AmbergrisCaye.com Home
Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: June 3, 2014 - 06/03/14 11:57 AM


FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

Belizean Kent Bob Gabourel competes in two international triathlon events
Kent Bob Gabourel, the Belizean Triathlete that is expected to represent the country at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, continues his training at two international events. On Saturday May 24th, Gabourel represented Belize in an international triathlon competition in Mexico organized by the Pan American Triathlon Confederation (PACTO) and is now preparing for a second event in the United States of America (USA). According to Gabourel, with some help from the Belize Olympics Committee, he was able to attend 2014 PATCO Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup in Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo, Mexico. He participated amongst 2,000 participants from Japan, Australia, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay and Costa Rica, in various categories. Gabourel was able to complete 750 meters of swimming, 20 kilometers of biking and 10 kilometers of running. The only Belizean participant was able to finish in 30th place in the Elite Category, crossing the finish line at one hour, 14 minutes and eight seconds. "It was a great experience to compete with professional triathletes. It is very competitive, but for me I'm not on par with them, so I have to put in much more extra work. This is my first international event and I finished in decent time, so I am happy," said Gabourel. The first place winner, Mexican Eder Mejia, finished in 57 minutes and eight seconds.

Public asked to be mindful of Turtle Nesting Season
The 2014 Turtle Nesting Season has officially commenced, and biologists at the Ambergris Caye Marine Turtle Program have already recorded two nests at Robles Point. The nests were found on Tuesday, May 20th during a check of the beach and are the first nests observed for the season. 10362378_645564755517436_1340382775771597586_nThe season runs from the months of May to November, with sea turtles nesting particularly in the Robles Point, Rocky Point and Basil Jones Area. There are three species of turtles who nest on Ambergris Caye: the Loggerhead turtle (ChleoniaCaretta), the Green turtle (ChleoniaMydas) and the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate). Mature female turtles usually return to nest in the same areas that they were hatched and continue to nest in that area for the remainder of their life span. One single female turtle can lay from 70 to 190 eggs, depending on the species, and they take between six to ten weeks to hatch.

Health support tuk-tuks on the island but still not in use
On April 14th, 26 small three-wheeled motorcycle-type mobiles, widely referred to as Tuk-Tuk (motorized rickshaws) were donated by Dubai, United Arab Emirates to the Government of Belize. Three of the tuk-tuks were sent to Ambergris Caye to be used at the Dr Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II. They have has been on the island for over a month, but the tuk-tuks have still not been put to use. The health facility officials told The San Pedro Sun on May 28th that none of the three mobiles have reached the hands of the administration of the island's public health facility. Administrator of the PolyClinic Owen Vellos confirmed to The San Pedro Sun that while he has been notified of the donation and has even seen them on the island, they have not been formally handed over to the clinic. Vellos explained that it was recommended that the three tuk-tuks be given an oil bath before they are commissioned for use, but that has been over a month ago. Since then, the tuk-tuks have been sitting at the San Pedro Town Council barracks.

Bowen & Bowen debuts Galaxy Beer in honor of Courtney Bowen's Wedding
Courtney Walker Bowen exchanged vows with her beloved Peter Tully on May 24th in San Pedro Town, in front of friends and family, and it certainly was an occasion to celebrate. Daughter of Lady Dixie and the late Sir Barry of Bowen & Bowen fame, Courtney's nuptials went beyond the exchange of vows, as the nation joined in toasting the bride and groom with a specially crafted beer named Galaxy Beer. Belize Brewing Company utilized Sir Barry's favorite hops, an Australian strain called Galaxy to create a special brew with the same name: Galaxy. For the rest of the town, a release party was held on the same evening at the Louis Sylvestre Football Field, with the brew going at a special price of just two for $5. The San Pedro Sun made sure to pick up a few bottles of the beer to toast the lovely Courtney and her handsome husband Peter!

Ambergris Today

ADO Bus Company Says Belize Route Proving Successful
Three years into the service, Mexico-based ADO Bus Company is reporting moderate success of its Belize - Cancun and Belize - Merida routes. ADO stated that the Belize - Cancun route occupancy rate is up to 60% indicating that the service is being well received by its customers. ADO's Manager in Chetumal, Luis Perez Leon, stated that the service numbers are so encouraging that ADO executives are planning to add more routes to Belize but it all depends on whether or not the permits are granted by the Government of Belize. This international route is proving a success, since it has been providing comfortable and convenient connection for Belizeans residing in Quintana Roo and Belizeans wanting to travel to Mexico as well as increasing the Mexican tourism to Belize and Central America.

Recycled Tires Make for Awesome Garden Art at Ladybug
Passed by Ladybug garden supply and nursery this weekend and could not help but do a double take at the awesome garden art/pottery they have on display. They have on sale beautiful plant holders made out of old recycled tires. What a great way of recycling products that don't degrade and are bad for the environment. Taking a closer look at the plant holders, you can see how imaginative the people who make them are. They are all images of birds found in Belize (minus the swans Laughing). Pretty cool!!!

Sheila Chi Crowned Miss San Pedro High Over Weekend
Ms. Sheila Chi was crowned Miss San Pedro High School 2014 over the weekend at the pageant that took place at the R. Angel Nu�ez Auditorium on Saturday, May 31. Sheila also won the title of Miss Popularity and Miss Photogenic; First Runner-Up was Ms. Marisha Thompson.

Honeymooners Discover Belize through Instagram
Our beautiful jewel Belize has been attracting many love birds from all over the world. Our country is the perfect getaway for you to get engaged, married or spend an unforgettable honeymoon. I was contacted through Instagram by an amazing couple from Tempe, Arizona who was spending their honeymoon in Ambergris Caye, Belize. I met up with Michael and Stefanie Fasciocco at Caramba Restaurant where we got the chance to know each other a little bit more. During the night of great food, drinks and laughter, I asked them to elaborate on their decision to spend their honeymoon in Belize. The honeymooners stayed at X'tan Ha "The Waterfront" Resort where the fun kicked off with a tour to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley; snorkeling alongside the second largest Barrier Reef in the world. They also enjoyed their walk around San Pedro Town and stopped by at Elvi's Kitchen for some delicious food. Other places they also enjoyed were dinner at Mambo Restaurant inside Mata Chica Resort and dancing the night away at Wet Willy's.

Misc Belizean Sources

NEW ZEALAND COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP: 2014 AWARDS
Nominations are invited from suitable qualified candidates wishing to pursue post-graduate programmes in New Zealand commencing in February 2015. The award is being offered for PhD and Masters level study in New Zealand. ELIGIBILITY: *Candidates must be Citizens of Belize *Candidates must be residing in Belize at least two(2) years prior to application *Candidates must be applying to commence a new qualification and not seeking funding for one already commenced *Candidates should hold a first degree of upper second class honors level or above or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification. *Candidates should be able to take up their awards by the start of the New Zealand academic year in February 2015

Deployed electrician plans on pursuing nursing degree, joining Reserves
You could say that he started training for his current job at just 12 years old when his father gave him his first set of tools. "My dad built a toolkit for me and I still have it," said Senior Airman Kevin Barnett, a plumber from the 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, who is currently deployed to Belize City, Belize, in support of the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored New Horizons exercise. The Santa Paula, California, native has been in the Air Force for four years. His dad, a former electrician in the Navy, helped him choose an Air Force job. "I chose to be a plumber because I wanted something that I could fall back on if I ever decided to get out," he said. Previously stationed in a civil engineer squadron in Germany, Barnett says that the "tempo is so much faster with RED HORSE because it's all new construction versus maintenance."

US Air Force doctor finds ways to 'give back'
Deployed in support of New Horizons Belize 2014, a multi-faceted exercise providing training opportunities for Belizean and U.S. medical professionals, U.S. Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Forrest Jellison is finding ways to give back. "I've always wanted to give back in some way because I know I'm fortunate for what I have," said the urologist. "I believe you have to give back to be able to have something worthwhile." Following a number of family members into the military, Jellison considered enlisting in the military before decided on a career path that would take him to places he never anticipated going in uniform. He graduation from Pacific Union College in Napa Valley, Calif., and followed his undergraduate education with medical school at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California where he also completed his residency. Jellison then completed a urology fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. He commissioned in 2001, officially kicking off his career in the Air Force.

