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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

Lobster Cravings!
Oh how I love the sweet succulent splendor that is the Caribbean Spiny Lobster! Four months out of the year, I face the terrible sacrifice of going without my favorite lobster dishes. Of course, this is done to allow our Crustacean friends time to replenish their population and continue feeding our love for all that is lobster�.so I suffer silently. With only a couple weeks until the lobster season opens, I am already planning the myriad of delectable eats I am going to have! We all love the classics: grilled lobster, lobster kebabs, lobster dip, lobster sliders and so much more, but when you grow up in an island community, and your step-dad is a fisherman and your mom is a restaurant cook, the tasty treats you get to sample are like no other.

Caye Caulker incident
Our Reporters are in Caye Caulker following up on the story over the death of Hilberto Sotz. As reported before, two officers have been detained pending investigations. The San Pedro Sun spoke to Noel Leal, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Head of the Professional Standards Branch who has been tasked with the investigation into the matter. According to Leal, the postmortem examinations results, which should be available by the end of the day, will determine whether the two Caye Caulker Police officers will be prosecuted or released. "Investigations are well under way. We are currently reviewing every bit of information that is available to ensure that at no point the investigation is jeopardized. No rock will be left un-turned when it comes to figuring what really happened within the confines of the Caye Caulker Police Station

Island Watercolor Group launches exhibit at the San Pedro House of Culture
A benefit art show and sale is ongoing at the San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC), featuring watercolor works from six talented women. Organized in collaboration with the Island Watercolor Group, the event kicked off on Sunday, June 7th at 5PM. The colorful and unique pieces are all on sale, with proceeds benefiting a worthy cause: "Women in Need". Featured artists of the exhibit are Linda Kirk, Rose Escalante, Judy Sheinbaum, Susan Lala, Donna Richmond and Carolyn Price. Monies raised from the sale of the painting will go towards assisting women in need from across Ambergris Caye. The exhibit will be open for a couple of weeks, and everyone is invited to stop by for viewing or to purchase a piece. Those interested in viewing or purchasing the paintings can visit the SPHC on Angel Coral Street from 8AM to 5PM, on Monday to Friday.

Pedro's celebrated 60th birthday with a fundraising party
Peter "Pedro" Lawrence celebrated his 60th birthday by hosting a fundraising benefit on Sunday, June 7th at Amber Beach Bar & Grill located on the grounds of Caribbean Villas. The event saw a day of fun activities for the whole family, while raising funds for the San Pedro Sailing Club and the San Pedro Animal Foundation. After kicking off at 11:30AM, the celebration want well into the late evening, making the fundraiser was a huge success. Patrons arrived early to enjoy the musical vibes from The Mighty Cool J's, as well as partaking ofthe delicious eats available. Many indulged in the event's signature pig roast, while enjoying drink specials. There were lots of games and activities for the children, including free sailing lessons. Throughout the event, those in attendance had the opportunity to win great prizes through raffles and 50/50 draws. The highlight of the event was the silent auction, with close to 40 fabulous items up for bid.

Tiger Sharks are back-to-back NEBL Champions!
For the second year in a row, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks have claimed the National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) championship. The Tiger Sharks defeated the Cayo Western Ballaz in flawless best-out-of-three finals. In its two -year history of the NEBL, this is the biggest rivalry in the league; a clasico if you will! The San Pedro Tiger Sharks swept the 3-game series by winning the first two games and becoming the NEBL champions for this year's season. They remained with a perfect record at home with 19-0, and are back-to-back champions. The MVP honors went to Darwin "Puppy" Leslie, who averaged 22.5 points/game, 4.5 rebound, and 3 steals per game.

