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The San Pedro Sun

Bill Gates touring Belize onboard Attessa IV
The Attessa IV has been adrift off Ambergris Caye outside the Belize Barrier Reef since early Tuesday, April 10th with the world's second richest man on board. Aboard the 330ft private super yacht is Bill Gates along with six family members and a crew of 23. The vessel, captained by Sergiy Pashchenko, was given the clearance to navigate into Belizean waters just before mid-morning and has permission to remain in the country until May 9th. According to sources within the Immigration Department, the vessel was cleared by personnel that flew in from Belize City. The Attessa IV is expected to make stops at various world renowned destinations including Hol Chan Marine Reserve, southern Belize, The Turneff Atolls and the Great Blue Hole.

Ambergris Today

Rebecca Stirm Wins Mission Catwalk Challenge with Belize-Inspired Design
Drawing on the Hispanic and Mayan influences in her country, 18 year-old Belizean fashion designer Rebecca Stirm emerged the winner in a culture-inspired challenge in the second episode of Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk, filmed in Kingston Jamaica. Stirm and 14 other designers were instructed by host and executive-producer Keneea Linton-George to "create an outfit that reflects the style and culture" of their individual countries joined by "the common thread of independence." The designers, who were given pointers from Season One winner Shenna Carby, had to apply their creativity within a short time frame and on a US$20 budget.

Easter's Traditional Religious Celebrations in San Pedro
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is the place to be for Easter Break, the mainland folk flock to the island and the tourists come to enjoy their spring break. Nothing like spending some great time on the beach, soaking up some sun, sipping on cool cocktails partying on endless night�but one aspect of Easter in San Pedro goes pretty much unnoticed by the masses. Amongst all the chaos of parties there is also the religious celebrations that take place during Easter. The San Pedro Roman Catholic Church is responsible for conducting a Lenten Schedule every year. The staff of Ambergris Today took turns in participating on the highlights of the schedule and discovered the rich and traditional celebrations of the Catholic Church for Easter. The Via Cruses or Stations of the Cross took place on March 23, March 30, and Good Friday, April 6, 2012 around town. The different stations were placed outside homes along the streets of downtown where the following would join in prayer at each station. On Good Friday, there were also volunteers who carried a large cross to each station; this took place at 4.a.m.

Bill Gates Vacationing in Belize
During this Easter weekend the island of San Pedro was teeming with local and international tourists who flocked our beaches for some fun in the sun. If you happen to be walking our beautiful beach this morning you might have noticed a huge and luxurious super yacht in our Caribbean waters just outside the reef. Who might it be you might ask? Well rumor has it that one of the world's wealthiest people and American business magnate, investor, philanthropist an author - Bill Gates arrived this morning in his super yacht ATTESSA IV to San Pedro. Sources told Ambergris Today that Gates arrived in his super yacht this morning, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, with his family; the yacht is anchored just outside the reef in front of La Isla Bonita. The 100-meter long yacht has a helipad and it is believed that the Gates, along with his family, were transported to Cayo Espanto Private Island via helicopter. The family went on a snorkeling trip to enjoy the abundant marine life that Hol Chan Marine Reserve has to offer. A party of seven (five adults and two children) were accompanied by four tour guides from the private resort to ensure a safe and fun snorkeling trip.

Misc Belizean Sources

The latest Tia Chocolate column is ready for reading!!! Quintessentially Belizean - Part II - Saturday
Waking up early to the sound of the rooster's incessant call was an everyday occurrence. By the time most children started attending school, the roosters' calls were merely a reminder that they were on schedule. For most, waking up at five was the rule, not the exception. By the time their bottoms slid onto the long benches where groups of eight or ten gathered during the week to learn, they had accomplished a lot. For some, it was to chase around chickens, searching for the early eggs, so fresh the slime had to be rinsed off, and sometimes, darker streaks wiped off with a wet rag. Boys usually took corn, mash or scraps to the pigs. More ambitious, older boys would slide onto their horses bareback, riding off to the closer home farm, picking fruit or whatever vegetable that their mother needed to prepare their noon and night meal. Their fathers would then saddle up the horses again, taking them at a slower but still clipped pace to the mountains where they grew acres and acres of produce to sell. There they would remain all day, and into the late evening when the last rays of the sun led them back home.

Belize Oil: Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
A story waiting to be told: There are many chapters in the tale of Oil in Belize - some geological, some political, some personal, some corporate. And all point the same direction. Oil in Belize. It could be an epic poem written by Byron, or a knowing verse by Rudyard Kipling. It's also a ripping adventure, with a small band of True Believers finding victory on a remote frontier. Oil in Belize has two main chapters. The first, a tale of determination. Geological map of Belize north of the 17th parallel. The second, a twist of politics and fate. At the end, it's the story of a tiny part of a huge industry, in a very small corner of the world.

