Paul Nabor dies at 86
Paul Nabor died on Wednesday October 22, 2014 at the age of 86...

Dangriga Market opens with political fireworks
On Thursday the last project under the phase one of the Municipal development project was finally handed over by the Social Investment Fund to the Dangriga Town Council ...

PG Mayor complains about PG SIF project
Punta Gorda Mayor, Anthony Fuentes, also had some complaints about a SIF project that was completed about a year ago. According to the Mayor, the Punta Gorda Town Council received a refurbished Municipal Office at their administration building, but just about a year later they have issues with the s...

Inmates clean Belmopan area
15 inmates of the Kolbe Foundation came out of their cells on Friday to assist the Belmopan Police Formation in cleaning the Rivera Area, which is notorious for the high level of theft. It is a preventative initiative that came into full effect, when the Officer Commanding Belmopan Police came in to...

Amandala

Legendary Garifuna parandero, Paul Nabor, passes at 86
Paul Nabor, the iconic Garifuna parandero who passed away in Punta Gorda early last night at the age of 86, from complications due to his third stroke, will receive a formal send-off, according to a statement issued this evening by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation. “We see his death as a great loss to the arts in Belize. To his family, his extended family and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy,” the official statement said. The family of David Lino, a grandson with whom Nabor resided in Punta Gorda, Toledo, until the time of his passing, told Amandala today that Nabor had suffered a stroke earlier this month, and since then his health had deteriorated, leading to labored breathing last night, shortly after 6:00. That was when he was taken to the Punta Gorda Hospital for treatment. At 6:50 p.m., Nabor passed away peacefully, his relatives told us.

5th stolen GOB Hilux intercepted, but driver escaped
If not for the efforts of employees and security personnel from the National Institute for Culture and History (NICH)’s Belmopan office today, the Government of Belize, through one of its statutory bodies, would have been out of another white Toyota Hilux pickup truck, which became the subject of an attempted theft orchestrated by a cunning robber who appears to be swift as well. Dave Griffith, an employee of NICH, told Belmopan police that they were preparing to go on a trip to Lamanai in Orange Walk Town this morning, but when the vehicle’s driver went downstairs and outside to get the vehicle, he was baffled by the fact that there was an empty space where the truck had previously been parked.

4 suspected Chik-V cases in Las Flores, Belmopan
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that they are investigating four possible cases of Chikungunya (Chik-V), a debilitating mosquito-borne disease which may appear to be dengue but which causes far more distressing pain. Those suspected Chik-V cases, all affecting women, have shown up in Las Flores, Belmopan, the migrant community which is home to many nationals from El Salvador, where thousands of cases of the emerging disease have shown up in the recent months. Two of the patients being monitored have told the Ministry of Health they were diagnosed with the disease in El Salvador before coming to Belize. The first suspected Chik-V case is said to have arrived in the country on Independence Day, September 21, when a 65-year-old woman, who said she had been diagnosed in her home country, El Salvador, came to Belize to visit relatives here. Since her arrival, three other women, in their 20s and 30s, have reported symptoms suspected to be Chik-V.

Guat passport offensive
In April of last year there was much public outcry over revelations that Guatemala’s passport, which highlights the country on a Central America map, had a mere dotted line dividing that country and Belize at our western border. Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington had told Amandala back in April 2013 that it was only recently that the Government of Belize had recognized that the Guatemala passports, which had been in use since the last administration, use the dotted line to represent the western border. We have looked at the models of other Central American passports, and the samples for El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras, which are based on the same design template, all have their borders represented as solid lines, as is the case with the represented boundaries between Guatemala and the other countries which border it, on its passport. Guatemala’s passport representation of its border with western Belize is unique, despite the fact that other countries in the region have territorial conflicts.

Cruise lines threaten to pull plug on Belize over new Ebola screening measures
North Korea has announced a travel ban on foreign tourists, and while Belize is not considering such a blanket ban on tourists, it has introduced more stringent screening measures, just in advance of the peak for the cruise ship season, which begins next month, November. Those new measures almost triggered an economic backlash from the major cruise lines, one of which had initially responded by suspending visits to Belize and the other threatening to pull calls to Belize’s port in the old capital, Belize City. Karen Bevans, Director of the Belize Tourism Board, told our newspaper that an agreement was reached with the cruise lines yesterday, and today, business was restored to normal with Carnival bringing 3,916 visitors and Royal Caribbean bringing 3,339 visitors today.

“Criminal” lifts Police over Bandits 1-0 in mid-week match
The condensed Premier League of Belize Belikin Cup Opening Season Tournament kicked off over the past weekend, and since a scheduled match between Police United FC and the Belmopan Bandits – both of who play out of Belmopan – was postponed on Saturday due to inclement weather conditions, the back match was played last night at 7:30 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. Football fans who were in attendance, and we understand that there were quite a few despite the fact that it was a week night, described the game as energetic, especially when considering that those are the top two teams who faced off for the championship in the last PLB season. Both teams have played to several even stalemates during the last season, and it seemed like that was going to be the outcome last night, but the Police United FC team, through the efforts of their striker Lennox “Criminal” Castillo, shook the back of the Bandits’ net in the 71st minute of the game and propelled themselves to a vital victory over their arch nemesis.

Talking football – Part 6
Before venturing further into any discussion of the sixties and beyond, perhaps we should take the opportunity to briefly recount a noble effort made by some of our sporting elders a couple decades ago, resulting in the first ever Belize National Sports Hall of Fame induction in 1993. In that first effort, which covered the period from 1923-1960, top athletes were nominated from 8 different sporting disciplines, and through a weighted voting mechanism by members of the Hall of Fame Committee, the top vote getters were selected to be the first inductees into the Belize National Sports Hall of Fame. C.B. Hyde was the chairman of that committee, and, while the National Sports Council has informed us that the records were all lost or damaged through the leaking roof at the building inside the MCC Grounds, we have recently stumbled across the personal file of the chairman while clearing away stuff from his old residence, and it is perhaps the only remaining copies of that outstanding process that should be documented for posterity, and as a blueprint for future Hall of Fame efforts.

Softball and football games in Orange Walk
In softball games scheduled to be played at the People’s Stadium today, Sunday, October 19, San Narciso Red Orchids won by default over San Narciso Golden Strikers; and Carmelita Caribbean Queen defeated Jadas, 9-5, behind winning pitcher Yvette Flowers. The Grand Finale will be October 26. Sunday, October 26 10:30 a.m. – San Narciso Red Orchids vs San Narciso Golden Strikers 12:30 p.m. – Carmelita Caribbean Queen vs Jadas of Orange Walk N.B. – The female games are best-of-3 series. Carmelita Caribbean Queen and San Narciso Red Orchids have one game to their advantage. 2:00 p.m. – (Male Game, Grand Finale) Jadas of Orange Walk vs Mad Bull Productions Female 9-A-Side football

Editorial: Power to the Belizean people
To a certain extent, the rivalry between the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) is a contest between different elements of the Belizean upper classes. This has not always been the case. In the beginning of the PUP in 1950, there was not much of a Belizean upper class except for that which was allied with the British – the colonial masters of British Honduras. The native upper class here was unreservedly anti-PUP. The PUP was roots. Three decades of ascendant PUP power had led, by the time of political independence in 1981, to the growth of a wealthy native class which was involved in the drug trade and was being protected at high levels of the ruling PUP. Not all of the new upper class was in drugs, but drugs was where the fast money was being made – first marijuana, later cocaine. Because of what was going on with the tacit consent of the PUP government, the publication of a Mexican magazine article in 1981 caused a panicky reaction when it was reproduced in three Belizean newspapers, including Amandala. Despite the traditionally virulent nature of the rostrum rhetoric and newspaper writing in Belizean party politics, local politicians almost never sued for libel before that, because such trials would have inevitably led to questions about other matters which the offended politician(s) preferred to remain private.

From the Publisher
The PUP Cabinet decision in February of 1970 to charge Ismail Omar Shabazz and myself with seditious conspiracy set in motion a train of events which culminated with the UBAD (United Black Association for Development), a cultural group constituted a year earlier, reconfiguring itself as a political party, the UBAD Party, in August of 1970. This decision to become a political party was my decision, as UBAD president, and I made that decision because I believed that the ruling party would come after our leadership despite our July acquittal in the sedition case, that they would come after us again and again, and that the best way to defend ourselves was within a political organization. I did not make the decision because I had personal political ambitions. I never did. After I had graduated from Dartmouth College in June of 1968, I quickly headed back home to Belize. My best friend, an economist from Malawi by the name of Guy Mhone, could not go home, because his country’s Hastings Kamuzu Banda government, which was collaborating with the apartheid government of South Africa, would have jailed or killed him.

Letters: Major Lloyd Jones, not so fast!
When we last left the saga of the misinformed Major Lloyd Jones, in a response to my reference to him as a second class citizen in his own country he simply stated, “I’m no second class citizen;” he did not qualify that with any legal proof, but merely by his statement he declared so. Major Jones, you are not very informed of your rights I see. Let us first define second class citizens. Wikipedia says this: “A second-class citizen is a person who is systematically discriminated against within a state or other political jurisdiction, despite their nominal status as a citizen or legal resident there. While not necessarily slaves, outlaws or criminals, they are often subject to mistreatment or neglect at the hands of their putative superiors. Instead of being protected by the law, the law disregards a second-class citizen, or it may actually be used to harass them.”

Letters: Bring back the beauty of Hopkins
I want to thank all who allowed me to make the TV, radio, and the Amandala newspaper. Not bad for a village gal talking about the need for assistance with the death of the Hopkins coastline. I will not give up to rebuild the beach in Hopkins back. Hopefully, it is reaching the right people, in government, the right organizations, the environmentalists, people of positive strengths that we need for the rebirth of rebuilding the coastline in Hopkins. Mountains have been moved, our beaches have been destroyed, let’s change history!! We want Hopkins beach back.

Dr. Ronald Hyde, nephrologist, addresses the Belize Kidney Association Education Awareness Symposium
Despite inclement weather, a number of Belizeans attended the Kidney Association of Belize Education Awareness Symposium at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall on Monday night, where internationally acclaimed nephrologist, Dr. Ronald Hyde, was the featured guest speaker. The president of the Kidney Association of Belize, Ruby Nicholas, delivered the welcome address. Before Dr. Hyde delivered his incisive message, which focused on the early detection and treatment of kidney disease, local healthcare professionals spoke about the rising incidents of kidney disease in Belize. Among those making presentations was Dr. Adrian Coye, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

EU ministers to formally lift Belize high seas fishing sanctions
Back in March, the European Union imposed trade sanctions against vessels flying the Belize flag on the high seas, allegedly because Belize was deemed to be a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. However, the European Commission has proposals to formally lift the sanction against Belize’s fleet, which nets the Government $12 million a year, according to official Government of Belize sources. While the ban stopped Belize-flagged vessels from landing their products obtained from high seas fishing at EU ports, those vessels, made up mostly of Spanish-owned vessels, found other ports in Asia to land their products. Gian Ghandi, Director-General of the International Financial Services Commission, and legal counsel in the Ministry of Finance, told Amandala that the decision will be up for final consideration by the EU’s Council of Ministers next Wednesday, October 29, 2014.

Man, 19, remanded for carnal knowledge of girl, 12
On Friday, in the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court, Adrian Tun, 19, a laborer of Santa Familia, Cayo District, was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until Thursday, December 4, when he will be returned to court, to face a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl. The girl and her mother went to police and reported that on Monday, the girl was home alone in Santa Familia when Tun went to the house and had sex with her. The girl was taken to the San Ignacio Hospital, where a doctor examined her and certified that she was carnally known.

3 remanded for 2 separate cases of drug trafficking out west
Three men, two Belizeans and a Guatemalan, were remanded to the Belize Central Prison after they were arraigned in the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court today for drug-related offences relating to two separate marijuana busts that occurred in Benque Viejo Town over the past three days. In the first instance, Benque Viejo police reported that while conducting a mobile patrol between Miles 71 and 72 on the George Price Highway on Sunday, October 19, they intercepted a white Mitsubishi cargo truck that was travelling in the direction of San Ignacio Town from Benque Viejo, and that during a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a black plastic bag between the legs of the passenger in the truck.

Alleged child predator, 25, preys on 5-year-old child
A grandmother from Independence, Stann Creek District, has reported to police that on Sunday, October 19, a 25-year-old neighbor of hers sexually molested her 5-year-old grandson, and bit the child’s penis while performing oral sex on the boy. A medical examination was conducted on the child, and his injury was classified as harm.

Mother, 32, charged with grievous harm to son, 6
A woman who resides on Fern Lane in the St. Martin De Porres area of Belize City and is the mother of a 6-year-old boy was charged with grievous harm against her son when she appeared this morning before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. Odette Lambey, 32, a sales clerk, was represented at her arraignment by attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd. Before the arraignment began, Matura-Shepherd told the court, “It is a terrible situation that has happened and social services has already removed the child and gave him to his maternal grandparents.”

Right to the Point
There is an awful revelation that has me concerned for some time and which I hope the average Belizean is not sweeping under the rug. This is the internal posture our country through our leaders has displayed and the corresponding disrespect we have attracted as a result. This became especially obvious in a series of major developments these past weeks starting from the execution of Danny Conorquie to the Ebola/cruise ship drama. I believe that the external response to us on this issue is as a result of what we have bent over to project of Belize as a weak, anything-goes country. Then our own local leadership response has been nothing but dismal and a%&-kissing. If we take time to sit back and reflect on the manner, time and place of the execution of Danny Conorquie, some of us would have to admit that the Guatemalan bandits who carried out this execution have no fear of reprisal from the Belizean authorities.

The Belize Times

Barrow breaks the law – PUP challenges illegal borrowing and spending
Prime Minister Dean Barrow wants to get away with breaking the law. On October 2nd 2014, Barrow presented a loan motion before the National Assembly seeking approval for his administration’s borrowing of BZE$228,614,712 that occurred between September 2012 and August 2014. The funds came through the ALBA/Petrocaribe program made available by the generous Venezuelan Government in support of poverty alleviation initiatives throughout the region. But the borrowing was carried out in flagrant contravention of the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act which requires that any borrowing of more than $10 million must first seek the deliberation and approval of the National Assembly. The Act was introduced in 2005 for the purpose of regulating Government borrowing. According to the Barrow Administration, between 2012 and 2013, US$18,031,336 was borrowed through the Petrocaribe funds. Between 2013 and 2014 an additional US$76,331,016 was loaned. And between 2014 and 2015, GOB loaned US$19,944,954.

We noh ready fu Ebola!!
The drama that played out last week when the Prime Minister appeared to have stood-up to the attempted brinkmanship of the United States State Department that wanted to airlift two persons that were suspected of being exposed to the Ebola virus and who were on a cruise ship anchored off Belize City, though commendable, may have been orchestrated for political grandstanding. This was plain and simple, in the final analysis, just theatrics, a sidebar that for a while distracted from the real issue of incompetence that has placed many Belizeans, working at the frontline of the cruise ship industry at serious risk of exposure to this deadly disease. The Prime Minister, by his own admission, was ambivalent and therefore indecisive, in dealing with the State Department. This could be interpreted to mean that he is not up-to-speed with the national state of affairs and that he pretended not to be aware of the maladministration of the Ministry of Health.

Mark Flowers and Human Smuggling
Leaked documents from the Police Department have revealed that current Gang Suppression Unit boss, Mark Flowers, was under investigation for suspected human smuggling in 2009. The documents indicate that Immigration Officials intercepted four Salvadoran nationals including two females, acting suspiciously and getting out of a vehicle at the Western Border. When interviewed by Immigration officials, the females told the Immigration Officials that they were brought to Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala by their relative. While there, they were taken to a small bar where they met and had a few drinks with three Belizean men. The women said that a short while after they were told to enter a vehicle that moved towards the border. There, their passports were gathered and taken into the Immigration office. As they exited the vehicle, they were taken into custody and warned that they needed proper travel documents to enter Belize.

Patrick Jones

Tributes for Paul Nabor
Tributes continue to come in for Belizean cultural icon Paul Nabor who died on Wednesday evening in Punta Gorda town. The National Garifuna Council, in a statement, said it joined the rest of Belize in noting “the transition of Mr. Paul Nabor.” The NGC statement credits Nabor […]

PG Mayor says Town Hall Roof renovation was shoddy
The Mayor of Punta Gorda town, Anthony Fuentes, says that part of the recently renovated roof at the Town Council office is already falling apart. The renovation work, according to Mayor Fuentes, was carried out with funding from the Social Investment Fund to the tune of just under […]

Toledo villages get equipment to clean up the community
Villages in the Toledo district have been presented with equipment which will help in keeping the community clean. The equipment included weed eaters and lawn mowers and were acquired by the Ministry of Local Government at a cost of about $18,000. Rural Development coordinator Ernest Banner says that […]

Corozal Junior College student stabbed
A student from the Corozal Junior College (CJC) is reported to be hospitalized at the Northern Rrgional, following a stabbing incident on Thursday afternoon. Details are still being confirmed, but preliminary information received says that the two male students got into a fight over a seat on […]

Burial plans being finalized for Paul Nabor
Burial arrangements are being finalized for legendary Paranda king Paul Nabor. His daughter is expected to arrive in Belize today to complete those arrangements. The government of Belize has offered an official funeral for Nabor. Correspondent Juan Caal spoke with community activist Darius Avila about Nabor’s death and […]

Blogs

San Pedro Belize Guide to Halloween Parties 2014: 9 Freakishly Fun Parties in San Pedro
Saturday, October 25: Holiday Hotel Halloween Bash – 9:00 pm. Year after year this party has 5 star freak factor that spills out onto the street, with people lined up watching the grand entries. Sunday, October 26: Saga Humane Society Spooktacular Halloween fundraiser at Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar – 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. This frightfully fantastic annual fundraiser is well worth attending. Wednesday, October 29: Roadkill Bar’s Halloween Party (Scaryoke) – 7:30 pm – 12:00 am. Many would say nothing is scarier than Karaoke :) Roadkill Bar’s Scaryoke party will be a spooky good time. Wednesday, October 29: Pedro’s Party Like It’s 1994 Beer Pong Halloween Party – 6:30 pm onward. This is a special event, open to all and will be a lot of retro fun. Friday, October 31: Wayo’s Beach Bar - 4:00 pm. There is no better place to enjoy a Creepy Carnival with proceeds benefitting San Pedro Aids Commission Friday, October 31: Lola’s Pub Halloween Party – 6:30 pm onward. Celebrate the holiday with Lola’s special “spooky” drinks while wearing your freakiest attire. Friday, October 31: Pedro’s Annual Pimp n’ Ho Party - 6:30 pm onward. A fun place to see some creative (and yes, sometimes freaky) costumes and compete for great prizes. Friday, October 31: Rain Restaurant – Mystery Dinner Theater – Murder in Margaritaland – 6:00 pm. Who doesn’t love a good tropical thriller game. Friday, October 31: Sandy Toes Bar and Grill – Halloween Party – 6:30 pm onward. This is Sandy Toes first annual Halloween Party. Come and celebrate with free jello shots for all those in costume – now there’s an incentive to come up with a costume!

San Pedro’s New Hot Spot: “Boogie’s Belly” And the Remnants of Post-Tropical Cyclone TD9
GOOD COFFEE! Flavored creamer or regular…and free refills. Love this place! And I got chatting with Jessica, the preparer of these pockets of bliss, about meat pies. She has done them with LOBSTER filling…vegetarian. Yum. Would it be weird to just order 50 for my home use? Jason, Jennifer and Jessica. (It’s hard to figure out who is the mom and who is the daughter but either way…both are lovely.) These guys are Belizean…and American. Jason was born in Belize City and Jennifer in the Toledo District, Big Falls to be exact. He moved to LA for 33 years. His grandfather started one of the most famous classic Belizean food restaurants in the country – Dit’s in Belize City. (I visited for stew chicken OF COURSE a few years ago.)

Farewell Paul Nabor: A Belize Music Legend
Belize lost a national treasure and we farewelled a wonderful friend this week with the passing of Paul Nabor, Garifuna parandero extraordinaire and one of the best cultural ambassadors Belize ever had. Born in January 1928, Paul, known as Nabi to his many friends, packed more into his 86 years than most people get to experience in ten lifetimes, from growing up in a simple Garifuna village to captivating audiences the world over with his deeply soulful Paranda songs and a humanism that cut across all societal and cultural boundaries. Whether in Belize City, New York, Europe or Malaysia, Mr Nabor, often wearing a large cowboy hat, would appear on stage and within seconds have any audience, anywhere, in the palm of his hand. There was something about him…

A tropical paradise in Belize: Matachica Resort & Spa
We're off to the a tropical paradise today, and a beautiful resort on Ambergris Caye Island. You may never have heard of the island (I hadn't!), but it's just a 15 minute flight from the mainland of Belize....and it's stunning! The Matachica Resort & Spa is set on a secluded stretch of natural white-sand facing the world's second-largest barrier reef. Accommodation is set in 26 vibrantly coloured thatched roof villas. They're all uniquely decorated with original art collected from around the world, and are very cleverly situated so they're not too close to each other. They have air-con, ceiling fans, and private patios.

International Sources

2015 MAP Children’s Art Calendar
The 2015 International Children's Art Calendar is now ready to pre-order. Order your calendars now, so we can better judge how many to print. We are also offering you great discounts on bulk orders

Road safety project in Belize to get additional CDB funding
The government of Belize will receive an additional loan of US$4.584 million from the Caribbean Development Bank for an ongoing road safety project. The original loan of US$7.248 million was approved in 2012, but stakeholder reviews of the project have led to a revision in scope that required further financing. The road safety project was designed to assist in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries associated with road traffic accidents. Initially it involved such areas as road safety infrastructure; accident emergency services; road safety enforcement; public education and awareness including curriculum development and teacher training; and capacity building. Because this is a pilot project, annual review meetings were incorporated into the process. These meetings afforded the opportunity for feedback from a wide cross-section of public and private sector stakeholders.

Videos

Video: Chikungunya Song from Jamaica - Wayne J, 3.5min.
Gobhealth Belize shared a catchy tune on ChikV done by a Jamaican artist. Check it out! - Using a song out of Jamaica by Wayne J, Magnetic Media has put together the web's most popular images, video and warnings regarding the now, killer Chikungunya Virus.

Video: Naguya Nei - Paul Nabor, 4min.
Nati nuguya merumayatina Wanwa nuguya merumayatina Balabada naru tura nigabana nay

Video: Belize Shark Adventure and Attack, 10min.

Video: Belize Vacation - 2014, 5.5min.
Highlights from our trip to Belize, CA in October of 2014.

Video: Nick Baker in Belize, 3min.

Video: Horse powered saw mill, Belize, 6min.

Video: Scuba Diving in Belize, Turneffe Atoll - 9/24/14

Video: Belize - Bacab Jungle Park, 1.5min.
Spend a relaxing day at Bacab Eco Park surrounded by nature at its best. Start and end your Belize adventure traveling between Bacab Eco Park and your ship in an air-conditioned motorcoach and learn about the country, its natural wonders, diverse culture and history from your guide. Upon entering the park and throughout the recreation area you’ll see tropical wildflowers, flowering trees and shrubs where hummingbirds drink sweet nectar. An elevated palmetto boardwalk leads you under the shade of orchid laden bullet trees and Palmetto Palms to the main recreation area featuring the restaurant, bar and an exotic swimming pool area. Kick off your shoes and relax in a hammock in the shade of a buttonwood tree. At your leisure, enjoy a delicious truly Belizean lunch prepared just for you served buffet style. If relaxing is not for you, then learn about the many uses of native plants on Ixchel’s Walk, a self-guided medicinal, botanical trail. Note: Wear a swimsuit and closed-toe shoes and bring sunglasses, a hat, towel, insect repellant and sunscreen. Must be able to walk 300 yards. Free WiFi service is offered.

October 24, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

TD#9 in town
It's the calm before the storm and the clouds are rolling in over Ambergris Caye! (4 photos)

Five-a-side Football Tournament to begin
The San Pedro Town Council five-a-side Football Tournament is scheduled to kick off on Friday, October 24th. Taking place at the Honorable Louis Sylvester Sporting Arena (Saca Chispas Field), the tournament will see ten teams facing off in a series of matches with the goal of winning the coveted first place prize of $1,000 cash plus trophy. According to event organizer, Hector “Tito” Alamilla Jr., the tournament is aimed to promote healthy recreational activity for the youth of San Pedro. Five-a-side football consists of teams of five playing in a smaller field that the regulation size of normal football. Game time is also shorter than that of a regular football match. The ten teams registered to participate in the tournament are Warriors FC, FC’s Aluminum Fabricators, Valencia del Caribe FC, Swampedrito Lazy Boys, Island Pure FC, Eagles FC, Green House FC, Airstrip Taxi Strikers FC, Pro Divers FC and Dorados FC. All teams must have ten registered players and a proper football uniform to represent the team.

Tropical Depression Nine loses strength as it gets closer to Belize
The Belize National Meteorological Service is currently monitoring a tropical depression that formed on Tuesday, October 21st in the Bay of Campeche in the extreme southwestern Gulf of Mexico. While the 2014 Hurricane Season is scheduled to close on Sunday, November 1st, Belize is still not in the clear of any storm, as this tropical depression seems to be paying a visit to Belize. Known as Tropical Depression 9, the storm currently has sustained winds of over 35 miles per hour (mph) with stronger gusts. The storm carries heavy rains of up to 15 inches. Flash floods are possible. Tropical Depression 9 is moving eastwards at six mph. Tropical storm watch warnings have been issued for Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula from Celestun City to Frontera City. After crossing the Yucatan Penisula, Tropical Depression 9 is expected to merge with a cold front that is moving southerly in the area. If this is to occur, the intensification of the storm would diminish.

PM Barrow refuses to facilitate evacuation of possible Ebola patient
The threat of an Ebola outbreak continues to loom over the Caribbean, North and Central America. As such, governments including the Government of Belize (GOB), are taking action to prevent the spread of the deadly disease in their respective countries. On Thursday, October 16th, news broke out of two passengers considered a very low risk for Ebola by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) who self-quarantined themselves aboard the Carnival Magic cruise ship which was at the time stationed in Belizean waters. Practicing extreme caution, GOB refused to facilitate a United States of America (USA) request for assisting in the evacuation of the two passengers through Philip Goldson International Airport.

Ambergris Today

Belize Conducts Activities for the Possible Entry of Ebola
The Ministry of Health continues to conduct multiple activities associated with the global threat of Ebola - The Ministry of Health is pleased to share an update on several activities carried out within the past week. Two isolation facilities have been stationed at the Phillip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) compound and the precise specifications of these facilities are currently being reviewed. Revisions have also been conducted on surveillance activities at the airport for further strengthening. Additionally, several activities are being conducted including the activation of Point of Entry Screening with Public Health Inspectors at the International Airport, meetings between the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and the Public Health Inspectorate on the adoption of updated screening protocols for cruise ship passengers, and meetings with relevant stakeholders on a draft plan of action for Ebola called by the Ministry of Health through the office of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO).

Belize Icon Paul Nabor Passes Away
News was received late yesterday evening, Wednesday, October 22, 2014, on the death of Belizean Paranda artist, 86-year-old Paul Nabor, who had been ailing for an extended period. He had been hospitalized in January of this year with pneumonia. The Government of Belize stated that it joins the family and friends of Paul Nabor and Belizeans in mourning the loss of this Belizean icon and musical legend. A legendary Garifuna composer, Paul Nabor is well known for his contributions to Paranda music, most notably, his moving song, "Naguya Nei" written for his dying sister.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Liquor Licensing Board
Liquor license holders are urged to submit completed renewal applications at the office of the San Pedro Town Council by December 12, 2014

Media & Video Symposium 2014 - Belize
Tuesday, November 4 at 8:00am Radisson Fort George Hotel & Marina, in Belize City, Belize

Paul Nabor
The Press Office joins the family and friends of Paul Nabor and Belizeans in mourning the loss of this Belizean icon and musical legend. A legendary Garifuna composer, Paul Nabor is well known for his contributions to Paranda music, most notably, his moving song, "Naguya Nei" written for his dying sister. To pay homage, we share with you a photo taken by a member of our team back in November 2012 when Paul Nabor performed at Builder's Hardware in Belmopan.

"Unique Belize" Exhibition
Local Belizean Arts and Crafts Artisan Brand, "Unique Belize" Exhibition, launched under the BRDPII Project of the Ministry of Tourism. The jewelry is crafted using only quality materials made in Belize. The level of creativity and quality of work surpassed critique's expectations.

BEL Assists CARILEC Member Utility with Hurricane Restoration Works
Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is honoured to assist Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO) and Anguilla Electricity Company Limited (ANGLEC), as both fellow members of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), undertake restoration works following damages caused by the passage of Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gonzalo in those islands on October 11 and 17 respectively. In Bermuda, these incidents resulted in 12 persons injured, damaged buildings and extensive damages to BELCO’s power distribution system, which left over 80% of customers without power. Anguilla, which received a direct hit from Hurricane Gonzalo, also experienced extensive damage to their electricity infrastructure. Subsequently, ANGLEC sought immediate assistance from CARILEC.

Rugby Training Starts
Though it may only be a sandy patch of ground, the Saca Chispas field in San Pedro made history recently as it became the venue for the first official training session for children participating in Belize’s newest sports activity, rugby, as members of the San Pedro Turtles rugby club. “We’re starting small,” says Martin Dawson, organisor of the San Pedro Turtles, “and we are aiming to get a rugby sevens team organized very soon. We know there are more children and youth in San Pedro that would like to play rugby with us, and they are welcome to come along”. The game, already popular throughout Central America, is played by both girls and boys, young and old, and in a variety of variations. The hugely popular version, Rugby Sevens – the variant that will feature in the 2016 Rio Olympics, is where the Belize Rugby Board will be focusing its efforts to grow and develop the sport in Belize.

Paul Nabor: Belizean Legend & Father of the Garifuna Nation
Music legend Paul Nabor passed away last night in Belize. Nabor was a hero like Andy Palacio who dedicated his life to the survial of the Garifuna culture. He was a widely respected musical talent who brought the soulful music of the Garifuna to the rest of the world that on a 2004 visit to Tegucigalpa in Honduras, he was declared a distinguished guest of the city. Nabor performed on Andy Palacio’s final album, Watina released in 2007. Belize and the rest of the world will miss him!

Channel 7

The Second Paranda King Passes
Paul Nabor - the 86 year old parandero and musical icon died last night at 6:50 at the Punta Gorda Hospital. Nabor had gotten a stroke ten days earlier and had returned to his PG home to be cared for by his grandson. Last night around 6:00 he took a turn for the worse and was rushed to the PG hospital where he was pronounced dead. And so tonight, Belizeans and Garinagu all over the world are mourning the passing of this great on. Like his most famous song "Naguya Nei" says, "I am moving on…" - and so he has. Today we spoke to family, friends and band members about his contribution. First, you'll hear from Barbara Norales who was a close friend of Nabor's. Today in Dangriga, she said Belize and the world have lost a great talent:.. Babara Norales, Friend of Nabor "I got to enjoy the spiritual and personal side of him and then I'll use this to send condolences to the PG people and Belize, they have lost one of its greatest asset. The Garifuna people has lost something great and condolences to his daughter Marie who is also an artist and I hope that Darius and the people from PG continue with the Paul Nabor birthday every year in January."

Mayor Swazo Blazes SIF At Griga Market's Ceremonial Opening
Our next story shouldn't be about politics, but, it kinda is. The story should be about how Dangriga Town finally got its market back - completely refurbished with 44 new stalls, and all the bells and whistles. But, as it turns out, the story is about how the Dangriga Mayor just dropped bombs on the Social Investment Fund and its minister at the handing over today. 7News was at the ceremony, and here's how it went.. William Lamb, Executive Director - SIF "So with pride and thanks to God I can say to the Dangriga residents; enjoy the new market." Jules Vasquez reporting But there wasn't much for SIF or their minister to enjoy today when the Dangriga Mayor - backed up by the PUP political bosses of the south - blazed them: Gilbert Swazo, Mayor - Dangriga "Today is a special, a momentous, but a bitter sweet day." Bitterness because SIF delivered a market 400 thousand dollars over budget and 15 months late:

Another Hilux Stolen, Police Quickly Recover It
Another Government owned Toyota Hilux was stolen today in Belmopan. That would be the fifth since July - all government Hilux's stolen from various government departments. It's a staggering number and it would be a double embarrassment for police and the government tonight - but this time, the cops got back the truck and they did it in less than half an hour! It's a quite remarkable turn of events which was aided first by the fact that the vehicle was stolen from the Institute of Archaeology - and workers saw it when the car thief - a Hispanic man in dark sunglasses was driving off. They followed behind him and called police - who had mapped out a response plan and were ready to roll. The officer commanding Belmopan explained how they intercepted the pickup heading west:.. Supt. Howell Gillett - OC, Belmopan Police "We had a plan in place and that plan was immediately effectuated. I can't go through in depth with the plan, but what I can tell you we had the services of Roaring Creek police which is a part of the Belmopan police; we had our CIB and other unites from Belmopan activated; we had Benque, San Ignacio and also we had the Spanish Lookout alert system in place.

Hon. Mahmud Is Out For Real
On Tuesday we reported that PUP Cayo North Representative Joseph Mahmud would not contest the next general election: he will be stepping down as standard bearer. Now, conventional wisdom and our observation of the long history of politics told us that the matter would be dealt with: someone inside the PUP would reach out to Mahmud, and grease the squeaky wheel. But, it seems, no one will - and it seems the PUP thinks that Mahmud's problems are his and not theirs. Now, that's pretty broad thinking when you consider that he controls one of 16 seats needed to form a government, but today deputy Leader for the South Mike Espat told us that Mahmud;s mind is made and there's nothing he can do about it:.. Jules Vasquez "How do you feel about the developments with your colleague Joseph Mahmud?" Hon. Mike Espat, PUP Toledo East "You can't tell a man what to do. A man must decide for himself what he wants to do. I don't know what is his problem, he has not shared his problem with me or anybody else in the Southern Caucus."

Paul Nabor's Final Days Battling Illness
As we told you at the top of the news, the legend, Paul Nabor, died last night after months of illness. The 86 year-old was very ill, after suffering 2 strokes. Earlier this week, he suffered a third, and that illness sapped the rest of his vitality until he passed away at around 6:50. Nabor was a spiritual elder of the Garifuna, or as they are called, "buyei", but he was best known as a musician and songwriter for over 60 years. Those who knew him say that his talent was only surpassed by his humility, and willingness to work with and impart his knowledge to anyone who approached him for instruction. Today, 7News went to PG to speak with his family about Nabor's last few days, and about his legacy. Here's what they told us: Linda Barrow - Grandaughter-in-law "On the 12th October, he suffered his 3rd stroke and he was hospitalized at the Punta Gorda Hospital until the 20th October. He was released then and he was brought home. From there on he continue to grew more ill and then yesterday at 5:45 he fell much more ill and we rushed him to the Punta Gorda Hospital where the nurses and the doctors tried their best to save him and he was gone at 6:50.

A Look Back At Nabor's Legacy
Indeed, the 2007 Three Kings documentary by Katia Paradis - set Peters, Nabor and Mes on a pedestal - and now two of them, Peters and Nabor are gone. If Naguya Nei thought us how to sing with Nabor, The Three Kings taught us how to love him. The documentary captured his remarkable musical career and the sacred moments in his life as well as the joy that he spread through his music and simply: his presence. With the permission of the film-maker, Here are a few classic clips from that documentary. Not all the clips you saw in that clip were form the three kings documentary. No funeral arrangements have been set as yet - because Nabor's family is waiting for his daughter Marie to arrive in country. We'll keep you posted - nad we'll have more Nabor coming unto the end of tonight's newscast…

A Family Fast Food Shop Weathering The Test of Time
It is not so common to get a brochure outlining the history and food selections when you visit a fast food restaurant. I mean, the concept of a fast food restaurant is to get your food and get out but, Trejo's panades shop is a different kind of fast food restaurant, they provide more than just the food - they says it's the history: Trejo's is on Bishop street.

Griga Market Project Supervisor Responds; Says Mayor Swazo Is Factually Wrong
In our last segment, you saw how the mayor of Dangriga dropped bombs on the Social Investment Fund accusing them of impoverishing his town residents. But, you didn't hear SIF's side of the story. They say that the mayor has it all wrong - and project supervisor Ernest Raymond discussed it with Jules Vasquez:.. Jules Vasquez "You took some blows today; SIF the organization took some blows. The mayor accused you all of keeping the people of Dangriga poor, when you all should be a poverty alleviation fund. He says that in fact you all are impoverishing people. How do you respond to that?" Ernest Raymond, Project Supervisor - SIF "That's not the case. For one, when we started the renovation of the market we had allowed for the relocation of the vendors to a site that they can continue business. As you can see they were all relocated over there in a facility that was provided by the council. It's part of what we called a re-settlement re-allocation agreement. It's one of the major points of the safeguards that we ensure that persons affected by the project in any way do not suffer economically as well as inconvenience physically. Yes there were some discomfort over the last 2 years operating in a facility - a mere shed, a couple of boards to stand on, but business continued as usual and of course there were some..."

The 51st Anniversary of Masonic Lodge 683
There are many perceptions about masonic lodges and based on public sentiment, they are often negative or suspicious. There are countless stories that speak of these secretive outlandish and taboo activities that are carried out within a lodge. Well, today two members from the Steadfast Masonic Lodge 683 came to our studios to debunk these false perceptions and to tell us about their 51st anniversary. Ashton Longsworth, Grand Instructor - Masonic Lodge "We are not a secret society. We might be like many would say a society with secrets, but we are not a secret society and why I say that is what is secret about a lodge? It is in the minds of many people that its secret. You can go on your computer and you can google anything you want to know about the lodge. You look at vehicles, you see bumper stickers, you look at men you see them with rings, you see them wearing emblems with caps and t-shirts. In the states there are billboards that publicize lodge. So if we are allowing people to say that it's a secret society, then we are doing a sloppy job at camouflaging it." "It's very commemorative because of the fact that today, this date is when the steadfast Masonic Lodge 683 was actually establish. So it's a very important day for us and we are here to actually celebrate on our birthday like everybody else."

Channel 5

Minister of National Security Breaks His Silence on Caracol Murder
We go now inside the House of Representatives that concluded its special sitting before two p.m. today.  Tourism Police Special Constable Danny Conorquie was killed exactly one week ago. His [...]

