Wednesday, August 31, 2011
BTB, ONE OF THE BIGGEST WASTE AND TAX SCAMS SCHEMES IN BELIZE?
WASTE OF TAX DOLLARS IN THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE.
BTB, THE BELIZE TOURISM BOARD A BEEEEG CULPRIT ( see below ) Jobs for cronies and siphoning off money collected by the BTB via party jobs, phoney web promotions and the like. Judge for yourself!
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http://ambergrisdaily.com/ambergris-caye-stories/letter-to-the-editor-about-the-btb/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmbergrisDaily+%28Ambergris+Daily%29
Letter to the Editor about the BTB
Dear Ambergris Daily,
I have read quite a few articles that you have written addressing the BTB (Belize Tourism Board), mainly regarding the 2011 World Series of Poker and the lack of coverage around what should be a huge media blitz for Belize.
It prompted me to do a little reading and research around the BTB by checking out their website, their 2010-2012 action plan (available on the website) and stopping by their office in San Pedro.
Here is what I found:
1. The office in San Pedro has two full time armed guards sitting on the balcony. Interesting. I’m all for providing jobs…but these seem totally unnecessary. Inside the BTB office, I asked about pamphlets or some advertising material that I could use to learn about Belize. They didn’t have anything and referred me to the website.
2. The action plan available on the website has quite a few objectives. Internet marketing is a big one. That makes excellent sense. But the blog that they advertise doesn’t seen to connect to anything. www.belizetourism.org/tblog Maybe you will have more luck? I am a fan of their facebook page and a follower on Twitter. 1500 followers? Last updated on August 1st? Hardly the work of a full time media department. St Kitts/Nevis, population 39,000 has almost twice as many followers. Maybe we could give the security guards mentioned above lap tops and they can blog while sitting there all day.
3. There is no mention of the reef or the Cayes at all in the condensed plan. It seems mainly focused on making Belize City a tourist center.
Blah, blah, blah…BTB is bullshit. I’m typing this at the end to see if you actually read this stuff.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
MARCEL CARDONA, FOR PRIME MINISTER NEXT.
** Marcel Cardona, upstart MP, who wants Dean Barrow´s party leader job.
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE MARCEL CARDONA, GIVES HIS OPINION ON HIS PARTY LEADERS GAMBIT, TO MAKE THE REIGNING INCUMBENT POLITICAL PARTY, MORE POWERFUL THAN THE BELIZE CONSTITUTION
In a cable tv interview, with Marcel Cardona, the elected UDP representative from up North in Orange Walk someplace, he stated that in his opinion ( he is a practicing lawyer ) that the move that his party leader Dean BARROW is making, to make the incumbent political gang of opportunists, with a few criminals mixed in, whoever it may be in the future, the SUPREME RULING BODY in the land. Will remove the CHECK and BALANCE of the SUPREME COURT FUNCTION, to hear court cases on questions of Constitutionality over regular laws. By DEAN BARROW changing the CONSTITUTION to make such questions legally unchallengeable, he will enshrine future criminals with POWERS of criminality, that are unassailable if they get to join a party, that controls the government.
Of the UDP there are only two candidates in the next two years, at the Party Convention, when Dean Barrow, current party leader resigns, as he promised ( to be a one term Prime Minister ) back when elected, to replace him as UDP party leader. The two best members of the UDP are Marcel Cardona and Patrick Faber. Between them Marcel Cardona seems the better man, as he practices his strength of character and integrity, by putting the interests of the NATION and his CONSTITUENTS before the GANG MENTALITY and oath of allegiance, and obedience to the current GANG LEADER of the UDP. ( you have heard of Hitler, right? ) While both Patrick Faber, Minister of Education and my own elected representative, Rene Montero, are respected and competent functionaries of their assigned Cabinet portfolios, they both lack the character, patriotism, and integrity of Marcel Cardona, in my opinion.
A recent analysis in the Little Green Book, of different democracies and styles, it was judged that the Parliamentary type we use in Belize is the worst performing system. Parliamentary democracy is a dictatorship, not democracy was the analysis. ( Tell us something we don´t already know! Grin. )
NATO ALLEGEDLY ACCUSED OF CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
NATO ACCUSED OF CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY IN LIBYA.
I was unable to verify this information by the internet. If it has happened, this is not being reported by the Western media. There is a water viaduct project, $5 billion worth, that is bringing fresh drinking water to Bengazi and Tirf, with about 2000 kilometers of underground water pipeline. There is a huge ancient sea of fresh water, under the desert. It lies about 1500 feet under the surface. While drilling for oil back in the 80´s they discovered this fresh water acquifer and Libya has built the world´s biggest acquaduct, one of the 8 WONDERS OF THE WORLD, to transport this fresh water to the coastal towns of Libya by pipeline. The fresh water is enough to sustain 4.5 million people for a 1000 years they say.
At any rate, a Korean company builds the pipes used in this expanding water system in BREGA and NATO has been accused of deliberately bombing the acquaduct to destroy it, and also bombed the plant that constructs the pipes for the pipeline. If any of this is true, then it is certainly a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, in my opinion. Rivals that of the NAZI´s exterminating Gypsies, misfits, physically disabled and Jews during WW 2.
The Western Nations are out to control the world´s supply of fresh water, as the ice caps melt away. They don´t want any competition.
I was unable to verify this information by the internet. If it has happened, this is not being reported by the Western media. There is a water viaduct project, $5 billion worth, that is bringing fresh drinking water to Bengazi and Tirf, with about 2000 kilometers of underground water pipeline. There is a huge ancient sea of fresh water, under the desert. It lies about 1500 feet under the surface. While drilling for oil back in the 80´s they discovered this fresh water acquifer and Libya has built the world´s biggest acquaduct, one of the 8 WONDERS OF THE WORLD, to transport this fresh water to the coastal towns of Libya by pipeline. The fresh water is enough to sustain 4.5 million people for a 1000 years they say.
At any rate, a Korean company builds the pipes used in this expanding water system in BREGA and NATO has been accused of deliberately bombing the acquaduct to destroy it, and also bombed the plant that constructs the pipes for the pipeline. If any of this is true, then it is certainly a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, in my opinion. Rivals that of the NAZI´s exterminating Gypsies, misfits, physically disabled and Jews during WW 2.
The Western Nations are out to control the world´s supply of fresh water, as the ice caps melt away. They don´t want any competition.
Prime Minister of Belize begins REIGN of TERROR in the port Belize City.
PM Dean Barrow ( El Caudillo, strong man dictator ) brings SHOCK AND AWE to the port of BELIZE CITY, with a campaign of FEAR and TERROR.
Looks like the ARAB SPRING is now reaching the port of Belize City. The evening television cable channels news were full of interviews, from victims of an unwarranted attack on a WAKE after a funeral in Georgetown, of the Port of Belize City.
The TV NEWS stations did not take any sides, or offer any comments, one way or the other. Either by disapproval, or approval. EXCEPT they were interviewing people from the neighborhood, who were victims of an attack, by what is alleged to be a direct physical attack, using the GSU masked police security thugs. The interviews went on in depth, and for over an hour, from channel to channel. It was both amazing and horrifying to think this could happen in Belize. Definitely a CAMPAIGN of FEAR and TERROR is the opinion one forms, by watching the cable tv news out here in the WEST. People are horrified!
There were broken arms, broken heads, lots of hospital cases. No discrimination between targets at all. Old people, young people, children, women, were all attacked by the thugs. Allegedly it was said, by orders of DEAN BARROW our EL CAUDILLO, Prime Minister.
Apparently, what happened, from the interviews on TV, there had been a funeral and the mourners retired for a WAKE, at the home of the person buried. The WAKE was being held on private property in the yard. People from all over the neighborhood were there, to give their respects and is the custom in a WAKE, there was a barbecue in the yard, tables of drinks and food. Apparently the ordinary police had passed by twice, but nobody paid it any attention, when the peaceful WAKE was interrupted by the squeal of a convey of security vehicles pulled up outside and a gang of armed thugs, wearing masks, who said they were police, but offered no other information, broke into the WAKE in the private yard, with clubs, sticks, truncheons, pepper spray, tasers, guns with rubber bullets. Across the street was another gathering of women and children, practising their dance choreography and costumes for the TENTH CELEBRATION parade. They also it is alleged, were victims by the firing of rubber bullet. Arms were broken by clubs, heads cracked. Clothes soaked by copious amounts of blood. One upright woman local citizen, protested she was a Justice of the Peace ( a government officer ), but she was bludgeoned anyway, with big bruises on her leg to show the tv camera later. The assailant saying it was orders from El Caudillo. Almost everybody was sprayed fully into the face and eyes by pepper spray. Tasers used in the attack. Old ladies were no exception. Barbeque overturned, at least one house ransacked, I believe that of the J.P. lady? Tv thrown on the ground and the place destroyed, it was said.
A delivery man, in the wrong place at the wrong time, also became a victim with broken limbs, as he was delivering take out food. A Channel 7 TV reporter at the event, even after identifying himself, was also beaten badly.
The reporting by the TV media news channels was totally unreal. It was like something out of CUBA under Castro, or in Syria, or by HOMELAND SECURITY in the USA. Certainly the intention was to spread FEAR and TERROR of the Emperor´s Praetorian guard. I more think, it is the spark that has just ignited Civil War, which probably will start now in the port of Belize City. Singh the CEO of the police and Perdomo the Minister of Security were not blamed. The allegations were this thuggish attack occured by by-passing the chain of command. My thoughts would be; if I was SINGH, or PERDOMO, would be I would quit, and get another job. Not worth getting killed over a stupid event like this, the pay is not enough. Barrow I presume will quadruple his personal body guard? If he doesn´t, more fool him.
Looks like the ARAB SPRING is now reaching the port of Belize City. The evening television cable channels news were full of interviews, from victims of an unwarranted attack on a WAKE after a funeral in Georgetown, of the Port of Belize City.
The TV NEWS stations did not take any sides, or offer any comments, one way or the other. Either by disapproval, or approval. EXCEPT they were interviewing people from the neighborhood, who were victims of an attack, by what is alleged to be a direct physical attack, using the GSU masked police security thugs. The interviews went on in depth, and for over an hour, from channel to channel. It was both amazing and horrifying to think this could happen in Belize. Definitely a CAMPAIGN of FEAR and TERROR is the opinion one forms, by watching the cable tv news out here in the WEST. People are horrified!
There were broken arms, broken heads, lots of hospital cases. No discrimination between targets at all. Old people, young people, children, women, were all attacked by the thugs. Allegedly it was said, by orders of DEAN BARROW our EL CAUDILLO, Prime Minister.
Apparently, what happened, from the interviews on TV, there had been a funeral and the mourners retired for a WAKE, at the home of the person buried. The WAKE was being held on private property in the yard. People from all over the neighborhood were there, to give their respects and is the custom in a WAKE, there was a barbecue in the yard, tables of drinks and food. Apparently the ordinary police had passed by twice, but nobody paid it any attention, when the peaceful WAKE was interrupted by the squeal of a convey of security vehicles pulled up outside and a gang of armed thugs, wearing masks, who said they were police, but offered no other information, broke into the WAKE in the private yard, with clubs, sticks, truncheons, pepper spray, tasers, guns with rubber bullets. Across the street was another gathering of women and children, practising their dance choreography and costumes for the TENTH CELEBRATION parade. They also it is alleged, were victims by the firing of rubber bullet. Arms were broken by clubs, heads cracked. Clothes soaked by copious amounts of blood. One upright woman local citizen, protested she was a Justice of the Peace ( a government officer ), but she was bludgeoned anyway, with big bruises on her leg to show the tv camera later. The assailant saying it was orders from El Caudillo. Almost everybody was sprayed fully into the face and eyes by pepper spray. Tasers used in the attack. Old ladies were no exception. Barbeque overturned, at least one house ransacked, I believe that of the J.P. lady? Tv thrown on the ground and the place destroyed, it was said.
