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The September 22nd, 2013 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Corruption Rears its Ugly Head, Prime Minister Barrow Chops It Off !:
  But I tell you, any UDP government that I lead will never be engaged in corruption. As soon as it rears its ugly head, I personally will cut it off. And I will tell you, I will sharpen a special machete with blades on two sides so that every time it springs up, right so, I will chop it off. And if it means the government has to fall, then so be it. Let the consequences be damned, the people of this country deserve better and I am determined to give them better." Those were the words of Hon. Dean Barrow, declared at a town hall meeting way back in November, 2004; and by all accounts, it's a promise he and his government are keeping. This past week, the Board of the Social Investment Fund, with the full blessings of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, moved swiftly to terminate top level executives at the Social Investment Fund following the Contractor General's report on a probe conducted into a Million Dollar project to build a new Market in Dangriga Town.
• Patriotism Alive at University of Belize!:
  Wednesday, September 18 was Annual Patriotic Day at the University of Belize. The Photograph to the right is that of the ladies who won First, Second and Third Place in the Patriotic Dress Competition. Kudos to the University of Belize. Happy Independence, Belize!
• From the Desk of the Chairman:
  The biggest day of the season is here. The climax of it all. Independence Day, that is. There is something about this season that inspires each and every true Belizean to dig deep within ourself and find our most creative way of expressing our love and devotion to our Nation and Homeland. Like romance, Patriotism is an uplifting thing. As difficult and demanding as life might be, it picks us up, gives us wings and allows us to soar above our trials and tribulations. And, of course, it adds true meaning and purpose to our existence. Something to live for, something to strive for, something to die for.
• Belize & Guatemala - Food & Agriculture: DPM Gaspar Vega addresses Guatemalan Livestock Fair:
  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Agriculture Honourable Gaspar Vega recently concluded a working visit to Pet�n, Guatemala as guest of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of Guatemala. The Minister attended and addressed the First National Livestock Fair held in Pet�n where contacts with several private sector livestock, equipment and service providers were made. The Guatemalan Minister of Agriculture Elmer Lopez, the Governor of Pet�n and the Congressman for Pet�n were among many distinguished Guatemalan officials addressing the fair. Bilateral meetings were held between the two ministers who focused principally on cross border collaboration in particular efforts to eradicate the Mediterranean Fruit Fly.
• Faith Lift By Zelda Hill: It's a Time for Rejoicing, Belize !:
  Our Creator, God, has Blessed or homeland "with wealth untold" as described in our National Anthem, written by Samuel Haynes. The magnificence of the abilities of our indigenous Maya people and their will to persevere in spite of all the odds, continue to amaze humanity. Our cultural diversity reveals God's providence in leading our forefathers to this ideal spot, a land that still abounds with the resources we need to work, to live and to raise our families. While other nations around us endure succeeding conflicts, severe calamities and major civil unrest, Belize has been spared through the labor and prayer of those who acknowledge the might of truth and the grace of God, by which we continue to exist.
• Dominican PM To Belize for Independence:
  Honorable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, will be hosted by the Government of Belize as the Guest of Honor during Belize's Independence Day festivities. Hon. Skerrit will arrive in Belize on Wednesday, September 18, 2013, accompanied by Hon. Dr. Collin McIntyre, Minister of Trade of Dominica. After arrival, Hon. Skerrit will make a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow. During his stay, Prime Minister Skerrit will be a guest at all official ceremonies commemorating Belize's 32 years of Independence.
• "Building on Enduring Friendship": British High Commissioner meets National Security Minister:
  The new British High Commissioner to Belize, H.E. Peter Hughes made a courtesy call on Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar last Friday September 13, 2013 in the Minister's office at the Ministry of National Security Headquarters in the Curl Thompson Building in Belmopan. The British High Commissioner's visit is part of his familiarization tour, having recently taken up his new position after presenting his credentials to Governor General Sir Colville Young. His Excellency Mr. Peter Hughes started his diplomatic career as Desk Officer in the British Defense Department and has since served oversees in Australia, the Caribbean, Asia and Afghanistan. Upon his appointment to Belize, Mr. Hughes was quoted as saying he hopes to build on the enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and Belize.
• Police Liaison Officer in UK for International Leadership Program:
  Police Liaison Officer in the Ministry of National Security, Superintendent Howell Gillett is in the United Kingdom attending an International Leadership Program held at the College of Policing, Bramshill. Superintendent Gillett left the Country last Saturday, September 7, 2013 and will return in Six Weeks. The course started on Monday September 9 and will conclude on November 1, 2013. As part of the program, Superintendent Gillett will be expected to complete 50 hours of selfstudy, and he will eventually earn a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and Bramshill Certificate.
• Major Crimes Trended Downwards in August, Western Zone and Benque Sub-Formations Performed Best:
  Crime Statistics for the Month of August, 2013 show an overall continuing trend in reduction of Major Crimes committed Countrywide. The statistics were released on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. There were only 3 murders countrywide in August 2013, compared to 9 murders in August 2012. From January to August of 2013, there were a total of 70 murders, compared to a total of 97 for the same period of 2012. Minister of National Security Honorable John Saldivar this week presented his monthly awards for the zone and formation that performed the best in reducing major crimes during that month. The Zone with the best performance in reducing major crimes in the month of August was the Western Region, headed by Senior Superintendent of Police Aaron Guzman.
• Honouring Heroes Past & Present: Tribute to Belizean Patriots - September 12, 2013:
  Each September Belizeans from every community in our nation come together to commemorate and celebrate the historical milestones that helped to shape our Belizean identity, our democratic way of life and our Belizean sovereignty. Our annual traditions thus transform September into a colourful, exciting and festive time in our country. It is always a matter of great satisfaction that in the middle of the festivities we take time out to honour Belizean men and women - past and present - whose service to their fellow Belizeans has been exemplary. Each of the honourees tonight has, in their own unique way, risen above personal interest to serve the people; to serve their communities; and to serve our nation with dedication and self-sacrifice. It is meet and right that we pay tribute to them as we enjoy our September.
• Carnival in the Old Capital: Organizers "Do NOT Encourage Indecent Behaviour":
  Last Saturday, September 14, 2013, the streets of the old capital, Belize City, were vibrating and glowing with the sound and color of Carnival. According to a press release from the Belize National Carnival Commission, six bands registered and competed in the Junior Band Category. First Place was taken by Pickstock Carnival Band who will receive a prize of $7,000. In Second Place was Jump Street Posse. And Third Place was taken by Sunshine Masqueraders. In the Senior Band Category, Five bands registered and competed. First Place was taken by Mother Nature's Creation who will receive a cash prize of $10,000. In Second Place was Belizean Jewel; and in Third Place, Soca Warriors.
• Winners in Annual September Criterium:
  First Place - Junior Category Byron Pope - Benny's Megabytes Team First Place - Elite Category Kirah Eiley & Patricia Chavarria First and Second Place- Female Category Barney Brown,, Jose Choto & Dwight Lopez Second, First and Third in Masters Category Kirah Eiley - BECOL Team First Place - Female Category Giovanni Lovell - Belize Telemedia Team Second Place- Junior Category

The October 13th, 2013 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Penner's Passport Predicament: Undermining Government's Development Agenda:
  "Yes, I am the substantive minister. I can assure you that immigration has taken an inordinate amount of my time to deal with visas, to deal with permanent residence, to deal with the issuance of passport, to deal with nationality and we have many more reforms that we are bringing into place. But they require legal cases and all sorts of things, and it takes a bit of time to bring them in; in addition to the other work that I do." Those are the words of the Substantive Minister of Immigration, Hon. Godwin Hulse, in an interview with Channel Five Television News this past week. Therein lies an important truth, which is that the current predicament in which the former Minister of State Hon. Elvin Penner finds himself, having been kicked out of Cabinet for his bad judgment in pushing through and approving a Belizean passport for an international criminal who has never set foot in Belize, is costing not just the disgraced Minister of State, but the Substantive Minister and, indeed, the entire government an enormous amount of time and energy that could be better spent carrying out its development agenda.
• Vindicated! Plus TV & Patrick Andrews Apologize to Hon. Saldivar:
  In April of this year, Belmopan Area Representative and Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar took out a law suit against Plus TV and Patrick Andrews for defamatory remarks that Andrews allegedly made against Saldivar as a cohost of the Belmopan-based station's morning show, Rise and Shine. The comments made by Andrews in December of 2012 were about the Minister's use of funds provided to him as part of the Prime Minister's now annual Christmas Cheers program to enable area representatives to assist their constituents during the yuletide season.
• The Cost of Corruption:
  Delroy Cuthkelvin Chairman, Editorial Board. Our headline story already declares it, but so salient a point it is, we feel compelled to reiterate. The scandal that broke and continues, apparently, to unfold within the Ministry and Department of Immigration and Nationality surrounding the issuance of at least one Belize passport to an undeserving and unqualified person, who has turned out to be an international outlaw, has imposed and continues to impose an enormous cost on the Nation. In this kind of climate, there is always the possibility that, for good measure, a good deal of false allegations will be thrown into the mix for greater effect. Yet, there is no denying the fact that at the heart of the matter is Corruption, to whatever degree; and the truth is that Corruption, any amount of it, is too much, as the true cost of it is always multiplied a million times.
• Police Minister's Monthly Awards: Southern Zone & Placencia Sub-formation Perform Best in September:
  Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar on Wednesday, October 9, presented his Monthly Awards for the zone and formation that performed the best in reducing major crimes during the month of September, 2013. The Southern Zone, headed by Senior Superintendent of Police Robert Mariano, saw the greatest reduction in major crimes for the month of September, the Placencia Sub-formation performing the best in that region. Senior Superintendent Mariano received from Hon. Saldivar a Cheque of $1,000 for the performance by his zone, and a Certificate of Recognition on behalf of Inspector Mark Flowers who heads the Placencia Sub-Formation.
• Camalote Blazers Win Miley Garcia Softball:
  Trophy Presentation by Ismael 'Miley' Garcia
• Rehabilitation - Participation - Transformation: Contract Signed for IDB-Funded Project Targeting Youths:
  The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation signed Contracts on Wednesday October 9, 2013 in the Altun Ha Room of the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City. The contracts that were signed amount to BZ$3,298,307.70 and were signed with two local contractors for infrastructure works under the Community Action for Public Safety (CAPS) Project. The works comprise the construction of a Youth Center located at Gwen Lizarraga High School Compound in Belize City at a cost of BZ$1,522,049.70 and the construction of a Dormitory Facility, Resource/Visitor's Center and Rehabilitation of the Sporting Grounds at the Youth Hostel as well as the Rehabilitation of a Carpentry Building at the Youth Cadet at Mile 21 on the George Price Highway at a cost of BZ$1,743,258.00.
• Strengthening Bi-lateral Cooperation: Belizean and Guatemalan Electoral Authorities Meet:
  The highest electoral authorities of Belize and Guatemala met last Saturday, October 6, 2013 in San Ignacio, Belize under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS) to exchange information, experiences and best practices in electoral management; identify areas for inter-institutional collaboration; and further learn about the norms and processes in each country to conduct referendums. Guatemala´s delegation was headed by the President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Mar�a Eugenia Villagr�n de Le�n, and Mr. Bernard Pitts, President of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, led the Belizean delegation. The meeting took place within the framework of the new confidence-building measures that both countries adopted last May with a view to improving the conditions necessary to establish a new date to hold the simultaneous referenda, which will determine if the territorial dispute between both countries is submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement.
• Faith Lift �Only then will Belize Prosper!:
  By Zelda Hill. Once upon a time, an aspiring, young and desperate nation was in deep trouble. Her people had been mistreated and enslaved and then, just when they thought it could not get worse, they found themselves wandering aimlessly in the hostile wilderness. They and their children were disgruntled and weary and they needed rest; a place that they could proudly call home. They had been hearing from those that God spoke to, that up ahead there was that ideal place, a prosperous land which abound with much fruit, with pomegranates, and figs and grapes in clusters, a land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 13:23- 27). They would not only be blessed in every way but they would be able to be a blessing to other nations.
• New Commemorative Stamps" "The 100th Anniversary of the Pallotine Sisters in Belize":
  The Belize Postal Service is pleased to announce the release of a new set of commemorative postage stamps. The new set of postage stamps is scheduled to be officially released on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Pallottine Sisters in Belize. The release of the stamps forms a part of the Pallottine Sisters' Centennial Celebrations of their arrival to the shores of Belize. On March 17, 1913, four German Pallottine Sisters challenged the boat ride from Belize City to San Ignacio where they landed on the banks of the Macal River. Their journey continued to Benque Viejo by horse and buggy, the only means of transportation in 1913.
• Belmopan Ac tive Youth get $200,000 from US Embassy:
  A signing ceremony was held in late September at the United States Embassy in Belmopan for the establishment of a grant project for youth drug prevention for Belmopan and surrounding communities. The project is being funded by the United States Embassy Belmopan and will be implemented by the Belmopan Active Youths (BAY), a youth organization established in April 2012. Signing for the grant, which is valued at US$100,000, were Mr. Joseph Boski, Grants Program Officer for the United States Embassy and Mrs. Anna Banner Guy, President for BAY. The grant funds for youth drug prevention program will be utilized for the following activities:
• Would Red Sox vs. Dodgers World Series Matchup Stop TV Ratings Nightmare:
  There's plenty of star power to go around between the Red Sox and Dodgers. The Red Sox have a couple of superstars in David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury, and the Dodgers have a couple of their own in Clayton Kershaw, Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig. They also have the high-priced Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, with highpriced Andre Ethier possibly able to play every day by the time the World Series rolls around. High-priced Matt Kemp is injured, but his handsome- enough-for-Rihanna mug will be there for the cameras.
• New Markets for Independence & Benque Viejo: Belize Government & European Union Sign Contract:
  Two contracts were signed on Wednesday October 2, 2013 signaling the start of construction for new Markets in Independence Village and Benque Viejo del Carmen Town. The works, funded by the Government of Belize and a grant from the European Union (EU), as part of the Belize Rural Development Project II (BRDPII), will be executed through contracts with Jebco Construction Limited. Construction is expected to be period at a cost of BZE$649,060 for the Benque Viejo Market and BZE$650,787 for the Independence Village Market.
• A New Milestone for the Belize Coastguard: Graduation Ceremonies for Coastguard SEAL Team 001:
  Established just over Seven years ago, the Belize Coastguard has quickly grown into an exceptionally skilled, highly equipped force; and the force has just moved up yet another level, having just established the Coastguard SEAL, inaugurated in late September. Graduation ceremonies for Coast Guard SEAL TEAM 001 were held September 25, 2013. The Team of 8 underwent 12 weeks of rigorous training. They are the cream of the crop, having been selected from among an initial intake of 19 officers. They were pushed to extreme limits, being subjected to grueling physical and mental torture.
