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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

The San Pedro RC School Boys Team has just won their FIRST game in the National Primary School Football Tournament!
WHOOHOO!!! SPRCS won 2-1 against Orange Walk, with Ian Pou Jr. scoring both goals. This means they are still in the championship hunt! Goooooooooooo SPRCS!!!

SPRCS to represent Belize District in National Primary School Football Tournament
After both female and male football teams from San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) emerged victorious at the Rural South Primary School Football Tournament on Thursday, June 2nd, both teams advanced to the District finals. On Monday, June 6th, they travelled to Belize City where the boys from SPRCS took first place, while the girls settled for second place in the competition. As a result, the male team will be representing the entire Belize District at the Nationals in the city of Belmopan on Thursday, June 9th and Friday, June 10th. The games were held at the MCC Grounds Stadium, and in the female division the SPRCS girls took on the female team from the Belize Elementary School. At the end of the match, Erica Pop from SPRCS led her team to victory with a close score of 1-0. With this score they advanced to the finals of the competition. In the male division, the male team from SPRCS faced the boys from St. John's Vianney Roman Catholic School who was no match to the island team. With a score of 2-0, the male team then joined the female team in the finals.

International Costa Maya Festival® is set for August 4th - 7th
While it has been relatively quiet on the press front, the International Costa Maya Festival® committee has been working hard behind the scenes in preparation for the annual festival. The dates are set: Thursday August 4th through Sunday August 7th, and entertainment for each night has been confirmed. As is tradition, the festival will take place at the Honorable Louis Sylvestre Stadium in San Pedro Town. Following the main format, Thursday night will be Pageant Night, with eight beautiful contestants vying for the title of Reina de La Costa Maya. Beauties from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama will be competing onstage for the title currently held by 2015's Gabriela Vanessa Salazar Valle. We already have confirmed the first two gorgeous contestants, and they are Miss Costa Rica and Miss Nicaragua.

Lions celebrate 38th National Convention
Lions and Leos of the Lions Zone 59 held their 38th Annual National Convention on Saturday, June 4th and Sunday, June 5th. The convention was especially dedicated to the memory of Lion Carol Cabral, and held under the theme "Many Hands, One Heart, All Eyes-Lions We Serve." Hundreds of members from San Pedro Town, San Estevan, Belize City, Belmopan City, and Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico gathered at the Lion Lester H. Young, TRC Building located in Belize City to celebrate the occasion. During the two days of fellowship, members took the opportunity to reflect on the goals and objectives of Lionism. The official opening ceremony took place on Saturday, June 4th, where a cabinet meeting saw numerous Lions discussing zone resolutions, the venue for the next convention, and listening to a motivational talk given by Jerry Enriquez. Mayor Darrell Bradley of Belize City, Director of the National Drug Abuse Control Council Esner Vellos, and Zone 59 Chairman Lion Raul O. Castillo, also gave addresses. Following the opening ceremony visitors and Lion members had the opportunity to visit the various hospitality booths. The booths featured a variety of tasty food and drinks, as well as plenty of giveaways.

Lack of man power again delays completion of Police Barracks
The completion of the second phase of a police barracks for the San Pedro Police Formation will once again experience a delay. The building which will provide additional space to accommodate more law enforcers on the island has been in the construction phase for two years now with its completion still far from sight. According to Nu�ez, the delay is now due to the lack of support in the work force, thus, the works will need additional time to be completed. "We need support when it comes to labor in order to finish all the works inside and outside the building. At the moment we are painting the outside of the structure, but it's only my employees and myself doing it, it is not enough man power. We need additional assistance to finish the job soon," said Nu�ez.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Wildtracks Update: Today is a huge step forward for nine of our endangered Yucatan black howler monkeys
oday they move down to the release site at Fireburn, ready for their release back into the wild on Sunday. The three groups have all completed the rehabilitation process, living as semi-wild monkeys in the pre-release enclosure for more than eleven months. It is now time for them to graduate to the real world. Group 1: Teddy and Tilly. Group 2: Little Bean, Suri, Jessie, JW and Hobbes. Group 3: Jaz and Little Pea. These nine monkeys have come a long, long way. Each has its own individual story - some were confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, others were found as abandoned or injured infants. The post-release tracking crew have been making the final preparations for yhe release - setting up the release cages, making repairs to the Fieldbase ready for the three months of dawn to dusk monitoring.

Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Cook-Off
No Miss Lobster Fest pageant this year, bummer. But the cook off should be fun! As our annual Lobster Fest approaches we have been faced with many challenges in the preparations of this year's festival; one of them being the Miss Lobster Fest Pageant. Unfortunately this year we will be unable to provide such event due to issues that are beyond our control. We are replacing the pageant with a Cook Off Competition along with live performance by Dynamix Steel Pan and Belize's Soca Queen: Ernestine Carballo. Join us on Friday, July 1st to see your local cooks compete in the first ever cook off and it will be free entry.

Mr. Murrio Ducille sworn in to the Belize Court of Appeal
Mr. Murrio Ducille was sworn in by the Governor General H.E. Sir Colville Young on Tuesday, June 7th, as a Justice to the Belize Court of Appeal for a period of five years.

COMEDY hour today @Ak'boL
Okay San Pedro! Come join COMEDY hour today @Ak'boL Friday June 10th 6-7pm with comedian, screenwriter actress Corrine Petteys

World Accreditation Day 2016 and Recognition Ceremony
For the Belize Bureau of Standards ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Certification Today June 9th, 2016, the Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) celebrated World Accreditation Day under the theme Accreditation: A global tool to support Public Policy. The event was hosted in the Cahal Pech Conference Room at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina, in Belize City with participation of key stakeholders across public and private entities. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce Hon. Tracy Taegar Panton, in her delivery to the participants, acknowledged the importance of accreditation to trade, manufacturing, industry, security, and health citing its far reaching impact on national policy. The Minister spoke of the most recent wins in accreditation for the CARICOM Region highlighting various laboratories in Jamaica, Guyana and Grenada, not without mentioning that various laboratories in country are currently pursuing accreditation.

Belizean Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Participates in Workshop on ICT Applications in Agriculture in Taiwan
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is pleased to announce that to strengthen the exchanges and share experiences with friendly countries, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) invited the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development, to recommend an officer to participate in the Workshop on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Applications in Agriculture to be held from June 22nd to July 5th, 2016 in Taiwan. The aforementioned workshop will be hosted by the International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF).

Government of Belize Offers Condolences on the Passing of Muhammad Ali
The Government of Belize, as a mark of respect and tribute to the memory of the late Muhammad Ali, has ordered that Belize flags be flown at half mast on all official buildings on Friday 10th June 2016. Muhammad Ali, who at birth was named Cassius Clay, passed away on Friday 3rd June 2016 at the age of 74 years, after a long bout of illness. Muhammad Ali, world renowned African American athlete, three time world heavyweight champion boxer, human rights advocate and former United Nations Messenger of Peace, devoted most of his time outside of the ring, in pursuit of peace, supporting humanitarian projects, development initiatives and relief to the less fortunate in the developing world.

Mrs. "Marie" is bestowed with the highest honour
Well known Corozaleňa affectionately called Mrs. "Marie" is bestowed with the highest honours by the Government of Mexico. Congratulations goes to this sweet, forever helpful and humble woman. Mrs. Marie has also given of her tireless service to our Corozal community. Ambassador of Mexico to Belize Carlos Quesnel: "The Honorary Consulate of Mexico opened its doors in 1997 in the Corozal District, and it was on the 5th of June that our esteemed and very much appreciated Maria Luisa Espat received her exequatur. So today, I say thank you Honorary Consul for all your hard work and dedication for the past 19 years. The people of Corozal and Belize sincerely salute Mrs. Marie Espat being the recipient of this pretigious honour. Mrs. Espat was awarded the highest honour of the Government of Mexico, the Order of the Aztec Eagle, in recognition of her diligence and interest in the affairs of Mexico and its nationals.

Cayo Strongman Competition
The first ever strongman competition in Cayo will be at the Hillview Train Station on Saturday, June 18th. They are running a special on memberships right now. "An updated flyer to inform you with additional information on the Strong Man/Woman competition. It is open to residents of Ontario to Benque only. Call our official numbers for correct information 6277441 or 6365058."

BAS 2016 Summer Camps
The Belize Audubon Society is getting ready for their Summer Camp series. Lots of great sites around Cayo, and Belize, will be visited. "Summer is almost here and we have prepared fun-filled camps! Join us as we learn from nature and engage in exciting adventures. Our BAS Summer Camps......'Where learning about nature is fun!' For more information about our camps call us at 223-5004"

SAT Prep Tutorial: FREE SUMMER SAT CLASSES!
Don't miss this opportunity to prepare for the SAT and apply to universities in the U.S.!!! It's Free and in Belize City at the EducationUSA Reference Center!!!! The National Library Service and Information Systems in partnership with The EducationUSA Reference Center is Offering free SAT classes for the summer.

Channel 7

(Still) Bex With Ms. Bev
The firings of UDP stalwarts from the office of UDP Area Rep for Belize Rural Central, Beverly Castillo has been in the news for two weeks now. And while much has been said, Castillo hasn't said much, only pointing us to a Facebook post indicating that one of the terminated women, Ingrid Hernandez, admitted that she leaked information from Castillo's office. Since then, Hernandez was hired by deputy PM, Patrick Faber and Elena Kerr was hired ta the City Council. And after that, everyone might have lived happily ever after�but in politics there are very few fairytale endings and for a handful of Ladyville residents, it's not over until Castillo relocates her office from the village. At least that's what they say. Last week Thursday these same residents came out with placards, but the protest backfired because they did not get a license to protest. But today all their papers were in order, and so they hit the streets again hoping to draw attention to an issue which they claim to be political victimization.