Maafa
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez After one hundred and fifty years of experimentation America has finally perfected their weapon of mass destruction After slavery was abolished they did not know what to do with the black population Some 40 million, so they developed of plan of extermination Their fears were retaliation and retribution Following Francis Goltin they came up with the Eugenics solution Turning the white against the black population Congress funded this colonization They tried again with our brothers in Vietnam Eugene Fisher came up with sterilization Starting with countries controlled by the Germans Funded by the Carnage Corporation and Rockefeller Foundation When that did not work, they put chemical in the food and the water They solicited Nixon to get help to influence legislation When that did not work they took it to the United Nations So they do not have to dirty their hands Planned parenthood became their new standard of operation

Join in on the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict
Visit the British High Commission, Belmopan for updates on the campaign. From early morning on Tuesday 10 June there will be a global relay of events taking place around the world - 84 hours of action to highlight the fight against sexual violence in conflict. http://ow.ly/xuzNs #TimeToAct The global event relay will be key part of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, which is taking place in London from 10 - 13 June. The Summit Fringe in London is open to the public from 10-12 June. Events are free and the full programme is available here: http://ow.ly/xuAGY

Belize Zoo Conservation Camp 2014
The Zoo is getting ready to host Conservation Camp 2014! Students ages 12-17 are invited to join the Zoo's education team for a week of activities geared toward gaining knowledge and appreciation of our natural world. Night walks, canoeing, wildlife studies, acting, and forest hikes are just some of the many exciting activities planned this year. Camp runs from June 30th to July 4th. Facebook message us, call the Zoo at (501)-822-8000, or email [email protected] for more information. There are only 25 spaces left, so hop to it!

YWCA Belmopan Summer Programme
14 July through 8 August

Solar energy system project to be installed at UB's Living Reef Center (LRC) at Hunting Caye
The University of Belize (UB) along with one of its partner institutions [from Consortium for Belize Educational Cooperation (COBEC)] , Madison Area Technical College (MATC) from Madison, Wisconsin, USA is collaborating on a small but expandable solar energy system project to be installed at UB's Living Reef Center (LRC) at Hunting Caye, Toledo District. Joel Shoemaker, Renewable Energy and Electrical Apprenticeship Professor at Madison and his students were on a working trip-Wednesday, 28th May through Saturday, 31st May, 2014-at the Caye where they are installing the system. Chris Miller from Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois and Sarah Hawkins from Lakeshore Technical College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin also accompanied the team. This specific solar, renewable energy project is a part of an annual upgrading/expansion and maintenance of the system by MATC through its Study Abroad Program. It also serves as a demonstration of the University of Belize's continued commitment to clean energy, environmental and conservation education and the potential of international and national collaborations to produce tangible benefits. For this initiative, MATC is donating the solar panels, converters and other requisite electrical parts; UB is facilitating and coordinating this portion of MATC's 2014 Belize Tour and Belize Natural Energy Ltd. (BNE)-as a local partner and co-sponsor-is funding the cost of batteries, wiring and other miscellaneous materials necessary to install the system.

Spearhead has ARRIVED!!!!
Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel, USNS Spearhead, arrived at the Port of Big Creek yesterday morning. Spearhead's arrival in Big Creek marks the beginning of the United States' Southern Partnership Station program in Belize. The Southern Partnership Station program is a U.S. Navy deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges with partner nation militaries and security forces. During the visit, the ship will meet with Belizean counterparts to discuss and assist with local issues such as port security, professional development, operational risk management, medical readiness, outboard motor maintenance, and patrol craft operations, among other things. During the visit, personnel onboard the ship look forward to experiencing the rich culture of Belize, and serving as goodwill ambassadors; working with communities in Punta Gorda, Belize City, and Ladyville on various community projects.

A hundred (100) garbage containers were donated to the town of San Pedro by an anonymous donor.
he San Pedro Town Council had them painted in vibrant and attractive colors and each reading with the slogan "Keep La Isla Bonita Clean" to promote awareness on having a cleaner San Pedro. These containers will be distributed at the parks, along Boca del Rio Drive and other designated locations. We hope everyone makes good use of these containers and take proper care of them. Let's all help KEEP LA ISLA BONITA CLEAN!

NICH with support of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to launch Primary School Art Skills Training Project
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) today presented a check to the President of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), Diane C. Haylock. The donation is to support an initiative for the implementation of a Primary Schools Art Skills Training Pilot Project (PSAST). The pilot project is to offer training in art skills to a select number of primary school students from various schools in Belize City and is to run for an initial period of six (6) months from July through December 2014. The PSAST Project is a venture in addressing the critical need to increase the accessibility and affordability of creative arts programs for the children of Belize. The overall objective of the program is to provide opportunities for approximately 50 students in Belize City primary schools to increase their abilities to express themselves creatively through training in a structured art and craft programme.

ENTER TO WIN A FREE VACATION at Jaguar Reef Lodge
All you need to do is click on the photo contest tab below ( located underneath the cover photo), follow the rules and guidelines and submit your photo! There is still time! Make your submission and enter our photo contest. You might get lucky and win a free vacation! Just click the link below to enter: http://on.fb.me/1gq8MTf

SPEARHEAD has arrived !!!!!
Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel, USNS Spearhead, arrived at the Port of Big Creek yesterday morning. Spearhead's arrival in Big Creek marks the beginning of the United States' Southern Partnership Station program in Belize. The Southern Partnership Station program is a U.S. Navy deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges with partner nation militaries and security forces. During the visit, the ship will meet with Belizean counterparts to discuss and assist with local issues such as port security, professional development, operational risk management, medical readiness, outboard motor maintenance, and patrol craft operations, among other things. During the visit, personnel onboard the ship look forward to experiencing the rich culture of Belize, and serving as goodwill ambassadors; working with communities in Punta Gorda, Belize City, and Ladyville on various community projects.

May 25 - May 31 2014 Fishing Report
Wow. I can speak for all of the people who work here at El Pescador and say a big Thank You! We were so happy to see Dr. Marc bring his family to El Pescador after just being here last month! Dave and Donna - we love you guys. Rob is family and Donn we hope you become a neighbor! Roy and Wade - thanks for showing Lawrence what goes on here. Mike and Sue, I know Erlindo is thrilled to see you two! Cindy and Roy were here and it was hard to say goodbye. So until next time! And thanks for all the volleyball game support. And here we are, the first of June! Looks like an action packed month for us as we are sold out for several weeks! If you are reading this and looking forward to your trip, practice that cast! Even 5 minutes here and there really makes a difference. I'm saying this because when you look at that giant tarpon chasing your fly, you won't be calm. And a big heartfelt thank you to the guides we work with. This guide team has grown so much over the past few years. They show up every morning knowing their anglers are so excited to make their dreams happen. And the El Pescador guide team does just that - make it happen! And as we say here in Belize, "Why not?"

Channel 7

Dangerous san Juan Area of San Pedro Spikes Up Again
Since March, we've been reporting on a spike in violent crime on San Pedro - which has resulted in three murders, and multiple shootings and stabbings. The third murder since March happened on Saturday morning in the troubled San Juan area of San Pedro Town when 49 year old Corozaleno Alfred "Cat" Kelvin was killed. His death comes as a shock to his family who did not even know he was in the country! Daniel Ortiz found out more today:.. Supt. Luis Castellanos - OC, San Pedro Police "On Saturday the 31st of May at 2:05 in the morning we received information of a shooting in the San Juan area. As a result of the information received police visited Sea Weed Street situated in San Juan area where they saw the lifeless body of a individual we know as Alfred Kelvin, 49 years old Belizean unemployed of the San Juan area. He was seen suffering from one single gunshot wound to the right eye which exited on the right side of his head. He was apparently dead on the spot."

The Master of Coin Settles His Debt With Denys B.
Last week Wednesday, Burrell Boom resident Trevor Vernon got a stern come uppance when the court bailiff showed up at his house to start marking items which the court would claim to settle his debt to Denys Barrow. That arose from a Supreme Court case which Vernon lost, where he alleged that Castro violated the Cabinet code of conduct. Denys Barrow was Castro's attorney - and so Vernon had to pay his five thousand dollar cost.

Borland Family Wants West Charged For Murder
Giovanni Borland was viciously chopped in the head on May 11th in Libertad Village. He died 19 days alter on Friday May 30th. For the family who prayed that he would somehow recover from a massive brain injury, it is a terrible, drawn out end to one night of drinking that turned deadly. Joseph West told police that while socializing at a village bar, he and Borland got into an argument. He claims he tried to leave but Borland followed him with a machete. It ended when West chopped Borland in his head. But according to Borland family, he had no machete and it was not only Joseph West involved it the incident. They claimed Borland was attacked by 5 men - all related.

