This is not to blame the police and the media, actually. From what we know of Godwin, we believe that he may have kept his own counsel on this matter. Our approach was quite different from his in our early years when we were exposed to the organized power of the political parties. Whenever we were attacked or intimidated, we made a lot of noise, in order to get the public?s attention. The people were the only support we had.

Since late 2004, Godwin Hulse has been creating a lot of problems for politically-connected people who are gangsters and crooks. Belize is a much more dangerous place today than it was in 1969, and we are absolutely sure that there are powerful people who wish Godwin Hulse ill, because he has dared to take the lead in defending the people?s money.

You have to understand how we think on Partridge Street. Because of our history, we tend not to believe in accidents, not when they affect us or other people whom we believe the big boys have reason to dislike. There are people in the echelons of power who will write this off as paranoia, and in the past they have so written off attacks on our Kremandala facilities. But we make no apologies for how we have learned to look at things. Hard, painful experience taught us how the real Belize was operating.

Political parties all over the world have their paramilitary wings. In Belize in 1969 we had one political party whose leader went to Mass every morning and said public prayers. But his party was in power and had been so for almost two decades. The political opponents of the ruling party were no saints, but everybody in the streets of Belize in 1969 knew that the toughest, roughest organization in the city was the PUP. Still, the leader went to Mass every morning.

Today, to repeat, Belize is a much more dangerous place than it was in 1969. Everybody knows this, even those who are praying in church every day. The best protection an individual who speaks out in public, like Godwin Hulse, can have, is to belong to a powerful organization. Godwin Hulse is one of the leaders of a very powerful organization, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. But off the top we can only remember one leader of the Chamber who was as brave as Godwin, and that would have been Ismael Gomez. The Chamber is very wealthy. Whether it is because of its wealth or no, the Chamber here, as far as we know, has never had to defend any of its leaders at the level of street violence.

Well, it is our opinion that Godwin?s property has been attacked in an attempt to intimidate and frighten him. Godwin?s property has been attacked, we believe, because he has defended the people?s money. The businessmen and industrialists do not normally think of themselves as ?the people?, but where tax moneys are concerned, they are members of the public. We believe that the Chamber should launch a fund to replace Godwin?s vehicle. Perhaps this has already been done, because the Chamber members are wealthy people.

The reason for this editorial is to say that, if the Chamber will not do it, this newspaper is willing to donate to any legitimate fund to replace Godwin Hulse?s vehicle. The amount of work Mr. Hulse has done over the past year and a half to defend the moneys and assets of the people, is worth far more, many times more, than the cost of a new vehicle for the gentleman. Serious thing.