Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline


FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

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

Blessed by the Taco Gods: Neri's Tacos
So, you may be wondering what's so great about this Belizean version of tacos. Well, it's pretty simple; a Belizean taco follows the principle of 'simplicity is best'. Our tacos are just a heaping helping of delicious shredded, stewed chicken and a cabbage or onion slaw rolled up in a hot corn tortilla. Perfection! Oh, I forgot to mention that every tacos deli has its own form of pepper sauce for those that need that extra spicy kick. At Neri's, (my favorite breakfast joint in San Pedro, I ordered my usual $2 helping of tacos (six tacos). I usually get them to go, but sitting down to eat them is such a cool experience! OMG! They were so darn good! I downed them in record time, and even had to ask for another $2. The tortillas were soft and warm, and the chicken was oh-so flavorful! With a refreshing glass of lime juice, I was set to face the day!

How prepared is Belize for an Epidemic Outbreak?
For the past few months, two epidemic outbreaks have been looming over much of North and Central America. In the United States of America, the threat of an Ebola outbreak has all health service agents and medical facilities on high alert. With several suspected cases in Canada, USA and Mexico, the threat has become so grave that neighboring countries have also started evasive plans of action against the deadly disease. Even closer to home, however, is the threat of the Chikungunya virus, which has been ravaging El Salvador with more than 30,000 confirmed cases. So with these potential disasters knocking at our door, is Belize prepared to handle an outbreak of Ebola, Chikungunya or even both at the same time? The San Pedro Sun spoke to Doctor Marvin Manzanero, a director of the Epidemiology Unit at the Ministry of Health (MOH) to find out how prepared Belize is for an epidemic outbreak.

ACCSD responds to proposed subdivision
The Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development (ACCSD) is a local NGO that was formed to help balance development with sustainability of our environment and tourism industry. In this goal we have worked with our local and national governments as well as other organizations such as Oceana and Coalition for Belize. A major goal has always been the legalization of a Master Plan for the island. Through a collective initiative, community groups and government officials of Ambergris Caye came together to formulate a plan to protect the Bajos on the west of the island, the mangrove wetlands and Mexico Rocks. The purpose of the project is to maintain the integrity of our environment and guarantee the long term sustainability of our tourism industry. The boundaries and scope have been studied and modified to best meet the needs of the reserve and the community. Several public consultations have been held confirming overwhelming public support. The recent proposal of a subdivision in an obviously unsuitable area and continued building of high density units in residential areas further highlights the fact that the Master Plan and the Expansion of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve need to be completed now.

2014 Conch season officially opens
October 1st marked the official opening of the 2014/2015 regular season of the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas). Conch harvesting yields an estimated $11 million annually into the country's fisheries industry, a significant revenue earner for traditional fishermen. The season runs from October 1st until June 30th of the following year. It is estimated that a total of over 1 million pounds will be harvested this year. Last year, a little over 1 million pounds of market clean conch and a little over 8,000 pounds of fillet conch were harvested. That yielded an estimated $11.06 million into the country's revenue. It is estimated that at least 10% of total conch harvested is consumed locally (by law 5% must stay in Belize). In Belize, conch is a common staple on most restaurant and home menus during the open season. The flesh is commonly prepared in ceviches, conch fritters, soups and even chowders.

Ambergris Today

Tiburon Rum of Belize Making Waves Internationally Arrives in Belize
In just its first year of being out in the US Market, Tiburon Rum is making waves across that nation with now having won nine major awards. Tiburon Rum was being only marketed as 'The Spirit of Belize' in the United States of America, but now it has finally arrived in Belize for the country to experience the flavor and buzz of the world class rum that comes from the country's very own Travellers Liquors. Tiburon Rum is a hand crafted, double-aged, premium rum, from the old Perdomo family of Belize who own Travellers Liquors. Basil DeStefano, a Belize resident and rum lover, has joined with Travellers Liquors, to create Tiburon Rum. Small-batch rums of various ages are re-casked by Master Blenders into Kentucky Oak Bourbon Barrels for the 'second maturation'.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

SAN PEDRO TOWN: A SUSTAINABLE AND CHILD FRIENDLY MUNICIPALITY (15 photos)
The San Pedro Town Council joined other municipalities and cities throughout the country to sign on to an agreement to become a Sustainable and Child Friendly Municipality. The signing of certificate demonstrates the municipal government's commitment to ensure that during the next 16 months, the town would adopt policies that will ensure that every child lives in a safe, healthy and crime-free environment. The initiative, which was launched simultaneously in every town countrywide on Friday September 26th, is being spearheaded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Belize Mayor's Association and the Government of Belize.

Corozal: National Youth Week
Can we have more young people voicing their opinions on what activities they want for YOUTH WEEK?? This is the opportunity for you to be part of the youth decision making in Corozal Town! Youth week will be November 2nd - 8th.

YOUTH FORUM, COROZAL
The Corozal Youth Ambassador in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports will be having a YOUTH FORUM. This is a great opportunity for all youth of Corozal District, who will take part in the Youth Forum to "Increase their knowledge of the linkage between alcohol, marijuana consumption - with teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS." It will be a fun event with speeches from the CARICOM Youth Ambassador in Belize and other young people who have been integral in the process. Over 200 participants are expected to attend. This event will be held on Thursday October 9th at the Andres Campos Civic Center from 1:00 p.m. and end by 3:30 p.m. We ask that you be seated by 12:30 p.m. With this in mind that we humbly ask for your kind cooperation and attendance in this Youth Forum. Please kindly contact our office at 402-0440 or Ms. Nekeisha Lima at 651-1897 for further details.

Regularization of Lease in Silk Grass and Trio Village
The Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture informs that Lands Department Officials will be visiting the villages of Silk Grass in the Stann Creek District and Trio in the Toledo District on Tuesday 7th October, 2014 to meet with residents to resolve and rectify the land demarcation issues for leases issued to the residents of those villages.

INVEST BELIZE Magazine Launch Vol. 3
3 minute video

SUPPORTING THE HUMAN IMAGINATION AT WORK
The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) is supporting the participation of nine (9) CARIFORUM SMEs through funding a collective pavilion at the Innovation Village that forms part of the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) scheduled to be held at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago during October 9-11, 2014. Following a recent Expression of Interest that involved video pitches, the Agency selected the nine firms from 5 Caribbean countries who are producing a range of products and services that range from educational applications to animation and new media production, as well as energy efficient products, thus highlighting innovation as a critical component of the CARIFORUM economy.

TsugaruShamisen Concert by "Abeya"
7-9pm at the Bliss Center, Fri., Oct. 10th. Free Admission, open to the public.

UDP San Pedro
UDP Endorsement Convention this Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 7:30 at Central Park!

INDEPENDENCE DAY JUMP UP PARADE 2014 (60 photos)
We would like to congratulate and thank everyone who participated in the 21st Independence Jump Up Parade! Below are the winners of this year's parade: SCHOOL CATEGORY: 1st Place: Wil Alamilla presents the Octopus - Arm in arm, let's unite. 2nd Place: The Island Aademy ADULT GROUP: 1st Place: San Pedro AIDS Commussion 2nd Place: Ruan Nu�ez 3rd Place: Wings BEST FLOAT Wil Alamilla presents the Octopus - Arm in arm, let's unite.

INDEPENDENCE EVE 2014 (66 photos)
September 21, 2014 marked our 33rd year of celebrating and honoring Belize's Independence. Everyone gathered at the Central Park for the countdown of this patriotic celebration. The official ceremony began with an invocation offered by the priest of the San Pedro R.C. Church and included addresses by Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Mr. Eulogio "Elito" Arceo (Standard Bearer for the Opposition for Belize Rural South) and Councilor Kenrick Brackett. Following the speeches, the reigning Miss San Pedro, Miss Michelle Nu�ez accompanied by Deputy Mayor Gabriel Nu�ez made her arrival escorted by the San Pedro Cultural Marching Band and the Lions and Leo's Club members with fire torches. Following their arrival, master of ceremonies, Mr. Eiden Salazar, invited the members of the Belize Coast Guard for the 21 gun salute and gun inspection. The event ended with music by Skynet Soundz and a spectacular display of fireworks!

