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Thursday, December 29, 2011 Capital Weekly Page 1

No. 017 Thursday, December 29, 2011 Price: $1.00

Continued on Page 6

Continued on Page 16

CapitalWeekly

From the Heart of the Nation to the Soul of thePeople

Will Strengthen, Broaden and Deepen in 2012

Better Than Expected!Economy Grows By over 3 percent in 2011

Christmas Big in Belmopan ! Sales Up23 %

in Free ZoneStory on Page 3

Residents o the CapitalCity this year had their air shareo Christmas and much, muchmorerom the heart-warmingree-Lighting to the invigorating

Christmas parade, to the belly-bursting ham and turkey bas-kets. hen to top it all o, theyhad quite a bram to the pulsat-ing sounds o a Mexican Box.

he ree Lighting cere-mony and Christmas parade webrought you images o in our twomost recent editions of Capital

Weekly. The bram, well getto in few; but rst to the belly-

busting ham and turkey baskets.

No matter how bad theoutgoing year, there is some-thing about the New Year thatinvariably sparks new hope.But or Belize, there is more,much more to hang our hopeson as we bid arewell to 2011and greet the New Year, 2012.

rue, man shall not liveby bread alone, but the peror-mance o the Belize Economyin the year ending is very en-couraging news, to say the least,especially when compared withother countries around us.

Te gures coming outo the statistical institute, asthe Prime Minister notes inhis New Years address, indi-cate that the Belize Economy

grew by over 3 percent, whichis better than projected at thestart o the year, and almostone ull percentage point above

the 2.4 % growth recordedor the previous year.

Oering urther de-tails on the breakdown o theoverall growth, the PM states,when we look at the particularsectors that are most respon-sible or this picture o eco-

nomic advance, the panorama iseven more encouraging.

Up to September it wasthe Wholesale and Retail radeSector that was one o the lead-ers, showing a 7.7% increase.

And the Corozal Free Zonealone was responsible or abusiness rebound o 23% inimproved year-on-year sales.Over the three quarters, Hotelsand Restaurants grew by 2.1%

as a consequence o a 3.3% in-crease in overnight tourists; andransport and Communications

Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow

Honourable John Saldivar and Mrs. Saldivar

David Ackierman,Executive Chairman


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Page 2 Capital Weekly Thursday, December 29, 2011

Capital WeeklyFrom the Heart of the Nation

To the Soul of the People

Published By:

Roots & Rhythm Ltd.15 Gibnut Street

Belmopan

Chairman:

Delroy Cuthkelvin

Editor:

Wilbourne Cuthkelvin

Compositor:

William Cuthkelvin

Telephone:

802-1284

Email:

capitalweekly_bze@

yahoo.com

Delroy CuthkelvinChairman, Editorial Board

A New Lea- A New Lease

New Years

is, with-

out adoubt, our most a-vorite time o the year.Tere is somethingabout turning a newlea that invariably ex-cites and inspires us.

Tis New Year,or Belizeans, is par-ticularly special as we

seem not only to beturning a new lea,but turning the cor-ner on various ronts.

Having just re-corded, in 2011, ourhighest GDP growthrate since the reces-sion hit home, wecertainly appear to beturning the corner on

the economic rontas, by all accounts(even the IMF), wehave weathered thestorm better than allour peers in the Car-ibbean Community.

Having takencontrol o our essentialutilities, enshrining

majority public own-ership in the Consti-tution, we have nallyrid ourselves o sys-tematic exploitation atthe hands o the mod-ern-day slave masters;and things are quicklyturning around withlower rates, even aswe turn a respectableprot on our invest-ments in homegrown,B e l i z e a n - o w n e dc o m p a n i e s .

Even crime and violence, which inrecent times have al-tered our very way o

lie, appear to be -nally taking a turn orthe better. Were cer-tainly not out o thewoods yet, ar romit, and there could bemany daunting curvesahead, but the oneturn we cannot aordis that o turning back.

Hopeless youthsand innocent victims,it appears, are nallygetting a new lease onlie, and or such smallmercies we must saythanks, even as wepray that the rela-tive peace holds, andas we work harder toensure that it does.

Like every othernew year, this one o-ers an opportunity toturn a new lea. Butwould to Godasthe early signs seemto be showing italso oers our Peo-ple and our Nationa new lease on lie.

TFeliz Navidad

Hon.Gaspar VegaDeputy Prime Minister

Christmas Message by

Deputy Prime Minister

Ia m v e r y h a p p y t oe x p r e s smy warmest greet-

ings and best wishesto all Belizeans cel-ebrating Christmas.

Each year at thistime we celebrate thebirth o our Lord. Werecall the remarkablestory o his birth inBethlehem, and weare moved to recog-

nize his birth each dayin our lives throughacts o compassion,goodwill, and love.

his past yearhas been a time ounparalleled naturaldisasters, economictroubles and politi-cal upheavals around

the world. For such atime as this, reect-ing on this world andperhaps even our ownneeds at home, therecould be cause or alittle eeling o distress.

Y e t C h r i s t -mas is about hope,as it was two thou-

sand years ago when

our savior was born.I want to take

this opportunity toassure you that yourUDP government willcontinue-- in the next

year-- to steer the ship

of state with the sameFairness, Prudenceand Respect that has

become the hallmarkof this administration.On behalf of our

Government, my fam-ily, and myself, I takethis opportunity to saySeasons Greetings toyou and your family,and may your holidayseason and the com-ing year be blessedwith happiness, pros-per i ty and hope.

M E R R YC H R I S T M A S SA N D A P R O S -PROUS NEW YEART O Y O U A L L !


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Te entrance to the Corozal Commercial Free Zone

Inside the Corozal Commercial Free Zone

wo Garbage trucks obtained by the new Management

Fire truck acquired by the new Feee Zone Management

Sales Up 23 % in Free ZoneEquipped and Well Managed Under the Current Administration

(Reproduced, in part, rom the Northern Star Newspaper)

In February 2008, theGeneral Elect ionsbrought the dawn oa new United Democratic PartyGovernment. Along with that newGovernment came new manage-ment or the Corozal Free Zone.

Te expectations o inves-tors at the Zone were temperedby questions. Changes were met

with scepticism as millions odollars were at stake and the newdirection was uncertain. From theinception of the takeover of thisnew management of the Coro-zal Free Zone it became evident

able condition having beingprivatized costing the manage-ment $600,000.00 per annum.

3. Security Personnel wereworking under inhumane condi-tions with very limited resources.

4. The infrastructure wasin a sorrowful condition. Streetswere in bad shape. Garbage wasscattered all over the place and the

drainage was a huge problem ir-respective of the fact that the thenP.U.P Government paid two milliondollars for a thorough restructuring.

5 . T h e r e w e r e r e -pea ted inc idences o f f i r e .

that the complete network wasin shambles. A lot of work hadto be done and drastic measures

had to be implemented in light ofthe sorrowful situation inherited.The Corozal Free Zone

was plagued with the following

problems before the advent of

the new management in 2008.

1. Gross mismanagementof the Corozal Free Zone nances

reecting in the bills accountable

to the Banks and the Private Sector.The audit for 2007 reected prots

of only BZ $30,000.00 per annum.2. The Secur i ty Sys -

tem was in the most deplor-

6. Garbage collection hadbeen privatized, yet the zone wasin very unhygienic conditions.

The Corozal Free Zoneunder this new management

today has realized the following:

1. The administration ofthe Zone was restructured andpersons with the necessary capac-ity put in place. The result wasthat a better Management / PrivateSector relationship was estab-lished recognizing the CorozalFree Zone Chamber of Commerceas the liaison between manage-ment and investors, automati-cally uplifting investor condence.