Snatched Up By Social Media
Last night, we showed you the man caught on camera burglarizing Spoonaz Photo Cafe and Bar. Well, that man is Derrick Garbutt, and our best information is that he is at the Belize Central Prison awaiting bail. Court details are that he was indeed arraigned yesterday on the offences of burglary and theft, and he though he pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail, he was unable to meet it. He was taken up to the Belize Central Prison, where he will remain until he or family members of his are able to make arrangments to meet the bail terms. As we reported, he broke into Spoonaz Cafe on North Front Street last week Tuesday and stole about $500 worth of top-shelf liquor, and a pellet gun. Bar owner Jeremy Spooner posted it on Facebook, asking for help in identifying him. From there he learned that Garbutt had burglarized another man's business place, and he was once again caught on camera.

The Ministry and Mr. Monima
The Ministry of Health's hiring of a Regional Manager for the North has raised eyebrows - and that's because critics are saying Audibaldo Monima is trained as a coast guard officer, not a Health Administrator. Indeed, the terms of reference for the job call for someone with a Master's degree in Public Health Administration, Health Systems Management of the equivalent. But, the CEO in the Ministry of Health says Monima has a master's degree in naval administration - which is a much contested claim. The CEO Ramon Figueroa told us Monima is on contract on a 6 month trial basis. The CEO says, quote, "one of his strengths is management, and the reason for the contract is to allow for an evaluation of his performance over the next six months." End quote. After that - if his performance is satisfactory - the recommendation to make him full time will go from the Ministry of Health to the Public Service. And while the Health CEO says Monima has a master's in naval administration, others say he only has an Associate's degree, and, at best, a training certificate from the Mexican Navy. We know that he did not embark on any course of study while he was in the Coast Guard.

No More Fuss Boledo Buyers: Lottery Machine Now Working
You all may remember the Sunday April 3rd Lottery uproar at the Magistrates Court. City residents were furious because the supervisors refused to start the game over after one of 4 balls did not pop up in its chamber. Police even had to be called out to calm the crowd. Well, as we told you, since then, the double pick machine has been used for the Sunday Lottery draw but, it won't be used much longer. That's because the Lottery machine has been fixed. Today we spoke to the machine suppliers from Smart Play International and the Service manager explained that it was a few electrical problems and improper storage that might have led to the fault in the machine. Randy Craft, Service Mgr. Smart Play Int'l: "I come down and I'll do it, a preventative maintenance pretty much go over everything in the machine. In this particular case there was an issue with the slide not opening up which we picked a few things that could've been the issue. We've replaced the parts and have been testing it most of the day and its been working fine."

Three Car Pileup On The Western
There was a multiple care pileup this afternoon on the Western Highway. It happened at 2:15 between miles 34 & 35. A white BTL Isuzu D-Max driven by Mark Anderson collided into a Cargo truck driven by Guillermo Canto of San Ignacio Town - while a black Mitsubishi Montero Sport driven by 25 year old Vanessa Canto, was also involved in the pileup. So far, police have concluded that the cargo truck was travelling towards Belmopan when the BTL Dmax - heading to the city - swerved into its lane - collided into the left driver side of the Cargo truck, snapping its front wheel and crushing the front end of the D-Max. The Black Montero was coming behind the cargo truck and also collided into the D-Max. The two men in the cargo truck complained of pain to their midsection, while Vanessa Canto who is from San Ignacio received an abrasion to the left side of her face, an injured wrist, and ankle. Another passenger, Lucio Canto had chest pain and a swollen forehead.

A Road Safety Simulation
And while that accident was dramatic and blocked highway traffic for hours, another that played out on the northern highway near the Biltmore Plaza this morning was just a simulation. Still, they made it look very real with bodies on the ground, severed arms and vehicles engulfed in flames. And if you passed there this morning you might have been aghast at the scene. But it was all a simulation for the City Emergency Management Organization. Participants in a two day workshop on road traffic accidents jotted down recommendations for the strategic response to any given accident on the road. The Liaison Officer for CEMO told us more today. Wayne Usher, Liaison Officer, CEMO: "What we did is we staged a 3 vehicle crash and we had players who role played as if they were injured, one dies and things like that. The players are the traffic departments of the transport department, traffic from Belize City, the police traffic department, we had the red cross, fire department, RF&G insurance and BERT ambulance. What you didn't see is that Karl Heusner hospital also took part. When the ambulance reached then with the role players then they went into action as to how they would deal with those accident victims, so they played as well."

From The Archives: How Deal Stealers Scammed The System
Chinese Businessman Jian Jiang was last night's headline - he got fined one hundred and fifty grand for an un-customed Mitsubishi SUV. As we told you, the Mitsubishi Montero he bought in 2011 had cloned the VIN number from another vehicle - one that had been legitimately licensed to a man who died in an accident. More than that, after being cloned to that vehicle's identity, Jiang's SUV had been momentarily registered in the name of Charles Solis - a city resident who had died many years earlier. IT is a scam orchestrated by what we called stealer-dealers, car dealers who smuggle stolen vehicles in from Guatemala and then legitimize them through corrupt means at the City traffic Department. IT's a practice that was prevalent about 6 years ago - which is when we first reported on the dimensions of the scam. Here's our report from 6 years ago.:.. Jules Vasquez Reporting: Last night 7News broke the story detailing how stolen vehicles are fraudulently licensed at the City's Traffic Department. The vehicles are mostly stolen from Guatemala and then smuggled into Belize. The dealers then have to license these vehicles that did not enter the country legally and did not pay duty. That's when they turn to the City Traffic Department.

Elrington: Guatemalans Cannot Access What They Already Claim
One word you've been hearing in the news a lot recently is "annexation". We've used it to refer to what's happened on the Sarstoon - where the Guatemalans have exercised authority over the entire river, like they own all of it. The dictionary tells us that "annexation" means to "add (territory) to one's own territory by appropriation," and that sounds about right for the Sarstoon, but it, really? Well, not according to Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington. In a comfortless semantic differentiation, he says they can't annex what they already claim to own:... Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "They would technically claim the whole country and so it is not correct to say that they are annex in the Sarstoon. What is the proper situation is to say that they are stopping people from using the Sarstoon, because really and truly they are claiming the whole territory as theirs."

Making Child Mental Health Matter
For most people, those childhood years are their most treasured memories, but that is not universally true. As children, some endure hardship and trauma that affect their health and well-being as adults. That was the focus of today's Mental Health Annual General Meeting. It is being held at the Princess Hotel and several Mental Health professionals are being trained to look for those warning signs that tell if a child is in distress or being abused. Today American Child and Adoloscent Psychiatrist Dr. Linda Chokroverty explained that there is a multi-generational cycle of trauma that is directly linked to mental health issues in kids. Dr. Linda Chokroverty, Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist, NY: "The main focus is to educate mental health workers and other professionals who work with families and children and to make them aware of things that may not be obvious. One of the most important things in terms of child development is prevention. If caring adults and caregivers can really provide children with the right guidance, the nutrients and the stability, even the experiences of a variety of a traumatic events that could happen in the lifespan can be made better or mitigated..."

Cops Need Counselling Too
So as you heard, the trauma that children experience can negatively impact their future, and if not treated or addressed it can lead to serious emotional and mental health problems, maybe that was the case with PC Edward Gonzalez ? He killed himself in front of the Queen Street Police Station last month. But no one knows for sure what Gonzalez's story was but Central Health Region Counselor Juliet Simmons discussed the impact of untreated stress and depression especially when it comes to police officers. Simmons also highlighted the importance of community support. Juliet Simmons, Counselor - General Health Region: "Regarding PC Gonzalez, we don't know his story unfortunately. But being a police officer, we are aware of the difficult situation they faced daily. They deal with a lot of challenges, they see a lot of crimes and from what I am aware of, I am not sure of the support system that they have. Yes there is the employee assistance program, but that's available when you seek help. So what happens to the people who are not seeking help? How do we know that our police officers are talking about what they are dealing with on a daily basis? They see a lot of violence. They deal with criminals. Are they personalizing these things? Are they taking these stress home? Are they dealing with these stress at work? I don't think our culture also encourage people to talk much about work stress. Until we are all sensitize about stress and mental health and how it affects the way we work, the way we communicate, the way we feel, when we will see a major improvement."

Bureau Of Standards Meets The Gold Standard
Most of the time when the Bureau of Standards makes the news, it's because that Government Department, which is responsible for consumer protection, is being criticized for not being able to enforce the laws against abusive merchants, usually due to lack of will, resources or personnel. Well tonight, the Bureau is making the evening news because they've become the first fully Government Department to receive international accreditation under the ISO 9001 certification. This means that the Bureau is carries stamp of approval in improved regularity frameworks, good governance, fair markets, all geared towards an increase in public confidence. That ISO certification came at the right time when the Bureau of Standards was celebrating World Accreditation Day with the rest of the world under the theme: Accreditation: A Global tool to Support Public. Today, we stopped by the Ask the Director and his Minister about the milestone:

BPP Calls For The Full Message to Go Out On Referendum
Earlier in the news, you heard Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington discussing his views on the Guatemalan's effective occupation of the Sarstoon River, saying that it is incorrect to suggest that they have annexed the Sarstoon - since they claim the whole country. And while that pronouncement is sure to raise more public ire against Elrington, the Departments under his Ministry, namely the Referendum Unit, and the International Boundaries Commisison, are coming under fire from the Belize Progressive Party. That's because there is a referendum pending in both Belize and Guatemala on whether the Guatemalan territorial claim to Belize should be taken to the International Court of Justice. The BPP says that these Foreign Ministry Departments have a responsibility to provide the general public with all information related to the pro's, the cons, and the risks of taking the claim to the ICJ. But, according to the Green Party, these Government officials have been pushing the yes vote so much, they've been ignoring the cons and the risks of going to the ICJ. Here's Deputy Party Leader Wil Maheia explaining their issue with the Government's yes campaign for the ICJ:

Hon. Tracy Not Commenting On a Prospective Challenger
And moving from the BPP to the UDP, today we asked ask Albert Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton if she is concerned about political blowback for having opposed Patrick Faber in the Convention for UDP First Deputy. She came out strong for Saldivar, appearing in television commercials and rallying her delegates, which did not escape the attention of the Faber camp. So, today, we asked her about it, and here's what she had to say: Daniel Ortiz: "Given that you've chosen to support his opponent, it is a concern of yours that come 2020, he may seek to put an opponent against you to try to solidify his own base if he should become party leader?" Hon. Tracy Taegar, Area Rep., Albert Division: "Minister Faber is our new deputy leader and he is the new Deputy Prime Minister of Belize. Certainly all of us at cabinet provide our support for him at this juncture in time. I don't know what the future will hold, but I can say this that I continue to work very diligently in my constituency..."

