March 9, 2015

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

Day three of La Ruta Maya left Double Head Cabbage to Henderson Bank in Burrell Boom ongoing.

Take off of Day 3 of La Ruta Maya take off.

Finishing line of La Ruta Maya Day three at Henderson Bank.

Celebrate Easter on Ambergris Caye!
Easter is coming and Ambergris Caye’s shores eagerly await visitors to take in the beauty we’ve been blessed so abundantly with! The holiday is celebrated in a VARIETY of ways. San Pedro Town offers devotional celebrations to day-long beach parties to all-night club ‘parties’. Everyone on the island has an agenda, and there’s no shortage of ways to indulge! Roman Catholics consider Easter the most holy time of the year. The San Pedro Roman Catholic Church’s celebration of the season is ushered in by the 40 day Lenten season starting on Ash Wednesday. It marks a time for preparation to receive Jesus Christ, culminating on Palm Sunday when Jesus returns to Jerusalem. During Palm Sunday mass, symbolic palm leaves are blessed and given to the congregation who turn them into crosses as a token of their faith.

Doctor Love: Peacemaker
Dr-LoveDear Doctor Love My husband has three children from a previous marriage. Because of a disagreement he did not see his oldest daughter for twelve years. A year and a half ago I helped to patch things up between them and bring them back together. Soon after that she got involved with a man who came here from another part of the world. After a few months together they got engaged and plan to be married this year. Everything was fine until three months ago when my husband discovered that his future son-in-law is not a Christian. My husband went through the roof. I tried to calm him down but he says he is not going to have grandchildren or even a daughter in our family who has some strange religion. The future son-in-law is a very tolerant, soft spoken man who has told me that he would prefer that his wife and children follow his religion.

Misc Belizean Sources

Voices of the West Full Moon Concert
They had a huge showing at the Voices of the West Full Moon Concert last night in Benque. They have some good shots of the volunteers as they move the tents for the celebration too. "Full Moon Concert,Voices of the West was the first full moon concert that was enjoyed by multiple masses that went out to enjoy the grand talents in our beautiful Western Belize..it is proudly presented by the Benque House of Culture (NICH) with high collaboration of the Community if BVO. Images courtesy of Mr.Armando Chulin"

Free Girl's Self Defense Training
4 the World is having a free workshop on self defense for girls tomorrow at the Calla Creek community center. Thanks, 4 the World! "Come join 4 The World Belize for a Free Girl's Self Defense Training Workshop in Calla Creek Village."

La Ruta Maya 2015
Team NICH remains in first place at the end of Day 3 of the La Ruta Maya 2015. So proud of these guys!!!

The Belize Times

PUP Stand Strong!
People’s United Party Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca delivered a sober and encouraging message this afternoon, assuring supporters and Belizeans that the Party will carry out an “open and frank self-examination” to analyse the results of the March 4th Municipal Elections which saw 8 of 9 municipalities being won by the United Democratic Party. Hon. Fonseca, who was flanked by Deputy Leaders Hon. Florencio Marin Jr. Deputy Leader Mike Espat, Deputy Leader Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Deputy Leader Julius Espat, Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford and former Leader Hon. John Briceno, expressed gratitude to the candidates who offered themselves under the PUP ticket and the voters who came out to participate in the elections. The Party Leader added that while there was unprecedented spending by the UDP and clear and glaring evidence of abuses of Government resources, he will not whine about it, but get back to the drawing board to strengthen the Party and lead the kind of fight that will bring about victories in the general elections, or perhaps, early elections.

2015: Already more murderous than last year
With four murders in just three days, between March 1st and March 4th, this week has been the most deadly since the year began. The trend should be very worrisome for Belizeans, who have witnessed the nation’s domestic security wither away, as criminals take siege while there is no effective response from the Government. In 2014 the total number of homicides increased when compared to the previous year. There were 24 more murders. But that’s not the shocking thing; what is, is that in the first two months of this year there have been more murders than in 2014. In January and February, there have been 17 murders. With the incidents of violent crime in the first few days in March, the total has increased to 21 murders. This week alone has seen four killings, all involving gun violence. While ballots were being counted throughout the country Wednesday night, bullets were flying in various parts of Belize.

UDP abuses GOB resources
Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s prelude to the 2015 Municipal Election was a threat to all voters that unless they vote for his political party, they won’t see any kind of progress in their municipalities. Barrow has blurred the lines that should separate the Government and the ruling party in Government. There appears to be no separation as the PM manipulates all branches of Government and every Government department to advance his political objectives. On Wednesday, Election Day March 4th, in every municipality Government resources such as Ministers’ vehicles were seen transporting voters to polling stations. Inside those vehicles big monies were exchange for votes, with special notes by Ministers to voters. Vote buying occurred in specially marked homes, where operatives of the UDP, hired in Government, were seen handing out payments for wearing red-colour shirts and voting.

Egg on the face!
If there was any surprise in the egging of disgraced UDP politician Elvin Penner which occurred last Friday, it was that it took so long to happen. Back in September of 2013, Elvin Penner, in his capacity as Minister of Immigration, authorized the issue of an official passport to Kim Won Hong, a Korean fugitive who was at the time, imprisoned and awaiting extradition to his home country. Hong, later referred to as Citizen Kim, is alleged to have embezzled billions of dollars from one SK Shipping Company in South Korea. He then fled to Taiwan to escape prosecution but was subsequently arrested and was scheduled to be extradited back to his home country to face charges. Hong produced a Belizean passport and requested to be deported to this country instead. Problem is that while the passport was dated as having been issued on September 9, 2013 it turned out that Hong had been in a prison in Taipei, Taiwan since July 13, 2013. Won Hong’s passport picture and application were both signed by Elvin Penner who swore an oath that he had known Won Hong for over five years. At least one immigration clerk verified that Penner had personally taken a person into the Immigration Department who he claimed to be Won Hong. It turned out that Hong had never even set foot in Belize and Penner later claimed that he was duped by another Chinese fellow who told him that he was Hong. It obviously had to have been one of those, “they all look alike” moments for poor Penner.

The Way Forward
Municipal Elections have come and are now gone. Our older generations used to advise that every disappointment is for the better. This disappointing result for the Opposition Party could well turn out to be a God-send. Had the PUP performed well, it could have become a disaster as it would have lulled them into cruising and not put in heavy work. For the UDP bribery and corruption brought them this victory. Time will prove pyric it will become. Some two hundred million dollars of Petro-Caribe wasted and gone with the wind was used to induce the electorate to cast their votes for the ruling party. This same Party has unfolded no plans for the citizens, none for the country and none for the young people and the future. It was all about roll the Petro-Caribe. The UDP has become addicted to big money and bribery. Will it work the next time around or have they over-played their hands and will now see the back lash of the electorate. Time will tell. As the Hon. Francis Fonseca had said to the nation in his press briefing, the PUP leadership will undertake a comprehensive review to determine strengths and weaknesses; what was not done and what could have been done. The talk of disunity in the Opposition will now come to an end. The work of out to the electorate and addressing the concerns must be renewed. The business of beating the pavement and presenting the Party’s vision becomes imperative. The issue of campaign financing cannot be taken lightly.

Nazarene High boys lead softball playoffs
The undefeated Nazarene High School boys, the defending national champs, are leading the softball playoffs at the Roger’s Stadium on Monday evening. Jerome Carr led the Nazarene boys to a 6-2 win over the St. John’s College boys on Monday, as the Nazarene boys walloped Dillan Snaggs’ pitching to score 6 runs, while Carr allowed SJC only 2 runs. Last Friday, the SJC boys also posted their 3rd win 13-1 by mercy rule in 3 innings against the Edward P. Yorke High School boys. Snaggs struck out 4 batters and Tyrone Ferrell scored E.P. Yorke’s only run in the 3rd inning. SJC’s Brandon Teichroeb, Charles Stuart, Shevaughn Flowers and Arnold scored 2 runs apiece and Zydane Thompson, Javier Molina, Kellyon Pollard and Johnny Portillo came home once. SJC enjoyed their 2nd win: 13-8 against the Gwen Liz High School boys last Monday.

San Pedro girls & Centro Escolar Mexico men win ATLIB football
The San Pedro Junior College women and Centro Escolar Mexico Men won 1st place in the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) northern football championships hosted by Belize Adventist Junior College at the Carolina football field on Sunday. The Centro Escolar Mexico girls’ goalie Johanna Lopez frustrated the island girls’ attacks, and in the 10 minute they boosted their offensive, allowing Yadira Teck score their 1st goal in the 10th minute. In the 2nd half, San Pedro’s Emilie Cerpa switched jerseys and places with striker Shadine Franzua who took over in goal, while Cerpa attacked up the right flank and blasted off a shot that a CEM defender inadvertently deflected into the net for the equalizer: 1-1.

Belize wins 10 Medals at Central American Karate Championships
The Belize Karate Team won 10 medals, including 2 Gold won by Sensei Leon Guild in Men’s kumite, at the XX “CARMELA DIAZ” Central American Karate Championships (CCONDEKA) hosted by the Belize Karate Federation at the Sacred Heart College auditorium in San Ignacio over the weekend. Mrs. Carmela Diaz of Venezuela, the world karate advocate for whom the tournament was named, was in Belize to conduct a workshop along with Central America’s top karateka Selenia Campos on Thursday about the evolving role and opportunities for Women in Sport. Diaz has lobbied for decades for Karate to become an Olympic sport, and the IOC has finally conceded it will be at the 2020 Olympics.

CORRUPT Penner Egged
Corrupt UDP representative Elvin Penner was egged when he finally appeared before the Supreme Court in COLA’s appeal of the Magistrate’s Court decision to strike out their private prosecution. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin will deliver his decision on Friday March 13th.

The currency of trust misspent
The fervour that is rampant in Belize’s political arena with the approach of the Municipal Election slated for March 4th, 2015. The streets are festooned with the colours of both political parties – PUP and UDP – lobbying for the majority votes of the jewel’s populace. The nominees have been signed on in frenetic fashion following the anticipated parade to the Charles Bartlett Hyde Complex building displaying their strengths with avid party supporters. Lingering in the minds of the Belizean populace is whether the general elections will be called early. This makes the outcome of the municipal election even more significant. In both the 2008 and the 2012 general election, the Prime Minister and the United Democratic Party mandated to the electorate three vital elements for a responsible government in exchange for voter currency of trust. The UDP’s platform for Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance allowed them to become a two term government. However the echoing of transparency, accountability and good governance was nothing but a hollow and empty promise. Subsequent to being elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, the UDP government under the leadership of Dean Barrow has been plagued by numerous allegations of corruption, some of the more egregious acts were:

PUP Release on Municipal Elections
The people have spoken. The People’s United Party accepts the decision of the people in their choice of stewards for their municipalities for the period 2015-2018. The PUP’s mayoral candidates and their teams waged an organized, valiant and spirited campaign but, it the end, the resources that the PUP was up against proved to be too much. While the party has not yet had time to engage in any serious analysis of the results of the election, it is clear that the following had a major impact on our electoral chances: The indiscriminate and wholesale use of Petrocaribe money, intended for development purposes, to fund the UDP Government’s vote-buying countrywide. The open and shameless use of government vehicles, government offices, taxpayers’ money as well as some public officers in the UDP’s campaign countrywide. The prevalent thinking among the electorate that it made no sense to elect PUP city and town councils in the face of a vindictive UDP Central Government.

Rape in Belize City…Robbery in Corozal
On 04.03.15 at about 7:35p.m., Corozal Police visited the Corozal Community Hospital where they saw three persons suffering from injuries to the head: 39-year-old LIMING LI Chinese/Belizean businesswoman of #11 Santa Rita Road, Corozal Town, 41-year-old WU HONG CHOA, Chinese /Belizean businessman of same address and 55-year-old VICTORIANO POOT, Belizean taxi driver of Port Saul Area, Corozal Town. Initial investigation revealed that at about 7:30p.m. Wu Hong Choa and Liming Li were inside their business place -FRY STORE located at #11 Santa Rita Road, Corozal Town along with a customer Victoriano Poot when the store was robbed by three masked men, one of them armed with what appears to be a firearm. All three victims were hit with the butt of the firearm which caused their injuries. Police investigations continue.

Bad roads in Hopkins
Why is the North End of Hopkins always ignored when it comes to fixing the village roads? For 16 years I have been here and never have I seen the same measures of maintenance to improve the roads as the south side. I have heard reasons such as more money is generated for tourism at the south end. But it is not fair to treat the north end differently. We are 1 village. The roads are impossible to travel and cause major damage on all cars especially on the hard working taxi drivers. To ride the Hopkins bus through the village is a roller coaster. It’s a ride from hell. Being thrown from side to side is a nightmare. At the north end, especially the far North End where it is still almost all village populated so many older Garifuna ladies and men try their best to walk, ride bikes to the local stores, to the clinic, church, to see their friends. The size of the huge pot holes is dangerous. The roads in Hopkins are like a minefield. One would believe with elections coming the Government would work to improve!! Please take care of our village roads for the sake of the people, the investors, and the tourists who come to Hopkins.

Patrick Jones

New playground equipment for the Rotary Park in Santa Elena town
Members of the San Ignacio Rotary Club are busy this holiday weekend assisting with the setting up of playground equipment. The Rotary Park adjacent to the Fire Station in Santa Elena town is getting a major overhaul with the installation of new swings, slides and obstacle courses, thanks to a grant project from a Rotary Club in Canada. The installation of the playground equipment started on Saturday morning and will continue through the holiday weekend and is expected to be complete in time for the inauguration, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 10.

Teen drowns in the Mopan River in San Jose Succotz village
A Sunday afternoon dip in the Mopan River in San Jose Succotz village, Cayo, ended in tragedy for a teenage boy this afternoon. Seventeen year old Michael Quintanilla reportedly drowned this afternoon while swimming in the Mopan River. According to reports, Quintanilla’s body was retrieved from the Mopan River late this evening and CPR was administered before he was transported to the San Ignacio Community Hospital.

Blogs

Develop a Sustainability Mindset in 9 Steps
Sustainable development demands a multistepped way to achieve recovery and improve the quality of life for everyone. You know you are being sustainable when you concurrently limit waste and pollution, improve the opportunities for disadvantaged peoples, conserve natural resources, make valuable connections among groups, promote cooperation and efficiency, and develop local assets to revitalize economies. In acting sustainably you also encourage reliable, responsible economic activity that considers tradition, a cyclical view of time that looks backwards as well as forwards, emphasize the significance of place, and the importance of natural ecosystems. You follow the integrated application of specific ideas so that your actions can better serve the protection and equitable distribution of resources in the interest of human equity, while identifying and prioritizing real needs before wants that leave options open for future generations. Those who successfully promote the idea of sustainable development have embraced and advocated the following concepts as those ideas framing their mindset in acting and thinking more sustainably while transforming debate into constructive discussion. A brief discussion of these concepts follows the list. Ecological Integrity, Social Equity, Sufficiency and Opportunity, Efficiency, Full Cost Accounting, Citizen Engagement and Democracy, Communication and Cooperation, Precautionary, Integrative and Adaptive.

Kiteboarding Adventures on Ambergris Caye
Kiteboarding...wow. Over the years I've seen plenty of crazy people doing this sport and thinking they were bat shit crazy. Likely they are - but I hope to count myself among them! I had many preconceptions about this sport that have vastly been proven wrong. An absolutely enormous thank you to Andy with Belize Sailing Center and Audrius the KiteXplorer instructor in San Pedro, Belize. Thank you so much for the invite - awesome experience and I will continue my kite education. I've always been into some semi-extreme action sports; snowboarding and mountain biking. So putting a board on my feet and going fast is nothing new - and water is softer than snow right?! Not so much. Audrius said, during my lesson, that I had the best kite control by a first day student he had ever seen. Was this a move to boost my ego and get a good review? If so - it worked. But I was amazed at how well I was able to feel the kite and know what to so to get it where I needed it to be. I've decided to tail the tale via my busted misconceptions about this sport. Misconception 1 - Stupid amounts of gear, stupid amounts of set up (kinda like a baked potato if you know me at all). Even as a guy that had to be walked through everything we had the kite setup and ready to fly in maybe 15 minutes. Misconception 2 - You have to be skinny and sexy and in great condition. I'm a big dude, decent shape for my size, but still big. My classmate on this day was tacogirl.com - the skinniest person I've ever known. I was sure she was gonna disappear into the sky forever...she did not. Though she did some pretty gnarly face plants.

International Sources

Travel the World: Central America – Nicaragua and Belize
Heather Blue van Doorninck, who goes by Blue, of Rancho Chilamate , Rivas Nicaragua joins Travel the World to talk about her ranch that provides luxury in the country accommodations and the ability to saddle up and ride out to the same beach where they filmed Survivor Nicaragua – an absolutely beautiful ride to a coast line unique in all the world. From Nicaragua on the West Coast, we will move over to the Belize, along the East Coast and the Caribbean Sea, a land of Mayan temples and rich history that includes both mainland and island destinations.

Lakes School plays host to cocoa farmer at Cumbria Fairtrade Network
THE Lakes School at Troutbeck Bridge played host to Cumbria Fairtrade Network on Saturday. Delegates converged to work on the county’s plans for a future of commitment to supporting the welfare of small independent producers from around the globe. Guest of honour at the event was Alvaro Pop, a cocoa farmer from Belize in Central America. As well as having a chance to taste some of the chocolate produced from Alvaro’s crops, guests were treated to a personal insight into how his community has benefitted from being linked to the Fairtrade Foundation.

Caribbean expects 5 percent growth in tourist arrivals
Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) announced that 2014 is the best year ever for tourism industry. Richard Sealy, Chairman of CTO who is also Barbados’ Tourism Minister said, “Last year, we received more visitors than ever before – recording our fifth straight year of growth – and visitors spent more money in the Caribbean than they ever did before”. “There was strong demand throughout 2014 and I am particularly pleased with our performance during the summer period when our growth rate was almost twice that of the summer of 2013,” Sealy added. Sealy announced that a record 26.3 million visitors came to the Caribbean last year, spending a record US$29.2 billion and added that Caribbean holidays are still in demand, all of this a sign that, despite the moderate growth, stability is returning to the markets and consumer confidence is growing”. The French island of Martinique (71.3%), Belize (42.9%), Trinidad & Tobago (30.1%) and Turks & Caicos (24.8%) were the other top performing destinations, while by market share standards, the top five performers were The Bahamas, Cozumel, US Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and St. Maarten.

OAS denies bias in Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute
The Organization of American States (OAS) has strongly rejected recent statements made by the Belizean NGO, Belize Territorial Volunteers, regarding the impartiality of the OAS with respect to the work it promotes within the context of the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute, through its Office in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone (OAS/AZ). On March 1, 2014, at the request of the governments of Belize and Guatemala, the OAS/AZ Office carried out a verification in the area of Santa Cruz/Jalacte and concluded that indeed some of the coconut trees planted by members of the Belizean NGO Belize Territorial Volunteers were inside Guatemalan territory, the OAS said in a statement on Friday.

Top 10 Family-Friendly Spring Break Hot Spots
Excited to head out for Spring Break with the family? But worried about where to go to have fun while avoiding the “Girls Gone Wild” college scene? Check out this list of fantastically family-friendly Spring Break destinations. 5. Belize: Head to this Central America getaway for a Caribbean Island experience like you would have found in the main Caribbean decades ago. Think small islands with only a few cars, dirt roads, lobster and fish being caught daily for dinner, scuba diving and snorkeling with sting rays and sharks. And that’s just out on the coast. Head to inland Belize to explore Mayan pyramids and go cave tubing…riding in tubes through a cave system…and much more!

Videos

March 8, 2015

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

San Pedro Tiger Sharks Win
Phew!! Even in a nail-biting final quarter, when their lead was cut down to 2, San Pedro Tiger Sharks never let go of the advantage and managed to squeak in another home win!! Goooooooo Tigersharks!!

REPORTED MISSING:
Ingrid Castellanos, age 16. Last seen in Caye Caulker yesterday, March 6th at the 10:30AM San Pedro Belize Xpress boat heading to Belize City. She was wearing short blue jeans pants and a pinkish colored blouse with sleeves to the elbow. Please contact the Caye Caulker police at 206-0179 or her family at 653-0698.

Belize to take on Cayman Islands for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The Belize National Football Selection is scheduled to play its first match in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup Qualifiers on March 25th. The Jaguars will take on the national football selection from the Cayman Islands in hopes of advancing in their quest to earn a spot at the World Cup Russia 2018. The match will take place at the newly renovated Football Federation of Belize (FFB) Project Stadium in Belmopan City at 8PM.

Police Report
San Pedro Police have charged two persons for the crime of “Drug Trafficking”. According to a report issued, 24-year-old Delfina Romero and 27-year-old Jeffery Navarette were found in the possession of a large amount of drugs after their apartment was searched on Tuesday, March 3rd. On Tuesday, March 3rd, at about 11:50PM, a 26-year-old woman of San Juan Area visited the San Pedro Police Station and reported that about 11:30PM she was walking from a store towards her home in the San Juan Area when she observed two male persons following her. She quickly went home and headed straight upstairs. When the same two men passed and one of the men fired a single gunshot in the air.

Residents concerned over burial process at new cemetery
Tillett indicated that when a person dies from communicable or infectious diseases, the burial process is strict and different. That includes a burial supervised by Ministry of Health personnel and entails having a sealed casket that does not allow the seeping of body fluids, and prevents the community coming in contact with the body without proper gear. In addition, the body must be placed below six feet of dry ground or inside a guaranteed and safely constructed tomb. She did say however that the law also provides for a pauper’s burial in accordance with burial standards in place by the Ministry of Health. In the case of Belize, a pauper’s burial is considered when anyone in the community passes away outside of a hospital and there is no one willing or able to pay for the burial, or when authorities take control of burial arrangements. Tillett says that of the recent three people buried at the cemetery underground, it was considered pauper’s burial and as such the families and the local municipality had no control over the burial process.

Misc Belizean Sources

Installing new mooring buoys at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
This is in Hol Chan Channel and Shark Ray Alley. We have plans to start installing demarcation buoys in Mexico Rocks next week.

Post Office Upgrade and Relocation
The post office has moved...kind of. It's now accessible via West Street, although it's in the same building. They've even moved some of the post office boxes. It really looks good, and it's air conditioned, and they have the same great staff. Wonder what they'll do with the space on Hudson Street now.

Amandala

Cricket Corner – “Tweety” first century man for 2015
The Harrison Parks National Cricket Competition 2015, under the auspices of the Belize National Cricket Association, continued over the weekend with some very thrilling games, and with a player scoring the first century of the competition. In Double Head Cabbage, Excellence defeated Excelsior, 366 to 166, with one spare wicket. For Excellence, Emmanuel “Tweety” McFadzean top scored with 122 runs, while Justin Rivers took 5 wickets including that of Tweety. For Excelsior, who made a run for it, Brian Casasola scored 53; and Marlon “Camala” Nicholas took 4 wickets for Excellence. In other games, at Flowers Bank, Wicked 11 mashed Sunrise, 81 to 78, with 7 spare wickets. Winston “Bass Hag” Flowers scored 32 for Wicked 11, while Conway Jones for Sunrise took 2 wkts. Jermaine Baizar scored 16 runs for Sunrise, while Vince and Shelton Robinson and Tyrone Bood took 2 wkts each. Easy Does It conquered Western Eagles, 137 to 94. For Easy Does It, Warren “Bom Jones” Anthony scored 62, while Jonathan Benjamin and Kevi Ozzi took 5 and 3 wkts, respectively. For Western Eagles, Jude Joseph scored 18, including 3 sixes; while Orlando Banner took 5 wkts for Easy Does It.

The Reporter

UDP sweeps Belize City elections
The UDP’s Darrel Bradley was re-elected as mayor in Wednesday’s municipal elections. Bradley received 11,836 over the PUP’s Yolanda Schakron, who got 6,665 votes. The new Belize City Council will include the UDP’s Dion Leslie, Philip Willoughby, Dean Samuels, Bernard Pitts Jr., Kevin Singh, Michael Theus, Alifah Elrington Hyde, Hyacinth Latchman Cuellar, Dr Alain Gonzales and newcomer, Jason Edwards. Of note is that Belize City, which is the largest municipality by far, with over 42,000 registered voters, only drew about 20,000 voters, which is less than 50 percent.

PUC shortlists bidders in round two of co-generation proposals
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has shortlisted the companies whose proposals have made it through round two of its screening process. At a press conference on Friday, PUC Chairman, John Avery explained how the selection process went. He said four bidders with proposals for five projects and meeting the firm capacity requirements, and one for the intermittent capacity are the companies for consideration. For the intermittent category, “the bidder selected is BAPCOL (Blair Atoll Power Company Limited) and the for the firm capacity, its GSR, SREL, with respect to Challilo 2 and upper Swasey, Santander (SS Energy) with respect to their co-generation project and BAPCOL with respect to their existing generator.” Initially more than 20 bidders had submitted proposals for 11 projects to complement Belize’s national capacity of power generation. The companies will enter into negotiations with the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL).

German Shepherd mauls boy he knows
A German Shepherd breed dog mauled a six year-old boy who he knew very well and who used to play with and feed him. The incident happened around 10 a.m. on Thursday in the yard where the boy’s family lives in the San Lorenzo housing layout in Orange Walk Town. Reports are that the boy, Fernando Quixchan, was about to feed another dog in the yard when the German Shepherd, named Stitch, apparently grew angry and attacked him and bit him about the face and head, requiring close to 90 stitches to close the facial wound. The dog owner, Aldo Chata, who is also the landlord, also lives in the yard, but he was not at home at the time and the dog somehow broke loose from his chain. The dog also charged at the boy’s little sister but their mother defended her children with a piece of stick and the little girl was not wounded.

Man dies in Belmopan from gunshot wounds
Elroy Ramirez, 30, became the country’s latest casualty on Thursday night when he died of gunshot wounds in the Western Regional Hospital, Belmopan. Police say Ramirez, a caretaker of Young Bank Road, Camalote Village, was standing beside a pickup truck inside a yard in the Another World Area of Roaring Creek Village at around 8:30 p.m., when the gunman approached the fenced yard and shot Ramirez in the chest. He died two hours later. Police have not yet made any arrests.

Patrick Jones

Belize to observe International Women’s Day on Sunday
Belize will join the rest of the world community in observing International Women’s Day tomorrow, Sunday, March 8. According to a press release from the National Women’s Commission, Belize is adopting the global theme of “Make It Happen” as it join in the observation. First observed in 1911, International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women and their contribution to national and international development. The National Women’s Commission says it has invited the Belize Council of Churches and all other religious denominations to join in honoring women with a Day of Prayer “and reflection on the significance of their contribution to national development and the achievements of women, not only in Belize but internationally. “

Blogs

15 Tips for Living in Belize
Here are some excellent tips for those who are considering moving to Belize, or may already have moved there. What are some things you need to know?Visit all areas in Belize Belize has six districts. Before deciding where you’d like to live, visit each area. The districts include: Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo. Climate If you have lived in a climate other than tropical, you’ll probably notice Belize’s mild climate right away. You can trade your winter wardrobe for shorts, swimsuits, and flip-flops. Health Care Belize City has very good health care. Many of your prescription drugs are sold over the counter and are much less expensive than in the U.S.

International Sources

Archaeology center brings Maya cities and sacred caves of Belize to Camp Verde
As part of the activities of Arizona Archaeology Awareness Month, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center (VVAC) will be hosting Dr. Jaime Awe, Assistant Professor at Northern Arizona University and former Director of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, for a talk and discussion on the archaeological richness of Belize. The free presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 13 in the conference rooms of Cliff Castle Casino Hotel, located at 555 W. Middle Verde Road in Camp Verde. Dr. Awe will discuss the research he continues to conduct on Maya sites in Belize, including caves used for sacred rituals. In Maya cosmology, few locations were - and are considered more sacred or ritually charged than caves. Representing portals to the underworld and places of origin, these dark subterranean sites were also perceived as the abode for important, powerful, and often capricious deities.

Flight delay can't stop medical missionaries
A group of medical missionaries has more at stake than missing a flight. It takes thousands of volunteers each year to staff Body and Soul Ministries medical clinic in Belize. It's always a meaningful trip for everyone involved. Kat Vicars, a radiology student, says, "I'm very interested in how hospitals and the radiology side of medicine is practiced in third world countries." Teresa Hayden, Financial and Sponsorship Director for Body and Soul Ministries, says, "They will be out there at the crack of dawn waiting in line to make sure that they get in to be seen, because sometimes that's the only medical care they get." That's why a group of 31 medical professionals and students were so upset when they were told they would have to arrive 4 days later than expected, effectively cutting their trip in half. "We have patients who were depending on us, that were told to be at the clinic for them to get their eye surgery done and to get the medical care they need," says Hayden.

Videos

March 7, 2015

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

The newly elected San Pedro Town Council members have been officially sworn in
The short ceremony took place at the SPTC conference room.

The 2015 Ruta Maya River Challenge has begun!
The 18th edition of the annual Belikin La Ruta Maya River Challenge kicked off at 7AM on Friday March 6th from the foot of the Hawksworth Bridge on the Macal River in the twin Towns of Santa Elena/Cayo. The four-day challenge will see 57 teams of three paddlers each make their way to Belize City along the Belize River. The teams will make three stops over the next four days before making their way to the finish line on March 9th. Day one of La Ruta Maya River Challenge ended shortly after midday at Banana Bank. The first team to cross the line was NICH followed split seconds behind by BTL . Team Oceana was over eight minutes behind in third place.

Blue Water Grill continues to donate to our island community
Blue Water Grill never ceases to impress with their generosity towards the San Pedro Community. In February, they announced a monthly donation program to raise money for the different charities across the island. Every month, they will raise money for a different cause, via patrons’ donations at the beachside restaurant. At the end of the month, Blue Water Grill gives 100% of the money donated to a new charitable effort. In addition, they match up to the first $2,000 donated. For the month of February 2015, the San Pedro Cancer Society was the recipient of Blue Water Grill’s first donation. Customers donated $392 which was matched 100%, so a check of $784 was handed over to San Pedro Cancer Society members, Lucy Muñoz and Pamela Zetina. The San Pedro Cancer Society is extremely grateful for the donation and extend big thanks to all those who donated.

Belize Territorial Volunteers detained by Guatemalan Authorities
Controversy arose on Saturday, February 28th when news broke of 37 Belizeans who were apprehended by Guatemalan Authorities. According to reports, the delegation of Belize Territorial Volunteers traveled from Punta Gorda Town to the boundary marker at Gracia A Dios to place a flag and plaque. They were intercepted by Guatemalan authorities on their return, at around 3PM on the Sarstoon River. The group, which consisted of 36 Orange Walk Town residents and one resident from Corozal Town, was detained and held in Livingston, Guatemala until arrangements were made for their release. Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of National Security, George Lovell indicated that the Government of Belize took swift actions to ensure the safe release of the delegation. Arrangements for the delegation’s release was carried out through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Organization of American States (OAS).

San Pedro Tiger Sharks trump the Toledo Diplomats
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) defending champions, San Pedro Tiger Sharks continue to make waves in the league. On Saturday February 28th, the islanders travelled to southern Belize where they ensured that the home team, the Toledo Diplomats, remained at the bottom of the standings. The Tiger Sharks overcame a first half deficit with a massive wave of baskets to solidly beat the home team in a score of 78 to 60. The game took place at the Julian Cho High School in Toledo. In the first quarter of the match, the Diplomats had a one point lead over the Tiger Sharks with a 17 – 16 score. Going into halftime, the home team kept nursing a narrow lead of 33 to 31 over the visitors. A re-energized Tiger Sharks came out with their jaws ready to clamp down on the Diplomats, and at the end of the third quarter, the tide had changed; the Tiger Sharks were ahead by six points. When the final whistle blew, the game ended at 60 to 78, an 18 point lead in favor of the Tiger Sharks.

The Green Iguana is a cool reptile!
First, some background on iguanas: Even though it goes through various color changes during its life, it is technically known as the Green Iguana, with the rather unimaginative scientific name of Iguana iguana. The name iguana itself is said to come from the native Caribbean Taino language, iwana. Here in Belize things are a bit more creative, with Bamboo Chicken, Guana and Garobo for the bigger, more mature males, who take on an orange hue and can grow up to five or six feet from nose to tail tip. Sunlight is essential to these cold-blooded critters, who are always in search of a sunny tree branch. They barely move until warmed up to about 75°F or more. Once energized, they begin hunting, establishing and maintaining territory and, when the time is right, mating. If you happen to see males bobbing their heads up and down vigorously and pushing their dewlaps (a fold of skin under the chin) out, you know there’s some aggression going on, usually between two males, with the resident alpha defending his territory. If this display isn’t enough, it can escalate into a full-scale brawl, which can result in serious injury or even death to one of the combatants. But usually, the Iguana is a pretty mellow creature, peacefully living on an abundant supply of leaves, fruits, berries, and flowers.

Jaime Manzano shot during home invasion
On Wednesday, March 4th, San Pedro Police responded to reports of a shooting incident in the San Pablo Area. Initial investigation revealed that 31-year-old Jaime Manzano was shot three times during what seems to be a robbery attempt. According to official police reports, Manzano along with his wife arrived at their home at around 6:50PM. Upon entering their home, they were confronted by a male person who was seen coming from the inside of their bedroom. Manzano tried to discharge his licensed firearm, but the culprit fired several shots in their direction, injuring Manzano in his right leg and both hands. The male individual then ran through the front door of the house and escaped in the nearby bushes.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro High School "Robotics In Action" Science Fair
Every year our students are being prepared for their annual Science Fair. This event gives them an opportunity to display their creativity and innovation. This year the Science Fair was held on March 6, 2015, under the R. Angel Nuñez Auditorium. Students competed for first, second and third place for the Senior and Junior category under the theme: Robotics In Action, Making Life Easy. Prizes were given for the best banner and best project. Robotics is at an inflection point – a bend in the curve where many technologies that used to be found only in science fiction are becoming everyday reality. The 5 areas in Robotics, which are already here, that I believe will have a major economic impact and help to transform society over the next decade or so are: 1. Drones 2. Medical Procedures, Operations and Health 3. Prosthetics and Exoskeletons 4. Artificial Assistants 5. Driverless Cars

Tribute to Jeffery Eiley - Gone Too Soon
The sea is heaven on earth; beautiful, blue and calm The sounds of the angels` trumpet reminds me of the sounds of the roaring waves The fishes, the turtles and the dolphins I can still see from above The Reef is my white picket fence and the Sea is my playground The sea is heaven on earth; beautiful, blue, and calm When the angels flap their wings I can feel the manta rays dancing around me While the sea horses, the octopus and the manatees shyly watch from afar Sea shells I love but I left them home for you Listen to their echo for it is my whispers saying I love you Keep them close to your hearts for there is where I dwell The Sea is heaven on earth; beautiful, blue and calm I am in heaven, I am alive!

Belize Special Envoy Salutes Women Running for Office in Municipal Elections 2015
The Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow, salutes all women who participated in the Municipal Elections held on March 4th, 2015 for their courage and willingness to put their names on the ballots and to offer themselves to serve the people of our country. Mrs. Simplis-Barrow extends heartfelt congratulations to all 19 women who were successful in the Elections. Congratulations, especially to Ms. Fern Gutierrez (pictured in headline) who now becomes the only female mayor in the country and Punta Gorda Town’s first female mayor. It is inspiring to see that more women are stepping up to the challenge to change the dynamics of Belizean governance; an area where women continue to be under-represented. In the 2012 Municipal Elections there were 35 female candidates; 11 of whom were successful in their municipalities. This year saw a marked increased with 46 female candidates contesting the municipal elections and 19 taking office.

Misc Belizean Sources

Barefoot Skinny's Birthday Bash
Club JJ's was hoping last night with some excellent music. That was the most people that had been up there since Rumba Room. The music was everything from blues to rock and roll, and they had a guest harmonica player that really belted out some wicked blues. Happy birthday, Barefoot Skinny. In related news JJ's has live music most days of the week, and the best hot wings in town.

La Ruta Maya 2015 Start
The 2015 La Ruta Maya kicked off this morning. More pictures here. Video here. They had a fun Cultural Night at the CWC last night.

Television Cooperative program to create a documentary for Belizeans interested in studying in the U.S
The TV crew from Love FM are headed to the U.S. on an exciting endeavor!! They will be participting in a Television Cooperative program to create a documentary for Belizeans interested in studying in the U.S.! Love FM has been selected to participate in a TV CO-OP program focused on education in the U.S. This is the first time any media outlet has been selected to participate in a TV CO-OP program. While in the U.S. Love FM’s film crew will produce a series of reportages and interviews about how to prepare to study in the U.S. well before the application process, the many different types of U.S. colleges and universities, how the application process works, financing options as an international student, and insight into what life is like for the typical student studying in the U.S. This series will also be broadcast over local radio and on Love FM’s website. The United States, Belize, and the other countries in South and Central America and the Caribbean are all part of President Obama’s “100,000 Strong in the Americas” initiative, designed to increase the number of educational exchanges between the United States and the Americas and the Caribbean.

Kite Flying Safety Tips from BEL

WILD MEAT: HOW MUCH IS EATEN IN BELIZE?
A recent study led by Dr Rebecca Foster, Director of the Belize Jaguar Program for Panthera, made a first attempt at assessing the national harvest rates of game species in Belize, by people and by predators, to investigate whether the combined off-take is sustainable. The study found that six popular game species (paca, armadillo, collared peccary, white-lipped peccary, white-tailed deer and red brocket deer) together make up 7% of the animal-protein meals eaten by the Belizean population. The research team estimated that c. 4,000 tonnes of these wild mammals by are hunted every year in Belize jointly by humans and jaguars, with the majority (3,000 tonnes) hunted by people.

Food Safety Policy and Plan Consultancy
Undertake a situational analysis of the current policy environment on food safety in the Caribbean Develop a Food Safety Policy template for use in the Eastern Caribbean Countries that clearly describes the application along the whole food chain (sea or farm to table). Use of WHO, FAO and INFOSAN documents is encouraged (FAO/WHO guide for developing and improving national food recall systems, FAO/WHO guidance to governments on the application of HACCP in small and/or less-developed food businesses, Application of risk analysis to food standards issues, Assuring food safety and quality, Data reporting for hazards occurring in food (HOF), etc). Develop a Food Safety Emergency Response Plan template for use in the Eastern Caribbean Countries, following the FAO/WHO framework for developing national food safety emergency response plans (2010) as well as other pertinent FAO, INFOSAN and WHO documents (Food Safety Guidance in Emergency Situations, Food Safety in Natural Disasters, etc)

Baron Bliss Sun & Fun Day, March 8th on Ambergris Caye
Come out for a day filled with fun!

Fully account of Municipal Election results on ArcGIS System by Adele Ramos Amandala Press
Explore in-depth election results with our latest software, made with ArcGIS Online. Click images for full story. Clip bubbles for info. on each municipality.

Belize Raptor Center Visits Cayo
The Belize Raptor Center visited the Valley of Peace and QSI schools for Children's Month to educate them about Belize's raptors. Thanks, BRC! "We spent the day with three great organizations; Belize Bird Rescue, The Forest Department and The Peregrine Fund doing educational outreach at The Valley of Peace school. What an amazing turn out it was!"

Channel 7

Why Did “Stitch” Bite Fernando?
Last night, we told you about Fernando Quichan, the 6 year old boy who was attacked by a German Shepherd in Orange Walk. He was playing in the yard when the dog got loose and mauled him - leaving large wounds on his face and on his head. Today, we went to visit Fernando and his mother at the Northern Regional Hospital where he is slowly recuperating. Now, most of the cases involving dog bites and attacks are fueled by provocation but the mother is baffled by this incident because the boy and the dog were inseparable. Here is the story of man's best friend turned into a boy's worst enemy. Courtney Weatherburne reporting Stitch may seem like a playful dog, eagerly jumping for his owner. But yesterday morning he wasn't this playful or calm. 6 year old Fernando Cuichan has been hospitalized after stitch attacked him. Fernando's tiny crocs slippers fell off as he tried to run away from stitch. Only to be caught. Now, trickles of blood stain the front steps and pathway.

PUP’s Lost Ground In Epic Fashion
Last night we gave you the broad outline of the results for the 2015 town board election - it was basically 62 to 5 in favour of the UDP - with the ruling party in full control of eight of nine municipalities across the country. It's a major letdown for the PUP which had hoped to gain ground in this election, but instead lost two of the three towns it did control before Wednesday's election. But tonight the enormity of the defeat is just coming into full focus now that the Elections and Boundaries Department has released the official figures. It shows the UDP not only winning but making major gains in every single town and city. That figure was highest in Belmopan where the UDP gained sixteen percentage points compared to the 2012 election. The UDP mayoral candidate, Khalid Belisle won by almost 1,500 votes, besting his opponent at a rate of almost two to one. In 2012, the UDP council was split and garnered only 42% of the vote - this time it's 59% in the capital city. And in a three party race, the PUP got only 28% of the total vote.