How Belize Oil Is Shared
What is interesting about this table ? 1. BNE reported paying US $1.5 million more in income tax for the 2005-2009 period than the income tax amounts for those years shown in the GOB table. 2. BNE noted on the chart that the 2009 figures were not audited.

parked near the reef in San Pedro... BIll Gates' on a yacht
The Attessa IV

U.S. citizen town hall meeting in San Pedro Town - April 20, 2012
The Embassy of the United States of America invites you to a U.S. Citizen Town Hall meeting April 20, 2012 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Blue Water Grill at Sunbreeze Hotel in San Pedro Town At the meeting, Embassy staff who provide assistance to U.S citizens in Belize will be introduced, discuss what public services the U.S. Embassy offers, hurricane preparedness, 2012 absentee ballot voting, and answer your general questions about our services.

Belize major exports with agricultural & forestry
Oil production has made important contributions to Belize's fiscal account and to growth in its gross domestic product (GDP). Although production was relatively low in 2006 and 2007, it has grown and generated important fiscal revenue. Its contribution in the future could be significant and will make the renegotiation of the "Superbond" seem as a strategic default. I hope that some people on the superbond renegotiation team have M&A and/or Public finance experience. Some issues that investors will bring up is that when Belize got the "Superbond" the fiscal condition was as is describe in this chart but now we have the following added indicators.

PHOTOS: Easter Saturday in Cayo: Fair and Live Music
Easter Saturday. Barefoot Skinny was in town, and they played at Lucky 5 Sports bar. The Easter Fair was in full force too. That ferris wheel was fast!

Belize Zoo was nominated for the Indianapolis Prize
Sharon Matola and the Belize Zoo were nominated for the Indianapolis Prize, which is an award for outstanding conservationism. While the Belize Zoo didn't win, just being mentioned is great for the "best little zoo in the world." "Sharon Matola founded the Belize Zoo and has devoted her entire life to leading the country's environmental education that aims to protect all of Central America's wildlife, from jaguars and tapirs to scarlet macaws and harpy eagles, many of the latter that she successfully reintroduced to the wild."

Mom (Rosalee's) Bread Pudding
Everyone has a different way of designing their bread pudding and so does my mom. This video teaches a different way to do the bread to make the texture of the bread pudding different than the one I made in the video "Belizean Bread Pudding"

Channel 7

JOY OF JOYS: THE GARLAND STAYS HOME!
It was a very violent and tragic weekend in Belize: 8 persons died; three were killed, and another 5 died in drowning and traffic accidents - while five more - including a ten year old and two teenagers were shot. A lot of bad news, too much, honestly�.but tonight we'll start with the good news, very good news, actually: the Cross Country Garland is home safe tonight, a Belizean has won it. Even if you were under a rock somewhere this weekend, you'll definitely know that Giovanni Choto went on one of the greatest rides in history to become the 84th. Cross Country Champion. 7news was on the road with the race and here's how it all unfolded: Jules Vasquez reporting 80 riders lined for the 84th race for the garland including some 7 foreigners - at 6:00 am they were off.

ONE MORE ELECTION PETITION PASSES JUST BEFORE THE DEADLINE
Today was the last day for the filing of election petitions. And the PUP made sure to make use of the very last day - the party filed an election petition last week and at 1 this afternoon, that preliminary hearing was held before Justice Minette Hafiz. The PUP's Orlando Habet has applied to the Supreme Court to have the election in Cayo Northeast voided - or at the very least, to have a recount ordered - based on the claim that the Returning Officer, Jose Castellanos, did not properly allow them to object to the 37 rejected votes. As you may recall, the PUP lost in that division by only 17 votes. Habet is represented by attorneys Said Musa and Anthony Sylvester, who have argued that within those 37 rejected ballots, Habet could have gotten the required votes to win the election.

STREET LEGEND LANZA KILLED
As we told you earlier, a panorama of gun violence unfolded this weekend - leaving three dead - two of the homicides happened in the Lake Independence area of Belize City. We start on Saturday night with the killing of Herman Lanza. Lanza's name may be familiar because he gained some notoriety after serving a 13 year prison sentence and publicly speaking on the media about leaving his former life of gang violence. And then, he was shot in the neck in March of 2010 - but survived. Recently, he had started working as a Doctor's Driver, was active at church and seemed to walking the straight and narrow. But his past caught up with him explosively on Saturday night very close to his family home in Lake-I.

VIOLENCE SPIKES IN LAKE I; 22 YEAR OLD KILLED, 18 YEAR OLD GIRLFRIEND INJURED
And the violence flared up in the Lake Independence area again on Monday night. Just a few blocks across from where Lanza was killed, a young couple was shot and the male was killed while his 18 year old girlfriend SHANICE ROWLAND was shot in the chest. It happened around 7:30 last night on Mahogany Street where a shooter with blue shorts and a blue hat, rode up on a bicycle and fired several shots at the ocuple. 22 year old Kevin Pott was shot in his head, his back, and midsection. 18 year old Shanice Rowland who stood with him was shot in the chest. She is in stable condition, but tonight Pott's family is preparing for a funeral for this young man.

MAN KILLED IN HATTIEVILLE, 10 YEAR OLD INJURED
And as police were finishing up at that crime scene, the call came in about the weekend's murder #3. This one happened at mile 15 and a half in Hattieville where 32 year old Elleno Requena was shot to death. It happened on the shoulder of the Cornel English Bridge where sometime after 8:00 pm, he was walking on the bridge when a person dressed in dark clothing simply came up on him and shot him in the midsection. Requena was carrying 10 year old Cameron Williams on his back and the child was shot in his left foot with the bullet exiting and then penetrating the right foot. Requena was not so lucky, he died on the spot and today his mother told us that they have only been able to get very little information about it:..

