San Pedro Vibes (PUP - Belize Rural South)

PEOPLES’ UNITED PARTY
3 Queen Street, P.O. Box 506
Tel: 223-2428, 224-5886 Fax: 223-3476

STATEMENT

Tuesday, November 24, 2008 --- After meeting this morning at Independence Hall, the National Executive of the People’s United Party announces the following unanimous decisions:

1. The Standard-bearer Convention hosted on Sunday 23 November 2008 in the Corozal South East Constituency is NULL AND VOID and in constitutional breach of the National Executive’s direction. Following the Municipal Elections in March 2009, the Party will announce the time table for standard-bearer conventions in all 31 constituencies, at which time Corozal South East will be required to have its official convention.

2. The National Executive, empowered under Article 9 Section 6 of the PUP Constitution, expels forthwith the Corozal South East Constituency Chairman and suspends that Branch Committee for failing to carry out the decision of the National Executive. Fresh elections will be held shortly to elect a new PUP Constituency Branch Executive in Corozal Southeast.

3. The National Executive directs the Secretary General to conduct elections no later than Sunday 30 November, for a new Executive, including a new Chairman for the Party’s Southern Caucus. This election is in keeping with an earlier decision that all Constituencies and Standing Units of the Party elect new executives committees and in consequence of the expulsion of Mr. Mike Espat as Chair of the Southern Caucus.

4. The National Executive has decided that the convention to endorse the PUP Municipal Election candidates for the Punta Gorda will take place on 7th December 2008. The current PG Mayor Carlos Galvez and his new team will be endorsed at this convention.

5. A Special Committee has been appointed by the National Executive to review party and government-related conduct of PUP leaders during the past decade. This Committee will review controversial decisions they took, in the context of the recent Miranda Report and taking into special consideration the Party’s Aims, Principles and Objectives. The Committee will require Party leaders to give a proper account for their conduct in this period.

6. The National Executive endorses the decision by the Northern Caucus to replace its Treasurer the Hon. Florencio Marin Jr., as a consequence of his breach of the National Executive directive.

7. The National Executive authorizes the pursuance of all legal options relating to the controversial ownership and management of the Party’s assets, as well as the accounting of the Party’s finances by previous party officers.

8. Letters of reprimand will be issued to current and former PUP Parliamentarians who attended this illegal convention.

Immediately following its meeting this morning, the National Executive briefed the Chairpersons and Representatives of 23 of the Party’s 31 Constituency Branches of its deliberations and decisions. These Representatives gave their unanimous support for the decisions of the National Executive. The gathering also agreed that any further breach of Party protocol would be met with stiff and swift penalties. That meeting also called on all PUP members and supporters to respect the decisions of the National Executive and to work towards victory for the PUP in the upcoming municipal elections.

--end--

PUP's Distress Signal

Anyone seeing The Belize Times today would have read the front page as a distress signal. A full quarter page is occupied by a notice to party supporters advising them that Sunday’s Corozal Northeast Convention is null and void. If it seems a panicky move for a mass party, and it probably is, because despite bitter protestations from the Party Executive it appears that Florencio Marin Jr. will proceed as planned with his convention in San Joaquin Village.
And that seems to leave the executive in quite a pickle, because they can’t physically stop the convention, and so after it proceeds and Marin Jr. is endorsed – then what next? It seems John Briceno’s leadership will then either have to make peace or renew hostilities against the breakaway division.

Florencio Marin Jr.

And doing that means empowering or at least emboldening the old guard. And we say that because reliable reports say that former Leader Said Musa has been invited to speak at Sunday’s convention. That’s a report – and while it could not be confirmed – it raises so many politically intriguing possibilities – that it’s hard to overlook.

Florencio Marin Sr.

But by Sunday we will know and by Monday, we’ll have the breakdown of what happened and what it means for the PUP.

Channel 7 News

posted (November 21, 2008)

Statement by the People’s United Party

Press Release – People’s United Party – November 18th, 2008 – The Leadership of the People’s United Party wishes to outline its official position on the reports of the imminent arrest of former Cabinet Ministers in connection with the diversion of Venezuelan housing funds to pay UHS-related debts and a press release yesterday issued by a group of PUP supporters:

1. The PUP recognizes the concerns expressed by the ad hoc group of PUP supporters calling themselves “PUPs Against Injustice;” the Party welcomes their activism and their loyalty to the Party by acting in the Party’s name.

2. While the ad hoc group is not an official arm of the Party, PUP members have a right to freely and responsibly express their opinions.

3. The PUP Constitution advocates justice for all Belizeans, not just high officials and it demands that these principles be embraced in government and not just in Opposition.

4. From the time of the initial threat of prosecution against former PUP leaders months ago, the Party took a position, which remains clear today: that holders of public office must be accountable for their actions; that they are innocent until proven guilty; and that they deserve a fair trial by an independent judiciary.

5. The Party seeks to re-establish a covenant with the Belizean people based on the recognition of where the Party lost their trust, on fighting UDP incompetence and victimization and on offering a credible alternative to the misguided UDP policies.

6. The PUP National Executive will continue to monitor the actions of the UDP government, mindful of its responsibilities to the national interests, the Party’s Constitution and members and the Belizean people.

