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9/1/2017 to 9/10/2017
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Today's Belize News

September 10, 2017

Happy Battle of St. George's Caye Day!!!!


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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


The San Pedro Sun

Stakeholders meet to discuss Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan
The Department of Environment (DOE) held a meeting at the Radisson Fort George Hotel, with the aim of updating Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. Held from September 5th to the 7th, those in attendance included representatives from governmental and non- governmental agencies, as well as members from conservation communities. According to the DOE, it is the responsibility of all relevant agencies to plan and co-operate, since working closely together will ensure proper disaster risk management and protection of Belize’s terrestrial, aquatic and marine environment. The updating of Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan is important in strengthening Belize’s oil spill response capabilities by drawing on the knowledge and skills of all agencies. Throughout the meeting the discussion was based on how to develop and maintain preparedness to effectively respond to oil spill

SIB report indicates the cost of living is on the rise
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) released a report on August 30th, citing a rise in the cost of living for Belizeans. Figures released by the statistical institute show that the price of the goods and services regularly purchased by Belizean households were 0.6 % higher than they were at the same period in 2016. In addition, for the first seven months of 2017, a year-to-date inflation rate of 1.4 % has been recorded. SIB further reported that the total value of Belize’s domestic exports for the month of June 2017 was $36.8 million, down 30.2 % or $15.9 million from the $52.7 million recorded in June 2016. The SIB reported that a decrease in exports may have led to the increase in the cost of living in the country. Also, an increase in imports could have led to it, since taxes are imposed to all these imported products and most products consumed by Belizeans are foreign products. The items that went up, according to the SIB, are food and beverages, transport, fuels and housing miscellaneous such as electricity, water, rents etc. The San Pedro Sun spoke to owners of different businesses on the island, who explained that indeed the prices of the products are coming in higher than before, and the only thing they can do to make a profit is to increase the prices as well.

Misc Belizean Sources

mzz

Belize's grand Carnival continues!

Junior Bands kick off 2017 Carnival Road March!

CAYE CAULKER PARADE
Only pictures take from our parade last night if you have any please feel free to add in comments. Thank you to Atlantic Bank, Ocean Academy, C.C.R.C. School, La Isla Carinosa Academy, St Francis Xavier Credit Union for participating.

CAYE CAULKER BICYCLE PARADE
Our Children's bicycle parade was held yesterday. Thank you to all our participants.

Jen's Dog Grooming on Caye Caulker moving location
Jen's Dog Grooming will be moving on Tuesday Sept 12th to Bahia. I will be taking appointments at the current location for Monday Sept 11th. Reopening in the new location on Wednesday the 13th. Message me if you need anything for your pups!!!

Military Parade in Belmopan this morning
The coolest ever. Ready to serve and protect. Even the helicopters came out.

SHAME: Designated Stann Creek Queen of the Bay, Aaliyah Ysaguirre REMOVED
It is with heavy hearts that we, the Stann Creek Queen of the Bay Committee, express our disappointment in the actions by the National Queen of the Bay Committee to remove Ms. Stann Creek Aaliyah Ysaguirre as Queen Designate. We are extremely shocked that after being selected on pageant night as the rightful winner that there would be a subsequent secret judging five days later unknown to the Stann Creek committee who stood to lose the most. We would like to inform the public of the following: The National Queen of the Bay Committee, nor the Orange Walk Committee never informed us that there was a challenged lodged against the decision of the judges. We are appalled to learn that there was an emergency meeting with the Orange Walk committee where they clarified that they wanted the pageant reassess and scores changed, obviously in favour of their candidate.

Job Opening at BEL
A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for the post of Programmer Analyst in the Information & Communication Systems Department (Belize City).

Carnival J'ouvert 2017!

The Reporter

Miss Dangriga will be crowned Queen of the Bay instead of Miss Orange Walk!
Chairman of the September Celebrations, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber has over-ruled a decision made Friday by the National September Celebrations Committee. Faber, on his Facebook page tonight, announced that Miss Dangriga, Aaliyah Ysaguirre, will be crowned Queen of the Bay 2017, instead of Miss Orange Walk, Esmeralda Cal. Faber’s decision came after a meeting earlier tonight with the Stann Creek Queen of the Bay Committee, which asked him to intervene following the decision late Friday by the National Queen of the Bay Committee. In his Facebook post, Faber said: “Queen of the Bay coordinator Zenaida Moya was disrespectful and left the meeting without providing the right evidence that supported a queen other than Miss Stann Creek to take the crown tomorrow!”

Carnival road march 2017 hits the streets
Six senior and seven junior bands gave their best performances to thousands of spectators today, as the 2017 Carnival Road March moved through the streets of Belize City. Competitors in the Junior division included: Black Pearl, Sunshine Masqueraders, Mahogany Masqueraders, Soca Massive, Trench Town Masqueraders and Collet Royal Revelers. Competitors in the Senior category included: Titans Mass Band, Mother Natures’s Creation, Belizean United; Soca Moca Carnival Band, Fantasy Karnival Belize, and Belizean Jewel. The Carnival started at 1:00 p.m., following, for the first time, a revised route. The annual event started at the Yaborough area, as it traditionally does, moving onto Central American Boulevard. This year, however, the Carnival turned on to Vernon Street, instead of going up to Princess Margaret Drive.

Controversy over last-minute Queen of the Bay changes
The Stann Creek District Committee for the Queen of the Bay pageant is fighting a last-minute announcement by the pageants National Committee to substitute the 2017 pageant winner, Ms Dangriga, Aaliyah Ysaguirre, with first runner up Esmeralda Cal of Orange Walk. The National Committee made the announcement late Friday and that same night, the Stann Creek Committee fired off a press release, rexording its objection. The Stann Creek Committee held a press conference at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza this afternoon to outline the details of the controversy and to say how far they are prepared to go to resolve the issue. Stann Creek Coordinator, Sherima Guity, explained that she and her supporters are prepared to file legal action if necessary because the National Committee did not act fairly when it decided to hold a second scoring of the contestants some days after the pageant had been concluded.

Hurricane Jose expected to hit Caribbean islands ravaged by Irma
Hurricane Jose, a “dangerous category four hurricane”, is heading towards the eastern Caribbean islands already ravaged by Hurricane Irma earlier this week. At 10:00 a.m., today, Jose was about 160 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands, and was forecast to hit the outlying islands later today. The US national hurricane centre has issued hurricane warnings for St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, and tropical storm warnings for Barbuda, Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius. A troprical storm watch is in effect for British Virgin Islands, St. Thomas and St. John and Antigua.

Six persons shot following J’ouvert, minors included
A shooting at around 6:05 this morning after the Carnival J’ouvert has left six persons, including minors, injured. Police say the incident happened at the corner of Kelly and Wilson streets. Notably, this is in the vicinity of the new route that the Carnival parade will take later today. Police say the victims were among a number of persons who were walking on Wilson Street towards Kelly Street when two men approached and fired several shots into the crowd. The six victims are receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. They include: a 15 year-old female who was shot in her abdomen; a 17 year-old male who was grazed on the left leg; a 15 year-old male who suffered a bullet wound on the left leg; another 15 year-old male who was shot on the right leg and toe; Keith Wallace, 20, who was shot on the left foot; and Akeem Augustine, 22, who was shot on the right toe.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Belizean detained in El Salvador for carrying $500,000
According to NoticiasTRV Salvador, a Belizean and a Panamanian have been detained by authorities pending charges for carrying almost half a million dollars. The men will be charged for money laundering.

Progresso villager dies on motorcycle accident
Last night around 6:30, police received information of a traffic accident on the Progresso road at about 1 mile from the junction with Copper Bank.

Police find US $16,000 in Orange Walk
On Wednesday, September 6, 2017, Orange Walk police intercepted a vehicle on the Philip Goldson Highway. The vehicle, a 2000 model red four door Mazda car was at the junction on the San Roman road and was driven at the time by German Reyes, 21, of San Martin area, Belmopan with passengers; Marcialito Rodas Cuestas, 31, Omar Dario Guttierez Castañeda,36, Johnny Arregueta Velasquez, 31, Julie Enriqueta Suarez Chacon,34, all of Barrio Sutchitan, Melchor de Mencos Guatemala.

Two police officers charged for extortion
According to police reports, Sergeant Lenancio Bol and PC Daniel Requena were charged jointly for extortion yesterday. On Tuesday, September 6, 2017, the two officers detained 3 Honduran females who had no legal documents.

6 persons shot in Belize City
According to police reports, this morning around 6:05, after the culmination of Carnival Jouvert, police responded to information received of shots fired at the corner of Kelly and Wilson street. Six persons were seen at KHMH with gunshot injuries.

Deaf mute man remanded to prison for aggravated assault with a firearm
Forty one year old, Gaylon Foreman, a deaf mute with a swollen genital condition, was hauled into #2 Magistrate’s court this afternoon in Belize City. He could barely walk but still showed up to answer to the charge of aggravated assault with a firearm which was read to him with the assistance of an interpreter.

Elvis Aldana busted with weed at Magistrate Court
Elvis Aldana, 26, a fisherman of Rivero Street in Belize City, today was busted as he attempted to smuggle weed in a burger to an inmate in the cell at the Magistrate Court.He was taken before Magistrate Aretha Ford where he was read a charge of possession of a controlled drug.

BPP condemns police and calls for apology to Marisol Amaya
The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) has joined the voices of all concerned Belizeans who saw or heard about the man handling of KREMANDALA journalist and editor, Marisol Amaya, who was assaulted by police for no reason while documenting the PUP’s protest at Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk.

Senate hearing winding down
The Government of Belize is discontinuing funding for the Senate Special Select Committee, leading the inquiry into the Auditor General’s Special Audit Report on the Immigration and Nationality Department.

Women’s commission stand with KREM editor, Marisol Amaya
The National Women’s Commission (NWC) has joined the Opposition, Special Envoy for Women and Children, as well as KREMANDALA and other bodies in condemning the man handling of KREM Editor Marisol Amaya.

Blogs

Mini Parade in Corozal as part of the September Celebration 2017
The month of September is usually the fun part of your visit while being in Belize. I went to take pictures of a mini parade in Corozal. And, this mini parade is to collaborate the month of September to showcase the celebrations of Belize. 25 motorist came out for the parade. And, at midnight tonight there will be fireworks at Miami Beach.

September Day in Corozal Town
September celebration is one of the best months to Visit Belize. It's the tourist's off-season, which you know low price around Belize. Saint George's Caye is celebrated on the 10th of September. 290th years since the Battle of Saint George's Caye. Another main Holiday which is the 21st of September our, 36th years of our Independence Day is being Celebrated in Belize this year. As everyone is gearing up for Independence weekend in Corozal, I went to take pictures around Corozal town to update you about Belize's flag decorations. Offices and Houses around Belize decorate their houses and Offices to have a Belize's patriotic month of September. First thing, was I went to check up on Paty's Bistro Restuarant for some excellent food and wifi. It is right middle of town and has AC for you to sit back and enjoy your breakfast, lunch, and Dinner. And, you can sign your name on the wall.

International Sourcesizz

The Day I Survived the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave in Belize
The journey into the Mayan underworld in the Cayo District is not for the weak-kneed or gutless, but if you're going to Belize, you won't want to miss a trip to the Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the "Cave of the Stone Sepulchre." Locals simply call it "ATM." This gem, tucked into the jungle in the middle of Belize in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, has been deemed the #1 Sacred Cave in the world by National Geographic. With its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, the caves are stunning to behold. Contained within are Mayan artifacts and the final resting place of the "Crystal Maiden" (more on her later) and other victims of the Mayans' ceremonial human sacrifices. The cave is home to thirteen men, women, and children, all left more or less as they were discovered in by explorers 1989. The remains are calcified, giving them a sparkly (and somewhat eerie) appearance. But don't expect a cushy, air-conditioned tour bus to drop you off for a quick look around the place. If you want to see what's contained within, you're going to have to work for it. And maybe risk life and limb.

1954: coronel Jacobo Árbenz sale al exilio
Today marks The Anniversary Of The C.I.A. Overthrow Of The Jacobo Árbenz Gov Guatemala.
Un día como hoy 9 de septiembre de 1954 salía al exilio el ex presidente coronel Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán. luego de haber sido derrocado por el ejército de liberación nacional en complicidad con el gobierno de Estados Unidos, Prensa Libre registró dentro de su edición del 10 de septiembre de dicho año la abrupta salida del segundo presidente de la Revolución de 1944. Extremadamente pálido, con el gesto severo, lucía el coronel Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán, ex presidente de la República, cuando arribó al aeropuerto La Aurora, en compañía de su esposa y de sus hijos, para abordar el avión que los condujo a él y a otros de sus principales colaboradores, a México, bajo la protección de la bandera de ese país.

Videos

  • Steel Band hyped up the Carnival!, 1min. Listen to the sounds of the Caribbean culture!

  • Press conference by Stann Creek Queen of the Bay Committee to denounce the illegal ousting of Aaliyah Ysaguirre, 52min. Controversy in the Queen of Bay. Ms Stann Creek is being stripped of the crown. Some members of the executive committee made a decision to have the pageant re-scored and the title is now being given to Ms Orange Walk.

  • Carnival 2017 in Belize City, 4hr.

  • Water Is Life, Volume Three, 5min. The Casual Starfish family documents its adventures in, on, and around the sea as much as we can, and we've created this video series to share our adventures and the natural beauty we've seen along the way. (We'd also like to shine a little light into some of the little corners of the natural world, so that people don't forget they're there). Keep it casual, and enjoy.

  • Unbelizeable - 2 Weeks in Belize, 30min. Two weeks exploring the beautiful country of Belize. For a small country in Central America there is so much to do here. We snorkelled with incredible sea life, . Here is my trip report for San Pedro, Belize In this video youll see: Ambergris Caye, Akbol Yoga Resort, Hol Chan, Shark Ray Alley and Secret Beach A . Catch our last adventure of 2015 through beautiful Belize and Guatemala. Fantastic place to visit if you want to immerse yourself in nature, great people, good .

  • Belize 2017- San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, 3min. The week at Sunset Beach condos and time in the town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.

  • Fly Fishing San Pedro, Belize, 2.5min. Fly Fishing flats and guided tour provided by GOFISHBELIZE!

  • Flying to Ambergris Caye from Belize City, 1min. 15 minute ride by plane. Amazing views of the ocean.

  • Diving Adventures in Belize. Part 1: Trip to San Pedro, Nurse Sharks, 18min. Ambergris Caye. Diving with Nurse Sharks.

    September 9, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    San Pedro’s PUP 7 Slate revealed at Endorsement Convention
    With municipal elections set to take place on March 7, 2018, the Belize Rural South People’s United Party (PUP) town council slate hosted their endorsement convention on Thursday, August 7th in San Pedro Town. The convention was held next to the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex and saw a large crowd of supporters. The candidates aspiring to form the next town council are Andre Perez, Ian Pou, Marina Kay, Ruben Navidad, Undina Graniel, Dianelie Aranda and Johnia Duarte. Closing the convention was Deputy Party Leader Mai. Not only did he mention the terrible road conditions around the island, but he also stated that San Pedro Town’s tax revenue is higher than any municipality in the country. “If this island produces so many millions in taxes, why is the infrastructure in poor condition?” he asked.

    Social Security proposes workers contributions increase to 10%
    To make the national pension scheme and Social Security benefits financially sustainable, the Social Security Board (SSB) has proposed an increase in contributions to 10% of workers earnings, and to also raise the ceiling for insurable income from $320 per week to $500 per week. Simply put, expenditure has exceeded contributions, and this deficit is growing to a point where by 2021, it will become unsustainable. In 2014 the $73.6 million paid out in benefits exceeded the $72.1 million in workers’ contributions by $1.5 million. In 2015, the $78.5 million in benefits paid out exceeded the $77.3 million in contributions by $1.2 million. Last year the $82.8 million in benefits paid out exceed the $80.1 million in contributions by $3.4 million. This year, the deficit is expected to grow to $11.4 million as benefits are expected to exceed $93.2 million, but contributions are trending towards $81 million by the end of the year. Benefits have been increasing, while contributions are tapering off.

    Police says no reports made following alleged attacks to golf cart drivers in Northern Ambergris Caye
    At the end of August, several residents from northern Ambergris Caye reported on social media that they had been attacked and mugged by what appeared to be gangs of teenagers. The assaults done by the alleged group of teens were apparently taking place late in the evenings and mainly targeting people driving golf carts. According to police, they have beefed up operations north of town, but to date, they claim that no one has visited the police station to file a report. Information of the different incidents posted on social media included an attack on a lady, who was driving her golf cart late one evening. She claimed to have her two children with her when she was attacked. It is said that the assailants beat and robbed her. The police were made aware of the incident and visited the area where the attack apparently took place.

    Third whale perishes in Belizean waters
    The site of a dead sperm whale on Belize’s southern waters on Monday, August 28th, raised concerns as to what is happening to the whale population transiting through the region. The unfortunate discovery near the Silk Cayes in the Stann Creek District marks the third whale known to die in Belizean waters since April of 2016. As such, Belizean marine conservatives are trying to find out what is causing the death of these huge sea mammals that stray away to the country’s shallow shores. TIDE stated that samples from the dead whales were collected in order to determine the ultimate cause of death. They also indicated that as soon as they have results, they will share them with the public. Whales are known to travel great distances during migration season. Some whales travel to tropical and subtropical waters to breed and give birth. Some of these mammals can weigh up to 79,000 pounds.

    Ambergris Today

    Four Women Among San Pedro PUP 7 Candidates For Municipal Elections
    Amidst applause and high spirited cheering, the People's United Party (PUP) Belize Rural South slate for the upcoming Town Council Elections was endorsed and formally sworn in by the National PUP Chairman, Mr Henry Charles Usher. The endorsement convention of the PUP 7 took place on Thursday evening and was well attended by hundreds of residents from this municipality. The PUP slate is led by mayoral candidate Andre Perez and is supported by Ian Pou, Ruben Navidad, Marina Graniel Kay, Johnnia Duarte, Ondina Graniel and Dianeli Aranda. Mayoral candidate Andre Perez promised to bring visionary progress and hard work coupled with accountability and transparency. Highlighted was the fact that the slate of seven consists of four females candidates, a historic and notable accomplishment.

    The Special Envoy Speaks Out On Assault Of Female Journalist
    Message from Kim Simplis Barrow, First Lady of Belize - On September 6, 2017, frightening images were seen on national television of the unacceptable treatment of a female journalist by law enforcement officers. The journalist in question, Ms. Marisol Amaya of KREM News, was conducting an interview when she was assaulted by a police officer. Sadly, this is not the first time that Ms. Amaya, in her capacity as a journalist, has been disrespected in plain view on national television. As a citizen, I embrace the concept of a free press, given the role of journalists in a democratic society. The rights of journalists are enshrined in the Belize Constitution (Chapter 4), and they must therefore be afforded all rights and privileges as citizens of Belize.

    Tremors Shake Belizeans Out Of Their Beds - Strong Quake Hits Nearby Mexico
    Mexico’s 8.1 Earthquake Was Strong Enough to Significantly Shake Things up in Belize - At least 20 people have been killed after a magnitude-8.1 earthquake struck Mexico, causing a tsunami and warnings for countries across Central America. Belizeans were very startled at the very evident shaking taking place as usually only slight tremors have been felt during earthquakes in the region. There were no reports of damages in Belize, except for strong shaking followed by some swaying. Belizean’s reported feeling the tremors throughout the country, even on the Barrier Islands off the coast. There have been reports of structure damage in Guatemala.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    64 Police Officers Trained in Human Trafficking Identification and Referral
    The Anti-trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Council of Belize in collaboration with the Belize Police Department is conducting a series of trainings to build the capacity of Police Officers attached to the Domestic Violence Unit and Criminal Investigative Branch. The objectives of the sessions are to provide officers with a clear understanding of human trafficking and its related issues to build the capacity of police officers in victim identification and referral. So far, 64 officers have been trained in one-day workshops held in northern, eastern, and western areas of the country.

    World Suicide Prevention Day October 10th, 2017
    Story of Recovery: Carla, a 33-year-old hairdresser living in the Stann Creek District became suicidal about 5 years ago. At that time, she was in a dark place where she just “did not feel normal”. She describes experiencing racing thoughts, constant crying and an immense sadness, “I felt isolated, like nobody cared”, and soon she began to think that no one would hurt her if she were dead. She attempted to take her own life several times and felt that Depression was taking over her life. She knew she needed help and eventually she reached out to a psychiatric nurse practitioner (PNP) at the mental health clinic at the Southern Regional Hospital. At the clinic “the nurse listened to me and allowed me to talk” said Carla. She also received medications to help her with her Depression. She stresses that the overwhelming support she received from her family members and her employer complemented the treatment she was receiving from the PNP. The PNP also arranged family sessions where Carla's condition was explained and family members were taught how to support her.

    Memorandum of Understanding Signed for Port of Magical Belize.com Cruise Ship Docking Facility
    The Government of Belize signed a Memorandum of Understanding Thursday, September 7th, 2017, with Portico Enterprises Limited (the “Developer” doing business as Port of Magical Belize.com), to construct a world class Cruise Ship Docking Facility on a parcel of land located along the coastline just south of the Sibun River in the Belize District (the “Project”). The Port of MagicalBelize.com Cruise Ship Docking Facility, being led by David Gegg and Gulab Sharma, proposes to construct a cruise docking facility to accommodate four Oasis class cruise vessels in Phase I, inclusive of a marina, 120,000 square feet of retail space, a water park and pool area, an arts and craft centre, an aquarium and an indigenous cultural centre. Phase II of the project will include two (2) additional berthing docks, a Five (5) Star 300 room hotel and a water theme park. The total estimated investment size for Phase I of the Project is cited to be US $150 million.

    Metal Haven Bash VII
    The 7th annual Metal Haven Bash will be on November 4th, at the Los Angeles Sports Bar in Benque. Verge of Umbra, fresh off their win at the Waken Open Air Festival, will be headlining. Death Suppressor and Third Floor Mafia will also be performing. Tickets are going on sale this weekend, and are only $20.

    Los Crackers de Chetumal in San Pedro
    Crackers are presented for the first time on the beautiful island in the old football field to celebrate the independence of Central America, Mexico and Belize. There we go!!!!

    Hol Chan office getting new mural
    The Hol Chan office building has been sporting the colors blue and yellow for some years. And while we love our signature colors, we feel its time for a change. To brighten up the building, the neighborhood, and to display what we stand for "protection of our beautiful coral reef for future generations" we are in the process of getting a coral reef mural painted unto the front side of our building. Artist Eruterio Carillo of Chuy Arts has been contracted to make our ideas a reality. We hope that our San Pedro community will enjoy it once it is completed, and maybe feel a little more connected to our reef each day as they pass by.

    $21 flights in country Sept. 21 on Propic
    Celebrate with us this 21st of September with our $21 tickets countrywide! Tickets available at your local #TropicAir office ONLY! (Call 226-2626 for details on terms and conditions for this offer or check with your local Tropic Air office

    A BELIZEAN-AMERICAN BAND CALLED "THE WEBB"!
    The 1970's Belizean band in New York called, "The Webb", has passed right under the radar of many Belizean music enthusiasts and has been forgotten somewhat along the way as the 1980's and 90's brought American pop music through the airwaves of Radio Belize, and later the private radio stations of Belize. They became a popular R&B band that was made up of Belizean musicians like band leader and keyboard player, Jeffrey Adolphous, guitar player Eugene Adolphous, Patrick Pinkard on bass guitar, Patrick Flemming on trumpet and flugle horn, Erling Henderson on Saxaphone, Harrington Trapp on trombone and lead vocals, Ivan Domingo on drums, and Anthony Richards on percussions and lead vocals.

    BAMIKI BANDULA & THE BELIZEAN MUSICAL REVOLUTION!
    When Belizean musical brilliance Dickie Straughan came home to Belize from New York in 1980, he brought with him a vision for Belizean music that would change how Belizean musicians played music forever. Straughan was a trained jazz saxophone player who could play the best from Coltrane to Miles but he drafted up a group of musicians taken from two of the best Belizean bands at that time--- the Harmonettes and the Vibrations. Some of the best musicians had came to see this legendary Belizean musical innovator but only a few were able to deal with his disciplinary approach to moving from playing covers to composing original music for Belize that should have been done from the onset. Straughan gave music lessons and helped developed many of these musicians into better players and performers that when they exited into the modern world would be respected and would be able to play with the best in the world.

    NO BELIZE CELEBRATION SPIRIT WITHOUT ANDY PALACIO!
    The true heroes behind our music are really those first Garifuna fighters who in the 18th. Century on the island of Yurume, St. Vincent, stood up against slavery, colonization, and cultural domination. Those were the passionate words that a spiritually uplifted Andy Palacio uttered at the World Music Expo, WOMEX, in reception of the internationally acclaimed music prize in Spain in October 2007. He had finally culminated his cultural and musical crusade for the Garifuna people, and laid the seal to the mission to which he was called. The work of this incredible personality in Belizean history was a life that was lived and not preached. His was the life of a splendid character, whom if you had got to know him and the beliefs that embodied and drove his way of life, was the epitome of a humble cultural revolutionary. He was a man from the inception of his career who had a vision to change the present status quo of what today we call Belizean culture and music. He was the quiet warrior, sometimes quite unpredictable, who sacrificed most of his life for a cause that he truly believed in, the liberation of the Garinagu.

    "MISS AFRO HONDURAS", UBAD AND AMANDALA!
    Belizean Legends presents a special tribute and respect to "Miss Afro Honduras Pageant" and its second crowned contestant, Sheldon Vasquez, that was one of its kind in the former British Honduras now known as Belize. Seen here in this classic photo in capturing the historical title of the "Black & Proud" beauty pageant that was one of its kind presented by the United Black Association for Development (UBAD), Vasquez continues to speak about the "Miss Afro Honduras" in a truly cultural way that reflects the pride of Belizean black people of the 1960s and 70s. This was a period that appears to have not return again, cherishing the moment and documenting the history. During this time of Belize's 2017 September celebrations where the popular pageants of "Queen of the Bay" and "Miss Belize" stood the test of time, "Miss Afro Honduras" has been almost forgotten, and have been cancelled all together since the demise of UBAD, and that generation of black conscious Belizeans who had migrated to the United States. Belizean Legends presents a special tribute and respect to "Miss Afro Honduras Pageant" and its second crowned contestant, Sheldon Vasquez, that was one of its kind in the former British Honduras now known as Belize. Seen here in this classic photo in capturing the historical title of the "Black & Proud" beauty pageant that was one of its kind presented by the United Black Association for Development (UBAD), Vasquez continues to speak about the "Miss Afro Honduras" in a truly cultural way that reflects the pride of Belizean black people of the 1960s and 70s. This was a period that appears to have not return again, cherishing the moment and documenting the history. During this time of Belize's 2017 September celebrations where the popular pageants of "Queen of the Bay" and "Miss Belize" stood the test of time, "Miss Afro Honduras" has been almost forgotten, and have been cancelled all together since the demise of UBAD, and that generation of black conscious Belizeans who had migrated to the United States.

    TRIBUTE TO THE "SKYLITERS'!
    The 1970s Belizean-American band, the "Skyliters" of Los Angeles, California became one of the most popular Belizean bands on the West Coast of the United States. The legendary Belizean band recently lost one of its members, Thaddeus Barrow, who passed away in late August of this year. His brother, the legendary Patrick Barrow, was one of the brainchild of the band, and who went on later to form another legendary Belizean band, "Babylon Warriors". Babylon Warriors became one of the first Belizean reggae band to appear on the reggae music scene in the U.S.

    BELIZE'S MCC GARDEN & ACTION PACK FOOTBALL!
    Memories run while, and nostalgia haunts the Belizean football lovers, in remembering the knockout football tournaments at Belize's most popular football stadium of the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s golden age of Belizean sports, the "MCC Grounds" also called, "The Garden"!

    MUSICAL ARTIST OF BELIZE GLENN BOOD & HIS ORCHESTRA!
    It was the "Mass In Blues" musical project that the Belizean musician and trumpeter, Glenn Bood, received his notoriety in Belize's music scene. The most original Belizean musical project yet to date, that was composed and written by the Belizean musical phenom and classical concert pianist, Francis Reneau in the 1960's, featured Bood's melodic trumpet solo on the instrumental track, "Laura". "Mass In Blues", a classic Belizean musical masterpiece that is still hard to find up to today, could not had sounded better without the smooth jazzy touch of Bood's serenading horn.

    CONSUELO DUGAL& THE 1969 C.A.S.T GAMES IN BELIZE!
    She was called "The Panther" by the Jamaican coach "Sanchez" who went for his best batter against her. But Dugal still struck that batter out to put Belize ahead to win the 1969 Caribbean Amateur Softball Tournament (CAST). It was the finals: Belize versus Jamaica at the MCC Grounds!

    San Pedro Holiday Boat Parade
    Raise Me Up is proud to announce that the boat parade tradition will be kept alive again this year! Save the Date: Saturday, December 16, 2017 The first place prize for this year's winning boat will be $5,000 in cash! There are also thousands of dollars in cash and prizes for runners up and other category winners! Hey 2015 champs Ramon's Village Resort, do you have what it takes this year to beat 2016's champs Lisa and Ronnie Cyrier? Or will Chuck & Robbie's Scuba Diving & Instruction edge out this year to take the crown? Will San Pedro AIDS Commission win again this year for the charity category, or will Saga Humane Society or Belize Red Cross take it? All we know is that someone will take home the $5,000 cash prize this year; who will it be?? Send us a message to register your boat, or tag a friend or business in the comments if you want to see them in the boat parade! It's free to join, and charity registrants will receive a starter kit to kick off their decorations. Do you have a boat but don't have the help to decorate it? Let us know, and we'll find people or organizations to help you decorate!

    Attorney General’s Ministry Responds to Reports of Justices of the Peace Charging for Services
    The Attorney General’s Ministry continues to receive reports of Justices of the Peace soliciting remuneration for services they provide. The Ministry wishes to remind the public that Justices of the Peace are wholly disallowed from requesting or accepting any form of consideration for the duties (which they have signed an Oath of Allegiance and Office) they are to provide voluntarily, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, as a civic duty. The Ministry informs that any Justice of the Peace found to be guilty of soliciting any form of consideration from citizens will be removed, Pursuant to Section 3 s. 4(b) of the Justice of the Peace Act (Revised Edition 2011) which states:

    Stakeholder Consultations Belize Draft Tire Standards
    The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce hereby informs the public that notice is hereby given under Section 4(1) of the Standards (Preparation and Declaration) Regulations, 1997 that it proposes to recommend to the Standards Advisory Council that the following draft standards be declared compulsory Belize Standards: 1. The Belize Draft Specification for Pneumatic Passenger Car Tires; 2. The Belize Draft Standard Specification for Pneumatic Tires for Non-Passenger Vehicles; 3. The Belize Draft Standard Code of Practice for Storage of Tires, Inner Flaps and Tubes; and 4. The Belize Draft Standard Specification for Definitions of Terms used in the Pneumatic Tire Industry.

    Team Belize U21 played Honduras yesterday
    Team Belize won the first set 25-20 but let down on intensity and lost the second set 25-16. Belize was up very late in the 3rd set but lost it 25-23. Honduras pulled out the match winning set four 25-18. Francis Hauze had 25 points while Michael Jenkins had 20 points. Belize plays Panama this morning at 8:30 am and El Salvador at 7:30 pm tonight. Point by point, set by set. Let's go Belize!!!

    UB is requesting proposals for a lease or partnership arrangement to operate it's facility on Hunting Caye
    The station is located on the island which is 1.29 miles acres. Hunting Caye is located in the south of the Belize and it is about 36 miles from Punta Gorda Town. Hunting Caye lies within the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system, a World Heritage Site. The deadline for submission of proposals is September 18, 2017. For more information, contact Mr. Roy Polonio at rpolonio@ub.edu.bz Proposals are to be submitted to the Office of the President, University of Belize. or email: president@ub.edu.bz

    10th September 1931
    We at BARS are saddened by the utter devastation faced by thousands of our brothers and sisters on the affected islands in the Caribbean. We keep in our thoughts those that are in the trajectory path of Irma, those that will be forced to endure the wrath Jose and those in the path of Katia. Although Belize was blessed enough to be spared from Harvey, some made comments such as "Shucks, I wanted a day off work." Perhaps it is because they weren't alive during the major storms that have leveled Belize City or devastated the islands and the south. Today, we give you an excerpt from the book Cyclone written by Ernest E. Cain. It documents the arrival of the catastrophic Category 4 hurricane which devastated Belize on 10th September, 1931, normally a day of fanfare and merriment. We urge everyone to keep in mind how truly blessed we are as we approach our Tenth of September Celebrations. Have a fun and save weekend whether you spend it inside hiding from the hot sun or patiently waiting for the Carnival to arrive at your viewing spot. Have a beautiful and blessed Tenth everyone! Happy Battle of St. George's Caye Day!

    THE NORTHERN MAYA OF BELIZE TODAY
    The cotton plant was the basic product for making the wick for Candles used for Maya rituals as seen at the Maya Altar. Nojoch Chiich Anselma Yam(Maya elder over 102years) is skilled in doing this string (K'uuch) from Cotton with a spindle (Pechech) and a Jicara (Luuch).'Wax' produced by bees (Xunaan Kaab) was also a basic product. Honey is also used to sweeten wine made from 'Balche' bark used at the Primicias(Maya Thanksgiving), Cha Chaac and Hanal Pixan. Honey was also used to sweeten "Sacab" sacred corn drink offered at all Maya Rituals at the milpas. If you did not taste "Balche Wine and Sacab" at Marcus Canul Day you surely missed it because the Balche is only made for the Maya traditions already mentioned .

    Job Opportunity at BEL
    A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for the post of Human Resources Officer I in the Human Resources Department (Belize City)

    'Call for Artist' deadline extended
    Kindly be informed that the date for our 'Call for Artist' submission deadline has been extended to Wednesday September 13th, 2017. For further details, contact Ilona Smiling at ilona.smiling@nichbelize.org or Yusliedy Chan at yusleidy.chan@nichbelize.org, or you may also call our office at 223-4524. The Museum of Belize is inviting Belizean artists to submit up to three (3) pieces of their original artwork, to be displayed in our new art exhibition on September 29th, 2017. Pieces should be no bigger than 24 inches by 36 inches, and must be submitted by Friday, September 8th. Artwork does not need to be theme-based, but must be family appropriate content. For more information, contact Ilona Smiling at ilona.smiling@nichbelize.org....or Yusleidy Chan at yusleidy.chan@nichbelize.org. You can also call them at 223-4524.

    "Flight Cafe" opens in San Pedro
    We are happy to announce that we will be having our soft opening on Tuesday the 12th. We will offer 20% discount on all our coffee drinks and smoothies during all the week. We are welcoming everybody to stop by ! We are located at Sancas Plaza, right across from Tropic air.

    Channel 7

    Cops Take Aim At Media Using Social Media
    For the past 2 days, all the news has been about the showdown between police and the PUP at the Tower Hill Bridge. PUP leaders, supporters and the media got roughed up by the police Special Patrol Unit, as they tried to clear the bridge. But one member of the media seemed to have been targeted for special manhandling, and part of it is surely because she's a female. The police have deservedly taken heavy public criticism for it, and it seems, some police officers are not happy with the coverage. They've taken to Facebook to make their displeasure known. We've seen a posts like this one from a woman claiming to be a police officer who was on duty that day. She makes absolutely no apologies for her comment, which is laced with expletives, and translated from Kriol, it says, "We had a job to protect those people today, and they chose to make it hard on themselves...So, we did what we had to." End quote.

    Did the PUP Riot?
    And while police can do their own internal discipline, externally there are mounting questions on whether the commander on the scene of the Tower Hill uproar should have read the riot act before using physical force and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Yesterday, Broaster told us that the gathering did not meet the definition of a riot:.. ACP Edward Broaster, Operations Commander: "It didn't meet the threshold." Jules Vasquez, reporter: "What would that threshold be?" ACP Edward Broaster, Operations Commander: "Threshold would have been riotous act where they were throwing missiles and committing other crimes."

    Two More Officers Accused Of Extortion
    Tonight, 2 police officers are being accused of extorting a civilian of $800. They are 37 year-old Sergeant Lenancio Bol, and 30 year-old Constable Daniel Requena - but they were allegedly caught in a sting operation after the extortion. On Tuesday Estefania Gomez, was at work when a taxi driver friend called her. He told her that 3 of her female friends were detained by police because they did not have proper immigration documents. She asked to speak with the officer in charge, and she recognized his voice as Sergeant Bol, who she is familiar with. She offered Bol $600 to release her friends, and according to her, he said that that money was too small. Gomez said that she upped the offer to $800, and he accepted.

    Judge: Akeem Not Guilty In Ardon's Murder
    After spending 4 years and 5 months on remand, 22 year-old Akeem Augustine has been acquitted of the March 2013 murder of Ardon Belgrave. That's the decision that Justice Adolph Lucas handed down at the end of Augustine's trial without jury. On March 19, 2013, 27 year-old Belgrave was shot on Caesar Ridge Road in broad day light. Eyewitness reports say that his shooter was chasing another target, who escaped. The gunman then turned around and shot Belgrave in the head.

    Deadly Mexican Earthquake Shakes Belize
    Last night at a few minutes to 11:00, Belizeans all across the west and north felt their beds and walls shaking. Those were the tremors coming from a powerful earthquake off Mexico's west coast near it's border with Guatemala. At least 58 persons were in Mexico by the country's most powerful quake in a century. The effects of the quake were felt as far out as Mexico City, Guatemala, and of course, Belize got a little taste of it as well. If you're like me, you were terrified, while others didn't even know it happened. Today we went out to Albert Street to sample reaction to the quake.

    Caribbean Braces for More Battering
    Tonight, Hurricane Irma's southwestern eyewall is moving over the north coast of Cuba with maximum winds of 155 miles per hour. The storm tore through the Caribbean all this week, leaving a wake of massive destruction and devastation in places such as Antigua and Barbuda, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, and the US Virgin Islands, among others. And now, Hurricane Jose, A category four storm is heading right for Antigua and Barbuda. Today in St. LUCIA, Prime Minister Allen Chastanet - who is the chair of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean states held a press conference to discuss relief efforts being orchestrated by island nations close to those battered and wrecked by the storm:.. Here's one very direct account sent to us by a colleague from Antigua and Barbuda, as they prepare for another big hit from Jose:

    Imagine If Irma...
    So those two major tropical weather systems are terrorizing the eastern Caribbean, but Belize is very fortunate to be experiencing sunny and warm weather, perfect for the September Celebrations events on the calendar. But, while we celebrate Independence, our fellow Caribbean citizens in places like Bahamas are bracing for the worst this weekend as Cuba takes the beating tonight. Today, CEMO City Councillor Phillip Willoughby publicly breathed a sigh of relief. In a mood for reflection, he told us that Belizeans should be keeping the victims of Hurricane Irma in their prayers: Phillip Willoughby, Councillor: "That's a monster of a storm to be confronted with. We wish that on no one, no country, mo. people, but in light of what has taken place and what I have seen and I hope that the country of Belize even though we are in our festive mood at this time, take time out to look at what Harvey has done to the US, the State of Texas. Look at the islands affected and destroyed by Irma. Take time to search yourself and put yourself in those persons' position and really ravel with the situation they are facing at this time."

    Dead Sharks In A Net After Season Closes
    A few weeks ago we reported on a dead whale found by the Silk Cayes range. Well, today while giving a tour a San Pedro tour vessell came across a 500 foot net. Inside were two sharks that had been killed. The female, a tiger shark was reported to be about fifteen feet long and she may have been pregnant. The species of the other shark has not been identified yet. This came as a shock to many because the shark season is closed and the net that the sea animals were found in was far larger than the regulation size. The net did not have a tag on it so it is unclear at this time to who cast the net and caused the death of the two sharks.

    Cruise Port Craziness?
    Just two weeks ago, Government signed what it called a "Definitive Agreement" with the Feinstein Group to build the Stake Bank Cruise Docking Facility. That would be the first Cruise terminal in Belize where ships would actually be able to dock at the port, and not have to use cruise tenders. And now, there are reports that another agreement has been signed, this one with a group called Port of Magical belize.com. They say they want to build their own Cruise Ship Docking Facility which will be on a parcel of land along the coast just south of the Sibun Rivermouth in the Belize District. Port of Magical belize.com - which, oddly, even with a name like that, doesn't seem to have a website - is led by long time Cruise Tour Operator, David Gegg, and Free Zone businessman, Gulab Sharma.

    Keeping Citizens Safe In September
    Earlier this week, we told you how police took 2 explosives off the streets. This first was a seismic detonator type explosive used in oil exploration, and the other was a live Austrian defensive grenade. Both of these are extreme dangers to public safety especially for the duration of the September Celebrations where tens of thousands of Belizeans come out for the events such as J'ouvert, Carnival, the St. George's Caye Day, and Independence Day Parades. So, the police are on high alert. And today, two of the ranking officers, Assistant Police Commissioners Edward Broaster and Dezerie Philips, held a press brief to reassure you, the viewer, that they will do their best to keep you safe.

    Police Minister Not Protecting "Prima"
    The Amy Forte land fraud and forgery case that was making so much news a week ago has fizzled tonight - and that's because Amy Forte has still not made a police complaint. But, the investigation is still live - and Darlene Padron - the justice of the peace who signed the conveyance from Forte to Andre Vega remains a key figure in the case. She has said that there was no forgery and it was Amy Forte who came before her to sign the conveyance.

    No More Hustling "Japes"
    And so while Darlene Padron is under scrutiny in this land deal as the Justice of the Peace who signed off, the Attorney General's Ministry is reporting that they have been hearing of JP's demanding payment for their services. A press release from the Government says, quote, "The Ministry wishes to remind the public that Justices of the Peace are wholly disallowed from requesting or accepting any form of consideration for the duties...they are to provide voluntarily, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, as a civic duty." End quote

    Cops Learn Human Traffic Detection Techniques
    Police officers from all over the country have been participating in human trafficking training for the past 2 weeks now. They've been attending sessions with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council to identify and address instances of human trafficking. The hope is that these trained officers will be able to conduct victim identification and referrals. So far, 64 officers have been trained in one-day workshops in the north, the east and the western parts of the country.

    A Week To Learn Letters and Words
    Today was celebrated as International Literacy Day all around the world - the day set aside to highlight the importance of reading to school children. Here in Belize, the District Education Centers organized events in the 6 districts under the theme, "Read to a Child Today, and Every Day". We checked in on the activities organized by the Belize District and learned about literacy: The Ministry also held a digital literacy showcase to demonstrate how technology can enhance reading and learning.

    Cops Seized Caesar Ridge Road Weed
    Yesterday morning, the Police Special Assignment Team found about a pound and a half of weed in the area of Cesar Ridge Road. They found 27 ounces of weed along with 14 live rounds of 9mm ammunition.

    One Burger, No Mayo, Extra Marijuana!
    That wasn't extra lettuce in your burger! That green, leafy substance was weed! That's what police must have told 26 year-old Elvis Aldana, a resident of Rivero Street, Belize City, after he tried to smuggle weed to a prisoner at the Magistrate's Court cellblock. The authorities say that he hid it inside a burger. A police officer working at the cell block said that Aldana handed him a burger to give to Trevor Guy, a man on remand who was brought to court for bail. The officer opened the burger and found 2.5 grams of marijuana stuffed inside. Aldana was charged with drug possession, and when he was arraigned before Magistrate Aretha Ford, he wasted no time and pleaded guilty.

    The Legend Of Lamb Lives
    This evening some Belize's senior citizens went on a short but special pilgrimage to the Lord Ridge Cemetery to honor a few Belizean patriots by laying a wreath on their graves. We caught them as they were honoring Simon Lamb - the man who fought to make the Tenth of September a national celebration. They told us more about Lamb and the impact he had in Belize. The seniors hope to continue this tradition every year.

    More Mas Camp Madness
    All this week we've been taking you inside the Carnival Mas Camps. Its an integral part of the Carnival judging and the bands have to show organization, and strong spirit from their band members. Here's what the last four bands showed us, and the judges. Nadia Avila, Mahogany Masqueraders: "The costumes they are very detailed and difficult to make sometimes it's good to go outside of the box so I have to bring out things that would suit the judge so the kids and the general; public and I must say it was difficult but due to the assistance from my friend Ms. Jackie my other half Mr. Mcoy, Ms Julie and the kids of course. The kids gave me hope."

    Bone Crunching Competition
    Next weekend a competition like no other will take place. It's a chicken foot eating competition. Competitors will have to down as many feet as they can in ten bone crunching minutes. However chicken foot is not the only thing on the menu. Pat King the organizer of this charitable event told us more. Sahar Vasquez, reporter: "What can you tell us about the event that you are having?" Pat King, Organizer: "It's Friday night September 15th at the Corozal Civic Center. There are two different events. One is the rum, rice, and rib tasting event. The other is the very first Belizean National Chicken foot eating contest. The rum, rib and rice tasting competition, chefs will prepare their specialties for guests to come in and taste."

    Steve Harvey Lives at QOTB
    And before we go tonight, there's one stop the press moment that's left our head spinning. A release sent on letterhead from the Queen of the Bay Secretariat would make even Steve Harvey's head spin. It says that the national Queen of The Bay Committee has chosen a new Queen of the Bay. Based on a protest, scores were reassessed and the certified reassessment determined that Miss Orange Walk, Esmeralda Cal, is the 72nd Queen of the Bay. The release says, quote, "The National Committee is satisfied with the due process. Miss Cal will be crowned on September 10th, 2017, at the official crowning ceremony to be held at the Memorial Park.

    Channel 5

    Getting prepared for holiday weekend with Police; threats addressed
    As Belizeans prepare to start the extended celebration weekend, citizen’s security is a huge concern in light of lethal explosives found in recent days. A number of mass events such [...]

    What did Home Affairs Minister really mean with media jibe over riot?
    Are mixed signals being sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs? The Police Department spent upwards of half an hour at its Thursday press conference seeking to justify its treatment [...]

    Cops vent on social media; one is reprimanded by bosses
    The unfortunate incident on Wednesday during which reporter Marisol Amaya was physically assaulted by members of the Special Patrol Unit on the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk, remains a [...]

    Orange Walkeños to have final say over return of Gapi Vega
    The news according to Orange Walk North area representative Gaspar Vega that he is considering running for another term put a cat among the pigeons in the United Democratic Party’s [...]

    Embattled rep has no answers for land scam
    The Orange Walk North area representative made his first televised interview in several months during Wednesday’s protests, but was careful to skirt the issue of activities at the Ministry of [...]

    Cops to court for extortion
    A pair of officers attached to Precinct Three in Belize City is out on bail after being arraigned on extortion related charges earlier today.  The duo, identified as Sergeant Lenancio [...]

    Succotz tour guide killed in border area
    A Belizean was reportedly killed in the Champon area of the western border with Guatemala. News Five has learned that San Jose Succotz tour guide Carlos “Botty” Manzanero was at [...]

    Catholic leader in Belmopan promises “re-negotiation” over St. Michael’s land
    Pressure from members of the subdivision of Las Flores in Belmopan seems to have turned the Catholic Church around on the issue of two parcels of land located next to [...]

    Mom delivers triplets at K.H.M.H.
    A set of triplets was delivered at the K.H.M.H.’s Labour and Delivery Unit on Tuesday. Sometime, around ten that morning, the first time mother delivered two boys and one girl. [...]

    Shutdown of surgeries in North delivers heavier workload to Karl Heusner
    Holiday weekends often carry a greater load of patients for the national referral hospital, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. This weekend, that load increases because all surgery [...]

    New cruise port to be built in southern Belize District
    Before Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Harvest Caye opened last November, Belize had exactly zero docking facilities for visiting cruise ships. With construction set to open on Michael Feinstein’s Stake Bank project [...]

    Developer touts greater opportunities for villagers, established workers
    A second phase to the project will add two berthing docks and a five-star three hundred-room hotel and water theme park. The Government, represented at the signing by Minister of [...]

    Man walks from Ardon Belgrave murder
    After four years and six months on remand for the murder of Ardon Belgrave in March 2013, Akeem Augustine, is freed of murder. Belgrave was shot and executed while on [...]

    Belizeans felt the Earth move after Chiapas quake
    Latest reports say that at least fifty-eight persons have lost their lives following a magnitude eight point one earthquake in Mexico on Thursday night, causing tsunami warnings for countries across [...]

    Irma races for Florida, leaving destruction across Northern Caribbean
    Since the start of this week we have been showing you the devastation of Hurricane Irma across the Caribbean, particularly the Leeward Islands. St Barthelemy, St Maarten, Barbuda and several [...]

    J.P.’s warned not to charge for services
    No justice of the peace should be asking people to pay for services they provide for free. That is according to the Attorney General’s Ministry, which sent out a statement [...]

    Celebrating International Literacy Day
    The digital world is changing rapidly as we know. We can get information at our fingertips with just the click of button as long we have access to the internet [...]

    Channel Five is the place to be for Carnival!
    This Saturday Channel Five will be bringing you a comprehensive and live coverage of the 2017 annual carnival road march. Our coverage starts at one in the afternoon and hosts [...]

    The final night of mas camps
    Junior and senior bands showed off their costumes on Thursday night at various camps around the city. Four bands were the last to be judged in this season prior to [...]

    LOVE FM

    http://lovefm.com/2017/09/08/two-police-officers-charged-for-extortion/Two Police Officers Charged for Extortion
    Thirty seven year old Sergeant of Police Lenancio Bol and 30 year old police constable Daniel Requena, both attached to Precinct three in Belize City, were jointly charged for extortion following an incident that happened on Tuesday September 5. According to an official police release on the incident, on that day the officers detained three […]

    Police Officer in trouble for lashing out the media on Facebook
    And while on the topic of police conduct, there is another police officer who has found himself in trouble with the Department’s command. His fault was posting on Facebook. While the department doesn’t prohibit officers from being on social media, we learned today that there are social media policies they must follow. So what happened? […]

    NWC condemns man-handling of Female Journalist
    The National Women’s Commission fired off a release this morning expressing outrage over the treatment of female journalist Marisol Amaya. (VO STARTS) The NWC condemns the man-handling of Amaya saying that such acts of assault upon anyone, let alone a woman in the media are a form of gender-based violence that must not be tolerated. […]

    UDP comments on PUP’s blocking of Toll Bridge
    The Orange Walk UDP Executive Committee says what the PUP staged at the Toll Bridge on Wednesday was quote, “irresponsible, foolish and a wanton disregard for the public safety”. End of quote. The UDP is holding Opposition Leader John Briceno and his colleagues responsible for what unfolded on the Toll Bridge. A release from the […]

    Elrington comments on Toll Bridge incident
    The public outcry on the incident at the Toll Bridge in Tower Hill Orange Walk continues to dominate conversations this week, even as police have apologized to the media and other persons who were caught in the middle of the chaos. On Thursday, the media spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington who told […]

    Commissioner of Police on sick leave
    Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie is absenting himself from his position for at least two months. He was on one month’s leave and is now on another month’s sick leave. Is the Ministry concerned that the Police’s high command is out of office for so long? Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs […]

    Kareem Augustine walks from murder charge
    Kareem Augustine, charged with the murder of Ardon Belgrave, was acquitted of the charge today by Justice Adolph Lucas in a trial without jury. Belgrave was shot and killed on March 19, 2013, on Caesar Ridge Road. In his ruling Justice Lucas said that the Crown has failed to prove beyond a reasonable that it […]

    The Police reassure the public it’s safe to celebrate
    The September fever continues on Saturday starting early in the morning with the Carnival Jouvert starting at four o’clock and hours later Belizeans converge in the City for the Carnival parade. Today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Edward Broaster, Operations commander and Central Regional Commander Dezerie Magdaleno met with the media to inform the public that […]

    Has the public lost confidence in the Police?
    But while ACP Broaster has asked that officers conduct themselves appropriately, he was asked whether the public can indeed feel assured that the police personnel will not in fact engage in the use of excessive and unwarranted force. There was a suggestion that the public may be somewhat nervous around the police at the moment. […]

    Inauguration of Schools
    Four schools were inaugurated today down south. The construction of two primary and two preschools in the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts were recently completed. The Government secured a grant valued more than two million dollars from the Caribbean Development Bank under the bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund Programme for the construction of the schools […]

    Amandala

    Mauling Marisol!!
    Belizeans across the length and breadth of the nation were stunned after they heard of, or saw the shocking display of excessive police force pointedly used on KREM Radio/TV’s stellar news editor, Marisol Amaya, at the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk yesterday. Marisol, who was covering an event, a “protest march against government corruption” organized by the People’s United Party, Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, was grabbed from behind, while doing an interview, and thrown to the ground by Inspector Aaron Gamboa, the Officer Commanding the Special Patrol Unit (SPU). While she was on the ground, another male officer of the SPU, identified as Nicholas Gomez, made an attempt to hit the journalist with his baton. Fortunately, Amaya’s colleague from CTV3, Fernando Pier Sanchez, heroically stuck out his hand, thereby saving her from the blow.

    In police custody, almost 5 pounds of suspected cocaine turns into sugar!
    A Dangriga man who was remanded on a charge of drug trafficking for allegedly having in his possession 2.2 kilos (4.85 pounds) of cocaine, was cleared of the charge this morning when he was brought to court from the Belize Central Prison, where he has been since July 31, when he was arraigned on the charge. Keenan Flores, 23, appeared before Magistrate Aretha Ford, but the magistrate told him that the prosecution had withdrawn the charge against him based on a memorandum that was sent by the Belize Forensic and Science Services, in which the lab declared that the substance that was supposedly cocaine was in fact sugar.

    Corruption has reached a peak – enough is enough, say the PUP
    The Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) today had an impressive turnout after declaring over the weekend that it would march on the town of Orange Walk, home to embattled former UDP Cabinet Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Margarito Gaspar “Gapi” Vega. Vega’s supporters also staged their own gathering in defense of his “honesty” and “integrity.” However, the turnout of about fifty persons could not compare to over a thousand PUP protesters from across the country who poured into the town just before 9 o’clock this morning, creating a blue wave at the San Lorenzo Road near the Northern Regional Hospital. From there, the crowd marched peacefully, but loudly, on the Philip Goldson Highway, the Otro Benque Road, Hospital Crescent, Main Street, Bakers Street, Queen Victoria Avenue and finally to Central Park, where a short rally was held.

    In Belize, an average of 2 suicides occur each month
    Most suicides in Belize don’t actually make the news. According to information published this week by the Ministry of Health, Belize has averaged about 2 suicides per month over the past 5 years (2012-2016), whereas there have been an average of 6 suicide attempts a month over the same period. What the data shows is that the vast majority of suicide victims are males (a ratio of 4 males to every female), whereas the vast majority of attempts are made by women (6 in 10 or roughly 60%). For the 5-year span, there were 113 suicides: 75 of them by hanging, 24 by medication or poison, 8 by firearm, 2 by drowning, 2 by cutting blades, and 1 by fire. By location, the bulk of cases were from the Cayo District: 31, followed next in line by the Belize District: 27.

    8.0 magnitude earthquake offshore Mexico rocks Belize
    Belizeans from Corozal and San Pedro all the way down to the southern parts of the country reported tonight that they felt the shaking caused for several minutes by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake which happened offshore Chiapas, Mexico, at around 10:50 p.m. Belize City, followed by powerful aftershocks. The earthquake—which had its epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, 60 miles southwest of Pijijiapan, just north of the Mexico-Guatemala border and 6.2 miles below the surface at 15.13 N latitude and 93.95 W longitude—is said to have caused “slightly damaging effects” in Mexico, where people fled buildings in the capital city amid the earthquake. The quake was also felt in neighboring Guatemala.

    Warriors on Wheels founder, Mary Alisa Franklin, brings campaign to Belize
    Unless you’ve spent a day in a wheelchair, you very likely cannot begin to fathom the everyday challenges with which a paraplegic has to contend on a regular basis. Imagine having to crawl up the stairway to get into a plane because help is refused, as was the case with a man in Japan, to enable safe boarding onto a commercial flight! And imagine the dread of being carried down wobbly stairs from an aircraft, just because a lift, which would make for safer conveyance, is unavailable. Provisions to enable people with diverse abilities to move around as independently as possible are fundamental to ensuring that these persons can go where they want to go, when they need to go. It is their right to seek and demand the fullest human existence possible.