2. The changes led to soundfiscal management of the Zoneand a transparent nancial system

where the rst years audit reected

$901,000.00 profit as comparedto $30,000.00 previously. Alsoput in place was a yearly SocialInterventions Program to the tuneof some $40,000.00 per annum.

3. The Zones Infrastruc-ture was upgraded. Streets paved,drainage improved drastically,which automatically minimized

the flooding problems. Garbagecollection under this new Corozal

Free Zone (CFZ) Managementhas been more cost effective andthe services have been greatlyimproved ,with the procurementof two compactor trucks. Also re-

structured was the landscaping atthe entrance to the CFZ, giving a amore picturesque view of the zone.

4. Completely upgradedand restructured were the SecurityServices under CFZ Management,creating a more investor and visi-tor friendly atmosphere, while im-proving the working conditionsof the employees. (Security hut,booths and bathroom facilitieswere upgraded with all amenities)

There is now more visiblesecurity patrols which increases in-vestor and visitor condence while

reducing the spate of burglaries. Yetthe management has seen savingsof over $120,000.00 per annum bycentralizing the security services.

5. With the acquisition ofa re truck some two years ago

and the construction of a re sta-

tion with all amenities, the CFZhas seen reduced incidences offire. There has been only oneincidence of re since the upgrad-

ing of the CFZ Fire Department.6. Employment capacity has

been maintained at a stable level ofbasically 2,700 workers.

Since the takeover in 2008,this new management has shownrelentless efforts in improving theconditions of the Corozal FreeZone and by extension the liveli-

hood of all involved with the CFZ.As we come to the end of

2011, the Free Zone is registering an

impressive increase in year to yearsales, up by as much as 23 percent,and helping to boost the nationsoverall economic growth rate.

All this has happened lessthan one year after the free zonemanagement, assisted by thisgovernment took steps to avert animpending foreign exchange crisis.

What a difference honest

and effective management makes!


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Hon. Dean BarrowPrime Minister o Belize

Prime Ministers New Years Message

N

o install-

ment in

any of theannual increments

by which we most

reckon the passage

of time, is ever com-

pletely without tri-

als and tribulations.

That is why as

human beings, as so-

cieties, as nations,

we always welcome

the new year with ex-

pectation and excite-

ment. It is a chance

to recover from ad-

versity in the preced-

ing twelve months,

to do better and be

better. The ageless

ritual of ringing out

the old and ringing in

the new, is thus em-blematic of the eter-

nal capacity for hope

and renewal. And

this, in turn, is part

of God's legacy to the

Race; to all thinking,

sentient creatures

that believe in Him.

But while last

year was, like all oth-

ers, not without dif-

iculties, they were

small ones. Indeed,

given the global situa-

tion; given the contin-

uing iscal, debt and

joblessness problems

of the US; and given

the absolute crisis in

which Europe contin-

ued to be engulfed,economically our

country did well. And

a look at the numbers

will serve to conirm

what, in all the cir-

cumstances, is a per-

formance for which

we must give thanks.

The Statistical

Institute of Belize re-

ports that for the irst

nine months of the

year, our economy

grew by 2.7% as com-

pared to 1.8% for the

same period in 2010.

Last quarter growth

is traditionally most

robust, so that we are

well on track to ex-

ceed the overall 3%GDP increase for 2011

that I had predicted

on Independence Day.

This is a signiicant

jump and will be al-

most one full percent-

age point above the

2.4% growth recorded

for the previous year.

When we look at

the particular sectors

that are most respon-

sible for this picture

of economic advance,

the panorama is even

more encouraging. Up

to September it was

the Wholesale and Re-

tail Trade Sector that

was one of the leaders,

showing a 7.7% in-

crease. And the Coro-

zal Free Zone alone

was responsible for

a business rebound

of 23% in improved

year-on-year sales.

Over the three quar-

ters Hotels and Res-

taurants grew by 2.1%

as a consequence of a3.3% increase in over-

night tourists; and

Transport and Com-

munications went up

by 2.5%. Construction

was also 7.4% better.

But it was Fishing that

led all comers with a

14.5% hike. And while

overall sugar produc-

tion fell, ratios, quality

and prices improved

so that we are now

poised for an outstand-

ing new season. Final-

ly, Inlation remained

low at just over 2%.

It is on the basis

of all this that I can say

that we were blessed

in 2011. We easily out-

paced 2010, and the

story is even more re-

markable if we go back

to 2009. Then, we all

remember, was when

there was actual con-

traction; when the fall-

out from the world re-

cession threatened to

swamp us completely.

The econom-

ic success of 2011meant that increases

in export earnings, in-

cluding in particular

rom crude oil, enabledGovernment to con-summate a great leaporward in cementingits social agenda. Job-creating inrastructureprojects were imple-mented; educationaland economic secondchance opportunitieswere expanded; andthe wind was ully inthe sails o our signa-ture home improve-ment, ood pantry andcash transer programs.

Our democracy

was also in ne ow-er. We maintained ourcommitment to accessi-bility, transparency andaccountability; and wecontinued our orwardmarch to true national-ism by way o the Consti-tutional enshrinemento public ownership oour essential utilities.

Perhaps mostnoteworthy o all, wesucceeded-certainlysince September whenwe orged the BelizeCity gang truce-in de-celerating the incidenceo senseless murders inthis country. Te signi-


5/20


Prime Ministers New Years Messageicant reduction in thehomicide rate or thelast our months o 2011

as compared to 2010, isgreat progress. And itcomes at just the rightpoint, when too manywere beginning to eelthat there could be norescue rom the abyss.

But the real pur-pose o this Message, isto look ahead; to assure

one and all that the in-herent promise and op-portunity o the NewYear will not be orgone.Eorts will be strength-ened, commitmentswill be broadened, suc-cesses will be deepened.

In 2012, as oneexample, the inrastruc-ture drive-and the jobs

it brings-will scale newheights. Te JalacteRoad in the South, theBlue Creek one in theNorth, the Macal RiverCrossing in the West,the comprehensive Be-lize City drainage andstreet works, will all behitting ull stride. Te

new Marion Jones sta-dium will be comingout o the ground, thenew Civic Center will berising rom the rubble.Te contract or the de-sign and build compo-nent o the Solid WasteManagement Project,has also been signed;and it will see 14 mil-

lion dollars spent be-tween January and Julyin Caye Caulker, SanPedro, San Ignacio and

Belize City. Andtheir delayed reha-bilitation and beauti-cation drive or theDistrict owns will

now start by April, theWorld Bank assures us.

A countrywide

money contributionor working motherswill join the appren-ticeship, ood subsidyand BOOS programs.And the drop-in cent-ers in distressed BelizeCity neighbourhoodswill help with com-munity development,

social recovery and violence prevention.Millions o dollars

will continue to undGovernment's homeimprovement and homerepairs across the na-tion; and every singleregistered surveyor inthis country has nowbeen contracted to

work on the subdivisiono the 4,709 acres iden-tied by the Ministryo Lands or the alloca-tion o building lots torst time landowners.

