Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1

NO. 3470 CITY, FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2021 (40 PAGES) $1.50 UDP coup de théâtre: ousts Patrick

BELIZE CITY. Thurs. June 24, 2021 Barrow will now assume that role in The United Democratic Party has the House of Representatives after been steeped in uncertainty as back- being officially sworn in by the room conversations take place, Governor General today. various UDP members join different In a letter dated June 20, the self- party factions, and internal party proclaimed UDP “Chief Whip”, Hon. processes are triggered — all in an Shyne Barrow sent a letter to H.E. effort to determine the leadership of Froyla Tzalam, in which he invoked the party. On Monday evening there section 47 (5) of the Belize was another unexpected twist in the Constitution, which provides for plot when Hon. Shyne Barrow, the members of the Opposition to oust recently elected area representative their leader if he or she no longer of the Mesopotamia division and son enjoys the support of the majority of of former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. the Opposition members. , was declared the new Leader of the Opposition. Hon. Please turn to„Page 38 Robbery turned murder Man drowns after in St. Margaret’s falling into well Blue Economy vs the

Artie Hall is believed to have suffered fishing community a seizure before falling to his death

CAYO DISTRICT, Thurs. June 23, 2021 SAN ANTONIO, , Yesterday, a man was killed near the Bird Walk community Wed. June 23, 2021 during a robbery carried out by This morning, tragedy struck the by Dayne Guy 6 armed men. Vicente Garanza, Please turn to„Page 2 village of San Antonio, Corozal, when a resident of the village, 34- , Wed. June 23, 2021 year-old Artie Hall, who has had a There is a growing rift between the Ministry of Covid clusters in Orange Walk history of epileptic seizures, the Blue Economy and many local fishermen, some apparently toppled into the local of whom already felt aggrieved after their efforts by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) water well, and died as a result. to overturn a ban on gill-net fishing failed. Fishermen countrywide are now decrying a ORANGE WALK, Wed. June 23, 2021 Please turn to„Page 39 Statutory Instrument (SI) that allows permanent Following a period during which it seemed that the spread residents to apply for licenses to fish in Belize’s of COVID-19 waters. Many in the local fishing community are was slowing John McAfee claiming that SI No. 57 of 2021, which they say almost to a halt, was passed without their consultation, places there has been a dead at 75 Belizean fisherfolk Please turn to Page 39 recent upsurge of (See story on page 4) at a disadvantage. „ cases once again in northern

Please„ turn to COVID-19 vaccination campaign re-launched (See story on page 38) Page 39 Page 2 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Man charged for RTA AG gives update on that killed ASP Neal Whistleblowers Bill

by Dayne Guy by Dayne Guy COROZAL, Tues. June 22, 2021 A man has been formally charged BELMOPAN, Mon. June 21, for the road traffic accident that 2021 caused the death of Assistant The Protected Disclosures Superintendent of Police (ASP), Bill has been touted as a Fernando Gilman Neal. After mechanism to end corruption conducting an investigation, the in the public and private police apprehended Eyder Radier sector through the provision Sanchez, a resident of San Roman of protection for those Village, and charged him for eight persons who come forward offenses — death by careless to expose wrongdoing. Those conduct, manslaughter by negligence, persons, under such a law, failure to keep as close as possible would be able to report to the right-hand side of the road, unlawful activity in the failure to report an accident, causing colliding into the right side of their workplace without fear of negligent harm, driving a motor vehicle. Police who arrived on the being harmed or losing their vehicle without due care and attention scene found two totaled vehicles: a job. The law would also and two counts of failure to stop and Toyota Camry, which PC Clavel had more closely align Belize’s render aid. Sanchez was arraigned in been driving, and an abandoned legal framework with the standards of and what they felt could work within the Corozal Magistrate’s Court and pickup truck, which Sanchez had been the United Nations Convention Against the domestic legal framework, but the has since been granted bail of $8,000. driving before he fled the scene. Corruption (UNCAC), which Belize unions have put forward their The accident which caused ASP Neal was trapped in the vehicle signed onto a few years ago. While comments and we will study them and Neal’s death occurred between Miles following the incident and had to be being interviewed by local media, the the Cabinet will be deciding on those.” 76 and 77 on the Philip Goldson freed by Fire Department personnel Attorney General of Belize, Hon. Using data and guidelines from Highway. It has been reported that the when they arrived on the scene. Neal Magali Marin Young, gave an update Transparency International, the Belize senior police officer, Neal, was a and Clavel were both transported to on the progress that has been made in Chamber of Commerce and Industry passenger in a vehicle being driven the Corozal Community Hospital, their efforts to enact the newly drafted (BCCI) had published a review of the by a fellow police officer, 22-year- where Neal succumbed to his injuries bill and the next steps that must be bill and provided an analysis of its old Didier Clavel, when a passing and Clavel is currently being treated taken. current strengths and weaknesses. pickup truck swerved into their lane, for injuries he received in the accident. “The unions have written to the The BCCI’s review notes that the committee, and there will be further drafted bill does not adequately consultations with them on that ensure personal protection for particular bill,” she said. Marin Young whistleblowers and their families Unions and GoB to meet in court said that her ministry (The Office of and it does not explicitly outline the Attorney General) has been tasked provisions that give an employee the with reviewing the recommendations right to “refuse participation in brought forward by the unions and wrongdoing.” Another key area of advising the Cabinet based on these concern was the ability of recommendations, after which whistleblowers to report to external revisions to the bill will be carried parties. Of the 12 designated out. authorities in the drafted bill to “I have indicated to you that the which whistleblowers can pass on ministry is understaffed in the legal information about wrongdoing, all drafting unit, but as a measure of good are public sector entities. The faith, the government wanted to show review called for the inclusion of the unions that it was serious about external entities like the media, trade good governance,” said the Attorney unions, and other civil society General. She added, “[The organizations so as to increase the government] asked us to prioritize effectiveness of the good good governance bills and the governance legislation. Protected Disclosures is one of them... The Attorney General stated that, The Crown Counsel tried to do a like the BCCI’s review, the comparative review in the region and recommendations submitted by the their draft was based on that review unions were all policy-oriented.

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2021 if they want to go to the courts. And, Today, Prime Minister John if they do, we will also go and Robbery turned murder Briceño acknowledged his represent our part, to defend the government’s receipt of a document position that we took.” that officially notified his While the rightfulness and legality in St. Margaret’s administration of the BNTU’s court of that position will be reviewed in action against the implemented salary the courts, PM Briceño stated that he Continued from Page 1 what occurred have not yet been cuts. Following the end of the five- is still grateful that the members of „ released, initial reports are indicating week strike, the Joint Unions decided the Joint Union have come off the the victim, and his wife, Celfa that at some point during the robbery, to relent and end their streets and returned to their Garanza, were reportedly on their Vicente Garanza was shot at least three demonstrations. While the respective posts. He also remarked way to purchase vegetables in the Bird times by the robbers. He passed away government might have viewed the that while he respects the position of Walk area when they were confronted at the crime scene, inside his truck. move with a sense of relief, they will the unions, he believes that the by the armed robbers. The six men, who all escaped, are now have to face the Unions in court. residents of the country must work It appears that the robbery was being sought by police at this time. According to PM Briceño, however, together to either “swim or sink.” well-orchestrated, as the men formed This alleged robbery-turned-murder is “As I tell everybody, all of us are his administration is prepared to a makeshift roadblock to stop being investigated by police at this defend the government’s position in in this thing together. We either swim that arena together or we sink together. I am Garanza’s Isuzu truck in its tracks. time. While the facts about the incident During an interview in Orange looking and doing everything The bandits then held them at so far suggest robbery as the motive, Walk today, he said, “We are taking possible so that we can swim together gunpoint. During the hold-up, a police investigation will determine a look at all of that. I believe we got towards the shore, where we can Garanza’s wife reportedly handed whether this was indeed the case, or good legal advice as to how we are have better opportunities for over five thousand dollars in cash to whether there were other motives for going about doing that. It’s their right everyone,” the Prime Minister said. them. While details regarding exactly this recent murder. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 3 PM wishes Shyne best of luck

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 24, 2021 between Faber and the mother of his As reported, the Hon. Shyne daughter surfaced on social media. Barrow has taken the Opposition’s While being interviewed, PM head seat in the House of Briceño additionally remarked, “It is Representatives after a series of unfortunate that the Opposition is events that occurred in rapid imploding. I know everybody likes succession this week — thus to say that it is good to have a strong sidelining the current, embattled UDP opposition, and of course, an leader, Hon. Patrick Faber. Barrow opponent would want a weak now assumes the role of Leader of opponent. But, at the end of the day, the Opposition. When interviewed by it is quite unfortunate what is local media, Prime Minister John happening to them.” Briceño wished Hon. Barrow the best The newly formed UDP Caucus for of luck but questioned how he will Change, represented by Tony “manage,” given the deep division in Herrera, along with Port Loyola the Opposition. standard bearer, Philip Willoughby, “As to the new Leader of the initiated a recall petition last week Opposition, I wish him well. I do not to remove Faber as UDP party leader. know how you will be able to So far, reportedly more than 290 manage when you have such deep signatures have been garnered from hangs on a precipice as he waits for political party, and noted that the PUP divisions,” the Prime Minister UDP delegates who support the the process of the recall petition to had, at one point, 4 leaders in just quipped. petition. And, with Shyne’s seizure play out. over 2 years. Over the past two weeks, the of the Opposition Leader’s role in the And while Prime Minister Briceno Peyrefitte said that the party is leader of the United Democratic House, all power will be stripped calls the upheaval within the UDP working on getting its footing after Party, Hon. Faber, has seemingly been from Faber if an additional handful “unfortunate”, the UDP chairman, the resignation of Rt. Hon. Dean the party’s public enemy number 1 of the party’s delegates vote against Michael Peyrefitte, said that such Barrow, who was its maximum after a video of a domestic altercation him. Faber’s leadership of the UDP occurrences are common in every leader for almost 20 years. PM on IMF Cattle breeders trained in

with the unions, drafted its austerity budget, and pressed negotiations with IVF/embryonic transfer the holders of the Superbond to get an across-the-board discount and that this has reduced the doubts they had about the country’s ability to do what is necessary to achieve a fiscal rebound. “When they saw how we managed and handled the consultations with the unions, setting up the budget, setting up the renegotiations of the Superbond, I think they saw that we are serious, that we are determined, and that we are focused in what we BELIZE CITY. Thurs. June 24, 2021 want to do, is to be able to fix the While being interviewed by the Belizean economy to put Belize in a media yesterday, Prime Minister Hon. sustainable path, to address the issue John Briceño said that he believes that of the debt and address the issue of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) poverty and the economy and to will agree to Belize’s homegrown plan create opportunities for everyone,” of recovery, given the government’s Hon. Briceño said. recent actions aimed at achieving Prime Minister Briceño also said fiscal balance. that at this time his government is not As was widely reported, the IMF planning to broaden the tax base by by Dayne Guy improvement at the Central Farm has recommended that the country sign taxing zero-rated items, as Station. In-vitro fertilization and on to a standby agreement as a buffer recommended by the IMF. BELMOPAN, Mon. June 21, 2021 embryo transfers are two of the solution for the dire economic state in “What we are looking at is trying On Monday, June 24, the Minister methods the ministry is intending to which the country finds itself. The to address what is in front of us. The of Agriculture, Food Security, and initialize to increase the quality of Briceño administration has been whole issue of how we can get the Enterprise, Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, beef and meat exports. adamant that the country will instead economy going, how we can collect alongside a delegation of livestock In-vitro fertilization (IVF) for carry out a homegrown plan of the taxes we should be collecting. officers and private livestock livestock has many advantages and recovery, in order to avoid the And once we address those issues, I breeders from across the country, may make it easier for farmers to dreaded measures that an IMF plan believe we are going to be fine. But visited the Princess Hotel in the produce higher-quality animal would likely require the government only time will tell as to what exactly Corozal Free Zone to attend a session products in a faster, more efficient to put in place. needs to be done. Right now, we have on bovine embryonic transplantation way. IVF allows breeders to improve “The IMF, what they finally said set our targets and we believe we can using in-vitro fertilization. the genetic makeup being passed on publicly is what they told us privately reach our targets if everybody does The sessions were led by Mexican through livestock generations by — that, of course, the history that we their part,” said Hon. Briceño. experts in the field, Dr. Juan Carlos selecting its most profitable animals have with the IMF is not a good one, Also, when he was asked to give Barros, Mr. Tobias Vasquez Casalez, (for example, cows that generate so obviously there was a lot of an update on the status of the dialogue Mr. Carlos Ortiz Manzo, and Mr. Eli more, better-tasting milk; or cows concerns whether we would have the with the bondholders, the Prime Eric Rodriguez Arevalo, and their with the most succulent meat) and discipline to carry through. But they Minister said that negotiations have presentations covered all aspects of replicating their traits. told us from early that if we can hold begun in earnest. embryo transfer protocol and Furthermore, it allows for on to what we said we are going to “We will not start the actual techniques. livestock to produce more offspring do, we would be able to get out of negotiations, and we are very In-vitro fertilization is an advanced than would normally be produced, this difficult situation,” Prime Minister optimistic, we are very hopeful that reproductive technology that allows and in a shorter period of time. Briceño disclosed. we will be able to restructure the for more selective breeding. The Research from progressivedairy.org The Prime Minister believes that the Superbond and to be able to save a Ministry of Agriculture is currently states that even pregnant donors may IMF has been observing how his large sum of money for the Belizean exploring the use of selective cattle still reproduce throughout the first government managed its consultations people,” said Hon. Briceño. breeding for genetic livestock trimester of their pregnancy. Page 4 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 UN votes to end Cuba embargo; Biden refuses

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2021 with Cuba. Ambassador Perez noted Today, the United Nations General that this weakens the region and limits Assembly adopted for the 29th time a cooperation. resolution calling for the end of the “[To] sanction the company that tries economic, commercial, and financial to invest in Cuba, the persecution of embargo against Cuba, which was companies that tries to do business with supported by almost all member Cuba, the persecution of the financial nations, but was opposed by the United transactions in order that no penny go States and Israel — both of whom have into the Cuban economy; the object is held on to their unwavering stance for very cruel. We call it genocide, not decades. because we want; it is a genocide,” the At the end of the day’s vote, 184 ambassador said. countries, an overwhelming majority, “The blockade has caused voted against the blockade, described incalculable humanitarian damages. It by the Cuban front as “an act of is a flagrant, massive and systematic genocide.” The United States had voted violation of human rights,” Cuba’s against the UN resolution for 24 years Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez before abstaining for the first time in Parrilla, said in a 2019 statement. “It 2016 under the administration of qualifies as an act of genocide under of supplies to Cuba,” Ambassador ambassador to the United Nations told President Barack Obama. Articles II (b) and (c) of the Convention Perez said. the UN General Assembly that the The relationship that was beginning on the Prevention and Punishment of She revealed that over the first year sanction’s purpose was to “advance to take shape between Washington and the Crime of Genocide, adopted in of the pandemic, the country has been democracy” and “promote respect for Havana disintegrated after the election 1948. There is not one single Cuban deprived of diagnostic kits, ventilators the human rights of the Cuban people.” of former President Donald Trump, family that has not suffered the and various other supplies the country According to Reuters, he said, “We who intensified the embargo and even consequences of this,” he had noted. needs for its health system. recognize the challenges the Cuban placed Cuba on a list of terrorist The standing embargo against the “Believe me, in 2020, in the people face. That is why the United sponsors. Interestingly, President Joe Cuban people and government has its pandemic, the blockade has been even States is a significant supplier of Biden, the US vice-president during the origins in the Cold War. Revolutionary worse. It’s something that all the humanitarian goods to the Cuban Obama administration, had vowed, leader Fidel Castro seized power from countries seen, and no one can say that people and one of Cuba’s principal during his campaign, to relax some US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista the blockade did not affect Cuba. It is trading partners.” portions of the embargo against the and reformed Cuba’s political and the main obstacle for the development Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez country. This recent US vote at the UN economic system alongside his band of my country and the main obstacle to also mentioned the difficulty in breaks away from those campaign of revolutionaries. the human rights of my country. We need acquiring medical equipment during the promises. The United States made multiple to lift these unilateral measures, we pandemic due to the sanctions. “Like In an interview with , the attempts to topple the Castro regime, need to live in peace and we need to the virus, the blockade asphyxiates and Cuban Ambassador to Belize, H.E. all of which failed, making Cuban the live in cooperation.” kills, it must stop,” Minister Rodriguez Lissette Perez, said that the unilateral only country in our region with a During his remarks, the U.S said. measures that the US is imposing on Marxist–Leninist socialist political Cuba are illegal and against system. The United States has been international law. adamantly against the political and “The majority of the international economic ideology of the country since John McAfee dead at 75 community says yes to the resolution the late 1950s. (From page 1) and no to the blockade. That was the In her comments on the the United strong message that the international States’ stance, Ambassador Perez said, community sent today to the US,” H.E. “The spirit of the US in this matter is BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Perez said. very illegal and immoral because they June 24, 2021 While only the US Congress has the want to create a very dangerous Computer genius and authority to lift the blockade, situation in Cuba affecting the people, antivirus software Ambassador Perez pointed out that affecting the population, with the pioneer, John McAfee President Biden has executive powers objective to remove our political and reportedly died in a to relax a lot of measures currently economical system. This is the main prison cell in Barcelona, affecting Cuba. objective that they have had for many Spain, on Wednesday “The President of the United States years, for 50 years, and we are still afternoon. An initial has a lot of power to release and here, we are still here. They are still investigation indicated remove a lot of measures. It’s what applying this kind of policy that made that he could have died Obama did in his period. He started a our people suffer, and we have to by suicide. new policy, he started a new policy and denounce that at the United Nations, and McAfee, who had he took some executive power in terms we do that in all the international resided in Belize for a number of 2016, 2017, and 2018, and of of travel to Cuba... [With] the President forums, and of course, we can count on years on the island of San Pedro, was promoting a cryptocurrency scam that that came after that, this was all set back, the international community in this being sought by Belize’s Police yielded almost 13 million dollars. and let me tell you, more than 200 [matter] because the countries know that Department in connection with the The amount of taxes he owed to the measures were established by that it is illegal, that it is unfair and that it is death of his neighbor, Gregory Faull, United States was not specified. administration,” Ambassador Perez a crime against Cuba. “ on the island back in 2012. The Associated Press reported that said. She said that the resilience of the He was never questioned or McAfee called the charges against The 200 measures continue to limit people and the understanding of the charged for the crime in Belize, since him “politically motivated” during a the livelihood of the Cuban people and objective of the powers against them he reportedly fled through the virtual hearing in a Spanish court prevent the country from becoming a has caused them to remain steadfast and Belizean jungles and absconded to earlier this month. more meaningful contributor to Latin dedicated to the ideology of the before being detained by The last 20 years of McAfee’s life American and Caribbean affairs. revolution. However, with the authorities. were unusual. After fleeing Belize to “This is very important for the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic McAfee later showed up back in avoid being implicated for the death region, because Cuba is a good friend last year, the people of Cuba have been the United States and was sued by of his neighbor, he spent some time of CARICOM, we are a good friend in greatly affected by the blockade. the family of Gregory Faull and found in Guatemala before moving to the region offering and promoting “We feel the external pressure of the liable in Florida. Montreal. He later worked on a cooperation and solidarity. This kind US in this regard, but you know, our McAfee subsequently left the US documentary project chronicling his of policy against Cuba is bad for the people are very resilient of that, we and traveled to Europe, where an life and ran for president of the region in terms of cooperation among are very resilient and we have the order for his extradition back to the United States in 2017 as a us,” said Ambassador Perez. consciousness [of] what is happening US was approved by Spain’s National Libertarian. Hoping for a comeback Over the years there have been overt and what this policy means for Cuba, Court in Madrid earlier this week. on the technology front, he had and covert sanctions against companies but of course, in the Covid pandemic, Last October he was arrested in announced the launch of a new and countries which have attempted to in 2020 it has been more cruel because Spain after being found guilty of tax security software which he had called engage in trade and diplomatic relations this kind of policy prevents the arrival evasion for three separate tax years, a “f—ing game changer”. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 5

