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This news synopsis will be a bit more condensed than usual for the next several days due to time constraints.


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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

Costa Maya Festival® presents Miss Costa Rica!!
Hailing from the land of Pura Vida, Raquel Guevara Avila is proud to represent her beloved Costa Rica at the International Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant to be held on August 7th.

San Pedro Police host Appreciation Ceremony for Social Security
On Thursday, June 26th, the San Pedro Police Department held an Appreciation Ceremony in honor of The Belize Social Security Board (SSB). The ceremony was in acknowledgement of donation of two Honda Motorbikes and one power wash system by SSB to the police department. The event commenced at 3PM with the singing of the Belize [�]

San Pedro Dance Academy dancers receive training through exchange program
A group of seven members from The Dance Factory in Wisconsin, USA were on Ambergris Caye for an exchange dance program with the San Pedro Dance Academy. From June 23rd to the 28th the group was involved in an intensive summer dance training. After a productive week, the participants showcased their acquired skills at the [�]

Ambergris Today

Brush Fire Threatened San Pablo Neighborhood
A small brush fire that was ignited around 7:30p.m. in the San Pablo Area on Monday, June 30, 2014, did not seem to be a threat at first, but by the time the San Pedro Fire Department arrived and set up their equipment, residents in the area had grown alarmed. The brush fire started in an empty lot adjacent to the Ambergris Stadium and behind a few homes at the entrance of the San Pablo Area. At first it did not seem to pose any threat to nearby buildings but after a few minutes the fire grew bigger and started to alarm the neighborhood residents. The fire truck arrived about 30 minutes after the call was made to the department, by that time the fire had grown substantially.

Britany Ysaguirre Crowned Miss Lobster Fest Caye Caulker
In a highly contested pageant, five beautiful ladies native of Caye Caulker competed for the title of Miss Lobster Fest at the opening of the island's Lobster Festival that took over the weekend. The pageant was held on Friday evening, June 27, 2014, in which Miss Lobster Fest 2013 Sherylee Dawson invited the large gathering under the main festival tent to sit back and enjoy a wonderful program that the Caye Caulker Lobster Festival and contestants had proudly put together. Competing for the title of Miss Lobster Fest were Veida Gomez, Jessica Tzalam, Gleselie Chan, Britany Ysaguirre and Jolene Williams. The contestants were judged on beauty, poise, clarity, creativity and individuality throughout the pageant in five segments that included their introduction, costume, Depiction of lifestyle on Caye Caulker, Evening Wear and the Question & Answer.

SP Junior Sailing Club to Host National Ranking Regatta
San Pedro Junior Sailing Club is set to host the Belize 5th National Ranking Regatta this weekend in San Pedro Ambergris Caye, Belize on Saturday, July 5 and Sunday 6. The sailing club has been dominating regattas around the country so far in 2014 and this will the their first ever regatta in their home turf. This regatta with be the fifth Belize Sailing Association (BzSA) ranking regatta. All sailors interested in competing in the BzSA nationals must attend all national ranking regattas. The 2014 sailing season consists of nine regattas of which six are considered national ranking. National ranking determines the sailors who will participate in the National Champions Regatta (BIZ14) that is scheduled for November 8 and 9.

Kids Rule the Fashion Runway at Isla Bonita Elementary Show
Thursday, June 26, 2014, families and friends gathered at R. Angel Nunez auditorium to support and celebrate the Isla Bonita Elementary School's Fashion Fiesta. It was an end of the year summer send-off and fundraiser for the school's students. Hosts of the night Standard Five student Gaven Zapata and his grandfather Angel Nu�ez kicked off the show as students entertained friends and family by throwing a fun fashion show showcasing the latest in sports, beach and evening wear from local stores and boutiques. The fashion fiesta had many dance and song performances from the island's best talent: Elina Palma, Neslen Rivero, San Pedro Dance Academy and San Pedro Revolution Dancers.

San Pedro Lobster Festival Thank You
The San Pedro Lobster Festival and San Pedro Business Association would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every sponsor, business, individual and participant that made this event successful this year. To everyone who pitched in the San Pedro Lobster Festival; we made a highlight in announcing the opening of the lobster season every year we see more people joining and attending the event. To all those who participated in the day and night events for the Lobster Crawl, operated a food/drinks booths, donated prizes for the Lobster Crawl Raffle, sponsors, judges, media, crew and organizers a big THANK YOU to all.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

FISHING REPORT: Week of June 21 - June 29th, 2014
We had some huge wind this week, but our anglers and guides made the best of it. We practiced our casting out on the platform and tried to keep it together out on the flats. Some made the best of the situation by switching to spin which made the day fun. Remember it's the salt. All of your experiences add up and make you a better angler. Reading fish and working with your guide all adds to self discovery. You find what you enjoy and what you don't. Laura, thank you for celebrating your birthday with all of us. Deb and Jan - you get the "casting queen" award. Janet also tried casting fly casting and learned to compliment herself on the good casts and learn from the ones that weren't so perfect. It's looks like the wind is lying down. Let's see what tomorrow brings! Thank you to all of our guests this week. It was a pleasure to share our waters with you.

Cornerstone Summer Camp
Cornerstone is having a Summer camp, and it starts on July 7th. Call them at 633-4654 for more information.

A Sleeping Beauty Ballet
'A Sleeping Beauty' ballet will be performed tomorrow night at the Jaguar auditorium.. If you like classical and modern ballet, the show starts at 6:30pm.

SP Police Department hosts Appreciation Ceremony (10 photos)

Big Rock Falls Trail Improvements
The new trail at Big Rock Falls, which was built with the help of several Sacred Heart Junior College students, is holding up well. It's in great shape, and allows easier, safer access to one of Cayo's best attractions. Pictures on fb.

Channel 7

Paris in Prison!
Tonight, Vanessa Champagne Paris is in jail at the Hattieville Prison - all because she threatened Caleb Orozco's sinister. Last night, we told you about the domestic incident which landed the transgender male in lock down at Police Precinct 2. Well, today she was taken to court on criminal charges - and no one wanted to bail her - and so she has been remanded. Though she goes by the name Vanessa Champagne Paris, her given name is Perfilio Rodriguez, and he is originally from Independence Village. As we told you, Caleb Orozco's sister, Golda had an argument with Vanessa Champagne at the Orozco house where Vanessa has been a guest. Because of Golda Orozco's report, Vanessa Champagne was charged with aggravated assault, and she was arraigned today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. As we told you, her legal name is Perfilio Rodriguez, a male, but the police prosecutor introduced her to the court as a female.

17 Year-old Killed On Embattled B-Ball Court
On last night's news, we told you about the 3 shootings and 1 stabbing which took the lives of two Belize City men and left 2 others hospitalized - all within 72 hours. But the city violence didn't end there. There was a shooting, which happened just after news time last night, which has claimed the life of a 17 year-old man from the Lake Independence area. It happened on Brown Street, right behind the CB Hyde Government Building, and our news team arrived on the scene shortly after. Daniel Ortiz has the story: Daniel Ortiz reporting 17 year-old Myron Smith lay on the ground lifeless where he fell. He was fleeing from the shooters who attacked him, but he did not make it far. He was riding his bike on Brown Street, and he was in the company of 2 other companions. When they passed by the Complex Basketball Court, his assailants took aim at the crowd and fired 4 or 5 shots in their direction.