Tensions at the Western Border
Approximately 40 Guatemalan Citizens threaten to burn Valentin Camp near Caracol - Valentin Camp Coordinates: UTM : BD65 Geographical coordinates in decimal degrees (WGS84) Latitude : 16.766 Longitude : -89.162 Geographical coordinates in degrees minutes seconds (WGS84) Latitude : 16 45' 59'' Longitude : -89 09' 45'' According to reports, construction work on an outpost at the Valetin site near Caracol is on going. This morning near 10:00. a.m., Guatemalan villagers, armed with machetes threatened the construction workers and the Belize Defense Force Soldiers. They also wanted to burn the construction which was for Friends for Conservation and Development. The OAS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are both expected to address the issue.

BEL Restores Power to the Country Using Standby Generation Sources
Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) reports that local standby generating facilities were integral in restoring power supply to the country following unplanned power interruptions on Thursday, October 2, 2014 that affected the entire country, for various durations. Power supply was being provided to the entire country via Belize Electric Company Limited's (BECOL) hdyro supply and Mexico's Comisi�n Federal de Electricidad (CFE), when a trip was experienced on the transmission system at 8:27 p.m. BEL crews later identified the fault as damage to a major structure on the transmission system in a remote area near Buena Vista, Corozal District. The damage on this major system, which links the country's transmission to CFE, caused a total system collapse. As part of the Company's restoration protocol, BEL immediately commenced restoration efforts using its Gas Turbine at West Lake and Blair Athol Power Company Limited (BAPCOL) standby units.

Corozal Independence Day Parade 2014
The traditional Independence Day Parade was held in Corozal on Sunday, September 21, 2014. The students in the Corozal High Schools always parade, as well as a few other groups. On this page is a sampling of the many many pictures we took that day. All those images are found in our Yearbook. There is a link in the last paragraph on this page.

Channel 7

Tensions In Caracol Reserve: Guats Threaten Arson
Tonight the Ministry of National Security Ministry and the Belizean Military are on high alert at the Western Border after a group of Guatemalans barged into Belizean territory making threats to civilians and BDF personnel inside the Caracol Archaeological Reserve. We've confirmed with official sources that at around 9:30 this morning, there were 4 BDF soldiers along with several carpenters and builders who were at the Valentin Camp. They were working on the Valentin Conservation Outpost. Viewers may remember that this is one of 3 facilities which the Prime Minister committed to see to completion in an effort to help safeguard against Guatemalan incursions. A reported 40 Guatemalans from the border village of La Rejoya, came armed with machetes and sticks and threatened the Belizeans present. They were angry with the construction of the conservation outposts, and reports say that they threatened to burn it down because they did not want it there.

The Ushers Protest Against Guatemalan Embassy
And so now while there is another worrying issue affecting the Western Frontier, today in Belize City, protesters staged a demonstration in front of the Guatemalan embassy to send a distinct message to Guatemala about the murder of Constable Danny Conorquie. It began after 10 this morning and 7news was there to capture the event. Courtney Weatherburne reporting These chants were echoed along A Street this morning as about 30 protesters circled in front of the Embassy of Guatemala vehemently condemning the murder of 20 year old Constable Danny Conorquie by Guatemalan intruders. While their chants were full of rage, their posters also gave voice to the distrust that many harbor towards those Guatemalans who make incursions into the Chiquibul. PUP Standard Bearer Gilroy Usher who led the protest took it to another level when he threw 2 eggs at the embassy. That gave the signal for the rest of the well "egg-quipped" group to launch their own egg blasts mostly harmless volleys - but symbolic of contempt.

PM: The People Must Protest
And while, as we told you, there was a political overtone to protest at the Guatemalan Embassy, it also brings up a very tricky issue. That's because as we've told you although there is every reason to suspect that the culprits who executed Danny Conorquie are Guatemalans, there is no irrefutable evidence of that. Today we asked the Prime Minister about the implications, and he said that Belizeans have a constitutional right to demonstrate: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "People have a right to demonstrate generally on an issue such as this is incendiary, the degree of Belizean outrage is not just almost unprecedented, but it is entirely unjustified. This was a horrible absolutely dastardly act and we should be grateful that we live in a country where at least people are still going to employ peaceful means to record their dissatisfaction, record their concern, record their outrage over something like this. You are saying they picketed or demonstrated, they didn't try to burn down the place or to damage the property of the Guatemalan Embassy. They have every right to protest."

Foreign Minister Elrington Was A Firebrand Too
That's pretty much the same thing that Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington had to say when he caught up with him at another event. He added that while he must be measured on all controversial issues such as this, he was once a firebrand who participated in many protests in his youth: Reporter "There was protest this morning in front of the Guatemalan Embassy. Some Belizeans.... Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "Nobody use to protest more than me you know." Reporter "Do you believe that this many hinder this wonderful relationship...." Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "It's not going to hinder it. I use to do worse than that when I was younger." Reporter "What do you have to say to those protesters?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "That is democracy. People do that all over the world. People have the right to express their views. I was once arrested for doing the same thing you know."

Hon. Elrington Responds To The Critics On Foreign Policy Issue
But, gone are the days when Elrington would take a forceful, unadvised position. His foreign policy has been harshly criticized as being too appeasing and in this particular instance, his comments following the murder of Danny Conorquie, were used by his opponents as yet another example of his attempts to pacify Guatemala. He told us today that what they may not know is that Belize's relationship with Guatemala is the best it has been in years, and they've stopped being openly hostile. Here's how he explained it: Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "As a foreign minister I have the responsibility not only to Belize and the government of Belize and the people of Belize - that's where I have my first responsibility, but we are now part of an interconnected world and so I've got to think in terms of the impact of what I say on the world at large. Guatemala is not only our neighbor, but they are also a very powerful neighbor and all their relationship with us as far as I am aware since I have become foreign minister - they are always been polite and they have always try to be proper. Dealing at the foreign minister's level I think it is only right that I take the same position too, so I am not going to say anything that is not necessary to be said and that can caused a bad situation to be even worse.

Palma Murdered During A Blackout
There was a countrywide blackout last night - and during the outage, a Belize City man was killed in the quiet, dark night. It happened at 9:15 in an alley near Barrack Road in Belize City. Monica Bodden spoke to Gerald Palmer's family today:.. Monica Bodden reporting It was through this alleyway known as Grants Alley - where 27 year old Gerald Palmer was gun down sometime after 8 last night. Palmer had just left him home on Barrack Road during last night's blackout - and was walking through the alley- when he was attacked by a gunman. The first shot allegedly caught him in his leg which gave him time to run - but not too far -because his attacker continued shooting with as many as 6 shots. 5 of those caught Palmer to multiple parts of his body.

BEL's Connection To CFE Went Down
And if you're wondering what caused the extended power outage last night, BEL says that the connection with CFE in Mexico went down around 8:30. But don't blame the Mexicans - BEL says there was damage to a major structure on the transmission system in a remote area near Buena Vista, in the Corozal District. That system links Belize to CFE's power - and when it tripped, it caused the entire system to collapse. BEL used standby generators to restore power supply. Power supply was restored to the entire country between 10:25 p.m. and 12:20 a.m.

ASR: Cane Sugar On The Decline In Europe
The next few weeks will prove pivotal for the sugar industry. ASR-BSI and the Belize Sugar cane Famers Association will be meeting to discuss the commercial agreement to pay for bagasse. IF they don't reach an agreement in time for the start of the cane season - it could be catastrophic for the industry. But even if they do hammer out an agreement, that would only be step one in a long journey towards long term prosperity for the sugar industry. That's because the global industry is at a turning point where European produced beet sugar is threatening to overtake cane sugar in the most lucrative market. Earlier this week, ASR's Mac Maclahclan explained it to us:.. Mac McLachlan, International Relations Advisor - ASR "The global sugar market is changing and in particular the European market and the prices in Europe are falling. They are falling away as we speak and by 2017 when the market is fully regulated we are expecting that the prices that can be attained for sugar from any of the ACP countries to be around the global market level and we have to improve our competitiveness to get there. There are series of bottlenecks to achieving that and one of the key one is the sugarcane yield that we get in Belize at the moment which is a general problem for the industry.

