FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

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

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro Traffic Control Committee commences Traffic Safety Campaign
With the number of motor vehicles on Ambergris Caye in the thousands, the new San Pedro Traffic Control Committee SPTCC has embarked on an ambitious "Traffic Safety Campaign" to bring the traffic situation under control. Elected councilor to the San Pedro Town Council Kenrick William Brackett, whose portfolio includes Vice Chair of the SPTCC, along with Councilor elect Wally Nu�ez spoke to The San Pedro Sun regarding the new campaign. "We are pretty much aware of the traffic situation. We are aware of the things that have been happening. We think that things have gone a little bit out of control and we need to curve that."

From the desk of Mayor Daniel Guerrero
On Wednesday, April 4th the Mayor of San Pedro, Daniel Guerrero briefed the media on several issues within the Council. Addressed were the restructuring of the San Pedro Town Council's staff, the Barry Bowen Bridge, operating hours of shops, restaurants and bars on Good Friday and the presentation of a Financial Report. The re-structuring of the Council's staff saw the releasing of three employees and their replacements. The Mayor commented, "The restructuring of the Council's staff was forthcoming, in fact it was promised in our manifesto during our campaign. In other municipalities this happened more immediate after the elections. However, we felt that we needed to do an analysis, an evaluation if you may, of what is going on at the Council and what needs to be done for the success of the Town. With this done the Council decided to release three of our staff members: Pablo Kumul, Nesher Acosta and Gonzalo Alamilla. If you notice, two of these individuals were from the Property Tax department. There has been a public outcry that the property tax system simply was not really operating. With the releasing of those employees and the placing of Daniela Nu�ez along with Wilbert Maga�a as the new Evaluation Officer, we have started to work on improving that department. We are already working on a new database. We have many persons working on it."

Chris Emmanuel's "Portraits for Charity 2012" launched
The project has a list of requirements which is as follows: The person commissioning the work must live in San Pedro and allow the painting to be displayed at an exhibit if requested at the end of the year. All children's charity receipts will be on display beside the portraits at the exhibition. Please submit your name, a photo to be painted and contribution amount to Chris Emmanuel's gallery is located at the Sunbreeze Hotel, submission must be made no later than the 15th of the month. If more than one person submits, all names will go into a drawing. You will be notified if your submission is chosen. If your name is not chosen, you will be placed in the next months' drawing, unless you notify Chris that you no longer want to make the donation. Donations must be made to the Liberty Children's Home in Ladyville, Belize or the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center at the corner of St. Thomas & 19th Street in Belize City, Belize.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belize Revenue from Spanish Lookout Oil Field Year
Source: Ministry of Naturanl Resources and the Environment

At the finish line: Go Choto
Riding in by himself, Giovani Choto wins the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic and lifts the spirit of an entire nation.

Blogs

Rebecca Stirm wins Mission Catwalk reality show fashion challenge with Belize inspired design
Roaring Creek native Rebecca Stirm emerged the winner in a culture-inspired challenge in the second episode of Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk, filmed in Kingston Jamaica. Stirm and 14 other designers were challenged by host and executive-producer Keenea Linton-George to "create an outfit that reflects the style and culture" of their individual countries joined by "the common thread of independence." The designers who hail from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad were challenged to work within a short time frame and with a US$20 budget. Rebecca, 18, used Belize Hispanic and Mayan culture as inspiration for her design worn by model Abenah Gonzalez

Good Friday In San Pedro, Belize: Squabbling over Liquor Laws & A Religious Procession
Good Friday in predominantly Catholic San Pedro (like in many places) is quite a solemn, religious holiday. It has historically been a day of church services and religious reflection and tends to clash a bit with the newer Easter tradition in San Pedro: hard-core partying. All week we have seen some friction between the San Pedro town board and the San Pedro police department which is headed up by a new chief. According to the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Acts of the country of Belize, Act 150: All licensed premises in which liquor is sold under a publican's general license (or malt liquor license) shall be closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday. But it also states that they shall be closed on Saturday at 11pm and re-opened Monday at 7am (a law San Pedro most certainly disregards). Historically, the San Pedro Town Council has loosened these laws to account for the tourism industry in our town. Shops and supermarkets that sold alcohol were allowed to open all day as long as they didn't serve liquor. The new police chief had another plan. During the afternoon, the police truck and officers drove around San Pedro and shut down the shops that were open.

Temptation begins and Raggamuffin Champions!
For those of you who are not lucky enough to be with us, we will keep you updated on the excitement on Caye Caulker as much as possible. Although the party has officially not commenced, the stages are set and they far outweigh any that we have seen before here on Caye Caulker!!! Alongside the excitement for the evening, the Tour Guide Association Sailing Regatta 2012 took place and once again, Raggamuffin's Crew were Champions taking 1st in the larger sailboat race and 2nd in the Open. Jimmy, Patrick, Jerry and Shane were the team that took honors (on the lovely Ragga Gal) - congratulations guys! Easter Temptation at the Palapa Gardens looks set to be the place to be as the venue has been decked out with a lounge style furniture plus dancefloor, it looks too good to waste on just one nights events!!! Although nobody has been taking advantage of this area today, tonight will be a different thing as the DJ will make us understand why it has been named 'temptation'!!

International Sources

Belize Explored
I'd like to invite you to a tropical paradise, one of the finest vacation destinations that I have had the pleasure of visiting. Recently my girlfriend and I set off on a two-week open-ended adventure in the Central American country of Belize. We had a loose itinerary: she wanted to see Mayan ruins and I wanted to add more world-class dive sites to my log book. After landing in Belize City, we hopped a bus to the city of San Ignacio in western Belize, almost to the Guatemalan border. The bus was a e-ticket ride - an experience we vowed not to repeat! You can typically get around in Belize by foot or using the "people's taxi" (private citizens' cars). The people's taxi fare is set at one Belizean dollar, about 50 cents American. You share the ride with other folks, so it's a nice way to meet people. Did I mention that English is the primary language of Belize? Until 1981, Belize was known as British Honduras.

VIDEO: Rebecca Stirm wins on Mission Catwalk episode 2
Rebecca Stirm won the fashion contest on the second episode of Mission Catwalk. Rebecca is representing Belize in Jamaica. Congratulations, Rebecca!


Last edited by Marty; 11/17/12 10:13 AM.