What’s the Deal with the FOB at Hunting Caye?
The Minister of National Security John Saldivar also addressed the House on a number of new initiatives which have been put in place to enhance security on our border and [...]

Security Measures to be Put in Place at Caracol Following Danny Conorquie’s Death
Back to the House of Representative. Tour guides assembled outside the house looking for quick solutions for a problem which could cost them their lives, just as it did the [...]

Cayo Tour Guides Protest Outside Assembly Building
Even as the discussion surrounding murdered special constable Danny Conorquie took center stage inside the House, outside the members of the Cayo Tour Guide Association stood in protest. They want [...]

Francis Fonseca Criticizes Legal Profession Act
As far as House meetings go, today’s session was decidedly tame, with little of the acerbic repartee we’ve become accustomed to. Some significant bills were pushed through to final reading, [...]

P.M. Barrow Says Bar Association is all P.U.P.
Those hits from across the floor got the PM’s hackles raised, and he fired back, taking direct aim at the Bar Association which he says has been totally and completely [...]

3 Police Officers Charged for Criminal Wrongdoings
On Wednesday, the Professional Standards Branch of the Belize Police Department told the media that there are at least seven officers currently under investigation, following allegations of criminal wrongdoings.  Among [...]

Sudden Death at K.H.M.H., Teenager Dies Mysteriously
A mother and aunt are tonight grieving the sudden death of a thirteen year old girl at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Maria Larios was admitted to the K.H.M.H. on [...]

Was Maria Larios’ Throat Punctured, did it result in her Death?
According to the women, a doctor was called in and somehow Maria’s lung was allegedly punctured when a tube was introduced into her throat. Within minutes and before their eyes, [...]

Charges Brought Against John Popper for Breaching Protection Order
Police say fifty year-old John Aaron Popper committed a number of criminal offenses when he breached a protection order to stay away from his ex-common-law wife, forty-one year old Cecilia [...]

P.M. Barrow Comments on Beleaguered GSU…
The GSU, or more specifically GSU commander Mark Flowers, have been in the news almost nightly. The elite, aggressive unit has been under fire after allegations of excessive force and [...]

…and His Statement of Patrick Faber
Special Sitting of the House: It was only a couple weeks ago that Minister of Education Patrick Faber was accused of assaulting a young woman who works in his Ministry. [...]

Healthy Living looks at the Quality of Life for Older Persons
This week is being celebrated as Senior Week which includes the celebration of International Day of Older Persons on October first. In Belize, there are several groups advocating for a [...]

CTV3

NEMO Corozal Monitors TD#9
With only 39 more days more for the 2014 Hurricane Season to end, tonight Belizeans have their eyes set on Tropical Depression number 9. As it moves into the Yucatan Peninsula the northern part of the country is expected to witness a wet weekend. According to District NEMO Coordinator for Corozal, Willard Levy, his committees are keeping a close watch on the bad weather. Willard Levy – NEMO Corozal “We are monitoring very closely this TD9, my committee is alerted of it and they are prepared if there is a need to activate and basically that is for getting the shelters ready if there is a need to move people into shelters.” Victor Castillo – Reporter “What is the forecast?” Willard Levy – NEMO Corozal “Well, it depends on the move of the system and the quantity of rain that may occur and cause extensive flooding at this point we cannot really foresee as to say when exactly we are going to need to open shelters, we have to wait and watch what is going to happen between now and tomorrow.” In Corozal Town, Levy claims flooding is one of their major issues. Willard Levy – NEMO Corozal “Basically our problem is flood prone areas, our advice to the people is to take head to higher grounds if in the event there is a need to move, it is forecasted that we are going to have very well rain over the weekend, as a matter of fact they even mentioned that it could become a Tropical Storm sometime after Friday night into Saturday which will move into the Caribbean sea.”

Belize Territorial Volunteers Seek To Build Outpost Near Belize/Guatemala Border
On Monday we told you about a successful telethon held by Friends for Conservation and Development to fund a park ranger program in the Chiquibul National Park and Forest Reserve. The monies seek to support five rangers currently working in the reserve for a year and after the final tally of the day, over 300 thousand dollars was raised. And while that is a step closer to making that dream a reality for heightened security of our precious reserves, another organization called Belize Territorial Volunteers has intent of constructing an outpost but this structure is only a few feet away from the Guatemalan Border. Today we spoke to activist, Wil Mehia via telephone, who shed some light on their proposed construction. Wil Maheia – Activist“We Belize Territorial Volunteers has been around for several years now and we continue to keep an eye on the border and we find it insulting that they are going to construct a conservation post instead of a military post at one mile in from the border line, we continue to report at the border line and the incursions that is taking place so we are making a stand and we are going to construct a BTV outpost and it will be few feet from the Belize/Guatemala borderline because we have been taken for granted for too long and the Guatemalan government and the OAS has continue to demand things from Belize and Belize government show signs of weakness so we are going to make a statement and we are going to make a stand and we are going to construct an outpost near the Jalacte area at the Guatemala border line but the first phase will begin with the construction of a where the outpost is going and we intend to start early December.”

NEMO Corozal Raises Awareness On Hurricane Preparedness
We are still not out of the woods when it comes to the 2014 Hurricane Season and in light of this bringing awareness signifies preventing losses and that’s one of the main objectives of NEMO Corozal. As students of Christilen Gill SDA primary school in Corozal learnt today, saving lives is NEMO’s priority.Willard Levy – NEMO Corozal “I did a tour from since the 24th of September, we made a tour in all the town schools with intention to visiting the village schools in 2015, this is basically to share disaster awareness amongst the schools and families, we find that in schools the children are the best form of information so we shared the information that they could take it to their parents so that they could be more prepared and that is basically the objective of this tour.” Today’s session was geared towards safety tips.

NEMO O/W Prepared For Flooding But What About For Hurricane?
This Hurricane Season Belize has experienced its fair share of rains throughout the Country but has been spared from major threats or developed storms. Nevertheless, NEMO officials and volunteers from across the country have been on alert and prepared in the event a storm would threaten the nation. Today, we spoke with NEMO’s Regional Director of the Northern Districts, Elodio Aragon Sr. who told us that while we have been fortunate to not experience any major storms, they are ready to some degree if need arises. Elodio Aragon Sr. – Regional Director for the North, NEMO“This year though it rained a lot it did not rained consistently so there were breaks so the water would run off and then the rain would come back again so I can say that this year has been a very good one fortunate enough up to now we have a month a few days to go and I hope that everything remains more or less the same and then we can say fortunate we are lucky nothing has happened.”Maria Novelo – Reporter“So far you are saying that no flooding was reported in the north?”Elodio Aragon Sr. – Regional Director for the North, NEMO“For this year no flooding but it came close but starting in May just after the work and everything it started to rain a lot by the end of May I thought we would have flooding and I even alerted Belmopan that we would need some support with boat and things like that and we were getting ready for that because waters were rising but fortunately enough it stop raining for a long period after that and so I have to say that for the whole of this year I say we have been lucky thanks for the good lord.”

Three Youth's Go Missing
It seems that every day there is a missing person case to report on and today there is no ease in sight. Authorities in both Belize City and Corozal Districts are asking the public’s assistance in locating three females from the municipalities. The first case was reported on Friday October 17th, when 16 year old Kenisha Oshon, Belizean student of #123 Mahogany Street, Belize City, is believed to have runaway. Kenisha was last seen by her mother on Thursday October 26th by the Complex Building in Belize City. Oshon is about 4 feet 8 inches in height, slim built, of dark complexion, has black short hair, dark brown eyes, snub nose and has some scars on her leg. She was last seen wearing a short yellow dress, pair of pink slippers and carrying with her a grey schoolbag. The second missing person case was reported by Ponseda Hill of 3rd Street South Corozal Town. Hill visited the Corozal Police Station and reported that on Monday at 2:00p.m., her 13 year old daughter, Jeannie Alvarez, Belizean student, left her house en route to her father’s house located on 5th Avenue, Corozal Town. Hill reports that up to the time of making her report her daughter has not returned home. Jeannie Alvarez is of brown complexion, has black long hair, black eyes, and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, blue 3/4 jeans pants with black slippers.

MOH Sets Measures For Prevention Of Ebola At The PGIA
Following the global threat of Ebola to our region, the Ministry of Health is taking all precautions and have put in place several procedures to prepare for the possible entry of Ebola. A release from the Ministry of Health announced today that two isolation facilities have been stationed at the Philip Goldson International Airport compound and the precise specifications of these facilities are currently being reviewed. Revisions have also been conducted on surveillance activities at the airport for further strengthening. The Ministry also announced the activation of Point of Entry screening with Public Health Inspectors at the PGIA. The ministry has also completed the development of a “Health Alert” notice card, a passenger location card, a fact sheet on Ebola and flyer for passengers on international flights.

O/W Police Refuse To Speak On Allegations Of Cover Up Ito Leslie Logan Junior's Case
Yesterday we told you about the family of Leslie Logan Junior who held a press conference in Belize City to express their dissatisfaction at authorities for not handling the investigations properly into the death of their loved one. The father of Logan Junior, Leslie Logan Senior who was a police officer for more than 37 years claimed that there has been a cover up of the case. Retired Inspector of Police Leslie Logan told the media yesterday he is well aware of what due process needs to be taken in any investigation. Logan Senior and his wife arrived in Belize from the US on the 23rd of September, the same day a post mortem examination was conducted on the body of their son after he was shot multiple times by the owner of the store he went to rob. To date all that is know is that the owner of Hung Ya Store located on Otro Benque Road in front of the Northern Regional Hospital gave a police a caution statement and was released from custody. No one knows if he is still in Orange Walk and to date Logan Senior is questioning whether the use of excessive force by the owner of the store is justifiable. Logan claims to have a written statement of a witness who claims that Logan Junior pleaded for his life to be spared and for the police to be called, but instead, the owner of the store, who is of Chinese Nationality, just kept shooting. To make matters worse, for the police department in this case, the witness claims that Logan’s shooting happened in the presence of a police officer who instead of stopping the shooter, condoned the act.

Case Of Carlos Keme Goes To Retrial
Carlos Keme, he is better known as (Zorro) and was accused for the murder of his girlfriend back in 2009. After five years behind bars, his case was finally on trial but it turns out that the case will be retried. Right about now you might be asking why since Keme confessed to killing Karina Daniels even during an exchange of words we had with him while coming out of court on the day he was charged for murder. Details into the case are still sketchy but we understand that Keme entered a plea of guilty for the lesser charge of manslaughter in the Supreme Court on Monday in Orange Walk.

More Adequate Test Needed To Detect Chikungunya Virus
Health authorities in Belize have confirmed that at least two people took a rapid test to detect the Chikungunya virus, but in an article published on October fifteenth, reports indicate that recent findings show that commercially available rapid diagnostic test for diagnosing the disease appears to perform poorly in terms of spe-ci-ficity and sensitivity. The reports states that researchers say the increasing threat of the virus’ emergence in temperate regions and the need to anticipate possible outbreaks of infection, are presenting a challenge to the current level of diagnostic preparedness. The researchers assessed the utility of four commercially available blood tests approved by the European Commission for detecting the virus. According to the researchers, these findings indicate that the RDTs evaluated should not be used in a clinical setting. They added that two tests that were enzyme-linked im–mu-nos-orbent tests, which are screening for chikungunya IgM and IgG, performed better. However, their rates of false-positive and false-negative results are “non-negligible.” Kim Bautista says health authorities in Belize are aware of the situation. Kim Bautista - Chief of Operation of Vector Control “The particular kit that goes by the name onsite used by a company CTK was found that on a study made it only had a 20% sensitivity rate which is basically your sensitivity is your true positive so there was a quite a bit of false negativity and false positive in the studies and done, there are no rapid test kits currently approved by either the CDC or by the WHO, ...

Ministry Of Health Investigates Suspected Cases Of Chikungunya
Health officials had said no cases of Chikungunya had been detected in Belize but that it was inevitable and it seems infections have begun to appear. At least three suspected cases are being monitored by health officials since Sunday. The news was first broke by Plus TV in Belmopan, where it appears the cases are being detected. Chief of Operation of Vector Control in the Ministry of Health, Kim Bautista, confirmed the information in an interview with our colleagues at Channel Seven. Kim Bautista - Chief of Operation of Vector Control “Right now we have four person under suspicion I would say, initially we had a 65 year old individual who is from Salvadorian national with family in Las Flores she was diagnose back in August with Chickengunya in El Salvador and she came late September back home but as you with Chikengunya you get that persistent joint pain even after you have gotten over the fever isle phase of the disease...

LOVE FM

Daylight Savings Time Ends on Sunday
On Sunday, October 26 daylight savings time will end which means that Mexico will then be on the same time as Belize. A release was issued by the Embassy of Mexico adding that the Daylight Savings Time will end in order to begin its winter time. The release suggested to those traveling within Mexico that they adjust their watches and clocks before going to sleep on the evening of Saturday, October 25 and that if you have plans of traveling in transit through Mexico, that you verify your flight and bus schedules.

Convicted Man Seeks Redress via Court of Appeals
23-year-old, Akeem Thurton was convicted of attempted murder in 2010 in the Belize Supreme Court and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. He has since served three years and is now seeking redress before the Court of Appeals, which was set to hear his case this past Tuesday but Thurton’s attorney made a petition before the appeal judges, asking that the case be traversed to the next Court of Appeals session scheduled for 2015. Bryan Neal is Thurton’s attorney and he has been joined by a Jamaican attorney, Nancy Anderson, who is a member of the Human Rights Commission in Jamaica. Anderson had become aware of the case during a business visit to Belize which coincided with the time the trial was ongoing and Thurton was unrepresented in court as there was reportedly, no attorney willing to defend him since he was being accused of attempting to take the life of Senior Counsel and Law Partner of Belize’s Prime Minister, Rodwell Williams.

Vehicle Theft in Belmopan Foiled by Quick Action and Response
Sometime this morning, a white Hilux pickup truck was stolen from in front of the Belmopan office for the National Institute for Culture and History. However, employees and security personnel were quickly notified and as a result of quick response by the authorities, the vehicle was traced to Georgeville Village, Cayo District where the culprit escaped. Love news spoke to Dave Griffith about what transpired today. DAVE GRIFFITH “We informed the Belmopan Police and one of our vehicles was coming up west and he was informed and he told us that he said that he saw the vehicle going up toward San Ignacio. So what he did was trail the vehicle all the way to Georgeville where there was a checkpoint where the driver of the stolen white Hilux then made a turn and ran into some bushes in the nearby Georgeville.

Belize’s Electric Company Reaches Out In Aid To Bermuda and Anguilla
Over the past few weeks, Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gonzalo swept through the Caribbean with force. Two nations, Bermuda and Anguilla were greatly affected. Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gonzalo damaged both countries’ power distribution system. The Belize Electricity Limited, has stepped up and assisted the Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO) and Anguilla Electricity Company Limited (ANGLEC) as both countries are part of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation CARILEC. In Bermuda, 80% of customers were left without power following Hurricane Gonzalo which also caused extensive damages to Anguilla’s electricity infrastructure. One of the missions was to deploy engineers undertake damage assessments and line crews to carry out transmission and distribution line restoration. Anguilla received immediate assistance with the restoration of power lines by 10 linemen from U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority of St. Thomas. In response to BELCO’s request, twelve utilities positively responded and based on the timing of their responses, the state of readiness and the number of crew members available, BEL was accepted along with other Caribbean Electrical Companies.

Guatemalan Found Dead in Mopan River
A Guatemalan man was found dead in the Mopan River in Western Belize. Correspondent Elaine Berry has the details. ELAINE BERRY “The body of a male person was found in the Mopan river 600 meters from the Calla Creek bridge at about 1pm this afternoon. The body was fully clothed and has been identified as 22 year old Rudy Salazar a resident of Melchor Guatemala by his brother. Salazar is the person that was shot on Sunday night of October 19 at around 9PM behind a resort. Love News understands that the men went fishing in that area and shots were fired at them. One of the persons who is a minor of Melchor received a gunshot wound below the right knee and was taken to the San Ignacio community hospital treated and released. The minor stated that one of the other persons that was with him received a shot and jumped into the river and could not be located. The other person returned back to Melchor and informed the family as to what transpired. The cause of death is yet to be determined.”

Belize City Has New Deputy Mayor
Kevin Singh has been elected to be Belize City Deputy Mayor. Every year the Belize City Council elects a Deputy Mayor, whose responsibility is to work directly with the Mayor and Councilors to govern the City. During a meeting on October 9, Signh was unanimously voted as Deputy Mayor for the period October 2014 to March 2015. Deputy Mayor Singh will retain his portfolio, which includes responsibility for Market, Public Spaces and Beautification.

The Life of Paul Nabor
Paul Nabor was more than just a music legend in Belize. He was respected by many and also served as religious leader in his community. With a further look into the life of Paul Nabor, we join Renee Trujillo. “At 6:50pm on Wednesday, October 23, 2014, the Paranda musician and Belizean legend, Paul Santino Nabor passed away at the age of 86. Nabor’s death is one that not only saddened the southern communities, musicians and many other Belizeans but one that also reminds us of the passing of his friend and protégé, Andy Palacio, who passed away over six years ago. Nabor was born on January 26, 1928 and grew up in Barranco Village, Toledo District where he matured into the Garifuna culture – a culture that he never abandoned or denied. Up to the time of his passing, Nabor remained a well respected and admired musician, who, on more than one occasion, was commended for the soul he brought to the Garifuna music through his paranda rhythms.

Parandero King, Paul Nabor Dies
Reports began coming out of Punta Gorda Town just after seven o’clock last night on the death of Parandero, Paul Nabor. Paul Mahung was with the family and close friends at the hospital when the announcement came and was broadcast LIVE on the Belize Watch program on Love FM and Love Television. Here is a report from Paul Mahung on the death of Nabor. PAUL MAHUNG “On behalf of family members and those who were at the Punta Gorda hospital at the time of his death, President of the Battle of the Drums Secretariat Darius Avila made the announcement of the passing of Paul Nabor during the Belize Watch Show on Love FM and Love TV.” DARIUS AVILA “The very sad news about the death of Paul Nabor…… He has been suffering from an illness for a little while now. This evening he turned for the worse, his grandson, David Lino and his wife, Linda quickly brought him to the Punta Gorda Hospital where the doctors tried their utmost best to keep him at a level of stability but sadly he was pronounced dead at 6:50pm. So, we will, along with the family plan the funeral arrangements and we will continue to keep the nation and his fans and everyone informed as our plans unfold.”

PlusTV

Armed Guatemalan incursions in Calla Creek?
According to reports from Belize Media Group, on Thursday afternoon armed Guatemalan nationals confronted Belize police officers and scenes of crime technicians, as they retrieved the body of a man from the Mopan River in Calla Creek village. Belizean authorities were reportedly processing the scene to assist in their investigation into the circumstances of the death, when the Guatemalan nationals started to make threats. According to the online report, a team of Belize Defence Force soldiers had to be deployed to Calla Creek village Thursday afternoon to deal with the situation. We have not been able to confirm the report but will follow this developing story.

Dengue numbers increase
We are in what some would dub the mosquito season or Dengue Season. There are 4 kinds of dengue, which change from year to year. This year, Belize is seeing a lot of hemorrhagic dengue which includes bleeding. This is week 42 in the dengue season. In week 38, the last figures we could get our hands on showed that there were 209 lab confirmed cases countrywide for all 38 weeks, but the latest figures out, just one month later, has seen a doubling of those figures. At week 42 there have been 460 lab confirmed cases of dengue in the country, the bulk being in Belize City, Corozal and Cayo, while clinically confirmed cases for week 42 is at 354. According to health officials, hotspots of Dengue outbreak in the Corozal district include villages such as Concepcion, Libertad, and San Antonio. Specific parts of Corozal town are Halls Layout, Joseita, and Hermelinda Layout.

Government wants to strike out BISL claim
$120 million. That is how much Belize International Services Limited (BISL), the former managers of the Corporate and Ships Registries, are demanding from the Government of Belize over the 2013 acquisition of both registries which they say is arbitrary...

Ministry of Health Ebola measures at PGIA
The Ministry of Health issued an update on measures being taken against the Ebola virus. So far, two isolation facilities have been stationed at the Phillip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) compound, and the precise specifications of these facilities are currently being reviewed.According to ...

Harvest Caye and Stake Bank projects moving along
The Norwegian Cruise Lines project at Harvest Caye and the Michael Feinstein project at Stake Bank have been subject to controversy, but they continue on. On Wednesday Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia Jr gave us an update on each. Manuel Heredia Jr. – Minister of Tourism “On the Harvest Caye p...

Labor issues at Placencia Hotel and Residence?
There are reports of an industrial dispute between workers and employers at the Placencia Hotel and Residence. Reports reaching our desk are that there is a case of disgruntled workers who were recently fired, allegedly without proper benefit payments. There is a barrage of allegations including ove...

Three females missing
Police are asking the public’s assistance in locating three missing females. The first is 20-year-old Ashanti Diamond,  a Belizean babysitter of Taylor’s Alley, Belize City. Ashanti Diamond was reported missing on Tuesday October 21. According to reports, she was last seen around 3:00 p.m...

Guatemalan caught smuggling weed at Belizean border
On Tuesday October 21^st at 6:30a.m. while on duty at the Belize/Guatemala Border, Benque Viejo Town, Police saw an Hispanic man, who at the time was coming from Guatemala into Belize.  Police observed that both of his pants foot area were bulky. A search conducted on the person resulted in the disc...

BTL Directory has Belmopan Fire Station phone number wrong
On Tuesday in our newscast, we reported on a fire that gutted a home in the village of Blackman Eddy. No one was hurt in the incident but the cause of the fire was still undetermined. As we also reported Tuesday night, we tried contacting the Fire Department in Belmopan to get an update on the inves...

The Guardian

Mahmud Gone... PUP will not miss him!
We are not certain if it was the PUP who got rid of Mahmud or if it was Mahmud who got rid of the PUP. What we are certain of is that he is no longer going to contest the Cayo North Constituency. Credible reports state that Mahmud is completely and totally dissatisfied with the People’s United Party , in particular with its leadership. On one hand there is a leader who simply cannot lead a horse to drink water and on the other hand they have a leader who will be leader despite anything. And that is where Mahmud finds himself, the reports this newspaper has received is that the ‘would be king’ of the Western Caucus of the PUP, called a meeting of the caucus in that division and did not invite the chairman. The Chairman of course, is Mahmud. We understand that this is just the tip of the disrespectful iceberg that the Cayo North area representative is facing. Outside of being a simple minion in his party, the current leader views him as a Bricenista, meaning that he has loyalties only to Johnny Briceno and to no other leader.

PM Barrow denies entry to potential Ebola threat
There has been some negative criticism coming from persons in the United States following the executive decision by Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow, to refuse the facilitation of a cruise ship passenger to be flown back to America, via Belizean soil. That passenger was believed to have a very small chance of being infected with Ebola. So, rather than take any kind of risk which could possibly expose Belize to the disease, the Prime Minister had to respectfully - but forcefully - refuse high level American diplomats. The Carnival Magic cruise ship docked in Belize on Thursday morning, October 16, by which time, 2 of its passengers, a lab technician from the Texas Presbyterian Hospital, and her husband, had already entered a voluntary quarantine on the ship. This hospital employee may have handled specimen from the Ebola patient who was treated there, but unfortunately died.

A King has Passed - Paul Nabor: January 26, 1928 - October 2
Belize has lost an important son of the soil. The 86-year-old, dubbed one of "The Three Kings" had been unfortunately ill for some time after being diagnosed with broncho-pneumonia in January 2014, just days before his birthday. The United Democratic Party Secretariat, Management and Staff of WAVE RADIO, WAVE TV and the Guardian Newspaper join his friends and his legions of fans -- at home and abroad -- in sending condolences to his family during their time of bereavement. His stellar contributions to the paranda genre and Belizean music in general are unmatched and will be revered and celebrated for all time.

Drunk Bus Driver out on Bail
William Ayala, bus driver of Hill Promised Road Benque Viejo Town, is out on bail after he was pulled over by officers of the Belize City Traffic Department on Friday, October 17. According to reports, Ayala was driving a red and blue bus belonging to Guerra’s bus line when he was pulled over by traffic officers between mile one and two on the George Price Highway. The officers called police for support and Ayala was arrested for driving under the influence. A urine sample was collected which proved that his alcoholic concentration was above the prescribed limit.

Jaime Andrews Remanded on Rape Charge
Jaime Andrews is at the Belize Central Prison on court ordered remand after he was arraigned for the offense of rape on Monday, October 20. A teenage girl, 18, reported to police that she was invited to a party at Andrews’ home in Ladyville Village on Monday, October 12. She was there with Andrews and another male when they started to drink alcoholic beverages. The girl told police that she got intoxicated and Andrews took her into his room where she passed out. A few minutes later she regained consciousness and realized that one of the men was having sex with her. According to police report, the other man had sex with her against her will as well. The girl says she woke up in Andrews’ bed the next day and the events from the previous night were blurry. She believes she was drugged.

Main Witness a No Show in Karim Barona Murder Trial
Crown Council Kileru Awich was forced to enter a nolle prosequi in the murder trial against Karim Barona, 32, after the main witness failed to show up to court on Friday, October 17. On April 21, 2011 Elvis Rhamdas, 42, fisherman of a Central American Boulevard address, was stabbed multiple times to the body. He was standing in front of Kick Down Fence 2 fast food shop at the corner of New Road and Victoria Street when he got into an altercation with another man. Rhamdas was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries ten days later, May 1, 2011. Police investigations later led to the arrest and charge of Karim Barona for the murder of Rhamdas.

Another Murder in the Isla Bonita
Samuel Dawson, a Hattieville Resident who went on the island of San Pedro to find work, was found dead early Saturday, October 18. Someone attacked him at the house he was staying, and stabbed him to death. This 44 year-old father of 5 had been working on San Pedro for 2 weeks as a construction laborer hired to concrete the North Ambergris Road, a 3 mile stretch of the main street to connect the northern parts of the town to the central town area. On the night before his body was found, Dawson was in the company of his contracting supervisor in the San Pedrito area. They decided to go have dinner at a restaurant nearby, and the supervisor left. The next morning at around 7:30 a.m., the supervisor went looking for him at the upstairs flat he was staying. The man found Dawson’s door slightly ajar, and when he went in to find him, he discovered Dawson on the ground. He had suffered 2 stab wounds to the neck and cut to the lower lip.

Change of Life for Goodfellow did not spare his life
Gregory Richard Goodfellow, a well-known youth from ladyville, became the victim of an execution-style murder on Wednesday, October 15, sometime before 8:30 p.m. The 22 year-old father of 2 had recently gotten married to his wife and moved from Ladyville, where he lived his entire life, to Belize City. Over the past 2 or 3 years, however, his name was called in a number of high-profile crimes as a suspect who was questioned and then released. His apparent life-style change had no effect on his killers, who from all circumstantial evidence discovered so far, lured him to his death. Sometime around 8, he was picked up in a vehicle from his hang-out spot in front of the Vin Li Shopping Center. The driver of the vehicle took him to a secluded area of the Hattieville Boom Road, some 7 miles away, and once there, they shot him multiple times in the head and chest.

Guatemalan shot near Clarissa Falls in Cayo
At about 8:30 pm on Sunday of this past week caretakers working in the Clarissa Falls Area of Benque Viejo reported hearing three to four gunshots being fired. Finding himself as a victim from one of these shots was 19 year old Cesar Umberto Chinchilla Rodriquez from neighboring Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala. He claims he was fishing with two other Guatemalans at the time when he was shot. Cesar Rodriquez told police that he was along two other men including 22 year old Rudy Salazar, whose whereabouts are still unknown. The three men were fishing on an unoccupied farm across the flooded Mopan River. Benque Viejo Police cannot confirm if anybody else got shot, but were able to find traces of blood as well as cannabis in the area where the three Guatemalans were fishing. The third Guatemalan has since gone back to his Country but Benque Police would like to speak to him to discover what else transpired that night.

Ellis Meighan and Malik Dixon Save Men Accused of Shooting them
Ellis Meighan Jr. and Malik Dixon were driving in Meighan’s vehicle on Wednesday, October 16, 2012 when two men ambushed them on Mopan Street and fired numerous shots at the vehicle. Dixon was shot in the right lower back and was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he received treatment. Meighan escaped unharmed. Police later arrested and charged Jean Peebles and Akeem Smith with 2 counts each of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, dangerous harm, and grievous harm. On Tuesday, October 21, Peebles and Smith appeared in the court room of Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser to face the charges. However, Meighan and Smith appeared before the court and requested that no further action be taken in the matter. Since there was no longer any virtual complainant, the charges were withdrawn and the men were free to go.

Ruperto Reyes Busted with Crystal Meth Gets $50,000 Bail
Orange Walk resident Ruperto Reyes, 49, is out on bail after he was busted with 54.7 kilograms of crystal meth on August 20 of this year. At around 7 p.m. on August 20 police noticed a black Toyota Camry on Liberty Avenue in Orange Walk Town that sped off when the police mobile approached the area. Police chased after the vehicle and caught up with it shortly after. Two men were seen running from out of the Camry but were caught and escorted back to the vehicle. Police searched the vehicle in their presence and found a red and white ice box and a cardboad box in the trunk of the vehicle. Inside the ice box were 18 parcels and inside the cardboard box were 12 parcels of suspected cyrstal meth. The substance was weighed and amounted to 54.7 kilograms. Ruperto Reyes was arrested along with Cuban national Pasqual Pineda for the crime of drug trafficking. They were taken to the Orange Walk Magistrates Court where bail was denied and both men were remanded to the Belize Central Prison.

Attempted Murder Charge against Sherman Rodney Upgraded to Murder
Lloyd Augustus, 35, was beaten viciously on April 6, 2014 when he was socializing at his home on Doris Brooks Street. His injuries were critical and he had to be hospitalized. Police later arrested and charged Sherman Rodney for attempted murder. Rodney has been on remand at the Belize Central Prison since. Augustus succumbed to the injuries sustained from that beating in July of this year, meaning the charge is now murder. Sherman Rodney was escorted from the Belize Central Prison to the Belize City Magistrates Court on Monday, October 20, to be arraigned for murder. However, police took him too late before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith and the procedure was adjourned until November 5. Rodney has been served with his charge sheet for murder but his arraignment will have to wait.

Calbert Young Gets Five Years and $10K Fine for over 24 Kilos of Weed
Calbert Hubert Young will spend the next five years in prison, possibly eight, for being convicted of drug trafficking on Friday, October 17. Officers of the Gang Suppression Unit executed a search warrant at Young’s residence on Gibson Street in Belize City on September 15, 2013. Only Young was home at the time of the search. When he was asked if he had anything to declare, Young allegedly told the officers, “I have a sack of weed inside my room.” It turned out he had two sacks. One sack had 17.5 kilograms of weed and the second contained 7 kilograms. Police also found two black plastic bags on Young’s bed with 899 grams of weed. Young was arrested and charged for possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply another person(s).

Dangriga Central Market complete
The refurbished and expanded Dangriga Central Market for vendors and residents of Dangriga will be officially inaugurated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2014. The market facility implemented by the Belize Social Investment Fund is the largest infrastructure development under the Government’s $30 million US dollars Belize Municipal Development Project (BMDP) financed through a loan from the World Bank. The total cost for the Dangriga project was $1,843,419.67. Counterpart funding by the Dangriga Town Council totaled $55,302.59. The modern facility is equipped with 44 stalls of which 10 will be for food vendors, 12 for vegetables and fruits, and 22 new ones for clothing. It will offer both vendors and residents an area to converge in a more pleasant and safe environment as well as create opportunities for vendors to foster and enhance their livelihoods.

Emergencies
Emergencies come in all manner of types and must be dealt with accordingly. Currently the Ebola epidemic is a MEDICAL emergency only in 3 or 4 countries in West Africa but it is a POLITICAL emergency far beyond these borders, especially in the United States of America as it prepares for important mid-term elections that will determine the balance of power in the US Senate. Some actions such as disseminating accurate information both to the general public and specifically to health care workers; maintaining or gaining the trust of the population; and determining what and when precautions should be instituted are common to all kinds of emergency. Many other actions, however, should be determined by the type of emergency.Ebola as a medical emergency requires a functional health system, trained medical personnel, personal protection kits, and basic medications and laboratory services. All of these are missing in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea which have recently been devastated by civil wars and natural disasters and all of which face serious development issues. Nigeria, which has experienced a number of travel related cases, is in a better situation and has apparently brought its epidemic under control with no new cases reported in the ...

UDP Government rescues Orange Walk
Orange Walkeños are now witnessing a level of transformation never seen before in the beautiful northern town. Just a mere four months ago people were complaining about the sorry state the streets, and the portion of the Phillip Goldson Highway that traverses Orange Walk Town, were in. Their cry was heard and action was taken. The Government of Belize, under whose responsibility the Highways fall, took note of the dilapidated state the highway was in and immediately took steps to correct the situation. Funding was secured, contract bids were sent out, contractors identified based on qualifications and work commenced. That was in July, when actual preparation started in front of the Come and Go gas station. Today the hotmix paving of the highway is currently at its junction with Guadalupe Street, it’s a little over a mile. Apart from aesthetically improving the area it is also enhanced practically. Utilities did serious upgrading prior to commencement of paving and then much needed drainage and sidewalks were installed along the entire length of the highway where work is being done.

Signs with anti-crime messages go up in Benque Viejo del Carmen
Physical signs to deliver the anti-crime message have recently been installed in strategic areas within the Town of Benque Viejo del Carmen. These signs were placed by community policing officer in Benque Corporal Joshua McKoy, in a proactive measure towards crime, with the assistance of Zone Four. These signs come with hot line and Crime Stopper numbers for members of the community to report criminal activity in their various areas. Signs have been placed at the entrance of Arenal Road, which is notable for many activities. Another sign has been placed in the Santa Cruz area by the Amin Hegar Football field, where there have been crime incidents in the past and also by Sam’s Community Park on Phillip Goldson Street. Two signs of Crime Stoppers have been placed at the Eastern and Western Entrance to Benque Viejo. Some of the signs with logos were contributed by the United States Embassy in Belmopan as part of a Central American Regional Security Initiative CARSI.

BDF is still protecting our Border
The Belize Defence Force, which is tasked with protecting the country’s territorial integrity, says that of the 133 miles of border that the country shares with Guatemala, 51 miles remains under constant pressure from illegal activities. That illegal activity comes from Guatemalan civilians living in border towns and villages, which consists of illegal harvesting of xate leaves; illegal logging of logwood, mahogany and other hardwoods; illegal hunting, illegal farming, and recently, illegal gold panning. Most of this activity happens inside the country’s forest reserves, but mostly in the Cayo District’s border with Guatemala. At this location, there is the Chiquibul and Caracol Archaeological Reserves which has seen millions of dollars in resources that have been illegally harvested. To combat this type of behaviors, 7 conservation posts have been built along the border at different locations, all strategically chosen to deal with the incursions. Those posts are Cadenas, Treetops, Santa Rosa, Machaquila, Rio Blanco, Ceibo Chico, and the recently completed Valentin Camp. Prime Minister Dean Barrow has committed to add 2new conservation posts being which are being built, namely, Cebada and Caballo, which will help with activity in the northern areas of the Chiquibul National Park.

Belize Says No - United States Disappointed
The United States is disappointed in Belize for not facilitating a request from the State Department to evacuate two passengers listed as low risk for Ebola from a Carnival Cruise ship that docked in Belize on Thursday morning, October 16. Marie Harf, the Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, said in an interview on CNN, “We were disappointed by this [decision]. We think it could have been handled differently. Decisions like these needs to be made based on information and science and not fear.” Harf expressed no disappointment in the Government of Mexico; however, who also refused to facilitate the evacuation of the passengers when the ship was docked near Cozumel on Friday. She also expressed no disappointment in the State of Texas which demanded that a blood sample from the suspected passengers be airlifted for testing before docking at Galveston, Texas.

Ministry of Health Conducts Activities for the Possible Entry of Ebola
The Ministry of Health continues to conduct multiple activities associated with the global threat of Ebola. The Ministry of Health is pleased to share an update on several activities carried out within the past week. Two isolation facilities have been stationed at the Phillip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) compound and the precise specifications of these facilities are currently being reviewed. Revisions have also been conducted on surveillance activities at the airport for further strengthening. Additionally, several activities are being conducted including the activation of Point of Entry Screening with Public Health Inspectors at the International Airport, meetings between the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and the Public Health Inspectorate on the adoption

Nine Companies Still Hopeful for Power Sharing Agreement with BEL
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has completed its first phase of evaluating the proposals submitted for energy generation in Belize. John Avery, PUC Chairman, says the Commission has approved nine bidders, with 14 proposals, for simulation exercises. Those bid were submitted by Southern Renewable Energy Limited (SREL), GSR Energy Limited, SS Energy Limited, Renewable Energy Investments Costa Rica Limited, Cohune Energy Limited, EMAC, Saturn Power Inc., Gross LLC and Blair Atoll Power Company Limited (BAPCOL). Belize is a growing country with new communities developing every year and because of that there is a constant need for electricity expansion. Electricity expansion is more than extending power lines and erecting lamposts. Everytime there is an electricty expansion project an entire community is connected to the national grid and the maximum demand for power increases. The maximum demand for power is already greater than the maximum supply from domestic sources. Therefore, Belize relies heavily on Mexico to meet our power demand. This national demand for power will increase significantly over the next ten years but the Government of Belize wants to ensure that our reliance on foreign energy does not.

Refurbished Police Station in San Estevan
A few years ago, a request came from the villagers of San Estevan, through the village council to Mr. Denny Grijalva to have a badly deteriorated Police Station to be refurbished and to have a permanent Police Officer in place. The concern was so great that Mr. Grijalva immediately started to solicit help for this purpose. After time had lapsed with no positive returns from other entities, both public and private, it was decided to apply to the BNE Trust Fund for the help. Today, the village of San Estevan is proud to have a well refurbished Police Station which is now permanently accommodating a Police Officer with his family of six. This will bring security, peace and stability to the villagers of San Estevan.