TEENAGER SHOT IN HOME INVASION WITH MURDEROUS INTENT
And while that ten year old was shot to the leg, a 14 year old is recovering from similar wounds which he got in a city home invasion. It happened on Holy Saturday on Banak Street just after the cross country was coming in. Now, Banak Street is right next to the Central American Boulevard roundabout - so the area was swarming with traffic police - who were blocking the area for the race. But that police presence did not stop a trio of gunmen from storming into the Meighan residence and asking for Tyrone Meighan. He wasn't at home, so the trio opened fire on 20 year old Joseph Obrien and 14 year old Dashey Williams who were guests at the house. Fortunately both only received injuries to their legs - but at the scene, a relative was outraged that the police in the area did not respond adequately. Here's what he told us:.. Eye witness "I heard pow, pow, pow. A second after I heard pow, pow again, then I saw a young boy limping. I ask the officer what was going here because they are killing people right in front of me."

ROLE MODEL SHOT
And that wasn't the end of gun violence in the city: another well-known person was shot this morning. He is Michael Alexander Young - who was recently featured on the I am Belize profile as a role model for turning one's life around. Well he did make that change, but this morning at 6:30 am when shots started flying in his neighborhood near McKay Boulevard and Mahogany Street - one of them found their mark in Young's chest. According to police, a staggering 16 expended shells were found at the scene. According to a friend of Young he was at home getting ready for work when he looked out to see what was all the ruckus and he was hit. Young was taken to the KHMH where he is under observation and in a stable condition. No one has been detained so far.

DRUNK DRIVER REMANDED AFTER KILLING HATTIEVILLE RESIDENT
A Hattieville resident was killed by a drunk driver on Saturday night. Around 8:30 on Saturday night, Dean Smith, a 33 year old Belizean Fisherman of Hattieville village, was riding his bicycle on the Western Highway when he was run over by a Black and Grey Mitsubishi Montero SUV being driven by Julian Martinez, a 32 yr old Belize City Mechanic. Smith was found lifeless, lying face down on the right side of the road with head and body injuries. Police have since arrested and charged Martinez with Driving A Motor Vehicle without due care and attention, Manslaughter by Negligence, Causing Death by Careless Conduct and Driving A Motor Vehicle with Alcohol Concentration above the Prescribed Limit. Martinez was arraigned in the Magistrate's Court today.

THREE DROWN OVER EASTER WEEKEND
And three persons died in drownings over the long Easter weekend. One of them happened off St. George's Caye, another in Ladyville and one in Placencia. We turn first to the one in Placencia where a fun family getaway proved fatal for Antoine Tillett, also known as "Yenkie". Tillett who is in his early 40's was taking part in a family get-together when he capsized in a dorey. We spoke with his family who told us how he died.

MAN SHOT BY POLICE GOES TO COURT
2 weeks ago, 7News told you about 25 year-old Tyson Rodriguez, a CAYE CAULKER resident who was shot by island police. Residents say police were in the wrong, but today in Magistrate's Court, Rodriguez was the one being charged for escaping from police. He was charged with the theft of a silver beach cruiser, which belongs Luciana Espinal; aggravated assault for the knife which he allegedly pulled on PC Juan Choc; possession of a controlled drug for 1.6 grams of cannabis; drug trafficking for 4.8 grams of cocaine; and escaping from lawful custody. In court, the prosecutor objected to bail due to the prevalence of the crimes, including the offenses against police, and the fact that he tried to escape, which speaks to the fact that he might not show up to court if he is granted bail.

FIVE YEARS FOR TRIO BUSTED BY GSU
On August 17 of last year, 7News told you about the pre-dawn raid conducted by the GSU on the residence of #4049 T Street in Belize City, which netted them two guns and ammunition. Today in the Magistrates Court, the persons who were present at the time were convicted of charges related to those weapons, and they were sentenced 5 years in prison. GSU arrested Kent Rose along with 19 year old Emily Garcia, and 21 year old Stacey Humes, who were present at the time and all three were charged for one count each of Kept Prohibited firearm and Kept Prohibited ammunition and one count of Kept firearm without a gun license.

CHOTO SAYS HE NEVER EXPECTED TO RIDE INTO CITY ALONE
At the top of the newscast you saw the news about Giovanni Choto - the 23 year old winner of the 84th. Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic. He is one of five Choto brothers who entered the race - and remarkably, three of them finished in the top ten: Giovanni was first, Peter was ninth and Jose was tenth - Rafael and Daniel did not finish. Still, they are the most dominant family in cycling - and Giovanni attributes it to their competitive training regimen. They all live close to each other in Cayo and all train together. Choto told us that right now, though, training is the last thing on his mind, he's trying to recover from a race that even surprised him in how it played out. Here's what he had to say when he sat down in our studio this morning:..