Police Say Minister Grant Not Under Suspicion
Today, police have released their findings about the death of 23 year old Independence resident Jeffery O'brien. As we told you, he was mauled and killed by two vicious pitbulls sometime late on Friday night. There was speculation - including one that aired on this channel - that the dogs were owned by Minister Joy Grant who has a home near where the mauling occurred. But police today confirmed that the dogs are actually owned by a 17 year old who lives in a small house on her property, but outside of her fenced yard. Police today sent out a statement, saying, quote, "Minister Grant is not under investigation regarding this incident since it has been determined that the dogs do not belong to her." End quote. Police now have possession of the dogs.

Hackers Causing Your Internet Failures
For the past two days - users of BTL's broadband service have been taken back to the early 90's - a time before the internet. That's after both DSL and 4G services have become thoroughly unreliable, leaving users in an electronic abyss, unable to surf the net, or even check emails. It's caused major business bottlenecks, personal inconvenience, and don't even talk about the Facebook and WhatsApp withdrawal! So what's behind it? And is BTL to blame? Well, today the company held a press conference to say it isn't - and that's because their servers are under attack by international hackers. For those not familiar with the technology, those servers connect you to the internet. Well, in an attack, hackers blitz BTL's servers with requests, overloading them, thereby killing your internet service. Who's behind it - and when will it end? Those are the questions we asked at a press conference this afternoon:.. Kevin Hope, Chief Technology Officer - BTL "What we have been having over the last few weeks has been a number on these servers and what has happen is that the attacks have pretty much overwhelm these servers to the point where they have created a large load on these servers to the point where they are not able to properly process the requests that are coming from our customers."

Bones From A Decrepit Grave; Or Something Else
Yesterday, a few funeral attendants stumbled upon an old grave in the Lord Ridge Cemetery which seems to have given way over time. Inside, they discovered a human skull, which most likely belongs to the person who was buried there. But on the slim chance that it belongs to someone else, police have taken an interest to verify its origin. Today, the Deputy Commander of Police Precinct 2 spoke to the media about it: ASP Calbert Flowers - Deputy OC, Police Precinct #2 "A team of police officers was dispatch to the Lord Ridge Cemetery where they did indeed observe a tomb that was broken. The Officers observed a skull indeed and that information is being investigated. It will be follow up to see if it is indeed a skull that was buried there officially or it is something that has been placed there afterwards."

Elderly Man Killed In A Terrible Traffic Accident
71 year-old William Anderson, a resident of Monkey River Village, died in a traffic accident yesterday morning when his van had a head-on collision with a school bus. The accident happened at around 7:30 on the Savannah Road, about a mile from the intersection with the Southern Highway, which leads into Toledo. Police say that the bus was in its correct lane, and then suddenly, Anderson's van swerved in the wrong lane and slammed into the bus. He was trapped inside his vehicle, and a fire truck had to be used to separate his vehicle from the bus. He died as a result of his injuries. There were reports of passengers from the bus who received minor injuries in the crash.

1 Week More For 2013-2014 Sugar
The 2013-2014 sugar cane season will finish next week Tuesday, in one week's time. That's the agreed date that both the cane farmers and the factory owners agreed on after extending season past the usual end date. That's because, as we've told you, the cane farmers delayed the start by as much as 2 months due to rains and because the factory owners refused to negotiate on a payment for bagasse. Despite the very late start, Belize Sugar Industries Limited believes that they will have milled 1.2 million tonnes of cane by next week's end. Last week, the factory's Chief Finance Officer told our colleagues from LOVE TV that the factory intended to mill quite a bit more than that 1.2 million:

BSI Says Bagasse Calculation Is Reasonable
But with 1 more week before the season ends, at this point, it seems as if though BSI and BSFCA will not be able to reach an agreement on payment for bagasse. That's a major point of concern for industry stakeholders because part of the tenuous compromise between the cane farmers and the factory owners was that an agreed price for bagasse would be reached by the end of this season. It's a major reason why the cane farmers decided to start delivering their cane to start the milling season. The main reason for that delay in an agreed price is that the farmers have rejected all counter proposals put forward by the representatives for the factory owners. CFO Carballo explained the reasoned formula for all their proposals so far, which they believe is in the best interest both sides:

Bmp Police Found Weed Near Drug Peddler's House
Belmopan Police are reporting tonight that they have almost 1 kilo of marijuana which they found in Teakettle Village. Yesterday, officers from that police station went to the house of a well-known drug trafficker in the village. Nothing incriminating was found on the suspect's property, but nearby, they found 2 black plastic bags of cannabis to a total amount of 893 grams - or just under 2 pounds. Because they drugs couldn't be tied to the suspected drug trafficker, it was deposited as found property.

Manatee Calf Needed Rescuing
Manatee's have been much in the news recently, and none of the news has been good. There have been 14 manatee deaths reported this year - and then there was that female that was drowned during a mating frenzy 2 weeks ago. But tonight the news is a little more encouraging. A stranded manatee calf was rescued near mile 6 on the northern highway yesterday. Jamal Galvez told us about it... Jamal Galvez, Manatee Expert "Once we went there we saw the calf there. We observe the area first to make sure that the mother or no adult Manatees are around because we wouldn't want to pull a calf away from its mother. Once we did that we realize that this calf was orphan, it was there alone. It was beaten up against the shore line.

Nissan Arana "" 2014 National Road Champ
Last night, we told you about how 2013 National Road Champ, Byron Pope, couldn't defend his title in this weekend's cycling race. He also won't be able to represent Belize in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. What we didn't tell you was how Sunday's race played out. After riding from Orange Walk through Hattieville Boom Junction, all the way to Mount Hope in the Cayo District, Nissan Arana of the Predators Team became the 2014 champ. He rode the 114 mile race in 4 hours, 40 minutes and 14 seconds. Seasoned race observers say that Byron Pope's absence was one of the factors at which Sunday's race was ridden. In the female category, Shalini Zabaneh won her sixth national road championship. Zahir Figueroa of Cayo High Road team won the junior championship and Robert Liam Stewart of the Benny's Megabytes team won the masters division.

Track High-Level Training Without Resources
For the past 2 days, Belizean Track and Field athletes are getting training in the sprinting and running events from an international coach who has a level 5 IAAF certification. It's program facilitated by the Belize Amateur Athletic Association, and yesterday, we stopped by to see the trainers and atheletes action. Here's what the B Triple A representative told us:

FCIB Threw The Party; Not Scotia Bank
And before we end our newscast tonight, we must make a clarification to a story we aired on Friday Night. We said that the party thrown for 96 year-old Alfred Pandy was thrown by Scotia Bank. It was actually done by First Caribbean International Bank in Belmopan.

Channel 5

2 pit bulls maul a fisherman to death - Minister is not under investigation
On Friday night a resident of Independence was savagely mauled by vicious dogs while coming home at around eleven thirty from a fishing trip. The attack happened on a deserted [...]

17 year old is killed in the City
Three days, three murders in the city�The killing of Malcolm Wagner and Samuel Miguel was followed by another homicide in the dangerous streets of south side Belize City. Shortly after [...]

Lloyd Augustus dies - Sherman Rodney to be arraigned for murder
Police are reporting another loss of life to violence. Lloyd Augustus was attacked back on April sixteenth in Belize City. He was badly beaten and sustained numerous injuries and had [...]