What a shame!
Everybody enjoys going out for a bite to eat but we don’t want to end up getting sick in the process. Something very serious and wrong has been happening in Belize for a long time and people just seem to accept and demand no better. If most Belizeans saw inside the kitchens of many popular restaurants they would probably never eat there again. A check of several restaurant kitchens in Belize City back in 2013, shortly after they had passed inspections by health inspectors, revealed that all of them were grossly unsanitary and should have been shut down. Rat droppings were all over the counters and floors; holes were in some walls and roofs; roaches flitted around freely; some old, rusty refrigerators and freezers were taped up with duct tapes and completely unable to keep a cold temperature necessary to keep meat and vegetables from spoiling; most of the stoves and refrigerator looked as though they had never been cleaned; ready to prepare uncooked food was stored in dirty looking pans on the floor; and dogs even lived in some kitchens. It is bad enough that the healthcare bill for Belize is going up because of all the fried and sugar-filled foods that is being consumed which leads to diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, but these unsanitary conditions by food vendors must not be tolerated.

Successful Telethon to Support Friends for Conservation and DevelopmentGovernment Has Donated over $700,000 since Caracol Incident
A telethon was held to raise funds for the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) on Saturday, October 18. Belizeans at home and abroad, private and corporate, called in to make pledges and at the end of the day over $327,870 was pledged. The Friends for Conservation and Development need to increase the number of Rangers in the Chiquibul National Park in order to protect the forest’s wealth of resources from Guatemalan encroachers and local exploiters. Raphael Manzanero, Executive Director of FCD, says he has seven rangers to look after the Chiquibul National Park which covers an area of almost five hundred thousand acres of land, or about 7.7 percent of Belize’s total territory. Manzanero is hoping to increase the Ranger force from 7 to 24. To cover the expenses of one Ranger annually FCD needs $24,000. Media representatives and personalities from various radio and television stations participated in the telethon at the Memorial Park in Belize City. Numerous Belizean artists performed patriotic songs and Jamaican superstar Anthony Moses Davis, better known as Beenie Man, stopped by to drop some tunes and some money. He pledged to donate $1,000 to FCD before freestyling “Belize has it under control”. Belize’s biggest entertainer, T.R. Shyne, sang “Don’t touch wih x’ate, don’t touch wih hardwood, lef lone fu wih parrot and don’t pan fu wih gold.”

Jaguars United and United Ballers are co-leaders of Vega Cup Tournament
The Vega Cup tournament continued on Sunday 19 October, 2014, with three games on the schedule and all three games played out at the San Roman Football Field. In the first game of the day, Jaguars United and San Jose Pumas played to a 2-2 draw. The goals for Jaguars United were scored by Jaime Maldonado in the 18th minute of play and Luis Herrador in the 62nd minute of play. Meanwhile, the goals for San Jose Pumas were scored by Jeffrey Yama in the 2nd minute of play and Eved Corado in the 25th minute of play. In the second game of the day, San Antonio won via the dafult route over Untouchables. And in the final game of the day, Barrio Boys blanked Rising Stars by the score of 2-0. The goals for Barrio Boys were scored by Rodney Delcid in the 19th minute of play and Cesar Roberts in the 23rd minute of play.

Belize Softball Federation to host VII Annual Charles Solis Memorial Tourney
The Belize Softball Federation is pleased to announce that the VII Annual Charles Solis Memorial Softball Tourney is scheduled for Sunday 26 October, 2014, at Rogers Stadium the home of softball in Belize. The tourney will include the Belize Bank Bulldogs the newly crowned National Softball Champions of Belize, Beacon from Belize City along with Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy and Camalote from the Cayo Softball Association, and Sunrise of Lord’s Bank, the Belize Rural champions The Charles Solis Memorial Tournament will utilise the Double Elimination Format and will commence at 9:00 am. At the end of the tourney, one of Mr. Charles Solis’ sons will present the championship cup and the individual medals to the teams that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Justice Christopher Blackman Sworn in as New Justice of Appeal
Justice Christopher Blackman was today sworn in as a new Justice of the Belize Court of Appeal by the Governor General, Sir Colville Young, at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Witnessing the swearing-in ceremony was the Registrar General, Ms. Velda Flowers. Justice Blackman has a long and distinguished legal career. He was a Judge of the High Court of Barbados from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2003 to 2008. He also served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize from April 2001 to May 2003. In March 2008, he became a Justice of Appeal in the Bahamas. He is due to retire from the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas in December this year. Justice Blackman was first admitted as a Solicitor, Supreme Court of Barbados, in January 1970 and remained in private practice until 1996. Justice Blackman is 69 years of age and is of Barbadian nationality.

10 facts about Chic-V
1 Chick-V is a virus that is known to cause fever and severe joint pain and/or joint swelling, among other symptoms. It was first described in Tanzania, East Africa, in 1952. Its name means 'that which bends up' or 'stooped walk' because of the incapacitating joint pain caused by the disease. 2 It is transmitted from human to human by bites of infected mosquitoes; therefore, measures to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, to kill mosquitoes and to prevent mosquito bites are important in disease prevention. 3 Most infected persons present with symptoms of the disease after an incubation period of three to seven days, though this period can range from one to 12 days. Some individuals infected with chik-V (3 to 28 per cent) show no symptoms of the virus. 4 In acute (short term) chik-V infection, there may be an abrupt onset of high fever (usually >102F / 39C) and severe joint pain and/or swelling. The fever usually lasts three to seven days. The hands, wrists and ankles are most commonly affected.

Government of Belize Explains Decision on Cruise Ship Passenger and Imposes Travel Restrictions for West Africa
The Government of Belize took a decision on Thursday, October 16, 2014 not to facilitate a request from the US State Department to evacuate two passengers from a Carnival Cruise ship that docked in Belize that same morning. The main passenger of concern is an employee of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who was listed as low risk for Ebola by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States. It was explained to the Belize Government that the CDC had updated its requirements from self-monitoring for these low risk persons to active monitoring and; out of an overabundance of caution, the United States wanted to transport that passenger along with her travelling companion in a private plane back to the United States. The US State Department reported that the passenger had been checking her temperature and checking for any other symptoms of the disease. There were no signs or symptoms reported. The doctors on the cruise ship confirmed this to be the case after conducting their own examination .Both the passenger and her travelling companion volunteered to self-quarantine on the ship.

European Commission Proposes Lifting Ban on Importation of Belize Fisheries Products into the European Union
The European Commission has announced that it has proposed to the EU Council of Ministers that Belize be removed from the list of ‘non-cooperating third countries’ in the international fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This decision was taken after Belize demonstrated that it had addressed its structural problems and showed its real commitment to tackling illegal fishing. The Commission notes that since Belize was identified as a ‘non-cooperating third country’ in March 2014, it has reformed its legal framework and has adopted a new set of rules for inspection, control and monitoring of vessels. In particular, the Commission took into account the following measures adopted by Belize to strengthen the management regime for its high seas fishing fleet:

Mahmud Gone! Louis Wade for PUP Cayo North?
Joseph Mahmud, Area Representative for Cayo North, is sick and tired of the People’s United Party. More specificly, Joseph Mahmud is sick and tired of being disrespected and treated as inferior by Julius Espat. He tried to march on as a PUP soldier for months until he finally couldn’t take it anymore. The Guardian has confirmed that Joseph Mahmud submitted a letter signaling his intent to resign as PUP Standard Bearer for the Cayo North Constituency late last week. Mahmud remains a member and supporter of the PUP but asking him to hold the lines shoulder to shoulder with the disrespectful mouth from Cayo South is too much for the frustrated politician. Since he was elected by the people of Cayo North, not Julius Espat, Mahmud will continue to serve as the Area Representative with the PUP Caucus. However, he will not contest the General Elections.

Memorable Bodybuilding and Fitness Competition
Scores of athletes make plans to compete in the Belize Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship each year but at the time of the competition there are usually only a couple dozen who feel confident enough to do so. This year was no different but what the competition lacks in quantity it makes up in quality. The 2014 Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship was held at the Bliss Center on Friday, October 17, with athletes competing in nine categories. At the end of the night Rigo Vellos was named Mr. Belize for the third consecutive year but those who attended the event will remember two names, “the African” and “the Buffest Barber”. These two athletes, newcomer Oyinkro Akpobodor and Deon Banner, generated the most buzz from the lively crowd which fully exercised the right to free speech. The competition started with the Men’s Physique category. This category is more about definition and muscle to fat ratio than it is about bulk. Five athletes participated in this category and after the judges’ scores were tallied Clinton Tucker was named Mr. Physique 2014. Dean Hemmans finished second and Carlton Richards finished third.

Belize Defence Force, Wagiya and Verdes open on right footing
The long awaited Premier League of Belize Belikin Cup Opening Season Tournament for 2014-2015 started on Sunday 19 October 2014, with three games on the schedule. In the game played out at the Toledo Union Field in Punta Gorda Town between the visiting Wagiya FC from Dangriga Town and Paradise/Freedom Fighters from Punta Gorda, it was the visiting Wagiya FC that picked up the win when it blanked the host team Paradise/Freedom Fighters by the score of 2-0. The 1st goal of the game was scored by Abraham Chavez in the 31st minute of play while the 2nd and final goal was scored by Hector Gomez in the 40th minute of play. At the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town, the visiting Verdes FC from Benque edged out the host team San Ignacio United FC by the score of 4-2. The visiting Verdes FC was the first to get onto the scoreboard when Ricardo Jimenez scored the 1st goal of the game in the 19th minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. The San Ignacio United FC made it an interesting game when Joel Guzman scored the equalizing goal in the 29th minute of play.

Belize Elementary School girls’ and boys’ are top teams in primary schools volleyball.
The regular season for the 2014-2015 Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball competition came to an end on Monday October 20, 2014, at Bird’s Isle in Belize City with four games on the schedule. In the only game played in the girls’ competition, St. John’s Primary School defeated Ephesus SDA in two sets by the score of 31-29 and 26-24. In the first of three games played in the boys’ competition, Ephesus SDA defeated St. Ignatius School in three sets by the score of 6-25, 25-20 and 17-15. In game two, it was St. John’s Primary School winning over Wesley Upper School in two sets by the score of 25-23 and 25-9. And in the final game of the day, Queen Street Baptist School defeated Bethel Assembly School in three sets by the score of 25-20, 23-25 and 15-4.

Central Region Volleyball competition rolls on
The Central Region Secondary Schools Volleyball Competition continues here in Belize City. On Tuesday 21 October, in the female game played, St. Catherine Academy defeated Pallotti High School in two sets by the score of 25-2 and 25-2. Meanwhile, in the male game it was St. John’s College winning over Sadie Vernon Technical High School in two sets by the score of 25-20 and 25-17. On Monday 20 October, in the female game played, Ladyville Technical High School defeated Wesley College in two sets by the score of 25-18 and 25-13. In the first male game, St. John’s College defeated Ladyville Technical in two sets by the score of 25-16 and 25-17.

Health Hookup
In recent years there has been a huge campaign to promote the awareness of testing and early detection for breast cancer. Breast cancer is a condition that is estimated to affect one in seven women. In the US alone approximately 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, of which approximately 40,000 will die from it. When a certain cell line starts to grow and replicate in an uncontrolled manner it is labeled as cancer. Breast cancer can result from either the uncontrolled cell growth originating within the breast, or cancer from another site i.e. bones, liver, brain, spreading to the breast. One of two important tools in the early detection of breast cancer is Breast Self Examination (BSE). After the age of twenty, it is recommended that women perform a BSE to look for any changes. The examination wants you to become familiar with what your breast normally feels and looks like.

Youth Talks - Hope
"Pandora just couldn't stand it any longer. She had to find out what was in that box. She hurried to the table where the box stood, unlatched it and opened the lid. Out flew all the evils of the world, except one. Pandora quickly slammed the lid and latched the box, trapping the last evil inside - foreboding. Thus, she stopped the destruction of mankind, for it would have been impossible to live without hope." This short story from ancient Greece shows how much they valued hope, which is also priceless to me. I find hope priceless because it leads to other feelings. If someone enters a contest, the hope of winning will turn into a rush of excitement. Competitiveness is another emotion brought on by hope. If someone enters a race and hopes to win, they will feel competitiveness mixing with hope. We hope for good endings, we hope for freedom, we hope for love. We all carry a sense of hope. Hope can bring surprise, too.

Patrick Jones

TD 9 is no more; but its remnants will still drench northern Belize
Tropical Depression 9 did not survive its encounter with land on Wednesday night when it came ashore in Campeche, Mexico. TD-9 quickly fell apart and is tonight listed as Invest 94L. The remnant low continues to move across the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize in a south-easterly direction. Movement is estimated at 5 miles per hour, which, at this forward speed, will see the system emerge over the waters of the northwest Caribbean Sea on Friday. Conditions are not favourable for any significant development once the system reaches the Caribbean Sea in the days ahead.

Guatemalans reportedly confront Belize police in Calla Creek village
There are disturbing reports that armed Guatemalan nationals this afternoon confronted Belize police officers and scenes of crime technicians as they retrieved the body of a man from the Mopan River in Calla Creek village. Reports are that the Guatemalans are not happy with the death of one of their own. The circumstance of that death is the focus of an ongoing investigation. Reports we have received say that a team of Belize Defence Force soldiers had to be deployed to Calla Creek village this afternoon to deal with the volatile situation as Belize police processed the scene where the body was found.

Paul Nabor to get an official funeral
The government of Belize will honour the legacy and contribution of Paranda artist Paul Nabor with an official funeral. The announcement was made via a statement issued this afternoon by the National Institute of Culture and History. Nabor, a native of Barranco village, Toledo, died just before 7 o’clock on Wednesday night at the Punta Gorda town hospital. He had been ailing for a long time and had recently suffered a stroke which left him partially paralyzed. The 86 year old Parandero is being remembered as “one of the greatest Paranda artists of our time” who was instrumental in putting “the folk form of Paranda music to the forefront of Belizean and World Music.” A date for the funeral for Nabor has not yet been determined.

Hilá Paul Nabor
Abihadiwa fe rambaweyule luagu louwen Paranderu, Paul Nabor, Gaduru wein Sisi irumu lau. Sandi hayein Nabor. Beluti hospitalirugu Enerugu ladüga Pneumonia. rúti seremein houn sun ha afurieidubayan luagu lun areidaguageila dan ligia. Ounahati óundaruni Balisi ichiguti fe ederebugu houn lufamilia hama lumadagu Paul Nabor lidan gagébüriha. PAUL NABOR Eneru 26, 1928 – Desi Hati 22, 2014 Bameragua lidan Darangilaü; abame basaru lidan Gloria!

Government applies to strike out BISL claim
Belize International Services Limited (BISL), the former manager of the Corporate and Ships Registries, is demanding $120 million from the Government of Belize over the 2013 acquisition of both registries which they say is arbitrary. Their claim seeks constitutional relief for alleged deprivation of property but before it can be substantively heard before Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana, the Government’s attorneys, Senior Counsel Denys Barrow and Naima Barrow, applied to have it struck out. Denys Barrow told reporters on Wednesday that the claim was improperly brought for constitutional redress and would work better as a standard claim for damages.

Court of Appeal traverses criminal appeals
The Court of Appeal began its final session for 2014 this week in Belize City. Five appeals from convicted criminals were scheduled to be heard, but ultimately none of them were because the appellants had failed to provide their grounds of appeal and in some cases, did not even have attorneys. Such was the case for 57 year old Winston Dennison, whose appeal was scheduled for Wednesday morning before Court of Appeal President Manuel Sosa and Justices Samuel Awich and Christopher Blackman. Dennison wants to appeal his conviction and sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment on three separate charges of carnal knowledge.

Blogs

Belize Cacao: a revolution going on in Southern Belize!
One of the many gifts the ancient Maya gave to the world was the invention of chocolate, which they first produced as a beverage derived from cacao trees. Since well before the time of Christ, the Maya were developing and perfecting strains of cacao that today continue to produce some of the richest and purest chocolate in the world. We’ve written quite a bit about Belizean cacao and chocolate here ,Love May Not Have Been Invented in Belize, But Chocolate? and there isn’t much argument that in all its many forms, the nectar of the cacao tree is one of life’s treats. Try one of the Chocolatissimo treatments or a delicious chocolate wrap at Chaa Creek’s Hilltop Spa, and you’ll really understand what we’re talking about. But we digress… People have been growing, harvesting and using cacao for literally thousands of years in Belize, and the agricultural methods haven’t changed very much over that time. Cacao is still grown in small amounts by subsistence farmers who until recently received only a pittance of the price the final product fetches on the world market. But that’s all changing thanks to Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), an organisation founded in 2010 by local Belizean cacao farmers, chocolate makers, and American entrepreneurs to support Belizean cacao farmers in creating a more farmer-friendly industry in Belize.

“Somethin’ Stupid” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Do you ever have the thought that you might just not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier? Not the sharpest pencil in the box? A few chips (fries for non UK readers) short of a happy meal? A few pence (cents to a dollar for non UK readers) shy of a £ (dollar)? No. Well I wish I could say the same. I’d always considered myself reasonably bright. Not brilliant, but reasonably bright. Someone who may not have scaled the academic heights but someone who – or so I had thought- had been ‘given’ fair sized dollops of common sense and street savvy. I use the past tense because it appears that these attributes are on the wane. Or at least prone to go AWOL when I most need them. Why are you being so hard on yourself you are probably (and quite rightly too if I may say so) thinking. Well I showed the dumber side of myself (now the less kind of you are thinking ” and not for the first time”) in the previous edition when I mentioned that I was too enraptured with the red sky to get up and get my camera.

International Sources

Carnival and Royal Caribbean Threaten to Pull Out of Belize Due to Ebola Screening
There is mention in the article of Belize customs representatives taking and inspecting the passengers' passports during the screening. Belize’s government has already stopped issuing visas for nationals from Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Travelers who have visited any of these four countries in the past 30 days will be prohibited from entering Belize. This will require an inspection of passports, not just birth certificates many people use to cruise. The cruise industry protocol so far relies upon passengers to voluntarily disclose this information on questionnaires, rather than the cruise lines inspecting the passengers' passports before the cruise to verify that they have not traveled to these countries in West Africa. Unlike Belize, the U.S. has not banned travelers from the infected African countries.

Ebola in the Caribbean
An ocean away from Africa’s Ebola outbreak, a deep fear of the disease now runs through the Caribbean. The atmosphere recalls the early days of the AIDS epidemic, some 30 years ago. Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar (pictured), talks dramatically of “a new darkness, Ebola.” Her government this month recalled delegates en route to a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Cameroon, a country unaffected by the current Ebola outbreak. Her doctors and health workers are demanding quadruple pay and $1.6m insurance polices for joining an Ebola response team. There’s talk of cancelling the islands’ annual carnival. Trinidad and Tobago, along with Jamaica, St Kitts-Nevis, St Vincent, St Lucia, Suriname, Guyana and Belize this month banned all travel from African countries with an Ebola outbreak.

Two jaguar cubs debut at the Milwaukee County Zoo
Cat cubs have been drawing visitors to the Milwaukee County Zoo all season: Sossy the snow leopard made his debut a few weeks ago, and two jaguar cubs will be making their debut at the zoo today. The two jaguar cubs, born on August 14th, are the second litter for their parents Stella and Pat. Pat is a rescued jaguar from Belize, he was caught in the wild, and is considered to be a founder to the population. These cubs are bringing valuable new genes to the population in North American Zoos. In the wild, jaguars are considered "near threatened"; they're typically only found in rural areas of South and Central America. Sossy is the first snow leopard cub to be born at the zoo in more than a decade. He's only been on display for a few weeks since he went through special therapy after being born with splayed legs in June. "He has done awesome," Craig Pavlik, a keeper at the zoo, said, "I think better than any of who were working with him even really expected. When you see him now, since he's got a chance to come out here, really climb and build those muscles, you really looking at him can't tell he ever had a problem."

In Search of the Yucatán’s Best Cochinita Pibil
IT’S ONLY 8 A.M. but already there’s a line snaking around Taqueria Honorio as the air fills with the sweet, hunger-inducing scent of cinnamon, cloves and unctuous slow-roasted pork. Dogs doze lazily under the squat palm trees that line this quiet avenue on the edge of Tulum. Bubbling away on the stovetop of the jauntily painted food stand are four caldrons of rich concoctions, each different, their perfumed clouds colliding. But there’s only one I’ve come here for: the cochinita pibil. Everywhere you go these days pulled pork seems to be on the menu. From street carts to trendy South American joints, the world just can’t get enough of this meltingly rich dish du jour. However, in Mexico they have been serving their own version for hundreds—if not thousands—of years. “Although we don’t really have exact recipes, a variation of [cochinita pibil] dates back to prehistory,” says David Sterling, author of “Yucatán: Recipes from a Culinary Expedition.” Cochinita pibil is the most famous dish of the Yucatán, the southeast region that includes Tulum, Cancún and Mérida, as well as the Mayan Chichén-Itzá ruins and the long coastal region down to Belize. It consists of pork that’s been marinated in a special blend of spices and the bitter juices of Seville oranges, wrapped in banana leaves (to keep it moist) and then buried in the earth in a fire pit to slow cook overnight—ready to serve to hungry workers and postparty revelers from the crack of dawn until around lunchtime.

Remnants of T.D.9 still worth watching
According to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski, “After losing strength over the Yucatan Peninsula, the system will move back over warm waters in the northwestern Caribbean where a new round of strengthening is possible later Friday into the weekend.” If this does occur, it could possibly impact Cuba, Belize and the Cayman Islands. Those with interests in this area should pay close attention to this system as it moves off the Yucatan Peninsula and back over open water. “The concern is if a feature lingers over the northwestern Caribbean next week, steering winds may change enough to allow a tropical system to swing northward toward Florida,” Kottlowski said.

Dispatch: Chilling on Isla Holbox
As Mexico editor, I happily spend significant time in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, two destinations that are veritable candy stores for travelers, offering virtually any type of accommodation and resort activity under the sun. So when I was offered the chance to visit Isla Holbox – population 2,000, number of hotel rooms 300, number of ATMS, one – I jumped at the opportunity, figuring that the island would provide an interesting juxtaposition to these formidably larger tourist destinations. Suffice it to say Holbox did just that, and, for me, it was love at first sight. But I digress. As with many exclusive destinations, getting there took some time. The nearest airport is Cancun International, a two-plus hour drive from the tiny town of Chiquila, the site where we boarded the 20-minute ferry ride to Holbox.

Top marine scientists call for action on 'invisible' fisheries
To protect our oceans from irreversible harm, governments, conservationists, and researchers around the world must address the enormous threat posed by unregulated and destructive fisheries, say top marine scientists. In an article published today in Science, Prof. Amanda Vincent of Project Seahorse at the University of British Columbia and Dr. Jean M. Harris of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in South Africa call for bold new approaches to the pressing global issue of overfishing and habitat destruction, including networks of marine protected areas, co-ordinated governance, and the co-management of fisheries with local communities.

Videos

Video: Belize October 4 8, 2014 Movie, 7min.
ROW Mission team in Belize. Mathes Pastor Training School, Sewing School, Composting latrine, chairs for churches.

Video: A Brit and a Broad | Caye Caulker, Belize, 4min.
Brianna and Macca head to Caye Caulker, Belize for a little island time. The pair go on a Raggamuffin Tour, sailing and snorkelling along the Caribbean coast, eating and drinking the local fare and soak in the laid back island vibes.

Video: Starfish Island, Belize - Walk around, 8min.
A walk around Starfish Island off the cost of Belize. Carnival Sunshine Cruise excursion.

Video: Snorkeling In Belize, 3min.
a snorkelling trip in Belize as part of a wedding we shot.

Video: Hasta Tarde Belize, .5min.
Time lapse flying north from Belize City

Video: Belize 2014, 8min.
Newman 2014 Belize mission trip.

Video: Belize It Guateva, 3min.

October 23, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Anti-drugs operation in San Pedro
On Friday, October 17th a team consisting of San Pedro Police, San Pedro Quick Response Team, Criminal Investigation Branch, Special Branch and Belize City Gang Suppression Unit personnel conducted an anti-drugs operation in San Pedro Town. The operation was headed by Inspector Mark Flowers with assistance of Special Branch Intelligence. A total of 2.8 grams of suspected cannabis, 8.6 grams of suspected cocaine and metal pipe suspected to be used for drugs was confiscated. Following is a breakdown of the operation: • A search was conducted at the apartment of 32-year-old Sharlette Willams, 18-yearold Marlon Casey, 19-year-old Alexander Williams and a minor in the San Pedrito Area. The search led to the discovery of a transparent plastic bag containing 0.8 grams if suspected cannabis. All persons were formally arrested and charged for the crime of “Possession of Controlled Drugs”.

BTB Gives $10,000 to FCD Park Ranger Program
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is pleased to announce that on Saturday, October 18th, the organization donated ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) Park Ranger Program, through its telethon. Over the weekend, the FCD held the telethon to raise much needed monies to fund twenty rangers at a cost of twenty four thousand dollars per ranger. The BTB congratulates the Friends for Conservation and Development and the telethon organizers for a successful event that raised over three hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($320,000). The BTB wishes Executive Director Rafael Manzanero and the FCD all the best in their endeavours and stand ready to dialogue and engage with partners to ensure that the Chiquibul Forest is protected.

Ramon’s Village donates Speed bumps
On Monday, October 20th, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) was recipients of a donation of 12 pairs of rubber speed bumps from Ramon’s Village Resort. On hand to make the donation was resort manager, Einer Gomez, who officially presented the speed bumps to Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Councilor in charge of traffic, Kenrick Brackett. According to Brackett the speed bumps will serve to alleviate speeding in San Pedro Town. With the increase in vehicles on the island, speeding has become a major issue, and at times result in traffic accidents. “This donation is very much appreciated. We cannot take care of the traffic problem alone and these types of donation assist us greatly. We have noticed that placing speed bumps are effective at controlling speeding in San Pedro Town,” said Brackett.

Karaoke Sundays at AJ’s Belize
If there’s one thing certain about Ambergris Caye, it’s that this little island sure knows how to have fun. Whether you’re here to just soak up the sun, enjoy the beach and sea time leisure, there’s certainly something for everyone. But before you pack your bags and jet set off to our little island, there’s something we have to admit, and we certainly hope you’re not shy. You see, La Isla Bonita has its fair share of KARAOKE enthusiasts. Whether you’re singing for fun or to flaunt those finely-tuned vocals, islanders know that one of the best karaoke nights is certainly at AJ’s Belize. And you know the old saying, when in Rome San Pedro, do as the San Pedranos do! Average Joe’s is generally known for their amazing wings and deliciously prepared pub grub such as burgers, tacos, and poutine. However the friendly folks over at AJs are also satisfaction specialists. Yep, trained to satisfy your hunger, thirst (did someone order an ice cold Belikin?) and Sunday night Karaoke fever with island musician Valentino. Every Sunday the place is packed with locals and visitors alike simply waiting to give it a go! Shy?

Ambergris Today

Saga Goes High-Tech For Halloween Auction
Top-rated excursions, luxury resort accommodations, dining and boutique shopping certificates headline the 11th annual Saga Spooktacular Halloween on-line auction - The San Pedro community businesses and resort managers and owners, have generously donated award winning dining certificates, exclusive resort and condo accommodations, adventure excursions and activities, boutique shopping certificates and more, in support of the 11th Annual Saga Humane Society Halloween Fundraiser. This year, many of those items can be won on-line at Biddingowl.com On Sunday October 26th from 11 AM to 5 PM, Saga friends and supporters will gather at Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar & Grill on Coconut Drive in San Pedro to celebrate Halloween “Saga Style” with games, activities, food and drink and the ever popular Saga Halloween Costume Contest, awarding great prizes. “Everyone in San Pedro looks forward to the Saga Halloween party each year,” says Saga board member and Animal Well Being Director Kathy Marin. But not to worry, she says. “If you can’t come to the party, you can still grab some great prizes on-line at Biddingowl.com auction site with all the proceeds going directly to SAGA.

Flashbacks: San Pedro High Volunteer Teacher Visits Island After 35 Years
There is one thing Former principal of San Pedro High has done very well and it is to knock at doors of opportunity. This “seeking for assistance” has connected San Pedro High to: British Embassy, Embassy of Germany, Peace Corps International, Lions Clubs International, Optimist International, Al Felly of Madison, Wisconsin, Goshen University, Nelson County, Virginia, and Lord Michael Ashcraft. One such outstanding volunteer is Debbie Fedderke, a student of Goshen University in the 1970’s who spent time teaching in San Pedro High. Goshen University students were required to spend time in a foreign county and participate in a cultural exchange experience. Debbie enriched the lives of our students and left footprints never to be forgotten. A few days ago Debbie was in San Pedro visiting with friends and visited our office to reminisce her formidable experiences; she could not get over the idea that her best female athlete, Elsa Paz, turned out to become Mayor of San Pedro. It was nice meeting you, Debbie, and you certainly do have good reasons to call SanPedranos your friends.

Caye Caulker Ocean Academy Up for UNICEF Sponsored Award
Caye Caulker Ocean Academy's Aquatic Tourism Program has been shortlisted for the prestigious Beyond Sports 2014 Awards in the category Sport for Education (sponsored by UNICEF). Beyond Sport is an international organization whose mandate is to “promote, develop and support the use of sport to drive positive social change across the world,” and these awards highlight the most innovative, standout case studies in sport and development each year. Ocean Academy's Aquatic Tourism Program was selected from 350 entries spanning 70 countries, and is one of only three projects shortlisted in the Sport for Education category. Ocean Academy was founded in 2008 as Caye Caulker’s only high school. In addition to traditional high-school subjects, the school’s innovative Aquatic Tourism Program matches students with mentors and entrepreneurial opportunities in the tourism industry on the island, allowing them to receive financial credits as well as learn the necessary skills for working in this field after graduation. It highlights the positive impact that location-based learning can have on a student’s future employment possibilities and his or her likelihood to remain in school.

Misc Belizean Sources

NORTH ROAD UPDATE Ambergris Caye:
Here are some pictures on the progress of the paving of the road on North, Ambergris Caye. The paving is already approaching Grand Caribe Belize. Some sections are being paved already like in front of Reef Village and the right off the north side of the bridge.

It’s not Summer but 3 Females are Missing
20-year-old Ashanti Diamond of 73 Taylor’s Alley in Belize City was reported missing on October 21st. She was last seen at 3:00 p.m. on Albert Street. She is 5 feet 3 inches tall, has a scar on her back, and has a tattoo on her left shoulder of a vine. She was lastly seen wearing a sleeveless yellow blouse, a blue short pants and a pair of pink Old Navy brand slippers.If seen, please contact 0800-2929-688 or contact the nearest Police Station. 16-year-old Kenisha Oshon of 123 Mahogany Street in Belize City was reported as runaway on Friday, October 17th by her mother. She was last seen on the 16th at 2:00 a.m. while she was still at home. Oshon is 4 feet, 8 inches tall. She was last seen wearing a short yellow dress and a pair of pink slippers. If seen, please contact 0800-2929-688 or contact the nearest Police Station. 13 year old Corozal resident Jeannie Alvarez is also missing. According to her mother, Ponseda Hill, on Monday October 20th Jeannie left home to visit her father’s house on 5th Avenue in Corozal Town. She has not returned home. No photo of the missing teen has been provided.

Destruction of Harvest Caye by NCL
Aerial photos from 21st October 2014. An update on what's happening at Harvest Caye, just 3 miles offshore from Placencia. The dredging photos were taken 11th October 2014. A huge suction tube is removing the sediment and dumping it on the mainland.

Sunday morning canoeing
SUCH a Blessed Sunday. God is good God is great. I give thanks to the Almighty for his creation. I started my Sunday morning canoeing on the River From Belama Phase I to Halouver Bridge, Belize City. The mangroves were magnificent... boy we need to protect them. Imagine a Belama Mangrove Canopy Reserve.... Mangroves are so essential to our cycle of life and we keep cutting them down without consideration of their contribution to our fishlike, coastlines protection and home to many birds. Of course they are filters for our water and prevent erosion. What you say my people... do we preserve the natural beauty of our country? God bless you all this Sunday.

Field Inspection Sweep and issue land leases to residents of Corozal.
Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega and Minister Hugo Patt and other Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture officials hold Field Inspection Sweep and issue land leases to residents of Corozal.

Power interruption, 8:00am to 2:00pm, Sunday, October 26
Entire Orange Walk District. BEL to repair and replace equipment at Orange Walk Substation, replace poles and complete upgrades on Orange Walk distribution system.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Week of October 12th – October 18th, 2014
Although the week was fairly cloudy the site fishermen did surprisingly well searching for nervous water, tails or rolling fish.

Ebola Update 1 - Ministry of Health Conducts Activities for the Possible Entry of Ebola
The Ministry of Health continues to conduct multiple activities associated with the global threat of Ebola.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) is a statutory body of the Government of Belize mandated to perform functions and duties related to: 1) Trade Development and Promotion 2) Investment Generation and Promotion 3) Enterprise Development and Facilitation BELTRAIDE operates within the portfolio of the Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development, and Consumer Protection. BELTRAIDE is seeking the services of a suitably qualified and experienced person for the post of General Manager, Trade & Investment Development Division. ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: I. Strategic Management A. Strategic Planning 1. Liaise and collaborate with the other division of the organization and with other government agencies and departments to ensure organizational synergies, maximize resource management, and keep in line with the overall organization direction, vision and mission.

Fraudulent SMS
BTL shares with you our customer alert on the recent fraudulent SMS being sent to our DigiCell customers. Call us at 119 to report any suspicious number sending a text message to you.

Power interruptions scheduled for portion of the Stann Creek District and entire Toledo District as follows
•Thursday, October 23: 7:00am to 7:45am and 5:00pm to 5:45pm •Friday, October 24: 7:00am to 7:45am and 5:00pm to 5:45pm Affected areas include the entire Placencia Peninsula, Independence Village and surrounding areas and entire Toledo District. BEL to perform maintenance on portion of transmission line which supplies power to Stann Creek and Toledo Districts.

Channel 7

Cruise Ships Balk At New Ebola Screening, Threaten Mass Cancellations
Last week Friday, Belize’s Ministry of Immigration announced new stringent measures for Ebola screening at two major entry points: the Phillip Goldson International Airport and the Belize Harbor where cruise ships come in. The Cruise Ship health screening protocol seemed problematic from the jump – if only because of the sheer volume of cruise visitors who come to shore on cruise ship day and the tight schedule they are on. Imagine having to screen thousands of cruise ship passengers in a very short period of time. On Monday, it was – to put it mildly – problematic, and that caused alarm with the major cruise lines – who threatened to pull scheduled cruises fast and furious. The press asked the Tourism Minister about it today:…. Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism "When these type of activity happen, as a government we have to be extremely cautious. The tourism industry is a very sensitive industry and it's the bread and butter of many destinations. There was some measures that was taken, but the cruise lines are a business entity and they want to make sure the passengers are safe onboard. There was majors, one particularly with the passports that was taken, we are revisiting that particular one. And I believe that indeed, we're suppose to do so because for these people, this is not the first point of entrance, Belize is not the first destination. The go to Honduras, then Mexico, then finally Belize, so we're looking at that and I hope by this evening we will have a concrete idea as to how we will move forward in that direction."

Four Possible Cases of Chikungunya In Belmopan
And while every effort is being made to keep Ebola out of Belize – the experts say that with Chikungunya – it’s just a matter of time before it reaches in Belize. And that time may be up. Tonight, the Ministry of Health is awaiting the result of a blood test which should come back tomorrow. That will tell them whether a resident of Las Flores has the virus that is called “Chik-V” for short. Today, the Vector Control Chief told us that she tested positive in Belmopan at a private clinic with a rapid test – but one that is inconclusive: Kim Bautista, Chief of Operation, Vector Control “She tested positive with a rapid test. When that was reported to us, what we did was take a blood sample and we have it at the central lab in Belize and we're going to running a test on that. The sample sits over night and it goes through a process that takes 24 hours before you before you get back confirmations. We’re also going to be sending her sample and a relative's sample, who tested negative at the same private lab, but she had dengue like symptoms. So we decided to take blood from both of them and we will get confirmation on that for you.”

Minister of Health Firming Up Plans For Ebola Screening At PGIA
So far tonight we’ve discussed the two emerging health threats that are out there Chikungunya and Ebola and told you what authorities are doing about them. But, there’s more – especially for Ebola. Two isolation facilities have been set up at the Philip Goldson International Airport. Apart from this, Public health screeners are activating Point of Entry Screening for passenger. The Ministry has also developed a Health Alert notice card, a passenger location card, and a fact sheet on Ebola to keep track of passenger information and movement patterns.

Man Drops Robbery Charge; Admits He Got Paid
22 year-old Lloyd Leslie Jr., who was charged with 2 counts of robbery, and 1 count of grievous harm, is a free man after his accuser went to court withdrawing the complaint. That kind of thing happens all the time, but this one took a turn: under questioning from the magistrate, the accuser admitted that he was paid to drop the charges. The incident occurred on the evening of April 16, 2012, where 21 year-old Anthony Pollard told police that he and a female friend were walking home from school when they were approached by 2 men, one of them armed. He pointed it at them and demanded that they hand over all their belongings. Pollard said that while they were gathering their valuables to hand over, a police mobile was approaching. That distracted the thieved and Pollard took it as an opportunity to kick the gunman in his backside. The gunman then pistol whipped him, and shot him in the back when he attempted to run away. Before the police mobile got close enough, both men ran off and escaped.

Peeping Tom's Jail Time Increased
38 year-old Angel Dorado, who was sentenced to 6 months in prison about 3 weeks ago, got more bad news today when he was informed that his jail time will increase to 2 years. That was the sentence that the Chief Magistrate handed down today after she found him guilty of punching out a man, breaking his jawbone. The incident happened on September 18, 2013 at Sunset Park at mile 8 on the Western Highway. Paul McCord testified that he was on his way home when he saw Dorado throw something in the bushes near his house. He said that when he retrieved it, he realised that it was a bag containing weed. McCord intended to hand it over to a police officer who was on the other side of the highway, but Dorado realised what he was doing, and snatched the weed from his back pocket. McCord says that he tried to get it back and that's when Dorado punched him in the face, fracturing his cheekbone. McCord was examined by a doctor who classified the injury as harm, and that's what police charged Dorado with.

Hundreds of Guatemalan Students Attend Cayo Schools
When it comes to border towns you can get to without too much hassle: there’s the high living of Chetumal to the north and then there’s the cheap products of Melchor De Mencos to the west. But, say what you want about Melchor – crossing that border is a breeze compared to the strict, militarized crossing you now find in Chetumal. And that’s because, despite the unfounded Guatemalan claim and the whole “Belice es nuestro” delusion – the residents of Belize’s western towns have learned over the years how to get along very well with their Guatemalan neighbors. So much so that hundreds of Guatemalan students choose to go to school in Belize – from pre-school right up to sixth form. Yesterday Courtney Weatherburne travelled west to find out why they do it:… Courtney Weatherburne Reporting… Belize and Guatemala may be going through a difficult patch as neighbours. But while there is unease between Guatemala City and Belmopan, on the ground, the true state of relations between these neighbouring countries is being proven daily by the hundreds of Guatemalan School Children who cross the border from Melchor to Benque Viejo to attend school in Belize.