THE GREAT BENJI IS DEAD
Celebrated Belizean painter Benjamin Nicholas died last night at the age of 82. Nicholas was most well-known for his folkloric depictions of Garifuna life. His larger works can be found in many major banks and businesses in Belize, but also in homes and museums all over the world - including the Smithsonian. Today we spoke to Art Historian Yasser Musa who was a fan of Nicholas. He told us about Nicholas's importance as a painter: Yasser Musa "I believe has lost a great artist. Benjamin Nicholas was a man who represented many things and to my mind yes he represented the pinnacle of great Garifuna art. However it goes beyond that and he represents great Belizean art."

Bill Gates In Belize On Mega-Yacht
Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world, is in Belize - on the 23rd longest private yacht in the world. According to the San Pedro Sun, he arrived this morning with his family and was aboard the Super Yacht Atessa IV - which is anchored near San Pedro. The yacht is 330 feet long and comes equipped with an upper deck pool jacuzzi, a spa, and even a helicopter- which was cleared to fly in Belize. The vessel's estimated value is in the hundreds of millions, and it belongs to multi billionaire industrialist, Dennis Washington. According to the San Pedro Sun, the Attessa IV is expected to stop at renowned sites such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the Great Blue Hole and The Turneffe Atolls. But this isn't his first trip to Belize. Gates also came here in 2005 - also in a yacht. This time he is travelling with six family members and 23 crew members. The yacht was given clearance to stay in Belize until May 9th.

Rebecca Stirm Making Waves In Regional Fashion Competition
A Belizean fashion designer is making major waves in the Caribbean fashion world after winning a culture-inspired challenge in a Caribbean fashion designer reality series called "Mission Catwalk". The show is a huge hit in Jamaica and 18 year old Rebecca Stirm is doing well. She was one of 15 Caribbean designers who were instructed to create an outfit reflecting the style and culture of their various countries. They were given a short time frame and a $20 USD budget, but Stirm applied her creativity by using curtain fabric to create the wining outfit which drew on the Hispanic and Mayan influences in Belize. Stirm, who calls her label Fancy Purple Paint, was the first of the show's designers to win a challenge as this is the second episode of the show. Stirm and the remaining contestants are vying for $3million Jamaican Dollars - about thirty five thousand US dollars in prizes, including a chance to show at London Fashion Week.

Channel 5

2 murders in Belize City over the Easter weekend
It was an exceptionally violent Easter weekend across the country; one in which at least ten people were severely injured during separate shooting incidents. The carnage began on Holy Thursday with the murder of Leron Johnson. On Holy Saturday, two more would fall victim to gun violence when three armed men entered a property on [...]

Camalote man and his teenage girlfriend injured in machete attack
A Camalote resident and his teenage girlfriend were violently attacked on Friday night. The machete man created a distraction to get Kenroy Chacon outside the house while he made his way inside and chopped the young girl multiple times. In his attempt to rescue his girlfriend, Chacon was chopped twice and managed to pry the [...]

Hattieville contractor killed by a single bullet to the abdomen
As the Easter Holiday came to a close another man was gunned down and a minor narrowly escape the fatal shot. Eleno Reque�a was walking about a hundred yards over the bridge in the Hattieville Community when an unidentified man approached him and fired a single shot. News Five's Andrea Polanco spoke with the young [...]

Renowned Belizean Artist, Benjamin Nicholas, dies at age 82
The world of Belizean art suffered a great loss over the weekend with the passing of painter and sculptor, Benjamin Nicholas. At age eighty-two, Nicholas had been sick for about a year and was living with his daughter, Avis Nicholas in Dangriga. He also leaves behind his wife, Ysidora Nicholas and four other children as [...]

Aerial Highlights of Cross Country Cycling Classic
The eighty-fourth Annual Cross Country Cycling Classic was staged this past Saturday and during our Sports Monday feature, Veteran Sportscaster James Adderley will provide full coverage of the grueling hundred and forty mile trek along the Western Highway. The race started at Leslie's Imports and culminated on Marine Parade where the Memorial Park once stood. [...]

Orlando Habet vs. Elvin Penner; another election petition before the Courts
It has been a little over a month since the historic March seventh general and municipal elections and lawyers on both sides of the political divide are still pursuing legal action by filing election petitions in the Supreme Court. Today, senior counsels Rodwell Williams and Said Musa appeared before Justice Minnet Hafiz where Musa's client, [...]

Ladyville residents drown in Vista Del mar and St. George's Caye
Swimming is as much a part of the Easter tradition as fish and hot cross buns. But the sad reality is that it has also become common for several drowning incidents to be reported in the news on the Tuesday after the festivities. And this year is no different. Three Ladyville residents lost their lives [...]

Family of 3rd drowning victim upset about response of authorities
Another Ladyville resident drowned over the weekend; this time in Placencia. Forty-four year old Egbert Tillett and his family were on the Peninsula for a birthday party for his aunt on Sunday. According to relatives, Tillett had gone kayaking, but overturned. At first, his cousin thought he was playing a practical joke, but when Tillett [...]

