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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: April 2, 2013 - 04/02/13 01:59 PM


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The San Pedro Sun

Guatemalan high court official visits San Pedro Town
The Chief Prosecutor for Women's Affairs in the Guatemalan Court was on Ambergris Caye and paid a courtesy call to both the Officer Commanding the San Pedro Police Department Superintendent of Police Luis Castellanos and the Mayor of San Pedro Town Daniel Guerrero. Licenciada Leonora Castillo of Guatemala City was vacationing with her family on Ambergris Caye, and said that while on the island, she took time out of her vacation schedule to make a call on Castellanos who she knows for a long time. In speaking to The San Pedro Sun, Castillo said that she was honored to have met the Mayor of San Pedro Town and members of the Council. "Both Castellanos and Mayor Guerrero received me very warmly. They instantly made me feel at home. I took the opportunity to meet with Castellanos, who has attended regional training together with me, to briefly see some of the work he does. As part of his work with the community, Castellanos was instrumental in having me meet the Mayor," the Guatemalan Women's Prosecutor said.

Medication with Pseudoephedrine removed from San Pedro shops
All medication containing pseudoephedrine is being removed from the shelves at local stores on Ambergris Caye. The initiative is part of a country wide action by the Ministry of Health to stop shops from selling medication with pseudoephedrine since it should only be sold by licensed pharmacists. As such, the Health Inspector on Ambergris Caye has been visiting stores confiscating medication with pseudoephedrine content. Speaking to The San Pedro Sun, Lisa Tillett, Health Inspector at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II, said that shops are not authorized to sell medication with the given drug content. "We have been confiscating all antibiotics and drugs containing pseudoephedrine from all the stores. These drugs should only be sold by licensed pharmacist and with a prescription. What is happening is that we have stores on the island selling these drugs and it is very dangerous for people to buy them, especially if they don't know to use them, or it hasn't been prescribed to them by a doctor," said Tillett.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belize on Biggest Baddest Bucketlist
Cayo's Alberto Matus has put together a video for the Biggest Baddest Bucklist. It was shot all around Cayo, and Belize. It gives a great overview of Belize for those that don't know. Definitely worth a watch. Great enthusiam, Alberto! "A total of 183 countries present in Pittsburgh, USA on October 2012 at the One Young World Summit. A UK non profit organization who gathers the brightest young people from all over the globe to debate and present reasonable solutions to global issues. There I was the first and single representative of my beloved country, Belize. Holding our flag."

World Culture Band Rocks Easter
The World Culture Band played on Easter at Lucky 5. Looks like everyone had a wild time to go with the amazing live music.

VIDEO: Howler Monkeys in San Ignacio
Cuteness of the day. Guessing that this was at Xunantunich, where they can usually be found on the left side of El Castillo. Enjoy!

Cross Country Cycling Classic Finish Line
Will Moreno was at the finish line of the 85th annual Cross Country Cycling Classic to get some great stills of the riders last sprint. Nice shots. Congratulations, Darnell Barrow!

"You have waited and here is the frame by frame action at the finish line as Darnell Barrow wins the 85th Annual Cross Country Cycling Classic."

Channel 5

VIDEO: 85th Annual Cross Country Cycling Classic
6 hr, 11 minute video....

Blogs

Have you heard the buzz?
Most you have already heard the buzz by now but in case you haven't�. Ambergris Caye was named Top Island in the Travelers Choice Awards 2013. It's no surprise why Ambergris Caye rose to the top on the world's 10 best Islands list on Trip Advisor. By far the most developed of the Cayes, Ambergris is still pretty laid-back with it's friendly people, cobblestone streets, golf carts and beach-side bars. The island may have started as a small fishing village, but it grew into Belize's prime tourist destination. The Barrier Reef is only a quarter mile from the shore and a stones throw away you will find, world famous snorkeling and dive site Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Ambergris also offers amazing reef and deep-sea fishing, sailing and Nat Geo moments all around. Of course the news is gaining international coverage, someone missed fact checking at Reuters when they put this comment in - "Ambergris Caye boasts spectacular caves, winding waterfalls, tropical rainforest and hundreds of limestone caves," Trip Advisor spokeswoman Emma Shaw said in a statement. Funny how that came out right after the miss spelled Trip Advisor sign was put up in town [and quickly taken down] for Easter.

