July 2008 Archives

Commentary by G. Michael Reid - In the days before the French Revolution, the citizens of France were divided into three classes known as estates; namely the clergy, the nobles and the commoners.  A similar system exists to this day in the United Kingdom with some differences between the Lords Temporal, the Lords Spiritual and the Commons.  As a matter of fact, the three estates as they exist today might be simpler categorized as rich, poor and church; with the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer and the church fading into oblivion.  Interestingly enough, while under the ancien regime of France, the church was considered a part of the First Estate; under the British system, "the faith once delivered unto the saints" is relegated to the realm of commoners; clearly demonstrative of the ever diminishing role of what used to be the most powerful and influential body on earth.   This essay, however, is not about the church or even about the three estates but instead about a fourth.

By Frankie Rhys.  A very disturbing article appeared in the July 2nd Amandala. Written by Adele Ramos, it covered the arguments in the Supreme Court over proposed changes to the Belize Constitution that would affect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Belizeans.

The law now in effect requires the Prime Minister to submit any such changes to a referendum before they can become law, and the United Democratic Party regime in Belize is trying to circumvent the current law by removing that right to a referendum even though it is current law; in effect putting the cart before the horse! 

By Godfrey Smith - former Attorney General of Belize.

The canons of justice.  The notion of justice based upon the rule of law is a bedrock principle of western-style parliamentary democracies.  It supposedly places a higher value on human life than a society based, for example, on a dictatorship.  It better upholds the dignity of the human person.  But to understand justice, it should be appreciated that it is a thing created by man and administered by man.  It does not, like the Shakespearean notion of mercy, "droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath."

Reid Between the Lines -written by By G. Michael Reid

Word that Belize Telemedia Limited had acquired majority shares in Great Belize Productions created quite a stir in certain quarters, added more drama to an ongoing saga and made some people noticeably nervous.  The concern on the surface is that multi-millionaire businessman Michael Ashcroft has extended his tentacles to include a major media house.  Ashcroft already has substantial interest in several other business ventures in Belize, including Belize'slargest bank and telecommunications giant, BTL.  The timing of the Channel Five deal was of particular interest, considering that it came on the heels of a heated court battle between Ashcroft and Kremandala, whose interests involve radio, television and print media.  What it means then is that Ashcroft through Channel Five would now be competing directly with Kremandala.