A delivery man, in the wrong place at the wrong time, also became a victim with broken limbs, as he was delivering take out food. A Channel 7 TV reporter at the event, even after identifying himself, was also beaten badly.
The reporting by the TV media news channels was totally unreal. It was like something out of CUBA under Castro, or in Syria, or by HOMELAND SECURITY in the USA. Certainly the intention was to spread FEAR and TERROR of the Emperor´s Praetorian guard. I more think, it is the spark that has just ignited Civil War, which probably will start now in the port of Belize City. Singh the CEO of the police and Perdomo the Minister of Security were not blamed. The allegations were this thuggish attack occured by by-passing the chain of command. My thoughts would be; if I was SINGH, or PERDOMO, would be I would quit, and get another job. Not worth getting killed over a stupid event like this, the pay is not enough. Barrow I presume will quadruple his personal body guard? If he doesn´t, more fool him.
Monday, August 29, 2011
THE DEBATE IN BELIZE ON NATIONALIZATION GUIDELINES
STRONG DEBATE IN BELIZE ON WHAT NATIONALIZATION MEANS
This is over the so-called nationalization of Ashcrofts shares and assets in the BTL company. The arguments are all over the place. Some are saying this is not a TRUE nationalization, it is more government THEFT of private property. The reason being, that if Nationalization was being done; treating Ashcrofts shares in BTL seperately, from the rest of the private sector investments in the telecommunications industry in Belize, then the government in the shape of Dean Barrow, Mafia chief and Prime Minister, or El Caudillo and his gang of elected, political party, representatives, who have sworn allegience to the political gangster party, over and above the interests of the nation of Belize, or their so-called constitutents, and like any cohesive bunch, or street gang, rubber stamp what is apparently a debacle solely that of the making of Dean Barrow, gang leader.
A quite good argument, is offered, that since Constitutional changes are being offered by BARROW to legalize the theft of Michael Ashcrofts private property in telecommunications, to get rid of some very expensive continuous litigation, which our small government cannot afford. That if this was true NATIONALIZATION, as touted by Dean Barrow and the bombast and rhetoric says; it is for ALL UTILITIES. Yet, in telecommunications, only ASHCROFTS shares in BTL are being stolen. There is no attempt by the UDP government to also seize SMART, the jother competing telephone/internet company, or the dozens of village cable tv companies. Giving obvious lie to the utterings and rhetoric coming from PM Dean Barrow.
The only valid NATIONALIZATION I could see justifiable, is that of the ARCO INTERNATIONAL FIBER OPTIC CABLE, linking us to the rest of the world with decent available bandwidths and speeds. This would entail taking over the BTL Headquarters building and real estate lot, which contains therein the ARCO TERMINAL. Then putting it into a Government institution to level the playing field and play fair with the many competitors in telecommunications as the tech world changes every 18 months.
All the legislation being debated is pure nonsense and needs to be abandoned. We want a FREE MARKET ECONOMY, not that of GOVERNMENT MONOPOLIES.
This is over the so-called nationalization of Ashcrofts shares and assets in the BTL company. The arguments are all over the place. Some are saying this is not a TRUE nationalization, it is more government THEFT of private property. The reason being, that if Nationalization was being done; treating Ashcrofts shares in BTL seperately, from the rest of the private sector investments in the telecommunications industry in Belize, then the government in the shape of Dean Barrow, Mafia chief and Prime Minister, or El Caudillo and his gang of elected, political party, representatives, who have sworn allegience to the political gangster party, over and above the interests of the nation of Belize, or their so-called constitutents, and like any cohesive bunch, or street gang, rubber stamp what is apparently a debacle solely that of the making of Dean Barrow, gang leader.
A quite good argument, is offered, that since Constitutional changes are being offered by BARROW to legalize the theft of Michael Ashcrofts private property in telecommunications, to get rid of some very expensive continuous litigation, which our small government cannot afford. That if this was true NATIONALIZATION, as touted by Dean Barrow and the bombast and rhetoric says; it is for ALL UTILITIES. Yet, in telecommunications, only ASHCROFTS shares in BTL are being stolen. There is no attempt by the UDP government to also seize SMART, the jother competing telephone/internet company, or the dozens of village cable tv companies. Giving obvious lie to the utterings and rhetoric coming from PM Dean Barrow.
The only valid NATIONALIZATION I could see justifiable, is that of the ARCO INTERNATIONAL FIBER OPTIC CABLE, linking us to the rest of the world with decent available bandwidths and speeds. This would entail taking over the BTL Headquarters building and real estate lot, which contains therein the ARCO TERMINAL. Then putting it into a Government institution to level the playing field and play fair with the many competitors in telecommunications as the tech world changes every 18 months.
All the legislation being debated is pure nonsense and needs to be abandoned. We want a FREE MARKET ECONOMY, not that of GOVERNMENT MONOPOLIES.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
ATMOSPHERE OF FREEDOM IN BELIZE IS UNIQUE HERE.
THE DEBATE IN BELIZE ON WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE THE COUNTRY IS GOING AND HOW.
Mike
I´m not political. That said, Barrow is the man with the authority to run the country right now. I´m just a Doctor Fly biting him periodically, trying to keep him in what in my opinion is the right track. He´s an adult, I can´t make him change. Sheessh! Can´t even influence my kids and grandkids. I look at BARROW as my country manager, and I either praise or criticize as the case may be, trying to get him to do things the way this voter wants them. I expect others to do the same. Indeed I am delighted at the OPEN DEBATES, criticisms on stuff going on in the press and talk and tv media. It´s a wonderful thing to watch. If you have NEVER lived, or traveled in a POLICE STATE, you cannot understand how I feel about the debates going on in Belize. To be able to put in your two cents, without fear, or terror is a mighty feeling of FREEDOM. It was not always this way in Belize, particularly under the GEORGE PRICE years. I am so happy to see this atmosphere in Belize after so many decades trying to lead by example and change the FEAR that was experienced by the wider population, say 20 or more years ago. I can die in peace now. The only thing I now want, is to enshrine this atmosphere of FREEDOM by legislation and that means changing the structure of governing. Then I can die peacefully and content that I did my little bit, to make at least this small corner of the world, a BETTER place.
From: G. Michael Reid
To: Ray Auxillou
Cc: "bz-culture@psg.com"
Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: Bz-Culture: Lot of lawyer activist critics of Barrow
Ray, you have hit the nail, but from the side. The man is too damn
arrogant to seek or acknowledge any degree of help.
He has painted himself in a corner by attacking and victimizing any
who dare suggest an objective, much less, opposing view.
When Briceno, in the face of much opposition from some within his own
party, dared to step up and endorse his Restore Belize program, the El
Guardian ridiculed the man, suggesting that he "can't lead but must
follow".
The one that you need to talk to is Barrow. Advise him to humble
himself and make it clear that he is leading all the people and not
only those willing to pay homage and kiss his ass.
Advise him to allow members of opposition to speak in the House
without his ad hominen (ala Peter) approach to argument.
Let him realize that Belizeans comprise of not only family members and
close associates but every single citizen regardless of how they vote.
Have him address the unlawful enrichment of his cabinet members.
John Saldivar could not pay his rent four years ago. He just finished
a mansion outside of Belmopan, built on land that was set aside for
the cemetery.
Castro four years ago had four goats, today, between him and his wife,
they control almost twenty companies including cable, heavy equipment,
talapia farms, etc!
Patrick Faber lives high on the hog and is obviously filthy rich also.
If he wanted to be a part of a Belizean movement, he could have
married at home. The man has done nothing to suggest that he should
be helped.
You are helping him enough with your attempts at propaganda. Keep
trying, your true color is shown!
On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 4:11 AM, Ray Auxillou
wrote:
> There seems to be a lot of activist lawyer critics of BARROW, but I don´t
> see a SINGLE ONE OF THEM, taking the obvious goal of BARROW, to solidify the
> takeover of BTL, and offering him any alternative methods of accomplishing
> this needed purpose.
> With all that critical brainpower, doing all this armchair, hindsight type
> of critiquing. You would think at least one or two of them, could offer
> alternative ways for BARROW to accomplish his goal.
> Help the man for heavens sake! We are in this together in buildng a
> country.
>
Mike
I´m not political. That said, Barrow is the man with the authority to run the country right now. I´m just a Doctor Fly biting him periodically, trying to keep him in what in my opinion is the right track. He´s an adult, I can´t make him change. Sheessh! Can´t even influence my kids and grandkids. I look at BARROW as my country manager, and I either praise or criticize as the case may be, trying to get him to do things the way this voter wants them. I expect others to do the same. Indeed I am delighted at the OPEN DEBATES, criticisms on stuff going on in the press and talk and tv media. It´s a wonderful thing to watch. If you have NEVER lived, or traveled in a POLICE STATE, you cannot understand how I feel about the debates going on in Belize. To be able to put in your two cents, without fear, or terror is a mighty feeling of FREEDOM. It was not always this way in Belize, particularly under the GEORGE PRICE years. I am so happy to see this atmosphere in Belize after so many decades trying to lead by example and change the FEAR that was experienced by the wider population, say 20 or more years ago. I can die in peace now. The only thing I now want, is to enshrine this atmosphere of FREEDOM by legislation and that means changing the structure of governing. Then I can die peacefully and content that I did my little bit, to make at least this small corner of the world, a BETTER place.
From: G. Michael Reid
To: Ray Auxillou
Cc: "bz-culture@psg.com"
Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: Bz-Culture: Lot of lawyer activist critics of Barrow
Ray, you have hit the nail, but from the side. The man is too damn
arrogant to seek or acknowledge any degree of help.
He has painted himself in a corner by attacking and victimizing any
who dare suggest an objective, much less, opposing view.
When Briceno, in the face of much opposition from some within his own
party, dared to step up and endorse his Restore Belize program, the El
Guardian ridiculed the man, suggesting that he "can't lead but must
follow".
The one that you need to talk to is Barrow. Advise him to humble
himself and make it clear that he is leading all the people and not
only those willing to pay homage and kiss his ass.
Advise him to allow members of opposition to speak in the House
without his ad hominen (ala Peter) approach to argument.
Let him realize that Belizeans comprise of not only family members and
close associates but every single citizen regardless of how they vote.
Have him address the unlawful enrichment of his cabinet members.
John Saldivar could not pay his rent four years ago. He just finished
a mansion outside of Belmopan, built on land that was set aside for
the cemetery.
Castro four years ago had four goats, today, between him and his wife,
they control almost twenty companies including cable, heavy equipment,
talapia farms, etc!
Patrick Faber lives high on the hog and is obviously filthy rich also.
If he wanted to be a part of a Belizean movement, he could have
married at home. The man has done nothing to suggest that he should
be helped.
You are helping him enough with your attempts at propaganda. Keep
trying, your true color is shown!
