March 16, 2016 issue of The Capital Weekly is online HERE

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.