    WW Albert Street Criterium 2017 results
    Here are the results from the September Criterium races held yesterday, Sunday, September 3, on the Albert & Regent Street circuits. Races started at 1:00 p.m. Categories included Weekend Warriors (WW) “C”, “B” and “A,” as well as Cycling Federation of Belize, (CFB) Juniors and Elites. Weekend Warriors “C” (10 laps): 1st place – Steve Gill (Smart, 28:38); 2nd Taralee Ordonez (Kulture Megabytes); 3rd Kaylen Gillett (Kulture Megabytes); 4th Anthea Sutherland (Team BFSC); and 5th Karl Mahler (unattached). Weekend Warriors “B” (15 laps): 1st place – Marvin Hyde (unattached, 49:25); 2nd Santino Castillo (Santino’s, st); 3rd Ryan Willoughby (Valvoline); 4th Mark Reid (Santino’s); 5th Gilberto Acosta (Santino’s); 6th Raymond Hyde (Santino’s); 7th Ruthford Cunningham (Spinnaz); and 8th Ian Abraham (Smart). 3 other riders failed to finish.

    Dangriga sports stats
    The Dangriga Basketball Association (DBA) U-21 semifinals took place at the Ecumenical Auditorium on Saturday, September 2. In the semifinals game 1, Harlem Shockers prevailed, 61-52, over Foreshore Pelicans. For Harlem Shockers, Donell Arzu had 24 pts, Howard Arzu 17 pts 12 rebs, and Dylan Flores 5 pts 11 rebs; while for Foreshore Pelicans it was Lesley Williams 20 pts 12 rebs, Deon Castillo 12 pts 8 rebs, and Erwin Middleton 9 pts 3 rebs. Dangriga Town Council, in conjunction with Dangriga Amateur Cycling Association, along with the Dangriga Town Council September Celebrations Executive, will be hosting the first annual Mayor’s Cycling Classic, which will be a Criterium, 10 laps around Dangriga Town, on Monday, September 11, that will be a public and bank holiday.

    “In the Paint” – INTEROFFICE BASKETBALL
    With the # 1 seeded Dragons winning their semifinal match-up, 84-76, over Tuff E Nuff on Saturday night; and the defending champs, Belize Bank Bulldogs wrapping up their semifinal leg over Central Health by the final score of 81-73, we’re about to get a finals dream match-up with the #1 seed facing the #2 seed. While a number of the Dragons players have played in the finals before, from a team name perspective, this is the first time they will be in the finals; and on the other hand, the Bulldogs will be looking to complete a three-peat for the first time, a feat which has never been attained in this modern version of Interoffice Basketball.

    Measured steps forward for FFB, after more hiccups in 3rd Extraordinary Congress on Saturday
    The media is not welcome inside the room at Football Federation of Belize (FFB) Congress meetings; and after over five hours of their closed door session this past Saturday morning, September 2, at the Princess Ramada hotel, Acting-President Marlon Kuylen answered questions from the press on the obstacles crossed at the Congress and those still in the way of the Federation. On the plus side, Kuylen reported that, as opposed to the completely failed Ordinary Congress in late June of this year, when a quorum of members could not be achieved, this past Saturday’s Extraordinary Congress enjoyed one hundred per cent attendance from members of the Federation. But that was still not enough to successfully complete all the agenda items proposed to be settled at the meeting.

    Editorial: Who gave the order?
    Our feeling at this newspaper is that a civilian politician gave the order for KREM Radio/TV News Editor, Marisol Amaya, to be manhandled and abused on the Tower Hill Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, September 6, 2017. There is, of course, the possibility that Inspector of Police, Aaron Gamboa, who did the actual manhandling, and was videotaped doing so, acted on his own initiative, as commander of the Special Patrol Unit (security forces). Whether he acted on his own initiative or was following orders from a superior, Inspector Gamboa made a mistake which will haunt him for the rest of his life. A few months ago, May 18, 2017, to be exact, during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee which is investigating the various scandals at the Immigration Department, Brian Audinett, an activist of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) who is their sergeant-at-arms in the House of Representatives, assaulted the aforementioned Marisol Amaya, who was covering those hearings and was responding as a professional journalist to an uproar in the gallery led by UDP Chairman, Alberto August.

    A Francis Arana Independence essay submitted by his son, John
    Editor Amandala, Warm greetings. If you can, could you please publish sometime this month the Independence Essay “Independence is just the beginning” attached, written by my late father, Frank Arana, in 1981 before the discovery of oil in Spanish Lookout and Never Delay and before the discovery of gold in the Ceibo Chico. As a backstory, my Dad was affected by “pink eye” and was at home when he became aware of the Independence Essay competition and since he was on sick leave decided to participate and won the second prize. Thanks very much. Best regards,

    “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” (Buddha)
    Here’s a statement that’s not even controversial any more, but needs to be said: From top to bottom the GOB oligarchy is little more than a criminal enterprise. Period. The expression “thick as thieves”, meaning “partners in crime”, seems particularly appropriate when describing the Dishonorable’s who haunt the halls in Belmopan, and who are recognizable by their lack of a moral or ethical compass. If you believed that the Government was honest and fair-minded you’d be the only one! What I find bedeviling is why Belizeans are not more outraged over the criminal behavior emanating from every opaque and corrupt Ministry. “What it is, is what it is” (there’s a credible assurance that nothing will be done) indeed Mr. Barrow, and that would be a country without a leader who believes in Truth and Justice, Truth and Accountability, who is blind to Lies and Obfuscation; a morally bankrupt country. If there is no justice then the meaning of life is lost, and in order to get justice, you need to have truth.

    The etymology of the name “Belize”
    According to legend (no proof available), the name “Belize” is a corruption of the name of one Peter Wallace, a buccaneer who sometime in the 1600’s was driven from the island of Tortuga by the Spaniards, but then sailed west, arriving at the mouth of what is now the Haulover Creek (not the mouth of the Belize River), where he set up a camp. It is alleged that the Spaniards called the “river” Valis or Balis; this legend is attributed to the Dominican priest, Fray Jose Delgado. There is also the suggestion that “Belize” is derived from the French word balise, or beacon. E. O. Winzerling, in his book “The Beginning of British Honduras 1506-1765,” suggested that French corsairs were in the area before 1600 and others have suggested that they used to mark channels through the mangroves with “beacons.” The most plausible or reasonable hypothesis is that “Belize” is of Maya origin, at least most scholars are of that view, and my most believable is that of the late Dr. Eric Thompson, the world-renowned anthropologist and hieroglyphics expert credited with cracking the Maya code.

    A tale of two mysteries
    Belize originally should have been politically independent in the mid 1960s; at least that was what the UK hoped during the government of Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home. The Prime Minster wanted to join the European Common Market and his chances would have been improved without the encumbrance of colonial territories. However, Alec Douglas–Home was Prime Minister for less than a year, so his successor, PM Harold Wilson, had to continue the task which was first offered to Colonial Secretary, Anthony Greenwood (he came to Belize in October of 1965 to inaugurate the city of Belmopan). Greenwood refused the offer and threatened to resign if his hand was forced. He was moved to Ministry of Overseas Development and Duncan Sandys accepted the post of Colonial Secretary and was able to get rid of eleven colonies. Belize would have been #12 but for the territorial dispute with the Republic of Guatemala. Sandys was eager to do the job and in a secret memo to his staff he is quoted as saying, “Britain has no desire to hold on to her remaining colonies a day longer than is necessary. Politically, they involve much unwelcome controversy with the outside world and economically we draw no profit from our sovereignty.”

    Right to the Point
    I had seen a notice that the PUP were holding an anti-corruption march in Orange Walk and wanted to attend. I wanted to attend because I am tired of the passive nature of our people in the face of all this corruption and it’s like at the core we are all corrupt and are comfortable in it. I honestly did not mind that it was a political party that was doing it, even though I am not a supporter of that party and really have only had a card membership in the United Democratic Party. Nevertheless, I am fully aware that Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition needs to act, otherwise it is best they be removed as the official opposition in our government, as they too form part of our system of governance and cannot continue to fail us in denouncing the ills and corruption of this Barrow/Vega/Faber administration. I know lots of people cannot appreciate this finer point of our governance because they are too caught up in the divide-and rule political tribalism… but I am beyond that… I can stand with the PUP against corruption in a rally, and I know that my standing alongside them does not mean I join their party or even would wish to be a card-carrying member.

    Ambush in San Pedro; one dead, one hospitalized
    Rudolph Pitts, 36, a maintenance worker at a resort in northern San Pedro, was found dead at about 3:30 this afternoon in some bushes off a back road in northern San Pedro, with 4 gunshot wounds in his chest and abdomen. San Pedro police were looking for Pitts after he was reported missing after 8:30 last night by his friend and co-worker Edgar Lopez, 22, of San Pedro, also a maintenance worker at the same resort. Lopez told police that he and Pitts were walking on a back road in northern San Pedro at about 8:30 last night when three men came out of the bushes and opened fire on them.

    Miss Jane celebrates 100th birthday
    Dr. Jane Ellen Usher (nationally and affectionately known as Miss Jane), the longest running Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the country, and the Caribbean, today celebrated her 100th birthday. Miss Jane, who lives on the Philip Goldson Highway, has been CEO of the Holy Redeemer Credit Union (HRCU), the largest and most asset-rich credit union in the country — with assets of over $501.2 million dollars and a record 50,564 members — since 1956. True to her spirit, Miss Jane spent her birthday at work at HRCU, on Hydes Lane, where she initially worked as a clerk when she joined the organization in 1944. On her birthday, she said she feels truly blessed to have reached this milestone of 100 years. She loves to go to her workplace, where she gets the opportunity to talk to staff members and of course, the member-owners of HRCU. She says she is humbled to be at the forefront as CEO of the largest credit union in Belize, which is also among the largest in the Caribbean region.

    Back from hiatus, Senate Special Select Committee calls Immigration Director Diana Locke
    The Senate Special Select Committee commissioned to probe into the latest immigration controversy unearthed by a 3-volume audit into the issuance of Belizean visas, nationality, and passports by Belize’s Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, ended its hiatus when it called Immigration Director Diana Locke to appear this afternoon inside the National Assembly in Belmopan. Locke spoke of continued challenges even as they have moved to put new systems in place to curb acts of impropriety. Senator for the business community, Mark Lizarraga, asked Locke: “We have heard quite a bit about this culture of corruption that existed in this Department. Was this your experience when you came to the department, Director; did you encounter a culture of corruption?”

    Road collision claims the life of Joaquin Viamill, 38
    Joaquin Viamill, 38, a businessman of Carmelita, Orange Walk District, lost his life at about 7:30 last night in a traffic accident on the Philip Goldson Highway. Viamill and his wife, Julissa, 37, were traveling in their SUV from Orange Walk to Belize City when on arriving near Mile 15, Viamill, who was driving, lost control of the vehicle, which overturned several times and landed on top of Viamill, who was thrown out when it flipped. People who saw the accident moved the SUV off Viamill. Viamill suffered massive head and body injuries and reportedly died immediately.

    The Reporter

    Man crashes and dies while racing on motorcycle
    A man lost his life earlier tonight in a motorcycle accident in the Orange Walk district. Police say that at around 6:30 p.m., they received information of a traffic accident on the Progreso road, about a mile from the junction with Copper Bank. When they […]

    HRCU’s Mrs Jane Usher celebrates a century
    Tuesday September 5, 2017 marked an important milestone in the life of well-known Belizean Icon, Dr. Jane Ellen Usher as she celebrated 100-years-of life on earth, of which she has dedicated most of her years to serving the people of Belize. Born as Jane Ellen […]

    Hurricane Irma wreaks havoc on Caribbean islands; 2 more on the way!
    Hurricane Irma – the most powerful hurricane ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean – wreaked havoc over parts of the northern Caribbean as a Category 5 monster hurricane, with heavy rains and maximum sustained winds of 185 mph this week. Irma ripped through Barbuda, St. […]

    GOB says Hurricane Harvey to blame for new gas price hikes
    The price per gallon of gasoline in Belize is about to go even higher, and the Government of Belize says that the increase is due to Hurricane Harvey, which hit the United States earlier this month. GOB issued a statement on Monday, explaining that the […]

    Churches against celebrating the 10th on the 10th
    The much anticipated September celebrations in Belize have officially kicked off countrywide, however the Belize Council of Churches is demanding that the 10th of September celebration not be observed on the 10th on account of it falling on a Sunday. The Council expressed its dismay […]

    Aaliyah Ysaguirre wins Queen of Bay 2017
    Miss Stann Creek Aaliyah Ysaguirre returned the Queen of the Bay crown to the culture capital Dangriga for the third consecutive year, as she won the judges’ approval with her eloquence and poise, when the Queen of the Bay committee held 72nd annual pageant at Birds Isle last Saturday night, […]

    Man crushed to death in tragic accident, wife survives
    A 37-year-old Carmelita village reisdent, Julissa Villamil, is recovering from injuries to her leg while mourning her husband, Joaquin Villamil, 38, who was crushed to death in an accident between miles 14 and 15 of the Philip Goldson highway on Wednesday night. According to police, […]

    Police find 2 explosives in less than four days!
    Police searches conducted in two abandoned lots between Saturday and Wednesday morning have unearthed two explosive devices capable of causing mass casualties if they were to be detonated in a public setting. The most recent device at around 1:15 Wednesday morning is a hand grenade […]

    Family fear mounts for missing Belize City teenager
    The family of 17-year-old Erwin Paulino Rodriguez are becoming increasingly worried after the teen went missing last week and has not been heard from since. The family carried out a weekend search in the area know as Dyke off Fabers Road in Belize City and […]

    US citizen issued with NIP for traffic fatality on the Buena Vista Road
    San Ignacio police have issued a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to a US citizen after she allegedly knocked down and killed an elderly man on the Buena Vista road early Tuesday morning. The woman, identified as 20-year-old Jessica Miller, was detained at the police […]

    The Billion-Dollar Question: How to fill Belize’s Credit Gap?
    There are some things that become so cliché that the reminder of their existence is often void of its original effect. This is true for several things, including the discussion on how to accelerate business growth in Belize. More specifically, we often hear the phrase: “Micro, Small and Medium-sized businesses […]

    Taiwan donates $100,000 to Police for equipment
    The officers of the Belize Police Department will soon be better outfitted to carry out their work more effectively through a donation of $100,000 from Taiwan. The donation was made during a signing ceremony on Thursday at the Raccoon Street Police Station for a technical […]

    New Honorary Consul of Canada appointed to Belize
    The High Commissioner of Canada to Belize, Deborah Chatsis, has recently announced that Lynn Young has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of Canada resident to Belize. The appointment was facilitated by His Excellency the Governor General of Belize Honorable Colville Young, after the Belize […]

    Land dispute in Las Flores escalates
    Las Flores community members took to the streets in protest on Thursday, demanding that Belmopan Mayor, Khalid Belisle, return the land that houses St. Michael’s Roman Catholic School, which the Belmopan City Council (BCC) had sold. Two days after BCC announced the parties had reached “an amicable […]

    PUP Protesters teargassed!
    Party supporters of both the United Democratic Party (PUP) and the People’s United Party (PUP) made political statements on Wednesday when they staged rallies in support of the two political figures in Orange Walk North, Gaspar Vega for the UDP and Ramon Cervantes for the […]

    Policeman roughs up journalist
    Wednesday’s rallies in Orange Walk did not go without incident. A senior media representative, Krem’s News Director, Marisol Amaya, was assaulted and dragged away by a policeman while conducting an interview. The policeman grew impatient when the media representatives, who were in the middle of […]

    Social Security Board headed for disaster
    The Social Security Board (SSB) said this week, that the fund could collapse in four years if there isn’t an increase in contributions. The SSB held a media mixer this week, giving a breakdown in its financials, and explaining the importance of revisiting the contribution scheme. The […]

    Health officials battle surgery crisis in the north
    The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA) has gone on record to say that it has not rejected any referral surgeries from the Northern Regional Hospital despite claims it has, during an equipment issue that rendered the NRH unable to perform surgeries requiring anesthesia. The KHMHA emphasized […]

    Police assure safe September celebrations
    The senior command of the Belize Police Department has assured that the Department will do all in its power to ensure that members of the public are safe during the September celebrations. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edward Boraster, along with Assistant Commissioner of Police Desiree […]

    Massive earthquake kills dozens in Mexico
    At least 33 people have been confirmed dead after an earthquake measuring magnitude 8.2 on the Richter scale struck Mexico’s Pacific coastline last night. The earthquake struck at around 10:50 p.m., local time, about 54 miles south-west of Pijijiapan. Mexican media houses report severe damages […]

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Deaf mute man remanded to prison for aggravated assault with a firearm
    Forty one year old, Gaylon Foreman, a deaf mute with a swollen genital condition, was hauled into #2 Magistrate’s court this afternoon in Belize City. He could barely walk but still showed up to answer to the charge of aggravated assault with a firearm which was read to him with the assistance of an interpreter.

    Elvis Aldana busted with weed at Magistrate Court
    Elvis Aldana, 26, a fisherman of Rivero Street in Belize City, today was busted as he attempted to smuggle weed in a burger to an inmate in the cell at the Magistrate Court.He was taken before Magistrate Aretha Ford where he was read a charge of possession of a controlled drug.

    BPP condemns police and calls for apology to Marisol Amaya
    The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) has joined the voices of all concerned Belizeans who saw or heard about the man handling of KREMANDALA journalist and editor, Marisol Amaya, who was assaulted by police for no reason while documenting the PUP’s protest at Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk.

    Senate hearing winding down
    The Government of Belize is discontinuing funding for the Senate Special Select Committee, leading the inquiry into the Auditor General’s Special Audit Report on the Immigration and Nationality Department. Prime Minister Dean Barrow, in a letter written on August 3, told the Clerk of the National Assembly, Eddie Webster to serve notice about the funding coming to an end.

    Women’s commission stand with KREM editor, Marisol Amaya
    The National Women’s Commission (NWC) has joined the Opposition, Special Envoy for Women and Children, as well as KREMANDALA and other bodies in condemning the man handling of KREM Editor Marisol Amaya.

    Jose strengthened to “dangerous” Category 4 Hurricane
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is also monitoring Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic. Hurricane Jose was strengthened today to an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane. As of this morning 11, the eye of Hurricane Jose was located near latitude 16.3 North, longitude 57.1 West. Jose is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph (30 km/h).

    He stashed the weed in a sandwich
    A teenager attempting to smuggle weed in a sandwich to a friend in a cell in Belize City was busted by police. Love FM reported that Tibruce Street resident, Jamie Williams, 19, gave police the sandwich yesterday afternoon to give to his friend.

    Hurricane Katia to make landfall in Mexico tomorrow
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is reporting that as of 11 am today, the center of Hurricane Katia was located near latitude 21.0 North and longitude 95.8 West. Hurricane Katia is the sixth hurricane of the 2017 season and it is expected to make landfall in Mexico on Saturday. Katia is currently a Category 2 Hurricane.

    Increased police activity in San Pedro deter idle teen gang
    San Pedro residents are breathing a sigh of relief due to effective policing in their municipality. At the end of last month several residents had reported on Facebook that they were attacked by a gang of teenagers. The attacks mostly occurred at night and were directed towards persons driving golf carts.

    2.2 kilos of cocaine tested turned out to be sugar
    Dangriga resident, Keenan Flores, 23, was jailed since July 31, after he was busted with what appeared to be 2.2 kilos of cocaine. However, when he appeared before Magistrate Aretha Ford on Wednesday, the charge of drug trafficking was withdrawn and he was freed. That is because when the Forensic Department tested the substance purported to have been cocaine, it was simply sugar.

    Latest update on Hurricane Irma
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is closely monitoring Hurricanes Irma, Katia and Jose in the Atlantic. As of 11 this morning, the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 22.0 North and longitude 75.3 West. Irma is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 miles per hour and this motion is expected to continue for the next day or so with a decrease in forward speed. A turn toward the northwest is expected by late Saturday.

    Smart donates school supplies in Santa Elena Town
    Yesterday, Smart distributed school bags and supplies to 60 students at the Santa Elena Primary School in Cayo District.

    Shotgun stolen from Cane field in Orange Walk
    On Wednesday, September 6, 2017,Nasario Mendez, 71, a farmer of Douglas Village, Orange Walk reported […]

    Grocery store in PG robbed at gun point
    Last night around 8:24, Hong Zhan, 23, a businessman of corner Cemetery Street and West Street, Punta Gorda reported that while he was inside his store – Happy’s Store, two masked men ran inside his store.

    Elodio Aragon apologizes but gives his account of Wednesday’s protest
    Following the mayhem on the Toll Bridge in Orange Walk Town where a journalist and PUP leaders were assaulted, Minister of State in Home Affairs, Elodio Aragon, apologized but provided his account of what transpired.

    Is your vote secret? Derek Aikman says no!
    Belizeans United For Equal Rights at Home and in the Diaspora (BUFERHD), led by former […]

    KREM denounces attack against Marisol Amaya; calls on all media houses to stand against attack
    Yesterday evening, KREM Radio and TV and Amandala issued a statement denouncing the attack against […]

    Blogs

    Remembering Our Father of Democracy: Philip S.W. Goldson
    He was a politician, a journalist, a man of faith, a family man, but most importantly, a National Hero. The legacy of Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson forms one of the pillars of Belizean history. Known as the Father of Democracy, Philip Goldson dedicated his life to making Belize a better place for all. Growing up, we learned much about Philip Goldson’s contributions to society in grade school, but it’s always exciting to revisit the knowledge! He was born on July 25, 1923 in the former capital, Belize City, to Florence Matilda Goldson and Peter Edward Goldson during the colonial era, when Belize was known as the British Honduras. He became a leading figure during the Nationalist Movement, and was in National Government between 1950 and 2001. Goldson never faltered in his work towards improving his country, and today he is best known for his position in defense of Belize’s sovereignty with respect to the unfounded Guatemalan territorial claim.

    Following friends through rehab - Mitch returns for Innie's release
    I’ll always remember the day I first met Innie, then a young Yucatan black howler monkeys at Wildtracks, and the moment he leapt onto my neck and purred in my ear. Looking back it was a pretty life-changing moment. It led to me returning to Wildtracks again and again and again. I’ve met so many truly incredible people, monkeys, and manatees during my summers here, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Innie is a little extra special to me. When I first met him he was a tiny baby with a broken arm, the only monkey of his age group at Wildtracks. Affectionate, seemingly confident (as long as his carers were nearby to back him up), and prone to mood swings, he was a handful, but everyone adored him. Then along came Vicky, a pudgy gorilla-like baby with an attitude and confidence that put Innie’s to shame. Thus, a new troop was formed. Now “Innie and co.” consists of Innie, Vicky, Maggie, and Finn...and they are one of the troops moving to freedom in Fireburn this year.

    September fun events, Belize Hurricane stats, and other Belize news!
    This has been a very stressful hurricane season for the Caribbean as we all know by now. It has led to a lot of panic throughout the region, and if you happen to be traveling to the Caribbean right now, you are probably not very happy about your timing. I wanted to take a look at Belize's hurricane history to find out your chances of being impacted during hurricane season here. Placencia itself was touched by Hurricane Earl in 2016, and was massively damaged by Hurricane Iris in 2001. There aren't too many reports of major hits in the 100 years before this - minor to moderate damage in the 1940's and once in the 1960's. So if you look at a specific village - the chances of that specific village getting hit are still pretty low - so, statistically - I would not plan your vacation around it!!

    Magnificent Mangroves
    When on your Tropic flight in Belize, if you look below you are bound to spot the Mangroves that make up much of the coast and the Cayes of our country. Mangroves are amazing trees. They are important to our eco – system in so many ways. They protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during hurricanes) and tsunamis. Their massive root system is efficient at dissipating wave action and they slow down tidal water enough that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving all except fine particles when the tides ebbs. In this way mangroves build their own environment, increasing land mass from mangrove swamp into low laying land. They spread by emitting aerial roots which fasten in the salty mud and eventually become new stems. This intricate root system makes these “forests” particularly attractive to fish as they act as feeding and nursery grounds to approximately 74 species of fish here in Belize. They also provide feeding and habitat to many of the birds, reptiles and mammals that you may see on your vacation.

    “We Are Family” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
    What do you do on a Tuesday afternoon on Ambergris Caye ? You go to a wedding, that’s what.Rose and I have known Solomon and Diani for a few years now and were there when Solomon proposed. And Diani accepted. We joined everyone else in toasting them (again and again and again ) afterwards. He said that they would get married in August. We didn’t think a great deal more about this until a few weeks ago when we were given our wedding invitation. Tuesday 29 August, 4.30 pm on the beach near Banyan Bay. “Get there early”, we were told, “It will start on time”. Yeh right, I thought. But Rose was insistent. So we set off from home with time to spare. Or so I thought. The journey there took longer than I remembered and it seemed that the roads were full of Sunday drivers ! But we made it. Just. I quickly parked the ‘cart. Locked it up (cartjackers are no respecters of weddings) and quickly got the camera out. But only just in time. The bride had arrived.

    The Belize Zoo - Top Tips Before You Go
    Guided tours are available in both English and Spanish, and visitors will be able to see, touch, and learn more about the many animals that call Belize home. Visitors will also be able to take unforgettable photographs next to the zoo's ambassadors, including Junior Buddy the jaguar, Runt the Keel-billed Toucan, Indy the tapir, and Panama the harpy eagle. Other animals at the zoo include gibnuts ("royal rats"), margays, ocelots, coatis, kinkajous ("night walkers"), toucans, king vultures, macaws, giant jabiru storks, endangered Morelet's crocodiles, colorful tree frogs, coral snakes, and boa constrictor snakes. Far different from a traditional zoo, the Belize Zoo is proud of its role in helping to further the conservation efforts of the country. Every year, the Belize Zoo helps rescue, rehabilitate, and protect injured and orphaned animals. The Belize Zoo is also the first facility in the country to be completely accessible for reduced mobility visitors, giving everyone a chance to learn more about the wildlife and plants that make the country such a beautiful, natural paradise.

    Top Beach Destinations in Belize
    If you’re planning on visiting Belize, it is very likely that your top priority is finding a great beach location to unwind, relax, and enjoy the sand between your toes and the cool sea breeze against your face as you stare at crystalline blue waters. This desire is very natural, after all, many people believe that Belize is actually a Caribbean island. Well, if you’re interested in finding the best beach destination in Belize, you’ve come to the right place because below I will list 5 of the top beach destinations in the country.

    September Celebrations in Belize - Things to do and a brief history of Independence Day
    September is one of the best time to be in Belize. It’s the tourism off-season, which means cheaper prices on accommodations and tours, and you can also partake in the patriotic September Celebrations. The most important date is September 21st, which is Belize’s Independence Day, but for almost two weeks leading up to that day, there are many festivities throughout the country. In early Belize history, the country was under Spanish rule, but Spain did not actually control the area due to the belief that the country did not have sufficient resources worth exploiting. Spain allowed British settlers into the area, and the settlers eventually gained a large presence. After some time, Spain regretted the large British presence and asked them to leave, however, the settlers did not comply and a war was waged.

    International Sourcesizz

    8.2 earthquake strikes coast of Mexico, tsunami warning triggered
    A massive 8.2-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico, toppling buildings and homes in various states and killing at least five people, including two children. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 102 miles west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 22 miles. Authorities in Chiapas said at least three people were killed, while officials in Tabasco state reported the two children killed. Tabasco Gov. Arturo Nunez said that one of the children died when a wall collapsed, and the other was a baby who died in a children's hospital that lost electricity, cutting off the supply to the infant's ventilator. In Chiapas, Gov. Manuel Velasco told Milenio TV that the deaths occurred in San Cristobal de las Casas. He also said that the quake damaged hospitals and schools.

    Author to launch Belize’s first writers conference
    She’s on a mission to reinvent literary history. Belizean writer and author Joey Garcia is launching her country’s first ever writers conference next spring. The Belize Writers Conference is set for April 23–28, 2018 and is going to give 30 writers a chance to a retreat on a resort and receive advice from literary experts about their work. It will be the first time a gathering of such is happening because in the past there were meetups for writers but none bigger summits, said Garcia. “There have been maybe one or two writing workshops but I did all the research and none has ever been held,” she said. And as a writer she also took notice that other Caribbean countries in the region are well-known for their literature leaving out Belize.

    Harvest Caye, Belize: the island for adrenaline junkies
    We slip slowly into Harvest Caye, passing stretches of mangrove swamp on this island outpost of Belize. What appears to be an old lighthouse, standing at 130ft, is one of the tallest buildings in this little Central American nation, topped, so it’s said, only by the Mayan pyramids that dot the interior. Then there’s a shriek, not from a gaily coloured toucan but from a gaudily dressed human launching off the canopy-top zip wire. The “lighthouse” turns out to be the Flighthouse, zip-wire central on this tiny island. Welcome to Harvest Caye, a mix of beach, palm trees and brightly painted little stores run by locals that is the creation of Norwegian Cruise Line and opened only late last year. It’s a pop-up island — each…

    Ancient Maya May Have Foreseen Meteor Showers
    Modern astronomical techniques have uncovered clues to a possible facet of Mayan astronomy from nearly 2 millennia ago not found in surviving records. Using state-of-the-art computer models, an amateur historian and a professional astronomer have found evidence that many important societal events recorded in Mayan hieroglyphic inscriptions may coincide with outbursts of meteor showers related to Halley’s Comet. In newly published research, the two-person research team has found more than a dozen instances of hieroglyphic records from the Mayan Classic Period (250–909 CE) indicating that important events occurred within just a few days of an outburst of Eta Aquariid meteor showers, one of the celestial displays tied to the comet. No Mayan astronomical records from that period survived the Spanish invasion, and the four surviving Mayan codices from later eras do not mention meteor showers. However, the researchers suspect that many significant historical events that coincided with meteor showers, like a ruler’s assumption of power or a declaration of war recorded in the codices and carved in stone monuments, are not chance overlaps.

    Videos

  • Swimmers see shark feeding frenzy from the inside, 1min. Snorkelers in Belize flock to a shark and stingray sanctuary called Shark Ray Alley. They are given the rare opportunity to swim among a large group of hungry nurse sharks. These 10 foot beasts appear ferocious but they are really gentle and curious and they will allow swimmers to join them as they compete for scraps of fish that are dropped from the boat. Although they are capable of biting, like any shark, their mouths are not designed for the same kind of flesh ripping and tearing as some of their more aggressive cousins. These sharks have skin that feels like sandpaper and they bump the swimmers and push past them in their hurry to get the scraps. The swimmers are careful to keep their hands away from the sharks' mouth and they wear wetsuits if they expect to be in close to the action. Although perfectly safe, being so close to dozens of big and hungry sharks is a very exhilarating experience.

  • What to prep for a Hurricane, 36min.

  • Barber shop lyrics, 2min.

  • Tribute to T.V.Ramos, 2.5min. Thomas Vincent Ramos founded Garifuna settlement day November 19th. The reenactment is celebrated yearly in Belize, Central America.The other people in this video contributed to the betterment of the Garifuna Nation!

  • Diving Belize, 11min.

  • COldstream Guards: Belize 2017, 2min. Training and rehearsing of Instinctive Shooting and 4 man contact drills as part of the build up training at the start of the exercise.

  • ATM Cave & Xunantunich with Mayawalk Tours, 5.5min. In this vlog (3 days worth) we ride horses to the Xunantunich ruins, tour the ATM Cave in Belize, and travel for 12 hours from Belize to Tulum, Mexico!

  • Gillnets are indiscriminate, 1min. They don't allow live release of creatures that should be--like pregnant sharks. We were alerted by Amigos del Mar, a partner San Pedro tour boat company, that they came across a net over 500ft long that had caught a very large (15ft+) female tiger shark (possibly pregnant as she was very thick) and one other shark as they traveled back to San Pedro from Lighthouse Reef Atoll. The net had no tag indicating it was not registered and therefore illegal, it was far longer than regulation, also illegal, and also reveals that shark fishing is taking place during the closed shark fishing season and is therefore also illegal. Nets are difficult to enforce and they kill indiscriminately both protected and unprotected species. Amigo's guests had had an amazing day where they saw a sperm whale, dolphins, live sharks and many fish...and then they saw this. They were all very upset, with some in tears. And this is the image with which they will leave Belize. The guides said this was the largest tiger they had seen and mentioned how much they wish they could see one alive while diving but until now had never had that opportunity as there are so few tiger sharks seen in Belize.

    September 8, 2017


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    Specials and Events

    Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    Ministry of Health monitoring unauthorized medicine
    The Ministry of Health (MOH) has increased its monitoring of medicine in Belize, due to unauthorized and expired medicines found circulating in the market. These unauthorized medicines have been found in different pharmacy’s, mostly in the Cayo (San Ignacio) and Belize district. A warning is in effect to pharmacists and the general public in regards to multi-vitamin Neurobión ® 50 mil (Vitamins B1 + B6 + B12) syrup in the 240ml bottle. ”We believe that the quality may be compromised,” said the MOH. “The product has been removed from the establishments where it was found and we continue to remain vigilant for any unauthorized product that may still be present in the country.”

    SPHS; the first in Belize to get free Diginet High Speed Service
    On Wednesday September 6th, a ceremony was held at the San Pedro High School (SPHS), organized by Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). With the aim to officially launch the Diginet program at the school, SPHS becomes the first secondary institution to receive this program across the country. Attending the ceremony were BTL staff, San Pedro Town council members and the media, along with school staff and students. With the new internet program, the high school internet speed will upgrade from 8MB to 60MB. The Diginet is not in efficient use as yet, as the principal, along with the school committee will decide how it will be offered to the students. To learn more about the Diginet program you can visit www.digicell.bz/en/diginet. This program will be granted free to all secondary institutions across the country.

    Department of Environment releases annual 2016-2017 report
    For the fiscal year of 2016-2017 the DOE processed 137 projects, of which 79 were of the environmental clearance variety. That figure shows a gradual increase in projects, compared to the previous year. This fiscal year, there were a large amount of tourism-based projects as well. A total of 180 compliance inspections were reported for 2016-2017, of which 80% were inspected and the remaining 20% will be addressed in the fiscal year of 2017-2018. On Ambergis Caye, the DOE was not the only company that conducted compliance inspections. On Thursday, February 16th, the National Environment Appraisal Committee (NEAC) conducted a compliance inspection that revealed several projects requiring follow-up on outstanding matters. Another challenge, DOE reported nine incidents of Marine Groundings for 2106-2017. The main location for these incidents were at San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Raguana Caye. These groundings have a negative impact on the marine ecosystem, as they damage the coral and sea beds, which take a long time to recover.

    San Pedro to receive three new schools
    The San Pedro Sun has confirmation that plans are underway for the construction of three new educational institutions on the island in the future. The funding for these educational institutions is coming from a Caribbean Development Bank loan of $70 million dollars, granted to the MOE. The program is to serve areas in need of educational institutions, in which San Pedro was included. The island is expected to receive a pre-school, primary school and secondary school. The MOE will be visiting the island at the end of this month to verify the location and to make sure all processes of the construction of the new educational institutions are clear. “The construction of these educational institutions are designed to start up early next year,” said Erold Gill from the MOE. Prior to the construction of the schools, a community consultation will be held to ascertain the best possible location for the schools. It is expected that the schools will be state of the art and able to accommodate San Pedro’s growing population.

    Ambergris Today

    Caribbean Hotel Tourism Association Statement On Hurricane Irma
    The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has expressed sympathy for the loss of life and hardship following the passage of Hurricane Irma and has urged Caribbean residents and visitors in the projected path of the storm to take continued precautions as it makes its way through parts of the northern Caribbean. CHTA's Director General Frank Comito warned that the Category 5 hurricane was packing winds of 180 miles per hour, and the effects of the storm were already evident on the dual-island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, St. Barthélemy (St. Barts), and Barbuda, where, according to reports, widespread damage has been sustained.

    Belize Tackles Potential Radiation Sources And Disposal Of Hazardous Chemicals
    Belize Launches Inventory Exercise on Potential Sources of Radiation - The Government of Belize today, September 5, held an opening ceremony to launch the National Inventory on Radiation Sources, an initiative derived from the establishment of a National Radiation Safety Infrastructure in Belize. A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mission to Belize is in the country to carry out this exercise that is jointly spearheaded by the Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Belize Defence Force (BDF).

    San Pedro High Is First School To Receive New DigiNet Fiber Optic Internet
    San Pedro High School and Belize Telemedia (BTL) celebrated in a brief ceremony after classes yesterday, Wednesday, September 6, 2017, the installation to the school of DigiNet, the fastest internet service in the country. San Pedro High is the first school on Ambergris Caye to have access to the DigiNet service as part of BTL's Internet to School Program. DigiNet will boost the school’s internet speed from 8Mbps to 60Mbps, making internet more reliable to the faculty and student body. BTL, along with Huawei Marine, have successfully installed fiber optic submarine cables between Belize mainland and San Pedro, allowing Ambergris Caye to be the first location in the country to experience faster fiber optic internet service.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Earthquake felt in Belize 10:49pm last night
    A large earthquake measuring at least 8.0 on the Richer Scale has struck southern Mexico. According to Earthquake Track, it happened 17 minutes ago and shook Chiapas, Mexico and was felt in Belize, Guatemala as well as in Distrito Federal, Mexico. Epicenter 96 km SW of Pijijiapan, Mexico. 8.0, 2017-09-08 04:49:21 UTC 15.068°N 93.715°W

    San Pedro Back 2 School Bash 9/16
    Calling all youth! Come out and enjoy a fun day at the beach. * Exciting Water Games * Free Food * Limited edition t-shirt for every student who comes * Multiple chances to win fun prizes! *Saturday, Sept. 16th at 1pm * At the Sagebrush property behind the tollbrige. * Ages 13 to 18. Beach Party!

    Unethical and irresponsible tour guides, Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley
    Unethical and irresponsible tour guides are giving our favourite tourist attractions a bad name it seems. Please only support tour operators that respect our marine life and habitats.

    Help a Child Learn to Read!
    Help a Child Learn to Read! Join our Literacy Team! No experience needed, for as little as 2 hours a week YOU can make a difference! Information Session at Holy Cross Anglican School Friday, September 15th at 10:00am Come out and learn how YOU can make a difference.

    We introduce Andre Pitts another of our Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative
    Andre Pitts is the Founder and President of Group Hug, an organization dedicated to inspiring and spearheading volunteerism, goodwill, and proactivity amongst young people. Group Hug solicits, organizes, and distributes school supplies to families in need. In addition to managing Group Hug, he works at the Government of Belize Press Office. He received his Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies from the University of the West Indies, and he is currently pursuing his BA in Political Science as well.

    PAN YAAD 2017 IS HERE!
    Date: Saturday, September 16 Where: Marion Jones Sporting Complex Time: 7:30PM Price: Adults $10 | Children $5 Contact us for your tickets today! 227-2110

    An Evening of Folk and Classic Featuring Francis Reneau
    You are invited!!! Wednesday, September 13th 7PM, Bliss Centre ... Free

    Caye Caulker Volleyball School Marathon

    Belize Mixology on Caye Caulker
    September 26th to 28th is Introduction to bartending. Cost 250. Advanced bartending is september 29th to October 2nd. Cost 350. Prices include all liquor and equipment. Certificates are awarded after successful completion. No experience required for Intro. Inbox or text 624-9407 or 664-2531. Spaces are limited.

    Ministry of Health and KHMHA Advise Public on Temporary Health Service Situation
    The Ministry of Health advises the public of an ongoing situation in the Northern Health Region with medical equipment maintenance and upgrades in relation to our operating rooms. This situation has affected the region’s ability to perform surgeries requiring anesthesia. As a result all surgery related cases are being referred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA). The Ministry of Health has been working to vigorously try to correct the situation in the least amount of time and we expect a resolution before the start of this long holiday weekend. Management from the Northern Health Region along with management from KHMHA are in communication to ensure the least disruption in the care of patients being transferred and received at the KHMHA.

    Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) Signed by the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (Baha) and the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI)
    A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been established on the 4th day of September 2017, between Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) and the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI). The major objectives are: 1.1 To contribute to the sustainability, development and economic viability of the agricultural sector in Belize; 1.2 To engage in technical exchanges and capacity building between both parties for the purpose of reciprocal transfer of technology, training in agriculture and other related fields; and, 1.3 To identify synergies where technical expertise can be harnessed to improve the execution of work plans.

    Ministries of Human Development and Defence launch Belize Youth Challenge Programme Recruitment Drive
    The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation, and Poverty Alleviation and the Ministry of Defence have joined forces to launch a youth intervention project entitled the Belize Youth Challenge Programme (BYC). The mission of the programme is “to intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth to produce programme graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults.” The new 2-year pilot programme is an upgrade and strengthening of the National Youth Cadet Service Corps and is modelled after the Youth Challenge Programme run by the Louisiana National Guard in the USA. The programme targets Belizean males 15-17 years old who are out of school, unemployed/underemployed, and who are at-risk of or may have already come in contact with the law. It will utilize military principles to teach the youths discipline, personnel administration and teamwork, while developing their vocational and academic skills via life skills, literacy and PSE classes or attending the online high school.

    Belize Signs Agreement on Police Cooperation with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Receives a Grant of BZ$100,000.00
    Today, the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) signed a Cooperation Agreement aimed at developing police cooperation and combating transnational crimes. Signing on behalf of the Government of Belize was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, Hon. Wilfred Elrington, and on behalf of the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, His Excellency Charles K. Y. Liu. The Agreement sets out the framework for police cooperation between both governments. The scope of cooperation includes the exchange of personnel visiting for study and training programs, sharing of information in the area of law enforcement, cooperation in combating transnational crimes and the implementation of other areas of cooperation.

    Special Envoy issues release on Tower Hill Bridge demonstration where journalist Marisol Amaya was manhandled by the police
    On September 6. 2017 frightening images were seen on national television of the unacceptable treatment of a female journalist by law enforcement officers. The journalist in question. Ms. Marisol Amaya of KREM News, was conducting an interview when she was assaulted by a police officer. Sadly, this is not the first time that Ms. Amaya, in her capacity as a journalist, has been disrespected in plain view on national television. As a citizen. I embrace the concept of a free press, given the role of journalists in a democratic society. The rights of journalists are enshrined in the Belize Constitution (Chapter 4), and they must therefore be afforded all rights and privileges as citizens of Belize. Journalists should not be subjected to inhumane treatment by anyone. least of all. law enforcement officers! Ms. Amaya is a woman, mother, sister. a daughter and a journalist. I join the wider society in condemning the assault made upon her person by police officers. This reduces the image of our country and contravenes all efforts being made by many agencies to end violence against our women.

    PUP's United Women's Group condemns the actions of the police at yesterday's demonstration at Tower Hill Bridge
    The media plays a critical role in Belize's democracy and therefore it is crucial that its journalists are not censured, stifled or bullied in any way. In this regard, the United Women's Group of the People's United Party denounces the use of unwarranted force by the police against a media worker covering yesterday's protest at the Toll Bridge in Orange Walk Town. The excessive use of force was evident by the body slamming of Marisol Amaya, the News Editor of KREM News, which was clearly visible and is utterly unacceptable. "This was uncalled for and demonstrates an abuse of power by these authorities. No political party or organization should condone the behaviour of our armed authorities to treat journalists in this manner. We are outraged that the government and the police forces would tolerate this treatment of the media that was on full display yesterday," says Tanya Santos, President of the United Women's Group. Senator Valerie Woods, a member of the UWG, states that "the freedom of the media and its access to information is critical to a healthy democracy. The force used against Ms. Amaya was despicable and the approach used by the Police Department against the media yesterday was not necessary. The protest was by all accounts a peaceful one and the authorities response and mistreatment of Belizeans is unacceptable"

    FCD Biologist pursues degree
    FCD’s very own Biologist, Boris Arevalo has now travelled to Florida in pursuit of his PhD Degree. From all of us at FCD we wish him all the best and God Bless.

    For the ladies. Mistress Sharmane Garcia says BFLA After Dark
    Because the men keep saying they are being left out...If you think you can handle the After Dark Session, bring your money and your game face! I DARE YOU!!!!

    Macaw 2017 season concludes
    The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera), representing Belize’s largest parrot species, is locally endangered due to poaching and is listed in the Wildlife Protection Act as a species of conservation concern. For Belize, the wild population estimates are around 200 individuals (Matola & Sho 2002). Nationally, the Chiquibul Forest is the key foraging and breeding habitat for the species. The Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) annually undertakes a seven-month biological monitoring program aimed at protecting and documenting the wild populations of macaws. Specific effort is directed since FCD has identified the macaw as the flagship species for the conservation and management of this Key Biodiversity Conservation Area. Poaching is a major threat to the survival of Scarlet Macaws in Belize. In 2011, poaching rate was at 89% which was leading to the demise of the wild population. But with the adoption of an adaptive and robust management and conservation strategy the incidences of poaching were reduced to an average of 35% from 2012 to 2015. Thereafter from 2015 to this period, none of the chicks monitored have been lost to poaching (See Figure 1).

    ALASKA Coffee shop
    It is hot and just in time for the month of September. Just in time for a cool stop at ALASKA Coffee shop. Drive by with your car and stop for a short stop to buy what you need. Buy cold beers, Iced coffee, Snacks and more. ALASKA is located where Esmeralda's Pharmacy use to be.

    Carnival 2017....King & Queen winners...

    BEL Job Opening
    A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for a Senior Manager, Finance, Business Strategy & Purchasing.

    BTEC Hospitality Training
    BTEC will be having a free 3 week training course in hospitality, including housekeeping, waiting, and reception, starting on September 25th. "Excellent 3 week training coming to CAYO! Free of cost. Invest in yourself and sign up at the San Ignacio library starting tomorrow- Sept 7th."

    Belize Fishing Report, Aug. 27th - Sept. 3rd 2017
    Happy anglers and plenty of tailing bonefish. Thirty to fifty bonefish a day have been the stories of the week. The fishery has experienced some ups and downs over the last month with the threat of tropical storms looming, which has created sporadic feeding, but when the bite has turned on, it has been prolific.

    Paradise Theater playing this weekend
    After what seems like a billion years, the new lamps have arrived for the projector in #1.. meaning the picture is way better . We also hooked up a new projector on Screen 2, until the last one (which was brand new) goes in a gets fixed because........ BZ... which is a huge improvement from the other other.. backup. .. anyway .. See ya at the movies!!
    PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 5, Despicable Me 3, Ghost House, Unlocked.

    Belizean ID exhibit
    A wonderful day as we launched the Belizean ID exhibit! We graciously thank our community for supporting this educational exhibit. It was an honour to have Ambassadora of the Republic of Cuba to Belize Lizzette Perez and Consular of Cuba to Belize Mr. Hernandez with us. Thank you to our Key note speaker Mr. Omar Mitchell and Mrs. Lydia Ramcharam Pollard curator of the Window into the Past East Indian Museum for your kind vote of thanks. A great thank you to the Standard three students and Maestro of Corozal Methodist School for attending the opening ceremony. The exhibit will be on display through to May 2018, we kindly invite you to visit the House of Culture to view more.

    Carnival Jouvert
    The Carnival Jouvert is set for September 9th, 2017 and will be commencing at 4:00 AM. There will be a Ceremony for the souls that have gone ahead in the name of Carnival in honor of Jermaine Madrill at 3:45 AM followed by a moment of silence and laying of wreaths. The route for the Jouvert will be as follows: • Start from Belcan Bridge • To Central American Boulevard • Left, on to Cemetery Road • Left, on to East Collet Canal • Left on to Vernon St. • Right, Youth for the Future over BelChina Bridge • Right on to North Front Street • Left on Queen Street • Left on Daly Street • Right on Craig Street • Left on Marine Parade • End at Dock Bands Public Mud – Belcan Bridge Madd Squad – beside Pallotti SOS – coming from MJSC Coco Devils - Courts

    Channel 7

    Police Minister Apologizes, But Says Police Were Doing Their Job on Bridge
    Last night we showed you everything that happened when the PUP went to block the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk. It unfolded quite quickly after the party had a rally in the town's Central Park. From there, the PUP Leader John Bricneo and his Orange Walk South Representative raced to the bridge and blocked it. The rest, as they say, is history - or at least history in the making. 45 Minutes later, the bridge and the road were cleared and the police had teargassed and dispersed dozens of party supporters. But did police go too far? And did they target and attack a female journalist? Those are some of the many burning questions in the public mind after yesterday's event son the bridge.

    The Mandhandling of Marisol
    And while the Minister of State apologized, it wasn't enough for KREMANDALA, whose news editor Marisol Amaya was lifted and thrown to the pavement, and then hauled off the road. Today several organizations came to Amaya's defense including the Prime Minister's wife, Kim Barrow - who is the special envoy for women and children. Her statement says, quote, "frightening images were seen on national television of the unacceptable treatment of a female journalist by law enforcement officers...Sadly, this is not the first time that Ms. Amaya, in her capacity as a journalist, has been disrespected in plain view on national television."

    Is The SPU Out Of Control?
    Special Patrol Unit commander Inspector Aaron Gamboa is the officer who lifted Amaya, hauled her away and dumped her on the pavement. We took careful note of his combative behavior and that of his officers out there yesterday - and today we asked the Commander of Operations about it:... Jules Vasquez, reporter: "The second time I've seen the special patrol unit engage in this type of finger pointing behavior and it seems that they temperament of the SPU I believe matches Mr. Gamboa, which Mr. Gamboa behaves in the creole sense of the word "Ignorant, intemperate, irascible, sassy." What would be your comment Mr. Minister or your Mr. Commander of Ops about the temperament and the unnecessary and distasteful use of combative tactics?"

    Journalist: Too Much Tear Gas
    And realizing too much tear gas is one more excess that the SPU is accused of. We got directly gassed at least two times on the bridge - during the second gassing we were interviewing PUP Leader John Briceno. LOVE FM Reporter Dalilah Ical told the police it was excessive and unwarranted; the Operations Commander disagreed:... Reporter "I feel that there were unnecessary force used, because after the first uproar of canisters were released. Mr. Briceno moved away from where all the chaos began and then I was trying to interview him on the side of the road and I was telling the officer to let us finish the interview, and then they threw those canisters. What that necessary? We were no longer in a group, we were no longer on the street. We were on the side doing an interview."

    Home Affairs Minister Said The Media Enjoyed Being Roughed Up
    But the Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Elrington had no apologies. He says that, to him, it looks like we in the media were having a good old time getting hauled and pulled:... Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I thought the police did a good job. There was no provision under the terms for the demonstration, for it to be extended to the toll bridge and I would not have encourage the blocking of the bridge. I dont think that was necessary at all. So that I thought police had to act to make sure that in fact the commerce of the country and the free passage of people in the society were not impeded." Jules Vasquez, reporter: "And the roughing up of the media?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I thought that the media were enjoying it actually or were in the thick of things. When you look abroad you see the same thing happening."

    Why Didn't Broaster Read The Riot Act?
    And, critics say that what should be "natural and normal" is for the police to have read the Riot Act. That's the warning - given in the Queen's name that those unlawfully assembled and resisting the police should immediately disperse or face the use of force. That responsibility would have fallen to ACP Edward Broaster, but he says in his opinion it was not necessary: Jules Vasquez, reporter: "Should the Riot Act have been read the whole in the name of the Queen thing? Should that have been read before the crowd was forcibly disperse with tear gas?" ACP Edward Broaster, Operations Commander: "This was not that case Jules. This was a clear obstruction of a major thoroughfare where members of the public were gathering illegally blocking the ordinary citizens from traversing the highway."

    Aragon Blames It On JB
    And while the PUP may decide to sue the police, will the police decide to charge John Briceno? Today the Minister of State suggested that he is responsible:... Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs: "It was only when the Leader of the Opposition announced publicly on the mic inviting his people, his followers to go out there at the toll bridge to block the road. Is he responsible for what has transpired there? I don't know. Is he directly the person who has lead these people to be in harm's way? Those are the questions you have to ask him."

    Reports Say Mennonite Businessman Met Death In Melchor
    7News has received multiple credible reports that say a Mennonite Businessman from Spanish Lookout has been killed in Melchor. Reports to law enforcement say it happened earlier this week in Melchor at a bar. The businessman was reportedly in the bar with two business associates, one Guatemalan and one Belizean, when a gunman walked in and shot him in the head. He reportedly also shot after his Belizean association - but that person - also reportedly from the Spanish Lookout area escaped. The Mennonite was reportedly involved in cross border trade with business interests in Melchor.

    Man Dies In Fatal Accident After Being Flung From Vehicle
    There was traffic accident last night on the Philip Goldson Highway which killed a man from Carmelita Village in Orange Walk, and left his wife in the hospital. It happened at around 7:00 last night between miles 14 and 15 on the Phillip Golden highway. 38 year-old Joaquin Villamil was traveling in his Isuzu Trooper SUV with his wife, 37 year-old Julissa, heading to Belmopan. Joaquin Villamil lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road, where it flipped several times. First responders tell us that both he and his wife, Julissa, were violently flung from the vehicle, but Joaquin suffered the worst of the injuries. The vehicle landed on top of him, and they had to push it off to rescue him.

    The Wife Of Slain San Pedrano Speaks
    Last night we told about the murder in San Pedro where 36-year-old Rudolph Pitts was killed and 22-year-old Edgar Lopez was injured. Lopez escaped but Pitts's body was found yesterday in Northern Ambergris Caye. His decomposed body was brought to the city today for burial. We spoke to his wife who shared with us her shock at his untimely death. Angela Pitts, wife of Rudolph Pitts: "He is a hardworking father of 7 kids." Sahar Vasquez, reporter: "Was he the source of anybody targeting him? Was anyone threatening him before hand?"

    Compol Whylie Gone Again?
    We haven't seen Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie in the news for some time - and that's because he was reportedly on a month's vacation leave, followed now by a month's sick leave. That's a lot of missing weeks for the Top Cop - and today we had to ask the Minister of State with responsibility for Police if Whylie is really interested in the job:... Jules Vasquez - Reporter: "We were told he was in a month's leave, now I heard, additionally, he is in another month's sick leave. If he is unwell, of course, we wish him the best, but at the same time, one thinks that if you are in charge of an important national operation you can't take two months off. If you don't want the job somebody else has to do the job. The department requires strong consistent leadership."

    Wilfred Says Let The People Decide On Viva Vega
    And while Whylie's position may seem suddenly precarious, another public figure who had seemed to be retiring is now back in the front and center. Embattled Orange Gaspar Vega told us yesterday that if he cannot find anyone else to beat the PUP - he will run again for the UDP in Orange Walk North. Now, in the standard doublespeak of politics, that translates to mean: Gaspar Vega will run again in Orange Walk North. That's a lot of baggage for the UDP to carry into the future, and today we asked two of his colleagues who they felt about it - first to Wilfred Elrington:... Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I think people are free to decide what they want to do and it all depends on their constituents whether the constituents are supportive of them."

    Aragon Says Vega Is A Friend, But...
    And while Elrington is somewhat removed from the Orange Walk scene, Elodio Aragon is directly plugged in. Since Vega's demise, he has taken up the role of the UDP's senior politician in Orange Walk. It has seen him assume a more central, national role, but today he seemed sort of divided on whether having Gaspar Vega back would be a good thing or a bad thing:... Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr.- Orange Walk East, UDP: "He's still a representative of the people of the north and I think that at the end of the day, the people will decide for him, so I leave that there." Jules Vasquez- Reporter: "Ministers John Saldivar and Minister of State Dr. Angel Campus were there to support him. Why weren't you there then to support his candidacy or to support him generally?"

    PM Pulls Plug On Senate Hearings
    Last night, we had coverage of the Senate Hearings on Immigration which resumed yesterday, after a month's break. Well, these upcoming sessions may very well be the winding down of the hearings because the Government does not intend to pay any more money to cover it. In a letter dated August 3, Prime Minister Dean Barrow wrote to National Assembly Clerk Eddie Webster to make that position clear. The Prime Minister says, quote "You wrote on July 20, 2017 on behalf of the Special Select Committee, requesting a supplementary allocation of $124,202 to cover sittings through to November of 2017. Then, on July 21, 2017, you wrote again asking for another supplementary allocation of $41,350 to pay outstanding bills of the Committee as of July 31, 2017.

    Surgical Crisis At NRH
    There's a major health situation in the Northern Health Region - and as a result, all surgeries now have to be done at the KHMH. A press release from the Ministry of Health says there's a problem with medical equipment maintenance in the Northern Regional Hospital's operating rooms. Specifically, they can't do any procedures requiring anesthesia. It's a huge inconvenience for the public in the north - and a major addition of workload for the KHMH, and the Ministry says it expects a resolution before the start of this long holiday weekend.