Lawless Officers Arraigned; Remanded
Last night, we told you about Constable Jamil Scott who was charged by police internal affairs after he was allegedly caught red handed with jewelry he allegedly stole while conducting a search at a woman's house. Well tonight, he and the woman he was caught with are out on bail after being taken to court. Police Constable Jamil Scott was charged with 2 counts of robbery when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Scott pled not guilty to the charges. He was released on a bail of $1,000 and his case was adjourned until November 28. The bail was offered on the condition that he hand in his passport, that he don't go near to the complainant or any member of his family and that he reports to Queen Street Police Station. The first theft occurred on September 28. The item stolen was a black Kenwood brand hand held radio with a value of $650, the property of the Police Department. The second theft occurred on October 1 and the items that were stolen included a wrist watch and a gold ring with a combined value of $300, the property of Randolph Gentle. The police charged Scott when they conducted a search at a house at 18 Antelope Street on October 1 and found the stolen items. Chelsea Zepeta, who the police said was also present at the house, was charged with 2 counts of handling stolen goods. She pled not guilty to the charged when she appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. She was offered a bail of $500 in cash. The bail was on the condition that she hand in her passport, that she don't go near the complainant and that she reports to Queen Street Police Station.

CARACAMO SAYS..
It's been over two months since Chairman of Hattieville Kevin Carcamo disappeared without a trace. Public interest has waned, and authorities have been forced to pull back their resources form the search - but his family has soldiered on. But, now they are growing tired�and despondent. Today his brother called the media to offer a reward for Kevin, dead or alive. Ian Arana, Brother of Kevin Carcamo "We have come to the conclusion that we are just meeting all dead ends. So we decided that this is the way to go to give a reward for information basically leading to his recovery either dead or alive because at this time after 2 months we are on 2 months 6 days or probably 8 days now and what is left for us to believe that he is dead - that's my belief and my belief is also that he is living probably and is bound somewhere by someone. So I am pleading and asking that person or persons who may be responsible to come forth and let him go or give us a call so that we can find him. There is a reward for you, so we need closure. If he is alive I am asking you humbly to please don't hurt him because we have a reward, just let him go and you leave a note on him, or something on him and you will get your money - that's not a problem. You let us find his body, you will get your money. All we need is closure at this time."

BELIZE/MEXICO MEET...
Earlier in the news, we told you about the rising tensions between Belize and Guatemala. Today, however, Mexico, the neighbors to the north, worked to strengthen their friendship with Belize. That came with a summit called the Belize-Mexico Bi National Commission, the 8th in the series, since 1981, when Belize got its Independence, and today, the Foreign Ministers of both countries told the press about it: Jose Antonio Meade - Mexican Foreign Secretary "We will start to work in this bi-national, but will continue to do so and is to establish a legal framework that will allow for more investment of Mexico in Belize. Cooperation in terms of health which is very important regionally, which is a characteristic that Mexico and Belize want to strengthen." Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "For tourism for example, we enter into legal arrangements for them so that their tourism operators will be able to work with our tourism operators here to have tourists come from Belize to Mexico and from Mexico to Belize.

PM/Church Reconcile On NGP
The National Gender Policy, we've haven't reported on that document since May. But, as you may remember the policy's original draft caused the Churches sounded the alarm saying that it had pro-LGBT elements to it, which they couldn't support. Well, as we've told you, the Prime Minister has been consulting with representatives from the Church, and today, another meeting was held. The sentiments coming out of the 3-hour plus meeting is that all the questionable sections of the Gender Policy have been revised, and the Church can now give their approval. The Pastors told us that their biggest concern was that the Gender Policy would be used as a spring board to agitate for amendments to the Belize Constitution: Pastor Eugene Crawford - Belize Evangelical Assoc. "One of the terms that set the stage for a very progressive move was the gender. Gender meaning man and woman. It was a little nebulous at first, but when that was being defined, then we know most of the other points that followed it was already ventilated."

PROFILE...
You may know Elena Smith as a union firebrand who showed her mettle during the unrest of 2004 and 2005. This fiery unionist, is also the strong and steady teacher at St. Ignatius Primary School. But, she wasn't always so strong and sure of herself; she tells the I AM Belize profile, that it was because an adult touched her inappropriately when she was a child. She explained how she worked through that and found her love of teaching: With that installment, the profile series is back and will be a regular weekly feature on 7News.

KHMH Under Pressure
Tonight a teenage girl is dead and doctors cannot say why. 13 year old Maria Larios, a student of Stella Maris was taken to the Cleopatra Policlinic on Monday morning where she was treated for a high temperature and no appetite. After the symptoms continued, she was admitted to the KHMH. Numerous x-rays and blood work was done on the teenage girl - including a test for dengue - which all came back negative. Maria spent 3 days in the hospital and her fever was treated with Tylenol. Her conditioned worsened on Wednesday afternoon when the young girl was struggling to breathe. Her family was told by a doctor that she was suffering from pneumonia and she was going to be sedated in order to have a tracheotomy. As the procedure was being conducted, Maria's health began to quickly deteriorate and just minutes after, the young girl passed away. Tonight her family is claiming negligence on behalf of the KHMH doctor. They claim that Maria's lung was allegedly punctured when the tube was introduced into her throat and that's what caused her death. A postmortem examination was conducted on the young girl today but it was inconclusive as to what was wrong with Maria Larios. Today her family expressed the bewilderment. Danilo Luna - Father of Decease "The doctors gave us a certificate that says that the cause of the death is because of blood in the lungs. The physical examination doesn't have an exact data that caused the death of my daughter. Really they don't have the exact information. They haven't told us the cause of death, until two weeks' time they will tell us the exact motive of her death. They say it might be a disease of an infection or an unknown virus or something new. Right now we don't have no more information."

The Guatemalans Went Back
At the top of the news, we told you about the rising tensions at the Western Border in the Caracol Archeological Reserve. That's after 40 armed Guatemalans went to Valentin Camp to threaten the Belizeans with arson if they continued to build the Valentin Conservation Outposts. Well, information reaching our newsroom at this time is that another group went back to the camp in the afternoon. FCD's Executive Director, Rafael Manzanero, was informed that a smaller group of Guatemalans from La Rejoya Village went back. The quickly realized that since the first confrontation this morning, more BDF soldiers had arrived at the Camp, and so they left without incident.

Channel 5

Armed Incursion at Camp Valentin Threatens B.D.F. Soldiers
Tonight, there is real and present danger of bloodshed in the forests along the Belize/Guatemala border, and a chilling sense of escalating violence. This morning at around nine-thirty, there was [...]

PM Barrow Says B.D.F. Will Use Force if Necessary
The newly constructed outpost at Camp Valentin is less than a kilometre from the Guatemalan border. Reinforcements were called in from Camp Belizario, located at least four hours from the [...]

P.U.P. Leader Condemns G.O.B. for Ignoring Caracol Memo
The question of the adequacy of the government response to threat is a pertinent and valid one. After all, Danny Conorquie was murdered fully eight months after the head of [...]

Belizeans 'Egg' Guatemalan Embassy
A week after his execution, the country is still grieving the death of Conorquie, a twenty-year old tourism police constable working at the Caracol Archeological Site. Two protests were held [...]

Hunting Caye F.O.B. Under Fire
In the wake of significant unrest and public outrage towards Guatemala, the news that the Coast Guard's forward operating base on Hunting Caye is being built by Guatemalans has likely [...]

Food Vendor Slaughtered on Barrack Road
During the national blackout on Thursday night, twenty-seven year old Gerald Palmer was shot multiple times on Grants Alley.� The food vendor of Barrack Road had just left home when [...]

Foreign Minister Maintains Position on Conorquie Murder
Immediately following last Thursday's murder of Conorquie, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington told the media that he was uncertain whether the shooting death of Special Constable Danny Conorquie was indeed perpetrated [...]

Elrington Applauds G.O.B. for 'Diplomatic Strides…'
In responding to criticism that he is too lenient on the issue of how the Guatemalan claim is being handled, Elrington told the media today that despite seeming public disapproval [...]

U.S. State Diplomat Concludes Working Visit to Belize
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary John Feely, of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, concluded a two-day working visit to Belize today after meeting with various organizations, including [...]

Speaks About Visit to National Youth Cadet Corps
On Thursday evening, upon his departure from the Leo Bradley Library, Feely visited the National Youth Cadet Corp on the George Price Highway where he met with a number of [...]

Ministry of National Security Condemns Armed Incursion
Back to the encounter between Guatemalan civilians and the B.D.F. at Camp Valentin. Late this evening, the Ministry of National Security issued a release saying that the group of Guatemalans, [...]

PM Barrow Says No Doubt Conorquie Killer was Guatemalan
The police continue to investigate the murder of Danny Conorquie. But at this point that's more an exercise of proving what everybody believes to be true. With the exception of [...]

PM Barrow Says G.O.B. Will Purchase a Helicopter
The threat to our armed forces this morning has highlighted a deficiency in our military capacity which is certainly no secret. There is need for a helicopter to assist in [...]

