The March 17th, 2013 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Economy on the Rise! Navigating the Ship of State through Turbulent Waters:
    One year into the second term of his tenure as Prime Minister, the Honourable Dean Barrow last week read his Government's 2013-2014 Budget Proposal. While it was presented without much pomp and circumstance, the 5.3 % GDP rate of growth for the closing fiscal year reported in this Budget is absolutely phenomenal, particularly when considered within the context of the region and the World. Our 5.3% GDP Growth rate is measurably much higher than the overall Global growth of 3.2% for 2012, which represented further slippage from the overall Global Growth rate of 3.9% recorded the previous year, 2011. As, the Prime Minister noted in his Budget Speech, Japan slipped into recession, the Euro area's turmoil intensified, China's economic pace decelerated, and in the 'great' United States of America, the measly 2.3% growth rate they recorded in 2012 had even exceeded expectations. It is amid this broad-based sluggishness in advanced economies that our Belize Economy registered a phenomenal growth rate of 5.3%.
  • National Security Challenged But Determined! Reviewing the Progress in 2012-2013:
    over command of the Ministry of National Security one year ago, it was with the full knowledge that this is the most challenging Ministry in these times. He, nevertheless, embraced it with the same enthusiasm he has always approached every mission. One year later, in the face of mounting challenges, we review the progress made, with the complete awareness that the mission is anything but complete. In fact, it has only just begun! 1. Successive annual increases in budgetary allocations for the Ministry of National Security to step up operations, purchase equipment and vehicles, last fiscal year and the new fiscal year. 2. Minister of National Security, Honourable John Saldivar completes his countrywide tour of all Police formations formations in the Country finishing in Stann Creek District where he visited the Intermediate Southern Formation (ISF) led from Independence, the Placencia Sub-Formation which handles the Peninsula Area, and the Dangriga Formation which is the Headquarters for the entire District.
  • One Month in Charge Commander Discusses State of BDF:
    Local Press: What kind of challenges has the BDF been having since your taking over command? Brigadier General Jones: Today has marked exactly a month, because I took over the 1st, today is the 28th, the shortest month in the year. And what I have been doing so far is making checks on exactly what resources the BDF has, making checks on exactly what are the resources that we need, and looking at the structure of what the BDF currently has, and then revising, starting to revise towards creating the structure that we need. Because, with the current threats that we have, we don't believe that we are structured the best way. So we are going to revise our structure and then look at either increasing the size of the force, or structuring it differently so that we can actually meet the threats that we are now facing. Local Press: But, in relation to budgetary confinement, sometimes the BDF officers don't have the necessary equipment they need because of budgetary cuts. How do you address that? Brigadier General Jones: At the moment, with the budget exercise we went through, it seems that they (the Government) are NOT going to be really unkind to us this year. I think we might get even a little increase; there is always a need for more equipment. As you know the government and the country is not in the financial situation that we would like. We need to make the best of the budget that we get, and make the best of the resources that we have.
  • From the Desk of the Chairman: Whither Goeth Thou? by Delroy Cuthkelvin:
    Amid the g o o d news of the Belize Economy making its way steadily across stormy regional and international seas, our communities remain in relative social turmoil, not too clear, it seems, about where we want to go. The Prime Minister and his Government were elected to reverse economic crisis and erosion of confidence in the management of our Nation's affairs, a macro situation that was affecting every aspect of our lives and threatening our very existence as an independent state. The 2013-2014 Natonal Budget, recording a growth rate of 5.3 percent in the closing fiscal year, projecting continued growth in the year ahead, and keeping all national and human development programs intact, without adding any new taxes, is proof positive that the Prime Minister and his Government are delivering well on that mandate. That our Economy and the overall management of our Nation's affairs are back on track and heading in the right direction, is a given. Where the waters remain murky is on the social front. In so many ways, over so many years, we seemed have lost our way as a people, having come loose of our moorings. No amount of Government policies and programs can completely fix that.
  • Crime Rate Goes Down in the South, Minister Presents February Awards:
    On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, Minister of National Security, Hon. John Saldivar presented certificates of award to officers commanding the Intermediate Southern Formation and Toledo Formation for their performance during the month of February in reducing major crimes within their respective jurisdictions. Comparative Crime Statistics for the month of February, 2013, show that both these formations, which are part of the Southern Zone, saw a 50% reduction in major crimes, as compared to the figures for the previous month. The awards, which are now a monthly feature, consist of a certificate of appreciation to the outstanding formation and a cash reward of $1,000 to the winning zone for the month in question, funds which are used as the Officer Commanding that zone and his team determine as they continue to step up efforts to provide better safety and security in their respective jurisdiction.
