FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

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


The San Pedro Sun

Disciplinary action in Secondary Schools - who is in charge?
While the number of students being expelled or suspended from school is falling dramatically, the number of incidents involving students engaging in defiant behavior, violence and even criminal activities seems to be on the rise. The list of unpublished articles of (but not limited to) high school students involved in street fights, drug trafficking and even manslaughter grows longer and longer. Even more alarming is the fact that relevant authorities refuse to publicize these incidents, claiming internal dealings and discipline. As a community newspaper, our guidelines are clear: no naming of underage perpetrators, no publishing of unsubstantial 'reports' (no police report to back up). We hear a story and cannot report on it, even though it is common knowledge. But when does that stop? Where do we draw the line? At what point should a student be reprimanded, suspended or expelled?

Editorial: Take the money and run
This week we report on a robbery where an unarmed security guard, while walking to the bank to make a large deposit, was ambushed, stabbed and released of the deposit bag in his possession. While one of the assailants was apprehended by a citizen, the other made good his escape, somehow losing the deposit bag at Central Park in his haste. Then, individuals at the park descended onto the bag of money like hungry vultures, ripping it open and spewing money everywhere in a cash free-for-all. I wasn't there�but I can only imagine the sight of people battling for money now twice stolen. There are so many things just plain wrong with this scenario you have to wonder, WTF? (What the heck gosh darn oh my goodness I can't believe it what were they thinking!) Let's start from the beginning. Why on Earth would an unarmed security guard be tasked with the responsibility of transporting a large amount of cash to the bank, alone, on foot and without proper protection? Obviously the assailants (who have not been named by the police yet but WE know who they are, and they are NOT nice guys) took their time to stake out their prey. It wouldn't take long to figure out this security guard would be easy pickings. I'm not sure they needed to stab the poor guy, but I'm thinking he must have put up a proper fight, doing the best he could to do the job he was entrusted with.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Composted soil for potted plants and gardens derived from dried coconut husk.
Very rich! Call 662-4577 or 601-1136. We also deliver. Call 662-4577 or inbox me your orders here. $15 per bag with free delivery in San Ignacio town limits plus an extra to anywhere else in the country. Compost potted soil from dried coconut husk.

Monkey River mangrove planting
Good luck, Monkey River mangrove propagules. It's going to be a rough haul on that sandy open beach, but it didn't cost much to try. Keep an eye on those and learn what we can from what happens next. Southern Environmental Association activity under the project "Enhancing Belize's Resilience to Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change". Planting mangrove propagules (seeds), locally known as "sea pens" in Monkey River with students from Monkey River and Punta Negra. Training was conducted with approximately 25 students on 29th September and planting took place the next day,

The Reporter

Taiwan celebrates 103rd anniversary
Taiwan on Thursday celebrated the 103rd anniversary of its establishment, after Dr. Sun Yat-sen, its national father, overthrew the Manchu Dynasty on its tenth attempt. In his speech at a reception on Thursday night in celebration of Taiwan's accomplishment, that country's Ambassador to Belize, Benjamin Ho recounted the important events that helped to mold his country's existence. He said that "warlords were engaged in partition of the territory for their sphere of influence in the 1920's, followed by Japanese invasion and massacre of millions of innocent Chinese people, which triggered the breakout of Second World War in the 30's." Ambassador Ho shared that a civil war between the Communist Party and Nationalist Party that resulted in the retreat of the Nationalist Party to Taiwan in 1949 led to six decades of heightened military confrontation between the mainland China and the Republic of China.

Man shot on New Road
Reports have reached The Weekend Reporter Online that a man was shot just before 10 p.m. on Saturday in Belize City. While information is sketchy at this time, we understand that the incident occurred on New Road near an alley. We're awaiting an official report about the incident from the police.

KHMH has new CEO
Doctor Adrian Coye will replace Dr Francis Gary Longsworth as the new CEO of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital at the end of October. Coye, who has been the hospital's Medical Chief of Staff since 2011, was one of a few persons who applied for the position after it became evident that Longsworth was not going to be given an extension that he had requested Longsworth had come under heavy criticism following the deaths of 7 neonates from Enterobacter Cloakae in May of 2013. This year the hospital also experienced a cash-flow crisis, and had come under more scrutiny after purchases of two x-ray machines were acquired under questionable circumstances, all prior to the departure of the institution's former Director of Finance, Carlos Perrera.

Another government Hilux stolen!
Another government vehicle has reportedly been stolen, this time from its parked location at the OIRSA compound at mile one on the Hummingbird Highway. According to an Accountant Administrator for OIRSA, sometime between 6 p.m. on Thursday and 7:15 a.m. on Friday someone gained access to the interior of the white, four-door 2014 Toyota Hilux bearing Diplomatic license plates G5-CD09 and stole the vehicle, worth $47,000. Police have no leads, but information has been rife that Hiluxes stolen from Belize are big business in Guatemala, where they are in high demand. So far, this is the fourth government vehicle to be stolen in perhaps as many months.

