Daily Dingleberry by Fayemarie A Carter

So toucans eat insects, eggs, lizards and berries EXCEPT dingleberries. Everyday, we would like to share some kind of pet peeve or annoyance we experience as we engage with others in political discourse. This way, we can address them without detracting from the posts we make or allow hecklers to derail us unto some tangent. Hopefully, some of you will share your pet peeves and annoyances too :)

Another Victim of Vehicular Homicide Just Buried Under Complacency And Old School Bullshit by Fayemarie Anderson Carter

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Ken Emmanuel

Ken Emmanuel was one of them, a Police Constable who risked his life in service to his people everyday. But instead of justice being sought for his death, the “good old boys club” is wielding its influence and he is just another dead black boy not worth worrying about. I mean who is going to demand justice in his name? His dad and his mom are already dead. I don’t know where his granny, Ms. Gwennie is or even if she is alive still…He’s just a no count nobody right? After all, this Mr. Carlos Santos is a pillar of the community. Everybody loooooves him. He is such nice man.

I didn’t want to have to talk about this because when it comes to Kenny, his life has always been difficult and I knew that it would just bring back a flood of memories and feelings. You see, Kenny is my cousin. I was there when his mother Arlene Kuylen met his father. She was a tragic figure herself, an illegitimate child for my Uncle Eric Kuylen, (he died during my 4th and my brother’s 1st joint birthday party) being raised with her brother “AK”by our spinster Aunt Olive Kuylen. She was brown and poor; her cousins, rich and white. When I was three, we went to live with them while my father studied in Jamaica.  I was the passport when she went to meet Kenny’s father. She would tell my aunt that she was taking me for a “walkabout” when really she was meeting him. She was giggly and happy, in love. When she got pregnant, I was there stroking her hair as she cried because my aunt was yelling and cussing. I remember her squeezing me so tight I couldn’t breathe but I didn’t dare tell her because I loved her so much. (Yes, I do have memories from waaay back…I remember crawling on the black and white floors in the house in Jamaica. It can be a curse and a blessing.)

But of course, everyone got over it and Kenny was Christmas and random visits in the evening on the farm. His father died when Kenny was very young from complications of diabetes. They moved away and the visits became far and few. But that didn’t mean we didn’t know about Kenny. We all worried about Kenny because his step father was a very violent man. A few times, Arlene would run to us to get away from him. But she would go back so we tried to be there for Kenny even if indirectly. She and my mom were very close so that eventually when she moved to Belize City, my mom was able to get her a job working for her uncle at HL’s Burger. When I was in sixth form I would visit her and get my $2 burger. My paternal grandmother made sure she sent Kenny clothes and shoes and of course, candy. Bless her heart. When Kenny was 17, he met us again and it was like the first time because he did not remember us at all. He was ecstatic to find out who “his people” were. He went to the cayes and got to be a “Kuylen” for the first time in his life.

We lost contact after that because we moved out of the country so all we knew was the violent deaths of his mother and sister. It’s funny how murder can separate rather than bring you together but that is what happened. We drifted apart because of the pain…and Kenny went on to live his own life, we, ours.

And now this.

I don’t want to unfairly accuse Mr. Carlos Santos if this truly was an accident and he really did get blinded by the light and hit Kenny. If that is all to it then so be it. What I don’t want is a shitty investigation because Mr. Carlos Santos is a prominent member of his community and married to George Price’s niece. Rumours are flying about that he wasn’t even driving; that his daughter was and he is taking the blame. Another rumour is that he was drinking and driving….

I don’t “know” this…it is “yeriso”. But I am putting you people on notice. He deserves only the most thorough investigation done on his behalf. He was a police officer for god’s sake. One of you. It is what you do as brothers and sisters in this very special family. And while it is sad that an old man is the offender, if he were negligent or if he is lying on behalf of his daughter, they both need to be charged. Kenny was a person, a human being. He had family who loved him his whole life. He mattered.

R.I.P. Kenny

Links to Kenny’s story:

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/71489

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=22665&frmsrch=1

http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=12652

Daily Dingleberry 06-13-12 YAY!!! We Made Top 10! Awww Man! It’s Top 10 MOST HATED

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Ok. So some journalist named Jordan Rane from CNNGo, made a list about top 10 most hated cities in the world. It included Los Angeles, California (United States), Paris, France??? and Sydney and Melbourne, Australia?????