Aspiring Politician Denny Grijalva is Guatemalan
And with sentiments against Guatemala running high, News Five has obtained a copy of a page of the passport of U.D.P. Orange Walk Central candidate Denny Grijalva. The information contained [...]

3 Cops Arraigned on Criminal Charges
In a cleansing of the police department, three police officers were before the court today to answer to criminal offenses.� First to be arraigned were two alleged rogue cops who [...]

Cop & Girlfriend Arraigned for Stolen Jewellery
A third cop and his girlfriend were arraigned but were able to get bail today. Police officer Jamille Scott is accused of stealing jewelry and other items from the house [...]

PM & Church Leaders Meet on Gender Policy
The prime minister met with church leaders today on the revised gender policy. The leaders from the various churches have made numerous recommendations that they wish to be included in [...]

Belize & Mexico Discuss Foreign Policy
A high-level meeting between government officials from Belize and Mexico was held earlier today to conclude the eighth meeting of the Bi-national Commission.� A delegation from the neighboring country, led [...]

…Establish Guides for Tourism and Trade
According to Jose Antonio Meade, Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of President Enrique Pena Nieto, a guide has been established in order to achieve the purposes of [...]

FCIB Organizes Cancer Walk
Everyone has or knows someone that has been afflicted with cancer. Over the years it has become even more prevalent in Belize regardless of age or gender. The Belize Cancer [...]

Government Drivers Conclude Defensive Driving Workshop
A Defensive Driving Course for government drivers concluded on Thursday in Belize City; it is part of a larger eighteen million dollar initiative called the Belize Road Safety Project funded [...]

Protest at San Martin Government School. Was Primary School Student Raped?
The House of Representatives met in Special Session in the capital today. We'll have full coverage of that coming up but we start with what was happening outside the House [...]

Belmopan Police on Rape Investigation
The Belmopan Police has been investigating the allegation of sexual molestation since it was reported to them. Even as the mother of the alleged victim and other parents claim they [...]


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

More News: Scroll up from here

CTV3

Renovation Of Gabriel Hoare Market Lane Face Hold Up
A few weeks ago we reported on the much awaited renovation of the Gabriel Hoare Market Lane in Corozal Town. When Deputy Mayor for Corozal Town Rafael Castillo spoke to us about the project eh stated that under the second phase of the Municipal Development Project, 15 cement stalls would constructed along the lane. The project was set to commence in the month of August and expected to be completed by February 2015. But more than two months after the day of launching, construction of the new stalls are yet to commence. So what's the hold up? We asked Local Government officer and representative of Social Investment Fund, Clifford King.Clifford King - Local Gov't. Officer/ SIF Rep "These project goes through a procurement process which is very lengthy that goes from feasibility studies to end of a contract in terms of implementation and these are very complex activities within a process and sometimes things take longer than you expect them to take but we are very close as a matter of fact, the draft designs have already been shared with the council for this project and so the next step now is to complete that process and we anticipating that before the end of the year this project will be on the ground here in Corozal."

Projects That Will Be Implemented Under BMDP Discussed In Corozal
The Corozal Town Local Planning Working Group, LPWG, hosted its fourth meeting today with members of the business community, principals and church leaders, to discuss the draft plan of the Belize Municipal Development Project for Corozal. The BMDP is a project implemented by the Social Investment Fund SIF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Local Government that is dedicated to improve the access to basic municipal infrastructure and the enhancement of the municipal management in towns and cities of Belize.Keisha Rodriguez - Urban Planning Officer "We have been hosting stakeholder meetings in the seven municipalities that are involved in the Municipal Planning aspect of the Belize Municipal Development Project, since May 2013 we have worked with these seven municipalities including Corozal Town in preparing a Municipal Development Plan and now seven of the municipalities have drafted their Municipal Development Plan and we are meeting with various stakeholder groups to discuss with them the content of those plans are and to garner feedback from them in relation to the plans."

LOVE FM

PlusTV

Armed Guatemalans threaten to burn down Conservation outpost in Chiquibul
There are reports of illegal Guatemalan incursions into Belizean territory allegedly occurring on Friday morning. Reports are that a Belizean Conservation outpost inside the Chiquibul Forest Reserve was breached by a mob of armed Guatemalans. Construction work is currently being done there by Belize...

Gerald Palmer Fatally Shot During Power Outage In Belize City
A Belize City man was murdered Thursday night. The victim has been identified as 27 year old Gerald Palmer. Police report that Palmer was accosted by a lone gunman as he walked at the corner of Grants and Cards Alleys around�9:15 p.m. Thursday,�while there was a power outage in Belize City...

Two Police Constables Face Charges Of Robbery And Wounding
Police Constables Edgar�Depaz and Jefferson Dawson face criminal charges of robbery and wounding, and PC Dawson separately charges of�using threatening words and aggravated assaul, for their attack on gas pump attendant Tramane Ciego on September 29. On Friday, before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Ma...

PC Jamille Scott Charged With Two Counts Of Robbery
Police Constable�#1096 Jamille Scott�is the man�accused of stealing jewelry from a house on Antelope Street, Belize City, while part of a team of�officers on operation conducting a house search. PC Scott was charged with 2 counts of robbery when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Ann...

Ron Myvett Charged With Attempted Murder
Ron Myvett, a resident of Belize City, was charged with attempted murder when he appeared on Friday before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Ron Myvett was also charged with dangerous harm, use of deadly means of harm, discharging a firearm in public and aggravated assault...

Churches satisfied with meeting with PM
Church Leaders left a meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Friday upbeat and optimistic. The meeting was to discuss the Church's recommendations for changes to the Gender Policy. We spoke with Pastor Scott Stirm late Friday evening for his take on how the meeting went.

23 year old female charged with rape of 14 year old boy
We often here cases of men raping women but it is quite an unusual situation where a male person reports having been raped by a female, though it does happen. Recent reports are that a 23 year old female had a forceful sexual intercourse with a 14 year old boy in Belmopan, and was recently charged.

Prison Officer Detained Pending Drug Charges
A Belizean Prison Officer is detained at the Belmopan Police Station pending charges of drug trafficking. According to police reports at around 4:00 pm on Thursday, Police interceted a green Infinity car in Teakettle village Cayo District...

Dangriga Market Project Stalled Again
The Dangriga Market project was launched in May 2012 has had� some severe set backs after several inconsistencies with some Social Investment Fund (SIF) workers...

Belizeans Protest In Front Of Guatemalan Embassy
A few Belizeans took their protests over the death of Special Constable Danny Conorquie to the doorsteps of the Guatemalan Embassy in the King’s Park area of Belize City. They demanded the Guatemalan Government respond�and help Belize catch Danny Conorquie’s killers. We understand that eggs were th...

Remembering A Belizean Hero
Friday marked the birthday of one of Belize's fallen Heroes, Phillip Goldson, who fought for Belize's independence to the point of imprisonment for his ideals. He served as Deputy Mayor in the Belize City Council was the editor of the Belize Billboard. In1951 he was convicted of Seditious Intent...

Officer Commanding Tourism police raised security issue at Caracol since January
While new measures are now being taken to provide adequate security to Caracol, it has been reported that those measures were being suggested and recommended from January of this year. What is believed to be a genuine internal police memorandum sent in January from the Officer Commanding the Tourism Police Unit ASP Diana Hall, has been leaked to the media. In the memo addressed to the Commissioner of Police, ASP Hall raises security concerns in Caracol. The Leader of the Opposition brought up the memo in Friday's House meeting. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition "That letter is very damning because it foretells what has actually taken place and it made clear that within the ranks of the police department, within the ranks of the Police Tourism Unit at the highest levels - there were very serious concerns.

Second reading for the Amendment to the Legal Profession Act
The Second reading for the Amendment to the Legal Profession Act was done in the House of Representatives on Friday. It was the major business of the sitting, and with so many lawyers in the House, it was a passionate presentation from Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington, who says he sees no reason why he should be forced to be a member of an association that does nothing for him or the community. Wilfred Elrington - Attorney General "I feel cheated, and I feel defrauded, because my monies are taken from me, year after year after year, under false pretences. Who can show us what we've got for the money which we have paid?"