Cayo Man’s Killing In City Could Be Passion Crime
Since last week Wednesday, there has been a spike violent crimes in which 5 men were gunned down and killed and 2 more were hospitalized with serious injuries. All 7 are believed to be victims of gang violence. Well tonight we report on murder number 6 in the city, and although the deceased was not killed in a street slaying, his end was very violent. Late yesterday afternoon, police found the lifeless body of 49 year-old Oscar Amilcar Grijalva, a Cayo resident, inside his hotel room on Albert Street. His killer stabbed him several times to the chest and arms, and then cut his throat. ?Police believe it may be a woman who did it It's a very violent murder, and today, Eastern Division briefed the press about what information they have so far: Supt. Hilberto Romero, O.C., CIB, Eastern Division "On Thursday 5th March at around 3:50pm, police responded to a report at guesthouse situated at #3 Albert Street, Belize City, where upon arrival, they check inside one of the rooms, where they found the lifeless body of one Oscar Grijalva, 49 years old, Belizean caretaker of Ontario Village, Cayo District. He was found with multiple stab wounds to the chest and to the throat and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigations is being conducted at this time and we have one person we are seeking at this time for this murder."

A Killing In Camalote
5 and a half hours later after Grijalva was found murdered, another Cayo man was killed by a shotgun blast. 30 year-old Elroy Ramirez, a resident of Young Bank Road in Camalote Village, was standing beside a pickup truck in the Another World area of Roaring Creek Village last night at around 8:35 p.m. That's when a dark complexioned man ambushed him and opened fire. The pellets struck him in the body, and when Ramirez went down, the gunman ran off. Ramirez was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries a little over 2 hours later. The family declined an interview.

Police Piecing Together Gonguez Murder/Jervis Shooting
Belize City police are still investigating the deadly gunplay on Mayflower Street which happened on Wednesday when the city was caught up in count for Belize City Municipal Elections. As we reported, police responded to a shooting incident at around 9:30 at the corner of Mayflower and Vernon Street. There, they saw 32 year-old Jervis Valencio also known as "Jervis Valencia" fleeing the area, and when police ordered him to stop, he allegedly pointed a black pistol at them. The officers fired several shots at him, hitting him in the chest and neck. He was rushed to the KHMH for medical treatment, where he remains under police guard. When police went deeper into the area, they saw 36 year-old Moses Gonguez lying on the ground dead at #13 Mayflower Street.

PUC’s Picks The Energy Future
What's the energy future of Belize? Will it be hydro, solar, wind power or co generation? For months, BEL has been working on the report coming out of their request for power. Many proposals were submitted - but only the best made it to the second phase, which is evaluation and selection. These proposals were rigorously analyzed and selected to enter into negotiations with BEL. Which ones made the cut? That was announced today at a two hour press conference hosted by the PUC in Belize City. Chairman John Avery gave the big decision at the one hour mark:.. John Avery - Chairman PUC "We are recommending that BEL go to negotiations with respect to 4 bidders, with respect to 5 projects for the firm capacity requirements and with one bidder for the intermittent capacity. Again, the intermittent, the bidder selected is BAPCOL (Blair Atoll Power Company Limited) and the for the firm capacity, its GSR, SREL, with respect to Challilo 2 and upper Swasey, Santender (SS Energy) with respect to their co-generation project and BAPCOl with respect to their existing generator."

BSI Plants Ideas For Future Crops
And one sugar mill that's already doing co-generation is BSI. We haven't heard about them in a while - and that's because the mill is humming along and sugar is being delivered. But, while sugar is being milled in the factor, a Strategic Development Plan is also being developed in the board room. That will be the product of a consultation between all sectors, but the management of ASR/BSI wanted to push things along with the launch of what is known as a white paper, an outline of police developments which would go into that strategic plan. Today in Orange Walk, Mac Mclachlan told the media what some of the challenges are:.. Mac McLachlan, ASR's Vice President of International Relations "One of the main reasons for having this strategic develop plan is to sequence the activity that needs to take place, but in a nutshell, this means improving the productivity of the sugarcane area in Belize.

OAS Challenges Wil Maheia Release
On Tuesday's newscast, we told you about the press release from the Government of Belize after the Northern Territorial Volunteers were taken into custody on the Sarstoon River and escorted to Livingston, Guatemala. The Government relayed the report from the representatives of the Organization of American States that the Belize Territorial Volunteers violated the border and made an incursion when they planted palms in Guatemalan territory. Well, the territorial volunteers categorically rejected that report. And now the OAS has weighed in. The release says, quote, "The Organization of American States (OAS) strongly rejects the recent statements made by...the Belize Territorial Volunteers regarding the impartiality of the OAS...through its Office in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone.

Ambassador Nestor Mendez, “Movin’ On Up?”
And in other OAS news, we told you last year how senior Belizean diplomat Nestor Mendez is offering himself, with the blessing of the Belizean Government for the post of Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Well, on Wednesday, the ceremony to note his candidacy was held on Wednesday in a special meeting which was held in Washington DC. The OAS Permanent Council officially received him at that ceremony in which he got an opportunity to address the council as to why he should be elected. Here's an excerpt of his speech to the gathering: Nestor Mendez "We need to focus on what we agree on and united us, instead of what does not unite us. Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you convinced that here in this room today, we really have everything that we need to transform our organization and to convert it into the OAS that we need. The OAS that we want and that our people deserves."

Cordel: King And I
One of the very few bright spots for the PUP in the municipal election was in Lake Indpednce which is one of the few areas where a PUP municipal slate beat the UDP’s. It’s a surprise but not an upset, since it marks the return to electoral politics for the PUP’s three time representative in that area Cordel Hyde. But when the morning started you would not have guessed that the PUP would win out in the lake – and that;s because the UDP came out rolling like thunder. We spoke to Area Representative Mark King early on election day:…

Rt. Hon Musa & Hon. Finnegan, Ready For The Road, But Not Ready To Retire
And another interesting contrast of perspectives on election day came from veteran representatives Said Musa and Michael Finnegan. Musa has been in the House of Representatives since 1979, losing twice – and Finnegan has been there since 1993. But they’re both getting up there in years, and on election day we asked if they plan to retire: one said he can’t wait while the other said, he’ll wait just a little longer:…

Bradley Says Council Pickup Totalled
And in one more election day and night interview, we finally got a chance to speak with Re-elected mayor Darrell Bradley about the 2013 Hilux Pick-up assigned to the office of Mayor, which was reportedly totaled by Councillor Alifa Elrington Hyde The information which reached us on Monday that City Councilor Alifa Elrington-Hyde was driving that Hilux when she got into an accident and significantly damaged it. Since then, no one has seen the vehicle, and so, we contacted the mayor for comment on Tuesday on the reports of the accident. He didn't respond, and so on Election night, the first time, we'd gotten an opportunity to interview him. We asked about that vehicle. Here's how he responded:

Channel 5

Did Female Escort Butcher Oscar Grijalva Inside Hotel Bathroom?
Two men were murdered in a span of seven hours on Thursday. In the city, an Ontario resident was found dead in the bathroom of a small guesthouse. He is [...]

Camalote Resident Shot and Killed in Roaring Creek
The other homicide was in Roaring Creek in the west. Around eight-thirty on Thursday night, a man from the Young Bank Road in Camalote was shot and killed while he [...]

5 Year Old Viciously Attacked by German Shepherd in Orange Walk
But a five year old boy has survived a vicious attack by a German shepherd. Fernando Quixchan is recovering at the Northern Regional Hospital after he was bitten by the [...]

18th Annual La Ruta Maya Challenge Kicks Off in San Ignacio
The annual Belikin La Ruta Maya River Challenge kicked off this morning at seven a.m. on the banks of the Macal River in Cayo. When the bugle was sounded, fifty-seven [...]

Canoe Racer Averts Near-Drowning in the Belize River
While safety remains a paramount feature of the annual canoe race, this morning veteran paddler Armin Lopez averted tragedy in the waters of the Belize River when he dove to [...]

Shawn Vargas Fined $10,000 for Weed Tree
A cannabis tree cost a man ten thousand dollars. Thirty-four year old Shawn Vargas was found with a single weed tree growing on his verandah and he was charged with [...]

Phony Certificates for Sale on Belize Buy and Sell
Months ago, a B.T.B. employee was discovered to have presented fake university records to qualify for a promotion at the B.T.B.  When it came to light, he resigned and that [...]

Elections and Boundaries Releases Official Results for Municipal Elections
The Elections and Boundaries Commission has finally posted the results of Wednesday’s municipal elections. The official tally of certain candidates appearing on their website is, however, different from those officially [...]

How Did Candidates Fair Off at the Polls?
Tonight we look at the margins of victory in Wednesday’s municipal elections and we can say that the results show that the U.D.P. has gained significant ground with historic margins [...]

ASR Outlines Strategic Development Plan for Sugar Industry
In January cane-farmers, represented by three separate associations and B.S.I. signed onto a seven year cane purchase agreement. A critical component of the success of that agreement will be a [...]

ASR to Invest One Million Dollars to Improve Capacity of Tower Hill Plant
According to the ASR reps, since October of 2012 they have been trying to understand the issues and challenges particular to Belize, and have been meeting with all stakeholders to [...]

B.S.I. Receiving Sugar Cane Deliveries from Separate Entities
For the first time in history, B.S.I. has been receiving cane from three separate entities, which made for some logistics chaos at the start of crop. That all seems to [...]

PUC Shortlists Companies to Provide Alternative Energy to National Grid
In October 2013, the Public Utilities Commission requested proposals for electricity generation in order to secure additional energy generation and supply capacity to meet all reasonable demands in Belize for [...]

John Avery Explains PUC’s Recommendations
Avery would proceed to explain the methodology used in formulating the PUC’s recommendations.   John Avery, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission “Now, the way we need to look at these things [...]

Belize Catholic Science Fair, Meet the Young Scientists
Over at the Saint Catherine’s Academy in Belize City, budding scientists nervously awaited a panel of judges who would determine the most innovative science project. Defending champions from Bishop Martin’s [...]

U.D.P. Sweeps 2015 Municipal Elections: Darrell Bradley Re-elected to City Hall
The People’s United Party suffered a most humiliating defeat in Wednesday’s municipal elections with the United Democratic Party capturing all municipalities, except the Orange Walk Town Council. Support for the [...]

Orange Walk Mayor Only P.U.P. Mayor in Belize
The only bright spot for the P.U.P. was in Orange Walk Town where Kevin Bernard has been returned as Mayor for another three years. This Saturday, a victory rally is [...]

Kevin Bernard Maintains P.U.P. Stronghold in Sugar City
Orange Walk Mayoral candidate Kevin Bernard has earned the singular distinction of being the only P.U.P. Mayor in the country. He won by only a narrow margin, but along with [...]

Francis Fonseca Reflects on Devastating Loss At the Polls
As we said, it’s a terrible loss for the People’s United Party which lost every single municipality but one…and even there the grand ole party barely held on. In the [...]

P.U.P. Admits Lack of Campaign Finance Hurt Its Chances in Municipals
Fonseca says that the Party will now be calling in councillor candidates and Standard Bearers in the municipalities to carry out an analysis of the devastating loss with a view [...]

Dangriga Goes Red!
The People’s United Party, previous to Wednesday, controlled the two town councils in the south: Punta Gorda and Dangriga. While early in the night, the U.D.P. claimed victory in Punta [...]

John Saldivar and Khalid Belisle Deliver Belmopan
In the nation’s capital where the elections were fought hard for months leading into Wednesday, the U.D.P. won by an impressive margin. Newcomer, Khalid Belisle and his team would dominate [...]

Corozal Returns Hilberto Campos to Town Hall
Official information was hard to come by as counting took place in the northernmost district. Still yet as tallying progressed, the incumbent U.D.P. slate maintained a steady but widening lead [...]

Jervis Valencia Goes On Deadly Rampage in Ghost Town
While residents across the Old Capital were absorbed in the counting of ballots on Wednesday night, gunfire erupted near the corners of Mayflower and Vernon streets where a group of [...]

Murder on La Isla Bonita
But on the eve of the elections, one man was killed in San Pedro. Around eight-thirty on Tuesday night, San Pedro police responded to a shooting incident that left thirty-eight [...]

LOVE FM

Shooting in Roaring Creek; Man Succumbs to Injuries
Police in Belmopan are investigating a murder in Roaring Creek Village. We hear more in this report from correspondent Angelica Cruz.

Start of The Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge
The first leg of the Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge ended earlier today. Arturo Cantun reports. NICH competed the first leg in a time of four hours fifty eight minutes and sixteen seconds, BTL Cobb’s Arm crossed the line four seconds later and OCB Wavemakers was third with a time of five hours and thirteen seconds. (VO) During the race this morning a spectator got too close to the river bank and fell in however quick response by one of the team members prevented what could have been a tragedy.

Fisherman Charged For Possession of Undersized Conch
Twenty-five year old Peter Garcia, a fisherman of Caledonia, was fined a total of two thousand five hundred and forty five dollars yesterday by Magistrate Herbert Panton after he plead guilty to possession of 102 undersized conchs. Garcia was given until May 29 to pay. If he defaults on payment he will serve six months. Garcia was busted with the conchs on February 11 when fisheries officer Hector Cunningham went to Northern fishermen Co-operative and inspected his catch. After he pled guilty Garcia said the conch had shrunken in size and as a result had lost weight because he had them for 10 days. Magistrate Panton fined him five hundred dollars plus five dollars court cost for the offence and told him that because it was his first offence he will be required to pay twenty dollars per conch. Magistrate Panton also told him that if he is convicted of another offence of possession of undersized conch his boat and fishing equipment will be confiscated to the Government of Belize

Investigators Puzzle From Early Morning Road Traffic Accident
A road traffic accident on the Philip Goldson Highway has Police investigators puzzled as to who were involved. According to Belize City Police, they visited mile three on the Philip Goldson Highway near the Benny’s Apartments where they saw a burnt car on the left hand side of the road and another car badly damaged on the right hand-side. Investigators told Love News that the car on the left appeared to have been engulfed with flames when its passenger or passengers exited the car. They believe that the other car was heading towards Belize City when the collision occurred. Police told us that the other car was speeding and the driver probably did not see the burnt car parked on the road which led to the collision. The other car flipped a few yards a head of the burnt car. Investigators told Love News that so far they have no leads on who was involved in the early morning road traffic accident.

BWU And BSI Experiencing a Rocky Relationship?
The Belize Workers’ Union, BWU and Belize Sugar Industries Limited, BSI, are experiencing a rocky relationship at the moment. That is because a collective bargaining agreement has yet to be signed. The last was signed in 2011 and that expired in 2014. Both parties cannot agree on a crucial point. The union wants to have the Labor Commissioner, Ivan Williams, be a witness to the signing of the agreement but BSI has taken the opposite stand point. A letter sent from the Chief Financial Officer for BSI, Belizario Carballo to the BWU says that there is no legal requirement for Williams to be present during the signing of the agreement. Having the labour commissioner act as a witness has become a tradition that dates back to 1976 so when the Union’s Executive learned that BSI is against that action, they suspected something devious. Vice President of the ASR Group, Celestino Ruiz, refused to comment much on the matter.

BSI Contributes to Strategic Development Plan
Belize Sugar Industries Limited, BSI, is contributing to the Strategic Development Plan process with a strategy paper entitled “Transforming Sugar Production in Belize into a modern, sustainable, green model, contributing to jobs, growth and Energy security”. The paper was presented today to the Sugar Industry Control Board, representatives from the different sugar producing associations and other relevant stakeholders. According Mac McLachlan, the Vice President of International Relations for the ASR Group, the strategy paper considers a range of inter-related challenges and potential solutions to overcome them.

OAS Release Addresses Impartiality Statements by Belize Territorial Volunteers
The Organization of American States, OAS, issued a press statement in which it reaffirms impartiality in the Belize-Guatemala Territorial Dispute. The OAS goes further to say that it strongly rejects the recent statements made by the Belize Territorial Volunteers regarding the impartiality of the OAS with respect to the work it advances within the context of the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute, through its Office in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone. The OAS points out that on March first of last year the Government of Belize and the Government of Guatemala requested that a verification be done in the area of Santa Cruz/Jalacte. The OAS ascertained that indeed some of the coconut trees planted by members of the BTV were inside Guatemalan territory as mentioned in a release by the Government of Belize on Monday.

PlusTV

UDP’s major win in Municipal Elections
Elections were held countrywide on Thursday in all nine municipalities, and the United Democratic Party won full slates in almost all the municipalities by huge margins. In Belize City, incumbent Mayor Darrell Bradley returns to his post after beating Yolanda Shackron by almost double the votes. In Belmopan, 5 persons vied for the seat of mayor making it the municipality with the largest number of mayoral candidates. After the polls closed at 6:00 pm, a total of 5,713 persons had cast their vote, 63% percent of the total number of eligible voters in Belmopan. The counting was a long process especially since reports indicated that the ballots had many split votes. At around 3:00 am this morning, the counting finished and the Returning Officer Benedict Palacio gave the final unofficial result of the ballots which showed a land slide victory for Khalid Belisle and the UDP slate. In Dangriga Francis Humphries took the win for the UDP with a total of 1,741 votes, a difference of about 500 votes.

PUP concedes defeat
On Thursday afternoon, the People’s United Party conceded defeat in the municipal elections at a press conference. On the heels of the loss of the Cayo North seat there is open speculation about the future of the People’s United Party and the leadership of Francis Fonseca, who has led the party to successive defeats at national and local level since being named leader in 2011. On Thursday, Mr Fonseca, flanked by senior party officials, reiterated that he has the full support of his party to continue as leader. . Francis Fonseca – Leader of the Peoples’ United Party “In the wake of any election defeat, and certainly this was a very decisive defeat, a very decisive victory for the People’s United Party with potentially two years to come before a general election, I think everybody has to take a look at themselves and it starts with the leader. The leader has to look in the mirror. The leader has to self-examine. So I think it’s an absolutely legitimate question, but I have given no thought to resignation, and I will tell you why. Because from as early as this morning, late last night into early morning, I started getting calls from standard bearers, representatives from across the country. I think of the thirty-one representatives, I was trying to tally it in my head just before I came in, about twenty-four of them have called me since last night into this morning, to all express their confidence in me, their trust in me.

Belizean Fishermen are farming seaweed
Placencia fishermen have been harvesting seaweed for a number of years due to its many diverse forms of use including for medicinal purposes, cosmetics, and food. But due to the unsustainable way in which it was being harvested from the waters of Palencia, it was not very marketable, that is, until a small group of locals began to sustainably farm the seaweed. In 2011, through a small grant from COMPACT (Community Management of Protected Areas Conservation Programme), the Placencia Producers Cooperative Society Ltd. took fishermen and farmers under its wings to embark on a pilot seaweed farming project. As part of the project, these sea farmers teach other locals the art of seaweed farming, not only to teach another trade but because the practice helps to promote a healthy ecosystem. The project has had so much recognition that Leol Godfrey, a.k.a “Japs,” the one who started it all, has been invited to Providencia, Columbia, along with his assistant fisherman to teach Columbian fishermen the trade of seaweed farming.

Police kill gunman accused of Mayflower murder
On election night around 9:30 p.m. there was a murder in Belize City. But police were quick to respond and in fact caught up with the culprit in the immediate area – and shot him dead. 32 year old Jervis Valencio is believed to be the man who moments earlier shot at a group of men and women socializing in a yard on Mayflower Street off Vernon Street, killing 36 year old Moses Gonguez of Sibun Street, and wounding 23 year old Triston Gordon of Casuarina Street. According to police, Jervis Valencio then ran off and upon reaching at the corner with Mayflower and Vernon Streets, he was ordered to stop by police, who had already taken up positions to block any escape route. However, Valencio turned towards the direction of the police and pointed a black pistol in their direction. Police responded by firing several shots at Jervis Valencio causing injuries to the neck and upper part of his chest.

Shooting reported in same vicinity hours later
On Thursday morning there was a shooting incident just down the street at the corner of Vernon and Lakeview Streets, in which no one was injured. Superintendent Hilberto Romero tells us more. . Hilberto Romero – O.C. CIB Eastern Division “We do not know if it is related, but a couple of shots were fired. The Police responded and no one was shot.”

Police make arrests in recent cases
Earlier we reported the arrest of Ian Adolphus’ alleged killer, 18 year old Akeem Trapp, for murder. However, police have also made arrests in two other recent open cases. We hear again from Superintendent of Police Hilberto Romero. “ For the murder of Michael Welch, one Tarique Gillett has been charged for that murder. And Deshawn Gough has also been charged for the shooting incident of the female that was shot in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro, on the eleventh of February 2015.” Michael Welch and Kingsley Morrison were hanging out on Sunday night, March 1, when they were attacked. On February 11, 38 year old Maria Escalante and her 13 year old daughter Meredith were closing the door to their apartment in the San Pedrito area, of San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, when shots were fired and Meredith was hit in the chest.

Amandala

Storeowner executed in San Pedrito
Pablo Barbosa, 35, of San Pedrito, San Pedro, a businessman and a storeowner, died after a gunman entered his store and shot him four times in his head and chest. A customer, Humberto “Betito” Alcoser, who was in the store buying, was also shot by the gunman in the neck, then the gunman escaped out of the store, without stealing anything. Police said that they were on patrol in San Pedrito about 8:00 Tuesday night when they got a call that there was a shooting in a different area, and they left San Pedrito to investigate the report. Shortly after they left the area, however, about six gunshots exploded, sending the residents of the area running for cover. Police went back to San Pedrito and went to Barbosa’s Store, where they found the storeowner dead and a customer injured. Alcoser was rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic, and there, Barbosa was declared dead on arrival.

UDP fiesta!
The ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) has won its fourth consecutive bombshell victory in the nationwide municipal vote held yesterday, March 4, 2015, capturing 62 of 67 available seats with the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) retaining 5 out of the 7 seats it had previously held in Orange Walk Town. Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca said at a press conference today that it was “a very decisive defeat” for the People’s United Party and “a very decisive victory” for the UDP. As the results were announced last night, the winners led motorcades through their municipalities. At the UDP headquarters in Belize City, the mood was celebratory as party members and supporters amassed – some of them with flags in hand – to savor the victory at the polls in Belize City and the rest of Belize, with the exception of Orange Walk, where the Opposition People’s United Party, led in that zone by former party leader Johnny Briceño, fought hard to hold its ground.

“Ghost Town” gang war leaves 3 shot – 1 dead, 1 critical
An internal gang-related conflict that spiraled out of control last night has resulted in the death of a Sibun Street resident who was sprayed with bullets by a former friend who is now in a critical condition after being shot by police moments later. Police reported that they shot Jervis Diamond Valencia, 32, of #5 Mayflower Street, at the corner of Mayflower and Vernon Streets at about 9:30 p.m. on March 4, 2015. He was hit in the chest and neck. Upon making a further check at #13 Mayflower Street, investigators discovered the motionless body of Moses Ervin Gonguez, 36, of #7 Sibun Street, lying on the ground with several gunshot wounds to the head and body. According to police, Gonguez was socializing with four friends at the said address at about 9:15 p.m. yesterday, Wednesday, when Valencia entered the yard with a handgun and fired a barrage of shots into the crowd.

Punta Gorda has first female mayor – Fern Gutierrez
The voting process got off to a slow but peaceful start at St. Peter Claver R.C. School and Punta Gorda Methodist School at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, and by the time the polls closed at 6:00 p.m. 2,242 voters, 62% of those registered in that municipality had participated in the poll, returning Fern Gutierrez, who served as councilor from 2012 to 2015, as the only elected candidate for the United Democratic Party (UDP), and also installing her as the town’s new mayor – the first woman to hold that post in the municipality. Gutierrez will be joined by a full slate of UDP councilors – returning that municipality, which had been held by the UDP for two consecutive terms (2006-2009 and 2009-2012), to the ruling party. Voters told us that in Punta Gorda (Peini), voting is usually slow in the morning, but the pace picks up after midday.

PM announces crime intervention measures for San Pedro
San Pedro, and particularly the San Pedrito area, has seen a rise in violent crimes – underscored last week by the senseless murder of Charlie Daniel Espat, 2, the toddler who was killed by gunmen who sprayed his family home early last Tuesday morning while he slept with his parents. Of the 9 municipalities which went to the polls on Wednesday, Belize City and San Pedro have become the two most violent, and we asked Prime Minister Dean Barrow to address the worsening state of affairs, marked by a spate of weekend killings and an outburst of violent shootings at those centers on election day. Barrow, who is also the head of Belize’s National Security Council, said that the crime situation in Belize City, where a shootout on election evening has left one man dead and another critically wounded, has been “a longstanding, ongoing problem,” and while there are “ebbs and flows,” he said, every time there is a flare up, the government takes measures to address the situation, and things subside, but there is a flare up again.

Hilberto trounces “Dido” in battle for Corozal Town Council
The official numbers are still being tabulated presently, but at this point, it is evident that the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) town council slate, led by incumbent mayoral candidate, Hilberto Campos, has clearly defeated opponents from the People’s United Party (PUP) for the fourth consecutive term. The final official count for Corozal Town includes 19,594 total votes for the UDP; 17,404 total votes in favor of the PUP; 39 rejected votes, and 9 spoilt ballots. Before the counting started, however, Corozal Town was abuzz with activity today as teams of campaigners for the two major political parties constantly ferried and coaxed both traditional and prospective constituents from all corners of the locality in hopes of securing victory in what had turned out to be a hotly contested race for command of the Corozal Town Hall for the next three years. In the last two elections (2009 and 2012), the UDP won by 1,251 and 1,215 votes respectively and in both instances, Campos won in his bid for the mayor’s seat, albeit along with two completely different town council slates.

Embattled PUP hang on to Orange Walk Town Council
Mounting anxiety that had built up for almost 10 hours after the commencement of vote counting and reconciliation within the walls of the La Immaculada RC Primary School in Orange Walk Town was finally cleared away at approximately 3:55 a.m. today when it was announced that incumbent People’s United Party (PUP) mayor, Kevin Bernard, and four of his councilor candidates, managed to secure a much needed municipal victory for their party. With a total of 63 ballot boxes – most of which contained split votes – Orange Walk was the last of all municipalities to be tallied, and at the culmination of counting, went on record as the sole triumph for the seemingly beleaguered Opposition PUP, which has now been defeated in the last four municipal elections (2006, 2009, 2012, and 2015). Outside the counting station, the throngs of UDP supporters who had stood around to listen to the final results, had mostly dissipated in the face of persistent reports that they had fallen behind during the counting process, but a crowd of about 100 enthusiastic PUP loyalists – invigorated by the welcoming news – held their ground, continuously waving their blue-and-white flags and reciting party slogans.

Junior tennis on the rise
Twenty junior tennis players from Green and Orange categories played a doubles tournament on Saturday, February 28, sponsored by the Belize Tennis Association (BTA), which is greatly focused on developing youth tennis. Both categories played round-robin style to increase playing time. In the Orange category, Marco Shi and Alex Musa became champions by defeating Marianna Diaz and Daniel Musa, 15-11, in the finals. In the Green category, Samron Pott and Gavyn Riveroll took 1st place by closing out Jonathan Smith and Stefan Sosa, 4-0. It is rewarding to the BTA and parents to see the improvement of the children each time they take to the courts for competition. Thanks to the coaches and parents for their support.

Andy Dominguez to miss 2015 Pan Am Games?
Not much activity has been taking place in boxing on the local scene. Boxing cards are few and far between. Like football players in training, what boxers in training want are bouts, events where they can test themselves and be motivated to develop their skill. There have been some technical arguments going back and forth regarding the functionality or effectiveness of the present Belize Boxing Federation and its president Moses Sulph, a well known community spokesman and activist, who is also a former president of COLA. In Belize we have a saying, “Pick sense from nonsense.” Whatever the arguments, whatever the technicalities involved, one thing is incontestable – the brightest boxing prospect in Belize right now is 18-year-old Andy Dominguez, who happens to be trained by Cayo Lions Den manager Frank Martinez.

SMART Bi-Annual Junior Ranking Tournament concludes
The Belize Table Tennis Association’s (BTTA) 2015 1st Bi-Annual Junior Ranking Tournament kicked off on Saturday, February 28, at the BES Auditorium with junior players in three categories competing for this year’s titles. Some 120 junior players participated in this year’s event. Categories were: 12Under, 15Under, and 18Under. Competition format was a Round Robin Classification followed by Double Elimination FINAL Round. In the 12Under Category, 14 groups started, with winners of each group advancing to the Double Elimination Finals. The results were as follows: 12Under Category: 1st – Taye Parkinson; 2nd – Terry Su; 3rd – Jared Mena; 4th – Jayden Sutherland.

Editorial: The UDP roll
The fact that the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) added two Town Councils (Dangriga and Punta Gorda) to their March 2012 total of six (the UDP now control eight of the nation’s nine municipal bodies) in Wednesday’s national municipal elections, means that Prime Minister Dean Oliver Barrow will be tempted to call early general elections in quest of an unprecedented third term, unprecedented, that is, in Belize’s post-independence era. (The UDP do not have to call general elections until March of 2017.) The Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), when they present themselves in the House of Representatives for the budget debate in mid-March, will likely continue their call for early general elections. If that call sounded a bit hollow following the PUP’s resounding defeat in the January 5 Cayo North bye-election, it will sound more so after their March 4 backsliding. The PUP are now effectively down to 12 seats in the House, from their high of 14 following the March 2012 generals. Their Joseph Mahmoud’s Cayo North seat is now held by the UDP’s Dr. Amin Figueroa, and we do not expect the PUP’s Orange Walk East area representative, the embattled and indicted Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, to show up in the House until he absolutely must in order to avoid his seat being declared vacant. Remember, he has been seen on national television running away from the Belizean media.

Benefits in the U.S. military
Dear Editor: No immigrant has ever left his homeland without a valid reason. Every time an immigrant leaves his country of birth it is because he is seeking a better quality of life for his family and himself. In response to your Editorial of 20-February-2015, I would like to say that yes, since the Vietnam War, the U.S. has eliminated the draft and reorganized its military to be a more professional and capable organization. The U.S. military claims “there’s a big difference between what we have now and anything we’ve had before.” But there have always been opportunities within the U.S. military “for poor Belizean immigrants.” Immigrants who could not find employment at home. As far back as WWII (1939 -1945), Belizeans with and without the draft were able to enlist in and benefit from their military service. I personally know of several families whose grandfathers, fathers and other members of their families who enlisted during WWII, the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975). And while these men or their families may not have known the issues behind the wars they were fighting in, what they did know was how their enlistment could benefit their families and themselves.

First lobster found in lionfish stomach at Bacalar Chico
A lobster has been found in the stomach of a lionfish by Blue Ventures scientists in Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. The 170 mm juvenile slipper lobster was found in the stomach of a 31-cm lionfish during its dissection. The lionfish was culled on the December 14, 2014 on a forereef site of the reserve. This is the first recorded evidence of lionfish consuming lobster in Belize. Native to the waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish were first recorded in the Atlantic in the 1980s, have since expanded their range across the Caribbean, and have been recorded as far south as Brazil. The Belize Barrier Reef System forms the core of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and lionfish are now found across the entire region. This visually stunning creature hides its voracious appetite for local unsuspecting fish and invertebrates behind its handsome facade, consuming almost anything that crosses its path.

Dominica ceremony Friday marks accession to the CCJ
Dominica will join Belize and two other Caribbean countries: Guyana and Barbados, in making the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) its final appellate court. The CCJ announced today that the ceremony to mark the accession of the Commonwealth of Dominica to the appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ will take place this Friday, March 6, 2015 at the Dominica State House Conference Centre in Roseau, starting at 10:00 a.m. CCJ president, Rt. Hon. Sir Dennis Byron, and the judges of the CCJ will attend. Dominica President Charles A. Savarin and Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit will also attend the historic ceremony.

Ernesto Vasquez, 19, remanded for the murder of Herbert Bodden, 29
A teenager who has been in police custody since Thursday following the senseless murder of car cutter Herbert “Herby” Bodden, 29, of Tubruce Street, was brought to the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon to be arraigned on a charge of murder. Ernesto Viron Vasquez, 19, a student and resident of 1386 Antelope Street Extension, did not have to enter a plea when he appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton, because police charged him with murder, an indictable offense that will be tried in the Supreme Court. On Thursday, February 26, around 1:30 p.m., Bodden was in Kevin’s Vehicle Scrap Yard, on Cedar Street, when a man known only as “Alex” was sitting on a car.

Man pleads guilty to drug trafficking; sentenced to 3 years and $10,000 fine
A Belize City man, who did not know the penalty for drug trafficking, found out the hard way, after he pleaded guilty to the offense when he was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court of Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer this morning. After Frazer read the charge of possession of 484 grams with intent to supply to another for the purpose of drug trafficking to him and asked him what was his plea, John Peters, 20, a resident of 63 Central American Boulevard, replied, “Guilty.” Frazer asked him if he knew what he was pleading guilty to. Peters replied, “No, ma’am, but dem ketch me with it.” Frazer proceeded to read the police facts of the charge. On Sunday, March 1, 2015, police were on mobile patrol when their attention was drawn to a man who was riding a red beach cruiser bicycle on the footpath of Crawford Street, in the Jane Usher Boulevard area.

House meeting confirmed to introduce 2015 budget
A communiqué issued by the National Assembly this week confirms that the House of Representatives will meet next Friday, March 13, 2015. Amandala has confirmed from Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dean Barrow that the meeting has been called to introduce the 2015 national budget. Barrow told us that Cabinet won’t get to approve the budget until next Tuesday, and then the Ministry of Finance would have to do some quick adjustments, if necessary. Barrow said that the “bright spot” in the budget will be the inclusion of a second salary adjustment for teachers and public officers, following the first adjustment that was awarded last year, 2014. He recalled that the Government had promised teachers and public officers that as long as Government’s revenue increases, the teachers and public officers will get half.

Bradley tops polls, almost doubles Schakron
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley was returned to office today, having garnered a higher percentage of the mayoral vote than he did when he was first elected to serve as the City’s mayor back in 2012. This time, he received 11,833 votes – 63% of the mayoral votes, up from the 56% portion he received three years ago. Bradley ran unsuccessfully back in 2003, when the slate of the Opposition People’s United Party led by David Fonseca, was returned to City Hall. Although he was the second most popular UDP candidate in that election, Bradley did not join the UDP slates of 2006 and 2009. It was not until 2012 that he offered himself for municipal office again, setting for himself a track record that saw him emerge victorious at the end of Wednesday’s poll. Speaking with Amandala today, Bradley said, “We are very pleased with the outcome and very grateful to voters for their continued confidence.” He expressed his thanks not only to his party colleagues who helped him to garner the win, but also to the staff of the Elections and Boundaries Department and to the public officers assigned to work on election day, for conducting professional elections.

In Belmopan race, UDP demolish opponents
Belmopan Comprehensive High School was the staging ground for the red and the blue machines as the two main parties, the incumbent United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), labored to get voters out in the steaming heat. Out of the eight municipalities electing new three-year term town councils, Belmopan had the most mayoral aspirants, with five persons nominated to fill the “Garden City” mayor’s seat. During the counting, as the word began to trickle out that the UDP was leading, the triumphant sounds of the party’s supporters reverberated in front of the counting station, as the vigil continued into early Thursday morning. Then, it was finally announced that the UDP’s Khalid Belisle and his team of six councilors had triumphed in Belmopan. A total of 5,716 electors, which represented 63% of the total registered voters in Belmopan, had gone to the poll to elect the new UDP town council.

UDP takes back the South!
The UDP candidate for the mayoral race in Dangriga, Francis Humphreys, a teacher, historian and educator, is now the new mayor of the “Culture Capital” of the Jewel after besting his past student and opponent, Greg Ovado, who was contesting the race for the PUP. In the midst of a huge, celebrating crowd, Humphreys was declared the new mayor of Dangriga at about 2:00 this morning at the BTL Princess Royal Park in Dangriga. The announcement came at the conclusion of the counting of the votes that were cast in the Municipal Election 2015 in Dangriga for the selection of a new mayor and a slate of councilors to administrate the town for the next 3 years. After he was declared mayor, Humphreys made a victory speech to the huge, hyped-up crowd on the steps of the Town Hall. In his speech, the new mayor said that he and the people will work to transform Dangriga and to make it the true Culture Capital of Belize. He said he will also work for a higher standard of living for the people, and added that he and his team will work to bring to fruition what they indicated they would do in their manifesto.

The UDP’s municipal western sweep
In the western twin towns of San Ignacio/Santa Elena, the parade of the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) red T-shirts and the Opposition People’s United Party’s (PUP) blue T-shirts was on constant display in the streets and at the polling areas where residents went to cast ballots in Wednesday’s municipal election. In the far-flung western town of Benque Viejo Del Carmen, it was the same scene, with the political machinery of the two major parties in full gear. On the Bullet Tree Road leading out of San Ignacio towards Benque Viejo, the constant flow of vehicles decorated in the party colors of the UDP and PUP tell the story of the intense competition between the red and the blue for the prize of victory at the polls. In Polling Area #73, the PUP mayoral candidate Ramon “Munchie” Quiroz was on a roll, greeting voters as they entered and left the polling area. Quiroz, however, was keeping watch on a house in front of the polling area where UDP operatives were allegedly paying voters.

The Reporter

Ontario caretaker stabbed to death in Belize City
Crime investigators are looking for a female suspect in connection with the stabbing murder of Oscar Amilcar Grijalva, 49, a caretaker of Ontario Village, Cayo. Police discovered Grijalva’s body on Thursday in the bathroom of the guest house he had booked three hours earlier. He […]

Dominican Republic closes five consulate offices in Haiti
The Dominican Republic says it is closing, temporarily, five of its consulates in Haiti due to security concerns in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Medina, said the government believes that “aggression” against the consulates puts staff at risk. He said […]

Caye Caulker family enraged at cop who shot their dog
The Enriquez fam ily of Bahia Puesto del Sol Street in Caye Caulker are demanding that the policeman who shot their six month-old German Shepherd puppy in the wee hours of Monday morning re-imburse them for their medically-related expenses. They are also demanding that the Police Department remove the policeman […]

Cane cutter killed in San Victor
Corozal police are relying on the residents of San Victor Village in Corozal to help them solve the murder of Sergio Martinez, a cane cutter from the Mexican State of Quintana Roo. His body was discovered on Sunday afternoon, March 1. The police report […]

Man brutally beaten for defending daughter
A man who tried to defend his daughter from a group of men who were making catcalls at her was brutally beaten over the weekend on Southern Foreshore. The man remains hospitalized. Oscar Williams, 42, was walking with his 13-year-old daughter along Southern Foreshore […]

Belize-based real estate agency wins international awards
A Belize based real estate agency, Coldwell Banker Southern Belize Realty, has been given two awards by the international real estate community. Southern Belize Realty won the award for Best Real Estate Agency in Belize and also the highly coveted Best Real Estate Agency […]

Belize gets US $13 million loan from Kuwait for Hummingbird Highway
The Government of Belize signed an agreement last Tuesday in Belmopan for a US $13.6 million loan to assist the financing of the rehabilitation of the Hummingbird Highway, through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (FAED). Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Ghanem Sulaiman […]

Sugar cane crop progressing sweetly
With just over a month since the start of the 2015 sugarcane crop, the Belize Sugar Industries has milled more than 30,000 tons of sugar, says factory manager, John Gillett. Gillett told The Reporter this week that as of March 5, the factory had milled […]

Lower exports help deepen trade deficit
Belize started off the year 2015 continuing the trend of exporting less and importing more, according to the most recent data released from the Statistical Institute of Belize. SIB’s External Trade Bulletin for the month of January, which contains complete data, shows that exports were […]

Decriminalization of Marijuana Committee’s full recommendations
The Decriminalization of Marijuana Committee (DOMC) released its first report containing eleven recommendations, including the decriminalization of up to 10 grams of marijuana. The recommendations are based on two years of data-gathering. DOMC made its recommendations after consultations with both proponents and opponents of […]

San Pedro shooting spree leaves one dead, two injured
Three separate shooting incidents in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye this week have left one man dead and two others wounded as police try to contain the level of violence on the island. According to Superintendent of Police, Luis Castellanos, the officer commanding San Pedro, […]

Captain of BTV expedition disputes Guatemalans’ version of events
Guillermo Avila, the captain of the Belize Territorial Volunteers’ (BTV) expedition, which was delayed by Guatemalan authorities over the weekend, has disputed the Guatemalans’ claims, is seeking legal advice, and is asking the Government of Belize to step in and defend his position. According […]

Gunplay claims life of Japhet Martinez
Sunday night’s peace was broken by a shooting in the Lake Independence area which claimed the life of Japhet Martinez, 27. Martinez reportedly left his girlfriend’s house on a bicycle to go to his mother’s house and stopped at a nearby store at the intersection […]

Shooting leaves one man dead and another injured
A shooting at the corner of Mayflower and Vernon Streets on Wednesday, March 4th ended in death for one man and injury for another. When the police arrived at the scene they discovered Triston Gordon, 23, suffering from gunshot wounds and Moses Gonguez dead in […]

PM Barrow says general elections will not be this year
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has said that he will not call general elections in 2015, despite the fact that his party is riding a historic political wave and enjoying almost shut-out victories after Wednesday’s town and City Council elections. Barrow told reporters following his party’s […]

PUP leader says elections were decisive defeat but he will not resign!
The People’s United Party, fresh off Wednesday’s clobbering defeat at the municipal polls, will spend time to self examine to determine how and why it lost so overwhelmingly. PUP Leader, Francis Fonseca, told reporters on Wednesday that despite his party’s major loss of 62 to […]

Editorial
“The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it will never forget what they did here!” These resounding words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettesberg Address pretty much sums up the dilema of the People’s United Party and its leader Mr. Francis Fonseca. It’s not […]

UDP Triumphs!
The 2015 municipal elections are now a part of history, as are the numbers that they generated on Wednesday. The United Democratic Party won all the seats in every city and town, with the exception of Orange Walk, where the PUP got five of the […]

Patrick Jones

P.U.C. recommends 6 energy projects for B.E.L. negotiation
Today the Public Utilities Commission, PUC, released its final evaluation report for the 2013 request for proposals for energy generation exercise. From a field of more than 20 bidders in the areas of both firm and intermittent capacity a total of 11 projects advanced to the final stage where they were subjected to theoretical analysis of how they would fit into the Belizean electrical grid. Of these proposals two were withdrawn leaving a proposed solar generation project by Blair Atoll Power Company Limited the sole bidder in the area of intermittent capacity. Its proposal was subsequently approved along with a separate proposal for the installation of a third generator at its Placencia plant to provide around the clock capacity for BEL.

