COLA and Belizeans for Justice prepare for national protest
Yolanda Schakron
Over the past week there has been a lot of discussion over the proposed ninth amendment. Meanwhile we’ve been hearing from the attorneys and politicians, but the grassroots organizations have been out of sight. That is because they have been preparing for a massive demonstration this Saturday. The event, which is being organized by Belizeans for Justice and COLA, is set to attract demonstrators from across the country. Today, Yolanda Schakron and Moses Sulph told News Five that the protest is set to address a number of national issues that go beyond partisan politics.
Yolanda Schakron, Founder, Belizeans for Justice
“Right now we’re dealing with a real issue that is serious; I think it’s taking us down a very dangerous slope. It is the ninth amendment to the Constitution of Belize.”
Moses Sulph, President, COLA
“For those pundits out there that are saying that it’s for Belizeans for Justice and COLA, no it’s not at all. I want it to be very clear that not because other organizations such as the unions and other NGO’s sit back and allow our country to go down the drain while we have a government that is clearly not working in the will of the people, we should do so.”
Andrea Polanco
“So it’s certainly not political either?”
Moses Sulph
Moses Sulph
“It’s not political. We want everybody to come out because if you’re a Belizean then you need to come out I am Belize if you are Belize then you need to come out. It’s not about red, blue. Blue can come out, red can come out, NIP can come out, VIP can come out any p can come out. We’re just asking people to come out because also we have to guard The Constitution and it’s the supreme law of the land we cannot allow the National Assembly to be the supreme law of the land.”
Andrea Polanco
“While this march, this demonstrate is focus on the ninth amendment, I also believe that you all will be addressing other issues the country currently facing?”
Moses Sulph
“Definitely, what happen this march was originally planned for other issues also such as unemployment and poverty. Because at COLA we believe that the high crime rate is stemmed from poverty and the minimum wage and high cost of living. Poverty, unemployment the rate is at twenty three percent should not be tolerated and people need jobs. People are suffering here and we are concerned about that.”
Andrea Polanco
“So on Saturday this event is going to be very peaceful, just the people trying to send out their message?”
Yolanda Schakron
“Yes, it’s going to be a very peaceful event. We have some people coming in from the districts. We’re asking every Belizean to come out especially in the city you know. We intend to march, this is the first one we’re starting with and we want the people to come out in numbers. In a democracy the people should not fear the government; the government should fear the people because the people have the power so that’s the message we want to send to the Prime Minister.”
Andrea Polanco
“What is it that the people would like to see? What is it that they hope to achieve through their demonstration?”
Yolanda Schakron
“Well after this demonstration, what we really want is for the government to start to listen to the people’s cries. We put you in there, we expected you to take care of the people, to do what the people’s will is. We want them to know that we’re also very serious about this ninth amendment not coming through.”
The demonstration is set to start at ten a.m. at the Constitution Park and will wind up at the Memorial Park.
Very good I’ll be there it’s about time come on belizeans we all need to be there make sure you alll come out and march we need to put this pm on a plane to no where he needs to go resign barrow resign you moron.
When are they GOING TO HAND OUT COPIES OF THE CONSTITUTION TO THE PEOPLE??????
SOON IT MAY CHANGE BEYOND RECOGNITION………………
Good luck…but i do not think that both these organizations know how to organize themsleves outside of Belize City. I have not read, heard on local radio or local tv any announcements regarding this march until now…but i wish them the best of luck…cause it takes a lot to organize an event like this…by the way…i am in San Pedro Town…
Belizeans are a bunch of cowards.We !@#$% and when it’s time to protest no one turns out because of fear of been victimize.Yet we expect change,freedom is not cheap my people.
The two groups are waste of time. The common belizean don’t have any idea what the Ninth tenth eleventh ammendment is all about. 75% of ordinary belizean don’t have a clue whats all the fuss and fight ting about. Go check. The ordinary Belizean right now is more concern about the high price of gasoline and the price the have to pay for a pound of sugar and a pack of bread and soon the high price for corn tortilla. The basic things. The bad street we are driving on. We the ordinary belizeans are tired of seeing the high paid attorneys on the news sayin a lot of BS which we don’t understand. All of them are singing for there supper. Audrey Matura aurthur saldivar and all the others that are speaking out have there own agenda. we have so many attorneys in this country and only a few speaks out. The march tomorrow will be flap. People get enough of COLA(kremandala organization) and Shakron(aspiring mayor PUP
Demonstrate Belizeans Demonstrate don’t be cowards and make sure you take your signs with you to tell the world how you feel. Remember, My Legacy B4 My People.
@Belize, I am with you on that one 110%, these attorney’s get paid $500 an hour to do nothing for humanity but push paper and manipulate words on paper, that was put there by man in the first place. Law is a bunch of bull crap that is there to take advantage of poor people who don’t understand the law and that is 99.9% of the population. No mek no ghost fool yo, there is no law for poor man, there is a dark joke in the lawyer circles in Belize it is goes like this, “No money, no law.” In other words, only who have money to spend on lawyers have the protection of the law. Don’t get me wrong, there are a very, very small handful of lawyers who do pro bono work, but they are frowned upon. Lawyers are a like a pack of wolves, and their only loyalty is the MONEY. Ask yourself this: How come the bar association don’t come out swinging at the atrocity that is happening before our very eyes, and that atrocity is Belizeans losing their homes, properties, livilihood on a daily basis and you don’t hear any of these bloodsucking lawyers standing up the defend Belizeans from these usurious banks; you don’t hear how these banks take advantage of poor people by using the law against them, having people signing documents they don’t understand or give full disclosure to people on what they are signing; how banks use the court to their advantage. You don’t hear any of that on the news now do you, you don’t hear Channel5 or Channel7 crying for these Belizeans, you don’t hear Evan X the hypocrite crying for these poor Belizeans, Evan X, the man who condemn everyone under the sun, but don’t point out that his Hyde Family is among the most wealthy and powerful in this country and all these newspaper as a matter of fact, who take the blood money from banks to advertise people’s home in their foreclosure section. Belizeans are being taken for damn fools, we are being conned and we are being shown a monkey show on a daily/weekly basis.
@ I have Awaken Yousaid a mouthful. You and I are thinking in the same line. Kudos