ACB Scolds the Barrow Administration

The Association of Concerned Belizeans today issued a press release scolding the Government it helped to elect for what it calls “lack of decisive action” on a number of hot button issues. Those issues include what the ACB refers to as a number of scandals including Social Security’s dubious past investments, the misuse of DFC monies and the FIU investigation of money laundering by local banks.
More concerned than critical, the release warns that the Government’s inaction on these issues may, quote, “seriously erode the trust and confidence of the general public.” It concludes by saying that the new administration needs to, quote, “bring to justice the perpetrators of the financial crimes committed against the people of Belize."

Fuel Prices Plunge by $3!

Tonight, the pump price for a gallon of Premium or Regular gas is the lowest it’s been since, get this: July of 2003. As we told you it would, the price fell sharply last night, by over $3 a gallon, the largest single price drop on record. A gallon of Premium is now only $7.41. That is down three dollars-plus from $10.44. Regular gas dropped to $7.05 a gallon which is a $3.06 decrease from the previous price of $10.11 per gallon. There was also a dramatic drop in the price of Diesel which earlier this year topped $10. It had decreased to $9.03 but today it dropped again, sharply – to $6.96. That’s a $2.07 decrease. Kerosene also decreased from $9.17 to $6.79.
The big drop is a reflection of the equally staggering plunge in world oil prices which only took like a month to reach Belize. But when the ship finally reached port late last night, the price change was immediate, with Government keeping to its commitment to pass on the full decrease in acquisition costs.

As we noted, this is the lowest pump prices for Premium and Regular have been since July of 2003. But, for comparison, we note that at that time the price of a barrel of oil was about $35 – this shipment is costed at a price per barrel almost twice that. And what does it all mean? Well, simply that in 2003, government was collecting twice the tax take at the pump.

So how long will these prices last and will they continue to go down? Well, we can’t say. Esso is notoriously Delphic [obscurely prophetic] about its loading and shipping schedule, but whenever the ship loads on the U.S. Gulf Coast, that’s the price we pay.

Belize City Filthy & Choking on Garbage

Tonight Belize City continues to be choked by garbage. As we reported last night, since Monday Belize Waste Control hasn’t picked up garbage on the south or north side and tonight, it’s still there. Mayor Zenaida Moya called us during the news last night and told us a check for $31,000 was paid to Belize Waste Control yesterday. But it made no difference, and today again garbage was piling up all across the city. In fact the only thing that changed today is that Belize Waste Control and Belize City council are now publicly at each other’s throats – each accusing the other of spreading mistruths. We have both sides of the story tonight and we’ll let you decide.
Keith Swift Reporting,
There is garbage piled up on street corners, in alleys, and in front of homes - because the trucks that are supposed to be picking them up are parked inside Belize Waste Control’s compound. The company’s owner Anthony Griffith says that is because he hasn’t been paid.

Anthony Griffith, Owner – Belize Waste Control
“We’re not being paid by the Council. The 7th of November is four weeks that we haven’t been paid by the Council.”

But councillor in charge of garbage collection Wayne Usher disputes that.

Wayne Usher, Belize City Councillor
“We owe Belize Waste Control, I think, if I am not mistaken, about 2 weeks in arrears but just yesterday we gave them a check for one week. So the matter of not being paid is very relative to what we owe them and what we are paying them right now. We still have outstanding balances for Waste Control, yes, that is accurate, but we have been paying. As I said, yesterday they got a check.”

Keith Swift,
Belize Waste Control says they are actually owed for 2 months, you said 2 weeks.

Wayne Usher,
“That might be true, but I don’t have my hand on the button so maybe it is 2 months, maybe it is 2 weeks. I will have to get the final figure from the account section which is another area, but let’s not play with the numbers. The point is that I have admitted we do owe them some monies.”

Anthony Griffith,
“This is the last voucher, the last one and it says week ending the 6th to the 10th of October. We got this on the 17th of October, not when it was due a week later, and we haven’t received any payments from the Mayor since then.

