February 2009 Archives

16 February Belmopan, Belize (BelizeBlog.com) Bruce Barcott's Belize-based book, Last Flight of The Scarlet Macaw, takes an unabashed look at the only English-speaking country in Belize and its corrupt government and destructive policies that run counter to its official posture as an eco-friendly tourism destination. Unregulated development that runs counter to conservation efforts are detailed in this book reviewed by the San Franciso Chronicle.

In it, the author reviews how development takes priority over the needs and greed of developers in their quest to develop the country while circumventing conservation efforts that continue to deciminate native species of Belize wildlife such as the Scarlet Macaw. 

4 February 2009 (BelizeBlog)  Prime Minister Dean Barrow left Belize today en route to the U.S.A. leaving behind a country in turmoil with it's major industry in chaos, the unresolved shooting death of a cane farmer by the police and a strike by sugar cane farmers entering its second week.

TV5 reported that "Tension has cooled down and things were quiet in Orange Walk today even though the thousands of cane farmers continue to strike. Belize Sugar Industries have remained mum and we have not been able to contact Financial Director Belizario Carballo to get a comment on the demand that the core sampler be removed... but we do know that there was no smoke billowing from the factory at Tower Hill as the company remains closed.

"Speaking today with C.E.O. of the Cane Farmer's Association, Carlos Magana, it appears that some inroads in communication have been made as News Five was told that S.C.F.A. is looking at methodologies for quality control that does not include core sampling. Magana declined to say with whom he was discussing those methodologies, but sounded optimistic that a resolution to the strike can be reached."

TV5 Contrasted the stance taken by Prime Prime Minister Barrow with that when he was an opposition politician trying to gain power