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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.
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