Community Outreach

School’s IN! Pull Di Dallahs OUT!!!! by Fayemarie Anderson Carter

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Adopt A Student!!!!!!

Last month Aria brought a wonderful project to our attention and so now as the new school year approaches, I want to reiterate. Did you realize that just about 50% of all Belizean children are NOT getting an education? Half of our boys and girls are being prepared for a very difficult future ahead of them. Lack of education makes our children extremely vulnerable to crime and victimization.

In response to this alarming reality, Restore Belize has launched a program “Adopt A Student”. Restore Belize is appealing specifically to Belizeans abroad to provide the funding for this endeavor. There are different levels of sponsorship starting at $250 US per student per year. There are about 15,000 students in need so we have got a ways to go BUT I know we can do it! You can sponsor individually OR you can get together with your friends and family to sponsor a child. Americans are always asking if there are programs like this in Belize when they find out where I am from and before, I really couldn’t give a good answer. Now I can and you can too.

Right now, it seems the schools that have been identified are high schools focused in the city. Hopefully, with our help, Restore Belize will be able to extend this project to include the districts as well as elementary schools. Join Aria and myself in literally changing the future of a child in need. We have decided to sponsor a girl at Sarteneja High School. Please read more by clicking on the link: https://twocanview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/restorebelizeadoptastudent.pdf

Special Rapporteur defends Caleb Orozco and demands action from GOB

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Excellency,

We have the honour to address you in our capacity as Special Rapporteur on the  promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/251 and to Human Rights Council resolutions 16/4 and 16/5.
In this connection, we would like to bring to your Excellency’s Government’s  attention information we have received concerning the alleged attack against Mr. Caleb Orozco.  Mr.  Orozco  is  the  President  of the  United  Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM), an organisation which works on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGTB) rights in Belize.

According to the information received:

On the afternoon of 8 February 2012, Mr. Caleb Orozco was attacked on George Street, Belize City. Allegedly, Mr. Orozco was first threatened by unidentified men shouting anti-gay slurs. According to reports, one of the men then threw a beer bottle at him, hitting him in the face. It is reported that Mr. Orozco suffered damaged teeth and bruising to the face as a result of the attack.

According to  the  information  received,  Mr.  Orozco  has  filed  a police report; however, it is reported that the police have not identified the perpetrators.
According to the information received, Mr. Orozco has frequently appeared in national media in relation to UNIBAM’s advocacy work to remove a provision of the  Criminal  Code that  allegedly criminalizes same-sex sexual  activity. Furthermore, it is reported that he has been portrayed in an extremely negative light in the media by individuals and organizations who oppose his work.

Concern is expressed that the alleged attack against Mr. Orozco may be directly related to his legitimate human rights work and his legitimate exercise of his right to  freedom  of expression, particularly his  advocacy for  LGBTI rights  in  Belize. Further concern is  expressed  for the  physical  and  psychological  integrity of Mr.  Orozco, particularly in  light  of the  negative portrayals  of Mr.  Orozco  which  have allegedly appeared in the media.

While we do not wish to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations, we wish to  remind your Excellency’s Government that Belize, as a State party to the International  Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), has a duty to guarantee equal protection before the law and to prohibit discrimination on any ground. The words “or any other grounds” in article 26 of the ICCPR have been interpreted to include sexual orientation. Furthermore, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has found in numerous cases  that  discrimination  on  the  grounds  of  sexual  orientation  is  not  permitted  under  international human rights law.
We would  like to  refer  your  Excellency’s  Government  to  the  fundamental  principles set forth in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and in particular articles 1 and 2 which state that “everyone has the right individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the  protection  and  realization  of human  rights  and  fundamental  freedoms at  the  national and international levels” and that “each State has a prime responsibility and duty to protect, promote and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms, inter alia,  by adopting such steps as may be necessary to create all conditions necessary in the  social, economic, political and other fields, as well as the legal guarantees required to  ensure that all persons under its jurisdiction, individually and in association with others, are able to enjoy all those rights and freedoms in practice”.

With regard to article 7 of the Declaration on human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders has stated that the right to develop  and discuss new human rights ideas is enshrined in the Declaration on Human Rights  Defenders as an important provision for the ongoing development of human rights. This  includes the right to discuss and advocate for human rights ideas and principles that are not necessarily new but that, in some contexts, may be perceived as new or unpopular because they address issues that might challenge tradition and culture. In this connection, the  Special  Rapporteur has  encouraged  States  to  do  the  necessary to  guarantee the principle of pluralism and recognize the right of defenders to promote and advocate for  new human rights ideas or ideas that are perceived as new. She has further encouraged States to take additional measures to ensure the protection of defenders who are at greater risk of facing certain forms of violence and discrimination because they are perceived as  challenging accepted  sociocultural  norms,  traditions,  perceptions  and  stereotypes,  including about sexual orientation and gender identity.

