BELIZE WINS GOLD MEDAL AT COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICAN GAMES

Belize's Medwood crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the men's 400m hurdles final at the Central American Games in San Jose March | View photo - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

GUATEMALA UNVEILS MORE OF A TREACHEROUS ATTACK ON BELIZE.

GUATEMALA REVERSES JOINT ECONOMIC PROGRESS BETWEEN BELIZE AND GUATEMALA. 

 NEW GOVERNMENT IN GUATEMALA UNVEILS A SNEAK ATTACK ON BELIZE BOUNDARIES AND SOVEREIGNTY, IN DEFIANCE OF UNITED NATIONS ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION BACK IN 1982, WHEN THE UNITED NATIONS GUARANTEE OF SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE PEOPLE OF BELIZE WAS DONE BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL VOTE.  ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER ON FORMER WORLD COLONIES OF ANCIENT EUROPEAN IMPERIAL EXPANSION AROUND THE WORLD.

  A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME ON INVASION, APPROPIATION AND CONQUEST HAS BEEN UNLEASHED BY THE NEW PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA, ON THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE.

  BELIZEANS SHOCKED AND DISMAYED BY THIS TREACHERY! 

 THE LAST 20 YEARS HAVE SEEN PEACEFUL AND GROWING TIES OF ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GUATEMALA AND BELIZE.   NEW GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT UNVEILS DROP BY DROP, A REVERSAL OF PARTNERSHIP AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION.  

HAS THE PAST 20 YEARS AND PEACEFUL COOPERATION BETWEEN GUATEMALA AND BELIZE BEEN ALL FOR NOTHING?  DO WE IN BELIZE HAVE TO TOLERATE SUCH EVIL TREACHEROUS BEHAVIOR BY THE CHANGING WINDS OF POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP IN GUATEMALA.

  ALL BELIZE WANTS, IS AN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AS FRIENDS, ACROSS OUR AGREED UPON 1859 TREATY BORDER, SET BY GUATEMALA AT THAT TIME WITH THE FORMER BRITISH COLONY - BRITISH HONDURAS.  NOW AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY CALLED BELIZE.

  OUR GOVERNMENT IN BELIZE CANNOT DEAL WITH SUCH TREACHEROUS NEIGHBORS.

Great granddaughter wins Canadian child beauty pageant.

My granddaughter Tamara A, is nuts about baby pageants.  This is her daughter, my GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER Gemma winning one recently.

2013 CROSS COUNTRY CANOE RACE IN BELIZE called the Ruta Maya. Held in March each year.

2013  Early morning start for the RUTA MAYA CROSS COUNTRY, ANNUAL 3 DAY RACE ACROSS THE WIDTH OF BELIZE FROM SANTA ELENA TOWN TO THE PORT CITY ON THE EAST COAST.

Dog pets photos and new puppy.

TINY OUR YOUNG DOG HAD A SMALL LITTER OF WHICH THERE IS ONLY ONE SURVIVOR HERE.  EYES JUST OPENED THIS WEEK.  Dogs are for Gustavo, Silvia and Ray

The beach bum career in Belize. Life careers not found in colleges and Universities.

It's a hard life living a beach bum life on the Great Barrier Reef.  But somebody has to do it?

This blog jumped over 50,000 hits per month.

THIS BLOG MADE A BIG JUMP IN DAILY AND MONTHLY VISITS to over 50,000 a month or around 5000 a day.   Have no clue why, other than it is winter?

BELIZE OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO VENEZUELA ON DEATH OF CHAVEZ.

Venezuela through President Chavez was a very good friend to Belize.  We extend our condolences from Belize and hope our relationship will remain friendly and cordial with Venezuela as they change their government.  We now have historic ties and memories of much goodwill between our countries.

Belizean family on vacation near capital of Belmopan at Jaguar Paw Lodge, cave tubing

BELIZEAN FAMILY VACATIONING AT JAGUAR PAW RUBBER RAFT TRIP IN CENTRAL BELIZE.  NOT TOO FAR FROM THE CAPITAL BELMOPAN.

