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

Shooting victim Ivan Aldana remains in a critical condition
A San Pedro Town resident is in critical condition and fighting for his life at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after he was shot over the weekend. 24-year-old Ivan Aldana, a Belizean carpenter, was shot sometime around 10PM on Sunday October 19th in the San Pedrito Area. Police said that they are looking for one man known to them for the attempted murder against Aldana. Station Sergeant at the San Pedro Police Station, Lenansio Bol, said that when they visited the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II, Aldana was found with an apparent gunshot wound. "He was observed with a single gunshot wound to the upper back. Police investigation revealed that Aldana was standing at a bar, in the San Pedrito Area, when a person who he recognized fired about five shots in his direction, one of which caught him and caused the injuries," said Bol during a press conference on Monday, October 20th.

No arrests made in the murder of Samuel Dawson
One man was found stabbed to death inside his apartment in San Pedro Town, and police are trying to find who committed the crime. The victim has been identified as 44-year-old Samuel Dawson, a Belizean truck driver originally of Hattieville Village, but who lived and worked on Ambergris Caye for a number of years. Dawson's body was discovered by a co-worker sometime around 7:40 AM on Saturday October 18th. According to the station Sergeant at the San Pedro Police Station, Lenansio Bol, they visited a two storey wooden building on Manta Ray Street in the San Pedrito Area where they observed Dawson apparently dead. "When we arrived, we saw the lifeless body of Dawson in the living room area inside the top apartment building. He was observed facedown with what appeared to be stab wounds to the neck and a cut to his lip," said Bol. According to Police, Dawson was discovered around 7:30AM by a co-worker who had gone to pick him up to go to work. After shouting for him, the coworker went upstairs where he observed that the door was ajar and decided to open the entrance to the apartment a little more.

Dr. Javier Zuniga leaves SP Polyclinic
Since he was assigned to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II, Doctor Javier Zuniga has become well-known and loved by many in San Pedro Town. But the good doctor has formally left his San Pedro post, and is transitioning into a new position at the Ministry of Health's Central Health Region. "While I will depart from the PolyClinic in San Pedro, I will still be involved in ensuring that the quality of health care remains on par at the polyclinic and with the Ministry of Health. I would like to thank the San Pedro community for working along with me while on the island," said Zuniga. Dr. Zuniga was attached to the San Pedro PolyClinic for eight years. He assumes his new post on Monday, October 20th.

Why should we care if our crocodiles are sick?
According to NOVA The Extraordinary Lives of Crocs, "Crocodiles are the ultimate survivors. Having arisen some 200 million years ago, they have outlived the dinosaurs by some 65 million years." So I have to ask, "How is it that these ultimate survivors are struggling on our island to exist?" As residents on Ambergris Caye we need to consider crocodiles as the thermometers of our environmental health. When a child is not feeling well one of the first things we do is take his temperature. If he is running a fever we know his body is fighting an infection. We wonder, what made him sick? Was it something he ate or drank? These are the same kind of questions we need to be asking when our crocodiles 'run a fever'. If something in our environment is making them sick, these creatures, who are regarded to have one of the most resilient immune systems in the world, we'd best regard this as a wakeup call.

Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic in San Pedro, serving the community for over 25 years
Belize's Ministry of Tourism has reported a constant increase in tourism arrivals to Belize. Many of those tourists that visit the country are engaged in recreational diving and snorkeling activities in Belize's pristine waters. For that reason, having a hyperbaric medical treatment facility is essential to the country's visiting and diving community. This allows for timely and adequate treatment should a diver suffer from decompression sickness. In Belize, the Sub-aquatics of Belize Limited has been offering this service via San Pedro Town's Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic for over 25 years. One of the founding members of the Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic on Ambergris Caye is Mauricio Moreno who officially opened the chamber in 1989. The Chamber is a member of the 12 Sub-Aquatic Safety Service (SSS) Network which has similar facilities in every continent. Some of those places include Mexico, Africa, the Galapagos in Ecuador and even Australia. This attests to the facility's high standards and experience in hyperbaric medicine. One of the founders of the SSS Network, the mother company of the Hyperbaric Chamber Clinic on Ambergris Caye, saw the need for such a facility over 25 years ago after realizing the diving potential in Belize.

Ambergris Today

Free Christian Concert in San Pedro
The Belize Mission Project - Lighthouse Christian Radio Evangelical Allianece of San Pedro Presents: Evidence of Journey. A Free Christian Concert on November 1st at 8pm at the Hon. Louise Sylvestre Sports Complex. Nashville Recording Christian Artist Two Musicians, Two Roads, Join together for ONE purpose! Sharing their music and testimony for the Glory of God. Eddie Kilgallon and Dusty Workman have had their share of radio hits, won awards and have played with Country Music's Best Stars, NOW their purpose is to use that musical experience to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ through their music. Don't miss this FREE EVENT! FREE ADMISSION!

Dianita Cal Celebrates Her Quincea�os
On Saturday, October 11, 2014, Dianita Cal celebrated her Quincea�os (15th Birthday) along with her friends and family in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She received her blessing at the Roman Catholic Church and a reception followed. Dianita Cal, daughter of Ana and Marc Cal, was officially presented to society by her Godparents Maria and Ismael Uma�a. Other Godparents were: Giorgy Castillo, Dihno Norales, Edgar Najarro, Evelia Flores, Wendy Alvarenga, Letty Castro, Alba Najarro, Rebeca Cucul, Mauricio & Oneida Lara, Adan Najarro, Emily Cerpa, Maria Herrera, Amalia Cal and Calma Coc.

Ramon's Village Donates Speed Bumps to San Pedro Town
This afternoon, Monday, October 20, 2014, Ramon's Village presented the San Pedro Town Council with a gift for the town of 24 speed bumps. On hand to accept the generous donation was Mayor Daniel Graniel and Councilor Kenrick Brackett who said that these types of donates are very much appreciated by the San Pedro Town Council. "We cannot do this alone," commented Councilor Brackett. "The support of the business community is very much appreciated and we thank Ramon's Village for setting an initiative to assist the island in addressing traffic issues of the town." Kenrick commented that the new speed bumps will be primarily placed in school zones and any ones left over will be installed in areas identified with high priority to traffic alleviation. He indicated that there is the need for 17 more of these speed bumps that the Town Council wants to install in the newly paved road in North Ambergris Caye.

San Pedro Hellfighters Donate to Red Cross Chapter
"The San Pedro Branch of the Belize Red Cross is very appreciative of this generous donation and the thought behind it," commented Laurie Norton, member of the Red Cross. "They believe it is important to build Ambergris Caye capacity by being prepared for emergencies in advance and this donation of $1,500 will help do just that. We would like to thank the Mayor for his recommendation and the Hellfighters for their time and hard work to raise funds."