UDP in disarray

A little over six months ago the United Democratic Party the 1990s they had emerged as favorites of the party, and in (UDP) had the majority in the House of Representatives, and 2003 both of them entered and became permanent residents everyone who knows the political realities in our country is in the House. aware that this meant the party’s leaders had near Barrow, however, apparently favored a senator, Hon. Mike unchallenged power. Belize chose to continue the Westminster Peyrefitte, to become the new leader of the party. Peyrefitte, System when it became an independent country in 1981, who didn’t have a seat in the House of Representatives, was and term after term, with few exceptions, successive aiming to become the standard bearer for the UDP in Port governments have eroded that highly respected and functional Loyola and, realizing that success for Peyrefitte could system until all the honor has been washed out of it. negatively impact the aspirations both shared, Faber and No party disappointed the people of Belize more than the Saldivar became bedfellows and threw their support behind UDP when it came to power in 2008. The previous Philip Willoughby, who was running against Peyrefitte. administration, the People’s United Party (PUP), featured a Willoughby won. few powerful individuals who were not very honest when their Barrow retired from electoral politics, but he wasn’t done party had control of our finances and natural resources, and with holding influence over the party. He installed his sister, the UDP came to power on a promise to improve our Denise Barrow, as standard bearer in the Queen’s Square governance so that no leaders would ever again be able to Division, which he had won in eight consecutive general raid our resources with impunity. elections, and he installed his son, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, as The UDP failed to address the serious governance issues, standard bearer in Mesopotamia, the stomping grounds of and gradually, over its terms (3) in office, it became just like Moses Barrow’s uncle, Michael Finnegan, who was also retiring. or worse than the ones whom we and they had condemned. Faber and Saldivar faced off at the Belize Civic Center in The party was shellacked in the general elections in November Belize City in February 2020 for the vacant post of leader of 2020, 26 to 5, and again in the municipal elections in March the UDP, and with Moses Barrow and Denise Barrow putting 2021, 65 to 2, and now finds itself in major disarray. their support behind Saldivar, he was victorious. However, The party’s leadership problems began over a matter of mere days after gaining the prize he had sought so feverishly, succession, and it began prior to the 2020 general elections. Saldivar had to step down after evidence surfaced that he Belize’s Constitution only allows a political leader to hold the had lied to the Prime Minister about his association with a US seat of prime minister for three terms, and the UDP’s leader, felon, Lev Dermin. Dean Barrow, had sat as Inexplicably, Saldivar ran again when the UDP held a prime minister after leading subsequent convention, in July 2020, to choose a new party his party to three consecutive leader, but this time the Barrows, Denise and Moses, threw general election victories. their support behind Faber, who won a closely contested race. Barrow, an astute and Stale, corrupt to the marrow, and divided, Faber and the UDP committed politician, secured were trounced in the general elections in November 2020, Amandala(estb. 1969) Business and editorial offices: his victories by taking and the municipal elections in March 2021. 3304 Partridge Street, Belize advantage of an ideological As leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition, Faber has been unable City, Belize, war inside the main or unwilling to get into bed with leaders of the UDP who are is printed twice weekly by the opposition party, PUP; perceived to have become some of the worst crooks in the Amandala Press. spending soft loan funds country when they held office, and he has been dogged by Telephones: 501-280-4703/ derived from the Alba Petro volatile relationships with women. The people of Belize don’t 501-202-4477 Caribe Program and royalties/ consider Faber to be corrupt, which is a plus, but his not taxes from recently compromising with the wing of the UDP who are happy to say Publisher: Evan X Hyde discovered oil wells in they are not as corrupt as the PUP, has him out on a limb. Editor-in-chief: Marco Lopez Spanish Lookout on glitzy Opportunists, or his enemies, moved to remove Faber as Business Manager: Jacinta Hyde projects that created the leader of the UDP after a tape emerged which showed him in illusion that his party was an unseemly domestic situation with the mother of one of his Make-up & Design growing the economy; and children. This week Hon. Moses Barrow took a letter to the Artist: Andrea Dennison calling a snap election that got Governor General to inform her that Faber no longer enjoys Executive Secretary: Odessa his party past the post in the the support of the majority of the UDP members in the House Robinson Smith 2015 general elections before and that he should be anointed as the new Leader of the Compositor: Tyra Welch the horrible details of the Opposition. Faber, shortly, will also be tested at a convention Lithography: Clive Smith transaction to get back BTL after 290 delegates of the party signed a recall petition because, Printers: Kent Brooks (Belize Telemedia Ltd.) were they say, his personal conduct, in respect to certain relationships revealed. with women, makes him unfit to serve the party as leader. Replacing its most The UDP is in disarray, in an all-out war between a group that Please email Correspondence: successful leader with respect says it isn’t as corrupt as the PUP which the people ousted in [email protected] to election victories has been 2008, and a group that might not be pro-good-governance but difficult for the UDP and great is clearly not hell- bent on robbing the country’s assets. Because Advertisements to: theater for the people. When of the depth of the division within the party, it is likely that a [email protected] the selection of a new leader consensus leader will not emerge for some time yet. Mailing Address: of the UDP became necessary, The rumble within UDP ranks has created a vacuum, one Amandala Press all eyes were on Hon. Patrick that one or all of the third parties in the country would have 3304 Partridge Street Faber and Hon. John Saldivar, been able to capitalize on, if their viability wasn’t severely c/o P.O. Box 15, and it was a near certainty that curtailed by our stifling first-past-the-post electoral system. Belize City, Belize one of the two would emerge So they, like the rest of us, can only stand on the sidelines with the crown. Those two gawking at the spectacle of this former monster—in total Amandala’s website: joined the UDP as youths; by disarray. amandala.com.bz Page 6 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Aye, Wi Di Feel Di Pinch!

money in the bank. A good friend of mine others $400 plus dollars each month! This crash! More than just that, there is the usually says, “the eagle land”! But at this is merely the 10% reduction, having not trickling down effect. Many of these time, however, da nuh no eagle land — even taken into account the losses that “economic vehicles” are carrying more da blackbird pitch! will be accrued and pegged to this from than two passengers. Apart from the driver Teachers and public servants across the increment freeze. and the passenger, there are dependents this country are currently grappling with So go figure how hard-hit the teachers sitting at the back who depend on the the grim statement from their accounts. and public servants all over this country driver and the passenger to see them Finances are in disarray, and personal have been with the pitching of this through, (financially) that is. economic balance is tipping one way or “blackbird”. They are literally marred by Therefore, the negative implications of the other, and it doesn’t look good! This this most apathetic “Hail Mary” that has this salary reduction are more far-reaching is because accounts are reflecting a been invoked by this government as a than not. It is not only the primary significant dip in their salaries, and they sort of panacea to save the ailing recipients who are affected, but all those are utterly confounded by this sudden economy. The financial shock and impact in line who (too) depend on their salaries. drop. I mean, despite the fact that it was being felt among this group is most salient Without a doubt, I tell you, aye, people negotiated and discussed over a and profound — melancholic despair for di feel the pinch — and oh, does it hurt protracted period of time, hearing about many. and leave a bruise. So, as one’s body Traditionally, whenever one’s salary is a 10% salary reduction and actually seeing While many detractors may want to aches from the pinch of this cut and as deposited (or when pay day comes, as it rear its callous wrath is a whole other say or think it’s just a cut or it is just the mind spirals aimlessly, seeking ways some folks would say), it is a most happy story. 10%, for many of those affected, it is the to cope, the soul seeks without recourse and joyous time! Colleagues and work Well, the “blackbird pitch,” and as its proverbial loose gravel that lies to soothe the bruise; all longing for the comrades would excitedly holler across name and proverbial meaning implies, it menacingly on sustenance highway. It is day when the eagle will land once more office spaces that “pay deh in” or that brought unadulterated grimness and grief eerily synonymous to that sharp deadly and the pain from this pinch will dissipate. “di ting jus drop”. Others would even for many. A large bulk of teachers will curve unbeknownst to the driver that will send a text to their close friends and work lose in excess of $200 monthly, while a send their economic vehicle careening out Unchained Reflections Of A Liberal acquaintances, notifying them that there’s chunk will lose upwards of $300, and then of control and eventually cause them to Pragmatist.

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LIQUOR LICENCE NOTICE: Notice is hereby that VINTAGE CORKER WINE BAR is applying for a Restaurant Liquor Licence, to be operated at Puesto Del Sol Bahia Apt., Caye Caulker, under the Intoxicating Liquor Licence Ordinance Revised Edition 2000. LIQUOR LICENCE NOTICE: Notice is hereby that Thomas Wilson is applying for a Liquor Licence, to be operated at H2O Tierra Ltd., Fadden Avenue Independence, Stann Creek, under the Intoxicating Liquor Licence Ordinance Revised Edition 2000. LIQUOR LICENCE NOTICE: Notice is hereby that Thomas Wilson is applying for a Liquor Licence, to be operated at H2O Tierra Ltd., Malacate, Independence, Stann Creek, under the Intoxicating Liquor Licence Ordinance Revised Edition 2000. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 7

TENDER NOTICE TENDER FOR THE GENERAL SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING, THE OLD TREASURY BUILDING, THE COURT OF APPEAL, THE SUPREME COURT LAW LIBRARY BUILDING, AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE’S RESIDENCE.

Tenders are invited for the general security and surveillance of the Supreme Court Building, the Old Treasury Building, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court Law Library Buildingand the Chief Justice’s Residence.

1. The Tender shall be for a period of two (2) years (September 1st 2021 to August LLOYD VINCENT st 31 2023) FAIRWEATHER, who passed away five sad years 2. The successful Tender will be expected to provide the following security and ago – June 27, 2016. surveillance to the following locations: a. 24 hours security to the Supreme Court Building – 4 guards for 7 days per week b. 24 hours security to the Old Treasury Building – 4 guards for 7 days per week c. 24 hours security to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court Law Library Building – 2 guard for 6:00 a.m. to 6p.m. Monday to Friday. Sarah Viola Venueva Moses d. 24 hours security service to the Chief Justice’s Residence – 1 guard for 7 days per week In loving and affectionate memory e. Daily bank deposit for General Registry Dept. – Monday to Friday of a beloved mother, grandmother, Sarah Viola Venueva Moses The cost incurred to visit the facilities to be guarded and the preparation of the bids is the Who departed this earthly life to sole responsibility of the Tenderer. eternal life on June 26, 1986, 35 The lowest or any Tender may not necessarily be accepted. sad years ago.

Tenders are to be submitted in sealed envelopes marked “TENDER FOR THE GENERAL Jesus said, “Where I am going, you They say time is a healer. SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING, THE OLD cannot come.” I give you a new But as the time goes on TREASURY BUILDING, THE COURT OF APPEAL, THE SUPREME COURT LAW commandent that you love one We seem to find it just as hard LIBRARY BUILDING, AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE’S RESIDENCE” no later than 16th another. To face the fact you’re gone. Julyat: 4:30p.m. Our beloved Sarah you impress. You’ll never be forgotten In our heart and soul the gift of And every year we’ll shed a tear, Envelopes to be delivered to: Registrar General love. But it’s only because we love you General Registry Department And wish you were still here. Treasury Lane Sadly missed by children, Belize City, Belize grandchildren and other relatives Dearly missed by widow: Wilda The General Registry Department and friends. Fairweather, daughters: Irma and The Attorney General’s Ministry Continue Rest in Peace in Christ Lloyda; brothers, sisters, and the Peace. rest of the family. Page 8 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

El UDP en desorden

Hace poco más de seis meses, el Partido Demócrata compañeros de cama y apoyaron a Philip Willoughby, Unido (UDP en inglés) tenía la mayoría en la Cámara de que competía contra Peyrefitte. Willoughby ganó. Representantes, y todos los que conocen la realidad Barrow se retiró de la política electoral, pero no dejó política de nuestro país saben que eso significaba que de tener influencia sobre el partido. Instaló a su hermana, los líderes del partido tenían un poder casi indiscutible. Denise Barrow, como abanderada en la División de Belize optó por continuar con el Sistema de Westminster Queen’s Square, que había ganado en ocho elecciones cuando se convirtió en un país independiente en 1981, generales consecutivas, e instaló a su hijo, Moses “Shyne” y período tras período, con pocas excepciones, los Barrow, como abanderado en Mesopotamia, el terreno gobiernos sucesivos han erosionado ese sistema que contralaba el tío de Moses Barrow, Michael Finnegan, altamente respetado y funcional hasta que todo el honor que también se jubilaba. ha sido eliminado. Faber y Saldivar se enfrentaron en el Centro Cívico de Ningún partido decepcionó más al pueblo de Belize Belize en la Ciudad de Belize en febrero de 2020 por el que el UDP cuando llegó al poder en 2008. La puesto vacante de líder del UDP, y con Moses Barrow y administración anterior, el Partido Unido del Pueblo (PUP), Denise Barrow apoyando a Saldivar, salió victorioso. Sin contó con algunos individuos poderosos que no eran embargo, pocos días después de obtener el premio que muy honestos cuando su partido tenía el control de había buscado tan febrilmente, Saldivar tuvo que nuestras finanzas y recursos naturales, y el UDP llegó al renunciar después de que surgieron pruebas de que le poder con la promesa de mejorar nuestra gobernanza había mentido al Primer Ministro sobre su asociación para que ningún líder pueda volver a saquear nuestros con un delincuente estadounidense, Lev Dermen. recursos con impunidad. Inexplicablemente, Saldivar volvió a postularse cuando El UDP no logró abordar los serios problemas de el UDP celebró una convención posterior, en julio de gobernanza y, gradualmente, a lo largo de sus términos 2020, para elegir un nuevo líder del partido, pero esta (3) en el cargo, se volvió igual o peor que aquellos a vez los Barrows, Denise y Moses, dieron su apoyo a Faber, quienes nosotros y ellos habíamos condenado. El partido quien ganó una reñida contienda. Añejos, corruptos hasta fue apaleado en las elecciones generales de noviembre la médula y divididos, Faber y el UDP fueron derrotados de 2020, 26 a 5, y nuevamente en las elecciones en las elecciones generales de noviembre de 2020 y en municipales de marzo de 2021, 65 a 2, y ahora se las municipales de marzo de 2021. encuentra en un gran desorden. Como líder de la Oposición de Su Majestad, Faber no Los problemas de liderazgo del partido comenzaron ha podido o no ha querido meterse en la cama con por una cuestión de sucesión y comenzaron antes de las líderes del UDP que se percibe que se convirtieron en elecciones generales de 2020. La Constitución de Belize algunos de los peores delincuentes del país cuando solo permite que un líder político ocupe el puesto de ocupaban el cargo, y ha sido perseguido por relaciones primer ministro durante tres mandatos, y el líder del volátiles con mujeres. El pueblo de Belize no considera UDP, Dean Barrow, ocupó el cargo de primer ministro que Faber sea corrupto, lo cual es una ventaja, pero el después de llevar a su partido a tres victorias consecutivas hecho de que no se comprometa con el ala del UDP, que en las elecciones generales. está feliz de decir que no es tan corrupta como el PUP, lo Barrow, un político astuto y comprometido, aseguró pone en una situación complicada. sus victorias aprovechando una guerra ideológica dentro Los oportunistas, o sus enemigos, se movieron para del principal opositor partido, PUP; gastando fondos de destituir a Faber como líder del UDP luego de que surgiera préstamos blandos derivados del Programa Alba Petro una cinta que lo mostraba en una indecorosa situación Caribe y regalías/impuestos de pozos petroleros doméstica con la madre de uno de sus hijos. Esta semana recientemente descubiertos en Spanish Lookout en el Honorable Moses Barrow llevó una carta a la proyectos ostentosos que crearon la ilusión de que su gobernadora general para informarle que Faber ya no partido estaba haciendo crecer la economía; y convocar cuenta con el apoyo de la mayoría de los miembros del elecciones anticipadas que consiguieron que su partido UDP en la Cámara y que él debería ser ungido como el pasara el cargo en las elecciones generales de 2015 antes nuevo líder de la oposición. Faber, en breve, también de que se revelaran los horribles detalles de la transacción será probado en una convención luego de que 290 para recuperar BTL (Belize Telemedia Ltd.). delegados del partido firmaron una petición de Reemplazar a su líder más exitoso con respecto a las destitución porque, dicen, su conducta personal, con victorias electorales ha sido difícil para el UDP y un gran respecto a ciertas relaciones con mujeres, lo hace teatro para el pueblo. Cuando se hizo necesaria la incapacitado para servir al partido como líder. selección de un nuevo líder del UDP, todos los ojos El UDP está en desorden, en una guerra total entre un estaban puestos en el Honorable Patrick Faber y el grupo que dice que no es tan corrupto como el PUP que Honorable John Saldivar, y era casi seguro que uno de la gente derrocó en 2008, y un grupo que podría no los dos saldría con la corona. Esos dos se unieron al UDP estar a favor de la buena gobernanza pero claramente cuando eran jóvenes; en la década de los noventa se no está empeñado en robar los activos del país. Debido habían convertido en los favoritos del partido, y en 2003 a la profundidad de la división dentro del partido, es ambos ingresaron y se convirtieron en residentes probable que todavía no surja un líder de consenso permanentes de la Cámara. durante algún tiempo. Barrow, sin embargo, aparentemente favoreció a un El estruendo dentro de las filas del UDP ha creado un senador, el Honorable Mike Peyrefitte, para convertirse vacío, uno que uno o todos los terceros partidos en el en el nuevo líder del partido. Peyrefitte, que no tenía un país habrían podido capitalizar, si su viabilidad no escaño en la Cámara de Representantes, tenía como hubiera sido severamente restringida por nuestro objetivo convertirse en el abanderado del UDP en Port sofocante sistema electoral. Así que ellos, como el resto Loyola y, al darse cuenta de que el éxito de Peyrefitte de nosotros, solo pueden quedarse al margen, podría afectar negativamente sus aspiraciones que ambos boquiabiertos ante el espectáculo de este antiguo compartían, Faber y Saldivar se convirtieron en monstruo, en total desorden. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 9

Seven years earlier, on the death darker in skin color and supposedly of his father (1865), Leopold II had more African in features. inherited the distinctive title by Personally, I am what is commonly which his country’s monarchs were known as “mulatto” – half African known, King of the Belgians. and half European. I have a little Belgium itself was barely older than Indigenous blood from ’s its young monarch. After spells of Mosquito Coast. But I was unlike Spanish, Austrian, French, and most mixed-race people in Belize, Dutch rule, it had only become because my late mother (Elinor independent in 1830, following a Belisle Hyde) had made all her revolt against Holland. Any children know from an early age that respectable country of course our great grandmother on her side needed a king, and the infant nation was the daughter of a “coal black” had gone looking for one, finally woman (Elizabeth Kingston) and her settling on a German prince, related Spanish husband (Jose Escarpeta) to the British royal family, who had from the village of Sittee River. So, taken the Belgian throne as Leopold we Hyde children had a modicum of I. black consciousness. -from pg. 33, King Leopold’s Our social situation was Ghost, by Adam Hochschild, complicated further by the fact that Houghton Mifflin, 1999 we were children of a mixed marriage, religiously speaking. Our Congolese independence was Patrice Lumumba in captivity before his murder father was Roman Catholic, but our primarily an expression of the anti- mother was a devout Methodist. Such colonial revolution which pitted the types of marriage were very, very colonialist North against the less than sixteen states on the black When the (Belgian) Congo became rare in the 1940s here: you married colonized South. Since World War continent gained their independence an independent country in June of inside your religion. II, millions of people had thrown off that year, and the largest and 1960, I was 13 years old and in the Denominational religion was even the yoke of colonialism through potentially richest of them was the 2A class at St. John’s College, a more serious business back then than strikes, civil disobedience Congo. To counter the obstacle that Roman Catholic high school for young it is today, and the leading churches movements and full-scale wars -- independence represented, the West males run by the Jesuits. There was were the Roman Catholics, the India in 1947, in 1949, had to change its policy of overt only one radio station in the colony Anglicans, and the Methodists, which Vietnam in 1954. A war of liberation domination for one of indirect of British in 1960 – the controlled almost all the primary and had been raging in Algeria since control, and new national leaders Broadcasting high schools. There were a few 1954, the second war in Indochina had to learn to respect the neo- Service (BHBS). When the Congo Baptist and Nazarene schools, also broke out in 1957, and the Cuban colonial order. began to disintegrate politically soon Salvation Army, but the Evangelicals people had overthrown Batista’s -from pg. 40, the PREFACE to the after independence, and the names of were not in evidence the way they semi-colonial regime in 1959. English–language edition of The the Congolese principals in the drama are today. Sub-Saharan Africa was no Assassination of Lumumba, by Ludo – Lumumba, Tshombe, Mobutu, and I was basically an innocent in exception. In 1953, four African De Witte (translated by Ann Wright Kasavubu — began to resound on the 1960 where regional and world states were members of the UN; by and Renee Fenby), Verso, 2001. 12:30 and 7:00 p.m. BHBS affairs were concerned. I remember the end of 1960 there were twenty- newscasts, it became commonplace that the BHBS news, on one occasion six African member states. The UN “The UN declared 1960 the Year for our youth to use these names to at least, spoke about the rape of declared 1960 the Year of Africa; no of Africa …” deride our contemporaries who were Belgian nuns (presumably white) by Congolese soldiers (black, of course.) There are stories I have not told you over all these years, but these stories have some relevance for me as I go over the atrocities wrought by King Leopold II of Belgium in the Congo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the outrageous murder of Patrice Lumumba in early 1961. When you look at an African country like Ethiopia or Somalia or the Sudan, you will see some brown people. But our consciousness of the Congo even now, and of course in 1960, was that these were the blackest people one could imagine. I remember when I entered Dartmouth College in 1965, there was an upperclassman in the school from Ghana whose name was Frank Mwine. It quickly became clear to me that he detested the very ground I walked on. It is not unusual for black people to dislike brown people, one reason being that browns are usually the product of sex between white men Please turn to„Page 10 Page 10 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 From the Publisher