The trouble with this is Wayne Usher. He is the problem. That guy doesn’t know what he is doing and refuses to sit down and talk with us. He thinks he knows everything. He goes on like a stuffed goddamn peacock that doesn’t know what the hell he is doing and if he would only sit down and try to work with us there wouldn’t be a problem. He is the problem.”

Usher says it isn’t his or the Council’s fault – he blames delinquent taxpayers.

Wayne Usher,
“We will be paying all that is owed to Waste Control that this council has incurred. It is just the matter of timing when it will be done because right now we are in what we call our low season in terms of revenue collection and our high season begins later this month and it goes right through until April of next year.

The first thing you hear is that everybody bruk [broke]. So if everybody bruk, paying property taxes will be the last thing on people’s agenda. If you are not paying the property taxes, how then can you expect the Council to do the Council’s business when they are not paying taxes. And I am not generalizing, I am just saying that that is the situation for real out there.

Yes we have incurred some debt with them, but it is not that we are not going to pay it; it is just the timing as I said. In the meantime we have relied on the goodwill of Belize Waste Control to continue the work in the expectation that they will be paid because we’ve made the commitment and as a responsible council we will pay.”

But until they do:

Anthony Griffith,
“We’re just doing the best with what we have. If she pays me tomorrow I can clean up the whole city even if it takes me the whole weekend to do it. But like I said before, would you work for someone that doesn’t pay you?”

Keith Swift,
What do you want the city residents to do?

Anthony Griffith,
“That we are not being paid, simple as that. We can’t run these trucks on water. It takes money to operate this business. You think when these guys finish working on Friday I can tell them sorry we can’t pay you and we’ll let you know when. Can I tell them that? So what the Mayor said last night is a blatant distortion of the truth. And if you don’t tell the truth, what do you tell? You fill in the blanks and she and Usher can come to me face to face and I will tell them the same thing I am telling you because it is the truth.”

Anthony Griffith maintains that his company is still picking up garbage and it continues to deploy workers daily. He has 12 trucks and 65 employees. Daily about 9 of those trucks are dispatched. City Councillor Wayne Usher says the City Council has also dispatched a truck to pick up garbage in the interim. Again garbage from Monday in most areas hasn’t been picked up.

And in the midst of all this is legislation which Government will be taking to the House next week in which businesses in Belize City will pay for garbage pickup as part of their trade license. Those funds will be forwarded to the Waste Control so they will also collect commercial garbage.

Caribbean Utility Regulators Meet in Belize

The PUC may be embroiled in mortal combat with BEL, but that isn’t stopping the regulator for rolling out the red carpet for over 60 representatives form 13 Caribbean countries who are here for the 6th Conference of the Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators, known as OOCUR. The attendees include international utility experts, utility providers, regulators, and stakeholders who are huddled at the Princess Hotel and Casino discussing shared experiences and challenges. And according to OOCUR’s President, Floyd Phillips who is from Barbados, the biggest challenge right now is forging a harmonized regulatory regime.
Floyd Phillips, President OOCUR
The purpose of this meeting really is to pull the various regulators to try to discuss the possibilities of a common regulatory framework throughout the Caribbean and that is the theme of this conference and this is what we’ve been pushing for from the time we decided to form OOCUR.

Jules Vasquez,
Now we can’t even properly start up a CARICOM Single Market and Economy. How would we install one single regulatory regime?

Floyd Phillips,
Well it wouldn’t be easy like everything else; getting different cultures, political persuasions together, it wouldn’t be easy but one thing coming together very nicely is the area of telecoms. Legislation is pretty much the same right now with respect to telecommunications, throughout most of the territories in the Caribbean.

John Avery, PUC Chairman
You would be surprised to know, Jules, that in terms of a common framework of legislation for the Caribbean, we are well ahead of CSME and CARICOM, and as I said in my address to the body, to me this is what we need to act as catalyst to actually implementing the goals of CARICOM and CSME. And hopefully that will lend support to the overall CARICOM movement.

And one of the most pressing regulatory issues in CARICOM is communication in the rapidly changing TELCOMS industry. Voice over Internet, or VOIP is legal in Belize, but independent use via Vonage or SKYPE is blocked by BTL. Phillips says that old copper companies like BTL do merit some protection.

