Today's Belize News: April 20, 2012

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Today's Belize News: April 20, 2012 #436139 04/20/12 08:02 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE CLICK HERE for the full Belize Weekly Weather Report Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 7 Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials The San Pedro Sun The Great Blue Hole, Makes Top 10 List of Diving Locations In The World Earlier this month, Belize was named one of the 'top snorkeling destinations in the world' by 'The National', one of the few English newspapers in the Arab Emirates. And now, just weeks after receiving that distinguished title, an article published on CNN International has declared Belize to be among the top 10 dive sites in the world. Reporter Jade Bremner listed the Blue Hole as the 7th best dive site in a recent story she wrote about the top 50 dive locations around the globe. Various dive experts from internationally known sites like: divezone.net, scubatravel.co.uk, worlddivingreview.com and dive.is helped Bremner to select the locations featured. Conch Season closes two months earlier than scheduled Conch season has been officially cut short by two months and one week this year. Conch season generally runs from October 1st through June 30th, but this year, the season will close at midnight on Monday, April 23rd. On Monday, April 16th the announcement came in the form of a joint press release from the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development and the Industry Leaders of the Fishing Cooperatives. According to the release, the decision was made after a meeting was held on Friday April 13th, during which the parties involved discussed the very pressing and important issue of the exhaustion of the conch quota by the Fishing Cooperatives for the current Fishing or 'Open' season for the species. The release further stated that it was decided that, "In order to alleviate the financial hardships being experienced by the Fishing Community while at the same time ensuring the sustainable management of the species - a grace period of ten (10) days would be granted to fishers to conclude their fishing operations." As such, the Minister advised fisher folk that deliveries of conch to the cooperatives and sales otherwise to the general public would be permitted up until mid-night on Monday, April 23rd. Another islander missing for almost a month San Pedro Police is asking the public's assistance in locating an islander who has been missing since March 24th. He is 33 year old Kenrick Polonio of a Swan Street address in San Pedro Town. Kenrick Polonio was last seen by his family at home on March 24th, 2012 at about 6:30PM. According to Police Polonio was last seen wearing a short sleeve shirt of an unknown color, three-quarter short pants of an unknown color and a gray-colored slipper. He was last seen in the company of one Wayne Allen. Kenrick Polonio is described as being of dark complexion and is of Garifuna ethnicity. He has short black hair; he is considered muscular but slim built, of medium height and has black [dark brown] eyes. Minor incident causes traffic to slow down Traffic was slowed down shortly after 11AM today at the junction of Pescador Drive and Buccaneer Street when the bottom of a Bowen and Bowen tractor trailer loaded with its cargo broke off. The trailer was about to enter into Buccaneer Street when a load bang was heard. A closer inspection revealed that the rear tires and axel of the trailer broker off. The trailer was on its normal route delivering cargo to different establishments within the downtown area. Luckily no one was injured. However the incident caused traffic flow to slow down and diverted during one of the busiest time of the day. Battered young female loggerhead rescued in San Pedro A young adult female loggerhead sea turtle was rescued off the coast of San Pedro Town after it was sighted in distress by some children. The turtle measuring, 63 centimeters long and weighing approximately 80 pounds was rescued on April 10th. The badly battered turtle's rescue is significant, as the number of turtles in the region, including Belize, is steadily dwindling. The decrease in the number of turtles is widely contributed due to the high demand for the carcass and eggs in the local traditional markets. In Belize, turtle meat is considered a delicacy and it appears that if the loggerhead was not rescued it may well have ended up in the illegal local market. Ambergris Today The Great Blue Hole Makes Top 10 List of Diving Location In The World Reporter Jade Bremner listed the Blue Hole as the 7th best dive site in a recent story she wrote about the top 50 dive locations around the globe. Various dive experts from internationally known sites like: divezone.net, scubatravel.co.uk, worlddivingreview.com and dive.is helped Bremner to select the locations featured. CNN International reaches more than 200 million households around the globe and has more than 500,000 thousand followers online. CNN also has the latest multimedia technologies - from live video streaming to audio packages to searchable archives of news features - and background information. The site is updated continuously throughout the day. Closure of Conch Season Disturbs Fishermen The season for harvesting conch in Belize has been closed two months earlier than stipulated in the fisheries act of Belize. In other words there shall be no more harvesting of conch after April 23, 2012 because according to the Minister of Fisheries Hon. Lisel Alamilla there is a declining population of conch and there is the risk of conch becoming extinct. All of that sounds very good in view of our conservation trends in Belize and our protectionism efforts of our many flora and fauna, and especially the marine species. Belize wins AGAIN on Mission Catwalk's 2nd Season After an initial win on episode two and placing runner-up in the following episode, Belizean fashion designer Rebecca Stirm wins episode four of the Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk with a design inspired by a selection from Cinderella Hats. "When I saw the hats I immediately knew which one I wanted to work with. The ladylike peach hat had caught my eye. In my original sketch for the piece, I had planned on doing a soft summer dress. After looking around a bit though, and realizing that everyone else was doing dresses, I chose to do a blouse and pants." Hon. Heredia Donates to Mother's Day Show Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. Minister of Tourism dropped by the San Pedro Town Council this morning, April 19, 2012, to present a donation towards the upcoming Mother's Day Show. He delivered a check of $5,000 to Mayor Daniel Guerrero who stated that the money will go towards making the show a spectacular one for all the