Discarded Fetus Found Inside KHMH; Hospital Has No Answers
The KHMH is not commenting on an ugly discovery made at the hospital on Friday night. Around 8:00, a female patient who was in the observation room of the Accident and Emergency area picked up a foul odor coming from under her bed. She alerted the nurses who were aghast to find a decomposing fetus in a small white box under the bed. How did it get there? Well, that's the question the hospital won't answer; in fact it won't even entertain questions. They referred us to police who told us the hospital is doing its own internal investigation. Discarding of a fetus is a criminal offence - and police hope to know more when a post mortem is conducted.

No One Hurt In City Shooting/Armed Robbery
At 7:15 on Saturday night shots were fired in an apparent robbery attempt at First Choice Pharmacy on Cemetery Road. Police have not released details but we did see three expended shells on the scene as well as two bicycles abandoned by the robbers. No one was hurt, and police did not say if the robbers got off with any money.

Missing Pellets Puzzle Police In Elston Arnold Shooting Case
On Thursday, we spoke with the Deputy Commanding Officer of San Pedro Police, Inspector Reymundo Reyes. He said that police were investigating the officers who were suspected of shooting 19 year old Elston Arnold and leaving him for dead on the side of the road. Well, there are reports tonight that police have hit a major snag. Arnold's family tells us that the investigator hasn't managed to get the shotgun pellets which were taken out of the wounds. The intention was to retrieve these pellets and send them along with the firearms from the police officers to the National Forensic Sciences service for ballistics testing. Today Inspector Reyes told us that as far as he knew, the investigator wasn't able to get the pellets from the hospital because the nurse who had secured them under lock and key was on holiday at that time. Reyes assured us that the police will make exhaustive attempts to retrieve those pellets to send for testing.

Reyes vs. Rosado Again, But This Time a Man's Life Hangs In the Balance
Tonight 23 year old Vitalino Reyes Jr is completing four days in a coma. He fell into it last week Thursday night - allegedly after he was beaten up at the Long Island Bar on Dolphin Drive in Belize City. And this is where it gets complicated. Vitalino is the son of Vitalino Sr. who is the owner of cavetubing.bz - the well known business rival of Yohnny Rosado's cave-tubing.com. Reyes Jr.'s friend and co worker is another Yoney, Yoney Vega. He reported to police that Yohnny Rosado and his crew were in the same bar at the same time - and he and Vitalino Jr were trying to leave when Yohnny sent his employee to block them, and then to viciously beat them unconscious. Rosado admits he was there but disputes that story - and he held a press conference with his new attorney Audrey Matura Shepherd to do so today. Tonight, we have both sides of the story, but we begin with an update on Vitalino Jr:�

Gentle Back Behind Bars
26 year-old Mark Gentle, who was able to beat criminal charges a year ago for a high-profile witness tampering allegation, is back behind bars because police say that he shot a man 3 weeks ago. Police say that on Monday May 12, Radman Welch was shot by a gunman, and after investigating, they charged Gentle with use of deadly means of harm and wounding. He was arraigned today before the Chief Magistrate who remanded him to prison. In January, Gentle and his mother managed to beat a charge of attempting to suppress evidence, after they were accused of trying to bribe and then threatening a prosecution witness. The suspicion was that they were doing it to try to get Jermaine "Horse" Garnett and Cassian Bennett to get off a murder charge. The Chief Magistrate dismissed the charges against them for lack of evidence.

Another Protest For Prof Bain
This weekend, the Belize Evangelical Association of Churches and Belize Action kept their pressure up on the University of the West Indies for the termination of Professor Brendon Bain.

Weed In the "Jungle"
The Quick Response Team from precinct 3 made a sizeable weed bust on Friday night. It happened in the jungle area of the Pickstock Hutment where they searched an abandoned lot and found eight plastic bags weighing in at 3.3 kilos, over 7 pounds. No one was in the area so the drugs were labelled as found property. Police believe it is the stash for a well known drug kingpin in the area.

Resort Owner Says 16 Year Old daughter Ran Away With BF
Cayo Resort owner, 57-year-old Mike Bogaert, has reported to police that his 16 year old daughter has run away. He got a call on Saturday afternoon telling him that his 16-year-old daughter Eden Bogaert, ran away from home and took her Canadian Passport. Bogaert went to her boyfriend Kevin Palma's house where the young man's mother informed him that she found a note informing her that he left along with Eden and also had his passport. Bogaert told police that Palma is in possession of his father's Dodge Ram pick-up so he believes they want to leave the country. Eden Bogaert is of Hispanic descent, about 5ft. tall, and weighs 105pounds.

USS Navy Ship Lands in Belize
Yesterday morning, the United States Naval Ship Spearhead arrived at the Port of Big Creek in the Toledo District. The navy's presence in Belize marks the beginning of the US Southern Partnership Program in Belize. This program is a US Navy Deployment which will focus on cooperation between the military of both nations in the area of port security, professional development, operational risk management, medical readiness, outboard motor maintenance, patrol craft operations, and other areas. Our colleagues from PGTV spoke with the US Navy's Mission Commander on-board the Spearhead, he told them that a part the program will be infrastructure where 100 members of the US Navy will set up camp alongside the BDF Base Punta Gorda. They'll be assisting on works on the barrack facilities. There are also medical personnel among the US Navy which will go out to the different communities in PG and in Ladyville to provide assistance to the local clinics. The Navy contingent stays in Belize until the end of July, but the Spearhead will return to open waters.

Who's The Strongest Man
On Saturday, the Belize Body Building & Fitness Federation held its annual strongman competition at the Riverside Tavern parking lot in Belize City. It's a competition where the contestants show off several feats of power, and after all the scores were tallied, 2012 champion Victor Valencia became the winner. Here's what he had to say about the event: Valencia took home first prize of $600.

Going The Distance With 20k Strong: Kim Barrow Marks The Milestone
The photography exhibit called "Milestone" was launched on Friday night at the House of Culture in Belize City. It's the work of Artist, Briheda Haylock - and it captures unguarded moments of 12 trailblazing Belizean women. Kim Barrow explained how the exhibit follows up on the 20,000 Strong rally. Kim Barrow "For us to honor these woman its really important because a lot of times many women in our society they really do go un-notice and the work that they do we believe should be highlighted and hence this exhibit that you all will be seeing. Now this as Ann Marie said is one of the offspring on twenty thousand strong. I know that much has been said in the media and in other places, but we will continue to build on the twenty thousand strong and to showcase women and empower women - that's the only agenda behind the twenty thousand strong and this is really evidence of it." The exhibit, supported by the office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children, will be available for viewing for the next 2 weeks.

The G Collective, Belize's Music Ambassadors
On Friday we closed the news with a clip of the Garifuna Collective live in Wurzburg Germany. They were featured at the Africa Festival 2014. As a part of the festival's extensive media packaging, they were also featured in a sit down interview. Here's what these unlikely but quite competent cultural ambassadors told the Festival organizers about Belizean culture. The Collective played Berlin on Saturday night.

Making Many Mangroves
When we hear about Mangroves in the news - it's usually about cutting them down to make way for development. But on Friday in Placencia, they were planting mangroves. More than forty volunteers gathered in the Crimson Development community area of Placencia Village to participate in a mangrove planting activity organized in memory of environmentalist Adrian Vernon. Approximately four hundred seedlings were planted by members of the Vernon family, the World Wildlife Fund, the Southern Environmental Association, Oceana, the Placencia Village Council, Placencia Citizens for Sustainable Development, the Placencia Fishermen's Cooperative, Friends of the Placencia Lagoon and the Coco Plum Resort and Residential Development. The mangroves now line the canal adjacent to the Placencia airstrip and will serve as a buffer for the residential plots of the Crimson Development community area.

Channel 5

Decaying fetus found under a bed inside the K.H.M.H.
There have been all sorts of scandalous allegations of wrongdoings made against the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but tonight there is a troubling report that has been confirmed by the [...]

San Pedro resident murdered over the weekend
As recent as last week the San Pedro community came together to fight an alarming spike in crime and violence in the island. On Saturday, the news spread early in [...]

Libertad resident who was hacked on the head perishes
Thirty-four year old Giovanni Borland died on Friday, three weeks after he was viciously chopped to the head on May eleventh in Libertad Village, Corozal.� Police detained twenty-four year old [...]

