Year: 2012

Daily Dingleberry 01-20-12

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Belizeans taking this “we are a nation of pirates” LITERALLY as they host website accused of piracy.If you haven’t heard of SOPA then you have been under a rock 😛 The US is trying to get laws passed that basically attacks the freedom of the internet and it’s pissing off a lot of people including my 10 year old. So, this group Anonymous does things to retaliate or just grief government agencies in protest. Yesterday, the FBI shut down the website http://www.megaupload.com bc it accuses it of being an entity that engages in illegal file sharing SO Anonymous shut down the FBI’s computer system. You with me so far? THIS MORNING ABC reports that megaupload is back online using a BELIZE web address. I’m not sure what that means for Belize but it  sure doesn’t help our case days after being reported as being poor cause we tu corrupt and tief???!!! Remember that likkle article that pissed everybody off? Weeeeellllll….may be now we can accept that the whole world is watching us EAT CROW. BAWK!!!!

 

 

For a full and more detailed explanation: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/justice-fbi-crack-megauploadcom-hackers-hit-feds-entertainment/story?id=15396526&page=2#.TxmDQG9PvBs

Daily Dingleberry 01-19-12

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Miss me???? I took a break yesterday for BLACKOUT day in support of Wikipedia 🙂 So back to business!

People! Why are we still aligning with any party? I see people fervently accuse both parties of the same crime/misconduct while acknowledging that they “know” that their party isn’t perfect and that they do it too blah blah blah. OMG really??? So, do as I say but not as I do??? Scratching my head. Reminds me of those commercials where the kids are in a room and one gets a toy car and the other gets  one gets a real car for no good reason, just because, even though they both opened the same account at the same bank. This is just beyond ridiculous. We all make deposits into the same bank. We all try to follow the rules and provide for our children. We are all concerned about the same future: OUR FUTURE. YOU who got the fancy car, don’t shut your mouth because you got something from the government. You will get the same shitty end of the stick as the one who didn’t get the fancy car. Fire the bank. Don’t put your money there. Want for you neighbour what you would like for yourself because one day, you will be the kid getting the toy car. Don’t give ANYBODY the power to play with your money, your citizenship, your laws, your FUTURE.

OWN YOURSELF.

You deserve all that is fair and good and LAWFUL. It is the friggin LEAST we can expect from the people we hired. YES WE HIRE OUR POLITICIANS. So if they are breaking the law, being unethical, FIRE THEY ASS. Red and Blue mek purple….who like get bruise up? You like da black eye? how bout da bruk hand? Cripple foot? Before you get brain damage too, pull your head out of your ass! Make peace with my piece, lovers 😉

Corruption is as Corruption does – By: Aria Lightfoot

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“Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. “Karl Kraus

Am I the only person who is dumbfounded by our level of corruption and how open and acceptable it has become? The new political proposal seems to resonate a message of “Never mind that we are corrupted, the other party is even worse than us“ .The major political parties are shameless and pathetic in their nonchalant attitude towards corruption. Yesterday, I read where someone tried to justify the measurement of corruption based on a dollar amount. I have read citizens justifying their choice of party saying that “their party is not as corrupted, or better the devil you know, or lesser of two evils.”

It signals to me that the apathy and sickness of corruption has invaded every crevice of society, even the thinking of the average citizen. (whatever citizenship means these days) We are in desperate need of a cure. The parties in Belize have successful convinced the Belizean population that corruption is inevitable therefore accept it; additionally the parties have seemingly surrendered to this conclusion by not addressing the issue of corruption as a national crisis. Recently, polls have been suggesting or attempting to convince the Belizean population that Belizeans do not care about corruption. I am not convinced.

My hope is that Belizeans begin demanding accountability for the rape of their taxes at the pleasure of elected officials and the disgraceful undermining of our citizenship for votes. I may be inclined to believe that corruption must be legal right? It must be! It is openly discussed, and admitted by our politicians; they justify or exempt their behavior based on the corruption of the other party. The last two Prime Ministers of Belize are prominent attorneys and senior members of the Bar Association, so there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that corruption MUST be legal. As a citizen, my instinctive approach is to raise hell and demand laws to offset this blatant and discouraging behavior of our elected officials.

