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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

Costa Maya Festival - a celebration of beauty and culture
Every year without fail, San Pedro Town welcomes hundreds of visitors to the island - many from our mainland - to the International Costa Maya Festival®! What started in 1992 as the Sea and Air Festival, the celebration has evolved into a musical and cultural festival that also brings a touch of beauty to the three-night extravaganza. This year's event will take place from Thursday, August 6th to Sunday, August 9th. Local and international musicians, deejays, performers, artisans and even carnival fair-style rides fill the Sunset Boardwalk venue, where throngs of festival-goers enjoy different events each night. Organizers of the festival try and spread the entertainment to incorporate the entire family. Always held on the first weekend of August, Costa Maya® begins on a Thursday night. This is now officially kicked off with the selection of a Costa Maya beauty ambassador. Representatives from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama grace the stage in hopes of capturing the crown.

Memorial service held for Leovijildo 'Leoli' Varela
The Varela family commemorated the life of 80-year-old Leovijildo 'Leoli' Varela on Sunday, July 5th with a mass service and blessing. The well-known island resident was the owner and boat captain of Varela's Cargo Service Limited. Varela was lost at sea on Thursday, June 25th in a tragic boat incident. Even though his body has not been recovered, family members came together at the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church at 10AM on Sunday to say their last goodbyes. Following the church service, Varela's barge was blessed in a short ceremony. The Varela family would like to extend their sincerest appreciation to all those who have shown them support during this difficult time. Special thanks goes out all those who came out for the memorial service. May he rest in Peace.

Caribbean Villas Celebrates the 4th of July
The Caribbean Villas Beach Resort certainly brought the 4th of July celebration to San Pedro over the weekend! Saturday, July 4th, marked the 239th anniversary of the United States Independence from Great Britain. The management of Caribbean Villas saw it as an opportunity to celebrate with its American customers and start a tradition with its first ever 4th of July Beach Extravaganza. During the day, there were many activities lined up to entertain all the attendees. From raffles, trivia competitions, and fun games, both children and adults had a wonderful time. A DJ kept the ambiance well alive with a mix of great American beats from the 80's to present time. On the beach, a huge grill was loaded with succulent American style hot dog sausages. While people were enjoying the music, and keeping the bartenders busy, preparations were being finalized for the night's grand activities.

Belizeans win Gold at Central American Championships
The Belize delegation captured 11 medals at the 26th Central American Championships in Athletics held in Managua, Nicaragua from Friday, June 19th to Sunday, June 21st. Among those medals were three golds in the disciplines of Heptathlon, Triple Jump and Men's 4x100m Relay. The competition is organized by the Central American Isthmus Athletic Confederation and sees the participation of athletes from Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua. 18 athletes, along with officials from the Belize Athletics Association (BAA) formed the Belize delegation. The games were held at the Estadio Ol�mpico del IND Managua. By the end of the tournament, Belize had claimed three gold medals, four silver medals and six bronze medals.

Maya Leaders Alliance seek international assistance in upholding Communal Land Rights
The Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) has sought international assistance after 12 villagers of Santa Cruz were charged for the unlawful imprisonment of Rupert Myles. MLA claims that they were only attempting to protect the Uxbenka Maya Site where Myles was building his home and the Government of Belize (GOB) is not respecting the Maya's rights. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples has since urged GOB to respect the right of the Maya people and remove the charges against them. The incident started on Saturday, June 20th when Myles was unlawfully arrested by Santa Cruz villagers. After Myles reported the incident, police arrested and charged the villagers for the crime of "Unlawful Imprisonment", "Common Assault" and "Aggravated Assault". Prime Minister Dean Barrow even condemned the actions of the Santa Cruz villagers, stating that the treatment of Myles is "outrageous".

