December 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

Nayobie’s Hope for Children Project to bring happiness to island children
The Nayobie’s Hope for Children Project will be hosting their second annual fashion show on Friday, December 22nd at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium in San Pedro Town. All proceeds from the event will go towards purchasing gifts for the less fortunate children of the island. The Nayobie’s Hope for Children Project is a non- governmental organization that is headed by a 14-year old girl named Nayobie Rivero along with the help of her family and friends. The organization was formed recently and focuses on conducting several fundraisers, to raise money to help unprivileged children of Ambergris Caye in many aspects. “Ever since I had class parties and Santa came, one kid in the class wouldn’t get a gift and I always asked myself why would Santa do such thing, then as I grew up I realized that it was because of the economic status of the family that they didn’t get a gift,” said Rivero.

Vildo Westby captured in Mexico; Ayuso family feels vindicated
On Friday, December 8th, news broke on the detainment of Vildo Westby in Las Choapas, Veracruz Mexico. Westby had been on the run since February of this year following the brutal murder of beloved island activist 44-year-old Felix Ayuso. According to Ayuso’s family members, they are grateful for the support the community has rendered and pleased that justice will finally be served. Reports from family members indicate that an anonymous tip led to the discovery of Westby’s hideout. The tip came from a resident of Las Choapas who alerted the family almost a week ago. Since then, family members traveled to Las Choapas to follow up on the tip which led to the successful apprehension of Westby by Mexican police. “We are overjoyed that he has been captured. Felix’s murderer will face justice,” said one of Ayuso’s sisters, Carmen Eiley. She further indicated that a $13,000 reward has been given to the person that tipped them off.

San Pedro R.C Teacher Reymundo Tun Passes Away
San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) Teacher Reymundo Tun passed away last weekend on Friday, December 1st. For over four years, Teacher Tun taught Standard one, Standard Four and Infant two classes at the SPRCS. According to SPRCS Principal Roxani Kay, he was out on sick leave from October of this year. “He was a very good teacher with a sense of humor. Teacher Tun will surely be missed by the entire staff and the students of SPRCS,” said Kay. Teacher Tun was found dead inside his home in the DFC Area. While no official postmortem examination was issued, San Pedro Police have ruled his death of natural cause.

Caye Notes
Free Eye Exam for the entire family from Stanford Professionals. Sunday, December 10th to Thursday, December 14th from 8:30AM to 4:30PM, daily at the San Pedro Lions Den Eye Clinic. Please bring along Social Security or other I.D. and sunglasses for after the eye test. The Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic Christmas Fundraiser will take place on Sunday, December 10th at the Caribbean Villas starting from 11AM to 5:30PM. There will be BBQ on sale for $15; giveaways of a 55” Flat Screen TV, hotel stays, tours, national flights, cell phones, golf cart rentals and bar tabs; as well as live music and several drink specials. Everyone is invited to come out and support a worthy cause.

BTB reports a Positive Increase in the Tourism Industry
For the past ten months of 2017, the tourism arrivals to Belize has been showing a positive trend according to a statistics report issued by Belize Tourism Board (BTB) on Monday, December 4th. The latest report shows that from January to October of this year, there was a 6.79% increase in overnight arrivals with a total of 341,777 visitors, representing over 26,265 more visitors than in the same time last year. Further shown in the industry’s statistics are that Ambergris Caye continues to be the leading tourism destination in the country, hosting 25% of all visitors to the country.

Two new garbage compactors for San Pedro Town
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) recently purchased two new garbage compactors, and on Tuesday, December 5th one of them arrived on the island. “We bought these garbage compactors because development on the island is increasing rapidly, so the amount of garbage is also increasing. We need to keep up with the demand,” said Mayor Daniel Guerrero. This is the third compactor acquired by the SPTC this year, with the first one purchased in January. With these two new garbage compactors, the island will now consist of seven trucks used to collect garbage across the island. Guerrero hopes that this will help decrease the amount of garbage not properly disposed of.

Mar de Tumbo Beach Easement Blocked and Moved to New Location
The blockage of an easement way used to access the Mar de Tumbo beach south of San Pedro Town has raised concerns among many island residents. The easement separating two large resorts, Grand Colony Island Villas, and Banyan Bay Suites, was always thought to be public property when indeed it belonged to the properties. It has now been confirmed that the pathway has been fenced closed in order to merge the two properties which are under the same management. The local authorities are in support of the development slated for the area and according to Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the developer has agreed to work on another easement north of their property in order to offer an alternative route for the general public to access the beach. The allegations that the alley was traded for political financial gain by local authorities was rebuke by Mayor Guerrero. The Mayor explained that the reason why San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) allowed the blockage of the easement was only if the resort would provide an alternative access to the beach.

Ambergris Today

Ayuso Family Releases Details Of Vildo Westby’s Capture
Ambergris Today made contact with the Ayuso Family members who have given details of their efforts to capture and apprehend Vildo Westby, wanted by local authorities for the murder of Felix Ayuso Jr. Through the family’s continued efforts and reward offered on the Justice for Felix page on Facebook, they inform that Vildo Westby has been detained by Mexican authorities. According to the Ayuso family, after receiving an anonymous tip from a person in Los Choapas, Veracruz of Westby’s whereabout, they quickly mobilized to do everything in their power to capture him.

Caye Caulker Village Receives New Fire Truck
The village of Caye Caulker has received a new fire truck which is now part of the fire-fighting fleet of the National Fire Service. The truck is a donation from US citizen James York of Beechwold Christian Church, Columbus, Ohio and was shipped to Belize through the assistance of the United States Air Force. It has a 1,000-gallon capacity tank and is capable of discharging water at 150 PSI (pounds per square inch). The handover ceremony took place on the island on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

Belize Coast Guard Females Giveaway Shoes
There were big smiles at the Holy Cross Anglican School as students were extremely happy to see military personnel handing out shoes at their school on Thursday, December 7, 2017. A team of The Belize Coast Guard Females along with US Marine Corps Civil Affairs Team were on hand to share the Christmas Spirit with the children. As part of an initiative to involve the Belize Coast Guard females in a community outreach program the girls partnered up with SHINE as a way to empower young girls and women of San Pedro. They held a shoe drive and about 150 children were fitted and given a pair of shoes as well as a coloring book and pencil.

Vildo Westby, Wanted Murderer Of Felix Ayuso, Detained In Mexico
Sources of Ambergris Today have confirmed that Vildo Westby, wanted for the murder of Felix Ayuso, has been detained by Mexican authorities and is being processed for his deportation to Belize. This information brings a sigh of relief for Felix’s family and the entire Ambergris Caye community who have been waiting for justice for the untimely death of a vibrant member of the community.

Misc Belizean Sources

Mr. Alberto Nuñez
Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Nuñez family and friends on the passing of Mr. Alberto "Don Beto" Nuñez. Mr. Alberto Nuñez, or as affectionately known as "Don Beto" served as Mayor of San Pedro Town from 1997-2003. Before his time as Mayor he ventured into working in various types of trades: in construction, as a fisherman, owned his truck service; he was a "Jack of all trades." His contribution to the island of Ambergris Caye were of passion and perseverance, as he had immense love for his island. We bid farewell to a true pioneer of San Pedro Town. May his soul rest in peace.

Crocodile Research Coalition's Research Coordinator gets WWF Travel Grant
Congratulations to our Research Coordinator Bets who has received a WWF Travel Grant to attend the 25th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC-Crocodile Specialist Group in Argentina!!!! We are so excited about this opportunity for him!

Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber Attends the Sixth Caricom Cuba Summit
Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, represented Belize at the Sixth CARICOM Cuba Summit held in Antigua and Barbuda today, 8 December 2017. The Summit, which is held every three years, took stock of the cooperation between Cuba and CARICOM and in particular received reports on the progress of two regional projects: Caribbean Regional School of Arts project and the Regional Centre for the Stimulation of the Development in Children, Adolescents and Young People in Jamaica and the Special Educational Needs Associated with Disabilities in Guyana.

Capacity Building for the Improvement of the Production and Uses of Coconuts
The Ministry of Agriculture’s Research, Development & Innovation Center in Central Farm, Cayo District has concluded a five-day training on capacity building for the “Improvement of the Production and Uses of Coconuts". This training is in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Mexican counterpart-SAGARPA. The training concluded today Friday, December the 12th, benefitting a total of 30 coconut growers and technical personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture and representatives from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). Facilitators for the training were coconut expert Dr. Feliciano Gerardo Balderas and Ms. Matilde Cortazar Rios, both from the Mexican National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries (INIFAP).

Theft and vandalism on Christmas Decorations in San Pedro
Good day everyone, we have received reports of vandalism and theft on our Christmas decorations around town. We are kindly asking the general public to please take care of these decorations as they are for the town and for everyone to enjoy. Please don't be removing or damaging items placed on the roundabouts and at Central Park. A lot of time, effort and money go into these decorations; therefore, it is sad and frustrating for people to be doing these acts with absolutely no consideration. Thank you for your consideration and understanding.

THE CANE SEASON HAS STARTED: THE SUGAR CANE AND THE NORTHERN MAYA OF BELIZE
The Sugar Cane was introduce in Northern Belize by the Yucatec Maya who fled Mexico during the devastating Yucatan Caste Wars of the 1840's . As the Maya fled to What would become Belize they moved to land already inhabited by a local Yucatec Maya group known as the Icaiché Maya . Also many of the Yucatec Maya rebel group known as the Cruzoob Maya came to Belize during and after the War. As a result, the area has been the scene of bloody skirmishes between the Maya Masewal and European loggers and other settlers . After the Guerra Social Maya(Caste War) from 1847-1930's many Yucatec Maya in Northern Belize became Cane farmers . Sugar cane became the main income for the Yucatec Maya(Maya Mestizo) communities in northern Belize . Best wishes to the Cane farmers for a fruitful crop .

Volleyball Team at the Central American Games
Team Belize completes its participation at the Central American Games with a tremendous amount of valuable experience. We are very proud of these players and commit to the ongoing development of Beach Volleyball in Belize.

COROZAL CHEERS UP FOR CHRISTMAS
One of the brightest things that has recently happened to our Corozal community is, literally, pretty clear. The outdated street lights in town with the yellow glare have almost entirely been replaced with more energy efficient brighter led lights. This initiative by our BEL company is certainly welcome by our Corozal town residents. These brighter street lights will play a major role in deterring petty crime and theft which has been plaguing our peaceful community, among other things, provide clear visibility in terms of traffic at night.

Rock the Reef: Corozal - FREE CONCERT and BUS RIDE
Bus leaves from the Corozal Central Park at 10:00 a.m. Saturday December 9th, and returns from Belize City at 6:30 p.m. (same day). There are 15 seats still available. For reservations call 653-3316 and ask for Ryan Rivera. This Concert is sponsored by OCEANA BELIZE - "Are you ready to Rock for the Reef? An all star lineup of Belizean artists will take center stage at the Memorial Park in Belize City on Saturday, December 9th at 2:00 p.m. THIS IS A FREE CONCERT. Free snacks and swag bags (while supplies last).

Cayo Music School 2017 Christmas Recital
The Cayo Music School is having their 2017 Christmas recital on Sunday, December 17th, starting at 6:00pm. It'll once again be at the beautiful San Ignacio Resort Hotel.

Gender-Based Violence resources in Belize City
Domestic Violence Unit - Police Department #9 Queen St., Belize City Telephone: (501) 223-1080 Hotline: 0 800 292 9688 Martha Reese Family (Magistrate) Court Bishop St, Belize City, Belize Telephone: (501) 227-4107 Intake officers famcourt@btl.net

Meet Mrs. Anita Zetina gender based violence advocate in the Belize District!
Her passion for gender based violence advocacy grew when she worked as the Educator/Trainer and then Director of the Women Department back in the 90’s. During her tenure, the first Domestic Violence Act came into realization. This meant facilitating training and awareness sessions on violence against women in all the districts. Mrs. Zetina also served on the Board of Haven House for many years and continues to support them in whatever way necessary, but particularly, in developing proposals to strengthen the work of Haven House. Likewise, she has supported the work of the Office of the Special Envoy.

Love FM Christmas Parade 2017
The Traffic Dept informs the general public that the Love FM Christmas Parade is this Sunday the 10th December. We are requesting the co operation of all to please not park along Pescador Drive or Barrier Reef Drive between the hours of 3:00pm and 9:00pm. This is to allow the parade to pass and be enjoyed by all. Thank you and hope to see you there. The parade will begin at 5:30pm from Boca del Rio down Laguna Drive into Pescador and then Barrier Reef Drive to the Central Park.

Institute of Archaeology visits Valley of Peace
Monsignor Romero RC School in Valley of Peace invited us to come be a part of their culture day celebration.

Rock the Reef Concert, bus from Benque through San Ignacio
We have a bus traveling from Benque through San Igancio, Belmopan and then Belize City and back for anyone who is interested in attending the concert! Bring your family and friends and help us celebrate that is Belize is saying NO to offshore oil! Inbox us or call 822-2792 for more information or to confirm a seat

Auditor General’s staff on sick-out
In a statement issued this morning, one staffer of the Auditor General’s announced a sick-out. “We are opposed to degrading and inhumane treatment of the AG to her staff as well as some of us being targets of workplace bullying” the staffer said. The statement reiterated that this is not a prank and call for investigation into their claims. So far it appears that no one has heard their plea. There has been no reaction from Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley.

Frequently asked question is what are my benefits in becoming a BTIA member?
Our response is in the accomplishments and advocacy section. Also take a look at what's coming up in 2018!

POLICE PRESS RELEASE ON ACCIDENT
On 8.12.2017 about 11:00 a.m., Belmopan police responded to a report of a Road Traffic Accident between miles 28 & 29 on the Hummingbird Highway. Upon arrival, 35-year-old Mark Westby, driver for Bowen & Bowen, reported that sometime between 10:30am and 11:00am today, 25-year-old Roy Bonnel, driver for Bowen & Bowen, was driving towards Dangriga Town in an 18-wheeler Bowen & Bowen truck,. Whilst travelling up a hill on a curve between miles 28 and 29, Bonnel lost control of the truck which overturned on its left side, trapping him behind the steering wheel. As a result, Bonnel suffered a broken lower left foot; Mark Westby, who was seated on the passenger side, complained of pain to the left side of his body.

Gold panners in southern Chiquibul use and leave behind camps
These camps would be used for a few weeks only and then they move to another area.

Kudos to the Belize Police Department, Belmopan Branch for assisting persons with diverse abilities as part of Disability Awareness Week!
"Sometimes the poor and the elderly are the most forgotten in our society", Superintendent Howell Gillett said. As part of Disability Awareness Week, Belmopan Police are assisting persons with diverse abilities. The week is being observed under the theme "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”.

Mr. Alberto "Beto" Nunez' Funeral Cortege
We ask the public to please not park or obstruct Pescador Drive and Black Coral street tomorrow, Saturday, and respect the funeral cortege of former Mayor of San Pedro, Mr, Alberto "Beto" Nunez . The cortege will leave his residence at 11:30am. Our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Channel 7

House Meets, No Vote on the 90 Million - Not Yet
There was a House Meeting in Belmopan today - but for all those of you who expected a drastic showdown on the vote for and against the 90.6 million owed to the Belize Bank - it didn't happen. That's because this house meeting had been scheduled from before the CCJ judgement was handed down on November 22nd. So today's sitting was the regular final house meeting of the calendar year. To vote on the 90 million - the Prime Minister will have to call a Special Sitting. But he will only do that after the Bank has formally served him with a certificate for the amount that is due on the award. That must be done within 21 days of the judgement, and we are at day 16. The PM today told the press that the dramatic meeting featuring the vote on the 90.6 million dollar award will probably come in the first week of January:...

PM Has "No Quarrel" With NTUCB Position to Pay In Installments
Back to court - but what the Prime Minister seems to want is something like what the NUTCB proposed, a Special Investigating Body to find out why Belize got stuck with the debt, and nothing to show for it. The Prime Minister said that - unlike the Chamber of Commerce - he has no quarrel with the NTUCB's resolution - even though they concluded that the 90.6 million dollars must be paid - in installments:... Jules Vasquez - Reporter: "The NTUCB put out a resolution..." Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister: "Completely different from the Chamber. That is my quarrel with the Chamber. The NTUCB said the monies should be paid in installments, whether in fact, that is possible by way of the vote of parliament is another matter..."

Auditor General In Trouble With Staff, PM Exploring Options
And speaking of quarrels - it seems the staff of the Auditor General's office has a big one with their boss, the Auditor General Dorothy Bradley. The staff staged a sickout in protest today. This is after they circulated a letter to the media saying, quote, "we are unable to function properly due to the EXTREME lack of knowledge of the appointed Auditor General." They warn, quote, "something has to be done because frustration and aggravation (are) approaching critical levels." End quote. Now, this is the same Auditor General responsible for those three damning reports detailing countless acts of corruption at the Immigration Department. She's a kind of sacred cow for anti-corruption crusaders but her staff is saying they are in quote, "full desperation mode," end quote.

PM On The Franze Parke Exit
And while the Auditor General is in a delicate position and faces an uncertain future, Justice of Appeal Franz Parke has already headed for the exit. Today, the Prime Minister discussed the unceremonious departure of his old college buddy - which came after the attorney for the leader of the opposition sent the government a letter detailing nine times Parke was brought under scrutiny for professional misconduct while working as a legal professional in the US. The PM says Parke could have defended his reputation, but figured it wasn't worth the trouble or the embarrassment to the judiciary:...

Marilyn Williams, Former UDP Candidate To Be High Court Judge
And while Parke has returned to Florida under a cloud, now, one of the Prime Minister's ardent supporters is about to ascend to the Supreme Court bench. Former UDP candidate and current chair of the Integrity Commission Marilyn Williams is expected to be sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court tin January. Today the PM said he agrees with the choice - but he didn't make it: Jules Vasquez - Reporter: "The ascension of Marilyn Williams, we are told she will be named to the Supreme Court. We know she is a quite ardent supporter of yourself and of your administration and a former candidate."

Rasheed Charged For Trying To Kill Cousin Russell Juniour
When we left you yesterday, it was with the news that 26 year old wanted man, Rasheed Hyde had just turned himself in to Cayo Police. He was wanted for for the attempted murder of his own cousin, 24 year old Russell Hyde Jr. Russell was shot at a meat shop in Santa Elena by someone who lured him there from his Belmopan home. Well, police say it's Rasheed who pulled the trigger while 48 year old Michael Mendoza helped him out.

Flames Engulf Old Wooden Home On Southside
Another city home was destroyed by fire at midday - this time it was on Allenby Street - about a half mile from our studio in the Queen Square area. The owner, 61 year old Marie Ariola was inside the house cooking when the fire started in an upstairs bedroom. Fortunately Ariola got out just in time before the flames engulfed the entire wooden structure. A neighbor gave us an account of what she saw off camera. Voice of - Area Resident: "I was almost at the corner and I saw the smoke but it wasn't that big, so I went by the window and I told the guys in the barber shop to come out because a little kid just told me a lady upstairs is screaming and I saw smoke but it wasn't big. So afterwards I ran and told the guys to come. It appeared that the lady in the house and it was on fire but it wasn't big and after I called the lady and screaming for help."

18 Wheeler Tumbles Off One Of Those Hummingbird Hills
There was an accident this morning on the Hummingbird Highway in which a Bowen & Bowen truck overturned on one of those deep rolling hills. Fortunately, no one was killed, but the driver and his side-man are now recovering from the injuries they suffered. It happened sometime between 10:30 and 11:00, between miles 28 and 29. 25 year-old Roy Bonnel was driving the 18-wheeler along with 35 year-old Mark Westby. They were heading towards Dangriga. While they were climbing up a hill on a curve, Bonnel reportedly lost control of the truck. It ran off the road, and flipped over on its driver's side. The accident caused Bonnel to be trapped behind the steering wheel, and he suffered a broken lower left foot. Westby, who was seated in the passenger side, complained about pain to the left side of his body.

Oil Moratorium Legislation Passes With Bi-partisan Support
We've already shown you a whole lot from Belmopan tonight - but we haven't even touched any of the House business. And that's because there wasn't much. The only bill of serious mention is the Moratorium on Offshore Oil Exploration known as the Petroleum Operations Bill, 2017. In a rare show of bi-partisanship, this one had PUP support. Opposition Leader John Briceno called it a people's victory :... Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition: "This is a victory of the people Madam Speaker, because it of what they say "people power" that today we are working on this bill that we hope will soon become an act and law of the land." "Look at the Spanish Lookout oil field. What did we get? We got a little over 600 million dollars Madam Speaker. Oil done. Money done. And what do we have to show for it? Poverty didn't go down. We didn't say we give thousands of students scholarships out of the oil money, but the money gone, the money finished, the oil finished. The point I'm trying to make, we can't risk for a little bit of oil to do oil exploration into our waters, because when you look at the Belize Barrier Reef, in my mind, the Belize Barrier Reef gives us more than 600 million dollars every year."

Cayo South Rep. Speaks Up For Slain Villager
But those were pretty much the only sparks that flew the whole day. Even when the often pugnacious Julius Espat stood up to speak on the killing of 20 year old Teakettle Villager Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez - he tried to be constructive, not combative. Espat says it happened din his division where he claims villagers fear police:... Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South: "This person was not charged for anything that was killed. This person had no criminal activity, but yet the security forces went in and as a consequence of the person being shot, Madam Speaker, he died. Well people well he choked to death, but why did he choked to death? Well it could be 1) because the shot created something in his body for solids to be able to stuck in his throat. That is a possibility..."

DPM Faber With Raul Castro At CARICOM Cuba Summit.
We didn't see Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber at today's House Meeting in Belmopan. That's because he was representing Belize today in Antigua And Barbuda for the 6th CARICOM Cuba Summit. It is held every 3 years, and at today's summit, the representatives of the CARICOM Nations took stock of the cooperation agreement between CARICOM and Cuba, particularly in 2 areas. Those were the Caribbean Regional School of Arts Project, and the Regional Centre for the Stimulation of the Development in Children, Adolescence and Young People in Jamaica, and the Special Educational Needs Associated with Disabilities in Guyana.

Civil Aviation Dept. Celebrates Their Day With Style
Yesterday, all over the world, those who work in the civil aviation industry celebrated International Civil Aviation Day. In Belize, the Civil Aviation Department postponed their observance until today when they inaugurated the newly built and equipped second floor of their headquarters at the Philip Goldson International Airport. 7News was there, and Daniel Ortiz got to see a few of the new toys that the Air Traffic Controllers got just in time for Christmas. Here's his story: The Minister of Civil Aviation and the President of COCESNA were the VIP's who cut the ribbon and officially opened the 2nd Floor of the Civil Aviation Department's Headquarters. It was the highlight of today's celebration of International Civil Aviation Day. And why not? This building houses the state of the art equipment for the Air Traffic Controllers, newly purchased and installed. In fact, just to access the building, one has to scan his or her thumbprint.

The Craft Of Coconut Production
For most, especially coconut connoisseurs, cutting and peeling a coconut is simple, second nature. Well, a lot more goes into the production of coconuts. And to ensure that coconut growers have a full grasp of that process, the Ministry of Agriculture hosted a 5 day training on the production and uses of coconuts. Some of the areas covered include: The types of coconuts used for planting and consumption of coconut water, diseases impacting the industry, measures and methods on how to make the coconut farms more resistant to the diseases and best harvesting practices among other topics. 30 coconut growers participated. The training concluded today.

Rowan Returns, Triumphant
Rowan Garel is in Belize to celebrate his big win as this year's Caribbean Adventure Ambassador. He bested 4 other competitors with the most votes. To welcome this regional champ home, his supporters organized a motorcade which started from the PGIA and moved into Belize City at the BCVI parking lot. Garel told us he was surprised to find out he would be the star of the parade. Rowan Garel - Caribbean Adventure Ambassador: "It's really an honor being in this motorcaded, didn't expect anything like this when I got back."

Hon. "Reemo" Raves About Rowan
And from the streets of the city to the seat of power in Belmopan, Rowan's area representative sang his praises at the National Assembly Building:... Hon. Kareem Musa - Caribbean Shores: "I wish to recognize, honour and congratulate a young community leader and if I dare say a national hero in my opinion and that is young Rowan Garel. Just 2 days ago Rowan made history again and this time across our region by being named this year's Caribbean Adventure Ambassador. At just 19 years old Rowan is a great example of dedication, energy and greatness of youth. On behalf of the residence of Caribbean Shores Madam Speaker and the people of Belize I offer big respect and congratulations to Rowan for showing us how the active citizen should participate."

A GOB Gift For Every Blue Boy
And that was a rare feel-good moment for the Caribbean Shores Representative who is often on the political attack. And, mostly, that was the mood that prevailed at today's three hour house meeting. In fact it ended with bouquets of Christmas cheer, both in cash and in kind, being volleyed across the house floor:... Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister: "May I just say to colleagues on the other side that plantain noh di eat like rice but there is a little $12,500 for each of you for Christmas cheer so that your constituents would be able to [buy turkey], right!" "No man, we go through Ministry of Human Development, you just put in your order and they will do. Merry Christmas Madam Speaker, Merry Christmas to you."

UDP Doubled Up On Cheer
And while the PUP representatives were grateful for the $12,500 in Christmas cheer for their constituents - the press had to look that political gift horse all the way down its mouth - to find out that their UDP counterparts got twice that:... Reporter: "Its $12,500 for the opposition so I would ask you how much are the government's side getting?" Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow: "You are a hell of a fellow, not even the opposition asked that and you want to know that. Nothing is secret sir and you know we never try to conceal anything. We will get double sir."

Hon. Oscar, The "Gargon" of Independence Hill
And in one more humorous touch from today's meeting, Toledo West Representative Oscar Requena stood up to ask for urgent intervention on behalf of the Santa Cruz villagers who live near the Yok Balum Cave. He says they cannot access the cave for tourism purposes because NICH won't let them. The PM said he doesn't have to impress them with his advocacy :..

A Different Kind of Police Drama
We know about the GSU, SPU, Southside Strike Team and K-9 Unit but we don't hear too much from the police drama club. Yes, there are some talented and funny actors in the police department who can put on a good show. Today, they went around to different city schools to perform a skit. We dropped by to see them in action at the Nazarene High School and one of the lead actors told us more about their message. There are 16 members in the Police Drama Club. The club was formed several years ago and they perform every year during the 16 Days of Activism. This year they took their show on the road starting off in Corozal and Orange Walk then to Benque and Belize City.

Belizean Athletes To CA Games
Yesterday we showed the track and field athletes who left for the Central American Games in Nicaragua. Well today the Belize male and female National Volleyball Teams had their turn. Before their flight, we got a chance to speak with them. Here's what they told us about their expectations: This year's Central American Games end on Sunday, December 17.

A First Bronze For Belize
So far, Belize has only earned one medal and that's a bronze in basketball. We leave you tonight with the medal ceremony for that event - which was held last night in Managua. The video is courtesy William Ysaguirre. Enjoy...and have a great night and a super weekend. Join us back here on Monday.

Channel 5

P.M. Says Hold Off on U.H.S. Debt Payment until House Meets Next
The last House of Representatives meeting for 2017 was more even-tempered than usual, perhaps reflecting the current season. Members debated two motions and passed four outstanding bills, including the legislation [...]

Thumbs Up for N.T.U.C.B.; Down for Chamber, Belize Bank
All this week News Five has been covering the various reactions from across the political spectrum, including from the vaunted “social partners” of the Government. They have all told the [...]

Why Franz Parke Had To Go
Jamaican-American attorney Franz Parke’s brief second tenure as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Belize came to an end earlier this week. In the days since his departure, [...]

Marilyn Williams Moving Up to Supreme Court
In other judicial news, the complement of the Supreme Court is to increase by two starting in January. One of the appointees is none other than attorney Marilyn Williams, a [...]

Hold Up at Gas Depot Caught On Camera
Sometime around two o’clock on Thursday afternoon, a pair of armed men entered a compound near mile two on the George Price Highway and proceeded to hold up employees of [...]

Accused Killer, Accomplice Surrender to Police
Twenty-six-year-old Rasheed Hyde is in custody tonight after surrendering himself to police earlier today.  The Georgeville resident has been charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means [...]

Accused Murderer of Felix Ayuso Nabbed in Mexico
He has been on the run for more than six months, but tonight wanted man Vildo Westby is in police custody. Westby was the prime suspect in the murder of [...]

Senior Citizen Loses Home to Fire for Second Time
A sixty-one-year-old Belize City woman managed to get out of her burning house on Allenby Street at about midday today. A fire spread quickly and could not be contained destroying [...]

Ambassador Rowan Comes Home; Gets Big-Up in House
Rowan Garel is the new Caribbean Adventure Ambassador for the region. Garel was among several other persons shortlisted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization and after a voting period, the inspiring [...]

Auditor General and Colleagues at War; Can P.M. Intervene?
Auditor General Dorothy Bradley appears to be at war with her own colleagues in the Supreme Audit Institution. Today, News Five received reports that employees staged a “sick-out” in protest [...]

The Oil Moratorium is in Effect
Seven years of work has resulted in an overturn of the status quo ante regarding offshore petroleum operations in Belize’s marine territory. With little debate and bipartisan support, the National [...]

Taiwan Comes Through Again – US $40 Million over 4Years
The eagerly-awaited motion on Universal Health Services was not tabled today, but another money-related motion was. A forty-million U.S. dollar motion for a loan from the Export-Import Bank of the [...]

The Last Gasp of Petrocaribe in the House
The Government also introduced the third General Revenue Appropriation Supplementary Bill of 2017, concerning the last of the Petrocaribe funds spent by Government. After several years of riding high on [...]

Can Police Turn Over a New Leaf?
On the adjournment, a variety of topics were raised, usually about outstanding current issues. One is the ongoing battle between police and citizens, exemplified in the recent death of Edwin [...]

Christmas Wishes and Cheer from Belmopan
Our last story from the House of Representatives is a positive one, and may even be anticipated in some quarters. There were wishes of goodwill from both sides of the [...]

Special Olympians in Action
The Special Olympics games culminated Disabilities Week today. Over three hundred athletes converged at the Marion Jones Stadium in the city; the largest contingent came from Orange Walk, and the [...]

Anniversary and New Offices for Civil Aviation Department
The Government of Belize and COCESNA have invested roughly thirteen million dollars for better management and security for the airspaces within Belize. Today the Department of Civil Aviation officially opened [...]

Honoring Relationship between CARICOM and Cuba
The Sixth CARICOM Cuba Summit took place in Antigua and Barbuda, where Belize is being represented by Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber.  The top-level diplomatic conference is held triennially and [...]

University of Belize Debuts MBA Program
The first graduate’s program was launched at the University of Belize this past Thursday, opening new opportunities for Belizean students to pursue higher education here at home.  The first program [...]

A Mom’s Life with Disabled Kids
Raising children with disabilities is a challenge for any family. Tonight, through the National Resource Center for Inclusive Education of the Ministry of Education, we go inside the home of [...]

Please Keep Giving to Salvation Army
It’s Christmas time and the bells are ringing – that’s the salvation army kettle bells. If you are going about the city, you are bound to see the season’s symbolic [...]

Bodybuilders Off to Central American Games
A team of Belizean bodybuilding and fitness athletes is getting ready for the Central American Games. After three rounds of vetting, Mister Belize Clayton Greenidge, and four other well-known bodybuilding [...]

Capturing the Impact of HIV/AIDS in Art
Five young artists used their talents to create works of art to show why HIV/AIDS patients have a right to medical access.  On Thursday, the National AIDS Commission donated the [...]

LOVE FM

Last House Meeting for 2017
Today the House of Representatives met in Belmopan, but, not to vote on the ninety million dollar UHS debt. That sitting has yet to be called and the Belize Bank Limited is determined to collect what is owed. Courtenay Coye LLP Law firm has written to the Attorney General, Michael Peyrefitte, on behalf of the […]

PM reveals the Reason Behind Parke’s Resignation
Four days ago, Franz Parke resigned from the post of Justice of the Court of Appeal. His resignation came unexpected for many, but for a few in the PUP it was no surprise. A week before the announcement was made, the PUP through its attorneys sent a letter to Solicitor General Nigel Hawke. The letter […]

Is Chief Justice unable to Handle his Case Load?
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin was supposed to hand down the ruling in the Gaspar Vega versus Ramon Cervantes case today. This is according to a projected schedule for delivery of outstanding judgments by the Chief Justice published earlier this year. That did not happen, as we have noticed with other judgments scheduled for delivery. As […]

PM on Leader of Opposition buck heads on Oil Moratorium
At the sitting of the House of Representatives today, the Petroleum Operations (Maritime Zone Moratorium) Bill went through its final reading. The bill seeks to impose a moratorium on oil exploration and other petroleum operations in the maritime zone of Belize. While the bill received bi-partisan support Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the Opposition Leader […]

Taiwan continues to Financial support Belize
A loan motion of forty million US dollars from the Republic of China, Taiwan, was read today at the Sitting of the House of Representatives in Belmopan. The Government of Belize through its bi-lateral program of economic cooperation and development with the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has received an offer of further […]

Mexico to hand over Vildo Westby to Belize
Reports are that Vildo Westby is in custody of Mexican authorities and is expected to be handed over to law enforcement officers in Belize. Westby is wanted by Police in connection with the murder of 44-year-old Felix Ayuso who was murdered in early February in San Pedro. His body was found with multiple stab wounds. […]

Rasheed Hyde surrenders to Police
On Thursday the police department issued a wanted poster for 26-year-old Rasheed Hyde. He was being sought by police for the attempt on Russell Hyde Junior’s life on Monday of this week. Today police confirmed that Rasheed Hyde, who is a cousin to Russell Hyde, handed himself into police on Thursday. San Ignacio Police have […]

Family loses Everything in House Fire
Two years ago a family managed to save their home from being destroyed by fire; unfortunately, this time around the house was completely gutted by fire. The fire broke-out sometime before noon this morning at #3 Allenby Street and now the family is left homeless. Lovenews spoke with the neighbor who witnessed the fire. Neighbour […]

Traffic Accident sends Man to the Hospital
A man was seriously injured after the truck he was in overturned on the Hummingbird Highway. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. Fem Cruz, Love FM “A driver of a Bowen and Bowen delivery trailer truck narrowly escaped death after he overturned and was trapped inside the truck he was driving. Love News understands that sometime around […]

Findings into Plane Crash has not been released
The results of an investigation into the incident where a Tropic Air aircraft crash-landed in the sea moments after it attempted lift-off at the Placencia airstrip in November are still to be released. Today Director of Civil Aviation Lindsay Garbutt says they are awaiting the report. Lindsay Garbutt – Director of Civil Aviation “Our responsibility […]

Rowan Garel is the Caribbean Adventure Ambassador
Rowan Garel has been bestowed with the title of the Caribbean Adventure Ambassador. Garel won the title after receiving a total of 1975 votes. Garel is a Belizean who was born blind; however, he does not allow his blindness to limit him. Garel has undertaken many daunting activities such as climbing the Victoria Peak, which […]

UB launches Graduate Program
The University of Belize has launched its first graduate program. The Master of Business Administration program will last for 18 months. Chairman of UB’s Board of Directors, Harrison Pilgrim spoke of the importance of the program. Harrison Pilgrim – Chairman “What an MBA graduate brings to the organization is fresh eyes, fresh insights, fresh ideas, […]

Challenges ahead for Sugar Industry
The sugar industry faces some serious challenges ahead following the price cuts in the European market. That’s only one, however, as the changes now push the industry to adapt to competing with other sugar producing countries worldwide which enjoy lower production costs. Additionally, the global market prices fluctuate. To help improve its competitiveness and find […]

Amputees will be able to walk again with Prosthetic Leg
Many of us take walking for granted while others can only dream of walking. Persons who have lost a leg have difficulty to move around and enjoy life like the rest of us. At times, these persons even lose hope since their disability restricts them. Many amputees can only dream of walking again since a […]

Audit Employees at odds with Auditor General.
Yesterday Love News broke the story of rising tensions within the Audit Department. As we reported, public service workers within the Audit department are not happy with the Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley. Love News has been in constant contact with several of the employees and from the documents and recordings we have received, frustrations within […]

Amandala

House meeting today
When the Government of Belize announced that it was holding a meeting of the House of Representatives today, Friday, many assumed that it was to vote on the $90 million payment the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had ordered the Government to make to the Belize Bank to honor a guarantee for a loan to the Universal Health Services (UHS) in 2006, which had ballooned from $33.5 million to over 90 million because of accrued interest. Today’s meeting of the House, however, will not include that much-anticipated debate, but other matters will be dealt with. There are two motions that will be tabled — one for a US$40 million loan from The Republic of China (Taiwan) to be disbursed in 4 equal payment installments over four years from 2017 to 2020, and two, to reappoint Contractor General Godwin Arzu for a further two years.

Two armed robbers hit butane gas depot at Mile 2, George Price Highway
Two men, one of them armed with a handgun and the other armed with a knife, pulled of a daring robbery around 2:00 p.m. today at a butane gas depot around Mile 2 on the George Price Highway, and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. A worker who is not stationed at this particular depot was brought here to hold over while the truck driver and the woman who works in the office were taken to the police station to give their statements about what had transpired. The worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that the two men rode calmly on to the compound carrying a small gas tank, pretending that they had come to buy butane.

Prisoner sodomized at Belize Central Prison
A prisoner on remand at the Kolbe-managed Belize Central Prison was sodomized on two separate occasions and prison officials apparently decided they would attempt to cover up the incident when family members of the victim tried to visit him on Monday. Police, however, confirmed that the incident occurred, and a report had been made to them by the victim. The mother of the 21-year-old man, who has been on remand since November for an allegation of a sexual nature, told Amandala today that she and her son’s father were turned away from the prison on Monday, and denied access to visit their son, without any proper explanation.

No “road map” on Senate hearings until perhaps middle of January
After months of probing, the Senate Special Select Committee today held its final session to investigate the findings of the special audit of the Department of Immigration and Nationality for the period 2011-2013. Auditor General Dorothy Bradley was the last person to testify in a session that lasted no more than an hour. After her exit, our newspaper spoke with the acting chairman of the committee, Private Sector Senator Mark Lizarraga. When we asked, “what next”, he responded, “Well, the first thing is we are going to take a much-needed break. We are meeting again on the 13th, the second Wednesday in January, I think, to decide and chart our way forward.”

Brendon Ormin Vallecio, 15, went on excursion to Flores, Peten … and disappeared
Brendon Ormin Vallecio, 15, a student of Santa Familia, Cayo District, went on an excursion with a church group to a water park in Flores, Peten, Guatemala, yesterday, and disappeared during the trip. The group contacted the Guatemalan police at about 5:00 yesterday evening when they noticed that Vallecio’s passport and his wallet containing his cash had been left in his bag in the bus. Guatemalan police assisted his colleagues to search for him, but the effort was in vain. His family was informed and they travelled to Peten today to continue the search. Latest reports are that Vallecio has still not been found.

Belize Men’s National Basketball Team wins Bronze Medal at Central American Games in Nicaragua
The Belize Basketball Federation (BBF) extends hearty congratulations to the players and coaches of the National Basketball Team for their stellar play which led to bronze medals for Belize in the XI Central American Games being held in Nicaragua. These represent the first medals for Belize at the Games. In a hard-fought battle, Team Belize played their hearts out and held on to close out a 63-58 victory over Honduras to secure bronze. While the team was shooting for gold, this achievement against tough competition is encouraging for the BBF’s National Team Programme. Head Coach Milton Palacio, former NBA, Euroleague and Team Belize standout player, has pledged his commitment to continue the process of rebuilding the National Team Programme in developing young players and coaches going forward, and in preparation for the upcoming international basketball competition cycle.

Dangriga youth, Demille Flores invited to Rush Select Program in US
Dangriga’s Demille Flores, 14, has been invited to attend the Rush Select Program at the Presidents’ Day Tournament as one of the top 16 Rush players in his age group. Demille had participated last month in the Rush Select 2004/2005 Boys ID Camp, an event for 60 boys and 60 girls of the U13 – U15 age groups, where the Rush Select staff trained and evaluated them. The Rush Select Technical Staff selected him based on nominations from Rush Technical Directors there. The Presidents’ Day Tournament is a college showcase tournament February 15 – 19, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona.

2nd leg semifinals results in BFA – Saldivar Kids, Youth & Female Cup Late Tournament 2017
The 2nd leg in the best-of-2 games semifinals of the Belmopan Football Association’s (BFA) Hon. John Saldivar Kids, Youth & Female Cup Late Tournament 2017 was held on Saturday and Sunday, December 2 & 3, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium. In game 1 on Saturday, (U-13) Spanish Lookout crushed Bandits, 6-2, with 2 goals each from Randy Elias (1’ & 13’) and Derrick Guerra (8’ & 40’), and 1 from Jonathan Guenther (17’) along with an own goal from the Bandits’ Kristian Jones (11’ OG); while Bandits’ got a goal each from Luis Montero (14’) and Kevin Young (39’). (1st leg – Spanish Lookout 3:2 Bandits; aggregate score – Spanish Lookout 9:4 Bandits.) Game 2 saw (U-13)...

Stann Creek F.A. 1st Division Cup 2017 quarterfinals results
Quarterfinals knockout games were held over the weekend for the Stann Creek Football Association’s (SCFA) 1st Division Cup 2017 tournament at the Carl Ramos Stadium. Two quarterfinal games were played on Friday night, and the other two on Sunday afternoon. In the opener on Friday, December 1, Ecumenical High School and B & B Land Sharks played to a 3-3 tie in regulation. Myreque Francis (39’), Zion Ramos (56’) and Izon Gill (86’) each gave the lead to Ecumenical; while B&B managed to tie the score each time through Carl Saravia (44’), Carlos Lino (62’) and Alexander Peters (90’).

Editorial: A strange silence
As we write this editorial early Thursday morning, December 7, 2017, it is definitely interesting, and perhaps even strange, that, to the best of our knowledge, there has been absolutely no comment in the Belizean media about the headline story in this newspaper published 48 hours ago. The headline in our Tuesday issue this week read: “FBI DOCUMENTS LINK GOLDSON WITH CUBA IN 1967.” For sure we understand, by way of possible explanation for the silence, that we are talking about fifty years ago, that the younger generations are in a different Belize today, and the older generations are focused on Christmas. But, we are talking about the internationally known FBI (The Federal Bureau of Investigations), and we are talking about the legendary Hon. Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson, a national hero of Belize, a member of the Belize House of Representatives from 1965 to 1998, and a high-ranking leader of four important political parties in Belize, including the two major political parties today – the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP).

From The Publisher
Generally speaking, I am a human rights advocate, I would say, but if there is one thing you will learn in the streets, especially if you do any kind of gambling, it’s that there are people who are losers. You can’t do anything to help them. Mother Teresa would not be able to help them. Losers are human beings who are almost addicted to losing. They feel that their losing was intended to be, I guess, and that somehow the world is against them. Even when they are winning, they are half expecting to start losing, and when that losing occurs, they exude strange vibes, frustration for sure, but it is more than frustration: it is as if losing is what they know best, and it brings them to a comfort zone which almost seems sometimes like happiness. I ain’t kidding. The Hustler is one of the greatest gambling movies ever, featuring Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson, a young pool shark. (For those of you with cloistered virtue, pool is pocket billiards.) There is a classic scene with classic dialogue when Newman finally arrives in the big city, where he challenges the veteran pool kingpin, Jackie Gleason (Minnesota Fats), to a high stakes pool contest – game after game after game … Fast Eddie is a brilliant pool player, and after a while he begins to establish technical superiority over Fats.

Wuss dan prostitute …
Dear Editor, Call me DUTTY MOUTH, but NO JOKE! (Plus afta dis, me stap talk!) My lee kountry tun wuss dan prostitute! At least prostitute get paid fi “deh ting.” Eena mi lee kountry, we give weh “wi ting”, get abused, plus pantappadat, haffu pay fi di abuse? Me stap talk. BEB

End game: da weh deh want?
Editor Amandala, Sir, 1. Somebaddy stab di patient … di patient di hemorrhage, so deh rush ah da Accidents & Emergency. (Unnu betta no dare call my hasspital: Kill Him Murder Her—KHMH!) 2. Normally, when pipple di bleed fram wah stab wound, latta ting go aahn eena A&E. 3. One ah di fus (first) ting weh deh do …or weh deh suppose fih do … dah fi try prevent death fra circulatory shock. (Usually police also show up dah A&E fi du weh deh suppose to do). 4. But ah hear dat deh di force dis bleeding patient fi give more blood, iyah! 5. Deh di tell dis bleeding patient dat IF eeh noh give blood, eeh wah dead! (An already anemic … and now bleeding patient is now supposed to give more blood … to “survive.”)

Compton Fairweather sheds “some light” on the FBI’s Goldson files
TO SAY THAT THE LATE HON. PHILIP S.W. GOLDSON HAD AN ALLIANCE WITH FIDEL CASTRO OR THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DURING HIS POLITICAL CAREER IS A FIGMENT OF SOMEBODY’S IMAGINATION The aftermath of the John F. Kennedy assassination in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963 resulted in all kinds of conspiracy theories. Some were withheld in secret files, 2,800 of which were declassified on October 26th this year. Apparently British Honduras had been mentioned in those recently released. I believe I can shed some light on how Belize or British Honduras was mentioned, during December of 1967 and January of 1968, although I admit I have not seen or read these recent reports. First of all, the FBI would not have investigated Mr. Goldson: that would have been the job for the CIA. The agency was active in Belize during the 1960s.

Capitulation
I went to bed on Tuesday with the mind to lend whatever feather or feathers I have on my pen, to the 13th senator and the Alternative Vote. Yes, I read the Belizean Stanislaus’ call again for Belize to institute the elected senate. The PUP endorsed the elected senate in 2008, and had it placed on the ballot. That same year the UDP endorsed a senate featuring the 13th senator, but that did not appear on the ballot. The vote for the elected senate in 2008 wasn’t a straight read. For some, it was an election gimmick from a party that had long run its course. If the PUP had done the honourable thing, dissolved House in 2006 or 2007, when it was clear as day that the people had had enough of their rule, people might have looked at their manifesto, and their proposal that we shift to an elected senate. I am saying that in 2008 it was hard for Belizeans to look at anything coming from the blue camp.

The UHS obligation: when conventional truth is exposed to be false
The Buddhists have long since taught the Doctrine of Two Truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. Albeit the doctrine has been the subject of some debate and confusion, the doctrine in essence acknowledges that truth can be perceived differently depending on depth of consciousness. It is indeed often the case that a proposition becomes true simply because a majority of people believe it to be true. This form of truth is often indistinguishable from common perception. It is however also true that common perception may simply be wrong so that a “truth” founded on common perception can be exposed as false.

From UBAD supporter to head of government department: Part of Clinton Gardiner story
In the late 1960s, the Lands Department in Belize City, located on the second floor of the Paslow Building, was a hotbed of activities for some of its young staffers who were openly sympathetic to, or were actual members of, the new black power organization, United Black Association for Development (UBAD), that had become a dominant feature in the life of the colonial Belize City. These young UBAD members and supporters would not have been able to survive and thrive in the civil service, if the department was not under the leadership of a brilliant, visionary man, James Valancourt Hyde. “If I go back as far as 1967, I graduated out of St. Michael’s College along with the likes of our prime minister and foreign minister,” Clinton Clarence Gardiner told Amandala in an exclusive interview this week, when he was asked how he became a UBAD supporter. “Then I did one year at St. Michael’s 6th Form, before I transferred over to SJC 6th Form. There I met Michael Hyde, and we became close, despite objections by Father Zinkle.”

Audiaz Lopez, 24, dies in traffic accident
Audiaz Lopez, 24, of Nuevo San Juan, Orange Walk District, a well-known cargo dispatcher of the San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi of Belize City, died in a traffic accident sometime last night. He was found dead at about 4:30 this morning on a feeder road between San Pablo and San Juan, Orange Walk District. Police said that at about 4:30 this morning they went to the scene in San Pablo, where they saw a man lying face-down on the roadside with head and body injuries, and he was already dead. He was identified as Audiaz Lopez. Near him was an extensively damaged motorcycle, with its headlight broken. Lopez was taken to the morgue at the Northern Regional Hospital.

Senator Elena Smith, BNTU prez, falls victim to robbery
In an exclusive interview today with Amandala, president of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU), Senator Elena Smith, confirmed that she was the victim of what appeared to be an armed robbery. Smith recounted that on Friday evening sometime around 5 p.m., she, her 13-year-old son and the Finance Officer at the BNTU headquarters were all going home from the office. When the three were near the lane behind the Belize Elementary School, in the vicinity of Nacho World, two men on separate bicycles rode past them. The men stared at the trio, then circled back, and this time the men approached Smith. “They asked for money and my phone and the request was, ‘give me your money and your phone or I’ll shoot you,’” said Elena.