Our outreach tothe poor and the mid-dle class continues.Tey, and indeed all Be-

lizeans, will be helpedby the lower electricityrates that I promised inSeptember, and whichare now a certainty.BEL, owned at last byGovernment and peo-ple, has already accept-ed, by way o its sub-missions to the PublicUtilities Commission,

that rates must comedown. And the PUCmay well reduce evenmore what has beenproposed by BEL. Tenal decision will beon January 31, and thenew, lower rates shouldunder the current law

take eect a ew monthsthereaer. But we are aGovernment in a hurry

to do good things. Andthe ease to the consum-er, the ease in the costo living, the ease tobusiness and industryand agriculture, can'twait. Tus Governmentwill amend the law to

i m p l e m e n trom the very next

day, February 1, 2012,this historic decreasein what Belizeanspay or electricity.

But there is morethat we oer by wayo estal cheer. Unlike2012, our vision o up-li and opportunityand egalitarianism isnot newborn. But the

underlining o reshbeginnings that alwaystakes place on January1, provides a proper op-portunity or us to reas-sert our creed: that thisGovernment's ame osocial justice will neverdim; that it will burneven brighter in the next

twelve months. Andour preoccupation withthose at the margins,with those o xed in-comes, low incomes andno incomes, has causedus to hit on yet anotheridea or new year relieand assistance. Accord-ingly, I announce todaythat Government will

purchase all mortgageso 50 thousand dollarsand under, owned bythe Belize Social Secu-rity Board. Tese num-ber 780 and have a totalaggregate value o 17million dollars. Gov-ernment will thereaer

write o these mortgag-es, orgiving the house-holders all o their

loan obligations, andputting that money attheir disposal to spendon the economy andgenerate more activity.

Te notion ohelping not just indi- viduals but businessesin this way, brings meto the last point I wish

to make. In all that wedo, Government can-not orget the privatesector. Tere is need oran equal partnership,and we made the rightstart late in 2011. Tismust be consolidatedin the year ahead. Gov-ernment is thereore,among other things, ap-

pointing a Business De-velopment Facilitator inthe Ofce o the PrimeMinister to help overseethe new relationship.

I close by reerringonce again to the rebirtho optimism that is thespecial province o NewYear celebrations. All

across the globe, this isan occasion or the re-kindling o inspiration.It is the annual re-starto the quest or humanprogress, o the alche-mist mission to turneven brass into gold. Inthe case o Belize, ourresolution is to re-ded-icate and re-consecrate

the crusade by whichwe build a shining, airand just country. Onethat will be the envyo, and model or, theregion and the world.

Happy NewYear everyone, andGod bless Belize.


6/20


Christmas Big in Belmopan !

Mucho urkey, Ham and Bram

Saldivar has always beengenerous to his constituents in sea-son and out of season. But this timehe really outdid himself as he andhis team of volunteers delivered1,000 turkeys and 500 hams. (In-

funds available for a little helpto needy residents of each con-stituency this Christmas, supple-mented by Saldivar and his com-mittees own fundraising efforts.

The ham and turkey train

cidentally, if you add the numberof turkeys to the number of hamsdelivered, you come up with thenumber of apples given out duringthe Christmas Parade last Mondaynight. A Boledo rake perhaps)

Saldivar was able to deliverall this through the Prime Minis-ters initiative of making special

circled the entire constituency ofBelmopan, in the central areas, aswell as the outlying communitiesof Salva Pan, San Martin, MayaMopan and Las Flores. Saldivarhimself and his team of volunteers,numbering in the fifties, madetheir rounds all day and into thenight on Christmas Eve delivering

ham and turkey to resi-dents of the Capital City.

They were warm-ly received and the assis-tance much appreciated.Some folks we spoke towent as far as saying thatthey probably would nothave seen Christmas thisyear were it not for theHonorable John Saldivar.

And, if all that was

not enough, the residentsof the Capital City, par-ticularly the folks in theoutlying community of SanMartin, had one last treatfor the season as they tookout the extended Christmas

weekend with a bram onTuesday night inside theSan Martin Family Park.

S a l d i v a r h a dbrought in a popular Mexi-

Hon. John Saldivar and volunteers on Christmas Eve carrying turkeyand ham to the homes o Belmopan residents

Hon. John Saldivar personally delivering ahefy size turkey to a resident o Belmopan

Christmas Bram in session as hundreds o residents rom Belmopan and surrounding communities came out to share in the un

Continued on Page 7


7/20


Christmas Big in Belmopan !

Mucho urkey, Ham and Bram

can Box (Magic Sounds), psy-

chedelic lights and all, to createthe mood for a festive commu-nity bram. The park was packedto capacity and the grounds lled

with dancing men, women andchildren, as entire families cameout to enjoy the moment. Juice

and water were free; other bev-erages no more than a dollar.Saldivar, his wife and

members of his committee min-gled, joked and conversed withresidents who had converged on

the park from all parts of the city,particularly the outlying com-munities. Also dropping in wereMayor Lopez, as well as currentand aspiring city councilors. EvenSan Ignacio Mayor John Augustfound his way to San Martinand joined in the celebration.

The event was the culmina-tion of a series of neighborhood

socials thrown in various partsof the Capital City leading up toand into the Christmas holidays.

Chr i s tmas 2011 wasindeed b ig in Belmopan.Mucho turkey, ham and bram!

Continued on Page 7


8/20


1. Bel ize Economy recovering wel l ;

over 3 percent growth in 2011; IMF

acknowledges, Belize is weathering

the financial crisis relatively well when

compared wi th CARICOM peer s .

2. Essential Utilities (light, water and

telecom) nationalized; public ownership

ensh r ined in Be l i ze Cons t i tu t i on .

3. Crop Quality dramatically improved

in Sugar industry after GOB provides $10

Million bailout, secures waiver secured

from debtors, and forges memorandum

of understanding, safeguarding livelihood

of over 6,000 farmers and their families.

4. Corozal Commerc ia l Free Zone

recording 23 percent increase in sales

after GOB intervened to avert foreignexchange crisis; hundreds of jobs also saved.

5. Funds Secured for New Macal River

Crossing in San Ignacio and connecting circuit

from Santa Elena to Benque Viejo Road

($50 Million Project commencing in 2012).

6. BTL introduces $49 dollars per month

Internet, GST removed (competing providers

forced to reduced their rates). 10-10-1999calls reduced by 25 percent to United States,

Central America, Caribbean and China.

7. BTL invest s over 60 Mi l l ion to

upgrade serv i ce in remote areas ;

companys profits up and handsome

dividends paid to local shareholders.

8. E l e c t r i c i t y R a t e s g o i n g d o w n

(BEL, now owned by Government,

appl ie s to PUC for rate rev iew) .

9. BEL providing electrication to 44 rural

and peri-urban communities; 2,000 new

households serviced in outlying areas of

Belmopan, Benque, Succotz and Cayo

South; Hattieville and Rockstone Pond

(Belzie District); in Orange Walk and

Corozal; in Dangriga Town at Rivas

Estate and Wagirale; and in villages of

Stann Creek West; Toledo East and West.

10. European Union (EU) funds used

for Electrication of villages in Banana Belt;

Maya Mopan; Santa Cruz, Monkey River.

11.All affected homes repaired or rebuilt

countrywide after Hurricane Richard.12. Famers rebound from Hurricane

and flooding disasters with assistance

from Ministry of Agriculture and friendly

countries like Venezuela and Taiwan.

13. N o m a j o r s t o r m i n 2 0 1 1 ,

except freak storm affecting bananas;

assistance provided by government.

14. Venezuelan funds ($20 Million)recovered, used to repair and build homes;

GOB working with Mexico for new low-cost

housing program similar to Venezuelan; GOB

in the meantime spending $5 Million of its own

money for home-repairs and improvement;

15. Mor e th a n 9 ,20 0 Hous i ng

Loans ($62.6 Mi l l ion) wr itten off .