    Taiwan Donates To Law Enforcement
    All throughout the news, we've been showing you the comments from the police bosses discussing the showdown between the police and the PUP at the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk. Well, the opportunity to speak with the police and politicians came after a ceremony for the Government of Belize and the Taiwanese Embassy to sign a cooperation agreement aimed at developing police cooperation and combating transnational crimes. The Government of Taiwan wants to help the police department improve their capacity by providing assistance from their country's police force, training and study opportunities for police officers, and the sharing of information on different law enforcement strategies.

    Las Flores Residents Protest For School Land
    Despite a compromise proposed by the mayor of Belmopan, the dispute over land for St. Michael Roman Catholic School in Las Flores Village continues, and today it was backed up by a protest in Belmopan City. Though the Catholic school management has accepted a compromise, the community is pushing the issue - and today they said it's not political - we have this clip courtesy PLUS TV in Belmopan:...

    Declaring A Carnival Truce
    The highly anticipated Carnival is coming up on Saturday. Belizeans wait all year for this event but every year brings its challenges to the groups. This year's challenge seemed to be a feud amongst groups - which played out in a parking lot fight after the King and Queen competition on Saturday. Yesterday, the Belize Carnival Association, band leaders, and the police all came together to assure the public that there is now peace amongst the groups and all they simply want is a safe and fun carnival for all to enjoy. Greg Vernon, President - NICH: "With this, we have a good competitive spirit which to at least calm down and make sure that we go out and head down the road very safely." "We are moving forward with sportsmanship especially as it relates to clause 7 in our rules and regulation. It is very important that we look to our left and our right and we say we would like to be as safe as possible coming down this road."

    Pickstock Band Steps Out
    But there's no peace in Pickstock where that well known junior Carnival Band has abruptly pulled out. At yesterday's press conference the association announced that the Pickstock Carnival band and the leader Garreth Gill would no longer be allowed to take part in the carnival. He was not happy about this and came to our studio to express his frustration with the decision. Garret Gill, Pickstock Carnival Band Leader: "Our band has gotten disqualified, which I did not get in black and white, so I can't verify it. Miss Sandra is the president for carnival and she and I have our ups and downs. If she and I had an issue the best thing she should have done was to call a meeting to address the issue. We have an issue also with sponsors, because we didn't get back Cuello's, we didn't get back Wave Radio, we didn't get back WASA and we were waiting on these people to give us a feedback and that's what pushed our band back from not being fully prepared for camo night."

    Judge Explains Pickstock's Exclusion
    Of course, there are two sides to every story so we got a comment on the decision from the head judge of the carnival who played an integral role in making the final call. Here's how they put it: Judge of the Carnival: "As far as we are aware, the carnival association, the commission and the judge association that Mr. Gill had some feud with some of the lady concerning $1,000 and the owner who have Gary the sponsorship has been bothering the commission and the carnival association for the $1,000 because they cannot find Garret and there is a rule that says you have to follow the rules, because they all have the rule book. Mr. Gill has been sending WhatsApp messages and email messages to Miss Sandra who is the president of the carnival association. He says that she has his name slander all over the place which is not true, because Miss Sandra is doing the best that she can to uplift carnival and to help the band leaders."

    Night Three Was a Spree!
    And while that was Tuesday night - last night the revelry continued at four more camps. We leave you tonight with a look at all the energy, excitement and elaborate designs they put on display. Enjoy Wednesday nights Mas Camp visits, and join us back here tomorrow.

    Mas Camp, What a Way!
    And so, Gill - who is one of the more colorful carnival characters wasn't there when we went to visit his Mas Camp on Tuesday night. We should have aired this last night - but we were overloaded with news - so tonight here's a look at the bands who were displaying their Carnival costumes and spirit:..

    Channel 5

    Anatomy of assault: why police were wrong in treatment of Marisol Amaya
    There is mounting outrage tonight, including from us here at Channel Five, at the unnecessary use of force against the media by the police on Tuesday. Krem’s Marisol Amaya was [...]

    Police plan review of yet another Tower Hill incident
    The police department says it has commenced an investigation into the tear-gassing of protestors and the roughing up of Marisol Amaya at the hands of the Special Patrol Unit.  According [...]

    Organizations roundly condemn police for Amaya assault
    Condemnation of Wednesday’s events has come in fast and furious from several organizations. We lead with the statement issued this evening by KREM Radio in support of assaulted journalist Marisol [...]

    Ombudsman asked to intervene
    Ombudsman of Belize Lionel Arzu has been asked to intervene to publicly condemn the behavior of the police in respect of several recent incidents involving members of the Opposition and [...]

    Aragon neutral; says O.W. North will decide on Gaspar Vega
    On Wednesday, during the rapture of public support from his constituents, Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega stated that he would contest his seat in the House of Representatives [...]

    Police minister does not support corruption, but not about to abandon a friend
    Gapi Vega, in recent times, has become a pariah within his own party, causing a wider chasm to drawn between aspiring leaders Patrick Faber and John Saldivar.  The two have [...]

    Best friends Faber, Saldivar clash over Vega
    Two of the most powerful men in the ruling United Democratic Party appear at odds over support for embattled Orange Walk North area representative Gaspar Vega. Deputy Prime Minister and [...]

    Allen Whylie sick; should he be replaced as ComPol?
    Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie is on sick leave for a month.  His absence, however, comes at a critical time during the September Celebrations when the Belize Police Department remains [...]

    Las Flores villagers protest land sale at City Hall
    The Las Flores Steering Committee has been leading the fight against the completed sale of parcels eighty-seven-thirteen and eighty-seven-fourteen near Saint Michael R.C. Primary School in the community outside Belmopan [...]

    Area rep says church has final say
    Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar also chimed in on the current land dispute in Las Flores.  While the suggestion to cede parcels sixty-two fifty-two and sixty-two fifty-three to the Catholic [...]

    Little feedback on nationality list; is it worth it?
    As promised, the Senate Special Select Committee is turning the page after months of questioning on past misdeeds of the Immigration Department. For two and a half hours on Wednesday, [...]

    What’s the point of recommenders?
    In the case of recommenders for passports and nationality, Diana Locke made the point that records of persons named as justices of the peace, teachers and even religious professionals have [...]

    RTA kills husband, lands wife in hospital
    Just after seven on Wednesday night, there was a fatal traffic mishap on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Joaquin Villamil and his wife Julissa were travelling between miles fourteen and fifteen, [...]

    Belizeans in Florida brace for Irma
    It appears that Hurricane Irma is not slowing down and it is heading straight for Florida. Latest weather projections show that it may hit Miami directly. Thousands have evacuated the [...]

    Devastation in wake of Cat 5 storm in northern Caribbean
    Hurricane Irma continues forward as a category five storm and has left a path of destruction in its wake – almost completely destroying Barbuda, and causing massive damage in Saint [...]

    Taiwan boosts police communication
    Belize has received one hundred thousand dollars from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in a formal cooperation agreement on police development, including the exchange of personnel visiting [...]

    Get your SSB money direct
    On Wednesday, we told you how the Social Security Board is moving online and how employers are making their payments via the online portal. Well, it is not only the [...]

    S.S.B. and the pensioner problem
    So, the S.S.B. wants to increase contributions for the forty percent of its insured persons. Those persons earn between three hundred and twenty dollars to five hundred and twenty dollars [...]

    Day three of Carnival mas camps
    Day three of mas camps took place on Wednesday night. The bands were in true form as the judging begins, all leading up to Saturday’s road march. The competitive spirit [...]

    Police, Carnival brass get ready for Mas
    On Wednesday, carnival band leaders signed on to a peace declaration following a violent incident involving supporters at the conclusion of the King and Queen Competition. Greg Vernon of the [...]

    Challenging the epidemic of suicide
    Our viewers have probably noticed that this news station does not regularly report suicides. We understand how this can lead people to believing that Belizeans are rarely taking or attempting [...]

    LOVE FM

    Is Wednesday’s incident another black eye for Police?
    There is still much controversy over the incident on Wednesday at the toll bridge at Tower Hill, Orange Walk where the People’s United Party extended their protest and blocked the northern end of the bridge for at least an hour. The incident has stirred much debate over the use of force and tear gas by […]

    Krem decries the attack on their News Editor
    The Krem Management has issued a statement on behalf its News Editor, Marisol Amaya. The statement reads quote, “The images clearly show that Ms. Amaya was the only female congregated around a political leader being interviewed, along with other male media-members and party supporters, when she was specifically grabbed from behind by no other than […]

    Special Envoy condemns attack on media
    The Special Envoy for Women and Children Kim Simplis Barrow fired off a release condemning the attack on the media that happened yesterday on the Toll Bridge in Orange Walk Town. The Special Envoy says the frightening images of Krem News Director Marisol Amaya being assaulted by a police officer are unacceptable. In her statement, […]

    PUP condemns attack on media
    As expected, the People’s United Party is also condemning the attack on the media. The PUP says that the police used excessive force on members of the media who were covering the demonstration on Tower Hill yesterday. In its release the Opposition states quote, “The aggressiveness and indiscipline of officers of the Special Patrol Unit, […]

    BPP condemns attack against media
    The Belize Progressive Party is also weighing in on the attack on the media. The BPP says that members of the Belize Police Department used an unreasonable degree of force. The BPP is demanding that an apology is issued to the media and extended to Marisol Amaya. The BPP is also demanding that the behavior […]

    Broaster said both UDP & PUP illegal gatherings were asked to move
    The Police Department Officials have stated that the PUP assembling at the Toll Bridge in Tower Hill was illegal. The PUP did not have a permit for that. But they were not the only group to have assembled illegally on that day. Earlier on Wednesday morning, a small group of UDP supporters gathered on Clarke […]

    Acting Commissioner says Toll Bridge incident under investigation
    So what happens now? Acting Commissioner of Police, Noel Leal says they are still reviewing the situation and will be addressing any questionable action by the police if the need arises. Acting Commissioner of Police, Noel Leal “I’ve already began to get some of the reports, we’ll be compiling them together looking at everything contact […]

    Minister of Police addresses Toll Bridge incident
    Today while addressing Wednesday’s events at the Toll Bridge in Tower Hill Orange Walk, Minister Elodio Aragon briefly switched hats and took a political jab at PUP Party Leader John Briceno, calling him irresponsible. Minister of Police, Elodio Aragon “We have no problem with that provided you follow through with getting your permit, signing your […]

    Police and Taiwan signed cooperation agreement
    This morning representatives of Belize Police Department and the Embassy of the republic of China (Taiwan) signed a cooperation agreement and received a donation of communication equipment. Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Elodio Aragon and Ambassador Charles Liu spoke on the cooperation. Elodio Aragon, Minister of Police “Today we are here […]

    Las Flores staged demonstration to express discontent over land dispute
    A protest was held by members of the Las Flores Steering Committee in Belmopan this morning. Committee members expressed their discontent over a parcel of land adjacent to St. Michael Roman Catholic Primary School that was sold to a private individual by the Belmopan City Council. As we had reported on Tuesday, Mayor Khalid Belisle […]

    UDP & PUP showdown in Orange Walk
    Well over a thousand people participated in today’s protest organized by the People’s United Party’s Orange Walk North Committee. The crowd assembled at the San Lorenzo Road junction and after nine o’clock in the morning they marched towards the Orange Walk Central Park. The PUP had support not only from the Orange Walk North constituency, […]

    Will Gasper Vega return to Politics?
    While the embattled Gaspar Vega made his appearance today, he made an unexpected announcement. After he had indicated that he would be abandoning his political career, today he said, he is willing to run again if it meant keeping his enemy, Ramon Cervantes, out of office. Former Minister of Natural Resources, Gaspar Vega “If it […]

    Director of Immigration testifies before Senate Select Committee
    After a one month hiatus, the Senate Special Select Committee resumed its duties today with the interrogation of Director of Immigration Diana Locke. Locke appeared in a private session this morning and in the afternoon a public session was held. At the beginning of her testimony Locke was asked about the changes that have been […]

    John Saldivar comments on Las Flores’ land dispute
    Yesterday we shared a release from the Las Flores Community Steering Committee which stated that they rejected the agreement reached between the Belmopan City Council and the Roman Catholic Diocese over lands adjacent to St. Michael RC School. Today Belmopan area representative John Saldivar was asked about the controversy. Belmopan area representative, John Saldivar “I […]

    Belize receives grant from Taiwan
    The Government of the Republic of China, Taiwan, made another contribution to the Government of Belize. The contribution is earmarked for the infrastructural development of Belize and Ambassador of the Republic of China, Taiwan Charles Liu presented a bilateral cooperation grant to Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The grant is for the year 2017 under the […]

    SSB holds consultation on proposed increase of contributions
    The Social Security Board hosted the media this morning in Belize with the objective to engage members of the media and provide accurate information on the Proposed Wage Ban increase. The SSB has launched a nationwide consultation with stakeholders with the purpose to receive feedback in regards to a possible increase of social security contributions […]

    SSB unveils Facebook
    During this morning’s event, Social Security Board also unveiled its Facebook page. It is hoped that through this medium Social Security will better engage its customers. The Social Security Board announced a stronger online presence that employees and employers can utilize to make secured financial transaction. CEO, Dr. Colin Young told us more. CEO of […]

    Carnival groups vow to keep the peace
    In an effort to avoid any disputes, fights, shootings or any other incidents that may result in the injury of others, leaders of all carnival groups participating in this year’s Carnival Road March signed a declaration of peace. It’s a move that organizers have made in order to have band leaders commit to a peaceful […]

    Shooting incident in San Pedro leaves one man dead
    A shooting incident, last night in San Pedro, has left one man dead and another injured. 36-year-old Rudolph Eric Pitts was shot and killed, while, 22-year-old Edgar Lopez escaped and is now hospitalized. Deputy Officer Commanding of Eastern Division, Superintendent of Police Raymond Reyes, spoke to the media about the shooting incident. Deputy Officer Commanding […]

    Keenan Flores is a free man
    Twenty-three year old Keenan Flores, a resident of Dangriga, who was charged with drug trafficking on July 31 for 2.2 kilograms of suspected cocaine, was freed of the charge when he appeared today before Magistrate Aretha Ford. Magistrate Ford told Flores that the prosecution has withdrawn the charge because, according to a memorandum from the […]

    Making PG’s roads safe
    A two day planning meeting of representatives from the Ministry of Economic Development Road Safety Project and Punta Gorda Town Council Traffic Committee ended today in Punta Gorda. Correspondent Paul Mahung reports. A main participant at the meeting was Chairman of Punta Gorda Town Council Traffic Committee, Ivan Avilez. Chairman of Punta Gorda Town Council […]

    EMTs better prepared to save lives
    An emergency medical technician course came to an end earlier today in Belmopan. The course formed a part of the Belize Road Safety Project. Correspondent Fem Cruz has the story. Fem Cruz, Love FM: “The EMT this afternoon concluded a three months training with the support of BERT, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of […]

    The Guardian

    Social Security may fail within 4 years
    On Wednesday September 6th the Social Security Board hosted members of the media to a mixer with the sole purpose of informing on the proposal to increase coverage via increased contributions. Established in 1981, the Social Security Board provides a safety net for employed persons who would otherwise not have benefits accrue to them while they work. Since its inception the board has had only one adjustment in its rates and coverage and that was back in 2001. Now a full 16 years later there is an urgent need to revisit the scheme. Speaking to the media, the SSB’s actuary, Hernando Montas, spoke plainly and explained that under the current demands, the fund will collapse within 4 years. Actually, the fund is currently operating at a deficit if it were solely dependent on contributions in order to make benefit payments. Chief Executive Officer for the SSB told the media that the deficit is for 11.4 million dollars. In 2016 there was 81 million dollars in contributions while benefits paid out amounted to 92.4 million dollars.

    Grenade and explosive taken off the streets of Belize City
    Law enforcement personnel have expressed concerns for public safety and security during the September Celebrations after a fully functional grenade was found in Belize City. Officers of the Gang Suppression Unit came across the explosive in an abandoned lot at the corner of George and Plues Street on Wednesday, September 6, at around 1:15 a.m. General David Jones, the Commander of the Belize Defense Force, confirmed to the press that the military’s operations office received a call from the police about 15 minutes later. A BDF officer trained in explosives safety was then dispatched to the area where the grenade was found, and it was retrieved.

    Trapp is back and half his slate are women
    This past Sunday, like the Sunday before, was another victory for the women of the United Democratic Party and by extension the nation of Belize. Like the Sunday before in Belize City, so was the UDP Convention, held in Cayo District very well attended.The latter convention was held to vote for the slate that will represent the great UDP, in the 2018 Municipal Election, for the TWIN TOWNS of SAN IGNACIO and SANTA ELENA. A total of 2,739 voters from the Twin Towns came out and cast their votes. In the race to fill the slot for a Mayoral Candidate, the very popular, Incumbent Mayor Earl Trapp received: 2,102 votes. His challenger, Lupita Ferguson received: 548 votes. Some 89 ballots were spoilt and were therefore rejected.

    JP Darlene Padron clears her name on land forgery case
    A week has passed since Belmopan resident Amy Forte threatened to sue the Government of Belize if her name wasn’t cleared in what she alleges is land fraud. She claims that her signature was forged in a land conveyance deed, but the Justice of the Peace who authenticated the document, says there was no forgery. The JP is asserting that she did sign the document. While the Prime Minister has requested that a full investigation be carried out on the transaction, the police department that has tasked the head of the Major Crimes division to investigate the matter is yet to receive a statement from Forte. This is where the investigation stands now, basically while Forte has complained to the Prime Minister through her attorney, she has not done so to the police department in order for criminal proceedings to take place.

    CariWaC ADVANCES - First Ladies/Spouses Network formally launched
    First Ladies and Spouses of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) launched its network, “Spouses of Caribbean Leaders Action Network (SCLAN)” to tackle issues related to the health and wellbeing of women, adolescents and children in the Caribbean. SCLAN is the advocacy and action platform to advance the Every Caribbean Women Every Caribbean Child (ECWECC) initiative, now re-titled Caribbean Woman Caribbean Child (CariWaC)” H.E. Ms. Kim Simplis Barrow, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize and Special Envoy for Women and Children in Belize, was elected as the first Chair of the Network, while H.E. Ms. Sandra Granger, First Lady of Guyana, was elected its Vice Chair. Other members of the executive body are: Her Excellencies, Ms. Reema Carmona (Trinidad and Tobago); Ms. Martine Moise (Haiti); and the Most Honorable, Juliet Holness (Jamaica). Also at the Launch were: Her Excellences, Ms. Maria Browne (Antigua & Barbuda) and Sybilene Patricia Minnis (The Bahamas).

    Alcaldes must undergo training before being sworn in
    Hon Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General of Belize along with Hon. Carla Barnett Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources held meetings in the Toledo district with Alcaldes and members of the district association of village councils on Thursday August 31. According to Hon. Peyrefitte, the meetings held with the Alcaldes centered on the legitimacy of their appointments. According to the A.G. none of the Alcaldes were sworn in by himself or any representative of his ministry thereby making their positions not legally recognized.

    Belize City Councilor makes donation to Black Cross Nurses
    On Wednesday September 6th, Councilor Hyacinth Latchman-Cuellar handed over a donation to the President of the Black Cross Nurses Association Ms. Karen Taylor. The Association had to acquire a new building and will add an extension in order to accommodate its office and a room to prepare food for the “Meals on Wheels” Program and host craft and game evenings for the elderly.

    BNTU Pres Elena Smith on NEWS 5:“…says to us as a people, that internationally we are not recognized.”
    It occurred on Aug 31, 2017 on Channel 5; none other than the President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union said some things that made no sense whatsoever! I pasted the exact text from the TV’s Website: “When you listen to the Foreign Minister and certain words that he uses… Come on! I don’t see where any Belizean, any person who says that I love this country, would not be offended by the way the Foreign Minister uses words, the way he describes our borders, and he pretends as if though he is the only one who knows these words and he knows what they mean and the rest of us don’t know what these words mean. We must take offense when no person other than our Foreign Minister describes our borders in such a way and says to us as a people, that internationally we are not recognized. How we can sit back and accept that, yet we say we love Belize?

    Carnival Kings and Queens
    On Saturday, September 2, 2017, carnival groups made their way to the Marion Jones Stadium to display the intoxicating shimmer and color of their costumes. The event started as early as 5:00 p.m. where a total of 8 judges did their prejudgment. During this segment of the judging, the costumes were looked at for its sturdiness, use of color, as well as mobility of the costume. Quite importantly, the judges looked for how well of a job the reveler did portraying and using the costume as well as how well he or she explained the meaning behind the costume. Two groups did not make the competition so there were a total of 14 bands, 8 juniors and 6 seniors, competed in the King and Queen Competition. Irahunu Mas Band from Seine Bight Village and Caribbean Treasure Band from Belize City removed themselves from the competition and carnival activities but Caribbean Treasure Band will participate in the road march as a participant and not a competitor.

    Carnival Mas band leaders band together to sign Declaration of Peace and Safety
    With the carnival road march quickly approaching, and the air of violence and debauchery not too far behind, members of the carnival world met on Wednesday, September 6, 2017, three days before, to settle on some agreements. The basis of the declaration is to assure peace among and between band leaders as well as revelers and, to some extent, spectators. On behalf of the Belize Police Department, Desiree Phillips, Eastern Division Regional Commander, wants to assure the public that the department has already called for additional man power to quickly dissipate any unruly behavior. The duty of law enforcement officers is to promote safety and peace and that is the exact intention of the police department. Apart from an increase in man power, there will also be increased safety measures being carried out by additional patrolling officers.

    FFB holds extraordinary congress... accomplishes nothing
    The internal struggle over leadership of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) appears to have gone dormant, at least until the elections become the highest priority once again. The FFB held an extraordinary congress on Saturday, September 2, and all the delegates showed up, allowing for quorum to be reached. The major business of the day were some important items which the congress couldn’t address on July 24 and 25, 2017, 9 weeks ago, when the delegates staged a protest and forced the congress meeting to be cancelled. At that time, they were not prepared to move forward with the elections for president and vice-president because they did not agree with the Electoral Committee’s decision to disqualify Sergio Chuc from running for president.

    National Flag Day held in Belmopan
    National Flag Day was held in Belmopan last Friday to the full embrace of its residents. Mayor Khalid Belisle on that occasion unveiled a flag monument, which includes a specially designed plaque and a flag pole. The plaque itself stands out markedly and gives a detailed description of the flag of Belize. In its entirety, the sparkling plaque reads as follows: “The flag of Belize is made up of Blue (Azure) with a White circle and a Red (Gules) border, these two horizontal red borders are 1/5 of the total width of the Flag, with the Coat of Arms centered on the white circle.

    New Health Centre in Santa Elena Town to be inaugurated
    The Government of Belize steadfast in its continued commitment to address the basic needs of Belizeans, in the areas of water, sanitation, education, and health, has funded the rehabilitation of the Santa Elena Health Centre Project at an estimated cost of $270,000.00. The residents of Santa Elena will benefit from having primary health care services aimed to improve community health thus, making critical achievements in improving the quality of health of men, women, and children of Santa Elena Town. Residents will also enjoy economic benefits from the closer proximity to the health centre as the cost of travel and time would be significantly reduced since they will no longer have to travel to San Ignacio for health care services.

    Job Preparedness Training begins in San Ignacio
    As a part of the Youth Resilience and Inclusive Social Empowerment (Youth RISE) Project, the Cornerstone Foundation this week started a job training program. This program is being held in partnership with the Department of Youth Services and the Ministry of Human Development. The job preparedness training has been designed for 15 to 16 year olds and will be held for the next six weeks from 9:00 a.m to 11:30 a.m on both Mondays and Wednesdays. As part of the joint effort, the program comes at no cost to the participants.

    6 years later and Johnny has still not answered accusations of corruption against him
    On Wednesday of this week the PUP held Protest march and rally in Orange Walk , which is, Johnny Briceno’s backyard . Apparently they could not get enough takers from Orange Walk ,so they busted in a few persons from out of town; paid protesters, from Belize City, Cayo and as far as Dangriga, to make up numbers .The event was dubbed as an anti-corruption protest march and rally . The fact of the date being, September, 6 caught our attention right away, as it brought back memories of something that happened exactly 6 years ago on the 6, September, 2011. That event was a story about some alleged corruption against Johnny .That story broke on Wave Radio/Tv station’s Fus Thing Da Mawnin .The story was based on WIKILEAKS Cable.That WIKILEAKS cable dated back to 2007 when a US Oil company called Lagoon Resources applied for a Production Sharing Agreement. The October 2007 cable, which was classified as confidential, alleged that Lagoon Resources did everything necessary to get the PSA, including offering the government higher royalty and production sharing rates - but the PSA went instead to, quote, “a politically connected local company.”

    The Ministry of Health remains vigilant for our safety
    The Ministry of Health has issued a report of an unauthorized Neurobión ® 50 mil syrup 240ml bottle that has been found to be circulating in the Belize market. Investigations conducted by the Ministry of Health so far indicate that this Neurobión ® 50 mil has NOT been granted an importation permit for entry into Belize and the Ministry believes that the quality may be compromised. The said product has been removed from the establishments where it was found and the Ministry continues to remain vigilant for any unauthorized product that may be present in the country. The said samples of products is labeled to come from “Merk”, has an expiry date of November 2020 and claims to contain the Active Pharmaceutical ingredients such as Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Hydroxocobalamin, Cyanocobalamin and Lidocaine Chlorhydrate

    Nemo Minister inspects flood mitigation works in Toledo
    On Friday September 1, Minister of National Emergency Management Hon. Edmond Castro was on a working tour in Punta Gorda. Hon. Castro was welcomed to the municipality by Punta Gorda Mayor Fern Gutierrez and he accompanied NEMO District Coordinator Kenton Parham and Assistant Coordinator Dennis Williams on an inspection of areas where flood mitigation works have been carried out in that town and surrounding communities over the past six weeks. Those areas, which are known to be susceptible to seasonal flooding, include Hopeville, Magoon Area, Cattle Landing and Jacintoville.

    Reviewing & refreshing disaster management – NEMO village leaders conferences
    Halfway through the hurricane season and heading into what is normally the most active portion of it, Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) continues to review and refresh its Emergency Management Plan and the roles and responsibilities of its coordinators, committees and volunteers countrywide in preparation for the eventuality of storms and flooding events. In line with this objective, three Village Leaders Conferences were recently conducted in the Toledo District. The most recent Village Leaders Conference was held at Corazon Creek High School and was attended by Chairpersons and Alcaldes from Santa Teresa, Mabil Ha; San Lucas, Corazón, Otoxha, Conejo Creek and Corazon Creek.

    How to handle an oil spill
    The threat of an oil spill can almost permanently damage lives and environment as well as having unconstructive effects on the economy and society of any country. On Belize, those effects would be felt even twice fold considering out geography and demography. As responsible stewards of the environment, it is essential to maintain vigilance in the case of such an emergency. Effective planning and response requires the cooperation of relevant agencies that can ensure proper risk management as it pertains to looking after Belize’s terrestrial and marine environments. In an effort to strengthen Belize’s response capabilities, representatives from various ministries, departments, private sectors, civil and academic society and NGOs met on September 5th to 7th, 2017 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel.

    Of this and that....PUP’s Facebook elections
    Unable to find candidates to run for the municipal elections, the PUP are finding candidates on Facebook to have them run a parallel election on Facebook. They are selecting some of the persons who post in a prolific fashion and are going so far as creating posters for them to run for the PUP in the Facebook municipal elections. The problem is that even on Facebook people are not voting especially when people see that hand of oppression on the banners being created; they immediately shy away. Its like rubbing salt on fresh wounds and even though the people being picked are good people the blue tinge just makes Facebook users hate them. The PUP need to stop this for the sake of those involved.

    PUP mischief making in Orange Walk
    Johnny Briceno who has very much to answer as it relates to allegations of corruption against him seems to have forgotten his past and is attempting to somehow lead a charge of corruption against the UDP and in particular the Area Representative for Orange Walk North. To this end he mobilized a national operation bussing in people from all across the country to Orange Walk town for what they call and anti-corruption demonstration. In the end a mere one thousand fanatics showed up, of course their pockets was anywhere between 40 and 50 dollars heavier. They paraded through the streets of Orange Walk and made all the noise they wanted. But it seemed that this was not enough for Briceno, he somehow wanted to look like a leader and instead of disbursing the crowd at the end of the parade, they were egged on to go to the Tower Hill Bridge and block it.

    Shyne during school time
    This week classes started for all primary schools across the country and any parent who has had to prepare their children for school will tell you that this is perhaps one of the most stressful times of the year. And that is so because of the expenses that come with the new school year. Parents must find the finances to purchase, books and other school supplies, uniforms, shoes and other necessities for their children. Among those necessities are school bags. For one division in Belize City however, when the school opened parents for a hundred children did not have to worry about school bags. That worry was taken away by aspiring area representative Shyne Barrow.

    The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Contributes to Infrastructural Development of Belize
    On Wednesday, September 6, His Excellency Charles Liu, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), presented a bilateral cooperation grant to the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Belize. The grant from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize is for the year 2017 under the Bilateral Cooperation Program between the two countries. The purpose of the grant is to assist the overall development of Belize and particularly in the development of its transportation infrastructure.

    Social Security
    On Wednesday September 6th the Social Security Board hosted members of the media to a mixer with the sole purpose of informing on the proposal to increase coverage via increased contributions. Established in 1981, the Social Security Board provides a safety net for employed persons who would otherwise not have benefits accrue to them while they work. Since its inception the board has had only one adjustment in its rates and coverage and that was back in 2001. Now a full 16 years later there is an urgent need to revisit the scheme.

    Taiwan, a Valuable Partner for SDGs - True Universality
    “As we embark on this great collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind”—Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. New York is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. As with visitors from other countries, those from Taiwan love to experience first-hand the city’s famous attractions—the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and, of course, the very nerve center of global affairs: the Headquarters of the United Nations. These landmarks—the latter in particular—are symbols of equality, diversity and freedom. Regrettably, the brilliantluster of these ideals has become tarnished of late as more and more visitors from Taiwan find themselves being turned away from the UN grounds, discriminated against simply because of their country of origin.

    Mayor Earl Trapp in San Ignacio now tasked to do more work
    With the counting of the ballots now over and Mayor Earl Trapp Junior having won another landslide victory, the future of the Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena continues to be placed on a forward course. As the Chairman of the United Democratic Party Alberto August has observed, “Your UDP Mayoral Candidate was elected with 2,102 votes.” Coming from humble beginnings, Mayor Earl Trapp did not win those votes by pure charisma alone. He is a hard worker and is frequently seen getting his hands dirty as major works are undertaken around the sprawling twin towns.

    UDP presents its Orange Walk Municipal slate
    After months of PUP concocted rumors that the UDP has a difficult time to get candidates in Orange Walk to represent in the upcoming elections in March, the bombshell was dropped on the PUP. On Thursday the 31st August, 2017, the Orange Walk Executive Committee introduced to the media, the candidates who will represent the United Democratic Party in Orange Walk. At a press conference the candidates made a brief introduction and fielded questions from the media. The dynamic team all of whom are of impeccable character were remarkably well composed and handled themselves admirably. The Mayoral Candidate, Mr. Phillip De La Fuente, who has been a past Mayor of Orange Walk has said that he decided to run for mayor because as he put it he “is dismayed at the way the Town is being run” and promised to change this for the better.

    Stann Creek takes the crown at the 77th Annual Queen of the Bay Pageant
    September in Belize is not September without the curtsy of the girls vying for the title of Queen of the Bay. The 77th Annual Queen of the Bay Pageant was held at Bird’s Isle on Saturday, September 2, 2017. There, the eight contestants participated in patriotic talent, costume, and swimsuit displays, answered questions, showcased their evening gowns, marched the stage, and curtsied before the audience and judges. Aaliyah Ysaguirre represented the Culture Capital and her poise and elegance won over the judges as she was crowned the 77th Queen of the Bay, making it the third consecutive year that a representative from Stann Creek has walked away with the crown. Besides walking away with the crown, Aaliyah was also titled Miss Eloquence.

    Accommodations to suit any pocket and preference in Hopkins
    On a trip held by the Belize Tourism Board on Friday, August 25 to Sunday August 27, 2107, media persons were taken to the Hopkins Village in Stann Creek to discover Belize. Aside from both terrestrial and marine activities, we were given the opportunity to get an inside look at some very high end hotels and resorts as well as their rooms, restaurants, bars, and other amenities. The group of 14 journalists and reporters had the luxury of calling the Almond Beach Resort and Spa and Jaguar Reef Lodge their home for the entirety of the trip. When we were not being consumed with work, sun, and engaging in group activities off site, we had downtime to explore the resort. We were initially given a tour of most of the compound which covered several rooms, pools, the spa and café, the beach, and the main restaurant and lobby.

    Over 2 kilos of cocaine turned out to be sugar
    Over 2 kilograms of cocaine found inside a blue GMC Jimmy Blazer more than a month ago turned out to be pure sugar. The allegation was made against 23-year-old Keenan Flores who has been on remand at the Belize Central Prison since the incident on July 31, 2017. Flores has since been freed after getting the news before Magistrate Aretha Ford. Before the magistrate, the charge was withdrawn from against Flores by prosecutor in the case, Cpl. Christopher Smith. A memorandum from the forensic analyst certified that the content that was suspected to be cocaine is actually sugar.

    Domestic of Teakettle is given bail for drug charge
    Adrian Azueta, a 26-year-old domestic of Teakettle, was arraigned on September 4, 2017 for possession of over two pounds of marijuana. The drugs were found in her possession on Sunday, September 3, 2017 in the Ladyville Area. Azueta was unrepresented when she appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court to answer to a single charge of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

    Ex-prison officer charged for assaulting an attorney
    Attorney and former DPP Prosecutor, Leroy Banner, reported to police that on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at the Cricket Field in Double Head cabbage, he was assaulted by two men known to him. One of the alleged attackers was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on September 1, 2017 where he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser. He is Calbert Reynolds, a 28-year-old former prison officer. In court where he was unrepresented, Reynolds was read two criminal offenses, aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument and threatening words. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.

    Gilbert Goodger denied bail for drug related charges
    Gilbert Goodger is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was denied bail for a second drug related charge in a matter of days. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser on September 4, 2017 where he was read two drug related offenses. According to police, a search was executed at Goodger’s home. There they found cannabis in two plastic bags which amounted to 233 grams. A further search was conducted which led to the discovery of 0.5 grams of cannabis. Goodger claims that he was not at home at the time of the search but claimed full responsibility and that is why his girlfriend was not charged.

    Two teenagers remanded for armed robbery
    A 17-year-old Chinese salesman was robbed at Good Fortune Store and two men accused of the robbery were arraigned and remanded on September 4, 2017 before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza. The young men, 18-year-old Luquan Flowers and 19-year-old Duesberry Bowen, were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court where they were represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. The duo was charged jointly with robbery of Ming Long Li while Bowen was charged alone with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm upon Li.

    Taxi driver shot in Cayo
    Taxi drivers in Western Belize are once again becoming the focus of criminals. At 8:50 p.m on Saturday Efrain Cu was observed by Police to be suffering from four gunshot wounds. The taxi driver from Santa Elena had a wound on the right upper shoulder, left chest and upper leg. Cu had picked up three strangers at the Cayo Welcome Center in central San Ignacio and drove them to a location near the Collins Boulevard near the Bullet Tree Road. There he was shot and his Geo Prizm valued at $10,500.00 was then forcefully taken from him.

    Teenager is accused of harm twice in 2 years
    A Belize City teenager who two years ago was convicted of harm was on Wednesday before the court for the offense of wounding. She is 18-year-old Daniel Garnett, a resident of Belize City. Garnett appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Aretha Ford on September 6, 2017 where she was read a single charge of wounding upon Tyra Humes. The allegations against Garnett are that on Saturday, September 2, 2017, she punched Humes in the face at the BTL Park. Humes further alleged that she was also hit in her chin with a lock Garnett had gotten hold of.

    More time for Inmate for smuggling weed
    Richard Taylor, is a 23-year-old prisoner incarcerated for 5 years of a 7 year sentence for burglary. Authorities at the Central Prison were able to detect marijuana being smuggled up his rectum during a routine check and now he has a drug trafficking charge to answer to. He was arraigned before Magistrate Aretha Ford on September 1, 2017 where he was given the option of pleading guilty to drug trafficking or to possession. He pleaded guilty to possession and was sentenced to 5 months set to run concurrently with the remainder of his time for burglary.

    Dragons and Belize Bank Bulldogs in the finals of Firms’ Basketball competition
    The Belize District Basketball Association Firms’ Competition will enter its championship round on Friday 22nd September and Saturday 23rd September at 8:00 pm at Swift Hall in Belize City. The championship series is utilising the best of three format. If a third game becomes necessary, that game will be played on Friday 29th September. In the first game of the semi-final round which was played on Saturday 2nd September, 2017, Dragons the number one seed eliminated Tuff ‘e’ Nuff by the score of 84-76 to advance to the championship round. The top scorers for the Dragons were Auburn Rivero with 15 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists and 4 steals; Akeem Watters with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal and Eyan Rene with 13 points, 5 rebounds and a steal.

    Burrell Boom and Lucky Strike win in Leal Cup Tournament
    The 2017 Leal Football Cup Tournament continued on Sunday 3rd September, out at the Sandhill Football Field. In the first game of the day, Burrell Boom defeated Sandhill New Site Warriors by the score of 4-1. The goals for Burrell Boom were scored by Dennis Munoz, Angel Gutierrez, Misael Munoz and Erick Gomez, while the lone goal for Sandhill New Site Warriors was scored by Jordan Wade. In game two, Lucky Strike won over HVYSC by the score of 3-2. The goals for Lucky Strike were scored by Keenen Gillett (2) and Travis Heredia, while the goals for HVYSC were scored by Carlton Rogers and Trvaun Rhaburn. In the third game of the day, Sandhill Blue Hawks and Sandhill Scorpions played to a 0-0 draw.

    Guardian Cubs win in Belize City Senior Male Softball opener
    The Belize City Softball Association 2017 Senior Male Competition opened on Wednesday 30th August at Rogers Stadium. Organised male softball took a hiatus under the last Belize City Softball Association for four years and finally returned with only three teams. The teams are Guardian Cubs, Dream Crushers and Dodgers. In the first game played, Guardian Cubs defeated Dream Crushers by the score of 5-3. The winning pitcher was Jason Garcia and the losing pitcher was Konrad Gonzalez.

    Stann Creek Football Association to hold First Division Tournament
    The Stann Creek Football Association is inviting all interested teams to a meeting to discuss the upcoming Stann Creek Football Association First Division Cup Tournament. The meeting is scheduled for Monday September 18, 2017 at 6:30PM upstairs of the Dangriga Town Hall. The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss the start date of the tournament, registration per team, the tournament regulation and picking of teams to be place in their respective group which is either A or B. The association is asking interested teams to please be on time.

    Verdes FC early leaders in the PLB Football Opening Season
    The Premier League of Belize 2017 Opening Season competition continued over the weekend with four games on the schedule. On Saturday 2nd September, at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town, the host team San Pedro Pirates FC blanked the visiting Freedom Fighters by the score of 2-0. The goals for the San Pedro Pirates FC were scored by Luis Alchnovic in the 45th minute of play and Hector Martinez in the 90th minute of play to give the San Pedro Pirates its first win of the 2017 campaign. While at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan, the defending champions Bandits Sports edged out the visiting Police United by the score of 3-2.

    Popular businessman dies in traffic accident
    Family members, friends and well-wishers have said their final goodbyes to the well-known businessman, Omar Ortiz, who died in a traffic accident on the George Price Highway. The 46 year-old was driving his Toyota Laand Cruiser on Thursday, August 31, heading to Galen University, where he is the Vice President. At around 8:30 a.m., he was in an area between miles 30 and 31 on the George Price Highway, near Mahogany Heights, when he somehow lost control of the vehicle. It flipped over 6 times, and a vehicle he had passed on the way stopped to help him in that distress. Those first responders found all the airbags in the vehicle deployed, and they reportedly had to cut the seatbelt to free him. He suffered an injury to the neck, and fearing that they would do more harm than good, they called and waited for an ambulance to arrive and properly transport him. That ambulance arrived from Belize City, and he was rushed to the Belize Healthcare Partners Hospital.

    Elderly Motorcyclist killed in accident
    An elderly man was thrown off his motorcycle and killed on Tuesday morning while riding through Buena Vista Village in Cayo. Jessica Miller, a U.S citizen has reported to police that she was driving through Buena Vista when the left rear side of her vehicle collided against the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, 80 year old Salvadoran Jose Francisco Ayala suffered serious bodily injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Ignacio Community Hospital. Miller has been served with a notice of intended prosecution

    No Watch GAPI, Watch Kareem!
    Goodness! I received a lot of feedback from my opinion piece last week which mentioned Hon. Vega. It seems that he still has many faithful supporters in OW North who swear by him. They maintain that under Gapi Orange Walk North really underwent notable development with thousands of titled house lots having been issued, several schools built, community and sport centers opened, drains installed, roads paved, feeder roads cleared and educational grants awarded, among other projects. Listen, the alternative for Orange Walk North, or the entire country even, is not an attractive option. Change monkey for black dog they say. We no want no sprang, they chanted today Wednesday. I won’t lie to you and say the pro- Vega crowd was big, but they had heart to go out there against the might and money of an organized PUP leadership.

    Tell Me My Chances
    South Side Belize City, the very bleakest part of our country which also happens to be our most densely populated- here jutting zinc fences enclose clustered decrepit homes; abandoned lots can be seen, overgrown with weeds and infested by critters. Jobs are hard to come by, and children often go to school hungry. The depth of poverty here is not known by many. Although Southside Belize City appears to be where it is concentrated, poverty in Belize is by no means quarantined within this area. It seeps in varying degrees throughout. However, for a long time, the depth of poverty in which some Belizeans live, was unbeknownst to me; that is up until very recently when I began to work in some of the challenged areas of Belize City, alongside Dion Leslie, a man who believes he has a vision to improve Quality of Life here for the people.

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Massive Earthquake measuring 8.0 gives Belize a shake
    A massive earthquake measuring at least 8.0 on the Richer Scale has struck southern Mexico. According to Earthquake Track, it happened 17 minutes ago and shook Chiapas, Mexico and was felt in Belize, Guatemala as well as in Distrito Federal, Mexico.

    Mennonite Businessman murdered in Guatemala
    BBN has been reliably informed by residents of the Spanish Lookout community that a Mennonite businessman, Eddie Braun was murdered in Guatemala on Tuesday, 5th September. Details surrounding the incident are sketchy but according to our sources, the incident occurred somewhere between Melchor de Mencos and Flores in the Department of Peten.

    Special envoy condemns assault on Marisol Amaya
    In light of the assault by police officers on female Journalist and editor of KREM news, Marisol Amaya, many have expressed outrage by the actions of the police including the special envoy for women and children in Belize, Kim Simplis Barrow.

    United women’s’ group demands respect for media
    The United Women’s Group (UWG), (women’s arm of the People’s United Party) issued a statement today demanding respect for the media. According to the release, the UWG says that the media plays a critical role in Belize’s democracy and therefore it is crucial that its journalists are not censured, stifled, or bullied in any way.

    Recinos Imports donate cereals to Belmopan Police Feeding Program
    Today, Belmopan Police and Recinos Imports from San Ignacio signed an agreement where 140 students of two primary schools in the Belmopan Police Jurisdiction will receive breakfast cereal as part of the Belmopan Police Feeding Program.

    Prominent Belizeans express outrage over Police abuse of KREM’s Marisol Amaya
    Less than 24 hours after KREM’s Editor, Marisol Amaya, was manhandled and abused by police at a PUP protest near the Tower Hill bridge in Orange Walk, various media personalities, political activists and women’s advocates have condemned the abusive action by police.

    Drug peddler arrested and charged in Belize City
    Police have issued an official report on the arrest of a Belize City, “drug peddler.”According to the report, at around 3:15 yesterday, officers of the Gang Suppression Unit were conducting a search on Nargusta Street.

    GSU find cannabis in gang turf
    side from busting a drug peddler at around 2 p.m. yesterday, the Gang Suppression Unit found 157 grams of cannabis.The discovery was made at around 2 p.m. in an abandoned open lot on Haulze Street.

    Saldivar has doubts about Amy Forte
    While Prime Minister Dean Barrow believes that Amy Forte’s signature may have been forged in a land scheme involving the family of Gaspar Vega; John Saldivar has publicly discounted Forte’s credibility. On Wednesday, Saldivar questioned Forte’s credibility, given the fact that she never made formal complaints into the allegations of fraud to the police.

    “No apologies,” says John Saldivar
    Minister of Defense John Saldivar had only apologies for those that disagree with him, but none for using government resources in transporting his football team to and from matches in the cayes. Saldivar was heavily criticized earlier this year when it was discovered that he was using boats donated to the Belize Coast Guard, by the United States Government to take the Belmopan Bandits to their games.

    Taiwan contributes to infrastructural development of Belize
    His Excellency Charles Liu, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), presented a bilateral cooperation grant to Dean Barrow, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Belize two days ago. The grant from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize is for the year 2017 under the Bilateral Cooperation Program between the two countries.

    Ministers Faber and Saldivar bicker about support for Vega
    Yesterday, photos of the PUP’s protest against Gaspar Vega in Orange Walk flooded social media. While the protest was on, Deputy Prime Minister of Belize, Patrick Faber posted on his social media page — “for those wondering on a day like today, I do not support or defend corruption and my expectations are that those in our beloved UDP don’t either.”

    San Pedro men ambushed; one killed
    On Tuesday night, San Pedro residents – Edgar Rene Lopez and Rudolph Pitts were ambushed while walking on a back road near Bright Waters Resort. Lopez and Pitts were shot at by three men. When police visited the Poly Clinic in San Pedro, they saw Lopez suffering from gunshot wounds to the left side of the head and the upper left arm. Lopez is a caretaker and a resident of Mile Ten North of San Pedro.

    Hurricane Center monitoring 3 Hurricanes; latest update on Irma
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring three hurricane – Jose, Irma and Katia in the Atlantic. Hurricane Irma is a catastrophic category 5 hurricane. As of last night, the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 19.1 North, longitude 66.1 West.

    Hurricane Jose forms in Altantic
    Last night, tropical storm Jose was upgraded to a hurricane and it is located east of the powerful Category 5 Hurricane Irma in the Atlantic. The NHC is reporting that the center of Hurricane Jose was located near latitude 13.9 North, longitude 45.8 West. Jose is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days.

    Fatal road traffic accident on Philip Goldson Highway leaves one dead
    Last night around 7:15, Ladyville Police responded to a road traffic accident between miles 14 and 15 on the Philip Goldson Highway. When Police arrived at the scene, they observed a red Isuzu Trooper on the right side of the road. Beside the trooper was Joaquin Villamil,38, a businessman of Carmelita Village in an unconscious state.

    Vega announces his return to politics
    Yesterday, the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) held a protest in Orange Walk town to stand against corruption in the Lands Department initiated by former Lands Minister, Gaspar Vega. But Vega also had supporters standing up for him. A small group of about 40 people came out to show their support for Vega in front of his house.

    Blogs

    September Celebrations! How To Celebrate in 2017
    It’s the most wonderful month of the year. Sure it’s hot and generally humid. Mosquito spray is a must at dawn and dusk and the stream of tourists has slowed to a trickle. BUT…it’s Independence Month! IT’S PARTY TIME! Belize celebrates two major holidays in September and for many, it can feel like the time between Sept 10th and 21st makes for one big HOLIDAY! Time to decorate your home and your cart and your person and get out your calendar. Though I’ve missed a few events – like the Miss San Pedro pageant – here are my favorite things to do in September.

    September Celebrations Calendar of Events 2017
    Our young ( 36 years) and vibrant country is gearing up for September Celebrations with this years theme being, Belize – confronting challenges, celebrating triumphs and renewing our resolve. Countrywide, numerous cultural, religious, and sporting events are being held from the beginning of September up to the big finale on Independence Day, Sept 21st. This is a very patriotic month and many people show their pride decorating homes and businesses in the country’s colors; white, blue and red. September Celebrations Calendar Here are some of the many events going on this month that are worth the traveling around the country to see:

    CARNIVAL IN BELIZE
    September is a month of celebration sprinkled with competitions, pageants, and concerts, but the revelry peaks with Carnival - a crescendo of lively music, vibrant floats, and participants in detailed costumes that shimmer and shine through the streets, infecting people with their exuberance. This year, Carnival will be celebrated on the 9th of September, and if you find yourself in Belize on that day, here’s why you might want to save the date. The road march started as a small street parade in 1975 and has grown bigger and brighter each year. The first challenge of the month is the Carnival King and Queen competition, which was held on September 2nd at the Marion Jones Sports Complex. It serves almost as a stress test for the complex outfits as contestants must parade their large, elaborate costumes for the judges. This year, a total of 14 groups, 8 Junior and 6 Senior groups, showcased their elaborate creations. Jump Street Posse took home the title in the Junior category and Belizean Jewels came on top for the Senior category.

    Burying Summer in History
    When I first sought Galen as an option to further my studies, my sole purpose was to enrol in the archaeology program. So, believe my dismay when I was told that archaeology was no longer offered as major. I felt like a little kid who was eating a quadruple scooped ice cream, which was smothered in whip cream, drowned in chocolate syrup and had an enormous juicy scarlet cherry placed perfectly on the top, when suddenly some stranger comes marching along, slaps the ice cream out of the kids hand and continues walking along, leaving the kid lamenting over a dying dream. Apparently, the archaeology program was replaced with anthropology. When I first heard this transition, I was like Anthro-what? Is that the study of ants? But I was later enlightened. Anthropology is the umbrella and archaeology is just a subfield under it. Ms. Gibbs explained that during the summer semester the field archaeology was taught by Dr Jaime Awe. For that split second my heart stopped beating. Dr. Awe has always been my role model, and having the opportunity to work with him for an entire month would be the highlight of my life! I didn’t need to hear anything else. Galen here I come.

    International Sourcesizz

    Irma's destruction: island by island
    The category five hurricane has ripped through the Caribbean, leaving flattened landscapes, flash floods and loss of life. Barbuda, the first island to feel the force of Hurricane Irma was devastated by its high winds, with Gaston Browne, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, saying 90% of buildings had been destroyed and 50% of the population of around 1,000 people left homeless.

    Our Weather-Prediction Models Keep Getting Better, and Hurricane Irma Is the Proof
    By Wednesday of last week, even as Tropical Storm Harvey continued to rain devastation on the Gulf Coast, a new storm, Irma, was taking shape in the eastern Atlantic. Within thirty-six hours, it had morphed into a Category 3 hurricane. Then it seemed to hesitate momentarily, as if to gather itself. “Irma has begun a cycle of reorganization called an eye-wall replacement,” the Weather Channel reported on Friday. This brought to mind something like a home-renovation project, but in practice the replacement cycle is more like mounting a Formula One engine in a Corvette. The eye of a hurricane acts like a chimney, sending warm air whirling into the upper atmosphere. It may hold stable for a while, but eventually it shrinks and sputters, often to be replaced by a larger and more powerful eye, which forms around it. Then the storm hits fifth gear. Yesterday morning, Irma indeed achieved Category 5 status, with winds of a hundred and eighty-five miles per hour, ranking it among the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history.

    Spouses of CARICOM leaders launch action network
    First Ladies and Spouses of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have launched its network, 'Spouses of Caribbean Leaders Action Network' (SCLAN) to tackle issues related to the health and well being of women, adolescents and children in the Caribbean. SCLAN is the advocacy and action platform to advance the Every Caribbean Women Every Caribbean Child (ECWECC) initiative, now re-titled Caribbean Woman Caribbean Child (CariWaC)” H.E. Ms. Kim Simplis Barrow, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize and Special Envoy for Women and Children in Belize, was elected as the first Chair of the Network, while H.E. Ms. Sandra Granger, First Lady of Guyana, was elected its Vice Chair.

    Guatemalan Artisans Are Pushing to Remove 64,000 Fake Maya Products From Etsy
    In San Juan La Laguna – a town on the shore of Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala – the 20 or so Maya women who make up Casa Flor Ixcaco, a collective that produces organic fabrics, have seen their work misappropriated on several occasions. Plenty of business owners come into the group’s store, ask for a sample of the work, and promise to return to place a large order. But they never come back. “What happens normally, and it’s happened to me, [is] people come here and ask for samples and [then they create their own products], but now they use chemical dyes and industrialized thread,” Delfina Par, a member of Casa Flor Ixcaco, tells me on the phone in Spanish. “And they say it’s handmade and made by us, but normally what they do is take the samples as an example, and later they produce large quantities, but with low-quality thread. That’s what has affected us most.”

    Videos

  • Smart Belize Promotional Update, 27min.

  • Recruitment for Belize Youth Challenge Program, 30min.

  • Teaching young children Patriotism, 24min.

  • KTV Finalist - Last Roll Call, 33min.

  • Belize Dispora - BackPacks for Kids International, 17min.

  • THOUSANDS OF PUP SUPPORTERS TAKE PART IN MASSIVE PROTEST IN THE NORTH, 9min. Before the chaos played out at the toll bridge here in Orange Walk, Belizeans in the thousands together with the opposition People’s United Party seized the streets of Shuga City as they marched against corruption”. The aim was to send a strong message to Government that Belizeans have had enough of the corruption and enough of Gaspar Vega.

  • FINAL DAYS IN BELIZE || TRAVEL VLOG, 18min. Last couple days in Belize celebrating my birthday.

  • Rediscover Yourself . . . Table Rock Jungle Lodge, Belize, 1.5min. Table Rock Jungle Lodge is an award-winning eco-lodge located in San Ignacio, Belize. With only ten cabanas and over 105-acres of rainforest preserve, working farm, and half-mile of river frontage, Table Rock’s intimate setting within the trees has hosted more than 6,000 guests since its opening in the fall of 2007.

  • Marines in Belize, 2min.

  • Belize Partnership Update, 9min. Pastor Paul at Kings Children's Home gives Mount Pleasant an update.

  • In honor of manatee awareness month in Belize and International Manatee Appreciation Day!, 2min. Oceana Belize

  • Belize Rural South PUP Endorsement Convention, 100min.

  • BELIZE CITY - FOOD CRAWL 2017, 5min. During the weeks before my departure, I visited few of the many restaurants in Belize City. I am a person who likes to try most things at least once. So in this video, there are places I already visited and places I visited for the first time. Enjoy and don't get too hungry. - Coral Bubbles( downtown location) - As seen in my previous video. this place has the best BOBA milk tea in Belize City, and they recently opened a downtown location, which is great because I don;t have to go far. - Midtown restaurant and Bar - this place just opened recently so I and my friend decided to try it out to see if it was any good. Check out the food and prices in the Video. This is considered to be a high class restaurant, the prices were definitely of one, however, the food is another story. - Gong Cha - a famous franchise in different parts of the world, however, this is the first one in Belize, the atmosphere was nice and modern, the prices are reasonable and some of the dishes are really good - Wine N Wok - first teppanyaki restaurant in Belize City, went there specifically to try it out, it was entertaining but the food was not up to par, check it out in the video - Pandora Cafe - little cafe with great drinks, get ready to pay a little extra for the drinks but most of them are quite delicious so worth it.

  • Adventure TRAVEL in BELIZE: Part II: Caves, Canoe & Jungle, 38min. This is the second half of our trip to Belize in March 2017- going from Hopkins to Belmopan first we stopped at St. Herman's cave at the Blue Hole National Park, Then to Belmopan, the Belmopan market, took a Canoe trip on the Belize river, visited some butterflies, went on a cave waterfall climbing expedition, explored a national park and visited some mayan ruins.

  • Day at the beach in Belize, 2min. Splendid white sand beach and spectacular blue waters to enjoy here in Placencia, Belize during low tourist season in September. Featuring the two most popular beachside bars in the area with live Reggae music and dancing! Join us for our next wellness retreat and have some Caribbean style fun!

  • Belize Adventure, 4min. The beautiful country of Belize!

  • Unbelizeable - 2 Weeks in Belize, 31min. Two weeks exploring the beautiful country of Belize. For a small country in Central America there is so much to do here.

    September 7, 2017


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    Specials and Events

    Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    Rudolph Pitts found dead following late night shooting
    A male person identified as 36 year-old Rudolph Pitts was found dead on Wednesday, September 6th shortly after 1PM in Northern Ambergris Caye. Pitts had been reported missing from the night of Tuesday, September 5th when he and another friend, 22-year-old Edgar Lopez, were reportedly assaulted by three gunmen. Lopez, who sustained gunshot injuries to the back of his head (grazed), left arm and shoulder, was later airlifted on that same night Belize City for further medical treatment. However, Pitts was not located until his lifeless body was found today.

