BELIZE UDP report card gets 5 POINT BOOST

BELIZE UDP GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD GETS BOOST 5 POINTS

The UDP government report card gets a boost from 56% to 61%, based on recent news of accomplishments of bring public services and infra-structural developments to TWO very remote villages found along the Guatemalan border, in the most remote location of the high rain forest of the Toledo jungle district.
The villages are called San Vincente and Sunday Wood. The village of San Vincente was established by farmers in 1986 about five miles from Jalacte, where the national road service approaches close to the border with Guatemala. One day it is expected this road will be paved and join the Guatemalan highway system and interconnect with the Central American highway systems for trade and commerce. The village is quite large and has a population of 329. The other village of Sunday Wood has 270 persons and was established by migrant Quiche Maya, from the village of San Lucas.
Projects underway are school expansion in the village of San Vincente, to what is modern style and hurricane reinforced cement structures. In Sunday Wood village, a new water system and tower is being installed, replacing the old one which was inadequate.
Financing for these infra-structure projects in a very remote area is under the control of the Ministry of Economic Development. Funds are coming from the Belize government of $80,000, Joint financing assistance from the Canadian government International Development agency ( CIDA ), the Caribbean Development Bank and nine other governments. The government of Belize has taken out a loan with the Caribbean Development Bank for $429,906 to pay for the new water tower and distribution system for Sunday Wood village.
The NEW REPORT CARD IS NOW 61% for this UDP government.

Pineapple varieties in Belize being experimented with!

Different varieties of Belize grown pineapples.



Investing in the expansion of Non- traditional Commodities for future Export Markets

Belmopan - 21 October, 2009

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) is focusing in promoting the production of new and niche crops both for the domestic and export markets. It has embarked in acquiring improved germplasm in plantain and pineapple varieties for distribution to farmers.


This diversification initiative for non-traditional commodities will greatly improve food security and income generation for most families in rural communities who are dependent on agriculture as a form of living. The Department of Agriculture through its Research and Development Station and the Extension Service will provide the necessary skills in field management to ensure the sustainability of this initiative.


Two varieties of pineapples were imported into the country to improve production and quality for processing. Smooth Cayenne was imported from Mexico and MD2 was imported from Costa Rica. The planting materials will be distributed to farmers in Stann Creek and Northern Toledo Districts who will benefit from this project.


The Citrus Products of Belize Company Ltd (CPBL) is demanding 8 million lbs annually of the Smooth Cayenne variety. This year farmers received 17 cents per pound for Smooth Cayenne and 15 cents per pound for Sugar Loaf from CPBL. Sugar Loaf is a variety which was traditional produced but which is not desirable for processing into concentrate. Sugar Loaf is more adaptable to local conditions, cheaper to grow and is demanded by the fresh fruit market.


Smooth Cayenne is more suitable for processing (canning) because of its acidity and low fiber content. The fruit has a cylindrical form and weighs 1.8-4.5 kg. It has the absence of spines on the leaf margin (present on the leaf apex) which allows for easier management in the field.


Smooth Cayenne is a variety less tolerant to pest and diseases.


The MD2, is a new hybrid variety which is tolerant to heat stress, pest and diseases and is a dual purpose pineapple (suitable for processing and the fresh fruit market). This variety is now being encouraged by CPBL as a better fruit for processing and the fresh fruit.

The seeds will be multiplied at the Stann Creek and Central Farm Agricultural Stations and provided to farmers. MAF maintained a 2-acre plot of MD2 pineapple; the planting material was imported for field testing and eventual seed multiplication; the pineapple fruits are bearing and culinary testing is being conducted to determine the acceptability of this variety for the fresh market.


The area under pineapple production in 2008 was 177 acres with an average yield of 11,875 lbs per acre. Currently farmers are growing two varieties, the Sugar Loaf (95%) and Smooth Cayenne (5%) varieties.


A total of 43,000 dwarf curare plantain seedlings were obtained from GALILTEC in Honduras for distribution to farmers to increase production for the domestic and export markets. A total of 20,000 seedlings will be distributed in the Chunox and Sarteneja areas to increase the acreages to 50 for the export market. The rest of the seedlings will be planted at the Agriculture sub-stations at Yo Creek, Central Farm, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts to supply farmers with planting material. Some has been distributed to farmers for planting.