Ambergris Today

Miss Mexico and Miss Guatemala for Costa Maya Pageant
Miss Mexico and Miss Guatemala have been the biggest contenders throughout the years at the Miss Costa Maya Pageant, with Mexico claiming the most wins, followed by Guatemala. This week the Costa Maya Festival introduces the delegates of these two countries. The only delegate left to be announced is of the host country Belize, which will be done shortly. This year the pageant is taking place on Thursday, August 6, 2015 as the Costa Maya Festival runs from August 6 - 8. All the contestants arrive on July 29 and will be hosted at Noche Sanpedrana social event at Ramon's Village, before pageant night.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

San Pedro Sailing Club News
Forrest's Antigua journal. Yesterday, July 8, on the strength of two 5th place finishes, Kevin vaulted ahead 37 places to rank 73, after 6 races. Trent improved 2 places to 96. Jazmine moved up 5 spots to 136. Nashira slipped to 150, but the week is not over. Team racing today. In our first race, we face the strong home team, Antigua, and our 4 have never team-raced before. If we lose to them, we face another team that lost in the consolation series. If we lose to them, we are out. If not, we keep going. Whatever, our kids are excited, and they plan to have Fun.

The Inspiration Center of Belize
The Inspiration Center is a Non-Profit Organization located in the country of Belize. We are the leading comprehensive outpatient Center in the country that focuses entirely on the needs of children with disabilities. Our Vision is to be a leading resource center in the region providing sustainable high quality services to empower children with disabilities to participate in society. Our core values are Empowerment, Rights Based Services, Integrity, Passion, and Respect. We offer children with disabilities from ages birth to 16 years old primary medical care, Speech, Physical, and Hydro therapies, and Social Work services using a traditional Medical model at the Center. We also provide a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program nationwide in which our Rehabilitation Field Officers visits children, and their families in their homes. Using local resources and networking they promote empowerment, advocacy, education and inclusion. The use of a dual model of care ensures that our families and children with disabilities receive comprehensive services to maximize their potential.

Belize participates in EXPO Milano 2015
Belize is participating in EXPO Milano 2015, under the theme of "Feeding the planet, Energy for life" as we can foresee Belize partnering with other stakeholders and becoming one of the leading "breadbaskets" in our region. Bordered by Mexico in the North, Guatemala in the West, and the Caribbean Sea in the East, Belize is the only country in Central America, with English as its official language, and whose British colonial history bridges its sister CARICOM countries to mainland Latin America. Belize has a hard-working, diverse, friendly, bi-lingual, and well-educated workforce that bolsters an economy, focused on growth. Being world renowned as a tourist destination, Belize brags for having the second largest barrier reef in the world and is reputable for its beautiful beaches and all year round tropical climate that has made us the country of choice amongst its growing number of returning tourist.

OFFICIAL BY ELECTIONS RESULTS (from Elections and Boundaries Department)

Benque Clean Up Campaign
We make an invitation to all members of the community to join the Clean-Up Campaign this Friday July 10, 2015 starting at 8:00 a.m. at the entrance of Benque Viejo! Project is being headed by Organization of American States (OAS) and the Matanza Project Committee working in conjunction with other organizations including: Benque Community Projects, Benque Cadets, CACHE Benque, Belize Training & Development Institute, Dys Belize, Benque Viejo Town Council, Opening Roads for Future Generations Organization. The 'Welcome to Benque Viejo' sign at the entrace will be repainted and a fundraising sale for the Matanza Project will take place.  If you would like to make any donation for snacks, refreshments or garbage bags, please contact us at: 604-4048  Let's keep Benque Clean! Come out and support this initiative!"

Another successful year for Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2015
Thanks to all who attended our festival and those who made it another successful year for Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2015. I would like to extend a big thank you to Ms. Enelda Rosado, Mrs. Ellie Gomez our food vendors, the non profit organizations, the Djs, and our family who support us every year. Most importantly, thank you to my committee members: Chantel, Matt, Ilda, Nathan, Maynor, David, Guadz, Julian, Fatima, Kristel, Andrew, Seleny, Elizabeth, David and Kevin, our bar staff and helpers, who worked their butts off from beginning to end!! As a small committee, we try our best with hard work and dedication, to bring you a bigger and better festival every year. We are grateful for the continued support from our locals who help make our festival a successful one. Together we have made this event beneficial for all and we hope to continue working along with the community for the betterment of our Isla Cari�osa!

Vigil on Caye Caulker for Ms. Caroline
There will be a candle light vigil for our beloved friend Ms.Caroline this saturday at 7pm at her home behind of Mr.Juni's house for all those who are willing to accompany us in this time of greavement your all welcome!!!

