BELIZE PUBLIC AROUSED OVER ALLEGED CORRUPTION IN THE UDP.

DELIGHTFUL RESPONSE AND GROUND SWELL OF PUBLIC INTENTION TO MAKE BELIZE POLITICIANS OBEY THEIR OWN LAWS, THAT THEY MAKE in Belize.

Louise Young, Attorney at law in Belize, Prime Minister,Dean Barrow an attorney at law in Belize , Elrington, attorney of law in Belize ( member of the CABINET ) will eventually come to the MORALS AND ETHICS COMMITTEE OF THE BELIZE BAR ASSOCIATION it is presumed, and if these facts alleged here by Glenn Tillet are true and the bar association members prosecute, as they should; if these alleged complaints of CORRUPTION and plain CROOKEDNESS by the UDP party in power are true, then the results could be disastrous in the next ELECTION in about two years. The only saving grace for the UDP current administration, is that the previous PUP administration had a reputation for even greater corruption. This cost them the PUP, the election last time around. The NEW leader of the now OPPOSITION PUP party is Johnny Briceno. A man who people like, but who also has a bad reputation and many are the street allegations against him, of taking BRIBES while in office? True or not, it is obvious that the playing field with alleged institutions like Social Security, Belize Tourist Board, PACT, Development Finance Institution and others, is not fair, or level, and are not really seperate from the EXECUTIVE BRANCH in BELIZE, but that the playing field is STACKED, to favor the controlling manipulations of the political party in power.

( We got this from the Belize Culture debating society listserve on development issues ) The political game just got hotter. Whether the BAR ASSOCIATION will rise to the challenge remains to be seen, as the street and rural population of Belize seek a more honest society and government? We watch the SOAP OPERA coming out of the Port Town, down on the coast with interest. Even if David battles Goliath and does not win, the entertainment value is priceless for Belizeans, who once used to cue up down in that port town, to cheer and jeer the Supreme Court cases from the visitors gallery.
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Re – Unlawful Decision of Belize Social Security Board to purchase shares in Belize Telemedia Ltd.
by Glenn Tillett on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 12:14pm

1607 Mantaray Boulevard,

Ladyville Village,

Belize District, Belize.



3 November 2010



Lois Young Barrow

Chairperson

Belize Social Security Board

Belmopan City

Cayo District

Belize

Dear Ms. Young Barrow,

Re – Unlawful Decision of Belize Social Security Board to purchase shares in Belize Telemedia Ltd.

I am a contributor to the Belize Social Security Board (BSSB) Fund and an insured person under the provisions of the Social Security Act (the Act).

Yesterday, November 2nd 2010, the BSSB by a vote of 5 to 4 took a decision to purchase 20% of the shares in Belize Telemedia Limited (Telemedia) at a price of $50 million. The two trade union members and the two private sector members on the BSSB voted against the Board’s purchasing shares in Telemedia. The five members appointed by the Minister of Finance voted in favour of making the investment. As Chairman of the BSSB you presided over that meeting and voted in favour of decision to purchase shares in Telemedia while being the company secretary for Telemedia.

As company secretary of Telemedia you had and have an interest in the matter of promoting the sale of shares in Telemedia and as Chairman of the BSSB you presided over and participated in the discussion and voting on the question of purchasing shares in Telemedia in breach of Section 10 of the schedule to the Act. We also note that your son is a director of the board of Telemedia and also has an interest in the sale of shares in Telemedia.

Further, on or around 21 September 2010 Mr. Net Vasquez, as Chairman of Investment Committee of BSSB, voted in favour of recommending that the BSSB purchase shares in Telemedia, a company of which he is the Chairman.

The situation is further compounded by the fact that the unions and the private sector organizations which sit on the Board as independent, non-government appointees, have serious questions about the investment decision.

As a result of your actions and clear conflict of interest in this matter, I have been advised that the decisions of the Investment Committee and the BSSB yesterday are unlawful and void for the following reasons:

First, section 10 of the Second Schedule to the Social Security Act provides that

“If any member of the Board or other person present at a meeting of the Board is directly or indirectly interested in any contract or proposed contract or other matters/ he shall, at the meeting and as soon as is practicable after the commencement of the meeting disclose the fact of his interest and shall not take part in the discussion, consideration or voting on such a contract or other matter.”


Second, section 50 of the Interpretation Act of Belize prohibits any member of any board or committee who may have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any matter under consideration by such board or committee from participating in any vote on such matter.


Third, BSSB is a public body and decisions of this body must appear independent and impartiality, which they did not in this instance.


In light of all this, I am respectfully requesting that you immediately bring this matter to the attention of the BSSB and my request that this illegal decision to invest $50 million of contributors' money into acquiring shares in Telemedia be formally reversed immediately.

Grateful for your urgent attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Glenn Tillett