The Belize Police Department responds to Incident in Caye Caulker
The Belize Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends grieving the loss of Mr. Hilberto Sotz who was detained by the police in Caye Caulker and subsequently died unexpectedly. The Commissioner of Police takes this opportunity to assure the family as well as the citizenry that an expeditious, thorough and transparent criminal, as well as internal investigation is presently underway and any evidence of wrong doing will be promptly dealt with. The outcome of those investigations will be made public at the earliest. Information gathered to date is that on Monday June 8, 2015 at 11:50 am, 18-year-old Hilberto Sotz of Bahia Puesto Del Sol, Caye Caulker Village was detained at Caye Caulker police station pending investigation into a series of burglaries. Sometime around 5:00pm, while being interviewed, he reportedly started complaining of chest pain and had difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the poly clinic for medical treatment where he passed away. Unfortunately, this situation led to concern villagers who surrounded the Poly clinic and the Police Station where some of those persons present threw missiles, causing minimal damage to the building and its contents. The movement of the police and others working within both buildings were impeded by the gathering. Warning shots were fired in the air in an effort to ward off those persons. A golf cart loaned to the police valued at some $13,000 was stolen while parked at the Poly clinic and was recovered in the early morning of Tuesday June 9, 2015.

More Rainy Days
Belize has two seasons rainy and dry. Rainy season is scattered across the months of June to November, and it seems that the rains have come on cue this season.

Ambergris Today

Pic of the Week - Hunting for Fresh Fish in Ambergris Caye
You may think that fresh fish is easily accessible for purchase in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, but sometimes you cannot find any!! By now the fishing village of San Pedro has 'almost' completely transformed into a tourist-centic destination. Fishermen cater to the resorts and restaurants, and locals have to keep an keen eye out for fresh fish. This Pic of the Week show how local fishermen clean their catch of the day right on the beach as they return from their fishing trip. If you get to know (roughly) what days and what times they are on the beach, you can get your fresh fish - whole or fillet.

Plane Crash Survivor Gives His Accounts on Belize Rescue
Passenger aboard Tropic Air flight 9N2300 from Belize City to Roatan, Honduras, submits his accounts on what happened after the plane he was traveling in had to make an emergency crash landing offshore in the waters between Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef atolls. He hopes to clarify erroneous information given to the Belize media.

Peace in Caye Caulker Disrupted by Rioting Residents Against Police
The Belize Riot Squat, members of the Belize Coast Guard and additional police support from San Pedro had to be deployed to the island of Caye Caulker late Monday evening, June 8, 2015, as a mob of angry residents set to riot after the death of a 17-year old male in police custody. It is being reported that islanders believe that members of the Caye Caulker Police brutalized Gilbert Sotz while in their custody after he was caught red handed breaking into a residence. Sotz was allegedly severely beaten by police officers and died while being treated at the island clinic. Outraged by the actions of the island's police officers, calling out police brutality, the villagers started to protest outside the clinic where Sotz was treated. The Caye Caulker Police Station was also in lockdown as furious residents started throwing bottles and acid bombs at the building, according to eyewitness reports. It was reported that the CC Police fired several warning shots towards the direction of the mobbing crowd in an attempt to disperse it.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY!!!
Interested persons meeting the qualifications as outlined can now apply for the Ministry of Education/ Ministry of Health Nursing Scholarship 2015. To access a copy of the application form visit the Ministry of Health website at link: http://health.gov.bz/�/belize-�/855-nursing-scholarship-2015. Applications are to be submitted to the Ministry of Health office in Belmopan no later than July 15th, 2015.

Largest Food Drive in San Pedro History
On Saturday, June 6th, 2015, a food drive event between San Pedro Food Bank, Sperro, Saga Humane Society and San Pedro Belize Red Cross who came together and demonstrated teamwork at it's finest. The San Pedro Food bank, started by a group of community members in 2014, exists to help feed struggling families on the island. To be a recipient of the food bank, families must consist of at least one working parent with children, an average income of $75-$100 bz a week, and have expenses including utilities and school costs. It is important to note, many of these recipients are single mothers. Currently the food bank supports 22 families (120 people) with a waiting list of 40 families (200 people). The San Pedro Food Bank appreciates that the San Pedro Belize Red Cross reached out to work together and help benefit those that need it most. Sperro is a not for profit organization made up of 18-35 year old young adults who share a desire to serve the community and meet other young adults. Sperros leader of 26 volunteers from Ontario Canada contacted tacogirl.com of the San Pedro Belize Red Cross after coming off a volunteer stint in Orange Walk to further expand their community work in the country and work with the Red Cross in San Pedro.