Woman & her 6-month old baby held at gunpoint in a frightening home invasion
There was a frightening home invasion a few days ago. Just before nine o'clock on Sunday night, a thirty year old woman was held up at gun point at her [...]

Is there clear government cover-up in the immigration scandal?
And tonight's question is: Do you believe there is a clear government cover-up in the immigration scandal? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post [...]

More questions than answers in the death of a Corozal newborn
Twenty days ago, baby Laureny Pena was born to Corozal resident, Laura Pena, by cesarean section. She was past the due date by a week, but nothing seemed amiss and [...]

Transgender woman, Vanessa Champagne, is charged and behind bars
Vanessa Paris Champagne is causing another quandary, but this time, she is behind bars. And it is because it is not clear if the transgender woman should be placed in [...]

Albert Castro still critical at K.H.M.H.
Thirty-one year old taxi driver, Albert Castro remains hospitalized in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital following a shooting in the wee hours of Monday. As we [...]

Mourner come up on skull in graveyard
Police are investigating the discovery of skull seen inside a broken tomb at the Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City. It was detected on Monday evening by mourners attending a [...]

Belize City woman conned out of $600
An unsuspecting forty year old Belize City clerk has been badly deceived. She reports to the police that a man she knew conned her with rent money. The woman says [...]

Tyrell Hyde says his case is yet to be solved
In December 2013 three cops - Special Constable Joslyn Gill, Corporal Reymundo Reque�a and Constable Edgar Teul - were arraigned for a now infamous ATM shakedown of Tyrell Hyde. The [...]

Canadian national is attacked with machete and axe in Benque
On January thirty-first a Canadian national living in Benque Viejo was attacked by a man wielding an axe and a machete. Steven Reichert was carrying his two year old daughter [...]

Drug bust in Teakettle village
Tonight there is a significant drug bust to report in the village of Teakettle in the Cayo district. Belmopan Police say that on Monday afternoon at around four-thirty, officers staged [...]

Krooman Lagoon is taken over by squatters
For decades the Krooman Lagoon has been designated as an important reserve for wildlife in Belize City.� The area is a catchment for rainwater and was once teeming with birdlife [...]

If you can sing it, Bring it!
At nine o'clock tonight, our summer extravaganza gets underway at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. If You Can Sing it…Bring It is our brand new entertainment show for [...]

LOVE FM

Gunshots Ring Out Leaving Teenager Dead in the Old Capital
Eighteen year old Myron Smith was gun down last night. It happened at about 8 o'clock near the basketball court adjacent the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building. Smith was shot twice and died on the spot. Here is the story. HIPOLITO NOVELO REPORTING "Eighteen year old Myron Smith was on his bicycle making his way towards the basketball court along with a group of friends. Suddenly, four shots rang out. The bullets were aimed at Smith and his crowd." ALRICK SMITH, Father of deceased "Like two minutes I heard five gunshots; so, I told Sandy that one of the three got shot. Later on I stayed on the veranda and I looked and I saw a crowd running. I told her that one of the two got shot and when I went on the other side I saw the same two young men that were in the corner. I asked them what happened and they told me that it was Myron that got shot. When I got there he was stiff and was dead already, although one of his nieces said that he was breathing but when I got there he was dead already. I saw one in his head and one under his arm because it was filled with blood."

Symposium on Archaeology and Anthropology in Belize
A symposium on archaeology and anthropology is underway in the Cayo District. Elaine Berry explains. ELAINE BERRY "The 12th annual meeting for Belize Archaeology and Anthropology Symposium is taking place at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel in the Bedran Hall under the theme, 'Ancient Mayan, Domestic Economy, Subsistence, Commerce and Industry'. Celine Solis, Research Assistant at the Institute for Social and Cultural Research spoke to Love News about the 4-day symposium." CELINE SOLIS "We're here at the 12th annual Belize Archaeology and Anthropology symposium. This symposium is the third year that the Institute of Social and Cultural research is joining the Institute of Archaeology in hosting. The primary objective of this symposium is the dissemination of information about research being carried out in Belize. In previous years we've heard of archaeologists coming in and they have been sharing their information but there has been an influx of people interested in Belize, about our anthropology and social issues, our historical issues and they are here also sharing information they have been uncovering through their research here. We have presenters who range from doing research in Creole in the Creole culture; we have Myrna Manzanares, immediate past president of the National Creole Council making a presentation this year. We also have Francis Humphreys, who is currently the Chair of the Belize History Association making a presentation. So, it's really an opportunity for Belizeans in general and not just academics to find out more about our country and not only about archaeology but also about the history, culture and to uncover that aspect of research in Belize."

Bus, Minivan and Motorcycle Involved In Highway Accident
Four persons were injured in a traffic incident that involved a bus and a motorcycle. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. FEM CRUZ "A road traffic accident on the George Price Highway has left four persons injured. Love news spoke to the driver of the bus, 25 year old Ivan Valencia resident of Corozal town, who explained to us that frightening moment." IVAN VALENCIA "Just about ten minutes to six o'clock I noticed that there was a grey minivan and a motor cycle heading the same way en route to Belmopan. I saw that the minivan braked immediately in front of the motor cycle. The cyclist tried to avoid colliding into the minivan by swerving into the left hand side of the road. The weather was dark and wet and as the motorcyclist tried to maneuver to avoid colliding into the van he had trouble maneuvering his motorcycle. At the same time, at a distance, I noticed this incident and I gently tapped my breaks so as not to slide off the road and having something worse happen and I started to gear down.

Grassroots Organisation Buck Heads With Government of Belize
On June 13 Justice Courtney Abel lifted the injunction Government had sought, preventing BYGEA from planting corn within the buffer zone at Harmonyville. According to BYGEA's attorney Audrey Matura Shepherd the acting solicitor general Nigel Hawke made errors when he did not serve President of BYGEA Nigel Petillo with a notice of the injunction. Both parties were back in court today. AUDREY MATURA SHEPPARD "What people need to understand is that the government has sought three main things. A declaration that they are the owner of the land, a declaration that my clients don't have a right to be on said land and they are bringing a case of trespass. They are saying that Mr. Petillo and Mr. Sam Patton trespassed on the land but the irony of it is that they are saying that Mr. Petillo trespassed but through BGYEA which is an association which by law has its own provisions whether they can be sued or sure and so it will be interesting what the legal arguments will be. So that's what the government is seeking. Now our part is to show that those declarations that government is seeking is not right and should not be granted and also to dispute the issue of the trespass. I am yet to sit down with my clients as to all the evidence that we have but we need it to come today for the first part, the new dates, so we know when to proceed.

Phone Call Leads To Murder
The second murder victim for the weekend in Belize City was 24-year-old Malcolm Wagner. Wagner was shot on Saturday evening while he was on Flamboyant Street. It was a "drive-by" shooting and Wagner was shot twice. Doctors at the KHMH did everything they could to save his life but the wounds were too severe. His family told Love News they believe he was set up. HIPOLITO NOVELO REPORTING "Twenty four year old Malcolm Wagner was shot twice- once to the left lower back and once to the left thigh while he was at the corner of Poinsettia Street and Flamboyant Street. Police say that it was a drive by shooting. Wagner's family says that minutes before leaving the house, he received a phone call and they now think that his murder was carefully planned."

