Dean Barrow

The super bond slid into the election campaign when the prime minister announced the date for early general elections. He said he was going back to the people for instructions to do something about the super bond. The result was a prompt downgrade to junk territory of Belize’s credit ratings from agencies such as Standard and Poor and Moody’s. If he was floating that idea, today, at the launch of the U.D.P. Manifesto, Prime Minister Barrow was more provocative. He said he was not concerned at all about the Belize’s credit ratings and that bond holders would have to sit around the table with a future U.D.P. government to re-negotiate the five hundred and sixty-five million dollar bond. The February payment has been made but another is due past the elections in August, which according to the PM’s bravado, he won’t pay at eight and half percent interest rates.

Dean Barrow

“I was deliberate in announcing the date of the election, deliberate in saying that the U.D.P. was asking for a new mandate to among other things, do something about the super bond. Now, that really set the cat among the pigeons. And you say that the so called rating agencies fell all over themselves to say’ oh wi di downgrade Belize bonds. Explain to mi how Mr. Man downgrading the Belize bonds hurts the Belizean people? The Belize Bonds are the bonds that are owned out there by all those that loaned the People’s United Party this one point one billion dollars for which there is nothing to show. And if you downgrade the bonds so that the bonds have less value, I say that that strikes me something like poetic justice, because while the greatest blame for the share of saddling this country with the super bond must lie with the P.U.P., the creditors, the bond holders, the commercial entities, agreed to that super bond, knowing full well that the kind of burden it was placing on the Belizean people is absolutely unconscionable, merciless; those people also have a share of the blame. Therefore, this eight and a half percent that we have to begin to pay as of August of this year, which means ninety-four million dollars of our re-current revenue that ought properly speaking to be spent on you the people of this country. This eight and half percent interest rate, we will not suffer. Belize is a country that is a country of honor; we do not easily renege on commitments but if there are commitments that in effect represent a jack boot on the throat of the Belizean people, then unless those that are applying that jack-boot are prepared to re-negotiate, they will see that the Belizean people are not going to take it. We won’t lie down so that anybody could tek chance on us and the bottom line is, ‘Mr. Bond holder, Mr. Bad creditor, come to the table and renegotiate with Belizeans. You are obliged to give us a fairer deal.”

So what will be the impact of the prime minister’s statement? Well, it is likely that there could be a further erosion of investor’s confidence and that the economy could continue to languish. At the launch of the People’s United party manifesto on Tuesday, Francis Fonseca, called on the PM to whining about the super bond and put the economy back to work. The super bond is a consolidation of government loans that was negotiated in 2006 and concluded in 2007. It also includes loans made by former U.D.P. administrations.

In the week ahead, volunteers from across the country will be manning telephones to get the pulse of voters on a referendum on offshore oil exploration. Voting is already underway by phone and next Wednesday, voters can register their views at numerous booths that are being placed strategically in the districts. At the launch of the referendum today at the OCEANA offices, the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage also superimposed a graphic illustration of the Gulf of Mexico spill over Belize’s territorial waters for a visual effect of how devastating it would be. The British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico covered waters more than six times the size of Belize’s eighteen thousand seven hundred and sixty nine square kilometers of territorial waters. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

The people taking phone calls are not employees of a new call center to Belize; but volunteers for the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage’s Peoples Referendum. The call center tactic is only one to address offshore drilling. The official plan for the Coalition’s People’s Referendum was explained by Francis Gegg, the National Campaign Coordinator.

Francis Gegg

Francis Gegg, National Campaign Coordinator

“We believe the issue of offshore drilling is not political—it’s a national issue, it’s a business issue; it’s matters that affect people’s lives. And that is why we are asking the nation of Belize to come forth, step forward and be part of the voting process and part of the support process. I can tell you that at the end of today, we will have almost all of the eggs in the basket in terms of our thirty-one constituencies and the other areas where we plan to put voting booths. I want to thank Corozal for being the most proactive. We called there and they jumped to it and they’ve been tremendously cooperative. They have already identified ten areas where they want to put the polling booth. This is a mock election. In other words, people who are registered voters only can come forward and vote. We are not requiring a voter ID, but some form of identification where we will verify the name on the voter’s list. Yesterday Orange Walk came together; they have a great team. In fact: David Acosta in Corozal, Rick Moguel in Orange Walk—he is our team leader. In Belize City, Roberto is on the verge of getting that finalized—I think maybe he might be able to share where he is with that. There is a group in Cayo right now finalizing Cayo. We are hoping to have a minimum four stations in Cayo and also in Belmopan Carlos Santos is our team leader and also Anthony Chanona is being very supporting in that area. In Dangriga, we have Leo Obando as team leader and we are hoping to have booths in Dangriga, Hopkins, Seine Bitte, Placencia, maybe Pomona and Independence as well. So that’s almost finalized and in Toledo we have Herman Morgan who is our team leader and so the country is covered.”

BTIA President and Chairman of the Coalition Jim Scott gave his perspective on the issue.

Jim Scott, President, BTIA

Jim Scott

“Offshore drilling should be publicized; it should not be politicized and unfortunately it has taken a road down the political sense. This is a great opportunity for our leaders to actually applaud democracy and the road to a healthy democracy and certainly our voices—whether we all agree or disagree; our opinions and voices should be heard. So I think this is a very healthy process. And although we all reserve that right to our privacy and in essence that’s why we have private balloting booths and so forth for our elections and for this one as well, we won’t know who is going to be casting their votes yeah or nay. But we also reserve the right to hold our opinions to ourselves or to publicize them. I’ve always reserved that right, but on this issue, I’m letting everybody know that—and I think I speak for the greater portion of the tourism industry—that we do not want offshore drilling. Very straightforward. We think that the possible gambling of short-term positive effects of offshore drilling are not worth the long-term negative effects of even exploration in that area. And we can get into the esthetics of having these oil rigs on these most precious marine ecology in the hemisphere if not the world, but really the ecology in its holistic sense of our marine ecology and that natural resource that we have; I don’t think we are in a position to mitigate or to gamble on that.”

