Belize City, Wed., Oct. 29, 2008 - At a time when Belize City is in its worst condition in memory, and as the situation continues to deteriorate, city residents deserve better from their elected managers, particularly Mayor Zenaida Moya and her councilors.

Belize City, Wed., Oct. 29, 2008 - World crude oil prices plunged below US $60 a barrel this week, the lowest price since February of 2007.  Most importantly is that the price of a barrel of oil has lost half of its value since hitting a record high when it closed at US$145.29 a barrel in July of this year.

In this week’s issue of the Belize Times, my good friend G. Mike writes at some length about the continuing relationship between some members of the so-called independent media and UDP politicians. That relationship has been no more evident than at this time of flooding crisis – in fact, UDP ministers and politicos have been so much in the media that any average Belizean could be forgiven for thinking that they’ve been travelling with their personal team of photographers and videographers, complete with fawning reporters and ready microphones. For me it’s even easier to believe because earlier this week while travelling to work on the Northern Highway, there was UDP ‘movie star’ Edmond Castro on the side of the road, hands on hips surveying an expanse of floodwater – not four feet away was a cameraman with instrument ready in hand to capture the requisite glamour shots.