AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: April 27, 2018

National Agriculture Show this weekend
Belize's largest agricultural show is about to start this weekend. After some four months of planning by the Department of Agriculture, the National Agriculture and Trade Show launches at 3:00 p.m. this Friday, then continues on Saturday and Sunday. The show opens for the public at 7:00 am on both Saturday and Sunday and a number of activities have been planned. As has been traditional, the show grounds near Roaring Creek Village is being zoned to make it family friendly. Among the attractions this year is that visitors will be able to zip line from tree to tree thanks to a team from Cave Tubing. There will also be mechanical rides, paint ball duels and bouncy houses for the children. This year the agriculture departments from the various Districts will be showcasing techniques for growing crops in confined spaces.

DRUG PLANES LANDING RECIPE
� Your father had to have been convicted and did time in prison for being involved in landing of DRUG PLANES. � Your family must own huge tracks of undisturbed lands in areas, where DRUG PLANES are known to have landed and continue to land. � Your family must own FUEL STATIONS, where huge volumes of fuel including the type used in planes, are handled. � Your family has to be involved in the TELECOMMUNICATIONS business. � Your family must have a huge and loyal work force.

Johnny explains how he got land at Progresso Lagoon
Ever since the Prime Minister made the startling revelations of Johnny and his family's ownership of huge tracks of land, located all around the country, Johnny appears to have been staying away from the media. However last week Thursday the media was able to track him down and ask him about those land transactions. Low and behold Johnny tried to hoodwink the press by saying that the lands in places such as Progresso were properties, that his family owned for a long time and in any instance his family bought those lands from private land owners.

PUP disloyalty and disrespect in Port
Just over a month after Gilory Usher helped in securing a victory for the PUP in Belize City and in particular to have Candice Pitts elected as a city councilor, she is now showing no regard for Usher's efforts. She has boldly declared that she will contest Gilroy Usher for the position in Port and has thrown Usher's support for her aside and is now toe to toe against him. This of course shows the lack of loyalty that the PUP have for each other and it stems from the top all the way to the grassroots.

Did PUP vandalize Caribbean Shores basketball rims?
Readers may recall when back in February, we reported on a confrontation, that took place at the Buttonwood Bay Park while refurbishment works were being done to the basketball court. During that confrontation, a POLITICALLY CONNECTED individual made threats to remove the new rims and backboards that were being installed at the time. Now some two months later someone has actually done damage to the installations at the Basketball Court. Already the rims have been repaired or replaced three times since the refurbishment occurred in February. Once again someone has vandalized the rims and backboards. Many people use Buttonwood Bay Basketball Court as a place to come together with positivity and play basketball.

Fight in PUP for Toledo East
It is open hostilities within the People's United Party as defeated PUP Punta Gorda Mayoral candidate Carlos Galvez is going against party dictates and is openly criticizing his party for being undemocratic. The latest bout of grievances are as a result of a decision made by the PUP leader Johnny Briceno in not allowing a convention to take place to select a Standard Bearer for the Toledo East constituency.

How is Santander doing
With over a hundred million United States dollars having been invested in Belize, Santander in the Cayo District is now poised to reach a new equilibrium in the production of sugar. The Company is now 70% Belizean. As such Santander will soon be investing in a packing plant to produce sugar both locally and for the Caribbean Region. While Santander exports its sugar mainly to Europe, the current price of sugar there is 11 cents U.S per pound, the lowest it has been for the past 15 years. Adding to that challenge is that there has been too much rain in Belize. Not giving up on its creditors such as the National Bank of Belize and Regional Banks, Santander is aiming towards planting 22,000 hectares of sugar cane.

Belize Taiwan Chamber of Commerce hosts Business Forum
The diplomatic relations between Belize and the Republic of China (Taiwan) has continued to grow over the years and has encompassed several beneficial initiatives between both countries. Some of these initiatives include the signing of bilateral agreements, scholarship opportunities, exchange programs, and several other projects impacting the health and educational sectors. One of the latest of these projects is the business forum hosted by the Belize Taiwan Chamber of Commerce.

Taiwan's National Health Insurance: A Model for Universal Health Coverage
The World Health Organization has for years urged Member States to take action to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Although not a WHO member, Taiwan has offered universal health coverage to our island's 23 million citizens since 1995. Taiwan launched the National Health Insurance (NHI) initiative by integrating medical programs from existing insurance systems for laborers, farmers, and government employees, which covered only half the population. This has since been expanded to provide equal coverage to all citizens from birth, regardless of age, financial status or employment status. Furthermore, all foreigners who legally work or reside in Taiwan are also afforded the same coverage.