Cindy Novelo in Concert
PRESENTING HER NEW CD RELEASE: 'MEDITATION'. A CELEBRATION OF GRACE AND PEACE. HAUNTING� SOULFUL� MAGICAL� An award-winning singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Cindy Novelo's music is a mesmerizing fusion of Americana, classical and world music - soulful sounds that rise from the hollows of Appalachia, Europe, India and beyond. Her new CD 'Meditation' - to be released August 15 - pushes the boundaries of her innovative and luscious sound, resulting in a deeply moving musical experience that invites you to fall into grace. Influenced by seventeen years of life overseas and a lifetime of spiritual seeking, it is Cindy's deepest desire to help the world find healing through the unveiling of the heart and the letting go of the things that divide. Her music is rich with wide open landscapes, deep inner musings and full-on passion. "The human condition - bold and beautiful - is what speaks to us through her music."

Mr. Frank Mena to be appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security
The newly elected Area Representative of the Dangriga Electoral Division, Mr. Frank Mena will be sworn in by His Excellency Sir Colville Young, Governor-General of Belize, on Friday July 10th, 2015 at the Belize House in Belmopan City at 10:30 am. Mr. Mena will be appointed as the Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security and will later take the official Oath of Office as a Member of the House of Representatives at its next sitting.

H.E. Alexis Rosado Presents Credentials to the President of the Republic of Costa Rica
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce that his Excellency Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, received H.E. Alexis Rosado in a solemn ceremony on Wednesday, 8th July 2015, on the occasion of the presentation of credentials accrediting Mr. Rosado as Belize's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Costa Rica. Belize and Costa Rica have enjoyed relations of friendship and cooperation since Belize became an independent country. Both countries have a tradition of peace, democracy, and the respect for human rights and the rule of law. There are several agreements in the areas of trade and cooperation that we now must activate. Both countries are members of the Central American Integration Process (SICA) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) which allows us to engage in dialogue and functional cooperation with other sister countries in the region. Costa Rica and Belize have equally given priority to international concerns regarding climate change, deforestation and to the inadequacy of graduating middle income countries through standard international measurements.

BOLEDO DRAWING for Thursday, July 9, 2015: 59. FANTASY 5: 19 22 39 27 16 N

Seeking a new image and TV personality
If your passion is fashion, modeling and show host, ladies here is a great opportunity to be part of an event like no other! The Corozal Free Zone in collaboration with Turquesa Group Ltd. is looking for You! So contact us at 423-7346 or stop by our office Radio Turquesa Belize 91.5 FM located in the Corozal Free Zone for more information! You must be 18 or older to apply! Let's reactivate the Corozal Free Zone

OPTINAM 2015. Antigua. Team Racing
LOTS of photos!

Power interruption 7:00am to 1:00pm on Sunday, July 12: portion Benque Viejo Town
Including Church Hill, St. Joseph St, Baron Bliss St, Chapel Hill, Benque New Site and new Cemetery area; also Arenal, Succotz, Shawville, Clarissa Falls, Calla Creek and Corozalito. BEL to replace utility poles and equipment and remove hazardous vegetation along power distribution system in the area.

Cayo Summer Splash
The big Cayo Summer Splash is Sunday, July 12th, on the Macal River. They'll have a lot of fun, games, and food for everyone.

Channel 7

The Numbers Are In For Griga By-Election: UDP Won Big
As we told you last night in our very extended by-election newscast - the UDP's Frank Pawpa Mena is the new representative for Dangriga, Hope Creek And Sarawee. The final numbers shows that his victory was large and decisive. Of the 3704 persons who voted, Mena got 2164 votes or 58% of the total - while his opponent Anthony Sabal got 41%. That's a very sharp downturn for the PUP's political fortunes in this southern seat - seeing that just three years ago - their candidate Ivan Ramos for 54% of the vote. That's a very significant slippage for the opposition, but for the UDP, it's quite consistent with the support the party saw in March's municipal elections - where they got 60% of the vote. This time it's 58% and Mena now joins the House of Representatives as one of only 10 members who earned more than 58% of the vote in their constituencies.

