Just Drop the Electricity Rates

Thursday, January 19, 2012 Capital Weekly Page 1 CapitalCapital FromFromWeekly Weekly thethe HeartHeart ofof thethe NationNation toto thethe SoulSoul ofof thethe PeoplePeople No. 019 Thursday, January 19, 2012 Price: $1.00 Quit the Quibbling ! Just Drop the Electricity Rates Jeffrey Locke, CEO of BEL John Avery, Chairman of the PUC and dividends to shareholders, and good; and, on the face of utilities. In the long term, how- - Contributed while another had submitted a it, Belizean consumers and mi- ever, it is left to be seen whether s we entered 2012, request for a rate review that nority shareholders seem to these corporations will truly one of our government- would almost certainly lead to a be getting some immediate, benefit the masses in a manner owned public utilities reduction in rates to consumers. tangible benefits from Govern- A (Continued on Page 19) had just reported healthy profits That is all well ment’s nationalization of public Sedi Shines the Light on PUP Saldivar Scolds the PUP See Page 12 See Page 4 From the Heart of the Nation to the Soul of the People Hon. Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Pickstock Area Representative Hon. John Saldivar, Belmopan Area Representative Page 2 Capital Weekly Thursday, January 19, 2012 From the Desk Shoman Casts Stones of the Chairman She is NOT Without Sin! Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Borrow a Page from Barrow’s Book during his contribution to the debate at last Friday’s House sit- minate binding contracts ting (reproduced on page 12), and agreements, but there is reminded those on the Opposi- no way one can afford to be tion side of two important quo- intimidated by the threat of tations from the Good Book as possible litigation when the spoken by the greatest teacher righteous objective is to de- of all times, Christ himself. fend the interest of the Peo- One of those quotations ple, especially when one is is, “Let he who is without sin elected by the People them- cast the first stone.” (John 8:7). The message has cer- selves. After all, there is no tainly not gotten across, as this court bigger than the Peo- week when the Senate con- Lisa Shoman ple’s Court, and no justice vened, one of the first stones Gave up SSB $3.34 Million greater than Social Justice. to be cast came from none Look at the example gesting that where apparent other than Lisa Shoman, the wrongdoing is exposed, the Prime Minister Barrow has same woman who, as attorney set at the level of Central UDP should not deal with it as for the said corporation in it is doing in this and other such Government, having acted question, SSB, gave up 3.34 instances. But for those on the Delroy Cuthkelvin decisively and fearlessly in Million of the People’s money other side who the World and Chairman, Editorial Board the face of the biggest guns that the Court had earlier Country knows could hardly be we have ever known in Be- ordered the late Harry Cour- matched, let alone outdone, by lize when it comes to legal e sympathize tenay to pay back to the SSB. anyone, where abuse of public with the Belize battles. The Prime Minis- It was during the 1989 resources is concerned, is cer- City Council ter has, of course, acted in to 1993 PUP administration tainly the heights of hypocrisy. Wover the bind in which the best interest of Belize that Harry Courtenay, acting It’s precisely the kind it has consistently found and the Belizean People. on behalf of Social Security, of thing the good master itself where the garbage There have been got the money to purchase cautioned us against, and situation is concerned; enormous challenges along shares in a hydroelectric com- which Hon. Sedi Elrington but we believe it is the the way, countless twists pany, BECOL. The shares were reminded us of last week. inevitable result of a fail- and turns, and still some never obtained by SSB, and the Stop casting stones, Miss ure to act decisively and daunting curves ahead, but Courts later ordered Courte- Shoman! You, of all people, es- resolutely in terminating he and his government have nay to return the money to SSB. pecially where SSB is concerned, the corrupt arrangements steadily been progressing But, shortly after the are certainly not without sin! inherited from the PUP. towards the ultimate goal, PUP returned to office in 1998, We had said it from which is to secure the future Lisa Shoman, acting as attorney the start, and we are say- of our Country and People. for the Social Security Board, ing it again. The garbage If our political lead- informed the Chief Justice Capital Weekly disposal contracts, like ers at the municipal level that SSB had no