Cop and common-law wife charged with wounding a child, 6
A police constable, Tony Gamboa, 31, and his common-law wife, Aricia Gentle, 23, were separately charged with causing wounds to a 6-year-old female child (Gamboa’s daughter, who is Gentle’s stepchild) when they appeared today before Magistrate Michelle Trapp. Gamboa and Gentle, a sales representative, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were offered bail of $4,000 each, which they met. The bail was offered on the condition that they do not interfere with the child or any of the prosecution’s witnesses; that they do not go within 100 feet of the little girl; and that they report to the Belize Family Court tomorrow at 9 a.m. in connection with a care order against them for which the Human Services Department has applied.

Justice Lucas to issue ruling in murder trial of Keyron Johnson, 27
The trial of Keyron Johnson, 27, accused of the April 2012 murder of Christopher Jorgenson, 18, concluded in the Supreme Court today after Johnson’s attorney, Bryan Neal, and Crown Counsel Janelle Tillett made closing submissions before Justice Adolph Lucas, who heard the case, sitting without a jury. Justice Lucas, after thanking both counsels, informed them that he would issue his ruling on the case on December 18. Jorgenson was shot in the midsection on Sunday, April 15, when he was at a basketball court on Curl Thompson Street, in the Jane Usher Boulevard area. Two men approached him and one of the men facilitated the other with a handgun, which he used to shoot Jorgenson.

The Reporter

Motion to pay UHS debt to be tabled in January
Following today’s sitting of the House of Representative in Belmopan, Prime Minister Dean Barrow told the media that the controversial motion to pay the $90 million UHS debt was not brought up today as he is currently awaiting a certificate from the court. The certificate, to be […]

Belizean murder suspect caught in Mexico
Vildo Westby, 28, a Belizean wanted for the murder of 44-year-old San Pedro resident Felix Ayuso earlier this year was caught in Mexico today and is in the process of being deported back to Belize to face charges. Westby evaded Belizean autorities for quite some time until […]

House burns on Allenby street
A house on Allenby Street in Belize City was destroyed by fire a short time ago. The fire and police departments have contained the blaze that ripped through the two story wooden structure. It is not known whether any one was in the house, which was seen completely engulfed in […]

Citco to redo deteriorating City streets within one year
The Belize City Council will embark on a project to remodel the city streets that have, over the past several months, deteriorated well before the 30-year lifespan they were projected to last. The Council had received a number of complaints from citizens that some of […]

ACES nurses severely sick, tortured croc back to health
Phineas – a crocodile on the brink of death who was rescued from torture and starvation in March has fully recuperated after months of treatment and rehabilitation and is now safely back in the wild and away from the people who tried to kill him. […]

North Park Street renamed Taiwan Street
North Park Street, which connects Fort Street to Marine Parade near the Memorial Park, is now named Taiwan Street in recognition of the close ties that Belize shares with that Asian island across the Pacific. Last Wednesday, the Belize City Council, and by extension the […]

What your pee says about you
Doctors depend on scientific urine tests to determine what is wrong with a person’s urinary tract or bladder, while natural healers examine its appearance and smell to detect a problem. Urine is germ-free when it is inside the bladder. But on its way out of […]

A taxpayer tab beyond our wildest dreams nears $800 million
A series of losses by the Government of Belize in protracted litigation wars over disputes with companies primarily connected with British billionaire Michael Ashcroft (among them the former shareholders of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) as well as the Belize Bank) could end up costing the […]

Cost of living still on the rise
For ten straight months, the cost of living in Belize has been higher than it was last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). The SIB released the data last Wednesday showing that from January to October, Belizeans […]

Mexican official encourages Belizeans to report incidences of police extortion
Lately reports have surfaced on social media of Mexican police capitalizing on occasions where Belizeans commit traffic infractions while driving in Mexico. The reports indicate that the Mexican police pull the driver over, informs him/her of the traffic infraction(s), and use the occasion as a […]

Senate hearings end
After over a year of public hearings, the Senate Special Select Committee held its last session this week, closing the way it had begun, with a testimony from the Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley, but what happens now? Bradley told the Reporter she expects that the committee’s recommendations […]

Rasheed Hyde wanted for cousin’s attempted murder
San Ignacio police are seeking Rasheed Hyde, 26, for the December 4th shooting of his cousin Russell Hyde Jr., son of notorious figure Russell Hyde. Police issued a wanted posted with Rasheed’s picture on Thursday. Police say that Rasheed, a taxi driver and resident of Zaiden Street in Santa Elena […]

The Rule of Law and the $90 million
By now, it is almost with some degree of certainty that one could say that the average news consumer is fairly up to date with the recent ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for the Government of Belize (GoB) to pay BZ $90 million to Belize Bank. Also, […]

Belizeans should go to the ICJ
By Alejandro Vernon The amendment to the Maritime Areas Act by the PUP is a useless maneuver in the fight against Guatemala. There is always the talk about our ceding the 12 miles of territorial sea to Guatemala. That is not true. UDP Goldson, D. Aikman, and Hubert Elrington on […]

San Ignacio man found murdered inside his home
San Ignacio police are investigating a murder after a San Ignacio man was found dead and decomposing in his home. Police say he was stabbed to death. The victim’s body was discovered by a friend around 3:40 p.m. on December 3rd. He was identified as 33-year-old Victor […]

Mike Silva sentenced to 16 years for manslaughter
Michael Silva, this week, got a 16-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend, Maritza Santos. Justice Antoinette Moore sentenced Silva on Tuesday in Belmopan. Silva’s sentence will include the time he already spent on remand at the Belize Central Prison […]

Mexican charged $1,000 for illegal entry into Belize
by Anita Nembhard/Flowers Mexican national, 61-year-old Nereo Reyes Lopez is currently serving time at the Belize Central Prison for illegal entry into Belize. On October 10, 2017, Lopez entered the country along the banks of the Rio Hondo River from Bote,s Mexico into Santa Cruz, Belize. He pleaded guilty to […]

Editorial
It is easy to see why PUP Leader Mr. Johnny Briceño would want the National Assembly to agree to pay off a PUP debt of $30 million which has amassed $60 million in accumulated interest. If only Prime Minister Barrow would agree to pay up, that would be one less […]

‘Bad cop cases’ plague Police Department
Several recent incidents, including the shooting of a Teakettle villager who died under unclear circumstances and a police beatdown caught on camera over the weekend, as well as complete dismissal by the department in regards to an allegation from two women that they were raped […]

Brutality victim to sue police
A man who police were caught beating on Sunday after he surrendered to them says he will sue the three policemen who subjected him to the abuse. Randy Chambers, 20, who was caught on a surveillance camera across from his house on Police Street, enduring […]

Land Department audit underway
It will be a while longer before the information is in on those highly irregular land compensations that took place while the disgraced Gaspar Vega was Minister of Natural Resources. At the end of her testimony on Wednesday at the Special Senate Select Committee hearing […]

Belize sends protest note to Guatemala over offensive map
Belize has sent a strongly-worded protest note to Guatemala over that country’s intent to include Belize as a part of Guatemala on its official map, with only a dotted line separating the two countries. It is part of Guatemala’s strategy to convince its people to […]

Franz Parke resigns amidst PUP lawsuit worries
Franz Parke, Court of Appeal Judge Appointed by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, resigned his position with immediate effect this week, in response to a pending lawsuit brought on by the People’s United Party over his appointment. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) made the […]

Fire guts woman’s house
A woman is homeless after her wooden house and all its contents went up in flames on Wednesday night in the Collet area of Belize City. According to reports, Lisa Lauriano was in Placencia at the time when the 15 by 12-foot structure on Iguana […]

Breaking Belize News

Deputy Prime Minister attends 6th CARICOM-Cuba Summit
Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, represented […]

Belize men’s National Basketball team wins Bronze at Central American Games
The Belize Basketball Federation (BBF) issued a statement today expressing congratulations to the players and […]

Aldo Moro busted with weed
A Teakettle villager has been charged with drug trafficking after he was busted with over […]

Valley of Peace Villagers busted with weed
Two Valley of the Peace villagers were busted and charged in drug related offenses yesterday. […]

Caye Chapel group presents US $250 million investment project
According to a report from the San Pedro Sun, the Caye […]

Dangriga man arrested for sexually assaulting minor
On Wednesday, December 6, a female minor along with her mother visited the Dangriga Police […]

Bus driver and conductor charged for sexual assault
Yesterday, a female minor along with a Social Worker visited the Ladyville Police Station and […]

Four busted for drug trafficking
Last night around 9:05, San Ignacio Police were conducting a vehicle check point in Red […]

Training on improvement of coconut production concludes
The Ministry of Agriculture’s Research, Development & Innovation Center in Central Farm, Cayo District has […]

Anthony Sylvestre says public officers lost
BBN had previously reported on the ongoing saga between public officers and the Public Service […]

Rasheed Hyde hands himself in
Yesterday, BBN reported that police issued a wanted bulletin for Rasheed Hyde of Santa Elena […]

Minor busted with over 7000 grams of weed
Yesterday afternoon around 1:15, police were conducting a vehicle check point between miles 70 and 71 […]

Wooden house completely destroyed by fire
Last night around 7:55, police visited No. 28 Corner Iguana and George Frazer Sr. Street, Belize […]

Manager sexually assaults employee in Orange Walk
According to police reports, a 25 year old Belizean domestic of Orange Walk District reported that […]

Belize City businessman almost robbed at gunpoint at his store
Yesterday, a Belizean businessman of Belize City reported that while at his business place located […]

Sugar industry put to the testimony
The 2017-2018 sugar crop, feared for many years by industry stake holders because of the […]

Blogs

Deck the halls with the Spirit of Christmas Giving in Belize
For many of us, the holidays are a joyous time to be spent with loved ones. Besides the delectable Belizean treats we get to indulge in, finding creative ways to liven up old cultural traditions make us embrace our Caribbean Jewel’s holiday season fully. As a child, Christmas generally spells gifts, carols under the Christmas tree and much fun with family and friends. Of course, as we grow up, we begin to embrace the true essence of the holiday – the spirit of giving rather than receiving. For those of us who call Belize home, or simply have a love for its people, there are many ways to contribute positively to people in need during the holidays. Giving a child a present always seems to bring the most Christmas joy. In Belize, there are several ways to ensure our Belizean children have a memorable holiday. One such way is the Adopt-A-Bear initiative by San Pedro’s Non-profit Organization, Raise Me Up.

Don’t Let Rain Get in the Way of Parties
I mentioned to you in this month’s events Calendar that December in Belize is a busy time of year, so much so that it’s looking like I will add a second calendar of events next week once I find a few more. Here are two of the recent parties that happened on Ambergris. Both for great businesses, one was a fundraiser and one was an anniversary. I have also included weather at the bottom, as indicated by the title we have been getting rainfall and a bit of winter is on the way this weekend. The Glamor Shots party at CG Esthetic Fundraiser was a big hit for the second year in a row. The event was from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm $4091 was collected to benefit Raise Me Up; an organization that is helping the children in San Pedro have a safe environment to live in. Rock Star that she is, Judyann Horton, co-owner of the popular Black Orchid Restaurant decided to snap a few pictures for me of the big Wine de Vine party. Since she attended the affair I asked if she would not mind doing a short blurb as well. From Judyann:

International Sources

Trump admin scraps Obama-era proposal requiring airlines to disclose bag fees
The Trump administration has scrapped an Obama-era proposal requiring airlines and ticket agencies to disclose baggage fees as soon as passengers start the process of buying a ticket. The Department of Transportation (DOT) posted a notice on the Federal Register this week that it is withdrawing the proposed rule, along with another plan to force air carriers to disclose how much revenue they make from charging other ancillary fees. The administration, which has made easing regulatory burdens for businesses a top priority, said the rules would have “limited public benefit.”

Videos

December 8, 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

SPTC awards winners of Township Day poster competition
On Tuesday, December 5th, Mayor Daniel Guerrero welcomed to his office the top three winners of the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) poster competition. The competition was organized among the primary schools of the island. The students’ posters were showcased during Township Day on Monday, November 27th. After reviewing dozens of submissions, the team at the SPTC selected the top three posters crafted by students. First place went to three winners, Ashlee Wallace, Genieve Ramirez and Jay Arzu from Isla Bonita School. They were awarded a cash prize of $150. In second place was Lauren Turley from The Island Academy, who was awarded a prize of $75; receiving the prize on her behalf was teacher Claire Kennedy. The third place had two winners from The Island Academy and came with a cash prize of $50. The winners were Madison Edwards and Grabriella Knox.

San Pedro AIDS Commission celebrates World AIDS Day; Felix Ayuso awarded by NAC
On Saturday, December 2nd, the San Pedro AIDS Commission and the National AIDS Commission/Island Committee (NAC Island Committee) hosted their annual World AIDS Day Awareness Fair at the Lions Den. The event offered free HIV rapid testing, information and counseling, condom distribution and food sale. This year, the event was bittersweet without the presence of San Pedro AIDS Commission’s Felix Ayuso Jr. Ayuso, who was a prominent activist and the main face of the island’s AIDS Commission, was murdered on February 2, 2017. Ayuso left a legacy in San Pedro as he led successful campaigns in creating awareness and educating the community about HIV/AIDS.

Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton officially opens on Ambergris Caye
Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially declare the resort open on Wednesday, December 6th. Attending the inauguration ceremony were Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Manuel Heredia, San Pedro Town Council Mayor, Daniel Guerrero, Minister of State in the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Commerce, Hon. Tracy Panton, Director of Brand performance and Full-Service Hotels of Latin America & Caribbean Hilton Hotels, Juan Arboleda, CEO and Developer of Mahogany Bay Village, Beth Clifford, the media and invited guests. The ceremony started at 11AM with the singing of the national anthem, followed by a short prayer delivered by Clive Welsh. Mistress of Ceremony Tanya Mcnab then welcomed everyone to the event and inviting Hon. Heredia to the podium to deliver the welcome address. “Today is a historic day for Isla Bonita as we officially inaugurate the first name brand hotel on the island. I was always there showing my support from the beginning because I knew this would have a positive impact on La Isla Bonita.

Caye Chapel Group proposes $250 Million development
The Caye Chapel Development Group has proposed a US$250 Million 5-star resort to be built on the island over the next four years. They invited input from interested parties when they presented their Environmental Impact Assessment for the project at a public community consultation at the University of the West Indies School of Continuing Studies in Belize City last Thursday evening, November 30. The project is expected to create as many as 500 new jobs during its construction phase and hundreds more once it is operational, explained Allan Herrera, who prepared the EIA. This included a social impact assessment, which Herrera noted had taken into consideration the traditional territorial fishing rights enjoyed by many Caye Caulker fishermen around the island, and that many tour guides also use the site for fly-fishing and picnicking.

San Pedro hosts the Special Olympics Torch
The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) arrived in San Pedro Town on the evening of Monday, December 4th bringing to the island the Special Olympics Belize torch. Members of the San Pedro Police Department were on hand to receive the flame of hope which has travelled around the country since Saturday, December 2nd. The torch remained on the island until Tuesday, December 5th, after being paraded through the main streets of downtown San Pedro. The LETR has been taking place for the past six years and is part of a series of events held by Special Olympics International across the world. According to Inspector Elroy Carcamo, in Belize, the one-week torch run makes its way through different municipalities to create awareness about the upcoming Special Olympics Belize and the athletes who participate in the games.

Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye launches Merry Boxes Campaign
The Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye along with Colleen’s Kitchen at the San Pedro Food Bank has launched the Merry Boxes Campaign. The campaign aims to bring happiness to the less fortunate families on Christmas Day through the collection of nonperishable goods. All items collected from the Merry Boxes will be distributed to the various families in need across Ambergris Caye on the December 23rd and 24th. There is still time to adopt a Merry Box and make a difference in the home of a family on that special day. For more information on how you can adopt a box, you can message the Rotaract Club on Facebook @rotaractsanpedrobelize or contact Rotaract member Kyle Vasquez at 630-9043 or email at vasquezedwardo@hotmail.com.

Ambergris Today

Closure Of Nassau Grouper Season
The Nassau Grouper season closed on Friday, December 1, 2017 and will extend to Saturday, March 31, 2018. Regulations state that (1) No person shall take in the waters of Belize, buy, sell or have in his possession any Nassau Grouper between the 1st December and the 31st March, inclusive, in any year. (2) No person shall take in the waters of Belize, buy, sell or have in his possession any Nassau Grouper which is less than twenty (20) inches in total length or greater than thirty inches (30 in) in total length. (3) Every Nassau Grouper caught in the water of Belize shall be landed whole. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of the Fisheries Act commits an offense and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine or imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment.

The Caribbean Adventure Ambassador 2017 Is Rowan Garel
Congratulations to Rowan Garel of Belize for winning the title of Caribbean Adventure Ambassador of the Year for 2017 with 1,975 votes! Rowan Garel was born blind but that adversity has not been an obstacle in his life, much less hindering him from undertaking extraordinary feats. He is the only visually impaired person to ever climb Victoria Peak, Belize’s second highest mountain standing at over 3,000 ft. above sea level. He trekked 74.7 miles from Belize’s western border to Belize City in five long, gruelling days under the sweltering sun and dived the Great Blue Hole of Belize, a world-class destination for recreational scuba divers which is 410 feet deep. By all paradigms, these are amazing and record-breaking achievements.

Mahogany Bay Resort, Hilton’s First Property In Belize Officially Opens
The official ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Mahogany Bay’s signature Great House on Wednesday, December 6, with Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, San Pedro Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Hon. Tracy Taeger Panton Minister of State in Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce and Juan Arboleda Director of Brand Performance, Full Service Hotels Latin America and Caribbean Hilton Hotels addressing the gathering. Guests staying at Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club have access to a wide array of amenities, including the Bay Club with a grand pool, bar and poolside spa treatments and the private white sand Beach Club, just a short ride from the on-site marina.

Misc Belizean Sources

BTIA 32nd AGM
Photos....

Caye Caulker Dinner and a movie
FAMILY FRIDAY - Dinner and a Movie - On the countdown to Xmas its only fitting we showcase the best Xmas movies as a treat - 'Trolls Holiday' and the classic 'Home Alone'. Kids meals, popcorn and toasted marshmallows!

Banyan Bay Moving Day!
Building split in two and moved across the street. Banyan Bay Suites undergoing major transformations as the holiday season approaches.

Closure of Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum Office
Between the Hours of 12:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum hereby informs the Government Ministries/Departments and Members of the General Public that its office will be closed on Friday 8th December, 2017between the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Caye Caulker Receives New Fire Truck
The village of Caye Caulker has received a new fire truck which is now part of the fire-fighting fleet of the National Fire Service. The truck is a donation from US citizen James York of Beechwold Christian Church, Columbus, Ohio and was shipped to Belize through the assistance of the United States Air Force. It has a 1,000-gallon capacity tank and is capable of discharging water at 150 PSI (pounds per square inch).

Shopping Tips from the Belize Bureau of Standards
The Christmas shopping season is here again and it is usually a time when consumers buy all sorts of items like gifts for their love ones and home decor improvements. It is also a fact that at this time of the year businesses increase their advertising and sales promotion to encourage customers to buy what they are offering for sale.

Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation & Poverty Alleviation
Fourteen more staff members in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation have been trained to use the “Return to Happiness” psychosocial recovery programme. The programme is designed for children between the ages of 5-12 years who have experienced traumatic events, such as disasters, fires, and death. By using a series of guided play activities such as drawings, songs, games and puppets, Return to Happiness allows children to process their experiences thereby reducing their anxieties. Return to Happiness has been used in post disaster response efforts in Saint Lucia (2010 & 2014), the Commonwealth of Dominica (2016) and Antigua (2017). The training workshop took place over the course of three days in Belize City.

The xate stock assessment is well underway
The research gathers data on height, diameter, development stage, number of leaves, number of harvested leaves and number of commercial grade leaves and reproductive state. The assessment is made possible through the Belize Nature Conservation Foundation (BNCF).

Meet Stann Creek District GBV advocate, Ms. Michele Irving!
She describes herself as fearless, feminist, freedom fighter and gender justice. Her passion is working in the area of Gender and Development for women and girls. Ms. Irving is currently the Women’s Department Officer for the Stann Creek District. Her work focuses on the prevention and intervention of domestic violence cases and empowerment of women and youth in both urban and rural communities. This work takes her into many communities and villages in Southern Belize where she discusses with women the changes they want to see in their communities and in their own lives. At the organizational level, she plans projects and programs aimed at addressing gaps that are identified at the community level.

GBV resources in Dangriga Town
Women’s Department – Department of Human Services 59 Pen Rd., Dangriga Town Telephone: (501) 502-0038 Michelle Irving wdodang@humandev.gov.bz Domestic Violence Unit, Police Department Main St., Dangriga Town WPC: Amanda Bull Telephone: (501) 522-2022

National Symposium on Corruption Hosted by Belize Network of NGOs and UNDP
Anti-Corruption Week Event in Belize City The Strengthening National Systems for UNCAC Implementation (SNS4UNCAC) project is recognizing the first anniversary of Belize’s accession to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Event Date: 11th December 2017. Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Venue: Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel, Belize City. Topics: • Provide an update on the status of UNCAC implementation in Belize. • Discuss the need to enhance State institutions/human resource and civil society organizations’ capacities to implement anti-corruption programmes and policies nationally. • Learn from the experience of other countries that have made significant progress with the implementation of the UNCAC.

Minister of State Hon. Carla Barnett Concludes Working Visit in Punta Gorda Town
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources Sen. Hon. Carla Barnett was in Punta Gorda Town on December 6th and 7th, 2017. The Minister met with over 150 residents of Punta Gorda and surrounding communities who have had long-term challenges with their land tenure status. Hon. Barnett was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, and senior staff from the Lands and Surveys Department, the Revenue Department, and the Legal Department in the Ministry to establish a full service for the residents of Punta Gorda Town.

San Pedro Calendar of Events for December 2017
Here is a calendar of the various events taking place for the month of December!

Resort employees doing an awesome job, picking up garbage along dirt road just pass the old Journeys End to the entrance of Secret Beach
Also saw some attempts to fill some the thousand potholes. Not sure if it is Mata Chica's employees or Las Terrazas... Either way, great job!! We are the number one tourist destination in the world, well maybe in Belize, keep it clean for locals and visitors! The north dirt road which leads to Many top resorts on the island, from guests to employees and of course to business Owners at Secret Beach as well and their employees do not deserve back breaking rides everyday or shattered vehicles caused by the horrible road with trash ruining the natural beauty of the island!!! STEP UP SAN PEDRO TOWN COUNCIL! At least give us some road fill and we can all get together and provide labor!

Belize Talent 2017 Holiday Showcase
Dec. 16 & 23, corozal Bay Round House

Golf TOURNAMENT IN CONSEJO SHORES, COROZAL
he date has been set for this year's Golf Tournament. clock Saturday, February 17, 2018, Consejo Shores Limited, Corozal

SISE Town Hall 30-Nov-17
Latest pictures from the SISE's new Town Hall. Almost done. The big inauguration is on the 13th. October pictures.

Caye Caulker Ocean Academy Tech Club at 2017 Raspberry Pi Jam
Be sure to watch the Caye Caulker Ocean Academy Tech Club on Open Your Eyes tomorrow morning! The Club won 3rd place in the 2017 Raspberry Pi Jam competition for their innovative design of a voting booth and tabulator powered by Raspberry Pi and Python programming language. The U.S. Embassy is so proud to fund Ocean Academy’s work to turn youths into innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals through one of our CARSI-ESF grants. Way to go guys continue the good work!!!!!

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Stronger, The Ninjago Movie, Dunkirk, Mother!

Channel 7

Rasheed Hyde Wanted For Cousin's Attempted Murder
Russell Hyde Juniour was shot on December fourth at a meat shop in San Ignacio Town. His grandmother said he was lured there by someone who was waylaying him. Tonight, police believe that the shooter is his own cousin, Rasheed Hyde. Today police put out this wanted poster for the 26 year old Santa Elena resident who is wanted for the attempted murder of his own cousin. But, news tonight is that he has turned himself into the San Ignacio police station with his attorney. Today the head of Belize City's CIB office told us why he is wanted:...

#Me Too In OW? Domestic Says She Was Forced to Perform Indecent Acts
The "#me too" movement which has empowered scores of women in the US to speak out about sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace may have done something for a domestic in Orange Walk. A 25 year old woman - whose name police are not disclosing - alleges that sometime in April 2017, her manager forced her to perform what police are calling "indecent acts" on him. It happened at her work place in Orange Walk Town and she says it happened several times. She was employed as a domestic worker at this job, we've been made to understand. The questions is now whether police will charge him with indent assault.

Mayor Unfazed By Waste Control Debt
Last night the headline was about the almost one million dollars in backed-up payments that the Belize City Council owes its garbage contractor, Belize Waste Control. Well, today Waste Control picked up the Northside garbage - even if it did so a little later than usual. And maybe that's because - after our story last night - we are told the City came through with a partial payment - and a plan to pay off the arrears. But today when we spoke to the Mayor Darrell Bradley, he was mostly unfazed - he said it's a chronic problem:.. Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "For every year that I've been mayor, that has happened and for every year that the former, has been mayor, that has happened. It wouldn't surprise me in relation to us being in arrears."

1M In Debt To Garbage collector, Mayor Gives Raise. Why? "Because, I Am The Mayor!"
And so while the mayor said that the accumulated arrears are a chronic problem which shouldn't cause any kind of fuss - he countered that with a proof of financial solvency that any boss would be happy to boast about. He said that for Christmas he's giving the council's almost 500 employees a raise:... Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "That notwithstanding the City Council is in a very healthy financial position and one of the evidence of that is our ability to actually commit and to go through with a salary increase which came effective on the 1st December of this year. So that this would affect all non-management staff of the Belize City Council and people may realize that this present moment that the city employs about 450 people and we are having a salary increase across the board of 4% for every person on the rank of a supervisor and the coordinator and that's in a certain pay scale and 6% for every staff below that rank."

Commercial Center, Months Later, Mayor Promises It's Coming
We heard that one loud and clear, he IS the mayor - but for all Bradley's bluster today - we still haven't seen any movement on the Commercial Center renovation project. It's been promised for months - and nothing has happened. Today, the mayor said, this month, surely:... Jules Vasquez, reporter: "You will demit office and the commercial center will still be an edifice that is unpainted, that gives a ghastly appearance to the entire city." Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "I will agree that it's a thing that we have made quite a bit of in terms of the renovation of the commercial center and I think that it's a project that we've been working on for the last 3 years and I think we are right at the precipice where we are actually trying to see if we can get the project going.."

Quick Cops Foiled Fullers Ally Foursome
Last night we told you about the robbery in Fuller's Alley in Belize City - followed by a police chase - which led to some short of shootout on Euphrates Avenue. Today police filled in the blanks of a case which started with a female landlord who had a few thousand dollars in cash she had just collected - when four men pounced on her. Police responded quickly to catch the thieves moving fast in a Ford pickup :.. ASP Alejandro Cowo, CIB - Belize City: "Miss Zenaida Allen, she reported that while at her house, some individual had entered her residence and as a result of that they stole from her an amount of cash and other properties all to a total of $12,450. During the process she had received certain injuries to her eye and she was taken for medical attention."

Judge "Disturbed" By Accused Murderers Affidavit Bails Alleged Accomplice
He's accused of assisting in a beheading - but tonight Elroy Grinage is out on bail. The 36 year old driver for the Forestry Department who was remanded for conspiracy to commit murder and abetment to murder, was offered a bail of $10,000 today by Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas. The bail was offered on the condition that Grinage doesn't interfere with any of the prosecution witnesses, particularly Rafael Mencias - who is the alleged killer. Mencias and Grinage allegedly teamed up to kill Hilton Wade, who was stabbed several times and decapitated. Justice Lucas said he granted Grinage baIl after he read the affidavit of his alleged accomplice Rafael Mencias. Mencias said he was coerced by the police to implicate Grinage. Justice Lucas called the information disturbing. Grinage was represented by attorney Dickie Bradley.

The Sour Season For Sugar Starts With Modest Optimism
The Sugar Season, or "La Zafra" has started. The Crop Opening Ceremony was held this morning at the the Tower Hill Factory in Orange Walk. Now, usually the start of the season is an auspicious event - much anticipated - but this year, it is being met with some trepidation. That's because world sugar prices are tanking really badly. And so stakeholders are saying that in this time of challenge opportunities have to be seized:.. Gabriel Martinez - Chairman, BSI Control Board "This 2017, in particular, had been the year which we had been talking about as the year of truth. We all know that the prices in the EU market are not favoring our industry. So, we are ready to start our crop for 2017-2018."

City Family Claims Arson
An Iguana street home went up in flames last night at around 8:00. The owner, Lisa Loriano believes it was arson. She left her home in the care of her sister after moving to Placencia. Now, they believe someone in the community is targeting Loriano. We spoke to one of Loriano's neighbors and her sister. Voice of: Eyewitness: "All that I could have seen was just house in flames and I hollered Oh my God and I contact my granny because my granny raised her so we raised together so I know her very good." Kimberly Hendricks, Sister: "When I come home from work last night I get a call from my mom saying that the house is on fire." "All of my stuff that I just moved from here and took over there all of that just went like nothing, check."

Showdown At Public Sector Workers Trust
Since March, we've been following the case of several hundred retired public officers who been fighting the teachers union and the Public Service Union over the management and control over just under 8 million dollars in backpay. They have a judgement against the unions saying that their Public Sector Workers Trust, which was set up to manage the funds is invalid and unenforceable. They believe that this should force the unions and the Trust to give up management of those funds, but the unions are not budging so easily. Even though that ruling was handed down in earlier this year, it still hasn't resolved the dispute over these funds. The two sides are locked in litigation, which must now proceed to court ordered mediation. Here's how the history of this case goes: Back in 1995 to 1997, the Esquivel Administration imposed an increment and wage freeze for all teachers and public officers.

Customs, The Cops And That Container
9 days ago we told you about an unexpected find that the Customs Department made when they searched a 20 foot container. Concealed inside they found a gin barrel, a rifle bottle assembly, a firearm trigger assembly, a slide and barrel for a nine millimeter gun, and many boxes of assorted ammunition. In short, the importer had almost all the parts needed to put together a gun, along with plenty of ammunition. But since then, police haven't said anything about the find - no one has been arrested - even though the container was brought in by an identified US National from Stann Creek. Now, it would seem like importing weaponry would be illegal - and an arrest would be made. But, nothing has happened. We asked police why today:...

Uncertainty About Charges In Death of Man Who Choked After Cops Shot Him
Police continue to investigate the death of 20 year old Teakettle Villager Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez. As we told you last night, a post mortem showed that he died from choking. Simply put, he had food in his mouth when police chased him, and he choked when they shot him in the leg. Of course, it can still be argued that police caused his death. Today, they said the investigation is ongoing:.. ASP Alejandro Cowo, CIB - Belize City: "The file is being compiled and as soon as it is ready, again it will be forwarded for directives. As to what the investigation reveals there if anybody is to be charged, they will be held accountable."

Brutality Victim Made Statement, Cops Say He Didn't
ASP Cowo made another mis-statement when he said that beating victim Randy Chambers hasn't yet given a statement. It was caught on camera on Sunday morning when the police Special Assignment team beat down Chambers in front of his Police Street home. Cowo said, inaccurately, that only his father has given a statement: ASP Alejandro Cowo, CIB - Belize City: "All that I can tell you about that incident is that the father has visited the professional standards branch and made a report. The victim who is Randy Chambers has not yet come forward to give a statement to the police. We were told that he will be coming sometime today, so the personnel at the professional standards branch are waiting to see if he will come and give that statement."

BTIA, Banking On A Big Future
The Belize Tourism Industry Association is made up of those business owners, tour operators, and stakeholders who depend on the Tourism industry to make a living. This industry is the biggest FOREIGN EXCHANGE earner for the country, and so, those who work in this sector are doing their part to make sure it continues to thrive. The BTIA held their 32nd Annual General Meeting today at the Radisson Fort George Hotel, and 7News stopped by to find out what issues the general membership is currently focused on. Osmany Salas, the outgoing president, told us that the stakeholders want to make sure that Belize's tourism product remains competitive, so that it can keep attracting visitors: Hon. Osmany Salas - Outgoing President, BTIA: "We're having our 32nd Annual General Meeting today, where we report back to the membership in terms of the achievement over the past year. Our industry, as he heard from Dr. Martel from the IDB in his presentation, is they major industry for the country."

Leggings, Comfort Wear And Political Statement
Leggings - for girls and women - they're a "go-to" wardrobe accessory - you can use them for dressing up, casual wear, or just chilling at home - like comfort food from your closet. But, now they're also being used to make a political statement about sexual harassment. As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence " the Mexican Embassy and the National Women's Commission have put together an art exhibition called Life in Leggings. It opens tonight and we got a preview and an explanation today: Ann-Marie Williams: "This space is very powerful, it is a space of courageous species, it is a space of shame, it is a space of anger. We have students from Sacred Heart College telling their stories of being harassed on the street, being touched while going to school and while on their way home."

Finally, An MBA Program At UB
Your academic career at the University of Belize doesn't have to end with a Bachelor's degree. That is because UB has launched its first ever Masters of Business Administration program. It was launched today at the Biltmore hotel and the Chair of the Faculty of Management told us how significant this is for the University and for Belize. Gilroy Middleton, Chair., Faculty of Mgmt. and Social Science: "This is the first Masters level program that the University will be delivering and providing to the country. The focus will be Business Administration. So for the program we are looking young people, old people - it's for everyone. You coming in from your insurance background, you coming in from your English teacher background. So an MBA you simple need a bachelor's degree and 3 years working experience. So we will have a wide range of individuals and it's in that in-class session which is our niche as opposed to the fully online courses. We will be filling a gap in terms of the theory and applications. In terms of building up the managerial aspect of the country."

New Fire Truck For Caulker
Caye Caulker Village has a much needed new fire truck. It was donated by American James York of Beechwold Christian Church, from Columbus, Ohio. The truck has a 1,000 gallon capacity tank, and is capable of discharging water at 150 pounds per square inch. It was shipped to Belize with the assistance of the US Air Force, and it was officially handed over to the Government last night. Those in attendance included NEMO Minister Edmond Castro, Caye Caulker's Chairlady, Enelda Rosado; Caye Caulker's Officer in Charge for the National Fire Service, Miguel Matus; and the donor, James York. The Government says says that the donation came through the personal efforts of Miguel Matus.

Track Athletes To Nicaragua
Today 14 Belizean Track and field athletes traveled to Managua, Nicaragua for the athletics portion of the Central American Games. These games are held every 4 years. For 5 of the juniors, it will be the first time competing in an open competition. We caught up with a few of the athletes this afternoon before they departed. They say they are ready for the challenge and hope to bring home the win. Courtney Weatherburne "Tell us about the competition and it will be in Nicaragua right?" Ashantie Carr, Junior Track and Field "It will be in Nicaragua and we are competing weekend and I am competing in long jump, triple jump and 4 by 4."

A Bronze In Basketball
And while track is about to start, the basketball competition at those same games just finished and Belize won bronze - the first medals for Belize at the Games. A release from the basketball federation says Team Belize played their hearts out and held on to close out a 63-58 victory over Honduras to secure the bronze. Coach Milton Palacio - who is used to winning gold when he played - says it was a great effort: Palacio, former NBA, Euroleague and Team Belize standout has pledged his commitment to continue the process of rebuilding the National Team Programme. Next for the National Team is the first round of the FIBA AmeriCup competition which starts in February, 2018.

Spelling Without Sound
"Transformation towards a sustainable and resilient society for all": That was the theme for the 21st Annual Finger Spelling Bee. There were 9 participants - 5 juniors and 4 seniors. It was held today at the SCA multipurpose building. One of the organizers told us it is more than just the competition, it is about celebrating kids with diverse abilities. 1st place for Junior's is Daniellie Correa, 2nd place went to Daniel Chun and 3rd place Gabriela Martines - all from the Cayo Deaf Institute. For the senior category, the Cayo Deaf Institute took all the wins -Jacob Chun took 1st place, 2nd place went to Lisbeth Marisol Shish and 3rd place went to Floyd Wilford Coc.

Kids, Toys, Christmas In The Park
And whole the Salvation army was at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall, United Airlines threw their own Christmas bash for city kids today at the Memorial Park. Now, they weren't giving away free plane tickets, just good ole' paper wrapped presents from Santa - and that's all these kids need to brighten the season. We dropped by to have some fun with the kids. As you heard United teamed up with the T-shirt factory to cater to 100 kids. They also teamed up for a raffle that will be drawn on December 16th. You can get more information at the T-shirt factory.

Salvation Army Does It For The Kids
And in another event for children, the Salvation Army today held its annual Christmas party. It's a Christmas dinner and the gift of a toy for hundreds of city school children - and the Army Regional Commander told us it is about giving spiritual and material meaning to the season:..

Channel 5

New Evidence Reveals Franz Parke Accused of Personal and Professional Misconduct
Former Justice of Appeal Franz Parke has left a cloud of suspicion and scandal in the wake of his departure from the Court of Appeal, announced this week. The Jamaican-American [...]

Bank Tells A.G. Gov’t Can’t Hide from U.H.S. Debt
Acting for the Belize Bank Limited, the Courtenay Coye LLP firm has written Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte regarding enforcement of the November twenty-second order of the Caribbean Court of Justice [...]

Chamber & N.G.O.s Say Pay Up, Too; Unions Want to Meet
As promised last week, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has responded in stinging fashion to Prime Minister Dean Barrow on the matter of the Universal Health Services fiasco. [...]

CitCo Behind Again in Garbage Arrears
Is the Belize City Council behind in almost one million dollars in payment to the Belize Waste Control? Mayor Darrell Bradley responded to that report to say that the arrear [...]

Will Waste Control Stop Picking Up Garbage? CitCo Says No
And with those payments lingering, will your garbage be picked up? Mayor Bradley says that the trucks will remain on regular service, collecting garbage on all scheduled days. Today, he [...]

Mayor Seh So: CitCo Workers Get Pay Raise for Xmas!
You heard the Mayor say that the City Council will come into some monies through revenue collection in the next few weeks – that is when the Belize Waste Control [...]

House Meets Friday; G.O.B. Wants More Money
Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, the last for 2017, is expected to be chock-full of news. Hanging over the gathering like a specter is the UHS debt motion, [...]

Beheading Murder Co-Accused Makes Bail; Elroy Grinage Swears He Didn’t Do It
Thirty-six-year-old Elroy Grinage, a driver with the Forest Department in Belmopan, is accused of ordering and orchestrating the stabbing death and decapitation of Hilton Wade.  On December first, the Cotton [...]

Court Found Compelling Reasons to Make Rare Grant
According to Bradley, had Grinage not been lucky enough to have had proof to support the claim that he was not involved in the homicide, he would have languished on [...]

Anke Doehm Preliminary Inquiry Put Off to February
In the courts, there is further delay for Anke Doehm, charged with cruelty to a child – her late adopted daughter, thirteen-year-old Faye Lin Cannon. She was scheduled to face [...]

Workers’ Trust Defends Actions after Court Case
The Public Sector Workers’ Trust, established in 2014, has been a source of controversy in the trade union community. Three retired public officers who say they represent many others sued [...]

How Many Will Really Benefit from Trust’s Planned Projects?
The Trust comes out of the infamous period between 1995 and 1997 when public officers’ wages and increments were frozen due to budgetary issues for the Manuel Esquivel administration, which [...]

Relative of Russell Hyde Jr. Sought in Shooting
Twenty-four-year-old Russell Hyde Junior remains hospitalized after being shot multiple times during an attack on Sunday night.  Police believe that the young businessman, who bears his infamous father’s namesake, was [...]

PSB & CIB Lead Edwin Hernandez Death Investigation
Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez was shot by police on Sunday afternoon in Teakettle Village, during a pursuit of the alleged robber.  The twenty-year-old Salvadoran national was injured in the right [...]

Police Await Randy Chambers Statement in Brutality Investigation
Will the trio of officers that brutally assaulted twenty-year-old Randy Chambers on Monday be disciplined internally for physically abusing the young man while in the process of surrendering himself?  The [...]

Reyneldo Guerrero Leads B.T.I.A.
The Belize Tourism Industry Association held its thirty-second annual general meeting today at the Radisson where a new executive was elected. Reyneldo Guerrero is the new President of the B.T.I.A.  [...]

King Sugar is Back!
The new sugar crop got off to a good start this morning at Tower Hill where relations between millers and farmers seem to be on a good footing. A projected [...]

Cayo Deaf Institute Sweeps Finger Spelling Bee
Disability awareness week is being celebrated under the theme ‘Transformation Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Society for All’. As a part of the activities, the annual Finger Bee was held [...]

Christmas Party Season Begins: Toys for Tots Celebrate
‘Toys for Tots’ is an annual event organized by United Airlines where primary school students are treated to a Christmas dinners, toys and entertainment. The organization also partnered with T-shirt [...]

Salvation Army Parties Too
It’s the Christmas season and there are parties galore across the city! Today, we joined the Salvation Army at their annual grand Christmas festivities at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. [...]

Healthy Living: Getting Malaria Cases to Zero
When we think of mosquito borne illnesses in Belize, Malaria is probably not the first disease to come to mind. There is a reason why that is so. That’s what [...]

LOVE FM

Sugar Roads still a Major Concern for Farmers
Another set of challenges for sugar cane farmers are those faced in the fields. Their cost of production continues to be high, farmers also have limited access to finance to make adequate investments in their crop, and there is also the issue of sugar roads which is an annual problem for producers. Salvador Martin, Management […]

Farmers receive assistance from GOB
As the farmers wait for improvements of sugar roads, the government of Belize has been providing assistance in the form of fuel subsidy to cane farmers to help cut transportation costs. Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board, Gabriel Martinez told us how much that assistance translated to for farmers. Gabriel Martinez, SICB Chairman “Over […]

PSWT and Union to go to Mediation over Dispute
The court did not order an injunction against the Public Service Workers’ Trust and the union. That is the resounding message sent today during a press conference held in Belize City by the management and trustees of the PSWT. It is an issue that dates back to 1995 and involves thousands of public workers and […]

Man wanted by Police for Murder
Twenty-six-year-old Rasheed Hyde is wanted by police in connection with the attempted murder of 24-year-old Russell Hyde Jr. Rasheed is considered to be armed and dangerous. If you have any information that can lead police to his arrest you are asked to call 911, Crime Stoppers Belize 0-800-922-8477 or the nearest police station. Rasheed, a […]

Video of Police Beating Man Goes Viral
On Sunday a video showing officers of the Special Assignment Team beating 20-year-old Randy Chambers began making its rounds on social media. The video shows Chambers putting his hand behind his head as three SAT officers approach him. One of the officers forces him to the ground after which two officers kick him a few […]

A Stash of Weapons found in Container
Ten days ago, the Customs Department handed over to the Belize Police Department a container which contained ammunition and firearms. Initially custom officers found three nine millimeter empty magazines, one hundred nine millimeter hallow point Ruger brand round, twenty nine millimetre ballpoint Ruger brand rounds, eleven 204 Ruger brand rounds, forty 204 A- Merc Ruger […]

Ride to Border
Earlier this month, the security services came together to put off the annual law enforcement torch run. This weekend, the security services are joining forces once again, this time around, the Belize Coast Guard has scheduled a ride on Saturday. Admiral John Borland told us about the initiative. Admiral John Borland, Belize Coast Guard “Security […]

New Fire Truck for Caye Caulker Fire Station
Caye Caulker has a new fire truck. The truck which has a 1,000-gallon capacity and is capable of discharging water at 150 pounds per square inch, was donated by US citizen James York of Beechwold Christian Church, Columbus, Ohio. The donation came through the personal efforts of Caye Caulker’s Officer in Charge, Miguel Matus, who […]

Is there Contentions within the Audit Department?
Officers within the Audit Department are not happy with Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley. Love News has been informed that several officers have expressed discontent and disapproval of Bradley’s management of the department. Contentions within the Auditor General’s office have been building since last year. A letter dated May 13, 2016, and signed by 16 employees […]

Women share Stories of Sexual Harassment
“Life in Leggings” exhibition, where women will share their stories of sexual harassment, opens tonight at the Mexican Institute in Belize City. The movement was started in Barbados by Ronelle King, who had experienced sexual harassment and started the movement in an attempt to stop the harassment. Ann-Marie Williams, Executive Director of the National Women’s […]

Gillett Open Up about Surviving an Abusive Relationship
The National Women’s Commission continues to push for an end to violence against women. On November 23, they launched the16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence campaign in the hopes of sensitizing the community that abusive relationships can indeed be life-threatening. Many women have died at the hands of their abusers. For Shawna Gillett, the […]

Court finds Man Not Guilty of Attempted Murder
In a trial without a jury, Justice Adolph Lucas today found Inmas Espinal not guilty of the attempted murder of Jose Antonio Saravia. Saravia, a naturalized Belizean, originally from El Salvador, was stabbed in his abdomen on March 15, 2012. Justice Lucas said that it was not a case of self-defense nor was it an […]

Bail granted for Man charged with the Murder of Wayne Wade
Thirty-six-year-old Elroy Grinage, a driver for Forestry Department in Belmopan, who was remanded into custody after he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and abetment to murder, was offered a bail of ten thousand dollars today by Justice Adolph Lucas. The bail was offered on the condition that Grinage attends the Magistrate Court in […]

Woman Attacked and Robbed in her Home
Today police shared a bit more on what transpired on Wednesday morning after four men assaulted a woman in her apartment on Fuller’s Alley and robbed her of thousands of dollars in cash. The incident ended up with police shooting after the suspects. ASP Alejandro Cowo said that it all happened after they pursued the […]

Finger Spelling Bee Competition
Today children with diverse abilities gathered at the Saint Catherine Academy Auditorium for the 21st annual finger spelling bee competition. The event is part of Disability Awareness Week which is being held under the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”. Special Education Officer for the National Resource Center for the Inclusive Education, […]

Maheia: Trip to Sarstoon didn’t have any Hiccups
A group of Belizeans went to Sarstoon Island without being harassed by Guatemalan Armed Forces or the Belize Coast Guard. Over the weekend, Wil Maheia of the Belize Territorial Volunteers led members of the Belize Bird Conservancy to Sarstoon Island for a bird inventory exercise. Maheia says they went early to avoid the Guatemalan Armed […]

Five Paintings handed over to National AIDS Commission
Last Friday Belize joined the world in commemorating World AIDS Day. As part of the event, five artists created a painting depicting the theme, “Right to health”. This morning artists Uriel Cowo and Kenesha Gooding handed over their paintings to Arthur Usher of the National AIDS Commission. According to Usher, the paintings will then be […]

Disability week observed; protection of persons with diverse abilities lacking.
This week is being observed as disability week under the theme “Transformation towards a sustainable and resilient society for all”. This morning there was a march from the Battlefield Park to the Memorial Park, where there was a rally to commemorate the occasion. Love News spoke with Erlette Thomas, Manager of the National Resource Center […]

AG satisfied with where Senate investigation stands
As we mentioned before, today was the last session held by the Special Senate Select Committee. Auditor General Dorothy Bradley’s report encompasses a number of irregularities that had been happening at the Immigration department between 2011 and 2013. After the report was publicized, the Auditor General was subject to scrutiny particularly from the UDP camp. […]

With Senate hearings over what comes next?
The hearings which have spanned a little over a year with a total of 42 sessions held are finally over. What happens next? After this afternoon’s final session, the media asked Senator Mark Lizarraga. Mark Lizarraga, Senator: “The first thing is that we are going to take a much needed break. We are meeting again on […]

The Guardian

GOB collects 77.5 million dollars from IMMARBE and IBC
7 million, 590 thousand and 68 dollars is the combined revenue that the International Business Companies Registry (IBC) and the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), has been able to procure for and on behalf of the Government and people of Belize. The money is the combined total for operations of the two companies since 2015. In that year IBC made USD$7,103,430.00; in 2016 it was USD$7,536,980.00 and this year its up to USD$8,143,235.00. IMMARBE has had as much success with operations in 2015 bringing in US $6,274,207; in 2016 it was US $5,332,145 and this year, 2017 saw US $4,405,037 in revenues. It is significant that these numbers are brought to the fore as prior to 2013, all revenues collected by these companies were paid to a company controlled by Michael Ashcroft related entities. That company went by the name Belize International Services Limited. Under the arrangement BISL received 64% of revenues while Government received 46%.

Implementation of Anti-Corruption measures begin
In celebrating Belize’s one-year anniversary of signing its accession to the United Nation’s Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which will be on December 9, 2017, a series of events are being held countrywide during the week of December 4 to 8, 2017. These activities are being held with the intention of engaging youth, women, and other relevant bodies. Belize became the 182nd country to sign the international agreement. The anti-corruption training for secondary and tertiary students during the months of November and December have come about from the collaboration between the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize.

