Endorsement!

Here at OW INSIGHT I will always have ORANGE WALK first in particular and BELIZE first in general with the MIGHT of TRUTH and the GRACE of GOD!

Over the past couple months I have tried to capture some feeling of what/who is better for Orange Walk. I have never liked slogans but I went on record last blog by exalting the "change is coming" since I get the feeling that it is deeper than a slogan. When I juxtapose that with "continuing the possibilities" I get mired in IMAGINING how an abstract can be perpetrated.

In essence, the UDP slogan seems to be saying that the UDP can possibly clean the streets, and possibly pick up the garbage. So if we the UDP are voted back into office then we will CONTINUE that possibility. Most likely someone has an explanation for me about why I am wrong. But you cannot blame me for getting that interpretation. The UDP slogan is, in my humble opinion (IMHO), incongruous with what they should be telling us the Orange Walk population.

Today as I walked around Orange Walk I got the feeling that we want Mr. Ramon Cervantes, Jr. in the Orange Walk Town Hall as the next Town Mayor with the rest of his team. I get the feeling that the fight will be what a democratic election brings; there is enough polarization for that. As the reconciliation unfurls Orange Walk will have a NEW and IMPROVED town council and Mayor.

Change is coming, it is unstoppable; that is what people want and they feel it.

Vote for Ramon 'Monchi' Cervantes, Rozel Arana, Rafael Avila, Kevin Bernard, Josue Carballo, Faride Riverol and Alex Lopez!

Change is Coming!

Obama managed to slough away the cliché from "change." He did so with the expectation that it will not be easy. He let his followers chant until they believed that "they could." "Yes we can" was the the echo that reverberated every filled football stadium. No echo would have been felt if it did not come from deep within and if it was not an accepted pledge of responsibility.

The PUP in Orange Walk is postured with its "Change is Coming" website and general disposition as the party in waiting for 2012 or earlier and beyond. With a NEW party leader the political spectrum within the party is yet shaping. I get the feel from reading and listening that the change that they are talking about is not necessarily cosmetic but one that more wholesomely has Belizeans in mind. This is just like Obama who had not white American, nor Black Americans nor Hispanic Americans but Americans from the United States in mind.

The PUP in Orange Walk obviously copied the 'CHANGE' word in its entirety. It was copied with all its novel significance.

I can live with less corruption. But many will agree with me that the system has to be changed since it is easy for a government to have absolute power. This opens gaping chasms for absolute corruption to be cultured and almost institutionalized.

I have always disliked when our fledgling Belize goes to consecutive/simultaneous polls and have ONE party ruling all the towns and of course the bicameral chambers by constitution. A catastrophe is waiting to happen.

In Orange Walk, the outgoing UDP town council is for its most part vieing to repeat as the elected council. The UDP Mayor is being replaced in the ticket by someone with no proven leadership. In fact, he stood beside his Mayor as power was being usurped. Mr. de la Fuente should have revealed truths and prove that transparency is more than a buzz word. It might still not be too late. Maybe that is why he crumpled at the idea of being challenged to a debate with and by Mr. Cervantes the PUP mayoral candidate.

Yes folks! He rejected the idea of openess and the MIGHT OF TRUTH.

To pound on this a little more, he should reveal if the ex-mayor, for all intents, will be gifted with his old job at OWTHS. He should also reveal if there are any other perks to the ex-mayor's exit. Like for example, will the ex-Mayor get any undue fully paid government scholarships to any university of his choice. Belizeans would like to know before we get surprised. It is a shot at transparency.

Anyway Orange Walk, the crux is in getting the best for our money's worth, our taxes. It is said that we get the leaders WE deserve. I put it further that many a times our slate of elected leaders reflect our society. As a society we need to work hard for ourselves and not expect handouts or undue scholarships or jobs we do not qualify for. Then when as a majority we all have plans and endevours and just objectives only then will our leaders also have the same.

So the challenge is there, from lil me. The change that the PUP is proposing as I read it goes beyond a slogan but it is Obamaesque. It encompasses new and improved Belizeans, a hyped Belizean working attitude, and the right Belizean societal attitudes. Only then can we also be a LAND OF THE FREE (the Caribbean version feat. Belizeans.)

Until next time... maybe tomorrow.

Fog of Incertitude

Six days are left to go before the elections and the fog of incertitude gets thinner and thinner. The view on the streets of our dear town is a PUP win. It is so clear that the take on the outgoing OW town council is that they did a poor job maybe terrible. Even if they are to say that it was the "Mayor" that created follies to fill up the ocean, as I have said in an earlier post, the council failed to council. And that is their job, they are the town council.

In 2003, the UDP lost a general election widely due to PUP being popular regardless of the 'perception' that two of its topmost leaders were definitely on the auto-take to put it mildly. Perception has a lot to do with the reality of many people. Whenever I read a newspaper, I read it as the opinion of a couple of people and nothing else. This blog is my opinion. But I do realize, that is not the case out there. If you are perceived as a failure it is usually a mixture of fact and fiction and you are doomed at the polls.