On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 4:11 AM, Ray Auxillou
> There seems to be a lot of activist lawyer critics of BARROW, but I don´t
> see a SINGLE ONE OF THEM, taking the obvious goal of BARROW, to solidify the
> takeover of BTL, and offering him any alternative methods of accomplishing
> this needed purpose.
> With all that critical brainpower, doing all this armchair, hindsight type
> of critiquing. You would think at least one or two of them, could offer
> alternative ways for BARROW to accomplish his goal.
> Help the man for heavens sake! We are in this together in buildng a
> country.
>
IMF REPORT ON BELIZE THIS YEAR VERY AMATEURISH.
IMF REPORT ON BELIZE THIS YEAR, COMPILED BY HIGH SCHOOL AMATEURS APPARENTLY - REALLY USELESS POOR QUALITY WORK - Nothing in it, that can be used to guide the Belize government. Just armchair critiquing. Ridiculous nonsense.
IMF REPORT and we have had so many of them. I get the feeling this one, was regurgitated out of a standard program on the computer and done by a High School graduate, understudy or something.
The IMF report was not at all impressive. In fact pretty bad, for lack of specifics and recommended specific corrections, within the envelope of possibilities available to the Government of Belize. They were not only short on suggestions on HOW to do their generalized critiques, but one got the impression they hadn´t a clue themselves. They were just justifying their salaries apparently and giving out with lackluster reporting.
Criticism on the dependence on UDP Foreign GRANTS to run large segments of the government projects. What nonsense that critique was! Ignoring the financial status, versus the needs of the country to do infra structure. They would have been better at the IMF if they had kept their mouths shut, if they cannot offer positive direction. For my money, BARROW and his bureaucrats in the GRANT BUSINESS, are VERY GOOD and should get an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL for succeeding in running many segments of the government by Foreign GRANT writing successfully. Where the IMF come off criticizing it, leaves me dumbfounded, by such ignorance, from a supposedly top notch body. They showed complete ignorance on how to run a nation like Belize with it´s very small population and huge needed demands, for a small population scattered over 6000 square miles of rugged mountainous terrain. Where do they find these YAHOO´s to write this stuff. The Eastern Congo or someplace?
Then there was the IMF critique about relying too much on the oil contributions. What nonsense again. Where do they get these high school students writing these nonsense IMF reports? You use what you got, when you got it my man. That is called REALITY, and PRAGMATISM. You can toss this year´s IMF report in the wastebasket. Totally useless to advising Belize.
IMF REPORT and we have had so many of them. I get the feeling this one, was regurgitated out of a standard program on the computer and done by a High School graduate, understudy or something.
The IMF report was not at all impressive. In fact pretty bad, for lack of specifics and recommended specific corrections, within the envelope of possibilities available to the Government of Belize. They were not only short on suggestions on HOW to do their generalized critiques, but one got the impression they hadn´t a clue themselves. They were just justifying their salaries apparently and giving out with lackluster reporting.
Criticism on the dependence on UDP Foreign GRANTS to run large segments of the government projects. What nonsense that critique was! Ignoring the financial status, versus the needs of the country to do infra structure. They would have been better at the IMF if they had kept their mouths shut, if they cannot offer positive direction. For my money, BARROW and his bureaucrats in the GRANT BUSINESS, are VERY GOOD and should get an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL for succeeding in running many segments of the government by Foreign GRANT writing successfully. Where the IMF come off criticizing it, leaves me dumbfounded, by such ignorance, from a supposedly top notch body. They showed complete ignorance on how to run a nation like Belize with it´s very small population and huge needed demands, for a small population scattered over 6000 square miles of rugged mountainous terrain. Where do they find these YAHOO´s to write this stuff. The Eastern Congo or someplace?
Then there was the IMF critique about relying too much on the oil contributions. What nonsense again. Where do they get these high school students writing these nonsense IMF reports? You use what you got, when you got it my man. That is called REALITY, and PRAGMATISM. You can toss this year´s IMF report in the wastebasket. Totally useless to advising Belize.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
BELIZE UDP GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTIVE ABOUT DEMOCRACY BUILDING
UDP FAILING ONE YEAR TEST OF THEIR DEMOCRACY BUILDING INTENTIONS
The problem with our El Caudillo, PM Dean Barrow, is that with his current legal mess, he has TUNNEL VISION and there is nobody with any sense, he can bounce off alternative ideas. Administratively speaking his party is doing okay on infra structure, grants and other things. Everybody is aware of the money shortcomings. Noted, is the better budgeting of available monies, equally to different districts around the nation. That is nation building, even if it is not the optimum solution. Better than what went before, with the majority of tax revenues swallowed by the port of Belize City.
For the voters, Barrow is the only game in town, so to speak and we sympathize with his problems. Certainly we recognize he is OVERWHELMED by the challenges facing him, particularly to do with Ashcroft and the legal stuff. That doesn´t mean we accept his short term thinking on legal issues, trying to solve his legal problems, which take up too much of his time. Given our national money constraints, his nepotism restraining good advice from other estranged lawyers, dictated by his necessary political mafia mentality. What he is currently doing is typical short term solutions, which are bad for democracy building. What he is currently doing legally is taking us backwards. It seems politics is one 5 year term forward and then two 5 year terms ( 10 years ) backwards. This has got to stop. Barrow desperately needs help with the Ashcroft legal problems. How to get it, without bruising his ego and swollen head is the problem. He´s estranged from all the other lawyers, some of which, maybe a few, might even contribute some worthwhile advice, if he wasn´t first and foremost protecting his political turf.
Thats the situation as I see it. How to help BARROW resolve our national issues? He is obviously in OVER HIS HEAD with the Ashcroft mess and because of his short term political TUNNEL VISION, cannot broaden his thinking. We need to get this leader of our country some better legal solutions. Right now he is mired in the mud, up to the axle hubs with limited ideas. I don´t have any solutions to offer, as legal stuff is not my forte.
We are all in this together, and thankfully, Belize is not Bahrain. Or any other despotic ARAB MUSLIM country. Our democracy may not be anything other than allowing us citizens to vote for a mafia gang to run the country once every five years, but it works better than most countries. There is a vast local outcry to better improve our democracy, by broadening the voter participation in cabinet decisions, to do with the direction we are going, the right to do so in legal terms. Both political parties have fought against these developments for decades and denied any dilution of their autocratic power. The writing is on the wall though, from a world sense, and if one of these parties do not see it in their self interest to make PARTICPATORY DEMOCRACY a norm, some of those guys running for office are going to end up getting shot. I myself, as an older man will be long dead by then. Still I hate to see any kind of civil war be the ONLY solution, to changing the mafia gangs called political parties autocratic rule, to a more working,legislation directed democracy.
In that sense, we are currently running a one year TEST of the UDP ability to adapt to changing times. Social media is playing an ever uncontrollable part in building our democracy. The year is divided into quarters and the rule of thumb is; if any quarter ( 3 months ) passes without some legislative change in the structural format in how the government is run politically, by making legislative changes, to put the voters and citizens in control of this government, without having to resort to parades and riots, then the UDP will lose 10 points off their report card per quarter. That said, BEFORE the next national election, we will surely know WHERE THE UDP stand on democracy building for Belize. Already two months are nearly finished of the first quarter of this year and NO LEGISLATION making the structural PARTICIPATION in government by citizens has yet been passed. One more month to go and the UDP will lose 10 points off their performance REPORT CARD for this first quarter, due to apathy, laziness, or unwillingness to share policy making power with the citizens. BY THEIR ACTIONS YOU WILL KNOW THEM.
It´s time to get off the pot, UDP, and start building a broader democracy for Belize. The status quo is unacceptable. Not to say you are not administrating well, we expect that and you get paid very well for doing it. That is not at all what is being measured here. Glenn Tillet came up with a couple of good ideas in a recent article on the bz-culture listserve.
The problem with our El Caudillo, PM Dean Barrow, is that with his current legal mess, he has TUNNEL VISION and there is nobody with any sense, he can bounce off alternative ideas. Administratively speaking his party is doing okay on infra structure, grants and other things. Everybody is aware of the money shortcomings. Noted, is the better budgeting of available monies, equally to different districts around the nation. That is nation building, even if it is not the optimum solution. Better than what went before, with the majority of tax revenues swallowed by the port of Belize City.
For the voters, Barrow is the only game in town, so to speak and we sympathize with his problems. Certainly we recognize he is OVERWHELMED by the challenges facing him, particularly to do with Ashcroft and the legal stuff. That doesn´t mean we accept his short term thinking on legal issues, trying to solve his legal problems, which take up too much of his time. Given our national money constraints, his nepotism restraining good advice from other estranged lawyers, dictated by his necessary political mafia mentality. What he is currently doing is typical short term solutions, which are bad for democracy building. What he is currently doing legally is taking us backwards. It seems politics is one 5 year term forward and then two 5 year terms ( 10 years ) backwards. This has got to stop. Barrow desperately needs help with the Ashcroft legal problems. How to get it, without bruising his ego and swollen head is the problem. He´s estranged from all the other lawyers, some of which, maybe a few, might even contribute some worthwhile advice, if he wasn´t first and foremost protecting his political turf.
Thats the situation as I see it. How to help BARROW resolve our national issues? He is obviously in OVER HIS HEAD with the Ashcroft mess and because of his short term political TUNNEL VISION, cannot broaden his thinking. We need to get this leader of our country some better legal solutions. Right now he is mired in the mud, up to the axle hubs with limited ideas. I don´t have any solutions to offer, as legal stuff is not my forte.
We are all in this together, and thankfully, Belize is not Bahrain. Or any other despotic ARAB MUSLIM country. Our democracy may not be anything other than allowing us citizens to vote for a mafia gang to run the country once every five years, but it works better than most countries. There is a vast local outcry to better improve our democracy, by broadening the voter participation in cabinet decisions, to do with the direction we are going, the right to do so in legal terms. Both political parties have fought against these developments for decades and denied any dilution of their autocratic power. The writing is on the wall though, from a world sense, and if one of these parties do not see it in their self interest to make PARTICPATORY DEMOCRACY a norm, some of those guys running for office are going to end up getting shot. I myself, as an older man will be long dead by then. Still I hate to see any kind of civil war be the ONLY solution, to changing the mafia gangs called political parties autocratic rule, to a more working,legislation directed democracy.
In that sense, we are currently running a one year TEST of the UDP ability to adapt to changing times. Social media is playing an ever uncontrollable part in building our democracy. The year is divided into quarters and the rule of thumb is; if any quarter ( 3 months ) passes without some legislative change in the structural format in how the government is run politically, by making legislative changes, to put the voters and citizens in control of this government, without having to resort to parades and riots, then the UDP will lose 10 points off their report card per quarter. That said, BEFORE the next national election, we will surely know WHERE THE UDP stand on democracy building for Belize. Already two months are nearly finished of the first quarter of this year and NO LEGISLATION making the structural PARTICIPATION in government by citizens has yet been passed. One more month to go and the UDP will lose 10 points off their performance REPORT CARD for this first quarter, due to apathy, laziness, or unwillingness to share policy making power with the citizens. BY THEIR ACTIONS YOU WILL KNOW THEM.
It´s time to get off the pot, UDP, and start building a broader democracy for Belize. The status quo is unacceptable. Not to say you are not administrating well, we expect that and you get paid very well for doing it. That is not at all what is being measured here. Glenn Tillet came up with a couple of good ideas in a recent article on the bz-culture listserve.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
El Caudillo, Dean Barrow´s speech on August 25, 2011 on TV
***Dean Barrow the current Prime Minister of Belize.
***Said Musa, former Prime Minister, who crippled the small country of Belize with questionable machinations while in office.