BNTU says GOB must pay UHS debt
The Belize National Teacher’s Union held the government and people of Belize hostage for 11 days last year because they wanted the government to implement a number of measures against corruption. In fact the BNTU was one of the primary movers back in 2007 that caused the government at the time, under Said Musa to back down from taking a bill to the National Assembly for the Belizean people to pay for a 33 million dollar guarantee which had been given to the owners of UHS, a private hospital.

Teakettle villagers protest fatal police shooting
A police officer shot a civilian in the Arizona area of Teakettle Village, Cayo, that man subsequently died. Police say that it was an accidental shooting, but friends of the victim are insisting that the officers intentionally shot him. The deceased has been identified as 20 year-old Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez, a Salvadoran who is also known as “Jose”. The police version of events are that at around 1:35 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, they responded to a report of a robbery at the football field in the Arizona area of the village. Residents say that the field was very active that day because there were a number of football games happening as part of a sports marathon.

U.S. Government Expands and Upgrades Belize’s Automated Fingerprint Information System
On Monday, December 4, 2017, the U.S. Embassy transferred 14 new Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) terminals to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Belize Police Department. The project, valued at approximately $430,000 USD was officially signed by Adrienne Galanek, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy, and Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State for Home Affairs. The handover of documents took place at the Belmopan Police Headquarters. Chargé Galanek highlighted the Embassy’s dedication to assist the Government of Belize in increasing its forensic capacity, decreasing impunity, improving the justice system, and making Belize safer for all.

Ways in which the NTUCB and Chamber can pay the 90 Million UHS debt
We are dismayed by the pronouncement from the NTUCB, which states that we should pay the 90 Million judgement for the UHS Loan Guarantee. You the readers may be wondering why we feel this way since it has always been the NTUCB’s position to be at odds with the government on any given subject. Well in the matter of this UHS Loan Guarantee, the NTUCB and this UDP, were in agreement with each other at one time. Actually in the original case that saw the matter go to court, the NTUCB was one of the original PLAINTIFFS that took the matter of the UHS Loan Guarantee to court back in 2007.

Youth Rise Project underway in San Ignacio
Community Policing Officers from the San Ignacio Police Formation engaged the youths and their families on Saturday at the Octavia Waight Convention Hall in San Ignacio. This is an effort to bridge the gap between the Gang Resistance Education and Training GREAT program, which the kids learn in school and now with their family. In doing so San Ignacio Police are involving the parents to help support their kids in helping them to resist gangs, peer pressure and in developing their self esteem. The two hour program for parents and their children on Friday was facilitated by Corporal Jason Jones under a Youth Rise Project with funding coming from the Caribbean Development Bank.

Minister and CEO of Foreign Affairs visit Brussels for Working Mission to EU Institutions and Attends 106th ACP Council of Ministers
Brussels, Belgium. December 6th, 2017. Today, December 6th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs of Belize, Hon. Wilfred P. Elrington, along with the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Pat Andrews, concluded their five-day working mission to Brussels, Belgium, after attending multiple high-level meetings with the EU Institutions and participating in the 106th Session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers. On Monday, December 4th, the Belize delegation met with the Commissioner of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission, H.E. Neven Mimica, to discuss Belize-EU bilateral relations and its development cooperation both in the Central American and Caribbean sub-regional contexts.

Belize and El Salvador discuss Citizen Security
The first Technical Cooperation Meeting on Security between the Governments of Belize and the Republic of El Salvador was held on December 5, 2017 in San Salvador. This followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in October, 2017 which formally established the strengthening of relations and citizen security in the countries. During the meeting, both delegations focused on improving efforts in the areas of migration, intelligence sharing, international security and terrorism, prevention of gang violence, and the fight against organized crime and forensic sciences.

Senate Hearings come to a close
After 13 months and hundreds of thousands of dollars in public spending, the Senate Hearings on Immigration are finally over. The Senate Select Committee called Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley to testify as their final witness. She was the first witness back in October 2016, and on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 she was the last to be called back. The majority of the hour and a half long testimony was housekeeping, with the Auditor General taking questions about her audit process which resulted in her 2011-2013 Audit Reports on Immigration.

Friends for Conservation and Development protecting the Chiquibul
The Friends for Conservation and Development held its 18th Annual General Meeting at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel on Sunday. As part of the meeting, a new Board of Directors was elected with prominent citizens such as Ambassador David Gibson and Tony Rath coming into the fold. In his presentation to the gathering, Rafael Manzanero, the Executive Director of the Friends for Conservation and Development reviewed important events within the organization over the preceding year. According to Manzanero, the Belize Electric Company Limited BECOL has been providing FCD with $25,000.00 yearly to do bio-monitoring; especially the Scarlet Macaws. Also, the Belize Diesel and Equipment Limited donated a new Hilux, which is now stationed at the Las Cuevas Research Station. Manzanero also reported that the co-management agreement with the Belize Government for the management of the Chiquibul had expired.

UNICEF/OAS discuss how to measure poverty
Representatives from various Government Organizations met at the Inspiration Center on Thursday, November 30, 2017 along with the representatives of UNICEF and the OAS in Belize to discuss multidimensional poverty. The discussion focused on poverty in Belize and its effect on children especially. The first part of the discussion was an open house sponsored by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation, and Poverty Alleviation. There, the concept of the multidimensional poverty index was introduced. This index will be used to measure poverty in its various facets, facets that go beyond income and expenditure.

Police Torch Run to raise funds for Special Olympics
The Belize Police Department as well as the Belize Defense Force, the Belize Coast Guard, the Belize Immigration Department, the Belize Transport Department, and the Customs and Excise Department embarked on the 6th annual “Torch Run” carrying the Flame of Home. This activity, which is to last one week, started on Saturday, December 2, 2017 and will journey through various municipalities in an effort to promote awareness about the Special Olympics Belize and its participants.

Gender-based violence and human trafficking being targeted
On November 29, 2017, RET International launched its newest project “Strengthening the Government-Civil Society Partnership for Timely, Transparent Response to Gender-based Violence (GBV) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP)” at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The 2-year project is being funded by the U.S. Embassy through a Central American Regional Security Initiative Economic Support Funds (CARSI-ESF) grant and is value at approximately USD $300,000. Through this grant, RET International will support the implementation of Belize’s National Gender-based Action Plan and is partnering with the Women’s Commission, the Association of Justices of the Peace and Court Commissioners, and Productive Organization for Women in Action (POWA).

FFB has new executive
Sergio Chuc has won the election for presidency of the Football Federation of Belize. He now joins the executive of the FFB, along with Vice President Elect Cruz Gamez, filling up 2 empty seats that have been vacant for 1 year and 7 months. The election for those posts happened on Saturday, December 5, in a full Congress of the FFB, which was held at the Princess Ramada Hotel. Chuc was up against the incumbent, Ruperto Vicente, and other candidates such as Onan McLean, and Daniel Fabro. In the first round of elections, Chuc defeated his opponents when he got 14 votes out of the possible 20. Mclean received 4 votes, and the other 2 went to Vicente. Fabro, who was a newcomer entering the race late, received none of the votes.

Dr. Carla Barnett explains why she walked away in 2007
I was asked why I walked away in 2007 rather than stay to try and help to “fix it”. People’s memories are short - or maybe it’s just natural to try and forget painful experiences. Please remember that a lot of time and energy was spent: 1. Trying to solve an unsustainable fiscal situation 2. Implementing tough economic reform measures which brought real pain to the business sector and ordinary Belizeans, 3. Negotiating extensive governance strengthening measures such as reform of the Finance and Audit Act and introducing social partner consultations in policy formulation etc.

Belize Tourism Board Hosts Children’s Christmas Party at Tourist Village
The Belize Tourism Board hosted 200 children from 10 different primary schools in Belize City at the Fort Street Tourist Village (FSTV) for a children’s Christmas party on Wednesday, December 6, 2017. This year marks BTB’s 14th year for the Holiday Gift Project. BTB works with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) to bring a form of Christmas cheer to needy children. According to Maria Guerra, Cruise Coordinator, BTB, the BTB worked along with the Ministry of Education to identify 10 needy schools. From each school, 20 students were chosen to participate in the initiative. In an effort to spread the cheer around, 10 different schools are chosen each year.

Belize City Council’s 12 Days of Charity
With the Christmas season quickly approaching, the Belize City Council took to their second year of their version of “12 Days of Christmas”. Their 12 Days of Charity started on Friday, December 1, 2017 with a Calypso Train city tour for the elders of the Sister Cecilia Home. The tour was guided by Mayor Darrel Bradley himself and began at 10:30 a.m. A lunch with entertainment at the BTL Park followed the tour which was sponsored by the Office of the Mayor. At that lunch, Mayor Bradley and the Belize City Councilors shared a meal with the older people

Aragon Christmas cup winds down
The Aragon Christmas Football Cup which has been running for the past five consecutive years is in its final leg. After eight weeks of intense competition only four of the eight teams that signed up remain. With three more weeks to go and the final game tentatively scheduled for the 17th December, only the best have survived so far. Progresso, Carmelita, Guinea Grass and San Jose Palmar are the four teams which will battle it out to see who walks away with the coveted $5000.00 first Prize. The second place winner will take home $3000.00 and third place settles for $2500.00.

Police and his Girlfriend charged with wounding of his daughter
A police officer and his girlfriend are out on bail after they were separately charged with the offence of wounding in connection to the alleged beating of the police officer’s 6-year-old child. They are PC Tony Gamboa, 31-year-old; Aricia Gentle, a 23-year-old sales representative, both of Hattieville. PC Gamboa and Gentle were taken to court on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 to be arraigned before Magistrate Michelle Trapp. The police officer was read a single charge of harm upon his 6-year-old daughter.

Two men charged in Belmopan
Two men have been charged in connection with the decapitation of a Belizean laborer from Cotton Tree. Twenty-nine-year-old Raphael Mencias was charged for murder while thirty-six-year-old Elroy Grinage was charged for abetment and conspiracy to commit murder on Friday at the Belmopan Magistrate Court. Both men, also of Cotton Tree Village were brought before the court in connection to the death of Hilton Wade and were as a result remanded to the Belize Central Prison until March 2, 2018.

Teenagers out on bail for robbery and wounding
On Monday, December 4, 2017, two teenagers ages 17 and 18 were before the court to answer to two criminal charges of robbery and wounding upon a man. The 18-year-old has been identified as Dwayne Williams. The duo was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford where they were read a charge of robbery upon Alfredo Ical and one count of wounding upon Ical. Both Williams and the minor pleaded not guilty to robbing Ical. Williams did plead guilty to wounding Ical but his sentencing for the guilty plea was deferred until a later date.

Two years in jail for taxi driver who touched girl’s leg
Nestor Gallindo, a 44-year-old taxi driver, was sentenced to 2 years in prison after he was found guilty sexually assaulting a 15-year-old minor who was a passenger in his taxi. He was found guilty on December 1, 2017 and sentenced on December 4, 2017. Gallindo appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford where he pleaded not guilty.

Russell Hyde Jr. shot in San Ignacio
Russell Hyde Jr., son of the notorious Russell Hyde Sr. from Roaring Creek, continues to recover at the Western Regional Hospital from a shooting incident in San Ignacio Town. On Monday, December 4, 2017 at about 8:15 p.m., San Ignacio police received information about the shooting, and they visited the San Ignacio Hospital. That’s where they observed Russel Hyde Jr., a 24-year-old Belizean businessman of Belmopan, with multiple gunshot wounds to the body.

Gasman Jones on bail for sexual assault accusation
Gasman Jones, a 22-year-old Belize City resident, is out on a $2,000 bail after he was accused of the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse. His case ended in a paper committal before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford on Tuesday, December 5, 2017. In August of 2016, Jones was accused of having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl. After the paper committal, Senior Magistrate Ford committed Jones to stand trial at the Supreme Court for the January 2018 session set to commence on January 16, 2018.

Screwdriver and TV splitter costs man his job
Antonio Novelo, a 38-year-old ex-sales clerk of Augusto Quan, was fired from his job on Monday, December 4, 2017 after he was caught red-handed stealing from his workplace. On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, he appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court where he was read a single charge of theft. Novelo pled guilty to the charge and was fined $500 plus a $5.00 cost of court which he was ordered to pay by January 15, 2018 in default of 5 months’ imprisonment. Novelo was caught stealing a screwdriver and a 2-way TV splitter, all to a value of $4.50.

Verdes FC a win away from National Football title
The Premier League of Belize entered its final round of the 2017 Opening Season with game one of the finals on Sunday 3rd December, 2017, at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town between the defending champions and competition favourites the Belmopan Bandits and the determined Verdes FC. Before a stadium full of football fans and enthusiasts, the host team Verdes FC, were determined to cut the defending champions Belmopan Bandits down to size. The game itself was perhaps one of the best games played in the championship series for a long time when no one gave up any goals in the early goings.

Demille Flores to Rush Select Programme
Dangriga’s Demille Flores, 14, has been invited to attend the Rush Select Programme at the Presidents’ Day Tournament as one of the top 16 players in Rush his age group. Demille had attended and participated last month in the Rush Select 2004/2005 Boys ID Camp, an event for 60 boys and 60 girls of the U13 - U15 age groups where the Rush Select staff trained and evaluated them. The Rush Select Technical Staff selected him based on nominations from Rush Technical Directors there. The Presidents’ Day Tournament is a college showcase tournament February 15 - 19, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Belizean athletes compete in Beach Volleyball at the XI Central American Games in Managua
Gabriel Nunez Jr. and Luis “Ricky” Luna both of San Pedro Town are representing Belize in Beach Volleyball at the XI Central American Games in Managua, Nicaragua. Belize is among the Central American countries that are participating in the regional games. On Sunday 3rd December, Team Belize played two games in the Round Robin competition. In game one, Team Belize fell to host country Nicaragua by the score of 21-12 and 21-12.

Sergio Chuc to lead football in Belize for the next four years
The Football Federation of Belize held its 11th Ordinary Congress on Saturday 2nd December 2017, at 10:00 am at the Ramada Princess on Newtown Barracks in Belize City. The high point of the 11th Ordinary Congress was the elections of the President and Vice President of the Football Federation of Belize. A total of 20 delegates, each representing a football district and the Premier League of Belize participated in the election process, which saw the election of Sergio Chuc as the new President of the Football Federation of Belize. Chuc, received a total of 14 votes out of the 20 casts by the delegates. Onan McLean received 4 votes, former president Ruperto Vicente received 2 and outsider Daniel Fabro received 0 votes.

Landlord and Tenant Act pt1
If you’re an adult living in Belize, chances are that you have been in the position of a tenant or landlord at some point in time. There are many things to know when you are either of them and a great many misconceptions as to what you can or can’t do when you find yourself in any of these situations. The rules and guide that governs this is the Landlord and Tenant Act Chapter 189 of the Laws of Belize, Revised edition 2000. This act consists of 69 sections and to include all the information therein we would need four newspapers. The following will speak on some of the more common issues encountered while letting premises.

Closure of Nassau Grouper Season
The Nassau Grouper season will be closed from 1st December 2017 to March 31st, 2018. Statutory Instrument #49 of 2009 Regulations which relates to Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus): Regulation 3 (1) No person shall take in the waters of Belize, buy, sell or have in his possession any Nassau Grouper between the 1st December and the 31st March, inclusive, in any year.

Man found stabbed in San Ignacio
San Ignacio Police visited Domingo Street in San Ignacio Town on Sunday afternoon where they discovered a decomposing body inside a house with stab wounds above the left eye and other bodily injuries. The lifeless body was that of thirty-three-year-old Victor Spain, who was last seen on Friday evening at about 5:30 pm. The ex-common-law of Victor Spain had found him in a pool of blood inside his home. Neighbors had reportedly heard screams coming from inside the house on Friday night, but they did not react thinking that it was just a domestic dispute. They also report seeing two persons running from the area shortly after.

Minor survives hit and run accident on Phillip Goldson Highway
On Thursday, November 30, 2017 at about 5:40 p.m., police officers visited the KHMH where they observed 11-year-old Emmett Burgess, a student of a Belize City address, suffering from multiple injuries over the body. Initial investigation revealed that while Burgess was crossing the Phillip Goldson Highway near the DK Supermarket to meet his grandmother, he was hit by an oncoming vehicle. A driver had signaled for Burgess to cross but an overtaking vehicle hit him. That vehicle was being driven by 29-year-old Ralph Burns, a Belizean businessman of a Lord’s Bank address.

The other side of Christmas
It was not until I was nearly a 25 year old woman that I realized that for some people Christmas was not the most wonderful time of the year. Sure I had always known some families have it better than others. My family had it better than some and some had it better than ours. But what I did not realize was that for some people, Christmas was a time of utter sorrow and misery. One Christmas-Eve when I was five years old or maybe I was six- I don’t quite remember now- my dad upon arriving home from work, informed my mama and me that he would be working the next day, Christmas day. “WHAT DADDY? WHY? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO WORK ON CHRISTMAS DAY?” My dad who was the manager of his work station calmly explained that, yes, it is Christmas and the other employees all wanted the day off so although he was not scheduled to work, he volunteered to do so.

One of a Kind
I am me, you are you but at times one plus one is not two. Are we not equals if I am but one and you another? What makes you so special, if I have the “whole” to your part? I cultivate and reap whilst you just plant the seed. Looking at it objectively, It is unbalanced as us women carry the brunt. We, women carry all the secrets as well. We hide the truth behind our smiles, jackets, scarfs, pants and war paint. Today, the 6th of December is the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre and is now observed as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence AGAINST Women. Majority of the time, we cannot tell when women are being abused, be it verbal, physical or both because they are ashamed and hide it well.

Sustainable Development Goal Target 6.4 ?
Last week I reported that the SDGs are designed to finish the job started by the MDGs, that is, to get to a statistical “zero” on hunger, poverty, preventable child deaths and other targets. Included is the set of goals, is to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” also known as SDG 6. The SDGs unlike the MDGs are applicable to all countries, rich and poor, and developed and developing. Belize has always focused on the provision of potable water, and under the MDGs we did an excellent job. However SDG 6 includes seven targets and only Target 6.1 is specific to drinking water (potable water). All other targets refer to sanitation, water use efficiency, wastewater management, gender issues, international cooperation for water, the natural water environment, and Integrated Water Resources Management. The reason for this shift is that the MDG 7 outdid itself in most parts of the world, including Belize. There is now the need to ensure that the Green Infrastructure will be able to sustainably provide water for potable use without imperiling these natural water systems.

Private Hustles, sovereign Guarantees
I am treated each week to several opinions from friends on topics they think I should share with readers. I must confess that I do not always develop these suggestions into writing since truthfully some of them do sound weird. However, there was a particular gentleman, a former PUP diehard, who sat beside me Sunday morning past on my bench where I sit to read. He piped my interest with the following observation. This longtime acquaintance, whom I will call Buddy, is vehemently against our country paying the $90 million for an illegal sovereign guarantee made to greedy, connected PUP cronies. Buddy said that this action by the past PUP Administration combined with $millions in free grants from DFC and SSB to “lambiscones” made him turn against his own Party. Buddy told me that he heard that the Principal benefactor of the Alliance met with the entire PUP caucus last week and secured from their representatives a commitment for a “yes” vote in the House on December 8.

Words of Life with Pastor Barry Fraser
At this time of year, our thoughts are about the mother of our Lord Jesus, Mary of Nazareth. Her story illustrates many of the characteristics of the kind of woman God uses to fulfill His redemptive purposes in our world. There was nothing particularly unusual about Mary. She was not from a wealthy or illustrious family. When the angel appeared to this young teenage girl, she was engaged to be married and was undoubtedly doing what engaged girls do—dreaming of being married to Joseph, of the home they would live in, of the family they would have.

Human Rights Student Scholars: Write to Fame!
Written by By Calbert Pratt. CRIME TIME All you hear every day is crime. Crime rate goes up but never goes down. Every day innocent people drop by gun. Their mothers are crying, “God, why my son?” People taking it for fun, Until their eye water starts to run. Crime rate will never stop. Gun man pass and rob people by the bus stop. When you go to jail, More than likely you won’t even get bail. In life, you’ll realize all you did was fail. Rise up ghetto youth. Let SUCCESS be your motivational line.

Breaking Belize News

Carla Barnett concludes working visit in Punta Gorda Town
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Carla Barnett was in the […]

Rasheed Hyde wanted for Santa Elena shooting
Russel Hyde Jr,24, was shot on Monday night at a meat shop on George Price Avenue in […]

Senate Hearings come to an end
For the last year or so, Wednesdays in the jewel have been marked by melodramatic […]

Caye Caulker gets new fire truck
The Village of Caye Caulker has received a new fire truck which is now part […]

Police: Woman robbed of her cash in broad daylight in Belize City
Yesterday, a 45 year old Belizean businesswoman of Belize City reported to police that about 10:30 […]

Blogs

Aji Tapa Restaurant in San pedro Ambergris Caye
Aji Tapi Restaurant includes a Bella Vista Guest Homes, a four casita boutique resort located 2.5 miles north of San Pedro inside Aji Tapa premises. It has full equipped furniture, wifi, cable, air-conditioning and kitchen. The garden has a walk way very clean and maintained. My friend Linda Miller picked me up at my house, and we drove 2.5 miles up north with her golf cart. The weather was perfectly fine to come out and adventure in San Pedro. We exchanged information all the way until we reached to Aji Tapa Bar. The first thing I saw was the big sign that had written their happy hours and opening time in Aji's. I liked the style they had from the entrance. Beachfront, Restaurant, Tapas, Paella, Wine, Seafood says the sign. Tapa and Bar restaurant opening hours are from 8am to 10pm. Then, I saw a long wooden post laid flat across from one cement post to the other. It had a stained crocodile on top of the wood.

Mahogany Bay Village Opens As the Largest Resort in Belize & Hilton’s First in the Country
Yesterday Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton officially opened! Late morning on a gorgeous day, there were a few speeches, the Belizean flag was raised and lunch and champagne were served. The largest resort in Belize is OPEN. It marked a project that has been in the works for quite a few years (check out the posts I’ve written below) – and is just one stage in many more that are planned. It is the largest resort on Ambergris Caye – with 106 rooms opening at 12.01am on December 6, 2017. There will be 300 in total. There are now 325,000 square feet of completed buildings. 310 employees. A monumental accomplishment on a large piece of reclaimed land that was completely empty – just dirt and sand -about 5 years ago. I first properly visited the site less than 2 miles south of San Pedro town in June 2014. Since then there has been an EXPLOSION of activity. New businesses, new buildings, a massive Great House, furnishings, decor, plants…

Belize's 1st Pelagic Trip, Warbler Mania on Halfmoon Caye
So this has been what many Belizean Birders have been waiting for, a Pelagic Birding Trip. For those of who don't know a Pelagic is a trip that goes out in the open ocean look for seabirds (boobies, shearwaters, storm-petrels etc) This trip has been in planning from the beginning of the year and thanks to the chief Roni Martinez and the Belize Audubon Society the day has come. We boarded the Booby at the Old Belize Marina to start our journey out to the Lighthouse Reef Atoll we had a pretty solid group of birders Roni Martinez, Fidelio Montes , Isaias Morataya, Diego Cruz, Eduardo Ruano, Marcos Corado, Meshack Eliah, Eric Tut and myself. Before the trip even started Eduardo, Marcos and I managed to stumble upon a Brown Noddy in Belize City. So we took hour two hour journey and our first stop within the Lighthouse Reef Atoll was at a caye called Northern 2 it was supposed to be some sort of mega resort on the atoll but it never really took off ( thankfully) so now the island is abandoned buildings that have become fishing camps and an abandoned airstrip. A perfect stopover point for migrating birds before long we were picking up migrants such as Palm Warblers, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissels, Merlin, Peregrine Falcons and my first pair of lifers an Acadian Flycatcher and a Prairie Warbler. Other than birds we stumbled across an Allison's Anole an Anole that's found only on a few Islands in the Caribbean.

International Sources

Hilton’s Mahogany Bay Opens in Belize
There’s a new place to stay on Belize’s Ambergris Caye. The Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton is now welcoming travelers, the property announced Thursday. Belize’s newest hotel features 205 cottage and villa-style rooms on a 60-acre waterfront site. The sprawling complex includes 10 different dining outlets, along with bay and beach clubs and event spaces and a 72,000-gallon saltwater pool. It all adds up to what is the largest hotel in Belize.

CARICOM and Cuba mark 45 years of relationships
The bonds of brotherhood and cooperation between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba, 45 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries of that bloc and the largest of the Antilles, were highlighted on Wednesday in Havana. During a gala to commemorate the date in the Marti Theater, the Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ana Teresita Gonzalez, recalled that more than four decades of that courageous decision, the links between peoples and governments of the Caribbean and Cuba have been deepened and made more effective. González emphasized that a sign of that friendship was the mutual support after the passage of the intense hurricanes Irma and María, which hit the Caribbean last September

Videos

December 7, 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

U. S. Government Funds RET International Project to Combat Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons
On November 29, RET International launched its newest project “Strengthening the Government-Civil Society Partnership for Timely, Transparent Response to Gender-based Violence (GBV) and Trafficking in Persons (TIP)” at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The U.S. Embassy is funding this two-year democratic governance project valued at approximately $300,000 USD through a Central American Regional Security Initiative Economic Support Funds (CARSI-ESF) grant. Preventing and responding to GBV and TIP are cornerstones of the U.S. Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and promoting gender equality – two critical pieces of improving citizen security, economic prosperity, and good governance.

Human remains found at construction site in San Pedro Town
The skeletal remains of what is believed to be a person from the Maya prehistoric times, along with pottery-shard artifacts were discovered at a construction site on Pescador Drive in downtown San Pedro. The discovery was made on Tuesday, December 5th when workers were excavating the area. Since then, work on the site has been stopped, while personnel from the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) visit the island to retrieve the remains and artifacts to their headquarters in Belmopan City where they will wait to be studied. Josue Ramos, an Archaeologist with NICH stated that there is a high possibility that the skeletal remains belong to someone from the prehistoric era. “Prehistoric means the time before the arrival of the Europeans to this part of the planet,” said Ramos. “Due to the high volume of prehistoric materials found with the human remains, the chances of it being from that time period is very high,” Ramos added that the area where the discovery was made is part of the San Pedro Site, an area connected to a time period when the Maya civilization was booming on Ambergris Caye.

The San Pedro Dance Academy presents The Nativity 2017 Christmas show
The Christmas season continues to spread across the island, and on Sunday, December 3rd the San Pedro Dance Academy once again held their annual end-of-year Christmas show. Titled ‘The Nativity,’ the show was held at the San Pedro Lions Den, with a full house of attendees enjoying musical plays demonstrating creativity and talent by the performers. The annual show serves as a fundraiser to support the Dance Academy and for a fee of $10 for reserved, and $5 for general seating attendees enjoyed a variety of dance routines. The program consisted of a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus Christ and all the challenges Joseph and the Virgin Mary went through, as well as several numbers featuring the different dancing levels of the participants. Dancers ranged from juniors, intermediate, to senior performers, who dressed in elaborately themed costumes giving a fabulous show.

San Pedro’s UDP 7 hosts endorsement convention
The Belize Rural South United Democratic Party (UDP) town council slate hosted their endorsement convention on Saturday, December 2nd at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex. Current San Pedro Town Council Members, Daniel Guerrero, Gary Grief, Hector Alamilla, Ruben Gonzalez, Severo Guerrero Jr., Gabriel Nunez, and Flora Ancona are aspiring to be re-elected for another term in office. With the main topic of the night being the recent judgment of the CCJ, Belize City Mayor Bradley also gave his opinion on it. “This CCJ judgment should be a wakeup call, to all islanders as well as Belizeans. This is just one example of how wicked and worthless the PUP is, so let us never forget all the damage they caused to our country,” Bradley said. He further continued by saying “On election day I want you to remember all the great things UDP has done for your community, and make the right decision. We are a party of change, transformation, and progress.”

Brahma Blue Resort re-opens in style
After going through some rigorous renovations for the past four months, Brahma Blue Resort is now open and ready to offer its services and amenities to guests. The grand opening took place on Saturday, December 2nd, with invited guests treated to a tour of the property, viewing the different rooms and enjoying complimentary cocktails and appetizers at the over the water restaurant. Among the invited guests were Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Councillors of the San Pedro Town Council and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Honourable Manuel Heredia Jr. During the grand tour of the property, guests were first shown the beautiful pool, decked with lounge chairs, and a manicured pool bar. They then proceeded to view some of the 14 condominium units, including the two gorgeous penthouses Brahma Blue has to offer. The units count with spacious accommodations for up to five persons, fully equipped kitchen, dining area, living area, bathrooms and balconies with stunning vistas from both sides (east and west) of the hotel.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Town Council Purchases Another Garbage Compactor
Our lovely island is growing immensely and there are lots of needs to be met, one in particular the garbage collection. In an effort to keep la Isla Bonita clean the San Pedro Town Council has purchased another garbage compactor to help alleviate and facilitate the garbage collection in our beautiful island of Ambergris Caye.

Belize Meteorologist Completes Training In Washington, DC
Since 1989, Belize has sent a total of five Meteorologists/Forecasters to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Weather Prediction Center for Training on Numerical Weather Prediction with a focus on the Tropical Americas. This year The National Meteorological Service of Belize sent a representative for training in Washington, DC.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro: Free Eye Exams for the entire family!
Sunday Dec. 10th to Thursday Dec. 14th, 8:30am to 4:30pm, daily at the San Pedro Lions Clinic.

Governments of Belize and El Salvador hold Technical Cooperation Meeting on Security
The first Technical Cooperation Meeting on Security between the Governments of Belize and the Republic of El Salvador was held on 5th December 2017 in San Salvador following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in October of this year which formally established the strengthening of relations and citizen security. During the meeting, both delegations focused on improving efforts in the areas of migration, intelligence sharing, international security and terrorism, prevention of gang violence, and the fight against organized crime and forensic sciences.

New Garbage compactor in San Pedro
The San Pedro Town Council has currently purchased another garbage compactor, making it number 5 of our fleet of compactors. The acquisition of this new compactor will definitely help alleviate and facilitate the garbage collection in our island.

Two 20-minute power outages are scheduled for entire Orange Walk and Corozal Districts
On Thursday, December 7th and Friday, December 8th from 7:00 am to 7:20 am and from 4:40 pm to 5:00 pm. BEL to replace transmission poles between Buena Vista and Xulha Substations.

Law Enforcement, Special Olympics Torch Run in Corozal

UB Marketing Expo 2017
UB's 2017 Marketing Expo was a hit. Looks like there was a lot of entrepreneurship on display, and they had a fun time showing it off. "On the 23rd of November, businesses and students from the Capital City came to the Central Campus in Belmopan for another Marketing Expo which was designed to reach stakeholders and residents of the western region of the country. There were 37 booths on display. 11 stalls represented Marketing students at the Associate’s Degree level and 12 represented Small Business Management at the Bachelor’s Degree level. There was also participation from the UB Central Farm Campus."

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of Nov. 27th - Dec. 3rd, 2017
Working his way through all the species that we target, Alan landed over forty bonefish and a host of other species. All of our anglers were successful in spite of the west wind blowing. Bonefish are the last fish to get spooked when the west wind blows because they prefer a falling tide as long as it doesn’t fall too much too quickly. Anglers headed north to wade and found some big bonefish tailing on the flats near Rocky Point. The lagoon fishing turned out to be productive as well. Always good Bonefishing here!

Gender-Based Violence resources in San Pedro
For assistance in San Pedro please visit the below GBV resources: Women’s Department, Department of Human Services Telephone: (501) 227-7397 Women’s Department officer: Deann Buckley rdo.wd@humandev.gov.bz Women’s Department Officer: Lodawn Jones wdobze@humandev.gov.bz Domestic Violence Unit, San Pedro Police Station DFC area, San Pedro DVU: Arillee Young arilleyoung@yahoo.com

Gender-Based Violence resources in San Ignacio Town
Women’s Department – Department of Human Services Joseph Andrews Drive Telephone: (501) 804-2098 Women’s development officer: Elyn Cerano wdocayo@humandev.gov.bz Domestic Violence Unit – Police Department #1 King St., San Ignacio Town, Cayo Telephone: 911 (501) 804-2022 Corporal 353 attached to domestic violence: Sheena Jones Sheenamarie353@yahoo.com ...

Meet GBV activist for San Ignacio, Cayo Ms. Anna Silva!
Ms. Silva advocates for abused women and children. Ms. Silva herself is a survivor of domestic violence. She was very active in co-founding Mary Open Doors in 2008 to assist and empower victims like her. Mary Open Doors serves as a temporary emergency shelter for victims and their families and as a resource center to educate, advocate, and raise awareness of Gender Based Violence and its effect. The temporary emergency shelter provides housing for a maximum of 4 families or 10 people.

"VI FESTIVAL DEL PUEBLO" in San Lazaro Orange Walk
"VI Festival del Pueblo 2017" You are cordially invited to our "VI FESTIVAL DEL PUEBLO" 1:30 pm 17. Dec.2017 San Lazaro Orange Walk. The “Festival del Pueblo” is an annual cultural event advocating and promoting our tangible and intangible cultural heritage in this case our Yucatec Maya-Mestizo culture. Special presentation Ch'iibal Maya Pax from Tuzik Quintana Roo and La Xtabay (Dance and art).

Second practical inga pruning session
Exciting: We have involved more farmers in a second practical inga pruning session. 2 farmers whose plots have been pruned, have planted corn in the alleys. 17 farmers within the Maya Golden Landscape are pioneering the establishment of Inga Alley Cropping in southern Belize. The remaining 15 farmers will prune their inga plots next year.

Short synopsis of what happened at the BTIA meeting last night on Caye Caulker
I didn’t know what STP was - now I do. Sustainable Tourism Program. It is a move though the Ministry of Tourism, backed by BTB and the development banks and supported by local committees which is devolved through the community (called Local Tourism Committee - LTC), to look after Caye Caulker’s interests, not only as a tourist destination but as a place to live and work for all people. So this is Phase 2. The first phase was making up the rules and putting the committees together - which reports to Central Tourism Committee. All in place now.

Eulogy for Ms. Ofelia Alamina
R.I.P. Ms. Ofelia Alamina. Miss Feli passed away Nov 30 around noon after close to 91 years on this Earth. Our deepest condolences go out to Rose Marin and the extended Alamina family... This is the eulogy for Ms. Ofelia Alamina. Ms. Ofelia was born in 1926. A lot has changed on Caye Caulker since she the day she was born. May she R.I.P.

Minister and CEO of Foreign Affairs visit Brussels for Working Mission to EU Institutions and Attends 106th ACP Council of Ministers
Today, December 6th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs of Belize, Hon. Wilfred P. Elrington, along with the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Pat Andrews, concluded their five-day working mission to Brussels, Belgium, after attending multiple high-level meetings with the EU Institutions and participating in the 106th Session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers. On Monday, December 4th, the Belize delegation met with the Commissioner of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission, H.E. Neven Mimica, to discuss Belize-EU bilateral relations and its development cooperation both in the Central American and Caribbean sub-regional contexts.

ANNUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN 2017
On Monday, December 4th, 2017 , the torch of the Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run arrived in San Pedro Town which proceeded with a parade the following day, Tuesday, December 5, 2017 starting at 9:00 a.m. Starting from the San Pedro Police Station, Mayor Daniel Guerrero lead the parade with the lit torch through the main streets of the town. Accompanying him were members of the San Pedro Police Formation, students of Ambergris Caye Elementary School and the Isla Bonita Elementary School Band. The torch is paraded around the country, commencing from Punta Gorda working its way up, by the police and law enforcement officers in an effort to promote awareness on children with disabilities and as a way to raise funds for the Belize Special Olympics.

SPTC Poster Contest
On November 27, 2017, the San Pedro Town Council held a poster competition with all the secondary schools of Ambergris Caye where they had to portray San Pedro Town in its evolution from a fishing village to the town it is today. The winners of the competition are as follows: 1st Place: Genieve Ramirez, Ashlee Wallace, Jay Arzu from Isla Bonita Elementary School taking the prize of $150 dollars. 2nd Place: Lauren Turley from The Island Academy (unfortunately Lauren was out of the country so her teacher accepted the prize on her behalf) taking the prize of $75 dollars. 3rd Place: It's a tie! Gabriella Knox and Madison Edwards both placed 3rd, taking the prize of $50 each. Mayor Daniel Guerrero presented each winner with their prize and thanked them for participating in the first ever Township poster competition. Congrats guys and girls on a job well done!

Belize to reduce climate vulnerability with IDB assistance
Belize will seek to reduce its vulnerability to climate change and risk with the implementation of climate resilience measures in the tourism sector and the improvement of disaster risk management governance, through a US$10 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The project is expected to directly or indirectly benefit 103,503 people living in Belize City and Caye Caulker. Based on losses as a share of GDP, Belize is one of the countries most affected by extreme meteorological events – mostly hurricanes and tropical storms – in Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 1930 and 2016, the country has been hit by 16 major tropical storms, or one every five years on average, which affected 287,670 people and caused US$635 million in losses. The tourism sector is particularly vulnerable to climate risk, and the situation could worsen in the future due to climate change.

University of Belize's Christmas Concert
Come out on December 8th, 2017 and support the University of Belize's Christmas Concert

Neighborhood Watch donates to Georgeville Police Station
Today, representing the Georgeville Police Station, Cpl. Barry Flowers received a computer system from the More Force Neighborhood Watch Group. The neighborhood watch group’s members are located in and around Unitedville, Floral Park and Georgeville villages (also known as the Society Hall and More Force area). The officers at the Georgeville Police Station are responsible for the area from the Blackman Eddy/Spanish Lookout Junction of the George Price Highway west, up to and including, Santa Elena in the Cayo District. When data needed recording, Georgeville Police traveled to San Ignacio's Police Station to enter their report into the national Crime Information Management System (CIMS).

Career Opportunity!
Belize Sugar Industries Limited invites qualified and motivated individuals to submit applications for the position of Business Analyst within the Finance Department at Tower Hill, Orange Walk District. Qualifications and Experience - Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or related field -Possession of CPA, ACCA or other accounting qualification is an asset -Three (3) years’ experience working as an Accountant or Business Analysis Skills and Competencies -Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel. -Working knowledge of SAP or other ERP software -Experience in financial modelling -Strong analytical and problem-solving skills -Excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively in a team environment -Strong writing and communication skills -Ability to communicate in Spanish is an asset -Proactive, organized and dependable

Sustainable Tourism Programme II in Corozal
December 11th-December 14th, 2017. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in partnership with the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) is coming to Corozal Town to conduct several trainings as part of the Sustainable Tourism Programme ( STP) .

BTIA Annual General Meeting Stream
Join us Thursday for a live streaming of our 32nd AGM on our BTIA Facebook page

Musical comedy show of Juan De Dios "EL CASANOVA"
Yet another Laugh Out Loud weekend at the "PRINCESS CASINO FREEZONE" with the live musical comedy show of Juan De Dios "EL CASANOVA". Everyone is cordially invited this Friday, December 8th and Saturday, December 9th starting at 10:00 p.m. Come out, laugh, enjoy and get a chance to win!

SISE Town Hall Inauguration
You've seen it being built over the course of the year. The new SISE Town Council building is almost ready, and the new SISE House of Culture is already in its new location, which is in the refurbished hospital building. The inauguration party will be Wednesday, December 13th, and everyone is invited.

Christmas In Town
IF YOU CAN SING, DANCE, OR WANT TO SHOW YOUR UNIQUE TALENT, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!

HIP HOP ARTISTIC PHENOM RAY BAPTIST SEEN THROUGH HIS MOTHER'S EYES!
When this feature was shot of the talented Belizean-American artistic phenom, Ray Baptist, and his Belizean mother, Carol Brown, here at the "Belizean Legends" studios; it did not dawn on me that this artist extraordinaire and yours truly would later crossed paths again at a popular Islamic Mosque in Central Los Angeles. It made me immediately realized what it was that was inspiring this young brother to paint the kind of murals of new age Hip Hop extravaganza. Ray's feature has inspired me for weeks now to match his color and creativity in terms of producing a feature that would do justice to who he is as a new emerging artist and this spirit with which he creates and designs. Once his work was seen on the popular Belizean show, "AH Wayk Op Lyke Dis" by the talented Belizeans, Lorna Smith and Wil Johnson, it would urge me on to feature Ray and his mother to tell the Belizean audience how this awesome creativity came about. The brilliance that emerged out of a young black artist who was surrounded by all kinds of distractions being grown up in South Central Los Angeles. And the story that transpired would thrill you as to the magic that this pair worked with to make it all happen.

Belize: The Intimate Portrait
It's the Christmas Season. Time to treat yourself, your family and friends to a gift that will last a lifetime. This 180 page book with more than 150 superb photographs. It is available from belizedigitalbooks.com or your favorite Belizean gift-shop in three distinct formats: 8.5 X 11 Softcover Coffee Table edition, as a Digital download or as a portable USB Flipbook edition. Also available from Amazon in a kindle edition, www.amazon.com/dp/B077K9DYZ8 (this format does not support Rotary). Your purchase of this fabulous book will help support your favorite Rotary Club of Belize. Contact: Andre Lopez at andrelopez2981@gmail.com

Channel 7

City Council Owes Its Garbage Contractor Big Bucks, Could Result In Your Garbage Not Being Picked Up
Tonight reports to 7News say that the Belize City Council owes its garbage contractor about a million dollars in arrears. That's 19 or 20 weeks of backed - up payments, which the council has reportedly fallen behind on. Now, that usually happens around this time of year which is the council's low revenue season. But, with no cash flow from its main source - Waste Control can't afford to keep its full complement of staff and vehicle operating. So, starting tomorrow, we are told BWC may make cutbacks which means that if you live on the Northside - you garbage may not be picked up as usual. Now, we stress it's not a garbage strike, there will be trucks doing their collections, but with fewer staff and machines, so some areas of the Northside may not get serviced. We were unable to get comment from the council when we got the news late this evening.

Man Shot By Cops Died Of Asphyxiation
Three villagers will be charged for starting that tyre-fire in the Arizona area of Teakettle Village yesterday. 23 year old farmer Mervin Corea, 55 year old Salvadoran mechanic Plines Gutierrez, and 22 year old domestic Guadalupe Guerra, all Teakettle villagers will be charged for illegal assembly. They will appear in court tomorrow - and got station bail today. That is all except Plines Gutierrez who can't be bailed because he is charged with illegal entry. Police believe the trio collaborated to set the tyre fire with the inscription "we want justice" on the road to the ATM caves. The tyre fire was set to protest the death of 20 year old villager Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez - who was chased and shot by police.

Man Killed When He Crashed On Motorbike
Another man has died on a motorbike. This morning at 4:30, 24 year old Audiaz Lopez from Nuevo San Juan village was found dead on his motorbike in San Pablo Village. Police have concluded that he lost control of the150cc Lifan motorcycle and crashed, causing him to die on the spot. The motorbike also had a broken head lamp consistent with the accident. Lopez was a porter at Belize San Pedro Water Taxi Express.

Senate Hearings Finish, No Sorrow In "Sayonara"
Tonight, after 13 months of public hearings, the Senate probe into the Immigration Department is done. The Special Select Committee heard from their last witness today in Belmopan. That was Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley - in her second appearance. Last year, when her audit report was made public, Bradley took a thrashing from many within the ruling UDP who took great exception to her findings, which found systematic violations of Immigration procedures and widespread political influence, suggesting the work of a money making enterprise. Well, after hundreds of hours of testimony, the Senate Committee and the viewing public, have combed through the entire report and ventilated all her explosive findings. Her work has pretty much withstood some of the toughest scrutiny, and so today, when she finished testifying in the 41st session, we asked her if she feels vindicated by the resulting push to have these hearings:

What Next For Special Select Committee?
So, now that the public hearings are done, we asked the Pro-tem Chairman, Mark Lizarraga, about the next step that the committee will take to compile its full report. He told us that they have decided to take a break until January, when they will reconvene in private to discuss what should be in it: Mark Lizarraga - Senator for the Business Sector: "Well, the first thing is we are going to take a much-needed break. We are meeting again on the 13th, the second Wednesday in January, I think, to decide and chart our way forward. The committee will be meeting with its attorney and we are going to come up with a draft schedule and a draft plan for the way forward. We haven't gotten there yet, we are still tangled up with the hearings but we know that we now move to a new stage. We'll be looking at the evidence, speak to the attorneys and make sure that we each individually give some guidance as to what it is we want to see in the report and of course there is always an opportunity for a minority report if individual senators feel differently from the majority of senators. But basically, we are going to be talking about the way forward as the drafting and writing of the report."

Does The Special Select Have Teeth?
At this time, we don't have exact figure that the Government spent to cover the costs of the hearings, but the last time the Prime Minister addressed it was back in August. Back then, by the Finance Ministry's count, the Senate Committee was forecasted to have spent just over $300,000, by the end of November. So, it has been a costly exercise, but have the hearings been a good use of public funds? Well, that depends on your definition of value for money. But, it is still uncertain if the hearings will result in measurable outcomes, apart from the implementation of the changes to make sure that fleecing of that department is harder to do. Today, the press asked the protem chairman if part of his contribution to the report will be recommendations for a police investigation into the illegalities that the Auditor General found.

Would Auditor General Do An Even Deeper Dig?
And the Auditor General wants to see exactly what will happen after the Senate Select Committee completes its report. That's what she said after she was asked if she is interested in going back into the Immigration Department for a full audit for the last 7 years. She said that if nothing comes of it, then it will be an exercise in futility: Hon. Osmany Salas - NGO Senator: "Do you think that it is time to do a full investigation from the period of 2011 when you started this to the current?" Dorothy Bradley, Auditor General: "I want to be honest."

Robbers Steal Big Money, Then Caught By Cops, One Escapes
There was a small burst of terror as gunshots were reportedly heard on the southside of the city this morning. Here's the police account. It happened around 10:45 when four men pounced on a businesswoman in Fuller's Alley who had just received some money - reportedly a few thousand dollars in cash. They jumped her in her apartment, and left her with a cut above her eye before they sped off with the cash. Police responded to a report and say they caught up with the suspects on Tigris Street - which is about half a mile west of where the robbery happened. Police say that while searching the vehicle one of the men escaped and scaled a zinc fence where he cut his arm. We saw evidence of blood on a nearby fence on Euphrates Avenue, and cloths that the injured person had tried to use as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. But we also saw expended shells in that same area - and residents told us that they heard gunshots.

Husband And Wife Charged For Wounding
A husband and wife were taken to court today - charged for beating a 6 year child so badly that her injuries were classified as wounding. 31 year old police constable Tony Gamboa and his common-law wife, 23 year old Aricia Gentle, were charged with wounding when they appeared today before Magistrate Michelle Trapp. The allegation is that in November Gamboa beat a 6 year old female child and caused a wound to her. And then, on Sunday December third, Gentle allegedly beat the same child and caused another wound.

Belize Sent Protest Note To Guats About Bad Map - Here's What They Replied
For weeks now we've been reporting on the offensive map that the Guatemalans are using in their ICJ education campaign. It includes Belize within Guatemalan territory, separating it only with a dotted line. Well, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a protest note complaining about it. Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington told the Government Press Office about it last week: Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Foreign Minister: "We sent a very stern protest to them indicating to them that we were very very much opposed to that course of action, that in fact we thought that they were retrogressing, that they were going back to the old days which we had long passed, and that we did not think that that kind of activity would in any way be helpful to developing the kind of confidence and trust between the two countries that are needed. "

Does Your City Or Town Council Have What It Takes For UNCAC?
We know all about central government and United Nations Convention Against Corruption, called UNCAC. But, those anti-corruption measures have to be applied in municipal government as well. And while you might think of them as small-time - in charge of garbage collection and drain-sweeping, that's a misconception. If you combine all the municipal governments in Belize they have a collective budget of 138 million and employ 1,500 persons. But, they don't have the strict regulations or procedures that are in place for central government - and we all know how the rules are bent and broken in Belmopan - so imagine what might be happening in your village, town or city! That's why today the Ministry of Local Government held an Accountability and Transparency governance training. Mayor Darrell Bradley gave the opening remarks and we grilled him over whether these standards can even be applied to local government institutions and personalities:

BPP Says Pay the 90 Mil, Take The Bank
The Belize Progressive Party wants to be Belize's third party. And while they might not have had anything close to electoral success so far - they say that their building their brand. And that means remaining relevant as a national voice on pressing public issues - like the 90.6 million dollars that the CCJ says Government must pay to the Belize Bank. Today the BPP Party leader said the Court's decision must be respected, and, almost as an aside, he would also nationalize the Belize Bank:.. Patrick Rogers, Party Leader - BPP: "It's PUP and UDP politics at its best, but it's Belizean politics at its worst: to be making - disrespecting - our highest court be questionable about your nationality. And that's why the BPP is here today saying that 'We are going to be standing up for the protection of the rule of law and for the respect of our Caribbean Court of Justice."

