Having Friends over for Lunch Brought Back Memories

Yesterday reminded me of my life before law & graduate school. I had the privilege of having guests over for lunch at my home away from home. The night before I prepared vegetables and chicken for my guests. I awoke Friday morning to prepare the lunch before heading off to work at Attorney Moore's office. Among the vegetable medley were carrots, green peppers, celery, red onions, and thinly sliced cabbage. I steamed the vegetables, adding a hint of soy sauce and then, once they were tender, I covered it all with American cheese, mixing in some tenderized swirl noodles.

Meanwhile, the chicken was baking in the oven and once it was done, I took the dish out of the oven, poured Sweet Honey BBQ on top, cut up baby onions and spread throughout. If you leave the top over the chicken dish, the onions will tenderize just from the heat of the dish. I made sure cold water was awaiting in the refrigerator and then I ran off to work.

I arrived just in time to go to the police station with Attorney Moore regarding the case of the officer who stabbed a taxi driver in late May and then went to the hospital to beat the snuff-a-luf-a-gus out of Atty Moore's client. Interestingly enough, the client had to contact Atty Moore to inform her of the police "internal affairs" division's request for him to appear and testify before them. One thing I am noticing, is that just because a person has an attorney is no guarantee that the client's attorney will always be notified of critical proceedings. In this case, the police very well knew that the client was being represented, (this case has been all over the papers) yet they contacted the client directly. What if it was a client who was not as aware as this client that he had best ensure that his attorney was aware of what the police was asking of him? When Attorney Moore arrived, internal affairs attorneys were surprised to see her. She walked in the interrogation room with confidence and introduced me to everyone and then sat at the table, as to demonstrate full authority to be present and assist on her clients behalf. What an awesome woman!

Afterwards, we dropped the client off to his destination and then went to my house for lunch with another fellow American. Rashawn received her law degree from Ohio and is here in Dangriga, possibly with the interest of living here and practicing law. It was a pleasure to connect Atty Moore and Rashawn. They complimented me on the lunch and it was really just a wonderful time of fellowship with like-minded "legal" folks. We discussed the differences in our experiences in the states verses what we have experienced here. In addition, Atty Moore helped Rashawn understand the processes she will need to go through in order to practice law in Belize.

This encounter reminded me of the get-togethers I would hold at my home for friends and family. It also reminded me of how much I really love cooking and inviting folks to taste thereof. Once law and grad school is over, I look forward to hosting parties and holidays at my home for my friends and colleagues on a more frequent basis!

Flat Stanley; A View of the Sea-Side at Pelican Resort; Update on Sexual Assault Project

Jaminez and Flat Stanley. Isn't she just adorable?

Can you see the bird on the tree stub sticking out of the water? This area is just a few blocks from my house.

Youth play basketball by the seaside. RJ could give them some serious competition!

A view from the tropics looking from the bay of Pelican Resort in Dangriga. This photo was taken 3 June 2008. Notice the brown waters.....a result of Tropical Storm Arthur. The waters are beautifully blue now.

OK.....now let me update you on my project. The sexual assault unit in the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office proposal is going quite well. The goal is to get the national DPP's office to establish a separate unit within the prosecutor's office to prosecute nothing but sexual assault cases (rape, incest, indecent assault, carnal knowledge..etc).

Currently, I am waiting a response from the National Director of the Women's Dept (Icilda Humes) to inform us of a date that Attorney Moore, Ms. Michelle Irving, the National Gender-Based Violence Committee and myself can visit to discuss the projects' findings and possible advocacy strategy to the DPP (as a group) in hopefully, making the proposal reality in the near future.

While I await Director Humes' response, I am aggressively connecting with other organizations to obtain letters of support. We are to meet with the local Gender-Based Violence committee in Dangriga tomorrow to obtain their letter of support before we meet with the national heads. In addition, we have already received a letter of support from Men for Social Change in Dangriga. This organization is a small, yet important supporter. As women and girls are the predominant targets of sexual crimes and commercial sexual exploitation in Belize, having men who are reputable in the community support this effort really means a lot. Their support demonstrates that its not just these strong, socially active women (Moore & Irving) who are leading the movement, but the Men in the Dangrigan community are also throwing their support behind the proposal because they desire "to see an end to the sexual contamination and destruction of our children and sexual victimization of women."

Today, I reached out to Y.E.S. (Youth Enhancement Services). YES is a group based in Belize City that has been at the forefront of advocacy against the sexual commercial exploitation of girls. They are reviewing the proposal and will inform me soon of their ability to provide a letter of support. In addition, the Haven House is reviewing the proposal. Haven House is a battered women's shelter in Belize City.

I have been personally touched by this research and project. Having 2 young daughters under 10 years old, the stories I am hearing almost daily could literally bring tears to your eyes. But moreso, it makes me more determined to give the project a 100% effort. If a child is raped, it is the duty of a society to put in every measure to protect the most vulnerable from these vile predators. (No less effort should be undertaken for adult women)......some real case scenario's encountered.......identities withheld for obvious reasons:

SCENARIO I: A single mother turns the other way as Mr. X picks her 10 year old daughter up and takes her away for a few hours. This happens a couple of times a week. Each time the child returns, she has money to provide to mom. This is too frequent of an event....the only reasoning..."income is needed to supplement the household."

