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Specials and Events

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


The San Pedro Sun

Farewell: Paul Nabor- A Belizean Cultural Icon
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) expresses its sincerest condolences to the family, friends and fans of the greatest Parandero, Mr. Paul Nabor. While we are saddened by the news of his passing, we join the rest of the country to recognize and celebrate Nabor's achievements and contributions to Belize's music industry. Usually seen with his guitar, Paul Nabor shared the Garifuna culture through his music and teachings of Paranda. The instrumental and percussion-based soulful music helps to export the Garifuna culture, and, by extension, promotes Belize to the rest of the world. In 2011 and 2004, Paul Nabor was honoured for his contribution to culture and music at the 'Tribute to Belizean Patriots' with the Order of Distinction and Meritorious Service Award, respectively.

Verge of Umbra shoots music video for "The Meditation"
It's not often that one gets the opportunity to be in a music video, so when the invitation to join Verge of Umbra for a little filming came through, I was all over it. I mean, I made sure I got off the island and on the rooftop at Belize City's Bachelor Inn that Saturday, October 18th. Despite the connotation of the hotel's name, I'll have you know I was not about to sully my good reputation (ha!). In fact, when I showed up with my camera and over-excitement, the sight of two police officers assigned to keep an eye on things sobered me right up! Friends of the band members had begun gathering while the boys ran around putting the final touches on their spread: Belikin beer on tap, rum from Traveller's Liquors, and even a feast of rice and beans, yummy chicken and potato salad.

CABEI approves US$30 million credit to Belize
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), recently approved a loan for up to US$30 million to the Government of Belize for the execution of the Belize Integral Security Programme (BISP), initiative that is aligned to the Central American Security Strategy (ESCA for its Spanish translation). In this regard, the Executive President of CABEI, Dr. Nick Rischbieth indicated that this credit will support investments in infrastructure and equipment in Belizean institutions responsible for the security of the Belizean people.. The Belize Integral Security Programme is a part of the National Security Strategy promoted by the Government of Belize and in its first phase will focus on the rehabilitation of existing edifications, construction of new civil works and equipment provision for the Belize Police Department, Belize Defence Force, Belize Coast Guard and National Forensic Science Services.

Preparations are underway for the 2014 Holiday Lighted Boat Parade
The San Pedro Business Association (SPBA) has started preparations for the 2014 Holiday Lighted Boat Parade. In 2013, due to lack of community support and boats participating, the annual event was canceled. The boat parade is iconic to the island, however, and as such, the SPBA is hoping to garner sufficient interest and support to carry out the event this year. With the official date set for December 6th, the boat parade is set to follow the same route as previous years. Beautifully lit boats will take off from the Boca del Rio Area, moving southwards to Caribbean Villas the turning back to Central Park. During the boat parade, events will also be simultaneously taking place in Central Park. There will be several booths available for the sale of food, drinks and gift items. As well, SPBA is planning on having a Christmas Carol Competition for the primary schools in the island.

Ambergris Today

Miss San Pedro Michelle Nu�ez Works on Empowering Women
Miss San Pedro 2014, Miss Michelle Nu�ez recently became a member of the On Eagles Wings Ministries (OEWM) whose members are frequent visitors of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. OEWM works hand in hand with Miss Alexis Guerrero, present counselor at San Pedro High School, by assisting her with presentations and workshops dealing with sensitive issues such as sexual abuse and human trafficking, amongst other topics. Below is a report written by Michelle in which she shares her experience in meeting these great people and how she, as a public figure, helped spread awareness of their mission in San Pedro. Miss San Pedro Joins On Eagles Wings Ministries "On October 19, 2014, I was invited to an amazing dinner at Ramon's Village and met such wonderful people. I knew I couldn't miss this opportunity to get to know the non-profit organization On Eagles Wings Ministries. It all started on September 10, 2014, when I was crowned as the official Miss San Pedro 2014-2015. I had a short conversation with Alexis Guerrero, I told her how much it meant to me to reach out to the young ladies who have been victims of sexual abuse or lack self esteem, since that topic hits home to me. Alexis Guerrero is the present counselor at San Pedro High School.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Five pups , and two bedraggled kittens
Help... when it rains it pours. Five pups , and two bedraggled kittens. Needing good home for the kittens, please contact Linda Searle at Sea Sports, BHSAS will assist with deworm, vacs and sterilizations. Gorgeous kitties.... at least they are now safe from the rain, thank god. Thank you Linda, for stepping up to the plate, each and every time. And here they are 2 rescued kittens from a roundabout along northern foreshore in Belize City. They are eating on their own and are now napping. PLease contact me if you can adopt one or two or both, asap.