Yhony Rosado refutes allegations of being involved in assault of Vitalino Reyes Jr.
Tour operator Vitalino Reyes Junior is still comatose at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Reyes Junior was assaulted last week Thursday during a confrontation at a bar; he was beaten [...]

Trevor Vernon pays up�.is it in shillings?
Last Tuesday, Trevor Vernon, the unsuccessful claimant in a private case brought against Minister of State Edmond Castro, made the flamboyant gesture of paying fifty percent of costs, twenty-five hundred [...]

The choice words of Arthur Saldivar for Rodwell Williams
Belize Rural North Area Representative Arthur Saldivar has his own financial cross to bear. On May twenty-third, the Supreme Court ruled against him in a defamation suit brought by Prime [...]

Jorge Espat resigns as President of SJC
After a two-year period as president of St. John's College, News Five has confirmed that Jorge Espat is demitting office.� Word of his resignation circulated around campus late last week [...]

Still no resolution on the appointment of Danini Contreras as the first Director of Drug Inspectorate
This week is celebrated as Pharmacy Week, a joint initiative of the Government of Belize and the private sector. We'll have more on that later, but first the issue which [...]

Cancer Walk 2014
Every year, thousands of Belizeans walk from Ladyville to Belize City to raise awareness and fight cancer. On Saturday morning, bright and early, young and old, men and women as [...]

2nd protest against termination of UWI professor is held at Battlefield Park
A small protest was held on Saturday morning in Belize City in solidarity with Doctor Brendan Bain, who was recently terminated from the CHART program at the University of the [...]

Jerson Grinage charged for 3.5 ounces of weed
Mahogany Heights resident Jerson Grinage, was today arraigned for drug trafficking after he was allegedly busted with three point five ounces of weed in his garage. The twenty-two year old [...]

Pharmacy Week 2014; creating awareness on the role of pharmacists
As we told you earlier, Pharmacy Week is being celebrated this week, and the provision of quality health care is a focus. It's mainly about creating awareness of pharmacists and [...]

Citizens on Patrol in San Pedro
There have been three murders in San Pedro this year. The murder of Alfred Kelvin Junior makes four. Compared to Belize City that may not seem like much but on [...]

U.S. Navy in Belize for Southern Partnership Station program
A United States naval vessel is presently in Belizean waters, where personnel onboard are on a working visit to the Belize.� USNS Spearhead, a Military Sealift Command watercraft, docked at [...]

Sports Monday with Kaya Cattouse
Good evening Belize, with this week's edition of Sport Monday, I'm Kaya Cattouse and I'll be the face of Sports Monday for the next six weeks.   Let's get right [...]

CTV3

O/W Observes Pharmacist Week
It is pharmacy week and a few of the pharmacies in Orange Walk Town are observing the week with special promotions and discounts to their clientele. To find out more about the week, our news team spoke with Alejandro Lopez, a senior pharmacist. Alejandro Lopez - Pharmacist "Pharmacy week is about bringing awareness and at the same time educating the general public with regards on how to go about taking medications, what are the possible side effects, and in this way we can interact more with our patients because the general community believes that the pharmacist is only to count and dispense medication that we have moved away from that actually we now as pharmacist have more interaction with the community, we are here to advice, to counsel, and at the same time to educate the general public with regards on how to go about taking your medication, how often and how serious side effects are etcetera." Pharmacies are also a business, but there is something about it that sets it apart from the typical business establishments within the communities says Lopez.

Missionaries To Assist Rural Communities
Missionaries were finishing their last endeavors over the weekend as part of their annual visits to Belize. We are talking about volunteers of the Thirst Mission which provides volunteers from North America to come to Belize to serve on short term mission teams. Once here, the missionaries partner with host churches across the country and spend up to ten days conducting a series of community oriented projects. These include bible schools, sports outreach, construction at churches and schools and medical and dental ministries. Jason Phingsten has been leading teams on an annual basis for at least twenty-five years. Jason Phingsten - Group Leader "We have a pastor training and so we have Pastors from around the countries that are here to learn more about hosting a team, what our expectations are for them, and our staff here as well we just got back from four days of training on Caye Caulker too, spend time in the bible and learning about the bible, going through our manuals and our policies just to figure out the best way to provide a great short term mission's experience for these teams from around North America; they come from Baptist Churches, Presbyterians, and Methodist all different nominations from all different states and even from Canada and they come to serve for a week and their lives have changes when they come down to serve, there is something about getting outside their culture and something about getting outside what they are used to and then coming down and then giving themselves and so many times in the United States run from that people are spoiled and they don't know how good they have it until they come down and they don't have air conditioning and see Pastors are working other full time jobs and don't get paid much by their church and the condition of the church is and the needs of the people down here and they are changed when they go back to the United States and so just a blessing of being a part of bringing people down here and trying to provide great mission experienced for them."

Morelia Pop Wins La Voz Karaoke Competition
The stage was extravagantly set for the grand finale of La Voz Karaoke on Friday night. This was the culmination of the 13 week competition that saw as many as 20 singers hailing from Corozal and Orange Walk Town vie for the title of Karaoke champion in the north. The competition attracted a healthy selection of singers who sang their hearts out on stage. In the end, there was only room for one at the top of the karaoke chain to reign. Our news team was there and brings you the highlights of Friday's big event that drew hundreds of fans and supporters out. Carmelita Perez - Reporting Singing sensation, Morelia Pop sang to the hearts of many and emerged as victor in the 13 week long La Voz Karaoke competition hosted by Centaur Communications Corporations Limited. In Friday's finale inside a family packed Butchys Lounge, the show got off to a roaring start with presentations from Gabriel's Magix's. And then the five finalists faced off one last time performing their songs of choice. Of course, before the night was over, the three judges for the 13 weeks of show also proved to the audience that they have singing skills.

Corozal Activates NEMO
The Corozal National Emergency Management Organization "NEMO" has shifted into full gear as the Hurricane Season got underway. This year forecasters are predicting what is being deemed as quite hurricane season. However, one never knows what Mother Nature has in store for us. And for that NEMO Corozal is not bringing down its guard. Willard Levy - Corozal NEMO. "Every year we do a shelter inspection, this year we did not an intensive inspection but we had a good picture of what the position of the shelters, we found that we had a few of them doing repairs to and this is undergoing at this point, we have not completely finished with the repairs and we expect them to finished them between now and the next no later than two weeks. And in the case of what NEMO had done in Corozal actually is trying to get out the message the season is out, we will be doing regular talk shows over the radio advising people to get ready, to be prepared hurricane season is near and even though we may have heard that this hurricane season is not so as active as the previous forecasted years, my message to the people is that it only takes one storm to create a disaster so we don't really have to have an active season to have a disaster, we need people to be on their guard, start to get ready, prepare themselves and do the necessary things, make your family plans, if you are going to evacuate know where you are going, and do it quick."

LOVE FM

PM Talks Finance and Sustainability with IADB in Washington
Prime Minister departed Belize last week and is scheduled to return home tomorrow. Love News understands that part of his time away was spent in Washington, USA meeting with officials from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), primarily, the Bank's President, Luis Alberto Moreno. In a release issued by the bank, the meeting was held to discuss Belize's relationship with the bank and priority areas of collaboration. Also on the discussion table was the bank's newly approved country strategy with Belize which will be a main focus for IDB and their works in Belize over the next four years. This strategy seeks to support Belize's Government with the aim of improving public expenditure efficiency and effectiveness while promoting private sector development and sustainable export-led growth with concentration on education, tourism and agriculture. The meeting also involved discussions on the recent developments in Belize, particularly in the tourism and agriculture sectors as well as IDB's lending program with Belize for 2014.

Police Inspector’s Son Escapes Prison Time
Jerson Grinage, the son of Inspector Alford Grinage, almost became an inmate of Belize Central Prison when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser to be arraigned on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm, an offence which the magistrate court cannot offer bail until after 3 months. The complainant, Yannick Smith, who had made a false report, came to court and said that he don't want any further court action�.but before Senior Magistrate Fraser allowed the charge to be withdrawn, she found out that that Grinage did not approach Smith with a firearm and that it was Grinage who was pursued by two persons; one of them armed with what appeared to be a 16 gauge shotgun. She scolded Smith about the false report and told him that she was contemplating having the police charge him with a mischievous act but she had a change of heart and Smith was allowed to go free. But Grinage was not completely free as the police reported that when they went to Grinage's yard they searched it and found 101 grams of cannabis among the garbage. As a result, Grinage was charged with drug trafficking. He pled not guilty to the charge when he appeared before the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith and he was released on a bail of $1,000. His next court date is July 31. The incident occurred on May 30, 2014.