SCENARIO II: A married woman wants a divorce. Why? She's been with her husband since she was 15 (he was 19). She is now 34. He is now 38. They have 4 children. 2 are girls. They are now 18 and 13 years old. Dad, their biological father, molested the oldest starting at the age of 13 thru 16. Mom filed charges. The case got adjourned and adjourned and adjourned. When she went to court the 4th time, the case file(remember they are all hand-written here) is mysteriously lost. So since there's no file, there's no case unless mom wants to start all over. Exhausted and out of money, mom gives up on pressing charges. She takes him back. Then, to her horror, she finds out that Dad also had sex with the youngest from 5-8 years of age.

SCENARIO III: Headline in the Local Paper......"Brothers Walk Free as Sister Admits to Seducing Them!

In all these cases, the greatest hope would be that the prosecution would go after the male perpetrators and send a STRONG message to future perps that the behavior is not only legally unacceptable, but socially looked down upon, emotionally damaging and will simply not be tolerated. Because sexual assaults are a special kind of crime that takes away the human dignity and self-esteem/worth of the victim, it is important to have specially trained police officers, social workers, and prosecutors who are well versed in handling these type of cases.

This project has a long way to go before it comes to full fruition. However, we are on the right track though. More updates later.

"I Need a Worship Experience!" -- Notes from My Journal Dated Sunday, June 22, 2008

Meet Pastor Evans, Pastor of the Faith Assembly of God - Dangriga

Pastor Evans and Fellow Members demonstrating how to Christians should surround themselves with Believers and not Unbelievers.

My heart was just happy Sunday as I watched these children praise in dance with Youthful Praise!

The whole church got involved with the movements as the girls worship God in song....the song was "I'm Claiming my Promise"

Children enjoy the worship of the praise dancers. The music put one of the little boys to sleep. He looks very peaceful doesn't he? I truly enjoyed the opportunity to surround myself with Christian music and the Word of God.

Journal Entry, Sunday, June 22, 2008
One of the things I have learned while in professional and graduate studies is, Never Get So Busy with Obtaining Higher Degrees Until You Forget About God!! Today I attended the Faith Assembly of God Church in Dangriga. It was my second time attending a church service here. A couple of weeks ago, I was on my way home from the market and overheard a familiar song playing over loud speakers coming from a certain direction. The song was a gospel song entitled, “I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand.” As this is a song that is sung often at my family’s home church, Faith Apostolic Church in Pine Bluff (A Big Shout Out to Pastor Moore & Family!), I was naturally drawn to it. As I got closer and closer, I realized that the music was coming from the Zion Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church. Having not been in a service for a few weeks, I walked in and sat on the back row to enjoy the beautiful singing coming from children, as that Saturday was their Youth Day Service. They went on to sing, “Jesus, There is Something About That Name”. I appreciated the friendly smiles and warm greetings from the church and left after staying for about an hour. It was already past 6:30p. I did not want to be walking on the streets after dark, especially since I still look pretty “touristy” to most Dangrigans.

Unlike my haphazardly stumbling upon Zion Temple, today, I woke up with the intention of going to Faith Assembly. Here in Dangriga, there are few churches. Most are Catholic, Anglican, Seventh Day or Assembly of God. I had passed by Faith Assembly many times on my way to market. I arrived a bit early and had an opportunity to meet and greet with members. The people of Dangriga are so friendly. Not just at church, but everywhere! So I expected to shake many hands at some point or the other. As church started, again I heard familiar songs that brought tears to my eyes as I bathe in just the opportunity to greet my higher power in familiar and new songs. “Look What the Lord Has Done” , “”I’m Claiming my Promise” , “Jesus is the Sweetest Name I Know” and “There’s Just Something About that Name” with great excitement coming from all over the church!

Praise dancers hurried onto the floor to dance before the Lord. The people seemed to praise Him with a higher praise than I have experienced in quite some time. Being the cry baby that I am, I couldn’t help but to praise God for giving me traveling mercies on my trip to and travels while in Belize, for giving me a “reasonable portion” of strength & health in my body, for making ways out of no way, opening doors, giving me peace of mind, blessing my children, husband and family to be healthy, spiritual beings who love God as well and for allowing me to have a somewhat sound mind….emphasis on “somewhat” (smile).

The message shared by Pastor Evans today was entitled Identity Crisis in the Body of Christ. He emphasized that we are dear children of God (Ephesian 5:1). He talked about how the enemy tries to attack our self worth, self being to turn us away from the fact that we are dear children of the most High God. If the enemy, he continued on to say, can make you think of all the ugly things in your life, and if all you focus on are your failures, then the enemy wins. He proclaimed that Christians should rise up, claim their promise in God and declare who they are in Christ….i.e…Child of God, Brand New Creature in Christ, Forgiven, Justified, Head not the Tail, A Winner not a Loser, etc…

“Love yourself the way you are. God made you in his own image. (Gen. 1:26, 27). Say to yourself, Self, I am Wonderfully made like my Father. (Ps 139:14) And therefore, I love myself just the way I am……But not to the point where I will allow myself to stop discovering the untapped gifts in God that are yet to be discovered in me.” I really thought that was well put. He was saying, never become so wonderful to your own self until there’s no room for improvement.