Continued from Page 9 was seated. (I can’t swear for that „ student’s name. We’re talking about and black women. I didn’t pay much 1960/61 here). My recollection is that attention to Mwine, because amongst Hadel smashed the back of this the foreign students in my class I had student’s head against the wall met a black African from Malawi with dividing 2A from 2B, and then took a whom I struck up an almost instant stance as if he were ready to fight friendship – the late Guy Mhone. with the student, who did not respond I would have been in 2A at SJC to his aggression. (I can’t remember between 1960 and 1961, to repeat, if he had made the student stand up during the crazy Congo crisis, how before smashing his head.) crazy I would not have known at the In Standard VI at Holy Redeemer time. One afternoon in 2A, I saw an Boys School in 1958 or 1959, I had incident which has remained with me watched a nun brutalize some all these years. The teacher in a Latin students, at least a dozen of them, who or English class was a handsome, were members of the school band and blonde Jesuit by the name of Richard had angered her in some way. The Hadel. Something must have bugged nun was a favorite of mine, Sister him out, or perhaps he had already Francine, and became a favorite of been angry since the lunch break at my family, so much so that my mom the Faculty Building. But suddenly he named her youngest child (and strolled angrily to the back row of second daughter) after Sister Mary the class, where a tall, languid, black Francine. student by the name of Richard Simon Many, many years afterwards, I called one of the students who had been brutalized on the calves with a stick to check something about the incident. Amazingly to me, his concern was that I was about to publicize something which would embarrass his Roman Catholic church. See, I told you, denominational religion is serious business. As the child of a mixed marriage, religiously speaking, I did not have that same level of intensity, even though I served Mass at the Holy Redeemer diocese for a couple years. My mom had sworn, as part of her marriage vows, to raise all her children as Roman Catholics, and she never interfered with our religious upbringing. But, her fidelity to Methodism had an unspoken influence on us, at least on me. Anyway, in 2A in 1960 we had a mathematics teacher who was dark- skinned and, I later learned, came from a Sittee River village family. We used to call him “Jack Slade” behind his back. Many years later, I met that teacher’s older brother, and his older brother and I became good friends. But one day in 2A, the math teacher used a white Guatemalan student by the name of Carlos Remis to embarrass me in geometry. Perhaps the teacher thought too much was being made of my academic exploits in First Form, and he wanted to put me in my place. Fair enough. I always wanted to ask him about it, but when I came back from America, he had migrated to Los Angeles, and he’s never returned. I’ve given you a couple anecdotes from 1960 in Belize at SJC when all hell was breaking loose in the Congo, where millions of Congolese had been mutilated and murdered by King Leopold II, in his quest for riches and glory. Patrice Lumumba was a sincere Congolese leader whose murder the Belgians orchestrated, using Lumumba’s fellow Congolese – Tshombe and Mobutu. The Congo is perhaps the richest country in the world, where natural resources are concerned, but the Congolese people are the most destitute in the world. This story must be told. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 11 Faber poster villain for anti-domestic violence movement

by Colin Hyde years the turnaround will be here, and kindness to wish me well with my and the Blue Economy ministry the valley will be orange again. lee book. Yes, I’m in New Zealand’s acquiesced. I say that because prior All men who like to beat up women disease wiped out the corner here. to the PUP being turned down at the – according to some female Faber banana industry in the early part of Citrus is a major foreign exchange polls in 2008, Mr. Espat was very supporters that ilk is legion; it’s the last century, before a new variety earner, and the industry employs a lot much in the news on this permanent culture here – yap, all guys who like of banana came on the scene. A little of people, so any success is great news residency issue, and that’s because the Kermit the Frog “can’t live with ‘em, over twenty years ago, king coconut for Belize. There have been numerous division he is in covers a sizable can’t live without ‘em”, must be was on its knees because of lethal failures in the industry since citrus portion of the banana industry, which plenty sore with Patrick, for the light yellowing disease; now new varieties greening hit, but there is hope now is very dependent on seasonal labor on their disappointing activities has are showing the way. Citrus’s fall with a few varieties that have been from Guatemala and Honduras. Also, never been so glaring. came a little over a decade ago, developed in Florida. The story right in his division is the southern portion Poor Patrick, for he, based on what because of a disease called citrus now is that CPBL and the big farmers of our waters, and artisanal fisherfolk we know, never got the “whatever greening, and the past decade has are planting new groves, and highly from the east coast of Guatemala and some men get” (some perverse, awful been rough for citrus growers, but regarded CGA agronomist, Luis Tzul, Honduras aren’t exactly strangers. high) from muscling their consorts thanks to new varieties, there’s a says that after a year and a half out in OSPESCA, in a story at the website into line. He reportedly relieved the promising bud where there were only the fields the trees look great. sica.int, expressed good thoughts pain of their betrayal or disrespect shriveled shoots. Ah, this hope, it must have been so about , then Minister on a windshield, and was it a door? Ah, resistance! I read this story in in the early days of the citrus industry. responsible for Fisheries, for the bold But we really shouldn’t cry for him. the foreign Guardian, about the fall Unfortunately, though, only few small and progressive 2010 decision “to He was Minister of Sports, and that of kiwi, the rise of kiwi, and the farmers are in on new planting. The address the growing concerns of obtuse bohga didn’t even recognize political battles between New constraints there are an insufficient Belizeans on a whole, and especially his own talent – fastest man in Belize. Zealand and China over this fruit. In amount of confidence at this point, and local fishermen that more and more the Guardian story, “Kiwi Wars: the cost/availability of plants. Small nationalized Belizeans with absolutely Citrus looking hopeful golden fruit fueling a war between growers took the hit from citrus no connection to Belize are getting New Zealand and China”, Tess greening hardest, and most of them just fishing licenses and using these to fish “And then I saw this...” — that McClure says that kiwi, an original aren’t sure about investing in the crop in our waters and take their produce line is from Fiddler on the Roof, from China, found a home in New again until they see trailer loads of across the border into Guatemala and words from the mouth of one of the Zealand, and it became one of the fruits rolling out of those new orchards Honduras.” few guys in the village, Anatevka, latter country’s biggest exports. to the factory. That SI put control of the fishing who could read. The difference You know the story of too big in The cost of new plants is permits totally in the hands of the between this piece and that piece is agriculture. A disease came along and prohibitive because of a $2 fee Fisheries Administrator, and among that that piece was a story of bad decimated kiwi, and the industry was Belize’s nursery folk have to pay for other things, the applicant had to things happening to the Jews in in a state of collapse until plant the patented bud wood. With the cost possess a bona fide ID – have “either Russia, and as the title says, here, breeders developed a kiwi with of trees of the resistant varieties a Belizean passport; or voter hope is alive. resistance to the disease. It happened ranging from $6.50 to $8.50 each, identification card along with proof Our good news starts on page 11 of that this variety, Sungold, also has small growers will continue to hold of legal residence in Belize; or a last Friday’s Amandala, a little notice some exceptional table qualities. back on new plantings. And then there Belize birth certificate along with a that the SSB had the confidence to Bah, a farmer in New Zealand is the availability of plants and not Belize identification card or a propose to lend CPBL $1.5million for smuggled bud wood over to mainland being sure yet about the future. permanent residence card”. working capital. Of course, the news China, and now Chinese orchards are A new SI in 2019 took away the could be better. Better news would competing big-time with kiwi from Hmm, permanent residents eligibility of permanent residents to have been that CPBL was lending the New Zealand. eligible to fish again get fishing licenses to fish in our government $1.5million, to help out Re: the political war, I said bah, waters, because of reported with the pantry. Some years ago, because Penguin New Zealand was This SI 57 that allows for permanent overfishing. We have to expect that CPBL was sitting so high, but today the only one of the world’s Penguin residents to apply to the Fisheries those who lost the franchise to fish mi the citrus industry is flat on its butt. book publishers that read my Administrator for a fishing license — very unhappy. Quite likely, some or But all the signs are that in just a few Whopper Snapper and had the I have to believe it’s a Mike Espat SI, all of those who had their license revoked, became illegal fisherfolk. It’s easy to understand why most fisherfolk would want permanent residents excluded. The less fisherfolk on the sea, the more catch for the ones who are out there. There have been many changes in the fishing industry, new laws since I retired from the sea in 1977, and again in 2005. I have not renewed my fisherman’s license, and I’m not sure that I will be welcomed if I get the opportunity to return to the world where I grew up. I hope so. This fishing story can be resolved very quickly if the new government takes a progressive approach. Belize has to explore deeper waters. Belize also has to explore small-scale farming of marine species. This type of farming will not have much disease pressure, and it will absorb many fisherfolk who are disgruntled because the areas where they work are not rich with produce. You have to feel for the cases the Blue Economy minister mentioned, but under this present uncreative management of our fisheries, our fisherfolk have big reasons to complain. Page 12 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

Siete años antes, a la muerte de su neocolonial. eran muy, muy raros aquí en la década recuerdo si había hecho que el padre (1865), Leopoldo II había - de la pág. 40, PREFACIO a la de 1940: uno se casaba dentro de su estudiante se pusiera de pie antes de heredado el título distintivo con el que edición en inglés de TheAssassination religión. romperle la cabeza). se conocía a los monarcas de su país, of Lumumba, de Ludo De Witte La religión denominacional era un En el Sexto Grado en la Escuela Rey de los Belgas. La propia Bélgica (traducido por Ann Wright y Renee asunto aún más serio en ese entonces Varonil del Santo Redentor en 1958 o era apenas mayor que su joven Fenby), Verso, 2001. que en la actualidad, y las principales 1959, había visto a una monja monarca. Después de períodos de iglesias eran los católicos romanos, los brutalizar a algunos estudiantes, al dominio español, austríaco, francés “La ONU declaró 1960 el Año de anglicanos y los metodistas, que menos una docena de ellos, que eran y holandés, solo se había África...” controlaban casi todas las escuelas miembros de la banda de la escuela y independizado en 1830, luego de una Cuando el Congo (belga) se primarias y secundarias. Había algunas la habían enojado de alguna manera. revuelta contra Holanda. Cualquier convirtió en un país independiente en escuelas bautistas y nazarenas, también La monja era una de mis favoritas, la país respetable, por supuesto, junio de 1960, yo tenía 13 años y estaba el Ejército de Salvación, pero los hermana Francine, y se convirtió en una necesitaba un rey, y la naciente nación en la clase 2A en el Colegio San Juan, evangélicos no eran tan evidentes como de las favoritas de mi familia, tanto así había ido en busca de uno, finalmente una escuela secundaria católica romana lo son hoy. que mi madre le puso a su hija menor decidiéndose por un príncipe alemán, para hombres jóvenes dirigida por los Yo era básicamente un inocente en (y segunda hija) el nombre de la pariente de la familia real británica, jesuitas. Solo había una estación de 1960 en lo que respecta a los asuntos hermana Mary Francine. que había tomado el trono belga como radio en la colonia de Honduras regionales y mundiales. Recuerdo que Muchos, muchos años después, Leopoldo I. Británica en 1960: el Servicio de las noticias de BHBS, al menos en una llamé a uno de los estudiantes que - de la pág. 33, King Leopold’s Radiodifusión de Honduras Británica ocasión, hablaban de la violación de habían sido brutalizados en las Ghost, de Adam Hochschild, Houghton (BHBS en inglés). Cuando el Congo monjas belgas (presumiblemente pantorrillas con un chilillo para Mifflin, 1999 comenzó a desintegrarse políticamente blancas) por soldados congoleños verificar algo sobre el incidente. poco después de la independencia, y (negros, por supuesto). Sorprendentemente para mí, su La independencia congoleña fue los nombres de los principales Hay historias que no les he contado preocupación era que yo estaba a punto principalmente una expresión de la congoleños en el drama - Lumumba, durante todos estos años, pero estas de publicar algo que avergonzaría a su revolución anticolonial que enfrentó Tshombe, Mobutu y Kasavubu - historias tienen cierta relevancia para iglesia católica romana. Ven, se los al norte colonialista contra el sur comenzaron a resonar a las 12:30 y 7:00 mí mientras repaso las atrocidades dije, la religión denominacional es un colonizado. Desde la Segunda Guerra p.m. en los noticieros de BHBS, se perpetradas por el rey Leopoldo II de asunto serio. Mundial, millones de personas se convirtió en cosa común para nuestra Bélgica en el Congo a fines del siglo Como hijo de un matrimonio mixto, habían liberado del yugo del juventud usar estos nombres para XIX y principios del XX, y el religiosamente hablando, no tuve el colonialismo a través de huelgas, burlarse de nuestros contemporáneos escandaloso asesinato de Patrice mismo nivel de intensidad, a pesar de movimientos de desobediencia civil y que eran más oscuros en color de piel Lumumba a principios de 1961. que serví misa en la diócesis del Santo guerras a gran escala - India en 1947, y supuestamente más africanos en Cuando se mira un país africano como Redentor durante un par de años. Mi China en 1949, Vietnam en 1954. Una rasgos. Etiopía o Somalia o Sudán, verán gente madre había jurado, como parte de sus guerra de liberación se había librado Personalmente, soy lo que morena. Pero nuestra conciencia del votos matrimoniales, criar a todos sus en Argelia desde 1954, la segunda comúnmente se conoce como “mulato”, Congo incluso ahora, y por supuesto en hijos como católicos romanos, y nunca guerra en Indochina estalló en 1957 mitad africano y mitad europeo. Tengo 1960, era que estas eran las personas interfirió con nuestra educación y el pueblo cubano había derrocado un poco de sangre indígena de la Costa más negras que uno pudiera imaginar. religiosa. Pero su fidelidad al el régimen semicolonial de Batista en Mosquitia de Nicaragua. Pero yo era Recuerdo que cuando entré en el metodismo tuvo una influencia tácita 1959. diferente a la mayoría de las personas Colegio Dartmouth en 1965, había un en nosotros, al menos en mí. El África subsahariana no fue de raza mixta en Belize, porque mi estudiante de último año de Ghana en la De todos modos, en 2A en 1960 una excepción. En 1953, cuatro finada madre (Elinor Belisle Hyde) escuela que se llamaba Frank Mwine. teníamos un profesor de matemáticas estados africanos eran miembros de había hecho saber a todos sus hijos Rápidamente me di cuenta de que que era de piel oscura y, según supe la ONU; a finales de 1960 había desde una edad temprana que nuestra detestaba el suelo por el que yo más tarde, venía de una familia de la veintiséis Estados miembros bisabuela de su lado era la hija de una caminaba. No es inusual que a los aldea de Sittee River. Solíamos africanos. La ONU declaró 1960 el mujer “negra como el carbón” negros no les gusten los morenos, una llamarlo “Jack Slade” a sus espaldas. Año de África; no menos de dieciséis (Elizabeth Kingston) y su esposo de las razones es que los morenos suelen Muchos años después, conocí al estados del continente negro español (José Escarpeta) del pueblo ser el producto del sexo entre hombres hermano mayor de ese maestro, y su obtuvieron su independencia ese año, de Sittee River. Entonces, los niños blancos y mujeres negras. No presté hermano mayor y yo nos hicimos y el más grande y potencialmente más Hyde teníamos un mínimo de mucha atención a Mwine, porque entre buenos amigos. Pero un día en 2A, el rico de ellos fue el Congo. Para conciencia negra. los estudiantes extranjeros de mi clase profesor de matemáticas usó a un contrarrestar el obstáculo que Nuestra situación social se había conocido a un africano negro de estudiante guatemalteco blanco llamado representaba la independencia, el complicaba aún más por el hecho de Malawi con quien entablé una amistad Carlos Remis para avergonzarme en Occidente tuvo que cambiar su que éramos hijos de un matrimonio casi instantánea: el finado Guy Mhone. geometría. Quizás el profesor pensó política de dominación abierta por mixto, religiosamente hablando. Habría estado en 2A en el Colegio que se estaba hablando demasiado de una de control indirecto, y los nuevos Nuestro padre era católico romano, San Juan entre 1960 y 1961, para mis hazañas académicas en la Primera líderes nacionales tuvieron que pero nuestra madre era una devota repetir, durante la loca crisis del Forma, y quería ponerme en mi lugar. aprender a respetar el orden metodista. Tales tipos de matrimonio Congo, cuán loco no habría sabido en Lo suficientemente justo. Siempre quise ese momento. Una tarde en 2A, vi un preguntarle sobre eso, pero cuando incidente que se me ha quedado regresé de Estados Unidos, él había grabado todos estos años. El profesor emigrado a Los Ángeles y nunca YARD SALE de una clase de latín o inglés era un regresó. jesuita rubio y guapo llamado Richard Les he contado un par de anécdotas Hadel. Algo debe haberlo molestado, de 1960 en Belize en el Colegio San Yard sale on construction materials on July 2nd and o tal vez ya había estado enojado desde Juan cuando se desataba el infierno en 3rd starting at 9.am at mls 3.4 Phillip Goldson Hwy, la hora del almuerzo en el edificio de el Congo, donde millones de Belize City. Whatsapp us at 6155022 or email @ la facultad. Pero de repente se dirigió congoleños habían sido mutilados y enojado a la última fila de la clase, asesinados por el rey Leopoldo II, en [email protected] for the complete donde estaba sentado un estudiante su búsqueda de riquezas y gloria. listing of inventory. Paints, pallets of natural stone negro, alto y lánguido llamado Richard Patrice Lumumba era un líder Simon. (No puedo jurar por el nombre congoleño sincero cuyo asesinato tiles pieces, ladders, scaffolds, electrical and plumbing de ese estudiante. Estamos hablando orquestaron los belgas, utilizando a los supplies, breakers, refrigerator, water cooler, metal de 1960/61 aquí). Mi recuerdo es que compadres congoleños de Lumumba: pipes, air conditioning supplies, white lime, swimming Hadel golpeó la parte posterior de la Tshombe y Mobutu. El Congo es quizás cabeza de este estudiante contra la el país más rico del mundo, en lo que pool finish, hydrostop foundation coats, heavy duty pared que divide 2A de 2B, y luego respecta a los recursos naturales, pero tools, foundation beams, flashing, and many more tomó una postura como si estuviera el pueblo congoleño es el más items too numerous to mention. listo para pelear con el estudiante, desamparado del mundo. Esta historia quien no respondió a su agresión. (No debe contarse. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 13 Page 14 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 From the Publisher Reproduced from page 9 of the Tuesday, June 22, 2021, #3469 issue of Amandala

“During the Meiji era (1868- smoothly, because it is such a crowded also for themselves. the competitions young men were 1912), the Empire of Japan emerged space. The United States became so liberal engaged in were in cricket, football, as the most developed nation in Asia Most of you know that Japan became in our lifetime that the Americans basketball, and so on. Government and as an industrialized world power so militaristic and aggressive that the began to send their young lady recruits workers had to do the job on Saturday that pursued military conflict to Japanese invaded the mighty United to active combat overseas. I do not mornings, so cricket games, for expand its sphere of influence. After States of America in December of believe the Japanese ever messed example, would be commenced victories in the first Sino-Japanese 1941, attacking the American naval with that, but I am willing to be on Saturday afternoons after lunch. War (1894-1895) and the Russo- base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japan, corrected. The main point of the essay Sunday mornings were reserved for Japanese War (1904-1905), Japan an ally of Germany and Italy in World is that I know of no nation on earth church services, so the cricket games gained control of Taiwan, Korea and War II (1939-1945), ended up losing which historically did such an would be completed on Sunday the southern half of Sakhalin. The the war, and the Americans exacted an outstanding job of training and afternoons/evenings. Japanese population doubled from 35 exaggerated revenge by dropping focusing their young men as did Japan. My sense as a child and young boy million in 1873 to 70 million by 1935, atomic bombs on two large Japanese At the same time, that point was that there was intense competition with a significant shift to cities — Hiroshima and Nagasaki. emphasizes by contrast the terrible amongst the teams from the various city urbanization.” On Saturday I was watching some situation we Belizeans have in our neighborhoods, but I never detected games in the current European football country where our young men are malice. I suppose there may have been — WIKIPEDIA competition, and I was struck by the concerned. Our young men do not have disrespectful words from time to time, celebrations of the Hungarian young an enemy outside our borders: their but the men, at the end of the day, held Japan is a large island off the eastern people in their Budapest stadium and chief activity is shooting and killing each other in respect, no matter their coast of Asia, but very small in land outside after Hungary held , the each other. How did this come to be? color or class or ethnicity. mass compared to its neighbours, China reigning world champions, to a 1-1 If anyone passes my home walking I would normally hesitate to write and Russia. Yet, as noted in the draw. It was mostly young Hungarian a dog or dogs, I will know, because such a column, fearing that I would be Wikipedia quote above, Japan had men, but there were many young ladies my neighbor’s dogs will start barking accused of nostalgia. Bottom line is, grown so powerful that it defeated both participating in the festivities (just so at those passing by. That barking is nevertheless, if what is the status quo China and Russia in the late nineteenth Ya Ya doesn’t start complaining). not necessarily altogether hostile: amongst our young boys/men remains and early twentieth centuries. Japan came to my mind, because we there is probably an attempt to the status quo, we will never be able One of the reasons the culture of in Bellze well know that our Belizean establish an acquaintanceship in the to build any kind of credible nation in Japan is so unique is because Japan young men are the most explosive barking. I will grant the barking is Belize. The young men of any society has a huge population crammed into a element of our population, and it is likely also competitive in motivation, are the defenders and warriors of that relatively small land space. The the most difficult of assignments to in the nature of, ‘if you would like to society against external enemies. Such Japanese culture stresses respect, control them and direct them to do anything, I am here to kick your was the case with the great Japan. restraint, cordiality, and hospitality. whatever it is that will be of most butt’. Such is not the case with our feeble These are vital for the nation to function benefit, not only for the nation, but I remember my young days, when Belize. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 15

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING SERVICES

Institution: Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing Country: Belize Project: Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program Sector: Environment and Natural Disasters Abstract: Individual Consulting Services – Site Inspector for the Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program Loan/Credit/Grant No.: BL-L1028 – 4426/OC-BL Deadline: July 9th, 2021 (4 pm Belize Local Time)

The has received financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), toward the cost of the Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program (CVRP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The CVRP is a four-year loan program with one year remaining in the period. The consulting services (“the Services”) include the contracting of a Site Inspector for one year who will provide services which include the supervision of construction activities under the Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program. The Site Inspector will also be required to conduct field visits to all sites of works and activities to verify that the level of effort performed corresponds to that the effort contracted; ensure compliance with the drawings and technical specifications and monitor and report on progress of construction works.