BPP Will Participate in Municipals
And while Rogers would take over the Belize Bank - first, held have to get elected nationally, and before that, his party would have to win a municipal seat. Right now the BPP doesn't even have a village council seat - but with municipals around the corner, hope springs eternal. The BPP Chairman outlined their plans:... Paco Smith, Chairman - BPP: "Every time the bell rings, we will be on the ticket. So in regards to the upcoming elections, at this juncture what we're doing is we're making an appeal to like-minded Belizeans, who are very much interested in seeing a change to this tyrannical system of governance, to reach out to us. We are definitely committed to fielding slates in Belize City and Punta Gorda, but that doesn't mean that we're not looking at the other municipalities as well. Despite the fact that we are going to contest the municipal elections, we're doing it under protest. Amidst all of the madness that has been taking place over the past few months I would dare to remind you all that, still yet, the government has failed to engage in a re-registration exercise."

Territorial Bird Watching
And the BPP Deputy Leader Will Maheia will also field a full slate in Punta Gorda. But today Maheia was talking about his work as a Belize Territorial Volunteer. Yesterday morning they had an incident free trip to Sarstoon Island. He said they went bird watching with the Belize Bird Conservancy: Wil Maheia, Deputy Leader - BPP: "Yesterday, the Belize Territorial Volunteers for the very first time made a trip to Sarstoon Island and basically, physically went onto the island and hike the island and did a bird inventory along with the Belize Birding Conservancy and we spent a total of 88 minutes on the island, which is probably longer than the Coast Guard when the Guatemalans came to move them from the island. But I mean to be fair that we got there early, so I don't even think the Guatemalan Armed Forces knew that we were coming."

Murder Case Concludes, Judgement Reserved
Tonight, 26 year-old Keiron Johnson is back at the Belize Central Prison awaiting his fate after he stood trial for the murder of Christopher Jorgenson. HE was shot in the abdomen back in 2012. He succumbed to his injuries 3 days later, and since that time, Johnson has been on remand. In the trial, Crown Counsel Janelle Tillett represented the prosecution, and her main witness was Shenique Jorgenson, the sister of the deceased. She testified that she was in her house on Curl Thompson Street when she heard the sound of gunshots. When she looked out on the street she saw a gunman running behind her brother. She said she recognized that shooter as Johnson.

What About The Lands Audit?
Earlier in the news, we showed you our interview with Auditor General Dorothy Bradley after she finished testifying at the end of the Senate Hearings on Immigration. But more than just immigration, we asked the Auditor General about the her Audit into the compensations at the Lands Department. You'll remember that the Prime Minister first revealed back in October of last year that the audit was being conducted after the lands compensation scandal broke. That's the one where Gaspar Vega resigned from the Cabinet after it was revealed that his son, Andre Vega, and Sharon Pitts, each got a questionable payout of 400 thousand dollars. So, the audit was requested to look into just who got compensated, for how much, and who gave the order. That was over a year ago, and so we asked the Auditor General if her office is anywhere close to completing that audit:

A Bucket Of Ganja
Yesterday afternoon San Pedro Police got a bucket full of weed when they searched a room on Pearl Street. The bags inside the bucket totaled three quarter pound. Police arrested and charged for all those present for drug trafficking, including 23 year old Letitia Flowers, 25 year old Shantia Marie Flowers, both from Belize City and 48 year old Mark Andrew Flowers who was the tenant in the room.

Hilton Heights At Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club
Tourists have another resort option on the South of San Pedro. It's the Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club. Now this resort is a really big deal because the developers partnered with the renowned International hotel brand: Hilton. The resort is now officially opened and Courtney Weatherburne visited today to see what sets it apart. Here's her report from San Pedro: Courtney Weatherburne reporting If you are in the mood for a revitalizing morning massage, a soothing afternoon session at the yoga studio. Or you just need a quick touch up on your highlight at the salon, you don't have to go far. In fact it is just a short walk away from the rooms, at Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club in San Pedro. But these are just a few of the amenities available at the resort. There is a coffee shop, as well as stalls for upcoming stores, markets and Belizean styled restaurants. It is an elite resort package and it was officially opened for guests today.

Cruise Lines For Christmas
And keeping it on tourism, today the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association held its annual Christmas party for deserving children. We were there to find out what was in store for this year's version of the annual event:.. Maria Guerra, Cruise Coordinator - BTB: "Well, this year we are having our 14th annual Holiday Gift Project. It is the Belize Tourism Board in collaboration with FCCA, the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association. We work together with the Carnival Cruise Line, and we are here to have the Holiday Gift Project for 200 children from Belize City." David Ollech, Entertainment Director- Carnival Cruise Line: "We are very happy to contribute our crew members and our time and some wonderful gifts for all the children here. So we've got 25 crew members, some from the entertainment department, from housekeeping, from other departments on the ship, and they've all offered there time to come here, have a great time with the kids and hopefully bring a little Christmas cheer to their day."

Channel 5

Letter Reveals Startling Allegations about Former Justice of Appeal Franz Parke
The abrupt departure of Franz Parke from the Court of Appeal still leaves many scratching their heads. But there is damning and damaging allegations that suggests that that departure may [...]

Audit Hunting Clues to 71 Million Dollar Land Compensation Scheme
One year after they began, the Senate Special Select Committee’s public hearings are now over. Auditor General Dorothy Bradley was the last to appear in Belmopan before the Committee this [...]

Auditor General Humble in Reviewing Impact of Senate Committee
The release of the immigration audit reports sparked a frenzy of criticism from the ruling party and others who accused the Auditor General and her team of failing to follow [...]

With Public Hearings Over, Report Due Early Next Year
Business Community Senator Mark Lizarraga acted as pro-tem chair for today’s final meeting, which was delayed due to an administrative error that pushed the start time from this morning to [...]

Mark Lizarraga Agrees U.H.S. is a Mess
Two most recent presidents of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry – incumbent Nikita Usher and predecessor Kay Menzies – have been vocal that the G.O.B. must respect the [...]

Trio Charged for Unlawful Public Assembly in Teakettle
Three residents from the Arizona area in Teakettle have been charged for illegal assembly at the Belmopan Police Station. Twenty-three-year-old Mervin Correa, twenty-two-year-old Guadalupe Guerra and fifty-five-year-old Plines Gutierrez were [...]

Auditor General Says Submitted Report is Final; Some Editing Done
Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, though it was her second appearance, was the final witness to appear before the Senate Special Select Committee today. As some witnesses have done in their [...]

Police and D.P.P. ‘Obligated’ to Investigate Charges in Report
The Auditor General also addressed the question of whether Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions were informed of the Immigration Audit Report and the obligation to inform of any [...]

CitCo Says Bear with Terrible Traffic on Repairing Philip Goldson Highway
The traffic congestion from the Haulover Bridge to miles two and a half along the Phillip Goldson Highway is causing serious delays for motorists entering or leaving Belize City during [...]

The Meeting with the PAC
Auditor General Dorothy Bradley met with the six members of the House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee nearly a month ago.  The meeting did not get into details of the [...]

B.P.P. Preparing Municipal Candidates in City, P.G.; Protest Lack of Re-Registration
The Belize Progressive Party hosted a press conference this morning at its headquarters on Vernon Street to discuss a number of national issues, including its position on the much talked [...]

O.W. Motorcyclist Dies in San Pablo Crash
A San Juan man crashed on his motorcycle and died this morning in Orange Walk. Police say that around four-thirty this morning, twenty-four-year-old Audiaz Lopez was driving his motorcycle along [...]

Local Government Reckons with UNCAC
Mayor and Councilors from all over the country converged at the Radisson this morning where a one-day event took place on the two issues critical to governing: accountability and transparency. [...]

Christmas Time for Patrons of F.C.C.A.
The Florida Caribbean Cruise Association treated Belize City primary schoolers to a special Christmas cheer today.  The F.C.C.A. hosts an annual Christmas party  with music, food and gifts for deserving [...]

Hilton Curio Mahogany Bay Resort Opens
A new luxury resort was launched today in San Pedro just in time for the tourism high season. A year later and over a hundred million dollars in investment, Mahogany [...]

Can You Hear Me? Kids Affected by Hearing Loss Speak Up
In tonight newscast, we begin a two-part series by the National Resource Center Exclusive Education of the Ministry of Education.  Titled “Can You Hear Me,” is brought by Kids who [...]

LOVE FM

Auditor General addresses Senate Hearings for the Last Time
The Special Senate Select Committee held its last public hearing today. The hearings ended with the appearance of Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, who was also the very first person to appear before the Committee when the hearings commenced on November 9, 2016. Bradley, whose audit report of mass irregularities in the Ministry of Immigration has […]

Did the Auditor General send a copy of Report to the Police?
And the question that has been posed countless times to those appearing before the Committee surrounds the criminal investigation of the findings of the auditor general’s report. Senator Mark Lizarraga posed the question to the Auditor General and here is how she responded. Mark Lizarraga, Senator “Did you send a copy of your report to […]

BPP: Government should Nationalize the Belize Bank
The Belize Progressive Party says that the Government should nationalize the Belize Bank and brand Michael Ashcroft as a persona non grata. The BPP summoned the media this morning to cement its position regarding the ninety point six million dollar UHS debt owed to the Belize Bank Limited. Last month the Caribbean Court of Justice […]

BPP: We need UNCAC now!
Belize is legally bound to eradicate corruption in the country. This task was placed on Belize after the government signed onto the United Nations Convention against Corruption, UNCAC. The Convention’s far-reaching approach and the mandatory character of many of its provisions make it a unique tool for developing a comprehensive response to corruption. It covers […]

BPP says don’t Count them out of Municipal Election
The Belize Progressive Party is working to win the votes for the upcoming municipal elections. Three months from now, Belizeans will elect who will lead as mayors and councilors. Generally, third parties have been unsuccessful in swaying majority of voters to vote for anything other than the two major political parties. But, BPP Leader Patrick […]

Missing Man Found Dead
The body of Alfonso Godfrey Coleman from Hopkins Village who went missing over the weekend was found earlier today. According to reports, he left his home to go fishing on Saturday but did not return. Love News spoke with Lieutenant Roque Canul, Acting Operations Officer of the Belize Coast Guard, about the incident. Lieutenant Roque […]

Police Charged Two persons in connection with Protest in Teakettle
Belmopan police have charged two of three persons that had been detained for the protest staged in Arizona Area in Teakettle Village on Tuesday morning. They are 23 year old Mervin Corea, a Belizean Farmer and fifty-five-year-old Plines Gutierrez, a Salvadoran Mechanic. Police also detained Guadalupe Guerra a domestic of Teakettle Village. One of the […]

Fatal Traffic Accident claims a life
A man was killed in an early morning road traffic incident in the Orange Walk District. 24-year-old, Audiaz Lopez from San Juan Village was traveling from Douglas Village in the direction of San Juan Village sometime around four thirty this morning. When he reached San Pablo Village, Lopez reportedly lost control of his motorcycle causing […]

US Embassy gives 600K to help fight against Human Trafficking
Six hundred thousand dollars has been allocated to fight Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons. The money was granted to the RET International by the US Embassy in Belize. RET International will use the monies to carry out its project, “Strengthening the Government-Civil Society Partnership for Timely, Transparent Response to Gender-based Violence and Trafficking in […]

The Population of Belize is approximately 387,879 persons
The latest figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize put the population of Belize at an estimated 387,879 persons for 2017. When compared to Jamaica which is half the size of Belize, Belize’s population is only thirteen percent of Jamaica’s population which stood at 2.89 million at the beginning of January. According to SIB, the […]

Belize and El Salvador working together to Strengthen Citizen Security
Belize and El Salvador are joining efforts to strengthen citizen security. Representatives from both countries met in San Salvador for the first Technical Cooperation Meeting on Security. Belize’s cohort included Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Retired Lieutenant Colonel, George Lovell, Director of Immigration and Nationality, Diana Locke and Chief Executive Officer […]

Amandala

THE EXORBITANT COST OF PARTY OVER COUNTRY
The Prime Minister was told, begged, pleaded with, over and over and OVER again, to stop putting his party’s fortunes over our country. Please, we begged, make your government Belize first, Belize second, Belize third—then party. People saw what he was doing (how he was governing), and he was told, begged, and pleaded with. But there he was, even at the end of the last verdict (CCJ), wondering how the PUP will vote. Who cares about how the PUP will vote, Braa? The PUP might just as well stay away from the House when the UHS vote comes up. For those of us who believed, we were let down by our legal luminaries. For those of us who didn’t believe, we got wap anyway. This case was strange from the very beginning. We knew we were dissatisfied with the way the PUPeez handled things. So we dumped them at the polls. We’ve been dumping them ever since.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE?
The Ashcroft/BTL/Belize Bank multimillion dollar fiasco brings to mind a story from my childhood. Fill in the characters as you will, reader; interpret it as you will; take from it what message you will. Hopefully it provides a “neutral” setting for you to come to grips with some truths about Belize and take responsible action where needed. The Pied Piper of Belize (Hamelin) storytell.com.au/stories/PiedPiper.html Once upon a time there was a town called Hamelin. Hamelin was a prosperous town. It was a port town on the River Weser. Barges full of corn would come down the River Weser and unload at Hamelin. There were silos full of corn in Hamelin. Barges full of wheat would come up the River Weser and unload at Hamelin. There were silos full of wheat in Hamelin.

Breaking Belize News

Belize dodges tax haven blacklist
Belize was excluded from the European Union’s (EU) Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) blacklist […]

AG disappointed about Franz Parke resignation
The Attorney General of Belize, Michael Peyrefitte, said he was disappointed that Franz Parke decided […]

San Pedro cops bust three for drug trafficking
Yesterday afternoon around 2:30, police conducted searches in a room located on Pearl Street, San […]

Teakettle protesters charged
Yesterday, BBN reported on a protest in Teakettle village where residents were allegedly burning tires […]

No word from police on rape case
Nearly a month after two women claimed they were raped by three officers at the […]

Mahogany Bay officially opens
The Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club in Ambergris Caye, a part of the Hilton, […]

Belize City cops find ammo on in empty lot
Last night around 10:50, as a result of operation ACT, a search was conducted on […]

Traffic accident on George Price Highway
Reports to BBN is that there was a road traffic accident a short while ago […]

Police accused of shooting Belize City man
A Belize City resident contacted Breaking Belize News moments ago, alleging that Police have shot […]

Diverse abilities parade held in Belize City
Students with diverse abilities of all ages paraded through Belize City this morning, as part […]

Municipal officers get anti-corruption training
Mayors, City And Town Councillors and other municipal officers gathered at the Radisson Fort George […]

Police find ammo in Unitedville, Cayo
Yesterday morning around 10, police visited Unitedville Village, Cayo where they found (107) Lugar brand […]

Orange Walk man dies in fatal motorcycle accident
This morning around 4:30, police responded to a report of a road traffic accident in San […]

Prisoner raped by cell mate
An inmate at the Belize Central Prison reported that he was raped on two occasions […]

NTUCB tells PM to pay up
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) over the weekend issued a release stating […]

Governments of Belize and El Salvador hold meeting on Security
By BBN Staff:The first Technical Cooperation Meeting on Security between the governments of Belize and the Republic of […]

U. S. Government funds RET International Project to Combat Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons
On November 29, RET International launched its newest project “Strengthening the Government-Civil Society Partnership for […]

Chamber to PM: “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
Following a recent public back and forth between Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the Belize […]

Caution! Accident waiting to happen
Several concerned residents and motorists have contacted BBN about a portion of the Hummingbird highway in […]

Leaders First
By Charles Leslie Jr.: If you want to build a productive and fair country and society, the simple […]

Blogs

We Did Not Want to Leave Naia Resort and Spa
Naia Resort and Spa welcomed us for a relaxing 2-night stay on the Placencia Peninsula. They offered us the best of the 35 beach houses on their property. It was the closest to the beach, had a private pool, outdoor shower, wet bar, smart TV and a deep soaking tub. Naia Resort and Spa has managed to enhance the natural environment of the surrounding reserve in which it’s situated without overwhelming it. The resort blends with nature. It allows guests to enjoy the beach from their room, walk through lush vegetation while they explore the property and soak in the jungle lagoons as they get pampered at the spa. It’s a true unique Belizean experience at a luxury resort. We slept in – got room service – managed to put in a quick workout, rode bikes on the property and explored the surrounding village.

Some of the Best Holiday Gifts to Give to Those Who Love Belize
For those who love Belize or know someone who does. A bunch of these items would be perfect if you are planning your visit for the first time. I’m going to start big and move on from there. GoPro – I came to Belize for the very first time looking for ONLY sun and relaxation. I didn’t want to do a thing. Rainbow Flops – After testing all kinds of flip flops in the sun, salt and rain of Belize, I’ve found Rainbow Flip Flops to be my favorite. Cotton Sarong – The perfect sarong is simple, not flashy, can be used as a towel or a wrap when you get out of the water and matches everything. I even bring one on the plane to use as a scarf, wrap, blanket and pillow. Wrap your lap top in it. It’s everything! And incredibly affordable.

TOP THINGS TO DO IN BELIZE TO HAVE THE PERFECT SEASIDE VACATION
The Central American country of Belize is just the perfect location to spend a luxurious seaside holiday. The country is full of Mayan ruins, lush green jungles to the west, and quaint Garifuna villages. But the true beauty of this country lies with its beaches and crystal clear waters. With its miles and miles long coastline running along the beautiful Caribbean Sea, and the water dotted with hundreds of pristine cayes and abundant marine life, Belize vacations by the sea are full of fun activities and luxury. You can spend a relaxing day at the beautiful beaches, swim or snorkel through the water, dive into the water to explore the beautiful marine life or take part in various other water-activities while you spend your time in Belize. Here are few of the must-do activities which will turn your seaside Belize adventure into an absolutely perfect one.

Hope, by Chelsea Allen
I want to start off by saying I am so happy I decided to come to Wildtracks. Being here is more than I ever imagined it would be when I first heard about Wildtracks almost two years ago from a girl I went to school with. She came for two months in the beginning of 2015 and I was captivated by the photos she shared of her experience. My friends and family can probably still hear me saying ‘Look, she’s feeding a baby manatee! Isn’t that so cool?’ while I showed them these pictures. Little did I know, I would be feeding some of the same manatees a short time later. The days at Wildtracks are long, and sometimes exhausting but there are many moments to remind you that the early mornings and itchy mosquito bites are all worth it. One of those days for me was when we integrated Hope, Mitch, and Lucky. Hope is a female manatee that arrived in August 2016. She was only a few days old when she was discovered in someone’s back yard, washed up by a storm surge caused by Hurricane Earl. When a young manatee first arrives at Wildtracks they are monitored around the clock in the Intensive Care Pool. Once the manatee is healthy enough, it is moved into the Recovery Pool and then a Large Growth Pool. When I arrived in October, Hope had already been through these stages of rehabilitation and was now residing in one half of the Lagoon Enclosure. The lagoon enclosure creates a more natural environment and is the final phase before soft release.

Our favorite pics from the start of high season in Placencia, Belize!
The start of high season in Placencia usually means that the village is in tip-top shape....all the painting, construction, etc, mostly ceases and it becomes all about the visitors! Here are our top 12 favorite images from around CBC and the village in the last couple weeks! You may find yourself booking a flight after you take a look...

The Top Things to Do in Belize 2018- Must-see Attractions in Belize
Whether you seek sun, nature, beaches, or adventure, there is so much to discover in Belize in 2018. Although the country is small (just 8,867 square miles), it offers so many amazing things to do and see that it can be hard deciding which activities to enjoy first.Here is our humble submission for the top things to do in Belize in 2018.

Discover San Ignacio Belize in 2018
San Ignacio is the beating heart of Cayo District, gateway to beautiful national parks, animal sanctuaries, and some of the biggest and ancient Maya cities in the country. Located on the banks of the Macal River, San Ignacio is only a short distance from the confluence of the Mopan River, the two most important watercourses in the country. Along with its twin town Santa Elena across the river, the greater San Ignacio area is the second-largest municipal center in the country after Belize City. With plenty of shops, restaurants, hotels, resorts, cafes, and a bustling market, San Ignacio has everything a traveler needs. Unlike more touristy areas, San Ignacio is where locals from all across the country come to meet. The open-air market on the banks of the Macal River draws in Mennonite dairy farmers, Creole planters, and Maya artisans who specialize in traditional medicinal compounds.

Belize Sustainable Tourism: Stakeholders Join BTIA Cayo For First Clean-Up Campaign
A typical conversation with a Belizean about what they think makes Belize so great will eventually lead to the point being made that it’s Mother Nature’s best-kept secret and a haven for sustainable tourism. Further investigate why and you’ll hear about the historic Mayan Ruins, the miles of untouched jungle, the birds, the great barrier reef and practically every other highlight there is to know about Belize. In addition to all the talk of natural resources, we’re sure you’ve heard us speak of the commitment from Belizeans to be as green as can possibly be. “Ecotourism” and “sustainable tourism” are terms used to describe tourism that focuses on preservation and appreciation of a country’s flora, fauna, ecosystems and culture. Belize is quickly becoming a known destination for the sustainable Eco-tourism movement and, undeterred by its small geographical size compared to other countries in the region, Belize can proudly boast having one of the greater percentages of land mass dedicated to preserves, natural reserves and national parks.

International Sources

Hilton’s first property in Belize officially opens
Designed for those seeking relaxed adventure, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton is now welcoming travelers in Belize’s stunning Ambergris Caye. Marking Hilton’s first property in the country – and one of the first resorts from a global brand in Belize – the elegant hotel features 205 cottage and villa-style rooms across a 60-acre waterfront site with 10 distinct dining outlets, bay and beach clubs, and meeting and event spaces. “As we continue to grow our portfolio of Curio Collection properties across Latin America, we are proud to expand our footprint with Hilton’s first property in Belize,” said Mark Nogal, global head, Curio Collection by Hilton. “As one of the first high-end resorts on the island, the distinctive property offers one-of-a-kind experiences that are true to the Curio Collection brand and celebrate Belizean culture, such as exclusive access to a pristine private beach and a sustainable design that evokes the local setting.”

World Heritage Sites Reeling from Climate Change
The number of World Heritage sites being negatively impacted by climate change has nearly doubled in a mere three years. A new report from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature—the official advisory body on nature for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee—says the locations around the globe threatened by global warming has risen from 35 to 62 since the last study was completed. The IUCN World Heritage Outlook 2—an update from a report issued in 2014—offers an assessment for the first time of the changes in the conservation prospects for all 241 natural World Heritage sites: iconic places such as The Great Barrier Reef and the Florida Everglades.

Videos

December 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

San Pedro hosts annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony
San Pedro Town officially welcomed the Christmas season at their annual ‘Lighting of the Christmas Tree,’ ceremony held on Sunday, December 3rd. Shortly after 6PM, hundreds of island residents flocked to Central Park to witness the ceremony that brought much Christmas spirit. Officiating the ceremony was Miss San Pedro 2017-2018, Virginia Vasquez, who welcomed everyone to the celebration. The occasion saw a line-up of cheerful presentations by students from various schools on the island. Giving the official remarks was Mayor Daniel Guerrero, who thanked everyone for attending the traditional festivity. “When we turn on the lights on this beautiful Christmas tree, we will be sending the message of love, joy, and peace,” said Guerrero. “At this moment all over the world, we are all looking forward to peace. Christmas is a time when we all come together to share and care especially for the needy and the less fortunate and who are ill and hungry. We need to be there for them not only for Christmas but every single day.” Guerrero then led the countdown that set aglow to thousands of colorful lights that illuminated the tall Christmas tree.

Relocation of the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services and the Refugees Department
The Ministry with responsibility for Immigration and Nationality Services and Refugees hereby notifies the public of the relocation of the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services and the Refugees Department from their current locations at Dry Creek Street and the Market Square Area respectively to their new building situated on Mountain View Boulevard in Belmopan during the period 12th to 15th December 2017.

Closure of Nassau Grouper Season
The Nassau Grouper season will be closed from 1st December 2017 to March 31st, 2018. Statutory Instrument #49 of 2009 Regulations which relates to Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus): Regulation 3 (1) No person shall take in the waters of Belize, buy, sell or have in his possession any Nassau Grouper between the 1st December and the 31st March, inclusive, in any year. (2) No person shall take in the waters of Belize, buy, sell or have in his possession any Nassau Grouper which is less than twenty (20) inches in total length or greater than thirty inches (30 in) in total length. (3) Every Nassau Grouper caught in the water of Belize shall be landed whole.

U.S. Government Expands and Upgrades Belize’s Automated Fingerprint Information System
Yesterday, the U.S. Embassy transferred 14 new Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) terminals, valued at approximately $430,000 USD, to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Belize Police Department. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Adrienne Galanek and Minister of State for Home Affairs Elodio Aragon signed the official handover documents at Police Headquarters in Belmopan. Chargé Galanek’s remarks highlighted the Embassy’s dedication to assist the Government of Belize to increase its forensic capacity, decrease impunity, improve the justice system, and make Belize safer for all.

Ambergris Today

Belize Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run In San Pedro
The Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics made it to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, on Monday, December 4, 2017. This torch is paraded around the country by the police and other law enforcement officers in an effort to garner special attention to children with disabilities and the Belize Special Olympics, raising funds for the same organization. The torch run began at Punta Gorda Town and in its route throughout Belize, arrived on Ambergris Caye. The historic torch was set up at Central Park by the San Pedro Police Department for public viewing and photographs. The public was invited to make their donations towards Special Olympics.

Team Belize Competes In Beach Volleyball At Central American Games
On Saturday, December 2, Gabriel Nunez Jr. and Luis "Ricky" Luna, both of San Pedro, departed to compete at the Central American Games in Managua, Nicaragua. Gaby and Ricky had won the recent qualification tournament to represent Belize at the Games. All 7 Central American countries were entitled to send one team each. Tournament format is a round-robin of all 7 teams followed by a final day of playoffs in single elimination following the seeding result from the round-robin. Matches started on Sunday, in Managua. Team Belize entered the competition as 7th ranked and played some top contenders Nicaragua and Guatemala on Sunday. Team Belize played hard but lost to the more experienced teams: Nicaragua 21-12, 21-12 and to Guatemala 21-10, 21-15. On Tuesday, Belize plays Costa Rica at 1:00 pm and on Wednesday, plays Panama and El Salvador at 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm back to back.

SPTC Presents Township Poster Competition Winners
In commemoration of San Pedro's 33rd Township Anniversary the San Pedro Town Council held a poster competition where schools in the island were invited to participate. On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, Mayor Daniel Guerrero presented the top three winners of the poster competition and they are as follows: 1st Place - Isla Bonita Elementary School - Ashley Wallace, Geneive Ramirez and Jay Arcul (In the headline picture) 2nd Place - The Island Academy - Lauren Turley 3rd Place - The Island Academy - Madison Edwards and Gabriella Knox

United States Embassy In Belize Donates Equipment To The Belize Police Department
The Belize Police Department continues to be the beneficiary of assistance with training and equipment from the United States Government through its embassy in Belmopan. Belize has been gifted fourteen (14) Afix Tracker Systems to be installed in key locations at Police Stations country-wide. The United States Embassy has also provided the training for over 30 Police and Scenes of Crime Officers from all the districts, on how to use and operate these systems.

Misc Belizean Sources

Closure of Nassau Grouper Season
The Nassau Grouper season will be closed from 1st December 2017 to March 31st, 2018. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of the Fisheries Act, commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine or imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment.

Official handing over ceremony of the Fire Truck
Caye Caulker Village Council is cordially inviting the public to the Official handing over ceremony of the Fire Truck When: Wednesday, Dec. 6th, 6pm, at the Caye Caulker Fire Station

Relocation of the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services and the Refugees Department
The Ministry with responsibility for Immigration and Nationality Services and Refugees hereby notifies the public of the relocation of the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services and the Refugees Department from their current locations at Dry Creek Street and the Market Square Area respectively to their new building situated on Mountain View Boulevard in Belmopan during the period 12th to 15th December 2017. Limited services will be available at the district offices and border stations during this period.

Belizean Activist Rowan Garel is named Caribbean Adventure Ambassador of the Year 2017 by the Caribbean Tourism Organization
The CTO made the announcement in the following post earlier today: Congratulations to Rowan Garel of Belize for winning the title of Caribbean Adventure Ambassador of the Year for 2017 with 1,975 votes! Rowan Garel was born blind but that adversity has not been an obstacle in his life, much less hindering him from undertaking extraordinary feats. He is the only visually impaired person to ever climb Victoria Peak, Belize’s second highest mountain standing at over 3,000 ft. above sea level. He trekked 74.7 miles from Belize’s western border to Belize City in five long, gruelling days under the sweltering sun and dived the Great Blue Hole of Belize, a world-class destination for recreational scuba divers which is 410 feet deep. By all paradigms, these are amazing and record-breaking achievements.

World Pediatric Project - Belize
Snaps from our Belize City Bracing Clinic ...We are heading to Cayo tomorrow.

Hopkins 2nd Annual Toy Drive / Free Concert
So excited to host our second annual Toy Drive/ Free concert for the kids in our community. Last year we gave away a truck full of toys and school supplies to the children of our community. This year we looking forward for all the support from friends and supporters. Toys or monies to purchase toys can be dropped off or will be picked up between December 1st and 20th. Feel free to contact us at 501-6050242 or email at claytonwilliams48@yahoo.com. All donations will be helpful towards this event. Season's greetings from Clayton Williams music team.

Orange Walk Digital Platform Launch
Artist.bz Launch

6th representative from the National Meteorological Service of Belize completes NOAA Training
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 Numerical Weather Prediction with a focus on the Tropical Americas. Ms. Angelia Guy was the 6th representative from the National Meteorological Service of Belize, and has successfully completed her four month training at the Tropical Desk based in Washington, DC.

World Pediatric Project Bracing Mission
The World Pediatric Project will be having their Bracing Mission clinics in Cayo Wednesday, December 6th, and Thursday, December 7th, at the Cayo Welcome Center. If you know of any children that need orthopedic help, they are welcome.

Meet the FCD Board of Directors
These Directors were endorsed by the FCD Membership yesterday at FCD’s 18th Annual General Meeting. Photo by Orlando Pulido.

RET International project to combat Gender Based Violence
Inspiring kick off by RET International on their project to combat Gender Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons. The Embassy is proud to sponsor this effort through a CARSI-ESF grant.

Gender-Based Violence resources in the Corozal District
If you need assistance in the Corozal District, please contact any of the GBV Resources below:

Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative
ENTREPRENEURS, this is for you! The U.S. State Department’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative is offering young local science and technology innovators and entrepreneurs the opportunity to participate in the annual Technology Idea (Tech-I) Competition. Belizean entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the 2018 GIST Tech-I. Ten finalists will join their GIST Alumni Mentor and attend the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Istanbul, Turkey April 16-19, 2018 to pitch their startups to international investors for a chance to win thousands of dollars in seed capital. Deadline for applications is December 28, 2017. For further information on the 2018 GIST Tech-I Competition, please visit .

Inauguration of New San Ignacio / Santa Elena Town Hall
Wed. Dec. 13, 9:30am

Gateway Youth Center and Oceana present family movie night at the Jane Usher Basketball Court
Come out and bring the family for a fun filled night! Dec. 8 @6pm, Jane Usher Basketball Court. Movie is Deep Water Horizon.

Annual General Meeting of the Trio Farmers Cacao Growers Association
Celebrating Success! The Annual General Meeting of the Trio Farmers Cacao Growers Association (TFCGA), held last week, highlighted the many achievements of the group. This year marks the 4th year of their management of the first ever Agroforestry Concession in Belize. Within this concession, the group has developed 165 acres of agroforestry and established an inga alley cropping model plot within Maya Mountain Forest Reserve. They have harvested over 3,000 plantains, 8,700 pounds of corn, 800 pounds of honey while they wait for their cacao to mature. The farmers have also harvested significant quantities of vegetables. At the AGM, the group highlighted the fact that sustainable farming is invaluable; a long-term investment they are willing to make for the future of their children.

CASTING AUDITIONS for the Mexican film TRAGIC JUNGLE
Directed by Yulene Olaizola, produced by Pablo Zimbrón. DATE: Saturday December 9th, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. ADDRESS: Corozal House of Culture 1 Avenue, Corozal Town Corozal, Corozal, Belize. PROFILES: WOMEN: Age 17-30. Light dark skin / Thin. We are looking for beautiful young Belizean women, to play the main character Agnes Smith and her sister Florence. MEN: Age 40-55. Dark skin / In good shape. We are looking for a fit and interesting Belizean man, to play the character of Norm, their wise caretaker. -OPEN TO EVERYBODY- No acting experience needed

B&B Beverages (Bowen & Bowen) is looking for a Warehouse Assistant on Caye Caulker
They’re looking to fill the post ASAP! One of the main requirement for the position is having a clean police record. Application forms can be picked up at the office.

Blues BBQ with Steev Inglish
Siam Thai Belize is having their Blues BBQ this Saturday, and Steev Inglish will be performing. They'll have Thai kebobs and Nantha's famous spring rolls. "Mark on your calendars Saturday, December 9, Siam's Blues BBQ Night!"

Inspiration Center 2018 Agenda Launch
Check out the smiles in these pictures from the 2018 Agenda Launch. They raised $21,000 for the Inspiration Center. Thanks, McNab Visual Strategies! "Along with your help, McNab Visual Strategies, Special Envoy for Women and Children, and the Inspiration Center can help make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities in Belize. Decoration by: Samantha Bradley Photography by: Knight & Day Studios"

Proud Belizans on "Maiden" Birding trip to Sarstoon Island!
What an INCREDIBLE trip highlights include close looks at Pomarine Jaeger. Thanks to Will Mejia

Museum of Belize presents gifts to children
The Museum of Belize (NICH) 's very own Director, along with his helper Shary Anne Obando Medina played Santa earlier today as they presented gifts for kids for KREM FM 96.5, 91.1, 101.1 annual toy drive. Merry Christmas from the Director and Staff

PUP Cayo North BBQ Sale
Come out and support us on Saturday the 9th of December 2017. Downtown San Ignacio in front of police station!

Battery recycling containers arrive in San Pedro
Happy Day the battery recycling containers I ordered arrived. Huge thanks to Harmouche Center for agreeing to take one and helping me get them here. Also to Castillo's and SP Hardware for putting them in their stores as well.

Channel 7

Teakettle Tire Fire Blocks Road to ATM Caves
Today, angry Teakettle villagers erupted in protest - demanding truth and justice from the police. This is after 20 year old villager Edwin Antonio Baires Hernandez was killed by a pursuing police officer on Sunday. It happened within earshot of villagers - who were at a football game. They heard three shots - but last night on the news - the commander for National Crimes Investigation said that only one shot was fired - and it was an accidental shot to his knee that killed him. That narrative made no sense to the the villagers and convinced them that there was a cover - up. So today, in spontaneous protest they put burning tires across a village road leading to the popular tourist site, the ATM caves. Courtney Weatherburne has the story of what police did when they got there:..

Russell Hyde Jr, Son of A Notorious Name Set Up And Shot In San Ignacio
He's got a famous name, but Russell Hyde Jr.'s grandmother says that didn't factor into him being shot last night in San Ignacio. At around 8:00, the 24 year old was at a meat shop when a shooter appeared and fired several shots. He survived and is in stable condition at the Western Regional Hospital. But, today his grandmother told us that he may have been lured there: Haledora Cruz, Grandmother: "When he got shot they called me and tell me he got shot in San Ignacio." "He left by himself from here and then somebody for me call him and tell him let him come and he went and that's when the person who shoot him attack him." Courtney Weatherburne: "So they called him out there to go to Cayo and that is when the incident happened, when they shot him?"

Man Forcefully Sodomised In Jail Accuses Cellmate
Belize Rural Police are investigating a complaint of an unnatural crime in prison. A 21 year old inmate who was reportedly in prison for molesting a child - complained to police that on November 24th and 29th his cellmate forcefully sodomised him. He told police that his cellmate chocked him and he went unconscious - and woke up to find he had been raped. The same thing happened five days later - but this time it ended in a fight. A medical examination confirmed that the event had caused an injury which was classified as harm.

Beat Down By Cops Caught On Camera, And Then Released After 48 Hours
Last night, we showed you that video surveillance of police officers from the Special Assignment Team beating down on a Belize City man who had already surrendered. He's 20 year-old Randy Chambers, a resident of Police Street, and on Sunday morning, he was strung up by the police officers after going to the corner shop. Reports are that Chambers had an altercation with a group of young men who live nearby. We are told that they don't get along because Police Street is the home to residents who live in two separate gang territories. So, they had their skirmish, but Chambers left because he saw the police approaching. He got home, but those same officers followed him. What unfolded afterwards is what was caught on surveillance camera, and today, we got a chance to speak with Chambers, minutes after he was released from police custody. They held him for 48 hours and released him without charges. Daniel Ortiz caught up with him today, and he has that story:

AG Says JA Park Abrupt Resignation Regrettable
Last night, we told you how Justice of Appeal Franz Parke resigned suddenly after only 7 weeks on the job. The Opposition and the social partners strongly objected to him taking the post on the premise that he was under qualified, but the Prime Minister went ahead with the appointment. The Opposition Leader sued the Prime Minister and the Government of Belize, but yesterday, before the case could reach the court, Justice Parke stepped down. The PUP have welcomed his decision to do so as the right thing, but when we caught up with Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte today, he said that it is regrettable that the judge decided to walk away. Here's what he had to say about it:

COMPOL Still Mum On Allegation Of Station Rape
More than three weeks ago - two women alleged that they had been raped at the Independence Village police station. Facing mounting scrutiny, Police have done what they usually do and stopped talking about the case - since the alleged perpetrators are still on active duty - and no one has been charged. Yesterday we pressed the commissioner for answers but none were forthcoming. Allen Whylie, Commisioner of Police: "It has been mentioned regularly on the airwaves and in the media and I would not want to go back into discussion that matter. I can assure that a investigation is ongoing and once that investigator is satisfied he has concluded, that file will be sent to the DPP and whatever advice and instructions that is given, I can guarantee you it will be adhere to."

NTUCB Tells GOB, Pay The 90 Million - In Installments
Back in 2007, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize was one of the loudest voices out there, railing against the then Musa administration, and demanding that they not use public funds to pay off Universal Hospital's private debt. In fact, they went to the Supreme Court along with the Association for Concerned Belizeans to make their case against Universal. But, 10 years later, with the cost of the debt trebled - the NTUCB has changed its tune. At a meeting on Saturday, the umbrella organization took a resolution saying that the 90.6 million dollars should be paid in installments.

Man Has to Pay Fine More than 100x The Value of Theft
He was caught on surveillance camera pinching four dollars' worth of products from his former employer - and, now, 38 year old Antonio Novelo will have to pay more than 100 times that to keep his freedom. The former Augusto Quan employee appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford and pled guilty to theft. Yesterday, the Augusto Quan camera saw him lifting a screw driver and two television splitters, all to a total value of four dollars. He was fined five hundred dollars for that four dollar theft and given until January 15 to pay. If he defaults on payment he will serve 5 months.

Operation ACT Racking Up the Seizures
It's about to be six weeks since the Police Department's ACT Operation was launched and it continues to roll with weapon seizures. Yesterday police took two guns off the street in the Lake Independence area. Police say they searched an empty lot on Cannondale Avenue where they found a plastic bag with a 9 millimeter pistol with 4 live rounds in the clip, as well as a.22 pistol. No one was in the area so the guns were labelled as found property.

Immigration Department On The Move
It was decided months ago that the Department of Immigration and Nationality must move out of its current office location. And tonight, the Government is reporting that this transition is now taking place, but it will interrupt normal services for about a week. A government press release says that the between next week Tuesday and Next Week Friday, the Immigration Department and the Refugee Department will relocate from their Dry Creek Street and Market Square addresses. These 2 departments will be moving into their new office space on Mountain View Boulevard in Belmopan.

Rowan Wins!
Rowan Garel did it! The 19 year old blind adventurer is the Caribbean's Adventure Ambassador. Voting finished on Saturday, and we are told Rowan bested the four other competitors with the most votes. He now becomes the Caribbean Tourism Organization's Ambassador of the Year. Rowan is presently studying at Drew University in New Jersey. He comes home for the holidays this Friday and, reports are that he will be welcomed with a motorcade. As a boy, Rowan climbed Victoria Peak, dived the Blue Hole and walked from Cayo to Belize City in 5 days - all as fundraising for BCVI.

Local Tourism Investor Says Cruise Sector Is Crashing, Time To Diversify
If you watch the news with any kind of regularity, then you'll definitely know David Almendarez. He's one of the most outspoken mouthpieces for FECTAB - and he's often in front of the cameras fighting against the monied foreign interests that dominate the local tourism scene. But, Almendarez is also an enterprising tourism entrepreneur. His tour companies include "Cave Tubing R Us" and "Fantasea". But he says the tourism pie is shrinking and so he's had to diversify into the restaurant business. We found out more when we visited with him at his new restaurant which has a different kind of flavor:.. Jules Vasquez reporting: We've seen him many times at press conferences raising hell: David Almendarez: "We are not afraid of you either. Don't wake a dog that is sleeping. Don't raise a lion that is not biting you, because you don't want the lion to wake up and everything is broken up."

A Week for UNCAC
Last night, in Belmopan, the Government of Belize and the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime launched Anti-Corruption Week in Belize. The Government is currently in the process of becoming compliant with United Nations Convention Against Corruption, and the Attorney General's Ministry has been the focal point for that transition. So, for the next 6 days, Anti-Corruption week will have feature a suite of activities around the topic. This evening, the Attorney General spoke about how the first event went yesterday:

Channel 5

Villagers Fired Up in Teakettle over Police Misconduct
A nineteen-year-old resident in the village of Teakettle was shot and killed by the police who claim it was not intentional. But villagers are not persuaded that the shooting of [...]

Police at it Again in Belize City; Randy Chambers Targeted
There is another case involving violent police behavior this time in the Belize City. Three officers were captured on surveillance camera stomping on a young man even as he turns [...]

Prisoner Alleges Rape; Family Appeals to Prison C.E.O.
A twenty-year-old inmate was buggered on two separate occasions by another prisoner at the Belize Central Prison in November. According to police, a prisoner reported on the twenty-ninth of November [...]

Like Parents, Like Son: Russell Hyde Jr., Shot in San Ignacio
It’s been over two years since the infamous Russel Hyde Senior was taken down by gunmen at his Roaring Creek home in August 2015; his wife, Rosalie Galvez, was murdered [...]

Grandmother Denies Younger Hyde a Target
But was the shooting an attempt to take out Hyde Junior?  And if so, who ordered the unsuccessful hit? Police have several persons detained for questioning, but no one has [...]

Jesus for Court of Appeal? Franz Parke Didn’t Cut It
Court of Appeal Justice Franz Parke abruptly stepped down from his seat on the bench on Monday, having tendered a letter of resignation to the Governor General that same morning.  [...]

The Future of Marijuana under Debate
The decision by Government to decriminalize possession of ten grams or less of marijuana, after nearly five years of waiting, enjoyed rare bipartisan support.  This is because of the level [...]

City Resident to be Tried for Unlawful Intercourse with Minor
Tonight, twenty-two-year-old Gasman Jones, a Belize City resident is out on bail of two thousand dollars granted to him for the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse after his case ended [...]

Employee Admits Theft from Augusto Quan and Company
A sales clerk employed at Augusto Quan and Company appeared in court this morning after being caught red-handed shoplifting from his place of work on Monday.  Thirty-eight-year-old Antonio Novelo was [...]

Teen Reporters: This One’s for the Children
In honor of Universal Children’s Day, UNICEF called on young minds to assume key roles in media, politics and other sectors.  While the main activities were held in mid-November, everyday [...]

Belize Continues Participation at Central American Games
There are no medal victories to report yet, but Belize is holding its own on day-two of the 2017 Central American Games. In basketball, Belize looks for another win as [...]

Fresh Cutz Goes into Operation
Four youths from the Apprenticeship Program received the opportunity to start up their small businesses.  The budding entrepreneurs recently completed a three-month training and received certificates on the essentials of [...]

Be Prepared for Scouts Seeking Teddy Bears
Scouts Belize needs your help to spread some cheer with the hostels in Belize. As a part of the Christmas campaign, the organization is asking for donations of teddy bears [...]

Rowan, the Caribbean Adventurist
News Five has been happy to tag along with nineteen-year-old Rowan Garel over the years on his many adventures. From climbing Victoria Peak to diving the Blue Hole to walking [...]

LOVE FM

AG comments on Franz Parke resignation: ”He was the man for the job…”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow regrets that Franz Parke resigned as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. That is what the Attorney General, Michael Peyrefitte, told us this evening. News of Parke’s resignation unexpectedly came yesterday, prompting the opposition, People’s United Party to withdraw its suit against the Government. The PUP had mounted a claim […]

Amandala

FBI documents link Goldson with Cuba in 1967
Information gleaned from a document “Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992,” suggest that the challenge to Hon. Philip Goldson’s leadership of the National Independence Party (NIP), by the attorney Dean Lindo in 1969, might have been orchestrated by Washington and Whitehall because of FBI intelligence which showed that Goldson had gotten too close to Fidel Castro and communist Cuba. When Lindo made his challenge, the NIP, which held two seats in the House of Representatives (Goldson’s Albert seat and Edwin Morey’s Toledo North seat), was constitutionally considered Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The revelations are astounding for political historians, because Mr. Goldson was surrounded in the late 1960s by people who were pro-British, pro-American, Christian, and definitely anti-communist. It is true that Mr. Goldson was so intense where the Guatemalan claim to Belize was concerned, that he might have thrown caution to the winds, so to speak. But it would be safe to say that most of Mr. Goldson’s supporters would have been alarmed by a Cuban connection.

Two charged for beheading death of Hilton Wade, 56
Today, two days after Hilton Wayne Wade, 56, was stabbed 28 times and decapitated, the men believed to have carried out the horrible crime were nabbed by police. They are Cotton Tree residents Raphael Mencias, 29, and Elroy Grinage, 36. Mencias was booked for murder, while Grinage was booked for abetment and conspiracy to commit murder. The two appeared in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court today, where both pleaded not guilty. They were remanded to prison until March 2, 2018. On Wednesday morning, at around 6 o’clock, a Cotton Tree villager on his way to work saw a black plastic bag near the bus stop. Inside the bag was the head of a man, later identified as Wade.

Justice Franz Parke resigns from the Court of Appeal
Despite fierce opposition from several quarters, Prime Minister Dean O. Barrow went ahead and appointed his former law school classmate, Franz Parke, to the Belize Court of Appeal as a Justice of Appeal. Less than two months after Parke was officially sworn in at a ceremony at the Belize House in Belmopan, however, he has tendered his resignation. A government press release today made the announcement that, “The Office of the Prime Minister is in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to the Governor General, H.E. Sir Colville Young by Justice of Appeal Parke in which he tendered his resignation from the Belize Court of Appeal with immediate effect.”

Social partners urge government to pay CCJ $90 million judgment debt to Belize Bank for UHS
On Wednesday, November 22, Belize’s highest court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), issued a ruling on an arbitration award to the Belize Bank, which amounted to 90 million dollars (which, the court said, should be paid by the Government of Belize). That decision of the CCJ has sparked a national discussion in the country and leading political figures from the two main political parties, the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition, People’s United Party (PUP), are at odds with each other over the payment of the judgment debt to the bank. Although the political representatives on both sides of the fence are at odds over paying, the social partners are not splitting hairs over the matter and are urging the government to pay the bank the $90 million.

The FBI has identified a “person of interest” in the murders of American Francesca Matus and Canadian Drew DeVoursney in Belize
The gruesome double murder in Belize of Canadian national, Francesca Matus, 52, and her American boyfriend, Drew DeVoursney, 36, remains unsolved seven months later. Belizean investigators had listed Canadian national, John Deshaies, 54, as a person of interest, but he had publicly denied any involvement in the double slaying. Deshaies was never charged in connection with the murders and it went below the radar. It seems that he has now been cleared as a suspect. In an online article published on Friday, People magazine revealed that a person living in the United States has been identified as “a person of interest” by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), which has taken interest in the matter because an American national was killed.

Brendon Ormin Vallecio, 15, went on excursion to Flores, Peten … and disappeared
Brendon Ormin Vallecio, 15, a student of Santa Familia, Cayo District, went on an excursion with a church group to a water park in Flores, Peten, Guatemala, yesterday, and disappeared during the trip. The group contacted the Guatemalan police at about 5:00 yesterday evening when they noticed that Vallecio’s passport and his wallet containing his cash had been left in his bag in the bus. Guatemalan police assisted his colleagues to search for him, but the effort was in vain. His family was informed and they travelled to Peten today to continue the search. Latest reports are that Vallecio has still not been found.

