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Specials and Events

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


The San Pedro Sun

Jet's Bar at International Airport Burns Down
On Saturday evening, April 27th at approximately 8PM Jet's Bar, located at Belize's Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport was destroyed by what appears to be an electrical fire. Anyone who has traveled through Belize's international airport is most likely familiar with the legendary bar. The half-pint gravel-voiced Mr. Jet is always there to greet you, squeeze the girls and quench your thirst with a rum punch or ice cold Belikin while awaiting your flight. The bar had all of the charm of local watering-holes in Belize, with a few bar stools, walls papered with old photos, posters, memorabilia and of course plenty of bar-room banter. Reports are that no one was harmed in the fire and that Mr. Jet intends to rebuild the bar as soon as possible.

Misc Belizean Sources

Loving Belize episode 7 - Wooden Sailboat race 'Regatta' in Sarteneja, Leela Vernon in Punta Gorda
Welcome to Episode 7 of Loving Belize. In this episode you are taken to see a traditional Wooden Sailboat race with the fishermen in Sarteneja. Then you'll enjoy a road trip from 'Barton Creek cave' where I interviewed Mike Bogaert at 'Mike's place' in the 'Mayan Mountains' and on to 'Thousand foot falls' in 'Pine Ridge Forest'. From there we stop briefly in Dangriga for lunch and continue on to Hopkins where we are invited to join Pastor Herdie in a Garifona church. From Hopkins we travel to Punta Gorda where we met the amazingly talented Leela Vernon as she explains the History of the Belizean Kriol and talks about her musical family background.

VIDEO: Captain Shark's Custom Wahoo 28'
Captain Shark Marine Center, San Pedro Ambergris Caye.

My Body is Precious Cayo Launch
Kim Simplis-Barrow, the Special Envoy for Women and Children, was at the Octavia Waight Centre to launch the new book, 'My Body is Precious.' Jonathan Cariddi was on hand to capture the fun. "Great day in Cayo yesterday! Was honored to be in Cayo where it all began - seeing all those students, parents & teachers. It was also very special having students from Santa Elena Primary School (Santa Elena library Biatriz Moreno) present - the school i attended many years ago. Seeing that green and yellow uniform brought back so many great memories! Thank you Cayo for the warm welcome!"

SSB Scholarships for 2013-2014
The Social Security Board is offering scholarships for 6th form, high school, and vocational schooling. They have the forms for all 3 availble to download on their website. May 10th is the cutoff date for receiving applications. Best of luck! "In 2005, the Board of Directors approved a proposal to offer Sixth Form scholarships to 17 deserving High School graduates. The proposal was a result of consistent requests from students for assistance to further their education at the Sixth Form level. This scholarship program allows students to attend the institution of their choice. It is valued at $4,000.00 for the two-year program."

Springtime Arrivals at the SIRH
Feelgood news of the weekend. The San Ignacio Resort Hotel has some new baby hummingbirds. These pictures have an extremely high cuteness level. Here's to the happy new hummingbird family. "Imagine how much energy we put into ensuring the birth of our child happens at the perfect place. It seems this Mommy Hummingbird did the same. She wanted only the best for her young ones so she chose to have her babies, in Luxury, here at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. We welcome these young ones to our wildlife family and to the many species of birds we have here at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel."

BARREL HORSE SHOW AT AGRIC '13 (9 photos)
The Belize chapter of the National Barrel Horse Association, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, USA, is gearing up for a spectacular show this weekend at the National Agriculture and Trade Show in Belmopan. Here are snapshots of a few of the participants in the weekend's show. The pictures were taken at the Equestrian Training Academy in Ontario village, Cayo.

CTV3

New World Oil Deems Rio Bravo Well Non-commercial
Shares in New World Oil and Gas dipped this morning after the oil and gas Exploration Company reported that insufficient commercial quantities of moveable hydrocarbons had been found at the Rio Bravo well in Northwest Belize. In simple terms this means that the company is abandoning its exploration at the Rio Bravo Well after testing shows that a commercial quantity of oil was not found. A report published by the company today indicated that after analysis and in consultation with its partners Blue Creek Exploration and the government of Belize, New World has determined that "insufficient commercial quantities of moveable hydrocarbons were present to economically justify running casing and well testing operations." The exploratory well had been dug to a depth of "9,010 ft on April 21st," according to the company. As a result, the company deemed the well non-commercial and decided to plug and abandon Rio Bravo." But New World is not giving up just yet. According to the company's Chief Executive Officer William Kelleher and we quote "Analysis of the data gathered from the Rio Bravo well points to an active working hydrocarbon system throughout this area. Combined with the presence of a reservoir ideal for oil production, and a large, extensive anhydrite seal, we remain confident that the elements required for a working hydrocarbon system are in place in North West Belize." End of quote.