Police: Keeping the Community Clean and Safe
Today Northside police officers along with city council workers were out all day chopping and cleaning yards. It's part of their police cleanup campaign and this afternoon Public Relations Officer Fitzroy Yearwood told us it goes beyond just clearing bushy lots. We also spoke to a resident in the Coney Drive area who told us this initiative is just what her community needed. As you heard, there will be a second phase of this campaign where more lots in other areas will be cleared. Also as part of this community outreach program a book fair will be held on Saturday at the NARCIE parking lot.

A Marine Mural
Public murals are more than just a pretty picture, they serve to educate passers-by and offer public inspiration. That's what OCEANA and the Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage hope to do with a new one on the Belize City seawall in front of the Chateau Caribbean. IT was unveiled this afternoon, and we got a look. The principal artwork was done by Raphael Rodriguez.

CDC and Ministry of Health Ready For Rain
The rainy season is upon us, and it poses its own special public health and safety issues. Today at the Biltmore Plaza they were assisted by members of the Centers for Disease and Control in analyzing the Ministry's already existing plan of action. We found out more. James A. Banaski - Global Response Preparedness Team CDS: "This week we are working with the regional district folks within the ministry of health within the hospitals helping them review their preparedness in response plans for natural disasters specifically hurricanes as well as infectious diseases like Zika and Dengue." Emanuel Pech: "What is some of the main topics that are being discuss at the table today?" James A. Banaski - Global Response Preparedness Team CDS: "Some of the main topics being discuss today are cooperation between national emergency management organization as well as the Ministry of Health between the different hospitals as well as the district and city level emergency offices, looking at resource sharing, looking at how they support each other during the response."

Can They Contain ZIKA?
And the rains coming down translates into multiplying mosquito populations. Now the Ministry of Health doesn't have a specific ZIKA response plan but what they do have is a vector control plan of action. The Principal Public Health Inspector believes that they can use it to contain the Zika virus before it becomes an epidemic. John Bodden told us more. John Bodden, Health Disaster Focal Point: "Belize can boast of having a very good program from the 1970's. We started with a vector control program which targeted malaria specifically and then eventually it rolled out. It has been operational and it has been functioning since then. I think that has been one of the benefits for the country in terms of reducing the number of cases because it's not just today we're starting to look at implementing strategies to control the vector. It has been an ongoing work and so we find ourselves in a better position than many other countries who are just introducing a vector control program."

Primary School Footballers, Playing Like Pro's
Primary school footballers got to play like the pro's today, on artificial turf at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. It's the National Primary School Championship Competition featuring the top two teams from each district, one male and one female. According to the acting president of FBB Marlon Kuylen, competitions like these are necessary to hone the skills of our future football stars. The CEO for Sustainable Development also made mention of the importance of promoting gender equality within the sports realm. Here are a few of their comments at a brief opening ceremony before the start of the competition. At the conclusion of today's games only four teams will move on to the semifinals. Those games will be played tomorrow.

Channel 5

Will Belize and Guatemala Discuss Sarstoon Protocols at OAS General Assembly?
The O.A.S. General Assembly is slated for next week. The annual session is the highest level of political engagement in the hemisphere between foreign ministers. It was stated at the [...]

Lisa Shoman Disagrees with Elrington's Opinion on Internationalizing Border Dispute
The very strong remarks made by former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega have gotten very positive attention locally. Vega castigated Guatemala for what he called a troubling shift in foreign [...]

Shoman Disagrees with Foreign Minister on Sarstoon Annexation
Foreign Minister Elrington also, during his extended interview, explained that allegations that Guatemala is annexing the Sarstoon are unfounded and impossible. Shoman says she respectfully disagrees.   Lisa Shoman, Member [...]

So What is Guatemala's Position on Claiming all of Belize?
And then there was that unexpected assertion from Foreign Minister Elrington on Tuesday. He claimed that based on Guatemalan's repudiation of the 1859 Treaty, that country is now claiming the [...]

Mounting Outcry Over Appointment of New Regional Health Manager
On Wednesday night, News Five broke the story of Audibaldo Monima, Belize's brand new Regional Health Manager for the north, including major health facilities in Orange Walk and Corozal. Almost [...]

3-way Collision on George Price Highway
There was a three vehicle pileup on the George Price Highway between mile thirty-four and thirty-five this afternoon. A white Isuzu D-max, the property of Belize Telemedia Limited, was extensively [...]

G.O.B. Loses to Belize Bank in UHS Arbritration, $36 Million Awarded
In the most recent chain of losses for the Government of Belize, a federal judge in the District of Columbia confirmed on Wednesday the enforcement of the arbitration award against [...]

Crooked Tree Fishermen Halted on Haul Day!
Haul Day is a big event in the Crooked Tree, Belize District. It allows fisher folks to catch fish in the lagoon within the wildlife sanctuary for their own consumption [...]

B.P.P. Says No to ICJ, Yes to UN Security Council
Amid the ongoing territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala, the Belize Progressive Party has been unwavering in its position that a resolution at the International Court of Justice is not [...]

Is There an Amendment to the Referendum Act in the Offing?
Of concern to the B.P.P. is recent talk that the Referendum Act will be amended.� This, according to Bobby Lopez, has raised the ire of the party and, if necessary, [...]

B.P.P. No Longer to Disclose Source of Campaign Finances
The issue of campaign financing is one that the B.P.P. has been wanting to address since entering the political fray.� While neither of the established mass parties are willing to [...]

Lisa Shoman Comments on Sarstoon Situation
The Sarstoon has been a fixture in the newscast for months, but what's the latest on the river? Can we go there without being stopped, or not? The P.U.P. did [...]

No Sleeping at the Wheel on ICJ Resolution
And finally, there's the International Court of Justice. There's no certainty that the dispute will end up in that forum and if it does, that is years in the future. [...]

Belize Offers Condolences on Loss of Boxing Legend
This Friday, flags will be flying at half mast on official buildings to pay tribute to the legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali, who passed away on June third. The government announced [...]

U.S. Deportee Fined for not Checking in with GSU
A deportee, who was sent back to Belize from the U.S., will have to pay a fine for not reporting to the GSU as required. Twenty-five year old Keith Flowers [...]

Nikolai James to Stand Trial for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with Minor
Today, a preliminary inquiry determined that a Belize City security guard will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse of a girl [...]

OCEANA Unveils Belize City Mural
World Ocean's Day was celebrated on Wednesday.� OCEANA headed the activities to promote awareness of a healthy environment. Today, a mural of Belize's natural wonders was unveiled in a prominent [...]

Healthy Living Looks At A Condition Affecting Men
It's not the kind of diagnosis that men, who are the least frequent to visit the doctor, would go pursuing. In fact, the symptoms are so common place that most [...]

CTV3

Appointment Of New Northern Regional Health Manager Raising Questions
Thirty year old Audibaldo Monima Junior, former coastguard officer is now the new Regional Health Manager for the northern region. As we told you last night Monima's appointment is already raising eyebrows and a whole lot of questions and that's because he apparently is not qualified for the post since he has no background or experience in the health sector. While the terms of reference for the position calls for a master's degree in public health administration; health systems management or equivalent and a minimum work experience of five years in public health administration, finance and human resource management, Monima only holds an associate's degree in business administration from the Corozal Junior College and a certificate from the Mexican Navy. So why was he awarded the top post? Well, for one we understand that his contract was approved by Minister of Health Pablo Marin one month ago. Two�.and this is according to the CEO in the Ministry of Health Dr. Ramon Figueroa, Monima has a masters in Naval Command and he is on contract and trail basis. The contract will allow for evaluation of performance over the next six months.

Elrington Weighs In The Case Of Mennonite Report
Two weeks ago Mennonite Businessman Roger Plett shared the story of being abducted in the Green Hills Area of Spanish Lookout and taken across the border, allegedly by the Guatemalan military. Plett also added that he was tied up and his tractor destroyed in the process of providing service to an NGO on the Guatemalan side of the border to contain a forest fire. Police's investigation on the case concluded and they found that Plett's story was, in fact, accurate. However, GOB did not protest the actions of the Guatemalans and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Wilfred Elrington, who was not in the country when the incident occurred, says the entire incident was all just an act of neighborly disposition. Honorable Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs:"They were fighting fire, the fire got away and the fire was moving from Belize into Guatemalan territory and the Mennonites had equipment to help to stop the fire and was invited by a Guatemalan NGO to assist to lend them the equipment to assist and they resisted and the Guatemalan NGO decide to take self-help and take it from them and decided to use it to clear off the area to make sure the fire would not go any further into Guatemala..."