The Endless Saga: Ashcroft Alliance Vs. GOB In Court
4 weeks ago, we told you how the Ashcroft Allied Belize International Services Limited won the first court battle against the Government of Belize. They were able to convince Justice Shona Griffith that the Commissioner of Income Tax arbitrarily assessed BISL for 30 million dollars in back taxes that they didn’t owe. Justice Shona Griffith agreed and struck down that assessment. Well, today, the Government of Belize went on a pre-emptive strike to get BSIL’s full claim thrown out. The real fight, which is pending, is whether or not Government acted lawfully when they assumed control of the registries. That case is before Justice Michelle Arana, and a preliminary hearing came up because Government attorney Denys Barrow wants it struck out. As we've told you, BISL is claiming 60 million US dollars as an award of damages because according to them if the court rules that the government acquisition is unlawful – that’s what they are entitled to. The company's position is that they had a registry management services agreement which gave them control over the registries up until 2020, but the Government broke that contract and violated their constitutional rights.

Hon. J. Espat Writes Auditor General
Yesterday PUP Deputy Leader and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Julius Espat told us that the Auditor General had let him down when she wrote to him saying that she would not investigate the Petrocaribe loan motion while it was before the House of Representatives. She said it would be premature. Well, now Espat has formally written back to her saying that even if the motion – once adopted - will have the force of law and can authorize the borrowing, he says it can’t give the authority to spend the loan proceeds which have already been spent. So Espat advises, her investigation would not be premature, instead, he says it would be late. He closes by saying, quote, “This matter simply cannot…be side-stepped but must be confronted squarely. It would be a complete abdication of responsibility, by both your office and mine, to sit and watch over two hundred million dollars in public funds expended in an unlawful manner and without the requisite level of transparency or accountability.”

Drug Crackdown In San Pedro
There were several drug busts yesterday between dawn and mid afternoon in San Pedro. The raids were carried out by island police and the GSU. Near the residence of a known drug dealer in San Pedrito police found a black plastic bag of 179 grams or 6.3 ounces of suspected cannabis, a small white and orange container with 127 grams of suspected cannabis or 4.4. ounces and another plastic bag with 14 grams – or half an ounce. All were labeled as found property. Again in San Pedrito, Police found another half an ounce in a plastic bag in a open lot. That was also labeled as found property. The police searched the home of 35 year old Pablo and 39 year old Claudio Barbosa in San Pedrito and found a plastic bag with less than an ounce of Crack cocaine.

A New Brand For Belizean Products
Tourists visiting Belize are always looking to pick up trinkets, curious – or what we locally would call arts and crafts. But, too often, those products which are emblazoned with the word Belize on it can be made in China, or worse, Guatemala. The project called “Making Tourism Benefit Communities Adjacent to Archeological Sites” is trying to change that by creating a Belizean umbrella brand for genuine, locally produced crafts that have high standard and legit indigenous credentials. It’s called the Unique Belize brand and it was launched this morning at the Princess Hotel. The organizer of the initiative explains that the artwork has to meet three criteria which he outlined: Geraldo Flowers - Project Coordinator "You see here today is a culmination of, I would say 6 to 8 months of work, training and mentorship for artisans, particularly artisans who come from communities around archeological sites. These are primarily rural artisans, they represent regions from all over the country and they are here today to present their products, their prototypes; And to display the type of wonderful products Belizeans, truly authentic Belizeans can create as artists and can sell in Belize, the region and around the world.

Neighborhood Pleads With City Hall
Lately, city residents have had to deal with a lot of irregular flooding and many blame the new cement streets - most of which were built without drainage. But those living on JC Street in the Port Loyola area say their flooding predates those new streets – and exceeds all tolerable limits for civil living. Today 7news visited the area. Kirk Yard, Resident of JC Street "As you could see behind me, that you have a water situation and it's been over 5 years that we've had this situation. I went to see the mayor about it, I talked to the city engineer; I brought it to all their attention and so far nothing done. You can see that we don't even have walking space, we have to use the edge of people's yard and fence to reach. Even the children have to walk in the water, so I make it an appeal to those who are hearing to please try to assist us, put some kind of material in the street, please; Not just for me, but for everyone and the traffic on the street. Sometimes the water last 2 months. As you can see we don't even have drains, no drains on the side of the street and that's kind of hard. The water can't run off and right behind is is Jane Usher and that street is paved, so what about this? We are one set of people living in an environment, one area so it's suppose to one straight across the table. Fix the streets, we are tax payers. We call it our personal swimming pools, there are 4 that way and there is one that way, so there is no real entrance for people to go in or come out, it's all water.”

Channel 5

No Confirmed Cases of Chik-V in Belize…Not Yet!
Facing the threat of the dread Ebola, the nation went on high alert, which is a polite way of saying we panicked. There’s no threat from that particular source any [...]

Vector Control Unit Resources in Action
Dengue has been identified in certain communities across the country, and that is where the Vector Control Unit pumps its resources. Like in Las Flores, for example, the team collects [...]

P.U.P. Leader Says Mahmud’s Resignation Has Been Accepted
We reported on Tuesday night that People’s United Party Cayo North Area Representative Joseph Mahmud will not be contesting his seat in the 2017 general elections.  The announcement was made [...]

Fonseca Supports Stance of PM Barrow on Ebola Scare
Last Friday, U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that they are disappointed in Belize’s decision to turn down a request to have a lab [...]

B.D.F. Reports Frequent Confrontations with Guatemalans
Along the western and southern borders for some time now, B.D.F. soldiers are deployed to deter encroachments, illegal logging and xaté harvesting, as well as gold panning and the cultivation [...]

Tourism Minister Says Cruise Protocols Being Reviewed
Following the Ebola scare last week, several measures were put in place before passengers of cruise ships are disembarked to come on land. The new protocols such as screening of [...]

BISL and G.O.B. Back in Court
Belize International Services Limited, the parent company of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize and the International Business Companies Registry, won the first round of a protracted legal battle [...]

BISL Seeks US$60 Million in Lost Profits
Among damages being sought is sixty million U.S. dollars, profits BISL claims it would have earned over the remainder of the seven-year contract.  Senior Counsel Denys Barrow says that there [...]

P.U.P. Says G.O.B. Acted Illegally
Under the Petrocaribe initiative, the government has gotten access to hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuela – two hundred and twenty-eight million to be exact. That very concessionary loan [...]

P.U.P. Seeks Legal Advice on Taking G.O.B. to Court
But with all that said…is there anything that can be done? According to Espat there are two options, and the National Executive of the P.U.P. has given the go ahead [...]

Belize Prepares for Ebola
With the news that the health worker aboard the Carnival Magic had tested negative for Ebola, the threat to Belize was gone. But it was a wake-up call, sent home [...]

Manuel Heredia Says G.O.B.’s Decision Will Not Affect Tourism
As you heard earlier in the newscast, the Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca he supports the decision taken by the prime minister not to allow a cruise ship passenger [...]

Lloyd Leslie Jr. Apologizes and Walks Free
  In April 2012, a Wesley College Junior College student was the victim of an attempted robbery as he and a female friend were heading home from school.  Anthony Mark [...]

Mega-Million Cruise Port Construction Underway
Remember Norwegian Cruise Line and their mega-tourism project on Harvest Caye. Well, the last time we heard, the government sub-committee that was set up to deal with the project had [...]

Local Artwork Exhibition At the Ramada Princess
Distinctive Belizean art pieces are often lost among the wide array of products from the region. Ongoing at the Ramada Belize City Princes, is an exhibition of locally made artwork [...]

Belize Training & Employment Centre Prepares Belizeans for Work
  The number of call centers is growing in Belize creating employment to just under three thousand Belizeans. This week, the Belize Training and Employment Center is preparing individuals to [...]

CTV3

Proper Practices On Brushing Your Teeth
Yesterday we reported on the opening of Dental Week in health regions across Belize and while we sat down with Dental Surgeon at the Northern Regional Hospital, Dr. Francisco Casteneda, we were informed on proper practices of brushing your teeth. It’s something we all learned as kids, and we do it twice (or more) a day. So when that time comes to brush our teeth, surely we’re not making any mistakes…..or are we? Actually, dental health experts like Dr. Casteneda say that improper brushing technique is more common than most people realize. And the result is that healthy teeth are not as common as they should be. DR. Francisco Casteneda – Dental Surgeon, NRH “Always have soft bristle, tooth brush and small amount of tooth paste and we start from the right side of the mouth and then on the outside of the mouth and we go from top to bottom, all around the mouth and then go to the bottom part up to the top of the gum if you noticed we go from the gum to the top part of the molar so that we do not get the food get stuck inside the gum...

Logging Season Officially Opened
The Logging season was officially declared opened today by the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development. Loggers are advised that a valid logging license is required for the harvesting of trees from October 15th to June 15th, 2015. A release from the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development states that quote, “All forest department district offices will be engaged in assessing legally harvested forest produce during this period. All persons involved in the timber and related industries are hereby reminded that all conditions regimenting the harvesting and transporting of forest produce apply and our staff will be monitoring the public roads for compliance,” end quote. For more information on this regulations and restrictions contact the Orange Walk Forest Office at 302-2208.

What Corozalenos Know About Ebola
As news spread on Thursday October 16th that a Dallas Health Care Worker possibly infected with the Ebola virus was on board the Carnival Magic Cruise Ship anchored in Belizean waters, the social media went into overdrive and Belizeans fared the worst. The news made headlines the following day and prompted government to call a press conference where the nation was informed that the woman exhibiting the symptoms did not come ashore. That calmed the waters but the subject of Ebola is still subject of much discussion as other parts of the world do all in their power to combat the deadly virus which has claimed one life in the United States and many in several parts of Africa.

Another Drug Bust Made In Corozal
Yesterday we told you about the several drug bust made by Corozal Police over the weekend and there is one more to add to the list. On Sunday October 19th between 4:00am and 5:40am, Corozal Police Quick Response Team and Special Branch conducted an antidrug operation one mile north-east of San Antonio Village, Corozal District which led to the discovery of a small hut which contained about 15 pounds of processed cannabis. Approximately five hundred yards from the hut, a partially harvested marijuana field was found measuring approximately 25feet in width and about 150 feet in length. The marijuana field contained five hundred and sixty mature marijuana plants which ranged from two feet to four feet in height. No one was found in the area and all plants were uprooted and destroyed by fire.

Guatemala Identifies Drug Routes Belize Included
The electronic edition of the Prensa Libre in Guatemala published an article today stating that at least ten land routes of drug trafficking in Guatemala have been detected by the authorities, nine of them coming from Belize to Mexico, the Caribbean, Honduras and El Salvador. The map of the National Crime and Violence Index 2013, color codes the level of criminal acts in municipalities within Guatemala and shows the route for narcotics that are northbound with black lines. According to the report, half of the routes used by drug traffickers reach Izabel, while three pass through Peten, Alta Verapaz, Zacapa, Escuintla, Su-chi-te-pequez, Reta-guleu, Quet-zal-tenango and San Marcos.

Mark Flowers Denies Allegations Of Human Trafficking
Last week the US Embassy sponsored a workshop to tackle the booming Trafficking in Persons issue in Belize. The workshop was facilitated by a group from North Carolina called Eagles Wings Ministries who delved on topics from prostitution, human trafficking and exploitation of woman and children. And while authorities seem to place a ‘blind eye’ on the issue of ‘happy bars’ in municipalities around Belize, one such authority figure finds himself in the spotlight again. The highly criticized Commander of the GSU Mark Flowers remains in the hot seat as a letter being circulated on social media pins Flowers on allegations of “attempted smuggling of illegal immigrants.” The letter, written by Immigration Officer Ruby Hoare and directed to Officer In Charge Sharon Frazer, outlines an incident that occurred on May 31st in 2009. The letter states that around 11:00am on the 31st of May 2009, Officer Hoare was informed by Officers Elick Chan and Teresita Kotch who were working on the arrival section of four persons acting suspiciously. According to the report, two of the individuals, who appeared to be Mennonites, proceeded to the Belize Border and passed the check point while the others walked towards a brown wagon type car in which they placed their luggage, got in the vehicle and drove off towards the border.

American National Robbed In San Pedro
Tonight, an American National is crying foul to authorities in San Pedro Town as he was a victim of burglary. The 26 year old American National, who resides in the San Pablo area of San Pedro Town, told authorities that on October 14th someone burglarized her home and stole her grey LENLX brand camera bag which contained: one black Nikon brand camera valued at $4,000.00USD, one vintage PENTAX K1000 brand camera valued at $350.00USD and extra attachable camera lens valued at $400.00USD and an assortment of memory cards valued at $300.00USD. Total value of items stolen amounted to $5,050.00USD. The investigation continues.

Family Of Leslie Logan Says Cops Covering Up His Murder
The family of Leslie Logan Junior, the man who was killed during a robbery at "Hung Ya" store in Orange Walk spoke to the media and said that authorities are not handling the investigations properly claiming there has been a cover up of the case. Logan’s father asked his attorney Audrey Matura to call the press conference because he is unsatisfied with the investigation or lack thereof by the police into the case who have breached his constitutional rights. He started saying that he condemns his son’s action but that he should have been dealt with accordingly. To start with, the pathologist did not perform the autopsy. Logan “I must to you right now that and then after serving for 37 years I condemn this act, I am sad of the act how crime and criminals, I don’t condone it at all and he should have been punished for that crime according to law. I think that it doesn’t make one wrong and another wrong and make it a right, the legal justice system should have allowed to take its course and that is what they have taken away from us, the legal justice system was not given a chance to take its course.”

LOVE FM

BSI And BSCFA Plans For The Starting of The Sugar Cane Crop Season
BSI and BSCFA representatives are meeting with Sugar Cane Production Committee in Orange Walk to plan for the start of the sugar cane crop season at the end of November. Arturo Cantún reports. “Sugar Correspondent” “The beginning of the sugar cane crop delivery season is roughly five weeks away. Besides the uncertain future in the industry when it comes to signing a new commercial agreement, cane farmers and the sugar mill are looking at the produce in the fields to trace a plan for a successful harvest. For the last crop season, farmers delivered approximately 1.2 million tons of cane and this year the industry wants to match that amount. The problem with achieving this projection is the fact that not all cane might be ready for harvesting due to a late start of the last crop season. Alfredo Ortega of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association explains.” “Alfredo Ortega” “We have varieties like the BBC and the B79 that are early varieties that mature in the vicinity of eleven months so we believe that yes there would be a little downfall in regards to quality depending on the weather. If we enjoy a weather that we will be having sunshine then the downfall of it will be very minimal so farmers would need to really take into account this situation and to do what is needed to be done at the farm level in regards to harvesting so that they can reduce the incident of any problems with quality cane delivered to the mill.”

Ministry of Health Active Measure to Prevent Chikungunya
Last night, reports coming out of Cayo was that one person tested positive for Chikungunya- viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti. The disease causes similar symptoms to that of dengue but accompanied by affecting multiple joints. Chikungunya does not often result in death, but the joint pain may last for months or years and may become a cause of chronic pain and disability. CHik-V has been reported in several Caribbean and Central American Countries. So today we contacted the Chief of Operations for Vector Control in the Ministry of Health, Kim Bautista, for confirmation on the reports. Bautista told Love News, that they have no official confirmation of Chik V in Belize. However, in Las Flores, Belmopan, blood samples from four individual suspected to have the virus have been sent for testing. “Voice 1 “Jamaica has been having a significant problem with Chikungunya and so has Suriname and actually had to declare emergencies in both of those sovereign nations. I am happy to confirm that in Belize we do not have any confirmed cases yet and there are none confirmed in Benque. We are aware that there are some reports of cases and we do have a concern about a test that some in the private sector are using, a rapid test for Chikungunya because it is not very sensitive and it is not very specific for the Chikungunya pathogen.

Dental Health Week
This week is being observed as Dental Health week and yesterday we told you about the treat teachers are being given via the public health sector under the Ministry of Health as part of the celebration. Once the time being devoted to teachers passes on Wednesday, the dental services offered to the general public will resume at a minimal cost at various public health clinics countrywide. Love News spoke to Dr. Rafael Samos, the senior dental officer at the Ministry of Health, who told us about the services provided via the dental clinic to the general public. “Voice 1 “The public sector was in the past offering only extractions, but we have moved from that. It has come now where we do fillings, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments, in fact we have a fluoride campaign going on for kids. Of course, it is based on the availability of materials. “ “Rene” “If I come to the public health department for some sort of dental service, what money am I looking at to pay?”

Aedes aegypti mosquito, Vector for Dengue
Like Chikungunya, Dengue is also spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Chief Operations for Vector Control in the Minister of Health, Kim Bautista says that this time around, the number of clinically diagnosed persons with dengue is similar compared to last year with more than three hundred cases. These cases are concentrated in Belize City, specifically on the Southside. Kim Bautista “Chief Operations for Vector Control” “We are also seeing cases in the Corozal district specifically in the Corozal town. Areas in Corozal town such as Hall’s Layout, Joseito, San Antonio. We have cases coming out of Concepsion and Calcutta as well. Out west it is again Los Flores and specific areas in Benque Viejo. So the cases aren’t too much in terms of the figures, it doesn’t differ too much from last year but the cases are very focal in certain areas. The last report we had, we had 460 persons country wide being confirmed by the lab at the various labs that report to us both public and private. We have also clinically diagnosed some 354 persons as well with dengue so I believe that as the year is winding down and the weather is starting to change we should see a significant decline in terms of dengue cases. The cases tend to reduce drastically when we enter into November and there is a whole change in the weather.”

Cayo District Supports Cancer Walk
A cancer walk is being planned to take place this weekend in San Ignacio. Correspondent, Elaine Berry, tells us more. “Elaine” “San Ignacio branch annual cancer walk will be taking place on Saturday October 26th commencing at 5AM. Claire Usher, President of the San Ignacio branch, spoke to Love News about the walk and other activities.” “Claire” “Our biggest activity of the year is our cancer walk, so we are holding that walk this Saturday the 26th of October. Its going to be starting at 5AM from Running W fine meats and ending at the ending of the Macal River park. Guerra’s bus services, form Benque Viejo, has graciously offered their help for us on Saturday. They will begin picking up people at 4AM in Benque Viejo at the Becol Park in Succotz at the bridge bus stop. In San Ignacio, at Cayo bus stop in front of Sacred Heart College in front of the Police Station. In Santa Elena, in front of Public Work.

PlusTV

Shooting near Guatemalan Border
Police in Benque Viejo are investigating a shooting incident near the Guatemalan border, that left one Guatemalan National, Cesar Rodriguez, receiving treatment at the San Ignacio Hospital and another likely dead. According to Police, at around 9 o clock on Sunday evening they received reports of sh...

Does Belize have its first case of Chinkungunya?
Does Belize have its first case of Chikungunya?  Information coming to PlusNews from several reliable sources strongly indicate that the first case in Belize may be in the capital City of Belmopan. The Ministry of Health has issued no official release on the matter, but credible sources say that a ...

5 year boy old sexually assaulted by uncle
There is a very disturbing report coming from the Southern District of Toledo, where it is alleged that a 5 year old boy was sexually assaulted by the next door neighbour. According to police reports, a grandmother of Independence Village took her 5 year old grandson to the Independence Police Stati...

FIU goes after companies in U.S. scam
The saga of Titan International Securities and its related partners has been ongoing in the courts of Belize for a few months now, but before Tuesday it had centered on the fate of Bahamian executives for Titan, Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles, who made bail after being picked up on unrelated charges.

Dangriga Market finally completed
After many delays, the much anticipated Dangriga Town Market is finally completed. The Dangriga Market Project was launched in May 2012, under the Belize Municipal Development Project that is being implemented by the Social Investment Fund (SIF). If you can remember in 2013, when the project was ori...

New City Administrator for Capital City
The Belmopan City Council has a new City Administrator and he is not an unfamiliar face. In August, Angela Wade, the former City Administrator, tendered her resignation due to health complications. Plus News has since been informed that Dr...

Man charged with murder of Lloyd Augustus
24-year-old Sherman Rodney has officially been charged with the murder of Lloyd Augustus, who was badly beaten in April and died as a result of those injuries some two months later. In April, 35 year-old Lloyd Augustus was allegedly badly beaten by Sherman Rodney, while he was at his house on Doris...

Attempted murder charges dismissed after alleged victims back out
Ellis Meighan Jr and Malik Dixon, who accused two young men of attempting to kill them last year, now say they are not willing to continue with the case against Jeon Peebles and Akeem Smith for attempted murder. Upon communicating this to Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer in Magistrate’s Court Tuesday...

Jack Charles runs afoul of Social Security
The Social Security Board oversees the paying out of benefits from a general pool to persons affected by various conditions which make them unable to work. Typically, employers must register themselves with the Board for each employee they hire. But the owner of Xtra House enterprises, Jitendra Chaw...

Fire in Blackman Eddy destroys house
A wooden structure in the Village of Blackman Eddy, Cayo District, was gutted by an afternoon fire on Tuesday. Reports are that 54 year old Rudolph Chavez left his house sometime before 12 noon, and went to a nearby residence in the same village...

Mother charged for burning son’s hand on stove
Thirty-two year old Odette Lambey, a sales clerk who allegedly lit her stove and put the hand of her 6 year old son in the fire, was charged with grievous harm when she appeared on Tuesday before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Odette Lambey was released on a bail of $500...

FCD Telethon Successful
Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) held a telethon on Saturday at the Memorial Park in Belize City. Their objective was to raise half a million dollars to fund the expansion of its Park Ranger Program. The Friends for Conservation and Development is a non-profit, non-governmental organiz...

Patrick Jones

Paul Nabor passes away
News has been received of the death of Paranda artist, 86 year old Paul Nabor. Reports received say that the legendary performer passed away this evening. Nabor had been ailing for an extended period. In January of this year, he was hospitalized with pneumonia and at that […]

Tropical Depression 9 approaches from the west
Proving the unpredictability of tropical cyclones, Tropical Depression 9 has failed to develop into a named storm as forecasters expected as it continues to move slowly towards the Mexican state of Campeche. What’s certain however, is that whether or not the system develops into a named storm, […]

Complainant asks for apology from robber/shooter
Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer dismissed charges of 2 counts of robbery and one count of grievous harm against 22 year old Lloyd Leslie Jr. today after his accusers declined to move forward with the case. The second complainant was not in court to testify, but the first did. […]

Tourism Ministry launches brand for Belizean artisans
As part of the Making Tourism Benefit Communities Adjacent to Archaeological Sites project, the Government, Ministry of Tourism, Belize Tourism Board and NICH collaborated to develop a standardized, certified brand for products from artisans working at or near to nine archaeological sites ranging from Blue Creek and Altun […]

Repeat offender given 2 years for wounding
34 year old Angel Dorado is serving a six month sentence for committing a mischievous act and also faces charges of belonging to a criminal gang. Now a sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment was given him on a wounding charge. Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith handed down the sentence […]

Road improvement project continues in Corozal town
After weeks of inconveniences, the motoring public in Corozal is now getting some relief. Road construction at the entrance to Corozal town is progressing on schedule and has seen major improvements to the area already. The portion of the road that is being repaired is now […]

Maya Expo to take place in Belmopan
The Maya Leaders Alliance is finalizing preparations for the first Maya Expo scheduled for this weekend in Belmopan. The event is being sponsored by the Venezuelan embassy and will take place on Saturday, October 25. Participants from all over Belize are expected to travel to Belmopan to showcase […]

GOB and Carnival to meet over cruise tourism precautions
Last week the Ministries of Immigration and Health put together several safety precautions for visiting cruise ships in the wake of the near-scare over a lab technician thought to be carrying the Ebola virus aboard the Carnival Magic cruise ship. Local authorities refused the U.S. permission to evacuate […]

FIU goes after companies in U.S. scam
The saga of Titan International Securities and its related partners has been ongoing in the courts of Belize for a few months now. Prior to yesterday much of it had centered on the fate of Bahamian executives for Titan Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles who made bail after being picked up on unrelated charges. At the heart of the case is an allegation of fraud against the U.S. Government in the State of New York to the tune of $1 billion, and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which deals with financial and cyber crimes, has been tasked to go after the assets of those involved. On Tuesday there was an inter-parties hearing before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin in chambers at the Supreme Court.

Blogs

Belize’s Kardashian Does Central America Episode 5! The Surf Towns Of Central America’s Pacific Coast
We left young Kardashian (he is almost exactly one year younger than his big sis, Khloe) in what I am deeming the MOST fabulous part of his trip (we will see what he has to say about that) – Nicaragua! Good-bye volcanoes… …and hello San Juan Del Sur. A place that is become a popular tourist spot for surfing. Here’s Finn. So I’m in San Juan del SUR…A mini version of RIO DE JANEIRO. Just a little bit smaller and no one in Thongs and plastic surgery bums. A little different from all the other nicaraguan towns we’ve been to. Now backpacking alone since my German brothers decided to stay and tour a volcano a extra day is not so cool. I really don’t need to see a VOLCANO for a next decade.

The Heroes of the Belize Chiquibul Forest Fight On
Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), an NGO with a special focus on protecting the Chiquibul, has been a major player in this area and maintains the all-important Park Rangers Program – Belize’s first line of defence against poachers. And last week, Saturday October 18 2014, the FCD held a “Chiquibul Protection Telethon” that raised some $202,347 in pledges to keep rangers’ boots on the ground. With the generous support of sponsors, media houses, contributors and artists such as Jamaica’s Beanie Man, who pledged $1,000 of his own money, the telethon showed how concerned Belizeans are about protecting their environment. With the Government of Belize also kicking in an additional $120,000 to support five rangers, the efforts went a long way towards raising the $24,000 a year it takes recruiting, equipping and supporting each ranger. When you consider the hardships and danger of working in the rugged and remote terrain of the Chiquibul, $24,000 isn’t exactly what you’d call a king’s ransom. These dedicated heroes obviously aren’t in it for the money.

Simply Delicious Wild Mangos Restaurant
After spending a good part of Monday morning together, I was not surprised I ended up going out for dinner with Matt and Sara. I got a text from Matt not long after my my first my dinner date with tacoboy fell through due to him needing a rest between work and time with Pedro and Rob Kinnon :) We hashed out a few options and Wild Mangos Restaurant jumped to the top fast. It was pretty busy when we arrived, but we scored a great corner table. I knew instantly I was having Amy’s Chef Salad, Matt switched his order at the last minute after he saw the taco salad (something he had been craving) and Sara went with the arracherra. We all enjoyed our meals and Matt and Sara opted for dessert – banana chimichanga and coconut cream cake. I declined as I was still over sugared from $60 worth of chocolate and delicious homemade cake at Christian’s birthday party, but I did allow them to twist my arm for a little taste.

Top Ten Things to Do in Caye Caulker, Belize
A tranquil island paradise that is quickly making a name for itself as THE island for budget travel in the Caribbean. Everyone's do-to list will be a little different of course. Randi and I don't dive so we excluded visiting the Blue Hole for what we hear is an amazing diving experience. However, no matter what you like or dislike you should DEFINITELY try doing everything on this list at least once. Also, be sure to check out our guide on how to travel on a budget in Caye Caulker, Belize! In no particular order: Spend the day relaxing, swimming, and soaking up the sun at The Split with a 20 Belize ($10.00 USD) bucket of ice cold Belikin Beer. Do so on a weekday for smaller crowds. Or do it everyday! Snorkel the Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Raggamuffin Tours, and experience some of Belize's diverse marine life.

International Sources

Re: Which Foods are the Worst for the Environment?
“We see lakes disappearing, groundwater levels decline. Rivers are empty before they reach the sea, and many rivers are heavily polluted. Those problems relate to the fact that so much water is consumed and polluted for our daily consumer goods, particularly food.” That’s how Arjen Y. Hoekstra, a water management professor at University of Twente in the Netherlands, answered the question: Why do we care about how much water is needed to create the foods we eat? Hoekstra studies the human water footprint a great deal. He recently wrote the book The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society. He’s published a number of papers on the subject, including a recent one in the journal Science. And for the UNESCO Institute for Water Education, he and a colleague calculated the water footprint of many of the foods we eat. They looked at a food’s total water footprint in all parts of the supply chain. “The water footprint is measured by quantifying the volumes of water consumed or polluted, and that are therefore not available for other purposes,” he explained.

Weather Service stops receiving satellite data, issues notice about forecast quality
Since at least Tuesday, some satellite data – an important input to weather prediction models – has stopped flowing into the National Weather Service due to an apparent network outage. At 1 p.m. today, the National Weather Service’s National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) issued the following statement cautioning the outage could impact forecast quality: NCEP HAS NOT RECEIVED A FULL FEED OF SATELLITE DATA FOR INPUT INTO THE NUMERICAL MODELS SINCE 22/0000Z…POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THE MODEL FORECASTS.NESDIS AND NCEP ARE INVESTIGATING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE. ONCE THE SITUATION IS RESOLVED ANOTHER MESSAGE WILL FOLLOW. It is unclear if the data outage is only impacting the National Weather Service or whether it extends to other international modeling centers such as the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasting, home of the top-performing European model, and Environment Canada. Within the National Weather Service, the outage could affect the performance of National Weather Service’s Global Forecast System (GFS), North American (NAM), and HRRR (High-Resolution Rapid Refresh) models.

Kickstarting help for Belizean cocoa farmers
Just outside San Pedro Columbia, a traditional Q’eqchi Maya village in southern Belize, lie 120 acres of pristine jungle where lush rainforest vegetation has grown wildly, taking advantage of the fertile soil. In 1991, the Belize government leased this land to local subsistence farmers with the intention of developing industry through agriculture. However, with limited resources available to develop the land, the parcel holders have left it untouched. In the meantime, wild bananas, jungle plums, and cohune palms grew freely between mahogany, salmwood, and cedar trees. Earlier this year, Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC) began working in collaboration with the parcel holders’ families, the local village government and other key stakeholders to improve farmer livelihoods, grow the local blossoming cacao industry, and do it all in an environmentally and socially conscious way. MMC, in collaboration with these local leaders, is developing this land as an environmentally sustainable, certified organic, world-class cacao Demonstration Farm.

The Ultimate Honeymoon Destinations
For most people it's the most significant holiday of their life, a much-needed chance to relax and unwind after the stress of a wedding - but deciding on a honeymoon destination can be a challenging business. A quick Google search throws up the usual recommendations - the Maldives, the Seychelles, Hawaii, and a variety of Caribbean islands - but what if you are looking for an extra element to your honeymoon beyond staggering beachside beauty? For couples who love exploring the deep, Belize offers all the marine enchantments of the Caribbean islands but in a less expensive and touristy manner. Dense tropical forests cover much of the land, while offshore, clear azure shallows and cobalt depths blanket the immense Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which meanders nearly 200 miles along the coast. With countless inhabited mangrove-swathed islands for couples to utilize along the way, the swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities that Belize presents are unsurpassed. The chance to dive within the Great Blue Hole, the largest blue hole in the world, will be a huge draw for couples serious about diving. Sinking down into this haunting submerged abyss, gazing at bizarre, mesmerizing limestone formations and encountering all manner of marine life is something that you won't forget. There's plenty for couples to do on dry land too: adrenaline junkies can tube through ancient caves and zip line along the rainforest canopy, while those after a bit more culture can immerse themselves in the mystical Maya temples and multiple monuments at Xunanatunich.

The top 10 cities you just have to visit
Two North American metropolises are on the well-beaten path bracket Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities list for 2015, one of an annual variety of best-of and trend-spotting rankings announced this week by the travel publisher, which also compiled them into the Best in 2015 book and travel planner ($14.99). Top 10 Regions 1. Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey 2. Rocky Mountain National Park, USA 3. The Toledo District, Belize

Tropic Air joins Sabre to expand commerce strategy with agencies
Sabre Corporation has signed a long-term technology and commerce agreement with Tropic Air, a regional airline that operates over 200 daily flights to 16 destinations in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Tropic Air will also adopt Sabre’s connectivity standards and e-ticketing capabilities to deliver real-time pricing, seat availability, data and ticket changes for flights booked by Sabre-connected travel buyers. With this announcement the regional carrier joins the Sabre global travel marketplace for the first time, and will use its software and e-commerce capabilities to market and sell their airfares relying on unprecedented reach to world travellers. Sabre’s distribution technology will also contribute to improve Tropic Air’s commercial operations through instant booking confirmation and access to last-seat available inventory to business partners across channels, including agents, online agencies and corporate buyers. Steven Schulte, CEO for Tropic Air, said: “The agency channel will be thriving enhancement to our marketing efforts, while increasing our brand visibility within one of the most competitive marketplaces for air travel. We’ve chosen Sabre’s technology to accelerate our plans to put our products and services in front of the broadest global travel community, and build strategic partnerships that will create better service and revenue opportunities from our regional flights network.”

Videos

Video: Belize Video, 7min.
SFC Belize Trip 2014. Filmed on a Canon 60D with an 18-105mm lens and Rode VideoMic.

Video: SKIPPING TIME: SCUBA-CRUISE EDITION, 2min.
Who wants to watch a long, drawn-out video of someone else's vacation? Nobody. Instead, how about a seven day Caribbean cruise in 120 seconds? Yes please. Roatan, Honduras Belize City, Belize Cozumel, Quintanaroo MX

Video: A Short Guide to the Clubs, Bars and Pubs in Ambergris Caye Belize, 1.5min.
If you want to grab a cold drink, visit any of the clubs in Ambergris Caye Belize. You can find many of these blubs in Ambergris Caye Belize restaurants, resorts and shorelines. There is no shortage of places to grab a cold drink and hear a tall tale in Ambergris Caye. Most of the island’s pubs and bars are located along the shoreline and offer stunning views of the Caribbean Reef, while others are tucked into convenient locations throughout the island. There are those located on the lagoon side with unique views of the back cayes or San Pedro Town.

Video: Belize - Ambergris Caye - Portofino - 360 spherical video - Globe View, 1.3min.

Video: Belize 2014 Youth Missions, 2min.

Video: Belize,The Mayan Ruins of Lamanai and How to Make the Trip, 60min.
Belize,The Mayan Ruins of Lamanai and How to Make the Trip Join me to river boat trip to see the Maya ruins in the Lamanai and then to go to the Chan Chich Resort in the middle of the jungle of Belize, awesome locati. This movie describes how to see the Lamanai Ruins of the Mayans in the country of Belize when leaving from the city of San Pedro which is on the island of Am. Lamanai means submerged crocodile in the Maya language and it's also the name of the third largest, and possibly most interesting, archeological site in Be.

Video: Belize Teaser, 2min.
Belize is truly Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret! Imagine living and owning property in this tropical paradise...here's a little taste!

Video: Harlem Shake - University of Belize, 3min.
Harlem Shake - University of Belize Harlem Shake Turneffe Reef Style 2013 Belize.yess..GoPro film. Students from the Natural Resource Management program doing a Harlem Shake on the shores of Calabash Caye in the Turneffe Atoll. CHANGE QUALITY TO 720 dpi --. Join our diving in Light House Reef Atoll and Turneffe Reef Atoll and see in the beginning few minutes about birds in the Light House reef and then down to t. WOW, During PADI Certification, Confined Open Water. It's not everyday you get to perform course skills in a Stampede of Sardines. Put Turneffe on your To D.

Video: Airboating in Belize, 1min.

Video: Belize,The Mayan Ruins of Lamanai and How to Make the Trip, min.
Join me to river boat trip to see the Maya ruins in the Lamanai and then to go to the Chan Chich Resort in the middle of the jungle of Belize, awesome location. This movie describes how to see the Lamanai Ruins of the Mayans in the country of Belize when leaving from the city of San Padro which is on the island of Ambergris Caye. Lamanai means submerged crocodile in the Maya language and it's also the name of the third largest, and possibly most interesting, archeological site in Belize.

October 22, 2014

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Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Justice Christopher Blackman Sworn in as New Justice of Appeal
Justice Christopher Blackman was today sworn in as a new Justice of the Belize Court of Appeal by the Governor General, Sir Colville Young, at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Witnessing the swearing-in ceremony was the Registrar General, Ms. Velda Flowers. Justice Blackman has a long and distinguished legal career. He was a Judge of the High Court of Barbados from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2003 to 2008. He also served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize from April 2001 to May 2003. In March 2008, he became a Justice of Appeal in the Bahamas. He is due to retire from the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas in December this year. Justice Blackman was first admitted as a Solicitor, Supreme Court of Barbados, in January 1970 and remained in private practice until 1996. Justice Blackman is 69 years of age and is of Barbadian nationality.

Telethon fundraiser for Chiquibul raises over $320K
“At any day, we at FCD have to decide if the rangers will have to go and conduct an activity to control the illegal gold panning, or the extraction of scarlet macaws, or the milpa incursions along the Western border… that is a decision that we have to do on a daily basis, because we don’t have the manpower in terms of providing them all across the landscape. So this is what has brought us now together…I want to welcome Belizeans all across the length and width of Belize to help and assist us in making this telethon a success.” Ricardo Manzanero’s opening remarks at the Telethon for Chiquibul spoke of the realities facing the seven rangers that are in charge of managing 285,937 acres of tropical jungle. To be able to patrol the rugged terrain and forest with a manpower of seven is impossible, and Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) joined forces with the media, SMART and Belize Telemedia Limited in hosting a day-long telethon with the intent to raise $500,000. The much-needed funding would ensure that more rangers and equipment can be put in place to care for Chiquibul forest, one of Belize’s most valuable regions.

Ambergris Today

25 Years Ago: Al Felly Commences the Yearbook For San Pedro High
Al Felly was no ordinary visitor to San Pedro. He was a professional florist of Madison Wisconsin, and like a regular tourist he loved fishing. However, he fell in love with the children of San Pedro, and when he became connected with them, he really got “hooked.” He visited with me back in 1972 when the school was just commencing. Since then both of us have retired, but the influence is still being felt and enjoyed in San Pedro. In this series we will get to see in how many fashions Al Felly touched the lives of hundreds of Sanpedranos. Today this is his favorite phrase: “I think back when it all started - love it.” One day Al said to me, “Angel, in the United States, all schools, especially colleges have what you call a Yearbook. It is an annual book with photos of students and life at school. Are you familiar with this and would you like to start one for San Pedro High?” “Of course I am familiar with a yearbook. I have a copy of The Mangrove, which is the yearbook for Saint John’s College where I attended. Of course I would love to have one for San Pedro High, but that is very costly,” I remarked to Felly as we sat at the beach of Holiday Hotel planning for his Farewell Hot Dog Party. We both were on the same channel.