Bloody Weekend in Belize City: Murder #1
Two persons were murdered over the weekend and two others were shot including a BDF soldier. We start off with the grisly discovery a Belize City resident made early Saturday morning. The semi-nude body of 22 year old Samuel Miguel was found in an open lot on Orange Street. He was stabbed twice- once to the face and once to the head. Police were on the trial and have detained two suspects. Here is the story�. SERGEANT ISMAEL WESTBY "On Saturday, 28th June just before six o'clock, personnel from the Criminal Investigative Branch of the Belize Police Department visited an open parking lot in front of the Raymond Park's Homeless Shelter where they observe a dark male person with apparent stab wounds to the head and right side of the face."

PUP’s Western Caucus Chairman Steps Down
On Friday we reported that long time PUP supporter and political aspirant Martin Cal was removed as a candidate from the PUP slate in Belmopan for the upcoming municipal elections. This is after reports that Cal had been implicated in wrongdoing in the Auditor General's preliminary report in the ongoing Immigration scandal. The report states that Cal signed a recommendation for one Simon Troung stating that he knew Troung for one year. The Auditor General found that Martin Cal committed a prosecutable offense by signing the recommender form. Today his brother, Moises Cal resigned as Chairman of the Western Caucus. Cal says he thanks all six Standard Bearers who placed their trust and confidence in him and wish them well in the challenging times ahead leading to Municipal and General Elections. Cal ends by saying he remains committed to the People's United Party.

Construction Worker Arraigned For Wounding
Twenty year old Steve Moss, a construction worker of Queen Charlotte Street in Belize City was charged in connection with the shooting of 40 year old Walter Beaton when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Moss was charged with use of deadly means of harm and wounding. He was remanded into custody until August 27. The incident occurred on June 13. Beaton was involved in a dispute with a woman near the corner of Kraal Road and Caesar Ridge Road and left riding on his bicycle when, shortly thereafter, he was shot in his left hand by a man who rode up near him on a bicycle. Beaton jumped off his bicycle into a drain and remained there until the police arrived.

Teenager Slapped with Traffic Charges and Bribery
Nineteen year old Aaron Flowers, a tour guide of Antelope Street Extension who police reported they busted at check point, was charged with two counts of drug trafficking when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. Flowers was also charged with bribery of a police officer, using an unlicensed motor vehicle, driving a motor vehicle without being the holder of a valid driver's license and driving a motor vehicle not covered by third party insurance. He pled not guilty to the charges.

Police Reports Small Drug Find
Police say on Saturday the searched an abandoned lot in Belama Phase One which led to the discovery of a black and brown travelling bag which contained 11 black plastic bags of cannabis amounting to one thousand one hundred and sixty eight grams of cannabis. A second search this time in an overgrown area by a drain on Antelope Street Extension resulted in the discovery of a black plastic bag containing 145 grams of cannabis. Both discoveries were labeled as found property.

Taxi Driver Shot While Driving on Faber’s Road
At about three thirty this morning Belize City Police responded to a shooting incident on Faber's Road. There they came upon a Green Mazda taxi car that had crashed into a nearby drain. Later they found out that the driver of the car, 31-year-old Albert Castro had been shot twice to the head. NCO of the Criminal Investigation Branch at Precinct 2, Sgt. Ismael Westby, told us what their investigation has revealed so far.

Elderly Man Falls From Bus and Dies
Forty-eight year old Modesto Lizarraga, a bus driver of Santa Rita Road, Corozal Town, was charged with manslaughter by negligence in the death of 63 year old Jose Elmer Villanueva, a.k.a. "Pantas" when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. Lizarraga was also charged with causing death by careless conduct and driving motor vehicle without due care and attention. No plea was taken since the offences are indictable. Lizarraga was released on a bail of two thousand five hundred dollars. His next court date is August 25. The incident occurred on February 25, 2014, between miles 12 and 13 on Phillip Goldson Highway. According to reports, Villanueva fell out of a passenger bus driven by Lizarraga. Villanueva, a tire repair man who resided on Cleghorn Street in Belize City, sustained injuries to his head and died five days later at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.


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PlusTV

Teenager Gunned Down on Mahogany Street
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Body Dumped in Grave?
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Home Invasion in Belize City
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Dogs Kill a Man; Police Say, not Minister's Dogs
Yesterday we reported on the gruesome killing of a man in Independence. His killers were two pit bulls allegedly guarding the home of �Senator Joy Grant Minister of Energy, Science and Technology. There were several conflicting information coming out of Independence Village. �One version of the story was that...

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Hundred Thousand Jamaicans Protest Against Firing of Dr. Bain
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Cancer Practitioners Work Together on Response
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Bags of Weed in Teakettle Village
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Minister of Education Talks About BRC Readers
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Minister Faber in Traffic Mishap with Police Vehicle
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�Oceana Hosts Video Competition
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Shots fired in United Ville
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God hears our prayers and directs us
Psalm 40:2 “And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery…And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps.”�

Fatal Traffic Accident in Independence
One person lost his life during a head on collision early this morning involving a yellow passenger bus and a minivan of brand Toyota Previa. The incident happened on the Savannah Road near Independence village around 7:15 this morning.� According to Independence police, the yellow passenger bus was travelling...

Bus and Motorcycle Crash on George Price Highway
Another passenger bus accident happened Some minutes before 6:00 this morning; this one on the George Price highway near mile 47. A Valencia passenger bus express was heading to Belmopan when it skidded off the road, attempting to avoid running over a motorcyclist who was travelling in the same...

Three Vehicle Pile up in Benque
The accidents didn't end there this weekend. There was also a three vehicle collision on Sunday June 26th. � That incident left at least one man injured. The tragedy�occurred sometime after 6:00 pm on mile 71 on the George Price Highway near the village of San Jose Sucottz, Cayo....

BTIA Launches Appeal for Judicial Review of Harvest Caye EIA
The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) maintains its staunch opposition to the Norwegian Cruise Lines project at Harvest Caye which is it in its initial stages of construction. Today it took its case to the Supreme Court, where Justice Courtney Abel heard arguments for leave to apply for judicial...

West Street Man Left for Dead in Open Lot
Residents and travelers on Orange Street were greeted by an unpleasant scene just before 6:00 of Saturday�morning. Police recovered the body of Samuel Steven Miguel, 22, of a West Street address, in the parking lot across from the Raymond Parks Salvation Army Night Shelter and Lin Chi Wholesale, formerly...

Saturday Evening Murder in Old Capital
There was also a murder on Saturday evening in Belize City. 24 year old Malcom Wagner was the second murder victim of the weekend. According to police, Wagner was shot twice t the back and once to the right thigh. Wagner was standing alone at the corner of Flamboyant...

More Shots Fired, Taxi Driver Critically Injured
Shots were also fired early this morning, against 31-year-old Albert Castro, a taxi driver of �Belize City. The victim was indiscriminately shot twice to the head. �Police say that early Sunday morning, Castro was driving his green Mazda Taxi on Faber's Road from George Price Highway. Along with him...

BDF Soldier Shot While Socializing with Friends
On Saturday night, shots also rang out on Curl Thompson Street, Belize City. 23-year-old B.D.F soldier Carlton Augustine was shot once to the right side and once to the arm. Augustine was reportedly socializing in a yard on Curl Thompson Street with four other male persons, when someone entered...