Hattieville man dies days after brutal beating
Almost a week after being brutally attacked by two young men, sixty year old Jeff Garnett succumbed to his injuries this morning. On Tuesday of last week Garnett's son, twenty-one year old Dorian, says that he was attacked first by the same two men but he was rescued by a friend. He says that the [...]

2 men injured in shooting in St. Matthews Village
And while the spate of crime claimed the lives of three different men, two are lucky to be alive following a shooting incident in St. Matthew's Village. Twenty five year old Royston Henry and thirty two year old Roylee Young were walking on Saturday night when a man in the bushes fired a shotgun hitting [...]

Belize City mechanic remanded on numerous charges for fatal accident
On Saturday night a Hattieville resident was killed in a fatal traffic accident a stone's throw away from his house. According to police, around eight-forty five that night they discovered the body of thirty-three year old Deon Spencer near mile seventeen on the western highway. Spencer, who suffered head and body injuries, was riding his [...]

2nd Richest Man in the World, Bill Gates, on family vacation in Belize
US billionaire, Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world, and his wife Melinda along with other family members are vacationing in the Jewel. News that his yacht was moored nearby sent the residents of the island speculating whether the Gates would drop in to enjoy the island's charm. Gates arrived this morning on [...]

2 thieves caught breaking into residence of Justice Manuel Sosa
To show that no one is safe from crime, the house of a judge was burglarized last week. Going into the Easter holidays, thieves were caught red handed breaking into the Southern Foreshore residence of Justice Manuel Sosa, the President of the Court of Appeal. This morning, two Belize City men were arraigned for the [...]

3 roommates go to jail for illegal firearms and ammo
A young couple and their friend, who live together on T-Street, are going to prison together for illegal firearm and ammunition found at their house. Kent Rose, his girlfriend Emily Garcia and friend Stacey Humes were all arrested after police found a nine millimeter pistol and a point three fifty-seven magnum loaded with three live [...]

KTV Latino; Group A & B merges
The long weekend is over but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Tonight it's all about KTV Latino live at the Bliss Centre for Performing Arts. The Group A performers have lined up four hit songs and are ready to take the stage. As the competition heats up, these singers have been perfecting [...]

Belizean Cyclist, Giovanni Choto, brings the garland back home in 84th Cross Country race
Good Evening, I'm James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   We take you immediately to the start of the 84th Annual Cross Country Cycle Classic which blasted off from in front of Leslie's Imports at 6:00 a.m. on Holy Saturday with some 73 elite Belizean riders and 7 foreigners in search of fame and [...]

LOVE FM

HATTIEVILLE MURDER
There was another murder reported last night, this time in Hattieville village. Police reports say the victim is thirty two year old fisherman Elleno Reque�a. Police say that around eight thirty last night, they received reports of a shooting incident in Hattiveille village. Reque&nt...

TWO YOUTHS INJURED IN SHOOTING INCIDENT
Two people, including a fourteen year old boy were the victims of a shooting incident on Saturday afternoon in Belize City. Twenty year old Joseph O'brien and fourteen year old Dashey Williams received non-life-threatening injuries in the Saturday afternoon incident. Police repo...

YOUNG MAN HOSPITALISED AFTER BEING SHOT EARLY
An early morning shooting incident today has left a Belize City youth hospitalized. Twenty three year old Michael Alexander Young was shot in the upper left side of his back around six thirty this morning near McKay Boulevard and Mahogany Street. According to police reports, Young was taken...

LOVE TV

Belizean fashion designer wins cultural prize in Jamaica
Nineteen year old Belizean fashion designer Rebecca Stirm from Belmopan, has won a "culture-inspired" challenge in the second episode of regional fashion designer reality series called Mission Catwalk. The series is filmed in Kingston, Jamaica. According to an online report in the Bahamas weekly newspaper, Stirm and over a dozen other designers were challenged to create an outfit that reflected the style and culture of their individual countries. The competitors were given a grand total of twenty US dollars as their operating budget, and they had to apply their creativity within a short time frame. In an interview with the Bahamas Weekly, Stirm explained that given the budget she had to work with, she went straight to the curtain section of the retail store where she was able to get some light, airy fabric, to which she added embroidery, to, in her words, give the winning design some detail and intricacy. The Executive Producer of the Mission Catwalk series Keneea Linton-George described Stirm's dress as, quote: "beautiful, dramatic, tasteful and stylish" unquote, noting that she could "feel the culture," coming out of the Belizean fashion designer's winning creation. Reports are that Stirm drew on the Hispanic and Mayan influences of Belize to come up with the winning design. The judges for the fashion design challenge included the Lifestyle Editor for the Jamaica Observer newspaper Novia McDonald Whyte; menswear designer Carlton Brown and guest judge, Trinidadian actress Nadia Khan.

Fishing expedition ends in tragedy; one dead
There are reports of a drowning near St. George's Caye. The victim has been identified as forty one year old Herbert Moore. Police say that on Monday afternoon, Moore and his wife, and two friends were on a fishing expedition near St. George's Caye when one of the fishing lines became entangled on something in the water. Police say their investigations reveal that Moore decided to go and untangle the line; but never made it back out alive. According to the wife of the victim, about three minutes after he entered the water, she says her husband underwater on the left side of the boat moving as if though he was diving. She said that she assumed that he had already resurfaced for air and was just swimming around as he usually does. When Herbert Moore did not resurface, his wife contacted the coast guard for assistance. Upon their arrival, personnel from the Belize National coast guard found Moore's body around four-twenty yesterday afternoon. The body of Herbert Moore was transported to the KHMH, where it was pronounced dead on arrival at 5:23 yesterday evening.