mothers who attend. The Town Council's Mother's Day program has been scheduled for Saturday, May 12, 2012. Preparations are already being set and the Old Football Field is being prepped up for the event with the addition of new and improved bathroom facilities. Check out the video below to listen on what Mayor Daniel Guerrero has in store for the show and other improvements in town. Miss Chiquitita Pageant This Weekend! These lovely girls will take center stage on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Old Football Field and will be judged in several categories which include swimsuit, talent and modeling and formal wear. The girls will also be delighting the crowd with dance presentations. Come and witness as one lucky girl is crowned Miss Chiquitita 2012. Prizes for Miss Amity and Miss Photogenic will be awarded as well as all contestants will receive great consolation prizes. Mama Vilma's Family Home Fundraiser On Sunday April 29 at 11.AM there will be a fundraiser at Wayo's Beach Bar. This is a fundraiser for the Mama Vilma's Family Home. Our web site is www.mamavilmasfamilyhome.com There will be barbeque with guest Chef Cheri and Ens Fletcher from lazy croc the fletchers will be providing pulled pork sandwiches, ribs pulled pork and combo rib pork. Shelly Huber will be cooking her smoked chicken. We would appreciate donations of desserts. There will be live music a fifty-fifty draw as well as door prizes. All proceeds go to the Mama Vilma's Family Home foundation. Misc Belizean Sources Concerts in Belize by Mexican pianist Alejandrina Villamil As part of the cultural exchange program between Mexico and Belice, the Mexican Embassy will present two piano concerts by Mexican musician Alejandrina Villamil. The first concert will be held at the Bliss Centre in Belize City, on Saturday April 21st at 6:00 pm. The second concert will take place at the George Price Centre in Belmopan, on Sunday April 22nd at 6:00 p.m. Entrance will be FREE for both events and open to the general public. The Pharmacy has a great commercial Now that's a well done commercial. The Pharmacy is located at 24 West Street. Their phone number is 824.2510. Movie Shoot at Sacred Heart Junior College The movie project that has been shooting around Cayo the last week did some shooting at Sacred Heart. They used many SHJC students as extras. The project, currently entitled '2012 The Belize Witch Project' will be submitted to the Belize Film Festival. Matthew Klinck and Daniel Velazquez are at the helm. Looks like there was some fun going on behind the scenes. Llarona looks scary! TAS Belize's Tell a Story Thursday episode 6 Good advice this week on Tell A Story Thursday. "Mr. Yosiah Ray of Universal Healing shared with Mervin Budram - Host of Tell A Story Thursday - a piece of key advice for young upcoming entrepreneurs, which is "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX." Glenn Roaden also a good graphic design tip that can be applied to all areas of life. Remember to visit www.tasbelize.com/tellastory.aspx to get the full interview from Yosiah as well as the previous weeks episodes. While there learn more about TAS Belize's Stories." Fiddler on the thatched roof Great title for this article about the past, present, and future of the Mayan violin. Florencio Mes, from the documentary 'The Three Kings of Belize' plays one. "The Maya violin is made from cedar, mahogany or fiddlewood and is carved using only a machete. Fishing line or twine are stretched over the wood and the bow is fashioned using horsehair. The strings are oiled with the resin of the copal tree. The Maya violin is an instrument of particular interest in Belize and the modern Maya community since its origins and use play an important role in their trans-cultural diffusion." Belizedone One of three lovely ladies that took our three day island hopping adventure down to Placencia made this video of the tour, but mostly of the amazing Caye Caulker!! The creator of this video, Dejah told me - 'I took a chance even though I don't camp, swim, like to be outside, or eat any type of fish, but you all figured out how to make a tour where a girl like me could have a good time.' We are glad that we made you happy Dejah!! We thank Dejah for taking the time to compile her memories together so that we can share!!! Belize Audubon Society's 4th Annual Green Walk Dirk Francisco from the BAS had this to say. Well said! "It's April once again and Belize Audubon Society traditional celebrates Earth Day on April twenty-second along with other global organizations. Earth Day is a time of year when Belize Audubon Society tries to mobilize Belizeans in becoming environmentally conscious like to live green or be green. So this year, we're doing our annual Green Walk, which is to get groups together to clean up from Belize City to Guanacaste National Park and from Belmopan City to Guanacaste National Park. All it is is people come together form a group and we give them some miles to clean and at the same have fun doing something good for the environment. But the activity is more than just cleaning up the highway, we're trying to create a change amongst Belizeans; we want them to stop littering, we want them to recognize the importance of nature and the services that nature contributes to Belize. So it's a day of education and fun." University of Belize's 6th annual Earth Day Fair UB really went above and beyond with their Earth Day Fair yesterday! They had 3 competitions, all with great prizes. The food was great, especially the sausages and the ceviche. They had over 20 booths set up to teach about everything green. The Belize Zoo had a booth too. Most booths had games and prizes too. The highlight was the trash fashion show. Joris Hendrik started it all off with a quick show of some of his Eco Love recycled designs. Amazing yet again! The National Geographic dress was superb. After that, they had the Trashion Fashion competition, where over 20 students made clothes from recycled materials. There is some serious creativity out there. Channel 7 BODY OF MAN FOUND ON BOOM-HATTIEVILLE ROAD; FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED Ladyville Police are looking for answers tonight after the body of an unidentified dark complexion man was found on the Boom Hattieville Road. A truck driver who saw vultures circling the area went to see what it was, and discovered the Body around 11 this morning. It was located about 1 mile north of the Hattieville Prison. Police believe that it was an act of foul play since two chop wounds were observed on the head. 7news was on the scene and so was Police Press Officer, Fitzroy Yearwood. Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer "Behind us we have a body that was discovered some time around 11:30 this morning in an advance state of decomposition. This body was partially dressed; the person was wearing a green polo shirt along with a blue jeans pant." 18 YEAR OLD SUCCUMBS; 20 YEAR OLD'S CHARGE UPGRADED 18 year old Christopher Jorgenson - who was shot in Belize City on Sunday night - died from his injuries yesterday. Jorgenson was shot to the midsection by a gunman who pulled up at the basketball house near his home on Curl Thompson Street and opened fire on him. So today, the 20 year old who stands accused shooting him was charged with murder. 20 year-old Keyron Johnson, a resident of Jane Usher Boulevard, was brought back before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. The previous charges no longer apply, and his charge was upgraded to murder. Again, Johnson was not eligible for bail, so he remains on remand until June 6. According to police, yesterday at around 4:30, Jorgenson died after he experienced complications while undergoing treatment at the KHMH for the gunshot to the abdomen. BELIZE CASE HEARD AT CCJ IN BARBADOS SPECIAL SITTING Belize's highest court - The Caribbean Court Of Justice has been convening in Barbados for the past three days - and the court today heard its second full appeal hearing from Belize. The case is one filed by six employees of Mayan King Banana Farm who claimed they were fired because they were unionizing. In 2009, the Supreme Court awarded them seventy thousand dollars each in compensation - in total, an almost half a million dollar judgment against Mayan King. The farm owner appealed and the Court of Appeal reduced the award to thirty thousand dollars for each of the six workers. But the owner of Mayan King, John Zabaneh wasn't satisfied and so his attorney Eamon Courtenay appealed that decision to the Caribbean Court of Justice. The case was heard today - 11 years after the workers were fired. In an encouraging first for Belize, the hearing was streamed live on the internet from Barbados - and though it lasted almost four hours, here are a few brief clips to outline the basic arguments with Courtenay appearing for Maya King and Antoinette Moore appearing for the six workers:.. SALDIVAR CONCEDES CRIME BAD, BUT NOT WORSE THAN LAST YEAR At the top of our news we told you about two murders; that brings it to ten murders in the past eleven days. National Security Minister John Saldivar has the job of coming up with a response to a problem that has thwarted many mighty ministers before him, from Dean Barrow to Jorge Espat to Ralph Fonseca, to Doug Singh. Competent, resourceful guys, but none of them were able to make a meaningful difference in crime - particularly the murder rate. And now the unenviable task falls to Saldivar - who today told us that it's bad, but so far, not as bad as last year:.. Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police "First of all we got to look at the cup as half full rather than half empty. We are still well below the numbers for last year. Crime still has been reduced compared to last year. Yes we've had some increase incidents over the last few weeks. We are dealing with it, we believe that with through dialogue we can achieve a lot. We've beef-up our police presence; we have come up with some new measures that we are implementing. As a matter of fact that's one of the reason I was in Belize City yesterday evening taking a tour of the various sites to ensure that the new operational plan that we have devised is being implemented." BURGLAR GETS TEN YEARS IN JAIL Tonight, a 25 year-old man is spending the first night of a 10 year sentence after he was convicted of burglary and handing stolen goods in Magistrate's Court. Cruz Allen, a laborer of Water Lane, was tried in front of Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith today. The complainant, Daniel Fabro, testified under oath and gave the same information that he reported to police. He said that he received a tip at 6 a.m. on October 27, 2011, that someone had burglarized his business on Victoria Street. He responded, and found Allen in the yard. Fabro said that he pulled his licensed firearm and used it to detain Allen who he caught in the act of stealing an assortment of tools, a 19 inch flat screen TV, a router, an Olympus digital camera, and a pair of tennis shoes which Allen was already wearing. Fabro then handed Allen over to the police who arrested and charged him for burglary and handling stolen goods. KENDALL BRIDGE: DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK Tropical Storm Arthur and the epochal flood that preceded it in June 2008 destroyed the Kendall Bridge - and things haven't been the same since. The Ministry of Works has been laboring steadily - but it hasn't had an easy time restoring one of the longest, highest bridges in the country. Finally, though, the new Kendall Bridge has taken shape and it should be opened to traffic in two months' time. We got a look at the structure and found out why it took so long. Here's what the Supervising Engineer told us about it:.. Jules Vasquez reporting It took four years, but the Kendall Bridge is almost finished. It is an impressive structure - and a unique one in Belize -the longest, and strongest bridge in the country: Edgar Puga - Engineering Consultant "The bridge is more or less 85% complete. UB OBSERVES EARTH DAY The University of Belize observed Earth Day today with an open today promoting green energy resources. The day was themed, "A New Wave of Green Energy" and 7news was at the UB Gymnasium in Belmopan. 7news was there and the Organizer told us that they hoped to make a lasting impression:.. Loretta Logan, Coordinator - UB Earth Day "When it comes to Earth Day we are specifically talking about awareness. There is no way that we can tell you what to do but by teaching you through education like what the UB logo says and the motto "Education empowers a nation" that's exactly what we are doing today. We are teaching about the important of alternative energy like what we said in our speech for a greener and safer tomorrow." UB PRIORITIZES RESEARCH And while that's what UB students were doing in Belmopan - in Belize City University Students who are enrolled in UB's Management and Social Sciences programs held their second annual Student Research Conference. The conference's main objective is to expose students to a broader audience and to encourage their development as young professionals. The research presentations covered a diverse range of topics including: A Cross National Validation of Child Sexual Abuse Predictors, Suicide Ideation Risk and Protective Factors, Investment in BTL, and Belize City Students' Perception of the Accounting Profession. 