Parents say a cover up happened in case of alleged child sodomy
Allegations that a five year old child was sodomized at a primary school in Salvapan Area, Belmopan, has stirred the emotions of many. Last week we reported that the medical results of the test swab that was taken from the child proved negative. According to police, the medical reports are saying that the child was never penetrated. But the mother and some residents of the Salvapan area firmly believe there is concrete evidence to determine that the child was indeed penetrated. Thursday the mother of the child and some 30 members of the community, joined now by Patrick Menzies of BelizeCan, lead a small demonstration beside the Salvapan Bridge demanding swift justice for the alleged victim and calling for the shutdown of the School. The protesters ran into some mishap with the authorities, who claimed that it was an illegal gathering and began to arrest them. The images show two mothers handcuffed together and police about to handcuff others. There were some heated exchange of words and reports are that some police officers shook off a few children who were clinging to their mother but the police did not arrest anyone and let them go.

Facility for Belizean security arm being built by Guatemalans!
There is undeniably an increased sense of nationalistic fervour being experienced by many Belizeans, brought into sharper focus by the death of an on duty officer by the hands of Guatemalans. Border security and integrity, especially as it pertains to a nation which has expressed a claim on Belize, is of utmost concern in times like these. It is no wonder then that many are outraged at developments happening on Hunter Caye. On that Caye is being built a Coast Guard Security Facility.; which is all fine and well. The problem is that this facility for one of Belize's security arms is being built exclusively by a Guatemalan company with only Guatemalan workers. The Leader of the Opposition asked how the Ministry of National Security would allow such a thing to be happening. The Minister of National Security addressed the question saying that it was a gift from the United States, and having Guatemala build the facility, was the United States' stipulation.

Still no proof Guatemalans killed Danny Conorquie, only strong suspicion
The security of Police Officers stationed at Caracol has now come under scrutiny, since Danny Conorquie was shot at the hands of Guatemalans at the National Archaeological Site. The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Francis Fonseca spoke about the issue of border security and integrity at Friday's sitting. For the first time since the incident, members of Government have said that they believe the perpetrators to be Guatemalan. The Prime Minister said so as well as the Minister of National Security. In fact, the Minister of National Security says they are sure that the killers escaped to Guatemala. He told the National Assembly about the developments in their investigation. -->

Amandala

More police brutality "craziness"
In the southside of Belize City, to be on the streets sometimes at night could place one at high risk, especially if you are a young black man, since the odds are high that you will become the subject of the police's oftentimes unnecessary and unconstitutional searches which are too often lacking in basic human decency, not to mention the legal requirement of at least, "probable cause." Just a young black man's presence on the streets appears to give the rogue elements in the Police Department license to violate his constitutional rights. On Sunday night, two policemen who were on foot patrol on Central American Boulevard allegedly acted criminally toward a young working black man. According to the victim, Tramane Ciego, who, ironically, lives in close proximity to the police's Precinct 2, on Racoon Street, one of the officers went as far as to threaten to kill him. To its credit, however, the Police Department's Professional Standards Branch acted promptly in its investigation of a report made by Ciego.

Justice for Danny!!
ourism Police Special Constable Danny Conorquie, 20, was laid to rest in his home village of Georgeville on Sunday, and tomorrow, Tuesday, hundreds of Belizeans are expected to make their way over to Belize's western border to make an international statement on the cold-blooded execution of the young tourism police officer around noon last Thursday at the Caracol Archaeological Reserve in western Belize at the hands of illegal Guatemalan loggers who may have retaliated after security forces confiscated their horses. Tuesday's show of national outrage is being led by the Belize People's Front (BPF), an organization headed by Nancy Marin. The executive members of the Belize People's Front include Louis Diaz and Ronny Plette in Belize, and Joseph Roca, Wellington Ramos and Joseph Guerrero in the USA. Speaking with Amandala today, Marin said that their bottom-line message is "Justice for Danny."

US Southern Command "punks" Belize!
In a disclosure that has sparked nationalistic outrage in some quarters, Evan "Mose" Hyde, KREM TV manager, and Wil Maheia, Punta Gorda activist, captured several images at Hunting Caye last week of construction operations by a Guatemalan company, Binarq S.A., on Hunting Caye, the country's southernmost island on the Sapodilla Range. This morning on the KREM WUB, Hyde detailed what he had observed while on a recent vacation outing in the area along with Maheia: Guatemalans building a forward operating base on a Belizean caye, in a project financed by the US Government for the Belize Coast Guard. There are those who have asked whether a competent Belizean company could not have done the works, but beyond that, there are those who contend that the decision poses a national security risk for Belize. One of those persons is Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca, who mentioned Hyde's report in Parliament this afternoon, detailing that the Coast Guard contract to build is held by Guatemalans and every single worker is a Guatemalan national.

Another cop accused of extortion in San Pedro
On July 24, Constable Elvin Nah of the San Pedro police was arrested and charged with extortion and released on bail of $2,000 in the San Pedro Magistrate's Court. A little over two months later, another officer of the San Pedro police - Constable Oscar Ramirez, has also been charged for an act of extortion, which allegedly occurred on September 23. PC Ramirez was taken to the San Pedro Magistrate's Court today, where he was released on bail of $3,000 and ordered to return to court on Tuesday, November 18. Police charged that PC Ramirez demanded $700 - of which he collected $600 - for the release of a woman who was in custody for traffic offenses.

House approves $29.7 mil CDB loan for new Haulover bridge and airport road upgrade
The House of Representatives today approved a $29.7 million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for a new bridge at Haulover, five miles out of Belize City, as well as a major upgrade to the Philip Goldson Highway from Belize City to the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville. In presenting the loan motion to Parliament, Minister of Finance, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, said that the loan would include climate adaptation works. The loan repayment schedule is complex, since it would be released in multiple tranches which carry varying interest rates, as well as different repayment schedules. The funds should be fully disbursed by the end of 2018. The portion for $13,740,000 should be repaid in 48 quarterly installments, after a 3-year grace period, at a rate of 3.59% per annum. There is a 1% per annum commitment fee on the unwithdrawn portion of loan.

Viral Caracol video documents aftermath of Danny Conorquie's murder
On Monday, September 29, expats who were at the Caracol Archaeological Reserve last Thursday uploaded video imagery of events which unfolded after Tourism Police special constable Danny Conorquie was executed, allegedly by illegal Guatemalan loggers, who are believed to have killed the security officer in retaliation for a sweep earlier in the week which led to the confiscation of five horses. The video, which went viral on social media on Tuesday, September 30, began with the sound of gunshots, but did not capture the actual shooting of Conorquie. "They shot a person?" one tourist asked. "Yeah," another responded.

Cricket Corner: A gentle giant - David Banner
On Sunday last, me, my wife and family went to the beautiful village of Lemonal to attend a well put together double birthday fun time for two beautiful girls, Dawn and Breena Banner, both sisters. On our way, a question was asked, who were the first settlers of Lemonal? I must say that I am not too well informed of this. I was informed some time ago that a Scottish man had paddled up the Spanish Creek, went to a village named after a lady, De Dolores, where there was a Mayan settlement. This man's name was Francis Banner. This village is now Rancho Dolores. Mr. Banner, I understand, took this lady and brought her to live with him at what is now Lemonal. As I said, I do not know the history of this village; but I will try to get more information from the archives for educational purposes. What I do know is that, aside from some of the best cricketers (They are the reigning champions - Easy Does It), Lemonal produces many persons, including many priests, that are shining brightly in society. There are teachers (educators), magistrates, police officers, contractors for home buildings, farmers and an attorney newly called to the Bar, etc.

Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball Tournament results
The Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball Tournament 2014-2015 tipped off this week with games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Bird's Isle. In games played on Monday, (F) Holy Redeemer defeated St. John's Primary, 25-12, 25-12; (M) St. John's Primary def. Holy Redeemer, 25-14, 25-12; and (M) Belize Elementary def. St. Ignatius, 25-5, 25-12. On Tuesday, (F) Ephesus SDA def. Queen Street Baptist, 25-23, 25-17; and (M) Queen Street Baptist def. Ephesus SDA, 25-16, 25-15. And today, Wednesday, (M) St. John Vianney def. Bethel Assembly, 25-22, 25-17; and (M) Wesley Upper won by default over Trinity Methodist. No games are scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday.

Talking football
As there is a slight lull on the local football scene, with no definite date yet announced for the start of the next Premier League competition, perhaps it is a good time to reminisce. I was doing some of that a few years ago, and thought it would be a good time to share it with our football fans, although the work was incomplete. Time does fly. Here goes: BELIZEAN FOOTBALL COMPARISONS Thursday, March 8, 2007 Belize is presently ranked near the bottom, in fact some are saying we are at the bottom of the list of football ranked nations in FIFA, the world governing body of football, to which Belize gained provisional membership in 1981 when our nation became independent, and then full membership in 1986. Yet, some young footballers of today argue that they are playing 'higher' ball than teams of yesteryear, because they are now "semi-pro."