Mena Going to 'Pan, But Staying Grounded in Griga
And as a reward for his strong showing, it was announced today that Mena will be made Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security. He will be sworn in as a member of Cabinet by the Governor General tomorrow. And while he's going to Belmopan, last night in Dangriga at around 9:00 when the result was official, he said it's all about keeping close to his hometown:.. Hon. Frank "Pawpa" Mena, UDP Representative - Dangriga "Listen to me, I will give it my best shot. There are nothing that really frightened me in this world Jules because I come from humble beginning and I will give it my best shot, because my people believes in me and I have to deliver and if I can't really deliver to my people, I am willing to come to my people and have them understand that this is a fight I can't win and I will keep with my people to make them understand that we need to win this together." "You see too much things separate us in Dangriga and we have to have the conversation Jules and maybe, politically I am not saying the right things, but we have to have the conversation because at the end of the day it's about my people and I am not going anywhere from here. I will stay right here. It might be kind of rough, but at the end of the day it's about here."

Despite Loss, PUP Leader is Encouraged
And Standard Bearer Sabal seems to have a very bright future in the PUP - unlike the swiftly dismissed Richard Harrison, who was the last PUP candidate to lose a by-election. Not so for Sabal, he's a keeper, and today at a post mortem press briefing, PUP Party Leader Francis Fonseca said that it's a disappointment, but an encouraging one:.. Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition "Obviously we are disappointed with the loss, because we believe Anthony Sabal is such a good candidate and we believe would have made an excellent representative for the people of Dangriga. There are many factors that contributed to the results that we saw in Dangriga yesterday and not the least of which were the fact that the United Democratic Party is in government. They were fairly well organized. Their machinery is well fueled by money. So, I think those are key factors. I think clearly it's a case in which our representative Hon. Ivan Ramos resigned from the National Assembly, someone who had run for the party, resigning from his seat as a member of the House of Representatives. I think that had an effect on some voters. As we were campaigning around Dangriga in particular, some voters felt that he had abandoned them. Sabal became our standard bearer there on May 13th and really only had a few weeks to campaign actively in the area. He is a well-known teacher, but politics is a different business."

Fonseca Has Tight Hold On Leadership
But politics is Francis Fonseca's career - has been from the late 90's. And now, he has the un-enviable distinction of being the only mass party leader to oversee three major elections losses in six months. That's two by-elections and a raft of municipal elections. So, is his leadership in trouble? Well, he told the press today: not at all:.. Jules Vasquez "Will you still be leader when the PUP faces the next general election? And that has a sub-question. Have you contemplating resigning? You lost 3 elections in 6 months under your leadership and second, might there be those in the party who wish to remove you as leader?" Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition "I serve at the will of the members of People's United Party. But the short answer is yes, I will lead the party into the next general elections. I have as I've said earlier, received calls from just about everybody in the party - our standard bearers, leaders - some of them sent messages. But everybody expressed support. Everybody expressed the view that they were proud of the fighting spirit displayed by the party yesterday.

Is The Opposition To Blame For UDP's Electoral Successes?
And so, regardless of outcome, Fonseca gets to hang in there - but the outcome - as we said at the top is telling. It sees the PUP losing major ground in terms of popular support in that seat in just three years - at a time when the UDP, in its eighth year of a second term should be the one losing popularity. But it's the other way around - and Frank Mena has been vaulted into the House of Representatives with a large mandate - breaking the PUP's lock on the south. The bottom line is that the opposition now has one less seat in their House minority - and it's the second seat the party is losing since the start of the year. So, what's the problem? What's causing the popularity pendulum to swing in favour of the government - when it should be swinging against it? That's what we asked the opposition leader today:.. Jules Vasquez "What we are seeing is that Frank "Pawpa" Mena is almost at 60% in a division that never goes over 60%. You have never seen those numbers yourself. Even very popular representatives like Said Musa in the upper 50s. So, that puts Frank "Pawpa" Mena, like Omar Figueroa in a very exclusive club. Are you all properly assessing the totality of the significant lost..."

PUP Blame The Resigning of Ramos
And while the PUP is encouraged by their mobilization - as you heard, they blame the defeat partly on the sudden resignation of their former representative Ivan Ramos. But, should the party be blaming itself for pushing Ramos out? That's what we asked Fonseca today:.. Jules Vasquez "If you all lost voters due to haste, abrupt and disorderly departure. Isn't the blame for that upon your national executive or the leadership of the party?" Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition "I think what I encountered on the ground was a sense of abandonment as I said that people felt that they had voted for a PUP representative. That representative mid-term walked away from his sworn duty and obligation to them. But, clearly the resignation of Ivan Ramos is something as a party we have to bear responsibility for."