John Avery,
In the telecoms area, technology is moving well ahead of laws and regulations and it is always a struggle for the regulators to keep up, but we have competition and competition provides a form of regulation on its own.

Jules Vasquez,
We know that in a lot of the territories in this region, there has been one dominant provider but because of digitization, the progression of technology, now new providers don’t necessarily need the capital base to challenge established providers. Is there a situation where those companies need some level of protection in order to continue providing good essential national services?

Floyd Phillips,
Yes, they do because they have the infrastructure in the ground already and there is a need for some provision for universal service where legislation makes the competitors contribute towards universal service.

But according to Communications Minister Melvin Hulse, universal coverage is far from what his division is getting. He’s from Stann Creek west, an electoral area comprising 26 villages. He says they have been completely neglected by the dominant market provider.

Hon. Melvin Hulse, Minister of Public Utilities
The greatest need in particular the rural areas of this country is internet. If you cannot get the internet system into the schools, it disadvantages the children automatically.

Jules Vasquez,
In 26 villages (in Stann Creek) how many have access to internet, even if they pay?

Hon. Melvin Hulse,
None. The technology must be cheap and accessible to people. So to tell me the only way I can get it is at the cost of this exorbitant rate, our utilities are not upgrading their system and taking advantage of technology. That is ridiculous and criminal.

Jules Vasquez,
But isn’t your Government jeopardizing that to some extent by contemplating a higher tax on telecommunication companies? It is rumoured to be in the vicinity of 25% on their gross.

Hon. Melvin Hulse,
Well, I don’t, a couple of things are that they are jeopardizing, you can’t jeopardize what is not out there. So how are you going to jeopardize it if I make you pay a more equitable tax on it, you are going to spite us? We don’t have it, how the heck you will spite us?

And while Hulse wants internet for his area, Chairman of the PUC John Avery wants BEL to get moving with new installations.

PUC Will Order BEL to Comply on Friday

As you may have heard, BEL and its regulator have been at war for months because the power company says that the PUC has tied it’s hands and is not allowing it to make the expenditure for new installations. The PUC says BEL is just plain “bad-acting” because it didn’t get a rate increase and is now trying to blame the regulator for its own corporate non compliance. Well, on Friday, November 7th the PUC will issue an order, telling BEL that it must do what it has been unwilling to do. Avery told us what will be in that order and his Minister told us why BEL is “bex [vexed].”
John Avery,
“Basically, the order will say that they need to comply with all conditions of their license and it will point out specific areas that they need to comply with because those are areas that we deem they haven’t have been in compliance with over the last few months, and then we will make some provisions in the order that we can measure that compliance.

BEL can say they are resuming the services, we are doing them, but they can delay. For example they can take 3 months to do a simple installation. So we could set certain provisions that set a deadline by which you are supposed to perform these services, otherwise we won’t be able to measure their compliance effectively.”

Jules Vasquez,
And if BEL fails to comply?

John Avery,
“Then we will take the matter to the court, and that is when the court can fine them or impose penalties on them for disobeying the order.”

Hon. Melvin Hulse,
“The utilities that we used to have in their own way, they’ve had these contracts and they’ve had all these things okay. How they got it is a moot point [subject to debate], the fact is that they have it. We as a government have to ensure that, ‘hey utility, this is your obligation. You have an obligation to provide it and we as a government have an obligation to make sure it gets out there.’ And the utilities have been fussing simply because we will not let them have their own way. That is the gist of it.”

BEL sent out a release earlier this week saying that it is experiencing acute financial difficulties and thus needs customers to pay the full cost of service installation up front. The Power Company has asked the PUC to enlist the counsel of an independent expert to address allegations that it has acted unreasonably or improperly.