Stabbing claims man's life
A stabbing in Unitedville, Cayo, on Friday night has claimed the life of a young man. The Reporter has confirmed that Kevin Taylor, 21, died Saturday morning from stab wounds he suffered around 10 p.m. on Friday. Taylor was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital where doctors tried but couldn't save his life.

Brazil reports first suspected case of Ebola
Brazil's first suspected Ebola case arrived in the country on Thursday. The patient from Guinea presented himself after coming down with a fever at a public health centre in the southern state of Parana. He has been flown to Rio de Janeiro to the National Institute of Infectology. Doctors say he no longer has a fever and blood test results are expected shortly. Brazil's Health Minister, Arthur Chioro said the situation was under control and "all health protocols and procedures were applied efficiently and with great success". Guinea is one of the three West African countries most affected by Ebola. The patient arrived in Brazil as a refugee and was granted leave to remain until 2015 by immigration police. Sixty-four persons who came into contact with him, mostly in the health centre in Parana, are also being monitored for symptoms of Ebola, although the Health Ministry says they are considered low risk.

Patrick JonesPJ

Murder in Unitedville, Cayo
A man was murdered on Friday night in Unitedville village, Cayo. The victim has been identified as 21 year old Kevin Taylor, Jr. According to reports, Taylor was involved in a fight around 10:15 pm in the village when he was stabbed multiple times, including to the [�]

World Mental Health Day focuses on schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is an illness that is largely misunderstood and can lead to ostracization from the community and even family. Feelings of paranoia, isolation, repeated mannerisms and actions, depressive and occasionally suicidal thoughts are among the symptoms. But it is treatable and you can get help. On this World Mental Health Day [�]

Alleged robber charged; nightclub owner pleads guilty
Police have quickly apprehended the man they suspect robbed 29 year old Kimana Thompson on Cemetery Road on Thursday afternoon. 29 year old Kevin Lewis, laborer of Aloe Vera Street in Belize City, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted robbery before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer. According to [�]

Special Olympics receives donation from Community Policing
Ahead of December's National Special Olympics Games in Belmopan, the organization dedicated to raising awareness of persons with intellectual disabilities through sports accepted a donation from a group of law enforcement organizations which worked together to raise funds through the annual torch run preceding the Games. The Police [�]

International Sourcesizz

Columbus Day Facts 2014: 5 Things You Didn't Know, Probably
Columbus Day is one of the most misunderstood holidays in America. Sure, many people get a day off from school or work, but why? It has been a U.S. federal holiday since 1937 marking Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World in 1492, but, beyond this simple point, there are many facts that are not well known about it. It's widely believed Columbus was practically the only person who theorized the world was round and thought his ship would not fall off the end of the world if he tried to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, History.com wrote. However, most scholars in his day already knew the world was round. What people didn't know at the time was that the Pacific Ocean (and the Americas) existed. As a result, Columbus thought the only thing in his way while sailing to the riches of the East Indies was the Atlantic, which gave rise to the disputed story that this is reason why he falsely labeled Native Americans Indians.

CARIBBEAN DEBT: Lingering debt spectres highlight need for change in the Caribbean
Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Grenada have also all defaulted since 2010 and Marla Dukharan, group economist at RBC Caribbean in Trinidad, admits "debt defaults and restructures can seem like a recurring decimal in some part of the Caribbean". "Recent precedents like Antigua show that there is progress while the IMF is involved but when they leave old patterns and problems can reappear," says Dukharan. "In Jamaica, however, the economic restructure is quite deep under the present IMF programme." Jamaica may therefore play a part in helping the Caribbean lose its reputation as a serial defaulter and Dukharan agrees Jamaica's programme may make it an "outlier". Warren Smith, president of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), says the progress achieved in the first year "is, arguably, unprecedented in Jamaica's history".

Videos

Video: Exploring Mysterious Bottom of Belize Blue Hole by Ramon Llaneza, 2.5min.

Video: Belize, 4min.
I visited Belize for two weeks in July 2013 with my girlfriend Shanna, who's a native of a village called Placencia. Unfortunately, I didn't take as many videos footage as I did photographs. Most of what I recorded and what makes up this short film was underwater and taken with my GoPro2.

Video: Playmates at Play in Belize, 3min.

Video: Belize so beautiful it is almost irrisitible .. my .. shout out to Belize, 12min.
Belize has a very interesting History .... I shall tell you more I other videos ... by poetry , music and visual images this video is simply focusing on the freedom of a country we can pray to God in our schools for the national prayer has everything to do with God ... it is a third world country but we are rich in spiritual freedom

Video: BFW14 CUBE, 1min.
San Pedro Dresses in Glamour and Belize Fashion Week 2014 rocks the runway on November 20-23 2014 in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize with Belizean Designers and Invited International Designers.