Barrow's Teflon Administration?
And so who should the PUP blame for failing to gain ground since the municipal elections in March? After all, the months since that time have seen the release and ventilation of many issues that should have damaged the Barrow administration, and affected the electability fo their candidate. But there was hardly any slippage in Dangriga for the UDP between the municipal result and the by-election. We asked the opposition leader why the results are not tipping in his party's favour - even with all the flak that the Barrow administration is getting:.. Jules Vasquez "Since the municipals, when the UDP got 60% there in Dangriga, the government has been hit with these successive attacks. You can start with the Edmund Castro undoing - the ignominious retreat in the Supreme Court. You can point to the Council of Churches, you can point to the Melvin Hulse case, you can point to the ongoing Petrocaribe issue. Yet they lost not hardly a percentage point of support in Dangriga. Is this an indication either that: a) UDP is, despite all these attacks, overwhelming well-liked or is it b) that the PUP is irresistibly unappealing to the voter?" Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition "Well I know which one you would choose. I think Jules, there is a lot of, if you like, corruption fatigue and a lot of scandal fatigue, if you like among our voters. You will hear that quite a bit. It's almost as if many of them have come to expect these things. I think that's a factor."

Changing Tack on Petrocaribe
And while the PUP is still waiting for a general election political tsunami, will it continue to hammer the Petrocaribe programme as their main political pitch? The results of the recent elections would suggest that the voters aren't buying the PUP pitch. So will the PUP change up? Fonseca said they might have to:.. Jules Vasquez "Is that something the party needs to rethink? Is it focusing too much of its energy on a program which appears may have popular support?" Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition "I think that's a valid observation Jules. I think what we have to rethink and revisit is our message about the Petrocaribe program."

Shots Ring Out In Ghost Town
Just after 10 this morning police responded to a shooting incident at the corner of Sibun and Vernon Street. So far- over the past 2 weeks- violence in this neighborhood has claimed 3 lives. But this morning no one was hit in the spray of bullets. According to witnesses in the area, the gunman came from the direction of Lakeview Street and opened fire on construction workmen in the area - most of whom are from the neighborhood. This is indicative of the internal turmoil in the Ghost Town Gang. Police are seeking a well-known figure from the area for questioning.

Loathe Thy Neighbor?
Gay rights activist Caleb Orozco has made it well known that LGBT persons are harassed and verbally abused for their sexual orientation. And today, he took a man to the Magistrate's Court where he pressed a criminal complaint of using indecent words and throwing missiles. The man he accused, Emerson Picart, was found guilty. Orozco is Picart's neighbour, and he testified that in October last year, while he was in his yard Picart shouted words which were meant to insult his sexual orientation. Orozco said Picart then threw a bottle at him. In his defence, Picart denied that he committed the offences. He said that he had just come out of his house because he and his wife were having problems, and that's when Orozco made sexual advances at him. Despite the fact that the investigator made errors in following up on the report, Chief Magistrate Smith found Picart guilty of the offences, remarking that Orozco had given an account of the incident which is believable.

The Heated Atmosphere in Griga
Last night during our live coverage of the by-election in Dangriga, we told you about the confrontational mood that prevailed at polling stations throughout the day. But, due to time constraints, we weren't able to coherently show you the full-on action from the morning to the announcement of the results. So tonight we bring you a detailed account of the day from the first fight exploded to the final moment of truth. Courtney Weatherburne reporting Swarms of party supporters converged near the "Drums of Our Fathers" monument in Lakeland Dangriga. Standing in front of the tents and fluttering flags were the guards of the camp - carefully monitoring the opposing team. On the streets, pockets of supporters roved - greeting fellow campaigners and latching unto voters. Everyone seemed quite composed and calm - with opposing sides standing face to face.

