GUATEMALAN FISHERS...
As we showed you at the top of the news, the Belize Territorial Volunteers went back to the Sarstoon River today. They were there to follow the BDF soldiers downriver to the border post of Cadenas.
But the volunteers missed the trip from PG to Cadenas, so they had to wait a long time until the BDF vessel returned through the Sarstoon. And we had to wait with them. So, how did the volunteers pass the time? Well, they went chasing after suspected Guatemalan fishers poaching in Belizean waters. Our news team followed them on that mission - which had elements of both mild tragedy and deep comedy; here's how it went:
While waiting for the BDF change over to return from Cadenas, Maheia and the boat captains took us along the southern shore of the Toledo District, just before the Sarstoon River mouth, waters considered to be clearly in Belizean territory.
It immediately became apparent what they were signaling to a number fishermen believed to be Guatemalans who were illegally fishing in Belizean waters. Now, we're unable to say 100% that they are illegals fishing in Belize, but there were very distinct traits of their behavior while we were there.
BDF In Court For Trying to Defraud Courts
BDF soldier, Rigo Francis Zuniga went to court today accused of committing a mischievous act. Here's what happened: it seems 28 year old Rigo Francis Zuniga was trying to avoid paying Courts Belize bill after getting a flat screen television on credit. He made a false report to police alleging that all his household items were destroyed in a fire, but it turns out there was no fire. It was more like a fire sale! Because when police went looking into the story, they found that he gave the items to a woman who pawned them out at Fair Brothers Pawn Shop. She told police that Zuniga gave her his flat screen television he got from Courts and a stereo to pawn out for him. Police found the items at the Pawn Shop.
As a result, he was charged with committing a mischievous act.
This morning, Zuniga appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Ladonna John in Court #4 where he pleaded not guilty to the offense. Magistrate John granted him bail in the sum of $500 plus one surety of the same. He is due back in court until October 27, 2015.
Sixth Former Again For 14 Year Old
18 year old Saint John's College sixth former Daniel Bradley has been slapped with another charge of unlawful sexual intercourse - again for having sex with a 14 year old girl. Two months ago, he was accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14 year old girl was back in court again to be slapped with another sexual offense.
He appeared before Magistrate, Ladonna John in Court #4 where he was read a single charge of one count of unlawful sexual intercourse for carnally knowing a female girl under the age of 16 to wit, 14 years and 4 months. The contact is alleged to have occurred between May 1 and May 31, 2015.
In court, no plea was taken from Bradley - who was represented by attorney, Ellis Arnold. Magistrate John explained to him that she will not be taking a plea in the matter since it's an indictable offense.
PM Accompanies Wife
Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country today to accompany his wife Kim for a regular checkup. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2011 - and after aggressive treatment, it has been in remission for the last two years.
A government press release says that the Prime Minister will return on Friday 28th August. Gaspar Vega will be acting Prime Minister.
Mr Program Makes Introspective Track
Belizean Artist Mr. Program is back with his latest song and music video called "Them Should Ah Know". The catchy song is more than just another track - it speaks about his personal struggle as an artist and where he would like to see himself in the near future. He told us what you should know.
The video is available on Youtube.
Notepads With A Safe Message
Hurricane season is upon us - and the City Emergency Management Organization is always pushing for greater community awareness - specifically - what do you need to know when a storm is coming. Well, a lot of your plan should be based on the warning flags. But do you know the difference between preliminary, red on, red two and all clear? Well, CEMO wants even your children to know. That's why they have launched a new notepad series. Wayne Usher told us more:..
The notepads are available at the CEMO office at the downtown Commercial Center in Belize City for 50 cents each or six dollars per dozen.
Channel 5
The BTV Raises Belizean Flag on Sarstoon Island
The Belize Territorial Volunteers remain in the headlines tonight. This morning, a smaller group headed down south once again to the Sarstoon Island. Unlike their previous visit when they were [...]
Hubert Elrington Says Territorial Volunteers Are Insane
The group which succeeded in planting a flag on Sarstoon Island today is now being lauded by Prime Minister Barrow. In a press conference last Wednesday, the PM changed his [...]
Former U.D.P. Minister Says Country Is Being Run By Idiots
The former U.D.P. Minister also didn't shy away from criticizing the Barrow administration, which he says is running the country into the ground. Elrington claims that rather than growing the [...]
Miguel Segura Sued by Victim's Family
Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura is being sued for damages. The claim is being brought by the mother of Yolanda Valencia, who died in a terrible head-on collision [...]
GSU Boss Mark Flowers at Centre of Land Controversy
The quaint village of Blackman Eddy is the second smallest village in the Cayo South Constituency. Located at mile fifty-seven on the George Price Highway, the village is home to [...]
