President Barack Obama has sent a list of nominations for special appointments, to the US Senate, among them his old college buddy and campaign fundraiser, Vinai Thummalapally, an Indian-American of Colorado State, who Obama wants to become the next Ambassador to Belize.
A White House statement issued Thursday, June 11, said Obama is asking the Senate to appoint Thummalapally to the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Belize.
Thummalapally would replace Robert Johann Dieter, who took up the appointment in 2005. (The website of the US Embassy in Belize lists the ambassadorial post as vacant, with J.A. Diffily as Deputy Chief of Mission as Chargé d’Affaires.)
Thummalapally is one of 10 people Obama has nominated to key administrative posts. The others are Pamela J. H. Slutz for Ambassador to the Republic of Burundi; Gordon Gray for Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia; Richard J. Schmierer for Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; Martha L. Campbell for Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands; Alfonso E. Lenhardt for Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania; Mark Gitenstein for Ambassador to Romania; Howard W. Gutman for Ambassador to Belgium; Don Beyer for Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Lichtenstein; and John Nay for Ambassador to the Republic of Suriname.
“Americans will be fortunate to have these distinguished men and women as their representatives abroad,” said Obama, according to the White House statement.
He added that, “Their talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen America’s partnerships around the world and confront the challenges of the 21st century. I am grateful for their service and look forward to working with each of them.”
Obama’s office lists Thummalapally’s credentials as follows:
“He is the President of MAM-A Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of recordable optical discs. Prior to his role at MAM-A Inc., he served as the plant manager for Mitsui Advanced Media Inc., which also manufactures recordable optical discs.
He has served in several other similar roles in his 31-year career, including as General Manager for WEA Manufacturing, as a Managing Partner of Clines Office Products, and as Manufacturing Manager of Disc Manufacturing, Inc. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California State University and completed post graduate courses in Business Administration.”
As a side note, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow had told Kremandala back in April at the 5th Summit of Americas in Port of Spain that if all goes as planned with Obama’s nominee for the ambassadorial post to Belize, that person would arrange Obama’s first visit to Belize.
According to the Prime Minister, when he and Obama spoke on the occasion of the recent Summit of the Americas, Obama had said that he would love to visit Belize.
“[Obama] is telling me that the person he proposes to nominate is a very, very good friend of his, and he thinks that will make it easier for him to work on the logistics of coming to Belize,” Prime Minister Barrow had told us.
The nomination would have to go through the Congressional processes for confirmation, he added
President Barack Obama has sent a list of nominations for special appointments, to the US Senate, among them his old college buddy and campaign fundraiser, Vinai Thummalapally, an Indian-American of Colorado State, who Obama wants to become the next Ambassador to Belize.
A White House statement issued Thursday, June 11, said Obama is asking the Senate to appoint Thummalapally to the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Belize.
Thummalapally would replace Robert Johann Dieter, who took up the appointment in 2005. (The website of the US Embassy in Belize lists the ambassadorial post as vacant, with J.A. Diffily as Deputy Chief of Mission as Chargé d’Affaires.)
Thummalapally is one of 10 people Obama has nominated to key administrative posts. The others are Pamela J. H. Slutz for Ambassador to the Republic of Burundi; Gordon Gray for Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia; Richard J. Schmierer for Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; Martha L. Campbell for Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands; Alfonso E. Lenhardt for Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania; Mark Gitenstein for Ambassador to Romania; Howard W. Gutman for Ambassador to Belgium; Don Beyer for Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Lichtenstein; and John Nay for Ambassador to the Republic of Suriname.
“Americans will be fortunate to have these distinguished men and women as their representatives abroad,” said Obama, according to the White House statement.
He added that, “Their talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen America’s partnerships around the world and confront the challenges of the 21st century. I am grateful for their service and look forward to working with each of them.”
Obama’s office lists Thummalapally’s credentials as follows:
“He is the President of MAM-A Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of recordable optical discs. Prior to his role at MAM-A Inc., he served as the plant manager for Mitsui Advanced Media Inc., which also manufactures recordable optical discs.
He has served in several other similar roles in his 31-year career, including as General Manager for WEA Manufacturing, as a Managing Partner of Clines Office Products, and as Manufacturing Manager of Disc Manufacturing, Inc. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California State University and completed post graduate courses in Business Administration.”