 

Grandson photo Cody on Auxillou property, on Caye Caulker

CODY, ONE OF MY SINGLE MALE GRANDSONS.  SORRY GIRLS HE IS NOT GETTING MARRIED BEFORE 32 YEARS OF AGE.

 

Auxillou Trust properties for tourist rentals on Caye Caulker beach.

Auxillou Trust properties on beach at Caye Caulker, Belize offer some of the best rentals on the island.  Sea front beach.

GUATEMALA DECLARED BOUNDARIES BETWEEN BRITISH HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA IN TREATY OF 1859

On April 30, 1859 The Convention between Her Majesty and The Republic of Guatemala relative to the boundaries of British Honduras was signed.

"Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the Belize River, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier."
"All the territory to the north and east of the line of boundary above described belongs to Her Majesty,and all the territory to the south and west of the same belong to the Republic of Guatemala."

USA run Belize Coast Guard utter failure in Belize in protecting conservation of sustainable fisheries, from Honduras and Guatemalan poachers.

BELIZE COAST GUARD FAILS TO DO IT'S JOB?

FISHING POACHERS FROM GUATEMALA AND HONDURAS FREELY RAID AND DEPLETE THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES IN BELIZE.

  THE USA FINANCED BELIZE COAST GUARD, AN UTTER FAILURE TO PROTECT THE FISHERIES OF BELIZE.

FLORIDA HOUSE PRICES REACH PRE-BOOM HIGH PRICES IN 2013

DADE COUNTY, SOUTHERN FLORIDA

SUNDAY NEWSPAPER REAL ESTATE SALES INDICATE HOUSE PRICES ARE:  THE SAME PRICE AS; OR EVEN HIGHER BEFORE THE REAL ESTATE CRASH.

  ASSOCIATED JOBS IN HOUSE BUILDING ON RISE AND BUSINESS IS PICKING UP

GRASSROOTS GUATEMALANS AND BELIZEANS ARE STRENTHENING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL TIES, DESPITE INVASION AND OCCUPATION AGGRESSIVENESS OF GUATEMALA POLITICS

POLITICAL POWER GRAB FOR BELIZEAN CONQUEST, CHOSEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA OVER PARTNERSHIP ECONOMIC GROWTH.  GRASS ROOTS LEVEL CONTACTS FOR BUSINESS BETWEEN BELIZE AND GUATEMALA STILL GOES AHEAD.

 ar 1, 2013

Guatemalan Mayor in Belize; Sister City Relations established

Belizeans are not exactly happy with neighboring Guatemala right about now given the upcoming October sixth referendum and this week’s fiasco with the national basketball selection in Peten. The referendum will decide whether the Guatemalan claim to Belize’s territorial land should be taken to the International Court of Justice for final settlement. But despite the current climate, today the Belize City Council hosted a delegation from San Benito, Peten and Guatemala City. The delegation consisted of Mayor Sonia Rivera and councilors of San Benito as well as members of Congress from Guatemala City.  And this afternoon at the City Hall, an agreement on the establishment of a Sister City Relationship was signed between Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley and Mayor Rivera. The event is almost a case of déjà vu as back in January, Mayor Bradley and his colleagues were welcomed with open arms and treated with love in San Benito, Petén. Both mayors, in their address spoke of the linkages between both cities. In fact, Mayor Rivera lived in Belize for seventeen years, has two sisters living in the village of Cotton Tree and her daughter goes to school here in Belize. A formal declaration of friendship was also handed over to Rivera on behalf of the Council.

Darrell Bradley

Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
“When we went to San Benito, we were there on the anniversary of the founding of San Benito. And it was shared with us that the city of San Benito was founded by Belizeans and out very own deputy mayor’s grandmother is from San Benito. So it is significant that at this time we form a relation with someone who is so very much like us. And in the larger scope of things I think that is how peace is achieved. That we would realize that beyond all political differences; beyond all challenges that we face, there is one thing that always binds us together and that is our common humanity.”

Sonia Rivera

Sonia Rivera, Mayor, San Benito Petén, Guatemala
“My brothers and sisters of Belize, we are going forward; we will find the peace one day, but remember god is first. God is first. Things are going to change in Belize and this is not a casualty. This is in the plans of god and god has the control over both cities and both countries. For me it is really an honor and really a blessing to be with you today to sign an agreement of the relationship between both cities and we gonna do great things. You will continue hearing from San Benito and San Benito will be hearing from Belize City. So thank you very much; we feel so welcome and if you treat us like this we will continue coming again.”