The San Pedro Town Council receives a Land Rover vehicle
on behalf of the team at Mahogany Bay Village/Caribbean Homes & Exports. Ms. Beth Clifford (CEO of CH&E) and her enthusiastic team were all present to hand over "Rocky" to Deputy Mayor Gary Greif. The Land Rover will be officially handed over to the San Pedro Police Department on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., in an effort to help in fighting crime in San Pedro. Thank you Mahogany Bay VIllage! This donation is greatly appreciated and needed.

Cayo Marketing Strategy Meeting
The SISE Town Council is having a Business Opportunities and Marketing Strategies meeting. They have a tourism services marketing plan, and are asking for the community's help. The meeting will be Thursday, June 11th, at 2:00pm, at the Cahal Pech Village Resort. A documentary about all the amazing sites Cayo has is being planned so it can be shown on Belize's new tourism channel.

Belize International Film Festival 2015
Join us for some exciting days of film, filmmakers and networking in beautiful Placencia, be sure to mark your calendars, book your tickets, reserve your rooms and come ready to have a blast while you network! It is the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Belize International Film Festival 2015! Save the date...

Indigenous Community leaders Belize-Guatemala met this week in Poptun
To develop a declaration for the protection of Mother Earth, particularly the Chiquibul-Maya Mountains. Participating from Belize were indigenous leaders from the Toledo District.


On Saturday, 6 June 2015, Oceana Belize, the CJC Eagles Club, and other environmentalists celebrated World Ocean Day with a Clean-Up. This cleanup was sponsored by Oceana Belize and the CJC Eagles Environmental Club. We did a lot of cleaning at Miami Beach in Corozal Town. A few of us also did some cleaning at Mangrove Park.

House of Culture Opens Men at Work Exhibit
The Corozal House of Culture opened its Men at Work exhibit on Saturday, 6 June 2015. The 2015 "Men at Work" exhibit opened at the Corozal House of Culture on 6 June 2015, featuring several of our excellent male artisans of the Corozal District. On this page we have some information about those men and most of their works that were on display.

New Maya Discovery in Belize Brings Tourism and Archaeology Together
An exciting new Maya archaeological find in Belize highlights the successful coexistence between tourism and archaeology in the little Central American country, according to the Lodge at Chaa Creek's Belize Natural History Centre. Brion Young, a Mayanist and the Natural History Centre's assistant manager, said that the discovery of a priceless jade pendant at Nim Li Punit, in Belize's Toledo District, the second largest Maya jade artefact ever found in Belize and perhaps anywhere, is creating a buzz in both scientific and travel circles. "Everyone here is excited about the news, and since the discovery we've been fielding enquiries from research colleagues as well as tourism stakeholders. Word has been quickly travelling around the world and people want to know more. It's a real boon for both science and Belize's cultural and Maya tourism sectors," he said.

BOLEDO DRAWING for Tuesday, June 9, 2015: 22. FANTASY 5: 11 27 33 28 14 Y

Development by 5 Blues Lake, by St. Margarets Village
Your latest Protected Area to bite the dust, courtesy of Wicked Progress. Does it look large scale like Yalbac? around those lines... this was the one PA to connect the southern PAs to the Central Corridor. No management for years and there you go. Is the clearing taking place within the boundary or up to it? A contact I had for Five Blues is Mario Perez, 635-3183, but I am not sure what his position is/was... but he might be able to provide more info. at the boundary and into the park now. I stopped at Mario's place to inform him.

Channel 7

Detainee Dies In Police Custody; Angry, Caye Caulker Riots
Last night, we told you about the riot that broke out on Caye Caulker following the news that 18 year-old Hilberto Sotz died while in police custody inside the island's Police station. Public order was seriously threatened as a man of over 200 gathered, Island police called in the Eastern Division strike team from Belize City. Residents say police fired live rounds to drive away the mob - an event which has stirred even more outrage at the police. Order was restored by 10:30 and the crowd dissipated by 11:00. There was no major property damage. When our news team visited La Isla Carinosa today we found a community bruised by serial police abuses and galvanized in anger by what they say is the murder of an innocent teen. Daniel Ortiz reports: Daniel Ortiz reporting Caye Caulker looked calm today but events from yesterday left destruction and property damage to this clinic, broken glass on the window sill where pint bottles were hurled in rage, a tense police presence to ensure no recurrence, a dead teenager known as