Cayo man found murdered in Belize City guest house
A man from Ontario village, Cayo was found dead inside the bathroom of a guest house in Belize City on Thursday afternoon. Police say the body of 49 year old Oscar Amilcar Grijalva was found with multiple stab wounds to the chest, a cut wound to his throat and stab wounds to both arms. Initial police investigations indicate that Grijalva arrived at the guest house on Albert Street around 11:30 yesterday morning in the company of a woman. Police say that around 2:30 yesterday afternoon, the woman left the room and shortly after, the cleaner found Grijalva’s body in the bathroom.

Camalote man murdered in Roaring Creek
Police in Belmopan are investigating the overnight murder of a man from Camalote village. Thirty year old Elroy Ramirez was shot around 8:35 pm last night as he stood inside of a yard in the Another World area of Roaring Creek. Police say that as Ramirez stood beside a pickup truck in the yard, a man of dark complexion approached and fired a single shot, injuring him.

Special Envoy congratulates women candidates
Special Envoy for Women and Children Kim Simplis Barrow has commended all the women who took part in the 2015 Municipal Elections. In a statement issued on Thursday, Kim Simplis Barrow hailed the women “for their courage and willingness to put their names on the ballots and to offer themselves to serve the people of our country.” The short statement congratulated the 19 women who were elected and particularly cited the first woman to serve as Mayor of Punta Gorda, Gern Gutierrez. “It is inspiring to see that more women are stepping up to the challenge to change the dynamics of Belizean governance; an area where women continue to be underrepresented,” says Mrs. Barrow.

Blogs

Things that Made Me Happy To Live in Belize This Week
Start each day with a grateful heart “they” say. And while 10 years ago, I would have scoffed at an “Oprah-ism” like that…today I totally buy into it. Focus on the good stuff in your life and it does change your outlook. It’s why I tell anyone who will listen that they should start a blog…it helps you do just that. I’ve probably just lost about a third of my readship (or made a few of you gag on your breakfast with my “attitude of gratitude”)…but it’s maybe THE best part of living in Belize. Waking up to warmth and sunshine, commuting to work on a boat… …stopping for a drink on the walk home… …all of that makes it very easy to focus on the positive and be grateful. So here are some of the things that made me grateful this week. Just some, mind you.

A trip to the Carnivore store aka Ambergris Sausage Factory
Back in 2014 it was announced to the island and the internet that the popular Sausage Factory In San Pablo was no longer. It was a sad time for both locals and tourists who have come to love their quality meats. While the original sausage factory is no longer, a new and different version has opened up. It is now in a new and smaller location just over a mile south of town under the name Ambergris Sausage factory. It’s located on the side street across from Banyan Bay and Grand Colony area on the road that leads to Ambergris Lake Villas, beside Los Caminantes and McKoy’s Pharmacy. You will find excellent cuts of meat & homemade sausages at a good price. Ambergris Caye Sausage Factory offers the largest selection of fresh and frozen smoked meats and sausage on the island. They also sell a limited amount of cheese too which you can buy sliced or in chunk form.

This Place Should NOT Be Kept a "Secret"! »
While on a short break from the day, we stopped for a cocktail at Wayo’s Beachside Bar. Ruby was working and Wayo was shuffling around behind the scenes. A delivery guy showed up on a bike and handed over a big bag full of food to Ruby and when we asked her where it was from, she said that they all ordered lunch from My Secret Deli. Huh?! Where is this place and why have I never heard of it? Apparently, it really is a secret! Not really. Ruby gave us directions to it’s location – about a block and a half from our house – so we headed over to check it out. Because we had already eaten lunch, we just stopped in to take a peek at the menu or grab a paper one to bring back to the house. We were greeted by Oscar, the owner, and asked if he had a menu we could have and he handed us a fully laminated one and told us to take it home. We told him we would bring it back but he insisted we keep it and proceeded to staple the phone number to it for our convenience. So nice!! Here is Oscar.

International Sources

Gay Rights Advocate Case To Go Before CCJ This Month
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is to travel to Jamaica on March 17 and 18 to hear the application filed by human rights and gay rights advocate, Maurice Tomlinson, against the Governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Belize. The hearing is to be heard via video link at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston. Tomlinson, who is being represented by attorney-at-law Imran Ali, is contending that the immigration laws of both countries violate his right to freedom of movement and his right not to be discriminated against on the basis of his nationality. The attorney is arguing that homosexuals, under the immigration laws of Trinidad and Belize, are listed among undesirable persons who are prohibited from entering both countries.

Watch Orderly Hermit Crabs Line Up Biggest To Smallest, Swap Shells In 'Conga Line
Even hermit crabs, it turns out, aren't safe from a housing crisis. In the above clip from the BBC show, "Life Story," several hermit crabs on a small Caribbean island off the coast of Belize are shown in their quest for suitable shelter, which involves lining up according to size and swapping shells in an orderly fashion. Hermit crabs rely on shells (and flotsam, in some cases) to protect their soft abdomens from predators and the elements. They are always on the lookout for shells that might better suit their size and situation since, as the video states, "To be left without a shell is a death sentence." Amazingly, the crabs have developed this very cooperative, if self-serving, way of swapping shells -- a sociological behavior scientists call a "vacancy chain." Mark Laidre, then a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, published a 2012 study that found that hermit crabs congregate around a smaller hermit crab, form a "conga line" smallest to largest, and then take turns moving into a larger shell.

Orvis announces recipients of 2015 customer matching grants to protect nature
The Orvis Company, Inc of Manchester, VT has announced the four recipients of its annual Customer Matching Grant program. Targeted to raise $360,000 or more, these grants are the cornerstone of Orvis' annual commitment of 5 percent of its pre-tax profits to protecting nature. In total, Orvis will raise and contribute more than $1 million to conservation initiatives in 2015. Orvis has awarded cash grants — to match its customers' contributions up to equal amounts — to the following organizations: Rare (link is external) , for its Fish Forever partnership in Belize, empowering local communities to sustainably manage their fisheries, thereby increasing food security, conserving important marine habitats and species, safeguarding local jobs and creating coastal climate resilience. The New York Times called the Rare method, "one of the most critical, and underappreciated, social technologies to protect ecosystems and biodiversity". The $30,000 grant from Orvis will match customer contributions for a goal of $60,000. "Really, conservation is how you work with people. We know how tough it is to change a single perspective. But imagine changing an entire country. That is Rare." - Pablo Granados, Rare Marine Program Director, Latin America

Videos

March 6, 2015

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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

UDP 7 wins 2015 Municipal Elections in San Pedro; Daniel Guerrero re-elected as Mayor!
A spike in voter turnout was visible by 3PM as parties were gearing up for the final push. Throughout the day, The San Pedro Sun spoke to representatives of all the parties, each indicating their optimism for a win. “We are organized and we have ensured that our people make it to the polls. This has been a good election and we are happy with the turnout. We continue to see the support of our San Pedro community,” said PUP Mayoral Candidate, Giovanni Solorzano. UDP Mayoral Candidate, Daniel “Danny” Guerrero stated that his party took all measures to ensure that party supporters made it to the polls. “We have had exceptional support. Our machinery has ensured that we keep the flow of voters coming. We want everyone to make it to the polls and vote for the right candidates,” said Guerrero. At the close of the polls, the number had increased to 4986 votes which is a 65.71% voter turnout. Last minute voters rushed to make it in on time. Police ensured that once 6PM came, the gate of the polling area was closed and no other electorates were allowed in. In the 2012 municipal elections, there were only 4364 votes cast, or a 61% voter turnout. The last votes were cast at around 7PM. At closing, the boxes were locked and escorted from the polling area to the counting station. Even during the counting, police ensured that no persons lingered around the gates of the San Pedro High School.

Diver Succumbs to Injuries; Boat Captain Fails to Report Accident to Authorities
While police and the Belize Port Authority only learned of the accident via street intelligence, they have now begun an investigation. Police have questioned Alamina, who gave an official police report. He claims that the vessel he was captaining was on throttle mode at the time of the incident. When questioned why he failed to report the accident to the rightful authority, Alamina told police that he reported the accident to the manager of the company, Einer Gomez.” The management of Ramon’s Village Resort did say that as with any diving incident resulting in an injury or death, an investigation of all relevant facts is underway and will be transmitted to authorities in Belize. According to Gomez, the Manager of Ramon’s Village Resort, the accident was reported to the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and PADI Dive Network. He did admit that the accident was not reported to authorities after being overwhelmed by the entire situation.

Community Meeting between SPPD and San Pedrito seeks to bring unity
After the recent increase in gun violence in the San Pedrito Area, the San Pedro Police Department (SPPD) organized a community meeting in hopes of coming up with solutions to the violence that plagues the area. A group of residents and a humble and emphatic sector of SPPD gathered at the San Pedrito Park on Thursday, February 26th, at around 6:30PM. Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit, Superintendent Luis Castellanos and Deputy in Charge of the SPPD, Inspector Henry Jemmott led the meeting, indicating that they were aware that it would seem too late, but that something had to be done to curb the violence in the area. For the past couple of weeks, residents in the San Pedrito Area have not been able to sleep in peace. The increase in gun violence has left several residents injured, including a minor. But the breaking point was when two-year-old Charlie Danny Espat was shot and killed while he slept inside his home in San Pedrito.

Editorial: Unelected Candidates Can Still Serve Their Community
Three different men campaigned to be Mayor of San Pedro, but only one is elected. A total of 18 individuals campaigned to be Town Councilor, but only six are elected. So now that the elections are over, what will become of the candidates who did not win? Over the last few months, each and every one of these individuals rallied hard for your vote while pledging their love and commitment to our community. They identified current problems that the island is facing, and each one shared their ideas on how to improve life on La Isla. It has been inspiring to see these people rally for the betterment of San Pedro and to hear their promises to work hard for her people. So now what? Does their commitment to serve evaporate with their loss? If their vow is genuine, what is stopping them from keeping the promise?

Ambergris Today

It’s Red Again for San Pedro, UDP Secures Town Council
Newcomers elected into office were Gary Greif (with the highest votes of all UDP candidates), Flora Ancona, Hector Alamilla and Ruben Gonzalez. It is interesting to note that all UDP councilor candidates received more votes that Mayoral Candidate Daniel Guerrero. PUP Candidate Wally Nunez, who was the only opposition candidate voted in to office in 2012, was not able to secure his seat for a second term, but he received the highest votes out of the entire PUP team with Conchita Flota behind his lead breaking above the 2K votes. Newcomers elected into office were Gary Greif (with the highest votes of all UDP candidates), Flora Ancona, Hector Alamilla and Ruben Gonzalez. It is interesting to note that all UDP councilor candidates received more votes that Mayoral Candidate Daniel Guerrero.

Back-to-Back Shooting Incidents Leave Island Shocked and Scared
While island residents prepared for Election Day and were still shocked at the tragic death of a two-year-old and the murder of a resident in the San Pedrito Area, another shooting incident occurred on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, that has left one man hospitalized with three gunshot wounds. San Pedro Police has confirmed that one male, Jaime Manzano, has suffered gunshot injuries to his right leg and both hands due to a possible home invasion that occurred at around 8p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. He has been flown to Belize City for medical attention and the police continue their investigations into the incident. Reports indicate that Manzano and his family had just arrived home (pictured in headline) when they encountered a male person who opened fire at him as he tried to discharge his licensed firearm at the intruder. Police state that the criminal was able to escape with Manzano’s gun through the nearby airport runway. Police searches in adjacent neighborhoods after the incident proved to be futile.

Misc Belizean Sources

Municipal Elections Results
105,634 registered voters. 60,533 voted which is 57 percent of the total registered voters. The UDP won 61. This figure includes the 8 Mayors in Belize City, Belmopan, Corozal, San Pedro, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Benque, Dangriga and Punta Gorda. The PUP had six winners including the Mayor for Orange Walk.

President of the Belize Cancer Society Of California will be walking 26.2 miles in the L.A. Marathon
On March 15, 2015 the president of the Belize Cancer Society Of California will be walking 26.2 miles in the L.A. Marathon. She will be walking to raise funds to assist those in Belize who can't afford to pay for treatment, to draw awareness to the plight of poor cancer patients in Belize, to undertake a gruesome challenge that is symbolic of fighting and overcoming cancer and for personal growth. All contributions are Tax deductible and will go directly to the Dangriga Cancer Center. We encourage you to come on marathon day and encourage Ms. Pilgrim along her way by waiving your Belize flag. Please follow the link to find out more and to donate. whttp://www.gofundme.com/nl4sd0

SIPL Hosts Destiny Preschool
It's Children's Month - and Women's Month - and to celebrate, the San Ignacio Public Library is doing more great storytelling for Cayo schools. They also hosted Kidde Kinder Preschool. Thanks, SIPL! "Destiny Preschool from Georgeville visited the SIPL to partake in the Child Stimulation Month activities."

Women and Music: A Story to Tell
Maria Guerrero and Carlos Camacho will be performing tonight, March 6th, at the George Price Center in honor of Women's Month. The Embassy of Venezuela is sponsoring the free event, which starts a 6:00pm.

VIP MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2015 PRESS RELEASE
VIP/PNP expresses its gratitude to its voters and supporters who participated in the municipal elections in Belmopan, Punta Gorda and San Pedro Town. Although unsuccessful we wish to say that we intend to continue the struggle for the betterment of the peoples of our respective constituents, and we are committed to continue our expansion in all constituencies across Belize. At the same time we wish to bring the following to the attention of the general public:- (1) Rampant incidents of vote buying and illegal inducement of voters on the date of polling (2) Intimidation of voters (3) Illegal organization and participation in parade and other violations, by members and supporters of the United Democratic Party at or near the polling stations on the morning on March 4th, contrary to the provisions of the Representation of the People’s Act, as noted below: PART VII - Offences (loudspeakers,ensigns, banners, etc., prohibited on polling day. 9 of 1989.)

March 2015 The Placencia Breeze
INSIDE March 2015 Page 5: Introducing our March 2015 Flag Contributor Page 5: Flaming Heart Ball Lights Up on March 7 Page 7: Marine Conservation Poster Sends Obvious Message to Public Page 8: Ride Tiger to India Page 9: Placencia Village Fills First Port Inspector Post Page 11: Find Peace at BB Yoga Flow Page 19: Giving Lupus a Back Seat Page 21: End of the World Marathon Funds More Rotary Scholars Page 23: Students of the Month Page 25: Placencia Police Enforce Bicycle Laws Page 27: Rotary Reports Most Successful Auction Fundraiser in Six Years Page 28: Students Raise Over One Thousand Dollars for Primary School at Sidewalk Arts Fest Page 30: Placencia Peninsula Guide Page 31: Placencia Peninsula Guide

BOLEDO DRAWING for Thursday, March 5, 2015: 38. FANTASY 5: 19 12 17 1 29 C

2 power interruptions are scheduled for San Pedro, Ambergris Caye on Saturday, March 7, 2015
As follows: 6:00am to 9:00am: entire Barrier Reef Drive, and the entire area north of Boca del Rio up to Tranquility Bay Resort. 9:00am to 12:00 midday: entire Pescador Drive, San Pedrito, Elliot Subdivision, San Pablo and DFC Area as well as the Southern portion of San Pedro from Sunbreeze Hotel onward to Island Cottage Resort. BEL to replace hotline and clamps at the San Pedro Substation.

Channel 7

PUP Gets Blown Out In Municipals, Hon. Fonseca Says He Won’t Resign
62 seats to 5. That's how bad the UDP beat the PUP in yesterday's municipal elections. The UDP now fully controls eight of the country's nine town and city councils - before the election it only controlled six. So, in its eighth year in Government, the UDP has confounded historical election trends and defied modern precedent, by actually gaining ground on the opposition PUP. Before the election, the PUP held 23 seats and controlled three town councils; tonight it holds just five seats in a single town council, Orange Walk - where the margins were razor thin. The defeat is epic - and this afternoon at Party Headquarters in Belize City, the Party had a meeting to discuss the loss. It invited the press into an Independence Hall crowded with supporters for a one hour briefing. Party Leader Francis Fonseca congratulated the UDP:...

Hon. Barrow Pleased, Avoids Gloating
We'll have more from Fonseca later, when we ask him how come he couldn't deliver victory for his mayoral candidate Yolanda Schakron in his home base of Freetown - and what he thinks of a secret recording where John Briceno is heard to be blasting him. That's coming, but first to the UDP Party Leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He's bucking political trends - and this morning when we met him - he was still excited over the sweeping victory his party had secured at the polls. But, he was careful not to be triumphalist:.. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister "Recognizing that the temptation to become complacent. The temptation to sound cocky, must be resisted at all cost. That's number one. Also though, cautious because the burden of expectations is now correspondingly higher, given of the victory, both, in terms of the numbers of municipalities won and the individual margins in the particular municipality. So, extremely pleased. Extremely satisfied, but very conscious of the fact that there is still a tremendous job of work to be done."

Another San Pedro Murder
"We received information of a shooting incident in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro Town. As a result of the information received, we deployed our policemen to the polyclinic and upon our arrival at the clinic we saw that the medical officers were attending to two person. However, shortly afterwards we were informed that the person they were attending to was deceased. His name is Pablo Barboza, 38 years old businessman of San Pedrito area. Also we observed that the doctors were attending to a gentleman by the name of Humberto Alcoser Jr., 36 years old, a Belizean laborer of Tarpon Street, San Pedro Town. We notice that he was suffering from one single gunshot injury to the neck region. Initial investigation revealed that Mr. Pablo Barboza who has a small store, was attending to the gentleman Humberto Alcoser Jr., who was inside the store at the time and one male person entered with a cap and his face covered with a cloth, fired several shots at Mr. Barboza and then afterwards turned and fire a shot at the Alcoser. When the gunman entered, he realize that maybe he could have been fired at and try to do something to defend himself, but he was still injured in the process. It would appear that the store owner was targeted, because as the gunman entered, he fired several shots at Mr. Barboza. That indicates that he was the target. The gentleman Mr. Pablo, he had 3 cases before the court for drug trafficking. That indicate to us that he may to have still been involved in drug activity."

One Killed In City Shooting, While Police Shoot Another
And while that was on election eve in San Pedro, on election night in Belize City, a hail of gunfire rang out on Mayflower Street in the infamous neighborhood known as Ghost Town. It happened at around 9:30 and our cameras arrived on the scene shortly after. Armed police officers stood guard over the embattled neighborhood while residents looked on stunned, still confused at what was happening. 33 year old Jervis Valencia was rushed to the KHMH after he was shot by police multiple times at the corner of Vernon and Mayflower Streets. But he wasn't the only victim; police say Valencia had just committed a murder and was trying to escape.

Police Make Arrests In City Murders
And while police have made no arrest in that murder - they have in two other recent killings. On Monday's newscast, we told you how 24 year-old Michael Welch was gunned down, while his cousin, 24 year-old Kingsley Morrison ended up being shot. Well, the man who police believes to be man who pulled the trigger is 18 year-old Tarique Nathaniel Gillett, and he is at the Belize Central prison tonight. He was arraigned today before Magistrate Herbert Panton on the charges of murder and attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm. Due to the nature of the offences, he couldn't be granted bail, he was remanded into custody until April 17. While in court today, his mother broke down and tried to convince the court that her son has nothing to do with this shooting incident.

Akeem, Accused Killer
18 year-old Akeem Trapp was also remanded to prison today after he was taken to court for murder. He is being accused of KILLING 21 year-old Ian Adolphus Jr. last week Wednesday. Viewers may remember that Adolphus' murder tripped off the spike in violence last week after a month of calm, and since then, as we've shown you, a string of other shootings and murders have followed that incident. Trapp was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on the charge of murder, and due to the nature of the offence, he was remanded into custody until April 23.

San Pedro Man Shot By Home Invader
There was also another shooting on San Pedro in which a family man was shot several times by a thief who broke into his house. 31 year-old Jaime Manzano had to be airlifted to a hospital in Belize City because of that encounter.

Pablo Got Shot on San Pedro
San Pedro also had to deal another shooting incident on Tuesday night, 3 hours after the apparent drug related killing of Pablo Barboza. Fortunately, the would-be victim, a 26 year-old woman used quick thinking, and managed to scamper into her house. San Pedro Police told us more: Alex Espat, the person being accused of discharging the weapon outside of the 26 year-old woman's house, is a man who San Pedro Police have encountered before.

Police Will Arrest For 13 Year Old Shooting
A month ago, we told you about how 13 year-old Meredith Escalante was grazed by a gunshot in the crime-riddled area of San Pedrito on the island of San Pedro. Well, police have been investigating this case, and today, San Pedro police told us that an arrest is imminent: As we reported, that incident happened at around 9:20 p.m. on Thursday, February 11. Meredith Escalante was about to close the door of the apartment building she lives when 2 men fired shots at the building. One of the shots grazed her chest, and when she was taken to the San Pedro Polyclinic, it was determined that she didn't need medical treatment.

6 Year Old Mauled By Dog in Orange Walk
A 6-year-old boy was viciously attacked by a dog in the San Lorenzo Housing Site in Orange Walk. According to reports from our colleagues at CTV3, at around 11 this morning, the boy was in the yard when this German Shepard attacked him, disfiguring his face. As you can see in the video, only the boy's slippers and blood stains on the steps and wooden bridge remained after the attack. The boy had to be rushed to the hospital. Our colleagues at CTV3 told us that when they arrived at the scene the dog was loose but when the owner of the house got there he tied the dog before the police arrived. Apparently, the mother of the boy is renting a portion of the house from the owner. The dog was then taken away to a fenced house. The officers warned the owner that if the dog attacks another person, it will be put down. According to residents the dog is known to be very aggressive and has attacked other dogs.

Fonseca Failed To Bring In Mayoral Candidate
Today at PUP Headquarters, Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca took all questions about the PUP's major loss in yesterday's municipal election. But one of the toughest he had to face was about his failure to deliver a victory for Yolanda Schakron in his own Freetown Division. If you don't quite know about the divisional thing, here's how it works: the Belize City Council is elected from the aggregate outcome of all ten City divisions. The final result is all that matters - the PUP slate led by Yolanda Shackron was soundly defeated. We can't tell you exactly by how much because the elections and boundaries office is still compiling the final figures. But, below the aggregate result are smaller, important numbers which show how each councilor did in each division. For example, the UDP candidates had runaway successes in party strongholds such as Mesopotamia, Queen Square, Port Loyola and Collet. And the PUP candidates had successes in their party's strongholds of Fort George, Freetown, and Lake Independence. But in Freetown there was a caveat: voters did not return Yolanda Schakron as the mayoral candidate. While they did vote for the PUP slate, the UDP's Darrell Bradley polled as the top mayoral candidate in Freetown - which is the PUP party leader's division. We asked him today how he couldn't deliver for his mayoral candidate:..

Hon. Barrow Says UDP Will Get Briceno Recording
But while Briceno was guarded, today the Prime Minister told us he was expecting to get a copy of the recording through his Orange Walk party contacts:.. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister "We also hear of a tape recording that those in possession of the said recording, have promise to give over to us in government. They said, they only wanted to wait for the elections to be over. It's something that naturally if we get it, make available to the media and that's going to add sauce to the stew. So, there is going to be in my view, a degree of upheaval in the opposition as a consequence of all this." By the end of the day, the UDP had still not gotten the recording.

Municipals In A Snapshot
And at the end of the day, we still have not gotten the final election figures. But tonight we want to take a quick look back at some of the scenes from municipals 2015. One of our news teams drove over 400 miles in just 14 hours going from Belize City to PG, to Benque, and then back to the City - stopping at all points between. That's a lotta miles in just a day - and that's just one team! Others were in the north and the city. So, in case you missed it we compiled snapshots of all the reports from yesterday to capture the spirit of municipal elections 2015. We start from the North and make our way to the South.

The Faces of The New Municipal Leaders
So, after all that, who won and who lost? Well, there are eight UDP controlled town councils and one mixed PUP controlled twon council. That mixed council is in Orange Walk, where the PUP led by Kevin Bernard won five seats and the UDP two. North of that town, in Corozal, the UDP's Hilberto Campos won an unprecedented fourth term as mayor, to lead an all red slate. Going West Heraldo Rancahran will lead the UDP council in that border town, and in San Ignacio, Earl Trapp transitions form councilor to Mayor. In Belmopan, newcomer Khalid Belisle takes over from his UDP predecessor Simeon Lopez. To the south in Dangriga, the UDP's Francis Humphreys led his UDP slate to victory, and in Punta Gorda, the country's only female mayor is UDP Fern Gutierrez - who was the only UDP councilor in a mixed council. And, finally, in the Central area, Danny Guerrero gets a second term in san Pedro for the UDP and Darrell Bradley does the same for the UDP in Belize City.

Island Police Hold Community Meeting
Earlier in the news, we told you about the 3 most recent shootings which happened on San Pedro Town. One shooting resulted in one man dead and another injured in the neck. Shortly after that, there was another shooting which fortunately did not result in any fatalities. Then during the election's fever, a family man was shot by a burglar just as he and his wife were entering their house. Before that, Baby Daniel Espat, whose father has now lost 6 relatives, 4 of them son, was killed on last week Tuesday in the San Pedrito area. That was the incident which shocked the island, and so, police and government leaders organized public meeting to try to bridge the widdening gap between the police and community, since Belize's number 1 tourist island is becoming a dangerous place. The intention was to try convince the public that in order to solve and deter crimes, the public has help to keep them informed. We asked police about how that meeting went, since it was held in the San Pedrito area:

San Pedro Police Upgrade
While on the island today, we couldn't help but notice that the only police mobile, a green pickup truck donated by a generous resort owner, broke down while the cops were on patrol. This while they are under pressure to bring the island under control, as organized crime takes hold. Luckily, the patrolling officers could have substituted that overworked vehicle with a brand new one donated to them by the Mayor. The commanding officer told us that while this and a new motorcycle is welcomed, they need more vehicular resources:

UDP Mayor Danny Won In Crime Time
One mayoral candidate you didn't get to see before his sweeping victory at the polls was San Pedro's Mayor Daniel Guerrero. He led the UDP Slate and when the polls closed and the counting was finished, it was determined that he defeated PUP's Giovanni Solorzano, and the VIP's Robert "Bobby" Lopez. He talked us today about it at his office on San Pedro, and according to him, yesterday's win at the polls was as a result of the work he and the Town Council have been putting during last 3 years: This is Guerrero's second term as Mayor of San Pedro.

Mayor Danny – Watcha Gonna Do When They Come…?
Crime is also on the mind of the re-elected mayor, Daniel Guerrero, who is concerned that while San Pedro is getting rave reviews on the international scene, the violence in the underworld is slowly starting to resemble the crime profile of Belize City. The mayor told us today that apart from the new pickup and motor bike, they want to better equip the police department to take on the challenges that they are obliged to meet: The council intends to start putting in lights on areas of island that in nightly darkness.

Channel 5

U.D.P. Sweeps 2015 Municipal Elections: Darrell Bradley Re-elected to City Hall
The People’s United Party suffered a most humiliating defeat in Wednesday’s municipal elections with the United Democratic Party capturing all municipalities, except the Orange Walk Town Council. Support for the [...]

Orange Walk Mayor Only P.U.P. Mayor in Belize
The only bright spot for the P.U.P. was in Orange Walk Town where Kevin Bernard has been returned as Mayor for another three years. This Saturday, a victory rally is [...]

Kevin Bernard Maintains P.U.P. Stronghold in Sugar City
Orange Walk Mayoral candidate Kevin Bernard has earned the singular distinction of being the only P.U.P. Mayor in the country. He won by only a narrow margin, but along with [...]

Francis Fonseca Reflects on Devastating Loss At the Polls
As we said, it’s a terrible loss for the People’s United Party which lost every single municipality but one…and even there the grand ole party barely held on. In the [...]

P.U.P. Admits Lack of Campaign Finance Hurt Its Chances in Municipals
Fonseca says that the Party will now be calling in councillor candidates and Standard Bearers in the municipalities to carry out an analysis of the devastating loss with a view [...]

Dangriga Goes Red!
The People’s United Party, previous to Wednesday, controlled the two town councils in the south: Punta Gorda and Dangriga. While early in the night, the U.D.P. claimed victory in Punta [...]

John Saldivar and Khalid Belisle Deliver Belmopan
In the nation’s capital where the elections were fought hard for months leading into Wednesday, the U.D.P. won by an impressive margin. Newcomer, Khalid Belisle and his team would dominate [...]

Corozal Returns Hilberto Campos to Town Hall
Official information was hard to come by as counting took place in the northernmost district. Still yet as tallying progressed, the incumbent U.D.P. slate maintained a steady but widening lead [...]

Jervis Valencia Goes On Deadly Rampage in Ghost Town
While residents across the Old Capital were absorbed in the counting of ballots on Wednesday night, gunfire erupted near the corners of Mayflower and Vernon streets where a group of [...]

Murder on La Isla Bonita
But on the eve of the elections, one man was killed in San Pedro. Around eight-thirty on Tuesday night, San Pedro police responded to a shooting incident that left thirty-eight [...]

2 Persons Charged for Separate Murders in the City
A teenager is on remand tonight at the Belize Central Prison after being arraigned for the murder of twenty-one-year-old Ian “Uno” Adolphus last Wednesday.  This morning, eighteen-year-old Akeem Kirklin Trapp [...]

Armed Robbery in Corozal Injures Three Persons
The polls had just closed in Corozal Town on Wednesday night, when shots rang out. Three persons were injured in a robbery at a Chinese store. Three armed men held [...]

The Red Hills of Cayo
The twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena went red on Wednesday, like every single municipality with the exception of Orange Walk. It was an uneventful day in terms [...]

Crunching the Numbers of Election 2015
As you know, the U.D.P. now controls eight municipalities and the P.U.P. retained only one. Earlier today, we looked at the previous single municipal election held in 2009 to compare [...]

Penner, Still Popular in Cayo
And one final thing on the elections…. Last week, former U.D.P. Minister Elvin Penner was stoned with eggs by an angry crowd of P.U.P. supporters as he exited the Supreme [...]

LOVE FM

Man Charged; Teen Injured In San Pedro Shooting
On 13 February Love News reported that a 13-year-old student of San Pedro Town was shot to the chest in a shooting incident. The shooting occurred at approximately 9:30 pm in the San Pedrito vicinity. According to police she was at her residents the night when several shots rang out and she became a victim of gun violence. According to police, the minor was just a victim of circumstance of the turf war that has been on the rise in the vicinity. Today Superintendent Hilberto Romero told the media since the incident, they have arrested and charge Desean Gough for the shooting.

Justice For Welch; Man Charged With Murder
On 1 March shots rang out in the Lake Independence Vicinity on Periwinkle Street where they saw the lifeless body of 24-year-old Michael Welch. According to eyewitnesses, Welch was in the company of his cousin 24-year-old, Kinglsey Morrison also known as DJ Vibes, when two men approached the area and fired several shots at them. According to Welch’s cousin, Kingsley and Welch were heading out to attend a part when they were targeted. Today Superintendent Hilberto Romero told the media that they have since arrested and charge Tairyque Gillett for the murder of Michael Welch.

Students Involved in Minor Traffic Accident
A group of students were left in shock after the bus there were in was involved in a traffic accident. It happened at about 3:45 this evening on Mile 27 on the Southern Highway. Best information suggests that two buses filled with students had left from United Community Primary School on their way to Santa Cruz and Maya King Villages. Upon reaching Mile 27 the bus that was ahead made an immediate stop causing the second buss to collide into its rear end. We understand that some students received minor bodily injuries and were taken to the polyclinic in Independence Village. Police are looking into it.

Belize City Shooting; One Dead and Two Hospitalized
A shooting at the corner of Mayflower and Vernon Street on Wednesday in Belize City has one man dead and another hospitalized. According to Police, Gonguez, Gordon and four other friends were inside a fenced yard on Mayflower Street socializing when Valencio reportedly entered the yard and fired several shots causing injuries to Gordon and Gonguez. Superintendent Hilberto Romero spoke to the media about this latest incident. “On Wednesday the 4th of March around 9:30 pm police patrol responded to shots being fired in the area of Mayflower as a result they encountered a male person who was running across Vernon Street. He was ordered by the police to stop and the person refused to cooperate as a result he faced the officers and pointed a 9mm pistol at them. The officers returned fire and as a result Jervis Valencia was shot to the neck and to the chest. He was transported to the KHMH where he remains in a critical condition.

San Pedro’s Sudden Spike in Crime and Violence
A fatal shooting that occurred on Tuesday night claimed the life of 38-year-old Pablo Barbosa, a Belizean Businessman of the San Pedrito area and left 36-year-old, Humberto Alcoser, in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Officer in Charge of San Pedro Police, Superintendent Luis Castellanos spoke to Love News. “Tuesday the 3rd of March 2015 at about 8:03 pm we received information of a shooting incident in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro Town. As a result police visited the polyclinic whereby we saw the lifeless body of a male Hispanic person who was later identified as Pablo Barbosa, 38 years of age and a Belizean businessman of the San Pedrito area. We observed that he was suffering from gunshot wounds to the head, right and left side of his chest.

PUP Cites Reasons for Loss at the Municipal Polls
Earlier we told you of the press conference held by the People’s United Party where they accepted defeat in yesterday’s municipal elections. Whilst at the briefing today, a press release was issued that reads, in part, quote – “While the party has not yet had time to engage in any serious analysis of the results of the election, it is clear that the following had a major impact on our electoral chances: one, The indiscriminate and wholesale use of Petrocaribe money, intended for development purposes, to fund the UDP Government’s vote-buying countrywide. Two, The open and shameless use of government vehicles, government offices, taxpayers’ money as well as some public officers in the UDP’s campaign countrywide. Three,. The prevalent thinking among the electorate that it made no sense to elect PUP city and town councils in the face of a vindictive UDP Central Government.”

Employee of Cisco Construction Charged With Aggravated Assault
Thirty-seven year old Delroy Carr, an employee of Cisco Construction who resides at 4 Wagner’s Lane, was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Carr plead not guilty to the charge. He was remanded into custody until April 29, The incident occurred on January 7. The complainant, Jason Bernard, reported to the police that Carr pulled a firearm and pointed it at him.

Man Charged in Connection With Freedom Street Shooting
On 26 February, we told you about 21-year-old Ian “Uno” Adolphus who was a victim of gun violence. Adolphus succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He was shot in the morning at the corner of Louise Bevans and Freedom Streets in Belize City and received three gunshot wounds, one to the right elbow, one to the right shoulder and the other to the heart. According to eyewitnesses, Adolphus Jr. was walking on Freedom Street, when he was approached by a male person of dark complexion on a bicycle, who pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at him. Today Superintendent Hilberto Romero told the media that Police have since arrested and charge Akeem Trapp for murder.

PlusTV

UDP’s major win in Municipal Elections
Elections were held countrywide on Thursday in all nine municipalities, and the United Democratic Party won full slates in almost all the municipalities by huge margins. In Belize City, incumbent Mayor Darrell Bradley returns to his post after beating Yolanda Shackron by almost double the votes. In Belmopan, 5 persons vied for the seat of mayor making it the municipality with the largest number of mayoral candidates. After the polls closed at 6:00 pm, a total of 5,713 persons had cast their vote, 63% percent of the total number of eligible voters in Belmopan. The counting was a long process especially since reports indicated that the ballots had many split votes. At around 3:00 am this morning, the counting finished and the Returning Officer Benedict Palacio gave the final unofficial result of the ballots which showed a land slide victory for Khalid Belisle and the UDP slate. In Dangriga Francis Humphries took the win for the UDP with a total of 1,741 votes, a difference of about 500 votes.

Man shot upon entering his home in San Pedro
A man was also shot in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, shortly after polls closed on Municipal Elections Day. The victim has been identified as 31 year old Jaime Manzano of San Pedro. He was shot to the right foot and both arms. Police say that at about 6:50 p.m., Jamie Manzano, along with his wife, arrived at their home and upon entering they were confronted by a man who came from inside their bedroom and fired several shots in their direction, causing his injuries. The man then ran through the front door. Mr Jaime Manzano was transported to the San Pedro Polyclinic, then to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, Belize City, where he is listed in a stable condition.

Woman raped, attacker injured
On March 4th at about 7:30 a.m., police visited a house situated on Wood Street, Belize City, where a voice was heard coming from the upper flat, crying for help. Upon entering the house, a woman exited one of the rooms crying. She was seen with cut wounds and she was bleeding from her head, hands, and foot. A man was also seen in a corner of the house with a cut wound to the right side of his head. According to police, on March 3 at about 10:30 p.m., the 48-year-old woman of Belize City was on Albert Street when she met a 54-year-old man who lives on Wood Street, Belize City. She and the man had a conversation after which he invited her to his house for a drink. After having a drink, she says she attempted to leave but was locked inside the bed room, beaten, and raped. She managed to injure the man and called the police early the following morning.

Teenager charged with murder
Akeem Trapp appeared on Thursday before the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith, and was remanded into custody until April 23. Ian Adolphus Jr was shot around 9:30 a.m. on February 25. He was walking on Freedom Street, Belize City, and when he reached its intersection with Justice Street he was approached by a man riding a bicycle, who fired several shots at him. Ian Adolphus was shot in his arm, chest and elbow. He was admitted to ward at KHMH, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Business robbed, owners attacked
On March 4 at about 7:35p.m., Corozal Police visited the Corozal Community Hospital where they saw three persons suffering from injuries to the head: 39-year-old Liming Li, Chinese/Belizean businesswoman of Santa Rita Road, Corozal Town, 41-year-old Wu Hong Choa, Chinese /Belizean businessman and 55-year-old Victoriano Poot of Corozal Town. Police say that Wu Hong Choa and Liming Li were inside their business place, Fry Store, along with customer Victoriano Poot, when the store was robbed by three masked men. One of the robbers was armed with what appeared to be a firearm. All three victims were hit in the head with the butt of the firearm before the robbers escaped.

Four year old attacked by dog
Reports are that the attacking dog was of German Shepherd breed, and the child received multiple bites, including large open wounds to his face and back. The child was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital for treatment.

Another UB Bomb threat; nothing found as usual
School activities at the University of Belize in Belmopan came to a halt when some minutes before 10 on Thursday morning someone called in to the school with a bomb threat, which is not unheard of at the University as there have been numerous bomb threats in the past, often closer towards the end of the semester when grades are at stake. And even though each and every time, after conducting a thorough search of the area, authorities come out empty handed, protocol dictates that they take all threats seriously.