16. PM announces that Governmentwill also purchase and write off $17 Million

in mortgages from Belize Social Security

Board, benetting 780 Belizeans families

(all mortgages of $50 thousand or less).

17. DFC re-started; providing loans

to students and small business at very low

interest (8 percent); Receives additional BZ

$6 Million from CDF (Caricom Development

Fund); Government considering convertedDFC into full-scale national commercial bank.

18. Partial Scope Agreement allows

Belizean exports to Guatemala; similar

agreement with Mexico being negotiated

(consultation meeting held in Corozal);

shrimp already being exported to Mexico.

101ReasonsTo Be Thankful For The Past Year

And To Be Hopeful In The New Year


9/20


19. $300 Subsidy for First and Second

Form students countrywide; automatically

awarded to those in Stann Creek and

Toledo; scholarships increased at all levels;

Improved performance in PSE (Primary)

and Ex terna l Exams (Secondary ) .

20. New concrete buildings at George-

town Technical High (Stann Creek Dis-

trict) to replace thatched-roof structures;First graduation held for over 50 students

(attended by Education Minister Pat-

rick Faber and Area Rep. Melvin Hulse).

21. New buildings at Mopan Techni-

cal High, Lady of Guadeloupe, St. Ignatius

High, Independence Sixth Form; Holy Ghost

(Stann Creek); new High School at Corozon

Creek; Ground broken for new School Build-

ing in Sunday Wood, Toledo; new primaryand secondary school buildings countrywide,

such as Hope Creek (Stann Creek); Santiago

Layout School (San Ignacio); Roaring Creek

Nazarene, Armenia and St Margarets (Cayo

South); Patchakan RC (Corozal North) and

other schools renovated; new computer labs

at several schools, like Stann Creek Ecu-

menical High and Independence Primary;

New building for Stann Creek Ecumeni-cal Sixth Form; New building for Placencia

Anglican Pre-school. Lynam re-opened

(ANRI); Old Technical College restored.

22. ITVETs extended countrywide; UB

expanded; Teacher-Training increased.

23. Educational and Economic Sec-

ond Chance opportunities expanded;

Monies approved for recurrent expens-

es for Magazine Road Second Chance

Project under Ministry of Education.

24. Belize Mexico Sign New Educational

and Cultural Cooperation Program 2010-1013

25. Paving of Placencia Road completed;

Last 9 miles of Southern Highway paved

(Golden Stream to Big Falls) to complete

project started by last UDP administration;

Hopkins Road to be being paved to

complete loop with Sittee River Access Road;

26. New Two-Lane Bridge at Middlesex

completed; New Kendall Bridge under

construction; Mullins River put to tender;

New Havana Creek Bridge being built

in Dangriga; New Bridge to be builtacross Haulover in Belize City; and Four

Lane Highway up to Burrell Boom.

27. Project underway to upgrade

and pave highway from Big Falls (the

Dump) to Belize Guatemala Border

just south of Jalacte (23 Miles of road);

funded by OPEC, CABEI and GOB.

28.

Paving of Road form OrangeWalk Town to B lue Cree V i l lage .

29. Belize gets over $62 Million for Rural

Development and Sugar. Other EU projects

which commenced in January 2011 include Ac-

companying Measures for Sugar Phase Two,

LOT A, Orange Walk to San Lazaro (8.3 Miles)

being paved at $8.6 Million; and Phase Lot C,

Patchakan to Xaibe, Calcutta to Xaibe and

San Roque to Xaibe (5.5 Miles for $4.1 Million).30. Albert and Regent Streets repaved;

other streets upgraded and paved; Belize

City Urban Rejuvenation Project provides

hundreds of jobs; Lining of Collet Canal from

Yabra to Conch Shell Bay; Paving of full

length of C.A Boulevard; Paving of Neals

Pen Road; Ben Bow Street; Amara Avenue;

Jane Usher Boulevard; all part of South-

side Poverty Alleviation Project Phase II;CISCO-pioneered initiative on Bishop Street

moves to Ferrels Land and South Street

upgrading to cement-paved standard;

31. IDB Loan for drainage in North-side

Belize City just signed, to affect Belama, Lizar-

raga, and some streets in Caribbean Shores.




10/20


32. GOB launches $30 Million Poverty

Alleviation Project in Belize City (Ministry

of Economic Dev in conjunction with CDB)

to upgrade Infrastructure and provide jobs.

(On top of OPEC $4.2 Million for Southside

Belize Housing Component). 300 persons

being employed (additional to the 486

persons already employed through CYDP.

33. More than $12 million on smallbusiness and countrywide poverty alleviation

projects via the Social Investment Fund.

34. $350 Thousand Grant to small

farmers for relief from Hurricane Richard; 4

Million from DFC made available to them;

Taiwan assists rice production in Toledo.

35. B e l i z e n o w s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t

i n g r a i n s , s u r p l u s e x p o r t e d t oJ a m a i c a a n d C e n t r a l A m e r i c a .

36. Over 25 farmers from Orange Walk

and Corozal Farmers get training in Tilapia

Production (assisted by Technical Mission

from Taiwan); Hon. Rene Montero Montero

distributed 3,500 tilapia ngerlings in Cayo.

37. Municipal Infrastructure Projects in

district towns funded by World Bank; GOB

nds money to repair streets and roads

countrywide after rainy season; Roads and

Highways improved and rehabilitated

countrywide, with new culverts installed

at many locations to improve drainage;

New bridges at Mexico Creek, Maypen and

Rancho Dolores in Belize District; new bridges

at San Antonio/Cristo Rey, Santa Familia,

Billy White, Macal Low-level Crossing, and

Roaring River (Arizona) in Cayo; Repaving

of Main Street in Bullet Tree Village.

38. Crooked Tree gets water system;

Burrell Boom water system upgraded, proj-

ects underway to provide potable water

to 9 villages in Belize River Valley; another

project provides water system for villages

along the Old Northern Highway; Cotton

Tree, St. Matthews and Franks Eddy con-

nected to Belmopan Water System; New

and Upgraded Water Systems in Maya

Center; Hope Creek, Hopkins, Seine Bight,

Independence, Sittee River, Sarawee, Pla-

cencia, Monkey River, Mullins River (Stann

Creek); New water Systems built in San Luis

(Orange Walk North) and other villages

up North and countrywide; San Pedro and

Caye Caulker Water System (IDB project).

39. Marion Jones Stadium being

upgraded; Civic Center being re-constructed

by Mexican Government ($15 Million Project);

40. Ministry of Sports intervenes to

restore democracy in Football Federation

of Belize through agreement forged with

FIFA; Hon. John Saldivar becomes rst Belize

Sports Minister to be elected Vice-President

of the Americas Sports Council (in Brazil);

41. Major upgrade of Norman Broaster

Stadium in Cayo and Peoples Stadium in

Orange Walk; New sports facilities built

in all parts of the country, for example

new football field in Red Bank (Stann

Creek) and Santa Elena (Cayo); upgradingand lighting of existing facilities such as

Cotton Tree and Armenia Football Fields.

42. New Farmers Markets in Cayo,

Belize City and Independence; state-of-

the-art Slaughter House in Belize River

Valley; Belmopan will get new market

(EU funds) in addition to World Bank

funded municipal infrastructure project.

43. San Antonio Womens Group

Chicken Slaughtering Facility inaugu-

rated under Project of Poultry Rearing

for income generating in Cayo District.

