Recent Belize News

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May 22, 2013

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Specials and Events

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

The latest Tia Chocolate column is ready for reading!!!
Defiant – Part V:
Now that they were together, it was hard to envision how much tug and pull of emotions were spent over the years. They had their share of issues, worked long hard hours and hardly had time for each other sometimes, but they got along. At the end of a long day, they lay together in the silence of the dark night and felt that connection that had frayed, barely hung on, been stretched to the point of almost breaking. It was still there, being nurtured and growing stronger every day. They knew it would never be like new again, but they would live the rest of their lives making sure they worked on keeping it together, strengthening and working on that which had taken such hard work…

The San Pedro Sun

BWSL addresses water pressure problem in Boca Del Rio
Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) is extending the main water line to neighborhoods in the Boca Del Rio area. Work on the streets commenced about a week ago and residents have been experiencing inconsistent water availability. According to Aaron Locke, BWSL district manager, the new pipe lines that are being installed are necessary to improve water service in the area. Residents of the Boca Del Rio area have often complained of low water pressure. The replacement of the pipe line will aid this problem and provide much needed water pressure to residential homes.

Miss SPHS “Night of Stars” Gala
The Miss San Pedro High School (SPHS) pageant committee held the first ever “Night of Stars” Gala on Friday, May 17th at Caprice Bar and Grill. The evening was designed to officially present the seven contestants for the 2013 Miss SPHS Pageant that will take place on Saturday, June 1st. Present at the event was current Miss SPHS Arlethe Lima, Miss San Pedro Naiely Puc and Miss Chiquitita Zillah Flota. Vying for the honor to represent SPHS were contestants Veronica Choc, Isolene Bailey, Amari Duncan, Janelle Tillet, Reyna Chavez, Vivianie Duran and Chelsea Muñoz. The event was a first for SPHS. Pageant organizer, Renison Crawford, said that the reason for this gala was to give an opportunity to the contestants to introduce themselves to the community. “I wanted to make the pageant more prestigious, and give the girls the confidence to appear in public. This is the first time that we are having such an event and we are looking forward to improving it and make it an annual event.”

BTB announces New Developments In Overnight And Cruise Sectors
There is fantastic news to report in the Tourism travel industry. Hot on the heels of the release of record breaking tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2013, new flights and cruise calls to Belize were announced for the final quarter of the year. Starting in November, Delta Airlines will be adding another Saturday flight from Atlanta to Belize. Delta currently deploys seven flights a week (one flight per day) to Belize, increasing its total number of flights to eight per week (twice on Saturdays). This is an additional 596 seats per month, and will be a permanent addition to Delta’s schedule to Belize. In addition, American Airlines will be increasing its Dallas to Belize flights from three weekly flights to seven flights per week (one flight daily), providing a total of six hundred additional seats in the month of October. BTB’s Director of Marketing and Industry Relations, Alyssa Carnegie, commented, “This is fantastic news. The Tourism Industry is doing so well that even the airlines have seen a need to increase flights, and these flights are being increased during a time that was generally considered to be a slow time for travelling by air. It shows amazing growth and more opportunities for the industry and Belize.”

Ambergris Today

Mexican Tourism Delegation “I Discovered Yucatán” Visits Belize
Hotel representatives and travel agents of the Mexican state of Yucatan, visited Belize on Thursday, May 9, 2013, promoting Yucatan as part of the Tourism Delegation called “I discovered Yucatán” organized by The Yucatan Tourism Board. With this event, prepared for Belizean tour operators, travel agents, media, and tourism stakeholders, the Yucatan Tourism Board in coordination with hotels, travel agents and tour operators from Yucatán, strengthened the promotional strategies of the Yucatan tourism service providers and at the same time promoted Yucatan and the city of Merida as an ideal and affordable destination for Belizean travelers. The Mexican delegation held a meeting with six travel agents, two regional operators, the Belize Ministry of Tourism, a Belizean airline and representatives from different Belize media houses, as well as the Ambassador of Mexico, Mario Velazquez. With these actions, the Yucatan Government, through the Yucatan Tourism Board continues its efforts to promote that Mexican state and to consolidate its commercial partnerships to bring more visitors to the state.

San Pedro Cancer Society Anniversary Banquet
The San San Pedro Cancer Society requests the pleasure of your company at our first banquet celebrating three years of serving the community of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Saturday, June 8, 2013 Elvi’s Kitchen Reception: 6:30pm Dinner: 7:30pm Formal Attire Please RSVP by May 29, 2013 Limited Seating $60 contribution

Washington University to Conduct Blood Drive in San Pedro
San Pedro Blood Drive Sponsored by: Washington University of Health and Science Medical School Belize Blood Bank Dr. Giovanni Solarzano Time: 8am – 3pm Date: Saturday May 25, 2013 Place: Washington University of Health & Science Medical School (Across from SAGA Humane Society and in front of Pedro’s Inn) Refreshments will be provided For questions call WUHS office at: 226-2682 or Sarah Thompson at 601-0345 *No appointment necessary

San Pedro Old Houses Still Standing Strong
The reason why very few people are building wood houses nowadays is that the lifespan of wood is cut very short by the devastating woodlice. Carpenters argue that the trees are cut when they are too young and immature and are therefore non-resistant to the lice. Another factor that makes this lumber durable is that it is all mahogany which was abundant and cheap at the time. Not so Years Ago in San Pedro. It would seem that only when trees had reached their full size that they were cut and processed into lumber. This lumber was cut into siding, flooring, 2 by 4, 2 by 6, 2 by 8, 2by 10 and even 2 by 12 for steps. As you take a walk around San Pedro you can appreciate some of these homes that were built in the 1930’s or 40’s and are seventy five plus years.

Placencia Tops Belize National Tourism Awards 2013
Taking home seven awards out of the eleven that were handed out at the 12th Annual Belize National Tourism Awards 2013 on Saturday, May 18, was the village of Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize, including the top Destination of the Year Award. The Belize Tourism Board and the Minister of Tourism, Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr., stepped out of the ordinary this year and invited over 230 guests, including industry stakeholders and government officials, to semi-formal, all-white, beach party at Bannister Caye located nine miles east south east of Belize City. The caye is only a 2.8 private island that boasts 600 feet of white coral sand beach and surrounded by crystal clear turquoise blue water. Special invited guests and award nominees were whisked away to Bannister Caye on board party boats where everybody enjoyed cocktails while enjoying DJ music and a fantastic sunset behind Belize City. Upon arrival to the private islands, guests were greeted by the soothing music of the Pantempters Steen Pan. Hosting the evening’s award ceremony were Indira Craig and William Neal with musical performances by Aurelio Martinez and Tanya Carter; gourmet hors d’ oeuvres and signature cocktails were created by Belizean chef Sean Kuylen.

Repairs Commence on Sir Barry Bowen Bridge, San Pedro
The east pedestrian walk way of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge had been closed for over a year now and after inspection of the bridge that took place in April of 2012, work has finally commenced today Tuesday, May 21, 2013, on the much needed repairs. Upon inspection of the bridge a year ago, it was deemed that the entire support structure is in good condition and not in the brink of collapsing. Immediate repairs are needed on the pedestrian walkways and main vehicle lanes which have corroded due to the climate conditions on the island. Contractor and engineer of Medina’s Construction stated that simple and routine maintenance is key in extending the life span of the bridge. The bridge was closed to traffic this past Sunday, May 19, and is open to pedestrians only, during the entire period of renovations. San Pedro Mayor Daniel Guerrero estimates a time frame of two weeks for the complete overhaul and asks the public for patience and cooperation.

Misc Belizean Sources

AF Surgeon Helps Belizean Boy get 'New Hand'
An Air Force surgeon deployed here performed surgery on a 4-year-old Belizean boy May 2, to improve the usability of the boy's hand. The boy, Isai Carrillo, underwent surgery May 2 to correct syndactyly, otherwise known as hand fusion, in his right hand. The surgery took three hours and consisted of separating the fused unit into fingers using skin grafts from his abdomen. The hand that was once fused now has three fingers. This operation will give the boy more of a pincher mechanism, said Lt. Col. Matthew Talarczyk, a plastic surgeon from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. "It could mean having ease opening up a door," Talarczyk said. "(It will help with) very little things that can mean a lot in terms of functioning." Talarcyzyk and his surgical team at the plastic surgery clinic here performed the operation as part of U.S. Southern Command exercise, New Horizons. New Horizons gives U.S., Canadian and Belizean servicemembers an opportunity to train jointly in an exercise setting to prepare for future challenges.

Preservation of the Garifuna intangible cultural heritage
The Garifuna communities, spread over Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, have kept alive their common language, oral traditions, music and dances. Although still practiced on various occasions, these are changing considerably, as the Garifuna language is less often spoken. On May 18, 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the Garifuna language, music and dance as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The safeguarding project focuses mainly in the preservation of the Garifuna language through language revitalization, lexical expansion programs and the promotion of teaching, learning and practicing. It will also develop an inventory of Garifuna art forms (such as songs, music, dances and related customs, etc.) and promote regional Garifuna festivals with a view to confronting the erosion of the Garifuna culture in the heart of modern day communities.

Photos: SIR BARRY BOWEN BRIDGE REPAIRS
The repairs at Sir Barry Bowen Bridge repairs have begun!

Photos: CEMETERY AT SOUTH AMBERGRIS CAYE
Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Councilor Severo Guerrero over look the compound of the new cemetery located in the southern region of Ambergris Caye.

VIDEO: Belize on the Balancing Act
Belize is featured on the Balancing Act again as the BTB's Laura Esquivel-Frampton answers the hyperactive host's questions. Dr. Jaime Awe is on there too, and they show Caracol and other Cayo sites.

Belize Documentary Field Film Course
The NMSU students had a great time in Cayo. They've uploaded some great shots. Can't wait for the documentaries to come out. "NMSU film student are the first international students to take course, design by Emmy award winning natural history film makers Carol and Richard Foster, in Collaboration with local artist film maker Daniel Velazquez and award winning film maker Illana Lapid, film professor at New Mexico State University"

Mother's Month Celebrations
The SISE Town Council had their big Mother's Month celebration at the Cayo Welcome Center Sunday. Mothers got food and great entertainment. There was even a dancing contest.

IA's Great Antiquity Campaign
If anything good comes out of the discussion of the destruction of Noh Mul by the greedy, it'll be that the Institue of Archaeology's Anti-Looting campaign gets more attention. They've been going around the country, and were at the Benque HoC's International Museum Day celebrations last week, educating the youth on antiquities There's a lot of key information in their latest article. "Along with looting comes the destruction of ancient monuments. A monument is any old building, erections or other non-portable objects left behind by ancient civilizations such as the Maya or other historic people such as the colonizers of Belize. Legally, any building over one hundred years is considered a monument. Both monuments and antiquities are legally protected by law under the National Institute of Culture and History Act, Chapter 331 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000."

National Song Competition 2013
The National Celebrations Commission, in conjunction with Atlantic Bank, is getting ready for the September Celebrations and is having a call to artists for this year's National Song Competition. There are 2 categories you can enter: The Belize Song and the Carnival Song. They should promote culture and the Belizean way of life. You can enter as a solo, duet, or group. Good luck to all!

Toaster Oven Bread Pudding
This dish was requested by my viewer Shelley Olsen. No matter what your disability is, I want you to be able to create these awesome menus. This bread pudding is the 1/2 recipe to the Belizean Bread Pudding. It is decadent and rich and gelatinous.

Belize Travel and Trade Show 2013
Belize comes to southern Florida Saturday June 29, 2013. 10am - 6pm. Fort Lauderdale Convention Center

The Ministry of Industry and Commercial launches first Business Development Center in Honduras May 17, 2013 – CENPROMYPE Area: Economic
On May 16, the Presidential Appointee, holders of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (SIC) and the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (SEPLAN) of Honduras, authorities of the Regional Centre for the Promotion of MSMEs (CENPROMYPE ), the HED of USAID and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) launched the first Enterprise Development Centre for MSMEs (CDEMIPYME) in Choluteca, which will serve the Gulf of Fonseca. During the event, Ms. Ingrid Figueroa, Executive Director of CENPROMYPE appreciated the efforts and commitment of the Honduran Government to join this regional initiative that aims to bring a model of care that is based MSME sector in public- private-academia. He said that at present, the region has 16 SICA and Care Centres MSME under the SBDC model and expected, later this year, have at least 25 operating centers.

Bi-national Border Bridge Opens
The much anticipated Bi-national Border Bridge between Mexico and Belize opens unceremoniously late last week. The Mexican Government had dispatched personnel from the Mexican Army to Belize to assist the Belizean government in the construction of a stretch of approximately 500 meters of highway that is located on the Belizean side of the northern border in the Santa Elena area of the Corozal District connecting the new bridge. Belize and Mexico signed an agreement for the construction of the bridge back in June of 2005 when the then-President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, visited Belize. The Mexican government agreed to finance the construction of the bridge, 500 meters of road from the bridge into the Belizean territory, and the access road from the bridge to the Subteniente Lopez community in Santa Elena located in the state of Quintana Roo. Those projects were completed since 2008.

VIDEO: Chocolate making in Toledo
Our team took yet another trip to the Toledo District to learn about chocolate and this time, they visited Cotton Tree Chocolates. Take a look at our Chocolate feature to see what they learnt. P.S. Pay keeeeen attention!

Channel 7

KHMH: A Dozen Dead Babies, Families Wrestle with Grief, Rage
A dozen dead babies in less than 3 weeks – that’s what the KHMH, Belize’s National Referral Hospital, is contending with tonight, and the public uproar is enormous – as it should be, because the loss of life is, honestly, unimaginable. As we reported last night, the culprit is believed to have been a bacterial infection, that descended on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit like a plague. The babies in that unit are typically the sickest, most vulnerable patients in the hospital, most of them are premature – and all of them were seriously ill, meaning they can hardly breathe on their own, much less fight an infection. And that’s what created the conditions for a devastating and rapid loss of a dozen newborns. And while the KHMH investigates what went wrong, the families are getting ready for funerals or trying to recover from them. We spoke to two grieving parents today. Jules Vasquez reporting Harrison Sutherland - Father of 8 day old baby died at KHMH "I'm just sad for my baby, really sad because so much babies have died just like that, it's sad." Harrison Sutherland and Kelcey Young are an 18 year old couple. Their baby Imari was born premature at 7 months on Mother’s day but died 8 days later.