Do You Support BTV's Trek to Southern Border Areas without Military Escort?
And tonight's question is: Do you support the Belize Territorial Volunteers’ trek to border areas in the south without military escort? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones [...]
Flashback - George Price Speaks on Territorial Sovereignty
At the top of our newscast, we showed you the BTV-led trip to the Sarstoon Island where they, along with a handful of Belizeans and the media, planted the Belize [...]
Standard Bearer Says Progress Made in P.U.P. G11 Dispute
A group of eleven standard bearers of the People's United Party continues to boycott official Party functions. They are agitating for change in the P.U.P., and until some common ground [...]
Kareem Musa Says He Will Deliver Caribbean Shores
Even as Kareem Musa deals with internal party issues, he can't lose sight of his own upcoming battle in Caribbean Shores. He will be facing off against a formidable candidate [...]
Belizean Busted With Weed in Nicaragua
A Belizean is tonight in big trouble in Nicaragua after he was busted near its border with Costa Rica with a large quantity of marijuana. Reports from the Nicaraguan media [...]
B.D.F. Soldier Charged for a Mischievous Act
B.D.F. soldier, twenty-eight year old Rigo Zuniga, is also in trouble with the law tonight for attempting to avoid paying Courts Belize for a flat screen television.� Zuniga made a [...]
Teen Charged for Sexual Assault of Minor
An eighteen year old student, Daniel Bradley, was back before the court today. In June he was accused of sexually abusing a fourteen year old girl, and today he was [...]
Hubert Elrington Says Petrocaribe Going Soon
Appearing on the Dickie Bradley Special on Monday, Hubert Elrington, a former U.D.P. Minister, blasted the government, claiming that there is absolutely nothing to cheer about under this administration. Not [...]
N.T.U.C.B. Moving Toward Firm Stance on Petrocaribe
Earlier this year the Belize National Teachers Union (B.N.T.U.) announced that they were holding countrywide consultations with their members about the Petro Caribe Bill 2015. The consultations were a part [...]
Marvin Mora Says the Union is Monitoring Situation at B.S.I.
And where does the N.T.U.C.B. stand on the issues of the workers and B.S.I./ASR? President Marvin Mora says that the concerns of the Belize Workers Union have been brought to [...]
Guatemalan Poachers Fish in Belizean Waters
Gillnetting is a common fishing method that is closely monitored and regulated by fisheries management and enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, the practice used by commercial fishermen is not adequately controlled, despite [...]
Receiver Says Port has Made Progress
Since it went into receivership in 2012, reports of the purchase of the Port of Belize have circulated. Earlier this year, we told you that at least one local businessman [...]
Challenges Facing Belizean Fishers Documented
British Honduras was built on logwood and mahogany trade. That colonial history was based on exploitation of natural resources and people.� Though we have achieved independence, Belizeans still depend on [...]
CTV3
Store At Free Zone Robbed Of More Than Six Thousand dollars
Corozal police are investigating a burglary at the Corozal Commercial Free Zone that netted a thief or thieves more than $6,000 in cash. Twenty eight year old Italian businessman Daniele Chou of Carretera Bacalar, Chetumal Quintana Roo, Mexico, reported to authorities between 6:00pm on Sunday August 22nd and 7:00am on Monday August 23rd, thieves broke into his business namely Euro Moda situated inside the zone and made off with $6,666.00 in Belizean, Mexican and US dominations. Police have no suspects and their investigation continues.
CSCPA Get Certified By Fair Trade
The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association was formed last year after the Government of Belize amended the sugar act giving cane farmers the freedom to break away from the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers and form their own group. Automatically cane farmers who divorced from the BSCFA and joined the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers stopped benefitting from Fair Trade premiums since the BSCFA was the only association certified at the time. But that is now a thing of the past because after much hard work the CSCPA has been certified by FLOCERT. According to Chairman of the CSCPA Elvis Canul the certification is valid from the 24th of August to the 24th of May 2016.
"This brings a great moment for our cane famers because by being certified we will be entitled to premium that is catered for the small cane farmers and it helps to sustain the high cost of production of cane so definitely this is a big achievement for our Association to be certified."
OWTC Participated In Orientation Training On Do's and Don't Of Roles Of Council
A two-day local government orientation training that engaged municipal councilors and local managers concluded today at the Social Security Conference room. The sessions says Mayor Kevin Bernard, included a refresher course on the do's and don'ts of roles and limits of the council.