A testimonial about the negative effect of drilling was presented by Belizean American Jervis Menzies. A bank account has been opened for anyone wishing to donate to the cause.  Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

The National Campaign Coordinator says that they are finalizing polling sites for San Pedro and Caye Caulker.

The referendum didn’t figure into the United Democratic Party’s manifesto launch this afternoon.  The glossy red and white document is in two parts; the first section deals with the U.D.P.’s pledges for 2012 to 2017 and the second part lists its accomplishments in the last four years. With a room full of standard bearers and loyal supporters, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said the tenets of its election platform are pro-poor, for accountability and transparency as well as for sovereign muscular nationalism. The U.D.P. is promising an oil refinery, more mortgage write offs and lower interest rates. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

The United Democratic Party, both thirty one candidates contesting the March 7^th General Elections and close to three hundred supporters filled the River Hall Room at the Biltmore, for the launching of the U.D.P.’s 2012-2017 Manifesto. And in his opening words, Prime Minister Barrow told the gathering the predicted landslide victory even has him concerned:

Dean Barrow

Dean Barrow

“We will win a massive unprecedented victory for our second term. But that is precisely why I am a little bit worried. I suspect that I will have quite a job on my hands to deal with the exceedingly large number of successful united Democratic Party candidates.”

And the reason for that anticipated victory is contained in the pages of this two part publication, where the U.D.P. Action Plan set on tenets of, ‘Always for the People’ highlights the accomplishments of the last four years and the other half, listed the party’s pledge, should they be returned to office for second term:

Dean Barrow

“We will continue to walk in the path of political righteousness; that we will be always for the people, always on the side of the people, always at the side of the people and that we will produce for you the hard concrete quality of life improvements that you desire and deserve, but that at the same time, we are going to give you the good governance that is the hallmark of your United Democratic Party.”

Within the pages, the U.D.P. promises some of the usual infrastructure upgrade and over fifteen thousand lots.  Principal among the UDP’s promises is a proposed oil refinery, which is expected to produce local fuel:

Dean Barrow

“We simply cannot countenance for much longer the situation in which at the pump locally, the people of this country are being swamped by too high fuel prices. Therefore the United Democratic Party will—within the shortest possible time—just so long as it takes to construct this thing, build a local oil refinery. We will turn Belizean crude into gasoline and diesel and kerosene and sell locally refined fuels to the Belizean people for lower, cheaper and stable prices.”

And to boost economic activities, the U.D.P. outlined a number of measures that they hope to put in place:

John Saldivar

John Saldivar, Standard Bearer, Belmopan

“The United Democratic Party will conduct a full review of the import duties regime with a view to rationalize it. Your next U.D.P. government will establish a national bank. Your next U.D.P. government will establish an insurance guarantee program for exporters.”

Also as part U.D.P. pro-people creed, the U.D.P. plans to establish a mortgage guarantee scheme to assist first-time homeowners to cover the ten percent down payment on mortgage loans of up to a hundred thousand dollars.  Mortgage write-offs coupled with student loan write-offs from the DFC are also of high priority:

Dean Barrow

“And we are going to turn immediately after we are reelected to the DFC mortgage loans. But for sure, write-offs there will be and we’re not just going to concentrate exclusively on writing off mortgage loans, we are also going to be writing off student loans at the Development Finance Corporation.”

Eden Martinez, Toledo East Standard Bearer, brought back the Voice over Internet Protocol promising to extend the services:

Eden Martinez, Toledo East Standard Bearer

Eden Martinez

“What we have been waiting on which I believe we’ve been looking at from our first term will now come to reality.  The next U.D.P. government will free up Voice over Inter Protocol to residential landline customers in the next few months to be eventually extended to mobile services.”

And already in the pipeline, the Prime Minister says the plans for reduced interest rates at the commercial banks may materialize before March seventh:

Dean Barrow

“The last thing that I want is something that we might accomplish even before the March seventh elections and that is to reduce the cost of capital in this country to reduce interest rates at the commercial banks. I have a meeting on Monday with the governor of the Central Bank and with all of the commercial bankers and I believe that that meeting will result in the kind of agreement that will see an immediate drop across the board in the lending rates of the banks of this country.”

Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.

The U.D.P. is also promising to build a road and bridge that will link Chetumal Street to the Western Highway. Last year, squatters were forcibly removed from the area. It led to a riot that turned violent between the squatters and police.

The Pickstock constituency is one of the smallest in the City. At the last election the P.U.P. stronghold went red in the tidal wave that swept across the country. But Doctor Francis Smith hopes to change that and return the division to the blue corner. He is a first time candidate who we feature tonight in our campaign trail series.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano caught up with him as he went door to door with his team of supporters in an area that he says has been abandoned.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The door to door visit led by Dr. Francis Smith along Haulze Street, a rather short, rutted two-way at the far end of Pickstock, is not medical outreach being provided to this poverty-stricken community.  In fact, this is the corner pocket of his constituency, a forgotten neighborhood where a different form of community service is being offered to a handful of indigent residents.

Francis Smith

Dr. Francis Smith, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Pickstock

“This area wants change.  They are demanding change.  The misery here is self-evident, you can look at [it] there’s absolutely nothing here.  There’s no proper drainage.  Every time it rains these children, you can all see them, they actually play around in the muck.  People flush there toilets and they are actually playing in refuse. There’s a huge problem in Pickstock, it’s self-evident and this problem can’t be solved without a partnership.  So it has to be from the bottom coming up.  So I depend on these people to tell me exactly what’s wrong.  I’m depending on them to hold me accountable and to tell me every step of the way where I’m going wrong or if I’m doing right and that’s how I intend to help Pickstock.”