    Tropic Air adds flights from Orange Walk to San Pedro
    Tropic Air announced today a substantial investment for its Orange Walk customers as it it will be increasing air service between Orange Walk and San Pedro to three (3) times a day, effective November 15th, 2017. Currently, flights are scheduled at two times a day, and this will add an often requested evening service.

    Shooting in northern Ambergris Caye leaves one person injured and another missing
    The official report from police indicates that on Tuesday, around 8PM, Lopez along with a friend were walking on a back street on the island, when three men approached them from the nearby bushes and fired several shots at them. An injured Lopez managed to flee from the area and was later assisted and transported to the polyclinic. Contrary to the police report, which gave the impression that the shooting took place in downtown San Pedro, an eyewitness claims that the incident happened near a resort in northern Ambergris Caye. According to the eyewitness, Lopez had just started working in the maintenance department of the resort. The eyewitness stated that when he was shot, Lopez ran to the staff rooms seeking refuge and help. He was quickly taken in a pick-up truck to the polyclinic where he was stabilized. The San Pedro Sun was also told that up to late this morning, Lopez’s friend is yet to be found.

    Meteorologist monitoring three storms in the Atlantic
    Category Five Hurricane Irma is causing massive destruction in the northern Leeward Islands as it makes it way past the Caribbean and potentially into the Gulf Coast. The ninth named storm of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Irma is not the only threat as Tropical Storm Jose and Tropical Storm Katia continue to strengthen as well. Meteorologist have indicated this to be one of the most active hurricane seasons recorded, with Hurricane Irma breaking records as potentially the strongest storm in ever recorded.

    Ambergris Today

    Belize Water Services Warns Of Imposters Visiting Homes
    An urgent and imortant notice has come forth from the office of Belize Water Services (BWS) which informs its customers that a group of imposters are posing as BWS employees to gain access to resident’s homes. The imposters claim that they are there to install shower caps and to conserve water. Please note that BWS does not have any such campaign going on and residents should be wary of any unexpected visitors claiming to be from BWS.

    Missing Person's Body Found Following Last Night Shooting Incident
    The body of Rudolph Eric Pitts was discovered this afternoon around 2p.m. 10 miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, following the late night shooting incident reported this morning. San Pedro Police were investigating the shooting incident where it was reported that 22-year-old Edgar Lopez was grazed by a bullet behind his head, then shot to the left arm and left shoulder. Lopez was transported to Belize City for treatment of his wounds. It was reported that he was accompanied by another male person who was reported missing since the incident.

    Man Escapes Assault And Shooting Incident In San Pedro
    San Pedro Police are investigating an assault that took place on back street in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize that left one man injured with gunshot wound, on Tuesday, September 5, at about 8:00p.m. Investigation revealed that 22-year-old Edgar Rene Lopez was walking on ‘back street’ with a friend when three men approached them from the nearby bushes and fired several shots at them. Lopez managed to escape with gunshot injuries and was transported to San Pedro Poly Clinic where he was treated and later transport to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for further treatment. He remains in a stable condition.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Police Report Shooting Incident
    On Tuesday 5th September, 2017 at about 8:49 pm, San Pedro Police visited the San Pedro Town Poly Clinic, where a pickup truck arrived transporting 22 yr old Edgar Rene Lopez of miles 10 North of San Pedro Town with a gunshot wound behind the head (graze), the left arm and left shoulder. Investigation revealed that on Tuesday 5th September, 2017 sometime around 8:00 pm Lopez along with a friend were walking the back street when (3) three men approached them from the nearby bushes and fired several shots at them causing the injuries to Lopez who managed to escape and was later transported to San Pedro Poly Clinic. where he was treated and later transport to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for further treatment he remains in a stable condition.

    Free Weekly Mobile Health Clinics on Ambergris Caye
    Projects Abroad Announces Free Weekly Mobile Clinics - DFC, San Mateo, & Central Park. Free Blood Sugar Testing, blood pressure testing, weight and height testing and nutrition advice.

    San Pedro PUP Endorsement Convention
    The San Pedro PUP 7 Invite the public to their Endorsement Convention where you can listen and meet the 7 candidates running for office in the upcoming Municipal Elections.

    New Health Centre in Santa Elena Town to be Inaugurated
    The Government of Belize steadfast in its continued commitment to address the basic needs of Belizeans, in the areas of water, sanitation, education, and health, has funded the rehabilitation of the Santa Elena Health Centre Project at an estimated cost of $270,000.00. The residents of Santa Elena will benefit from having primary health care services aimed to improve community health thus, making critical achievements in improving the quality of health of men, women, and children of Santa Elena Town. Residents will also enjoy economic benefits from the closer proximity to the health centre as the cost of travel and time would be significantly reduced since they will no longer have to travel to San Ignacio for health care services.

    The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Contributes to Infrastructural Development of Belize
    Today, September 6, His Excellency Charles Liu, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), presented a bilateral cooperation grant to the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Belize. The grant from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize is for the year 2017 under the Bilateral Cooperation Program between the two countries. The purpose of the grant is to assist the overall development of Belize and particularly in the development of its transportation infrastructure.

    'MARILIN DUPRE' at Princess Casino Freezone
    Tthis weekend with the spectacular live performance of "MARILIN DUPRE'. Everyone is cordially invited. It is free admission and happening this Friday, September 8th and Saturday, September 9th. Come join us and get a chance to win. It all starts at 10:00 p.m.

    Corozal Animal Progam Fundraiser
    Mark your calendars, September 15, Corozal Convention Center for this gala event. Rum tasting, ribs, beans and rice and a chicken foot eating contest! It just doesn't get any better than that. The festivities begin at 5 pm and end somewhere around 9 pm. Corozal Animal Progam will have a table set up and will be selling hot dogs for $2 each, all proceeds going to help the animals of Corozal.

    Seatrade Europe 2017

    BELIZE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS JUMP UP & FLAG PARTY
    Thank you Orange Walk for an excellent launch of Belize's Independence Day celebrations! His Excellency Governor General Sir Colville Young honored guests with his presence. Mayor Kevin Bernard and Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber delivered welcome remarks and Mayan and Garifuna dance groups entertained guests with their beautiful cultural presentations. Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Adrienne Galanek attended the fabulous launch and enjoyed Orange Walk's famous tacos! Mayor Bernard drew the next lucky town to launch next year's independence celebrations -- Congratulations San Ignacio/Santa Elena!!!! Enjoy September Belize!!

    Koko King Schedule of events not to miss this 10th Sept weekend
    Friday 8th - Dinner and a Movie - Ice Age Collision Course & The Secret Life of Pets. Popcorn and roasted marshmallows for all those who have been good at school this week. Saturday 9th - beach day featuring DJ Karizma followed by our highly anticipated Full Moon Party. Guest DJ Odyssey will join our resident Blue Wave Sounds and a live performance by Stig da Artist. Tickets will be $5bz for ladies and $10bz for the gentleman can be bought in advance (to avoid the line on the night) at KoKo King from Thursday.

    Government of Belize Making Educational Opportunities Available for 700 Students in Stann Creek & Toledo Districts
    The Government of Belize in its continued commitment to ensuring that the country’s most cherished and greatest asset – Our Children, acquire a quality early childhood and primary education, secured grant-funds valued at $2,232,370.02 from the Caribbean Development Bank under the bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF 7) Programme for the construction of two primary and two preschools in the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts. When school resumes this September, this milestone achievement will facilitate the enrollment of 700 students at newly constructed government schools namely Santa Cruz Pre-School and Primary School in the Stann Creek District; and Trio Pre-School and Primary School Extension, in the Toledo District. The school project will provide a better learning environment and access to students and enable the schools to address the increasing demand for enrollment, alleviate overcrowding, and thus enable the country’s future leaders to further boost their learning skills for socio-economic development.

    Kristin Marin nominated for Caribbean Regional Youth Council Electoral Board
    The National Youth Council of Belize congratulates Ms.Kristin Marin on the acceptance of her nomination by the Caribbean Regional Youth Council Electoral Board for the position of Vice of Membership and Partnership! We look forward to fully supporting her on her journey to success in Jamaica on Election Day, October 2nd 2017!

    Carnival Road March Line Up 2017
    This year's Carnival Road March 2017 line up will be as follows: Grand Marshall – Stanley Lizama, Caribbean Treasures - Non competitive band, Junior Bands (7), Sunshine Masqueraders, Mahogany Masqueraders, Collect Royal Revelers, Black Pearl, Trenchtown Masqueraders, Soca Massive, Jump Street Posse , Ambulance, PanTempters Steel Band, Floats, Presidente, Belikin , Senior Bands (6), Belizean United, Mother Nature’s Creation, Fantasy Karnival Belize, Titans Mas Band, Soca Moca Carnival Band, Belizean Jewels, Ambulance, Tumblers, Party Truck.

    Carnival Road March 2017 Route
    The Carnival Road March is set for September 9th, 2017 and will be commencing at 1:00 PM. The route for the road march is as follows: Central American Blvd/Faber’s Road, Right onto Vernon Street, Left onto Youth for the Future Drive, Across BelChina Bridge, Douglas Jones Street, into Cinderella Plaza, Left onto Kelly Street, Right onto Baymen Avenue, Left onto Princess Margaret Drive, End in front of Marion Jones Sports Complex , JUDGING POINTS, Junior – CA Blvd & Cemetery Rd, Senior – Youth for the Future Drive, in front of Youth Apprenticeship.

    COROZAL LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC FOR DOGS
    FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, DR. CHARLES CLINIC, FINCA SOLANA. $5 PER DOG FOR ANY COROZAL DISTRICT BELIZEAN. $5 FOR FIVE IN ONE (5 in 1) VACCINATION (REQUIRED). BRING VET CERTIFICATE IF YOUR DOG IS CURRENT ON THIS VACCINATION. NO SOLID FOOD AFTER 6:00 PREVIOUS NIGHT. WATER IS O.K. ALL DOGS MUST BE LEASHED OR CAGED. BRING A TOWEL FOR YOUR PET. PUPPIES MUST BE AT LEAST FIVE MONTHS OLD. LIMITED SPACES - APPOINTMENTS NECESSARY. PLEASE CALL 636 9698 FOR AN APPOINTMENT. Directions: Head towards Consejo on Fourth Avenue. After you pass the Civic Center, turn right. Turn left at the fourth street. Dr. Charles’ clinic is the second building on the left.

    Young Leaders of the Americas
    U.S. Embassy Belmopan is proud to announce that four businesses and social entrepreneurs from Belize have been selected for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative - YLAI Professional Fellows Program 2017! Their companies include sports, environment, youth empowerment and food. Over the next few days we will feature each participant. Starting with Keisha Rodriguez the Co-Founder and Director of Communications, Outreach, and Networking for Belize Association of Planners (BAP), which addresses relevant planning and development issues in Belize, with an emphasis on vulnerable urban communities. BAP seeks to apply knowledge and skills to address inequalities and urban and environmental injustices.

    Study on freshwater macro inverts of the Chiquibul
    The 2nd study on freshwater macro inverts of the Chiquibul Forest is concluded. Presently the Chiquibul streams have good water quality but gold extraction in southern Chiquibul is reducing water quality. Continuous assessments over time will be important to better understand observable changes and validate the root causes. This research program was supported by Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT)

    Termites of Belize
    Tiring and exciting weeks of termite research are over. There are still tons of data to be processed, but one of the final products was sent to us from our collaborators- poster on Termites of Belize. We gonna bring one to the forestry and one to BAHA. Our termite team from Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Botanical Garden is holding the products of that work- reference collection of termites in small viles and the reference poster. If anybody from UB wants to study termites, you can use our reference collections as a baseline. There will be also fun brochures for kids to read! Roni Martinez, Elma Kay, Edgar Correa, Minerva González Angela Chen.

    Highlights of this year summer camp at Camp Basil Jones

    Channel 7

    PUP Takes A Stand On Tower Hill
    Goodnight and welcome to 7News. Tonight we'll start as we sometimes do when major events happen, with extended coverage of the drama at the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk where police had to use tear gas to disperse a crowd of PUP protestors. Joining me in studio to break down all that happened on the bridge from beginning to end is News Director Jules Vasquez, who has the sunburned face and the red tear-gassed eyes to show that he was out there today. Jules, let's jump right into it - how did it all start? Edward Broaster, Assistant Commissioner of Police: "Sir, please move your vehicle." Hon. Jose Mai: "Arrest me sir. Respectfully I will not move. We are asking for two hours."

    Vega Announces Possible/Likely Return to Politics
    And so while that is all that happened on the bridge, there was lots of other very big news coming out of Orange Walk today - and most of that from the Gaspar Vega camp. The embattled, scandalized UDP Orange Walk North Representative made an appearance and actually took a few questions form the media. We have all that coming up, but first to the most news making announcement - that Vega - despite all he's been accused of - is considering throwing his hat back into the ring as a candidate for the UDP in Orange Walk north. Here's how he put it today:... Jules Vasquez - Reporter: "Mr. Vega will you run again? Look like you dih get inna political trade." People: "Yes, yes, he will run!" Hon. Gaspar Vega- Orange Walk North Representative, UDP: "Let me tell you something, if me not running means that PUP weh win, I weh bloody run!"

    Briceno Prays For Vega's Return
    And while many in the UDP - including Deputy Leader Patrick Faber is scratching his head about that - which we'll tell you about in our next segment, the PUP is rejoicing. Here's how Opposition Leader Briceno put it today: Hon. John Briceno- PUP leader: "I am praying to the good Lord for Vega to run again. We want him to run in Orange Walk North to continue to represent the stench of the UDP, the corruption of the UDP, everything that has gone wrong with the UDP." Ramon Cervantes Jr.- PUP candidate, Orange Walk North: "Well, let him run. Let him come and I'm waiting for him whenever he is ready."

    PUP And UDP's Sugar City Face-Off
    Ok, so far in the news tonight we've shown you the ruction and tear gas at the Tower Hill Bridge when the PUP tried to block it. And then, we showed you the major political announcement from Gaspar Vega who's planning a political comeback, it seems. But the main event really was the competing mass party events: the PUP had a protest against, while Vega's people set up a rally for him in front of his house. Jules Vasquez and Angel Noble covered all corners of this story:.. When the PUP protest moved off at around 9:30 AM it was only a few hundred people. John Briceno bolted out. As the Orange Walk leaders took the front. It was a northern caucus event, but there was definitely a national presence - there were as many as 40 busses from different areas.

    UDP Ministers Saldivar and Faber Face Off On Facebook
    And so UDP Belmopan Representative John Saldivar went out to give his hearty support for Vega, and that didn't sit too well with the man who replaced Vega As Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Party Leader Patrick Faber. He posted a very telling remark on Facebook, saying, quote, "for this wondering on a day like today, I do not support or defend corruption and my expectations are that those in our beloved UDOP don't either. John Saldivar posted a lengthy response saying, quote, "Today I went to Orange Town not to support or defend corruption but to stand in solidarity with a colleague...No matter the perception that has been fueled by media and political agents, unless and until Hon. Vega is convicted in a Court of Law, he deserves our solidarity...I stand firmly against corruption and will never support or defend it, but I am also a firm believer in natural justice and our colleague deserves our solidarity unless found guilty."

    John Saldivar Disagrees with PM, He Says Forte Not Credible
    So while the UDP is clearly divided on the Vega issue, we're not sure where the party collective is on the Amy Forte issue. She's the Belmopan resident who says her signature was forged in a land flip which saw Gaspar Vega's son, Andre end up with 7 acres of land on Mosquito Caye. The Prime Minister has said there is credible evidence that her signature was forged leading to a fraudulent conveyance. But John Saldivar seems to think that Amy Forte's story is not credible. Here's what he said about it today:... Hon. John Saldivar: "The person, who made that accusation refuses to give a statement to the police, refuses to give a statement to the attorney general and we are also aware now that the person who was the agent on her behalf was her own partner."

    Saldivar, No Apologies for Coast Guard
    And while we had Saldivar in front of us, it was the first opportunity we had to get comment on the controversy surrounding his use of Coast Guard Vessels as a ferry o transport his Bandits basketball teams. The US Embassy who donated the vessels, expressed its diplomatic displeasure, while Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers have said it shouldn't have happened, but today Saldivar said - in a very curt remark - that he makes no apologies: Hon. John Saldivar- Minister of National Security: "I have no apologies at all for using government resources to help the young people of this country, to help the communities in this country, to help sports of this country and if there are colleagues of mine who differ from that, I certainly do not resile from that belief because that is why I am in politics- to help my people. And who has a difficulty with that, I'm sorry."

    Another San Pedro Murder
    There's another murder on San Pedro to report tonight - and again it appears to be an execution attempt. Last night at around 8:30 22 yr old Edgar Rene Lopez and Rudolph Pitts were ambushed and fired upon by three men. Lopez was grazed to the head, but Pitts was unaccounted for. He was found dead at 2:00 this afternoon. This evening superintendent of police and the Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division, Raymundo Reyes shared an update. Supt. Raymundo Reyes, Deputy OC - Eastern Division: "San Pedro police received a call via the emergency line and as a result they visited the San Pedro Polyclinic where they saw a male persons suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the left side of the head and to the upper left arm. The person name learned to be Edgar Lopez, 22 years old a caretaker and a resident of mile ten north of San Pedro.."

    Cops Find Another "Gaza" Grenade
    And so, while the San Pedro police had to respond to a murder in the island town, just after midnight last night, the Gang Suppression Unit had to call in the BDF's explosive experts to retrieve a live grenade in Belize City. They found it in what is on Plues and Dean street, which is within the territory of the George Street Gang. Today, BDF General David Jones, who is Belize's foremost explosives expert told us that he is worried about the timing, since September Celebrations are picking up, and such an explosive poses a serious threat to public safety:

    SSB Wants You To Pay More, Here's Why
    The Social Security Board, is on a countdown to destruction, according to the SSB's financial experts. They say that in 3 to 4 years, the Social Security Fund will not be able to support the growing number of pensioners, unless there is an increase in the contribution. Now, before you dismiss this as ploy by the SSB management to take more money from your pay to put into the fund, we think you should hear them out. The last audit of SSB says that they collected around 80.1 million dollars in 2016, but they paid out 83.5 million dollars to persons who claimed for pension, sickness and disability benefits. That's a 3.4 million dollar deficit, and the projections are that the deficit will balloon to 11.4 million dollars at the end of this year.

    Senate Hearings Resume With Immigration Director
    So, at the top of the news, we've shown you the political hurly burly which happened Orange Walk over the latest Vega land scandal. But, for 8 months now, ruling UDP had been under sustained attacks from the weekly revelations in the Senate Inquiry into the Immigration Department. The Senate Select Committee took a month-long break, and resumed today to take testimony from the current Immigration Director Diana Locke. After all the abuses at the Department have been laid bare for the country to see how the corruption was able to spread in Immigration, the Senate Committee wanted to hear what changes were made since 2014 to improve oversight. They had a 2 and a half hour conversation with Director Locke, and here's what she had to say about the recent fixes:

    Belizeans Bleed For Barbuda
    Tonight, Belizeans are looking to the eastern Caribbean with prayers and sympathy, after Category Five Hurricane Irma slammed the Leeward Islands, including Antigua And Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Barbuda took a direct hit from the 185 mile an hour winds, leaving that island devastated 0 there were three reported fatalities and 90% of the islands housing stock has been destroyed. It showed no mercy bringing down some of the strongest buildings and pummeling the weak ones. IT HIT Barbuda, St. Barthélemy, St. Martin, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands. The islands are left in shambles. Irma spared Puerto Rico and is now heading for Florida.

    Bar Association Rejects PM's Planned Appointee to Appeal Court
    Last week we told you about Franz Park - the Miami based attorney who the Prime Minister wishes to appoint to the court of appeal. Well, the Bar Association today sent out a release saying that he does not meet the requirements for appointment under the constitution, and the bar has voted against his appointment at a meeting last night. The Leader of the Opposition also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister earlier this week saying he objects:... Hon. John Briceno- Leader of the Opposition: "We wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on Monday saying that we see nothing, nothing his CV and the Prime Minister refused to give me any new evidence as to why Mr. Park supposed to be appointed in the Court of Appeals. I see something that is very troubling and Belizeans need to take a look at what is happening we need to see the appointments that are being made at the Magistrates level..."

    Channel 5

    Opposition protest becomes chaotic riot at Tower Hill
    A protest proceeded as planned in Orange Walk today.  But what started as a peaceful march against the “hot bed of corruption’’ at the Ministry of Lands escalated into a [...]

    P.U.P., U.D.P. lock horns in Sugar City
    But before the police would descend on the protestors, by nine this morning, thousands gathered along the San Lorenzo Road where the march kicked off.  Their call was for the [...]

    Embattled Gapi Vega speaks, basks in supporters’ love
    As we’ve mentioned, beleaguered Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega was met by a group of supporters outside of his residence this morning.  While those numbers paled in comparison [...]

    Ex-Lands Minister says he helped many get land too
    Vega, during a brief interview with the media, also attempted to explain the situation at the Lands Department while he was in office and the many efforts he purportedly made [...]

    Belmopan’s John Saldivar sides with Vega over constituent Amy Forte
    Standing firmly in Vega’s corner is Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar.  Saldivar has been an ally of Gapi Vega since his unsuccessful attempt at deputy leadership of the United Democratic [...]

    The Bar turns down Franz Parke for Court of Appeal
    A special session of the Bar Association of Belize met in Belize City at the Radisson Hotel on Tuesday night. Its purpose was to consider its position on the appointment [...]

    Will law group’s opinion count?
    There are reports to News Five that members of the social partners are likely to raise objections based on the position of the Bar. The Opposition Leader John Briceño is [...]

    Bar president points to landmark C.C.J. decision on tenure
    Banner referred us to the Bar’s case against the Government decided in their favor earlier this year in the Caribbean Court of Justice concerning tenure of judges and also setting [...]

    Man dies from shooting in North San Pedro
    A shooting overnight on the north end of Ambergris Caye turned murder today after police discovered the body of thirty-six-year-old Rudolph Eric Pitts. Just before nine p.m. on Tuesday, twenty-two-year-old [...]

    ‘No money no deh,’ P.M. tells Senate Committee
    The Senate Special Select Committee resumed public hearings this afternoon and we will have details of the testimony of Director of Immigration Diana Locke shortly. But first, the Government of [...]

    Three years later, Immigration Director says verification for visas still a problem
    As many as one hundred visa applications appear weekly on the desk of the visa vetting committee established in the aftermath of the Won Hong Kim/Elvin Penner scandal. It was [...]

    When will passport system be fixed or changed?
    In February, News Five reported on a temporary backlog of passport processing in Belmopan due to issues with the antiquated system in place. At that time the Ministry, represented by [...]

    No repeat of Won Hong Kim, Director says
    The Senate Committee has heard many different explanations for how Won Hong Kim’s picture got into the Belize Passport Information System despite his never having been in Belize – that [...]

    Police meet and greet on Jane Usher Boulevard
    Police were out on their weekly meet and greet visits today with residents across the city. We went along with the cops on the south side in the Jane Usher [...]

    Police aim to disarm criminals on Southside
    When we spoke with Superintendent Arzu, we also asked him about the increasing number of weapons and drugs recently seized, retrieved primarily from empty or abandoned lots. Arzu says that [...]

    Hurricane Irma flattens Barbuda; northern Caribbean and Florida next for Cat 5 storm
    Hurricane Irma – one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic – is hammering Puerto Rico tonight after slamming a string of small northern Caribbean islands where at [...]

    S.S.B. explains why increased contributions will lead to increased worker benefits
    For the past several months, we have been telling you about the Social Security Board’s proposed changes in contributions. Consultations have been held around the country and it is yet [...]

    Pay your contributions online!
    There’s other news from the S.S.B.  The Social Security Board is slowly changing from its traditional way of receiving and making payments. An online contribution portal is being used for [...]

    Carnival leaders promise revelry, not rivalry
    Today, carnival band leaders, police and representatives from the National Celebrations Committee and the Belize Carnival Association converged at the Bliss Center for the Performing arts to sign a carnival [...]

    Lilian Salazar is KTV the Remix Champion!
    KTV, the Remix, closed with a bang on Tuesday night with the big announcement of who the people had chosen as this season’s KTV champ. It came down to four [...]

    LOVE FM

    First Ladies from across the Caribbean converged in Belize
    Today the CARICOM First Ladies/Spouses Network was launched in Belize. The Network sees the unison of the wives of Caribbean state leaders to focus on addressing four key areas within the Caribbean. Dalila Ical reports. First Lady, Kim Simpliss Barrow “Through the efforts of regional organizations we were encouraged to create a network of first […]

    Measures taken to strengthen Oil Spill response capabilities
    The Government is strengthening the country’s oil spill response capabilities by updating its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. Stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments, Private Sector, Academia, Civil Society, and Non-Governmental Organizations associated with Disaster Risk Management and Oil Spill Response, are meeting in Belize City to participate in the three day workshop. The meeting’s objectives […]

    Las Flores community reject agreement concerning land dispute
    The Belmopan City Council has come to an agreement with the Catholic Diocese over land issues at St. Michael Roman Catholic Primary School in Las Flores. As we reported, villagers were up in arms after the land adjacent to the school was sold to a private individual. Villagers say the land had been earmarked for […]

    Big Red finds home on Harvest Caye
    The Scarlet Macaw affectionately known as ‘Big Red’ remains on display on Harvest Caye. A group of conservationists have launched a campaign that asks the public to boycott everything that has to do with Norwegian Cruise Line. Big Red has been on Harvest Caye for about four months now but despite the cries of environmentalists, […]

    NEMO launches National Inventory on Radiation Sources
    A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency Mission to Belize is in the country carrying out an exercise on potential sources of radiation. The launch of the National Inventory on Radiation Sources was held today at NEMO’s Headquarters in Belmopan. According to the CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Patrick Andrews, the initiative […]

    Former Parliamentarian turns 100
    Jane Ellen Usher is today celebrating her centennial year. Our young viewers and listeners may not be too familiar with Mrs. Usher, but she is one of Belize’s highly accomplished women. Many Belize City residents may also be familiar with her as she is the current Chief Executive Officer at the Holy Redeemer Credit Union. […]

    Lynn Young appointed as Honorary Consul of Canada
    Belizean Lynn Young has been appointed as Honorary Consul of Canada resident in Belize. Young’s appointment was announced this morning as it was accepted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last month. Young has a Masters degree in Business Administration from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Young is described as being an active member […]

    Another Belizean makes Belize proud
    After five years of scientific research, Belizean Keisha Melodi McSweeney has completed her doctoral degree in the field of genetics and genomics. Dr. McSweeney successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Microelectrode array modeling of genetic neurological disorders in the era of next generation sequencing” to a panel of six accomplished and celebrated scientists at Duke University […]

    BWS warns customers of imposters
    The Belize Water Services is warning customers of imposters. According to BWS ‘a group of imposters are posing as BWS employees to gain access to residents’ homes. They do this by advising customers that there is a need to install shower caps in order to conserve water. However, BWS does not have ‘any such campaign […]

    PUP & UDP take to the streets in Sugar City
    The People’s United Party’s Orange Walk North Committee has organized a protest for Wednesday morning in that municipality against what they term as the rampant corruption in the lands department by former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. PUP Leader John Briceno spoke about the protest. Opposition Leader, John Briceno “They are the ones that are […]

    Fatal Traffic accident claims the life of an elderly man
    Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a traffic incident that claimed the life of an eighty year old man. Police report that around six twenty this morning, twenty year old Jessica Miller, a US citizen residing in the Buena Vista area was driving a red Subaru Impreza on Buena Vista Road going towards Spanish Lookout […]

    Manager frustrated with repeated store burglary
    A store was burglarized sometime last night in Roaring Creek Village. Fem Cruz reports. Fem Cruz “The Leons family, Manager and Owner of Leons Vegetable Shop located in front of UNO Gas Station in the village of Roaring Creek are appealing to you the public for information that can help them recover a number of […]

    Home burglarized in Punta Gorda
    A quantity of cash was stolen yesterday from a home in Punta Gorda. We hear more in this report from correspondent Paul Mahung. Paul Mahung Owner of the home Francilia Williamson spoke to Love News about the incident. Home owner, Francilia Williamson “Monday this guy happens to work for me off and on was at […]

    Police take drugs and weapons off the streets
    Police continue to conduct several successful operations across the country. On Monday, the Special Assignment Team conducted several searches on South Side Belize City. As a result, officers found and confiscated one and a half pounds of marijuana, another 338 grams in Conch Shell Bay area, 145 grams in Partridge Street extension, and 227 grams […]

    NEMO’s Search and Rescue Forum
    The Atlantic Hurricane Season ends on November 30, leaving two more months of potential storms or hurricanes that could affect Belize. Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, is not taking chances as it continues to review and refresh its Emergency Management Plan and the roles and responsibilities of its coordinators, committees and volunteers countrywide. Over […]

    CONCACAF new requirement met with resistance
    Football Club owners are putting up resistance to a requirement posed by CONCACAF. The resistance has to do with insurance for football players. FFB’s Acting President Marlon Kuylen shared more details. FFB’s Acting President, Marlon Kuylen “As part of CONCACAF’s club licensing one of the criteria is because there is a list of thirty items […]

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Theft in PG
    Punta Gorda police are investigating a case of theft in that southern municipality. Anthony Westby Jr., a businessman of #33 Mahogany Street, Indianville area, Punta Gorda, reported that between the hours of 10:00 p.m. on Monday, September 4, 2017 and 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 someone entered his garage […]

    FFB’s plans to terminate Ruperto Vicente et al delayed
    At the FFB Extraordinary congress held on Saturday, the executive had planned to dismiss a number of employees. Those employees were: Ruperto Vicente, Michael Blease, John Palacio and Shane Orio. However, they were never dismissed because due process never happened.

    Of FFB $1.4 million budget, 63% to go to salaries
    The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) has budgeted $1.4 million dollars in this fiscal year. FIFA is set to provide $1 million in funding. Interestingly, more than half of the budget or $848,000 will be spent on administrative costs of running the FFB offices.

    KREM’s Editor, Marisol Amaya, attacked by police at PUP protest
    KREM’s Editor, Marisol Amaya, was today attacked by a ranking police officer during today’s opposition led peaceful protest in Orange Walk. After the rally in Orange Walk Town, the protestors moved to the Tower Hill Bridge and blocked the bridge. Officers on duty attempted to have them peacefully remove the vehicle blocking the road but when diplomacy failed officers fired tear gas into the crowd causing many to scatter.

    Woman jacked at her workplace
    A woman was robbed at gunpoint inside her workplace on Tuesday afternoon. According to police reports, two men stormed the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority located at mile 3 on Tuesday afternoon.

    Police tear gas protestors at Toll Bridge in Orange Walk
    Just after noon today, protestors in Orange Walk were taking their protest to the Toll Bridge and had just arrived when they were tear gassed by police. About fifteen buses were also blocked in Orange Walk as they headed to join the other protestors in their attempt to block the bridge for an hour or two as requested by the PUP Party Leader, John Briceno.

    Blogs

    Orange Walk Town celebrates Maya Hero Marcus Canul
    While Marcus Canul may not be the most recognizable figure in Belizean history, he did play a huge role during the Caste War in the Orange Walk District. A Maya general of sorts, Marcus led attacks against British intruders back in 1872. During this time, the British would ransack and burn Maya villages just to be able to penetrate deeper into the interior forest to have access to better logging areas. Many text book stories of Marcus Canul are misleading, as the British portray him and his resistance group as nothing more than a ‘band of thieves’. Still, his true story lives on in the memories of the people that came after him. For the Maya of the North, Marcus was a warrior who fought against invaders for his land, his people and his culture.

    Get Sticky for Free to Show Support and Save Wildlife
    Sometimes people tip the balance the wrong way the and others have to step in and speak up for nature and the animal kingdom. This is the case down south at Harvest Caye, a cruise ship port island off the coast of Placencia. They wanted to promote Belize’s wild life through having an education center, unfortunately capturing and caging a rare Scarlet Macaw is not the right way to go about it. Sadly macaw, Big Red, was being assessed to be released from rehab back into the rain forest where he should be – home. Thankfully a group has stepped up to help Big Red and you can too. On August 31,2017 a campaign to boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines was launched, and members of the public, especially cruisers, are being offered free bumper stickers to show their support and solidarity with the wildlife of Belize.

    Heading South on Ambergris Caye
    Yesterday was a day chock full of errands. If my ten years living in San Pedro has taught me anything, it’s one of our primal skills, somewhat lost in the land of Amazon Prime, Uber and Super-Targets – hunting and gathering. A quick stop at the back of town to take a picture of the new sign at the International Water Taxi terminal. And then south…passing Regina’s Paleta Factory. If you haven’t tasted her fresh fruit pops, you are CRAZY! You can buy them all over the place – at the store at Grand Caribe (2.5 miles north), at San Pedrano Store (on Front Street, San Pedro), at La Divina Providencia (in Escalante) and at her shop here – 2 miles south of town.

    International Sourcesizz

    There's No Need to Panic Over the Mexico Travel Warning
    Travel warnings for Quintana Roo. Travelers who keep an eye on U.S. State Department warnings may know by now that the department has issued cautions for the Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Baja California Sur. The addition of those states to the government's periodic updates of travel dangers caused a significant stir, largely because they are the homes to two of Mexico's most popular resorts: Cancun and Cabo San Lucas. It is not surprising that these states were included in the warning, which was issued Aug. 22. As Mexico's powerful drug cartels have splintered, a spiral of crime and violence has enveloped all parts of the country, to include its storied resorts. However, I believe that by understanding what drives the violence, and the types of the incidents that result, companies operating in Mexico and travelers to the country can avoid most of it.

    Tortola Hurricane Hole (Before Irma): Scroll Down To See What It Looks Like After
    Surrounded by mangroves, Paraquita Bay is where charter companies like the Moorings and Marine Max hide their boats from Hurricanes such as Irma. No one has a more scientific, well thought plan. Take a look at it, then scan down to see what the bay looks like post-Irma.

    A real cheeseburger in paradise: Miss Debs charms Belize with American-style fast food
    This week I reached out for a classic cheeseburger at Miss Debs — the first food truck in the beautiful country of Belize in Central America. With a tip of the hat to Jimmy Buffett ... this is a cheeseburger in paradise. Last week, I was in downtown San Ignacio in the Cayo District of western Belize on a jumping Friday night. I saw a crowd of locals lined up at a food truck. As I drew closer to see what the fuss was about, the unmistakable aroma of drive-through cooking hit me. Yeah, I get around, I'm a regular Anthony Bourdain without the phony, and when I visit a foreign land, nothing hits home like a big juicy burger hot off the grill. Miss Debs is Debbie Baldwin, originally from Arizona, who married a car customizer from Belize in 1985 and moved south. "I have always loved to cook and I've always wanted to have a diner. So my husband and I compromised and we bought the shell of a 1996 Chevy P30 truck," she said.

    Mayan child sacrifices in Guatemala were buried with 'supernatural' jet black volcanic stones 4,000 years ago
    From building cities aligned with stars to purposefully crossing their babies' eyes, the Mayan civilisation was known for its strange rituals. And a new study has shed light on perhaps one of the weirdest rituals undertaken by the ancient civilisation – child sacrifices. Researchers have discovered 42 obsidian ritual stones in the ancient Mayan city of Ceibal, Guatemala, some of which were found in the graves of child sacrifices. The findings suggest that the precious rocks were thought to hold spiritual or 'supernatural' powers for Mayan people.

    Uncommon Cacao vs. global commodity markets
    A new report from the farmer financier highlights imbalances that disproportionately hurt farmers and create disincentives among manufacturers and retailers to push for change. To understand the impact that volatile commodity markets have on the “little guy,” just look at the Ivory Coast. The West African country is the world’s largest producer of cacao—the fruit that chocolate is made from. To help farmers stabilize income, the government sets a minimum price for purchasers: last year it was $1.88 a kilogram of cacao beans. But the markets had a different idea. Higher-than-expected yields drove down futures prices for cleaned, roasted cacao beans on the London and New York markets. In turn, the Ivory Coast’s government slashed the guaranteed price to farmers by 36%—a decision that affects cacao farmers worldwide because the price is set every year in West Africa where 60% of the world’s cocoa is produced. Here’s where Uncommon Cacao comes in. The Berkeley, Calif., social enterprise provides logistics and financial services to smallholder cacao farmers, connecting them with premium chocolate makers. It started in Belize in 2010 with a vision of making cacao trading more equitable for local farmers and has grown to a network of 2,600 farmers in five Latin American and Caribbean countries.

    Hurricane Irma wipes tiny Caribbean island off the map
    The tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda is “practically uninhabitable” after it was steamrolled by Hurricane Irma, officials there said as the superstorm’s confirmed death toll climbed to three Wednesday. Barbuda and Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne reported that 90 percent of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed by the ‘cane, which was packing sustained 185-mph winds when it made landfall at 1:47 a.m. “As it stands, Barbuda is practically uninhabitable,” Browne told Antigua/Barbuda Broadcasting Services, adding that destruction on the island home to nearly 1,700 people was “heart-wrenching.”

    Videos

  • Celebrating the Maya Mestizo Culture, 2min. The Northern Maya Association of Belize held their first activity on Saturday, September 2nd in honor of Icaiche Maya leader and hero, Marcus Canul. In his honor, Orange Walkeños dedicated the day to Marcus with an exhibit on the Maya of Belize, their traditional foods, and much with cultural and music presentations.

  • PUP Rally, 23min. PUP march against corruption in Orange Walk Town

  • ‘Miss Jane’ Marks 100 Years, 4min. She was born Jane Ellen Mary Price, but she is known across Belize District as Jane Usher. Today, the founder of the credit union movement and former minister of government as well as mother of twelve children celebrates a milestone and well wishes have been pouring in to mark her one hundredth birthday. Bright and early, the centenarian headed to work at the Holy Redeemer Credit Union as she does on her daily routine. We felt the warmth of those around her and experienced the wisdom of her years. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

  • The Belize Festival of Hope - Partner Report, 4min. Two years of work and preparation are now over and it is time for the Belize Festival of Hope to enter the history books.

  • KTV the Remix Finale (September 5, 2017), 3.5hr.

  • Morning Matters with Terry Gordon, 60min.

  • Morning Matters at Altun Ha, 60min.

  • PUP And UDP’s Sugar City Face-Off, 13min.

  • PUP Takes A Stand On Tower Hill, 24min.

  • BTL's Internet to School Program to experience DigiNet via fiber, 22min. San Pedro High School to be the first institution on the island to receive the new DigiNet Service

  • The Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda speaks of the destruction following Hurricane Irma, 37min. Some reports say that the island is now uninhabitable with losses of up to 90% since the passage of the Category 5 storm. Antigua, for the most part, escaped the brunt of Hurricane Irma.

  • Even manatees get together in September!, .5min. by Jamal A. Galves - manateeman

  • Elaine Ford studying Tropical Biodiversity in Belize! Natural History Museum Collection, 1.5min. Elaine being eaten by mosquitos and talking chocolate and plants in Belize.

  • Belize 2017, 7min.

  • Belize, 17min.

    September 6, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    2017 September Celebrations officially begin
    Under the theme “Belize: Confronting Challenges! Celebrating Triumphs! Renewing our Resolve!”, Belizeans ushered in the most patriotic time of the year during the official launch of the 2017 September Celebrations. Held at the Muffles College Auditorium in Orange Walk Town on Sunday, September 3rd, the ceremony saw government officials, dignitaries and citizens come together to celebrate the 219th Battle of Saint George’s Caye and the 36th Independence Day of Belize. The ceremony commenced promptly after 1:45PM with the march procession by the Belize Defence Force (BDF). Following the arrival of honored guests, the BDF band led the singing of the National Anthem. Governor General of Belize, His Excellency Sir Colville Youn

    Appointment of Honorary Consul of Canada to Belize
    The High Commissioner of Canada to Belize, Deborah Chatsis, is pleased to announce that Mr. Lynn Young has been appointed by His Excellency the Governor General as Honorary Consul of Canada resident in Belize City, Belize. The Belizean Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepted this appointment on August 24, 2017. Mr. Young is a Belizean citizen with a Master in Business Administration from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. He is an active member of the Belizean business community, representing a Canadian company in Belize, and is an avid promotor of education and patron of the arts.

    Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry hosts a consultation in San Pedro
    On Thursday August 31 st, a consultation was held at the Sunbreeze Hotel, organized by the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), with the goal to provide the best marketing practices to business owners. The consultation was attended by a variety of business owners, including restaurateurs, pharmacists, financial businesses and others. The consultation was facilitated by Mrs. Laura Weller, a multidisciplinary Belizean Marketer and Project Manager. Her strengths lie in fusing agility and scalability to deliver actionable insights, a recipe that led to successful award-winning advertising and branding campaigns for global clients. Weller shared tips on the best practices in marketing, with the intent to help business owners strategize and take their business to the next level, boosting their employment and creating innovative ways to ensure the continuity of their business.

    Ambergris Today

    Expected Increases In Fuel Prices Due To Hurricane Harvey
    With the passage of Hurricane Harvey over southern and coastal Texas last week, the oil refineries in the Houston area have shut down and are not expected to resume normal operations and return to full output for some weeks to come. The oil industry in Texas refines about 25% of all crude oil in the USA. The resulting shortages in refined petroleum products have caused a sharp spike in pump prices across the USA and also in other countries that purchase refined fuel product from the Houston suppliers.

    Tropic Air Adds Flights From Orange Walk To San Pedro
    Tropic Air announced this week a substantial investment for its Orange Walk customers as it it will be increasing air service between Orange Walk and San Pedro to three (3) times a day, effective November 15th, 2017. Currently, flights are scheduled at two times a day, and this will add an often requested evening service.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    STOLEN BOAT IN SAN PEDRO!!!
    23 Ft. Lanchon With 50 Hp Yamaha 4 Stroke Engine. Please Call Armando Gonzalez 610-1448 if you have any information. Thank You.

    Belize Launches Inventory Exercise on Potential Sources of Radiation
    The Government of Belize today, September 5, held an opening ceremony to launch the National Inventory on Radiation Sources, an initiative derived from the establishment of a National Radiation Safety Infrastructure in Belize. A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mission to Belize is in the country to carry out this exercise that is jointly spearheaded by the Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Belize Defence Force (BDF).

    It’s a Centennial Celebration!
    Belize Wonder Woman of the century!!!! Happy 100th Birthday to Ms. Jane Ellen Mary Price-Usher (who is still at work even today)! On September 5, 1917, this true Belizean role model was born as a gift to many. A lifetime of love, laughter, service, charity, and achievements!

    SBDC Workshop: Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights
    Presented by: Ms. Adelita Ake, Assistant Registrar, Intellectual Property Rights. Location: BTEC Training Room, ITVET Compound, Freetown Road, Belize City. Workshop Date: September 14th, 2017. Time: 9am to 12 noon, FREE OF COST!!!! Includes Refreshments !!!! The Belize Intellectual Property Office (BELIPO), established under Part II of the Patents Act (Chapter 253), Revised Edition 2000, is the National Intellectual Property Registry for Belize, Central America. The expectation is that participants will take away the following from the presentation: * What is BELIPO and what does BELIPO do * Identify the main areas of intellectual property and their difference * Identify the different types of IP in a product * Know the laws available in Belize for protecting one's IP and the systems of registration available * Know the importance of IP as a business asset

    PRESS RELEASE - REPACKAGING & FINAL DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS STORED IN BELIZE
    As far back as the mid-1990s, stockpiles of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) chemicals (including DDT, PCB contaminated transformer oil, and Pesticides such as Aldrin, Dieldrin, and Endosulfan) began accumulating as their use became banned in Belize due to their persistency in the environment and their toxic and carcinogenic properties. These stockpiles were located throughout the country. As Belize continued implementing the Phase-Out of Ozone Depleting Substances, stockpiles of contaminated refrigerant gases also increased. Since POPs are hazardous to both the environment and human health, their inventory, repackaging, and final disposal have been much talked about in the environmental community, with two (2) failed attempts to secure their final disposal over these years. It was not until November 2016 that the final disposal of stockpiles of POPs, obsolete chemicals and ozone depleting refrigerants began in an environmentally sound manner and through the serious work of the Department of the Environment (DOE).

    Belize Water Services warns of imposters
    Belize Water Services informs its customers that a group of imposters are posing as BWS employees to gain access to resident’s homes. The imposters claim that they are there to install shower caps and to conserve water. Please note that BWS does not have any such campaign going on and residents should be wary of any unexpected visitors claiming to be from BWS. BWS takes this opportunity to remind customers that ALL BWS employees wear marked clothing and drive vehicles that are clearly marked with the BWS logo. They also have photo identification badges and are instructed to display them at all times. We encourage customers to ask for identification from anyone who comes to your door. Residents should be cautious of people claiming to come from BWS without an appointment because visits are planned ahead of time with customers. The only exception is during an emergency, such as a water main break.

    Human-Jaguar Conflict Discussion
    The UB Environmental Research Institute's Wildlife Biologist and Panthera Representative, Yahaira Urbina will join Marchilio Ack,the Protected Areas Manager of Ya'axché Conservation Trust and Shanelly Carrillo, the Jaguar Officer of the Belize Forest Department on two television programs on Thursday, September 7th, 2017. These conservationists and colleagues will be on Channel 5's "Open Your Eyes" from 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and also on Love FM's "Morning Show" from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

    First Ladies of the region meet in Belize
    All the First Ladies of the region and members of the CARICOM First Ladies Net work namely: (from Left to Right): H.E. Mrs. Maria Bowne - Spouse of Prime minister, Antigua & Barbuda H.E. Mrs. Patricia Minnis - Spouse of the Prime Minister, Bahamas H.E. Mrs. Martine Moise- First Lady Haiti H.E. Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow - spouse of the Prime Minister, Belize. H.E. Mrs. Reeks Harrysingh- Carmona- First Lady, Trinidad & Tobago H.E. Mrs. Sandra Granger - First Lady, Guyana

    Happy Birthday to Mrs. Jane Ellen Mary Price-Usher
    Please join us in wishing a Happy Birthday to one of Belize’s most exemplary centennials, Mrs. Jane Ellen Mary Price-Usher. On September 5, 1917, this true Belizean role model was born with a genuine passion for service to her Belizean people. She lives this passion everyday by being Belize’s most enduring CEO, who presently still goes to work at the Holy Redeemer Credit Union. For her life-long contributions to economic empowerment, and dedicated public service, she has earned numerous awards, including a Honorary Doctorate from Galen Univeristy,2013; US Embassy’s Woman of The Year Award, 2017; and Special Envoy’s Outstanding Women’s Award, 2017. Happy Birthday Ms. Jane!!

    Channel 7

    Sugar City Showdown for PUP and UDP
    The PUP and the UDP are on a collision course for tomorrow in Orange Walk. As we told you the PUP Northern Caucus, led by Monchie Cervantes in Orange Walk North are planning a protest against the UDP's Area Rep Gaspar Vega. They hope to bring out more than a thousand people form the eight constituencies in the north. Well, last night on Facebook, Vega's camp posted an ad making it clear that they plan to meet numbers with numbers. The ad - which is the first political activity we've seen from Vega's camp in almost a year - calls out UDP supporters to participate in a rally which starts at 8:00 in the morning; the PUP's one starts at 9:00. The ad attempts to rebut all that's being said about the scandal laden Vega in the press and the public, calling him a man of "honesty and integrity."

    Still No Forgery Complaint From Forte
    And while that happens in the foreground, in the background, the criminal investigation into alleged forgery of land documents involving Andre Vega still hasn't gone anywhere. And that's because the accuser Amy Forte still has not made a formal complaint to police - and unofficial reports to our newsroom suggest she might not do so. We attempted to reach her attorney who didn't reply to our text message, but it seems there are what the attorneys call "extenuating circumstances." First, we have received unofficial reports that there were back channel talks between Forte's representatives and Vega representatives to discuss a settlement - but we are told the quantum of those settlements was where talks broke down. Second, as we have been reporting, Forte has a brother who has some familiarity with land dealings - maybe not this specific deal, but land dealings, generally, we are told.

    Opp. Leader Explains Large Acreages of Briceno Lands Have Been in Family For Decades
    And as part of the ongoing political warfare of this issue - the Gaspar Vega camp is now throwing allegations of land grabbing by PUP leader John Briceno - who is the former Minister of Natural Resources from 1998 to 2006. They point to some massive land holdings in the name of Briceno's family, his father and his uncles specifically. They point to Parcels for 700 acres and 100 acres which were issued to the Briceno Brothers, Elijio - Joe, Graciano and Eudaldo on March 06, 2008. Today John Briceno told us that those are family lands which his father got in the early 1970's. He says he and his brother brought it from the bank when it was going to be auctioned and they now have it as a cattle ranch.

    In Walks Hilmar
    And while all this political mud swirls in sugar city, the town has basically moved on from the murder of 24 year-old Daniel Sosa, which happened at end of July. The man who is accused of shooting him in the head is UDP big man Hilmar Alamilla, and he's at Belize Central Prison. He was taken back to the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court today for a routine adjournment in the case, and he was taken back to the Hattieville Prison. Viewers will remember that Sosa, Alamilla and 2 other friends had a wild night on the town which ended when Alamilla allegedly shot Sosa in his head inside his pick-up truck. The two friends reportedly ran off, and that's allegedly when Alamilla shoved the body of his friend out of the passenger seat of his vehicle and drove home. Sosa died near the garbage dump of the D Victoria Hotel in Orange Walk.

    Mother Accuses GSU of Brutalizing Her Son
    Tonight, there is another allegation of abuse by the GSU, and the woman making the accusation is a former career civilian employee of the police department. Jenny Baizer told us that her son Shakeem Humes - who is not a stranger to police - was picked up by the GSU near George Street - and taken to a deserted location in West Landivar where he was beaten for an hour. She told us why it has angered her so much. Jenny Baizer, Mother of Shakeem Humes: "I really doesn't appreciate what the Gang Suppression Unit did to my child. Jules, when I saw my son I had to cry, because of the condition that he was in. I ask what had happened to him and he said that they chance him. He said that they took me by "Hanger" and took off the handcuff from me and then the police that slapped him on Plues Street, him and I started to fight. And when they saw I was beating the police, they intervene and all of them crowd him and they beat him. He told me that they beat him badly. They stomp and kick and choked him until he was unconscious. He told me that after that he place the handcuff back on him and threw him in the sea. He told me that the water was shoal and so he manage to come out."

    Las Flores Says No To Belmopan Mayor
    Yesterday we told you about the dispute at St. Michael Roman Catholic School in LAs Flores Village, Belmopan. The community was in an uproar because they accuse the mayor of allowing a private landowner to purchase land that the school had been tending for years, in the hopes that it could use the space for expansion. Mayor Khalid Belisle sprang into action and proposed two alternative parcels of land to Father Jordan Gongora of the Belmopan Catholic Mission. He also made other suggestions to soothe things over with the catholic mission. And with that the mayor said that an amicable and mutually beneficial solution had been arrived at. End of story, right? Not so fast!

    80 Year Old Knocked Down And Killed
    There has been another motorbike fatality, and this time it's an octogenarian who was knocked down and killed this morning. At around 6:20, 20 year old US citizen Jessica Miller who lives in the Buena Vista area was driving towards Spanish Lookout in a heavy morning fog. She told police she suddenly saw a motorcycle with no license plate. She swerved, but the back of her Subaru Impreza hit the cycle. The driver, 80 year old Salvadorean Jose Francisco Ayala sustained body injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at San Ignacio Community Hospital. Miller was detained and issued a notice of intended prosecution.

    City Cops Find Weed and Weapons
    Police continue to find weapons and ammunition. Yesterday, the Special Assignment Team did several searches on the South Side of Belize City and found a total of about one and a half pounds of weed, most of it, in Conch Shell Bay. They also found a black Lorcin brand .380 pistol along with one magazine. And while the Special Assignment Team is win the southside, the Northside still has a strike team. Yesterday, they conducted a search in Munoz Alley and found forty-nine 9 millimeter rounds of ammunition and 129 grams, or four and half ounces of cannabis. All items were deposited as found property.

    Two San Ignacio Shotguns
    In Cayo, San Ignacio police found two shotguns on Saturday. They searched a bushy lot in San Antonio village where two 16 gauge shotguns and ten 16 gauge cartridges were found. Again, found property.

    In Case Of An Oil Spill
    At last month's House Meeting, the Barrow Administration introduced legislation to enact an indefinite moratorium on offshore oil drilling. It was immediately embraced by the conservation community. But, while it eliminates the risk of oil spills in the country's marine territory that could have been caused by oil-drilling companies, there are other types of oil spill disasters. That's the discussion that the Department of the Environment hosted today as part of a 3-day meeting with experts to update National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. The DOE wants to make sure that if an oil tanker truck should overturn and spill oil into a river, the relevant Government Departments, the conservation community, the private sector, and the civil service will know just how to respond to minimize the damage to environment, and shorten the clean up time afterwards.

    Radiation in Belize?
    And while the Department of the Environment was hosting that meeting on the oil spill plan in Belize City, other representatives from that Department were in Belmopan hosting the launch of the National Inventory on Radiation Sources. It's an initiative derived from the establishment of a National Radiation Safety Infrastructure that the DOE and the Belize Defense Force are leading. They intend to collect information on all sources of radiation in the country, especially those that are severe threats to public health. Representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency are here to assist the Belizean authorities to carry out this initiative. The opening ceremony was held this morning at the NEMO Training Room, and Foreign Affairs CEO Pat Andrews was one of the keynote speakers. Here's what he had to say on the importance of this information collection:

    Bringing CARICOM First Ladies Together
    Every few months, Ministerial representatives from all Caribbean Nations attend the CARICOM Meetings to discuss shared concerns and challenges within the region. Well, the wives of the Prime Ministers from the different countries which make up CARICOM want to form a network to function in a similar way. It's called the CARICOM First Ladies/Spouses Network. The network is in its infancy, and, right now, the First Ladies and the Wives of the different Prime Ministers who made it to Belize are currently in deliberations about how this network will function. We stopped by the Launch to speak with some of the First Ladies who are participating and here's what they had to tell us:

    Courtney W. Featured Presenter At "Silvaana Udz Lecture Series"
    UB's Faculty of Education started the "Silvaana Udz Lecture series" in 2014 as a way to introduce students to writers and poets from Belize and abroad. But, in a sense, journalists are also story tellers, just like writers and poets, we live by words except we can only use them to get to the truth. And that's the spirit in which our own Courtney Weatherburne was the featured presenter at this year's lecture. The event was titled, "The Role of Today's Journalist in Belize's Democracy and Development". 7News attended the event at the Jaguar auditorium and organizer Ivory Kelly told us why Courtney was the right choice: Ivory Kelly, Head of Planning Committee- Silvana Udz Lecture Series: "This is fourth Silvana Udz lecture. We started it four years ago in an effort to introduce to our students here at UB people who we feel are good examples of professionals who have majored in the arts and who have contributed positively to their field."

    Let the Mas Camp Madness Begin
    If you've been listening to the news closely enough, you've probably heard pounding soca music in the background. That's because it's carnival week - and one of the Das Camps, the Titans is set up directly down the street from our studio. And tonight, Titans and a number of other Das Camps in the city are jumping because their camps are being visited by the judges - who want to see the carnival spirit in its rawest form - when people are ready to dance on the streets for hours in just shorts and t-shirts, while others work until the early morning preparing costumes. We got the first tat set last night when we visited two Das Camps:.. The Mas Camps continue tonight and we'll have that story for you tomorrow.

    Keeping The Carnival Peace
    And while the Mas Camps dominate the week - the Carnival Association is taking time out to make peace. That's after a fight broke out in the parking lot of the Marion Jones Stadium after Saturday night's King and Queen winners were announced. President of the Association Sandra Mahler told us why they had a peace meeting today:... Sandra Mahler, President - Carnival Association: "What we've done, we've called an emergency meeting today and we met with the two bands. We also met with the police department, carnival commission, the judging association and we've come to an agreement that the incident that happened outside of Marion Jones, the two band leaders have decided to move forward in peace. So on Wednesday we are going to have an official press conference so that public can see that the actual bands are sorry about what happened, because that is not what carnival is all about. Carnival is about fun and unity. So we are going to prove to the public that come Saturday we are coming down marching for peace."