Why YOU Should Visit Belize in April and May
April and May can be some pretty great months to visit Belize. The Easter/Spring Break crowds have started to thin out. The peak airline prices of December, US Presidents' Week, and Easter are starting to come down a bit. And the wetter season hasn't started yet so the average day is dry and warm. On the mainland it can be very warm�but let me tell you some of the reasons that the trip will be well worth it. All the usual every day Belize stuff is going on�snorkeling the reef, beach barbecues, diving, sailing, spotting manatees, visiting stunning Mayan ruins, toucan watching, cave tubing and zip lining and more. Not enough? Here are some special events you can add to your itinerary in April and May. Diving and Snorkeling with Whale Sharks - The largest fish in the sea can be seen feeding on snapper spawn off the coast of Belize during the full moons in April and May. A few days before and a few days after these moons, the sharks migrate to this area to eat. It's what they do�it's what they live for. It can't be easy to maintain a weight of 20 tons eating plankton and fish eggs. The 44th Annual Belmopan Agriculture and Trade Show, The Fair Grounds, Belmopan, May 3rd - 5th - Crowded? Check. Crazy crowded. Approximately 20,000 people attend this event. Hot? Check. Very very. Fun? Check. 100 checks. This event should not be missed. Food, drink, dancing, games, carnival rides, animals, plant and fruit shows, a rodeo, live music and everyone you know in Belize�I haven't even scratched the surface. Check out my two parter on the 2012 Ag Show. (Part One and Part Two). And I'll definitely see you there! 20th Annual Cashew Festival, Crooked Tree, Belize - First or Second Weekend of May (To be announced). The cashew isn't just a nut�there is a huge fruit attached that is used to make jellies and wine (that tastes to me like teriyaki sauce). Aren't the fruit gorgeous?

Lady Gaga Tweets About Belize
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known by her stage name Lady Gaga has just tweeted about Belize. The tweet was on a blog post entitled "Ambergris Caye Wins Top Trip Advisor Travelers Choice Award" which was published on our travel blog on March 27th 2013.

Assumption and presupposition regarding Belize future by: Nuri Akbar
The final major attempt at settling Guatemala's unfounded claim to Belize came in the form of a document called the "Heads of Agreement" in 1981. This culminated in nation wide paralyzing strikes and national convulsion. From time immemorial a claim/threat by a militaristic and aggressive garrison state upon the territorial integrity of another nation, regardless of how small or large, would naturally serve as a unifying force among the people of the target threat. However, this was not the synergy that reverberated across the nation of Belize leading up to its independence on September 21st 1981, and it has not currently manifested itself as we are confronted in the latest ICJ plot. The British colonial rulers not only divided the people of Belize geographically, but racially, culturally, religiously and politically. This model of course, was perfected by the British and they carried out this strategy for more than five hundred years across the globe as they wage war, rape, pillage, enslaved and committed genocide upon the darker people of the earth. Belize was no exception to this rule.

International Sources

An inspiring trip to distribute shoes, host 5K in Belize
Ernesto was beaming, looking like he was going to jump right out of his wheelchair as Lafayette's Anne Klein fitted him with a new pair of running shoes a couple of days before the annual One World Run in northern Belize last month. It was day three of the weeklong Buck-I-Serv Alternative Spring Break trip, a partnership between The Ohio State University and One World Running. Klein had come along for the first time, treating her goddaughter, Maine high school senior Laura MacDonald, to the trip. "I want to expose all three of my godchildren to other cultures, to show them how fortunate and blessed we are to live where we do," said Klein, a long-time runner and now vice president of administration and sustainability at Boulder's Newton Running, which contributed shoes to the race, along with other local firms Pearl Izumi and Crocs. Klein was one of four adults on the student trip (five, if you count me). "Anne is a great example of the kind of selfless people in Boulder who don't get much attention," said Ana Weir, a full-time nurse who is the volunteer head of One World Running.

Medical student seeks public support
Bermudian medical student Aisha Basset had early exposure to the realities of living with cancer. Her beloved grandfather died from the disease when she was 11 years old. That experience left a deep interest in her to work with cancer patients and she's now been offered a chance to work in Belize, a country with one of the highest incidences of cancer in the world. But she needs funding. "I have been offered a place at The Belize Cancer Center, the only cancer centre in Belize. It is run under the guidance of oncologist, Dr Ellsworth Grant. "I have also been offered a place at one of the regional hospitals in of Belize," said Ms Bassett. Now in her fourth year at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, she is at the point where she has to decide between an internship at a hospital or clinic. "All students in medical school are given the responsibility to organise and fully fund a medical elective,' said Ms Bassett. "I have chosen to go to Dangriga, Belize in Central America." She's been offered a place there in June but will not be able to go unless she gets funding.

Posted By: Katie Valk Re: Today's Belize News: April 2, 2013 - 04/02/13 04:25 PM
Fortunate to have Dr Grant practicing and treating people here who could not otherwise afford or would have to travel abroard for chemo.
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