Verdes, 1-nil, over Bandits in game 1 of PLB Finals; game 2 “for all the marbles” on Saturday at Isidoro Beaton
The Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2017-2018 Opening Season is down to one final game, after game 1 of the Finals yesterday, featuring the top two teams in regular season, #1 seed defending champion Belmopan Bandits SC and #2 seed Verdes FC, both having demolished their opponents in the semifinals. The highly anticipated clash of the titans yesterday at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio ended 1-nil in favor of the home team, Verdes FC, over visiting defending champions Belmopan Bandits SC. Verdes wasted an early opportunity from the penalty spot, where their leading striker, Brazilian Alcides “Paco” Thomas slipped on the wet ground while kicking, and sent the ball high over the cross bar at the 16th minute.

CYDP Peace Cup reg. season ends; playoffs begin Saturday
The CYDP Peace Cup regular season came to an end with 3 games played at the MCC Grounds on Saturday, December 2. In the opener, Tut Bay FC bombed Kingspark Strikers, 6-0, with 3 goals from Carlos Lino and 1 each from Kadeem Myers, Lemar White and Devaughn “Beckham” Zuniga. In game 2, RG City Boys edged Ebony Lake, 5-4, with Keron Patnett netting all 5 goals for City Boys; while Ebony Lake got 2 goals from Kyle Humes and 1 each from Shawn Young and Kyle Young. And in game 3, it was Kelly Street, 4-2, over FC Elite. Delroy “Tin Man” Andrews struck twice for Kelly Street along with 1 apiece from Quincy Briceno and Steven “Breds” Baizar; while Walter Bermudez got both goals for FC Elite.

FFB elections decisive; Sergio Chuc – President, and Cruz Gamez – Vice President
The topsy-turvy state of affairs in the leadership of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) is finally over, as the 11th Ordinary Congress of the FFB on Saturday at the Princess Ramada Hotel in Belize City produced decisive results. In the very first vote for President, which featured 4 candidates, Sergio Chuc received 14 of the 20 votes cast, which automatically secured him as President of the FFB for the next two and a half years. Onan McLean, Ruperto Vicente and newcomer Daniel Fabro were second, third and fourth in the count, respectively. Chuc’s running mate, Cruz Gamez was the clear front runner on the first vote for Vice President; and he handily won in the second round of voting to claim the post of Vice President. Others in the contest for Vice President were David Griffith, newcomer Leslie (Frank) Sharp and Carlos Galvez.

CYCLING – CPP Sunday Race results – December 3
Here are the results from the CPP (Chief, Palas, Pawpa) Race held yesterday, Sunday, for Open “A/B/C” riders. The race started at 8:30 a.m. and went from Leslie’s Imports to Northern Highway Junction and back via Boom Road, for 50 miles. Some 32 riders started, and 27 finished the race. NEXT EVENT: The next event will be Mark Gentle Birthday Race this Sunday, December 10, starting at 9:30 a.m. Details to come later this week.

Editorial: The big boys
During the 1998 general election campaign, there was one businessman/industrialist who wrote a check to the People’s United Party (PUP) for one million dollars. When the PUP won that general election in late August of 1998, they moved quickly to enact taxation legislation favorable to the businessman/industrialist which probably saved him five or six million dollars. The return on his campaign donation investment, then, was in the region of several hundred percent. Today in Belize, there are several corporations which can easily write checks similar in size to the one we mentioned above. In addition, there are many, many businesses which can easily write campaign donation checks of two or three hundred thousand dollars. These campaign donation checks buy influence and leverage inside of the two major political parties which have a chance to win elections and form governments. This is how the big boys and the very big boys roll. In the case of this newspaper, we know who we are, which is to say, we are the free press. We provide reliable information to the Belizean people. In almost all the other democratic, capitalist countries of the world, the free press is controlled by the big boys and the very big boys.

Victor Spain, 33, murdered in his living room
Police in the Cayo District are busy investigating a murder, which is the third to have occurred in less than five days. The most recent victim has been identified as Victor Spain, 33. On Sunday afternoon just before 4 o’clock, police visited Spain’s residence on Domingo Cruz Street in San Ignacio Town, where they saw his motionless body lying in a pool of blood inside his living room. Spain, a Belizean, had been stabbed multiple times in the head and body. His body was found by a relative of his who had last seen him alive at around 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Undocumented immigrant fatally shot by police
A young undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, who had been residing in Belize for only four months, died after being shot by a police officer over the weekend. On Saturday, police received a verbal report of an armed robbery in Teakettle, in “Arizona”, an area of the village which is predominantly populated by immigrants from other Central American nations. Just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, police accompanied the complainant to the football field in Arizona, where the alleged robber had been spotted watching a football marathon. When the complainant arrived he was able to pinpoint the man who he said had held him up with a knife, and relieved him of his possessions.

Nestor Galindo, taxi driver, gets 2 years for sexual assault
Nestor Galindo, 44, a taxi driver originally from El Salvador who was found guilty of sexual assault last Friday, was sentenced to 2 years today by Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. The sentence is to take effect from today. Galindo had been found guilty of the charge on Friday by Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford, who remanded him into custody until today, Monday, for sentencing. The complainant, a 15-year-old girl, testified that at around 6:30 p.m. on January 2, 2017, she hired Galindo to take her to a guesthouse on Regent Street, where her mother works. She said Galindo was drinking from a bottle that she suspected contained alcohol, and she smelled alcohol on his breath.

Breaking Belize News

Police found ammunition on Southside Belize City
Tonight at about 6:15pm as a result of operation ACT, police conducted a search on Jones Street that […]

Raymond McKay busted with weed
At about 11:30am as a result of operation ACT, police searched the residence of Raymond McKay, 21, […]

Belize police find gun and ammo
Belize City cops have again taken another gun and ammunition off the streets. Yesterday as […]

Russel Hyde Jr shot in Santa Elena Town
According to police reports, last night around 8:15, San Ignacio police visited the San Ignacio […]

Rowan Garel wins Caribbean Adventure Ambassador of the Year!
This morning, the Caribbean Tourism Organization announced that Belizean, Rowan Garel won the title of […]

Youth killed by police identified
Yesterday, we reported on a youth killed by a police officer in the Arizona […]

Nassau grouper season closes
The closing date for the Nassau grouper season is from December 1st 2017 to March […]

Man shot in Santa Elena Town
According to reports, a man was shot last night around 8 on George Price Avenue […]

Teakettle villagers protest alleged use of excessive force by police
Residents in Teakettle village are up in arms after a villager was shot and killed […]

Video of police brutality in South Side, Belize City goes viral on Social Media
Over the weekend, a disturbing video was circulating on social media showing three police officers […]

Belize Police gets Fingerprint ID system donation from US Embassy
Yesterday, the United States Embassy in Belize donated an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to […]

Stann Creek ITVET students hold protest
Yesterday, students of the Stann Creek ITVET held a peaceful protest in front of their […]

Blogs

Mambo Restaurant at Matachica Resort makes for a delicious daytime treat
The luxury resort was recently named in the Top 10 resorts for Central America in the 2017 Conde Nast Traveler’s Choice Awards. They annually land on travel lists, clearly due to their fabulous service and enchanting location. If you were to choose a romantic dinner location, Mambo Restaurant would absolutely fit the bill. Being quite the contrary Mary that I am, I opted for lunch instead, and dragged the boss lady along with me (she hardly put up a fight). I wanted to see the restaurant in the light of day…I wanted to indulge in a delicious lunch, and possibly segue into cocktails for an afternoon of fun. I wanted to live it up a little – do the things we say we’ll do but never get around to. With a more-than-willing partner in crime, we make our way five miles north, winding along until we hit their parking lot and walk over to the beachside restaurant.

This Ain’t No Chucky Cheese – A Kids Party at the Beach Bar
Another aspect of expat life that is different in Belize – it is perfectly acceptable to throw a last minute birthday party for your 5-year-old child and her 6-year-old friend at a bar. Since Tink and her friend, Eva were both having birthdays, their parents (Cindy, Andy, Sandra and Florent) decided to team up and make it a double. It was a perfect day and there was endless space for the kids to run wild at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar and a giant puddle that kept them occupied for hours while the adults sat around sipping a cocktail and chatting. The benefit to throwing a kids party at a beach bar is you know you can easily net a few friends who do not have kids but would gladly come for a drink and say hello. For me, it was fresh cut fries and chicken wings I was after. Plus I knew it would be a good opportunity to chat with Tink’s Grandma, Cherie. I also caught up with my friends Diana, Shirlee and Michael.

International Sources

Rebel Honduran police ignore curfew order, election protesters rejoice
Hondurans spilled into the streets of the capital on Monday night, banging pots and pans and joining rebel police in defiance of a curfew imposed after a presidential election that was heavily criticized by the Organization of American States. Some police officers abandoned their posts and joined carnival-like demonstrations that erupted across the city hours after night fell and the curfew was supposed to have begun. A statement issued in the name of the National Police said the officers were upset with the government over a political crisis that was not their responsibility.

The Human Faces of Climate Change via Salon by Lauryn Higgins:
Faces from Climate Listening Tour filming in collaboration with National Audubon Society, Forsyth Audubon, Audubon North Carolina, Audubon's International Alliances Program and Belize Audubon Society in North Carolina and Belize:

Belize, Quintana Roo working to establish new tourist routes
Mexico and Belize are working together to establish new tourist routes that would result in economic benefits for both sides. The Ambassador of Mexico in Belize, Carlos Quesnel, affirmed that international agreements are being sought between both points to establish new tourist and commercial routes that would generate economic benefits for the southern part of Quintana Roo and for the central part of the neighboring nation. The diplomat said that he has been working on these bi-national agreements to strengthen ties between both borders as well as generate benefits for businessmen and service providers. He added that the authorities of Belize have held several meetings with the government administration of Quintana Roo to establish expediting mechanisms at the migration points in order to achieve a greater flow of passers-by along the border.

Scotiabank buys control of Chilean bank for $2.9 billion
Scotiabank says it has bought a nearly 70 percent interest in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA) of Chile for $2.9 billion. Scotia says it intends to merge BBVA Chile with its existing Scotiabank Chilean operations, subject to regulatory approvals. Chile’s Said family, which owns 31.62 per cent of BBVA Chile, has waived its right of first refusal to acquire the share being sold to ScotiaBank, but is willing to spend up to $650 million to own up to 25 per cent of the combined business when Scotiabank Chile and BBVA Chile are merged. When the deal was announced last week, Scotiabank said the transaction is in line with its goal of increasing scale within the Chilean banking sector and the Pacific Alliance countries. Travellers to the Caribbean are familiar with the presence of Scotiabank there. BNS has been part of the Caribbean and Central America region since 1889. The first office was in Kingston, Jamaica to support the rum, sugar, and fish trade.

GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PRESERVE BELIZE'S CULTURAL HERITAGE!
The Embassy is accepting project proposals for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2018 Competition. Please submit your proposals to the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section at BelmopanPA@state.gov by December 29, 2017.

Videos

December 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

Matachica inaugurates new housing facility for employees
On Thursday, November 30th, Matachica Resort & Spa held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate their new housing facility for employees. Attending the ceremony was the owner of Matachica Resort & Spa, Daniel Lighter accompanied with his wife Maude Boutin, Manager of Matachica, Gricel Graniel, San Pedro Town Mayor, Daniel Guerrero, Councilor Ruben Gonzalez, Mayor Secretary Yolanda Parham, and resort staff members. Lighter then shared what motivated him to build the housing facility for his employees. “The success of Matachica was my motivation to build this house for my employees, as a way of giving back to them. There are many beautiful places that tourists can go and spend their vacation, but they choose Belize for the unforgettable experience the people provide to them. I believe that without my 80 employees that we have today, this resort would not be the same. I could have simply just renovated the old employee’s house, but I said no to myself, as I wanted to provide them with a comfortable, decent, and healthy environment for all the hard work they put into my resort.” Lighter further said, “We have a space ready for a gym as well, the equipment will be arriving anytime now. I will also purchase Play Stations and other things so that my employees can be entertained, and let them feel at home.” He also told The San Pedro Sun that another project that he will be doing for the employees is to construct a football field for recreational purposes.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Town Council Holds Lighting Of Christmas Tree
‘Tis the Season to be Jolly! The San Pedro Town Council held its official lighting ceremony of the Town’s Christmas Tree on Sunday, December 3, 20017 at the Central Park. It was fun filled event which island residents and tourists enjoyed as they joyfully counted down together for the lighting of the Christmas Tree. Lady Dixie Bowen addressed the crowd and briefly related as to how her late husband, Sir Barry Bowen and their daughter, Courtney Bowen began the tradition of the lighting of the Christmas Tree. After the formalities students from different schools performed songs and dances for the festive occasion. The main performance for the evening was the Pandemonium Steel Band who delighted the crowd with Christmas songs and other Caribbean beats.

National AIDS Commission Awards Felix Ayuso Jr. On World AIDS Day 2017
World AIDS Day 2017 was celebrated on Friday, December 1, 2017, under the theme “Right to Health”. The National AIDS Commission launched its Francisco Caliz Unsung Hero Award and awarded six Belizean unsung heroes for their advocacy work on HIV/AIDS. The late Felix Ayuso Jr. was awarded and receiving the award was his son JoVan Ayuso. As we all know Felix Ayuso was a prominent activist in our community and was the former chairperson of the San Pedro AIDS Commission where he devoted his time and endless love. Felix led a very successful campaign in creating awareness and educating the community about the human race’s plight against HIV and AIDS. He was the face of the AIDS Commission in San Pedro and represented the National AIDS Commission in international meets. His hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed and for this and many other reasons the National AIDS Commissions awarded our beloved Felix with this prestigious award.

San Pedro UDP Holds Endorsement Convention
The United Democratic Party of San Pedro held its endorsement convention on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at the Hon. Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex. The San Pedro UDP team is the only one in the country to re-endorse the same team and did so with high spirits and amongst a cheerful crowd. After opening remarks by former Mayor Elsa Paz the endorsement of the UDP seven team took place and were as follows: Celsa Benguche and Yolanda Parham – Hector ‘Tito’ Alamilla Ivette Ramirez and Severo Guerrero Sr. – Flora Ancona Elsa Paz and Ramon Guerrero – Ruben Gonzalez Christian Guerrero and Alex – Gary Greif Pablo Rodriguez and Suyapa Alejos – Severo Guerrero Jr. Richard Cordova and Marco Gonzalez – Gabriel ‘Gaby’ Nunez Manuel Heredia Jr. and Phillip ‘Billy’ Leslie – Daniel Guerrero

Misc Belizean Sources

South Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Meeting
Wednesday DECEMBER 6, 2017 @ 7pm, Lone Star Grill & Cantina. Agenda: Subject to change) 7:00 Welcome, Introduce guests 7:10 Treasurer’s Report 7:20 Incident Report 7:30 Neighborhood Updates 7:40 New Business 8:00 Open Floor Christmas Surprises!!!!!

Primary School Teachers wanted immediately at Holy Cross School
Contact school office at 226-3456

Justice of Appeal Franz Parke Resigns
The Office of the Prime Minister is in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to the Governor General H.E. Sir Colville Young by Justice of Appeal Franz Parke in which he tendered his resignation from the Belize Court of Appeal with immediate effect. The Office of the Prime Minister understands that Justice Parke made his decision in order to spare the Court any exposure that a trial on the issue of his tenure would create.

Caye Caulker BTIA Public Discussion
It's time to put all your complaints and ideas to actions! Please attend this meeting. CCBTIA is looking for a strong team that is ready to volunteer their time for objective #2.

Unnamed US Nationals hid ammunition cache in container to Belize
On Monday, 27th November, 2017 Custom personnel handed over to police three 9mm empty magazines, one hundred 9mm Hallow Point Rugger Brand, twenty 9mm ball point Rugger brand rounds, eleven 204 Rugger brand, forty 204 A- Merc Rugger Brand Rounds, Black Remington Brand Model 700 gun Barrel S/NG 6916030, Firearm trigger assembly, piece rifle bolt assembly S/N 6030, black 9mm slide with barrel, and Firearm trigger assembly. These items were found in a container imported by two US Nationals. On Friday the 1st December 2017 a further search of the container was conducted with the assistance of Police K9 Unit. This search led to the discovery of the following:

Bz. Coastguard in vehicle with ammunition
On 03.12.2017 at 10:58 a.m., police intercepted a blue Nissan Xterra Sports Utility Vehicle on Vernon Street in Belize City. Police searched the vehicle and discovered a black plastic bag containing (4) 12 gauge Cartridges. 22 year old Kenroy Reynolds, a CoastGuard, 20 Cyril Banner, 43 year old Hart Anthony, 18 year old Kaylynn Young, were all escorted to the Police station where they were formally arrested and charged for Kept Ammunition Without a Gun License.

Officer allegedly accidentally shoots and kills a suspect
On 03.12.2017 at 1:35 p.m., Police responded to a Robbery report at the football field in the Arizona area of Teakettle Village. Upon arrival Police saw a male person identified as "JOSE" who immediately ran away from the officers and fell into a barbed wire fence. The police officer chased after him, allegedly fell and his gun allegedly and accidentally fired a single shot that hit "Jose" to his right leg. The man was transported to the Western Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Cayo man killed
On 03.12.2017 at 3:40 p.m., Police visited a residence on Domingo Cruz Street, San Ignacio Town, where they saw the motionless body of 33 year old Victor Spain. Spain a cab driver of Domingo Cruz Street, San Ignacio Town was stabbed multiple times.

NOTICE: Renewing Tour Operator Licensing Advisory
Please be advised that all Tour Operator Licenses expire on December 31, 2017. Applications for renewal are now being accepted at BTB's Belize City and San Pedro Offices. Any Operator who fails to complete the entire renewal process by December 31, 2017 and continues to operate is deemed to be operating illegally.As per Section 9(2) Tour Operator Regulations S.I. No. 12 of 2006, the Belize Tourism Board (Tour Operator) Regulations, it is an offence to operate without a valid license and a person found guilty of said offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.

Poster activity for Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
PCV Emily conducted a poster activity at the elementary school in her village as part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. She coordinated an activity at the school, with the collaboration of her Community Health Worker, in which boys placed their painted handprints on the poster, making the the following commitment: "We pledge to never use these hands in violence against females." The boys enjoyed participating in the activity and together, they hung the poster up on the school wall to spread this important message.

Special Olympic Torch Parade in San Pedro
The Torch for the Special Olympics has arrived to San Pedro Town. Everyone is invited to join the Torch parade set to start at 9am today from the Police Station.

Christmas Bird Count 2017
Any of my friends interested in joining me for the first 3 bird counts? Send me a message plz.

Splashers
Come join us to paint “Swimming Along” this Thursday at Crazy Canucks from 2-4pm. Remember to sign up to ensure your spot!

Belize vs. Costa Rica Basketball Game
Belize Wins, 77-64

Mek Di Christmas Ketch you in a Good Mood
Join RF&G Life for an evening of caroling and entertainment. For the kids there will be Santa, bouncy house, and face painting. We will also be having a singing Competition amongst various groups that will be participating along with RF&G Life Insurance Choir. Fri Dec 08 2017 at 05:30 pm

4th annual Belize Christmas Park Fest
It’s back and bigger than ever! It’s the 4th annual Belize Christmas Park Fest at the BTL Park. Over 300 toys for the kids will be given away! Plus, there will be giveaways of hams, turkeys and Christmas trees. Performances by Supa G, Dajah, DX Band, TY, TR Shine, Ernestine Carballo and Denise Castillo. Mark your calendars. Saturday December 16 from 6:00 to midnight.

Taking place today - The Belize Hotel Association Bi-Annual General Meeting
The Belize Hotel Association is hosting its Bi-Annual General Meeting on December 5, 2017 at the Banyan Bay Suites in San Pedro. You are cordially invited to hear about the BHA's activities over the current membership year, and the exciting projects scheduled for the upcoming months! Dynamic Guest Speakers ! Kindly RSVP via email to membership@belizehotels.org or call us at 223-0669.

The XI Central American Games
oday Belize Sports Council issued a release saying "The XI Central American Games are being held in Managua, Nicaragua from December 3 to 17, 2017. Belize has representation from 12 sporting disciplines at the Games. These disciplines are: Athletics, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Body Building, Cycling (Road & TT), Football, Judo, Karate, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon, and Volleyball Team Belize comprises 130+ athletes, coaches, and officials.

Otakufest Anime Screening
While Otaku might not have a perfect translation into English, it doesn't mean you can't have a good time watching some anime at the Wildfire Artmosphere this Saturday afternoon. BakaBush Books and Wildfire are teaming up for this first of its kind event here in Cayo. There'll even be popcorn. "Celebrate fantasical Japanese art forms Nurture the Geek in You. Check out the display of comics and manga. Watch Anime starting at 7p! and eat popcorn!"

1st leg of the Verdes FC vs Bandits SC Finals Game
The game ended in favor of Verdes FC with a 1-0 win at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town Sunday December 3rd 2017.

GBV resources in the Orange Walk District
Domestic Violence Unit, Police Department Hospital Crescent, Orange Walk Town Telephone: (501) 322-2022 WPC. Melanie Anderson & WPC. Marilyn Pate Women’s Department – Department of Human Services Bethias Lane, Orange Walk Town Telephone: (501) 302-2058

Meet GBV activist in the Orange Walk District, Mrs. Ofelia Feliciana Novelo Campos!
Mrs. Ofelia is an artisan and instructor and the mother of five children. She graduated from La Immaculada High School in 1967 and because of her family’s financial constraint; she was unable to further her education. As a result, she ended up volunteering at the Orange Walk hospital where she obtained a certificate in nursing aid. In 1990 she volunteered at the Zenobia Megg’s Help Age (Orange Walk Town) where she visited the elderly and having a nursing background she assisted with their health checkups. Based on her personal experience, she believes that uneducated women can learn skills that will help them become independent and allow them to provide for their families. For this reason and because of her desire to help other women, she formed a women’s group in 2005, known as "MAMAS" which stands for "Mujeres Ayudando a Mujeres a Superarse" (which translate to English as Women Assisting Women to Succeed). Through this group, women acquire skills such as beading, embroidery, crochet, barbering, jewelry handicraft, cake decorating and cosmetology. MAMAS also offers counseling and lectures on important issues affecting women.

EntreCon2017--3rd National Entrepreneurship Convention
Fostering entrepreneurial ecosystem and promoting economic prosperity in Belize! The Embassy was honored to sponsor and participate in last week's EntreCon2017--3rd National Entrepreneurship Convention! Connecting ideas, creating opportunities!

MAYA Epigraphy Training
Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 9 AM - 12 PM, Nuuk Cheil Cottages Jaguar Reserve Rd - Maya Center Village, Stann Creek District, Dangriga. Learn the glyphs ao you can practice & teach others your ancestral heritage.

Channel 7

Who Murdered Manuel Spain?
Tonight San Ignacio police are puzzling over the murder of Victor Spain. Yesterday afternoon, the 33 year old was found stabbed to death inside his living room. He was in a pool of blood and already decomposing. Courtney Weatherburne found that it was an unexpected end for a quiet resident:... Courtney Weatherburne reporting Victor Spain was known in his community as a discreet neighbor and a dedicated father. Voice of: Relative: "I know this man is not a person who messes with anyone and he always tend to himself and his children." But something went terribly wrong and Spain was murdered inside his home on Domingo Cruz Street. He had stab wounds on his body. Spain's 3 year son along with the boy's mother made the dreadful discovery yesterday evening.

Police Say Few Clues On Spain
Today the Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch ACP Joseph Myvette told us that the deceased was stabbed above the eye:. ACP Joseph Myvette, NCIB: "The body was observed to have an apparent stab wound above the left eye and other bodily injuries. The last time he was seen alive was on Friday around 5:30pm and the only other person that made contact with him then was the same person who discovered his body yesterday afternoon." Spain was previously employed as a driver. Police continue to investigate and have not discussed a motive.

Cops Killed A Man In Arizona, Teakettle
Police killed a man this weekend in the Arizona Area of Teakettle Village. Now the cops claim they were following up on a robbery report and the unidentified man, known only as Jose was the main suspect. They say he ran, and that chase led the pursuing officer to accidentally fired his weapon. It hit Jose in the lower right leg, puncturing an artery and he bled out. But, the community has a different account - and Courtney Weatherburne has both sides of the story:... Yesterday afternoon, this football field was overrun with Arizona area villagers as they came out to support their favorite teams in a football marathon. But all that excitement turned into fear as police shot and killed a young man known as Jose.

Do Police Received Proper Weapons Training?
Today Commissioner of police Allen Whylie stressed that it was an accidental shooting - though a tragic one. We asked him if it could have been avoided by giving police better training on how to handle firearms. Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police: "It's a very unfortunate incident. It was explained to me it appeared to have been an accidental discharge, but nonetheless and individual died and I have directed that a thorough investigation be done by the CIB as well as the Professional Standard Branch. So that investigation is underway." Jules Vasquez, reporter: "Is the use of lethal force - do police officers received enough training in it when we hear and accidental discharge which cost a man his life. We are looking at an issue of the officer properly trained in handling of a firearm?"

12 Year Old Girl Killed In Fatal Accident
There was a terrible traffic fatality on the George Price Highway this weekend. It happened at midday on Saturday between miles 59 and 60, near Unitedville. 28 year old Didier Novelo from San Pedro was driving a Ford Explorer and he flipped while rounding a corner, causing the SUV to overturn several times. 6 people were inside, and 12 year old Lelany Chan was flung to her death. We spoke to an eyewitness who told us more:.. Voice of: Resident: "I just saw the police like everywhere and all the traffic just stopped and I saw the police and I saw one guy standing right here and the traffic was all slow then I hear the ambulance because I couldn't see it from my house then I hear the ambulance right here on the corner and I hear them carry them off. After that I just stayed in my house so just to stay out of the way and keep my dog out of the way."

Amidst Controversy New Justice Of Appeal Franz Parke Resigns Unexpectedly
After only seven weeks as a sitting Judge on the Court of Appeal, Justice Franz Parke has resigned. A press release from the Government says, quote, "The Office of the Prime Minister is in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to the Governor General Sir Colville Young by Justice of Appeal Franz Parke in which he tendered his resignation with immediate effect." End quote. You'll remember him as the judge whose appointment was controversial because the Opposition and the social partners opposed it. They said he wasn't qualified. Opposition Leader John Briceno even took out a lawsuit against the Government, and it appears that Parke's decision to step down was influenced by that. The Government press release says, quote, "The Office of the Prime Minister understands that Justice Parke made his decision in order to spare the Court any exposure that a trial on the issue of his tenure would create." End Quote.

The 90 Million Dollar UHS Nightmare: Where Did The Taiwanese 20 Mil Go?
The press also asked Briceño where he now stands on the 90 million dollars that the CCJ has ruled that the Government of Belize must pay to the Belize Bank. Nine UDP Parliamentarians have told us that they will vote against it when the Prime Minister brings it to parliament. But, in the discussion about the events that has led to this massive judgment debt, it is still uncertain what happened to some of the public monies that former Prime Minister Said Musa used to settle that UHS loan. As viewers will remember, the Musa Administration attempted to divert a 20 million dollar grant that the Venezuelan Government gave to the Government of Belize, to be used for the people of Belize. The Musa Government also diverted another 20-million-dollar grant from the Taiwanese Government. The Barrow Administration managed to get back that 20 million dollars from the Venezuelans, but there is not much mention about the other 20 million from the Taiwanese Government.

To Catch A Thief!: New Fingerprint Equipment For Countrywide Rollout
In Belmopan today, the Belize Police Department welcomed a donation of new equipment from the US Embassy. But, it's not the usual vehicles or tactical equipment - this time it's a fingerprint system, complete with more than a dozen computers, scanners and an online server. We found out how it will make crime fighting countrywide far more efficient:... It's called the AFIS technology - the Automated Fingerprint Identification System - and today I submitted my fingers to the test. Police store prints in a vast and growing database - which can now be searched within minutes:

Cayo Men Claim Police Brutality
And while the police top brass was talking about fingerprints, Cayo residents were complaining to us about bruise marks - inflicted by police. A group of friends are still recovering from that police beat down in San Ignacio. Kennedy Gentle and his friends were hanging out in front of Blue Angels Club early Saturday morning when, according to them, 5 police officers roughed them up for no reason. They were simply coming off their night out. Here is their account. But it didn't end there, we spoke to a woman who claims that police attacked her and confiscated her phone for videoing the alleged beat down in front of Blue Angels. She says a male officer choked her while a female officer punched her.

Southside SAT Just Plain "Chancey"
And while that is the story of abuse in Cayo - in Belize City it's even more disturbing. A video posted on Facebook shows three members of the Special Assignment Team beating down a man who had already surrendered. The video - captured from a security camera at an unknown address on the City's southside - shows a man in a white t-shirt coming out of his yard at 8:00 am on Sunday, apparently to meet the police who are coming for him. He raises his arms in surrender and turns his back to the police - but the police clotheslined him and threw him to the ground. Once on the ground, each of them proceeds to gratuitously stamp him - for no reason - other than to be brutal - since he is subdued and had already surrendered before that.

No Shallow Graves Found At Caye Chapel
There were reports this weekend that police had found four shallow graves at Caye Chapel, off the coast of Belize City. Well, that's inaccurate, but on Saturday the police did go to Caye Chapel after receiving information that human remains were buried in four shallow graves on the island. After searching the island they found nothing. They continue to investigate. We do know that Caye Chapel - which is a private island - has a full time security detail.

Cabbie Gets Two Years For Thrice Touching Teen Hire's Leg
On Friday we told you about the 44 year old cab driver found guilty of sexual assault after he touched a 15 year old girl's leg after she hired his cab. He spent the weekend in jail while Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford considered his sentence. Today, she sentenced him to 2 years in prison for the crime.

Finally, An Orderly FFB Election With A Winner Declared
One year and 7 months, that's how long the administration of football in Belize had been in a holding pattern. The last attempt at an election for president went for 14 hours, and at the end, the 20 delegates from the Congress of the Football Federation of Belize remained in a record breaking deadlock, unable to pick a new president between the then incumbent president, Ruperto Vicente, and his former Senior Vice President, Sergio Chuc. That forced Marlon Kuylen, the Senior Vice President Elect, to step in and run the FFB as the Acting President for more than a year and a half. Kuylen struggled make the serious changes he felt were necessary to move football ahead in Belize. And last month, he wrote an extended and scathing review of the FFB's current state of affairs.

Vicente Leaves With Sore Feelings
As we showed you in our story, former FFB President Ruperto Vicente left the elections without granting us an interview. But we tracked him down today, and he gave us some post-election comments this evening. Here's how he put it: Ruperto Vicente, Former President - FFB: "I must say that we are involved in a sports called football and in this sports sometimes we win, sometimes we draw and sometimes we lose. But the times that we lose, because somebody bullied you or played you nasty before the game and during the game and there are also times that we lose when those who make the decisions had been influenced in some way or the other. So you don't get the correct calls. So in this case we lost and I lost, because we are involved in the sports of football and so I would wish them the best. My record speaks for itself." "I have taken Belize to another level, Belizean football to another level. I made the team qualified to the goal cup for the very first time in its history and I took the national team through the 3rd round of world cup qualifiers for the first time in the history of this nation. So my record speaks for itself"

Defeated Fabro Says FFB Election Setup Is Bogus
And one other Candidate for President that we didn't get a chance to talk to at this weekend's FFB Congress was newcomer Daniel Fabro. He introduced himself to the public as a fresh-slate candidate back in October, and he tried mightily to win the support of the delegates. But, in the end he got ZERO votes, and coming out of the elections, he questioned just how democratic this process is. We asked the current president elect and his predecessor about those complaints. Here's what they told us:

A Torch Run With Real Meaning
This coming Friday the 2017 Special Olympics will commence right here in Belize City at the Mario Jones Stadium. A traditional torch run is usually done in support of the games. The Belize Police Department has been participating in the run since 2012 and this year is no different. Inspector of Police Edward Carcamo explained more on the meaningful run. Edward Carcamo, Inspector Of Police/Eastern Division Officer In Charge of Community Policing: "The purpose of the law enforcement torch run is to raise funds and sensitize the community in assistance to the special Olympic Belize for people with an intellectual disability that participate in sports." "From when we left Mango Creek we went into Placencia for a little while and then proceeded to Dangriga. We did Dangriga and went to Belmopan from there this morning from Benque Viejo. We were in Benque Viejo for a while we went to Santa Elena and then we came to Belize City southside."

Channel 5

Franz Parke Resigns as Supreme Court Case Looms
There is major news of a judicial nature tonight. Just over two months after being sworn in, and one week before trial on a fixed date claim form concerning his [...]

What Happened to Cayo’s Victor Spain?
The west turned out to be the most violent area over the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, police were called out to a house in San Ignacio town where the decomposing [...]

Is Teakettle “Jose” a Robber or a Victim?
One man is dead following a shooting at the hands of the police. The victim is unidentified and had moved to the village of Teakettle about four months ago. But [...]

Person of Interest Being Sought in U.S. for Corozal Double Murder
According to People Magazine, U.S. police authorities have identified a possible person of interest in the United States as part of their investigation into the unsolved double slayings of American Drew DeVoursney [...]

Police Roughed Up Cayo Trio, Including B.D.F. Soldier, at Blue Angels
Allegations of police brutality popped up again over the weekend in the west, but tonight, the injured men have been charged and arraigned for wounding and aggravated assault.  Jeremy Gentle, [...]

Mom Says Police Acted Unprofessionally
Following their arraignment, the trio was given bail of two thousand dollars plus surety of the same amount. Jeremy’s mother, Winnel Harris, says that she was back and forth with [...]

Another Deadly Accident on Cayo Highway as Pre-Teen Dies
There were several accidents reported over the weekend, but a fatal RTA on Saturday claimed one life and left several others injured. Twelve-year-old Lelany Chan lost her life when a [...]

2 Years for Taxi Driver Who Molested Teenager
Taxi-driver, forty-four-year-old Nestor Gallindo was today sentenced to two years behind bars even as he maintained his innocence after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a fifteen-year-old minor, who [...]

UHS and the P.U.P.’s Internal Turmoil
The unpaid UHS debt continues in the news following the announcement that parliament is not likely to vote to pay the loan note that goes back to 2004 and was [...]

N.T.U.C.B. Says Pay Up, in Installments
The Chamber of Commerce and the Belize National Teachers Union have come out in support of payment of ninety million dollars to the Belize Bank for Universal Health Services. Over [...]

Alleged Meeting with Lord Ashcroft is ‘Red Herring’
Last Wednesday, at a press conference to address the UHS debt, Prime Minister Barrow said that he had come into information from a trusted source that Lord Michael Ashcroft had [...]

AIDS Commission Honors ‘Unsung Heroes’
Turning to other issues….The National Aids Commission in commemoration of World Aids Day this past Friday hosted the first ever Red Ribbon Solidarity Day under the theme: “The Right to [...]

Third Time Lucky – Sergio Chuc Elected F.F.B. President
With fourteen votes of a possible twenty, Sergio Chuc is elected, along with running mate Cruz Gamez, to the presidency and vice presidency of the Football Federation of Belize respectively. [...]

Ruperto Vicente’s Mixed Legacy
Doctor Bertie Chimilio’s infamous humbling in elections at the hands of Ruperto Vicente in 2012 was expected to usher in a golden generation for football in Belize. And while Belize [...]

Shane Stands Up for the Players
Shane Moody-Orio, goalkeeper and long-standing national football hero, was elected in May 2016 during the disputed presidential election as a member of the Football Federation of Belize’s executive. Moody-Orio says [...]

Milt Palacio’s Belize Evens Score Versus Costa Rica at C.A. Games
Every four years, Central America’s top athletes gather to test themselves against each other in various sporting disciplines. The eleventh edition of the Central American Games kicked off on Sunday [...]

Special Olympics Goes on the Run
On Saturday morning, the Police Department along with sister enforcement agencies—such as the B.D.F. and the Coast Guard—embarked on a ‘Torch Run’ carrying the Flame of Hope. Over the course [...]

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

Breaking Belize News

PUP thanks Franz Parke for resigning; withdraws legal challenge
Today, the appointed Justice of Appeal, Franz Parke handed in his resignation from office. Since […]

Another report of police brutality in San Ignacio
Some irate family members of two young men contacted BBN today to express their discontent […]

Police find no shallow grave
Over the weekend an unconfirmed report suggested that there were several shallow graves found on […]

Victor Spain found dead inside his home
Yesterday police were called to Domingo Cruz street in San Ignacio town where officers observed […]

Man shot in knee by police dies
A man suspect of committing a robbery with a knife was killed by police out […]

Justice of Appeal Franz Parke resigns
His appointment as a Justice of Appeal on the Belize Court of Appeal in October was […]

Body of San Ignacio man still at scene
Yesterday, BBN reported that a man from San Ignacio town was found dead in his […]

Belizean missing in Flores, Guatemala
According to reports, a group of Belizeans went to a water park in Flores, Guatemala […]

Moist conditions to prevail
The 24-hour forecast is for mostly moist weather to continue. Sunny skies are expected today […]

Blogs

Power Outage in Corozal
On sunday, the power in corozal was cut of from 6am to 2:30pm. Noone likes when the power goes out on Sunday. Or, anytime during the week. In Belize we take a lot of advantage when it comes to electricity. We all cry that theirs no power because we need to do something with electricity. Family would want to use electricity. But, BEL had to do some upgrading on the street lights around town. And, some people had to migrate else where to be where electricity was. And, those who stayed around in Corozal.. Hey, it wasn't to bad after all. People came out with boats riding around the bay and three other kayaks where paddling around the bay of Corozal. Children came out fishing.

International Sources

J'can resigns as Belize judge after mounted opposition
Jamaican attorney Franz Parke, who was recently sworn in as a Court of Appeal judge in Belize amid controversy, resigned today. The Office of the Prime Minister in Belize, in a release to the media, said his decision to resign immediately is an effort to spare the court any exposure that a trial on the issue of his tenure would create. Belizean media reports in October said the Leader of the Opposition People's United Party, Johnny Briceño, filed a claim to have the Belize Supreme Court declare Parke's appointment null and void on the basis that it violates the Belize Constitution — the highest law of the land. The opposition to Parke, the reports suggest, comes from two standpoints — his qualifications and his past.

SPMAGTF-SC Marines Conclude Deployment in Central America
U.S. marines and sailors with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC) held a final formation at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, November 18th. The service members arrived in Camp Lejeune on the day prior, ending their six-month deployment to several Central American and Caribbean nations.

Videos

December 4, 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 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially closes
Thursday, November 30th marked the end of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. A total of 17 named storms formed during the five months of the season. Of the 17 storms 10 became hurricanes. Belize was once again spared, but flooding was a major issue due to the adverse effects of passing tropical storms in the area. Of the 10 named storms, six reached major hurricanes status (category 3 of higher). The two strongest storms of the season were Hurricane Irma and Maria with strong winds of 185 and 175, miles per hour respectively. Meteorologists attribute the above normal activity of the season to a decrease in vertical wind shear and the presence of odd sea surface temperatures in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. Another important factor to know was the transition from a neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation pattern at the start of the hurricane season to a weak La Niña by the end of the season.

Wolfe’s Woofer: Let Me Help You
I thought you were going to see Bruce and Becky this morning,” Sherry said. “I’m going right now,” I told her. “I’m almost finished putting new strings my guitar.” “You’ll be too late,” she warned. “They’ve probably already gone to lunch.” Bruce and Becky from Texas arrived on the island the evening before and I was anxious to visit. “Which room is Bruce Anderson in?” I asked the girl behind the desk at their hotel.

Letter to the Editor: Support the 2017 Holiday Lighted Boat Parade
The San Pedro Holiday Boat Parade is fast approaching and we need the involvement of all of San Pedro Town to make 2107 the best yet! How so? WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR BOAT CAPTAINS! The Boat Parade is one of San Pedro’s signature events, not only helping the community get in the festive spirit, but also celebrating the seafaring origins upon which San Pedro has grown from. More than ever, this year’s success will depend on the pride, enthusiasm and support of the community; individuals, businesses and visitors alike. To anyone who loves this island, your participation will make strong the large family that celebrate the holidays together as a community, San Pedro as our home, as well as promote it as a wonderfully unique place to live and visit.

Doctor Love: What Happens in Vegas
Dear Doctor Love, My fiancé, Mike, and I are getting married next summer in Belize and I am worried about his upcoming bachelor party. His brother and the groomsmen got together and planned a weekend in Las Vegas, paid his ticket and rented a suite of rooms at a casino hotel. I trust Mike but his brother is a party animal who is always on the hunt for women. He keeps saying this party will be an epic last hurrah to send his brother off with a night to remember before he is tied down and married. The idea of alcohol, scantily clad females and pressure from his single guy friends is giving me stress and part of me wants to ask him not to go. Do I talk to him about it or just live with it and hope he remembers he has someone back home who is waiting to marry him? Help, I’m losing sleep over this. /s/ What Happens in Vegas

Misc Belizean Sources

Funeral Services for Ofelia Alamina
Funeral services for my mother, Ofelia Alamina, will be held in Caye Caulker on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Church. The family is arranging for a boat to transport the body from Belize City on that day, which will also be able to bring out any friends or family who wish to attend the funeral; the boat will also be transporting funeral goers back to Belize City after the burial ceremony. The boat will depart Belize City at 12:00 p.m. and arrive in Caye Caulker by 1:00 p.m. The body will proceed to the church where viewing will be available from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and church services will immediately follow. We have not been informed of the location from which the boat will be departing in Belize City, but as soon as I have that information I will post. Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, would have been her 91st Birthday.

The Belize opposition is between a rock and a hard place – a political analysis
By Wellington C. Ramos: If I was to make a guess on what our Belize prime minister, Dean Barrow, will do with the $90 million bill to be paid to the Belize Bank Limited, he will take it to the House of Representatives for a vote. Why? Because it is to his party’s advantage, he does not want the blame of not paying to rest on his shoulders along with his party members and it will place the members of the PUP in a very difficult position due to their relationship with Michael Ashcroft over the years and their former prime minister Said Musa. However, since the G-7 saga that fragmented the People’s United Party up to today, there are some PUP members who believe that their party needs to distance itself from Michael Ashcroft to regain the trust of the Belizean people again in order to win elections.

Parrothead Beach Bash
Hey everyone! We are extending the Discounted Registration date to February 1st. Sign up prior to that for $10 off the event price and you will get a goodie bag of fun things from Belize. Here are some other things you may not know about the Beach Bash in Belize.

2018 Conference of the Caribbean Studies Forum to be held from March 4-11, 2018
The University of Belize, Department of Languages and Literature of the Faculty of Education and Arts, in collaboration with East Carolina University, welcomes the presence and participation of the wider UB community, local and international tertiary institutions, and the learned Belizean public at the 2018 Conference of the Caribbean Studies Forum to be held from March 4-11, 2018 at the University of Belize’s Central Campus, Belmopan. Some of the forum’s objectives are expanding awareness of Caribbean cultures, providing a platform for interdisciplinary Caribbean Studies research projects, connecting a diverse body of academics (North-South and South-South), and promoting the field of interdisciplinary Caribbean Studies in general. The Department of Languages and Literature thus sends out an invitation for abstracts proposing paper presentations, poster displays, panel discussions, and professional workshops to be conducted at the conference.

Why I think Elfreda Reyes should be a National Hero of Belize
We have two men on our flag. And we have two men as official National Heroes. In an August 2017 Facebook post the thinker Valentino Shal wrote about the Global Gender Gap Report citing that in terms of political empowerment Belize ranks 133 out of 136 countries and with respect to Gender Inequality 107 of 136. There is also a huge void and gap in our learning about women in social studies and history. Elfreda Reyes was born a British Honduras colonial subject in 1902 and died a Belizean in 1992. She grew up in the Mesopotamia area of Belize Town. She was a domestic servant who earned less than $2 per week. By 1924 she was a leading figure challenging colonial rule on the basis of class and gender. She was a fighter for the working class, a human rights activist before that was even a concept. She championed gender inclusiveness which is a fundamental idea in modern citizenship.

Día de la Medicina Latinoamericana
Hoy, junto a los miembros de la Brigada Medica Cuba en Orange Walk, en representación de toda la brigada médica que labora en Belice desde hace 27 años, celebramos el Día de la Medicina Latinoamericana que se elogia en nuestro país cada 3 de Diciembre. Nos acompañaron, además, beliceños amigos y compatriotas cubanos que residen en la localidad de Orange Walk, algunos de ellos también médicos. Como se conoce, esta efeméride evoca el natalicio del médico cubano Carlos Juan Finlay Barrés, quien descubrió que la transmisión de ciertas enfermedades se producía por medio de un transmisor biológico, el mosquito, constituyendo el aporte científico de mayor importancia a la medicina tropical, y por supuesto ayudando a salvar a millones de seres humanos en particular del azote de la fiebre amarilla. Es poco conocido, que debido a su descubrimiento, a Finlay le fue otorgada la distinción de "Benefactor de la Humanidad".

Elizabeth Rose boutique now open on 4th avenue in Corozal
On Satutday, the boutique had their Grand Opening.

Amber Alert issued in Mexico for Noemi Chan of San Narciso, Corozal

Rotary Club Golden Ticket
Tickets to win the $50,000 cash prize are going fast. Proceeds are for a good cause and with only 1000 tickets at only $100 each for sale the odds are too good to pass up. Tickets are available from any Sunrise Rotarian or at Central Drug Store (or PM us and we'll deliver!)..... DRAW is just in time for Christmas on 15th December. Get your ticket(s) NOW .......

GITZ Places 2nd at Hackathon
Team Gitz took 2nd place at the 2017 Hackathon. Their winning entry was the new website belizing.com. Congratulations, Team Gitz!

SHJC Scorpions Win ATLIB Nationals
Congratulations, Scorpions! SHJC won at the 2017 ATLIB basketball finals. Video of the final buzzer. "National ATLIB Champs! Thank you gentlemen!"

A day of fun for the children of Arenal and neighboring villages!
U.S. Marines Civil Affairs Team hosted a Thanksgiving Day celebration with soccer matches between students of nearby schools, followed by a wonderful lunch for the children and members of the local community. Thank you to all contributors! Quality Poultry Products, Bel-Car Export & Import, Circle R Products, Belize Defence Force and Belize Police Department Belmopan Branch. United States Marine Corps

Missing golf cart in San Pedro
Green golf cart still missing, Club car license SP 4087, Cash REWARD, 610 5526.

The Reporter

Accident kills 12-year-old-girl, police detain driver
The Belize Police Department have a man detained pending investigation into an accident that killed one child and left several more injured this weekend. Police say that they detained 28-year-old construction worker Didier Novelo of San Mateo San Pedro, following an accident between miles 59 and 60 on the George Price Highway. Novelo reported lost control of his vehicle while driving from Belmopan in the direction of San Ignacio. Novelo reportedly lost control of his white Ford Explorer and flipped several times causing extensive damage to the vehicle and causing the multiple body injuries that lead to the death of 12-year-old Lelany Chan. Doctors at the Western Regional Memorial Hospital pronounced the girl dead on arrival and admitted another passenger, Joslie Johnson, 20, while unconscious.

Chamber of Commerce hosts Christmas Expo 2017
Around 50 local businesses gathered in the St. Catherine’s Academy Auditorium for the 6th Annual Christmas Expo, hosted by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The two-day event began yesterday and runs until 6 p.m today. Local businesses of all sizes and from all over the country are offering deals on various items, giving Belizeans a chance to get some early Christmas shopping done. The expo offers discounts on items such as groceries, jewellery, cell phones, wines and other alcoholic drinks, snacks makeup and a wide range of electronics. Vianey Reyes Marketing and Public Relations officer for the BCC explained that one of the major motivations behind holding the expo is to assist in the development of micro businesses.

Could Your Coffee Habit Lengthen Your Life?
Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day is not only safe for most people, it might protect against heart disease or an early death, a new review suggests. The finding, which applies to so-called “moderate” coffee drinking, stems from a review of more than 200 previous studies. The fresh analysis also linked moderate coffee drinking to a lower risk for developing prostate, endometrial, skin and liver cancers, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, gout, gallstones and dementia. Some of the studies in the review also showed a lower risk for Parkinson’s disease, depression and Alzheimer’s. However, the review did not prove that coffee drinking caused these health risks to drop. And it also found that coffee may be somewhat problematic for pregnant women and slightly increases the risk for fracture among all women.

Breaking Belize News

San Ignacio man found dead
According to reports, this evening a man was found dead at his home on Domingo Cruz Street in San Ignacio Town. The victim has been identified as Victor Spain.

17 bullets found on south side Belize City
Last night at 8:55 p.m., police searched an abandoned lot on Jones Street in Belize City. That search led to the discovery of 17 live rounds of ammunition. However, police have not revealed the brand or caliber of the ammunition.

1 dead, 5 injured in fatal road traffic accident
At midday yesterday, police visited an area between miles 59 and 60 on the George Price Highway. There, officers observed a white Ford Escape on its side across the highway with extensive damages.