The Site Inspector should have a minimum of Associate’s degree in Building, Building Technology, Building Construction, Construction Technology or Civil Engineering are preferred, and must have at least five (5) years’ experience in inspection and/or supervision of building and/or civil engineering works. Alternatively, the Site Inspector should have a High School Diploma must have at least ten (10) years’ experience in inspection and/or supervision of building and/or civil engineering works.

The Site Inspector should have a minimum of five years’ experience in providing supervision for civil works in canal dredging, canal construction, road and drain construction, bridge construction. Experience with sluice gate installation would be an asset. The Site Inspector must have professional project supervision experience with internationally funded projects valued at least three million USD dollars (USD$3M). Candidates are required to have working knowledge of Microsoft Office. Knowledge of AutoCAD and AutoCAD Civil/Surveying software would be an asset.

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Inter-American Development Bank: Policies for the Selection and Contracting of Consultants financed by the Inter-American Development Bank GN-2350-15 and is open to all eligible consultants as defined in the policies. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the selection of Individual Consultants based on Comparison of Qualifications method set out in the Consultant Policies.

Further information and the full terms of reference can be obtained at the address below during office hours: Program Management Unit, First Floor, Soils Lab Building, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Power Lane, Belmopan, Cayo Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tel: 501-822-0100/1942/ Email: [email protected]

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 4:00 pm (Belize Local Time) on July 9th, 2021.

Attn: Mr. Rolando Chan Program Coordinator Program Management Unit First Floor, Soils Lab Building, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing Power Lane, Belmopan , Belize

Tel: 501-822-0100/1942

E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] Page 16 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

Important projects for Cancun

According to the 2020 census of the people who see us from social Community Development Center municipality of Benito Juarez networks and listen to us through the and the park of the unit, the (Cancun), Quintana Roo, México, it radio of this great city council that is renovation of the sports module has a population of 911,503 residents. Radio Cultural City Hall. Greetings. park of the twins of the region 227, That is more than double the number Only to celebrate something so and something very important, the of inhabitants of the country of Belize. important that this is, that the people construction of the boxing gym at The municipal government is made up find out and know how important is the market and the public park in of seventeen persons — one president, the management of the city council, region 59, which is a very strong one sindico (receivership), and fifteen achieve a bipartisan investment in a area on the map that needs a space alchemy, because that is what it is. We regidores (councilors). On June 17, federal program that comes through, like this. It has been very intelligent do not have resources, but we are 2021, a session took place at the of course with the management of the to be able to command this area to looking for a way to carry out the Ayuntamiento (City Hall), where the municipality, given the subject of work, which will represent something projects of each of the areas that the president, Lic. Maria Elena H. Lezama services, works, etc., and all the important to combat crime, combat the federal government has. That is all, Espinosa, presented a set of projects follow-up that will be given to these spaces of time that young people often President. Thank you.” to be implemented. Thereafter, she great construction works that will be have of not knowing what to do, and The President then responded: asked: “If any member of this council of benefit to thousands and thousands leisure — we know that it is the “Thanks, Alejandro. Yes, it is a wishes to take the floor for an of people who live in this city and mother of all vices and having a space matter of management to do it and to observation in relation to the previous which are so necessary. like this will be so important. be knocking on the door there, not to agreement, please be expressed.” The “Talking about the construction of And something that the president has let go and to be there attending to what regidor, Lic. Alejandro Luna Lopez the ecological park in the green navel been mentioning for a long time is the the citizenship needs and to be able to lifted his right arm. Permission was is something important, fabulous, to construction of the city theater; it is have bridges of dialogue to take them granted, and he stated the following: have an enclosed area there, without something majestic to have a place by the hand. Thank you very much, “Thank you. First of all, I greet you any use and thereafter be given the use, where families can come, sit down and alderman, thank you.” all with great affection. President, so that the families of Cancun, see shows, see spectacles, see events. welcome. I am pleased that you have Quintana Roo, even people who come It will be great for our city in every [email protected] returned to us and to all my fellow from abroad enjoy an ecological park way. So I join, I congratulate myself, June 20, 2021 council members, to all those who in this area. It is very important. The of course I am in favor and I applaud Finca Solana make this session possible and to the construction of the unit market of the this type of works that are sought with Corozal Town Long live Marcos Canul My free-thinking Belizeans!!! Like complex mindset was it conceived that and yet we have to go hustle or beg for system and not that ancient anglo- myself, there are at least 80% of our we, the masses, needed the Queen of food because what we earn is not enough monarchy model. How long will it take people living in poverty without a good England and someone to represent our to feed our families. for you to understand that speaking the standard of academic education. Do you slave masters in Belize? What we need Have you asked yourselves how is English language does not make you a think that when our wives, children and is a man or woman to represent us as it that these businesses are making money British. Anyhow, my Maya sisters and ourselves don’t have a thing to eat and president, elected by the citizens to in a country that is in an economic crisis? brothers, it is time for us to start to someone who is committing a crime defend our interests from the rapacious Probably, they are not reporting all the demand what is ours, which is brings some food for us, that we won’t hands of the greedy monarchical taxes that are collected. But, who cares? established in the 1853 treaty. Long live turn our eyes elsewhere? “I saw a oligarchies. The police, military, and When we go into the history of this our martyr and hero General Marcos vehicle coming; at the same time I closed Coast Guard should be under the country we will learn that corruption, Canul!!! my eyes and heard a bang.” Could such command of such a president and not contraband, trafficking of persons a statement serve as evidence of a crime under an appointed Minister. Instead of (slavery), selling of weapons and many [email protected] in a court of justice? going forward, we are going back to the other types of misbehavior were and still June 20, 2021 On another note, our dear free, time of contracted slaves with meager are a common way of living. If this is to Finca Solana independent thinkers, in whose traumatic wages that are left at the grocery shop, change, we need a social-democratic Corozal Town

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: Mile 5 Placencia Road, , Belize

BY ORDER of the Supreme Court, Licensed Auctioneer Fitzgerald A. Joseph will sell the following PropertyON SITE near Mile 5 Placencia Road, Stann Creek District, Belize on Saturday,26thJune, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Please note that Social Distancing Protocol will be in full effect and the wearing mask will be mandatory.

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Placentia North 36 2516

Being a piece and parcel of land containing 2.37 acres situated in Seine Bight Village with lagoon frontage and just a stone throw away from the Itz’ana Belize Resort & Residencies. The parcel issituatedapproximately 5 Milesfrom Placencia Village, Stann Creek District, Belize, beingthe freehold property of Erix Oswaldo Tobar.

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH FITZGERALD JOSEPH TELEPHONE: 601-2039 Email: [email protected] Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 17

GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST PHILIP GOLDSON HIGHWAY AND REMATE BYPASS UPGRADING PROJECT INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING SERVICES CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A GENDER-SENSITIVE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS Institution: Ministry of Infrastructure Development and PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND Housing OUTREACH ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (INCLUDING HUMAN Country: Belize TRAFFICKING/SMUGGLING), AND TRANSMISSION OF SEXUALLY- Project: Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STD) (INCLUDING HIV/AIDS) ALONG PHILIP Sector: Environment and Natural Disasters GOLDSON HIGHWAY AND REMATE BYPASS Abstract: Individual Consulting Services – Project REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST Manager for the Climate Vulnerability Reduction Program The Government of Belize (GOBZ) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Loan/Credit/Grant No.: BL-L1028 – 4426/OC-BL Bank (CDB) and the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF) Deadline: July 9th, 2021 (4 pm Belize Local Time) towards the cost of the Philip Goldson Highway and Remate BypassUpgrading Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of The Government of Belize has received financing from the Inter-American GOBZ and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions Development Bank (IDB), toward the cost of the Climate Vulnerability Reduction of the Financing Agreements. The Financing Agreements prohibit withdrawals from the Financing Program (CVRP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. Accounts for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if The CVRP is a four-year loan program with one year remaining in the period. The such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United consulting services (“the Services”) include the contracting of a Project Manager Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No for one year who will be responsible for general program management support to party other than GOBZ shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreements or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing. the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing in its role as the Executing The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH)through its Project Execution Agency for CVRP. The Project Manager will also provide a range of engineering Unit (PEU), the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure consultancy services to design and services require in the design (where necessary), selection of contractors and conduct outreach to, and sensitisation/training of, schools and communities in the Project area, suppliers, supervision of construction and material delivery in respect of the civil about Gender-based Violence (GBV), human trafficking/smuggling and transmission of Sexually works and other activities to be implemented by the Ministry. Transmitted Diseases (STD) and HIV/AIDS. The objective of the consultancy is to develop and implement a Community and School training and public education/awareness programme for schools and communities along the Philip Goldson The CVRP Project Manager should have a minimum of B.Sc. in any of the following Highway and the Remate Bypass. Specifically, the consultancy will: disciplines: Civil Engineering, Highway/Transportation Engineering, Environmental (a) Produce communication materials through consultation with stakeholders within the Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Architecture or related technical field. A Master’s community and school via multiple media channels relating to GBV generally, human Degree in any of the required fields is considered an asset. The Consultant should trafficking/smuggling specifically, as well as STD/HIV/AIDS prevention, including an have demonstrated knowledge of AutoCAD and Microsoft Project software. A Educational Toolkit to be used in schools; and working knowledge of the IDB’s procurement, environmental and social policies (b) Conduct public gender education sessions on prevention and response to GBV including trafficking in persons/smuggling and sexual and reproductive health issues with Project- are considered assets. The Consultant should also have working knowledge of affected communities. methods, sources and techniques of engineering design, road and drainage The assignment is expected to be implemented over a period of 15 months. construction and maintenance; coastal protection infrastructure including hard, The MIDH now invites interested eligible firmsor joint ventures (JV) to submit Expressions of hybrid and nature based coastal protection interventions, and safety practices for Interest indicating qualifications and experience required to provide these consultancy services. personnel in construction sites. A Firm/JVshall be eligible to participate if: (a) in the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more The Consultant should have at least ten years of experience which includes but is than 50 per cent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide resident(s) of eligible not limited to infrastructure design, development of cost estimates and bill of country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements; quantities, contract administration, and preparation and validation of payment (b) inthecaseofunincorporatedfirms,thebeneficial owners are citizens or bonafide residents of certificates. The Consultant should have at least three years’ experience in a civil an eligible country; and engineering organization or equivalent technical organization with responsibility (c) in all cases, the firm or JVhas no arrangement and undertakes not to make any for infrastructure operations. A minimum of two (2) years of project management arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of experience and preferably managed or supervised at least one (1) project of at an eligible country. least US$3 million dollars or higher which was financed by a multilateral financial Eligible countries are member countries of CDB. Interested eligible firms/JVsare advised to institution is also required. Specific experience in working with dredging, canal review the detailed eligibility criteria detailed in Section 4 and conflict of interest provisions in work, pavement design and/or construction, bridge design and/or construction, and Section 5 of the Procurement Procedures for Projects Financed by CDB (January2021) as sluice gates and pumping stations is preferred. published on CDB’s website. In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments, financial The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing now invites eligible capability and existing commitments. The firm/JV: individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested (a) Must have experience in communication, social marketing and public education in the consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required traditional and new media industry, including experience in communications for promoting qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Consultants will gender equality and social inclusion of vulnerable groups. Experience in messaging be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Inter-American around GBV, human trafficking/smuggling and STD/HIV AIDS prevention would be Development Bank: Policies for the Selection and Contracting of Consultants an asset. (b) Must have a combination of experience and /or formal training in communications, financed by the Inter-American Development Bank GN-2350-15 and is open to all public relations, digital and social media strategy, graphic design and video production. eligible consultants as defined in the policies. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the selection of Individual Consultants based on Comparison of Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage Qualifications method set out in the Consultant Policies. Expressions of interest must be submitted in English, electronically, by email, in pdf format, to both addresses below no later than 10:00am, local time on Monday19th July 2021. The email subject line should state “EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - CONSULTANCY SERVICES Further information and the full terms of reference can be obtained at the address FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A GENDER-SENSITIVE below during office hours: COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME”and the email Program Management Unit, First Floor, Soils Lab Building, Ministry of body must state the name and address of the applicant. The Expression of Interest will be Infrastructure Development and Housing, Power Lane, Belmopan, Cayo deemed to have been received at the time that it is received by the receiving office named in the Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. first address below. The burden of proving receipt of the e-mail will be on the applicant and will not be met solely by a read receipt or sent items report generated by the applicant’s computer. The selection method for the award of the consultancy shall beQuality and Cost Based Selection Tel: 501-822-0100/1942/ Email: [email protected] (QCBS). Therefore, following the assessment of submissions, a short-list of not less than three Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below and not more than six applicants will be provided with full terms of reference and invited to (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 4:00 pm (Belize Local Time) on July submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignment. 9th, 2021. The GOBZ reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not engaging the Attn: Mr. Rolando Chan services of any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest. Program Coordinator Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 8:00am and 5:00pm Program Management Unit local time Monday to Friday. First Floor, Soils Lab Building, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing Power Lane, Belmopan Cayo District, Belize

Tel: 501-822-0100/1942

E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] Page 18 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTIES San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, ; Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District

BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Licensed Auctioneers Kevin A. Castillo & Christiana R. Castillo are selling ONLINE via belizepropertyauctions.com the properties appearing below. Sales currently running and will expire on Friday 2nd July 2021 at the times shown on the website.

1. Strata H15 & H 16 of Parcel No. 4879, 1½ miles west San Pedro Town Centre, on the east coast of “Laguna De San Pedro”, Casa Linda Villas, Casa Corbu, Costa Del Sol, Ambergris Caye, Belize District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Pedro 7 4879 (H15& H16)

(Being 2 two storey SEA FRONT single unit villa each 1510 sq. ft. + deck 291 sq. ft: Ground floor - living/dining/kitchen + open deck + porch; First floor - 2 bedrooms + 21/2 bathrooms being two units of the Casa Linda Villas situate 1½ miles west San Pedro Town Centre, on the east coast of “Laguna De San Pedro”, Costa Del Sol, Ambergris Caye, Belize District, the freehold property of Messrs. GRL Investment Ltd.)

2. Parcel No. 6100 Mahogany Bay Village, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Pedro 7 6100

(Being an incomplete concrete building and waterway lot [410.74 sq. yd.] situate within Mahogany Bay Village (formerly Grand Oasis Development), San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize District, the freehold property of Messrs. Golf Victor Bravo Ltd.)

3. Parcel No. 1 - 15.21 Acres RIVER SIDE, north Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Hopkins Village 31 1

(Being 15.21 Acres of vacant river front land, suited for tourist development, situate approximately 300 yds. from the Caribbean Sea, north Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Messrs. Hopkins Harbour Limited.)

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO CHRISTIANA R. CASTILLO TELEPHONE 223-4488 Website: www.belizepropertyauctions.com E-mail: [email protected] Face Book: Belize Auctions Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 19 All nurses must sit licensure exam

GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE by Dayne Guy nursing license, the release states, MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING “Note that all Belizean Nurses are BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 21, 2021 required to sit this exam to obtain a PHILIP GOLDSON HIGHWAY AND REMATE BYPASS PGRADING The Nurses and Midwives Council PROJECTAND SIXTH ROAD (COASTAL HIGHWAY UPGRADING) license to practice in Belize.” PROJECT of Belize has issued a public statement The need for nurses has been to clarify the protocols that are in place intensified and the number of available CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST for prospective and current nurses and nursing personnel has been limited highlighted the need for licenses in during the COVID-19 pandemic. The REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST order to maintain high standards of Government has been making an effort competency within Belize’s healthcare to increase the capacity of the local The Government of Belize (GOBZ) has received financing from the Caribbean system. healthcare system by expanding the Development Bank (CDB) and the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF) towards the cost of the Philip Goldson Highway and Nurses with temporary licenses are pool of available nurses through Remate BypassUpgrading Projectand the Sixth Road (Coastal Highway now being urged to sit a licensure various measures, including allowing Upgrading) Project (the Projects) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds examination in order to regularize their nurses to sit exams on a special basis. of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is status in accordance with the Nurses It has been reported that nurses from issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOBZ and upon and Midwives Council Registration overseas who have been hired by the approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of Act, Revised Edition 2011. The the Financing Agreements. The Financing Agreements prohibit withdrawals from Belizean government to serve within the Financing Accounts for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or council further denied any allegations our local healthcare system have often for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is of refusing to issue nursing licenses. left the country after a limited period prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter The release states, “At no point did of time to access jobs in jurisdictions VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOBZ shall derive the Council refuse to issue nursing where they can receive a higher salary any rights from the Financing Agreements or have any claim to the proceeds of the licenses. The Council issued 57 or where they are not required to sit a Financing. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH)through its temporary nursing licenses with licensure exam. The council asserts, Project Execution Unit (PEU), the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure expiration dates into 2022/2023, thus however, that their role is to protect consultancy services for an Environmental Specialist (ES). all nurses are currently licensed.” This the public through properly vetting The objective of the consultancy is to ensure that the environmental requirements release highlights that unless nurses nurses and regulating the practice of are adhered to during the construction phases of the Projects. The ES will be have successfully sat the licensure nursing. This ensures that all nurses responsible for reviewing, managing and/or monitoring the environmental measures exam, they will remain as temporarily in the Projects’ Environmental, Social, Health and Safety Management are competent and are aligned with the Plansincluding facilitation of the client’s responsibilities under same. The duration licensed until they can complete and nursing standards, inclusive of proper of the assignment is expected to be for a period of 28months. pass the exam -- meaning those who licensing to practice nursing in Belize. The MIDH now invites interested, eligible individual consultantsandfirmswho failed in previous attempts must resit While the Ministry of Health and wish to propose individuals for considerationto submit Expressions of the exam. Wellness has made efforts to prevent Interestindicating qualifications and experience required to provide these The council had initially granted the departure of 35 Filipino nurses consultancy services. nurses with temporary licenses a grace from the Karl Heusner Memorial Consultantsshall be eligible to participate if: period of two years to sit the licensure Hospital, including collaborating (a) the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; examination, but in light of the with the Ministry of Immigration to and pandemic and the huge demand for waive the temporary employment (b) in all cases, the Consultanthas no arrangement and undertakes not to nurses, the council had approved the fees that are required for Filipino make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits extension of the temporary license by nurses, the Nurses and Midwives or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a one year. This allowed nurses a three- person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country. Council of Belize stipulates that year grace period with four nursing licenses remain a Eligible countries are member countries of CDB. opportunities to sit the licensure requirement to practice in Belize, as Interested eligible consultants are advised to review the detailed eligibility criteria examination. While the council is not guided by the Nurses and Midwives detailed in Section 4 and conflict of interest provisions in Section 5 is drawn to of refusing to supply anyone with a Council Registration Act. the Procurement Procedures for Projects Financed by CDB (January 2021) as published on CDB’s website. The ESis required to possess the following minimum qualifications and experience: • A Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering/ Environmental World Bank Not to Assist Sciences / Environmental Studies or related field with a minimum of five (5) years’ demonstrated experience in environmentalmanagement and in Bitcoin environmental sustainability and supervision of environmental aspects of infrastructure projects. Implementation In the assessment of submissions, consideration will only be given to qualifications and experience of the individualon similar assignments, and not on the corporate experience of the firm. El Salvador. Fri. June 18, 2021 - Monetary Fund (IMF), which is in Expressions of interest must be submitted in English, electronically, by email, in teleSurenglish.net favor of the adoption of Bitcoin in pdf format, to both addresses below no later than 10:00am local time on Monday This international financial El Salvador. 19July 2021. The email subject line should state “Expression of Interest - institution stated it could not Meanwhile, the Central American Consultancy Services for Environmental Specialist” and the email body must state the name and address of the applicant. The Expression of Interest will be support any assistance on Bank for Economic Integration deemed to have been received at the time that it is received by the receiving office cryptocurrency. (CABEI) stated that it will support named in the first address below. The burden of proving receipt of the e-mail will The World Bank (WB) could not the Salvadorian government in the be on the applicant and will not be met solely by a read receipt or sent items report assist El Salvador in the implementation of this generated by the applicant’s computer. implementation of Bitcoin due to cryptocurrency because Bitcoin Following the assessment of submissions, theindividual with the most technically will help facilitate the sending of capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to negotiate a factors related to the transparency contract to provide the consultancy services. The GOBZ reserves the right to accept of this cryptocurrency. remittances to this country. or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. On Wednesday, Salvadoran El Salvador’s economy relies It will not be bound to assign any reason for not engaging the services of any applicant Finance Minister Alejandro Zelaya heavily on remittances, which make and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and remarked his country had sought up almost 20 percent of its gross submission of Expressions of Interest. technical assistance from the World domestic product (GDP). Currently, Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 8:00am and 5:00pm local time Monday to Friday. Bank because it seeks to use around two million Salvadoreans Bitcoin as a parallel legal tender living abroad send over US$4 alongside the U.S. dollar. billion in remittances each year. This international financial In this regard, CABEI President institution stated that although it is Dante Mossi highlighted that committed to helping El Salvador in transaction costs from sending currency transparency and regulatory remittances to El Salvador could processes, it could not support any considerably come down by using assistance on cryptocurrency. Bitcoins. Zelaya also mentioned that his country has been holding talks on This article was first published this issue with the International by https://www.telesurenglish.net/ Page 20 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in context

