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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

Prime Minister Barrow commits to investigate Immigration Audit findings
After a three hour press conference on Thursday, September 1st, Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced that the Government of Belize (GOB) will commission an investigation into the various irregularities revealed in the recent audit of the Immigration Department. Such findings in the extensive report presented by Auditor General Dorothy Bradley detail multiple cases of fraud in the Immigration and Nationality Department. Accompanying Prime Minister Barrow at the press conference were Director of Immigration Diana Locke, Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration Beverly Williams, and Minister of Police Goldwin Hulse. At the gathering, GOB informed that they will appoint a joint select-committee of the National Assembly and not from the Senate as it had previously been requested. "The hearings will be held in public, televised and broadcast live," said Barrow, "The feeling is that the joint select-committee should reflect the balance of representation we have agreed for in the reconfigured public accounts committee."

American-Registered Vessel Grounded in Belizean Waters
The Belize Coast Guard has confirmed that a civilian vessel, registered in Delaware, USA, was grounded on the Belize Barrier Reef in the area of Hatchet Caye, located east-northeast of Placencia on Saturday, September 3rd. Onboard the vessel were three Colombians, four Guatemalans, and one American citizen. The incident reportedly took place around 5 PM and was relayed to the Coast Guard by the Belize Fisheries Department. The Government of Belize (GOB) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed with Guatemalan Authorities that the vessel left the Port of Livingston, Guatemala bound for Big Creek, Belize sometime after 10:30 AM on Friday, September 2nd.

Shooting incident in Chiquibul National Park continues to strain border relations
Another shooting incident involving the Belize Defense Force (BDF) and Guatemalans occurred on Wednesday, August 31st within the Chiquibul National Park. The Government of Belize (GOB) issued a press release on Thursday, September 1st, stating how an BDF reconnaissance patrol came under fire upon approaching an illegal settlement approximately 259 meters east of the Belize-Guatemala border. No one was reportedly injured, but incidents like these continue to put a strain on the relationship between the two countries. According to Commander of the Belize Defense Force, Brigadier General David Jones, the purpose of the patrol was to follow-up on an official Order to Leave (OTL) that was issued the previous week to 15 illegal settlers within the Chiquibul. It was reported that when the BDF patrol approached the location of the illegal settlement, unidentified persons initiated gunfire. In self-defense, the BDF patrol returned fire and withdrew to safety. However, Jones stated that he couldn't confirm if the open fire came from the illegal settlers, or if the shots were fired from persons hiding in the bushes.

Ambergris Today

Pic of the Week - Titans Mas Band Takes King & Queen of Belize Carnival Titles
The King and Queen of Belize Carnival were selected over the weekend as September Celebrations in Belize kick up in high gear. The main attraction of the month-long celebrations is, of course, the Belize City Carnival Road March Parade that will take place on Saturday, September 17, 2016. The Titans Mas Band Carnival Group has proven to be a top contender for the Carnival King and Queen competition as they rose to the top once again for a consecutive year. The group's King Karkinus and Queen La Sirene have been selected as the winners of this year's competition in the Seniors Division under their theme of Secrets of the Sea.

Belize to Join in World Suicide Prevention Day
On World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), the Belize Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization invites the public to join in promoting suicide prevention and demonstrating joint responsibility to save lives that would otherwise be lost to suicide. In the spirit of this year's theme - Connect, Communicate, Care - the WSPD flag will be raised on September 9th, 2016 to connect with the Belizean public on the issue of suicide prevention, to communicate with those who need assistance, and to show that the country cares about this very important issue. Flags will be raised in noticeable places in all districts. In Belize City, a flag raising ceremony will be held at the Battlefield Park on September 9th starting at 9:00 am.

Steps Taken to Strengthen Food and Drug Regulations in Belize
In an effort to further strengthen the regulation of food and pharmaceuticals in Belize, the Minister of Health Hon. Pablo Marin presented new amendments to the House of Representatives on the Food and Drugs Amendment Act of Chapter 291 of the substantive Laws of Belize revised Edition 2011. This will make provision to empower the making of regulations for the establishment of a drug registry and give effect to the provisions of the Act regarding the labeling of food or pharmaceuticals. With the provisions in this amendment, the Ministry of Health will be able to address regulatory responsibilities, such as the granting of licenses to establishments involved in the sale of food and medicines and to enhance the importation requirements for these. It also seeks to establish proper record keepings including the sale of medicines in books or registers and to allow for the removal of expired food and medicines from selling points, as well as random sample taking of medicines for quality testing.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Bus prices up in time for independence celebrations!

