AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: October 30, 2013

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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 latest Tia Chocolate column is ready for reading!!!
Birthday Cake & Memories:
I recently shared a photo of the last birthday party that my parents threw for me. It was my eleventh birthday, and I was in my last year of primary school. My dress is blue, with pretty lace and peplum, handmade by my mother. A lot of my clothes were sewn by her; you just had to find a pattern in the prom and style catalogues and she would whip up a similar look for far less. The photo I mention dredged up a lot of memories for me, and it seemed a few people who were part of the parties had their memories too. That is when it really struck me how much those parties must have meant to others; at some point, it stopped being about me.

The San Pedro Sun

UNDP hosts Workshop on Social Audit for Young Belizean Leaders
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with The University of Belize (UB) hosted a two day workshop on October 25th and 26th with the purpose of educating youth on Social Auditing. The workshop was held at UB's Central Farm Campus in the Cayo District, with over 30 participants from across the country. The workshop aimed to increase prosecution capacity, community leadership and youth engagement in the running of the government. It also sought to promote the development of management, leadership and practical skills for social auditing from different dimensions, such as political, social, technical and teamwork, among young Belizean leaders. Opening the workshop were Doctor Cary Fraser, UB's President and Daniel Alemu, Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP, who both elaborated on the significant role that youth play in the development of a country and the need for transparency and accountability in the government.

Heavy rain causes severe flooding in Belize
Heavy rainfall over the past few days has caused severe flooding in various areas of the country. The five districts that have been affected the most are Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo, Belize and Orange Walk districts. According to the Weather Channel, turbulent weather is being caused by The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) which is causing thunderstorm production over the western Caribbean, the eastern Pacific and south/southwest of Mexico. The MJO is an intra-seasonal fluctuation or "wave" that occurs in the tropics when atmospheric circulation meets oceanic circulation. On Friday, October 25th, the National Emergency and Management Organization (NEMO) issued a public advisory stating that non-stop rain was affecting both the Cayo and Stann Creek Districts and that the Mullins River was 3ft above normal.

What's for Dinner? Casa Picasso!
Tonight's the night�hmm, wasn't that a song??? Well there's plenty to sing about today, and it's not just Fred Astaire dancing around in the rain! After a slow-season hiatus the wonderfully delicious and island-hip Casa Picasso will officially open their doors tonight at 5:30PM for their third season on La Isla! Last Friday night, October 25th, the ever-so- gracious and downright fun owners Jacqueline and Adam hosted an open house soir�e where guests were treated to a few of their new menu items and indulge in mouthwatering cocktails. Their very attentive wait staff generously circulated trays of tasty morsels, teaming with the likes of braised pork belly, peel n' eat shrimp, Snook bites, chicken salad on cucumber slices, roasted cauliflower with cheddar sauce, sere shoots and beets with goat cheese to drool, I mean NAME a few. Of course pairing these bites with the likes of Bellini and Brazil 66 cocktails only took the taste sensations to a level off the flavor charts. Boasting new menu items, new cocktails, new wine choices and the strongest martini's in San Pedro, Casa Picasso is the go-to place for creative food in an artful ambience.

Halloween 2013 Part ll. (32 photos)
Check out some more fun pictures from this year's Halloween celebrations

Kirt Jason Cruz- Diamond in the rough
About Kirt: Kirt Jason Cruz is a 35 year old Belizean artist originally from San Ignacio Town located in the Cayo District of Western Belize. Currently residing in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Kirt is My Beautiful Belize's newest Diamond in the Rough. Born into a family of 8, ( 5 siblings plus his mother and father), Kirt picked up painting at the age of 10 as he was influenced by his father, renowned Belizean artist (painter) Pedro Cruz. Painting has always been a part of Kirt's life, but it was in 2006 that the artist really drew closer to his skill as art would become his therapeutic source after being involved in an altercation that would leave him partially paralyzed. Kirt struggled to keep art in his life after his right hand (which he used to paint) was affected by the incident. It would take months before he would make the transition from a right- hand painter to successfully teaching himself to use his left hand. While Kirt has limited mobility as his accident has also left him in a wheel chair, he hasn't let these obstacles stop him from doing what he loves.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Sailing Club Excels in First International Regatta
On October 25th two young men, Jerdan Anderson and Jorge Oliverez from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye took to the sea in Bacalar Mexico, representing not only San Pedro but the entire country of Belize in an Optimist sailing regatta. This was the first time ever that that sailors from Belize have been invited to attended an International Regatta. 58 sailors from the Quintana Roo, Yucatan area represented Mexico and our two young sailors from San Pedro made a total of 60 competing in this Invitational Regatta. The Federacion Mexicana de Vela and its President Miguel Angel Pani Can hosted the Regatta. Jerdan and Jorge were two of 25 Optimist sailors racing in the two day event along with 35 Laser sailors and wind surfers. The first four races were held on, Saturday, 26 October. Jerdan Anderson took first place in the first three races and finished third in the final race of the day. Jorge Oliverez was fourth in the first race, moved up to second place in the next two races and then finished ahead of his teammate, Jerden, and the rest of the field sailing into first place in the final race of the day. At the end of an exciting day of racing, overall scores had Jerdan in first place with six points with Jorge solidly in second place with a score of nine points.

San Pedro Vocalized Support of Land Use Planning Efforts
On Tuesday October 22nd, during a public consultation, residents of Ambergris Caye vocalized their general support of land use planning efforts currently being championed for the community. This effort is being undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Belize Tourism Board, as a component of the Sustainable Tourism Program (STP), with the full collaboration of the San Pedro Town Council. The initiative follows on the heels of Cabinet's endorsement of the National Sustainable Tourism Masterplan last year, which highlights the importance of a national land-use planning framework to enhance destination quality, guide appropriate new developments, and manage the redevelopment of the urban areas. A vast data collection and mapping exercise has been undertaken as part of the planning process to provide a detailed overview of the existing situation. It is intended that the new plans will grandfather in any existing land use, however Planning Consultant Mr. Monfort stressed that new additions and developments will need to conform to new regulations which will make stipulations on use, height, setbacks and % lot coverage. Similar efforts are currently being coordinated in other municipalities through the Lands and Surveys Dept. who were also represented at the consultation.

25 Years Ago: Old School vs. New School in San Pedro Num. 3
The old school was slow and the new school is fast. The old school was simple while the new school is complex or even complicated. This is not about which way is better but rather for the old heads to try to adapt to the new and the new generation to learn that there was another way and it worked. Those of the Old School still try their home remedies to combat many illnesses and medical conditions. There is gargling of warm water with salt, drinking warm coke with lime, lime with honey, rubbing of the chest with Vick vapor rub, inserting of feet in hot water, chewing of tobacco leaves, pinching the forehead with sharp prickles, and puffing of smoke into the ear. The list of home remedies goes on with some practices getting a bit weird like bathing with water with lemon leaves and warmed in the sun, or frying of a scorpion and applying it to a wound. The above were safe and efficient home remedies that were practiced to alleviate illnesses of various kinds. Today folks simply pick up the sick one and take him or her to the doctor for an injection, antibiotics, or ultra sound tests. Back then we didn't have doctors in the island up until the late 70's.

Flashbacks: Halloween in Old San Pedro
The Wizard of Oz was driving around San Pedro back in the 1980's along with witches, devils and ghosts and they were high in possibility of winning the grand prize. Halloween in Old San Pedro was mostly for the children who dressed up for their Halloween fair, danced in a circle and won a prize or two. It was later that adults got into the frenzy that it is today with elaborate costumes, not to forget to mention that they are time consuming and expensive. But Halloween is Halloween and is the joy of sharing some fun even if it means driving around town in a golf car as our good friend Kay Scott the Photographer did in her youthful days. And her vehicle only had one front wheel, something we don't see any longer. Thank God or we would hear about a flipping over every weekend with the fifty miles per hour that we have today.

Difficult Students (From Challenges to Solutions)
In previous articles I reviewed both positive and negative ways to deal with "Difficult Students" who constantly misbehave at school. Dealing with Difficult Students, Effective Ways to Deal with Difficult Students, Dealing with Loud and Playful Difficult Students. I encouraged teachers to have unbending and effective classroom management, and I suggested positive ways for them to deal with repeated and distractive behavior of students. However, several parents recently contacted me to complain about several difficult students whose constant power struggles with teachers at a high school in Belize City hamper the learning process of other students.

Misc Belizean Sources

VIDEO: Belikin Calendar Unveil
One ofour favorite times of the year...

