2 January 2010 - (Belizean,com) As we flip another page and dare upon a new leaf in this book of life, the pace at which time is flying is enough to make one downright dizzy. Seems like just yesterday we were preparing for Y2K and now here we are, in the imminence of 2012. 2009 was quite eventful with no paucity of drama and so before we sing auld lang sine, let us take some time to reflect on a few items from the archives.
Apart from usual news, you might say that '09 was a banner year for crime and scandals as everyday seemed to revealed new inappropriateness both in our streets as well as in the offices of government. Whether the art of politics is imitating the life on the streets or vice versa, there seems a definite correlation between the behavior of our parliamentarians and that of the common thugs on the street. With the finger pointing, name calling and seizing of other people's property by force, the behavior of our politicians bear an uncanny resemblance to the ruffian mentality pervading our neighborhoods today.
Many will remember when a high ranking UDP operative threatened to throw a grenade in the House of Representatives during the last administration. Well, since then, the new choice of weapons on the street has become that very same grenade. While no grenades have yet been launched at the political level, Prime Minister Barrow did drop a major bomb in August. Barrow announced that he was strong-arming Michael Ashcroft's shares in BTL and while it made the Zinc Fence ecstatic, it did major damage to investor confidence.
Mr. Barrow's rationale about the halting of litigation also proved self deceptive as the move opened a new floodgate of even more complex and expensive court proceedings. While the real damage to Belize's economy is yet to be realized, it has not been a bad thing for the Barrow clan of legal experts, who are heard laughing all the way to the bank. The move also proved beneficial pr wise, since it basically neutralized the most effective propaganda machine in town. Evan Hyde went public in his support of Barrow and the UDP and the pot was sweetened even further with astronomical advertisement dollars from BTL and the Social Security Board.
Apart from usual news, you might say that '09 was a banner year for crime and scandals as everyday seemed to revealed new inappropriateness both in our streets as well as in the offices of government. Whether the art of politics is imitating the life on the streets or vice versa, there seems a definite correlation between the behavior of our parliamentarians and that of the common thugs on the street. With the finger pointing, name calling and seizing of other people's property by force, the behavior of our politicians bear an uncanny resemblance to the ruffian mentality pervading our neighborhoods today.
Many will remember when a high ranking UDP operative threatened to throw a grenade in the House of Representatives during the last administration. Well, since then, the new choice of weapons on the street has become that very same grenade. While no grenades have yet been launched at the political level, Prime Minister Barrow did drop a major bomb in August. Barrow announced that he was strong-arming Michael Ashcroft's shares in BTL and while it made the Zinc Fence ecstatic, it did major damage to investor confidence.
Mr. Barrow's rationale about the halting of litigation also proved self deceptive as the move opened a new floodgate of even more complex and expensive court proceedings. While the real damage to Belize's economy is yet to be realized, it has not been a bad thing for the Barrow clan of legal experts, who are heard laughing all the way to the bank. The move also proved beneficial pr wise, since it basically neutralized the most effective propaganda machine in town. Evan Hyde went public in his support of Barrow and the UDP and the pot was sweetened even further with astronomical advertisement dollars from BTL and the Social Security Board.
Sedi Elrington on the other hand, made himself a target of the Zinc Fence when he publicly defended Michael Ashcroft in an interview with Channel Seven early in the year. Despite financial support and acknowledgement of the "empire", he apparently was never forgiven and was hammered and dismissed mercilessly after indiscreetly referring to our border as artificial. Elrington and Barrow were never the best of chums so look for him under the bus or as another propitiatory gift to the lords of Partridge.
Then there was the KHMH fiasco. What an este! Doctors at Belize's primary health care facility came together as a group to denounce the blatant hustling and skullduggery which was going on with the apparent full knowledge and consent of the Minister and probably the entire cabinet. In some instances, medicine which was available for less than three dollars was being bought for up to forty times that amount from party cronies and close relatives of the hospital's board members. The result was a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars and an adverse effect on the basic quality of goods and services offered to medical patients nationwide. As we write, a commission of inquiry has just completed a pseudo investigation but few are holding their breaths that anything consequential will emerge. The commission seemed more concerned with comparing past and present administrations than in getting to the true gist of any transgressions. Another wasted effort, another waste of time!
