The July 31st, 2013 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • CCJ Rules against Mr. Litigate: "A Great Victory for Belize and the Rule of Law":
    In Belize, the name Ashcroft has become almost synonymous with Litigation. The British billionaire, who somehow under the last administration managed to wrap his tentacles around every part of the nation's economy and financial system, seems to pride himself in his ability through litigation to frustrate and impede a sovereign nation and duly elected government from managing its own affairs in the best interest of its people. This past week, however, the Government of Belize scored a major victory over the Ashcroft Alliance in what has apparently become his favorite arena, the courts. Judgment was handed down on Friday July 26 by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which upheld the Government of Belize's position that it cannot be legally bound to honor a tax-write off arrangement entered into by the last administration which involved a Settlement Deed in which the Government of Said Musa agreed to abandon litigation against the Carlisle Group for the recovery of outstanding business taxes in exchange for the Carlisle Group abandoning its pending litigation related to the BTL buy back.
  • West & Gaynair of Belmopan Bandits Rewarded by UNCAF:
    Wilson West who performed spectacularly for Belize at the Gold Cup, and Ian Gaynair who scored our only goal, were invited to watch the Gold Cup Finals as a gesture by CONCACAF for having turned down and exposed offers for match-fixing bribes. They were also invited to President Rafael Tinoco's Banquet. Here at home they are being honoured by the Belize Olympic Committee with the Gilmore Henkson Fair Play Award to be presented by the Governor General.
  • Fighting the Good Fight ! Battle Camp Closes with Service and Ceremony:
    Fight the good fight of faith!" The famous Bible verse taken from 1 Timothy 6:12 was one of the passages of Scripture that was quoted from the Good Book by the Force Chaplin who led the church service that marked the end of this year's BDF Volunteer Battle Camp . The Church Service and Closing Ceremonies were held this past Monday, July 22. The event started with a drill competition, followed by the Church Service led by Force Chaplin Canon Jeris Valentine.
  • From the Desk of the Chairman: No Distractions - Stay Focused!:
    When this U D P Government first got elected in 2008, it was on an overwhelming mandate to clean up corruption, restore honesty and sanity to the management of the nation's affairs, and serve the interest of the masses rather than that of a few. It was a given, of course, that this would be accompanied by, and to some extent result in real and sustainable economic growth. By all accounts, the Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has to this point succeeded in attaining these basic goals, having withstood and overcome the turbulence of a global economic recession that saw developed economies going under or struggling to stay afloat. We have certainly succeeded thus far. But success, like failure, is never permanent, and there is a kind of complacency and permissiveness that seems to follow triumph almost as surely as night follows day.
  • United States Wins Gold Cup!:
    The United States men's national team collected their fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup title at Soldier Field on Sunday, downing Panama 1-0 thanks to a goal from substitute Brek Shea, scored just seconds after he entered the game. It will not be remembered as a classic match -- for long periods it was simply unwatchable -- but it extended the American's win streak to eleven games and earned them another piece of domestic hardware. Shea's goal in the 69th minute finally broke open what had been an interminable match. Coming off a cross from the far right flank from Alejandro Bedoya, Landon Donovan attempted to slip the ball to the far post of Jaime Penedo's net, but missed. Bedoya's ball kept on running and would have ended up in the net had Shea not even put a boot on it.
  • Garifuna Collective in Canada:
    Garifuna Collective may be the most exotic act at this year's Interstellar Rodeo. The septet represents the largest-ever tour of musicians from Belize. While they're justifiably proud to bring their special Central American sound to the rest of the hemisphere, that hasn't kept them from collaborating beyond their borders or looking to the future. That's something you catch on to listening to their new album Ayo (on the Cumbancha label). "This is not about preserving something in a glass box in a museum," explains Ivan Duran, producer and contributing player with the Collective. "This is about showing the world this is a vibrant culture that will survive because it adapts. Our music is based on the traditional roots and primal rhythms but it has evolved a lot over the last decade."