Mangrove Reforestation
Mangrove reforestation training is underway at TIDE. Bob Riley from Mangrove.org arrived yesterday to help us reforest Abalone Caye. Most people have heard of mangroves; a remarkable tree species that can live and flourish in salt environments. Many have even seen them; a mass of trees spreading from land into the sea, existing in an area known as the intertidal zone of oceans or rivers. But do you know how important they are for our ecosystems? They provide habitats for fish, crab, shrimp, oysters, barnacles and birds sponges and their roots are sheltered and act as nurseries. They reduce coastal erosion by trapping sediment and they increase employment to fishers and tour guides across the world. They provide a lifeline and a lifecycle for so many species on our planet. Yet today, we are facing crisis along our coastlines because mangroves are being deforested leaving land open to the elements and erosion. TIDE itself is facing this problem. After building our marine ranger station on Abalone Caye, the island has rapidly eroded. Over the past few years we have been adding a rock barrier, however the erosion is still occuring and the situation has now reached a critical level!

E-course Announcement, Government of Belize Press Office
Introduction to Water Diplomacy

Chikungunya Song from Jamaica - Wayne J
Gobhealth Belize shared a catchy tune on ChikV done by a Jamaican artist. Check it out!

Unique Belize
The Making Tourism Benefits Communities Adjacent to Archeological Sites (MTBCAAS) Project is proud to announce the official launch of its "Unique Belize" artisan programme. The launch took place over two days, October 22 and 23, 2014, at the Ramada Belize City Princess in Belize City. The event included the launch of the Unique Belize Brand and the exhibition of the first Unique Belize artisan product line. The Unique Belize artisan programme was made possible through The Government of Belize with counterpart funding from the European Union via the Belize Rural Development Programme 2 (BRDP 2). Unique Belize is a standardization, certification, and branding programme aimed at helping Belizean artisans working at or near to nine archeological sites in the country to promote their work in the local and international marketplace and to help consumers to identify and purchase authentic Belizean artwork.

Goliath Grouper Dissection
Wednesday we received an exciting call from a local fishermen here in San Pedro. He had successfully caught a Goliath grouper (also called Jewfish, scientific name: Epinephelus itajara) and asked if we would like to collect samples. Of course we jumped at the opportunity! Ivy Baremore, our Technical Coordinator, collected tissue samples and pectoral fin clips, identified the sex, and extracted both otoliths (ear stones). Through closer inspection, we learned that the Goliath Grouper had several crabs for lunch, was a mature male, and had an interesting, but rather creepy, case of parasitic worms.

Murder in Margaritaland
Somewhere in the tropics between the Port of Indecision and South West of Disorder, you'll find that murder meets mayhem, and the intrigue begins! While most vacation at Margaritaland - an exclusive tropical resort - to get away from their troubles, for one unfortunate soul, it will mean the end of their travels altogether. At the resort, the guilty will mingle among the guests and everyone will be left with the task of deciphering between the facts and falsehoods that plague this paradise, in order to make the killer pay for their crime. Included in the USD$85 admission is a glass of wine or one of our signature cocktails, a three course menu including conch fritters, quinoa salad, garlic lobster & jungle ribs & creme br�l�e. Plus, special prizes for those who guess the killer correctly!

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT'S ONLINE LICENSING SYSTEM
Government of Belize Press Office

Hasta La media Noche musical concert
We are excited to share with you the new day for the "Hasta La media Noche" musical concert!! Mark your calendars for the 8th Nov 2014 7:00pm @ the Corozal Central Park! Don't miss this great evening featuring Mexican Group Bernakoolo and Corozal's very best Caribbean Roots!

EXPOFER CHETUMAL 2014
Sunday October 26th will be celebrated as "Belizean Night" at the grounds. According to the organizers, the program of events will continue with or without rain. We note some of our own Belizean Artists will be performing. See you at the EXPOFER 2014!