We would also like to recall resolution 17/19 of the Human Rights Council, where the Council expressed grave concern at acts of violence and discrimination, in all regions of the  world,  committed  against individuals  because of their  sexual  orientation  and  gender identity.

Furthermore, article 12 paras 2 and 3 of the Declaration which provide that the  State shall  take all necessary measures  to  ensure the  protection  by the  competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats,  retaliation,  de facto  or de jure adverse discrimination,  pressure or any other  arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration. In this connection, everyone is entitled, individually and in association  with others, to be protected effectively under national law in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts  of violence perpetrated  by groups  or individuals  that  affect the  enjoyment  of human  rights  and  fundamental  freedoms. In  this  regard,  the  Inter-American  Commission  on Human Rights (IACHR) has granted precautionary measures for LGBTI human rights  defenders in cases where they are faced with substantial threats to their physical and  psychological integrity, as provided for under article 25 of the rules of procedure of the  IACHR.

We would  also  like to appeal  to  your  Excellency’s  Government  to  take all necessary steps to secure the right to freedom of opinion and expression in accordance with fundamental principles as set forth in article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom  of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the  form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”
In addition, we would like to call the attention of your Excellency’s Government to General Comment no. 34 of the Human Rights Committee, which urges States to “put  in place effective measures to protect against attacks aimed at silencing those exercising  their right to freedom of expression”; stresses that under no circumstance “can an attack on a person, because of the exercise of his or her freedom of opinion or expression,  including such forms of attack as arbitrary arrest, torture, threats to life and killing, be compatible with article 19” of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and affirms that “[a]ll such attacks should be vigorously investigated in a timely fashion,  and  the  perpetrators  prosecuted, and  the  victims,  or,  in the  case of killings,  their representatives, be in receipt of appropriate forms of redress”.

We urge your  Excellency’s  Government  to  take all necessary measures  to guarantee that the rights and freedoms of the above mentioned person are respected and, in  the  event  that  your  investigations  support  or suggest  the  above allegations  to  be correct, the accountability of any person responsible of the alleged violations should be ensured. We also request that your Excellency’s Government adopt effective measures to  prevent the recurrence of these acts.
In view of the urgency of the matter, we would appreciate a response on the initial  steps  taken  by your Excellency’s Government  to  safeguard  the  rights  of the  abovementioned person in compliance with the above international instruments.
Moreover,  it is  our  responsibility under  the  mandates  provided  to  us  by the Human Rights Council, to seek to clarify all cases brought to our attention. Since we are expected to report on these cases to the Human Rights Council, we would be grateful for your cooperation and your observations on the following matters, when relevant to the case under consideration:

1. Are the facts alleged in the summary of the case accurate?
2. Has a complaint been lodged by or on behalf of the alleged victim?
3. Please provide the  details,  and  where available  the  results,  of  any investigation, and judicial or other inquiries carried out in relation to this case. If no  inquiries have taken place, or if they have been inconclusive, please explain why.
4. Please provide  the  full  details  of any prosecutions  which  have been undertaken. Have penal, disciplinary or administrative sanctions been imposed on the alleged perpetrators?
5. Please indicate what protective measures have been or will be taken to protect the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Caleb Orozco, in order to ensure that he can exercise his legitimate activities in defence of human rights.

We undertake to ensure that your Excellency’s Government’s response to each of these questions is accurately reflected in the report we will submit to the Human Rights Council for its consideration.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration.

Frank La Rue
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of  opinion and expression

Margaret Sekaggya
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

Gay Rights Activist Physically Attacked

Another Fallen Angel: Susana Romero 07-22-12

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Fallen Angels

Unfortunately, our children continue to be victimized despite continued public outrage and increased police scrutiny and presence. The following was written by Basilio Mes and posted on the Belize Missing Child Emergency Response page. It provides a clear idea of what happened in Susana’s case. Please read and let our voices be heard. Susana needs us to stand up for her and all other victims.

It has been eleven (11) days since Susana Romero of Bella Vista went missing, six (6) days since her body was found about 100 feet away from the Southern Highway and eight (8) days since police have arrested a white man from independence she was last seen with, entering his red pickup truck. So far, police have not charge this man in connection with the murder of Susana Romero. To me there are enough evidences in connection to charge this man with murder.

On the night when Susana went missing, several people in Bella Vista saw this white man driving around the village drinking. One of his stop was at a Bar called “MI AMOR” who tried to seduce the female owner of the bar to go with him that night. She refused. He left behind a Carib Beer Pint at the bar. Second he went to La Mafia Bar where he finally found his victim; Susana Romero. There he left two more Carib Beer Pints at the establishment. Two people at the bar saw when Susana entered the truck with him and drove off. Another witness from a nearby store who is a watchman saw the same as the people at the bar.