Ozzie Wants to Bring More Clowns To Town
Ozzy the Clown, he is the beloved children entertainer that has travelled throughout Belize putting smiles on children faces. Ozzy the Clown wants to bring a group of clowns from Mexico City to Belize where they will entertain the children of Belize. While the clowns are not charging, Ozzy the Clown, says that an endeavor of this magnitude consists of logistic that are costly and Ozzy needs your help to make it a reality. OZZIE THE CLOWN "Basically the plan is to get 20 clowns into Belize City from Mexico City. Coming into Belize City we want to have a huge parade all through the streets of Belize City and if we choose certain streets and there is a school that is around, we will probably stop in that school just to give a little quick motivational action and then slip out and continue operate through the streets of Belize City. Nothing ever has been done like this before, it's something that everybody will be holding their heads and saying what's going on? It is amazing once you see it. It has been done in Mexico City; it has been done all over the world especially when there is a troop of clowns. So that is the first step. The second step is to have a huge show at the BTL Park; free of cost, anybody can go.

Rumor of Cracked Water Dam Circulates
About twenty one miles south of San Ignacio Town in the Cayo District, sits a gravity dam on the Macal River, dubbed the Chalillo Dam. The dam, which was built between the years, 2002 and 2005, is an upstream storage facility meaning that its main purpose is to store waters during the rainy season�..but like everything manmade, things can go wrong and so, for the last two weeks the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL) has been conducting a public awareness campaign geared at educating the public on the emergency plan that is in place in the event of a dam break or a massive flood. This past Saturday formed part of that campaign as explained to us by the Vice President of Operations at BECOL, Stephen Usher. STEPHEN USHER, VP of Operations "Public awareness is a part of the environmental compliance plan that we have with the Department of Environment. A part of that ECP is the Emergency Preparedness Plan which is basically a plan to advise stakeholders along the Macal River of an event of a dam break if that arises. What you do; the safe zones you go to and the necessary preparedness you do in the event that should occur. What we do on an annual basis is we go out to all the stakeholders along the Macal River which includes the resorts, San Ignacio/Santa Elena Towns; some of the villages up the Mopan River which would be in the inundation area if we should have a dam break during a flood. We go out to these villages and schools and we explain how the project operates and how high the water would go in the event of a massive flood or a dam break and we advise the public where the safe zones would be in their area.

Borland Succumbs 19 Days Later
Nineteen days after being involved in an altercation in northern Belize, a young resident of Libertad Village, Corozal District has succumbed to machete wounds he received in the incident. On Sunday, May 11, Corozal police had responded to complaints of a fight in the village around 10pm when they found out that Giovanni Borland was seriously injured and taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Borland was later transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he passed away on Friday, May 30. He had received severe injuries to the head that were reportedly inflicted with a machete during the fight. According to the uncle, Karl Borland, since the incident Giovanni never regained consciousness to tell his story. KARL BORLAND "Let me give you a run down as to what really happened and this is actually his version of what actually took place; sadly he is deceased now but what we were made to understand is that he went to Libertad Village on Saturday, I think; he went there to get his passport, he had left his passport at a house in Libertad Village. The following day, on Sunday around 11:30pm he was socializing at a club in Libertad Village and he got into an altercation with five people and all of them are of a family in the village.

Coye Family vs Income Tax Department for Over $3M
On Friday we told you of the judgment handed down by Justice Sonya Young to unfreeze the Coye's assets. Justice Young lifted the injunction placed on the Coye's 1.557 million dollars and declared that Melanie Coye and her family get their monies back. While that was a big win for the Coye Family, they now have to go up against the Income Tax Department which had collected about 3.21 million dollars in arrears from them. Commissioner of Income Tax, Kent Clare, confirmed that the Income Tax Department has the monies but he says they have received no correspondence from the Coye Family stating they will fight it. KENT CLARE, COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX "Well we haven't gotten anything and let me say that in the past the media has asked me a lot about that case; we have no difficulty in addressing any of those matters, the legitimacy of it and so on. It's just that because it's a litigation, it is prudent not to make any comment until at some point it's full; beyond that the Income and Business Tax Act prevents us from disclosing persons but as a matter of fact, nothing has come to us yet."

Cancer Walk Has Tremendous Turnout
"Hundreds of participants congregated on the Philip Goldson Highway in front of Celina's for the annual cancer walk on Saturday morning. The walk has seen a steady growth over the years as participants ranged from the very young to the more mature. President of the Belize Cancer, Society Laura Longsworth said raising awareness has been key to the walk's continued success." LAURA LONGSWORTH - PRESIDENT, BELIZE CANCER SOCIETY "This fantastic support from the community and that's what we thrive for, that's what we live on, so it gives us a great joy to have the community come out and show their support and walk in solidarity with everybody who may or may not have cancer. You know this is like sixteen years down the road, and we have been, at last, we can say that we're finally getting there. We'll have to change our entire modus operandi and the organizational structure even, to cope with the demands to services from the community. So even our own health professionals now are referring our patients to the cancer society for transition, counseling and so on, and yes what is happening now is an interesting thing because the community itself is feeling the impact of cancer and so then there is hardly a family who has not been touched one way or the other by the entire issue of cancer. Whether it is a friend, a child of a friend, somebody�.and I think because of our public awareness campaigns people are getting it, and so then from here on, this entire issue/exercise is right smack in the middle of a global strategy to get people moving, to reduce our body weight, to be happy, to be in open spaces, to be hopeful. This gives me a joy when I see people in open spaces, walking and challenging each other to reach the cancer society."

Posted By: Marty Re: Today's Belize News: June 3, 2014 - 06/03/14 11:57 AM

More News: Scroll up from here

PlusTV

Man Shot Dead in San Pedro
A fatal shooting incident in the wee hours of the morning has claimed the life of one man from San Pedro town. According to reports, 49 year old Alfred Kelvin was walking on Seaweed Street at around 2:05 am on Saturday, May 31st, when someone fired a single gunshot,...

San Ignacio Town Councillor Detained for Unruly Behaviour
Plus News received information over the weekend that a San Ignacio Town Councillor was detained by Police Saturday night because of his conduct in public. Police were called out to the San Ignacio Welcome Center to address an altercation and when they arrived the Councillor, who we understand was under the...

Tour Competitor Denies Instigating Bar Brawl
Police report that tour guide 23 year old Vitalino Reyes Jr. is on life support at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He is reported to be in a coma as a result of injuries sustained in a fight at the Long Island Bar on Blue Marlin Boulevard on Thursday...

Commissioner of Income Tax Says Assessments on Coyes Were Lawful
On Friday, we told you that surviving members of the Coye family would be allowed access to their finances following a lifting of the freezing order put in place since May 5. A related civil case is still ongoing but Justice Sonia Young found no good argument to continue...

Murder Charges to be Filed Against Joseph West
Joseph West is now facing a charge of murder, an upgrade from that attempted murder, grievous harm, dangerous harm, and aggravated assault charges he was already facing. Those charges were as a result of a chopping incident on May 11th at a bar in Corozal. West and Giovanni Borland...

Lots of Weed in Empty Lots
On Friday 30th May, police were tipped off to a sack of cannabis in an empty lot. A joint police team went to the empty lot situated off the Fitzgibbon Alley in the Pickstock Hutment Area, Belize City. That is where police found the sack which contained eight separate...

Prime Minister of Belize Visits IDB President
The Prime Minister of Belize, the Hon. Dean Barrow, made a visit to the InterAmerican Development Bank in Washington, D.C. last week. There, the Prime Minister met with IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno where the two reaffirmed the strong partnership that exists between the IDB and Belize. They also...

United States' Southern Partnership Station Program 2014 Kicks Off
The United States' Southern Partnership Station Program 2014 in Belize officially began on Sunday when the Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel, USNS Spearhead, arrived at the Port of Big Creek on Sunday morning. Sailors disembarked the vessel to begin Southern Partnership Station which is designed to strengthen civil...

Church Continues Protest Against Ouster of Professor Brendan Bain
The second "Freedom Under Attack" protest took place on Saturday, following up on the May 23 event at Battlefield Park. Former head of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Initiative (CHART) program at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Brendan Bain, had his contract terminated by the University on May 20 after...