Caught, CAUDILLO´S PM BARROW SPEECH ON THURSDAY NIGHT
AN OPINION OF WHAT HE SAID!
August 26, 2011
Caught the fireside speech of El Caudillo, Dean Barrow, Prime Minister, Dean Barrow and Don of Dons, Capos and Made men, and mafia associates of his UDP political party last Thursday night. Purely by accident. I would tune in regularly if I knew when and what TV channel it would occur beforehand.
He gave a rather upbeat assessment of the Belizean economy with a short bit of statistics for early this year. Apparently things are up economically speaking about 6.7 % over the same period of last year. Which we sensed up here in Hillview, even if we had no access to the statistics before. Dean Barrow´s policies are in a general sense doing well, by concentrating on infra-structure and less political meddling in the competitive market place.
He put in a plug for his Amendment 9, 2, and 62 or something Constitutional changes he wished to make. In essence his salesmanship, which is meeting with wide nationwide debate and criticism was based on the line of; he wants GOVERNMENT to OWN all utilities. In particular the BTL telecommunications company, which he nationalized.
I can understand his problems, but cannot agree with his conclusions and chosen course of action. Said Musa, the previous alleged dishonest, Prime Minister of Belize, left the party of Dean Barrow, the UDP when it gained office, with an unholy mess. Mostly to do with the BTL company and SECRET AGREEMENTS, widespread loan borrowing through Ashcroft´s Belize Bank. Most of which turned out to be embezzlement corruption schemes, if the news media can be believed. Trips with suitcases full of money to Panama and Montevideo for those who scored big, ( 100´s of millions ) off being in political office, during the PUP governing term. Money couriers when caught, let go free, no prosecutions and all that. One criminal political party, scratching the back of the other criminal party sort of thing.
The current El Caudillo, UDP PM Dean Barrow continues to reap the worries and entanglements with his nationalization of BTL and the byzantine legal mess of hidden money deals left by the previous Prime Minister Said Musa. His opponent, the billionaire, Robber Baron, Lord Ashcroft, has more money and lawyers at his disposal, to fight the small country of Belize with shell companies, like the BTL Employees Trust, a hidden scheme to hide actual ownership of BTL shares and all that. ( There are no BTL employees owning any shares in the shell trust, getting dividends, so the media tells us. ) El Caudillo, Dean Barrow is selling the battle with Ashcroft, over what greedy Ashcroft is claiming, by proposing amendments to the Constitution to enshrine nationalization of companies, for the purpose of ending the legal court cases and quarrels. You have about two lawyers on our small government side, continuously embattled with the latest legal schemes and scams, by Ashcrofts seven or eight heavyweight law firms he retains. This is an expense on our underfunded small government that is a heavy burden to bear. All due to the previous PUP Prime Minister, Said Musa´, shady activities. I can´t disagree that our lawyer/Prime Minister is not doing his best. Obviously he is, and the population wishes him luck. Still, it is no secret, that he is a smarter politician than he is a lawyer. In the local Bar Association he would rate about 4 out of a score of 10, if you took out his success with political gambling. He´s a 4th rate lawyer who succeeded in making politics pay and get rich, for him and his family. That is success in a way and certainly shows it works for the bank balance.
The problem is his latest lame gambit to SELL to us voters,; that we would be better off, with nationalized utilities owned by the government. The whole sales pitch is designed to end the legal cases with ROBBER BARON, LORD ASHCROFT and not about what is best for Belize. Though I suppose he is selling it so hard, and got himself painted into a corner, he doesn´t know what to do next.
El Caudillo and a 4 Star lawyer, out a rating of 10 Stars in the BAR ASSOCIATION, does not seem to understand, we are no longer a British Colony and Empire ruled conditions. We have fought hard and long for forty years, to get rid of Colonial monopolies in business in Belize and we certainly do not want to bring the colonial exploitation system back, by a new set of business MONOPOLIES, starting with utilities, simply to rescue Dean Barrow and his team of fellow political party members from what is decidedly a sticky legal mess, that Dean Barrow has inherited from his predecessor, the alleged criminal PUP party of Said Musa. The trouble is, the treasury has no money to hire any better lawyers than what we have. ( his family relatives )
To make this rambling CLEAR. NO, to the 9th Amendment and NO to any amendments that will bring back MONOPOLIES, for utilities, or any other company businesses. The public has fought long and hard for decades to get rid of colonial empire exploitation monopolies. We do not want them EVER again, no matter the problems of the current government under DEAN BARROW. Find other solutions to the legal problems, my man. Do some think tank, brain storming somehow. The country deserves and wants a level playing field and a competitive business environment, so we can get out of this colonial thinking mess. Part of being a successful democracy relies on a commercial field, with no monopolies. Particularly no monopolies controlled by government and hence an incumbent get rich quick political party mentality. We want to build a successful democracy and that means NO MONOPOLIES. Which means NO to attempts to change the Constitution, to legally enable monopolies. No matter your current problems and rationalizations.
Get some help mon! You are in over your head! Your party Cabinet cannot help you either. This is not a battle they are experienced in. Find other solutions to your legal maze. How about a PRO BONO conclave of BAR ASSOCIATION lawyers, making a think tank to go through alternative strategies. You have to know the public is behind you and wish you the best, but we do not want to legalize monopolies by the government. The NATION is building a democracy and that comes before your present legal mess. That is long term planning, your problems and solution are short quick fixes, that are worse than the problem.
Grants for crime fighting proposals by civil organizations in Belize from USA
US Embassy in Belmopan, Belize seeks funding proposals for Community-building to Combat Crime
BY FUNDSFORNGOS, ON AUGUST 24TH, 2011
US Embassy in Belmopan, Belize, invites organizations to submit proposals outlining program concepts and capacity to advance the US Government’s Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) goal of community building. The proposal will confront the root causes of violence and crime and seek to create the positive cultural and social conditions, which are the foundation of a peaceful and orderly society.
The initiative will focus particularly on improving the quality of life for each citizen in a region or area through the restoration of law and order and community-building. It will cultivate positive social values such as civic pride, respect for each other, respect for law and order, integrity, importance of education and a sense of responsibility for themselves and the community.
It is planned to award a total of $300,000 USD for a project period of one to two years. Applicants may apply for amounts of $50,000, $100,000, $150,000 and $200,000. The U.S. Embassy may award up to six grants which do not exceed the total of $300,000 USD.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs) and International Government Organizations (IGO). Grants will be awarded directly to the organization. NGOs and NPOs must provide documentation of legal status with the grant proposal. The U.S. Embassy encourages organizations that have not previously received international program funding from the U.S. Government to apply under this announcement.
Applicants are not required to include funding from other donors. However, applicants are encouraged to partner with non-U.S. Government sources (such as Belizean Government institutions or private companies) that include in-kind and/or cash contributions.
Last date for submission of proposals is September 5, 2011
For more information and details, visit this link and search by Funding Opportunity Number S-BH200-11-ESF
Source Link: http://www.fundsforngos.org/belize/embassy-belmopan-belize-seeks-funding-proposals-communitybuilding-combat-crime/#ixzz1W3PMoVdC
Copyright©FUNDSFORNGOS.ORG. Do not remove this link.
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Ahhh me! If only they had a GRANT to support our Community Development and National Development BLOG, Western Belize Happenings.
BY FUNDSFORNGOS, ON AUGUST 24TH, 2011
US Embassy in Belmopan, Belize, invites organizations to submit proposals outlining program concepts and capacity to advance the US Government’s Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) goal of community building. The proposal will confront the root causes of violence and crime and seek to create the positive cultural and social conditions, which are the foundation of a peaceful and orderly society.
The initiative will focus particularly on improving the quality of life for each citizen in a region or area through the restoration of law and order and community-building. It will cultivate positive social values such as civic pride, respect for each other, respect for law and order, integrity, importance of education and a sense of responsibility for themselves and the community.
It is planned to award a total of $300,000 USD for a project period of one to two years. Applicants may apply for amounts of $50,000, $100,000, $150,000 and $200,000. The U.S. Embassy may award up to six grants which do not exceed the total of $300,000 USD.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs) and International Government Organizations (IGO). Grants will be awarded directly to the organization. NGOs and NPOs must provide documentation of legal status with the grant proposal. The U.S. Embassy encourages organizations that have not previously received international program funding from the U.S. Government to apply under this announcement.
Applicants are not required to include funding from other donors. However, applicants are encouraged to partner with non-U.S. Government sources (such as Belizean Government institutions or private companies) that include in-kind and/or cash contributions.
Last date for submission of proposals is September 5, 2011
For more information and details, visit this link and search by Funding Opportunity Number S-BH200-11-ESF
Source Link: http://www.fundsforngos.org/belize/embassy-belmopan-belize-seeks-funding-proposals-communitybuilding-combat-crime/#ixzz1W3PMoVdC
Copyright©FUNDSFORNGOS.ORG. Do not remove this link.
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Ahhh me! If only they had a GRANT to support our Community Development and National Development BLOG, Western Belize Happenings.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tropical Strom Harvey damages Belize crops.
*** There are two corn crops a year in tropical Belize.
Whirlwinds from tropical storm Harvey, destroy CARR´s corn crop.
Local tv news had shots of the destroyed 1500 acre corn crop for John Carr, of the Banana Bank Estate. About two thirds was knocked flat on the ground, with yet another two months to harvest. Carr says the damage will probably reflect a loss of a million dollars. He also has a TEAK TREE plantation and a previous hurricane had destroyed about a half of his TEAK TREE PLANTATION. Teak trees take 25 years to grow and his trees are 12 inches in diameter right now and about a dozen years old. Half way to harvest. TEAK TREES he claims will earn about a million dollars Bz. an acre when harvested.
About 5 houses were destroyed by eye wall tornadoes in Cotton tree, the TV also reported and showed clips. NEMO, our Emergency management people are doing assessments as I write.
For Belizean growers. LED CHINESE AGENT for importation
LED LIGHTS AND APPARATUS AGENT IN CHINA
Good morning! This is Ivan from China. Recently, we launched some new LED bulbs, so I'm in a hurry to share with you.
The lumen is up to 90lm/w, CRI>80Ra. If any designs apeal to you, don't forget to give me a feed back! Attached picture is
our lastest products for your ref.
Meanwhile, I also work in this field over years, so I'm quite familiar with the Chinese LED market. If you need any help,
pls kindly let me know. I'm very pleased to lend a hand.
Just remember: Ivan---always at your service 24 hours! （0086-15112504704 skype:Skype:ivan_binfeng）
Best regards
Ivan
www.smtgreen.com
Smartgreen Technology Ltd
TEL:0086-755-88856336
Mobile:0086-15112504704
skype: ivan_binfeng
Address: 2nd block, ChaoHuiLou Industrial & Technology Park, HuaTing Road, Baoan District,Shenzhen City, China
Good morning! This is Ivan from China. Recently, we launched some new LED bulbs, so I'm in a hurry to share with you.
The lumen is up to 90lm/w, CRI>80Ra. If any designs apeal to you, don't forget to give me a feed back! Attached picture is
our lastest products for your ref.
Meanwhile, I also work in this field over years, so I'm quite familiar with the Chinese LED market. If you need any help,
pls kindly let me know. I'm very pleased to lend a hand.
