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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: May 8, 2016 - 05/08/16 11:35 AM


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


The San Pedro Sun

National Elite Basketball League finals
The San Pedro Tiger Sharks have defeated the Smart Belize Hurricanes in game two of the National Elite Basketball League finals... One more game to go!

Millennium Development Goals - Belize's successes and failures
In the year 2000, 147 world leaders converged at the United Nations to sign the Millennium Declaration. Belize was part of this signing, adopting eight goals aimed at making life better for all Belizeans. The goals were to be accomplished by the end of 2015, focusing on developing areas like health, education, economic growth, poverty alleviation and gender equality. After 15 years, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) report stated that Belize made great progress, however, it failed to reduce the nation's poverty level. The MDG report stated that despite the gains in education enrolment, Belize still did not utilize its domestic capacity effectively to significantly grow its economy. "Poverty in Belize is increasingly geography-specific, gendered and generational. Belize's real economic growth, which has consistently exceeded regional averages, has not necessarily translated into tangible reduction in the poverty levels," pointed out the MDG official report. The eradication of extreme poverty and hunger was the main goal Belize was committed to accomplish. This MDG was aimed to halve of the number of people earning less than $2 a day. The other half was targeted at the unemployed and those suffering from chronic hunger. The goal was basically to generate opportunities for Belizeans in order for them to earn and generate income to meet their basic food needs. However, the country was said to be off-target in meeting this first outlined goal.

Consumer Prices Increase in March by 0.1%
On Wednesday, April 27th, the Statistical Institute of Belize released its latest figures on prices and external trade for the country. The report indicates that prices increased for the month of March, on average, by 0.1%. The Consumer Price Index from March 2016 stood higher at 102.9 compared to 102.7 of March 2015. After more than a year of decreased prices, January 2016 recorded its first increase. However, the first quarter of this year's inflation rate is gradually decreasing from a high of 0.4% since January. Due to a 4.4% increase in fruits, the prices from the "Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages" category recorded an increase of 1.6%. Animal products continue to increase as eggs increased by 8.2 percent, beef and veal increased 16%, and pork increased by 5.5%. Sugar also increased by 29.5%.

New San Pedro Justice of the Peace chapter holds first meeting
The San Pedro Association of Justice of the Peace and Commissioner of the Supreme Court held their first meeting on Wednesday, May 4th as they begin to rebuild the San Pedro Chapter. The meeting took place at the San Pedro Town Council Conference Room and was attended by many Justices of Peace (JP), including invited guests speakers Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit Superintendent Sandra Bowden and Deputy of the Coastal Executive Unit Henry Jemmott. Welsh declared the meeting a success, and stated that the committee plans to meet on the first Wednesday of each month. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, July 6th, 7PM, at the Fidos Courtyard Conference room. In his closing remarks, committee member Pedro Salazar Sr. encouraged all members to step up to the plate to perform their sacred duties for the circulation of peace and justice, not just for the local community, for the country as a whole. He also encouraged those in attendance to start spreading the word to other JP members who are not fully active to come to the meetings and continue building up the local chapter.

Island footballer found murdered on South Ambergris Caye
San Pedro police are investigating the murder of local athlete Melvin Almendarez, who was killed Friday night, May 6th. Almendarez's body was found in the Mosquito Coast Area of South Ambergris Caye shortly after 10PM with a single gunshot wound to the head. The events that led to the murder are not yet known, but San Pedro Police have confirmed that a Canadian National has been detained in relation to Almendarez's death. According to official reports, members of the South Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch (SACNW) were startled when they heard a gunshot in their neighborhood around 10PM. They immediately notified the San Pedro Police Department. Upon the arrival of the police to the area, a search was conducted to determine the source of the gun shot sounds. Around 10:30PM Almendarez's body was discovered lying in a pool of blood across from the Belize Consolidated Water Services lagoon.

