HAT OFF TO THE BELIZE FOOTBALL TEAM

The pride of a nation is in its people and the way they think, act and re-act. Brenda A. Ysaguirre

I was out in Chetumal, Mexico on Sunday night when my friend and I stopped to purchase something. He asked the vendor how the Belize- Mexico game went because we had been busy all day and had not seen the game. We were informed that it went in favour of Mexico 7-0.

My reaction will probably be the way every Belizean felt after the game.

NO, I WAS NOT UPSET OR HURT AT ALL. IN FACT I WAS PROUD THAT OUR TEAM, RANKED 172 IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD, HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS FAR. WE HAD MADE HISTORY WHERE FOOTBALL IN BELIZE AND THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD WAS CONCERNED.
I AM A PROUD BELIZEAN, BORN IN MEXICO CITY OF BELIZEAN PARENTS AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS ANY DAY:

WE HAVE ONLY JUST BEGAN!
THAT WAS A GREAT JOB YOU BOYS DID, TEAM BELIZE AND BELIZE AND ALL BELIZEANS ARE PROUD OF YOU! IN OUR HEARTS WE WON. WE WON THE RECOGNITION AND WE WON THE GLORY OF BEING SEEN!

THANKS FOR MAKING BELIZE HAVE ONE MORE THING TO BE PROUD OF!

THIS I AM SURE COMES FROM ALL BELIZEANS. IN THIS LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE YOU ARE NUMBER 1!

Mexico destroys Belize to book spot in CONCACAF third round WCup qualifying

MONTERREY, Mexico: Double strikes from from Fernando Arce and Jared Borgetti helped Mexico cruise to a 7-0 win over Belize in Saturday's second leg of their second-round World Cup qualifier, securing a place in the third round.
In Mexico's final match before Sven Goran Eriksson officially takes over as coach, Mexico completed a 9-0 aggregate win over two legs in the CONCACAF regional qualifier.
The result put Mexico into the final 12 of regional qualifying, where its third-round group opponents will be Canada, Jamaica and Honduras, with the round-robin play to begin in August. The top two teams will progress to the final round of qualifying.
Arsenal striker Carlos Vela opened the scoring for Mexico in the eighth minute, but a mixture of Mexican profligacy and good saves from Belize goalkeeper Shane Orio meant the home side had to wait until Andres Guardado's deflected shot on 34 minutes to double the lead.
A neat interchange between Vela and Cesar Villaluz created Arce's first goal in first half stoppage time. Within two minutes of the restart the Santos Laguna forward was on the spot to tap home his second from a cross by Oscar Rojas.
Veteran Jared Borgetti extended his record as Mexico' all-time leading scorer with a trademark header after 62 minutes before two late goals added gloss to the scoreline. Belize defender Trevor Lennen put through his own net in injury time for the sixth goal, before Borgetti added his second, and Mexico's seventh.
Former England coach Eriksson will now take over the team from interim coach Jesus Ramirez.

PEOPLE OF BELIZE

The Mennonites of Belize are a working class of German background. This year they celebrated being in belize for 50 years. These pictures include that day's festivity.

SCENES OF BEAUTIFUL BELIZE

These photos by Tony Rath show Belize has many great areas for tourist to visit.

C.F.E. TO SELL CHEAPER POWER TO B.E.L.

Gov’t negotiator gets C.F.E. to sell cheaper power to B.E.L.
One of the last things you wanted to hear today was that the world price of petroleum shot up again. Oil is now retailing for a one hundred and thirty-six U.S. a barrel, up two bucks from last night. The trickle down effect is of course higher prices, in fuel in the first instance, which would then trigger higher costs in everything else. One sector that feels the petroleum pinch right off is Belize Electricity Limited which is presently awaiting the final decision of the Public Utilities Commission on a rate increase request. Reaction to the proposed price hike has been negative from the public and in response, the Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has undertaken several initiatives in an attempt to give consumers a break. One of those efforts included a visit to Mexican power company Comision Federal de Electricidad by Government’s Chief Financial Advisor Manuel Esquivel and electrical engineering consultant John Mencias. Those meetings took place on June fifth and as Esquivel pointed out to the press this afternoon, the timing is crucial because B.E.L. is currently in contract negotiations with C.F.E.