General Characteristic of this variety are: Plant Height - 1st year 2.5 meters; Produces 35-50 fingers/bunch,5-7 hands/bunch, weight of fingers 0.8-1 lb; resistant to panama disease; Flowers at 35-40 weeks after planting; Harvest at 10-12 weeks after flowering. Biggest advantages: shorter tree height, higher plant density and higher number of fingers per bunch compared to local varieties.


In the course of the year 50 farmers from the Corozal District were trained nursery and field management. As a result of these initiatives, farmers are in a better stance in developing plantain for export.


The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries remains committed to the development of the agriculture sector and this investment will address the feasibility of producing, processing and marketing of pineapple and plantains for domestic and international markets. It will also provide an alternative income generating activity for the farm family and thus improve the economic stability of this country by earning the needed foreign exchange and food security.

----

“Agriculture – Pillar of the Belizean Economy”.

Contact: Mr. Manuel Trujillo, National Crops Coordinator, Research and Development Station, Central Farm, Cayo District, Tel: 501-804-2131

DOMINICA GOING TO KEEP EASTERN CARIBBEAN CURRENCY FOR THE MOMENT

*** The new SUCRE countries will use virtual computer money starting January for internal ALBA trade.





Eastern Caribbean currency notes.
Dominica national flag.



FORMER CARICOM MEMBERS VOTE TO RETAIN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN CURRENCY FOR THE MOMENT.

Dominica led the way and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, all small island countries, voted at the ALBA conference in Cochabamba, Bolivia to not switch currencies in two more months to the SUCRE, the new ALBA virtual currency for internal trade. They currently use an Eastern Caribbean currency. A conflict of interest with CARICOM. Since the SUCRE will be a virtual electronic money exchange, they voted to retain the paper money of the Eastern Caribbean islands for this moment, until such time as the SUCRE has paper and coins issued, to rival the EURO. The SUCRE will be activated electronically in January.
Members of ALBA are Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominica, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda. CARICOM lost their four countries to ALBA. Which was started by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez in 2004.
The idea is to make internal trade in some other currency than the uncontrollable US dollar, or EUROS.
The four former CARICOM countries used to belong to CARICOM, which fell apart from feudal wrangling over sovereignty and power. There is a hollow remnant of CARICOM left, but it is basically in disarray, or death throes. Belize continues to give lip service to CARICOM unity, but is hollow and has no practical effect, other than a Caribbean Supreme Court which has been proposed. There are traditional links with other Caricom countries out of Belize, but these are mostly to do with copy cat legislation, some legal educational training. There is no effective trade, air, or ship transportation between the former CARICOM countries. The little trade that is done is such small scale as to be more described as a cottage industry. There is no effective way to join CARICOM together. Most former and present CARICOM countries are mismanaged bankrupts.
Russia and China have also recently signed deals to trade with each other in Rubles and Yuan, and avoiding the EURO and DOLLAR. This strikes at the heart of the Jewish controlled financial banking establishment in European countries and the USA. A USA congressman recently published many articles saying the US Congress was totally controlled by the ZIONISTS of Israel through their religious groups in the USA, which formed a semi secret, fifth column subverting the USA government. Believe his name was Trafficante? His allegations join hundreds of other articles and books on the same subject.
This century wars are starting off economically, and the goals of all contestants seem to be the RESOURCES OF AFRICA, the resources of the EASTERN SLOPE of the ANDES running all along South America, from the Caribbean to Patagonia. The CHINESE it is claimed are building up AFRICA and seem to be bent on shipping their excess population to major sectors of the AFRICAN continent. They will eventually control huge segments of AFRICA by assimilation of population. You can win wars with AIR POWER and bombs, but to control the ground, you have to have people. The CHINESE have lots of people to spare. The USA recently lost a puppet leader in Guinea and the resources were lithium and buaxite I believe? The Chinese have signed contracts for these minerals, eliminating the USA as buyers.

MAYA OF BELIZE SAY A NEW MAYA CALENDAR WILL START ON DEC. 22ND., 2012

part of Cahel Pech Mayan ruins, the oldest in Belize. 3,511 years ago.