What was said about Belize City was fair but I really could argue that there are worst cities fuh real….and maybe we would make the top 20 then? LOL Anyway, the mayor didn’t like it all especially since the article was published right when he had to talk about his first 100 days in office. Tough climate, right?

Rather than get mad and defensive, remember the author did say that worse than being on this list is being irrelevant and talked about at all…I guess even bad press is good press? Here’s the excerpt form the article in CNNGo:

10. Belize City, Belize

 

hated cities belize

Hate Belize? No no no. I’d just prefer to be somewhere else.

 
Few tropical outposts less than a three-hour flight from Dallas have spawned as many alluring Sunday travel section taglines as Belize — a diving and cruise ship magnet that has been dubbed “Central America Lite,” “theother Caribbean” and “the gateway to the world’s second largest barrier reef.”

With all that warm press and tourist traffic passing through, you’d expect Belize City to have kicked its nagging reputation as the sorriest port o’ call on either edge of the Caribbean.

Crime. Drugs. Dilapidation. Welcoming committees of bored, desperate touts. A vibe that screams avoid-being-out-after-dark-and-wait-for-your-real-itinerary-to-begin. Belize City has it all.

When your own Director of Tourism owns that Belize’s main transport hub is “consistently rated as the worst destination” among cruise passengers, something more than the city’s famous swing bridge may need adjusting.

Until then, it’s full speed to the puddle jumpers and water taxis.

Link to full article: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/most-hated-cities-861160

I don’t know about you but isn’t that the strangest picture they picked to represent Belize City???? Aye…So the following is the Mayor‘s rebuttal on Channel 7 Belize:

Mayor Says Belize City Is Loveable, Not Most Hated
posted (June 12, 2012)

Last night we told you about the list that appeared on CNN-Go’s website. IT placed Belize city at spot number ten on the list of most hated cities in the world. Well, to be fair that list included Los Angeles, Paris, France, and Sydney Australia.But, no matter what, the Mayor of Belize city says he doesn’t like it one bit and challenges the writer to actually visit Belize.

Darrell Bradley – Mayor, Belize City Council
“I think that these types of websites that do these articles are very unfair. Councilor Espejo brought to my attention the person who is the author of the site has never visited Belize, so how can you make an assessment as to the quality of life of a city if you haven’t even gone there. I give no credit to that article. I can tell people that I lived in Belize City for all my life and ask somebody who lives in Belize City what their experience in Belize City has been.”

“I have also been told by councilor Espejo who is a member of the BTB Board of Director that BTB will extend an invitation to this woman to come to Belize – to see what Belize is really like and to speak to residence of Belize City and to get an experience for herself so that she is then able to make an accurate report and she is able to say having had firsthand knowledge of what being in Belize City is like.”

“I don’t give any credit to anything like that if you have not come to our city.”

No word yet on whether the writer has accepted the invitation.

Link to story: http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=22683

 

 

Daily Dingleberry 06-11-12 Don’t Hang Capital Punishment On This Little Girl

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While I absolutely understand and appreciate the public’s reaction to the case of Jasmine Lowe, I feel the need to caution those of you hollerin’ about “Hang them!” “Bring back capital punishment” “Flog these monsters in the town square!”.That is an “end to the story” consideration…there is so much we have to do to get there.

The Jasmine Lowe case is about firstly, cultural issues. We have to address the fact that girls are extremely vulnerable in our society because of many issues surrounding how parents talk to their children about predators, sex, violence, self defense. We continuously treat sexual abuse and violence against women and children as taboo and “not my business”. The victims are avoided and shunned while the abusers continue to hold their position in society and walk around free.

Secondly, it is about immigration issues. Our communities have changed dramatically because of the influx of immigrants. Someone pointed out that half of our cab drivers are immigrants. That means that we don’t know our neighbours anymore and as such, there must be other ways to ensure safety.

Which brings me to the third point. We have to stop accepting archaic laws and stop fighting attempts to modernize our laws and policies. I understand that the issue of registering/licensing cabs/drivers was already addressed and that it was met with refusal and outright defiance. The cab drivers cited cost as their main reason.

This brings me to my fourth point: we need to stop being so damned MYOPIC. Yes that was one aspect of changing the law: cost to the cab drivers BUT did you consider that it is a public safety issue? We have to be able to accurately identify “friendlys” from enemies and predators.  And Jasmine’s case clearly points to how children become victims but what about the elderly? tourists? and the cab drivers themselves who are exposed to danger when criminals use them to commit crimes disposing of them when they are finished? If there were better tracking devices/practices we can deter people from victimizing cab drivers themselves and when they do it anyway, we can better pin point who is the responsible criminal.