Another City Carjacking
Another well-known Belize City woman was carjacked last night. Less than an hour after Ann-Marie Williams’s car-jacking made the news – Jackie Roe, the manager of Hofius was car-jacked. It happened at around 7:15, as Roe was leaving the parking lot of the Great House on Cork Street. Reports are that she was with family and about to get out of her 2012 Toyota Hilux when two men dressed in dark clothing strode up. One of them put a knife to her side and demanded her keys and phone. She handed them over, and they both jumped into her vehicle and sped off. The crime is notable for its brazen-ness, but also for the area where it happened; it’s in the shadow of the Radisson complex and there are a number of security guards around at all times between the Radisson and the Great House. Today, Roe declined comment and the vehicle has not turned up.

Man Escapes Remand By Producing Gun License
38 year-old Chinese Businessman Chao Gui Cao, a resident of Hattieville, dodged jail time today after police took him to court on firearm offences for his licensed weapon. According to police, they stopped him at the checkpoint at mile 4 on the Western Highway on Saturday evening. When they searched on his vehicle, they officers discovered his 9 millimeter pistol. The officers believed that the weapon was unlicensed, and they refused to accept his explanation that he did have a license. As a result, they charged him with keeping an unlicensed firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition. He was arraigned today before Magistrate Cayetano, and his attorney, Anthony Sylvester, was able to provide an authentic document from Belmopan Police which proved that he was not breaking any law.

Cain Caught With Gun
But one man who police believe does deserve to be jailed for firearm offences is 25 year-old Daniel Cane, a resident of Sandhill Village. Police say that on Sunday at around 10 p.m., Cain was riding his bicycle on Iguana Street, and when he allegedly saw their mobile patrol vehicle approaching, he threw an object on the ground and tried to ride away. The officers detained him, and took him to the area, where they discovered that it was a 9 mm pistol, which was loaded with 11 live rounds of ammunition. He was charged with keeping and unlicensed firearm and keeping unlicensed ammunition, and he was arraigned yesterday before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but because it’s a gun offence, he was automatically remanded to prison until July 11, 2013.

Attorney General Vs. President Of The Bar In Supreme Court
Today in the chambers of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, it was decided that a lawsuit filed by Wilfred Elrington, the Attorney General and Minster of Foreign Affairs, will have its day in court against Eamon Courtenay, the President of the Bar Association. The lawsuit originates from a previous case in which Elrington was sued by 2 Americans who had majority shareholdings in a company along with him. In that case, the Americans sued Elrington for a breach his duties to the company because he also acted as its lawyer. They were represented by attorneys Eamon Courtenay and Priscilla Banner, and after the case was decided before Justice Legall, Elrington felt that he was entitled to costs because he was forced to defend against the lawsuit, even though he was reluctant to do so. His premise was that Courtenay and Banner did not have to authority to represent the company to sue him because he also was a director. According to him, there were certain procedures which needed to be followed for a unanimous board decision such as that could be reached.

Rios Montt Genocide Conviction Thrown Out
Last week we told you how former Guatemalan President Efrain Rios Montt had been sentenced to 80 years in jail by a Human Rights Court for genocide of his own people. Well, now, Guatemala’s highest court, the Constitutional Court has thrown out the conviction and ordered that Rios Montt’s trial should restart from the point where it stood on 19th April. That’s when Rios Montt’s lawyer was kicked out of the courtroom – leaving Rios Montt temporarily without a legal defence. So, now, all the testimonies and witness statements heard from that point onwards will have to be delivered again along with the closing statements from both sides. We should note that in Guatemala it is not unusual for such matters to be endlessly tied up in court.

Summer School Classes Suddenly Cancelled At SJCJC, Students Left In Limbo
This morning the students of St Johns College Junior College were told to go home after their summer classes were abruptly cancelled. It caused quite an uproar between students and administration. That is because if there are no summer classes, these students will have to make up those courses during the normal school year, which means additional time at school and for some, even a setback for their graduation date. In a press release sent out by the Junior College today it stated that the shortfall in class numbers but more significantly the shortfall in the student payments and school collections are prescribed polices on cancellation of classes. But for the students who have paid for their summer classes or have started a payment plan with the institution, this morning’s sudden news came as a shock and also a disappointment. We spoke to one of them:

Increased Airlift To Belize
Last night, we told you about the 12th Annual Tourism Award Ceremony, which was held at Bannister Caye on Saturday. But one thing that didn’t make it into the story is when Tourism Minister Manuel Heredia Jr, in his opening address at the ceremony, took the opportunity to announce that they expect an increase in overnight tourism arrivals due to an increase in flights by Delta Airlines. Here’s are the details: Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism "I would like to take the opportunity to announce a rather new exciting addition to our existing airlift. As of December 21st, 2013, Delta Airlines will commence its year round non-stop service from Los Angeles to Belize City round trip. This service will be bookable as of May 25th and will make available 693 new seats to Belize each month. In the first instance this flight will be weekly on Saturdays but will give us the long sought after non-stop West Coast service. What is more it will allow for one stop same day service to Asia and Australia. This announcement serves as a testament of the commitment of my government and the work of the BTB and it's aviation development committee to open up new and meaningful opportunities for Belize."

Does He Need Counselling?
The Police Senior Command says it is looking into a situation where a police constable posted a picture of himself on Facebook in uniform, apparently in a police station pointing a gun at his own head. We’re blurring his face because as a police spokesperson told us, they are not sure if the case calls out for counseling or disciplinary action. The spokesperson said the senior command is not taking the case lightly but wants to hear from the officer first, to find out if the constable has a genuine problem –requiring therapy, or if he just got caught up in a Facebook failure. Police are said to be coming up with a policy on media in general, including social media.

Searching For Sharks Out At Halfmoon
Rachel Graham of the Wildlife Conservation Society is doing a transect of a portion of Belize; Southern waters. She’s trying to find out what species use the waters and what for. It’s a major research project and an ongoing one. We caught up with her west of long caye in southern Belize this weekend where she said she is looking for the big fish, and even found some dolphins willing to go along for the ride. Rachel Graham - Wildlife Conservation Society "This is our second day of our annual monitoring effort for Marine Mega Fauna, we include sharks, rays, turtles and any other large fish that we may come across. We have several people going along and swimming for about a kilometer and counting everything that they see and also taking down their sizes and the sex of the animals. We're also doing Fishries Independent Longline Survey whereby we actually bait for catch, tag and then release sharks that we catch.

Landy Burns Rejects McAfee Claim
As we told you last week, John McAfee’s estate at the Tower Hill Bridge in Orange Walk burned down – reportedly when a forest fire got out of control. The houses were up for sale. But in the weird and wacky world of Mcaffee – there are no accidents – and this event has given him another international platform to air his conspiracy theories. The Mail Online, a British newspaper states that, quote, “McAfee said that he has a private investigator working on the case who could prove that Landy Burns, the political representative for the town of Orange Walk East, was behind the fire.” Now Burns is only a divisional care-taker for the UDP, not a representative, and today he called us to say that the suggestion is ludicrous. Jules Vasquez "I've read in a number of international newspapers that John McAfee says that he has hired an international investigator and he expects that this person will investigate his house. He's saying that he believes that the arson investigation done by his Private Investigator will turn it to your name because he says you're behind what he thinks is an arson of his home in Tower Hill bridge."

Channel 5

How many babies died at the K.H.M.H.?
The most contemptible act of gross negligence is coming out of the nation’s referral hospital. Since last Friday, News Five has been reporting on a number of babies that have died at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital due to infections. After persistent queries, just before Monday’s newscast, the K.H.M.H. made the shocking admission in a [...]

P.U.P. demands resignation of Minister of Health
The People’s United Party, in the wake of the ongoing K.H.M.H. fiasco, has issued a release demanding the resignation of Pablo Marin as Minister of Health.  The opposition is also calling for the immediate dissolution of the Board of Governors of the hospital.  The deaths of twelve newborns at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, since [...]

Thousands of Mayan artifacts deserted at Chaw Hiix
Noh Mul might be for all intents and purposes no more, but the public outrage both locally and internationally has lingered. And that is why the Mayan site of Chau Hiix (pronounced hish), located within the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, has been thrust into the news after reports of bulldozing and private development on top [...]

Hofius Manager, Jacqueline Roe, robbed of Hilux
Over the weekend, the executive director of the women’s commission, Ann-Marie Williams, was robbed of her vehicle on Saturday night and tonight, another well-known businesswoman reports that her vehicle was also stolen. The manager of Hofius Belize Limited was robbed at gunpoint on Monday night at about seven. Jacqueline Roe had just parked her 2012 [...]

Who should be held accountable for baby deaths at K.H.M.H.?
And tonight’s question is: Who should be held accountable for the recent deaths of twelve babies at the K.H.M.H.? Doctors or Management. Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with your comments to questions@channel5belize.com.

Bulldozing Mayan mounts in Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Earlier we told you about the thousands of artifacts that were found discarded in plastic bags in Crooked Tree. News Five tried to reach Dr. John Morris, or in his absence any director of the Institute of Archaeology this afternoon, on this deplorable situation but we were told that no one was available. While we [...]

More Indian nationals caught being trafficked through Belize
A third group of illegal Indian nationals has been captured in the west as cases of human trafficking continue to increase. The seven nationals are part of a larger group that has been coming illegally across the western border in the past two weeks. On Monday, the group was intercepted in Esperanza and police moved [...]

Man who helped youth report assault is now threatened
A sports instructor, employed at Nazarene Primary School, is tonight abstaining from work, following an incident during which he reportedly came to the aid of a student, who had allegedly been sodomized by a teacher.  According to San Ignacio police, thirty-six year old Eddie Pinelo, who has since been remanded to prison, was arrested and [...]

Lost in translation; businessman busted for his own weapon
Thirty-eight year old Chao Gui Cao, a prominent businessman of the Hattieville area, was arraigned today in court for the possession of a nine millimeter firearm and live ammunition which were found on him at the four miles checkpoint on the George Price Highway on Saturday night. In the presence of his attorney, Anthony Sylvester, [...]

After attacking security guard, culprit threatens to kill and drink blood
A Sand Hill man is accused of attacking a KBH security guard who was on duty at the Belize Flour Mill last Saturday. Thirty-seven year old Ralph Middleton was arraigned today for one count of Harm upon KBH Security Guard, Jesus Angel Cruz, and one count of using threatening words, being “Ah wah kill yuh [...]

Mother and wife of injured B.D.F. rushes to Barbados to be at his side
On Monday’s newscast we told you the tale of a Belize Defense Force Soldier attached to the Caribbean Defense Pact’s Regional Security System in Barbados. Warrant Officer Andre Gabb was stabbed to the heart by the conductor of a taxi service who was upset that foreigners come to his country and do what they like. [...]

Attorney says Gender Policy is mischievous on sexual orientation
The Revised Gender Policy 2013, a product of the National Women’s Commission was updated to identify and examine inequities experienced by men and women while suggesting ways to correct gender disparities.   The implementation of the policy has caused alarm in several sectors of society. One of the presenters at the launch of the document, Adele [...]

Moody’s update on Belize quite moody; country may renege on debts
Three weeks ago, the Moody’s Investors Service reported that the government’s bond rating of C-A-A was likely to remain the same for the next four or five years because of the two debt defaults in the past seven years coupled with the country’s low debt tolerance and weak ability to service external debt. Moody’s put [...]

Kangaroo Court? Ex-Guatemalan dictator’s 80 year sentence overturned
Eighty years in prison, was the sentence handed down last week to Guatemala’s ex-military dictator, Rios Montt, for ordering the deaths of one thousand seven hundred and seventy-one Ixil Mayas between 1982 to 1983. But Guatemala’s constitutional court has thrown out the conviction for genocide and crimes against humanity.  The court ruled that the trial [...]

LOVE FM

Police Recovers Stolen Service Revolver in Southern Belize
Punta Gorda Police has retrieved a stolen nine millimeter pistol. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the details. PAUL MAHUNG “The 9mm was spotted with a male fourth form student of the Toledo Community College on a school bus on Monday, May 13 by an adult who as a concerned c...

More Indians Caught Illegally Entering Belize
It seems like illegal entry of Indian Nationals is becoming a trend in the Cayo District as yesterday a vehicle with illegal Indian Nationals was intercepted in the Cayo area. Correspondent Elaine Berry reports. ELAINE BERRY “On Monday, May 20 at about 4:05pm, Polic...

80 Year Old Sex Offender Deported To The US
There are reports that an eighty year old sex offender who is wanted in the United States was arrested yesterday in the City of Belmopan. Love News understands that the man identified as Lyle Sutton, an American National visited the US Embassy in Belmopan yesterday to check on so...

Robbery, Carnal Knowledge and Attempted Murder Reported in Dangriga, Cayo and Ladyville
The crime wave continued in Ladyville where a seventeen year boy of the village reported that at around 9:00 pm while he and his friend were riding pass the basketball court, his brother-in-law stopped in his black car and told him to put the bike and his trunk and that he would give t...

Woman Says She Was Raped In Ladyville
Police are investigating a reported rape in Ladyville. A thirty eight year old Belizean domestic reported that on the sixteenth of May at 5:30 pm, she went to an area in Ladyville off Plunkett Road when she saw a man dressed in a white undershirt, brown shirt and long jeans pans ...