• Keynote Address - Coastguard SEAL Graduation: "Constantly Changing for Operational Effectiveness on an Ever-Changing Landscape":
  I would like to start off my remarks here today with a quote from Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan. Alfred Mahan in one of the earliest of the many magazines articles that flowed from his pen after 1890, wrote: "The stoppage of commerce compels peace". The economic strangulation of the enemy from the sea by the assertion of overbearing power at sea drives the enemy from it. This statement had given rise to the notion that "Control of maritime commerce through command of the sea is the primary function of navies". Distinguished Guests, we are here today to participate in yet another milestone in the achievements of the Belize Coast Guard. The Graduation of Belize's first SEAL trained seamen.
• Double Victory for UB Jaguars, Male & Female Win ATLIB Softball:
  The University of Belize women won the National Softball Championship tournament organized by the Association of Tertiary level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) at the Governor General's field in Belmopan on Saturday, October 5. In Game 1, the UB Lady Jaguars spanked the Independence Junior College Predators 8-2. IJC's Veleesha Tylor's struck out 2 batters, and gave up only one hit, but she walked 9 batters. Danalee Burns, Deanna Garbutt, Rochelle Orellano, Karlene Lewis and Aleesha Taylor scored in the 1st inning. Judy Soberanis, Lewis and Aleesha Taylor crossed the plate in the 2nd; the UB girls left 3 runners on base. IJC's Sylvia Cabral scored in the 1st inning and Briana Leslie scored in the 2nd. UB's Desiree Hulse struck out 2 batters and walked 5, while UB made 2 errors, but IJC left 2 runners on base.
• Local Government Symposium 2013: The Role of Elected Officials in Local Economic Development:
  The role of local governments at the town and village council levels are becoming increasingly vital these days as we seek to deepen and broaden our democracy and as we endeavor to develop our communities in ways that are relevant and truly responsive to the needs and desires of our people at every level. Towards this overall end, a Local Governance Symposium was held two Mondays ago in Belize City. It was sponsored by the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project, CARILED, which is an organization dedicated to spurring economic growth in the Caribbean by creating the right atmosphere and putting setting up mechanisms for small business. The Symposium was attended by Mayors and other essential personnel from municipal governments
• OVER $700,000 IN GRANTS: PACT Awards Funds for Small, Medium and Large Projects:
  On Monday, October 7, 2013, PACT held a Grant Award Ceremony at the House of Culture in Belize City, where it awarded $736,769 in new project grants. Research Grants as well as Small, Medium-Sized and Large Grants were awarded for projects under the themes of Protected Areas Management and Conservation, Protected Areas Promotion and Development, and Environmental Education and Awareness as follows. Recipients of Research Grants were Mr. Alex Anderson ($20,000.00) for Baseline Population Abundance Estimate and Development of a Monitoring Plan for Queen Conch at Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve; Mr. Wilber Martinez ($20,000.00) for The Ecology and Conservation of the Baird's Tapir (Tapirus Bairdii) in Central Belize.
• SICA on Money Laundering & Drug Trafficking:
  Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking were the main issues discussed at a meeting of judges and judicial officers from Central American nations convened this past Monday, October 7 in Belize City. The meeting was sponsored by the Central American Integration System or, as it called in Spanish, El Sistema de la Integraci�n Centroamericana (SICA). The judges and judicial officers attending were from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Belize.
• Health Minister Attends PAHO Directing Council Meeting:
  Minister of Health Hon. Pablo Marin was among health officials that agreed to a plan of action that seeks to reduce premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by the year 2025. The joint plan of action was approved by the 52nd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) that convened last week in Washington D.C. It calls for policies to promote prevention and control of NCDs and reduce their risk factors. Under the joint plan of action, health officials agreed to specifically promote prevention of NCDs beyond health, expand and provide universal access to health services for NCDs, reduce tobacco intake by 30%, promoting healthy diets to reduce the impact on children, and improve the surveillance of risk factors among others for NCDs.
• BDF leads Belikin Cup Football: Belmopan Bandits Off to a Promising Start:
  The Belize Defence Force are leading the Belikin Cup Premier League of Belize tournament after bombing Verdes 2-0 at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga last Saturday, October 5. Carlton "Fubu" Thomas struck the first goal, and Vallan Symns converted a penalty for the 2-0 victory. The Belmopan Bandits also enjoyed a 4-1 win over San Ignacio United at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan on Saturday night; Elroy Kuylen scored a hat trick and Deon Macaulay added a 4th goal. The Paradise Freedom Fighters drilled FC Belize at the Toledo Union Field in Punta Gorda Town on Sunday afternoon. Franz Vernon scored thefirst goal, Lisbey Castillo added a second and Franz Vernon retuned to scored a third
• Telemedia are National Softball Champions: Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy Take Second Place:
  Belize Telemedia repeated as back to back national champs while Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy placed 2nd when the Belize Softball Federation held its 14th National Women's Softball Championship at the home of softball at the Roger's Stadium in Belize City on Sunday, September 29. Roaring Creek's pitcher Leyandra Guy had led the Grace Kennedy girls to a 4-2 win over the Cayo district champs, Camalote Blazers, in Game 2 Friday night, while pitcher Francine Salazar struck out 6 batters and walked 2. Roaring Creek also won Game 4 of the tournament 11-4 over Double Head Cabbage Mel's United by mercy rule in the 6th inning on Saturday morning. Leyandra Guy struck out 6 batters and walked 2, while the Roaring Creek girls collected 12 hits off Annette Morey's pitching.

The June 12th, 2013 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• The Stage is Set! Can PUP Mobilize like UDP in 2005?:
  As we go to press, word is that the Opposition PUP is attempting to mobilize supporters to descend on Belmopan when the House of Representatives convenes in the National Assembly on Friday, November 1, 2013. How historic a day it turns out to be will to some extent be heavily dependent on what kind of numbers the PUP is able to mobilize. Since it lost the 2008 General Elections and became the Opposition, the PUP has been anything but impressive when it comes to mustering numbers around any event or professed cause. Professed, we say, for therein lies what is perhaps the crooks of the PUP's problem, the question of whether it possesses the moral authority to genuinely lead any charge against any alleged or perceived wrongdoing by those in office, or any public rallying around any proclaimed righteous cause.
• Isidoro Beaton Football Stadium Upgraded:
  As most Belmopan residents should by now, a good deal of new investment has been made to strengthen their local football club, Belmopan Bandits, which is participating in the national competition organized by the Premier League of Belize, sponsored this year by Belikin Beer and Bowen & Bowen Limited. The Belmopan Bandits' home field is the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in the Nation's Capital; and a good of resources is also being invested to upgrade that facility to encourage more of f he residents of Belmopan to come out regularly to support their home team as the national competition heats up.
• Existential Questions Confronting the UDP:
  As we understand it, the purpose of the UDP when it was formed 40 years ago in 1973 was not simply to rival the PUP, but to contrast and correct what was fundamentally wrong about PUP style politics. The PUP idolized its leaders and was built on a philosophy of party paramountcy. The UDP was to be the political force that placed Country above Party. The PUP was a monolithic party that rewarded its supporters and friends, and punished its so-called enemies and political rivals. The UDP was to be the party that allowed dissenting elements and provided an opportunity for full participation and fulfillment by all citizens in a country hitherto ruled by one-party domination.
• 30 Years in the Belizean Beef Business: Running W Continues to "Meat" your Needs:
  Running W is a family owned company that started in 1983 (we are celebrating 30 years in business this October). We remain focused on a cow calf operation, a steer fattening operation, and a meat processing plant. Running W has become one of the largest meat processors in Belize. We supply fresh cuts and processed meats of primarily beef and pork. The company has been innovators in this industry and continue to develop new practices and products ensuring that it serves Belize very good quality. Belize very good quality. Initially our cattle were predominately Brahman then we introduced Nellore but the demand from our customers prompted us to start changing our cattle genetics. People were asking for better meat.
• "I Give You My Peace":
  "Thirty seven killed in Syrian car bombing as fighting rages nearby", the weekend's CNN headline read. According to the United Nations, over one hundred thousand people have died in the Syrian conflict, which started in March 2011. Weeks earlier the world was terrorized by the news of blood-thirsty gunmen entering the Westgate Mall in Kenya and killing scores of innocent people. On a global level there are wars, famine, disease and pestilence, declining economies and the failure of governments to gratify the masses. On a community level, families are in distress due to financial crisis, alcoholism, absent fathers, violence or death. On a personal level we are often harassed by sickness, personal failures, hopelessness and many other troubles that overwhelm us from time to time.
• New NAVCO President: Elections Held in Belmopan to Choose New Executive:
  On Saturday October 19, 2013, the National Association of Village Councils (NAVCO) held its Thirteenth Annual General Meeting at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The purpose of the meeting was to elect a new president, as well as to plan and map out a strategy for the direction that the new NAVCO Board intends to take during its three-year term of office from 2013 to 2016. Elected as the new president was Mrs. Ruth Staine Dawson from the Belize District. She will serve for the entirety of the three-year term of the current executive. Also elected by the New NAVCO BOARD were Dr. Francis Arzu as Vice President; Mrs. Anita Mesh as Secretary; Miss Yolanda Molina as Vice-Secretary; Mr. Alexander Romero as Treasurer; and Mr. Jovanni Montolban as Assistant Treasurer.
• Not a Bang but Quite a Splash! Virtual End of Hurricane Season:
  As we approach the end of October, Belizeans generally utter a sigh of relief. Although the Hurricane season officially extends until the end of November, the latest day on the yearly calendar that ever saw a tropical system of any significance affect Belize is October 31. That storm was, of course, Hurricane Hattie in 1961, which is recorded in history as one of the most catastrophic storms ever to impact Belize. Although we more than likely will not see a hurricane or tropical storm for the rest of 2013, Belizeans countrywide were significantly affected by relentless rains over the past weekend, which resulted in considerable flooding in portions of all but one of our six districts. As one Belmopan resident put it, "It must be the 2013 Hurricane Season's way of telling us goodbye."
• Recruit Intake #89 on Training: Adding 132 New Officers to the Belize Police Department:
  A hundred and Thirty Two (132) new recruits are currently on training at the Belize Police Training Academy in Belmopan. They make up Recruit Intake # 89 of the Police Department. The training, which began seven (7) weeks ago, runs for a total of 16 weeks, and the new curriculum covers seven (7) major areas, namely, Fundamental Concepts of Policing; Philosophy of Modern Policing; Criminal Law; Grammar Usage and Writing; Traffic; Crime Information Management System Technology; and General Police Duties. Of the 132 recruits in training, 37 are females and 95 are males. The course will be completed around January of 2014 at which time the traditional Police Passing Out Ceremonies will be held to mark their entry into the ranks of the Belize Police Force to assume official duties.
• EMERGING DISEASE POSES THREAT TO BELIZE'S SHRIMP INDUSTRY:
  Early Mortality Syndrome or Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (EMS/AHPND) is an emerging disease that is not present in Belize. It affects shrimp that are not of marketable size, normally from 30 days or younger. The disease does not affect humans but is often fatal to shrimp. Infected ponds can experience as much as 100% mortality. EMS was first reported in China in 2009, Vietnam in 2010, Malaysia in 2011 and in Thailand in 2012. It caused massive die-offs in cultivated shrimp in these countries. Clinical signs of the disease includes lethargy, slow growth, an empty stomach and midgut and a pale and atrophied hepatopancreas (internal organ that functions as a liver), often with black streaks. The hepatopancreas does not squash easily when pressed between the thumb and finger. Within 30 days of a pond being stocked large-scale die offs begins. The Global Aquaculture Alliance estimated that losses to the Asia shrimp culture sector could be US1$ billion. The shortage of shrimp supply subsequently had an impact on shrimp prices.
• Boston Red Sox Win World Series: Most Valuable Papi: Ortiz outstanding:
  It was clear what David Ortiz was going to say -- what, in some form, he had to say. He stood in shallow left field at Fenway Park late Wednesday night, not far from the spot where, six months ago, he dictated an impassioned love letter to the city of Boston. Behind Ortiz was a shiny black truck, his reward for winning the World Series' Chevrolet Most Valuable Player Award. Around him gathered fans, well-wishers and teammates, so many of them waiting, waiting, waiting for him to say the words again.
• Safety and Survival in Law Enforcement:
  Law enforcement officers spend a large portion of the lives looking out for the safety mad security of others. Too many of us take this for granted, failing to realize the extent which their own safety and security is threatened while they work to keep the rest of us safe. And in these modern times, when respect for authority in our society seems to be at an all time low, the lives of our law enforcement officers at more at risk than they have ever been.
• Statement by Hon. Edmund Castro:
  The Hon Edmond Castro, Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport, utterly rejects and condemns the viciously false and malicious story concocted about him by Channel 5 and its agent, and aired three consecutive nights last week. That story alleges that Hon. Castro collected four hundred thousand dollars as payment for having procured the issuance of two hundred Belize visas at the behest of a woman that is the source and co-fabricator of the Channel 5 story. Hon. Castro makes clear that the allegation is a lie. He was never engaged in any visa ring, and never collected a penny from the woman now turned self-proclaimed whistleblower.
• Saving Lives On The Road: Signing of Contract for Road Safety Project:
  The Government of Belize through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in keeping with the long-term Vision for improvement in road safety, that through an integrated and comprehensive approach, together with demonstrated respect between all road users, the frequency and severity of traffic collisions (road trauma) is reduced, is pleased to announce the award of contract to Anthony Thurton and Associates Ltd. for the Design and Certification Consultancy. The Belize Road Safety Demonstration Corridor Project is a first step in developing a comprehensive and longterm road safety strategy. The project was officially launched on 14th March 2013 and is being implemented through a BZ$14,495,000 loan from the CDB, and GOB counterpart contribution of BZ$3,191,000.