7news spoke with research conference coordinator Dr. Jean Perriott who told us more. Dr. Jean Perriott "Today our students and faculty are presenting research studies that they have conducted. We have two sections; we have the power point presentation where they present their findings, which they have done individually and then we have the session where they have work in groups. That session is really the results of the study that they conducted while they were taking the advance research course." A FLUVIAL FOREST? If you know even the smallest piece of Belizean History - you'll know that this blessed spot was founded as a logwood trading post. Those logs were extracted from deep in the Belizean interior and floated down the Belize River to the harbor in what is now Belize City. But not all the logs made it - some of them sunk in the Belize River and were lost to time. But not lost forever. Centuries later, the massive trees were preserved in the water because they weren't exposed to oxygen - and for some time, a few ambitious enterprises have been searching out and extracting these logs. One of those companies is named Greener Lumber and recently its work was featured on Al Jazeera Television's English Broadcast. The type of old-growth mahogany fetches premium prices on the world market. Greenerlumber offers Mahogany, Bullet Tree, Sapodilla and Santa Maria. ONE MORE FOR STOLEN SHOTGUN Last night we told you about the 6 people who were arrested by police and arraigned for handling stolen goods and unlicensed firearms charges. The upshot of it was that a 19 year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison, and the other 6 persons were remanded to prison. Well, today, a seventh person was brought to court and arraigned for those very same offenses. 49 year-old Allison Major, a cabinet maker of 39 Kelly Street, was charged with 2 counts of handling stolen goods, 2 counts of keeping an unlicensed firearm, and one count of keeping unlicensed ammunition. FEMALE ACCUSED OF INDECENT ASSAULT OF ANOTHER FEMALE Today in Magistrate's Court, an 18 year-old female was charged with indecent assault. It's a strange and rare case that a female is facing this charge, but to add to that, she's accused of indecent assault against a 17 year-old female minor. According to police, the minor reported to police that at 4:30 p.m. yesterday, she was at school when Shanice Mendoza, a Belize City resident, and a young man ambushed her. She said that Mendoza grabbed her arm, groped her chest and caressed it. Quick police response led to the Mendoza's arrest and she was charged. In court #1 this afternoon, Mendoza appeared before the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith where she pleaded not guilty to the charge. TEACHERS CAN BE BEAUTY QUEENS TOO The Belize Teachers Union will have its annual beauty pageant this weekend under the theme "Women of Strength." To follow the theme, these women will be discussing strong Belizean women such as Leela Vernon, Kim Simplis Barrow, Zee Edgell, Audrey Matura Shepherd, and even Marie Sharp. We stopped in at the practice where we spoke to the contestants who range in age from mid-20's to early 50's. They looked energetic as they strutted across the stage, and after practice, they told us what drove them to be a part of the contest. Pamela Baird, Auditor BNTU Belize Executive Branch "We have six contestants entering the pageant and the theme for the pageant this year is "Women of strength." These six contestants will be portraying different women from Belize that have displayed strength thought out the year." A MOVIE ABOUT US + THE WORLD In 2010 footage was shot in every country of the world and condensed into an hour long film called "One Day on Earth". This unique film will be screened on Earth day, Sunday April 22nd only - in every country - including Belize. It will be screened in 6 venues in three districts- Orange Walk, Cayo, and Belize. The film illustrates an interconnected world, and Suzette Zayden dropped by to tell us more about it. Suzette Zayden "It's called "One day on earth." They ask us to participate. If we could help coordinate screenings in Belize for the film "One day on earth" - They were doing a global screening of a film that was done in 2010. In was shot on 10.10.10; October 10, 2010 and from about 3,000 hours of footage that they got, over 200 countries; all the countries that belong to the UN they've put together a 104 minute film. It goes very fast as you can imagine over 200 countries and only 104 minutes. In this film called "One day on earth" there is a piece on Belize that was contributed by Katia Paradis who lives in Cayo." PROFILE: John Woods Tonight's profile is about John Woods. You may know him as the Chairman of the Kolbe Central Prison, or as the Boss at Cisco Construction - which is the contractor for the Kendall Bridge we showed you earlier, and many, many other works projects in Belize. But you probably didn't know that the Texas born John Woods is a former US Army soldier who narrowly missed going off to war in Vietnam and went instead to serve in Panama - which made all the difference. He tells us more in tonight's I am Belize Profile:.. Channel 5 Unidentified man found with chop wounds behind head Six days, five murders� just before the lunch hour, a trucker made a gruesome discovery; he spotted the decomposing body of a man off the Hattieville/Boom Road. Police have not confirmed the identity of murder victim number five, but it appears that the man was killed elsewhere and then dragged to where he was found. [...] Before dying, Jorgensen identifies his murderer The other murder victim is eighteen year old Christopher Jorgensen, who was shot on Saturday at the Jane Usher Boulevard basketball court. Jorgensen was hospitalized until Wednesday when he succumbed to the gunshot injuries. The alleged shooter has been identified as twenty year old Keyron Johnson, a resident of Jane Usher Boulevard. Johnson was charged [...] Death by caterpillar tractor Another man was killed, but in a freak accident on Wednesday afternoon. Fifty year old Kent Myvette, a mechanic of Unitedville was killed shortly after three o'clock in an area nine miles into a feeder road near mile twenty-four on the Western Highway. There they observed the motionless body of Myvette, an employee of Belize [...] Will Supreme Court Judge Samuel Awich reach higher office? In the city, the Bar Association is convening at this hour, a special meeting. It is considering an unprecedented resolution in respect of an appointment to the Court of Appeal. There is a proposal to elevate Supreme Court Judge Samuel Awich once his current contract expires in mid-May. The Bar will take a position by [...] Earth Day celebrated at UB in recycled style Across the globe, about five hundred million people are taking part in celebrations for Earth Day 2012 to generally create awareness for the natural environment and to highlight conservation efforts. While Earth Day is on Sunday, in Belize, the activities kicked off in Belmopan today where the environmental community