Darrell Bradley
“We have already been talking about various housing projects and exchanges in culture and our intention is that we should have regular exchanges with the city of San Benito. So I want to extend on behalf of the people of Belize City, our hand of friendship to Alcaldesa Sonia Rivera to the members of the Guatemalan congress, to the councilors of the council of San Benito, to the people of San Benito and to the people of Guatemala.”

Sonia Rivera
“We are going for bigger things, this is the beginning. Thank you so much and we are here and there to serve you.”

During the three day stay in the Jewel, the delegation will travel to various municipalities throughout the country. The delegation returns to Guatemala on Sunday.

GUATEMALA PRESIDENT CHOOSES WAR LIKE ATTITUDE WITH BELIZE, RATHER THAN BUILD OUR TWO ECONOMIES AS PARTNERS

GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT CHOOSES CONFRONTATION OVER PEACEFUL ECONOMIC JOINT DEVELOPMENT WITH BOTH COUNTRIES OF BELIZE AND GUATEMALA SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN BUILDING OF PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS?

Guat president to establish new advisory body on Belize affairs

Features — 26 February 2013 — by Adele Ramos

La Comisión de Belice dissolved because the body failed to inform him of 2008 change in the Belize Referendum Act

“La Comisión de Belice queda disuelta…”

“The Commission on Belize is dissolved…”

“…both sides had assumed a positive outcome, meaning a ‘yes’ vote, in the referendum, and neither they nor the special agreement contemplated what would happen should voters disapprove of the ICJ route for resolution.”

Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina took a drastic measure last Thursday, February 21, when he disbanded La Comisión de Belice, an information/advisory agency on Belize matters which has existed inside the Guatemala Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more than 25 years, after an investigation indicated that it “neglected” its duty to inform their government of the 2008 change in the Belize Referendum Act.

The change in Belize’s law was no secret, as it was hotly debated in Belize’s Parliament and it was furthermore, the subject of fierce public litigation in Belizean courts.

Near the end of last month, January, Molina ordered an investigation into the proceedings of the Comisión de Belice, as they pertain to the question of settling the territorial differendum at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He instructed that the results should be turned over to him within 15 days.

Last Thursday, after being apprised of the results of that investigation, Molina ordered the disbanding of the Comisión de Belice. The president has also ordered the establishment of a new advisory body on Belize matters and Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Relations, Luis Fernando Carrera, announced administrative interventions to be made at the Guatemala Embassy here in Belize, which the investigation has also faulted with neglecting its responsibility to keep the Guatemala government informed, an official statement announced.

Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, H.E. Alfredo Martinez, indicates that public concerns have been expressed in Guatemala over the US$32 million which Guatemala has programmed to spend on the referendum, slated to be held simultaneously with Belize on Sunday, October 6, 2013, at which time voters would decide whether the dispute should be settled at the ICJ or not.

Some persons are concerned that all those financial resources, which could be better spent on social programs, would be wasted if the 60% threshold set out in Belize’s amended Referendum Act is not met, he explained.

“Our public response when asked, is that the whole thing was in the public domain and we took it for granted that they knew, so why make an issue of it? Besides, it is our sovereign law,” said Martinez.

The Guatemalan government claims it was unaware of the change made in early 2008—well before the signing of the ICJ special agreement—and it was only informally advised in 2011. Its informants are being reprimanded for allegedly neglecting their duties to keep them abreast of developments on the Belize front.

“The change in the Belize legislation, which introduced a requirement for (voter) participation of at least 60% to validate the result of the referendum, occurred during the 2008 negotiations—5 months before the signing of the Special Agreement at the OAS,” the statement added. (Guatemala’s law sets no minimum and the simple majority rule would apply.)

Chief Executive Officer in the Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alexis Rosado, said that Guatemala did ask Belize if there is any possibility of removing the 60% requirement from the act, but Belize indicated that it would not, and furthermore, explained that the changes to the referendum act were contemplated well before negotiations for the ICJ special agreement.