He stated that many times, we are hindered in moving forward because we fail to see who we are in Christ Jesus. “Get a Holy Ghost digital camera and take a picture of yourself. See that you are made in His Image….fearfully and wonderfully made.” Pastor Evans continued on….”I wonder if you were arrested today and taken to court for being a Christian, would you be found Guilty or Not Guilty.” He admonished attendees to Speak God’s Word over ourselves and to Encourage ourselves….in the Lord. And the only way to know God’s Word for our lives is to Read the Word. Needless to say, my little cup was just runnin' right over........

Meet my Mentor! Attorney Antoinette Moore

Attorney Antoinette Moore, Human Rights Lawyer, and Idonia Trotter, Law Student Intern. Belize City, Belize, Central America.

Attorney Moore is a New York native and Loyola University Law School (Chicago) Graduate. She is licensed to practice in Illinois and Belize, Central America. After marrying a Belizean in the states, they moved back to her husband's home community of Hopkins (15 miles from Dangriga) about 14 years ago where she has practiced law here ever since.

Police Brutality Ongoing Human Rights Pursuit for Moore
Her range of cases are broad, as she is the only attorney in Dangriga, Belize. A case in progress that I have had the opportunity to follow her on, concerns a Dangrigan police officer who alledgedly went into a hospital room to beat Attorney Moore's client around 1:30a.m. This, after the two got into a scuffle where the client was stabbed in the leg (that's why he was in the hospital). The thing that alarms Belizean's all over the country about this case is the brazen boldness of the police officer to think that he could enter a public hospital facility and beat a citizen/patient without repercussions. This case was the talk of the town when I arrived. People are waiting to see how it unfolds.

I have had the opportunity to see the passion Attorney Moore brings to the legal world in ensuring that human rights of all in society are adhered to and honored. An online article of the police brutality case can be found at http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=20892.

Juvenile Life Sentences in Belize Challenged by Moore
Another ongoing human rights issue for Moore has been efforts to get the government of Belize to designate Life Sentences for juveniles as "cruel & unusual treatment." Here's an article from 2007 where she explains her stance on the issue. http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=18408

Changes to Belizean Constitution Not Received Well; Recent Oil Find Prompts Heated Discussion by Citizens

Last night, I learned never to arrive at a government meeting on time. The meeting was scheduled for 6p at the Dangriga Town Hall, however, it did not start til 6:45p. The meeting was meant to be a "public consultation" on behalf of the government (required by law whenever any type of proposed change is to be made to the Belizean Constitution). Long before 7p this public consultation quickly turned into a "public confrontation". I attended for Attorney Moore as the petroleum issue could effect land rights vested currently in her clients, the indigenous Mayan community in the southern Toledo District of Belize.

A little background before going further: The PUP (People's United Party) governed Belize for the past 10 years. The UDP (United Democratic Party), in February 2008, won big over the PUP's on a message of "Change". People felt disenfranchised by the PUP's. They felt corruption had overtaken the PUP leaders and that a few leaders at the top were benefitting while the people suffered.

The newly-elected Ministers of the UDP Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Reps came to Dangriga to explain the proposed Constitutional changes. They hoped for good response. They were met by about 90 citizens who were wholly opposed to a major proposed change. In all, there were 22 changes being proposed. Only 1 was discussed (and with intensity) during the two and a half hours I stayed. Some of the changes being requested by the new goverment included;

• Enabling Senate to conduct public inquiries into mismanagment or corruption by govt
• Provide for the recall of elected reps before the expiry of their normal term in cases of corruption
• A three term limit for holders of the office of Prime Minister
• Include Belize Natl Coast Guard in the definition of 'security services'......and so on

However, in the middle of all these innocuous items was one that became the whole topic of the night....a provision to the Constitution that would vest ALL PROPERTY RIGHTS in PETROLEUM and MINERALS in the Government of Belize ALONE. The explanation given by the Ministers was that the proposed change is as clear as read....."All petroleum and minerals belong to the government, which in turn, the government is the people and therefore the people benefit. So you the people, not any one individual property owner, will profit." In the midst of this somewhat idealistic explanation, there were hard to ignore grunts and diplomatically held back murmurs that were not withheld when the microphone was finally opened for questioning.

In addition, that amendment also states that not only do land owners have no right to benefit from petroleums/minerals, but that no citizen can sue the government over any matter concerning petroleum or minerals. One of the ministers asked, "Can't we all agree that the petroleum and minerals found on Belizean land should be for the Government and People of Belize? If we all believe this, then why would we want to challenge it in court?"

I could be absolutely wrong, but I got a sense as the evening wore on that if a citizen/land owner disagreed with this passionate, patriotic argument the Ministers were trying (but failed) to make, the people would be considered "unpatriotic."