desire to have From the Heart of the Nation most other things under wish to be truly successful, the judgment enforced. It goes To the Soul of the People the last PUP administra- they should follow the ex- without saying that Shoman, tion, were conceived in ample of Honorable Dean thorough that single action, Published By: corruption; and for that Barrow who, by his deci- cost the government and peo- Roots & Rhythm Ltd. ple of Belize 3.34 Million. reason, they can never and sive and resolute actions 15 Gibnut Street Now she comes casting will never be executed with on behalf of the Belizean Belmopan stones at employees of the very honesty and efficiency. people, is quickly making a same corporation, SSB. One Upon taking office name for himself as one of Chairman: would have to ask, how many the most patriotic and im- Delroy Cuthkelvin in 2006, other munici- millions have the employees of pacting leaders of all time, pal councils found them- SSB cost the government and selves in similar binds, not just in Belize, but the Compositor: people of Belize through their William Cuthkelvin and did not hesitate to put entire region and the world. efforts to get on the housing an end to those arrange- Borrow a page from mortgage write-off list. And Telephone: ments. For them, in this Mr. Barrow’s book; and even if they were successful, 802-1284 regard, things have since your name will go down in how much money would it been working out well. history as one who was not have cost us? We dare say it Email: afraid to defend, against There are always certainly wouldn’t be any- capitalweekly_bze all odds, the interest of the legal considerations en- thing close to 3.34 Million. @yahoo.com tailed in decisions to ter- People who elected you. We are NOT at all sug- Thursday, January 19, 2012 Capital Weekly Page 3 Prime Minister Dean Barrow On Lowering of Electricity Rates (Statement Made During House Meeting, Friday January, 13, 2012) esterday, the and were prepared to cut off our Public Utilities power supply and plunge the na- Commission of tion into darkness, if we did not Belize announcedY its initial de- knuckle under to their blackmail. cision with respect to the 2012 But the United Demo- Full Tariff Review Proceeding. cratic Party braved local and On behalf of the Government international wrath, to do the and People of Belize, I wel- courageous thing; the national- come that decision and greet istic thing; the right thing. Today it with applause and jubilation. is therefore the sweetest possible The short summary of consummation and vindication that decision is that electric- of Belizean courage, of a signal ity rates will now go down by Belizean brave-heart, histori- almost 3 cents per Kilowatt cal watershed (Applause). Mr. hour. In percentage terms, Mr. Speaker, the spirit of the Baymen Speaker, this is a 6.14 percent lives and is triumphantly rein- reduction to consumers; and this carnated in a United Democratic is the greatest gift over which Party that is Always for the People. this administration (Applause), Mr. Speaker, in real this is the greatest New Year’s terms, the 6.14 percent reduc- gift over which we are presid- tion in electricity rates is about ing. Of course, Mr. Speaker, 12 Million dollars in annual while it is the greatest gift, it is savings to the consumer. That not the only gift, as later I will Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow is new money now in dispos- able income to help with per- be introducing the 17 Million will go down further now to 24 For, Mr. Speaker, the sonal spending and economic dollar Social Security Board cents. And, as I said, the number Country will remember that none regeneration, and I say it is Mortgage Write Off Motion. of around 7,000 or so persons of this would have been possible one hell of a stimulus package. But, Mr. Speaker, this that pay only the social rate were it not for the bold history- Of course, Mr. Speaker, slashing of electricity bills to all will increase to 8,000 persons. making decision of the UDP consumers is an unprecedented when you look at the details, historical achievement; if you “It is a price that is willingly paid by this no one will miss the fact that will forgive me, the pièce de ré- Government, a government that is indubitably, the only bill that doesn’t go sistance, the jewel in the crown inarguably, and as a matter of conviction, down is what, in an otherwise of Government’s sparkling pano- belief, philosophy and our very Heart across the board the reduction, ply of pro-people initiatives. and our very Soul, Always for the People” is government’s bill for street lighting.

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