What happened thereafter is just everyone’s guess. But what is known is that, Susana’s body was found 5 days later. Her body was already decomposing and to make it more insulting was that the forensic pathologist, Mario Estradabran couldn’t make it on that day to the area. He came 24 hours later. He concluded that because the body was so decomposed he cannot tell what caused her death. Was that because this man doesn’t know what he is doing or was he paid to do so? She was found half nude. She only had her bra and blouse on and were both rolled up. Her breasts were exposed and her lower body was nude, (meaning to say, she had no panty or her pants on). At the crime scene, police found a Carib Beer pint similar to the beer he was seen drinking that night. There were also visible tire at the scene. Police managed to lift up the tire tracks and according to my understanding, it matched one of the front tire of truck that the white man was driving. I also understood that police found some jewelry that she was wearing in his truck.

Isn’t this sufficient evidence to charge him for the murder of this young woman? I also understood that some wealthy people in the area are after the police not to charge him and to release him as this was just another ALIEN. Well let me tell them, it is because these ALIENS that they are wealthy now. They are ones who take advantage of them and underpay them. Shame on them, they should be asking for justice for this young woman.

We the citizens of Independence, Bella Vista and surrounding villages are asking the police to do the right thing. Charge this white man for murder. Do the proper investigation and build up a strong case. We want justice, we want to live in a community where our kids can walk free, can go to school without fear. WE WANT JUSTICE FOR SUSANA ROMERO.

Positively Change a Child’s Life! Restore Belize!

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Hi Readers,

I came across this and I love this idea.  This allows you to effectively make a positive change in child’s life.  Many times circumstances and not ability prevent children from achieving. My only suggestion is that Restore Belize  should have the children,  who are involved in the program, engage in community service efforts such as clean-up and beautification campaigns, hospital visits, help feed the poor  and youth group engaging in positive changes etc.

Please my friends..Please adopt a child.

 

ADOPT-A-STUDENT

Dear Friends,

RESTORE Belize, has recently launched its Adopt-a-Student Programme. The goal of the “Adopt-a-Student” Programme is to engage the wider community in providing Belizean children with the necessary financial and social support to make it successfully through secondary school. International studies indicate that education is one of the greatest mitigating factors against violence. Unfortunately, school participation in Belize has been identified as one of the greatest current social needs in Belize, with nearly 50% of our school-aged population not attending high school.

The “Adopt-a-Student” Programme allows each donor the flexibility to choose the level of giving with which he/she is comfortable. It also allows you to pool together with other friends/family/co-workers to cover all the expenses of a Belizean child. A full description and a detailed breakdown of the cost of educating a Belizean child for one academic year are attached. The Adoption Process works as follows:

The Adoption Process works as follows:

1. Mrs. Tina Cuellar-Augustus, our Human Development Programme Officer, will be the primary liaison officer throughout the adoption period.

2. RESTORE Belize will suggest to you a child that currently is in need of adoption and provide the estimated cost of adoption for the year, with invoices or payment requests provided by the school and an “Adopt-A-Student” Sponsorship Commitment Form for your signature.

3. You can then decide whether you will cover the full cost of the child’s education, including tuition, fees, books, uniform, shoes and incidental expenses. Alternatively, you may choose to cover a particular portion of the education expense (only tuition and fees, or only books) or make a fixed contribution to the overall cost. In the latter two cases, RESTORE Belize will seek complementary funding to ensure that the child’s full educational costs are met.

4. Furthermore, you can choose the time frame of your commitment, whether it is for one year only or until the child completes his/her secondary education. You may choose to adopt for an initial period of one year with the option to renew at the end of the year.

5. You would then advise RESTORE Belize of your chosen level of commitment by completing, signing and submitting the “Adopt-A-Student” Sponsorship Commitment Form.

6. You may then deposit the amount into our “I Am Belize Scholarship” Account and advise us when the payment has been made, or make a payment directly to RESTORE Belize.

7. RESTORE Belize will then make the necessary payments to the school and send you copies of the receipts received from the schools, bookstores, or other service provider, once the required amounts have been paid. Please note that it sometimes takes a couple of months to complete the payments, especially for the books, which may not all be available at the start of the school year.

8. You will receive mid and end of semester reports on the child (children) you have adopted.

9. You may also chose to become more involved socially with the child by becoming a mentor for him/her, through which you can serve as a positive role model for the student, by engaging with him/her in various social activities and providing general guidance based on the student’s needs. You will be able to indicate your interest in mentorship on the Sponsorship Commitment Form.