    A Play To Resurrect the Memory of Antonio Soberanis
    In this September Celebration month, you'll hear a lot about George Price and Phillip Goldson, and maybe even Simon Lamb and Samuel Haynes. But one patriot and nation builder you probably won't hear about is labour leader Antonio Soberanis. He's the labour leader from the 1930's who revolutionized Belize's labour movement. Today Joseph Stamp told us why he wants to memorialize and invigorate the memory of this often overlooked historical figure:... The play is set for tomorrow and Friday night at the Bliss Centre.

    FFB, Deviling The Details
    Last night, we showed you the extraordinary congress that the executive of the Football Federation of Belize hosted on Saturday afternoon. They were trying to take care of some business that was left untouched after the failed ordinary congress in July. Some of the financial matters were addressed, but one element which caught our attention was the 2017 budget. It's for 1.4 million dollars in this fiscal year, and of that 1.4, FIFA provides 1 million dollars in funding to the FFB. Of that, the FFB is going to spend $848,000 or 63% on administrative costs of running the FFB offices. That looks rather high, and so we asked the Acting President about it: Marlon Kuylen - Acting President, FFB: "The budget was approved with conditions that in future the affiliates have more say or a hand in what is or how the budget is produced. So that was approved with the conditions that on a monthly basis the affiliates received financial reports from the federation and that we provide a list of the salaries and stipends that make up the administration cost of the budget."

    FFB Fire Who?
    And in our last story from FFB's extraordinary congress the executive had to remove an agenda item which had planned to dismiss a number of persons from the FFB. Among that list of persons to be terminated were Ruperto Vicente, Michael Blease, John Palacio, and Shane Orio. But, most of those dismissals never happened because due process was never followed. In that letter from FIFA, the Secretary General referenced the dismissals noting that the congress does not have the authority to terminate them.That's because, similar to the electoral committee, and the electoral appeals committee, no proper justification was given.

    TIMELESS Motown MEMORIES
    And we close tonight with highlites of this weekend's FrankIe Reneau's TIMELESS Motown MEMORIES show at the Bliss, COURTESY NICH,

    Channel 5

    O.W. Sees Protests Wednesday over Gaspar Vega Land Issue
    The battleground over the continuing scandal in the Ministry of Natural Resources shifts north to Orange Walk Town. On Wednesday, the Opposition People’s United Party, led by its Northern Caucus [...]

    P.U.P. Demand Fuel Tax Cut as Belizeans Seethe About Increase
    Outrage has been widespread in the twenty-four hours since the Government of Belize’s announcement on Monday that fuel prices are to go up once again for the fourth time in [...]

    Is A.G. Too Intimidating for Amy Forte?
    The People’s United Party last Wednesday threw its unquestioned support behind Belmopan resident Amy Forte, who directly wrote Prime Minister Dean Barrow to clear her name concerning the allegation of [...]

    Opposition Keeps Up Pressure on Land Scandals
    According to the Opposition Leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has not responded to his letter last Friday that outlined his demands with regard to the land issue. But that does [...]

    John Briceño on ‘Get Mi Rich’ Scheme
    On Monday’s newscast, we questioned why Andre Vega would be compensated with public land on a private caye in the extreme north of Belize for privately-owned land in which a [...]

    Attorney General Says He Needs Statement to Build Case
    Opposition Leader John Briceño has taken a firm position in the latest round of the Vega scandal, condemning unreservedly the land grab and compensation scheme involving relatives and friends of [...]

    Call Center Employees Call Out Owners for Hard-Pay
    About twenty employees of the little known “United Association for Healthy Living” are claiming that they are owed salaries for two pay periods. The call center located on Mercy Lane [...]

    American Detained for Causing Death of Elderly Belizean in Cayo
    An elderly citizen was knocked down and killed this morning as he rode his cycle in Buena Vista village, Cayo District. Just before six-thirty a.m., twenty-year-old Jessica Miller, a U.S. [...]

    Senate Returns with Private, Public Hearings
    The Senate Special Select Committee on Immigration resumes on Wednesday after a month-long break. However, the public hearing will not be held at its usual morning time slot, but in [...]

    Las Flores Residents Reject Plan to Settle Land Dispute
    A land dispute involving the Belmopan City Council, St. Michael Roman Catholic Primary School and residents of Las Flores has taken an unexpected turn, as members of the community have [...]

    Presenting on the Strengthening of Belize’s Oil Spill Response Capabilities
    This morning, stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as members of the environmental community, gathered at the Radisson to present on the strengthening of Belize’s oil spill [...]

    Chicken Dread Vs CitCo, Round Two
    On Friday following a confrontation with police and special constables of the Belize City Council, proprietor of the ‘Chicken Dread’ fast food franchise Paul Ferguson had agreed to sort out [...]

    CARICOM’s First Ladies and Spouses Team Up
    A few years ago a special group of women from across the Caribbean gathered to launch a campaign against teenage pregnancy. They are the spouses and partners of the Caribbean’s [...]

    The Mas Begins
    With the Carnival King and Queen 2017 determined on Saturday night, the mas camps got underway on Monday night in the north and south sides of the city. The bands [...]

    Category 5 Hurricane Irma to Strike Caribbean, Florida
    The revelry aside….the Northern Lesser Antilles and Florida are bracing for a category-five hurricane to make landfall over the next few days. This morning, Hurricane Irma was upgraded from a [...]

    ‘Miss Jane’ Marks 100 Years
    She was born Jane Ellen Mary Price, but she is known across Belize District as Jane Usher. Today, the founder of the credit union movement and former minister of government [...]

    Back to School for Belizean Students
    “Free paper bun” for thousands of our nation’s students, most of whom returned to the classrooms on Monday for another year of classes. Parents paid the tuition fees, bought the [...]

    The Grand Finale of KTV the Remix
    The finale of KTV, the Remix, takes place tonight and we are surely counting down for the moment. Just for tonight, the venue has been shifted to the spacious Saint [...]

    CTV3

    Hilmar Alamilla Escorted To Court Under Heavy Guard
    There was heavy police presence in the area of Hospital crescent between the Orange Walk Police station and court this morning as alleged murderer forty two year old Hilmar David Alamilla, was escorted back into the Orange Walk magistrates court for an adjournment on the murder case brought against him following the shooting death of twenty four year old Orange Walkeno Daniel “Danny Boy” Sosa back in July of this year. Of note is that this time we were allowed inside the court room. Alamilla was arrested and charged on Saturday July 29th for the brutal murder of Sosa, whose body was discovered near the entrance of D-Victoria Hotel parking lot with a single gun-shot wound to the head a few.

    Senate Select Committee Hearing Resumes Tomorrow Who Will Testify?
    After several weeks of being on break, tomorrow the Senate Select Committee will resume its hearings at the National Assembly building in Belmopan. Prior to going on a temporary pause in late July, the Senate hearings had called a long list of witnesses to testify on what they know about certain activities in Immigration, mostly which were highlighted in the Auditor General’s special audit on Immigration.

    Mexicans Lement Cancellation Of Tropic Air Flights To Chetumal
    Last month, Topic Air announced that it would discontinue its regional flights including its air travel to San Pedro Sula, Honduras and Merida and Chetumal in Mexico due significantly to the higher tax and fees charged by the Barrow Administration. In their public announcement Tropic Air’s CEO Steve Schulte noted that there was [quote] “no clear path to sustainably serving these markets under current economic and regulatory conditions” [end quote]. The airlines have been hit hard over the years with an increase in the rider’s fee and then an increase in the Departure Tax this year. In a report published in the Novedades Quintana Roo over the weekend, Mexican tourist officials lament the decision by Tropic Air, indicating that they made attempts to keep the flights going.

    Corozaleno Residents To Reappear In Court For Drug Trafficking Offenses
    Corozal residents, thirty one year old Jose Garcia and thirty year old Bryan Hernandez, today reappeared in the Orange Walk Magistrates court for charges of drug trafficking after they were caught with more than twenty pounds of weed back in July of this year. As we had reported Orange Walk Police were conducting a vehicular checkpoint near the Establo roundabout in Trial Farm village on July 12th when they intercepted a grey Ford Van, belonging to the courier service BPMS, which led to the discovery of two parcels of cannabis weighing ten and one kilogram respectively. Garcia and Hernandez were subsequently arrested and jointly charged for drug trafficking.

    Guatemala's Congress To Decide Whether President's Impunity Will Be Revoke
    Since last week we have been reporting about the political crisis faced by Guatemala in relation to the investigations being carried out against President Jimmy Morales who is being investigated for allegations of illegal campaign finances amounting to approximately $800,000. Tonight we can report that yesterday the Guatemalan Supreme Court of Justice has evaluated the petition presented by the Public Ministry and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala which claims that President Morales’ National Convergence Front Party received and concealed such funds during his election campaign in 2015. The court has, therefore, ruled to authorize the Guatemalan Congress to review lifting Morales’ immunity so that he can be investigated.

    Dr. Jane Usher Celebrates 100th Birthday
    Today Belizean icon, Dr. Jane Ellen Usher who is also recognized as the longest running Chief Executive Officer in the country of Belize is celebrating her 100th birthday and today we look back at a few of her many contributions to our jewel over the past years. Dr. Usher was born on September 5th in the year 1917 as Jane Ellen Mary Price to parents William Cadle Price and Irene Cecelia Escalante. She is one of eleven children and is also the sister of the Father of our Nation, Right Hon. George Cadle Price. Similar to her brother, Dr. Usher has touched the lives of many Belizeans as she dedicated her life to serving the people of Belize in various fields including politics, community affairs and union movement. During her career, Dr. Usher began working at the Holy Redeemer Credit Union as a clerk in 1944 where she then became the treasurer before being named as CEO of the company in 1956 at age 39.

    Category 5 Hurricane Irma Barrels Through Leeward Island
    We’re barely four months into the 2017 hurricane Atlantic season but this morning the 10th storm was named Jose and we could be witnessing the naming of the 11th if a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico strengthens before making landfall. But tonight, all eyes are on Hurricane Irma, a category-5 hurricane that has been classified a very dangerous and potentially catastrophic storm, and which at this hour, is battering the Leeward Islands and very likely aiming at the U.S. gulf coast through the weekend. At this time Irma is not a threat to Belize.

    LOVE FM

    Government says Harvey to be blame for the next fuel increase
    A couple of weeks ago Harvey spared Belize and went on to develop into a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, causing devastating effects on Texas in the USA. And while we only felt the effects of Harvey’s remnants, motorists are about to feel the real effects in a few days. A government issued release […]

    Churches disapprove of this year’s Tenth Celebration
    Today, the Belize Council of Churches issued a release expressing its quote “dismay” over the decision to hold the September tenth parade, in observance of the Battle of St. Georges’ Caye, on Sunday. While the Council is not opposed to celebrating the tenth, they are protesting the celebration being held on the Sunday. In its […]

    Military Tattoo’s mishap
    On Friday, the Police and Military Tattoo was held in Belize City at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. As part of the show, the Belize Police Department showcased how officers respond in a riot type situation. As part of the simulation of what was believed to be white smoke was used. Turns out, one of […]

    Police investigating alleged forgery
    The Major Crimes Unit of the Belize Police Department is investigating the allegation made by Amy Forte. What appears to be Forte’s signature, appears on land documents that has to do with a transaction involving Andre Vega, son of Former UDP Minister Gaspar Vega and 7 acres of land on Mosquito Caye. Forte has, through […]

    Las Flores up in arms over land
    Today was the first day of school for thousands of primary school students across the country. It was not business as usual at the St. Matthew RC School in Las Flores as there was visible police presence. This is because residents have been up in arms over the sale of a piece of property adjacent […]

    Police discovery of explosive may have saved lives
    An explosive device with a radius blast of 200 meters was found on Saturday morning in Belize City. Members of the Special Assignment Team found the rigid threaded plastic detonator type explosive with one 16 volt battery and two 15 feet electrical wires. The detonator was not found. Authorities believe that the explosive may have […]

    Police conduct anti-drug and anti-firearm operations
    The Special Assignment Unit of the Belize Police Department has been very active, particular over this past weekend. Several anti-drug and anti-firearm operations were conducted in mostly Southside Belize City. The Unit discovered several bags of marijuana, a .32 Taurus Brand revolver along with six live rounds of ammunition. They also found seven .22 and […]

    FFB holds Extraordinary Congress
    On Saturday the Football Federation of Belize, FFB, held it’s Extraordinary Congress in Belize City. Items on the agenda were the approval of the 2016 Ordinary Congress minutes, approval of the President’s Activity Report, 2015 & 2016 Financials, 2017 Budget and Strategic Plan and the re-election of Electoral & Electoral Appeals Committee and electing an […]

    FFB operational expense is 63% of its budget
    During the briefing reporters were given the opportunity to ask questions. One of the questions posed dealt with the FFB’s budget. Figures show that 63% of the budget is earmarked for operational expenses rather that football itself. Acting President of FFB, Marlon Kuylen explained. Acting President of FFB, Marlon Kuylen “When we get our funding […]

    FFB fires staff to save cost
    In order to reduce operational costs, the FFB has dismissed several employees who form part of the secretariat. The dismissal of these persons was one of the topics that was discussed at length. President of the Premier League of Belize, Ian Haylock spoke on the matter. President of the Premier League of Belize, Ian Haylock […]

    Who to Believe Amy or Darlene?
    Justice of the Peace Darlene Padron fired off a letter to the Attorney General of Belize through her attorney, Godwin Haylock in respect to her name being called as the JP who authenticated the signature of Amy Forte. The letter confirms that Pardon was indeed the JP who authenticated the documents used for land transaction […]

    Cruise lines new schedule may mean more business for Belize
    As the Caribbean braces for hurricane Irma, the storm has pushed Florida based cruise lines to change their itineraries. Most of them are either pushing their schedules up or down while others have made changes in course as they stay clear of the of the Eastern Caribbean. Disney Fantasy is switching its schedule around during […]

    Aaliyah Ysaguirre is 72nd Queen of the Bay
    The 72nd Queen of the Bay is Miss Stann Creek Aaliyah Ysaguirre. She was selected as queen designate on Saturday night at the Bird’s Isle in Belize City. Eight young ladies vied for the coveted title including contestants from Toledo, Stann Creek, San Ignacio, Santa Elena, Belmopan, Belize City, Orange Walk, and Corozal. Throughout the […]

    Deserine Usher launches Queen of the Bay book
    Last Friday night saw the launch of a publication dedicated to the past queens of the bay. The book looks at the history of the illustrious pageant and was put together by Queen of the Bay 1993, Deserine Usher. She told us where the inspiration for the book came from. Deserine Usher Last year, the […]

    Orange Walk in September Celebrations mode
    The Official National September Celebrations Launch was held in Orange Walk Town on Sunday. The event officially starts the celebration of the 219th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye and the country’s 36th anniversary of independence, under the theme, Belize – “Confronting Challenges! Celebrating Triumphs! Renewing Our Resolve!.” The event was held in […]

    Carnival King & Queen Winners-Jump Street Posse & Belizean Jewels
    Also over the weekend, Belize City hosted the 2017 Carnival King and Queen competition. The event was held at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Six Senior and eight Junior groups displayed their flamboyant creations. When all the flaunting was done, Jump Street Posse took the crown for King and Queen in the Junior Category. Mahogany […]

    Preparations continue for municipal elections
    The People’s United Party continues to prepare for the upcoming Municipal Elections scheduled to take place in March 2018. Over the weekend, they held two municipal endorsement conventions. In Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cristian “Danny” Castellanos will head the slate as the Mayoral candidate. His team consists of councilor candidates Luis Avila, Edgar Guerra, Manuel […]

    Patrick Harris & Ervin Fitzgibbon will stand trial for murder in Supreme Court
    Two men charged with two separate murders, were committed to stand trial in the October session of the Supreme Court at preliminary inquiries that were held today before Acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser. They are Patrick Harris and Ervin Fitzgibbon. Harris is charged with the murder of Dillon Grinage, which occurred on December 31, 2016, […]

    Tropic Air expanding its wings
    Tropic Air has announced that effective November 15 they will be providing an additional flight from San Pedro Ambergris Caye to Orange Walk Town. According to President of Tropic Air, John Grief the third, the move is an effort to meet the demands of their passengers. The new flight will leave San Pedro at four […]

    Amandala

    Spectators teargassed at Military/Police Tattoo
    Police holding a military and police tattoo on Friday night, September 1, at the Marion Jones Stadium, fired smoke grenades to show eager spectators a part of their tactics to control an unruly crowd. But this “demonstration” backfired when one of the smoke grenades turned out to be the real deal, a CS Gas grenade, commonly called “tear gas”. Some people were affected by the tear gas but, fortunately, none seriously. An immediate investigation to find out about this mess-up was opened, and explosives expert General David Jones, Commandant of the Belize Defence Force, was called in to inspect the smoke canisters.

    Seismic explosive device found on Vernon Street
    A seismic explosive device, capable of destroying life within a radius of 50 feet from where it is exploded, and causing massive damage up to 400 feet away, was found by police during an anti-crime search on Vernon Street at about 11:00 Saturday morning. Police said the device, a plastic seismic detonator-type explosive with a 6-volt battery and (2) lengths of electrical wire (15 feet), was handed over to explosive expert General David Jones, Commandant of the Belize Defence Force, for inspection and assessment. During an interview held this morning at Price Barracks, the Belize Defence Force headquarters in Ladyville, Commandant Jones said that he has determined that the device was a live explosive, something that should definitely not be on the streets in Belize City.

    Belize imports 20 times its exports to Guatemala
    Despite the ongoing territorial differendum between the two countries, Belize and Guatemala continue to engage in robust trade in over 1,500 commodities; however, the bulk of the trade is constituted of imports from Guatemala, causing a huge trade deficit for Belize. According to official information obtained from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), Belize imported over 1,500 items from Guatemala, valued at roughly $74 million, for the period January to June 2017. The level of imports from that country is down by roughly 7% or $5.5 million from the same period last year, when those imports stood at almost $80 million. On the export side of the equation, there was an 8% increase, from $3.5 million for January to July 2016 to $3.8 million for January to July 2017.

    Corruption, corruption, corruption!!!
    There is more trouble, serious trouble, brewing for former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources Margarito Gaspar “Gapi” Vega, and his son, Andre Vega. The trouble stems from an accusation of forgery made by Amy Forte, a Belmopan resident who, according to what is purported in certain Lands Department documents, bought a lot on Caye Caulker from Government, and then allegedly sold the land to Andre Vega the following year, but who denies even being aware of such a transaction. A Minister’s Fiat, No. 175 of 2009, of May 18, 2009, in the name of Amy Forte of 1 Baboon Street, Belmopan, for the sum of $2,500, bears a signature over the title of “Minister.” Gaspar Vega was Minister of Lands from 2008 to 2015.

    Pump prices to spike soon due to Hurricane Harvey
    Hurricane Harvey’s shutdown of oil refineries in the Texas area—responsible for about 25% of all crude oil in the USA—has already sent pump prices up to the highest level in the USA in two years. Fuel shortages caused by Harvey are also affecting Belize, as it does import a substantial quantity of refined fuel from Houston suppliers on a regular basis in addition to buying refined fuel from Venezuela under the Petrocaribe Accord, said a press release issued today by the Government of Belize. The Ministry of Finance has given no indication what the extent of the increase will be, although reports in the US and Canada say that the increases there were in the region of 12%. There is a huge price differential due to added taxes here, between prices charged at gas stations in the US (where regular gas costs an average of US$2.64) and those in Belize (where the same product costs consumers in excess of US$5.00 a gallon).

    In Income Tax heist, a case against Ischelle Tablada crashes due to blotched caution statement procedure
    Former government employee, Ischelle Tablada, who was charged with abetment to commit robbery in connection with a robbery last July at the Income Tax Department in Belmopan that netted the robbers almost $29,000, was acquitted of the charge today in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court after a caution statement that she had given to police failed to meet legal muster. Tablada, 34, was charged along with Richard Hyde, Dean Brooks, Jr. and David Cruz, who are still facing the robbery charge. Tablada’s attorneys, Ellis Arnold, SC, and Leroy Banner, were able to convince Belmopan Magistrate Ladonna John that the caution statement that Tablada gave to police was not given voluntarily, but was given under duress, and as such, was not admissible in the prosecution’s case against her.

    No more undefeated; Verdes takes lead at Week 4 of PLB 2017-2018 Opening Season
    Former league leaders BDF FC suffered their first loss, and Verdes FC grabbed their third win to take over the standings lead at Week 4 of the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2017-2018 Opening Season. On Saturday afternoon at Ambergris Stadium, home standing San Pedro Pirates registered their first win of the season, putting down Freedom Fighters FC from Punta Gorda, 2-nil, with goals from Luis Alchnovic and Hector Martinez. Later on Saturday night at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, it was Bandits Sports prevailing, 3-2, over Police United FC, who were the visitors in this one. Bandits’ goals were by veteran Jerome “Jarro” James (17’ header), rookie Carlos Gonzalez (45’), who scored in his first semipro game, and Darwin Bermudez (65’); while Police replied with Devon Makin (37’ header) and Amin “Tacos” August, Jr. (61’). Police had an opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot, but Harrison “Cafu” Roches’ shot rebounded off the right post.

    BDFA Interoffice Football reg. season ends this week
    The Belize District Football Association (BDFA) Interoffice Football Tournament 2017 is nearing completion. Four games were played last week at the MCC, and games scheduled for this week Wednesday and Thursday nights will complete the regular season. In the opener last Wednesday, August 30, Deportivo Los Alcones and BTL played to a 0-0 draw. And in the nightcap, Latinos FC defeated Brodies, 2-1. Maynor Hernandez (33’ & 40’) struck twice for Latinos, while Robert Jones (5’) scored for Brodies.

    BDFA female team, Orchids FC in Nicaragua for UNCAF Female Inter-Club Championship 2017
    Leaving Belize on Friday morning, September 1, was Belize City female football team, Orchids FC, en route to Managua, Nicaragua to participate in the “Campeonato Interclubes Femenino UNCAF 2017.” The tournament is scheduled to run from September 4 – 9. The Belize District Football Association (BDFA) representative female team had emerged champions of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) National Women’s League tournament earlier this year; and today, we were informed by BDFA Chairman, William Moguel, who is presently in Nicaragua with the team, that they had a light work-out yesterday, and are ready to play their first game tonight at 7:00 p.m.

    National Over-40 regular season ends; playoffs next
    Well, except for a back match between Kulture Yabra and Pickstock Lake-I Veterans, the regular season for the FFFB National Over-40 Tournament 2017 was completed this past weekend; and the 4 playoff bound teams have been determined. (See standings below.) Scoring details are hard to come by, but our source says that “big bad” Bent Burgess returned to action for Mango Creek Veterans in that important final game on Saturday night at the M.A. Stadium, where they secured the 3-2 victory over visiting Benque Vets FC. Bent scored 1 and Wayne Castillano netted 2 for Mango Creek.

    Editorial: Resistance versus appeasement
    There are reasons why every empire known in human history has ended up falling. One of the reasons for this historical truth is that there have always been those in the ranks of those oppressed by empires who have chosen to resist oppression. Most of us human beings consider those who resist oppression to be heroes. You cannot chose to accommodate empire and to appease oppression, and at the same time seek to portray yourself as some kind of hero. Accommodation is accommodation and appeasement is appeasement. These two impostors always insist on wearing the garments of intelligence. It is because we are intelligent, the argument goes, that we are supposed to accommodate and appease. There is a perversity in human nature, nevertheless, which provokes some of us to “fight the power”, to borrow the words of Public Enemy. It is not intelligent to “fight the power.” It is a safer, hence more intelligent choice by far, for one to accommodate and appease. Accommodation and appeasement are supposed to assure survival. In history, nevertheless, there have always been human beings who have asked themselves the question: what kind of life is a man to accept as constituting living? For instance, does life as a shackled slave constitute an acceptable form of living?

    The true story of Lynam Agricultural College needs to be told
    My name is Rudy Bowman, a former student and teacher of what was a long time ago, Lynam Agricultural College in the Stann Creek District. You may recall that this Jesuit institution abruptly closed its proverbial doors in 1971. It was an event that never brought closure to all of us who were directly or indirectly affected. After all these years since, a group of committed alumni still believe that the true story of this high school should be retold. They believe that the school, and what it meant to them individually and to Belize as an emergent nation, deserves no less an effort. To this end, I plan to visit Belize around the middle of September of 2017 and, along with a group of other Lynam alumni and teachers, (some of whom are now in their early eighties like Maestros Hernan Ochaeta, and Pat Scott), to meet in an effort to try to finish a manuscript of the book project – Lynam: a retelling of this story which we hope to present to the Belizean populace: schools, libraries, businesses, government agencies, individuals, etc.

    Opposition Leader calls for “claim for misfeasance in public office” against Gaspar Vega
    Dear Prime Minister: For too long, the good people of Belize have been fed a constant diet of corruption in the highest ranks of the Government you lead. You have presided, as Prime Minister, over a Government that facilitated and condoned the bucket sale of nationality, passports and visas orchestrated by your Ministers and their cronies for personal profit, the pillaging of the land resources of our country under the leadership of your colleague and former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega for his family and friends, and the wanton abuse and criminality lately revealed by the Auditor General in several ministries. This criminality has been met with perfunctory acceptance by you: it’s “a hotbed of corruption”; with weak appeals: “for God’s sake stop it”; and callous disregard: “what it is, is what it is.”

    But not on your boss’s job
    It was beautiful, inspiring — Tommie Smith’s and John Carlos’ raised fist salute in Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City in 1968. They had run the race of their lives at the Olympics, Tommie coming in first and Carlos running third, in the 200-meter dash. The men knew that they stood to lose a lot of mammon. In America, the richest country on the planet, they stood to make millions off endorsements. Track and field was an amateur sport at the time, but a retired track star was set for life, if they played their cards right. But the men were champions for human dignity. Mammon was not their God. They would have no greater platform than this, and they took it. Every man of colour knew about the terrible Apartheid in South Africa at the time. Muhammad Ali had been stripped of his heavyweight title, in 1967, because he refused to join the American army and go fight a war to, as the Americans declared, stop North Vietnamese communists from overrunning South Vietnam. Back home, in the US, racist whites were doing all in their power to turn back black gains with the ballot and education. Tommie Smith and John Carlos knew about these injustices.

    Two more accused murderers committed to Supreme Court for trial
    Two separate preliminary inquiries were conducted by Acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser, for two men charged with separate murders in the Belize District. The first preliminary inquiry was for Patrick Harris, 19, who was charged with the December 31, 2016 murder of Dillon Grinage, 25. Harris is being represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. At the end of the paper committal to the October Session of the Supreme Court, the court prosecutor, Corporal Christopher Smith, submitted seven statements that police investigators had taken from witnesses and a number of official reports having to do with the case. The prosecutor also submitted the death certificate of the murdered man (Grinage), scenes of crimes photographs, and the arrest warrant.

    Bullet Tree road becoming “hot spot” for vehicle jacking
    Less than two months ago, a suspected Guatemalan car thief was gunned down after an attempt to jack a car on the Bullet Tree Road was foiled. On Saturday night, car thieves made yet another attempt in the same general vicinity. Efrain Cu, 30, a taxi operator, told police that sometime around 9 o’clock on Saturday night, he had picked up three Hispanic men from the Welcome Center area of downtown San Ignacio. He then took them to an area on Collins Boulevard off the Bullet Tree Road.

    Erwin Rodriguez, 17, reported missing for 11 days
    Erwin Rodriguez, 17, a student of Ground Dove Street, Jane Usher Boulevard, Belize City, has been reported missing since Thursday, August 24. He was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt, knee-length Dickies pants, and blue and grey Old Navy slippers. He has tattoos on both arms. His family and the police are conducting extensive searches for him, but he has not been found. Yesterday, Sunday, the search party was searching in the Dyke off Faber Road, and one of his slippers was found, but there was no sight of him.

    Former prison officer, Calbert Reynolds, charged with aggravated assault upon attorney Leroy Banner
    former prison officer from the Kolbe-managed Belize Central Prison was brought to court late this afternoon to be arraigned on a charge of aggravated assault. Calbert Reynolds, 27, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser, who arraigned him on charges of aggravated assault and use of threatening words. Reynolds pleaded not guilty to the charges and was offered bail of $600 plus one surety in the same amount. Reynolds told Magistrate Fraser that he was not aware of the charges against him until about 10 minutes before he was brought to court to answer to them.

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Compromise in Las Flores land feud
    The Belmopan City Council (BCC) and the residents of Las Flores have reached an agreement regarding the land housing at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic School. The BCC explained that Mayor Khalid Belisle met with the management of the school and worked out an agreement, which essentially had three points. Those points stated that the council would: seek how to get the school title for the land where the school is located, grant the school two additional parcels of land for future expansion, and assist with the landscaping of all school lands.

    Police find weed and ammunition in Majestic Alley stash spot
    The North Side Strike team yesterday conducted a search of Munoz Alley in Belize City. There, officers found (49) 9mm VMA brand of ammunition, and 129 grams of cannabis. No one was in the area at the time and so the items were labelled and deposited as found property.

    Police find drugs and a pistol in Belize City
    The Special Assignment Team of the Police Department conducted a string of searches yesterday which resulted in the discovery of a total of 710 grams of cannabis and a gun.

    New Honorary Consul of Canada to Belize
    The High Commissioner of Canada to Belize, Deborah Chatsis, today announced that Lynn Young has been appointed by H.E. Governor General as Honorary Consul of Canada resident in Belize City, Belize. The Belizean Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepted this appointment on August 24, 2017.

    Towards a more just and equitable society – My involvement in politics
    By Glenn Tillett: You may have wondered and you certainly did not ask but I’ll tell you all the same.I decided to join with the PUP in 1998. I was never formally a member, was never sworn in and never had a party card. Never wanted one. I supported the PUP’s agenda at that time because I thought it was forward looking, promising reform all across the spectrum of our social and political economy. It was, to my mind, revolutionary.

    Man dies in fatal traffic accident in Buena Vista
    This morning around 6:20, Jessica Miller, 20, a US citizen residing in the Buena Vista area was driving a red Subaru Impressa on Buena Vista road going towards Spanish Lookout when she hit a motorcycle.

    Dr. Jane Usher celebrates a century
    Today, iconic Belizean Dr. Jane Usher celebrates her 100th birthday. Born on September 5, 1917 as Jane Ellen Mary Price, Dr. Usher is the sister of Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, the nation’s father, and has similarly dedicated her own life to serving Belize.

    Belize launches Inventory Exercise on Potential Sources of Radiation
    The Government of Belize today held an opening ceremony to launch the National Inventory on Radiation Sources, an initiative derived from the establishment of a National Radiation Safety Infrastructure in Belize.

    Belize Council of Churches says go to church not September 10th festivities
    This year, September 10th will fall on Sunday and will feature the customary pomp and circumstance seen every year. However, the Belize Council of Churches expressed its discontent with the celebration falling on Sunday. In a statement released yesterday, the council said: “While this is the date of one of our national holidays, it is primarily and foremost a Sunday, the Lord’s Day – the day of the week set aside for the majority of Christians in Belize to be in worship in their respective congregations.”

    Guatemalan Congress to rule on lifting President Jimmy Morales’ immunity
    As pressure mounts against Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales over allegations of corruption and an investigation into unaccounted campaign financing, the Guatemalan congress is now considering a request to lift Morales’ immunity.

    PUP plans protest against Vega
    Last week, Prime Minister Dean Barrow requested an investigation against the Vega family after allegations of forgery were brought forward by Amy Forte. However, in response to other allegations of land fraud by former Lands Minister, Gaspar Vega, Barrow told the media: “…It is what it is”.

    Irma intensifies to Category 5
    This morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Irma is now an extremely dangerous category 5 hurricane. The NHC says that preparations should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area.

    Blogs

    National Wildlife Day: Belize National Symbols
    Hello September. This month is all things Belizean as we celebrate numerous national holidays! In honour of the upcoming festivities AND National Wildlife Day (September 4), here’s a Wildlife & Nature blog with some of our national symbols: The Belize Edition. The toucan is famously known for its canoe-shaped bill and vibrant colours. Its vibrant bill is designed in blue, red, green and orange; its wings are bright yellow with black; and their tail has a noticeable red and white patch.

    Easier Travel Between Orange Walk Town and San Pedro
    It is becoming a more popular trend for travelers to split their Belize vacations in two and spend part time in Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker and part time in one of the mainland districts. A short 20 minute flight from Ambergris, Orange Walk Town (soon to become 3 times daily) is a great option for a few reasons. It’s close proximity to Laminai ruins, they make the best tacos and it is pretty cool landing right beside a massive sugar cane field. The additional flight will also benefit the business community as well. The current morning flight is great for anyone doing business to/from either location but the early afternoon flights meant either a short work day or an overnight stay. Upcoming “end of day” flight will be perfect for the business traveler.

    Saint George's Caye Day
    Red, white and Blue are flown all over Belize in the month of September. It is a month to celebrate the Battle of St George's Caye and our Independence. Schools, offices, and all over the country of Belize decorated schools, offices and around the streets with Belizean flags. St. George's Caye is an island in the Caribbean Sea, eight miles east of Belize City. It is part of the Belize District of Belize, Central America. The village on the island is also known as St. George's Caye. As of 2000, St. George's Caye had a permanent population of about 20 people. St. George's Caye was previously known by the Spaniards as "Cayo Cosina", or "Kitchen Cay". It was settled as a town in 1650, and was the largest settlement in what was then British Honduras in the 17th century and 18th century; however, its importance was eventually eclipsed by the growth of Belize City. St.George's Caye was Belize's first capital in the 1700s. From 3 September through 10 September 1798, British settlers fought and defeated a small Spanish fleet sent to drive them from the area; this battle is marked as a national holiday in Belize each September 10 as the Battle of St. George's Caye.

    Tody Motmots and Ornate Hawk Eagles, Birding in the Rio Bravo and Chan Chich
    The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA) is the located in northwestern Belize. It consists of over 250,000 acres of protected rain forest and it is the largest private reserve in Belize and managed by Programme for Belize. So 250,000+ arces completely protected from logging, hunting and any other environmentally detrimental actions means that the wildlife in the area are undisturbed. Which in parts means great birding and photography opportunities. That's why when my friend Jason ( he's a great photographer, check out his instagram profile here) brought up that we should take a trip there I was all for it. We left from Belize City Friday evening with our girlfriends to start our "Birding and Babes Trip 1.0" We arrived at the La Milpa field station where we met Melvis Valdez expert birder and head guide a the lodge. By this time it was about 9pm and we had to be on the road early as we were headed to Chan Chic in search of the Gray-throated Chat a bird we had dipped on a couple times.

    Strengthening Surveillance & Enforcement in Corozal Bay!
    SACD patrol team in collaboration with the Belize Coast Guard conducted a joint patrol with the Mexican authorities along the borderline between Belize and Mexico last week – this was with the main objective of informing and acting on the illegal establishment of crab traps in Belizean waters. This lead to the removal of 48 crab traps illegally placed inside Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary within Belize territory.

    International Sourcesizz

    Un-Belize-able! Meet the man who swapped his suit for flip flops and set up the world's most exotic Airbnb
    Most people can only dream of escaping the rat race. But, for one brave man, that wasn't enough - and, to prove it, he swapped his entire life in Europe for a remote existence in the Caribbean. Christian Gusenbauer, 41, was a respected pharmaceutical company manager in his native Austria, where he enjoyed a lucrative salary and enviable lifestyle. But he said stress and red tape pushed him to make a dramatic life change in 2016. Selling all of his possessions and leaving his loved ones behind, he made the leap of faith alone - with nothing more than a backpack. But now, 12 months on, he owns Private Heaven, a self-contained off-grid retreat on Lark Caye - his very only private island in Belize - where he's ready to host holidaymakers from around the world. The newly built home, now available to reserve on Airbnb, comes complete with panoramic views of the Caribbean, a pristine lagoon and access to a breathtaking coral reef.

    I Thought I Would Die Many Times on This Adventure Through Belize
    A trip to San Ignacio, Belize, isn’t just a vacation — it’s a heart-pounding escape. I don’t necessarily consider myself an adventurer. At a young age, movies served as my adrenaline fix: beefy heroes jumped from ledges, confronted threatening wildlife, and uncovered mysterious secrets. I never considered I might one day come close to experiencing anything as remotely exciting. But after having the opportunity to explore San Ignacio, Belize, go ahead and put me on the same page as the leading heroes of Hollywood. I didn’t quite fall into a pit of insects, face off against bandits, or escape the lair of a weird alien. But there were tarantulas! Dark, tight caves and ancient Mayan ruins! Horse rides through the jungle! Looking for an exhilarating adventure with all the trimmings of a luxury vacation? San Ignacio summons you.

    The First Lady of Haiti in Belize
    Monday, the First Lady of Haiti, Martine Moïse, left Port-au-Prince to Belize to attend the Forum of First Ladies and Wives of Heads of State and Prime Ministers from CARICOM member countries. This meeting, which will establish a Caribbean network of first ladies, aims, among other things, to highlight the health and well-being of women, girls and adolescents in the Caribbean by 2030, objective #5 of sustainable development. Martine Moïse will participate in a series of discussions to support proposals for the promotion and valorisation of women from all Caribbean countries, notably through the Caribbean Child Initiative (CARIWAC) networks.

    Videos

  • You Better Belize It! UF in Belize 2017, 4min.

  • Lost A Big Barracuda Fishing in Belize 2017, 6.5min. A Vlog of our guided fishing adventure in San Pedro, Belize. We went out with Bobby and tried to hook into whatever was biting.

  • Belize Media Tour, 7.5min. The Belize Tourism Board, in its continued efforts to strengthen domestic tourism in Belize, organized a tour for members of the press to experience what it is like to be tourists in their own country.

  • Resources were deployed to Toledo, 7min. The Government of Belize continues to respond to the concerns of indigenous and rural communities with urgency. Last week, from Wednesday, August 30th to Thursday, August 31st, a team of officials, including the ministers from the Attorney General Ministry and the Ministry of Natural resources were deployed to Toledo. The Attorney General Ministry will return to Punta Gorda on September 18th, where an educational session will be conducted to apprise the stakeholders of their responsibilities and limitations. Following the session, the Alcaldes will be officially sworn in by the Attorney General, perfecting their appointments with the Inferior Courts Act.

  • OTG BELIZE COMEDY, 60min. Evenflow Entertainment

  • GoPro Travel to Belize, 3.5min. DavidJaeAdventures brings to you adventures to Belize. The beautiful country has alot to offer. From Mayan temples in the jungles of Belize to snorkeling the second largest barrier reef in the world.

  • Belize 2017, 13min.

  • Belize Family Vacation 2017, 10min. First family trip of many to the wonderful land of Belize

  • BELIZE 2017, 3.5min. From snorkeling the second largest barrier reef in the world to exploring ancient Mayan cities and rainforests, our trip was an adventure we'll never forget. We were only there for a week but we'll always keep a little bit of Belize in our hearts!

  • Good Agriculture Practices - Belize, 6min. IICA's actions to promote family farming in Belize.

  • Paradise snorkeling at Belize Great Barrier Reef, 8.5min. Rays, turtles and sharks in abundance .

  • Police Check Point Talk Show, 51min.

  • Maya Pax del Norte de Belice - Marcus Canul (live for Marcus Canul event), 6min.

    September 5, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    San Pedro Pirates net first win against Freedom fighters
    On Saturday, September 2 nd, The San Pedro Pirates Football Club hosted the Punta Gorda Freedom Fighters at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town during the fourth round of the football Premier League of Belize (PLB). The game saw the best of both teams, and at the final whistle, the home team won 2-0.

    Miss San Pedro 2017-2018 is Virginia Vasquez
    San Pedro Town has a new beauty ambassador, who was selected during the annual 2017 Miss San Pedro Pageant on Saturday, September 2nd. Held at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex, the pageant saw five lovely contestants vying for the coveted title in a show full of creativity, poise and elegance. When all points were tallied, it was 18-year-old Virginia Vasquez who had charmed and captivated the judges becoming the new queen of the island. While the judges’ scores were being tallied, Grupo Crash gave their last performance for the night. This was followed by the final walk and speech of outgoing Miss San Pedro Lisandra Novelo. An emotional Novelo thanked the entire community for their support during her reign, and she wished her successor the very best. Salazar then began announcing the various prizes up for grabs. The title of Miss Congeniality went to Nurian Trujillo, while this year’s Miss Photogenic went to Tanisha Rhaburn, who also won the title of first runner-up. Rhaburn will take up duties of the winner in the event that she cannot continue to do so.

    Ambergris Today

    San Pedro Has A New Beauty Ambassador
    Virginia Vasquez commanded the stage at the Miss San Pedro Pageant 2017 that took place on Saturday, September 2 on Ambergris Caye, Belize. She was selected as the island’s new beauty ambassador and will be officially crowned during the September 10th patriotic celebrations. Under the theme ‘Fragrantly Floral’ the five contestants of the Miss San Pedro Pageant delighted and entertained the audience with floral-themed costumes. They paid homage to the bright colors of Belize’s flowers including the hibiscus, fansy pansy, bird of paradise, red ginger and the morning glory. The Miss Congeniality title was awarded to Nurian Trujillo and Tanisha Rhaburn placed First Runner Up and also received title of Miss Photogenic. The other two contestants included Viviana Paredes and Nailea Kotch.

    500 Homes, Banana Farms Connected To National Power Grid
    Five hundred households and 13 banana farms in 27 communities in Southern Belize now have access to safe and reliable electricity. The homes and farms were connected to the national power grid under the Banana Accompanying Measures (EU-BAM) Electrification Project funded by the European Union. The three-year electrification project was initiated on May 28, 2014, with the signing of a BZ$4.5 million grant contract involving the European Union (EU), Government of Belize (GOB), and Belize Electricity Limited (BEL).

    Our Voices Are Stronger Together
    Residents of southern Ambergris Caye in the Mosquito Coast area were glad to receive information from the Department of Environment (DOE) indicating that a stop order was issued on the land clearing that was causing much concern in the area. “We have a voice,” commented one resident as she shared the information the South Side Community received regarding the bulldozing that occurred. The message from the DOE stated: “As you may be aware, the Department of the Environment last week carried out an enforcement check at the site of the mangrove clearance and have since issued a cessation order and enforcement warning against the developers.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Splashers
    Come paint with us this Thursday at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar. We will be painting "Sunset and Chill".

    Rotaract Adopt a Village 2017
    Thanks, Rotaract Club of San Ignacio, for providing much needed school supplies for 25 La Gracia and Yalbac Village primary school students. "It's that time of year again, back to school time and our annual Adopt a Village Project! This year We sponsored 25 children in the La Gracia Village and 9 in the Yalbac Village; each child received a school bag and all the school equipment required for their class. Good luck RotaKids, study hard and make us proud! "

    Carnival King and Queen
    Congratulations to the winners of the Carnival King and Queen competition 2017: RESULTS: Junior Queen category: 3rd - Black Pearl - 951 points, 2nd - Mahogany Masqueraders - 978 points, 1st - Jump Street Posse - 1030 points. Junior King category: 3rd - Black Pearl - 983 points, 2nd - Mahogany Masqueraders - 1043 points, 1st - Jump Street Posse - 1078 points. Senior Queen category: 3rd - Mother Nature's Creation - 1014, 2nd - Soca Moca - 1073, 1st - Belizean Jewels - 1105. Senior King category: 3rd - Soca Moca - 1100, 2nd - Titans Mas Band - 1108, 1st - Belizean Jewels - 1140. To all participating Carnival Bands, you all put off a great showcase of the Kings and Queens of Carnival. Congratulations to the winners!

    Tropic Air adds flight from Orange Walk to San Pedro
    Tropic Air announced today a substantial investment for its Orange Walk customers as it it will be increasing air service between Orange Walk and San Pedro to three (3) times a day, effective November 15th, 2017. Currently, flights are scheduled at two times a day, and this will add an often requested evening service. “When we launched scheduled Orange Walk service on December 15th, 2011, we also promised that we would grow the route. We are now doing so,” said John Greif III, President of Tropic Air. “Orange Walk (Tower Hill) is an integral part of the network for Tropic Air, and as we carry more passengers to, from, and within Belize, we feel it important that we expand locally to reflect our confidence in the growth of the domestic marketplace.”

    Belizean Geneticist completes her Ph.D at Duke University
    After 5 years of scientific research, Keisha Melodi McSweeney has achieved the highest academic degree, a Doctorate of Philosophy in Genetics and Genomics. On Monday, August 21, Dr. McSweeney successfully defended her dissertation entitled "Microelectrode array modeling of genetic neurological disorders in the era of next generation sequencing" to a panel of six accomplished and celebrated scientists at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. McSweeney completed her thesis research in the lab of pioneering human geneticist, Dr. David Goldstein. In his introduction of Dr. McSweeney’s dissertation, Dr. Goldstein remarked that her courage to undertake functional biology in neuroscience, in a genetics lab, shifted the direction of the research in the group from finding mutations that cause diseases, to working out how those mutations cause disease.

    THE SPIRIT OF DANCE IN ROSITA BALTAZAR LIVES ON!
    ROSA "ROSITA" BALTAZAR AUGUST 16, 1960---JULY 6, 2015. A Belizean Legends September 2017 Celebrations Photo Essay! (Photos come through the courtesy of the legendary Belizean artist and dancer, Althea Sealy of the "Belize Dance Company")

    UNDER THE SHADOWS OF BEVERLY SMITH-LOPEZ!
    The outstanding Belizean artist, dramatist and playwright of Belizean artistic renaissance of the 1970s, the late Beverly Smith-Lopez, is remembered here at Belizean Legends as a true social activist of Belize's political past. When Belizean politics raged throughout a period of a monopoly controlled radio station called, "Radio Belize", and a political climate that created a mood of distrust and fear among the masses of the Belizean people, Smith-Lopez's monologues in poems like Sandra Coye's "Genesis of Destruction" and in her voice in Evan X Hyde's plays like, "Hard Times", connected the dots for the masses of the Belizean people. The incomparable Smith-Lopez even in her immortality has reminded many of us Belizeans to remember that it was the legendary Belizean drama group, "Square Peg Players", whom she appeared in as an revolutionary player, was one of the only source of education beside the "Amandala Newspaper" that Belizeans got outside of the classroom. They connected Belizean grassroots society to the dynamics of Belizean politics in their explosion on "The Bliss" stage.

    SINCE SARITA ACOSTA, THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER!
    Sarita Acosta, the former 1979 "Miss Belize", and the only Belizean contestant to have gone the distance in the globally recognized, "Miss Universe Beauty Pageant", and placed in the 7th. position of the top 10 world's most outstanding beauty contestants, has continued to speak respectfully of Belize, and the Belizean Diaspora she hails from. Acosta, a well poised lady and well spoken woman of the 70's, lives in the Belizean-American community of New York. The day that history was made for Belize at the Miss Universe Contest, Sarita Acosta made Belizeans proud of their country that is praised in the words of its national anthem, "This tranquil heaven of democracy."

    Expected Increases in Fuel Prices Due to Hurricane Harvey
    With the passage of Hurricane Harvey over southern and coastal Texas last week, the oil refineries in the Houston area have shut down and are not expected to resume normal operations and return to full output for some weeks to come. The oil industry in Texas refines about 25 percent of all crude oil in the USA. The resulting shortages in refined petroleum products have caused a sharp spike in pump prices across the USA and also in other countries that purchase refined fuel product from the Houston suppliers.

    Strengthening Belize's Oil Spill Response Capabilities
    An oil spill is a potential threat to Belizean life, environment, and property; and can have serious economic, environmental, and social consequences. Maintaining preparedness for an effective response to an oil spill emergency is the responsibility of all relevant agencies. Planning and cooperation among agencies is key to ensuring proper disaster risk management and protection of Belize’s terrestrial, aquatic and marine environment. The updating of Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan is important in strengthening Belize’s oil spill response capabilities by drawing on the knowledge and skills of all agencies. Representatives from various Ministries, Departments, Private Sector, Academia, Civil Society, and Non-Governmental Organizations, associated with Disaster Risk Management and Oil Spill Response, will meet at the Radisson Fort George Hotel on 5th to 7th September 2017 to commence the updating of Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, being spearheaded by the Department of the Environment (DOE).

    Expo Belize
    September 16th and 17th, ITVET Campus, Freetown Road, Belize City

    KIMALA ROCHES MISSING
    Kindly be on the lookout for 17 year old KIMALA ROCHES 17. of #23 Partridge Street in Belize City. She was reported missing on Monday, 4th September, 2017 by her mother Melva Gaboutrel. Kimala left from home Saturday, 2nd September, 2017 and has not returned since. If seen, call 911 or 0800-2929-688.

    Queen of the Bay Belmopan
    I can now say that I'm apart of our Belizean history, firstly I would like to thank God for giving me the strength and wisdom to go on that stage not everyone gets the chance to do so I must say. It has been rough from the get go but it was all worth it . I learnt so much during the week I was in Belize city with the coordinating team and beautiful delegates. I made so much friends and I hope our friendship last a life time. To my family and friends huge thank you and ms chantel and her team I love you all and the people of Belmopan don't be afraid to reach out to me.I will not sit around for my reign. This is an experience of a life time I enjoyed every bit of it!

    THE MAKING OF INDE JUNCTION CARNIVAL MAS BAND TROPICAL SPLENDOR COSTUME
    UEEN FLAUNA the combination of flora and fauna as presented by Demesha Rochester was our queen last night. Thank you for taking on the challenge. We are pleased to be able to say our costume was all done right here in beautiful Corozal with no need for help from any outside designers. Last night pageant was more than just about the costumes. As a designer we are at the mercy of how well our delegate present our costumes. It had to be presented, then the delegate had to display a talent and her introduction. It was also my first time designing and constructing a costume specifically for carnival queen competition ever as I had never had to do a queen before so I welcomes the opportunity as the leader of Inde Junction Mas Band.

    Welcome to Belize Rick Kamla
    Rick Kamla is a television personality for NBA TV. He is also the midday co-host with John Michaels on all-sports radio station 92.9 The Game in Atlanta. Kamla has been a studio commentator for the NBA since January 2003. Here he is, spotted with Carlo Segura of Ernies Restaurant at San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Welcome to Belize Rick Kamla and enjoy your stay.

    Getting ready for school is a family affair!
    Mr. Jose Escalante, Standard VI teacher at Louisiana Farm Government School and Mrs. Ada Escalante, Standard IV teacher at San Francisco R.C. School get their whole family involved in preparing classrooms for the start of the school year. Thank you to all the dedicated teachers in Belize who invest in the future of Belize. We wish all students, teachers and families a successful and wonderful year of learning and innovation.

    Viva Marcus Canul!!!
    The Yucatec Maya of Orange walk and Corozal celebrating their Maya hero Marcus Canul and celebrating our Maya identity.

    Representing the Chuc family descendants of the Maya rebel Juan Chuc for Marcus Canul Day and Mr Pedro Carrillo.

    Channel 7

    Darlene Padron Says Amy Forte Did Sign, Not a Forgery
    No forgery! That's what Justice of the Peace Darlene Padron says about the Amy Forte case. Last week, it became headline news when Prime Minister Dean Barrow ordered a criminal investigation into that Caye Caulker land compensation case. That's the land flip where Gaspar Vega's son, Andre, was given prime real estate on Mosquito Caye as compensation for the paper title he had to a pre-owned piece of land that the Lands Department shouldn't have sold. The alleged middleman - or middle-woman, in this case - was Amy Forte, and as we told you, she says that her signature was forged - and that she never did any land business with Andre Vega. Well tonight, 7News has learned that there is a counter allegation against Forte, one which says that this was no forgery.

    PUP Plans Protest to Pressure UDP on Vega
    And while the criminal investigation has its own intrigue, the political case against Vega and the UDP is much more straightforward. The opposition PUP believes it has found in this land scandal something to really cause the ruling UDP to hemorrhage - and the party intends to keep up the pressure. That's why this Wednesday, the PUP's Northern Caucus is going to protest against Vega in Orange Walk North. The party intends to bring supporters from all 8 divisions in the north in the hopes of mustering a decent crowd to show the party's extreme displeasure with Vega. The party has been pushing for the UDP to expel Vega from the party and force a bye-election, which is very unlikely to happen. We'll cover Wednesday's protest and let you know how many came out.

    Tear Gas Terror at Military Tattoo
    Turning now from politics to the September Celebrations, our next story is about a tear gas attack at Friday night's military tattoo - and it was police who threw the tear gas! The family event was held at the Marion Jones Stadium - where the security forces displayed their abilities in a series of demonstrations. It was all so impressive and entertaining - up until this simulated event started. As captured on a cell phone camera, it is a simulation of a protest where police with their riot shields have to get in formation and form a line to drive back the protestors who are hurling rocks. Now, of course, these protestors are actually police - who are just playing along for the simulation. Tear gas is a major part of driving them back - but on Friday it should have been simulated tear gas, a harmless white smoke. But, things went terribly wrong for a section of the audience when one of the canisters that was supposed to have in "white smoke" turned out to have in real tear gas. This morning Deputy Commissioner Noel Leal and Assistant Commissioner Broaster gave us more insight into the incident.

    General Explains Tear Gas Mixup
    The police are not the only ones who came forward apologies for the unexpected release of tear gas. BDF Commander, General David Jones told us more about what went wrong, and what may have caused it: David Jones, Commander of BDF "First of all I would like to publicly apologize to the public for what transpired during the military tattoo. When the smoke was getting into the audience, my first reaction was this was horrible. It was shock, we did not expect it and we sincerely apologize for it. However, the item that the police use to fire on that particular night were the factory made canisters that were sold to the police department."

    Explosive Expert Says Seismic Device Could Dangerous
    We also asked General Jones - who is an explosives expert - to comment on a disturbing discovery that police made. On Saturday the Special Assignment Team found what is called a "detonator type explosive," along with a 6-volt battery and 2 sets of 15-foot electrical wires in the area of Vernon Street. Today Jones said this is a seismic detonator - the type used when doing seismic testing for oil exploration - but it is still very dangerous if used recklessly. Here's how he explained it:

    Hurricane Harvey Hurts Consumers at Pump
    Tonight the government is warning consumers to brace for higher gas prices - and they say it's because of Hurricane Harvey, not broke Belmopan. A rare press release on fuel prices says that Hurricane Harvey caused the oil refineries in the Houston area to shut down - which has caused a spike in pump prices across the USA - since Texas refines about 25 percent of all crude oil in the U.S. Now, if you're scratching your head and saying but don't Belize's fuel products come from Venezuela? Well, not all of it - and not since that country has been plunged into a domestic crisis. The government release notes that Belize imports a substantial quantity of refined fuel from Houston - to supplement the inconsistent supply from Venezuela.

    Churches Says "Keep Holy The Sabbath"
    This year, September 10th falls on a Sunday - and Government has decided that it will be observed on that same day - with Monday the 11th being set aside as a holiday. And, tonight, the Belize Council of Churches has made it known that it isn't happy about it. A release from the council, laments, quote, "While this is the date of one of our national holidays, it is primarily and foremost a Sunday, the Lord's Day - the day of the week set aside for the majority of Christians in Belize to be in worship in their respective congregations." End quote.

    FBB, Another Frustrating Congress
    On Saturday, the Football Federation of Belize held it's third Extraordinary Congress to try to get some important business of football taken care of. You'll remember that just over 2 months ago, they tried to hold an ordinary congress - but that hd to be called off because there was no quorum due to infighting within the Federation. So, they tried again this weekend to deal with important pending matters. And while they did have some measure of success this time around, the outstanding elections are no closer to being held. Our news team was there for 6 hours to find out how things look within the FFB's Executive, and Daniel Ortiz reports:

    Another Cabbie Targeted
    Another cab driver has been targeted by criminals - this time it's in San Ignacio, but, luckily, 30 year-old Efrain Cu survived multiple gunshots. On Friday night at around 8:00, Cu picked up 3 Hispanic men from the San Ignacio Welcome Center area, and he drove them to Collins Boulevard, off Bullet Tree Road. When they got there, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot him 4 times in the upper right shoulder, the upper left side of his chest, and the left upper leg. They shoved him out of his vehicle and drove off with his red Geo Prism Taxi.

    Charged for Good Fortune Misfortune
    Good Fortune Store on Blue Marlin Drive in Belize City was robbed last week Thursday night. The 17-year-old shopkeeper told police that two men came in and demanded money from the cash drawer. They stole $800 in cash and an iPhone. Today Police have caught up with the alleged culprits; they are 19- Year old Duesberry Bowen and 18-year-old Luquan FLowers who were charged with robbery today when they appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza. Bowen was charged with aggravated assault as well. Both pled not guilty and were remanded in custody until November 30th, 2017.

