome, more than likely they will take the view that the claim of $262,664.20 “excluding penalty interest” by Sagis Investments Limited, through their attorneys, Barrow and Williams, was the greatest threat the Kremandala organization had to face. In deciding on this, they will give thought, no doubt, to the circumstances surrounding the claim. They will also seek answers to a number of questions including: What was the nature of the business of Sagis Investments Limited? Did it have affiliates? Who or what entities were its main shareholders? What gave rise to the Sagis claim? Who were parties to the original loan? What requirements had to be met? Why were collections delayed? On the last question, they likely will consider any special circumstances that may have prompted the claim, including who or what organization(s) possibly stood to benefit.

Serious talk for a serious situation

Let’s get one thing straight from the get go. The Ashcroft attack on Kremandala is a serious situation. It is also a situation that has personal implications. I have had a Sunday morning jazz show on KREM for seven years, and a weekly opinion column in Amandala that is now in its third year. Russell Vellos has told me that a number of people have asked him how he edits my columns. He tells them, “I don’t.” Nobody believes him, but he is telling the truth! The only alterations have been the removal of names (I seem to have finally figured that out) to avoid the strict libel laws in Belize, and an occasional change in paragraphing. That’s it! No one has ever told me what music to play or what to write.
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