Ambergris Caye Masonic Lodge celebrates first anniversary
On Saturday, April 30th, the Ambergris Caye Masonic Lodge No. 5 celebrated their first anniversary in grand style. Members of Masonic Lodges from around the country and even from the Mexican State of Quintana Roo, convened at the San Pedro Lions Den for a social night. Before the celebration began, each member representing their respective lodge was introduced. They all expressed their delight in visiting the island for such an important occasion. After the formalities, the jubilee anniversary celebration started with a banquet for the distinguished invited guests. Serenading the special occasion was San Pedro's number one band, 'Rompe Raja,' who played their most popular hits into the wee hours of the night. The Ambergris Caye Masonic Lodge looks forward to serving the community of San Pedro Town wherever necessary and would like to inform all island residents that they are here to look after the betterment of the island.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Summer is a great time to visit Belize!
Most tourists travel to Belize during the high season that runs from November through March, when the weather is generally dry and cool, but summer can be a good time to visit Belize. Accommodations are cheaper, by as much as 40%, airfares are lower, tourism operators very eager to please, and yes, it is generally less crowded. Summer in Belize is a time when you can find more local events and cultural festivals, and local families are out and about enjoying the time when school is out. One of the most popular gastronomic events of summer in Belize kicks off when the official lobster season opens in June - Lobsterfest time. Lobster season in Belize opens on June 15 and closes February 15. There is so much lobster available during the summer that prices for this treat are at their lowest.

Prime Minister Departs the Country
The Office of the Prime Minister informs the general public that the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow departed the country today, May 7th to attend a medical appointment. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return to Belize on Wednesday, May 11th, 2016. During his absence, the Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Environment and Sustainable Development will act as Prime Minister.

Illegal gold panning is a serious problem
Trenches show how gold panners are searching for the bedrock, which then is crushed to find the gold.

Belize Bird Rescue Anniversary
April was our 13th was our anniversary! The time has really flown by. We thought we'd share a few pictures of the week to celebrate.

Amandala

Clinic refused aid to gunshot victim, who later died in KHMH
Troy Cole, 26, of Crooked Tree Village, was ambushed on Gibnut Street while riding his bicycle towards Curassow Street at about 9:30 this morning. A gunman came out of a yard and fired at him, but initially the gun jammed. Cole, said to be affiliated with one of the city's gangs - the "123rd Street" gang, jumped off his bicycle and pounced on his attacker, with whom he struggled, but the gunman managed to shoot him in the chest and abdomen, and then escaped. The mortally injured Cole ran to the nearby NHI Belize Integral Family Center, but he was refused entry. Police who responded to the shooting took him to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where he died about 2 hours later, at about 11:30 this morning.

11 murders in 10 days
Yesterday evening at about 6:45, police went to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and saw Johan Justin Cocom, 21, of an Adams Lane address in Belize City, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Police say that Cocom was riding his bicycle on Prince Street, contrary to the flow of traffic, when someone from a car parked about 30 feet away shot him. Cocom, said police, succumbed to his injuries at about 7 o'clock that evening, making him the 11th murder victim in 10 days, beginning with the double murder on Thursday, April 28, that occurred on the San Francisco road on the George Price Highway, in which two Guatemalans were found shot to death. Police say that they found Santos Ramon Gomez, 52, and Orlando Antonio Garcia Calletal, 37, on a farm road with gunshot wounds to the back of their heads. Police believe that it was a drug deal gone bad because a 25-kilogram scale was found beside the bodies.

Security guard fails at suicide after killing 2 women in front of customers
Two popular women, beauticians of Santa Elena Town, were shot to death in Betty's Salon in Santa Elena, where they worked, at about 5:20 Saturday evening. Their alleged killer is now in a stable but serious condition, under police guard, at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Police say that on their arrival at the grisly scene at about 5:30 on Saturday evening, April 30, they saw Andy Bustillos, 35, a security officer of Anchor Security Company of Belmopan, who was wearing his uniform, lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the right side of his head. He had a black CZ 9mm pistol in his hand, and he was still breathing. Two women were also lying on the floor. Miriam Mai, 40, a beautician, the owner of the salon, had been shot in the side of the neck, and the other beautician, Daisy Carmita Miralda, 29, of West Street, San Ignacio, had been shot in the forehead and the right side of the head.

Guatemalan threat caused Barrow to "blink"
Meetings were held yesterday, Thursday, in Punta Gorda Town between government officials from the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who attempted to persuade the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) leader, Wil Maheia, not to go to the Sarstoon River to celebrate the signing of the 1859 Anglo-Guatemalan border treaty. Following the meeting, Maheia insisted that the BTV trip was still on. Today, the government respondedlegislatively when it hastily passed Statutory Instrument (SI) 46 of 2016, effectively amending Section 2, Chapter 142 of the 2011 Public Safety Act of the Substantive Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2011. The Public Safety (Prescribed Area) (Movement) (Restriction) Regulations, 2016 seeks to prevent Belizeans from going, "without lawful authority," to the Belize side of the Sarstoon River, beginning at its mouth, and including Sarstoon Island. The SI is a prohibition against individuals who intend to "(c) carry out or threatens to carry out any act of intimidation, violence or other disorderly conduct within, or in relation, to the prescribed area."