    Weapons in Cemetery
    Police were busy this weekend - coming up with all kinds of finds. On Saturday at noon, the Special Assignment team searched an area near the Lord Ridge Cemetery and found a .32 Taurus Brand revolver along with six live rounds of ammunition. No one was in the area at the time, so the items were labeled and deposited as found property.

    Ganja in Handbag
    On Sunday afternoon in Rural Belize, the RURAL Quick Response Team got two pounds of a weed at a checkpoint which was set up at the Boom junction. They found it in a purse belonging to a 26-year-old from Tea Kettle Village. She is currently detained pending a charge for Drug Trafficking.

    Marijuana by the Pound on Antelope Street
    And the police found more than three times that on Antelope Street. On Saturday evening, the Special Assignment Team searched the Antelope Street Extension and found a white bucket in the bushes with (2) bags of weed. A deeper search in the area led to the discovery of another plastic bag under some bushes. All totaled the weed weighed 6.8 pounds. Again, this was labeled as found property.

    Another Weed Find, Tigris Street
    A smaller find was made on Sunday at 7:30 am in an abandoned lot in the vicinity of Tigris Street that resulted in the discovery of half pound of weed. Again, found property.

    Two Will stand Trial for Recent Murders
    Two men have been committed to stand trial for separate murders after the conclusion of preliminary inquiries today. The first is Patrick Harris who is charged with the murder of Dillon Grinage, which occurred on December 31, 2016, in Sand Hill Village. Harris was represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. The second is Ervin Fitzgibbon, who is charged with the murder of Kemar Nicholas, which occurred on February 3, 2017. Fitzgibbon was initially charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. But the charges were upgraded to murder when Nicholas succumbed to his injuries. Fitzgibbon is also charged with kept prohibited firearm and ammunition.

    PG Man Survives Being Knifed
    A Maya man was sliced up and left for dead on Friday in the Toledo District. Police say they found Juniour Cal on Friday night between miles 87 and 88 on the Southern Highway near the Lindo Hill Area. He was lying unconscious on the left side of the highway with a large cut wound to his right palm, a cut wound to the forehead, another below the right eye, injuries to both eyes, and abrasions to the left elbow and right knee.

    Carnival King & Queen, The Glitter and Glamour
    The Carnival week started on Friday night with a lively motorcade, and it finishes next Saturday with the Carnival. In between, there's a whole lot going on - such as the Mas Camps which started tonight. But Saturday night was one of the centerpiece events for the Carnival a the the annual King and Queen event. 7NEws was at the Marion Jones stadium for the full five hour event - and here's the story:... So, for the juniours, Jump Street posse was first for both Junior King and Queen, Mahogany Masqueraders was second for both, and Black Pearl was third for both. In the seniors, Belizean Jewels was first for both King and Queen, Titans was second for senior King, while Soca Moca was third. For the Senior Queens, Soca Moca was second, and Mother Nature third.

    The Price of Victory
    And it seems that double victory in the senior category by Belizean Jewels did not impress rival camps. At the stadium we saw some hard talk first break out in the bleachers and this then spilled over to the parking lot. One member of Belizean Jewels says they were threatened and one of their members was punched by a rival group.

    Stann Creek Claims Another Queen of the Bay Victory
    Stann Creek has its third Queen of the Baby winner in as many years! Aaliyah Ysaguire won the consummate September pageant on Saturday night - here's her moment of victory courtesy Hildardo Espejo:...

    Las Flores Fight Leads to Compromise
    And for our last news item tonight, we go to Belmopan. That's where the parents and administration of St. Michael Roman Primary School in LAs Flores say the City Council has taken away their school's land and allowed a private interest to purchase it. Now, the school never owned the land, but it has been tending it for many years. They say they wanted to acquire it, but, too late, it ended up in private hands. The parents held a brief protest this morning - and here's the position they put forward to PLUS TV:... Protestor: "From last night we decided that we will stage this, but unfortunately we can't get out there because of the permit. Now, this is your place, you all came to drop your children and you just supposed to know what was taking place. Yes, we really don't want our land to be taken away. The school has been in what we called "dialogue" with our city officials and they seem not to be approaching us in the right way."

    Channel 5

    JP Darlene Padron Insists that Amy Forte Signed Documents
    Did purported titleholder Amy Forte lie to Prime Minister Barrow and the media about the fraudulent use of her signature in the latest Andre Vega land scandal?  And how would [...]

    A.G. Peyrefitte Not Able to Secure Statement from Forte or Attorney
    The Attorney General’s Office is not in a position to investigate the alleged criminality involving the use of the signature, but can it investigate claims that public funds were used [...]

    Who to Believe? A.G. Says Padron’s Job on the Line
    While the Attorney General has very little to work with in order to investigate the nature of the reported transaction, he also says that it does not appear to be [...]

    Why Was Andre Vega Compensated with Mosquito Caye Land?
    Since this story broke last Tuesday with Amy Forte’s letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, there has been one largely unanswered question: why would the Ministry of Natural Resources, under [...]

    More Shenanigans in Carmelita; Land Sold Before it was Acquired
    There are more documents from the Ministry of Natural Resources coming out tonight, concerning parcels of land in the village of Carmelita in Orange Walk District. As revealed last November [...]

    Gov’t Warns Fuel Prices Will Go Up Again; Harvey to Blame This Time
    Get ready for higher gas prices once again sometime this week, although this time there is some explanation from the government. The last increase came just last week for premium [...]

    Armed Forces’ Military Tattoo Marred by Accidental Tear Gas Release
    The Military Tattoo was back this year to display the readiness of the Belize Fence Force and the Police Department. Hundreds headed over to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex on [...]

    B.D.F. Questions How Seismic Explosive Got on City Streets
    A dangerous explosive used in seismic testing activities was recovered from the streets of Belize City on Saturday.  The charge, complete with a battery and accompanying wires, was found in [...]

    If Detonated, Bomb Would Have Cost Many Lives
    According to Commander Jones, the lethality of the device should it have been detonated in proximity of civilians, would certainly leave a body count.   Brig. Gen. David Jones, Explosives [...]

    Police Proceeding with Amy Forte Forgery Investigation
    One more issue on the ongoing investigation into the land scandal involving Andre Vega…This morning, Acting Commissioner of Police Noel Leal fielded questions from the media in respect of the [...]

    Las Flores Residents Complain Over Loss of Land for School’s Expansion
    This morning residents of Las Flores in Belmopan gathered at the community primary school, St. Michael R.C., on the first day of classes. They were protesting the decision of the [...]

    Federation Reunites, But Leaves a Lot on the Table after Congress
    This past Saturday, the full quorum of members of the Football Federation of Belize met in an extraordinary session to complete business left over from the aborted general congress in [...]

    Churches Frown on Sunday Tenth Parade
    The September celebrations are off to a start, but tonight the Belize Council of Churches is not pleased that the Tenth Day parade will be held on Sunday, the tenth [...]

    P.G.’s Gareth Jacobs Teaches Belize to Sing on KTV the Remix
    Gareth Jacobs….he is a finalist in KTV, the Remix and has been entertaining the public for the last several weeks of competition.  Other than the fact that he is from [...]

    Aliyah Ysaguirre is New Queen of the Bay
    One of the highlights of the September celebrations is the seventy-seventh National Queen of the Bay competition. The traditional pageant has been running for decades and still draws a multitude. [...]

    Jump Street Posse & Belizean Jewels are Carnival’s Kings and Queens
    Saturday was chock full of activities. News Five’s Duane Moody also headed to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for the King and Queen Competition of the 2017 carnival season.  This [...]

    The September Celebrations Are Here!
    The September Celebrations is here and the month long festivities kicked off a few days ago – but it was officially launched in Orange Walk Town over the weekend. A [...]

    James Adderley has Sports Monday
    Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   [Highlights of the weekend sporting activities....]

    CTV3

    Customs Office Charge For Manslaughter For Death Of Almendarez
    Thirty nine year old customs officer, Rudolf Williams, appeared today before the Orange Walk Magistrates court to face a single charge of manslaughter following the shooting death of thirty year old Dwayne Almendarez. Almendarez as you may remember received three shots, one to the thigh, one to the left chest and one to the abdomen during an altercation with customs and BDF officials on Tuesday August 15th in the village of Yo Creek.

    Chamber Demands That PM Takes Swift Actions In Land Scandal
    The deepening controversy over the most recently expose Vega land deals have triggered public condemnation on social media and morning show airwaves. Today the social partners also began to chip in, with the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern over the Prime Minister’s responses to reports of wrongdoing. The Chamber’s release says [quote] “despite evidence of blatant abuse of office for personal gain, the Prime Minister has commented that he doubts there is any actionable illegality. With due respect to the office, it is not for any Prime Minister to make that determination” [end quote]. The Chamber then adds its voice, supporting the call for an investigation into the allegations in the Lands Ministry.

    MOH Issues Advisory Over Illegal Medications
    Belizeans are tonight advised to be on the alert for an unauthorized medication that somehow made into the market. According to the Ministry of Health, the medication that goes by the name of Neurobión a 50 mil syrup 240ml bottle has been found to be circulating in the Belize market and the Ministry of Health believes the quality may be compromised. The Ministry of Health also notes that no importation permit has been issued for this medication. For now the product has been removed from establishments where it was found.

    LOVE FM

    SIB says inflation rate for July 2017 is 0.6% higher than July 2016
    For the month of July, consumer prices are up by 0.6% due to a rise in transportation cost. The Statistical Institute of Belize’s latest figure shows that for the first seven months of 2017, an inflation rate of 1.4% was recorded. This morning the Statistical Institute of Belize held a press conference where they revealed […]

    Commander Vidal on Meet & Greet
    The media had been following the police on a weekly basis for their meet and greet sessions with Belize City residents. Over the last few weeks however, there was somewhat of a pause. Today, the media was invited once more and Senior Superintendent of Police Marco Vidal clarified that the sessions were never halted. What […]

    BWS donates to Punta Gorda Town Council
    Belize Water Services donated a garbage collection truck yesterday to the Punta Gorda Town Council. Paul Mahung reports. Fern Gutierrez – Mayor, Punta Gorda “For those of you who know the history of sanitation in the entire country, it has been a very trial time in terms of how we generate waste, how we dispose […]

    Crooked Tree’s Softball and Cricket Field gets face-lift
    The National Sports Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youths and Sports refurbished the softball and Cricket Field in Crooked Tree Village. Director for the National Sports Council, Ian Jones, Minister Edmond Castro, and Village Chairman John Gillett spoke with Love News. Ian Jones – Director, National Sports Council “This project was initiated […]

    Department of Youth Services continues to equip youths
    Ten young people graduated today from a summer course on hospitality and food preparation. The training was provided by the Department of Youth Services over the summer break for residents of the Mayflower community in Belize City. Jamie Rocke is the Youth Coordinator. Jamie Rocke – Youth Coordinator “It was a hospitality and food preparation […]

    Programme for Belize gives away $3,344 in scholarships
    Today, Programme for Belize awarded six scholarships to high school students who live in the rural parts of Belize. Executive Director of Programme for Belize, Edilberto Romero tells us more. Edilberto Romero – Executive Director, Programme for Belize “Today we are awarding six scholarships valued at $3,344.00. It is a one year scholarship and we […]

    Forte cries foul over land hustle
    Amy Forte has reserved her rights to institute legal action against the Vega Family and the Government of Belize. Forte’s attorney issued a statement saying that recent media reports implicated her as being involved in a quote, “land hustle scheme with certain members of the family of Former Minister of Lands, Mr. Gaspar Vega.” End […]

    Forte appeals to PM to right the wrong done against her
    Attorneys for Amy Forte have also written to the Prime Minister, Dean Barrow. In that letter, Forte denies any such involvement and tells the Prime Minister that she was not aware that the Government had issued a piece of land to her. The Prime Minister is also informed that Forte did not execute a Deed […]

    Willoughby comments on his race for and loss of Mayor’s position
    On Sunday, Belize City Councilor Phillip Willoughby was defeated by his colleague, Dion Leslie at UDP open municipal convention. Both men went head to head for the mayor’s position. After the ballots were counted, it was announced that Leslie received Three Thousand and Seventy Three votes while Willoughby received Two Thousand Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight […]

    Willoughby was abandoned in his fight for the Mayor’s position
    But many of the Senior Area Representatives of the United Democratic Party did not support Phillip Willoughby in his bid for the mayor’s position. Dion Leslie defeated Willoughby by Six Hundred and Eighty-Five votes. On Sunday, we saw the UDP Albert Division Committee working extremely hard to get Leslie elected. It is a sore point […]

    Willoughby looking ahead
    While he lost the chance to be the UDP Mayoral Candidate, Phillip Willoughby also ran as a councilor candidate at Sunday’s UDP Convention. He says there is nothing that can stop him from doing his work. Phillip Willoughby – City Councilor “Going forward, I will reserve any comment at this point in time in looking […]

    Police beef up security for September celebrations
    The recent spike in gun violence, particularly in South Side Belize City, has raised concerns among Belize City residents. In a press briefing on Monday, Southside Commander Senior Superintendent Marco Vidal said police are on high alert to ensure public safety particularly as the September celebrations activities are beginning. Sr. Supt. Marco Vidal – OC, […]

    Pallotine Sisters Telethon raises over $184,000
    The Pallotine Sisters have a final figure for the monies raised in their Convent Rebuild Fundraiser Telethon held on Saturday at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. The money will go towards the demolition and reconstruction of a new convent in Belize City. Sister Steven Franco gave us the final figure today and says […]

    Vildo Westby still at large
    Police are still looking for Vildo Lorenzo Westby. He is wanted for the brutal murder of forty four year old Felix Ayuso. Reports are that Westby is still in Belize. A reward of ten thousand dollars is being offered for information leading to his arrest. He is described as being of brown complexion, about five […]

    High Commission of India says visa was not waive for their delegates
    The Chinese Association felt they were being treated unfairly since reports surfaced that the Government of Belize waived visa fees for a group of performers from India. We’ll a letter written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the High Commission of India to Belize says that the visa fees were paid for by the […]

    NGO awards scholarships to Bethel Primary School
    Students of Bethel Primary school today received a small scholarship from the Children First and Last Belize, a nongovernmental organization that focuses on providing support to children in education and health care. Secretary Patricia Lamb says that each year the NGO tries to do a project focusing on children. This year, they chose to lend […]

    Maya Celebration in the South
    A special Maya celebration to commemorate the feast Day of patron of San Luis Rey Church was held in San Antonio Village, Toledo. Paul Mahung reports. PAUL MAHUNG “The two day cultural event in addition to religious devotion and live marimba music also highlighted the traditional and colourful Deer dance as explained by San Luis […]

    Police destroy marijuana plants in Hopkins
    Today, police in Hopkins Village intercepted an operation of marijuana cultivation and what appears to be illegal logging. According to police, between eight o’clock this morning and one o’clock this afternoon, they conducted an operation in the area and discovered ten marijuana plants and several pieces of freshly cut lumber in different sizes. No one […]

    Belizean detained in Guatemala
    Fifty-Seven year old Harold Lindsay Amos Rodriguez has been detained in Guatemala. According to online reports, he is being accused of credit card cloning. According to online articles, Rodriguez was detained after he attempted to avoid a check point in Nueva Montserrat, Guatemala City. Authorities found him in possession of a firearm which he reportedly […]

    Placencia is the focus of the University of South Florida’s research
    According to TampayBay.com a University of South Florida professor and one of her doctoral candidates have helped a national park in Belize stop flushing away its coral reefs. Graduate student Christine Prouty worked on a wastewater project with Dr. Maya Trotz, an associate professor in USF’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Their work centered […]

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Lake-I teen reported missing
    Kimala Roches, 17, was reported missing in Belize City by her mother Melva Gabourel, who told police that Roches left her Patridge Street home on Saturday but has not returned.

    Already high gas prices going up again, GOB blames Harvey
    The Government of Belize today issued a press release informing the public that with the passage of Hurricane Harvey over southern and coastal Texas last week, the oil refineries in the Houston area have shut down and are not expected to resume normal operations and return to full output for some weeks. The oil industry in Texas refines about 25 percent of all crude oil in the USA.

    Oil spill contingency plan workshop to be held tomorrow
    On September 5, 2017, representatives from various Ministries, Departments, Private Sector, Academia, Civil Society, and Non-Governmental Organizations associated with Disaster Risk Management and Oil Spill Response will meet at the Radisson Fort George Hotel to plan and cooperate in ensuring proper disaster risk management and protection of Belize’s terrestrial, aquatic and marine environment. The stakeholders will be holding meetings from September 5th– 7th to update Belize’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.

    Six persons busted with crack and crack pipe
    Six persons were today jointly charged with possession of controlled drugs and possession of a crack pipe. According to police reports, at around midnight yesterday, the Special Assignment Team conducted a search at a residence on Gibnut Street in Belize City.

    Galen University cancels classes to mark loss of Vice President, Omar Ortiz
    Schools across the country were scheduled for reopening today. However, one school that will not reopen is Galen University. That is because its Vice President, Omar Ortiz, died in a fatal vehicle accident just outside of Mahogany Heights last week.

    Teakettle woman busted with weed in her purse
    A Teakettle woman is in trouble with the law after she was busted with 921 grams of cannabis. According to police reports, on Sunday at around 4:50 p.m. police were conducting a mobile patrol at the Boom Junction.

    Tropic Air adds new flight from Orange Walk to San Pedro
    Today, Tropic Air announced a substantial investment for its Orange Walk customers as it it will be increasing air service between Orange Walk and San Pedro to three times a day, effective November 15th, 2017. Currently, flights are scheduled at two times a day, and this will add an often requested evening service.

    Las Flores School Land Recovery Efforts
    Letter to the Editor: To all interested parties: The Las Flores Community is hereby expressing their discontent, disappointment and objection at the Mayor of Belmopan, Khalid Belisle, for SELLING two parcels: 20-17-8713 and 20-17-8714, which belong to the the Las Flores Primary School since 1985, to Amy Anabella Chen (see UNDP/PRODERE Maps attached). It is important to mention that the school has been using and cleaning these parcels since its inception in 1985.

    Protest planned for Wednesday in Orange Walk
    Information to BBN is that a protest is planned for Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. in Orange Walk town. The protest is being organized by residents of Orange Walk North.

    Irma strengthening as it heads to Leeward Islands
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is closely monitoring Hurricane Irma in the Atlantic. This morning, the Hurricane Hunter aircraft found Hurricane Irma had gotten a little stronger. Data from the aircraft indicated that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts – a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

    New School year begins
    By Zoila Palma: Today is the first day of the new school year 2017- 2018. Thousands of students across Belize are heading to pre, primary and high school in their neatly pressed uniforms ready to learn. Teachers have been preparing their classrooms with colorful teaching aids, plans and learning centers for their new students.

    PUP holds endorsement convention in Belmopan
    Today, the People’s United Party (PUP) held an endorsement convention in Belmopan City. Mayoral candidate, Tanya Santos and councillor candidates Rocio Quiroz, Sanie Cal, Hope Amadi, Cesar Ross, John Wade and Brian Mira were sworn in by PUP Party Chairman Henry Charles Usher.

    Earl Trapp victorious in San Ignacio/Santa Elena UDP convention
    After counting the over 2,600 ballots cast in the UDP convention for San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Earl Trapp emerged tonight as the winning Mayoral candidate. Trapp received a comfortable 2,102 votes while his contender Lupita Orellano Ferguson received 538 votes.

    Blogs

    A Weekend at the Camp: Cayo Frances Farm & Fly
    I am wrapping up 3 days on Cayo Frances – the large inner lagoon system about halfway up Ambergris Caye. A world away from the other side of the island and San Pedro town. As I type, a small bright blue headed snake looked at me thru the screen. Some of our weekend eats. The french bakery in town makes a DELICIOUS olive loaf — so perfect for sandwiches of arugula (grown here — it takes off like a weed), pastrami from the island’s Sausage Factory, cheddar and lots of mustard.

    International Sourcesizz

    Inside Caleb Orozco’s Fight to Overturn Belize’s Anti-Gay Laws
    Once, at a speaking engagement, I said to the audience, “I am Caleb Orozco and I love to fight!” Fighting is what I do: for an education, for my health, for my spirit, and to find solutions to my fears. I am also aware of the importance of inspiring others, and my desire to see better for all people who live in Belize. I have come to learn that death threats, physical assault, and humiliation will make a victim out of anyone, but it is principle that will allow you to stand your ground. Belize is a former British colony of around 370,000 people located in Central America that got its independence in 1981. Its history and development from settlement to nation is filled with threats, disruption, and political struggles that had begun in the 1700s. I feel that history in my DNA, fueled with a desire to fight for transformation that is strengthen with purpose. My fight to overturn the sodomy laws in Belize began in 2007 when I first met professor Tracy Robinson from the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP), who spoke to me about challenging the sodomy law that existed in Belize.

    Belize High Court Finds Ex-Franchisor Executive Guilty of Defamation, Questions His Integrity
    In a non-franchise litigation brought by Belizean property owners of a tropical development, the Belize Supreme Court found former franchisor executive Thomas Kevin Herskowitz guilty of defamation with malice. But the judge did not stop there. In his scathing decision, he also questioned Herskowitz's integrity, stating the evidence in the case found Herskowitz to be "evasive, and neither forthright nor credible." Herskowitz is a former franchisor executive of I Can't Believe It's Yogurt (Brice Group) and Mail Boxes Etc. (United Parcel Services). Herskowitz' time at both companies ended in litigation and controversy, all while he and colleagues James H. Amos, Jr. and Peter D. Holt were in "control" positions of the corporate executive teams. In the March 30, 2017 decision, the Belize Supreme Court found ruled Herskowitz and his Independent Owners of Sanctuary Belize guilty of defamation with malice. The Honorable Mr. Justice Courtney A. Able explained in his ruling that the court "has specifically found the evidence of Thomas Herskowitz to be evasive, and neither forthright nor credible, wherever and whenever it conflicted with the evidence of the Claimants (the SB Developer)." Furthermore, Herskowitz failed to even disclose anywhere that the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Belize (ICAB) had fully exonerated the Sanctuary Belize Developer and their PKF accountant. Instead, by not publishing the letter from the Institute and not removing the initial letter of complaint to the ICAB, he crossed a red line described by the judge as ". . . a further spiteful, malicious omission."

    Fern Glen student visits Belize
    A local student attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Cook Honors College spent part of her summer abroad, taking part in a two-week trip to Belize sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Kylie Smith, daughter of Robert and Tracey Smith, Tomhicken Road, Fern Glen, visited Belize from May 29 to June 12 and learned about culture, economy, history and politics. Smith, a sociology major and an English minor, is a dean’s list student and provost scholar. She is treasurer of Sigma Tau Delta, alternative officer of Tost and Turned student theater group and a member of the Whitmyre Warblers vocal group. Twenty-four students took advantage of the trip that’s offered annually to honors students.

    10+ Best Bird Photos Of 2017 Have Been Announced, And They’re Truly Amazing
    Birds are a secretive and mysterious species, which makes them one of the hardest to photograph. The British Trust for Ornithology, however, is taking time to appreciate photographers around the world who have mastered the art of capturing the quiet, gentle beauty of birds, and they've just announced their winners for 2017. The Bird Photographer of the Year competition was initiated in 2015, and reportedly received a flood of entries right away. According to BTO Chief Executive Andy Clements, its aim is "to celebrate the artistry of bird photography and aid conservation by supporting the valuable work carried out by the BTO.” A cash prize of £5,000 (~$6,500 USD) is awarded to the top entry, with smaller amounts of cash, equipment, and merchandise being doled out to the others. This year's victor? Alejandro Prieto Rojas from Mexico, who submitted a stunning portrait of flamingo feeding their young.

    Videos

  • At the heart of every culture there is dance and music, 1min. Two brave Maya woman dancing the U Pool k'eek'en(Hog head dance). Viva Marcus Canul!!! Viva Los Maya del Norte!!!

  • The Yucatec Maya of Belize celebrating Marcus Canul, 1.5min. Some pictures of Marcus Canul event and celebrating of our northern Maya culture.

  • Belize Scuba, zipline, 5.5min.

  • Diving Belize 2017, 7min. Diving Belize 2017: Hunting lion fish, and good views of black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, turtle, and much more.

  • “Beautiful, Smiling Queen of the Bay…”, 6.5min.

  • A Road trip to Xunantunich Maya Temple in Belize, 5min.

  • Belize 2017, 3min. This is a short glimpse of what my last month has looked like in Belize! Perhaps my favorite trip yet.

  • Celebrations to mark the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye, 6.5min. Celebrations to mark the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye Day and the 36th anniversary of Belize’s independence are just around the corner. With a theme already unveiled all that was left was the official National September Celebrations launching and that took place over the weekend here in Orange Walk with all its pomp and circumstance. The event organized by the National Celebrations Commission took place on Sunday and saw the participation of dignitaries from all across the country. Who celebrated the occasion under this year’s theme “Confronting Challenges, Celebrating Triumphs, Renewing Our Resolve”.

  • THE NORTH HONORS MAYA LEADER AND HERO MARCUS CANUL, 6.5min. Friday September 1st marked one hundred forty five years since the battle of Orange Walk Town which was led by Icaiche Maya Leader and Hero, Marcus Canul. Events that succeed the battle have had a profound influence on the history of Northern Belize which is being taught today in our history books. Though Canul is often portrayed as a bandit in the eyes of the Europeans, he is acknowledged as a freedom fighter to the Maya Mestizo culture and over the weekend, in order to express appreciation for Canul’s contribution to our history, the Northern Maya Association of Belize held its first ever memorial service event.

  • A conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Sedi Elrington, 44min.

  • Landlord and Tenant Act, 35min.

  • 10th Annual Evening of Patriotic Songs and Poems, 20min.

  • Blue Ventures Lion Fish, 34min.

  • National Song Competition Winners, 33min.

  • Carnival King and Queen, 11.5min.

  • 2017 Carnival Queen Pageant held in Corozal Civic Center, 19min. 1st place winner Ms Aquabatic 2017 Seniors. 1st place winner Victor of USC.

  • Carnival Glory stop in Belize 9/2017, 6min. Fun in Old Belize. Aug, 2017.

  • Tree House in Belize, Central America, 2.5min. Check this out - an amazing overnight stay in a tranquill environment in the Cayo district of Belize, close to many tourism highlights as ATM, Barton Ceek and Caracol. www.greenvalleybelize.com

  • Iguana encounter in Belize, 2min. Today I spotted an iguana who let me get up close and personal here in the tropics of southern Belize ... right along the creek where I live. What a joy!

  • Maya Pax del Norte de Belice - Marcus Canul, 6min. This is a song dedicated for the Maya leader Marcus Canul, it was written by people from Yucatec Maya descent from Northern Belize(Orange Walk and Corozal) to honor our hero . In septermber 21,1872 the Yucatec maya group known as the Icaiche Maya lead by Marcus Canul attack Orange Walk . Marcus Canul fought until the end ,until his last moments of live fighting the British imperialism .

    September 4, 2017


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    Specials and Events

    Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    Letter to the Editor: Would anyone go to this bar?
    Dear Editor: I, as the principal owner of Pelican Properties, have to look at the “Winner’s Spot” bar, which is directly across the road from my property. Many people, like the tourists and locals, refuse to walk by this bar as it is full of drug dealers and prostitutes. Last week a patron of the bar chased out a local and was heard saying: “I ain’t no ho’, you have to pay for this poke.” Patrons of the bar next door are consistently offered cocaine amongst other drugs. Last week, a patron was murdered in the bar, yet the bar was opened at 10AM the following morning. What is the matter with us and the politicians? They admit this bar is a blight on our landscape, yet they are given licenses to operate and affect San Pedro’s tourism.

    Wolfe’s Woofer: Empathy
    “I don’t understand how you could possibly forget my birthday,” Sherry said. “It’s not that I forgot,” I told her. “I just didn’t remember it.” She had tracked me down and brought me to the Holiday Hotel where we always celebrate her birthday with lunch on the deck. Now we were having the same argument that we had last year and the year before that. Now that I think of it, we have the same argument every year at about this time. “You have no empathy,” she said, accusingly. “Empathy is when you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel.”

    Letter to the Editor: Destruction of the Natural Habitat
    The destruction of the natural habitat to the south of San Pedro is a sad thing to see. Similarly, it is sad to walk the beaches and see human trash strewn all over. We are talking about environmental destruction that affects tourism and wildlife as well as the quality of life for the residents of the island. I believe those who own beachfront land must be held responsible for keeping the beach clean. I believe those who own land subject to development must be held responsible for maintaining that land in an environmentally healthy condition. It is not environmentally healthy to destroy the wildlife habitat, rip out all the ground cover, open the land to the erosion of rain and wind.

    Doctor Love: Heartbroken
    Dear Doctor Love I am the mother of an adult alcoholic. I have tried to help her understand her behavior is damaging but she refuses all advice. Neither her father nor I are drinkers, her childhood was filled with love, encouragement and support but she is unable to cope with situations that are not perfect and ends up in violent confrontations with her boyfriend. She can rarely make her rent because she drinks her pay check every weekend. I regularly have to help her financially but my husband and I are getting older and we need to prepare for the time when we can retire. I feel guilty and depressed when I see her so lost. Where did I go wrong? /s/Heartbroken

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Students Improve Through Tutoring
    Are you living in the Bahia Area and need a tutor for your child? Does your child need help in their studies or an extra push to do better in school?? Well look no morel I will be offering tutoring classes from my home in Bahia. Classes will be from Mondays to Fridays and there will be tw. different classes. The first class will start from 4pm sharp up until 5prn. The second class will start from 5:30pm sharp up until 6:30pm. There will be a limit of 5 students per class. Serious and interested persons please contact me through Facebook or call 6643058 to make arrangements.

    September Celebrations Dance!!
    Dance the night away with ELECTRO SOUNDS and bring in the 10th of September!!!! Bar area and food area!!! Saturday, September 9 at 9 PM - 3 AM, Central Park Caye Caulker

    Vacancy Exists for: SPA MANAGER, Escape Day Spa
    Overview of Job Description: * Manage Spa Front Desk operation which includes but not limited to, Staff Scheduling, training, inventory etc. * Resolve guest complaints, to ensure guest satisfaction *Perform Opening and closing procedures as necessary * Maintain Effective relations with all Resort departments *Assist with all with administration duties such as payroll, scheduling, forecasting, stock taking and orders While this outline attempts to be all encompassing this position is expected to evolve beyond these categories.

    Griga Resident Shot
    On the 2.09.2017 about 10:30 p.m. Dangriga police responded to a report of a shooting in the Harlem area of Dangriga Town. Upon arrival they observed a man on the side- walk bleeding from the upper left arm. He was later identified as 29 year old Eldon Quinonez. After 10:00 p.m. the victim was at a residence in Harlem area when he was approach by two men who fired several shots at him hitting him on the left arm and also grazed his lower right and left leg he was taken to the Southern Regional Hospital where he was treated but later discharged himself.

    A scholarship recipient speaks about the journey
    "My name is Tanya Bowen and I am a 29 year old single mom. I grew up in a small village with six brothers and 2 sisters. I dropped out of primary school at the age of fourteen because of social and financial difficulties. At the age of 24 I became pregnant with my son who is now 5 years old. I gave birth on March 10, 2012 and my Common-Law husband was brutally gunned-down May 27th, 2012, leaving me to be the only caregiver for my son. Growing up as a child my life was never the best but I was blessed with the most valuable thing that God could give to humanity, and that was life! I learned from my mistakes as a journey through life"

    Cab driver shot in Cayo
    At 8:50 p.m. on 2.09. 2017 San Ignacio Police visited the Hospital where they observed one Efrain Cu, a taxi driver of Santa Elena with what appeared to be four(4) gunshot wounds ; (2) to the right upper shoulder, (1) to the left upper chest area and (1) to his left upper leg. Cu picked up three men by the Welcome Center area in down town San Ignacio Town and took them to an area on Collins Boulevard off Bullet Tree Road. He was shot by one of the men and they stole his red GEO PRIZM with L/P - SI D-00770 which is valued at $10,500.00 bcy.

    Marcus Canul Celebration
    "Today 2nd September, 2017 our HERO, FREEDOM FIGHTER MARCUS CANUL was celebrated with a special Maya ritual and wreath laying ceremonies at the Marcus Canul monument. Later after the ceremonies Central Park became the venue where we had Cultural Dances, Music, singing of the Marcus Canul song, Cultural Food and the Pok te Pok game! We were graced with the presence of representatives from the Venezuelan Embassy, Cuban Ambassador, Mexican Embassy, US embassy and our very own His Lordship Mayor Kevin Bernard of Orange Walk Town (Sugar Capital of Belize!)"

    Marcus Canul Recognition Day celebration
    Dynamic team work and partnership in Corozal. By Adela Pederson "The first Marcus Canul recognition Day celebration in Orange Walk Town was a great success. We had superb partnership from many wonderful friends who facilitated the platform for us to share this vital information about our history. KUDOS to Terry from Radio Romantica in beautiful Paraiso Village in Corozal District. Your support makes us soar to new heights, as we keep focused on our goals and intentions for the preservation of the Maya language and culture in Northern Belize. Yuumbotik".

    Launch of the September Celebrations 2017

    Tilapia-Farming project in my village
    PCV Andy and his counterparts recently started a Tilapia-Farming project in their village. Read on the initiating steps and their future plans as they seek to introduce a new way of providing jobs and food security for the villagers.
    When discussing projects with the village council and school personnel, I suggested a Tilapia-farming project. I explained that this project could fit many needs in the community including providing food security to the village and school and creating economic opportunities for those villagers without jobs. They liked the idea of the project and I am proud to say there is a strong community backing for this project.

    This Day In History
    On Septemeber 3rd., 1783, Treaty of Peace at Versailles, when additional articles were made to the Treaty of 1763, allowing the English the right of cutting Logwood between the Belize, and the Rio Hondo. The Colony was again re-established by most of the inhabitants that had been driven away since the rout of 1779.

    The Reporter

    More weed found on south side Belize City
    Police have found more cannabis during another search, this time on Antelope Street Extension. Police say that sometime before 6:00 p.m., on Saturday, the Special Assigment Team conducted searches in the area and discovered a white bucket tucked away in the bushes. The bucket contained two bags with cannabis. A third bag was found nearby and all the cannabis was found to weigh 6.8 pounds. The bags of weed were labelled as found property, since no one was in the immediate area.

    Taxi driver shot during robbery
    A taxi driver from the Cayo district was shot on Saturday night during an attempted robbery. Police say the incident happened at around 8:30 p.m., when Efrain Cu, 30, of Santa Elena town picked up three men near the Welcome Center in downtown San Ignacio town and they asked him to take them to Collins Boulevard off the Bullet Tree road. When they got to the area, however, the men declared they were carrying out a robbery, after which one of the men took out a handgun and shot him four times. The men then stole Cu’s Geo Prizm car valued at $10,500.

    Flood mitigation project completed in Toledo
    Following a six-week project in Toledo to improve drainage in flood-prone areas, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) has completed the work. On Friday, NEMO Minister, Edmund Castro conducted a working tour of the work, accompanied NEMO Toledo District Coordinator, Kenton Parham and Assistant Coordinator Dennis Williams. Some of the areas where work was carried out include: Hopeville, Magoon Area, Cattle Landing, Jacintoville and some parts of Punta Gorda.

    Man beaten unconscious during attack
    A man was attacked by a group of four in Toledo and was beaten unconscious during the assault. The victim was discovered sometime after 8:00 Friday night between miles 87 and 88 on the Southern Highway near the Lindo Hill Area. Police say they found Junior Cal, of Golden Stream village, Toledo, lying on the left side of the highway with a large cut wound inside the right palm, another on the forehead, and a third below the right eye. Cal also had injuries to both eyes, and abrasions on the left elbow and right knee.

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    GSU find weed on Tigress Street
    At around 7:30 a.m. today, the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) conducted a search on an abandoned lot in the vicinity of Tigress Street in Belize City. That search led to the discovery of 222 grams of cannabis.

    Shooting in Dangriga leaves one man injured
    At around 10:30 p.m., Dangriga police responded to a shooting in the Harlem Area of the Culture Capital. Upon their arrival, officers saw a fair complexioned man bleeding from the upper left arm. He was later identified as 29 year old Eldon Quinonez of the Benguche Area.

    Taxi man shot during attempted robbery in San Ignacio
    Just before 9 p.m. last night, San Ignacio police visited the hospital where they observed 30 year old taxi driver, Efrain Cu, with four gunshot wounds. He had been shot twice in the right upper shoulder, left upper chest, and left upper leg.

    Police find over 6 pounds of weed in a bucket
    Yesterday evening, members of the Police Special Assignment Team found drugs during a search in the Antelope Street extension of Belize City.

    San Ignacio/Santa Elena UDP convention underway
    Voting to select the UDP candidate for Mayor and the team of 6 councillors to contest next year’s municipal elections in San Ignacio/Santa Elena is underway.

    Belize City police find explosive
    Yesterday around 11 am, the Special Assignment Team conducted a search in the Vernon street area of Belize City and found 1 orange figid treated plastic seisprime detonator type explosive […]

    Toledo man badly beaten by four men
    On Friday, September 1, 2017 around 8:25 p.m, Punta Gorda police visited an area between miles 87 and 88 on the Southern Highway near the Lindo Hill area where they saw a man of Mayan decent lying on the left side of the Highway.

    PUP presents Benque Viejo Municipal slate
    Last night, the People’s United Party (PUP) held an endorsement convention to present their Benque Viejo municipal slate for the March 2018 municipal elections. Twenty two year old, Cristian “Danny” Castellanos was endorsed as the mayoral candidate along with councillor candidates – Alexandria Pinelo, Manuel “meme” Mendez, Rene Moh, Pio Vacha, Luis Alfonso Avila, and Omar Guerra.

    Blogs

    2nd annual Miss Carnival Pageant Show
    Carnival in Belize is once again here to celebrate the festivities Belize has to offer during the month of September. Red, White and Blue flags raised up all over Belize feels more like a celebration. And, this celebration is yet to be discovered by Belizeans around the country. It can get even bigger these coming years. 2nd annual Miss Carnival Queen Pageant 2017 was held at the Corozal Civic Center. It began shortly after 8 pm commencing with the judges' names, Introduction of the show with dances from different groups, skits, Junior Costume's competition and then Seniors Costumes competition. Congratulations to all the queens who participated on the show. colorful costumes were presented to the public to see. Behind the scene worked hard to put this show. 1st place winner Victor of USC, 2nd winner Crystal of Diamond Princess and 3rd place for Indie Junction Mas Band. sponsors, Dolphin Productions Ltd, Travellers Ltd and Zeta Ice. Pictures below are originally from the website, no copyright is allowed to download the websites original pictures.

    International Sourcesizz

    The Best-Kept Secret in Belize, Where You Can Live on $1,600 a Month
    The Cayo, a 2,000-square-mile region in Belize’s interior, casts an irresistible spell. It’s home to lush fields where Mennonites farm…untamed jungles where jaguars roam…and meandering rivers perpetually flowing toward the sea. And right now, the Cayo is Belize’s best-kept secret for a great value lifestyle. Not only is it low cost (figure $1,600 a month for a couple, all in), and a great place for an active, rural retirement, but it’s transitioning to the next level of comfort, offering a broader range of amenities. Many people have yet to figure this out, and that’s keeping prices low—for now. Beyond the main towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, the Cayo becomes rugged. Stands of cohune palm, gumbo limbo, and mahogany trees cover steep hills.

    Videos

  • The official opening of the 2017 September Celebrations, 1min. At the Muffles College Auditorium in Orange Walk Town.

  • Miss San Pedro Pageant 2017 Highlights, 3min.

  • Homegrown Cayo: BBQ ft. Quilz Tamay, 6min. Cayo is known for its BBQ, and Jeevs came over to try some. He teamed up with local photographer Quilz Tamay, and they headed over the Hawkesworth to Boiton's BBQ to try some of the best. Well worth a watch, and it'll make you hungry.

  • Diving Ambergris Caye, Belize 2017, 8.5min. Dive sites include Tiburón Canyons, Dos Cocos, High School Canyons, and San Pedro Canyons. DM: Dimass, Belize Pro Diver Center

  • Secret Beach, LEO'S ISLAND, and the KEY!!, 8min. A day of adventures on Ambergris Caye. How much is it to rent a golf cart in San Pedro? What is Secret Beach like? Join us in finding the answers plus Leonardo DiCaprio's island and the lost key!

  • Belize Vlog v2, 3min. Follow along as we visit San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and the Belizean Jungle.

  • Belize Cave Tubing - Nohoch Che’en National Park, 13min. Belize Cave Tubing - Nohoch Che'en National Park

  • Diving Belize 2017, 7min.

  • I Can't Belize It's Not Butter 2017, 28min.

    September 3, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    Miss San Pedro 2017-2018!
    Congratulations to Virginia Vasquez our new Miss San Pedro 2017-2018! We wish her all the best during her reign!

    Shooting suspect Christian Espat is out on bail
    After being remanded to the Belize Central Prison for two counts of ‘attempted murder’, two counts of ‘dangerous harm’, and three counts of ‘use of deadly means of harm’, San Pedro resident, 21-year-old Christian Espat has been released on Supreme Court bail. Espat’s attorney, Dickie Bradley was able to secure his liberty at a bail hearing before Justice Adolph Lucas, who released him on $10,000 bail. Espat is expected to appear at the San Pedro Magistrate Court on November 24, 2017. Lucas considered the submissions from the Crown Counsel and statement of the eyewitness poor, and therefore granted bail in the sum of $10,000. The bail was granted under the conditions that Espat appears before the Magistrate Court on the island and on any other day the magistrate so orders him to reappear in court. Also, he is to report to the San Pedro Police Station, every Friday between the hours of 7AM and 6PM, until the charges are dismissed.

    DOE issues stop order on land clearing
    The Department of the Environment (DOE) has issued a stop order on the land clearing a few miles south of San Pedro Town. Concerned residents reported the massive land clearance by a local developer, whereby hundreds of acres have been bulldozed, and native vegetation, including mangroves, destroyed and displacing wildlife. Environmental officers from DOE made an enforcement check at the site, and afterwards issued a cessation order and enforcement warning against the developer. The clearing has since come to a halt. “There were owls, iguanas, and racoons living in that area,” said a frustrated resident. “We even heard that there are no plans to build anything on the properties, but yet they were clearing hundreds and hundreds of acres.” The main concern was that the land clearing could contribute to rain runoff, which could threaten flooding during the rainy season.

    BIL officially hands over Ambergis Stadium to the SPTC
    The Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL) has formally handed over the Ambergris stadium to the San Pedro Town Council, after it was inaugurated on Sunday, May 21 st. The stadium is presently managed by the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) and the specially created Ambergris Stadium Committee. Councilor in charge of Culture, Youth, Sports and leisure activities Hector Alamilla explained the responsibility of the committee. “The Ambergis Stadium Committee is in charge of all the responsibilities and duties of the stadium, however the SPTC also helps when it comes to decision making, until someone professional takes up the task”.

    Pack for a Purpose is helping our island community
    Pack for a Purpose is a non- profit organization that was founded in 2009, with the goal to positively impact communities around the world by assisting travelers who want to make a meaningful contribution to the destinations they visit. On Ambergis Caye, more and more businesses are joining the movement. Benefits from this initiative include local schools and health centers. Las Terrazas Resort is a member of the organization, with a focus on education. They raise funds for the Holy Cross Anglican School, which serves 400 children aged three to 15. Las Terrazas recommends that guests bring items such as general school supplies, reference materials, flash cards, text/reading books and other miscellaneous items used in educational institutions.

    Get a Free Bumper Sticker and Save Wildlife – Boycott NCL
    A campaign to Boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) was launched, and members of the public, especially cruisers, are being offered free bumper stickers to show their support and solidarity with the wildlife of Belize. People who take cruises love to travel and explore the world, just like other types of travelers. Many of Belize’s first-time cruise passengers fall in love with the country and return year after year as long-stay tourists. Sadly, recent reviews of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Harvest Caye suggest that cruise passengers aren’t getting that warm fuzzy feeling about Belize anymore and that’s a bad thing for the cruisers as well as for Belize’s future tourism prospects.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Highlights from the Carnival King & Queen competition

    Police Department says sorry about the tear gas
    "The Belize Police Department regrets the unfortunate incident that occurred at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex during the Military Tattoo, and we sincerely apologize. On the 1st September, 2017 about 8:20pm members of the Belize Police Department were performing at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for the Police & Military Tattoo during which time they were using what was known to them and marked "White Smoke." The White Smoke is known to be harmless, however one of the canisters used unknowingly contained CS-Gas. A full investigation has been launched and General Jones from the Belize Defense Force have secured all canisters for inspection.

    The Official Launch of the September Celebrations 2017 in Orange Walk
    Today, September 3 in Orange Walk Town... The Official Launch of the September Celebrations 2017. Starting at 1:45pm at Queen Victoria Park

    Congratulations to this year's 2017-2018 Queen of the Bay Ms Nalisha Acosta!

    Belize City Power Outtage this morning
    BEL crews have been dispatched to investigate cause of power interruption affecting a portion of Belize City since 3:51 a.m., in order to restore power supply as soon as bad weather subsides. Affected areas include Wilson Street, Mapp Street, Kelly Street, Freetown Road, Simon Lamb Street, St. Joseph Street, Baymen Avenue, East Africa Street, Calle al Mar Street, 2nd Street, 9th Street, 14th Street, 3rd Street, Barrack Road, Craig Street, Eve Street, Goal Lane, Daly Street, Handyside Street, North Front Street, Queen Street, Lottie Waight Street, Moguel Street, Lizarraga Avenue, a portion of Princess Margaret Drive and Coney Drive.

    100000 Poets for Change 2017 Concert
    The 100,000 Poets for Change concert will be on Saturday, September 30th, at the Soul Project. Festivities and music start at 6:00pm. There will be many different artists performing.

    This Day in History September 2nd, 1787
    This morning at 3 o'clock a hurricane came on which desolated the Settlement exceedingly, destroyed every house in it, but one, and considerable property; a number of lives were lost on this occasion, and many of the public papers. The shipping of the country went all ashore and were lost. Source: Honduras Almanack 1829

    The Reporter

    Hurricane Irma remains a category 2 storm in Atlantic Ocean
    Hurricane Irma – the latest Atlantic storm to develop since Harvey last week- remains a category 2 hurricane as it churns in the Atlantic Ocean. Its strength is expected to increase in the coming days, however. Irma’s maximum sustained winds were measured this evening at 110 mph, according to the US’ National Hurricane Center “Irma is currently a small hurricane, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 25 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 70 miles,” the Centre informed.

    Police find gun, ammunition, weed
    Police have recovered a handgun and ammunition during two searches today. The Department’s Special Assignment Team searched an area in the Lord’s Ridge Cemetery and discovered a .32 revolver with six live rounds of ammunition. The team also searched the Conch Shell Bay area and found seven .22 and five Aguila brand ammunition. Meanwhile, the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) reportedly found a quantity of marijuana and more ammunition during a search in the George Street area today.

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Vinicio Cerezo, the former President of Guatemala is in Belize. Cerezo served as President of Guatemala from 1986 to 1991. Cereza played an important role in the peace process in Central America during the 1980’s and remains active in peace matters through the ‘Esquipolas Foundation for Central American Integration’.

    Fair weather to continue
    Some cloudy spells during the daytime and cloudy at times tonight. A few showers and isolated thunderstorms will continue to affect mostly northern and central areas this afternoon, then mostly south and the coast tonight and tomorrow morning.The wind will blow from the east to southeast at 10-20 knots.

    Hurricane Center monitoring Irma
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) continues to monitor Hurricane Irma in the Atlantic. Irma is a Category 2 Hurricane located over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean. Irma continues to move south of due west across the central tropical Atlantic and this motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days.

    Belize City police find ammo
    This morning around 8, the Special Assignment Team conducted a search in the area of Conch Shell Bay that resulted in the discovery of 7 .22 and 5 Aguila brand of live rounds of ammunition.

    Gun and ammo found in Belize City
    According to police reports, around midday today, the Special Assignment Team conducted a search in the area of Lord Ridge Cemetery that resulted in the discovery of 1 pistol grip .32 Taurus brand revolver along with 6 S & B live rounds of ammunition.

    Mother fears her missing son is dead
    Erwin Paulino Ridriguez, 17, has been missing for nine days now. His mother, Sylvia Rodriguez, fears that he has been killed. Since his sudden disappearance last Thursday, no one has seen or heard from him.

    Defence Lawyer gets ‘beat up’ at cricket match
    Defence Lawyer, Leeroy Banner, was allegedly beaten at a cricket game in Double Cabbage village. Banner reported to police that last Saturday, Calbert Reynolds and another man were drinking and then ambushed him.

    Conservationists launch campaign to boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Harvest Caye
    A coalition of conservationists and activists in Belize have banded together to launch a campaign to boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines(NCL). The group is offering free bumper stickers to members of the public and especially cruisers to show their support and solidarity with the wildlife of Belize.

    U.S. imposes economic sanctions on Venezuela
    Responding to the ongoing civil crisis in Venezuela, the United States imposed an economic sanction against the country’s government. US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order prohibiting any new deals in debt and equity issued by the the Venezuelan government and its state-owned oil company.

    Flood mitigation works completed in Toledo
    Today, Minister of National Emergency Management, Edmond Castro was on a working tour in Punta […]

    Blogs

    Opening Ceremony of the September Celebration in Corozal
    Check out the September Celebrations Calendar of Events Below for more information..... let the fun begin! The official opening ceremony in Corozal was held on September 1st at the Corozal Town Central Park that began at 6pm, followed by the 8th annual DJ Face -Off Competition. The ceremony ended with some fireworks display for the audience to enjoy the event. How this event works? Well, there are two rounds of competitions, at the end, the Judges was awarded to those who were their favorite Remix songs and those who sounded the best. Congratulations to this year's 2017-2018 Queen of the Bay Ms. Nalisha Acosta! She was giving out awards to those who won in round 1 and round 2. UPDATE: DJ CALLIE WINS 8TH ANNUAL DJ FACE-OFF COMPETITION 2017.

    Last weekend of the rides in Corozal
    This is the last weekend of the rides which are located at the Corozal Civic center. It has been here for quite some time now in Corozal. And, tonight Saturday will be the last day of the rides before they leave. Last night, I went to scoop about the event why it is always fun to visit the Mechanical rides. Usually, 2-3 weeks before school opens in Corozal the mechanical rides are put together for kids and adults to enjoy. Tickets charge varies from the rides you want to ride. And, Surprisingly, not only here at Civic Center was the rides. In front of the old Social Security Office where they use to be located, Mechanicals rides for young teenagers were in this location and for Adults. And, the kids ride where at the civic center. On the grounds, there were quite a number of people came out to enjoy the last weekend. Since school starts on Monday for primary school, not many people came out. Because everyone wanted to see the Dj Competition at central park.

    International Sourcesizz

    Exploring Belize: From Mayan ruins to barrier reefs and birds, there’s lots to see and do in this small Central American country
    Getting to Belize isn’t necessarily easy. It’s certainly worth it. After flying from Spokane, my wife, Rowena, and I spent the night in Dallas to avoid a nine-hour airport layover. From there, it was an easy two and half hour morning flight to Belize City. Upon landing, it was clear that Belize is a young developing country. It only gained its independence from Great Britain in 1981. The trees are taller than the buildings. In fact, its highest building is a Mayan temple. Belize’s dry season is between February and May. We chose March, with stops in north-central Belize, and Ambergris Caye (the “queen of the cayes”), off the northern Belizean coast, to experience the Barrier reef, Mayan archeology and birds that congregate nowhere else on the planet.

    Mayan Communities Able to Identify and Hopefully Protect Territories
    Mayan communities in Belize now have a way to officially identify and potentially protect their territorial boundaries. On August 9, the International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples, the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) in Belize launched the Maya Lands Registry and announced the project they developed for the Crique Sarco community. In their press statement, SATIIM noted that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had ordered the Belize government in 2015 to “create an effective mechanism” to identify and protect Mayan lands in accordance with their traditional governance. “Two years later and still no mechanism exists,” according to the SATIIM press release.

    How to see the Great Blue Hole, in Belize
    Sixty miles east of Belize City, past Turneffe Atoll, there’s a hole in the sea. Seen from above, it is a near-perfect 984ft-wide circle of inkiness in the turquoise Caribbean. It is all but surrounded by the coral outcrop of Lighthouse Reef, and sometimes the water level drops enough that you can walk around the rim. But the visitors who make the two-hour boat trip haven’t come to walk, but to dive into its dark-blue depths. The sides of the Great Blue Hole fall sheer for about 110ft. It becomes even more spectacular as you encounter huge stalactites hanging from the roof of what you suddenly realise is a flooded cave, more than 400ft deep.

    Videos

  • Newly elected Miss San Pedro Virginia Vasquez sharing a few words with the audience after being announced as the winner!, 1/2min.

  • Belize Now | September 1, 2017, 30min. Attorney General Hon. Michael Peyrefitte meets with Village leaders in southern Belize and tours the southern magistrate’s courts, Belize Tourism Board takes media on a tour of Hopkins, and the National Women’s Commission hosts a symposium on Women in Politics. These stories and more on this week’s edition of Belize Now.

  • Here's a look at all the bands in the Carnival King & Queen Competition taking place right now at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. , 10min.

  • Belize 2017, 3.5min.

  • LAND, AIR & SEA BELIZE with Michael Davis, 5min. Every day is a highlight and everyone is a VIP All made possible by a great team of Belizean Tour Guides and Crew Members...thanks my friends and crew. Here's a look at participating guest from around the world.

  • Good Love after Bad: Camp Belize, 2min.

  • Sweet Surrender: Camp Belize, 2min.

  • BELIZE ISLAND GIRL Hol Chan Marine Reserve, 4min.

  • Belize 2017- sailing trip, 2.5min. Day Sail from San Pedro to Caye Caulker Bleize.

  • Snorkeling and Freediving Belize 2017, 7min. Swimming with sharks, turtles, stingrays and more. Hope you enjoy this video. Most of this footage was shot at Shark Ray alley & Hol Chan Marine reserve off the coast of San Pedro ( Ambergris Caye). Some of it was also shot at the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve off the coast of Placencia.

  • Hol Chan Marine Reserve Belize!, 4min. Diving the beautiful Hol Chan Marine Reserve and swimming with a manatee.

  • Bonefishing on the Fly in Ambergris Caye, Belize, 5.5min. A look at Bonefishing in Belize with Tres Pescados Fly Shop(www.belizefly.com) based in San Pedro. This video takes you on a journey to the flats of Ambergris Caye via the island hopper flight from the mainland of Belize, through the streets on San Pedro before boarding a skiff and heading out the glorious flats off the islands. Fantastic up close fly fishing for bonefish in and out of the skiff in some the most breathtaking scenery you will find. It is really is hard to beat a trip to Belize with a fly rod!

  • The Crystal Skulls of Belize, min. Television documentary attempting to discover whether the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull, which was discovered in the Central America of Belize is a modern piece of art or an ancient Mayan artifact.

    September 2, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    The San Pedro Sun introduces Junior Reporter Hamerlin Flores
    Hamerlin joins our staff as a junior reporter. Originally from Seine-Bight Village, Stann-Creek District, Hamerlin attended Independence High School, followed by Stann- Creek Ecumenical Junior College where he acquired an Associate’s Degree in Economics. We hope the island community and all our readers embrace Hamerlin Flores, as he integrates himself into our community and helps The San Pedro Sun in providing the very best community news and more.

    GOB affirms commitment against offshore oil exploration
    On August 18, 2017, Belize Prime Minister, Right Honorable Dean Barrow officially announced his administration’s commitment to legislate an indefinite moratorium on offshore oil exploration in Belize’s territorial sea, including its exclusive economic zone. Many Belizeans throughout the country, along with different organization like The Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Hertiage and Oceana in Belize, welcomed the decision taken by PM Barrow.

    Multi-million-dollar cruise terminal to be built near Belize City
    Over a decade of back and forth between the Government of Belize and developer Michael Feinstein, regarding a multi-million dollar cruise development off the coast of Belize City, ended on Friday, August 25th when both parties finally signed an investment agreement. The project calls for a brand new cruise port under Stake Bank Enterprises Limited, belonging to Feinstein. It will see the construction of what is being described as a world-class cruise ship docking facility on Stake Bank Caye, located about four nautical miles southeast of the city. During the signing ceremony, Feinstein stated that the project will have a cost of $50 million dollars, and will take around 18 months to complete once construction begins. “It will be two docks to accommodate four ships,” said Feinstein. “It’s a big development with an approximate area of 17 acres that will also include a marina with a few stations.”