WE MAYA OF BELIZE, WISH TO INFORM THE WORLD POPULATION, THAT THE END OF THE CURRENT MAYAN CALENDAR ON DECEMBER 21 ST., IN THE YEAR 2012, IS ONLY THE END OF A GREAT CALENDAR CYCLE AND SMALL CYCLE IN HUMAN AFFAIRS. A TIME OF CHANGE!

By Ray Auxillou, Oct. 20th, 2009
( author of the EARLY HISTORY OF BELIZE - found on the internet FREE! )

There will be no world disasters on December 21st, 2012, say the Maya of Western Belize District of Cayo in the foothills of the Belize Alps and the Caribbean entry into the heartland of the ancient Mayan civilizations of Guatemala. The oldest Mayan pyramids in Belize are found in the town of San Ignacio, called CAHEL PECH, which was built around 3511 years ago, during the time of an earlier Mayan Empire before the traditional classic Mayan Empire of more recent times. Cahel Pech ruled over the Macal River Gorge, the entry way into the interior Chiquibul Plateau, a rich agriculture area of ancient times, but today a remote forest reserve with nobody living there. A Mayan temple there called CARACOL is still the tallest building in the whole country of Belize for the most recent CLASSIC Mayan Empire, that rose to the biggest it ever got in size, between 300 A.D. and 900 A.D. The Maya still live in Western Belize and are famous in agriculture production and famous as Marimba players. We also produce some of the best marijuana found in Belize, called Belizean Breeze.
A new third Mayan calendar starts after December 21st, 2012. This will be the end of a shorter cycle called a Baktun, The current calendar and there are known to have been at least two, long calendars, are roughly a little over 5,123 years long. Baktuns divide up this longer calendar, which the current one ends on December 21st, 2012 which is what all the media hoopla is about. There are 394 Baktuns in the longer 5,123 Mayan calendar. This current calendar due to end in 2012 started about 3,114 B.C. by the Christian calendar, used in Europe and North America.

The Maya number today, around 21 different language tribal groups of 12 million people, throughout Guatemala, Southern Mexico and Belize. Some of these Mayan languages are as different as Russian and English, or Romanian and French. Astrologically, the Maya since the last ICE AGE have been, or since around 8,241 B.C., studying the celestial cycles, that we know of. The current second calendar ending in 2012 will occur at the time the SUN and the CENTER of the GALACTIC WHEEL, will line up on the horizon. As the SUN goes down, the CENTER of our hub of stars, OF OUR GALAXY will rise in the same place. This occasion occurs once every 28,500 years.
What occurs at the end of a BAKTUN ( 394 years mini cycle ) is a change. Political, climate, war, something? A transformational change of renewal in how we live. The effect if anything is political thinking among ordinary Maya people.

SOLVING THE NATIONAL DEBT CRISIS OF BELIZE DEBATE

SOLVING THE NATIONAL DEBT CRISIS OF BELIZE
By Ray Auxillou, Oct. 2009.