Belize: faster internet, greater possibilities
Today, Wednesday, April 27, at 2 p.m., the Belize Internet Exchange Point (BIXP) held its official launch at the University of Belize (UB) in Belize City. The formation of BIXP, a newly registered NGO, was spearheaded by the Public Utilities Commission in collaboration with all of Belize's internet service providers. These internet service providers are Net King Solutions Ltd., Inter Networks Ltd., Speednet Communications Limited, Alliance IP Ltd., Broadband Belize Ltd., Centaur Communications Corporation Ltd. and Alternative Network Ltd. - which collectively want to make internet faster, more efficient and reliable. As a result, they have all freely donated physical infrastructure to a special lab at the University of Belize in Belize City. The value of the current infrastructure sitting at UB is estimated at a conservative BZ$100,000.

Curfew enforcers have picked up 25 minors so far
A curfew was implemented in March on the southside of Belize by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, in an effort to curb crime, particularly in light of the fact that two recent killings had allegedly been committed by minors. This latest initiative in the police department's crime fighting efforts was met with mixed reactions, with some institutions outspokenly opposing it, but a little over a month since the curfew's implementation, it is still in effect. Williams said that the program is ongoing and the Community Rehabilitation Department, which comes under the Ministry of Human Development, is assisting his department in this initiative. Starla Bradley, director of the Community Rehabilitation Department, told Amandala that the picking up of these minors is done during routine police patrols. Bradley said that since the program started, they have taken 25 minors: 23 males and 2 females, into their temporary care until their parents could be contacted. Bradley added that the majority of the minors, who were found on the street, after the curfew cutoff -time come from single-parent homes and their ages range between 11 and 17.

Belmopan Bandits FC is the PLB 2015-2016 Closing Season Champion
FFB) 9th Annual Congress continued struggling to elect a new president at the Princess Ramada Hotel in Belize City on Saturday, April 30, football action kicked off a half hour later than the 7:30 p.m. scheduled start of the Premier League of Belize (PLB) championship finals game 2 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium between home standing Belmopan Bandits and the visiting Placencia Assassins. Bandits goalkeeper, Shane Moody Orio (Member) had been elected on an early vote, along with Marlon Kuylen (Senior Vice President) and Darlene Vernon (Member); and Shane had been excused from the on-going Congress, in order to return to Belmopan for his game. So, Belize football has a new champion, Belmopan Bandits FC, and a new face in the FFB president's position, Marlon Kuylen. Congratulations all!

New FFB leadership, Marlon Kuylen to act as FFB President until next Ordinary Congress
The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) elected a new Executive Body during its 9th Ordinary Congress, held at the Ramada Princess Hotel on Saturday, April 30, 2016. The Congress included an election process in which 14 District Football Association members and 6 members from the Premier League of Belize voted to elect the new Executive Body as follows: Marlon Kuylen - Senior Vice President; Shane Orio - Executive Member; Darlene Vernon - Executive Member. Following 22 rounds of voting resulting in a tie each time, a new president and vice president for the FFB could not be elected. Vying for the post of president were former President, Ruperto Vicente and former Vice President, Sergio Chuc. The vice president post was contested by Jaime Perdomo and former Executive Member, Cruz Gamez.

Darwin "Puppy" Leslie was huge in victory against his former team in game 1 of NEBL Finals
On Friday night, two-time defending champions, San Pedro Tiger Sharks traveled to Belize City to face off against their opponents, Smart Belize Hurricanes, in game 1of the NEB Finals. This is the third straight finals appearance for San Pedro Tiger Sharks, and the first for Smart Belize Hurricanes, as both teams are shooting for the NEBL championship. As game 1 tipped off, Smart Belize Hurricanes jumped out to an early lead, ending the first quarter with an 18-16 advantage. At halftime, the Hurricanes still maintained a marginal 31-28 lead. In the third quarter, there were many lead changes and ties, until the Hurricanes extended the lead to 9 points at the end of the third quarter, to take a 63-54 advantage. In the middle of the fourth quarter, San Pedro Tiger Sharks was able to cut the lead to three points, but the home squad then extended the lead down the stretch, to secure game 1 of the best-of-three finals, with a score of 93-84.