Con artist using name of LifeNet Church to solicit funds
There are reports that a person from an unknown number is calling several primary schools in Belmopan, allegedly using the name of one of the churches in Belmopan, to ask for money to transport a set of tablets to the respective schools. The first report was made on Monday. According to reports, on March 2nd Kuxlin Ha Government School received a call from a restricted number. The person, a female’s voice, identified herself as Martha Sanchez Twist and asked to speak to the principal. Plus News spoke to the Principal of the School Sarita Westby who gave us a timeline of the conversation she had with the unknown caller. According to Principal Westby, the person who identified herself as Martha Twist, spoke in fluent Creole and asked for the population of the Kuxlin Ha Government. When Westby asked the purpose of the caller’s inquiry, the caller said that she represented Life Net Church which, she claimed, is pastored by one David White, and that the Kuxlin Ha Government School has been selected as one of the recipients of free tablets.

Municipal elections held on Wednesday
The polls opened Wednesday at 7:00 am country wide, to allow people in all 9 municipalities, two cities and seven towns, to cast their votes, which will determine who will lead them at the municipal level for the next three years. A total of 105, 634 persons are legible to vote country wide. By 3:00 pm this evening 43,623 of persons eligible to vote had cast their vote- a total of 41% of eligible voters country wide. In the capital City of Belmopan 9,057 persons are eligible to vote, and by 5:00 pm 4981 people had cast their vote, 55% of the total number of eligible voters. In 2012, the voter turn out was 72.2% for Belmopan at the end. This year in Belmopan, there were 9 polling stations, all located at the Belmopan Comprehensive High School. We spoke to all five mayoral candidates as they eagerly waited for the polls to close and the counting to begin.

Municipal Elections in Dangriga
In more Municipal Election news, In Dangriga there are a total of 5,599 eligible voters and by three pm Wednesday evening there were a total of 2,704 votes cast, which makes 48 percent of the total amount of persons eligible to vote. The returning officer for Dangriga is Martin Alegria. He gave Plus News the 4:00 pm count. Martin Alegria – Returning Officer for Dangriga “Up to 4 o’clock today, you have a total of 2,341 ballots cast, which is about roughly 31 / 32% of the electorate. Usually, people say, between 5 and 6 is when the last rush comes, and that’s when it’s a lot of people coming around. [The total electorate] in Dangriga is 5,599.

Municipal Elections in San Ignacio
In San Ignacio, the UDP team seemed to have the biggest machine on the ground for the municipal elections, however, both Mayoral Candidates -PUP and UDP -expressed confidence in their candidacy and the team behind them. Earl Trapp – UDP Mayoral Candidate for San Ignacio / Santa Elena: “At this time we are already feeling the victory. Anywhere you go you are seeing just a wave of red. We are already claiming victory. The red machinery here in San Ignacio and Santa Elena, these guys here are extraordinary. Our people are really mobilizing the voting population out there. In San Ignacio the movements have been a little slower, but I believe it’s traditional and in the afternoon, here in San Ignacio, we’re expecting a big turnout. After the polls are closed at six, we can expect a long line.” Ramon Quiroz – PUP Mayoral Candidate for San Ignacio / Santa Elena: “It has been coming slowly, but it has not stopped. From the morning it has been slow but constant. The majority will decide this election. We’re hoping that they’re supporting the PUP 7. We have a plan in place. We are willing to work with the residents of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. We want to involve them in our decision making. We want to be transparent in our accounting.

Trio get bail for ammunition offences
Three of eight persons who were charged yesterday with ammunition offences, were released on Wednesday on bails of 8,000 each. They are Dean Nembhard, Sherilee Ovadoand a 14 year old girl. Justice John Gonzalez, who heard the bail applications, offered them on the condition that the petitioners do not interfere with the prosecution witnesses, that they report to the police station every Friday until the case is concluded and that if they are charged with any offence while on bail that they be brought before a magistrate or a supreme court judge immediately.

The Guardian

Blowout! 61 - 6
The United Democratic Party has delivered an almost countrywide victory! The results began to come in very early, as early as 8 P.M. and the first to come in was Punta Gorda the work of the UDP in that municipality delivered all 7 candidates, making Fern Gutierrez the new mayor of the town with a two to one margin. Next it was Benque, there had been absolutely no doubt that Benque Viejo del Carmen would also be delivered , and so it was that Heraldo Ramcharan defeated his PUP opponent by a margin of almost 800 votes. Hon. Erwin Contreras has now delivered that municipality for 6 consecutive times. Can anyone say SIXPETE! Thereafter it was an academic exercise, Corozal it was Hilberto Campos who has now secured a 4th consecutive victory. In Belmopan Khalid Belisle is now the new mayor. Dangriga it is Francis Humphreys who will be doing all the work that the PUP mayor was unable to do. In San Pedro Daniel Guerrero repeats as mayor. In San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Earl Trapp, who served as councilor elevates himself as the mayor of that municipality with a victory as well. Belize City, continues to be UDP, with the infrastructural work that Mayor Darrell Bradley has put in here, there was never a doubt that he would have secured a victory here. Interestingly enough, he bested all candidates in the Freetown division, which is the stomping ground for PUP party leader Francis Fonseca. He won above all the other UDP candidates being the only candidate to have won in that division. Mayor Bradley will now continue with the work that he began three years ago, he will now ensure that the city is more developed than ever before.

Decriminalization of Marijuana “Not Legalize in Any Sense”
The Decriminalization of Marijuana Committee was commissioned by Cabinet in July of 2012 to examine the pros and cons of the decriminalization of up to 10 grams of marijuana. This Cabinet sub-committee utilized “public opinion, open discussions, debate, and literature review to come to general consensus and to formulate recommendations” including, most significantly, “that it not be a criminal offense for anyone to be found in possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana”. The committee released its findings and recommendations on Friday, February 27, 2015. There are 11 recommendations in the report submitted to Cabinet. It includes the removal of marijuana as an item in the “Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 103” in Belize’s criminal code. The committee proposes “the decriminalization of the possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana for private personal use” and says there should be no criminal record or incarceration for such amount. The committee also proposes that criminal records for individuals charged for less than 10 grams of marijuana be expunged. Instead, there should be tickets issued with fines for discovery of that amount and the recommended fine is $15 per gram.

Francis Fonseca proves to be a weakling
As we write this article, Francis Fonseca must be tossing and turning in his bed. The bed bugs, demons and ghouls of his worst nightmares must at this point be haunting him. Prime Minister Dean Barrow had publicly told him at a house meeting that the real leader of the opposition was Johnny Briceno and on March 4, that was proven. Fonseca was unable to hold down Darrell Bradley as the incumbent UDP Mayor. Darrell did what in many circles was believed to have been impossible- he topped the polls in the Freetown division which is a position held by the Leader of the Opposition. Bradley managed to best every other candidate in that division. While all the PUP councilor candidates won in that division by very small margins, the Mayor was able to outdo all of them. In effect, mayor Bradley defeated Francis Fonseca and his machinery in Freetown.

Ashcroft Here to “Give the Opposition a Chance…”
All the Petro-Caribe money that this Government has invested on national infrastructure development will pale in comparison to the type of hard vote buying cash that Lord Michael Ashcroft may be willing to hand over to the People’s United Party in an attempt to put back his puppets in power. British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft is in Belize and will be observing the municipal elections very closely. Based on his public conversations, it does not seem likely that he will roll out the kind of dollars that was seen in the “Freedom Train” and “Caliente Girls” days. However, campaign financing is not something that has been a concern of the PUP for this nationwide election. When asked by his News 5 reporter, Marleni Cuellar, if he will be offering any finances to the major political parties, Ashcroft said, “No I am not offering any major political financing to any of the political parties at this particular point in time. That’s not to say that I will not, but not at this point in time.”

Man beaten for defending his teenage daughter
Oscar Williams, a resident of Antelope Street, is currently receiving medical treatment at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after a group of young men beat him up for trying to defend his daughter’s reputation. According to police, it happened on Friday, February 28, just before 7 p.m. when Williams and his daughter were walking on Southern Foreshore. That’s when they encountered a group of 6 men, who were shouting very indecent and derogatory remarks at his 13 year old daughter. Williams became tired of having these younger men insulting his daughter and he sent her home, and decided to confront them.

Ian Adolphus killed as a result of gang violence
After a an entire month of calm in Belize City, gang violence flared up starting with the broad daylight shooting of 21 year-old Ian “Uno” Adolphus which happened on Wednesday, February 25. Police investigations have so far been able to establish that he was walking on Freedom Street when he was approached by a dark complexioned man, who was on a bicycle. The man immediately pulled out a handgun and fired several shots in his direction, after which, he rode off.

Herbert Bowden killed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time
Herbert Bowden, a 29 year-old resident became the second victim of gang violence a few hours after Ian Adolphus succumbed to gunshot injuries. According to police, his shooting happened on Thursday, February 26, while Bowden was in a yard on Cedar Street just before 2 pm. He reportedly went to drop off money for the mother of his child when he was ambushed by a man who fired several shots in his direction. But at this time, police believe that he, an innocent man, got hurt by shots meant for another man who was beside him, but who ran away. Bowden was injured multiple times, and by the time, he was rushed to the hospital, about 5 minutes later, he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police have since charged one man, 19 year-old Ernesto “Neto” Vasquez, with the charge of murder.

Jamie Chavarria survives another attempt on his life
Jamie Chavarria, a 26 year-old man who is well-known to police, was also another one of the weekend victims of gun violence. According to police, just after midnight on Sunday, March 1, Chavarria arrived in front of his house on West Canal, and got out of his vehicle. That’s when a lone gunman ran up on him from the direction of Rocky Road. That man fired several shots at Chavarria, he suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest, and left hand. He was rushed to the KHMH, and he was admitted in a stable condition.

Ernest Leslie Gets off After Breaking Girl’s Jaw
Ernest Leslie, 20, is free from a charge of grievous harm after the victim, Shafane Flowers, was a no show in court. Leslie was charged in May of 2013 for breaking the jaw of a schoolmate at Excelsior High School. According to police report, Flowers was at school on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 when she was ordered to sit at a picnic table by a school warden. She told police that when she sat at the table her schoolmate, 18-year-old Ernest Leslie, said, “I nuh wah she sit by me”. To that Flowers responded, “I nuh need fi sit beside you.” The two continued to quarrel in which they called each other names. According to Flowers, she got up and while she was walking away, Leslie told her that she would see what will happen the next time she points in his face. Flowers responded, “You can’t play with me, Ernest.” That was when Leslie walked towards her and punched her to the left side of her jaw. She fell to the ground and Leslie kicked her to the left side of the face and in her back.

Red Cross plans for San Ignacio Town
The Vice President of the Youth Central Committee of the Red Cross, Evan Montejo, held a meeting with the Red Cross Team in San Ignacio Town on Sunday of this past weekend at the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Red Cross Building in San Ignacio Town. The purpose of Evan Montejo’s visit to Cayo was in an effort to encourage youths to join the Red Cross and get feedback from the San Ignacio based Red Cross Branch. In meeting with the young people in San Ignacio on Sunday, Evan Montejo said that the Red Cross was operating under a principle of alleviating human suffering. He said that there were many advantages for young people to now join the Red Cross. “We actually go out to Summer Camps; we get to do different projects to build our community.”

Lin-Wood Rotary partners with Rotaract Club of Benque to renovate the Pedro Guerra Mena Park
The Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club from New Hampshire, U.S.A. visited Belize this week to conduct their International Service Project at the Pedro Guerra Mena Park in Benque Viejo del Carmen Town, and Mary Open Doors in San Ignacio Town. On Sunday, February 22, 2015, the Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club partnered with the Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo to renovate the Pedro Guerra Mena Park in the New Area of Benque Viejo del Carmen. The Interact Club provided the materials needed to restore the park while the Rotaractors of the Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo volunteered their time to assist with the park’s restoration. The children’s playground was restored to its original state, the installations in the park were painted, and the grass was mowed. In the coming weeks, new swings (seats) will be installed so that the children can once more enjoy the swings.

Benque Viejo del Carmen has huge potential for tourism
Belize’s most western municipality, Benque Viejo del Carmen has a huge Tourism potential. The Town of Benque Viejo is very clean and peaceful, having a refreshing Mopan River running by it. Benque’s vicinity to Xunantunich, which in 2013 attracted 63,944 visitors, also gives Benque an additional boost towards becoming another tourism hub. Benque’s leaders do have a plan to develop the town as a tourist destination. Actual work on Benque Viejo’s Tourism Development Plan was paved by Subrata Basu, a Peace Corps Volunteer, who is no longer in Belize. The Benque House of Culture also regularly provides updates on Benque Viejo as a wonderful place to visit. According to the Hon. Erwin Contreras, the Representative for Cayo West, further work on Benque Viejo’s Tourism Development Plan has to be a public and private partnership. Mayor of Benque Viejo del Carmen, Miguel Velasquez, who exits office this week, has told the Guardian that work on Benque Tourism action plan was done during his tenure.

Egg Missiles a Dangerous Precedent by PUP - Marco Tulio Mendez to Appear April 13
Former Minister of Immigration, Hon. Elvin Penner, was stoned by PUP campaigners with eggs and water pouches after he appeared in the Supreme Court on Friday, February 27, to face a private prosecution by COLA and the PUP’s candidate for Caribbean Shores, Kareem Musa. Most Belizeans found the act to be extremely disrespectful and dangerous. Kareem Musa should remember that no one threw missiles at his father, Said Musa, when he was dragged to court for the theft of millions of dollars. Musa was eventually freed from the charges after his day in court. The justice system was respected and, most importantly, the title held by Hon. Musa was respected. Not one missile was thrown his way. Kareem Musa should also remember that the last PUP Area Representative for Caribbean Shores, Jose Coye, was dragged to court and labeled a “Land Hog”. He had his day in court and was later freed from the charge. The justice system was respected and, most importantly, the title he held was respected. Not one missile was thrown.

Tertiary level students in Benque get Tablets
Nineteen students from the John Paul Two Junior College received their Android powered tablets on Friday of last week in Benque Viejo del Carmen. The distribution of tablets was part of a series made around Belize last week, where tablets were given out to tertiary level students in fulfillment of a 2015 New Year’s commitment made by Prime Minister, the Hon. Dean Barrow. Present for the distribution on Friday was the Hon. Erwin Contreras, the Representative of the Cayo West Division as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education. The Hon. Erwin Contreras stated that with their tablets in hand, students can now allow their ideas to flourish. “These tablets are meant to make your learning easier, to foment your creativity, to improve your lives and to make Belize a better Country,” he said.

Belize Defence Force leads in Premier League of Belize
The Premier League of Belize Football Competition continued on Sunday 1 March, 2015, with three games on the schedule. In the game played out at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town, the three time defending champions the Belmopan Bandits blanked the home team Verdes FC by the score of 1-0. The only goal of the game was scored by Jerome James in the 28th minute of play. At the MCC Grounds here in Belize City, the visiting King Energy/Freedom Fighters defeated the host team FC Belize by the score of 4-0. The first half of the game ended 0-0 and it was not until well into the second half of the game that the visiting King Energy/Freedom Fighters scored all four goals. The 1st goal of the game was scored by Derrol Lambey in the 61st minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. That lead was further extended when Dwayne Sampson scored his team 2nd and 3rd goals of the game in the 65th and 68th minutes respectively. The final goal of the game was scored by Jevon Aranda in the 87th minute of play.

Cayo Western Ballaz maintains lead in NEBL competition
The National Elite Basketball League competition continued on Saturday 28 February, 2015, with three games across the country. At the Stann Creek Ecumenical High School Auditorium in Dangriga Town, the league’s leading Cayo Western Ballaz defeated the home team Dangriga Warriors by the score of 73-66. The top scorers for the Cayo Western Ballaz were Roger Troyer with 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals, Kurt Burgess with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal and Keith Acosta with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist. Meanwhile, the top scorers for the Dangriga Warriors were Brandon Flowers with 18 points and 12 rebounds, Trevaughan Usher with 15 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals, and Edgar Mitchell and Macario Augustine with 9 points each. Out at the Julian Cho High School in the Toledo District, the defending champions, the San Pedro Tigersharks won handily over the Toledo Diplomats by the score of 78-60. The top scorers for the San Pedro Tigersharks were James Milton with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and a steal, Jamal Kelly with 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and Tyrone Edwards with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal. For the Toledo Diplomats, the top scorers were Jiovanni Arzu with 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, Shamir Martinez with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and an assist.

Brandon Cattouse dominates C-Ray’s Test Races
The 7th weekly C-Ray’s Saturday Test races continued on February 28, 2015. The event started from in front of Leslie’s Imports on the George Price Highway, travelled to Fresh Pond community through the Boom Road and returned back to Leslie’s Imports for the finish. In the Elite Category, Brandon Cattouse won his fourth Test Race and he was followed by Giovanni Lovell and then by Gregory Lovell. Cattouse’s total wins include 4 first place, 2 second place and a third place finish which makes him the most dominant rider in the Test Races. And in the Female category, first place went to Kaya Cattouse while second place went to Alicia Thompson. The following riders round off the top fifteen finishers in the event: first place went to Brandon Cattouse, and he was followed by Giovanni Lovell, Gregory Lovell, Ray Cattouse, Mark Staine, Kenroy “Smokes” Gladden, Henry Moriera, Marlon Castliio, Darien Anderson, Yan Cattouse, Joel Borland, Richard Santiago, Kaya Cattouse, Tarique Flowers and Phillip Leslie.

40 Belizeans detained in Guatemala after Gracias a Dios marker expedition
The trouble with traveling that river is that if persons aren’t exactly sure where to go, they can easily venture into Guatemalan territorial waters. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday, February 28, when 40 Belizeans detained in Guatemala after Gracias a Dios marker expedition their boat captain drove them into a tributary of the river which belongs to Guatemala. 34 of the Belizeans who made the incursion were from the border activist group which calls itself the “Belize Territorial Volunteers”. Readers may be aware that this organization was created by politician Wil Maheia who has been trying his hand at a third political party, which he calls the People’s National Party. The organization became very active in 2013 with these clear the border initiatives to try to convince the public not to support the Government in the referendum campaign to settle the unfounded Guatemala claim at the International Court of Justice. They’ve since visited the Aguas Turbias border marker, the Garbutt’s Falls Border Marker, the Gracias A Dios Border Marker, and the border community of Jalacte in Punta Gorda. An expedition was planned by a fraction of the volunteers which calls itself the Northern Territorial Volunteers. Their intention was to mount a bronze plaque on the Gracias A Dios marker with the word “Belize” engraved in it. It was supposed to be a patriotic act to show whoever visits the marker that part of the marker denotes where Belizean territory begins and ends.

Details surrounding the incident on 28th February, 2015, at Sarstoon River, Belize
The Government of Belize is very pleased and relieved that the group of 37 Belizeans who were held on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 were returned safely and promptly on Sunday March 1st, 2015 at 10:57am. At 3:40 pm. on Saturday 28th, February 2015, the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs was alerted of reports that Guatemalan Armed Forces had detained a group of Belizean citizens who were returning from an excursion to the boundary marker at Gracias A Dios and that they were being taken against their will to Livingston. The Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister were immediately informed and they gave their directions. Belizean authorities immediately, in accordance with standard operating procedures in managing such incidents, activated the lines of communication to firstly, guarantee the safety and welfare of the Belizeans on board the vessel and their immediate return; secondly, to ensure that they were afforded appropriate consular support; and thirdly, to ascertain the facts. The Belizean Government’s deep concern about the ongoing incident was raised with senior authorities of the Guatemalan Government and of the OAS.

Another loss for Matura, legal fees mount for Emy Ramirez
On Saturday and Sunday past, Audrey Matura was hogging up the airwaves creating a stir and panic over a boat filled with 40 Belizeans which she claimed were held in Guatemala against their will. That is the subject of another article, but we needed to make reference to her limelight hogging to put into perspective the kind of individual Matura is. While she was hogging up time on the airwaves on those two days, she should have been preparing for a case in which she was representing Emy Ramirez against the Social Investment Fund for moneys which Ramirez claimed SIF owed her but she did not and when the matter came to the Supreme Court the matter was yet another notch on her belt of failures. In court Matura wanted an extension on the matter but the judge pointed out that she herself was not feeling well and had made every effort to be in court and that Matura should have been prepared. The Judge then dismissed the matter and Ramirez was left with nothing but legal fees as the court did not even hear the merits of the case if ever Matura could have come up with any.

Matura also loses BGYEAH
From the way Audrey Matura was talking on the news on Friday Night it would have appeared as if BGYEAH had actually won their case against government. What is the truth is that what Matura was saying on the news was what the government had proposed to BGYEAH from the beginning. Every single point that she spoke on, the government had proposed from when the dispute started. Now BGYEAH is out trying to hustle to pay for legal fees and they still cannot plant on the buffer zone. In fact that was the center point of their argument, they wanted to plant on the buffer and the mediation process has declared that they simply cannot!

Why Orange Walk Results Late
While the country pretty much knew the results of municipal elections across the country, Orange Walkenos stood outside the counting center in utter frustration. It was decided across the country that ballot boxes would be counted simultaneously so that election officers would not have to be counting deep into the morning hours of Thursday, March 5. However, one sabelo todo in Orange Walk, the Returning Officer, decided that he would go against the grain. The individual unilaterally decided that in Orange Walk they would only count five boxes at a time. In one of the municipalities with the highest turnouts, that decision meant that counting would be extended hours beyond what is necessary. Why? The rest of the country is already celebrating the soothing bath of the Red Tsunami and all they wanted to know is if the brothers and sisters in Orange Walk would be a part of the love celebration too. The entire ordeal just goes to prove that one bad apple does spoil the bushel.

Found with police officer’s stolen motorcycle
Lloyd Neal, 29, and Joseph Muhammad Ali, 25, are on remand at the Belize Central Prison for handling stolen goods after they were caught on a motorcycle that was reported stolen by police officer James Jones. Jones reported to police that his black Meilun motorcycle, valued at $3,500, was stolen from Wesley College compound on Saturday, February 28. The men were stopped by police when they were reportedly at a shop buying food. They were approached for license and insurance when it was discovered that the cycle was stolen. Neal and Muhammad Ali were detained for the cycle and taken to the Magistrates Court on Monday, March 2.

Fined and confined for drug trafficking
Central American Boulevard resident John Peters, 20, is behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking and was sentenced to three years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000. According to police report, on Sunday, March 1, officers conducting mobile patrol on Terrilee Crawford Street saw Peters riding a beach cruiser bicycle on the sidewalk. The officers approached and ordered him to stop but he sped off and police set chase behind him. During the chase, the officers saw when he released a red knapsack and continued to ride. Police later caught up with Peters and took him back to the area where the bag was thrown. The officers opened the red knapsack in his presence and found a black plastic bag inside with cannabis. Peters was detained and taken to the police station where the drug was weighed. It amounted to 484 grams. He was charged with drug trafficking.

Three more shot in Belize City, two die
Three more youths became victims of gun violence in Belize City in two separate shootings on Sunday, March 1. Both are believed to be gang related. These two men were killed three days after two other men were shot and killed. The first shooting on Sunday happened just before 7 p.m. at the corner of Alicia and Estel Streets. 27 year-old Japhet Martinez was riding his bicycle on Alicia Street, and he was heading toward Estel. He had just reached a short distance from his intended destination when a gunman came up from behind, shot him several times, and rode off on a cycle. One of the civilian first responders rushed him to the KHMH, but about a half hour later, Martinez succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

Charged for Stoning Penner’s driver
Allen Valencio, 33, is facing charges of common assault and throwing missiles at Elvin Penner’s driver, Sylvester Maldonado, on Friday, February 27. Former Minister of Immigration, Hon. Elvin Penner, appeared in the Supreme Court on Friday, February 27, to face a private prosecution case brought against him by members of COLA and Kareem Musa. Penner was being interviewed by members of the press on the steps of the court building when PUP campaigners for Yolanda Shackron began to launch eggs at him. Penner then left the area, accompanied by his driver Sylvester Maldonado. On their way to the vehicle more missiles was thrown before police intervened. Maldonado was hit at least once. Police arrested Valencio as one of the missile launchers. Maldonado went to make a police report and Valencio was charged.

La Democracia wins in Beverly Castillo Football Competition
The Beverly Castillo Belize Rural Central Football Cup competition continued on Sunday 1 March, 2015, with three more games at the Football Field in Ladyville Village. In the first game played, La Democracia Exodus defeated Perez Hardware by the score of 4-1. The goals for La Democracia Exodus were scored by Paul Smith (2), Aaron Cassanova and Lincoln Jones. Meanwhile, the only goal of the game for Perez Hardware was scored by Ornan Avila. In the second game of the afternoon, Williams FC defeated Hattieville by the score of 1-0. The goal for Williams FC was scored by Denrod Baptist. And in the third and final game of the evening, Largos FC and Lord’s Bank Strikers played to a 1-1 draw. The goal for Largos FC was scored by Lorenzo Diaz while the goal for Lord’s Bank Strikers was scored by Brandon Cacho.

Unity Presbyterian wins again in primary school softball
The Belize City Primary Schools Softball Competition continued on Tuesday 3 March, 2015, with a single game on the schedule. In the game in boys’ competition, Wesley Upper School won over Salvation Army School by the score of 9-3. The winning pitcher was Luis Orozco and the winning pitcher was Cassian Billary. On Monday 2 March, 2015, at Rogers Stadium with a single game in the girls’ competition, in which St. John Vianney defeated Wesley Upper School by the score of 16-8. The winning pitcher was Shantae Williams and the losing pitcher was Kenya Flowers. On Thursday 26 February, 2015, in the boys’ competition, Unity Presbyterian School defeated Holy Redeemer School by the score of 11-1. The winning pitcher was Dennis Colon and the losing pitcher was Jerimy Fermin.

Patrick Jones

Eastern Division Police make arrests in murder cases
Police have made arrests in three separate open cases of murder and attempted murder in the Eastern Division. There was the arrest of Ian Adolphus’ alleged killer, 18 year old Akeem Trapp, for murder. Adolphus was shot on Freedom Street by a gunman on bicycle a few weeks […]

Murder in Belize City; police shoot suspect
On election night, Wednesday, around 9:30 p.m. there was a murder in Belize City. But police were quick to respond and in fact caught up with the culprit in the immediate area – and shot him dead. 32 year old Jervis Valencio is believed to be the man […]

Cisco employee charged with pulling gun
37 year old Delroy Carr, an employee of Cisco Construction who resides at Wagner’s Lane in Belize City, was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Carr pled not guilty to the charge. He was remanded into […]

Teenager charged with murder
Police have charged 18 year old Akeem Trapp, an employee of Cisco Construction, with the murder of 21 year old Ian Adolphus Jr. Trapp appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith and was remanded into custody until April 23. Adolphus was shot around 9:30 a.m. on […]

Orange Walk boy remains hospitalized following mauling
A six year old boy from Orange Walk town remains hospitalized after a vicious mauling this morning. The child was at home, when sometime between 10:30 am and 11 am, a German Shepherd pounced on the child in the yard. It is not known what triggered the attack, but reports say […]

PUP leader calls for complete unity following humbling Municipal defeat
Flanked by other leaders of the Opposition People’s United Party, leader of the PUP Francis Fonseca today reiterated a call for complete unity by Party supporters in the wake of a humbling defeat in Wednesday’s Municipal Elections. The United Democratic Party’s “red tide” swept through 8 of 9 […]

Home invasion leaves San Pedro man hospitalized
Thursday, March 5, 2015. BMG: A home invasion in San Pedro town last night has left one man hospitalized in Belize City. The victim is identified as 31 year old Jaime Manzano, a resident of the San Pablo area of San Pedro town. Police say that just before seven o’clock last night Manzano and his […]

Armed robber injures three people in Corozal
Three persons were injured in an armed robbery last night in Corozal town. The victims are identified as 39 year old Liming Li; 41 year old Wu Hong Choa and 55 year old Victoriano Poot. According to police reports, around 7:30 pm on Wednesday three masked men, one of whom […]

Belize City returns Darrel Bradley to City Hall as Mayor
Belize City residents have voted to return Darrell Bradley to City Hall as Mayor. In the Mayoral race in Belize City, the incumbent, Darrel Bradley trounced his two opponents, beating his closest rival by over five thousand votes. The final results showed Bradley garnering 11,833 votes. Yolanda Schakron […]

Child mauled by German Shepherd in Orange Walk
Reports from Orange Walk town say that a 4 year old child was mauled by a German Shepherd this morning. The child if at the Northern Regional hospital undergoing treatment for multiple dog bites, including a large open wounds to his face and back. Police are at the scene of […]

Blogs

A personal Farewell to Caye Chapel
It is with a heavy heart that I am sharing the story about the end of my romance with one of my favorite “off Ambergris Caye” getaway spots, Caye Chapel. Over the years, I have spent many wonderful days there and I am deeply saddened to see the island as we know it come to an end. My brain and heart are still processing the fact that the chances are slim I will ever get go back and enjoy the version of Chapel I (and many others) instantly fell in love with. I am not the only one that feels like that island is like a big bottle of Prozac for body mind and soul :) As many of you know, the Caye has been sold to a Mexican Luxury Hotel development group from Mexico. From an aerial rendering of the island posted on Ambergris Today, it doesn’t look like the golf course and the beach front villas are not going to be a part of the new development. I will admit, the new plans do not look horrible and I am hopeful that this development company will make what they’re doing beneficial to Belize. My wishful thinking – still hopeful that for what ever reason they will decide not develop and change the island and the beauty that is already there, will get restored.

Easter Winds Blow In A UDP Municipal Election Sweep and Some Changing Weather
Yesterday was the BIG day. Municipal elections in San Pedro and across the country. Our town has been covered in party paraphenalia. In order of swag amounts, UDP (the incumbents & red), PUP (blue) and the newest independent party, VIP (yellow). T-shirts, hats, FLAGS, hand outs…the stuff is everywhere. Here are some pictures around the voting area (the San Pedro High School) yesterday at about 2pm. Love the mural. The polls closed at 6 and then the ballots (there are just about 7500 registered voters in San Pedro) counted and then…the celebrating begins. The lane in front of the High School was kept relatively clear but the blocks around it were filled with booths, campaigners and flag wavers.

Game on! La Ruta Maya Belize Runs Again
Once again, one of the coolest events in all of Central America, and definitely one of the most interesting canoe races in the world is about to take place in Belize. Yes folks, it’s time for the annual La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge. Since its humble beginnings in 1998, the La Ruta Maya has grown to become one of the most exciting and popular events in Belize. Worldwide, it’s ranked 40th on “Peak Races’ 100 Toughest Races in the World”. This year, just after daybreak on March 6, over eighty teams of plucky paddlers will leave San Ignacio Town to begin the gruelling 180-plus mile race to Belize City. Coinciding with Belize’s annual Baron Bliss Day weekend (and more on that interesting bit of Belizean history in following posts) the race runs for four days through some of the most gorgeous landscapes to be found anywhere, and definitely falls within our “only in Belize” category.

“Betcha by Golly, Wow” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
So what was so special. So momentous about yesterday? The Municipal Elections that’s what. So what, they happen every three years. Ah, but yesterday I got to vote. After showing my ID card, having my name checked off the Electoral Register and immersing my right index finger in purple. I was allowed to vote. Did I feel good ? You betcha by golly wow ( I never, ever thought I manage to use this one!).

Cacao Validation Workshop
EXPORTBelize, BELTRAIDE in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is hosting a “Cacao Validation Workshop” which will be held on Friday March 6th, 2015 at the Parish Hall in Punta Gorda Town, commencing at 9:00 a.m. The purpose of the validation workshop is to validate two draft reports that was submitted by two Consultants for the consultancies of the: (1) Value Chain Analysis & Industry Strategy for Belizean Cacao (2) Development of Specification and Proposal for a Management System for Toledo Cocoa as a Geographical Indication

International Sources

El Niño Is Officially Back
The past 12 months of labor (scientists’ predictions) have finally resulted in the birth (official declaration) of a child (El Niño). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) announced today that El Niño has arrived, after a year of forecasting its likely development, and that it’s 50-60 percent likely to continue into the summer months. The term El Niño is used to describe a specific state of conditions in the ocean and atmosphere of the tropical Pacific. Essentially, when the sea surface temperatures warm in the central equatorial Pacific, it can set in motion a series of atmospheric impacts. It’s one phase of a cycle of natural variability in the Pacific called El Niño Southern Oscillation (some more basics about ENSO here). El Niño tends to be associated with fewer hurricanes in the Atlantic and more frequent hurricane activity in the Pacific. Last year’s Atlantic hurricane activity was below-normal and the lowest it’s been since 1997—a major El Niño year. Although an El Niño was not officially declared last summer, the on-and-off warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific may have played a role.

9 Reasons To Head To Belize For Your Next Vacation Getaway
For non-stateside beach getaways, most Americans typically go with the usual options -- Mexico, the Caribbean or one of the Hawaiian islands. But what if you wanted all the trappings of a faraway beach vacation, just with less tourists? Then you've got to head to Belize. Belize is way less crowded than most vacation hotspots, but still has everything a tourist could want -- snorkeling, hiking and incredible ancient ruins to tour. Bonus: It's also the only Central American nation where English is the official language. If you need more convincing, here are 9 reasons to head to Belize over the rest: 1. Right now is the best time to visit. 2. Belize is less crowded than some other beach destinations. 3. It's also home to some of the best secret beaches in the world. 4. Unplugging here is easy (and encouraged!). 5. Belize has the coolest ocean sinkhole ever. 6. Going there will fulfill your "Breaking Bad" fantasies. 7. There are incredible Mayan ruins to explore. 8. You can hike a national monument. 9. The Belize Barrier Reef is snorkeling paradise.

Going Places Near & Far: Where to Go in 2015
Travel experts Arthur and Pauline Frommer, publishers of the famed Frommer Travel Guides and hosts of a long-time "Travel Show" on radio, offered their list of places to go in 2015 during the New York Times Travel Show. "We polled our contributors – journalists – we hire people in destinations we’re writing about – to produce this list of top places you should go in 2015," Pauline said. "We believe destinations like fine wines, years when they are better than other years." There are also some destinations they recommend on the list as a "see it now before it is destroyed" and others they recommend because tourism can be a salvation, sustaining a community under siege economically, environmentally and culturally. Belize is one of the most life affirming destinations on the planet – wonderful for families – consider it a place that has everything: like Costa Rica, it has pristine jungles, beautiful beaches, fabulous water sports, but unlike Costa Rica, it also has cultural riches (Costa Rica is more of a nature destination). Belize has Mayan temples, caves that were used by the Mayans for human sacrifice.

ILO meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour a success
Minister of Labour the Hon. Shane Gibson wrapped up a very successful Ninth International Labour Organization Meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour, held March 3-4, 2015. “The Meeting was very successful and we are going to use this as a springboard to use in every aspect in whatever policies we are going to develop for The Bahamas,” he said. The Meeting brought together 21 delegations, 14 of which were led by Caribbean Ministers of Labour, as well as the ILO Director General, the CARICOM Assistant Secretary General, representatives of UN Agencies, representatives of the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation and the Caribbean Congress of Labour under the theme: ‘Decent Work for Sustainable Development’ in dialogue at the British Colonial Hilton. The biennial ILO Meeting of the Caribbean Ministers of Labour came about through Ministers of Labour wanting to stay in touch with each other to share similarities and challenges surrounding work permits, unemployment and other issues impacting labour that are not included in legislation in areas of the Caribbean.

Archaeologists On the Verge Of More Incredible South American Finds
Archaeologists are on the hunt for the fabled, mythic civilization known simply as the “White City.” Somewhere in South America, this legendary resides and scientists hope they will soon uncover it by following the clues that they have found so far. Ben Thomas, the director for the programs at the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), in Boston, MA, says, “I would have to say that we have probably only found about 40-percent of what’s out there to discover in South America.” Thomas also mentions a dig at the Caracol site in Belize, as an example: “These archeologists in Caracol had already done a fantastic job of thoroughly mapping. Few sites in the world have been this thoroughly documented and still, they made more advances and discoveries.”

Videos

March 5, 2015

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

Election celebrations: Video
Official - UDP retains control of the San Pedro Town Council

Caye Boy: bringing island life to readers across the globe!
For those lucky to live in the coastal shores of Belize you know that the best adventures happen during childhood. Running around barefoot, both looking for and causing excitement and trouble, Belizean children live one day at a time. Now thanks to Jessica Retseck Wigh, everyone can enjoy the simple life of growing up in the Caribbean shore just by reading! Jessica, who has been coming to Belize since 2002, compiled all her memories and experiences of Caye Caulker Village into a series of children’s book. Titled “Caye Boy” readers join the everyday life of Gilford and Alvis as they race around their little island. “I just want to make children happy. When they read this I just want them to smile and want to read it over and over again. At the same time I want the books to celebrate the culture of living and growing up in Belize. I want to share that experience with people, whether they are here or abroad,” said Jessica.

Caye Note: 9th of March Beach Cruiser Race
The San Pedro Cycling Club and Calvio Bike Shop and Rentals are pleased to announce a 9th of March Beach Cruiser Race. The race will commence at the Boca del Rio Park on Monday, March 9th at 10AM (route of laps will be announced on the race day). The race will include three categories: Under 14, Under 17 and Open. The Under 14 category will see of cyclists racing one lap, while the Under 17 will be three laps, and the Open category consists of five laps. Registration fees range from $10 to $15, depending on the category. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to the top three winners of each category. Those wishing to register can contact Kent “Bob” Gabourel at 604-9013 for more info.

Sunshine Scholarship Foundation hosts successful fundraiser
The Sunshine Scholarship Foundation held its 2nd annual Beach Party fundraiser at Corona Del Mar Hotel’s Seahorse Bar on Saturday, February 28th. Community members and businesses came together to support the organization that has been providing tuition funds for deserving students of Isla Bonita Elementary School for about two years now. The event saw guests enjoying live music and lots to eat and drink, all while contributing to the worthy cause. The fundraiser was organized by founder of Sunshine Scholarship Foundation, Eve Dirnback with the assistance of the Isla Bonita Elementary’s faculty and staff.

Shooting in San Pedrito Area leaves 1 dead, 1 injured
The two were rushed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II where Barbosa was pronounced dead on arrival. Police say that Barbosa was executed, as he appeared to have had four gunshots wound to the chest and one to the center of his forehead. Meanwhile Alcoser, received a gunshot wound to the neck. Police say that a patrol had just left the San Pedrito area to respond to what they now believe was a prank call when the shooting occurred. While police have no lead, they have established that a male, believed to be of Hispanic descent, entered into the store with a bandanna across his face, fired the shots and fled the area, possibly in a waiting vessel. Nothing was stolen and as such, investigators believe the shooter was sent to execute Barbosa. Police believe that the shooting was drug related, as Barbosa is known to police and has an outstanding charge for Drug Trafficking.

Child Stimulation Month kicks off with Preschool Parade
Children are our future and as such, an entire month is dedicated each year to the celebration of our littlest Belizeans. The month long celebration, called Child Stimulation Month, kicked off on Monday, March 2nd with a preschoolers’ parade through the streets. This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme “Learn Early- Learn for Life”.

SPJC Female Football team is the 2015 ATLIB Northern Regional Champion
San Pedro Junior College (SPJC) participated in the Association of Tertiary Level Institution of Belize (ATLIB) Northern Football Regionals on Sunday, March 1st. The tournament was held in the Corozal District and hosted by the Belize Adventist Junior College (BAJC). The tournament saw the participation of female and male teams from SPJC, BAJC, and Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College (CEMJC), and a male team from Saint John’s College Junior College (SJCJC). At the end of the tournament, the SPJC female team and CEMJC male team rose as champions.

Belizeans in 7 municipalities and 2 cities go to the election polls
Thousands of Belizeans across seven towns and two cities in the country are going to the polls today to select a new municipal government. In San Pedro, the polls were declared opened at 7AM and will remain open until 6PM. A total of 7588 registered voters are legible to go to the polls at polling station Number 37, located at the San Pedro High School. In San Pedro, electorates can vote for only one mayoral candidate and up to a maximum of six councilor candidates. This year, a total of 21 candidates are on the ballot; three mayoral candidates and 18 councilor candidates. Throughout Belize, there are 67 seats up for grabs; in seven towns and Belmopan City there are seven seats each and in Belize City there are 11 seats.

Ambergris Today

Election celebrations: Video
It is a United Democratic Party (UDP) win for San Pedro.