Belize's first youth prime minister
By Abdulmajeed K. Nunez Sound the alarm! The third party has been formed Since the 90s our case has been adjourned This is the calm before the storm We're coming with a youth platform Constitutional amendments and legal reforms The female prime minister will be our tutor We are coming like a storm so be informed They have been afraid of youth voices Giving the youths choices Using the expressive arts to form alliances Where are the youth forums, councils, and youth governance? Because we are tired or receiving pittances and remittances And want to form cooperatives and industries And exercise our civil liberties

Oct 20, 2013 - Oct 26 , 2013 Fishing Report
We welcomed the Annual Orvis Bonefish Bonanza with 12 boats going out daily for 3 days. Orvis Travel's Jeremy Kehrein hosted the annual trip with an enthusiastic group of both first time flats anglers to a couple flats veterans and returning guests. People are already booking for next year. Call Jeremy at 800-547-4322! More honeymooners visited us this week with Caroline and Jacob, and Martha and Justin, both were married on October 19!

PACT Supports Chiquibul
The Protected Areas Conservation Trust has awarded a grant to the Friends for Conservation and Development to help them manage the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. Thanks, PACT!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=541728712575387&set=a.162084270539835.40741.162061983875397&_fb_noscript=1
Mary Open Doors is having a cake sale this Friday for Dia de los Muertos. Get a yummy cake and support a great cause at the same time. In related news, the SISE and Benque House of Cultures are both having Finados displays in memory of Elias Awe. There will also be the Belikin Halloween block party on Burns.

Cayo Scoop Halloween Cup
The Cayo Scoop Halloween Cup 9 ball tournament was Saturday at Mom's Backyard. It was a fun evening, and had a good showing too. It came down to one shot in the last game, with Luis and Oscar tied 3 to 3. First place was $200 and a trophy. Second was $100 and a trophy. Third was a case of Kubuli beer. Thanks to everyone that came out, and a special thanks to Mom's for hosting the event and giving the case of Kubuli. "It came down to one shot at the Halloween Cup! Congratulations, Luis, for taking first place. Oscar took second, and Wallace took 3rd."

Fuego Halloween Party
Fuego is having a Halloween costume party and happy hour. It'll be on Halloween night, and it starts at 7:00pm. Mistah Geeh will be mixing for the event. "It's coming.....Our FIRST Signature Event."

The Mopan River remains in flood stage and the ferry at Succotz village is closed to traffic.

The low-lying bridge spanning the Macal River in San Ignacio town remains flooded and closed to vehicular traffic.

The Iguana Creek bridge spanning the Belize river in Blackman Eddy Village remains flooded and closed to vehicular traffic.

Friendly sporting matches played between Corozal & Mexico schools
On the evening of October 17, 2013, the Escuela Tecnica Secundaria Mexico Junior College of Corozal, Belize, took part in a friendly several sporting matches with students of the university, "Universidad de Quintana Roo" UQROO. The invitation by Mexico university was to continue to foster the friendly ties and goodwill between both neighboring countries. The Director of UQROO responsible for the physical well being of the students Maria de Guadalupe Cuellar Espadas warmly greeted and welcomed the students and delegates. On behalf of her institution, Cuellar Espadas thanked the Corozal students and teachers and told the visitors to enjoy this great event. She said this event "strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood between the two educational institutions".

Oct 29th - Traffic Jam today on Progresso Road! (Corozal)

We Restarted Our Lives in Belize
Veronique McKenzie didn't exactly choose to make her home in Belize�more like, Belize chose her. In her former life, Veronique was working in sales, marketing, and advertising, splitting her time between Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Her job gave her the opportunity for plenty of travel�but as the years progressed, she knew she needed to make a change. She considered moving to Marseilles in France where she is originally from�but before she did that, she decided to take a vacation. That vacation brought her to Belize�and to her new life. She fell in love with the beauty of Belize and the warmth of its people. She left Belize after her vacation�but the tiny country never left her mind. It felt like fate was calling her back to Belize�a feeling that was proven right on her return. Within weeks of returning to Belize for an extended stay, she met her husband Lance. Though the pair had been practically neighbors in LA, it took that trip to Belize for them to meet.

Channel 7

Cops Caught On Camera Shaking Down Man In ATM Booth
Six weeks ago, a young man named Thyrell Hyde came to us complaining that police robbed him, and then took him to the ATM to clean out his account. His story was compelling, but he asked us to stand down on it because he wanted to make the internal affairs process work without the prejudice of public exposure. So he complained to police and the ombudsman, but got no assistance. So today he came back to media with disturbing proof that what he said is true. Here's how he explained it to Daniel Ortiz.:.. Thyrell Hyde, Claims Police Robbed Him "They said that they were going to search the car and us and so they told the 2 females to go at the back of the car while they search the 2 males; myself and my friend. They searched us, I had $70 in my pocket and they took that.

Flooding Has Hatteiville On Gaurd
Tonight, floodwaters are subsiding in Western Belize, while they are rising in the Belize district. This morning the Belize District Emergency Committee will had an emergency meeting in the district Operations Center at the Sandhill NEMO office. District Emergency Coordinator Calbert Budd was getting the office's communication system ready - and the priority areas outlined. Tonight NEMO is reporting that River levels are rising in the Belize District as the Mopan and Macal Rivers empty into the Belize River at Branch Mouth and coastal communities in the south. The villages of Hattieville, Free Town Sibun, Gracie Rock, La Democracia; Gales Point, Ladyville, Lords Bank, Burrell Boom, Fresh Pond, Crooked Tree, Sand Hill, Grace Bank, May Pen, Bomba, Scotland Half Moon, Lemonal, Rancho Dolores, Willows Bank, and St. Paul's Bank are under flood watch. Today we visited Hattieville where villagers the water is rising but at this point it's not life threatening. We spoke to the chairman:..

Body Of Drowned Man Still Not Recovered
In the Benque Viejo area, the Mopan River has receded slightly, but still searchers have not found the body of the only casualty of the flooding so far, 65 year old farmer Carlos Rito Valdez. As we reported last night, Valdez was paddling his canoe across the Mopan River returning form his farm with plantains when the canoe capsized. Another man who was with him, Luis Baron managed to swim to safety, but Valdez and the canoe went under and did not resurface. Today, a body recovery team conducted a surface search downriver, looking at areas where the body may have gotten caught. They looked all morning but found nothing. The river is still too perilous to conduct searches in canoes or boats, and the search will continue tomorrow. In other flood news from the Cayo district, the low lying temporary bridge remains submerged and closed to traffic.

Castro "Kisses Off" The Media
Belize Rural North Representative and Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport Edmund Castro went to Cabinet today for the regular Tuesday meeting. It's the last Cabinet meeting in at least two weeks as the Prime Minister is expected to undergo back surgery next week. The media did try to catch Castro as he left the Sir Edney Cain Building, but as this video from PLUS TV shows he got into his Toyota Fortuner and left before he could be questioned. KREM Radio reports that he blew the female media workers a kiss, before leaving. Castro has dodged and declined all interviews since returning to the country on Saturday, only saying in a statement that he intends to sue Channel 5 and Alvorine Burgess, the woman who claims she paid him four hundred thousand dollars in visa bribes over six months.

NTUCB Kicks Out Christian Workers Union
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has expelled the Christian Workers Union, just as the umbrella group said it would. The NTUCB took the decision unanimously at a special general council meeting yesterday. The NTUCB made its position clear in a press release 10 days ago saying that that CWU Leaders were compelled to stick by a timeline that President Antonio Gonzalez had publicly committed to in August. The CWU Leader, backed up by the majority of its member groups have decided instead to push that meeting back to February 2014. The NTUCB presided over an abortive attempt to hold an AGM last week Saturday but they failed to get a quorum.

Waste Control Snipes At Mayor, Calling Him "Dismissive", Untruthful
Yesterday, Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley told the media that the City Council was only ten weeks behind in its payments to Belize Waste Control. He added that this is about the same as last year. Well, Waste Control, which usually keeps a low public profile, shot back today with a scathing press release. It says Bradley's statement is untrue; the last payment was for the week of July 15 - 19th and it was received on October third. So, the weeks outstanding number 15 - not ten, extending from July 22nd to November first. The Mayor also said the council will pay in December, which Waste Control says would bring it to 19 weeks, which their press release says is, quote, completely unreasonable for any business to operate."

214 Foot Waterfall Che Chem Ha "Disappeared" In Flash Flood
As we've been showing you, there has been a lot of flooding along with the week of rains across the country. We've had one drowning and a few people rescued, but apart from that no major landslides or flash floods in populated areas. But, what looks to be a flash flood in the upper reaches of the Cayo District caused an entire waterfall to disappear! That waterfall is called Che Chem Ha, famous for its beauty. But that beauty is no more! Yesterday, Jules Vasquez went to see what happened to it - here's his report:... Jules Vasquez reporting We found Lea Pleitiez taking in the breath-taking vista of the Vaca Plateau - a quiet moment of reflection, and you probably couldn't find a better place for it as the expanse unfolds into so many mesmerizing shades of green.