Arthur Saldivar on Central Bank Statute
On Friday we told you of Senior Counsel Rodwell Williams' reaction to his legal colleague Arthur Saldivar's payment of $2,000 in coins as part of costs for a recent summary judgment against Saldivar for libel of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. We reported that according to Williams, a Central Bank statute...

Policeman's Son is Accuser and Accused
Jerson Grinage, son of Precinct 2 Officer in Charge Superintendent Alford Grinage, was falsely accused of committing an aggravated assault with a firearm. It is a serious charge that would have seen him sent on remand to jail under current statutes. But the charge was false, made to cover...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Miss Lobster Fest Gala 2014
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW!! DON'T WAIT TILL IT'S TOO LATE!! Contact Ernesto Marin, Ilda Marin, Chantel Marin, Elizabeth Usher or Shary Trejo.

Patrick Jones

Water on the Philip Goldson Highway
Motorists traveling on the Philip Goldson Highway just outside of Orange Walk town this morning experienced water across the road from a nearby creek. This is at the entrance to San Jose village around 9 am today.

IdeaLab Studios launches Belize Travel Magazine online
There is a new online Magazine designed to attract visitors to Belize. The Belize Travel Magazine went online last month and has been sharing the beauty of Belize via photographs and videos highlighting the good side of the jewel for both visitors and Belizeans alike. The Belize Travel Magazine is the brainchild of businessman Demian Solano and his wife Nicole and promotes itself as "all the inspiration you need for your Belize Vacations!" The magazine shares pictures and videos of various places in Belize, ranging from the Cayes to the Maya Archaeological sites and the Caves of Belize.

Medical equipment and supplies donated to the PG hospital
The Punta Gorda hospital has received a donation of medical supplies and equipment from an institution in the United States. The forty-foot container of valuable equipment and supplies was handed over to the Deputy Regional Manager for Health Services in Toledo, Ruth McDonald this past weekend. It includes ultra sound equipment, x-ray units, defibrillators, beds, chairs and dental equipment along with ancillary supplies. Chairman of the Toledo Health Committee Alejandro Vernon says that with the receipt of the donated equipment and medical supplies from Project Cure in Colorado, USA, surplus supplies and equipment will be sent to satellite clinics in different parts of the Toledo district.

Policeman's son is accuser and accused
Jerson Grinage, son of Precinct 2 Officer in Charge Superintendent Alford Grinage, was falsely accused of committing an aggravated assault with a firearm. It is a serious charge that would have seen him sent on remand to jail under current statutes. But the charge was false, made to cover up an alleged attempted burglary. On May 30 at Mahogany Heights Village, Grinage said he confronted two armed men attempting to break into his house, carrying firearms. A struggle ensued and they chased him with what he alleged was a 16-gauge shotgun. But it is alleged that Yannick Smith was made to report to police that it was Grinage who approached him with a machete and a firearm and pointed the latter at him.

Trevor Vernon clears court costs for Castro case
Toward the end of last week Trevor Vernon was facing the might of the courts and the wrath of Senior Counsel Denys Barrow for daring to pay half his court costs in pillowcases full of shillings. It's become the talk of the town but Vernon today he put all the talk to rest by clearing the remainder of his court debt, some $2,430. It helps him avoid having his worldly goods sold and puts him on the road back to normality. According to Vernon, a combination of events, including unexpected costs from BEL and reported blocking of his international calls to the United States has forced him to reevaluate his options for refiling the case. He says he is now almost sure he will not continue with the case, especially with the lack of an Integrity Commission to investigate Castro's alleged misdeeds. He described the case as an "academic exercise" testing the strength of the Code of Conduct of the Constitution, which it turns out is in fact not very strong, because it has no penalties for offenders.

Tour competitor denies instigating bar brawl
According to police, Franks Eddy, Cayo District resident and tour guide 23 year old Vitalino Reyes Jr is on life support at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He is reported to be in a coma as a result of injuries sustained in a fight at the Long Island Bar on Blue Marlin Boulevard on Thursday evening. Companion 21 year old Yoney Vega claims that they were attacked by "one of their competitors �accompanied by his employees." That is a not so subtle reference to Yohnny Rosado, owner of Cavetubing.com (Butts Up), who has been locked in a heated dispute with Vitalino's father, Vitalino Reyes Sr., who owns the similarly named Cavetubing.bz. According to Vega, they were at the bar around 4:15 p.m. on Thursday when Rosado and his crew arrived.