Francis Smith, the elder brother of former P.U.P. area representative Godfrey Smith, has joined the political fray in an attempt to make an indelible impression on Pickstock.  This division was once familiar territory to the late Right Honorable George Price who, for many years, resided on the very street it was named after.

Dr. Francis Smith

“My message is one of change, of making a difference and I’m extremely and very serious about it.  I think Pickstock can change and I feel extremely inspired with ladies like these people you see right here: Ms. Dorla Williams, Ms. Carla and these ladies right here.”

Accompanying him during his campaign is a group of women dedicated to the cause.  Together they canvass the entire constituency one household at a time.  The neglected conditions of the people on Haulze Street is one that Smith knows to all too well.

Dr. Francis Smith

“I came from this.  So as I go house to house I’m just wondering why is it that these fellows aren’t like me.  I’m a successful fellow and I believe that we can make this happen I just think that Pickstock needs a heart and it needs people who are genuinely concerned and I believe it is about time that people become intolerant.  You can’t just sit by and be frustrated.  You can’t become hopeless.  You have to take matters into your hand and you have to create the change.”

In order to create that change Smith will have to defeat incumbent area representative Wilfred Elrington at the polls on March seventh to return the division to the People’s United Party.  Whether or not Pickstock will be returned to form is anyone’s guess.  Smith, nonetheless, is imploring the public to exercise its democratic right on Election Day to make a difference.

Dr. Francis Smith

“It’s time for serious thought, for serious work.  And I would like to say to the people give us a chance.  You have to be intolerant, I know the mood is one of hopelessness, frustration.  They are tired of both parties and I can’t say that they are wrong because myself I’ve been frustrated over the years.  I believe people have to grow more intolerant, you’ve got to vote.  You can’t stay home and not vote.  And I am saying come out, vote [and] if this crowd hasn’t done and I believe they haven’t done what they promised.  It’s just selling dreams and they’ve become the very monster they criticized in 2007.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

Dean Barrow

In its 2008 manifesto, United Democratic Party promised to increase the twelve member senate to thirteen members. The additional seat would include a representative from a non-governmental organization and Greg Ch’oc was selected by the NGOs. But when it took office in 2008, the U.D.P. did not enforce the appointment of the thirteenth senator. The U.D.P. is now seeking a second term in office and Prime Minister Dean Barrow says that if re-elected, the Senate will still not be expanded.

Dean Barrow

“In fact we went very far with our reforms. We provided for the People’s Referendum to be moved. We provided the recall mechanisms for elected officials. We provided for prosecution and criminal penalties for breaches of the finance and audit reform act. We did not, it is quite true, proceed with the implementation of that aspect of the reform agenda that would have given the thirteenth senator. I said at the time that the experience in government convinced us that to have implemented that thirteenth senator proposal would have introduced a formula for paralysis. We saw what happened in the U.S, we saw the grid-lock….we have therefore withdrawn that from consideration and to say that you that in all honesty that a re-elected U.D.P. government will not proceed with that proposal.”

With elections two weeks away, a number of projects are being unveiled. This afternoon, the third component of the Sustainable Tourism Project for Belize City was launched. It is called the Fort Point Pedestrian Walk and while it is not an actual pedestrian walk, the project contemplates the transformation of the Memorial Park Area. The five million dollar contract was awarded to International Environments, a company owned by the Arguelles brothers. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

The private and public sectors are joining forces to uplift the Fort George area. Today the Belize Tourism Board’s Sustainable Tourism Project and the Ministry of Tourism officially launched the Fort Point Pedestrian Walk project, the third infrastructure program on the master plan for Belize City.

Christy Mastry

Christy Mastry, Project Director, Sustainable Tourism Project

“It’s a four year commitment or program that, through an IDB loan to the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, with counterpart funding from the B.T.B. has been put together to alleviate destination subject to pressure as well as to help create policies and institutional strengthening to ensure the continuity of this process after these four years.”

Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism

“It is estimated that over three thousand people are employed in the many establishments in the Fort George area and as much as ten thousand people are estimated to enjoy indirect benefits. Five hundred plus individuals reside here and on a monthly basis, it is estimated that more than eight thousand people either drive or walk through on a daily basis.”

The focal point of the project is the Memorial Park, which is to be transformed into the ideal venue for events or simple relaxation. But the development will extend into the streets surrounding the park. STP Director Christy Mastry explained what they are hoping to achieve.

Christy Mastry

“The renovation of the band stand which historically sits behind us today; a trellis walkway that will offer shade and access from the tourism gate all the way to the waterfront, which will now be a drop-off for passengers at the end of the day for bus lines as well as taxi and tour operators; permanent and temporary vending stands; public restrooms; an amphitheatre, which will be created around the renovation of a new stage to accommodate over two hundred seated and up to a thousand standing for events within the park; tour operator parking, especially to accommodate the minivans which surround us here so dedicated at the top of the park, the drop off zone and turnaround at the head of the park; dedicated resident parking.  The streetscape improvements extend to over ten thousand linear feet of covered sidewalks that we would be improving; over five thousand feet of cobble stone roadbed that will start at the foot of the swing bridge, all the way up North Front Street surrounding north and South Park Street and the rest of Cork Street.”

The Fort George area was chosen because it is the first part of the country that most visitors see.