• Public-Private Sector Partnership: DPM Gaspar Vega Advances Agriculture Agenda, Meeting With Producers in the Aquaculture Industry:
  Two Thursdays ago, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega, Minister of Natural Resources and Agriculture, traveled south to meet with key players in the Aquaculture Industry. The Deputy Prime Minister and his team, including CEO for Agriculture Jose Alpuche and three -term UDP Stann Creek Area Representative Melvin Hulse, met with representatives of six major companies that make up the Shrimp Growers of Belize Association. Those companies include Aqua Mar Belize Limited, represented by Mike Dunker; Belize Aquaculture Limited, owned by the Bowen Group with new investment by a group out of Thailand; Texmar Belize Limited, represented by Anthony Chaplin and Hilly Muschamp; Royal Mayan Shrimp Farm, represented by its Managing Director, Alvin Henderson; Paradise Shrimp Farm represented by Hank Williams; and Cardeli Shrimp Farm, represented by its owner Linda Cardeli Thornton. The meeting took place at Belize Aquaculture Limited where the Minister and his team got a full tour of the facilities. Secretary
• Meeting with Belize Livestock Producers Association:
  Shortly after assuming responsibility for the Ministry of Agriculture back in 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega made the following comments about the Cattle Sweep Project to enable the exportation of Belizean Cattle particularly to Mexico: "This is history in the making; not only because we are achieving financially so much more resources, but because of the new direction that we're taking; and when I say, we are taking, it's we the government and the private sector. It is the first time that a government agency is not dictating but assisting the private sector in ensuring that they maximize their profitability, their productivity; and that, I believe, is what makes me so proud." Further commenting on his philosophy of fostering a strong public-private sector partnership, Hon. Vega remarked, "I must say that from the time we took over Agriculture, CEO Alpuche and I have had one thing in common, it was to ensure that we are seen as a facilitator rather than dictator. We want to assist; we want to gain the confidence of all the cattle farmers, not for the government to make a profit, but for the farmers to be more productive. At the end of the day, if the farmers make bigger profits, the government will get its share; the country will move forward. The country will start seeing the development that
• Touring Running W Brand Meats Processing Plant:
  Last Wednesday, October 23, 2013, prior to his meeting with the Belize Livestock Producers Association, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Agriculture, Hon. Gaspar Vega, toured the facilities of Running W. Meats, a local Belizean Company that produces mainly beef and pork products. The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture, Jose Alpuche; Acting Chief Agriculture Officer Roberto Harrison and his assistant Belarmino Esquivel; and Executive Chairman of the Belize Agriculture Health Authorities (BAHA), Emir Cruz. Started way back in 1983, Running W is this month (October) celebrating its 30th year in business. The company grows a lot of its own cattle, focusing on a cow-calf operation, a steer fattening operation, and a meat processing plant. It has become one of the largest meat processors in Belize, supplying fresh cuts and processed meats of primarily beef and pork. The owners of the company have been innovators in the industry in Belize, continuing to develop new practices to ensure increased and improved service to an ever-growing market.
• A "Soft" Handover Ceremony: Hospital Receives Antimicrobial-Treated Pillows:
  Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin was on hand at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital on October 22, 2013 for the handover of approximately 300 pillows donated by the Belize Dry Cleaners for hospitals across the country. The antimicrobial treated pillows measure 20" X 26" and are filled with 8oz garneted polyester. The pillows have soft polypropylene stitching and they are fluid proof, wipeable and flame resistant. The pillows will be delivered over the next couple days to five hospitals: Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, Western Regional Hospital, Northern Regional Hospital, San Ignacio Community Hospital and Corozal Community Hospital.
• UN & UB Team up for Youth Development: Social Audit Trainees on October 26 - 2013 Workshop on Social Audit for Young Belizean Leaders:
  The United Nations D e v e l o p m e n t Programme in partnership with the University of Belize hosted a two day Social Audit Workshop for young Belizean leaders and Entrepreneurs at the University of Belize, Central Farm Campus, Cayo District on October 25 -26, 2013. A total of 34 youth leaders, women and men equally represented, between the ages of 18-29, from tertiary level student government bodies as well from civil society organizations participated in the Social Audit Workshop. The workshop focused on the rights young people have to participate in auditing exercises of their government. The facilitators explained that it is a must to train youth on technical skills of social auditing and the ability to analyze and interpret public information. Social auditing gives people the skills to answer questions that citizens ask, and have the right to know about the government.
• Three Outstanding Belizeans Honored: For Contribution to Education, Music & Politics:
  On October 23, 2003, at the at the Belize House, in Belmopan, three Belizean men were appointed to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for their outstanding and selfless service to their communities. Frank Alexander Lizama and Colville Ludwig Young Jr. were both appointed Order of the British Empire: Mr. Lizama for his contribution to art, education and politics and Mr. Young for his contribution to education and music. Receiving the insignia for Member of the British Empire was Norman Samuel Elburt Hamilton for his contribution to music.
• BDF leads - Bandits Third:
  The Belize Defence Force team remains undefeated in the 2013 Belikin Cup Premier League Football Competition with 9 points obtained from 3 wins. They enjoyed their third win 2-0 over FC Belize at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga two Saturdays ago. Stephen Martinez scored the Belize Defence Force's first winning goal in the eight minute to lead 1-0 up to the half time break. The BDF defenders shut out FC Belize for 90 minutes of regulation time, and Tarrel Flores came off the BDF bench to score a second goal in injury time to seal the 2-0 victory over FC Belize. FC Belize are now in Fourth Place with Four points from a win and a draw. The Belmopan Bandits remain at Third Place in the Premier League of Belize, with Seven points from Two wins and a draw, after they schooled cellar- dwellers Police United FC 1-0 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan two Saturdays ago. Police headline striker Harrison "Kafu" Roches looked to score early when he beat his man, but Bandits' goalie Woodrow West beat him to the ball.

The December 9, 2015 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• NEW YEAR- NEW MANDATE:
  Thankful, Truthful, Realistic, Reassuring and Optimistic - that is how we must summarize and characterize Prime Minister Dean Barrow's New Year's Message for 2016. The Prime Minister starts out recounting the nation's blessings in 2015, having been spared from hurricanes and social upheaval, and having as he puts it, "steered our way through the complexities of the relationship with Guatemala; and politically we capped everything with the peaceful and historic general elections of November." Turning to economics, the Prime Minister notes that despite the challenges presented by disease and the long drought, which played havoc with shrimp and grains, and an earlier than expected decrease in the export price of sugar, the productive sector performed respectably well overall, as tourism saw record advances, cost of living fell markedly, and there was an overall spurt in the rate of employment.
• Editorial: THE PATH AHEAD IS CLEAR:
  The physical transformation that has been occurring nationwide, which has become a hallmark of the UDP administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, was certainly a central cause of the party's unprecedented political success which came to a climax in 2015 with four election victories in one single year. Politics aside, for the sake of the nation and development, most Belizeans are certainly hoping this transformation will continue into the New Year. And while there are financial challenges that have arisen and others that are anticipated, all indications are that the Government will be able to continue its transformation drive, even if a little less vigorous, in 2016. As Prime Minister Dean Barrow acknowledged in his New Year's Message, there have been, and will likely continue to be, significant reductions in flows from Petrocaribe, even as revenues from local petroleum exports are drying up. The Prime Minister was also candid about the fact that stepped-up payments on the Superbond and the Compensation Award for public acquisition of essential utilities will further increase the demand on government's finances.
• Transformation: Highways and Bridges:
  In 2015 the Government's Transformation agenda gathered full momentum, and the pace of development should continue in 2016. High on the list of important projects slated for 2016 is the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Phillip Goldson (Northern) Highway from the Airport Junction to Belize City, a necessity underscored by the deadly traffic accidents in that area over the New Year's weekend. Construction also proceeds apace on the Lamanai Road, the Cristo Rey/San Antonio Road, and the North Ambergris Road to the new Efrain Guerrero International Airport. Also on the list of ground-breaking projects is the new Macal River crossing, linking the highway at Santa Elena, through Loma Luz Boulevard and Joseph Andrews Drive, reconnecting with the San Ignacio - Benque Viejo Road.
• BELIZEAN 'GIANT' PASSES:
  We note the passing of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and former Attorney General, Bernard Quentin Augustus Pitts, affectionately known as BQ Pitts. Pitts passed way over the Christmas Holidays as a result of complications resulting from a stroke and cardiac arrest. BQ Pitts served as Attorney General from 2010 to 2012, in accordance with an amendment which allows for the Cabinet position to be held by an official who is neither a member of the House of Representative nor the Senate. Pitts had previously served as Speaker of House during the UDP Manuel Esquivel Administration of 1993 to 1998.
• MAJOR CRIMES DRAMATICALLY REDUCED IN SOUTHSIDE BELIZE CITY:
  Senior Superintendent of Police Chester Williams, back from legal studies and now a full attorney at law, was posted as the new officer commanding Eastern Division South, which is characteristically the most violent, crime-ridden part of the Country. Williams adopted a style of law enforcement with a heavy emphasis on community policing. It seems to be earning early dividends as the major crime rate in Belize City overall and Southside specifically has plummeted dramatically since Williams took charge. In fact, for the last two months of 2015, not even a single case of murder was reported in Southside Belize City.
• THE FUTURE OF THE UDP: Who Will Preserve and Advance The Party's Legacy?:
  The outcome of the 2015 general elections wasn't any shocking news, at least not the overall results. There were a few surprises in specific constituencies, but that the UDP won a majority of seats to once again form the government was certainly no riveting head line. For both political parties, the real news of these elections is yet to come. It's about who will emerge as the new leaders. For the PUP, it's quite impending, Francis Fonseca having already announced his resignation after leading his party to a second consecutive general election defeat (although he has since indicated he will once again seek to become the leader). In the case of the UDP, Dean Barrow is riding the wave of his unprecedented accomplishment as the only Prime Minister to lead his party to three consecutive victories, a luxury he has already indicated he has no intention of bringing to an early end.
• Prime Minister's New Year's Message 2016:
  My Fellow Belizeans: There were many things to be grateful for in 2015. We were spared from hurricanes; there were no social upheavals; we steered our way through the complexities of the relationship with Guatemala; and politically we capped everything with the peaceful and historic general elections of November. Economically it was also a good year. Disease and the long drought played havoc with shrimp and grains. And an earlier than expected decrease in the export price was unwelcome news for our sugar cane farmers. But tourism saw continuing record advances, cost of living fell markedly, and there was an overall spurt in the rate of employment.
• Setting New Pace For National Transportation:
  As highlighted in our last edition, Minister of State Edmond Castro, having been assigned the additional responsibility for National Emergency Management, had hit the ground running, as he was pressed into active duty in response to flooding in his own constituency and other parts of the country, especially the southern districts. In that respect, it is generally accepted, he passed the first test with flying colours. With the floods having subsided, the focus now shifts to The Ministry of Transport, which also falls under Castro's portfolio. It is an area which the Dean Barrow Administration intends to place great focus on in its third term, as signalled in the UDP 2015-2020 Manifesto, in which the government promises to "develop and implement a National Transportation Master Plan to address the need for efficient and cost effective movement of people and goods."
• 2,000 Strong and Growing, Belize Police Force Adds 167 New Recruits to its Ranks:
  When the Belize Police Department held its newest passing out parade on December 18, 2015, it was adding another 167 recruits to its national ranks, thereby doubling its size in less than three years. Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar highlighted this fact when he spoke at the graduation ceremonies for the new intake, Squad # 92, held at the Belize Police Training Academy in Belmopan: "Even though this is the sixth recruiting squad that I have had the privilege of addressing as Minister of National Security since my appointment in 2012, each ceremony, including this one, has been of great importance and significance to me. Important because every new squad we send out carries the collective responsibility of the entire Department.
• 2015 - THE YEAR OF ELECTIONS:
  The year just passed could be described in various ways, but for Belize there is perhaps no better way to characterize 2015 than 'The Year of Elections'. For the UDP that meant a year of unprecedented political success. It started off early in January with the bye-election in Cayo North which had become necessary after the PUP area representative in that constituency, Joesph Mahmoud, resigned, leaving the seat vacant. The political machines of both national parties, the PUP and UDP, faced off on January 5, the day of the bye election. But the PUP was clearly lacking in organization and motivation, proving to be no match for the UDP which was highly motivated and well organized.
• Foward Operating Base In The South:
  Ground-breaking ceremonies were held on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 for the construction of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at the mouth of the Sarstoon River which forms the natural boundary between the territories of Belize and Guatemala in the south. A delegation headed by Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar travelled to the location in a miliCoast Guard Commander Rear Admiral John Borland. They were accompanied by a group of police officers and two observers from the Organization of American States. This was the official ground-breaking contingent. In addition, the Belize Coast Guard transported members of the media in one of their Boston Whalers boats.
• Belize Heads Caricom:
  Prime Minister of Belize Hon. Dean Barrow has just taken up chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Mr. Barrow chairs the regional organization for a period of six months starting January 1, 2016. Taking over from Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart of Barbados, Mr Barrow promises to improve the quest of the regional organization to improve the standard of living and to provide a "safe, viable, and prosperous Caribbean Community". In his message to start the new year, Barrow said he looks forward to increasing the pace both of the reform process and the implementation of the Community Strategic Plan 2015-2019."The plan, which is designed to build Caricom's economic, environmental, social and technological resilience, has the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) as an important vehicle in that drive for greater resilience," he said.
• SUGAR CANE CROP-SEASON WELL UNDERWAY:
  The Sugar-Cane Crop Season is well underway. It began an entire month ago on Monday December 7, 2015 and quickly picked up pace. We had the privilege of witnessing first-hand some of the harvesting taking place in the Santa Marta area of Orange Walk, these farmers making their invaluable contribution to this essential local industry which is a major component of the Belize Economy. Speaking to the media at the launch of the season in early December, Chairman of the Sugar Cane Production Committee, Jose Novelo, commented, "It is a function of the wet period; we're having a slow start, so to speak, in terms of delivery, but we expect that this will improve.
• "Belize Feels So Much Like Home To M,e" National Geographic Filmmaker Warmly Welcomed By DPM Gaspar Vega:
  Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Environment & Sustainable Development met with Alexandra Costeau, National Geographic filmmaker, ocean explorer, Oceana Senior Advisor and granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Costeau. Jacques Costeau explored Belize's marine environment in the 1970's, becoming the first person to document and reveal the mysteries of our Great Blue Hole. Her week-long trip included a visit with the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss sustainability in management and greater protection for Belize's marine resources. Costeau said of Belize, "My husband and I fell in love in Belize and with Belize. This is where he and I took our first trip together. This is also where I taught him how to dive. Later, our daughter touched the ocean for the first time in Belize. Now, we're looking forward to bringing our newborn son to Belize.
• ANOTHER VITAL ROAD PROJECT, Upgrading The Highway From Haulover Bridge to Airport Road:
  The Government of Belize secured a Loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the Fifth Road (Phillip S.W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project. This project, located in Belize City and Ladyville, is divided into several components, two of which directly address road infrastructure: Section A (Airport Road Junction to Haulover Bridge) and Section B (Haulover Bridge to Buttonwood Bay Boulevard Roundabout). Section A of the project involves the upgrading of Phillip Goldson Highway from its intersection with the Airport Road to the northern approach of the Haulover Bridge. Included in the scope of works is the construction of retaining walls in areas where there is the threat of erosion on the road foundation, the installation of erosion protection baskets and rock rip-rap, widening of the road cross section to include paved road shoulders, pavement restoration and re-surfacing. The project also includes installation of road lighting and safety features, such as signs, reflectors, road marking and improved visibility through the clearing of the road reserve.