So I decided to take a trip through The Laws of Belize Criminal Code 101, to see if laws exist to offset this corruptive environment, before I clumsily climbed on my rostrum. I didn’t expect to see any anti corruption laws. I mean our parties are operating on the premise of less corrupted. Additionally, an international journalist correlated our corruption to poverty ( http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/16/tale-of-two-small-countries ). So if we all know corruption is the problem and it has become so ostentatious that even an international observer can see it and was compelled to write about it, I figured if I could advocate for strong laws, maybe it would deter our politicians and public officers from such contemptuous and scandalous behavior. Right?

I was stupefied and confused by the laws I found in our criminal code. Turns out that corruption is illegal in Belize and in some instances punishable by imprisonment of up to ten (10) years. Surely these major political parties don’t know this? But why wouldn’t they? They are dominated by prominent and senior attorneys of the Bar Association of Belize. They have been the Legislature for the past 30 years and they have in fact written these laws themselves. So now my anguish grows and my anger rises…not only are politicians blatantly corrupted, they have no regard for our laws in Belize. Winning elections and governing in Belize have become an official pillage on the tax payers money at the pleasure of the ruling party.

The Criminal code 101 of the Laws of Belize Section 139 (1) defines Theft as “ a person who by ANY deception [(can be defined as misleading, deceit, cheating, circumvention)] dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another [tax payers] with the intention of permanently depriving the other [tax payer] of it.” Theft does not mention the dollar amount, because a thief is a thief! If he steals one dollar he will surely steal a million dollars.

The Criminal Code which can be located at http://www.belizelaw.org/lawadmin/ also specifically targets corruption of public officers and also targets those who corrupts public officers and voters (see Sec 139-146, 155-158, 296-) . Take a personal tour, my Belizean people and see how many laws are broken by the voters, public officers, politicians and bar members in Belize. We are all partners in this moral, social and legal decline in Belize. Obviously calling on the Attorney General, Minister of Police, Commissioner of Police and Director of Public Prosecution to investigate and prosecute our politicians and government officials is a monumental waste of time, especially since they serve at the pleasure of the government of the day. So what happens when we have laws that are not enforced, rabid corruption and no political will to address it? Justice can never be achieved in a country that selectively enforces laws and the culture of lawlessness will continue to corrode our jewel until we say NO MORE!

 My mom use to tell me, corruption begins with the first act and with each act you begin to convince yourself that such behavior is acceptable and eventually you are so corrupted you can no longer identify it. The parents who allows their children to walk into their homes with items they didn’t purchase for that child is contributing to corruption. The public officer who accepts money for services the tax payer is paying for, is contributing to corruption, the voter who accepts money in exchange for votes is contributing to corruption. The politician who uses his office for pecuniary gain is contributing to corruption. The judiciary that discriminately distributes justice is contributing to corruption. The entire moral fabric of our country is deteriorating. The dollar amount does not make corruption Belize…Corruption is our deplorable deeds and our omission to address it and our attempt to justify it.

Daily Dingleberry 01-17-12

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So, last night the boards lit up like a krismus tree bc some blasted farinah wrote something about Belize and well, as usual, everybody get vex. BUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It was hysterical y’all! Check it out for yourself: http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/16/tale-of-two-small-countries/#.TxTJaoyvbYY.facebook (You might have to right click and open it up in another page bc I noticed that this wordpress place doesn’t let the link automatically load)  I wanted to get involved in the debates and tell people to calm down but people were so busy being defensive, I decided to wait until the fracas dies down a little. I can’t believe that we got mad at this guy. He only said what we already bloody know! But I suspect the reaction came from a place of shame and denial. It’s fine to live like this if nobody else knows our secret, then we could pretend that everything ok. Typical OSTRICH going on there. I say, if it bothers you so much to see your name in black being painted red, do something about it. I’m glad the secret is out. You can’t do nothing about something you don’t admit. It’s like the 12 Step Program y’all. The first step is admitting you have a problem 🙂