Dance X BZ 2014!!!
November 26th - 30th - Bliss Centre

"TRICICLO ROJO"- Clown Dance Company from Mexico City.
The Embassy of Mexico presents "TRICICLO ROJO"- Clown Dance Company from Mexico City. Saturday, 25 October @ 5PM Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts FREE ENTRANCE. DON'T MISS IT!!

GONE TO THE PROMISE LAND: THE MUSICAL LEGEND THAT WAS PROF DRUMMOND!
The musical legend that is Prof Drummond in a striking pose during one of his appearances at the Lord Rhaburn Musical Awards in Belize City. Coming soon on Belizean Legend---a entertaining exclusive on the man who wrote the book in Belizean Balladeer performances.

Channel 7

Two Cases in Belmopan Positive for Chik-V, Not Dengue
Two of the four suspected cases of Chikungunya in the Belmopan area have come back positive for Dengue - which has health authorities ruling out Chik-V in both cases. That's the case of the sisters from Las Flores who went to a private clinic in Belmopan and one of them tested positive for Chik-V, but on a quick test which is not approved by CARPHA, the regional testing headquarters in Trinidad. When their samples were tested at the Central Medial Lab in Belize on a CARPAHA approved test, they both tested positive for dengue, and once that appears, no further test for chikungunya is performed. That leaves two more cases -both women from the Flores area of Belmopan who tested positive Chikungunya in El Salvador earlier in the year - returned to Belize, and started showing symptoms here. In the first case - her sample has been sent to CARAPHA in Trinidad - and the result is expected next week. In the other case, health authorities are still doing an active investigation on the ground - but have not yet collected a sample - because they are not getting full cooperation.

Caracol Re-opens
Next week Monday the Caracol Archaeological Site will re-open 4 weeks and 4 days after it was closed,. By now, you are very aware that the site was closed because Special Constable Danny Conorquie was killed while on duty. He was targeted and executed while he was looking after tourists. Since then, law enforcement and military personnel have been on a high level of activation in and around the site, especially since there was an armed incursion around Camp Valentin shortly after the murder. But, Caracol is one of the major tourist destinations in the Cayo District, and addressing the security concerns meant that no tours were going to the maya site. Those security concerns have now been addressed with a permanent BDF presence on the ground, and today, NICH's Director of Archaeology, Dr. John Morris outlined the new security measures that are in place:

TD 9 Inundates Belize
Tropical depression number 9 passed over Belize last night into early this morning. The remains of the tropical depression are now near the lower Yucatan coast and they will slowly shift east and south through the weekend. The main impact from this system will be heavy rain over Central America- but according to our Chief Met Officer, there will be a cold front crossing over Belize early tomorrow morning that will break it up. Dennis Gonguez - Chief Met Officer "Tropical Depression #9 formed in the Bay of Campeche couple days ago and moved across the Yucatan Peninsula as it cross the land mass of Yucatan Peninsula it weakened and during the course of last night and this morning the remains of tropical depression #9 cross Belize and hence the increment weather conditions that we had yesterday and earlier this morning. The remains of tropical depression #9 continue moving eastwards, however, there is a cold front that's entering the Yucatan Peninsula tonight and eventually crossing Belize before dawn tomorrow. Cold air from this cold front will wrap around into the remnants of tropical depression #9 and that will impede its redevelopment for a couple of days and subsequent to that the cold front will lie on Sunday evening near to the northeastern Honduras and the remnants of tropical depression #9 will also be at the tail end of the cold front at near northeastern Honduras.

Bail For Alleged Drug Trafficker
Tonight, 38 year-old Axel Fuentes, a fisherman from Ranchito Village, who was busted with about half a million dollars in cocaine, is out on bail after being imprisoned for 5 weeks. His attorney, Dickey Bradley, took an application before Justice Herbert Lord today, and asked the court to grant Fuentes bail for the charges against him. After considering the submissions from both Bradley and Crown Counsel Linbert Willis, Justice Lord granted Fuentes bail of $50,000, with the usual conditions that he must hand over his travel documents and report to police weekly until his case is complete.