Belizeans Head to Polling Stations on Election Day
The democratic wheel is in full process this morning as Belizeans head to the voting polls for Municipal Elections 2015. It is Elections Day, Wednesday, March 4, 2015, and seven towns and two cities around the country are geared up to exercise their rights to elect a new Town Council to run their communities for the period 2015 to 2018. In San Pedro, the polling stations located at the San Pedro High School, opened at 7a.m. and movement was pretty slow up to 9a.m. with very short lines, but the voting process was steadily on its way. Party supporters are definitely busy recruiting supporters and mobilizing their groups to scour the island for strong supporters and potential voters.

Misc Belizean Sources

BBIA Literary Prize 2015
The Belize Book Industry Association has announced this year's Literary Prize. 1st prize is $1000, so feel free to submit your short fictional story to them by August 15th. Good luck!

Rotary Blood Drive at UB
The Rotary Club of Belmopan had another blood drive at UB, and they hit a new record of38 pints. Thanks, Rotary! "Another blood drive ('Your Gift of Life') was held at UB working along wth several members of the blood donation team at the Western Hospital. It was wonderful working with them and it was great to have several club members (and in one case a daugher) involved in donating and helping the donation process. It was a record day with 38 pints of blood donated!! The record was obtained in part because several athletes helped recruit students - we could not have done this without them. Thanks! Also, thanks to everyone willing to donate - your willing to donate will certainly help dozens of people with health issues here in Belize!!"

The U.S. Embassy Belmopan has an opening for an Economic/Commercial Assistant position
JOB DESCRIPTION: Promotes U.S. commercial opportunities/activities and trade objectives in Belize and facilitates marketing of U.S. exports, including proposing, promoting and organizing official commercial events, trade show exhibits, trade missions, etc., Assists U.S. private sector by responding to business and trade information inquiries, and dealing with trade and business complaints. Obtains and analyzes economic, trade, and demographic data and drafts substantive annual economic reports on commercial, investment and economic issues. Gathers information and drafts reports, cables and correspondence on economic, commercial, energy, and ESTH (Environmental, Scientific, Technology, and Health) issues and developments in Belize. Drafts BCL (Briefing Checklists) and other background materials for Front Office and Political/Economic Officers as needed on economic, commercial, or ESTH issues.

U.S. Embassy staff attended the presentation of the Central Belize Corridor (CBC) Conservation Action Plan
Last Thursday, U.S. Embassy staff attended the presentation of the Central Belize Corridor (CBC) Conservation Action Plan at an event hosted by the University of Belize's Environmental Research Institute. The CBC will provide biological connectivity to the Belize National Protected Areas System, by connecting Belize’s largest forest blocks in the north (Rio Bravo, Ylabac, Laguna Seca, and Gallon Jug) and the south (Maya Mountain Massif). Pictured from left to right: Deputy Chief of Mission Bruce Matthews, Lisa Matthews, ERI Science Director (Terrestrial) Elma Kay, U.S. Embassy Intern Chang Chia-Wei, and U.S. Embassy Political/Economic Section Chief J. Nathan Bland

World Wildlife Day at The Belize Zoo
TBZ spent World Wildlife Day in the best way possible: educating about our country's amazing wildlife! Over 80 British soldiers from BATSUB came to the Zoo to receive an interactive program on the snakes of Belize from reptile expert, Tony Garel. Tony has provided this critical training for BATSUB for many years in preparation for their jungle training sessions in Belize. Following Tony's session, the soldiers were treated to up-close encounters and valuable info on other species of interest they may encounter out in "the bush." Our military guests will now enter the forest with a better understanding and respect for the creatures that they will be sharing habitat with for the duration of their training. TBZ wishes BATSUB best of luck, and wishes all a happy World Wildlife Day!

BOLEDO DRAWING for Wednesday, March 4, 2015: 12

The United Democratic Party secures 4th term in the municipal elections in Coroza Town
The margin was a landslide victory for the incumbents. Congratulations to everyone who took the challenge for the leadership to govern.

Election analysis by Aria Lightfoot
My initial analysis of the elections are as follows: As I predicted UDP would win most of the seats as it was obvious - what the election tells me is that the party supporters went out and voted but the independents stayed out of it..PUP has a major crisis which was evident two elections ago. PUP refuses to Reform. PUP may love their dinasours but they are a constant reminder of the wanton corruption that spiraled out of control during their terms. Their strategy seem to be win by default and that strategy is failing. They are not serious about reform by failure to reform themselves ...They also seem to be extremely sensitive to constructive criticism and respond with propaganda and vitroil which only serves to remind people about their sordid past. The voting population has evolved. Social media is a real watch dog phenomenon.

PlusTV

Man murdered, other critical after shots fired in San Pedro
There was a murder on the island of Ambergris Caye, on Tuesday March 3. The victim is 38-year-old Pablito Barboza of San Pedrito Area, San Pedro Town, who was shot to the head and the chest area. He was not the only one shot, however, as 36-year-old Humberto Alcoser Jr. was also shot to the neck. The incident happened at around 7:45p.m. Pablo Barboza was inside his shop attending to Humberto Alcoser Jr. who was inside the shop purchasing some items. That’s when a lone gun man wearing a black cap with a blue rag tied around his face entered the shop and fired 3 shots hitting Pablito to his head and chest. Upon seeing this, Humberto tried to disarm the man, where he was shot to his neck. The gun man then fled the area.

More shots fired in San Pedro
More gunshots were fired in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, on Tuesday March 3 at about 11:30 PM. A 26-year-old woman of San Juan Area, San Pedro Town, visited the San Pedro Police Station and reported that about 11:30 p.m. she was walking from a store towards her home in the San Juan Area when she observed two men following her. She quickly went home and headed straight upstairs when the same two men passed and one of the men fired a single gunshot in the air. Police have detained two men pending charges.

14 year old fights off would be rapist
On Tuesday March 3 at about 1:25p.m., a 14-year-old female of Dangriga, accompanied by her neighbour and a social worker, visited the Dangriga Police Station and reported that on Monday March 2 at about 11:45p.m., while at home sleeping, a dark complexion man entered her room and attacked her with a knife, and then dragged her out of the room and attempted to have sexual intercourse with her. She fought with him and during the struggle received cuts on her hand and neck. She managed to bite the attacker on his right thumb. Her brother heard the commotion ran into her room and the male person escaped.

Jury acquits brothers on rape charge
A jury of five women and four men have found 27 year old Jermaine Stevens not guilty of a charge of rape, and his brother, 31 year old Austin Stevens, not guilty of abetment to rape. However, after two hours and 40 minutes of deliberations the verdict was a majority of 7 to 2 and not unanimous. The incident allegedly occurred round 12:30 p.m. on March 20, 2012, at a house on Jane Usher Boulevard, Belize City. The acomplainant, who was 18 at the time, had alleged that Austin held her feet while Jermaine and a red skin man held her hands and put her on a bed. She testified that Jermaine got on top of her and had sex with her against her will for about 15 minutes.

San Pedro couple charged with drug trafficking
On Tuesday March 3 at about 11:45 a.m. police conducted anti-drug operations in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, and visited the one bedroom apartment of 27-year-old Jaime Jeffrey Navarrette who was in the company of 24-year-old Delfina Danielle Romero, and found Crack Cocaine and Cannabis. Police then arrested and charged Jaime Jeffrey Navarrette for possession of controlled drugs to wit: 4.9 grams cannabis. Jaime Jeffrey Navarrette and Delfina Danielle Romero were also jointly charged for the offence of Drug trafficking to wit: 22.3 grams Crack Cocaine and Drug trafficking to wit:1,392.8 grams of Cannabis.

Orange Walk man jailed for attack on woman police officer
In December of 2013, Woman Police Corporal Marilyn Pate went to investigate a report of a domestic dispute in the village of Trial Farm, Orange Walk District, at the residence of 45 year old Oscar Perez Hernandez. She wound up in the hospital, being treated for serious chop wounds to the head and arms, after Mr Hernandez allegedly attacked her with a machete On Tuesday in the Supreme Court session in Orange Walk Town, Perez Hernandez pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder, and was immediately sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Mr Hernandez has served 11 months on remand and this was deducted from his sentence, meaning he has another 11 years and a month to serve.

Corozal Woman Busted With Weed
44 year old Melodia Moh, a Belizean domestic of Caledonia Village, was arrested and charged on Tuesday March 3rd for kept ammunition without gun license and possession of controlled drugs. According to authorities at around 10:45, Corozal police conducted a special operation in Caledonia Village, Corozal, where they conducted a search at the residence of Moh on the strength of a search warrant. The search lead to the discovery of a transparent plastic bag underneath a bed, containing 51 parcels of aluminium foil with green leafy vegetable suspected to be weed. A further search inside one of the rooms of the residence lead to the discovery of one transparent plastic bag containing 6 16 gauge shotgun cartridges of ammunition. Authorities say they asked Moh for her license to which she replied she had none. The drugs were weighed in her presence which amounted to 36 grams.

Boat captain says Guatemalans mistreated him over error
An error in navigation is at the center of this past weekend’s showdown between a group of 37 passengers and crew on board the vessel Dore, headed by Guillermo Avila of Punta Gorda Town, and military authorities of the Guatemalan Army and Coast Guard who under orders detained them for more than ten hours between Saturday and Sunday. Now safely back home, Mr Avila is telling his story publicly for the first time, intent on clearing his name and establishing what transpired. He says that the left turn he took into a tributary off the Sarstoon River was due to the advice of Belize Territorial Volunteers leader Giovanni de la Fuente, because he personally had no knowledge of the area. “When I got to the Sarstoon bar, I told the leader of the expedition who is Mr. De La Fuente, that I’ve come as far as here and he said that he knows the way anyways. I just want to clear that point one time, because it wasn’t my decision to make this left turn, because he said that he knew where they were going, so that’s why I took this turn here by his order, because I told him that I only know as far as the bar, but further up I didn’t know. We came up this way and about right here we should have gone this way to Gracias A Dios, and I made a left turn here instead of going straight or staying on my right. Immediately, I went about 100 yards and I spin right back.”

BTV responds to statements that they planted trees in Guatemala
In the 1st of March 2014, Belizean patriots from Punta Gorda went an expedition to edge of the border with Guatemala to plant a row of coconut trees on our side of the border to demarcate the border line with Guatemala. It was a patriotic event organized by Wil Maheia and the Belize Territorial Volunteers, and though it received strong public support, authorities had strongly discouraged the event saying it was a dangerous expedition. In the Aftermath of the expedition to the Gracias a Dios Monument over the weekend, the Ministry of Foreign affairs sent out a press release to clarify the matter and reiterate their position on these types of excursions. The press release also mentioned last year’s expedition to plant trees on Belize’s side of the border saying that, “Official reports furnished to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the OAS reveal that the same group which organized this weekend’s excursion had exactly one year ago planted palms on the wrong side of the border.” BTV released a statement on Thursday saying, quote, “that is completely untrue.” BTV’s Wil Maheia spoke to Plus News.

Save The Tree Petition
The construction of a much anticipated roundabout at the Guanacaste Park Junction in Belmopan is slated to start this month. The project, which is a part of the Belize Road Safety project, is being co-funded by the Government of Belize and the Caribbean Development Bank ,and in January 29th earlier this year the contract for that project was signed with 3A recent post on social media made by Belmopan resident John Pinelo has caught the attention of many residents of Belmopan. According to Mr Pinelo, he got wind on Monday from a reliable inside source that indicates that the Guanacaste tree that sits at the corner of the Hummingbird Highway and the George Price Highway is slated to be removed to accommodate the roundabout. John Pinelo spoke to Plus News on Tuesday as he expressed his genuine concern.

Patrick Jones

Fifty seven percent of registered voters cast ballots today
Final figures published by the Election and Boundaries Department show that 57% of the total registered voters cast a ballot in today’s Municipal Elections in Belize. That is 60,533 out of 105, 634 registered voters. A breakdown of the total amount of votes cast is as follows: Belize City: 20,540 [48%] Belmopan: 5,713 [63%] Benque Viejo del Carmen: 3,037 [66%] ...

Shooting incident in San Pedro town
Preparations are being made to airlift the victim of a shooting incident from San Pedro town. Police have confirmed that a man was shot earlier tonight. More details later.

Woman reportedly shot in Corozal
Information received say a woman was injured in a shooting incident in Corozal tonight. Details are still emerging but we have been able to confirm that the shooting happened in the Santa Rita area of Corozal We’re following up on this information and will have an update as soon as […]

Early results in Belize City put the UDP ahead
Early indications are that in Belize City, the People’s United Party (PUP) is leading in Freetown and Fort George Divisions. The United Democratic Party (UDP), however, is leading in the Caribbean Shores, Albert, Queen’s Square and Mesopotamia Divisions.

Municipal Elections 2015 – Orange Walk
Statistics from the Election and Boundaries Department shows that as of 5 pm today, just under 60% of total registered voters in Orange Walk had voted in today’s Municipal Elections. The figures published on the EB website shows that as at 5 pm, 6,690 voters had cast a ballot. That […]

Municipal Elections 2015 – Belize City
Polls have closed in today’s Municipal Elections, although voting is still taking place to accommodate persons who were in line at 6 o’clock. It appears that an overall low voter turn out will mark this year’s poll to choose municipal leaders across the country. Midway into the afternoon […]

Orange Walk man jailed for attack on woman police officer
In December of 2013, Woman Police Corporal Marilyn Pate went to investigate a report of a domestic dispute in the village of Trial Farm, Orange Walk District at the residence of 45 year old Oscar Perez Hernandez. She wound up in hospital, being treated for serious chop wounds […]

Orange Walk sees low voter turn out so far
Thirty one percent of registered voters have cast their ballots so far in Orange Walk town. That percentage is expected to change significantly in the coming hours as more people come out to vote before the close of the polls at 6 pm. There are 11,777 registered voters for Orange […]

Voters slowly coming out in Punta Gorda
Voters in Punta Gorda town continue to come out slowly to cast their ballots on today’s Municipal elections. According to the Election and Boundaries Department statistics, as of 3 pm, a total of 1,312 persons have voted so far. That is 36% of the 3.601 registered voters who […]

Brothers acquitted of rape charges
A jury of five women and four men have found 27 year old Jermaine Stevens not guilty of a charge of rape and his brother, 31 year old Austin Stevens, not guilty of abetment to rape. However, after two hours and 40 minutes of deliberations the verdict was […]

Police look for man who impregnated a minor
Police in Orange Walk are looking for a man following a report that he impregnated a 14 year old girl. On Tuesday morning, the 14 year old girl, accompanied by her grandmother, went to the police station to report that during the months of January and February, Walter Mejia, whom […]

San Pedro businessman murdered; another man injured
A San Pedro businessman was shot and killed last night and a customer seriously injured in the shooting incident. Thirty eight year old Pablo Barbosa was pronounced dead just after 8 pm on Tuesday, following the shooting incident inside his shop in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro town. […]

Just over 18,000 ballots cast so far in Municipal Election
The Election and Boundaries Department is reporting that as of 11 am 17% of the registered voters for the Municipal Elections have cast their ballots so far. Published statistics indicate that there are 105,634 registered voters and of that amount, 18,189 persons have voted so far.

Municipal Elections: Corozal town voting
BMG: Official statistics put out by the Election and Boundaries Department via its website show that voting in Corozal is the second highest as of 11 am, behind Benque Viejo del Carmen. The published statistics show that 1,707 persons had voted as of 11 am. That represents 21% of the total […]

Decision 2015: Municipal Elections
Belizeans are today voting in Municipal Elections. 105,634 registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot in today’s poll to select a Mayor and Councilors in 9 municipalities nationwide. The polls opened at 7 o’clock this morning and will close at 6 o’clock this evening. We will have coverage of […]

Blogs

WORLD BORDERS: HOW TO GET FROM BELIZE TO HONDURAS (FERRY FROM PLACENCIA TO PUERTO CORTES)
I had already dipped in and out of Honduras before I visited Belize so this was my second time to enter the country. After a great week in Belize (including touring ATM caves, staying in San Pedro and Belmopan) we decided to get the boat to Honduras which only leaves once a week. So you need to get your timing spot on with this one and here’s an overview of the crossing to ensure your journey runs smooth. These days you can make the reservation online and in advance and you don’t have to pay anything to do this. We made the reservation just to be sure. Head to this page for the D- Express and reserve the boat. But to be completely honest, unless it’s really busy you can just turn up on the day, board the boat and off you go. The only slight risk is that if there is say a bunch of 12 backpackers that day, you may well not get on, and as they are only once a week, this would mean an entire one more week in Belize, or do the overland route! We were there in September time.

9 Of The Most Colorful Places in Belize
We just thought you should know about these 9 beautiful and gorgeous places in Belize, and see a photo from each place. Laughing Bird Caye, Belize Blue Hole, Ambergris Caye Belize, Mayflower Bocawina National Park, Caracol Maya Ruins, Mountain Pine Ridge, Southern Belize, Water Foot Caye, Barton Creek Cave.

Coconut Curry Shrimp - Cooking with Flavors of Belize & Chef Sean Kuylen ft. Chef Jennie Staines
Flavors of Belize has a new video out, and this time Chef Sean is joined by Chef Jennie Staines from San Pedro. They make some good looking shrimp curry, and have fun doing it. Flavors of Belize has a new, good looking website out at flavorsofbelize.com. "Our Chef Sean Kuylen is joined by the incomparably talented Chef Jennie Staines of Elvi's Kitchen in San Pedro Town. Join in as they prepare one of her most famous dishes together - Coconut Curried Shrimp. There's as much laughter as there was flavor in this episode; follow along & enjoy!"

Fish Tea
Fish Tea or Fish Escabeche is an easy soup to make. This is a very savory soup, but the onions add a pop of sweetness. Just about 40 minutes from start to finish.

The Caye Boy Books: Raising Barefoot Kids on A Small Island in Belize…Could You Do It?
SUPER cute books. Ones that I have seen in a few resorts around Belize but never picked up. Now I have my very own copies. Books about island life, spending the day barefoot and the independence and ingenuity of kids when they are living in a safe environment. Makes me think back fondly of summer days in suburban NJ when you were sent outside after lunch and told to come home for dinner…and then it was straight outside again. The books talk about island life…tour guides, snorkeling with the fish, teasing about tourists – they “smell like sunscreen and ALWAYS ask a million questions” and will make you wish you were here. I’m not sure why I haven’t brought these books home to my nephews already. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. And kids would so love identifying the crab that is hidden on each page.

International Sources

China's big chess move against the U.S.: Latin America
China is making friends right under America's nose. Latin America is China's latest business buddy. Chinese banks increased investments in Latin America by 71% last year, and the country plans to double its trade volume with the Central and South American region over the next decade. This comes as U.S. power in the Americas is starting to erode. U.S. cash is actually fleeing the region as investors see better deals at home or elsewhere. China doesn't appear as worried about the short-term. "What we're looking at is not simply an economic play. It's an economic play that also has political and strategic undertones," says Ilan Berman, vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington. Outside of economic ties, Berman points out that China has helped fund Argentina's nuclear power plant, launched Bolivia's first satellite and is rumored to be helping Venezuela start its own drone program.

The 10 Best Cities to Live Rich on a Dime (So You Can Bring Your Dreams to Life)
Admit it. You’ve wondered more than once… Is there a better life out there? You work your butt off every day, but just paying for the essentials becomes more difficult with every passing month. And what about your dreams? Will you be able to start your own business, send your children to college, or live the life you always wanted? And you can’t help thinking … Is there a smarter way of doing things? A way to achieve a lower cost of living – and a higher quality of life? Maybe it’s finally time to accept the fact… Your city is way too expensive. So why not do what so many others have done before you and move to a place that is more affordable and offers a better quality of life? Perhaps somewhere with less crime and pollution – and more time to enjoy life. Let’s see if such a place truly exists. 6) Corozal, Belize – if your dream is to simply “kick back” Tropical paradise Corozal is all about the slow pace of life — yoga and meditation on the beach, a stroll through beach waters, a cocktail enjoying the sunset, or uninterrupted quiet time to concentrate on your business. Whatever your dreams are, here you can afford them. Rent: One-bedroom apartment, city center $190/month. Buy: Two-bedroom apartment, brand new, city center for $115,000. Dinner: Three courses for two, mid-range restaurant, $19. Wine: Supermarket, good quality $12 Beer: ½ liter bottle, domestic $1.50

Should tourism be limited at 'lost' cities?
The discovery of new 'lost city' in the jungle of Honduras will capture the imagination of many, but are ancient sites better left to the attention of historians? The news that an archaeological site of enormous significance has been uncovered in a suitably exotic corner of the planet always triggers a familiar and yet conflicted scenario. On one hand, such talk of jungle-shrouded ruins – particularly ruins which have been hidden for several centuries – can make people want to grab their passports and hop onto a plane for a closer look. On the other, there is always that nagging concern that while the discovery of a crucial slice of the past is a good development for our understanding of the world we inhabit, this nugget of yesteryear might be better left to the attention of expert historians, and not trodden into disrepair by the footsteps of tourists.

Jamaica remains largest producer, exporter of marijuana in Caribbean — report
A report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has found that Jamaica remains the largest illicit producer and exporter of cannabis herb in Central America and the Caribbean. The INCB 2014 report released here, showed that the island accounted for approximately one third of cannabis herb produced in the Caribbean. It said that increased production of the drug has been noted in other countries, in particular Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The report notes that Belize is a trans-shipment country for cocaine and precursor chemicals used in the production of illegal drugs, including synthetic drugs. In 2012, Belizean authorities seized and destroyed 19.1 tons of cannabis, 156 tons of precursor chemicals, 114.9 kg of cocaine, 1.4 kg of "crack" cocaine and 4.9 kg of crystalline methamphetamine.

Dangers of Solo Female Travel - A Response
Last week, I was contacted by a journalist from Huffington Post UK to contribute to this article on solo female travel. There was a big report in the Daily Mail about the most dangerous places for women to travel to solo, with problems including violence, rape and even murder. Both articles questioned whether travelling solo something was something we should stop doing. I can't imagine my life without solo travel. I know I would be a very different person if I hadn't had those experiences. While friends returned from holidays where they lay by a pool in Spain for a week, I came back with amazing stories of exploring favelas and hang gliding in Rio, seeing sloths and monkeys in the Costa Rican jungle, volcano boarding in Nicaragua, staying with a family in Guatemala, and meeting the 'happiest people in the world' in Panama.

Central America focuses on tourists from Europe
The upsurge in tourism to the seven small countries of Central America continues. The intention is that visitors from Europe will be playing a more important role in this process in the future. “We are making progress on the European source market, which still retains a great potential for us," stated Carolina Briones, Director General of the Central America Tourism Agency (CATA) at ITB Berlin. This is due to the fact that these travellers, “as a rule, have longer vacations, they stay longer and generally spend more than visitors from other regions.” Briones also emphasized that Germany is an “especially important market”. The largest number of European visitors come from Spain, followed by Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.According to figures released by CATA, in 2014 over 9.6 million tourists from all over the world visited Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, a 5.6 percent increase over the previous year. Approximately one in ten of all visitors are from Europe. Among these seven small countries Costa Rica remains the leading destination.They are home to no fewer than 17 UNESCO world heritage sites. The main attractions are the historic palaces of the Maya, the colonial cities, the volcanoes, some of them active, the palm-fringed beaches on the Atlantic and the Pacific, as well as exotic flora and fauna in the jungle and on the many nature reserves.

Are French bananas more sustainable than others?
Eric de Lucy, President of UGPBAN (Union grouping banana producers in Guadeloupe and Martinique) states that “we have the world’s cleanest and most environmentally friendly banana." He says that "they are at -50% in pesticides” between 2008-2013 and socially, when they pay a €15 salary, an Ecuadorian pays €1. To keep up with the trend of economic patriotism, the French sector has decided to add a red, white and blue label to some of the fruits as of October. These labels are signs of origin, alongside the ‘banana of Guadeloupe and Martinique’ sticker. This should allow employment of 160 personnel in Dunkerque Port. French producers are keen to differentiate from Chiquita and other South American or African bananas. Recognising that their pesticide usage was extremely high, they halved it in 5 years. To do this they dropped the monoculture system and opted for crop rotation. They added habitats for certain organisms. No insecticide is sprayed on French bananas and the use of weed killer has drastically decreased. According to figures supplied by the producers, 6 kilos of herbicide is used per hectare per year in the French West Indies. Meanwhile Belize or Costa Rica use 70 kilos over the same surface and time span.

Bahamas wins Miss Spicy Caribbean
Miss Spicy Caribbean 2015 took place last weekend in Barbados and University of West Indies student Emma Tulletta represented The Bahamas and won! She also took Best Swimsuit and Miss Photogenic. Other contestants were Miss Antigua & Barbuda: Ashley Forde; Miss Barbados: Leann Paris; Miss Belize: Chinyere Wade; Miss Grenada: Reann Edwards; and Miss St. Lucia: Chenic Smith. Twenty-year old Tulleta is an honour roll student and majoring in psychology. “When the Association of Bahamian Students on campus approached me explaining that I would be an amazing candidate for the event, I was instantly excited, and with that I accepted the offer,” Emma told Tribune Woman." “Managing my studies and preparing for the pageant was challenging. On some nights I had three practices back to back, but I had to stay organised and complete my assignments in order of priority." She hopes to serve as a role model to other young women.

CCSA - Belize Geography Summer 2015
Belize: an English-speaking country in the heart of Central America, dotted with magnificent archaeological remnants of the Mayan people and populated by their descendants, and is home to one of the greatest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet. Join us as we explore the physical/historical geography and cultural landscapes of Belize through visits to cayes, islands, reefs, mountains, rainforests and ruins. A special feature of this program is the opportunity to snorkel at a World Heritage site. The Cooperative Center for Study Abroad is a consortium of American colleges and universities, which jointly offers study abroad programs and internships in English-speaking regions. A not-for-profit organization, CCSA is headquartered at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Students from any accredited institution are welcome to apply.

Videos

March 4, 2015

Covering the Elections 2015 LIVE

KREM & 7NEWS Live Streaming! Channel 5 and Love FM Team Up for Elections Coverage..

Click here for more information!

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

1 dead, 1 critically injured after shooting incident in San Pedrito
Police are at the scene of double shooting in San Pedrito that took place around 8PM. Eyewitnesses are claiming that at least six shots were fired at a shop belonging to one of the victims. One male has succumbed to his injuries, while the second male is in a stable, but critical condition. Arrangements are being made to fly him out for further treatment.

Island tertiary students receive tablets from government
Tertiary level students from across the country are now proud owners of a brand new ASUS tablet, including those from San Pedro Junior College (SPJC). Area Representative Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. along with the San Pedro Education Department distributed over a hundred tablets to SPJC students on Thursday, February 26th as part of the Year of Technology initiative by Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow. 9,000 tablets were purchased by the Government of Belize from Petro Caribe funds at a cost of $200 each. The distribution of the tablets to students is geared to promote education by giving students the resources needed to be successful in the advancing technological world. At the SPJC distribution, Heredia elaborated that this visionary approach towards education is needed to ensure that the future generation is receiving the best possible education. Tablet Giveaway Tertiary Level Students-5“Let me say that on behalf of the Ministry of Education, I present to you this gift. Our Prime Minister is a very visionary person, one that is committed to giving back to our community. This donation is allowing students to improve their educational experience. We give you this tablet with responsibility to care for it and use it wisely,” said Heredia. Tablet Giveaway Tertiary Level Students-1He continued to reiterate that this opportunity was provided with intentions to improve the quality of life for Belizean students. “This gives you access to the internet and all the useful knowledge that the internet can provide. So take care of the tablets. Use them for good use. I believe education is very important and we need to invest in our youth’s education,” said Heredia.

UDP and PUP host Pre-election rallies
The two major political parties on the island, The United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s United Party (PUP) both held separate pre-election rallies over the weekend. The UDP held their rally on the night of Saturday February 28th, while the PUP held theirs during the day on Sunday March 1st. Each of the parties managed to flex their strength as they brought in some of their leaders for the event. For its part UDP brought in the Prime Minister of Belize Honorable Dean Barrow who was greeted by a large crowd of supporters who had assembled at Maya Island Air. While music blared, the crowd of supporters marched through the streets of San Pedro, jumping up to the beat of their political songs. The parade culminated at the San Pedro Central Park where the rally followed.

San Pedro Town Council donates vehicles to San Pedro Police
The San Pedro Police Department was the recipient of a brand new motorcycle, a pick-up truck and heavy-duty body bags to add to their vehicular fleet. The donation was made by the San Pedro Town Council in an effort to alleviate the police department’s lack of resources. The vehicles were handed over during a short ceremony held on Thursday, February 26th. The ceremony started shortly after 10AM and saw the presence of Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Area Representative Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr., Office in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit Superintendent Luis Castellanos, Deputy Mayor Gabriel Nuñez, Neighborhood Watch President Steve Spiro, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Ruselle Blacketh, Officer in Charge of the Eastern Division Desiree Phillips, among other invited guests.

Ambergris Today

Flashbacks- Nostalgic Downtown San Pedro
In this Flashback you are standing with your camera right in front of Fido’s in the middle of the street looking down south. A quick glance will tell you that this is the same Barrier Reef you have known all the time. However, take a close look and you will see major differences. First of all you, today you will not be able to stand in the middle of the street without being honked at or perhaps even harassed by some lousy driver. Then look again and ask where has all that beautiful sand gone to? Jenny’s Super Store has been replaced to a four story commercial building and the historic Blake House has been replaced by Heritage Bank.

San Pedro Police Reach out to San Pedrito Community
Frustrated and afraid with the crime situation that plagues their neighborhood, residents of the San Pedrito Area heeded to the call of a community meeting spearheaded by the San Pedro Police Department that decided to reach out to community members in the wake of the murder of a two year old boy. The San Pedro Police Department held a community outreach meeting on Thursday, February 27, 2015, with the main purpose of having residents working along with the police in fighting crime. The meeting was very well attended mainly by residents of the San Pedrito Area who today feel more afraid than ever living in an area with the highest crime on the island. Even though Police statistics show that downtown San Pedro is the area with the highest crime incidents (mostly theft and robbery), these same statistics indicate that the type of crime taking place in the San Pedrito area is more serious, involving gang activity, gun fire and homicide. Having lost the trust and faith in the Police Department, residents of the area decided to attend the meeting to hear what the police officers had to say.

Government Releases Details Surrounding Belizeans Held in Guatemala
The Government of Belize is very pleased and relieved that the group of 37 Belizeans who was held on Saturday, February 28th, 2015, was returned safely and promptly on Sunday March 1st, 2015 at 10:57am. At 3:40 pm. on Saturday 28th, February 2015, the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs was alerted of reports that Guatemalan Armed Forces had detained a group of Belizean citizens who were returning from an excursion to the boundary marker at Gracias A Dios and that they were being taken against their will to Livingston. The Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister were immediately informed and they gave their directions.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Town Council open tomorrow
We hereby inform the general public that the San Pedro Town Council offices will be open tomorrow, March 4th, election day, in its regular working hours from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!
Voters should realize that their pen is mightier than the sword! As free people in a free society, we have the right to elect our leaders. We also have the responsibility to use that right wisely. Please take the time to vote in the upcoming Corozal Town Council Election. Voting begins early at 7:00 A.M. tomorrow Wednesday MARCH 4th and polls will close at 6:00 P.M. With the clock ticking, Corozal Town Council elections is just hours away.

Belize Infrastructure Limited is transforming Punta Gorda Town
$5 million will be spent on upgrading and building sporting facilities in the town which will create employment and boost the local economy.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - OAS/UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES
The Organization of American States (OAS), through the Department of Human Development and Education (DHDE) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), through the OAS Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC), are offering scholarships to qualified candidates of the Americas to participate in its master’s degree programs.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY!
The Government of China, through the Ministry of Education of China (MOE), in cooperation with the OAS Department of Human Development and Education, is offering partial scholarships to citizens of OAS member states to pursue studies in China, in any field of study available to international students, starting in September 2015. The China Scholarship Council (CSC) is responsible for the enrollment of international students and carries out the routine management of Chinese Government Scholarship Programs.

Happy Birthday Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow
To Our Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow, we say Happy Birthday! Thank you for continuing to champion causes for the women and children of Belize.

The Consulate of Belize in Florida’s News Letter

Wildtracks Link and long, long thought for today!
The theme for this World Wildlife Day is "getting serious about wildlife crime". I would like to pay tribute to the Belize Forest Department, who have been addressing the issue of illegal primates as pets over the last three years, and have significantly reduced the number of primates in illegal captivity. The Primate Rehabilitation Centre at Wildtracks has now been established for four years, and has partnered with the Forest Department towards two goals - to stop the illegal trade in primates, and to ensure that where feasible, confiscated monkeys are returned to the wild. We have had over 80 monkeys come through in that time - a reflection of the efforts put in by the Forest Department to respond to reports of monkeys being kept illegally, and their "no-tolerance" stand. Response time for reports has been fast, and their commitment is 100%. Many of these monkeys have been kept in poor conditions, are in poor health, and arrive with repetitive behaviours that need to be addressed. Spider monkeys kept in solitary confinement on chains for twenty years, rocking backwards and forwards; adult howler monkeys kept in tiny cages in dark spaces. The Forest Department hunts them out, confiscates them...and we work on restoring their social skills, forest skills and confidence, until they are ready to go back to the wild.

APAMO's REEF WEEK POETRY COMPETITION 2015
Please share with Primary and Secondary school students!

Boat Stolen from Roatan
Name: LEOPARD and its a 40 foot Robertson and Caine built in South Africa

Scam via VRBO/HomeAway
Seems like there is a new very sophisticated looking scam via VRBO/HomeAway. We have had three attempts since yesterday so beware. Incoming email enquiries are an exact replica of the vrbo or homeaway email template you receive -with pictures and links etc. Except when you click a link to access your dashboard it asks you to verify your account details DO NOT DO THIS. If you do they then have control of your vrbo/HomeAway page. They intercept your guests enquiries act as if they are you and take reservations and money as if you and then you will have a guest turn up thinking they have a paid for reservation and it's the first you know about it. I have already had one group stay with me last minute who have had this happen elsewhere on the Caye luckily they found out a week before so looked around and found us - BUT this means it is working here already with some owners. One added thing that confirms it's a scam when you receive it. It doesnt know your Property or Listing number so this will be an incorrect number in the email header/title so check that and if incorrect delete it or send it to security help at vrbo.

CAWS Spay and Neuter Clinics
The Cayo Animal Welfare Society had 2 spay and neuter clinics over the weekend. The first was in Santa Elena, and they saw 50 animals. The second was at the Cayo Family Clinic, where they saw 105! Big thanks to CAWS, Dr. Tesecum, HBHS, and all the others that made this possible. "Dr. Jess for the Hopkins Human Society, Dr. Tesecum, Dr. Roches and CAWS saw 105 animals today at our FREE clinic. A stunning 39 of them came to be spayed/neutered. A very long day for the vets! But think of all the puppies you will not see as a result of that!

Western Ballaz Host No Limit
The Western Ballaz will be hosting the Belize City No Limit this Friday, March 6th, starting at 9:00pm. Western Spirit Cycling Team is hosting the half time with a 3 point shoot out, where the first person who makes 9 points wins $100. Mistah Geeh will be mixing, and the after party is at Thirsty Thursdays. Go, Ballaz! In related news, the Red Taigaz will be hosting the Running Rebels on Thursday.

Corozal House of Culture (NICH)
In celebration of Women's Month we invite you to join us Friday March 13th as we present the 5th annual Arte con Voz de Mujer Exhibit.

Taiwanese Food Fair on March 7th
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been promoting the cultural exchange between Belize and Taiwan. The Embassy will host “2015 Taiwan Cultural Festival Series 2” on March 7th featuring “Taiwanese Food Fair”. More than 30 kinds of traditional Taiwanese fine food will be presented at one time including spring roll, car wheel cake, honey sweet potato, pepper and salt chicken, roast chicken, sweet and sour chicken, pork strip, Taiwanese sausage, various kinds of dumplings, tea-flavored egg, glutinous oil rice. Besides, there are oden, vegetarian vermicelli, chilled noodle, sushi, fried tofu, indigenous Paiwan cuisine, and other well-known desserts such as mochi, sun cake, and taro cake. Of course “bubble milk tea” and various kinds of tea drinks are indispensable. There are also booths for face painting, twisted balloon and fun games. You will definitely enjoy plenty of pop music of Taiwan and the performance of Belize Pantempters Steel Orchestra. Don’t miss the feast! Welcome to the Food Fair with your family and please invite all your friends to join us! Time: 10 am-2 pm, Saturday March 7th, 2015 Venue: Memorial Park, Belize City Mangia Mangia!

1st Belize Barrier Reef Marine Megafauna Aerial Survey
We were extremely fortunate to count on Lighthawk's generous aerial support to conduct the first aerial survey for marine megafauna along the Belize Barrier Reef. We documented a range of species and hotspots, and identified a range of reef uses and impacts during the course of several flights. Our highlights? A rare great hammerhead near Ambergris Caye, a very elusive Manta Ray near the Sapodilla Cayes and several manatees. A hearty and huge thanks to Lighthawk with a special shout out to Armando Ubeda, Yendra Ruiz Tencza and Patient Pilot Extraordinaire Chuck Schroll for providing excellent support for Belize's first Barrier Reef and Atolls Marine Megafauna aerial survey. The MarAlliance Team: Hilmar Salazar, Cecilia Guerrero, Ivy Baremore, Vanessa Figueroa, Sam Owen, Cameron Rhodes and Rachel Graham.

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL
We cannot afford to put the two political parties in power that has appeased to Guatemala starting with the Maritime Areas Act. An act that was jointly supported by the PUDP and birthed the NABR by our national hero, Phillip Goldson. Belizeans, please, we CANNOT AFFORD to continue having our leaders play games with our sovereignty. Only the PNP and VIP has stood strong for our sovereign borders and against corruption.

Annual Women in Art Exhibition
Thursday March 12, Bliss Center

This year's Woman of Culture
The National Institute of Culture and History is proud to present this year's Woman of Culture....She hails from Orange Walk is is non other than Mrs. Felicita Cantun! She will receiver her award on March 26th at an award ceremony hosted by the Women's Department. Congratulations Mrs. cantun!

Taiwanese Food Fair on March 7th
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been promoting the cultural exchange between Belize and Taiwan. The Embassy will host “2015 Taiwan Cultural Festival Series 2” on March 7th featuring “Taiwanese Food Fair”. More than 30 kinds of traditional Taiwanese fine food will be presented at one time including spring roll, car wheel cake, honey sweet potato, pepper and salt chicken, roast chicken, sweet and sour chicken, pork strip, Taiwanese sausage, various kinds of dumplings, tea-flavored egg, glutinous oil rice. Besides, there are oden, vegetarian vermicelli, chilled noodle, sushi, fried tofu, indigenous Paiwan cuisine, and other well-known desserts such as mochi, sun cake, and taro cake. Of course “bubble milk tea” and various kinds of tea drinks are indispensable. There are also booths for face painting, twisted balloon and fun games.

Feb 21 - Feb 27 2015 Belize Fishing Report
Many thanks to the Orvis store in Bellevue, WA for bringing a great bunch from the Seattle area and to Chuck Hawkins a great guide and outfitter in Michigan who brought a great group of couples to the lodge.

Channel 7

People Get Ready"€¦.For Election!
Tomorrow 105 thousand 634 voters across the country will go to the polls in nine cities and towns. They will select 67 municipal leaders from a field of 163 candidates. And while the politicians are tonight oiling up their machinery - the election is really run by a government department backed up by a little over two thousand public officers. They will be deployed from early tomorrow morning to set things up, ensuring that the balloting and counting process runs smoothly - and that it results in a free and fair election. This evening, the media spoke with the chief elections officer who told us that everything is in its right place for the voter to have a glitch free experience:.. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer "In terms of logistics, tomorrow is the 4th March and tomorrow we have 9 municipalities going into municipal elections. I can say that the Election and Boundaries Department - we are ready for elections. All elections material has been distributed countrywide. Actually, we are just waiting for tomorrow. For tomorrow, we have the 9 municipalities; we have 2 cities and 7 towns going into the elections. The total number of registered voters for the entire country of Belize in terms of municipality is 105,634 registered voters."