• Belize Appoints Ambassador to Cuba:
  On Tuesday, December 22nd, Belize's Ambassador to Cuba, H.E. Annie Burns Martinez, participated in a ceremony at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana where she presented her credentials to Vice President and Comptroller General of the Republic of Cuba, H.E. Mrs. Gladys Bejerano Portela and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Marcelino Medina Gonz�lez. Both parties discussed new areas for cooperation in Trade, Culture and Tourism. Ambassador Burns Martinez also recognized the contribution of the Cuban Medical Brigade and the general medicine and specialization scholarships that have helped to further develop Belize's public health sector.
• Queen's New Year's Honours:
  The Office of the Governor-General announces that Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to make the following appointments to THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER BRITISH EMPIRE on the occasion of NEW YEAR HONOURS 2016. To be a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.), Michael Harwell Manfield Bowen, for Contribution to Business and Industry; to be Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.), Mrs Eleanor Rubina Herrera Hulse, for Contribution to Education; Mrs Dilcia Christina Feinstein, for Contribution to Business and the Community; to be an Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.), Ms Emelda Leticia August, for Contribution to Nursing; Mrs Sarita Elena Westby JP, for Contribution to Education and the Community; Mr. Juan Cansillo Nunez, for Contribution to Education and Sports; Dr. Aaron Paul Lewis, for Contribution to Science; and Mrs Janet Patricia Gibson, for Contribution to Environmental Protection. The Date for the presentation of awards will be announced later.
• Five New Ambassdors To Belize, Credentials Presented To The Governor General:
  Five ambassadors presented their credentials to Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young on December 7, 2015 at Belize House in the City of Belmopan. H.E. Rabah Hadid, Ambassador of Algeria; H.E. Petros Panayotopolous, Ambassador of Greece; H.E. Alfonso Manuel Portables Vazquez, Ambassador of Spain; H.E. Vehbi Esgel Etensel, Ambassador of Turkey; and H.E. Valdrack Jaentschke, Ambassador of Nicaragua expressed pleasure at being representatives of their respective countries in Belize and extended warm greetings to Belize from their governments. Each ambassador conveyed to the Governor General that his country's purpose is to continue to develop and maintain strong relations with the Nation of Belize. The Governor General graciously received their credentials and welcomed the ambassadors to Belize.

This Week's Stories:

• BIDEN and BARROW, BELIZE BANKING AND THE UNITED STATES:
  The occasion was the inauguration ceremony for the new President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales. And while it is major news in its own right that Belize's Prime Minister was an invited guest for such a grand occasion in a neighboring country with which we still have an unresolved border dispute, perhaps the bigger news for Belizeans was that our Prime Minister got the opportunity to rub shoulders with the second most powerful political leader of the great United States of America, Vice President Joe Biden. That made for a good photo occasion, but it also afforded Prime Minister Barrow the opportunity raise a substantive and critical issue, that of the problem being faced with correspondent banking, a matter that is centrally linked to United Sates relations with our region and our country. Mr. Barrow reported to the nation, via a government press release, that he in fact availed himself of the opportunity to raise the matter with the Vice President.
• Observing the Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr:
  As we go to press this Monday evening, the United States of America is marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. with a public and bank holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950's until his death by assassination in 1968. He was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King, both a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist, had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s. Among many efforts, King headed the SCLC. Through his activism, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African-American citizens in the South and other areas of the nation, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honours.
• Major New Private Sector Investment:
  new multi-million, state of the art soft drink bottling facility has been inaugurated by Bowen & Bowen Ltd as part of the company's efforts to increase its competitive edge to secure its fair share of the local market, which in recent years has been flooded by an expanding number of imported brands. The beverage market in Belize is becoming more competitive with products now being imported from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. To maintain its market share, Bowen and Bowen Ltd decided to upgrade its soft drink manufacturing and beer fermentation and bottling capacity at its facilities in Ladyville. This investment is mainly in the form of new bottling equipment in line with the requirements that the international holders (Coca Cola, Fanta and Guinness) are demanding. The project will cost approximately Bz 79 million and will be implemented in three main phases over a period of five years.
• New Director Named For the financial intellegnce unit (FIU):
  The Financial Intelligence Unit has a new Director. She is Joy Grant, one of Belize's most outstanding women and a person of impeccable character and integrity. Miss Grant is a former Senator and Cabinet member who served from 2012 until the general elections of November 4,205 as Minister of Energy, Science, Technology and Public Utilities. She was also appointed as Chair of the recently established National Bank. She was previously ambassador of Belize to the European Union (EU), a position she held from 2008 until 2012 under the first term of the Dean Barrow Administration, when she was named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belize to Brussels, Belgium, accredited to the European Community.
• EDITORIAL, The Delicate Path of Diplomacy:
  Events and developments at home and abroad over the past week underscore and remind us how delicate-some would say, how dangerous-the path of diplomacy can be. In the United States, President Barack Obama and his political advisors are celebrating the implementation of a historic Nuclear Deal with Iran, coinciding-some would say, coordinated-with the reciprocal release of prisoners/hostages by the two nations in question. Mr. Obama's harshest critics, however, are accusing him of being misguided and na�ve in trusting the Iranian leaders who they say are taking Mr. Obama and the United States for a dangerous ride down a path which can only lead to the much dreaded outcome of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Here at home, Belizeans viewed with similar mixed emotions our Prime Minister's attendance of the grand inauguration of the new President of Guatemala, our neighbors to the West and South who still constitutionally maintain a territorial claim over our country.
• Belize Foreign Minister Addresses CARICOM:
  With Belize's Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow now chairing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), our Foreign Minister, Hon. Wilfred Elrignton, is now Chairman of the Community Council of Ministers. In this capacity he addressed the Community of Ministers on Friday, January 15, 2016 at the start of the 37th Meeting of the Council in Georgetown Guyana. Honourable Wilfred Elrington stated, "Our collective actions and our accomplishments to date are proof positive that our integration process is strong and inexorably deepening. Our presence here is a commitment to that integration movement which is itself impelled by our resolve to deliver increasing benefits to the people of our community. We continue to work assiduously to improve the standard of living of our peoples, and to provide for them a safe and secure environment in which to grow, to learn, work, invest, recreate and indeed to attain their full potential. While we are encouraged by our accomplishments, we fully appreciate that we need to build on our success, and to move forward without ever losing sight of why we were elected and the mandates that our people entrusted to us to carry out.
• 26 New & Young Ambassadors, Defending the Convention on Rights of the Child:
  Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Honourable Patrick Faber was the main speaker at a ceremony for newly appointed ambassadors for the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) held on January 12, 2016. In his address, Hon. Faber remarked, "Back in the days, children were to be seen and not heard; in fact, children were considered in some instances to be subhuman and they were mistreated in many regards. And with the convention that was readily embraced-more so readily that by Belize than others-but many countries have embraced the convention and in fact, the status of the treatment of children as a result has improved tremendously; and for that we are grateful to the entire world, because this is a worldwide effort." The new ambassadors, 26 of them, are being deployed around the country to monitor compliance with the commitments made under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• President Barack Obama on US-Iran Deal:
  "This is A Good Day" Continued on Page 7 This is a good day, because, once again, we're seeing what's possible with strong American diplomacy. As I said in my State of the Union address, ensuring the security of the United States and the safety of our people demands a smart, patient and disciplined approach to the world. That includes our diplomacy with the Islamic Republic of Iran. For decades, our differences with Iran meant that our governments almost never spoke to each other. Ultimately, that did not advance America's interests. Over the years, Iran moved closer and closer to having the ability to build a nuclear weapon. But from Presidents Franklin Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, the United States has never been afraid to pursue diplomacy with our adversaries. And as President, I decided that a strong, confident America could advance our national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government.
• STATE OF AFFAIRS OF THE BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE:
  On Wednesday, January 13, 2016, Minister of National Security Honourable John Saldivar and BDF Commander, Brigadier General David Jones spent quality time with the local media, briefing them on the state of affairs of the Belizean Military and sharing valuable details on the achievements, strategic review and plans to be implemented. The formulation of a well-crafted plan of action to guide the Belize Defence Force into the future has been a work in progress for Commander David Jones. Since taking over command of the BDF three years ago in 2012, a Strategic Defence Review has been one of the top priorities for Brigadier General Jones. That proposal will, among other things, look at expanding the size of the military. It will also deal with defining the objectives of the B.D.F. over the next five years. And its implementation, according to Minister of National Security Honourable John Saldivar, will be complemented by funds from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to improve physical infrastructure being used by the armed forces.
• THE POLICE & THE CRIME SITUATION, 2015 Finishes Good - 2016 Starts Bad:
  On Wednesday January 6, 2016, Minister of National Security Honourable John Saldivar and Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie met with other members of the Police High Command to review the statistics from the year just ended, 2015; and they invited the local media to share the details and analysis of those statistics. Those statistics showed that while the major crime figures for the first half of 2015 were high, the last six months of year saw a marked reduction. Commissioner Whylie informed, "The Southern Regional Command area had a total of 296 major crimes recorded compared to 328 recorded in 2014. This reflects a decrease of 32 major crimes recorded, or 9.8% decrease in 2015 on the Southern Regional Command area. The Northern Regional Command area had a total of 200 major crimes recorded in 2015, compared to 327 in 2014. This shows a decrease of 127 major crimes or 38.8% in 2015.
• Bright Prospects In Tourism:
  In his 2016 New Year's Message, the Prime Minister stated: "It is in tourism that our prospects continue to shine brightest. In September, October and November of 2015, overnight arrivals exceeded the 2014 numbers for the same three months by 19.2%, 22.1% and 33% respectively. With the new Southwest and Copa airline services from the US and South America to Belize already launched; and with the scheduled commencement of direct flights from Canada in 2016, we expect to maintain and better the record breaking, year-over-year increases in stay-over tourism." Turning to cruise tourism, the Prime Minister reported, "On the Cruise side, there was a 9.2% passenger jump this November, the last full month of 2015 for which we already have the statistics, over November of 2014. And on that front the headline news for 2016 is twofold: NCL's Harvest Caye project becomes fully operational by April and brings with it two thousand jobs for Southern Belize; and the Supreme Court ruling on Belize City Port exclusivity, or lack thereof, clears the way for us to green-light a new, Old Capital alongside docking facility.
• Transformation Apace - Jobs Aplenty:
  One of the primary benefits of the massive physical infrastructuure transformation that has been unfolding under this UDP Administration is the major employment it has generated. If there is any notion anywhere out there that this is about to slow down dramatically or stop completely in 2016, someone must have grossly misinterpreted the Prime Minister's New Year's Message. In the PM's own words, "Our trademark infrastructure drive will also continue, though now there will be a mix of funding sources." And he outlined a number of specific projects, some already in progress, others about to commence, for which funding has already been secured. In addition to the countrywide BIL (Belize Infrastructure Limited) sporting projects funded with PETRO-Caribe monies already set aside, there are the tourism road-network improvements (which had commenced in the last quarter of 2015) such as the upgrade and paving of the road to Lamanai; the North Ambergris Road to the new Efrain Guerrero international Airport; and the Road to Caracol funded by the United Kingdom.
• A Promising Year for Productive Sector:
  Government's ability to press forward with its transformation drive while meeting its debt obligation amidst the financial challenges, is premised not only on the government's good stewardship but also on the performance of the private and productive sector, and in this regard, as the Prime Minister indicated in his New Year's Message, the outlook for 2016 is just as promising. Quoting the PM himself, "In agriculture, the grain farmers have taken full advantage of Government's tax and duty moratorium on all irrigation equipment to reinvest in the sector with a view to expanded, post-drought production. The poultry industry has recovered from the avian flu, and shrimp harvesting is expected by mid-year to rebound completely from disease to take full advantage of continuing high export prices. In citrus, factory consolidation should increase efficiencies, and external demand and payment for our by-products remain firm."
• Massive Investment in Sports Infrastructure:
  In his 2016 New Year's Message, Prime Minister Dean Barrow assured that Government's trademark infrastructure drive will continue through a mix of funding sources. With respect to sports infrastructure, he stated, "There is enough that we have set aside from the PetroCaribe days of plenty to complete the countrywide BIL sporting projects (such as the Belize City Center)." This particular project will see the construction of an innovative, well equipped state-of-the-art Arena and Cultural Complex at the location of the old Civic Center on Central American Boulevard, which will serve not just the residents of Belize City but the entire country. The contract was awarded to the local JVCA of Medina's Construction Ltd. / International Environments Ltd. and on October 8th, 2015 contract signature occurred for contract price of Z$32,940,261.34.
• BELIZE's new Ambassador to CARICOM:
  As the CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors met in Georgetown, Guyana, Wednesday, January 13, 2016 to engage on the Community Reform Process, CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque accepted the Letters of Credence from H.E. Daniel Gutierez, new Ambassador of Belize. In a short accreditation ceremony held in his office, Ambassador LaRocque told the newest member of the Committee that he will have the opportunity to help shape the future direction of the integration movement by advancing the implementation of decisions of Organs of the Community at the national level. He noted that during his recent engagement with the Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize and Chairman of the Caribbean Community for the next six months, it was evident that the Prime Minister was keen on making an even stronger link between national and regional agendas.
• The Best Years of CARICOM Lie Ahead:
  Newly accredited Ambassador of Belize to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), H.E. Daniel Gutierrez has said the best years of the integration movement lie ahead for what he calls the "tremendous untapped potential" that lies within the Region. Speaking at a ceremony to present his letters of credence to CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters on Wednesday, Mr. Gutierrez referenced his Prime Minister's New Year Address in which he heralded 2016 as a landmark year for the integration movement. Against this backdrop, Mr. Gutierrez said: "I am not the first and will not be the last to speak of the untold wealth, underdeveloped talent and the unshakable hope that characterize the brotherhood of nations that call themselves CARICOM. But as leaders and servants we are obligated to diagnose, understand and engineer solutions that will guide our people to resilience in the troubling waters ahead. The skies ahead darken with climate change, economic uncertainty, a haunting gap in education and technology with our global competitors and any number of parallel global challenges. Undaunted we shall remain."