Just remember: Ivan---always at your service 24 hours! （0086-15112504704 skype:Skype:ivan_binfeng）
Best regards
Ivan
www.smtgreen.com
Smartgreen Technology Ltd
TEL:0086-755-88856336
Mobile:0086-15112504704
skype: ivan_binfeng
Address: 2nd block, ChaoHuiLou Industrial & Technology Park, HuaTing Road, Baoan District,Shenzhen City, China
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The British Honduras Barrier Reef in the 1960´s, by Ray Auxillou
THE BRITISH HONDURAS BARRIER REEF IN THE 1960´S
BY RAY AUXILLOU, August, 2011
Back in the 1960´s , I was in the prime of my life, in my middle to the late 20´s. There was little or no information in the world, on the seas and fisheries of the Western Caribbean Sea. I published a few things and the next thing I knew I was getting letters from all kinds of international organizations from different countries. It seemed nothing was known then, of coral reefs, marine biology, or very little, for vast swaths of the tropical seas of the world, as far as marine biology went. With the assistance of AID, Agency for International Development, from the USA, the Ministry of Natural Resources in the UK, tropical research department, and the department in the USA called nowadays NOAA ( the Pascagoula, Mississippi base for their research ships, in a long period of a decade or more, by slow mail ( there was no internet back then ) I turned myself into a curious self educated marine biologist. The above agencies sent me all kinds of books and pamphlets on every subject under the sun, to do with the things I was researching.
Eventually I published not only magazine articles, but also some mimeographed books, I made on the island of Caye Caulker. There was not much in the way of affordable, or modern printing equipment in the British Colony at that time. Caye Caulker was a barrier reef island, with 90 fishing families at that time. Today it is a thriving 3000 population, TOP WORLD CLASS tourist destination. British Honduras back then was often quoted as being one of the remote four corners of the world. Available only by aircraft for a few UK Colonial Department visitors. Later I was invited to participate in two Caribbean Sea voyages on the USA Fisheries Research ships, Oregon 1, and Oregon 2 in the late 1960´s. Oregon 1 came specifically to check out the research in the Western Caribbean Sea, particularly British Honduras. The Oregon 2 Research trip, took me to Puerto Rico and that area, in regard to deep water fishing, of red snapper stocks, which at that time was my specialty of study in British Honduras. I became a courted and acknowledged international expert on the Western Caribbean Sea. It was heady stuff for a young man at the time.
I had developed the British Honduras Fisheries Research Station on Caye Caulker, which was mostly a one man deal. The idea to develop the fishing industry, from what it was then. In particular, I was curious as how to turn the research into making money as a fisherman. The UN FAO eventually got interested and invited me to work for them, but the hiring process took so long and interfered with my private sector earnings, I finally gave up on them. Bureaucratic processes can be very slow.
By the late 1960´s I had acquired a hotel, several boats ( designed and built them all myself ) and was then running an annual Marine Biology Expedition along with Dr. Henry Hildebrand, of the Marine Biology Department of the University of Corpus Christi. It was a three week affair, and I handled on charter, the logistics, scuba equipment and provided the boats. This went on for another 13 years, until the University of Corpus Christi was sold to the STATE and dropped their marine biology department. By the 80´s I was ready to get out of the marine life and try something else.
We scuba dived, both as marine biologists and as beginning tourism scuba diving expeditions in what was then a deserted bunch of atolls and barrier reef islands. Most habitations had been wiped out by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. There were few people out there back then. My favorite people were lighthouse keepers in different locations. What concerns us today, is the modern current era of reef research. I can tell you that the dead reef of today, is the same today as it was in the 1960s and the 1970´s. Live reef was sporadic. The most vibrant was at the surf line, were the waves break. Even so, the coral for the most part, except in patches seemed dead. Vast lengths of barrier reef were dead, with just the occasional live brain coral.
There are myriad inner sea reefs, EAST of the Placentia peninsular. Except at the very top, they were mostly composed of dead staghorn coral. The sea was about a 100 feet deep. I surmised back then, that the dead coral was due to effects of Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Since then there have been many hurricanes. Hurricanes do not have to strike the mainland of Belize to damage the coral reefs. Any very large hurricane between Jamaica, Cuba and Honduras will effect the atolls and reefs of Belize. I figured back then, that the tidal surge and storm waves were causing the dead coral. We are in Belize at the end of the bowling alley for hurricanes coming through the Caribbean Sea. We get hit most years, by high waves, if not high winds and the eye of such a storm.
Since then new researchers have put forth new theories. Undoubtedly population explosion over the islands and reefs are contaminating the sea and reefs with detergents, fertilizers and other pollution as causing damage to the reefs. Undoubtedly this is so. One of my duties for Dr. Henry Hildebrand was to keep a year round count of the Pelicans I saw on my boat travels. I reported faithfully by letter and gave him the numbers. The Pelican is top of the food chain and a barometer for the health of the reefs. I can tell you that Caye Caulker has NO PELICANS any more and there was a standard population up until the 1990´s of about 4 dozen resident pelicans. So there is a problem for sure. It is however, a new generation that have to figure out these things. All I can tell you on the dead reef observations, is that most of the Barrier reefs were composed of dead coral to depths of over a hundred feet, except right at the surface, where the breaking surf occurs. To claim that modern events are killing the reefs is just not historically true. Between Hurricanes and probably sea water temperature changes, I believe we have cyclical phenomena that damages the environmental envelope for reef populations of coral. Recently new marine biologists have postulated about the interaction of many different denizens of the coral reefs as being decimated by overfishing. That too is probably true and has an effect on the life of the reefs. The environmental envelopment for coral reefs produces over 300 species that are necessary to the health of the coral reefs here in Belize. It is badly out of kilter to over fishing. However, that alone cannot make alive reefs that have been dead from my own observations for over 55 years.
_____________________________________
A reef theory that might interest Trevor.
If you look at a tree that is growing over time. You notice how it grows to the sunlight. The branches, leaves and buds keep making the tree taller and wider, like an umbrella.
If you look at the Great Barrier Reef, Suppose the reef is growing only into the direction of the wind and waves are coming from, plus requiring sunlight. In other words the reef is growing at the surf line, down to a depth of about 30 feet. Which would be a sunlight limitation. It is growing outward, into the deeper water. Perhaps there are things coming in the waves that allow them to grow that way. Like oxygen, or micro nutrients. That would explain while the shallow reef behind the live reef corals, are dead. Similar to the lower branches of a tree. Except the barrier reef grows upwards and outwards into incoming sea ocean water waves. It would not be unusual for reef corals to require specific narrow environmental envelope conditions to live and grow. You see it all the time, as specific corals only grow and flourish in specific geographical locations. There are also symbiotic relationships between corals and the action of water and sunlight. You find ELKHORN coral for instance, ONLY in breaking surf, coming from the ocean. They grow in about a 40 foot swath down the outer edge of the Barrier Reef.
Something to think about. If the dead reef is very wide, then the vast wide dead coral is simply the underlying branches that no longer have access to enough food and oxygen. The reef would only be growing on the outer edge of the reef. We do know that the reef line is moving away Eastward from Caye Caulker geologically speaking.
Belizean to inspect climate change in Europe again.
BELIZEAN TO REVIEW OVER 50 YEARS OF CHANGING CLIMATE EFFECTS IN EUROPE THIS YEAR.
Hi y'all,
there was a time between 2000 and end 2008 when I traveled all over Europe. That gave me a chance to observe what's happening in nature, since nature interests me intensely, also fueled by the global warming media hype and controversy.
During these years I've observed gletschers disappear from valleys in the Alps, ski pistes covered by huge sheets of plastic to keep as much of the snow as possible for the next season. I've seen once lush valleys in Spain go brown and bare with just a few hardy little bushes left, mini deserts. I've seen the water level in huge drink water storage dams go emptier and emptier in Spain as well. I've also seen a whole small village in Switzerland the day after it literally slid downhill by 20 meters or so because the permafrost it was built on melted. Water, power, sewage pipes sticking out. The following day these were reconnected on a temporary basis. The ground under the village moved as one piece, the perimeters well away from the houses. I've seen the river Po to barely 4 meters wide, I've seen the Rhine at its lowest level ever recorded, not negotiable to shipping. I've seen migratory birds from the South arrive earlier and leaving later, those from the North arriving later and leaving earlier. Some from the South even stayed the winter in the last 3 years.
The climate is changing whether we agree with it or not, temps up or down is hard to say. Certainly in the last 10 years it has got warmer. I rely on my direct experience from nature to reach this conclusion, not on charts, satellites or whatever. But I'm loath to predict a trend into the future from my experience. 10 years is worth nothing as a reliable time span to predict weather trends.
Since I have a well heeled visitor arriving from Down Under next week I'll be his guide and have a new opportunity to see these places in the next few weeks and have fun driving a hired Porsche. I know the basins in Spain have filled again, it has had a lot of rain this year, maybe the valleys will be green again too. But I WILL be surprised if I see ice in the Alp valleys again. The latest report was that plastic sheeting is still being used on ski slopes.
I'll let you know. Taking pics will be useless as "proof" this time because I have no comparable pics from 10 years ago.
Hi y'all,
there was a time between 2000 and end 2008 when I traveled all over Europe. That gave me a chance to observe what's happening in nature, since nature interests me intensely, also fueled by the global warming media hype and controversy.
During these years I've observed gletschers disappear from valleys in the Alps, ski pistes covered by huge sheets of plastic to keep as much of the snow as possible for the next season. I've seen once lush valleys in Spain go brown and bare with just a few hardy little bushes left, mini deserts. I've seen the water level in huge drink water storage dams go emptier and emptier in Spain as well. I've also seen a whole small village in Switzerland the day after it literally slid downhill by 20 meters or so because the permafrost it was built on melted. Water, power, sewage pipes sticking out. The following day these were reconnected on a temporary basis. The ground under the village moved as one piece, the perimeters well away from the houses. I've seen the river Po to barely 4 meters wide, I've seen the Rhine at its lowest level ever recorded, not negotiable to shipping. I've seen migratory birds from the South arrive earlier and leaving later, those from the North arriving later and leaving earlier. Some from the South even stayed the winter in the last 3 years.
The climate is changing whether we agree with it or not, temps up or down is hard to say. Certainly in the last 10 years it has got warmer. I rely on my direct experience from nature to reach this conclusion, not on charts, satellites or whatever. But I'm loath to predict a trend into the future from my experience. 10 years is worth nothing as a reliable time span to predict weather trends.
Since I have a well heeled visitor arriving from Down Under next week I'll be his guide and have a new opportunity to see these places in the next few weeks and have fun driving a hired Porsche. I know the basins in Spain have filled again, it has had a lot of rain this year, maybe the valleys will be green again too. But I WILL be surprised if I see ice in the Alp valleys again. The latest report was that plastic sheeting is still being used on ski slopes.
I'll let you know. Taking pics will be useless as "proof" this time because I have no comparable pics from 10 years ago.
UDP government get 2 points on report card, raised to 27%
UDP Government get 2 % points on their performance report card. UDP APPROVAL RATING NOW 27%
The award is due to the inclusion of the private sector in legislative and policy decisions. There is currently a process of public consultations going around the nation and eventually a referendum will be conducted in one case, perhaps more. This is a partial answer in attaining a PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, rather than a Mafia political party elected dictatorship. It does not seem to be the whole answer and ideas in how to achieve more control of the Mafia political party in power, ruling the government through assignment of plum Ministries as private fiefdoms to mafia elected representatives, is still needed to make the CABINET, a MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, instead of a fiefdoms.