Guat. Found Dead in Belize River
On Tuesday we told you about the 3 Guatemalans who were shot at in the Clarissa Falls area off the Benque road. One was shot to the thigh, the other apparently escaped over to Melchor, while the other was reportedly shot to the neck but his body could not be found. Well, his body was found yesterday lying face down in the Mopan river about 500 meters from the Calla Creek Bridge. His body was identified by his brother Elmer Salazar as 22 year old Rudy Leonel Salazar. A Post Mortem Examination was conducted this morning and the cause of death was asphyxiation by drowning; there were also apparent gunshot wounds to his neck and upper back. Police believe the shooter was a Guatemalan�

Alleged School Burglar Remanded Without Bail
Police say that he broke into a school, and so tonight, 21 year-old Gary Clark is at the Belize Central Prison. The incident happened between last week Friday and Monday of this week. Someone broken into the St. Agnes Anglican Primary School in La Democracia village and stole a Dell laptop, $730 in cash, and 36 batteries. The culprit gained entry into the principal's office by prying open the door of the standard 6 classroom, which is adjacent to it. Police investigated the report and charged Clark with burglary. He was arraigned today before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart, who remanded him to prison on the strength of the grounds from the Prosecution. According to the police prosecutor, the offence has become prevalent in the La Democracia area, and that Clarke may try to tamper with their evidence gathering process.

Who will Replace Mahmud?
For the past few nights we've been reporting on Joseph Mahmud, the PUP Representative for Cayo North. He's not going to offer himself for the next election - which is a blow to the PUP, since his replacement will probably face an uphill battle - being that Cayo North has historically been a UDP stronghold. So, who will replace him? Well, PUP sources tell 7news that the party has reached out to attorney Michel Chebat. Chebat is originally a Cayo native - who lives and works in Belize City. It would be an interesting choice for the PUP, as Chebat has gained prominence as an attorney for the Catholic Church - and last appeared in the injunction agaiNst the reggae performer Alkaline. But we are told the Chebat interest only at the initial stages - and we could not reach him for comment.

SIF Says Dangriga May Get Streets
The Dangriga Market - for the Barrow Administration, it's like one of those wounds that just won't heal. SIF did its best to stitch it up - but yesterday the Dangriga Mayor tore it back open - and left it to fester in public view. One of the Mayor's principal lines of attack is that when the contract for the market had to be re-negotiated with a new contractor, it cost four hundred thousand dollars more - money that was taken away from the town's overall disbursement from the Belize Municipal Development Project. And so the mayor argues that the town lost when the first contract for 1.4 million dollars with Kennard Smart's company fell apart. And that loss means fewer paved streets. We asked the SIF project manager about it:.. Ernest Raymond, Project Supervisor - SIF "It is not a situation where $400,000 was removed from one project to complete another project. We operate on the basis of an allocation for each town council and there is an overall budget for the project. In that regard, as we see it presently there is still the likelihood of the Dangriga municipality getting their two streets; Gasbi Ramos and Trucking Boulevard. When this project was first put to bid, it is interesting for you to note and to know that the highest bidder for this project was 3 million dollars at that time you know. We had bids at 3 million, 2.1 million and 1.4 million and in this case K & G Smart was awarded the contract for 1.4 million after meeting all the conditions."

PG Mayor Complaining About SIF Too
And while the mayor of Dangriga has a well-sharpened axe to grind with the Social Investment Fund - the Mayor of Punta Gorda town also threw a blow yesterday. Mayor Anthony Fuentes says that SIF refurbished his council's municipal office and administration building for nearly half a million dollars - and the building is already leaking. He explained:.. Anthony Fuentes, Mayor - Punta Gorda Town "The amount of money $416,000 was spent and there are already some defects on that particular building in Punta Gorda Town." Jules Vasquez "Really, so has this been reported to SIF? Have they indicated if they can remedy it?" Anthony Fuentes, Mayor - Punta Gorda Town "They have one year for the defects and one year have passed already, so we are left to maintain that particular building. Yes there is more needs to be done by the Social Investment Fund to ensure that the monies invested on these buildings - we get value for money."