Sudden Death of Newborn Investigated In Belize District
A one month old baby died yesterday and his passing has been classified as a sudden death. According to police reports, the visited the home of twenty one year old Leondra Sutherland in Ladyville village yesterday around 2:25 am and she reported that earlier in the morning, her o...

Business Manager Robbed of SUV and Cell Phone
The Manager of Hofius Belize Ltd reported that she was robbed in Belize City. Jacqueline Roe a resident of Ladyville told police that around 7:10 pm last night she inside her eighty thousand dollar Gold 2012 Toyota Hilux at the Smokey Mermaid Restaurant Parking Lot loc...

Belize Tourism Board Seeks To Make Benque Viejo Town, A Tourism Destination
Last week the Belize Tourism Board officially launched the Benque Viejo del Carmen tourism plan, website, travel guide and heritage tour. BTB says that Benque Viejo is the second largest entry point to Belize unfortunately it does not benefit from the inflow of visitors. BTB is now loo...

Secondary School Student In Northern Belize Wins Logo Competition
Bishop Martin High School in Orange Walk Town is back in the news and once again it is good news. One of its students won a logo competition held by the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities. A total of twelve entries were submitted from seven different high...

Salvadoran National Charged For Displaying An MS13 Gang Tattoo
Twenty-eight year old Salvadoran national Pedro Elizar Caliz, a member of MS 13 gang, was fined $300.00 today by Senior magistrate Sharon Fraser after he pled guilty to a charge of displaying gang membership. Caliz must pay the fine by June 30. If he defaults on payment he will serve t...

Chinese Businessman Freed After Being Locked Up For Licensed Firearm and Ammunition
Thirty-eight year old Chinese businessman Chao Gui Cao, who was arraigned today on charges of kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, was freed of the charges when they were dismissed by magistrate Dale Cayetano. Magistrate Cayetano dismissed the charges after Cao’s at...

Premature Babies Dying in the Belize City Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the KHMH
Marion Ali, Reporting The deaths of at least a dozen premature babies over the past few weeks at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, supposedly because of cryptic infectious bacteria, have prompted a series of investigations into the circumstanc...

CTV3

PUP Calls For Resignation Of Minister of Health and Hospitals Board Of Directors
And at the heels of the KHMH report, comes a release from the People’s United Part calling for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Health and of the Board of Directors of the referral hospital. In the release, the PUP states and we quote “It is horrendous and deplorable that this situation could have developed without the authorities taking proper and adequate measures of prevention and response before so many deaths occurred. We have learned that the capacity of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is for only 8 patients, but that there were in excess of twenty newborns in the facility. The fact that any bacterial or other infection could have been allowed to take so many lives before any response was made, demonstrates that there must have been gross negligence by the hospital authorities.” End of quote. The PUP questions the fact that if there were frequent overcrowded conditions increasing the vulnerability of the babies to infection, then why was there no response sooner? That’s a question that may never be answered.

Environmental Laws Violated In Consejo Village
Tonight a resident of Consejo Village in the Corozal District is making serious allegations on who is now the former chairman of the community. Luciano Velasquez claims that Carlos Arana, the former UDP chairman of Consejo infringed his rights as the rightful owner of a plot of land in front of the sea. Amidst the entire ordeal, what is of most importance is that the former UDP Chairman not only violated the rights of the senior citizen but he allegedly caused an adverse effect on the mangroves along the shoreline. Reporter Irvin Aragon has the story. Irvin Aragon – Reporting Consejo Shores, located approximately some six and a half miles north of Corozal Town has a population of approximately one hundred and fifty people and is well known for its diverse ecosystem primarily in the marine life. Mangroves protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. Mangroves also help prevent erosion stabilizing sediments with their tangled root systems. They maintain water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants and trapping sediments originating from land. Despite the significant importance that mangroves have on the environment, they are currently experiencing a major threat: clearance. This trend is increasingly apparent in Belize including Consejo Shores where it seems that the former Chairman of the Village Carlos Arana placed no importance on the environment when he allegedly cleared a large portion of Mangroves along the shoreline of a private property for the development of a park.

Student Of BMHS Wins Logo Competition
A forth form student from Bishop Martin High School in Orange Walk Town was named today the winner of the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities logo competition. Scores ranging from 10 points for excellent, 8 to 9 points for good, 6 to 7 points for fair, and 0 to 5 points for poor were used in each category. Tonight we are proud to note that garnered the maximum mark for his presentation, thus winning the $500 cash prize and one IPAD, while; his school will receive $1000 cash prize and a video projector, courtesy of the Belize Telemedia Limited. The submission now becomes the property of the Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities. The Ministry received twelve entries from seven different high schools across the country. A panel of five judges with related background in art and designing was selected to review the submissions and select the winner.

Have You Seen Jaylen Escobar?
Tonight the family of a 15 year old female minor from the Village of Copper Bank in the Corozal District is asking for the public’s assistance to locate her. Jaylen Ercilia Escobar left home at around 6:30am on Thursday May 16th en-route to Corozal Town and has not been seen or heard from since. Escobar is described as being of brown complexion, has black hair, brown eyes and is approximately four feet five inches in height. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Jaylen Ercilia Escobar is asked to contact the nearest Police Station or the family at 651-3955 or 653-7677.

12 Newborns Die At KHMH
The alarming report that 12 newborns died at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the KHMH in the first 20 days of May, 2013 has left the nation in shock and asking many questions. The disturbing statistic was revealed late yesterday evening by the Management of the KHMM through a press release. What exactly caused the death of the babies has not been determined but it is highly believed that they died as a result of a hospital-based nosocomial infection outbreak. Presently the hospital’s Quality Assurance Team is investigating the situation to find the source. As mentioned the report has left the nation stunned. But in realty it is not the first time that Belizeans are hearing about the possible infection of the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. During his Budget Presentation back in March, Orange Walk East Area Representative Honorable Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez was the first to speak on the issue. But apparently no one listened, not even the Minister of Health Pablo Marin much less the Prime Minister. Honourable Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez – Orange Walk East Area Representative “With those super bugs that were created in the hospital there was the Ministry of Health was not buying the medication as to treat this patient or those patients that have caught that infection and it was being left for the patient to buy them and that is stating that to cure that infection by the hospital it depended on how deep the pocket of the person or the relatives have that they could buy the appropriate medication and not by our flag ship hospital which is the KHMH, of course this information I got it from colleagues who were having difficult times to cure patients because of the low quality medications that they were having within that hospital.

2012/2013 Crop Season Ends On Saturday
At the beginning of the 2012/2013 Crop Season back in November of last year stakeholders of the Industry estimated that a total of one million fifty thousand tons of cane would be delivered to the factory producing one hundred and ten thousand tons of cane. Today, the good news is that the estimated target was surpassed way beyond the closure of crop set for this coming Saturday. The date was agreed upon during a meeting held between the producer and the miller yesterday. Alfredo Ortega- Chairman BSCFA “Ayer entre BSI y nosotros quedamos de acuerdo de que especulando una cantidad de cana que está sobrando todavía, entre todos los branch chairman andamos alrededor de 14 mil toneladas de caña más, entonces sumándolo a unos 5 mil toneladas por días que se entregue calculamos tres días sin embargo pues dimos dos días más por si alguna cosa hay problemas pues fue asi que quedamos de acuerdo de que finalice la Zafra el sábado. Cuando empezó la Zafra estaban especulando por medios de los problemas del Frog Hopper y otros problemas de que estábamos enfrentando de que algunos decían de que no íbamos a llegar ni siquiera al millón de toneladas de caña de entrega, sin embargo llego un acuerdo de una cantidad de que se esperaba de un millón cincuenta mil toneladas de caña, y al transcurso de la entrega yo siempre decía de que podíamos llegar a algo similar a la entrega de la Zafra anterior y así fuimos otra vez de a zafra y hasta ayer ya habíamos entregado un millón sesenta mil toneladas de caña que ya ha producido arriba de los 115 mil toneladas de azúcar que eso es muy bueno para nosotros porque también lo que se esperaba en la azúcar era 110 mil toneladas de azúcar y ya hemos pasado esa cantidad por cinco mil más y todavía nos queda este resto de semana de entrega y pues eso nos puede dar aun todavía oportunidad para a los que les hace falta poco que entreguen y así llegar en lo máximo en la azúcar de esta Zafra.”

Impressive Figures For LICU Fiscal Report
Last night we reported on the huge success the La Inmaculada Credit Union experienced for its fiscal year from April 2012 to March 2013 thanks to its members owners who remained committed in investing and repaying loans. This year, La Inmaculada Credit Union reported the approval of a total of 5, 783 new loans which equals a total of 18 million seven hundred and twenty thousand nine hundred ninety four dollars and forty four cents. These figures show that a total of 554 new barrowers were welcomed for this fiscal year. As part of the huge success of the credit union, reports show that an increase in savings of 3.46 million dollars or 12% was recorded. Assets impressively increased at a total of 4.29 million dollars or 14% and lastly, the loan portfolio increased by 4.92 million dollars or 18%.

Fifth Cane Price Estimate Sweeter Than Sugar
Sugar production at the Belize Sugar Industry’s Tower Hill Factory has increased considerably when compared to last year’s crop. The current yield is exceptional, resulting in a greater output of sugar during this season and an increase in the fifth cane price estimate which was recently released and stands at $63.54. The fifth cane price estimate is based on several components including the milling of one million seventy thousand tons of cane, expected to produce one hundred and sixteen thousand tons of sugar and thirty three thousand tons of molasses. Out of this amount, fourteen thousand tons of sugar and eight thousand four hundred tons of molasses will be for local consumption. The current price estimate is also based on a TCTS of 9.22 which is above the actual level achieved last crop of 9.14. The recent estimate translates to good news for cane farmers, despite the fact that not all of them will receive the same payment. Alfredo Ortega- Chairman, BSCFA Committee of Management “Ahorita esta quinta estimación que salió estamos en $63.54 muy bueno pero lo único que quisiera poner en claro no todos en estos momentos si el precio fuera igual no todos lo estuviéramos consiguiendo porque aquellos test group que están de abajo de uno no están en ese promedio pero los que están arriba pues están en ello, esto es para que nos demos cuenta de nuestras actividades que hacemos en el tiempo de cosecha nos puede dar esa oportunidad de incrementar el precio de nuestra cana como también bajar el precio por eso es muy importante en el tiempo de cosecha porque allí es adonde garantizamos cuánto dinero estamos haciendo por nuestra cana.”

PlusTV

Another archaeological site bulldozed
Plus news has learned that Belize’s Mayan History and Heritage continues to be destroyed. Information reaching our news room is that sometime last week, a bulldozer was clearing land in the Blackburn area of Crooked Tree Village when the incident occurred. Plus news spoke with Village Chairman George Guest...

KHMH confirms 12 babies died so far this month
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) confirmed yesterday that 12 babies had died so far for the month of May in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit – none lasting more than a month. It is staggering and frightening and hospital authorities say an investigation is underway to determine how...

Sudden death of new born baby in Ladyville
There was another case of sudden death of a new born baby on Monday. It’s a mother’s most terrifying nightmare – finding your baby unresponsive and not breathing. This was the dreadful reality of a 21 year old housewife of Ladyville. In the wee hours of Monday morning, the...

PUP calls for resignation of Minister of Health
The People’s United Party is now calling for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Health and of the Board of Directors of the hospital. In a press release today, the PUP says that it is horrendous and deplorable that this situation could have developed without the authorities taking...

Belize Gay rights IN Cabinet gender policy; Trinidad Gay rights OUT
The moral direction of the country of Belize is now resting on the shoulders of one man. While the country awaits the Chief Justice’s decision in July on Belize’s sodomy laws, the Revised Gender policy 2013 has apparently jumped the gun. The spokesperson for the Women’s Commission, says the...

Mark Seawell
There were no hearings in court, but the next phase of the extradition fight by 44 year old Mark Seawell will not be long in coming. On June 4, attorneys for both sides will convene with Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin to determine the next steps in the case following...

High school student found with 9mm pistol
News coming out of Punta Gorda is that a high school student was found in the possession of a 9mm pistol on a school bus. But if you think the gun was immediately confiscated and that was the end of it, well not so. As the student was defiant...

Thieves target woman in Belize City restaurant parking lot
Brazen thieves targeted a woman in a restaurant parking lot last night. A little after 7 o’clock, Jacqueline Roe, the manager of Hofius Belize Ltd exited her Toyota Hilux in the parking area of Smokey Mermaid Restaurant when two dark skinned men approached her. One of them placed a...

Woman attacked and raped in Ladyville
A woman was reportedly attacked and raped by a man in Ladyville. The victim, who is thirty eight years old, told police that last week Thursday, around 5:30 in the evening, she was in an area off Plunkett Road when she saw a man in front of her. He...

14 year old pregnant by brother-in-law
In the west, a 14 year old has reportedly admitted to having sex with her 23 year old brother-in-law, which resulted in her becoming pregnant. The mother of the minor said that earlier this month, she was at home when she heard someone vomiting outside and upon checking, she...

British High Commission donates to Youth Cadets and Football Team
This afternoon The British High Commission in Belmopan handed over shirts, shorts, socks, boots and footballs to Manager of the National Youth Cadet Service Corp; Mr. William Swan and Kennedy Gentle, Manager of the Gentle Touch Female Football Team. Plus news was present at the small ceremony and spoke...

Global Day of Prayer observed in Belize
Global Day of Prayer was observed this past Sunday. The international day of repentance and prayer started in 2000 in Capetown, South Africa and has since migrated to all the corners of the earth. It is recognized on the Day of Pentecost, which in the book of Acts, is...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Village Council Elections 2013
Around the entire Country of Belize, village council elections are being held. We hear both political parties debating over which slate got in. In Caye Caulker the candidates running have decided that they will refuse to be labelled as PUP or UDP. Although there are full slates of one Chairperson and six councilors they consist of supporters from both parties. There are also many individuals running as independent candidates willing to work together with the people of the island to make the island a peaceful and supporting island. This is the way all Village Councils should be regardless of political preference. Listening to campaigners, this, hands down has been the same on each candidates agenda. Work with the Government for the people and Community with no preferences. Let’s hope that this will happen when the newly elected council members are in and prove that they are willing to work for the island. There is still a possibility that both parties show up with full slates on election day since nominations will be held the morning of the election. This year shows a record number of candidates who have stepped up to the plate and decided to taking their stand.