Manuel Heredia

Manuel Heredia

“Currently the majority of users are the cruise visitors, who in the past have not had a positive first impression of Belize. Government recognized the need to rejuvenate the Fort George area so as to enhance the experience of our cruise visitors, overnight visitors as well as our very own residents. Indeed, our hope for this area is to create a welcoming environment for day visitors and to encourage overnight visitors and residents to rediscover and utilize the Fort George area as a venue of entertainment and relaxation.”

Christy Mastry

“As the first line of sight to our country, that often thousands of visitors a day will only see in Belize, this is a great opportunity to capitalize on improving the Belize City visitor experience and the overall image of Belize. We’ll take this opportunity to create a very authentic waterfront experience, to celebrate the war memorial, which is the origin and history of this park; to enhance a more authentic made in Belize arts and crafts opportunity, regulate and ease the circulation and transportation use conflicts within the area and hopefully bring restaurants and shops to a lot of the underutilized properties we see around d today.”

Mariam Roberson

And at today’s groundbreaking, the winning contractor was announced by the B.T.B. Chairlady, Mariam Roberson.

Mariam Roberson, Chairlady, B.T.B.

“I’m glad to see that I.E. has the word environment in their name because I know this is in good hands. And with that said, I would like to say that the International Environments, which is both and architectural firm and a construction firm, is known in the community.  We have seen many of their projects—I don’t think I need to name all of them—from the US Embassy to the Heritage Point, the Coney Drive Matalon Building and many other projects including the northern border.”

The construction will cost an estimated five point four-seven million Belize dollars and the Fort Point Pedestrian Walk project is expected to be completed in about sixteen months. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Another accomplishment of the Sustainable Tourism Program is the country’s first tourism master plan, which creates roadmaps and budgets to raise the level of service to match price point expectations. The master plan also helps to determine where growth and infrastructure projects are needed in different destinations.

An apartment in the Yarborough area that was occupied by thirty-five year old Claudia Blanco and her children was destroyed by fire on the morning of January sixth. Blanco lost everything and her family has since been temporarily taken in by a friend on Dean Street. But the single mother doesn’t want to overstay her welcome and says another friend is willing to assist her with a house; the only problem is that she has nowhere to put it. So she came to News Five to make a public appeal to anyone who can help her acquire a piece of land. Blanco’s three year old son, Akeem Morgan, was also injured in the fire and she says it’s because no one help her to rescue him from the burning apartment.

Claudia Blanco, Fire Victim (Translated)

Claudia Blanco

“In December I had a problem with a Belizean woman and she threatened to burn down my house but I don’t know if it was her or not. I ended up fighting with her and that’s when she said she would burn down my house, but I didn’t worry about it because I am also at home with my son.  That day when it happened, I was sleeping and I woke up to my daughter calling out to me at around seven-thirty in the morning. Then my son said to me “mommy the house is on fire”. Someone had helped me and I had everything in my house, but I didn’t worry about the material things. I ran outside to get help and my daughter came out through a window. But my son was trapped in the fire, and nobody would help him because nobody wanted to get burnt. My neighbor’s daughter helped me to break a window and I got my son. I couldn’t leave him because I love him too much. He was already on the floor with his skin burnt. And after all this, the people asked how I got him out but none of them helped. Now I have someone who wants to help me with a house but I don’t have any land to put it on. I have three children and I feel bad because they want to help me, but they can’t.”

For anyone wishing to assist Blanco, she does not have a phone but can be found at number twenty-seven Dean Street.

Bert Vasquez

Businessman Bert Vasquez has been in and of court since May 2011 when a sixteen year old minor alleged that he kidnapped, sexually assaulted and pistol whipped her. Well, today at the end of a preliminary inquiry, Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart committed Vasquez to stand trial at the Supreme Court for Forcible Abduction.  The victim was also present in court to sign a binding document, agreeing to appear in court to testify in the trial. Vasquez, who was unrepresented, was granted bail of five thousand dollars and his case was scheduled for the April Session of the Supreme Court.  The report made by the sixteen year old is that shortly after eight o’clock on May thirteenth, 2011she was waiting for a bus in the Pound Yard Bridge area when a tinted vehicle pulled up. She claims that the driver approached her with a point thirty-eight pistol and forced her into the vehicle. According to the minor, Vasquez took her to the Vista Del Mar area of Ladyville where he sexually assaulted her and hit her in the face with his gun, injuring her nose.

Alrick August

Also in court, an arraignment for a sexual offense today landed a Belize City resident in prison and his mother in the hospital. Twenty year old Alrick August was charged with two counts of Carnal Knowledge following a report by a fourteen year old minor, who claims they had a sex in December 2010 and in January of this year.  Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer did not take a plea on the matter and August, who was represented by Attorney Bryan Neal, was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until April thirteenth. August’s mother, who stayed outside the court during the arraignment, was overwhelmed by the news and started having difficulties breathing and shortly after eleven o’clock, BERT personnel had to rush her to the hospital as she appeared to be losing consciousness.

Lynn Young

Lynn Young; he’s a prominent Belizean who was the head of Belize Electricity Limited before its nationalization. Young has dared to speak up on government’s takeover of the utility company without paying compensation. Since returning from a business trip to Washington organized by Friends of Belize a few days ago, Young has found himself the subject of an editorial written in the Amandala Newspaper in which he is being called out for supporting Fortis.  The author says that Fortis, the erstwhile owner of the utility company, has been singled out as an enemy of the Belizean people because of corporate greed.  In a response to the column, Young asserted that Fortis does not need his defense and he drew attention to the power of the media to persuade Belizeans that state ownership and control of the utilities is the way to go.  Young recalls the days when he coached Santino’s Hotpoints, who played against the Raiders and says, “I believe that the approach of winning by any means necessary will and did lead to the demise of the sport. That is my problem with the way the current government has been handling the affairs of our country. When we play unfairly, buy off the referees and pay the news media to make you look good, you will have short term victories.” He goes on to say, “Whether a business is owned by the state or by the private sector does not necessarily determine whether it will be successful or whether it will provide a good service.  Good management, well trained employees and access to capital for development will determine the quality of service.” Young’s response concludes with him stating that not being on friendly terms with the government does not mean that one is an enemy of the country.