Was Belize in the Right to Deny Ebola Health Worker Entry into Country?
Government of Belize Explains Decision on Cruise Ship Passenger and Imposes Travel Restrictions for West Africa – The Government of Belize took a decision on Thursday, October 16, 2014, not to facilitate a request from the US State Department to evacuate two passengers from a Carnival Cruise ship that docked in Belize that same morning. The main passenger of concern is an employee of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital who was listed as low risk for Ebola by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States. It was explained to the Belize Government that the CDC had updated its requirements from self-monitoring for these low risk persons to active monitoring and; out of an overabundance of caution, the United States wanted to transport that passenger along with her travelling companion in a private plane back to the United States. The US State Department reported that the passenger had been checking her temperature and checking for any other symptoms of the disease. There were no signs or symptoms reported. The doctors on the cruise ship confirmed this to be the case after conducting their own examination. Both the passenger and her travelling companion volunteered to self-quarantine on the ship.

BTB Gives $10,000 to FCD Park Ranger Program - $320,00 Raised
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is pleased to announce that on Saturday, October 18th, the organization donated ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) Park Ranger Program, through its telethon. Over the weekend, the FCD held the telethon to raise much needed monies to fund twenty rangers at a cost of twenty four thousand dollars per ranger. BTB’s Director of Cruise and Regional Initiatives, Valdemar Andrade, said that, “the BTB is privileged to be a part of this step in the right direction. Every year, about ninety percent of the visitors to Belize visit at least one archaeological site or protected area, and it is important for us that action be taken in order to preserve our natural assets for future generations of Belizeans, as well as for visitors who come to experience Belize. FCD has invested a lot of time and effort to protect this part of our national heritage. We know that the challenges they face are numerous, and the sustained threats in the Chiquibul warrant the implementation of increased security measures. Working with the FCD, we will be closer to achieving this.”

Misc Belizean Sources

2003-2013 State of Belize Coastal Zone Report
This is the 2003-2013 State of Belize Coastal Zone Report provided to us by the The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI), Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development; please read to learn more of the report. The Report presents the research outcomes and expert views from Belizeans researchers and their international counterparts, and chronicles the dynamic state of Belize’s coastal zone for the period 2003-2013. It also identifies policy and management options for maintaining the integrity of our very complex coastal zone.

Logging Season Opens
The Forest Department in the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development hereby informs the General Public that the logging season is now open. Loggers are advised that a valid logging license is required for the harvesting of trees from October 15th, 2014 to June 15th, 2015.

Entrepreneurship Symposium 2014
Motivate, Encourage, Nurture, Unlock

Deputy Prime Minister Vega, Minister Patt and other Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture officials working in Corozal
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources & Agriculture, Honourable Gaspar Vega in collaboration with Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture and UDP Corozal North Representative Honourable Hugo Patt, distributed 113 Leases in the Consejo Road South East Registration Section, Corozal District in a ceremony held yesterday, Monday 20th October, 2014 at the Corozal Civic Centre.

Ministry of Health Celebrates Dental Health Week
The Ministry of Health is this week celebrating Dental Health Week under the theme, “BELIZEANS BIG-UP YOUR SMILE, IT REFLECTS YOUR STYLE”. Activities are being carried out by dental departments across the regions. The Public is especially invited to a Dental Health Fair which will take place on Friday, October 24th, at Central Health Region Compound in Belize City.

Workshop series on cultural heritage protection in Belize
The U.S. Embassy, in partnership with the Institute of Archeology, is excited to announce a workshop series on cultural heritage protection in Belize starting October 20th. Please join us in San Pedro, San Ignacio, or Orange Walk for a half day workshop focused on issues surrounding the importance of cultural heritage to the people and economy of Belize. Everyone in Belize has a stake in the preservation of Belize's cultural heritage - Please join us and take an active role in your community. For more information on dates, times, and locations please see the flyer below. Please R.S.V.P. at BelmopanPA@state.gov with your name and workshop location.

Channel 7

Career Cop Says His Son Was Executed By A Chinese Grocer; Pol. Say Self Defence
Leslie Logan Jr was killed on September 19th in Orange Walk Town. It happened right in front of the hospital, after he had participated in the armed robbery of a Chinese store and was riding off. The owner of the store - whose name has never been released by police - shot Logan Jr multiple times - killing him in the street. The report that we got from eyewitnesses on the day of the killing said that the owner, or his son, shot Logan off his bike, and then shot him again after he fell unto the street. After that he kicked and cursed him as he lay dying. That was the report we got from an eyewitness. And while that account does raise some questions about where the use of lethal force was justifiable or proportional, police never did charge the shooter - they say they served him with a notice of intended prosecution, which, as far as we know, is only issued in traffic accidents.

Guatemalan Men Shot In Belize Territory; Shooter Suspected To Be Guate.
Three Guatemalan men were shot at about 8:30 last night along the Mopan River on the Belize side in the Clarissa Falls area BUT the shooter is suspected to be another Guatemalan. One of the identified victims is 17 year old resident of Suchitan, Guatemala, Cesar Umberto Chinchilla. He was shot to the thigh and admitted to San Ignacio Hospital. OC of Benque Police Formation Daniel Arzu provided more details on the incident. ASP Daniel Arzu, OC Benque Police Formation "We received information of a shooting at Clarissa Falls. Our police officers were deployed, there they observed certain things across the river that is the Mopan River. What appears to be blood was observed in the area and no one was there. Investigations reveal that 3 male Hispanic persons from neighboring Guatemala/Melchor de Mencos were in the area at a fishing expedition and while there they heard 3-4 gunshots.

Boy Bitten By Molesting Neighbor
There is very disturbing report coming out of Independence Village in Stann Creek in which an adult man is accused of sexual assault against a 5 year-old boy. We cannot release the identity of the 25 year-old man because he is a neighbor of the child - and that might lead to the child's identity. The child, however, has told his grandmother and investigators that on Sunday, the man performed oral sex on him and then bit his penis. A doctor has examined the child and classified his injury as harm. The accused has since been charged with aggravated assault and harm.

Mother Accused of Burning Son
Meanwhile, a mother in Belize City is being accused of burning her young son's hand. It happened last week Thursday, October 16, when Lambey's 6 year old son was taken to the KHMH for burns. A medical form was issued, and a doctor examined the child, after which, he classified the injuries as grievous harm. The allegation is that Lambey lit her stove and forced the child's hand over the flame until he was burned. 32 year-old Lambey was charged with grievous harm. She was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith, where she pleaded not guilty. She met bail of $500 dollars and must return to court on December 5.

Hon. Mahmud Walking Away From PUP?
Joseph Mahmud, he's the elected PUP Representative for Cayo North - but 7News has confirmed that he has told the party he is stepping down as standard-bearer and will not contest that seat for the PUP in the next general election. We have confirmed that Mahmud sent a letter last week to the party headquarters announcing his decision. What's behind it? Well, reports tell us that Mahmud had differences with the other PUP General's in the West, principally Julius Espat, who is the PUP Deputy Leader for the West. Today Deputy Espat wouldn't discuss it only saying, quote, "It's a sensitive issue…I wish him all the best. And I''ll be there to support him in whatever decision he makes…" End quote. And, according to Party Leader Francis Fonseca the decision has been made. He responded to our request for a comment via text message this evening saying that a letter was sent by Mahmud which the National Executive will discuss. Fonseca says Mahmud quote, "remains as Area Representative and will support the party fully moving forward." End quote. He adds that Mahmud cited "personal reasons" for his decision.

Auditor General Tells Hon. Espat She's Busy
And speaking of the PUP Deputy in the West, Auditor General Dorothy Ann Bradley responded to Julius Espat after he asked her to investigate government spending of Petrocaribe funds. As we told you ten days ago, Espat - who is the chair of the Public Accounts Committee - wrote to Bradley asking her to investigate the 114 million US dollar loan motion which has been put before the House. He says the government is seeking "retroactive validation" from parliament for money that has already been borrowed. Well, the Auditor General responded four days ago - and it seems she was not moved. She said the loan motion is before the House - and it would be, quote, "premature for me…to raise concerns about the correctness and the procedure for borrowing." End quote. That basically means that until and unless the loan motion is approved in the house, she cannot investigate.

Ellis Drops Charges
Ellis Meighan Jr. has been featured in our newscast quite a number of times because of being accused by police of different crimes, but tonight he's back in the news because he no longer wants police to press charges against 2 men who were accused of shooting up his vehicle exactly 2 years ago. As we reported, the incident happened on October 10, 2012, when Meighan and Malik Dixon were in Meighan's vehicle. When they arrived at the Mopan Street intersection, 2 men who were standing on the street corner opened fire on the vehicle. Dixon was injured in the lower back in that shooting, but he was rushed to the KHMH, where doctors managed to successfully treat his wound.

FIU Wants To Freeze Titan's Cash
For about 6 weeks now, we've been telling you about the 1 billion Belize dollar securities and penny stock fraud case. In this case, the Federal Court in Brooklyn New York has indicted 6 men and 6 companies tied to Belize for allegedly participating in a scam which hid that money from the US through tax evasion. Those 6 individuals include Belizean Andrew Godfrey, Bahamians, Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles, Canadians Brian De Wit and Cem "Jim" Can, and American Robert Bandfield. Among the accused corporate defendants are IPC Management Services, LLC; IPC Corporate Services Inc.; IPC Corporate Services LLC; Titan International Securities, Inc; Legacy Global Markets S.A; and Unicorn International Securities LLC (Unicorn). Robert Bandfield is already in the US on bail while he awaits trial, and the US is seeking to extradite 5 other defendants, including Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles. Viewers may remember that both Bahamians are out on bail after being charged and arraigned on financial offences when they tried to leave the country through the PGIA. The other 3 defendants are still at large.

Cabinet Maker To Jail
54 year-old Delroy Chambers, a cabinet maker from Police Street is spending the first night of a 5 year sentence after he was convicted in Magistrate's Court of possession of drugs and guns. Officers from Special Branch searched his house on October 12, 2013 and they ended up finding 1.5 kilos - or 3.3 pounds of weed, a 9 millimeter pistol, and 9 live rounds of ammunition. As a result, police arrested and charged him with drug trafficking, keeping an unlicensed firearm, keeping unlicensed ammunition, and drug trafficking.

Controversial Dangriga Market Soon Done; Town Mayor Says He Won't Accept
13 months ago, Dangriga Town was up in arms when the biggest scandal at the Social Investment Fund emerged. The Dangriga Market place fell 9 months behind schedule, allegedly because of corruption and poor public spending. The former contractor alleged that he was "hustled" by senior staffers at SIF. That scandal led to 4 staffers being dismissed, the executive director being forced to resign, and a change in contractor. The market construction started all over in April, and at the beginning of this week, SIF reported that they had finally completed the construction of the market. Well, the Mayor of Dangriga Town is not satisfied with the product, complaining that it cost 1.8 million dollars to renovate and extend, but there are no signs of value for money. He spoke to us via phone this evening in which he explained that the project had to be pushed 3 weeks beyond the agreed completion time. Here's how he puts it:

Where Melchor And Belize Meet
While there is growing concern for the protection of the Chiquibul National Park and our archaeological sites from Guatemalan cross border bandits, on the social level, there is a site where Guatemalans pose no apparent threat, they simply walk, or in some cases ride over to our Belizean territory. That site is right at the Western Border, a border we as Belizeans frequently cross to get to Melchor. But it is not only a one way crossing. Hundreds of Guatemalan school children also cross over to Benque Viejo to get to school every day. That's the story Courtney Weatherburne explored today at the border. Amy Hernandez, Mount Carmel High School "The bus passes my house at 7 and at school it reaches there like 7:30 - 7:45." Courtney Weatherburne "There is no verification, no ID check, nothing" So you simply can walk pass the border with no trouble at all." Ramona Guerra, Mount Carmel High School "No, just with your uniform."

Emma Was Lost, But Now Found
Last night we told you about Emma Gillett, the mother of 6 who has been missing for two weeks. Well, the family can breathe a sigh of relief because she was located last night at about 9:00 in PG by police and brought to Belize City this afternoon. When we spoke with her cousin Kendra Henkis today, she was at the Queen Street police station with Gillett. Henkis stated that Gillett confessed that she simply wanted to relax and clear her mind.

School Buildings Upgrade for Remote Schools
Students in the villages of Corazon and Aguacate in the southwestern reaches of the Toledo District used to have to wake up at 3:00 am to go to school, taking multiple busses and crossing rivers to get there. But that has changed: Aguacate has a primary school and Corazon has a high school. Both of the recently opened schools got an upgrade with new buildings from SIF. The high school in Corazon - which has 242 students got a 595 thousand dollar building through the Social Investment fund. Education Minister Patrick Faber was on hand:.. Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education "We have seen an increase in the number of students who are going on to secondary school and this is because of course of the efforts of the government through the $300 subsidy and new initiatives here in the Toledo District to open a new high school and give you additional access. Corazon Creek Technical High School is one of those initiatives. You know that we've opened Providence in San Antonio as well and we are looking at opening another school in Pueblo Viejo."

Channel 5

Benque Police Investigate Shooting of Illegal Guatemalans
On Sunday, three men from the Guatemalan barrio of Castrillo de Suchitan headed into Belize to fish in the flooded Mopan River near Clarissa Falls. What happened there on Sunday [...]

Man Charged for Sexually Abusing a Five Year Old
In the south, there is a disturbing allegation tonight against a twenty-five year old man from Independence. The details are few, but we can report that the grown man was [...]

Family of Slain Robber Demand Justice
But in the north, thirty-year-old Leslie Logan Junior was shot and killed during a foiled robbery attempt in Orange Walk Town on September nineteenth.  He was one of two men, [...]

…Says OW Police Are Covering Up Murder
The family has since retained the services of attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd who told the media today that the Logans are being given the runaround by the police department and that [...]

P.U.P. Cayo North Area Representative Steps Down
  Tonight, there are confirmed reports that P.U.P. Cayo North Area Representative Joseph Mahmud has thrown in the political towel. Those reports indicate that Mahmud handed in his resignation to [...]

Is the U.S. justified in being disappointed with Belize in recent Ebola scare?
And tonight’s question is: Do you think the US is justified in saying it is disappointed in Belize for not allowing a US lab technician to disembark in Belize in [...]

Belize Ports Authority on Board With Ebola Protocols
The Ebola scare last Thursday fizzled after a Texan lab technician traveling on a Carnival cruise ship that called to port in Belize was declared free of the deadly virus. [...]

CARICOM Countries Meet to Discuss Shipping Safety Measures
A weeklong conference is underway at the Best Western Plaza where representatives from thirteen CARICOM countries have converged to discuss the safety of fishing vessels.  It’s one of the worst [...]

Attorneys for Alleged Fraudsters Seek to Unfreeze Assets
This morning, a huddle of lawyers representing individual companies associated with the legally besieged Titan International Securities appeared in the courtroom of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. The attorneys were present [...]

Robbers Target Government Departments
Two government agencies were robbed over the course of the weekend. The fisheries department is reporting that sometime between five-thirty p.m. on Friday and seven-fifty Monday night, its offices located [...]

Mother Accused of Burning Child’s Hand
  There is an allegation tonight against a thirty-two year-old mother who is accused of disciplining her six year old child by placing his hand on fire after she found [...]

Duo Walk on Attempted Murder Charge
  On October sixteenth, 2012, two south side youths were the target of street violence when they were shot at on Mopan Street in Belize City.  The duo, Ellis Meighan [...]

Boy with Leukemia in Critical Condition
Late September, we showed you ten-year old Cleyon Marage Junior; who is afflicted with Acute Myloid Leukemia. The young student cannot get medical treatment in Belize and his mother made [...]

Friends Seek Medical Assistance Abroad
Marage Junior is in critical condition and pediatrician, Doctor Cecilio Eck, has taken on his case. His mother says that Doctor Eck does not agree with him traveling because he [...]

Agencies Collaborate in Cultural Preservation
The constant pillaging of Belize’s cultural and historic patrimony remains a national issue which cannot be swept under the rug.  The looting of archaeological sites, including El Pilar near the [...]

Customs Department Participates in W.T.O. Workshop
There is another workshop ongoing. It involves the Directorate for Foreign Trade, the Customs and Excise Department and the World Trade Organization. The five-day workshop will determine where the country [...]

Bodybuilding in Belize…Check Out the Winners
After spending months of training to perfect and tone their bodies, male and female bodybuilders competed on Friday night in different categories in the Belize Body Building and Fitness Competition. [...]

CTV3

More Corozalenos Join COPS
In Corozal Town a group of approximately 22 young and vibrant male and females were engaged in a three days training for COPS, “Citizen On patrol” program. Citizen on Patrol is a voluntary program that the Commissioner of Police created to gain assistance from selected citizens in the community to fight crime. In Corozal more than two dozen individuals have joined the force in battling crime. Andrew Ramirez – OC Corozal “We had two sessions of the citizen on patrol; one in the Free Zone and one here in town that encompass volunteer persons both from Orange Walk and Corozal we had a total of 38 thereabout, we had 22 from Corozal and 16 thereabout from Orange Walk that did the three days training here in Corozal, the training entailed basically a quick brush through of our laws of Belize governing justice force, firearm, report writing, how to give evidence in court, small little issues like traffic that they can get an understanding, these officers, these citizens of patrol will undergo twelve months, one year being on the COPS program and they are obligated to give at least four hours per week volunteer.”

Copa De Reyes Comes To And End
Football fanatics from the village of Guinea Grass came out in numbers yesterday afternoon, with matrakas, horns and fire crackers in hand, for the grand finale of the “Copa De Reyes” football tournament organized by the village council. For the past three months, seven teams battled it out on the field hoping to gain first place in the tournament. But as is reality, there can only be one winner and that team was selected yesterday. Organizer of the tournament Roosevelt Rodney and Village Council member Sylverio Hernandez hoped for a great final game. Roosevelt Rodney– Organizer “Hace como tres meses que comenzó siete equipos teníamos y ahorita se está jugando la final y tenemos el equipo de Sugar Boys y Hustlers para la final hoy peleando par el primer lugar y el segundo lugar.” Sylverio Hernandez– Council Member “Esperamos que el mejor gane para el premio del primer lugar que son ocho cientos dólares.” The Guninea Grass Village Council is an independent council but council members say they have always been able to count with the full support of Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai. At the same time, the council is grateful to the community for their unwavering support in their annual tournaments.

Rigo Vellos Reigns Again
Rigo Vellos has once again been declared Mr. Belize this past Friday at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts where over 15 participants took center and showed off their sculpting physiques. This makes it three years in a row that Vellos takes the crown and he couldn’t be prouder. “The feelings are goods feeling after putting the hard work, the strict dieting, it pays off at the end of the day and also it show that every year the competition gets harder and harder in the country and the other guys are stepping up their game also but it simply means Rigo Vellos also needs to improve so the feeling is good and I am happy that I won for the third time and like everything hard work pays off.” Despite that this year’s bodybuilding competition was a bit more challenging, Vellos managed to excel in his category.

Another Chinese Establishment Robbed In Corozal
Another Chinese business in Corozal was hit by robbers over the weekend. Fifty nine year old Kunfu Mark, Chinese naturalized Belizean of Corozal Town, told authorities that on Friday October 17th at about 12:20pm, he and his wife, Xiao Qing Mark, were at their place of business namely East Store located on 4th Avenue when three male persons of East Indian decent entered their place of business. One of the men, who had in his possession what appeared to be a small hand gun, then closed the shutters of the main door and ran up to Kunfu and hit him over the left side of his face. The culprit then placed the gun to Kunfu’s head and demanded that he hand over the money. Fearing for his life and that of his wife the victim showed the robber where the money was and handed over to him some $500.00 in cash.

Belize Has New Justice Of Appeal
Belize has a new Justice of Appeal. He is no other than 69 year old Barbadian National, Justice Christopher Blackman who was sworn in by Governor General Sir Colville Young during a small ceremony at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan today. A release states that Justice Blackman has a quote, “long standing and distinguished legal career”. He was a judge of High Court of Barbados from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2003 to 2008. Blackman has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize from April 2001 to May 2003. In March 2008, he became a Justice of Appeal in the Bahamas. The October Season of the Court of Appeal started today and will continue until November 7th, 2014. There are 14 cases on the Calendar – 6 criminal and 8 Civil matters. Justice Blackman joins Justices Manuel Sosa, Dennis Morrison, Samuel Awich and Madam Justice Minette Hafiz Bertram in the Belize Court of Appeals bench.

Man Shot In San Pedro Fights For His Life
On Sunday, island authorities were again called out to the polyclinic where they were informed of an almost fatal shooting. According to police, at about 7:40a.m., they saw a male person identified as 24-year-old Ivan Aldana, Belizean carpenter of San Pedrito Area, suffering from a single gunshot wound to his right upper back. Initial investigations revealed that about 10:00p.m., while Aldana was standing by a bar located in San Pedrito Area, he was approached by a male person he knows. The individual reportedly fired five shots in Aldana’s direction of which one caught him in his right upper back. He was then rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic where an Ex-ray revealed that the bullet was lodged in the victim’s spine. Aldana was then transported to K.H.M.H in a serious condition. Police are seeking one man as investigations continue.

CAATS Controls Dog And Cat Population Through Sterilization Program
Controlling the dog and cat population around the country has not always proved to be very easy for municipalities but there are organizations that put their share of work into this. There is the Caulker Assisting Animals through Sterilization which has been operational since 2003. The nonprofit organization was first launched in Caye Caulker, hence its name. Through the organization, veterinarians come to Belize to offer their services to various communities across the country. In the past week they were in Corozal and Orange Walk Towns. Dalila Ical reports. Madie Collins – Founder/President – CAATS “CAATS is all about controlling the population of animals because you know the more animals you have the more diseases, it is our culture that a lot of animals do not stay at home they get away and so you spread disease but when an animal is sterilized just like what we are doing here today males and females, cats and dogs, you sterilized them meaning you have the surgery and so they don’t have that feeling like they want to mate anymore and so the les animals that mate and the less animals get pregnant and less animals are on the streets and less suffering because the more animals come you can’t find homes for all of them and they end up on the streets so we bring these vets from all over from Canada and all parts of the United States.”

How To Keep A Healthy Smile
Some say that the smile is a window to the soul…..it tells us something about a person’s mood, personality, state of mind, maybe even status in life. Smiles know no language barriers, no differences in race, gender, social status or class. In light of this, this week is being observed as Dental health Week which seeks to promote proper dental hygiene and practices to best care for our teeth. Our news team sat down with Dental Surgeon at the Northern Regional Hospital, Dr. Francisco Casteneda who explains how a healthy smile can make you feel good inside and out. Maria Novelo reports. A smile is truly a universal peaceful magnetic force among humans and so having a healthy one is symbolic of good oral health and dental hygiene. This week’s activities, according to Dental Surgeon Dr. Francisco Casteneda, are centered on education in classrooms. Dr. Francisco Casteneda – Dental Surgeon, NRH “We have to get to the schools to give them talks and basically dental education then, and teach them some brushing drills and what are the various diseases that can affect them and how to treat them and what to do.”

After One Week Still No Signs Of Eric Bird Garcia
Today marks exactly one week since 21 year old Eric ‘Bird’ Garcia has been missing at sea after a fishing trip to Tres Cocos Area in San Pedro with two friends went horribly wrong. While the chances of his survival are slim, the authorities however, have not lost hope and continue their searches along the coast and around the area he was last reportedly seen. Today, we contacted Patrol Commander at the Northern Operation base, David Ayala, who gave us an update on the search and rescue mission. David Ayala – Patrol Commander, Northern Operation Base “The search all of last week was surface searching and that is why we had divers mostly volunteers and we were unable to come across the missing person but at this time we have not been able to receive any calls from our headquarters so we have not called it off as yet so we still conduct now and again some patrols during the day on the area to see if we can find anything but at the same time we have spoken to local divers that if they see anything around that they can call us.”

Two Charged For Drug Trafficking In San Pedro
Authorities on Ambergris Caye have been busy throughout the weekend as most crime reports including a homicide were recorded from that end. The first incident was recorded on Thursday October 17th around 3:45pm where police conducted a search at a residence in the Boca del Rio Area which led them to an amount of green leafy substance which was hidden under some clothes. Present at the time of the search was 30 year old Vilma Castro who was informed of the offence committed, cautioned and then escorted to the San Pedro Police Station where the drugs were weighed and amounted to 77.89grams of cannabis. As a result, Castro who is of Honduran Nationality and 29 year old Hector Lopez, both of a Boca del Rio address were jointly arrested and charged for Drug Trafficking.

Construction Worker Murdered In San Pedro
Early Saturday morning, San Pedro Police was notified of a possible murder. Around 7:40am, authorities visited a wooden 2-storey building on Mantarey Street, San Pedro Town, where they saw the lifeless body of 44 year old Samuel Dawson, Belizean truck driver of Hattieville Village. Initial investigations revealed that Dawson, who was working in San Pedro for the past 2 weeks, was taken home on Friday night at around 7:00p.m by the supervisor of the construction site where he works. However, reports are that Dawson asked the supervisor to wait for him as he wanted to come back out to buy something to eat. The supervisor then took him to a restaurant at the entrance of San Pedrito where he left him. On Saturday morning, the supervisor went to pick up Dawson at his residence and upon his arrival he observed that the door was ajar. As he further opened the door, he discovered Dawson’s body.

Passenger On Board Carnival Magic Tested Negative For Ebola
Last week’s Ebola threat to Belize left the country in a state of anxiety although government has made public its intent on preparing our health care providers for any emergency. The immigration department has also taken measures to ensure travelers are properly screened before entering the country. By now, the Carnival Magic has docked at its base in the US. The health care provider who was along with her companion was allowed to go home, according to reports. A blood sample from the woman was taken for testing for the Ebola virus. That test result came back as negative, according to the US Center for Disease Control.

LOVE FM

Inspector Mark Flowers Accused of Human Trafficking
Inspector Mark Flowers, Commander of the Gang Suppression Unit, is being accused of human trafficking. That’s according to some documents that have surfaced over the internet. The accusation is that back in 2009, Inspector Flowers, helped three Salvadoran nationals get into Belize without going through the necessary procedures. Statements from Immigrations Officers implicating Inspector Flowers says he met one Elba Castaneda, Norman Corado, and Antonio Castaneda, at Champon restaurant and then drove them to the border point. However, some Immigration Officers who smelled something fishy cautioned the trio and Flowers. An investigation was launched into the matter. Inspector Mark Flowers responded to those allegations last week during a press briefing.

Man Loses His Home in Mid-Morning Fire
A mid-morning fire has left a family from Black Man Eddy Village homeless. Correspondent Angelica Cruz reports. “Belmopan police are investigating a fire that has left a family of three homeless. According to the owner of the house, 54 year old Rudolph Chavez a self-employed man of Black man Eddy village, on Tuesday morning October 21 he left home sometime around 11:30AM to do an errand in the village when sometime around 11:50 he was shocked when he received a call from one of his neighbors that his house measuring 15X20 feet upstairs and downstairs was engulfed in flames. Police and fire department were immediately informed. Shortly after, San Ignacio and Belmopan fire engines arrived. All efforts were made to save the house and its content but it turned out futile. The value of the house along with its items amounted to a total loss of $40,000.”

Drug Related Offences in Western Belize
Three men appeared in court in Western Belize for drug related offences. Correspondent Elaine Berry has the details. “Benque police were on vehicle patrol on Sunday October 19th and was patrolling on the George Price Highway between miles 71&72. Police then intercepted a white Cargo Mitsubishi truck that was travelling towards San Ignacio from Benque. During the search, police discovered a black plastic bag between the legs of a passenger. The bag and both occupants were taken out of the truck. The bag was then opened and police discovered some green leafy plant substance suspected to be cannabis.

Gunmen’s Targets Withdraw Charges in Court
Jeon Peebles and Akeem Smith, who were charged with two counts of attempted murder for Ellis Meighan Jr and Malik Dixon, were freed of the charges today when Meighan and Dixon appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser and testified that they do not want any further court action. As a result, Senior Magistrate Fraser dismissed the charges and told Peebles and Smith that they were free to go. The incident occurred in 2013. Meighan and Dixon were in Meighan’s vehicle and when they arrived at the intersection of Mopan Street, two men who were standing at the corner fired shots at them. Dixon was shot in his right lower back while Meighan was unhurt.

Titan Owners Back in Court
Back in early September, six corporate executives and corporate entities were indicted for orchestrating a 500 million dollar offshore fraud, and money laundering scheme in Belize. Companies accused included Titan International Securities, Inc., Legacy Global Markets S.A.; and Unicorn International Securities. 34-year-old, Kelvin Leach and 29-year-old, Rohn Knowles owned and operated Titan International Securities and were initially arraigned on the charge of failure to declare when leaving Belize with more than ten thousand dollars, for which they were granted bail. Attorneys for all parties involved appeared in court today for an inter-parties hearing. Attorney for Unicorn Securities International LLC, Michael Young explained what took place inside the court room of Chief Justice, Kenneth Benjamin today.

Parents of Deceased Accused Robber Demand Investigation
Leslie Logan Jr., a former police constable, was shot and killed on September 19th by a Chinese businessman in Orange Walk Town. Logan Jr. is accused of orchestrating an armed robbery with 27 year old Alex Tillett. The robbery took place at Hung Yun Store on Otro Benque Road and the owner of the store, 35 year old Kee Wen Li shot down Logan Jr., as he attempted to escape the scene. Police have ruled that Logan’s homicide was self-defense but Logan’s Jr., parents believe that their son was murdered. In fact, Leslie Logan Sr., and Karen Logan say that police is covering up the murder of their son. The Logans accompanied by attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd addressed the media this afternoon.

Duo Charged with Drug Trafficking
Two persons from Hopkins Village have been charged with drug trafficking. Police say on Monday afternoon, they conducted a search at the home of 27-year-old Moses Rodriguez and 33-year-old Jamari Rodriguez. They found two transparent bags containing some leafy vegetable substance suspected to be cannabis. Further searches led to the discovery of eight parcels of green leafy substances suspected to be cannabis in a metal safe, also found was money believed to be proceeds of the sale of drugs. Further searches under the house led to the discovery of two black plastic bags containing twenty parcels of ideal bags with some green leafy substances suspected to be cannabis. The drugs were weighed separately in their presence. The two transparent ideal bags amounted to 5.25 grams, the eight parcels amounted to 6.20 grams cannabis and the black bag along with its content amounted to 154 grams suspected cannabis.

Supermarket Owner Arraigned for Social Security Offences
Jitendra Chawla, also known as “Jack Charles”, the owner of Extra House Supermarket who resides at mile 2 on the George Price Highway, was charged with failure to render to Social Security Board an application for registration as an employer within seven days of employing their first employed person in the month of April 2013. Chawla pled not guilty to the charge. His case was adjourned until December 1.

Rotary Governor for District 4250 In Belize
The Governor of Rotary District 4250 is on a working visit to Belize. Yesterday, the tour was in Punta Gorda. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the story. PAUL MAHUNG “Visiting Rotary District 4250 Governor, Jose Maurico Chepe Rodriguez,who is from Guatemala, spoke on his visit to Belize and now in Punta Gorda. “ GOVERNOR RODRIGUEZ “I am really glad to be here in Belize. I just started last week through Belmopan, Belize and Placencia now this week I have to go to the rest of the different Rotary Clubs. We started today with Punta Gorda then Dangriga, Orange Walk, Corozal and then the last one is going to be San Ignacio. So I will be visiting all the nine Rotary clubs in Belize.” PAUL MAHUNG “So far, what is the impression?” GOVERNOR RODRIGUEZ “Well I can tell you, at my monthly letter I found in Rotary something that is called heroism. Rotarians are volunteer people 100% volunteers. They give their jobs, their expertise, time, family time, job time and they even pay to serve, that is very special. Rotarians are so special that I would say I am honored to visit with them and try to help to strengthen and do more projects with the community. “

From Attempted Murder to Murder
On April 6, 35-year-old Lloyd Augustus was badly beaten while at his house on Doris Brooks Street in Belize City. He was hospitalized and died two months later. Today police announced that they have upgraded the charges brought against 24-year-old Sherman Rodney to murder. Rodney was initially charged with attempted murder , dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm back in July.

American National Loses Expensive Camera in Home Burglary
An American national has reported that her home was burglarized on October 14 where items valued at over five thousand US dollars were stolen. According to the complainant, in the burglary her grey LENLX brand camera bag which contained a black Nikon brand camera, a vintage PENTAX K1000 brand camera, an extra attachable camera lens and an assortment of memory cards went missing. The incident occurred in the San Pablo Area in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. Police are investigating.

PlusTV

Samuel Dawson Stabbed and killed in San Pedro
A man was found stabbed to death in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. According to Police reports, the body of 44 year old Samuel Dawson was discovered in his home on Saturday evening. Initial investigation revealed that Samuel Dawson, who was working in San Pedro for the past 2 weeks, was taken home on Friday night at around 7:00p.m. by the supervisor of the construction site. However, he asked the supervisor to wait for him as he wanted to come back out to buy something to eat. The supervisor then took him to a restaurant at the entrance of San Pedrito where he left him.

Man shot on San Pedro, bullet lodged in Spine
At 10 pm on Saturday evening, 24-year-old Ivan Aldana, a Belizean carpenter of San Pedrito Area, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, was shot in his back. Police say that Mr Aldana was standing by a bar located in San Pedrito Area, San Pedro, when he was approached by a man he knows. That person fired five shots in Ivan Aldana’s direction, and one of those bullets caught him in his right upper back. He was then rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic. An x-ray was taken at the Polyclinic where it showed that the bullet was lodged in his spine.

Drunk Bus Driver arrested and charged
A commercial bus driver has been arrested for drunk driving. On Friday October 17th., at about 3:15pm, Police visited Mile 1 1/2 on the George Price High Way, by the Belize Foam Factory, where a red and blue Guerra’s Blue Bird Bus was seen parked on the right hand side of the Road in the direction of Hattieville Village. When police approached the driver, there was a strong scent of alcohol emanating from him. He was informed that he was suspected to have been driving the bus while under the influence of alcohol and escorted to the Racoon Street Police Station, where he provided a urine sample.

East Store robbery in Corozal
Chinese proprietors in the Corozal District were the victims of an armed robbery on Friday night. Kunfu Mark, a 59 year old Chinese naturalized Belizean of Corozal Town, reported that on Friday 17th October about 12:20pm, he along with his wife were at their place of business, East Store located on 4th Avenue. Three men of East Indian descent entered their place of business. One of them then closed the shutters of the main door, and had in his hand what appeared to be a small hand gun. He ran up to Mr Kunfu and hit him twice in the head with the handgun, and demanded money. The armed men grabbed $500.00 and escaped through a back door in the kitchen.

Ex-Athlete charged for burglary
A former basketball player has been charged with burglary and handling stolen goods. 58 year old Daniel Meighan of Belize City pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Herbert Panton, and was offered bail of $300. Daniel Meighan is accused of breaking into the home of Shapara Myles, between October 16 and 17, and stealing items to a value of $1,639, including two cellular phones, a 19-inch television set, a cake mixer, blender, DVD player, a standing fan and handbag. Police say they went to Mr Meighan’s house on October 17, and recovered items said to be those that were stolen from Myles’ home.

Men running from police invade Corozal home
On the morning of Saturday October 18th, Corozal Police on special operations in San Antonio Village, Corozal District, spotted two men with a knapsack. On seeing the cops, the two men quickly entered a nearby house without the permission of the home owner; but police also entered the house and conducted a search in the presence of the frightened house owner. The two intruders were identified as Carlos Pena and a 15 year old male minor. When police checked the knap sack, they found marijuana. The suspected drugs were weighed in the presence of both suspects and a guardian of the minor, which amounted to 2724 gram.

BDF Budget not enough
On Friday the Belize Defence Force hosted the media to a press conference at the BDF headquarters in Belize City. This was the first briefing of its kind since the murder of Special Constable Danny Conorquie. At the press conference, BDF Commander Brigadier General David Jones told the media about the efforts being made to curb the illicit activity at the Western Border with Guatemala. Efforts include border patrols, and intensive quarterly gallops, which have seen a reduction in border activity, according to Brigadier General David Jones. But according to Mr Jones, the 33 million dollars that they get at the beginning of every fiscal year is not enough. Brigadier General David Jones “It’s usually around a little over $33 million. That is what we are given. We normally request more than that. I don’t have the figures, but it’s definitely much more than that.

Cruise ship passenger declared Ebola free
The cruise ship Carnival Magic which caused quite a stir in Belize last Thursday docked in Galvezton, Texas, early Sunday morning, where the health worker tested negative for the Ebola virus to the relief of all Belizeans. Monday markede 22 days since the woman, only identified as an employee at Texas Health Presbyterian, could have possibly contracted the virus. The Center for Disease and Control (CDC) reported that while the woman did not have direct contact with Thomas Duncan, who died of Ebloa on October 8th at the Hospital, it was believed that she might have had contact with his fluids, and so was asked to self-monitor herself for the next three weeks. She had taken a Caribbean cruise and was in Belizean waters when CDC upgraded its status and “out of an abundance of caution” pressured the Government of Belize on Thursday to have the woman disembark and be transported through the Philip Goldson International Airport. The Belizean Government refused and is now getting lashed at by some of the international media houses.

Amandala

Carpenter shot – slug lodged in the spine
Ivan Aldana, 24, a carpenter of San Pedrito, San Pedro, is presently fighting for his life in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital’s intensive care unit, with a slug lodged in his spine after he was shot in the upper back. Aldana was shot at about 10:30 last night by a man he knew while he was standing near a bar in San Pedrito. Police said that the man approached Aldana, took out a gun and fired about five times at him. Aldana tried to run, but he was struck in the right upper back. His assailant then escaped out of the area. Aldana was rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic, where an X-ray revealed that the slug was lodged in his spine.

Truck driver stabbed to death in San Pedro
Samuel Dawson, 44, a truck driver of Hattieville, was found with stab wounds to the chest and throat by his supervisor at about 7:30 Saturday morning, in a 2-flat building located on Manta Ray Street in San Pedro, where he lived. Police took Dawson to the San Pedro Polyclinic, where he was declared dead on arrival, at about 10:15 a.m. Police said that Dawson, who was working in San Pedro for the past two weeks, went home around 7:00 p.m. Friday night with the supervisor of the construction site where he worked, who was giving him a ride home. Dawson reportedly came back out of his home because he wanted to buy food, said the supervisor, who reported that he took him to a restaurant at the entrance of San Pedrito, where he dropped him off.

