Is Anyone Else Paying Attention?

This really isn't a political blog. No, really, it isn't. This is just the wandering mind.

Today the NTUCB (National Trade Union Congress of Belize) is calling for a protest march in Belmopan. Calling all of the trade unions in solidarity, especially the Teacher's Union, to protest the government budget hearings which do not adequately provide for the barest minimum living wage for teacher's salaries and in solidarity with the communications workers the firing of the 4 BTL workers.

Timing is Everything
The BTL (phone) strike threat is quelled, for right now. Although, when backed into a corner on the subject, Belize's Prime Minister, Said Musa, said yesterday that he was very disappointed in the BTL firing of the trade union negotiator Christine Perriot. Her firing was badly timed because she was in negotiation on behalf of the union with BTL, at a roundtable discussion that the Labor Minister Francis Fonseca was involved in, over the firing of 3 other employees. It looks like blatent union busting. Thank you Mr. Prime Minister for that jellybean glimmer of hope that the Belizean government might do the right thing. But will they continue to allow the BTL management to run amok?

Is Anyone Else Paying Attention?
What we hear and what we really hear are two different things. Was I the only one that heard the N.R.P. (National Reform Party - the newly formed political party in Belize) Representative Cornelius Dueck (a Mennonite from Spanish Lookout) say the following:
“The U.S. is the best option. I don’t think we should look at Chavez for help. I don’t think he has the solution for Belize. I don’t think Cuba has the solution for Belize. I don’t think China has the solution for Belize but the United States they have the solution what we need.”
“I have savings accounts in different countries that I will bring to Belize eventually and we are not ignorant of the cost. We know that the U.D.P. and the P.U.P. they spend in the area of fifty to a hundred million dollars for an election and we are here to contest them. "

So What is my Point?
Cuba, China and Venezuela all have contributed large amounts of economic aid to Belize, let's not forget that. These countries come up with programs that actually work, and don't try to solve problems by pouring money on them. Am I jumping to conclusions to say that there's a new political party that's formed in Belize backed by the U.S. Government? So how exactly do you bring money from a savings account in "different countries"? Strapped to your belly with duct tape? Or does it come in the diplomatic pouch. My Conspiracy Theory is that there's more going on in that new 50 million dollar U.S. embassy in Belmopan than issuing new passports and traveler's advisories.

Elston Kaseke (the former/fired Solicitor General for Belize), looking worse for the wear, had just come out of jail in San Ignacio after getting drunk and ignorant, had several bashing scrape marks on the side of his head, that the TV cameras picked up nicely, while representing Glenn Godfrey in the DFC Hearings. His head looked like a peeled strawberry.
Check out this link if you want to read about how Elston Kaseke embarrassed Belize when he was Soliciter General.

So What's My Point?
Elston, dude, that's what make up cover up is for. Maybeline makes lots of shades. Use a mirror dude, check out what you look like before you go on TV. (Gosh that's gotta hurt) Learn the hard way like me. I only seem to get interviewed for TV when I'm sunburned, hair not combed, and have mascara running down my face.

I watched the DFC (Development Finance Corporation - Belize's version of HUD or Fannie May) hearings on the local channel and I have to give Commissioner Merlene Bailey-Martinez kudos for retaining her composure and maintaing order throughout all the rass and crap that was thrown out at her during these lengthy proceedings. I was shocked (gasp!) at how disrespectful men like Troy Gabb, Ralph Fonseca, Glenn Godfrey and his mouthpeice Elston Kaseke spoke to her, yet she maintained order. They obviously think they are above it all, above prosecution. She has a memory like a steel trap, nothing escapes her. Amazing woman. My Hero. Sensible. Belize is richer for it. I could see her as Prime Minister.


Art Credit: Popeye, Caye Caulker. If you come to Caye Caulker you will see Popeye's art hanging on fences, and propped up here and there and Coco Loco Cafe. His words of wisdom will cost you anywhere between $5-10. His colors are whatever he can find at the bottoms of old cans of paint. The wood is from scraps he finds at the dump and from construction projects. Bigness keeps him well supplied there. We don't sell his art in the cafe, we collect it. So if you come into the shop and see one of our signs and like it, just find Popeye, an old Rastaman, who's best friend is Dodo, to make it for you.