On the entertainment scene, the competition in KTV Latino is now in full swing. So get your Smart phones ready because it’s time to start voting for your favorite Group B performers. The second round of live competition took place at the Bliss on Tuesday and it’s already clear that’s there will be a tight contest for the grand prize. Seven singers took the stage to perform beloved Latino hits and while the judges had their say, the voters will get their way. So if you haven’t chosen a favorite, here’s a recap of Tuesday night’s performances.

{Highlight of performances…}

Remember to get your votes in by sending the number of your preferred performer to KTVL, that’s 5885. Only Smart customers can vote.

Merlene Bailey-Martinez

Merlene Bailey-Martinez has resigned as C.E.O. of the Social Security weeks after reports of insider trading became public. The Social Security Board decided since early last week to terminate Bailey-Martinez so when she turned up to work on Monday, it raised a number of questions. Bailey-Martinez had been placed on administrative leave since January eleventh, to allow for an investigation by Pannell Kerr Forster to take its course. The facts are that while the board decided to terminate her, it also gave her options. Bailey-Martinez was given a deadline to resign by Monday before a meeting of the Board was convened. Failure to resign would have led to her immediate termination. So on Monday she took the first option to tender her resignation. But it is still not quite over because even though she resigned, up to this morning there was no set date as to when it takes effect. In her letter to the Board which was accepted, Bailey-Martinez says that the date will be mutually agreed to.  Leticia Vega, who was acting C.E.O. during Bailey-Martinez’s suspension, will continue in that role during the transitional period. We tried to find out if the transition could stretch out and Bailey-Martinez could still be on the job going into the March seventh elections, but we could not clear answers. A News Five team was on hand after the board meeting on Monday which went on until eighty thirty. Several persons exited the S.S.B. building on Princess Margaret Drive and a few of them were seen carrying boxes of files. Acting Chair Dennis Jones made the following comments exclusively to News Five.

Dennis Jones, Acting C.E.O., S.S.B. Board of Directors

“We had a process which began with the placement of Misses Martinez, the C.E.O. and the internal auditor on administrative leave. When the accusations were being made, we felt that was the best thing to do to allow them space where an investigation could be done. The investigation was initiated; we got a draft report which we then sent to the two individuals or them to review. They reviewed this report and had comments which we then took back to the investigators, PKF. And they made some comments to us in a discussion last Thursday. We have since received the resignation of Misses Martinez which we accepted and we will ask the acting C.E.O., Misses Vega, to hold over for the duration of the period coming up until we can work out transitional arrangements with Misses Martinez and Misses Vega.”

Isani Cayetano

“I understand that a petition was also set so that the signatures of the employees would have had some bearing on the decision of the board. Can you speak on us about that?”

Dennis Jones

Dennis Jones

“I don’t think so. We were very deliberate, very focus on making sure that we did the right things. We had an investigation, we gave the people an opportunity to respond, we got an opportunity to discuss in detail with the investigators. The fact that there was an attempt to petition the board had nothing to do really with our decision.”

This afternoon, the Social security Board issued a release saying that the Board on Monday accepted Bailey Martinez’s resignation which was tendered “due to negative public criticism and its impact to her family and her Christian community, as well as, to protect the S.S.B. from negative publicity.” The investigators emphasized that the Internal Auditor, Denise Mahler, is responsible to the Board of Directors and not the C.E.O. and that she returned to work this past Monday. S.S.B. also says that no management or staff who made additional payments to reduce their housing mortgage balance below the fifty thousand dollar threshold after September thirtieth 2011, benefited from the S.S.B. Housing Loan writes off.

On Monday, the People’s United Party released its manifesto for the Belize City Council elections. This afternoon, it launched its platform for the general elections. The manifesto is dedicated to the memory of George Price, who passed away last September, and is entitled Deliverance for Belize. As a matter of priority, the P.U.P. promises job creation, lower GST and a reform agenda. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The People’s United Party, the nation’s oldest political organization, sounded its battle cry today by launching the 2012-2016 manifesto, a national policy which promises to continue the peaceful, constructive revolution started by Right Honorable George Cadle Price decades ago.

Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, P.U.P.

Francis Fonseca

“It is fitting that we dedicate this manifesto to the memory and legacy of the Right Honorable George Price, our great leader and Father of the Nation.  Every page of this manifesto reflects our reaffirmation as a party to the philosophy and principles of George Price and our deep and unwavering commitment to serve the Belizean people.”

The call to arms comes after four years in opposition.  Leading the charge to ensure continuity in the P.U.P.’s effort to deliver Belize is party leader Francis Fonseca.  Before an audience of supporters he modestly appealed to the voting public to usher in a new era; one in which many economic opportunities will be created.

Francis Fonseca

“On March 7th, 2012, I humbly and respectfully ask you to vote for the P.U.P. candidate in your area.  Together let us put Belize back to work!”

High on the P.U.P.’s national agenda is meaningful reform where it concerns constitutional amendments and ownership of public utilities.

Anthony Sylvester, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Queen’s Square

Anthony Sylvester

“The People’s United Party therefore will seek to enshrine in the Constitution a mandatory requirement for a referendum for any proposed amendment to our Constitution which in any way undercuts or degrades the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people.  The P.U.P. will reduce the term of government to four years and there will be a fixed date for elections in every four year cycle.  The P.U.P. is committed to an elected Senate.  A P.U.P. government will maintain majority control of public utilities.”