REGGAE FEST CHETUMAL 2016
The Secretary of Culture and Education, MX invites all Belizeans for a dynamic reggae concert and program free of charge happening this weekend in Chetumal, Mexico. Featured reggae artist straight out of Jamaica for the second time in Chetumal this Friday night September 9th - KY-MANI MARLEY!!! Other Jamaican entertainers and artists will include Ce'cile, Inner Circle, Delroy Wormbass Nevin. Gondwana from Chile will make its appearance. Local Belizean singer Tanya Carter will make her debut. Local Mexican Artists include Mahima Son La Urraca/Chan Santa Roots, Korto Circuito/Roots and Flowers Collective, Ganja. This is a must attend concert. See event program for details and dates. See you there!

I Got the Voice Season II
I Got the Voice season II starts next Friday at the Princess Casino. It runs for 13 weeks. Best of luck to all the contestants!

New Book: Perspectives on the Ancient Maya of Chetumal Bay
Focusing on sites ringing the bay such as Cerro Maya, Oxtankah, and Santa Rita Corozal, the contributors to this volume explore how the bay and its feeder rivers affected all aspects of Maya culture from settlement, food production, and the production and use of special goods to political relationships and social organization. Chetumal Bay is central to discussions of ancient Maya politics, warfare, economy, exchange and communication because of its unique location. Although the ancient Maya invested prodigious amounts of labor in the construction of road systems called sacbeob for communication and trade, recent archaeological discoveries around Chetumal Bay in both Belize and Mexico reveal an economic alternative to these roads: an extensive network of riverine and maritime waterways. Focusing on sites ringing the bay such as Cerro Maya, Oxtankah, and Santa Rita Corozal, the contributors to this volume explore how the bay and its feeder rivers affected all aspects of Maya culture from settlement, food production, and the production and use of special goods to political relationships and social organization. Besides being a nexus for long distance exchange in valuable materials such as jade and obsidian, the region was recognized for its high quality agricultural produce, including cacao, achiote, vanilla, local fruits, honey, and salt, and for its rich marine environment. The Maya living on the fringes of the bay perceived the entire region as a single resource procurement zone. Waterborne trade brought the world to them, providing a wider horizon than would have been available to inland cities dependent only on Maya roads for news of the world. The research reveals that trade relations played a central role in the organization of human social life on Chetumal Bay.

Full Moon Concert
Mark your calendar..Friday September 16th.. Full Moon Concert at the Santa Elena Basketball Court.

Thanks to the Mayor for hosting the Miss Belize delegates!
The Belize City Council hosted a luncheon at City Hall for the Miss Belize Delegates 2016.

Grant Opportunity
The U.S. Embassy, Belmopan, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, invites qualified candidates to bid on a grant opportunity entitled "Citizen Security through Neighborhood Watch", which seeks to expand and improve National Citizen Security through Neighborhood Watch Programs in Belize by creating and strengthening self-sustaining community neighborhood watch groups. This grant opportunity is opened to U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S. based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; Foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or Foreign based educational institutions.

2016 Carnival Senior Queen Competition
Here are some of the photos that we captured for the 2016 Carnival Senior Queen Competition. Carnival Senior Queen 1st Place - Queen La Sirene - Titans Mas Band

2016 Carnival Senior King Competition
Here are some of the photos that we captured for the 2016 Carnival Senior King Competition. Carnival Senior King 1st Place - King Karkinus - Titans Mas Band

2016 Carnival Junior Queen Competition
Here are some of the photos that we captured for the 2016 Carnival Junior Queen Competition. Carnival Junior Queen 1st Place - Queen Renata - Jump Street Posse

2016 Carnival Junior King Competition
Here are some of the photos that we captured for the 2016 Carnival Junior King Competition. Carnival Junior King 1st Place - King Fayah Bun - Jump Street Posse

BELTRAIDE SHOWCASES ITS SERVICES AT EXPO BELIZE 2016
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, (BELTRAIDE) was among over 200 exhibitors at EXPO BELIZE 2016, the flagship networking event of the year of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), which was held on September 3rd & 4th 2016 at the ITVET Compound on Freetown Road in Belize City. Visitors to our booth had the opportunity to sample and purchase products from six Belizean companies, all clients of the Small Business Development Centre (SBDCBelize), who were part of our booth. SBDCBelize, is a unit of BELTRAIDE. These included Fibber's and Marvilleous sauces. Those with a sweet tooth enjoyed the wide range of jams and jellies from Belizean Home Made Jellies from San Ignacio. Also on display were products such as handicrafts from Kimberly Gottoy, repellents and beauty from Jerusalem Beauty products and K & K respectively.

9th Annual San Pedro Fire Truck Parade
Friday, Sept. 9, starting at 7pm.

