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Channel 5
Julius Espat Sues P.M. Barrow Over Petrocaribe Funds
Prime Minister Dean Barrow, as Minister of Finance, is being taken to court over what the Opposition says is the unlawful borrowing of two hundred and twenty-eight million dollars of [...]
Espat Says Petrocaribe Is Not a Bank
Government has presented a loan motion in the House under the Finance and Audit Act which states that they can give approval for a loan if it's from a financial [...]
Will Belizeans Enjoy Declining Oil Prices at the Fuel Pump?
Turning to a related issue�oil. It is no secret that on the world market, the price of oil has gone down considerably. But consumers in Belize are yet to feel [...]
San Pedro Cop Busted for Theft
A police officer attached to the San Pedro Police Formation will be tried for the crime of Theft. Twenty-six year old Police Constable Dean Perez, originally from Belize City, has [...]
Roaring Creek Resident Acquitted of 2011 Murder
Twenty-three-year-old Jamie Gill was accused of fatally shooting sixteen-year-old Raheem Vasquez in 2011 during an incident in Roaring Creek.� Vasquez was shot three times to the body, twice in the [...]
Brian Charlesworth Guilty of Carnal Knowledge of Minor
A jury panel had a split verdict in the case of a Belize City man accused of the sexual abuse against a minor. At least two of nine jurors, who [...]
Should G.O.B. reduce price of fuel due to decrease in the cost of crude?
And tonight's question is: Should G.O.B. cause a reduction in the price of fuel given a decrease in the cost of crude in the world market? Send your comments and [...]
Cricel Castillo Tangles with Bodybuilding Federation
The Belize Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation has announced the suspension of bodybuilder Cricel Castillo, for a period of two years, effective immediately. The decision came after a nasty bout between [...]
B.B.B.F.F. Accused of Misappropriation of Funds
According to Cricel Castillo, the Olympic Association told her that they gave the B.B.B.F.F. money to support Rigo Vellos and herself with funding for airfares. That money allegedly never reached [...]
Cricel Explains Suspension from B.B.B.F.F.
The suspension came following Castillo's participation as Miss Fitness Belize at the Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Tournament in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year. Castillo and Mister Belize, Rigo Vellos, both competed [...]
Mr. Belize Rigo Vellos Offers Advice to Cricel Castillo
According to the Federation, the ban is final and at this point, non-negotiable. According to President Stanley Moody, anyone who represents the B.B.B.F.F. must maintain the highest standards and be [...]
Suspended Body Builder to Compete in World Beauty Fitness Federation
That suspension has prevented Castillo from competing in the 2014 Body Building and Fitness Championship earlier this month. But like the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. [...]
CARICOM Joins Gay Activist Maurice Tomlinson In Suit Against Belize & Trinidad
On May ninth, the Caribbean Court of Justice handed down a decision on behalf of gay activist Maurice Tomlinson, allowing for special leave to challenge the immigration laws of Belize [...]
SIB Releases September Statistics for Consumer Price Index
The Consumer Price Index for September 2014 has been released by the Statistical Institute of Belize.� The CPI, as it is known, indicates a marginal increase from the same month [...]
Rainy Weather Forecasted for Remainder of the Week
The rains have been pounding the country for days and it is expected that in the next few days, the downpour will persist. The weather report will have more details [...]
Wesley College Celebrates 16th Annual Red Ribbon Drug Prevention Week
A recent survey by the National Drug Abuse Control Council and the University of Belize shows that the use of drugs among students is on the rise and it is [...]
CTV3
NASA Shuttle Explodes During Launching
The NASA is reporting no injuries in the explosion of an unmanned Antares rocket that exploded seconds after liftoff from a commercial launch pad in Virginia today. The 14-story rocket, built and launched by Orbital Sciences Corp, bolted off its seaside launch pad at the Wallops Flight Facility late this afternoon carrying a Cygnus cargo ship for the International Space Station. It exploded seconds later and the cause of the accident was not immediately known, said NASA mission commentator Dan Huot. US media described that flames could be seen shooting into the sky as the sun set.
GOB Releases Holidays Date For 2015
The Government today announced its schedule for public and bank holidays for the year 2015. Next year, Belizeans will enjoy a total of 13 holidays and 8 three day weekends.
Paranda Icon To Be Buried On Saturday Morning
The Government announced today that an official funeral will be held for Alfonso Palacio, better known as Paul Nabor who passed away last Wednesday, will be held on Saturday morning at 11:00 am at St Peter Claver Church in Punta Gorda Town. It will be preceded by a tribute concert on Friday night from the multi-purpose building. The funeral will be aired via several television and radio stations.