Thank you for your consideration this request. We hope that you will partner with us to support our Belizean children. Please contact us if you are interested in joining this programme as a student sponsor.

Warm regards,

Luwani F. Cayetano luwani@restorebelize.gov.bz<mailto:luwani@restorebelize.gov.bz>
Resource Mobilization Coordinator

See Flyer RESTOREBelizeAdoptaStudent

The Belmopan Humane Society is having a Social

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See Flyer: BULLFROG social July 2012 flyer

ANIMAL LOVERS UNITE

 Where: The Bull Frog Inn, Bmp

When: Thursday, July 19 (Add it to your calendar so you dont forget)

Time: 6-10 pm

Come and enjoy a social and informative get together. All are welcome. There will be raffle, cash bar, full menu and guest speaker.

 

Contact information:

Belmopan Humane Society

Tel: 822 0176 / 602 7947

email: belmopanhumane@yahoo.com

website: www.belmopanhumanesociety.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/belmopanhumanesociety

Membership fees to Join the Humane Society: $20.00 per adult; $10.00 per child; $5.00 for dog ID tags. 

 

 

 

Think Pink and Buy a Beanie!!!!!

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Cute Kitty Beanies

Here are pictures of the finished products y’all! I asked Kimmy to custom design these as gifts for my god daughters, cousins and neices 😉 Cute right? And allllll for a good cause of Cancer Awareness. for every beanie you buy from KCB Custom Crochet, Kim Longsworth Black will donate $5 to the Belize Cancer Center Dangriga.

Read more about Kim: https://twocanview.com/2012/05/10/kimberly-christine-longsworth-black-featured-artist-05-10-12/

Don’t forget that Real Men Wear Pink! Custom design one for your man! Join our efforts to spread awareness and support our  First Lady in establishing the Belize Cancer Center Dangriga. https://twocanview.com/2012/05/09/buy-a-beanie-and-support-breast-cancer-awareness-kim-for-kim/

Check out the available beanies here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.355307514529895.79321.162552987138683&type=3

 

 

The Jim Jones Kool Aid by: Aria Lightfoot

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The rhetoric of any organization to promote their agenda is expected except of course when the agenda is fraught with dubious intentions.  As a society I find that we Belizeans are gullible, forgiving and downright too trusting of strangers, except when it is our own people! How many people will it take to screw over Belizeans before we develop an innate sense of distrust and begin questioning as opposed to simply accepting?

Lately several prominent church leaders have been tacitly making statements to garner public opinion.  One that really caught my eye was equating secularism to religion.  To the casual eye that may mean absolutely nothing, but when you start digging into the organization and association of who are making these statements, you get a nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach as the agenda of these leaders become evident. (More on that theory later)  When someone compares secularism to religion, they are saying that religion has an equal place as secularism.  Secularism is the belief that civil policy (government business) should be conducted without the introduction of a religious element.  It is the theory of separation of church and state.

Why would church leaders want to introduce the Bible into government? Sounds like a great idea right? I mean Belize is a God fearing country and what is wrong in letting God decide what is good for us with the guidance of the Church leaders?  Well here is the problem. It is estimated that there are over 38,000 versions of Christianity which does not even take into consideration other religions and their differing versions.  Each religion believes their interpretation of the Bible, Koran, and Torah etc.  is true.  Each religion believes they are the only true path to God. Let us not forget the terrible incidences with religious fanaticism where thousands have died following behind some charismatic leader such as David Koresh, Jim Jones , Osama Bin Laden and a few other nut cases.

The idea of separation of church and state was borne from the pursuit of religious freedom.  Pilgrims (initially) and Jews  left Europe in droves running away from the strong and many times brutal and unforgiving control of the Catholic Church.  When they decided to form what is now the United States of America, they did not want to recreate a country where one religion dominated the thoughts and actions of everyone. They wanted the ability to worship freely without the state dictating whose God was the right God.

When people try to sell me religion in a forceful manner and dictate their righteousness on me, I instantly become suspicious of that person’s true relationship with Jesus.  Being a Christian is trying to replicate the life of Jesus.  I have never read anywhere where Jesus was ever on a pulpit damning anyone to a fiery pit. In fact throughout the Bible, Jesus on many occasions challenged the status quo on the treatment of sinners, reached out to his enemies and declared that God was not for one chosen race.   The only time in the bible when Jesus showed any aggression was towards the church and some of their leaders.  Many people can quote Bible verses but have no true grasp of the man they claim to follow. They quote controversial Leviticus verses calling for the death of sinners, especially gay sinners but fail to see that following Leviticus today would render them in jail or the mental asylum. So who is more important to you as a Christian, the words of Jesus or the words of Leviticus?