The Ashcroft/U.H.S. Political Football
By Richard Harrison: “A release from the Belize Bank makes the point that both the Privy Council and the LCIA have ruled that the loan note did not violate the Finance and Audit Act. Here is my view…the government guaranteed a loan for $33 million and when the original creditor (UHS) defaulted, the Bank collected from government and did not hand over the hospital to the government but instead sold the hospital for another $39M to Health Care Partners.

Police find sawed off shot gun in PG
Yesterday afternoon police conducted a mobile patrol within the town of Punta Gorda in the Toledo district. A search in the area of the cemetery led to the discovery of a single action 20 gauge sawed off shot gun, with a wooden stock and butt, with a single cartridge.

Police looking for runaway teen
Police in Corozal are investigating a case involving a runaway teen. On Friday, Mario Chan, 41, a sales clerk of San Narciso Village reported that at 7:15 a.m. that morning his daughter,Noemi Gisel Chan, 16, left home enroute to work and has not been seen since.

Culvert collapses on the highway
A culvert has collapsed between miles 10 and 11 on the Philip Goldson Highway. As a result, motorists are asked to exercise caution.

Andy Palacio 57th birthday yesterday
Yesterday ambassador, musician and icon, Andy Palacio, would have celebrated his 57th birthday. Nevertheless, he was honored by the National Garifuna Council which held masses across the country yesterday.

BDF to investigate its own soldier
The Belize Defence Force (BDF) is investigating one of its very own. He is, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches. The Acting Commander of the BDF has instructed 5 BDF staff and two Defence Ministry staff to conduct the investigation.

Blogs

After 7 Years, Brahma Blue Resort Re-Opens with New Owners and a Party
Here’s a map. San Pedro town on the east side of the island and then… marked by a purple arrow is a piece of land and marsh. About 10 years ago, this land was sold and big plans were made by a bunch of different owners. Some were incredibly grand plans like Islands of San Pedro and some a bit more modest like the Caye Winds Mansions (okay…not THAT modest.) Buildings started going up. I visited a gorgeous Indian restaurant at the Brahma Blue Resort in 2009 or 2010. The resort was just opening… And then the financial crisis REALLY hit and everything came to a stop. I pass this area often…on the way out of town up to the west side of the island. And though I see some lights on – I wasn’t sure what was opened. I knew that some, if not all, of the buildings were repossessed by banks. SOOOOO…I was excited to get an invitation to visit this spit of land – not on the ocean side and not on the west side but in the middle. Surrounded by the San Pedro Lagoon. Brahma Blue Belize was finished and opening! There would be a boat at 4pm – and every 20 minutes after – for a tour and party to celebrate. I headed out on a beautiful December evening.

On the 15th anniversary, Flor puts the divine in Wine de Vine
If you only think of Wine de Vine as just this very nice place to pick up a really good bottle of wine for dinner, well, you’re really missing the big picture. It is so much more than that. Although, if it is only wine you want, you would be well-served. Flor Saldivar-Bradley celebrates the 15th anniversary of her Wine de Vine. Wine de Vine has been serving and selling wine well for 15 years, cause for quite a street celebration on Friday night. It was quite a tribute to the stature of the shop that the city permitted the closing off of Coconut Drive, the main north-south thoroughfare for the night.

International Sources

Honduras Suspends Constitution as President 'Flees' Violence
The Honduran government has voted to suspend constitutional guarantees across the country as of 11pm local time, hours after President Hernandez reportedly fled the country to avoid violent street protests in the wake of the disputed presidential election, Diario La Prensa has reported. The government has also implemented a curfew meant to deter people from publicly demonstrating. The move was announced on television and radio networks across Honduras by Ebal Diaz, secretary of the Council of Ministers, as a bid to control violence which has erupted across the country since the ballot.

Honduran vote count enters fifth day with protests escalating
Honduras moved into a fifth day of political limbo on Friday, with a long-delayed presidential vote count that has sparked unrest amid opposition accusations of electoral fraud likely to take up to two more days before yielding a winner. International concern has steadily grown about the electoral crisis in the poor Central American country, which also suffers from widespread poverty, drug gangs and one of the world's highest murder rates.

Huge Protests in Honduras as Contested Vote Crisis Escalates
Hondurans marched in protest Sunday, demanding an impartial count of the results of last week’s presidential election and chanting their opposition to President Juan Orlando Hernández’s bid for a second term. Huge demonstrations in the capital, Tegucigalpa, and the country’s industrial hub, San Pedro Sula, snaked through the streets with an almost festive air as marchers waved the red flags of the main opposition party, which has denounced what it calls fraud in the vote tally. Despite the relative calm in big cities, a political crisis has engulfed the country over the contested vote tally by the Honduran electoral commission. After partial results the night of the election gave the main opposition candidate, Salvador Nasralla, a lead of five points, the commission suspended the count for a day and a half. When it resumed, Mr. Hernández was reported to have steadily gained on Mr. Nasralla and then took a small lead, with almost 95 percent of the polling places counted.

Videos

December 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

Toledo students participate in marine ecology course on Ambergris Caye
A group of 15 tourism students from a vocational college in the Toledo District participated in a marine ecology course in San Pedro Town from Monday, November 27th to Wednesday, November 29th. On the last day of the course, the group enjoyed a full day snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. For many of them, this was an experience of a lifetime. A couple of them shared that it was the first time they had been swimming with rays and sharks. At the end of the day, Rachel Graham from Mar Alliance congratulated each of the students and encouraged them to be advocates for the protection of the marine environment. Each student was then presented with a certificate of participation and a few shared their snorkeling experiences. “I was very afraid at the beginning, but afterwards I got used to the sharks being near me,” said one student. “It was an amazing experience for me, I will never forget it,” said another. “I can just imagine how wonderful it would be to have an oxygen tank and go deeper below the water.”

PUC Clean Energy Expo – saving Energy cuts costs
Finding ways to reduce energy consumption and to use renewable energy can cut operating costs and increase profit even as it helps to reduce our carbon footprint and make our communities more climate resilient, by adapting to and mitigating the effects of Climate Change for the greater good of the planet. This was the message from the Public Utilities Commission when it hosted a Clean Energy Awareness fair as part of Belize’s Energy Week 2017 at the Belize Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel last Thursday, November 23. Belize’s energy week was observed as part of CARICOM Energy Month (CEM), noted Geon Hanson of the Energy Unit, within the Ministry of Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities, noted in his welcoming address. CEM celebrated the significant strides the region is making to transition to sustainable energy solutions.

San Pedro Turtles participate in Belize’s first Rugby Tournament
The San Pedro Turtles Rugby Club took second place at the first ever District Rugby Tournament held on Sunday, November 26th at the Marion Jones Stadium in Belize City. The tournament was organized by the Rugby Belize Association with three teams participating, including the Scorpions and Yarborough Barbarians from Belize City and the San Pedro Turtles. he island team gave it their best but in the end, the Belize City Scorpions took the championship with 40 goals over the island team’s 22 points. Yarborough Barbarians settles for the third sport in the tournament with the lost point total out of the three teams.

Community Rallies to Fund Repairs needed for the San Pedro R.C School Library
The San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) accomplished their goal of raising $10,000 needed for the reconstruction of their library. The present state of the building is in deplorable condition and does not easily accommodate the students when using the library’s resources. “I feel so happy that we completed the amount we needed for the reconstruction of our library. I can’t wait for the construction project to start,” said organizer of the fundraiser, librarian Catherine Whitney known as “Teacher Kate”. The construction phase for the renovated library is expected to begin on Saturday, December 16th, and is being spear-headed by Norman Eiley. Teacher Kate says she will be present during the entire process of construction, to assist in anything that is needed.

Misc Belizean Sources

Institute of Archaeology Report: Sunday 3 December 2017
The ATM Archaeological Reserve is closed. All other archaeological reserves are open for visitation.

Contempt for the supremacy of the judiciary
Amid the corrupt practices of successive PUDP administrations, the Belize Progressive Party (BPP) considers the current, unprecedented situation involving the prime minister’s stubborn stance to defy the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice, a demonstration of not only his contempt for the supremacy of the judiciary, but also a manifestation of the monster that this corrupt PUDP system has created. In no uncertain terms, the BPP decries Prime Minister Barrow’s intransigence on what is fundamentally a matter of reason. His abstinence clearly made an already undesirable situation, created by his predecessor, far worse, by allowing the original amount of $33.5 million owed to creditors, to balloon to approximately $88 million and counting.

Sergio Chuc elected FFB president
Sergio Chuc has been elected, along with running mate Cruz Gamez to the presidency and vice presidency of the Football Federation of Belize during the ordinary congress held at the Princess Hotel. He officially succeeds Ruperto Vicente, whom he tried to oust as deputy last year. His term is for three years. Marlon Kuylen acted in the role after the May 2016 election resulted in deadlock after 20 rounds.

Panerrifix 2017 Christmas Concert
Panerrifix is having their annual Christmas concert next Saturday, December 9th, at the UB auditorium. Mervin Budram and Alida Sharp, along with others artists, will sing with them.

The Reporter

National Garifuna Council honours Andy Palacio’s birthday
The National Garifuna Council held masses all over the country today, to honour the birthday of the late Belizean icon Andy Palacio. A total of 11 branches held church services celebrating Palacio’s life and legacy, while some held receptions after the mass to keep the festivities alive. The Belmopan branch had their service yesterday due to a scheduling conflict with the church. Sandra Miranda, NGC president said that the branches take December 2 as a day to reflect on the work Palacio did in bringing Belize and Garinagu culture to the world.

Four shallow graves found in Caye Chapel
On Saturday, December 2nd, four shallow graves were found in Caye Cahapel. Human bones were discovered and police continue their investigation into the matter.

BNTU weighs in on UHS debt
The Belize National Teachers Union is the latest group to say that the Government of Belize should pay the $90 million arbitration award with respect to the Universal Health Services debt guarantee. BNTU president Elena Smith told the media that the matter has gone beyond whether or not anyone agrees that the debt was illegally placed on the Belizean people, given the pronouncement by the Caribbean Court of Justice. Smith said that given the highest court in Belize has pronounced that the government must pay, not doing so worsens Belize’s position internationally, as well as makes the debt even larger due to the accumulating interest. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opposition People’s United Party, and the political third party the Belize Progressive Party have all said that GOB must pay the award, handed down by the London Court of International Arbitration, and upheld on November 22 by the CCJ.

Cost of living still on the rise
For ten straight months the cost of living in Belize has been higher than it was last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the Statistical Institute of Belize. The SIB released the data on Wednesday showing that that from January to October, Belizeans have been paying an average of 1.2 percent more for goods and services. By month, the inflation rate has consistently been above what it was last year for each individual month. The October inflation rate stood at 0.9 percent, sent up by the high cost of fuel. Consistently rising gas prices caused a 7.8 percent increase in the Transport index, the single highest increase in that category.year. The price per gallon of Premium gasoline rose by 18 percent from $10.13 in October 2016 to $11.95 in October 2017, while Regular gasoline rose 11.9 percent from $9.32 per gallon to $10.44 per gallon, and the price per gallon of Diesel was up 13.2 percent from $8.53 to $9.65.

Breaking Belize News

Young girl dies when vehicle flips on George Price Highway
Yo Creek family is grieving today as a 12 year old female lost her life after their vehicle overturned on the George Price Highway. The 8 occupants, including a number of children, were transported to the San Ignacio hospital. One was pronounced dead after arrival, 4 remain admitted, 1 was transferred in critical but stable condition to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, and 2 are ok.

Sergio Chuc is FFB’s new president
After 2 failed attempts at holding presidential elections, the delegates of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) have elected Sergio Chuc as their new President and Cruz Gamez is the new Vice President. Chuc won by a landslide 14/20 votes at the elections today, held at the Ramada Belize City Princess. His opponents, Onan McLean got 4 votes and Ruperto Vicente got 2 votes. Daniel Fabro didn’t get a single vote.

Protecting the rights of persons living with HIV
The National AIDS Commission (NAC) is considering how it can strengthen the complaints procedure for persons living with HIV/AIDS who feel that their rights were discriminated against. The NAC explained that rationale for wanting to improve complaints procedures during a health fair in honor of World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1, under the global theme “The right to health”.

Public Sector Workers Trust fires back
The Public Sector Workers Trust (PSWT), which is currently in a legal dispute involving 600 retired public workers and the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), fired off a press release making clarifications about the situation as it relates to the $7.8 million in question.

Salvadoran national convicted of sexual assault
A Salvadoran national working as a taxi driver in Belize, this week, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old minor in his cab in January. According to reports, Nestor Gallindo, was hired to pick up the minor from school. The minor told the court that when he arrived for her, Gallindo seemed to be under the influence of alcohol so she sat on the back.

Lucky Courts customer wins $30,000
One lucky Courts customer, this week, is feeling the Christmas spirit a little early after having won $30,000 cash as part of Courts’ special holiday raffle. The lucky winner, Paul Ruiz, was in for a surprise, however, as Courts told him he had won a microwave. “We told him that he won a microwave to spice it up and make it more fun,” Grisel Carballo, Unicomer public relation officer said.

Police find weed in school bag
On Friday night around 10:00, police conducted a search on Queen Charlotte Street in Belize City. That search led to the discovery of a school bag containing 16 parcels of cannabis, totaling 4.1 pounds.

Blogs

December Events in Belize
Soon everyone in Belize will be buzzing around with excitement of the holiday season approaching. Belizeans love Christmas. Who wouldn’t with day time high temperatures of 82°F (28°C) with overnight low of 73°F (22°C) are the norm with an average of 11 hours of sunshine per day. The decorations have started to go up in town, and soon many folks who haven’t done so already will begin lighting up their homes. If you are looking to fill your social calendar with some “holiday cheer” there are many December events in Belize you might want to take in. They include a wide range business events and fundraisers with many (not all) being about the spirit of Christmas.

Why visit Coco Beach in San Pedro Ambergris Caye
I had the opportunity to visit Coco Beach Resort and the resort is absolutely lovely. The resort is just 3 miles up north in San Pedro Ambergris Caye and with its welcoming service's I am planning to go back soon. The entrance is very surprising as they have a water fountain inside the lobby. Relax poolside at the resort’s amazing free form swimming pools, sidle up to the island’s favorite swim up bar, luxuriate with an in-room spa treatment, or take advantage of complimentary kayaks and paddles boards. Complimentary WiFi hotspots are located throughout the property.

9th Annual Christmas lighting in Corozal Central Park
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Its begining to feel a lot like Christmas. On Saturday December 2, 2017 Everyone gathered at the Corozal Central Park to witness the 9th annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree. This Tree isn't any ordenary tree. Its the time when you and your family come out and enjoy the colorful lights from various decoration. Kids where so excited when they saw Mr. and Ms. Santa Clause before the event commenced. There where 14 dancers for the Christmas lighting.. They all performed well and entertained the crowd. Its was one of the that nights when the crowd laughed and was joyful to see the small children in Santa Clause suites. The MC began the show at 7pm where had mentioned the welcome address, Mayor speech, Acknowledgement and recognition. Ms Queen of the Bay also came out to say a pom.

International Sources

Caribbean News In Brief
BELIZE IS to launch its first ray sanctuary at a time when the fish are facing extinction. More than 20 species of rays are known to populate waters around Belize. Overfishing, loss of habitat and climate change have left rays threatened around the world.

Caribbean courts embrace technology for improved justice
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has created its own agency to provide technology to reduce caseload backlogs throughout the Caribbean. APEX’s mandate is to deliver technology-based solutions for Caribbean courts, law offices and justice sector bodies. Since its establishment in 2016, the agency has developed a suite of software tools to address some of the most critical needs of the region’s justice sector. The solutions developed, known as the Curia suite, were designed by Caribbean jurists and technology experts and developed by Caribbean software engineers. Further, the agency’s governance model includes heads of judiciary, public and private bars, attorneys and leading jurists drawn from across the Caribbean.

Chamber urges government to re-think position on CCJ ruling
The President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nikita Usher, is urging the government to re-think its position regarding a recent ruling by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for the Belize government to honour a multi-million dollar international arbitration award. Usher, speaking on television here on Friday night said that “a no vote by Parliament” could have repercussions the country. “It then means that you then start to question investment climate; you start to question risk premiums. What is risk premium and who deals with risk premiums? Should you go on the international financial market to borrow money, there’s a risk premium involved; your interest is interest plus risk premium. “When you have a government or a country that has not paid its debt the risk premium tends to be a little higher and so the borrowing rate becomes a higher rate. So again the business community will pay that price,” he said.

Videos

December 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

San Pedro BTIA local branch holds general meeting and elects new board
The San Pedro chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) held their annual general meeting on Wednesday, November 29th at Fido’s Courtyard. The meeting was attended by several members of the local chapter, along with its board members headed by San Pedro BTIA Chairwoman Tamara Sniffin, as well as BTIA Executive Director, John Burgos, other representatives from the BTIA and special invited guests Valentino Shal and retired Police Superintendent Rudolph Orio. The meeting touched a wide range of topics, from sustainable tourism to marketing, membership and tourism security. At the end of the gathering, elections were held and a new board was installed.

San Pedro Co-Ed Softball Tournament begins on Ambergris Caye
The San Pedro Co-Ed Softball Tournament officially started with a marathon at the Hon. Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex in San Pedro Town this past weekend on Sunday, November 26th. Participating in the opening marathon were three teams, San Pedro High School (SPHS), Xtreme and RCGO, who enjoyed a fun day of competitive softball. The official softball tournament will begin on Sunday, December 10th at 9:30AM. Softball enthusiast and Islanders are invited to come out and enjoy a softball day at the Hon. Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex.

Orange Walk celebrates 7th Annual Tacos Festival
The seventh annual Tacos Festival, one of Belize’s most anticipated tasty celebrations, took place on Sunday, November 26th at the Banquitas House of Culture in the northern town of Orange Walk. The food festival showcased a wide variety of tacos in different styles and tastes, attracting thousands of Belizeans from across the country. The festivities also included cultural presentations and live performances by local artists. Vendors at various booths tried their best to impress the crowd, as well as the judges, who at the end of the day would choose the top three winners for the best tacos of 2017.

Wil Lala retires as U.S. Warden, Tamara Sniffin honored to replace him

Illegal dredging activities reported on the west coast of Ambergris Caye; DOE to investigate
Concerned San Pedro residents have reported sightings of an alleged illegal dredging site around an islet on the western coast of the island by a local businessman. According to the allegation, the person in question also has intentions of selling the islet to a resort near the area. The islet, which seemed to have been abandoned, happens to be the private property of a local developer. A reliable source told The San Pedro Sun that the owner of the islet is already looking to pursue a lawsuit against the said businessman if he continues his activities on and around the small island. The source also added that the culprit has been using the names of the leaders from the local authorities in order to get away with his activities.

Belikin Beer’s 2018 Calendar officially unveiled in Belize City
The 2018 Belikin Beer Calendar was officially released at a launch party on Saturday, November 25th at Belize City’s Ramada Princess Hotel and Casino. Hundreds of the calendar fans attended the launch party, eager to get a signed copy of the anticipated calendar and the opportunity to meet the featured models. The event also included live performances and an after party that went into the wee hours of the night. At 6PM, for a fee of $10, attendees gained access to the party and their own copy of the calendar. All 12 featured models greeted their fans, signing their pages, and even taking pictures. Calendar holders were thrilled with the finished work of Belikin’s annual calendar, and are already speculating what the 2019 calendar might bring.

Ambergris Today

Miss Centroamerica Belize Places Second In International Pageant
Our lovely country of Belize is gaining more experience in the pageantry world and the lovely ladies who proudly represent us to the best of their abilities are doing a mighty fine job. This past week Khristal Jones represented the Jewel at the Miss Centramerica pageant in Managua, Nicaragua and brought home the second place title. Khristal made an online post where she explained some of her experience in Managua and stated briefly that she faced a few challenges due to the language barrier but despite that she pushed through, made friends and managed to make it to the top finalist and won the title of Miss Integración Centroamérica.

San Pedro Dance Academy Performs At Dance X 2017
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture in collaboration with the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) held a Dance Expo from November 22 to the 26. Dance X was taken to Orange Walk, Dangriga, San Ignacio and Belize City. The San Pedro Dance Academy was invited to perform at the Bliss Institute of Performing Acts where they performed two dances, “La Pollera Colora” choreographed by Renan Azcorra and modified by Yakarelis Hernandez and “Rio” choreographed by Yakarelis Hernandez. The Dance Academy received a certificate of appreciation for the performance on Saturday, November 25, 2017.

Misc Belizean Sources

R.I.P. Ms. Ofelia Alamina
Miss Feli passed away yesterday around noon after close to 91 years on this Earth. Funeral arrangements are still being finalized, but it is expected that the funeral will take place on Monday here on Caye Caulker. Our deepest condolences go out to Rose Marin and the extended Alamina family.

BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE SOLDIERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
The Ministry of Defence informs the public that since the deployment of the thirty-five soldiers (35) to Dominica on 01 November 2017, their contribution to the repairs of schools and other infrastructures has been invaluable. So far, they have refurbished two school buildings, repaired the Catholic Cathedral of Dominica, constructed a temporary fence at the Windsor Park Cricket Stadium, renovated the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) building, repaired the roofs of the Veiella Police Station and the Museum in Kalingo Territory.

United States Embassy in Belize Donates Equipment to the Belize Police Department
The Belize Police Department continues to be the beneficiary of assistance with training and equipment from the United States Government through its embassy in Belmopan. Belize has been gifted fourteen (14) Afix Tracker Systems to be installed in key locations at Police Stations country-wide. The United States Embassy has also provided the training for over 30 Police and Scenes of Crime Officers from all the districts, on how to use and operate these systems. The Afix Tracker System, an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), is a biometrics system commonly used by law enforcement agencies around the world. It allows for finger and palm prints recovered from crime scenes to be digitally captured and then compared to fingerprint records from a data bank in the AFIS system. The system is equipped with a fingerprint and palm print live scan system and a mug shot camera, which allows for digital finger and palm prints and photos to be digitally captured in real-time from arrested persons.

Casting Auditions for the Mexican Film "Tragic Jungle"
Dec. 2 & 3, Chetumal, 9am-5pm

Senior National Volleyball Teams Fundraising Scrmmage
Dec 2, B.E.S.Multicomplex Building

Team Origin from the Corozal Junior College (CJC) participated in the Beltraide Hackaton 2017
They were victorious in securing First Place. Yes, you heard it! 1st PLACE. They created a platform called YouTility which would serve the purpose of facilitating two way communication between the utility service companies and the general public. This platform will allow clients to pre-register for a utility service; access utility bills along with historical records; submit a report of an issue with a utility service with the user's geo-location; obtain answers to basic questions using a Smart Bot. The utility service companies will have access to a Web app with a dashboard that will provide a means of pushing notifications and news to the clients as well as a map of all reports coming in from the users. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is looking forward to continue developing the platform. Congratulations to CJC for fostering innovation and team-work! Team Origin: Carl Galvez, Michael Sabido, Risela Magana, Tsungwei Wu. A special thank you to the two teachers, Mr. Omar Riverol and Mrs. Nydia Young. They really worked very hard with the students after school hours, into the night and weekends.

The Big Ferry is back in the water!
It even got a paint job. I am sure it will move much faster now! The Ministry of Works is working overtime to complete the work on the top of the ferry. They are optimistic that by end of day Sunday, it will be fully operational and back to normal hours. Very exciting news for our villages in the North. The New River Stop will reopen to the public 7 days a week beginning on Monday morning, December 4th again. We are excited to get back at it! The MOW even scraped the Corozal side all the way to the last bump leaving town after the curve.

Support a Worthy Cause
Grand BBQ Sale at the Purple Office next to Atlantic Bank in Corozal this Saturday, December 2nd from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All proceeds will go to Jarbi Alvarez who was involved in a traffic accident but needs further medical attention due to some complications. Tickets are available for only $7.00 a plate.

Walk for a Green Belize 2017
The DOE has uploaded pictures from the 2017 Walk for a Green Belize. A huge thanks to everyone and all the businesses involved! In related news the Cayo BTIA is having a highway clean up tomorrow from Kontiki to Benque, and it starts at 8:30am. All are welcome.

SHJC and UB Head to ATLIB Finals
The Sacred Heart Junior College Scorpions Male team and the University of Belize Black Jaguars Female team are heading to Belize Saturday for the ATLIB basketball finals. Have fun, and do your best. The best are from the West!

Belize's Wonder Women! Mrs. Julietta Burrowes-Lewis
For the month of December we are proud to announce that Mrs. Julietta Burrowes-Lewis is our Belize Wonder Woman! Julietta Burrowes-Lewis began piano lessons at the tender age of five at Pallotti Music School and later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Southeastern College of the Assemblies of God in Florida. Julietta has been teaching music to children and adults alike since the age of 15. She has accompanied on piano and directed numerous children’s and adult choirs including the Belmopan Choral Society.

Belize, ICF Olson Launch AI Travel Experience Gam
"The Hunt for the Crystal Maiden" lets players "choose your own adventure" by enabling them to determine their journey through Western Belize, whether to further explore animals, jungles or people. ICF Olson calls this game the "first of its kind in the travel industry" that elevates the traditional tourism campaign by enabling people to determine what they want to see and explore.

Guardian of the Chiquibul
Three kilometers east of the Guatemala border, the forest fell silent. Four hours earlier we had left Tapir Camp—the entrance to the Chiquibul forest—via a newly cut trail off the Caracol Road, to trek to the Cebada region of the Chiquibul and document a sinkhole re-discovered by the Friends for Conservation and Development’s (FCD) Karst Management Unit (KMU). FCD co-manages the Chiquibul forest which represents 7.7% of Belize’s national territory and the KMU is tasked with surveying the Chiquibul’s cave system, the largest in Central America. Under cloudy skies the six of us—two members of the KMU, three FCD rangers and myself—shouldered our packs, shifted loads, buckled straps and began the gradual uphill hike to the new sinkhole. During the first few hours of silent walking we saw brocket deer, great curassows and crested guans, howler monkeys lounging in the canopy, macaws, parrots and parakeets flying overhead. Underfoot were coral snakes, lizards, leaf cutter ant columns and spider webs—lots of spider webs. We heard rustling, hissing, grunts and the ever present chainsaw-like whine of cicadas, first in the distance than washing past like a wave before retiring into the forest expanse.

Worlds AIDS Day
It's Worlds AIDS Day and what better way to celebrate it than to congratulate our dear friend, which we miss so much, Mr. Felix Ayuso, on being presented with the Narciso Franklin Caliz HIV Unsung Hero Award, recognizing his remarkable passion in advocating for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Congratulations amigo Felix Ayuso! San Pedro Town is grateful for all your work and efforts in spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS.

Government of Belize to Host Stakeholder Consultation for the European Development Fund National Indicative Programme
The Ministry of Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities will be hosting a stakeholder consultation for the European Development Fund National Indicative Programme (EDF-11) on the 4th of December 2017 at the Western Regional Conference Room. The consultation is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at midday. The overall objective is to discuss implementation modalities and programmes to raise the living standard of the Belizean population and meet Belize’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2020 and beyond.

BWRC's 5th Annual Gala
The Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic had their 5th annual Gala fundraiser, and once again, the food and atmosphere made for a wonderful night. More pictures on Dropbox. Pictures on fb.

Food for the Soul Luncheon
Bauce Foods is having a luncheon at the Soul Project on Sunday. You can order chicken parmesan or buffalo chicken cheese steak. Let them know ahead of time if your interested in a delicious lunch. It's only $10, and the subs come with yucca chips. "Come join us for an afternoon full of delicious food and local wines! :) Bauce Foods is happy to present our hot sub sandwiches made with our homemade Italian bread. Join us Sunday December 3rd at the Soul Projetct from Noon until 4pm.

3rd National Entrepreneurship Convention
The U.S. Embassy was a proud sponsor of the 3rd National Entrepreneurship Convention held yesterday under the theme ‘Connecting Ideas, Creating Opportunities.’ Ms. Deborah Lingwood, the Embassy’s Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, along with Ms. Bryn West, Political Officer, joined over 200 participants at the conclusion of BELTRAIDE’s month-long schedule of activities celebrating Belizean entrepreneurs. As part of the Convention, Ms. West also participated on a panel addressing the ways to strengthen Belize's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Embassy congratulates the six teams who participated in the hacakathon as part of entrepreneurship month, especially the winners, Team Origin from Corozal Junior College!

Channel 7

Two Charged For Beheading, Accused Has Killed Before
Belmopan police have again moved quickly to wrap up a high profile murder case - this time it's the beheading of Hilton Wade. Late this evening, Cotton Tree residents Raphael Mencias and Elroy Grinage were arraigned in Belmopan Magistrate's Court. Mencias was charged for murder while Grinage was charged for abetment and conspiracy to commit murder. We are told police have solid evidence linking the pair to the murder including bloody clothing, shoes, and a motorbike that may have been used to transport the head from the murder scene. Best information suggests that it may have been a property dispute, because Wade was illegally occupying a structure and had made it his home. He may have been killed as a means of ejecting him from the property where he was squatting.

Former Chamber President Hulse Questions BCCI
Should the government pay the 90.6 million dollars to the Belize Bank? All across Belize, views are very divided on this - and the sense we get is that most regular folks just don't know. Indeed, it's a complicated situation with no easy answers - not even for the PUP - who still haven't said how its parliamentarians will vote! But for the UDP - with the exception of the Prime Minister - it's almost a matter of doctrine now: they cannot pay the 90 mil. And that's why the party has publicly bristled at the statement from the Chamber of Commerce. That private sector umbrella group blamed both political parties and said that the UDP should honor the debt. That's a complete reversal from 2007 when the Chamber membership vowed to stage a shutdown and withhold business tax payments if the then Musa government used public funds to pay Universal's private debt.

BDF Commander To Investigate Lt. Col. Roches
We've been reporting on the case of Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches for over a month. The Ministry of Defence called in the Auditor General to investigate whether there had been any shady money dealings between the BDF and Roches's private company, Belize Jungle Experience. The Auditor did raise some serious questions - and now, finally, the BDF Commander is appointing his own team to investigate. The Force Orders issued yesterday say that the Acting Commander has directed 7 persons, including 5 BDF staff and two ministry of Defense staff to, quote, "conduct an investigation to an alleged incident involving Lt Col C Roches." The team is led by Lt. Col. Loria.

11 Year Old Knocked Down Trying To Cross Busy Hwy
An 11 year old boy was knocked down yesterday evening in Belize City - at a busy area of the highway. It happened between miles 3 and 4 near DK Supermarket. Emmett Burgess was crossing the Phillip Goldson Highway to meet his Grandmother. But, he never made it across; the child was hit by an oncoming vehicle. He is listed in a stable condition and reportedly broken his arm. The driver, 29 year old Ralph Burns from Lords Bank has been served with a notice of intended prosecution.

Cab Driver Guilty of Sexual Assault On Teen Hire
A 44 year old cab driver will spend the weekend in jail while he awaits sentencing for sexual assault on a teenaged girl who hired his taxi. It happened in January of this year when a 15 year old girl, testified that she hired Galindo to take her to a guest house in the city where her mother works. But, on the way there the girl testified that he touched her on the thigh 3 times. The girl said Galindo told her not to say anything otherwise he will have her mother fired. The girl's mother testified that her daughter came to her crying and told her what Galindo did.

Conch Babies On Board Bus
A Sarteneja fisherman will have to pay an almost ten thousand dollar fine after he was caught with undersized conch and undersized lobster tails. Yesterday Police stopped a Chell bus at a check point on Phillip Goldson Highway. where and found 3 white pigtail buckets with lobster and conch. Asveldo Flores said they were his - and police turned him and the shellfish over to the Fisheries Department. They counted 353 undersized conch and 7 undersized lobster tails. Today in court, he was fined a total of $9,610 by Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. In addition to that Flores owes the court $1,565 for a conviction of possession of conch during closed season dating back to 2015. He was ordered to pay half of that outstanding fine before he could be released from custody.

PSWT Says Come Again
Last night, we told you about the latest developments in the dispute between the 600 retired public officers, the Public Service Union, and the BNTU. The retired public officers want the Union's Public Sector Workers Trust to relinquish management and control of 7.8 million dollars in backpay. We reported last night that the retired public officers and representatives got an injunction to stop the Trust and their loans programs on Monday. That's the information that the claimants themselves shared with us, and if indeed that was the outcome, it would have been huge, since the Trust was supposedly being forced to stop spending the money. Well, by midday today, the Public Sector Workers Trust fired off a press release insisting that the claimants, and by extension this news station, got it all wrong.

US Donates To Immigration Dept,
Since the start of the Senate Hearings, all the news about the immigration department has been about unearthing years and years of shady dealings in fraudulent nationality documents. Well, tonight there is some good news, or let's say lighter news. The US Embassy yesterday donated 6 MIDAS mobile readers to the department. The readers cost about $72,000 Belize. A release states " The mobile readers will be used to capture immigration information at established and informal border entry/exit points."

BDF Did Good In Dominica
At the beginning of last month, we told you how the Ministry of Defense deployed 35 BDF soldiers to Dominica to help with the rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Maria devastated the island country. Well, the BDF is reporting tonight that in the 30 days that the soldiers have been there, they have put in major work for the Dominicans. They have refurbished two school buildings, and they've repaired the Catholic Cathedral of Dominica. The soldiers have also constructed a temporary fence at the Windsor Park Cricket Stadium, and they've a renovated the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency building. The BDF platoon has also repaired the roofs of the Veiella Police Station and the Museum in Kalingo Territory. They have also assisted in the transportation of construction materials to different parts of the island, and they've provided cost estimates for various rebuilding projects.

Competition Of The Coast Guard Warriors
And while those BDF soldiers in Dominica continue to put in back breaking work, for the last 4 days, officers from the Coast Guard and the BDF have been competing in a strenuous show of physical prowess. They were competing in the 4th annual Coast Guard Best Warriors competition, an event designed to push the participants to their limit to see who are the toughest soldiers. The competition came to a close today, and we stopped by to speak with one of the officiators about how it went: Cmdr. Elton Bennett - Vice Commandant. Bz Coast Guard: "This year's coast guard best warrior competition was the highlight of our calendar and for this year. It started off on the 28 of November which is Coast Guards anniversary celebrating 12 years. We had the best warrior competition, 6 teams participating. We invited 2 teams from the BDF and that went well. We certainly appreciated the presence of the BDF, raised the level of the competition of the Coast Guard. So we covered 6 events and in the period of 4 days."

Rowan's Nomination Needs Your Support
Rowan Garel became a household name when he was just a kid, climbing the Victoria Peak as a blind 12 year old. And that was just a start for the consistently impressive young man. And now he has a chance to be the Caribbean Adventure Ambassador. He has been nominated for that prestigious title and we spoke to him today via phone in New Jersey where he is attending university about this honour:.. Sahar Vasquez reporting: In his short lifetime, he has accomplished more than most. He climbed Victoria's Peak, walked across Belize, dove the Blue hole and those are just a few of his many accomplishments. But what makes these accomplishments even more impressive is the fact that he did these things without the ability to see.

Tourism Promises Strong Fourth Quarter
Two days ago we told you about the sluggish growth of the economy in the third quarter. But, government is counting on a strong fourth quarter in the tourism sector to end the calendar year showing modest growth. But, can tourism deliver? Yes, the official numbers are up - but the word on the ground is not as optimistic. We asked the president of the Belize Hotel Association, Ted Tejada what the fourth quarter will or can do for the economy:.. Ted Tejada - President BHA: "This year for the first time ever we are having Air Canada start their flight to Belize. Last year we had WestJet from Toronto. This year they expanded the route from Calgary to Belize. Now they are also having the Toronto flight and now Air Canada is adding another flight from Toronto to Belize. We also have Southwest that started last year and the numbers of these airlines are telling us that they are performing close to 80% occupancy. That means that there is more people coming to the country."

Inspiration Information
The Inspiration Calendar and Agenda is more than just another organizer, it's a celebration of children with diverse abilities, and a way to provide funding to the center that supports them. The 2018 edition was launched today by the Special Envoy For Women and Children, Kim Barrow and McNab Visual Strategies. The Executive Director of the Inspiration Center told us what's inside:.. Joycelyn Lopez, Executive Director, Inspiration Center: "What the calendar does is highlights the abilities of our children because if you look at the artwork it brings out their personality and if you look at the photos, some of them are like Wow! You know, so it really focuses on their abilities and when the time comes to do the calendar and just to do the artwork, to work with them it is always an interesting and joyful experience be a use you get to see how the kids bring out their talents."

Courts Comes through With Big Check For Unsuspecting Customer
We're 24 days away from Christmas, and Courts is already in the festive mood of giving with their holiday raffle of thirty thousand dollars cash. They announced the lucky winner today. But instead of simply giving him the money, the staff decided to play little prank on him. Our news team was there to see it unfold, and Daniel Ortiz has that story: During his lunch break from work, Paul Ruiz walked through the front doors of Courts' Belize City Headquarters. He came to pick up his prize from a raffle he won. He was told that he won a microwave, but little did he know, that was a ruse. What he actually won was a cash prize of $30,000, and he was about to be given a cheque for that amount. The employees at Courts wanted to capture his genuine surprise and delight, so they told him to come pick up this "microwave":

On The First Day Of Christmas, Mayor Gave The Gift of Gab
So, while Courts was giving away those big bucks to Paul Ruiz, Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley was busy playing tour guide to a group of senior citizens living at the Sister Cecilia Home for the Elderly. It's part of City Hall's 12 Days of Christmas, and their objective is to spread a little Christmas cheer in the run-up to the holidays. We stopped by and saw tour guide Darrell Bradley in action. He told us that he enjoyed the company of the senior citizens: Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City: "This is part of our 12 days of Christmas. So, one of the things that the City Council did last year is that we created a program where that for 12 consecutive work days, starting the 1st going into 12 days we are going to have different acts of charity that the city council does or staff does for various members of our community."

AIDS Day: The Right To Health
Today is World Aids Day, observed under the theme "The Right To Health." All over the world health activists are spearheading various activities to highlight the day and generate HIV and AIDS awareness while downplaying stigma. In Belize City that meant an awareness fair and free HIV Testing at the Battlefield Park. We found out more. Arthur Usher, National Aids Commission Communication and Programs officer: "Well we have a very wide range or programming today. We have an official ceremony which will also commemorate those who have been working in the field and giving them an unsung hero award. We also have partner agencies like UNFP, the department of youth services, and the Ministry of Health. We have local artists doing live displays throughout the day and again it is an interactive event. We have games and all this information so that people can really come out and enjoy the day but at the same time get educated about HIV."

Everybody Do The Yoga
The second annual Yoga Festival will be taking place at the Harbour View Greens in Belize City this weekend. The festival has a lot to offer not just to experienced yoga practitioners, but also for beginners and newbies. Organizer Michelle Williams told us more. The festivities start at 6 am tomorrow and tickets are available at the gate.

A Market For Corozal Farmers
Today in Corozal, a new Wholesale Farmer's Market was inaugurated. It was financed by the European Union through funds from the Accompanying Measures for Sugar. The idea is to encourage diversification of the agricultural production base in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts - to get away from simply that mono-crop of sugar - because world prices are going down. Agriculture Minister Godwin Hulse says the new market will offer an opportunity to farmers:.. Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture: "People buy and sell produce. Produce come from people also, from the farmers which my ministry represents, people growing, people toiling in the sun, people putting their sweat and blood and having to bring those produce and for the most part in this country a middle man grabs it and he makes all the money..."

Channel 5

Two charged in beheading murder of Hilton Wade
A duo suspected of having participated in the gruesome decapitation of fifty-six-year-old Hilton Wade, in Cotton Tree Village on Wednesday, has been charged with murder.  Wade’s alleged killers are also [...]

Chamber of Commerce says debt must be paid, come what may
The matter of the Universal Health Services debt, and what the Government intends doing about it, continue to dominate the news. Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s scathing response to the Belize [...]

Businessmen balk at new taxes, time for reform
A no vote in parliament, says Usher, raises repercussions beyond the U.H.S. debt. A default would trigger a ‘risk premium’ on the international financing market for borrowing by both Government [...]

Don’t shoot the messenger!
That said, is there concern from the business community that the relationship between Government and private sector could be damaged? Chamber President Nikita Usher agreed with us that the tone [...]

Third parties weigh in, with strong condemnation
The Belize Progressive Party is calling on Belizeans to persuade their area representatives to vote in favour of satisfying the U.H.S. debt and on civil society to make a demand [...]

Investigative team named to look at B.D.F. audit
Weeks after it came to light that there was alleged hanky panky in the B.D.F. Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches is being investigated by a team of fellow Belize Defense Force [...]

Child survives hit and run in Belize City
An eleven-year-old boy is hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. after he was knocked down in front of DK Supermarket on the Philip Goldson Highway. A vehicle stopped and a driver signaled [...]

Taximan convicted of molesting minor in vehicle
After almost a week in trial, Belize City taxi-man, Nestor Gallindo, a Salvadoran national, was found guilty today of committing an aggravated assault upon a fifteen year-old minor on January [...]

G.S.U. nails two-time deportee for not reporting
Belizean Akeem Garnett, a deportee and resident of Amara Avenue, Belize City was today in court to answer to a single charge of failure to comply with the requirements for [...]

Local government officials to be trained on UNCAC
Saturday next, December ninth, is the one year anniversary of Belize’s becoming a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Government has been tasked with laying the groundwork, [...]

Safeguarding the right to health on World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is observed every first of December in honor and memory of those who have battled and are still battling against the deadly scourge of H.I.V./AIDS. This year’s [...]

Who’s the Best Warrior of them all?
A week of grueling activities undertaken by law enforcement officers concluded today with the most demanding challenge that tested the wherewithal of the participants. Both the Coastguard and the B.D.F. [...]

Security forces headed to border
A sixty-mile bike ride to the western border in the Toledo District is being organized for members of the security forces and civilians alike. It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative which will [...]

B.N.T.U. says GOB must pay UHS debt
Still on the matter of the U.H.S. loan, News Five spoke today with the president of the Belize National Teachers’ Union, Elena Smith. Her organization has adopted a preliminary position [...]

Inspiration Center looks forward to 2018
The Inspiration launched next year’s agenda and calendar today in Belize City. Celebrated under the theme “See Me, Hear me…I have the right to equality,” the agenda and calendars are [...]

Twelve days of CitCo Christmas charity
The countdown is officially on to December twenty-fifth, that most wonderful time of the year as the song goes. But for many, especially after a year of tragedy, it will [...]

Belize City lights its Christmas Tree!
And keeping it on the Christmas theme, at news time this Friday evening, downtown Belize City is glowing just a little brighter, as the Belize City Council and Bowen and [...]

Relax with weekend yoga festival
The second annual yoga festival is happening this weekend. The event, which brings together local and international yoga instructors, will have two all day sessions of different types of yoga [...]

Paul Ruiz has thirty thousand reasons to celebrate Christmas
Paul Ruiz is thirty-thousand dollars richer tonight. The Courts customer bought a whirlpool washer and stove and got tickets to enter into a Courts &Whirlpool thirty-K raffle – and he [...]

Women can do anything – even govern!
“Women Can Govern” – it’s not only a statement of fact, but now it is also a book. Building People Movement has published a book that looks at the development [...]

Fu We Flavaz is new kid on restaurant block
With Yhony Rosado and Tom Greenwood, tour operator David Almendarez has become a musketeer against the ills of the tourism industry. But he is also a big dreamer and risk-taker, [...]

LOVE FM

BNTU: Judgment Must Be Honored
A Sitting of the House of Representatives has been scheduled for Friday, December 8. It is then that parliamentarians who present themselves will either vote yes or no or abstain from voting with regards to the ninety point six million dollar UHS debt owed to the Belize Bank Limited. The CCJ ruled that the Government […]

What position will NTUCB take concerning the $90 Million?
The Belize National Teachers Union falls under the umbrella union, National Trade Union Congress of Belize, NTUCB. According to BNTU President Elena Smith, the NTUCB will be deciding on its position with regards to the debt owed to Belize Bank Limited. The decision will be made during its monthly meeting tomorrow. Elena Smith, BNTU President […]

VIP urges GOB to Settle the Debt
The Vision Inspired by the People is urging the Government of Belize to settle the UHS debt owed to the Belize Bank Limited. In a release, the VIP warns that quote “any failure by Government to pay its debt will only multiply the cruel financial burden on Belize.” End of quote. The VIP believes that […]

BNTU’s President sets the Record Straight
Last night other sections of the media reported that an injunction was granted against the Public Service Workers Trust and the Belize National Teachers Union. A release from the trust says the claimant in the case had, in fact, sought an injunction from the court to restrain the unions and or the trustees of the […]

Victims of Anti-Discrimination will soon have some Legal Recourse
An Anti-Discrimination Bill is in the making. It is the brainchild of Laura Tucker Longsworth, Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission. According to Tucker Longsworth, the bill will address discriminatory practices in the workplace and provide victims some legal recourse. The cabinet paper has been prepared and now begins the lobbying, Tucker Longsworth told Love […]

Two Men charged with the Murder of Wade
Police have charged two men in connection with the murder of 56- year-old Hilton Wade. They are 29- year- old Raphael Mencias and 36 –year- old Elroy Grinage. Mencias was charged with murder while Grinage was charged with abetment and conspiracy to commit murder. Both appeared in court today and were remanded until March 2, […]

Minister of Finance Holding Up the Commercial Center’s Renovation
The Commercial Center was scheduled to be renovated; however, no progress has been made in that regard. The building which is located downtown Belize City has become an eyesore. Mayor Darrell Bradley explained that the Belize City Council is eager to move ahead with this project, however, the only delay is the Minister of Finance, […]

CitCo wants Memorial Park to Pulsate with Activities
The Memorial Park has been remodeled with kiosks, which is a partnership between the Belize City Council and the Belize Tourism Board. Mayor Bradley explained that the intention is to attract businesses so that the park will pulsate with activities. Darrell Bradley – Mayor of Belize City “One of the challenges we have had both […]

CitCo: Getting into the Christmas Spirit
The Belize City Council today started its twelve days of Christmas initiative. Today, December first, and for twelve working days after, the City Council staff will be doing twelve acts of charity in the City, says Mayor Darrell Bradley. This year the Council kick-started the event with a city tour for the elderly which was […]

Security Forces participate in Torch Run
The annual law enforcement torch run began today in Punta Gorda. Paul Mahung spoke with the coordinator. Paul Mahung, Love FM “The law enforcement torch run is coordinated by Inspector Elroy Carcamo of the Belize Police Department.” Elroy Carcamo, BPD “Law enforcement torch run is a fundraising and sensitization event that commenced in Belize since […]

Man Found Guilty of Sexual Assault
Forty-four year old Nestor Galindo, a taxi driver originally from El Salvador, was found guilty of sexual assault today by Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. She remanded Galindo into custody until Monday, December 4, for sentencing. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on January 2, 2017. The complainant, a 15-year-old girl, testified that she hired Galindo […]

Man ordered to pay $9,610 for illegal Possession of Fish
Twenty-five-year Sarteneja fisherman Asveldo Flores, was fined a total of nine thousand six hundred and ten today by Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford after he pled guilty to possession of undersized conch and undersized lobster tails. At about 2:30 p.m. yesterday Police stopped a Chell passenger bus at a checkpoint on Phillip Goldson Highway. One of […]

Police destroy a Large Quantity of Drugs
Police have destroyed over three hundred pounds of marijuana. The drugs were destroyed on Thursday by Belmopan Police. Officers destroyed thirty-one thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven point ninety-eight grams or a little over seventy pounds of cannabis, twenty-four cannabis plants, point six grams crack cocaine, eleven point two grams cocaine, and one board pipe. Under […]

BDF help to Rebuild Dominica
Last month thirty-five BDF soldiers went to Dominica to assist in the rebuilding efforts. An update says so far they have refurbished two school buildings, repaired the Catholic Cathedral of Dominica, constructed a temporary fence at the Windsor Park Cricket Stadium, renovated the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) building, repaired the roofs of the […]

US Embassy Donates to Immigration Department
On Wednesday, the US Embassy handed over six MIDAS mobile readers worth approximately seventy-two thousand dollars to the Immigration Department. The equipment was handed over by Steven Davis of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Specialist at the US Embassy. The donation was received on behalf of the Government of Belize by […]

Amandala

Another beheading
Shortly after 6 o’clock Wednesday morning, a villager of Cotton Tree, on his way to work, came across a plastic bag near a makeshift bus stop in the village. Something about the bag must have made the man suspicious, and made him decide to open it and see what was inside. Inside the bag, the villager found himself staring at the head of a man, a fellow Cotton Tree resident, 56-year-old Hilton Wayne Wade. The police were alerted and they quickly arrived on the scene. After recovering the head of Wade, who police believe was killed that same morning, the officers visited an unfinished and unpainted cement bungalow house where the deceased had resided, about a quarter mile from the bus stop.

