The Art of Life

Friendship with Pain

“It’s never about what happened to you, but what you become through it.” - Emmanuel

You see them when you travel through Belize City; in fact they are in every city. Standing, sitting, lying sometimes barely alive it seems. These are the street people, the homeless. “Spare some change?” He calls out, holding out a hand crusted with grime. He’s got a blank stare in his eyes just behind his pain, his skin is weathered hanging inside old clothes that has seen too many pavements. His smell makes you coil backwards as though being pushed back by an invisible field.

Pain or pleasure-who knows what, put him roaming on the streets. He is part of the human landscape. No one likes to look at pain. No need for details-we want to move on-get to the fun part. Out of fear it might be you, you toss the coin into his palm, you can move on now.

Some people live with pain all their lives. Others chose to end life hoping for a better place. Living with pain is not easy. Some days are better than others they say. But as they come to accept it, pain becomes a friend that comes and goes teaching when to stand strong and when to let go. Life is filled with opposites but as we step back blurring our vision we transcend the detail and see the whole beauty of the complete picture. Pain is the complement of a joyous life. As we stay strong in the face of suffering, joy eventually becomes the background of all there is. Through time it prepares us for a door we may pass through. After all we can’t take the human landscape where we are going.

Books by Christopher Emmanuel can be purchased at his Art Gallery in The Sunbreeze Hotel, Art of Touch, Pages Book Store, Black orchid Spa and Sol Spa.

Oceana Declares: "Government must immediately amend Petroleum Act"

Press Release - January 28, 2011 - Oceana - In the interest of good governance and good faith towards the people of this country the Barrow Administration needs to immediately amend Section 13 of the Petroleum Act.

There is need for comprehensive revision of the entire Petroleum Act Chapter 225 Laws of Belize but there are sections that need to be amended immediately. Section 13 of the Petroleum Act has been abused by both government administrations, so much so that all, except one, petroleum contract have been and continues to be given out behind closed doors at Cabinet.

Section 13 provides for open competitive bidding, but also has proviso three which removes this layer to transparency and accountability and allows the Minister “with the approval of the Cabinet, [to] select contractors other than through competitive bidding procedures in the following cases-
(a) where the technical or economic circumstances make it advisable; or
(b) where he determines that the circumstances so require.”

The recent revelation in the 2010 Petroleum contract Maps obtained by Oceana from the Department of Petroleum & Geology is a clear indication that companies such as Paradise Energy, with no Petroleum experience in violation of Section 11, will continue to obtain oil leases unknown to the Belize people, who are the true owner of oil rights in this country.

“The government only holds these rights on trust Belizeans”, explained Oceana VP Audrey Matura-shepherd. “We must continue to demand accountability and transparency, but sadly every government has sought to ignore subsections 1 and 2 of Section 13 of the law because it suits their purpose, which is not to be transparent and not to be accountable to the people of Belize when entering these deals”

Section 13 Petroleum Act says that “selection of contracts should be carried out through public competitive bidding or such other competitive procedure as may be determined by the Minister”. It also states that the minister “shall publish in the Gazzette a description of the areas for which bids are to be solicited along with the procedures and rules relating to the submission of such bids”.

Matura-Shepherd explains that “this is never done because the open competitive bidding process is completely circumvented and the Minister applies the exception which is to go behind closed doors in Cabinet unknown to the unsuspecting Belizean people and using Section 13 (3) it appears that the Minister always seems to “determine that the circumstances require” secret issuing of contracts…. this cannot continue!”

Oceana is concerned that the now relinquished OPIC block vacant since October 2010 can secretly be given out again using the provisions of the law, which must not stand.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

610-0702.

Mark Your Calendars!!

San Pedro Cancer Society Fundraiser:

(with the help of Miss Flora Ancona)

On Saturday, January 29th, 2011, a fundraiser will be held for Verna Reyes at the Central Park starting at 10:30am. Food such as Tamales and Rice and Beans will be on sale.