Dangriga sports stats
Boys & Girls U-13: Here are the results from the Dangriga Cancer Centre Boys & Girls U-13 semi-finals over the weekend. New Site won over Pomona, 2 goals to nil. In game 2, Umadagu vs Silk Grass was a big controversy. That game will be played over this Sunday, which will be a 15-15, 30 minutes of action. Immediately after that will be the finals. The loser of the Umadagu vs Silk Grass game will play Pomona for third place; and the winner will play New Site in the finals. U-15 Top-8 playoffs: Mr. Mar and Griga Yaad Cleaning U-15 Top-8 playoffs will get under way this Sunday also at the Ecumenical football field. The winner advances; the loser "goes home." Here are the standings: Wagiya 25 pts; Hopkins 22 pts; Wagierale 20 pts; Umadagu 16 pts; Pomona 13 pts; 3G 13 pts; Montise 10 pts; Hope Creek 9 pts. This Sunday game 1 at 1:00 p.m. - Wagiya vs Hope Creek; game 2 - Hopkins vs Pomona; game 3 - Wagierale vs 3G; and GAME 4 - UMADAGU VS POMONA.

Glitter and Guate-liath
To the best of our knowledge, the Guatemalan Foreign Minister, Carlos Raul Morales, an increasingly ambitious bureaucrat/diplomat who spent most of the 1990s posted at the Guatemalan Embassy in Belize, and ended up marrying a Belizean wife, is the only Cabinet Minister who survived last year's change of government in Guatemala City from the presidency of the disgraced, imprisoned Otto Perez Molina to that of the inexperienced, compromised Jimmy Morales. Four days after the new Guatemalan President, Jimmy Morales, made a dramatic, disturbing call to Guatemalan arms on Thursday afternoon, April 21, 2016, following the unfortunate and tragic shooting death of a Guatemalan minor in Belize's Chiquibul forest about sixteen hours before, the Belize Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, claimed that the tension at the borders between Belize and Guatemala was de-escalating, following the buildup of the republic's military in the Peten and at the Sarstoon. The following day, Foreign Minister Morales went on national television in Guatemala to declare categorically that no such easing of tension was taking place and that Guatemala continued to demand justice for the death of 13 year old Julio Alvarado Ruano.

From the Publisher
As late as the 1930s, there was a St. George's College where Anglican and Methodist teenagers went to secondary school together. Sometime in the late 1930s or early 1940s, St. George's College split up into an Anglican component - St. Michael's College, and a Methodist component - Wesley College. The Anglicans also established a secondary school for girls, which was called St. Hilda's College, and so their secondary education separated the sexes, St. Michael's being a school for boys. Wesley College became a co-educational school, which is how I met it in September of 1971. (Some twenty or so years ago, St. Michael's and St. Hilda's were amalgamated to form the co-educational Anglican Cathedral College.) All the Anglican and Methodist high schools were located on the Southside of Belize City, whereas Roman Catholic St. John's College for boys, established by the Jesuits in the 1880s, has been located on the Northside of Belize City ever since their Loyola Park campus on the Yarborough seaside was destroyed by the 1931 hurricane. The Roman Catholics had also established a high school for girls (on the Northside) in the 1880s. This was St. Catherine's Academy.

Let us organize a massive protest �
Dear Editor, Fellow Belizeans you are aware that the present political system of one party rule is against our national interest. It has left the Belizean people with only two alternatives - unconditional submission to the tyranny of an iron fisted Prime Minister with absolute power, or a decision to resist to establish freedom and equality to all Belizeans in all manner and form in the near future next general elections. Belizeans, the Guatemalan claim and threat will never end unless the political directorate commences to behave and act in all respects as a sovereign nation at home on the western border, the southern border at the Sarstoon, and on the world stage. The prohibiting act of April 29, 2016. made in a haste by the UDP Government against industrious and patriotic peaceful Belizeans to use and move freely in the Sarstoon, guaranteed by our constitution, is an abominable and treacherous, illegal act against the well-defined and permanent laws of our Constitution.