  • Faith Lift By Zelda Hill: Abortion is Not the Only Choice:
    A wise person said that a more suitable label for "Pro-Choice" (those who support a female's right to choose to keep or murder her unborn child) would have been "No- Choice"! Indeed, those who profit substantially from propagating the lies that abortion is a human right and can be a normal and safe procedure without any consequences, skillfully weave their schemes to convince their vulnerable victims that they have no other choice. Even in this era where science and medicine continue to make giant strides in reducing and eliminating many medical dilemmas with the intent to preserve life, Pro-abortionists continue to magnify the probability of the risk of death to the pregnant female in support of their position. In Belize, Abortion for a "crisis" is legal under the Medical termination of Pregnancy clause (Criminal Code Chapter 101 of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000, Section 112).
  • Missionaries do Good Works in Belmopan "Let Your Light So Shine Before Men!":
    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16) That is certainly the principle behind the good works recently being carried out by a church group consisting of local Christians from the Belmopan area and over 30 missionaries from Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. The Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan recently received a much-needed facelift, thanks to the group of foreign and local missionaries led by Pastor Richard Smith of My Refuge Christian Network. In conjunction with the Hospital Management, the group repainted the building, cleaned up the compound removing garbage and debris, and organized and painted the parking lot in front of the Hospital. While the hospital facelift project was going on, members of the same group of missionaries also conducted an eye-clinic mainly in the Salva Pan area of Belmopan.
  • Improving Revenue Collection & Expenditure: City and Town Councils Participate in Revenue Enhancement Program:
    The final report on the Revenue Enhancement Support Program (RESP) for all city and town councils in Belize was presented this past Wednesday July 24, 2003 at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development in Belmopan. The RESP was carried out by Mr Peter Doty and Mr Edmund Zuniga, Financial Consultants, as part of the capacity building component of the Belize Municipal Development Project (BMDP) during a period of 18 months. The main objective of the RESP was to strengthen the capacity of the local city and town councils to become more effective in carrying out their responsibilities with a view to attain financial sustainability through enhanced financial position by increasing revenue collection and improving efficiency in expenditure.
  • BDF Volunteer Battle Camp Closing Ceremony:
    Joan Garbutt Stadium, Esperanza, Monday, July 22, 2013
  • Renewal & Advancement: Sandhill Multi-Purpose Center Inaugurated:
    The Sand Hill multipurpose Centre was officially inaugurated on Sunday July 28 in Sand Hill Village, a community nestled between mile 14 and 22 on the Philip Goldson Highway. The facility will benefit over 400 students, who prior to the project had to travel all the way to Belize City to do their school research due to the lack of computer and internet resources in the village. The project was implemented by the Social Investment Fund and financed by the Government of Belize at a total cost of $300,246.00. Of this amount, $285,246.00 was in the form of a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank while the remaining funds were contributed by the community of Sand Hill.
  • Policy, Strategy, Ways & Means: Remarks by BDF Commander David Jones at Chiquibul Symposium:
    I have had many compliments in regards to what the BDF is doing. I have even had suggestions as to why doesn't the BDF take over and do everything for the Country. And I had to remind people that this is a democracy, and there is no intention for any military dictatorship in Belize; it will not happen, definitely not under my watch. But it's good to be here, and I want to reiterate what the Minister said this morning, that the Chiquibul is not the only area that the Belize Defence Force is actually working. There are national priorities; there are many things happening within the Country; there's crime in Belize City; there is illegal narcotics trafficking; there's human smuggling; there are a lot of customs issues; there are a lot of immigration issues; there are a lot of forestry issues; and the BDF is engaged in every single one of them, and more. Our soldiers work really hard; they're doing an excellent job with the little resources they have. Of course we would like to have more resources, but that comes with money; that comes with finance.