Professional Standards Comments On Sotz's Death In Police Custody
Very early in the morning, we tried to get a comment from Inspector Henry Jemmott, the Officer Commanding the Department, Coastal Executive Unit. He's in charge of police operations in both Caye Caulker and San Pedro. When we approached him he told us that police bosses at Eastern Division told him that the Police Press Officer, Raphael Martinez would handle any interviews or inquiry in relation to this case. When our colleagues contacted Martinez, he informed them that orders higher up were that a press release would be sent. It appeared that no one wanted to bite the bullet and face the tough questions of the press in relation to Hilberto Sotz's death. That's until we got a chance to speak with Assistant Police Commissioner Noel Leal, the officer commanding the Professional Standards Branch, which is known also as internal affairs. Here's how that conversation went with the lead investigator in this case: ACP Noel Leal, Commander, Professional Standards Branch "We are running a parallel investigation; a criminal investigation and an internal investigation. But the presence of the police on a whole generally is also to maintain law and order and to ensure the safety of everyone here on the island."

Sotz's Family Says That Island Police Has Extorted Them
If you think that police brutality and the unlawful killing of their son is the only complaint that the Sotz family has against Caye Caulker Police, you'd be surprised to find out that they have more. While discussing the death of their son in police hands, Hilberto's parents shared their account of a police encounter in which his father went to make a compliant and ended up detained, and that his mother had to pay a bribe to get him released. Here's that accusation in their own words: Santorino Sotz "The other day I was taking care of hostel, because the guy went to the States. So now, I left my son in the place to sleep. Someone went into the back and stole a box. So now I went and report to the police that somebody went into the place and stole a box. You know what they did, instead of they investigate and go check where it is, they locked me up. They locked me up and I am taking care of the place. They locked me up for two days and my wife had to pay $75 to pay the police for them to release me."

PUP Meets; Considers Not Participating In Griga Bi-Election
Last night, the biggest news of the weekend was that Dangriga Area Representative Ivan Ramos formally resigned as Area Representative. Well that has triggered a bi-election which will be held in a month from now, but the PUP are considering their options, one of which is to boycott it, and not participate. Very credible sources told us that going into this meeting, one of the most senior members of the party was proposing a boycott of the bi-election. However, word is that majority of the members at this evening's meeting, voted in favor of the party to fight and contest the Bi-Election. Our information says that many are of the view that boycotting and not contesting is a viable that the party can afford to take. The Party Leader, we were informed, decided instead that team should go to Dangriga and assess which of the two options should be taken. Coming out of the meeting, half an hour to go, the Party Leader, who is usually open to take any questions from the press, just abruptly ended the conversation:

Swazo: Ivan Ramos Must Keep His Promise To Griga Voters
So now it is left to the stalwart PUP's of Dangriga to revive their party's hopes in Dangriga. Former PUP Mayor Gilbert Swazo is one of them. Yesterday he took what we assume will be the party line: he took Ivan Ramos to task for failing to do his duty. But what really is the duty of an elected representative who has reached the end of the line? That's what we asked Swaso: Gilbert Swazo, Former Mayor - Dangriga "Essentially democracy has been punished in my view and certainly the people of Dangriga will continue to be the victims of such resignation." Jules Vasquez "Isn't a new representative much better than a lame duck representative, because he had step down as standard bearer under whatever circumstances but then he became somebody who's a dead man walking because he had no interest in the job, the community voted. He had no interest to share that out if you're a lame duck representative. But isn't it preferable then that you say, we'll let us have a real election, replace this lame duck and bring in a real representative who wants to be in this job of politics?"

Maurice Felix Remanded For Murder... Again...
Twenty-nine year old Emory Felix, the brother of 30 year old Maurice Felix, who was arraigned last week on 2 counts of attempted murder, was charged today with the murder of Mark Gentle and the attempted murder of Gentle's mother, Pamela Cumberbatch. Emory was arraigned on the charges before Magistrate Herbert Panton. He was remanded into custody until September 8. The charges are in connection with a shooting incident which occurred at the residence of Pamela Cumberbatch, located 0n Caesar Ridge Road. Pamela and her son were sitting on the steps of her house when a vehicle stopped in front of their gate and two men got out and fired a barrage of shots. Pamela was unhurt but Mark sustained injuries which he succumbed to a week later. Maurice Felix is wanted by the police for his charge of attempted murder to be upgraded to murder in respect to Mark Gentle. Today 7news spoke to Felix's mother who told us that her sons has been continuously threaten by police and these charges against them are bogus.