According to Esquivel, “while C.F.E. could not commit to reducing the energy charge per kilowatt hour for power supplied to B.E.L., they have agreed to consider a reduction in a number of other charges” that make up the “total cost of the supply”.

So how much are we talking about?

Manuel Esquivel, Financial Advisor, G.O.B., “If everything went smoothly and well, it could result in about seven million a year. So it could be a considerable amount. They made it clear that they really couldn’t do much about the actual kilowatt cost of the energy because they are operating under very strict national regulations with regards to their own domestic cost of power. They are saying we are here for Mexicans. What we do for Belize—and we try to do what we can do—we can’t offer you what we’re not offering Mexicans. The Mexican Government as well as C.F.E. are very keen to seeing themselves becoming more involved with Belize and energy. They are urging, which we have already started to put in place, that Belize should have control of energy policy and energy planning. Right now, in the case of electricity, it’s B.E.L. that does those things and we and the people tend to react to it. That’s upside down. The Government has the obligation to make sure people get affordable power so the government must be the one that does the planning and sets the policies. And as I said, even before going I discussed with the prime minister the need for us to have, as it were, an Energy Planning Department within the government itself.”

Janelle Chanona, “And as far as when the new prices would take effect that C.F.E. is negotiating with B.E.L.?”

Manuel Esquivel, “Well, that would be the first of August. So there’s not a lot of time but it’s a good time to do it before that date comes.”

This afternoon B.E.L.’s Chief Executive Officer Lynn Young told News Five that the company welcomed Government’s efforts and referred to the negotiated agreement as an “improvement in negotiations with C.F.E.”. But Young maintains that he is cautiously optimistic because the end savings to the public will depend heavily on fuel prices as the cost of power is indexed to the cost of oil. That hesitation was shared by the Public Utilities Commission as Chairman John Avery maintained to us today that the P.U.C. is taking the still escalating price of petroleum into consideration as it prepares to release its final decision on B.E.L.’s rates. Those prices will be announced no later than June twenty-sixth.

COLA AGAINST THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN BELIZE

COLA organises downtown march against Michael Ashcroft
It was not the biggest demonstration to ever hit the streets of Belize City but today’s protest had significant implications because it was against the country’s most powerful businessman. News Five’s Marion Ali reports on the war that has been declared against Michael Ashcroft.Marion Ali, ReportingThis afternoon an estimated three hundred people took part in a march in downtown Belize City against banking and business mogul Michael Ashcroft. Protestors moved off from Battlefield Park around noon and demonstrated around Market Square for approximately two hours. The event was coordinated by COLA, Citizens Organised for Liberty through Action, previously known as the Committee to Oust Lord Ashcroft.

Evan “Mose” Hyde, Member, COLA, “This is about getting back the interest of the Belizean people, getting back the money that belongs to the people of Belize. That is the point of this.”

Marion Ali, “You’re going up against a giant...”

Mose Hyde, “No, no. We noh deh gainst wah giant. Wah giant deh gainst di real giant, the people ah Belize da di sleeping giant. Dat da di real giant.”

Marion Ali, “Are you satisfied with the turnout today?”

Elena Smith, Interim President, COLA, “Yes we are. If we had five persons it would have been good for us because we are here for a cause and so we will stand out here for that cause. Anybody can only take so many licks. After a while you have to bow down. In 2005 we almost brought the government down. So if you can sustain your actions eventually they will have to bow down and we will get our victory.”

Participants in today’s march represented a wide cross-section of society, with politicians all sectors interspersed in the crowd.

Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing, “I am not here to say anything negative about anybody but we ask for respect and I want to send a message to the business community that when you come here to do business you are not allowed to stand or to go behind closed doors with a politician or two and sign deals that are not in the interest of the people of this country.”

Mark Espat, Albert Area Representative, “I think the Belizean people have gotten enough of the parasitical approach of certain business groups and we’re out here to say that enough is enough. The clamor of the people is to get back the money that was intended for housing and for the relevant companies to pay the taxes that they’re supposed to pay.”