Man Accuses Police And Produces Expended Shell
At the top of the news, we told you about the outrageous police who took Thyrell Hyde into an ATM to check his balance, and take out some money for themselves. And while it's not as sensational as allegedly getting robbed by the cops, we must also present the story from Carlton Gideon from Sand Hill, who says that officers put his family's life in danger last night. According to Gideon, he was at home with his 5 children when officers barged into his house, and with no warning one of them fired their weapon at his door which penetrated and went inside his house. He told us today that the officers behaved aggressively, and they came to the wrong house because they were looking for his neighbor: Carlton Gideon AKA Carlton Cox - Claims inappropriate behavior "I was in my bed, I had my 4 sons and one of my daughters in their own rooms and at the backdoor I heard someone knocking saying 'police.' I look through the window and I saw one person standing with a gun pointed at the window; my window is at my bed head.

Belize's Disabled Need Help
Members of the Disabled People's International North America and the Caribbean are in Belize this week to conduct a capacity building workshop with the executive members of the Belize Assembly for Persons With Diverse Abilities. The international organization recognized that some of the national assemblies across the Caribbean were in need of strengthening and Belize was identified as a part of that project. With the help of the media, they are hoping to create awareness by educating the population about persons with disabilities and their rights and also strengthen the BAPDA's executive. Henrietta Davis Wray - Acting President (DPI NAC Inc.) "We are here in Belize my assistant and I to do a capacity building workshop with this organization. Coming out of the 8th regional assembly that was held on August 2011 in Jamaica, we recognized that some of the national assemblies across the Caribbean were in need of strengthening and so Belize was one of the organizations that were identified to be a part of that project."

Beer, Babes And The Enduring Mystique of The Belikin Calendar
The novelty of the Belikin Calendar has faded over time - it's not the big deal that was when it was first launched over a decade ago. But, still, even though slick and sexy images of all kinds have proliferated all around us, the Calendar retains a certain cultural cachet, a niche all its own. On Friday night at the launch of the 2014 version, Daniel Ortiz went looking for the answer to what's behind the mystique. Belikin Calendar from 7News Belize on Vimeo This year's 12 Calendar Girls were chosen in an open casting call on Facebook.

"Sticks" Still Seeking Community Healing
At the top of our newscast, we showed you the flooding from the weekend rains in different parts of the country. Well, one event which went on despite the weather was the Day of Healing, which as we've told you, is a community effort to promote positive activities in the different neighbourhoods where gang influence is heavy. 7News stopped by and we spoke to the organizer, and he told us that cancelling was not an option because the Yabra children would have been disappointed: Perry "Stix" Smith, Organizer - Day of Healing "It's still going on. We are not having any challenges because of the weather. The Father made us and he also made the weather. The weather, some might look at it as an obstacle, but we look at it as a blessing. This is not the first days of healing that water touched it and we gone through - from the time water come the people know already that Day of Healing will still happen."

Taiwan Still Helping With ICT
This morning a Signing Ceremony was held between the Government of Belize and Taiwan on Cooperation in Information and Communication Technology. The project started in 2006, with the objective of applying Taiwan's advanced ICT abilities to assist the government of Belize in progressing towards e-government. With a budget of 3 million dollars, Belize has received assistance to build a national ICT Center while providing training for IT personnel in order to improve the government's overall administrative efficiency. Today, the agreement was renewed and the Taiwanese Ambassador told the media what's behind it:.. H.E. David Wu - Taiwan Ambassador to Belize "We just renew an agreement which was signed in May 2009 when our President came to visit your beautiful country. At that time an agreement for the cooperation of ICT (Industry for Communication and Information) was signed by two Foreign Ministers and then the President and the Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow - both of them held a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the ICT Center in Belmopan."

Bex About Bagasse
Bagasse, it's the byproduct of sugar cane production which BSI uses in its subsidiary BELCOGEN to generate electricity which it sells to BEL. It's a waste product, but it's also a value added product - and now, there's trouble brewing in the Cane industry because the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association want to share in the earnings from Bagasse. Today at a stakeholder's engagement conference in Orange Walk, President of the Cane Farmers Association Alfredo Ortega accused BSI and its parent company ASR of assuring their own future at the expense of cane farmers as they negotiated a new bagasse commercial agreement for themselves. HE announced that the Cane Farmers Association would be withdrawing from the event and they walked out after his speech.

Channel 5

6 immigration clerks transferred from Immigration Department
There are new developments in the immigration department corruption scandal tonight. First, News Five has been able to confirm that at least six public officers from that department have been [...]

PSU says suspension of persons from Department a sore spot
Acting Director of Immigration, Maria Marin, is the person who called for the suspension of three passport department staffers early in the administrative investigation. Sharon Neal-Flowers was the head of [...]

Ministry of Immigration meets with N.T.U.C.B. and Social Partners
This afternoon at two-thirty, senior officials of the Ministry of Immigration met with members of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and social partners. The meeting was held in [...]

Minister Castro dodges the media once again
While Ministry of Immigration officials met with the N.T.U.C.B., there was another very important meeting taking place not too far away. Cabinet met until nearly three this afternoon, and Minister [...]

Motion requesting a Senate Inquiry into passport scandal to be discussed
At the last full meeting of the Senate, Opposition Senator Lisa Shoman made clear her intent to bring a motion requesting a Senate Inquiry into the Immigration scandal. Since then [...]

Should Minister Edmund Castro's finances be investigated?
And tonight's question is: Should there be an investigation into the finances of Minister of State Edmund Castro? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or [...]

The chilling and telling video of the shake down of a young man by police
Tonight, there is chilling and telling video of the shake down of a young man by the police. The incident happened on the night of September eighth when Tyrell Hyde [...]

Eight-month pregnant inmate pleas to be released from prison
Thirty-six year old Jaziba Nasser is eight months pregnant, but she finds herself behind bars since last Thursday.� Nasser is remanded along with her husband, businessman Nazim Nasser and their [...]

Double tragedy for a San Ignacio family following traffic accident
A double tragedy has hit a family from San Ignacio following a traffic accident that occurred earlier this month. On the night of October seventeenth, forty-one year old Ricardo Tepaz [...]

Search continues in Succotz for elderly man who dies in boating accident
A search is underway in the Mopan River near Succotz for the body of a sixty-five year old resident who died while crossing the river. Carlos Valdez and his family [...]

Murder Trial of Vincent Tillett wraps up in court
On Monday in the Supreme Court, Justice Adolph Lucas wrapped up a trial on a charge of murder for forty-nine year old taxi driver Vincent Tillett. On November twelfth, Justice [...]

Special Constable pleads guilty to beating his wife
Also in the courts, Special Constable Barrington Brown, who works as a cabinet maker changed his not guilty plea to guilty of beating of his wife during a domestic dispute [...]

Republic of China and G.O.B. renews its ICT project
Since its establishment in 2006, the Information Communication Technology project, an agreement between the Government of Belize and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), has seen the construction [...]

17 weeks and no payment by City Hall says Belize Maintenance Limited
The Belize City Council has not paid Belize Maintenance Limited for sixteen weeks. BML is responsible for a large portion of the city's cleaning needs�from the pruning of trees and [...]

Christian Workers Union officially expelled from the N.T.U.C.B.
The Christian Workers Union, following a meeting of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize on Monday, has been expelled from the umbrella organization.� The dismissal was formalized as a [...]

Disabled Peoples International discusses issues affecting the disabled
The needs and rights of persons with disabilities are often overlooked in favor of others who are considered physically capable. The government has agreed to take every possible action so [...]

Belize to compete in Central American Boxing Championship in Nicaragua
A pair of Belizean boxers, led by Coach Leopold Smart and Boxing Association President Moses Sulph, left for Managua, Nicaragua this evening, where they will compete in the Central American [...]

From Yes to I Do, Channel 5 Will Follow You�Episode 2
Stay tuned to this station for episode two of our popular reality wedding, from Yes to I Do. In tonight's episode, you will catch the challenges among the aspiring couples [...]

LOVE FM

Young Man Says He Was Shaken Down by Police
A serious allegation has been made against members of the Belize Police Department. Late this afternoon 20 year old Thyrell Hyde visited Love News to make a complaint that he was the victim of a robbery carried out by police officers several weeks ago and he says that he is frustrated because so far no one has been charged even though he has provided video evidence of the crime. THYRELL HYDE "On the 8th September, I was in Belize City in the Buttonwood Bay area with some friends; we were parked by the sea side when the Police came up and came by the driver's side and told all of us to get out of the car. We got out of the car and they told us that they were going to search the car and us and so it was two males and two females including myself and they told the two females to go to the back of the car and they searched the two males (me and my other friend); they removed the items from my pocket, I had my keys, seventy dollars, my phone and they took that. Two other officers were searching the car; one searched on the driver's side and the other searched by the passenger side and after the search they said they will take us to station and they told the two girls that were with us to leave and if they stayed that means they want to go to station too.