Unannounced Changes In The FSTV? Tour Operators Complain
Today the doors at Terminal 1 in the Tourism Village were closed and two disgruntled tour operators say it cut their daily earnings significantly. At around 9 this morning a security guard closed the doors at terminal 1 - preventing visitors from exiting through that terminal. Instead, they were guided to terminal 2. Now, one of the tour operators we spoke to today says he has no idea why this action was taken and that no one notified them of this move. All he knows is that he lost out on a number of booked tours for today. We met with both tour operators today and they told us just how much this diversion of tourists impacted their business. Courtney Weatherburne "Sir I understand that the schedule shifted or there was a rift in the usual schedule this morning. Along what time did that happen and what exactly did you observe?" John Pollard - Owner, Big John's Tour and Taxi Company "About 9 o'clock this morning the flow was pretty easy at this terminal here which is terminal 1. People were coming out to the different tour companies that they came to. Inside we saw the security talking to a guy. The guy he was talking to was one of the managers from inside, a Turkish looking a guy.

Meet The New Justices Of Appeal
Two new Justices have been appointed to serve as judges of Belize Court of Appeal. They are 65 year old Justice Murrio ducille and 65 year old Justice Franz Parke, both of them Jamaican nationals. They were sworn in yesterday by the Governor General, his Excellency Sir Colville Young. Justice Ducille, an attorney, is a member of the Jamaica Bar, the Bar of the Bahamas and the Bar of Dominica. He has served as a Clerk of Court, a State prosecutor, Acting Solicitor General, a chief prosecutor and Attorney General in Bahamas, a Chief magistrate in Antigua and Barbuda and Director of Public Prosecutions in Dominica. He began his private practice in 1977. Justice Parke's appointment is only temporary. He is also an attorney and he has been admitted to practice law in both Jamaica and the United States.

They Topped The PSE For 2015
Last night we gave you a breakdown of the PSE results and also spoke to the top finisher: Bernice Yorke student Gabriel Hope. Well, as we told you he wasn't the only one with an outstanding record. There is a list of 26 top performers and today we spoke to 7 of them on how intense their preparation process was for this exam and the road ahead. We start off with 3 students from Belize Elementary School, then move on to 2 9th place finishers from Bernice York and end off with the 3 top finishers from Hummingbird Elementary. Courtney Weatherburne "Tell us about your level of preparation. How intense was it for you preparing for the PSE?" Sahil Hotchandani - 3rd Place from BES "I studied hard. I didn't study from last minute I studied from September I started studying. Every weekend I would study an hour maybe two hours and my parents pushed me really hard. They motivated me they kept me updated with everything that was going on and I guess that hard work was paid off. I found out yesterday and I was surprise. I knew I was going to do well, that was my goal. My goal was to do good and to come in top 25 but it was still such a shock for me and I was so happy." Megan Williams - 4th Place, BES "It was amazing because, see I just got here this year so it was amazing to find out that I got in fourth out of the whole country."

Wesley High School Changes Graduation Requirements
Several 4th formers from Wesley College might not be able to graduate tomorrow. This is because the graduation requirements were changed last minute and were only disclosed to parents at a parent-teacher meeting in January. The change has to do with the grade point average. Under the revised requirement, the student must get a GPA of at least 2.0 instead of the long-standing 1.0. In a letter sent to Wesley's Chairman of the Board of Directors, it states that this sudden change is like QUOTE :"moving the goal post while a game is in its final quarter." The letter continues by saying that "the decision appears arbitrary and unconscionable" and that this new GPA requirement should be implemented the following year - when new students are entering the school system. It continues by saying "This subsequent change in the conditions required for graduation is a breach of the 1.0 GPA requirement�" Another issue that is addressed in the letter is the lack of consultation between Wesley College and the Ministry of Education to ensure that proper protocol was followed in this change. The letter ends off by saying "The implementation of this change appears unfair and irrational on outgoing 4th formers whose grades were already between a GPA range of 1.0 to 2.0�" END QUOTE. We will keep following this story.