Guatemalan Children To Keep Studying In Belize
There are a number of Guatemalan students who travel into Belize on a weekly basis with the sole purpose of attending school in Benque Viejo Del Carmen in the Cayo District located just across the border which separates Belize and Melchor de Mencos. And while there is an on-going territorial dispute between both Countries which has resulted in a number of hostile confrontations mainly over the Sarstoon River, there is presently heightened scrutiny on all activities that occur between the two countries, which brings GOB's decision to freely allow these students to enter Belize, into question. During an interview with the media on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber was asked about the reason behind this decision and this is what he had to say about it.

PlusTV

17 year old escaped gun shots
A 24-year-old Belize City resident, Alston Smith, has been arrested and charged by police for the offense of 'aggravated assault'. This is after he allegedly he fired shots at a 17-year-old male minor who told police that on Tuesday evening at around 4:45 p.m., he was in front of his house when Smit...

Fraudulent Investment Schemes suspected in Belize
Plus news has received several reports of a potential pyramid scheme occurring in the country of Belize; beginning somewhere in the north and making its way to the cayes and other parts of the country. According to the reports we have heard, the scheme targets women who are approached to make an "in...

Road safety: why some drivers still don't get it
The 4th annual symposium on disaster management sponsored by the Central Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) in Belize City has been a staple associated with the start of the hurricane season. Previous events each dealt with a different aspect of hurricane preparedness: overall emergency manage...

World Bank predicts small growth for Belize economy
"The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is expected to suffer a second consecutive year of recession in 2016, the first double-year contraction in more than 30 years." That is a direct quote from the World Bank's latest Economic Prospects Report. The report says "Poor weather conditions in Bel...

Businessman did not pay duty for vehicle
Jian Huan "Allan" Jiang was found responsible for not paying Customs duties on an alleged contraband white Mitsubishi Montero vehicle sold to him. Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser thus imposed a fine of $149,085.00, more than three times the 30 thousand dollar value he says he paid for the vehicle. T...

Uncle and Nephew are nabbed by Fisheries Department in possession of hicatee
Yesterday we told you about the hicatee bust made by fisheries department. As we told you, according to Belizean law, no individual should have more than three hicatees per person and no vehicle should be carrying more than five hicatees at a time. There are also limits on the size of female hicatee...

Fishermen nabbed for closed season lobster
Lobster season is closed from February 15 to June 14 of any given year and while the opening of the season is only six days away, two fishermen and a watchman who worked with them apparently could not wait and were caught with 142 of the crustaceans. The Fisheries Department picked up 54 year old Fi...


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The Guardian

Hon Patrick Faber is new Deputy Prime Minister
On Tuesday June 7, Hon. Patrick Faber made his way to the Belize House in Belmopan where he was anxiously awaited by a throng of supporters and family members for him to be sworn in as the United Democratic Party's next Deputy Prime Minister. Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Faber was elected as Deputy Party Leader at a Special National Convention of the UDP on Sunday May 29. As a result of this election he was the natural successor to Hon. Gaspar Vega who had resigned from the position of Deputy Party Leader in March. Being the Deputy Party Leader it was only natural that he be sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Ready Call must pay $140,000 for workers' Social Security
Ready Call Centre failed to pay Social Security contributions for its 500 plus workers in the months of February, March and April of this year; therefore, Chief Executive Officer Nubia Ramirez Moreno was dragged before the Belize City Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 7. On Tuesday, May 31, Inspector Lawrence Lopez made a report against Ready Call Center which showed that they were in arrears of over $100,000 in Social Security contribution payments. As a result, the CEO, Nubia Ramirez Moreno, was contacted and subsequently summons to appear in court. Moreno was unrepresented when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer. She was read a single charge of failure to pay Social Security contributions on and before the 15 of each month in respect of their employees for the months of February, March and April 2016. Moreno wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Gapi tells off Jimmy
In his very last act as Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega used his high office to further the country's diplomatic agenda to raise awareness on the recent difficulties that Belize has been having with Guatemala over the territorial dispute. To raise the stakes even higher, Guatemala's President, Jimmy Morales, who has accused the Belize Defence Force, was present. That was still not a deterrent to DPM Vega, who minced no words and delivered Belize's message with the same confidence he would if he were speaking to his PUP opponents at a House Meeting. The stage for this word sparring match between Vega and Morales was the 7th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States. This event took place from June 2 to June 4 in Havana, Cuba, where majority of the 25 Member Countries made representation, Each delegate was given an opportunity to address their fellow colleagues. When it was Belize's turn, Gaspar Vega took the rostrum and used a portion of his 8 minute speech to talk about the concerning attempts that Guatemala has been making to enforce their claimed ownership over the Sarstoon.

UDP dominates village councils
Over the next 6 weeks 190 villages will be going to the polls to cast their ballots to select representatives in their villages. Each council is comprised of a chairman and 6 councillors. The first round of elections got underway on Sunday June 5 and the United Democratic Party is dominating these elections. in the first week 43 villages selected their council of those the UDP won the posts of chairman for 26 councils, 14 were for the PUP and 3 are independent chairpersons. While that is the count for chairmen, the UDP has a majority control of 28 villages that is it either holds the chairman and 3 or more councilors or 4 or more councilors without the chairman. In this first round of elections it is notable that the UDP, for the first time won the entire slate in Gales Point Manatee under the leadership of Hon. Beverly Castillo, the UDP representative for the Belize Rural Central Constituency. Also of note is that the UDP slate defeated the PUP in the village of Independence which had a slate comprising of the well to do PUP Zabaneh family.

CEMO focuses on road safety in disaster preparations
The City Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) has assembled representatives from various emergency response agencies for a two day symposium on road safety strategies in municipalities. CEMO now holds the symposium annually at the beginning of the hurricane season as part of its comprehensive disaster management preparation exercise. This year the theme for the event is "Analyzing Road Traffic Accidents and Safety Strategies in Municipalities". The event is being hosted at the Biltmore Plaza on Wednesday and Thursday, June 7-8. Participating in the event are representatives of municipal governments across the country, first responders, shelter caretakers, members of the business community that provide services relating to road traffic such as Caribbean Tires, and law enforcement personnel.

Belize Ready to Host CODICADER 2016
On Friday the 3rd June a delegation representing four Central American countries being Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador arrived in Belize via the Philip Goldson International Airport. The delegation was made up of heads of mission of the aforementioned countries. Costa Rica was represented by Robert Solano and Alfonso Obando; Nicaragua by Gustavo Arguello Roa and Javier Jiron; El Salvador by Roxana Calderon and Ernesto Hernandez and Panama by Hermes Ortega and Ricardo Torres. These heads of mission were in Belize to meet with members of the CODICADER technical commission and to assess Belize's readiness to host the much anticipated CODICADER games. Upon arrival at the airport they were greeted by the minister responsible for sports, the Honorable Elodio Aragon Jr., C.E.O. Adele Catzim and the Belize delegation consisting of Julio Llinas - Technical Commission Rep, Director of Sports - Ritchell Dominguez and Belize's Head of Mission - Deon Sutherland. A press conference was held after which the delegation departed for Orange Walk Town after a brief visit to the Altun Ha Mayan Site. In Orange Walk Town the group visited the Orange Walk Sporting Complex where volleyball will be played.

Condolences to the McNab Family
The staff of the Guardian Newspaper, Wave Radio and United Democratic Party Secretariat wish to extend condolences to the family and friends of the lovely Rosalee Gomez McNab who passed away on Tuesday, June 7, after a long and brave battle with cancer. Miss Rosalee was diagnosed with stage four uterus cancer five years ago. She had just thrown a party for children from across Belize City in 2011 when she returned home to Los Angeles and had to visit the doctor to have fluids drained from her back. She then had to make a second visit three days later to have fluids drained from her back again. Three pints of fluids was drained from her back in that three day span and further tests showed she had cancer and the tumor was pressing against her lungs. There were no previous signs of illness before she was diagnosed with stage four uterus cancer.

Two Cristo Rey Villages now have a Village Council
Cristo Rey Village in the Cayo District now has its own Village Council Team. The office of the Hon. Rene Montero in Cayo Central has announced that the Cristo Rey Village Council Team is now lead by an able Elmer Juarez. "Looking forward to continue working with the wonderful residents of Cristo Rey. Delivering Cristo Rey, once again for the great United Democratic Party," states the Post from the Hon. Rene Montero in Cayo Central. The village saw it fit for the endorsement of the UDP Village council slate as residents are at this point able to have better access in and out of their village with the upgrade of their road. Cristo Ray Village in the Corozal District also elected a UDP team to represent them in the Village.

Evan X Hyde vs Albert Einstein
In his piece: "From the Publisher"on page 13 of the Amandala, issue No.2992; dated Sunday, June 5, 2016; Evan X Hyde wrote:"�nowadays, what I do is write columns and editorials..." Ya-Ya and Marisol have been on KREM TV/Radio with verbalizations such as "X said�", "X suggested�", "X showed�" All the above confirmed what I have been suspecting: X is the hidden hand encouraging word dullard Mose, instigating Wil's provocations and prompting the warmongering drumbeat. X really cannot seriously hope to put dodo bird Cordel on the throne, so he probably covets a PUP win to facilitate Kremandala paying GST, staff wages and their other huge outstanding bills. The national issue 'Guatemalan Claim' has no place in such financial scheming:dangerous, disingenuous, disgraceful, utterly shameful, unforgivable, inexcusable and unpatriotic! Remember every seven year old knows that "PUP da big thief."Cordel and baby vouchers! X and Mose are fighting for their supper; but KREMANDALA must never play with the lives of Belizeans - war is no joke! I will fight more aggressively than Mose, X and Sandra�but I do not need them to egg me on!