Sheffield Brown in custody for burglary
Sheffield Brown, a 42-year-old resident of Jimmy Dyer Avenue off Faber's Road and well-known criminal figure, is trying to post a $5,000 bail after being accused of burglarizing a home. According to Brown, it is his home. Despite his claim, the allegations are that on April 8, 2018, he entered the home of Rosa Jacobs, located on Jimmy Dyer Avenue, and damaged a white aluminum louver window valued at $200. He is also accused of entering the home of Jacobs and stealing three Bath and Body Works lotion valued at $60 along with $200 cash.

Arrest made in Rectory Lane murder of Albert Ervin Johnson
Belize City Police have arrested and charged 28 year-old Marlon Everett for the weekend murder of 25 year-old Albert Ervin Johnson, a native of Punta Gorda Town, who moved to Belize City recently. Police say that on Friday night, April 20, 2018, at around 11 o'clock, they responded to reports of a shooting on Rectory Lane in the Southern Foreshore area. When they arrived they found Johnson's body lying face up on the street; he was suffering from 2 gunshots to the head.

Bulgarian National on remand for theft of $2,000
A 41-year-old unemployed Bulgarian national, Vasil Stoyanov Kadalov, is being accused of stealing $2,000 from the Atlantic Bank account of Donald Stuart, a resident of Caye Caulker. Kadalov was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate's Court before Chief Magistrate Aretha Ford on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 where he was read two counts of theft. The allegations against Kadalov are that on April 14, 2018, he stole the sum of $2,000 Belize currency from an Atlantic Bank account. According to Stuart, he made checks on his account and noticed that $2,000 was missing. Upon this discovery, he went into the bank and was told that two transactions of $1,000 cash each were made; two transactions he never made. He reported the matter to police which led to the arrest of Kadalov.

Former bank employee and accomplice granted bail on charges of theft
Damion Dawson, a 27-year-old resident of Belize City, and Jonathan Almendarez, a 21-year-old resident of Teakettle Village, Cayo, were read charges of theft when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer.

Drug trafficking and found property
On Wednesday April 18, 2018 at about 8:20 p.m., officers were conducting a foot patrol in Seine Bight Village. During this patrol, they discovered two black plastic bags containing cannabis on the street. The first parcel weighed 82.6 grams and the second parcel weighed 123.1 grams, both to a total weight of 205.7 grams. The parcels of cannabis were deposited as found property. While conducting a mobile patrol on George Price Boulevard, Benque Veijo Town on April 22, police conducted a search on Bayron Manuel Jimenez Amaya, a 21-year-old Guatemalan laborer of Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala.

Ignatius Williams offered bail for unlicensed firearm
Ignatius Williams, a 24-year-old native of Dangriga Town who now resides in Belize City, was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate's Court on two firearm related offenses on Friday, March 23, 2018. Williams appeared unrepresented before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser where he was read two criminal offenses of kept prohibited firearm and kept prohibited ammunitions after he was found in possession of a .45 Taurus brand firearm along with 6 live rounds of .45 ammunitions.

Jamaican National executed in Dangriga
On Tuesday, April 24, 2018 just before 11:00 a.m., police visited the Southern Regional Hospital where they saw the lifeless body of a man. While children were at play in their school yard at Gulisi Primary School in Dangriga, they and their teachers were witnesses of an incident that would claim the life of a Jamaican national. That man, 55-year-old Patrick Crossdale, was reportedly riding his motorcycle when a gunman, positioned in some bushes near the school, surfaced and unleashed a barraged of bullets on the victim. Crossdale was en route to his house when he was hit to the back and thigh. Despite being placed in a taxi and transported to the Southern Regional Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

Another accused murderer walks free
Kareem Francis, a 28-year-old known criminal, walked away from a charge of murder when he appeared before Justice Colin Williams in the Supreme Court on Thursday, April 19, 2018. At the age of 21, Francis was charged for the April 2, 2011 shooting murder of Fei Lan Wu, a Chinese shopkeeper who was one of two Chinese nationals gunned down. The prosecutor in the case, Kileru Awich, was forced to enter a nolle prosequi in the case against Francis. After several attempts were made to locate the main witness in the case turned futile, the prosecution had no other choice. With that, he walked away after more than seven years on remand.