The government attorneys on hand tried to clarify as the crowd became more and more disenchanted. "Maybe it would be helpful for us to remember that the Petroleum Act of 2000 provides a 5% royalty to landowners on petroleum found. So there will be some compensation according to the Petroleum Act." A male audience member stood to respond, "Doesn't the Constitution trump any law that contravenes it?" The attorney hesitantly replied, "that is correct sir." The man said, "then if the Constitution says that ALL petroleum belongs ONLY to the government and that I can't sue over it, then wouldn't that clearly indicate that the Petroleum Act would be null & void." No follow-up response came from the Government attorneys.

The real argument made by the people last nite was "Equitable distribution of benefits for land owners derived from oil production." Although the discussion was heated, I saw democracy in progress! The people here are no longer willing to be complacent and just accept whatever party leaders tell them. They asked the hard questions. They did it with respect and dignity, although you could clearly tell they were heavily steamed. The thing that disappointed me was how the government leaders seemed to try to dictate to the audience how they should perceive the issue and demoralized dissenters by saying "Maybe you don't understand" or "there are people here tonight that are misinformed and will try to convince you against these proposals".

A female audience member stated, "how can you expect us to rubber stamp your proposal when you have attached 22 changes in one big Whop and did not provide enough time for the public to educate ourselves on how these changes will effect us individually or as a country. There was not even a notice in the paper about this meeting. We had to hear word of mouth." An elderly gentleman stood at the microphone to say that it was very presumptuous on the part of the new government to assume that such changes to the Constitution could be railroaded through. He admonished the Ministers that the people are the one's who put them in power and that the people would never forget and would remember it five years from now when elections roll back around.

As I dismissed myself from the meeting, a bystander said to another attendee outside of the hall looking in.....This party of "Change" is pulling the same tricks as the old government, and they've only been in office four months."

However, in defense (but not necessarily support) of the government ....if I may, after researching a bit....in 2006 commercial oil was first discovered in Belize in the Spanish Lookout village. This was an amazing discovery in light of the fact that oil drilling has been occurring for decades in Belize by all the big boy foreign oil companies with no significant finds. As the Constitution and laws are now, foreign companies and the landowners are profiting big time, while the govt only gets a small cut for its people. The governments argument, although not made as eloquently or convincingly as one could imagine, is that foreigners and one or two families should not be the sole profiteers of Belize's natural minerals and oils. In fact, "the people" of Belize should benefit rather than 2 or 3 individuals. The landowners argument is "fine, let the government gain the majority of the profit to better infrastructure, provide health care and education to all..etc......but don't cut landowners, who have cared for the land for years, out altogether. Atleast ensure that the 5% royalty remains."

Ruby Trotter Shines....I Need a Techy Person at ALL TIMES!

O.K., you guys get to see my cutey pie Ruby as she meets and greets Arkansas Senator Tracy Steele after making an amazing little speech in the Capitol Rotunda encouraging Arkansas lawmakers to strengthen the law that forbids anyone driving in a car from smoking around children 6 and under. Ruby was 7 at the time....she asked them to increase the age to protect "Big Kids like Me" from the public health dangers of secondhand smoke.

THIS EVENT WAS HELD IN JULY 2007! SO WHY AM I POSTING IT ALMOST A YEAR LATER......(smoke coming out of my nose and ears).......BECAUSE KARI MOGENSEN IS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND IN BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA TO MAKE SURE THAT COMPUTER CHALLENGED POOR SOULS LIKE ME....... CAN FIND THE PICTURES THAT THEY HAVE SAVED FROM THEIR CAMERAS ONTO THEIR COMPUTER TO POST TO THEIR BLOGS.......(more smoke, steam and red shot eyes!!)

O.K......count to ten....no let's count to 100, while meditating in a crossed leg position and think of beautiful little daffodils all floating through the air around me and creating "pleasantries galore"

I have some really phenomenal pictures to post her of Flat Stanley's adventures (and friends....yes, he has a girlfriend now here in Belize), a Media Event at the Supreme Court held last week where Attorney Moore and Mayan community leaders won an injunction to halt activities on land declared traditional, indigenous Mayan lands here in Belize AND the Old Belize Museum. Just can't get the pictures to appear when I "Browse"!

On a more pleasant note, the Caribbean Ocean is amazing right now. Blue, cool and inviting! In addition, I was able to secure support from a men's group in Dangriga who are supportive of the Sexual Assault unit within the Director of Public Prosecutions office. I am meeting people that are truly committed to a better Belize for their children through this project. My goal is to obtain atleast 10 letters of support for our project before we make an important presentation to the Director of Public Prosecutions in early July.

OK......I gotta try to figure this stuff out. Kari will be so proud of me if I do......

Happy Father's Day ......Memories

Last night, I set my alarm clock for 7:00a.m. (8:00a.m. in Arkansas) for a special reason...to call my husband and step-father and just simply tell them how much I love them and how much they mean to me.