Los Angeles Belizeans demonstrate against Guatemalan military aggression
A most impressive group of some forty-five Los Angeles Belizeans from the Los Angeles Belizean community across the state of California came out today in Los Angeles to protest the Guatemalan military oligarchy's invasion, annexation, and aggression of Belize Sarstoon River and Island at the Guatemalan Consulate in Los Angeles on Wilshire Boulevard at the busy downtown cross section of the Wilshire District in Los Angeles. The group carried banners and posters that read, "Stop Guatemalan Aggression Against Belize", "Stop the Annexation of Belize's Sarstoon", "Tell The Guatemalan Military To Leave Belize Alone", "Guatemala Stop Being A Bully", "Belizean Lives Matter: Justice for Danny Conorquie & Staff Sergeant Lambey", and "Belize Is For Belizeans". They also shouted slogans like, "Belize is For Belizeans", "We No Want No Guatemala", and "Guatemala Get Out of Belize".

Commonwealth insists on Belize's sovereignty and integrity
Belizeans have "an inalienable right" to self-determination, independence and territorial integrity. This 'rock solid' principle is enshrined in a series of 5 consistent resolutions issued by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) from 1978 to 1980, the eve of our nation's independence. Today, 35 years after our independence and admission to the UN as a sovereign nation state, Belize continues to be the target of an unfounded territorial claim by Guatemala-which now claims to be exercising sovereignty over the Belize portion of the Sarstoon River while also refusing to recognize our western and southern borders with that country. On Friday, even as the Government of Belize imposed new legislation to stop Belizeans from making a trek to the Sarstoon River in commemoration of the April 30, 1859 Boundary Treaty between Britain and Guatemala, in which Belize's southern border is clearly defined to include the portion of the river north of the mid-channel, Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, 53 states, most of them former British colonies, emphasized that: "it's clear that the integrity of and sovereignty of Belize is something which must be upheld."

Guatemala did not inherit Belize from Spain, because Spain never occupied, owned or settled Belize!
Guatemala claims to have inherited a Spanish claim to Belize based on the legal doctrine of UTI POSSIDETIS - a doctrine that is NOT by any means universally recognized in international law. Consequently, Pope Alexander VI, one of the most controversial Popes, issued on May 4, 1493, a papal bull granting official ownership of the New World to Ferdinand and Isabela of Spain. (By the way, Pope Alexander VI was a Spaniard. He was from Jativa, a town near Valencia, Spain.) To these monarchs, the Pope declared: "We of our own motion, and not at your solicitation, do give, concede, and assign for ever to you and your successors, all the islands, and main lands, discovered; and which may hereafter, be discovered, towards the west and south; whether they be situated towards India, or towards any other part whatsoever, and give you absolute power in them." He also included Portugal, giving a portion on a specifically demarcated zone.

Guat Congress tells citizens to avoid travelling to Belize
Guatemala's Congress has launched a public relations offensive against Belize in a decision announced today to dissuade Guatemalans from coming to Belize, because of the "danger" seemingly posed by Belize's military-an advisory which Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow said "is most unfortunate and entirely unwarranted." With 86 votes in Guatemala's Congress, 6 more than the required 80, that legislative body approved in a plenary session today a resolution (#7-2016), through which they are recommending that Guatemalans abstain from traveling to Belize due to the recent killing of Julio Alvarado, 13, at the hands of the Belizean military at Cebada in the Chiquibul Forest in the Cayo District. Guatemalan Congressman, Erick Ren� Lainfiesta C�ceres, deputy of the party, Encuentro por Guatemala, proposed the motion, citing the shooting of Alvarado last month. Their Congress notified via a tweet earlier today that Lainfiesta would present a privileged motion to alter the orders of the day and make a call to Guatemalan citizens not to travel to Belize because of the "mistreatment" of Guatemalan citizens in that country.

An analysis of the 1859 Boundary Treaty, U.K./Guatemala
Here is an analysis of the 1859 border treaty between Great Britain and the Republic of Guatemala which established the boundary line between the settlement of Belize (British Honduras) and Guatemala on April 30, 1859, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. To properly understand this treaty one should know the context of the circumstances surrounding the chief players when the treaty was signed. There were four main players on this stage: The first player was William Walker, the American adventurer (filibusters). It was in 1855 that William Walker came to Nicaragua with 57 men and offered his services to the Liberals who were fighting against the Conservatives He eventually ended up as the President of Nicaragua in 1856 and brought to Nicaragua 2,500 more Civil War veterans from the U.S.A. He declared Nicaragua a slave state and changed the official language to English. It was then recognized as a nation by the U.S.A.