At any rate, there are many suggestions on the table over the last 40 years, in how to actually make the government system of Belize more manageable by the voters. We currently have a one year project, divided into quarters, to see if the UDP will actually take legislative steps to make the Belize democracy, more inclusive.
The performance of this public consultations and referendums are noted and gain the UDP 2 points approval on the report card rating. It is just one small incremental step in the right direction.
The award is due to the inclusion of the private sector in legislative and policy decisions. There is currently a process of public consultations going around the nation and eventually a referendum will be conducted in one case, perhaps more. This is a partial answer in attaining a PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, rather than a Mafia political party elected dictatorship. It does not seem to be the whole answer and ideas in how to achieve more control of the Mafia political party in power, ruling the government through assignment of plum Ministries as private fiefdoms to mafia elected representatives, is still needed to make the CABINET, a MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, instead of a fiefdoms.
At any rate, there are many suggestions on the table over the last 40 years, in how to actually make the government system of Belize more manageable by the voters. We currently have a one year project, divided into quarters, to see if the UDP will actually take legislative steps to make the Belize democracy, more inclusive.
The performance of this public consultations and referendums are noted and gain the UDP 2 points approval on the report card rating. It is just one small incremental step in the right direction.
Monday, August 22, 2011
UN Human Rights Commission ignores plight of democracy advocates in Bahrain, as they are crushed and murdered.
Bahrain hospital patients, tortured and murdered by Barbaric, family tryanical dictatorship in Bahrain. 2ND hand news reports coming out of Bahrain, say that the photo of patients in the hospital you see, plus all the hospital staff, nurses and doctors were also tortured and murdered by the Khalifa tyrannical security forces of the family dictatorship. If so, this human rights atrocity rivals that of the infamous reports of Japanese military war atrocities during World War 11.
Famous 22 year old female poet is tortured and imprisoned by barbarian family Khalifa dictatorship, in Bahrain.
Boy a child, tortured and killed in Bahrain by family dictatorship
CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES WAIT FOR UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, ON THE MURDERS BY THE TRYANNICAL REGIME IN BAHRAIN.
There is a lot of talk on TV about UN Human Rights Commissions on the tyrannical dictatorship events in Syria and Libya, but so far there is NONE AT ALL about the events in Bahrain.
Wonder why? Is this a one sided deal from the UN?
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Never been to Bahrain, no particular wish to go. Bahrain and Kuwait were bandit havens, for pirates. They were fishermen and slavers a 150 years ago. The Kalifa family have maintained their ownership of Bahrain, over a century. Through imprisonment, torture and murder, is my understanding of their history, ruling by the usual fear and terror. When oil came in at the beginning of the 20 th century, they changed things around, particularly after WW 1. The inherited pirate families in the Gulf, gave themselves titles copied after European monarchies. They now call themselves Kings, and Field Marshals. This 21 st century though, things are changing and democracy is replacing all the old bandit chieftans around the world. Even though many of them like the Kalifa family have sent their children to the UK and the USA for training in the military arts. Being a MONARCHY instead of a PIRATE CHIEFTAN no longer has the weight it had in the last century. In Bahrain, it gets even more complicated as they have two opposing religious Muslim religions. The SUNNI´s and the SHIITE. The SHIITE were slaughtered in this past uprising. The Khalifa family are SUNNI. It is a small island, and over 2000 SHIITE protesters were slaughtered in time honored PIRATE fashion in the recent peaceful parades for a democracy. In the modern world, those old time, brutal tactics do not stay hidden any more.
The United Nations is supposed to be trying this family of Arab chieftans and family tyrannical dictators, for CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY and INTERPOL is supposed to be issuing WARRANTS for their arrest anytime, they travel to Europe, or the USA. So far we in the seven countries making Central America haven´t seen this happen. We have had in our own region violent ideological struggles, violence and revolutions. With only 20 years of peace in our region, it is very fresh in our minds, that NEVER AGAIN, do we wish these things to escalate and happen. Since we have our own troubles with Presidents for Life, or Dictators and secret police sometimes, it is not a big issue over here about faraway Bahrain. But since we are small countries, we like to see fair play, from the United Nations and the INTERPOL people, because you never know, when it is going to happen here again in Central America. So, the fact that the BAHRAIN dictators as a family dictatorship have seemingly got away with it, we worry, because that means we in Central America cannot look to the International Institutions for protection and redress.
These are the main BARBARIC MONSTERS coming out of Bahrain.
This guy lives on the island and calls himself a Field Marshal. Copying the British Sandhurst Officer training school stuff.
*** Salman Biin Hama Al Khalifa
The Khalifa extended family are big and also intermarried with other clans in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Quatar and other Gulf dictatorships. Lot of next generation sons growing up, to continue the IRON FIST CONTROL of Bahrain, in the family dictatorship.
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NOTE: In 2011, in the 21 st century, social media through the internet, Twitter, Facebook, U tube, etc., plus cell phone technology with built in cameras is making the world a smaller place. These acts of vicious violence by dictatorships are becoming more widely known. This is changing the dynamics of how we want the world to be. There will be no end to ego maniacs, wanting to be dictators and tyrants. It seems to be built into the human tribal condition. The United Nations as it now stands and performs, or the Hague Court Trials and functions of INTERPOL are apparently inadequate. We cannot do much about places like China, North Korea, Burma and other such violent places, as they are too big. But some of these smaller countries like Bahrain and Syria we should and could do something about. NATO, mostly through FRANCE, dropped arms and ammunition to the democracy revolution in Libya; such actions could also be applied, or covert supplies to smaller places like Syria and Bahrain by NATO and other allies. The USA is no longer the premier world power, and seems to have passed the capacity to act as a world policeman. In this, 21 st century we will have to find new ways of meeting the challenges of vicious, barbarians and feudal warlike violence, running dictatorships, around the world.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Dr. Avila, takes a poke at our government politics of the UDP.
Excellent article by Dr. Marcelino Avila on government run businesses in the Amandala newspaper this weekend. August 21, 2011
Very thought provoking article. Much of it I knew already, but nice to be reminded on how bad government run businesses really are. He talks about the disadvantages in government run institutions and companies. Delays and procrastination in processing and carrying out basic operations, when such businesses are run by union PEOPLE with a time clock, working mentality. The failures to recruit, and effectively employ competent staff, due to nepotism, favoritism, lack of transparency and equal opportunity. That item reminds me of the Miami Dade Community College system. Atrocious there. Lack of inadequate supervision, timely monitoring and evaluation. That brings immigration, lands and forestry departments, to mind as bad examples. Over dependence on political considerations instead of empirical evidence driven, or scientific criteria, or statistics for major policy and management decisions. The list goes on. Read the article it is a good one.
I guess the most glaring thing that jumped out at me, after reading Dr. Avila´s article, was the HOORAH about BTL and the whole MESS caused by Caudillo Dean Barrow. The disinformation such politicians spout, to cover their misdeeds. Seperate the ARCO terminal and current BTL headquarter building of the optic fiber cable terminal, from the company BTL and you immediately no longer have a nepotistic business monopoly run by a politician, for his own benefit, nor would it qualify then as a utility, to be controlled by a government. All the rest of the problems to create a legal mess would disappear. The country would be better with competition in the telecommunications field, outside of government Dean Barrow political meddling and interference.
"Never believe in the promises of politicians, bureaucrats, or the military, for you will be sadly disappointed."
- Ray Auxillou, 1964, British Honduras -
Very thought provoking article. Much of it I knew already, but nice to be reminded on how bad government run businesses really are. He talks about the disadvantages in government run institutions and companies. Delays and procrastination in processing and carrying out basic operations, when such businesses are run by union PEOPLE with a time clock, working mentality. The failures to recruit, and effectively employ competent staff, due to nepotism, favoritism, lack of transparency and equal opportunity. That item reminds me of the Miami Dade Community College system. Atrocious there. Lack of inadequate supervision, timely monitoring and evaluation. That brings immigration, lands and forestry departments, to mind as bad examples. Over dependence on political considerations instead of empirical evidence driven, or scientific criteria, or statistics for major policy and management decisions. The list goes on. Read the article it is a good one.
I guess the most glaring thing that jumped out at me, after reading Dr. Avila´s article, was the HOORAH about BTL and the whole MESS caused by Caudillo Dean Barrow. The disinformation such politicians spout, to cover their misdeeds. Seperate the ARCO terminal and current BTL headquarter building of the optic fiber cable terminal, from the company BTL and you immediately no longer have a nepotistic business monopoly run by a politician, for his own benefit, nor would it qualify then as a utility, to be controlled by a government. All the rest of the problems to create a legal mess would disappear. The country would be better with competition in the telecommunications field, outside of government Dean Barrow political meddling and interference.
"Never believe in the promises of politicians, bureaucrats, or the military, for you will be sadly disappointed."
- Ray Auxillou, 1964, British Honduras -
Saturday, August 20, 2011
BELIZE CHOPSTICK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FOR BELIZE EXPORT
LOCAL BELIZEAN BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY WAITING FOR SOMEBODY.
CHOPSTIC MARKET HUGE IN ASIA
Saw a program on CNN TV, about this Korean immigrant that moved to the USA and was finally able to start a small factory making chopsticks, selling them to ASIAN countries. There are four of five countries in Asia where eating with disposable chopsticks is the norm. Disposable wooden chopsticks, are their knife, fork and spoon. Except they throw them away after using them.
The market size is about 3 billion chopsticks a day.
This Korean US Immigrant got some woodworking machinery and packaging and started shipping wooden chop sticks from the state of Georgia in the USA. He now has 100 workers and makes his chopsticks out of poplar tree lumber. He is currently shipping 1 million chopsticks a day. He wants and expects to get up to 10 million chopsticks before the end of this year. Business is good, the market insatiable. The market being in the billions.
Now maybe a Belizean entrepreneur could not exceed a million a day, as our forests are limited. They like white lumber too, which might be a limitation. Perhaps a plantation of fast growing trees to supply the Belize chop stick manufacturing exporting business? Still, 1 million a day chopsticks shipped in exports, providing 100 jobs. Not to be sneezed at.
Shipping chopsticks from the USA to China and Korea and places like that sounds a bit wierd. The way the documentary made it sound, it was the advantage of machinery and tools over labor, that makes it possible and profitable.
BELIZE WONDERS, WILL A WORLD FINANCIAL COLLAPSE HAPPEN
BELIZE WONDERS, - WILL THERE BE A GLOBAL FINANCIAL MELTDOWN
People of Belize, in Central America, are kind of smug about their survivalist potential and self sufficiency in food these days. With nice Spring type climate all year round. The idea of a World Financial re-adjustment doesn´t frighten them, though it might be awkward and inconvenient.
That said, Bill Lindo wrote a nice article on his idea of the coming financial collapse to the world system in the Amanda newspaper of August 17, 2011 online.