The June 1st, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Two Drug Traffickers Fined And Confined:
    Utter astonishment was the expression of the faces of two convicted drug traffickers today when San Ignacio Town magistrate Narda Morgan ordered for them to be fined and to be confined to prison. The police case against the two Belizean men from San Jose Succotz, Cayo began on a Sunday morning, September 16, 2012 when, at around 9:30, acting upon information received, two policemen intercepted, near the Macal River Park in San Ignacio Town, a black Toyota Corolla car with Benque Viejo Town taxi license plates BVO-D-00364. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Alfredo Marin, 38 at the time. Seated on the opposite side of the driver, in the back seat of the car, was another male person who was later identified as Jaime Tun, 25 at the time. As Tun sat in the back seat of the car, police saw a black and blue knapsack between his legs on the floor of the car.
  • Recording The Sudden Passing Of Michael Lewis:
    We join the community in the expression of deepest sympathy to Aunt Lou and her family at today's sudden passing of her son Michael Anthony Lewis. Mike was a neighbor and a childhood friend. He was an easy going person who spent all his life next to his mother, retired primary school teacher, Mrs. Louise Lewis, who describes him as a caring son and shoulder she could always lean on. He religiously attended the Santa Elena Catholic Church with his mother and sisters. His sudden passing on Sunday shocked the community as he was active right up to the time of his departing this earthly life on Sunday, May 25, 2014. Michael was a career public officer. Immediately after graduating from Sacred Heart High School, Michael began working in Belmopan. His public service career spanned over 30 years during which he worked in the Ministry of the Public Service; the Office of the Prime Minister and, at the time of his passing, he was serving as the Finance Officer in the Ministry of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development, National Emergency Management Organization and Immigration and Nationality.
  • Coming Soon - The First Cement Street In the History Of Santa Elena Town:
    The office of Cayo Central's Area Representative, Hon. Rene Montero today announced that government funds has now been allotted for the historic concreting of the very first street in the Santa Elena, Cayo. The street selected for this historic transformation is Bishop Martin Street. Apart from providing employment for residents in the community, the almost 800 thousand dollar project will enhance the area and increase the value of all those properties in the area. Minister Montero informed that with the intersected Perez Street and Loma Luz Boulevard already asphalted, the concreted Bishop Martin Street will enhance the environment of those living in the area including the lives of teachers and the hundreds of students attending Santa Elena Primary school the largest primary school in the town.
  • A Plan To Capture Young Minds As A Bulwark Against Poverty And Crime:
    It is a well known fact that if we can capture the minds of the young in a positive, constructive way, we can mold a future generation of great achievers its people can be proud of. If we can get them interested in education and learning at an early age, it is quite likely, that for a majority, this zeal will continue through adolescence and adulthood, and may provide a bulwark against poverty and crime. Belize is a developing country with many of the attendant problems of one. Statistics on poverty and crime reflect the dire need for better education and training which could result in gainful employment for our graduates and young people. Such an outcome, obviously, requires the full active participation of parents, schools, churches, government, industry, media, and civil society. In other words, it does take a village, a neighborhood, a family, to raise a child. While it is difficult sometimes to overcome the ills which create poverty and hopelessness, we as a society need to create a mindset in our youths that that despair is not insurmountable, and that things can be better through preparation now in school for a better life, a preparation that begins at the primary school level.
  • A Senior Citizen Allegedly Abused:
    As a productive citizen of this community, I cannot allow for the abuse of my elderly father, at the hands of a policeman attached to the station in San Ignacio, to just disappear under the radar. I am publicizing this incident in the hope that such ill treatment does not befall another person, more so an elderly citizen in my community or anywhere else in this beautiful country of ours. I know that this kind of official abuse is not tolerated by the Government of the day, the current Minister of Police or the Commissioner of Police. So I ask, "Why is it then that some police abuse the very people they are sworn to serve and protect despite the clear mandate of those to whom they must answer?" The only answer that comes to mind is disrespect and the lack of discipline. Disrespect for the uniform they wear and disrespect for their superiors.
  • Ariel Rosado Foundation:
    It was a RIDE for Scholarships� a RIDE for Healthy Living�� a RIDE for fun! Just before 1:00 pm on Saturday May 10th 2014 about 150 cyclists rolled into the Hour Bar and Grill Compound, Newtown Barracks in Belize City. This marked the culmination of a very successful Third Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride. The ride started at 6:15 a.m. from Galen University in Central Farm and cruised the 75 miles to The Hour Bar & Grill in Belize City at an average speed of 15 miles per hour. There were rest stops at the Galen Campus in Belmopan, Cheers on the George Price Highway and at the CD Gas Station on the Burrell Boom Road. After its Third Year the Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride is being described by knowledgeable members of the cycling community as the best organized and managed Bike Ride in Belize. The Board of Directors of the Ariel Rosado Foundation extends a sincere THANK YOU to all RIDERS, WORKERS, SPONSORS and SUPPORTERS whose participation made it possible to keep the mission and vision of the ARIEL ROSADO FOUNDATION alive.
  • Obesity:
    An obese person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese. What is Body Mass Index (BMI)? The BMI is a statistical measurement derived from your height and weight. Although it is considered to be a useful way to estimate healthy body weight, it does not measure the percentage of body fat. The BMI measurement can sometimes be misleading - a muscleman may have a high BMI but have much less fat than an unfit person whose BMI is lower. However, in general, the BMI measurement can be a useful indicator for the 'average person'. Why do people become obese? People become obese for several reasons, including: Body mass measurement, consuming too many calories.
  • St. Martin's Credit Union Celebrates Its 65th Annual General Meeting:
    St. Martin Credit Union (SMCU) celebrated its 65th Annual General Meeting at the Octavia Waight Center Auditorium. A large number of credit union members from San Ignacio, Santa Elena, Benque Viejo and surrounding communities came to celebrate the occasion. Master of Ceremony for the occasion was Rene Torres, vice president of SMCU. The VP welcomed everyone and introduced the Board of Directors after which the meeting was called to order by Dr. John Morris, president of SMCU with the singing of the National Anthem with background music provided by the Marimba Academy of Benque Viejo's House of Culture.
  • Ex-Ecuador President Mahuad Sentenced To 12 Years In Jail:
    A court in Ecuador has sentenced former President Jamil Mahuad in absentia to 12 years in jail for embezzlement. The ruling comes two days after Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest. He denies any wrongdoing. Mr Mahuad fled to the United States in 2000 after a military coup. He was accused of ordering banks to close for several days and freezing the accounts of ordinary citizens to protect the interests of bankers associated with him. The decision, taken in March 1999, came during a serious economic crisis.
  • Truth Or Lie:
    A mother in jail on a report made by her 11 year old daughter. San Ignacio police this week reported the disturbing news of a mother remanded to prison for allegedly prostituting her 11 year old daughter. While the report is disturbing, the information bears several inconsistencies as the child, residing in a Cayo village with a Or Lie guardian, reported the matter 4 months later, on May 16, 2014. Furthermore, the report indicates that the alleged incident occurred throughout the entire month of December 2013, from the 1st right up to the 31st December 2013 when she was staying with her mother who at the time was residing in Dangriga. The child was medically examined and the medical practitioner certified that child has experienced activity of a sexual nature.
  • Dam break early warning system:
    The Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL) in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), and the Department of Environment (DOE) hosted a public discussion for the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena on Friday, May 16 2014 at 6:00 p.m. at the Cayo Welcome Center in San Ignacio Town to discuss matters relating to the dam break early warning system. Announcements via local radio and television were sent out for public notice on May 6 2014 informing the public of the venue and time of the event. The original venue was Hode's Place San Ignacio Town. A change of venue from Hode's Place to the Cayo Welcome Center was agreed after discussion with BECOL, DOE and NEMO. Announcements with the revised venue were sent to the local radio and television stations on May 8 and 9, 2014. Flyers were distributed on May 12 2014 to the various businesses in San Ignacio Town and Santa Elena Town. The announcements were publicized until May 16, 2014. This annual event is to educate the public on what to do in the event of a dam break. The Early Warning System (EWS) is part of the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) and is designed to alert the public of a possible dam break. The public education session educates the public on where the safe zones are located. Signs are also installed to guide the public to the safe zones. The education process is conducted with the assistance of audio visuals and maps to sensitize the audience of the areas that would be inundated. This exercise targets the stakeholders along the Macal and Mopan Rivers and is executed by visiting the schools and conducting public education sessions in the villages, towns and resorts.
  • Remembering Maya Angelou A Phenomenal Woman!:
    Marguerite Johnson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928, the second child of Bailey Johnson, a doorman and a navy dietitian, and Vivian (Baxter) Johnson, a nurse and card dealer. Angelou's older brother, Bailey Jr., nicknamed Marguerite "Maya", derived from "My" or "Mya Sister". When Angelou was three and her brother four, their parents' "calamitous marriage" ended, and their father sent them to Stamps, Arkansas, alone by train, to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson. In "an astonishing exception" to the harsh economics of African- Americans of the time, Angelou's grandmother prospered financially during the Great Depression and World War II because the general store she owned sold needed basic commodities and because "she made wise and honest investments".
  • STAR Humor
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices

Blogs

Day Three of The Belize Chocolate Festival: The Lubaantun Maya Site
The last day, Sunday, took place at the Maya site of Lubaantun about 25 minutes outside of Punta Gorda in the tiny village of Columbia. (The local bar is called Club Medellin going with the village name�) Just before the Lubaantun site is an EARTHSHIP. The ONLY Earthship in Belize. But more on that tomorrow� Take me to your Earth Ship. This site is very different from others I've seen�I like it. Rather than rebuild the site completely, parts of it have been uncovered but left a bit�crumbly and with beautiful huge trees growing right out of it. Deconstructed. The main plaza was where all the action was going down. Booths set up with crafts�a bar tent packed with chocolate stout�

My Top Six Reasons for Visiting Belize's Chaa Creek
After our vacation at Belize's Chaa Creek earlier this year, I rave about the place all the time and have confidently steered a few friends in that direction. I say confidently because I have no doubt that no matter what their ages or interests, anyone will find something there to please and even excite them. Rather than keep repeating my mantra of good things about Chaa Creek, I thought I'd list my Top Six Reasons for a Chaa Creek Vacation: 1. It's breathtakingly beautiful From the moment you arrive - check that, from the moment you are picked up at the airport by the friendly driver/ cum guide, you know that you're someplace special. After a lovely, interesting ride in we were greeted by a the most welcoming, warm staff I've ever met. Just walking to our thatched roof rooms through tropical gardens we were immediately struck by what a paradise this place is. And that feeling only builds during canoe rides down the Macal River, horseback riding through miles of jungle trails, excursions to ancient Maya temples, nature walks� it goes on and on.

The best Mayan Ruins in Belize
Belize is home to some of the most amazing Mayan ruins in Mesoamerica. For those of you that don't know what Mesoamerica is, it is defined as the region and cultural area in the Americas, extending roughly from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The ancient Maya civilization flourished in this area and created sprawling cities with extraordinary trading channels that ran from north to south, east to west and vice versa. Their era of grandeur came to an end but they left magnificent remnants of what was once a great empire. If you've been to a majestic Mayan site, you are already aware that Maya archeology isn't only for history buffs, and if you haven't, trust me, you're missing out. Below is a list of the three best Mayan ruins in Belize. I've also included two nearby sites that are worth visiting. Xunantunich "Stone Woman", Caracol "Snail, Shell", Lamanai "Submerged Crocodile", Tikal "at the Waterhole", Chichen Itza "at the mouth of the well of the Itza"

A BLOODY WELCOME TO BELIZE
"What the hell?" The bus lurched to a stop, passengers scrambling over each other to press their faces against the grimy windows. Sweat dripped from my forehead as the fickle breeze disappeared, while loud voices competed with distorted hip-hop from a dozen mobile phones. In my exhausted state I could understand little of the heavily-accented Creole, but eventually a single word started to make itself heard over and over again. A few people snapped photos on their phone as the bus eventually started to move, police waving the traffic on past what looked like a bundle of clothes in the middle of the road. Drawing closer, I realised that what I'd thought was discarded clothing was nothing of the sort. The body of a man lay face-up on the highway, the broken remains of a motorbike scattered up and down the road. Thick, dark blood lay pooled around his head and body, baking in the heat of a tropical morning. The white towel over his face explained why I couldn't hear the wail of an approaching siren. There would be no point calling this man an ambulance. The murmurs from other passengers increased in volume as we passed, that single word being passed around like a football once again. Dead. It had been a long night. There's one direct bus that plies the 9+ hour route between Cancun's shiny resorts and the gritty sprawl of Belize City, and it doesn't leave until 10:15pm. That wouldn't be a problem if, like many other night buses in Mexico, the seats reclined into some kind of sleeping position. They don't.