Cordel Hyde, Area Rep., Lake Independence, “When this man doesn’t pay his taxes it is all people in this country who are deprived, whether it be victims of the storm Arthur or whether it be the persons who need their roofs fixed, whether they need better housing, whether they need education, that is what we use our taxes for and it is also important that we get our twenty million dollars. At the end of the day wi need wi ting man.”

Patrick Rogers, Member, V.I.P., “I guess ih tek wah organisation weh have wah lot ah fight eena deh fi start lead the charge. Having said that, I guess I’m out here in solidarity with COLA and everybody else who woulda want see deh tyrants flee noh?”

Marion Ali, “You think they have what it takes to sustain this planned series of events against Mister Ashcroft and if things don’t go their way, if they don’t get what they want then what next?”

Patrick Rogers, “I believe as long as we commit into doing something and noh leave up to no one individual it will get done.”

Dickie Bradley, Attorney, “The thousand of marchers who are out here only represent a bigger amount of Belizeans who are seriously concerned that the new boss of Channel Five is now considered to represent a very serious danger, a clear and present danger to the country of Belize. So I’m showing solidarity with the aims and objectives of the march.”

Marion Ali, “Mister Ashcroft is a known sympathiser of the same administration, past government of which you are a member. How does this look for you being of the same party that he supports?”

Mark Espat, “Well I think my position has been clear from day, if you recall, Marion. In the House of Representatives I voted against the re-acquisition sale and resale of B.T.L., I left the Cabinet over the matter of U.H.S. and the unjustified debt and my position remains the same. We do not need another King Leopold in Belize.”

Wilfred Sedi” Elrington, Attorney General, “We are very upset with the performance and behaviour of the entire Ashcroft group of companies. I certainly have long held the view that it has been a very one-sided, exploited relationship, which of course has been facilitated by people who we elected to office. That is unfortunate. Of course most people view the overt acquisition by him of Channel Five as an ill omen for the country because we are of the view now that he is going to use that medium to try to further influence and indoctrinate people.”

George Frazer, Executive Secretary, B.N.T.U., “We want genuine investors. Mister Ashcroft has invested many of his funds but again playing games and being accommodated by politicians doesn’t always benefit the Belizean people. We also want to send the message to the politicians and others that all these kinda secret deals and thing cannot and will not be entertained.”

Kenroy Young, U.N. Youth Ambassador for Belize, “We are here today fighting for what youths might not understand so much as fighting for a cause that will help benefit our country because we have a man that is here buying out half of our country and leaving us as Belizeans to not voice our opinions and he’s casting down on us a great burden as such, high rates in B.T.L., now he’s bought over the Channel Five broadcasting industry. He’s trying to shut the Belizeans up and we will not stand for that as youths.”

And while today’s protest only lasted a couple hours, organisers plan to carry out a sustained attack against Michael Ashcroft.

Mose Hyde, “If wi want righteousness, if we want justice da Belize we gotta get up and fight for it. Dat dah di point ah dis. Michael Ashcroft I noh give a damn bout. We dah like wah stain. We noh gwein no way. We dah like old time bad card. We noh wah stop draw. We eena dis to di full.”

Elena Smith, “The group that we have is a group of warriors, as Mose said, we are a group of warriors. So we are willing to fight to the bitter end. We are not going to give up until we have achieved our goal and our goal is to get back all the money that is owing to this country of Belize and to eventually get him outta here.”

News Five understands that following this first demonstration of its intentions, COLA will now call on Belizeans to boycott the use of cell phones for an entire weekend next month. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.

Our attempts to solicit a reaction from Mister Ashcroft today were unsuccessful.

THE KING VULTURE

The King Vulture Sarcoramphis papa

In the world of Avian there is an order known as Falconiformes; they are birds of prey, hunters of meat. Within this order is a family called the Cathartidae or Vultures and of the Vultures there is a species called Sarcoramphis papa, loosely translated this means Òfather of the coffinÓ. He is indisputably ÒThe King of VulturesÓ.In the whole of Belize four species of vulture can be found. They are the Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Savanna Vulture, and The King Vulture.