Along these same lines: why do we always find reasons to NOT do something? When Mary K Cariddi proposed the Jasmine Taxi Law, people attacked it for all kinds of reasons and yes there are valid considerations BUT the underlying message was: “why bother trying? It will never pass.”  Well crap! If you think like this? Sure it wont get passed! Nothing wrong with examining obstacles BUT only if your intent is to find ways around them….That was NOT what I saw happening…What I want us to do from now on is appreciate someone’s good intentions. Stop nit picking things to death and find ways to OVERCOME limitations. Stop being so negative and narrow minded. That is why Belize is stagnating swamp of a place…our goddamned attitude.

So then…here’s the fifth point: Jasmine Lowe’s case is about INVESTIGATIVE PROTOCOL. We can’t talk about bringing back capital punishment when we can’t even collect evidence, determine cause of death, arrest a suspect, prosecute him/her then finally get to the sentencing part???????? HOLY JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH! For me, the salient point to alllllll of this outcry about Jasmine is: We have been sold a bill of goods. We were told that we could hope for justice because we have a police force dedicated to its job of protecting and serving. BUT that just wasn’t true and the friggin powers tht be knew it ALLLLLLLL along. The main character in any investigation into any violent crime is your goddamned medical examiner…and this mudderfucker has been giving us NOTHING for years. You can’t convict anybody without proof people!

I am stunned  that this injustice has been perpetuated for decades…and I will accuse the entire justice system, any and everybody who works in it of being an accomplice. No wonder defense lawyers have such an easy time getting off alllll their friggin clients?! And shame on you for letting it go on….lawyers, police, magistrates…you all knew something was wrong and you didn’t address it…Anyway…now it’s out…and we need him out…so I need your help…You owe us…

Which brings me to my final point: YOU WORK FOR US. ALL OF YOU HAVE A JOB BECAUSE OF ‘WE THE PEOPLE”.

This divide between law enforcement and the public has to be bridged. The public is afraid of you, does not trust you and with good reason. We feel hopeless and frustrated with the dismissive way we are treated by the police. There are many stories of abuse and misconduct. I have been through it myself and it is awful. Even when citizens are trying to do their duty, you make it so difficult. You have taught us not to depend on you and you are cultivating a culture of vigilante justice.

So I hope I have made my point very clear: Jasmine Lowe is NOT about capital punishment….so please stop yellin about it….now is not the time…I know you are angry and feel this is an answer but at this point, it is only detracting from getting real solutions to the real problems…

Daily Dingleberry 06-09-12 Just when Mary K Cariddi Was Talking Me Off The Soapbox, THIS ISH HAPPENS!

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Ok…so Mary K Cariddi or Aunt Kathy to me, sort of “put me to rights” yesterday when I decried the incompetence of our police force. She was quick to point out that there are many good, honest, “want to do the right thing” police officers out there who can’t because they lack training, leadership and proper funding/resources. I agreed because that is true and I wasn’t actually talking about individual police officers. I was talking about the whole system. Ok so we came to that place where we could both see that we were on the same page.

BUT THEN……..

I read the transcript from Channel 7 News and my ire went right back up. Sorry Aunt Kath but I do have to go after an individual police officer and yes I know that he is not all etc……

Reporter
“With respect to speculations; the girl may have been rape. That was also inconclusive as well?”

 

Senior Superintendent Chester Williams
“Yes that was also inconclusive but I doubt pretty much that she was rape because I don’t see a rapist raping a child and then putting back on her clothes so perfectly because her clothes was totally intact. It doesn’t seem to have been tampered with. I am not saying that she was not rape but I doubt she was.”


 

 

HOW CAN HE SAY ANY OF THIS WITHOUT SOLID FUCKIN FORENSIC PROOF????? O wait..WE DON’T HAVE ANY!!!!!!

Look Mistah Senior Superintendent Chestah Williams…I have no doubt that you are sincere and that you mean well but pretty please…don’t speculate. People are very angry and worried and fear for the safety of their children. Don’t come on here with no real evidence and give false hope, ok? And the powers that be, please train these people to know what t say and what not to say?!

Aye Yai Yai…..breathing…..

For full transcript: http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=22649

 

How To Comment On Twocanview 06-08-12

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It’s ok to register!

Many who read our blog would like the opportunity to comment and participate in discussion around our articles BUT are hesitant to  register at WordPress. We understand. However, the reason WordPress and many other sites require email addresses is because of butt munch spammers out there who send out computer generated ids to spread viruses or just bomb your site with their unsolicited crap.