International Sources

The 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season is officially underway, and we already have an area of interest in the Gulf of Mexico to talk about. An area of low pressure over the Southern Gulf of Mexico's Bay of Campeche is generating disorganized heavy thunderstorm activity, and this area has a slight potential to develop late this week. In their 8 am EDT Monday Tropical Weather Outlook, NHC gave the disturbance a 10% chance of developing by Saturday. The chances for this disturbance to develop depend heavily on the fate of an area of disturbed weather in the Eastern Pacific located a few hundred miles south of Southeast Mexico (Invest 93E), which will move slowly northwards towards the Gulf of Mexico this week. Satellite loops show a steady increase in the intensity and organization of the heavy thunderstorms associated with 93E, and the system is already bringing heavy rains to Southern Guatemala and Southeast Mexico. With the 8 am EDT Monday run of the SHIPS model showing light wind shear of 5 - 10 knots and warm ocean temperatures of 29.5°C for the remainder of the week along 93E's path, development into a tropical depression is likely. In their 8 am EDT Monday Tropical Weather Outlook, NHC gave this system an 80% chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm by Wednesday, and a 90% chance by Saturday.

Boldest Presidental Action Ever Taken to Combat Climate Change: EPA's New Regulations
President Obama's administration unveiled on Monday the "Clean Power Plan", a 645-page proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing U.S. power plants under the 1970 Clean Air Act. The proposed regulations would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from these plants by 25% by 2020, compared to 2005 levels, and by 30% by 2030. The new regulations would hit the nation's 491 coal-fired power plants the most, since these plants account for 74% of the electric sector's carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Energy Information Administration. Coal burning supplies 37% of the nation's electric power, just behind natural gas.

Trent Oshawa professor gets funding to help dig up ancient Maya city
A local professor's excavation of an ancient Maya city in Belize isn't going unnoticed, having piqued the interest of one of the world's largest scientific and educational institutions. Trent University Oshawa professor Dr. Helen R. Haines, who founded the Ka'Kabish Archaeological Research Project, has received a coveted $20,000 grant from the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration. The grant will help with both support of student research and project infrastructure. "I am deeply honoured to be receiving a National Geographic Society grant," said Dr. Haines. "I remember reading National Geographic journals as a child, and to think that I might one day be featured in one of their volumes is a dream come true."

Bain Dug His Own Grave
A lot has been reported in the media about the Brendan Bain issue, though some perspectives seem to have missed the point completely. My understanding is that Prof Bain was invited by a church group as a medical professional with expertise in the field of infectious diseases to testify in support of a cause that the buggery laws in Belize should remain. He testified freely by choice, Belize being far outside his jurisdiction, Jamaica. The testimony itself was a 56-page affidavit, a lengthy document with reasonable statements about public health, costs and risks of unsafe practices that ultimately cause the spread of infectious diseases, the focus being on men who have sex with men (MSM). However, he said very little in the affidavit about heterosexual risks, as if this group was immune. He didn't elaborate on other high-risk groups such as drug users, prostitutes, etc. Understandably, many felt his testimony was deliberately tailored, showing a personal bias against MSM to, therefore, support the buggery laws in Belize. This position contradicted directly with CHART, the organisation he directed. It argues that these laws are discriminatory and hamper its work to effectively reach vulnerable and target groups. Prof Bain was well aware of that position.

Foreign banks agree to reveal Americans' hidden assets to IRS
It will soon get a lot harder to use overseas accounts to hide income and assets from the Internal Revenue Service. More than 77,000 foreign banks, investment funds and financial institutions have agreed to share information about American account holders with the IRS as part of a crackdown on offshore tax evasion, the Treasury Department announced on Monday. The list includes 515 Russian financial institutions. Russian banks had to apply directly to the IRS because the United States broke off negotiations with the Russian government as a result of an information-sharing agreement because of Russia's actions in Ukraine. Almost 70 countries have agreed to share information from their banks as part of a law that targets Americans hiding assets overseas. Participating countries include the world's financial giants, as well as many places where Americans traditionally hid assets, including Switzerland, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. Starting in March 2015, those financial institutions have agreed to supply the IRS with names, account numbers and balances for accounts controlled by taxpayers.

Caribbean economic outlook adds to difficulties for insurers
As insurance industry leaders gather in Cura�ao to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in the region, low economic growth and high public sector indebtedness continue to pose serious headwinds. In its latest economic outlook in April, the IMF described economic growth in the region as having remained tepid, rising 2.8% in 2013, constrained by high debt levels and weak competitiveness. The global economic crises took a heavy toll on the region with tourism numbers plummeting following 2008 and financial sector stress continuing in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), reflecting low growth and high and rising nonperforming loans. In addition, low bank profitability brought on by a regulatory interest rate floor on savings deposits has seen credit growth to the private sector remain subdued, and a resolution of troubled financial institution constitutes a risk. In the tourism dependent economies of the region - including Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and ECCU member states - real GDP growth in 2013 picked up just modestly to 0.75 of a percent from close to zero in 2012, according to the IMF, as tourism numbers and spending continued to underperform. Construction activity meanwhile showed signs of bottoming out.

UN-BELIZE-ABLE
Traveling to picturesque Belize provided 12 UPIKE students and two faculty members with a unique classroom perspective. The bio-diverse location was chosen for the study abroad course because of its tropical rainforests, coral reefs and rich Mayan culture, according to Tim Whittier, Ph.D., associate professor of biology. "Showing a picture is not the same thing as seeing in person," Whittier said of his approach to teaching natural sciences. "You learn in the classroom, but seeing it, appreciating it, smelling it, hearing it, touching it. I think that is where the real learning comes from, experiencing it." There were traditional lectures on endangered turtles and jaguar research, but much of the learning process happened in nature's classroom. Students explored coral reefs, snorkeling and scuba diving in waters inhabited by many species of tropical fish. Zip lining through the rainforest, they encountered howler monkeys and observed plants and trees from a bird's-eye view. Between adventures, students swam in a lagoon or relaxed in a seaside hammock. With a background in botany, Darla French, Ph.D., instructor of biology and co-leader on the trip, provided lessons on Belize's abundant plant life.

Belize listed as number 6 of 10 Best Honeymoon Destinations in the World for 2014 - AARP
These 10 international destinations offer beaches, mountains and cities of cultural interest and the perfect setting for your romantic getaway.

Videos

Video: Belize Tarpon Tagging Expedition, 3min.
This coming August, El Pescador Lodge will play host to the Belize Tarpon Tagging Expedition led by internationally acclaimed Marine Biologist Dr. Jerry Ault, the master of tarpon fishing, Stu Apte and Chicago Angler/conservationist, Adam Marton. For more information; frontrangeanglers.com/belize-tarpon-tagg�ing This is a rare opportunity for folks who dream of being a Marine Biologist for a day and playing a significant role in the effort to protect and understand global tarpon populations. The Belize Tarpon Tagging Expedition is a chance to actually help answer the "$64,000 Question" -- Are our fish, their fish? If you are a passionate tarpon angler who wants to do everything you can to insure the tarpon have a bright future, we need your help!

Video: Drumming in a Garifuna School in Punta Gorda, Belize, 3min.

Video: Belize Trip 2014, 3min.
A trip to Belize in 2014. Celebrating a wedding anniversary. Mayan Ruins, Cave Exploration, Disc Golf, Snorkeling, Kayaking, and a lot of other fun-stuff.

Video: you better belize it bro, 4min.

Video: Belize Aggressor 2014 -2, 6min.

Video: ROSE CLASSIC (BELIZE CITY) 2014, 6min.
The Nike sponsored "Rose Classic" basketball program was brought to Belize by Cleon Hyde 8 years ago. The camp has grown in popularity throughout the nation. Rose Classic has given the youth of Belize City an alternative to gangs and violence. Many former Rose Classic players have gone on to play basketball in the US, and have set great examples for their community.

© Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board