Rosado said that this is really a non-issue, since voter turnout in Belize is customarily in the region of 70%.

CEO Rosado said that this latest development has no bearing on the Belize-Guatemala differendum, as it is entirely an internal administrative matter for Guatemala.

Nonetheless, Guatemala’s official statement said that Molina is lobbying the OAS to use its offices to restore good faith relations between the parties, to pursue the objective set out in the special agreement, to resolve the matter via the ICJ.

Minister Carrera, appointed Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Relations just over a month ago, announced at a press conference last Thursday that the governments on both sides of the border have committed in good faith to carry out the October 6, 2013, referendum.

However, he castigated the parties charged with the responsibility of keeping the Guatemalan government informed for not warning the country about the change Belize made in 2008, in its referendum act. Their failure, said Carrera, showed that they were careless in carrying out their responsibilities.

As a consequence, Carrera announced, la Comisión de Belice will be replaced. Given the political importance of the Belize issue, the President has decided to create a high-level advisory group on the subject of Belize, composed of ministers and political advisors, who will get legal technical assistance from a range of experts.

According to a statement from the Guatemala Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the simultaneous referenda are simply an avenue for achieving the objective set out in the December 2008 compromis (special agreement)—that is, to resolve the territorial, insular and maritime differendum between Belize and Guatemala via the International Court of Justice.

The statement said that both sides had assumed a positive outcome, meaning a ‘yes’ vote, in the referendum, and neither they nor the special agreement contemplated what would happen should voters disapprove of the ICJ route for resolution.

Ambassador Martinez said that on the Belize side, should the people vote ‘yes’, the referendum results would then be tabled in the Senate for ‘protocol passage’ before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emits a ratification notice to Guatemala. On the Guatemala side, the referendum results would be transmitted through Molina’s office before going to the Ministry of Foreign Relations for the preparation of their ratification note.

Belize has already initiated its public education process; however, according to Ambassador Martinez, Guatemala has said it would hold out until three months before the referendum date to commence theirs. The referendum is due in just under seven and a half months.

Meanwhile, our newspaper understands that on the Guatemalan side, there is infighting over the ICJ process, and despite the ‘yes’ votes assumed by the compromis, very powerful factions are divided over whether the matter should even go to the ICJ.

There will continue to be bilateral meetings, via OAS channels, between Belize and Guatemala as the months ensue; however, we understand that a date has not yet been fixed for their next official meeting.

BELIZE TO INCREASE NATIONAL DEBT A MINIMUM OF $130 MILLION N 2013.

NEW BELIZE BUDGET SHOWS HOW ROLLOVER GOVERNMENT FINANCING INCREASES THE NATIONAL DEBT, YEAR BY YEAR.  FOR THIS COMING YEAR THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN NATIONAL DEBT IS EXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $130 MILLION OF BORROWING AGAINST THE FUTURE.

 

2013 national budget to be presented today, Friday

Highlights — 01 March 2013 — by Adele Ramos

Even with super-bond savings, financing gap is nearly $130 mil

“…a statutory instrument will be presented to amend the Sports Act, to expand the gamut of doping tests to be administered in Belize.”

At around 10:00 this morning, the House of Representatives is scheduled to convene for the presentation of the proposed national budget by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dean Barrow.

Amandala understands from an official source that the budget book was still being published by Print Belize as we went to press Thursday night, but it should be available first thing today.

Multiple government sources indicate to Amandala that the numbers in this year’s budget are not much different from last year’s.

The proposed recurrent revenue for the new budget is $823 million, compared to $819 million for the outgoing year; whereas recurrent expenses are estimated at $777.9 million for the upcoming financial year, compared to $727.7 million for 2012-2013.

The financing gap was estimated at $139 mil for 2012-2013, and the new budget could have a financing gap of $129 mil, if current estimates hold.

Amortization of debt will require another $64 million. This figure, we were told, was derived based on the new terms of the renegotiated super-bond.

The budget deficit is also projected at roughly $60 million, or just about 2% of GDP.

Amandala tried to get comment from the Ministry of Finance about the new budget; however, the Financial Secretary sent a message to us indicating that he was busy.

Meanwhile, the unions will be listening to the budget presentation to see what’s in it for workers. The Barrow administration has hinged a future pay raise for teachers on budget performance.