Amandala

RICHARD RUSSELL, 32, SHOT TO DEATH IN HIS HOME
Someone called his name; he went to the window and was shot in the face. Three boys – 9, 7, and 3 years old – will now grow up without their father after he was killed by an unknown gunman at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in their home in Salvapan, Belmopan. Richard Russell, 32, was at home when someone called out for him. When he went to the window to answer the call, the unknown person shot him in the face. The gunman then escaped. Russell struggled for his life, but died shortly after in his home. Diane Lamb, Russell’s common-law wife who was at home with him at the time, told reporters that he had just arrived home, and was getting some food when someone outside shouted his name. He told her to go and see who it was. He then told the person to go by the window, and as he opened the window to see what the individual wanted, the person shot him.

BELIZEAN SOLDIER STABBED IN BARBADOS
He was stabbed in the heart, but is expected to recover. Warrant Officer in the Belize Defence Force (BDF) Andre Gabb, 45, is in critical condition after being stabbed in the chest on Friday, May 17, 2013 in Barbados. According to the Jamaica Observer, the incident occurred sometime in the evening at a marketplace in Carlton, Black Rock, about two miles north of the country’s capital, Bridgetown. Gabb reportedly got involved in an altercation that ensued between persons who were in his company. His brother, Dwight Gabb, told us that they are still not sure exactly what transpired, but sometime during the altercation, Andre was stabbed in the chest with a knife, which punctured his heart. He underwent surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and has been listed in critical condition. We were told that he has been sedated but is responding by lip and finger twitches to the doctors. All indications are that he will recover.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS “ON ALERT” ABOUT MAYAN SITE CHAU HIIX
Maya mounds at Chau Hiix already cleared for agriculture; the site has a central pyramid that rises almost 75 feet above the flat lagoon landscape in Crooked Tree. Whereas the destruction of the Noh Mul Archaeological Site has been making international waves, activities at a well-known Maya site in the Belize River Valley area have authorities at the Institute of Archaeology (IA), and their partners at the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) on alert, due to allegations that a businessman from northern Belize, who has not been named, had been eyeing the Chau Hiix site in Crooked Tree Village also, as a source of materials for road works. BAS had received a report last week, alleging that there had also been some mining for road works at Chaa Hiix, but because the matter is outside their jurisdiction, it was referred to the Institute of Archaeology. Amandala understands that the institute had made an initial assessment on Friday, May 3. Archaeological Commissioner Dr. Jaime Awe told Amandala that when they visited the site, they observed major land clearings, which were likely done with heavy machinery, for agricultural purposes. Bush had also been burned on the mounds, but the mounds themselves were “structurally intact,” said Awe. Awe said that the government has never stopped people from farming on Maya mounds. That would be impossible, he said, given the prevalence of mounds across Belize, including the Belize River Valley area.

CHILD SODOMY CONFUSION IN CAYO
School coach under “death threat” for helping minor, 14, report sex attack by teacher. A basketball/football coach of a Nazarene primary school in San Ignacio is not attending school due to fears for his safety, after receiving death threats because he assisted a boy, 14, to report to police that he had been sodomized by a teacher of the same school. The coach, whose identity has to remain anonymous because he fears for his life, told Amandala this morning that the threats are numerous. On Wednesday, May 15, at about 10:00 a.m., he said, a man rode up on a motorcycle in San Ignacio, stopped beside him and told him, “Informers fi dead!” Amandala also was told that on Thursday, May 9, around 12:30 a.m. a car stopped in front of his house in San Ignacio. Two men got out of the car, but the dogs began to bark. The men then reportedly got back into the car and drove away. The harassment did not stop there. On Tuesday, May 14, at about 2:00 a.m., someone threw missiles at the coach’s house while he was sleeping. When he awoke, he saw a car driving away. He reported the matter to police, and they are investigating.

DARING CORAL GROVE ROBBERY AT 11:00 P.M.
Executive Director of the National Women’s Commission, board member of the YWCA and former news editor Ann-Marie Williams confirmed to Amandala today that two young men robbed her on Saturday night of her SUV and her cell phone as soon as she returned home from the Miss Y pageant. Police Press Officer Raphael Martinez reported that Williams’ vehicle, a dark grey 2003 Mazda Tribute SUV with license plate number C-41867 valued at BZ$16,000, was found in Hattieville just after midday today, Monday, May 20. We understand that the vehicle was found in an unaltered condition, but the ignition key was missing. According to police, Williams reported that at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, she arrived at her house in the Coral Grove area and two males, who had just exited another vehicle, approached her demanding that she turn over her keys. “Get out of the vehicle. Gimme the keys,” the robbers, who were wearing hooded shirts to hide their faces, reportedly told Williams.

GUATEMALA – A BIGGER ISSUE THAN EVER BEFORE Editorial
The Belize Ambassador to Guatemala, Fred Martinez, told the press here last week that Guatemala was very “polarized” because of the Rios Montt conviction and jail sentence week before last. What he did not say, perhaps because he did not know, was that that polarization is built into the very socio-economic fabric of Guatemala, and that that polarization has been the order of the Guatemalan day for as long as anyone can remember. Guatemalan structural polarization has experienced a flare-up because of the Rios Montt genocide trial, but that structural polarization has always been there. The forces which demanded and pursued the Rios Montt trial are those Guatemalans who are trying to heal the wounds of the Conquest and the subsequent socio-economic polarization. Theirs is an awesome task, but these are brave and sincere Guatemalans. There are powerful business, political, and military Americans who have supported Guatemalans like Rios Montt for centuries. These are Americans who do not care about the masses of the Guatemalan people. They only care about Guatemala’s resources and desire a continuation of Guatemala’s neoliberal economic policies. These same Americans care even less about the Belizean people. They are interested in Belize’s natural resources. These are the Americans who decided fifty years ago that Belize should become a state which was a satellite state of Guatemala’s.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
One of my friends accused me of suspending this column week before last, because I had not written a new column for either of the issues that week. There were two columns last week, however. One column discussed the Rios Montt conviction in Guatemala City, and the other considered the Noh Mul violation outside of Orange Walk Town. For some years now, with all my children grown, I have thought of becoming creative again in my writing. This would mean I would seek to communicate with you through mechanisms like stage plays and prose fiction, for example, which were much of what I was doing between 1969 and 1976. But, writing in this newspaper and some editing/proofreading are how I make my daily bread, and my wife and I have to eat. I am grateful for the job I have, which I mostly enjoy, so why should I be thinking of doing the same creative things which were not paying the bills back then? Writers are happy when people want to read what they write, and this is the situation in which I find myself. So, mine is a happy situation. But, there are things you can’t say in a straightforward column. In this field, we writers believe that the highest form of writing is creative, not journalistic.

PALLOTTI TEACHER WRITES HER FOURTH FORMERS Letters
by Mrs. Cassandra Munnings-Sabal Dear Editor, I am a teacher at Pallotti High School who was asked to write a letter addressing her Fourth Formers. I thought it was a good idea from our principal because teachers don’t usually write letters to students sharing their thoughts, appreciation and memories of their journey. I took the liberty to write one and I thought it would be a good idea for it to be read publicly. I do believe other fourth formers who read it may be encouraged as well. In the spirit of Teachers’ Week/Month, it would be an honor if this letter finds a space in your newspaper. Thanks very much for your time and consideration. May 18th, 2013 Dear 4TH Formers, ISAIAH 26:3 says, “People with their minds set on God are kept completely whole and steady on their feet because they keep at it and don’t quit.” Therefore I write this letter in hopes that it meets you in complete peace of mind, of body, of soul and in complete balance with God. I am quite aware that you are slowly coming to the end of your time here at Pallotti and even though you might feel inclined to say “FINALLY!!” or “THANK GOODNESS!!!”, allow me to applaud you for your determination to persevere: for having remained focused and steady on your feet in order to have completed your four years of high school education.

LITA HUNTER KROHN WRITES Letters
by Lita Hunter Krohn Dear Editor: Am reading in Spanish: Violencia y Genocidio en Guatemala by Victoria Sanford. This little book of 120 pages gives valuable information and background to Guatemala from the 1950s to the 1990s. It is essential information for all Belizeans providing clean and clear data as to what happened there, who was responsible and who we are dealing with. Sincerely, Lita Hunter Krohn

MORNING, SHARON AND MOSE Letters
I have read the editorial in this week’s Amandala and must wholeheartedly agree with the editor concerning the amount of nonsense happening under this Barrow administration. The editor mentioned that even the UDP loyalists have to admit there is a crisis concerning the Deputy PM. Scandal after scandal is coming out concerning him and the PM still hasn’t come out and disciplined this individual. Why is he protecting this guy? In the past Musa administration, Mr. Musa said a famous statement that Belizeans took politically and made fun of him: “Nobody will get between the love I have for Ralph Fonseca.” It seems today it’s déjà vu. I wonder if Barrow will profess this same statement the love he has for Gapi Vega, that’s why he’s mute about all these scandals. Hakeem Bush

KREM’S COMMUNITY REPORTER TURNED COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, PERRY SMITH, GETS POLICE AWARD
KREM’s community reporter turned community activist, Perry Smith, also known as “Sticks,” was among 41 persons who were honored at an appreciation and award ceremony held by the Belize Police Department at the Princess Hotel in Belize City on Friday, May 17, 2013. Smith, who received the award on behalf of the St. Martin De Porres Concerned Citizens Group, told our newspaper that awards were given to three civilian community groups, including his, as well as police officers who had been doing “exceptional work.” On April 13, 2013, Smith’s group, which also includes Anthony Codd and Olga Gordon, held a day of healing and a candlelight vigil at the St. Martin De Porres Football Field. Their next event is slated for June 16, 2013. A report from the Police Department said that at Friday’s appreciation and awards ceremony, the four precincts from the Eastern Division Headquarters and community members were awarded.

OCEANA PROTESTS TREATY MOVE TO CONTINUE DRILLING IN SOUTHERN BELIZE
Oceana Belize announced today (Friday) that they have been able to confirm that Treaty Energy Limited, joint venture partner of Princess Petroleum, has resumed drilling in southern Belize – a move which the organization says violates a recent ruling by the Supreme Court. “The court ruling was clear that the contract of Princess Petroleum, which has a joint venture with Treaty Energy, is ‘unlawful, null and void,’ and thus it stands that by extension, any work Treaty does under the umbrella of Princess is unlawful and a violation of the declaration made by Justice Oswell Legall,” Oceana said. In a statement issued on May 6, 2013, Treaty had said that, “Due to the Supreme Court ruling, Treaty Belize Energy temporarily suspended its drilling efforts on the San Juan #3. Treaty wanted to consult with its legal counsel in Belize and wait for the Government of Belize to issue a statement. On May 5, 2013, Prime Minister Barrow made statements to local media regarding the Supreme Court ruling. Based on the legal opinion Treaty Energy received from Princess Petroleum’s legal counsel and the statement made by Prime Minister Barrow, Treaty has made the decision to recommence drilling of the San Juan #3 well.

PETER CASTILLO, 33, SHOT ON FABERS ROAD
26 hours after one of the supervisors of Hon. Anthony “Boots” Martinez’s Southside Poverty Alleviation Project was killed, another of Minister Martinez’s employees was shot. Peter Castillo, 33, of the Jane Usher Boulevard area, is fighting for his life at the Emergency Ward at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was shot in the jaw, leg and shoulder at about 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the junction of Fabers Road and Gill Street. According to police reports, Castillo was riding his bicycle on Fabers Road towards Queen Charlotte Street, but when he reached the junction of Gill Street and Fabers Road, a gunman who was standing at the junction took out a gun and shot him. Castillo fell to the ground, and the gunman escaped.

Blogs

#traveltuesday our Belize City Shopping trip and a tacogirl reader review of Mahogany Hall
Last Friday Commodore Andy and I were on official San Pedro Sailing Club business in Belize City – hunting down deals for Sunday Charity beach barbecue. On the way over we got to land in Caye Chapel, both of us were ready to get off the plane and say hi to Evan and enjoy one of our new favorite islands. Good thing we were both in the mood to shop otherwise it would have been all to easy to abandon our mission. Our Belize City Taxi driver Jeff 630-5746 was waiting for us at when we arrived Municipal Airport. We headed off to Food and Beverage first, Jeff had to try a few routs as we ran into a roadwork detour. Andy was going to get party size mayonnaise and barbecue sauce but we both quickly became excited by a 1 liter bottle of Balsamic Vinegar for $8 bzd. After we headed a stones throw down the road to Smiling Meats where Matthew took good care of us. Andy bought 30 thick cut pork chops for Sundays charity barbecue and the price was $2 a chop cheaper than in San Pedro. Of course as soon as Pedro found out we were in Smiling’s shop, Andy got a call straight away to pick him up a Ham Fully Loaded Jeff drove us headed back to Maya Air and caught the 12:30 flight home.

Chaa Creek’s Guides Offer Some Responsible Water Tips for Travellers
Travellers concerned about the environment and wish to be part of the growing trend towards ethical travel have been asked to consider how they use one of life’s essentials while abroad – water. According to Miguel Choco, an experienced naturalist guide at Belize’s the Lodge at Chaa Creek, the use of disposable plastic water bottles is becoming a major environmental hazard. Mr Choco recently said, “One of the issues guides constantly face is water. Visitors need constant supplies of fresh drinking water, but at the same time, plastic water bottles are becoming an environmental nightmare all around the world. “If you’ve ever canoed down a pristine river or visited a beautiful Maya temple in the rainforest, and saw empty plastic bottles lying around, you know what we mean. It’s a growing problem worldwide, but one that can be mitigated with a little foresight.” Mr Choco said that Chaa Creek has been addressing the problem for some time now, and is offering water tips for travellers. “Here at Chaa Creek we produce our own drinking water using state-of-the-art filtration systems. We then give our guests souvenir aluminium water bottles that they can fill at no cost at the various filling stations around the resort. “This way they’re ensured a supply of clean, safe drinking water when they’re here or out on tours and don’t need to purchase the plastic bottles. We do sell the plastic bottles for those guests who feel better using them, but we find that most people prefer to take the eco-route and use ours,” he said.