Dangriga Mayor Leaving Politics
And while the Punta Gorda Mayor is putting in his political points, you could say Dangriga Mayor Gilbert Swaso is doing it purely for either the principle or the pleasure of inflicting political blows. That's because he's not running for mayor again. Swaso did not contest the PUP's municipal convention where he would have faced a challenge. We asked him why:.. Jules Vasquez "We are told that you are not running because they wanted you to face a convention when none of the elected representative face a convention. So it wasn't fair. Why aren't you running again?" Gilbert Swazo, Mayor - Dangriga "Well, I stand on principle and I've also decided that on a personal note that I will not continue within the political field. I am of the firm view that the type of politics that has been perpetrated within the country is very much perpetrated in a culture of dependency."

Dangriga Mayor's Pvt. Business Venture Went Belly Up
And so while he's through with politics for the time being - he remains a public official and one that had to endure some public scrutiny recently when a call center that he co owned went belly up - and left owing debts to workers and suppliers. We asked the mayor about the demise of "Wafagua Easy Call" Jules Vasquez "I am told it failed and that people were left unpaid and they had to go to you." Gilbert Swazo, Mayor - Dangriga "Okay, I certainly as a partner in the call center business. What we are doing it to get ourselves reorganized and we will commence operations very shortly. Whatever shortcomings will be rectified certainly and we will bring jobs to this municipality." Jules Vasquez "However, did the original Nigerian investors abscond and leave you holding the bag?" Gilbert Swazo, Mayor - Dangriga "They are still available here in Dangriga and certainly we continue to dialogue. We still remain a team and as I said we are getting ourselves reorganized."

Police Look To Dealer For Clues In Stolen Hilux Pickups
Yesterday, we told you about how Belmopan Police managed to recover a government owned Toyota Hilux pickup that had been stolen. The Hilux belongs to the Department of Archaeology, and just like the other 4, it was parked in front of the department's headquarters in Belmopan. Just like the others, someone simply jumped in and drove off with it, but by a stroke of good fortune, one of the employees saw the vehicle as it leave the parking lot, and realized that none of the authorized drivers were behind the wheel. Today, the Director of the Institute of Archaeology told us more: Dr. John Morris, Director - Institute of Archeology "There were several vehicles in the parking lot and in fact two vehicles were being loaded to go to one to Lamanai and one to Caracol and we were in the process of putting in supplies in those vehicles that we take to those sites and this fellow just walk off the street on the Ring Road and he got into one of the vehicles. He used a key to get into the vehicle and fortunately for us one of our officers were coming down the stairs with his load of stuff to put in the vehicle and he saw the vehicle driving off and then he said wait a sec, the other guy who us driving the vehicle is upstairs and he turn around and went back up and check and yes the other guy was upstairs and he said somebody drove off in your vehicle and that is how we realize that somebody had stolen the vehicle.

Belmopanan Police Cleaning Up Recreation Area
And while Belmopan police are trying hard to crack that case, they are also working on providing safety for area residents on recreation. In August we told you how a family was held up in the Riviera area of Belmopan - which is a riverside spot outside of the city. Well, police got the area cleaned up so there's less room for criminals to lurk:.. Ins. Andrea Grinage, Deputy Commander - Belmopan "People would come to the Riviera area to swim on maybe a Saturday or a Sunday and then they would be robbed. What we had notice the OC and myself had come down here and notice that the area was really bushy and we had liaised with the KOLBE Foundation and had gotten 15 inmates to come and assist us in clearing out this area. We had observed that the area was bushy so they were hiding in the bushes and the persons swimming could not readily see them. We would still like the people in the area coming to swim to take precautions, have their vehicle lock properly - don't display any valuable items in your vehicles - to help us in combating these crimes."

Hon. Espat (Toledo West) Says New Schools Create New Needs
Last week - SIF and the Ministry of Education opened up two school buildings in the remote reaches of the Toledo District, namely Aguacate and Corazon. These are villages with new school buildings, providing major relief for school children who in the past would have to travel hours by road just to get to school. But Toledo East representative Mike Espat said that there are some unintended consequences. He said the presence of a school has forced some of the children's parents to go work in the banana industry just to pay their children's fees. He explained:.. Hon. Mike Espat, PUP Toledo East "What high school has done to them is put a lot more expenditure that they did not have before, so now they have to go look for a job and now you also have kids going to UB which takes the price up a lot higher." Jules Vasquez "Sir, but it's not that you are opposed to the education?" Hon. Mike Espat, PUP Toledo East "We can't, we came out of the classroom. I spent 17 years of my life in a classroom, so why would I be opposed to it?"