This year held a couple of other incidentals worth mentioning. Said Musa was fully and finally exonerated after frivolous charges were dismissed. Belize City residents returned Mayor Moya and her band of misfits to office despite numerous and concrete evidence of wrongdoing; they have been paining and complaining ever since. Many Belizeans got their first taste of an earthquake as an impressive 7.2 shook us out of bed in May and Shyne returned home with a new faith and new name.
As for the current administration, things were not all dismal as both the Prime Minister and our beloved Mayor made romantic trips to the altar. The Prime Minister felt the need to perform his nuptials far from Belize as he and a few select guests flew in style to Atlanta for their ceremony. Zenaida's under deposits could only afford her the Princess however, though it was far more lavish than the average Belizean could ever afford. Zenaida gave birth shortly after reciting her vows but hardly had the ink on the contract dried or the umbilical cord tied than she was hauled off to court to answer charges of stealing the Council blind. Financial Controller Dwain Davis was co-charged with Zenaida but the stress proved more than he could bear and his case will have to be held in a higher court. It is left to be seen whether the dearly departed will be left holding the bag, for while dead men carry no tales, neither can they defend themselves against unsubstantiated charges. May he rest in peace!
There were a number of other victims of this brutal and tyrannical regime and less old acquaintances be forgot too soon, let us bid adieu to Captain Charlie Good, Oscar Ayuso, Atanacio Gutierrez, Onorio Oba and the close to a hundred victims of the senseless violence consuming our society. Fancy gloves might hide the trace of red but there is blood on them hands I tell you.
To all those who obliged by enduring my rhetoric each week, may I wish you, each and everyone, a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
P..S. Visit our latest website BelizeTips
Then there was the KHMH fiasco. What an este! Doctors at Belize's primary health care facility came together as a group to denounce the blatant hustling and skullduggery which was going on with the apparent full knowledge and consent of the Minister and probably the entire cabinet. In some instances, medicine which was available for less than three dollars was being bought for up to forty times that amount from party cronies and close relatives of the hospital's board members. The result was a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars and an adverse effect on the basic quality of goods and services offered to medical patients nationwide. As we write, a commission of inquiry has just completed a pseudo investigation but few are holding their breaths that anything consequential will emerge. The commission seemed more concerned with comparing past and present administrations than in getting to the true gist of any transgressions. Another wasted effort, another waste of time!
This year held a couple of other incidentals worth mentioning. Said Musa was fully and finally exonerated after frivolous charges were dismissed. Belize City residents returned Mayor Moya and her band of misfits to office despite numerous and concrete evidence of wrongdoing; they have been paining and complaining ever since. Many Belizeans got their first taste of an earthquake as an impressive 7.2 shook us out of bed in May and Shyne returned home with a new faith and new name.
As for the current administration, things were not all dismal as both the Prime Minister and our beloved Mayor made romantic trips to the altar. The Prime Minister felt the need to perform his nuptials far from Belize as he and a few select guests flew in style to Atlanta for their ceremony. Zenaida's under deposits could only afford her the Princess however, though it was far more lavish than the average Belizean could ever afford. Zenaida gave birth shortly after reciting her vows but hardly had the ink on the contract dried or the umbilical cord tied than she was hauled off to court to answer charges of stealing the Council blind. Financial Controller Dwain Davis was co-charged with Zenaida but the stress proved more than he could bear and his case will have to be held in a higher court. It is left to be seen whether the dearly departed will be left holding the bag, for while dead men carry no tales, neither can they defend themselves against unsubstantiated charges. May he rest in peace!
There were a number of other victims of this brutal and tyrannical regime and less old acquaintances be forgot too soon, let us bid adieu to Captain Charlie Good, Oscar Ayuso, Atanacio Gutierrez, Onorio Oba and the close to a hundred victims of the senseless violence consuming our society. Fancy gloves might hide the trace of red but there is blood on them hands I tell you.
To all those who obliged by enduring my rhetoric each week, may I wish you, each and everyone, a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
P..S. Visit our latest website BelizeTips
Leave a comment