Authorized COVID-19 vaccines achieve intended public health goals school is necessary and proportional settings that badly need health human have been shown to be safe and (ethical consideration 1). More to achieve the public health objectives resources, such as congregate living efficacious in preventing severe evidence may be required about (ethical consideration 1) and whether settings where care is provided to older disease and death, and it is clear that vaccine uptake to determine whether this could undermine public trust adults. Additionally, it may be difficult vaccine supply will continue to a mandate is necessary, which will (ethical consideration 5). In some to distinguish high and low-risk settings increase globally, albeit inequitably. depend on local contexts and on the jurisdictions, vaccination against the where there is widespread community That being said, the nature of the goals of the health system (e.g., viruses that cause a number of diseases transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Finally, COVID-19 pandemic and evidence on achievement of herd immunity, (e.g., polio, measles, mumps, rubella) some health institutions might wonder vaccine safety, efficacy, and protecting the most vulnerable). is a condition for attending school or whether vaccinate-or-mask policies, effectiveness continue to evolve Similarly, the extent to which a receiving state-sponsored entitlements which have not been proposed for (including with respect to variants of mandate for the general public is (2); however, mandates for routine COVID-19 but are sometimes used as concern). Consequently, the six proportional will depend to some paediatric vaccines are distinct from a type of vaccine mandate for seasonal considerations identified above are extent on the local context given the vaccines authorized for emergency use influenza (19, 20), should be similarly described generally so that they can variation in COVID-19 epidemiology in many respects, including the used to mandate COVID19 be applied at any point in time and in in different jurisdictions. Even if there relatively limited and evolving vaccinations among health workers. As any context. For illustrative purposes, is a sufficient supply and a mandate evidence for COVID19 vaccines in masks are likely to be a requirement in we now turn our attention to the for vaccination of the general public addition to uncertainty regarding herd health care settings for the foreseeable application of these ethical is considered necessary and immunity and new SARS-CoV-2 future, the incentive for health workers considerations in three settings for proportionate, policy-makers should variants in the context of COVID-19. to be vaccinated under vaccinate-or- which mandatory vaccination is still consider whether a mandate for Health workers mask policies – namely, that they will commonly discussed: for the general the general public would threaten Mandatory vaccination is perhaps not have to wear a mask in all patient public, in schools, and for health public trust or exacerbate inequity for most often discussed in the context of care settings while the virus is workers. the most vulnerable or marginalized health and social care, particularly circulating if they are vaccinated – will The general public (ethical consideration 5). where health workers have direct simply lack the same force. Vaccinate- Vaccination mandates for general In schools contact with populations at high risk of or-mask policies would retain this force adult populations are rare (7). In the Given the lack of data on the safety SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe if vaccination against COVID-19 meant absence of a sufficient, reliable and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines illness or death resulting from COVID- that vaccinated health workers could vaccine supply that would permit for children (ethical considerations 2 19 (e.g., congregate settings in which refrain from wearing masks, but this is every eligible member of the general and 3), COVID-19 vaccines have not care is provided to older adults), not scientifically or ethically justified public to be vaccinated, a mandate for yet been authorized for this population. because of the unique settings in which given the importance of personal the general public would fail to Consequently, vaccination is not health workers work and their ethical protective equipment for institutional address ethical consideration 4 currently ethically justified as a obligation not to harm their patients. infection prevention and control (21), regarding sufficient supply. Even if condition for attending school. Once Moreover, mandatory COVID-19 particularly where there is uncertainty there is a sufficient, reliable vaccine such data are available and show vaccination might appear to be surrounding a vaccine’s capacity for supply, policy-makers should favourable safety and efficacy in this particularly plausible for health sterilizing immunity. In this case, consider whether mandatory population, policy-makers will have workers given that vaccination of this vaccinate-or-mask policies risk placing vaccination of the general population to consider whether mandating population might be seen as necessary too much emphasis on the protective is necessary and proportionate to vaccination as a condition of attending to protect health system capacity effect of masks. Because no vaccine is (ethical consideration 1) and because 100% effective, standard infection health workers are commonly identified prevention and control precautions, as a priority group for vaccination, which includes masks but also a meaning there is more likely to be a number of other standard precautions, sufficient supply to meet the needs of should be used to minimize risk. this population (ethical consideration Conclusions 4). Whether a mandate for health Vaccines are effective for protecting workers is necessary and proportionate people from COVID-19. Governments (ethical consideration 1) and would not and/or institutional policy-makers undermine trust (ethical consideration should use arguments to encourage 5) might depend on the local context voluntary vaccination against and should be investigated empirically COVID-19 before contemplating before a mandate is considered for this mandatory vaccination. Efforts should population. COVID-19 and mandatory be made to demonstrate the benefit and vaccination: Ethical considerations and safety of vaccines for the greatest caveats: policy brief -4- Forms of possible acceptance of vaccination. mandatory vaccination are not Stricter regulatory measures should be uncommon in health care settings (17), considered only if these means are not including requirements that successful. A number of ethical unvaccinated health workers stay at considerations and caveats should be home during outbreaks, policies in explicitly discussed and addressed which vaccination is required as a through ethical analysis when condition of employment, requirements considering whether mandatory that unvaccinated health workers be COVID-19 vaccination is an ethically transferred to settings where the risk is justifiable policy option. Similar to lower, and so-called “vaccinate-or- other public health policies, decisions mask” policies. Given current rates about mandatory vaccination should (and concerns) of health worker “burn- be supported by the best available out” as a result of the pandemic and the evidence and should be made by potential consequence of an legitimate public health authorities in inadequately resourced health a manner that is transparent, fair, workforce (18), mandatory vaccination nondiscriminatory, and involves the policies that require unvaccinated input of affected parties. health workers to stay at home or require vaccination as a condition of -pgs. 3, 4 of COVID-19 and employment or hospital privileges mandatory vaccination: Ethical might have significant negative consideration and caveats. Policy consequences for already brief, 13 April 2021. World Health overburdened health systems. Policies Organization. that require unvaccinated health workers to be transferred to settings Full document can be found at : where the risk is lower might have WHO-2019-nCoV-Policy-brief- similar consequences, as they might Mandatory-vaccination-2021.1- remove critical health workers from eng.pdf Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 21 Page 22 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Nuclear Arms Reduction: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

measures? Per the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, both the US and Russian regimes have been committed for more than 50 years “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament.” But according to the Federation of American Scientists’ “Status of World Nuclear Forces” report, Russia and the US still maintain by Thomas L. Knapp arsenals of, respectively, 6,257 and 5,550 nuclear warheads. On June 16, US president Joe And, FAS says, “[t]he pace of Biden and Russian president reduction has slowed significantly Vladimir Putin issued a Joint compared with the 1990s and Statement on Strategic Stability, in appears to continue only because of which they “reaffirm the principle that dismantlement of retired weapons; a nuclear war cannot be won and the military stockpiles (operational must never be fought” and “seek to nuclear weapons) are increasing lay the groundwork for future arms again.” control and risk reduction measures.” How many warheads constitute a With the extension of the New “nuclear deterrent,” assuming such a START treaty and joint statements thing is truly needed until we are like that, it might seem that things clearly approaching the zero nuke aren’t looking too terribly bad with mark? respect to reducing the threat of Well, the US only has nine cities nuclear war. But talk and action are with populations in excess of one two very different things. Let’s roll million. Russia only has 15. The back the calendar to the day before ability to wipe out all those the rose-colored glasses went on. population centers, especially from “Despite calls from some platforms like submarines that aren’t Democrats and arms control likely to be taken out in a surprise advocates to slash spending on first strike, seems like a heck of a strategic forces,” National Defense deterrent to starting a nuclear fight magazine reported on June 15, “the (and an implicit terrorist threat, but Biden administration appears one we’re already living with and committed to forging ahead with then some). previous administrations’ nuclear Even adding in key military bases modernization programs.” as targets, how could more than, say, The Congressional Budget Office 50 warheads each (less than one expects the US government to spend percent of current arsenals) be $634 billion on operating and justified as a “deterrent?” “modernizing” its nuclear arsenal And what’s the holdup on getting over the next ten years, and the Biden down to that number? administration has requested $43.2 No additional agreements are billion for such activities in its budget necessary. Either side can do it proposal for next year. unilaterally, without agreement from That doesn’t sound much like the other, and the other side would “groundwork for future arms control be left just wasting money on and risk reduction measures.” expensive, dangerous, and effectively And what good are future arms useless junk. control measures when the parties It’s time to grow up and end this obviously haven’t bothered to fulfill silly nuclear “mine is bigger than their obligations under past such yours” contest. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 23

SPECIFIC PROCUREMENT NOTICE RRB.CS.35 - PROGRAMME MANAGER

• Manage the programme’s budget and ensure that all expenditures are in keeping with the programme objectives and activities. • Prepare all programme reports and present these to the POC Background: The Government of Belize (GOB), with financing from the when required. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green • Establish linkages with other national and regional programs Climate Fund (GCF), has embarked on a six-year Programme, Resilient involved in rural development in Belize and to ensure Rural Belize (RRB), which aims to minimize the impacts of climatic and complementarity of efforts. economic events on smallholder farmers while supporting sustainable • Collaborate with private sector initiatives that are relevant to the market access for their produce. The programme will help farmers employ Be-Resilient initiatives. climate resilient agricultural practices and technologies; integrate profitable smallholder participation into the development of select vegetable, fruit, Core Competences: and honey value chains; and support smallholder production capacity • Excellent command of the English language, spoken and written. through investments in public and private climate resilient infrastructure and proficiency would be an asset. and in the strengthening of smallholder farmer Producers Organizations • Solid managerial capabilities for managing human and financial and relevant GOB Departments. resources, and • Ability to negotiate and foster partnerships with stakeholders Scope of Work: The Programme Manager will provide overall leadership and other institutions. and management of the Programme Management Unit (PMU), will • Excellent collaboration and communication skills. coordinate the activities to be implemented, and will have the ultimate • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. responsibility for planning, budget preparation and management and • Superb organizational and time-management skills. execution to achieve the programme’s objectives and targets. In addition, • Willingness to work outside of formal working hours. the PM will report to the Programme Oversight Committee on policy matters, will act on the MED’s behalf in his/her contacts with public and international Academic Qualifications: The Programme Manager shall possess a institutions, and provide overall supervision of service providers contracted minimum of a master’s degree in project management, business by the programme. administration, finance, agriculture, rural development, or any area related to the main components of the programme. Duties and Responsibilities: The Programme Manager will be responsible to: Required Experience: • Prepare all strategic planning, management and related • Minimum of five (5) years’ experience managing projects financed documents that is important to overall programme implementation. by external donors in a management position. • Update the Programme Implementation Manual incorporating the • Minimum of three (3) years’ experience working with agriculture, relevant legal and other regulations governing the implementation value chain or rural development projects. of the programme and present to the Programme Oversight • Minimum of five (5) years’ experience liaising with public and Committee (POC) for approval. private sector institutions at the management level. • Establish and maintain, on behalf of the programme, excellent • Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in preparing project reports relations with the International Fund for Agricultural Development e.g., Annual Work Plans, Project Execution Plans, Budgets etc. (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and all direct • Experience working in rural development, particularly in rural programme partners (Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry communities and with the rural poor will be considered an asset. of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Infrastructure • Experience in negotiating and managing contracts will be Development and Housing, Department of Cooperatives, the considered an asset. National Climate Change Office, the Development Finance Corporation, and other relevant agencies. Reporting: The Programme Manager will report to the Programme • Inform the focal point of the Ministry of Economic Development Oversight Committee (POC). The duty station for the position will be at (MED) on important issues and the programme’s status on a the PMU Office in Belmopan. regular basis. • Represent the programme in forums in which it participates, or Clarifications: Any request for clarification should be sent via e-mail to its results are being featured. the address below no later than July 5, 2021 3:00pm. The client will provide • Oversee all contracting of services, and delegating responsibilities responses to all clarification requests by July 6, 2021 at 3:00pm where appropriate to PMU staff. • Monitor and assess the performance of the PMU staff and service Application Submission: providers. Interested candidates are requested to submit a Letter of Interest, • Lead the preparation of results-oriented Annual Work Plans and Curriculum Vitae, and two (2) Recommendation letters or References along Budgets (AWPBs) for the programme, in close collaboration with with a copy of the highest degree. The deadline to submit applications is the PMU and implementing partners, and present the AWPB to Friday, July 9, 2021, at 3:00p.m. via the following File Request Link: https:/ the POC annually, ensuring its approval. /bit.ly/2ShZ3Z1 (Note: No application submitted via email will be • Ensure that the AWPB is sent to IFAD and the GCF in a timely accepted) manner, as stated in the Programme Implementation Manual. • Network with other agencies and stakeholders to ensure A consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultant implementation of the activities as detailed in the AWPB. selection (ICS) method set out in IFAD’ Project Procurement Handbook • Monitor the implementation of the AWPB, adjusting as necessary, that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project- and work closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) procurement. Interviews will be conducted as part of the selection process. Specialist on setting benchmarks and gender/age disaggregated indicators to assess programme delivery and impacts. • Ensure that the implementation of the programme is done Resilient Rural Belize Programme according to the implementation strategy as indicated in the Final Attn: Tracey Hanson Programme Design documents and ensure gender equity is Procurement Officer included and cross-cutting in the programme monitoring and National Agriculture Showgrounds evaluation, as well as in the annual planning. Hummingbird Highway, Belmopan City • Supervise the execution of all procurement in accordance with Cayo, Belize, C.A. IFAD’s Financing Agreement and Procurement Guidelines. Email: [email protected] Page 24 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Cuba produces first COVID-19 vaccine in our region

pandemics,” President within the coming weeks. needed independent sovereignty in Diaz-Canel said. Since the late 1950s, Cuba adopted terms of technology, because imagine “Hit by two the concept of Medical living with the blockade and we can’t pandemics [Covid-19 Internationalism, a brainchild of the late acquire medicine. It is very difficult to and the US blockade] Ernesto “Che” Guevara (a medical access certain advanced technology. So, our scientists at the doctor himself) and Fidel Castro. Since for 30 years, we have been working to Finlay Institute and then, the country has trained and create a very strong biotechnology Center for Genetic deployed thousands of doctors industry. From 30 years ago we have Engineering and worldwide. These doctors have been been doing our own vaccine for the Biology [CIGB] have the world’s frontline of defense against immunization of the population,” jumped over all the the Covid-19 pandemic, being sent to Ambassador Perez said. hurdles and given us many countries as a buffer for their She added, “That is why we are very two very effective healthcare systems. proud that two days ago we announced vaccines,” President Over the years, the country has also that we have two vaccines ready for Diaz-Canel, who is developed several vaccines that have facing the Covid-19 [virus]. One is also the first secretary been sent worldwide. With its vast Soberana 02 and the second one is of the Cuban experience in the development of Abdala, which in the final trial shows Communist Party, vaccines, it is no surprise that Cuba 92% of efficacy in facing the Covid- stated. has led the charge in our region as the 19 [virus]. We are running with the The US government first to develop a homegrown vaccination of our population. We think currently has 240 inoculation. that in the summer 70% of the BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2021 restrictive or punitive measures in Cuban Ambassador to Belize, H.E. population will be vaccinated with our On Monday, the president of Cuba, place as part of its decades-long Lissette Perez, has remarked that the own vaccine, and at the end of the year, Miguel Diaz-Canel, announced that, in embargo against the country. Many of country’s extensive background in we will have all of the population clinical trials, one of their COVID-19 the new measures were introduced at biotechnology has afforded them the vaccinated. Despite the blockade that vaccine candidates, Abdala, has shown the height of the pandemic, during the skillset to develop these vaccines. She we are suffering, this is a very good a 92.28% rate of efficacy against the Trump presidency. Despite this also noted that these ideas of self- achievement and I want to highlight that virus. Another vaccine produced by the hindrance, the country has successfully sufficiency and sharing with the this is a vaccine not only for Cuba; it is Caribbean island, Soberana 02, has produced five Covid-19 vaccine international community were taught to a vaccine for Latin America and the also passed the World Health candidates, two of which have passed them by the late President Fidel Castro. Caribbean. We are very proud of that. Organization’s (WHO) efficacy the WHO’s efficacy threshold. “We were educated in the concept “ threshold of 50%, recording a 62% The country is now awaiting to help others, and also there is the Cuba is poised to become an rate of effectiveness against the virus emergency approval from its Center for vision of Fidel, that [educated] Cubans, important supplier of Covid-19 in late clinical trials. State Control Medicines, Equipment, that we have to share and, for example, vaccines for Latin America and the The vaccine candidates are the first and Medical Devices so that it can begin the new development that we have of Caribbean. To date, several countries produced by a Latin American and to ramp up its vaccination campaign. these vaccines is because of his vision across the region, including Venezuela, Caribbean country and were produced Over 1.7 million persons on the island to create in Cuba a very strong industry Argentina, and , have expressed while the country faced “two are expected to receive the vaccine from 30 years ago, because he saw we interest in purchasing Cuba’s vaccine. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 25 Public Service Awards 2021

by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) all commended for their hard work government engine and their constant dedication to the and keeps BELIZE CITY, Belize, Wed. June 23, Belizean people, despite the democracy alive,” 2021 sometimes unfavorable conditions said Hon. Usher. Belize’s public officers who have under which they have provided The tribute was completed twenty-five years and more service to the public. Those held against the of service were honored this week at sentiments were conveyed in a virtual backdrop of the 2021 Public Service Awards address by Hon. Henry Charles recently ended ceremony held at the Belize Biltmore Usher, who noted that the country is industrial actions Plaza. This year’s program was hosted observing Public Service Week: by members of the under the theme, “Belize Public “This week is an opportunity to public service Service – making heroic sacrifices, recognize all Public Officers across who had displaying extraordinary humanness, the country for their hard work, vehemently opposed government’s in this case the BNTU, PSU and the providing service before self”, and sacrifice and important contributions recent salary cuts and three-year APSSM. was attended by our newly appointed in their service to Belizeans. Public increment freeze. Notably, it was Back in April, Hon. Usher had Governor General, H.E. Froyla service is not the most glamorous of Hon. Usher who invoked Section 106- informed Cabinet that he would fix Tzalam, as well as the Minister of jobs nor a profitable line of work, 3 (C) of the Constitution, which states the salaries of public officers due to Public Service, Constitutional and but it is one of the most important. that the Minister can fix salaries and the dire state of public finances; Political Reform, Hon. Henry Charles Public officers, you are the face of privileges of the public service, however, this was reportedly done Usher; and mayor of Belize City, H.W. the government, you provide direct given that the minister has consulted while negotiations with the the unions Bernard Wagner. interaction with our citizens; your with the recognized representatives were still ongoing— much to the The fifty-odd public officers were daily work is the fuel for the of the teachers and public officers — chagrin of the public officers.

KARL HEUSNER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY

VACANT POSITION

Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority invites applications from suitably qualified and motivated individuals for the following vacant INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISION (IFSC) position: DIRECTOR OF NURSING SERVICES Request for Proposal for Consultancy Services JOB SUMMARY: The Director of Nursing Services is a member of the Hospital’s Management Team and has (Firm Selection) responsibility for directing, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating the operations of the Nursing Services Directorate. This position ensures the smooth operation of the Nursing Service in the delivery of a high standard of patient care by providing guidance, management and leadership to Selection Method: Competitive (firm) Selection senior nurse managers and other members of the nursing staff and healthcare team. The Director Country: Belize of Nursing Services ensures the maintenance of standards, timely resolution of problems, and the Client: International Financial Services of Belize (IFSC) implementation of change within the Nursing Service in order to provide efficient and safe patient Project Name: Design and Implement an E-registry system for the Business Registries care. Project Purpose: Digitize and modernize the registry of International Business Companies’ Processes DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Participate in the development of, and upholds, established hospital and NursingServices policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance programs, safety, environment and Consultancy infection control standards. I. Creating a web-based solution(system) that facilitates all functions and business 2. Collaborate with members of the management team in the development of KHMHA’s requirements of the business registries, integrates all users, and streamlines and Strategic Plan. standardizes processes. The solution must also have a front-end interface for online 3. Lead and direct the nursing service in providing organized, quality and compassionate nursing registration of businesses and post-registration services. care to the hospital’s patients and users. II. The system must allow for integration to other applications and entities via an 4. Ensure the safety and welfare of patients from admission to discharge by enforcing strict Application Programming Interface (API) in the starting a business process. implementation of hospital procedures for infection control, safety and risk-management. III. The solution must be modular and allow for future growth and expansion to other 5. Oversee the preparation, establishment, and implementation of nursing procedures and practice requirements or services of the business registry. guidelines. IV. The solution can be an off the shelf solution or a custom-built solution. 6. Analyze and develop nursing needs of the hospital to establish the optimum staffing pattern for the individual elements of the Nursing Service, and monitors compliance. 7. Prepare the annual budget submission for the Nursing Service. The detailed terms of reference for the consultancy can be requested from 8. Collaborate with the Department of Human Resource in the selection, recruitment and [email protected]. evaluation of nursing personnel and ensures timely preparation and submission of all The IFSC now invites all eligible consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing the employment actions for nursing staff. services. In submitting its Proposal, a firm should provide information demonstrating that it has 9. Ensure nurse managers comply with KHMHA’s Hand Book of Policies and Procedures and the required and relevant experience to perform the Services. application of disciplinary measures where necessary. 10. Promote research and review of nursing practices to improve delivery of nursing services. The shortlisting criteria are: 1. The firm’s experience in conducting similar assignments. EDUCATION, LICENSURE and WORK EXPERIENCE: 2. Experience (minimum of 10 years) in the successful development and deployment of 1. Graduate of state approved school of Registered Nursing. Business Registry technological system solutions across multiple jurisdictions. 2. Master’s Degree in Nursing, Hospital or Public/Health Care Administration 3. The firm’s long-term technical and financial viability Or 3. Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing plus, Certificate in Nursing Administration/Health Care 4. The Lead Consultant should possess at least a master’s degree in Computer Science or Management and 10 years’ experience in Nursing Administration. a related field and 10 years of experience. Junior Consultants should possess at least a 4. Valid Belize Registered Nursing License. bachelor’s Degree in computer science or a related field and at least 5 years of experience 5. Basic Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification required. in the field. 6. A minimum of ten years’ experience in nursing management positions in a hospital or similar 5. Familiarity with technological capabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Proven health care organization. A minimum of five of the required ten years must have been in an project work at international, national and/or national/ local levels is an asset. acute care environment.