My husband:
Rodney Trotter, Sr., has been a wonderful, stabilizing force in my life and has provided my children with the best gift any child could ever ask for.....a real DAD! He's a teacher, mentor, consoler, nurturer, spiritual guide, and friend to the children. So pleasant was this morning just talking to him and letting him know how much I truly appreciate his faithfulness to the kids and me. He's a quiet giant with amazing insight. He is the reason I am able to be thousands of miles away from home without a worry or a care as to the children's safety and well-being. In his hands, they find strength. In his hands, they have purpose. In his hands, they laugh and play together. In his hands, they know where they can go for comfort and love without judgment. In his hands, we are secure. Thanks Trotter for all you do and for just being you!

My Stepfather:
Here's a guy who married my mom when I was 8 years old. Both he and my mom were in their early 40's when they got married. There were 5 of 8 children still at home when "Daddy Pete" (we affectionately call him) married my mom. His family thought he was crazy to take on so many children (especially in that he had no biological children of his own). But what they did not realize was that he loved us and we loved him too because he would dare love us first. He met my mom when she owned a restaurant on the "black side of town" (it was referred to in those days). Those were days when blacks traded with blacks (they had to)....well that was just the way it was back then. He would come in and see me and my brother running around the cafe while my mother tried to maintain control of us enough to keep her business running. At that time, I was only 5 or so and my brother was 6. After a while, my mom got to know Pete pretty well. He would stay at the cafe til close, just to make sure my mom was safe closing the shop and getting home with us. I remember when Pete asked my mom if he could help her by taking us to his house during the busy rush hours. Mom agreed. WOW...going to his house was always a treat! He bought my brother and I a bicycle and toys. He would sit out on the porch while we played in the front yard under the shade tree. He would take us for ice cream and never, ever violated our sense of being a child. All that before he even asked my mom for her hand in marraige. Daddy Pete is now 77 years old. In 2000, my mom transitioned to glory. But Daddy Pete still calls me "baby girl" (I'm the youngest of the 8). This morning, I had a chance to tell him how much I love him. I reminded him of how he was always there for us and how, although he was not my biological father, I could not have asked for a better DAD! He is a quiet giant with a heart of gold.

I am blessed beyond measure to have had and to still have MEN OF VALOR in my life. Courageous, brave, never wavering, always standing! My son has a great heritage to uphold. My Daddy Pete and Rodney are no millionaires. They never won a Nobel prize. They seek not attention or fame. They have no desire to make a mark on this world....other than raising God-fearing children of character and creating a home environment that's safe for their wives and children to live in. I am so blessed to have them both. Happy Father's Day to my men of distinction and to all those men who are representing likewise for their families.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL DADS!!

Especially to my Pine Bluff, Clinton School & Bowen School of Law Family of fathers.....!!

Belize City!! and the Slow Wheels of Justice

Belize City
I have been in Belize City since Tuesday and will leave tomorrow evening headed back to Dangriga. My schedule this week has been full. Tuesday, I came with Attorney Antoinette Moore to the Supreme Court for a case she has before the court. Unfortunately, as the slow wheels of justice would have it, we had to wait about 40 minutes before the Judge asked the parties to come into his chambers, only to adjourn the case to Friday, June 13th. That's why I will be here until tomorrow.

I had a chance to sit in the Judge's chambers with them. It ended as quickly as it started, that is the discussion about adjourning the case. That was followed by what was a spirited 30 minute conversation about Barack Obama's democratic win and Clinton's concession speech. The judge, who I will allow to remain anonymous, offered the idea that Obama's popularity comes from his multi-cultural background in an ever-increasing multi-cultural America. He appreciated Obama's "measured" speeches and unwillingness to change with the wavering public pressures about his speech content. However, he felt Obama would need to flex his political wiz and know-how in order to gain the naysayers and clinch the ultimate Presidency. The judge was very cordial and asked lots of questions about the Clinton program and Arkansas, in which I gave both raving reviews, naturally!

One of the things I have noticed is that because Belize is so small, the people (and even visitors like myself) are able to get close to their judicial officials. Not that it is not possible in the states, but the relaxed nature of the interactions is very refreshing to see.

The Magistrate Judge in Dangriga on Monday (June 9th)invited me into his chambers (with Atty Moore of course) and quizzed me on the perceived differences in what I witnessed in his court room over the past two weeks opposed to similar court rooms in Arkansas. (He had invited us back last week, as well.) The two obvious differences are, I explained, the hand-written record (opposed to a stenographer or using computers) and the 'adjournments.' Here, cases are adjourned and adjoured and adjourned, until a simple matter, such as petty theft, could take 1 year or even 2 to be fully adjudicated.

The adjournments I witnessed were to allow a party time to get a document they forgot to bring that was pertinent to the case and a witness who did not show up for the court date because she forgot. In the latter, the Magistrate went into his office and called her on her cell phone to ask if she was going to come. The witness was key to the case. After she informed the judge that she was working with the flood relief effort related to Tropical Storm Arthur as an employee of the social services department, the judge was so kind as to say, "what day would be best for you if I reschedule it?" He allowed her to give her date and said, "now are you sure you can make it on that day?" Nevermind the fact that Atty Moore's client had traveled two hours from Belmopan (the capital) to attend the court date and would simply have to absorb that cost (time off from work, bus ride down).