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford

Of equal concern are the many ills plaguing our society.  In addressing the issue of crime, security and justice P.U.P. Collet Standard Bearer Carolyn Trench-Sandiford outlined a three-pronged approach that should see a transformation in all three areas.

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Collet

“The People’s United Party will pursue a policy of cooperation between local law enforcement bodies and international enforcement partners to root out organized crime.  This will be done without compromising our sovereignty as an independent nation.  The P.U.P. acknowledges that the new approach to policing, to effectively reduce the crime rate must be based on the citizens having faith and trust in the police.  Effective response mechanisms will be implemented to protect life and property, ensuring that more police officers are on the beat, more police booths are properly manned and working with neighborhood crime watch groups, the tourist police and special constables. The use of security cameras in crime sensitive areas will be deployed.  The Gang Suppression Unit, GSU, has lost the confidence of the Belizean people and must be replaced with an effective anti-violence unit.”

The launch of the P.U.P. Manifesto comes several days after the party’s thirty-one candidates were officially nominated to contest the upcoming General Elections. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

The United Democratic Party will be launching its national manifesto on Wednesday.

Rhett Fuller

In the United States, Rhett Fuller is wanted in connection with the murder of US National Larry Miller. Fuller moved back to Belize following the incident and for over a decade, he has been in and out of court fighting extradition to the US. The Minister of Foreign Affairs on September twentieth, 2011 decided to surrender Fuller to the US and Justice Samuel Awich dismissed a challenge to that decision on November twenty-second.  His legal team headed by Eamon Courtenay has since filed an appeal and today attempted to have Fuller released from prison on bail. Fuller, however, received more bad news in court when his application for bail to be with his family was denied and he was taken back to the Central Prison. His attorney told News Five what would be their next legal move.

Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Rhett Fuller

Eamon Courtenay

“Well the judge refused his petition for bail. As you know on the last occasion, we had asked the judge to admit him to bail pending the appeal to the Court of Appeal. The judge pointed to the fact that the minister had determined that he should be extradited. We challenged that decision and Mister Justice Awich had dismissed the challenge saying it was a change in circumstance that is adverse to Mister Fuller which would increase the possibility of him wanting to flee. And therefore he refused the petition for bail.”

Jose Sanchez

“Okay, what comes next for your client? What’s the next step?”

Eamon Courtenay

“We are hoping that his appeal will be heard at the next sitting of the Court of Appeal which is schedule to start on the nineteenth of March. At that stage we seek to appeal the decision of Mister Justice Awich.”

Jose Sanchez

“So how much further—it’s been over a decade—how much longer can this be dragged out in court before a final decision is made?”

Eamon Courtenay

“I don’t think it si about dragging it out in court; it is that Mister Fuller has certain rights. He has the right to come to court to have the court to decide whether what is being done is lawful and he is exercising those rights. The appeal, if it is heard in March, is going to actually be the last one because after that it is only the Caribbean Court of Justice that will be available to him. But we feel hopeful we will win in the Caribbean Court of Appeal.”

Miguel Martinez

There are three deaths to report tonight. We start first with the baffling death of a San Pedro resident, who died this morning in a holding cell at the island’s police station.  On Monday night Miguel Martinez, who was recently released from prison, was taken into custody.  The family is suspicious because Martinez was only in boxers when they found him dead. But police say they heard hear noises in the cell and he eventually went quiet. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez

Jose Sanchez

“Thirty one year old Miguel Martinez was disturbing the peace by Ecologic Divers. The owners called the police but he left and he went a few feet further down the beach to Phoenix Resort. He continued to hit the wall in a disturbing manner and the security officers detained and then handed him over to the San Pedro Police Formation which is across the street. But by morning, Martinez’s dead body was found inside a cell of the station.”

Martinez’s stepfather says he was in good health when he saw him over the weekend.

Emmanuel Diego, Stepfather of Miguel Martinez

“On Sunday about nine-thirty, ten in the morning, he was physically ok; he was walking right. He answered me and I spoke to him and I took off and went to work. Monday morning he was walking good, pretty good—not sick. Then on Tuesday morning that’s today, he is dead. The police told me that they got a report from one Mister Arceo saying he had a machete in his hands and beating his fence with machete. He called the police, and when the police got there, Miguel wasn’t there. He took off already; that wasn’t a problem at all because he wasn’t inside the property either. Then the police told me that they got a call from Phoenix—just across from the police station—that someone is there with a machete whapping the machete on the seawall. Probably disturbing tourist but he wasn’t dealing with no one. And the police man told me that the guys from Phoenix handcuffed him and called them to take him over. That is something that I wouldn’t want to believe because if a person have a machete in his hands I would be afraid and anyone would be afraid to confront that person. His pants; I met his pants outside the police station, in the yard of the police station. When they told me Miguel is dead, they showed him to me inside a cell block dead. He didn’t have on his pants; he was in boxers.”

Jose Sanchez

Emmanuel Diego

“What is the story from the police as to what occurred in that cell which I understand had four other persons?”

Emmanuel Diego

“Where I met Miguel, where they showed me where Miguel was at; Miguel was inside a cell by himself, he didn’t have no one inside his cell. He was inside a cell by himself face up, his head against the barrier, his face up dead.”

Raphael Martinez, PR, Ministry of Police & Public Safety

“Police consequently took him to the San Pedro Police Station and put him in a jail cell—that was just about after five o’clock this morning. Reportedly, he went on misbehaving a while and creating quite a bit of making noise in his cell. Later on, he was quiet. When police went to check on him, he was motionless. The police called a doctor where he was pronounced dead at just approximately eight o’clock this morning.”