A dog story
There exists a growing public perception that the Belize City Council is failing to establish proper pest control mechanisms that would see a reduction in stray dogs, rodents and even mosquito breeding grounds. From time to time, it is necessary to control the population of stray dogs because they breed prolifically and pose a real danger to pedestrians, apart from their destructive habit of overturning garbage cans and strewing their contents on the streets and in the drains. When female dogs are "in heat", the male dog population goes almost berserk, and the noise made because of their fighting is a terrible nuisance, keeping many a citizen awake until the wee hours of the morning. The dogs are normally eliminated by being fed beef laced with strychnine, a highly toxic and colorless poison. This process has been referred to as "The Last Supper" by employees at the Sanitation Department of the Belize City Council, but it is viewed by most individuals as extremely inhumane, because of the terrible suffering the dogs experience before they die. At one point in our country's history, stray dogs were detained before eradication in a building, at the well-known Pound Yard on Cemetery Road. Dog owners were given up to three days to recover their pets from the Pound Yard after paying a small fine.

Belize looking for international diplomatic shield to guarantee its territorial integrity
The killing of a Guatemalan teenager who was in the company of others who fired upon a joint Belize Defence Force (BDF) and Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) patrol in the Chiquibul National Park has been used by the Guatemalan authorities to increase the tension between the two countries, even as the Guatemalan military continues to violate Belize's territorial integrity at the Sarstoon River, on the southern border. Prime Minister Dean Barrow has embarked on a diplomatic quest in hopes of securing support for Belize's territorial integrity, he reported to the nation today, Tuesday. PM Barrow made the remarks at a press conference at the NEMO Building in Belmopan when he briefed the nation about the progress of ongoing bi-lateral talks being held in Washington DC, between Belize Foreign Minister Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales. The talks, which have been brokered by the Organization of American States (OAS), are being held without the participation of the Opposition People's United Party (PUP).

The Reporter

CEOs exceed $50,000 target for cancer awareness fundraiser
The Caucus of Chief Executive Officers of the Government of Belize raised $56,000 in funds for local cancer-related organizations, with their first ever CEO's cancer ride. "The Big Deal" CEO Caucus Challenge 2016: Cancer Awareness Ride" started at mile 24 on the George Price Highway, and ended at the Agricultural Show Grounds in Belmopan. Modest estimates were that the event gathered some 200 supporters to the event. At the closing ceremony, CEO of the Ministry of Human Development, Judith Alpuche, explained that while the number of pledges and donations had exceeded $56,000 there were still outstanding pledges left to be added. The CEOs raised funds for the Belize Cancer Society, the Belmopan Cancer Society, and the Dangriga Cancer Center, all of which would receive a donation of more than $16,000.

Kareem Clarke Memorial Fund holds food drive
The Kareem Clarke Memorial Fund, held a food drive on Saturday in honor of the fallen journalist and the values he believed in. Representatives from the Fund gathered at K-Park Supermarket, as well as Brodies, both on Albert Street and Philip Goldson Highway, to receive donations of canned foods and dried non-perishable food items. The donations will go to the St. Joseph feeding program and the feeding program run by community activist Joel "Dara" Robinson. The food drive is the first of two, scheduled for this year. Since mid-2015, the fund has held several activities, including donating school bags for back to school and holding similar food drives. The fund was established after the July 6 murder of Kareem Jabbor Clarke, better known as "Reemo," who was shot five times at around 1:00 a.m. on Vernon Street. Clarke was shot to the left side of his forehead and to the back of his head, along with shots to the abdomen, right upper back and middle of the back.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Man shot in Ladyville
There was a shooting incident reported in Ladyville last night. Police have confirmed that Alrick Smith was shot in his leg at his residence in the village but managed to escape and head to Belize City for treatment. More on this story as it [�]

Murder reported in San Pedro
San Pedro police are investigating the murder of local athlete Melvin Almendarez, who was killed Friday night, May 6th. Almendarez's body was found in the Mosquito Coast Area of South Ambergris Caye shortly after 10PM with a single gunshot wound to the head. The [�]

Kareem Clarke Memorial fund food drive reported successful
10 months after the untimely death of beloved KREMANDALA Journalist Kareem Clarke, his colleagues of the Kareem Clarke Memorial Fund today their first of three events this year in his honor. Fund Secretary and KREM News Editor Marisol Amaya told us this evening as of [�]

PUP National Party Council maintains demand for rescinding of Public Safety Act regulations
At today's National Party Council meeting in Belize City, the People's United Party passed a resolution stating that it would rejoin the diplomatic effort to resolve the Guatemala crisis - if, in turn, Government rescinded the Public Safety Act regulations introduced on Friday, April 29., [�]