Home invasion on Banak Street; two injured
Two people, including a fourteen year old boy were the victims of a shooting incident on Saturday afternoon in Belize City. Twenty year old Joseph O'brien and fourteen year old Dashey Williams received non-life-threatening injuries in the Saturday afternoon incident. Police reports say the two victims were socializing at a home on Banak Street when three armed men of dark complexion entered and inquired about the whereabouts of Tyrone Meighan. When the gunmen were told that Tyrone was not there, police say the men opened fire, injuring O'brien and Williams. O'brien was shot to the right leg, which Dashey Williams was wounded in the right leg and right ankle. Police say that they have recovered one nine millimeter live round, one fragmented slug, two complete slugs and 4 expended 9 millimeter shells from the scene. Investigations continue.

BNTU prepares for annual teachers convention
The Belize National Teacher's Union will be hosting its forty-second annual convention at the D Victoria Hotel in Orange Walk Town on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. As is customary, the convention, which brings together teachers from all over the country, is held immediately following the Easter Holidays. Love News spoke with president of [...]

Several injured in shooting incidents in Belize City
The gun war did not let up in the old capital with at least two more shootings that did not result in death. In the first instance on Saturday afternoon fourteen year old Dashey Williams and twenty year old Joseph O'brien were shot while at a house on Banak Street. The Public Relations Officer for [...]

Belizean cyclist takes the garland on Holy Saturday
There is enough murder, mayhem and sadness in tonight's newscast to depress an entire nation. We'll wade through the weekend violence and death in a while; but first up, the collective spirit of the entire nation was soaring high on Holy Saturday. Belizean cyclist Giovanni Choto ended the six year drought for local riders when [...]

Baby boy killed in Corozal accident
There was another fatal traffic accident, this time in the Corozal district. It claimed the life of a one year old baby boy, identified as Dryden Chan. The incident happened in Sarteneja village, Corozal on Saturday afternoon. According to police reports, Chan ran out onto the Front Street in the village and into the path [...]

PlusTV

Giovanni Choto returns the garland to Belize in Cross Country Race
Belizeans stood tall and proud as they witnessed the long awaited resurgence of Belizean prowess in the nation's mo...

Man struggles with gunmen in fatal shooting
The Easter holiday was not without its share of crime. There were two murders and a number of shootings reported. W...

Hail of bullets rocket through Banak Street, three persons injured
A hail of bullets rocket through a residence on Banak street. On Holy Saturday, 7th April, around 1:15 pm police vi...

Belizean couturier wins challenge in second episode of Mission Catwalk
Belizean designer 19 year old Rebecca Stirm, has been working the runway with her couture fashion. She snatched up ...

Crime Stoppers Belize steps up publicity in a beneficial course
Whilst there is much heartache about the crime situation in Belize City...let's shift gears to positive event (whic...

Shooting leaves one man dead and woman wounded
The killing continued in Belize City through to Monday the 9th of April. CIB personnel visited Mahogany Street, at ...

BWSL office in Belmopan robbed
We have just been informed of a robbery that took place this evening in Belmopan at the Garden City Plaza. Accordin...

PUP granted application for petition in Cayo North East elections
Another PUP petition goes through. So far there have been at least five attempts to bring an application for leave ...

Hattieville fisherman found dead on the Western Highway
A belizean fisherman of Hattieville is found dead in a ditch on the highway. Police visited miles 15 � on the Weste...

Belize City resident in critical condition following after being shot in the back
At 6:20 a.m. this morning Tuesday April 10 police received report of a shooting in the vicinity of McKay Boulevard ...

The Reporter

Two tourists drown at Hol Chan
Two tourists drowned during a snorkelling tour to the world-renowned Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, after sea currents separated them from their tour group. According to police, Tsunami Tour, owned by a Canadian national, took out seven tourists from Caye Caulker on Tuesday, April 3, but the waves proved too much for four of them and swept them away about 10 minutes before noon. Two corpses and the survivors were later found. The body of one woman was the first to be recovered around 1:45 p.m., and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve boat brought in the second body at 2:45 p.m. Both were taken to the San Pedro Polyclinic II. Authorities have withheld the names of the deceased.

Craig challenges Longsworth in court
The United Democratic Party's Albert Division Area Representative, Hon. Herman Longsworth, will face an election petition, which will determine if he was indeed qualified for a seat in the House of Representatives. Supreme Court Justice, Michelle Arana granted leave to the People's United Party's candidateDavid Craig to file an election petition on Monday, April 2. She said that the question of whether or not Longsworth has a contract that he did not disclose before the election is an important legal question, one which should be ventilated before the court.