Caye Caulker Village Council Family Fun Day
The public is invited to our very first CCVC FAMILY FUN DAY!!!! WHEN: Saturday, September 10th 2016! Place: Palapa Gardens Time: 9am All families that wish to participate, please contact Ms. Liz at 630-3652!! Have fun!!! Win Prizes!!! Drinks and food will be on sale!!!! Come on out and support our Family Fun Day!!!! Music by DJ THUNDA VYBZ SOUNDS!!!

Miss Belize Fashion Show Behind the Scenes
Some of the behind the scenes pictures from the Miss Belize Fashion Show held at Midas Resort on Saturday.

Biological monitoring of scarlet macaws for the 2016 has concluded
14 of the 21 chicks fledged successfully from their natural cavities. FCD is thankful to all the persons involved including the FCD research team, Forest Department staff, Scarlet 6 staff, volunteers, Dr. Isabelle and our funders.

Black-cheeked woodpecker rescued
This black-cheeked woodpecker was found among the devastation of hurricane Earl by the wonderful people at Caves Branch. Thankfully not injured, but he was young and had probably been in a cavity nest that was destroyed in the storm. He has always been a very eager pecker, although as with all babies he did not always peck at appropriate objects! He was flying around very soon after we got him and eating almost everything offered. After a couple of weeks of practice, the time came for him to try to fend for himself, so we took him back to Caves Branch for release. Ella Baron and two of her wonderful staff joined us, guiding us to the best and most appropriate release site. He flew up onto an old cohune tree and happened to land on the other other side of bark from a tree frog, which he promptly started pecking. The frog did not seem too happy about that, but our inappropriate woodpecker was having fun. Even if the frog wan't overjoyed about the new neighbour, we enjoyed returning him to his home and watching him start his life there. Thanks to Ian, Ella and the Caves Branch crew once again!

FCCA Poster and Essay Competition Winners 2016

Channel 7

PUP Swarm The City
Today, the opposition PUP swarmed into Belize City. The plan to send an emphatic message to the Barrow Administration by blanketing the country's largest population centre in blue. Now, General Elections were held less than a year ago - and some might say it is too early to push so hard for a regime change - but the PUP feels that between the Danny Mason debacle, the BTL compensation, the Immigration Scandal and everything else in between - the Barrow Administration is vulnerable. The party poured its supporters and its resources into the City today to build political momentum out of public resentment. Did it work? 7News was on the ground to gauge the pressure and Daniel Ortiz reports:� PUP supporters from all over the country converged this morning at the Constitution Park, blocking the area off from its usual morning traffic. Specialized police teams were on guard, and the officers watched vigilantly from a distance, making sure that there would be no civil unrest.

Mayor Supports PUP Push For Senate Inquiry
The PUP took a number of issues to the street - and one of the most prominent ones was the call for a Senate Inquiry into irregularities in the Immigration Department. That caught the Belize City mayor's ear. He's a UDP mayor and a UDP Standard Bearer but he says he supports the protest and the call for a commission of inquiry - even if his party leader is pushing another plan:� Darrell Bradley - Mayor Belize City: "I didn't have an opportunity to see the March. I don't support the politicizing in relation to an issue like this but I support the spirit of it that Belizeans would March against corruption and would March against things which ought not to go on within our society and I have watched the issue the discussions going across the floor in terms of the dialogue and I support a Senate inquiry. I think that the Senate has the constitutional mandate in relation to making inquiries of this nature I think that the Senate would be a more well positioned and objective body having representation from the social partners and a stronger voice from the opposition. I don't see how a joint committee where you have persons who are themselves named in the report itself who could give it the kind of credibility that an inquiry needs to be, so that if I would give my voice to this I would have to say that I support a senate inquiry."

Director Dorian Sent Home For Positive Cocaine Test
Director of the Government Press Office Dorian Pakeman has been in very hot water since Tuesday when police disclosed that his blood sample had tested positive for cocaine. That came out when a sample was taken after an accident where he knocked down and killed mechanic Dean Dawson. Well, tonight he's gone from hot water to being put on ice, as in suspended without pay. Today, the Government Press Office, which he normally heads, sent out a press release from Prime Minister, who he directly answers to. It says, quote, "following a meeting today between the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow and the Director of the Press Office Mr. Dorian Pakeman, Mr. Pakeman is being placed on immediate unpaid leave. The Office awaits the decision of the Director of Public Prosecution on whether to bring charges of whatever nature against Mr. Pakeman arising out of all the circumstances surrounding the traffic incident in which he was involved."