Afterwards, Attorney Moore explained that because the witness was a state worker helping flood victims, most judges in Belize would be very forgiving when it comes to a situation like that. However, she noted that the case in question had been going on since August of last year and the witness had already not shown up on two prior occasions. It was a relatively simple case that seemed to drag on and on and on.

The magistrate noted that although those scenarios do happen frequently, in many cases, because of the rural and somewhat unmodernized nature of most of Belize, discarding a case quickly here would be an injustice. The time involved could also be due to a limited number of magistrates to handle huge case loads.

Nonetheless, just having that opportunity to share with a Belizean judge in a very casual setting and having the judges be eager to hear and learn from you, is just plain ole' cool!

Tomorrow, I hope to share photos with you of the National Center for Families and Children conference on crime that I attended yesterday and today here in Belize. I was able to obtain additional research information on sexual assault stats for the country that I had not otherwise known about.

Otherwise, I am having a really great time. Had a chance to visit "Old Belize" last night and tour the museum that depicted what Belize used to be like in the 1800's. I have photos to share from that excursion also.

Much love to all,
Idonia

An African-American Female Perspective on the Clinton/Obama Primaries; Obama's & Clinton's Impact on Belize, and the World

This is a passage from my hand-written journal while in Belize shortly after Hillary Clinton gave her exit speech on Saturday, June 7, 2008.

DEAR JOURNAL:

This is a historic day in American history and quite frankly, I don’t think it has all sunk in just yet. Maybe its because I'm sitting here in Belize right now and just feel a bit removed from the process. I sat glued by the T.V. Tuesday night as McCain, Clinton and Obama, sequentially, gave their June 3^rd primary election night speeches. I was so proud of the dignity and grace in which Obama stood tall in “his moment” (NO, “our moment”!) as being the first African American to have the democratic nomination in hand, as indicated by the clinching of more than the required delegates. I was equally proud today, as I sat and listened to Hillary Clinton’s endorsement of Obama and the generosity shown in the ultimate effort of unifying the Democratic Party to the road to the White House. But it just still has not sunk in quite yet. I know it’s real. But can it really be that in the first decade of the 21^st Century that a white woman and a black man have, TOGETHER, totally changed the landscape of politics as we once knew it. Something has definitely occurred that will be talked about and written about for many, many years to come. And to think, we had the fortunate opportunity in this generation of witnessing it all unfold!

I admit, up front, that I have been a strong Obama supporter all along. So needless to say, I certainly was, am and will always be very proud of Senator Barack Obama’s accomplishment of gaining the Democratic nomination for President of the United States of America. (that felt so good just saying it all long like that!) However, in all honesty, I really believed Hillary would win based on a number of reasons; more experience, possibly better connected, and the old stand by - "it's time for a woman in the White House!!" But, there is still a tremendous sense of loss as I come to terms with the fact that Hillary will not be the nominee. However, I don’t think I’m alone.

Many African American women, in particular, during this primary election campaign were placed in an extremely peculiar position. Having a strong allegiance and connection to both immutable characteristics; a possibility of Clinton becoming the first female president and Obama as the first African American president in the greatest country on earth, all in the same party and primary election, and being asked to choose between the two was an extremely difficult assignment. On one hand, black women understand and connect strongly with all the many struggles that women as a whole had to, have to and will continue to have to fight for as it relates to voting rights, equal pay, glass ceilings and more as we strive to reach our fullest potentials in all areas of life. On the other hand, there is an unfathomably long history and heritage of slavery, Jim Crow laws (Plessy v. Ferguson), educational/political/social discrimination, and the fight for civil rights in which black women throughout the country unite so deeply with Obama. To be asked to choose between the two was just an overwhelming request and experience. Many African American females, including myself, made the decision to “do no harm” to Hillary Clinton while supporting Barack Obama.

Hillary’s speech today, should have lifted every woman’s spirit, drive and dedication (even those who supported Obama) to become what ever they want to be in life, no matter what age, race, nationality or cultural background. The dignity and grace in which she bowed out of the race will remain with me. I could feel the hurt and the pain of a long and hard fought battle lost. But I could also hear the hopes and the dreams of the future for a country in which it will no longer be “an occasion” for a woman to head up a majority of major corporations, become governor of states country-wide, and yes, even one day become the President of the United States of America.

In speaking with Dangrigan women about what they think about Clinton’s race and Obama’s democratic nominee win, there is no doubt in my mind that what happens in the U.S. many times sets the stage for what can happen in other countries. Hillary's accomplishment (although falling a bit short) and Obama's win certainly have impacted and seemingly empowered women and citizens of Dangriga. People are talking about it all over town, every where you go. A man that I see quite frequently yelled to me while walking to the internet cafe in downtown Dangriga after hearing Hillary's speech, "Hey Man, whata' bout Obama!" with great enthusiasm.