Captain Makes His Case
Last night, we gave you extensive coverage of the 37 Belizeans who were taken into custody by the Guatemalan marines and then taken to the port town of Livingston. That action could have become an international incident - for the obvious reasons, and because there was a foreign ambassador on board. Fortunately, it was resolved within 15 hours. It all unfolded at the end of an expedition by the Northern Territorial Volunteers who went up the Sarstoon River which runs along the southernmost parts of the country from East to West, all the way to the border marker at Gracias A Dios for a mission to install a Belizean plaque on it. The man who has deal directly with the consequence of the encounter is boat captain, Guillermo "Memo" Avila. He had to sign a document prepared by the Guatemalan Harbour Master which says that he committed the maritime offence of crossing into Guatemalan territorial waters for about 100 yards, and about 5 to 10 minutes. He didn't have to face any penalties for it, because the Guatemalan authorities only gave him a warning for it.

The Narrative of The Capture, Revisited
So what did really happen that led to the capture of the boat? Last night with footage form PGTV we traced the slightly strange events that transpired on that Saturday evening. Tonight, now that we have the Captain's input we repeat that story: Daniel Ortiz reporting A group of 40 persons, which included Boat Captain, Guillermo Avila; his 2 crew members; a camera man from PGTV, and the remaining being men and women from the Orange Walk Districts, got into the vessel "Dore". After everyone and their belongings were inside, the vessel left the PG Pier. Out on the Sarstoon River appeared calm, and few miles more toward inland, the Belizeans encountered the Guatemalan military who were on a river patrol.

Territorial Volunteers Reject Government & OAS Account
We also showed you last night how the Government had a stern putdown for the Belize Territorial Volunteers. For accuracy, a press release addressing the "detention" of the 37 Belizeans said, quote, "Official reports furnished to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the OAS reveal that the same group which organized this weekend's excursion had exactly one year ago planted palms on the wrong side of the border." They are referring to the trip that the northern Volunteers, led by Orlando De La Fuente, organized to visit the Aguas Turbias Border marker. At that time, part of the cleaning efforts by the volunteers was to plant coconut palms to note that part of the clearing was for Belize. In response today, the founder of the Territorial Volunteers, Wil Maheia, sent out a scathing press release. It says quote, "The Belize Territorial Volunteers completely denies the lie told in the recent Government ...Press Release..."

Oscar Williams, Beaten Down For His Daughter
Last night we told you about 42 year old Oscar Williams - the father of 5 who was viciously beaten up on Saturday afternoon by 6 men. As we mentioned, Williams was walking on Southern Foreshore along with his 13-year-old daughter when the group of men in front of an abandoned building started shouting vulgarities at the young girl. Oscar Williams approached the six men and that's when they put a vicious beat down on him, knocking him unconscious. Today 7news spoke to his13 year old daughter off camera and his wife. They gave us an account of the incident - and of his condition. Yolanda Williams - Wife "At this moment he is doing a little bit better. He is calmer and he is remembering one and two people." Monica Bodden "Can you tell me what you remember happened? I understand you were at home when your daughter came to get you." Yolanda Williams - Wife "What I could recall is that my daughter and her dad went out to pick up some money and while coming back home, they met these young men who were hanging out at this white abandoned house on Foreshore and the young men started yelling obscene language and telling my daughter that he was her ex-boyfriend which she threw away the baby for.

When The Western Fiber Went Dark
Last night tens of thousands of Belizeans across some areas of the south and all of the west couldn't see 7News - or any news for that matter. That's because Central Cable Vision which carries signals to Belmopan, Santa Elena/San Ignacio, Benque Viejo, Dangriga, Placencia and Independence had a break it the fiber optic cable it leases from BTL. IT was BTL's problem to fix, but it hit home for the thousands who kept waiting for their local news and waited in vain. Some of you all thought we had gone off the air or something: we assure you we did not - we had a two hour newscast. Sad that you missed it - but glad that the problem has been resolved. Today we went to BTL Headquarters to find out what went wrong:.. Marsha Haylock, Acting Chief Customer Service Officer "We had customers that couldn't view local channels. We had one cable company that was affected, that feeds the south and the west of the country and so as you mentioned, they couldn't view local channels. We had our technicians dispatched to the area as soon as we got the news and they began working to rectify and to bring the service back up. We had service up back for the 2G service by 1:34pm yesterday afternoon and the cable company had service by midday this afternoon. So all our services are up back. We are functioning and we have resolved the issue for right now."

Man Died Of TB in Prison. Why Not At Hospital?
At around 7:20 last night, prison officers found 61 year old Albert Gordon lying dead inside his cell. According to the Belize Central Prison medical doctor, the elderly inmate has suffered with nutrition issues in the past and was being treated for tuberculosis. Before his death, he was vomiting and that later led to asphyxia. His family says, he shouldn't have been left to die in jail; if he was so sick, he should have been at a hospital. The prison doctor gave Monica Bodden his opinion:.. Javier Novel - Medical Doctor of the Prison "The inmate Albert Gordon, he is a 61 year old elderly guy who have had nutrition issues in the past and was being treated for a positive TB. Eventually he had some vomiting that later lead to an asphyxia that lead to his death. He was found by an officer first reported at 7:20PM. It is not a concern. You should be aware that whenever anyone both the inmates and the public enter the prison, they are exposed to the TB infection that they can attain. The Ministry of Health works hand in hand with us. They came and they evaluated the situation. We have patients that received treatment. He was one of the patient that has received treatment and was in a very stable condition. However, his age played more a role that lead to his death."

Jury Deliberates The Fate Of Brothers Accused of Rape
Right now, a jury of 5 women and 4 men is deliberating the fate of 2 brothers, Jermaine Stevens and Austin Stevens who are charged with rape and abetment to rape. The men stood trial before Adolph Lucas, in which the complainant, a young woman who was 18 years-old at the time, testified against them. She told the court that it happened around noon in March of 2012 at a residence on Jane Usher Boulevard. She said that she went to Austin's house and when she was coming out of the bathroom the two defendants and a red skinned man forced her unto a bed and Jermaine raped her.

.45 Ammunition Found In City
Eight persons, two of them minors, were charged with kept ammunition without a gun license and possession of controlled drugs when they appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The adults are Dean Nembhard, Sherilee Ovado, Michael Saldano, Clifton Allen, Malik Ovado and Dowren Stuart. The pled not guilty to the charges and they were remanded into custody until April 9. The incident occurred yesterday. The police reported that they went to a yard in which there are three houses and when they searched an abandoned house and found 9 rounds of .45 calibre ammunition and 35 grams of cannabis. As results, they arrested and charged the eight persons.

Leon's Long Wait Is Over
22 year-old Leon Gomez, who was charged with murder but was found guilty of manslaughter, was yesterday finally handed his sentence after almost 11 months of waiting. Justice Adolph Lucas, after considering the all the elements in this case, heard mitigation please from 5 character witnesses, including his attorney, Alifa Elrington-Hyde. In the end, Justice Lucas sentenced him to 15 years in jail, but he subtracted 5 years for time spent on remand, and 1 year for his previous good character. So, that means he will only have to serve 9 more years in jail.

Lord Ashcroft Leaves (Nothing Behind For PUP)
Today the PUP Belize City slate held a motorcade through the city. The crowd was pumped up - and the 23 vehicles were riding low with supporters falling out the windows. It was a good enough show - and it probably didn't cost more than a few gallon of gas. And that's the way it has to be for the PUP because credible sources confirm that Lord Ashcroft left the country today and didn't leave anything behind for the PUP. Last week he stopped in at Spoonaz café to sip a beer and told us that he would be very surprised if he ended up making a campaign contribution to the opposition. Well, we are told he didn't - and the PUP is expected to be significantly outmatched in funding by the UDP tomorrow. Two city bosses for two separate southside UDP divisions have told us that they expect to employ as many as 500 election day workers in each division. For those not familiar with the lingo, election day workers are those paid to show up early on election day, put on a short, go to vote, and then, most likely, disappear…

The Street As Art Space
The city's two main streets, Albert and Regent were blocked off this weekend for the 5th Annual Street Art festival. There were about 28 artists at the festival showcasing their works at booths and literally 'on the streets'. Here a look at some of the displays of creativity in a public space: Courtney Weatherburne reporting At first glance, this might seem like a group of kids on an afternoon out at the Battlefield Park - engrossed in drawing and coloring their favorite fairy tale or cartoon characters. But it's more than just sketching or coloring on the pavement for fun. It's about celebrating art in all its dynamic forms. And these young artists got to tap into and unleash their creativity at the Street Art Festival. There was face painting, handmade fashion jewelry on sale and paintings.

Returning To Normal At La Immaculada
Last week Friday, hundreds of families were caught off guard when La Immaculada Primary School in Orange Walk could not open for classes because all the teachers called in sick. The reports were that they were unhappy with the local Catholic Management over the reinstatement of a student who was suspended. The administration refused to confirm that report, and refused to make any comments as to the reasons behind the dispute, but school returned to normal yesterday. Principal Manuel Polanco spoke with the press in Orange Walk to discuss the resumption of classes. Again, he refused to discuss the dispute when our colleague from CTV 3 News pressed for an answer: Manuel Polanco, principal - Immaculada Primary School "We had a very fruitful meeting. A very successful meeting. Sister Barbara, our general manager came in and she intervene, mediated between administration and management and yes we have found a way forward and there is no longer any friction, any disagreement between administration and management."

Get Eena It on WWW!
And that's 7News for tonight - thanks for watching with your news I am Indira Craig. Now, we won't have any regular newscast tomorrow on election day, but we will be on form early in the morning at 6:00 am when you can join me and Mose Hyde live with Daedra Haylock and India Camiel as we begin our "Eena it" election watch coverage. I'll be back here at channel 7 studios at 6:00 pm for the evening portion of the cover - so stay with channel 7 KREM TV and radio all day for all the updates you need to know what's happening in the election. It will also be streamed live and you can find a link to that at 7news belize.com. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/eena-it

Channel 5

Oscar Williams Clings to Life After Vicious Assault by Gang of City Youths
Over the weekend, Oscar Williams was brutally attacked by a group of men when he tried to defend his daughter from a group of young men hurling disrespectful remarks at [...]

Sedi Elrington Responds to Criticisms of G.O.B. ’s Lukewarm Response to Guatemala Incident
Following the incident, there was some expectation that the government would host an immediate press conference to at least express top-level outrage. That hasn’t happened. In fact, the only thing [...]

Foreign Affairs Minister Says Claims By BTV and Guatemalan Military Need to Be Verified
According to Minister Elrington, there is an allegation that Belizeans went across the Guatemalan side, and there is an allegation that Guatemalans came over on our side – and there [...]

Final Preparations for Elections 2015: Elections & Boundaries Tie Up Loose Ends
Voters across the country, in all nine municipalities, will take to the polls in their respective cities and towns on Wednesday, to cast ballots for their party or candidates of [...]

Chief Elections Officer Breaks Down Municipalities By the Numbers
Tamai also broke down the number of polling stations, as well as the deployment of public officers who will be working on Election Day.  Counting, she says, will be done [...]

Josephine Tamai Clarifies Assertions by P.U.P.
Last Wednesday, the People’s United Party issued a terse release criticizing the Elections and Boundaries Department for failing to consult with them on a number of issues, including the prompt [...]

The Pulse of the People On the Eve of Municipal Elections
With the polls scheduled to open in less than twelve hours, the countdown begins as to who will take the sixty-seven seats in the nine municipalities. Today, News Five took [...]

Channel 5 and Love FM Team Up for Comprehensive Countrywide Elections Coverage
In less than twelve hours, the polls will open across the country for residents to choose their municipal leaders. In good tradition, Channel Five is teaming up with Love FM [...]

P.M. Barrow on the Campaign Trail in Orange Walk
On Wednesday, Belizeans will go to the polls to elect representatives in sixty-seven seats up for grabs countrywide. In politics there’s no such thing as a sure thing, but political [...]

Petrocaribe to Roll if Orange Walk Goes Red
In the event that message was a little obscure, Prime Minister Barrow then threw out Petrocaribe for good measure. According to the PM, their political war chest, their golden treasure, [...]

Couple Busted for Drugs in San Pedro
This morning, a team of law enforcement officers in San Pedro busted a couple in possession of a substantial quantity of marijuana.  Acting on information received the team visited and [...]

Brothers Stand Trial for Rape of Belize City Woman
A jury of five women and four men will decide the fate of siblings, Jermaine and Austin Stevens, who are currently on trial for rape and abetment to rape, respectively. [...]

Biscayne Sculptor Escapes Jail Time After Discharging Firearm in Public
A Biscayne sculptor and farmer was today spared from going to jail after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm in public. Fifty-three-year-old Robert Westby today appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton [...]

Lord Ashcroft Weighs in on Third Parties in Belize
On Tuesday night, you heard Lord Ashcroft speak on his lack of involvement in political financing for the municipal elections in Belize, but that he remains open to dialogue with [...]

…and Controversial Petrocaribe Funds
Moving from politics to the economy, we also took the opportunity to get Lord Ashcroft’s perspective on Belize and Petrocaribe.  He says that he doesn’t believe countries should be accumulating [...]

PlusTV

Man shot at the riverside in Dangriga
Reports from Dangriga indicate that there was a shooting incident near the river side of the North Stann Creek River, in Dangriga Town...

Christobal Gilharry back at Court
34 year old Cristobal Gilharry, former member of the Belize National A team that participated in the Gold Cup tournament in 2012, was charged for Unlawful Carnal Knowledge in December 16th 2014. According to police, on December 10th, authorities received reports that Cristobal Gilharry, a resident o...

Burglar Caught on Video, Detained by Citizen
34-year-old Cleveland Barrington May Jr., of Far West Street, Belize City, was arrested for the crime of Burglary, after he was caught on camera robbing a Belize City business. The business manager of New Fortune Restaurant on East Collect Canal, Belize City, was inside his restaurant at 8 pm on Ma...

Armed, camouflaged men rob Corozal family of vehicle
49-year-old Amelia Correa of San Joaquin Village, Corozal District, reported that on February 27 she was returning from Ramonal Village, Mexico, with her husband Rudolfo and  another man...

Brothers await jury decision on rape charge
Brothers Jermaine and Austin Stevens are on trial in the Supreme Court on charges of rape and abetment to rape, respectively.On Tuesday evening a jury of five women and four men were deliberating their fate in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas.Around 12:30 p.m...

Eight persons charged for firearm, drugs offences
Eight persons, including two minors, were charged with keeping ammunition without a gun license and possession of controlled drugs when they appeared on Tuesday before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The adults are Dean Nembhard, Sherilee Ovado, Michael Saldano, Clifton Allen,  Malik Ovado ...

Leon Gomez to serve 15 years for manslaughter
Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas was not working for a while due to illness, but he is now back on the job and on Tuesday he finished a long held-over matter involving sentencing 22 year old Leon Gomez for the crime of manslaughter. Leon Gomez, charged with the murder by stabbing of 27 year old Sa...

Gearing up for elections
Municipal elections are set for Wednesday March 4^th,  and preparations are on the way across the nine municipalities as the various political parties and independent candidates set up their booths in front of the polling stations in the various municipalities. Candidates for the United Democratic P...

Belizeans receive Hero’s welcome in Orange Walk
In Orange Walk the group of 37 who travelled to Gracias A Dios were received by Orange Walk residents with nothing short of a Hero’s welcome with a motorcade that started at the Toll Bridge at the entrance of Orange Walk and made its way to town Hall...

Belize Government to raise “concerns” with Guatemala
As we told you earlier, the Belizeanss who were detained by Guatemalans have returned home safely. The discourse has been heated as Belizeans have expressed outrage at the detention. Also keeping an eye on events in the South was the Government of Belize. Ambassadors in both countries and the main e...

61 year old disabled man perishes in fire
61 year old Alvin Dale Lewis Sr, a resident of Dangriga who has been disabled for 25 years, perished in a fire ion Sunday afternoon while he was home alone. Our Correspondent Harry Arzu has the details of that story. The two story wooden house valued at approximately $17,000 was completely destroyed...

BGYEA comments on case settlement
On Friday we reported on the settlement by mediation of the case of the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) and the Government of Belize in which the Government assumes responsibility for cleaning the road reserve area adjoining the Harmonyville Agricultural Subdivision...

Pre-School Stimulation Month kicks off with a parade
Every year in the month of March, pre-schools all across the country celebrate child simulation month organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports through its Early Childhood Unit...

Team Selected for World Cup Qualifiers
The Football Federation of Belize has selected the team that will be representing Belize in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers. In 2013 when the Belize Jaguars made it through the Gold Cup Qualifiers, a first for Belize, it set a new level of hype Belizean Football...

Two men shot in Belize city, one dead, other recovering
On Sunday March 1, more shots were fired in Belize City after 11 PM. The incident happened on Periwinkle Street, where 24-year-old Michael Welch of Maxboro Area Sand Hill Village and 24-year-old Kingsly Morrison, of Periwinkle Street were socializing when they were approached by two men who fired several shots in their direction...

Man shot in San Roman Village
There was also a shooting in the Corozal District on Saturday night. On February 28 at about 8:00 PM, shots were fired in San Roman Village. 32-year-old Lorenzo Patt was shot to the left hand. According to Mr Patt, while walking towards an outdoor bathroom, he saw a man standing behind his bathroom,...

Shooting on West Canal Belize City, man in critical condition
The shootings did not end there for this weekend. On Sunday March 1, shots were fired on West Canal, Belize City. The victim is 26-year-old Jamie Emmanuel Chavarria who received gunshot wounds to the left side of his chest and left hand. According to police, at about 12:05a.m...

Belize City man protecting his daughter, chopped to the head
42-year-old Oscar Williams, a Wood Carver of Belize City, was admitted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in an unconscious state with apparent cut wounds behind his head. Police say that on Saturday February 28  at about 3:30p.m...

Ernesto Vasquez charged with Herbert Bodden murder
A teenager has been charged with the murder of 29 year old Herbert Bodden which took place on Thursday afternoon. 19 year old Ernesto Vasquez, aka “Neto”, was charged when he appeared on Monday before Magistrate Herbert Panton and remanded into custody until April 17. Herbert Bodden was shot ...

Territorial Volunteers return unscathed from Livingston
There was almost a full-fledged international incident on the border between Belize and Guatemala this past weekend, after a 36-member party and the captain of their boat was detained by Guatemalan military authorities near the mouth of the Sarstoon River around 5:00 Saturday evening. They were on their way back from an expedition to the border marker at Gracias A Dios where they placed a plate marking Belize’s name. The trouble started on their return, as expressed by tour leader of the Northern Territorial Volunteers, Giovanni de la Fuente. He says that in planning the expedition, the group got no support from Belize’s authorities, though he notes that they never asked for it.

Was boat captain forced to lie to save passengers?
The other side of this weekend’s international incident is the machinations of the Guatemalan authorities, who by the accounts of those we spoke to in Punta Gorda, shadowed the vessel to and from the marker point and only picked the crew up when they were at the mouth of the Sarstoon. They tried to transfer the group to their ship, only to be thwarted by heavy seas and high winds. But the alleged violation occurred much earlier in the day, as explained by Giovanni de la Fuente. “The report says that at seven o’clock in the morning we accidently entered a creek for five minutes, and traversed a hundred yards. We were detained at approximately five o’clock in the evening. So we accidently entered that creek in the morning. Eight [or] nine hours afterwards, while we were exiting the Sarstoon Riverthe Guatemalan military pulled up upon us, [and] took over the vessel. But, of course, there is no presence of Belize in this area. The Guatemalans basically run this area, and fish out there all day long. We entered what they say is Guatemalan territory for a hundred yards.”

27 year old man dies after numerous gunshot wounds
There were a couple of murders and shootings over the weekend. We start with the murder in Belize City which occurred on Sunday March 1. 27-year-old Japhet Martinez of Belize City was shot multiple times. According to police reports, at about 6:55 p.m., Mr Martinez was riding his bicycle on Alicia Street heading towards Estel Street . He stopped in front of a shop located at the corner of Alicia Street and Estel Street. That is when a short man of light complexion with corn row hair style came from behind Mr Martinez on a bicycle and fired several gunshots towards him. Japhet Martinez ran into Estel Street followed by the short man, who continued firing. Mr Martinez was then rendered assistance, and escorted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but within half hour, he succumbed to his injuries.

Mexican National found dead, chopped up in Corozal
After ominous odours were reportedly coming from a pimento bungalow in San Victor Village, villagers visited the house on Sunday March 1. The discovery was gruesome as inside was the body of a Hispanic descent man, with large cut wounds to the face and head. He also was seen with punctures to his neck and chest area. The man was known only as Sergio Martinez, a Mexican National. Police say that Sergio Martinez was last seen alive at around 8:30 p.m. on February 28, at a shop in the village. Police have since detained one man for questioning.

Amandala

Bloody Sunday in the City: 4 shot, 2 killed, 1 critical, 1 recovering
Four people were shot in the seemingly never-ending violence in Belize City yesterday and as a result, two persons are dead, one man is in critical condition in the intensive care unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and another victim is recovering at his home after he was treated for gunshot wounds, and released from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The two gunshot victims who lost their lives are Michael Welch, 24, of Maxboro, Sandhill Village; and Japheth Martinez, 23, of Y and M Street, in the Lake Independence area, while Emmanuel Chavarria, 26, of West Canal Street is in a critical condition and Kingsley Morrison has been treated and is recovering at home.

Wednesday’s battle for 67 seats in 9 municipalities
A hundred and fifty-six (156) candidates from 4 political parties as well as 7 non-aligned independent candidates, will battle for 67 seats in the nation’s 9 municipalities this Wednesday; and some of the competing candidates we spoke with say that they will be ready when polls open at 7:00 a.m. to cast their votes in what they know will be a vigorously contested race. Speaking with Amandala today, Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca was spirited and optimistic. He told us that the PUP is fighting vigorously, in all municipalities they are maintaining a strong presence and putting up a valiant fight in all 9 of them. “I think we have three municipalities governed by the PUP at this time and my sense is that the UDP is spending and making every effort to try and win those municipalities, so those are very strong fighting grounds. Those will be hotly contested: Orange Walk, Punta Gorda and Dangriga,” Fonseca told us.

Sarstoon Bullies!
What started out as a patriotic excursion to demarcate Belize’s southernmost border point evolved into a disconcerting experience for forty Belizeans who were all detained by Guatemalan military officials between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. last Saturday, February 28. The unsettling encounter occurred after the group, who are part of the Northern Territorial Volunteers (NTV) from the Orange Walk District, had embarked on an expedition to place a brass plaque with the name “Belize” at the Gracias A Dios border marker, a site that is accessible via the Sarstoon River, which forms a natural southern boundary between Belize and Guatemala. The group of bold nationalists – including 37 Northern Territorial Volunteers (which is comprised of individuals, including women, ranging from 14 to 81 years of age, and included 4 students and several teachers), 2 crew members, and an employee of PGTV – was about midway through their return trip when they were intercepted by heavily armed Guatemalan military personnel who informed them that for about 5 to 10 minutes during their journey, they had made an incursion into Guatemalan territory.

Belize to decriminalize 10 grams of marijuana
Cabinet and Parliament are soon expected to put their stamp of approval on a set of recommendations presented by the committee for the decriminalization of marijuana installed back in 2012. This will mean that all persons who have a police record for the possession of 10 grams of marijuana or less will have their criminal record for that conviction expunged forthwith, as the law will no longer deem the possession of marijuana for “private, personal use” to be an offense prosecutable as a crime in Belize. However, the public possession of marijuana, even in small amounts of 10 grams or less, would remain illegal and persons found in possession of it could be issued a fine of up to $15 per gram of weed, of which two-thirds will be paid into the judiciary and a third will be paid into the National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDACC).

Disabled man burned to death in house fire
Dale Lewis, 61, who was confined to a wheelchair, and who lived on the upper flat of his two-flat house on Isidoro Arana Street in the New Site area of Dangriga, was burned to death when his house was destroyed by fire at about 3:00 yesterday afternoon. A witness told Amandala that when the house began to burn, people in the area rushed upstairs to rescue Lewis, but the door was locked from inside, and the stairs, which provided the only access to the elevated house, were on fire, which made it very difficult to get into the house to save him. The witness reported hearing screams for help, but the intense heat of the burning lumber house forced them to retreat, and Lewis was burnt to death.

Bradley seeks re-election in Belize City
He is not worried about winning by a landslide margin; in fact, the incumbent mayor of Belize City, Darrell Bradley, a lawyer by profession, told us that even if he wins by one vote, it would mean that he would get to continue the work program he has led for the past three years in Belize’s commercial capital – Belize City, the municipality which is home to 41% of the voters who are eligible to participate in this Wednesday’s elections. However, Bradley will be facing two challengers – Yolanda Schakron, the mayoral candidate for the Opposition People’s United Party, and Eustaquio “Ernesto” Torres, who ran on separate occasions under the PUP and the UDP, but who is making a bid for the mayoral seat as an independent candidate, despite dismal support the last time he ran.

Playoff race heats up at end of Week 5
With the single round-robin regular season already past half-way in the Premier League of Belize Closing Season 2014-2015, the race to the 4-team playoffs is already hot. (See standings below.) Scoring details are still incomplete, but in the only game on Saturday, BDF travelled to Independence and came away with a 2-1 victory over home standing Placencia Texmar Assassins. On Sunday, the home squad had a field day at the Carl Ramos Stadium, where Wagiya shelled the visiting San Ignacio United by a 7-nil margin. Meanwhile, out west at the Norman Broaster Stadium, Jerome “Jarro” James (28’) scored the only goal of the game, as defending champions Belmopan Bandits dealt former league leaders Verdes FC their second loss by a 1-0 score. The Bandits are yet to give a goal so far after 4 games played in this regular season.

NEBL wraps up Week 4 with some key game match-ups
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) is one month into its second annual basketball season, as teams can now be better gauged by their performance on the court. Fans are reminded that all games have a live webcast, where the play-by-play, along with box scores are available for all games. Fans can follow every game live on the internet, as scores are in real time. The games can be accessed from our website at nebl.sportingpulse.net Belmopan Red Taigaz extends winning streak to 3 games. San Pedro Tiger Sharks rolls past Toledo Diplomats. Cayo Western Ballaz rolls in ‘Griga. FIBA rule changes. On Thursday night, Belmopan Red Taigaz (3-1) will host the Orange Walk Running Rebels (2-2) at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan City, as the home team will try to extend their winning streak to 4 games. On Friday night, Cayo Western Ballaz (4-0) will take their home court in an attempt to remain undefeated, as Belize City No Limit (1-3) will travel to San Ignacio to try and be the first team to hand them a loss. On Saturday night, Toledo Diplomats (0-4) will travel to Belize City to take on the Belize Hurricanes (1-3) at the Belize Elementary School Gym; while San Pedro Tiger Sharks (3-1) will host the Dangriga Warriors (2-2) at the San Pedro High School in San Pedro. Games on Thursdays and Saturdays tip off at 8:00 p.m., while all Friday night games start at 9:00 p.m.

Aggression and emergency
On Saturday, February 28, between 2 and 4 p.m., elements of the Guatemalan military stationed at the Sarstoon River border between Guatemala and Belize, committed an act of aggression upon a group of 40 Belizeans who had traveled up the Sarstoon to place a bronze marker at the Gracias a Dios border point. As the Belizeans were returning in their boat from Gracias a Dios to the Sarstoon River mouth, the Guatemalan military detachment intercepted the Belizean boat, forced it to stop, ordered the captain to shut down his two engines, and then began towing the Belizean boat. Reports are they towed the Belizeans about half a mile into open sea, where the apparent intention of the Guatemalans was to order them inside a large Guatemalan Coast Guard vessel. Unable to do this because of the rough condition of the seas, the Guatemalans then had the Belizean vessel start its engines and forced the Belizeans to go to Livingston, a Guatemalan town about ten miles from Punta Gorda. The Belizeans have said that the initial act of aggression took place in Belizean territory, on the Belizean side of the Sarstoon, after the Guatemalans had “shadowed” them all the way up the Sarstoon to Gracias a Dios.

From the Publisher
As I’m writing, this is pre-dawn Sunday morning, and the topic should be, of course, the abuse of 37 Belizeans by the Guatemalan military/navy yesterday evening after 4. When I went to bed last night, the Belizeans had been illegally taken by boat to Livingston, Guatemala, were later informed that they were “free” early last night, and would supposedly spend the night in Livingston before returning to The Jewel this morning. This matter, however, will be dealt with in other areas of this issue, besides which, there are things I would like to say about yesterday which are not fit to print. Instead of examining yesterday evening’s abduction of the Northern branch (mostly Orange Walkeños) of the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV), then, in this column I will discuss some of Toledo’s political history. Those patriotic Belizeans who were abducted had made a trip to Toledo’s (and Belize’s) southernmost point in the Sarstoon River in order to plant a marker at the Gracias a Dios border.

Guatemalan ambassador, Manuel Arturo Téllez Miralda, passes away in Belize at 54
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala announced on Sunday, March 1, 2015, that Guatemala’s Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Manuel Arturo Téllez Miralda, had passed away earlier that morning. Embassy sources here said that the ambassador, who had been hospitalized, passed away at the age of 54 due to natural causes. Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lauded Ambassador Téllez Miralda for his service to the ministry as a diplomat since 1991 with deep love for his country and said that his passing represents “an irreparable loss.” Apart from serving as ambassador to Belize since 2004, Téllez Miralda also served as Guatemala’s ambassador to El Salvador and head of mission in Mexico.

Institute of Sustainable Livelihood launches youth entrepreneurship project
The Youth Apprenticeship Program, in collaboration with the Institute of Sustainable Livelihood and some local businesses, launched a new project this afternoon to assist young people by providing tools for various crafts that would enable them to become self-employed. Unamay Gordon, a Jamaican entrepreneur who founded the NGO Institute of Sustainable Livelihood, received a grant from the Australian government aid program to assist young people in Belize, and during the ceremony at the former Youth for the Future building on Youth for the Future Drive, Gordon explained that the program will provide 16 young persons in Belize with the basic tools and equipment they would need to engage in the mechanical, plumbing and electrical trades. Gordon explained that the objective of the project is the emergence in the future of a company or a cooperative that could service the construction industry – particularly the growing housing sector.

Patrick Jones

Murder in San Pedro town
Officer Commanding San Pedro police Superintendent Luis Castellanos has confirmed that there was a murder tonight in the town. It happened in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro Town. Preliminary information says that one person is dead and another is listed in critical condition.

Brothers await jury decision on rape charge
Brothers Jermaine and Austin Stevens are on trial in the Supreme Court on charges of rape and abetment to rape, respectively. This evening a jury of five women and four men are deliberating their fate in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas. Around 12:30 p.m. on March 20, […]

Leon Gomez to serve 15 years for manslaughter
Supreme Court Justice Adolph Lucas was not working for a while due to illness but he is now back on the job and today he finished a long held-over matter involving sentencing 22 year old Leon Gomez for the crime of manslaughter. Gomez, charged with the murder by […]

Eight persons charged for firearm, drugs offences
Eight persons, including two minors, were charged with keeping ammunition without a gun license and possession of controlled drugs when they appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The adults are Dean Nembhard, Sherilee Ovado, Michael Saldano, Clifton Allen, Malik Ovado and Dowren Stuart. The group […]

Guillermo Avila speaks, wants his name cleared
This afternoon Captain of the vessel “Dore”, Guillermo Avila, who quickly became the center of an international incident between Belize and Guatemala over the weekend, told his story for the first time to reporters in Belize City today. Flanked by attorney Audrey Matura Shepherd, Avila says that he […]

Businessman chases down/captures alleged burglar
A Belize City businessman who was the victim of a burglary was able to subdue the alleged thief and hand him over to police. Thirty four year old Cleveland May, Jr. has been arrested and charged for the crime of burglary, stemming from an incident on Sunday night. According to […]

Blogs

Our Trip to Belize Pt. 1
Remember Tamera Mowry's visit to Belize? Well she is blogging about her 'babymoon' to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She only has great things to say. Adam, Aden and I just got back from the trip of a lifetime, to Belize! I knew Adam had a babymoon planned but I never could have expected just how relaxing it would be. Believe me, there is nothing like travel to really put things in perspective for you. You get time to relax, reflect, immerse yourself in a different culture and distance yourself from whatever is going on at home. Having time away always leaves me feeling more refreshed (if not wanting to do it more often), but also ready to be home again – especially when I have photos to share! So here goes… The first part of the trip was all about the beaches. Those stunning, unforgettable waters… Ahh.

DayDreamin’ in Tres Cocos, Ambergris Caye: A Brand New Bed & Breakfast
Just this past weekend, I was invited to spend the night at a brand new bed and breakfast that just opened in the lovely neighborhood of Tres Cocos on North Ambergris Caye. Just close enough to town to walk or bike ride (just over a mile) for all the restaurants, bars & shops but far away enough for some evening peace and quiet. And maybe a walk just a few hundred feet down the lane to one of San Pedro’s most famous spots, The Palapa Bar. Four lovely little cabanas and an office. All clustered around a small pool… that are surprisingly luxe. Absolutely beautifully finished. From the gorgeous tile work in the washroom to the 800 to 1000 count sheets on the bed and the uber-comfy mattress and the fan…THE FAN! I could not stop obsessing over it. It’s like art.

Belize Mayan Ruins: 6 Impressive sites to visit!
Belize’s first and most enduring inhabitants, the Maya, left a rich legacy of art, science and mathematics that continues to unfold and astound us. Much of this ancient knowledge was lost when Spanish conquistadors laid waste to the extensive Maya libraries and administrative centres, but, fortunately, the Maya recorded parts of their history and predictions in stone inscriptions that can be seen today in stelae and the remains of elaborate cities, buildings and temples that survived centuries of jungle encroachment. We have listed 6 of the most impressive Mayan Ruins found in Belize: 1. Xunantuinch 2. Altun Ha 3. Lamanai 4. Caracol 5. Lubaantun 6. Cahal Pech

It's Always the Team
There's a grip of things to talk about - but man I'm having a hard time finding the motivation, and if I keep putting it off then it will be such old news no one will really care (I typed that a week ago...so now it is all REALLY old new. Also, the more I think about it, the more I think I want to go a completely different way. So - I think I'll just throw some pics up with very brief descriptions and hit topics largely unrelated to any of the weeks happenings. Grant got married - 10 minute ceremony and hours of party...perfect. Carnaval happened. That was a wikked cool experience! Bought clothes just to destroy them. Went to a party with Captain Jack Sparrow as an official rum taster for an world famous blogger. My official review - "the rum was...liquidy".

South of Town - "The Mosquito Coast"
Last year, around this time, we had our wedding ceremony in San Pedro. We rented out two beautiful homes 3-1/2 miles south of town (Casa Redonda) and had friends and family join us for a week long vacation. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous! The houses provided enough space to comfortably accommodate 22 people with a wonderful pool and a pier that provided several days of snorkeling fun. This was the first time our guests had been to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and, like most tourists, they felt like they MUST return home with unique souvenirs. Fortunately for our group, our caretaker, Elvis Palaco, could provide just that! Elvis makes beautiful items out of conch shells and sells them for very reasonable prices.

STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING IN BELIZE
The Belize SUP expedition was born over a year ago when I was invited by Island Expeditions owner Tim Boys to come down to Belize to take part in their week long training program and to introduce standup paddle boarding to the company. It was my first time in Belize and I was impressed by the culture, people and beauty of this small Caribbean country. Island Expeditions runs an amazing operation down here and they have been the leaders in eco adventure travel in Belize since 1987. Tim started the company with a couple of kayaks and passion for adventure. Tim and I talked about the potential to run multi day lodge to lodge sup trips down here. Belize has numerous cayes, mangrove islands and a spectacular pristine reef system in relatively calm marine waters that make this trip ideally suited for sup travel and those just getting into the sport. So we created a seven day itinerary called Coral Island SUP. This was a historic trip as not only was it the first multi day sup trip for Island Expeditions but it would be the first in Belize and most likely in Central America.

International Sources

KFAED finances USD13.47m loan to Belize
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) provided a USD 13.47 million loan to Belize to help in a road restoration project, a statement by the fund showed, KUNA reported. The statement indicated that the money will be used to restore an 87-kilometer road which will help in facilitating land transportation in Belize. With the signing of the loan agreement, KFAED had provided five loans to Belize worth USD29.64 million. The fund also provided two grants worth USD1.01 billion to the nation-state located in the eastern coast of Central America.

U. S. Increased Military Support to Belize, Says General
DIÁLOGO: How do Belize and the United States collaborate and work together? Brig. Gen. David Jones: Belize has been getting substantial support from the U.S. They are our greatest supporter and they are helping more than other countries around the world. They have seen the strategic importance of Belize’s role in the efforts to counter narcotrafficking and apart from pledging their support; they have proven that they are willing to assist us. So they have made substantial donations to us to improve our capacity building for military and for our police, and they have sent troops into Belize to conduct training and to do repairs and maintenance of some of our vehicles or aircraft and also on our boats; and they work closely with our Coast Guard. I have seen a significant increase of support from the U.S. government and U.S. Military last year, and that is expected to increase even more this year and beyond, which is promising news. We are glad to receive their support and we are willing to play our part to combat organized crime and narcotrafficking in this region.

Corpo de surfista morto ao praticar ioga em Belize chega ao ES
Após 11 dias da morte em Belize, o corpo do surfista capixaba Filipe Fairich chegou ao Espírito Santo, por volta de 8h, desta terça-feira (3). A irmã do atleta, Carhol Fairich, disse que o corpo seguiu para a funerária em Vila Velha, na Grande Vitória, e será liberado ao meio-dia para o velório no Cemitério Parque da Paz, na Ponta da Fruta, no mesmo município. O enterro está marcado para às 16h. A morte de Filipe Fairich aconteceu no dia 20 de fevereiro, segundo a irmã do surfista. Carhol disse que ele estava sozinho em casa, praticando ioga, enquanto a esposa trabalhava. Ao chegar, a mulher viu o marido morto e chamou a polícia. A família ainda informou que um exame mostrou que o atleta morreu por conta de uma lesão no pescoço, que pode ter sido provocada por alguma postura de ioga.

Survey Shows 2015 Will Be Busy Year For Travel Industry
It's March; have you started to plan a vacation yet? Nearly 90 percent of Americans will be hitting the road for at least four days during a time not associated with holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's according to the latest AAA Consumer Pulse Survey. The top three vacations named were visiting a city, visiting a beach and taking a cruise respectively.

Birding: Tropics are no vacation for birds
Q: Sitting on a tree branch in a tropical jungle sounds like a pretty good lifestyle right about now. Am I right to think that for migratory birds, the “livin’ is easy” in winter? A: You’re right to think that winter in the tropics is less stressful than dashing around the temperate zone in summer, catching insects and feeding them to nestlings from dawn to dusk. But what looks like lush jungle to us in places like Belize, Panama or Ecuador may simply be another work zone for songbirds. There’s a lot of competition between visiting and resident birds for the fruits and insects in the tropical forest. For this reason many migratory birds defend a feeding territory in winter, which causes stress and burns up calories. And there are many predators in tropical forests, so “our” migrants must find or relearn places where they can dash for safety or to roost without being seen.

Caribbean Health Officials Begin Regional Chikungunya Conference
The Caribbean Public Health Agency’s regional conference on the Chikungunya virus got under way on Tuesday in Port-of-Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago. The agency, known as CARPHA, said via Twitter account that health officials from St. Martin, Mexico, Canada, the Cayman Islands and Martinique, among other countries, made presentations on Chikungunya cases in their countries and offered recommendations for the region. “Our messages have not reached people as they should. We need to rethink our communications approach,” CARPHA executive director James Hospedales said. The meeting, funded by the European Union, will seek to examine possible public-private partnerships to address the epidemic.

Choosing the Commonwealth Secretary General
Despite periodic statements suggesting that the Commonwealth as an institution no longer has the relevance once attributed to it, clearly there is, in the Caribbean as elsewhere, still a fascination with obtaining the position of Secretary General on the part of Caribbean governments. No doubt many governments may feel that the holding of the position by a national of their countries, brings not only a certain positive notoriety, but also enhances access to a wider, and more politically variegated world and what it has to offer. In that context, by now we should not be surprised at the anxiety of this or that Caricom government to place one of their diplomatic or political stalwarts in the position, though it is probably the case, as demonstrated in the long tenure of Sir Shridath Ramphal, that what is to be gained more often than not really accrues to the Region as a whole, though the particular country from which the Secretary General derives, may feel it useful to bask in the diplomatic sunlight that the position casts.

Dominica hoping other countries join CCJ
Dominica is hoping that its decision to join the Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Friday will lead to other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries following suit. Attorney General Levi Peter, speaking on the state-owned DBS radio, said that the CCJ, which was established by regional governments in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the Caribbean’s final court, will allow for more people to have access to its rulings. He said the fact that the CCJ would be sitting in different Caribbean countries would result in substantial savings for litigants and others seeking to appear before the Court.