As a side note, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow had told Kremandala back in April at the 5th Summit of Americas in Port of Spain that if all goes as planned with Obama’s nominee for the ambassadorial post to Belize, that person would arrange Obama’s first visit to Belize.
According to the Prime Minister, when he and Obama spoke on the occasion of the recent Summit of the Americas, Obama had said that he would love to visit Belize.
“[Obama] is telling me that the person he proposes to nominate is a very, very good friend of his, and he thinks that will make it easier for him to work on the logistics of coming to Belize,” Prime Minister Barrow had told us.
The nomination would have to go through the Congressional processes for confirmation, he added
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Not only are children here in KELOLAND being touched by Denny Sanford’s 400 million dollar gift, children in Central America will soon receive his gifts as well. The health system is showing its international commitment to children.
Sanford Health will soon help heal a country of just over 300 thousand people. Children in Belize will soon have better access to quality health care.
Just south of Mexico and east of Guatamala sits a small country…with serious pediatric health needs.
“We have an incredibly young population for various reasons so the need is enormous for good quality pediatric care…good quality healthcare in general but especially pediatric care,” said Dr. Peter Allen, Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Ministry of Health.
It’s for that reason Sanford Health has chosen the country to build it’s first international Children’s Clinic. It’s a conversation that began a year and a half ago…and after visiting the country, sanford health officials feel their pediatric care is needed.
“If we do something in Belize it doesn’t take away from something we’re going to do locally here,” said Rich Adcock, Executive Vice President with Sanford Clinic.
But Rich Adcock, Executive Vice President with Sanford Clinic, says their goal is to improve life of children nartionally and internationally.
The children’s clinic will be built next to one of Belize City’s leading healthcare institutions and is expected to open in 2011.
“We’ll build the appropriate structure for belize. We haven’t quite worked through all those details but it will intend to be a castle,” said Adcock.
With 52 percent of the country under the age of 19…Sanford Health hopes it that castle can bring quality pediatric healthcare to an impoverished country.
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So you are considering moving to Belize?
Belize is a country full of natural beauty, warm sea, cool breeze, and friendly people. But before you just pack up and move to Belize there are a few things you need to know.
Helpful Facts
* after living in Belize for one year you qualify for permanent residency
* there is a retirement program for people 45 years and older
* unless you are under the retirement program you may have to pay duty taxes
* there are public and private schools if you are moving with children
* you can bring your pets to Belize
* Belize has excellent communication services, including cellular and Internet
Immigration
If you are moving to Belize for a short period of time then you only need a valid passport to enter the country. Once you arrive your passport will be stamped and you will be allowed to stay for a month. After that, any immigration office can extend your stay for thirty days at a time, for a fee of course.
If you are planning to make Belize your new home then after one year you can apply for permanent residency.
Retirement
If you are considering retiring in Belize you should know that there is a retirement program available for people 45 years and older. This program has some excellent benefits.
Duty
Unless you are qualified for the retirement program, you may have to pay duty. However, as long as your personal effects are at least one year old, you will not have to pay duty on them. You will most likely have to pay duty on any vehicle you import, including cars and boats.
If you are not a Belizean citizen, you must be a legal resident before you can bring your stuff into the country duty free.
Children
Your children will do just fine in Belize. There will be many opportunities for them to make friends. Almost everywhere in Belize accepts and accommodates children. Most places are family focused. You will know right away which establishments are not appropriate for children.
There are public schools and private schools for your children to attend. The public schools are free. But just like everywhere else you will have to pay for a private education.
The education system provides a pretty solid foundation for your children. They should have no problem returning to your home country to pursue higher education. Most Belizean students studying abroad do extremely well.
Pets
You are allowed to bring your pets with you. Dogs and cats can enter Belize without being quarantined. However, they must have a veterinarian certificate declaring your pet free of any infectious disease. Your pet must also have been vaccinated against rabies.
Just please bear in mind that Belize is not suitable to all pets. They may not adjust well to subtropical climate.
Communications
Belize has a pretty reliable phone service, including cellular phones. The majority of people who own cell phones in Belize use prepaid cards. It works out much cheaper that way.