Driver Charged for the Death of Jose Villanueva
On�February 25, 63 year old Orange Walk resident Jose Elmer Villanueva fell out of a moving Bluebird brown and yellow passenger bus traveling north on the Philip Goldson Highway between miles 12 and 13 near the Burrell Boom junction. He died five days later of head injuries sustained when...

Steve Moss Charged for Shooting
Police have laid charges on 20 year old Steve Moss, a construction worker of Queen Charlotte Street, for use of deadly means of harm and wounding. This is in connection to an incident which occurred two weeks ago near the Wilton Cumberbatch Field. 40 year old Walter�Beaton was riding...

Thyrell Hyde Shakedown Case Adjourned Again
Belmopan resident Thyrell Hyde has been in the news since last September when he accused several police officers of personally shaking him down for large amounts of money for no apparent reason. Mr. Hyde alleges that he and a group of friends were stopped and searched by police who...

Government Takes BGYEA Back to Court
As they promised earlier this month, the Government of Belize has renewed proceedings against the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) over the Harmonyville Agricultural Project at Mile 41, George Price Highway. It has put in a fixed date claim form alleging trespass by BGYEA, its president Nigel Petillo,...

PUP Slate for Belmopan Municipal Elections Chosen
The Peoples United Party held a convention on Sunday, June 29th to elect their candidates for the 2015 Belmopan Municipal Elections. Two teams ran for Candidacy; they were Jose Chacon and company and Jorge Flores and company. In the end Jose Chacon and all members of his team won....

Patrick Menzies promoting July as National Constitution Awareness Month
The month of July is National Constitution Awareness Month, or so decrees� Patrick Menzies. Professor Menzies has gone on a 24 hour rally at the steps of the National Assembly in Belmopan. Now Mr Menzies is embarking on another initiative to promote awareness of Beize's constitution, specifically section 69...

Amandala

Nighttime murder in the hood
At approximately 8:00 tonight, a crowd of curious onlookers gathered near the basketball court in the rear of the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building, as the body of a young man lay on the ground. The body was barely visible from the roughly 75 feet distance away, where it lay in a yard off Mahogany Street, on which a police scenes of crime vehicle, an ambulance and other police vehicles were parked. Police searched in the low grass with flashlights for whatever evidence they could find that would assist them in solving this latest murder, the third in the city over the last 48 hours. At press time tonight, preliminary reports to Amandala are that Myron "Saddest" Smith, 17, was shot multiple times and died where he fell in a yard immediately west of the neighborhood basketball court, which lies just a stone's throw from Smith's house.

BTL Internet under attack
The nation's premier telecommunications service provider, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), has indicated to us that for nearly two weeks now, it has been grappling with external attacks on its servers - attacks which have hampered customers' ability to browse the Internet, with problems particularly on Google and Yahoo, which means that customers have even experienced delays receiving e-mails on these platforms. Dr. Dionne Chamberlain Miranda, General Manager of Customer Services, told us while (Digital Subscriber Line ) DSL customers have been impacted, so too have 4G customers, who also use the data service platforms, and cable companies, such as CBC, which buy Internet from BTL. Winston Aspinall, BTL's General Manager of Network Services, said that there was another attack on the system at about 9:00 this morning, when they observed that the usage level on the Internet servers was very high, because the attacker was sending random invalid queries to the system, which slowed down things for all other users.

Pitbulls kill fisherman
The O'Brien family of Independence is mourning the death of Jeffrey O'Brien, 23, who was viciously attacked and killed by three dogs, two of whom are ferocious pitbulls, while he was riding his bicycle to his home, from the lagoon, on the public road in Independence. Jeffrey's brother, Police Constable O'Brien (no first name given), told Amandala that at about 10:30 Saturday night, Jeffrey came in from fishing, pulled up and secured his boat by the lagoon, and was riding home on his bicycle with his fish, net and his paddle, when three dogs rushed out of the unfenced yard of Wilson Hernandez, 27, and attacked him. O'Brien tried to defend himself, and hit the dogs with his paddle, but it broke, and the dogs - two pitbulls and a large "potlicker" - tore off his shirt and mauled him, biting his face, throat, hands, chest, and other parts of his body.

Girl lured Malcom Wagner to his death
Police say that at about 5:30 Saturday evening on Flamboyant Street, Malcom Jamal Wagner, 24, was standing near a lamppost waiting for someone when a vehicle drove up and stopped near him. A man came out of the car and began firing at him. Wagner tried to escape, but he was hit multiple times. The killer then got back into the car, which drove away. Wagner, shot five times in the back and chest, died within a short time. Wagner's grieving grandmother, Evadney Welch, said that he was in their house watching the World Cup games that Saturday evening when he received a phone call from a girl, telling him to meet her by the lane. Wagner, she said, got up out of the sofa with the TV remote in his hand and walked out of the house, to the lane, to meet the person who had called him.

Monica Coc Magusson admitted to Bar
The Maya of Toledo will have their first indigenous lawyer serving in Belize. She is Monica Coc Magusson, 34, sister of Cristina Coc, who is a lead activist in the Maya land rights movement - a movement in which Magusson herself has been quietly involved for several years, having done much of the legal leg work even while training at a US law school. Coc Magusson was today called to the Bar of Belize after Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin accepted a motion filed on her behalf by Senior Counsel Antoinette Moore, who handed over to Coc Magusson her black robe that is over 20 years old, perhaps symbolic of the role that the newcomer will now play as a part of the legal defense team for the Toledo Maya - a role which Moore has led since the first Maya land rights case in 2007, when Chief Justice Conteh ruled favorably in the first Maya land rights case filed for Conejo and Santa Cruz. Moore told the court that Magusson is the first indigenous Maya from Toledo to have completed law school, to obtain a legal education certificate and to now be called to the Bar of Belize.

Belize takes over 3 pro tempore presidencies
Belize has assumed the pro tempore presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) at the 43rd meeting of the Heads of State and Governments of SICA, held at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. "Already, I think it is clear and a fact that is increasingly recognized by the world at large, that our Central American countries, our SICA countries, punch above their weight. It seems to me that it is indubitable that this SICA movement will grow from strength to strength," said Prime Minister Dean Barrow, after receiving the baton from Dominican Republic president, Danilo Medina, whom Barrow praised for the work during his presidency from January to June 2014. "We recognize that there are very many challenges to face, but president Medina has conducted such a successful presidency that I am encouraged, since he has publicly and privately in the exchange of words between us just now, reiterated his commitment to give me his manual for success, and I am greatly comforted that all I have to do is to faithfully follow that manual and I will achieve the same success," Barrow commented.

American loses life on diving trip
Belize's natural wonders, such as the Blue Hole Natural Monument near Half Moon Caye, attract numerous visitors who sometimes travel thousands of miles to view those spectacles, but while engaging in that experience yesterday, one tourist sadly lost his life, apparently due to respiratory complications. Yesterday morning, at about 6:25, a group of 19 tourists, including Larry Smith - a visitor from the United States - left from Ramon's Village dock in San Pedro en route to the Blue Hole Natural Monument, which lies within the atoll lagoon of Lighthouse Reef, about 75km east of Belize City, when tragedy struck. According to boat captain Marcus Alamina, the dive master and tour guide, they arrived at the diving site at about 10:00 a.m., and upon arrival, he gave a briefing and then separated the divers into two groups.