• SECOND BEST PLACE TO RETIRE, HUFFINGTON POST LISTS CAYO, BELIZE AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S 12 BEST PLACES TO LIVE OR RETIRE IN 2016:
  Belize is one of the quirkiest countries in the world. Geographically, Belize is in Central America, yet its strongest ties are to the English-speaking Caribbean. Belize is Caribbean, Central American... and, thanks to its history as a former colony, British. Belize City's roadways are built around a system of roundabouts, but shops alongside them sell rice, beans and tortillas still ground by hand. Everyone you meet speaks English (it's the country's official language), but this belies the stories of their origins. The 350,000 people populating Belize today are descendants of migrants from Britain, yes, but also, more so, the surrounding Central American countries. You've got Mexicans, Guatemalans, Hondurans and Nicaraguans mixed with current-day generations of the Maya who originally inhabited this land, the pirates who came later, the Mennonite farmers who began arriving on the scene in the 16th century, the British who ruled until 1981, and each other. Belize is a nation of independent thinkers and doers, a country where you make your own way and where, while you're doing it, no one, including the Belize government, is making any attempt to thwart your efforts. This is a poor country.
• Belizean Drafted To US Major League Soccer:
  The Montreal Impact selected UC Riverside's Michael Salazar with the fourth pick in the second round (24th overall) of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft Thursday afternoon. The Highlanders have had players drafted by MLS teams in each of the last five years . "Michael Salazar has the speed and quickness to help an MLS squad looking to add depth to the striker position," said TopDrawerSoccer.com prior to the draft. "With Didier Drogba's imminent departure, the [Montreal] Impact needs to find more attacking punch up front even though Cameron Porter and Anthony Jackson-Hamel are already in the lineup and quite young. In a counter-attacking system, Salazar could help Ignacio Piatti and co. while having a physical presence in the box and able to support the midfielders when playing lower on the pitch to hold the ball."Though, there is a big chance the Impact either trades up in the draft to get a better striker in the draft or plainly combine that pick with allocation money to get a MLS-ready striker that might be made available by other MLS clubs."

This Week's Stories:

• Break or Breakthough? PM's Intervention To Avert Banking Crisis:
  De-risking by international US banks and the consequent loss of correspondent banking arrangements is the number one issue currently confronting Belize. Having just returned home from a trip to the United States where he headed a high level delegation to resolve the matter, Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow summoned the media to a press conference to update the nation on what was achieved and what the current situation is. The Prime Minister informed that he and his delegation met with top officials from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), specifically, Mr. Thomas F. Curry; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); and the Secretary of Treasury, Mr. Jacob Lew. PM Barrow says they all indicated they are pleased that Belize is doing what it can to address the issues that the regulatory measures are intended to combat, including money laundering and financing of terrorism. He said they indicated they are satisfied that Belize is a safe jurisdiction and will clearly communicate that to US banks seeking to do business with domestic banks in Belize.
• De-Risking or Destruction? Neither is Fair:
  If there were any scheme designed to destroy the economies of several countries without a military war, then this is such a scheme. It is erroneous; it is pernicious; and it is vicious". That was how Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne described the way in which US banks, under pressure from US regulatory agencies, are cutting off correspondent relations with Caribbean indigenous and offshore banks unilaterally and with very little notice. No wonder then that the Prime Minister of Belize, Deane Barrow, who restricts travelling to the minimum because of spinal challenges, was in Washington DC for much of the week beginning January 25th to meet senior representatives of the US government and regulatory agencies. Of all the Caribbean countries, Belize has been the hardest hit by US banks terminating correspondent relations. But, other Caribbean countries are also feeling the squeeze of what is obscurely called "de-risking". Indeed, the problem is so acute that no foot-dragging on the issue could be excused. The matter should be the highest priority for regional governments, diplomats and the entire private sector, not only banks for whom the issue has become one of immediacy.
• Shoulder to Shoulder, Strength to Strength:
  The Belize Defence Force has added 80 new soldiers to its ranks. Pass-out ceremonies were held for the new intake on Friday January 29, 2016 at the BDF Headquarters at Price Barracks, Ladyville, on the eve of the 38th anniversary of the force's formation. The soldiers who make up intake number 61 underwent four months of rigorous training. Guest speaker for the pass-out ceremony was Minister of National Security Honourable John Saldivar, who congratulated the men and women for having successfully completed the arduous course of training."Recruit Intake 61 started off with a total of 120 recruits, but by the second week of training, that figure had gone down by 30. In the subsequent weeks, several more recruits who could not cope with the training dropped out and hence today there are only 80 recruits passing out. Give them a round of applause for their survival! Recruit training by design and intention is tough, both mentally and physically, and only the strongest will survive," Honourable Saldivar remarked.
• Editorial: Summoning The Spirit of 2009:
  The threats and challenges confronting the domestic financial sector, as it pertains to de-risking and loss of correspondent banking, are real and potentially disastrous to the nation and its economy. But, as Prime Minister Dean Barrow has emphasized in the National Assembly, press conferences and interviews with the local media, it is important that we NOT exaggerate the magnitude of the actual harm being done. We must also be realistic and truthful, as the Prime Minister was back in 2009 when he informed the nation that the global recession had hit home. As the PM indicated back then, we would enter with eyes wide open and successfully navigate our way through the turbulent waters of economic recession without swallowing the bitter pill of the IMF. Against the global backdrop of protracted, economic contraction and negative growth, our endurance and recovery was remarkable.
• Johnny Is Back!:
  In a special convention in Belmopan on Sunday, January 31, Hon. John Briceno captured leadership of the Opposition People's United Party, a position he had voluntarily relinquished prior to the 2012 General Elections. Briceno garnered 1,125 votes, defeating incumbent Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca who received 918 votes, and Hon. Cordel Hyde who got 673 votes. Henry Charles Usher was retuned as Party Chairman. Other executives elected were Jose Abelardo Mai as Northern Deputy Leader, Rodwell Ferguson as Southern Deputy Leader, and Anthony Mahler as Communications Director
• "The Sky is the Limit!" Banking Sector Challenged but Optimistic:
  It is no secret that the banking sector in Belize is facing some unprecedented challenges these days with de-risking measures being taken by International banks particularly in the United States, a situation which threatens the correspondent banking arrangements that have been in place over the years. Notwithstanding, even as the Prime Minister and his Financial team travelled to the United States to resolve the matter, local bankers at home were expressing optimism about the prospects or Belize's financial sector. One such person is Lyndon Guisseppe, Chairman of Belize Bank Limited. Guisseppe, who had accompanied the Prime Minister on an earlier trip to the United States to take up the issue with executives from the Bank of America, expressed optimism last week as he spoke with reporters from the local media, optimism about the future of his own bank and the overall prospects for Belize's banking sector.
• Belize Chairs CARICOM High Commissioners Meeting:
  This past Thursday, January 28, 2016, CARICOM Heads of Missions in London held their first meeting of the New Year, 2016. The meeting, chaired by Belize, was held at the High Commission of Guyana in London. Guest of honour at the meeting was newly elected Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, who is yet to be officially sworn in to her new post. She will officially take up the office on April 1, 2016 as the sixth Secretary-General since the Commonwealth Secretariat was established in 1965. Her appointment has been hailed as a true breakthrough for gender equality in the Commonwealth.
• New Water System for Santa Anna - Toledo:
  Minister of Economic Development Hon. Erwin Contreras and Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. Hugo Patt were main speakers at inauguration ceremonies on Friday, January 29 for an upgraded and expanded Water System in the village of Santa Anna in the Toledo District. At a cost of over half a million dollars, the project was financed by the Government of Belize through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). It entailed construction of a 20,000 gallon elevated storage tank, a 10 by 10 foot ferroconcrete pump house, a chain link fence for security, installation of a new 5 HP Submersible Pump, a liquid injector chlorinator unit, 13,000 feet of transmission and distribution lines and 91 water meters.
• Mayors Association Meets in Punta Gorda:
  The Mayors' Association of Belize convened this past Friday, January 29, 2016 in Punta Gorda, hosted by the Mayor of that municipality, Fern Gutierrez. Mayors representing other municipalities were Francis Humphreys of Dangriga, Khalid Belisle of Belmopan City, Earl Trapp of San Ignacio-Santa Elena, Heraldo Rancharan of Benque Viejo, Daniel (Danny) Guerrero of San Pedro Ambergris Caye, and Darrell Bradley of Belize City. The Meeting was also attended by the new Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Hugo Patt, Chief Executive Officer in that Ministry, Kerry Belisle, and other officials having to do with Local Government and Rural Development
• Ombudsman's Reappointment Sparks Parliamentary Debate:
  He has held the position for three years, since January 2013, and at the last House meeting held on Friday January 22, 2016, Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow announced the Government's intention to reappoint Ombudsman Lionel Arzu for another year. The Prime Minister introduced a motion for the reappointment effective January 1, 2016. Once approved by the House of Representative and Senate, it would be forwarded to the Governor General for the reappointment to be effected. And it was approved by the House and Senate, but not before for some strong opposition and debating. In the House of Representatives, it was the Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca who took issue with the proposed reappointment. Fonseca stated, "This is not a motion that we can support on this side of the House. We wish to place on record that over the past few years that Mr. Arzu has served as the Ombudsman, we have received, and many of my colleagues have reported to me, these complaints and concerns about the level of inactivity and ineffectiveness of the Office of the Ombudsman over the past few years.
• "A Force To Reckon With", Belize Coast Guard - Ten Years and Growing:
  A force to be reckoned with - that's how Admiral John Borland described the Belize Coast Guard which he commands. The admiral was speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday January 19, 2016, the purpose being to review the Belize Coast Guard's progress and effectiveness after ten years of existence, particularly over the past year (2015), and to offer some insight and details about the goals and plans for 2016 and beyond. "The year 2015 marked some significant achievements in the development of the Belize [National] Coast Guard. The coast guard celebrated its tenth anniversary which symbolized ten years of existence and contribution to the safety, security and protection of Belize. The Coast Guard also reached the end of its medium-term strategy for development and operations. We are now in long-term strategy which will take us to 2020. The Coast Guard grew from a strength of 50 in 2005 when we started, to 320 in 2015; but more significantly, over the last two years, since 2012, the Coast Guard grew from a strength of 120 to 320," Borland recounted.
• Belize's Latest Tourism Statistics:
  month ago, in his 2016 New Year's Message, Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke of the nation's economic performance in 2015, stating, "It is in Tourism that our prospects continue to shine brightest." That statement was supported by the latest statistics just released by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) which show that 2015, notwithstanding a wobbly start, turned out to be a record-breaking year, as the number of arrivals in both overnight and cruise tourism continued to grow considerably. In December alone, there was a total of 39, 977 overnight visitors. There was a very small reduction of one percent in the cruise sector, with a total of 957,975 passengers coming onshore in Belize. At a press briefing on Wednesday, January 27, 2015, BTB's Marketing and Public Relations Manager Noriko Gamero commented on the figures: "We went up 6.2 percent in overnight arrivals. The last seven months saw a positive increase, with the last couple of months showing extraordinary numbers.
• Temporary Senator for Labour Sworn In:
  The position of Senator representing Labour has been filled, at least temporarily, by prominent, long-time unionist, Elena Smith. She was sworn in at the Senate Meeting on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 as the Senator representing the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) and Civil Society. Speaking with the media, Smith commented, "My role is just that, to represent the Trade Unions and Civil Society. It is for me to sit with them when the Bills come that we can discuss and come up with a position, so that when I come to Senate meetings, I can give the position of NTUCB and Civil Society. At this point, thank you for your congratulations. At this point, the initial appointment is temporary until the Civil Society and the NTUCB can come up with a procedure for identifying our Senator."
• US PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES BEGIN:
  US PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES BEGIN The process to elect a new President for the United States of America officially kicked off Monday, February 1, 2016 with the Iowa Caucus. On the Republican side, Texas Senator Ted Cruz (28%) was victorious, beating out Donald Trump (24 %) who came second. Marco Rubio (23%) had a strong third place finish. He is certainly now the establishment candidate to watch going forward especially since polls indicate he is the most electable Republican for President. In a triumphant and optimistic speech Monday night, Senator Rubio declared, "In America there are only two ways forward for us now; we can either be greater than we've ever been or we can be a great nation in decline... Now the moment has arrived for this generation of Americans to rise up to the calling of our heritage�We will embrace all of the principles that made America great and we will apply them to the unique challenges of this century."
• MCC Grounds - Marion Jones - Motorcycles, Sports Minister and Director On The Ball:
  In the new term of this Dean Barrow administration, Orange East Area Representative Elodio Aragon has been named Minister of State with responsibility for Youth and Sports. Coming from a district with a strong sports culture, Aragon brings great enthusiasm to that Ministry. The new Director of the National Sports Council, Ritchel Dominquez, also being a person from the North with an impressive track-record of involvement in the organization and promotion of sports, the energy of the new leadership combination is already being felt and making a palpable difference. One of the urgent matters being immediately tackled is that of the MCC Grounds where the much-needed rehabilitation works have not been going particularly well. The new Minister of Sports and his team have quickly jumped on the ball, determined to resolve the matter as promptly as possible.
• Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management:
  The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are seeking to strengthen and sustain national resilience through prioritized targeting of the most vulnerable communities. In efforts to promote and enhance resilience at the national level, it is vitally important to accurately measure the level of exposure faced by communities in light of disasters. To address this issue, the CDEMA and IFRC are hosting a Strategic Targeting Methodology (STM) workshop in Paramaribo, Suriname from January 26th - 29th, 2016. Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Ronald Jackson, Executive Director of CDEMA said, "The importance of this event cannot be over-stated as we are well aware that communities are the first to be adversely affected by disaster events, especially if they are highly vulnerable. CDEMA is promoting the strengthening of community resilience as a critical plank in national development strategies."
• Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission Reactivated:
  The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belize and Guatemala, along with the Special Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General, met at the OAS office at the Adjacency Zone on Friday, 22 January 2016 to discuss the status of the bilateral agenda and reactivate the Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission as established under the Framework Agreement on Confidence Building Measures of 2005. The Ministers agreed that the work of the Joint Commission is important in promoting efforts at building confidence and enhancing relations between the two countries, even as the two countries strive to bring to an early and definitive end the dispute over Guatemalan claims in accordance with the Special Agreement between the two countries.
• Massive Investment in Education:
  On January 27, 2016, after two years of meaningful consultation, Phase 2 of the Belize Education Sector Reform Project was launched by the Ministry of Education. The main focus of this phase is the expansion of education infrastructure to accommodate and provide adequate access for students at all levels. (Phase one had concentrated on sharpening and fine-tuning the policy direction of the Ministry and Education System). Phase two, in other words, will concentrate heavily on the construction of new school buildings countrywide. A total of 35 new schools will be built countrywide. This will include 22 pre-schools, 5 primary schools, and 8 secondary schools. The entire investment is worth US$40 Million and is being financed mainly with a loan of US$35 Million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and an input of $8.5 Million by the Government of Belize (GOB).