Belize bans travelers from West African nations affected by Ebola outbreak
island nations, Jamaica and St. Lucia, which have issued travel restrictions for travelers from countries in West Africa that are affected by the worst Ebola outbreak since the deadly disease was discovered in 1976. The government of Belize made the announcement this morning at a press conference, where the subject was the government’s refusal to allow a U.S. lab technician, who attended to specimens from Thomas Duncan, the Liberian man who became the first person to die from Ebola in the United States, to be airlifted from the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize. Minister of Immigration, Hon. Godwin Hulse said, “We have immediately issued a stop on the issuance of visas to persons coming from the West Africa area who we consider high risk. And those countries will be Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and any other country that the ministry thinks has now been affected.”

Belize-Guat soldiers to patrol volatile western border
On Friday, October 10, diplomats and senior military personnel from Belize and Guatemala convened at a high level meeting of the Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission in Guatemala City to discuss national security matters with their counterparts and committed themselves to several initiatives geared at preventing future conflicts near the border and decreasing illegal cross-border activities. Included among these is an agreement to engage in an unprecedented effort to conduct joint patrols at the sometimes deadly Belize-Guatemala border, an area where Guatemalans illegally enter Belize’s pristine forests and plunder its irreplaceable assets – its exotic flora and fauna, and its millennia-old trees in our archaeological and national preserves. The operations of the Belize Special Assignment Group of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) would be separate from the link-up operations they currently execute.

Belize seriously considers Chalillo II and new hydro plants on Swasey River
Belize’s energy demand will grow substantially over the next few years, and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has been reviewing bids for 37 new projects from 22 companies which hope to make the final cut of designated enterprises that will be chosen to supply 75 megawatts of power over the next 10 years, including 15 megawatts from wind and solar sources. The process opened last October, just over a year ago, and formal proposals were unsealed in June 2014. Initially, there were 42 expressions of interest, including expressions from companies such as Belize Natural Energy and UNO Belize, but these did not submit formal bids. This afternoon, Monday, October 20, 2014, the PUC unveiled the top contenders at a press conference held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.

Ghost Town boss, Roger Anthony, steps away from gang life
Roger Anthony, who reputedly is the leader of the Ghost Town Crips gang on Mayflower Street, appeared beside the Commander of the police’s Gang Suppression Unit, Inspector Mark Flowers, on the compound of the Racoon Street Police Precinct, to make an unusual announcement. Anthony, looking composed, standing beside Flowers, declared: “I am here today to say that the gang life that I’ve been in for the past 26 years, that isn’t a life. And I think it’s time for us, we as leaders, to make a change and to stand up and help the police, especially the Gang Suppression Unit, to stand strong and work with each other as leaders of the community so that we can make a change.” “It’s only us that can make a change, and we, along with them, can make a change. That’s what I am trying to do and that’s what I am going to do, and I am going to renounce that I ain’t no leader in no gang. I am just leader of a work group with Mr. Cisco and that’s what I am going to carry on after this. I just hope that the other gang leaders pick up that what I am doing and continue, and we go live in a peaceful country without violence,” Anthony stated.

Alleged drug trafficker offered bail of 50 grand
–An Orange Walk resident who was imprisoned after being accused of trafficking approximately 54.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine or “crystal meth”, a highly addictive, contemporary drug, was offered bail of $50,000 in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court today by Justice Herbert Lord. The bail was offered on the condition that Ruperto Reyes, 49, surrender all of his travel documents, and that he report to the Orange Walk Police Station three times each week until the case is concluded. Reyes was represented by attorney Philip Palacio, while Crown Counsel Portia Staine represented the Government of Belize. On August 20, 2014, at around 7:20 p.m., members of the Police’s Anti-Drug Unit (ADU) reportedly discovered over 54 kilograms, or 120 pounds, of suspected “crystal meth” in the back seat of a black vehicle that spun out of control and ran off the road during a high speed pursuit on Liberty Avenue in Orange Walk.

WW race results
Here are the results from the Weekend Warrior (WW) Race #4 of the current series. The “A” & “B” went from Leslie’s Imports to Mile 22 on the Philip Goldson (Western) Highway and return, for 40 miles. The “C” went from Leslie’s Imports to Mile 18 on the Philip Goldson (Western) Highway and return, for 30 miles. Top “A” finishers were: 1st place Wilbert Jones (Megabytes, 1:58:34); 2nd Barney Brown (Scotiabank); 3rd Jack Sutherland (Digicell-4G); 4th Warren Coye (Santino’s); 5th James Frampton (Santino’s); and 6th Mark Gentle (FT Williams).

Phillip Willoughby 5-A-Side Week 3 results
The Phillip Willoughby Open 5-A-Side football tournament continued with five Week 3 games at the Yabra Football Field yesterday, Sunday. In game 1, Tulish FC dropped Livity Lane Rivero’s, 5-2, with goals from Marvin Valladares (2), Aldair Munoz (2) and Albor Cecer (1); while Livity got a goal each from Kadeem Myers and Dalton Cayetano. Game 2 saw Heights FC edging Honduras FC, 5-4. Tyrique Ciego netted 4 and Clinton Gill 1 for Heights; while Joshua Martinez and Carlos Ardon each scored twice for Honduras.

FFB Women President’s Cup reg. season ends, playoffs begin
Mon. Oct. 20, 2014 Week 6, the final regular season week in the FFB Women President’s Cup 2014 tournament came to an end yesterday with only one game played. DFC Gentle Touch of Cayo travelled north to Trial Farm Football Field where they were anything but gentle with home standing Sugar City Girls, shutting them out, 6-0, with goals from Abbe Halliday (1’ & 53’), Cynthia Salazar (16’), Sheriann Tracy (24’), Shanell Gentle (30’) and Kimberly Perez (80’). According to the FFB Secretariat, Triple B’s won their game against Dangriga Pumas by default. The stage is now set for the 4-team semifinal home-and-away playoffs which begin this weekend.

PLB Opening Season 2014-2015 under way, Week 1 results, Bandits vs Police on Wednesday
The long awaited start of the Premier League of Belize Opening Season 2014-2015 finally took place without much fanfare over the weekend, with 3 of the 4 scheduled matches being played. The big opener, featuring defending champions Belmopan Bandits and sub-champions Police United on Saturday night at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, was postponed due to weather, and will now be played this coming Wednesday night instead. Because of the late start of the season, and a CONCACAF requirement for two tournaments to be completed before a candidate for next year’s Champions League can be selected, the present Opening Season will have to be an abbreviated one. The addition of Wagiya and Placencia Assassins makes a total of 9 teams in this tournament, and for the first time in many years, the regular season will be a single round-robin, so each team will play only 8 regular season games, before the top 4 enter the home-and-away semifinals. The championship will also be a best-of-2 games series.

Talking football – Part 5
We continue where we left off introducing some excerpts from page 65 of a 1962 Souvenir Programme that “lists the results of some international matches, both at home and abroad, played between Belize football clubs (most likely the champions, as a tradition continued well into the sixties and seventies for the champion club to have the privilege of hosting a visiting team at the end of the regular season) and clubs from Honduras and Guatemala.” In the period between 1925 and 1947 are listed sixteen international encounters, and Belize teams won eight times, winning the last listed match in 1947. No scores were given for the games, but obviously our teams were competitive. Below is the data as given on page 65 of the souvenir booklet:

Editorial: Farrakhan in the footsteps of Chavez
Even as his Venezuelan predecessor, Simón Bolívar, had done two centuries ago, the late Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, dreamed of uniting the Latin American and Caribbean nations south of the Rio Grande in a grouping which would be able to challenge the hegemonic power of the colossus to the north – the United States of America. In his radio and television presentation broadcast regionally yesterday afternoon from Kingston, Jamaica, Minister Louis Farrakhan (whose father was born in Jamaica and his mother in St. Kitts) explained his dream of seeing the Caribbean, Central American, and upper South American nations work more closely together. Farrakhan believes that the big problem is one of communication, because of language differences. The abovementioned nations are post-colonial constructs, which use the languages of their former colonial masters – Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands. Since his visit last year to Belize, we have noted that Minister Farrakhan is quite careful in handling the problem which exists between Spanish-speaking Guatemala and English-speaking Belize. The 2014 problem exists because of a Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory which dates back to the nineteenth century colonial era, when Great Britain controlled Belize, which became an independent, sovereign nation-state in September of 1981.

From the Publisher
One of the things the ebola panic does is confirm the fact that tourism is a fragile industry. It is not desirable to build your economy on tourism if you have solid options. Belize has solid options. It is silly for us to design our economy so as to suggest we wish to go the way of the small islands in the Caribbean. The political leaders in Belize have always been acting under various constraints, constraints they have seldom wished to reveal or publicize. The decisions our political leaders make are often not free or footloose. A couple years ago this UDP government announced they were getting a loan for 25 or 30 million for tourism infrastructure or some such. At this newspaper, we said this money would be better spent on training and equipping our fishermen for deep sea fishing. But, the chances are the regional bank which was loaning Belize the tourism money would not have loaned us that same money to go into deep sea fishing. The pressure for Belize to keep going the tourism route comes from outside our borders, to an extent. The multilateral financial institutions have been eager to lend Belize money for tourism. If we wanted to build a cement factory or a canning factory, it would not be so easy to get the financing.

Letters: Cruise tour operators: New Ebola restrictions economically damaging
Belizean cruise tour operators, shipping agents and some ancillary cruise tourism industry operators are unsure as to what the new protocols for dealing with cruise ship visitors to the country will mean for their business, but most are uneasy that the impact will be negative. At a press conference last Friday, Immigration Minister Hon. Godwin Hulse announced what he termed a new protocol for cruise tourists to Belize City. Hon. Hulse told the nation: “Persons who would travel beyond the tourism village would be the ones who would present themselves to immigration for the necessary permission to land. Persons who would remain within the vicinity of the tourism village were ticked-off on the manifest. Effective immediately, that protocol has changed: every single person who disembarks from the cruise ship, the passport of such persons will be reviewed by immigration to ensure that no person has been in the high risk area of West Africa within the last 30 days.”

Letters: Act as one race – the human race
I would like to argue that the spread of Ebola and other diseases is a predictable and logical consequence of globalization and an increasing world population, which is about 7.3 billion. Never before in human history have there been so many people on the planet, and never before has there been so much traveling from country to country, sometimes faster than the speed of sound. Usually, no organism can have a large growth in population and not experience an increase in diseases and other social challenges.

Caribbean Statistics Day 2014: a pause for reflecting on the usefulness of statistics for sustainable development
Caribbean Statistics Day 2014 is being observed today, Wednesday, October 15, in CARICOM countries such as Belize. The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) is the agency responsible for producing statistical information, including estimates of inflation, external trade and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Caribbean Statistics Day is being observed under the theme “Data Revolution for Sustainable Development of CARICOM — Designing and Operationalizing a Framework for Statistics in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.” Diana Castillo-Trejo, Manager of the SIB’s Data Dissemination Department, said that the SIB is using the occasion as an opportunity to highlight the importance of its work. Acting Director General, Dr. Leopold Perriott, said that the key is to foster sustainable development for the betterment of the region.

Barrow “stands firm:” tells Uncle Sam “no”
The cruise ship Carnival Magic sailed into the Belize City Harbour yesterday morning, Thursday, carrying among its 3,762 passengers a U.S. lab supervisor who was in self-quarantine because she had handled specimens from the first U.S. Ebola fatality. By the time authorities directed the ship to leave last night, Belize had entered the international media narrative on the Ebola virus. Prime Minister Dean Barrow held a press conference this morning, Friday, to explain why Belize had turned down a request from as high up in the U.S. government as Secretary of State John Kerry, who had called Barrow, asking that the cruise ship passenger use the Philip Goldson International Airport, so that she could have been airlifted back to the U.S. At the press briefing, which was held at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel, Prime Minister Barrow was flanked by Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse; CEO in the Office of the Prime Minister, Audrey Wallace; and CEO in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Peter Allen.

Eric Garcia still missing at sea – one week after fishing trip
One week after Eric Garcia, 22, of San Pedro, went missing during a fishing trip with two of his friends in the open seas of the Tres Cocos area of San Pedro, his body has still not been found. According to the survivors, their boat overturned and Garcia went under the water and did not resurface. A search effort to recover his body is still being conducted by volunteers and the Coast Guard, along with divers from San Pedro. Garcia’s father went to the San Pedro police and reported that his son, Eric Garcia, had failed to return from a fishing trip.

CCJ sets March 2015 for Maya land rights hearing
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has set Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26, 2015 for the hearing of the final appeal of the case of the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) and the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA), as well as 23 Maya villages, against the Government of Belize. Monica Coc Magusson, the first Maya attorney of Toledo to ascend to the Bar of Belize, represented the Maya in a case management session held by the CCJ on Friday. In July 2013, the Court of Appeal dismissed the Government’s appeal against the decision of former Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh, that the Maya are entitled to the enjoyment of customary land tenure in all Maya villages in the Toledo district, but the court allowed the Government’s appeal against Conteh’s order that the Maya are, consequently, entitled to remedies from the Government of Belize. The court dismissed the cross-appeal of the Maya, claiming an award of damages for violation of their constitutional rights.

Work won’t restart at Hunting Caye base just yet
Efforts are reportedly underway to ensure that the remaining work to be done to complete the Forward Operation Base (FOB) for the Coast Guard being built on Hunting Caye, which is 75% complete, is carried out by a Belizean subcontractor and Belizean workers, but the project is presently on hold. Admiral John Borland, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, in a press conference held on Tuesday at the Coast Guard Headquarters, announced that they met with the Ministry and the recommendation for a Belizean subcontractor to complete the construction of the base has been made by the Coast Guard to the Ministry. A Guatemala company, Bonatti Ingenieros y Arquitectos Sociedad, had been awarded the contract to build the base by officials of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), the organization that is funding the project, and that body must now approve the hiring of a Belizean subcontractor.

PAC Chairman wants AG to investigate Petrocaribe loan
Last Thursday, October 2, 2014 at the last meeting of the House of Representatives, the Government of Belize (GOB) introduced a motion called the Alba Petrocaribe Energy Loan Motion 2014 for the legislature to accept a loan in excess of over US$114 million dollars, which was borrowed over a two-year period, from 2012 to 2014. It might have gone through without much fanfare; however, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and PUP Cayo South area representative, Hon. Julius Espat, has written to Auditor General Dorothy Bradley asking her to re-evaluate the authenticity of the loan, since Government took out the loan in 2012, but the loan motion never reached the House for approval until last week, yet the monies have already been disbursed. Espat, in his letter, inferred that GOB subverted the Finance and Audit Act, since, he said, “you cannot approve something of that nature after the fact.”

Patrick Jones

Family of Leslie Logan Jr. demand justice
Former police officer 30 year old Leslie Logan met his end while part of a robbery of Hung Yun Store in Orange Walk Town in September. Police initially detained one of the persons working in the store, identified as the son of the owner, but later released him. From the very beginning authorities have believed that the force used to subdue Logan was justifiable as he was in the act of a crime. But his family believes otherwise and today they came forward with a laundry list of accusations against the Police Department in Orange Walk whom they say have failed to investigate the case.

Gun and drugs convictions for Police Street resident
Fifty-four year old Delroy Chambers, a resident of Police Street, was given two 5 year sentences today by Magistrate Dale Cayetano after he was found guilty of kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Chambers was also fined $10,000 after he was found guilty of drug trafficking for 1,525 grams of cannabis. If he defaults on payment he will serve 3 years. The incident occurred on December 12, 2012. The police, acting on information they received, went o chamber residence and when they searched a coconut tree in the yard they found a bag that contained one 9 millimeter pistol with 9 rounds of ammunition in its magazine.

Tropical Depression could bring lots of rain over Belize
A large portion of Belize could be affected by rain from a tropical system that is tracking eastward towards the Yucatan Peninsula. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center tonight announced the formation of Tropical Depression number 9 over the Bay of Campeche. At 9 o’clock Belize time tonight, TD-9 was about 160 miles west-southwest of Campeche carrying maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour. TD-9 is moving towards the east at 6 miles per hour. On the forecast track, TD-9 is expected to approach the coast of Campeche on Wednesday or Wednesday night.

Mother in trouble for allegedly burning her son’s hand
Thirty-two year old Odette Lambey, a sales clerk who allegedly lit her stove and put the hand of her 6 year old son in the fire, was charged with grievous harm when she appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Lambey was released on a bail of $500. Her next court date is December 5. The incident occurred on Thursday, October 16 at Lambey’s house in the St. Martin de Porres area of Belize City. The child was given a medico- legal form and he was taken to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The doctor who examined him classified they boy’s injury as grievous harm.

Ministry of Health monitors suspected Chik-V cases
Ministry of Health officials are closely monitoring two suspected cases of the Chikungunya viral disease in the Belmopan area of the Cayo district. One of the cases is believed to have been imported from El Salvador. Best information we have received suggests that two “rapid tests” of samples taken from patients being closely monitored by the Ministry of Health have reportedly indicated the presence of the Chik-V virus; but these “rapid tests” are highly unreliable with only a 30% sensitivity and specificity. The “rapid tests” have not been validated and until external test results from a trusted laboratory are received the status remains that there are no confirmed cases of Chik-V in Belize.

Orange Walk Central Park undergoes renovation
The Central Park in Orange Walk town is undergoing major renovations and upgrading. Work on the park rehabilitation started on Wednesday of last week as part of an initiative under the Belize Municipal Development Plan. The Orange Walk Central Park renovation project is being funded through a World Bank loan, with the implementing agency being the Social Investment Fund, at a cost of $350,000. The objective of the project is to improve the aesthetics of the Orange Walk Central Park, making it a more community friendly space.

Burglary reported at Fisheries Department office in Belize City
Close to ten thousand dollars worth of electronic items have been reported stolen from the Fisheries Department building on Princess Margaret Drive in Belize City. Police say that a Fisheries Officer reporter that sometime between the end of the work day on Friday and Monday morning when the office was opened, someone gained illegal entry to the office located on the second floor of the Fisheries Department building. The list of items stolen includes three laptop computers, one tablet, a couple of external hard drives and a GPS system all with a total value of $9,600. Police investigation of the burglary continues.

Fighting the looting of Belize’s cultural treasures
The U.S. Embassy and National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) today co-hosted a workshop on preserving and protecting Belize’s cultural heritage. Belize has many treasures, both on land and on sea, but we are subject to unscrupulous individuals raiding our resources for private gain, selling priceless artifacts to the highest bidder internationally. Sylvia Batty of the Institute of Archaeology says a memorandum of understanding signed with the U.S. aims to prosecute and reduce those thefts by making it a criminal offence at the federal level to bring in such artefacts to the United States.

Public Utilities Commission releases Request for Proposals report
One year ago the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) started a process of requesting proposals from interested companies for the purpose of securing adequate electricity generation or supply capacity to satisfy all reasonable demands for the supply of electricity in the country of Belize for the next fifteen years at least cost, through a competitive bidding process. Belize is expecting better prices from Mexican power provider CFE over the next four years and anticipates possibly joining a Central American electric network powered by natural gas, but the PUC says it wants to be safe and have a ready source of electricity to meet demands across the country. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), Belize’s chief power provider, is asking for sixty megawatts of firm capacity – that is, energy throughout the year – and 15 megawatts of energy from renewable sources.

Blogs

A Day About Town Collecting Donations For SAGA’s Big Halloween Fundraiser
Yesterday, Eileen (the owner of D&E’s Frozen Custard, the former editor of the San Pedro Sun newspaper, one of the founders of the SAGA Humane Society AND one of my favorite people) and I hit the town to gather donations for Sunday’s Spooktacular. We’ve done it before. This is the BIG party and fundraiser for San Pedro’s animal clinic and we want to raise as much as we possibly can. They volunteers have organized raffles and auctions (information coming on that!), games and contests and lots of food to sell. To spread the word and the flyers around town, to invite EVERYONE to the party and to make them feel like they have a bit of ownership in our town’s non-profit veterninary clinic – Eileen and I spent over 5 hours yesterday talking to everyone! Hitting every grocery store – large and small – soliciting food donations. So that the food prepared (stew chicken, rice & beans, chili and cheese dip) is prepared free and all the money made goes right to SAGA.

Saga Humane Society Spooktacular Auction
The San Pedro community businesses and resort managers and owners, has generously donated award winning dining certificates, exclusive resort and condo accommodations, adventure excursions and activities, boutique shopping certificates and more, in support of the 11th Annual Saga Humane Society Halloween Fundraiser. This year, many of those items can be won on-line at Biddingowl.com. On Sunday October 26th from 11 AM to 5 PM, Saga friends and supporters will gather at Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar & Grill on Coconut Drive in San Pedro to celebrate Halloween “Saga Style” with games, activities, food and drink and the ever popular Saga Halloween Costume Contest, awarding great prizes. “Everyone in San Pedro looks forward to the Saga Halloween party each year,” says Saga board member and Animal Well Being Director Kathy Marin. But not to worry, she says. “If you can’t come to the party, you can still grab some great prizes on-line at Biddingowl.com auction site with all the proceeds going directly to SAGA. “This fun-filled party is only one part of the annual Saga fundraiser,” according to Eileen Jamison, one of the original founders of Saga and owner of island favorite DandE’s Frozen Custard. “The games and contests and food are great. The raffle prizes are fantastic, and this year’s Smooch-A-Pooch booth is sure to be a favorite. For those Saga friends and supporters who can not be at the party this year, we have taken the best of the best items like free airfare on Tropic Air, luxury accommodations at award-winning properties like X’tan Ha Resort, and adventure activities and put them onto an interactive on-line auction system. Now Saga friends near and far can join the fun.”

Investing in Belize Real Estate
Many Europeans and North Americans have a dream of living in a place where the air is warm, the water is blue, living is easy, and the rum is cheap. The small country of Belize may or may not live up to your expectations in these regards. Any many of those who take the leap to Belize end up broke, frustrated and unhappy, so thoroughly investigate before you ultimately decide to move to Belize. Expats in Belize are now most clustered in Placencia, San Pedro, near Corozal Town and the Belize City suburbs. Belize also has one of the most liberal retirement programs in the area, with the Retired Persons Incentive Program enacted in 1999. Under the terms of this program, foreign citizens older than 45 can import their possessions duty free and gain special residence status for as long as they meet a few basic requirements. Here are five questions to answer before you make the move to Belize.

International Sources

Late Afternoon Update On Invest 93-L
A reconnaissance aircraft is investigating Invest 93L which is located in the southern Bay of Campeche. They did find that there is a small well-defined low pressure system associated with Invest 93L. In addition, reconnaissance aircraft also found winds near tropical storm force associated with the low pressure system. The National Hurricane Center opted not to upgrade it to a tropical cyclone as the thunderstorm activity associated with Invest 93L is not organized enough to be considered a tropical cyclone at this time. Once Invest 93L gets into the northwestern Caribbean by Friday, I think that it will probably meander around in the northwestern Caribbean for several days from this weekend into at least early next week. At this point, there is a high degree of uncertainty on where Invest 93L may go and how strong it could get. There is the possibility that it will be ultimately picked up by a trough of low pressure and yanked northward out of the Caribbean and towards the Florida Peninsula by the middle part of next week. Now, there is just as equal of a chance that it will meander westward and be missed by the trough with a ultimate track back towards the Yucatan Peninsula by the middle to later parts of next week. As for potential strength in the northwestern Caribbean, I’m currently leaning towards the side of some strengthening to probably a tropical storm. At this point, I don’t see enough evidence to think that it will be a hurricane like what the NAVGEM model is suggesting. Cool, dry air will be just to the north of this system across much of the Gulf of Mexico and this should put a damper on robust strengthening.

Caribbean travel bans unfair, says Sierra Leone national
A national of Sierra Leone residing in Britain has criticized the travel ban imposed by St Kitts and Nevis and a number of other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states. Communications consultant Desmond Gordon told WINN FM that the ban is unfair because there are steps being put in place in his country, as well as in Liberia and Guinea, and at a global level, to prevent the spread of the disease. Gordon returned to the UK six weeks ago from a visit to Sierra Leone. "Well frankly I think it's (the ban) a bit unfair, because I think there are steps being put in place to curb the possibility of viruses and diseases across different countries and continents," he said, while explaining that he had to undergo stringent processing during his recent trip. "I had to do temperature checks; I had to fill out a health form and all those things to prevent me from spreading the disease, if I did have it, across borders. So I think it is unfair for other countries to jump on a bandwagon or to take extreme perspectives without actually looking at what the real issues are," he told WINN FM.

Belize Zoo Visitors Offer Oct. 28 Talk
Visitors from SUNY Cortland’s zoo partner in Central America will explain the importance of their work and discuss student internship opportunities at the Belize Zoo during a campus presentation Tuesday, Oct. 28. Jamal Andrewin, environmental educator at the Belize Zoo, and Tony Garel, the facility’s head zookeeper, will speak at 7 p.m. in Brockway Hall, Jacobus Lounge. Their talk is free and open to the public. The College shares a unique partnership with the zoo and maintains a positive presence throughout Belize by bringing students and faculty members from several different academic disciplines to the popular tourist destination, an English-speaking country located on the northeast coast of Central America and bordered by Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the south and west.

Belize, l’incredibile voragine dell’oceano
Il Great Blue Hole è una delle più incredibili meraviglie naturali al mondo: 300 metri di diametro, 125 metri di profondità e una forma quasi perfettamente circolare… Natura e incanto nel Belize, in questo sito di immersione tra i più sorprendenti al mondo, ricco di natura e incredibile scrigno di biodiversità. La voragine della grotta verticale sottomarina del Great Blue Hole è una gigantesca formazione naturale di forma quasi perfettamente circolare, con misure da capogiro: 300 metri di diametro, 125 metri di profondità. Questo immenso buco si trova nel Mar dei Caraibi, e rientra nel Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Patrimonio dell’Umanità dell’UNESCO.

Cruise ship cleared by CDC back at sea
The Carnival Magic cruise ship has been cleared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and is expected back in Cayman later this week. The ship, which regularly calls on Grand Cayman as part of its cruising itinerary hit the international news headlines last week when it was revealed that a Texas lab technician who had handled Ebola medical samples was aboard. The woman has since tested negative for the virus and was isolated in her cruise ship Cabin for most of her trip. The Carnival cruise ship had left Galveston before the technician was aware she needed to be tested and quarantined. The CDC released a statement Sunday after reviewing all of the evidence relating to the passenger and said that, “No passengers or crew were exposed to Ebola on the ship.” The CDC added that “the ship was safe to use” with no need to screen passengers. The ship was also sanitized before leaving Texas at the weekend and it is now expected to arrive in the Cayman Islands on Thursday, as scheduled. CDC also confirmed that the lab technician’s Ebola test was negative

Las Sartenejeñas Cooperative celebrate their Pollination Project "TPP" grant
In the Sarteneja Village in Corozal District, Belize, 80% of the village's income comes from the fishing industry. As a result, the reefs have been over-fished, and this source of income has declined. Traditionally men provide for the households, but with the recent turn of events, women have had to step in to support their families. Las Sartenejeñas Cooperative is a women-owned, operated and led cooperative that provides a community resource to help develop new and sustainable means of income for this village. Peace Corps Volunteer,Jennifer Krottinger, has helped this group grow into an effective women's group, bringing women together to engage and actively participate in learning traditional sewing and handicrafts techniques for preservation of tradition, and to create positive and sustainable economic development for women.

Videos

Video: Belize Diving 2014, 5min.
Carnival Conquest cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Honduras and Costa Maya. This is from two of the dives in Belize.

Video: My currency of Belize paper money, 3.5min.
Belize's first paper money

Video: Landing in San Pedro, Belize, .5min.

Video: Belize Vacation 2014, 15min.
Footage from Caye Caulker, Turneffe, cave tubing, Glovers Atoll Resort and the whale sharks at Gladden Spit.

October 21, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Shooting victim Ivan Aldana remains in a critical condition
A San Pedro Town resident is in critical condition and fighting for his life at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after he was shot over the weekend. 24-year-old Ivan Aldana, a Belizean carpenter, was shot sometime around 10PM on Sunday October 19th in the San Pedrito Area. Police said that they are looking for one man known to them for the attempted murder against Aldana. Station Sergeant at the San Pedro Police Station, Lenansio Bol, said that when they visited the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II, Aldana was found with an apparent gunshot wound. “He was observed with a single gunshot wound to the upper back. Police investigation revealed that Aldana was standing at a bar, in the San Pedrito Area, when a person who he recognized fired about five shots in his direction, one of which caught him and caused the injuries,” said Bol during a press conference on Monday, October 20th.

No arrests made in the murder of Samuel Dawson
One man was found stabbed to death inside his apartment in San Pedro Town, and police are trying to find who committed the crime. The victim has been identified as 44-year-old Samuel Dawson, a Belizean truck driver originally of Hattieville Village, but who lived and worked on Ambergris Caye for a number of years. Dawson’s body was discovered by a co-worker sometime around 7:40 AM on Saturday October 18th. According to the station Sergeant at the San Pedro Police Station, Lenansio Bol, they visited a two storey wooden building on Manta Ray Street in the San Pedrito Area where they observed Dawson apparently dead. “When we arrived, we saw the lifeless body of Dawson in the living room area inside the top apartment building. He was observed facedown with what appeared to be stab wounds to the neck and a cut to his lip,” said Bol. According to Police, Dawson was discovered around 7:30AM by a co-worker who had gone to pick him up to go to work. After shouting for him, the coworker went upstairs where he observed that the door was ajar and decided to open the entrance to the apartment a little more.

Dr. Javier Zuniga leaves SP Polyclinic
Since he was assigned to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II, Doctor Javier Zuniga has become well-known and loved by many in San Pedro Town. But the good doctor has formally left his San Pedro post, and is transitioning into a new position at the Ministry of Health’s Central Health Region. “While I will depart from the PolyClinic in San Pedro, I will still be involved in ensuring that the quality of health care remains on par at the polyclinic and with the Ministry of Health. I would like to thank the San Pedro community for working along with me while on the island,” said Zuniga. Dr. Zuniga was attached to the San Pedro PolyClinic for eight years. He assumes his new post on Monday, October 20th.

Why should we care if our crocodiles are sick?
According to NOVA The Extraordinary Lives of Crocs, “Crocodiles are the ultimate survivors. Having arisen some 200 million years ago, they have outlived the dinosaurs by some 65 million years.” So I have to ask, “How is it that these ultimate survivors are struggling on our island to exist?” As residents on Ambergris Caye we need to consider crocodiles as the thermometers of our environmental health. When a child is not feeling well one of the first things we do is take his temperature. If he is running a fever we know his body is fighting an infection. We wonder, what made him sick? Was it something he ate or drank? These are the same kind of questions we need to be asking when our crocodiles ‘run a fever’. If something in our environment is making them sick, these creatures, who are regarded to have one of the most resilient immune systems in the world, we’d best regard this as a wakeup call.

Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic in San Pedro, serving the community for over 25 years
Belize’s Ministry of Tourism has reported a constant increase in tourism arrivals to Belize. Many of those tourists that visit the country are engaged in recreational diving and snorkeling activities in Belize’s pristine waters. For that reason, having a hyperbaric medical treatment facility is essential to the country’s visiting and diving community. This allows for timely and adequate treatment should a diver suffer from decompression sickness. In Belize, the Sub-aquatics of Belize Limited has been offering this service via San Pedro Town’s Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic for over 25 years. One of the founding members of the Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic on Ambergris Caye is Mauricio Moreno who officially opened the chamber in 1989. The Chamber is a member of the 12 Sub-Aquatic Safety Service (SSS) Network which has similar facilities in every continent. Some of those places include Mexico, Africa, the Galapagos in Ecuador and even Australia. This attests to the facility’s high standards and experience in hyperbaric medicine. One of the founders of the SSS Network, the mother company of the Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic on Ambergris Caye, saw the need for such a facility over 25 years ago after realizing the diving potential in Belize.

Ambergris Today

Free Christian Concert in San Pedro
The Belize Mission Project - Lighthouse Christian Radio Evangelical Allianece of San Pedro Presents: Evidence of Journey. A Free Christian Concert on November 1st at 8pm at the Hon. Louise Sylvestre Sports Complex. Nashville Recording Christian Artist Two Musicians, Two Roads, Join together for ONE purpose! Sharing their music and testimony for the Glory of God. Eddie Kilgallon and Dusty Workman have had their share of radio hits, won awards and have played with Country Music’s Best Stars, NOW their purpose is to use that musical experience to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ through their music. Don’t miss this FREE EVENT! FREE ADMISSION!

Dianita Cal Celebrates Her Quinceaños
On Saturday, October 11, 2014, Dianita Cal celebrated her Quinceaños (15th Birthday) along with her friends and family in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She received her blessing at the Roman Catholic Church and a reception followed. Dianita Cal, daughter of Ana and Marc Cal, was officially presented to society by her Godparents Maria and Ismael Umaña. Other Godparents were: Giorgy Castillo, Dihno Norales, Edgar Najarro, Evelia Flores, Wendy Alvarenga, Letty Castro, Alba Najarro, Rebeca Cucul, Mauricio & Oneida Lara, Adan Najarro, Emily Cerpa, Maria Herrera, Amalia Cal and Calma Coc.

Ramon's Village Donates Speed Bumps to San Pedro Town
This afternoon, Monday, October 20, 2014, Ramon's Village presented the San Pedro Town Council with a gift for the town of 24 speed bumps. On hand to accept the generous donation was Mayor Daniel Graniel and Councilor Kenrick Brackett who said that these types of donates are very much appreciated by the San Pedro Town Council. "We cannot do this alone," commented Councilor Brackett. "The support of the business community is very much appreciated and we thank Ramon's Village for setting an initiative to assist the island in addressing traffic issues of the town." Kenrick commented that the new speed bumps will be primarily placed in school zones and any ones left over will be installed in areas identified with high priority to traffic alleviation. He indicated that there is the need for 17 more of these speed bumps that the Town Council wants to install in the newly paved road in North Ambergris Caye.

San Pedro Hellfighters Donate to Red Cross Chapter
“The San Pedro Branch of the Belize Red Cross is very appreciative of this generous donation and the thought behind it,” commented Laurie Norton, member of the Red Cross. “They believe it is important to build Ambergris Caye capacity by being prepared for emergencies in advance and this donation of $1,500 will help do just that. We would like to thank the Mayor for his recommendation and the Hellfighters for their time and hard work to raise funds.”

Misc Belizean Sources

Stakeholders Meeting in Improving Airlift Development
(4 photos)

Corozal Bay Sailing Club
Getting ready for Oktoberfest. Cakes, and salads will be made by members and friends of CBSC, Bratwurst being mixed and stuffed, ready for the grill. Beer ordered, beach being raked and the sun will be out! Bring your appetite, sunscreen, coins for chicken drop and camera.

Justice Christopher Blackman Sworn in as New Justice of Appeal
Government of Belize Press Office

Belize refuses entry to Ebola-exposed worker on cruise ship
On Thursday, the prime minister of Belize, Dean Barrow, rejected a request from the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to use Belizean territory to transport a self-quarantined Ebola-exposed lab worker on a cruise ship off the shore of Belize City. Barrow had already been in negotiations all day with US officials who wanted to remove the passenger and transport her via Medevac from Belize back to Texas. The passenger was still within the incubation period for exposure to Ebola after she reportedly handled a sealed vial of blood from the only patient from the US who had died from the Ebola virus.

Puppies
Please contact Linda Searle if you are interested in any of these pups...BHSAS will help vaccinate and sterilize them.

Boo at the Zoo is Belize’s Newest Halloween Event
Mummies and Daddies are encouraged to bring their little critters out to The Belize Zoo on Saturday November 1, 2014 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to have a Howlin’ good time. Come have your little rascals wag their wild tails, gaze with their glowing eyes and perk up their listening ears as they hear captivating animal stories. Hooo's asleep when the sun goes down? Come meet the real rulers of the night including some of the real sleepy and not-so-sleepy residents of the Belize Zoo, and learn not-so-spooky facts about them. Our not-so-scary and fun-filled event will have something for the entire family to enjoy; Halloween treat stations, Zookeeper chats, and decorated trails will definitely make this event frightfully fun for the whole family. It’ll be all treats and no tricks as each child receives a complimentary zoo bag. Kids and adults are encouraged to wear fun (not scary) costumes as we have a spooktacular evening. Jack-o’-lantern styled pizza, spooky cookies and creepy drinks will be available. Call the Belize Zoo at 822 8000 for more information.

Ramon's donates 12 speed bumps
On Monday, October 20, Ramon's Village Resort made a donation of 12 pairs of Speed bumps (24 total) to the San Pedro Town Council. These bumps will be placed around town to help manage the traffic flow in San Pedro and for the safety of all. Mr. Einer Gomez, Manager of Ramon's Village Resort, was present to hand over the donation to Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Council Kenrick Brackett. The San Pedro Town Council is very thankful for this donation as it is much needed. We also applaud Ramon's Village Resort for their initiative in keeping San Pedro safe and we would like to invite the other resorts, especially in North, Ambergris Caye to follow in their footsteps as the new road will be in need of these bumps as it comes to its completion.

Bridge traffic limited for a few day
Due to the paving on North Ambergris Caye, the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge is open ONLY to Pedestrians, Bicycles, Motorcycles and Golf Carts for a few days. The section right off the north-end of the bridge is being paved and requires the necessary measures to be taken. We apologize for any inconveniences caused and appreciate your cooperation and understanding. The San Pedro Town Council always working for YOU!

Baby Armadillo is doing great
This baby armadillo was transported from Corozal to the Caves Branch Botanical Garden in September. Baby armadillo, orphaned, from Corozal district was successfully delivered to us with the help of numerous people in the Wildlife Conservation Network. Due to its' very small size, we settled it in the "nursery" enclosure. That allows us better access to the observation of the animal. Thank you, everybody!

Ongoing meetings conducted by the Ministry of Health
This morning with relevant stakeholders to discuss a coordinated plan on Ebola.