Free Surgery Provided By New Horizons Surgeons
If you have been to the Northern Regional Hospital lately then we are sure you have noticed a number of BDF soldiers on the compound. But there is no need to worry; the soldiers are there for the protection of a group of fourteen plastic surgeons who belong to the US army. The group of fourteen form part of the New Horizons Mission who has been offering their services to the Belizean community for the past weeks. The doctors will be conducting surgery at the NRH free of cost. Lupe Ack- Coordinator "Today we are having the New Herizon Surgical Team that they will be here as of today to the 11th of May they will be doing plastic surgery and those with broken nose, problems with breathing, they come in, cists they can come in and see the doctor and we can program them for surgeries." Screening was done on Thursday and today Friday. However, those who could not make it during these two days are urged to come in early on Monday for arrangements to be made. According to Earl Fergusson, leader of the group, he came to Belize two weeks ago to assess the equipment and facilities at the NRH in order to carry out as much as fifty surgeries.

Corozal ITVET Holds Annual Expo
The Corozal Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, ITVET, celebrated their annual Expo at the school grounds today. The event marked an opportunity for trainees to showcase some of the work done since the beginning of the new school year back in September of last year. On display was work from the Food Preparations, Ornamental Horticulture and Cosmetology departments. Stacey Budna, Manager of ITVET Corozal told us more about the event. Stacey Budna-Manager ITVET Corozal "Today we have our Expo and we invited eleven businesses to come in and be a part of our Expo, we have Immigration, we have some businesses, some organization here, we also are show casing four of our trade; cosmetology, food preparation, building & ground maintenance and ornamental horticulture. The main reason for today is to just open the doors to the public to come in and see what we have to offer, what the trainees do here and bring awareness so that they know that we are here to help our youths better their lives to gain a skill and to better our local economy. We also have food sales and customized training that we are doing making carpentry and woodwork so we have some of the items already displayed and we also have some football competition going on and we have a big raffle that we've never done before and this is the first year that Corozal ITVET has done such a big event and it has been so amazing and so much support we have gotten from the public and from our community and we are so grateful for a wonderful experience."

The Belize Times

Case #666 - Court halts Barrow's manipulation of judges
The Supreme Court ruling of Justice Oswell Legal is a landmark decision in Belize's legal and political history. The Claim which is ominously listed with the markings of Action number 666 of 2010 was defended by the UDP government. In a crushingly condemning judgment dated April 19, 2013 Justice Legal struck down the unconstitutional amendments of Dean Barrow and the UDP in a diplomatic flogging of twenty two pages. It is particularly rare for there to be actions of this caliber which include constitutional issues as well as judicial big wigs as parties to the claim. Especially when those names are as credible and respected as Hon. Elliot Motley and the impeccable C. Dennis Morrison. These accurate legal and moral jurists have been a fixture in Belizean appellate courts for a combined generation. This case was the only of its kind that we were able to research at the BELIZE TIMES. Other cases which involved sitting Judges are few and we were only able to find three matters particularly the 2005, Meerabux v Attorney General of Belize, British Caribbean Bank (BCB) v. Samuel Awich, 2012, and BEL v. Dennis Barrow, for apparent bias.

Mayor flirts with jail time
While city businesses and residents are constantly harassed, threatened and denied services for monies owed to the Belize City Council, the Mayor of Belize City has been trying to get away with not paying an outstanding ...

Downtown taxis disrespected - Mayor admits he failed to consult and inform before evicting taxi drivers
He may consider himself lavender but his modus operandi indicates that the Mayor of Belize City is a cold and insensitive politician. Definitely a ...

PC Jose Pam pulls trigger on himself
The Police community is in shock following the report that one of their own committed suicide by pulling the trigger of his service revolver on himself. The many questions that surround the death of PC 956 Jose ...

THINK ABOUT IT
April is International Book Day. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has declared this week as Book Week. Belize is a member of UNESCO, but it is not clear what the Ministry of Education has done for this important occasion. Books are to the ...

Call For Recall
By G. Michael Reid The current United Democratic Party government was elected in 2008 on a platform of reform, transparency, accountability and good governance. To date, the people of Belize are still waiting for any of the above to be realized. There has been no reform in the ways things have ...

Vultures and Tyrants Here Linger
In a recent case brought by the Bar Association of Belize against the Government of Belize, Supreme Court Justice Oswell Legall decided that the provisions of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution which removed the security of tenure of two Judges of the Court of Appeal Mottley P. and Morrison ...

Central Division athletes dominate athletic championships
The Central Division athletes won the most gold medals, 27 in total, at the national high school national track and field championships, hosted by the Mopan Technical High School at the Marshalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo ...