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Stakeholders Meeting in Improving Airlift Development
(4 photos)

Corozal Bay Sailing Club
Getting ready for Oktoberfest. Cakes, and salads will be made by members and friends of CBSC, Bratwurst being mixed and stuffed, ready for the grill. Beer ordered, beach being raked and the sun will be out! Bring your appetite, sunscreen, coins for chicken drop and camera.

Justice Christopher Blackman Sworn in as New Justice of Appeal
Government of Belize Press Office

Belize refuses entry to Ebola-exposed worker on cruise ship
On Thursday, the prime minister of Belize, Dean Barrow, rejected a request from the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to use Belizean territory to transport a self-quarantined Ebola-exposed lab worker on a cruise ship off the shore of Belize City. Barrow had already been in negotiations all day with US officials who wanted to remove the passenger and transport her via Medevac from Belize back to Texas. The passenger was still within the incubation period for exposure to Ebola after she reportedly handled a sealed vial of blood from the only patient from the US who had died from the Ebola virus.

Puppies
Please contact Linda Searle if you are interested in any of these pups...BHSAS will help vaccinate and sterilize them.

Boo at the Zoo is Belize's Newest Halloween Event
Mummies and Daddies are encouraged to bring their little critters out to The Belize Zoo on Saturday November 1, 2014 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to have a Howlin' good time. Come have your little rascals wag their wild tails, gaze with their glowing eyes and perk up their listening ears as they hear captivating animal stories. Hooo's asleep when the sun goes down? Come meet the real rulers of the night including some of the real sleepy and not-so-sleepy residents of the Belize Zoo, and learn not-so-spooky facts about them. Our not-so-scary and fun-filled event will have something for the entire family to enjoy; Halloween treat stations, Zookeeper chats, and decorated trails will definitely make this event frightfully fun for the whole family. It'll be all treats and no tricks as each child receives a complimentary zoo bag. Kids and adults are encouraged to wear fun (not scary) costumes as we have a spooktacular evening. Jack-o'-lantern styled pizza, spooky cookies and creepy drinks will be available. Call the Belize Zoo at 822 8000 for more information.

Ramon's donates 12 speed bumps
On Monday, October 20, Ramon's Village Resort made a donation of 12 pairs of Speed bumps (24 total) to the San Pedro Town Council. These bumps will be placed around town to help manage the traffic flow in San Pedro and for the safety of all. Mr. Einer Gomez, Manager of Ramon's Village Resort, was present to hand over the donation to Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Council Kenrick Brackett. The San Pedro Town Council is very thankful for this donation as it is much needed. We also applaud Ramon's Village Resort for their initiative in keeping San Pedro safe and we would like to invite the other resorts, especially in North, Ambergris Caye to follow in their footsteps as the new road will be in need of these bumps as it comes to its completion.

Bridge traffic limited for a few day
Due to the paving on North Ambergris Caye, the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge is open ONLY to Pedestrians, Bicycles, Motorcycles and Golf Carts for a few days. The section right off the north-end of the bridge is being paved and requires the necessary measures to be taken. We apologize for any inconveniences caused and appreciate your cooperation and understanding. The San Pedro Town Council always working for YOU!

Baby Armadillo is doing great
This baby armadillo was transported from Corozal to the Caves Branch Botanical Garden in September. Baby armadillo, orphaned, from Corozal district was successfully delivered to us with the help of numerous people in the Wildlife Conservation Network. Due to its' very small size, we settled it in the "nursery" enclosure. That allows us better access to the observation of the animal. Thank you, everybody!

Ongoing meetings conducted by the Ministry of Health
This morning with relevant stakeholders to discuss a coordinated plan on Ebola.

Dutch Navy Ship visits Belize
The HNLMS Pelikaan is a logistics support vessel of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Information on its website states the ship was built and designed especially for the Caribbean Sea, and is permanently based at Cura�ao. She entered service on June 12th, 2006. The vessel has the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Classification 1A1 E0 NAUT-OC ICS CRANE. The ship's primary purpose is to provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters. It can also serve as a command centre for amphibious operations, and transport amphibious troops. For these tasks it is equipped with two deck cranes, one 25t/11m and one 7t/14m, two cargo spaces with hatch covers suitable for dangerous goods, a 6m fast RHIB with outboard engine, an ammunition store, a small arms store, a deck store and a boatswain store, as well as an engine room workshop and an electronics workshop.

JOB VACANCY!!!!!!!!! NOTE!!!!!! Office Administrator Post
Must be familiar with Quick Books, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. Fluent in typing, Filing and Familiar with Accounting Procedures. Must have some previous experience in this area or really willing and quick to learn. LOCATION: CONSEJO, COROZAL DISTRICT PLEASE CONTACT NEIDI L. ROSADO at 402-0440 or visit our Department of Youth Services Office in Corozal Town.

Parrots returned to the wild
We have finally transferred our hand-raised yellow head babies back to the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)-managed Payne's Creek National Park. Sad and happy and nervous and excited... We hope you enjoy this picture diary!

Belizean women motivating other women to join their team in domino tournament
Normally when most people hear about a domino tournament they mostly think of teams of men competing against each other. The launching of a new female domino team -- the "Iron Ladies" -- within the Belizean/Brooklyn community came about when Claudette Ramos-McKoy suggested to her younger sister, Jarreen Ramos-Arzu, that there should be a female team. At the time the sisters were current members of their late sponsor Wallace "Wally Dee" Mitchell's team named "Wally Dee Domino Superstars." The women were active members of the team and wanted to carry on his legacy after his passing in August of this year. Collaborating with ideas from Mitchell and Michael Pandy, who held a domino tournament in 2013, the women decided that a tournament should be held for five consecutive weekends consisting of four teams, with the winning team earning trophies and cash prizes.

Channel 7

Hattieville Man Who Went To Work In San Pedro Was Killed There
Tonight, San Pedro Police continue to investigate the murder of a hardworking father of 5 who was on the island to do construction work. 44 year-old Hattieville resident Samuel Dawson travelled to the island 2 weeks ago to work with other construction labourers on the North Ambergris Road. Viewers may remember that very much like the works in Belize City, this road in San Pedro is being cemented. Dawson was in the company of his supervisor on Friday night after work, where they went to a restaurant in the San Pedrito area. The supervisor left him at the restaurant, and when he went back to check on Dawson at his island apartment, he found his body on the ground. The front door was ajar, and when the supervisor went into the house, he saw that Dawson had been stabbed twice in the neck.

Drunken Bus Driver Busted
A drunken bus driver is an experience too many commuters are sadly familiar with. But on Friday afternoon police caught one on the western highway. At about 3:15 pm, police went into a Guerra's bus that the traffic police had already stopped. They found driver William Ayala with a strong smell of alcohol. He was taken to the police station where a sample was collected. They took him to Belize City court today where he was charged for driving Motor Vehicle with Alcohol concentration Above the prescribed limit. Ayala was unrepresented when he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano in Court #4 where he pleaded not guilty. Since there was no objection to bail, he was offered bail of $1,000 plus one surety. His next court date is set for November 24.