Guardian Group driving down price of insurance
"We are going to drive down the cost of insurance in Belize. I can guarantee you that," said Abel Simpson of Simpson's Insurance limited at the launching of a partnership with regional giant Guardian General Insurance Limited. Drivers are always complaining about the high price on vehicle insurance policies. Home owners do not complain as much because home insurance is not mandatory so they simply don't get any. Therefore, after natural or man made disasters, people who lose their home are often left with nothing to fall back on. How many times on the local news do stories on fire end with "the home and its contents were not insured"? People do not live in uninsured homes because they don't see the need for insurance. They live in uninsured homes because they cannot afford to do otherwise. Well, Abel Simpson is pledging to make insurance affordable - at least more affordable than it is today. On Wednesday, June 08, the Guardian Group formerly launched its new brand and strategic partnership with Simpson's Insurance Agency Limited at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel. At the launch, Simpson explained that they will be able to bring down insurance cost due to the size of Guardian's client base. Guardian Insurance has been in Belize for a couple decades but just like branches in other regions it operated as an individual entity with its own client base.

Gwen Lizarraga High School to undergo renovation & extension
Commencement of work for the rehabilitation of computer labs and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs of Gwen Lizarraga High School, Belize City, will be held today at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 8, 2016. The Government of Belize in recognition of the critical role of education for social, economic, cultural, environmental and political development; is funding the rehabilitation of computer labs and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs of Gwen Lizarraga High School (GLHS) at an estimated cost of $698,226.58 courtesy of a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank. The completion of the school project means that approximately 551 students who attend day classes; and 380 who attend evening classes at GLHS will now have access to a better learning environment in a new spacious and modern setting; thus enabling the country's future leaders to further boost their vocational and entrepreneurial skills training in Information Technology, carpentry and metalwork. This project will also empower students with knowledge, skills and values.

Hugo Patt continues to deliver for his people
Village council elections are now in full swing and the UDP continues to dominate these elections. But elections are won because of hard work and such is the case in Corozal North where the UDP won three of the elections which were held. Hon. Hugo Patt delivered Yo Chen by way of an endorsement for the UDP slate. In San Pedro only the chairman was contested and in that the UDP chairman defeated the PUP candidate by a margin of 3 to 1. In Cristo Rey where the entire slate was contested, the UDP also put a trouncing on the PUP. Looking at the results so far in that constituency, it is showing that the people are satisfied with the work of the UDP and our representative there, Hon. Hugo Patt. And why would they not be? Visiting the area it can clearly be seen that significant investment is taking place. In Cristo Rey a health center is under construction which will serve the people of both San Pedro and Cristo Rey. That project is being implemented through the Social Investment Fund. Meanwhile in San Pedro a pre-school is also under construction. This comes by way of the European Union's Accompanying Measures for Sugar.

Belizeans walk for peace In Melchor
Belizeans and Guatemalans live along the border towns of Benque Viejo Del Carmen and Melchor De Mencos in a very cordial and an almost symbiotic relationship. Many of the residents on both sides are related and an even greater amount are friends. Ironically, the residents closest to the "rival country" are the ones furthest away from the dispute. Benquenos travel to Melchor routinely for shopping, leisure activities and entertainment. Melchor residents cross the border daily to go to school and visit friends and family. They are not separated by an invisible border line; instead, they are united by culture and live in codependent societies.

21st Meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean continues to be held in Belize
The 21st Meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) continued to be held on Wednesday, and will continue until Friday at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel in San Ignacio, Cayo. The event began on Monday of this week under the theme: "A changing climate! A changing world! Responsible pest and pesticide management - our responsibility." Funding for these meetings are provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) project being implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). As part of the schedule, Gisel Correa, Project Manager of the Belize Chemicals and Waste Management Project BCWMP gave an overview of that project. In 2015, the Department of the Environment DOE started the BCWMP as a National project that is being implemented as a partnership initiative between the GEF/UNDP and the Government of Belize.

PUP loses again!
Although it may sound like a rhetorical statement , it is one the we must repeat at every opportunity we get to remind the People's United Party, that apart from those little enclaves of PUP diehards, the people of Belize don't want them. The last time the PUP won an election of any sort was on 5th March 2003. They won then, but even in that win the UDP had more than doubled the amount of seats it had before the election and had polled some 13,000 more voters than it had polled in the previous election in 1998 .While the PUP on the other hand improved by polling only 2,000 more than it did in the previous election in 1998. However it's percentage dropped from 59.67% to 52.16 for a drop of 7.51 percentage points. So from back then one could have seen that the UDP was getting stronger and was gaining the trust of the Belizean Electorate. PUP has not won as much as a marble contest since 2003. For clarity let's take a look at the elections they have lost during their losing streak .They lost the then Cayo South By-election in 2003, then General Elections in 2008, 2012 and 2015. During that time they also lost the By- election for Cayo North East in 2015 and the By-election for Dangriga \Sarawee \Hope Creek in 2015. Let's not forget that they lost the Municipal Elections in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015. They also lost at the Village Council level in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.

PUP's visits the Sarstoon: nothing to see!
The Opposition Party finally made itself useful for once in a long time, and they went to the Sarstoon River, the southern-most boundary between Belize and Guatemala that has been excessively discussed, much to the over-fatigue of the general public. Their trip took place on Friday, June 3, and rather than try to turn it into a media circus, which is a favorite tactic of theirs, they went mostly without any attention from the press except, Channel 7 News and Krem News, who found out about the trip very late and invited themselves. Those on the trip included the Party's senior leaders, including Opposition Leader John Brice�o, and Senator Eamon Courtenay, the PUP representative which makes up a part of Belize's delegation on all things related to the Belize/Guatemala bilateral relationship. They were allowed to dock at the Belize Security Forces Joint Forward Operating Base at the mouth of the Sarstoon, where they took a tour and spoke with the soldiers stationed at the base. After familiarizing themselves with the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base, they took a tour of Sarstoon Island.

San Antonio Village in Cayo to have Health Centre
Some 2000 residents of San Antonio Village in Cayo, will soon have easier access to health services. Ground-breaking ceremonies to officially commence the construction of the new San Antonio Health Centre were held at the Community Centre in San Antonio village, Cayo District on Friday evening of last week. Present for the occasion on Friday was the Hon. Rene Montero, Representative of the Cayo Central Division as well as the Hon. Pablo Marin, Minister of Health. Both Government Ministers spent time to interact with the villagers, the final beneficiaries of the health centre. Also present was William Lamb Jr, the Executive Director of the Belize Social Investment Fund. The Government of Belize, steadfast in its continued commitment to address the basic needs of Belizeans, in the areas of water, sanitation, education and health, is funding the San Antonio Health Centre project at an estimated cost of $623,912.30 through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.

Strategic moves for San Ignacio Police
Security within the jurisdiction of the San Ignacio Police Formation is now being taken with a strategic mindset and is evidence based. Now over four months at the helm, , Officer in Charge of the San Ignacio Police Formation has been working to improve a system of collaboration among stakeholders by continuously involving them in the strategic planning and policing of their community. Over the past few months, Anthony Richard Rosado has been meeting with members of the People's Coalition of Cayo PCC as well as the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association CNWA in that quest towards a community approach to policing. As a son of San Ignacio, Anthony Rosado has also been involved with several meet and greet sessions with members of the community to gauge the security needs and to build relations with community members. "I intend to engage the community and promote and institutionalize community policing and expanding all community outreach programs presently in place by the Commissioner of Police," states Rosado, who is now a Doctoral Candidate at Edinburgh University pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Management.

Hon. Gaspar Vega's address at the 7th Association of Caribbean States Summit in Havana, Cuba
A warm and resounding thank you President Ra�l Castro Ruiz... It would be remiss of me not to note the tremendous warmth and good will that has been extended by you personally, your Government and the Cuban people on the occasion of this 7th ACS Summit. Secretary General Ambassador Alfonso M�nera, Distinguished Heads of State, Ministers, Delegates, All. I believe gratitude is also in order for the outgoing Chairman - not only was the business of our organization conducted with finesse, but with a horizon of a better positioned ACS for the future. Belize of course applauds the election of Ambassador June Soomer to the position of Secretary General, and as was mentioned by Foreign Minister Elrington when he introduced her yesterday, we have no doubts that she will continue the tradition of excellence set by our present Secretary General M�nera. We believe that Dr. Sooner's invaluable experience in Caricom, will allow us, within the ACS, to capitalize on regional strengths, whilst working within the framework of a rejuvenated and repositioned association.

Rising Punta Star killed during robbery in Dangriga
John Jay Rodriguez, the 35 year-old well-known musician from Dangriga Town, was gunned down and killed by a group of armed thieves in a robbery gone bad. The incident happened on Friday, June 3, at around 11 p.m., at Havana Club and Entertainment Center, located on Havana Street in Dangriga. Police initial investigation is that Rodriguez was gambling at one of the shop's machines, along with 3 other customers. That's when 3 robbers, one of whom was armed with a handgun, entered the establishment. The armed assailant immediately demanded that the on duty cashier open the door behind the counter, his intention was clear that they were trying to rob the place. He attempted to kick open the door, but he was unable to. For reasons still unknown, that gunman then turned his gun on the 4 patrons and fired a single shot. The bullet grazed 38 year-old Stanley Venai, one of those men, and continued along its path, hitting Rodriguez in the left side of the face. That injury was fatal, and he collapsed right where he was standing in the store.

BDF camp coordinator indicted for sex with camper, 14
BDF Private and 2015 Camp Coordinator, Kenneth Gary Swazo, 30, has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court of Belize for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old camper in August of last year. This ruling was handed down by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith after a preliminary inquiry concluded on Thursday, June 2. Swaso was unrepresented at the PI and the prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo, submitted as many as ten statements and six documentary evidence which the crown is relying on to prove the charge against him. Private Swazo told the court that he has documents and witnesses that can prove he was not even at the camp where it is alleged that he first met the minor. He says he will be calling four witnesses to prove his point. According to reports, Swazo met the girl at the 2015 BDF Summer Camp and kept in touch after the camp was over. According to reliable sources and police report, on August 20, 2015, Swazo took the girl to a hotel located on the Phillip Goldson Highway, formerly known as Gulf Hotel, where they had sexual intercourse.