Dr. Lisa Johnson, New Director Of Medical Services At KHMH
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, Belize's biggest health care provider is under new leadership with Dr. Adrian Coye who replaced Dr. Francis Gary Longsworth as Chief Executive Officer. And while he plays the role as leader, it left his former position as Director of Medical services open and today management announced his replacement. Dr. Lisa Johnson, who had also applied for the CEO post, was assigned that post. Dr. Johnson is Belize's first female general surgeon and the first staff manager of the KHMH in its 19-year history. According to Doctor Johnson, she will supervise a new education campaign to target Belizeans on the specific services of the hospital, including those which have gone unnoticed and unmentioned.
Dr. Lisa Johnson
"We also recognize that many of us, I mean I went to medical school, I went through residency, I went through fellowship, we are not necessarily trained to relate well. What use to be the old style of bedside manner and there are times particularly when some of my staff are at the front lines dealing with very difficult situations and we recognize that and we recognize too that they require some assistance in dealing with the public.
LOVE FM
Mister Physique Wants More Prize Money; Prez Says There's No More
Cricel Castillo is not the only person who has problems with the Belize Body Building and Fitness Federation. So does Mr. Physique 2014, Clinton Tucker. Tucker vented his frustration to President Stanley Moody last week as he picked up his cheque for winning the Mr. Physique competition. Tucker says that the winnings are not enough for what they had to do in order to win but Moody says that they have no obligation to give out any financial award to the winners. We have both sides of the story.
STANLEY MOODY
"Last week when Mr. Tucker came to pick up his stipend as we put it for winning the Mr. Physique he came to my place of business, I had customers in my business, he was given his check and on his way out the door he turned around and started making a whole lot of noise talking about if this was the little bit of money he was going to get that this can't satisfy him.
PlusTV
Hon. Julius Espat files lawsuit against Minister of Finance Hon. Dean Barrow
It has recently come to light that PetroCaribe funds accessed in loans since 2012 never made it to the house for approval.
PetroCaribe sells fuel to Belize in terms of concessionary payment, which in turn gives GOB access to millions of dollars which can be accessed through loan agreements.
Since th...
Self defence ruled in Jamie Gill murder case
A man who fatally shot and wounded another during an incident in Roaring Creek village is now home free from a murder charge, after being on remand for more than three years.
23-year-old Jamie Gill� was charged back in 2011 at the age of 19, for the shooting murder of a minor, 16-year-old Raheem Vas...
Mechanic charged for drawing gun on police
Twenty-six year old Ronald Smith, an assistant mechanic of Hattieville, who allegedly pointed a firearm at a police officer, was charged with aggravated assault when he appeared on Wednesday before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart. Mr Smith pled not guilty to the charge...
Repeat offender jailed again for weed
Forty-two year old Clinton Fraser, aka "Hog", who was recently released from prison after serving 3 years, went to jail on Wednesday when he appeared before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart and pled guilty to possession of 6 grams of cannabis.
Mr Fraser begged Magistrate Stuart not to send him to pr...
PC With Sticky Fingers Arraigned in San Pedro
Police officer Dean Perez, a 26 year old attached to the San Pedro Police Station, is being accused for having "sticky fingers" and has seen been arrested and charged.
The San Pedro Sun Reports that the alleged theft occurred during an investigation on October 5th , at the residence of Jose Hern...
Incapacitated man found on Belize City street
On Wednesday morning an apparently unconscious man was found on the side of Rocky Road in Belize City.
Initially it was thought that he had died, but closer examination found him to be alive and breathing, but apparently intoxicated.
Police and an ambulance responded and took the man for medical att...
Belize Leadership Summit on the way
Belize Leadership summit got started on Wednesday in the Capital City. Individuals from various business and organizational sectors attended day one of the two day session at the George Price Center.
International and local speakers addressed some of the� issues that affect, impact, and influence or...
The Reporter
ROC (Taiwan) president receives Eisenhower Medallion for peace initiative
President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Ma Ying-jeou has received the Eisenhower Medallion from People to People International (PTPI) for his efforts in promoting regional peace.
In presenting the award, PTPI Chairman Micah Kubic said that the award followed Ma's "efforts to further cross-cultural communications, for his extraordinary leadership, and for exceptional contributions to world peace and understanding."
The medallion was presented primarily in recognition of President Ma's East China Sea Peace Initiative, proposed in August 2012, and which calls on all parties in disputes over the Diaoyutai Islands to refrain from confrontation, controversies and encouraged them to keep dialoguing, to observe international law and resolve disputes through peaceful means. It also calls for all parties concerned to seek consensus on a regional code of conduct, and to establish a mechanism for the joint exploration and development of resources.
