Sunday, February 14, 2021

Vol. 24 No. 7 Sunday, February 14, 2021 Page 2 THE GUARDIAN Sunday, February 14, 2021 people also, just as important, people that are prepared to Briceño’s forked tongue cooperate with the government. Appearing on 7 News on Many instances we have a lot Tuesday, February 9 was Prime of people within government Minister John Briceño. He was because they pledge allegiance questioned on a number of issues to the previous government or but the one that stuck on us was to the UDP. They do every and his answer to the possibility of anything to undermine the work persons losing their jobs after of the government and many the Belize Bank completes of these people, we saw this the purchase of Scotiabank in happening, and so it was felt that Belize. Answering the question in the interest of the bus industry he stated that, “Well, I have not and to be able to provide proper seen that report. So I can’t really service to the public that that comment with certainty. But I they had to be released.” can tell you that one job loss is Absolutely no consideration one too much. And we hope that was given to the fact that these in the consolidation that they do very people were not phantom not move quickly to try to let go and in fact were at the terminals of people. But also to have some Prime Minister John Briceño when they were given their sort of social conscience that at was after hearing Briceño’s there by the previous minister. walking papers. They in fact this moment there are no jobs answer. This is the very man Many of them were just there had to stop the work they were out there. So if you were to let who just a few days earlier, on as placeholders, many of them carrying out after they were go people now there is nowhere January 20, told the nation that were not even working. Many served. Even so, there was not to go. So, we would have to take persons were being fired from of them did not even qualify though on what Briceño is now a look at that and see how best the Transport Department were for the post that they were saying, that is that when people we can discourage them from phantom workers. He said that, given. They were simply given are let go there is nowhere to letting people go.” “On the issue of the people a post because they served or go. Being slack-jawed is not that have been let go at the bus supported the former Minister of What’s even more is that the a reaction that could fully terminals, as I am told, many Transport and we need to put in firings continue. Just this week describe what the sentiment of those people were just put people that can do the work and nine persons were terminated from the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation. They now form part of a long list of hundreds of workers who have Fired for Valentine’s been fired from the Transport The Guardian has again A letter we have obtained more exposed to abject poverty. Department, the Border received confirmation that shows that a security guard was We are now seeing as many as Management agency, the Central at least nine persons have unceremoniously terminated 500 persons who have been Building Authority, the Ministry been fired from a statutory without being given a reason. terminated in this manner and of Housing, the Ministry of body. This time the firings What’s worse is that the effective the firings continue unabated. Works, the Ministry of Health, have taken place at the Belize date for the termination is no Their campaign slogan the Northern Regional Hospital, Marketing and Development other than, ‘The day of love,’- was “everybody fi win” but the San Ignacio Hospital, NHI Corporation. As has happened Valentine’s Day. apparently it is quite a different in Dangriga, the Port Authority now in countless occasions, During a pandemic, this story for the small man. There and many other institutions the firings are against those type of victimization is damning are not winning in fact, they across the country. who are at the lower strata of as those who are dependent on are losing and of all things, society. the very small salaries are now they are losing their jobs. The Guardian Protecting Freedom Rights Democracy EDITOR: Alfonso Noble ADVERTISING Louis Thompson COMPOSITOR: Kristen Jimenez REPORTER: Jem Smith RECEPTIONIST/ACCOUNTS CLERK Vanessa Gillett Published by The Guardian Newspaper Limited Cor. Ebony St. & Bel China Bridge, P. O. Box 1898 Belize City, Belize Telephone: 207-5346, 207-5347 Fax: 227-5343 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Website: www.guardian.bz Printed by The Guardian Press Cor. Ebony St. & Bel China Bridge, P. O. Box 1898 Belize City, Belize Page 3 THE GUARDIAN Sunday, February 14, 2021 American national found The Biting Dog with cannabis items Contributed tell they eh no wah bite people The people of Belize are again.” Even after the warning: suffering under the wrath of “Unnu no loose da dog cause e the People’s United Party and wah bite Unnu.” it brings to mind an analogy of The Belizean people did not a biting dog that has been kept listen and gone loose the dog tied up. ...and as they loose ah, the dog Imagine, the people of bite deh! Belize have been consistently No more food pantry, no been told for years that, “this dog more Covid financial relief, bite and it must be kept tied.” mass firings of poor people, pay They were told that, ”you see ah cuts for public officers coming bite people already. You know soon, gas raised seven times this dog bite and because ah dat since elections, teachers got deh tie the dog to a big tree for their paid study leave canceled, Plastic bag containing cannabis 12 years.” School tuition subsidy canceled, An American national has Now the people started to CXC subsidies canceled and the been detained pending charges feel sorry for the dog and said, list goes on and on and on. But relating to a series of illegal drug “Mek we loose ah cause the dog everybody Fu win though! items found inside his luggage at the Philip Goldson International Airport. The discovery took place at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 while a Customs Officer was conducting luggage inspection. Inside his luggage, the officer found seven transparent plastic bags containing suspected cannabis ranging between 140 and 390 grams, a plastic bag containing concentrated cannabis wax, and an envelope containing suspected cannabis seeds. He was handed over to the Ladyville Police and remains in detention. PUP witch hunt circus begins The former Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, the Financial Secretary Joseph Waight and the director of the Vehicle Care Unit, Ruperto Vicente are the first persons to be summoned to testify in the first PUP-orchestrated witch hunt. They are trying to prove that there was wrongful disposal of government assets during the last year of the UDP’s tenure of office. Former Prime Minister Barrow has expressed his full willingness to participate in the charade and will be making an appearance on Monday, February 15. The hearings are to take place in Belize City at the House of Culture starting at 9 a.m. Page 4 THE GUARDIAN Sunday, February 14, 2021 Tweedle Dee, BTL employees Tweddle Dum win more taxes Employees at Belize receive these allowances, there is Telemedia Limited are up in apprehension by the larger staff arms after an announcement that there are additional taxes, was made by the company’s which will be levied on them. management that additional taxes One employee told The Guardian will be levied on their income. that he fears that even their phone According to an internal bulletin, benefits will be taxed. it states that employees will now The move to tax the be taxed on Telecom Benefits, employees further comes at a Transport Allowance, Vehicle most inopportune time as the Maintenance Allowance, and workers are have already received Oscar Mira Alex Balona Vehicle Insurance Allowance. a salary cut, which as a result of It appears as if though a completely different Bill. It While not all staff members the pandemic. this PUP government is good was not until the Leader of the at three things. Those are, (1) Opposition, Hon. Patrick Faber, yet to be presented. that if every person of the hiring relatives and friends; (2) pointed out to the Speaker, Then there is the Jose 1,000 workers were to earn firing people who work menial who was then shown the error Abelardo Mai; he does not only $200 per week it means the jobs and (3) making fools of by the Clerk, was the Prime have a problem with Phonics, sum total in income would themselves. Over the past three Minister forced to admit that he is apparently some sort of be $800,000 per week. Now, months we have discussed the he had made a fool of himself. “MATHEMATICAL GENIUS”. basic arithmetic tells us that it first two on numerous occasions; He made a presentation on the He gave an interview on the should actually be $200,000. however, we have not discussed wrong motion. He was then reopening of the Corozal With these types of leaders we the third. During last Friday’s given the opportunity to present Free zone.

Load more