Dutch Navy Ship visits Belize
The HNLMS Pelikaan is a logistics support vessel of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Information on its website states the ship was built and designed especially for the Caribbean Sea, and is permanently based at Curaçao. She entered service on June 12th, 2006. The vessel has the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Classification 1A1 E0 NAUT-OC ICS CRANE. The ship's primary purpose is to provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters. It can also serve as a command centre for amphibious operations, and transport amphibious troops. For these tasks it is equipped with two deck cranes, one 25t/11m and one 7t/14m, two cargo spaces with hatch covers suitable for dangerous goods, a 6m fast RHIB with outboard engine, an ammunition store, a small arms store, a deck store and a boatswain store, as well as an engine room workshop and an electronics workshop.

JOB VACANCY!!!!!!!!! NOTE!!!!!! Office Administrator Post
Must be familiar with Quick Books, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. Fluent in typing, Filing and Familiar with Accounting Procedures. Must have some previous experience in this area or really willing and quick to learn. LOCATION: CONSEJO, COROZAL DISTRICT PLEASE CONTACT NEIDI L. ROSADO at 402-0440 or visit our Department of Youth Services Office in Corozal Town.

Parrots returned to the wild
We have finally transferred our hand-raised yellow head babies back to the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)-managed Payne's Creek National Park. Sad and happy and nervous and excited... We hope you enjoy this picture diary!

Belizean women motivating other women to join their team in domino tournament
Normally when most people hear about a domino tournament they mostly think of teams of men competing against each other. The launching of a new female domino team -- the “Iron Ladies” -- within the Belizean/Brooklyn community came about when Claudette Ramos-McKoy suggested to her younger sister, Jarreen Ramos-Arzu, that there should be a female team. At the time the sisters were current members of their late sponsor Wallace “Wally Dee” Mitchell’s team named “Wally Dee Domino Superstars.” The women were active members of the team and wanted to carry on his legacy after his passing in August of this year. Collaborating with ideas from Mitchell and Michael Pandy, who held a domino tournament in 2013, the women decided that a tournament should be held for five consecutive weekends consisting of four teams, with the winning team earning trophies and cash prizes.

Channel 7

Hattieville Man Who Went To Work In San Pedro Was Killed There
Tonight, San Pedro Police continue to investigate the murder of a hardworking father of 5 who was on the island to do construction work. 44 year-old Hattieville resident Samuel Dawson travelled to the island 2 weeks ago to work with other construction labourers on the North Ambergris Road. Viewers may remember that very much like the works in Belize City, this road in San Pedro is being cemented. Dawson was in the company of his supervisor on Friday night after work, where they went to a restaurant in the San Pedrito area. The supervisor left him at the restaurant, and when he went back to check on Dawson at his island apartment, he found his body on the ground. The front door was ajar, and when the supervisor went into the house, he saw that Dawson had been stabbed twice in the neck.

Drunken Bus Driver Busted
A drunken bus driver is an experience too many commuters are sadly familiar with. But on Friday afternoon police caught one on the western highway. At about 3:15 pm, police went into a Guerra's bus that the traffic police had already stopped. They found driver William Ayala with a strong smell of alcohol. He was taken to the police station where a sample was collected. They took him to Belize City court today where he was charged for driving Motor Vehicle with Alcohol concentration Above the prescribed limit. Ayala was unrepresented when he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano in Court #4 where he pleaded not guilty. Since there was no objection to bail, he was offered bail of $1,000 plus one surety. His next court date is set for November 24.

Carnival Magic Passenger Negative For Ebola
On Sunday morning before dawn, the Carnival Magic cruise ship arrived back in port at Galveston, Texas. The good news is that the 59 year old lab supervisor has tested negative for Ebola - 21 days after she handled a specimen from a Liberian man who died from Ebola at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. So, her negative test then should conclusively put everyone in the clear: all those four thousand plus passengers who were on the ship - and the handful of Belizeans who also went on the ship as the boarding party. But, the scare was legitimate and yesterday Channel 2 in Houston captured the unusual homecoming for the cruise -we rebroadcast that story:… And while all's well that ends well - some choice remarks by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer raised eyebrows in Belize. On Saturday Blitzer featured Marie Harf, the Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department - who underscored their disappointment with the Government of Belize for refusing to allow the disembarkation of the 59 year old Lab Supervisor unto Belizean soil. Here's that exchange:

Mayor Bradley Says He'll Pay Waste Control
On Friday, we told you about the default judgment from the Supreme Court that was handed down committing the Belize City Council to pay 525 thousand dollars to Belize Waste Control. It's a quite well-known dispute between the sanitation company and Mayor Darrell Bradley's council. City Hall has historically accumulated arrears for garbage collection, which they claim to catch up when trade license fees start to come in late in the year. But after years of slippage - and an inability to dialogue earnestly with the mayor, Waste Control decided that they could no longer wait for the council to pay on its own schedule, and the company filed a claim before the Supreme Court. Because City Hall offered no defence, they were awarded a default judgment of over half a million dollars.

PUC Gets Through First Phase of Evaluating Power Bids
In October of last year, the Public Utilities Commission put out what's called a request for power for 60 megawatts of firm energy, and 15 megawatts of intermittent energy. Today 54 weeks later, they released the findings of the first phase of evaluation of 22 bids for 37 projects - including solar, wind and hydro power. Today at a press conference, PUC Chairman John Avery explained that the process to arrive at a power purchase agreement still has a ways to go:... John Avery, Chairman - PUC "One of the reasons for this RFP, this process is to have an open transparent and fair process and so releasing this report today its one; to assure people that the RFP is still ongoing and particularly the bidders because since we are a few weeks late with the expected final report. We are looking not only to have enough capacity in country, but we are also looking to minimize our costs to consumers. So there are no guarantees coming out of this thing. This is a request for proposals, we've received proposals. In our estimation it has been a successful RFP. We received enough bids to satisfy what we are looking for. A lot of the bids are credible bids from credible people and the others that weren't we've disqualified. So now basically the rest will rely on our long term strategy in satisfying our needs. Basically after we've done with this BEL will then initiate the negotiation phase with each one of them, to start negotiations with them. We are looking for the projects that best fit our system and that overall will result in the lowest cost to consumers."

Mother of Six Missing For Two Weeks; Family's Worries Mount
39 year old Emma Gillett, a mother of 6 children, a guardian to two others, and a school warden from Maud Williams High School, has been missing for 12 days now and her family is very worried. She has gone missing before but never for this long, and now, her family has no idea where she might be. Her cousin came to our studios to ask for the public's help in locating her. Kendra Henkis, cousin "The only thing we heard is that she was in PG. We made efforts in PG to locate her and we didn't find her, everyone said that they didn't see her. She call us on a phone number last week. We tried calling back the number, but it just rang or it goes to voicemail. From then to now we don't have any idea where she is or if she is dead or alive. Recently she began to go, like she would leave one day and go and come back like in 2-3 days, so when she left we never really took it as a red flag and say well that it was something major. But now the time is too long and she have her kids, so we need to know where she is. If anyone out there know or see Emma, the location where she is, they can contact the nearest police station or they can call the family at 661-5312 or 626-6981."

Double Amputee Gets Mercy From Court
28 year-old Stephan Domingo was spared jail time today after being caught with weed, accepting guilt, but being unable to pay the fine. Police say that at around 2:30 on last week Friday evening, they went to his house in Hattieville to search for drugs. At the time, he was in the company of 2 other men, when they found a bag beside him which contained 3 grams - or 0.1 ounces - of cannabis. All 3 men were charged with drug possession. They were all arraigned before Magistrate Herbert Panton today, and Domingo accepted guilt for the drugs. The problem is that he is a double amputee, and his only source of income is a monthly stipend of $40. This meant that he would have a very difficult time to pay the $200 fine. Also, he had a fine from 2006 when he was convicted of harm. He was supposed to pay $200 for that case also, but to date, he hasn't paid any money toward it. This meant that he would have to serve several months in jail because he defaulted on payment.

Man Robbed Bus Driver For Child Support
27 year-old Candelario Lemus also got spared a custodial sentence after Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, found him guilty robbing a bus driver. Eldon Chiac told police that in April, Lemus entered his bus, robbed him of $275 dollars, and also stabbed 2 of the tires for the bus, puncturing them. Lemus was convicted in a trial, and after consideration of the circumstances, Chief Magistrate Smith sentenced him to pay a fine of $500 forthwith. He must also pay $700 in compensation for the damage to property. Lemus explained to the court that the incident happened when he went to collect child support from Chiac, who shares a child with his girlfriend.

Justice Blackman is Back
The newest Justice of the Court of Appeal is a familiar face in Belize. Justice Christopher Blackman - who served as a Supreme Court Judge in Belize from 2001 to 2003 - was today sworn in as an Appeals Court Judge by Governor General Sir Colville Young in Belmopan. 69 year old Justice Blackman most recently served as a Justice of appeal in the Bahamas, and prior to that had his second stint as a judge of the High Court of Barbados from 2003 to 2008.

NICH and USA Talk Culture
Today, a follow up workshop was held in Belize with cultural experts from both countries. The US facilitators want to share lessons with their Belizean counterparts on the very shady world of trafficking in antiquities. We found out more:.. Greg Borgstede, Cultural Analyst - US Department of State "Belize has a very rich cultural heritage which includes obviously the archaeological heritage, the colonial heritage and we are talking particularly about the tangible or the objects. Those objects are being stolen from Belize, looted out of archeological sites, stolen from under water cultural sites and then trafficked, sent across international borders to markets in other countries. The United States recognizes that we have a market. There is demand in the United States for these kinds of objects and we recognize that this is a problem in that it's robbing Belize of its cultural patrimony and cultural heritage. UNESCO (United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organization) has estimated that for Maya objects in particular throughout obviously Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala - there is about a thousand illicit objects a week are entering the market."

Making Sense of Mad Money For High Schoolers
Two weeks ago we told you about the local Credit Unions plan to redefine their services to cater to the saving and spending patterns of youths. Today St. John's Credit Union engaged the students at Maud Williams High School in this process by teaching them all about saving through the Union's "Mad City Money" interactive game. Lucien Dawson, Marketing Officer - St. John's Credit Union "We came here today to teach the students about financial literacy, but putting a twist on it call "mad city money" and the way how it is, is that we give them an about me page which tells them their position, so either they are a carpenter or an analysis, a forensic pathologist, whatever and it gives them a salary as well as their spouse's salary and then what they are supposed to do is go around to the vendors and actually purchase goods and services. What it does is that it teaches them about budgeting, about planning for long term as well it teaches them the importance about being responsible with money and that is the main thing - is that we want to change the culture of how we deal with money here."

Chiquibul Telethon Scores Major Success
The Chiquibul Protection Telethon was held on Saturday at the Memorial Park in Belize City. It was aired live on all radio and tv stations from 10: am to 5:00 pm - and it featured more than a few memorable moments. Here's just a small sample:.. Pledges kept coming in after the Telethon finished and when we checked with the organizers today, it stood at 327 thousand, 870 dollars. As we've reported, this will go to fund Chiquibul Forest rangers for the Friends for Conservation and Development. The rangers cost 24 thousand dollars annually, so those funds should sponsor about 13 rangers. This is in addition to the 7 they presently have.

Rigo's Reign Still Supreme
Rigo Vellos is probably one of Belize's well-known bodybuilders, and on Friday, for the 3rd time in a row he was chosen as Mr. Belize in the 2014 Bodybuilding and Body Building Fitness Championships. The Mr. Belize category is where the elite bodybuilder is chosen, who is in the best shape of all the competitors, across all weight classes. Vellos, who also won the Light Heavyweight category, edged out Clayton Greenidge who won his category as a Master Bodybuilder. Notable mention in the Mr. Belize Category is Oyinkro Okpobodor, who competed on Friday night as a novice, but managed to place amongst experienced bodybuilders. In the miss Fitness competition, Gina Lovell won first place, while Ann Lyn Apolonio (who was chosen as Miss Bikini Fitness) came in second in the body fitness category. Rounding out the top 3 was Josephine Gault.

Channel 5

Guatemalan Minors Shot in Belize
Benque Police are investigating a very curious shooting which has left one Guatemalan minor injured and another likely dead. It happened at around four Sunday afternoon, when three minors from [...]

Truck Driver Murdered in San Pedro
While police continue to search for the Guatemalan minor, who is presumed dead, the body of forty-four-year-old Samuel Dawson, a truck driver of Hattieville, was found in his San Pedro [...]

Another Man Shot in San Pedro Clings To Life at the K.H.M.H.
Twenty-four-year-old Ivan Aldana is hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. after being shot in San Pedro on Sunday during an incident in which someone he is familiar with attacked him and fired [...]

Belize Prepares for Ebola
It has now been confirmed that a lab technician who was a passenger on the Carnival Magic cruise ship, has been cleared of the Ebola virus. Tests were done on [...]

MoH Prepares Infection Control Training Schedule
Important training sessions will continue throughout the week to further sensitize frontline workers on the dangers of Ebola.   Via Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Interim Head, Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of [...]

G.O.B. Mum on U.S. State Department Diss
As we reported on Friday, the U.S. State Department dissed Belize for not allowing the lab technician and her partner to be transported from the Carnival Magic to the P.G.I.A.  [...]

Minister Hulse Confirms that Guatemalan Workers Illegal
The construction of a forward operating base on Hunting Caye has been halted on the strength of a stop order from U.S. Southcom. The workers left the island on October [...]

8 Energy Provision Proposals Shortlisted by PUC
The Public Utilities Commission has selected eight project proposals for phase one of the Request for Proposals for Energy Generation.  This comes after the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities [...]

P.U.C. wants to complement Mexican power supply
According to P.U.C. Chairman John Avery, the objective is to secure additional energy to the national grid in times of power shortage.   John Avery, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission “The [...]

B.D.F. Speaks on Border Incident at Camp Valentin
On October third, the nation was shocked and outraged by news that Guatemalan villagers had confronted B.D.F. soldiers at Camp Valentin, a newly constructed conservation post. Those villagers had threatened [...]

G.O.B. Approves New Subdivision in San Pedro
In September, News Five brought you the story of a proposed subdivision on Ambergris Caye, about four miles north of San Pedro Town. More than three hundred lots had been [...]

New Appeals Justice Sworn In
The court of appeal opened this morning in Belize City; fourteen cases will be disposed of: six are criminal and the remaining eight are civil. The president of the court [...]

Charge Against Belize City Man Upgraded to Murder
A man who was badly beaten back in April succumbed to his injuries in early July. Today, charges have been upgraded to murder on the suspect believed to be twenty-two [...]

Bus Driver Charged for Drunk Driving
Forty-four year old William Ayala was pulled over Friday evening by Traffic Personnel after he was suspected of drunken driving. Today, he was before the court to answer to a [...]

CitCo Ordered to Pay BWC $500,000
A Supreme Court ruling against the Belize City Council flew under the radar last Friday amid extended coverage of the Ebola scare.  Belize Waste Control Limited which has remained in [...]

25 persons Arrested in GSU Weekend Crackdown
On Friday, the Gang Suppression Unit conducted a series of searches on San Pedro. The all-day anti-drug operation led to the arrest of as many as twenty-five persons who have [...]

U.S. Embassy Sponsors Human Trafficking Workshop
We’re not sure exactly when it started locally, but prostitution has become a booming industry in Belize. So-called ‘happy bars’ are popping up all over the place in every district, [...]

F.C.D. Telethon Raises More than $300,000
A telethon was held by Friends of Conservation and Development on Saturday at the Memorial Park. The target was to raise half a million dollars to expand its Park Ranger [...]

Premier League of Belize kick-off on Sports Monday
Good evening I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   The 2014 PLB Belikin Cup kicked off over the weekend, but was only able to stage 3 of the [...]

LOVE FM

Samuel Dawson murdered on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
A man was murdered on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye this weekend. San Pedro Police, visited a wooden building on Mantarey Street on the island where they saw the body of 44-year-old Samuel Dawson with two stab wounds. According to the reports Dawson, who is a truck driver of Hattieville Village, had been working in San Pedro for the past two weeks. On Friday night, Dawson asked his supervisor to take him to get something to eat which he did. The supervisor left him at a restaurant at the entrance of San Pedrito. The following morning when the supervisor went to pick up Dawson he found the door to the building he was staying ajar. When he opened the door, he saw Dawson’s body with two apparent stab wounds to the neck and a cut wound to his lower lip. Dawson’s wife, whom he has separated from, Stephanie is asking the public’s assistance in finding out who killed Samuel Dawson. “Voice 1 “All I know is, I got the news on Saturday morning that he was murdered in San Pedro. Me and the children took it hard because right now life is real and it is really rough and it is on his work side. I am just asking if someone saw or knows about the murder to please come out and also the boss I need him by my side because since it has happened I have not seen anybody, I’ve heard no one. I have to get down myself and get into things and know what the next procedure will be. “

FCD telethon for its Park Ranger’s Program
Friends for Conservation and Development held a telethon on Saturday with the aim to raise monies for its Park Ranger’s Program. Currently FCD has employed seven rangers who are working inside the Chiquibul protecting Belize’s Natural resources from Guatemalans Invaders. The task has proven difficult for the FCD especially since its man power is stretched thin. With that in mind, the FCD set to raise monies to increase the amount of Park Rangers. The telethon which was held at Memorial Park raised three hundred and twenty thousand eight hundred and seventy dollars in pledges and cash. Executive Director for the FCD, Raphael Manzanero expressed his gratitude. “Voice 1 “Certainly at the end of the day in terms of this telethon, we are extremely excited and grateful and we have welcomed all the donations from the child who came to give their $2 or $5 to the cooperation’s we are extremely thankful for that. As how many have noted the idea of the park ranger in the Chiquibull is an arduous task, and is a big responsibility for us. We understand that under our co-management agreement in the park in the Chiquibull national park, it is not really a simple task to undertake.

Unions Applaud PM for Decision on Possible Ebola Threat And Urge for Tighter Policies
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize sent out a release this weekend lauding the actions of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Last week the Prime Minister refused a request from the US Government to have one of its nationals who reportedly had come in contact with fluids belonging to Thomas Duncan, the first person to die from Ebola in the US, be transported via the PGIA. The woman was a passenger on a cruise ship. The NTUCB says while the Prime Minister’s decision is laudable, the scenario that precipitated it has exposed our nation’s vulnerability when it comes to preparedness to deal with a health crisis of this magnitude.

SIF Goes Deep South With A New High School and Improved Primary School
Earlier we told you of the Dangriga Market that is near completion; other works under the SIF portfolio includes the Buttonwood Bay drainage project, the expansion of All Saints School in Belize, a Development Centre for Women in Guinea Grass, a distilled-water system in the village of Sarteneja, Corozal as well as rudimentary water systems in other rural areas…..but these are works that are yet to be inaugurated; as for works that have been completed under SIF, we can tell you of two educational facilities in the deep south that were recently installed. Minister Castillo gave us the run-down. MINISTER SANTINO CASTILLO “Under SIF, we just did, with the CDB, we opened up two schools this past week, last Thursday in southern Toledo. We opened a primary school in Aguacate and we opened up a high school that has 242 registered students in Corazon Technical High. Aguacate cost $555,000 and Corazon was $ 595,000 just $5,000 short of $600,000.

Still No Justice for Joshua Abraham; Parents Find Peace from The Tragedy
Three years and twenty nine days ago, the life of a nine-year-old boy was cut short when bullets that were not intended for him, caught him in the left rib on Victoria Street in Belize City. It was a day of celebration that turned tragic as the Independence Day parade 2011 had only just concluded when Joshua Abraham was killed. It is a loss that has left a mark on many as Joshua was a gentle and loving child and fondly remembered by those in the neighbourhood. In a mother’s effort to keep his memory alive, Joshua’s mom, Marcia Argalles coordinated what was dubbed, A Day of Healing on Victoria Street this past Saturday. She spoke to Love News and explained.

Magistrate Goes Lenient with Disabled Man
28-year-old, Stephan Domingo, a man without legs who is in a wheel chair, was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton and pled guilty to possession of three grams of cannabis. Domingo owed the court two hundred dollars for a conviction of harm which he got in 2006 and Magistrate Panton was of the view to send him to prison because he said he cannot work and he only gets a stipend of forty dollars every month. But because of the fact that he pled guilty and did not waste the court’s time and due to his condition, Magistrate Panton elected to give him an extension for the outstanding fine.

Patrick Jones

OpEd: Gossiping on Facebook Can Be Costly
Real Talk [The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Patrick E. Jones or the Belize Media Group] “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” MLK We have all been witnesses to, or have even been subject to slanderous […]

Alleged child molestation reported in the south
Reports of sexual deviance and sex crimes committed on children are often featured on the daily news. And each incident seems to bring with it a new level of depravity. Tonight there is another disturbing case emerging from the southern part of the country. It involves a […]

Ex-athlete charged with burglary
A former basketball player has been charged with burglary and handling stolen goods. 58 year old Daniel Meighan of Cemetery Road pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Herbert Panton and was offered bail of $300. Meighan is accused of breaking into the home of Shapara Myles between October 16 […]

Disabled man fined for marijuana possession
Hattieville resident Stephan Domingo will not have to go to jail over separate offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of 3 grams of cannabis and was fined $200 which he must pay by August of 2015. But he was also facing jail time for an unpaid fine on a […]

Magistrate fines Belize City man over domestic incident
Security guard 27 year old Candelario Lemus of Buttonwood Bay in Belize City was spared serious penalty over a domestic incident in April of this year. Lemus appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith today and was found guilty of the robbery of $275 from bus driver Eldon Chiac, as […]

New judge appointed to the Belize Court of Appeals
The government of Belize today announced the appointment of Justice Christopher Blackman to the Belize Court of Appeal. A government statement said that Justice Blackman was sworn in today at Belize House in Belmopan by Governor General Sir Colville Young. The swearing in of the new Court […]

Unstable weather conditions expected most of this week
Relatively moist and unstable conditions are currently dominating factors in our weather at this time. The general forecast is for cloudy skies at times with a few showers and thunderstorms mainly inland and in northern parts of the country this afternoon but spreading to most areas tonight […]

New bathroom facility for primary school in Benque Viejo del Carmen
A new bathroom facility was inaugurated on Friday of last week at the Hills of Promise Seventh Day Adventist primary school in Benque Viejo del Carmen town. The project was facilitated by the San Ignacio Rotary Club with funding provided through the Rotary Club of Reno, Nevada, USA. The new bathroom facility replaced an old outdoor latrine that was in use for a number of years. It includes urinals for boys and bathrooms for girls as well as the male and female staff.

PG primary schools get tablets for use in the classroom
Four primary schools in Punta Gorda town were today issued with tablets to be used as a classroom tool for students. The tablets were handed out to the St. Benedict R.C., St. Peter Claver, Punta Gorda Methodist and Punta Gorda Seventh Day Adventist Schools by Mayor Anthony Fuentes. According to Mayor Fuentes, the tablets, donated by Data Wind Company of the United States, are intended to give access to cutting edge educational technology to middle school students in Punta Gorda town. Each of the four primary schools received 9 tablets as part of the initial roll out of the new education initiative by the Punta Gorda town council.

Blogs

Brunch Is For Jerks? Pffft. Sunday Morning At Estel’s Dine By The Sea
The New York Times recently published an infuriating though I think tongue-in-cheek opinion piece titled “Brunch is For Jerks.” An article arguing that this favorite weekend meal is for those who are looking to avoid adulthood and responsibility – for those that want to fritter away their entire Sunday with boozy “breakfast cocktails” and fancy food. HOW DARE THEY! There is absolutely nothing wrong with squandering most of your Sunday at Estels’ with your feet in the sand, great food, beautiful scenery, comforting food favorites (like the best fry jacks in Belize) and Charles on the BBQ, super friendly folks, maybe some town gossip and some perfectly cooked sunny-side up eggs. About three hours squandered. Happily. So what I have to say is…this jerk loves her brunch. Especially at Estels.

Jokers, Calm Caribbean Seas and Thanks
Sometimes the simplest jokes are the funniest as was the case yesterday at Christian’s Birthday party. While he and Barb were enjoying King Edwards by the pool, Joe and Arne decided to fake him out and blow out the candles on his cake first. This ended up happening three times and each one was funnier than the last. It was a very fun day celebrated with great friends and plenty of yummy food! This next set of pictures show our weather over the weekend. It has been beautiful and slightly wet weather, calm Caribbean Seas, cool breezes and occasional short heavy rainstorms. For those of you who might not have caught my tacogirl.com facebook page sunrise picture it was a great one this morning. I was really glad I decided to reboot the webcam hosted by Grand Caribe (2014 Travelers Choice Winner at TripAdvisor) and caught it on our live streaming Belize Cam.

Exploring the Blue Hole in Ambergris Caye Belize
The Blue Hole, located about 40 miles off Ambergris Caye Belize, is a welcome addition to the greatest dive sites in the world. Jacques Cousteau explored the area during the late 1960s, and pioneered a diving route in 1972 still in use by divers today. It has since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and attracts up to 20,000 divers every year. Belize Blue Hole The Blue Hole was once a big limestone cave among several underwater tunnels; an earthquake caused the ceiling to relax, creating one of the biggest and most impressive sinkholes in the world. The earthquake also tilted the whole Lighthouse Reef to a 12-degree Ambergris caye Belizeangle, making it responsible for the stalagmites and stalactites protruding from its shelves. Marine life is abundant outside it – nurse sharks, sea fans, shellfish, gorgonians, moray eels, tunicates, hard corals and giant green anemones are just a few of the many fish species around Ambergris Caye.

Salty Pretzels
Pretzels are a soft yet crunchy bread that is a wonderful treat usually when on an outing at an amusement park or fair. This recipe is so easy to make and the pretzels are absolutely delicious. You can stuff with cheese or leave them plain like I've done.

Cahal Pech Village Resort is Now Offering the Pontoon Nature Tour
Cahal Pech Village Resort, one of the largest resorts in western Belize has just launched a spectacular adventure tour called “The Pontoon Nature Tour”. According to CEO Peter Tonti, the new tour is an addition to the list of tours and activities that the resort offers and is for guests who want to enjoy the undiscovered side of the Belizean jungle. The Pontoon Tour will take guests to the unspoiled Vaca Lake in the upper Macal River Valley in the Cayo District and is an hour drive from Cahal Pech Village Resort. The tour will be run by Lazaro Martinez, a native Belizean who grew up in the area all his life. “Howler Monkeys, toucans, white hawks, crocodiles, turtles, and an abundant of medicinal plants are only a few things that make this nature tour spectacular,” says Tonti who took his entire team including the general manager, concierge, and front desk staff on the tour early this week.

Best souvenirs to bring home from Placencia, Belize, for yourself or others :)
Best souvenirs...meaning they they are the most economical/portable/most Belizean character/looks like you were really thoughtful....in no particular order..... 1.) Tiny bottles of Marie Sharps....less than $1us! Portable, fun, authentic! Probably an overall winner in all categories :) 2.) Bottles of jam-I wondered what to do with these...still not sure I did it right....but I sauteed chicken in the jalapeno jam and it was AWESOME. You can use the banana and other fruit jams like regular jams...but a very unique gift. Or, don't try to be creative, just eat it with a spoon, out of the jar. Only a couple bucks at the grocery stores. 3.) Lion fish earrings from Treasure Box-Khadija is the owner of the shop (she is the daughter of Saeed, the awesome Bamboo guy!) She has a lovely shop where they sell very sweet lionfish earrings...lionfish are invasive species on the reef and she makes use of the lionfish in a useful and truly unique way...visit her store off the main street! Lionfish are reportedly evil....imagine wearing dangerous fish spikes dangling from your ears! What a story. 4.) Adorable silver jewelry from Denyse's....her shop in on the sidewalk. Very affordable and unique sterling silver. My friend Shannon cleaned the place out on her trip.

The October 19, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Seeing Prison Walls This Christmas:
  Two men, remanded to prison on a joint murder charge, will be returning to court on Tuesday, December 30. Charged with the murder of Kevin Andrew Taylor, two Belizean laborers, Tyron Rushford (also known as Tyron Gongora) 32, from Blackman Eddy Village and Brian Bell, 25, from Unitedville Village, appeared in the San Ignacio courtroom of magistrate Narda Morgan on Tuesday, October 14. The charge against Rushford and Bell stems from an incident which occurred at around 10:30 on the night of Friday, October 10, in a vacant lot near a shop in the village of Unitedville. The injured victim was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan by a female villager who lives near the crime scene.
• Gone To Jail On A Sex Charge:
  A 19 year old man from Santa Familia village was sent to jail on an unlawful carnal knowledge charge. Accompanied by her mother, a 12 year old girl reported to police that on September 29, the accused Adrian Tun, 19, a Belizean laborer from Santa Familia Village had sexual intercourse with her. The legally required medical examination confirmed that the child had been carnally known. The investigation revealed that on September 28, the child was left in the care of a neighbor as the mother departed on a five day emergency trip to El Salvador. The mother had only gone for a day when it is alleged that the neighbors’ 19 year old son had sexual relations with the girl.
• Editorial: Allowing The Minority To Have Its Way:
  Success in politics is all about the mass participation of voters in the electoral process. Conventions are conducted to allow as many supporters as possible a first opportunity to elect the candidates they want to represent them in the ensuing round of elections. Restricting the number of persons voting in a convention to a select very few is grossly unfair and disrespectful to voters and candidates alike as it presents obvious questions such as: Who selects the few voters that will make the decision for the masses? Are these special voters selected to favor one candidate over another? Were all candidates, or just the chosen ones, made aware of these special voters so as to afford them the opportunity to seek their support weeks before the convention?
• Five Belizeans Honoured:
  Five distinguished Belizeans were honoured for their dedicated and outstanding services to their community. The presentations took place today at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. The insignias were presented by the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
• Mennonite Family Morns Loss Of Child:
  A freak accident in the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout resulted in the death of a six year old boy. In a statement to the police, the child’s father, Walter Penner, 35, naturalized Belizean laborer from Spanish Lookout, informed that at around 4:00 pm on Monday, October 13, accompanied by his four sons, ages 10, 9, 7 and 6, he was delivering a load of corn to Central Grain Dryers in Spanish Lookout. Penner told the police that he parked the tow head truck and trailer, as instructed, over the storage pit. Leaving his four sons inside the truck, Penner exited the truck was in the process of opening the discharge outlets located under the trailer. He said that just as he was about to open the eighth outlet, he heard his son’s cry and saw, among the corn, the exposed leg of a child.
• CSKC Invitational Anniversary Karate Championships:
  The Cayo Shotokan Karate Club (CSKC) celebrated its 24th Anniversary in a grand fashion on Saturday, 27th September, by hosting an International karate championship, where 60 athletes competed to represent their clubs and countries. For the entire event the auditorium at Sacred Heart College was filled with constant roars from karate enthusiast and spectators. Still in the September patriotic mode our young athletes fought their hearts out to protect their home turf Belize, literally with blood, sweat and tears. The clubs who participated were Kazoku Shotokan Karate Dojo of San Ignacio, Cayo Shotokan Karate Club-Belmopan, Poptun Shotokan Karate Club-Guatemala, El Salvador, and host, Cayo Shotokan Karate Club-San Ignacio. At the end CSKCBelmopan overwhelmingly won the championship by winning 11 golds, 12 silver and 16 bronze medals. Second Place was CSKC-San Ignacio with 6 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze medals. Third place was Guatemala with 3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal.
• People’s Coalition Of Cayo:
  On 8th October, 2014, the Peoples’ Coalition of Cayo (PCC) held its Annual General Meeting at the San Ignacio police station. The out-going president, Julian Sherrard thanked the members for all of their work and he reminded them of some of their accomplishments of the past 12 months - POLICE STATION IMPROVEMENTS –Upgraded the video/audio camera (Advanced Security & Equipment Ltd (ASE)) - installed 2 a/c’s (BECOL) – installed two doors (Cayo Neighbourhood Watch Association (CNWA)) – new standby generator (US Embassy) - electric hand-dryer (Benny’s / Orange Gallery)
• Rotary’s Toilet Block Projects:
  Our motto for the Rotary Club of San Ignacio is ‘Educating our Youth’, and to that end we have concentrated on improving the sanitation and health of our schools in Cayo District as one of our major project. Rotary Club of San Ignacio and our friends in Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset wrote a Rotary Grant to help build a free standing Toilet Block for the Hills of Promise SDA school in Benque Viejo del Carmen. This was made possible with the contribution from both Rotary Clubs, Rotary District 5190, Rotary District 4250 and the matching funds from Rotary International This is 7th Toilet Block that Rotary Club of San Ignacio has built in Cayo, using the plans approved by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF. We use a local contractor who has become an expert in building these toilet blocks, always within the budget.
• What It Means To Be A Christian:
  Contributed By: Janice Swift Luke 14:33 - “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Three times over in this chapter, our Lord says these solemn words: “he cannot be My disciple.” There are three conditions of discipleship. First, we must be prepared to put first things first; second, we must be willing to suffer daily crucifixion; third, we must be detached from all things, because attached to Christ. The conditions seem severe, but they must be fulfilled, if we would enter Christ’s School. Disciple stands for learner.
• Leading Your Kids Through Their Fears:
  By: Lysa Terkeurst Contributed by: Janice Swift "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV) Tears. Wailing. Screaming. A full-blown meltdown. When my youngest daughter, Brooke, was a baby this was often my reality when I tried to run errands with her. I can remember just trying to get to one more place, knowing we should have been home an hour earlier for her nap. But also knowing there were things that had to get done, I pressed on, hoping for the best. Brooke, on the other hand, wanted to get out of that car, and she made sure everybody knew it. Whines quickly turned to screams. My touch has always comforted Brooke. And while I couldn't do much to comfort her while driving, I would often reach my arm into the backseat and gently pat her leg. It took a few minutes, but eventually she'd settle down and reach her tiny hand out to hold mine.
• Belize and Guatemala Hold Successful Meeting of the Joint Commission in Guatemala:
  The Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission met on 10 October 2014 in Guatemala City to discuss security concerns, including the recent incidents in the Caracol Archeological Reserve and reached 12 conclusions aimed at improving their effectiveness at combating illegal activities and transnational crime. Both sides held frank and open discussions on all security concerns and agreed to expand and strengthen cooperation. The Belize delegation was headed by CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H.E. Alexis Rosado, and included Sen. Lisa Shoman, Representative for the Leader of the Opposition; Gen. David Jones, Commander of the Belize Defense Force; ACP Russell Blackett as Acting Commissioner of Police and Superintendant Marco Vidal, Head of Special Branch.
• Prime Minister Dean Barrow Signs $67.5 Million Agreement with European Union:
  Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dean Barrow has signed a 27 million Euro/ BZ$67.5 million National Indicative Programme (NIP) for the period 2014 to 2020 with the European Commission designed to advance the activities of the Government of Belize in alleviating rural poverty in Belize. Signing on behalf of the European Commission was the Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs.
• European Commission Proposes the Lifting of Ban on Importation of Belize Fisheries Products into the European Union:
  The European Commission has announced that it has proposed to the EU Council of Ministers that Belize be removed from the list of ‘non-cooperating third countries’in the international fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This decision was taken after Belize demonstrated that it had addressed its structural problems and showed its real commitment to tackling illegal fishing. The Commission notes that since Belize was identified as a ‘non-cooperating third country’ in March 2014, it has reformed its legal framework and has adopted a new set of rules for inspection, control and monitoring of vessels.
• Shingles:
  Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. While it isn't a life-threatening condition, shingles can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications.
• Social Investment Fund provides easier access for 200 students from 11 remote Rural Communities to enhanced Secondary Vocational Education:
  Over 200 students from 11 remote villages in the Toledo District will now have easier access, and enhanced quality Secondary Vocational Education thanks to the construction of Corazon Creek Technical High School Extension built by the Government of Belize at a cost of $595,895.00 with funds financed through a grant from the Caribbean Development Bank under the Basic Needs Trust Fund Sixth Programme (BNTF 6). Students from the 11 remote villages - Corazon Creek, Graham Creek, Mabilha, Dolores, Crique Sarco, San Benito Poite, San Lucas, Santa Teresa, Conejo Creek, Otoxha, and Sunday Wood will now have the opportunity to obtain a quality secondary education in Business, Academics/ Sciences of Vocational Training in their new three-classroom single storey ferro-concrete school extension which provides a unique teaching and learning environment.
• Ebola Crisis: US Says Cuban Medical Support 'Welcome':
  Cuba is a "welcome" addition to the fight against Ebola, a senior US official has said. A state department spokesman said the Cuban government was doing more than many others to contain the disease. "We welcome their support," she said. The US has maintained an embargo on Cuba for more than five decades. Last month, Havana announced it would send about 450 medical and support staff to the region. The BBC's Will Grant in Havana said that Cuba already had a tradition of sending its doctors and nurses to Africa before the recent Ebola outbreak.
• Colombia Gang 'Behind Venezuela Lawmaker Serra's Murder':
  President Maduro promised to track down those behind Mr Serra's murder. Robert Serra and Maria Herrera were stabbed to death in Caracas. Mr Maduro said Mr Serra's bodyguard had confessed to conspiring with a Colombian gang to kill the member of the National Assembly. The president also said that there had been a series of attempts to kill other top socialist party officials. Mr Maduro had previously blamed "ultra-right" opposition groups in Venezuela and in neighbouring Colombia for the murder.
• Cruise Ship Passenger Quarantined:
  The Government of Belize was contacted today by officers of the US Government and made aware of a cruise ship passenger considered of very low risk for Ebola. The passenger had voluntarily entered quarantine on board the ship and remains free of any fever or other symptoms of illness. The Ebola virus may only be spread by patients who are experiencing fever and symptoms of illness and so the US Government had emphasized the very low risk category in this case. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution, the Government of Belize decided not to facilitate a US request for assistance in evacuating the passenger through the Phillip Goldson International Airport.
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International Sources

Affordable Retirement in the Caribbean
Waterfront property is selling at bargain prices in Northern Belize. Northern Belize is a remote region of tropical rivers, hardwood forests, traditional farms, sleepy rural villages and breezy Caribbean seashores. This is a refreshingly off-the-radar place where residents embrace a simple, friendly, by-the-sea lifestyle. It is also the best value destination in Belize and one of the most affordable options for retirement in the Caribbean. Northern Belize is an area of about 2,500 square miles and the point where the Caribbean and Central America meet. As that geographic juxtaposition suggests, the population is diverse, and it is becoming more so as North American retirees are beginning to recognize what this overlooked part of Belize has to offer and settling here in growing numbers. Northern Belize’s remoteness is part of its appeal, but remote living has its disadvantages, especially in retirement. This is why the proximity of this part of Belize to Chetumal, Mexico, just across the border, is so important. The town of Corozal in Northern Belize is a gateway town to Chetumal and from there to Merida and Cancun beyond. In Northern Belize, you could enjoy a bargain Caribbean lifestyle with easy access to shopping, city distractions and medical care in Chetumal.