Dylan Reneau, president of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, told our newspaper that there was no consultation with the unions during the budget preparation process.

He said that one of the things that concern the union is recurrent revenue, since it is critical for the salary negotiations.

“It would have been nice to see what sort of measures government will put into effect to try and ensure greater efficiency in revenue collection,” said Reneau. “We also wanted to see where government is taking onboard [measures for efficiency such as] …cuts in operational expenses and rentals. We want to see if there will be a policy statement,” he added.

According to Reneau, one of the measures now in train is the implementation of a fuel card for government vehicles, as part of the government’s vehicle policy.

“Each driver will have a card with a limit of fuel for the month. When that runs out, ‘dawg eat yuh suppa…’” he said.

Reneau also said that the unions will be curious to see what would be the direct cost impact of the renegotiation of the super-bond, and how it will impact government’s overall deficit and amortization of payments.

Apart from the presentation of the national budget, the House will receive the National Youth Development Policy launched this Wednesday, as well as several papers which include the Ombudsman’s reports for 2010-2012, and the Contractor General’s reports for 2011-2013.

Furthermore, a statutory instrument will be presented to amend the Sports Act, to expand the gamut of doping tests to be administered in Belize.

The budget debate is slated for March 21 and 22, and the Senate is expected to meet the week after to review the proposed national budget. The new budget is to take effect April 1, 2013.

GUATEMALA FISHING FLEET INVADE BELIZE TERRITORIAL WATERS, PREMATURELY.

AMANDALA NEWSPAPER REPORTS ICJ INVASION AND OCCUPATION PLAN, BY GUATEMALA ALREADY IS REAPING RESOURCES OF THE SOUTHERN WATERS OF BELIZE EACH NIGHT.  No referendum yet for ICJ but already Guatemala invades shrimp fisheries of Southern Belize forbidden to Belize fishermen in the name of conservation.

Guatemalan trawlers seen in Belizean waters

Headline — 01 March 2013 — by Miriam Longsworth

Reports were made repeatedly, but GoB acts as if it “couldn’t care less”

There were reports last week Monday that about 20 Guatemalan trawlers had been spotted operating in the waters of southern Belize, south of Punta Gorda, but word to us at press time tonight, Thursday, is that the trawlers are still in what is believed to be Belizean waters.

Punta Gorda activist and leader of the People’s National Party, Wil Maheia, told us tonight that this is a regular occurrence whenever the weather is good, as it is now.

“We have reported this time and again to our Belizean authorities,” he told us, “but nothing is ever done – the Guatemalans do as they like.”

Maheia said that he blames the lack of enforcement in the area for the repeated acts of illegal trawling by the Guatemalans. It is for this reason that Maheia started his activism, because he feels that there is no official concern for what is happening in that area.

This incident only brings to mind the situation Belize and Guatemala are in as they prepare their countries for what could be one of the biggest historical events in both countries, the October 6, 2013 referendum on the matter of taking the territorial, maritime and insular dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Guatemalan citizens have routinely entered Belize illegally and stolen our xate, rosewood and other valuable trees, killed our protected wildlife, destroyed large tracts of our pristine forests, and in general, have done whatever they wanted in a country that is not theirs.

As if these things are not enough, the Guatemalans were caught doing a method of fishing that is prohibited in Belize – trawling. Trawling has been banned in Belize since 2010, largely through the efforts of Oceana Belize.

Oceana Vice-President Audrey Matura-Shepherd said that the illegal trawling seems like an act of aggression by the Guatemalans.

“All I can say is that we view it as an act of aggression from the Guatemalans against us, one,” Matura-Shepherd said. “And two, it is obviously the duty of our law enforcement authorities to make sure that the ban that was instituted is enforced.”

She added that Oceana is only an NGO, and they do not have enforcement powers, so it is up to the Government to enforce the laws through the coast guards and rangers down South.

“The important thing with that, however, is that these poachers or illegal fishers will come at night, when obviously our patrol is not out,” she said. “So we have to be more strategic in how we decide to go after them. We definitely need, as the NGO that pushed for this ban, to make sure that enforcement in possible.”