Toledo Maya golden baskets
Ten Maya women have received awards for their basket weaving skills at the Building People Movement's fourth annual Jipi Japa Basket Competition Award Ceremony, held on Saturday, March 31, at the House of Weavers in Punta Gorda Town. Building People Movement (BPM)'s Founder, Ms. Dorla Bowan, told The Reporter that Cyrila Sho, whose basket was the judge's favourite, received the $200 first prize. The $150 second prize went to Ms. Christina Cho. Ms. Juliana Cho received the $150 third prize. All three winners received plaques as well. "Ms. Margarita Choc, Valeria Sho, Elodia Cal each won fourth, fifth and six prize respectively," Bowan said.

Fisherman stung $10,000 in land scam
Police are investigating a land swindle in which 33-year-old Belize City fisherman Jeffery Murillo reports that he has been unable to make contact with a woman whom he knows only as Leticia Jones. He paid $10,000 to this woman for a piece of land, for which he is yet to receive a lease transfer as Jones had promised . Murillo learned the land was for sale from his brother Giovanni Murillo. He had accompanied Jones and her sister to the office of the Lands Department in San Ignacio, where they met a Mr. Bautista, supposedly an employee of the Department at 10:00 o'clock Tuesday morning, March 13.

Thurton, 19, gets 15 years for attempted murder
Akeem Thurton, 19, the first person to be tried without a jury since the new law came into effect in this session of the Supreme Court, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, March 30. Thurton appeared before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, who found him guilty on March 15 for the attempted murder of attorney Rodwell Williams, Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow's law partner. Thurton was severely handicapped in his defense as he was unrepresented throughout the entire trial, and when he was invited to address the court on Friday, he said: "My Lord, I don't agree with this. You chanced me."

Succotz Festival Drum Corps wins 7th love FM Bandfest
The Succotz Festival Drum Corps successfully defended their title and returned as champions of the seventh edition of the annual Love FM Bandfest at the Santiago Ricalde Stadium in Corozal Town last Saturday, March 31. With 14 wind musicians, 22 more with drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments and 17 majorettes under the direction of acting president of the band, Mr. Roberto Chan, the Succotz band won points for their energetic performance in the street parade. Inside the stadium, their musical reportoire, their majorettes dancing and musicians manoeuvring in formation scored top marks to win the $6,000 first prize in the wind instrument category.

Seven diplomatic postings announced
Cabinet approved seven diplomatic postings on Tuesday, April 3.

Court of Appeal upholds largest malpractice award of $2.1 million
Doctor Raju Meenavalli and the Government of Belize have to pay a $2.1 million award in a medical malpractice suite, after the Belize Court of Appeal dismissed their appeal on Monday, April 2. Janae Matute's mother, Georgia Matute, sued Doctor Raju Meenavalli and the Government of Belize for medical malpractice in 2010, after a premature cesarean delivery caused Janae to be born with cerebral palsy. In that Supreme Court civil case, Justice Awich found that Dr. Meenavalli acted negligently when he miscalculated Matute's due date.

Chief Justice dismisses Schakron's case. King's Lake I throne is safe.... for now
Yolanda Schakron's second attempt to qualify as a candidate for the Lake Independence Constituency was again derailed in the Supreme Court, as Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin refused to grant her leave to file an election petition on Friday, March 30. Schakron, represented by attorney Lisa Shoman, challenged the March 7th General Elections' result. She argued that the court should nullify the election of the UDP Lake Independence Area Representative Mark King and call a bi-election, because Shackron was illegally barred from the nomination.

Belize City Council lays off 25 workers
With collection of taxes slow in coming, the newly elected Belize City Council has had to take the tough decision to lay off 25 redundant workers four weeks after taking office. The process started last Friday, March 30, when the first set of employees received termination letters. It continued this week when several others suffered the same fate. Mayor Darrell Bradley explained that in the past the Council had to request advance tax payments from the business community to meet payroll demands. He said the results of an institutional audit that was done after they took office revealed that the Council's oversized staff was largely responsible for the Council's fiscal difficulties.

Editorial
Over the years the panorama of human rights has grown to such proportions that if a critical mass of human beings want to do something weird, that desire can be elevated to become a right. We all know that is it unlawful to take human life. But because there is a critical mass of women who want abortion, abortion becomes a human right and it become O.K. to kill an infant in the womb. Because there is a critical mass of men who want to copulate with other men, gay rights become human rights. Because there is a critical mass of women who want to have a sexual relationship with other women, lesbianism becomes a human right. The march of rights is inexorable! Politicians cave in because they cannot bear the thought of losing the popular vote. None of these weird things is a human right.They are human options, human desires, base longings of the human heart, but they are not human rights.

Blogs

Monday Night...Blues at Average Joe's (AJ's) Bar
Last night we stopped by AJ's Bar for a few beers and to check out All Cayed Up, a local blues band. Who doesn't like live music? The band has five members including Tull, Keith Newton and Barefoot Skinny. They are all very talented musicians on their own...together they are amazing. If you like the blues, you will love these guys. AJ's is very Canada friendly and has a hook-up to all NHL channels. You can also check out the world's tallest bar stools...these things can get quite dangerous after a few drinks. Average Joe's is about half a mile south of town (next to the gas station) and is open every day but Tuesday.