Senator Files Notion For Special Select Committee
On Monday Attorney and PUP Senator Lisa Shoman filed a Notice of Motion to create a special select committee to institute and conduct enquiries and investigations into mismanagement or corruption by persons in Central Government or public statutory bodies. Love News spoke with Shoman earlier today and she told us more. SENATOR LISA SHOMAN "What I have been able to do is after talking to the social partners, we drafted up a notice of motion and put it for the social partner's consideration and what I have done is presented it to the Clerk of the National Assembly. He has received it and he tells me that it will be on the agenda for next week." LINETTE CANTO "Can you tell us a little bit more about what is in the motion and what is the process from here after?" SENATOR LISA SHOMAN "Essentially the motion sights two things: the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the Senate. The constitution is what gives the Senate the functions and I believe the responsibility for us to carry out investigations and inquiry.

Students in Southern Belize Affected by Flood
Flooding waters continue to affect families across Belize. According to NEMO river flood levels was observed to be increasing in the Belize District as the Mopan and Macal Rivers raise as they empty into the Belize River at Branch Mouth and coastal communities in the south. The Hammock Bridge at Branch Mouth has washed away. The Low lying Bridge in San Ignacio /Santa Elena is still under water and remains closed. The Iguana Creek Bridge is still under water and the Baking Pot Ferry remains closed. In the south, the road in and out of San Pablo on the Southern Highway remains closed to traffic. In Toledo, Indianville and Magoon area is now experiencing flooding. Monkey River Village is also experiencing flooding. There is 3ft of water across the road. The school bus cannot leave the Village. The road is impassable. On the Hopkins Road there are some sections that are under 14 inches of water. NEMO advises persons to secure their property and move out early if possible especially residents of Hattieville, Free Town Sibun, Gracie Rock, La Democracia; Gales Point, Ladyville, Lords Bank, Burrell Boom, Fresh Pond, Crooked Tree, Sand Hill, Grace Bank, May Pen, Bomba, Scotland Half Moon, Lemonal, Rancho Dolores, Willows Bank, and St. Pauls Bank. The weather also made it a short day for students at the Toledo Community College as we hear in this report from correspondent Paul Mahung.

Police News
San Ignacio Police was on mobile patrol yesterday afternoon on Stanton Street in San Ignacio Town, when their attention was drawn to two male persons of Hispanic descent. The two persons were stopped and informed that a search will be conducted on them for drugs and firearm. The search led to the discovery of two S&B nine millimeter round and a chrome and brown nine millimeter Luger Speer round stuffed inside one of the men's left front pants pocket. That individual identified as 27 year old David Winsor of Apollo Street. Police requested gun license from Winsor which he was unable to produce and as a result he was escorted to the police station and charged for kept ammunition without a gun license.

Flood Waters Affect Residents
The flood waters caused heavy rains over the weekend are now heading out to the Caribbean Sea and are reaching the Belize River Valley area. And the evidence was everywhere today when we travelled up the Philip Goldson Highway and into some of the communities in that area. The currents in the riding Haulover Creek at Ml seven were strong and swift. Salvador Hernandez moved to Mile 20 along the Philip Goldson Highway 20 years ago and he says that every time there is a heavy and continuous downpour, the low-lying plains get saturated to these extremes. Salvador Hernandez, Resident, Ml 20, PG Highway "Like this weather here, now we have like 2 or 3 feet of water in some parts." MARION ALI "So you don't have a backyard when it floods?" SALVADOR HERNANDEZ "No, we don't have a back yard not even a front yard because the front of the yard is flooded. Yesterday morning that yard and the whole front of this yard was flooded and it is low very low land."

Mexico and Belize in The Arts
Twenty years ago, in 1993, the Institute of Mexico in Belize was created as a cultural center, through which the Mexican Embassy developed different projects. The Institute plays a leading role in the recreational and artistic life of Belize and has become an essential part of the cultural infrastructure of this country. One of the main sections of the Institute is the gallery of exhibitions: this place is a dynamic site, which presents plastic art displays, highlighting to the Belizean public, creativity of Mexican artists and the vast cultural heritage of Mexico. Director of the Institute Dominguez Rodriguez Semerano shared more to Love News. DOMINGUEZ RODRIGUEZ SEMERANO "This is a very cultural center in Belize City to promote the Mexican culture but the Belizean culture too. This is free space for the Embassy of Mexico to show to the Belize people the tradition, culture and everything about Mexico and also everything about Belize; it is the home of Belizeans too. This kind of building is an effort of the Mexican government to show in some countries its cultures and make the presence of the Mexican artists stronger. A lot of big exhibitions about Mexican artists and Belizean artists; for example in the case of Belizean artists we have Angela Gegg, Pen Cayetano and a lot of artists from the state of Quintana Roo to show to the public of Belize his work but this is not only a gallery of art. In this institute we have many activities like music conference and different kinds of meetings."

Workshop Focuses on Disabled Persons
Henrietta Davis-Raye is the Disabled People's International for the North America and Caribbean Region and she is in Belize. The organization was launched in 1981 with a goal to achieve full participation of ALL persons with disabilities in the mainstream of life, through promotion and protection of their human rights. Davis-Raye is hosting a capacity building workshop for disabled individual here in Belize. HENRIETTA DAVIS RAYE "Disabled Peoples International is a cross disability organization that simply means national assemblies in each country must be comprised of a cross disability, meaning a physical disability, a hearing impairment or deaf, blind or visual impairment, intellectual impairment. There are other disabilities but those are the major disabilities that ought to be a part of your national assembly executive body." HIPOLITO NOVELO "What's the goal of the organization on a whole?" HENRIETTA DAVIS RAYE "The goal of the organization is to create an environment where persons with disabilities have access to the whole range of opportunities of advanced society and that is education, housing, training, employment, recreation. The state must provide the facilities to assist persons who have a disability."

Judge Will Render Ruling for 2011 Murder In Two Weeks
Yesterday, after all the evidence was in for the murder trial of 49-year-old, taxi driver ,Vincent Tillett, the judge, Justice Adolph Lucas, in the trial which is without a jury, reserved November 12 as the date when he will give his ruling. Tillett, a resident of Antelope Street Extension in Belize City is accused of the murder of 23-year-old, Darwin Phillips, who died from a stab wound to his chest that was inflicted between 6 and 7 pm on February 13, 2011. The case for the prosecution was that Phillips was at a house on Antelope Street Extension shared by Tillett and Tillett's common-law wife, Denise Stuart, when Tillett entered and went to the kitchen where he got a knife and stabbed Phillips. The prosecution had relied on the testimony of two eye witnesses; both were deemed as hostile witnesses when they refused to testify in accordance to statement they had previously given to the police. Those statements were, however, admitted as evidence.

Prices Upped for Liquid Petroleum
The price of liquid petroleum is has increased in most parts of the country. According to the Supplies Control Unit in the Ministry of Trade, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection the new prices took effect yesterday. The price for a one hundred pound cylinder will be one hundred and eighteen dollars in Belize City and Corozal; one hundred and nineteen dollars in orange Walk; one hundred and twenty dollars in Belmopan and San Ignacio, one hundred and twenty one dollars in Benque Viejo del Carmen; one hundred and twenty two dollars in Dangriga and one hundred and twenty three dollars in Punta Gorda. All the new approved prices are an increase of a dollar from the last modified list which was approved on September 5th.

More News: Scroll up from here

CTV3

Marijuana Plantation Goes Up In Flames
An anti drug operation by authorities led to the destruction of a number of marijuana plants. Between the hours of 4:30pm and 6:30pm on the 28th of October police conducted an anti drug operation about 1 � miles Northwest of Carmelita Village Orange Walk District where a marijuana plantation was found containing about 50 marijuana plants ranging from 2 inches to 4 ft in height. Police also found about � pound of cannabis resin and a black plastic bag containing about 60 marijuana trees that were place to dry under a shed. No one was found in the area and the plants were uprooted and destroyed by fire.

Case Against Matthew Williams Adjourned , Magistrate On Leave
The case against Matthew Williams for the unlawful possession of six passports, four Belizean, one Panamanian, and one Spanish resumed today before Senior Magistrate Merlene Moody at the Orange Walk Magistrates Court. After numerous adjournments since 2012 when the Gang Suppression Unit conducted a sting operation on William's residence located in Smithsonian Street, Orange Walk Town, which resulted in the discovery of the passports, the case finally saw a break through approximately two weeks ago as trial began. After the testimony of former OCEANA vice-president Audrey Matura Sheppard, one of the prosecutions key witnesses, the case was adjourned to today when it was expected that Williams would present his defense. Of note is that Williams was allowed to act on his own defense after he failed to procure an attorney.