Carnival Magic Passenger Negative For Ebola
On Sunday morning before dawn, the Carnival Magic cruise ship arrived back in port at Galveston, Texas. The good news is that the 59 year old lab supervisor has tested negative for Ebola - 21 days after she handled a specimen from a Liberian man who died from Ebola at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. So, her negative test then should conclusively put everyone in the clear: all those four thousand plus passengers who were on the ship - and the handful of Belizeans who also went on the ship as the boarding party. But, the scare was legitimate and yesterday Channel 2 in Houston captured the unusual homecoming for the cruise -we rebroadcast that story:� And while all's well that ends well - some choice remarks by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer raised eyebrows in Belize. On Saturday Blitzer featured Marie Harf, the Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department - who underscored their disappointment with the Government of Belize for refusing to allow the disembarkation of the 59 year old Lab Supervisor unto Belizean soil. Here's that exchange:

Mayor Bradley Says He'll Pay Waste Control
On Friday, we told you about the default judgment from the Supreme Court that was handed down committing the Belize City Council to pay 525 thousand dollars to Belize Waste Control. It's a quite well-known dispute between the sanitation company and Mayor Darrell Bradley's council. City Hall has historically accumulated arrears for garbage collection, which they claim to catch up when trade license fees start to come in late in the year. But after years of slippage - and an inability to dialogue earnestly with the mayor, Waste Control decided that they could no longer wait for the council to pay on its own schedule, and the company filed a claim before the Supreme Court. Because City Hall offered no defence, they were awarded a default judgment of over half a million dollars.

PUC Gets Through First Phase of Evaluating Power Bids
In October of last year, the Public Utilities Commission put out what's called a request for power for 60 megawatts of firm energy, and 15 megawatts of intermittent energy. Today 54 weeks later, they released the findings of the first phase of evaluation of 22 bids for 37 projects - including solar, wind and hydro power. Today at a press conference, PUC Chairman John Avery explained that the process to arrive at a power purchase agreement still has a ways to go:... John Avery, Chairman - PUC "One of the reasons for this RFP, this process is to have an open transparent and fair process and so releasing this report today its one; to assure people that the RFP is still ongoing and particularly the bidders because since we are a few weeks late with the expected final report. We are looking not only to have enough capacity in country, but we are also looking to minimize our costs to consumers. So there are no guarantees coming out of this thing. This is a request for proposals, we've received proposals. In our estimation it has been a successful RFP. We received enough bids to satisfy what we are looking for. A lot of the bids are credible bids from credible people and the others that weren't we've disqualified. So now basically the rest will rely on our long term strategy in satisfying our needs. Basically after we've done with this BEL will then initiate the negotiation phase with each one of them, to start negotiations with them. We are looking for the projects that best fit our system and that overall will result in the lowest cost to consumers."

Mother of Six Missing For Two Weeks; Family's Worries Mount
39 year old Emma Gillett, a mother of 6 children, a guardian to two others, and a school warden from Maud Williams High School, has been missing for 12 days now and her family is very worried. She has gone missing before but never for this long, and now, her family has no idea where she might be. Her cousin came to our studios to ask for the public's help in locating her. Kendra Henkis, cousin "The only thing we heard is that she was in PG. We made efforts in PG to locate her and we didn't find her, everyone said that they didn't see her. She call us on a phone number last week. We tried calling back the number, but it just rang or it goes to voicemail. From then to now we don't have any idea where she is or if she is dead or alive. Recently she began to go, like she would leave one day and go and come back like in 2-3 days, so when she left we never really took it as a red flag and say well that it was something major. But now the time is too long and she have her kids, so we need to know where she is. If anyone out there know or see Emma, the location where she is, they can contact the nearest police station or they can call the family at 661-5312 or 626-6981."

Double Amputee Gets Mercy From Court
28 year-old Stephan Domingo was spared jail time today after being caught with weed, accepting guilt, but being unable to pay the fine. Police say that at around 2:30 on last week Friday evening, they went to his house in Hattieville to search for drugs. At the time, he was in the company of 2 other men, when they found a bag beside him which contained 3 grams - or 0.1 ounces - of cannabis. All 3 men were charged with drug possession. They were all arraigned before Magistrate Herbert Panton today, and Domingo accepted guilt for the drugs. The problem is that he is a double amputee, and his only source of income is a monthly stipend of $40. This meant that he would have a very difficult time to pay the $200 fine. Also, he had a fine from 2006 when he was convicted of harm. He was supposed to pay $200 for that case also, but to date, he hasn't paid any money toward it. This meant that he would have to serve several months in jail because he defaulted on payment.

Man Robbed Bus Driver For Child Support
27 year-old Candelario Lemus also got spared a custodial sentence after Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, found him guilty robbing a bus driver. Eldon Chiac told police that in April, Lemus entered his bus, robbed him of $275 dollars, and also stabbed 2 of the tires for the bus, puncturing them. Lemus was convicted in a trial, and after consideration of the circumstances, Chief Magistrate Smith sentenced him to pay a fine of $500 forthwith. He must also pay $700 in compensation for the damage to property. Lemus explained to the court that the incident happened when he went to collect child support from Chiac, who shares a child with his girlfriend.

Justice Blackman is Back
The newest Justice of the Court of Appeal is a familiar face in Belize. Justice Christopher Blackman - who served as a Supreme Court Judge in Belize from 2001 to 2003 - was today sworn in as an Appeals Court Judge by Governor General Sir Colville Young in Belmopan. 69 year old Justice Blackman most recently served as a Justice of appeal in the Bahamas, and prior to that had his second stint as a judge of the High Court of Barbados from 2003 to 2008.

NICH and USA Talk Culture
Today, a follow up workshop was held in Belize with cultural experts from both countries. The US facilitators want to share lessons with their Belizean counterparts on the very shady world of trafficking in antiquities. We found out more:.. Greg Borgstede, Cultural Analyst - US Department of State "Belize has a very rich cultural heritage which includes obviously the archaeological heritage, the colonial heritage and we are talking particularly about the tangible or the objects. Those objects are being stolen from Belize, looted out of archeological sites, stolen from under water cultural sites and then trafficked, sent across international borders to markets in other countries. The United States recognizes that we have a market. There is demand in the United States for these kinds of objects and we recognize that this is a problem in that it's robbing Belize of its cultural patrimony and cultural heritage. UNESCO (United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organization) has estimated that for Maya objects in particular throughout obviously Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala - there is about a thousand illicit objects a week are entering the market."

Making Sense of Mad Money For High Schoolers
Two weeks ago we told you about the local Credit Unions plan to redefine their services to cater to the saving and spending patterns of youths. Today St. John's Credit Union engaged the students at Maud Williams High School in this process by teaching them all about saving through the Union's "Mad City Money" interactive game. Lucien Dawson, Marketing Officer - St. John's Credit Union "We came here today to teach the students about financial literacy, but putting a twist on it call "mad city money" and the way how it is, is that we give them an about me page which tells them their position, so either they are a carpenter or an analysis, a forensic pathologist, whatever and it gives them a salary as well as their spouse's salary and then what they are supposed to do is go around to the vendors and actually purchase goods and services. What it does is that it teaches them about budgeting, about planning for long term as well it teaches them the importance about being responsible with money and that is the main thing - is that we want to change the culture of how we deal with money here."