$90 million debt “morally reprehensible”
Prime Minister Dean O. Barrow held a press conference this morning at the Best Western Biltmore Hotel, where the main topic on the agenda was the 90-million-dollar judgment handed down against the Government by Belize’s highest court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The judgment, which favored the Belize Bank over the government, is based on a sovereign guarantee for a loan from the Belize Bank to finance the Universal Health Services (UHS) that was secretly signed by then Prime Minister Said Musa in 2004. The CCJ’s ruling placed the government on the hook for 90 million dollars, but the court stopped short of making an enforcement order, leaving it up to Belize’s legislators to vote in Parliament on whether or not to make the payment.

Judge declares mistrial of Belizean in Florida triple murder case
Reports reaching Belize are that the trial of Belizean Brian Hyde, 21, accused of a gruesome triple murder in Lehigh Acres, Florida, was halted less than two hours after it began because a witness referred to the immigrant status of the accused, thereby prejudicing the jury against the accused, forcing a Lee Country judge to declare a mistrial. Hyde was charged with three counts of second degree murder for stabbing his aunt, her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend in August of 2015. Dorrien Pitts, the husband of Dorla Pitts, 37, whom Hyde has been accused of killing, along with Starlette Pitts, 17, and Michael Kelly, 19, was testifying at the opening of the trial on Wednesday. Pitts reportedly was only on the witness stand for about three minutes when he made the remark about Hyde’s immigrant status.

Yu gaan rock di hustling boat, Maria!
Former Director of the Department of Immigration and Nationality Services (DNS), Maria Marin, made her second appearance before the Senate Special Select Committee, whose job it is to investigate the findings of an audit into the practices at that controversial department. At the start of today’s hearing, Marin read a four-page document providing an overview of her time in office. In her address, she said that she had wanted to improve the department but was first met by resistance, then intimidation, and finally victimization when she was booted from the department without explanation.

Maria Marin says the Immigration Ministry instructed officers to abandon full vetting and expedite visa applications recommended by ministers and caretakers
During her appearance before the Senate Special Select Committee today, former Director of the Immigration and Nationality Department, Maria Marin, revealed that the first thing she did when she was handed the reins of the department was to implement a new visa application process. She said that the process prior to her taking charge was, “a very haphazard one,” in which applicants recommended by UDP Ministers and caretakers bypassed certain required procedures. Marin was quizzed by the committee for more details. Here is the exchange that took place:

Briceño says Barrow must step down if he can’t convince his Cabinet to vote “yes” on the CCJ order
Following a parliamentary caucus meeting yesterday evening, Leader of the Opposition (People’s United Party), Hon. John Briceño, said that if Prime Minister Dean Barrow cannot convince his Cabinet members to vote in favor of the motion for compliance with the 90-million-dollar CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice) judgment in favor of the Belize Bank, then he should step down. The PUP, however, have not as yet formulated a united position on the CCJ judgment. Briceño explained to reporters, “What we did today as a caucus, we met to discuss the issue in front of us, the matter of the 90-million-dollar judgment from the Caribbean Court of Justice, and we’re not at the point of making a decision as to whether it is going to be a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ or whatever. We want to be able to get the facts, for us to get a proper understanding as to what has been taking place under the Barrow administration.

Semifinals completed; the stage is set for PLB Finals game 1
The Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2017-2018 Opening Season is now down to two teams, Belmopan Bandits SC and Verdes FC, after completing the second leg of the semifinals series this past weekend. With 6-goal margins from their first games of the semifinals, both the Bandits and Verdes coasted through their semifinals home game, to set the stage for what has become perhaps the most anticipated finals showdown in years. On Saturday night at their Isidoro Beaton Stadium, home standing Belmopan Bandits SC jumped to a 2-nil first half lead, and cruised to a 3-1 victory over a game San Pedro Pirates FC.

Smart Mundialito reg. seasons ends; quarterfinals and semifinals this weekend
With playoff hopes on the line, a full schedule of 6 games were played on Saturday, November 25, at the Marion Jones Sports Complex field, to complete the regular season in the Smart 13 & Under Mundialito Closing Season 2017. In game 1, Trimmet Lopez scored both goals to give Mahogany Heights the 2-0 win over Collet FC. Game 2 saw BDF/Ladyville Rising Stars shutting out Sampson Academy, 3-0, with a goal each from Caesar Garcia, Jerdie Divas and Steven Rivera. In game 3, it was Warriors FC, 1-nil, over Ladyville Jaguars, courtesy of a goal by Mushay Grant. Kayia Requena shook the net for RG City Boys, and Max Jones tallied for Carlston FC, for the 1-1 draw in game 4. In game 5, Brown Bombers won, 2-0, over Reality Youth, with a goal apiece from Keyden Shay and Brandon Smith. And in game 6, it was Hattieville Riverside Boys, 5-0, over Corinthians, with 2 goals each from Enoch Rhaburn and Jose Almendarez, and the other from Brandon Rogers.

CYDP Peace Cup weekend results
The CYDP Peace Cup continued over the weekend, but only 1 of the 4 scheduled games were played on Saturday, November 25, at the MCC Grounds. In the only game played on Saturday, Kelly Street FC bombed Kings Park Strikers, 7-2, with 2 goals apiece from Steven “Breds” Baizar and Delroy “Tin Man” Andrews, and 1 each from Francis “Franco” Andrews, Leon “Lem” Jones and Tyreek Muschamp; while Kings Park Strikers got a goal each from Jose Martinez and Travis Eiley. In the other scheduled games, Tut Bay FC won by default (3-0) over Face of Belize; Ebony Lake FC won by default (3-0) over Third World FC; and Police Street FC won by default (3-0) over Survivors FC.

Judge to decide whether Inmas Espinal is guilty of attempted murder
On Thursday, December 7, Justice Adolph Lucas is expected to give his verdict regarding a charge against Inmas Espinal, 20, for the attempted murder of Jose Antonio Saravia, a naturalized Belizean, originally from El Salvador. The trial, which was without a jury, began on November 3. The incident for which Espinal was charged, occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on March 15, 2012. Saravia testified that he was walking on Rose Cousin Street and when he reached in front of Espinal’s house, Espinal came out of his house and stabbed him once in his abdomen with a knife.

The stadium was named after Dada’s stepfather
As we’re going to press tonight, our “Football Flashback” story on page 50 of this issue has unearthed an interesting piece of information, for me, at least. I had pointed out “Dada” (Edison Cooper) in the front row of Clinton Gardiner’s “West Block” team picture, because the caption wasn’t clear as to which three players actually constituted the front row in the picture. By identifying Dada, who I knew well (we sometimes called him “Big Dada”), having played on a team with him, it would follow that the next two players on our right would make up the front row. But highlighting Dada led to an interesting aside, as it caught the attention of our editor, Russell Vellos, who played for some years in the 70s with the Belmopan Selection. Russell made an observation about Dada’s stepfather that is noteworthy; but he wasn’t 100% sure.

From The Publisher
A group of us were reminiscing this Tuesday morning about our experiences with Hurricane Mitch in 1998 (probably late October). One of the group said that Carlos Fuller, Belize’s chief meteorologist at the time, had not been exaggerating about Mitch, because Mitch did some absolutely devastating damage to Honduras, and I believe parts of Guatemala and Nicaragua got their share, so to speak. Belize escaped with not a scratch physically, but there had been days of fear which reached near panic, if not outright panic, in many cases that Tuesday morning when Mitch’s ominous eye, with Category 5 velocity and storm surge, stared straight at Belize. The thing about Mitch was that this was the first monster hurricane when everybody here had cable television and when we Belizeans could see what was in store for us, with the same Mitch feature stories being repeated every 20 or 25 minutes on the Weather Channel. (What we mean by the last part of the previous sentence is that a storm doesn’t move or change that much in a half hour’s time, so we were watching almost the same alarming thing over and over.) We Belizeans sat in front of the “boob tube” as if we were mesmerized.

Bluff poker, and the pot is $90 mil …
If we are going to reason with each other in this essay, the first thing you have to understand, and we are sure you do, is that 90 million dollars is a lot of money. In the streets, people kill each other for a burger. For $90 mil, people begin to think outside the box, people begin to think drastic, even if they are billionaires, like the British peer Lord Michael Ashcroft, or multimillionaires, like the Prime Minister of Belize, the Right Honorable Dean Oliver Barrow. Belize’s final court of arbitration, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), ruled last Wednesday that the nation-state of Belize, run by the aforementioned Barrow, owes the Belize Bank, owned by the aforementioned Ashcroft, 90 million dollars, with 17 percent interest (compounded) continuing to accrue until the money is paid. As we understand it, high courts in the United Kingdom and in the United States had also previously ruled in substantially like manner as the CCJ did last Wednesday. In between those pro-Ashcroft rulings, the Supreme Court of Belize and the Belize Court of Appeal, separately, had ruled in favor of the Government of Belize.

Major Lloyd Jones opines
Dear Editor, “Fishes don’t swim on land! Look around where you are, do you see any fishes swimming around? Bet not. You know why fishes don’t swim on land? Because the environment on land is not supportive of marine life. “Every day we complain about our corrupt politicians but the fact of the matter is that WE have created the environment that attracts the kind of politicians we have. Politicians come and politicians go but the PEOPLE remain.” — Major Lloyd Jones, Facebook post November 16, 2017. “Where a person crosses the floor under the circumstances referred to in section 59(2)(e), the leader in the House of Representatives of the political party as a candidate of which that person was elected shall, within seven days of such crossing of the floor, so notify the Speaker in writing of such member having crossed the floor.” — Section 59 A (2), the Belize Constitution, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Belize (as amended).

To pay or not to pay … that is the question
Dear Editor: In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, five titans of industry emerged in the United States. These men would set the tone and model for modern capitalist businessmen and corporations alike for the rest of the 21st and the way it seems, for the foreseeable future: Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made his fortune from shipping and railway, was shrewd enough to see when competition in the shipping industry was getting too intense, but was able also to see the potential of rail and capitalized on it. John D. Rockefeller, on the other hand, understood the need for energy in a growing and more industrialized world and the role that crude oil would play in that. He saw crude as the way of the future, first not only as kerosene for lighting, but gasolines also for the powering of engines.

Belizean Stanislaus December 3, 2017
No, Colin. PR (Proportional Representation) will not work. Many countries in Europe have used it and abandoned its use. So have many cities in the United States. It will really not advance democracy in Belize. What is our population? 400 thousand. Too few, too small to be further splintered by a proliferation of political parties. Our economic and financial resources are too sparse to be spooned out to a hundred wanabe prime ministers. Belize is at the moment of a great awakening. We now realize what it took the great American people one hundred and thirty one years to learn. From 1776 to 1907 it was ruled by a legislature, half of which was appointed, for it was the legislature of each state that appointed two Senators. By an amendment the course of American history was changed when they decided to create an oversight agency that no politician could ignore. The amendment provided that every State would elect two Senators who would have together with his colleagues the power to impeach and remove even the President of the US.

Football Flashback!!
Retired Lands Commissioner Clinton Gardiner provided us with this piece of memorabilia from the early days of the new capital, Belmopan, which was officially opened in 1970. Though the picture is somewhat faded, Clinton also included some helpful notes, which we reproduce in toto below: Back Row (left to right) – Jacinto “Tash” Gutierrez, Lawrence “Changs” Nicholas, Clinton “Mover” Gardiner, Raymond “Ray” Davis, Windell “Willy” Middleton, Marion “Sir P” Paulino Middle Row (left to right) – Octavio “Rocks” Flores, Karl “Dutsie” Enriquez, Allanston “Jimbo” Myers Front Row (left to right) – Edison “Dada” Cooper, Leonard Guy, George Stevens

GoB didn’t explain
Godwin said (at GoB press conference Wednesday morning) that there is no loan. What we understood was that we were the GUARANTOR of a loan. Our GoB didn’t BORROW; our GoB GUARANTEED. We know that many, many, many GUARANTORS have been left holding the bag. Picking sense out of nonsense, a group favoured by the then government, the PUP, failed in the hospital business, and the government, which had been wanton with DFC and SSB funds, so couldn’t go there, went out on a madabig limb and guaranteed a loan for them at the Belize Bank. Fast forward to political trouble, and the people who failed with the hospital, sold or gifted the paper ownership to a new group, headed by a man from foreign. Enter a new government, handed the stewardship of the country so they could make things right. This new government stood by and for a decade or so allowed the new entity to run the hospital, collect profits if any, and most likely not make payments towards the loan our GoB guaranteed.

Clinton Arthur Davis’s tragic murder remains unsolved
Last Tuesday, Clinton Arthur Davis, 53, did not return to his family and home at Mile 5 on the George Price Highway. On Friday, his badly decomposed body was discovered about 150 feet from the entrance of his property. A piece of stick was stuck down his throat. An autopsy was performed on his body in Burrell Boom, and the body was then transported to Mile 13 on the George Price Highway, where it was buried. His family is planning to hold a memorial service to bring closure to his tragic end. In the meantime, police are continuing their investigation of the murder of the real estate agent, who, his family has confirmed, was involved in a dispute with a family member over the property on which he has been residing for over three decades.

Family of 4 charged with ammunition and cannabis offences
Late this evening, four persons were arraigned before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford for possession of 8 rounds of ammunition and 40 grams of cannabis. They are Sonia Shepherd, 61; her son, Kenrick Danderson, 40; her daughter, Aretha Danderson; and her grandson, Ahkeem O’Brien, 18. They pleaded not guilty to the charges. One of the charges, keeping ammunition without a gun license (for which bail is not offered by the Magistrate’s Court), prevented the Magistrate’s Court from offering them bail, but their attorney, Dickie Bradley, had already filed bail applications for them at the Supreme Court.

Laborer charged with unlawful sexual intercourse released on bail
Justin Foreman, 22, a laborer of Independence who was remanded into custody on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse, was released on a bail of $7,500 that was granted to him today by Justice Adolph Lucas. Foreman was arraigned in Independence Magistrate’s Court on November 22. The incident for which he has been charged, occurred on October 2. The complainant, a primary school student who was 12 years and 11 months old at the time, reported to the police that Foreman took her to a house in Bella Vista and had sex with her. Foreman was represented at the bail hearing by attorney Anthony Sylvestre. The Crown was represented by Crown Counsel Janelle Tillett.

The Reporter

Belize Progressive Party says GOB should pay up
The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) is demanding that the Government of Belize pay its outstanding debt to the Belize Bank to keep the country from going into further disrepute in the eyes of the international community. The BPP issued a statement today challenging the Prime Minister’s statement […]

Addicted to Your Phone? It Could Throw Off Your Brain Chemistry
It’s hard to escape screens; there is a roughly 100 percent chance you are looking at one right now. And though the long-term effects of screen time are still being studied, the effects of excessive internet and smartphone use are well-documented. “Pathological” internet use has been linked to depression in […]

American tourist accidentally falls off Mayan pyramid
An American nurse who was visiting the Xunantunich Maya ruin in Western Belize is lucky to have escape with superficial injuries after she accidentally fell from off the highest Mayan pyramid at the site. Police report says that the woman identified as 37-year-old Courtney Howard was in […]

World AIDS Day 2017
The National AIDS Commission held the official ceremonies for World AIDS Day 2017 at the Battlefield Park this morning. The event gathered various health sector partners such as the Ministry of Health, and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to disseminate pertinent HIV/AIDS and other sexual reproductive health information to the […]

Hacker crashes Sunday lottery countrywide
On Sunday, lottery buyers throughout the country, except for only two locations in Belize City, were unable to contract their favourite numbers for that morning’s draw because someone hacked into the computer system which controls the printing of lottery tickets, shutting down the entire system. […]

Drug plane found burnt in corn field
The police and the Belize Defense Force (BDF) are working together to determine the circumstances of a small aircraft that landed in a cornfield in rural Orange Walk on Sunday and then was mysteriously destroyed by fire before investigators could reach the scene. The plane […]

Police detain several persons for murder of real estate agent
Police say that Clinton Arthur Davis, 53, who was found dead not far from his house off the George Price Highway near mile 5 1/2, was murdered and that they have detained three persons pending investigations, the most recent of whom was in custody on […]

Police say Indian medical student not missing but running
Police say that an Indian medical student who was initially reported missing is not really missing but running and they are trying to confirm the reason behind it. Maninder Singh, 21, who resides at #80 Los Lagos, and who attends the Belize Medical College on […]

Japanese Government donates over US$87,000.00 to Belmopan City Council
The Belmopan City Council, on Monday, received grant funding worth US $87,539 from the government of Japan to assist in their purchase of a new garbage compactor truck. The Council says that in recognizing their role in the collection of garbage within the city and surrounding communities […]

BTB app puts Cruise Tourism info in your palm
Cruise tourism industry professionals can access real-time notifications about ship arrivals, passenger numbers, and all other statistics access about their industry: – past, present and future, in the palm of their hands the new, free BTB Cruise App, which the Belize Tourism Board launch date […]

Marijuana under review at CARICOM forum
Marijuana, its de-criminalization or possible legalization, and the possible health issues and legal fallout were the hot topics of discussion when the CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana hosted a series of national consultations in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize Best Western Biltmore […]

The good, the bad and the future of Belize’s coral kingdom
Alexander Tewfik – Nov 15, 2017 The Belize barrier reef complex is a globally exceptional collection of precious coral, seagrass and mangrove habitats bejeweled by hundreds of sandy and forested cayeswithin a massive emerald lagoon, crowned by three magnificent atolls – Turneffe, Lighthouse, Glover’s – that nurture and protect the […]

Rowan Garel competes for title of 2017 Caribbean Adventure Ambassador
Belize’s very own, Rowan Garel, 19, the fearless and inspiring visually impaired boy who climbed Victoria’s Peak is competing against four Caribbean nominees for the title of 2017 Caribbean Adventure Ambassador. Rowan recently emerged among the top five contestants in the first round of voting, leading the […]

Lung cancer: Causes and symptoms
The majority of cancer deaths in men and women nowadays are caused by lung cancer. What’s worse is that the vast majority of lung cancer deaths are also caused by something we have control over and that is most often times self-inflicted – voluntary smoking. […]

Pink Eye cases almost back to normal
Pink eye cases are on the decline countrywide, with the Belize, Cayo, Orange Walk and Corozal districts showing significantly lower numbers of infections as opposed to a few weeks ago when pink eye infections peaked at over 18,000. The Ministry’s Epidemiologist, Dr. Ethan Gough shared […]

Street games are back
The Belize City Council, Gateway Youth Center, Police Department and Youth Apprenticeship Programme, teamed up this past weekend to revive the Street Games, community sports initiative. A total of 12 basket ball teams and five foot ball teams faced off in front of Atlantic Bank on Albert […]

Pay it back
In the heyday of the PUP under Prime Minister Said Musa, and his Finance Minister Mr. Ralph Fonseca, Dr. Victor Lizarraga was an inside player. He received several contracts to build government houses, and when he expressed his desire to build a private hospital, Prime Minister Musa arranged for the […]

Finger Pointing Belizeans pay for costly blame game
In the wake of the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) recent ruling, which straddles Belizean taxpayers with a mammoth $90 million bill for the secret UHS loan guarantee, Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Opposition Leader John Briceño have done little more than point fingers back […]

Ex-convict detained for Cotton Tree beheading
A Cotton Tree man was brutally murdered this week in gruesome fashion, stabbed as many as 28 times and decapitated. His severed head was left under a bus shed in Harmonyville and discovered on Wednesday morning. Police now reportedly have one person detained for the […]

PM Barrow and Chamber lock horns
Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) engaged in a heated exchange of press releases this week over the pending $90 million payment in the settlement of the Universal Health Services (UHS) arbitration award. The Chamber fired the first […]

“Nothing but the truth,” Marin takes the stand again
Former Acting Director of Immigration Maria Marin, made bold declarations that government ministers were violating the application processes at the department, when she appeared for her second testimony before the Senate Special Select Committee this week. Marin, who prefaced her testimony with a prepared speech, […]

FCD alarmed by large clearings in Chiquibul
The intrusion into the Chiquibul National Forest by Guatemalan farmers has gotten increasingly worse over the years, with illegal clearing and farming now happening on such large scales that the lush flora and fauna is being destroyed by acres, compared to plots about a decade […]

Orange Walk town holds annual tacos fest
Since 7:00 this morning – and running until the last taco is served – the Banquitas House of Culture in Orange Walk town is holding that 7th annual Tacos Festival. The event has grown over the years to include tacos of every type made in […]

Ministers say they will vote against motion for GOB to pay Belize Bank $90 Million
Several ministers of government have gone on record to say they will vote against a motion, whenever it is brought up in the House by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, to have the government pay the Belize Bank some $90 Million, as ordered by the Caribbean […]

Breaking Belize News

Boy (11) in hospital after being knocked down by vehicle on Philip Goldson Highway
Yesterday around 5:40 PM, officers visited the KHMH where they observed 11 year old Emmett […]

British news paper encourages travelers to visit Belize during Christmas season
Rounding out another good year for international mentions for Belize, Independent.UK, a British online news […]

Police charge two for gruesome beheading of Cotton Tree man
Police have charged two men for the gruesome murder of Cotton Tree villager, Hilton Wade. […]

GOB to host stakeholder consultation for European Development Fund National Indicative Programme
The Ministry of Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities will be hosting a stakeholder consultation for the European […]

Hit and run accident in Corozal
According to reports, a man was knocked down in a hit and run accident a […]

Leaked memo confirms funds missing at San Ignacio’s Magistrate Court
BBN has obtained a copy of a leaked memo that confirms that monies went missing […]

Rowan Garel leading race for Caribbean Adventure Ambassador
Visually impaired but confident and inspirational, Rowan Garel, 19, is competing for the Caribbean Adventure […]

Atlantic Bank San Ignacio Branch invites you to Christmas loan fair tomorrow
Christmas is only 24 days away and Atlantic Bank San Ignacio Branch is offering great […]

VIP says Belize Bank and law firm close to PM Barrow must be investigated
The Vision Inspired by the People (VIP) has joined in on the condemnation of the […]

BDF soldiers making a difference in Dominica
The Ministry of Defence informs the public that since the deployment of the thirty-five soldiers […]

Court pulls the plug on Public Sector Workers Trust
On Monday, 600 public servants filed an injunction against the Public Sector Workers Trust and […]

US Embassy donates fingerprint ID system to Belize Police Department
The Belize Police Department continues to be the beneficiary of assistance with training and equipment […]

Belize Bank says ‘time will tell’
The Belize Bank, in response to Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s press conference regarding the $90 […]

Hispanic man detained for gruesome beheading of Cotton Tree Man
On Wednesday, we reported that Cotton Tree Villager, Hilton Wayne Wade, 56, had been gruesomely killed. […]

Moist weather to continue
Mostly moist weather is expected to prevail over the next 24 hours with cloudy skies […]

US Embassy donates 6 MIDAS mobile readers to Belize Immigration Department
The Ministry with responsibility for Immigration and Refugees received six MIDAS mobile readers from the United […]

Finnegan and Saldivar hold opposing views on upcoming FFB election
By Glenn Tillett: Between these lines … “I’m not riding with anyone Jules, but I would want to […]

Police issues report on American tourist that fell from Maya site
According to police reports, around 11 am today, Benque Viejo police responded to a report in San […]

Blogs

Clouds Move In as We Head Into December and A Weekend Preview
Yesterday was a busy afternoon. I was scheduled to take the water taxi from my home (next to Xtan Ha Resort, 7 miles north) to San Pedro town. Pick up guests for “the camp” – Cayo Frances Farm & Fly. Meet a boat and take them up to the camp. I walked out to meet the Coastal Xpress water taxi at Xtan Ha Resort. Xtan Ha is constructing a new over the water restaurant and bar. On the left is the old building – this photo taken in 2013. Low clouds hanging over the island – the edge over Central Park.

Corozal Farmer's Market was inaugurated this morning
Wholesale Farmers Market is now open for farmers to come and sell their own products in Corozal. Everyone gathered at the new Farmers Market in Corozal. This morning a Ceremony was made to inagurate the new market so the farmers can sell their products to locals. It commenced at 9:30am. This new Market will help hard working farmers to sell there fruits, vegetables and other products cheaper. And, it will benfit from the locals, instead of crossing to chetumal to buy products it will be even cheaper buying it from this market in Corozal. During the ceremony presentations was made by different schools. During every speech made by the different Ministers, they all expressed on how to keep this Market going, clean and Safe. They all mentioned this market is for everyone who are willing to sell their local products in the market. Awards where given and Cutting of the ribbon. New bathroom was installed at this location for users, looks excellent inside. New shade area, new parking space. If you haven't been here at this market come visit this market only in Corozal. Free food, free bags and soft drinks where given at the event.

Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Sale is happening right now at Corozal
Its that time of the year when Christmas feeling is here and everyone are preparing for Chtistmas. Today, it is all about sale right next to Belize Bank in Corozal. Since 8am this morning, the event commenced with live music. with various different businesses, they are giving huge discounts on their products. Smart is giving double up, Zara's, Belizebank, win a car, Santa Clause is here, Happy Cow Cheese, Belizean coffee, furnitures, and lots more are on discounts right now until the last products is sold out. Come out right now before everything is sold out. Music is provided by dj and come take photos with Mr. Santa Clause.

South Island Pool time and Gorgeous Weather
Every day I can easily find a good reminder of why I am still happy I moved to Belize. Lately, it is the absence of cold that has my spirits high. Even though it is in my nature to hibernate like a bear in winter, and could easily do so way too much, I made myself get out and do something fun. My friend Rick was doing a first time trip to the island for the day and asked if I wanted to hang out. My editor/friend Shirlee had invited me for some pool time and said yes to my request to bring a plus one. We headed south to Royal Palm Villas and spent a peaceful few hours chatting by the pool and watching the activity beyond it in the Caribbean Sea. The San Pedro Sailing Club was out on the water, there were boats doing drop-offs nearby and people enjoying dock time.

Saving the Orange-breasted Falcon from Extinction
There was a commotion at the Customs and Immigration area at Philip S.W. Goldson’s International Airport in Ladyville, Belize. Huddled around a large pet carrier, uniformed officials, along with a few baggage handlers and I peered into the crate…and blinking back were four, wide-eyed white fuzzballs with large beaks. No, this wasn’t an alien invasion; the adorably kooky looking chicks were the VIP’s of the esteemed Orange-breasted Falcon (OBF) team of biologists and researchers who have been surveying and color-banding OBF’s in Belize since 1992. In an unprecedented effort to save this endangered species, the program has been introducing captive-bred OBF’s into their wild habitat in the Maya Mountains of western Belize for the last ten years. The pieces came together when I meet skilled local birder Jonathan Urbina in 2014 while birding with the Belize Audubon Society, and learned that at the time he was working with the OBF program. I begged to connect with his boss and founder of the Orange-breasted Falcon Project and captive breeding program Mr. Berry.

Caribbean Spice hot sauce made in Cayo, Belize
In the deep Jungles of Belize in the High Mountains were the owner's of "Caribbean Spice" are located in the Pine Ridge a tropical rainforest with lush flora that provides an infinite variety of Caribbean Spice flavors where their local Habaneros are grown in a black soil ground. Habaneros are grown straight from their back yard, Caribbean Spice Has many flavors to offer which includes 6 species basil one wild and native to this area which was often used by the Mayans, sage, 10 types of chili peppers, lemon balm, Mayan wild rosemary,

International Sources

Travel Advisory Mexico
A. IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS 1. Only Passports and “Border Cards” (Tarjeta de Visitante Regional - TVR) are valid for entry to Mexico. 2. TVRs issued by Mexican Immigration authorities are valid for travel to #QuintanaRoo, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas only and only for 3 days – including the day of arrival. For information on applying for a TVR, please see: https://www.gob.mx/…/eres-guatemalteco-o-beliceno-y-deseas-… Even when using a TVR, travellers should ensure that they are in possession of a valid passport. Just in case. 3. Permits issued by Belize Immigration authorities are valid to EXIT Belize but NOT to ENTER Mexico, that includes Chetumal and even if only for a day. The practice of paying for a "Pass" from Mexican immigration authorities is irregular and could result in legal difficulties.

Victim's Mom Says There's a Person of Interest in Mysterious Slaying of Couple in Belize
The investigation into the unsolved double slayings of an American man and his Canadian girlfriend in Belize earlier this year now includes a person of interest somewhere in the United States, as the FBI continues to probe the mysterious killings, the slain man’s mother tells PEOPLE. Char DeVoursney, whose son Drew DeVoursney was found strangled in early May in northern Belize, says a federal agent continues to investigate what happened, traveling regularly between America and the Central American country. “A lot of them [FBI agents] were over there in the very beginning and then the one FBI agent we heard got assigned to the case. … He comes and goes back and forth to Belize to check what’s going on and he had been over there recently, and I think this is how this news came about now,” Char says.

Political Unrest Grips Honduras After Disputed Election
Honduras was on the edge of political turmoil on Thursday, with the opposition candidate accusing vote counters of trying to “steal our victory” in an election whose results are sharply contested. The candidate, Salvador Nasralla, said Wednesday that he would not accept the count of the country’s electoral commission, whose computer tally showed that President Juan Orlando Hernández had closed a gap that initially put Mr. Nasralla ahead in the voting that ended Sunday. Mr. Nasralla’s statement that he would not accept the count represented an about-face from a letter he had signed a few hours earlier along with Mr. Hernández. Brokered by the Organization of American States, the agreement committed both men to respecting the commission’s results. With ballots counted at about 80 percent of polling places, the candidates’ vote totals were almost even when Mr. Nasralla backtracked on the agreement. A final result is expected on Thursday.

Six Caribbean territories and states eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis
The World Health Organization has validated Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and Saint Kitts and Nevis as achieving dual elimination Saint Kitts and Nevis/ Geneva, December 1, 2017 - Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Saint Kitts and Nevis were today certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. “This elimination is the result of our strong political commitment to public health and of making the health of mothers, children and families a regional priority,” said Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis. Over the last six years the Caribbean has succeeded in reducing new HIV infections in children by more than half. “This is an amazing achievement given the high rates of HIV in the past, and we intend to improve on this success story even more in the future.”

Videos

December 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

San Pedro Pirates road to PLB championship comes to an end
With a 3-1 loss against the Belmopan Bandits on the second round of the Premiere League of Belize (PLB) on Saturday, November 25th the San Pedro Pirates Football Club hopes for a first-year championship came to an end. The Pirates are the island’s first semi-professional football club and over the season overcame many odds to land in the semi-finals. Managing to squeak by one goal aggregate, the Pirates certainly proved that determination can take you places. The Pirates owner Emeliano Rivero said, “To be the first time participating, I think we pulled off a good play as we were able to make it to the semi-finals. I want to thank the entire community of Ambergris Caye for all the support they gave us, and to continue to support us as we will be participating in the upcoming new season of the PLB.” He also stated that the team will be having new players for the upcoming season.

Eric Najarro is the new administrator at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II
Eric Najarro has joined the staff at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II as the new administrator. He officially became the head of the Clinic’s administration on Monday, November 13th taking over the post previously held by Owen Vellos. Najarro is no stranger to the island, as he is a San Pedrano who is happy to be back home and looking forward to working together with the community to continue improving Ambergris Caye’s main medical institution.

Championship announced at San Pedro Volleyball Tournament finals
The 2017 San Pedro Volleyball Tournament came to an end over the weekend of November 25th- 26th. Six games were played in the end, and four champions were crowned. The first round of crucial matches was played on Saturday, November 25th, starting at 3PM. The Female Primary School Category battled for third place at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium. New Horizon girls took on the Holy Cross girls for first place, and with a solid three out of five sets (26-24, 18-25, 17-25, 25-19, and 15-13) New Horizon took the win. Catherine from New Horizon was the player of the match, netting 24 points and leading, the New Horizon girls to third place.

GOB says NO to paying Belize Bank $90 Million CCJ loan judgment for UHS
The Government of Belize will simply NOT pay the $90 Million judgement awarded by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to the Belize Bank, for a $35 Million loan borrowed by Universal Health Services Ltd, which the past PUP administration of former Prime Minister Said Musa had secretly guaranteed in 2004. Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow announced his government’s position at the Belize Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel on Wednesday morning, November 28. He said that any payment of such a magnitude would have to be approved by the National Assembly, and that his Cabinet ministers had all indicated that they could not in clear conscience approve the payment of $90 Million, for which the people of Belize would receive absolutely nothing, not so much as a Tylenol pill from UHS Ltd. So they would vote NO on any motion for GOB to honor the CCJ judgment.

San Pedro’s Alex Noralez selected as Head Coach for the National U-15 Female Football Team
San Pedro resident and teacher, Alex Noralez has been selected as the head coach of the Belize National Under- 15 Women’s Football Team. The team was selected on Saturday, November 18th during the festivities of the third annual Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Women’s Football Day. The event took place at the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) installations in Belmopan City and included the participation of 36 female players from around the country aspiring for a spot on the national team. In addition, Babee Lopez and Tanya Teul from San Pedro Town also managed to nab a spot on the team, which will be representing Belize in CONCACAF U-15 Female Football Tournament to be held in the United States of America in June of 2018.

CARICOM marijuana commission consults Belize
CARICOM may follow Belize’s lead in de-criminalizing marijuana, perhaps even further to legalize it, but the region is following a very prudent course of look before you leap. To this end, the CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana is conducting a review of marijuana’s legal status and sought input from the Belizean public through a series of national consultations with a cross-section of our society at Belize Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City last Thursday, November 23. University of the West Indies (UWI) Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Rose Marie Belle Antoine chaired the focus group discussions, with other members of the Regional Commission and CARICOM Secretariat representative listening in.

Ambergris Today

Hurricane Season 2017 Officially Closed
Thursday, November 30, marks the closing of the 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was forecasted to be above average and above average it was. A total of 17 named storms formed, of which, ten became hurricanes and six reached major hurricane status - category three or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The two strongest storms of the season were Hurricanes Irma and Maria with winds of 185 mph and 175 mph and minimum central pressure of 914 and 908 millibars, respectively. The table below summarizes the 2017 Hurricane Season and compares this season's activity against the 2016 season and that of the 30-year average.

Belize To Participate In Managua 2017 Central American Games
With just days to go for the opening of the Central American Games 2017 in Managua Nicaragua, Belize’s contingent is ready to represent in twelve sporting disciplines made up of 129 athletes and coaches/officials, including the Chief of Mission, Mr. Herman Pastor. The 12 Sporting Disciplines that Belize will be participating in are as follows: Athletics, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Body Building, Cycling, Football, Judo, Karate, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon and Volleyball. The Central American Games 2017 is set to take place in Managua, Nicaragua from December 3rd - 17th, 2017 where all Central American countries will compete. These games are held every four years.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Town Council workers hard at work making preparations for the Christmas holidays and the New Year

Presentation of Credentials, Ambassador of Japan to Belize
The Ambassador of Japan to Belize H.E. Hiromasa Yamazaki presented his Letters of Credence today, November 30, 2017, to the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in Belmopan. Ambassador Yamazaki said that it is his hope that cordial relations and goodwill be promoted between Belize and Japan during his time as ambassador. He added that he will continue the tradition of partnership and enhance the mutual understanding and beneficial cooperation and friendship between the two countries. Belize and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1982. The Governor General graciously received the Ambassador’s Letters of Credence and welcomed him and his wife to Belize.

Road & Street Maintenance and Upgrade in Belize Rural North
The peak of the rainy season having passed, the Government of Belize is carrying out routine maintenance of main roads and streets in villages and communities countrywide. In Belize Rural North, Area Representative Hon. Edmond Castro, who is also Minister of Transport and National Emergency Management, is going a step further as many streets are being upgraded for the first time to all-weather standard and a few new streets are being built. Senior Crooked Tree resident Rudolph Crawford accompanied Hon. Edmond Castro on Wednesday afternoon as he inspected the works being carried out, as executed by Julian Pott and Sons Road Construction Company. Crawford says the villagers of Crooked Tree are very happy for the works being done and are exceedingly thankful to Area Representative Hon. Edmond Castro and Prime Minister Dean Barrow for making funds available to carry out the works.

Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow's Letter to the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Dear Sir, I read with dismay the release put out yesterday by the Chamber. You concede the outrage of the PUP’s secret, illegal Government guarantee of the private debt of a UHS hospital owned by their cronies, and in which taxpayers had no stake. But, amazingly and against all logic, reason and good sense, you chastise the UDP for (1) “its reckless legal gambling” in refusing to pay the illegal PUP guarantee and loan note; and (2) its “costly litigation” in resisting the effort of “the investor” to collect. What duplicity, what hypocrisy, what dishonesty on your part. It was, as your ex-President reminded the nation yesterday, the Chamber (together with others) that first went to court to challenge the PUP guarantee and loan note. So, it was right for the Chamber to resist, and win, but not right for the UDP to do the same after “the investor” got an international award?

Success with Malaria
We continue to celebrate one of the greatest Public Health success stories for Belize on this Malaria Days in the Americas. Imagine in 2005 the village of Trio had over 100 Malaria cases, in 2017 only 4 cases. We are aiming for less than 4 next year as we remain focus on the year we have NO recorded case of Malaria. Our activity in Trio village today.,

DOE's Radio Trivia Week 30
Week 30 for central Belize...

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE PARISH PRESENTS GRAND CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA
SATURDAY 28" DECEMBER AT 21.11 Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Grounds, Grand Food Court. Releno, escabeche, tamales, garnaches, burritos, burgers, hot dogs.... Games Galore!! Tambola, Fish Pond, Paddle n Dice, Lucky Dip and much more...

Grand Opening - "GRINGO RINGOS" across from Civic Center in Corozal
Super music Disc Jockey from Austin, Texas USA this Friday, December 1st from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight. DJ Callie will be playing on Saturday, December 2nd. Only $10.00 Admission. Limited seating. Contests with $50 will be given away every night. "A Chilli Production"

"The Old Tree" crashes down in Corozal
Its name has been locally known as the "Cotton Tree". For many years, it had been majestically standing tall on the roadside in the village of Calcutta, Corozal. Under duress, the tree finally gave way to the elements and natures fury, as its top branches and trunk gave way into a resounding crash one night, what sounded like an old Volkswagon visiting into its buttress roots. This particular cotton tree or kapok had been growing on Mr. Edwin Sanker's property (now deceased) since he was a little boy. Villagers from Calcutta Village, Corozal would claim that the tree had spirits.The tree has not been very popular with the neighbours because of the paranormal and spirited events villagers have experienced. Felicita says that the villagers have been afraid of the tree because many have sighted ghosts in it. The tree trunk has, what appears to be, a hollow door opening leading into the belly of the trunk. A very intimidating sight when you are close to it.

A power outage is scheduled for the entire Corozal District on Sunday, December 3 from 6:00am to 2:00pm
Necessary for BEL to replace transmission and distribution poles and insulators, reconfigure the new system on Corozal Boulevard and conduct maintenance of equipment at the Corozal Substation.

Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES)
The eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) began on November 28 in Hyderabad India, under the theme: “Women First, Prosperity for All.” The Summit will focus on supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth globally. GES participant Andrea Pelayo is representing Belize at the event. In 2015 Andrea founded Moringa Belize. As a young mother in need of a versatile, nutrient rich superfood source suitable for her family she built Moringa Belize based on what her family wanted a pure, clean, and efficient superfood; locally and responsibly sourced. Moringa is a very special plant with unique properties. It contains a plethora of vitamins, phyto-nutrients and minerals which is exactly what her family needed to maintain good health. Upon further research and use she learnt the versatility of Moringa and took the time along with her team to educate the public on this highly acclaimed plant. Retailers in Orange Walk included mostly pharmacies which were willing to participate in the sharing of knowledge and distribution of the prototype.

The Placencia Breeze December 2017
What’s Inside: Pg 3 The Placencia Breeze Turns Twenty Pg 5 New PBTIA Board Pg 6 Croc Corner Pg 7 From the Fire Hearth Pg 9 Mistletoe Raffle Sponsors Pg 10 PHS Pg 11 Women's Seaweed Farming / Fragments of Hope Award / Garifuna Settlement Day 2017 Pg 15 & 18 Placencia BTIA Members Pg 16 & 17 Placencia Peninsula Map Pg 19 Local Artists Pg 20/21 Placencia Peninsula Guide Pg 22 End of the World Marathon Pg 23 Seine Bight News Pg 25 IHS Battle of the Drums Winner Pg 26 Community Corner Pg 27 Mark Leslie's Obit / Liquor License Ad / Thank You Letter Pg 28 Rotary News Pg 29 Mistletoe Ball Pg 30 Placencia Peninsula Happenings Pg 31 Calender of Events

Institute for Social & Cultural Research Lecture Series
Visit the link for a few photos from the Lecture Series that was held in Punta Gorda last month. Thanks for the Institute for Social & Cultural Research, Belize History Association. Have you ever wondered how southern Belize was colonized? How did our ancestors react? When were the first maps of southern Belize created and why? Have a listen at this podcast lecture.

"LYNAM" AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF BELIZE: WHY WAS IT CLOSED DOWN?
The many theories and explanations given as to why "Lynam" Agricultural College of Belize was closed down in the 1970s continues to baffle many a Belizean history enthusiasts? Some say that it was closed down because it was a threat to the Belizean status quo who saw it producing political leaders of Belize who would have made the country self-sufficient in food. Others noted that its demise came about because of a misunderstanding within the Belize Catholic Diocese at the time at its "Landivar" headquarters in Belize City who saw the southern Belizean catholic school that was suppose to be a kind of reform institution for delinquent Belizean youth to become better citizens of the nation of Belize; whereby taking away those prized students of the St. Johns College (SJC) order who were children of Belize's elite and wealthy class. That it was closed because these two Jesuit orders, that is, the ones that ran "Lynam" and the ones that ran "SJC" of the powerful Catholics of Belize disagreed based on this so-called "threat" to the status quo.

Immigration Department Receives Donation from the United States Embassy in Belize
The Ministry with responsibility for Immigration and Refugees received six MIDAS mobile readers from the United States Embassy in Belize on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. The donation was presented by Mr. Steven Davis of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Specialist at the Embassy of the United States of America in Belize. The readers are valued at approximately BZ$72,000. Receiving on behalf of the Government of Belize was Hon. Beverly Williams, Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration, CEO in the Ministry of Immigration Mr. Edmund Zuniga, Director of Immigration and Nationality Services Ms. Diana Locke, and Assistant Director of Immigration and Nationality Services Mrs. Debra Baptist Estrada.

Click the link to see today's edition of the Daily News!
Your Government, keeping you informed!

MEDIA BRIEFING TO MARK OFFICIAL CLOSE OF HURRICANE SEASON 2017
A media briefing marking the close of the 2017 Hurricane Season was held this morning at the NEMO Headquarters in Belmopan. Speakers included Minister of National Emergency Management Hon. Edmond Castro; CEO in the Ministry, Ruth Meighan; NEMO National Emergency Coordinator, Colonel (ret.) Shelton DeFour; and Chief Meteorologist at the National Meteorology Service, Catherine Cumberbatch. In her remarks, Chief Meteorologist Catherine Cumberbatch noted that Hurricane Season 2017 lived up to expectations as a very active one. She said it was forecasted to be above average and it was, with a total of 17 named storms, of which 10 became hurricanes and six reached major hurricane status (category three or higher). The major factors that supported the above average season, she explained, were a decrease in vertical wind-shear, the presence of above-normal sea surface temperatures in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and the transition from a neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) pattern at the start of the hurricane season to a weak La Niña by the end of the season.

Police burn the drugs
On 30.11.2017 between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon, Belmopan Police destroyed the following items: For cases completed: 31,887.98 grams cannabis, 24 cannabis plants, 0.6 grams crack cocaine, 11.2 grams cocaine, & (1) board pipe. “Found Property: 119,940.3 grams cannabis, 40.4 grams cannabis seeds, 5.5 grams cocaine and 2.4 grams crack cocaine. Present to witness the destruction were members from: the Belize Police Department, Forensic, Press Office, The Magistracy, and Justice of the Peace.

Tourist falls
On 30.11.2017, about 11:00 a.m., Benque Viejio Police responded to a report in San Jose Succotz Village, where an American tourist fell from a Maya Temple. Upon arrival officers visited the El Castillo Temple where they observed a female lying on the ground while complaining of pain. 37 year old Courtney Howard, a US national was in the process of climbing down the temple when she slipped and fell about 16 feet. Howard was taken to a hospital.

Recycled Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
The University of Belize Environmental Club held a Recycled Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on November 28th, 2017 at the University of Belize (UB), Belmopan Campus. The Environmental Club has been an active club for more than 19 years. It has participated in various cleanup activities in Belize such as UB's Annual Earth Day; the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, and the “Walk for a Green Belize” which is a partnership of the Department of Environment, the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority and the Belize Audubon Society.Dr. Pio Saqui, a lecturer at Faculty of Science and Technology, gave the welcome address and Jamal Witty, the Environmental Club President, spoke on behalf of the club. Certificates were awarded to club members, UB’s President Clement Sankat and also UB’s Vice President Mariott Simon. Julianne Pasos, the Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology delivered the closing remarks. The recycled Christmas tree, now displayed in the front of Belmopan Central Campus, is 10 feet high and made exclusively from Bowen and Bowen plastic bottles.

Now Hiring: Internal Auditor at Bowen and Bowen

Help eliminate plastic straws
Rojo Lounge and @earthsoceans have joined local entrepreneurs Mark Jacobs and family to ban the use of plastic straws in Belize! Now serving your #souvenir to be used over and over while bar hopping on your vacation! No excuses!

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Detroit, Kingsman, Hey Arnold, Gangster Land.

Belize AI Travel Game
The BTB is launching 'The Hunt for the Crystal Maiden,' a travel game which has an AI back end. It allows people to choose their own adventure through Western Belize. This is great news for Cayo tourism. The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and its agency, ICF Olson, are introducing what they call the first interactive game that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and Facebook to provide an immersive experience to users. "The Hunt for the Crystal Maiden" lets players "choose your own adventure" by enabling them to determine their journey through Western Belize, whether to further explore animals, jungles or people. The game is accessible through Facebook Messenger via mobile or desktop. Play here: https://www.facebook.com/chooseyourownbelizeanadventure/

Channel 7

Tears in Cotton Tree For Decapitated Murder Victim
Tonight, police are close to making an arrest in the shocking murder and decapitation of 56 year old Cotton Tree resident Hilton Wayne Wade. We'll tell you about the swift investigative work that the cops have been doing in a minute, but, first, we have more on Wade. He doesn't have any close relatives so a few Cotton Tree residents are all he has. We spoke to them today. Courtney Weatherburne has more:... Hilton Wade lived a routine and solitary life at this abandoned Cotton Tree house. Everyday, he would go scavenging for dried coconuts, vegetables and bottles to sell.

Belmopan Police Close To Making Murder Arrest
So, while residents of Cotton Tree continue to grapple with grisly murder, Belmopan police have been working with their customary swiftness. The main suspect is detained and 7News has learned that investigators have collected key pieces of evidence, and are close to making an arrest. And while that is unofficial, at the official level, today, at their bi-weekly press briefing, Police told us that they have past reports of Cotton Tree villagers complaining about Wade's behavior; and likewise, they also have reports in which Wade complained about the villagers: ASP Alejandro Cowo, OC - CIB Belize City: "Police have so far detain a person. The person is presently in custody. He is being dealt by Roaring Creek police and I know that his residence was search where police found certain items that can assist in the investigation."

Belize Bank To PM: "Time Will Tell..."
Since last week Wednesday's 90 million dollar judgement from the CCJ, the Belize Bank has been rolling out two and three-page press releases defending its claim to those millions. But after the Prime Minister's two hour press conference yesterday the Bank had surprisingly little to say. Today's terse press release says, quote, "The Belize Bank does not concur with the views expressed by the Prime Minister and Government of Belize representatives…" end quote. And then, it closes ominously, "Time will tell whose interpretation of matters is the correct one..."

PM To Chamber: "What duplicity, what hypocrisy, what dishonesty"
And while the Bank is keeping its cards close to its chest, the Prime Minister didn't hold back even a little with the Chamber of Commerce. They put out a release yesterday chastising his administration for what the chamber calls "reckless legal gambling." The chamber urges against what it calls, quote "deliberate defiance of the country's highest court." and warns parliament, quote, "a 'no' vote may score political points, but will not erase the liability brought upon Belize by two governments." So they paint the PUP who secretly undertook the guarantee for UHS, and the UDP who watched the interest grow - with the same dirty stick. And that doesn't sit well at all with Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He says, quote, "amazingly and against all logic, reason and good sense, you chastise the UDP for (1) 'its reckless legal gambling' in refusing to pay the illegal PUP guarantee and loan note; and (2) its 'costly litigation' in resisting the effort of 'the investor' to collect."

Past Chamber President Says A New Tax Is Not the Solution
Now that's a salty invitation by the Prime Minister to be sure. And today, the press asked the former Chamber President Kay Menzies about it. Speaking generally about any suggestion of a tax increase, she said that's not the answer:.. Kay Menzies, BCCO Past President: "Anytime you hear that we have another payment to make, there is always going to be concern, because the obvious go to point is that there will be increase in taxation. That is a question always. My submission as a business person is that the answer to that is the expansion of the economy, because let me put it this way - when you are going to tax people, more and more people are going to evade taxation. So you are going to have less and less people actually paying taxes. Which means that you are looking at taxes going up and up and that is impossible."