Respect our army; equip our army
A Belizean died in Great Britain recently who had traveled from here to London and flown combat missions in the Royal Air Force during World War II. His name was Clifton Pinks. He married in England and spent his life there. But he was part of the Belize lobby in England, led by Nadia Cattouse, which made sure that the British public and the British government remembered that Belizeans had served the British loyally during the war and argued that Belize should not be abandoned to Guatemalan aggression. This lobby was active during the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s when the Belize issue was an Anglo-Guatemalan dispute. The Belizean leaders at the front line of our final push to independence in 1981 always claimed that they did not trust the British where the matter of land cession to Guatemala was concerned. They have stated that they went for a risky independence without a defence guarantee because they were being pressured by the British and the Americans to cede Belizean land to Guatemala in return for a settlement of the claim.

From the Publisher
When the Mexican Revolution began in 1910, Mexico was already an oil producing country. The Mexican oil industry was owned by British and American investors. Oil was becoming more and more important in the world, because the Europeans, led by the British, the Germans, the French, the Italians, and so on, were converting their navies, as quickly as they could, from steam power to petroleum power. At the time of World War I, which was fought from 1914 to 1918, navies were vastly more important than air power, which was primitive at the time. In fact, even in World War II, between 1939 and 1945, the navies, which included submarines, may have been greater factors in the outcome of the war than the respective air forces. Certainly in the beginning of World War II, the fight for control of the Atlantic Ocean was considered vital to the two main combatants - Great Britain and Germany. (The opinions in this paragraph are a layman's opinions: I am not trained in military matters.)

Letters: Sellout of Belize
In the light of irrefutable evidence gathered by the officer in charge of San Ignacio ASP Dinsdale Thompson, the refusal of the Government to acknowledge that Guatemalan poachers are responsible for the murder of Tourism Police Officer Danny Conorquie while he was on duty at the Caracol Maya site is shocking and indicative of its fear of holding the Guatemalans to task for anything, including the murder of an on-duty law enforcement officer by one its citizens. Everyday Guatemalans are the people that cross deeper and deeper into Belize illegally to make milpas and extract xate leaves and precious timber from our forest unlawfully. It is also a fact that those Guatemalan poachers have repeatedly pulled machetes and shot at Belizean law enforcement officials who try to stop their illegal activity in the country.

Letters: Nothing for nothing, very little for sixpence �
I don't know what the exact population of Belizeans living in the U.S. is. But for the purpose of this letter I will "guesstimate" it is 300,000. If there are 300,000 Belizeans currently residing in the U.S., I will guess further that about 150,000 or 50% of that population are naturalized citizens and therefore eligible to vote. Any group of people can lobby their local, state or federal representative, but for a representative to take up their cause and fight for it would mean the group can deliver votes for that politician to get elected. With 150,000 people scattered across 50 states or concentrated in a few cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Florida, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York, Belizeans offer very few votes to any politician and would be at the bottom of their list of issues to bring to Washington, D.C. There are about 50.5 million Hispanics living in the U.S. and they have groups such as LULAC that helped to deliver 6.5 million votes in 2012. There are 11.2 million Jews in America and 2.5 million of them voted in 2012. It's a numbers game!

Sedi tones down plea at UN for security assistance
Belize Attorney General, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington, told the 69th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Tuesday that security remains one of the nation's priorities. While Elrington made no mention of the recent murder of Daniel Conorquie at the Caracol Archaeological Reserve, allegedly at the hands of illegal Guatemalan loggers, he did use the opportunity to further a campaign for the parties to submit the territorial differendum to the International Court of Justice, a legal instrument of the United Nations.

Senior Citizens' Week underway to highlight elders in our community
Today, October 1, is observed globally as International Day of Older Persons, and to commemorate this initiative to honor the elders in our midst, HelpAge Belize is hosting a full week of activities to draw attention to these "Golden Citizens" in our community, who, while many often suffer from neglect, actually are sources of a wealth of wisdom, as well as values and principles, derived from their life experiences which were amassed over many decades. HelpAge Belize has been an affiliate of HelpAge International since 1984, and while the main thrust of their work has been centered on social pensions, they also run what are referred to as nine-day centres across the country where older men and women get an opportunity to socialize, exercise, receive health education, and discuss current affairs.

Supt. Luis Castellanos, OC San Pedro, honored
Superintendent Luis Castellanos, Commander of the San Pedro Police, was honored for his hard work and dedication at a ceremony on Friday, in San Pedro, and was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Mayor Danny Guerrero on behalf of the San Pedro Town Council, and Hon. Manuel Heredia, San Pedro's area representative. The event was held at Fido's Courtyard. OC Castellanos will leave the island town and will proceed on studies overseas, and Friday was his last day with the San Pedro police. Mayor Danny Guerrero said that Superintendent Castellanos has been a hard worker; that his method of operation was not complained about, and he put people first. The Mayor said that OC Castellanos truly helped to improve San Pedro.

Maya leaders to propose framework for consent agreements by oil, forestry industries
Litigation proceedings aimed at resolving the land rights claim of the Maya of Toledo begin at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) with a case management session on October 13, and while the parties - the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Government of Belize, still intend to proceed with their claims at the CCJ, the parties met last Thursday, September 25, to initiate dialogue which the Maya delegates hope would lead to a final resolution of the problem. Cristina Coc, spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA), told Amandala today that even when the case concludes in the months ahead, the Maya people are not going anywhere and it is in the best interests of both parties to resume dialogue in order to turn the rights of the Maya into reality.

Mexican national perishes in traffic accident outside Corozal Free Zone
A Mexican national lost his life, while another was injured following a fatal traffic accident that occurred yesterday evening on the outskirts of the Corozal Free Zone in northern Belize. At about 4:20 p.m. yesterday, September 29, police were called to the scene of an accident in the vicinity of the Corozal Free Zone where they saw a blue Ford Ranger pickup truck in an extensively damaged condition in the middle of the road. Approximately thirty feet away from the vehicle, police also observed the lifeless body of Jose Benigno Perez, 37, a Mexican watchman of Subteniente Lopez, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Police charge three cousins with gang membership offense
Belize City police, in their operation, "Not in My City," have been on the offensive against persons they believe are affiliates of criminal gangs, and have been entering the various gang turfs and the homes of gang-affiliated persons, arresting them for gang-related offenses, and charging them under the section of the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act, which prevents them from being granted bail at the Magistrate's Court. Most of the men who have been remanded to prison, however, are employed with Cisco Construction in the City's street rehabilitation program, so the arrests of these individuals appear to be whittling down the numbers employed by the program. Today, three more men who were employed by the program have been remanded to prison. Maurice Felix, 29, a resident of Sanker Street, who along with his brother Emory walked free from a murder case after three Supreme Court trials, pleaded not guilty to professing to belong to a criminal gang, namely, the Gill Street Gang.

Delivery truck rips down power line and lamppost on Evergreen Street
Traffic was interrupted for several hours this morning on Evergreen Street, which is located behind the headquarters of Belize Water Services (BWS), after a delivery truck tore down a power line and a lamppost during the height of rush hour traffic. Eyewitnesses said that sometime after 8:00 a.m., a white delivery truck, belonging to Grace Kennedy (Belize) Limited, was traveling on the street when the top portion got entangled in some low-lying power lines, which were hanging across the street. The truck driver, who was apparently unaware of the situation, continued on his journey; however, the entanglement flipped the vehicle on its side and caused it to lean to its right on two wheels on top of a grey Saturn car which is owned by an employee of BWS, and which was parked on the street side.

2014 dengue outbreak in City marked by high level of hemorrhagic cases
Data released today by the Vector Control Unit in Belize City indicate that there have been 77 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) documented in the City, primarily based on clinical diagnoses between January and September 2014. Overall, the total number of dengue cases in Belize City, including the severe hemorrhagic form, amounted to 264, making up 82% of all cases reported for the Belize District area. No national figures have yet been provided. Senior Public Health Officer Javier Alpuche said that from January to September 2014, 59 cases of dengue were reported in the Belize District, outside of the Belize City area, and 25 were recorded as DHF cases. In all, the Belize District recorded 323 cases for the period.