Chiquibul Telethon Scores Major Success
The Chiquibul Protection Telethon was held on Saturday at the Memorial Park in Belize City. It was aired live on all radio and tv stations from 10: am to 5:00 pm - and it featured more than a few memorable moments. Here's just a small sample:.. Pledges kept coming in after the Telethon finished and when we checked with the organizers today, it stood at 327 thousand, 870 dollars. As we've reported, this will go to fund Chiquibul Forest rangers for the Friends for Conservation and Development. The rangers cost 24 thousand dollars annually, so those funds should sponsor about 13 rangers. This is in addition to the 7 they presently have.

Rigo's Reign Still Supreme
Rigo Vellos is probably one of Belize's well-known bodybuilders, and on Friday, for the 3rd time in a row he was chosen as Mr. Belize in the 2014 Bodybuilding and Body Building Fitness Championships. The Mr. Belize category is where the elite bodybuilder is chosen, who is in the best shape of all the competitors, across all weight classes. Vellos, who also won the Light Heavyweight category, edged out Clayton Greenidge who won his category as a Master Bodybuilder. Notable mention in the Mr. Belize Category is Oyinkro Okpobodor, who competed on Friday night as a novice, but managed to place amongst experienced bodybuilders. In the miss Fitness competition, Gina Lovell won first place, while Ann Lyn Apolonio (who was chosen as Miss Bikini Fitness) came in second in the body fitness category. Rounding out the top 3 was Josephine Gault.

Channel 5

Guatemalan Minors Shot in Belize
Benque Police are investigating a very curious shooting which has left one Guatemalan minor injured and another likely dead. It happened at around four Sunday afternoon, when three minors from [...]

Truck Driver Murdered in San Pedro
While police continue to search for the Guatemalan minor, who is presumed dead, the body of forty-four-year-old Samuel Dawson, a truck driver of Hattieville, was found in his San Pedro [...]

Another Man Shot in San Pedro Clings To Life at the K.H.M.H.
Twenty-four-year-old Ivan Aldana is hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. after being shot in San Pedro on Sunday during an incident in which someone he is familiar with attacked him and fired [...]

Belize Prepares for Ebola
It has now been confirmed that a lab technician who was a passenger on the Carnival Magic cruise ship, has been cleared of the Ebola virus. Tests were done on [...]

MoH Prepares Infection Control Training Schedule
Important training sessions will continue throughout the week to further sensitize frontline workers on the dangers of Ebola.   Via Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Interim Head, Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of [...]

G.O.B. Mum on U.S. State Department Diss
As we reported on Friday, the U.S. State Department dissed Belize for not allowing the lab technician and her partner to be transported from the Carnival Magic to the P.G.I.A.� [...]

Minister Hulse Confirms that Guatemalan Workers Illegal
The construction of a forward operating base on Hunting Caye has been halted on the strength of a stop order from U.S. Southcom. The workers left the island on October [...]

8 Energy Provision Proposals Shortlisted by PUC
The Public Utilities Commission has selected eight project proposals for phase one of the Request for Proposals for Energy Generation.� This comes after the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities [...]

P.U.C. wants to complement Mexican power supply
According to P.U.C. Chairman John Avery, the objective is to secure additional energy to the national grid in times of power shortage.   John Avery, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission "The [...]

B.D.F. Speaks on Border Incident at Camp Valentin
On October third, the nation was shocked and outraged by news that Guatemalan villagers had confronted B.D.F. soldiers at Camp Valentin, a newly constructed conservation post. Those villagers had threatened [...]

G.O.B. Approves New Subdivision in San Pedro
In September, News Five brought you the story of a proposed subdivision on Ambergris Caye, about four miles north of San Pedro Town. More than three hundred lots had been [...]

New Appeals Justice Sworn In
The court of appeal opened this morning in Belize City; fourteen cases will be disposed of: six are criminal and the remaining eight are civil. The president of the court [...]

Charge Against Belize City Man Upgraded to Murder
A man who was badly beaten back in April succumbed to his injuries in early July. Today, charges have been upgraded to murder on the suspect believed to be twenty-two [...]

Bus Driver Charged for Drunk Driving
Forty-four year old William Ayala was pulled over Friday evening by Traffic Personnel after he was suspected of drunken driving. Today, he was before the court to answer to a [...]

CitCo Ordered to Pay BWC $500,000
A Supreme Court ruling against the Belize City Council flew under the radar last Friday amid extended coverage of the Ebola scare.� Belize Waste Control Limited which has remained in [...]

25 persons Arrested in GSU Weekend Crackdown
On Friday, the Gang Suppression Unit conducted a series of searches on San Pedro. The all-day anti-drug operation led to the arrest of as many as twenty-five persons who have [...]

U.S. Embassy Sponsors Human Trafficking Workshop
We're not sure exactly when it started locally, but prostitution has become a booming industry in Belize. So-called 'happy bars' are popping up all over the place in every district, [...]

F.C.D. Telethon Raises More than $300,000
A telethon was held by Friends of Conservation and Development on Saturday at the Memorial Park. The target was to raise half a million dollars to expand its Park Ranger [...]

Premier League of Belize kick-off on Sports Monday
Good evening I'm James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   The 2014 PLB Belikin Cup kicked off over the weekend, but was only able to stage 3 of the [...]


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

More News: Scroll up from here

LOVE FM

Samuel Dawson murdered on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
A man was murdered on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye this weekend. San Pedro Police, visited a wooden building on Mantarey Street on the island where they saw the body of 44-year-old Samuel Dawson with two stab wounds. According to the reports Dawson, who is a truck driver of Hattieville Village, had been working in San Pedro for the past two weeks. On Friday night, Dawson asked his supervisor to take him to get something to eat which he did. The supervisor left him at a restaurant at the entrance of San Pedrito. The following morning when the supervisor went to pick up Dawson he found the door to the building he was staying ajar. When he opened the door, he saw Dawson's body with two apparent stab wounds to the neck and a cut wound to his lower lip. Dawson's wife, whom he has separated from, Stephanie is asking the public's assistance in finding out who killed Samuel Dawson. "Voice 1″ "All I know is, I got the news on Saturday morning that he was murdered in San Pedro. Me and the children took it hard because right now life is real and it is really rough and it is on his work side. I am just asking if someone saw or knows about the murder to please come out and also the boss I need him by my side because since it has happened I have not seen anybody, I've heard no one. I have to get down myself and get into things and know what the next procedure will be. "

FCD telethon for its Park Ranger's Program
Friends for Conservation and Development held a telethon on Saturday with the aim to raise monies for its Park Ranger's Program. Currently FCD has employed seven rangers who are working inside the Chiquibul protecting Belize's Natural resources from Guatemalans Invaders. The task has proven difficult for the FCD especially since its man power is stretched thin. With that in mind, the FCD set to raise monies to increase the amount of Park Rangers. The telethon which was held at Memorial Park raised three hundred and twenty thousand eight hundred and seventy dollars in pledges and cash. Executive Director for the FCD, Raphael Manzanero expressed his gratitude. "Voice 1″ "Certainly at the end of the day in terms of this telethon, we are extremely excited and grateful and we have welcomed all the donations from the child who came to give their $2 or $5 to the cooperation's we are extremely thankful for that. As how many have noted the idea of the park ranger in the Chiquibull is an arduous task, and is a big responsibility for us. We understand that under our co-management agreement in the park in the Chiquibull national park, it is not really a simple task to undertake.