There is just starting to be some debate about ways to resolve the debt crisis of Belize. The current UDP government is looking to re-structure in a new BOND issue some of the debt we owe. About $3 Billion Bz currency worth. ( Exchange rate of $2 to $1 usa ) Of this amount, $125 million USA currency, is to be issued in a new BOND at a rate of 9 ½ %. The goal is to postpone the payment of principle on the bond and only pay the interest. The super bond $3 billion worth comes due on principle payments in August, ten months away and will totally cripple the government. The interest proposed is actually higher than that we currently pay on existing BONDS. If there is any advantage, it is to postpone the payment of principle out another nine effective years.
The Amandala newspaper has started the ball rolling with an article in the issue of October 18th, 2009,.
Essentially heavy national debt, by Keynesian Economics, requires you to stimulate your down sliding economy with borrowing. The borrowing has to go to growing the GDP. In Belize, we have two types of GDP growth. That of the private sector, exporting for foreign exchange type and the other type is government spending on infra-structure to pump salaries and the economy. The latter is partially non-productive and the only real way to absorb the national heavy debt load is a growing GDP through manufacturing and agro-processing exports. There is a third way being proposed which is totally disastrous, and that is using the borrowing to expand socialist programs. This whole borrowing to increase GDP growth is a delicate instrument. Which would mean heavy emphasis on newer ways to stimulate new businesses. Which in turn means a new bureaucratic attitude to small businesses to let them start, experiment and grow over time, with less harassment, more sympathy and leeway and support, than currently available from civil service bureaucracies. Politics being about votes, means politicians do not have the luxury of time, to wait for results and demand instant voter gratification, which is a drawback. USA Economists in discussion panels have debated this approach of Keynesian Economics on television. Astute panel media people asked the ticklish question they didn’t want to hear. What happens if you don’t get the GDP growth from pumping in borrowed loan money you expect? There was for a moment total silence and then one courageous proponent of Keynesian economics answered truthfully.
“You are going to be in a lot worse shape than when you started.”
That should give the UDP government Cabinet people pause for thought, when they consider borrowing to extend current BOND requirements from lower interest rates to higher interest rates to push out the balloon payment due date, by a BOND restructuring for only a nine years, capital principal breather. Sometimes it is better to bite the bullet, no matter how hard and distasteful and get things over with quicker and so you can make a fresh start, instead of postponing the inevitable? I'd be in favor of just defaulting. Our bonds are HIGH RISK anyway and lenders should absorb some of the costs, or losses involved.
Currently the Belize bureaucracy is so dysfunctional, most needed serious services are not available, or at least not available within a decent productive time frame. New investor requirements of prompt land titles, transfers and immigration residency and citizenship processes are far too long, to attract the smaller and middle level investment Belize needs. There is also a mind set in newer bureaucrats of political patronage persuasion, chosen not for their skills but for their voting party allegiance, to harass existing businesses, particularly the small businesses that cannot afford legal defense lawsuits, with permit and fines, as a way of raising money for the government in straightened times. This is counter productive to growing the GDP the proper way with more businesses and economic activity by the private sector. In fact, it accelerates people giving up in disgust, with the government harassment and going out of business. It happened to me recently and I have since heard it has happened to others that have spoken to me. The number of small businesses closing because of bureaucratic harassment is rising.
Ignorance goes across political party lines. It is not isolated to even find PUP ex Cabinet Ministers with the wrong idea of what growing the economy through GDP growth, to solve the National Debt crisis is about. The IMF has come out against this new BOND at higher interest rates idea.
Keynesian economists say you must GROW your GDP way out of debt. The idea of borrowing is to stimulate GDP growth. In the past, the GDP growth came artificially, from past party politics on spending on wasteful non-productive things. The idea proposed by the UDP is that this new BOND will release in the short term, some necessary cash flows from tax revenues in a shrinking economy. What is alarming though, is that the proposed use of these released, or rescued cash flows will be used for socialist programs. The amorphous fighting poverty rhetoric, which means nothing at all other than misuse by party politicians in a grab bag, or health care, or education programs, or security as in more police. All these things are WRONG things. You can only grow your way out of debt with an increasing GDP from the productive, private sector, as in more exports and more new businesses. To use this release of funds through a higher interest rate BOND replacement exercise for SOCIALISM programs ( even if we would like them ) is self defeating and can only dig the hole deeper for debt. SOCIALISM must be paid for out of productive economic activity taxes, not from borrowing loans. We understand the current crop of politicians lack ideas, for new businesses and what they are promoting while sounding good political rhetoric, in agro processing publicity, needs more activity in the entrepreneurial field. Since bureaucrats do not do private sector business, it is hard for them to change the verbal encouragement sounds bites they spout, into action. One idea coming to mind is a VENTURE CAPITAL investment fund, to buy shares in new businesses. Usually existing successful small businesses want to expand into newer and more businesses but lack the capital. While the idea of borrowing loans route is the only thought of our current townie politicians, it is enterprises like the Bamboo furniture people, Channel 5, Bowan and Bowan, Briceno’s who sell shares in their business ideas, that are doing the real right thing for GDP growth for the country. There has to be a fundamental shift in thinking among both bureaucrats and political hopefuls on how you encourage business growth and exports in Belize. Businesses need all the help they can get. Part of that is a sympathetic and prompt service for bureaucratic requirements. Less harshness and confrontations from bureaucrats to do with the way businesses are run. BAHA came under attack in recent newspaper articles, and I thought it was well deserved. Certainly the Belize Tourist Board are legislatively correct, but improperly administered by the clerks in the offices with grand sounding titles. Many small businesses only work, because they are family run and mostly unpaid for labor. The large numbers of them though, keep the economy greased and operating and money circulating, which is very important as a national function, due solely to the large number of them. In fact, it is the Mom and Pop businesses that are seemingly unimportant that are the blood in the veins, driving our economy. Rather than arbitrary application of regulations and laws in the way of permits, licenses, and fines to struggling marginal enterprises, we need a more understanding and cooperative bureaucracy and certainly a more pro-active political cabinet. New clerks lack the experience how to administer the legislation. Legislation is used as a guide, but discretion and wisdom is needed not to hamper the blood flow of our nation, represented by small Mom and Pop businesses. Without which, the economy will die very quickly. My two cents on this GDP growth expectations debate from borrowing loans decision by the CABINET.