Interested consulting firms must provide information establishing that they are qualified to perform SALARY: the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, • Contract availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES: § Demonstrated management and leadership skill with the ability to create, promote and Proposal must be submitted to the Deputy Registrar of the International Business Companies participate in a teamwork environment. Registries by July 29th, 2021, at 12:00am Central Standard Time at: § Able to communicate clearly, concisely and accurately with all levels of staff and patients, [email protected]. both verbally and in writing. § Able to work around barriers to achieve departmental and hospital goals. The IFSC shall not be bound to defray any costs incurred by applicants in preparing and § Self-directed, hardworking, creative and forward thinking. submitting statements of capability. Completed application must be submitted along with a current police record, copy of Government of Belize valid Belize social security card and two letters of recommendation addressed to the Department: International Financial Services Commission of Belize (Ag.) Chief Executive Officer at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority, no th Attention: Santiago Gonzalez – Project Team Leader later than 9 July 2021. Page 26 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

BAA “regrets” it is “unable” to take some athletes to C.A. Senior Championships in

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 24, 2021 Carr, Leonellie Myers; and MALES continue training and be prepared Anderson, Rahim Monsanto, Jihad Following its National Senior – Shaun Gill, Mark Anderson, Rahim for the other events coming later this Ahmad, Gary Neal, Hance Card, Championships at the end of last Monsanto, Jihad Ahmad, Gary Neal, year.” Brandon Adolphus, Amir Ramos, month, the Belize Athletics Hance Card, Brandon Adolphus, A day later, today, June 24, the BAA Faisal Ahmad, Brandon Jones, Cojac Association (BAA) announced on Christopher Broaster, Amir Ramos, felt it had to reiterate: Smith; and OFFICIALS – Deon June 16 on its Facebook page the list Kerwin Palacio, Faisal Ahmad, “The Belize Athletics Association Sutherland (President), Fred Evans of athletes it had selected to represent Martin Flowers, Brandon Jones, Cojac wants to make it categorically clear (Coach), Shelmadine Carr (Coach). the country in the upcoming meet in Smith, Waylon Gordon. that it is not withdrawing from We noted from the above that only Costa Rica; but a week later, it was But a week later, on June 23 the participation in the Central American fifteen athletes’ names are listed. Also, disappointment for a number of athletes BAA had this Facebook post: Senior Championship to be hosted in from the BAA Excel attachment, female whose names have been dropped from “The executive of the BAA regrets Costa Rica this weekend. Due to athlete Leonellie Myers is participating the contingent list due to “financial to inform some of its athletes that due financial constraints, the team in the discus and javelin throws; while constraints.” We have tried, to financial constraints, we are numbers have been reduced only. The the three other females are all track unsuccessfully, to contact BAA unable to take the team we had contingent presently consists of athletes, and they are entered in the president, Deon Sutherland by phone. originally planned to represent at the sixteen (16) athletes and three (3) 4x100m and 4x400m relays. In its June 16 post, the BAA said: Central American Senior officials. With assistance from the We tried contacting BAA president “Attached below is the team Championship to be held in San Jose, National Olympic Committee and a Deon Sutherland for the missing female chosen for CADICA Senior Costa Rica on 26-27 June, 2021. few funds from the BAA coffers, we name, since their last Facebook post Championships. They’ll be The high cost of attending these have managed to put together the best had mentioned 16 athletes, and only 15 representing us in San Jose, Costa events due to the protocols instituted competitive team for this event and names were listed. But up to press time Rica on the 26th-27th of June. by the organizers and governments our best athletes to qualify for the we were unsuccessful. Congratulation to all!” have made it very difficult Tokyo Olympics.” The athletes whose names were And it proceeded to list the names financially, coupled with the fact that The BAA contingent list now dropped and therefore not making the of 6 female athletes and 15 male the government and business includes: FEMALE ATHLETES – trip are: FEMALES – Ashontie Carr athletes. Those were: FEMALES – community cannot assist with Hillary Gladden, Samantha Dirks, and Ashantie Carr; and MALES – Hillary Gladden, Samantha Dirks, donations at this time. Tricia Flores, Leonellie Myers; MALE Christopher Broaster, Kerwin Palacio, Ashontie Carr, Tricia Flores, Ashantie We therefore encourage you to ATHLETES – Shaun Gill, Mark Martin Flowers and Waylon Gordon.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE R.C. HIGH SCHOOL

VACANCY

Temporary Vacanciesexistsat Our Lady of Guadalupe R.C. High School, Belmopan, for the following posts for the periodSeptember 1st – November30, 2021:

Ø Teacher of Mathematics& Physics

Teaching position may include extracurricular responsibilities (supervising athletic programmes, moderating student houses and clubs, mass preparation, etc.)

QUALIFICATIONS • First Degree in the relevant field(s) preferred • Associate Degree may be considered • Ability to work and communicate effectively with students, staff and administration • Knowledge, competence and expertise in using technology in teaching • High motivation and commitment to teaching • Must be in possession of a valid Teacher’s license

SALARY In accordance with Government Pay Scales.

The deadline for submission of applications is July 2nd, 2021.Application letters along with a current curriculum vitae, original transcript, certified copies of degrees, certified copy of social security card, marriage/divorce certificate, release letter (where applicable) and two recent letters of reference should be sent to:

Email: [email protected] Principal Our Lady of GuadalupeR.C.High School P.O. Box 479 CITY OF BELMOPAN Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 27 Lumumba was not a communist!

(from the Preface to THE interested in a propaganda victory. ASSASSINATION OF Krushchev denounced Western LUMUMBA, by Ludo de Witte, intervention to reinforce his Verso, 2001) diplomatic position in the Afro- Asian world. A good number of the writers The destruction of Congolese examining Washington’s role have nationalism was a devastating blow analysed the Congo crisis in terms to those struggling for liberation of the Cold War. Their discussions throughout Africa, but it did not are based on the argument put worry the blinkered conservative forward by Washington and London bureaucrats of the Kremlin: for them at the time to justify Western Lumumba and African nationalism intervention — that Soviet expansion were throwaway items. Krushchev needed to be checked. told the US ambassador in Moscow But does this argument stand up to off the record that “he was sorry for the facts? It is true that the year 1960 him (Lumumba) as a person when surely marked a climax in the East- he was in prison but that his West conflict. On 1 May 1960, a U2 imprisonment actually served Soviet spy plane was brought down in interests.” For Moscow, Lumumba’ Soviet air space, although s defeat was no more than a Eisenhower totally denied the propaganda coup. “With respect to existence of aerial espionage. At a Congo, ‘K’ said what had happened summit meeting in , the Soviet there and particularly the murder of leader Nikita Krushchev called Lumumba had helped communism.” Eisenhower a liar. The summit was On the whole, Moscow’s support for cancelled. the Congolese nationalists was only The Congo crisis turned into a war ever a symbolic gesture. Was it not of words. Washington, London and significant that the US ambassador Brussels accused Moscow of to the Congo, who inundated wanting to get its hands on central Washington with messages about the Africa. Lumumba was called a Soviet danger in central Africa, “communist,” a “crypto-communist,” recognised during a (behind closed or at the very least a politician who doors) interview with a US was willing to open the door to commission that the Kremlin’s Soviet intervention. During the UN support for the Lumumbists was General Assembly in the autumn of never more than a “trickle”? that same year, Krushchev replied Lumumba advocated a complete vehemently, accusing Hammarskjold de-colonisation that would benefit the of being an agent of imperialism, population as a whole. He had, intent on safeguarding the UN’s therefore, to be stopped. In order to interests in the Congo. get public opinion on their side, On closer inspection, however, Western strategists invoked a series the Congo crisis was not really a of noble objectives. Just as the war between East and West with Belgian king Leopold II had hegemony to central Africa at stake. legitimised the conquest of the Congo Moscow was certainly not opposed by presenting it as liberating Africans to extending its influence to the from the hands of Arab slave traders, world nor to having more control, and colonial exploitation had been but Stalin’s heirs were even more justified as a civilising enterprise, so interested in stability and peaceful in 1960 the nationalists were coexistence with Washington. The destroyed in the name of protecting latter was a critical factor in their Africa from Soviet imperialism. policies towards Africa, which after “Saving Africa from the Cold War” all was part of the Western or “containing Soviet influence in the hemisphere. The Kremlin had process of de-colonisation” were the neither the political skill nor the coded phrases used by the West. means to threaten the West’s Lumumba was not a communist. supremacy in the Congo and this was He was a nationalist, prepared to clear to most observers at the time. accept help from any quarter The Kremlin certainly did not want provided that it was unconditional to support Lumumba unconditionally help which did not compromise during the Congo crisis; it was more sovereignty.

Sunday Review News Review Talk Show On Krem TV & Krem Radio Live-streaming on Krem Television Face Book Page Host: YaYa Marin Coleman Co-Host: Alba Date: Sunday, June 27, 2021 Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon Guest: Representatives of the Belize Federation of Fishers (BFF)

Sunday Review will be repeated at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, 2021 Page 28 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

BELIZE TAX SERVICE DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR CLEANING & MAINTENANCE SERVICES AT CHARLES BARTLETT HYDE BUILDING, BELIZE CITY

The Belize Tax Service Departmentseeks expressions of interest from SECURITY companies wishing to tender their services for cleaning and 1. The Contractor shall ensure that there is no pilferage on the maintenance at our headquarters in Belize City. Sanitization and part of his/her employees. cleaning of theoffice is essential to provide a safe and healthy 2. Most of the work to be done by the personnel in the building environment for the BTSD personnel and the public. is highly sensitive and confidential, the Contractor and his personnel must ensure that they do not interfere with, read, Scope of work: make copies of, or remove any such papers from the building. To maintain a clean and healthy working environment at the BTSD 3. No such documents shall be removed from the building under at Charles Bartlett Hyde building and compound on Mahogany Street the guise of being garbage or litter. in Belize City, Belize, the contractor must undertake the following 4. A police record shall be providedfor all personnel. cleaning and maintenance services: 5. The Contractor and all personnel must sign and adhere to the Confidentiality Oath. Deliverables The scope of the contract shall include the following: PROVISION OF LABOUR AND EQUIPMENT 1. Cleaning of office spaces, cafeteria, kitchenette, office furniture, 1. It is hereby understood and agreed that by the Contractor equipment and conference facilities along with respective that this is a “fixed price”contract, and the Contractor shall fixtures. provide all labour, equipment and cleaning supplies to perform 2. Cleaning of all bathrooms and their fixtures. his/her duties under this contract includingOne (1) supervisor, 3. Cleaning of the stairways, corridors and foyer area, railings five janitors and one yard attendant. and doors. • There is a dedicated storage room on the premises for keeping 4. Cleaning of windows – internally and externally. supplies and equipment. 5. Compoundmaintenance. 6. Garbage disposal. RESPONSIBILITY 1. The contractor shall ensure that the building has been properly Main Activities: cleaned in accordance with the terms and conditions of this a. Office space, furniture and equipment: contract. Daily: 2. The contractor is responsible for all fees, taxes and other cost 1. Sweep and mop offices spaces properly. related to worker’s compensation, GST, Social Security 2. Empty office paper/wastebins. contributions, etc. 3. Change garbage bags for office paper/waste bins. 3. The Contractor shall attend quarterly meetings or as requested Weekly: with the representative of the employers for monitoring and 1. Cleaning/dusting/polishing/sanitizing of office evaluation of cleaning and maintenance services performed furniture and equipment such as: by the contractor, as set out in the terms and conditions of ü Filing cabinets the contract. ü Cupboards, shelves, desks and desk 4. The Contractor must invoice the Government of Belize monthly equipment for services rendered. ü Printers, photocopiers, computer stations 5. The Government of Belize assumes no liability, expenses or ü Telephones and fax machines cost for the conduct andwork of the contractor or its employees. 2. Dust ceilings and walls for cobwebs (how often)– 6. All work must be done between the hours agreed upon. internal and external b. Conference room COMENCEMENT AND DURATION After every use – cleaning/dusting/mopping and washing of The duration of the contract is for two (2) years for the period July 1, utensils 2021, to June 20, 2023, and is subject to satisfactory performance of 1. Dust and wipe frames, clocks and other fixtures. the contractor. 2. Dust and polish all furniture. 3. Sweep and mop floors. QUALIFICATION FOR THE CLEANING COMPANY 4. Weekly dusting of ceiling and wall to remove cobwebs. The selected consultant should have the following characteristics: c. Bathrooms 1. Have a minimum of three (3) years working experience in Daily: Government offices. 1. Properly sweep and mop floors. 2. Cleaning and maintenance or similar type work experience of 2. Clean and disinfect toilets (9:00 am, 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm). at least five (5) years is required. 3. Clean basin, mirrors and other fixtures. 3. Experience working in the public and private sector in similar 4. Empty garbage bin and change garbage bags. assignment. 5. Replenish toiletries as required - toilet paper, hand towel and handwashing liquid soap etc. 4. Skills, Abilities and Knowledge Weekly: The team will need to have or demonstrate the following: 1. Disinfect garbage bins weekly. ü Excellent written and communication skills in English and d. Kitchenettes Spanish. Daily: ü The ability to solve problems in a timely fashion. 1. Properly sweep and mop floors. ü Organizing a work team with hands-on experience. 2. Clean microwave, coffee maker, table and sinks. ü Good public relations, organizational, coordination and 3. Empty garbage bin and change garbage bags. networking skills required. 4. Replenished as seen necessary washing liquid, ü Honesty, integrity, and respect. kitchen paper towels ü Demonstrate daily monitoring of on-site workers. Weekly: 1. Disinfect garbage bins. APPLICATION PROCEDURES: 2. Clean refrigerators. Bidding package should contain:

e. Corridors, foyerarea, stairway, railing and doors 1. Comprehensive proposal that includes the company’s Daily: profile, interests, experience, and expertise. 1. Sweep corridors, foyer area and stairway. 2. Certificate of Good Standing from Belize Company Registry. 2. Disinfecting of doors including knobs. 3. Certificate of Good Standing from the Social Security As required Board. 1. Mop corridors, foyer area stairway (Monday’s, 4. Certificate of Good Standing from the Belize Tax Service Wednesday and Friday’s). “For Bidding Purposes”. 2. Clean and disinfect railings on both stairways 5. Current Trade License. (Wednesday and Fridays). 6. Two (2) recommendation letters. f. Internal and external window cleaning 1. Clean windows and windowsills (monthly or asrequired) The lowest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted. Late bids 2. Clean (power wash) exterior windows and doors. will be disqualified and returned to the sender unopened. 3. Dust/clean ceiling fans monthly or as required. g. Maintain cleanliness of the grounds/building. Deadline date for submission of proposals is before or on July 9th, h. Maintain the compound and building litter free. 2021, and should be addressed to i. Clean drains surrounding the building. Mrs. Michelle Longsworth IDENTIFICATION Director General During the time, the services are being performed, all employees Belize Tax Service Department for the contractors shall wear identifiable clothes showing that Charles Bartlett Hyde Building they are contractors’ workers. Mahogany Street Extension, Belize City The contractor shall send a list of personnel and their hours of Ref: “TENDER FOR THE PROVISION OF CLEANING AND work for the week to the Employer’s representative at the MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR THE BELIZE TAX SERVICE beginning of each week. DEPARTMENTIN BELIZE CITY” Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 29 Belize’s Digitized Transport System

by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) Licensing and Registration System (BMVRLS) will also serve to ORANGE WALK, Wed. June 23, “strengthen the government’s ability 2021 to investigate vehicle theft, violation, The Belize Motor Vehicle tax evasion and traffic accidents,” Registration and License System has according to a press release issued been discussed in the media for a by the Government of Belize Press number of years to date. The project Office. This will be achieved was designed in collaboration with through collaboration with several The Republic of China (Taiwan) enforcement entities, such as the with the aim of centralizing Belize’s Police Department, Customs and Transport System and streamlining Excise Department and the a number of services, including Magistrate’s Court. driver and vehicle licenses, During the handing-over vehicular registrations, traffic ceremony, Hon. Kevin Bernard tickets, and revenue collection remarked, “The Ministry of Youth, through the digitization of records Sports and E-Governance, through and implementation of new auditing the E-Governance and Digitization measures. Unit, is committed to support the This week that vision came to system at a ceremony held in Orange and Prime Minister Hon. John Belize Motor and Vehicle Licensing fruition when the Ambassador of Walk which was attended by the Briceño. and Registration project and the Taiwan, H.E. David Kuan-Chou Minister of Youth, Sports and E- In addition to optimizing traffic Department of Transport. This Chen, handed over a new transport Governance, Hon. Kevin Bernard, systems, the Belize Motor Vehicle project highlights the opportunities that can be achieved through the digital realm.” Following the ceremony and during an interview with the media, the Minister also commented that the new system would be “making life easier for citizens” and that the Ministry seeks to achieve its mandate to digitize 95% of the GOB’s services. Ambassador Chen also spoke on the impact the new system will have on the daily lives of Belizeans moving forward: “Digital information technology is an inseparable part of the daily life of the global people. This E- Government project is aimed at improving the efficiency of the Government of Belize and providing the people of Belize with a more accessible, more convenient transport registration system.” Also in attendance at the ceremony were the Minister of Public Utilities, Energy and Logistics, Hon. ; the Mayor of Orange Walk, H.W. Ladrick Sheppard; CEO to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and E- Governance, Mr. Jose Urbina; and Chief Transport Officer, Ms. Dian Vasquez. Hon. John Briceño delivered the keynote address, during which he stated that “this is what we talk about when we say making life better for everybody. So that is a big step in effect that we are taking. We are showing our citizens how e-governance can change our lives and how it can make it better”.

See news in the making? SPORTS ACCIDENTS SOCIAL ISSUES CRIME Call us at: 280-4703 222-4838 Page 30 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 CARICOM SG takes the jab

by Dayne Guy

GREATER GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Wed. June 23, 2021 In the latest public service announcement (PSA) from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the CARICOM Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, encouraged all in the community to be vaccinated. “I took the jab, the COVID-19 vaccine. I am encouraging you, my brothers and sisters, to join me. Take the jab, and observe the protocols. We’re saving lives and jobs,” he said. Recovery from the pandemic remains key to financial recovery, especially for regions like the Caribbean. The Caribbean has remained one of the most indebted regions worldwide -- with , Belize, Jamaica and Dominica ranking as the highest debtors in the region. The pandemic has only heightened the economic challenges in the region. The Caribbean has recorded 906,086 cases of COVID- 19 in addition to 12,291 virus- related deaths cumulatively, according to statistics from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). It is of paramount importance that members of the community continue taking precautionary measures that are known to reduce the spread of coronavirus — including washing hands, wearing masks when in public places and social distancing.

AAAdvererertise with us! The newspaper with the greatest circulation in Belize #3304 Partridge Street, Belize City. Telephones:501-280-4703/ 202-4477

[email protected] Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 31 Police stepping up enforcement of Covid-19 rules

The Police will be monitoring the different social events and activities across the country. Those events include, but not limited to the following: wakes, nightclubs/ bars operating as restaurants, private parties, weddings, and beach parties Raiders flashback BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2021 enforcement of these rules in order to Today, the Belize Police contain the spread of the virus across Department issued a press release communities. Police will now BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 24, 2021 basketball championship against, I informing the public that officers have increase the monitoring of social When the Suns got to inbound the think, Santino’s Hotpoints?). been directed to increase their events and locations such as nightclubs ball trailing 102-103 against the L.A. Well, so said, so done. The Suns’ enforcement of the Covid-19 protocols and bars operating as restaurants, as Clippers with 0.9 seconds left on the Jae Crowder’s inbound pass was like across the country following what well as private parties, weddings, clock in their Western Conference a shot just above the basket area, and looks like a decrease in vigilance wakes, beach parties, and other social finals Game 2 on Tuesday night, a Deandre Ayton outjumped Clippers’ within the public and an increase in gatherings. thought, which I couldn’t help but center Ivica Zubac and slammed it home Covid-19 cases. “We are also observing that several voicing to my wife, crossed my mind, for what proved the game winner. The release says, “Due to the recent establishments are advertising on and it took me way back to the early Apparently, it had happened once increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases, social media a variety of social events. ‘90s, as I’m sure it did many a before in the NBA, and with the same the warns The general public is advised to semipro basketball fan in Belize, and Phoenix Suns, whose coach Monty the general public that effective protect themselves by not hosting or especially Raiders fans. I said, I Williams therefore had the immediately there will be stricter attending these events,” the Police wonder if this will be like when Duck “institutional memory” advantage enforcement of the Covid-19 Department’s release said. (Garnett) sent that inbound pass over their opponents, most of whom regulations.” The release adds, “Anyone caught straight to Keith (Acosta) for a slam apparently were unaware that the The department stated in the release in violation of these protocols will be dunk (which at the time clinched the rules do not consider such a play as that they are intensifying their prosecuted.” Raiders’ victory and semipro goal tending.