Pregnant Mother Of Two Killed Execution Style In Orange Walk
A young, pregnant mother was shot and killed in Orange Walk Town last night. 22 year old Jahida Briceno was at home with her family last night around 7:00 when a visitor called out for her. Jahida came out to see who it was and instead of a friendly greeting, she was hit with 2 gunshots. It was an execution of the rarest kind - because killers don't usually target women, particularly a mother of two with one on the way. We travelled to Orange Walk today to find out more about this ruthless murder. Jahida Briceno lived here with her 2 children and her father. She brought her dad to live with her in June after he had injured his leg in an accident, leaving him unable to walk. They all lived comfortably together here at their Boundary Road home. But everything changed last night when Jahida was lured out of the house to her death. Her father gave us the shocking account off camera.

Man Remanded For Knifepoint Robbery
Tonight, 23 year-old Orange Walk resident Jamal Warrior is on remand at the Belize Central Prison. That's because a young man accused him of a knife point robbery. The incident happened yesterday at around 11:15 a.m. A 16 year-old minor was walking on Meighan Avenue when he was approached by 2 men on bicycles. One of the men grabbed him, placed a knife at his neck, and robbed him of his iPhone. The men rode off, but the victim's father called the police, and they both set chase. They detained one of the men later identified as Jamal Warrior. He was searched, but he did not have stolen phone on him. The cops did find a small quantity of marijuana. They charged him for the robbery, and drug possession.

Mayor Slams His Former Deputy Eric Chang
Earlier, you heard Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley speak with uncommon boldness and candor about why he supports the PUP in their call for a Senate Inquiry - and why he does not support the Prime Minister's alternative, which is a joint select committee. And you also heard him discuss corruption in public life and amongst elected officials. But corruption is not so easy to root out: first, it's hard to prove definitively, and when you're dealing with elected officials, they can't be so easily fired because they have a mandate. The mayor himself learned this when former Deputy Mayor Eric Chang was caught right up in the middle of the Citizen Kim scenario. The Auditor General's report reproduced an email form the then Ambassador Cherie Nisbet which showed that Chang was pressing every angle to get Kim's passport situation regularized, and he even sought to use his office as deputy Mayor to visit Kim in a detention facility. But for all that Chang still served out his term as a city councillor. Today we asked the mayor about that:

Sugar City Cops Caught Weed
Orange Walk police busted a man with a pound of weed yesterday. Police searched the man's home in the San Lorenzo housing site and found his stash in a cooler. Police told us more about this bust. ASP Selvin Tillett - OC, Orange Walk Police: "Yesterday also Orange Walk police were patrolling San Lorenzo housing sight sometime around 5:30 yesterday evening where they saw a male person with a red and white ice cooler acting suspicious in a yard. Police entered the yard and when they searched the cooler it contained leafy vegetable susbstance suspected to be marijuana; the drug parcels were brought back to the Orange Walk police station where a total of 550 grams."

"What did the Spanish See at St. George's Caye?"
History Association added new grist to the dispute when it revealed the preliminary findings of a research project between academics in Belize and Mexico. They pored over the Spanish Archival Records on the Battle of St. George's Caye, to find out what the Spanish thought of the event. They presented their findings to students today at the Bliss centre and at the University of Belize. Here's what we learned at the Bliss Centre: Dr. Herman Byrd - BARS, Belize: "I think we've accomplished a gigantic task and that is we've completed the transcription of these 1,200 pages and as you'll see in a moment we have been able to kind of reconstruct a timeline of the battle from the point of view of the Spanish officials who were involved in it." Dr. Angel Cal - UB: "What we presenting this morning is preliminary. There is no new major finding unknown to us in Belize from British or archival sources."

Mayor Meets Queens
Today before he served up some serious putdowns for his UDP, the Mayor served lunch to the Miss Belize Delegates. Nine of the ten contestants showed up to city hall for some Turkey Dinner catered by the council. The Mayor hosted them for lunch and told us they make good lunch dates, and role models:� The Miss Belize pageant will be held on Saturday at the Bliss Centre:..

New Bus Rates For Western Corridor
If you're a regular commuter like I am - you'll know that just the suggestion of a fare increase at the current level of sub par service, would be enough to make you faint! Well, hold on to your seats because that's what the western bus line are promising. They say they only make 11 cents per mile while the other runs make 14 cents. The minister says he will be discuss it with them tomorrow.

CTV3

Jahida Remembered As A Great Softball Player
In addition to being a super mom to her two kids, as described by her family, 22 year old Jahida Crawford was known locally for being a softball icon. Playing the sport from a very young age, Jahida was the best catcher in Orange Walk- the hardest position to play in softball, according to her aunt and longtime coach. Jahida Aunt - Softball Organizer: "I have been playing softball for a number of years, I was the pitcher for my team and she was the catcher and we played well together and we played a lot of games and she did excellently and I was really surprised that she turned out to be a really good catcher because that is one of the hardest spots..."