44. New Poly-clinic in Cayo; Western

Regional Hospital (Belmopan) refurbished

and upgraded; Corozal Hospital Upgraded




11/20


with Lab and Operating Theatre; Toledo

Hospital getting upgraded (new $300

Thousand Maternity Annex); new Clinic and

Ambulance in Benque Viejo; new clinics and

refurbished hospitals countrywide; affordable

Dialysis through WORTH (Hemo-dialysis

Unit established at KHMH); Free medical

treatment in Venezuela (Mission Miracle).

45. NEMO made effect ive ; newwarehouses countrywide to stock up on relief

supplies; Met Ofce gets new Doppler radar.

46. Public Transportation better regu-

lated; Independence (Stann Creek) becomes

the rst village to get a full-scale bus terminal.

47. IDB funds Tourism Infrastructure,

Solid Waste and Land Management projects.

48. Belizes rst ICT Centre built and

established with funding from Taiwan.

49. P e t r o l e u m R e s o u r c e s n o w

unequivocally and constitutionally owned

by Government and People of Belize.

50. Recall Mechanism empowers voters

to recall failed Area Representatives before

General Elections; Public Confidence in

Government restored; Belize regains thetrust of Bi-lateral and Multi-lateral partners.

51. O p e r a t i o n R e s t o r e B e l i z e

launched to restore social values ,

publ ic safety and national pr ide .

52. Survey and subdivision of 3,884

residential and agricultural lots countrywide;

all registered surveyors now contracted

to survey over 4,709 acres identied bythe Ministry of Lands for the allocation of

building lots to rst time landowners; includes

1,000 Acres on Western Highway for Belize

and Cayo Districts; 1,000 in Orange Walk

District; purchase price for rst time land

owner reduced to less than $1,000 and

immediate freehold title clear title obtained

upon payment of rst installment; Over

3,000 House lots and farmland issued out in

villages throughout Stann Creek West; most

recently in Maya Mopan, San Roman; Santa

Rosa and Red Bank; Many more thousands

already issued throughout the country.

53. New Office Building for Nat-

ura l Re source s opened in Cohu-

ne Walk Area; $ 5 Million being spenton new Land Management System.

54. New rural Fire Stations built in

villages such as Pomona Village (Stann

Creek and Ladyville (Belize District).

55. Murder rate down in Belize City

thanks to Gang Truce; Jobs created through

BELTRAIDE Training; Youth for the Future

launches Southside Youth Success Project.

56. Streets paved in Belmopan; lines and

safety features put in through SIF Project.

57. Venezuela donates farming ma-

chinery (tractor, grader, beans thrash-

er) and a new water system to Minis-

try of Agriculture Central Farm Station

through a grant from the ALBA fund.

58. Solid Waste Management underway

59. Painting of Haulover; ags lining

the northern Highway into Belize City. Col-

ored lights; welcoming palms newly planted.

60. Tourism on the rebound. 6.7%

increase in second quarter overnight visi-

tors; 16 percent jump in April Alone; for

the rst half of the year, hotel revenues

rose by 17.8 percent; Overnight Tour-ism up by 3.3 % for the entire year (2011

61. Improvement of Northern Road

Network to paving standards (OW Town to

Progresso; OW to Blue Creek; and between

San Lazaro and August Pine Ridge to start.

62. IDB Funded Sustainable Tour-




12/20


ism Project (ground has been broken in

San Ignacio for the new welcome center)

63. More than 5,000 persons benetting

from Food Pantry; enrolling another 7,000 in

San Ignacio/Santa Elena and Benque Viejo.

64. Operation BOOST is providing

monthly cash transfers to 4,300 persons.

65. Chi ld Subs idy fo r Work ingand Single Mothers coming on stream.

66. Apprenticeship Program enrolling

over over 1,500 students in special classes

countrywide (from St Peter Clever in the South

to Corozal Community College in the North)

67. DNA Lab; refurbishment of Na-

tional Forensic Science Service Building;

Foreign Expert to be paid to train locals;

new Scenes of Crime Vehicle; new legislation

drafted to accept DNA evidence in Court;

68. Police get Three new mobile interdic-

tion units (two in the north and one in the south);

69. New 911 call center to handle 70

calls simultaneously; new Crime Infor-

mation Management System; electronic

finger-printing machines already be-

ing installed in each district (to store

and match fingerprints of suspects).

70. BELTRAIDE (Belize Trade and In-

vestment Development Service) receives

grant from Caribbean Aid for Trade and

Regional Integration Trust Fund (CART-

fund) administered by CDB (Financed by

UK Dept of International Development)

to develop a national Export Strategy.

71. Fiscal Incentive Program be-

ing developed through BELTRAIDE

to suit small and medium enterprises.

72. BELTRAIDE, in Conjunction with

Regional Centre for Promotion of Mi-

cro, Small & Medium Enterprise (CEN-

PROMYPE) and Guatemalan Ministry of

Economy, launches Inclusive Linkages

Project (funded by Austrian Cooperation)

to incorporate Micro, Small and Medium

Enterprises in Belize-Guatemala border

region into established production chains.

73. Taiwan donates 200 thousand for

Inspiration Center Project under ofce of

Special Envoy for Woman and Children, Kim

Simplis Barrow (aimed at providing servicesfor Belizean population living with disabilities

74. A Grant of $6 Million from Ja-

pan Social Development Fund (through

World Bank) to improve Health and Nu-

trition of Children in the South (Toledo)

75. A i r p o r t s e x t e n d e d

a n d u p g r a d e d c o u n t r y w i d e .

76. Construction started on NewOff ice Bui lding for Civ i l Aviat ion

Building at International Airport (with

VIP area in partnership with Ministry

of Foreign Affairs) (BZ1.35 Million);

Modernization of Voice Communication

System for the Belize Air Trafc Services

in Department of Civ i l Aviat ion.

77. New Website for Department

of Civil Aviation launched outlining re-

sponsibilities of the department and fa-

cilitating online completion and down-

loading of forms and applications.

78. Higher Quality Healthcare- Inno-

vative Electronic Record for Every Belizean.

79. Onion Producers and Ministry

of Agriculture agree on quota system,

and three planting seasons for farmers tocultivate 57 acres in Corozal, 26 Acres in

Orang Walk and 8 Acres in Belize District.

80. BAHA Receives 10 new Pick-

up Trucks through IDB Loan US 500

Million to improve Agricultural Ser-

vices to support production and ex-

port of agricultural products from Belize




13/20


81. Bel ize S igns UN Convention

on Rights of Persons with disabilities.

(148th signatory). Signing on Belizes be-

half, First Lady Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow

82. Ministry of Agriculture receives

$100 Thousand worth of equipment from

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

through technical cooperation program, to

strengthen the National Extension Service.

83. S a n t a E l e n a ( C a y o )

g e t s b r a n d N e w P o s t O f f i c e .

84. Community Centers and multi-

purpose buildings built or refurbished coun-

trywide, such as Pomona (Stann Creek Val-

ley), Maskall and St. Anns (Belize Rural).

85. Belize Dental Department en-

hances dental services to rural areaof Central Region through contribu-

tion by Western Kentucky University.

86. Free Butane delivered to residents

in Cayo and Belmopan Areas through BNE.

87. Ministry of Health receives BZ$200

Thousand for the Ministrys Child Survival,

Education and Development Program, es-

pecially in recovery from Hurricane Richard.

88. 200 Acer Desk Top Computers with

at screen monitors handed over to ITVET In-

stitution countrywide by Patrick Fabre and

Taiwan Ambassador David WU (Donated

by Taiwan Government through Ministry of

Education as part of a Restore Belize Project).