New Addition to The Aviary!!!!! by Fayemarie A Carter

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MEET MILLICENT AVOCET


Millicent “Milli” “Blue Shanks” Audrey Avocet – “Blue Shanks” is the colloquial name for the American Avocet, earned for its thin, long, grey legs. Milli is an old school friend who has left Belize to live in Los Angeles, California in the United States. She is a nurse and lives in a multi-generational home, including her grandmother, her mother and her two children. In many ways, she has a mini Belizean community in her own home and this causes comfort and conflict. She enjoys having her own mother to take care of her children and to cook her food from her childhood but she resents living with the vestiges of traditional expectations for women. Her grandmother often admonishes her for the way she dresses when she attends church telling her she needs a lap cloth to cover her knees and when she would rather sleep in on a Sunday morning after a late night out, her grandmother blasts evangelical services on the television to bring “god” into her sinful life. Milli obviously will provide insight on the dilemmas faced by Belizean-Americans who dearly love their country but can’t seem to find a way to live home and as such, have created a new one abroad.

Milli is the Belizean citizen much depended upon by extended family left behind, to provide medicines, clothes and money via Western Union. She is more than willing to help as she keenly understands the lack of resources but often can feel put upon and over burdened by all the demands. She is the only one ever expected to contribute anything since she has an American job so that she becomes a de facto leader in every situation/family crisis. This creates tension among her family members because while she provides everything, the older members still feel that they can tell her what to do and treat her like a child. She is so tired of the constant requests that often she refuses to answer the phone. This causes her grandmother  to start banging  her walking stick on the floor, yelling at her to answer it because it might be an emergency. And to Milli, it’s always an emergency. Nobody ever just calls to ask how she is doing. If it’s not rent, it’s school fees, or money for milk and diapers, or graduation or confirmation. Sometimes, she wants to scream at them that she shouldn’t have to take care of pickney she didn’t have any fun making but she loves them all and doesn’t want to hurt their feelings.

Milli’s character is introduced to The Aviary when she returns home to bury her Granny Ray, an experience many Belizeans go through. While it is a time of grief, it is often a time of reunions and joy and there is much merrymaking at the wake which can last for nine nights or a novena.  A novena is ritual performed in the Catholic Church lasting nine days, during which prayers for favour is asked. Mourning is only one of the reasons this ritual is performed and can be done in the home or at church or both during those nine days. In Milli’s community, they have integrated this religious ritual with cultural practice so that the result is very unique. Men and women dance and sing and play drums. They drink rum and play cards and dominoes. Neighbours come to participate at all hours; passersby can stop to spectate and are often invited to join.

The Avocet is an elegant bird with stylish plumage and a long thin beak suggesting the “nose in the air” many Belizeans resent returning Belizeans for. Education, sophistication and a certain directness is mistaken for snobbery and returning Belizeans can be shunned by their own family members. Many times, these Belizeans are told that “dey nuh memba whe de come from” but of course it is much more complicated than that. Hence, Milli is an important character even though her stay will be short. Milli  embodies many issues facing a large, if not, the larger part of our Belizean population, the emigrants.

Daily Dingleberry 01-16-12

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MLK Day. A man died for what he believed in. He had a clear vision. He had a clear direction. He knew the price he would pay and still, he would not be swayed, not by fear, not by intimidation, not even by the thought of the loss of his own life. It is insulting when his name is used to perpetrate lies and hate. It is insulting when we take the gift he gave us and spit on it. It is insulting when we use this day and his name to draw lines between black and white instead of what is wrong and what is right. Martin Luther King was an African American. He fought for the rights of other African Americans, yes. But Martin Luther King was bigger than that. He fought for human rights. He loved all his brothers and sisters. His own people didn’t agree with him about that, but he was insistent that as long as we all were not free, then none of us is free. So, show some respect for his sacrifice. Show respect for his vision. Don’t pick and choose pieces of his life, his message, to serve your less than honourable purpose. If you ain’t fuh all, you ain’t fuh none and you ain’t fuh Martin. Peace, brothers n sistahs.