Hon. Omar Almost Run Over
And one more accident which didn't get reported or make it into that story involved Cayo North Representative Omar Figueroa. We saw him limping slightly on Front Street yesterday - and found out that he was almost run over. Mayor of Dangriga Francis Humphreys witnessed the accident and was irate when we spoke to him yesterday afternoon:.. Francis Humphreys, Mayor - Dangriga "See that "No Entry" sign there. That was moved a side by a van for the PUPs. The van backed up right along Front Street here towards the north. Dr. Figueroa and his companion were walking on the right-hand side of the street. The vehicle backed into him and he was saved by his companion who pulled him out of the way." Hon. Omar Figueroa, UDP Rep - Cayo North "Well I didn't see it coming. I was walking down going towards my truck and the vehicle hit me from behind. I just heard Oscar say watch out and he pulled me out and I think that if he didn't pulled me out, the knock would have thrown me forward and it could have been a little bit worse. But I am okay."

Hard As It Is, PM Stands By Hon. Castro
When we caught up with the Prime Minister yesterday, we also asked him about his scandalized minister of state Edmund Castro. The PUP are having a field day with the fact that he had to withdraw his libel and defamation suit against whistleblower Alverine Burgess. The opposition has called for him to be removed from the cabinet because they say that has effectively admitted to wrongdoing. Yesterday the Prime Minister laughed at that assertion:.. Jules Vasquez "The Opposition is a release has called on you to take Minister Edmund Castro out of your cabinet as a minister of state or for him to resign immediately. They say that he has effectively admitted to corrupt acts when he withdrew his case in court." Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Well that's a hell of a stretch. I don't accept that at all. He was the one who brought the suit for defamation. He obviously withdrew on the advice of attorney and you can make what you will of it. It was not exactly covered in glory, in terms of the withdrawal, but I don't know you could get to say that is an effective admission of corruption. I reject that out of hand."

PM Says Father Leslie Equivocated
Earlier, you saw how the Prime Minister didn't have anymore to say on the Edmond Castro matter - but he did have quite a bit to say about the Catholic Church's rejection of the Petrocaribe legislation. As we have reported, the church sent out an unusual press release this weekend saying that while Senator Father Noel Leslie had voted in favour of Petrocaribe - the Catholic Church didn't support it. That's a major diss for the Barrow government - but yesterday the Prime Minister said that's not at all how it went down when he met with the council of churches to go over the legislation:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "At the meeting that I held with the Council of Churches and the Evangelical Association. Pastor Longsworth was there for the Evangelicals, Bishop Phillip Wright, Rev. Papaloute, Bishop Glancy and Father Leslie for the Council of Churches. We went through the original Petrocaribe act and we went through the amendments which I had provided. Father Leslie volunteered without any prompting from any of the others - volunteered his satisfaction with the amendments. Made clear that he always supported the Petrocaribe program, but that he had had clearly his reservations about the original act. Said that with the amendments in his own mind, it had all been clarified and he would therefore be happy to vote for the amendments at the next session. I ask him "Father, do I have you leave to say this" and I think I might have told you about this on camera - "Do I have your leave to say this when I talk to the other social partners," because I knew that there was going to be certainly a meeting with the NTUCB and he said 'please, by all means do so, because I am satisfied and that's how I am going to vote.' I was therefore a little taken aback, not that he was reversing course, but that he should say that from the start, he was not personally in favor of the amendments, but had determined to vote yes only because that was the wish of the other church people that were there."

Yearwood Case Wraps
Last night, we told you about the lawsuit that the Yearwood family started months ago against the Police Department and the Government of Belize. They are seeking financial compensation for the death of Police Constable Dean Yearwood, who was shot and killed by a fellow police officer, Constable Glenwayne Grant. Despite the fact that neither the police, nor the DPP's Office have brought criminal charges against Grant, the Yearwood family wants the Supreme Court to examine the facts and determine if Grant was reckless or excessive in the use of lethal force when he fatally shot Dean Yearwood. That case finally began in the court room of Justice Sonya Young yesterday, and it continued today. The ballistics expert from the National Forensic Science Service took the stand and gave his report on his findings of the shooting. When he finished the case was completed, and outside, we spoke with the attorney for the Yearwood family. He summarized the evidence that the judge now has to rule on:?