Carlos Cui wins "5-Barrel" Veterans table tennis championship
National veteran champion Carlos Cui successfully defended his title against Billy Musa Jr. when both advanced to the finals in the 3rd Annual Veterans "5 BARREL" table tennis championships hosted by the Belize Table Tennis Association ...

Belize takes 4 of 9
Belize won three of nine bouts on the fight card when the first ever UFC-style Mixed Martial Arts competition was held in Belize. Shihan Ray Kelly and the Belize Shotokan Karate dojo hosted fighters from the Eagle ...

Good Samaritans in Belize
Contributed by NMA (a 16yr old student) It's become a norm; as regular as getting up and going to school and learning. I expect that when I tune in to the evening news I hear of another murder, another burglary and another repercussion of social corruption. I have gotten so use ...

Having the Idea and Doing It - Mali Cayetano's new work
Mali Cayetano is an artistic and literary dynamo. In April 2010 she burst onto the artistic scene in Belize with her first illustrated book, music album, mural and art exhibition We Are Free. Mali, an illustrator, musician, artist, ...

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE - NOT A BAD THING
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia Who said it I don't really know, but it is said that if you repeat a lie often enough, it can or does become the truth, and at least for those who repeat or spread the lie. Lies and propaganda are many times associated with Adolph Hitler's right ...

SCALES OF JUSTICE - The Thirteenth!
by anthony sylvestre The number thirteen is regarded universally in many cultures as a bad number! And indeed, here in Belize, many of us suffer from triskaidekaphobia (fear and suspicion of the number 13). But the number 13 also has some important symbolisms. The Aztecs had a week with thirteen days. The moon ...

Of this and that�
Darrel Bradley tore down Battlefield Park. There was no consultation. People are upset. Taxi men are upset. Bradley said he is renovating the park. He told us the reason. He said it is a space for for "marches and demonstrations". Check the transcript. That is what he said. ...

Stann Creek West residents welcome Hon. Francis - PUP Leader continues countrywide tour
On Saturday, April 20th, 2013 Party Leader Francis Fonseca visited five communities in the Stann Creek West ...

Former OW Mayor, Henry Castillo, passes
The Orange Walk community is mourning the passing of former Mayor and veteran educator, Henry Castillo, who was better known in the community as Teacher Henry. Castillo passed away today at the Northern Regional Hospital. He ...

Hon. Francis visits Belama Police precinct
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Freetown Area Representative and Opposition Leader, made a drop- in-visit to the Belama Police Precinct on Albert Hoy Avenue in the Belama Phase two area on Tuesday 16 April 2013. During the visit, Hon. ...

Pickstock Jaguars debuts as Champions
The Pickstock Jaguars claimed their 1st victory in the Pickstock Jaguars Inaugural Football Marathon held at the St. Martin's De Porres football field on Sunday 21st April 2013. Participating in the marathon were the football teams: ...

Devouring forests: China & the illegal timber trade
By Peta Gaye Levy Take a look at the tags on your clothes or your children's toys, you name it, just take a look. Where is that product made? Chances are it is made in China and that isn't accidental. China is the world's second largest economy with a growth rate of ...

SATIIM wants Rosewood Amnesty Cancelled!
The Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) calls on the Prime Minister to immediately rescind the Rosewood Amnesty that was declared by the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry and Sustainable Development on April 9th, 2013. The Amnesty's objective of taking stock of previously cut rosewood for export is ...

PUP respects Court rulings
The People's United Party (PUP) notes with interest two very important Supreme Court decisions made last week against the Government of Belize, namely, the Oceana Decision and the Bar Association Constitutional Challenge. In the Oceana case the Court ruled that various Offshore Contracts were not valid as not ...

Are new streets properly equipped?
Dear Editor: Everybody I presume is happy with the paving of streets in their neighbourhood, the Mayor and his crew is redesigning the look of the city, kudos to them. But noticing the streets that have been cemented, I haven't seen any FIRE HYDRANTS on the streets. I think that should ...

A day for labourers!
Dear Editor, Wednesday May 1st 2013 will be recognized as Labour Day in Belize, as well as throughout the world. It is an appropriate time to analyse the condition of workers in Belize and re-commit to fighting for their cause. Do workers in Belize have anything to celebrate? Are our Belizean workers ...

Blogs

Belize Tourist Numbers Up, Prices Are Down at Chaa Creek
Tourists arrived in record numbers in Belize during the first quarter of 2013, prompting one popular eco resort to do something that has industry professionals scratching their heads - offer discounts. The Lodge at Chaa Creek, one of Belize's most highly awarded eco resorts, is offering some attractive deals over the coming months, according to assistant general manager Bryony Fleming Bradley, who said that the move is "our way of celebrating the good news for Belize." Last week the Belize Tourism Board released a report indicating that the country saw a record number of tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2013, with airport arrivals alone up over 10% for March and an increase of over 13% for all overnight arrivals from January to March this year. The BTB's director of tourism, Laura Esquivel Frampton, said that figures point towards a healthy trend that is expected to continue. "This is of course fantastic news for Belize," Ms Frampton said. Ms Fleming Bradley agreed, and said that Chaa Creek's response will be to "Make Belize even more accessible to an even wider range of people by cutting prices while expanding our range of holiday options for families, couples, individuals and groups.