SO please sign in and let your voices be heard. You can remain anonymous if you wish. We don’t see your emails and won’t be spamming you with anything.

 

THANKS!

Twocanview,

Aria Lightfoot

Fayemarie Anderson Carter

Daily Dingleberry: WTF????? 06-08-12

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No hero here

Yesterday when I was reading various posts decrying the incompetence of those in charge of investigating Jasmine Lowe’s death, I reserved judgement. I was hesitant to believe the flat out craziness of the reports. I really didn’t want to be a part of yet another instance where people exploit a tragedy to make political statements in  attempt to malign the government.  BUT THEN, I wake up this morning and Aria Lightfoot had written an article backing up everything everyone else had already said yesterday.

There are no words. My stomach hurts and words are swimming in my head, my emotions too big to manage. I want to scream and cry and curse and hit and pound my fists. How the hell did this happen? We are NOT this fucked up right? We just cant be! I mean shit! Anyone with the smallest bit of understanding/intelligence and observational skills can deduce simple, basic things that need to be done in an investigation. Do you not watch tv??? AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINED! WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS!

What do you mean you didn’t make molds of the tire tracks? What do you mean you walked all over the scene? What do you mean you didn’t take fingernail scrapings? A DNA SAMPLE????

Seriously people…it is one thing to have tragedy hit home but when you can’t even depend on seeking justice, much less getting it…how can we not expect people to take matters into their own hands? I do not advocate violence but my goodness! This is a perfect storm!

Shame on you! Shame on the Police Department! Shame on all of us for letting this happen! I call for a serious investigation into whoever was part of this and demand that they are fired. This shit has to stop. NOW! Prosecute them for criminal negligence. This is not funny and should not go unpunished.

And Jasmine, I’m so sorry.

I pledge to do my part to help undo the gross negligence in this case in order that we do not allow this child’s memory to be dishonoured. Who is with me?

Daily Dingleberry 06-05-12 No Jubilee Fuh Me

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We cut off the hand the could have fed us.

England is celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years of rule with a grand show of pageantry and seemingly genuine sentiments of gratitude and pride. I’m going to say something that is NOT going to be popular but I have long held this opinion, even as a child. One could accuse me of being influenced by my father who opposed independence in 1981. While his son, Henry Jr.,  was meeting the Duke, my dad was at the cayes building his house, refusing to be a part of what he saw as a premature move on George Price’s part.

However, I am unwilling to say that it is his influence which makes me have this very strong conclusion still to this day: we should not have asked for independence when we did. I really believe that we were unprepared as a people to take over the role of leadership. I believe that it was a very self serving agenda upon which George Price embarked. He cared more about his legacy than the shambles in which his decision would leave us.

See, what we refuse to admit is that we did not have the tools for rule. Not yet. We are a small nation with a small population with little and poor infrastructure. Old George asked us to enter the game very late and compete globally with economic giants. We didn’t have roads; functioning medical clinics; developed industries; an educated and experienced pool of people from which  to chose our new government; an army; a proper airport….and the list goes on. You can say to me now: “Well we have all of that now.”

Really? At what cost? Our crime rate is ASTRONOMICAL! We owe sooooooo much money and our people are suffering with a truly disgraceful number of 50% BELOW the poverty level. Our justice system is a JOKE. Yeah. I said it. There is NO justice when lawyers run our country into the ground, using their knowledge to intimidate and STEAL from our people.

We should have prepared ourselves BEFORE jumping up and down like impatient children waiting for the ice cream truck. We did not need to get independence in order to develop as a nation. We should have made the British Empire develop allllll that stuff for us first. After all they owed us. They took all of our resources and left us with nothing. And we let them because we had stupid, blind, false pride. We were gonna show them we didn’t need ’em. So we kicked them out and left ourselves stranded and struggling. Nowhere is safe in Belize anymore. Is this what we imagined? Was our precious independence worth all this killing and strife?

Our best minds keep leaving, never to return, afraid, because the risk hardly seems worth it. Our children are raped and murdered with no recourse. Our people are dying in record numbers from all kinds of diseases and cancer is ravaging our population. Guatemala is still claiming us and forcing us to have a referendum over something that should be moot by now. Our citizens are having to fight ignorance and archaic laws to just establish basic rights. Children are going to school hungry or none at all. Our land is soon to be ours no longer since the only way to make money is to sell the one asset we do have to the Americans or the Chinese.