School Security Guard, has sex with school girl
On Friday, April 13, 2018, an 18-year-old female reported to Belmopan Police that she was raped on April 12. As a result, police arrested and charged 24-year-old William Daniel Carabantes for the crime of rape. Less than a week later on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at about 8:00 a.m., a 14-year-old female Belizean student, accompanied by her father, made a report. The student reported that while at her high school on south side Belize City on Monday, April 9, 2018 at 3:30 p.m., a 27-year-old Belizean security guard for said school called her to the third floor of the school building. There, he had sexual intercourse with her inside a classroom.

Kept unlicensed firearm
On Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 3:00 a.m., police conducted a house search at the residence of Ian Whittaker in the White Cocal Area, Corozal Town. Present at the time of the search were Ian Whittaker, a 23-year-old Belizean laborer, and Edwin Marin, an 18-year-old Belizean laborer of a Corozal Town address. The search resulted in the discovery of a black CZ 75P-07 DUTY brand 9mm along with its magazine containing fifteen live rounds of ammunition.

UNO Gas Station robbed in Cayo
The UNO Gas Station on the Benque Viejo Road was robbed at about 10:00 a.m. on Monday. Witnesses told police that two dark complexion male persons entered the gas station and held up the cashier with a .9 mm hand gun. After their crime, the men ran out of the gas station with their cash and made good their escape in a Geo Prism.

William "Danny" Mason and co-accused to court
William "Danny" Mason and five other co-accused persons were taken before Senior Magistrate Merlene Moody in the Belmopan Magistrate's Court on Monday, April 23, 2018. There, the preliminary inquiry into the kidnapping of Lloyd Thiessen and his wife, a Mennonite couple, was heard. Mason as well as Ashton Vanegas, of Camalote Village, brothers Keiron and Terrence Fernandez, and Ernest Henry Castillo, all of Roaring Creek, were represented by attorney Herbert Panton who made a lengthy submission requesting that the kidnapping charges be thrown out.

Belize Defence Force FC whitewash Verdes FC in first playoff game
The Premier League of Belize Closing Season Playoffs round commenced last Saturday 21st April, out at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan between the Police United FC and the Belmopan Bandits SC. The visiting Belmopan Bandits SC was the first to make it onto the scoreboard when Jerome James scored the 1st goal of the game in the 26th minute of play to give his team an early 1-0 lead. The Belmopan Bandits took that lead into the half and into the opening minutes of the second half of the game before the Police United FC was able to make it onto the scoreboard. In the 49th minute of play, Marlon Meza scored the equalising goal for the Police United to tie the score at 1-1.

Belize District Basketball Association holds meeting for Firms competition
The Belize District Basketball Association kindly informs all interested teams that a meeting will be held on Thursday 26th April @7:00 p.m. sharp at Marion Jones Sports Complex conference room. Please make an extra effort to attend as important matters concerning the upcoming season will be discussed.

Belize Rural Central Basketball competition rolls on in Ladyville
The 2018 Belize Rural Central Basketball competition which is being sponsored by the Hon. Beverly Williams continued last week end in Ladyville with four games played. On Saturday 21st April, in the first game of the evening played, Diginet Assassins defeated B-Wood by the score of 75-65. The top scorers for the Diginet Assassins were Kadeem Olivera with 21 points and Orlando Ferguson with 16 points. For the B-Wood squad, the top scorers were Lyndon Swift with 17 points and Justin Wade with 14 points. In the second game of the night, Hard Rock won over Ladyville Heatz by the score of 76-54.

San Pedro Tiger Sharks is the top team into the Pepsi National Elite Basketball League playoffs
The Pepsi National Elite Basketball League regular season competition continued on April 21st, 2018, with three games across the country. At the San Pedro High School Auditorium in San Pedro Town, the host team and the top team into the playoffs the San Pedro Tiger Sharks edged out the visiting Digicell Belize City Defenders by the score of 71-68. The competition will continue this coming weekend with three more games on the schedule. On Friday 27th April at 9:00 pm out at the University of Belize Gymnasium in Belmopan, Verdes will go up against the Belmopan Bandits. On Saturday 28th April at 9:00 pm out at the Russell 'Chiste' Garcia Auditorium in Dangriga Town, Smart Belize Hurricanes will see action against the Griga Dream Ballers while on Monday 30th April at 9:00 pm at the Belize City Civic Centre, the Digicell Belize City Defenders will go up against the Smart Belize Hurricanes.