"Wish I Could Fly" in Ambergris Caye
Yesterday was much the same for me as every Saturday during the football (soccer for American readers) season is - me on the sofa glued to the TV. This Saturday my football gluttony consisted of Manchester City v West Ham, followed by an intense (well for me anyway) period of switching channels frequently to keep in touch with the Barnsley v Hull and Wigan v Spurs' games (with Spurs unfortunately scoring an equaliser to snatch a point). I then watched the Southampton v West Brom game. And, as if that wasn't enough I then saw some of the Newcastle v Liverpool match. Good job Rose doesn't mind football! In between I managed to fit in breakfast and a snack for lunch. With the football 'out of the way' Rose and I settled down with our tile catalogues and the photos we have taken to try to make our selections. After much deliberation we have chosen the tiles for the Ground Floor self-contained apartment and have narrowed down the 'beauty parade' for the main areas of the First and Second Floors to five tiles. The plan now is to reduce the list of five to one and make the choices for the veranda areas and our respective bathrooms by Monday. By this time we were more than ready to take a break from our deliberations and go see what was going on at our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize and got there around 3.30 pm.

International Sources

22 Unbelievable Places that are Hard to Believe Really Exist
Our world is so full of wonders that new and amazing places are discovered every day, be that by professional photographers or amateurs. Different geographical locations, climatic conditions and even seasons offer the widest variety of natural wonders: pink lakes, stunning lavender or tulip fields, breath-taking canyons and mountains, and other places you can hardly believe actually exist! Some of the pictures in this collection will be of all natural sights you can find while traveling around the world, while the others have experienced human interference - but even in these cases, the result of such collaboration is spectacular. The Japanese learned how to tame thousands of orchids and form a romantic tunnel out of them; another one was formed all the way in Ukraine by a passing train; and what eventually ends up as hot tea in our mugs, first grows in stunning tree fields in Asia. No wonder that traveling in one of the best forms of recreation - even looking at these pictures takes your mind to far away places� And yes, all those of those places are real!

A Difference in Pipeline Perception: Canada vs. Belize
The world collectively held its breath when a couple of tourists illegally climbed the Pyramids in Egypt earlier this year: some for fear of their prosecution, some in disbelief at their boldness, some in awe of the magnificent photos that came about as a result of this risky decision to cross the cordoned. Another one of the planet's treasures was recently involved in a safety and ownership debate, albeit this one went well under the radar of most-its aesthetics are equally as stunning, and its ecologically importance as significant as that of the cultural rank of the Pyramids. The earth's second-largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, was just saved from offshore drilling. Activists successfully sued the government of Belize, which had previously issued contracts to energy companies in 2004 and 2007 that allowed for drilling around the "Blue Hole". According to reports that surfaced, officials had awarded these contracts to 'inexperienced drillers' and without thoroughly studying the environmental impacts of such a campaign. Oceana, an international organization for ocean conservation, with two other nonprofits sued the government for this mishandling-winning the lawsuit a few weeks ago in Belize's Supreme Court.

Food & Travel: Local Belize Cuisine
I'm at Willy Wonka's jungle lair: a spice farm in the lush Belize rainforest, under a shady colonnade of pepper trees, with Mara Jernigan. "I've been a chef for 30 years and I'd never seen what some of these things look like, where they come from," marvels Jernigan, one of a handful of foodies who brought the Slow Food movement to Canada and, as longtime chef at Fairburn Farm in Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley, a pioneer of agritourism-chic. Jernigan's new digs is the luxe fishing cum eco resort Belcampo Belize, where the well-heeled retreat to fish, eat and generally get away from it all. The resort is just one link in the Belcampo food chain, which includes sustainable farm/butcher shop operations in Marin County, CA and in Uruguay, headed by CEO and Iron Chef judge Anya Fernald. Jernigan came to Belize as chef, but was soon elevated to general manager.

Photo of the Week: Maya Ruins at Cahal Pech
Located near the town of San Ignacio in Belize's Cayo District, the Maya ruins of Cahal Pech were some of my favorite ruins I visited earlier this year in Central America. The site was once a palatial home for an elite Maya family (so, not technically a palace), and has lots of maze-like passages, and lots of steps to climb should you be up for exploring. Cahal Pech (meaning "The Place of Ticks") dates back to about 1200 BC, making it one of the oldest Maya sites in Belize.