1. A poll that claims to speak on behalf of the average Belizean. The poll was conducted in secrecy and by a prominent member of the Republican party, who campaigned for McCain. Why am I disturbed? McCain was reportedly linked to a group called the World League for Freedom and Democracy involved in influencing politics in Central America and the world. Conspiracy theory maybe or maybe not.
2. A system that demands no accountability. When we live a life without demanding facts, we are simply gullible sheep being led to our slaughter. Never accept a word any politician says. Let them show you the facts. Spreading rumors and propaganda to achieve their ultimate goals have been the accepted practice for way too long. Our media should hold politicians to a higher professional standard.
3. Nardia Garcia, prominent member of the PUP and other members of the PUP seeking elected office are closely linked to the Guatemalan President thru very close family relationship. Disturbing in that our political parties are linked indirectly to a country that continues to claim ownership over Belize.
4. The Port of Belize was foreclosed on by the Ashcroft Alliance. It seems that Ashcroft is strategically acquiring prime real estate that will eventually derail any governmental power so we can become subjects of Ashcroftville formerly known as Belize.
5. PUP battle continue to spill out into the media. Belize need an effective opposition and if the new government is PUP…a stable government. Grow the fuck up already!
6. 17 million dollars of tax payers money will benefit only 770 families. Thousands of people pay their bills. How can people notes be written off without oversight? If you thought giving away $100.00 was generous…try $50,000 to unknown beneficiaries. Who will benefit and who is footing this bill? Show me the facts.
7. The enforcement of our laws are at the pleasure of the government of the day. We are declining socially because of wanton corruption. Selective enforcement and poor prosecution. Where else in the world would a DPP and Attorney General boast a 5% conviction rate and be rewarded with a Queen’s medal and job security?
8. Our children continue to fall victim to crime and violence. What will our future look like, if children are being traumatized by street wars, weekly death of family and friends, and no consequences for bad behavior. We need a 5 year, 10 year, 20 year and 50 year visionary for Belize.
9. There is not a mandated set date for elections. Not having a mandated election date creates uncertainty for investors and citizens. Let us mandate a day every 5 years for general elections and end this atmosphere of uncertainty in our country.
10. Disproportionate representation of citizens. Time for each citizen of Belize to have equal representation in the House of Representative. Until each citizen is equally represented, the people power and influence will remain in the hands of a very selected few thru the “ spoil system“. Spoil literally means to damage severely or harm something. To diminish and impair. Belizeans are victims to the “damage“ system.
Twocanview LLC 
A really exciting idea. Are there a lot more justifications? Work with, it’ll be a fantastic blog site in the foreseeable future
Hi Glen,
Since it is an American company I will direct you to the code of professional ethics. http://www.aapor.org/Advocacy_and_Initiatives.htm
The reason anonymous donors take away from the poll is simply it cannot be deciphered the underlying agenda of the poll and it leaves one to come up with a number of scenarios…like the one I referred to.
I maintain that there is nothing in the American Association for Public Opinion Research’s (AAPOR) code of professional ethics and standards that even remotely suggests that having anonymous donors takes away from the validity or credibility of the poll. Unless of course there are some part of those codes of standards that is not being disclosed.
The poll itself is open to scrutiny. There is no need or code of professional ethics that requires disclosure of who donated money to having it done. Who commissioned it and to what purpose has been made clear.
Glenn, I quote directly from the website: the first requirement states:
“III. Standards for Disclosure
Good professional practice imposes the obligation upon all survey and public opinion researchers to disclose certain essential information about how the research was conducted. When conducting publicly released research studies, full and complete disclosure to the public is best made at the time results are released, although some information may not be immediately available. When undertaking work for a private client, the same essential information should be made available to the client when the client is provided with the results.
A. We shall include the following items in any report of research results or make them available immediately upon release of that report.
1. Who sponsored the research study, who conducted it, and who funded it, including, to the extent known, all original funding sources.”
It is important so that the viewing public can decipher if the poll was conducted to create bias or it was a true scientific venture to measure public opinion
I respect your opinion, of course, but I also respectfully disagree. The group of persons who donated to the cause of having the poll done wish to remain anonymous and I will honor my commitment to them.
If that detracts from the poll’s validity or credibility in your mind then so be it. There is no such law, rule, or even an informed opinion that “Failure to release who is sponsoring the polls subtracts from the integrity of the poll.”
We tend to question polls when their results contradict our assumptions. This is a valid poll, scientifically done, and historic for its size and scope.
Thanks for the feedback Glen…In order for a poll to be of scientific value, it should be open to scrunity. Failure to release who is sponsoring the polls subtracts from the integrity of the poll. There is a set standard for reporting polls. You are asking your audience to trust your finding while withholding valuable information.
The poll does NOT speak on behalf of “the average Belizean” and WAS conducted “in secrecy” to ensure that there was no interference from the pernicious partisans. The poll was commissioned by myself on behalf of The Independent newspaper and its intention was simply to provide a baseline in regards to the nation’s socio-politico mood.
The poll does not speak for anyone – it speaks to the prevailing and aspiring politicos.
Both of Belize’s major political parties are officially affiliated to the Republicans (UDP) and the Democrats (PUP) in the United States so any connection to either of those entities is hardly “sinister’.
Glenn Tillett
Hey Glenn…where can we get definite, for sure, sure proof of the parties’ official affiliations with the Republicans and Democrats?
Faye of Twocanview
I need to go back into the national archives which are housed at the National Heritage Library in Belmopan, to locate the newspaper clippings. In the case of the UDP it was a front page story in the AMANDALA when Mr. Esquivel returned from a trip to Washington shortly after the UDP won the 1984 General Elections.
I also think, if my memory serves me right, it may have been mentioned in the press coverage of Mr. Barrow meeting with US President George Bush at the White House in 2008.
In the case of the PUP I have to go ask Said Musa for the details but I know the PUP is proud of their affiliation to the Democratic Party so there is no reason for them to be less than forthcoming.
I think you hit ten nails on the head. You kinda didn’t hit the ninth quite the forceful way I’d have wanted tho. Five years is too long.