Matura-Shepherd said the Maritime Areas Act cannot trump our Constitution, because our Constitution shows clearly what constitutes our territory.

“The Sapodilla Range is part of our territory, although the Maritime Act did not take the full claim,” she said. “You have to remember that the Constitution is above that. And even [if done] in that good faith, it doesn’t mean that the Guatemalans can come in and do anything in our territory.”

Matura-Shepherd said she thinks there are lots of overlaps and misunderstandings as to what people believe the Maritime Act allows.

“But whatever your doubt is, we assure there is only one answer to it all, your Constitution is your supreme law,” she said. “We’re entitled to our 12 nautical miles, not three, and that means that Guatemalans have no right to come and trawl or do any kind of illegal fishing in our waters, except if we give them the license.”

BELIZE DEBT RESTRUCTURING DEAL WATCHES JAMAICA SINK INTO THE ABYSS

BELIZE PONDERS JAMAICAN DOWNWARD ECONOMICAL SPIRAL, NOW IN 50 TH YEARS.

Jamaica in second crisis debt-swap plan

Posted by admin on Feb 18, 2013 in World | Comments Off

Jamaica has announced plans for its second debt swap in three years in the face of a “serious economic crisis”.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is taking measures to reduce its debt, which currently stands at 140% of gross domestic product (GDP), one of the highest ratios in the world.
“If this debt is not reduced, Jamaica faces a dismal future,” she said.
The move is aimed at satisfying conditions demanded in a deal with the International Monetary Fund.
About 55% of government spending goes towards paying the nation’s debt, while 25% goes on wages. That leaves just 20% for everything else – including education, security and health.
In a televised address, Ms Simpson Miller, who belongs to the People’s National Party (PNP), said a national debt exchange would be launched.
The administration will offer a swap of higher-interest debt for lower-cost debt and will require “significant sacrifices” from financial institutions and domestic bond holders.
The move follows an earlier debt restructuring in 2010 under the previous Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government.
Since many bondholders already took a hit in 2010, Finance Minister Peter Phillips acknowledged that they were likely to be disappointed, but urged them to accept the offer.
He said it should reduce the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio by 8.5% a year until 2020.
Jamaica has been negotiating a loan with the IMF for the past year. As part of the agreement, the country must reduce debt, as well as the government wage bill.
This implies “significant austerity in the public sector” according to Laurence Allan, Latin American and Caribbean analyst at IHS Global Insight.
He says that “Simpson Miller faces a massive challenge” in getting the reforms through and that many “poor and ordinary Jamaicans view Jamaican elites as those who caused the debt problem and, conversely, who have suffered the least from its consequences”.
Jamaica is one of a number of Caribbean countries struggling with a growing debt burden amid falling tourism revenues.
Much of the region depends on tourists from Europe and the US for its income, but the global financial crisis has cut visitor numbers severely.
Last year, Belize, another member of the Caricom regional trade bloc, came close to defaulting on a $550m “superbond” that represents half its public debt.
But in December, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that bondholders had agreed “in principle” to a restructuring deal.
               ____________________________________________________

the ONLY way out of the BELIZE DEBT CRISIS SITUATION is growing the GDP.  This in turn needs a re-orientation toward light manufacturing exporting.  So far, the civil service have shown a remarkable lack of ability to do this.  Be it bureaucratic leadership performance, political leadership, or start up generation by innovative education, from the University of Belize.