was out in full force at [...] UB's 2nd Annual Research Conference While the UB campus in Belmopan was abuzz with environmentalists, in the city the university was holding the second annual Research Conference on the investigative work of the faculty and students. News Five's Isani Cayetano reports from the Radisson. Isani Cayetano, Reporting Student researchers from the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences at the [...] Canada to donate ballistics identification equipment The Central American region and Mexico are suffering from escalating violence associated with organized crime from the drug cartels. The death toll continues to rise and the region now has the highest homicide rate in the world. This past Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, unveiled the Canadian Initiative for Security in Central America (CISCA). [...] Convicted of burglarizing glass shop Two persons were convicted and sent to prison in separate cases today. First was twenty-four year old Cruz Allen, who was before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on charges of Burglary and Handling stolen Goods. At around six a.m. on October twenty-seventh, 2011, Daniel Fabro, the owner of Fabro's Glass Limited, received a phone call [...] Husband found guilty of punching wife in face The second convicted man is going to jail for a much shorter term. Thirty-two year old Nicholas Gonzalez was found guilty of Harm and Damage to Property. Gonzalez, a resident of Dickenson Street was arrested and charged following an incident on April sixteenth, in which he abused his common-law-wife, Andolita Wiltshire. According to Wiltshire, she [...] Father and daughter reunite after 35 years The following story will warm your heart. A young woman in search of her father who she had not seen or heard from in years finally catches up with him. News Five's Delahnie Bain located Percival Blancaneaux and the reunion with his daughter who lives in the United States has been bittersweet. Here's their remarkable [...] Have a healthy snack at the Food and Nutrition Quiz Gearing up for the Annual ADM Belize Mills Secondary Schools Quiz, the Belize District level of competition kicked off today at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Every year the Ministries of Health and Education along with the Pan American Health Organization team up for the competition among high schoolers countrywide to promote nutrition and healthy [...] The Decade of African Descendants in the Central American Region The year 2013 will officially begin the Decade of African Descendants in the Central American region. In Belize, the ethnic composition includes the Creole and Garifuna people and both cultures share a common African ancestry. In 1995, an initiative was taken to form the Central American Black Organization, CABO, a regional movement that was birthed [...] Pageant contestants have a license to teach A pageant with a different flair is taking place this weekend. It is being staged by the Belize National Teacher's Union Belize Branch and the winner will be crowned Miss BNTU. The participants are teachers from the district, who won't be competing in swimsuits or doing the curtsy; in fact they will be judged for [...] Healthy Living explores kidney diseases If you're diabetic or hypertensive and struggling to keep up with your regimen; then pay attention. In the following segment, Healthy Living goes directly to a diabetic who suffered chronic kidney disease and is a kidney transplant survivor. There are many persons from all walks of life that do not know they are diabetic and [...] CTV3 Aircraft Crash Lands Near San Victor Village In Corozal Details are still sketchy but reliable reports to CTV3 News are that around 5:00 this evening a plane crash landed into a feeder road located approximately two miles from the village of San Victor in the Corozal District after experiencing engine failure. Information is slow to come and our news team has been deployed to the area but what we do know so far is that Corozal Police were headed out to the scene. The last we heard is that when the plane was discovered, the pilot was nowhere to be found. Nothing was found allegedly inside the aircraft. We will have a full detailed report of this story in tomorrow's newscast. Two Men Travelling On A Bus Caught Transporting Drugs Two men traveling on a Tillett's bus were detained here in Orange Walk by Corozal Police this afternoon. Reports are that the men described as being of Creole decent and from Belize City, boarded the bus in Corozal. Police were tipped off that the men were allegedly transporting marijuana, but, by that time, the bus had already left Corozal Town. The cops set chase after the bus and called Orange Walk Police for assistance. Responding to the call authorities set up a checkup point at the entrance of Trail Farm Village and intercepted the bus. By that time Corozal Police were already in Orange Walk and the two men were searched thoroughly. CTV3 understands that police found several packs of marijuana strapped around one of the men's legs. Both men were detained by police and are expected to be charged with drug trafficking tomorrow. BSCFA Gives Back To The Community Through Fair Trade Funds The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association has a membership of more than 5,000 registered farmers who are actively engaged in growing sugar cane. Due to the BSCFA's agreement with fair-trade several educational institutions are reaping the benefits of the associations Social Program. Today the Chan Pine Ridge Government School received a donation of $1,676 from the association. The money, according to the school's Principal Victor Padron, will be used to purchase school equipment. Victor Padron, Principal "It's a donation that will take us a long way and it is good that they are getting this for the benefit of the kids and our school. We have a computer lab there and we need some computer desks and we also need some chairs and also a weed eater we are going to buy one." This is not the last time that the school will be assisted by the association. Robbery In Corozal Leaves Chinese businessman Out Of More Than $1500 In Cash Over the past weeks a spate of robberies and burglaries has stained the Corozal District and tonight we add one more case of robbery to the already growing list. Around 8:45 last night three armed mask men entered Lans Store located in the centre of Corozal Town and robbed the cashier at gunpoint. It was an in an out job which took a mere two minutes and garnered the robbers some $2,000 in cash. Hipolito Novelo travelled further north today and has the details of the robbery. The peacefulness of Corozal Town has been interrupted recently by a spate of burglaries. In just two months there have been over 7 reported cases of the misdemeanour. The