89. Computers presented to St Hildas

Primary Anglican School by Rene Montero.90. G S T a n d I m p o r t d u t y r e -

moved from on a wide range of items

keeping inflation at a minimum (Nil

in 2010, less than 2 percent in 2011).

91. Western Paradise- a new village

born at Mile 8 on Western Highway.

92. Belize National Coastguard estab-

lishes $3 Million Operational Base at Cala-

bash Caye to police Belizes territorial water.

93. Hon. Rene Montero issues 101 house

lots issued to youths in Cayo Central (their

own 101 reasons to be thankful and hopeful)

94. Fisheries Act revised for better pro-

tection management of marine resources.

95. New vehicles (double cab pickups)

handed over by Minister of Agriculture to

BAHA, CGA/Citrus Research Education In-

stitute and to the Regional Organization

for Plant and Animal Health (worth $700

Thousand), obtained from OIRSA Mexico

to implement Citrus Greening work plan.

96. Ministry of Agriculture launches

Project Execution Unit (PEU) and NationalCoordinating Committee for Agriculture

Research and Development (NCCARD)

to fulfill national goals of Food Security.

97. Clean Energy project launched

through $10 Million grant from Japan (Photo-

voltaic electricity generation system in Belmo-

pan to convert solar energy to electrical power

to be sold to national electrical grid system.

98. P r o d u c t i v e S e c t o r d o -ing well: Construction Up by 7.4%; Fish-

ing up by 14.5 %; Citrus revenues up.

99. Contract for design and build com-

ponent of the Solid Waste Management

Project signed; 14 Million to be spent be-

tween January and July in Caye Caulker,

San Pedro, San Ignacio and Belize City.

100.

M i l l i o n s m o r e t o b e s p e n tin the new year on home improve-

ment and repairs across the nation.

101. Turning the Corner Business Fo-

rum held; Business Development Facili-

tator being appointed in the Office of

the Prime Minister to oversee the new

relationship with the Private Sector.




14/20


Hon. Dean BarrowPrimer Ministro de Belize

Mensaje de Ano Nuevo del Primer Ministo

siete por ciento (2.7%),comparado con el unopunto ocho por ciento(1.8%) para el mismoperodo en el dos mildiez. El crecimiento en elltimo trimestre del aoes tradicionalmente elms robusto, as que esta-mos bien encaminados a,tal y como lo predije en elDa de la Independencia,exceder el tres por ciento(3%) del producto inter-no nacional en el dos milonce. Esto es un gran lo-gro, y estar casi un pun-to porcentual por encimadel crecimiento de dospunto cuatro por ciento(2.4%) del ao pasado.

Cuando exami-namos los sectores par-

ticulares que son losms responsables poreste panorama de avanceeconmico, el uturo esan ms prometedor.Hasta septiembre ueel Sector Comercial demayoreo y menudeo quellevaba la delantera, reg-istrando un aumento

del siete punto siete porciento (7.7%). an solola Zona Libre de Coro-zal ue responsable poruna recuperacin com-ercial de veinte y tres porciento (23%), en ventasanuales. A lo largo delos tres trimestres, Hote-les y Restaurantes creci-eron un dos punto unopor ciento (2.1%), comoresultado del aumentode las llegadas tursticasen un tres punto tres porciento (3.3%); ransportey Comunicaciones creciun dos punto cinco porciento (2.5%). La con-struccin tambin tuvoun siete punto cuatro porciento de mejora (7.4%).Pero ue la industria de la

Pesca que realmente estu-vo a la cabeza con un au-mento del catorce puntocinco por ciento(14.5%).Y, mientras la produccinde azcar cay en gen-eral, las proporciones, lacalidad y los precios me-

joraron, proveyendo unaposicin ideal para una

exitosa y abundante zara.Finalmente, la inacinpermaneci baja, solo condos puntos porcentuales.

Es en base a todolo antedicho que puedoacertar que uimos bend-ecidos en el dos mil once.Fcilmente sobrepasamosal dos mil diez y, si se com-para con el dos mil nueve,el logro es aun ms nota-ble, ya que, recordemos,en ese ao hubo una con-

traccin y ue cuando lasolas de la recesin mun-dial amenazaban con in-undarnos por completo.

El xito econmicodel dos mil once se debea que los aumentos enentradas por exportacin,incluyendo en particu-lar las provenientes del

petrleo, hicieron posi-ble que el Gobierno di-era un gigantesco pasohacia la consolidacin desu agenda social. Fueronimplementados proyec-tos de inra-estructurapara crear empleos; uer-on expandidas las opor-tunidades educativas yeconmicas para aquellos

necesitados de una seg-unda oportunidad; y conel viento en popa, a pasosagigantados avanzamoscon los prstamos y con-cesiones para las mejorasde viviendas, las cestasbsicas para las personasde bajos ingresos, y losprogramas de transer-encia monetaria tambinpara los ms necesitados.

La or de nuestrademocracia tambin re-too. Mantuvimos nues-tro compromiso de ser ungobierno accesible, trans-parente y responsable;y continuamos nuestramarcha hacia el verdade-ro nacionalismo medi-ante la estipulacin con-

N

i n g nsaldo enn i n g u -

no de los incrementosanuales por medio elcual medimos el pasardel tiempo, est real-mente completo sinsurimientos y tribula-ciones. Es por ello quecomo seres humanos,sociedades, y naciones,siempre damos la bi-envenida al ao nuevo

con expectativas yalegra. Es una oportu-nidad para recuperarsede la adversidad de losdoce meses anteriores,para obrar mejor y sermejor. El eterno ritualde despedir el viejo ydar la bienvenida alnuevo, es por lo tantoemblemtico de la eter-

na capacidad de esper-anza y renovacin. Yesto, a cambio, es partedel legado de Dios a laraza humana; a todaslas criaturas racion-ales que creen en El.

Aunque el aopasado, como todos,no estuvo sin dicul-tades, estas ueron

pequeas. De hecho,en vista de la situacinglobal; dado los contin-uos problemas scales,de deudas y desempleode los Estados Unidos;dada la crisis absolutaen la que Europa se vesumida; nuestro pashizo bien econmica-mente. Y un vistazo alos nmeros sirve para

conrmar que, en to-das las circunstancias,hay un logro del cualagradecidos estamos.

El Instituto deEstadsticas de Belice,inorma que los prim-eros nueve meses delao, nuestra economacreci un dos punto


15/20


Mensaje de Ano Nuevo del Primer Ministostitucional de ser dueosde los servicios esenciales.

Quiz lo ms nota-ble de todo, es que desdeseptiembre, cuando or-

jamos un cese de hosti-lidades entre las pandillasde la ciudad de Belice,hemos tenido xito enreducir la incidencia deasesinatos en este pas.La signicativa reduccinen la tasa de homicidiospara los ltimos cuatro

meses del dos mil once,comparados con el dosmil diez, representa ungran logro. Y llega en elpunto justo y preciso, cu-ando muchos comenza-ban a sentir que no habrarescate de tal abismo.

Pero el verdaderopropsito de este Men-saje, es mirar hacia ad-

elante; asegurar a todosque la promesa inherentey la oportunidad del AoNuevo es una verdaderarealidad. Los esuerzos seredoblarn, los compro-misos se expandirn, y loslogros sern ms intensos.

En el dos mil doce,por ejemplo, el empuje enlas inra-estructuras- y

los empleos que conlleva-alcanzar nuevas metas.En el sur, la carretera aJalact, en el norte, la car-retera de Blue Creek, enel oeste, el Cruce del RioMacal, en la ciudad deBelice, los proyectos dedrenaje y de calles; todosestarn en plena accin.