BAHA - "ridiculous and costly"
BAHA is cramping the import business at the Santa Elena border. A normal order from Merida, where most of our goods come from, takes three working days. You place your order Monday, they load Tuesday, and Wednesday your goods are at the border. Belize Agricultural and Heath Authority (BAHA) wants 4 to 7 days to process a permit for shelf stable goods; imagine, table salt, which for many years before BAHA existed needed no permit. If your goods arrive and the permit is not ready, you can import the goods but with a hefty fine of $200, plus the $25 which is charged for the permit when you apply for it, plus inspection fee $150 + $30 overtime, which is almost sure.

From The Publisher
Whenever one examines the present socio-political reality of Belize, it behooves one to consider the historical context of the settlement of Belize's birth, and the fact that it was and is an anomaly - the only English-speaking territory on the Central American mainland. The relevant countries immediately around us - Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, were all imperial outposts of Roman Catholic Spain. Nicaragua is a bit of an exception to the first named three, because there is an English-speaking area in Nicaragua, which is called Bluefields, and the British played a significant role on Nicaragua's Atlantic coast centuries ago. The story of British collaboration with Nicaragua's Mosquito people has not been explained in sufficient detail in Belize. Britain controlled the Bay Islands - Roat�n, Utila, etc., which eventually reverted to the sovereignty of the Republic of Honduras. And Great Britain interfered in the politics of Guatemala (and Central America) during the 1820s and 1830s when Central America was in violent turmoil.

Editorial: Washington and Belize
Dr. Jerome Straughan's research establishes that Belizeans have been paying attention to the United States of America from as early as the post-Civil War period. During the course of the United States Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, President Abraham Lincoln declared Emancipation, which is to say, the African Americans who were slaves were freed. Some Belizeans (British Hondurans at the time), and Belizeans were mostly of African descent in the second half of the nineteenth century, began to venture to the United States, mostly through the port of New Orleans. There were mahogany and other hardwood exports from Belize going to New York and Boston, but the colonial tariff structure of British Honduras made it difficult for American manufactured goods to compete with British ones in the colony. The Prohibition era in the United States, between 1919 and 1933, meant that there was money to be made by Belizeans transporting alcohol from British Honduras, where it was legal, to the Gulf ports of the United States, where Prohibition had declared alcohol illegal. The Prohibition era was a preview of the marijuana era in the 1960s/1970s and the cocaine era, from the 1980 onwards, when the profits to be made from shipping an illegal commodity into U.S. markets were such as to tempt Belizean entrepreneurs to become gangsters.

Court of Appeal quashed Lavern "Anti-Christ" Longsworth's life sentence
A manslaughter conviction was substituted for her murder conviction, and she was sentenced to 8 years Lavern "Anti-Christ" Longsworth, 40, who was convicted of the murder of her common-law husband, David White, was sentenced to eight [...]

A baby dies suddenly in her home
Raul and Laura Pe�a of San Andres, Corozal, the parents of a baby, 20 days old, are mourning the death of their baby, who died in their home at about 2:00 Saturday morning. Laura Pe�a reported [...]

5 cops acquitted of facilitating drug plane will get a new trial
Since Belize became a drug transshipment point in the early 1980s, the biggest cocaine bust occurred in November 2010, when a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air 200 plane landed on the Southern Highway, near Bladden Village, loaded [...]

Corozal bus driver charged with manslaughter by negligence
A Corozal resident, a bus driver, was charged today in the Belize City Magistrate's Court with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct and driving without due care and attention, in relation to a traffic [...]

BGYEA and GOB to court over Harmonyville Buffer Zone
Case has been adjourned until July 28 The case concerning authorization for the use of the buffer zone at Mile 41 between the Harmonyville Community and the George Price Highway was heard at the Supreme Court [...]

Three-vehicle collision in Benque
Three vehicles collided on the George Price Highway at about Mile 71 near San Jose Succotz at about 6:00 yesterday evening. One of three drivers was hurt and is being treated at the Western Regional Hospital [...]

Carlos Diaz remembers the Phoenix man, Wentworth Hemmings
The news coming out of the United States that a Phoenix man, Wentworth Hemmings, 40, who once resided in Belize, was sentenced to 31 years in prison for a hostage standoff in October, 2011, came as [...]

William Anderson, 71, dies in road collision
William Alexander Anderson, 71, of Monkey River, died after suffering massive head and body injuries in a road collision today when the vehicle he was driving slammed head-on into a school bus at about 7:15 this [...]

Nat'l Primary School Basketball
Holy Redeemer girls, St. Martin's boys are Nat'l Primary School Basketball champs A total of twelve teams – 6 male and 6 female – representing the four corners of the country, took part in the 2014 [...]

World Cup times
Apologies for sports page error on World Cup game times Early on Friday morning at the Amandala base on West Canal Street, the X reminded me that Brazil vs Chile was kicking off at 10:00 a.m., [...]

Future Football Club
Future Football Club hosts 3rd Annual Summer Camp The Future Football Club, which is run by veteran footballer Edon "Yellowman" Rowley, will be hosting its 3rd Annual Summer Camp at the ITVET Football Field in Belize [...]

Young stars emerge
Young stars emerge at Annual COBY 3 on 3 Knockout Tournaments at Bird's Isle A number of new young faces emerged as promising basketball stars of the future at the annual COBY 3 on 3 Knockout [...]

Taxi driver, 31, dies after being shot in the head
Amandala understands that a taxi driver who was shot twice in the head while traveling with an unidentified female companion in the wee hours of this morning unfortunately succumbed to his injuries at the Karl Heusner [...]

Samuel Miguel, 22, bashed to death in open lot
The victim, who was scantily clad, had just collected "back-pay" As dawn broke this past Saturday, June 28, the gruesome discovery of a body was made in a parking lot situated opposite the Raymond Parks Homeless [...]

Gunman attacks off-duty BDF soldier
Sometime before 8:00 p.m. this past Saturday, a social gathering which was taking place in a yard on Curl Thompson Street in the Port Loyola area of Belize City was rudely interrupted by a daring gunman [...]

Thief busted after robbing men on Fabers Road
A thief who held up three men at gunpoint on Fabers Road is in custody pending charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, handling stolen goods, and keeping a sawed-off shotgun. The incident occurred at about 4:45 [...]

Municipal Court prosecutor Joseph Nu�ez remanded to prison on firearm charges
The Firearms Act makes no allowance for Good Samaritans; once you are found with a gun, you are deemed to be guilty until you can prove that you are innocent Joseph Nu�ez, 40, an ex-police officer [...]