    Amidst challenges, turtle nesting season looks promising
    According to reports from the Ambergris Caye Marine Turtle Program, at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the 2017 turtle nesting season is looking bright. The month of August is the peak of the season, and so far a total of 94 nests have been found. As personnel from the turtle program continue to monitor the activities on the nesting grounds, they once again ask the general public who occasionally frequent the nesting areas to be mindful, and leave nests undisturbed. This is not only important for the survival of baby turtles, but for adult turtles to continue returning year after year to these areas to nest. The nesting season runs from May to November each year. According to Kirah Forman, Marine Biologist at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, who spearheads the turtle program on the island, the nesting season is looking good better than last year. “Due to Hurricane Earl last year, most of the nests were lost. This year, the weather has been more favourable, and about 35 nests from the 94 found have successfully hatched,” said Foreman. She stated that so far, only one nest was affected due to the effects of Tropical Storm Franklin earlier this month.

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Belize's Wonder Women! Carol Harrison
    For the month of September we are proud to announce that Carol Harrison is our Belize Wonder Woman! Mrs. Harrison works at the Ministry of Health Belize as Senior Finance Officer. She has been working with the Government of Belize for 31 years in a number of Ministries in various capacities. Mrs. Harrison started her career as a typist at the Police Training School, later became a clerk, and then moved up the ranks by passing internal exams and acquiring additional qualifications locally and abroad.

    Ms Angelia Guy, Tropical Meteorology Forecasting training in the USA
    Since 1989, Belize has sent a total of 5 Meteorologists/Forecasters to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Weather Prediction Center for Training on Tropical Meteorology Forecasting. Ms Angelia Guy is the 6th representative from the National Meteorological Service of Belize, currently at the Tropical Desk based in Washington, DC.

    Toledo Alcaldes Association meets with Attorney General
    Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA), as the collective traditional representative body of the Maya people in southern Belize, met, in Punta Gorda town, with the Attorney General of Belize, Michael Peyrefitte, and other representatives of the Government of Belize, including the Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke, and the Minister of Lands, Dr. Carla Bennett. This meeting was historic in that it marks the first time that a sitting Attorney General has travelled to the Toledo District to engage with the Alcaldes, the traditional leaders of the 39 Maya villages. The TAA, therefore, applauds and welcomes the effort and initiative of the Attorney General. These meetings came about as a result of several requests from the TAA to the Attorney General’s Ministry in relation to issues and concerns facing Maya communities, including issues related to the irregularity in appointment of alcaldes.

    2017 National September Celebrations Calendar
    Let's start our September planning... here's a look at this year's National September Celebrations Calendar!!!!

    Dinner and Jazz Cabaret
    The Wildfire Artzmosphere is having a Jazz night on Sunday, and it includes dinner. There will be live Jazz throughout the night. "Candle light Dinner and live Music. smells good. $30 each or $50 for 2. For $15 come enjoy the music, drinks and good vibes."

    The Placencia Breeze September 2017
    What’s Inside Pg 3 From the Fire Hearth - Alla We Da One Pg 5 Fishing Tournament Registration Pg 6 Sea Turtle Monitoring Pg 7 Croc Corner Pg 9 Casa Placencia Pg 10 Rotary News Pg 11 Seine Bight News Pg 15 & 18 Placencia BTIA Members Pg 16 & 17 Placencia Peninsula Map Pg 19 Photo by Deb Vernon Pg 20/21 Placencia Peninsula Guide Pg 22 PHS News / Placencia Players Theater Pg 23 St. John's Leadership Workshop Pg 26 Community Corner Pg 27 Whalesharks Pg 28 Casa Del Sol / Mr. Jack's 19th Fishing Tournament Pg 29 Seine Bight Day Weekend / Crocodile Hatchlings Pg 30 Placencia Peninsula Happenings Pg 31 Calender of Events

    Win 2 round trip tickets from Tropic Air AND 2 VIP tickets to Soca Jazz Festival ft. Machel Montano!
    To enter, simply post your favorite photos of Tropic Air along with the hashtags #FlyTropicAir #TropicAir #SocaJazzFest. You can post on your public Twitter and Instagram profiles or post on Tropic Air's Facebook page.

    AN IMPRESSIVE SOFTBALL CAREER CHRONICLES BELIZE'S CYNTHIA CASEY-TUCKER!
    It has taken some time to get this story written on the legendary Belizean softball athlete, Cynthia Casey, whom many Belizeans remember was one of the superwomen Belizean athletes that defeated the world class United States national softball team, "Orlando Rebels", in the 1979 Pan American Games. Cynthia Casey-Tucker as she is referred to now, comes to Belizean Legends after a long awaited story that saw yours truly connecting with the outstanding Belizean athlete a year ago, and who have continued to play softball in the United States even up to today. Her fantastic story of softball athleticism after her emigration from Belize and her remarkable accomplishments in American softball as a professional player who have travelled across the U.S. and played so many tournaments, is testimony itself that Casey-Tucker is not done yet.

    Scenes and sounds from the Flag Ceremony in Belize City at 6 am September 1st

    NEMO MINISTER INSPECTS FLOOD MITIGATION WORKS IN TOLEDO
    Earlier today, Minister of National Emergency Management Hon Edmond Castro was on a working tour in Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District. Hon Castro was welcomed to the municipality by Punta Gorda Mayor Fern Gutierrez and he accompanied NEMO District Coordinator Kenton Parham and Assistant Coordinator Dennis Williams on an inspection of areas where flood mitigation works have been carried out in that town and surrounding communities over the past six weeks.

    Miss Carnival Queen Pageant
    Junior and Senior Queens' competition HAPPENING TONIGHT IN COROZAL at the Civic Center. There will be an official after party at the same location.

    Channel 7

    PM Under Pressure For Pac
    For the past few days, we have been reporting on the social partners, putting the Prime Minister on blast for shady land dealings which happened under former Lands Minister, Gaspar Vega. But, what has gotten less attention is the fact that the Chamber, the PSU and the BNTU have also called on Prime Minister Barrow to reform the Public Accounts Committee. That's the house committee, led by the PUP's Julius Espat, with majority representation from the UDP. The social partners have been demanding to be added to that group, and last year, during the teacher's strike the Prime Minister agreed to do so. Earlier this week, the Chamber said, quote, "Belize's governance structure…already allows for checks and balances through the Supreme Audit Institution, the Public Accounts Committee and the Integrity Commission."

    Mother Fears Teenaged Son Dead
    17-year-old Erwin Paulino Rodriguez has been missing for eight days, and tonight his mother believes that her son has been killed. The teenager lived on Ground Dove Street in Belize City with his family - but no one has seen him since last Thursday at 1:00 in the afternoon when he was riding a bicycle. But, no one knows where he ended up after that and his family has been frantically searching for him and putting up "missing person" posters all across the city. Today, we found them searching in the Jane Usher area where his mom said that he had left home before but never for this long:

    Ischelle Tablada Acquitted In Tax Heist Case
    Last year in July, we told you about that daring robbery at the Income Tax department in which armed robbers stormed into the Belmopan office and stole almost $30,000 in tax receipts for the middle of the month. Well, one of the 5 defendants that police charged in that heist has been acquitted at the Magistrate's Court. She's 34 year-old Ischelle Tablada, a former Government employee, and she was facing the charge of abetment to commit robbery. She stood trial before Magistrate Ladonna John where the main evidence against her was a caution statement that police say that she gave to investigators.

    Defence Attorney Defending Himself
    And while Banner was the defense attorney in that case, he was defending himself last weekend at a double Head Cabbage cricket field. Banner told police that on Saturday, Calbert Reynolds was drinking in the village with another man - and both of them ambushed him. Banner says Reynolds was armed with a Belikin bottle and a cricket bat and threatened to burst his face and kill him. Banner says - despite being restrained by villagers - Reynolds attacked him with the pint. Today, Reynolds appeared in court charged for aggravated assault with a Belikin bottle, and threatening words.

    UDP Accused PUP Mayor Bernard
    Yesterday, we showed you the UDP's Town Council Slate for Orange Walk. They are hoping that this team, lead by former Mayor Phillip de la Fuente can unseat the PUP incumbent Mayor Kevin Bernard in John Briceno's hometown. And six months away from those elections, politics in Orange Walk is already heating up. Yesterday, the UDP's accused Mayor Bernard of committing half of the monthly Government Subvention for 12 years - so that he can pave streets. Tonight we have both sides of the story: starting with the accusation from the UDP's Phillip De la Fuente, Elodio Aragon, and Alberto August, as they described it yesterday:

    PUP Mayor Forced To Find Financing?
    Now, our colleagues from CTV 3 have spoken to the Mayor about the accusation, and he's released documents to support his rebuttal that it is certainly not 30 million dollars, and he is not locking away half of the subvention. The contract we've seen is for just under a million dollars, and in a case of perfect political irony, the construction company being paid to do this work belongs to the UDP's Orange Walk Central Standard Bearer, Denny Grijalva. His company, De-Mars Stone Company, has been contracted to repair 10 streets in Orange Walk, and today, the Mayor explained that he had to make the repayment arrangements because Central Government neglected Orange Walk Town.

    When The Politicians Fight, Only The Truth Gets Trampled
    And, so, while there is the political dispute over the way Mayor Bernard is funding street works in the Orange Walk Town, they also can't agree on who's the better municipal leader. Bernard succeeded Phillip De La Fuente in his first term in office, and to hear them tell it, there's a huge disparity what the Council's finances looked like. Here's the back and forth between the two Mayors, for you to decide: Phillip De La Fuente, UDP Mayoral Candidate - Orange Walk: "They roll through that first 3 years using all the machinery, all the resources and everything that I had left. He invested nothing for that first 3 years that he was in there. The people of Orange Walk knows me from every corner of Orange Walk. They knows me and they have pledge their support for me."

    Innocent Amy And The CWU
    10 days ago, the name Amy Forte might not have even rang a bell, but tonight she is nationally known as the woman who claims her signature was forged to facilitate a Vega land deal. And the Christian Workers Union which calls her a "friend and former colleague," says she's innocent. A CWU release says, quote, "things were going "awry" in the Lands DepartmentIt was never a case of "it is what it is!" which is how the Prime Minister attempted to blow if off lightly. The people of Belize now know "what it really is" that was going on in the Department," end quote. The release adds, quote, "Our nation has reached one of those critical milestones in its Independence where we have to decide whether we will stand and deliver ourselves from corruption and injustice or forever be damned and lost as a nation."

    Fraud, Forgery, And Forte
    And while the CWU professes her innocent as does her attorney - others are also saying they are innocent, caught up in a much bigger game of land fraud orchestrated by savvy players. Tonight, Daniel Ortiz looks at what we know so far:... This is the signature that Amy Forte says was forged. Her attorney says that they've gotten a expert to verify she didn't sign this document; somebody else tried to replicate her signature to pass off these land transactions in her name. With that fraud, the paper ownership of that pre-owned land lot 2 on Caye Calker, passed to Andre Vega.

    An AK Off The Streets
    Police found a major weapon on Belize City's streets. It's an AK 47 with magazine that was found in what police will only say is the Port Loyola area. A brief statement from the cops says that found it over a week ago, on August 23rd.

    Half Pound Of Weed In City Search
    Sometime soon, possession of 10 grams of marijuana may be decriminalized, but, right now and into he foreseeable future, 306 grams - which is a little over half pound of weed - is definitely illegal. Today, the police Special Assignment Team found those 10 ounces in a search at 37-year-old Glennford Alexander Soberanis's house. The tour guide lives on Pelican Street extension. Soberanis was arrested and charged with "Possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply".

    Silence Of The Sheep
    As you can hear in the background right now - the Carnival Parade is passing by our studio right now - to launch the carnival season And while they are observing bacchanal, today, Bangladeshi Muslims in Belize marked the Feast of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha, by slaughtering livestock, usually a goat, sheep or cow. They then distribute the meat to the community for free. In Belize City they do it by Red House on Vernon Street. Today we caught up with the President of the Bangladeshi Community in Belize, Ruhul Amin before he handed out the freshly butchered meat.

    Big Red On A Bumper Sticker
    Boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines - that's what a group of Belizean conservationists are calling for with an international bumper sticker campaign. The issue is "Big Red", that Scarlet Macaw we've been telling you about, which is on display at Harvest Caye. The bird lovers are now telling the world that Harvest Caye is host to, quote, "a horrible animal side show featuring Belizean wildlife. The site is completely inappropriate, even for the health and welfare of captive-bred birds, but worse than that the toucans and macaws on display there came from the wild."

    Dion & Philloughby's Bromance
    Typically, political contests leave both sides at odds with each other. But on Tuesday, UDP City Councillor Phillip Willoughby defied that logic when he publicly congratulated the man who beat him in the Mayoral convention, Dion Leslie. And On Wednesday night on Lik Road, Dion Leslie called Willoughby his brother:... Dion Leslie, UDP Mayoral Candidate - Belize City: "Congratulations and respect to my colleague, my friend, my brother Philip, who ran an amazing campaign. It was a battle to the end and I am proud to call him my brother and I am proud and excited to go into a next election with him by my side."

    Cops Clear Cluttered Land
    Last night we aired a story about an abandoned lot that was transformed into a park. Today another abandoned lot was cleared out on Guzman Crescent in Belama Phase 1 by the commanding officer of precinct 4, Assistant Superintendent Franciso Ack and his officers. Now, this lot wasn't cleared to build a park; It was cleared to ensure the safety of community members. Ack told us more about the project. Francisco Ack, Assistant Superintendent of Police - Commanding Officer of Precinct 4: "This is our second day of us doing our cleanup campaign here within phase, within Belama area. Yesterday we cleaned up two overgrown lots within phase 2." "I saw the need um for these cleanup campaigns is because of um the burglars that we are affected by. Thieves are gaining access to the houses along the riverside by means of river and these thieves are using old fridge, ice box and whatever they could float on..."

    Cross The Nitro - The Name Says It All
    An up and coming artist is hoping to inspire other youth through his album entitled "Articulated Motivation". His name is "Cross Di Nitro." Music has always been his passion and he finally put together his album. He came to our studios today to tell us about the message he is trying to get across through his songs. If you would like to contact him regarding his album you can call him at 623 8845.

    First Is The First Flag Day
    So, Belizeans, it's September, and today - the first - was the first National Flag Day. And in honor of that, most municipalities unveiled a Flag monument - including a Flag pole and a Plaque detailing the official description of the Belizean Flag. We have images of ceremonies held at 6:00 this morning in Belmopan and Belize City. The plaque is approximately four feet high by two and a half feet wide and is designed gives the official description of the flag of Belize. In Belmopan, the co-designer of the original flag at Independence, Inez Sanchez Sr. was on hand for the event.

    Channel 5

    C.W.U. Defends Former Executive Amy Forte
    The outcry continues to grow tonight in relation to the Mosquito Caye/Caye Caulker land scandal involving an attempted swap of land in both locations by Andre Vega, son of former [...]

    How Far Should Lands Investigation Go?
    Like the Belize National Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union, the C.W.U. is asking that a formal investigation be carried out dating back to the start of Gaspar Vega’s [...]

    P.U.P. Formalize Demands to Prime Minister
    Earlier this week, the Opposition People’s United Party went after the Government, calling for among other things, the return of all Vega-titled properties and a full investigation and commission of [...]

    E.P. Yorke’s Bernice Ramirez Passes 20 CXC’s!
    A seventeen-year-old 2017 graduate from the Edward P. Yorke High School in Belize City is beating all odds and making her mark in regional exams. While the official results are [...]

    Top Student Taking Up Scholarship in U.K.
    …and her accomplishments opened doors for Ramirez. Aside from being recognized as a youth ambassador in 2016, her achievement of twenty CXC passes qualified Bernice for a scholarship with Pestalozzi [...]

    CitCo and “Chicken Dread” Battle to Stalemate
    News Five was called out to Princess Margaret Drive this morning in front of Edward P. Yorke High School where we found special constables of the Belize City Council and [...]

    What’s in Government’s Oil Spill Plan?
    In environmental news, members of the Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage have written Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria to raise concerns on the scope of a planned consultancy intended [...]

    OCEANA Says Belizeans Will Decide Oil Issue
    Despite agreeing to legislate the moratorium, the Prime Minister has told environmentalists and the press that he remains against a permanent ban on exploration, as he is unwilling to rule [...]

    A.G. and Alcaldes Meet in Toledo
    Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, along with Minister of State Doctor Carla Barnett and Solicitor General Nigel Hawke, visited Punta Gorda Town on Thursday where they met with the Toledo Alcaldes [...]

    Gov’t Takes Up Land Demarcation, Training for Alcaldes
    According to Coc, the Maya community remains optimistic in their expectation that this kind of dialogue will be the first of many, especially as it relates to the implementation of [...]

    Who Will Be New Chief Magistrate?
    Has the next Chief Magistrate of Belize been appointed? It is widely expected that it will be acting Chief Magistrate and former Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer, but official confirmation has [...]

    Attorney Charges Ex-Prison Officer with Assault at Cricket Game
    Well-known attorney and former D.P.P. Prosecutor, Leeroy Banner is the victim of an assault. Banner claims he was assaulted by two men on August twenty-sixth, 2017 at the Cricket Field [...]

    Pelican Street Ext. Man Charged for Drug Supply
    Shortly after eight o’clock this morning, a task force of officers raided the home of thirty-seven-year-old   on Pelican Street Extension.  A search of his residence turned up a quantity [...]

    AK-47 Taken Off Streets in Port Loyola
    The discovery of a high-powered weapon on the streets of Belize City may have flown below the radar on August twenty-third, when police in the area of Port Loyola retrieved [...]

    Darrell Bradley Raises the Belizean flag at Roundabout
    It’s the first of September, which, for most, is the start of the national celebrations. And fittingly, it has been officially designated as Flag Day in Belize. It is not [...]

    Lillian Salazar Flies High Ahead of KTV Final
    Tonight, we profile the third of the four finalists for KTV the Remix, ahead of the grand finale on Tuesday night. Las Flores’ own Lillian Salazar is a doting mother [...]

    Back to School with Fresh Hair Cut
    Sharlenie Wilson and Natasha Pipersburgh are helping kids to start the school year with fresh haircut done by professional barbers for free. The ladies decided to give back to south [...]

    Police Clean Up Belama Phase 1 and 2
    Police officers of the Precinct Four of the Belama Police Station, Belize City, were armed with machetes today – but they were not in any face off with a criminal [...]

    “Beautiful, Smiling Queen of the Bay…”
    On Saturday night at seven p.m. sharp the annual national Queen of the Bay pageant returns to Bird’s Isle in Belize City as eight hopefuls from across the country vie [...]

    S.J.C. Vs. Wesley in Charity Basketball
    Some good old thrash-talking among a group of friends at a recent basketball game has given rise to a one-of-a-kind initiative spearheaded by Wesley College alum O.J. Elrington.  Tonight, past [...]

    The Guardian

    PM directs investigation into land fraud
    The Office of the Prime Minister has announced that he has asked the Police Department to launch a criminal investigation into what appears to be fraud at the Lands Department. A civilian has shown up with proof that her name and signature were forged in a document which says that she sold land to Andre Vega, son of the Former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. The land in question is outlined in a Ministers Fiat Grant #175 of 2009. It says that Belmopan resident Amy Forte allegedly bought a lot on Caye Caulker, a piece of land that is 3,826.903 square metres in size. This is private land owned by a real estate company, and so the Government had no business selling title to it. Yet, the Ministry of Natural Resources supposedly sold it and created a paper trail for this purchase on May 18, 2009.

    100 million investment in Stake Bank
    On Friday August 25 after much delay, the Feinstein Group signed on to an investment agreement to construct a world class cruise ship docking facility at Stake Bank off the coast of Belize City. According to the Michael Fienstein, a principal of the group, the investment is for 50 million U.S. dollars and will commence immediately after the hurricane season is over. Construction will take approximately 18 months and as many as a thousand employees will be hired to execute the project. The facility will feature a resort complete with a theme park. It will accommodate four voyager class cruise ships with a marina and an 80 room luxuy hotel. The theme park will have water rides a roller coaster and aquaria.

    UDP 2017 Convention
    The much anticipated and talked about Belize City Mayoral and Councilor convention is history. On Sunday the 27th August, the United Democratic Party held it convention to select the men and women who will represent the party at the municipal level in next year’s City Council elections. The days leading up to the convention saw the candidates in full overdrive campaign mode. Contesting for the top spot – the mayoral seat, were two veteran councilors with years of City Hall experience. Dion Leslie, the current Deputy Mayor and Phillip Willoughby vied for the opportunity to represent the UDP as the next Belize City Mayor of our fair city.

    BWS Donates Garbage Compactor Truck To PG Town Council
    During a brief ceremony at the Company's compound in Punta Gorda Town on Tuesday, August 29th, the Belize Water Services handed over a fully refurbished 2004 Mack Garbage Compactor Truck to the Town Council. The donation came after Mayor Fern Gutierrez lobbied the company for assistance and after months of the Company seeking the best truck for the allotted funds. The truck, with a duty free value of 65 thousand dollars, was officially handed over to Mayor Gutierrez by the Chairman of the Belize Water Services Limited, Alberto August in the presence of several Town Councilors, Senior Managers of BWS and other invited guests.

    Women at the fore of the UDP Belize City slate
    On Sunday, 27 August, UDP Belize City supporters converged on the grounds of the ITVET in Belize City Campus (formerly the Belize Technical College Campus) located on Freetown. The event was an exercise to elect our slate to represent the UDP in next year’s Belize City Council Election. The sun was scorching hot, but it did not phase the almost 6,000 city residents as they were there to make sure that they would be a part of the decision making process. It was the first time in a long time that we had a contested convention for a Mayoral Candidate in Belize City. This time it was two formidable long serving Councillors who were contesting each other for the coveted position.

    A small grant going a long way for Bethel Primary School
    Stepping into the Bethel Primary School located on Freetown Road in Belize City, you’d know that this is one of the urban schools that is in most need. The school is the smallest we’ve ever seen with 77 students being taught in quite challenging conditions. The classrooms are divided with blackboards and armchairs compete with each other for limited space. On those blackboards there are still notes from the last school year with reminders of activities to take place just before school came to a close in July. Among those notes is the reminder of when report cards could be picked up.

    Discovering Bocawina Falls
    Between August 25th to the 27th, the Belize Tourism Board hosted representatives from eight media houses in Belize on a familiarization trip to Hopkins with the intent of promoting Belize as a tourist destination. One of the first destinations on the packed agenda was a visit to Bocawina. At Bocawina, as it is known, the groups met with Andy Aspinal, the General Manager of the National Park, as well as tour guides that gave us a brief history of the park. One fun fact that was shared was the meaning of “Bocawina”. The first part of the name, “boca” is simply the Spanish word which translates to mean “mouth”. We were told that that was because the park is shaped in an elongated C which looks like a mouth. “Wina” comes from the Maya Q’eqchi’ word meaning “winding hills”, a perfect description of the twists and turns in the mountains’ geography.

    Inauguration of refurbished and lighted Crooked Tree sports facilities
    Inauguration ceremonies were held on Wednesday August 30 for the newly lighted Softball and Cricket Field in Crooked Tree Village, as well as the refurbished Basketball Court which has been repainted and is being re-fenced as well as having new lights installed. The works are sponsored by the National Sports Council through the lobbying efforts of Belize Rural North Area Representative Hon. Edmond Castro.

    Thirteen aspiring medical students head to Cuba
    Students who are leaving Belize to pursue their education in Cuba were hosted by the Embassy of Cuba on Friday, August 25, 2017 for a farewell event. Of over 70 applicants, a lucky 13 were chosen to be a part of the Cuba-CARICOM program. Through this initiative, students from sister nations are given the opportunity to receive scholarships to attend school in Cuba. Presently, there are 60 Belizeans benefitting from the program. The students, who were chosen by a panel of the Education and the Foreign Affairs and Health ministries, and by representatives of the Embassy of Cuba, will pursue degrees in dentistry, medicine, and even health technologies. Her Excellency Lissette Perez, Ambassador to Cuba, was insistent that the students not only use the opportunity to develop their careers but also to develop their values.

    National Song Competition makes its way to Dangriga
    September isn’t September in Belize without national songs, old and new, and this year’s songs were debuted at the National Song Competition. Performers, judges, and spectators made their way down to the culture capital of Belize to witness the event. It took place on Friday, August 25, 2017 where both established and budding artists showcased their performances. A total of 26 artists participated in the event where they would vie for one of several categorical wins. There were junior and senior winners in both the Belizean/Patriotic Song category as well as Carnival Song. In the competition there were also Breakout artists and People’s choices within the Belizean and Carnival Song categories.

    Of this and that...Peeping Johnny
    We did not expect Johnny to come around a UDP convention, so imagine the surprise we got when we saw him peeking about the ITVET compound on Sunday. We are told that he was at a nearby restaurant and wondered openly how it is that the UDP has been having such successful conventions and how it is that his party could do the same. We are told that one person who was in earshot said to him: ‘all you need to do is change your entire candidates and people will gladly follow the new leaders.’ We of course can do no more than agree with that plan. That bunch will never change and as long as that’s the case, they will never get the support of the people.

    Police in San Ignacio work on community projects
    San Ignacio Police continue to work in capturing the hearts and minds of the Belizean people. Members of the Community Oriented Policing Program COPP, an entire division at San Ignacio Police dedicated to building community partnerships, recently fanned out to clean a two mile stretch from Esperanza to Central Farm in the Cayo District. In appreciation for that initiative, Mr. Escandar Bedran from Running W sponsored a meal for the COPP team at the Jalapenos Restaurant on the Benque Viejo Road. Both the Mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena Earl Trapp Junior and Officer in Charge of San Ignacio Police Richard Rosado joined in to greet the COPP team.

    Zabaneh will attempt to sue U.S. Government
    John Zabaneh has declared publicly that if possible, he intends to sue the US Government for the financial losses that he and his family-owned companies suffered over 5 years because the Treasury Department labeled him as a drug king pin. The Management of the Mayan King Banana farms has also indicated that they are in the process of suing Fyffes for the 2 year shutdown, and the destruction of the Zabaneh family banana farms. Hosting his first press conference since the lifting of the sanction by the US Government, Zabaneh explained that trying to convince the authorities from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to remove him off their kingpin list was rather frustrating. He says that he reached out to them to give him an opportunity to defend himself. They did so, but the communications were a 90-day turn around for 3 years.

    Shoes for southern schools
    To most it may not seem like much- owning a pair of shoes; after all it is one of the most basic of items that people own. But when school opens the reality is that many children find it very difficult to get a new pair of shoes and that is where Senator Macario Coy has stepped in for some of the children in Big Falls and Barranco in the Toledo district. Senator Coy launched a shoe drive and on Wednesday August 30 he delivered 175 pairs of shoes to students of Big Falls RC & Barranco RC School in Toledo. The drive was successful thanks to coordinators Felicita Reyes, Mike Westby, Whitney Garbutt and Raquel Rodriguez. Donations were made through the support from Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber, Hon. Erwin Contreras, and Hon. Tracy Panton through Sen. Macario Coy and Big Falls Village Councils.

    San Carlos High School receives upgraded solar system
    For the past 10 years, the San Carlos High School has been operating with a single generator that was donated to them by Defiance College in the United States of America. This meant that the school had to come up with funds to fuel and maintain the generator. This also meant that carbon dioxide emission was always something the residents in the surrounding area had to bear with. Quite recently, most of these problems have been solved or at least made a little more bearable. The high school has been the recipient of a solar panel that will now enable the school to have 24-hour power. The investment, valued at $30,000, will benefit the school as well as the larger community. The new system generates power to the main building of the high school which holds 8 rooms. Funding for the San Carlos Solar System was sought from Belize Natural Energy as well as the New Zealand Embassy with collaboration from the Programme for Belize, manager and owner of the Rio Hondo Reserve in Orange Walk.

    Hopkins: The Belize Tourism Board hosts Media Familiarization trip
    The Belize Tourism Board hosted representatives from eight media houses in Belize on a familiarization trip to Hopkins with the intent of promoting Belize as a tourist destination. Aside from making Belize appealing to foreigners, BTB also sought to make it enticing to locals. That’s where the weekend fit in with my media colleagues and me. Our adventure started on Friday, August 25, 2017 when 13 of us left the BTB office in Belize City en route to the Mayflower Bocawina National Park. The drive of over 2 hours was met with plentiful conversation (and naps) that immediately created a bond with those in both vans. The tour began with a hike and ended with a refreshing waterfall rappel.

    Six young environmentalists receive scholarships from Programme for Belize
    Programme for Belize hosted 6 high school students at their office on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 for a short scholarship ceremony. The students hail from various parts of the Orange Walk district from Augustine Pine Ridge, Lemonal, Rancho Dolores, and San Carlos. Funds for the scholarships, valued at almost $4,000, are primarily resourced from birders in the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Their donations have allowed the scholarships to be awarded for the last 3 consecutive years and for each year, the performance from the students that have been benefitted has been satisfactory.

    Rotaract Club in Benque distributes backpacks
    The Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo has held its 4th Annual Fill a Backpack Project, which was just completed last week. We were told by Vice President and Community Service Director Ricky Cunil that the Rotaract Club reached this year’s goal of 50 backpacks and surpassed it by 35 more backpacks; distributing a total of 85 backpacks. The backpacks were distributed in Benque Viejo Town, San Jose Succotz Village, Calla Creek Village and Arenal Village, where needy children benefit from this helpful project every year before school opens.

    Town Hall construction remains on track in San Ignacio Town
    The construction of the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town hall remains on track, to be completed by mid October of this year; despite delays in getting a major loan approved. It’s future has been boosted by the recent passing of the Town Council Amendment Bill through the House and the Senate. As one of the biggest projects that has been undertaken by the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council, further funding for its new headquarters may be forthcoming by the end of this week. In December of last year the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council had approached the National Bank for a loan, only to discover about a month and a half ago that there was a section in the Town Council Act that did not permit Town Councils the legal autonomy to make considerable loans.

    Belizean artist is robbed near cemetery
    On August 29, 2017 at 8:00 a.m., 21-year-old Christiane Young, a Belizean Artist of 8 Miles, reported that while walking in the Lord Ridge Cemetery earlier that morning, she was approached by a male person who robbed her at gunpoint of her black purse valued at $50.00 containing $200.00 and a Samsung galaxy Note 5 cell phone in a black case valued at $900.00. The male person then made good his escape heading into the Lord Ridge Cemetery. Police investigations continue.

    No leads yet in Crevan Cardinez’s murder
    On Thursday, August 24, 2017, police were able to confirm that the body of the man who an eyewitness claims he saw being beaten and thrown overboard in the sea by someone has been found. He was identified as a teenager from San Lorenzo, Orange Walk,18-year-old Crevaun Cardinez. The body of Cardinez was recovered from the shallow waters in front of the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airstrip in Belize City, not too far from where he was seen being thrown from out of a vessel. He was brutally attacked aboard a vessel where he was stabbed and thrown into the water.

    Customs officer charged with manslaughter
    Rudolph Williams Jr., a 39 year-old Customs Officer of Orange Walk Town, has been charged with manslaughter for the shooting death of 30 year-old Dwayne Almendarez. Readers will remember that high-profile shooting that happened on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at around 4:45 p.m. A customs officer and BDF soldiers attempted to stop a bus traveling through Yo Creek Village in the Orange Walk District. It was coming from Santa Cruz, a well-known contraband community that borders Botes, the Mexican Village where all the contraband goods are bought.

    Two men are charged in connection to Windell Gibson’s murder
    A deadly shooting occurred in the Lindo’s Alley area of Conch Shell Bay which has left one dead and one injured. A third victim in the same shooting managed to escape the gunmen. In connection to the murder and attempted murder, two men have been arrested and charged in Belize City. The men, 26-year-old Orlando Salazar and 21-year-old Joel Choco, were arraigned on Monday, August 28, 2017 before the acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser.

    Gilroy Martinez latest victim in gang flareup
    The 5 children of 32 year-old Gilroy “Fries” Martinez will have to grow up without his parenting presence because he was shot and killed in the flare up of gang violence. The incident happened at around 8 a.m. on Monday, August 28, a short distance from his Curl Thompson Street home. His family tells the press that he left his house, where his children and wife were present at the time. He was supposed to go and return some tools he borrowed. Where he actually went, nobody who spoke to the media could say. He returned and left on another unknown errand, and it was during that time that he was shot and killed.

    Lyndon Flowers on remand for rape of minor
    A San Pedro man is on remand after he was accused of raping a 14-year-old minor. He has been identified as Lyndon Dean Flowers. Flowers appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where he was represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. He was read a single count of rape of a child and no plea was taken from him. The allegations are that on July 3, 2017, a 14-year-old girl was carnally known by Flowers and was subsequently threatened not to tell anyone. Fearing for her life, it was not until recently that the minor shared the news of her ordeal. Telling her mother led to the arrest of Flowers.

    Marroquin Brothers remanded for murder of Scott Charles
    Jose and Sarbelo Marroquin, two brothers, were arraigned on Friday, August 25, 2017 at the Belize City Magistrate for the murder of Scott Charles which occurred on August 16, 2017. They appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where they were represented by attorney “Dickie” Bradley. No plea was taken due to the nature of the offense and they were remanded to the Belize Central Prison until October 25, 2017 for their next court appearance which will be in San Pedro.

    Minor charged for murder of Armando Lopez
    In broad daylight on August 20, 2017, shots rang through a bar in San Pedro. Those bullets claimed the life of a 34-year-old carpenter and fisherman, Armando Lopez. Lopez was shot and before he could have been rushed to the polyclinic, he succumbed to his injuries.

    Grievous harm leaves Orange Walk minor hospitalized
    On August 24, 2017 at about 12:17p.m., police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where they saw a 15-year-old minor of San Jose Village, Orange Walk suffering from a cut wound on top of his head and left arm. Investigation revealed that the minor was heading home along with a female when he was approached by Ronald Reyes who inflicted chop wounds to the minor. The minor was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital and then to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he remains in a critical condition. Police are investigating.

    Peter Sutherland shot on Cemetery Road
    On Friday August 25th, 2017 about 4:55 a.m., police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they saw 30-year-old Peter Sutherland of La Croix Boulevard suffering from a gunshot injury to his right hand. Investigation revealed that earlier that day, Sutherland was riding his bicycle on Cemetery Road when a male person fired several shots at him. Police are investigating.

    BEL Security Guard fined for taking D-Max without authority
    Maximiliano Morey, a 21-year-old security guard and resident of Ladyville finds, himself in trouble with the law after he made the mistake of taking his BEL Supervisor’s 2010 D-Max pick-up truck from his work compound on Saturday, August 26, 2017 without authority. On August 29, 2017, Morey appeared unrepresented before the acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser where he was read a single charge of taking conveyance without authority, a charge he pleaded guilty to. On Saturday, August 26, 2017, he took a pick-up truck without authority from Patrick Perriott, Supervisor of BEL’s Security Section. According to Morey, his relief was taking too long to come and he didn’t know that taking the vehicle would have been a problem.

    19 year old charged for beating his girlfriend
    Kadeem Augustine, 19 years old, was accused of beating up his girlfriend during a domestic dispute. Augustine was remanded to the Belize Central Prison for the offense of harm for which he pleaded guilty. He appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza on August 25, 2017. The incident is alleged to have occurred on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at Mahogany Heights. According to the victim, she was sitting in a house with a friend when Augustine instructed her to leave. After she refused, he hit her to the left side of her face. She still refused to leave and he slapped her once again. Her injuries were observed by a doctor.

    Murder of father of two lands suspect on remand at Belize Central Prison
    Alleged escaped murder suspect, 24-year-old Jevaun Bellizaire, was recaptured on Thursday, August 24, 2017 and arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. He was read a count of murder for the Sunday, August 20, 2017 murder of Belize City resident, Ryan Thompson. He was also read a count of escaping from lawful custody after he allegedly escaped police while under arrest for the murder of Thompson. He was arraigned before the acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser.

    Dragons eliminate BTL from Firms’ competition playoffs
    The Belize District Basketball Association 2017 Firms’ competition playoffs commenced on Friday 25th August, at the Swift Hall in Belize City. In the first game of the Quarter-final round played, Dragons the number one seed eliminated BTL by the score of 94-77. The top scorers for Dragons were Cordel Gonzalez Jr. with 18 points, 4 rebounds and a steal; Andrew Vasquez who scored 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals and Akeem Watters with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. For the BTL team, the top scorers were Lennox Bowman with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals; Lennox Cayetano who contributed 15 points to go along with his 9 rebounds and a steal in a losing effort and Jason Vasquez who also scored 15 points and had 4 rebounds and an assist.

    Belize Defence Force FC and Police United FC win in PLB games over the weekend
    The Premier League of Belize 2017 Opening Season continued over the last weekend with four games on the schedule. On Saturday 26th August, at the MCC Grounds, the host team Belize Defence Force FC blanked the three times defending champions, Bandits Sports by the score of 1-0. The only goal of the game was scored by Shane Flores in the 86th minute of play to give the Belize Defence Force the victory and an early lead in this year’s Opening Season. Meanwhile, at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village, the Placencia Assassins FC and San Pedro Pirates FC played to a 1-1 draw.

    Ladyville wins in Leal’s Football Cup Tournament
    The 2017 Leal Football Cup Tournament commenced on Sunday August 13, at the Sandhill Football Field. There are nine teams participating in the Leal’s Football Cup 2017 Football Tournament. These are: Corozalito, Ladyville FC, Burrell Boom, Maskall Strikers, Sandhill Scorpions, Lucky Strike, HVYSC, Sandhill Blue Hawks and Sandhill New Site Warriors Four games were played on Sunday 27th August in the continuation of the competition. In the first game played, Ladyville FC defeated Burrell Boom by the score of 3-2.

    Month long football marathon successfully completed in Cayo
    The San Ignacio Police Formation football cup marathon concluded last Sunday with several clear winners. First place in the marathon was won by the Santa Familia foot ball team, second place by Flames football team from San Ignacio and the third place was won by another team from Santa Familia. The marathon was held for four consecutive weekends in the month of August The sponsors for the marathon were J & G company through Pepsi and Juan Polanco. The coordinators for the month long marathon were Mr. Dabo Carillo and San Ignacio COPP unit. Trophies and medals were also issued by San Ignacio Police Formation Commanding Officer Superintendent Richard Rosado last Sunday.

    Words of Life with Pastor Barry Fraser
    This week, we look at how love binds us together. The missionary and church planter Paul, in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 16 wrote: “From [Jesus] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Where there is no love there can be no faith. If we understood how much God loves us, we will be willing to give up everything for Him. Jesus Himself confirmed it in John 17:23, “I am in them, and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me, and that you love them as much as you love me.” This verse should make us rejoice at all times. Such amazing love will deliver us from whatever comes against us. When we fall, we know that we will arise again.

    A lesson for Lisa and X
    X was on to something when he returned with a smidgen of Black Consciousness; the Wesley College students placed their trust in him. Unfortunately, he balked. The evil white supremacists came up with a scheme to steal the World. The first step was to divide People into races; they came up with four (4) Black, Red, Yellow and White. X created a trap for himself when he added a fifth: Brown. The Wesley College students could not figure out why he would add a new category, when what was needed was a movement to One Race, One People. Science recognizes only ONE RACE and that is the Human Race! His followers were so disappointed that when he offered himself for electoral office, only 89 votes went to him.

    Yucatán’s Naval War with Belize
    Arturo O’Neill de Tyrone y O’Kelly, the Governor and Captain-General of the Intendencia of Yucatán, moved a substantial fleet of warships against a rabble of British woodcutters. They had been squatters too long in territory that clearly belonged to the King of Spain. Arturo O’Neill, scion of an ancient and distinguished Irish dynasty, had gone to Spain as a young military cadet. He progressed through the ranks in the royal army, achieved promotions to general and field marshal, demonstrated abilities as an administrator and diplomat, and received important political appointments in America. He became Governor of Yucatán in 1792 while also serving as Governor of West Florida. An Irishman in the service of Spain may seem strange, but it was not unusual — let us mention only Juan de O’Donojú y O’Ryan, the last Viceroy of New Spain; Alejandro O’Reilly, Governor of Spanish Louisiana; and Bernardo O’Higgins, a leader of Chilean independence.

    Youth Talks - 5 Back to School Tips Every Student Should Know
    It’s that time of year again and we can hear the school bells ringing! It can be hard to adjust from long leisurely summer days to the busy, fast paced school year. These five tips from me will help you to get back into the school mode and start this year off right! Tip #1: Get organized To get organized and stay organized during the school year, you must have the Proper School Supplies that you need for your classes! During the first day of class most teachers will tell you everything they require for their courses. Make sure that you get the specified supplies so that you are able to keep up with the class work and stay organized.

    A Blast from the Past
    During the 2005 civic uprisings and public denunciations by Civil Society against the gross corruption that had pervaded into the highest levels of the People’s United Party, some sober voices and organizations which still supported the Musa Administration cried out to their leadership to openly accept blame for their wrongdoings and promise the Belizean people to mend their ways and to return the Party to its core principle of “social justice” To this day, the PUP of 1998-2008 never did accept that they did anything wrong even as Miguel Ashcroft became deeply rooted into our economic infrastructure at BTL and IMMARBE. Even in the face of this public outcry, PM Musa gave his infamous “never before” speech as the ultimate act of defiance. For that lack of contrition, the voters have punished the People’s United Party in successive elections since 2006. People don’t believe Johnny and Espat one bit when they claim to be the “New PUP” and have changed their ways; Creole say that when dog “lawn” to eat egg...

    Should we be concerned about Climate Change?
    ‘’It does not matter whether 100% of the people agree, or not, that climate change is, or is not, exacerbated by human action. What does matter and matters greatly is that we are aware the Earth’s climate is changing, that we recognize many of the factors that influence it, and that we understand that there are and will be global repercussions because of it.” - Catherine Christopher for Sevenseas Media. The amount of plastic that is produced each year is huge. Now imagine how many of these end in the oceans. This damages wildlife. Plastic is not biodegradable, even the first plastic produced has not decomposed completely, it is still lying somewhere on Earth. The problem with plastic is that it does not decompose but instead they photolysis, that is, they break down into molecules by the action of light. That makes it more complicated when trying to collect it. Imagine how hard it would be to retrieve plastic from the ocean.

    Amandala

    Corruption, corruption, corruption!!!
    There is more trouble, serious trouble, brewing for former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources Margarito Gaspar “Gapi” Vega, and his son, Andre Vega. The trouble stems from an accusation of forgery made by Amy Forte, a Belmopan resident who, according to what is purported in certain Lands Department documents, bought a lot on Caye Caulker from Government, and then allegedly sold the land to Andre Vega the following year, but who denies even being aware of such a transaction. A Minister’s Fiat, No. 175 of 2009, of May 18, 2009, in the name of Amy Forte of 1 Baboon Street, Belmopan, for the sum of $2,500, bears a signature over the title of “Minister.” Gaspar Vega was Minister of Lands from 2008 to 2015.

    Amazing, sensational Bernice Ramirez snagged 20 CXC passes
    Bernice Ramirez, 17, the valedictorian of Edward P. Yorke’s 2017 graduating classes, met her goal of beating her school’s record for 18 passes in the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams. By all indications, she has also set a new national record, although officials from the Ministry of Education have yet to finalize discussions on the recently issued exam results before making any official pronouncements. CXC grades are still being queried. Principal of Edward P. Yorke, Rodrick Cardinez, told Amandala that Daniella Lightburn, a former student of the school, was tied with a student from Pallotti High School for the national record set back in 2014.

    Omar Ortiz dies after vehicle flips on George Price Highway
    A fatal road traffic accident on the George Price Highway has claimed the life of a well-known Belize City businessman. According to police reports, sometime after 8 o’clock this morning, Omar Ortiz, 46, was driving in a Toyota Prado from Belmopan to Belize City when he reportedly attempted to over take a Toyota 4Runner on a curve and lost control of his vehicle near Mahogany Heights. Ortiz’s vehicle, a cream Toyota Land Cruiser, reportedly flipped several times. His vehicle was severely damaged and he was trapped inside until help came. Once out of the vehicle, Ortiz complained of pain in his neck and body.

    PUP leader John Briceño blasts yet another Vega land hustle
    On Wednesday afternoon, PUP leader John Briceño called a press conference in which he chastised Prime Minister Dean Barrow, his former deputy, Gaspar Vega, and Vega’s son, Andre Vega, for yet another incident of corruption inside the UDP administration. “We Belizeans have witnessed an obvious act of misfeasance in public office, which occurred at the Lands Ministry during the tenure of former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega,” Briceño said. “I place on record our utter dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister’s dismissive comment to the press when asked about the recent revelations of yet another Vega land scheme,” he further stated.

    Another tropical wave to spawn unstable weather over Belize
    A tropical wave in our area spawned unstable weather over parts of Belize last night, bringing with it winds of between 10 and 20 knots (11.5 – 23 mph) and heavy showers. Dark gray clouds covered Belize City skies this morning as thunder roared during the morning hours, signaling continued influence from the tropical wave which had already crossed over Belize. The rains today were mostly along Belize’s northern coastal waters. A small craft caution remains in effect. However, more unstable weather has been forecasted for this weekend. Forecaster Francisca Wellington told Amandala that another tropical wave is expected to bring more showers, especially on Saturday. She explained that tropical waves form off the coast of West Africa and move across the Atlantic.

    Marcus Canul to be honored at Yucatec Maya celebration
    Maya hero, Marcus Canul, will be the celebrated icon at a milestone event to honor and highlight the Yucatec Maya culture this weekend in Orange Walk Town. Arturo Cantun, chairperson of the Northern Maya Association, told Amandala that their aim is to establish the event, slated for Saturday, September 21, as a Maya heroes’ day, but they are starting off this year with the tribute to Marcus Canul, who struggled during the 19th century for the cause of the Yucatec Maya who had settled after the Caste War in places like Corozal and Orange Walk in northern Belize, and Benque, San Ignacio and Succotz in western Belize.

    “In the Paint” – INTEROFFICE BASKETBALL – Top seeds Dragons and Bulldogs advance to semifinal round
    The top two-seeded teams, Dragons and Bulldogs advanced to the semifinal round of this year’s Interoffice Basketball, following wins against Belize Telemedia Ltd and Infotel, respectively. With the 94-77 win over BTL, the top-seeded Dragons now head into uncharted territory against a battle-tested Tuff-e-Nuff team tomorrow night at the St. Martin De Porres gymnasium. The Dragons, who essentially led wire-to-wire, had three players scoring in double figures. Cordel Gonzalez Jr., had 18 points 4 rebounds in twenty-eight minutes of play, while Andrew Vasquez chipped in with 17 points 5 rebounds 4 assists and 2 steals. They also got plenty of help, as Akeem Watters had 16 points 6 rebounds 2 assists and 4 steals. Lennox Bowman led BTL scoring with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field, followed by Lennox Cayetano and Jason Vasquez hitting for 15 points apiece.

    Unitedville’s Rebels United are 2017 National Women’s Softball Champions
    Eight (8) teams from 4 different associations converged in Belize City over the weekend for the Belize Softball Federation’s 2017 National Women’s Softball Championship. Two teams each, the champions and sub-champions from tournaments hosted by softball associations in Belize City, Belize Rural, Cayo and Stann Creek, participated in a double-elimination tournament at Rogers Stadium from Friday night through Sunday night, actually ending in the wee hours of Monday morning; and when it was all over, Unitedville’s Rebels United, the Cayo sub-champs, emerged as National Softball Champions, after outlasting the Cayo champs, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy. Roaring Creek had defeated Unitedville, 5-4, in their first meeting on Sunday afternoon. But in a nail-biter on Sunday night, Unitedville clipped Roaring Creek, 9-8; and then proceeded to defeat them again, 9-2, in the championship match, which ended after midnight.

    Belikin 8-Ball National Tournament – Long Island of Belize City, back-to-back Champs!!!
    The Belize Billiards Sports Federation’s (BBSF) 20th Annual National Belikin 8-Ball Tournament was held in Belize City at the St. Catherine Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, August 19 & 20, with the champs of six districts, in addition to Belmopan and San Pedro, competing with their eyes on the prizes and big bragging rights. Here’s how it went in a double-elimination format, and race to 3 for individual and team scores. Match #1: BRC Shooters of Belmopan started with the right shots, as they easily hammered Haneen Shattaz of Corozal, practically saying, Belmopan is back, with big players like Tim Banman, Wayne Wiltshire, Oscar Avelar and Mark Trujillo representing. Match #2: It Is What It Is of Cayo walked over Picame of Orange Walk, as players like Juan Villanueva, Jimmy Rudon, Erwin Fernandez and Erwin Woodye played huge for Cayo over the BBSF President’s team from O.W.

    Over-40 reg. season “down to the wire;” 3 teams battle for 2 playoff spots
    It’s the final week of regular season in the FFB National Over-40 Tournament 2017, and the Top-4 teams to make the playoffs could be decided this weekend. League leading San Pedro Veterans (27 pts) and second place Benque Vets FC (25 pts) are both sure of a playoff berth; but the remaining 2 spots are still up for grabs. (See standings below.) In games this past weekend, San Pedro Veterans dropped Belmopan Veterans, 3-0, in San Pedro; Kulture Yabra drew, 4-4, with Mango Creek Veterans at the MCC; Benque Vets FC clipped BDF Veterans, 3-2, at the Amin Hegar Field; and San Ignacio Quintas shut out Pickstock Lake-I Veterans, 4-0, at the Norman Broaster Stadium. (Scoring details not yet available)

    Editorial: The buck stops where?
    It appears to the newspaper that this United Democratic Party (UDP) administration has arrived at its G-7 moment, so to speak, but there are two differences between the circumstances today, Thursday, August 31, 2017, and the circumstances on Thursday, August 12, 2004, when 7 People’s United Party (PUP) Cabinet Ministers reacted to the Social Security Board (SSB) scandal of late July that year by confronting the then Prime Minister, Right. Hon. Said Musa. One difference between today and August 12, 2004, is that UDP Prime Minister, Right Hon. Dean Barrow, has on his own moved to address the Gapi Vega land scandals. His first move, after his election to a third consecutive term as Prime Minister on November 4, 2015, was to move Vega from the Ministry of Natural Resources, where Vega had set up shop immediately upon the UDP’s return to office in February of 2008. Remember, Gaspar Vega became Deputy Prime Minister when Dean Barrow became Prime Minister in February of 2008, and Vega represented the political balance from the two Northern Districts which Barrow’s Belize City-dominated Cabinet required.

    Styrofoam is a health hazard in many ways
    Dear Editor, The news that Styrofoam made it to the list of zero-rated items is alarming. To drive the knife deeper, the biodegradable options are not part of that list. Styrofoam is a health hazard in many ways – when in contact with hot food, it leaches styrene, linked to cancer and birth defects. It clogs our waterways, where the fish we eat are exposed to bits of foam easily mistaken as food. It pollutes our landscape visually and physically, affecting the psyche in ways that might not always be recognized. As if the people who live here don’t deserve better. Perhaps this move is to assist small food businesses, legitimate but this is uncreative, short-term and has a larger negative impact. Perhaps someone has a special interest and benefits from this new bill passed or from continuing to truck more waste to the landfills.

    Thoughts on the gun and drug laws from Andy Jones
    Dear Editor, Thank you for all your very informative articles. It is because of your eye-opening articles that I now see our country and the world with new light. The other day I read and heard over the radio about “Simultaneous Everywhere,” a police exercise. What a name! I imagine that the name was chosen to instill fear into the populace of which as I pondered a little it was a little disconcerting thinking about all the citizens whose lives were traumatized due to this exercise. It would be interesting to find out how many more enemies the police made during these raids. I know our Police Department is trying its best to keep law and order in a society which seems to be falling apart daily.

    Leave or stay
    In the aftermath of tropical-storm-turned-hurricane, Harvey, hitting the US, the very talented Ms. Sharon Marin Lewis posted a question on her fb page, one that’s in the mind of all Belizeans who live on the coast. She wanted to know if Belize City should be evacuated in the eventuality of a Category 5 bearing down. I have a lot of thoughts here, many of which I have expressed before, in various forums. The hurricane season is just heating up, so it’s timely. Like most kids who hate school, I fell in love with them when I saw how those bad bohgaz made those teachers scurry to close their doors. Of course, when I grew older, and saw how much hurricanes cost, much of the tune changed. But the fascination with their awesomeness remains. I don’t think I’d chase tornedos; I think those people are crazy. But I love storms. I hold on to a dream, to construct a rock house on an island, and weather one of the real bad ones out there.

    Thank you, Clinton Uh Luna, from Andy Chuc, Cruzob Maya
    Before introducing myself I want to give you thanks for writing about us Maya of northern Belize in the Amandala, since we, northern Maya of Belize (Yucatec Maya), have been forgotten and ignored in the media, schools, etc. My name is Andy Chuc. I am a proud Maya Masewal, or as they call us in Belize today, Yucatec Maya. I was born and raised in the village of San Pablo, Orange Walk, but my family’s history and the Caste War are very connected. My great grandfather’s name is Juan Chuc, a Maya rebel of the territory of Chan Santa Cruz. After the Mexican federal army took Chan Santa Cruz, he left the area with his 2 brothers and 1 sister but they stayed at Othon P Blanco, (Chetumal) while he crossed the Rio Hondo with just his bayonet and a rifle (our family still possesses the bayonet). Here in Belize he formed a family and his descendants of the Chuc family are still in Belize.

    B.A.C.F.A. Inc. to launch “Belizean American Football Hall of Fame” in New York on September 10
    Many of our former football players who played football in our country of Belize and the United States, have been dreaming about a Football Hall of Fame for decades, so that they could be acknowledged and honored; but it never happened. I have been reliably informed that some football players began organizing this needed club several times; but, due to lack of support from the Government and the Belize football league, they got discouraged and abandoned their efforts. In 2013, the late Maurice “Gene” Guild, some former football players and myself decided to give it another try. In 2013, we founded the Belizean American Caribbean Football Association Inc. to deal with all aspects of football. This includes: children developmental football program (Indoor and Outdoor), teenage and adult league competitions, and a permanent Belizean American Football Hall of Fame Club.

    JANUS 2
    It may be arrogance, but, maybe wisdom to compare ourselves to the richest, mightiest empire that has ever existed. The United States is the biggest melting pot of peoples that has ever struggled on this planet. Belize is the littlest. To compare these two extremes may seem comic but because we share this quality of the melding of every tribe and race of man into one nation, one people living at peace with itself; and all its sections, finding its unique dignity among a great diversity of goals, biases, prejudices and dreams, the comparison is not ridiculous. Belize’s major problem may be its tiny size. We simply do not have the multitudes that are needed to shoulder massive projects of physical development. On the other hand, America’s size with its somewhat infinity of interests is its biggest contemporary problem.

    Belize imports $1.05 billion, exports $304.7 million for Jan-July 2017
    Despite a 5.3% contraction in imports, Belize’s import bill exceeded a billion dollars for the first seven months of 2017, more than tripling the value of Belize’s domestic exports for the same period. Although imports were down by almost $60 million, exports were up by roughly 16% or $43 million, largely due to strong performance in Belize’s agricultural sector, according to the latest releases by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). Statistician Tiffany Vasquez told the media at a press conference held today that Belize imported $212 million worth of items in the machinery and transport category, including telecommunications parts, vehicles and agricultural equipment, while it imported $125 million worth of items in the foods, and live animals category, including wheat seeds and coffee.

    PAC plans to call Audit team on October 12
    The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which met in a planning session yesterday, has decided that it will hold three meetings to probe into the recently unveiled Annual Report of the Auditor General for the year 2012-2013, which has unearthed a string of questionable transactions, including the purchase of vehicle parts from a well-connected company for as much as 5 times the price of its competitors. As we reported just over a week ago, PAC chairman, Julius Espat, Opposition People’s United Party representative for Cayo South, had called for a meeting to probe into the report which raised concerns about public spending under certain government ministries, such as the ministries of Works and Education.

    Christian Espat, 21, facing 2 counts of attempted murder, gets bail
    San Pedro man who is facing multiple counts of attempted murder and other related charges was released on Supreme Court bail late on Friday, despite strong objections from the Crown Counsel representing the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Christian Espat, 21, and his attorney Dickie Bradley appeared for a bail hearing before Justice Adolph Lucas, who released him on bail of $10,000 plus one surety in like amount. Justice Lucas decided to grant Espat bail after Crown Counsel Jackie Willoughby had submitted that he had been positively identified by a witness to the shooting that had left three persons injured.