BSCFA And ASR To Meet Face To Face In Court
Approximately two months ago the Sugar Industry suffered major loss as three thousand nine hundred tons of molasses found in storage tank number one at the Sugar Factory had reportedly become damaged by Maillard Reaction. BSI/ASR attributed the reaction to a combination of factors including abnormally high level of reducing sugars and the weather and ambient temperatures. The company then demanded that cane farmers share the loss of revenues amounting to four hundred thousand dollars. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, BSCFA, completely disagreed with the company for two specific reasons. The first being that once a delivery has been made to the factory, it automatically becomes property of ASR and second that there is absolutely no agreement which states that farmers must participate in the sharing of losses that occurred during the process of sugar making. The BSCFA is also of the position that the Maillards reaction occurred as a result of negligence by the company in following proper procedures as it relates to the boiling process.

BNTU To Hold On National Consultation On National Issues
On Friday the National Teachers Union will be meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow where they will put fort their official position as it relates to the deferral of the Salary adjustment for teachers proposed by PM following hurricane Earl. According to President of BNTU Orange Walk, Otilio Munoz- the position of the Belize National Teachers Union going into Friday's meeting is a clear cut one. Otilio Munoz - President of BNTU Orange Walk Branch: "There is a meeting schedule for Friday where the three Unions will be expressing their position; I can tell you that BNTU position is NO to the deferral, the teachers want their salary adjustment which ever month, September is already going once it is the 15th it will be hard on getting it on September but whatever month retroactive April and that is the stand of Belize National Teachers' Union."

Press Officer Placed On Leave Without Pay
On Monday we reported that the long awaited results from the urine sample that was taken from the Director of Government Press Office, Dorian Pakeman following the traffic accident on the Philip Goldson Highway which claimed the life of forty five year old Dean Dawson Sr. back in March indicated that Pakeman was under the influence of cocaine as traces of the drug was discovered in his bloodstream. After information surrounding the result of the sample was publicly announced by the Belize Police Department, Pakeman made a post on social media in an attempt to defend himself from the allegations made against him, stating that it is completely untrue.

Orange Walkeno Detained For Robbery In Belize City
Jamal Warrior, a resident of Orange Walk Town is tonight in police custody after he was brought before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza earlier today on charge of robbery after he reportedly assaulted a sixteen year old minor yesterday morning. The minor reported to police that at around 11:15 a.m. he was approached by two men on bicycles while walking on Meighan Avenue in Belize City. He also told authorities that one of the individuals placed a knife to the left side of his neck while the other took his Apple I-phone from the right pocket of his pants, then both men immediately rode off on their bicycles.

OW Police Confiscates Drugs Found Inside Of Ice Cooler
A routine street patrol carried out by the Orange Walk Police Formation yesterday in the San Lorenzo Housing Site area proved successful for authorities as they removed a total of 550 grams of cannabis from the streets of our town. Selvin Tillette - Commanding Officer Orange Walk Branch: "Police was patrolling San Lorenzo Housing Site somewhere around 5:30 yesterday evening where we saw a male person with a white cooler acting suspicious in that area, the police entered the yard and when they search the cooler they contained green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, the drugs was brought to the Orange Walk police station where a total of 550 grams."

PlusTV

Protest in Benque
We have reported on the bus war between BBOC and Mexican owned bus line, ADO as it relates to additional runs given to the Mexican bus line, a run that BBOC cuts into their customers since ADO is allegedly picking up passengers along the highway. While that is still all being worked out, we understa...

Man shot multiple times in Belize City
There was another shooting incident in Belize City on Monday night. 21-year-old Adrian Dyer of a George Street address was shot multiple times to the thighs .ACP Chester Williams gave the details. ACP Chester Williams, Officer Commanding Eastern Division (South) Sometime after ten last night one Adr...

Third Monday night shooting
There was a third shooting in Belize City on Monday night. Sometime around 10 o'clock last night, police responded to shots being fired at the corner of New Road and Victoria Street, Belize City. 19-year-old John Orozco of Belize City had been shot to the right forearm. Orozco told police that he ...

Edward McKay is remanded to prison after alleged to rob man then stabbing him
A man was robbed and stabbed in the Ladyville area and tonight his attacker is behind bars on remand at the Belize Central Prison. 26 year old Edward McKay recently got out of jail but is headed back there after being charged with robbery, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm upon Tyrone S...

Teacher is charged with knocking down a police officer in the city
42 year old Teacher, Kevin Nigel Campbell, of Belize City, was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate Court for driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention and negligent harm upon a police officer, Police Constable, 32 year old Adonias Gonzalez. Campbell knocked down P.C. Gonzalez on Sat...