19 Year Old Missing For Ten Days, His Mother Fears The Worst
Tonight the family of 19 year old Toni De Carlos Pasos is frantically looking for him. According to Pasos' mother, 55 year old Sandra Zetina, her son walked out of the house after an argument ensued between them. Sandra Zetina- Mother of Missing Person "On Saturday morning the 19th they told him that they have to leave the home and find somewhere to stay, right and when he came Saturday night I told him, here is your clothes and you just got paid and go and rent a room because you can't stay here anymore, so I closed the door and in the morning when he got up his clothes was still there but he wasn't there. I left the clothes outside an everything for three days, after the three days his boss came to me and he told me what happened to Tony because he hasn't been to work for three days so I told well I thought he was there with him and he said no, so when I started asking friend if they had seen him or anything they said no, so I decided to go to the police station because he has never done something like that, anywhere he goes I always know where he is."

Businessman Accuses Three Officers Of Bribery
There are serious allegations of bribery being made against three police officers attached to the Belize City Police Department tonight. According to the alleged victim, Thyrell Hyde of Belize City, the incident played out sometime in the month of September. Hyde reports that he and a group of friends were sitting inside his vehicle which was parked in the vicinity of the Buttonwood Bay Park when they were surprised by a group of police officers who were on patrol at the time. The group, according to Hyde, was searched by the officers and that is when the situation got out of control. Thyrell Hyde, Business Man "They searched me and my friend, they remove seventy dollars from my pocket, my keys, my cellphone and they took those from my friend also his keys and cellphone too and while they were searching us two other officers were searching the car and so I notice they had remove a manila envelope that I had in the glove compartment of the car, I had everything that it had to do with my contracts, copies of cheques and stuff like that and then the other officer proceeded to check the trunk and so I had my kick bag in there also and after they search that well they told me that they were going to take me to the station and so I asked him if I don't smoke, I don't drink and they haven't found anything illegal what is the reason they will take me to the station and so the police man looked at me and he told but you could help yourself and I told what you mean and I told him well if money you guys want well you done take it from my pocket and whilst searching one of them found my ATM card and he told well we have the card here and so the two officer got into my car and drove me to the ATM machine and so they went to Atlantic Bank by the flag monument in Belize City and they ordered me to follow them into the ATM and they took out two hundred and fifty."

What's Next For The BSCFA?
And while the fate of the Belize Sugar Industry seems to be in limbo, the 'walkout' thrown by the BSCFA comes under the basis of principles where the association felt their basic economic rights are being trampled. So, what's next for the Association? That's what we asked the top brass of the Association in a follow up meeting today. Alfredo Ortega- BSCFA "Estamos en una manera unida para trabajar porque cada uno de nosotros representamos una cantidad de caneros e diferentes sucursales, nosotros en diferentes juntas generales los caneros no han puesto de que busquemos esa manera de negociar y conseguir un beneficio en lo que es el bagazo y hoy es un d�a de que marchamos y marchamos juntos porque representamos una organizaci�n y objetivo es ver de tener un beneficio por el uso del bagazo ahora el bagazo es un sub producto que genera dinero, econom�a y nosotros como caneros debemos de conseguir un share de esa econom�a que brinda el bagazo , nosotros de aqu� vamos a tener una justa con los caneros y vamos a reportar hasta donde hemos llegado en estos momentos en relaci�n a la negociaciones y all� vamos a tomar en los consejos de los caneros."

BSCFA Walks Out On BSI In The Middle Of Strategic Planning Presentation
Sugar Industry Stakeholders met today at the Gala Lounge to strategically plan the future investment of the Industry where key points were raised to remain competitive beyond 2017 in the Global Market. But that's not all that happened. Our news team was on hand for the event and brings you the following report. Maria Novelo - Reporting In an effort to effectively compete in the global market where changes to the EU is imminent, Industry Stakeholders including the Ministry of Agriculture, Belize Sugar Industries Limited, Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and majority holder American Sugar Refinery, met today to chart a way forward in their new Action Plan for the Future of the Sugar Industry of Belize.

PlusTV

Edmund Castro issues a formal statement on visa allegations
On Friday, we told you of the lengths to which Prime Minister Dean Barrow avoided the press on his return from Los Angeles, California, by having his personal vehicle taken to the airport tarmac, stopping only to greet party supporters who made a rare appearance. One day later, it...

Eric Chang severs communication links with Belize City Hall
City Councilor Eric Chang continues to be absent from the country of Belize even as he remains accused of complicity in the granting of a passport to disgraced South Korean businessman Won-Hong Kim. It has been over three weeks since he promised to return and he has not. The Council...

Minister Manuel Heredia Jr. denies visa quota system
The press continues to seek the views of Cabinet members on different facets of the immigration scandal. On Monday, Tourism and Culture Minister Manuel Heredia Jr. was asked if he is aware of the widely-reported visa quota system for Ministers and whether he facilitated any such visas. Here is...

Stevedores short of quorum at convention
Stevedores angry with the leadership of the Christian Workers' Union (CWU) had vowed to proceed with a convention intended to oust president Antonio Gonzalez and general secretary James McFoy, despite the official disapproval of the majority of the eleven bargaining units within the Union. These units had agreed to...

Father ends his life after daughter dies in crash
A traffic accident causing the death of a little girl, proved too much for her father who ended his own life in grief. Police reports have it that on Thursday, October 17th, 41 year old Ricardo Antonio Rosa Tepas, a Naturalized Belizean of Santa Elena Town, was driving his...

Southern Regional Hospital Administrator has suspension extended
There are new revelations regarding the investigative audit conducted at the Southern Regional Hospital. The Auditor General was enrolled by the Ministry of Health to conduct an audit at the hospital, following reports of suspected irregular activities. Over the three years, it is reported that about four hundred thousand...

Family land dispute erupts on Cemetery Lane
They say you can choose your friends, but you cannot choose your family. That quote from American author Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" was dramatized this past Saturday on Cemetery Lane in Belize City. In 1933, two families lived on the same plot of land, #404 Cemetery Lane. One was...

Mayor Darrell Bradley has initiatives to address sanitation payments
Rumors have been circulating for sometime that sanitation companies Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) and Belize Waste Control (BWC) plan to picket City Hall over the annual problem of falling behind on sanitation payments. At last report, although the Council disputes the figure, Belize Waste Control is owed 15 weeks...

Weekend weather causes flooding in Four districts
Since Thursday of last week, there's been a consistent downpour of rain over the country which led to some flooding in the City of Belmopan on Friday. Those showers continued on over the weekend though; causing flooding in four of the six district. Plus news...

Belize City Mayor Begins Countdown to Open the BTL Park
As of Monday, it is 41 days and counting to the opening of BTL Park. Today, the press was invited to the formal countdown, launched by Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley, who updated the press on what has been done so far. Mr. Darrel Bradley-Mayor of Belize City...

NICH and Museums Association of the Caribbean Launch Master Plan at AGM
Museums - they are where a nation's collective soul resides, housing relics of the past for people of the present to look at and possibly divine the future. But in a rapidly evolving world, are they still relevant? That is a question members of the Museums Association of the Caribbean...

Amandala

PM, CASTRO FLEE MEDIA ON RETURN TO BELIZE!
Lady whistleblower has reportedly "spilled the beans" to both the US Embassy and the office of the Ombudsman. Last Friday afternoon the media houses of Belize thronged the Philip Goldson International Airport waiting to "ambush" Prime Minister Dean Barrow for his comments on recent allegations that another of his Ministers of State, Hon. Edmond Castro, was reportedly involved in corruption, this time a visa scandal. The Prime Minister had been in Los Angeles when the Castro scandal broke. Still trying to deal with Minister of State Elvin Penner's sensational "Citizen Kim" passport scandal in the Immigration Ministry, PM Barrow, just off a 9-day visit to California, apparently was in no mood to speak to the media about anything of the sort. The Prime Minister used his clout to have his vehicle waiting on the tarmac of the airport, and he and Mrs. Barrow walked from the United Airlines jet, after greeting some of his supporters, straight into his vehicle. His driver sped off, leaving a startled and disappointed media behind.

ASHLEY SMITH, CUSTOMS OFFICER, ARRAIGNED FOR THEFT
Ashley Smith is very lucky to be spending tonight at home because of the possibility of her being sent to prison after she was arraigned late this evening at Magistrate's Court #8. According to police, Smith (whose age was not provided in court) is the Customs officer who, between August 30, 2013, and September 26, 2013, allegedly stole $4,966, the property of the Customs Department. Police believe that Smith took the cash that was paid to her and replaced it with cheques written out in the same amounts, so that at the end of the day there would be no discrepancies with her account. The matter was investigated after her superiors started seeing the cheques and realized that the company name that was printed on the cheques was not a company with which they had ever done business.