• Road To Seaside Paradise Paved, Inauguration of Upgraded Hopkins Access Road:
  Inaugurated on Thursday January 21, 2016 was the newly upgraded and paved Hopkins Access Road, connecting the Southern Highway with the scenic seaside village of Hopkins in the Stann Creek District. The reconstruction and paving of the road (6.7 Kilometers or 4.5 miles total length) was financed at a cost of $7,026,727.59 BZD with $5,652,101.16 being provided by the European Union (EU) and the remaining $1,374,626.43 financed by the Government of Belize (GOB). A joint Press Release from the Government of Belize and the European Union says the completion of the road project facilitates and provides goods and trade and generate employment opportunities, notably bed and breakfast businesses, resorts, bus owners, taxi drivers and other businesses, resulting in significant bridges to double lane, two (2) swale drainage structures of 100 metres each, traffic signs & road marking.
• Socio-Economic Transformation in the South:
  On Thursday January 21, 2016 the Government of Belize in partnership with the European Union officially inaugurated the upgraded Punta Gorda Market in Toledo District. Financing for the Punta Gorda Market Project was divided into two components with a contract price of $975,936.89 BZD. The European Union provided $844,063.17 and the Government of Belize bridged the remaining $131,873.72. The project included the refurbishment of the existing market to accommodate 11 new individual stalls and reconstruction of the Civic Centre with 12 new stalls and bathrooms for Fruit & Vegetable vendors. Another outstanding feature of the market project is that the design of the existing layout was improved to accommodate the Arts & Craft and Food vendors.
• conPARLIAMENT ADDRESSES CRITICAL ISSUES. De-Risking and the Loss of Correspondent Banking:
  One of the most notable exchanges in the House Meeting of Friday January 22, 2016 was on the pressing issue of de-risking and correspondent banking. The matter was raised by first-time Opposition member, Honourable Kareem Musa, Area Representative for Caribbean Shores, which is the constituency with the greatest concentration of business people involved in commerce and industry. For the Government side, the response came from Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow himself, who is also the Minister of Finance. In introducing the issue, Honourable Kareem Musa remarked, "Mr. Speaker, it's no doubt an issue that affects businessmen and businesswomen not only from my constituency of Caribbean Shores, but from all our constituencies. It is in fact a very crippling effect it has had on our economy, debilitating to the point where it is no longer possible to do business, and I am speaking in particular about the purchase of goods from the United States and elsewhere, and I am speaking about the use of credit cards.
• PARLIAMENT ADDRESSES CRITICAL ISSUES, Cruise Tourism and Docking Facility - Exclusivity and Desirablity:
  In a House Meeting which featured limited sparring, the only other issue that was significantly contentious was that of cruise-ship terminals to be built. On this issue, the main pugilist on the Opposition side was Toledo East Area Representative Hon. Mike Espat, and again the counter-punching came from Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow. The exchange developed out of a piece of legislation introduced from 2015 having to do with tax and duty exemptions for Norwegian Cruise Line in their construction of a cruise-ship port at Harvest Caye in the South, that piece of legislation known as the Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill. The Bill having already been passed, the Toledo East member, Honourable Mike Espat nevertheless registered his disapproval, on the adjournment, with the tax breaks and exclusivity granted: "We just passed a bill on the cruise terminal in the south and I believe that when that bill came first to the House, we did not agree on that 25 years exclusivity that they are giving that particular company, and in the meantime we have had maybe 2 other Belizean companies that did not get any favour with this government.

This Week's Stories:

• CARICOM comes to BELIZE, CONFRONTING MAJOR EXISTENTIAL ISSUES:
  Belize's Prime Minister currently holding chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Heads of Government from participating nations have come to town for the 27th Intersessional Meeting. The official opening took place Monday evening on the scenic, serene, stimulating, seaside paradise of Placencia in Stann Creek District. Welcoming the Prime Ministerial guests and their entourage from the Caribbean family, Prime Minister Barrow fittingly remarked, "I hope that the legacy features of these surroundings will act as aid and inspiration to our deliberations. And very important deliberations they are; for while that is always the case whenever we meet, I may be forgiven for thinking, and hope to make clear, that our issues and challenges are particularly pronounced at this time."
• BELIZE and CARICOM:
  Established 43 years ago in 1973 through the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was a romantic idea whose practical purpose has perhaps never been as pronounced as it is today. It is in times of adversity that one most appreciates the blessings of belonging to a family. And it is this sense of belonging and common purpose that Prime Minister Dean Barrow was referring to when he remarked in his speech as the new Chairman of CARICOM at the opening of the Twenty-Seventh Intersessional Meeting of the Heads of Government, "I'm trying to reiterate what we know only too well - the reality that forces us to acknowledge the limitations of individual smallness is the same reality that obliges us to size-up both in terms of collective thinking and collective action." The context is, of course, the existential threat confronting our region with respect to de-risking and the consequent loss of correspondent banking. It is a matter that understandably looms extremely large on the agenda of the CARICOM meeting.
• NATIONAL UNITY NEEDED, Patriotism above Politics:
  There are some issues that require national unity and transcend partisan politics. It's long been agreed that the Belize- Guatemalan Territorial Dispute and efforts to resolve it is one such issue as it threatens the very existence of our Nation as we know it. De-risking and the consequent loss of correspondent banking services, which threatens the survival of our financial sector and the state of our economy, is the latest emerging issue that transcends partisan politics, and overcoming it will require the same kind of national unity. The Prime Minister appropriately characterized it as an existential threat, and a potentially huge national crisis.
• Caribbean Convenes on Climate Change:
  This past week, Climate Change experts from the Caribbean region converged in Belize for a two-day conference. On the top of their agenda were discussions on the COP 21 Agreement which was recently signed in Paris by 195 nations. That agreement outlines a global plan of action to prevent the adverse effects of climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees centigrade. Speaking to the national media at the Biltmore Plaza where the conference was conducted, Minister of State for Climate Change matters, Hon. Omar Figueroa stated, "Right now we have our technical team that has been really going into these agreements and making sure that we can live up to our responsibilities. But we can't look at these agreements as a challenge for us.
• COUNTERING CUSTOMS FRAUD MONEY LAUNDERING AND THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM:
  The Nation of Belize is stepping up its effort to counter and curb money laundering, financing of terrorism and customs fraud. Two weeks ago, the stage for the intensification of these efforts was set with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the new Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Joy Grant and the Comptroller of Customs, Victor Recinos. The MOU, signed on February 3, 2016, will increase potential sources of information available to the FIU and Customs to properly undertake their analytical and investigative functions. This past week, a strategic planning workshop was held to assist in developing adequate human resources to improve the effectiveness of the Customs Department particularly in this regard. Conducted inside the conference room of the Customs Compound in Belize City, the workshop was attended by senior officers of Belize and well-facilitated by the World Customs Organization.
• Software Installed for the Visually Impaired:
  The Secretary General of the Caribbean Community Secretariat Ambassador, Irwin LaRocque, visited the Belize National Library Service on Thursday, February 11th, 2016 to officially unveil software, donated by the CARICOM Secretariat, for the visually-impaired. In 2015, the CARICOM Secretariat donated and installed software for the visually-impaired at the Belize National Library Service that would be available to the public. The Library, located on Princess Margaret Drive in Belize City, was identified as the ideal location because of its proximity to several high schools, the university and technical vocational institutions. It is also near to the Stella Maris School, which caters to students with special needs.
• Two-Day Workshop Conducted In Belize City Free Movement Regime of Caribbean Community:
  Belizeans from the private and public sectors attended a two-day workshop on Free Movement of Labour in accordance with the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Held in Belize City at the Radisson Fort George Hotel, the workshop opened with four key speakers highlighting the history, present progress and benefits of the CSME. Keynote Speaker, CEO Kerry Belisle reiterated the commitment of the Labour Department to facilitate free movement and reinvigorate domestic systems to create greater efficiency and transparency. Dr. Olivia Smith, Deputy Programme Manager, Free Movement and Labour, CARICOM Secretariat, led an interactive workshop with an overview of the CARICOM Community, explaining the rights, benefits and challenges; while Legal Research Officer, Deborah Barrow expounded on legal implications and compliance with provisions in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
• Belizean Law Enforcement Personnel Attend Training Course At International Law Enforcement Academy In New Mexico:
  Senior Superintendent of Police, Chester Williams, who commands Eastern Division South, was part of a Belizean team of law enforcement personnel who recently travelled to New Mexico, United States of America to participate in a training course at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) there. It is one of a number of international police academies administered by the U.S. Department of State where U.S. law enforcement can instruct local police from participating countries in counterterrorism, narcotics interdiction, detection of fraudulent documents, and border control practices.
• Cooperation in Public Health and Medical Skills:
  An agreement on cooperation in public health and medical skills was signed on Wednesday, February 10, 2016, between the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The agreement was signed by the Hon. Pablo Marin, Minister of Health and H.E. Benjamin T.H. Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize. The objective of the agreement is to access technical support from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the area of public health and will include, but will not be limited to, health education, disease screening and clinical services.
• Forward Operating Base at Sarstoon Moving Forward:
  On February 10, 2016, Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar, accompanied by Minister of State Hon. Frank Mena, visited the construction site of the Forward Operating Base at Sarstoon, Toledo. He was also accompanied by senior members of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), the Belize Police Department and Ministry of National Security officials. The delegation appreciated the rapid pace at which the construction is proceeding. Elements of the BDF have set up temporary installations at the site as the work progresses.
• Belize and the Regional Youth Development Agenda:
  On Monday, February 8, 2016, Honourable Elodio Aragon, Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Youths, Sports and Culture welcomed to Belize Her Excellency, Ana Hazel Escrich, Secretary General of the Central American Social Integration Secretariat (SISCA). During the visit, Minister of State Aragon and H.E. Escrich discussed mutual areas of the SISCA Regional Agenda such as Regional Youth Development Programs and the proactive participation of Belize in CODICADER (Consejo del Istmo Centroamericano de Deportes y Recreación).
• Belize Ambassador & Haitian President:
  His Excellency Oliver del Cid, Ambassador of Belize to Mexico, presented his Letter of Credence to outgoing President Michel Martelly of the Republic of Haiti in a ceremony at the National Palace on 5th February, 2016. Recognizing the importance of the event as a strong step in further strengthening bilateral relations, President Martelly and Ambassador del Cid expressed their countries' commitment to furthering the friendship and collaboration. Ambassador del Cid also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, Honourable Duly Brutus and made a floral offering at the Haitian National Pantheon Museum in memory of the Heroes of the Independence of Haiti.
• Agriculture Field Day:
  The Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday February 11, hosted a Field Day on the seed production of corn and beans at the Central Farm Crop Unit Production Plot. The purpose of the Field day was to showcase the technological package in quality seed production of open pollinated corn and beans. Present at the event were the main stakeholders of the project, which including farmers from the Toledo, Stann Creek and Cayo Districts. It is expected that from the experience gained, the farmers will adopt good agriculture practices in seed production, and will thus improve productivity and the quality of corn and beans in their own business enterprise.
• "We are the Agents of Change," Graduation Remarks by University of Belize President Alan Slusher:
  I thought that I would take this opportunity to share some thoughts on development and on the role of institutions like the University of Belize in promoting and sustaining development. I have deliberately said 'development' rather than 'economic development' in order to emphasize the multifaceted notion of the process. It is not just about increasing people's incomes or purchasing power, thus enabling them to eat more nutritious meals regularly, clothe themselves better, live in more comfortable homes, or own their own cars. It is also about freeing people from the mindless drudgery of repetitive, low-paid manual labour; about providing the capacity and the opportunity to everyone to be able to think, to be able to conceptualize, to analyse, to identify how existing operations can be improved to make them more effective and efficient, so that one can do more with less, and then actually to be able to turn the concepts into physical reality.
• "Put Your Vision to Reality!" Luz M. Longsworth - Principal & Pro Vice Chancellor University of West Indies Campus:
  First, let me say how happy I am to be back home today to address the graduates of the Spring graduating class of the University of Belize. Since we are in the month of Valentine's, let me share a love secret with you. Some 15 years ago, almost to the day, in January 2001, I began a love affair with the University of Belize and with the students that I taught for 4 years before returning to work with the UWI here in Belize, and then in Jamaica, and now the region, based in Barbados. The University of Belize at that time had just been formed and this was an exciting moment of history for all of us. Many of the staff who are still here will remember those days of struggle for self-definition for the University, of culture formation, of protests by staff and students as we searched for our institutional identity and our role in the nation. I am sure that we gave our President at the time, Dr. Corinth Mortar-Lewis, very anxious times, and for that I apologize, Doctor Lewis.
• "I Come With A Lot Of Hope!" New Leader of the Opposition Sworn In:
  One of the pillars of our Democracy is a strong and viable Opposition. Having lost three consecutive general elections and four consecutive municipal elections, serious questions abound about the strength and viability of the PUP as Belize's Opposition Party. The burden of proof rests squarely and heavily on the shoulders of the new Leader of the People United Party, Hon. John Briceno. He was sworn in as PUP Leader at the party's headquarters in Belize City on Wednesday, February 3, 2016; and on Monday, February 8, 2016, he took the oath as Leader of the Opposition at Belize House in Belmopan. In an interview with the media, Briceno remarked, "As Leader of the Opposition, one of the first things I want to do is to meet with my parliamentarians, so that we can then discuss the way forward...There are, I think, at least a dozen House committees that we need to look at the composition and see how we can make sure that everybody participates and everybody has a function to do.
• Japan Government Donates to Cotton Industry in Belize:
  The Government of Japan is granting a total of $102,029.00 USD to the Cotton Industry in Belize. The contribution was made under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security projects of the Government of Japan. The project was initiated by cotton farmers in Belize and is represented by Mr. Kensuke Inoue. Agriculture being one of Belize's main strengths, the development of this industry provides jobs and stability in such a field. The Embassy of Japan says it wishes success for the project as the Sea Island Cotton represents one of the most promising ventures to strengthen the relationship between Belize and Japan.
• Enterprise - Employment - Empowerment, Department of Youth Services Conducts Job Preparedness Training:
  The Department of Youth Service's (DYS) Youth Enterprise and Job Creation Unit is presently conducting a Job Preparedness Training for twenty five youths between the ages of 17 and 29 years. The main objective of the training is to empower these young people with the necessary skills and knowledge to become marketable to join the work force. A total of ten sessions are being conducted. The various topics include, Skills Identification, Work Ethics, Conflict Resolution Management in the Workplace, Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, Mock Interviews and how to work with HIV infected persons in the workplace. The other component of the training is to continue mentoring these young people and procure placement for them or assist them in returning to school where necessary, or engage them in other skills training such as those offered at ITVET.