Mason's Home in Belmopan Burglarized says wife
The wife of accused murderer and kidnapper, William Danny Mason, has reported that their home on the hill was burglarized. The 48-year-old Canadian woman, Melissa Ferguson , reported the matter to police saying that between 11:00 p.m. on Friday 15th July 2016, and 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday 17th August...

Girl arrested for drug trafficking
19 year old woman was arrested yesterday by San Pedro police for drug trafficking. Tracy Betancourt was reportedly was intercepted by a joint team of Special Branch and CIB personnel as she was travelling in a yellow Mazda Prot�g� taxi at the corner of Caribena Street and Barrier Reef Drive in San P...

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

BNTU holds nationwide consultations on various national issues
All 10 district branches of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) are holding consultations with their members tomorrow, Thursday, September 8th to discuss issues of national concern, over and above PM Barrow's proposal to defer their salary increase. While the district branches fine-tune plans [�]

P.U.P. march in Belize City
Close to five thousand persons from across the country, in the party's colors of blue and white, swelled through downtown Belize City from Constitution to B.T.L. Park in a show of force not seen by the People's United Party (PUP) in the Old Capital [�]

BDF helicopter pilots in training
The Belize Defence Force's Air Wing is busy learning the use of the two helicopters obtained in different circumstances in recent times. Two Hueys from Taiwan and a Bell 'copter abandoned in Orange Walk form the basis of the helicopter corps and the pilots [�]

D.P.P.: Office still reviewing Pakeman file
Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal has told the media that her office has issued no directions on charges for Director of the Government Press Office Dorian Pakeman in relation to the fatal traffic death of Dean Dawson in March. The reason for that [�]

Police arrest three men for drug trafficking
Police have arrested Jose Luis Guerra and two other men for drug trafficking. According to reports, police visited Guerra's residence where they conducted a search in a red and white ice cooler that was floating in a creek in his back yard. Police discovered [�]

Director of Press Office Placed on Unpaid Leave
A press release issued by the GOB press office just now is reporting that the Director of the Press Office, Mr. Dorian Pakeman has been placed on immediate unpaid leave. The release reads: The Office of the Prime Minister announces that following a meeting [�]

Police find marijuana on the Placencia Peninsula
An anti-drug operation was conducted within Placencia and Seine Bight villages by K9 personnel, Special Branch, CIB and Seine Bight Police which yielded 286.9 grams of cannabis. The operation took place on September 6th between the hours of 4:30 and 7:30 a.m. Police have [�]

Massive PUP protest in Belize City
Supporters and members of the People's United Party (PUP) are gathering at the Constitution Park in Belize City to stage a protest against corruption in Belize. According to the PUP, the purpose of the 'Save Belize Now' march is to stand up for the [�]

Police Are Investigating the Fatal Shooting of a Woman in Orange Walk
Police in Orange Walk are investigating the murder of a young woman that happened in Orange Walk last night. According to reports, police visited the corner of Rio Bravo and Boundary Road in Orange Walk Town where inside the living room of a cement [�]

Blogs

Celebrating September in Belize
It's that time of year again - September Celebrations. September 21, 2016 marks Belize's 35th anniversary of becoming an independent country (from Britain), and September 10 is the day it gained independence from Spain in 1798 after winning of the Battle at St. George's Caye. With two big events in Belize' history occurring in the same month it's no wonder that many of the approximate 368,000 people of this tiny country celebrate pretty much throughout the month. This year's theme is "Sovereign and Strong - Together as One" Belizeans will show their pride throughout the month. Both private citizens and businesses will be decorating their cars, bikes and homes with Belize Flags and our Country colors - blue, white and red.

"Bad Boys" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye,Belize.
Well if you read the previous edition you'll know that Rose, Ziggy and I got through Hurricane Earl with very few problems and we felt confident that we could cope with the three , yes three, hurricanes that were due to 'hit' Ambergris Caye on 7 August. We'd known that Hurricanes Alfie, Louie and Frankie (I know that these names don't appear within the list of hurricane names for 2016) were going to 'hit' Ambergris Caye since August last year. We just didn't foresee that they would arrive just four days after Hurricane Earl. When Rose and I sat down (on many, many occasions) to lay out the design for the house we planned to build on Ambergris Caye we had a clear consensus that it would include a clearly defined and separate area that family and friends could use if they (and we hoped that they would) came to visit us. Eventually we decided that the best way (well for us at least) was to incorporate a two bedroom/two bathroom, self-contained apartment built on the ground floor. Well actually if I'm truthful it started out as being a one bedroom/bathroom apartment but we changed our minds (and the design) mid construction.