Reunion by Fayemarie A Carter

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Faye 1Bernie Toucan and Doo Doo Chickadee are sitting on their usual spot by the junction of Fortification and Judgement Streets, having a bit of tea. It is a lovely afternoon and the long time friends are enjoying a lighthearted chat when they feel the wire dip. Both of them look over and give shrieks of surprise.

“Milli!!!! Millicent Audrey Avocet!”, exclaimed Bernie.

“Blue Shanks! Gial! Whe u di du ya?” asked Dodes excitedly. The friends come together for a warm embrace and kisses.

“Well girls. I’m here to bury my grandmother, Aurelia Avocet, memba shi? Granny Ray? She passed a few days ago and I brought her home. She insisted that she be buried here in Belize. U membah how shi does goh? Always have to have shi own way,” Mili smiled wistfully.

“I’m sorry to hear that Milli. I hope it wasn’t too difficult for you and your family?” asked Bernie.

“Well, she was almost 100 so we knew this was coming and the past few months, she was going in and out of the hospital. That was hard because it felt like I never left work, you know? Nurse at work, nurse at home,” said Milli.

“I’m sure she appreciated it, Milli,” said Bernie as she touched her friend reassuring on the shoulder.

“Gial but hmmm! Comin home da neva no joke! Dey harass me every step ah di way. Dey act like ah midi try smuggle drugs or something. Dey nuh know dat if a midi do dat, di coffin mi gwein di opposite direction? What di hell ah wa smuggle into Belize from States?” Milli’s eyes danced as she giggled. “Yu wud tink dey glad dat the immigrant di lef di country, right? Dey stop my rass da every station! Ah neahly miss mi connecting flight home. Ah tell di lady if shi nevah let mi goh, mi granny miya haunt shi rass sake a lef ah fi travel by shi self,’ said Milli.

“Haha!” laughed Dodes.”U nuh change nuh gial. U still di give trouble, big time lady and all.”

“Well! Dey piss mi off man! Ih does be dat I mi glad fi have a Belizean passport. I used to joke that I would nevah want a American one cause dey wa tek mi mek hostage. But hell! Ah di change mi mind. Ah mean, who wahn go thru da process da states? You have to pay almost a thousand dollahs den you hafi study and tek exam. Hmph! But lately, I might prefer be American.”

“Well, u know Milli, lately, wha latta pipple di rail up bout fi we citizenship. How easy it is fi get it and dat anybody could get it fi leebit a money or a simple vote inna elections. Jus di oddah day, PM give hundreds a pipple citizenship. Pipple nevah tek tu kindly. Seh how dey only di du it fi get votes cause dey desperate.” Dodes shook her head. “Milli gial. You might glad u live da States fi tru. Dis country jus di go to rass. Ah mean, why d hell u wa give a bunch a Guatemalans citizenship? Dey don tink we da fi dey? Now dey could vote and buy land and send dey pickney da fi wi school. Ih just bun mi when ah tink bout it.”

“Shit! Ah neva know tings get so bad gial Dodes,” said Milli. But dis rass nuh new mein. When ah midi go da SJC, dey used to talk bout di Chiney di pay like $45,000 fuh wa passport. At least den wi mid get something firit, right? But dis? Dey just di come tek whe dey done tink da fi dey already and we jus give it to dey!” Milli looked over at Bernie who had gotten very quiet, just sipping her tea every now and again. “Bernie. Whe di goh tru da maze a yourns?”

“Ahh.” Bernie sighed.”Ah jus di tink fi tru Milli. Ah mean, what do you do when something like this happen? Who u call? Is there even a process of inquiry?”

“Hey Milli,” said Dodes. “Di one good thing whe come outta dis? Dey gat deya 2 gial name Aria Lightfoot and Fayemarie Carter. Dey two deh awn gial. You know whe Aria seh bout di passport ting? Shi call Belize a prostitute! Something bout open fi business with evibady!” Dodes’ body shakes as she heartily laughs.