Belize Book Industry Association celebrates Book Week
As a singular force promoting books and writing in Belize, the Belize Book Industry Association BBIA has once again celebrated Book Week 2018 in San Ignacio Town. During an opening ceremony for the ninth annual book week last Friday, the BBIA recognized a new generation of writers for their stellar writing habits at the Cayo Welcome Center. A total of 27 entries had been submitted to the BBIA, with three coming from the Diaspora and proved so time consuming to review that the Literary Prize reviewers had to categorize them for the 2016 to 2017 time period. As for this year, the BBIA will be opening entries for more 'Novelette' this June with a closure in December.

Christian Charles dies 8 days after being knocked down
Accident Victim Christian Charles, a 26 year-old from Burrell Boom Village, died after suffering for 8 days at the KHMH. Police and all those closest to him think he was run over by a hit-and-run driver, but so far, there is no overt evidence to corroborate what is only a theory at this time. Police say that at around 5:20 a.m. on Sunday, April 15th, 2018, they travelled to the Burrell Boom road where they found Charles lying on the ground. He was suffering from several injuries to different parts of his body including scratches on the face, fractured ribs, a punctured lung, 2 broken legs, 2 broken arms, and other injuries to the chest area.

Driver crashes into house and dies
25 year-old Ever Hosmel Uk, a resident of Guinea Grass Village in the Orange Walk District, has been charged with manslaughter for the weekend traffic accident which claimed the life of 26 year-old Daniel Ian Urbina. Police say that at about 3 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, they were called to mile 41 on the George Price Highway, and when they arrived, they found a green Toyota Hilux pickup truck, which had extensive damage to the driver's side. Inside the vehicle, on the driver's side, the cops found the apparent lifeless body of Daniel Urbina. A short distance away, the cops found a wooden building on top of a GMC 10-wheeler Flatbed truck.

Man falls off boat and drowns
The body of 28 year-old Lionel Velasquez was recovered at sea after being missing for 3 days. In an unfortunate accident, he went overboard during a routine trip out to his worksite at the Turneffe Island Resort. Before they were besieged with requests for comment from the press, the management of the Turneffe Island Resort sent out a press release providing all the details of the accident which left one of their employees out in open waters between Belize City's mainland and the Turneffe Island.

RESTORE Belize on the Metamorphosis Programme
Crime in Belize remains a prevalent issue and as such it was rightfully pointed out by representatives of RESTORE Belize. It cannot be treated as any singular problem. According to the 2013 Global Study on Homicide reports, Belize's homicide rate was at a whopping 44.7 per 100,000 inhabitants. Most of the persons affected by these homicides are young males residing on the Southside of Belize City. In an effort to foster resiliency and to provide adults (over 24 years) with the knowledge and skills to be effective parents, the Metamorphosis Project made its way to Belize.

Fatal Traffic Accident
On Thursday, April 19, 2018 at about 1:50 p.m., police responded to a road traffic accident between miles 6 and 7 on the Stann Creek Valley Road. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers saw a Hispanic male person lying motionless on the road suffering from head and body injuries. They also saw a gray Mitsubishi Outlander on the left side of the road. Initial investigation revealed that Shamir Leslie, a 24-year-old clerk of Placencia Village, was traveling from Belmopan to Placencia along with Bernard Leslie, a 23-year-old tour guide of Placencia, and Teron Terry, a 27-year-old cook of Seine Bight Village.

Conflicting hit and run reports - security guard hospitalized
A hit and run traffic accident at the Guinea Grass Road Junction has left a 50-year-old man hospitalized. On Friday, April 20, 2018 at about 6:45 p.m., police responded to a traffic accident at the junction and upon arrival, they observed ambulance personnel treating a male person for multiple injuries. That man was later identified as Gerardo Mendoza, a 50-year-old Belizean of Rose Wood St, Orange Walk Town.

Toledo fire leaves family homeless
A fire in San Jose, Toledo has drastically changed the lives of Wilfredo Coc, his wife, and six children. The results of that fire were seen after 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 23. The family has lost just about everything, spanning three properties. Coc's son, 23-year-old Venisiano Coc, was occupying one of the homes while his other siblings shared the two other houses with their parents. The Coc family is seeking public assistance.