In 2003, the UDP was doomed at the polls because of their lack of candidates that were up to the task. In 2008, the PUP were doomed at the polls because of the terrible twins and the electorate castigated the entire slate for allowing these two to even still contest their seats. The UDP thus won by default; they had nor have any merit. See; it is difficult to rule fairly and skillfully if you are full of ire and desire for revenge. Many people are UDP supporters becuase of something they are angered over; this vile feeling does not allow for good governance.

The PUP base is an old one. It is made up of people that want to better the country. These people make up the majority. But the PUP lost the last two elections horribly in spite of being the majority becuase of a reeking cancer that had to be NOT nipped but slashed off. The perception on the PUP is that they had become too corrupt. I keep saying perception because until the proof is before the courts then who knows. I can guess as the normal Belizean.

The UDP came into power flailing at everything. Other than seeming mindless about the economy, clueless about the ever present crime and too ad hoc with the Belizeanized transportation fiasco, they love to shoot themselves on the leg whenever they can. They do things like relieve people of their jobs, like try to take away small properties, are guilty of super-nepotism, build large homes, and get married when you should be celebrating other momentous occasions. All this in one year!

People all around this country will notice...and they have.

Many in the UDP are too angry at something somewhere to give Belize some fair governance. The central government has officially less than four years to go. After their landslide victory, it seems to me that they would lose a general election this March 4. It is a sad case for Belize that our government got so unpopular so quickly. But that is the case when you do not actually win but your opponent loses.

In Orange Walk, I am sensing a PUP win for the mayor and his team. The manifestos that are out seem fair but the UDP manifesto tries to sweeten up the formatting without actually having content. The PUP one is conservative and if you ask me it is robust and achievable. I believe it does take into account that there will be a UDP central government that if precedent is any indication, and PUP town council these next three years will need to be precise and up to the task. The UDP government has promised money to anyone that takes office; but we know even that is campaigning.

In the next post, I will talk a little on the personalities. I happen to know, at least marginally, most of the 14 men and women running.

Remember to vote in the polls, here and OrangeWalk.net for the fun of it....serious fun.

Orange Walk.net

Good Day everyone!
As I was rummaging through various webpages I stumbled across Orange Walk.net's poll on Orange Walk's Town Council elections. Since we are on election mode here at INSIGHT. I decided to place the results of the poll here right under the countdown. You are not able to vote on OW.net's poll here but you can go to their site and add a vote.

Our modest poll here at INSIGHT does not have the numbers but it shows a similar outcome. With some 8 days left to go, readers can choose to vote here to show that the trend NOW is the same. So if you are a visitor from Orange Walk.net welcome.

Even though I say courtesy of Orange Walk.net I do not have the permission to use their poll but in the spirit of openness and the wideness of the World Wide Web I am sure that they do not mind. Let me further add, it seems that the people at OW.net feel the same about my writing at INSIGHT. I have just noticed that they have a link to my OWINSIGHT. Whoever is responsible...thank you.

I invite them to place a picture link to this blog.

Until further Insight to your dreams!

Education Impersonalized

The debate will rage on as long as there is life on earth as to what a proper education is all about. Juxtapose the education systems of any two countries and you will see clear differences. Everyone will think that their system is better. I have even heard this one... "We grade harder in Belize than in the good old 'United' States... but they have a better education system." Ask me again what it all means and I'll be as befuddled as you are.

In my humble opinion, education must be as unharnessed as possible and timeless. The grandmother going the college to get a degree whilst being an octogenarian tells a revealing tale. Those that hold the reins of educational institutions are to provide that unharnessed pathway in an unbridled fashion. Do not get me wrong. The very word education already spells its own limits so why corrupt it in any way by institutionalized or personalized petty censorship.

Our town is moving into the mode of town democracy where we will figure who should keep our town clean and healthy. There is so much attached to these two words. Our youth must be given a chance to listen to what many call "both sides of the story." I actually think there is only one--the truth. What they need to hear are two versions so that they can make up their minds. When administrators state that it is not policy to accept candidates to visit their schools, they are uttering a rejection of their students being educated in a rounded fashion. This would be excellent hands-on alternative type learning.

One thing is clear education cannot be impeded. Students are soaking in censorship and the basic abuse of position. They will make up their minds as to who is right and who is wrong; that is one thing that cannot be domineered. Schools are paid to be guides in education not indoctrination. I know of a certain school that seems to have missed the chance to educate wholesomely.

On another note: We the citizenry, bar none, should be given the chance to vote. I want to push in a couple of opinions here. The voting age is way too high. We are all equal... what happens at 18? In our age of technology and incredible thinking, there must be way to give more access. The second opinion it might take constitutional amendments but, the color thing is not doing it for me. I want to vote for people not for a color. I think we are more intelligent than that. What about placing the pictures of the candidates on the ballot? Anyway, I said that for the record.

I do not usually write TWO blogs in one night. But today is special. Let me call the next 14 days ELECTION MODE here at OWInsight.

Look out for the basic poll for the projected winners here in OW.

Look out for my prediction and, if you want to call it, endorsement. Not today though, there is still time to really do things intelligently.