SPTC audit raises questions

Posted: 18/11/2008 - 02:13 PM
Author: Adele Ramos

Auditor General says, “…things don’t change unless Governments decide to enforce…”

In the recent months, the financial management of municipalities has become a cause of growing concern amid allegations of corruption in local government, but unlike the audit reports of Central Government, which are open and public documents, local government audits – no less controversial – are not nearly as easy to access.

In fact, a journalist in San Pedro, San Pedro Sun’s Kainie Manuel, had to jump many hurdles before she could get the privilege of seeing financial documents. She was told to wait two weeks, then to write a letter, after which she was given a date, and then due to a postponement, a new date, to go to the Town Council to see the document.

She had only an hour to review six years of financials, she was told – no pictures, no photocopies were allowed, and she had to read under the supervision of the town administrator and accountant, who were there, presumably, to answer any questions she might have about the report. The journalist was allowed to take notes on the audit report.

The Opposition People’s United Party’s Belize Rural South arm says that there are serious concerns over allegations of misappropriation and mismanagement of San Pedro Town Council’s funds.

"I can explain ..." When Mayor, when? The people have a right to know how their money is being spent.

But San Pedro Mayor Elsa Paz told our newspaper that the Council was actually run by the PUP for the first three years of the report, and by her party only for the past three years. According to Paz, the report highlights more questions about the council’s financial management for the period for which the PUP ran the San Pedro Town Council, though she admitted that there are questions regarding financial dealings under her tenure.

While the politicians debate the contents of the 2001-2006 audit of San Pedro Town Hall, which collects $3.2 million in revenues annually, the professionals at the Office of the Auditor General have, indeed, raised some legitimate concerns in their audit.

Auditor General Edmund Zuniga told Amandala today that in the audit reports submitted for Central Government and tabled in the House of Representatives on Friday, there were comments about audits for San Pedro and Corozal, indicating that there may have been areas of excessive expenditures – spending that was not justified.

Paz contends that there are answers for any question that the public might raise on the report.

“For me, there is nothing that compromises the council,” Mayor Paz told us, insisting that there were “no serious allegations.”

One of the most glaring irregularities reported is the fact that the area representative was getting paid by the town council. Regarding reports that Belize Rural South area representative, Manuel Heredia, who is currently the Minister of Tourism, was being paid a “stipend” from the San Pedro Town Council’s coffers, Paz confirms that he was, but she claims that Heredia was actually working for the Council. She claims that Heredia was helping them to execute land transactions under her tenure as mayor, and he made several trips to Belmopan in the process. Paz confirms that there were vouchers made out to Heredia.

According to Zuniga, the audits of the municipalities are “management reports,” and go to the Town Councils/City Councils for them to make clarifications on points that seem unsatisfactory.

Paz told us that this is the first audit report presented under her tenure, but it actually covers the period for which the Opposition People’s United Party controlled the Town Council as well (2001-2003).

Paz informed us that the document is open to the public; however, anyone wishing to see it can’t just show up and demand it, but has to write the Council in advance, and they will be given an appointment date and time to view the document.

According to Paz, the reason why the public is required to write beforehand is because at least two officers - the accountant and the town administrator, have to sit with the person so that they can answer any questions that person may have about the document.

This is the process that San Pedro Sun’s Kainie Manuel had to go through. She reported that, “The report reveals information from tax revenues, sale of Council’s property, such as golf carts, liquor licensing board, missing vouchers, and receipts, according to the Auditor General.”

Other concerns included the co-signing of a loan by the Council, the sale of the ferry that was at Boca del Rio Park, advances to employees and others, and the procurement of office supplies, the newspaper further reports.

Contrary to reports that the records for 2001 to 2006 have been destroyed, Paz told Amandala today that the council still has all those records.

The public will also be given a report on the 2001-2006 audits when San Pedro Town’s annual meeting is held at the end of the month, she added.

The Mayor claims that it was the Ministry of Local Government that advised them not to allow the copying of the (audited) documents, even though the council could make its own public report on the audit.

Meanwhile, the Auditor General reports that the audit for the Belize City Council will not be finished until this December, or next January. They would move next to scrutinize the financials of Punta Gorda Town Hall.

As to the audits for Central Government, Zuniga told our newspaper: “We decided three years ago to draw the line” at the 2001/2002 financial year, meaning that they would not be bothering with audits for previous years (reportedly dating back to the 80’s/90’s) that had not been completed.

As to the recurring concerns surfacing during the audit (of Central Government), Zuniga noted that “…it’s a lot of what came out of the same process the last time around…things don’t change unless Governments decide to enforce…” principles of sound financial management.

He said that while the Audit Department can make comments on irregularities that it finds, certain things are “for the police.” There are accusations and allegations of public officers committing wrongdoing - politicians don’t sign – but it takes forever for them to go to court; meanwhile those accused continue to get paid from the public purse, Zuniga commented.

UDP slate - THUMBS DOWN

The Ambergris Today continues with its poll, asking visitors to their website whether they believed the slate presented by the United Democratic Party (UDP) for the island of San Pedro Town was good.

The questions stated:

The UDP slate for Town Council election 2009 has just been announced.
0 - Thumbs Up
0 - Thumbs Down

As of Monday, November 17th, 2008, the poll showed the following:

The UDP slate for Town Council election 2009 has just been announced.

Thumbs Down - 58.30 % (302)

Thumbs Up - 41.70 % (216)

Total votes: 518

Voting continues - vote TODAY at www.ambergristoday.com