Videos

March 3, 2015

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

Get your drink on with Tiburon Rum!
The newest Belizean rum on the market is Tiburon Rum, and it’s definitely a party starter! The brain child of Basil Destefano and Traveller’s Rums Limited, Tiburon is a molasses-based “special” rum which has been aged and blended from a variety of barrels of varying age and character. It’s aged in old oak bourbon barrels and together with the help of the warm climate of Belize its gently matures into a smooth and quite delectable drink. Dubbed the “Spirit of Belize”, this rum is one that you can either sip on the rocks or mix with whatever pleases your taste buds. I in particular am a big fan of rum and cranberry. The subtle hints of vanilla in the Tiburon Rum mixed with sweet but tangy cranberry juice are just perfection. I forgot to keep tabs on my drinking count at the party and well, it was not pretty the next day! But that’s over indulgence for you! In moderation, as with all things, Tiburon is a fabulous drink!

San Pedro High boys win 3rd place at NSSSA football tournament
The San Pedro High School boys won the 3rd place at the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) football championships hosted by St. Ignatius High School at the Norman Broaster Stadium over the weekend. In Game 3 the consolation game for 3rd place on Saturday morning, the Isla Bonita boys won 2-1 against Gwen Liz. San Pedro’s Edley Godoy scored the 1st goal in the 22nd minute, but Clinton Dawson equalized for Gwen Liz in the 52nd minute. San Pedro’s team captain Jose Chimal scored the 2nd winning goal in injury time.

Game Licenses
The Belize Forest Department hereby reminds the general public that, as per the Wildlife Protection Act (CAP 220), a license is needed hunt and sell the following game species: • Deer • Gibnut • Armadillo • Peccary • Iguana • Chachalaca, Black-throated Bobwhite A valid Dealer’s License issued by the Forest Department is also needed for the sale of these game species.

An Underwater Classroom for the Day
It is only when we look through the eyes of the next generation that we understand the importance of protecting what we have today. The Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage transported 35 students of Grace Primary Anglican School from the concrete classroom to the underwater classroom of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which is part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System on Wednesday, February 25. A glass bottom boat opened up the underwater world of the Belize Barrier Reef to the awe-filled students, whom for many the trip was the first to Belize’s offshore.

Ambergris Today

Pic of the Week- Just Married in Paradise
Just married in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize! We caught this couple (in flip flops) riding around "Island Style". The closest thing to a stretch limo on the island is a stretched, 6-seater golf cart. But what more do you need in an island paradise, right? Congratulations to the happy couple who had their Destination Wedding in San Pedro!

Caye Caulker Resident Launches “Caye Boy” Children’s Book
Caye Boy children’s books are available at www.cayeboy.com (visit site for retail locations in Belize) and at www.amazon .com for world-wide shipping. Caye Boy: Barefoot Adventures of an Island Child: The sun comes up and the island children start their day! There are hermit crab races to be won, trees to climb, and an entire island to explore. Follow the barefoot adventures of a "caye boy" and his little brother as they explore the sand streets of their little island from sunup till sundown. Caye Boy and Kite Day: All the island children are super excited for Kite Day...but when a kite gets stuck in "Kite Tree", what is a Caye Boy to do? With the help of their fellow villagers, Gilford and Alvis just MIGHT get a new kite in time!

Misc Belizean Sources

Consejo Village Library March 2015 Morning Coffee Cafe
Enjoy a hearty slice of homemade pie or cake with a bottomless cup of brewed coffee or tea for only $5 BZD. The New Door Is Installed! Installation of the new front entry door is completed and the front walls have been repaired. Work is underway on repainting and repairing the screened entry. To celebrate, we are offering some extra special desserts in addition to the standard fare. Again, come chat with friends and learn more about CVL, its services, and resources. This is an informal, friendly gathering in a cafe style atmosphere with a “come and leave when you want” style of service. No meeting nor solicitation will be surprised upon you. Place: Consejo Village Library, Lot #492, Consejo Village, Corozal (Red “brick style” building across from Casablanca, diagonally from the customs compound and pier) Time: Sunday, March 8th, 8:30-12:00 p.m.

Sale of liquor prohibited on Election Day
The sale of liquor is completely prohibited on election day, March 4, 2015 starting at 7 AM and ending on March 5, 2015 at 10 AM

Municipal Election Notice:
Employers to allow employees reasonable time for voting

Commentary: Air traffic controllers in Belize need to be dealt with
By Wellington C. Ramos According to the Minister of Civil Aviation Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. from the Government of Belize, 19 flights that were scheduled to depart and a few that were to arrive on Saturday 21st February 2015 experienced problems. This occurred because the air traffic controllers who were supposed to report to work on that day failed to show up. The people and the government of Belize had no idea that these controllers were not going to report to work. Neither did the employees state any issue to the ministry that was of major concern to them prior to this day. Mr Coye, who is the manager at the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville, immediately called the air traffic controllers who were to report for duty but none of them answered their cellphones. People who had flights scheduled for that day to leave the airport were waiting to hear what was going to be the government’s solution to this major problem. The government authorities brought in some retired air traffic controllers and two from abroad who were trained in Belize to come in an assist them with the problem. They were able to process 17 of the 19 flights to proceed to their destinations, leaving two flights left to be sent to their destinations.

Rock the Vote!
Cayo was represented well at Oceana's Rock the Vote yesterday at Memorial Park in Belize City. It was a fantastic concert, and most of the well known Belizean artists came out and performed to support the cause of 'No Offshore Drilling.' The Garifuna Collective, World Culture Band, Melonie Gillett, Jackie Castillo, Tanya Carter, TR Shine, and many others really rocked the house. Nello Player, who won the Belize theme competition a few years back, has a new band, and they are incredible. Thanks to all the amazing artists that took the time to play for this noble cause!

La Ruta Maya Cultural Night
The SISE House of Culture is having their annual LRM Cultural Night this Thursday at the Cayo Welcome Center. They'll have a special cultural presentation for the event. The Galen Eagles Band will be performing, as will the Bullet Tree Cultural Dance Group. It all starts at 7:00pm.

Choto Wins Cayo Circuit Race
Congratulations, Geovanni Choto, for winning the Cayo Circuit Race, which was held in Santa Elena on Saturday. "The field comprised predominantly of riders from western Belize, would have to navigate the slanted boulevard for 20 laps to complete 40 miles. The finish line on a slight incline does not tell the tale of the sharp climb at the opposite turning point. The 25 man starting list featured strong contenders from DigiCell 4G, Western Spirit and C-Ray Road Addikzx; the only teams with more than three riders each."

Carnaval exhibition
The San Pedro House of Culture invites you to come view the carnaval exhibition. You are cordially invited to our exhibition, as we continue to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of San Pedro.

ABTEC school info Orange Walk
Free technical education and a stipend: This is from ABTEC American/Belizean Technical Educational Services in Orange walk. All courses are free. Please give this info to anyone you think could benefit. Weekly Stipend of $30 to cover bus fare.

BCVI
Please note that the BCVI (Belize Council for the Visually Impaired) will be holding their monthly free clinic at the San Pedro Lions Den tomorrow morning March 3rd from 8:30AM until 2PM.

Up Close with the Belize Manatees
As part of this year’s Reef Week activities, The Belize Manatee Project is providing a unique manatee experience for 10 selected Belizean children. In order to be selected for this unique manatee experience, children must write a short paragraph (max 200 words) stating why they would like to be a part of this experience, and why it is important to protect our manatees. Entries must be posted on the Protect Our Manatees Belize Facebook page. The top 10 entries with the most likes by Friday March 6th, 2015 at 12:00 noon will be the winners. The winners will get to spend the day with our very own Belizean manatee expert, Jamal Galves, who will share his knowledge and experiences with the children, and a presentation on the importance of manatees to the marine ecosystem and the threats these animals face. After the presentation, children will then go on an exciting boat ride to observe these animals in their natural habitat. Criteria:

1859 Boundary Treaty gave Belizeans right of passage
Guillermo Avila, the captain of the boat that took Belizeans to Gracias Adios was forced to sign a document saying he went into a wrong channel in the Sarstoon that belonged to Guatemala. The captain admitted he went 100 yards into the channel and then altered the course. That happened early Saturday morning. However, late Saturday evening, the Guatemala Coastguard went into Belize water to detain the captain and the Northern Territorial Volunteers. The following document is extracted the from the 1859 treaty which was ratificatied and exchanged in Guatemala, September 12, 1859. It gave everyone free movement on the Sarstoon. "Her majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Charles Lennox Wylie, Esquire, Her Britannic Majesty’s Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Guatemala; And his Excellency the President of the Republic of Guatemala, Don Pedro de Aycinena, Councillor of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs;

DETAILS SURROUNDING THE INCIDENT ON 28TH FEBRUARY, 2015, AT SARSTOON RIVER, BELIZE
The Government of Belize is very pleased and relieved that the group of 37 Belizeans who were held on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 were returned safely and promptly on Sunday March 1st, 2015 at 10:57am.

BOLEDO DRAWING for Monday, March 2, 2015: 08

Rotary Starting Duck Run Bathroom
The Rotary Club of San Ignacio is really taking this Rotary Week seriously. They have quite a few projects going on around Cayo, including building school bathrooms in Benque, Duck Run, and refurbishing Rotary Park in Santa Elena. Thanks, Rotary, and happy 110th.

NL's New Location
NL's Tortilla Factory has that new building at the turn before the turn to the wooden bridge. Best corn tortillas around. Looks like they'll be doing well there.

Channel 7

Belizeans Held In Guatemala?
On Saturday evening at 4:30, all of Belize was gripped by the report that 40 Belizeans had been taken prisoner by the Guatemalan Coast Guard. That has never happened before - and it sent a collective shiver across the nation. Happily, though, within hours, what was first presented as a hostile situation appeared to have softened somewhat: the Belizean "detainees" suddenly became guests of the Guatemalans in Livingston. But, the entire narrative of what led up that and what followed it is a first for Belize. And it shows two things: how tricky it can be toeing the southern borderline, and how even uneasy neighbors can find ways to work things out.

The Gracias A Dios Timeline
So, we've showed you the detention and eventual release, but why were these Belizeans at that location to have been taken into custody? Well, viewers may remember back in 2013 when Toledo border activist and politician, Wil Maheia, started the "Clearing the Border Initiative". He and the organization called the Belize Territorial Volunteers started clear strategic border locations along the border, including Aguas Turbias in the north, Garbutts Falls in the west, Gracias A Dios as the southernmost point of the country, and the unregulated border point of Jalacte.

A Heroes' Welcome in OW
Of the 37 volunteers, all except one are residents of Orange Walk. That person is from Corozal, and late into Sunday night, the 36 arrived in Orange Walk Town to a hero's welcome, complete with motorcade and homecoming ceremony. The media was also there, and Leader of this expedition Giovanni De La Fuente, said that even if they knew beforehand that they would have been taken into custody by the Guatemalan military, they would have still had to courage to go: Giovanni De La Fuente - Leader, Northern Territorial Volunteers "This reception is great. I wasn't expecting and the people of Orange Walk, they really make you feel good. We still have people that loves Belize."

The De-Brief Test
As you heard in our story, a part of the welcome back in Punta Gorda Town involved the a meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Ministry, along with Belizean Ambassador to Guatemala Alexis Rosado, and other Foreign Affairs staffers. In that meeting, 5 key persons from the group were asked to debrief the Government officials, so that their version of events could be compared to the version which Guatemala relayed through diplomatic and military channels. National Security CEO George Lovell told the media that from what the Belizeans have reported, a diplomatic note will more than likely be sent: Ret. Col. George Lovell - CEO, Ministry of National Security "The reason why we had these interviews, was basically for us to establish precisely what the facts are from the people who were out there and who had firsthand experience of what transpired on the ground. As you may have heard, we have been talking to our OAS officials, our BDF and foreign affairs officials and they themselves were relaying to the Ministry of National Security secondhand information.

Two Murders in Four Hours In Lake-I(Raq)
It was a very violent weekend in the city: there were two murders - and two shootings, in addition to at least two vicious beat downs. The weekend murders are the most troubling; they both happened on Sunday night and come on top of two murders last week. And, just like the ones last week, they are believed to be gang related. The violence started at around 6:00 pm near the complex building - and 6 hours later, two young men would be dead, with another injured. More than that, the entire large neighborhood was traumatized. Monica Bodden reports on what police and relatives are saying:..

Mother Of Accused Man Rejects Murder Charge
And while police have two more murders to solve, they've made an arrest for the killing of 29 year-old Hubert Bodden. He's 19 year Ernesto Vasquez, aka "Neto", who was arraigned on the charge of murder when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. Vasquez was remanded into custody until April 17. Bodden was shot and killed around 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, while he was on Cedar Street, located behind Habet and Habet Hardware Store. According to reports, Bodden was mistakenly shot by a bullet that was intended for a man who had fled from the scene.

Jamie Chavaria Shot (Again)
And there was another shooting of note in the city. This one happened on Saturday night on West Canal between Berkley Street and Rocky Road. Just before midnight, 26 year old Jamie Emmanuel Chavarria got out of his vehicle and was crossing the street when a gunman ran out from through an alleyway and opened fire on him. Chavarria was shot in his left arm and left side of his chest. He managed to crawl towards his vehicle and escape. He is listed in a stable but critical condition. Chavarria told 7news today that he could not recognize his attacker and he is still puzzled as to why he was shot. Chavarria was shot in Ladyville in December of 2012 - the man he was with was murdered.

A Mexican Murder In San Victor
And turning now to the north, a Mexican was killed in the village of San Victor in the Corozal District. Yesterday afternoon at around 1:00 pm, villagers found a dead man in a pimento bungalow house. He had been viciously chopped to the face and head, and had puncture wounds on the neck and chest. Police say he was with another Mexican who is a suspect, but outside of that there are very few other known details. Here's Officer Commanding Corozal, Superintendent Andrew Ramirez: Supt. Andrew Ramirez, OC - Corozal "We have no other information except that the person was known as Sergio Martinez and he also indicated to the persons that he had been communicating with, that he was a Mexican national. As part of the investigation we have another individual in custody presently being interview in relation to this scenario. That person also identity has not been confirmed. Initial information is that are both partners, because he had been interviewed by the consulate as well Ms. Espat here in Corozal and also myself. Most of the information that he has indicated is basically that they are friends, as if to indicate that there is no need for him to be injuring his partner or companion."

The Egg Hurling Culprit?
Egg on the face - that's what UDP Cayo Northeast Representative Elvin Penner ended up with last week Friday when he went to the Supreme court in Belize City. Police caught the man who stoned him immediately - and today he went to court. He is 33 year old Allen Valencio, 33, a construction worker of Belama Phase 4. He was charged with common assault and throwing missiles. But he isn't charged for stoning Penner; Valencio was read charges of common assault upon and throwing missiles at Sylvester Maldonado, who is reportedly Penner's driver. Valencio pleaded not guilty to both charges and the court prosecutor had no objection to bail since Valencio got $500 dollars station bail when he was first detained on Friday. Valencio is due back in Court #3 until April 23, 2015.

The Harmonyville Compromise
Last week, Friday, we told you about the settlement between the Government of Belize and the grassroots organization, BGYEA about the use of the buffer area in Harmonyville. The bottom line is that BGYEA will plant their corn in other reserve lands within the community - areas that are not road reserve. It appears to be an amicable resolution, but BGYEA's president, Nigel Petillo, says that Government caused them to lose $30,000 in preparation of the buffer zone, which they would seek help to recover: "To be honest with you I still feel as if though we are still being held back to a certain extent. First of all this whole thing about no trespassing. You need to keep that in mind. This wasn't about us trespassing. The government was actually looking for a way to hold back BGYEA - to halt all explorations and all our initiatives. Dragging us back and forth in court for almost a year, without actually sitting down and say let us really address the idea or the reason why you wanted to plant corn and I'll have you know, one of the main reasons we needed to plant corn was we need roads. We need road in Harmonyville. You can't expect much from a community without infrastructures and so the government decided to then to negotiate with us - to say that they are willing to drop all charges if you will do this and that. It was a bogus charge, to come up with the idea of trespassing when we are actually partners with the government when it comes to managing this land. We have a stake there and to say well. Not allow us from cultivating something such as corn in this buffer space, then it says a lot."

Man Viciously Beat Up For Defending Daughter
A man was viciously beaten up on Saturday afternoon in Belize City. 42-year-old Wood Carver Oscar Williams, was walking on Southern Foreshore along with his 13-year-old daughter when a group of men in front of an abandoned concrete started throwing cat calls at his daughter. Oscar Williams approached the six men and that's when they put a vicious beat down on him, knocking him unconscious and bursting his head in various places. Police say he is in a Stable condition. Police have not arrested the men.

Man Perishes In Southern Blaze
A senior citizen perished in a fire in Dangriga on Sunday afternoon. 65 year old Telma Lewis left her house on errands while her disabled 61 year old husband Alvin Dale Lewis stayed home. But shortly after she left - she had to run back home because the 14x20 two storey wooden house had caught on fire. It burned rapidly and by the time fire teams arrived, Lewis had already perished. Initial investigations revealed that the fire started from downstairs. The house was valued at $17,000.00 and was not insured.

Get "Eeena It" For Election Day
This year for the 2105 municipal elections Chanel 7 and KREM are teaming up once again. We’ve been doing this since 2003 – which we called the moment. Then in 2006, it was “turn it up,” “08 Now” in 2008, the big test in 2009, the verdict in 2012, and for 2015, we are going to be eena it. The team of more than two dozen national correspondents had a preparatory session at the ITVET building in Belize city on Saturday and Mose Hyde and Jules Vasquez told us what the coverage intends to do:..

Gilroy Shuts Up The Press
Gilroy Usher - he's the PUP's Standard bearer for Port Loyola - and when he called a press conference for this morning two days before election we were very suspicious. But, bia text message, he told the media, it was non political - there wouldn't even be a political shirt of flag in sight - he was appearing as a regular citizen. Now, when a politician tells you a story like this two days before a major election, you know that he's trying to run a game on you. And we were right - Jules Vasquez got to the bottom of it:

Hon. Boots Goes Off On Gilroy
And what did his opponent Anthony Boots Martinez have to say about the press conference? Well for starters - he criticized Usher on his lack of experience in politics and ridiculed him for having the press conference in the Queens Square area instead of the constituency he is running in- Port Loyola. Here is how Martinez put it: Boots Martinez predicts that he will beat Usher by a margin of over 800 votes.

The Street Sweeping Stunt
While Martinez says Usher was completely lost, he, on the other hand, says he was exactly where he was supposed to be today - visiting residents in Port Loyola. Now, usually, politicians would blatantly deny any attempts at pulling off political stunts - two days before an election. But when we caught up with Martinez and his supporters on Jane Usher Boulevard, he told us quite candidly, that he has no shame in admitting that it is one of those stunts but that it comes with the territory. There were about 50 supporters accompanying Martinez today. Usher had 30 people at his press conference, but he told us those were just good citizens, not supporters.

Who Will Be PG's Mayor?
In two days, residents of Punta Gorda Town, like the 8 other municipalities, will pick their municipal leaders for the next 3 years.

PG Mayor Defends Record
One of the things which may come to the minds of the PG voters on Wednesday is the fact that their town hall was having so much financial difficulties that The Ministry of Local Government had to send in a financial controller to manage their affairs and allow the Town Council to keep functioning. The mayor maintains that he did the best that he could with the financial resources he had:

They Hurt The House Of Culture
On Sunday February 22nd, the San Pedro House of Culture was burglarized. About 20 artifacts were stolen and none have been recovered. Some of those artifacts include a range of Conch shell jewelry and ceramic pieces. According to the Director of the Museum, Sherilyne Jones, this burglary is a harsh blow to the House of Culture and more importantly to Belizean heritage. The House of Culture was recently opened in November of last year.

Making Education Count
Hundreds of preschool students poured into the city streets this morning. The students along with their parents and teachers marched with banners and posters celebrating Child Stimulation Month. They began at the Constitution Park, moved along Cemetery Road right up to the memorial park. While it might seem that these students, parents and teachers are simply taking a free day to march under the sun - they say it goes beyond that. This movement is really about evoking a passion for learning from an early age. There will be a host of educational and recreational activities for kids throughout the month.

Oscar Williams Revisited
And in an update to a story we ran earlier, we didn't get to air the file footage we have of Oscar Williams - who was badly beaten by 6 men while trying to defend his teenaged daughter. This is from our archives in 2005. We'll have more on the story tomorrow.

Channel 5

Guatemalan Military Detains Thirty- Seven Belize Territorial Volunteers Overnight
On Saturday news spread like a toxic cloud over the nation…thirty-seven Belizeans, part of an expedition headed to the southern-most border marker, had been detained by Guatemalan military and taken [...]

Expedition Leader Details Frightening Experience at Sea
But with the emotional homecoming out of the way, the question remains – how could the unthinkable have happened? How is it that a Belizean vessel carrying Belizeans could have [...]

Attorney for Boat Captain Says Document to Release Delegation Was Signed Under Duress
We’ll get to that government response in a few, but first the Captain of the Dore – Guillermo “Memo” Avila. He is the man who took the expedition to Gracias [...]

National Security and Foreign Affairs Officials Debrief Boat Captain and Passengers
As we told you, officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security conducted a debriefing exercise with certain members of the expedition right after arrival on Belizean land. [...]

Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala Expresses Disappointment
While it was probably a little too early to expect an official comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we approached Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado. He took part [...]

Weekend Violence Ends in Murder of Michael Welch
There were three murders over the weekend; two in Belize City and one in Corozal. In the city, we start with the most recent murder that occurred just after eleven [...]

Gunshots Near Gungulung Leaves Japhet Martinez Dead
Four hours before the cold-blooded murder of Michael Welch, shots rang out behind the Charles Bartlett Hyde building, better known as the Complex. Just before seven p.m. on Sunday, twenty-seven-year-old [...]

Mexican Murdered in Corozal
A Mexican national was hacked to death in the Corozal District over the weekend.  On Sunday night in San Victor Village, the mutilated body of Sergio Martinez was discovered inside [...]

Jaime Chavarria Shot on West Canal
At around midnight on Saturday, an attempt was made on the life of twenty-six-year-old Jaime Emmanuel Chavarria.  Just outside his house on West Canal, Chavarria had just exited his vehicle, [...]

19 Year Old Arraigned for Murder of Herbert Bowden
Nineteen-year-old Ernesto Vasquez of Antelope Street Extension was remanded to the Belize Central Prison for the killing of Herbert Bowden.  Vasquez was unrepresented in Magistrate’s Court today when he was [...]

Man Charged for Egging Elvin Penner
Allen Valencia was immediately detained on Friday after a group of protesters threw eggs and water at former Immigration Minister Elvin Penner when he exited the Supreme Court that day [...]

Elderly Man Perishes in Fire in Dangriga
Sixty-one-year-old Alvin Lewis Senior perished in an inferno which consumed his residence in Dangriga on Sunday afternoon.  According to his wife, Thelma Lewis, sometime after one o’clock she left their [...]

Ambassador Manuel Tellez Passes
It is with deep sadness that tonight we report on the death of Guatemala’s Ambassador to Belize, His Excellency Manuel Tellez.  He passed away on Sunday morning in Guatemala City [...]

Lord Ashcroft Weighs In On Belize’s Political Climate
Two weeks ago, a picture of Lord Michael Ashcroft and Audrey Matura Shepherd at breakfast went viral. It was all over social media, so much so that it made the [...]

…And His Involvement in Telemedia Prior to Nationalization
In our interview, Ashcroft also spoke about his level of financial involvement, or, as we learnt, his lack of financial involvement, in Telemedia at the time of nationalization. He categorically [...]

Gilroy Usher’s Press Conference Falls Apart in Port Loyola
Election Day 2015 is less than forty-eight hours away and the two major political parties, together with their mayoral and councilor candidates, are fueling their respective machineries.  On Wednesday, both [...]

Meet PG’s Third Party Mayoral Candidate
In the past weeks, News Five has travelled across the country, bringing you interviews from candidates vying for the sixty-seven seats up for grabs in the 2015 municipal elections. Over [...]

Wil Maheia Says He’s the Man for PG’s Mayorship
The People’s United Party has been at the helm of the Punta Gorda Town Council for the past three years, under a U.D.P. Central Government. According to Maheia, that hasn’t [...]

LOVE FM

Audrey Matura Shepherd: Vessel Violation vs Territorial Violation
For people living in southern Belize, especially near the coastal border, seeing Guatemalan armed forces cross over to Belize’s side of the border without hesitation is something common. That is exactly what happened says Audrey Matura Shepherd. “The Guatemalan vessels came into Belizean territory, followed them throughout; that is Belizean waters that they were in; went to Gracias A Dios with them, had coffee and Johnny cakes with them which he gave them. Then he realized that he would have needed some fuel and they then took them on their vessel to some village to get fuel brought them back. You would say they socialized a bit they left coming back at all times in Belizean water. They were almost at the mouth of the river approaching to go to the mouth of the river where they locked them in then claimed that the Port Master wanted to see them, not the coast guard or whomever was in charge; the Port Master which means it is a vessel violation not a territorial violation and that has to be clear.”

Ramirez Reports on Corozal First Murder for 2015
A man was killed in the Corozal District. Police say that yesterday afternoon at around 1 o’clock, they were called out to San Victor Village. They were subsequently led into a pimento bungalow house where they saw the body of Sergio Martinez, a Mexican national. Martinez had punctures to his neck and chest. Initial investigations revealed that Martinez was last seen alive at around 8:30 pm two days prior at a shop in the village. Superintendent of Police, and officer Commanding Corozal police Station Andrew Ramirez spoke to Love News about their first murder investigation for this year. SUPERINTENDENT, ANDREW RAMIREZ “We have a male person in custody who we believe is also a Mexican national, that information has been passed on to the Mexican Consulate here Ms. Espat for her assistance in confirming those identities. Corozal police is asking for the support and cooperation of the villagers of San Victor is solving the first murder for Corozal district for 2015. We found a piece of stick and that is what we have right now. We must be aware that the cane season just began and the entire San Victor is a border village to Mexico, these guys will come over during the cane season and initial information is that about three weeks ago both of these individuals with other Mexican nationals had come into the area of San Victor to partake in relation to the cane season.”

Ambassador Says Quick Release of Belizeans Is a Good Indication of Good Relations
When word got out that Belizeans were detained and being taken to Livingston, Guatemala, Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado was quickly notified. Rosado came to Belize along with the group of Belizeans, yesterday. Ambassador Rosado was also part of the meeting that took place between four of the volunteers and the captain of the boat, Guillermo Avila. After the debriefing, Ambassador shared his sentiments on the situation. “Well we are very disappointed by what happened and we are still trying to clear up the full picture but what it tells me is that we need to implement those agreements and do more to keep that level of communication. I think the fact that we managed to get out Belizeans back home so quickly, in fact they could have come home last night but because of the choppy waters and so they decided to overnight but the fact that we managed to get them back so quickly I think is a good indication of the communication and the links that exist between the militaries and also between the foreign ministries, that, of course, without prejudice to establishing all the facts surrounding the whole situation.

Father Injured in Weekend Altercation
A wood carver and father of two teenage girls was severely injured over the weekend after he stood up to some men who were hurling obscene and disrespectful remarks at his 13-year-old daughter as they walked along the Southern Foreshore. Love News spoke to the mother, Yolanda Williams, who told us that while she is separated from her husband, 42-year-old, Oscar Williams, he is always spending time with his daughters and on Saturday, he was taking the girls to the Street Arts Festival but had gone to pick up monies owed to him on prior to going to the festival. YOLANDA WILLIAMS “They went to collect some money and while coming back there were around six young men in the upstairs of an abandoned white house and the six of them started yelling and telling them things but they didn’t pay mind they just continued walking. After that one of the young men told my daughter ‘hey I’m your ex-boyfriend the one whose baby you got rid of’ and that is when I think he got upset.

Government of Belize Discourages Further Trips to Southern Belize
The Government of Belize issued a release a few minutes ago in which it states that the Governments’ deep concern about the ongoing incident was raised with senior authorities of the Guatemalan Government and of the Organization of American States. As for the question on whether or not, Captain Guillermo Avila, ventured into Guatemalan territory has been answered by government officials. GOB’s release states quote, “Initial reports suggest that by an error of navigation the Belizean vessel may have unintentionally entered into Guatemalan waters.

Guatemalan Military Detains Belizeans in Southern Belize
Social media was all ablaze on Saturday evening after it was reported that a group of Belizeans had been detained by Guatemalan military personnel while making their way back from placing a marker at the border point at Gracias a Dios in Southern Belize. Reporter Hipolito Novelo has been following the story and filed this report. “A group of 40 Belizeans, mostly from the Orange Walk District, arrived back at the Custom’s wharf in Punta Gorda. They had stayed the night in Livingston, Guatemala, not by choice but by necessity- one would say while others would say, they stayed there by force. But whatever the case may be, they were back in the country by 11 o’clock on Sunday morning accompanied by the Belize Coast Guard and Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado.

Two Dead From This Weekends Shooting Incidents
There was a surge in gun violence yesterday in the old capital as two men were murdered while two more are left nursing gunshot injuries. The first incident occurred a few minutes past midnight on Sunday morning on West Canal. In that incident 26-year-old, Jamie Emmanuel Chavarria was shot to the left side of his chest and in his left hand after exiting his vehicle in front of his home. Reports are that Chavarria was standing in front of his home on West Canal when a man of dark complexion emerged from Rocky Road and fired several shots in Chavarria’s direction. Chavarria remains hospitalized at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City and is listed as critical. Later on Sunday night at around seven o’clock investigators had a homicide case on their hands as 27-year-old, Japheth Martinez was shot and killed whilst at a shop near the Charles Bartlett Building in Belize City purchasing a phone card. Love News spoke to a relative on Martinez’ demise.

PlusTV

Penner egged by opponents at conclusion of appeal case
Police are said to have detained at least one person after missiles were thrown at Cayo North East area representative Elvin Penner, as he was hounded by a group of protestors while he was leaving court Friday morning just after 10:30...

Two Belize City men die and another is injured by gunfire
In the span of nearly 72 hours, two Belize City men died as a result of gunfire and a third lies wounded in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. When we left you on Wednesday night 21 year old Ian Adolphus, who had sustained injuries to the chest, shoulder and elbow after being shot while walking on ...

BGYEA reaches mediation agreement with Government over Harmonyville
After two mediation sessions at the order of the Supreme Court, the Government of Belize and the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) have reached agreement on a majority of issues to settle their case at the Supreme Court over use and enjoyment of the road reserve running adjacen...

“Get a bat and deal with the fool” – Hon. Mark King’s statement about PlusTV’s Louis Wade Jr.
Two committees were birthed from the negotiations between the Government and the Unions for a Salary Adjustment: The committee for Revenue Enhancement and the committee for cost saving measures, both aimed at making proposals to the Government to widen the public purse. On February 19th Plus TV’s Lo...

Road Traffic Accident Victim dies
On Monday we reported on a traffic Accident that occurred somewhere between miles 36 and 37 on the George Price Highway, where 55 year old Pablo Martinez was run over by an 18 wheeler truck driven by 38 year old Levi Figueroa, who told the media that he was coming from the direction of Spanish Looko...

Debate: 5 Mayoral Candidates Minus 1
We are less than a week away from the Country wide municipal elections , and the Evangelical Association Belmopan Branch in collaboration with PlusTV decided to   give  all residents of Belmopan the opportunity to listen to all 5 Belmopan Mayoral hopefuls on a common platform  so as to hear the visi...

Patrick Jones

Political aspirant warns against vote-buying for elections
This morning in Belize City, political aspirant Gilroy Usher Sr. was speaking to area residents in Port Loyola ahead of Wednesday’s municipal elections. His mind is already made up – he is supporting the People’s United Party’s team led by Yolanda Schakron. But many others are not – […]

Teenager charged with Herbert Bodden murder
A teenager has been charged with the murder of 29 year old Herbert Bodden which took place on Thursday afternoon. 19 year old Ernesto Vasquez, aka “Neto”, was charged when he appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton and remanded into custody until April 17. Bodden was shot and […]

Two charges for Ladyville man
Thirty-four year old Shawn Vargas, a resident of Mile 9 1/2 on the Phillip Goldson Highway in Ladyville, was fined a total of $10,300 today by Magistrate Herbert Panton after he pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis and harm. The fine of $10,000 was for a cannabis plant […]

Man fined for discharging licensed firearm
53 year old Robert Westby was fined $300 for a charge of discharging a firearm in public. The Biscayne resident, a farmer and sculptor, pleaded guilty despite saying he was only testing the firearm when he fired once in the air as it was not working properly. On […]

GOB makes statement on Guatemala’s detention of Belizeans
Late this evening, the Government of Belize issued a statement on the detention of a group of Belizeans on an expedition to the Gracias a Dios border marker in southern Belize on Saturday. The official statement says that the Ministry of Foreign affairs was alerted of the detention by the […]

Territorial Volunteers return unscathed from Livingston
Belize and Guatemala appear to have avoided a full-fledged international incident this past weekend, after a 36-member party and the captain of their boat was detained by Guatemalan military authorities near the mouth of the Sarstoon River on Saturday evening around 5:00 p.m. The group, ages ranging from […]

Blogs

H.L. Dole, Owner of a Good Chunk of North Caye Caulker, Prepares to Open A Nature Park Called “The Estuary”
I had been to the Caye Colony website and in an earlier post declared it “depressing”. Maybe a bit unfair and judgemental on my part since I’d never met the owner nor had I been to North Caye Caulker. I focused on this statement: “Welcome to Caye Caulker’s only master-planned, guarded community!” His property goes all the way out to the tip of the caye. The top 100 acres will be almost all private reserve, the bottom 50 acres are lots for sale.

Battle of the Best Beaches Ambergris, Placencia and Roatan
Recently, West Bay Beach on the island of Roatan, Honduras, was rated one of the best beaches in the world by tripadvisor congrats!! Having been on this beach, as well as the beaches of Ambergris Caye and Placencia, I wanted to do a comparison of the three. Many travelers looking for great snorkeling, beaches, and the Caribbean/Central American vibe will no doubt be looking at all three places. All three have their own fantastic reasons for a visit!

RumChata
This is a spin on Horchata and Rum Popo. This was served at a wedding Joe and I attended recently for the toast drink.

The March 1st, 2015 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• BDF CORPRAL AND WIFE SENTENCED:
  A couple from Billy White village was separately sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. The incident happened on Thursday, 22 December, 2011, when personnel from the Special Branch department conducted a house search at the residence of Gerald August, 34 year old Belizean BDF Corporal. Present at the time along with August was his wife, Loida August, 24 year old Belizean Domestic of the same address. During the search police found a black Pietro Beretta .9 pistol with the serial number tampered with, which was found inside a box with clothes. Upon further checks of the house, police led to the discovery of six Sellier and Bellot 12 gauge cartridges under the sewerage bowl behind the kitchen area along with one 5.56 magazine with twentyseven (27) 5.56 rounds of ammunition and 3 metal clips each containing ten live 5.56 rounds in a black plastic bag that was buried 6 inches and covered with two pieces of board.
• Mckoy Five Years Behind Bars:
  Today the trial for a 17 year old San Ignacio man concluded as he was found guilty inside the San Ignacio Magistrates court.The magistrate at the time, Narda Morgan, sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment. The incident occured on Friday, 13 December, 2013 at about 11:30 when police was conducting their mobile patrol on Flamingo Street in San Ignacio. Police notice a dark male person who they identified as Carlton Mckoy, 17 year old Belizean laborer of San Ignacio. Police then exited the mobile patrol and approached Mckoy who was walking towards a shop and upon entering the shop he throw something behind the counter.
• Public Health Notice: Measles Advisory:
  The Ministry of Health has been advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of an outbreak of Measles at the Disneyland Resort in air droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Although Measles remains prevalent in many parts of the world, Belize has been free from the disease since 1991. In order to maintain our Measles free status, the recommended and most cost-effective public health approach is to advise persons to get vaccinated with the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• La Ruta Maya Belize Canoe Race:
  The annual Ruta Maya Canoe Race brings together professional and amateur paddlers from Central and North America and Europe every March. Picture Above, government telephone company team at 2012 race. The annual La Ruta Maya Belize Endurance Canoe race is the longest race of its kind in Central America. One hundred and seventy miles of paddling on the Belize River over the course of 4 days. The race gets underway in San Ignacio Town Cayo District just under the Hawksworth Bridge. Between 90 and 100 teams from Belize, U.S.A., Canada, Japan, the U. K. and other countries participate. Starting at 7 in the morning, the paddlers are challenged by rapids, low areas that require them to physically carry their canoes for short distances as well as winds as they near the Caribbean Sea.
• History Of The Cross Country Cycling Race:
  The idea for the race originated with Belizean Monrad Metzgen, who on a trip to one of the villages on the Northern Highway in 1928 was struck by the number of bicycles Belizeans used to attend weekly cricket games in the Belize Rural area. He pitched an idea for a sort of cycling "expedition" to San Ignacio, testing the cyclists' ability to cope with a then-badly built Western Road (now George Price Highway), to the Governor, who immediately pledged support and offered a cup as a prize to the winner of the race. Other prominent Belizeans Monrad Metzgen spoke to, including medical officer Lieutenant Colonel James Cran, Matron L.M. Roberts of the Public Hospital, Royal Bank of Canada local manager Charles Beattie and Frans Dragten all donated money and trophies to the cause.
• Western Ballaz Rolls to Remain As The Only Undefeated Team:
  On Saturday night, the Cayo Western Ballaz (3 - 0) took the league's only undefeated record way down south to take on the winless Toledo Diplomats (0 - 3) at the Julian Cho Technical High School. Despite some delays, the game commenced at 10:15 p.m., with the visiting team claiming the spoils, securing a 96 - 80 victory in Toledo. Cayo Western Ballaz was led by Richard Troyer, who set the NEBL scoring record with 43 points on 71% shooting from the field, and 5 - 5 from the charity stripe, while also setting an NEBL record with 8 three pointers in the game. He finished the game with a double-double, adding 13 boards to his stat line, while dishing out 2 assists and tallying 2 steals.
• Guatemala Ex-President Alfonso Portillo Freed From US Jail:
  Former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo has been released from a U.S. prison after serving a nearly six-year sentence for taking $2.5 million in bribes from Taiwan and laundering funds through U.S. banks, a prison official confirmed Wednesday. Portillo was sentenced to five years, 10 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Patterson in New York last May. At the time, he had already served more than four years in jail since his arrest in 2010.
• Grace Primary Anglican School Students explore Belize’s Barrier Reef System on a visit to Hol Chan Marine Reserve:
  It is only when we look through the eyes of the next generation that we understand the importance of protecting what we have today. The Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage transported 35 students of Grace Primary Anglican School from the concrete classroom to the underwater classroom of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which is part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System on Wednesday, February 25. A glass bottom boat opened up the underwater world of the Belize Barrier Reef to the awe-filled students, whom for many the trip was the first to Belize’s offshore.
• Communal Livestock Holding Facility Handed Over To Cattle Producers In The Belize District:
  A Communal Livestock Holding Facility in Willows Bank was officially handed over to cattle producers in the Belize River Valley area at a ceremony held on Wednesday, February 18, 2015. Through the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), the European Union in collaboration with the Government of Belize and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) financed a three-year project “Enhancing Belize’s Resilience to Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change”.
• Principal-Hate At Arms Of Love School:
  At the Arms of Love Primary School in San Ignacio Town - the charge is of maladministration not sexual misconduct. The parents say the Principal is deliberately difficult and they want her removed. A month ago, parents kept their kids home in protest. Since then, the ministry has gotten involved and the District Education officer. Luis Carballo, thePrincipal Education Officer of the Cayo District said that the allegations against her was the way that she treated the parents and teachers. And, parents are concern because of the way the principal has been treating their children, that she shouts at them, sometimes pull them or argues with them or in a way that they feel it's not necessary.
• Bipolar Disorder:
  Bipolar disorder, also known as bipolar affective disorder (and originally called manicdepressive illness), is a mental disorder characterized by periods of elevated mood and periods of depression. The elevated mood is significant and is known as mania or hypomania depending on the severity or whether there is psychosis. During mania an individual feels or acts abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable. They often make poorly thought out decisions with little regard to the consequences. The need for sleep is usually reduced. During periods of depression there may be crying, poor eye contact with others, and a negative outlook on life. The risk of suicide among those with the disorder is high at greater than 6% over 20 years, while self harm occurs in 30–40%. Other mental health issues such as anxiety disorder and drug misuse are commonly associated.
• Central American Karate Championships:
  The Belize Karate Federation, the national organization of Sport Karate Clubs, today began welcoming member nations of Central America to the Twentieth “CARMELA DIAZ” Central American Karate Championships CCONDEKA which kicks off tomorrow in San Ignacio, Cayo District. Arriving this morning from Venezuela is global Karate Advocate and Karateca Mrs. Carmela Diaz who, along with Central America’s top female Karateca Selenia Campos, will conduct a workshop tomorrow morning on the evolving role and opportunities for Women in Sport. Carmela Diaz has made her mark over the decades for lobbying to get Karate as an Olympic sport which it will be as of the 2020 Olympics.
• Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club of New Hampshire, U.S.A partners with the Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo to renovate the Pedro Guerra Mena Park:
  The Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club from New Hampshire, U.S.A. visited Belize this week to conduct their International Service Project at the Pedro Guerra Mena Park in Benque Viejo del Carmen Town, and Mary Open Doors in San Ignacio Town. On Sunday, February 22, 2015, the Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club partnered with the Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo to renovate the Pedro Guerra Mena Park in the New Area of Benque Viejo del Carmen. The Interact Club provided the materials needed to restore the park while the Rotaractors of the Rotaract Club of Benque Viejo volunteered their time to assist with the park’s restoration. The children’s playground was restored to its original state, the installations in the park were painted, and the grass was mowed. In the coming weeks, new swings (seats) will be installed so that the children can once more enjoy the swings.
• STAR Humor
• Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
• Letters to the Editor
• Public Notices

International Sources

ADFD Receives Government Delegation From Belize
His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), received a delegation from the Government of Belize headed by His Excellency Audrey Joy Grant, Minister of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities of Belize. The delegation’s visit aimed to examine ways of strengthening mutual cooperation between the two countries and supporting renewable projects in Belize in line with the development priorities of the Belizean Government. Welcoming the Belizean Minister and the accompanying delegation, His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi stressed that the Belizean delegation’s visit to ADFD provided both sides with an important opportunity to exchange views on development issues and enhance bilateral relations.