"Discussed the role and the responsibility of the Council, that are their rights and what are their responsibilities as policy makers what is it that they can do or can't do and today they touched on the accounting regulations, the powers vested into the Mayor, the Administrator in terms of what should be done and shouldn't be done so it is basically informative information getting our councilors aware of what really they are to do as a council, what really we are to do as a body and then we are talking about the projects that has been ongoing it is a matter of continuity and information being passed on to those new council members as well for example what has been done with the BMDP projects in terms of the sustainable child friendly initiative and in the partnership we have done with the Social Investment Fund through the World Bank project so those are the things we are talking the Municipal Growth Plan what are we to do with those things how do we continue to work with those plans to make our town sustainable to make our town to be able to grow and for us to be able to increase in terms of revenue and initiative that we have been able to put forward as a Council."
Another September To Remember, Biggest Event In Belize
The celebration of Belize's Independence is one of the biggest events Belizeans at home and abroad look forward to and today the hypnotizing vibes are already being felt in all corners of the country. In Orange Walk Town, the wheels have begun spinning when it comes to preparations and planning of the two most anticipated holidays, the tenth and the 21st of September. Today, we asked Mayor Kevin Bernard about this year's plans for a smooth celebration since last year there was a first recorded casualty.
"At the last September celebration meeting just before leaving we reminded and we have seen a letter of request from the vice chair of the National September Celebration Committee where they are requesting for additional security for Orange Walk and it has already been advertised Jove was the first time they had that last year and they are coming gain this year and there will be more people coming again to Orange Walk so we are requesting and I don't want what happen last year happen again so what we will be doing too we will calling a meeting by the end of this week to those participants because we want to ask them to be able to provide their own Marshalls especially for those big trucks."
CJC Get Renovation Of Classrooms For Bio/Chem And Humanities Department
It is said that an individual will be best receptive towards learning depending on the environment he or she occupies. Bearing that in mind the Corozal Community College is constantly finding means and ways to best accommodate its students. The institutions newest accomplishment comes in the form of a writing lab Chair for the Humanities Department.
"This is something new to CJC an addition to our current facilities; it is the CJC Humanities Department Writing lab we have space to comfortably seat twenty students, we recognize that there is a writing issue or a problem that our students face not just at this level but at every educational level and in an attempt to address that we have come up what is this writing lab and the purpose of the lab is for us to be able to help our students to sit with them on a one to one basis or in small group conferences so that we can help them with their writing, help them to identify their strength their weaknesses in writing and in so doing edit their work and revise so that they can produce better quality work and we hope that the student will make the best of the opportunity that we are providing for them."
Prime Minister Accompanies Wife For Medial Check Up
Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country to accompany his wife, Kim Simpliss Barrow on a scheduled medical visit to the US. During his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega will hold down the fort as Prime Minister. The Barrows are expected to return to Belize on Friday.
Orange Walk Mayor Returns From LAMC In Puerto Rico
Yesterday, Mayor Kevin Bernard made his return to the country after participating in the Latin American Mayor's Conference in Puerto Rico held last week. The summit for government sector professionals gathered Latin America and Caribbean leaders to discuss the challenges of the global economy and to bet on sustainable economic development and the decentralization of power as the new frameworks for participatory governance. Bernard, who represented the Belize Mayor's Association, told us today that the weeklong sessions was geared at enhancing local government structures and approaches.
"What that congress involved is also a time to share ideas, share best practices as you know across the region and as Mayor and in the Belize Mayor's Association we are always been saying that we need to fight for more autonomy, we need to talk more about decentralization and these are things that were discussed from an international level where we are seeing other municipalities fighting for that same cause in their various countries so over the three days it was a very packed agenda, there were several session that you could have attended; one of the things that I know it was very crucial that was discussed very passionately was the issue of decentralization and more autonomy in local governments because as you know the local governments are the ones that really they are the ones that see the people more and so another area that we touched on is how do you enhance local government?
Belizeans Chased Out Of Melchor
It is no secret that thousands of Belizeans travel to neighboring Melchor de Mencos in Guatemala and the Mexican frontier with the intent to save money on groceries, clothing and other services. And while millions of Belizean dollars are being pumped into those thriving economies, a Belizean family is crying foul tonight after a visit to Melchor de Mencos over the weekend ended in an unnecessary brawl with Guatemalans which caused injuries to many. According to Diana Trap, on Sunday her family suffered a traumatic experience and had to run back across to the Belize border after they were attacked by a mob of Guatemalan men near the Melchor market. Trapp says the scuffle stemmed from an assault upon her niece, a minor who accompanied her on the trip. Trapp recounted the tale to our friends at Krem Radio and here is her tale as she and her family and friends entered that alleyway near the market.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