“Buwahahahahaha!” laughed Milli. “Dat da wa gud one Dodes! Suh wi da still ‘soldier taffy’? Wi jus do it legal like now. Wow!” Milli sobered as the thoughts swirled around her head. The Belize of her Granny Ray’s days definitely seem to be gone with her. This is one of the major conflicts she struggles with deeply. How can she, Milli, say anything about what is happening in Belize when she lives in a nice house and has a nice job in sunny California? She thinks of coming home often but she knows she is not ready to face this type of life where politics and one’s existence were one and the same. She shook her head as if to shake the thoughts right out. “Anyway, Dodes. Tell mi bout whe deya gial di seh.”

The friends sat on the wire for the next hour, until the sun sprayed its golden tendrils across the land, closing one more day, signalling one more triumph of survival over continued difficulties and challenges to all the good these friends knew as home.

What is your citizenship worth? – by: Aria Lightfoot

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Citizenship means I am part of a country; it means I am co-captain of its future; it means I am a component of a blueprint;   I belong;   my future and past are interconnected. As a citizen, I can vote, agitate, engage, arouse, examine, and change the Constitution and legal framework of my country.  It means that that Belize is me and I am Belize.

Every election season, politicians corrupt my citizenship for cheap votes.  They “Belizeanize” hundreds and in some cases thousands of immigrants who share little or no historical, cultural or social similarity to me.  They give away my impact as voter and further diminish my citizenship, so that immigrant citizens of Guatemala, a country that still claims ownership of Belize, can recreate the blueprint of Belize.  Politicians of both parties have been guilty of the genocide of the Belizean people by systematically changing the cultural, ethnical, religious and social composition of the country. They have treasonously discounted the real citizens’ will and undermined their voting power.

What are the ramifications?   

I am livid, outraged, insulted, dismayed to witness hundreds of immigrants lined up outside the immigration office waiting for their citizenship to be quickly processed before voters registration deadlines, a blatant erosion and devaluation  my citizenship.  Belize allows full rights as a citizen.  It means that the person who was allowed to circumvent the process for an X on Election Day, enjoy the same citizenship as I do. That new citizen can run for public office, even the office as high as the Prime Minister of Belize; demand the benefits of taxpaying citizens such as social security benefits; influence the outcome of an election. It translates into zero political accountability as politicians continue to ignore the concerns of real citizens for ballot box stuffers.   

Even more disconcerting is the long term effects.  How much longer do politicians think it will be before immigrants realize their voting power?  How much longer will it be before Guatemala will no longer need to claim us? Our politicians are handing over Belize vote stuffer by voter stuffer.  How much longer before these political fools realize that their own children will suffer the encumbrance of such short sightedness.

In the US, I will never be able to run for the presidency if I decide to apply for my citizenship because I will not be a born citizen. Even a born citizen cannot run for public office unless they reside in the US for a determined amount of time and twelve years to run for the Presidency.  The politicians cannot circumvent the citizenship process without a vote from Congress (a very open process).  Even Belizeans value gaining citizenship from the United States because they know the process is arduous. After all the other qualifications, the immigrant must pass a background check, citizenship test, endure an interview.    By the time you qualify for citizenship, the United States have indoctrinated the new citizens into the culture of being an American.    Belize has no such system.

Internationally, travelling as a Belizean is becoming a difficult and a harassing experience.  You know why?  Our politicians are giving away our citizenship because they have no value for Belizeans. Our citizenship can be bought for money or votes.  Have you tried getting a visa to visit the United States, Europe or Canada? The processes are becoming more intrusive, stricter, and costly to the average Belizean? In this post 911 era, Belize is like a prostitute, open for business for everyone with money or votes.  Politicians have eroded the significance of my citizenship. I call on this government and future government to secure my children’s future and stop perverting my citizenship and start making laws to bring back an atmosphere of integrity and value to being a Belizean.