El nuevo estadio deMarion Jones ya saldrde la ase de undacin,y el Nuevo Centro Cvicosaldr de las ruinas. Se harmado el contrato parael diseo y la construc-cin del Proyecto deManejo de DesperdiciosSlidos; y se invertirn14 (catorce) millones

de dlares entre eneroy julio en Caye Caulker,San Pedro, San Ignacio yCiudad Belice. El BancoMundial nos asegura que,el ya demorado proyectode rehabilitacin y em-bellecimiento para losmunicipios en los distri-tos, comenzar en abril.

Una contribucinmonetaria para las madrestrabajadoras, a nivel na-cional, se unir a los pro-

gramas de aprendices, lacesta bsica, y BOOS.Y los centros de ayudapara los vecindariosnecesitados de la ciudadde Belice asistirn con eldesarrollo comunitario,recuperacin social, y laprevencin de violencia.

Millones de dlarescontinuarn nanciando

las mejoras y reparacionesde viviendas en todo elpas; y cada topgraoregistrado en este pas hasido contratado para tra-bajar en la sub -divisinde cuatro mil setecientosnueve acres identicadospor el Ministerio de er-renos para ser asignadoscomo lotes de vivien-

das para aquellos que notienen ni han sido dueos.

Nuestra asistenciahacia los pobres y los declase media contina. El-los, de hecho todos losBeliceos, sern asistidospor la reduccin en losprecios de electricidadque promet en Septiem-bre y que ahora se hace

realidad. BEL, al n delpueblo y gobierno, ya haaceptado, a travs de susgestas a la Comisin deUtilidades Pblicas, quelos precios de la electrici-dad tienen que reducirse.Y la Comisin pueda quetambin reduzca an mslo que habra propuesto

BEL. La decisin nal serel 31 de enero, y las nuevastarias reducidas deben,bajo la ley actual, tomareecto unos cuantos me-ses despus. Pero somosun gobierno que estamosapurados en hacer cosasbuenas. Y el alivio al con-sumidor, la reduccin enel costo de la vida, el al-ivio a los comercios, y laindustria y la agricultura,no pueden esperar. Por lo

tanto, el Gobierno enm-endar la ley para imple-mentar desde el mismoda siguiente, el primerode Febrero, dos mil doce,esta histrica reduccinen lo que los Beliceospagan por electricidad.

Pero todava hayms que estamos ore-ciendo para alegrar esta

temporada. Al contrariodel dos mil doce, nuestra

visin de adelanto, opor-tunidad e igualdad no esalgo nuevo. Pero los res-cos comienzos que siem-pre toman lugar el primerode enero, proveen una ap-ropiada oportunidad paraque enaticemos nuestrocredo: que la llama de

justicia social de este go-bierno nunca se apagar;que arder an ms enlos prximos doce meses.

Y nuestra preocu-pacin por los margina-dos, por aquellos con suel-dos jos, bajos ingresos osin ingresos, ha causadoque tengamos otra nuevaidea para el alivio y asist-encia de ao nuevo. Por lo

tanto, hoy anuncio que elGobierno comprar todaslas hipotecas de cincuentamil dlares y menos, delSeguro Social de Belice.Estas llegan a un totalde setecientas ochenta ycuentan con un total de

valor agregado de diez y

siete millones de dlares.Poco despus el Gobiernoanular estas hipotecas,cancelando todas las ob-ligaciones de prstamode las cabezas de amiliay dejando ese dinero asu disposicin para in-

vertirlo en la economay generar ms actividad.

La intencin deayudar no solo a individ-uos sino a los comerciosen esta orma, me trae al

ltimo punto que deseohacer. En todo lo que hac-emos, el Gobierno no sepuede olvidar del sectorprivado. Se necesita unaparticipacin equitativa, ehicimos un buen comien-zo al nal del dos mil once.Esto debe consolidarse eneste ao venidero. Por lotanto, el gobierno entre

otras cosas, est nom-brando un Facilitadorde Desarrollo Comercialen la Ocina del PrimerMinistro para supervisardicha nueva relacin.

Finalizo haciendoreerencia una vez msal renacimiento del op-timismo que es la pro-

vincia especial de las cel-ebraciones de ao nuevo.A travs del mundo, estaes una ocasin para re-encender la inspiracin.

Es el re-inicio an-ual de la bsqueda delprogreso humano, dela misin alquimista deconvertir hasta el co-bre en oro. En el caso deBelice, nuestra resolu-cin es re-dedicar y re-

consagrar la cruzada porel cual construimos unanacin brillante, justa yequitativa. Una que serla envidia de y el modelopara regin y el mundo.

Feliz ao Nuevoa todos, y que Diosbendiga a Belice.


16/20


Continued rom Page 1

Continued on Page 17

went up by 2.5%. Constructionwas also 7.4% better. But itwas Fishing that led all comerswith a 14.5% hike. And whileoverall sugar production ell,ratios, quality and prices im-

proved so that we are now poised or an outstanding new sea-son. Finally, Ination remainedlow at just over 2%.

Te low ination rate is,

o course, attributed directlyto the governments pro-poorpolicies, part and parcel owhich is the removal o taxes,GS and Import Duty, rom awide range o commodities thatthe average man and womandepend on or basic survival.

Belizes better than ex-pected GDP growth in the yearending, compares avorablywith that o other nations in

the Caribbean, not the leastamong which is Cuba. Cubahad projected a GDP growtho 2.9%, but ell short o that,ending the year with only 2.7percent growth. Belize on thecontrary, as the PM noted,has exceeded the 3 percentgrowth he had orecasted inhis Independence Day address.

It is on the basis o allthis that I can say that we were

blessed in 2011. We easily out- paced 2010, and the story iseven more remarkable i we goback to 2009. Ten, we all re-member, was when there wasactual contraction; when the

allout rom the world reces-sion threatened to swamp uscompletely, the PM remarks.

Te economic news iscertainly more than encourag-ing, but as we acknowledged,

man shall not live by breadalone; but on one other spe-cic ront where we have, ina sense, been ghting or the very soul o the nation, theend-o-year statistics seemto suggest that, indeed, re-demption draweth nigh.

Perhaps most note-worthy o all, we succeed-edcertainly since Septem-

ber when we orged the BelizeCity gang trucein decelerat-ing the incidence o senselessmurders in this country.

Te signifcant reductionin the homicide rate or the last

our months o 2011, as com-pared to 2010, is great progress. And it comes at just the rightpoint, when too many were be-

ginning to eel that there couldbe no rescue rom the abyss.

urning to the yearahead, 2012, the Prime Minis-ter outlined a number o initia-tives and projects that shouldensure that the inherent prom-ise and opportunity o theNew Year will not be orgone,and that the eorts which be-

gan to yield positive results in2010, are strengthened, thatthe commitments, and thatthe successes are deepened.

In 2012, as one example, the inrastructure drive-and the jobs it brings-will scalenew heights. Te Jalacte Roadin the South, the Blue Creekone in the North, the Macal



17/20


Continued rom Page 16

TFeliz Navidad

Hon. Gaspar VegaDeputy Prime Minister

En e s t a

t e m -

p o r a d a

navidea primera-

mente quiero dar lasgracias a Dios por

darnos otra oportun-

idad de compartir

con todos nuestros

seres queridos otra

n a v i d a d e n p a z

y con esperanza.

Quiero tomar

esta oportunidad

para desear a todapersona en Belice

fe l i ces pascuas .