International Sources

Authorities probe the deaths of 12 babies at Belize hospital
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) says 12 babies have died during the month so far and it has launched an investigation to determine whether the deaths were due to an infection outbreak. In a statement, the hospital said that the investigation is to “determine whether this is an outbreak of hospital-based (nosocomial) infection and if so, what is its source”.The babies were all confined to the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after being born at the health institution. The KHMH said “all the neonates affected were premature births, and therefore more susceptible to infection and complications of prematurity”.

A Parasitic Worm Infects An Ant
In the jungles of Belize last January, entomologist Alex Wild noticed something odd about the trap-jaw ants passing through his outdoor insect photography class: They all had shrunken heads and swollen abdomens. A day after making the observation, Wild and his students came upon an ant with a worm bursting out of its side. Parasites were at work. Nematode worms enter the ants as larvae and grow inside the ants’ body cavity, siphoning off nutrients and distorting their hosts’ natural anatomy. When the eight-inch-long nematodes are ready to mate a few weeks later, they push their way out of their half-inch-long hosts, killing them.

May 21, 2013

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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro Street Treats: Kenep
It’s kenep season once again! They can be found at almost every little fruit stand across town that has fresh produce for sale. The local vendors sell them by the bag for a low cost of $2. Many people call it by different names (kenep, kinep, waya, guinep, mamones, Mexican lime), one fact remains unchanged: the sweet yet tart flavor makes it a great snack, any time of the day. The fruit typically ripens during the summer and grows in bunches on trees up to 30 meters high. You can find a kenep tree virtually in any district of mainland Belize. The outer skin of the fruit is green and thick, I personally compare it to a soft nut shell. To get to the yummy insides you use your teeth to break the casing open. The pulp is an orange or peach color, depending on the type and the stage of ripening. It is sweet and juicy, yet sour at the same time, and the texture is so smooth and silky it sends your taste buds on an unexpected ride. Pop the fruit in your mouth, and suck or chew the flesh away. When only the seed remains, you spit it out.

Placencia dominates 12th Annual BTB Tourism Awards
BTB Tourism Awards-7Bannister Caye was the location for the 12th annual Belize Tourism Board (BTB) tourism awards ceremony held on Saturday, May 18, 2013. This year, the party was an all-white affair, and guests were whisked away from Old Belize via two large boats to Bannister Caye, about 45 minutes away from the coast of Belize City. The location was tropical, gorgeous and fabulous, and the welcoming sounds of Pantempers Steel Band filled the air. BTB Tourism Awards-7Bannister Caye was the location for the 12th annual Belize Tourism Board (BTB) tourism awards ceremony held on Saturday, May 18, 2013. This year, the party was an all-white affair, and guests were whisked away from Old Belize via two large boats to Bannister Caye, about 45 minutes away from the coast of Belize City. The location was tropical, gorgeous and fabulous, and the welcoming sounds of Pantempers Steel Band filled the air.

Dental health professionals attend annual workshop in San Pedro Town
Government dentists and other dental health professionals were on Ambergris Caye for two days as part of their annual dental workshop. The event took place on May 16th and 17th at Banana Beach Resort in San Pedro Town and had the participation of about 20 government dental workers. During the two days the participants got to discuss issues relating to dentistry in the government run public health facilities in ten different outposts. Heading the government dental workers is Doctor Rafael Samos, Senior Dental Surgeon in the Dental Department of the Ministry of Health. According to Dr. Samos, the annual conference is held in different venues annually and for the first time, San Pedro Town was the host. “We gather all the dental staff in the Ministry of Health from the dental assistant to the auxiliary dental officer to dentist from all our clinics. In all, we have ten dentists working with the government and ten dental assistants and two auxiliary dental officers. We take into consideration all the activities and statistics we do throughout the year and we build up on that. We also take time out to discuss the action plans, we discuss challenges and try to come up with solutions and we also look at the way forward for the next year,” explained Samos.

University of North Georgia students interact with Belizean students
A group of students from the University of North Georgia, USAwere in Belize conducting several activities. It is a part of the university’s Students Study Abroad program and while in the country, were working in two municipalities. The students were scheduled to work in schools in Belize City and in San Pedro Town where they had the opportunity to do some hands-on work. On the night of Saturday May 11th, the students had the unique opportunity to meet other students from the University of West Indies (UWI), Belize Campus. During a meet and greet, the US students enjoyed the Garifuna Culture through drumming and various dances. The foreign students were introduced to the dances and all were excited to try it. They also interacted and participated in various games and even sang during the karaoke sessions. The following day, on Sunday May 12th, the university students traveled to the Lamanai Maya Site in the Orange Walk District, one of the main sites in the country and the largest in northern Belize. There, the North Georgia students were met by students of Sacred Heart Junior College (SHJC) from the Cayo District. Speaking to The San Pedro Sun, Vicky Novelo, Director of Student Services at SHJC, explained the purpose of the interaction between the two groups of students.

Ambergris Today

Video Pick: Bridal Party Harlem Shakes at Tranquility Bay Resort, Ambergris Caye
Local wedding photographer Jose Luis Zapata took this small video while he was documenting a beach wedding at Tranquility Bay Resort in northern Ambergris Caye, Belize. When the Harlem Shake song came along, a spontaneous dance erupted and he was able to capture the dance that has gone viral the world around. Congratulations to Jason and Morgan Hawks!

Flashbacks: La Beluga Submarine in San Pedro
Submarines are said to have been sighted outside the reef along the north coast of Ambergris Caye during World War II. Could this have been one of them captured and landed in San Pedro. That would have been cool, but no, only wishful thinking. This is actually one of those life boats used in those big container ships. In times of emergency, several men could lock themselves in it and it could roll in open seas. The boat once appeared in San Pedro in the early 1980’s and it belonged to Mr. Kevin Gonzalez. He parked it in front of Mr. Dan Dawson’s yard for him to do some repairs on it. Mr. Dawson, of course, was San Pedro’s most renowned mechanic and handy man who could repair anything. The boat was called the submarine by everyone in San Pedro and it was named Beluga. When in the sea, children would enter and play in the beluga pretending to be soldiers or a submarine crew. A short anecdote: Once a group of children were playing in the Beluga and locked one of their friends inside the Beluga. When it suddenly rolled over, they became scared and ran off leaving their frightened friend all alone in distress. It was not until a friend asked them to go and release the prisoner that they did so. We are sure some other persons might have hilarious stories to tell about the Submarine, La Beluga.

Pic of the Week: Traditional Uniform Signing at San Pedro High School
Today was graduation announcements at San Pedro High School and with that came the signing of the uniforms. It's an annual and year-old tradition where students and friends write congratulatory messages on the senior's uniforms once they know that they are graduation from San Pedro High. Here are a few pictures from today's happy announcements. Congratulations to all the graduating seniors at San Pedro High School.

Misc Belizean Sources

Accounting Part 1: Introduction to Accounting
LEARN ABOUT The basic understanding of accounting: how accounting numbers are generated, the meaning of income, and how to track expenses, profit and loss.. also learn how to use accounting reports to make better small business decisions.

Intent to toll - Northern Highway - into Belize City
On February 21, 2013, the Mayor of Belize City effectively declared war on the residents of northern Belize by expressing his intent to toll the portion of the Philip Goldson Highway leading into Belize City. Thankfully, the Minister of Works (the Hon. Rene Montero) has stepped in and put an end (at least for the time being) to the Mayor’s plan. The residents of northern Belize should remain alert none-the-less, because CitCo may still be plotting on how to get its hands on their money. The Mayor, in attempting to justify his taxation on the residents of northern Belize, declared that non-residents of Belize City pour into his city, use its services and pay nothing for it. Wow! It appears that the Mayor has forgotten that his council receives an annual subvention from GOB. Where does he think that money comes from?

For those of you who have been following the Lucky Boy story you will love how he is looking these days!!!! Kudos to all who helped save the beautiful animal! Wouldn't we all like our own personal pool to lounge beside on a hot, smokey day like today? Lucky Boy continues to stay super cool despite the weather, with the occasional dip in his pond. When the light hits him just right, you can see those gorgeous rosettes hidden under his shiny black coat. Genetics lesson of the day: black jaguars are the SAME species as regular spotted jaguars. They just were lucky enough to be born with more pigments in their coats!

Baby tapir rescued from smoke
While we are thrilled to save this little fellow, we would prefer that he were still with his mother... What has turned into a chronic fire situation in western Belize, has resulted in "Fuego" needing rescue....how much wildlife has suffered due to careless bush fires? Turtles, snakes, birds, grey foxes. Not to mention us 2 legged species breathing in that noxious smoke day after day.....The burning must stop! Little Fuego here is a testament to that.

MANGO CHUTNEY CHICKEN
8 pieces of chicken, skinned (or you can use boneless chicken breasts) Juice of one lemon 4 tablespoons mango chutney 2 teaspoons curry powder 2 tablespoons mustard 4 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon white wine 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Scholarship Club Sees Belize
Feelgood news of the day. Restore Belize and the BNE Charitable Trust teamed up last year to create 60 scholarships for Belizeans from around the country. They've been showing the kids the natural wonders of Belize, and this short video captures their trips in 2013. Thanks, BNECT and Restore Belize! "Greetings. Here's a short update on some recent trips made by the Scholarship Club."

International Museum Day in Cayo
The SISE Hoc had their celebration for International Museum Day, and they got some good pictures of the event. Everyone loved hearing, and playing, the marimba. Thanks, NICH!

Belize Coalition Logo Contest
The Belize Coalition to Save Our National Heritage is having a logo competition. If you have an idea for their logo, you have until May 24th to submit it. The winner will get $300. Good luck!

Belize Bank Scholarship Program
Scholarships for the next school year are being offered from Belize Bank. They have the requirements up on their website, and this year, they are offering scholarships for high school and 6th form. You can pick up application forms at the local branch. "We are seeking some bright Belizean students to become a part of our Scholarship Program! Visit our website at www.belizebank.com for the requirements and application forms. Deadline for submission is June 28, 2013."

Cayo's Old West Feel
Cayo got a great write up in International Living. Yes, Everyone should visit Cayo, even though the only things we have here are Mayan archaeological sites, rivers, waterfalls, caves, hiking trails, butterfly farms, medicinal trails, ziplines, cenotes, canoe adventures, botanical gardens, granite pools, Lake Benque, ATM, award winning hotels... Photo is from the Black Hole Drop adventure at Caves Branch Lodge. "If you love lazy rivers, vast rolling hills, and fertile farmland and rainforests where you can test your gardening skills, Cayo is for you. The heart of this area are the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, which both enjoy an Old West feel…but in a tropical frontiersman kind of way that you’ll find only in Belize. Bargains can be found here, too—not only on real estate but on the huge amount of produce and fresh cheeses grown and produced here by local Mennonites."

SIRH Wins Hotel of the Year
The San Ignacio Resort Hotel won the Belize Tourism Board's 'Hotel of the Year' award at their annual tourism awards Saturday. Of course they did! The top notch quality and elegance they provide really sets them above the others. Congratulations to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel! In related news, the airlines are increasing their flights to Belize. Must be to come to Cayo. "Just got the news, We won 2012 Hotel of the Year at the BTB Tourism Awards. More to come Monday :)"

Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team
Tony Rath uploaded some more great pictures from the trip the Scarlet Six Biomonitoring team took through the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. http://scarlet-macaws.blogspot.com/ "This final Album from the Chiquibul documents the process these dedicated researchers go through to safe guard and learn about the scarlet macaws nesting in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize."

Channel 7

12 Newborns Die In May At The KHMH Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
12 newborns have died at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the KHMH in the first 20 days of May, 2013. It is a frightening statistic that was confirmed by the KHMH in a press release sent an hour ago. So, what’s causing the deaths? The KHMH Quality Assurance Team is investigating but they say it might be an outbreak of, hospital based infection, which means it was likely carried by careless hospital staff. The newborns in the pediatric intensive unit are especially vulnerable because all of them were either born premature or with some other serious complication and they do not have the resistance to fight such an infection. The statement says the unit often operates above 100% capacity – and given the frequently overcrowded conditions, hospital based infections are a constant threat. So, right now the Unit has been shut down. An Air Quality Assessment will be done by an independent contractor, followed by removal and disinfection of all equipment and terminal cleaning of the entire unit. The statement adds that all staff will be swabbed to identify possible carriers. The unit will remain closed until the hospital has determined that it is safe to resume operations.

Ann-Marie Got Carjacked!
Ann Marie Williams is one of the best known names and faces in Belizeans – she’s been on the frontline of media, activism and politics for over two decades. But tonight, she’s in the headlines after she was car jacked this weekend. On Saturday night at around 11:00, Ann Marie was returning from the Miss Y Pageant and pulled into her driveway on Durgeon Drive. But when she parked her Mazda Tribute, she saw a car abruptly pull up at the speedbump near her house. She then saw two men striding into her unfenced yard. She says she shouted at them, but they just kept on coming at her. One of them held a club over her while the other demanded the car key. She handed it over and one of them drove off, while the other ran back into the vehicle they had come in and sped off. They also took her cell phone. Police recovered the vehicle in Hattieivlle around noon today. It was undamaged, but had to be towed into the city because the ignition key could not be found. Today Ann Marie declined comment explaining that she was traumatized. Police have no suspects at this time.

