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Today his mother told us she is still in shock at the accident:

Bernadine Hamilton, Mother of Deceased
"My son, Elvis was a very nice person, a loving father to his 6 kids, and everything for him was his children. He always told me, 'Mommy, I am living for you and my children. Regardless of what, I love you, and I love my kids.' And everbody who knew Elvis Hamilton, better known as 'Vinnie', knew that he was a very nice young man. Words can't explain how I feel. It's just by the grace of the good Lord, I am standing up. But no words can explain the feelings I have right now."

Monica Bodden
"As a mother, you received a call that your son passed away Saturday in the night. They told you the accident happened around what time?"

Bernadine Hamilton
"Well, the accident happened sometime around 5:30 to 6 o'clock, and we didn't get the report until approximately 1:30 Sunday morning."

Monica Bodden
"And that was when you went to the KHMH waiting for him to be transported from Belmopan to Belize City."

Bernadine Hamilton
"Yes, and on arrival, we went to KHMH, we sat, and we wait for the ambulance to come, and it took about an hour or so to reach. When they brought him, he had already passed."

Hamilton was well known in the Gill street area - and was the father of 6 children - 4 girls and 2 boys.

New PUP Women's Party Agenda

The PUP held a press conference today - and as you saw, the Yolanda Schakron issue consumed the spotlight. But really, it was about launching the party's women's Agenda.

Themed "Forging Partnerships, Impacting Lives" - the policy document shows up the party's four female candidates in the upcoming general elections and as one of those veteran candidates said, it's not the first time her party is doing this:

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia - PUP Candidate, Belize Rural Central
"And we are now launching our 4th women's agenda. The work continues; the progress continues."

Wendy Castillo - President, UWG
"The women's agenda, 2012, 'Forging Partnerships, Impacting Lives' addresses the issues that impact women and their families, ranging from equality in the workplace, and economic equity, to international development, from affirmative action, to women in parliament, from education in sports, issues to health challenges. Our policy agenda comprises the building blocks for society free from inequality, oppression and discrimination, which continue to face many women and girls from all walks of life."

Francis Fonseca - Party Leader, PUP
"Perhaps I shouldn't say this, but I will say it in any case - that all of these women, if they are elected in this election - and I am confident that they will be elected in this election, no just because they are women, but because they are strong, credible, intelligent individuals, who have the greatest interests of their people at heart, that my commitment - and it's not a difficult commitment to make - that all of these women will form a part of the next Cabinet of Belize."

According to our records, there have never been more than two women serving in cabinet at any one time.

PM Barrow Responds To S&P Downgrade

Last week we reported that Standard and Poors has downgraded Belize's rating which sent the price of the superbond tumbling down to between forty and forty three dollars.

You might think that's bad news but two international analysts have come forward to say it might be a good thing, after all.

One of them form the Nomura group even outlines a scenario where a bondholders should prepare for a superbond 2.0 - which would fetch a decent yield.

Today PM Barrow told us that's just the reaction he was hoping for:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"When there is a downgrade, to some extent, it signals to bond-holders that they might want to start thinking of coming to terms with the Government since - for their purposes - the intent of the downgrade is to show that unless there is a restructuring of the superbond, Belize might want to contemplate the option of saying either that it can't pay, or that it won't pay. I need to make it clear that while the step-up to 8.5% interest rate occurs this year - occurs in August, we have the monies to pay the February installment, and we have the monies to pay August installment. There's no difficulty there, but I do want to say that as the analysis indicate, we will be talking to the international community - talking to the bond-holders - to say that sooner or later, there has to be a restructuring."

VOIP Plans In The Making

But the way ahead for VOIP - voice over internet - is not as clear as the superbond.

Barrow explained that they are looking to start opening up bandwidth to voip users..

Prime Minister Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"The chairman of Telemedia has convened a working group, comprised of members of the board and members of staff, and they are very busy forming up the proposal which - as I understand - will see a limited implementation of VOIP in two phases, intiallly with respect to fixed lines and thereafter, of course, with respect to cell phones."

Jules Vasquez
"So, but - perhaps I don't know of where I speak, but the main way I thought people used VOIP was on Skype, which is computer based."

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Well, if you don't know enough about it technically, I will confess to an even greater ignorance. And so, if I mis-spoke in terms of what's technically possible just now, I apologize. All I can say then with certainty is that the chairman is determined that VOIP in a limited form - I do stress that - is going to be introduced sooner rather than later."

Jules Vasquez
"The former owners of Telemedia, or the most recent owners - Mr. Prosser and the Ashcroft Alliance - had both formed agreements disallowing the use of VOIP. They did that for a reason. The company becomes less profitable. This has to be a concern for you as well."

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Indeed, and that's why I said that it would be limited form of VOIP, and that's why there is this study-group - as it were - to see what is possible - what is feasible. You don't want to go too far with VOIP, which will without a doubt; affect the profitability of the company, before you know what you are in for with compensation. We know what our side - what our experts have said, but until there is a court determination, or some other impartial determination, I hope and expect that Belizean will see with us when we say quite clearly that it cannot be a wholesale introduction of VOIP."

And, we have one more piece of news before we close tonight. The Social Security Board of Directors met this evening to decide on the way forward after reviewing the audit of alleged insider trading at SSB. The meeting started at around 4:00 and finished a short while ago.

Our team dutifully waited, and waited, but at the end of it, when Chairman Lois Young exited at 7:30 pm - she told the press that she couldn't give an interview because it's only fair that she speaks to the CEO before she makes any announcement. So, we'll try again tomorrow to see what the verdict is.