KARL HEUSNER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY KARL HEUSNER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY VACANT POSITION VACANT POSITION Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority invites applications from suitably qualified and motivated individuals for the following vacant Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority invites applications from position: suitably qualified and motivated individuals for the following vacant position: DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCE JOB SUMMARY: FINANCIAL CONTROLLER The Human Resource (HR) Director is responsible for the smooth operations of the organization’s human resources. This position oversees and provides consultation to JOB SUMMARY: executive management on strategic actions relating to all recruitment, labor relations, The Financial Controller is an Executive Manager at the KHMHA who provides leadership training and development, benefit and compensation administration, performance review direction and has responsibility for the operation of the Financial Services Directorate. and change management for the organization. The HR Director is also expected to take This position establishes and maintains financial and accounting systems, and ensures a leadership role in developing a culture that enables employees to perform in accordance that all employees of the directorate are knowledgeable in the operations of said systems with KHMHA’s Vision and Strategic Direction. This position serves as principal advisor to and implement them fully within their activities. The Financial Controller sets goals for the Chief Executive Officer and Management Team on all matters related to Human departments, stations and units in order to carry out the vision of KHMHA, and requires Resource Management. an in-depth knowledge of KHMHA strategies, goals and plans and know-how to communicate these goals and plans to employees. The Financial Controller is responsible DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Prepare and oversee implementation of short and long-term human resource in safeguarding hospital assets and maintaining internal controls. Develops, evaluates, strategic plans incorporating budgetary and other resource implication and trains and counsels subordinate supervisors in the finance division in GAAP. monitors process accordingly. 2. Supervise employees’ compliance with related Labor Laws, Regulations, Policies, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Procedures, guidelines and other Practice Standards. 1. Oversee the functions of the Financial Services Directorate in accordance with 3. Establish and supervise implementation of a Performance Evaluation System hospital policies, objectives and mission. and organization wide Employee Orientation Program for all employees. 2. Develop and implement policies and procedures for budget planning, accounting, 4. Ensure employees’ compensation and benefit package is in accordance with expenditure control and revenue. Policies, Regulations and Labor Law of Belize. 3. Ensure the preparation and maintenance of financial services and the preparation 5. Develop, in collaboration with management team members, service-specific of reports for the hospital’s internal and external financial audits. and performance competencies for all categories of employees. 4. Serve as corporate advisor to the KHMHA Board, Chief Executive Officer and 6. Lead the development and execution of high-quality workforce strategies aimed management team. at maintaining the Authority’s position as the leading healthcare institution. 5. Plan, organize, implement, direct and develop services and activities in the 7. Identify, recommend and participate in the development of policies, working Financial Services Directorate and supervise the head of the sections within the procedures, regulations and practice standards. directorate. 8. Develop and implement systems and work processes to sustain employees’ 6. Implement in collaboration with other services directors, a resource management motivation towards achievement of organization’s vision, strategies, plans, program to identify the overall needs of the hospital in the resource areas in programs and projects. 9. Ensure that due process is applied at all stages of decision-making and full and budget, human resources, material, facilities, and equipment. completemaintained compliance throughout. to Disciplinary Guidelines and other HR policies in 7. In collaboration with service directors and department heads, finalizes the annual 10. Lead effective labor relations, including negotiating and administering labor budget submission for the approval of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board agreement. of Governors.

EDUCATION and WORK EXPERIENCE: EDUCATION: • Master’sDegree in Human Resource Management/Public Health • A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Post Graduate degree in Business Administration and/or Business Management or related field. Management. • A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in Human Resource Management or • CPA, CA, ACCA designation. at Senior Management Level. WORK EXPERIENCE: SALARY: • A minimum of ten years’ experience in management positions in a hospital or • Contract similar health care organization. • Experience in accounting software such as QuickBooks, SBT and ACCPAC. SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES: § Must display positive work attitude SALARY: Excellent leadership skills including; superb communication, delivery of results, § • Contract consultative skills, partnership skills and team building § Ability to resolve critical issues related to employee unions § Be able to communicate and negotiate with multiple categories of hospital SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES: employees 1. Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to create, promote and § Possess strong working knowledge of Labor Laws, Public Service Regulations and participate in a teamwork environment. Employee Relations 2. Able to communicate clearly, concisely and accurately with all levels of staffs and patients, both verbally and in writing. Completed application must be submitted along with a current police record, copy 3. Self-directed, hardworking, creative and forward thinking. of valid Belize social security card and two letters of recommendation addressed to Completed application must be submitted along with a current police record, copy the (Ag.) Chief Executive Officer at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority, of valid Belize social security card and two letters of recommendation addressed to no later than 9th July 2021. the (Ag.) Chief Executive Officer at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority, no later than 9th July 2021. Page 32 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Miami building collapse: 51 people unaccounted for

At least one person has died and 51 others are unaccounted for after the collapse overnight of a 12-storey residential building north of Miami, Florida, officials say. Rescuers are combing the rubble in the search for survivors and were seen pulling a boy out alive. It is unclear how many people were in the building at the time. The complex in the town of Surfside was built in 1980. Out of 130 units, about half were affected by the collapse. Fifty-one people believed to have been living in the building have not yet been contacted, County Commissioner José Díaz said. Rescuers pulled 35 people from the wreckage, officials said. Ten were assessed and treated, of whom two were sent to hospital. “The back of the building, probably a third or more, is totally pancaked,” Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told a news conference. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited the site on Thursday afternoon, said the fire and rescue service was still in “search and rescue mode”. “The TV doesn’t do it justice. It is really, really traumatic to see the collapse of a massive structure like that,” he said.A community centre in Surfside has been turned into a family reunification centre and an information point for concerned relatives. This full article can be viewed at : https://www.bbc.com/news/world- us-canada-57592827

This article was first published by BBC news.

AMANDALA is cream Visit us at www.amandala.com.bz Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 33 Unplanned retirement for 50+ CITCO employees pensions.” Based on their projections, of twenty-two employees between the council foresees that the number the ages of 57 and 59. Finally, the of employees passing the legal retirement of ten employees between retirement age would be roughly the ages of 55 and 57 will take place seventy (70) employees by the end of in phase three, which will begin in 2021, with gratuities estimated at September. $500,000, and that number (of Despite serving as mayor for a employees over 55 years old) would second consecutive term, Mayor increase to roughly one hundred (100) Wagner stated that he had to put the by 2024, with gratuities estimated at plan into effect this year because if $1.4M. it had been enacted prior to 2020, CitCo will thus be engaging in a those affected would not have “phased retirement of council staff,” qualified for severance pay. The according to the release. Phase one plan will unfortunately affect mainly of the plan is set to commence on members of the Operational Support July 1, 2021, and will conclude at and Maintenance (Sanitation) the end of October. At the end of this sections of CitCo’s staff who were by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) coming months. In a press release first phase, a total of twenty-one “previously employed with private dated June 23, CitCo stated that the employees aged 60 and above will sanitation companies under contract BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2021 previous administration put “no have been placed in retirement by with the city.” The Belize City Council has tactical plan in place to address the the council. During phase two, The release goes on to state that announced that it will be releasing aging workforce, accrued entitlements which will begin in August and run the Belize City Council has been in approximately fifty (50) employees like gratuity or severance, and the concurrently with phase 1, the communication with the Christian from the council’s workforce in the projected increase in monthly council will oversee the retirement Workers’ Union (CWU) to inform them of the phased approach and walk them through the necessary steps being taken. Further, the council has stated that any further delay of their plan would result in an increased liability, and that many of their “aged” employees are finding it difficult to carry out their assigned duties. Following initial reports that the council was firing employees, we were able to speak with Mayor Wagner in an exclusive interview, during which he took the opportunity to clarify what is taking place: “Like what I stated previously, it’s not firing or termination but really, retirement. An exercise that should’ve been done ten, fifteen years ago. If all the previous councils were complying with the City Council Act, which clearly states that the retirement age is 55, we wouldn’t have been in the position where you are accruing gratuities, entitlements, severance, and pension as you go along. So, we look at it in a way where we needed to stop the continuous increase in those people who should be retired,” Mayor Wagner said. He further explained, “If we continued by the end of 2021, we would’ve had 70 employees due gratuity payments, which would’ve taken us in the neighborhood of $500,000. Some of these employees have already surpassed the legal retirement age. Most of them are from Sanitation and Operational Support. They were previously employed by S.E.L. and B.M.L. and they came back to the Council, and so some of them will lose the benefit of pension, because I believed those were paid in, but of course they will be getting all they are due to them from the Council in terms of severance, in terms of gratuity… After the retirement phases have occurred, we will want to ensure that we comply every year, given the adequate notice to the employees that you’re expected to retire next year so begin to make your plans so that we never be in a situation where we have a substantial percentage of our staff surpassing the retirement age.” Page 34 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTY

BY ORDER of the Chargees, Messrs. Alpha GammaFinancial Services Limited,Licensed Auctioneer, Fernando Molina, will sell the following properties, being the freehold property of Palmetto Holdings Ltd.,TOGETHER with all buildings and erections thereon in one lot by way of public auction on site on Monday, the 5thof July, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Placencia North 36 662(1.91 Acres), 663 (1.60 Acres), 664 (1.29 Acres), 665(1.14 Acres), 678 (0.99 Acre), 679 (0.98 Acre)

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH For further particulars on the properties, please contact: Email: [email protected] Tel: 610-0919 Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 35 Covid-19 update

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 24, 2021 a total of 164 cases are active across Today, the Minister of Health and the country. Wellness, Hon. . told As mentioned, data issued today the media that his Ministry would be shows that a total of 79,993 persons relaunching its Covid-19 inoculation within the country have received at campaign. The Government of Belize least the first jab of the Covid-19 continues to urge all Belizeans to vaccine. A total of 26,017 persons start their inoculation process. To are fully vaccinated, and about 1061 date, a total of 79,993 persons in the persons were vaccinated today. country have received at least the first On June 23, a total of 20 new jab of the Covid-19 vaccine. cases were found from a batch of Today, the Ministry also received 603 tests. Four recoveries were cold storage equipment from the US logged, and no new deaths were Centers for Disease Control (CDC). identified. No hospitalization was This donation will give the country recorded on that day. the capacity to store up to 9,000 Over the past weekend, from June multi-vials of the Pfizer vaccine at 19 to 21, a total of 1637 tests were temperatures as low as -86 degrees processed by the team at the Celsius. Ministry of Health and Wellness. The vaccine from Pfizer is Among those samples tested, 35 new approved for use in children 12 cases were identified and 17 years of age and older. The United recoveries were logged. States has committed to begin Unfortunately, one new death was donation of these jabs to countries identified over the weekend — a across the globe as a part of its woman from the . One response to the pandemic. hospitalization was recorded on that Over the past week, Belizeans day. were dismayed to learn that an infant Another death was identified in just 15 days old had tested positive data from June 17 -18. The person for the deadly virus. The child was who died during that two-day period tested after being admitted to a local was also a woman — this time from hospital with seizures and a high Orange Walk. A total of 10 new cases fever. were found from the 1303 tests This case was detected in the processed. On that day, 44 northern part of the country, where recoveries were logged and five VACANCIES at OCEAN ACADEMY the Health Ministry is monitoring an active hospitalizations were upsurge of cases in those districts, recorded. Caye Caulker Ocean Academy (OA) is a unique, award-winning especially Orange Walk. Two active At this time, the Delta variant, secondary school that links academics to the real world and clusters are currently isolated in that which first emerged in India, is now emphasizes social enterprise, innovation, technology, and research- area. starting to surface in cases across Today, the Health Ministry’s based education to lead students along a path of being mindful, European countries. epidemiological team detected a identifying one’s passion, making money, and creating legacy. OA is “Based on available scientific total of 21 cases from a batch of 824 evidence, the Delta variant is more committed to universal education and our school motto is “Preserving tests processed. They recorded 10 transmissible than other circulating our Heritage, Creating our Future.” If you are creative, flexible, patient, additional recoveries from the virus variants and we estimate that by the and driven to empower youth, we invite you to apply for the following and 3 active hospitalizations, with end of August it will represent 90% position: one of those hospitalized persons of all SARS-CoV-2 viruses needing intensive care. No circulating in the European Union,” ENGLISH TEACHER Forms I, II, III additional death was recorded on Andrea Ammon, the ECDC Director, that day. stated. Candidates must possess the following qualifications: To date, a total of 13,104 Closer to home, Cuba has • Teacher training and/or experience confirmed cases of COVID-19 have announced a high rate of efficacy in • Possession of a valid Teacher’s License been identified in the country since its homegrown vaccine candidate, • Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree the start of the pandemic. Around Abdala. The latest results from 96.1%, or 12,595, of those persons clinical trials suggest a 92.8% Interest and ability to: have recovered. Our death toll now efficacy of the vaccine against the • Inspire passion for writing, reading, and communicating stands at 329 fatalities. At this time, Covid-19 virus. • Inspire, encourage, and support diverse students; • Teach at the CXC level; • Make connections between academic content and real- world apprenticeships and internships; • Differentiate instruction according to ability and need; • Use technology and creativity in designing effective lesson plans; • Inspire positive morale within the class and among staff; • Remain committed to retention of students; • Be willing to think outside of the box; and • Commit to ongoing professional development and growth.

SALARY: Per the Ministry of Education Payscale plus a Housing Stipend Wear a mask.Save lives. Application deadline: Until the current position is filled. Kindly email application letter, copy of ID, and resume with supporting Wear a mask documents and two letters of reference to: [email protected].

Ocean Academy SEaTIDE, Caye Caulker, Belize District, Belize, Clean your hands www.oaseatide.com, 226-0321 / 629-6028 Keep a safe distance Page 36 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 Patrolling Canada: At least 600 graves found at police shot Indigenous boarding school

near Guat Saskatchewan, Canada. Thu. Jun 24, 2021 – Aljazeera News border Cowessess First Nation announced the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, Canada and Indigenous leaders say they will find more at other sites. Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan said they had found at least 600 graves after radar detected 751 “hits” in a field on the school grounds. “This is not a mass gravesite. These are unmarked graves,” he said in a news conference on Tuesday. talked of the burials. “We had our own way of honouring Chief Bobby Cameron of the “In 1960, there may have been ourselves and Mother Earth,” Sparver Federation of Sovereign Indian marks on these graves,” Delorme said. said, remember that Indigenous Nations said the discovery, coupled “The Catholic Church representatives “blessings” were banned. with the recent discovery of the removed these headstones and today remains of 215 Indigenous children at they are unmarked graves.” Canada’s history of boarding by Dayne Guy the former Kamloops Indian Removing gravestones is a crime schools for Indigenous children has Residential School in British in Canada, Delorme said, and the area made national news following the MACHAKILHA VILLAGE, Belize, Colombia, shows “genocide” is being treated as a crime scene. Kamloops discovery. Tues. June 22, 2021 committed by Canada. “We cannot confirm they are all “They would just start beating you Today, June 22, during a joint The Truth and Reconciliation children. But there are oral stories that and lose control and hurl you against patrol in Machakilha village near Commission of Canada determined in there are adults in this gravesite, as the wall, throw you on the floor, kick the border that separates Belize and 2015 that more than 150,000 well.” you, punch you,” Geraldine Bob, a Guatemala, a 22-year-old police Indigenous children had been forced Delorme said the ground- survivor of the Kamloops Indian officer who is attached to the into residential schools. Cameron said penetrating radar technology used to Residential School, said about her Special Patrol Unit was shot in the on Tuesday there are many burial sites discover the graves had an error rate experience there in a report. leg following an encounter with like at Marieval and Kamloops and of roughly 10 to 15 percent. There Kamloops was also administered alleged xateros from Guatemala, that searches will continue. were 715 “hits”, which means “at least by the Catholic Church. Pope Francis who often cross the border to “We will find more bodies and we 600” graves, Delorme explained. expressed “pain” and offered extract xate plants from Belizean will not stop until we find all our The discovery comes weeks after condolences after the “upsetting territory. children.” the remains of 215 children were discovery of the remains of 215 The incident happened in the “The world is watching Canada as found at the former Kamloops Indian children”. But he did not accept afternoon while a patrol was being we unearth the findings of genocide. Residential School. responsibility for his church’s actions. conducted by 25 Belize Defence We had concentration camps here. We Prime Minister Justin “The pope needs to apologise for Force (BDF) soldiers and two had them here in Canada, in Trudeau described that discovery as what has happened to the Marieval police officers. Reports indicate Saskatchewan, they were called Indian heartbreaking. residential school” to help survivors that while the group of law residential schools,” he said. Elder Florence Sparver recalled her and descendants heal, Delorme said. enforcement officers was heading “Now we have evidence.” time at the Marieval boarding school. “An apology is one stage of many to an outpost located in the village, The gravesite at Marieval was She said the Catholic nuns were in the healing journey.” the 22-year-old police officer, administered by the Roman Catholic “rough” with Indigenous children and Rolando Camara, trailed behind so Church, Delorme said. Over the years, barred them from keeping their This article was first published by that he could get some water from oral stories from Indigenous elders customs. Aljazeera. a nearby river. According to Camara, his team had continued on their trek to the outpost while he was scooping up Climate colonialism and the EU’s Green Deal water from the river. At that point, two men of Hispanic descent, who By employing corporate solutions for climate change, the EU’s Green communities at risk. were both armed, approached him. Deal will entrench further European neocolonial practices. According to data gathered by London- One of the men, who, it is believed, based NGO Business and Human Rights was wielding a makeshift shotgun, Resource Centre, there have been 304 then fired a shot, injuring Camara in by Myriam Douo - Racial and Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New complaints of human rights violations by the left calf. Camara then fired shots Climate Justice activist Guinea, leading to Indigenous communities 115 companies mining these minerals. losing their land. The demand for palm oil of his own as the attackers fled. Although the end of colonialism was 23 June 2021 – Aljazeera from top food brands in the Global North declared decades ago, its last effects in the Some time after the encounter, Since the beginning of the year, the remains high, despite their commitments Camara’s fellow police officer, form of these extractive industries are clear. Amazon Rainforest, our largest tropical to reduce use. The system of Indigenous land takeovers, David Jones, realized that his forest full of ecosystems essential to global Meanwhile, the push for greenersources resource extraction, labour exploitation and colleague wasn’t present and climate regulation networks, has had of energy, particularly in the Global North, wealth transfer set up by European informed the BDF commander of 430,000 acres (174,000 hectares) cleared is driving the demand for metals like nickel, colonialists continues to operate and his absence. The BDF commander and burned to supply the logging industry cobalt and lithium. Labourers in mining dispossess people in the Global South. then ordered the patrol to walk back and clear land for livestock breeding. communities working to extract these It is against the backdrop of this neo- along their trail in search of the Between August 2019 and July 2020, metals face dangerous and degrading colonial reality that the European Union missing officer. The patrol team another 2.7 million acres (1.1 million working conditions. announced its Green Deal at the end of searched along many routes, but it hectares) were destroyed. Much of the In the Democratic Republic of the 2019. was not until hours later that Jones wood and meat produced in from Congo (DRC), the use of child labour in Underpinned by an apolitical narrative this deforestation ends up in Global North cobalt mines is widespread, putting the lives found Camara nursing his wound that humans have already changed the markets. of children at risk, damaging their health Earth’s climate and degraded the majority after he had fired warning shots. In Southeast Asia, deforestation linked and depriving them of education. In Camara was rushed to San Jose of its ecosystems, so action needs to be to the palm oil industry also continues. Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, lithium mining taken, the Green Deal completely ignores Village, after which he was taken Between 2018 and 2020, almost 500,000 uses large quantities of water, accelerating the fact that the Global North was the main to the Punta Gorda Hospital to acres (202,000 hectares) of rainforest desertification and polluting underground receive treatment. were cleared in just three countries: waters and rivers, putting the health of local Please turn to„Page 38 Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 37 Excerpt from Cuban Foreign Adriana Rivas: Pinochet- Minister’s statement to the UN era suspect loses General Assembly extradition appeal June 24, 2021 – BBC Latin America His Excellency, Mr. President; hampered the links with Cubans residing A woman suspected of involvement Excellencies, Permanent in the United States as well as family in the kidnapping of seven people Representatives; reunification. during the rule of General Augusto Delegates all; All these measures remain in force Pinochet in Chile is one step closer to In 2020, Cuba, like the rest of the today and are being fully implemented. facing charges, after a court in world, had to cope with the And, paradoxically, they are shaping up Australia quashed her appeal against extraordinary challenges posed by the the behavior of the current US extradition. COVID-19 pandemic. The government administration, particularly during the Adriana Rivas, 68, has been living of the United States considered the months when Cuba has experienced the in Australia for more than four decades virus as an ally in its ruthless, non- highest COVID-19 infection rate; the but is accused of working for Chile’s conventional war. It deliberately and highest number of fatalities and a much secret police in the 1970s. opportunistically tightened the worse economic impact. She was arrested in Sydney in 2019. economic, commercial, and financial The Democratic Party electoral Ms Rivas could still appeal against blockade and caused our country to platform promised voters to swiftly this decision. incur record losses estimated at around reverse the actions taken by the Chilean authorities accuse Ms 5 billion dollars. administration of Donald Trump, Rivas of having participated in the President Donald Trump applied 243 particularly the elimination of disappearance of the secretary- unilateral coercive measures intended restrictions on travel to Cuba, financial general of Chile’s Communist Party, to restrict travel by US citizens to our remittances, and the implementation of Víctor Díaz, and six of his supporters The Dina was at the centre of Gen country and damage tourist markets in the bilateral migration accords, in 1976. The seven are presumed Pinochet’s campaign to silence third countries. He adopted measures including the granting of visas. dead. opposition to his rule after he seized that are proper to times of war with the It is a well-established fact that a large She is facing charges of aggravated power in a military coup in September purpose of depriving us from fuel majority of US citizens support the kidnapping. Chile has filed an 1973. supplies. He persecuted the health lifting of the blockade and the freedom extradition request to Australia, which Its agents abducted, tortured, and services that Cuba offers in numerous to travel to the island and that Cubans she has been fighting. killed thousands of people before the countries. He increasingly harassed our living in this country want normal Ms Rivas was a secretary for the agency was replaced by the equally country’s commercial and financial relations and wellbeing for their infamous chief of Chile’s secret brutal CNI, an army intelligence transactions in other markets and set families. police force, Manuel Contreras, from battalion. out to spread fear among foreign There are some who put the blame 1973 to 1976. Contreras died in 2015 More than 40,000 people were investors and commercial entities of this pernicious inertia on the electoral while serving a sentence of more than politically persecuted and of those, through the implementation of Title III ambitions associated to Florida or the 500 years for human rights abuses. more than 3,000 died or disappeared of the Helms-Burton Act. balances, in no way transparent, of the Ms Rivas worked at the National during the Pinochet era, which lasted He also hindered the regular and political and legislative elites. Intelligence Directorate (Dina), the from 1973 to 1990. institutional flow of remittances to What would those who voted for secret police force founded by Gen Ms Rivas has denied involvement families. He dealt very harsh blows to President Joseph Biden think about Pinochet to hunt down his political in the kidnappings, but in a 2013 self-employed or private workers and what is going on? opponents. interview with Australian broadcaster SBS she described her years at the Dina as “the best of my life”. Nicaragua’s fragile leader and his She told SBS how she was given an allowance for clothes, invited to ruthless crackdown on rivals glamorous events, travelled in luxury cars and stayed at upmarket hotels. Before he was murdered in 1978, and said the detainees would be decapitate the leaders of a social Asked about the torture carried out journalist Pedro Joaquín Chamorro wrote “punished according to the law” for movement and remove any possibility by Dina agents, she said that “they had an open letter to Nicaragua’s dictator, supposedly carrying out crimes against of a new tsunami of social uprising”, scar to break the people - it has happened Anastasio Somoza Debayle. In it, he told the state. “Nicaragua is the safest country René Vargas says bleakly. all over the world, not only in Chile”. the reviled military leader how much the in the region,” he claimed defiantly. Among those arrested is Dora María While Ms Rivas has denied taking people on the streets despised him and Not, however, if you are one of the Téllez, a former commander with the part in any torture sessions, witnesses that his iron rule resembled “that of a king president’s critics. Sandinista rebel group who led a split alleged in interviews given to in children’s stories”. Gioconda Belli says Vice-President from Daniel Ortega in 1990 after he lost documentary filmmaker Lissette Three years later, Chamorro was Murillo’s recent speeches have been power following Nicaragua’s violent civil Orozco that she was one of Dina’s dead, forced off the road and gunned equally erratic, “a mixture of religion and war. “most brutal torturers” who allegedly down by Somoza’s henchmen. Today, insults which rail constantly against When I last spoke to her, she was in played a key role in the elite Lautaro his daughter, the presidential candidate ‘coup-plotters’ and Satanism. The hiding from the Ortega government. A Brigade, which was tasked with killing Cristiana Chamorro, is under house government’s narratives exhibit extreme day earlier, her home had been raided the leadership of Chile’s underground arrest by the government of Daniel levels of paranoia.” by government agents and she could Communist Party. Ortega, the man who helped force In part, the presidential couple’s fear barely hide her disgust at her former ally, Ms Orozco, who is Ms Rivas’ niece, Somoza from power. and suspicion are rooted in the events even though they had parted ways many spent five years making a documentary Her detention on money-laundering of 2018 when protests over pension years earlier. about her aunt, which was screened at charges is part of an alarming clampdown reforms quickly grew into much larger Nicaragua has “zero democracy, the 2017 Berlin film festival. on high-profile opponents to President anti-government demonstrations. The completely corrupted institutions, a But as she found out more about Ortega and his wife, Vice-President authorities responded with lethal force regime which solely remains in place Ms Rivas’s involvement in the secret Rosario Murillo. In all, five potential and more than 300 people were killed, through repression and terror,” she said police, the film became a journey candidates for the presidential election the majority of them anti-Ortega from an undisclosed location. She now which shows the filmmaker in November 2021 have been arrested, protesters. faces the prospect of 15 years in prison. increasingly confronting her aunt in as well as numerous journalists and “In 2018, they lost the streets,” says The treason law states in generic terms conversations via Skype as well as businessmen, most of them under a Nicaraguan sociologist Oscar René that anyone found guilty of acting against talking to those fighting for justice for controversial treason law. Vargas. “The repression was carried out “the independence, the sovereignty and Dina’s victims. “We’re in a period of absolute so that people wouldn’t return to the self-determination” of Nicaragua could During her appeal, which was irrationality in Nicaragua,” says poet and streets again.” be designated a traitor. A deeply rejected on Thursday, Ms Rivas novelist Gioconda Belli. The treason law and subsequent compromised judiciary can easily questioned the authenticity of On Wednesday, Daniel Ortega crackdown are signs the president and conflate legitimate criticism of the documents which alleged she had been reappeared in public for the first time his wife view their rule as “fragile”, Mr president with crimes against the state. a Dina agent. since May. Looking frail, the 75-year- Vargas argues. They have turned to the Ms Rivas can take her fight against old delivered a typically bombastic “only force they have left - an alliance The full article can be viewed at : extradition all the way to the High Court speech which lasted for more than an between the military, the police and https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin- of Australia, a process which could hour and covered everything from North [radical pro-Ortega] paramilitaries”. america-57594114 prove lengthy. Korea’s nuclear ambitions to the recent That is a potent and frightening spate of arrests. prospect for any vocal critic or This article was first published by This article was first published by He insists the actions were justified, presidential rival. “They’re trying to BBC Latin America. BBC news. Page 38 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021 COVID-19 vaccination UDP coup de théâtre: campaign re-launched Shyne ousts Patrick