DEADLY ROBBERY IN SANDHILL: GUNMEN KILLED THE DRIVER AND STOLE OVER $10,000
A Yo Creek father of three children was shot dead during an ambush by two robbers at about 12:30 Friday afternoon in Sandhill, at Mile 19 on the Philip Goldson Highway at its junction with the old Maskall Road. George Blanco, 60, was driving his company truck from Belize City to Orange Walk, along with his boss, John Penner, 42, and Penner's two sons, Abraham, 20, and Gerhard, 22, after selling meat to suppliers in the city. As he slowed for the pedestrian crossing at Mile 19 in Sandhill, suddenly one of two men who were standing on the left side of the road near the speed bump fired into the front of the vehicle, killing Blanco almost instantly. Blanco was hit under the arm, and slumped over the steering wheel. The two robbers, who were armed with a gun and a knife, approached the truck from the left and right side of the vehicle, robbed the boss and his two sons and escaped with over $10,000 in cash.

Headline - 29 October 2013 - by Albert J. Ciego The Tepaz family of Santa Cruz, Cayo, is going through terrible grief, mourning the deaths of their father and their sister. Their sister, Glendy Tepaz, 14, died yesterday, Sunday, in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) while undergoing treatment for injuries sustained as a result of a road traffic accident in which her father was the driver of a vehicle that ran off the road and smashed into a container that was inside a yard. Then yesterday, Sunday, after his daughter's death, her father, unable to bear the excruciating pain, drank a herbicide and died shortly after. Police reports are that about 7:20 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, they went to the junction of Joseph Andrews Drive and Branch Mouth Road in San Ignacio, where they saw a grey Toyota pickup truck with damage to the front portion parked on the right hand side of the road. Their investigation revealed that Ricardo Antonio Rosa Tepaz, 41, a naturalized Belizean of the Santa Cruz area of Santa Elena, was driving his 1987 Toyota pickup truck to San Ignacio when he lost control of the vehicle, ran off the road and collided with a container that was inside a yard

"VERY GRAPHIC" STD BROCHURE FALLS INTO HANDS OF PRIMARY SCHOOLERS
The brochure featured 6 images of cauliflower-looking, genital warts on the tip of the penis, as well as warts at the vagina and anus, in color. A "very graphic" STD brochure, which features close-up shots of grossly infected female and male genitals, fell into the wrong hands on Friday morning - oddly, at a Drug Awareness Fair held by a Northside primary school in Belize City. The principal of the school, who described the material as "very graphic," confirmed to our newspaper that the incident did occur, but went further to say that the matter was immediately arrested when the school's management learned children were collecting the brochures with the gross sexual images. Six images, which appear in the inside fold of the brochure, feature cauliflower-looking, genital warts on the tip of the penis, as well as warts at the vagina and anus. (All these are body parts, we note, shown in the brochure in color.)

HEAVY RAINS FLOOD RURAL BELIZE DISTRICT AND CAYO DISTRICT
Incessant rains which poured significant amounts of water across the country late last week and over the past weekend have caused various incidents of flooding in some rural areas of Belize, particularly in the Cayo District, where rising water levels forced families to relocate for their safety. On Friday morning, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) issued a flood watch for several villages in western and southern Belize, and by Friday night, torrents of heavy rain began to drench the country, mainly in the western and southern regions. The rains which caused the localized flooding were as a consequence of a cold front that passed over the Yucatan peninsula. In the communities of Arizona, Teakettle and Maya Mopan, floods affected several families, with some areas recording as much as 12 inches of water. In the south, North Stann Creek was 4 feet above normal water levels, while waters were about 12 feet above normal at Hope Creek Village.

PUP CLAIM 30% THRESHOLD FOR PENNER RECALL REACHED
Orlando "Landy" Habet, the member of the Opposition People's United Party (PUP) who has been leading the charge to gather signatures for a petition to recall Cayo North East area representative Elvin Penner, told Amandala today that they plan to push until Sunday, November 3, 2013, to gather signatures of constituents-to ensure that they are well above the 30% threshold required to trigger the vote. According to Habet, who ran against Penner in 2012 but lost by 17 votes, the division has 5,800 registered voters, and they have managed to obtain the signatures of over 1,800 of them for the recall petition. Habet said that although they have already pushed beyond the minimum number of required signatures, they will work over the weekend to gather even more signatures.

CHARLIE PLAYS; WEST LAKE "NO HAPPY"; FORT GEORGE STILL #1
It was an abbreviated weekend of football in the Belize City Mayor's Cup due to intermittent showers during most of the preceding week and throughout the weekend. All the Premier League Belikin Cup games, scheduled for Sunday, were cancelled; but the Mayor's Cup did get in two games on Friday night, while their Saturday and Sunday games had to be called off because of the weather. And there is a different type of cloud looming over the management of the Belize City Mayor's Cup. In the opener this past Friday night at the MCC, Tulish FC bombed Third World, 8-2, with 2 goals from Jermin Aval and 1 apiece from Misael Munoz, German Sandoval, Reynaldo Gonzales, Marlon Gutierrez, Brandon Cacho and Isau Suazo. Both Third World goals were by John Smith. The much anticipated nightcap clash between league leaders Fort George United and West Lake ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Wayne Miller shook the net for West Lake, while Henry Gillett hit the target for Fort George, who maintain their 1 point lead in the standings over second place West Lake. But the game was not without an element of controversy.

S.C. ECUMENICAL FEMALES AND GEORGETOWN TECH REPRESENT IN VOLLEYBALL
The Southern Secondary School Sports Association (SSSSA) has held its regional competition to select their regional champions to represent the Southern Region at the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) tournament on November 8-9 in Belize City. Participating high schools were Stann Creek Ecumenical College (ECU), Julian Cho Technical High School (JCT), Georgetown Technical High School (GTC), Independence High School (HIS), and Toledo Community College (TCC). The following are the results of female (F) and male (M) competition games held at Stann Creek Ecumenical College and hosted by Agriculture and Natural Resource Institute, ANRI. Utilizing a double-elimination format, (F) ECU defeated JCT, 25-17, 25-18; (M) ECU def. GTC, 17-25, 25-8, 15 - 8; (F) ECU def. HIS, 25-18, 25-13; (M) TCC def. ECU, 25-8, 25-8; (F) JCT def. HIS, 25-11, 25-22 (HIS eliminated); and (M) GTC def. ECU, 23-25, 25-21, 16-14 (ECU eliminated). Playing in the championship round then, (F) ECU defeated JCT in straight sets, 25-18, 25-18 (championship game); while (M) GTC needed 3 sets to defeat TCC, 25-23, 18-25, 18-16 (championship game).

SCA VS BELIZE HIGH SCHOOL FEMALES FOR CSSSA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Central Secondary Schools Sports Association (CSSSA) Volleyball Competition 2013, which began back on Wednesday, October 2, with 5 female teams and 5 male teams participating, will hold its championship finals this week at Bird's Isle. Participating female teams were from St. Catherine Academy (SCA), Nazarene High School (NHS), Ladyville Technical High School (LTH), Wesley College High School (WES), and Belize High School (BHS); while the males were St. John's College (SJC), Anglican Cathedral College (ACC), Ladyville Technical High School (LTH), Wesley College High School (WES), and Belize High School (BHS). One female and one male game was played daily at Bird's Isle from Monday to Saturday of each week, and after completion of a double round-robin regular season, they are now down to the best-of-3 games championship finals series featuring the top two female and male teams from the regular season standings.

CSSSA BASKETBALL TIPS OFF TOMORROW, TUESDAY, AT BIRD'S ISLE
The Central Secondary Schools Sports Association (CSSSA) tips off its CSSSA Basketball Tournament 2013-2014 tomorrow, Tuesday, at Bird's Isle. Weekday games begin at 5:10 p.m., while on Saturday's the games start at 10:00 a.m. Six (6) female (F) teams and nine (9) male (M) teams are participating in this year's competition. Female teams are: Pallotti High School (PHS), Ladyville Technical High (LTH), Gwen Lizarraga High (GLH), St. Catherine Academy (SCA), Belize High School (BHS) and Wesley College (WES). Male teams are: WES, GLH, Nazarene High School (NHS), LTH, St. John's College (SJC), Anglican Cathedral College (ACC), BHS, Sadie Vernon Technical (SVT) and Excelsior High School (EHS). It's a single round-robin regular season, with knockout semifinals scheduled for December 2-3, and the best-of-3 finals series ending on December 9, in time for the Nationals, which take place on December 13-14.