BELIZE 2012 TOURIST ARRIVAL STATISTICS

Tourism arrivals up in 2012

Posted by admin on Feb 25, 2013 in Business | Comments Off

Kudos are in order for Belize’s tourism industry which reported a 10.7 percent increase in overnight arrivals.
The figures for last year show that there 277,135 visitors, which is 26,872 more than in 2011.
Of these, 63.7 percent were from the United States while only 8.7 percent were from Canada. Overnight arrivals peaked at 32,240 visitors last March, with a second peak of 31,346 visitors in December.
Airport arrivals were up 16.3 percent with 211,747 tourists landing at the Philip Goldson International Airport.
Airport arrivals also peaked at with 25,982 visitors in March, with a second peak of 23,312 visitors in December.
This was much better than several of our regional competitors, such as Cayman Islands, where arrivals were up a modest 4.1 percent; Antigua & Barbuda where arrivals increased only 2.3 percent; Barbados, where arrivals fell 5.5 percent, and Grenada where arrivals fell 5.1 percent.
The cruise lines scheduled fewer ship calls in 2012, so cruise arrivals to Belize fell 12 percent to 640,734 visitors, although arrivals at the beginning of the year were up 34.9 percent in comparison to January 2011.
Arrivals were also up 24.4 percent in February compared to 2011. There was also a summer peak of 9.6 percent in July. Belize’s cruise partners have assured the Belize Tourism Board that Belize can expect to see growth in 2013.
Cruise arrivals fell across in the Caribbean and Belize did not do so badly compared to some of our regional competitors, such as Grenada where cruise arrivals fell 21.7 percent, Barbados were cruise arrivals were down 15.2 percent; Antigua & Barbuda where arrivals fell 9.1 percent, and the Cayman Islands where arrivals fell 7.1 percent.

RAPE OF ROSEWOOD EXOTIC LUMBER SPECIES CONTINUES IN TOLEDO DISTRICT OF BELIZE.

From the Reporter weekly newspaper.  Rape of the Rosewood tree resources continues in Toledo District.

                 ________________________

Rosewood plunder continues undeterred, despite Moratorium

Posted by admin on Feb 18, 2013 in General | Comments Off

Almost a year ago, Minister of Forestry, Lisell Alamilla, signed a Moratorium banning all harvesting of Rosewood from Belizean jungles, and, following a sizable find in January, she burned several flitches of the precious wood.
Alamilla has earned a few choice nicknames since the controversial burning, but she has stood her ground where the wanton harvesting of the precious wood is concerned.  Yet it appears that the symbolic destruction was nothing more than just that because in an interview with reporters, she admitted:
“We continue to find Rosewood. There are regular reports. We’re confiscating 20, 30 flitches at a time, so the amount of Rosewood that we have on our hands is increasing almost on a weekly basis and we definitely have to put something to Cabinet for them to consider,  so that decisions won’t lie with just my Ministry.”
The Forest Department still has two container loads of illegally harvested wood on its compound awaiting the completion of investigations.
Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer, said that  in one of the containers, confiscated in January from the Port compound, were found  Zericote “in round or log form.  That is against the law, essentially. Zericote is a protected species; It can only be exported as a value -added product. So in that particular instance we seized the wood in the container. The exporter is a known exporter to us. He goes by the name of Anita Lou based originally out of Roaring Creek and now operating out of Orange Walk.”
In the other case, two containers found in the yard at Belize Engineering Limited contained roughly 15,000 board feet of rosewood.  Sabido said that the exporter “goes by the name of Kambo Kin. Two persons  registered that particular company. I can only recall the name of one; it’s Pererra.
In this particular instance we have only managed to make contact through the broker, Mr. Raul Cawich. It’s through him and with the DPP we are working to see how we can make contact with the actual owner of the material.”
As for a third load confiscated in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Sabido said that case is slightly more sophisticated in nature specifically because “it’s still in customs’ custody and because customs gives a time period for the owner of the material to present legitimate documents.
If within a particular period of time they cannot present the documents, then the Controller of Customs can  move to seize the property.
“Also at the same time because we suspect that the material is of Guatemalan origin, we contacted the Guatemalan authorities and they are very much concerned about the fact that they have a container with rosewood of Guatemalan origin ending up in the customs area.”
To add to the scenario, Charles Rivas, a Forest Ranger stationed in Toledo for a few years, has been transferred to another location pending the outcome of his alleged involvement in the Rosewood trade.
Minister Alamilla said, “Unfortunately when you deal with public officers you have to be very careful about how you manage any allegation brought against them because you just can’t dismiss them like that…so we have taken him out of the area to ensure that if those allegations are true, that we have removed him from Toledo.”
The investigation continues to determine whether or not Mr. Rivas was indeed involved in the illegal trade and if so, what penalties he will face.

WESTERNBELIZEHAPPENINGS BLOG HITS FOR FEBRUARY 45,027

BLOG STATISTICS FOR MONTH OF FEB. 2013

45,027 HITS.

55 years of the beach bum life on Caye Caulker. It could have been worse.