Unions Applaud PM for Decision on Possible Ebola Threat And Urge for Tighter Policies
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize sent out a release this weekend lauding the actions of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Last week the Prime Minister refused a request from the US Government to have one of its nationals who reportedly had come in contact with fluids belonging to Thomas Duncan, the first person to die from Ebola in the US, be transported via the PGIA. The woman was a passenger on a cruise ship. The NTUCB says while the Prime Minister's decision is laudable, the scenario that precipitated it has exposed our nation's vulnerability when it comes to preparedness to deal with a health crisis of this magnitude.

SIF Goes Deep South With A New High School and Improved Primary School
Earlier we told you of the Dangriga Market that is near completion; other works under the SIF portfolio includes the Buttonwood Bay drainage project, the expansion of All Saints School in Belize, a Development Centre for Women in Guinea Grass, a distilled-water system in the village of Sarteneja, Corozal as well as rudimentary water systems in other rural areas�..but these are works that are yet to be inaugurated; as for works that have been completed under SIF, we can tell you of two educational facilities in the deep south that were recently installed. Minister Castillo gave us the run-down. MINISTER SANTINO CASTILLO "Under SIF, we just did, with the CDB, we opened up two schools this past week, last Thursday in southern Toledo. We opened a primary school in Aguacate and we opened up a high school that has 242 registered students in Corazon Technical High. Aguacate cost $555,000 and Corazon was $ 595,000 just $5,000 short of $600,000.

Still No Justice for Joshua Abraham; Parents Find Peace from The Tragedy
Three years and twenty nine days ago, the life of a nine-year-old boy was cut short when bullets that were not intended for him, caught him in the left rib on Victoria Street in Belize City. It was a day of celebration that turned tragic as the Independence Day parade 2011 had only just concluded when Joshua Abraham was killed. It is a loss that has left a mark on many as Joshua was a gentle and loving child and fondly remembered by those in the neighbourhood. In a mother's effort to keep his memory alive, Joshua's mom, Marcia Argalles coordinated what was dubbed, A Day of Healing on Victoria Street this past Saturday. She spoke to Love News and explained.

Magistrate Goes Lenient with Disabled Man
28-year-old, Stephan Domingo, a man without legs who is in a wheel chair, was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton and pled guilty to possession of three grams of cannabis. Domingo owed the court two hundred dollars for a conviction of harm which he got in 2006 and Magistrate Panton was of the view to send him to prison because he said he cannot work and he only gets a stipend of forty dollars every month. But because of the fact that he pled guilty and did not waste the court's time and due to his condition, Magistrate Panton elected to give him an extension for the outstanding fine.

Patrick JonesPJ

OpEd: Gossiping on Facebook Can Be Costly
Real Talk [The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Patrick E. Jones or the Belize Media Group] "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." MLK We have all been witnesses to, or have even been subject to slanderous [�]

Alleged child molestation reported in the south
Reports of sexual deviance and sex crimes committed on children are often featured on the daily news. And each incident seems to bring with it a new level of depravity. Tonight there is another disturbing case emerging from the southern part of the country. It involves a [�]

Ex-athlete charged with burglary
A former basketball player has been charged with burglary and handling stolen goods. 58 year old Daniel Meighan of Cemetery Road pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Herbert Panton and was offered bail of $300. Meighan is accused of breaking into the home of Shapara Myles between October 16 [�]

Disabled man fined for marijuana possession
Hattieville resident Stephan Domingo will not have to go to jail over separate offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of 3 grams of cannabis and was fined $200 which he must pay by August of 2015. But he was also facing jail time for an unpaid fine on a [�]

Magistrate fines Belize City man over domestic incident
Security guard 27 year old Candelario Lemus of Buttonwood Bay in Belize City was spared serious penalty over a domestic incident in April of this year. Lemus appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith today and was found guilty of the robbery of $275 from bus driver Eldon Chiac, as [�]

New judge appointed to the Belize Court of Appeals
The government of Belize today announced the appointment of Justice Christopher Blackman to the Belize Court of Appeal. A government statement said that Justice Blackman was sworn in today at Belize House in Belmopan by Governor General Sir Colville Young. The swearing in of the new Court [�]

Unstable weather conditions expected most of this week
Relatively moist and unstable conditions are currently dominating factors in our weather at this time. The general forecast is for cloudy skies at times with a few showers and thunderstorms mainly inland and in northern parts of the country this afternoon but spreading to most areas tonight [�]

New bathroom facility for primary school in Benque Viejo del Carmen
A new bathroom facility was inaugurated on Friday of last week at the Hills of Promise Seventh Day Adventist primary school in Benque Viejo del Carmen town. The project was facilitated by the San Ignacio Rotary Club with funding provided through the Rotary Club of Reno, Nevada, USA. The new bathroom facility replaced an old outdoor latrine that was in use for a number of years. It includes urinals for boys and bathrooms for girls as well as the male and female staff.

PG primary schools get tablets for use in the classroom
Four primary schools in Punta Gorda town were today issued with tablets to be used as a classroom tool for students. The tablets were handed out to the St. Benedict R.C., St. Peter Claver, Punta Gorda Methodist and Punta Gorda Seventh Day Adventist Schools by Mayor Anthony Fuentes. According to Mayor Fuentes, the tablets, donated by Data Wind Company of the United States, are intended to give access to cutting edge educational technology to middle school students in Punta Gorda town. Each of the four primary schools received 9 tablets as part of the initial roll out of the new education initiative by the Punta Gorda town council.

Blogs

Brunch Is For Jerks? Pffft. Sunday Morning At Estel's Dine By The Sea
The New York Times recently published an infuriating though I think tongue-in-cheek opinion piece titled "Brunch is For Jerks." An article arguing that this favorite weekend meal is for those who are looking to avoid adulthood and responsibility - for those that want to fritter away their entire Sunday with boozy "breakfast cocktails" and fancy food. HOW DARE THEY! There is absolutely nothing wrong with squandering most of your Sunday at Estels' with your feet in the sand, great food, beautiful scenery, comforting food favorites (like the best fry jacks in Belize) and Charles on the BBQ, super friendly folks, maybe some town gossip and some perfectly cooked sunny-side up eggs. About three hours squandered. Happily. So what I have to say is�this jerk loves her brunch. Especially at Estels.