The Jaguars To DR!
Right now, the contingent of players and coaching staff for the Belize National Team are on a flight to the Dominican Republic which left Miami a short while ago. They are ready after preparing just over 3 months to take on that country's national team, and as you may well know, Belize's Premier Striker, Deon McCauley is with them. Just before they boarded the flight to leave the PGIA, we spoke with them about the mood of the entire team going into game one against the Dominican Republic. Here's what they told us: Deon McCauley - Member, Belize National Team "Everybody prepared. I think the coach and staff did a good job in preparing the team. Physically, its only left to the players to go out there mentally prepared, focus and ready for the game on Thursday." Reporter "Alright, you are known as one of Belize's most prolific strikers, but even the best strikers need support. Do you feel that you have that with this team that had been put together?"

Desmond Ramirez Teaches In Seine Bight
Before we go tonight, have one small correction to make. We told you last night about the arrest and criminal charging of 30 year-old Desmond Ramirez. He's a teacher who's been accused by a 15 year-old of having unlawful sexual intercourse with her. We told you that he was a teacher from Placencia, but that is an error. He's actually a teacher in the Seine Bight Village.

Channel 5

Mayhem on La Isla Carinosa, Residents Riot Following Death of Teenager
All hell broke loose on Caye Caulker on Monday night after word spread across the island that a young man had died while in police custody. Protesters took the streets [...]

Will the P.U.P. Contest Upcoming Bye-election in Dangriga?
The grand old party, that once supremely powerful political entity, is on the verge of a decision to not contest the Dangriga bye-election set for July eighth, following the resignation [...]

Criminal and Internal Investigation of Arresting Officer Underway in Caye Caulker
While dozens of officers have descended on the otherwise quiet village of Caye Caulker, among their ranks is Assistant Commissioner of Police Noel Leal.� He is heading an internal investigation [...]

�Residents Say GSU Responded Forcefully
Personnel from the Gang Suppression Unit have been deployed to Caye Caulker where they have remained stationed since Monday night.� The GSU was summoned to the island during a heightened [...]

Former Party Leader Comments on Ramos Debacle
So it is very likely that the P.U.P. will bow out of the bye-election set for one month from today. That means the party would give up, voluntarily, another seat, [...]

Toledo West Area Rep Says Macca Wasn't Getting the Job Done in Dangriga
Today, one of Ramos' closer colleagues, Toledo West Area Representative Oscar Reque�a, reiterated the Party's position that in the end the choice to step down was made by Ramos. And [...]

Should the P.U.P. contest the upcoming Dangriga bye-elections?
And our question for tonight is: Should the P.U.P. contest the upcoming Dangriga bye-elections? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on [...]

And the Top Scorers in 2015 PSE Are�
Thirteen year old Gabriel Hope bested the P.S.E. this year through hard work and determination. He is one of seven students from the Bernice Yorke Institute of Learning who placed [...]

Director of Examinations Discusses PSE Results
This year, the number of students sitting the P.S.E. decreased by three percent when compared to 2014. A total of one hundred and sixteen registered candidates did not turn up [...]

Are Private Schools Providing Better Education to Primary School Students?
For some years now, private institutions have been yielding the top performers. This year's P.S.E. Results would prove that sixty-eight percent of the students in the top twenty-five were from [...]

Ivan Ramos Says He Didn't Go Against P.U.P. When He Accepted Petrocaribe Cheer
The resignation of Ivan Ramos, the area representative of Dangriga, has spawned a number of allegations and left the P.U.P. scrambling. Well, at the centre of all the controversy and [...]

Former P.U.P. Area Rep Goes Candid on Election Readiness
As we told you on Monday, Ramos said he believes he was dropped for a more "viable" candidate that the P.U.P. seems to think will be a better match for [...]

New Justices of Court of Appeal Sworn In
When the June session of the Court of Appeal opens, there will be two new Justices of Appeal: they are Justices Murrio Ducille and Franz Parke.� Justice Ducille has practiced [...]

Third Victim in Motorcycle Crash in the South Succumbs
The third person who was involved in a motorcycle accident last week has died. Twenty-six year old Lucita Chun, who received a large cut to the forehead, was hospitalized in [...]