Salvadoran accused of sexually assaulting an infant
Salvadoran national, Julio Alexander Devas, 42, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was charged with one count of sexual assault upon a minor who is only 7 years and 4 months old. Allegations are that on May 18, 2016, Devas intentionally and unlawfully penetrated the mouth of the minor against her will and the penetration was sexual in nature. Devas appeared in court before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith on Monday, June 6, where he was provided with a court interpreter since he claims he spoke little English. After the single charge was read to him, Devas pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo, objected to bail on the grounds of the prevalence of the offense and the high possibility that if granted bail Devas will interfere with the victim who is of a very tender age.

Fishermen caught with lobsters out of season
The Fisheries Department caught 3 men at a camp in possession of 142 lobsters in the closed season. The lobster season is from February 15 to June 14 of any given year and while the opening of the season is only six days away anyone fishing for the crustacean before the season opens is guilty of an offence. The three men, identified as 54 year old fisherman, Jose Agustin Garrido, of Consejo Village, Corozal District, along with 53 year old Armando Ramirez, a fisherman of Chula Vista, Corozal District and 50 year old Watchman for Port of Stuck Camp, Jose Rodriguez, were all charged jointly with possession of 142 undersized lobsters. They trio appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where they were all read the charge jointly. Ramirez and Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to the charge, while Jose Agustin Garrido wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the charge. He was fined $200 for the offense, which carries a maximum penalty of $500 and was additionally slapped with a fine of $20 for each lobster he was found with. That amounted to $2,840 plus the $200 fine and $5 cost of court.

Another taxi man murdered in Belmopan
A taxi man has fallen prey to the criminal element in Belmopan. Police in the Nation's Capital visited the West Belmopan Area in Belmopan City, Cayo District on Wednesday afternoon of last week where on arrival they observed the motionless body of a Creole descent male person partially nude and wearing a grey in color underwear lying face up in a pool of dry blood. The man was found on the steps of a cream in color mobile home located in an isolated area of Belmopan. The body was in an initial state of decomposition and had one apparent gunshot wound to the abdomen, behind the left side of the back and to the left side of the head. The body was later identified to be that of Lionel Theodore Gillett "Grey," a 45 year old Belizean Taxi Driver of West Belmopan.

Uncle and nephew caught with Hicatees
A former special constable who was also the former driver of a Supreme Court judge was caught in Lord's Bank in possession of hicatees while authorities found his nephew at his Biscayne house in possession of 12 more female hicatees. The two were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate's Court and charged with separate fisheries offenses. 56 year old Goldburn Seguro, a resident of #7B Freetown Road was arraigned before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza where he was read one count of possession of a female hicatee greater than 17.2 inches as well as one count of possession of a female hicatee less than 15.2 inches. On June 7, 2016 at the junction of Lord's Bank, Seguro was found in possession of one female hicatee measuring 17.2 inches in length or 43 centimeters. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and since there was no objection to bail by the Fisheries Prosecutor, Callman Hall, he was offered bail in the sum of $1,500 plus one surety of the same amount.

Man in Belmopan escapes fatal injury
A man escaped fatal injury at his home in Belmopan on Thursday morning of last week. Russell Arnold, a Belizean vendor of Colombia Street reported that whilst inside his house along with his wife and four children, he heard several shots. On hearing the shots the 39 year old noted that the projectiles were hitting his house, so he stooped down and whilst in that position, felt something warm coming from his forehead. He then discovered that his head was bleeding. He did not see who fired the shots and does not know why his house may have been targeted. Belmopan Police have visited the residence of Russel Arnold and investigations continue.

Ervin Reneau convicted of double murder
Ervin Alexander Reneau, 45, will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was convicted of two counts of murder for killing David Allan Longsworth, 39, son of well known businessman Pastor Howell Longsworth, and security guard Edgar Ayala on November 30, 2010. According to reports, Reneau went to the Texaco Gas Station where he held Ayala at gunpoint and shot him. He then went over to Longsworth's vehicle, where he was with his wife and two children, and executed him before leaving the scene. It is believed that Reneau shot Longsworth because he saw him shoot and kill the security guard. Reneau's trial concluded on Monday, June 6, 2016, in the court room of Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas. Before handing down his judgement, Justice Lucas said, "I am sure he shot and killed Longsworth and Ayala on November 30, 2010."

Verdict for Accused Murderer of Samuel Price
Justice Adolph Lucas has reserved judgment in the Shane Gillett, 30, murder trial for June 15. Gillett is accused of killing 84-year-old Samuel Price, brother of Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price in April of 2011. On Saturday, April 16, 2011, Price's grand nephew, who usually goes to his home located at Mile 5 � on the Northern Highway stumbled upon his lifeless body inside the bathroom. Police investigators said that the senior citizen is believed to have been bludgeon to death. He was found slouched in one of the bathrooms over a tub with apparent signs of violence to the head. Price had fractures to the skull and swelling to the brain. His eye socket was shattered and his kidney was damaged from a hit to the body. At the time of his death, Price lived alone at a secluded area called Tarpon Cove located at Mile 5 � on the Northern highway. Police said that his home had been targeted in the past by robbers and they believe this was a case of burglary turned murder.

Police officer beats murder charge
Sergeant. Julio Shal, 43, is a free man after he was cleared of charges of murder and manslaughter in the death of escaped prisoner, Tyson Rodriguez. Shal was found not guilty of murder before Justice Denis S. Hanomansingh in a trial by judge. On Thursday, June 2, Justice Hanomansingh ruled that there is not sufficient evidence for a court of law to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Sergeant Shal committed any unlawful act or used any unlawful force to cause Tyson Rodriguez's death. Shal, an officer attached to the Placencia Police Station, was charged with murder for the death of Tyson Rodriguez, the main suspect in the home invasion of an elderly Canadian couple, which happened in November of 2013 on the Placencia peninsula. Rodriguez was caught some 15 hours before his death all the way in the Corozal district. He was allegedly one of two men Corozal police spotted in a vehicle stolen from the Canadian couple. Police believed that he was either involved in or had information on the culprits who allegedly terrorized the Canadian retirees at their house in the Plantation area of the peninsula.

Special Branch finds weapon in San Ignacio
Both a weapon and ammunition were found in San Ignacio Town last week. The Special Branch Tactical Response Squad conducted a search in an overgrown lot in the Shawville Area, Cayo District on Thursday of last week. The proactive search netted a black in color Jericho 941F brand 9mm pistol with 1 metal magazine containing 3 bronze in color Luger brand 9mm rounds of ammunition. No one was found in the area so it was labeled and deposited as found property. The People's Coalition of Cayo PCC and the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association CNWA have in the past expressed concern with abandoned lots and the resultant overgrown bushes. Criminals can use these lots to hide illicit material as well as hide from the Police. Through the efforts of members from the Belize Defense Force, these lots with high bushes were cleared last year in the Trapiche Area in Santa Elena, which led to a lowering of crime in the area.

Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy dominates Cayo Softball Competition
The Cayo Softball Association 2016 Raymond Garbutt Senior Female Competition continued on Sunday 5th June, out at the Joan Garbutt Softball Stadium in Esperanza Village with three games on the schedule. In the first game played, Unitedville Rebels defeated the Belmopan Capital City Emeralds by the score of 26-3. The winning pitcher was Nikita Perez and the losing pitcher was Leonellie Aldana. In game two, the Belmopan Bandits defeated Camalote by the score of 7-3. The winning pitcher was Laniesha Jones and the losing pitcher was Shandi Orellano. And in the final game of the day, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy won over the Espernza Wolverines by the score of 6-0. The winning pitcher was Lesandra Guy and the losing pitcher was Olivia Miralda.

Return Of Olympic Baseball, Softball At Tokyo 2020 Games Supported By Ioc Executive Board
Baseball, softball among new, youth-based sports package advancing to a final vote at IOC Session in August LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today welcomed the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board to support the inclusion of baseball and softball among a new sports package for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. A final vote on the composition of the sports programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be taken at the IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro in August, and, if approved, it would constitute "the most comprehensive evolution of the Olympic programme in modern history," the IOC stated. "It is an honour for our global sport -- and a great day for our millions of male and female athletes, and fans around the world -- to be represented within this new and innovative youth-focused Olympic sports package," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "On behalf of our sport, we thank IOC President Thomas Bach for his Agenda 2020 vision -- which has sparked this Olympic evolution -- and the entire IOC Executive Board for today's recommendation.

Belize District Interoffice Basketball Competition opens
The Belize District Basketball Association 2016 Interoffice competition opened on Friday 3 June, with two games on the schedule. In the first game played, Heritage Bank defeated Bowen 7 Bowen Ltd by the score of 69-59. The top scorers for Heritage Bank were Kurt Burgess with 15 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals and Felix Martinez with 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. For the Bowen 7 Bowen Team, the top scorers were, Kadeem Olivera with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. In the second game of the night, the Belize Bank Bulldogs defeated INFOTEL by the score of 75-72. The top scorers for the Belize Bank Bulldogs were Rupert Brown with 17 points, 6 rebounds and an assist; Brian White who also scored 17 points, and grabbed 14 rebounds and an assist and Roscoe Rhys with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Meanwhile, the top scorers for INFOTEL were Earl Johnson with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists and Elvis Olivera with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a steal.