So my natural curiosity led me down a path of trying to examine the man who is creating such religious awakening in Belize. I always find it interesting when a young man would leave a first world country and move to a “third world country” such as Belize with his entire family. A man called Jim Jones did something similar when he moved to Guyana.   I began to ask about Scott Stirm, a native of Waco Texas. (hmmm sounds eerily similar to another fanatic).

Scott is affiliated with a Ministry in the US called Extreme Prophetic Ministries.  Patricia King in the following video describes Scott Stirm as their “missionary in Central America, Belize” and called him a “prophet and wonderful intercessor:  see Prophet .  David Koresh was also called a prophet.  There is nothing troubling about this video until you start to examine who Patricia King, the speaker is.

Patricia King belongs to this ministry in the United States called Extreme Prophetic Ministries that reportedly is a part of the hardcore Seven Mountains Dominionism movement, which is also linked to the New Apostolic Reformation movement.  Seven Mountains dominionism seeks to place Christians in control over the seven forces that shape and control our culture: (1) Business; (2) Government; (3) Media; (4) Arts and Entertainment; (5) Education; (6) Family; and (7) Religion.    I want my readers to grasp the order of which this is placed; business first and then government.  Are they attempting “shape and control” Belize?  Do you see any hard core personalities in the media today affiliated with Stirm? Didn’t they recently pressure the Minister of Education in his educational materials?    I also read somewhere that Stirm is training a radical new set of Christians. Radical means favoring drastic political…reforms.   Seven Mountains theology, believes that Jesus “doesn’t come back until He’s accomplished the dominion of nations.”  And the way “dominion of nations” is accomplished is by having Christians gain control of these “seven mountains” in order to install a “virtual theocracy” overseen by “true apostles” who will fight Satan and his Antichrist agenda.” Explain to me again how they are preserving Belizean culture by this advocacy?  Who will be these true apostles running the new theocracy of Belize?

Additionally Patricia King has a reputation in Arizona for going to morgues and trying to raise the dead. Yes Raise the Dead! Check it out: Raised from the Dead   Yikes…Nothing strikes me as crazy as the lady who believes she has Jesus power!  She also makes a lot of infomercials and peddles the word of God for profit.  Selling God.  If you are buying God, they will sell it.  I still cannot grasp how the established churches in Belize are part of this nightmare!  Shame on the Catholic and Anglican Churches!

I also found a long winded piece called Time and Eternity (which is about how long it takes to read it) at Time and Eternity . The writer was impressed with Scott Stirm and describes Stirm as someone who “ had given up drugs, booze and living on the wild side a little over two years earlier as a sophomore in high school. Scott had “given his life to the Lord”.”   Obviously he didn’t descend from sainthood.  Please know that I am not judging him, I mean we all make mistakes and fall short of God’s Grace.  However, I believe Belizeans need to know they are part of a bigger agenda that is borne out of the Ministry where the crazy lady tries to raise the dead and calls Stirm their prophet.

Finally Lauren Jacoby gives her account of visiting Belize in her blog. In her blog she boasts of Stirm power in Belize as “key leader in Belize” and having contact with thousands of pastors in Belize (we have thousands of pastors?)  and Belmopan being the spiritual hub of Belize?  Whoa..Spiritual hub? What snake oil are they selling people? (see blog )  Whatever they are selling, they have done a great job of selling it in Belize.

So convincing is this movement in Belize that even the original bullshitters, the politicians of both parties, made testimonials about their commitment to God.   Stirm have incited debate and incited fear and hate. They are steering the “Christians” to selectively battle the “abomination” of homosexuality while ignoring the other 50 abominations plaguing Belize.  Wake up Belize, this agenda has nothing to do with homosexuality. They just knew that waving the homo flag in a homophobic country of ours would blind us to their true agenda.  They got the prominent churches, politicians, attorneys, many well intentioned citizens in such a state of fear that they have joined a misguided agenda. A lie is dependent on the innocence of the believer. However, with all the news of church leaders using and misusing faithful believers, I find our blinding faith incredulous bordering on stupidity.

I will be the first to say we have been hoodwinked, tricked, deceived and there is a bigger agenda at play. The Jubilee Ministries of Scott Stirm is connected to Patricia King, a self-proclaimed dead raiser, who seeks to control Belize via the seven forces.  Have fun drinking the Jim Jones kool aid Belizeans but know that sweet taste in your mouth is poison!