KFAED loans KD four mln to Belize -- statement
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) provided a KD four million loan to Belize to help in a road restoration project, said a statement by the fund Tuesday. The statement indicated that the money will be used to restore an 87-kilometer road which will help in facilitating land transportation in Belize. With the signing of the loan agreement, KFAED had provided five loans to Belize worth USD 8.8 million. The fund also provided two grants worth KD 302 million to the nation-state located in the eastern coast of Central America. (end) smr.gta

New Marine task force for Central America will use JHSV
A new Marine task force set to become active in Central America in time for hurricane season will use a new seabasing platform — the joint high-speed vessel — to transport troops around the region. Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-South, a unit comprising about 250 Marines to be headquartered at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, will answer a range of needs ranging from partner nation training to humanitarian assistance and counter-drug missions. It's set to become active in June. According to current planning, the task force will be active between June and November before redeploying to the States until the following spring. Its work will augment that of small Marine detachments already in the region, including a civil affairs team in Belize, and security cooperation teams in Honduras, El Salvador, Belize and Guatemala.

How scientists are finding lost cities: Is this the 'City of the Monkey God'?
The alleged discovery of the legendary "White City" or "City of the Monkey God" in Honduras, may be disputed by some archaeologists, but none will argue that new technologies are making this a platinum age of new findings. “It seems that every two years somebody comes out saying they’ve found the White City, says Shanti Morell-Hart, an assistant professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.. “Many archeologists believe that The ‘White City,’ by its very nature, must never be found. It’s more of a legend that covers a region of many cities that were considered ‘Lost Cities,’ that depopulated due to the epidemics that swept through when the Europeans arrived, many of them large.”

New CEO to run Coppola’s wine, resort and food business
Steven Spadarotto has been named co-CEO of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s wine, resort and food business as the Geyserville company prepares for the retirement of chairman and CEO Jay Shoemaker. Spadarotto will succeed Shoemaker as CEO of Francis Ford Coppola Presents when the executive retires at year’s end. Most recently, Spadarotto served as vice president and general manager of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in the Napa Valley. Previously, he served as senior vice president of wine operations for Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines and chief operating officer of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates/Jackson Family Farms. In his new role, Spadarotto will oversee Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville and the former Geyser Peak production facility, which the company acquired in 2013 and has yet to rename. He also will spearhead efforts for Coppola Resorts, a collection of boutique hotels in Belize, Guatemala and Italy. Café Zoetrope in San Francisco and Mammarella’s Foods, which produces premium organic pastas and sauces, will also fall under Spadarotto’s responsibilities. Inglenook remains a separate and independent company.

CARICOM looks to strengthen regional banks
Leaders of the Caribbean Community member-states have agreed to establish a Committee of Finance Ministers to strengthen the region's financial services sector. "Because in many cases our indigenous banks cannot provide a high level of reward, correspondent banks (in North America and Europe) are closing their relationships with them because of the claim that the Caribbean is a high-risk area for financial services," the current CARICOM chairman, Bahamian Prime Minister Christie said in a statement released Monday. CARICOM said the Committee will work with the Caribbean Association of Banks on a plan to deal with the region's image.

Seven Caribbean Private Islands to Visit Right Now
It’s the ultimate Caribbean dream: your own sun-drenched, private island. So we’ve rounded up seven sandy spits where yours will be two of only a select few footprints on the sand. Your Caribbean kingdom is calling; go now. Cayo Espanto Paradise lies just three miles from San Pedro, Belize at this secluded four-acre enclave. A clutch of just six villas are located beachfront, each with a private dock. But it’s Casa Ventanas, the dreamy over-water bungalow, that we’re eyeing for our next romantic retreat.

Strengthening Caribbean Agriculture, Supporting Small Farmers Necessary To Protect and Grow Caribbean Economies
The head of the United Nations agriculture agency underlined yesterday the huge importance of agriculture and farming to countries of the Caribbean during an address to heads of government at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit in The Bahamas. “Strengthening agriculture and increasing support to small-scale and family farming will help ensure greater sufficiency in local food production, protecting your economies from external price shock,” the FAO director-general, José Graziano da Silva, told the audience, noting the need to meet challenges like climate change and to create jobs, particularly for youth. Graziano da Silva described agriculture and family farming as “drivers of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development,” and noted how they can create new employment opportunities and be linked to the tourism industry, an important source of revenue for many Caribbean countries.

US companies reject Honduran lobster caught by diving
Five US food companies notified the Government of Honduras that they will no longer import spiny lobsters caught by scuba diving because they believe that this type of fishing activity affects the divers’ well-being. The companies, Chicken of the Sea, Netuno USA Inc., Harbor Seafood, Inter-American Trading Product and Red Lobster, argue that the use of this technique is detrimental to fishermen for the high incidence of dives performed, which generates accidents that cause permanent paralysis and in some cases even their death, the newspaper El Heraldo reported. "We will not have the spiny lobster as a resource that has had contact with fishermen who have used the scuba diving technique," the executives of US firms pointed out.

Five Top Retirement Havens With The Lowest Cost Of Living
In International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2015, we ranked and rated the 25 best retirement havens in the world. You can stretch your dollars in any of them and live better than you can back home—for less. But the ve below offer the lowest cost of living and come out on top in the Cost of Living category in the Index. Belize is recognized for its stunning natural beauty, Caribbean coastline, Mesoamerican reef, ecotourism offerings and Maya archaeological ruins. But this small country also offers diverse options for expats looking to retire in a comfortable English speaking country. Expats who plan to rely primarily on their Social Security income can consider the towns of Corozal, San Ignacio and Punta Gorda. For those who can afford a step up financially, it’s possible to live an enviable Caribbean lifestyle at a fraction of the cost of other Caribbean islands such as the Caymans, Turks & Caicos, and the Virgin Islands.

Videos

March 2, 2015

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

Wolfe’s Woofer: Language Barrier
“While you were gone for coffee a guy named Marciano stopped by looking for you,” Sherry said. “Marciano Uk? He’s a little Mayan fellow who used to work for me as a caretaker and handyman ten years ago. He’s a great guy.” “Well, he doesn’t speak very good English.” “His English is about as good as my Spanish,” I told her. “We speak in a mix of the two that people call Spanglish.” “He wants to meet you for a beer at around five o’clock.” I was at the bar waiting when Marciano came in. We talked over old times and caught up on new ones.

Letter to the Editor: Gualberto “Wally” Nunez
Dear Mayor Guerrero, As a duly elected councillor of the San Pedro Town Council for period 2012-2015, I have requested at numerous Council meetings, a copy of audited finances as referenced by Part VII, section 23 (5) of the town council, Chapter 87 of the laws of Belize. I write to inform you that my numerous requests seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as I have not received a reply much less the financial report. As we near the close of our 3 year term of office, we are obliged to give a report of the council’s finances to the voters who elected us. You promised to be transparent and accountable for the taxes collected and as such must deliver on this commitment. This is my final appeal to you before seeking the intervention of the Minister of Local Government whose responsibility it is to ensure that town councils are complying with their legal obligations. In anticipation of your prompt and favourable response, I remain.

Under the Sun: Marie Parham turns 85
Long time island resident Marie Parham was honored on the evening of Saturday, February 21st when friends and family gathered to celebrate her 85th birthday. With live music from Wil and Dale, great food and two birthday cakes, the group celebrated Miss Marie’s milestone birthday in fine fashion. Marie and her late husband George built the landmark Sands Hotel in the early 1970’s. Hauling buckets of cement by hand, Marie was a big part of the laborious process and remembers well the huge undertaking. The Sands Hotel is located on a large lot on Barrier Reef Drive right across the street from Central Park. Recently the building has been renovated into Hasta la Vista Hostel and is run by Marie’s granddaughter.

In Loving Memory of: Miguel Guerrero, Fabian Moh and Teresa Lopez
n loving memory of Miguel Angel Guerrero God saw you suffering from a problem, But on earth a cure was not to be So God wrapped his arms around you And whispered, come to me! You did not deserve what you went through So God gave you eternal rest

Doctor Love: Resentful
Dear Doctor Love, My husband and I have been married for twenty-four years. He is an excellent provider for me and he obviously loves me as much as I love him. We get along very well except for one thing. He has a son and daughter by a previous marriage. My husband was a “weekend father” who was never really close to his children. According to him, his ex-wife tried to make things as uncomfortable for him as she could and did everything she could to turn the children against him. Because of this he sort of kept his distance from them. Eventually he lost contact with the daughter but the son is still around. His son is married and has an adorable four year-old daughter that my husband and I dearly love. We never see the son except the times when he wants us to baby sit for him. Then he drops the child off and disappears for the weekend. The son has always lived a wild life style and along with his wife he sells drugs as well as uses them. It breaks my heart to see the child brought up in this kind of life.

Misc Belizean Sources

Territorial Volunteers return
The landing in Belize The Norhthern Territorial Volunteers, the Orange Walk chapter of the Belize Territorial Volunteers, land on the shores of P.G. The vessels escorting them were Belize Coast Guard. Video Courtesy: Daniel Ortiz

Belize, Trinidad Consent To Receive On-site Anti-corruption Mechanism Visits
The Organization of American States (OAS) says the governments of Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Colombia, Ecuador and Paraguay have given their consent to receive on site visits as part of the Fifth Round of the Mechanism for Follow-up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC). The OAS said the five countries notified the MESICIC Technical Secretariat of their decisions in accordance with the Methodology for Conducting On-site Visits. It said the five countries also consented to and received on-site visits during the Fourth Round of Review. For the Fifth Round, which begins in March, the OAS said the MESICIC Committee of Experts will review the implementation of the provisions in Article III, paragraphs 3 and 12 of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption which refer to the "needed instruction to government personnel and the study of preventive measures that take into account the relationship between equitable compensation and probity in public service".

Power to the People in the struggle!
They went to show they are patriotic. They were detained by an armed Guatemala Coastguard patrol. Men, women, children-BELIZEANS. They are now safe and will return to Belize, unharmed.

All 37 Belizeans were well recieved tonight at the Orange Walk Town Hall
Over 300 residents gathered for a warm welcome ... after some brief words and singing the national anthem they all left for a good night's rest!

Proud Belizeans' and Power to the People
Proud Belizeans. Despite the huge hurdle they would do it all over again.

Ascenthium Goes Acoustic at Fuego
Fuego, continuing with their music in the park concept, brought in Ascenthium to play some acoustic sets. They rocked the house, as always, even though it was a much mellower vibe. They'll be back, and soon. Thanks, Fuego! Entire album here and on fb here.

Western Spirit Coming to SHJC Business Expo
Western Spirit will have a booth at the SHJC Business Expo on March 28th. They'll have t-shirts for sale at the event, and you can pre-order them around Cayo. In related news, SHJC is having their annual Business Expo on March 28th, so if you are interested in setting up a booth, you can contact them.

SHJC Asus Tablet Distribution
The Ministry of Education delivered tablets to the students at Sacred Heart Junior College on Friday. It made for some happy students. Pictures on fb here.

The Reporter

Group detained by Guatemalans arrive home
A group of 37 Belizeans who were detained by Guatemalan officials on Saturday have arrived back on Belizean soil. The boat carrying the group of Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) arrived at the Punta Gorda port just before 11a.m. Sunday escorted by Guatemalan coast guard. The group was met with well-wishers who turned out to show their support. The group was released by Guatemalan authorities Saturday night after the Belizean Ministry of National Security contacted Guatemalan diplomats through the Belizean Embassy in Guatemala.

Artists take over Albert Street
Artists converged on Albert Street for the fifth annual Street Arts Festival on Saturday. According to Karen Vernon, theatre director of the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts and Street Art Festival organizer the event has grown and expanded over the years. Vernon said that the event provides a medium for artists to showcase their work and make sales but even other types of vendors have used the event to their benefit. According to Vernon, the number of vendors this year has increased to stretch all the way down Albert Street. While Vernon said she could not give any official figures in terms of the kind of economic activity generated by the event she said that the increase in participation was indicative of the success of the festival. This year’s event included a line up of drama, music, paintings and sculptures on display and for sale. Vendors also used the event to promote their businesses with some vendors travelling from out-district just for the one-day event.

Belizeans released from Guatemalan custody
A group of 37 Belizeans from the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) who were detained by Guatemalan authorites have been released. According to Colonel George Lovell, CEO in the Ministry of National Security the Belizeans who were detained were released after swift action from the government of Belize. Lovell said the government contacted the highest level of diplomats in Guatemala through their Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also through the Organization of American States (OAS) after being alerted to the situation. According to Lovell, due to weather conditions the Belizeans were unable to be escorted back to the Belizean side of the border and are being accomodated in Livingston and should be returned home by Sunday morning.

40 Belizeans detained by Guatemalan military
A group of about 40 Belizeans including women and children from the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) have been intercepted by Guatemalan military and are being held at a Guatemalan military base. According to George Lovell, CEO in the Ministry of National Security the Ministry was alerted of the situation by BTV President Wil Maheia. According to Maheia, about 40 Belizeans from the northern segment of the BTV were on an expedition to place a flag on the southern momument between the border of Belize and Guatemala and it was on their way back when the boat they were travelling on was intercepted by Guatemalan military. According to Maheia, the boat was in Belizean waters but Lovell says the Ministry is still investigating to determine the exact circumstances of the situation. Lovell said the Ministry has contacted the highest level of Guatemalan officials and have even contacted the Organization of American States (OAS).

Patrick Jones

Guatemalan ambassador in Belize passes away
Guatemala’s ambassador to Belize Manuel Tellez Miralda died today. According to a report in Sunday’s Prensa Libre newspaper, Ambassador Tellez Miralda died of natural causes. Prensa Libre quotes the Guatemala Foreign Ministry as saying that the body of Ambassador Tellez Miralda will be returned to Guatemala on Monday for funeral services. Ambassador Tellez Miralda’s appointment in Belize dates back to 2004.

University students in Toledo receive tablets from GOB
The government of Belize’s distribution of tablets to tertiary level students continued late last week. On Friday, students at the Toledo campus of the University of Belize queued up to receive their electronic. Minister of Education Patrick Faber says it is important that the use of technology be adopted to bridge gaps in the learning process, making it easier for both the students and teachers.

Belizeans illegally detained by Guatemala military safely back home
A group of 37 Belizeans who were detained illegally by Guatemala military in southern Belize returned to Punta Gorda town this morning. The group was welcomed to joyous applause and a spontaneous singing of the Belize National Anthem. A press conference is planned for this afternoon where Belize government officials will address the media.

Belizeans detained by Guatemala military arrive in Punta Gorda
The group of Belizeans who were detained by the Guatemala military on Saturday, February 28, have landed back in Belize. At 10:57 am the boat carrying the group of Belize Territorial Volunteers from Orange Walk docked at the Customs area in Punta Gorda town. Belizeans and media representatives who had gathered applauded as the boat arrived and a spontaneous singing of the Belize National Anthem broke out as the people disembarked from the vessel.

Blogs

Is Sustainable Tourism a Panacea for Belize?
Two weeks ago the 28th Annual General Meeting of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) was held in Belize City. The BTIA is the largest tourism association in Belize and is the voice of tourism related concerns. “Tourism Business and Sustainable Development” was the theme of the general meeting. After the meeting was over Larry Waight of the Huffington Post met with Mike Green who is a sustainable tourism consultant and independent “Green Globe” auditor to talk about sustainable tourism and the rise of green certification in Belize. The following is part of their conversation. Mike Green has worked in the tourism industry in Belize for the past 23 years, in both resort management and tour operations and now as a sustainable tourism consultant and certification auditor. Sustainable tourism in its purest sense is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism that is both ecologically and culturally sensitive. Thus, Sustainable tourism activities have minimal impact on the environment and culture of the host community. Mr. Green was asked how satisfied he was about the progress of sustainable tourism in Belize? Belize has come a long way over the past 20 years yet we still have a long way to go. We are blessed with an abundance of natural resources as well as phenomenal cultural and natural attractions. My concerns lie with whether or not our governmental agencies actually recognize these facts and the monumental importance of sustainably utilizing our resources for current benefit yet still conserving them for the enrichment of future generations.

The Belize Cayes are jaw dropping!! Ranguana, Silk, and Hatchet Cayes...
This post may trick you into thinking you are looking at a 12 month calendar of tropical places. That was what our group kept saying during our tour of the Cayes this past week.....we took an hour boat ride out to Ranguana Caye.....we saw dolphins on the way... Then arrived at a jaw dropping island....I mean, the island of our collective dreams. It is AMAZING! You can stay on Ranguana in rustic, stilted cabanas for $100us a night, or visit for the day, and snorkel with bonefish, lay out with the pelicans, and enjoy the most clear water and eye candy environment imaginable. We then went over the Silk Caye, where we snorkeled with turtles the size of cars, 8 foot stingrays, and nurse sharks. **Note, these three pictures are courtesy of google images, but this is exactly what you will see.

14 Ways to Experience Belize
If you’re in search of a vacation spot that combines world-class beaches, a glorious natural landscape amid a mighty jungle, famous ancient ruins, and a unique local culture – Belize (on the south-west corner of the Yucatan Peninsula) has more charm and treasure than anyone can possibly experience in a single visit. But we hope this short list of Belizean national treasures will help you organize your visit to this equatorial paradise. Saturdays at the San Ignacio Market, Pamper yourself in Luxury, See the Belize Zoo, Meet the Belizean People, Enjoy the Beaches of the Placencia, Taste Belizean Cuisine, Enjoy Belizean Rum, Visit Mayan Ruins, Visit the Cayes, Dive and Snorkel the Belize Barrier Reef, Take a Helicopter Tour with Astrum, Go Cave Tubing, Hike the Belizean Rainforest, Canoe a Jungle River.

International Sources

Five more elections due in Caricom this year
As I write Belize is preparing for local government elections which will be held on March 4 and political pundits say that the results will determine whether two-term Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, will continue as head of government. His United Democratic Party (UDP) will get stiff opposition from Francis Fonseca’s People’s United Party (PUP). At the last general elections the UDP gained 17 seats while the opposition movement secured 14.

Videos

March 1, 2015

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

35-40 Belizeans detained by the Guatemalan Military
According to multiple news sources, 35-40 Belizeans mostly from Orange Walk, were detained earlier today by the Guatemalan Military. The Minister of National Security and Foreign Affairs has been in communication with its Guatemalan counterparts. They have been released, but travel conditions are not ideal and their return is set for tomorrow, Sunday. The Belizeans were on their way back to Belize via the Sarstoon River when they were captured. They had been on their way to place a plaque at the Gracias a Dios monument on a BTV (Belize Territorial Volunteers) mission.

The Prime Minister of Belize Hon. Dean Barrow is on Ambergris Caye
The Prime Minister of Belize Hon. Dean Barrow is on Ambergris Caye and was recieved by supporters of the United Democratic Party. He is the main speaker at the UDP rally schedule for tonight.

Honorable Francis Fonseca is on Ambergris Caye
Leader of the opposition Honorable Francis Fonseca is on Ambergris Caye and was received by supporters of the People's United Party. He is scheduled to make an appearance at the PUP pre-election rally on Sunday, March 1st at the Boca del Rio Park from 10AM to 10PM.

Police Report
Possession of Controlled Drugs * On Friday, February 20th at 6:23PM, San Pedro Quick Response Team conducted a house search at the apartment room of 27-year-old Deon Young in the San Juan Area. The search led to the discovery of two small transparent zip lock bags containing a white powdery substance suspected to be Cocaine, which amounted to 0.6 grams. Her was formally arrested and charged for Possession of Controlled Drugs. * On Monday, February 23rd at 6:30PM 30-year-old Shamir Gonzalez was handed over to police by the Belize Coast Guard along with a transparent plastic bag containing cannabis. The drug was reportedly found on Gonzalez and weighed 3.94 grams. He was then arrested and formally charged for Possession of Controlled Drugs. Sexual Assault * A 12-year-old female minor visited the San Pedro Police Station in the presence of her mother and reported that on Wednesday, February 18th at around 5:30PM while she was at her father’s house he sexually assaulted her. A medical examination was also conducted on the minor that confirmed that she had been carnally known. Found Drugs and Ammunition. * On Thursday, February 19th between the hours 1PM and 5:30PM, a team of Belize City Strike Team personnel assisted by the San Pedro Special Branch intelligence conducted a joint operation within San Pedro Town. As a result, a search was conducted in an empty lot in the San Pedrito Area which led to the discovery of 13 live rounds of 9mm ammunition (2 S&B and 11 Luger) and a black plastic bag containing 10 small parcels wrapped in transparent plastic totalling to 13.7 grams of suspected cannabis.

San Pedro Animal Hospital Cares for your pets
The San Pedro Animal Hospital is San Pedro’s only private veterinary clinic. Open since December 2009, its mission is to offer on-going, modern professional veterinary care at affordable prices to residents and visitors of San Pedro Town. The San Pedro Animal Hospital proudly provides full-time licensed veterinarian services. While it is a private business, the San Pedro Animal Hospital is dedicated to providing essential health care to all animals in need, and will work with any local rescue group or animal charity; offering substantial discounts on services. Their resident veterinarian is DVM Patricia Kelly, who is a graduate with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Saskatchewan, in Canada. DVM Kelly’s love for animals was instilled in her as a child and only grew as she matured. It was this love and passion to see all animals healthy that lead to her decision to become a veterinary doctor. In Canada, she gained much experience, working with small and large animals; from cows and horses to dogs and cats.

The first two months of 2015 show crime on the rise
For the month of January alone, police reported one murder (22-year-old Silvia Carmen Benitez), two robberies, seven burglaries, 16 thefts and one incident involving unlawful sexual intercourse. According to Castellanos, the increase in robberies, burglaries and theft can be accounted to the increase of population the island sees during the high season of the tourism industry. “We see more people coming to the island. Like I have always mentioned, the robberies, burglaries and theft raise in crime statistics are issues that can be prevented. People need to start being more careful and stop behaving as if there are no criminals out there. Currently the San Pedro Police Department has 44 officers and we need to ensure that all the island is patrolled. We have limited resources, and as such we need the public’s help to reduce crime. Be mindful of your surroundings and secure your belongings so as to avoid these crimes,” said Castellanos.

People’s Coalition of San Pedro continues to seek progress during February Meeting
The People’s Coalition of San Pedro held their second monthly meeting for 2015 on Thursday, February 19th. The meeting saw the attendance of Officer in Charge of San Pedro Police Superintendent Luis Castellanos, Police Constable Juan Choc, Honorable Manuel Heredia’s Executive Assistant Betty Longsworth, Josie Nuñez, Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Deputy Mayor Gabriel Nuñez, Freddy Gonzalez, Dorian Nuñez, Janelle Cowo, Erik Lausen, Janine Lopez, Brain Cook, and Scott Harnish. The meeting was officiated by Steve Spiro. The meeting opened with an official crime status report by Superintendent Castellanos. During that report, he indicated the challenges that the San Pedro Police Department is facing. These challenges include lack of vehicular resources, lack of a morgue, the need for more officers, and the need to train officers in customer relations. He also highlighted some recommendations that will be taken at the station to improve the work done by the police. “We need to train our police officers more in public relations. We are recommending that we use a confiscated boat to transport prisoners, since our cost for using the public transport is exorbitant. We will also be giving some of the wives of our officers a stipend to provide prisoners with meals daily. This will also be alleviating financial burdens on police families,” said Castellanos.

UDP launches Manifesto days before election
With less than a week to go before the municipal elections, the United Democratic Party (UDP) on Ambergris Caye released their manifesto. The manifesto was released to the press on Thursday February 19th, at the office of the incumbent Mayor Daniel Guerrero. The document celebrates the UDP accomplishments and at the same time highlights three areas that the UDP hopes to address should they remain in office for the next three-year term. The first area the UDP pledges to work on is enhancing the community by improving the quality of life of the islanders. How will they do so? According to the manifesto, they plan to do so by 1) continuing to fine-tune the marketing campaign, in collaboration with BTB, to promote San Pedro Town, its attractions and activities to the global tourism market 2) continue promotion of cultural attraction and events, local celebrations and year round events for residents and visitors. 3) Finalize and implement the Tourism Action Plan for the island. 4) Further support the San Pedro Sports Council in increasing and executing recreational activities for our island’s youth. 5) Ensure the completion of the proposed plan for the Ambergris Stadium and 5) Ensure the construction an enclosed multi-purpose Sporting Complex for our town.

Misc Belizean Sources

Harvest Caye construction
Harvest Caye construction continues, and by far the largest removal of mangrove in the history of South Stann Creek proceeds nearby at Big Creek. I hope the economic development from these projects can in some way offset the natural capital that is being lost. Those will be substantial losses.

Boat of Belizeans held by Guatemala’s Military
A group of 40 Belizeans went to the Gracias Adios Monument up the Sarstoon River to place a Belize a plaque at the site . Upon returning, about halfway on the river a Guatemala boat patrol intercepted the group of Belizeans. They instructed them to turn the engine off the boat. They pulled the boat across the river. They then instructed them to get into their vessel. And according to Wil Maheia who has been in contact with the group, they were ordered to get into the Guatemala military boat which would take them to Livingston, Guatemala to be processed. Maheia also said the boat captain had made the trip many times before and would never venture into Guatemala’s side of the river. to Krem News, the CEO of the Ministry of National Security has been informed as well as the BDF and the Coastguard who are all attempting to reach their Guatemalan counterparts about the seizure of the Belizeans. The eldest person on the boat is a woman in there 80’s. The group will spend the night. The Belize Territorial Volunteers excursion members still have access to their phone and they might be released to travel back to Punta Gorda in the morning.

Northern Territorial Volunteers detained by Guatemalan Authorities
What does this mean? Col. Lovell is working on getting to the bottom of this by establishing communication with all parties involved. It is estimated that close to 40 volunteers have been detained by Guatemala.

No School Day on Election Day
The Ministry of Education announced that next week March 4th will be a non-school day due to the municipal elections in the nine municipalities. There will be no classes for students in primary, secondary and tertiary schools. The ministry says that schools which will be used as polling and counting stations would need to be available for necessary preparation from 1 p.m. next Tuesday. The time off for students may run into Thursday since the schools used for the counting of votes may not be available for classes.

Rotaract Repairs Mary Open Doors
The Rotaract Club of San Ignacio worked with the Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club to build some stairs and repaint Mary Open Doors. It looks great. Thanks, Rotaract! "It feels good to give back to our community. Making Belize a better place one project at a time. Special Thanks to Lin-Wood Rotary Interact Club for donating their time, energy and resources."

Neon Overdose Overdrive
SHJC's Neon Overdose was off the charts last night! That was one wild event! The newly renovated Club Next was the perfect setting for the event, where Cloud 9 rocked the party through the night. They had jello shots, glow sticks galore, and even some belly dancing. SHJC needs to do this every month. Any blurry pictures perfectly capture the moment.

Trades 4 Life Graduation
Congratulations, graduates! Trades 4 Life just had a ceremony in Belmopan for their graduating class. Best of luck. "Today the Belmopan Active Youths is very proud to see some of our youths graduating from Trades for Life and are now certified Welders, Mechanics, and Computer technicians. Educate, Empower and engage. Thanks to all involved in this project."

CTV3

Corozal Police Arrest And Makes Charges For Drug Trafficking
A police patrol operation in Corozal Town resulted in the arrest and charge of one resident for Drug Trafficking. According to the report, last night around 9:30pm, police were on patrol in the South End Area of Corozal Town, on an unknown Street when their attention was drawn to a male person dressed in a 3/4 jeans pants and multi colored shirt riding a bicycle. The male person was stopped and he was informed that a search would be conducted on his person for drugs and firearm. As he was about to be searched, he threw an object from out of his right hand onto the street about six feet away from him.

St. Peter's Anglican School Holds Annual Fundraiser
Schools hold several fund raisers throughout the course of the year to help raise money to sustain projects or the daily endeavors at the schools. Today, Saint Peter’s Anglican Primary School held one of their biggest fund raisers at the school compound which saw the participation of all the students and teachers. Teacher Rolando Umania told us more about the initiative. Rolando Umania – Teacher “We have a lot of games and a lot of stalls where we have different Bar B. Que, hotdogs and garnaches and all of that food there.” Dalila Ical – Reporter “It is an annual event is this some sort of fund raiser for the school?” Rolando Umania – Teacher “Yes, it is our big fundraiser and we call it our big fundraiser from here we generate must of our funds to keep our school going.”

Students Sit ATLIB Exam
A total of 407 Fourth Form students from High Schools across the Orange Walk District sat the English Usage and Math ATLIB Papers this morning at Muffles High School. The ATLIB, which means Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize, is an exam that tests the students’ knowledge on content and material that have been thought to them since entering first form and is used to evaluate the readiness for entrance in Tertiary Level education. According to the facilitators conducting the exams, the students were enthusiastic at start and seemed quite satisfied when it was over around 2:30 this afternoon.

PUP Banner Vandalized
Each election season, signs are stolen and defaced on both sides of the political aisle, but candidates and police say this season's vandalism is particularly severe. The public is reminded that if caught vandalizing signs; you can face a charge of damage to property. Police in Orange Walk Town say they have gotten several reports of this occurring but none of the reports have resulted in an arrest. They are remaining on high alert to catch the culprits.

Did ASR Fly In Prime Minister Dean Barrow?
On Saturday February 21st passengers flying in and out of the Philip Goldson International Airport were stuck at the airport since air traffic controllers carried out a sick out. The air traffic controllers were dissatisfied with working conditions among other issues. Now, while the problem has apparently been solved another story that came out of the sick out is that on the same day Prime Minister Dean Barrow was scheduled to fly back into the country. On the afternoon of the sick out a picture of a plane allegedly belonging to ASR was posted all over the social media. Allegations were that the private jet flew in the Prime Minister. Now, with the letters ASR imprinted on the plane comments on the social media went wild. So, did the Prime Minister arrive in the country on a private plane belonging to ASR? According to Mac McLachlan, Vice President of International Relations for ASR Group, that is total nonsense.

LOVE FM

Early Morning Shooting; Sudden Rise in Crime and Violence?
Another Belize City man was the victim of gun violence this morning. At approximately seven thirty this morning, Belize City Police responded to reports of shots being fired at the corner of South Street and Wagner’s Lane. There they saw, thirty-seven-year-old, Marlon Budran, lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to the head and leg. Superintendent David Chi, spoke to the media on this recent incident. “Sometime around 7:30 am this morning police visited the E&E at the KHMH where they saw one Marlon Budran of a Belize City address suffering from two apparent gunshot wounds. Police carried out an investigation into the matter where he reported that he was walking in the neighborhood when he was approached by two other male persons on separate bicycles who afflicted those wounds on him with a fire arm. He managed to run away where he was not injured further. He received one to the head and one to the right instep.

PlusTV

Shooting on Freedom Street
On Wednesday morning there was a shooting incident in Belize City. It was touch-and-go for 21 year old Ian Adolphus when he was accosted by his attacker on Freedom Street in the Port Loyola area, but now he is resting in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Police, however, are working hard to catch ...

Titan execs cleared of currency charge
Bahamian executives of Titan International Securities, Rohn Knowles and Kelvin Leach, had charges of failing to declare personal currency above the prescribed amount  to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) dismissed on Wednesday by Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer. The Senior Magistrate upheld a s...

Accused aides to illegal visitors freed
They were accused of assisting a pair of Cuban men to illegally stay in Belize...

Fire at Exotic Caye Resort
There was a house fire in San Pedro early this morning February 25. It happened just before 2:30 this at Exotic Caye Resort located on Coconut Drive San Pedro Town...

Cross Cutting Measures Report Real
A report on the cost cutting measures reportedly commissioned by the Government of Belize and done by a group of 7, including senior union representatives and officers has been receiving much scrutiny.  The report advises the Prime Minister on areas where the government can cut back on expenditure.

Financial Secretary Updates On Compensation Monies
The Financial Secretary Joseph Waight also addressed the matter concerning compensation monies, as promised by the Government, as it relates to the death of Special Constable Danny Conorquie who died in the line of duty and Elisa Hunter who died as a result of being hit by the driver of Minister Elr...

Western Regional Expansion Zone Sold Off?
Between the years 1993 to 1998 the then UDP government hired a trained professional Town Planner in the name of Simon Robenson to review and update the original master plan for the development of Belmopan. The updated master plan included 8 acres of land to the north of the Western Regional hospital...

Mayoral Debate in Belmopan
The Evangelical Association, Belmopan Branch  and PlusTV have agreed to collaborate in hosting a Belmopan Mayoral Debate.  The Debate will be held on Thursday, February 26 , 7 pm at the George Price Center and will be broadcasted Nationally on PlusTV and via web streaming at www.plustvbelize.com.

International Pageant promotes Mayan Culture
In September of 2013 the lovely Miss Vania Pat, of Succotz Village, Cayo District, won the Miss Queen of the West Beauty Pageant. Vania, 20 years of age and fluent in three languages- English, Spanish, and Maya, has been competing in beauty pageants since the age of 15 and has won many entitles...

The Reporter

Belize to receive 2nd visit from MESICIC
Belize is scheduled to receive its second visit from the Organization of American States (OAS) Mechanism for Follow-up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) later this year According to the OAS, Belize has provided its written consent accepting the visit, which is part of the Mechanism’s Fifth Round of Review of the OAS Convention Against Corruption (CAC). The consent was formally provided by Belize’s permanent mission to the OAS, Iran Tillet-Dominguez, who also serves as Vice Chair to the MESICIC Committee of Experts. Following the on-site visit to Belize MESICIC will publish a report based on their visit during the 25th meeting of the Committee of Experts. MESICIC makes periodic visits to countries that have signed on to the CAC and Belize received its first visit from the Mechanism last April.

40 Belizeans detained by Guatemalan military
A group of about 40 Belizeans including women and children from the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) have been intercepted by Guatemalan military and are being held at a Guatemalan military base. According to George Lovell, CEO in the Ministry of National Security the Ministry was alerted of the situation by BTV President Wil Maheia. According to Maheia, about 40 Belizeans from the northern segment of the BTV were on an expedition to place a flag on the southern momument between the border of Belize and Guatemala and it was on their way back when the boat they were travelling on was intercepted by Guatemalan military. According to Maheia, the boat was in Belizean waters but Lovell says the Ministry is still investigating to determine the exact circumstances of the situation. Lovell said the Ministry has contacted the highest level of Guatemalan officials and have even contacted the Organization of American States (OAS). According to Lovell, he was informed by Maheia that the Belizeans were being detained at a base in Livingston, Guatemala but Lovell said he doubted that was where they were taken due to their lack of a proper base in Livingston. Lovell said because women, children and elders were included in the expedition the Ministry isn’t worried that they might be in any danger from the Guatemalan military. According to Lovell, the Ministry is working tirelessly to address the situation and have it resolved as peacefully and as quickly as possible.

Patrick Jones

San Ignacio teenager who was reported missing is reunited with her family
A San Ignacio family is today breathing a sigh of relief after a sixteen year old girl who was reported missing was safely returned to them. Brittney Galvez left home on February sixteenth after a misunderstanding with her mother. And reports are that she was taken across the Belize-Guatemala border and held against her will. On Friday evening, Brittney’s Rosalva Galvez recalled the ordeal that the family went through looking for the teenage girl. According to the mother, after the misunderstanding between her and Brittney, the girl went to the bathroom. But twenty minutes later when the girl did not come out of the bathroom, her older sister went to check on her. That was when they discovered that she was not there.

Belizeans detained by Guatemalan military
A group of about three dozen Belizeans, members of the Belize Territorial Volunteers from Orange Walk, were intercepted by Guatemalan military officials this afternoon. The group had traveled to the Belize border point at Gracias Adios to place a erect a bronze plaque at the marker and were on the return journey when they were intercepted sometime between 2 pm and 4 pm. Guatemalan officials reportedly boarded the Belizean vessel and took them first to a Guatemalan outpost and later taken to Livingston, Guatemala. The reason for the detention by the Guatemalan military is not known.

Blogs

A Gorgeous Day in Caye Caulker + A Liquor-Less Lazy Lizard in Its Last Days
And the “bar” at the Lazy Lizard. The current renters lost their court case, their liquor license and will be out of the bar by the end of month. Tomorrow. I walked back towards the village. There is a new cement building (a supermarket, I hear) going up next to Cooper’s Art Gallery. Now we need to see what new management will do. Down south a bit farther is the outdoor movie theater. Two business have opened on either side of it. The new Bondi Bar looks pretty chic. And on the other side, a French bistro and creperie. A few hours later I was passing by the Lazy Lizard once again – but this time by boat.

Top 10 Best things to do in Caye Caulker, Belize
I recently returned from a trip to Caye Caulker in Belize and it is safe to say that I absolutely loved it. It was paradise. So, if you find yourself in that idyllic part of the world then follow my guide below and you will be guaranteed to have a good time. Go Slow. That is the motto on Caye Caulker and you will see it plastered everywhere. This little island is located far, far away from anywhere and the perfect place to just relax and go slow. Strap on a snorkel or tank. Belize boasts some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. You can touch a shark, swim with a school of fish and admire endless coral through the crystal clear water. Drinks at the lazy lizard. Google Caye Caulker and you will see a million photos of the Lazy Lizard, it was enough to make me book a ticket and it didn’t disappoint. Yes, it is full of tourists, but what is better than dangling your feet in water, listening to music, being surrounded by happy party people while downing some pina coladas? Nothing!

International Sources

CARICOM Soft Target For ISIS?
Groups such as ISIS, emanating out of the Middle East, and Boko Haram, from Central Africa, are driving tremendous fear, causing death and destruction of property all in the aim of religious identity. These groups are so well resourced, their monstrous acts seem unstoppable and they may just reach the Caribbean islands in their quest for identity. The Caribbean, therefore, must be proactive in reinforcing its security architecture to gather and track intelligence on their modus operandi to secure the Caribbean and its people. Jim Phillips, Middle East analyst, noted that the two groups are very similar in one sense: they intimidate and brainwash young people and turn them into suicide bombers. What then may be at stake for the Caribbean? Is there a likely security threat? Does the Caribbean have a Regional Security System (RSS) at work tracking the threats and trends of security issues and effectively coordinating with partners in preparing strategic approaches to these issues? How are Caribbean people being kept abreast of security issues surrounding us?

The Music of the Maya: Mysterious whistles Confound Experts
Music has held a special role in human society for thousands of years. In ancient China, for instance, sets of bronze bells were played for entertainment and ritual purposes at court. The complementary tones produced by the different bells were a reflection of the Confucian ideal of harmony. In ancient Rome, a flute player would be present at sacrifices in order to drown any disturbances from the external surrounding. Music was also central to the rituals and traditions of the Maya, evident in the objects left in the archaeological record.

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