Belize Elementary School girls and St. John Vianney School boys won the Belize City Primary Schools Football competition
The 2015-2016 Belize City Primary Schools Football Competition came to an end on Thursday 2nd June with the championship games played at the MCC Grounds. In the first place game in the girls' competition, Belize Elementary School defeated St. John Vianney School by the score of 1-0. The goal for Belize Elementary School was scored by Michaelen Hyde. In the third place game played in the girls' competition, St. Martin De Porres School defeated St. John's Primary School by the score of 2-0. The goals for St. Martin De Porres School were scored by Reneisha Reneau and Shantel Flowers. In the boys' championship game, St. John Vianney School defeated Belize Elementary School by the score of 3-1. The goals for St. John Vianney School were scored by Juan Canek, Michael Palacio and Christian Caceres. For Belize Elementary School, the lone goal was scored by Jonah Chebat.

National Olympic Committee hosted Olympic Day Run
The Belize Olympic Committee hosted its annual Olympic Day Run on Sunday 5th June, 2016 in downtown Belize City. The Olympic Day Run is the highlight of the activities use to commemorate Olympic Day which is observed on June 23rd each year. This year's run attracted some 199 participants in five major categories, which included infants, juniors, open and masters in both female and male.

St. John Vianney girls and San Pedro Roman Catholic boys to represent the Belize District at the National Primary Schools Football Championships
The Belize District Primary Schools Football competition came to an end on Monday 6th June, 2016, with the finals played at the MCC Grounds. In the girls' championship game, St. John Vianney School representing Belize City defeated San Pedro Roman Catholic School in sudden death penalty kicks by the score of 3-2. The goals for St. John Vianney School were scored by Starlett Faber, Christie Jeffries and Shanese Woods. Meanwhile, the goals for San Pedro Roman Catholic School were scored by Jeinna Galves and Erica Pop. In the boys' championship game, San Pedro Roman Catholic School defeated Hattieville Government School by the score of 3-2 in regulation time. The goals for San Pedro Roman Catholic School were scored by Ian Pou. For Hattieville Government School, the goals were scored by Jermaine Garnett and Jaheed Baptist. St. John Vianney School girls and San Pedro Roman Catholic School boys will represent the Belize District at the National Primary Schools Football Championship scheduled for Thursday and Friday June 9th and 10th respectively in Belmopan.


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The Belize Times

Vanessa Champagne Paris Died of Natural Causes
A post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday has confirmed that transgender individual, known to most as "Vanessa Champagne Paris", but who was born Porfelio Rodriguez Jr., died of respiratory complications, officially labelled as 'bronchial aspiration.' The 21 year old passed away at around 10:00pm Friday while being treated at the Southern Regional Hospital. Family members, friends, observers and even gossip mongers were anxiously awaiting the results of the examination. The youth lived a troubled life in Independence with his father, constantly dealing with discrimination, verbal and physical attacks and depression. Following his death, reports immediately circulated that he had been poisoned, and shortly after that reports came out that he had committed suicide by ingesting some type of toxic fluid, reportedly gramaxone. Friends told the media that he had been depressed since the death of his mother two weeks before.

THE WONDERER!
You must be wondering what this is all about. Years ago we met a middle-aged surveyor by profession who had all the energy we wished we had now. He was always wondering and wandering around our nation of Belize. He was involved in everything, he knew about everything and always wondered what next, who next, etc. This column is in his honor, "The Wonderer". We will write about everything and everyone, organizations both local and international, politicians and civilians, environment, climate change, developers, ministries and ministers, Government departments: Department of the Environment, Public Health, Lands, Mine & Geology, Forestry and Fisheries Departments, Coastal Zone, Projects both public and private, "un poquito de todo"� etc. If you the priceless reader would like us to research a specific topic please make contact with us. If you have some valid information you would like to share please do so. Take a photo and forward to us, of something that is not correct or looks too correct or something that makes you wonder.

Northern Caucus – Ready to Battle!
There is new blood at the helm of the People's United Party's Northern Caucus and new ideas have begun to take the key regional unit forward. The Northern Caucus is made up of the four constituencies in the Corozal District, four in the Orange Walk District and the Belize Rural South division (San Pedro and Caye Caulker). Newly elected Chairperson, Thea Garcia, has a vision that once united and supportive of each other, all the constituencies can achieve success.

Law student Ronnell Gonzalez busted with contraband liquor
Two persons who were charged with being in possession of an assortment of contraband liquor appeared late this evening before Senior Magistrate Sharon. Ronnell Gonzalez, 28, and Jermaine McDonald, 32, were stopped at a checkpoint yesterday, Sunday, and were found to be in possession of over 50 bottles of top shelf liquors for which customs duty has not been paid. They were charged with knowingly being in possession of un-customs goods and carrying un-customs goods. The liquors, which included Absolute Vodka, Jack Daniels, Dewers White Label Whiskey among others, has a total value of $6,027.

Hulse takes on Gapi – Says Lands Ministry was a "like a bazaar" under former DPM
In October 2013 in a meeting with Belizean Americans living in the Los Angeles, California area, the very same man who said that there will be no whiff of corruption under his watch, conceded to the presence of untoward activities happening in his administration when he said, "I believe that the lands department unfortunately is another hotbed of corruption". We note the word 'another', since the Immigration and Nationality Department was embroiled in a major scandal already. With all this said, the inaction of the Prime Minister in tackling the issue of the hotbed of corruption he spoke of has been yet another commitment he has failed to deliver to the country.

OH, TRINIDAD!!!
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia There is a website that is called "Caribbeannewsnow," and it presents summaries and news stories from various countries of the wider Caribbean, not only from Caricom, but also from many other countries within the Caribbean basin. Since it was recently covered in Caribbean News Line on Channel 5 here at home, a particular story concerning the minimum age for marriage in Trinidad caught my eye. Its headline is "Trinidad and Tobago Reconsiders Existing Law After Push To Recognise Child Marriage As Abuse." I certainly agree with the initial assertion at the start of the news piece, that "Trinidad and Tobago is a society of contradictions". It tells us that only a year or so ago the legal age of consent to sexual activity was raised from 16 to 18, while an archaic law i.e. the Marriage Act of 1923, remains on the books, citing the legal age for marriage as 12 for girls and 14 for boys. It goes on: "Child marriage is sometimes practiced in the country's Muslim and Hindu communities, and certain religious leaders seem intent on holding onto it." It has been reported that Brother Harrypersad Maharaj, leader of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), said that the state should not amend the Marriage Act because "age did not determine maturity." Holy cow or holy manatee, would be my reaction!!

PUP Leaders Open Research and Educational Center in Bullet Tree Village
A special ceremony took place in Bullet Tree Village, Cayo District, on Sunday June 5th 2016. Community residents joined their local leaders and PUP Cayo North Standard Bearer Michel Chebat to unveil the Be-Pukte Research and Educational Center. Special guest at the event was PUP Leader Hon. John Briceno who lauded Mr. Chebat's efforts to serve his people. The PUP's elected candidate for Chairman of the Village, Tai Wu, and the Council candidates Elias Zabaneh, Rene Mai, Teresa Garcia, Juan Medina, Teresa Raimbault, and Apolonio Williams were also present and took part in the ceremony.

New vision for Xaibe Village
Meet Angeles Itzab. Proud resident of the northern community of Xaibe. She is the nineteen year old young woman who dares against all odds to contest the village council chairmanship of Xaibe Village. Angeles is a graduate of both the Corozal Community College and the Muffles Junior College where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Public Sector Management from the University of Belize on a full academic scholarship. When asked why she seeks the chairmanship of her village, Angeles notes that many issues plague her community. Of these the main issues are the lack of activities and opportunities for young people of her area. She hopes to engage the young people of her village through sporting activities so that these will uplift and reenergize the apathy and hopelessness youth in her village feel. She also hopes that they will see the importance of their contributions through community service on dilapidated and abandoned sporting facilities. She understands that young people need to feel that they are taken seriously and that their opinions matter.

The Gems of Graduation Season 2016 PT4 – Featuring: Belmopan Comprehensive School, New Hope High School, St. John's College, Wesley College, Toledo Community College, Ocean Academy, San Pedro High School, Muffles College and Delille Academy
We are nearing the end of the BELIZE TIMES' series of articles on the High School Graduation Season of 2016. But before we get to that inevitable end, there are much more schools to cover, as well as students to profile and celebrate. Belmopan Comprehensive School in the city of Belmopan has officially passed out its graduating class of 240 students, according to school officials we spoke to via phone on Tuesday, May 31st. 151 females and 89 males took the march this past Thursday evening, June 2nd, 2016 at a ceremony held at the University of Belize Gymnasium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Valedictorian was Ms. Livia Castillo, of Class 4th/Science-1, and the Salutatorian was Ms. Jacqueline Olivas, of Class 4th/Science-2.