Jokers, Calm Caribbean Seas and Thanks
Sometimes the simplest jokes are the funniest as was the case yesterday at Christian's Birthday party. While he and Barb were enjoying King Edwards by the pool, Joe and Arne decided to fake him out and blow out the candles on his cake first. This ended up happening three times and each one was funnier than the last. It was a very fun day celebrated with great friends and plenty of yummy food! This next set of pictures show our weather over the weekend. It has been beautiful and slightly wet weather, calm Caribbean Seas, cool breezes and occasional short heavy rainstorms. For those of you who might not have caught my tacogirl.com facebook page sunrise picture it was a great one this morning. I was really glad I decided to reboot the webcam hosted by Grand Caribe (2014 Travelers Choice Winner at TripAdvisor) and caught it on our live streaming Belize Cam.

Exploring the Blue Hole in Ambergris Caye Belize
The Blue Hole, located about 40 miles off Ambergris Caye Belize, is a welcome addition to the greatest dive sites in the world. Jacques Cousteau explored the area during the late 1960s, and pioneered a diving route in 1972 still in use by divers today. It has since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and attracts up to 20,000 divers every year. Belize Blue Hole The Blue Hole was once a big limestone cave among several underwater tunnels; an earthquake caused the ceiling to relax, creating one of the biggest and most impressive sinkholes in the world. The earthquake also tilted the whole Lighthouse Reef to a 12-degree Ambergris caye Belizeangle, making it responsible for the stalagmites and stalactites protruding from its shelves. Marine life is abundant outside it - nurse sharks, sea fans, shellfish, gorgonians, moray eels, tunicates, hard corals and giant green anemones are just a few of the many fish species around Ambergris Caye.

Salty Pretzels
Pretzels are a soft yet crunchy bread that is a wonderful treat usually when on an outing at an amusement park or fair. This recipe is so easy to make and the pretzels are absolutely delicious. You can stuff with cheese or leave them plain like I've done.

Cahal Pech Village Resort is Now Offering the Pontoon Nature Tour
Cahal Pech Village Resort, one of the largest resorts in western Belize has just launched a spectacular adventure tour called "The Pontoon Nature Tour". According to CEO Peter Tonti, the new tour is an addition to the list of tours and activities that the resort offers and is for guests who want to enjoy the undiscovered side of the Belizean jungle. The Pontoon Tour will take guests to the unspoiled Vaca Lake in the upper Macal River Valley in the Cayo District and is an hour drive from Cahal Pech Village Resort. The tour will be run by Lazaro Martinez, a native Belizean who grew up in the area all his life. "Howler Monkeys, toucans, white hawks, crocodiles, turtles, and an abundant of medicinal plants are only a few things that make this nature tour spectacular," says Tonti who took his entire team including the general manager, concierge, and front desk staff on the tour early this week.

Best souvenirs to bring home from Placencia, Belize, for yourself or others :)
Best souvenirs...meaning they they are the most economical/portable/most Belizean character/looks like you were really thoughtful....in no particular order..... 1.) Tiny bottles of Marie Sharps....less than $1us! Portable, fun, authentic! Probably an overall winner in all categories :) 2.) Bottles of jam-I wondered what to do with these...still not sure I did it right....but I sauteed chicken in the jalapeno jam and it was AWESOME. You can use the banana and other fruit jams like regular jams...but a very unique gift. Or, don't try to be creative, just eat it with a spoon, out of the jar. Only a couple bucks at the grocery stores. 3.) Lion fish earrings from Treasure Box-Khadija is the owner of the shop (she is the daughter of Saeed, the awesome Bamboo guy!) She has a lovely shop where they sell very sweet lionfish earrings...lionfish are invasive species on the reef and she makes use of the lionfish in a useful and truly unique way...visit her store off the main street! Lionfish are reportedly evil....imagine wearing dangerous fish spikes dangling from your ears! What a story. 4.) Adorable silver jewelry from Denyse's....her shop in on the sidewalk. Very affordable and unique sterling silver. My friend Shannon cleaned the place out on her trip.