Patrick Jones
Wesley College parades against drugs
If it's the last week of October in Belize City, it must be time for Wesley College's Red Ribbon Week, an initiative begun 16 years ago at the Methodist-managed high school to promote drug awareness and smart decision-making by a vulnerable section of the population. With evidence that [�]
Body Building Federation responds to corruption allegations
The rift between members of the Belize Body Building and Fitness Federation (BBBFF) has now exploded into the public eye. Former body fitness champion Cricel Castillo made public allegations of misappropriation of funds intended for herself and three-time Mr. Belize Rigo Vellos to attend the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic [�]
Gospel music explosion set for next month in San Ignacio
A gospel music concert featuring Belizeans and visiting artists will be held in San Ignacio town in mid-November. The event, called Explosion Musical 2014 is being billed as a family event where members of the audience will be ministered to through different types and styles of Christian Music. [�]
Caldo for dinner
Caldo: it has been a staple on the dinner table in many Maya homes for generations. The traditional meal, which is still prepared by Maya women in communities in the south, has as its main ingredient local chicken meat cooked a soup with added ingredients such as onion, [�]
Opposition parliamentarian takes the PM to court over Petrocaribe funds
There are legal fireworks between the government of Belize and the opposition People's United Party after Cayo South area representative took the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and Alba Petro Caribe Belize Energy Ltd to court over millions of dollars of Petrocaribe funds. The suit was filed [�]
Policeman accused of theft in San Pedro
A policeman stationed in San Pedro town on Ambergris Caye has been accused of having "sticky fingers" and has been formally arrested and charged. Constable Dean Perez, 26, was arraigned on Tuesday in the San Pedro Magistrate's Court for the crime of theft. He was given bail [�]
Still no agreement on bagasse payment for cane farmers
An entire Sugar Crop Season has passed and another is about to start and there is still a stalemate in the finalization for payment of bagasse or a signed commercial agreement in the Sugar Industry. And while we have been reporting on every new development, both sides, [�]
Organic fair this weekend in Punta Gorda town
For the sixth year running, an Organic Fair will be held in Punta Gorda town. The dates for the event are Friday, October 31 and Saturday November 1, 2014. The annual Organic Fair is organized by Sustainable Harvest International, a non-profit organization operating in the Toledo district. Coordinator [�]
Fire truck damages parked vehicle
The National Fire Service has taken responsibility for an incident which took place late on Monday evening as trucks responded to reports of a fire near the Majestic Alley area of Belize City.
But they claim that it might not have happened if the fire report had not turned out to be a false alarm.
Around 4:15 p.m. a call came to 911 of the reported fire and trucks responded. But en route the truck's bin opened suddenly and slammed into the back windows of a parked white van in front of Angelus Press on Queen Street, damaging two of them.
KHMH makes history with first female medical director
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) has new leadership, with Dr. Adrian Coye replacing Dr. Francis Gary Longsworth as chief executive officer.
Before his moving up Dr. Coye was Chief of Medical Services and on Tuesday, the hospital unveiled his replacement, Dr. Lisa Johnson. Dr. Johnson is Belize's first female general surgeon and the first staff manager of the KHMH in its 19-year history.
She is an alumna of All Saints Primary School, St. Catherine Academy, Belize Technical College and the University of the West Indies (UWI) and interned in the Bahamas before receiving a general surgery qualification in Jamaica.
Belize to be represented at Development Forum in Mexico
Belize will have representation at the Seventh Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation Mark King is scheduled to travel to Mexico City today to attend the two-day forum.
According to a press release from Minister King's office, the forum on Thursday and Friday will bring together Ministers in charge of social and economic policy from 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations "to share their experiences in policy making in the social and human development realm, and debate policy alternatives for current and future institutions challenges in the region."
Belize's Maya and Indigenous Groups: Protecting the Environment
Here's something we just received via the Earth Island Journal out of Berkeley, California. In the lead article of the latest quarterly, published 27 October 2014, headlined, "Indigenous Communities Challenge Big Oil in Belize" reporter Sandra Cuffe writes about efforts by local Maya, Garifuna and other groups to stop US Capital Energy from conducting oil exploration and drilling in Belize's otherwise pristine Sarstoon Temash National Park.
And it's not just the drilling - the oil company's roads have opened the park to further damage and incursions by foreign poachers illegally hunting and taking other resources.
A quote early on in the article caught our attention:
"' I mean, (the Belizean government is) going to tell me you can't go and cut the leaves you want to make a thatched roof without their permission, you can't go and fish, and you can't do farming there - but it's okay for a company to come and put a big rig in there?' says Tricia Mariano, president of the local Barranco branch of the National Garifuna Council, a group that works to preserve and strengthen the culture of the Garifuna people. 'It's contradictory' she says, laughing."