Emory Felix Charged with Murder of Mark Gentle
One of two brothers who police believe shot and killed Mark Gentle on May twenty-fifth, 2015, was arrested and arraigned this afternoon in court. He is twenty-nine year old Emory [...]

G.O.B. Withdraws Appeal of Supreme Court Decision in Favor of OCEANA
Just over a week ago, it was announced that Barrow and Company, the attorneys acting on behalf of the Government of Belize, had withdrawn an appeal against the April 2011 [...]

Belize Jaguars Leave for Away Game in Dominican Republic
Belize's national team, the Jaguars, left the country just after midday today en route to the Dominican Republic. On Thursday, they face the A-selection from that country for the first [...]

Another Case of Police Brutality, Ibrahim Cadogan Badly Beaten
A mother says that her son, twenty-one year old Ibrahim Cadogan was brutalized whilst in police custody. Vidalia Cadogan visited News Five today to tell her story. She says police [...]

American Airlines Direct from LA to Belize
Belizeans as well as visitors can now take advantage of a direct flight from Belize to Los Angeles, U.S.A. �American Airlines will be servicing the new route with two weekend [...]

CTV3

Big Sanch Donates To Cancer Group Of Orange Walk
Popular Disk Jockey and promoter Fernando Sanchez, better known as "Big Sanch" has made a donation to the Orange Walk Cancer Support Group. Following the eighties and nineties dance organized by Sanchez, he bought a self-powered speaker and handed it over to the cancer group. Today the president of the group, Badra Coleman said the donation goes a long way in assisting the group in achieving its goals. Badra Coleman- President Orange Walk Cancer Support Group "Whenever we have functions with workshops that are educational or church services or things that we want to inform a group we usually have to rent the system so this will be able for us to have our own and save that money and I am grateful to Fernando Sanchez and all those who supported that dance because it will benefit us greatly. What happens is that one of our goals is to educate the community on early detection so we usually hold workshops at different areas and we have to borrow a system."

MOE Uses Petro Caribe Money To Fund Family Day
Honorable Patrick Faber, he did not think twice before boasting on the podium that a handful of Petro Caribe money was used to finance a family day trip to Corozal for residents of his constituency and tonight this same revelation has placed him and his government under public scrutiny. Faber made the announcement on Sunday as he addressed the crowd during the endorsement convention for newly appointed U.D.P Standard Bearer for Caribbean Shores Darrel Bradley. Now why this is making headlines is because the Petro Caribe monies should be used for infrastructural and social programs. But apparently GOB is taking its eyes away from the ball and the monies are being spent otherwise in some occasions thus causing public outcry and a call for accountability and transparency. For context here is a portion of the Minister of Education's address. Honorable Patrick Faber- Minister of Education:"I want to start off this afternoon by thanking our government and thanking our Prime Minister who will be with us shortly for Petrocaribe funds. I am just back�I had to rush back cause I promised Darrel I would be back in time to speak at this convention, but my friends we were able in the Collet constituency to roll twenty-two loaded buses to Corozal Town today and we had a wonderful family day courtesy of Petrocaribe and our Prime Minister the Hon. Dean Barrow. We danced to Jorge Ernesto Babb and the Caribbean roots band. ..."

Belize Canoe Association Brings Silver And Bronze Medals From Puerto Olympic Cup
On June 6th and 7th, 2015, four Belizean paddlers Chris Guydis, Wilberto Daniels, Bayron Cruz and Amado Cruz - from the Belize Canoe Association competed in the Puerto Rico Olympic Cup hosted by the Puerto Rico Canoe/Kayak Association. The event incorporates Kayak Sprint Races of distances of 200M, 500M, and 1000M in K1, K2 and K4 Categories. This year was the first year Belize participated in the event along with Guatemala, Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico. While the team Belize struggled to master the art of the kayaks, after only 2 days of practice, all four men raced and even though they did not medal in the K1 or K2 events, they managed to place 2nd in the K4 1000 m and 3rd in the K4 200 m events. Working together, the team managed to bring home silver and bronze medals from the event. Of note is that Amado Cruz also placed 9th overall in the 5000 M race with a time of 26 minutes 16 seconds. The top time was 22 minutes, 30 seconds.