fact that Corozal Police are working overtime to bring the criminals to justice has not deterred other law breakers to continue committing other crimes for example robbery, which is the next case we bring to you. Lan's Store, located in the heart of Corozal Town was robbed at gun point around 8:45 last night. That's, just minutes before closing time. The stores employee, who happens to be a 17 year old minor, was packing coke bottles when an unidentified vehicle pulled up to the store. Three men wearing black handkerchiefs over their faces exited the vehicle and walked into the store. According to the employee who spoke to us off camera, one of the men walked over to the counter and robbed the cashier at gunpoint. The men then walked out of the store with close to $2,000 in cash. At the time of the robbery there were no customers inside the establishment and luckily no one was hurt during the incident. CTV3 News understands that the robbery was not caught on tape since the store's surveillance camera was not recording. The robbery lasted two minutes, according to reports. Cancer Does Not Discriminate: It Can Affect Anyone Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of white blood cells. Leukemia cells grow faster than normal cells do and continue to grow when they shouldn't. Eventually, these cancerous cells can spread to lymph nodes and vital organs. This disease is most commonly seen in children ages 2 to 6 years and occurs slightly more often in males than females and accounts for 1 of 3 cancers in children. But beyond the science and statistics about childhood cancer are the remarkable stories of young patients whose courageous spirit inspires us every day. The Orange Walk Cancer Support Group assists 50 cancer patients of which 4 are diagnosed with Leukemia. Here are the stories of extraordinary kids whose families are faced with unique struggles and triumphs every day. Janine Ayuso-Reporting Four year old Luis Ramos Cal is a little boy from Orange Walk Town who fell sick when he was about a year and a half old. Noticing her son's aches and pains, his mother, Sandy Varera, quickly sought medical attention. After she was unable to receive a diagnosis from the hospital Sandy was advised to go abroad where she received one of the most devastating news. Blue Hole Among Top World Dive Sites Over the past few weeks our Jewel has been making international headlines when it comes to world class tourism destinations. Tonight, Belize is on the eyes of the international media yet again this time because of the Blue Hole. Formed during the last ice age, the Belize Blue Hole is 300 meters wide and a scary 124 meters deep. CNN international has cited the Blue Hole as one of the top dive sites in the world, in an article written by Jade Bremmer dated April 6th. The announcement gives Belize a major boost because CNN has a fan base of over two hundred million household globally and an online viewership of half a million visitors. A few weeks back Belize has also had the privilege of being named the top snorkeling destination by The National Newspaper of the Arab Emirates. Belize's beaches are also among the top beaches in Central America. Nominate Your Unsung Hero In 2003 First Caribbean International Bank began shining the light on individuals who unselfishly give to their communities through its Unsung Heroes Program. Dozens of names are submitted every year from which only a few are chosen as local finalists and only one is selected annually as the regional winner. The good news is that it is that time of the year when you can nominate the person who you believe should take the Unsung Hero award. In order to increase this year's submissions First Caribbean Bank is making the forms available at supermarkets countrywide and even on newspapers. Rosanna Villanueva, Local Coordinator, Unsung Heroes Program "The main being that the individual should be a person who is dedicated beyond the ordinary to social improvement. That's the banner for an unsung hero. The person should also be from the Caribbean and have either low or no media profile, meaning that they are not well known yet outside their community. The person should have a cause that could benefit from the exposure that will come with the program and of course, we would want somebody who would be willing to take part in the bank's PR program. During the nomination period, which runs from today until the thirtieth of June, we'll have nomination forms going out in the public. We'll have them going out in the public. Empowering The Women Of Society In this day an era it is difficult to find a job, especially for women. But as they say where there is a will there is a way and that is how Women's groups across the country emerged. The aim of the various groups is to empower women by teaching them a skill. One group that is growing by leaps and bounds here in the north is the Xiabe Women's Group which was formed three years ago with the assistance of Humana a non-governmental organization that seeks to develop rural communities in all aspects. With 80 members, the Xaibe Women's Group is divided into two sectors: agriculture and handicraft. Yesterday when we visited the Village of Xaibe we found the latter part of the group busy with their hands. Hipolito Novelo-Reporting Women living in rural communities often have to seek job opportunities in urban areas, but for some women that is not an option due to certain inconveniences such as age, level of education and family. So, other avenues have emerged including the creation of women's groups. Women tend to find it quite easy learning specific skills from other women. And that is exactly what the Xaibe Women's Group caters for; revolutionize the role of women by teaching its members how to be independent. LOVE TV Unidentified body found on the Boom-Hattieville road There are reports of a body being found in Hattieville today. Love TV's Marion Ali and video journalist Myles Gillett were at the scene and file the following report. Concerns over bar room pollution in San Pedro town Bar rooms are a dime a dozen these days. And one community is raising concerns. Love TV's Maria Novelo reports from San Pedro town. University of Belize hosts research conference The University of Belize today hosted an important conference in Belize City. Love TV's Natalie Novelo and video journalist Brian Castillo attended the function and bring you the following report. Toledo ready for Festival of Arts Preparations are underway for the Toledo Festival of Arts. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the details in the following report. Dangriga woman appeals for help to get heart transplant A family from the Stann Creek District is desperately in need of monetary assistance to have their loved one undergo a heart transplant. Twenty three year old Dangriga resident and single mother of two, Tarani Cacho was experiencing shortness of breath, pain in the chest area and difficulty sleeping, which led her to get a [...] Murder rate going up; minister says crime is down 2012 is four months old and while the murder rate has been on an upward spiral over the past weeks, crime overall is lower than the same period in 2011. That's according to Minister of Police, John Saldivar, who spoke with reporters this morning. Meanwhile, Saldivar says that already steps have been taken against [...] PlusTV BGYEA updates on Harmonyville and future plans The men of BGYEA appeared on Rise 'n' shine yesterday morning and had some comments and updates to offer to the vie... University of Belize hosts annual Earth Day Fair The University of Belize today hosted its Annual Earth Day fair. The end objective was to enlighten and convince th... CIBC welcomes submissions for 2012 Unsung Heroes It's that time of the year when once again, CIBC First Caribbean Bank is putting out its notice for submission of n... FFB anchors FIFA Grassroots Coaching Course Twenty five men and three women from across the country will be participating in six day training course entitled F... Police raid leads to the arrest of five Police made several arrests after they conducted a search at #4439 Peter Seco Street, in Belize City on Tuesday (Ap... Amandala in the hotseat after teen's suicide report Teresita Vivas of Belize City reported that on 16th April, at 3:45pm she found her granddaughter Alicia Vivas, a 17... UB officiates Student Research Conference UB hosts its second annual student research conference. The Faculty, Staff and Students of Management and Social Sc... MOH sends pharmaceutical product for health testing The Ministry of Health have received reports concerning the sale of a pharmaceutical product being marketed as "TLE... Nominations open for Belize Public Service Awards On June 23rd, Belize in solidarity with countries around the world celebrates the United Nations Public Service Day... Police discover marijuana field Corozal Police were busy in Chunox yesterday (April 18). They conducted a drug operation about 3 miles southeast of... The Guardian Truce Not Derailed by a Few! There has been a significant spike in crime and violence in the month of April. The month also saw the bloodiest weekend in a very long time. Shooting incidents in the city are back to pre-truce rates and the sense of security is once again falling. This has caused the question to arise: "Is the truce over?" The answer to that question is complex. A truce is a temporary suspension of hostilities through an agreement between opposing sides. It is a period in which peace terms should be discussed and explored. The survival of the truce depends on the parties involved in the agreement. If the question asks whether or not violence is on the rise again in Belize then the answer is yes. However, if the question really is whether or not the truce is over then the answer is definitely not. The truce program is an agreement between rival gang members and the Government of Belize. The gang members have accepted government's outstretched hands and put down their guns. In turn, government provides employment and developmental opportunities for them. The success of the truce is felt greatest in the Queen Square division where gang violence is almost nil. Young men are now engaged in productive activities that improve the infrastructure of their community. Neighbours hang out again and children play in their yards. Job Creation and Infrastructural Development - Growing the Economy the UDP Way!!! An investment in infrastructure is an investment in job creation. To combat the global economic crisis, the Government of Belize has focused its resources on infrastructural development projects. Major projects are being executed in every municipality of the country. In Belize City, four major projects are currently on stream. The Fort Point Pedestrian Walk Project, which falls under the Sustainable Tourism Project, is moving along quite smoothly. Memorial Park is being transformed into a multi-functional public space for special events, recreation and leisure activities. It will include the renovation of the war memorial and inclusion of plaques of honour and ceremonial features. The landscape will be improved with 1 acre of green space. The bandstand will be renovated and a shaded walkway will be constructed around the park. Unregistered Phone Numbers Will be Disconnected In the interest of national security, the government used the Telecommunications Act Edition 2002, section 44 (5) to issue a mandate to the telecommunications companies in Belize on October 12, 2011. The order was simple. All cellular phone numbers must be registered to an owner within six months' time. On April 12, that six-month window closed and the government has ordered the companies to terminate all unregistered accounts but not before a three month extension period passes. A "deadline" has been extended once again and procrastinators have another three months to register their cellular phone numbers. However, a disconnection order has been issued for the first time since cellular phone registration became mandatory. All unregistered cellular phone accounts will be disconnected as of noon Friday, July 13. The benefits of being able to link a number with a name are numerous but the most immediate need for phone registration is to deter or delay criminal activity. It is a known fact that many criminals use cell phones to set up hits and orchestrate other crimes. When there is evidence that a cell phone was used in the committal of a crime, investigators can use the number of the cell phone and trace it to a name. Cricket, Cash, and Country Reasoning and writing as a West Indian academic, I believe to my brittle bones that the crisis of West Indies cricket performance is first and foremost a crisis of political governance and intellectual disenchantment. It takes the obvious form of player-employer conflict, and is expressed in public acrimony about the role and legitimacy of the WICB. Political leaders have rightly been called to participate behind closed doors, and some have commented assertively on the team selection process. But, wearing the hat with which I write, I am not satisfied that we have cooked the cookie. Cops Robbed Drunk in Police Station On Monday, April 16, Special Constable John Myvett appeared in the Magistrates Court to answer to a charge of theft. According to police reports, 34-year-old Ronel Rivero of Belmopan City sought refuge at the Queen Street Police Station at about 4 a.m. on Saturday, April 14, after a night of partying. He had close to a thousand dollars cash on him and it was a couple hours before the first bus left Belize City. He did not want to get rob and decided to kill time at