One woman in high position in Belize explained to me that the U.S. does not realize that what it does, impacts people in Belize (and for that matter, the world). For example, she mentioned that as all the raids on illegal immigrants in the U.S. escalates and are televised, she has also seen an increased lack of regard and discretion for immigrants here. Although immigrants (legal or illegal) are afforded due process in any deportation matters in the states, here in Belize, she explained, they do not have the same “American justice”. In Belize, if a person can not readily demonstrate status because of language barriers or for whatever reason, they can automatically be deported to their country of origin the same day. Just in case you were wondering, migrants to Belize come predominantly from Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico for work in the citrus and banana fields.

So, just as Hillary Clinton has inspired American women to fight for, strive for and conquer their dreams, she has also had an inspirational effect on Belizean women of all ages. I honestly can’t believe that I am (we are) so privileged in this generation to experience such historic times that will have long lasting affects both nationally and internationally.

Today's Gasoline Price; Feeding Flood Victims; and Doing it "Belizean Style"!

Hi everyone,
It is Saturday, June 7. If you look back on my post of May 29th, you will see where the gas prices here for regular was around $10.59 for 1 gallon of regular gas. $10.59bz translates into about $5.30 U.S. dollars per gallon. Well, I checked today and the avg price per gallon of regular gasoline today, just 9 days later is $10.82bz. Which would be about $5.41 U.S. dollars. Who would have ever thought just 2 years ago that gasoline could cost this much?

This evening around 5:00p, I will be assisting the Ministry of Human Services in preparing food for some of the tropical storm victims on the outskirts of the Dangrigan township who are still tremendously affected by last weekends flooding rains. Many are still without electricity, food, etc....This morning, the Ministry provided meals to be delivered for lunch and will do the same this evening for dinner. Michelle Irving, Director of the Women's Dept here, also serves as the director of the human services. She informed me that althoughcitizens of Belize are used to rains during this time of the year, these particular tropical storm depressions were more devastating than anyone expected. Her offices count of the dead and missing is now up to 11 people. She said no one really anticipated the flooding because Belize had experienced 6 straight months of no rain. Everyone was actually happy for the rain and thought it woud be soaked up in the barren grounds quickly. That really demonstrates exactly how severe of rain systems Tropical Storms Alma and Arthur were.

Since I have some extra time on my hand this weekend, I want to do whatever I can to help out. The government is distributing food, foam beds, water and more. Although it is slow getting to some of the villages, they are making progress "Belizean style" (as I have heard many say here). Meaning, they may be slow but they will eventually get it done. Meanwhile, it is good to see the high spirits many have while helping their brothers and sisters in need.

Also, today, I found an internet cafe to post this message on. Unfortunately, our internet provider for the house I live in is having trouble getting several customers up and running since the storms. So I may not be able to post as frequently or with pix until our internet service is restored at the house......Belizean style.

Next post, I have just a few words on Hillary's speech today and her endorsement of Barack Obama from an African American female perspective........

Project is Off & Running Well. Barak Obama & Flood Waters

Today, I submitted my preliminary proposal to the Director of the Women Department and Attorney Moore on a joint project aimed at the creation of a special unit within the prosecutor's office that deals exclusively with sexual assault prosecutions. The major issue, based on research gathered and analyzed over the past week, is that sexual assault crimes have increased significantly within the past decade throughout the six districts in Belize. Sexual assault is intertwined with domestic violence and child abuse issues as it relates to marital rape and incest, respectively. Ironically enough, because of the increased media reports concerning the rise in sexual assaults over the past few years, the public and some may argue, the prosecution and judiciary, have become desensitized to the seriousness of these types of crimes, especially when they are committed within family units. For Attorney Moore, it is a matter of national and international human rights standards against the violation of the human dignity of the person and demands swift attention. For the Women Department, it is perceived as a growing problem that's negatively affecting young girls and women within the Belize.

We have completed preliminary research on the governmental statistics available (which by the way did not include any demographical information such as status, nationality, age, ..etc of the victims or perps). Now the research on how sexual assaults are affecting the immigrant population here can begin. The major hurdle I will face is the fact that the keepers of the record did not record status or nationality of the people involved, so gathering this info will take a bit more time and resources than the earlier research. However, I look forward to the process.

Barak Obama:
The folks in Dangriga Belize are excited about Barak Obama's big win and impending nomination on the democratic ticket. Heck, I'm excited too! Not just because he is the first African American to reach such a position in American politics, but I really admire his and his campaign's strategy in requiring the country, and the world for that matter, to focus on the common threads that unify us rather than divide us. I thought it was really big of him to give high praise to Hillary Clinton and yes, John McCain...even after their speeches did not oblige the same cordialities to him. Nonetheless, I am banking on a Obama/Clinton ticket!

Food:
I thought I knew "red beans and rice." It is evident that I knew nothing. Attorney Moore and I ate at the Roots Kitchen Cafe in Dangriga today. Those tender beans, mixed in with the pilaf rice was out of this world gooo-oood!