THE WANNABE
Patrick Faber will be the next leader of the United Democratic Party. 'Over my dead body,' John Saldivar has said, along with seventeen elected area representatives of that unhappy political party. This saga was set in motion when Gapi "Cesspool" Vega was so unceremoniously pushed out of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Petroleum. In protest he resigned as Deputy Leader of the UDP while clinging on to the empty title of Deputy Prime Minister. He suffered the added indignity of having unelected Godwin Hulse publicly trying to take away his plush office and trying to force him to use a secretary's office. Hulse had looked like the first casualty of the John Saldivar back-lash. At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting which bordered on a mini mutiny, Minister after Minister wanted to know why Hulse was in charge of the Ministry of Lands as well as Immigration. Both Ministries are where the unstoppable force of widespread hustling and get- rich deals are in abundance. Hulse exited last week's Cabinet meeting, we are told, sensing the mutiny ahead, but Barrow did his best to quell the uprising, threatening to reshuffle Ministers if the cross-fire did not cease and settle.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

CEMO symposium tackles road safety
The 4th annual symposium on disaster management sponsored by the Central Emergency Management Organization (CEMO) in Belize City has been a staple associated with the start of the hurricane season. Previous events each dealt with a different aspect of hurricane preparedness: overall emergency management, flooding [�]

Weed found in Punta Gorda
Acting upon information received this afternoon at around 3:00, Punta Gorda (PG) Police officers searched an empty lot on Vernon Street, where hidden under some grass, they found a black plastic bag containing cannabis. Two officers were on patrol when they got the information [�]

Deportee charged with failure to report
Men and women deported from "abroad" after serving time for criminal offenses are made to honor the unusual requirement of signing in with law enforcement here as a way of keeping tabs on them. After being warned previously after missing a scheduled sign-in, a [�]

Mental health workers tackle children's traumas
For the next three days, mental health workers will be learning about tackling traumatic experiences in children. Life for the youngest of us is not as innocent as yesteryear, with frequent exposure, inadvertent or not, to trauma ranging from sexual and other abuse to [�]

Nikolai James committed to stand trial at the October Session of the Supreme Court for unlawful sexual intercourse of a minor
Belize City security guard Nikolai James, 28, will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16. James and attorney Oscar Selgado chose not to challenge any of the evidence presented [�]

24 year old Alston Leon Smith is on remand for gunplay on Mopan and Ebony Street!
A Belize City man who is accused of gun play on Mopan Street, Belize City in broad daylight yesterday evening at around 4:48 p.m., was today arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate's Court on a single charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, to wit, a firearm. [�]

HE Sir Colville Young attends Queen's 90th Birthday celebrations
Commonwealth Heads of State are in the United Kingdom to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday. His Excellency Sir Colville Young has joined in the celebrations, leaving the country on Wednesday of this week. In his absence, Cabinet Secretary Carlos Perdomo will act as [�]

Weed found in Saint Matthews Village
Belmopan Police's Quick Response Team last night discovered 233 grams of cannabis in an abandoned lot of Saint Matthews Village, Cayo District. The weed was inside a transparent ziplock bag. No one was in the immediate area at the time of discovery and so the item [�]

Man arrested for publicly discharging weapon
A contractor of Duck Run 1 Village in the Cayo District, 36-year-old Juan Gonzalez, was detained by police last night for discharging his firearm in front of a bar and then crashing his vehicle due to suspected intoxication. Gonzalez reportedly exited Mariana's bar on [�]

Muhammad Ali memorials begin; GOB pays tribute
The late Muhammad Ali is to be buried tomorrow, Friday, following a public memorial in his native Louisville, Kentucky. A press statement from the Government of Belize announces that as a mark of respect and tribute to the former world heavyweight boxing champion, Belize [�]

More than 6k lost in burglary
Resident of Western Pines area in Western Paradise Village, Belize District, 37-year-old Denis Smith, reported to police that her house was burglarized on Tuesday while she was in Belize City. Smith stated that she left home at 5:30 that morning and upon her return [�]

City resident escapes shooting incident unscathed
Noel Cal, 20, reported to police that around 4:45 a.m. yesterday, while he walked on Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City, a male person passed him and stopped about 20 feet away. Almost in front of Uno Gas Station at the time, [�]

Blogs

Belize: Why You Should Visit At Least Once In Your Lifetime
We know that you travel for many different reasons; for fun, self-discovery, relaxation, change of scene. Whatever your reasons are, we're sure Belize has a little of everything in store for you! If you read our "Where is Belize?" Blog, you'll know that our geographic location puts us at a center point between the Caribbean and mainland Central America. Having two culturally different regions in essence "border" us may be confusing to some travelers but makes Belizeans feel just right. In the short east-west, 62-mile span of our country you can go from experiencing that famous Caribbean "yah man!" personality to the welcoming mestizo hospitality in just two hours driving. it seems almost funny that the coast vs mainland translate so literally to mirror the culture closest to influence it.

Your First Time Visit - Ambergris Caye Check-list: 11 Must-Do's When You Visit Belize
Ambergris Caye has SO much to offer and can keep you busy from morning until night. The food, the festivals, the people, the shopping, the aqua blue waters, the gorgeous barrier reef and wildlife - most people are quickly hooked. My one BIGGEST tip is to chat it up - with locals, with tourists�it's a great way to find out what's going on in town and the newest, hippest spots. But it's your first visit�and with only a few days or a week, where to start? Here is a check list - a mix of fun, adventure and�chocolate - that will make the most of your time on the island. And give you a real feel for what living on Belize's largest island is like.

Full Moon Bonfire Rehersal Dinner at Las Terrazas, Belize
Megan & Chris had one of the best rehersal dinners views I ever saw� the background was the sea lit by full moon, and the scene was photo perfect. Amazing food, good drinks, lots of laughter and family and friends bonding this evening.. everyone was talking about next day� Enjoy!

International Sourcesizz

Guyana and Belize have a lot in common
Guyana and Belize have a lot in common. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America while the Co-operative Republic is the only English-speaking state in South America. The climate and the landscape are somewhat similar. The only difference is that Belize has a lot of Spanish influence because it is bordered by Mexico and Guatemala and most residents speak Spanish. A large number of Belizians lived in the then British Guiana while several Guyanese worked in Belize. Sir Alfred Crane served as Chief Justice in the 1960s and up to this day a Guyanese, Kenneth Benjamin, is head of the judiciary in that Central American country. There are four other Guyanese judges there: Minett Hafeez in the Court of Appeal, while Denis Hanomansingh, Courtney Abel and Sonia Griffith are first instant judges. Dr Ulric Trotz heads the Climate Change department, and until recently Hugh Saul was the head of the Regional Fisheries Department based in Belize and Dr Cary Fraser was the President of the University of Belize. There was also another Guyanese who was the Chief Education Officer for a number of years.

Does tourism really suffer at sites listed as World Heritage In Danger?
In 2014, 1.88 million tourists visited the Great Barrier Reef, bringing an estimated A$5.17 billion into Australia's economy and helping to employ some 64,300 tourism workers. With those numbers, it's easy to see how threats to the Reef's future, such as the recent mass bleaching event, are confronting for the tourism sector. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many tourism operators have chosen to remain quiet about their concerns or downplay the issue, fearful that mentioning the threats would turn tourists away. The federal environment department evidently felt the same way, judging by its request that all references to Australian World Heritage sites, including the Reef, be removed from a UNESCO report on climate change and World Heritage tourism. But does this reasoning stack up? Three other famous tourist destinations have also been in the spotlight of the World Heritage Committee, with little indication that this has turned visitors away.

KICKER: THEY BELIEVE IN BELIZE
PAUL: Are they alive or have they disbanded? Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has this report on the mystery behind the disappearance - and the reappearance - of the Belize Amateur Radio Club. GRAHAM: Where on earth is the Belize Amateur Radio Club? Well, if you know your geography, you might answer "Central America." Or if an oldtimer, British Honduras. But if you ask the International Amateur Radio Union, you'd be told it is nowhere -- it has gone missing for the last 23 years. In fact, that's what the IARU formally stated in a late May news release, reporting that a longtime lack of IARU activity from the club could only be interpreted as its death knell. But visit the website at barc.bz, and you'll find a different story. A statement there - along with a link to the club's Facebook page - states that the Belize group is far from dead. In fact, a news item posted on the site on May 21 reports that the club was recently certified as an NGO, a non-governmental organization. So what's happening? By all reports, it seems the club has been resurrected. A June 2 posting on its Facebook page declares QUOTE "We are the new BARC.. there was an old BARC that ceased to exist some time ago." The statement goes on to say that the new club has actually submitted a formal application to represent Belize with the IARU in Region 2.

Videos

  • Belize 2016 - David Nash, 24min.

  • ARE PORTIONS OF THE NEW RIVER THAT RUN ALONG ORANGE WALK BEING CONTAMINATED BY SOLID WASTE?, 3min. Why are portions of the New River that runs through Orange Walk changing colour and why does the river have a strong unpleasant stench? Those are two questions that Orange Walkenos are asking tonight and they won't be receiving an answer until the Department of the Environment carries out an investigation. What we can tell you is that steps are already being taken for that investigation to commence as today we visited several portions of the river along with Public Health Officer Roger Leal to collect date.

  • Belize, un nouveau paradis pour les Fran�ais, 1min. Coinc� entre le Mexique et le Guatemala, le B�lize, ancien Honduras britannique, ind�pendant depuis � peine trente ans, est un des pays les moins connus du monde. Pourtant c'est un paradis pour les voyageurs qui veulent bien prendre la peine de s'y rendre. Seule une quarantaine de Fran�ais vivent de ce petit pays. Pendant plusieurs semaines les �quipes de Grands Reportages ont suivi le quotidien de quatre d'entre eux. Un document � d�couvrir ce samedi apr�s-midi.

  • Harvest Students - Belize 2016, 2min.

  • USM Study Abroad - Tropical Ecology, Belize & Guatemala by Sarah Rubelowsky, 16min.

  • Experience The Belize Tree Houses at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch, 2min. The Belize Tree Houses at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch outstanding accommodations with spectacular views of the surrounding ‎jungle canopy where the songs of toucans, chortle of chachalacas and howls of howler monkeys harmonize and complement the soothing sound of the Caves Branch river below.

  • Placencia Belize Vacation Snapchat. Rare footage of uncharted paradise deep in the mountains, 7min. I went down to Placencia Belize to check out some of our development projects and decided to share the experience of the trip so others could see this beautiful place and all the opportunity. While there I had a local take me off the beaten path to see a row of waterfalls deep in the mountains. What I stumbled on was one of the most breathtakingly amazing places I have ever witnessed. A honeymoon suite built into the side of the mountain, completely secluded, and overlooking a huge waterfall. You really have to see this to Belize it!

  • Belize - Day 2 Dive 1 - Cypress Tunnel, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 7min. Great terrain on this dive, and all my Nurse Shark buddies there for me.

  • Belize: Another Look, 20min. Quick recap of a week-long experience in Belize


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