Not that I totally agree with his arguments and conclusions mind you. It was interesting that ING ( Dutch ), the holder of our sugar factory debts and on which ING in their desperation are expected to foreclose and shut down, the one and only sugar factory of Belize in another six weeks. It was interesting to note, that ING itself is bankrupt and will collapse itself in a year or two. That indeed EU inter-bank lending has been frozen for some time, and the result many speculate, will be a collapse of the European Union by 2012 and the end of the Mayan Calendar. A Mayan forecasted cycle of world change and historical upheaval. As part of the Mayan Empire we respect that. Our El Caudillo, elected dictator, Dean Barrow even claims to be part Mayan. He certainly has the nose to prove it. We can take pride in that locally. Belize being a major part of the modern Mayan Empire.
The UK is coming out of Europe looking pretty good, though they are in economic distress right now. They seem to have taken the right steps to avoid a collapse of their governing system. They did not join the EU money system and the new government of PM David Cameron, has taken the bull by the horns, the bit between the teeth, so to speak and cut government budgets in one fell sweep by 50%. Since the UK was itself bankrupt, the resultant pain they are experiencing right now, can only last another year and after that the UK should get dramatically better by 2012, whereas the EU is expected to more or less collapse, or die the death of the thousand cuts.
What Bill Lindo sees as a world financial collapse, I see more as a European collapse and a shift from the old Imperialist countries, to the far East. Lot of rising countries replacing Europe right now as the major world players. Brazil, China, India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, even tiny Belize in it´s small way. Venezuela is already making the moves to ensure financial safety and the first move to bring home $100 billion of GOLD bars is under way, from Europe, the UK in particular. All in all, popular socialist El Caudillo, President Chavez in Venezuela has 313 tons of gold to bring back to Venezuela, a move in the right direction. I will never forget the biggest bank robber in history, Joseph Stalin of Russia, who at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1937, while his communist rabble held Spain in thrall, convinced them to ship on three freighters, all Spanish gold bullion reserves, to St. Petersburg, Russia for safekeeping. Spain NEVER got their GOLD BULLION back EVER, either.
The USA our biggest trading partner and to whom our money is fixed as a standard value. If you buy USA money it costs you $2.28 Bz currency, but if you sell US currency here, you only get $2 Bz. The USA is very broke. Their debt is enormous and indeed their whole financial system is based on fictitious paper money printing, or debt economics. That said, their economy is the largest in the world and their innovative technical inventions and productivity when they get around to it sometimes, will probably rescue them in the long haul. Since our money is tied to theirs and they are our major source of trading economically, one can only doubt we in Belize will see any hiccups, or problems with our money, or economy. There might be a downturn again in tourism as their economy adjusts to circumstances. Periodically they get rid of their older factories and workers and these persons get put on welfare programs. Then a new generation take over and build their economy up again in a cycle. Cold blooded, but it works in the big picture. Certainly inflation is a threat to us a bit. Their economic hiccups will certainly make our tourism section of our economy nervous, though right now, we seem to be doing okay.
Bill Lindo sees the World Financial system exploding. I see it as shifting to new financial players. This seems to be the Far East. Though the American continent, 34 countries are very strong economically in the world. Between us in Belize and our neighbors, we in Belize are gradually getting economically stronger. Indeed, as Belize becomes part of Southern Mexico and our neighboring Central American countries and separate more from the intellectually challenged, fancy rhetoric speaking CARICOM politicians, or losers in CARICOM, our future and markets for anything we can produce with our small population is looking very wealthy.
Generally speaking the world economy is dispersing to new producers, away from the traditional European Imperialist industrial countries. Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico are the biggest success stories in our hemisphere. Russia has yet to find her place in the world economy. Russia, still being like Canada, a basic raw commodity exporter. If Russia EVER got their new democratic capitalistic system working, they can also be a major world player. There are some game changing technologies online in the laboratories and research universities around the world, but mostly in the USA. That country having literally tens of thousands of universities. Many of which are practical and inventing new things. Our University of Belize is trying to change to a research development mode, but finds themselves unable with pure academic types in charge. It takes about 15 years to get from the laboratory to the commercial market place. Bill Lindo claims in his article that our tourist economy is still down 36%. Whether or not that is true or not. THAT section of our economy is going to get hit, again and again, so it behooves us to make the changeover to light manufacturing and exporting, to diversify our economic base. The world is adjusting, our Mayan Empire historically and cyclically forecast it, and as far as I can see, since we have separated from CARICOM and moved to our local geographical region, we seem to be on top of our game. As population and education get bigger and better, we are doing well, and I do not expect with our climate and location in the tropics that we are going to suffer overly much, it Europe goes down the drain, financially speaking.
People of Belize, in Central America, are kind of smug about their survivalist potential and self sufficiency in food these days. With nice Spring type climate all year round. The idea of a World Financial re-adjustment doesn´t frighten them, though it might be awkward and inconvenient.
That said, Bill Lindo wrote a nice article on his idea of the coming financial collapse to the world system in the Amanda newspaper of August 17, 2011 online.
Not that I totally agree with his arguments and conclusions mind you. It was interesting that ING ( Dutch ), the holder of our sugar factory debts and on which ING in their desperation are expected to foreclose and shut down, the one and only sugar factory of Belize in another six weeks. It was interesting to note, that ING itself is bankrupt and will collapse itself in a year or two. That indeed EU inter-bank lending has been frozen for some time, and the result many speculate, will be a collapse of the European Union by 2012 and the end of the Mayan Calendar. A Mayan forecasted cycle of world change and historical upheaval. As part of the Mayan Empire we respect that. Our El Caudillo, elected dictator, Dean Barrow even claims to be part Mayan. He certainly has the nose to prove it. We can take pride in that locally. Belize being a major part of the modern Mayan Empire.
The UK is coming out of Europe looking pretty good, though they are in economic distress right now. They seem to have taken the right steps to avoid a collapse of their governing system. They did not join the EU money system and the new government of PM David Cameron, has taken the bull by the horns, the bit between the teeth, so to speak and cut government budgets in one fell sweep by 50%. Since the UK was itself bankrupt, the resultant pain they are experiencing right now, can only last another year and after that the UK should get dramatically better by 2012, whereas the EU is expected to more or less collapse, or die the death of the thousand cuts.
What Bill Lindo sees as a world financial collapse, I see more as a European collapse and a shift from the old Imperialist countries, to the far East. Lot of rising countries replacing Europe right now as the major world players. Brazil, China, India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, even tiny Belize in it´s small way. Venezuela is already making the moves to ensure financial safety and the first move to bring home $100 billion of GOLD bars is under way, from Europe, the UK in particular. All in all, popular socialist El Caudillo, President Chavez in Venezuela has 313 tons of gold to bring back to Venezuela, a move in the right direction. I will never forget the biggest bank robber in history, Joseph Stalin of Russia, who at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1937, while his communist rabble held Spain in thrall, convinced them to ship on three freighters, all Spanish gold bullion reserves, to St. Petersburg, Russia for safekeeping. Spain NEVER got their GOLD BULLION back EVER, either.
The USA our biggest trading partner and to whom our money is fixed as a standard value. If you buy USA money it costs you $2.28 Bz currency, but if you sell US currency here, you only get $2 Bz. The USA is very broke. Their debt is enormous and indeed their whole financial system is based on fictitious paper money printing, or debt economics. That said, their economy is the largest in the world and their innovative technical inventions and productivity when they get around to it sometimes, will probably rescue them in the long haul. Since our money is tied to theirs and they are our major source of trading economically, one can only doubt we in Belize will see any hiccups, or problems with our money, or economy. There might be a downturn again in tourism as their economy adjusts to circumstances. Periodically they get rid of their older factories and workers and these persons get put on welfare programs. Then a new generation take over and build their economy up again in a cycle. Cold blooded, but it works in the big picture. Certainly inflation is a threat to us a bit. Their economic hiccups will certainly make our tourism section of our economy nervous, though right now, we seem to be doing okay.
Bill Lindo sees the World Financial system exploding. I see it as shifting to new financial players. This seems to be the Far East. Though the American continent, 34 countries are very strong economically in the world. Between us in Belize and our neighbors, we in Belize are gradually getting economically stronger. Indeed, as Belize becomes part of Southern Mexico and our neighboring Central American countries and separate more from the intellectually challenged, fancy rhetoric speaking CARICOM politicians, or losers in CARICOM, our future and markets for anything we can produce with our small population is looking very wealthy.
Generally speaking the world economy is dispersing to new producers, away from the traditional European Imperialist industrial countries. Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico are the biggest success stories in our hemisphere. Russia has yet to find her place in the world economy. Russia, still being like Canada, a basic raw commodity exporter. If Russia EVER got their new democratic capitalistic system working, they can also be a major world player. There are some game changing technologies online in the laboratories and research universities around the world, but mostly in the USA. That country having literally tens of thousands of universities. Many of which are practical and inventing new things. Our University of Belize is trying to change to a research development mode, but finds themselves unable with pure academic types in charge. It takes about 15 years to get from the laboratory to the commercial market place. Bill Lindo claims in his article that our tourist economy is still down 36%. Whether or not that is true or not. THAT section of our economy is going to get hit, again and again, so it behooves us to make the changeover to light manufacturing and exporting, to diversify our economic base. The world is adjusting, our Mayan Empire historically and cyclically forecast it, and as far as I can see, since we have separated from CARICOM and moved to our local geographical region, we seem to be on top of our game. As population and education get bigger and better, we are doing well, and I do not expect with our climate and location in the tropics that we are going to suffer overly much, it Europe goes down the drain, financially speaking.
Retired life in Western Belize, 2011.
Ray on vacation in Coban, Guatemala
Ray on left, another retired Englishman Bob at Pacz Tours in Twin towns as well, a Marmite sharing buddy of Ray.
ALL QUIET IN WESTERN BELIZE TWIN TOWNS
Just been scrolling through Marty Casado´s, Ambergris Caye list of BELIZE BLOGS. Just noticed that this BLOG - Western Belize Happenings - is not on there. Probably too quiet out here in the WEST of Belize. We don´t seem to have all the cocktail places, or night life, they have on the Barrier Reef Cayes.
Life for retirees like us is very quiet. I support my local library and donate books, as many as I can, plus newspapers. That said, I read an average of 5 books a week and our local librarian can´t really keep up with my varocious reading addiction. Do watch TV occasionally. ALJAZEERA TV out of Washington has turned out to be my favorite CABLE TV news, though 6:30 p.m. most evenings, I take the time to scroll through the local news channels for an hour.
I keep busy with trading options 5 days a week, on the Chicago Options Exchange via internet. Otherwise I´m supervising a contractor, who does casual work, three days a week for us on building projects. We are always looking for young guys as casual labor, to cut three yards we have and do some odd jobs and a bit of landscaping, once or so a month. More in rainy season. The wife is into weaving things, by the Guatemalan Back Strap Loom. She produces a lot of shawls, pocket change zippered pounches, belts for the pants with fancy designs and that sort of thing. She´s been at that hobby for several years now and seems happy at it. She also spends a lot of hours on the internet reading up on world news, which doesn´t interest me a bit. I get the highlights from her during meal times mostly. I´ve tried a bit of art and got good at pencil drawings and framed them. We both, the wife and I have art project stuff, at the current art show displayed at the House of Culture in the TWIN TOWNS. I got pretty good at pencil drawings and frame them for the wall. Proud of that hobby. One of these days if I can muster the interest, must teach myself to mix paints. I have a handy man build us furniture as we need it most of the time. Built our beds, bookcases and all that sort of stuff.