Patrick JonesPJ

Funeral held for baby who died suddenly in San Andres village
A funeral service and burial was held today in San Andres village, Corozal for a 19-day old baby girl who died suddenly on Saturday morning. As we had reported previously, the mother of the child Laura Pena had gotten up to feed the baby around 2 am on [�]

Teenager killed on Mahogany Street
Belize City teenager Myron Smith is the latest victim of gun violence, the third to be killed in as many days. 17 year old Smith, aka "Saddest," of Giles Street, was shot in the left side of the chest near the armpit and the upper right side of [�]

Cancer practitioners work together on response
The Ministry of Health recently developed a policy on addressing non-communicable diseases including cancer. Today it hosted representatives of public and private sector organizations working on the issue of cancer at the Radisson Hotel. Dr. Ramon Figueroa is the head of the Planning, Policy and Analysis Unit at [�]

Police investigate broken tomb
Police were seen combing an apparent crime scene in the Lords' Ridge Cemetery this afternoon. But what is unusual is that the scene is a grave that was apparently opened - and what appeared to be human remains, apart from the person buried there - inside. And these [�]

Area representative delivers land in Lake Independence
Lake Independence area representative Mark King has been active in distributing land to his constituents. But he sought an easier way to make existing and first-time owners avoid the hassles of the notoriously inefficient Lands Department. On Monday, the latest one hundred residents of the constituency stepped up [�]

Primary school art training program opens
23 primary schools and approximately 50 students and teachers will benefit from a six-month pilot project aimed at teaching educators the benefits of daily art education. The Primary School Art Skills Training Pilot Project (PSAST) is sponsored by the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in conjunction [�]

BTL addresses network issues
For at least the past two weeks, having trouble accessing the internet on state-run telecommunications company Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)'s network? It's because for the last two weeks they have been under attack, not from overeager consumers switching over from rivals Smart, but from international attackers going after [�]

Taiwanese Belize ambassador David Wu moves on
Today's appearance at the Art Training Program opening in Belize City is among the last for Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, His Excellency David C.K. Wu. He leaves Belize in two weeks' time for a post in New Zealand, but says he will take [�]

Child's death under investigation in Orange Walk
There is another heartbreaking story of the death of an infant in the north. 19 month old Melissa Melani Cabanas died on Sunday at her home on the Palmar Road, Orange Walk and it is believed that the child ingested some kind of medication. Police say that [�]

Police release details about mauling of a man by Pitt Bull dogs
Three days after a man was mauled by Pit Bull dogs in Independence village, police have released details of what transpired. According to police press officer Raphael Martinez, 23 year old Jeffery O'Brien was attacked sometime after 11 pm on Saturday, June 28. A teenage boy heading [�]

The Debt For Education Swap Potential in Belize
Belize is classified by the World Bank as "upper-middle-income" with a GDP of US$1.493 billion (2011) and population of 324,100 (2012). "The initiation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 1996 and its later enhancements resulted (or will result) in much of the debt of the 40 countries that qualified being forgiven. As [�]

Blogs

Teamwork by Belize Bird Rescue and ACES
It has only been 2 weeks since my husband and I and our 2 children moved to Ambergris Caye; where it seems everyday is an adventure. Sunday morning was no exception. A friend of mine had just called to ask if I wanted to go to Caye Caulker for the last day of Lobsterfest on her boat. For some reason I declined. I would get together with her next time. This is not like me, I am usually very random, spur of the moment, get up and go kind of girl. I do believe that everything happens for a reason; maybe I was meant to stay on the island today! The morning began with my regular routine. Coffee on the patio of our condo south of town, overlooking the lagoon on the right and the pool out front; beautiful! Palm trees swaying, birds chirping and a nice breeze. So peaceful here, sometimes I have to remind myself that we have moved here; it feels like we are still on vacation.

Belizean wins first Houston Caribbean Queen Pageant: Congratulations Rheisha Shol!
The first Houston Caribbean Queen (HCQ) Pageant, billed as "a cultural, educational, and festive event that seeks to celebrate the talent and intellectual abilities of young Caribbean women" was held on June 28, 2014 and it seems only fitting to us that the very first HC Queen is a talented young Belizean, Rheisha Shol. Rheisha was born in the national capital of Belmopan and moved to Houston, Texas with her family, where she currently attends Texas State University. In addition to possessing poise and the other qualities judges were looking for, Rheisha is obviously one intelligent young woman, having graduated in the top 10% of her high school class, winning numerous awards and serving on the cheerleading squad and as vice president of the graduation class, according to the HCQ website, which also tells us she has been active in various school and community organisations.

Tech - I Innovation Competition
Do you have an innovative mind? Want a chance to win up to USD 70,000 in prizes (BZ $140,000)? The American Association for the Advancement of Science in collaboration with the United States Department of State is having an innovation competition called Tech - I. It connects young innovators across the globe and serves as a platform for innovative minds and entrepreneurial spirits to meet. Kindly see eligibility requirements. Deadline for submissions are July 21st, 2014. For further information, kindly contact BELTRAIDE at [email protected] or +501 822-3737/0175 or the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities at + 501 822 3336/0160/0162 or email [email protected]

Amarabi Seasoning & Marinade "The taste of Belize"
Amarabi Seasonings and Marinde is a unique blend of traditionally used herb and spices, locally found in Belize. It is a complete seasoning, flavorful, consistent and ready to be used on poultry, beef, pork, seafood and other meats. One of the features that make Amarabi's products unique is the 100% Natural no MSG element. The business is owned and operated by Mrs. Laura Raymond, who became a client on May 3rd, 2013. Through SBDCBelize Ms. Raymond managed to register her business name. She also received guidance in areas of product labeling-as per national standards. The Label has been approved by the Belize Bureau of Standard. Ms. Raymond has received guidance and advice on intellectual property rights- trademark, and on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOPs), two certifications that are critical to ensure food safety in agro-processed goods.

Mad Media Solutions "Innovative Biometric, Marketing and ID Solutions!"
Mad Media Solutions is owned and operated by Mr. Francisco Madrid. The business was registered March, 2013. It provides "innovative ID solutions", as well as Biometric systems to monitor and consistently sustain security issues in organizations. Mr. Madrid became a client of the Centre on March 2013, and since then has actively sought advice from his primary adviser in areas of financing options, product development, business plan development, investment and market research. As a result of his proactive commitment, and focused advising from his assigned advisor at the Centre, Mr. Madrid has managed to successfully source financing for the growth and improvement of his business venture.

Bella Dees- "Offering multi-purpose natural, handmade products"
Bella Dees is a home-based business that produces multi-purpose natural, handmade, aroma therapeutic soaps, with 8 vegetable oils and fresh Belizean healing herbs. In addition to soaps, the business makes aroma therapeutic massage oils. It guarantees to provide a 100% natural, healing and aromatherapy benefits, safe for the skin; gentle for the entire family and pets; easy on the environment, and no animal testing. Experience the benefits of aroma-therapy in a practical way. Their unique formulas leave no residue on the skin. The oils used are chosen based on the special qualities they bring to the soap such as the ability to moisturize and soften skin and the type of lather they produce. Since all the soaps use only natural products and retain all the glycerine produced during the saponification process, they have a softer, creamier consistency than regular commercial, synthetic soaps. So yummy, you may never want to leave the tub again!