Jackee Burns breaks the status quo “silence” by: Aria Lightfoot

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Jackee Burns- Picture taken a day before her violent rape

Belize has a well-known secret that is an uncomfortable truth to talk about.  Many women are victims of child sexual predators and rape. It is estimated that one in four women are victims of sexual abuse.  After writing my piece about Jasmine Lowe, several people shared their personal abuse experiences with me.  Fayemarie shared her personal experience on Twocanview.armchair-psychologists-why-he-is-not-a-monster-by-fayemarie-anderson-carter-ma

The nameless and faceless victims shared stories of well-respected men in the society who fondled and abused them. They shared stories of family members, neighbors, shopkeepers and strangers who were never brought to light or prosecuted for their deviancy because they either never came forward or when they did, those who should protect them preferred to pretend the abuse never happened.   Belize has unknowingly and unfortunately created an inviting culture for vultures and predators to thrive while sexual abuse becomes taboo and shameful for the victim.  Every night in Belize some child has “dark shadows” lurking in their bedrooms.

My story today is a powerful survivor named Jackee Burns, a teacher in Belmopan.  She shared her traumatic and chilling experiences first as a child and then as an adult victim of a violent rape.  She finally opened up to her mother knowing she was telling me this story.  She feels that each time she shares her story, a part of her continues to heal within.

Jackee Burns is a respected teacher and has a compelling story to tell.  She in her own way is fighting the status quo of silence and emerging as a trusted entity for victims. Jackee endured two traumatic experiences in her life, one as a five year old child who was unable to articulate her experiences when she was violated by her very own uncle and another violent rape as a young adult charting out in her new life.

At the age of five years old, Jackee’s dad moved in his younger 13 year brother into his home.  The house was a modest house with three bedrooms and a family of seven.  Jackee’s teenage uncle slept in the living room on a cot. He did not stay there all the time, but when he did, she recalls a dark shadow entering her bedroom and lifting up her dress and fondling her.  As a young child she could not express what was happening to her and would not even open her eyes during the experience.  She recalls crying and the shadow would disappear.   She also has broken memories of being locked in a bedroom with her teenage uncle and remembering white substances on the sheet of the bed which she now knows was semen.

Jackee started complaining to her parents of a ghost that would come touch her from under her bed and so her father started to check in on her to make sure she would be okay. He would come in and make sure she fell asleep.   One fateful night, her uncle entered her room and was caught in the act by her father. Her father severely beat up his brother as Jackee recalls blood on the wall, and kicked him out the house.  Her father protected her by avoiding family members and never putting her in the situation again, however, it was never discussed. She was never asked the details of what happened.  Her own grandmother to this day refuses to believe the story.

Years later, Jackee viewed sex with shame. She recalls her first voluntary sexual experience and learning she was not a virgin. It was a devastating experience because it confirmed to her that at the tender age of five years old, Jackee was in fact raped by her uncle. In the U.S he would still be prosecutable. In Belize I am not sure how a victim can reclaim her power over her perpetrator.  We do not know if he is a child predator today. We do not know what deviancy continues to linger within him. He represents one of maybe hundreds of deviants walking around.  What became of this troubled young man?  He became a respected and published author who places himself in Jackee’s home as a teenager in his book. I perused his Facebook page and saw one picture with a young child in bathing suit. It concerns me when I see such predators in positions of trust around children.

Most children are resilient and many block such traumatic experiences.  Jackie I am sure completely pushed her abuse into the back of her mind.  It is the resiliency and survivorship of the human spirit that allows us to function in the face of very distressing experiences in our lives.  It is this spirit that Jackie carries within her as she is introduced to another type of predator, a predator that is violent, deadly and unforgiving.

Jackee decided to pursue a career in teaching. At the age of 21 years old, Jackee was now living in Corozal and was a popular teacher and enjoying her career.  On October 13, 2000 she met Peter Augustine for the first time. Peter Augustine was a well-known criminal and was only released from prison a week before.

In Jackee’s own words:

“I never knew Peter Augustine before, never even seen him ever. I lived in Corozal and was a very popular high school teacher at Corozal Community.  This was my forth year up there. I had a sweet lil house and prior to this year I had always had roommates.  Anyway, the morning of October 13, 2000, I got up and did some laundry. I got up around 5:30am. By 6:30 I went to the back door to put out the clothes. I had a bucket on the side porch.  I was pinning out one piece at a time and returning to the bucket for every new piece of clothing.  I wasn’t there very long and the back door near where I stood was ajar.

It seems that Peter Augustine hopped over the verandah and went inside when my back was turned.  When I went inside, he approached me. At first, I thought I was imagining him. I could not understand why a stranger was in my house.  I screamed and he placed a knife at my throat. I told him he could take whatever he wanted, just please don’t hurt me.  He didn’t answer me.  He started to pull me towards the bedroom and I understood what his intentions were.  I started to fight him, I bit him. I got cut in my hand as I held on to the knife fighting him. He punched me on my left cheek and I still continued to fight. He choked me by placing his thumbs on my neck. I started to lose consciousness and I eventually saw black and passed out.