Moh time!...hasta mañana!

System Restore; Default

Everyone that claims that they know about computers knows what it means to System Restore. It is a MS built-in piece of programming that allows you to go back to the last time when everything was all right and functioning. As reality will have it there will never be a perfect time when everything is going totally ok with your computer but sometimes you are VERY satisfied.

With that analogy out of the way, let me revert to our dear Orange Walk. I get the impression that the present leaders of our community flailed at the management of our town. And at providing leadership, the town itself will provide an assessment on March 4. My opinion is that the pettiness and immaturity of dealing with "the central government" was the downfall of the Orange Walk group. The councilors failed to council the Mayor. So stipends might have been issued to them in vain.

Now it is public knowledge that the Mayor was dangling from strings beyond his control. Too bad that those controlling the strings themselves do NOT have the proven skills to deal with a town and the organization it entails. One of them can hardly express himself much less run the resources of a town. The other, a flibbertigibbet, runs around on the successes of the offspring.

I promised not to get personal and I apologize for the innuendo but some things are so clearly mistakes that ought not to be repeated in the name of our town. We do not deserve it.

On another note, I do believe that Belize's Mayors and councilors ought to be paid handsomely. And, at best they should have part time employment whilst the rest of the time they should be at the town council offices looking out for the people. If the Mayor steps out, the deputy ought to be there. Like creole seh, "da chance" to have 7 people answerable to a growing town whilst they have their own full time jobs. Some rotatory measure ought to be implemented. Nowadays nothing is free. But as long as it is a cumbersome task to be mayor or councillors, they will keep shorting out the people. It ought to be jobs.

I do hate that the Town Council elections is many a times the report card of the central government. It just shows how the laws still tie the town to the whims of one. With having the Mayorship and Council as better paying positions, with increased responsibilities and with a greater self-governance (at the town level ) I can feel an increased chance of success. Of course, the importance of the central government will always be there.

Town councils winning by default should be a thing of the past. We in Orange Walk should vote for those that will plan and execute the best proposals for our town. Anyone that bickers should not be leading a town. Leaders serve.... that is the best leading they can do. So I propose lets tweak our town and restore a sense of living cleanly and healthily. That is the sole task of the town council... a major one I must say. We as a town should help anyway we can.

St. Valentine's Day

I don't want to tell you how to celebrate St. Valentine's Day...and I will not even attempt. Simply (easy to say) allow yourself to be loved but first YOU need to be loving everyday of the year.
Then we will all get along.
Enjoy some of these on your desktop. (Internet property ;))

The Anniversary!

Today Feb. 7 is the first anniversary of last year's general elections when the Belizean populace namely the electors (makes a difference) cast votes that ousted the 10 year ruling People’s United Party. It would have been sweet for the country if the United Democratic Party would have also won the elections. This made Dean Barrow’s words true; he had said that Belizeans had no option but to vote for the UDP since as it seems the PUP were destined to not win. In other words, the UDP had been elected only by default and not by merit nor much less by the superiority of their plan.

Today, Mr. Barrow is marking the occasion by shunning Belize to again promise to be true. This time, the second time, it is supposed to be till ‘death do us part.’ In contrast, the oath that he took one year ago tomorrow does not promise to celebrate the anniversary of the PUP’s loss. It though speaks of being true to the nation. Today there are thousands that feel dearly that he is not being gracious to Belize or at least not to his supporters.

In the North of our land of the free, there is a slew of hard-working Beliceños, naïve to certain extent, but Belizean to the core who feel betrayed and so insulted. One of their own was killed while carrying out a task that they felt was worth risking their lives over. They were unreasonably irate over Barrow’s ‘move by 4pm or be moved.’

This ultimatum was one that will go down in the annals of history as one that is defamatory of the Prime Ministerial position. I do agree that the cane farmer’s were SO WRONG in blocking a roadway that was not theirs. It was illegal just like the previous bus stand. All mobs are illegal and I will never support one. Nevertheless, I do see their basic humanity and lack of skills to resolve problems in any other way. But, there are other ways, and that is where creative leadership and the novel formulation and execution of plans come into play.

Hindsight is many times a lousy way of determining our lives. That is what has happened here. It took the strike to allow a plan to be agreed upon. Second-guessing, if whether a certain new plan will be beneficial for ALL or not, can be countered by having creative leaders and intelligently devised plans. I am no expert at the sugar industry but my hindsight tells me that those in charge of looking forward in the industry failed with a capital F. Notice that “those in charge” mean so many people including those who were the de facto leaders of the mob. Therein lies the main reason why I say that I do not support this mob.

The strike is one; the mob as a result, although not being totally another, is yet still another issue.

And so, our Democracy continues with its growing pains. I smile when I think that Belize is just 26 years old. In the context of a human being she/he is still adolescent. Yet, growing for a nation is painstaking and maturity has no calendar. It is dynamic. So one day we may be a peaceful haven of tranquility and the other can be February 2, 2009.

March 4, 2009 will show that we rather that “despots must flee this tranquil haven of democracy.” Maybe that is why one fled today.

;)

:)

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Orange Walk at its best!