    Customs officer Rudolph Williams charged with manslaughter
    Fifteen days ago, Yo Creek resident Dwayne Almendarez, 31, was shot in the chest, abdomen and leg by a Customs officer on duty. He died while receiving medical attention. Today, police have charged that Customs officer, Rudolph Williams, 39, with one count of manslaughter. Williams was arraigned this afternoon in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court, where he was offered and met bail of $5,000. Strangely, he is to return to court on September 21, Independence Day. On Tuesday, August 15, Customs and BDF officers conducted a search for contraband goods in a passenger bus on the Santa Cruz road, in an area near to Botes, Mexico, reportedly a contrabandista’s paradise.

    The Reporter

    Police accidentally release tear gas at military tattoo
    Dozens of people were affected earlier tonight when the Belize Police Department’s Riot Squad accidentally released a cannister of CS Gas, also known as tear gas, into the audience during it Military Tattoo. The event and incident took place at the Marion Jones Stadium. The […]

    PUP leader says his party getting formidable municipal candidates
    PUP Leader, John Briceno, says his party is preparing formidable candidates to vie in the next year’s municipal elections. Briceno told reporters on Thursday that the party is taking its time because it wants to attract the best possible camdidates. “I think this City needs […]

    Imports down; exports, GDP, and cost of living up
    According to the Statistical Institute of Belize imports for the first seven months of 2017 are down, while exports for the same period are up, along with the country’s second quarter economic performance and the cost of living for the month of July. The SIB released its […]

    Empowering Women for Meaningful Change
    “Women ahn go rule this country, in the 21st century” is the mantra of the Women in Politics (WIP) initiative organized by the National Women’s Commission (NWC). WIP celebrated its eighth year with a conference on the theme “Empowered Women: Empowering Women for Meaningful Change” […]

    Marco Vidal says crime surge is as a result of internal drug war between rival gangs
    The murder count in the city has once again gained steam in the month of August, prompting police to reveal the cause to be rooted in gang warfare due to conflicting drug trades and its expansion. So what are the police doing about it? The media asked […]

    MOH begins phasing out soft drinks in-house
    The Ministry of Health has begun phasing out the use of soft drinks at health facilities country wide, as a part of its push for a healthier Belize. Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero explained that the Ministry has begun seeking replacement for sodas at its […]

    Ministry of Health warns on unauthorized sale of multivitamins
    The Ministry of Health issued a warning to pharmacists and the general public this week about the unauthorized circulation of the multi-vitamin Neurobión ® 50 mil (Vitamins B1 + B6 + B12) syrup in the 240ml bottle. The ministry explained that it conducted investigations and found that […]

    Transport cracks down on overcrowded buses
    The Transport Department is cracking down on bus drivers who violate traffic laws, primarily those who breach the maximum capacity of 55 passengers on buses. Over the past few months the Department’s Strike Team has been targeting buses carrying more than the maximum capacity and […]

    Belizean students get 13 Cuban scholarships
    Thirteen Belizean students have received scholarships to study in Cuba, 12 of them to study medicine, and one to study pedagogy in Biology and Geography. Cuba’s Ambassador to Belize. H.E. Lissette Perez presented the scholarship awards to 12 of the students in a ceremony at the Cuban mission on Princess […]

    Media visits Bocawina and Hopkins
    Over the weekend various members of the Belizean press were treated by the Belize Tourism Board to a media familizarition tour of local tourism attractions in Southern Belize. During the tour, media personalities were able to gain a first hand experience of the beauty and bounty that […]

    The Economic Development Council Part 1
    In last week’s “The Business Perspective”, we briefly made mention to the Economic Development Council (EDC) and its role in the Trade Licence (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was presented earlier this year to the National Assembly for its “first reading”. While, as promised, we will return to the Trade License […]

    Man arraigned and charged for Orange Walk fatality
    Orange Walk police have issued a number of charges against a 20-year-old driver, after the vehicle he was driving crashed headfirst into a lamp post resulting in the death of his passenger over the weekend. Ramon Dominguez was arraigned in the Orange Walk magistrate court on Tuesday […]

    Wanted poster issued for San Jose Village resident
    Orange Walk police have issued a wanted poster for an 18-year-old, whom it is alleged inflicted multiple chop wounds to a 15-year-old over the weekend during a gang altercation. Police say that they are looking into the whereabouts of Ronaldo Reyes also known as “ Pito”, a […]

    Teenager reported missing after a visit to the Jane Usher neighborhood
    A Belize city family is on edge and hoping for the best, after one of their loved ones went missing last Thursday and has not been heard from or seen since. The family of 17-year-old Erwin Paulino Rodriguez says that around 1:00 p.m on August 24, he […]

    Monday morning murder was gang related, confirmed cops
    The old capital is once again reporting an uptick in murders and shootings. On Monday police added one more murder investigation to their list, after a man was gunned down in cold blooded fashion on Curl Thompson Street in Belize City. While the investigation is still in […]

    Editorial
    Two decisions the Barrow Government took last week show a welcome adjustment of focus. The first is the decision to put a brake on pending pro-marijuana legislation until GOB has had a chance to hear what church leaders have to say about the move to de-criminalize the use of small […]

    Land Scandal; Chamber, BNTU outraged!
    Last week’s revelations about the Vega family’s land scandal, involving persons who purportedly sold them private lands already owned by other people, has raised the ire of Amy Forte and various organizations. Forte’s name appeared as one of the persons who sold land to one […]

    Guat President fires Foreign Minister; ‘Sedi’ says situation is worrying
    Guatemalan President, Jimmy Morales, is in a calamity after he tried to oust Ivan Velasquez, the head of the U.N. anti-corruption commission (known as CICIG), and then fired his own Foreign Minister, Carlos Morales for ignoring the order to expel Velasquez. Morales announced he was […]

    Well known Belizean businessman loses life in traffic mishap
    A prominent Belizean business man lost his life in a traffic accident near Mahogany Heights on the George Price Highway on Thursday morning. Around 8:30, on August 31, 2017, police were called out to the scene of the accident between mile 30 and 31, where they found […]

    Eight vie for Queen of the Bay 2017-18
    Eight Belizean beauties will vie for the title of Queen of the Bay 2017-18 in the annual pageant scheduled to be held at the newly-reconstructed Bird’s Isle auditorium in Belize City on Saturday night, September 2. Nalisha Acosta is Queen of the Bay Corozal, Esmeralda […]

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Attorney General commits to regularize appointments of Alcades and their deputies in Toledo
    The Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) today put out a press release following a meeting with the Attorney General, Michael Peyrefitte, Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke and the Minister tasked with the daily operations of the Lands Department, Dr. Carla Barnett.

    Flood mitigation works completed in Toledo
    Today, Minister of National Emergency Management, Edmond Castro was on a working tour in Punta Gorda. Castro was welcomed to the municipality by Punta Gorda Mayor Fern Gutierrez and he accompanied NEMO District Coordinator Kenton Parham and Assistant Coordinator Dennis Williams on an inspection of areas where flood mitigation works have been carried out in that town and surrounding communities over the past six weeks.

    Tear gas accidentally released by police at military tattoo event
    The Military Tattoo was held tonight at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City.Many Belizeans gathered to witness the drills of the Belize Defense Force, the Belize Police Department and the Fire Department.

    Barrow selects, Briceno rejects potential new judge
    Prime Minister Dean Barrow is proposing to name a new judge to the Court of Appeal. That judge is Franze Park, a Miami defense lawyer who has a degree in accounting. However, that proposal by the PM is being totally rejected by the Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno. According to Briceno, Park has only practiced law up to 1980 in the Caribbean.

    Aragon says police doing all they can to combat crime
    The month of August was a bloody one with 7 reported murders. Cabinet has not said much on the matter but when the media caught up with Minister of Police, Elodio Aragon, he was forced to comment. According to him, police are doing all they can to get a grip of the violence.”Every day the Belize Police Department looks at what is happening on the ground. We have to constantly be looking at what we are doing, what need to be improved upon and definitely every crime is a concern for us,” he said.

    Tour guide busted with ganja
    At around 8:15 this morning, the Special Assignment Team conducted a search at the residence of Glenford Alexander Soberanis, 37. Soberanis is a Belizean tour guide who reside on Pelican Street Extension, Belize City.

    High powered weapon found in Port Loyola
    Belize City cops have just released information about a high profile rifle found on south side. According to Police reports, an AK 47 was found on August 23 during a search in the Port Loyola community.

    Alleged income tax robber walks free from charges
    Ishelle Tablada was today relieved of all charges involving the June 2016 armed robbery of the Income Tax Department in Belmopan in which assailants made off with $29,000. Three men have been remanded since then but Tablada was offered bail.

    People of Belize fed a diet of corruption, says Briceno
    PUP Leader, John Briceño, has today written Prime Minister Dean Barrow registering his distaste about the incidents of corruption in government. Briceño in his letter has pointed to a list of demands that he hopes to be met by Barrow.

    PUP Leader says if they win 2 municipalities in 2018, they will be ahead
    PUP Party Leader, John Briceno told 7 News yesterday that the PUP currently has in control one municipality which is Orange Walk and if they win two, they will be ahead. […]

    National Women’s Commission hosts Women in Politics conference
    The National Women’s Commission (NWC) held it’s first Women in Politics conference this week at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. Executive Director of the NWC, Ann-Marie Williams, explained that the conference was held before the 2018 Municipal Elections to inspire more women to run for municipal office, or at least consider running. […]

    Hopkins police destroy weed plantation, seize gun and ammo
    On Wednesday, Hopkins police conducted an operation in the Sanctuary Reserve area of Maya Center, Stann Creek District. There police found eight marijuana plants measuring 4-6 feet in height. […]

    Still no charges in the case of baby found dead in Belize City canal
    It has been more than a month since police discovered a dead child inside a plastic bag, discarded in the East Canal in Belize City. The child was reportedly found by sanitation workers who were cleaning the area. However, to date, police have no leads. […]

    Women Empowerment Conference held in Belize City
    The National Women’s Commission (NWC) in collaboration with the United States Embassy in Belize hosted a first of its kind National Women in Politics Conference yesterday in Belize City. […]

    Teen charged for murder
    Belize City police have arrested and charged a 16-year-old boy with the June 25th murder of Akeem Guzman, 21. […]

    Flag Raising Day
    oday, September 1st, has been named Flag Day in Belize. Municipalities throughout the country unveiled their newly established flag monuments at scheduled flag raising ceremonies. […]

    Andre Vega open to returning land to GOB
    Andre Vega, son of former Minister of Lands, Gaspar Vega, has informed the Ministry of Natural Resources that he is willing to consider returning lands he was issued as compensation. The land is situated on Mosquito Caye near Blackadore Caye, owned by Leonardo Di Caprio. […]

    Blogs

    September celebrations are serious business in Belize!
    This year we will be kicking off the festivities with the 219th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye on September 10th. The historic battle, fought off the coast of what is now Belize, lasted from 3rd September to 10, 1798, and took place between an invading force from Mexico, attempting to assert Spanish claims to the territory. The 36th anniversary of Belize’s independence is celebrated on September 21st, and is by far the most reveled holiday of the year. Our young country is bursting with patriotism, and people of all ages celebrate this day in grand style! If you are visiting Belize during this time you must check out one of our “Jump Up’ Independence Day Parades! The colors, costumes, music and dancing is the epitome of Belizean culture.

    Going Slow in Caye Caulker
    Walking to the shore, there’s always someone willing to offer taxi services. But, unless you’re heading to the airport or other points south, you can probably save your money and walk. The main part of town is that small. There are only 3 roads in town, all sandy. Front Street runs along the east coast, Back Street along the west coast, and Middle Street exactly where you’d expect it. The vast majority of places of interest to a visitor will be found along Front Street and the west coast. As you walk along heading north, the “Go Slow” mentality is strong here.

    Wednesday at “Secret Beach”, West Ambergris Caye
    Just about 7 or 8 years ago, a road was built crossing the island — leading to a new building project called “Grand Belizean Estates”. Mangroves and low land was filled, sold and are stilling being sold. All vacant land without promises of electricity or town water. But land! And on the beach side, beautiful blue calm water with sand as far as you can walk. Since then a handful of houses have been built – all off the grid. The area adjacent to the first bar – Pirate’s Not So Secret Bar – is all cleared now.

    Sea’s(ing) d Day – Reliving our day with SEAduced by Belize
    Something you can’t help but notice on Ambergris Caye, Belize: There is no shortage of watercraft. We saw it all; kayaks to catamarans, the occasional luxury yacht, even a cruise ship. And… would you believe a houseboat called Sea’s d day? We climbed aboard for a day with SEAduced by Belize. Houseboats are not typically ocean-going vessels. But then, the waters around Belize are not your typical ocean. On the leeward side of Ambergris Caye, the water is as smooth as glass, and not very deep. There are hidden beaches to enjoy, and calm lagoons to explore. It’s the perfect setting for a houseboat. If only houseboats went to sea.

    The Perfect One Week Belize Itinerary
    If you've only got one week to spend in the tropical paradise that is Belize, why not visit the best of both worlds? Our all-inclusive Belize vacation packages include time on both the pristine mainland as well as a sojourn to the fabulous offshore islands and Caribbean beaches. Belize is a small country in Central America just 2-5 hours' flying time from major cities across the United States and Canada. HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE AMAZING THINGS YOU CAN DO ON THE MAINLAND: 1) Bird watching (some 900 species have been recorded in Belize!) 2) Explore the mysterious Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, rated the #1 Sacred Cave in the world by the Discovery Channel.

    What It's Really Like To Dive The Great Blue Hole of Belize
    The dive begins with a descent to around 40 feet (12 meters) to reach a natural limestone shelf. Following the coral down until a depth of around 18 feet (6 meters), divers will then encounter a gentle incline that leads into the abyss. After taking a minute or two on the shelf, divers will then enter the Blue Hole proper, a vast, somber space with grays and muted colors. At around a depth of 60 feet (18 meters), certain shapes begin to appear out of the gloom. Small groups of reef sharks might investigate divers, but otherwise, the waters are generally free of inhabitants. As divers continue to descend, it is around the 100-foot (30-meter) mark that the first large columns can be seen, marking the entrance to the vast submarine cavern. It is this moment that continues to seduce divers. Entering the cavern leaves many divers with an otherworldly feeling. In total silence, divers thread their way through the stalactites and stalagmites until they reach their maximum depth at 132 feet (40 meters). After five minutes that feel like 30, it's time to ascend, slowly ascending towards the light and the safety of the boat.

    Introducing The Nut Hooker 2000: Our newest island invention!!!
    Island Problem: You are thirsty for fresh coconut water but the coconuts are out of reach. Solution #1: Climb the coconut tree yourself and just grab them. Solution #2: Search the island for Coconut Leo and ask him to get them for you. Solution #3: Ask your dog. Maybe you can convince him to climb the coconut tree in exchange for a delicious steak and cold beer. Great. We have exhausted the three best solutions and still do not have our fresh coconut water. How do we get those coconuts down? The Nut Hooker 2000! That’s how. What is the Nut Hooker 2000 you ask? It’s just one of the best island inventions of all time and it’s super easy to use. Step one: Locate a delicious coconut.

    What's Happening in Belize City this coming September
    GUADALUPE MEDIA HOSTS AN EVENING WITH BISHOP LAWRENCE NICASIO! Sir Barry's Belikin Bash 2017. 7th Annual Back To School Trimming Drive, RadioShack Belize Launch...

    September Celebrations in Belize - Things to do and a brief history of Independence Day
    September is one of the best time to be in Belize. It’s the tourism off-season, which means cheaper prices on accommodations and tours, and you can also partake in the patriotic September Celebrations. The most important date is September 21st, which is Belize’s Independence Day, but for almost two weeks leading up to that day, there are many festivities throughout the country. Each year during September, Belizeans celebrate their independence in a number of ways. Below are a few examples:

    Videos

  • SACD Environmental Summer Camp 2017, 3min. This week we had the SACD Environmental Summer Camp 2017.The kids learnt a lot about protecting the environment. This was possible thanks to the kind contribution of Marfunds/KFW project. Here is a summary of what took place in this event.

  • Belize Aggressor, 13min. Rencontres sous-marines sur le Belize Aggressor III

  • Corozal to San Pedro via Tropic Air Belize, 1min. Time Lapse leaving Corozal Town to San Pedro (La Isla Bonita). Always enjoy the view and finally could set my camera to capture it. It's a 20 minutes flight of lovely views.

  • NORWEGIAN GETAWAY APRIL 2017 ZIPLINE IN BELIZE, 3min.

  • Tauchen im Belize Lighthouse Reef, 6min. Scuba diving

  • Nice hammerhead video by Elito, 1/2min. The last time we saw one of these guys, it had drowned in a gillnet. This made our Friday! Thanks for sharing Elito! It's time to #stopthenets Hammerheads are just one of the sharks that get caught in indiscriminate fishing gear like gillnets.

  • Meet another KTV the Remix Finalist!, min. Support Caye Caulker's Lisandra Gutierrez on KTV... She is one of four finalists in KTV, the Remix, who is hoping to capture the title and cash prize. Lisandra Gutierrez is known in Orange Walk and Caye Caulker as a physical therapist, but this time around, she’s on the national stage. She has years under her belt entertaining the public with her favourite songs, either in English or Spanish. From early in life, Lisandra recognized that her passion was in music and so has devoted her time honing her skills. On stage, she is easily transformed, taking on a new persona as music fills her soul.

  • Sea’sing d Day in Belize – A day with SEAduced by Belize, 3min. Reviewing and re-living our full day adventure with SEAduced by Belize aboard their 58' houseboat, Sea's d Day

  • A LOOK AT GASPAR VEGA’S TENURE AS MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES, 8min. It’s been a roller coaster week filled with political drama and suspense over yet more evidence of land grab by the Vega family, and the allegation that there was fraud involved.

  • TENSIONS FLARE IN CARMELITA VILLAGE AS RESIDENTS BLOCK ROAD LEADING TO THE SAND PIT, 5min. Tensions flared early this morning in Carmelita Village here in the Orange Walk District as a number of residents decided to block the street that leads to the village’s Sand Pit in protest of new developments that have been taking place in the area

  • Paul & Katrina Belize Wedding Film, 7min. by Jose Luis Zapata

  • BELIZE 2017 NEPTUNE COVE, 4min. Neptune's Cove is located in Ambergris Caye, Belize. We offer scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing and jungle excursions.

  • Belize Independence Celebration 2017, 6min. An evening of music at the BTL Park to celebrate the start of the Independence festivities highlight by the 10th of September battle and our independence on September 21st.

  • Off grid homesteading in Belize, 2min. Day in the life on my one acre plot in Punta Gorda, southern Belize, where I live off grid in a thatch roof hut, grow my own food and wake up to the sound of howler monkeys in the tropical jungle.

  • "Go Slow" Belize, 3min. The first stop on Ali and I's adventure through Central and South America. Our time in Belize was awesome. We definitely fit in with the "Go Slow" motto the country is known for. It was hard not to with their beautiful beaches and the second biggest barrier reef in the world just miles off the coast.

  • San pedro spearfishing belize life, 1.5min.

  • Sailing and Snorkelling Belize, 4min. Spent the day on an unbelievable sail boat, with some unreal people and a view that has no description

    September 1, 2017


    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, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


    The San Pedro Sun

    A 16-year-old minor is charged for the deadly shooting of Armando Lopez
    On Wednesday, August 30th, San Pedro Police charged a 16-year-old minor for the murder of 34-year-old Armando Lopez. On Sunday, August 20th, Lopez, Belizean carpenter of the San Pedrito Subdivision, was socializing at a local bar on Barrier Reef Drive when he was fatally shot by an assailant. In the early stage of the investigation, police detained two persons, who were later released, but a few days later they apprehended their main suspect, a 16-year-old minor believed to have also participated in the shooting. An acquaintance of the deceased, who wishes to stay anonymous, said that it is really odd what happened to Lopez. “He was a humble guy and hard working. He never had any problems with anybody,” the person said. The source also shared with The San Pedro Sun that Lopez had no family on the island, and believes he was from the Corozal District. “He used to also be a fisherman and worked almost on anything in construction, including carpentry.”

    GOB seeks to make amendments to marijuana possession law
    On Friday, August 18th the Government of Belize (GOB) held a conference to introduce a new bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act. This bill comes after a Decriminalization of Marijuana Committee, which was formed in 2012, submitted its final report to the Cabinet in 2015. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, among other names, is a psychoactive drug that is illegal in many countries. Although marijuana is an illegal drug in Belize, it is very much a part of many Belizean’s lifestyles. Due to the recreational popularity and claims of medical use of the drug, GOB has decided to introduce a new step in its control. The Misuse of Drugs Amendment law will allow a person to possess up to 10 grams of marijuana. Prior to this amendment, a person caught with any amount marijuana, was arrested and charged. The new amendment will allow a person to be in possession of 10 grams of marijuana, without being arrested and charged.

    ‘Raise Me Up’ begins construction of education center at New Horizon
    On August 23rd the ‘Raise Me Up’ Organization began a new construction project at the New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist School. ‘Raise Me Up’ is a non- profit organization working to eliminate inadequate living conditions by fulfilling basic needs and raising awareness in communities. The new project will see the construction of an Education Center that will include a literacy program, library, computer room, and a mass media program. Focused on the education of the children on the island, the project is financed by donations made to “Raise Me Up.” According to Education coordinator for Raise Me Up, Sue Barkhouse, after the success of a similar project at Holy Cross Anglican School they opted to begin a new one at New Horizons. “We believe that it is something that is needed in the community, which the children would benefit from,” she said.

    Ambergris Today

    Work Commences On Implementing Volunteer Based Response System On Ambergris Caye
    From the tragic loss of Rickilee Mercer, Jim and Traci Curtin are on a mission to assist the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize in implementing a volunteer based emergency response system that coordinates both American and community resources to help protect human life. The community of Ambergris Caye came together in search for Rickilee who got lost at sea during her vacation in Belize. Unfortunately, efforts were not fast enough or well-equipped to find her in time. She drowned in a jet ski accident. “We did not respond like we could have responded,” commented Traci Curtin. “We can’t fix tourist from acting crazy, but we can respond when they do. I just could not let it go, that I can’t be an advocate to this place that I consider my second home and tell people to come if I can’t know they are safe.”

    Misc Belizean Sources

    mzz

    Boycott NCL - Harvest Caye - Campaign Announcement
    Today a campaign to Boycott Norwegian Cruise Lines was launched, and members of the public, especially cruisers, are being offered free bumper stickers to show their support and solidarity with the wildlife of Belize. People who take cruises love to travel and explore the world, just like other types of travelers. Many of Belize’s first-time cruise passengers fall in love with the country and return year after year as long-stay tourists. Sadly, recent reviews of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Harvest Caye suggest that cruise passengers aren’t getting that warm fuzzy feeling about Belize anymore and that’s a bad thing for the cruisers as well as for Belize’s future tourism prospects. A coalition of conservationists and activists have banded together to launch the Boycott NCL Campaign. It’s easy to participate in, it’s fun and it’s for an excellent cause. All you need to do is send your address to BoycottNCL@gmail.com and you will receive a free BoycottNCL bumper sticker in the mail. In return, you’re asked to email back a photo of your vehicle sporting the BoycottNCL bumper sticker so that it can be sent to NCL and featured on the Boycott NCL Facebook page. NCL need to understand that what they are doing is NOT acceptable! If you cruise, don’t lose.

    Caye Caulker Bicycle Parade
    OUR BICYCLE PARADE IS THIS FRIDAY September 1st 2017!!! Is your son/daughter ready to show off their patriotic bike????? Place: Central Park, Line up at 4:15pm, Parade begins at: 4:30pm. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

    Vacancy at Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture
    A vacancy exists for the post of Manager at Frank Lizama Training Centre (formerly Skills Training Centre) for September, 2017. Educational Requirement: Preferably a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration or other relevant area or a Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Vocational Education with diploma in Competency-based Education and Training (CBET)

    Strengthening Trans-boundary Conservation Partnership in Northern Belize!
    SACD is excited to have re-engaged with the Trans-boundary Conservation Partnership Initiative (TCP) along with the counterparts of Mexico (Chetumal Quintana Roo). The effort started in 2015, with the main objective of creating and defining the means and level of collaboration required to strengthen management of the coastal protected areas of the south of Quintana Roo and Northern Belize Coastal Complex to sustainably maintain biodiversity and the goods and services they provide associated with biological processes and long-term physical and biological connectivity, facilitating the sustainable development of this region. Last week Friday 25th, 2017, SACD met with El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) and the Secretaria de Ecolgia y Medio Ambiente (SEMA) at ECOSUR installations to retake the Trans-boundary initiatives and to discuss possible areas of collaboration in scientific research.

    Women in Politics roundtable
    As part of the speaker program Dr. Kelly Dittmar visited Punta Gorda for a Women in Politics roundtable discussion and a visit to the University of Belize and Claver College. Present at the roundtable were representatives from the Punta Gorda Town Council, Toledo MAYA Women's Council, Department of Youth Services, members of the People's United Party and Belize Women Political Caucus. Right after she participated in a public forum with the University of Belize and discussed women’s political under representation and building success through positive synergies between politics & organizational leadership. She closed off the evening with an exciting discussion with the students of Claver College.

    National Women in Politics Conference 2017
    Ocean Academy was represented by student leaders Daniela Novelo, Nomari Blanco, Lilian Sanchez and mentor Ms. Florence Goldson. The girls met many inspirational women and speakers. During the Q&A Daniela asked about how to engage and empower girls in sport, and Nomari asked advice about how to balance her many roles as student, daughter, volunteer and youth leader. The theme of the National Women in Politics Conference was "Empowered Women: Empowering Women for Meaningful Change".

    Caye Caulker Food Handlers Certificate
    All Individuals that are interested in obtaining a Food Handlers Certificate, please note that the next class will be on September 7th,2017 at 9:00am, Caye Caulker Community Centre. Please apply before the date and bring along your Social Security card and (1) one passport size pictures if you're applying for the first time. A fee of $20.00 bz dollars will be charged on applying.

    National Women in Politics Conference
    The National Women’s Commission in collaboration with the United States Embassy in Belize hosted a first of its kind National Women in Politics Conference today, August 31, in Belize City. The theme of the event was “Empowered Women: Empowering Women for Meaningful Change!” The conference was held strategically ahead of the 2018 Municipal Elections, in support of women leaders and aspiring political women leaders in Belize. Attendees at the event included women from both the public and private sectors, students, present and former women parliamentarians and women city and town council members. The keynote speaker at the opening ceremony was Dr. Kelly Dittmar, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University – Camden in New Jersey, USA.

    Paradise Theater playing this weekend
    It Comes At Night, The Hitman's Bodyguard, Wonder Woman, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

    Channel 7

    Briceno: Basta Barrow!
    Tonight the PUP says it has had enough of the shady land dealings under the UDP. The party came out of an emergency executive meeting today saying that it will be engaging the social partners on an ongoing campaign to demand urgent action from the Barrow Administration to identify and undo all the corrupt land deals. Now, the Prime Minister has already asked police to conduct an urgent investigation into Amy Forte's allegation of forgery - but it's not enough for the opposition. We waited outside the Party's Headquarters this evening to hear the sketch of a PUP plan, long on outrage, but short on specifics:... Hon. John Briceno, PUP Party Leader: "Enough is enough! We are not going to continue to tolerate this government in the way they have been behaving since 2008 and to this day right now it is more than 24 hours later and nobody has been arrested. When we have Andre saying okay I'm going to give you back the land. Why is it that he is not giving back the $400,000? Why is it that they have to go to court to be able to collect that? Our party has had enough."

    Unions Demand Government Action on Vega Lands
    As you heard in the interview, the Teachers' Union and the Public Service Union both issued statements on the Mosquito Caye Vega land compensation. The BNTU says, quote, "we are appalled at the PM's rather flippant and dismissive response...'What it is, is what it is'...(which) clearly show his trivial outlook on the situation." End quote. The union says it demands immediate investigation into the Ministry of Natural Resources, quote, "and those who continue to use politics and position for personal gain," end quote. Along that same line, the Public Service Union says, quote, "the union welcomes the initiative by Government to conduct an extensive investigation into the allegations of fraud and outright corruption at the Ministry of Lands that have come to light in the recent days. We ask that this investigation be extended to include other questionable land transactions at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources under the tenure of the former Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega. The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Health must also be similarly investigated for alleged acts of corruption." End quote.

    Can Aragon Get Past the Vega Stigma In Orange Walk?
    So, while the PUP, the Unions and Chamber are all pushing for more forceful and comprehensive action on the Vega land scandal, so far, the Prime Minister has only cancelled the land titles in the Amy Forte conveyance and ordered police to launch an investigation. Police Minister, Elodio Aragon must ensure that the investigation is properly carried through, and one of the individuals who may have to answer questions from the police is his political colleague from Orange Walk, Gaspar Vega. All these shady land deals happened during his tenure, and his family members are the beneficiaries of what looks like a land flipping operation which saw the Vegas ending up with final ownership of prime real estate, or being compensated in cash. So, what does Aragon have to say about his Orange Walk colleague? That's what we tried to find out today when we caught up with him at another event:

    UDP Chairman On The Vega Factor
    We also spoke with the Chairman of the UDP, Alberto August. His post makes him responsible for the party's political performance and machinery, and all the Vega baggage is causing the party loads of bad press in the run up to a municipal election. So will the political hemorrhagic affect the party in those elections? Here's his take on it: Alberto August, Chairman - UDP: "I think you are aware that the Office of the Prime Minister has issued a statement on that matter and there was something about bringing in the police for the investigation. So that is where it is at. In terms of party discussion of that matter, I don't know if it's up for the party to discuss, but we are having a meeting of the central executive of our party on Wednesday 13th September and probably that might come up. But in terms of any organized discussion on the matter, no. All we know is what you guys know about the Office of the Prime Minister issuing instructions of the matter would be handed over to the police. The police are independent. They are known to conduct their own investigation and let the chip fall where they may."

    Businessman Omar Ortiz Dies In Accident
    Well known businessman, 46 year old Omar Ortiz was killed this morning when his Toyota Land Cruiser ran off the road and flipped. It happened between miles 30 and 31 on the George Price Highway at around 8:30 this morning. Ortiz was reportedly driving to Galen University where he is the Vice President. According to reports, he was overtaking a Toyota Four Runner around a curve and lost control on the "S" curve near Mahogany Heights. The vehicle barreled off the road and flipped six times. The passengers in the Four Runner he had overtook stopped to render assistance. They had to cut off his seatbelt and found all the airbags deployed. But, despite those safety features, Ortiz had suffered an injury to his neck. A doctor who came on the scene advised them to wait for the ambulance because of his neck injury. But there was no ambulance at the Western Regional - which is 20 miles away - so they had to wait on the ambulance from Belize City. When that arrived they rushed him to Belize Healthcare Partners, but he succumbed to his injuries at 10:18 AM.

    Man Says GSU Shot Off His Finger And Then Tried To Brush It Under Rug
    Right now, Belize City resident Emmanuel Lemmoth is at home recovering from a gunshot injury he says was inflicted by a police officer attached to the Gang Suppression Unit. He says that last week Friday evening, the officer shot off a piece of his right thumb with a shotgun blast. Now, that that's bad enough, because he alleges that the officer already had him subdued where he was kneeling down with his hands in the air. But, he says that the officer then tried to sweep it under the rug by pretending it never happened. Well, he has a medical form from the doctor who performed the surgery to stop the bleeding, and he's has come forward to force the police department to address the traumatic amputation he suffered.

    Women in Politics Take The Foreground
    Over the years, the National Women's Commission has hosted a number of women in politics workshops, trainings, gender equality seminars among other events. But today the Commission held its first National Women in Politics Conference at the Biltmore. It might sound like one of those fancy official meetings but behind it all is the same objective that women have been fighting and pushing to attain for years: to get more women in leadership positions - after all, something has to be wrong if women make up more than half the population, but only hold 6% of the seats in the House of Representatives. Courtney Weatherburne has more on the conference that's trying to do something about that inequality.

    What Are The Barriers Facing Women In Politics
    And still on the National Women in Politics Conference, another important element is understanding why more women aren't in political positions. Guest speaker Professor Kelly Dittmar discussed the social and cultural structures that work against women. Kelly Dittmar, Professor of Political Science: "Political institutions were built by and for men. I think our speaker earlier talked about when women couldn't vote right. When women are formally excluded from any political process the norm is that they shouldn't be there. And so the cultural change and the structural change that we have to go through to make it normal for women to participate becomes harder."

    UDP Introduces OW Super Slate
    As we showed you in our first segment, the UDP is taking a public pounding for the Vega land scandals, but, the party has weathered worse, and kept on winning elections. And that's why today they launched their UDP 7 Orange Walk Team with the jaded optimism allowed only to those who are riding an uncanny winning streak. This slate is being led by former Orange Walk Mayor Phillip De La Fuente - and the UDP are hoping that they can unseat the PUP Mayor Kevin Bernard and give John Briceno trouble in his Orange Walk stronghold. Here's who they are, and why they want to represented the UDP in the upcoming municipal elections: "In the US congress one of the clear examples of this is that there was no women's restroom in the US congress adjacent to the floor of the house until 2006. Our first women in congress entered in 1917. So it took almost 100 years for there to be facilities for the women who were serving. Why?"

    Police Minister On City Crime Spike
    At that launch, we also got a chance to speak with Minister of Police, Elodio Aragon, and we've already shown you part of that interview. But we also asked him about the spike in crime for the month of August, and what the police top brass is doing to contain the violence in the city. Here's what he had to tell us: Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Police: "Every day the Belize Police Department looks at what is happening on the ground. We have to constantly be looking at what we are doing, what need to be improved upon and definitely every crime is a concern for us. Every murder is a murder too many and definitely the police department and the ministry is always concern about crime. What I can tell you is that the situation I don't know to what extent you called it a spike."

    Can Decriminalizaiton Curb Drug Related Turf Wars
    So, what does the Minister in charge of police think about the move to decriminalize small quantities of marijuana? Police believe at this time that the drug trade in Belize has had a role to play in the spike in violent crime in Belize City. The press asked him about the wisdom of that plan in the context of the crime and marijuana trade in the City. Here's what he had to say: Reporter: "The marijuana trade has been attributed to the recants spike in gun violence at least in Belize City. As a parliamentarian where do you stand on the legislation to now decriminalize certain quantities of marijuana?" Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Police: "The situation on the streets is more than just drugs. There are a lot of other issues that contribute to crime. In terms of the decriminalization of marijuana, I can tell you this: I am in full support of this."

    PM Proposes New Judge, Briceno Opposes
    7News has learned that the Prime Minister wants to name a new judge to the Court of Appeal. He is Franze Park, a defense lawyer based in Miami who specializes in Federal and State Criminal cases. He also has a degree in accounting. But the Leader of the Opposition - who has to be consulted on the appointment- doesn't like the selection and he told us why today:... Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition: "We view that recommendation with much concern. We are very concern because more than anything else this gentleman which I don't know has only practice law up to 1980 in the Caribbean. Since 1980 he has been out of the Caribbean living in the United States operating in a complete and different jurisdiction than the Caribbean."

    Charged For Gooseneck Gun
    Last night we told you about the improvised gun made out of a bicycle handle that Ladyville police found. Well, today Ladyville resident 26 year old Kieron Salinas was charged with a prohibited firearm offense for that homemade gun. Salinas pled not guilty to the charge. Magistrate Aretha Ford explained to him the she cannot offer him bail for the offence so he was remanded until November 2nd. As we told you last night, the police were on mobile patrol on Stork Street in Ladyville when they saw Salinas in front of a store looking suspicious. They searched him and found a homemade firearm, made out of a bicycle gooseneck.

    More Weed in Maya Center
    Two days ago we told you about the weed trees and the illegal timber Stann Creek police found in the area of Maya Center Village. Again, yesterday police conducted all day operations at the sanctuary reserve area in the Maya Center Village, Stann Creek. They found 8 more mature marijuana plants and they also found a 20 gauge shot gun with 9 live 20 gauge cartridges. No one was in the area at the time of the search so the gun and ammunition were labeled as found property and the cannabis plants were uprooted and burnt.

    Meet the Queens...
    There are all kinds of pageants year-round - but September is synonymous with the Queen of the Bay and this year's event will be held on Saturday night. Now, there is of course a lot of drama surrounding the pageant with district coordinators rebelling against National Coordinator Zenaida Moya. But, the show goes on and today we found the eight contestants getting ready for the big show on Saturday. We spoke with a few contestants and got a sneak peek of the upcoming performance. Amy Reyes, Santa Elena Representative: "What inspired me apart from fulfilling my dream. I wanted to make my twin towns proud because as the entire country can see no one not a single person from the Cayo district has won the title as Queen Of The Bay."

    A Park For And By The Community
    The name Charlie Burton may not ring a bell for most of us, but for kids on Gibnut Street it sure does. That's the name of a newly constructed park in the neighborhood. The children who once played on the street now have their own safe haven right across the street from their home. But the real story is how a community transformed an abandoned lot into an open space:... Sahar Vasquez reporting: On Gibnut street a once overgrown lot that resembled a garbage dump has been transformed into a children's park. The vision behind this growing project came from area resident G. Micheal Reid. Before the lot was cleaned up it looked like an impossible task, but Reid was inspired. After years of seeing kids play on the street where cars go up and down he decided that it was time for a change on little Gibnut street.

    Rural Electrification Three Years Later
    A rural electrification project sponsored by the European Union is benefitting five hundred households and 13 banana farms in 27 communities across Southern Belize. The three-year electrification project kicked off in May of 2014, and, since then, communities from St. Margaret's on the Hummingbird Highway to Trio Village deep in the Toledo District have been connected to the national grid.

    Briceno, We Have One, We Want Two
    So, throughout the newscast, we've been talking about the upcoming municipal elections. The real question is how many can the PUP win - and that will be the true test of John Briceno's leadership. That's what we asked him yesterday:.. Jules Vasquez, reporter: "What would be a good benchmark for you all to say realistically we can win X number of municipalities?" Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition: "How many municipalities do we have? We have one. So if we win two, we are ahead. Let's put it this way. But more importantly we in the PUP fight for every election. We are going to fight the UDP in every municipality, despite the fact that they have padded the voting list. We are going to fight. I fight to win."

    SJC Vs. Wesley, All Over Again
    For weeks, it's been promoted as return to the rivalry of decades where basketball teams representing Wesley College and Saint John's College will face off to finally determine which school team is the best. The idea behind it is that the basketball greats from decades gone who were part of the teams from both schools will meet up on the basketball court tomorrow to see which school is the undisputed basketball champ. But, while it's going to be very entertaining to see who comes out on top between the methodists and the catholics, it's also for a worthy cause. The tickets have been sold, and all proceeds will go to funding scholarships for students attending both schools.

    Channel 5

    Businessman Omar Ortiz Lost in Accident on Slippery George Price Highway
    Well-known businessman Omar Ortiz left his home this morning en route to Galen University in Central Farm, Cayo, but he never arrived at his destination. Near the cut off to [...]

    Teachers’ Union Says Government Must Take Lands Corruption Seriously
    Belize’s two largest trade unions have come out swinging against the Government in the wake of the latest revelations into fraudulent and corrupt activities at the Ministry of Natural Resources. [...]

    P.S.U. Call for Works, Health to be Investigated as Well
    Meanwhile, the Public Service Union states in its release that corruption has been increasingly reported not only at Lands, but at the Ministries of Works and Health.  It says it [...]

    As Investigation Begins, Police Minister Calls on Colleague Gaspar Vega to “Deal with” Situation
    Orange Walk East Area Representative Elodio Aragon Junior also weighed in on the ongoing land scandal involving former cabinet colleague Gaspar Vega.  As Minister of State for Home Affairs, Aragon [...]

    To Err is Human; Aragon Says Boss P.M. Has Handled Circumstances Well
    While Aragon stopped short of elaborating on an ostensible criminal matter, he says that on a personal note, one must take into consideration the fact that these kinds of circumstances [...]

    A.G. Says Darlene Padron Will Be Questioned over Activity in Vega Case
    The fate of Darlene Padron, the Justice of the Peace who knowingly or unknowingly endorsed the fraudulent land document, lies with the Office of the Attorney General which is conducting [...]

    Public Officers Warned to Resist Ministers’ Requests
    Compounded with the ongoing Senate Special Select Committee inquiry on Immigration, in which several senior public officers have been implicated, in the P.S.U.’s words, of “outright corruption, wrongdoing and lack [...]

    Franz Parke Suggested for Court of Appeal Justice; Fitness Questioned
    Franz Parke, a Jamaican-American attorney, is being nominated for appointment to the Court of Appeal of Belize for a term of five years beginning with the October session. He was [...]

    U.S. Says Removal from ‘Kingpin’ List Does Not Clear John Zabaneh of Criminal Investigation
    You heard here on News Five how well known businessman John Zabaneh has been cleared of the ‘Kingpin’ label. Zabaneh and alleged associates were designated as a trafficking organization and [...]

    Washington Backs CICIG’s Ivan Velasquez; Will Not Tolerate Political Influence in Guatemala
    Protests continue in Guatemala where Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales attempted to remove the head of the U.N. anti-corruption commission, known as CICIG.  Numerous countries have denounced the attempt to expel [...]

    U.D.P. Names 7 to Take Back Orange Walk Town Council
    The United Democratic Party continues to roll out its roster of candidates in various cities and towns ahead of the March 2018 municipal elections.  This morning in Belize City, the [...]

    Former Mayor Philip de la Fuente Comes Home to U.D.P.
    Offering himself once more as mayoral hopeful for the United Democratic Party is a return to form for Phillip De La Fuente who parted ways with the U.D.P. in 2015, [...]

    Mayoral Candidate Confident of Taking Down P.U.P.’s Kevin Bernard
    De La Fuente’s biggest challenge will be unseating incumbent Kevin Bernard in March 2018.  The head of Orange Walk’s town council is a two-time mayor who has been able to [...]

    Cayo Pharmacy’s Vitamin B Syrup Supply Flagged by Ministry of Health
    For the second time a particular pharmacy in San Ignacio has been flagged by the Ministry of Health for the sale of an unauthorized drug. Neurobion syrup, in the two [...]

    Legal Action to be Taken If Pharmacists Don’t Tell Who Supplied Compromised Medicine
    It is not sure if the drugs were smuggled into Belize, and the pharmacy in question refuses to inform the Ministry of Health who supplied them with the unauthorized medication. [...]

    Orange Walk’s Lisandra Gutierrez Wants to Reign over KTV the Remix
    Tonight we bring you closer to Lisandra Gutierrez; she is one of four finalists in KTV, the Remix, who is hoping to capture the title and cash prize.  Lisandra is [...]

    Women, Power and Politics in Belize Under Discussion at Conference
    The national women’s commission held a first of its kind women in politics conference today. The event, held under the theme ‘Empowered Women: Empowering Women for Meaningful Change,’ brought together [...]

    B.N.T.U. Says Stand Up to Sedi If You Love Belize
    The Belize National Teachers’ Union has added its voice to those condemning Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington for his repeated statements that Belize’s borders are not internationally recognized, and [...]

    Healthy Living Visits Youth Enhancement Services
    By next week all children across the country should be back in the classroom for the new school year. In Belize, children ages fourteen and under must be enrolled in [...]

    Police Minister Says Investigation Into Vega Land Fraud Has Commenced
    Police Minister Elodio Aragon confirmed today that as requested by Prime Minister Dean Barrow the Police have commenced an investigation into the allegations of fraud made by private citizen Amy Forte in relation to the use of her name and signature on a land title which was falsely granted by former Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega and which documents show was fraudulently sold to and transferred into the name of the Minister’s son, Andre Vega’s name. Vega has admitted to the land transaction, but in a letter which his attorney Estevan Perera wrote to the CEO in Ministry of Natural Resources Sharon Parham Young yesterday, he claims that all transactions were facilitated through an unnamed land agent. He also admitted that he had never met Forte and that all he did was accept his land agent’s facilitation.

    Who Forged Amy Forte's Signature?
    As previously reported, the allegation by Amy Forte is that she was never aware of the land transaction; therefore, could have never obtained the Minister’s Fiat Grant 175 of 2009 declaring her the owner of a parcel of land measuring 3,826 square meters in Caye Caulker Village, nor could have signed the February 17TH 2010 Deed of Conveyance which transferred the land ownership to Andre Antonio Vega for an alleged $30,000. But while Forte has come out with the bombshell news, the reality is that on the documents there appears a signature above her name? And that signature is validated by Justice of the Peace Darlene Padron a well know acquaintance to Vega. And based on these two signatures Andre Vega through his attorney has indicated that the documents seemed genuine so he went ahead and purchased the land. Who then committed the forgery? That’s a question we hope police will be able to answer after the investigations conclude.

    Former Employee Of Lands Darlene Padron Needs To Be Investigated Says Opposition Leader
    The signatures of Amy Forte and former Lands Minister Gaspar Vega are not the only ones that have raised controversy. So too, as we’ve mentioned, has the signature of Justice of the Peace Darlene Padron whose signed name is affixed to the document as a person who witnessed in person, Forte’s signature on the documents. But if Forte has confirmed that she never signed any documents, then what did Padron witness, or is it that she too was a willing participant in a scheme to hustle land. Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceno told the media yesterday that considering Padron’s known UDP/Vega connections, she also needs to be investigated.

    PUP Leader..."It Was All About The Vegas"
    The PUP leader also discussed the particulars of the land controversy which came to light when a series of documents were leaked from the lands ministry. Documents showed how members of the Vega family were acquiring land, with Minister Gapar Vega selling cheaply to individuals who then turn around and sell to members of his family. But more obscenely are the cases of compensation made to the Vega family members, by the Government, for erroneous land sales. The fraudulent Forte land deal is just part of a compensation deal, in which Andre Vega ended up receiving prime land.

    BNTU And PSU Demand Investigation Into Land Hustle
    The Belize National Teachers Union and the Public Service Union of Belize today issued separate releases condemning the latest land hustle scandal at the Lands department as well as other allegations of corruption in Government Ministries under the United Democratic Party. The BNTU in their release reminds GOB of one of the eleven demands made during their eleven day strike last year, that Belize become a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Anti-corruption (UNCAC) so as to ensure that these matters are investigated and calls on the Prime Minister to take the issue of corruption in our country seriously.

    Breaking Belize NewsPJ

    Smart Cares!
    On Sunday, August 27, a inauguration service was held at the Centennial Park in Benque. Smart sponsored the play sets for the park through their Smart Cares program.

    Belize: An Honour Base System?
    By Godwin Sutherland Sr.: In theory our political construct presupposes that it would be honour base. In demonstration of this intent, our parliamentarians are all honourable men and women and have been so designated. It is for this reason that they are honour bound to execute their ministerial and collective obligations, in good conscience. Isn’t this our expectation?

    Omar Ortiz dies in fatal traffic accident
    This morning, Omar Ortiz lost his life in a fatal traffic accident. The businessman was travelling around Miles 30 and 31 when he lost control of his Toyota land cruiser. The vehicle flipped several times.

    PSU calls for investigation into Ministry of Lands and Works
    The Public Service Union (PSU) of Belize issued a statement today stating that it has noted the increased incidents of reported acts of corruption in several Government Ministries in particular the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Health.

    Belize Network of NGO’s calls on GOB to take immediate action against corruption
    Yesterday, the Belize Network for NGO’s (BNN) issued a statement reiterating its support for the […]

    Vehicle flips on George Price Highway
    This morning around 8:30, a cream Toyota land cruiser flipped on the George Price Highway. It […]

    Irma intensifies to Category 2 Hurricane
    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring Hurricane Irma over the Eastern Atlantic. According to […]

    Health Ministry warns of unauthorized Neurobión ® 50 mil syrup bottle circulating in Belize
    The Ministry of Health has issued a press release informing the public of an unauthorized […]

    Brother and son of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales on trial for fraud
    A fraud trial against the brother and son of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales began on […]

    Belize’s economy grows for second quarter
    Economic activity was up for all sectors in the second quarter of 2017, resulting in […]

    Ladyville man busted with homemade gun
    Yesterday, police in Ladyville detained a man for a homemade gun. At around 3p.m. yesterday […]

    July exports down, overall exports still up
    Despite having a 5.3 percent decline in exports for the month of July, Belize’s accumulated […]

    July cost of living up by less than 1 percent
    The latest data from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) shows that Belizeans paid an […]

    Blogs

    Time Inc.’s Coastal Living brand welcomes Mahogany Bay Village as a new Coastal Living Community in San Pedro, Belize
    Mahogany Bay Village in San Pedro, Belize is the latest community to join the COASTAL LIVING Communities collection. Mahogany Bay Village features 40+ private lifestyle residences and a bustling village center with all the luxuries, retail delights, green spaces and everyday conveniences of a master-planned resort community. Mahogany Bay Village also boasts over a mile of private white sand beach on the sunset coast of Ambergris Caye. Like the Mahogany Bay property, each residence in the collection will provide a memorable beachside experience through the best of seaside architecture, design, lifestyle and culture. Ambergris Caye will be the home of the COASTAL LIVING brand’s “Inspired Home” in 2017, an exclusive two-level single-family home product at Mahogany Bay Village to celebrate the COASTAL LIVING brand’s 20th anniversary.

    The 10 Best Belize Resorts
    From the reef to the rainforest, swanky offshore islands to rustic hillside retreats, Belize combines its the Caribbean and Central American assets into a “one-stop” vacation package that has something for every traveler. It’s the kind of destination that draws an eclectic mix of travel aficionados, including passionate beach-seekers, trekkers and top divers from around the world. But many are just looking for those signature Belize resorts, the places to stay that you can’t find anywhere else. So whether you want to laze on a beach; tour ancient Mayan ruins; or see jaguars and other jungle wildlife up close and personal, Belize definitely merits a spot on your 2017 must-see list. Here are the top 10 Belize resorts for every kind of getaway.

    OPPORTUNITY!
    REDD+ seeks to hire a Procurement Officer. Deadline to apply: September 8.

    Banana Accompanying Measures (EU-BAM) Electrification Project
    Five hundred households and 13 banana farms in 27 communities in Southern Belize now have access to safe and reliable electricity. The homes and farms were connected to the national power grid under the Banana Accompanying Measures (EU-BAM) Electrification Project funded by the European Union. Under the EU-financed project, the national electricity grid was extended in rural areas with the aim of improving the quality of life for residents and to support the local productive sector.

    Cayo 2017 September Celebrations
    The calendar for the SISE September Celebrations. There's a lot going on, starting tomorrow.

    International Sourcesizz

    Outtakes: Life Among the Modern Maya
    Not far from the crowded beaches of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, inland village life lies at the intersection of farming, ranching and attempts to conserve the remaining tropical jungle. For a Nature Conservancy story, Austin-based photographer Erich Schlegel traveled southeast to the Yucatan for three weeks in 2016 and 2017 to capture how local ranchers and farmers make a living while preserving the forest surrounding them. Many people there descend from the Maya and, in a landscape dotted with ruins from that civilization, they still depend on the land as their ancestors did, Schlegel says. “It’s a very intimate connection and respect for their land,” he says. “They realize that they need to take care of what they have now. They understand that it’s important for their survival.” The farmers are infusing ancient farming practices with modern science—updating their traditional milpa farming techniques (in which multiple crops are planted on a single field) to enrich soil. Ranchers are adopting silvopastoral practices, in which rotational grazing is used to improve pasture grasses, and strips of land are left forested in ranching fields. Since 2011, The Nature Conservancy has worked with Yucatan communities to establish these practices and to create a forestry management program that together help preserve tropical forests as a way of storing carbon emissions. (Read more about these projects in the Fall 2017 magazine story.)

    Guatemala gets strong USA support to strengthen her borders, yesterday's article from AFP:Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday unveiled a new border security force created with US help to patrol the frontier with El Salvador in an effort to fight cross-border crime. The unit of 150 police and 100 soldiers is called the Xinca Task Force and will use 32 patrol vehicles donated by the United States to cover the border area in the southeast of the country, Interior Minister Francisco Rivas told reporters. It adds to three other border forces already operating in Guatemala: the Tecun Uman group that patrols the border with Mexico to the north, and the Chroti and Trinational units along the El Salvador and Honduras borders. Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras together make up Central America's "Northern Triangle", which suffers violent gang crime, corruption and poverty, all of which fuel irregular emigration, mostly to the United States. The US has adopted a strategy of funding programs to promote stability and prosperity in the Northern Triangle while also trying to make irregular emigration from there more difficult and cracking down on organised criminal groups and drug smuggling. Rivas said he was sure that, with the new Xinca Taskforce, "the fight against narco-trafficking, and the smuggling of goods and people will happen in a much more effective way". — AFP

    Viking Productions Lands Food Deal In Belize Cruise Port
    Restaurant operator and distributor Viking Productions has landed the exclusive rights to operate food, beverage and confectionery services in the Belize City Tourism Village. The Montego Bay-based company, which operates regionally, says it will be rolling out the Belize operations primarily under its Sharkeez Bar & Grill brand, which is already operational in the busiest cruise port in the world, Nassau in The Bahamas. Viking is also the owner of three Hard Rock Cafe locations and 24 Harley-Davidson retail stores, and holds licensing and distribution rights to the Bob Marley and Red Stripe brands.

    Belize IFSC issues warning notice regarding Mindreframing Ltd.
    Belize financial regulator IFSC has issued a Warning Notice regarding a company called Mindreframing Ltd. It is hereby notified for general information that Mindreframing Ltd. with its registered office at 1257 Barrier Reef Crescent, Vista Del Mar Ladyville, Belize District, Belize, C.A., is no longer licensed by the International Financial Services Commission of Belize (IFSC) for Formation or management of international business companies or other offshore entities or to engage in any other International Financial Services.

    Caribbean Broadcasting Union Best Commercial Spot
    Special Mention: World Wildlife Fund – Save Our Heritage Ad – Great Belize Productions Ltd. – Belize Producers: Great Belize Productions, World Wildlife Fund.

    Un katún de investigación en Caracol, Belice
    Caracol, en Belice, fue uno de los sitios más grandes de las Tierras Bajas mayas del sur en el Clásico Tardío (550-900 d.C.). Su población aprovechó sus victorias militares y compartió una identidad que implicaba el uso de rituales y objetos similares por parte de los grupos residenciales. Ahora el sitio es un importante destino turístico. Un katún -20 años en la cuenta calendárica maya- de investigaciones arqueológicas ha permitido una visión detallada de Caracol, Belice, comunidad del Clásico Tardío. Caracol alcanzó su apogeo en 650 d.C. para entonces había derrotado militarmente a dos sitios de Guatemala, Tikal y Naranjo, y alcanzado la supremacía política en las Tierra Bajas del sur.

    Videos

  • Regional news - Flights diverted from Mexico City's Airport to Toluca due to flooding., 1/2min. El aeropuerto de México, que cerró hace como 2 horas. El A340-600 de Iberia fue desviado a Toluca y muchos otros vuelos fueron desviados y cancelados

  • LAND, AIR & SEA Adventures with Michael in Belize, 4.5min. Adventures with my guest here in Belize. Michael Davis based from Ambergris Caye.

  • The Blue Hole Belize 2017 Scuba Diving, 13min. A day dive with Frenchie's Diving. We dove at The Aquarium, Half moon caye and the Blue hole. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, tarpon, lobster, crabs, and beautiful corals. Shot with a Go pro hero 4 and a red polar pro filter.

  • Ambergris Cay, Belize, August 2017, 6.5min.

  • Reef Shark at Half Moon Wall - Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize, 1min. Reef shark does a drive-by as we dive Half Moon Wall in Belize.

  • TENSIONS FLARE IN CARMELITA VILLAGE AS RESIDENTS BLOCK ROAD LEADING TO THE SAND PIT, 5min. Tensions flared early this morning in Carmelita Village here in the Orange Walk District as a number of residents decided to block the street that leads to the village’s Sand Pit in protest of new developments that have been taking place in the area

  • For Love Of Country, 26min.

  • Belize Medical Associates, 35min.

  • Annual Back to School Trimming Drive to target 250 students in community, 15min.

  • Two-Foot Cow: Revitalising Indigenous Garifuna Dance, 3min. Warasa Garifuna Drum School is bringing back a traditional but fun Christmas dance to Punta Gorda, Belize for all to see.

  • PARASAILING IN BELIZE, 5min.


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