International Sources

Getting a Belize online gaming license: DHS Holding Company Announces Online Gaming
DHS Holding Company (pinksheets:DHSM) CEO Mike Rohling announces that DHS Holding Company is submitting documentation to secure an online gaming license in Belize. In his letter to DHS Holding Company, dated March 2, 2012, Honorable Erwin Contreras, Minister of Economic Development, Belize, stated, "It is my feeling that Belize will look very favorably toward an approval of this license, subject to a final review of your business plan and supporting documentation."

How to Retire Overseas in Stages
The Kuffners gradually moved from the San Francisco Bay area to Ambergris Caye, Belize. They made a part-time move in small steps. First, Mike, a self-employed architect, began spending time on Ambergris Caye, a month or so at a stretch, getting comfortable with the idea of island living. Over time, Mike reduced his client-load and began extending his stays on Ambergris. Ann kept her vice president position back in California and would join him as often as possible. Eventually, Mike identified a piece of land he was interested in buying, and the couple began construction on what they originally intended as a vacation house. Mike began living on the island for three months and longer at a stretch, and Ann flew back and forth regularly. And what had begun as a lark developed into a new life. After more than three years of part-time retirement in Belize, the couple decided to start a second career there. Ambergris is home to a growing community of expats who are lacking many of the products and services they miss from home, and they are typically more than happy to pay for them. Ann and Mike noticed all kinds of market voids. And, the longer they were there, the more ideas they had for ways to address these market gaps. "We had fun kicking around ideas for businesses we might both enjoy," says Ann. "And the better we got to know the island, the more niches we saw that needed filling."

OECS union, CSME get multi-million dollar boost from EU
The European Commission (EC) on Wednesday signed three financial agreements with the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) aimed at boosting the region's ability to deliver tangible results in its CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and economic union within the eastern Caribbean. With a total value of Euro $82.6 million (US$110 million), the financing agreements provide EC support for, among other things, the economic integration and trade of the nine-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS); the further development of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, with special allocations for Belize and Haiti; and CARIFORUM's implementation commitments under the CARIFORUM-EC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

More Fruits Worth a Voyage Around the World
Cashew wine, Belize. I first described this specialty product of Belize two weeks ago. Cashew wine is not currently imported into or sold in the United States (or if it is, I haven't heard about it) and short of having a friend pack a few bottles home on their next trek to Central America there may be no way other way than visiting Belize to have a taste (well, you can order it online, but that's no fun). But it so happens that I was lucky enough to sample a bottle kindly sent to me last week by Travellers Liquors, the Belize-based maker of Mr. P's Genuine Cashew Wine. Made from the fleshy cashew apple, Mr. P's is tawny colored, like whiskey, on the sweet side and very aromatic. It smells and tastes like a lively stew of sour pineapple, molasses and maple syrup, with a strange and elusive hint of WD40-an exciting change of pace from the fermented juice of the grape. And here's a morsel of jungle lore: Belizeans told me in 2002, as I traveled there for a month, that cashew wine will make a person drunk twice-once while drinking it, and again the next day if you should fall asleep in the sun.

Beyond The Buzz: An Interview with Friends
ohn Freeman talks to Samantha Urbani about how everything from Adam Ant to Belize has inspired Friends' sonic brew.In the flesh, Urbani is a complex and engaging character. Home-schooled by ultra-liberal parents from a young age, she spent time as a child in Belize before making a variety of art from her Brooklyn neighbourhood of Bushwick. With no formal musical training, she began to write songs that pilfered from punk, funk, West African djembe beats and salsa. Last year's singles 'I'm His Girl' and 'Friend Crush' were ready-made pop classics and tonight's set is a speedball hotchpotch showcasing songs from their forthcoming debut album; 'Ruins' sounds like Adam Ant's ("He is a genius, I want to tour with him; get that on the record," Urbani tells me) 'Prince Charming' after an overdose of Sunny Delight, while the Swedish-titled 'Va Fan Gor Du' is a jagged slice of proto-funk. Both songs are typical of Friends' refreshingly varied creativity.

Sovereign Sportsman series wins Emmy
Sovereign Media Group, LLC, (SMG) originator and producer of the nationally televised hit sportsman's television series "The Sovereign Sportsman", took center stage at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences annual Emmy Awards gala on Saturday, March 17. SMG won the covetted Emmy® Award for Entertainment Excellence in Television for an episode of their show shot this past year in Belize, Central America. Show Co-host & Executive Producer Eric Richey (Smyrna, TN) and show Producer Joel Evans (originally from Belize) were on-hand to accept this prestigious award, an honor seldom won by outdoor sportsman's programs.

Piper Adds Dealer In Central America
Piper Aircraft Inc. has named Duran Aviation, Inc. as distributor for its new airplane sales in Central America. Duran Aviation is a part of Company Consultenos, S.A., which is a family owned company that is involved in several areas, including automotive, golfing, and real estate. With hangar facilities at International Airport Marcos A. Gelabert (MPMG), serving Panama's capital in Panama City, Duran Aviation will be responsible for marketing and selling the Piper Aircraft product line throughout Central America in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Belize