The Cotton Tree Claim
The Cotton Tree Village Council finally got its day in court today after suing the government for allegedly violating the law when it didn't consult them when lands in their village were being shared up. Viewers may remember that early last year, the Government decided to set aside 240 lots to be shared up between eight UDP controlled Belize City constituencies. The village council members say that they weren't even consulted, or offered these lands, and they quickly filed suit against the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Lands Department. After months of case management, the Chief Justice was finally ready to allow both sides to present their cases, which was quite short. The witnesses from both sides were called, and when the case was completed, we spoke with the claimants about how it went: The Chief Justice will deliver his decision at a later date.

A Pugilist's Playground
The first ever boxing expo will be held this Saturday in Belize City. Boxers from across the country will be competing, while showcasing their mastery of the sweet science. We found out more about the idea behind it from the organizer: The Expo will take place on Saturday at the Wing Stop in Belize City. IT starts at 11:30am and tickets can be purchased at the gate.

Ambassador Alexis in Costa Rica
Belizean Ambassador Alexis Rosado was in Costa Rica yesterday where he was received by that country's president, Luis Guillermo. A ceremony was held in which Rosado presented his credentials to Guillermo as Belize's new Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica. During his visit, he paid a courtesy call on Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez Sanz, and he also made arrangements for the opening of a new Consulate of Belize In Costa Rica. Rosado is the Belizean Ambassador to Guatemala, and with this ceremony, he will now serve as the non-resident Ambassador to Costa Rica as Well.

Hon. Francis Got Out The Vote
As we've shown you, in a divisional by-election, the landscape is distorted because politicians from all over the country descend on a single area to get out the vote for their party. Yesterday in Dangriga, even the leader of the Opposition did his part:..

Come Back Blue Machine
And while Fonseca did his part yesterday - he told the media he is encouraged, despite the loss - and that's because the PUP showed real signs of life after being badly outmatched by the UDP in Cayo North. Now, those vital signs weren't nearly close enough to deliver a victory, but for Fonseca, to whom victory is always on a fast approaching horizon - it's indicative of a change in the air:� Tomorrow we'll have more from Fonseca's post election press conference when we ask him whether his national campaign manager Godfrey Smith's job is on the line.

Channel 5

'Papa' Mena Victorious at the Polls, P.U.P. Loses Dangriga Seat
The results of the Dangriga bye-elections were known early on Wednesday night. In fact by seven thirty it was clear that the U.D.P.'s Frank "Papa" Mena had established a commanding [...]

What's the Prime Minister's Thoughts on the P.U.P. Machinery?
One of the biggest stories on Election Day was the political muscle present from both parties - and indeed, it's hard to remember the last time the P.U.P. put on [...]

'Papa' Mena to be Sworn in as Minister of State
While some may quibble over and analyze the numbers to suit their own specific agendas, a win is a win, even if only by one vote so six hundred and [...]

P.U.P. Campaign – Spirited and Unifying Despite Time Constraints
Despite a brief and spirited campaign, the People's United Party has suffered yet another loss at the polls.� In the wake of a fourth consecutive defeat under the direction of [...]

Anthony Sabal Remains P.U.P. Dangriga Standard Bearer�
In his first crack at electoral politics, retired educator Anthony Sabal was squarely routed by his former student, Frank 'Papa' Mena, by a margin of fifty-nine to forty-one percent at [...]

�But Will Francis Fonseca Resign as Party Leader?
The People's United Party, under the leadership of Francis Fonseca, is yet to win an election.� Having suffered defeat in the 2012 general elections, a singular trouncing in the January [...]

Surveillance Footage Shows Police Response After Kareem Clark Murder
At around one Monday morning, young media personality Kareem Clarke, twenty-seven, was brutally gunned down as he rode home on Vernon Street. He was shot five times - twice to [...]

Caleb Orozco's Neighbor Found of Gay Bashing and Throwing Missiles
Caleb Orozco had his day in court against his neighbor. Thirty one year old Emmerson Picart, a clerk with the Ministry of National Security, was found guilty of throwing missiles [...]

PM Steadfast on Petrocaribe Funds, Elections Results are Proof
This is the third significant election victory for the United Democratic Party just this year - the Cayo North bye-election in January, followed by the municipals in March and now [...]

Belize Jaguars Leap Forward in FIFA World Cup Standings�
In the next few weeks Belize, FIFA will determine which country national team will play in round three of the World Cup qualifying games having badly beaten the Dominican Republic [...]