Bradley Bows To PM's Maneuverings
And while the Chamber probably wasn't too impressed with the Prime Minister - the Mayor of Belize City definitely was. Now, he's an attorney, and known to speak out against his own party from time to time. But, this time, he latched unto his PM's position: Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "I listened to the presentation by the prime minister yesterday and I can say I was very humbled as a Belizean in relation to how he well-articulated the concerns and how he championed the issue for the Belizean public. I think that he rightly pointed out that two courts had indicated that this was an illegal arrangement. They went through some situations mean in terms of securing enforcement there are certain requirements that had to be made so that for an appropriation to be made that has to be done by an appropriation made that notwithstanding, I will only say that I stand by the prime minister and statements that he made."

Judge Puts Public Sector Workers Trust On Freeze
7 weeks ago, in October, we told you about the ongoing fight between the PSU and BNTU, on one side and the 600 retired public officers on the other. It's a money fight over millions of dollars in backpay. The retired officers won a court judgment against the unions and their Public Sector Workers Trust, which has been ruled as invalid. The Supreme Court has made it clear that the only beneficiaries of the 7.8 million dollars are supposed to be those teachers and public officers who were negatively affected by an increment and wage freeze from 1995 to 1997. The then Prime Minister, Manuel Esquivel, gave those teachers and public officers 450,000 shares in BTL, to ease the pain of that wage freeze. 20 years later, those shares have generated about 7.8 million dollars in proceeds, but it is being controlled by the Public Sector Workers Trust, which as we told you, has been declared invalid. The trust was ordered to stop all activity and use of those funds.

Belize Escaped Unscathed Through 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season
The 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane season ended today. Now it might feel that it went by easily because Belize wasn't hit by any hurricanes - all we had to complain about were heavy rains and the usual flooding in some areas. But, while we were spared, the Caribbean buckled under the harsh blows of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Today at the NEMO office in Belmopan Deputy Chief Meteorologist Catherine Cumberbatch and NEMO Minister Edmond Castro gave us an overview of this year's season. The NEMO team was thankful for a season that showed Belize mercy. Catherine Cumberbatch, Deputy Chief Meteorologist: "The forecast for the 2017 hurricane season was for above normal activity and that is just what happened. For this season we had 17 named storms and of those 17 named storms, 10 of them became hurricanes and out of those 10 hurricanes, I think it was 6 or 7, it was 6 of them that became major hurricanes and when we refer to major hurricanes we are talking category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the two strongest systems that formed during this season was Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria."

Coming To Terms With Three Dimensions of Poverty
The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation wants to find out just serious poverty is in Belize, and how it is affecting the lives of poor Belizeans. They recognize that their measuring techniques are outdated. So, they are working with non-governmental organizations to come up with a more accurate way to properly determine just how serious the financial struggles are that some citizens face. Today, the government's technocrats sat down with those NGO's to start discussing what they're calling the Multiple Dimensions of Poverty.

Honoring That Entrepreneurial Spirit
BELTRAIDE has been celebrating entrepreneurship throughout this month, and to close out the month of honouring entrepreneurs, they held their 3rd annual ENTRECON event. The goal of the event is to bring different entrepreneurs together to share ideas and promote businesses. We found out more. Leija Gideon, General Manager, Enterprise, and Innovation at BELTRAIDE: "Today's theme is connecting ideas and creating opportunities. It is how we continue to celebrate entrepreneurship at all levels. How do we not only celebrate it but support it? Today we talk about accessing financing. We talk about how it is that you get your idea off the ground. We talk about how it is as a government and other key stakeholders. What are our roles to encourage the development of the ecosystem so that Belize as a country can develop through entrepreneurship?"

Bizarre Mistrial For Belizean Accused of Florida Triple Murder
Belizean Brian Hyde was accused of a sensational triple murder in Florida in August of 2015. He allegedly stabbed his aunt 37-year-old Dorla Pitts, his 17-year-old cousin, Starlette Pitts and her boyfriend 19-year-old Michael Kelly. But, because he was illegally in the states his trial ended abruptly yesterday. Dorrien Pitts who is the husband of the deceased Dorla - had allowed Hyde to live in house. But he held his head after only a few minutes on the witness stand. That's because he slipped up and said that Hyde had been in the US illegally. Here's a report from local Florida Channel, Fox 4:

Drama On Dean Street
This evening there was drama on Dean Street as a mother tried to get her baby from police. This was the scene captured by Yaya Marin Coleman in front of the Dean Street sub-station. Police had a handcuff around one of the mother's hands who was protesting bitterly. She said that the police had her baby in their for an hour. Police were trying to put her in the vehicle but the mother resisted mightily. It had the looks of a mismanaged situation as police were insisting that they could take away the baby - and put the mother in the police truck - which didn't work. But, the official police side of the story is that officers detained a 17 year old minor for riding contrary to the flow of traffic and during the process officers were assaulted by an adult female.

Mayors Take On UNCAC
One year ago the government of Belize signed on to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Now, the Belize City Council in collaboration with the ministry of local government and the Belize Mayor's Association are holding a training next month on accountability and transparency. It is going to be attended by local government practitioners throughout the country. Mayor Bradley explained more. Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "Which will feature presentations from various entities within Belize that are responsible for ensuring the appropriateness of government business including the presentations from the auditor general's department, presentations from the integrity commission, presentations from the ombudsman."

Mayor's Last Political Plum
And while he had the presence of the press today, Mayor Bradley - who will soon remit office - had one last political plum to offer. He said that the city council has signed a contract for nine more streets. But the council no longer has the municipal bond - which bankrolled about 100 streets - so how did they get the money? Mayor Bradley explained and told us the names of the streets that will be paved. Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "We don't have a municipal bond at this present moment to the point where we are saying we can do 20 million dollars' worth of streets but the city council is continuing to do street improvements and we signed a contract to 9 streets in Belize City."

Memorial Park, Reloaded
The Memorial Park was re-designed and re-opened years ago, but, commercially, it has been a failure. Most of the booths remain un-occupied and you wouldn't say that it's abuzz with activity. Today Mayor Bradley shared the new plan for filling the booths and utilizing all the space the Memorial Park has to offer. Darrell Bradley, Mayor - Belize City: "How do we let the Memorial Park be the focal point and one of the concerns that were raised in a series consultations with vendors in the area is that the park, the booths that were existing in the park could not adequately accommodate the type of vending aid so that it was felt that booths needed to be renovated and so what was done is that the original booths which were in the park, which were very small, which were painted grey, which made you think of a dreary day and the rain coming down.

Bail For Raymond's Robber
7 weeks ago, we told you about the robbery and shooting of 42 year-old Ernest Raymond. He was robbed of his firearm in Dangriga. He attempted to defend himself with his licensed weapon, which is when he was shot and that gun was stolen. Well, police charged 33 year-old Nisani Garcia 18 days ago, but tonight, he's out on Supreme Court bail after spending 2 weeks in jail. Garcia's attorney, Simeon Sampson, went before Justice Adolph Lucas today to make an application for bail. After hearing from Garcia's attorney and Crown Counsel Janelle Tillett, Justice Lucas granted him bail of $7,500.

Why Carla Walked
When the Prime Minister held his big press conference yesterday, he was flanked by Dr. Carla Barnett and Senator Godwin Hulse. They are both now parts of the Barrow Administration, but back in 2007 - they were in the eye of the Universal Health Services storm. Dr. Barnett was the financial secretary and Hulse was the business Senator and Chamber President. We know what Hulse was doing since he was front and center, but as a senior contract officer at the time - we don't know that much about Barnett. But we do know that she abruptly quit right when the Universal revelations were reaching scandal proportions. Yesterday she gave us the backstory:.... Hon. Carla Barnett, Former Financial Secretary - Musa Administration: "And in doing the debt restructuring one of the things we had to was take a survey, a collection of all of the information on every debt and contingent debt of the government of Belize and so we asked everybody who government did business with what government owed you, what guaranteed. It did not come up."

John Briceno, Then And Now
And while Dr. Barnett walked in May, John Briceno did so in June. He was Deputy Prime Minister at the time and was offered a Cabinet demotion - which he rejected, and then resigned cabinet. And it was all over that secret Universal deal - which then Prime Minister Musa kept from his Cabinet. When Briceno and other senior ministers publicly repudiated it, PM Musa closed ranks. Tonight, we have more from our archives, comparing Musa's 2007 explanation of why he kept it secret, to Briceno's disavowal at that time - and fast forward to today, where 10 years later Bricneo seems to have come to terms with Musa's handling of the debacle:

UHS: The Anatomy Of A Bad Deal From Beginning to End
And keeping it in the archive, we go back to 2011 - when the judgement from the Privy Council came down. At the time - as now - Said Musa said it vindicated him. in 2011, that gave us a chance to look at the series of state deceptions that went into the Universal debacle - and shows us how - the debt was secretly settled: October 21, 2011- Rt. Hon. Said Musa: "And as for that case decided in the Privy Council what the case is doing is vindicating my position! That is what the case is doing! Because the court, the Privy Council has ruled that the Loan Note was valid, that there was no need, no violation of the finance and audit act, no need to bring it to the House of Representatives and the loan stands and this government or a future government, unfortunately, will be responsible to pay that debt."

Women, The Future, And Leadership
Can a book inspire young women to become future leaders ? That's what the "Building People Movement" group and the Belize Women's Political Caucus hope to accomplish with their new publication. It's entitled "Women can Govern: The Development of Belizean women in Politics." The book was launched today at the George Price Center and high school students were invited. We stopped by to see how the students reacted to the message. Dorla Bowman, Building People Movement Project, Representative: "The book contains a historical look at women in politics before self-government up until today. It also contains the names of women who have been elected on the national level and municipal level in the country of Belize and the bios of each of these women. We are hoping this will be an educational tool, this is definitely an effort to write women in history. Our history books do not reflect all the contributions women have done."

Tourist Took A Tumble Off El Castillo
And finally tonight, we ahem the story of a tourist who fell from a Mayan ruin this morning. It happened at about 11:00 am, at Xunantunich. 37 year old Courtney Howard was climbing down from the El Castillo Temple when she slipped and fell about 16 feet. She did not receive major injury but was taken to the medical facility.

BHA Meets Next Week
The Belize Hotel Association will have its annual meeting next week. But they won't just be talking shop. Yesterday the President told us that they hope they can capitalize on the increasing airlift to Belize: Ted Tejada - President BHA: "We are bringing in Mr. Paris Gordon who is in the industry he has been doing the tourism industry for over 20 years. He does hotel evaluations in the United States. He actually lecturers at the University of New York. He has a wealth of experience. He's coming to speak to us on tourism in the Caribbean. What's happened after the hurricane and how can we capitalize this year in Belize and take advantage of what we have in the country. Presently we have been looking at new airlines, we have been looking at new routes and we have about 22 international flights coming into the country on a given Friday and in the high season there's up to 26 international flights coming in. So, we are looking at what other areas we need to tap."

EU Donates Water Systems
We've told you many times on the news about the European Union's Accompanying Measures for Sugar. It's a EU funded program where millions of dollars have been invested in Northern Belize to improve all aspects of the sugar industry. But, the EU also a similar program for the Banana industry in the south. It's called the Banana Accompanying Measures, which was first rolled out 2013. Those same Banana Accompanying Measures are now paying for water system upgrades for Hopkins, Hummingbird Community, Middlesex and Pomona. Here's what they had to about the need of the upgrades for these 4 southern villages: The total cost of those projects is just under 3.19 million Belize dollars, and it should assist about 4,000 residents in these 4 villages.

A Dozen Days of Christmas
December is here, and Belizeans are getting into the Christmas spirit with the traditional decorations, and hopefully, by also sharing the Christmas spirit with others. The City Council is doing its part by kicking off its 12 days of Christmas. Mayor Bradley explained the charity campaign: Darrell Bradley, Mayor of Belize City: "This one of the signature events from the City Council. The idea was really initiated last year. The idea was the during the Christmas season we really can promote a great degree of goodwill and a good spirit amongst members of our community. I think that we should show ways of compassion and service to others from December 1st which will be tomorrow until 12 working days into the month of December. The various staff of the City Council including various departments will be mobilizing to do random acts of charity and kindness within the city."

Channel 5

P.M. Blasts Chamber; Threatens Tax Increase to Pay for U.H.S.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow pretty much said on Wednesday, that government won’t be paying the UHS loan that has ballooned to ninety million dollars and for which interest will keep [...]

Former Chamber President Says New Taxes Will Not Make Problem Go Away
Businesswoman and influential past president, Kay Menzies, addressed today the issue of increased taxation as a measure to settle debts.  In her view, taxes are not the answer; instead government [...]

How Government Lost Key Plank of U.H.S. Case
Senior Counsel and constitutional attorney Magali Marin-Young discussed the ins and outs of the Caribbean Court of Justice’s decision in favor of the Belize Bank Limited to enforce payment of [...]

Is Parliament or Constitution Supreme?
No less than nine members of the Government, the United Democratic Party, have indicated that if and when the Appropriation Bill makes it to the House of Representatives they would [...]

A Way the Belize Bank Can Still Get Their Money
The Prime Minister seemed to argue on Wednesday that a vote in parliament, either way, would be the end of the matter. But Senior Counsel Magali Marin-Young says not so. [...]

Mayor Darrell Bradley Throws Support Behind PM in UHS Battle
On occasion in the past, mayor of Belize City Darrell Bradley has clashed with his own party on issues of national importance. But it is clear that with regard to [...]

P.M. Defends Investment Climate
The decision not to pay the UHS loan has serious ramifications for the economy as it relates to investors confidence. The PM is not daunted by the possibility that the [...]

Football Votes Saturday – Who Do the Ministers Want?
The Football Federation of Belize convenes this Saturday for the election of a new president.  With Acting President Marlon Kuylen having stepped aside, the race sees four candidates vying for [...]

Why G.O.B. Can’t Get Rid of Expired Meds Yet
Millions of dollars worth of medication are being stored in five containers at a Ministry of Health facility in Ladyville. The meds have expired; some are no longer used in [...]

Questions in Beheading of Cotton Tree Man
The lopped-off head of fifty-six-year-old Hilton Wade was discovered on a bench under a makeshift bus shed in Cotton Tree Village on Wednesday morning.  His mutilated body was found approximately [...]

Belizean in Florida Obtains Mistrial in Triple Murder Case
A Belizean accused of a horrific triple murder in Lee County, Florida in 2015 could face trial again after a relative’s inadvertent testimony caused a mistrial. Twenty-two-year-old Brian Hyde is [...]

B.D.F. Commander to Act on Audit
Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches remains sidelined from active duty in the Belize Defense Force, pending a decision by the incoming B.D.F. commander, Steven Ortega, on the status of his employment.  [...]

Behind Sluggish Economic Growth in Third Quarter
The GDP grew by zero point five percent for the last quarter. As you heard on Wednesday, the SIB’s stats for the last quarter- July to September – show marginal [...]

Hurricane Season Over – Belize is Spared
It’s November thirtieth and that means the Hurricane Season has closed. The 2017 Hurricane Season lived up to expectations as a very active one, forecasted to be above average and [...]

Tackling Poverty Among Children
An open house was held at the Inspiration Center today, where stakeholders from various government agencies participated in a discussion on children and poverty.  The session is part of an [...]

Vendors in Arms as Memorial Park Opens for Them
The Memorial Park has not fared as well as its counterparts, the B.T.L. Park and Battlefield Park, as a source of economic development for Belize City. This is despite its [...]

9 More Streets to be Concreted…
Nine more streets across the Old Capital are being re-done with concrete as the Belize City Council gears up for municipal elections next year. The over-two million dollar project, done [...]

But What Will Happen to Broken Streets?
But a common complaint about some of the concreted streets especially those done in the early days of the Municipal Bond funding, is that wear and tear have caused them [...]

The Convention for Entrepreneurship
Getting a business off the ground can be a daunting prospect for any entrepreneur. Today, an event took place that brought together players from many sectors who offered support on [...]

Healthy Living: the Central Lab Shows Off New Technology
There is a significant upgrade in technology at the Central Laboratory in Belize City. The lab has acquired new equipment that will increase capacity and time for blood screening. Tonight [...]

LOVE FM

BCCI pleas with GOB to Pay the Debt
The Prime Minister has officially responded, with some strong words, to a statement issued by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). During Prime Minister’s press conference yesterday, the BCCI fired off a statement which essentially advised the Government of Belize to follow the rule of law and pay the ninety million dollars UHS […]

Can US Supreme Court bring penalties against Belize?
Before the Caribbean Court of Justice ruled that the Government of Belize pay the Belize Bank Limited more than ninety million dollars for Universal Health Services debt, the US Supreme Court had denied its request to review a lower court’s decision. In its petition, the Government of Belize argued that the ruling of the District […]

Will Sunshine collect its Millions?
Earlier in the month, the Government of Belize made the final payment for its acquisition of Belize Telemedia Limited to the tune of seventy-eight million US dollars. And while the government has honored its end of the CCJ ruling, there is still Sunshine Holdings Limited which is trying to collect what it believes it’s owed. […]

Was Color Blind Multimedia a Conflict of Interest?
According to its website, Color Blind Multimedia Productions Limited is a company founded earlier this year by Audrey Wallace. Wallace is the Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister’s Office. She is also a Director of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). CEO of BTL Rochus Schreiber confirmed to Love News via email that Color Blind was […]

A Fun Day leads to Injury
A US tourist was injured when she fell at Xunantunich earlier today. Police say when they got to the El Castillo Temple, they saw the 37-year-old nurse, Courtenay Howard lying on the ground, complaining of pain. Howard was in the process of climbing down the temple when she slipped and fell about sixteen feet. She […]

Mistrial Declared in Murder Case
A mistrial was declared in a case against Brian Hyde, a Belizean who was charged with the murder of three persons in the US. He is accused of fatally stabbing 37-year-old Dora Pitts, 17-year-old Starlette Pitts and 19-year-old Michael Kelly at their home in Florida back in 2015. Lee County Judge Margaret Steinbeck declared a […]

UNICEF & OAS look at Poverty in Belize
Government representatives today engaged in a discussion with representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the OAS on poverty in Belize with a focus on children. The first part of the event was an open house sponsored by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, in […]

CitCo to host Accountability & Transparency Workshop
December 9, will mark one year since Belize signed onto the United Nation’s Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) making it the one-hundred-eighty-fourth country to sign the convention. Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley said that to commemorate the occasion, the City Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government will be hosting a workshop on Accountability […]

Entrecon 2017: Inspiring Entrepreneurs
BELTRAIDE and the Small Business Development Centre are inspiring, molding, and shaping young entrepreneurs of Belize. In this regard, today they are hosting their third annual entrepreneurship convention, Entrecon, which closes off their entrepreneurship month. The event is being held at the Best Western Plus Belize Biltmore Plaza and the platinum sponsor is Belize Electricity […]

The Guardian

90 million dollar Bukut will be taken to the house for approval! Vote your conscience, PM urges parliamentarians
Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow on Wednesday November 29th held a press conference in which he explained what the government’s actions will be following the Caribbean Court of Justice’s ruling that the GOB should pay a 90 million dollar loan for the Universal Health Services. He explained that he has kept personal silence since last Wednesday’s judgment. During this period he noted that government ministers have expressed how they feel however he did not want to speak until he had considered all ramifications and done his research as well as seek legal advice. He said he got that advice from two legal quarters and allowed himself to thoroughly discuss the matter with Cabinet.

Man’s head found at a bus shed
Early on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at a bench on a makeshift bus shed at a junction between the villages of Cotton Tree and Harmonyville, the head of a human was found. The head was found shortly after 6 a.m. by a man who was heading to work. He said that he saw a plastic bag on the board of a bench and upon inspection of the bag, he realized that it was the head of a human male.

Drug plane lands and burnt in northern Belize
Belize authorities have discovered an aircraft which was landed in the Orange Walk District. Someone set it on fire, most likely to destroy any sort of evidence. This is an illicit landing, and so, it is suspected that this plane was carrying drug cargo. Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, the officer commanding Eastern Division’s Criminal Investigation Branch, confirmed reports of the discovery to the press in the bi-weekly police press conference on Monday, November 27.

Supreme Court tells Public Sector Workers Trust to stop spending money
Earlier this month, the beneficiaries of the Public Sector Workers Trust (PSWT) applied to the Supreme Court for enforcement of an order they had received on March 3rd of this year. On Monday November 27th, Supreme Court Justice, Courtenay Abel heard the request in-camera and at the end of it granted the beneficiaries’ request. In the order, the court told those who control the PSWT at this time, the BNTU and the PSU, to cease all disbursements of monies that the trust is currently engaged in contrary to an order which the court had given in March. The court also ordered that all parties involved need to go into mediation within 45 days.

Benque Viejo del Carmen gets new BWSL and BEL offices
Belize’s most Western Municipality, Benque Viejo del Carmen now has its own joint utility office, which is now serving the Town itself, San Jose Succotz and surrounding communities. To recognize the event, the Mayor of Benque Viejo, Herlado Ramcharan Jr., was joined on Tuesday morning at number 36 Churchill Street in the picturesque Town by Managers from both the Belize Water Services and the Belize Electricity Limited to officially open the two storey concrete structure. As accepted by Sean Fuller, Senior manager, information & communication systems and customer care at BEL, the joint utility office is the second of several borne out of a partnership between the two of the Country’s essential utilities. BEL serves over two thousand customers in Benque Viejo revealed Fuller “…who have not been able to access our service directly for over 20 years.”

Million dollar truck for better drainage in Belize City
ast year the Flood Mitigation project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) completed its work in the Belama area of Belize City. As part of the project a number of heavy duty equipment was handed over to the Belize City Council in order for the council to better service the covered drains that were placed as a result of the project. Included in the donation was a backhoe, a street sweeper, a tar truck and a vacuum truck. While the backhoe and the tar truck has already been put to use, because of the technology of the street sweeper and the vacuum truck there was some training that was necessary. Since the handing over, training has taken place for the sweeper and that piece of equipment will shortly be put to use.

BDF audit comes at request of minister and ministry
An investigation is still ongoing with regards to what was revealed by an executive summary of the Auditor General’s report, dated June 7, 2017, on the Belize Defence Force Fund. Although only a portion of that report has been seen, the audit has revealed several discrepancies as well as financial transactions that are more than questionable. The portion of the report that has been revealed relates to the Belize Jungle Experience Ltd., a company owned by B.D.F.’s Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches. That business, according to the audit, was registered as a land development, management, and sales company. Contrary to what took place, the Auditor General expressed that the BDF has no need for the Belize Jungle Experience Ltd. to be providing them business.

Belize and Guatemala forge links to protect the Chiquibul Maya Mountains
A bi-national forum was held on Friday at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel to provide an update on the efforts to conserve the Chiquibul Maya Mountains. The Chiquibul forest encompasses 7.7% of Belize with some of the contiguous areas also extending into Guatemala where an encroaching agriculture frontier and other demographic pressures exist. The meeting on Friday was headed by the Friends for Conservation and Development, in the presence of members from its counterpart BALAM, with the latter dedicated to the conservation of natural resources and culture in rural Guatemala.

Benque selects its UDP team for municipals
On Sunday November 26th the United Democratic Party, held its final contested municipal elections convention in Benque Viejo del Carmen. There were a total of 15 candidates who contested for 6 positions in the slate. The mayoral candidate had already been endorsed.He is Gerardo Maroni Sosa. He is a three term former mayor of Benque and is eminently qualified for the position and as such had no one contesting him for the position.

Bishop Martin High School receives Building Donation from Japan
The Bishop Martin High School in Orange Walk was a lucky beneficiary of a new school building. The building was donated by the Government of Japan and on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, a contract for the financial contribution was officially signed. Representatives from the Embassy of Japan traveled to the school for the ceremony where the contract valued at BZD $207,248 was handed over. Shinichi Yamanaka, Counselor, Embassy of Japan, handed over the contract for the project, which is being implemented under the grant assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project of the Government of Japan. The policy of that program focuses on human protection and the empowerment of people and to the Japanese, those focal points work hand in hand with education.

New Corozal Wholesale Farmer’s Market inaugurated
The inauguration of the Accompanying Measures for Sugar (AMS) 2013 – Construction of the Corozal Wholesale Farmer’s Market will take place on Thursday December 1, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. at the Corozal Wholesale Farmer’s Market in Corozal Town. This project is worth a total of $384,032 with financing provided by the European Union (EU) through funds from the AMS 2013 programme. The Sugar Adaptation Strategy under the AMS 2013 has two objectives. They are to foster diversification of the agricultural production base in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts and to also minimize the overall macroeconomic impacts on the communities of those districts that result from reductions in the guaranteed prices for Belize’s sugar exports and competition in a more liberalized market.

Hon. John Saldivar endorses Sergio Chuc for president of FFB
On Saturday December 2nd the Football Federation of Belize will seek to have an election where a new president and vice president are expected to be elected. Running for president are Ruperto Vicente, Sergio Chuc, Onan Mclean and Daniel Fabro. Running for Vice President are Cruz Gamez, David Griffith, Carlos Galvez and Leslie Sharp. The favorite for Saturday’s election is Sergio Chuc who received endorsement by Bandits team owner, Hon. John Saldivar who told the press “I am endorsing Sergio Chuc for president and I have stated that publicly and I believe that those that are involved in football and know what is happening in the family of football will know that Sergio Chuc is the best man for football.”

Marijuana consultations to determine the drug’s future in the region
The National Consultations on Marijuana was held on Thursday, November 23, 2017 at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza through the collaborative efforts of the Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize with and under the guidance of CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana. Group discussions took place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. after which a public discussion was held. The Chair of the Regional Commission on Marijuana along with three other commissioners and two representatives from the CARICOM Secretariat spearheaded these discussions.

Monday night’s un-business-like hour against BTL
On Monday night we had the pleasure, or should we say, displeasure, of viewing and listening to the Business hour show being aired live on Love FM. We heard two things that jumped out at us right away. The first was a statement by one of the hosts of the show. We don’t remember which one of them made the statement because it was so out of left field that it took us by surprise; perhaps it is better that we don’t remember which of the two Jackasses said it. Then the other one by his silence indicated that he saw nothing wrong with what was said. The two hosts started off the show by speaking about the freak accident that cause the pilot to have to resort to landing the plane into the sea.

The UHS Loan and the PUP’s inside fight
Some folks have being asking one question and that question is “if the house does not approve the over 90 Million dollars payment to Ashcroft, will the Prime Minister be sent to jail?” Well according to what we’ve been told, that can’t happen. Parliament is independent from the court and the court cannot tell parliament what to do. To that end the court cannot hold the Prime Minister as the Minister of Finance responsible for something Parliament refuses to do. The Minister of Finance’s responsibility ends when he presents the motion asking parliament for permission to spend moneys from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in order to comply with the courts judgement.

City Council hosts Street Games on the Alberts
The Belize City Council hosted various street games on Albert Street, downtown Belize City on Sunday, November 26, 2017. This was sponsored by the Belize City Council, the Gateway Youth Center, the Youth Apprenticeship Programme, and the Belize Police Department along with the Albert area representative, Hon. Tracy Panton. Youths from across the city were invited to participate in football and basketball games. The winners of those games qualified for the Street Games Championship, a larger game, which will be held in February 2018 at the Anniversary of the BTL Park.

Supreme Court sends Orlando Vera back to prison to serve the remainder of his prison term
For more than six months, the Belize Police Department’s former Ballistic Examiner, Orlando Vera, has been behind bars after he was convicted for the offense of perverting the course of justice in the Michael Moderi gun related case. He was sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment by the then Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. On Tuesday, November 28, 2017, after waiting for more than a month to hear the outcome of his appeal, Judge Herbert Lord laid down his ruling in as many as 43 pages in the inferior appeal against Vera. He upheld the decision of the former Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. What this means for Vera is that he will have to return to prison and serve the remaining of his prison term.

Family members suspected in killing of Clinton Davis
Clinton Arthur Davis, a 53 year-old real estate agent from Belize City, was found dead in an area just on the outskirts of the city. It is suspected that the father of 4 was killed at a different location, and then dumped near a piece of property that he reportedly took care of for over 30 years. Police say that at around midday on Friday, November 24, they visited a piece land near mile 5 and a half on the George Price Highway. In some nearby bushes, about 150 yards off the highway, they found his partially decomposed body. His killer or killers dumped his body very close to his home. Police say that he had abrasions on the forehead. It was later determined that he suffered injuries to the head and chest. His wife, Alice-May Davis, described it as some sort of blunt injury to the head. She also said that a piece of stick was stuck in his throat.

Counterfeit money lands La Democracia Villager in court
Nijah Brandon, a 23-year-old construction worker of La Democracia Village, was before the court on Monday, November 27, 2017 to answer to a single charge of possession of counterfeit currency. Police allegations are that on Thursday, November 23, 2017, Brandon was found in possession of 2 $50 Belizean currency notes while at an address on Pelican Street in Belize City. CIB officers, PC Fuller and PC Camara, did a house search on Pelican Street in Belize City where Brandon was met sitting on a sofa inside the house. Brandon was informed that a search would be done on him for illegal drugs and firearms and during the search, police found 2 $50 notes inside his pants pocket. Further inspection of the notes revealed that they were counterfeit.

Drug trafficking leads to non-custodial sentence
A family of 5, three adults and two minors ages 15 and 16, was before the court on Friday, November 24, 2017 to answer to a single charge of drug trafficking of 129 grams of cannabis. They are 38-year-old Marlon Robinson, a stevedore, 34-year-old Keria Young, a caregiver, her mother 52 year-old Suzette Harris and Harris’ two grandchildren ages 15 and 16. The group of five appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford where they were read a single charge of drug trafficking. Allegations are that on Thursday November 23, 2017, they had 129 grams of cannabis in their possession.

Pedophile returns to court on another charge of molestation
A convicted child molester, 40-year-old John Francisco Leslie, who was found guilty of committing a sexual assault upon a 5-year-old girl back in November of 2016, was slapped with another sexual offense alleged to have occurred upon an 11-year-old child. The allegations are that in July 2016, Leslie had sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 16. According to the child, Leslie took her to a home in Lord’s Bank Village where he had sexual intercourse with her. The matter has been under investigation since 2016 prior to Leslie’s first conviction.

Five year old stabbing incident leaves Inmas Espinal in court
At the age of 15, Inmas Alexander Espinal, then a second form student at Canaan High School, was arrested, charged, and remanded to prison for the March 15, 2012 attempted murder of naturalized Belizean, Jose Antonio Sarabia, then 18. On March 15, 2012, Sarabia accused Espinal of stabbing him and causing injuries which almost led to his death. Luckily, he was saved after a Nicaraguan doctor performed surgery on him. On Tuesday, November 28, 2017, the trial concluded before Justice Adolph Lucas in the Supreme Court with a ruling to be handed down on December 7, 2017.

Shawn Diaz pleads guilty to possession of weed
Shawn Diaz, a 23-year-old construction worker who police found on a bridge with a bag of cannabis, was initially charged with possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply but in court, the charge was reduced to a lesser charge of possession. Police say that on Friday, November 24, 2017 while on Jude Street, Diaz was found in possession of 36 grams of cannabis. The drugs were found packaged off in a black plastic bag within four separate transparent plastic bags.

Verdes FC and the Belmopan Bandits in the finals of the Premier League Football Championship
The Premier League of Belize 2017 Opening Season is fast winding down. The semi-final round came to an end on Sunday 26th November, with both the defending champions Belmopan Bandits and Verdes FC advancing to the championship round. At the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan, the defending champions Belmopan Bandits advance to the championship round again when it defeated the San Pedro Pirates by the score of 3-1. The Belmopan Bandits was the first on the scoreboard when Georgie Welcome scored the 1st of his 2 goals in the 3rd minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. The lead was extended when Georgie Welcome scored his 2nd goal of the game in the 34th minute of play that gave his team a 2-0 lead.

National Elite Basketball League season to open January 18, 2018
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) will be tipping off its fifth consecutive season on Thursday, January 18, 2018, as the defending champions, Belmopan Bandits, will host the sub-champions San Pedro Tiger Sharks. The game will be played at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan, with tip-off time being 8:30 p.m. The upcoming season will have 8 teams. Six (6) of the teams from last season will return to participate in the upcoming season. These teams are Orange Walk Running Rebels, Belize Hurricanes, San Pedro Tiger Sharks, Belmopan Bandits, Cayo Western Ballaz and Dangriga Dream Ballers. Belize City No Limit has changed management and their new team name is Belize City Defenders. The eight team participating will be Agharta, which is a team from Chetumal, Mexico.

Four to contest for the post of president of the Football Federation of Belize at the 11th Ordinary Congress
The Football Federation of Belize is pleased to inform the general public and the football world that it will be holding its 11th Ordinary Congress on Saturday 2nd December 2017, at 10:00 am at the Ramada Princess on Newtown Barracks in Belize City. The high point of the 11th Ordinary Congress will be the elections of the President and Vice President of the Football Federation of Belize.

Sandhill Blue Hawks Leal’s Football Cup champions
The 2017 Leal’s Football Cup Tournament came to an end on Monday 20th November, with the third place and the championship game played in Sandhill Village. In the championship game, Sandhill Blue Hawks defeated Corozalito by the score of 3-0. The goals for the champions Sandhill Blue Hawks were scored by Travon Martinez, Charles Canton and Sergio Luna. Earlier in the day for the third place game, Ladyville FC defeated Lucky Strike by the score of 5-1. The goals for Ladyville FC were scored by Matthew Leal and Shawn Young (4), while the goal for Lucky Strike was scored by Fredrick Garbutt.

Decriminalization of 10 Grams…not Legalization.
If you’re an adult in possession of 10 grams of marijuana or less, you are no longer committing a crime. That’s because the Governor General has signed the amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act into law. This means that where the smoking of cannabis is concerned it has to be done in the person’s own home or other specified accommodation with the owners/operators permission. In the case of a hotel, lodging facility or other private sleeping accommodation for paying guests which also allows lawful smoking to be carried out will they will be exempt from prosecution. There must be a clarification however that this in no way means that marijuana is legalized. The act simply provided for the decriminalization of 10 grammes and will primarily be to benefit the end user. The consumers who are the majority and who in the end have criminal records which affects every facet of their lives will be the ones affected - in a positive manner by this amendment.

CSEC and Cape top achievers recognized in San Ignacio
Hundreds of students from across the country turned up last week in San Ignacio to celebrate their remarkable achievements in the educational arena. On Thursday at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio Town more than one hundred and thirty students were recognized for being top achievers in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination CAPE and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate CSEC exams taken earlier this year. Information released by the Ministry of Education shows that some three thousand seven hundred and ninety-four students signed up for the CSEC exams for the 2016 to 2017 school year.

Mercury in Fish from the Macal River and Other Rivers
he Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL), has completed another assessment of mercury levels in fishes from the Macal River, Mopan, Belize and New River. The following Advisory is being issued to guide the public on the amount of fish that can be eaten safely to avoid ill effects due to mercury exposure.

Belize Tourism Board Launches New Cruise App
The Belize Tourism Board officially launched their new cruise app on Monday, November 27, 2017 at their downtown office. The app, which is free and can be found under the name “BTB Cruise App”, is compatible with both Android and iOs devices. The app serves the purpose of allowing cruise stakeholders to see cruise ship calls to Belize in real-time and saves time as well as makes access to information easier.

Fatal Traffic Accident
On Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at around 9:45 p.m., police acted on information received of a road traffic Accident between Miles 1 & 2 on George Price Drive in Dangriga Town. They visited the scene and upon arrival, they observed a bicycle and a Meilun motorcycle on the right hand side of the road. The rear wheel of the bicycle was damaged while the front wheel of the motorcycle was damaged. Police also saw a male person lying face up next to the motorcycle.

Fires in Seine Bight and Corozal
On Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at around 3:00 p.m., Seine Bight and Placencia Police visited the Palacio’s Temple located on the Main Road in Seine Bight Village. There, a thatch building measuring 100 x 40 feet was seen engulfed in flames. The building, valued at $110,000 and uninsured, was completely destroyed. The cause of the fire is undetermined. The building is owned by Mary Palacio, a Belizean/American of Seine Bight Village who resides in the U.S.A. Police investigation continues. Three days later on November 25, 2017, police visited G Street South in Corozal Town where they observed a cement house totally engulfed in flames. Initial investigations revealed that the house, property of Dorotea Wilshire of San Pedro, was being rented by Nirsa Ramirez, a 28-year-old Belizean.

The Invisible in Orange Walk
Jeremiah 6:16 speaks about The Lord giving us the free will to choose between right and wrong. It speaks of us standing in front of a cross road and having to choose which road to take. This decision will determine our next chapter in life. However many have failed in choosing the right road for themselves. Many have chosen deception instead of loyalty, wickedness instead of humility, alcohol and drugs instead of sobriety and wisdom; the list is endless. Due to these poor judgments, many have been forced to suffer the consequences.

Sustainable Development Goals: Designed to Finish the Job SDG 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the result of the perseverance of the Director of Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs at Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She maneuvered through a long and complex journey facing challenges such as the ongoing MDGs, developed versus developing countries responsibilities, varying countries’ national circumstances, lack of funding, questioning Colombia’s authority as the champion, and outright opposition to name a few. Nevertheless perseverance garnered allies and support and we now have the SDGs. They never gave up. The SDGs is a universal agenda – applicable to all countries and for which all countries are accountable.

Words of Life with Pastor Barry Fraser
This week we look at some sound advice that the Apostle Paul gave to young Pastor Timothy, his spiritual son. In Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 15, we read: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Paul exhorts Timothy to do his best. Timothy must consistently and happily carry out the work our God Yahweh has given him to do. One way to do this is to make sure he is rightly handling scripture. This is in contrast with the meaningless disputes the false teachers engage in. These words of Paul come alive as they speak to all of us today!

How A Woman Escapes Domestic Abuse
I remember how she thanked me, repeatedly, for a small spot on my cold living room floor. She said it was much preferred to her bed which had grown dangerous because of the man she had married. Way back, he had sworn before God to love her “til death do us part” but to her, death seemed to be right around the corner had she opted to stay. Her reality, after the honeymoon was over, meant every time he was drunk or displeased for any reason, she became his punching bag. He had promised her stars indeed, but she never dreamt they would have been the type she saw when his iron fist made impact with her face and left purple bruises and bleeding lips, the type that hurt like hell. Her honeymoon period escalated to the tension period and then explosions of anger prevailed over her dream marriage.

Who actually is this Alliance?
As I understand it, our legal system does not allow the common man to question or criticize judgements entered into by courts who have constitutional jurisdiction over our country. Attorneys can do it, but only by filing an official appeal to a higher court. But they cannot go on any forum and blast a judge’s ruling. As such, in Belize anybody can disparage, within limits, any person, including the Governor General, but the trustworthiness of the court is sacrosanct under penalty of contempt, so I better tread carefully here, and I want to be clear on this: I am not a spokesperson for the UDP, I am simply Jamil Amin Matar, Belizean citizen by birth. I apologize in advance if I sound cross, but in truth many of my fellow Belizeans feel the same way I do.

Be the best version of yourself
Throughout our lives we are all in search for that special something or someone to completely satisfy us and give us the happiness we think we deserve and desire. We want amazing friends that bring fun and excitement into our lives. We want the dream job, or that perfect someone to love us. We sometimes spend a lifetime searching for people and things to fulfill us. We think we know what we want. But sometimes when we do manage to get these things, we end up realizing that it does not fulfill us in the ways we thought it would.

Breaking Belize News

Belizean gets mistrial for murder in the US because of immigration status
An Belizean man accused of a triple murder in Florida, USA; Bryan Hyde, 21, was […]

Tourist falls accidentally from “El Castillo” Maya Temple at Xunantunich
BBN has received confirmed reports that a tourist fell down from “El Castillo” Maya Temple […]

Senator Hulse reminds Chamber about 2007 stance
Government Senator Godwin Hulse, at the Prime Minister’s press conference yesterday, reminded the Belize Chamber […]

Ambassador of Japan to Belize presents credentials to Governor General
The Ambassador of Japan to Belize H.E. Hiromasa Yamazaki presented his credentials today to the Governor General […]

PM Barrow lashes back at Chamber
Prime Minister Dean Barrow today issued a release in response to the Belize Chamber of […]

Chamber invites you to Christmas Expo 2017
Christmas season is finally here and the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) is hosting […]

Belize sees marginal growth in third quarter
Belize’s economy grew by a marginal 0.5 percent for the third quarter of 2017, according to […]

Blogs

In Photos: Discover the Charm and Beauty of Belize’s Cayo District
The Cayo District, nestled in Belize’s Maya Mountains, casts an irresistible spell. It’s a region where Mother Nature’s bounty is on full display…from wild, untamed rainforest…to meandering rivers perpetually flowing towards the sea. Trees are laden with luscious, exotic fruit…or bursting with vibrant, flamboyant blossoms while howler monkeys and toucans flit through the jungle canopy. An avian orchestra performs every morning, without fail… The Cayo’s main town of San Ignacio about 72 miles from the international airport in Belize City. You can take a local flight or make the pleasant two-hour drive. Leaving the coastline, the scenery transitions from wetlands to gently rolling foothills. Beyond Spanish Lookout—Belize’s Mennonite breadbasket—the road twists and turns as it ascends towards San Ignacio Town. Majestic ceiba trees, sacred to the Maya, stand proud on distant hilltops. In the late spring, the hills come alive with the vivid orange and red hues of trees in bloom.

Wildtracks Staff Vlog: Manatee Morning
As the sun rises, the Manatee Team rises as well to start the first feeds for the six manatees in rehabilitation at Wildtracks. We appreciate our manatees in November - Manatee Awareness Month...and also appreciate our Manatee volunteers, who go beyond the expected to ensure that these manatees are able to return to the wild.

“Hot Dog” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
Hi, Ziggy here. I know, I know, it’s been an absolute age since I last managed to get my paws on John’s iPad. Since he stupidly shattered his wrist he’s been spending hours with it in his hands (the iPad, not his now repairing wrist) because he’s ((as he repeatedly (some may say whiningly) points out)) unable do a lot of the chores that he did before the accident. My Mum Rose has been marvellous though, she’s not only done the stuff she normally does but most of the stuff that he (or so he said) used to do. I’m pleased to report though that he’s slowly but surely getting the use of it back although I know I’ve still got to be careful and not jump on his arm or run into it. A short while ago I celebrated my 5th birthday which roughly coincided with my 3rd anniversary of being adopted by Rose and John. I know, I know, doesn’t time fly by.

Belize: Beaches, Adventure, History, and Easy to Get To in 2018
Some of the top destinations in the country for travelers interested in relaxing on the beach include the Placencia Peninsula (also known as "The Caye You Can Walk To"), Ambergris Caye (featured in the 1986 hit Madonna song "La Isla Bonita"), Caye Caulker, the Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, and the spectacular beauty of Glover's Reef and the outer atolls. Some of the top activities to enjoy on the reef include scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, stand-up paddling, sea kayaking, windsurfing, and enjoying a barbeque of fresh-caught seafood right on the beach. Of course, some travelers come to simply work on their tan and relax in a hammock strung between two palm trees. Popular adventure activities include exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, a vast underground site still containing the bones of humans sacrificed by Maya priests, the colossal city of Xunantunich, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal (just across the border in Guatemala), the lush botanical gardens at Caves Branch, cave tubing (floating down underground rivers on an inner tube), diving with whale sharks, and zip lining through the jungle canopy.

Belize #10 on Fodor's 2018 Go List
Belize came in at number 10 on the prestigious Fodor's Go List for 2018. Belize was singled out as a "true getaway" that is full of beautiful, untouched nature and pristine landscapes. Other attractions in Belize highlighted in Fodor's Go List include touring the ancient Maya sites that are scattered across the country, including a number of active archeological expeditions that are open to the public. Belize was also listed as a top 10 recommended place to visit in 2018 because of its lovely weather, year-round warm temperatures, and laid-back Caribbean atmosphere. The country was also singled out for having beautiful hotels, resorts, and lodges in several unique settings, including in the heart of the jungle and on offshore islands.

Take a Romantic Vacation in Belize
Simply inhaling the fragrance from the hundreds of flowering plants that thrive in Belize's pristine beauty seems to cause romance to blossom. Although Belize is just a short flight away from the United States and Canada, it seems like a world apart, allowing couples to enjoy a romantic getaway vacation in paradise. Whether it's walking hand-in-hand on a secluded beach or enjoying exciting activities like zip lining in the jungle, canoeing down a pristine river, or climbing to the top of an ancient Maya pyramid, couples will find plenty to enjoy while in Belize. Just google "Belize" and you'll instantly see why Belize is such a perfect setting for romance. There are hidden waterfalls in the jungle to explore, uninhabited tropical islands to visits, and lots of romantic options to enjoy, including enjoying a couples massage in a luxury tree house high above the jungle canopy.

Belize: 10 Best Romantic Activities To Experience Together In 2018
While love should be celebrated and nurtured year-round, we have dedicated February to be the month of love. That 28 day period where people the world over receive extra doses of affection and the prospect of it – when romantic gestures are sent back and forth by two people who love and care for each other. A Strange but fascinating phenomenon it is that an entire populace can all agree on one time period to engage in a general activity. The Caribbean is home to romantic golden sunsets, gorgeous resorts, dreamy beaches, and astounding temples all year long. The month of love is quickly approaching – don’t be caught without a plan. Check out these 10 cool romantic gestures to break out of the mold in Belize:

International Sources

A Very Early Look At The 2018 Atlantic, Gulf Of Mexico & Caribbean Hurricane Season
Today marks the last day of the 2017 Hurricane Season – An extremely active season which ended up producing 17 named storms, 10 of which became hurricanes and 6 of those hurricanes became major hurricanes. There were 2 Category 5 Hurricanes during the 2017 Hurricane seasons. Out of the major hurricanes, the 2017 season produced 2 category 5 hurricanes. I know it’s early, but I wanted to go over what I’m already looking at in terms of signals for the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Based on everything I have looked at, including ENSO forecasts and sea surface temperature forecasts, I have concerns that the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season could be another active one with activity either similar to 2017 or possibly even a little more active. The latest ENSO model guidance is pointing towards La Nina conditions for this winter with conditions warming towards neutral ENSO conditions by late Spring, 2018. If we do see neutral ENSO conditions during the 2018 Hurricane Season, it could mean a very active season. With that said, ENSO forecasts this time of year can be highly inaccurate.

Good Riddance to the Brutal Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2017
The Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30, has finally drawn to a close. The brutal 2017 season was an awful reminder of the huge hurricane vulnerability problem we face, and how unprepared we are for a potential future where the strongest storms get stronger and push their storm surges inland on top of steadily rising sea levels. Much of the Caribbean lies in ruins after the terrific beatings administered by the twin demon Category 5 hurricanes of 2017, Irma and Maria, and a monumental clean-up continues in Texas and Florida from two strikes by Category 4 hurricanes, Harvey and Irma. And though final estimates are not yet completed, 2017 is certain to rank as one of the top three most destructive Atlantic hurricane seasons ever, thanks to three of the top ten most damaging hurricanes ever seen—Harvey, Irma, and Maria. One preliminary damage assessment puts the U.S. damage from these three storms at $207 billion, with another $25 billion in non-U.S. damage. We are lucky the damages weren’t $50 - $100 billion higher; had Hurricane Irma tracked just 20 miles farther to north, missing Cuba, I’m convinced it would have been a catastrophic Category 5 storm in South Florida.

Belize face-off follows CCJ ruling
Wilfred Elrington, foreign affairs minister of Belize, says he would not encourage anyone to follow his country in replacing the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as final court of appeal. Elrington was attorney general in 2009, when his government introduced a constitutional amendment to do just that. Along with his prime minister Dean Barrow and a good few others, he is furious over a CCJ ruling delivered on Wednesday last week which ordered the Belize government to pay the equivalent of US$45 million to Belize Bank, a commercial bank. In a small economy like Belize, US$45 million is big money.

Whale shark sightings by ordinary citizens provide useful data to researchers
Because of citizen scientists and NASA, researchers have a clearer picture of the habits and whereabouts of the largest, very elusive fish: the endangered whale shark. Over a 22-year period, more than 28,000 encounters with this spotted, filter-feeding shark by citizen scientists from 54 countries have been recorded and contributed to the Wildbook for Whale Sharks database, out of which nearly 6,000 individual sharks were identified, according to a new study recently published in the peer-reviewed journal BioScience. “The value of that is that the scientists can’t always be everywhere at once, and by being able to take advantage of people who see whale sharks when they’re diving, we’re actually able to put together a picture of the worldwide distribution and what we call the populations structure of the species,” said Robert Hueter, director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research.

Videos