Raphael Martinez

Jose Sanchez

“The step father says that when he went to visit him, his pants was outside, and he was in his boxers inside the cell. Was there some sort of physical interaction between Mister Martinez and the officers or possible cellmates?”

Raphael Martinez

“I was told that he was alone in his cell and as well as that there were no physical interaction between the officers and Martinez.”

Jose Sanchez

“But before he was in that cell alone, wasn’t he in a cell with other inmates; other people detained?”

Raphael Martinez

“I was told he was alone in his cell.”

Jose Sanchez

“So at this point, no signs of injuries on his body?”

Raphael Martinez

“Well we await a postmortem examination to determine whether or not he died from other means.”

Jose Sanchez

“Have they at least told you if they are treating the case as foul play? Is it suspected? Natural causes? Have they even given an indication as to how the case will go?”

Emmanuel Diego

“No way, nothing. What the inspector told me that’s what I run down to you just now and that’s what they said. That was it.”

Jose Sanchez

“There are still questions surrounding the death of Martinez that won’t be answered until the autopsy results are revealed. Reporting from Isla Bonita, Jose Sanchez for News Five.

It is a second death at the island’s police station; Gavin Sanchez was fatally shot in a cell on March eighteenth, 2010.

While the circumstances of Martinez’ death are suspicious, the demise of forty-one year old Ignacio Ical is conclusive. Seven days ago, Ical went into the jungle in the Canada Hill Area in the Stann Creek District to harvest a fruit called ‘pakaia’.  His family grew concerned when he didn’t return home because Ical frequented that area of the jungle and never got lost. But today those concerns turned into grief when the family found out that Ignacio’s decomposed body was discovered with injuries and the family believes he was murdered. News Five spoke via phone with Ical’s nephew, Manuel Ical.

Via Phone: Manuel Ical, Nephew of the deceased

“Well, my uncle Ignacio Ical went missing last week on Wednesday. He left home at ten o’clock in the morning to do hunting trips in the Canada Hill behind Alta Vista Village.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay, he was alone?”

Via Phone: Manuel Ical

“He was alone. He didn’t have anybody with him and this is the first time this has happened to him.”

Andrea Polanco

“Awrite. Did he have any weapon? Any rifle on him?”

Via Phone: Manuel Ical

“Well, according to my grandfather he had a machete but that is the only machete he had with him when he went in the jungle.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay, does he usually go hunting in this area?”

Via Phone: Manuel Ical

“Well, he usually goes because he went to find the ‘Pakaia’ for sale in the community but after that he said he was just going to take three hours inside the jungle to come back again home but since that day he didn’t come back. His body was discovered around three o’clock today, this evening. He was being discovered in the jungle at the same place where I told you that three ‘pakaia’ was found there. We believe that somebody had murdered him. According to the report we received from my brother, he was murdered.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay so your brother, he had the opportunity to see the body?”

Via Phone: Manuel Ical

“Yes, because he was there and the same place where somebody had reached there, like I told you, it doesn’t look like they kill him at the spot but they take him and kill him further. I hear he has two chop behind his head.”

Andrea Polanco

“Any of his arms or limbs missing?”

Via Phone: Manuel Ical

“I think he is already decomposed and we heard that one of his hands is missing yes because the john crow is already eating part of the body.”

The family says that they have an idea of who may be behind the murder.

Abel Robinson

In the north, another missing man was found murdered. Days after he disappeared, a search party on Monday discovered the body of twenty-one year old Abel Robinson from Orange Walk Town. The badly decomposed body was lying under a tree off a picado road in the Palmar area. Abel left home on Friday and when he did not come back, the family sensed that something was wrong. It is likely he was murdered soon after he left home because of the state of decomposition. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

The family of twenty-one year old Abel Robinson is in mourning after his decomposing body was found on Monday afternoon. Abel left his home in Orange Walk on Friday night and his brother, Thomas Robinson, says he was immediately concerned when he didn’t return.

Thomas Robinson, Brother of Murder Victim

“When di man gone missing di Friday I mi know something wrong. I si something mi wrong di Friday when my lee bredda no come home because my lee bredda noh rest so. I tell my friend dat my lee bredda noh di come home, something happen to ah. Saturday morning I wake up, I get wah lee news dat something might happen to my lee bredda. Den Saturday night I yer wah next message pan di street dat dehn shot my lee bredda eena ih head but den I noh know dah who. I mi di trip. Sunday come, dehn seh dehn mi find wah body di Sunday but dehn did neva find no body di Sunday. Got we fool up, feeling like we mi find ah, but we neva find ah.”

After a weekend of speculation, a search party led by Thomas and his older brother, went on a manhunt and found Abel’s body in some bushes in the San Jose Palmar area.

Thomas Robinson

Thomas Robinson

“Di Monday morning when I get up, I gone out deh gone look fi my lee bredda. All eena dehn swamp, all eena sand pit dah back so I deh. But den I get wah vision and di man tell me dah noh deh ih deh. When I tell my cousin dis man deh by ih house and we gone deh I neva want go eena di bush cause wah vibes tell me ih deh right deh. When my bredda dehn gone eena di bush dehn mi find ah. Same way I get di vision di man show me, dah same way we find ah eena di bush. Weh we get is dat dis man get shot in his head and dehn cut his throat. And di way I see it, mi lee bredda mi di fight fi ih life. Ih neva want dead. Ih neva want dead.”

Due to the state of decomposition, Thomas says his brother was quickly buried after the postmortem.

Thomas Robinson

“We bury di man dis morning because di body was decomposed; it was done swell up and thing. So we mi have to wait—ih mi stay back deh ova night sake ah we mi di wait pan di doctor from Belize. So as we done dat back deh we ker ah straight gone bury and we put him in di hole and we bury him dis morning and put ah fi rest.”