WORDS of Life With Pastor Barry Fraser
Psalm 23, written by King David, is probably the best known Psalm. David rose from being an unnoticed shepherd boy to the most powerful position in the nation of Israel. The English Standard Version reads: "The Lord (Yahweh) is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Hon. John Brice�o Said:" THERE IS NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE."
On Thursday April 19, 2018 I could not believe my eyes and ears! There was the PUP Leader, explaining in "basic simple terms" to all Belizeans, the exact situation concerning Belize, Guatemala and the International Court of Justice. No discussion that I have heard previously or since on Krem, Vibes, Channel 5 or Plus TV is as important as the words of Johnny! His explanations were outstanding and warrant careful read and study by each and every Belizean, regardless of party affiliation. It is fitting that I present to you, his exact words�

Baffle Them with Crap
I was once in a meeting along with the late Michael Young during a period when I was a workers' representative on a board. During a pre-meeting discussion, a certain well-known gentleman was going on and on about the dire economic challenges facing our nation, trying his best to convince all members present that these challenges were rooted in our trade imbalance between imports and exports. I was impressed with the gentleman's knowledge regarding the possible range of local products Belize could export and which foreign markets were easily accessible for these products. His argument was that if we cancelled out our trade deficit Belize would be on easy street.

5 Milestones That Have Changed my Life Forever
Every so often in life, I find myself facing a new milestone. Often, I find them to be bitter-sweet life moments that mold me to higher heights of self-actualization. Both our positive and negative milestones help us grow, or change who we are as persons in some significant way. It is important to recognize milestones because once you do recognize them, you can be more accepting of the ways that they will change and grow you.

Secrets from Area 21 Secret to Escaping Poverty
Secrets from Area 21 is a column about my life growing up at the corner of Kraal Road and Kut Avenue in Southside Belize City. My family's house lot served as the border line for four of the city's most dangerous gangs for many years: George Street, Supal Street, Kraal Road and South Side Gang. As a result, I have intimate knowledge of the "thug life" in Belize City and will share some stories about the worst of times and best of times in my neighbourhood with two goals.

The Reporter

San Pedro businessman shot dead inside his store
A businessman from San Pedro was shot dead inside his business on Thursday night on the island. Police say that sometime around 8:30 p.m., they were summoned to the San Pedro polyclinic, where they saw the body of Honduran, Reniery Adalid Figueroa Garcia, 25, a resident of the San Mateo area. Figueroa's body had a gunshot wound to the head. Police investigations have revealed that Figueroa was sitting behind the counter of his business establishment, Dicky's Store on the lower flat of his property around 8:00 p.m., when two men entered the shop and one of them shot him.

Happening now: Belize City mayor gives financial report card for recent years
Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner, is currently holding a press conference at City Hall. The Mayor is sharing the findings of revenues, expenditures and liabilities from 2014 to 2018. Mayor Wagner pointed to irregular and over-spending and outstanding payments due to the Income Tax Department and Social Security Board (SSB), which he said were deducted from the employees' salaries but not paid in.

Breaking Belize News

Minister Elrington and Ambassador Rosado discuss ICJ with Students in Cayo
This morning Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilfred Elrington and Ambassador Alexis Rosado made an in-depth presentation [�]

BTL's services disrupted
Today numerous customers reported having issues using Belize Telemedia Ltd's network. Customers reported that DSL, LTE and [�]

Prime Minister and Opposition Leader meet to discuss national issues
Yesterday morning, Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Opposition Leader, John Briceno met in Belize City [�]

$80 million loan signed for upgrading Caracol Road
Today, a US$40 million loan was signed between the Government of Belize and the OPEC [�]

Belizean artisans attend Giftionery Taipei 2018
The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), Belizean artisans and Unique Belize attended the [�]

NGC backs Barranco villagers
The National Garifuna Council (NGC) said this week that it fully supports the Barranco villagers [�]

Cost of living down in March, says SIB
Despite rising taxes, fuel prices, and soaring gas prices since the start of 2018, the Statistical [�]

Airport employee shot dead in Belize City
Last night violence descended upon Belize City's south side. Confirmed reports are that Kemmar Wade, [�]