The October 19, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Seeing Prison Walls This Christmas:
    Two men, remanded to prison on a joint murder charge, will be returning to court on Tuesday, December 30. Charged with the murder of Kevin Andrew Taylor, two Belizean laborers, Tyron Rushford (also known as Tyron Gongora) 32, from Blackman Eddy Village and Brian Bell, 25, from Unitedville Village, appeared in the San Ignacio courtroom of magistrate Narda Morgan on Tuesday, October 14. The charge against Rushford and Bell stems from an incident which occurred at around 10:30 on the night of Friday, October 10, in a vacant lot near a shop in the village of Unitedville. The injured victim was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan by a female villager who lives near the crime scene.
  • Gone To Jail On A Sex Charge:
    A 19 year old man from Santa Familia village was sent to jail on an unlawful carnal knowledge charge. Accompanied by her mother, a 12 year old girl reported to police that on September 29, the accused Adrian Tun, 19, a Belizean laborer from Santa Familia Village had sexual intercourse with her. The legally required medical examination confirmed that the child had been carnally known. The investigation revealed that on September 28, the child was left in the care of a neighbor as the mother departed on a five day emergency trip to El Salvador. The mother had only gone for a day when it is alleged that the neighbors' 19 year old son had sexual relations with the girl.
  • Editorial: Allowing The Minority To Have Its Way:
    Success in politics is all about the mass participation of voters in the electoral process. Conventions are conducted to allow as many supporters as possible a first opportunity to elect the candidates they want to represent them in the ensuing round of elections. Restricting the number of persons voting in a convention to a select very few is grossly unfair and disrespectful to voters and candidates alike as it presents obvious questions such as: Who selects the few voters that will make the decision for the masses? Are these special voters selected to favor one candidate over another? Were all candidates, or just the chosen ones, made aware of these special voters so as to afford them the opportunity to seek their support weeks before the convention?
  • Five Belizeans Honoured:
    Five distinguished Belizeans were honoured for their dedicated and outstanding services to their community. The presentations took place today at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. The insignias were presented by the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.
  • Mennonite Family Morns Loss Of Child:
    A freak accident in the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout resulted in the death of a six year old boy. In a statement to the police, the child's father, Walter Penner, 35, naturalized Belizean laborer from Spanish Lookout, informed that at around 4:00 pm on Monday, October 13, accompanied by his four sons, ages 10, 9, 7 and 6, he was delivering a load of corn to Central Grain Dryers in Spanish Lookout. Penner told the police that he parked the tow head truck and trailer, as instructed, over the storage pit. Leaving his four sons inside the truck, Penner exited the truck was in the process of opening the discharge outlets located under the trailer. He said that just as he was about to open the eighth outlet, he heard his son's cry and saw, among the corn, the exposed leg of a child.
  • CSKC Invitational Anniversary Karate Championships:
    The Cayo Shotokan Karate Club (CSKC) celebrated its 24th Anniversary in a grand fashion on Saturday, 27th September, by hosting an International karate championship, where 60 athletes competed to represent their clubs and countries. For the entire event the auditorium at Sacred Heart College was filled with constant roars from karate enthusiast and spectators. Still in the September patriotic mode our young athletes fought their hearts out to protect their home turf Belize, literally with blood, sweat and tears. The clubs who participated were Kazoku Shotokan Karate Dojo of San Ignacio, Cayo Shotokan Karate Club-Belmopan, Poptun Shotokan Karate Club-Guatemala, El Salvador, and host, Cayo Shotokan Karate Club-San Ignacio. At the end CSKCBelmopan overwhelmingly won the championship by winning 11 golds, 12 silver and 16 bronze medals. Second Place was CSKC-San Ignacio with 6 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze medals. Third place was Guatemala with 3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal.
  • People's Coalition Of Cayo:
    On 8th October, 2014, the Peoples' Coalition of Cayo (PCC) held its Annual General Meeting at the San Ignacio police station. The out-going president, Julian Sherrard thanked the members for all of their work and he reminded them of some of their accomplishments of the past 12 months - POLICE STATION IMPROVEMENTS -Upgraded the video/audio camera (Advanced Security & Equipment Ltd (ASE)) - installed 2 a/c's (BECOL) - installed two doors (Cayo Neighbourhood Watch Association (CNWA)) - new standby generator (US Embassy) - electric hand-dryer (Benny's / Orange Gallery)
  • Rotary's Toilet Block Projects:
    Our motto for the Rotary Club of San Ignacio is 'Educating our Youth', and to that end we have concentrated on improving the sanitation and health of our schools in Cayo District as one of our major project. Rotary Club of San Ignacio and our friends in Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset wrote a Rotary Grant to help build a free standing Toilet Block for the Hills of Promise SDA school in Benque Viejo del Carmen. This was made possible with the contribution from both Rotary Clubs, Rotary District 5190, Rotary District 4250 and the matching funds from Rotary International This is 7th Toilet Block that Rotary Club of San Ignacio has built in Cayo, using the plans approved by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF. We use a local contractor who has become an expert in building these toilet blocks, always within the budget.
  • What It Means To Be A Christian:
    Contributed By: Janice Swift Luke 14:33 - "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple." Three times over in this chapter, our Lord says these solemn words: "he cannot be My disciple." There are three conditions of discipleship. First, we must be prepared to put first things first; second, we must be willing to suffer daily crucifixion; third, we must be detached from all things, because attached to Christ. The conditions seem severe, but they must be fulfilled, if we would enter Christ's School. Disciple stands for learner.
  • Leading Your Kids Through Their Fears:
    By: Lysa Terkeurst Contributed by: Janice Swift "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV) Tears. Wailing. Screaming. A full-blown meltdown. When my youngest daughter, Brooke, was a baby this was often my reality when I tried to run errands with her. I can remember just trying to get to one more place, knowing we should have been home an hour earlier for her nap. But also knowing there were things that had to get done, I pressed on, hoping for the best. Brooke, on the other hand, wanted to get out of that car, and she made sure everybody knew it. Whines quickly turned to screams. My touch has always comforted Brooke. And while I couldn't do much to comfort her while driving, I would often reach my arm into the backseat and gently pat her leg. It took a few minutes, but eventually she'd settle down and reach her tiny hand out to hold mine.
  • Belize and Guatemala Hold Successful Meeting of the Joint Commission in Guatemala:
    The Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission met on 10 October 2014 in Guatemala City to discuss security concerns, including the recent incidents in the Caracol Archeological Reserve and reached 12 conclusions aimed at improving their effectiveness at combating illegal activities and transnational crime. Both sides held frank and open discussions on all security concerns and agreed to expand and strengthen cooperation. The Belize delegation was headed by CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H.E. Alexis Rosado, and included Sen. Lisa Shoman, Representative for the Leader of the Opposition; Gen. David Jones, Commander of the Belize Defense Force; ACP Russell Blackett as Acting Commissioner of Police and Superintendant Marco Vidal, Head of Special Branch.
  • Prime Minister Dean Barrow Signs $67.5 Million Agreement with European Union:
    Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dean Barrow has signed a 27 million Euro/ BZ$67.5 million National Indicative Programme (NIP) for the period 2014 to 2020 with the European Commission designed to advance the activities of the Government of Belize in alleviating rural poverty in Belize. Signing on behalf of the European Commission was the Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs.
  • European Commission Proposes the Lifting of Ban on Importation of Belize Fisheries Products into the European Union:
    The European Commission has announced that it has proposed to the EU Council of Ministers that Belize be removed from the list of 'non-cooperating third countries'in the international fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This decision was taken after Belize demonstrated that it had addressed its structural problems and showed its real commitment to tackling illegal fishing. The Commission notes that since Belize was identified as a 'non-cooperating third country' in March 2014, it has reformed its legal framework and has adopted a new set of rules for inspection, control and monitoring of vessels.
  • Shingles:
    Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. While it isn't a life-threatening condition, shingles can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications.
  • Social Investment Fund provides easier access for 200 students from 11 remote Rural Communities to enhanced Secondary Vocational Education:
    Over 200 students from 11 remote villages in the Toledo District will now have easier access, and enhanced quality Secondary Vocational Education thanks to the construction of Corazon Creek Technical High School Extension built by the Government of Belize at a cost of $595,895.00 with funds financed through a grant from the Caribbean Development Bank under the Basic Needs Trust Fund Sixth Programme (BNTF 6). Students from the 11 remote villages - Corazon Creek, Graham Creek, Mabilha, Dolores, Crique Sarco, San Benito Poite, San Lucas, Santa Teresa, Conejo Creek, Otoxha, and Sunday Wood will now have the opportunity to obtain a quality secondary education in Business, Academics/ Sciences of Vocational Training in their new three-classroom single storey ferro-concrete school extension which provides a unique teaching and learning environment.
  • Ebola Crisis: US Says Cuban Medical Support 'Welcome':
    Cuba is a "welcome" addition to the fight against Ebola, a senior US official has said. A state department spokesman said the Cuban government was doing more than many others to contain the disease. "We welcome their support," she said. The US has maintained an embargo on Cuba for more than five decades. Last month, Havana announced it would send about 450 medical and support staff to the region. The BBC's Will Grant in Havana said that Cuba already had a tradition of sending its doctors and nurses to Africa before the recent Ebola outbreak.
  • Colombia Gang 'Behind Venezuela Lawmaker Serra's Murder':
    President Maduro promised to track down those behind Mr Serra's murder. Robert Serra and Maria Herrera were stabbed to death in Caracas. Mr Maduro said Mr Serra's bodyguard had confessed to conspiring with a Colombian gang to kill the member of the National Assembly. The president also said that there had been a series of attempts to kill other top socialist party officials. Mr Maduro had previously blamed "ultra-right" opposition groups in Venezuela and in neighbouring Colombia for the murder.
  • Cruise Ship Passenger Quarantined:
    The Government of Belize was contacted today by officers of the US Government and made aware of a cruise ship passenger considered of very low risk for Ebola. The passenger had voluntarily entered quarantine on board the ship and remains free of any fever or other symptoms of illness. The Ebola virus may only be spread by patients who are experiencing fever and symptoms of illness and so the US Government had emphasized the very low risk category in this case. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution, the Government of Belize decided not to facilitate a US request for assistance in evacuating the passenger through the Phillip Goldson International Airport.
  • STAR Humor
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices

International Sourcesizz

Affordable Retirement in the Caribbean
Waterfront property is selling at bargain prices in Northern Belize. Northern Belize is a remote region of tropical rivers, hardwood forests, traditional farms, sleepy rural villages and breezy Caribbean seashores. This is a refreshingly off-the-radar place where residents embrace a simple, friendly, by-the-sea lifestyle. It is also the best value destination in Belize and one of the most affordable options for retirement in the Caribbean. Northern Belize is an area of about 2,500 square miles and the point where the Caribbean and Central America meet. As that geographic juxtaposition suggests, the population is diverse, and it is becoming more so as North American retirees are beginning to recognize what this overlooked part of Belize has to offer and settling here in growing numbers. Northern Belize's remoteness is part of its appeal, but remote living has its disadvantages, especially in retirement. This is why the proximity of this part of Belize to Chetumal, Mexico, just across the border, is so important. The town of Corozal in Northern Belize is a gateway town to Chetumal and from there to Merida and Cancun beyond. In Northern Belize, you could enjoy a bargain Caribbean lifestyle with easy access to shopping, city distractions and medical care in Chetumal.

Belize Fights to Save a Crucial Barrier Reef
Home to the second longest barrier reef in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, which provides jobs in fishing, tourism and other industries which feed the lifeblood of the economy, Belize has long been acutely aware of the need to protect its marine resources from both human and natural activities. However, there has been a recent decline in the production and export of marine products including conch, lobster, and fish, even as tourism figures continue to increase.[pullquote]3[/pullquote] The decline is not helped by overfishing and the harvest of immature conch and lobster outside of the standard fishing season. But the primary reason for less conch and lobster in Belize�s waters, according to local experts, is excess ocean acidity which is making it difficult for popular crustacean species such as conch and lobster, which depend on their hard, spiny shells to survive, to grow and mature. According to the executive director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC), Dr. Kenrick Leslie, acidification is as important and as detrimental to the sustainability of the Barrier Reef and the ocean generally as warming of the atmosphere and other factors generally associated with climate change.

UCF archeology team runner-up in international competition
Caracol, an archeological site of Mayan ruins has been heavily studied by a team of UCF professors, and on Oct. 18, in celebration of National Archeology Day, won second place in an international competition hosted by the Archeology Institute of America. The leaders of the Caracol site are Arlen and Diane Chase, the associate dean and executive vice provost of UCF's Department of Anthropology, but more important, they are a husband and wife archeologist team who have been working on the site at Caracol for 30 years. Their extensive work has reshaped the way archeologists and historians study Mayan culture and their hard work has not gone unnoticed. They are somewhat of archeological celebrities having been featured in Newsday, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, USA Today and TIME. University spokesman Grant Heston was an avid supporter in getting the word out about the competition and trying to help the Chase team because he believes they are some of the best professors that UCF has to offer and have played a huge role in shaping the UCF community.

Women's Cooperative in Belize
In the Sarteneja Village in Corozal District, Belize, 80% of the village's income comes from the fishing industry. As a result, the reefs have been over-fished, and this source of income has declined. Traditionally men provide for the households, but with the recent turn of events, women have had to step in to support their families. Las Sarteneje�as Cooperative is a women-owned, operated and led cooperative that provides a community resource to help develop new and sustainable means of income for this village. Peace Corps Volunteer,Jennifer Krottinger, has helped this group grow into an effective women's group, bringing women together to engage and actively participate in learning traditional sewing and handicrafts techniques for preservation of tradition, and to create positive and sustainable economic development for women.

The State of Luxury Travel in the U.S.
The biggest change in in the Virtuoso survey was the countries described as "emerging" destinations. Cuba remains the tourism destination most on the rise, but the popularity of travel to the Galapagos Islands rose once again, while Iceland and Belize cracked the "top 10" emerging destinations. In order, top emerging destinations were Cuba, Myanmar, Vietnam, Galapagos, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Turkey and Belize. Italy continues to be the top destination for international travel, according to Virtuoso agents, followed by South Africa, France, Australia and New Zealand. Italy also remained the top destination for families traveling, with England, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico making up the rest of the list.

Wonderful Things: The Starry Night Beneath the Caribbean Sea
Evolutionary biologist Todd Oakley, who studies the visual system of arthropods, visited Belize in January to observe a different species of displaying ostracod for only the second time. "I was literally cursing into my snorkel in amazement - "Holy @#$!!$ I cannot !@#!@ believe this is real"," Oakley told me via email. "And I almost never curse." I could relate. In 2008, Trevor Rivers and James Morin wrote, "The luminescent displays of Caribbean ostracods are the most complex found in the marine environment to date, and, based on hundreds of in situ observations of over 65 species (Morin and Cohen, 1991), suggests that they rival or even exceed those of terrestrial fireflies."

Imbalanced media reports: Ebola vs ChikV
It might be irresponsible to describe the incessant media coverage about the Ebola virus in Shakespearean terms -- much ado about nothing. However, every day Americans die from cancer, influenza, heat-stroke, freezing temperatures, pneumonia and complications from it, heart attack, stroke and a myriad of diseases. If a week goes by and only a single American die from any one of those maladies, the news media would not report with such urgency as they seem to have invested in covering Ebola, the foreign terror that has not killed a single American. Relentless reports have left many Americans terrified and hankering for more and more news about the disease that took the life of a Liberian national who arrived in Texas and unfortunately became the face of the dreaded disease.

Retire in Corozal, Belize for $1,500 a Month
A relatively small town (about 10,000 people) set on a grid, Corozal is mostly a collection of small shops, restaurants, and simple homes. But this is a bustling burg, with walkways and parks lining the vast, turquoise Corozal Bay. The bay gives it that Caribbean feel. Locals lounge in the shade of the town square, and in the small farmers' market you'll find oranges, potatoes, carrots, and succulent mangoes. You can walk away with a week's worth of fruit and vegetables, plus dry goods and any imported must-haves available at local grocery stores, for under $50.

Videos

Video: Snorkeling in Belize, 5min.
Snorkeling in Belize with a wide range of sea life.



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 (), 217 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