Two Bahamians wanted by the U.S. bailed
This morning, Supreme Court Justice Dennis Hannomansingh granted bail of $100,000 to two Bahamians who were arrested by Belize authorities on a provisional arrest warrant pending an extradition request from the United States. Kelvin Leach, 34, and Rohn Knowles, 29, two Bahamians who, along with four other individuals, were named in a U.S. indictment which was unsealed in Brooklyn, in the Eastern District Court of New York earlier this month, regained their freedom after being in lockdown at the Kolbe-managed Belize Central Prison. On Monday, September 15, Leach and Knowles appeared in the Belize City Magistrate's Court to answer to a charge of failure to declare funds when leaving Belize. The charge was laid by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) after the two were intercepted at the Philip Goldson International Airport.


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

More News: Scroll up from here

The Reporter

Armed Guatemalans threaten Belizean construction workers
Prime Minister Dean Barrow gave his assurances on Friday that additional military personnel have been deployed to the Caracol Archaeological Reserve after over three dozen Guatemalans crossed into Belizean territory around 10 a.m. armed with guns and machetes, threatening construction workers building the Valentin Conservation Outpost there. The outpost, which is in the archaeological reserve, is being built by Friends for Conservation and Development. Director of FCD, Rafael Manzanero told The Reporter late Friday that while the situation is regrettable, no one was harmed. "Apparently they were offended that we are building this outpost, which is on Belizean territory, so they came and threatened our workers and threatened to burn the outpost down," Manzanero said.

Taiwanese trade delegation visits Belize
A seven-member Taiwanese delegation was in Belize from September 27 to 30, to explore the potential cooperation opportunities and to promote the trade relationship between Belize and Taiwan. The delegation comprised of one official trade office and two well-known private companies: Central America Trade Office, Chong-Wai medical instrument Ltd. and Speed Technology Ltd. During their stay in Belize, they visited San Pedro Town, Belize Electricity Ltd.(BEL), Beltraide, Belize Medical Associates, Belize Healthcare Partners Ltd.(BHCP), Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital(KHMH), and Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry(BCCI). The Chong-Wai medical instrument Ltd. and Speed Technology Ltd. has established cooperation with BHCP and BEL, which is expected to facilitate the mutual trade relationship between Belize and Taiwan.

Top Mexican drug lord captured
Hector Beltran Leyva, one of Mexico's most wanted drug lords, was captured in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico when troops closed in on nabbing a seafood restaurant on Wednesday. His arrest came after 11 months of investigation as intelligence officials traced his path. Mexican authorities were offering a reward of more than US $2 million for information leading to his capture. The U.S. State Department's Narcotics Rewards Program was also offering a reward of up to US $5 million. Beltran Leyva, who led a cartel by the same name, had been living a discreet, low-profile life in Mexico's Queretaro state, abandoning a life of luxury to appear as a simple businessman.

What really happened at Caracol on Sept. 25?
A telling video recording of the immediate aftermath of the murder of Danny Conorquie was circulated on Facebook and You Tube this week. The video is the work of one of the tourists present at the Caracol Maya temple where the incident happened last […]

Belizeans protest for fallen cop, Danny Conorquie
About 200 Belizeans protested peacefully at the western border in Benque Viejo on Tuesday to demand justice for Special Tourism Police Constable, Danny Conorquie, who was shot dead on his job at Caracol Archaeological Reserve last Thursday. Led by Neferteri Juan of Belize People's […]

Coastal awareness week gets surprising public support
The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute launched Coastal Zone Awareness week for the first time in ten years on Monday, September 29. The week was observed under the theme "Planned development today for a sustainable coast tomorrow." The official opening ceremony was held on […]

BISL wins 1st round in court vs GOB
The Belize International Services Limited (BISL) received a ruling in its favour Wednesday against the Government of Belize in a case regarding the payment of taxes by the International Business Company (IBC). Justice Shona Griffith ruled in the Supreme Court that, BISL because of […]

GOB and Belize Bank in court over UHS loan
The Government of Belize and the Belize Bank were in court this week to make closing arguments in the case of a $33 million loan owed to the bank for the former Universal Health Services. Justice Shona Griffith heard arguments from both sides and […]

BELTRAIDE launches third Invest Belize magazine
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) on Tuesday launched the third edition of its Invest Belize magazine, an investment publication meant to highlight business opportunities in the country. Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Trade & Investment Promotion Michael Singh said […]

CARICOM says that member states need of take up
This week the Caribbean Community engaged in discussions with regional and international organizations about how to manage the chikungunya outbreak and prepare for eventual cases of the Ebola virus within member states. In late September, CARICOM Secretary General Irwin Larocque met with the Director of […]

Mexican dies in accident at free zone
Jose Benigno Lopez, 37, a Mexican watchman, died on Monday afternoon when the vehicle he was driving overturned in the Corozal Commercial Free Zone. According to police, sometime around 4 p.m., Lopez, who was said to be travelling at high speeds when exiting the […]

Teenager charged for attempted murder
A 17-year-old youth has been arrested and charged for last Saturday night's attempted murder of Joseph DeBride. The minor was charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm and was arraigned in court on Monday. According to police, they […]

Bahamians granted bail
Bahamian nationals Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles, both wanted in the United States on charges of securities fraud, were granted bail Monday in the Supreme Court by Justice Denis Hannomansingh. Attorney for Leach and Knowles, Godfrey Smith, explained that under the terms of the […]

Policeman charged for shooting youth
Police Constable, David Griffith has been arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Rasheed Elijio, 18, who was shot and killed in Punta Gorda Town in May of 2013. Elijio was reportedly taken into custody on a charge of unlawful carnal […]

EDITORIAL
The murder of Special Constable Dannie Conorquie by Guatemalan gunmen at the Caracol archeological site last Thursday has provoked outrage in Belize, sparking demands for the Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow to pursue and bring the killers to justice. Danny Conorquie was working as a tourism police officer at […]

Irony of ironies! Guats to build Belizean military base
Belize will soon have a spanking new military base on Hunting Caye in southern Belize, but what is ironic about the project is that the contractor and masons building it are Guatemalans! On Thursday in the House of Representatives, Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, […]

Three constables 'put in check' – one imprisoned!
Three police constables, who over the past several weeks have come under scrutiny on allegations made by the public, have been disciplined by Professional Standards Bureau, while a fourth has been sentenced to prison by the court system. On Wednesday, the commander of the bureau, […]

GOB promises to beef up security
Belize's national security features at archaeological sites will see a marked improvement, which will include added manpower, mobility and even a helicopter (whether purchased of gifted) to monitor intrusions. The news came out of Thursday's special House sitting which dealt at length with the situation […]

Patrick JonesPJ

PM says Guatemalan "invaders" are "facey"
Prime Minister Dean Barrow today said that any attempt by Guatemalan civilians to make good on a threat to burn down a conservation outpost that is being constructed at Valentin, about 1 kilometer inside Belize's territory near the Belize/Guatemala border "will be met by a response that [�]

Man charged for attempted murder
Ron Myvett, a resident of Central American Boulevard, was charged with attempted murder when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Myvett was also charged with dangerous harm, use of deadly means of harm, discharging a firearm in public and aggravated assault. He was remanded [�]

Policemen charged for attack on citizen
Police Constables Edgar Depaz and Jefferson Dawson face criminal charges of robbery and wounding. Dawson separately faces charges of using threatening words and aggravated assault for their attack on gas pump attendant Tramane Ciego on September 29. They appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith and pleaded not guilty [�]

Armed Guatemalans allegedly accost Belizeans in the Chiquibul
There are reports of an incident involving illegal Guatemalan incursions into Belizean territory this morning. Preliminary indications are that it happened at a Belize Conservation outpost inside the Chiquibul Forest Reserve where construction work is being done, in Belize territory, by Belizeans at the Valentin site. According [�]

Constable charged for theft from searched house
Police Constable #1096 Jamille Scott is the man accused of stealing jewelry from a house on Antelope Street while part of a team of officers on operation conducting a house search. Scott was charged with 2 counts of robbery when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Scott pleaded [�]

Good weather conditions heading into the weekend
Warm conditions are dominating factors in our weather heading into the weekend. The general forecast for Belize and her coastal waters is for mostly sunny skies today. Tonight will be partly cloudy. Showers or thunderstorms will be isolated. Winds over the open sea and along the coast [�]