Internet service is widely available for your computing needs. Cable television service is also available for your entertainment.
Getting Your Things There
The recommended way for getting your personal items to Belize is to ship it down. You can ship either a half container load or a full container load. The most cost effective way is to load the container yourself and then arrange for it to be shipped to Belize City.
Once in Belize you can clear the container through customs yourself, although this is not recommended. The easiest way to do it is to hire a customs broker.
Once it is cleared through customs it is not difficult to find someone to help you unload.
I hope that these tips have been helpful in addressing some of the concerns that you may have before moving to Belize.
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Belize, which is situated along the eastern coast of Central America, boasts a rich cultural history and varied natural beauty including spectacular diving sites. For a scuba holiday with a difference you could do worse than Dive in Belize. Holiday makers can visit the great Mayan ruins on the mainland or accept the challenge to dive in Belize’s famous Blue Hole.
The climate in Belize is hot and humid for most of the year with little variation in temperature even in winter. In addition to the wonderful diving opportunities, there are plenty of land activities for tourists, such as the Belize zoo and Ancient Mayan temples. Many tourists, however, come exclusively to enjoy the many dive sites in Belize.
Experienced divers tend to prefer the challenge of adventure dives, and the Blue Hole in Belize is one of those dives. A blue hole is a cave or sinkhole and is also known as a vertical cave. The steep drop means that the centre of the hole is a rich dark blue colour, and the closer one gets to the shallows around it, the lighter the water becomes. Blue holes are thought to have been formed during the last Ice Age when sea levels were much lower than they are now.
Belize has the largest and arguably the most stunning blue hole in the world, and located near Lighthouse reef, it is a diving paradise. The hole is nearly a perfect circle and is more than 1,000 feet (305m) wide and 480 feet (146m) deep.
Interestingly, a blue hole does not generate much circulation, thus little oxygen reaches the depths of the hole. As a result, few marine life creatures can survive there, though bacteria seem to proliferate.
Other famous blue holes include the Andros Island Bahamas Blue Hole and the, Egyptian Blue Hole just north of Dahab. All the main Islands in the Bahamas have blue holes, but the Andros Island is considered to be the best of the lot. The Egyptian blue hole, in particular, is known to be very dangerous and has claimed the lives of many divers over the years.
Belize also has wonderful world famous reefs to scuba dive. The largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere can be found in Belize. It has mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries and is surrounded by several marine reserves. The area has been placed on the exclusive list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, which is a testament to the great beauty found there. The blue hole and reefs alone make Belize a fantastic place to go scuba diving.
Divers travel from all over the world to experience scuba diving in Belize. For serious scuba divers, the one thing to do in Central America is to dive in Belize.
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One thing guaranteed with Belize, you are sure to find diversity and something that would cater to your individual needs and tastes. In Belize you can find tropical islands, citrus groves, beach front condominiums, Mayan ranches, Caribbean private islands, or eco-friendly, solar-powered rainforest rest houses. Whether for business or pleasure, or even for both, you can find a real estate for you.
Real estate in Belize is exponentially cheaper than that in the United States of America and Europe. And with a fraction of prices in these countries, at Belize, you can get a piece of property overlooking the beachfront. Island living or owning a ranch is no longer a dream in Belize.
Acquiring a real estate in Belize is a great investment. Appreciation of properties has remained strong and steady through the years, and resale value is always high. There are no capital taxes and inheritance taxes and the currency exchange rate is stable.
In purchasing real estate in Belize, you can rest assured that the area is free from racial discrimination and that crimes rates are very low. And with the tropical atmosphere, you can easily relax and relieve yourself of life’s daily pressures. The political situation is very stable, and there are no sudden changes in laws since Belize is a very traditional country. Advanced infrastructures are set up throughout the country, providing you with state-of-the-art telecommunication systems and postal systems. The general population is fluent in English, so you do not have to readjust your lifestyle just to fit in the Belize community.
In Belize there is a good population of expatriates which makes assimilation much easier. In this country you can find Mennonites, Ketchki, Mopan Mayas, Garifuna, Creole, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian, Middle Easterners, Guatemalan, Honduran, Italian, North American and British. Places like Ambergris Caye, Placencia, Corozol, and the Caye District are areas always attractive to expatriates.
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