St. George's Caye
Named after the patron saint of England, St. George's Caye (pronounced "key") is a small island located a few miles off the coast of Belize City. Although this tiny island is inhabited by just two dozen people, it played an enormously important role in the history of Belize. St. George's Caye is located approximately eight miles east of Belize City. With several hotels, bars, and restaurants, it's always a good time to visit this picturesque island. But definitely don't miss the festivities surrounding St. George's Caye Day every year on September 10 when a re-enactment of the naval battle takes place in the waters off of the island. There are no commercial routes that go to St. George's Caye, however several private water taxi operators offer regular service from the docks at Belize City both to the island as well as other nearby cayes. Currently, there is no air strip on the island so the only way to get there is by water.

Beautiful Belize scenery...and ugly construction pics!!! :)
I was thankful last weekend to get a last minute invite to join some friends on a boat trip to Ranguana and Silk Cayes...one of the great joys of living here - it isn't long before you get these invites from new friends, as so many have access to boats! We had heard that there was perhaps some damage to Silk Caye from Hurricane Earl, so we were all anxious to see it, as this is a HUGE draw for guests here. THANKFULLY.....it was absolute paradise. We had a laugh as the word "paradise" tends to be overused here.....but, check out the pics below....if this isn't paradise than I truly do not know what is, we all agreed that this is it! Also, if you want to take these excursions while you are here - Silk Caye is very easy. From about $75-115us you can go with almost any tour operator. There are booths all throughout the village and this couldn't be easier to set up.

"I Love Belize Bad" by Samuel Sabido
To all Belizeans, dah home or dah Farren, I love Belize Bad I love Belize like Johnny love Orange Walk I love Belize like Darrel love BTL park I love Belize like Agric love Pan I love Belize like city people love Jam Roll Man I love Belize like Belizean love Quarrel I love Belize like Belizean love One Barrel I love Belize like Swing bridge love swing I love Belize like Jo grind love married thing I love Belize like old folks like cuss I love Belize like people love Serano's bus I love Belize like Belize love Lee Chee I love Belize like they now name Key Lee I love Belize like Maya Island Air love the sky

Coconut Pie
(at 20 minutes they start discussing Clip art for some reason...)

International Sourcesizz

NOAA Outlook for Central America September 8 - 14, 2016
In late August and early September, a widespread distribution of moderate to locally heavy rainfall accumulations was received over much of Central America. According to satellite rainfall estimates, the highest weekly accumulations (>100mm) were registered over western Guatemala, with pockets of comparable amounts over southern Honduras, and the Gulf of Nicoya regions of Costa Rica. Since early August, changes in the Postrera rainfall performance have been observed. Increased and more frequent rainfall has been observed over central portions of Guatemala and central Honduras, which has helped to alleviate residual dryness and moisture deficits resulting from the suppressed rains during the Primera season. Conversely, strengthening moisture deficits have been observed throughout southern and eastern parts of El Salvador. Although satellite rainfall estimates have depicted low and unseasonably erratic rains throughout central and western Nicaragua, ground reports indicate no negative impacts on cropping activities in Nicaragua.

All You Need To Know Before Visiting Belize
Have you ever wondered where you should spend your next vacation? Ever envisioned an extended period of tranquility? Whether you just want to visit, or you have a bigger plan in mind, you will find this small Central American country a paradise, tucked away with beauty and nice experiences. Located just south of Mexico in the heart of the Caribbean Basin is this rather interesting place known as Belize, where people of different kinds meet and mix in a subtropical climate that makes their world feel like there is no other. Belize is the former British Colony, known as British Honduras, covering an area of almost 9,000 square miles, and with a population of less than 400,000 people, Belize has lots of "wide open spaces" to explore and discover. The population density is the lowest in Central American and one of the lowest in the world. The country was granted its independence from Great Britain in 1981 and is a member of both the British Commonwealth and the United Nations. In 2010, Belmopan, the capital city had a population of less than 15,000 inhabitants.

Belize Hoteliers Question 'Insane' Hotel Standard Amendments
Proposed changes to the Belize Tourism Board (BTB)'s National Classification System for Accommodations are disturbing some hoteliers in this once-sleepy Caribbean destination in the midst of a significant visitor surge. While BTB's proposed changes seek to "improve minimum standards for hotels and tourist accommodations in Belize," the amendments include language some operators find "just insane," in the words of one hotelier. A version of the proposed changes are expected to be implemented by December said Sharyn Brinker, owner of Mariposa Jungle Lodge and member of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), which represents Belize hoteliers. BTIA chapter officials are currently reviewing the proposed changes and are expected to issue a formal response in October said Brinker. The changes are intended to amend existing regulations, not craft new ones. "The official BTIA position is we are working with BTB to create better standards," she said.