And as they grieve, Abel’s brothers are also troubled because they say the police refused to help them over the weekend.

Thomas Robinson

“We gone dah dehn police deh di Saturday and dehn wah tell we bout we wah need strong evidence and thing. Weh we get off ah di streets is real. Weh dehn di get, dehn just di sit down behind wah desk. I noh di talk bout di CIB, I di talk bout dehn one weh deh behind dah desk and di sit down deh and yer weh we di tell ah but dehn noh pay we no mind. Soh me neva worry bout dehn, I gone out deh gone look fi ah and I find ah. Dehn noh find ah, we find ah. Di police neva do di job cause dehn neva gwein eena bush like we mi gwein, dehn noh search like we gone out deh gone search. And we find ah. We noh stop until we find ah and when we find ah we glad we put ah to rest now. Right now ih deh wid di one and only man up deh.”

Thomas says they know who killed Abel, but they don’t plan on seeking revenge. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

A people’s referendum will be held next week Wednesday. The Belize Tourism Industry Association, which chairs the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage called on member organizations to support the referendum.  After almost eight thousand signatures were rejected, preventing a referendum, the Coalition decided to execute an independent poll. So next week, country-wide people will get the opportunity to vote on the issue of oil exploration offshore and in protected areas.  Executive Director of the B.T.I.A., Efren Perez, says that the matter is critical, especially from the tourism perspective.

Efren Perez, Executive Director, BTIA/Chair-Coalition to Save National Heritage

“We do represent a very huge industry in Belize, as you know, Tourism. And our main focus has always been responsible and sustainable tourism so when it comes to issues that we feel will at some point or the other affect our industry, we do take it very seriously and we try to engage ourselves in ways and means with which we can negotiate along with the Coalition to see how we can look forward to a positive ending to the entire Coalition effort. I think that we are looking forward right now is what the response of the people is. As you know there was a recent poll conducted and the numbers overwhelmingly showed that the people are in support of no drilling, and that is pretty much offshore drilling. What we want to do is that we want to use this negotiate with government and show them what the people think. Whichever government comes into play at the end of the day then I think we can be ready with all of these things to show them what the people actually want.”

Andrea Polanco

Efren Perez

“Should you have the people’s referendum and the people vote in favour of offshore drilling, are you willing to support the voice of the people when they are saying yes to offshore drilling?”

Efren Perez

“One of the key things right now is that we are not trying to fight against government; we are trying to make everybody know and are well educated in terms of what the offshore drilling can do for our industry, pretty much. If indeed it is that everybody votes for the referendum not to be passed and drilling to happen, we will again look at sustainable ways and responsible ways that we can deal with the issue with government to make sure our industry is not tampered. We do represent over twenty percent of the national GDP so definitely we want to make sure that that is not lost.”

B.T.I.A. is asking for financial contributions to support the event. Deposits can be made to Scotiabank account number 9138870.

Luis Urbina

Last Friday two inmates escaped from the Belize Central Prison in Hattieville. Security at the facility managed by the Kolbe Foundation was breached in daylight by Luis Urbina, a high profile and dangerous convict along with David Burgos. Burgos was believed to be heading north to see his wife in the Finca Solana area of Corozal Town. The details of the capture have not been revealed but by the end of the weekend both Urbina and Burgos were back behind bars. In June 2002, Urbina and two accomplices held up Enrique Petkau and his wife Sussana near Shipyard, shot them and escaped in their van.  Susanna later died.

David Burgos

Urbina and his gang then went to Corozal where they kidnapped Jacob Rancharan and a female friend. They took them to Orange Walk where they robbed a restaurant and the female victim before they were caught. Urbina was found guilty of two counts of kidnapping, rape, and an unnatural crime. He was sentenced to ten years for each kidnapping and thirteen years each for the sexual assaults. He received an additional seven years for escaping from police custody in 2004. Burgos, on the other hand, was imprisoned for burglary.

Godfrey Mortis

A Belize City taxi driver, who has been in prison for the past seven months, was today convicted of Aggravated Assault of an Indecent Nature. The victim was only eight years old when sixty-one year old Godfrey Mortis molested her at his house. In court, Mortis denied the allegations, during the trial which ended this afternoon before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. The child, who is now nine years old, also testified “in camera” that on June fifth, 2011 Mortis asked her to go to the store and when she returned, he grabbed her, bit her on the neck and touched her inappropriately. The child’s mother told the court that she knew that her daughter went to the store for Mortis, but it wasn’t until the following day that she noticed the bite marks on her neck and started asking questions. The minor then told her what had happened. The Chief Magistrate was satisfied with the account given by the victim and her mother and found Mortis guilty. She sentenced him to two years in prison.

Another GST case was before the court today and the defendant, Therese Parkey was also a no show. But she missed out on some good news because GST personnel withdrew the charge against her company Hugh Parkey/Belize Dive Connection, which owed over three hundred thousand dollars when the outstanding GST was combined with interest and penalties. The taxes accumulated over twenty-two months of missed payments between 2009 and 2011. But today’s withdrawal came because Parkey and the GST Department were able to reach an agreement and decided to settle out of court after payment of a significant portion of the amount owed.

Jason Gilharry

There was no objection to bail by the prosecutor, but again, attorney Arthur Saldivar submitted on his behalf that the court should be mindful that Gilharry is a student with no criminal record and that he lives in a community where there is a lot of farming. Saldivar further noted to the court that Gilharry’s family is not financially well-off, before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer set bail at eight thousand dollars. Gilharry is due back in court on April seventeenth. Two others who are suspected to have been running the marijuana farm along with him managed to escape from police, but Gilharry was caught in the act of harvesting.