City Man Survives Shot Through Head
A Belize City man survived a shot to the head on Saturday morning. At 6:00 am, 33 year old Peter Castillo – who is employed at the City Council - was riding his bicycle on Gill Street going to visit a friend at the corner with Faber’s Road. But when he got to the corner a gunman who was standing nearby fired multiple shots at him. Castillo who is from nearby Jane Usher Boulevard was shot in the calf, shoulder and jaw. We are told that the bullet which hit his shoulder actually traveled up through his head and damaged his eye. But, almost miraculously, he did not receive major brain damage and can speak. He is listed in stable condition. Police have not made any arrests.

Police Make Minor Gill Street Bust, Roy Bennett Has A Major Problem with It
And also on Gill Street on Saturday, police made an arrest at the Felix Yard, which has been a target of both law enforcement and criminals. This time it was the police who found 24 grams of marijuana. That’s less than an ounce, but it was enough for them to detain brothers Ryan Cash Felix and Roy Bennett for the entire weekend. They were released this morning after appearing in court and Roy Bennett told us he is tired of police harassment. Voice of Roy Bennett - Complains of Police Harassment "I was at home watching TV and I'm tired of being disturbed by the Gang Suppression. I want them to know and I'm sending them a message because they treat us like we are the biggest criminal when they are the biggest criminal and they know what is going on in the streets. Saturday they came into my yard and nearly shot my dog and took me to the station concerning a shooting that I didn't know about. Now they charged me for weed and instead of them bringing my charge sheet so that I can get bail and go home instead they left me at the station and when people were bringing food for me they didn't give it to me. They still have my phone and they are texting from my phone and I don't know what they are doing. I just want them to know that they know what they are dealing with. I am tired of them harassing me. I wasn't resisting arrest, I was sitting down in my house. Instead of them investigating what they should they are coming around here for information and no information is around here. I am tired of the harassment and I want them to stop it ."

Shooting Victim’s Family Says Police Making their Loved One Suffer
Last week, we told you about the shooting at the corner of Oleander and Tulip Streets on Thursday at around 5 p.m. A 16 year-old minor was allegedly shot by police after he turned his gun on them. According to police, this minor was allegedly in a shootout with 25 year-old Ryan Myles, who he allegedly targeted at the corner of Oleander and Tulip Streets. The minor shot Myles miles 3 times in the left thigh, left knee and left ankle. Police searched an abandoned lot and found a black 380 Ruger brand pistol with 3 live rounds of ammunition. Police believe that this was the weapon that Myles used it to defend himself against the minor, and that he threw it away when he realized that they were coming. Myles was rushed to the KHMH which could not provide him with much medical treatment because his leg was too swollen. And so the KHMH was supposed to release him from the hospital today until the swelling went down. But that didn’t happen because CIB police detained him for questioning, much to the chagrin of his family. They told 7News today that Myles should not be detained right now, he should be in bed, off his leg which is in awful condition.

Placencia Sweeps Tourism Awards, San Pedro Shut Out
San Pedro may be Belize’s premier tourism destination, but Placencia was the one that virtually swept the 12th annual tourism awards on Saturday night at Bannister Caye. Daniel Ortiz and Cameraman Codie Norales attended to meet with those who pretty much carry this important industry on their backs. Here is their report. Daniel Ortiz reporting This year’s Tourism Awards were almost swept by tour operators and businesses out of Placencia, which was recognized as the Tourist Destination of the Year. Because Belize’s economy depends so heavily on this industry, it is easy to recognize the fancy hotels, and beautiful exotic destinations. People often forget however, that there are real individuals who work very hard behind the scenes to drive it forward. One of them is Natalie Ranguy, who makes a first impression on her guests, and you know what they say about first impressions. She makes sure that each individual she comes in contact with remembers her, and by extension, Belize. Natalie Ranguy - Front Desk, Chabil Mar Villas - 'Frontline Person Of The Year' "From the time your guest steps on your property you know that that person is a value to your property and to Belize. So you have to make sure that they're contented and they're happy because they travel all the way just to come and see our country and when they get here we have to make sure that they have a good time and want to come back and bring friends."

Belizean Soldier Stabbed In Barbadoes; Very Critical
A BDF soldier has been stabbed in Barbados. According to the Jamaica Observer Newspaper 45 year old Warrant Officer Andre Gabb, who is in Barbados as part of the Regional Security System was in the company of two other people when he was stabbed. It happened late Friday night in an area known as Black Rock, two miles north of the Capital Bridgetown. The Observer reports that Gabb underwent emergency surgery and was listed in a critical condition at the Queen Elizabeth hospital. From local sources, we found out that he was out socializing, and a friend caught in a fight, Gabb went to help and he was stabbed. He lost 13 pints of blood and was extremely critical – so much so that he had to be put on life support. We are told that he is now conscious and off life support – but still critical. Arrangements are being made for his wife to be flown to Barbados. The regional security system or RSS we learned from the Observer is the quote, “defence alliance of several mainly eastern Caribbean Nations” tasked to provide assistance in police and army operations. He is the only soldier from the BDF who was assigned to that group in Barbados and he had been there for a year.

Whistleblower To Alleged Abuse Says He’s Being Threatened
We report tonight on the controversy coming out of San Ignacio Town which involves a primary school teacher who is accused of inappropriately contact with a male student. Eddie Pinelo is in jail tonight after he was arraigned last week Friday on the charge of aggravated assault of an indecent nature. It’s due to a report by a 14 year-old male student who reported to police that on March 22, he visited Pinelo’s home in Bullet Tree. The minor alleges that while at the teacher’s house, they both drank Caribbean rum with coke. He said that after about three cups, he felt drunk, but he could remember that he was taken to a bed. He alleges that the teacher removed all his clothing and had intercourse with him. A doctor examined him and certified that there were no signs of abuse, so the police could not bring an unnatural crime charge against him. Well, before the minor reported the incident, he allegedly confided in a coach, who advised him to go to police. That coach is now reportedly coming under fire from supporters of Pinelo, who are allegedly issuing death threats against him. He spoke to 7News today, and asked for us to shield his identity, and he told us what the minor confided in him: Voice of: Concerned Teacher "During the Easter vacation I was at the Falcon Field in San Iglancio where I met this student and this student told me that he was with a teacher drinking at the river then the teacher took him to his house not far away from the river and put him on the bed in front of a porn and a laptop and sodomized him. He took off his clothes and had sex with him for about half an hour."

Shalini Has Impressive Cross Country Win
Last week 7News told you about the issues which almost caused the Women’s Cross Country not to take place. Well, the Cycling Association, with the advice of their attorneys, decided that they would move forward with it, and only 4 riders participated. 2 of them were the elite riders, Shalini Zabaneh and defending Cross Country Champion Kaya Catouse. Zabaneh was looking to provide payback to Cattouse who defeated her at a sprint last year. And she delivered in a major way; we’re talking about a 22 minutes gap between Zabaneh and Cattouse. News was out there, and we spoke to both of them about the race, and massive blowout. Here’s what they told us. Shalini Zabaneh - Winner, 2013 Women’s Cross Country Classic "It feels good to be the champion again. It definitely worked in improving in the hills and that's where the plan was to execute so I as praying for a head-win today so I knew once I had the gap I would have been able to maintain and be able not catch me." Daniel Ortiz "What differently did you do this time than in the last race where miss Cattouse won that sprint." Shalini Zabaneh "I improved on my climbing - that's my strength. I worked on it and focused on it hard and trained hard so that was the difference."

The Other Side of Aurelio
Song and Dance Man Aurelio Martinez has achieved legendary status in the pantheon of Garifuna Music among the ranks of Paul Nabor and Andy Palacio. He’s made his name here for his soulful Paranda performances captured on the albums Garifuna Soul and Laru Beya. But the Aurelio Martinez we know in Belize is really only half the story – those Stonetree albums capture his international side; in his home country of Honduras he’s known as a straight up Punta Rocker. And that’s the direction he’s going on his latest track which is called “Me Enamore.” It’s a latin tune recorded in New York with a Belizean American artist named Jahsa (Hasa) – and he told us about the video today – and discussed the wider concept of cultural music versus music for the hometown clubs:… Aurelio Martinez - Performer "He invited me to do something with him and I decided it to be my single for my new Punta Rock album. Aurelio Martinez is a multi faceted singer so before I did any professional way - Paranda and Punta Rock music, I played in a latin band in Honduras. My first band I sang Rancheras and sang Salsa, Merengue, every kind of music so I know to do that. When Jahsa invited me to do the song with him - he's a fan of Aurelio Martinez and so I said I don't really like to do collaborations with other artist but this Jahsa touched my heart and he called me to help him and I said 'yes'. Jahsa met some people in New York and he found people to be the models for a special video on a special boat in beautiful places in New York."

Budna Speaks From Guatemala, Says He Will Cleared On Appeal
As we told you on Friday, Joseph Budna has been sentenced to 25 years in jail – and is already serving his sentence in the maximum security jail called Jocotes (HOCOTES) in Zacapa Guatemala, about 7 hours from Melchor. And today he went back to a Guatemalan court in connection with another kidnapping. When he went to court today, he spoke to us and told us he is confident he will be exonerated on appeal. Joseph Budna - Serving Jail time in Guatemala "I could tell you that these Guatemalans, all of them they were three of them on different occasions have planned to pretend that they were kidnapped as to obtain money from their parents. I was in my car, I facilitated the car and at the end of the day they changed the story and said it was a kidnap because the money was not shared the way it was suppose to be shared. If I was involved I would not deny that because that is not a criminal offence over this side. At the end of the day Wednesday I will be going to court again and that is when my attorney and myself will decide on an appeal. We will appeal this because we will have an ID parade and they will see there statements were contradicting." We’ll keep following his case…

Channel 5

B.D.F. soldier almost killed in Barbados
A Belize Defense Force Soldier was critically injured in Barbados on Friday night and his family is preparing to travel to the island. Forty-five year old Warrant Officer Andre Gabb is currently attached to the Caribbean Defense Pact’s Regional Security System also referred to as R.S.S.  Gabb was along with two friends when he was [...]

Bajan bus conductor attacked because he didn’t like foreigners
Just before news time, we spoke via phone to Rene Montero, Gabb’s cousin, who was with him at the time of the incident on Friday. Montero says that a group of Belizeans was about to go to his house for dinner, and half of the group got into a zedar, which is the Bajan version [...]

Is a bacteria in the hospital related to infant death?
There is alarming news about the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital which says that at least ten babies have died as the result of suspicious circumstances surrounding a bacteria in the last two weeks. Last Friday, we aired the plight of an Orange Walk couple whose newborn baby died at the hospital after he was allegedly [...]

Treaty Energy resumes drilling despite the potential dangers to communities
As we reported on Friday, Treaty Belize Energy’s drilling operations are in full throttle in San Juan Three in the south. The company shares a joint venture with Princess Petroleum and that license was among a list of six that were declared null and void by the Supreme Court. The government is appealing that decision [...]

Placencia sweeps Tourism Awards
The biggest event in the tourism calendar is the National Tourism Awards. This year it did not disappoint; the event was moved to Bannister Caye where the guests, dressed in white, arrived by catamaran from the Old Belize pier. The highlight was the announcement of the nine winners in the industry… and move over San [...]

NCL mega tourism project goes against sustainable tourism policy
As we said, the Placencia Peninsula was the biggest winner at Saturday night’s tourism award. It was a major win for the industry in the south which has remained environmentally conscious over the years, retaining its natural beauty and cultural uniqueness.  But, all that can change overnight since Norwegian Cruise Lines is proposing a mega [...]

Forest fires smoke out Cayo residents
Belize is nearing the end of its dry season…in fact, we should already have been experiencing some pretty significant rainfall, but it is nowhere in existence and for some residents it can’t come soon enough. That’s because while there is no hint of rain, there is plenty of smoke. In fact, the entire west of [...]

More fired in Cayo…this time at St. Hilda’s
Residents of the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio, and even as far as Belmopan, have been complaining for weeks now about the smoke which seems to permeate everything. But for one school in Georgeville in the Cayo District, the situation is a lot more serious. The school is built on a hill [...]

Tree falls and kills woodcutter
A logwood cutter from Spanish Lookout is dead after a tree fell on top of him in the Yalbac area behind that community. Reports reaching News Five are that on Sunday at around four p.m., forty-six year old John Penner, an employee of the Yalbac Sawmill, was fighting a fire along with Henry Dueck. Dueck [...]

Multiple road traffic accidents in the country
The weekend may have been murder free, but it had its share of traffic accidents. We start with the early hours of Sunday morning in the south. At about three thirty Police were called to the junction of the Southern Highway and San Antonio Road where they found two men lying on the highway with [...]

Women’s Commission’s Ann-Marie Williams robbed
A brazen robbery late Saturday night has left the Executive Director for the National Women’s Commission, Ann-Marie Williams traumatized. According to Williams, she was returning to her house on Durgeon Drive in Coral Grove Area in Belize City around eleven p.m. following the Miss Y Pageant that was held at the Bliss Center for the [...]

Not a target, but Peter ‘Animal’ Castillo gets shot
A Belize City man remains admitted at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a stable condition following a shooting incident around six a.m. on Saturday. Thirty-three year old Peter Castillo, better known as “Animal” had just gone to a house on Gill Street to visit a friend when several shots, some say up to five, [...]

Minister of Tourism saddened by destruction of Noh Mul
Much has been said over the past week about the wanton destruction of the Noh Mul Archaeological Site by De Mar’s Construction, a company owned and operated by U.D.P. supporter and onetime candidate Denny Grijalva.  In the wake of the incident, there was an immense public outcry condemning the actions of those involved.  While the [...]

Border talks inside the adjacency zone with the O.A.S.
The offices of the Organization of American States have been established in Belize for over a decade. Aside from a Belize City office, there is another that houses the General Secretariat of the organization and is snuggled at the official border crossing between Belize and Guatemala which is committed to keeping peace in the adjacency [...]