Strict New Penalties for Men who Abuse Women

The new Domestic Violence Act came into effect on October 6th and it proposes very strict penalties for men who beat women. According to the Director of Women’s Department Icilda Humes they are pleased that after developing the act of 3 years, there is a new legislation that does provide far more protection to all victims of abuse. Humes says for quite some time the Women’s Department and their partners have been advocating for change that gives the Family Court more power to deal with such matters. She discussed the penalties today.
Icilda Humes, Director – Women’s Department
“It does provide the Family Court as well as the Police Department with provisions for the authorities in terms of dealing with domestic violence cases. For instance the protection orders can now be issued for up to three years. In the previous piece of legislation, it was only up to 12 months. So that definitely is an increase in that. The definition of domestic violence now includes financial abuse which was not in the previous piece of legislation. Under the Act, the Magistrates can also order payment in terms of financial compensation to an applicant, meaning that if a victim loses time from work, her wages, or his wages, if they had to do dental work or they had to incur medical expenses as a direct result of domestic violence then the Magistrate can order financial compensation to that victim.

The provisions in place in terms of the breach of the orders, the protection orders, the occupation orders, are what we consider to be quite appropriate at this point. I know there are many people who are saying why the penalties need to be more severe but it is a start and we are pleased with it at this point. For a first offense, the penalty can be up to 12 months imprisonment or $9,000 fine. For the second offense it is $12,000 to $15,000 fine or up to 2 years imprisonment. And for a third offense it is 5 years imprisonment, no fine attached, it is direct sentencing of 5 years.

Defacto spouses, which is what we would call the boyfriend/girlfriend visiting type relationships. Persons in that type of relationship would now be able to apply for protection orders. Under the old legislation it was only persons who were married or living in common law unions.

The legislation is there, it does provide for more security, more options, more protection, more authority to the Police Department and the Family Court but the onus is still on the individual to proceed with the prosecution. The Police Department and the Family Court and the Women’s Department and all the support services can only do so much.”

The Women’s Department states that for some time now protection orders have not been respected. According to Humes the new law also forces violators to give up weapons used in incidents of domestic violence and abuse. Humes says while they are pleased that the act is now law, there are areas that still need to be amended.

Charges against Telemedia withdrawn

And in court, Magistrate Ed Usher today withdrew charges for the recovery of business tax that were made by the Commissioner of Income tax against Belize Telemedia Ltd, Business Enterprise System and B.T.L. Digicell Limited.

The charges were placed in August by the Income Tax Department ordering the utility company to pay $1,071,663.30, Business Enterprise System to pay $128,208.50, and for B.T.L. Digicell to pay $842,186.90.

The charges were withdrawn because the monies were paid last Friday.


Grenade number 7 explodes in Belize City

A loud bang shattered across Port Loyola last Friday night just after 7:00 p.m. Memories of Mayflower Street and the Carnival Day grenade echoed into the night. Near the junction with Kraal and Fabers road, the neighbourhood was afraid, fragments tore into trees and walls and a large hole was found in a yard. But despite the smoke in the air, no one was injured. A.S.P. Crispin Jefferies and the B.D.F.’s bomb expert were immediately deployed to the area. Jose Sanchez brings the details of Friday night’s grenade explosion.

A loud explosion was heard across from a field near Faber’s Road, Caesar Ridge and Kraal Road after seven pm on Friday November fourteenth. It was a grenade that went off but fortunately no one was injured.

David Henderson, Sr. Superintendent of Police
“The area was being visited by members of the Police Department where a small hole of about 5 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep was seen. We also observed pellet hole on a nearby building. The area was processed by the Scenes of Crime personnel and an investigation was then launched by our department.”

After the investigation was launched the Police realized that this incident was one for Major James Requena, the B.D.F.’s Bomb expert.

Major James Requena, B.D.F. Bomb Expert
“All indications are that it was an offensive grenade. At the present time I cannot say what type until I find the fly-off lever or the pin. But definitely it’s an offensive grenade because we have recovered 5 shrapnels so far. Offensive grenades are designed and they have at least 200 or 250 broken down parts or shrapnels and when the explosion goes, as you can see from the fence, it goes through metal, trees, anything until the velocity finishes.

Requena dug in the ground, climbed over a fence, dug into trees and walls looking for shrapnel and the fly-off lever, the evidence that would be proof that it was a grenade that exploded.