Peer-learning to improve urban water and sanitation practices in Belize
GWOPA/UN-Habitat, through the regional WOP-LAC secretariat, provided instrumental and financial support for the creation and implementation of a Water Operators' Partnership between Belize Water Services (BWS), the national water and sanitation provider, and Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), a California-based water utility. Financial support was provided by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility. Staff time and other expenses were covered by the mentor and recipient partner. The WOP aimed at strengthening the human, organizational and institutional capacity of the recipient utility by adopting good practices, implementing new technology, reducing NRW and improving maintenance techniques. The activities of the WOP started with a joint diagnosis to select the training areas based on pre-identified key priorities of the mentee and expertise areas of the mentor. Partners decided to work on different strategic areas, such as safety, operations, engineering, finance, customer services, information and technology, and public outreach.

Guatemala rejects OAS report on border dispute shooting
Guatemala says it wants the Inter-American Human Rights (IACHR) Court to investigate the shooting death of a Guatemalan teenager earlier this year after rejecting an investigation carried out by the Organisation of American States (OAS). Guatemala had originally asked the OAS to carry out the probe into the incident that had threatened to escalate its border dispute with Belize. But earlier this week, President Jimmy Morales said that his country "categorically" rejected the report claiming that for the report to be conclusive "it should have criminal implications for those responsible". The 22-page report by the OAS followed a decision by both countries that have had a long-standing border dispute for the hemispheric body to probe the April 20th killing of 14-year-old Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano.

CDB funds workshop to improve service delivery in the tourism industry
For many countries in the Caribbean, a successful tourism industry is critical to social and economic growth and development. However, an increasingly competitive global tourism market has meant that Caribbean countries must find ways to differentiate themselves, in order to continue to attract visitors. One way to do this is to improve the level of service delivery that is provided by tourism-related micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs). The international Hospitality Assured Certification (HAC), which was developed specifically for tourism and tourism-related businesses, promotes a culture of service and business excellence. Businesses that have attained the HAC have signaled their commitment to service delivery, business excellence and continuous improvement.

Caribbean fisherfolk look to the future
Leaders of the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) met at a two-day performance and planning workshop to discuss and critically assess the CNFO's performance since its formation almost ten years ago. They were joined in this exercise by representatives from partner organisations the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Fisheries Division, Trinidad and Tobago, Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies of the University of the West Indies (UWI-CERMES) and Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI). The CNFO is a network of small-scale fisherfolk organisations operating in the CARICOM region, with its mission being to improve the quality of life for fisherfolk and develop a sustainable and profitable industry through networking, representation and capacity building.

13th century Maya codex, long shrouded in controversy, proves genuine
The Grolier Codex, an ancient document that is among the rarest books in the world, has been regarded with skepticism since it was reportedly unearthed by looters from a cave in Chiapas, Mexico, in the 1960s. But a meticulous new study of the codex has yielded a startling conclusion: The codex is both genuine and likely the most ancient of all surviving manuscripts from ancient America. Stephen Houston, the Dupee Family Professor of Social Science and co-director of the Program in Early Cultures at Brown University, worked with Michael Coe, professor emeritus of archeology and anthropology at Harvard and leader of the research team, along with Mary Miller of Yale and Karl Taube of the University of California-Riverside. They reviewed "all known research on the manuscript," analyzing it "without regard to the politics, academic and otherwise, that have enveloped the Grolier," the team wrote in its study "The Fourth Maya Codex."

Videos

  • Look what my doggies found in our yard...an Anteater, 10sec. He is so beautiful and sweet.

  • "The Maya Legacy" Trailer, 1min. 'El Pilar, Preserving the Maya Legacy' is a selection at the 2016 Catalina Film Festival. Great trailer. "We are proud to present this film as an official selection to the 2016 Catalina Film Festival happening September 28th to October 2nd. See www.catalinafilm.org for tickets and more information

  • Thomas Stockton Belize Orphanage Program with , 4.5min.

  • African pompano, 10sec. A Caribbean reef shark and African pompano at Glover's Reef, Belize.

  • Chukka Jaguar Paw Outpost Belize, Jaguar Paw Zipline, 2min.

  • Share Random Acts of Gratitude, 2min. National Geographic Explorer Tierney Thys awards Micheal with Blue Marble "Random Act of Gratitude~The Blue Marble Project.

  • Belize Marine Life Previews, 4min.

  • Panoramic video dive Dive shrine Belize 360 ​​vr, 3.5min.

  • THIS IS BELIZE PT1, 21min.

  • THIS IS BELIZE PT2, 7min.

  • Main Reasons I Chose Belize, 16min. The people, the mentality, the environment... "Cook your food, plant your food, and give thanks and praise.

  • Converting food waste into fuel for cooking in Belize, 1min.

  • Dance Class for the all the Singers and Dancers participating in the Creole Brukdung Project, 1min.