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Patrick Menzies: One Man Against Monima
posted (June 14, 2016)
The new Northern Regional Health Manager Audibaldo Monima has been pilloried in the press because he doesn't have the qualifications for the job. But while we in the press have discussed his lack of suitability for the post at length one well known activist is angry that the public isn't really picking up on it. Patrick Menzies set up a protest outside the Corozal Community Hospital to encourage to north to speak out against Monima:...

Patrick Menzies, protestor
"Well we are out here because we want to bring attention, the news has been saying it, but many Belizeans haven't been paying attention especially up North. We have a situation where you have the Minister of Health appointing an individual that is not close to being qualified for the position he's been given and not just that, maybe a nice coast guard officer and I'm a military, so I respect coast guard officers that's fine. Not because you're a coast guard officer with associate's degree, means you're qualified to lead 2 hospitals. The requirement according to the regulations require that the person have a master's degree. I have a masters, but I don't qualify because I don't have the qualifications in the particular area. We are sick, we have ConComCow across our nation. What is ConComCow? it's an epidemic, Conformity, Complacency and Cowardice. We conform to what's going on, we are complacent, that's the way it has always been so we are cowards, we refuse to stand up for our rights. My claim out here is "Nortenos Tu Vida Tambien Vale", in the US they say "Black lives matter". I am telling you Nortenos, Northern lives matter and if Pablo Marin doesn't think so, you need to tell him so. You're wife and kids matter, your family matters and that's why we are here."

Reporter
"Okay and what are you asking to be done in the situation?"

Patrick Menzies, protestor
"We are asking that the Ministry of Health rethinks what they did, pull the guy out because only a nincompoop would think that the guy is qualified, we know he's not qualified. Put someone else in there that's qualified."

As you saw on the footage, it was a two-person protest - which is an improvement for Menzies, who often goes it solo.

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