Fatal shooting incident in Belize City
A Belize City man was murdered last night. The victim has been identified as 27 year old Gerald Palmer. According to police reports, Palmer was accosted by a lone gunman as he walked at the corner of Grants and Cards Alleys around 9:15 pm. Several shots were [�]

SBDC unravels mystery of business loans
For businesses, the most nerve-racking part of getting off the ground is obtaining financing. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), an arm of BELTRAIDE, hopes to take some of that nerve away by reaching out to business owners through regular workshops. Today's was called "How to Obtain a [�]

Blogs

Two Lovely Nights North on Ambergris Caye: Sapphire Beach Resort
Earlier this week I took a 20 minute boat ride to the north part of Ambergris Caye to explore and to check out Sapphire Beach Resort at mile 10. I took a bunch of pictures of the GORGEOUS stretches of comparatively untouched beach at and around Sapphire� I was met at the resort dock with an ice cold watermelon juice and a COLD towel. Love that. went right up to my suite. Two bedrooms, full kitchen�very very comfortable including good sheets and great towels. I was also given a Smart phone and a Smart Mi-Fi so I would have reliable internet both in the room and if I popped it in my pocket, pretty much anywhere. I had a great time. Quiet, gorgeous and the miles north and to the south, are absolutely gorgeous. Some of the best beach walks I've been on here. Beautiful wildlife, plants, the sea is crystal clear�a whole different feel from downtown San Pedro.

AWOL internet in Placencia
Thankfully the connection Barefoot Bar beside the Belize Mixology course at the Tipsy Tuna is is good for us right now. As a result most of the time Fermin and I have tried to connect to the net and do something we get bounced around like ping pong balls. Even though has been frustrating, we both agreed we are glad to be here in spite of tech troubles. Plus I found out we are not alone, I received a text that the internet acting up for some in San Pedro after the countrywide power outage last night. It has been triple shower weather in Placencia since the day we arrived - hot hot hot with a side of sweaty. I am not complaining though, I have following report of hell freezing over from my Montana Weatherman�

"Forever Young (Young Forever)" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
With Ziggy ensconced at the vets Rose and I headed to 'Town to renew her Belize Drivers Licence. It seemed like only yesterday that she got it but that's how quickly the year seems to have passed! The first time you get a licence it's for a year but for renewals you get the option of getting one for three years and that's the option Rose elected to go for. You don't save any money but � Rose was dreading having to have her photo taken (every year that passes and all that) and was as pleased as punch when the lady told her they would use the same one as last year. As she was told this I heard Rose mumbling something about being forever young (or young forever)! If she'd had her way though she would have used this photo! With the licence renewed (BZ$ 180) we headed to Coral Cable to organise an Internet service to start at the end of the month. We've been using Smart's service for the last year and although we know people that it works very well for it just hasn't "done it" for us. The recent decision by BTL means that we will get double the bandwidth for the same price. I'm sure it will still be slow but hopefully not as slow!

UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms
Whereas the work of law enforcement officials 1 is a social service of great importance and there is, therefore, a need to maintain and, whenever necessary, to improve the working conditions and status of these officials, Whereas a threat to the life and safety of law enforcement officials must be seen as a threat to the stability of society as a whole, Whereas law enforcement officials have a vital role in the protection of the right to life, liberty and security of the person, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Whereas the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners provide for the circumstances in which prison officials may use force in the course of their duties,

International Sourcesizz

6 Reasons Visiting Belize Is a Really Good Idea
Going on vacation doesn't mean that your healthy lifestyle goes on hiatus. While exotic beaches may conjure up visions of pi�a coladas and endless napping for some people, it's easy to stay healthy when you choose the right vacation destination - and visiting Belize is a super smart destination for people in search of a healthy living paradise. Imagine traveling to a place that feels very far away - but there's minimal jet lag from the short flights to and fro. It's a foreign country, yet everyone speaks English. The tourist infrastructure is well developed and it's easy to get around, whether you want to explore Mayan ruins in the jungles, experience a cave tubing adventure, or set sail around a postcard-perfect island.

Sugar Land rock climber survives more than 1,000 bee stings
A Sugar Land rock climber who was stung more than 1,000 times in an attack by Africanized bees is telling the remarkable story of how he survived alone in a Belize jungle. Mitch Parker, 29, lives in the central American country working on environmental impact studies ahead of potential oil and gas development. The expert rock climber was exploring new terrain up a 200 foot high cliff when a wrong move with his rope led to an attack so vicious he thought he was going to die. "I was just sort of cutting bushes away and checking the climb was worthwhile ... then I threw my rope somewhat hastily through a hole and as soon as I got down to that ledge I started getting stung," said Parker.

Book Review: 'An Indomitable Beast' by Alan Rabinowitz
Jaguars, the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere, are smaller than lions and tigers but arguably tougher. Solitary and extremely secretive, they can find cover in mere slivers of forest, and the force of their bite, relative to their size, is much greater than that of Old World cats. Jaguars snap right through the skulls of mammals and the shells of nesting sea turtles. Capable of an unusually wide range of motion, they can ambush prey from awkward positions, even while swimming. They are not picky about the animals they eat, making do with whatever is around. Little of this was known in the early 1980s, when Alan Rabinowitz, then a newly minted wildlife biologist, arrived in Belize to study jaguars for the conservation wing of the Bronx Zoo, where he had fallen in love with the cats as a kid. Wild jaguars were in dubious shape then. Jacqueline Kennedy's appearances in a leopard-fur coat in the early 1960s had sparked a fad for spotted cat skins that lasted throughout the decade, when some 18,000 jaguar skins a year were exported from Central and South America. By the time international bans on pelts finally arrived in the 1970s, the jaguar was facing localized extinction or worse.

10 of the best tropical islands for retirees
Does your vision of how you'd like to spend retirement involve sunset walks on a long stretch of deserted beach or exploring nature in an exotic setting far removed from the cares of the world? Or is your view of the perfect tropical retirement destination clouded by perceived hassles of getting settled in a new place, stepping over sunbathing weekend tourists and dealing with rickety roads? Truth is, the authentic tropical island experience is entirely attainable and within your reach. You just have to know where to look. There are affordable, accessible, breathtakingly beautiful, exotic tropical islands with world-class amenities that are suited to American retirees. Here are 10 excellent places to own an island lot or, even better, an entire island. Smaller and less populated than nearby tourist favorite Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker is the perfect place to slow down and live at your own pace. Here, life is lived outdoors, where the chirping of birds and the chattering of neighbors are the only sounds you'll hear, since cars aren't allowed. In fact, there aren't even any paved roads on the 5-mile-long island in the Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Belize. Shorts, sundresses and flip-flops are the recommended dress code for al fresco dining on some of the best seafood in the region.

The Poorest Countries in the World
There are two standard methods of measuring the wealth of countries and how rich or poor its inhabitants are. The measure most often used is Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which represents the size of a country's economy. A refinement of this is per-capita GDP, which is a measure of the average welfare and affluence, or poverty, of residents of a country. However, GDP and per-capita GDP are less useful when comparing economies across national boundaries - which one must do to determine the poorest countries in the world - because GDP is expressed in a country's local currency. The measure that most economists prefer is GDP at purchasing power parity. GDP (PPP) compares generalized differences in living standards on the whole between nations because PPP takes into account the relative cost of living and the inflation rates of countries, rather than using just exchange rates, which may distort the real differences in income.

Videos

Video: Welcome To The Mar, 3min.
The Mesoamerican Reef is a popular tourist destination. Sadly, this precious ecosystem faces many threats. Local communities are doing their part to protect the MAR. Tourists can play a big role in helping to preserve this special place.

Video: Riding in the "Jumping Viper" after Doyle's Delight - Highest Point in Belize, 2min.
The John Deere tractor cuts through the deep jungle mud without a problem.

Video: Riding in the "Jumping Viper" after Doyle's Delight - Highest Point in Belize, 1min.

Video: Loving Belize episode 6 Little Kitchen fishing, Caye Caulker, Belize Music Awards, Belize City, 31min.

Video: TE A Laguna Guesthouse, Belize, Toledo Ecotourism Association Near Punta Gorda, 2.5min.

Video: Whale Shark Belize 2014, 5min.
Diving in Belize with the Whale Shark. Amazing experience with truly wonderful friends and family.

Video: BELIZE ARTHUR GUINNESS DAY AT BTL PARK - COPPERSHOT, 13min.
Bad Arthur Presents Arthur Guinness Day at BTL PARK & PIER 1



Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 276 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5