CRAVINGS AND WHERE TO GO!
Ambergris Caye can cover most cravings and needs here on the island. Most "stocked" bar is Lola's Pub. If you want it and can't find it anywhere ~ they will have it! Snorkeling and diving with Chuck and Robbies is a great way to spend the day! Taco Bell - go to Celi's Deli and have a burrito or granachas (like a tostada) Want to do Crossfit see "Drew and Crew" in Boca Del Rio at the BOX Take home some local art made by local artist - Belizean Melody's Art Gallery Dive the Blue Hole with Amigos Del Mar McDonald's Burger - RoadKill can make a mean Big Mac look alike. Best tee shirt business - Toucan Gift Shops! Belize ones, funny ones, colorful ones in all shapes and sizes

International Sourcesizz

Belize Proves "Good Things Come In Small Packages"
The ex-British colony, lodged between big brother Mexico to the north, the jungles of Guatemala to the south and west, and nestled on the world's second largest barrier reef to the east, offers a wide range of exploration to satisfy all travelers. Belize may pack in more flora, fauna and diverse natural beauty per square mile, than any nation on the planet. Roughly 60% of Belize is forested. For many visitors a trip to the Belizean rainforest is the trip of a lifetime. Bring your binoculars to the jungles of Belize as it is a bird watcher's paradise. There are over 600 different bird species, roosting high above in the majestic forest or along rivers and lagoons. If you're lucky, you just might catch a glimpse of Belize's national bird, the keel-billed toucan, or Belize's national animal, Baird's tapir. Although, many times elusive, keen eyed eco tourists, can view: spider monkeys, howler monkeys, peccaries, coatimundis, gibnuts, and other animals that never been seen or even or heard of by the tourist. On rare occasions, one can even view the nocturnal jaguar. The country is also home to 4,000 species of tropical flowers, including 250 kinds of orchids.

Murder suspect extradited from Belize, charged in 2005 killing of Polish woman living on Staten Island
When the body of a 47-year-old Polish woman living in Tompkinsville was discovered in an alleyway behind a movie theater on Coney Island Avenue in 2005, it sent chills through the Polish community on Staten Island and left behind a mystery with few answers. Several of her close friends interviewed by the Advance at the time said they wondered what happened, who did it, and why. Now, nearly nine years later, police say they finally have a suspect in custody. Michael Young, 39, of Brooklyn, was arrested Tuesday in New York for the 2005 murder of Zofia Rogowicka, 47, according to an NYPD spokesman (Police spelled the victim's name "Sofia Rogonicka," but multiple articles refer to her as Zofia Rogowicka).

Why Belize Is The Perfect Surf-And-Turf Vacation
The same turquoise waters that lure tourists to Caribbean destinations slosh around Belize's island chain. But tiny Belize has a major advantage in reeling in the holidaymakers - spectacular Maya ruins tucked away in lush jungle. The nation is home to more prehistoric buildings than modern-day ones, according to its Institute of Archaeology. That ancient appeal draws in backpackers eager for adventure as well as divers ready to gawk at its bustling reefs or plunge into its famed Blue Hole. Belize has all the ingredients for a surf and turf vacation - at least for those who don't mind the odd giant cockroach or neon green frog that may invade their jungle dwellings. CAVES, SKELETONS AND A SWIM Evidence of human sacrifice in Maya times litters the floors of the Actun Tunichil Muknal caves, where the skeletons are welded in place by limestone sediment. Mayan pottery is also frozen in time there, with archeologists opting to leave most artifacts as they were centuries ago. To get to the caves, visitors are led down a gentle jungle trail that includes several river crossings. Next, comes an invigorating swim across a frigid pool of water at the cave's mouth (which is patrolled by a resident vine snake). Water winds throughout the cave, and visitors have to squeeze through impossible-looking openings before being rewarded with the archaeological trove. But don't expect to plaster social media with photos documenting the adventure. Clumsy tourists - including one who left a camera-sized hole in the skull of a sacrificed child - led to a ban on cameras at the site.

From the editor's desk: Fast facts about Belize
Bill and Ginny Davenport recently moved from Clovis to Belize in Central America in search of better health. They've written a letter about their new lives and asked it be shared with their old hometown. This is part two of four: Let us tell you a little about the country: They have a rainy season from June to December. One minute the sky is clear and sunny, the next sunny or cloudy and it is raining for about 15 minutes. Almost everyone carries an umbrella, either for the sun or rain. The temperature ranges from 80 to 100 degrees. Belize City is the largest city, but also the dirtiest, and 99 percent of crime is there. Not a place you want to live. Everywhere in the country you will see horses tied along the road eating. This is how most people feed them. You will also see many partially finished houses. This is because they start building a house and when they run out of money, they stop and continue when they have some more money. A lot of these homes have mold coating due to the lack of maintenance, the heat and moisture.

Moody's affirms Belize's Caa2 rating
Short-term fiscal liquidity pressures have subsided following the debt restructuring. The lower coupon rate has provided the sovereign with ample breathing room and greater fiscal space. The authorities remain committed to maintaining a primary surplus of approximately 1% of GDP over the medium term, and expect that fiscal dynamics will improve as the economy recovers. Near-term fiscal pressures remain manageable, even though domestic oil production is declining rapidly. We believe that there are downside risks to fiscal performance over the next 2-3 years related to continued uncertainty on various fronts. Importantly, elections are scheduled for March 2017 and we expect fiscal easing ahead of the vote. Fiscal revenues may not respond as forcefully as authorities expect to tax measures that are planned to be implemented in 2014- 15. The next general election coincides with the first step-up in the coupon rate on the restructured bonds. The ongoing litigation on the nationalization of the electric (BEL) and telecom (BTL) companies could result in a fiscal cost of anywhere between 6% and 30% of GDP depending on valuation estimates.

5 Amazing Experiences Every Traveler Must Try!
Snorkeling in Belize With knockout beaches on Ambergris Caye, Caye Kaulker, and Placenia, plus inland jungles, 600 species of birds (think toucans and motmots), and Mayan ruins, Belize is paradise for landlubbers. But nothing beats exploring the blue sea and getting up-close-and-personal with the underwater residents on a snorkeling adventure. A visit to the five-square-mile Hol Chan Marine Reserve with a good outfitter will include all snorkeling gear and the chance to hobnob with colorful coral, angelfish, grunts, snappers, rays, nurse sharks (it's okay, they're harmless!), and maybe even a manatee from June to September.

Videos

Video: Choosing a Tarpon Line, 3min.
There are a lot of fly lines on the market, and choosing the right one can be a bit daunting. To make that choice easier, RIO has produced a series of "Choosing" the right line" videos, with the latest one in the series advising on how to choose the right line for fly fishing for tarpon. Filmed in Belize, this short film describes the RIO tarpon fly line options and breaks down the advantages of each one, enabling you to choose the perfect tarpon line for your next trip.

Video: Dark Night Cave | Mama Noots Bocawina Adventures & Eco-Resort (BELIZE), 3min.

Video: Belize Zoo 2014 Jaguar Encounter, 8min.
This is a video of Junior Buddy the jaguar at the Belize Zoo. This was an amazing experience. I never though I'd have my head licked by a jaguar before.

Video: Snorkeling At Hol Chan, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 11min.

Video: Belize 2014, 11min.
Winona State Biodiversity of Belize 2014.

Video: Belize Jen & Patrick, 7min.
Honeymoon June 2014.

Video: Belize whale sharks, 3min.

Video: Victoria House | Ambergris Caye Belize Beach Resort, 2min.
An award winning Belize Beach Resort. Victoria House, a luxury Belize Resort, is a 42-room retreat offering the definition of a relaxing luxury beach Belize Vacation. Victoria House is located on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye-Belize, approximately one mile from the second largest barrier reef in the world & two miles south of San Pedro Town

Video: Belize Cruise 2014, 21min.

Video: Belize Vacation, 8min.
Zip line in Belize

Video: Belize Sundancer II, 18min.
Cruise ship expedition



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