• SICA Member States Meet to Address Emergency Health Issues Associated with Spread of Zika Virus in the Region:
  On Tuesday, February 2, 2016, officials from the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs of Belize participated in a regional video-conference organized by the Government of Honduras, current Presidency Pro-Tempore of the Central American Integration System (SICA), to discuss the regional health implications of the Zika virus. The objective of the meeting was to coordinate regional positions and actions to ameliorate the number of infections and to agree on a sustained action plan to work towards the eradication of the Zika Virus.
• Investing In The Fight Against Crime:
  It's a fact that crime affects every sector of the community. One sector which has otherwise been performing extraordinarily, but whose prospects are being seriously threatened by the scourge of crime, is the Tourism Industry. It is quite fitting, then, that the Ministry of Tourism is making a heavy investment in the efforts to fight crime. On February 3, 2016, Minister of Tourism Honourable Manuel Heredia handed over a donation of three pick-up trucks vehicles to Minister of National Security Honourable John Saldivar to improve the mobility of the Police in its continued fight against crime. The vehicles, which cost a total of $200 thousand, will be deployed in hot-spots in Belize City and Cayo District to provide safety and security for Belizeans and visitors.
• From Commitments to Results:
  Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr and CARICOM Youth Ambassador Eric Sanchez participated in this year's International Youth Forum on Sustainable Development on February 1st and 2nd, 2016. This Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the auspices of the ECOSOC President, His Excellency Mr. Oh Joon. The theme of the forum was "Implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Moving from Commitments to Results". H.E. Joon listed unemployment, poverty, climate change, and inequality as issues needing to be addressed through a cross-cutting and interconnected approach. In plenary sessions, Minister Aragon stated that Belize is finalizing its National Growth and Sustainable Development Strategy (GSDS) which mainstreams the United Nations Post 2015 Sustainable Development Framework. The GSDS identifies clear policy aims together with subsidiary goals and targets to achieve a national vision comprising of a strong economy featuring optimal national income and robust growth, a resilient society, healthy environment, citizen security and good governance.
• Mobility for Sports Coordinators:
  As reported in our last edition, the Minister of State with responsibility for Youth and Sports, Hon. Elodio Aragon, recently handed over seven motorcycles to sports coordinators countrywide. The Minister explained, "In each district we have sports coordinators who have responsibility for the sporting facilities. Also they have responsibility to run certain programs for us when it comes to sports, such as dealing with the Primary Schools sports tournament that is going on now; also they must coordinate and begin to plan sporting programs for the districts.

This Week's Stories:

• BELIZE AND GUATEMALA, Sarstoon Expedition Sparks Mixed Reaction:
  On Saturday, February 27, 2016, a small delegation led by Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) Leader Wil Maheia ventured on yet another expedition to Sarstoon Island, this time to commemorate the anniversary of a previous expedition which had resulted in a number of Belizeans being detained overnight by Guatemalan authorities. A heavy presence by the Guatemalan Military prevented the Belizean contingent from making its way to the Island which is firmly within Belize's territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs while doing its best in advance to discourage the expedition, nevertheless acknowledged that the Guatemalan Military appeared to have violated Belize's sovereignty by entering our territorial waters without permission, and expressed its intention to send a diplomatic note of protest to the Guatemalan Government and the OAS.
• Prime Minister & Opposition Leader:
  sign of political maturity, Opposition Leader John Briceno met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow Wednesday morning, March 2, 2016 in the P M's Belize City Office. They discussed a number of national issues, including Belize-Guatemala relations, the Sarstoon situation, the Economy, De-risking/Correspondent Banking and Crime. Both leaders agreed in principle to work in national unity to address these issues for the good of the People and Nation of Belize.
• Chester Williams Promoted, New Assistant Commissioner of Police:
  He has received many accolades of late for the leadership demonstrated as a senior member of the Belize Police Force. And now, Chester Williams has received a well-earned, much-deserved promotion from Senior Superintendent to Assistant Commissioner of Police. After years of police work, rising up through the ranks, he returned home in the middle of 2015 with a law degree and was placed in charge of Eastern Division South. With a heavy emphasis on community policing, he quickly made his mark as the crime situation in what was the most murderous part of the country improved remarkably within the last six months of 2015 under his command. Speaking of his promotion, Williams, remarked, "I am very pleased to have been promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. I remain the Officer Commanding South-Side Belize City, and pledge to continue to do my best in preserving law and order on this side of the city, with a view to make the citizenry feel safe in their respective neighborhoods. I thank the Minister of National Security, Honourable John Saldivar, and the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Allen Whylie, for entrusting me with the responsibility I currently have, and for my long-deserved promotion."
• Editorial: Who's Right - Who's Wrong:
  The latest Sarstoon expedition by the Belize Territorial Volunteers, the provocative response by the Guatemalan Military, and the mixed reaction from Belizean diplomats past and present, highlight once again the need for National Unity on the Belize-Guatemala Territorial Dispute and efforts to resolve it. In our view, the words and actions of Belizeans on all sides of this issue are wellmeaning and motivated by patriotism. Prime Minister Dean Barrow, while questioning the wisdom of the series of expeditions by the Belize Territorial Volunteers, acknowledged in a press conference on August 19, 2015, "Their decision arose from feelings of patriotism that are not just commendable but inspirational." Our acquaintance with Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and our knowledge of his personal historical record on the Belize-Guatemala issue convinces us his mission of mutual friendship and peaceful resolution is derived from a degree of nationalism that is no less passionate.
• Transformation, Isidoro Beaton Stadium:
  The Isidoro Beaton Football Stadium in Belmopan is nearing completion, and it is already a beauty to behold. The spectacular image above was captured at night and shared through social media by Honourable John Saldivar, Area Representative for Belmopan. It shows the stadium with its synthetic surface and professional lighting already installed. The upgrading of the Isidoro Football Stadium is one of several projects which form part of the Government's nationwide investment in Sports Infrastructure. The contract for this project was awarded back in February of 2015 to a Santa Elena based firm, Pedro R. Lizarraga & Sons, headed by General Contractor Mr. Pedro Lizarraga. Other projects nationwide include the construction in Belize City of an innovative, well equipped state-of-the-art Arena and Cultural Complex at the location of the Old Civic Center on Central American Boulevard, which will serve not just the residents of Belize City but the entire country; construction of a new Multi- Complex Auditorium and upgrading of Carl Ramos Football Stadium in Dangriga; and construction of a new Multi-Complex Building in Punta Gorda.
• FIFA President Gianni Infantino Marks First Day In The Office With Star-Studded Match:
  New FIFA president Gianni Infantino has kick-started his reign with a friendly football match. Past World Cup stars and two current players, Kelly Smith of Arsenal Ladies and Julia Simic of Wolfsburg, were invited to join Infantino and FIFA staff on his first day in office for the informal kick around. The Swiss-Italian was elected on Friday, ahead of Bahraini Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, to become only the ninth president in FIFA's 112-year history. The 45 year-old, previously General Secretary of European football's governing body UEFA, inherited an organisation in disarray. However, Infantino had insisted that FIFA's reform package would close the door on a chapter of pain at world football's governing body and usher in an era of joy.
• ukMontreal Impact Signs Belizean Michael Salazar:
  The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday the signing of forward Michael Salazar, the club's second selection at the 2016 Super Draft (24th overall), upon receiving his International Transfer Certificate. "We are pleased to have signed Michael to our club," said Impact technical director Adam Braz. "He is someone who integrated well with the group during our preseason camp. He has impressed the staff with his performance on the field, as well as his strong work ethic and willingness to learn." Salazar, 23, distinguished himself in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, earning the Cup's Lower Division Player of the Tournament honours and finishing tied for the lead with four assists while scoring three goals in four games.
• New Riding Mower for San Ignacio:
  On February 16, 2016, Minister of State for Youth and Sports, Honourable Elodio Aragon was in San Ignacio, Cayo where he handed over a much-needed riding mower to the Sports Council in that western municipality. Speaking of the equipment handed over, Minister Aragon says, "This equipment, which is not cheap as we ensured we got the bigger engine, will go a long way in maintaining the facilities in San Ignacio. Just a month ago, they also received a motorcycle. Slowly we are working to make a difference in sports countrywide. Congrats to our new National Sports Director, Mr. Dominguez, and his staff that are working to make things happen. I'm confident things will only get better in sports, and I ask for the communities to get involved at all levels."
• Aragon & Figueroa, Cayo Sports Working Tour:
  While in San Ignacio, Minister of State for Youth and Sports Hon. Elodio Aragon took the opportunity to visit sporting facilities in the area along with the Area Representative for Cayo North, Hon. Omar Figueroa and Director of the National Sports Council Ritchell Dominguez. They visited the Victor Galvez Stadium, where they discussed plans for the promotion and development of sports in the communities throughout the constituency. Honourable Elodio Aragon later commented, "We are a hundred percent behind him because only by working with the community can we get sports moving."
• Rejuvenation at Youth Ministry, Hon. Elodio Aragon At The Helm:
  The new Minister of State with responsibility for Youth, Sports and Culture, Honourable Elodio Aragon, has really made his presence felt in the short three months and a half since he was appointed immediately following the November 4, 2016 general Elections. Highly motivated, the Minister of State and his team from the Ministry and the Departments which fall under his command have been moving around the country assessing the work being done and identifying what else needs to occur for the development of Youth and Sports throughout our communities .
• CODICADER GAMES COMING TO BELIZE:
  Minister of State with responsibility for Youth and Sports, Honourable Elodio Aragon, recently attended the CODICADER (Consejo Del Istmo Centro-Americano de Deportes y Recreación) Reunion in Nicaragua along with representatives from Central America. There they discussed matters relating to the CODICADER Games which will be played in Belize in the month of July, 2016. Upon his return, Honourable Aragon remarked, "Things are shaping up and Belize will host football, basketball, volleyball and ping pong. A lot more has to be done with regards to fund raising, logistics and preparations. This event will see well over 1,000 participants in Belize for four days of competition."
• A Walk Through Dangriga, Authored By Mayor Francis Humphreys & Ifasina Efunyemi:
  On Monday, February 15, 2016, the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) launched a publication entitled "A WALK THROUGH DANGRIGA". It is the third publication in the 'Walk Through' series which features key landmarks and heritage sites in the various municipalities of Belize. Mayor Francis Humphreys and Ifasina Efunyemi, two well-known educators in Dangriga, are co-authors of the manuscript. The book was edited and produced by the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR), a branch of NICH. 'A WALK THROUGH DANGRIGA' traces the development of historic locations and sites of memory within the town. The information was compiled using oral history, documentary sources, accompanied by photographs dating from the late 1890's to the present.
• Jamaica Labour Party Wins Tight Race in Polls Marked by Low Voter Turnout:
  Andrew Holness returned the favour, handing Portia Simpson Miller's People's National Party (PNP) its first one-term government Thursday in the country's 17th general election that ended with the tightest majority in Jamaica's history - 33 - 30 seats. The polls will be memorable for the low voter turnout - barely more than one-third of the electorate. But they also sent a message to politicians that Holness acknowledged in his acceptance speech at Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) headquarters in Kingston last night. "I know from my travels around Jamaica that you wanted to change the Government, but I also picked up from going around the country that you want to change the way that Government works," Holness told cheering supporters. "And so, from this platform, I make the commitment to you that your new Government will not be Government as usual. We don't take it that we have won a prize. We have been given stewardship of the country, and we stand to be held to account for our stewardship," he said. "We know that the cost of victory is accountability. The cost of victory is the responsiveness of the Government that we will form. The cost of victory is to keep the commitments that we have made. "We are under no illusions as to the ability of the Jamaican people to hold their Government to account," he added.
• IMPACT Justice Holds Media Workshop in Barbados:
  Members of the media and law students from across the Caribbean region, 68 of them, attended a two-day workshop in Bridge Town, Bardados, hosted by Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice), a project funded by the Canadian Government. The workshop, conducted on February 24 and 25, 2016 at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, Barbados, is part of the project's Public Legal Education Component. Topics covered included, the Rights of Journalists; Confidentiality of Sources; Defamation in the context of Media Law; Online Reporting; Parliamentary and Government reporting; and Reporting on Family Matters and Gender Issues.
• CARICOM Secretary General Gets Second Term:
  CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has been re-appointed to a second term of office. CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow, made the announcement during the Closing Press Conference of the CARICOM Heads of Government Inter-sessional Meeting in Belize, Wednesday, February 17, 2016. The Secretary-General's initial five-year appointment ends in August, and Heads of Government decided to deal with the matter of his reappointment now because they felt the next meeting in July is too close to the August expiration date, the Chairman told the media.
• Insight into Gang Culture in Belize:
  Well known Belizean Television and Radio Talk Show host, Nuri Muhammad has just launched a new book. Titled "Insights into Gang Culture in Belize", the book was inspired by Nuri's intimate knowledge and extensive experience working with at risk youths. In an interview with Channel Seven News, Nuri Muhammad explained, "The book is called 'Insights' and I think the word indicates that it is a reflective look at the challenge that we face with youth crime and violence in this country. We tried to look at it over a spectrum of 25 to 30 years, so that we could see its generational issue as opposed to simply reporting it as various incidents that take place on a nightly and weekly basis. So the book is called 'Insights into Gang Culture'.
• When and How Do We Draw the Line?:
  The Belize-Guatemala Dispute and efforts to resolve it is an issue that transcends partisan politics and requires national unity. If there's one class of persons in our community that has the training, discipline and incentive to reach across political lines, it is our attorneys. On Friday February 19, 2016, attorneys of opposite persuasions, all persuasions and no persuasion came together at their Annual Law Conference, and the top issue on their agenda was the Belize-Guatemala Dispute. President of the Bar Association, Jacqueline Marshalleck, explained, "The Belize-Guatemala Dispute certainly has its diplomatic elements, but it also has its legal elements. I think that as the discussion becomes more public and the education exercise progresses, the Bar Association and attorneys at large will generally be expected to comment or assist people in understanding the process. There will be questions about the Court and what should happen, and I think there is an assumption that because we are attorneys that we know and that we have all the answers.
• GREAT Program scores Great Success:
  The Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program, funded by the United States, has become a key component of the overall strategy by the Belize Police Force in its fight against crime. It started off in Belize City and has now expanded to the districts. The latest group of police officers to receive training under the program includes 35 men and women, and they will be deployed countrywide to work with children and youths to help steer them away from a culture of gang violence and crime. The graduation ceremony was attended by United States Ambassador in Belize, Carlos Moreno, who commented, "The Great Program is a program that the embassy has been supporting for at least the last 5 years. We've trained over 130 officers to work in the schools. The officers are assigned to particular schools where they interact with the youths and encourage them to stay away from gangs.