When I woke up it was to the sound of my bed sheets being torn. He used it to tie my hands behind my back and blindfold me.  At this time I was having my period and that didn’t stop him.  He got on top of me and was having sex with me.  Even though I was blind folded, I saw a nipple ring on him. I disassociated from what was happening to me. I felt like I was watching him doing this to someone else. I mentally blocked out what was happening to me.  I believed he was in my home for about an hour.  When he was through, he took my jewelry. I thought he was going to kill me.   A student who lived behind my house came to the door and called my name repeatedly.  She saw my bathroom lights on and thought I was in the shower.  I pretended to be passed out so that he would not find it necessary to kill me. I heard the footsteps on the ground, he unlocked my door, which he had to have locked and he left.  When I was sure he was gone, I went to the front door with my hands still tied behind my back.  I had to open the door with my hands tied, I shouted to the student to run and I ran to my neighbor, an old couple in only t-shirts and they called the police.

Peter Augustine was arrested a few minutes after I arrived at the hospital in possession of my jewelry, with the bite mark on his shoulder and my blood all over him. My face was badly beaten and even today it still hurts. My lip has a permanent scar.”

Unfortunately, Jackee’s horrifying experience does not end there.  She relocated to her hometown of Belmopan.  A year later, she had to endure the criminal trial, which was done publicly.  She had to recount her story to a packed courtroom. She was crossed examined by the defendant. She said every time he said her name, she hated him more. She had to recount her entire sexual history in front of curious strangers; she also had to reveal her physical address to the court and defendant.  She was emotionally distraught by the entire ordeal.  She could not bear to stay for the outcome of the trial and later learned he was given 15 years in prison.  He only has three more years left on his 15 year sentence.

Peter Augustine escaped from prison after his incarceration which caused Jackee to fall to pieces because her address was publicly announced in the court case.   Peter Augustine was eventually recaptured in a village near Chetumal.  In that same village a girl was found raped and murdered however, he was never connected to the crime even though he was the only stranger in the village at the time.  There are no denying Jackee lives in fear knowing Peter Augustine will be released in three short years.  She says he gloats to people about raping a teacher and is rumored to have sodomized his cell mate in prison.

Jackee wants other victims to know that there is nothing wrong with them and they will survive.  It took Jackee a while to overcome her abuse and confront it.  She speaks to her students and tries to formulate support groups for rape victims but notes most people want to forget and move on. She sits with numerous rape victims who confide their pain in her.  One girl confided in her that she hated Christmas because she must associate with the men in her family that raped her.  Jackee welcomes anyone who wishes to discuss their personal pain with her.

There are many people who remain uncomfortable with this subject.  Jackee urges parents to speak openly to kids about sex. Teach them good and bad touches. Be a source for your children to run to. However it doesn’t end there. Our system must find a better way to protect the citizens of Belize. There must be a sexual predator website that tracks these predators when they are unleashed back into society.  Victims must be accommodated to tell their story. Their addressese should remain confidential. Our society must remove the shame placed on victims and reassign the shame to the perpetrator.  Our society need to start seriously monitoring men dating children under 18 years of age, even communities who have traditionalized pedophilia.

We must create a safe society for all our citizens especially our children and we must develop a social conscience and be protectors.  How can anyone ever truly claim to be a survivor when the society keeps people in victim status?  Unfortunately I was unable to find a picture of Peter Augustine, but be very uneasy that in three years a violent predator will be released back into society and there is no law stopping it and no picture to show you who he is!

Jackee’s Poems:

Pervert

He wrote about a time

I had long since buried

Six feet under

My sad horrific memories

His writing exumed

Buried memories

From the depths of hell

Where I thought

They coud never be dug up

But he resurrected

The stomach churning evil

That he did to me

He lifted my skirt

When I was a baby

And spoke adult language

To my innocent mind

In his dirty nasty language

Making his ugly body

Reveal itself

To my horrified eyes

His breath insulted my cheek

His smell chafed my stomach

His touch burnt my skin

How could this man be my kin

He hushed my objections

And covered my frightened eyes

With his huge hands

That covered my entire face

He ripped away

The pure white lace

And tore me to shreds

Now he is that monster

That vile monster

Who I cannot even

Look in the face

And now he dare writes

With enthusiasm and fun

About a time when

He lived in my daddie’s home

As if he does not recall

The ghastly deeds

He has done

I hate him

I have buried him

And I dont want him

Anywhere around me

 

Unwanted and uninvited

Bang! Bang!