DIVISION IN THE CWU Editorial
As far as we know, the only trade union historian in Belize is Nick Pollard, Jr., and he has an admitted agenda, which is the rehabilitation of the image of his late father, trade union leader/politician Nicholas Pollard, Sr. Right now, we need some help from Nick, Jr. The nationalist history of British Honduras/Belize in the post-World War II era was similar to that of other countries in the British Caribbean, in that the political leadership which emerged to lead these countries to independence, such as that of Eric Williams in Trinidad and Bustamante/Manley in Jamaica, came out of the trade union movements which had fought for workers' rights during colonialism. In Belize, the leaders of the People's United Party (PUP), founded in 1950, infiltrated and took over control of the General Workers Union (GWU), which had been founded by Clifford Betson, a shipwright, about six or seven years before. In national elections held in 1954 and 1957, the PUP and the GWU ran and won as the PUP/GWU ticket. But after 1957, the GWU was emasculated by the PUP, and it was essentially replaced by the Christian Workers Union (CWU), which was subservient to the George Price-led PUP.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
Last Friday afternoon I decided to roll up to the airport to view for myself the circumstances of the Belize Prime Minister's return from Los Angeles by way of Houston. I changed my schedule slightly so that I could reach the airport around the PM's scheduled 2:30 arrival time. When I got to canalside before 2, however, my younger brother told me that it had been announced on the 12:30 news that Rufus X had called off his airport demonstration because of bad weather. On the Thursday evening news, it had been reported that Rufus had obtained a license to demonstrate at the Philip Goldson International Airport on the PM's arrival, and that he would be meeting later Thursday evening with his COLA group to plan the details. On the face of it, it seemed as if Rufus had gotten the license all on his own, and I thought this was a most interesting idea. Now, please understand. Rufus X and I are friends and colleagues from UBAD days, a matter of 44 years and more. We have major differences from time to time. For example, I think Rufus is the person most responsible for the breakup of UBAD in favor of the UDP in 1973, but Rufus saved my life in 1984. He owns 10 percent of Kremandala, Ltd., and 20 percent of KREM Radio. I personally moved away from COLA after January of 2010, but Rufus has remained prominent in the group's leadership.

CONSENSUS - CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENTS STILL DEFECTIVE
The proposed changes to Belize's Criminal Code will this week be reviewed at a third House Committee meeting-this time being held with key legal authorities in Belize who will provide invaluable technical input to refine the proposed amendments. The Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee, headed by Education Minister Patrick Faber, is leading the review of the bill before it goes back to Parliament. That committee is slated to meet Wednesday evening at the National Assembly, and the Belize Bar Association, the Attorney General's Ministry and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) are due to be present at that meeting. Attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd has highlighted a number of concerns about the proposed amendments to Belize's Criminal Code - one of them being the removal of the offense of marital rape: a provision under which a man could be charged for raping his wife, particularly in the event of spousal abuse.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO HAVE PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK
Belize was represented in Montevideo, Uruguay, last week by Eddie Webster, Clerk of the National Assembly, at a regional meeting for Parliaments of Latin America captioned, "ICT strategic planning and use of social media in parliaments." Whereas the National Assembly currently has a website, it has no presence on social media. Webster told Amandala today that a new Facebook page would be set up to improve the dissemination of information to the public. The meeting was coordinated by the Global Center for ICT in Parliament, based on Rome, Italy. That center was launched by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) in the context of the 2005 World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS).

BUTANE PRICES HIT 12-MONTH HIGH
Late this evening the Government of Belize issued a notice indicating that the controlled price for Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as butane, is being increased, effective today, Monday, October 28, 2013. The last price increase took effect on September 6, 2013. Today's increase of $1 on the 100-pound cylinder puts the price at the highest recorded for the last 12-month period. Last November, butane prices fell from a high of $118 to $117. Prices continued to fall to $113 through to April. In fact, official data indicate that this price held for five months, until the price hike in September.

DRUG-SNIFFING DOG BUSTS GUAT NATIONALS WITH COCAINE
Two men were busted with 2 1/2 pounds of cocaine in Benque Viejo del Carmen, in the area of the Western border. Guatemalans Jonathon Sandoval and Robin Velez, both 23, were taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate's Court on Friday, where Sandoval pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, a plea which the court accepted and for which he was given a 3-year jail sentence and a fine of $100,000. His accomplice, Velez, pleaded not guilty, and the court remanded him to the Belize Central Prison until December 10. The incident occurred about 4:30 Thursday evening. Policemen of the newly formed unit called the Mobile Interdiction Team said that they were on routine patrol in the Western border area at that time when they saw a car clear the border and head towards Benque. They stopped the car and conducted a search for drugs, ammunition and guns.

RAPE�SEX�MODEST DRESS Letters
- by Paul Rodriguez Sex - Moslems know better Editor Sir: Colin bh has been forgiven. I will not need forgiveness, for I shall not offend while I more fully explore the issue of rape and modesty in dress for women. Allow me to state right off that the sexual act between a man and a woman is one of the beautiful human acts, if it is the gift of oneself to another. It is so exalted an expression of love and freedom that very often the Creator signifies His blessing by the creation of a new person. For any act to be one proceeding from love, it must be completely free. Therefore consensuality is of its essence. Even if you are in bed with your wife and she says "Stop it!", your efforts should cease then and there. To continue is to invite a charge of "RAPE". This is a very tough saying, but to climb to the summit of civilized behavior, we must strive to reach greater respect for the "NO." Nakedness, total or partial, does not itself constitute an invitation: it may be to attract, which may be mere flirtation.

CZARNECKI COMMENTS ON ZELDA'S LETTER Letters
- by Russell Czarnecki Dear Editor, In Zelda Hill's letter to the editor dated October 25, she makes a mistake common among Belizeans when - while referring to sexual predators - she incorrectly attributes this reprehensible crime to "depraved tourists." During the seven years I've lived in Belize, I can recall very few cases (still too many, of course) of non Belizeans involved in this type of activity, while hardly a week goes by without some local being arrested and charged with a crime against a minor. It's always easy to blame someone else for the things we find unpleasant about ourselves, whether it's crimes against children or spouses, or crimes against the nation committed by crooked politicians.

SHOULD PATRIOTISM MEAN COVERING UP THE TRUTH OR LYING? Letters
- by Emily L. Wilt Dear Sir, You have managed to glean many good articles from U.S. and British sources, the most recent being by Eric Kasum. There are a lot more fairytales that need correction. George Washington did not always tell the truth. Pocahontas did not save John Smith and Lewis and Clarke did not need a guide to get to the West Coast - just a few examples. When I taught high school history, I was a pedestal kicker. My principal was not happy when I showed a filmstrip about the aftermath of the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima. "That's not very patriotic," he said. "Guess not" I replied.

ARMED ROBBER STRUGGLED WITH VICTIM FOR HIS TENNIS SHOES
Police came up and caught the thief red-handed. A San Pedro resident, Alfredo Cowo, 22, was taken to the San Pedro Magistrate's Court on Friday, October 25, and was remanded to the Hattieville Prison until December 5. Cowo was captured red-handed by police while struggling with his victim to steal his footwear off his feet. He has been charged with robbery, handling stolen goods, and keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Nelson Rhaburn, 19, of Pescador Drive, San Pedro, told police that at about 3:30 Wednesday morning, he was on Pescador Drive helping his friend when two men walked up to him. One of them, who was holding a gun in his hand, pointed the gun at him while his partner took away Rhaburn's Camel bag, valued at $250, and a wallet valued at $65, and which contained $250 in cash.

LLOYD ELIJIO, 22, CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER OF MARK LORD, 22
Sentencing has been deferred to November 4, 2013, for the 2009 crime. Lloyd Elijio, 22, is spending his first night at the Kolbe Foundation after being convicted of the October 25, 2009 attempted murder of Mark Lord, 22. The trial started on October 21 and the Crown's prosecutor, Sheneiza Smith, called Lord as its main witness. He testified that at 12:30 on the afternoon of October 25, 2009, he was followed by Elijio from the Swing Bridge, down Queen Street, New Road and into Hydes Lane. According to Lord, although he was being followed by Elijio, he didn't expect anything to happen, since he knew Elijio. But when he got in front of the DHL building on Hydes Lane, he saw Elijio pull out a gun from the left side of his pants waist and fire at him. A shot caught him in the left side of the chest.

5 RESIDENTS OF SAN PEDRO CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING CRACK COCAINE
The five persons were taken to prison after being unable to meet bail. Today, Kaylani Gentle, 27, Marcelle Valles, 30, Delia Martinez, 21, Jose Moralez, 47, and Pedro Campos, 24, were all charged with drug trafficking when they appeared over at Magistrate's Court #8. According to police, at 3:30 yesterday evening the San Pedro residents were socializing at Captain Guts Bar in San Pedro when a raid of the bar was conducted by police looking for illegal drugs and firearms. When the police arrived at the table where the five persons were and searched an ashtray that was under the table, they found 20 very small parcels of suspected crack cocaine. All five persons, along with the suspected drugs, were taken to the police station, where the parcels were weighed and amounted to 1.47 grams. Gentle was additionally charged with drug possession after police found a pipe which allegedly contained 0.17 grams of suspected powder cocaine inside her cigarette pack.