Blogs

HOT DAMN! It's SO BEAUTIFUL Out Today on Ambergris Caye, Belize
Excuse my language but it is an absolutely perfect May day. As soon as I took Elsie out this morning, I had to run right back in for my phone. Cooler and clear with gorgeous puffy white clouds�the water sparkling�today is THE PERFECT DAY. I was getting a ride to the water taxi to pick up RYE BREAD, pastrami and sauerkraut from Ian Anderson's Farmhouse Deli!!!!!!!!! But as soon as we started going over the bridge, I HAD to hop out�and hold up traffic. Just too darn beautiful. Every way you looked. Here are some pictures I took this morning. Looking towards the lagoon side (the other side of the bridge). Caye Casa and her dock. A massage tent fluttering in the breeze� I ran into Ishmael�who is having a grand re-opening and fundraiser for the San Pedro Food Bank. He finally got his name back legally - Sandy Toes.

OAS to Host Forum on Migration and Development in the Americas
The Organization of American States (OAS) will hold this Friday, May 6 the Forum "Migration and Development in the Americas: towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda" with the participation of foreign ministers, experts and senior officials working on the issue in the hemisphere. The inaugural session will feature the participation of the Vice President and Foreign Minister of Panama, Isabel De Saint Malo de Alvarado; the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro; the Executive Director of the Young American Business Trust (YABT), Valerie Lorena and the President of the Committee on Migration Issues (CAM), Daniel C�mara. WHAT: Forum "Migration and Development in the Americas: towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda" WHEN: May 6, 2016, 10:00 am EDT (14.00 GMT) WHERE: Hall of the Americas, Organization of American States, 17th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006.

International Sourcesizz

New Orleans Jazz Fest - "When Doves Sing not Cry"
Don't cry for New Orleans. While it was a time to mourn the loss of a great talent, Prince, the New Orleans Jazz Fest was a confirmation and celebration of the reincarnation of the City many had written off as dead a decade earlier. New Orleans is again playing the music of "we" and serving-up the multiplicity of seeds, roots and flowers that are America. It is a welcome, even desperately needed resonance when fear and exclusion have come to dominate from political rhetoric to cultural xenophobia. America needs New Orleans to remind us of not only where we have come from but also where we can go. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival delivers and brings into harmony the melody of diversity. This year's Jazz Fest brought to town some of the biggest global names in music, from Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder, Elle King, Herbie Hancock, Mystical..... There was a cultural and musical platform for the small country of Belize. Dede Saint-Prix and his band from Martinique delivered an energetic Caribbean beat performance in French. The African ancestral communities of the Garifuna people were featured in their crafts, foods and culture. However, according to organizers, 90% of the artists came from New Orleans and the extended region which has given life to jazz, blues, zydeco.....

Videos

  • Diving Belize 2016, 12min. Dive trip to Belize, January 2016

  • Paradise in the making/Heavenly Belize, 4min. 150 years of Guatemala wishful claims on Belize. Belize is a soverign and Independent Country in the common wealth of nations. Another Falklan situation? That would be suicidal for Guatemala..

  • Belize, Buceo Blue Hole, Lighthouse Atoll, 8.5min.

  • Belize, Halfmoon Caye, Lighthouse Atoll, 7min.

  • Aquarium, Belize, 5min.

  • Belize punta, 1.5min.

  • Tour Belize - Bocawina Rainforest Resort and Zip line, 3min. The shots used in this video were shot at the Bocaina Rainforest Resort and Zip line. The people in the video are Bocawina employees, and Texas Tech students studying abroad in Belize.

  • What Happens To You When You Lose A Bet In Belize!, 3min. Thanks to Ben from The Truck Stop for sharing his video! On Friday, as part of the comedy show at Sandbar San Pedro, Joe Chung and I had a Worst Possible Playlist Contest -- AND MY PLAYLIST WAS THE WORST! Since I won, the punishment for Joe was that he had to walk around the island with a big-ass boombox, blasting my terrible playlist -- which we filmed for the following night's show.

  • Vacaciones en Belize 2015, 4min.

  • Belize Nurse Sharks Rays and Turtles 2016, 7.5min.

  • Dancing Byron Lee Footsteps Belize 1999, 3.5min.

  • Die neuen Paradiese Belize Land zwischen Dschungel und Korallen, 43min.
  • © Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board