Belize, SAN ANTONIO TOWN FARMERS FORM GREENHOUSE GROUP OF 20 MAYA FARMERS!

*** Central Farm teaching worm farm facility, to make rich organic fertilizer from compost using worms.
CC
*** Greenhouse in Belize


MINISTER RENE MONTERO INAUGURATES THE NEW GREEN GROWERS GREENHOUSE PROJECT IN BELIZE for SAN ANTONIO TOWN FARMERS.

San Antonio Town is probably one of the most active and strongest farming communities outside of the Mennonites on the North West, in the nation of Belize. It was chosen by the Agriculture Department for a test case of greenhouse growing of vegetables.
The first startup is simply to start young plants as in a transplant nursery. Seeds in Belize are still in the experimental stage. Traditionally the few AGRO Stores in Belize have ties to some brand name imported seed suppliers, usually in the USA and a lot of these seeds are not the best choices for Belize. In the past three years, seed experiments have shown we need to persue a program of cross breeding our own local varieties to deal with our local environmental tropical conditions. Seed varieties are probably the only big problem facing year round vegetable green house production.
The project is two fold. A first greenhouse for seedling production for local San Antonio farmers and the second project is the production of worm farm organic fertilizer. The new group of interested active San Antonio Town farmers call themselves the Maya Green Growers Group. This town was once not so long ago, your typical Mayan Indian village, with dirt floors, palmetto walls and thatch roofs. Nowadays it is concrete buildings and all the conveniences of modern living. All by their own industry and sweat. San Antonio Town is a true success story.
The Mayan farmers ( a group of 20 farmers ) are interested in anything that makes money in the new modern world they have transferred to, away from the traditional milpa small scale subsistence life style. The Agriculture Department idea, is to even out the flow of vegetables grown in Belize to a more steady year round activity. Up until now imports of vegetables have filled short fall requirements costing foreign exchange.

BELIZE INTERNET AVAILABILITY IS THE PITS!

BELIZE CULTURE LISTSERVE COMMENTARY ON LOUSY INTERNET AVAILABILITY IN BELIZE!

Perhaps it is economies of scale and cost of bandwidth? But here we can only supposedly get maximum 128K, not those 1 meg bandwidth you talk about there in Finland, as a public right. That from SMART telecommunications, Ashcrofts newest venture here. Though I haven't got it yet, they keep promising me wireless, but it is running 5 weeks since I ordered from them. You cannot get anything from BTL and nobody else has anything affordable. I have been waiting 16 years for internet here. So far, I cannot get it at all. I did ask SMART for something higher, but they said 128K is all they have. Beggars cannot be choosers in Belize. 100 meg bandwidth in Belize is real dreamland.

--- On Sun, 10/18/09, Lan Sluder wrote:


From: Lan Sluder
Subject: Bz-Culture: Internet access as a legal right?
To: "Belize Culture" , "Belize Culture"
Date: Sunday, October 18, 2009, 11:55 AM


This message sent to the Bz-Culture Mailing List from Lan Sluder :
Finland is set to become the first country in the world to have
broadband internet access as a legal right. By 2010, the 5 million
people in the country will have access to at least 1 meg broadband
connection (though no one is required to have it). By 2015, everyone
is supposed to have access to 100 meg connections.

--Lan Sluder