Meeting WTO Standards
For the past 5 days, all the government agencies involved in trade have been participating in workshop for Trade Facilitation Need Assessment. As a member of the World Trade Organization, Belize has to ensure that the trade apparatus being used is compatible with the rest of the WTO members. The main goal of the assessment was to determine if the country is ready to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, which was approved by the Trade Ministers for all the members in Indonesia in November 2013. Now, it might sound like boring talk-shop to you, but the technocrats say it is needed to streamline trade. Today, the Director of Foreign Trade explained what the assessment has revealed so far about the weakness in the system: Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Director of Trade "One of first things we need to work with is to get the legislations in place. If it's in draft form, then we have to make sure that it becomes move from draft and be enacted because some of these things require legislation in order for Customs and the other entities to do what they need to do.

PACT Gives Grants
Yesterday the Protected Areas Conservation Trust awarded 5 co-management organizations with grants totaling about 1.2 million dollars. These grants will fund projects that will strengthen the conservation of protected areas in Belize. Acting Executive Director, Kerry Belisle discussed the importance of these grants to PACT's continued effort in preserving these areas for future generations. Kerry Belisle, Acting Executive Director - PACT "I think we can then all agree that our grantees today should stand especially proud that their continued diligence and commitment to protected areas has earned them a place in today's award of almost 1.2 million dollars. But at PACT we understand our job is far from done and perhaps today more importantly commemorates just another step in the journey and a longer and even more audacious path. The path to achieving a sustainably funded and optimally functioning protected area system."

All Smiles For Dental Health
Today marks the end of Dental health week and to conclude the activities the Ministry of Health held a Dental Health Fair today at the Central Health Region Compound under the theme "Belizeans Big-up your smile, it reflects your style." It was all about educating the students about developing good cleansing habits to prolong the strength and health of teeth and gums. Courtney Weatherburne found out more:.. Courtney Weatherburne reporting Everybody wants a clean mouth and a bright smile but many people don't take the necessary steps to keep their mouth clean. So the health department held a Dental Health Fair today to reinforce dental health best practices Dr. Raphael Samos, Senior Dental Surgeon, Ministry of health "Dental Week is celebrated countrywide under the theme "Belizeans big up your smile, it reflects your style." It sound catchy right. It's a week of awareness that we do countrywide. Each region has their own sets of activity that they carry out from tooth brushing drills to radio talk shows, give out incentive gifts and the idea is to create awareness of the importance of dental and oral hygiene."

Mexican Clown Troupe Visits
The Embassy of Mexico is inviting all Belizean children to the Bliss Center this weekend to enjoy a presentation by the theater clown company -"Triciclo Rojo." The group of dancers and clowns will be integrating dance, juggling, animation and music in a play called -The Basin Poet- which tells the story of a wandering knight who is always looking for small miracles to restore people's faith in their dreams. Sounds like quite a show and today we caught up with the clowns to get more on it. Triciclo Rojo will be presented on at 5:00 pm at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. Admission is free and open to the public.

Remembering "Nabi"...
It's been two days now since 86 year-old musical Legend, Paul Nabor passed away, but still, the list of persons wishing to acknowledge his importance has not come to an end. Today, the National Garifuna Council released a statement reminding that Nabor's influence was international. His music was influential in spreading Garifuna culture to the rest of the world, and today the NGC lamented his loss. Indeed, as one of the most influential musicians performing in the paranda genre, Nabor ascended to iconic status. We've been doing a deep dig through our archives, to remember Nabor. Here's what we found: Jules Vasquez reporting Did you ever see him touch the stage? Did you ever see him dance? Deseree Diego, Performed with Nabor "I will tell you that everybody who knows Paul and who see him on stage, the moves that he has - that's what draw the crowd and I know everybody would want to remember him just showing off on stage." This is how the crowd reacted at "Y-Not Island" in 2007 just at the opening chords of Naguya Nei...