Raw talent unleashed on Sports Monday
Good evening folks, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   The Premier League of Belize football sporting event continued over the weekend. In this Police Press Devon Mckay fires at goal – the ball is headed out by Jorge Estrada to Lemmot Castillo who can’t do anything with it. Fortunately in the second [...]

LOVE FM

Ancient Mayan Canoe Uncovered in Southern Belize
A historical and ancient Mayan Canoe was discovered in the Toledo District. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the story. PAUL MAHUNG “The magnificent, historical and ancient discovery in Paynes Creek National Park was made by a team of archaeologists led by Doctor Heath...

Orange Walk Police Seek Weekend Shooters
Police in Orange Walk Town are investigating a shooting incident. Reporter Dalila Ical has the details. DALILA ICAL “An entire neighbourhood was awakened by the sound of gunshots in the area in the wee hours of Sunday morning in Orange Walk Town. According to neighb...

Case of Mistaken Identity Leaves Man Critical in Hospital
Tonight a man lies critically wounded with a bullet wound to his face and other parts of his body as the police seek out his attacker. Sometime around six on Sunday morning, are following a lead into the incident. Thirty-three year old Peter Castillo, also known as “A...

Placencia Peninsula Stars In Tourism Awards in Belize
Over the weekend the 12th Annual National Tourism Awards was held on Bannister Island. It’s the award show hosted every year by the Belize Tourism Board that seeks to recognize establishments and other stakeholders for the work they do in the industry. Eleven awards were handed o...

No Light and No Water In Harmonyville; Residents Plead for Water
Residents of Harmonyville located on the George Price Highway and a short distance away from Belmopan, are concerned about water in their developing community. Love News spoke to one of the residents who informed us that they have been to Belize Water Services several times, but ...

Village Council Elections Continue in Belize
43 villages held Village Council elections yesterday. We join Correspondent Harry Arzu for a look at the results in the Stann Creek District. HARRY ARZU Village council elections were held in six villages in the Stann Creek District on Sunday, May 19. In Seine Bight, Eloi...

Executive Director for Women's Commission In Belize Robbed In Her Drive Way
Police have recovered a vehicle that was stolen on Saturday night. Executive Director of the National Women’s Commission, Anne Marie Williams was robbed of her vehicle on Saturday night. According to reports, Williams arrived at her home around 11:00 pm on Saturday and as s...

Freak Accident Proves Fatal for Mennonite
A freak accident has claimed the life of a man in Cayo. According to reports, police visited a farm in Yalback Village, which is located behind the Spanish Lookout area sometime around 7:30 last night and upon arrival saw the body of a Mennonite man dressed in long blue jeans pan...

Punta Gorda Resident Beaten and Threatened Over the Weekend
A Punta Gorda man says he was attacked and threatened by another man yesterday. The twenty seven year old Dive Master of Jose Maria Nunez Street reported that around 9:00 am yesterday while riding his bicycle on Far West Street, he was approached by a black Montero SUV driven by ...

Police In Southern Belize Investigate Robberies Netting Over 25K
Two burglaries have been reported in the Stann Creek District. In the first, a Real Estate Property Manager of Middlesex Village reported that sometime around the 17th of May, several items were stolen from his twenty two acre citrus farm situated in the same village. The t...

Belize Police Officers Graduate From Adjudicators and Presenters Course
Over twenty police officers graduated on Friday afternoon from an Adjudicators and Presenters course. Twenty one officers mainly involved in tribunals within the police department attended a one week follow-up training. The graduation featured the former Director of Training for ...

Boat Passengers Rescued At Sea
Four persons were rescued after their boat capsized at sea. According to reports, Corozal police responded to a report of a boat capsizing about a mile out at sea in the Finca Solana Area in Corozal. Upon arriving at the area they saw four persons floating out at sea. Quick...

Corozal Laborer Lands In Jail Then Hospital Following Self Inflicted Injuries
Also on Sunday a theft was reported in Corozal. Twenty year old Jose Alberto Escamilla of Finca Solana in Corozal Town, reported that on Sunday at around 3:00 am while on the Consejo Road, a man known to him as Samir Vivas approached him to borrow his phone. Escamilla was about to lend him ...

Police In Northern Belize Uncovers Unlicensed Firearm and Ammunition
Police have charged a twenty seven year old man for keeping firearm and ammunition without a license. On Sunday around 5:00am, they were on mobile patrol by Olga Marin Drive in Corozal Town, behind Doctor Gregorio Garcia’s clinic in the Santa Rita area, when they observed three m...

Police In Corozal Investigate Fatal Road Accident
Corozal police are investigating a fatal road traffic accident that occurred on Saturday night in the Corozal District. According to authorities, the incident took place around seven on Saturday night between miles 88 and 89 on the Phillip Goldson Highway. According to preliminary inve...

Belizean Soldier Critically Injured In Barbados Says Jamaican Newspaper
The Jamaican Observer is reporting that a Belizean Regional Security Soldier is in a critical condition in Barbados following a stabbing incident. The article says that forty five year old, Andre Gabb, a soldier attached to the Caribbean defence pact Headquartered in Barbados rem...

Monday, May 20 ------------ Sugar Cane Crop Season Closes Shortly In Belize
Sugar Cane farmers in the North agree on closing date for the cane crop season. Correspondent Arturo Cantun has the story. ARTURO CANTUN “It has been confirmed that 2012/2013 sugar cane crop season is scheduled to close on Saturday, May 25 at 6pm. Representati...

Deputy Takes Over In Prime Minister's Absence
Prime Minister Dean Barrow will be out of the country for five days. A press release from his office informs that he left the country on Saturday and is expected back on Thursday May 23rd. Prime Minister Barrow will be attending a graduation ceremony and will then proceed t...

CTV3

PUP Takes Three Villages In The North, UDP Takes Six
The second part of the 2013 Village Council Elections was held yesterday in nine villages here in the north, five in the Corozal District and four in the Orange Walk District. Countrywide 34 villages held elections, most of them won by the United Democratic Party. Here is how the elections played out in the Northern part of the country. Irvin Aragon – Reporting Yesterday a number of villages across the country of Belize came alive once again as the second round of the 2013 Village Council Elections was carried out. Here in the North, nine villages held elections: four in the Orange Walk District and five in the Corozal District. This week our coverage began in the Corozal District where the electorate of Consejo, Chan Chen, Louisville, Santa Clara, and San Roman exercised their right to vote. Our first stop was in the Village of Chan Chen where candidates and representatives of both political parties, including Corozal North Area Representative Hugo Patt, were busy garnering last minute votes and refused to comment on the elections. With that we headed out to the Village of Consejo, located some 6.5 miles north of Corozal with approximately 80 registered voters. Here the people were all fired up waiting anxiously to cast their vote. While incumbent UDP Chairman Carlos Arrana refused to give us an interview, the opposition’s candidate Edilberto Escalante told us why he and his team were the best persons to run the affairs of the community.

Another Maya Mound Destroyed
Since the news broke out that more than 70 percent of one of the North’s largest Maya Mound had been destroyed for landfill, it has been discovered that the Noh Mul Archeological Site is that not the only Maya Site that has been ravaged for its rich material here in the north. A visit to the Posito Archeological Site erected in the outskirts of Carmelita Village, proved that the destruction of Maya Mounds for the extraction of land fill is at a rampage. One of the sites medium size edifices, constructed around 300 BC, has been completely destroyed by man made machines. For the Archeological Department it is sad to see that what took the Mayas thousands of years to construct, are being destroyed without remorse. Carmelita Perez– Reporting Hundreds of pieces of broken pottery found all over the archeological site is testimony to the ravishing of Posito located in the outskirts of Carmelita Village in the Orange Walk District. Approximately six Maya Mounds believed to have been constructed around 300 B.C form part of what was once a Maya settlement. Buried beneath the mounds is undiscovered Maya history, history, that is slowing being turned to rubble by manmade machines. Similar to Noh Mul, one of the medium size structures of Posito has been completely destroyed for its material. According to Doctor John Morris from the Archeological Department it is obvious that the mound was recently destroyed.

Anti Virus Guru Says GOB Sent To Burn Is Home
Tonight John McAfee is on the news again and this time he is blaming the Belizean Government of burning two of his wooden structures in his 5 million dollars estate located in Carmelita Village in Orange Walk. On May 16th, the two wooden structures and a palapa valued at approximately half a million dollars belonging to McAfee were gutted by fire. The inferno reportedly started in an empty lot and crossed over to MacAfee’s property. Speaking from his home in Portland, Oregon, McAfee told MailOnline today that he believed the Belizean government paid a low-level individual to commit arson. McAfee said that he has a private investigator working on the case that could prove that UDP stalwart Orlando Landy Burns was behind the act committed. According to McAfee a woman has been charged with reckless endangerment over the fire but no corroborating reports were found. But as far as we are concerned no one has been charged.

Traffic Accident Claims Life Of U.S National
A traffic accident on the Philip Goldson Highway on Saturday night claimed the life of a US National who resided in the Village of Copper Bank in the Corozal District. Reports are that at around 6:30pm, 61 year old Earl Erwin Schmidt was driving his black Honda motorcycle towards Corozal when upon reaching between miles 88 and 89 of the Philip Goldson Highway he collided into a Tilletts bus which was parked on the right hand side of the highway facing a northerly direction. As a result of the collision, Schmidt sustained sever head injuries and died on the spot. We understand that at around 9:30am, the bus experienced mechanical problems and its driver Elvis Castillo from San Estevan Village in the Orange Walk District decided to leave it parked on the highway. A Notice of Intended Prosecution was served on Castillo and investigations continue.

Residents Of Pasadita Area Awaken By Gunshots
The sound of gun shots early Sunday morning left residents of Burns and Juventus Streets in the Pasadita Area of Orange Walk Town shaken. When we arrived in the area this morning, residents told us off camera that more than seven shots were fired at around 12:41 in the morning. Three of those shots left their markings on the residence of Zacarias Copo, who along with three of his siblings, including his wife, was sleeping inside the house when the shots were fired. While two bullets went right through one of the front windows, one targeted the front door. Luckily no one was injured. CTV3 News understands that two men armed with heavy artillery were seen leaving the area minutes after the shots rang out in an unmarked vehicle. By the time police arrived the men had made good their escape. Who exactly was the intended target or if the shooting was just an act of two persons playing cowboy and Indians, is yet unknown since police are still investigating. Residents in the area believe; however, that it all has to do with underworld activities. As for the Copo family they believe they were not the intended target.

Firearm Removed Off The Streets
And while an investigation into the fatal traffic accident continues, one man is tonight behind bars after Corozal police detained him for firearm offences. On Sunday May 19th, at about 5:00am, Corozal Police was on mobile patrol in the Santa Rita Area when they observed three male persons hanging out in a yard. As police approached the 3 individuals, one of the men, later identified as Ronny Hernandez, was observed hiding an object under a pile of dirt later discovered to be a 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol with a single magazine containing 4 live rounds of ammunition. Immediately Hernandez accepted blame for the offence and as a result was arrested and charged for kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license.

PM Accompanies Wife To Houston
Tonight the Prime Minister of Belize Dean Oliver Barrow is in Houston where his wife Kim Simplis Barrow is continuing her medical treatment for cancer. The Prime Minister left the country on Saturday and is expected back into the country on Thursday May 23rd. During the Prime Minister’s absence the honorable Gaspar Vega will act as Prime Minister.

Honouring Our Educators
On Thursday night Teacher Minerva Castillo from La Inmaculada R.C School was among the many educators that were honored for their outstanding work with children. Out of six nominees Castillo was bestowed the Outstanding Pre-Primary Level Award. Castillo has dedicated 27 years of her life to the teaching profession, 22 years at the infant level and five years at the pre-school level. Today we caught up with Castillo while she was in class doing what she loves best; educating the future leaders of the country. Minerva Castillo – Teacher at La Inmaculada School “It’s an honor and a pleasure to have won that prize, it is a hard work that I have gone through and it is not an easy job to teach the children of small age.” With a total of 26 students, 16 in the morning session and 10 in the afternoon, Castillo shared that the long hours of work, dedication and most of all her passion for the profession, played a key role in her accomplishment. Minerva Castillo – Teacher at La Inmaculada School “This accomplishment has a long way to go and the sleepiness nights that you have and a lot of planning and apparatus making and my dedication and passion to what I have in school that I have with the children especially with small children I love working with small children so that has brought me up to where I am 27 years of teaching profession.” Teacher Minerva Castillo now joins Tr. Rinelva Valladarez in making La Inmaculada R. C School proud. Valladarez received the Pre- Primary Level Award back in 2011.

LICU Holds 64th AGM
For over 60 years, La Inmaculada Credit Union has been offering financial support to its members owners in many different capacities. This past Saturday, the banking institution held its 64th Annual General Meeting at the Orange Walk People’s Stadium where its membership was presented with the 2012 financial report and other reports on the different sectors that make up the institution. Yolanda Gomez, General Manager LICU “They have a right to know what is happening with their investment and their money, the shares, the savings and we are only there working and operating and so we have a right to report back to them.” Irvin Aragon – Reporter “What are some of the highlights for this meeting?” Yolanda Gomez, General Manager LICU “The many activities we are engaged in, in addition to only accepting deposits and giving loans at the most affordable rate which is on an average 7% per annum, we are engaged in quite a number of activities, in outreached programs that include people who are ordinarily would not be or have access to any financial institution, we are currently forming a networking and having allies with BNE trust for educational loans, we have the European Union for the small scale and enterprise development in agriculture and tourism and we just engaged a new one with the International Development Bank for a social entrepreneurship program, we are driving the productive sector we are encouraging small business and that is really breathing success for us.”

PlusTV

Man dies when his motorbike hits parked bus
A man is dead after he collided into the back of a parked bus. Yesterday morning, bus driver Elvis Castillo, a resident of San Estevan, was traveling on the Phillip Goldson Highway, when the bus began to experience mechanical problems and so he parked the bus on the right...