Belize Fights to Save a Crucial Barrier Reef
Home to the second longest barrier reef in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, which provides jobs in fishing, tourism and other industries which feed the lifeblood of the economy, Belize has long been acutely aware of the need to protect its marine resources from both human and natural activities. However, there has been a recent decline in the production and export of marine products including conch, lobster, and fish, even as tourism figures continue to increase.[pullquote]3[/pullquote] The decline is not helped by overfishing and the harvest of immature conch and lobster outside of the standard fishing season. But the primary reason for less conch and lobster in Belize’s waters, according to local experts, is excess ocean acidity which is making it difficult for popular crustacean species such as conch and lobster, which depend on their hard, spiny shells to survive, to grow and mature. According to the executive director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC), Dr. Kenrick Leslie, acidification is as important and as detrimental to the sustainability of the Barrier Reef and the ocean generally as warming of the atmosphere and other factors generally associated with climate change.

UCF archeology team runner-up in international competition
Caracol, an archeological site of Mayan ruins has been heavily studied by a team of UCF professors, and on Oct. 18, in celebration of National Archeology Day, won second place in an international competition hosted by the Archeology Institute of America. The leaders of the Caracol site are Arlen and Diane Chase, the associate dean and executive vice provost of UCF's Department of Anthropology, but more important, they are a husband and wife archeologist team who have been working on the site at Caracol for 30 years. Their extensive work has reshaped the way archeologists and historians study Mayan culture and their hard work has not gone unnoticed. They are somewhat of archeological celebrities having been featured in Newsday, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, USA Today and TIME. University spokesman Grant Heston was an avid supporter in getting the word out about the competition and trying to help the Chase team because he believes they are some of the best professors that UCF has to offer and have played a huge role in shaping the UCF community.

Women's Cooperative in Belize
In the Sarteneja Village in Corozal District, Belize, 80% of the village's income comes from the fishing industry. As a result, the reefs have been over-fished, and this source of income has declined. Traditionally men provide for the households, but with the recent turn of events, women have had to step in to support their families. Las Sartenejeñas Cooperative is a women-owned, operated and led cooperative that provides a community resource to help develop new and sustainable means of income for this village. Peace Corps Volunteer,Jennifer Krottinger, has helped this group grow into an effective women's group, bringing women together to engage and actively participate in learning traditional sewing and handicrafts techniques for preservation of tradition, and to create positive and sustainable economic development for women.

The State of Luxury Travel in the U.S.
The biggest change in in the Virtuoso survey was the countries described as “emerging” destinations. Cuba remains the tourism destination most on the rise, but the popularity of travel to the Galapagos Islands rose once again, while Iceland and Belize cracked the “top 10" emerging destinations. In order, top emerging destinations were Cuba, Myanmar, Vietnam, Galapagos, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Turkey and Belize. Italy continues to be the top destination for international travel, according to Virtuoso agents, followed by South Africa, France, Australia and New Zealand. Italy also remained the top destination for families traveling, with England, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico making up the rest of the list.

Wonderful Things: The Starry Night Beneath the Caribbean Sea
Evolutionary biologist Todd Oakley, who studies the visual system of arthropods, visited Belize in January to observe a different species of displaying ostracod for only the second time. “I was literally cursing into my snorkel in amazement — “Holy @#$!!$ I cannot !@#!@ believe this is real”,” Oakley told me via email. “And I almost never curse.” I could relate. In 2008, Trevor Rivers and James Morin wrote, “The luminescent displays of Caribbean ostracods are the most complex found in the marine environment to date, and, based on hundreds of in situ observations of over 65 species (Morin and Cohen, 1991), suggests that they rival or even exceed those of terrestrial fireflies.”

Imbalanced media reports: Ebola vs ChikV
It might be irresponsible to describe the incessant media coverage about the Ebola virus in Shakespearean terms -- much ado about nothing. However, every day Americans die from cancer, influenza, heat-stroke, freezing temperatures, pneumonia and complications from it, heart attack, stroke and a myriad of diseases. If a week goes by and only a single American die from any one of those maladies, the news media would not report with such urgency as they seem to have invested in covering Ebola, the foreign terror that has not killed a single American. Relentless reports have left many Americans terrified and hankering for more and more news about the disease that took the life of a Liberian national who arrived in Texas and unfortunately became the face of the dreaded disease.

Retire in Corozal, Belize for $1,500 a Month
A relatively small town (about 10,000 people) set on a grid, Corozal is mostly a collection of small shops, restaurants, and simple homes. But this is a bustling burg, with walkways and parks lining the vast, turquoise Corozal Bay. The bay gives it that Caribbean feel. Locals lounge in the shade of the town square, and in the small farmers’ market you’ll find oranges, potatoes, carrots, and succulent mangoes. You can walk away with a week’s worth of fruit and vegetables, plus dry goods and any imported must-haves available at local grocery stores, for under $50.

Videos

Video: Snorkeling in Belize, 5min.
Snorkeling in Belize with a wide range of sea life.

October 20, 2014

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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Wolfe’s Woofer: Going Deaf
“Let’s go to Miglio’s for lunch,” Sherry said. “Amelia? Who is Amelia.” “Miglio. M-I-G-L-I-O,” she spelled. “Up at his resort at Ak’Bol. You know, we really need to get your hearing checked.” “I never write checks,” I told her. “What check are you talking about?” “Forget it.” When we left home Sherry was saying something […]

Police Report
Stabbing Incident: Acting on information received of a stabbing incident, the San Pedro Police visited the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II on Monday, October 13th at around 8:50AM where they observed 25-year-old Miguel “Motita” Fuentes suffering from a stab wound. Robbery 37-year-old Mirna Verganza reported to the San Pedro Police that on Saturday, October 11th at around 11PM her establishment, namely Blue Angels Bar, located in the San Pablo Area was robbed. According to Verganza, one of her employees that was left in charge of the bar, informed her that two male person had robbed the establishment of $500BZ. Found Property: Acting on Special Branch information, a team of San Pedro Police and Special Branch Personnel headed by Inspector Henry Jemmott, visited the San Pablo Area on Tuesday, October 14th at around 2:30PM where an unlicensed black 9mm Luger (Model C9) pistol containing an empty magazine was handed over by an anonymous resident. The firearm had been found stashed in the vicinity. No serial number was visible on the pistol. The fire arm was labelled as found property. Possession of Controlled Drugs: On Wednesday, October 15th at around 4:30PM, San Pedro Police and Special Branch personnel conducted a search at the residence of 18-year-old Nairo Perez on Sandpiper Street, San Juan Area. Also present was a 15-year-old minor. A thorough searched was conducted inside the room, which led to the discovery of a brown Philly wrapped in a cigarette form which contained 0.4 grams of suspected cannabis. Subjects were formally arrested and charged for “Possession of Controlled Drug”.

Doctor Love
My boyfriend’s angry ex-wife is ruining our relationship. It is not anything aimed at me and him. It is mostly aimed at him. If I was not even in the picture she would still be doing her best to screw up his life because she did it for many years. She has so many things wrong about her that they can not even be listed here. Among these are her physical abusiveness, promiscuous behavior, her alcohol and prescription drug problems and a complete unwillingness to attend counseling or to look at the marriage situation. He sued her for divorce because he could not live anymore with someone like her. He was starting to fear for his own sanity. She tells everyone that he left her for me even though she has been divorced for two years and I only met him a year ago.

CTV3

Man Caught Red Handed Trying To Break In To Coba's Residence
While Corozal Police are looking for Erick Locke for the crime of aggravated assault, as mentioned at the top of the newscast, another Corozaleño is facing charges of attempt burglary after he tried to enter the residence of Abdel Coba. Coba reported to police that on October 14th, around 5:45pm, his 10 year old daughter alerted him of an impostor in the back yard.

Women Graduate From Cake Decorating Class
There are a number of initiatives being carried out across the north to empower women in society. These include courses in sewing, manicure and pedicure and even cake decorating. Four months ago a group of 17 women from San Jose Village and from as far as San Roman Corozal, engaged in a four month course in baking and cake decorating. Today those women presented their work to a number of guests during a short ceremony. Coordinator of the program, Karen Escarraga, spoke with us about how the initiative came to life.

Cuba Announces Progress In Vaccine To Fight Dengue
While the entire globe is keeping a close watch on the Ebola virus experts with the Havana-based Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center claim to be experiencing progress in the developing a vaccine to fight the four existing types of dengue fever. The announcement was made by Researcher Luis Javier Gonzalez during a Forum on Microbiology Techniques in Havana. Reports are that the project is currently in its first validation stage. If true this will prove to be good news for the world since to date a cure has not been found for the deadly dengue disease.

Saint Francis Xavier Celebrates Credit Union Day
Yesterday was observed as International Credit Union Day under the theme “Local Service. Global Good.” The day is observed with the aim of highlighting the movement of credit unions, their history and achievements.Here in the north, Saint Francis Credit Union in Corozal Town also observed International Credit Union day the only difference is that they had a double celebration as they also commemorated 33 years of offering quality service to their customers. At the credit union’s parking lot, students and shareholders witnessed the crowning of the newly elected Miss St. Francis Xavier Credit Union Queen, Risela Magaña.

Corozaleno Wanted For Aggravated Assault
A man is tonight being sought by Corozal Police for the crime of Aggravated Assault, after he threatened his ex-common law wife at knife point. Reports made to the Corozal Police are that around 5:30 yesterday morning, 41 year old Pauline Gibson was exciting her outdoor bathroom when she saw Erick Locke, her ex common law husband, coming out from some nearby bushes. According to Gibson, she tried to run into her house but Locke blocked her way by standing in front of her.

Passengers On Board Carnival Magic Disembark In Belize
The officials at today’s Press Conference stressed that the persons at the center of yesterday’s series of events were low risk and that none were showing symptoms of the Ebola virus, which is believed to be when it becomes contagious. Despite them repeating that point, it is hard to ignore the urgency in which the US handled the matter. Another factor here is that by the time the Office of the Prime Minister was informed of the situation, other passengers had disembarked the ship. Audrey Wallace – CEO, Office of Prime Minister“The government of Belize did not find out about this until after the disembarkation of those passengers so we were not able to respond to that aspect.”

Speculations Surface On Possible Ebola Case
Given the urgency the US gave the situation, despite assurances that the persons in the center of the ordeal were deemed low risk, it begs the question of whether anything is being withheld from government officials in Belize. The Prime Minister was posed the questioned this morning and this is how he responded. Honorable Dean Barrow – Prime Minister of Belize“I’m not prepared to speculate in that regard, I am prepared to accept that face value, the explanation given to Audrey which is that the CDC (the Center for Disease Control) had in fact changed the protocol and moved people who had the status of that passenger from a situation where they were been told merely that they needed to self-monitor to a situation which they needed to be monitored by the authorities, so I think that’s what it is and I believe that the sense of urgency was triggered by that but by that original decision which set off the chain reaction for the CDC does show as I said earlier even the United States is not entirely clear as to all what is happening and as to all the triggers and as to all the modes of transmission so I suspect that this is behind the urgency that this request from the US took on.”

Ministry Of Health Takes Measures To Contain Ebola Virus
When it comes to the Ebola Virus, the Ministry of Health is also a key player in its handling and containment and according to CEO in the Ministry, Peter Allen; they are taking a number of measures to ensure that the country is able and ready to handle any possible detection of the virus in the country. Now, the Prime Minister himself admitted to the media that there are constraints in achieving this a hundred percent, but insisted that government officials are focused and aware of the stakes in the situation but are detrained to protect the citizens. CEO Allen says that long before yesterday’s series of events, they had scheduled training with officers of the Phillip Goldson International Airport to provide sensitization and information on the matter and established clear definition of their roles and responsibilities. However, additional measures are being taken, he added. Screen_Shot_2014-10-17_at_8.21.05_PMPeter Allen- CEO, Ministry of Health“A screening form for all passengers has been developed and is being implemented and an isolation facility is being provided at the Phillip Goldson International Airport for further screening for passengers who may be considered at some risk due to the surveillance forms. The Ministry of Health has provided a Hotline and the hotline is 629-5604 and we are working with B.T.L. to provide a toll free number as soon as possible to assist in this capacity.

Travel Ban Implement For Visitors From West African Countries
The Ebola scare experienced yesterday has set the government on a series of responses in capacitating frontline personnel in the Immigration and Health departments. Measures have been set in place and from what we learned in today’s press conference, the response now is more momentous. Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse announced a new stop placed on the issuance of visas for persons who have been to the West African countries where the virus has been detected. The Ministry is also issuing travel bans. Godwin Hulse – Minister of Immigration“Those countries will be Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and any other country that the ministry thinks has now been affected. Nigeria is a special case because although it’s a Commonwealth country it requires visas and even though they have declared that they are free we consider the persons traveling from Nigeria a risk. Sierra Leone, on the other hand, does not require any visa to come to, Sierra Leonean citizens do not visas to enter Belize so we will issue a travel ban on persons coming from Sierra Leone.

Ebola Scare In Belize
The information made the national news late last night but after it aired, the social media was abuzz with speculations and not to say the least, fear that the deadly Ebola virus had reached, close to home. The media got wind of the situation in the evening, but we learned in a press conference today that government had been dealing with the matter since morning. The Ebola scare in the last twenty-four hours, we hope, turns out to be just that, as officials are saying - that the person onboard the Carnival cruise ship was “low risk” and showed no symptoms of the disease. So now, we follow the story from the start as information has been forthcoming. In a release from the Carnival Cruise Lines, it states that the Center for Disease Control informed them that a guest on board the Carnival Magic, which was headed to Belize, was listed by the center as “very low risk”. The person here is a female health care provider who works at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. She had apparently come in contact with an Ebola patient back in the US. According to the cruise line release, the woman exhibited no symptoms and that it had been nineteen days since she was in the lab with the testing samples. The guest and her companion were placed in isolation on the ship and were not deemed a risk to the other guests on board. Still the ship’s medical team treated the situation with an extreme abundance of caution.

The Guardian

Territorial Integrity – A Priority!!
Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca is leading by example. In an effort to learn and get first-hand knowledge and experience of the challenges and problems facing our country’s border security and national sovereignty, Hon. Francis trekked through Belize’s wild forest and listened to the experts as he led a special visit to Chiquibul Forest Reserve on Saturday, October 11, 2014. The Chiquibul Forest Reserve has come under severe attack from incursions by illegal Guatemalans. In recent years the incursions have increased, resulting in accelerated devastation of the environment as trespassers enter to carry out hunting, logging, farming, poaching, gold-panning, and looting of important and historic Maya sites. It was inside the Chiquibul reserve, at the Caracol Mayan site, that 20 year old special constable Danny Conorquie was gunned down by a Guatemalan trespasser on September 25th.

Dangriga Market SUFFERS Another Delay
The Dangriga Municipal Market is dealt yet another blow. In a meeting with the new contractor, CB Contractor, of Cayo, the Belize Social Investment Fund and the Dangriga Town Council held in April 2014, the Dangriga Town Council was assured that the market would have been completed and handed over by Tuesday, 30 September, 2014. The month of October has started and the market has not been completed or handed over to SIF who would then hand it over to the Dangriga Town Council. The Dangriga Town Council is indeed mindful of the contractor’s commitment to complete the project and to hand it over to SIF to, according the council, ‘stop the bleeding and punishment of the people of Dangriga’. The council is also mindful of the substantial work the contractor has done in the quest to completing the market. The underlying factor however, is the prolonged agony that continues to be inflicted upon the residents of Dangriga. The Dangriga municipal market is the life blood of Dangriga. In addition, it is an important economic hub for Dangriga. It is a cultural institution where there is much oral history and information that impacts positively on the market “goers”. The continued non-completion of the market reflects negatively on the landscape of Dangriga, where in almost every corner of the streets there are stalls, some of which are unsightly and risky for good health.

Salvadoran shot dead one lane from Police Station
Salvadoran national, 33 year old Jose Luis Umana, was the target of a cold-blooded murder in Belize City on Saturday night. Around 9:00pm, Umana was at the corner of New Road and Hyde’s Lane, just about 600 feet from the Queen Street Police Station, when he was ambushed and shot dead by an unknown gunman. According to Umana’s family, he was at home located in Card’s Alley earlier in the day. He left home in the evening to take a walk, and the sound of gunshots startled his family. When his family members came to the scene, they only got to see Umana being lifted unto an ambulance. He battled to stay alive for about an hour but succumbed.

PUP’s record of asserting Belize’s Independence – ….the UDP’s record of betrayal
The Barrow Administration demonstrated very poor judgment in the monitoring of our national security protocols which resulted in the United States granting of a million dollar contract to a Guatemalan company to construct a military base for the Belize Coast Guard. Guatemala, every Belizean knows, has been pushing an unfounded claim for over 12,700 kilometres of Belizean territory for the past 160 years. Guatemala continues to allow the illegal incursions of its nationals into Belizean territory. They carry out illegal hunting and logging, and have devastated a large area of our protected areas. The most recent incursions led to the killing of Belizean security officer Danny Conorquie at the tourist site, Caracol, and the threat to destroy an outpost manned by the Belize Defense Force at San Valentin camp. Understandably, Belizeans are highly suspicious of Guatemala.

Think About It
In 2010 there were 123 murders. In 2011 there were 124 murders. In 2012 there were 145 murders. In 2013 there were 88 murders. From January to 15 October 2014 there were 97 murders. There are two months and two weeks left in the year. It is going to be another bloody year for Belize. These statistics are the most shameful, most disgraceful thing to befall our otherwise wonderful country. It is an indictment, to put it mildly, on the utter inability of the government to produce any kind of solutions to the biggest tragedy to fall on our heads. It must be repeated that the vast majority of these cold bloodied murders are in Belize City. The six UDP area representatives on the Southside of Belize City have been playing “simple” with the people of this country. They have had nothing to say or nothing to do in relation to this unfolding curse which has been destroying the country.

Divine Intervention
Before the whole journalism bit, and while I was still agile and in fairly good health, I did some construction work. I rebuilt the home in which I was raised and constructed the house in which I now live. I did much of the work by myself but from time to time, I would need to hire help. Now I’m a patriot and would have much preferred to hire strictly Belizeans to work with me, but, as most anyone who has needed to hire Belizeans will tell you, good help from among our own people is damn hard to find. There was this one guy who saw me working and struggling by myself, stopped by and asked if he could help. In fact, if I remember well, he didn’t even wait for me to answer, he just started working. How do you not hire a guy like that? He told me that he had worked in the construction business for a while and it turned out that he was better than I could have hoped for. He came early, worked hard and took much pride in his work. I do not remember Flaco’s real name but in spite of his small and wiry frame, the man punched pounds above his weight. In retrospect, I am sure that I could not have accomplished all that I did without him. Flaco was a Guatemalan by birth but had been living in Belize for a few years. He worked with me for quite some time and we became very good friends. I allowed him to build a small shack in the back of the yard where he lived while we worked. That worked out well for me since he could then also double as watchman.

Guatemalan Incursion
The incompetence of Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his Ministerial cronies has reached such a level that the very security of the nation has been put in jeopardy. Events of the past week, coming as they did in the wake of the murder of Special Constable Danny Conorquie, all told, are just too much for Belizeans to bear. The response of the Prime Minister and his Minister of Security has not only added insult to the injuries but has brought Belizeans to a new state of anger against the government. It was gross incompetence and negligence that caused a serious security failure when the BDF did not provide escort protection to Special Constable Conorquie and a group of foreign tourists visiting Caracol. That negligence is costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cancelled tourist visits but more so, has cost Danny Conorquie his promising and precious life. To make matters worse the government refused to undertake a sweep of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve through which bandits and illegal loggers are unlawfully operating, primarily from across the Guatemalan border.

Rigo Vellos defends Mr. Belize title
The Mr. Belize and Ms. Belize fitness titles are up for grabs this Friday, October 17, 2014 when the Mr. Belize bodybuilding championship is held at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. While 2013 Ms. Belize fitness champ Cricel Castillo will not be competing due to a suspension from the Federation, the highlight will be the return of two-time Mr. Belize champ Rigo Vellos who will be competing to hold on to the title for a third year. Rigo’s closest competition in 2013, Clayton Greenidge (2013 Master’s Category winner), will be back in the bid for the title. So are Ernest Broaster and Deon Banner who settled for 2nd and 3rd place in the Light Heavyweight respectively in 2013.

DFC Gentle Touch roughs up SMART Millennium 6-0
DFC Gentle Touch of Esperanza were anything but gentle when they faced the SMART Millennium girls of Belize City 6-0 in the FFB President’s Cup national women’s football tournament held at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio on Saturday evening. Gentle Touch’s Shanell Gentle, recruited from Millennium after last season, embarrassed her former teammates with the 1st winning goal in the 18th minute. Millennium’s goalie Ermine Ferguson could do nothing to stop the 2nd goal when Ethlene Gentle blasted the ball from point blank range in the 24th minute.

SCA & BHS & ACC win in high school volleyball
The St. Catherine’s Academy (SCA), Belize High School (BHS) girls and Anglican Cathedral College (ACC) enjoyed wins in the Belize District high school volleyball tournament held at the Lupita Quan gymnasium. The undefeated SCA girls picked up their 3rd win over a Maud Williams girls’ default on Saturday morning. They had also won their opening game against the BHS girls: 25-22, 25-13 on Monday, September 29 and picked up a 3rd win 25-3, 25-11 against the Ladyville Technical High School girls on Monday, October 6. The BHS girls picked up their 4th win by hammering the Sadie Vernon girls: 25-9, 25-1 on Saturday. They also won against Pallotti High School 25-10, 25-7; and over the Wesley College girls: 25-7 25-3 on Monday, October 6, after crushing the Maud Williams girls: 25-10, 25-19 on Thursday, October 2.

PUP Youth Arm forms in Belmopan!!!
Yesterday, at the People’s United Party office, the Belmopan version of the Belize Youth Movement (BYM) was born. The PUP Belmopan youth were informed by the BYM national president, Alberto Vellos of the mission and objectives of the group. He emphasized that young people need to organise to be recognised and respected as critical partners in the development of our country. During the meeting, the PUP Mayoral Candidate, Mr. Jose “Chamika” Chacon voiced his support and encouraged the youth to be vibrant and participatory in our city.

We Should Learn from the Ebola Crisis!
By Raford Young One of the saddest images I have ever seen online was a guy pushing a wheelbarrow with a very sick relative in it to the hospital in Liberia with the killer disease Ebola. This terrible disease has taken the life of over three thousand people in four West African Countries. This outbreak is the worst the world has ever seen. It does not discriminate and even if caught early, can kill in a very short period of time. The health institutions in those countries are ill equipped to handle such an outbreak. The hospitals don’t have enough beds or trained staff to deal with this Ebola crisis. Liberia’s economy has collapsed as a result and many experts say by the time this is all over 400,000 people would have died. Others say it could reach up to 1.2 million.

National holidays that need re-thinking
By Richard Harrison Belize celebrates Pan American Day on October 12 and Labor Day on May 1 each year….as national public and bank holidays. These holidays seem to have lost their purpose in the psyche of the Belizean people….with the holiday having become just another day off from work….serving no social, cultural or economic purpose of value to the nation. Holidays should bring our people closer together for a national constructive purpose….to promote unity. In keeping with the Pan American theme….we should construct a day that celebrates our diversity…in a healthy, competitive context….open opportunity for getting to know new people and different places….invite participation from bordering communities in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE – J’OUVERT
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia “J’Ouvert,” the word captures my imagination. I don’t speak French at all, but the first thing I think of is being in Port of Spain, Trinidad sometime around 1984, and going out with friends to play “Old Mas,” on J’Ouvert Morning, dressed in old crocus bag costumes and leaving home well before sunrise, so as not to miss out on any of the action. What fun it was! A quick look at definitions will tell us that J’ouvert means daybreak or dawn, literally ‘day’ and ‘open’ in French. It takes place on the Monday morning before Carnival Tuesday in Trinidad and Tobago, and Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. J’ouvert, it is said, started in Trinidad and the Eastern Caribbean as part of Carnival celebrations before Ash Wednesday, with the slaves having their own bacchanal, instead of following the more formal parties of the masters. Paint or mud was smeared on bodies, they say, so that slaves could avoid identification.

BELIZE – GUATEMALA RELATIONS
This statement was produced by the People’s United Party in 2010 in defence of Belize’s territorial sovereignty. The Barrow administration completely ignored it. The single most important issue facing Belize, as a nation, is the defence of our territorial integrity and our sovereignty over all our territory. Despite all our effort at negotiations, facilitation and other means of peaceful settlement of the unfounded claim by Guatemala to Belizean territory, no settlement has been achieved. Both countries have agreed to seek the approval of their respective peoples to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice for determination. The People’s United Party wishes to express its serious concern at the lack of progress of the referendum process to date. More than one year has passed since the December 8th 2008 signing of the Special Agreement and we appear no closer to the referenda. In light of the electoral cycle in Belize and Guatemala, the prospect of holding a referendum is at least four years away. It now seems impractical and unlikely for a referendum to be held until after the 2013 general elections in Belize. This means that the earliest possible time that a court hearing can be begin, if approved by our respective peoples, is in 2017. We believe that this delay calls for a reassessment of the Belize Guatemala relations.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE – BORDER SECURITY AND THE CRISIS AT CHIQUIBUL
By Francis W. Fonseca On Sunday, October 12th, 2014 I along with Deputy Party Leader Hon. Julius Espat visited the Chiquibul National Park and the Caracol Archaeological Reserve, the site of the slaying of Special Constable Danny Conorquie. There has been much talk over the past few weeks about Caracol, Chiquibul and Danny Conorquie and the purpose of our visit was to see first-hand these sites and in particular the scene of the crime against our Country. We were also there to learn as much as we could from the frontline workers in the fight to protect and secure our environment and borders. We left Belize City at 5am and were joined by Lt. Albert Vaughan (Ret. BDF), Major Oscar Mira (Ret. BDF), and Vaughan Gill who travelled with us to San Ignacio where we were met by Rafael Manzanero and Derick Chan of FRIENDS FOR CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (FCD) at 6:30.

Major Oscar Mira challenges Coast Guard Commander Johnny Borland
Dear Editor, It was with utter amazement and surprise and later disbelief that I watched the news last night and heard Rear Admiral Johnny Borland try to explain why the Ministry of National Security fell asleep behind the wheel and permitted a Guatemalan Construction Company, BINARQ, to build both the Belize Coast Guard Northern Forward Operation Base in San Pedro and the Forward Operating Base on Hunting Caye. His presentation, perhaps written by someone else and well-rehearsed can only be described as the Ministry of National Security’s attempt at using a credible, well-trained and professional individual to explain the reason why the contract could have been offered to BINARQ without raising any eyebrows. His statement is misleading in many ways. While the Status of Force Agreement states that the US government can award a contract to any company that qualifies, being the lowest bidder is not sufficient qualification. The Ministry of National Security must be more involved and agree to the company that is awarded the contract.

Street Works & Value for Money
Dear Editor: I am writing this letter to provide an overview and insight on the current atrocious conditions of the streets and major highways of our beloved jewel Belize. As has been observed, the quality of the highways and streets have deteriorated overtime. Several issues ranging from the increase in pot holes, minimal or no pavement on majority of the streets, and improper drainage contribute to the social, economic and environmental apprehensions that Belizeans bear on a daily basis. Fortunately, the Government of Belize has become conscious of the dilapidated state of the highways and roads. The Government of Belize has also created several projects with contractors to improve highways and most importantly local streets in the country. These works were fortunately made possible with aid from several nations and institutions in the form of financial grants to improve road infrastructure. Included in these major financial aids is the $30 million dollars that was granted to Belize by the World Bank.

Is it a bar or not?
Dear Editor, I am in total disgust after reading the article entitled “DARREL’S LIE … Gets A Contraband Black Eye” published on the Sunday, August 31, 2014, in which a bust of large sums of money and contraband liquor was conducted on the co-owner of a bar situated in the BTL Park. This article speaks about multiple issues all pointing to the bar which has raised a lot of eye brows since it was opened for business. I am totally against a bar being located in a well-known park. One reason is that this is a place where a lot of families go to enjoy themselves and where children and teens come to interact. By placing a bar there it makes it prone for bar fights to happen. This can make visitors to the park feel unsafe and unprotected because at any time a beer bottle can come out flying from inside the bar and hit an innocent bystander.

COROZAL IN CRISIS
In the Corozal Bay Constituency, the PUP’s Gregorio “Papas” Garcia has been flooded with complaints from residents of Corozal about the on-going road works to the Pan American Highway, which passes through the heart of beautiful Corozal Town. It is no surprise that the politically incompetent Pablo Marin and the UDP have taken what was to be a simple project to remedy their neglect of Corozal Bay and corrupted it into another scandal. The first wave of complaints from irate residents includes none other than the controversial political crony, Imer Hernandez who was fingered in the UDP road scandals of Orange Walk. The UDP bypassed every single contractor in the Corozal District. This is no laughing matter and the photographs above show the state of 10th Avenue Extension which was just recently asphalted by the Imer Hernandez company. Within literally three bouts of rain this thoroughfare has been mashed up and our information is that the UDP are trying to decide whether to leave it as is or whether to pour another hundred thousand dollars into the pocket of a UDP contractor.

The Reporter

Liberia seeks help in fighting Ebola crisis
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the whole world has a stake in the fight against Ebola. In a “letter to the world” she said the disease “respects no borders”, and that every country had to do all it could to help fight it. President Johnson Sirleaf added that a generation of Africans were at risk of “being lost to economic catastrophe”. The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,500 people across West Africa, including 2,200 in Liberia. International donations have so far fallen well short of the amounts requested by UN agencies and aid organisations. In the worst-affected countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – about 9,000 people have been found to have the Ebola virus, which kills an estimated 70 percent of those infected.

FCD Telethon raises over $320,000
The Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) telethon held Saturday to raise funds to increase the number of FCD rangers in the Chiquibul reserve raised over $320,000. According to Valerie Woods, FCD volunteer and telethon organizer, the government pledged $120,000, which will cover the cost of five rangers. FCD also received another $200,000 in pledges but Woods said they also received donations via phone and internet pledges so the final figures wouldn’t be in until later in the week when they collect these donations. Woods said that their goal was to raise $500,000, which would allow the FCD to have 24 park rangers in the Chquibul Forest Reserve. Currently the FCD only has seven rangers.

The Belize Times

Patrick Jones

Bus driver charged for driving while under the influence of alcohol
Police in Belize City have arrested and charged a man suspected of driving a passenger bus while under the influence of alcohol. 44 year old William Ayala, a resident of Benque Viejo del Carmen was charged for the crime of “drove motor vehicle with alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit.” Police say that on Friday afternoon, they came across a Guerra’s Bus parked on the right side of the George Price Highway at mile one and a half in Belize City. Police say that as they approached the driver, Ayala, he reeked of alcohol.

The Current Status and Future of Tourism in Belize
The World Bank estimated that tourism arrivals in Belize in 2000 was 196,000 visitors, with total spend of US$111 million. The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) estimated that in 2013, a total of 294,177 tourists visited the country. This reflects annual growth of between 4-8%. The Center on Eco-Tourism and Sustainable Development (CETSD) informs that, after starting in 2002, cruise tourism peaked in 2005 at 800,331 visitors, and BTB estimated that in 2013 a total of 677,350 cruise tourists visited the country. The CETSD estimated that at its peak in 2005, cruise tourists spent a total of US$30.6 million (90% from USA origin), and that overnight visitors (60% from USA origin) spent US$144.1 million…..and that cruise tourism provided 1 out of every 10 jobs in the tourism industry, while overnight tourism provided 9 out of every 10 tourism jobs. The tourism industry has been estimated to account for 20-30% of GDP….depending on motives and methodology used by the proponents.

Carnival Magic returns to Galveston, Texas
The Carnival Magic, the cruise ship from which the government of Belize refuse permission to evacuate a woman who was being monitored for possible Ebola infection, has docked in its home port of Galveston, Texas. NBC News reported this morning that the Carnival Magic docked under cover of darkness just after 4 am (Belize Time) and all of the passengers, including the woman who was in voluntary isolation in her cabin, were allowed to disembark and go home. Health officials in Texas say that “there is no evidence of a public health threat to cruise passengers of to Galveston County,” following the disembarkation of the Dallas hospital worker and her companion.

Blogs

Saturday Night In San Pedro: 2 Birthday Parties – Ice Princesses and Togas
Yesterday afternoon, I was invited to two parties in San Pedro. One for my lovely Crossfit buddies (Dennis & Monica’s) daughter Chelsea – she was turning 4 years old. And the other to celebrate the opening of a new hostel in town and for the birthday of the owner, Maria. Fun. The first party was scheduled for 3pm. It was clearly printed on the very cool invitation. Clearly 3pm. But this is Belize and we must abide by Belizean time. So we waited…did some errands and arrived at 3:50pm. Not the first to arrive but…the second. And they were setting up the party. I’ll never get island time right!

International Sources

How Did Nigeria Quash Its Ebola Outbreak So Quickly?
What we can learn from the boot leather, organization and quick response times that stopped Ebola from spreading in this African natio. On July 20 a man who was ill flew on commercial planes from the heart of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia to Lagos, Nigeria's largest city. That man became Nigeria's first Ebola case—the index patient. In a matter of weeks some 19 people across two states were diagnosed with the disease (with one additional person presumed to have contracted it before dying). But rather than descending into epidemic, there has not been a new case of the virus since September 5. And since September 24 the country's Ebola isolation and treatment wards have sat empty. If by Monday, October 20 there are still no new cases, Nigeria, unlike the U.S., will be declared Ebola free by the World Health Organization (WHO). What can we learn from this African country's success quashing an Ebola outbreak?

The World's Most Beautiful Boat—Yours for Half a Billion Dollars
There has never been a luxury boat like it—and Igor Lobanov is confident an extremely rich person will come forward and sail it away. It looks, at first sight, like the most streamlined, and sleek, and simple of sailboats, the top half of a bright-white star, or just a classic paper boat. It has the swooping, symmetrical grace of a bird's wingspan. But The STAR, the brainchild of Russian-born boat designer Igor Lobanov, has not been built yet. He expects it to be; the only unanswered mystery in his mind is it will be a private vessel, the property of a billionaire, or a floating hotel. Whoever gets it, there is a helicopter pad; 36 guests can sleep on it overnight, 200-plus day guests can sail on it during the day. The STAR will not come cheap. If it is constructed in Northern Europe, Lobanov says, it will cost around half a billion dollars.

Ebola cruise ship ‘in utter panic’ as Mexico and Belize refuse to let it dock
Passengers aboard the cruise ship at the centre of an Ebola scare were in a panic after being refused to dock at either Mexico or Belize, with one claiming “it’s like a floating petri dish.” A Texas healthcare worker who had handled a blood sample of Thomas Duncan, the Liberian man who died from Ebola in the US earlier this month, has been quarantined in her room aboard the Carnival Magic cruise ship. The unnamed woman, who is a lab supervisor at Texas Health Presbyterian, is deemed by the CDC to be “low risk” and has yet to exhibit symptoms. She is also approaching the end of her 21-day maximum incubation window after which it can be confirmed that she did not contract Ebola. Update: Upon examination at Galveston County Health Authority, the quarantined passenger is confirmed not to have Ebola.

Divers try spoon feeding lionfish to sharks, a method that could come back to bite them
In the war against invasive lionfish, Andrés Jiménez has taken up one of the oldest weapons used by humans: the spear. Jiménez thinks this is a novel approach to help rid the Caribbean Ocean of a growing menace. He skewers the colorful fish into a kabob, swims to coral in a marine sanctuary off the coast of Cuba and holds it bleeding and squirming under the jaws of reef sharks. The idea is to get sharks to develop a taste for a fish they are not accustomed to eating. That’s right, Jiménez, who co-manages a dive operation in the Gardens of the Queen National Marine Park, is trying to teach one of the Caribbean’s biggest predators to eat a new type of fish.

Texas Lab Worker Aboard Caribbean Cruise Tests Negative for Ebola
Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed on Sunday that the Dallas hospital lab worker who worked with the specimens of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person to contract Ebola in the United States, has tested negative for the disease. The woman, a lab supervisor at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, embarked on a cruise headed for the Caribbean after being told to isolate herself. Before the ship docked at the port of Galveston, Texas, early on Sunday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard sent a helicopter to collect a blood sample from the woman to determine if she had contracted Ebola. It came back negative, according to Reuters. The State Department had originally planned to fly the woman back to the United States from Belize. But the cruise was not allowed to dock upon reaching both Mexico and Belize, for fears that the woman onboard may have contracted Ebola.

Travel to the ancient world of the Maya at the Museum of Science
Before his death more than 1,100 years ago in present-day Belize, the Maya ruler called Great Scrolled Skull expected to journey through the underworld and climb the "world tree’’ to be reborn into the sky as a god. His body was placed in a grand tomb at Santa Rita Corozal filled with decorated pottery, shell jewelry and precious ornaments including a jade mask likely worn as a necklace or belt ornament to symbolize his power. Instead of accompanying Great Scrolled Skull to his divine rebirth, his striking green mask, ceramic bowls, knives and other prestigious objects have journeyed to the Museum of Science as part of "Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed.’’ The largest exhibition on the ancient Maya ever shown in the U.S., it brings to Boston 250 artifacts, imposing replicas of carved monuments known as stelae and murals, and more than a dozen interactive devices to bring alive a Mesoamerican civilization of remarkable achievements still obscured by misconceptions.

Videos

Video: CALSA 2014 Educational Summit to Belize, 8min.
Trip video for the 2014 CALSA Educational Summit to Belize. Places visited: Carmelita Government School Lamanai Mayan Ruins Peccary Hills National Park Zip Lining & Cave Tubing Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Chaa Creek Center Santa Elena Primary School U.S. Ambassador Visit Belize Zoo Ambergris Caye

Video: Webinar The Lodge at Big Falls, Southern Belize, 54min.

Video: Cave Tubing in Belize - October 2014, 2.5min.

Video: Black Jaguar (Lucky Boy) @ Belize Zoo, 1.5min.
This black Jaguar was named LUCKY BOY let Amigos Jungle Tours take you on a Tour to the Belize Zoo and tell why!

Video: You Betta Belize it!, .5min.
Caye Caulker man peels coconut with his teeth!!!

Video: Belize Diving Summer 2014 - Turneffe Atoll, 9min.

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