the only place he felt safe, the police station. According to Rivero, a sergeant instructed him to clear out his pocket to make sure that he had nothing illegal on him. Rivero had over a thousand dollars on him and the sergeant told him to put it back in his pocket and that he could sit on the bench until it was time to leave. Teenager Accused of Shooting at Cops Turns Himself In Police had been looking for 17-year-old Ernesto Bernardez for almost two weeks before he turned himself in on Sunday, April 15. Bernardez was wanted for shooting a police officer while on duty in Caye Caulker. Police Constable John Valerio was on patrol near the Caye Caulker Municipal Airstrip on Monday, April 2, when he saw Bernardez entering the terminal. Valerio knew that Bernardez was wanted in connection with the robbery of PC Ian Wagner's 9 mm pistol which occurred on April 1. He decided to apprehend the suspect. Bus as soon as Valerio approached Bernardez he resisted arrest and the two got into a struggle. Bernardez managed to get a hold of Valerio's gun and fired a shot at him before fleeing the scene. The shot grazed Valerio's head. He was treated for his injury and released from the hospital the following day but remain on leave to recover. Dean Smith charged with Possession of Counterfeit Notes On Saturday, April 14, 34-year-old Dean Smith of #33 Partridge Street went to a city store with a $20 counterfeit note. Police were called by the owner of the store and Smith was arrested after police investigation revealed that the $20 note was a fake. He was charged with possession of a counterfeit note. He appeared in Court on Monday, April 16, and pled guilty to the offense. He told the Chief Magistrate that he had just sold a tennis shoe and the person paid him with the $20 currency. Smith was sentenced to one month in prison. 69-Year-Old and Her Son-In-Law convicted of Drug Possesion At about 3 p.m. on October 27, 2011, officers of the Gang Suppression Unit visited the home of Deon Wright located at #2 Nurse White Street in Belize City. Inside, they found 69-year-old Dellis Mariano and Rodleisha Colliard sitting inside a chair. The officers presented their search warrant and searched the house. In one of the rooms, they found a huge parcel folded in a brown blanket with 13 pounds of cannabis. Mariano, Colliard, Wright and his wife Kissy Wright were arrested for the drugs. The charges against Colliard and Kissy Wright were dropped. Mayor Simeon Lopez President of Mayors' Association The Belize Mayors Association had its post-elections meeting on Tuesday, April 16th, 2012, at the Belize City Hall conference room. A new Executive was elected for the year 2012-2013. Mayor Simeon Lopez from the City of Belmopan was elected as President. The new Vice President is Mayor Darrell Bradley from Belize City. Mayor Daniel Guerrero of San Pedro Town was elected as Secretary of the Association and the Treasurer is Mayor Kevin Bernard of Orange Walk Town. City Council Hands Over Boots to Belize Fire Service On Wednesday, April 18, the Belize City Council handed over 10 fire fighter boots to the Belize Fire Service. In a brief ceremony at the fire station on Slaughter House Road, Councilor Phillip Willoughby stated that the Council is proud to be able to make such a donation to the dedicated and hard working force. He explained that the donation is made possible through the Council's sister city relationship with Berrien Springs, Michigan of the United States. The boots were first donated to the Council on Monday, March 26, by Andrews University in Berrien Springs. Choto Demonstrates Potential of Belizean Youths!!! Giovanni Choto is today a household name in Belize. To Belizeans, he is much more than a cycling champion. He is family, welcomed in every home. Choto saved the sport of cycling and did so while riding with an entire nation on his back. He is our hero and on Thursday, April 12, that hero had his well-earned pay day at an appreciation ceremony held by the Ministry of Sports for him and other cyclists that performed well in the 84th Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. UDP Preparing for Bi-elections in Chan-Chen, Corozal and San Antonio, Toledo On Monday, April 16, the United Democratic Party held a meeting to nominate candidates for a bi-election in Chan-Chen Village of the Corozal District. The meeting was called to order at 4:30 in the afternoon and 112 UDP supporters attended. Chan-Chen is located in the Corozal North Constituency and Hon. Hugo Patt, Area Representative, observed the nomination process. David Akierman assisted with logistics and at the end of the meeting Leonardo Jesus Hall was nominated unanimously to be the party's candidate for village chairman and Angelica Sarita Ek was nominated to run for councillor. The outgoing Chairman is from the People's United Party, who won the post by 27 votes. The outgoing councillor won by 34 votes. There are approximately 430 voters in Chan-Chen Village and the elections will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 6th. Telemedia opens on right foot in women's softball The 78th Belize City Senior Women's Softball Competition opened on Wednesday April 11, 2012, at Rogers Stadium, the home of softball in Belize. On Monday April 16, newly crowned marathon champions Mirage Lady Rebels blasted the Hurricanes by the score of 19 to 1 in four innings. The Hurricanes, behind the pitching of Kira Arnold, was able to hold the big bats of Mirage Lady Rebels for 2 1/3 innings before it erupted for 11 runs in the top of the 3rd inning. Mirage Lady Rebels then added another 8 runs in the top of the 4th inning for the win. The performance of Hurricanes young pitcher Kira Arnold was not reflected in the score as her teammates committed an astounding 5 errors behind her in her pitching debut. Arnold was also beset by her own wildness and inexperience. She did walk 9 batters, hit two, struck out 5 and gave up 11 hits in the process. Police United and the Belize Defence Force are Top Teams in Premier League Football The regular season of the Premier League of Belize Football Competition has come to an end. On Sunday April 15, at the San Pedro Municipal Stadium in San Pedro Town, the host team San Pedro Seadogs blanked the visiting San Felipe Barcelona by the score of 4-0 to deny it a spot in the playoff round. The goals for the San Pedro Seadogs were scored by Jesse Smith in the 27th and 78th minutes of play, Francisco Mejia in the 61st minute of play and Ethnie Figueroa in the 84th of play. At the People's Stadium in Orange Walk Town, FC Belize edged the home team, Juve Last edited by Marty; 11/17/12 10:14 AM.

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Subject	Posted By	Posted
Today's Belize News: April 20, 2012	Marty	04/20/12 02:02 PM
Re: Today's Belize News: April 20, 2012	Marty	04/20/12 02:03 PM