Don’t get it twisted people. I have no love for colonialism nor any allegiance to royalty but I sure as shit would have preferred making them give us what we deserved as their subjects before kicking their asses out because now we sure are in the crapper and I don’t know how we are going to get out of shit hole we dug ourselves into.

Update On Kim Simplis Barrow’s Condition

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First Lady, Kim Simplis Barrow

Belmopan. Thursday, 31st May, 2012.

UPDATE ON MRS. KIM SIMPLIS-BARROW

Mrs. Barrow remains in the Intensive Care Unit at a Miami hospital receiving treatment for complications with her heart and fluid in her lungs. She is showing signs of improvement and is strengthening. It is expected that Mrs. Barrow will be transferred from the Intensive Care Unit to a regular hospital room in the next couple days. Prime Minister Dean Barrow remains by her side in Miami and is scheduled to return to Belize over the weekend.

The Prime Minister and his wife thank everyone for the continued prayers and support.

 

From: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Office-of-the-Prime-Minister-Belize/317057388365804

Daily Dingleberry 05-31-12 Blame the Victim PLEASE

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She is someone’s child

This picture is going around ..not sure who she is or even if she is Belizean, American or what. Most people are sympathetic but many myths and simply wrong information is being perpetuated as well. One person said that the reason it keeps happening is because the women tolerate it and don’t press charges….

I have serious beef with this one.

There is a psychological process going on here that is being willingly ignored. A woman doesn’t grow up thinking “I’m going to marry an abuser when I grow up.” Even if she is in a home where she witnesses violence, she is hoping for someone who loves her and will care for her. So when this person, in whom she has placed her trust, to whom she has made a commitment, pledged her love, starts to hurt her, she is confused, betrayed and embarrassed.  She is ashamed because she believed that she was a smart person who “knows better” and makes good decisions. So at first she may hide it and not tell anyone because she hopes it is just a  one time thing….a phase, it will go away.

And then she has children with him and they can have a decent life with Christenings and Easter vacations, Christmas gifts and Valentine dinners. All the while, she is being beaten and told she is worthless. He isolates her from her friends, calls her a whore if she wants to go out with them. He tells her she can’t talk to so and so because she is a bad influence. Before you know it, she doesn’t even go to visit her mother because he accuses her of neglecting her duties as a wife. Soon, she doesn’t have time anyway because he expects a clean house, three meals a day and the kids must be clean and in bed on time.

He monitors everything…her cell phone…who is she talking to? who is she texting? why shi di waste time pan facebook? Even if she works, he might confiscate her paycheck or make it impossible for her to save anything because he spends it on liquor, electronics, gambling, friends.

Everything about her is attacked: her independence, her intelligence, her capabilities, her security, her mental and emotional well being, her identity. This is the woman you want to go to the police station and tell her story to a bunch of untrained bullies? When they arrest the abuser, he threatens her in front of them but they do nothing? She is frightened that he will come after her and her children. He promises to kill her when he is released on bail. Where is she supposed to go? How is she supposed to feed her children? Pay the mortgage?

Everyone has a lot to say. I will help you. You need to leave him. Have some pride. How can you let someone do this to you?

The problem is who will be there in the wee hours of the night when every creak and whisper makes her jump? afraid he has come to make good on his promise?

My aunt-in-law went to live with my uncle and  aunt in the hopes that they could protect her. She left her son with the man who married her at 14, raped her everyday and punished her by making her sit on a hot comal, bare assed. He came for her in the middle of the day when my aunt and uncle had gone to run some errands. He slit her throat and sliced her belly open in front of his 4 year old son and his two nieces. They watched as my mother scooped up my aunt’s guts and press them back into her abdomen until they could get her to the hospital. She lived but only because my uncle could afford to send her to Jamaica to recover and also make sure that my other uncle was prosecuted and sent to jail….

Most people don’t have that and still…she almost died anyway.

We just don’t have the proper supports set up to protect those who need it most. The most we can do is help each other on a one on one level. Don’t hang with people you know are abusive…shun them…make them know you disapprove. You men who like to say that the women deserve it because they stay…go yell at the guy beating her…tell him you are watching him and that YOU won’t tolerate HIM. You women who sleep with them knowing what they do to their wives, just don’t…tell them you deserve better. Raise sons to respect people. Raise daughters to fight for themselves. Be part of a community movement to address and confront this issue because in the end…it will affect all of us in some way. And stop blaming the victim. Please.