• New Strategy for Business Services Sector:
  Government and private sector officials from Belize converged at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 to discuss a new strategy to improve the country's business services sector. The meeting, which was dubbed as the first BPO Summit in Belize, was the brain child of BelizeINVEST, a division of the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE). It provided participants the opportunity to examine the benefits of increasing the country's business services and identify priorities for policy and institutional reform. Participants also agreed to revive the Business Outsourcing Association of Belize (BOAB), establish a standards framework and to increase the development and promotion of IT Education in Belize. The strategy was developed in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and had as its main objective to assess the potential for higher-value IT Enabled Services (ITES) and to establish the framework for an industry standard in preserving and continuing to develop the country's outsourcing industry. Through this partnership, OCO Global was contracted to develop key documents, such as a Comprehensive Outsourcing Strategy Action Plan and a BPO Standards Framework and Road-map for Implementation, which will serve as the mechanisms for the successful execution of the framework. The study was conducted through various visits to Belize in engaging key public and private stakeholders.
• Swear-in of Ombudsman and Contractor General:
  In a brief ceremony held Monday, February 22, 2016 at Belize House in Belmopan, Mr. Lionel Arzu and Mr. Godwin Arzu were sworn in for their new terms as Ombudsman and Contractor General respectively, following the Prime Minister's announcement of their re-appointments at the Sitting of the House of Representatives on Friday January 22, 2016. Both men were joined by their families as they took the oath of allegiance before the Governor General, H.E. Sir Colville Young. This is Mr. Godwin Arzu's third term as Contractor General. It is Mr. Lionel Arzu's second term as Ombudsman, he having held that position since January 2013. The re-appointment of the Ombudsman had sparked some debate in the National Assembly upon the announcement by the Prime Minister on January 22, 2016.
• Vital Statistics discusses Vital Issues:
  The Vital Statistics Unit, which is responsible for registering births, deaths and marriages, held a meeting on Thursday February 18, 2016 to emphasize the importance of birth registration and to evaluate the registration system in Belize. Registrar General Velda Flowers, explained, "This morning what is happening is the launching of this bottleneck analysis that was conducted by Miss Patricia Holness, a consultant from Jamaica. This effort came about as a result of the partnership we have with UNICEF and OAS in order to try and ascertain and address the issue of the 6% non-registration of persons born in Belize. Currently Belize has about 94-95% of all persons born in Belize registered and this effort was put in place to try and close that gap, that 6% gap that currently exists." The consultant from Jamaica, Patricia Holness, emphasized, "It is very important that birth registration be taken seriously in any country. And, a mother, as you just said, bonds with her child; but then that child has to be a citizen. That child has to live in the country and reap the rewards of being a citizen. So the government of that country needs to know that this is a citizen for whom we must care and also to ensure that all that goes with citizenship will go to that child."
• CARICOM Development Fund in BELIZE:
  When CARICOM Heads of Government meet, as they did in Belize two weeks ago, those meetings are always supplemented and supported by a number of sessions involving the technical experts from the regional body and the various member countries. One of those persons who came to Belize for the Twenty-Seventh Intersessional Meeting was the executive head of the CARCOM Development Fund (CDF), which is funding a number of very important projects in Belize, including rehabilitation of the Phillip Goldson Highway and the Haulover Bridge. Chief Executive Officer of the CDF, Mr. Rodinald Soomer, in interview with the local media, elaborated, "Belize happens to be the first country that met the requirements to access resources under the fund. We signed the first country assistance program with Belize towards the end of 2010 and we started activities with Belize in early 2011. We are now towards the end of the program with Belize; we've approved a portfolio of projects totalling just over 6 Million US Dollars.
• Helping 'Seenagers' to Live Longer:
  On Thursday, February 18, 2016, the National Council on Aging held a workshop in Belize City addressing issues affecting older persons throughout the country. Speaking with the media at the opening, Executive Director of the council, Ix-Chel Poot, explained, "Some of the specific areas we are looking at today, we've talked about normal aging, we are looking at how to collaborate and how to get all the organizations together working as one and moving forward in one voice. So there is a lot of planning that will be taking place. We will be looking at the situation of older persons across Belize. So that all the branches are up to date and abreast of what's happening with older persons and the population that they are serving. They are looking at things like the Older Persons' Act; how do we maintain the safety of our older persons and the care of our older persons. Last year, the National Council on Aging along with BTEC had a care-givers training here in Belize. We've been working with the YWCA, having care-givers' training in Belmopan. So we are looking at building a capacity, a resource of persons who are able to be in the community to work with older persons in such a way."
• Preventing Crimes Against Women:
  The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), provided data gathering equipment valued at approximately BZ$184,000.00 to relevant government departments, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Security. The official handing over of the equipment took place today, February 19, 2016 at the Raccoon Street Police Station in Belize City.The purpose of the equipment is to strengthen the capacity of those government units in charge of collecting and analysing data on violence against women and human trafficking and ensure improved access to reliable data for programme planning and decision-making in this area.
• Belize Gets Down To Business, Minister Contreras Talks Trade Opportunities With SoFla entrepreneurs:
  BELTRAIDE Representative Hero Balani, OESBD Economic Development Specialist Paola Isaac Baraya and Belizean Minister of International Trade Erwin Contreras. Belize was at the top of the business agenda this week, as Belizean Minister of International Trade Erwin Contreras stopped by at the Lauderdale Lakes Educational and Cultural Center for the "Doing Business in Belize" workshop. During a special meet and greet session with workshop attendees, the Minister outlined the nation's many commercial and trading opportunities in renewable energy, agro-processing, tourism, and food and beverage production and packaging. The Minister also encouraged participants to attend the upcoming trade mission, hosted by the Miramar based Belize American Chamber of Commerce of Florida.
• Elevating & Upgrading Bomba Access Road:
  As Area Representative for Belize Rural North and Minister of National Emergency Management, Hon. Edmond Castro has undertaken a flood mitigation project in the Maskall-Bomba area. The project entails the elevation of the access road from Maskall to Bomba village with a number of cement culverts across the 'Quashy Banner' Creek. The area had been plagued by seasonal flooding which severely affects accessibility to and from Bomba, thereby inconveniencing residents of the village and farmers in the general area. The project is being funded with monies secured by Hon. Edmond Castro through the Government of Belize. It is well underway and should be completed in a couple weeks. The residents and farmers of the area are happy for the project and are expressing tremendous gratitude to their Area Representative, Hon. Castro, and to Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow for making the funds available to improve and transform their community and lives. Honorable Edmond Castro says he and the government intend to carry out several similar projects throughout the constituency prior to the start of the next Hurricane Season on June 1, 2016 to mitigate flooding which occurs on an annual basis.

This Week's Stories:

• National Budget Debate 2016:
  Perhaps as widely and anxiously anticipated as the Cross Country Cycling Classic or the Ruta Maya River Challenge is the Annual National Budget Debate! Set for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 22 and 23, the two-day event promises to be one of the most eventful as the first three-term administration in post-independence Belize undertakes the obligatory task of defending its first budget in the new term. Appropriately titled, "Stability in a Time of Change", the 2016-2017 National Budget is a realistic but ambitious proposal in the face of unprecedented regional and international challenges, against a backdrop of shrinking disposable financial resources, but thankfully on the back of a macro-framework characterized by (in the words of the Prime Minister) an economy and public finances which stand on the rock-solid foundation of a strong currency backed up by excess reserves, robust fiscal revenues and a well-managed public debt.
• TROUBLE AT SARSTOON:
  The Government of Belize confirms that a confrontation between Belize Security Forces and Guatemalan Armed Forces occurred late evening of Saturday, March 12th, at the Sarstoon in the area of Belize's Forward Operating Base. The GAF approached the FOB, though they never actually attempted to come on to our land, and behaved in an extremely hostile and threatening manner, insisting that our troops should not be at the Sarstoon. The Belize Forces stood their ground and after some time the GAF withdrew. In the intervening period the BDF Commander General Jones had spoken to an opposite member in Guatemala and Prime Minister Dean Barrow had sent a message to President Jimmy Morales. Despite the ultimately peaceful end to the standoff it is clear that tension with Guatemala over the Sarstoon and Belize's insistence on its sovereignty rights in accordance with the 1859 Treaty Demarcation of the river, is at an all-time high. Talks are to take place in Washington on Tuesday, March 15th, between the two sides under the auspices of the OAS, and in the meantime Belize has informed key members of the international community, including the US and the UK, of the extremely critical situation.
• "The BEST is HERE!" New Water System for Maskall Villa:
  Close to 1,500 residents of Maskall Village in Belize District will Soon Have Easy Access to Quality Potable Water. Ground-breaking ceremonies for Maskall's Rehabilitated Rudimentary Water System were held on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. The implementation of the water project represents the unwavering commitment of the Government of Belize to address the basic needs of Belizeans, in the areas of water, sanitation and health. The water project is being financed by the Government of Belize at a cost of $999,494.96 through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank; so that residents of Maskall are provided with continuous supply of reliable quality potable water to meet their daily needs such as drinking, washing, bathing and cooking. The water project will entail the construction of a water tank with a 40,000 gallon capacity, a 10' x 10' pump house, installation of transmission and distribution lines.
• EDITORIAL:
  The dramatic changes in leadership of the two major political parties might seem earthshaking, but they are part of the normal course of political transition in a dynamic democracy. Political leaders at all levels serve at the behest and pleasure of the people they are presumed to represent. No human endeavor is ever perfect, but in order for the core principles of Democracy to remain relevant, the people must at reasonable intervals be afforded the opportunity to express their satisfaction or disapproval with the quality, effectiveness and consequence of the representation their leaders are discharging on their behalf. When the current Opposition Party made the decision in the last term to pass resolutions constitutionally shielding its leaders from being challenged internally, it was an undemocratic and illadvised move; and this has been borne out by the unbroken chain of political defeats leading to the eventual change, some weeks ago, of its leadership.
• Reopening of Isidoro Beaton Stadium:
  The brainchild of area representative and Minister of National Security Hon. John Saldivar, construction works at the Isidro Beaton Football Stadium will be completed this week. Its design genius can no longer be concealed behind curtains of construction activity. The stadium has been upgraded to world-class standards at an estimated cost of just over $3.5 million. The massive complex will be the pride of Belmopan - if not that of the entire country. Yes, this is part of The Best Is Yet To Come pledge from our United Democratic Party government. "I have never seen such a green field," said Hon. Michael Finnegan an accomplished football sports commentator and writer in his own right, on doing a recent walk through of the facility.
• 20,000 Strong March & Rally:
  Spearheaded by Special Envoy for Women and Children, First Lady Kim Simplis Barrow, the "20 Thousand Strong" Women's March and Rally took place in Belize City, on Friday, March 11, 2016. All dressed in orange T-shirts, the throng of women from around the country assembled at Memorial Park, from where they marched to Marion Jones Stadium, the venue of the official ceremony and rally. Speaking with Channel Seven News, Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow remarked, "I am happy to say that this is a way much bigger crowd than the last 20,000 strong. Obviously the message got out that the 20,000 strong is a movement, it's a movement to create change. Change in our society of how we view women; how we treat our women, and that is very important." Speaking with Channel Five News, she expounded, "Women need to start believing in themselves. It starts with us. It starts with home, and what we allow our boys and girls and children at home to do - in terms of chores, in terms of how we treat each other. It really starts with that, and it's about us breaking barriers," she asserted.
• ConferenceNew Market for Old Road Farmers: Castro Brings Together Farmers & Tourism Industry:
  As Area Representative for Belize Rural North, Honourable Edmond Castro has brought together fruit and vegetable farmers from the Old Road Area, mainly Maskall, Bomba and Naggo Bank, for a working session with representatives of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) Belize City, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker branches. They are formulating a strategy to market the farmers' produce to be supplied directly to the islands for consumption in the tourism sector. Towards this end, Honourable Castro says another session will be held in the next few weeks with representatives from the Departments of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Port Authority, BTIA and hoteliers.
• Embassy of Japan Grants US$90 Thousand to Belize High School of Agriculture:
  On Friday, March 11, 2016, Mr. Hideki Shinozaki, Second Secretary of Embassy of Japan to Belize, signed a Grassroots Human Security Grant Contract of US$90,804.00 with the Belize High School of Agriculture in Orange Walk. The grant from the Japan Embassy will be used for the construction of a new building (two classrooms and a library) to address the issue of overcapacity of students in the classrooms. The contract signing ceremony took place at the Belize High School of Agriculture. Present were Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, and Mr. Monty Sadarangani, Honorary Consul General of Japan.
• DPM Gaspar Vega Attends UN Food & Agriculture Conference:
  Deputy Prime Minister Honourable Gaspar Vega in his capacity as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, led a delegation to the 34th United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Mexico City from February 29th to March 3rd, 2016. The Conference, which was opened by the President of Mexico, H.E. Enrique Peña Nieto, focused on the challenges and prospects for food and nutrition security in the region and reviewed the measures that led to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and to the challenges faced towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
• "Stability in a Time of Change:" Belize National budget 2016 - 2017:
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to move the second reading of the General Revenue Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2016/2017. This is the inaugural budget in the recently won, historic, third consecutive term of the UDP Administration; and this edition, in like fashion as the previous eight budgets I have read, will-I believe-reassure general citizenry and particular stakeholders alike that the current and forecast state of the public finances of Belize are both sturdy and stable. There is, of course, a narrow political minority that reflexively opposes everything UDP. But impartial observers all agree that the sterling stewardship of the people's money was foremost in the minds of the voters as they cast their ballots last November. Our consistent and long record of judicious financial management, Mr. Speaker, has produced an unbroken period of steady growth and optimal economic conditions. There is now a historical vindication of both our philosophy and our probity.
• Raising the Bar to Compete Globally:
  More than 50 producers from Orange Walk Town and surrounding villages met at La Inmaculada Credit Union Conference room on Friday, 4th March to obtain crucial information that will assist them to improve their services and raise the bar to compete globally. The meeting was in the form of a Trade Clinic, which was the first of its kind organized by EXPORTBelize, a unit of BELTRAIDE, with the aim to sensitize the private sector on regulations, requirements, export procedures and documentations and opportunities that exist under trade agreements in order to do business in the local and international market. The Trade Clinic included presentations from the Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS), the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA), the Customs & Excise Department and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Topics included: Standards (labeling, CODEX, metrology, etc), Export Procedures, Trade Agreement Opportunities and Sanitary & Phyto-Sanitary Measures among many others.