I think from reading BLOGS from Ambergris Caye on the Barrier Reef and at Caye Caulker, we must live a fairly quiet life out West here. Most people have hobbies like building and flyng ultra light airplanes, or training and riding horses. There are a few bars around the TWIN TOWNS area, but not enough social life to keep them happy. They seem to change every year or two, as new players try their hand at bar keeping. Unlike Ambergris Caye, which caters to a higher spending, high turnover tourist crowd. We do have lots of restaurants though, from India, France, Italy, Central American, etc. Good dining around here. Except most of my bought restaurant meals tend to be about $1.50 USA, as we don´t eat big meals being old retirees. We have a steady volume of tourists out Western Belize, but they are into Mayan ruins, canoeing, caving and other outdoor type sports. Partying doesn´t seem to fit their agendas. Mostly they eat out in one of our many fabulous international restaurants. Big day for me, is when a really big couple of flocks of Green Parrots come circling our house on the hillside. Then I like watching the hawks circling in the thermals and just wish I had a sailplane to join them. If you have ever heard those fancy CD´s with jungle sounds, which are supposed to be therepeutic, we have that at our house every evening and morning. Some types of birds I recognize by their chatter and singing. But yesterday and today, had some really loud, bird I never heard before singing it´s head off outside my trading room. Couldn´t locate it with binoculars. The garbage truck coming is probably the most exciting eventful event of the week. Can never be sure what day it is, so always surprised when I hear the garbage truck motor grinding noisily through the streets of our village. Then it is a mad rush to get our garbage can out to the street side. Thats the biggest excitemet for the week for us as a family here in this village. We shop every Saturday morning at the Macal River open air market for weekly groceries. Only once in a while do we go to town during the week, to do any needed shopping, dentist or things like that. Not much desire to go to town. We are self sufficient for most everything around here.
Yes, retired life in Hillview here is very quiet. Busy enough if you want it. The days quickly run into weeks, which run into months and then into years, faster than I can keep track. I mostly know what month it is by the trading calendar, earnings reports and the hours of when the Exchange is open on the internet, or cable TV, following the ticker tape. Trying to figure out what day, or month it is, can be very hard sometimes, when asked by somebody. Most of the time, we don´t even know what TIME of day it is. I like an afternoon nap and often work on my computer around 2 a.m. in the morning through to daylight. Find I only sleep about 5 hours a night.
I´m a prolific poster on blogs and chat forums in subjects that interest me technically. I´d say, thanks to the internet, our social life is very active, but it is all by internet. My wife is big into communicating with weavers in BOLIVIA high in the Andes and has evolved some very close internet friendships. I get the same thing, in technical subjects and people drop in several times a month here in Hillview passing through, with whom I´ve chatted on the internet. Always nice to meet new people in person for a short time.
All in all, I´d say our life in retirement is very sweet and content. Nothing like what you see on TV, of the so called industrialized hectic world in the Northern Hemisphere.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Western Belize Green Parrot flocks smaller this year in Belize. 2011.
GREEN PARROT FLOCKS SMALLER THIS YEAR 2011
I live on the side of Green Parrot Valley, in the suburb of Hillview, part of the rural area of Santa Elena Town. I´ve noticed after the chick growing season this year, that the Green Parrot flocks flying around the valley have decreased in size, to around 4 dozen birds in size. Whereas in years past, the bird count for Green Parrots was usually around 300 birds. with several flocks flying around.
Do not know the reason why?
BELIZE POLICE FORCE IMPROVE! - UDP Report card raised to 25%
BELIZE NATIONAL POLITICAL CONTROLLED POLICE FORCE UPGRADES FORENSIC CAPABILITY.
Since Colonial times, for more than 55 years, the National Police Force at the beck and call of the political party in power, has used beatings and thuggery, to extract confessions from suspected perpetrators. A bit of torture, thrown into the mix when you get sadistic police types involved.
It seems Forensic detection capability might improve?
In the past seven years or so, court cases and judges have become more active and concerned. It is normal nowadays, for the police and Public Prosecutor to see cases thrown out of court, particularly for murder. Even though the National political police may often be right, the court is recognizing that without forensic evidence, that a case of prosecution for any crime, based soley on a signed confession, when the origins are dubious, when the defendants claim to having been beaten and tortured into signing such a confession, and such single evidence is not enough, without corroborating evidence. It is tragic, but most murderers now get off free, cases dismissed as because of the years needed to come to trial, the witnesses are no longer willing to give their evidence. Old signed witness statements notwithstanding, taken at the time of the murder, the time delay gives the murderer and family enough time to threaten them, or kill the witnesses. We in Belize are about at the level of the Chicago Police in the mid 1920´s.
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The Belize Police Department has received automated fingerprinting identification system. Love News spoke with public relations officer for the Ministry of Police and Public Safety, Raphael Martinez.
Raphael Martinez – Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Police and Public Safety
“Several months ago courtesy of the Central American Regional Security Initiative, CARSI and the United States Government, Belize received six electronic fingerprinting scanning units. A unit will be assigned to the Police Station in each district and this will allow for the convenient taking of fingerprints in each district. Scenes of crimes and the Police Officer from each district have been trained in the use of this equipment. The Department has over 60,000 fingerprints which were taken manually over the past 14 years and these needed to be inputted into the database to facilitate quick comparative analysis. As part of this contract the company that supplied the equipment AFIX Technologies has sent four employees to Belize to assist the Police Department in inputting those 60,000 fingerprints this is through the use of high speed scanners and archiving system. What would take us about eight years to do, this company has done in about two to three weeks time."
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credit to the Political party in power now, the UDP for this improvement.
1 point added to their approval rating report card. NOW A SCORE OF 25%
Since Colonial times, for more than 55 years, the National Police Force at the beck and call of the political party in power, has used beatings and thuggery, to extract confessions from suspected perpetrators. A bit of torture, thrown into the mix when you get sadistic police types involved.
It seems Forensic detection capability might improve?
In the past seven years or so, court cases and judges have become more active and concerned. It is normal nowadays, for the police and Public Prosecutor to see cases thrown out of court, particularly for murder. Even though the National political police may often be right, the court is recognizing that without forensic evidence, that a case of prosecution for any crime, based soley on a signed confession, when the origins are dubious, when the defendants claim to having been beaten and tortured into signing such a confession, and such single evidence is not enough, without corroborating evidence. It is tragic, but most murderers now get off free, cases dismissed as because of the years needed to come to trial, the witnesses are no longer willing to give their evidence. Old signed witness statements notwithstanding, taken at the time of the murder, the time delay gives the murderer and family enough time to threaten them, or kill the witnesses. We in Belize are about at the level of the Chicago Police in the mid 1920´s.
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The Belize Police Department has received automated fingerprinting identification system. Love News spoke with public relations officer for the Ministry of Police and Public Safety, Raphael Martinez.
Raphael Martinez – Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Police and Public Safety
“Several months ago courtesy of the Central American Regional Security Initiative, CARSI and the United States Government, Belize received six electronic fingerprinting scanning units. A unit will be assigned to the Police Station in each district and this will allow for the convenient taking of fingerprints in each district. Scenes of crimes and the Police Officer from each district have been trained in the use of this equipment. The Department has over 60,000 fingerprints which were taken manually over the past 14 years and these needed to be inputted into the database to facilitate quick comparative analysis. As part of this contract the company that supplied the equipment AFIX Technologies has sent four employees to Belize to assist the Police Department in inputting those 60,000 fingerprints this is through the use of high speed scanners and archiving system. What would take us about eight years to do, this company has done in about two to three weeks time."
____________________________________
credit to the Political party in power now, the UDP for this improvement.
1 point added to their approval rating report card. NOW A SCORE OF 25%
Thursday, August 18, 2011
DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT IN BELIZE
The consultation process for an amendment to the Constitution of Belize is now under way.
Running around the country is a government consultation process before holding a referendum on an Amendment to the Constitution. I noticed there were many, many, many citizen voters in long lines, waiting their turn at the microphone, to explain their opinions on this referendum. High interest nationwide on the issue of the Amendment 9 proposal.
One of the things I noticed on television clips, were the number of people who were stating they did not want RULERS, like SOVEREIGN KINGS, or even EL CAUDILLO´s like we have, in our Prime Minister. They wanted the people they elect as representatives in government, which forms the Cabinet and rubber stamp Parliament, to listen to the voters and do what they say. Those people were quite emphatic, they want our elected representatives to be a MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT, but answerable to, and responsive to asking the voters what they want on policy issues. They do not want to be dictated to. Since for the past 50 years, all Prime Ministers and political parties elected for 5 year terms in Belize ( most voters want it reduced to 4 years, but the politicians will not listen ) have claimed their right they say, to be dictators and rule the people and decide for them what they want to do. Since this is rarely the same as what the public voters want, there has been many a parade and riot of policy issues. Unfortunately no political party in power is willing to change the rules on how policy issues and management of the national government, as the political party goal; is contrary, as it is the pirate spoils opportunistic, get rich quick mindset of the elected representatives that annoys people voters.
Listening to these expressions of dissatisfaction being expressed by citizen voters to government bureaucrats on the panel in this referendum, is refreshing, as it is a step forward to voter control of what the opportunistic politician pirates in CABINET, running the government actually do. Long way to go yet though, until we get such policy procedures enshrined in laws and in the Constitution with limitations on what the CABINET and winning political party can do. At least so far we are not like the terrible MUSLIM, ARAB populations, ruled by inherited family dictatorships with fancy names, like Kings, living under a rule of FEAR, TERROR, IMPRISONMENT, TORTURE, RAPE AND such things as go with a police state tyranny. Poor Arabs, we at least are better off, even if we have not yet developed a voter ruled democracy.
Running around the country is a government consultation process before holding a referendum on an Amendment to the Constitution. I noticed there were many, many, many citizen voters in long lines, waiting their turn at the microphone, to explain their opinions on this referendum. High interest nationwide on the issue of the Amendment 9 proposal.
One of the things I noticed on television clips, were the number of people who were stating they did not want RULERS, like SOVEREIGN KINGS, or even EL CAUDILLO´s like we have, in our Prime Minister. They wanted the people they elect as representatives in government, which forms the Cabinet and rubber stamp Parliament, to listen to the voters and do what they say. Those people were quite emphatic, they want our elected representatives to be a MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT, but answerable to, and responsive to asking the voters what they want on policy issues. They do not want to be dictated to. Since for the past 50 years, all Prime Ministers and political parties elected for 5 year terms in Belize ( most voters want it reduced to 4 years, but the politicians will not listen ) have claimed their right they say, to be dictators and rule the people and decide for them what they want to do. Since this is rarely the same as what the public voters want, there has been many a parade and riot of policy issues. Unfortunately no political party in power is willing to change the rules on how policy issues and management of the national government, as the political party goal; is contrary, as it is the pirate spoils opportunistic, get rich quick mindset of the elected representatives that annoys people voters.
Listening to these expressions of dissatisfaction being expressed by citizen voters to government bureaucrats on the panel in this referendum, is refreshing, as it is a step forward to voter control of what the opportunistic politician pirates in CABINET, running the government actually do. Long way to go yet though, until we get such policy procedures enshrined in laws and in the Constitution with limitations on what the CABINET and winning political party can do. At least so far we are not like the terrible MUSLIM, ARAB populations, ruled by inherited family dictatorships with fancy names, like Kings, living under a rule of FEAR, TERROR, IMPRISONMENT, TORTURE, RAPE AND such things as go with a police state tyranny. Poor Arabs, we at least are better off, even if we have not yet developed a voter ruled democracy.
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