Minister’s Daughter allegedly hit motorcyclist with Government vehicle
There was a traffic accident over the weekend involving a Government vehicle, allegedly being driven at the time by a Minister’s daughter. After 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, Melvin Escobar was driving his motorcycle in the Las Flores area of Belmopan and as he was crossing an intersection, a...

Man killed by falling tree
A man lost his life after a tree accidentally fell on top of him. Last night around 7:30pm, 46 year old John Penner, a Belizean Mennonite Logwood Cutter, along with another man, were cutting down trees at a farm in Yalback, located behind Spanish lookout. That is when a...

Four persons saved after boat sinks
Tonight, a group of four is lucky to be alive, after the boat they were travelling in capsized. 21 year old Gregorio Rosado, 22 year old Jeffrey Gongora, a 15 year old and a 13 year, were all aboard the vessel about a mile out at sea from the...

16 year-old arraigned in Family Court after shooting incident
The 16-year-old boy who was shot by police during last week’s shooting incident on Flamboyant Street was arraigned in the Belize Family Court this evening. It was believed that two rivalry gang members were at war and they were shooting at each other when police intervened and shot one...

Cross Country Classic for Women held on Sunday
On Friday we told you that the Cross Country Classic for women had been indefinitely postponed as stated through a release from the Cycling Association. Subsequent to that story we learned from the Association that the race was back on again. They said that after further consultation with legal...

Two Shooting incidents over the weekend
There were two shooting incidents over the weekend. The first happened shortly after 6am in Belize City. 33 year old Peter Castillo was riding his bicycle and as he reached the junction of Gill Street, a man standing at the junction fired several shots at him. Castillo was hit...

Roy Bennett fined for drug offences
25 year old Roy Bennett, his girlfriend, his brother, 27 year old Ryan Felix, and Kimberly Ciego were charged jointly with possession of 25.4 grams of cannabis. After the shooting of Peter Castillo on Saturday, Police executed a search warrant at the home of Roy Bennett. At the home,...

Second Round of Village Council Elections held
This weekend was the second round of Village Council Elections. The elections are held every three years, where one Chairperson and six members are voted in. In this second round, forty three villages participated and of that, the Toledo District hosted the majority with 14 elections. A full review...

BDF soldier stabbed in Barbados
A Belizean BDF is tonight recovering in a Barbados hospital after he was stabbed in the chest and left critically wounded. According to a report in the Jamaican Observer, 41 year old Andre Gabb, who is attached to the Caribbean Defense Pact in Barbados and assigned to the Regional...

NWC Executive Director robbed
The Executive Director fr the National Women’s Commission, Ann-Marie Williams, was apparently lay waited and robbed when she arrived at her house on Saturday. Williams had just exited her vehicle around 11 o’clock that night and was heading toward her house, when two dark complexion men, wearing hoods over...

PlusNews visit Blue Hole with Marine Protected Areas Manager
Our news crew was on a tour of the Blue Hole Natural Monument and surrounding seas this weekend. They came across an instance of the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) acting in its co-management role on the issue of fisheries. A team of fishermen were in the area between the...

GREAT Graduation in San Ignacio
Another series of the GREAT Program has wrapped up in San Ignacio. GREAT which means Gang Resistance Education and Training is a project by the Police Department aimed at deterring primary school students from gang related activities and educating them on conflict resolution. PC Ciriaco Medina, one of the...

Decision on extradition of Khalid Jamil El-Turk to the US set for June 28
On June 28, Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith will make her determination as to whether Khalid Jamil El-Turk will be extradited to the United States to face criminal charges. El-Turk is wanted for conspiring to import pseudo-ephedrine, a compound used to make the illegal drug methampetamine, into the United States....

Multicultural festivity this weekend in Belmopan
The Cultural Regional Institute of Belize (CRIB) has been busy promoting cultural events locally. The organization is a group of persons who through the promotion of cultural events and exposure to the different cultures of Belize believes that they can contribute to the sustainable development of the country. Directors...

Bi-national Border Bridge now open
The Bi-national Border Bridge that joins Belize and Mexico was opened last week. The new route, which promises to trim down traffic jams, is sketched with directional signs to aid motorists with smooth travels across the border. The new international bridge, as well as an access road was made...

Deputy PM fills in during PM’s US visit.
Deputy Prime Minsiter Hon. Gaspar Vega is holding over for the PM, while he is out of the country. The PM attended a graduation ceremony over the weekend and for the remainder of his trip will travel to Houston to accompany his wife for medical treatment. Hon. Barrow left...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2013

The Reporter

US shale oil supply may shift global power balance
A steeper-than-expected rise in US shale oil reserves is about to change the global balance of power between new and existing producers, a report says. Over the next five years, the US will account for a third of new oil supplies, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The US will change from the world’s leading importer of oil to a net exporter. Demand for oil from Middle-East oil producers is set to slow as a result. “North America has set off a supply shock that is sending ripples throughout the world,” said IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven. The surge in US production will reshape the whole industry, according to the IEA, which made the prediction in its closely-watched bi-annual report examining trends in oil supply and demand over the next five years. The IEA said it expected the US to overtake Russia as the world’s biggest gas producer by 2015 and to become “all but self-sufficient” in its energy needs by about 2035.

Editorial
The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) of Toledo, operating under the leadership of Mr. Will Maheia do not have the authority or the resources to define the Belize Western border with Guatemala. But this is not what the volunteers have set out to do. The Belize-Guatemala border was defined in the Treaty of 1859, and there is no need for us to go over that ground again. But it has become necessary to remind Guatemala that this land is ours, and we intend to defend it. The Western Border demarcates the limit of Guatemalan sovereignty and jurisdiction. We must also remind ourselves that Guatemala has made her claim to Belize a constitutional issue by inscribing Belize as part of her territory in her constitution. More recently, there were reports of plans to incorporate Belize on the Guatemalan map inscribed on her new passports. The decision to incorporate Belize in her constitution makes it illegal (unconstitutional) for any person or party in Guatemala not to support her claim. Even our Belizean diplomats are constrained in their discussions (with Guatemala) to refer to the western border as “adjacency zone” in deference to Guatemala, whose constitution would make believe that there is no such border.. Moreover, Guatemala does not exercise any restraining authority over her citizens in Petén, who make frequent incursions into Belize for the purpose of plunder, illegal mining or seasonal (milpa style) agriculture. Belize has been obliged to maintain an active border patrol which is costing our country millions of dollars, and we have been reduced to a state of near-futile resistance in the face of the menacing population bulge pushing into southwestern Belize.

Facilitating Entrepreneurship in Belize
In Belize entrepreneurial ventures are the key to keeping our economy afloat. Small businesses account for well over 50% of all employment, thus it becomes vital to facilitate and nurture an entrepreneurial culture throughout our country. Entrepreneurs tend to be innovative, proactive, risk-takers who reach for change. They respond to it and exploit opportunities, and in turn convert a source into a resource. Keeping in-line with this, BELTRAIDE’s Small Business Development Centre Belize, with its mandate to provide advisory and training services to entrepreneurs and groups, has been working tirelessly to strengthen Belize’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Sector. Since opening its doors a mere six months ago, the centre has seen its client intake swell to almost 200 clients from various parts of the country seeking assistance in sourcing of financing, business plan development, marketing and sales, product development, sourcing of raw materials, just to name a few.

Blogs

” It Works”
CG Esthetic has a new products and service , called ” IT WORKS” made with Natural herbs. It helps you lose inches by tightening, toning and firming your skin. You can use It works wraps on any part of your body. Carole will be doing a will have a demonstration on Monday at 6 at her shop located in Fairdale Plaza on Coconut Drive. For more information on the product go to CG Esthetic facebook page, CG Esthetic website and It Works website.

VIDEO: Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, Splash Belize, 2013 Tour Operator of The Year
Join the Splash Dive Crew on a day trip to Silk Cayes, Two Tank Dive, Snorkel and Beach BBQ. Visit us Online SplashBelize.com and Thanks for Sharing us on Facebook- Splash Dive Shop by Patty Rameriz

BTB Honors Tourism Industry Partners at the Twelfth Annual Tourism Awards Ceremony
On Saturday, May 18th, over two hundred and thirty guests, including industry stakeholders and government officials, gathered at Bannister Caye to honor the recipients of the 12th Annual National Tourism Awards. Over twelve years ago, the BTB had a vision to recognize organizations and industry partners for their dedicated and outstanding service to Belize's tourism industry. The BTB is proud to say that the awards have certainly evolved from being just a statement of excellence, into a way to promote creativity and to help establish a benchmark for best practices in the industry. Director of Tourism, Laura Esquivel-Frampton said, "A heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Your work is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire tourism industry in Belize." The Belize Tourism Board is pleased to congratulate the winners in the following categories:

Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Flavors 2013
We are very pleased to invite qualifying SMEs to participate in LAC Flavors 2013: a Buyers-Sellers Meeting, to be held in Granada, Nicaragua, July 25-26, 2013. The event is organized by the Official investment and Export Promotion Agency of Nicaragua (PRONicaragua), Superior Council of the Private Enterprise (COSEP) and the Trade and Investment Unit (TIU) of the Integration and Trade Sector (INT) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

“Need You Now” in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Started the day yesterday – obviously with a mug of coffee on the veranda – researching the prices of the remaining items (TVs, dinnerware, mattresses, etc,) we need to purchase for our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize On checking my In Box I found that I had received an email (in response to my enquiry) from Hyde Shipping which provided detail for the charges for transportation from their warehouse in Medley, Florida to Belize City. Just need now to get prices for moving the stuff from Belize City to Ambergris Caye and I can get the calculator out to make the cost comparisons versus buying the stuff in Belize. Knowing that the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge (which connects the southern and northern ends of Ambergris Caye) is closed for repairs (they closed it at midnight on Saturday) Rose and I set off to visit our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize slightly earlier than usual. Parking the golf cart at a friend’s house who lives just south of the ‘Bridge, Rose and I made the half a mile walk to our house. This will be our routine for the next week or two. Enforced exercise! As we drew closer to the build the sound of birds chirping (amazing how much more you hear (and see for that matter) when you are not in a golf cart) was joined by the sound of a cement mixer. Obviously they had managed to effect the necessary repairs.

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Nanner Split Deessert
Crust: 1/2 cup buttr er margarine, melted 1 1/2 cups graham wafr crumbs 2 Tablespoons brown sugar Fillin: 12 oz. / 375 g creem cheez, softened 1 cup icin' sugar 1 1/2 cups whippin' creem 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 1/2 teespoons vanilla 19-20 oz. a'ken crushed pineepple, well draind* 4 bananas, sliced 1 box instunt vanilla puddin', 4 servin size 1 1/2 cups milk Hershey’s chocolate sauce chopped peenuts strawberries

Cashew Festival in Crooked Tree is a Sweet Time in Belize
Cashews, Cashews and more Cashews is the reason for this two day festival held annually in Crooked Tree around the end of May which is held during the season for this awkward fruit. Awkward in the sense that its a fruit unlike many other fruits that has it seed growing on the outside and not on the inside. Crooked Tree is well known around the world for being a Bird Sanctuary but its a place also known for its Sweet Cashews and Cashew byproducts...

Kayla - Belize Top Model of The Week- Behind The Scenes Video
Belize's Top Model is selected Weekly and shot on location at various sites in and around the beautiful Central American travel destination of Belize. Models...

International Sources

Moody's warns of debt default relapse for Jamaica, Belize
Ratings agency Moody's Investor Service said Monday that there is a high probability that Jamaica and Belize will relapse into default. "At the moment, we see a high probability that Belize and Jamaica will relapse into default," Moody's said in a statement as it singled out Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname as two of the few Caribbean countries that had stable economies. Moody's sees the default of Belize, Jamaica and Grenada over the past year as part of a broader debt crisis in the Caribbean. The report predicts that debt default in the region may persist as countries continue facing a combination of solvency and liquidity pressures. "The lack of options has left debt restructuring as an attractive tool to reduce public sector debt," said Edward Al-Hussainy, Moody's senior analyst and author of the report.

Moody's Warns Of More Caribbean Debt Restructurings
A major international credit rating agency is warning of more Caribbean sovereign debt restructurings ahead of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) annual meetings in St Lucia this week. The Wall Street-based Moody's Investor Service said on Monday that it expects sovereign credit quality to continue deteriorating in the region. "We see the defaults of Belize (Caa2 stable), Jamaica (Caa3 stable), and Grenada (unrated) over the past year as being part of a broader debt crisis in the Caribbean," it said in a report. "Moreover, we expect the risk of sovereign default in the region to persist as countries continue facing a combination of solvency and liquidity pressures and are increasingly unable and unwilling to service debt," the report said. Moody's said the Caribbean's debt overhang is a "legacy of debt accumulation that started in the 1990s as governments accelerated borrowing, often from external commercial sources, to finance public-sector investment.

VIDEO: Last Call with Carson Daly: The Exquisite Corpse Project
Way to go island boy Ben Popik! You make us proud!

Guatemala annuls Rios Montt's genocide conviction
Guatemala's top court has thrown out the conviction for genocide and crimes against humanity of former military leader Efrain Rios Montt. The constitutional court ruled that the trial should restart from the point where it stood on 19 April. On 10 May, Gen Rios Montt was convicted of ordering the deaths of 1,771 people of the Ixil Maya ethnic group during his time in office in 1982-83. The 86-year-old was sentenced to 80 years in prison. He denies the charges. 'Illegal proceedings' Monday's ruling throws into disarray the historic trial of Gen Rios Montt, the first former head of state to face genocide charges in a court within his own country.

10 underwater heavens for scuba diving - Belize Blue Hole is listed among the 10
Here is a list of places you could visit. The Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole off the coast of Belize. This site was made famous by Jacques Cousteau who declared it one of...

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