Que nuestro di-

vino creador les colme

de mucha felicidad.

El ao en curso

ha sido un ao lleno

de fenmenos natu-

rales, retos econmi-

cos y de conmocio-

nes polticas atreves

de todo el Mundo.

Es por eso que

en tiempos como este

debemos refexionar

en las necesidades

de todos nuestros

prjimos, en par-

ticular en nuestro

Mensaje Navideo del

Vice Primer Ministro

querido Belice. Cu-

ando contemplamoslos pesares que nosagobian es posiblesentir una ligera sen-sacin de angustia.

Pero no debe-mos perder la espe-ranza. La Navidadsiempre nos trae es-peranza, como lo hizo

hace dos mil aosatrs cuando naciNuestro Salvador.

Quiero tomaresta oportunidad paranuevamente asegura-rles que su gobiernodel Partido UnidoDemocrtico contin-uara gobernando la

Nacin con la mismaFirmeza, con Justi-cia y con el mismoRespeto que ha lle-gado a ser la estampade nuestra adminis-tracin. Jams per-deremos la compasinpara nuestro pueblo.

Tomo esta opor-

tunidad para desearlesde parte de nuestro go-bierno, de mi familiay de mi propio, una fe-liz navidad para ustedy para toda su familia.

Mis sincerosdeseos es que estanavidad y el aovenidero estn llen-os de alegra, espe-ranza y prosperidad.

Q u e D i o snos bendiga a to-dos y nos manten-ga en paz y armona

FELIZ NAVI-DAD Y UN PROSPE-RO AO NUEVO!

River Crossing in the West,the comprehensive Belize City

drainage and street works,will all be hitting ull stride.

Te new Marion Jonesstadium will be coming out othe ground, the new Civic Cen-ter will be rising rom the rub-ble. Te contract or the designand build component o the Sol-id Waste Management Project,has also been signed; and it willsee 14 million dollars spent be-

tween January and July in CayeCaulker, San Pedro, San Ignacioand Belize City. And their de-layed rehabilitation and beau-tifcation drive or the DistrictTowns will now start by April,the World Bank assures us.

But, i man shallnot live by bread alone, neitherdoes inrastructure alone builda nation. And in terms o thisgovernments investment in

people through its pro-poorprograms, the PM noted thatthose as well will be strength-ened, broadened and deepened.

A countrywide moneycontribution or working moth-ers will join the apprenticeship, ood subsidy and BOOST pro-grams. And the drop-in centersin distressed Belize City neigh-borhoods will help with com-munity development, social re-

covery and violence prevention.

Millions o dollars willcontinue to und Governmentshome improvement and homerepairs across the nation; andevery single registered surveyorin this country has now beencontracted to work on the sub-division o the 4,709 acres iden-tifed by the Ministry o Lands or the allocation o buildinglots to frst time landowners.

As part o his govern-ments continued commitmentand outreach to the poor andmiddle class, the PM notedthat electricity rates are expect-ed to go down in the new yearas BEL, now controlled by thegovernment, has already ap-plied to the PUC or a reviewand reduction. And he said thegovernment is well on course

with its plans to issue thou-sands o new residential and

agricultural lots to Belizeanswho do not yet own a piece oland, all the licensed survey-ors in the country having beenhired to survey as much as4,709 acres o land identied.

And he broke the goodnews that in addition to the9,200 ($62.6 Million) govern-ment housing loans alreadyorgiven, his administrationintends, in the new year, topurchase rom Social Securityall mortgages worth 50 thou-sand or less and to write thoseo as well. Tat, he noted willbenet another 780 Belizeanamilies who will have at theirdisposal some extra moneyto spend in the economy.

Te Prime Minister hadone nal exciting announce-ment, this one specically

and directly to the businesssector. It is that the govern-ment intends or the new yearto, among other things, ap-point a Business Develop-ment Facilitator in the Ofceo the Prime Minister to helpoversee the new relationshiporged with that sector at therecently held business orumtitled urning the Corner.

And with that, the PM

proceeded to deliver his clos-ing words o inspiration as Be-lizeans prepare to bid the OldYear arewell, and turn a newlea onto the New Year, 2012:

I close by reer-ring once again to the rebirtho optimism that is the special province o New Year celebra-tions. All across the globe, thisis an occasion or the rekin-dling o inspiration. It is the

annual re-start o the quest orhuman progress, o the alche-mist mission to turn even brassinto gold. In the case o Belize,our resolution is to re-dedicateand re-consecrate the crusadeby which we build a shining, air and just country. One thatwill be the envy o, and model or, the region and the world.

Happy New Year ev-eryone, and God bless Belize.



18/20


Sports Update

IIIsmael Miley Garcia

National Sports Coordinator

Ministry of Sports

-With Ismael Miley Garcia

A

s the yearcloses weat the Min-

istry o Sports reect onthe year in sports andrededicate ourselves tocontinue to provide thehighest level o supportto all disciplines withinour limited resources.

It has been an excit-ing year or us as we sawdelegations o basketball,soball, track and eld,

ootball, cycling, cricket,and other disciplines, rep-resent our country Be-lize on the internationalscene. We have done ourbest, with the assistanceo Central Government,to support these endeav-ours nancially, albeit notat the level needed. Tecommitment o the Min-

ister o Sports, HonorableJohn Saldivar, nonethe-less, has been demonstra-bly clear in his eorts tosupport as many Asso-ciations and Federationsin making possible theirparticipation in these in-ternational commitments.

Once again we lookorward to all National

Associations/Federationssubmitting their calendaro events or 2012 so thatwe can do some orwardplanning in acquiring anddistributing these resourc-es. Similarly, we remindand encourage all Asso-ciations/Federations that,

along with this activity,in the month o January,they need to submit theirapplications or registra-tion to the National SportsCouncil as mandated bythe SPORS AC. Asso-ciations/Federations thatare not registered with theNational Sports Coun-cil do not qualiy or -nancial assistance or useo the acilities under theauspices o the Council.

We would like toremind sporting associa-tions, however, that themost important reason orregistering with the Na-tional Sports Council isnot so much because o -

nancial support that maybe provided to them. It is

more important that as anation we begin to createa national listing o ourathletes and teams/clubswith a view to developingour outstanding athletes.Te Ministry is commit-ted to developing worldclass athletes, who can in

turn convert their talentinto educational and eco-nomic benet, or them-selves and their amilies.Registration helps us toidentiy, at an early stage,these promising athletes sothat they can benet romthe various training pro-grams that are availableboth locally and abroad.

We look orward totwo exciting projects thatwill continue in 2012 thatwill greatly assist in thisendeavour. Te rst is thecompletion o the MarionJones Sporting Complex,which is a work in progressand which will truly be aacility o which we can

be proud. Te second isthe commencement o the

much anticipated reur-bishment o the Belize CityCenter. Te Ministry willalso continue its eorts toupgrade other sporting a-cilities countrywide with a

view to giving greater op-portunity to athletes coun-trywide. Already we are

seeing results rom the em-ployment o a Program De-

velopment Ofcer or Bas-ketball, Coach arr, at theNational Sports Council.

We hope toenlist persons to devel-op programs in the otherdisciplines as well, with a

view to the long term development o our athletes.

All these thingsexcite us at the Minis-try as we orge aheadwith our National Goalo converting Belizesraw talent into GOLD!!!!

H A P P YNEW YEAR AND ALLHE BES O ALL BE-LIZEAN AHLEES

AND O ALL OURMANY READERS!!!!!!

Happy New Year andA Prosperous 2012


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Happy New Year


20/20


capital weekly 017

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