(From page 1) Continued from Page 1 the candidate that he lost to, the Hon. „ John Saldivar, I am one of the first transmission of the virus, Three of the five UDP people who asked him to resign in the which will require rigorous parliamentarians in the House of interest of the party.” Barrow said on oversight by the Health Representatives — Hon. Hugo Patt, a local morning show. Ministry. On July 7, cruise Hon. Denise Barrow and Hon. Shyne In remarks released on social ships will be returning to himself — signed on to the letter sent media, John Saldivar, who had held Belize, and many in the to the GG, effectively staging a coup the post of UDP leader for a very community are concerned against their leader, Hon. Faber. The short period before being defeated that increased interaction UDP area representative for the Albert by Faber in a subsequent UDP between locals and tourists constituency, Hon. Tracy Panton, who convention after his unsavory may cause surges in the disassociated herself from Shyne’s connection with US fraudsters was number of cases. However, public comments against Faber at the revealed, commented, “The current the ministry has pledged to time of the emergence of the domestic sad situation in the UDP is not about put in place proper protocols violence video that brought Faber’s Shyne Barrow nor John Saldivar, to minimize the potential leadership into question, and who it’s about Patrick Faber and his spread. shied away from Hon. Shyne’s efforts fitness to lead our Party and country. In addition, schools will to endorse her as new UDP leader, Plain and simple. There are those be fully reopened in August, also chose not to sign the letter to oust who are prepared to once again so vaccinations remain the party leader from the role as head pardon his behavior and that is their paramount. While children of the Opposition’s business in the right, but for you UDPs who want to by Dayne Guy are generally asymptomatic when House of Representatives. hate on those of us who will have they contract the virus, they are still Of note, two members of the Barrow no more of it, your double standard BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 24, 2021 carriers and vectors for viral family signed on to the motion of no- is hypocritical. “ While being interviewed by local transmission. Minister Chebat noted, confidence against Faber: Hon. Shyne So, after almost 20 years of media, the Minister of Health and “Ninety-five percent of the time, Barrow, the member for Mesopotamia, leadership under Rt. Hon. Dean Wellness, Hon. Michel Chebat, they’re asymptomatic. The problem and his aunt, Hon. Denise Barrow, Barrow, the UDP is now struggling announced that the Health Ministry is that when they go home, they run area representative for the Queen’s to find its footing. Hon. Shyne has will be relaunching its vaccination the risk of infecting the older Square division — the son and sister said that his goal is to preserve the campaign. This new phase of the members of their families.” of former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. party and act as a custodian until the campaign will commence on Vaccinations remain an important Dean Barrow respectively. The viable candidates for leadership Wednesday, June 30, and is aimed at part of the ministry’s response to the deputy party leader of the UDP, Hon. come forward to take on the task. significantly increasing the number of pandemic. The ministry intends to Hugo Patt, also decided to side with He remarked that by his action he persons in the community who have use the 100,000 doses of the the Barrow faction, leaving Faber is, “seizing a moment in history” by been vaccinated. AstraZeneca vaccine that the country isolated and without recourse. “answering the call” for leadership During the preceding campaign, recently received through bilateral For his part, the embattled UDP in the UDP. healthcare personnel visited rural agreements with Mexico to carry out party leader, Hon. Patrick Faber, is Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, a communities that would normally not inoculations during its upcoming yet to make an official comment on former rapper who had been signed have vaccines readily available to campaign. Additionally, Minister his dethronement in the House and the to P Diddy’s Bad Boy label, is them. The Ministry of Health and Chebat revealed that the ministry most recent efforts to oust him from effectively the new Leader of the Wellness had also engaged the plans to procure vaccines that can the leadership role in the party. When Opposition in the House of various village leaders and asked be used to treat persons aged 12-18, news of Shyne’s ascension to the role Representatives in Belize. them to assist by using their influence since these young ones will become of Leader of the Opposition broke, He is a novice politician, who in the community to help promote the a key target group when schools Faber posted just one word on became the standard bearer for the importance of vaccination. reopen. Facebook, “AMAZING.” Mesopotamia constituency after his This new phase of the campaign is Minister Chebat urges all persons The purported reasons for the coup uncle, political powerhouse Michael being launched before two key events in the country to get vaccinated. “The against Faber were discussed by Finnegan, retired from politics after that will result in increased person- worst thing that can happen to you if Barrow in subsequent media representing that division for to-person interaction and activity — you get vaccinated is, it is going to interviews following the decades. Barrow’s father, Rt. Hon. and thus increased risk of save your life,” he said. announcement. While the video of Dean Barrow, was the leader of the Faber’s domestic outburst still UDP for decades before finally appears to be the trigger that set the stepping down from that role. Climate colonialism and the process of unseating him in motion, When asked if Shyne’s family Barrow also pointed to other reasons affiliation had any bearing on his for his ousting. ascension to the leadership of the EU’s Green Deal He remarked that Faber’s inability Opposition side of the Lower House, to unite the party has resulted in a UDP party chairman, Michael Continued from „Page 36 where they experience pushbacks, must less fissure, one that now has to be sutured Peyefitte, said there has been no offer a solution. by new leadership. He also said that indication that this is indeed the case driver of climate change and environmental The European Green Deal also ignores the UDP leader had flatly rejected a and added that he has committed to degradation across the world. the environmental impact of Europe’s drive suggestion that he seek professional European governments and corporations for renewable energy and electric mobility seeing that this new UDP deals with not only damaged and destroyed the on other parts of the world, where resources help to treat what Barrow classified its problems without involving the old environment on the continent and exploited for this economic shift will have to be as an “ailment”. guard. local marginalised communities, but have extracted. It also does not pay attention to “For the last eight months, there has He also noted that the members of been engaged in the same exact behaviour how climate change and environmental been a great division in our party. If the Opposition can choose whom they and worse, on all other continents. degradation have disproportionately affected you recall, he lost the leadership want to represent them at any time, The natural world in Africa, Asia and its own marginalised communities and the convention and again I am consistent, as provided for in the Constitution. Latin America has been destroyed through poor and destitute in the Global South. the capitalist economic systems deployed In other words, in the pursuit of making communities on the continent as well as models, recognise its historical responsibility by the Global North which normalised, the EU the first climate-neutral region in the Global South. in the climate crisis, and provide expanded and strengthened hyper-extraction the world by 2050, Brussels is falling back It relies on tech solutions and silver-bullet accountability for the damage EU companies through overproduction and over- on its old ways and deploying what we call ideas, promising to lead a “green, cause in the Global South. consumption. climate colonialism. sustainable” economy with electric vehicles, This full article can be viewed at : The European Green Deal does not The EU’s apolitical narrative on climate solar panels, wind turbines and other exciting https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/ outline how it will reconcile and repair the change – ignoring the impact of colonialism renewable innovations. 6/23/the-eus-green-deal-could-propagate- losses and damages EU countries have and capitalism and heavily influenced by But the question is, who will this be climate-colonialism caused to ecosystems and communities the very corporations who profit from them sustainable for? outside of Europe. Nor does it acknowledge – could result in climate action that is not In order not to fall into climate This article was first by published by how these damages force people in the only non-impactful but, worse, could be colonialism, the European Green Deal needs Aljazeera as an op-ed written by Myriam Global South to migrate to Europe’s shores, unsustainable and damaging for marginalised a clear plan to eradicate harmful extractive Douo. Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 39 Blue Economy vs the Covid clusters in fishing community Orange Walk

Continued from Page 1 Then a ‘balli’ just told me that [the SI Continued from Page 1 studies that we do for all patients that „ allowing permanent residents into the „ are being admitted here at Northern raised by the Belize Federation of industry] happened about a week. Belize, with one of the infected Regional Hospital is the swabbing. Fishermen (BFF) was the lack of Fishermen out there, they kill one persons being an infant who was only Both rapid and PCR. The rapid came consultation on the issue. Director of another for a lee piece of lobster fifteen days old at the time of the back positive for the baby; that’s how the BFF, Nigel Martinez, said, “We ground. The way the Minister is going diagnosis. The child reportedly had he was detected. Well, the mother of learned of this late last week, and it right now, not knowing that we have a to be admitted to the Northern the baby is negative, and we’re still immediately sounded an alarm. We serious problem. If in Guatemala, Regional Hospital (NRH) after doing the contact tracing, and so far scrambled to get our members up to Honduras or Mexico, we have them experiencing seizures brought on by a we don’t know yet exactly who gave date as to what has transpired. We come fish in our water, because right high fever. the baby the infection.” believe what the Ministry of the Blue now we Belizean, we barely could get The news came as quite a shock to Dr. Estrada also shared that two Economy did was completely along with the [little] bit of ground that the public, despite Orange Walk’s other patients are currently admitted undermine the rights of Belizean fisher we have here.” rising number of active cases. The at the NHR. With the number of cases folks.” The Minister of the Blue Economy, cases had risen to 41 active cases as reaching over 150 in Belize for the The fishermen further pointed to the Hon. Andre Perez, however, has flatly of Tuesday, with an additional 16 first time in months, many are reduced likelihood of ensuring a denied these claims that Belizean detected on Wednesday — most of wondering if it is the onset of a third sustainable fishing sector when an fishermen cannot access licenses. “I whom were younger in age and were wave in the country. The doctor also excessive number of fishers are don’t know anything about that right from rural areas, according to the Chief weighed in on this: engaged in extracting marine products now. Anybody right now has a right to of Staff of the NRH, Dr. Manuel “I think it’s just a matter of time if from fishing grounds that are steadily apply for fishing, providing they meet Estrada. Dr. Estrada also shared with people don’t take care of themselves shrinking in size due to laws the requirements. So let’s not go into the media that Orange Walk is for us to go back to how we were prohibiting fishing in certain areas as that. I can make it clear there’s no way. presently monitoring two active when the pandemic first started. From a result of strict zoning laws and the No way in our department. That is just clusters of the virus in the Trial Farm zero we went to become to the establishment of marine reserves. rumors. I would have wanted that area. epicenter. If we don’t take the Martinez added, “They have now person, if they are feeling that, to come Seemingly the spread is being necessary precautions, we can go opened up the door back for permanent and see us, because that is not true. I caused by the holding of social back again for a third wave.” residents to access our natural make it clear one time and gatherings (in violation of the Dr. Estrada has encouraged the resource of fishery, which is already categorically that does not exist in my restriction on the gathering of more public to take the necessary measures overpopulated, which is already department.” than 10 persons), which is resulting to get vaccinated and to follow the crowded. You have a number of According to Perez, the primary in mass contamination of persons who safety protocols being outlined by the fishers here today that will tell you purpose of the recent SI was to ensure have been in close proximity to one Ministry of Health and Wellness. He the same sentiment. They are frustrated inclusion. He cited the example of a another. Just this Wednesday, in fact, stated that currently the most because it’s not getting easier. It’s very family in Sarteneja. “We went to visit the Belize Police Department issued challenging aspect of the detection and expensive to go out there. The issues the village of Sarteneja, and right there a statement that there would be a more prevention process is getting are the same. There is no enforcement. is where I was approached by a family stringent surveillance effort to detect cooperation from residents being The managed access program is not who were Belizean — the children and break up illegal social gatherings, contacted during contact tracing who working. There are several and everybody. But the husband, who including parties, wakes, gathering at are asked to come in and get tested. components that are not working that is a resident, cannot fish. And it’s a bars functioning as restaurants, beach Recently the NHR has began to test are affecting the fishery right now.” big family. So how do you tell that activities and more. all patients being admitted and has The managed access program to family you cannot do fishing? How Regarding the fifteen-day-old detected several positive cases which Martinez referred is, according will he sustain his family and including patient, Dr. Estrada stated when he through the exercise. to the fishermen, an area-based fishing that the [gillnet] had been included. was questioned by the media, “The So far, approximately only 29% of licensing system, through which So how do you do that?” Perez said baby was brought because he had the Orange Walk population has been fishermen are assigned specific areas that the family had been living in fever and had seizures. It’s a newborn, vaccinated — with the turnout still in which they are authorized to fish. Belize for 35 years. Hon. Perez thus so we do all the studies and one of the being relatively low. Many fisherfolk have noted that they feels that certain persons were being have been finding it increasingly unjustly excluded from the right to fish difficult to catch fish in recent years. in Belize’s waters, and it was hence Fisherman Dale Fairweather decided that permanent residents who Man drowns after falling into well commented, “When I started to fish, have met all legal requirements would there were a lot less fishermen, so we be afforded the opportunity to partake Continued from Page 1 probe the contents of the well, and used to do good. But as the years went in the industry. „ after that resident trawled through the by, you’ll get more and more fishers, Hon, Perez further asked the public Reports are that the well-liked water in the well for a short time, and now I catch, let’s say about a to not confuse this SI with condoning village handyman was doing his usual eventually the victim’s slipper quarter where I used to catch. So I illegal fishing. These issues are work in the village, fetching water emerged. They eventually found his know everybody here is catching less. completely unrelated, said the Blue for his neighbor and cousin, Minely body, keeled over in the water, And if you bring in more people, then Economy Minister. He noted that some Gilharry, but she became aware that motionless, hours after it was noticed we are even gonna catch less.” He areas, especially in the south, have something had gone wrong after hours that he was missing. further noted that allowing persons very limited fish stock as a result of passed and he had not returned to His family believes that he suffered from across the border (and it is being illegal fishing. His ministry has been collect payment for the work he had an epileptic episode and fell into the claimed that many of the permanent entrusted with the task of creating done earlier. well, drowning in the process. residents who will be receiving legislation that protects against such According to Gilharry, he had “Every day he come home, he fishing licenses indeed reside across actions. Hon. Perez claims the ministry asked her to lend him a bucket in woulda come and sleep and lay down the border) will only further is actively engaging with the Coast which he could wash some pants and and then from deh he goh again and disenfranchise the local fishing Guard and the Police Department to some bottles, and she had agreed, but da right soh, everybody know him as population, making them less likely to minimize illegal fishing. On the other when he never returned, she became a good person, a handy person fi fend for themselves. hand, he argued that what SI no. 57 is concerned and went to his mother’s everybody da San Antonio,” his Another issue the fishermen raised doing is allowing approximately 44 house. mother told local media. was their ability to access fishing immigrants who are now living in That is when they began to search The family is asking the public for licenses. The fishermen lamented the Belize the permission to fish for their frantically for Hall, a search that donations to pay for funeral expenses fact that that persons who were not livelihoods. eventually led them back to the well. to lay their loved one to rest. Anyone born in Belize can come to the country, A release from the Government of One resident used a long stick to willing to assist can call 623-0317. stay for six months and get a license Belize Press Office of Belize further to fish while native Belizeans are still states, “It is not justifiable to identify unable to acquire these licenses. permanent resident fishers as being the AMANDALA Andrew Usher, local fisherman, said, sole culprits in illegal fishing. Illegal “I have [children], but If I go to fishing is a complex matter that the newspaper with the greatest circulation Fisheries right now and they no want requires a multi-prong approach to in Belize! give my [children] fishermen license. ensure its deterrence and elimination.” Page 40 AMANDALABelize Friday, June 25, 2021