PROFILE...
Tonight's I AM Belize Profile features inspirational teacher Fiona Huang, who lived most of her life in Taiwan. While there, she nursed a secret dream to be a teacher, but she didn't get her opportunity to act on it until they moved to Belize when her husband retired. Tonight, she tells the profile how she had to overcome culture shock and the language barrier so she could teach art:

Channel 5

No Official Assistance for Benque Accident Victim
On August sixteenth, Benque resident Yanie Cu was driving Yolanda Valencia to the market in San Ignacio when they collided into a vehicle driven by Deputy Commission of Police Miguel [...]

Yanie Cu Needs Your Help
Yanie Cu left a bill of eleven thousand quetzales in Guatemalan and he will need to return there for therapy and more treatment. So far, with a complete lack of [...]

P.U.P. Did Not Sign Hunting Caye Contract
The political jousting between Dangriga Mayor Gilbert Swaso and Junior Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Santiago Castillo, during the opening of the Dangriga market on Thursday was a fiery [...]

The General Remembers the Consummate Parandero
The passing of extraordinary Parandero, Paul Nabor, earlier this week continues to resonate across the country.� His death has undoubtedly created a vacuum within the ranks of esteemed Belizean musicians.� [...]

Reflecting on a Musical Legend
Well-known music promoter, Barbara Noralez, also shared past experiences with Paul Nabor, her fondest being a visit to the late buyei's temple in Punta Gorda Town.� According to Noralez, they [...]

Belizeans Prepare to Say Goodbye to Paul Nabor
Paul Nabor's daughter, Marie, arrived in Punta Gorda today via Guatemala so funeral arrangements for the Paranda great will be finalized over the weekend when a delegation led by representatives [...]

Caracol Reopens on Monday
It has been a month since the horrible execution of Danny Conorquie at the Caracol Archaeological Site. The murder triggered the closing of the site to visitors, both local and [...]

Murdered Guatemalan Found in the Mopan River
The body of a Guatemalan male was found floating in the Mopan River near Calla Creek at around eleven Thursday morning. It has since been identified as that of twenty-two [...]

Another P.U.P. Candidate Departs the Big Blue Tent
Earlier this week, it was announced that P.U.P. Cayo North Area Representative Joseph Mahmud will not be seeking reelection in 2017.� While Mahmud has cited personal reasons for not contesting [...]

Musa Says G.O.B. Spending of Venezuelan Money is Irresponsible
While we were with the former prime minister, we also broached the issue of the two hundred and twenty-eight million dollar PetroCaribe loan. The Opposition is challenging the management of [...]

Court Hears Bail Applications
  As many as fifteen bail applications were lodged before the Supreme Court today and a number of persons were successful in being granted bail by Judge Herbert Lord. Included [...]

Belize City Man Remanded for Assault on Minor
A fifty-five year old man is tonight on remand at the Belize Central Prison where he will remain for the next seven weeks. Austin Gotoy was before the court today [...]

Weekend Looks to Be Cold and Wet
We are a little over thirty days away from the end of the Hurricane Season for 2014, but this time of the year is when the Caribbean is most active [...]

Musa Says P.U.P. Supports Call for 13th Senator
The appointment of a thirteenth senator to represent the N.G.O. community remains an unfulfilled promise. Former Executive Director of SATIIM, Greg Ch'oc, was selected by the N.G.O.s, but his appointment [...]

MoH Celebrates Dental Health Week
Aside from preparing to deal with the Ebola virus and Chikungunya, the Ministry of Health this week has been building awareness on the importance of healthy teeth. Dental Health Week [...]

Mexican Embassy Hosts Clown Show at the Bliss
A cold front is forecasted for the weekend, but it doesn't mean you need to stay at home. The Embassy of Mexico is putting off a show at the Bliss [...]

Steadfast Masonic Lodge Turns 51
On Thursday, the Steadfast Masonic Lodge in Belize turned fifty-one years old.� While many describe the lodge as a secret and mysterious society, numerous high profile personalities are members. The [...]

Three Kings, a film capturing the essence and spirit of 3 extraordinary, cultural icons
Katia Paradis produced and directed the film, Three Kings, capturing the essence and spirit of three extraordinary men and cultural icons: Paul Nabor, Wilfred Peters and Florencio Mes.� Mes is [...]