Guides Birdwatching
The tour guides of the CTGA thrive to be the best tour guides that they can be so training is very important to us all. On this day for example guides that wanted to fine tune their birdwatching skills could have done so with the help of other guides. They had a field trip to crooked Tree where the birds are plenty full here are some of those pictures I received from Daren Lamb.
Belizean Light Cake with Royal Icing
I did a different spin the the Belizean Light Cake and I also tried the Royal Icing based on the recipe from one of my viewers Dorita Alonzo Weir.
Che Chem Ha Guide Training
Earlier I showed you pictures of a birding expedition that the tour guides did in Crooked Tree. This time around, the guides visited the site of Actun Che Chem Ha Cave. This adventure is part of our guide betterment project which means tour guides are, and should be, constantly upgrading their skills in different fields. We also want more guides to access the cave so the guides needed to be trained by other guides. So, here are a few pictures of this tour, images provided by Daren Lamb.
International Sources
RoboForex transfers clients to new operations in Belize
RoboForex, a retail FX broker registered originally in New Zealand, has announced that it will transfer all of the clients of its RoboForex LP business to RoboTrade, its new subsidiary in Belize. The transfer will be automatic and will start on November 5, 2014.
RoboForex LP has been registered as a Financial Services Provider (FSP) in New Zealand since October 2012, with the register still displaying that the company maintains this status. A representative of RoboForex stated to LeapRate today that the company does not plan to cancel its registration in New Zealand.
In connection with the relocation of the company's client base, there will be changes in the client agreements at RoboForex LP, which will become RoboTrade Ltd, the most important being that all clients wishing to withdraw their money will have to pass a full verification procedure and some may be asked to provide extra data when logging into their live accounts. This has to do with the anti-money laundering (AML) policy pursued by Belize's financial regulator - the International Financial Services Commission (IFSC). The broker announced it had obtained a license from the IFSC on October 21, 2014.
Summit Church travels to Belize to help Blue Thumb Missions
An 11-member mission team from Summit Church recently traveled to Belmopan City, Belize, to provide labor at Blue Thumb Missions.
Blue Thumb Missions is a 10-acre Christian Camp and Training Center that provides facilities for camps, retreats and conferences. They also serve local villages in humanitarian outreach. Joe and Piper Hensley have been directors of Blue Thumb for 10 years and are assisted by their son, Stephen.
Blue Thumb is expanding its ministry and reach in the local community and needed assistance updating and building additional dormitory space for the increasing number of people who use the facility. Summit outreach director Ryan Richards found out about the ministry and the need and asked church members if they would be willing to help.
Real-life Indiana Jones on hunt for lost Mayan cities
THERE are days when Ivan �prajc gets fed up with his job. Hacking pathways through the Mexican jungle with machetes is exhausting. Keeping a constant eye out for deadly snakes can be nerve-racking. The risk of finding nothing to show for all the effort is real.
But then there is reward that comes when the contours of a plaza, palace, ball court or pyramid emerge from beneath the tree cover, or inscriptions that could help explain them are revealed by brushing off undergrowth.
"I've said to myself quite a few times that this is the last season, because it is so difficult. But it is such a reward when you find a new site," says the Slovenian archaeologist, who has made a career of finding lost Mayan cities. "It's tough work, but it's dead romantic."
This year �prajc's team found two - Tamch�n and Lagunita - which followed last year's discovery of a large site called Chact�n.
�prajc's first expeditions focused on an area close to the Belize border where the existence of small settlements meant local people could guide him to ruins they knew were on their land.
Videos
Video: Morning squall releases some heavy rain in San Pedro, 10sec.
Video: Bouncing in Belize!!!, 1min.
Video: GA�A Riverlodge Belize, energized by nature, 1.5min.
Video: Belize 2014, 4min.
Fischer Family vacation to Belize October 2014
Video: HAPPY GARIFUNA SETTLEMENT DAY, 1min.
Buidula Hafeduhani Haweyuri Garinagu! Belikin wishes all of Belize a Happy Garifuna Settlement Day!
Video: Blue hole and crystal caves Armenia, Belize t84v9jAKJzY, 5.5min.
Video: Belize Pro Dive Center 2nd Anniversary, 8min.
Thanks to all our past guests, family and fans, without you we wouldn't be here. Currently the number 1 dive operator on the number 1 island in the world on tripadvisor. Here's your crew for the new season, we look forward to blowing some bubbles with you soon, ocean hugs!!!.... Happy Birthday Belize Pro DIve Center!!