Friday, June 25, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3470 BELIZE CITY, FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2021 (40 PAGES) $1.50 UDP coup de théâtre: Shyne 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. Dean Barrow, was declared the new Leader of the Opposition. Hon. Please turn toPage 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, Corozal District, 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 toPage 2 village of San Antonio, Corozal, when a resident of the village, 34- BELIZE CITY, 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 toPage 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.