�But is the F.F.B. Financial Prepared for Related Expenses?
The Football Federation of Belize has since spent over four hundred thousand dollars on the last two qualifying rounds of the World Cup Games. But the upcoming match will need [...]

Smart Holds Annual Football Summer Camp
Move over, Deon McCaulay! There is a group of boys getting ready to take over that striker position with the Jaguars. Well, not just yet, but they are well on [...]

CTV3

Papa Mena To Be Appointed Junior Minister In The Ministry Of National Security
A day after being elected as Area Representative for Dangriga a release from the Government states that Frank Mena will be appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security. Mena will be sworn in by His Excellency Sir Colville Young, Governor-General of Belize, on Friday July 10th, 2015 at the Belize House in Belmopan City. The release ends stating that Mena will be appointed as the Minister of State and will later take the official Oath of Office as a Member of the House of Representatives at its next sitting.

North Experiencing Egg Shortage And An Increase In Price
You may have noticed a shortage in eggs over the last 2 weeks at your local grocery store. And if you are lucky enough to find eggs, either the price is too high or you are only allowed to buy a certain amount. Presently, on average, eggs are being sold two for a dollar or 9 dollars for a tray. Belize has two main egg suppliers, Country Food and Caribbean Chicken. This afternoon we spoke via telephone with President of the Belize Poultry Association, Orlando Habet, who told us that he is not aware of any such shortage since he has been out of the country and returned today. Habet said however, shortages are usually caused because of the illegal flow of eggs from Belize over to Guatemala and Mexico where there is an egg crisis. Based on the information provided by both egg suppliers, an estimated 204,000 eggs are distributed to the entire country on weekly bases. It still does not compare to the Mexican demand where the country poultry industry states that Mexico consumes the most eggs in the world per capita. It is estimated that on average, Mexicans consume more than 430 eggs a year, while in Belize, Belizeans eat over 160 eggs per person per year.

NDACC Conducts National Secondary Drug Prevalence Survey
Last year, the National Drug Abuse Control Council Belize conducted a National Secondary School Drug Prevalence Survey. It focused on a population of 8,929 students from 30 selected Belizean secondary schools between the ages of 13 and 17 years. Many adults however, were skeptical about the results, since they portrayed excessive consumption of alcohol among the youths. Today, we spoke with Director of the National Drug Abuse Control Council Esner Vellos on the matter. "This national secondary survey is conducted every two years in all OAS members states and these are basically to look at the prevalence of drugs and where as a country and as a region we stand in the consumption of drugs among our young people, the survey was focused primarily on a population of approximately 8929 students from thirty Belizeans secondary schools between the ages of 13 and 17 years throughout the country of Belize."

Alexis Rosado Accredited Belize's Ambassador To The Republic Of Costa Rica
Belize and Costa Rica have enjoyed relations of friendship and cooperation since Belize became an independent country. Both countries have a tradition of peace, democracy, and the respect for human rights and the rule of law. And in that vein, on Wednesday during a solemn ceremony, , President of the Republic of Costa Rica his Excellency Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, received His Excellency Alexis Rosado on the occasion of the presentation of credentials accrediting Mr. Rosado as Belize's Ambassador Extraordinary to the Republic of Costa Rica. Both countries are members of the Central American Integration Process (SICA) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) which allows us to engage in dialogue and functional cooperation with other sister countries in the region. Costa Rica and Belize have equally given priority to international concerns regarding climate change, deforestation and to the inadequacy of graduating middle income countries through standard international measurements.

Team Jaguars Moves Up In FIFA's Ranking
Yesterday Belize's very own Deon McCauley was featured on the FIFA web page and today there is more exciting news coming out from the world of football as the monthly release of the FIFA Coca Cola World Football Rankings is out. The news is that Belize is now ranked 118th of 209 nations, and 15th in CONCACAF, the best position ever, after two defeats upon Dominican Republic in World Cup qualifying last month. We now achieved the best move by ranks of 37 for this month. Belize however continues to trail in Central America, leading only Nicaragua in the standings. Belize's next opponent will be learned in the preliminary draw for round three of CONCACAF qualifying on July 25 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The round two ten survivors along with Jamaica and Haiti will be separated into two pots according to this month's rankings and paired off, with matches taking place from 31 August to 8 September.