ALBERT MOODY, 25, CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDERS OF STEVEN LAMBEY, 26, AND ELROY PERDOMO, 18
This morning, Albert Moody, 25, a resident of Jane Usher Boulevard, was arraigned on two counts of attempted murder, two counts of use of deadly means of harm and two counts of dangerous harm when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. According to police investigations, at 11:45 p.m. on October 20, Elroy Perdomo, 18, of Kraal Road, and Steven Lambey, 26, of Reggae Street, were riding on separate bicycles on Central American Boulevard toward the Port of Belize when they heard what sounded like shots being fired. After hearing the sounds, both men told police that they felt a burning sensation, and realized that they had been shot - Perdomo in his left ankle and the left side of his buttocks, and Lambey in his right calf and the right side of his abdomen.

Blogs

We were sworn to secrecy until after the Casa Picasso Restaurant menu tasting
Another first for the tacos and probably everyone else that was invited to the special secret event, we got to taste pretty much the whole menu. That is the kind of thing that happens on the island when your friends that own one of the most popular restaurants in town decide to do some quality control with their new staff before high season opening. We started with cocktails and the specialty martini's included: cucumber & green tea, limeade, bohemian luxury, breakfast martini, and Maharajah. Other drinks our table tried were basil mojito, AC iced tea and blue lagoon. You can find out more on how they are made by visiting the Casa Picasso drinks menu. Next came tapas, and the plates kept coming as fast as we could clear them. We sampled: skewered chicken breast roasted button mushrooms. ginger sesame conch, lobster mac& cheese, savin rock lobster sliders, gambas a la plancha, rendered pork belly with oyster sauce culantro & diced tomatoes, beef carpaccio, snook poke, potato ricotta gnocchi with organic asparagus, roasted beets, gratin de chou-fleur. Also on the appetizers part of the menu menu we tasted chilled octopus salad and Cesar salad. Everything was delicious which was no surprise with Jackie and Adam in charge and the great staff they have hired.

Invest Belize DVD
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) unveiled its Invest Belize Video on the 28th of October, 2013 at the ITVET building, upper flat conference room. In collaboration with Compete Caribbean, the mandate has been to ensure that the rich offerings of Belize are showcased in a manner that truly promotes and further develops the Belizean economy; whilst attracting competent investors. Belize is no longer Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret, as efforts made have paved the way forward to ensure that the Natural Niche Belize effortlessly is highlighted as BELTRAIDE remains the pioneer in this venture.

Casa Picasso in San Pedro: Tasting the Entire Menu at One of the Very Best Restaurants in Town
Casa Picasso, a personal favorite of mine in San Pedro, re-opens today and well�someone's got to test the new menu, right? I was a very lucky recipient of an invitation to the gathering. A small group of friends got together last night to taste 23 different menu TWENTY THREE! items PLUS the delicious new and inventive cocktails. I love fun cocktails. I knew we'd be tasting but I thought maybe 4 or 5 dishes. I actually pre-ate a bowl of granola just in case. Mistake. At the end of the night, 23 dishes later, I was ready for hibernation. ScoopMeOffTheFloor.com. It's the next morning and I am still feeling a bit stuffed. Stuffed and lucky. How often do you get to do something like this?

The medicine of the Maya in Belize
"For every ailment or difficulty on earth, the Spirits have provided a cure - you just have to find it." Don Elijio Panti. Elijio Panti was the last Maya Shaman or Doctor-priest of Belize. He died at the age of 103, after a rich life devoted to healing others, physically and spiritually. In our trip to this culturally rich country, Belize, my personal interest in alternative forms of medicine was stimulated by the fantastic heritage left to the modern Maya people related with traditional healing and medicinal plants. Maya's early medicine originated thousands of years ago, at the age of the first built temples. The knowledge was passed on orally from generation to generation, or as part of an intense training in the case of the traditional healers. With the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, inevitabelly the Maya assimilated some cultural and religious aspects into their belief system, including into the healing traditions. "Traditional healing is a system of healthcare which uses ancestral plants and healing vines of many roots. This form of healing must involve the act of religious prayer and spiritual well-being, and to the Maya, they honored their gods with prayers and thanked them for the remedies that cured and eradicated their illnesses.", says Dr. Rosita Arvigo, founder of the Belize Ethnobotanist Project, one of the most prominent specialists in Maya medicine and taught by Don Elijio Panti.

BELIZE IT OR NOT: A PARANORMAL PARADISE
There are certain places on this planet where the restless spirits of the dark linger. They manifest as curious voices and sinister smells; they move things about; they dart out of the shadows as ghostly apparitions. These are the places considered the most haunted in the world. You'd be forgiven if you assumed Belize was not of them. But you'd be wrong. Dead wrong. Known for its unspoiled beauty, its extreme biodiversity and distinctive ecosystems, Belize does not immediately come to mind as a hot bed for the paranormal; however, considering its small size, the country's overflowing with fearsome and persistent legends - stories so terrifying they are passed down from generation to generation as part of the region's folklore. Belize's legends include amazing tales of ghostly apparitions whose eyes glow red, jungle gnomes with backward feet who'll rip your thumbs off and beautiful but deadly women who'll steal your heart and then your soul. Goblins: Tata Duende

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Daffodil Cake
Today it's fife yeers since I sed "auf wiedersehe" at t'bedside o'my fath'r's trayler goin. I pref'r ta use t'Germun term becawz it speeks o'a "seein agin". At t'memerial servus we set t'ables wit daffodil plants at t'fambly took trayler ta plant . . . a remind'r o't' resurrecshun jes like new life n' spryun'. Wen I saw thishere recipe n' un old Bettee Crock'r file, I had ta post it, wit a few personal adaptatyuns, o'corse. Ingredyints: � cup flour � cup sugar 10 egg whites � tsp salt 1/2 cup sugar 6 egg yolks

International Sources

Belize's UDP Party's Success Overshadowed By Opposition - Analysis
In 2010, the Belize Minister of Works, Hon. Anthony Martinez, signed three contracts with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to carry out several international development projects. [1] The contracts fell under Belize's goal to alleviate poverty in its heavily impoverished Southside region. The plan was called the Southside Poverty Alleviation Project. [2] This project was an apparent success, and was carried out under the initial aegis of the Belizean United Democratic Party (UDP) government. Many Belizean public officials were confident that this government was capable of achieving the country's historically elusive goal of reducing poverty. [3] Starting off as a two-year project with a number of phases, the Southside Poverty Alleviation Project was targeted at improving infrastructure in Belize's Southside as well as to reduce crime throughout the country, increasing economic development, and lowering unemployment, all of which used to be disproportionately focused in Belize's troubled Southside district. [4] Moreover, the company tasked with improving the region's infrastructure primarily utilized unemployed and poor Belizeans as an effective labor force. This strategy has given employment to those who previously did not have jobs. [5] However, despite these successes, the UDP government came exceedingly close to losing the most recent elections in 2012 by a very close margin (17-14). This near-loss can be attributed to the recent scrutiny and effective propaganda used by the opposition which was directed at existing political corruption within the incumbent government. These accusations could significantly overshadow UDP's effective electoral mobilization and its economic strategy in future ballots.

Mayan medicine looks to nature
Ethnobotany is the study of indigenous cultures and their use of herbals for healing. And while Belize is a hotspot for ethnobotany, it's actually happening every day in our own community. My path through this rainforest of knowledge began on a small island in Belize. I was completing a masters in neuroimmunology and was on winter break after having spent a month in Vancouver, B.C., working with the world's expert in the inflammatory mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. I was relaxing in a hammock in the breeze after a day of bonefishing when an older couple asked for help with their motorboat. While tinkering with their outboard motor, we shared our views on the relationship of the mind-body. My experience building custom automobiles was actually coming in handy as Anita told me about her lupus that had flared up during meetings of the Citrus Growers Association, of which she was the president, forcing her to bed for a week each time.

Bob Seipt of Riverton
Lifelong Fremont County resident Bob Seipt passed away Sunday, October 27 at his home in Riverton, at the age of 95. His children Paul Seipt and Jean Younkin were with him when he died. He is survived by his son Paul Robert Seipt and his wife Marjorie of Richland, Washington, his daughter Jean Ann Younkin and her husband Tim of San Pedro, Belize, three grandsons: Matthew Seipt (Heather), Brian Judson (Sara Hiat) and Charles Seipt (Outhai), and one granddaughter, Natalie Judson (Darren Ojard).