Gilroy Usher says Port is ripe for PUP victory
As we had previously reported, the race is heating up for the position of PUP Standard [�]

Another accused murderer walks free
Yesterday Orlando Ciedos, 33, walked from charges relating to the murder of Edilsar Ju�rez, 21. [�]

Man arraigned for half pound of weed
Four Belize City men were busted with a half pound of weed. However, only one [�]

Belize exports contracts for first quarter
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) has released its quarterly report on the state of [�]

Blogs

Ready, Set, SWIM! Some of the Best Beaches on Ambergris Caye, Belize
Belize is fast becoming well known for the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere (second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef), for our gorgeous snorkeling, diving, sailing�all types of water sports. The closer you get to the reef, the whiter the sand, the bluer and clearer the water and there is an explosion of fish, turtles, dolphins and sea life. And Ambergris Caye runs right along the reef and no matter where you are along the beach, the view is spectacular. So what could there possibly be not to like? Nothing I say, the water is absolutely gorgeous and swimming and sunning off a dock is one of life's greatest pleasures.

6 reasons to retire in Belize
As an expat relocation consultant and property manager in Belize, one of the first questions I ask my clients or prospective tenants is, "Why do you want to retire in Belize?" It's important for me to know, because I want to make sure they have practical and valid reasons. It helps me answer their questions better. And if for any reason they have a mistaken notion about Belize, I can easily correct them before they move here and it's too late! Many people have worked their entire lives with the idea that one day, they will escape the rat race and move to paradise. They can't wait to wave goodbye to the materialistic and news-centric culture they are from and embrace a laid back and simple lifestyle. Belize is one of the most casual and slow-paced countries in Central America. So much so, that you may not know what to do with yourself for the first few weeks. But that feeling won't last long.

To Go or Not To Go - The ICJ
One thing that gets me is the idea that because someone is against going to the ICJ they are somehow making uneducated decisions in the eyes of those that say they know better and/or are educated and want to go, as if we are not "Patriotic" or Belizean enough. All while those that know or are educated are doing little to nothing to properly educate the rest of Belize as to what the reality is about the history of the Belize Guatemala issue. It took legally educated peoples decades to get the knowledge they have on the topic and it's expected that a Normal Belizean should make an educated vote on something that they know nothing about or with a little drop in the ocean.. It's like asking a fish to breath out of water or climb a tree.

Sargassum is gone....but there is still plenty of beauty to enjoy no matter what mother nature brings!
Sargassum has been an issue for a few weeks in parts of Belize - and it is a nuisance to everyone. It can come and go, or stick around pretty nastily for days at a time; it is very unpredictable. Many visitors in their first time to Belize had a lot of questions. Because having it wash in, in the amount it has been, is still a relatively new phenomenon, there are many different theories you will find. It is everywhere in the Caribbean - not just Belize by any stretch, and many places get it much worse. Guests ask why Belize doesn't use nets or bulldozers, the way they would imagine it would be done in the US? Belize is unique in that it has a fragile barrier reef, the 2nd largest in the world, to protect. It typically gets more sea grass than an average beach because the sea grass helps support the marine life. Without it, there wouldn't be the amazing sea creatures that people come from all the over the world to snorkel with. It is part of the ecosystem and is not seen as a negative thing in reasonable quantities. We cannot use nets and heavy beach equipment because it destroys the fragile beaches (you can see much beachfront all over the world is seawalled - the seaweed helps build up the shore, and it doesn't take much to erode a beach.) Belize takes the protection of sea creatures very seriously, and the use of nets or other water devices will cause those same creatures to get caught up in them.

AMBERGRIS CAYE ISLAND ACTIVITIES
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is the largest island and one of the most visited and favored vacation destination in Belize. The island is well known for its white sandy beach and clear blue waters, along with its many island activities and attractions. When vacationing in Ambergris Caye there is always something for the entire family to do. Adventure into the less traveled mangroves on the "Swampy Thing" a comfortable twenty-foot Carolina skiff, for an exciting evening search for crocodiles, birds and other nocturnal wildlife with CSI Belize, "Crocodile Scientific Investigators" and the ACES team (American Crocodile Education Sanctuary). Watch while expert biologists try to capture saltwater crocs for tag and release.