Special t-shirts depicting the San Pedro Cancer Society logo as well as a lavender cancer ribbon will be on sale at this event for $20. Members and supporters are asked to purchase a t-shirt which can be used for the cancer walk held on February 4th, 2011.

The San Pedro Lions Club

Miss Chiquitita (to benefit San Pedro Pre School):

Alta Mar Neighborhood Watch donates to SAGA

Alta Mar Neighborhood watch has taken the initiative to contribute to the community in various ways. One of the first contributions was a cash donation of $985 to SAGA Humane Society. This amount was the result of a BBQ sale held a while back. The joint decision to make the donation came about after SAGA had to cut back services to the community due to lack of funds. SAGA Humane Society contributes invaluable service to the community, and has done so for many years, so it was only fitting that they be the first recipient.

Kudos to the Alta Mar Neighborhood Watch, and once again, a big thank you to SAGA for all the wonderful services they provide to the community.

First Ever Crocodile Rescue on Caye Caulker

submitted by Cherie Chenot-Rose

For years Liz Ross has been trying to get someone to help her with her crocodile problem on Caye Caulker. Liz owns and operates the only fuel station on the island. Finally, on Sunday, January 23rd, she received some help.ACES/American Crocodile Education Sanctuary, now located on Ambergris Caye, loaded up the ‘Croc Runner’ and headed to Caye Caulker early Sunday morning. Having never navigated these waters, the 15 minute boat trip took quite a bit longer and cost Cherie (ACES biologist and First Mate) some more fingernails. Somewhere between the two cayes, all of a sudden, coral heads surrounded the ‘Croc Runner’. With Cherie sitting on the bow and pointing the way between the treacherous obstacles, Vince (ACES animal behaviorist and Captain) was able to safely get the boat to the cut. Channel markers sure would have been nice!

Arriving late morning, the ACES team of Vince, Cherie and Chris got straight to work. By noon the first croc was caught. Measuring at 5’ 7” and named “Jockey” by Liz’s daughter, the male American Crocodile was extremely aggressive. With him safely secured ACES reset the snare and shortly after lunch had caught the second smaller croc, a female this time, measuring 4’10” and now named Matilda.
The ‘Big Guy’ is about 10’ in length and eluded the ACES team all day. “We had spotted him when we first arrived and then we never saw him again,” stated Vince. ACES will need to set a net trap and spend a night or two to catch this smart croc. Without sufficient funding, they are not sure when they’ll be able to return to Caye Caulker.

ACES utilized funds from their recent Rufford grant for the rescue effort. Since the grant is for a croc population survey of the area, now that a count has been done in that area, no more monies can be allocated for the rescue. Liz does not wish to see ‘Big Guy’ harmed in anyway and is seeking in-kind donations of lodging and meals for the ACES team to be able to return to catch it before it harms someone. Liz herself is generously donating boat fuel for the team to return and relocate the large American Crocodile. “‘Big Guy’ lays under the fuel tanks at the waters edge and waits for my workers to pass to try to attack. It has already eaten several of my pets,” states Liz. The real fear is that it could attack an unsuspecting tourist who likes to get dangerously close for pictures.

Where are the captured crocs being taken? With no facility in place yet since the arson of ACES, the team is forced to just relocate the crocs to nearby uninhabited cayes. This is fine for these two smaller crocs, but the ‘Big Guy’ really should be placed in a secure habitat so that he doesn’t return or become someone else’s problem, states Cherie. While there is talk of a new croc facility being built on the mainland, it is still many months from getting started.

Anyone wishing to help, ACES is in need of: a digital camera/video, two nights lodging on Caye Caulker, meals for those three days on Caye Caulker, electric tape, duct tape, ropes, and chicken for bait. Donors for the Caye Caulker capture can contact Liz Ross or ACES at acesnpo@hughes.net or 666-3871. Your help will take a bite out of extinction!