Major James Requena
“I went immediately back to the area where the explosion had occurred. Within the hole itself, we were able to retrieve at least 20more fragments. My major search Saturday morning was on trying to find the fly-off lever which would give us specifics because it contains data in regards to the explosive that was being used. We weren’t able to find it and up to now we still haven’t’ found it.”

Requena revisited the theory that it was dropped and at today’s press conference at the Racoon Street Police Station, he said it could have been thrown to the spot.

Major James Requena
“It can be thrown. There is a possibility that it was thrown and there is a possibility that people that congregated in that corner of the yard were using it and it fell and then they just disappeared out of the area. But I think the previous, that somebody threw it, is a more safe assumption at this time.”

Major James Requena
“This is an offensive grenade, this is designed to kill. Whoever has these things, and I appeal again, please hand them in because you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re not trained to use them and you will endanger yourself and your loved ones. Don’t play with these things. This stuff is designed for war.”

And while the authorities won’t admit it, there is a war of sorts on the streets to control drug and other illicit trades. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.


Police top brass respond to contraband liquor allegations

There is an allegation that a Senior Superintendent has been busted by the Customs Department for contraband liquor. While one litre of alcohol is permitted across the border, the officer allegedly had on him an entire case of Jamaican Appleton rum. At this afternoon’s press conference Senior Superintendent David Henderson had to address the media regarding the allegations.

Sr. Supt., David Henderson, O.C., Eastern Division
“Well, I do know that a fellow from Corozal is a well known person involved in contraband. I know that there were investigations being done by this department and Customs. In fact, one of the things, we have gotten certain information as to some involvement. Mr. Mariano had made contact with the person because of some other person involved, and I noticed prior to this person being busted by Customs he had spoken to Mr. Mariano and I know that after he spoke to Mr. Mariano he left and he was being picked up and certain things were retrieved from him.”

My Note: … instead of promoting Creole, somebody should teach these people to speak proper English, for crying out loud …!!! Bottom line, did you understand what he said … ??? Lastly, who's the Senior Superintendent, who is the "fellow from Corozal", and who the hell is "Mr. Mariano" ...???

Jose Sanchez
“Was it a case of rum?”

Sr. Supt. David Henderson
“Yes, a case of rum and some other things were retrieved from him.”


Blue Hole featured on NBC’s Today Show

When viewers of NBC’s The Today Show tuned in this morning, they found Ann Curry in Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa; Meredith Viera in Australia; Al Roker in Iceland and Matt Lauer from the Blue Hole in Belize. Lauer toured the world renowned environmental site diving, in a helicopter, and by boat. In NBC’s Ends of the Earth series, Lauer and his co-hosts are bringing attention to sites threatened by global warming. Here are some highlights from Lauer in Belize.

Meredith Viera, The Today Show
“No, that is not a strange sea creature, that is Matt Lauer hovering to the surface of the Blue Hole off of Belize.”

Matt Lauer, The Today Show
“The great blue hole is a marine wonder that has been fascinating explorers above and below the sea for years. In 1972 legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau brought his, boat the Calypso, into the Hole and his cameras down into its mysterious waters. What they found was a unique underwater cave that plummets four hundred feet into its floor suspended along its walls and huge stalactites and rock formations usually seen only on dry land.”

“After a few short minutes below the surface, I understood why people have been coming here for decades.”

“The Blue Hole is truly extraordinary; it sits in the middle of the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately, there is some concern about that reef. A report card came out from a major environmental group just this last Friday that said about 90% of this reef is either in poor or fair condition, only a small percent is in good condition. So they are keeping an eye on this because if the reef dies, they lose a lot in terms of tourism dollars, important to their Gross Domestic Product, but if the reef dies, the most important thing is that the ravages of the sea head straight inland with nothing to block them and the low lying areas of Belize and other countries are in deep trouble.”

Matt was joined by Fabien Cousteau, Jacque Cousteau’s son. Today’s report from Belize also featured a story on ecotourism. Matt will be in Belize for another day and a half.