  • Belmopan Bombers win Back to Back In Cayo Men's Softball Competition:
    The undefeated Belmopan Bombers are leading 2-0 in the men's softball competition organized by the Cayo Softball Association, which continued at the Denbeigh Fuller Stadium in Camalote Village on Saturday, July 20. In Game 1, the Camalote Warriors were leading 17-13 before the Belmopan Bombers recovered to win 26-18. Warriors pitcher Nelson Flowers and relief pitcher Daniel Pollard gave up 8 hits, struck out 7 batters and walked 20 batters. No runs scored in the 1st inning; neither did the Warriors in the top of the 2nd inning, but Belmopan led 3-zip when Francisco Gutierrez, Linsford Reneau and Dennis Myles scored in the bottom of the 2nd. The Warriors led 7-3 when Nelson Flowers, Joseph Trapp, Ryan Arnold, Alexander Card, Kenroy Banner, Ron Waight and Amir Quintanilla crossed the plate in the top of the 3rd. Belmopan tied the score 7-7 when Randy Joseph, Troy Williams, Stephen Williams and Francisco Gutierrez crossed the plate in the bottom of the 3rd.
  • Belmopan's Triple B takes the Lead In Atlantic Bank Female Football:
    The undefeated Belmopan Triple B's are No. 1 in the Atlantic Bank national female women's football competition with 10 pts from 3 wins and a draw; while the Sugar City Girlz picked up their first 3 points of the tournament when they outlasted the 4 time national champs, Esperanza Gentle Touch, 4-3 at the People's Stadium on Sunday, July 21. Triple B's schooled the Dangriga Pumas 4-0 at the FFB stadium in Belmopan. Nykemah Kuylen and Cindy Flores had led the Pumas' offensive with the help of Shayana "Shy" Caliz, Jackline Arzu, Tyra Hernandez and Sheyanne Castillo who gifted the ball to Triple B's goalie Idania Ramirez on her first try. Sherane Anigi Welch, Patricia Marin, Ireini Lopez and Ilkei Swazo anchored the Pumas' defence, but Triple B's Noemi Magana stripped Patty Marin of the ball; her kick sent the ball to Iris Centeno, whose immediate left foot shot embarrassed Pumas' goalie Shereen Vasquez with the hosts' 1st goal in the 14th minute.
  • Belmopan Emeralds Victorious In Miley Garcia Cayo Softball:
    The Belmopan Capital City Emeralds and Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy both posted big wins in 2 back matches of Cayo Softball Association women's competition in Blackman Eddy on Sunday, July 21. In Game 1, both the Emeralds and the Las Flores Shooting Stars did not make the cut for the playoffs, but the game determined their final ranking. Las Flores' pitcher Guadalupe Chicas struck out 1 batter and walked 1 hitter, but gave up 18 hits. Las Flores also made 11 errors, but the Emeralds still left 8 runners on base. Paulette Flowers and Dominga Tut rounded the bases twice in the 1st inning, while Darlene Clarke, pitcher Dana Mae king, Maud Blancaneaux, Felicia Gillett and Trecia Gillett all scored to lead 9-0 in the 1st inning. Blancaneaux and Gillett crossed the plate again in the 2nd inning to lead 11-0.
  • Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy Defeats Ontario Rebels 15 to 4:
    In Game 2, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy walloped the Ontario Rebels 15- 4. Roaring Creek led 2-0 when Myralee Ho and Stephanie Francis scored in the top of the 1st inning; but Ontario's Indira Ireland and Kenreen Gillett scored in the bottom of the 1st. Ontario's pitcher, Indira Ireland, gave up 13 hits and the Rebels' made 6 errors. Roaring Creek's pitcher Leyandra Guy gave up 5 hits, struck out 1 batter and walked 2, allowing no runs in the 2nd inning. Roaring Creek soon led 10-2 when Greta Davis hit a grand slam bringing home Tanya Davis, Myralee Ho and Francis. Shadalee Ho, Karlee Bradley, Joyce Galves and Lisandra Guy also scored in the top of the 2nd.