Floods from Tropical Storm Alma & Arthur:
The flood waters are receding and people are becoming more mobile on the outskirts of town. As the waters are lowering, victims are being found. The unofficial total is 7 dead. Yesterday, a 2 year old baby boy was found. I heard that the father was frantically trying to hold on to the little boy but the child was washed away from his grip as the flood waters grew June 1st. It makes me praise God daily for my children's safety and security and the many blessings he continues to bestow upon us all.

My Little Neighbor POPETOS

Popetos enjoying a Keebler's Sandies Pecan Shortbread Cookie. One of the snacks I brought along on the trip. He now refers to me as "The Cookie Lady."

Hi everyone, this is my neighbor Popetos. He is four years old and affectionately knows me as "The Cookie Lady." Popetos recently graduated from the LaFluerta Garifuna Pre-School in Dangriga, Belize and was so proud last night to tell me that he gave the "Welcome" at his graduation ceremony. He even gave us an exclusive rendition of his performance in our living room. Flat Stanley was on hand to congratulate him for such a wonderful and spirited speech! Flat and Popetos are big buddies now!

Flooding in Belize - Research on Sexual Assault

Belize is surviving after the tropical storms this weekend. However, there are reports of 4 deaths due to the storms and many places are flooded all over the country. Thankfully, Dangriga's river is cresting at the bank and no significant flooding has occurred as of yet. However, just on the outskirts of town, bridges have folded and people are stranded.

Blessed, Truly Blessed.....
My host, Attorney Moore, and her son missed a near serious event as they rode the bus from the Hopkins township into Dangriga this morning, thinking they would do better riding the bus instead of their low-riding car into town (20 miles) after the storms. Unfortunately, the driver underestimated the swollen waters as he tried to cross a flooded area of the road. The bus tilted to the side, rendering it immobile and water came into the bus. She said many began to panic, but she was able to help them stay calm as they had to climb out windows into neck deep water. (What was that driver thinking!!) There were children on the bus as well. They were able to make it to safety as a sturdier dump truck helped get them to safety and across the swollen road. Believe it or not, she and her son made it to the office, drenched, but alive! We went to the nearby store during lunch time so they could get flip flops, as their shoes were wet and muddy. They had a change of clothes at the office, but they will not be able to return to Hopkins until Wednesday or so. Pray for everyone's safety here.

Research on Domestic Violence-Specifically Sexual Assault
Meanwhile, the internet is still working and I was able to do some substantive research on Sexual Assault laws in the country as it relates to citizens and non-citizens. It appears that for the first 4 weeks I will work with Atty Moore on various cases, including a major on-going human rights case and shadow her on upcoming court cases. The hands-on experience I am receiving is invaluable. Atty Moore is a private attorney. However, she also works as a "legal aid" attorney for the Government of Belize. In the American system, we would call such an attorney a "public defender." The Caveat: Under the Belizean legal system, such attorneys do not have a per se public defenders title (meaning attorneys who work solely for the government in representing indigent defendants). The way it works essentially is when a defendant is indigent and can not afford counsel, the government will pay private attorneys who agree to take on a specific defendant. As Moore indicates, there are some attorneys in the country that will take such cases mainly as a means of ensuring justice or giving back to the community. However, the bottom line is that they can agree or disagree to take on such a case, unlike a dedicated US Public Defender's office that must represent based on Constitutional requirements. Working with Moore is kinda like having the best of both worlds as a legal understudy. She is called upon by people of all socio-economic levels because of her proven legal prowessness, yet she is passionate about being available to cases that may not pay much but will ensure justice and equality.

More to come tomorrow.........

Tropical Storms - Makes for Good Research Time

Today, I wake to these scenes as the tropical storms drench Dangriga, Belize all weekend long. Even in the rain, Dangriga is a beautiful and natural township. Lots of thunder, some lightning but no hurricanes expected. I see also on the weather channel that Arkansas is experiencing some really nasty rains as well. So, all my friends, family and colleagues, please stay safe.

Meanwhile, being shut-in by the rain does give me an opportunity to do some research relating to the Belizean criminal code on sexual assault, incest, unnatural acts, carnal knowledge and whether those laws encompass all within the jurisdiction of Belize or just naturalized or born citizens.

Family

It is day 5 here in Belize and I am definitely missing my children and husband. We have communicated via email but nothing takes the place of being able to hold and hug them tight!

TV

I am finding most of the channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CNN) that I normally watch for news very comfortably here in Dangriga. Also, it has been very interesting seeing the different programming in Spanish and Belizean children shows. I know Ruby & Roslyn would enjoy the extremely colorful programs. In addition, it is nice to be able to get a feel for Aljezeera TV. It definitely has an anti-American & anti-Iraqi war sentiment.

Food

I think I'm becoming a vegetarian. My daily meals are including oatmeal, corn, toast(w/butter), water and some snacks I brought in from the states. The grocery stores here have lots of American brands, but on a limited budget, I am being a little frugal with my funds. I have had a chance to venture out a couple of times to the Sunlight Chinese Restaurant which has food that is so tasty and authentic. There are no McDonald's, KFC's, Chili's or ANY American fast-food restaurants here. There are lots of homes along the side of the roads that put out signs "food for sale" so to speak.