FLOCERT Audits BSCFA
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is being audited by FLOCERT, the global certification and verification body for Fairtrade. The Association had fallen under serious noncompliance earlier this year when, by the mandate of its general assembly, decided to share out over six million dollars to all its members. The Association had even received a letter from Fairtrade representatives warning them of the repercussions for taking such a decision. Auditors are now in Belize and begun their work today. We spoke with Ezekiel Cansino, Chair of the Committee of Management who told us that they having been working hard to ensure that they pass this year's audit. "Los auditors van a estar revisando los papeles del uso del premio y tambi�n las minutas de la juntas que se han llevado acabo, sea a nivel del Assembly, de Branch, de division and committee y todo eso se revisa por los auditores. Nosotros tenemos la esperanza de que quedemos siempre certificados y estamos desde Enero despu�s de que ocurri� todo los que paso nosotros hemos estado trabajando para ver como remediar ciertos problemas que tenemos aqu� a dentro y de tratar de hacer las cosas antes de que el auditor venga y nos diga pues est�n mal y nosotros estamos tratando de estar adelantados de todo ellos pero si tenemos la confianza de que vamos a seguir certificados."

BYM Demands Justice For Dead Teen
The death of eighteen year old Hilberto Sotz has sparked the ire of islander on Caye Caulker and has also brought the police department under more scrutiny. In response to the event that have unfolded, the Belize Youth Movement, the youth arm of the People's United Party, has issued a press release condemning the events that led to the death of the teenager. BYM states that it stands in solidarity with the Caye Caulker community, calling for an objective and thorough investigation into the unexplained death of the youth. The release goes on and we quote, 'The Police's account of what occurred does not hold when compared with the accounts of the local residents. The Police's account makes no mention of alleged bruises on the teenager's body, and while authorities claim that the young man died after experiencing respiratory problems, his family vouches that he had no such medical complication. Furthermore, the official's report that the teenager passed away at the local health center have been disputed by witnesses who saw the lifeless body moved from the Police Station to the health centre on Monday evening', end of quote.

BCCI Lashes Out At MOE
And sticking to the subject of Petro Caribe spending, today the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry came out swinging at Faber. In a release the chamber condemned and we quote "The confessed blatant misuse of the Petro Caribe Loan Funds as confirmed by the Minister of Education Patrick Faber and aired by multiple media houses on newscasts of June 8th 2015. The Belize Chamber of Commerce states that spending loan funds on a picnic can in no way be seen as investing in our people's future, and this activity underscores the need for procedures that uphold the principles of accountability, transparency and responsible spending, particularly in the use of loan funds. The BCCI remains firm in its resolve to uphold the principle of good governance and calls on the Minister of Finance and on the Government of Belize to act responsibly in its use of those public funds which every single Belizean must repay.

Free Clinics Offered By US Medical Students
A group of premedical students are assisting Belizean doctors provide general health care to residents in at least five villages in the North Carolina State University, North Carolina, USA. The group is in Belize through the International Service Learning, a private organization run by foreign medical investors. The twenty-four students are assisting doctors from the Northern Regional Hospital providing general health care and today were working at San Lazaro and Santa Martha Villages. We caught up with the group in San Lazaro Village where Alexa Stout told us more about the work they are doing. Alexa Stout - Pre-medical Student "We all set up and help the doctors to visit us many people in the community as we can and we take vitals and we give back the prescription that the doctors say, we just try to touch every family that we can her that means help." Dalila Ical - Reporter "So this is the second year that you are here, what is the routine, you guys visit different villages?" Alexa Stout - Pre-medical Student "Yes we try to visit at least five villages but we give appointments and we give half visits and try to see how many families have sick people and then we set up the clinic here most of the day and we try to keep it a good flow and everything and try them to see the doctors as much as they can."

PSE Preliminary Results Are Out
Yesterday the Ministry of Education released the preliminary results of the 2015 Primary School Examination. Among the top performers for this year were six students from the north. Tonight we take a look at the results of each individual subject and note that there were improvements in the results of Mathematics and Social Studies. When it comes to the subject of English the report released by the Ministry of Education shows that 73% of the students scored at the Adequate Level of Performance or better. This is about the same as in 2014, when 74% scored at the Adequate Level. The mean score for 2015 is in the adequate range at 57.2. In 2014 the average was 58.4.