  • Potable Water Coming to Indian Church and San Carlos:
    Over 105 families in the northern villages of Indian Church and San Carlos in the Orange Walk District will soon bid farewell to old water hand pumps and hand-dug wells thanks to a Social Investment Fund project, which will supply quality, potable water to both villages. The project was officially launched last Friday, March 8th at 10 am in the village of Indian Church. Both Indian Church and San Carlos Villages are poor communities with 37% of their population living below the poverty level. The villagers have been relying on wells, hand pumps and the New River Lagoon as their main sources of water for over three decades. These water sources, however, are untreated and have continuously posed health treats for waterborne diseases to the residents. The SIF project, which will be financed by the Government of Belize at approximately $996,000 from a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), will address the water needs of both villages.
  • Faith Lift By Zelda Hill : Money & Power � Handle with Wisdom!:
    Mo n e y a n d Power are two resources that most people seem to be working up insatiable appetites for more� and more� and more of these days. Their pursuit is often disguised and promoted by the label - 'ambition', thus provoking feelings of discontent in a person who may be apathetic towards the desire to pursue wealth and power. This desire is legitimate when motivated by a genuine concern to satisfy needs, ease suffering and improve the standard of living of self and humanity. It is when the desire for money and power are aroused by selfish and vile motives that no measure of skillful caution can limit the resulting havoc. Even when the noblest of intentions abound, a person who obtains or is entrusted with wealth and absolute power to be used at his disposal can make grave blunders and become corrupted. Ironically, the possessor also becomes a casualty when money and power are not handled with wisdom.
  • Adding Flesh to the Word A Budget Belizeans Can "Feel":
    This is, by my recollection, the sixth Budget I have had the honour of presenting to this Honourable House. It has always been a privilege to do so. But this one is occasion for a particular sense of accomplishment. And this is so not least because it comes almost exactly one year after the United Democratic Party won its historic consecutive second term as the national Government of our beloved Belize. Now, the details of our stewardship in this first twelve months of the new Administration will be set out in the body of the speech. But it is as well to strike two high notes right at the start. We have pretty much done what the sceptics said was impossible. The Superbond- that bane of our existence, that monster of our nightmare- has been tackled and tamed. Not vanquished, mind you, but put on a leash and confined to its lair. And as a direct consequence, but also as a result of adroit stewardship and unshakeable commitment to the welfare of this nation, this Budget will see absolutely no new taxes and no overall spending cuts.
  • Police Change Of Command:
    National Police Training Academy, Belmopan, January 9, 2013, Price Barracks, Ladyville, Friday, February 1, 2013
  • Training The Team TO Tackle The Trade, Of Illegal Firearm, Ammunition and Explosives:
    UN Sponsored Course Graduates 44 Belizean Law-Enforcers. A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of representing Belize at a conference that was organized by the Latin American and Caribbean group of friends to look at a draft of arms trade treaty that was submitted by the president of the UN conference on the arms trade treaty, Ambassador Peter Walcott. The group of friends included representatives from Peru, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Australia Canada, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize. It was a two day conference that I attended and during those two days, there were several proposals that were made to refine a strategic plan and some terms of reference that was to be submitted to the next UN Conference some time later in this month in New York. There was a high degree of confidence among the various participants of that group. The intervention that we had over those two days will place a strong text at the UN conference on arms trade treaty that I spoke to earlier.
  • La Ruta Maya 2013: Gateway to Experiencing the Awesome Beauty of Belize's Untold Natural Wealth:
    It was an early start to a long holiday weekend last Friday when the 15th paddling of the La Ruta Maya River Challenge got underway under the Hawksworth Bridge in the middle of the beautiful Twin-Town of San Ignacio/ Santa Elena. While every race is primarily, or ultimately, about winning (depending on whether you're fast-forwarding or rewinding), La Ruta Maya is perhaps one of those sports that defies all the rules of the game. While everyone certainly would like to win, the paddling of the Ruta Maya and all the holiday activity (or lazy hangout) has, in itself, become such a thrilling (and relaxing) thing for those in the canoes and on the river-bank, it hardly matters at the end of the day (or any of the four days) who arrives first or who pulls up last. But before we continue, lest we be accused of disrespecting the winners, let us acknowledge that it was the Belize Bank Bull Dogs who came in first, for the second year consecutively, thereby winning their 9th title since the event originated fifteen year ago in 1998. We are speaking here, of course, only about the Elite Class; and there are so many other categories, including one that is most candidly dubbed the Pleasure Category, won this year by the Police, whose daytime (or nighttime) job is anything but pleasure. Yes, Belize Bank won overall this year again, although this time they were not the first to cross the finish line at the Belcan Bridge in the Old Capital of Belize City. That distinction belongs to Zip Rider, who incidentally was also the first to establish a commanding lead at an important juncture (Iguana Creek Bridge), where we first saw the race (although they were later overtook that same day by Belize Bank who finished first in the first leg ending at Banana Bank) As it eventually turned out, Zip Rider, favored from the start, along with Belize Bank, to be one of the two rival teams with a clear shot at the 2013 Championship, did not even finish second overall, but third.
  • Belmopan Kids and Youth Cup 2013:
    Dmitri Fabro & Eddy Valencia of Valencia YWAM Roaring Creek (1) Ronald Orellana & Jairo Lopez of Celtic Las Flores