Culture in Belize
Many people come to Belize for the great weather, amazingly beautiful natural areas, and exciting adventure options without realizing that the country is home to a unique blend of different cultures and peoples. Belize is a true melting pot society, one where people of different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and languages all live harmoniously side-by-side. The first Europeans to visit Belize were the Spanish, who were only partially successful at subduing the Maya, the descendants of the advanced culture that built the pyramids, temples, and palaces that still dot the landscape of Belize. By the 18th century, however, the British had come to dominate Belize, bringing in enslaved Africans as loggers and workers on their plantations. Today, their descendants are known as the Creole (or Kriol), who speak a unique dialect of English.

It's 2018, And Belize Continues To Grow In Popularity
Maybe it's not exactly going from zero to hero, but having watched Belize evolve from barely known British Honduras to one of the world's more trendy travel destinations has been a somewhat surprising and very satisfying experience. It really wasn't all that long ago when the mention of Belize would result in blank stares. Then again, with only a couple of weekly flights, no real tourism industry to speak of, and sunburnt British soldiers making up the bulk of visitors, the unfamiliarity was understandable. But now the mere mention of Belize brings smiles, with many people either having been, or planning to visit. And with more airlines competing to carry an increasing number of visitors from a growing list of North American cities, thus making a Belizean vacation easier and more affordable, the Little Country That Could is becoming more popular all the time.

International Sources

Searching For The Next Harpy Eagle Nest In Belize Using Drones
It was an expedition into the Mayan Mountains in 2005 which led Jamie Rotenberg to the Bladen Nature Reserve in Belize where he spotted a juvenile harpy eagle. More than five years later, he discovered a harpy eagle nest - creatures once thought to be extinct. The harpy eagle is the largest raptor in the Americas and it's still considered an extremely endangered species. The search continues to find the next set of nests. And Jamie Rotenberg, an environmental ecologist and ornithologist who specializes in tropical ecology, says he doesn't want to wait another five years to make that discovery. We find out how he plans to expedite the process. On this edition of CoastLine, we also explore why finding the nests is so challenging, what other factors are affecting the harpy eagle population, and what that tells us about the state of the ecosystem.

How To Resolve The Territorial Conflict Between Belize And Guatemala
On Sunday, April 15, Guatemala held a referendum to determine whether it's willing to take the border conflict with Belize to the International Court of Justice. With an admittedly low turnout of just 26%, a very high percentage of 95% voted affirmatively on the proposal. According to local newspapers, the consultation aroused little interest, and there was considerable misinformation about what was being voted on. It is now necessary to hold a similar consultation in Belize, and if it is affirmative, the litigation could be headed to the International Court. The day after the event, the government of Belmopan expressed its satisfaction with the result and announced that a consultation would be held in Belize shortly. Thus, the 2007 recommendation of the Secretary General of the OAS, would be fulfilled.

Beautiful Belize
Belize kent parelwitte zandstranden, turquoise wateren, eindeloze naaldbossen en onafzienbare jungle. Harmke vloog op Belize-City en startte haar rondreis op het eiland Ambergris Caye − Madonna's La Isla Bonita. Vervolgens zakte ze af naar het midden en zuiden van het land. Ze ging snorkelen bij het Belize Barrier Reef, zwom onder watervallen en trad in de voetsporen van de Maya's. Barefoot luxury bij Portofino: Het piepkleine vliegtuig van Tropic Air vliegt ons over een turquoise zee van Belize-City naar het eiland Ambergris Caye, Madonna's La Isla Bonita. Een bootje brengt ons vervolgens van hoofdstadje San Pedro naar boetiekresort Portofino verderop aan de kust. Het is het resort van het Nederlands-Vlaamse echtpaar Jan en Sandra van Noord.

Caribbean Fisheries Forum calls region to action
At its recent annual meeting in Montserrat, the Caribbean Fisheries Forum framed a set of recommendations that will be submitted to regional policy-makers at the 12th Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), slated for 18 May 2018 in Montserrat. The Forum's recommendations include measures for boosting production in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, risk insurance for fisheries, ongoing challenges to fisheries subsidies, gender mainstreaming, and the development of critical fishery management plans. The Forum noted that the overall trend in total marine fish production of the CRFM Member States since 2005 is one of increasing production, with continued improvements over the 2015-2016 period. However, the region is a net importer of fisheries products. Latest data indicate that imports for the year 2016 totaled US$281.5 million, while exports were valued at US$256.2 million.

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