The judge registered

Finality with his gavel

Pounding the end

Of the hearing i had to endure

15 years he got

15 years of free food

A guaranteed bed

He doesnt have to worry

His stomach will be fed

While I, his victim

Am traumatized and haunted

With a lifetime of nightmares

A lifetime of him

Haunting my days and my nights

Coming into my home

Unwanted and uninvited

Icy cold stares

In his strange eyes

Told me his temptations

And as my piercing scream

Eminated in goosebumps

All over my skin

And registered the

Metal blade

He palced at my throbbing throat

I saw my life

In flashes in front of

My scared eyes

Yes, I fought him

I sunk my teeth

In his steel muscles

And with all my fear

I bit in wid all my life

But he retaliated

And I saw stars

And felt the trickle

Of sticky blood ooze

Before darkness crept

Over me and wrapped me

In its tight bondage

Then gone I was

From my conscious self

As he invaded me

Entering unwanted and uninvited

I took back myself

I took back my power

And said he cannot

Have any part of me

That I am unwilling to offer

So as he entered flesh

In and out

My mind shut him out

Though I felt emotional distate

I looked from afar

As he hurt a body

But could not touch a soul

 

“Belize ”Boosts” School Attendance and Access to Financial Services for the Poor” : The World Bank

/ Twocanview LLC / 1 Comment

The deal is simple: vaccinate your children, send them to school; and, if you are pregnant, visit your public health center, regularly starting with the first 12 weeks. In exchange, the BOOST Program will give you a monthly allowance between BZ$44 and BZ$82 (US$22 – US$41) per person, up to a maximum of six per household.

The BOOST program, which stands for Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation, provides small cash assistance to poor households subject to specific conditions.

A little over a year in operation, it already reaches 3,177 households (12.5% of all Belize poor households) and over 8,600 people, which represents about 6% of the poor population.

Despite the recent launch of the BOOST Program (February 2011), some of its current features already match or surpass best practices in the world. Recorded school attendance for children included in the program is at 97.3% (3238 of 3328 students, May 2012).

Thanks to this program, Rosario Chub from Punta Gorda, Toledo, is able to provide for the basic needs of her children and keep them in school.  “The Program is good. It is helping people. I am doing a lot with this little money. Now the children have shoes, food and uniforms.”

The program has also been positively received among school principals. Rossana Briceño, principal of St Peter’s Anglican School in Orange Walk, said that “at the end of the day, the kids are doing better.  Absenteeism is a lot less, and I see these children now and they want to come to school.”

I am doing a lot with this little money. Now the children have shoes, food and uniforms.

Rosario  Chub BOOST beneficiary

The program features a differentiated payment structure by grade and gender, to address relatively high drop-out rates for boys. These are added incentives to complete standard grades and advance into secondary education.

Access to bank services

The BOOST Program is also supporting poor households in accessing financial services, such as savings and micro-loans as a first step towards their financial independence.

BOOST is expanding membership of credit unions, and strengthening the savings and productive investment potential of beneficiary households. At present, 81% of the program beneficiaries receive safe, secure transfers at zero cost through the credit unions.

“I am now a member of the credit union and I want to start saving money for the children”, says Rosario Chub, who, like other beneficiaries, has also increased her access to saving and other financial services.

“The BOOST Program has achieved a level of financial inclusion of program beneficiaries that far exceeds similar programs that have been in operation for 15 years”,  said Rogelio Gomez Hermosillo, the former Director of the Oportunidades Program in Mexico, which reaches 30 million households.

In fact, a new report by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) finds a much higher rate of beneficiaries with access to bank services in BOOST than in the two largest conditional cash transfer programs in the region, at 43% in Brazil and 25% in Mexico.

The first step of a larger movement

For the past two years, the World Bank has provided technical assistance to support the design of the BOOST Program, including knowledge exchanges with conditional cash transfer experts from Jamaica and Mexico.

The new phase of technical assistance aims to provide flexible support to address the central operational challenges of the Program and make recommendations on different approaches to strengthen program operations.

“The BOOST Program represents a significant step forward to develop a smart social safety net that promotes human capital growth, savings, and productive investments by poor households, but it is only the first step of a larger movement that is needed to strengthen the quality and accountability of social spending in Belize,” says Sarah Berger Gonzalez, World Bank Social Protection Specialist.

Despite the advances, operational challenges remain, resulting from the rapid ramp-up, limited financing and small number of program personnel. Limited financial envelopes have resulted in the number of qualified, eligible households exceeding enrolment by 30%.

Other challenges include the need to strengthen communication of program objectives and responsibilities, coordination of actions across ministries, and monitoring of information to assess program impacts.

Source: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/2012/06/28/belize-boosts-schoool-attendance-and-acces-to-financial-services-for-the-poor

Here is a discussion of the program when the PM was interviewed by Twocanview. https://twocanview.com/2012/03/26/an-interview-with-the-prime-minister-of-belize-by-aria-lightfoot-and-fayemarie-anderson-carter/