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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials


The San Pedro Sun

Caye Caulker resident Austin Lopez charged for attacking Amado Watson
While Caye Caulker resident 47-year-old businessman Amado Watson continues to recover after he and an American female were attacked on August 28th around 11PM, police announced on Tuesday, September 4th that they formally charged Austin Lopez, also known as 'Stino', for Attempted Murder, Use of Deadly Means of Harm, Dangerous Harm, and Grievous Harm. Lopez has since been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his first court hearing on December 5, 2018.

Newly renovated Caye Caulker Airstrip inaugurated
The fully renovated Caye Caulker airstrip was inaugurated on Friday, September 7th before governmental authorities and guests. The airstrip is now one of the most modern and safest aerodromes in Belize, with a 2,840-foot long by 40-foot wide runway, asphalted with hot-mix and equipped with a lighting system that will facilitate late and emergency flights to and from the island. The renovation came at the cost of $3.6 million, partially financed by the Belize Airport Authority (BAA) along with a loan from the Social Security Board. Officiating the event on La Isla Cari�osa was Caye Caulker Chairwoman Enelda Rosado, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Honourable Manuel Heredia Jr., BAA Deputy Chair Severo Guerrero Jr., and BAA General Manager Nicholas Ruiz.

San Pedro's Jerry Vasquez and Jamel Jones graduate from the Belize Coast Guard
Two young men from San Pedro have successfully joined the ranks of the Belize Coast Guard (BCG) after completing three months of training at the military institution in Belize City. 20-year-old Jerry Vasquez and 23- year-old Jamel Jones were part of the 79 new apprentices of the BCG that graduated on Friday, August 31st as intake number nine. The ceremony was attended by proud family members and the top brass of the Coast Guard. This is by far the largest intake the 13-year-old institution has ever seen, and just as in the past, the BCG continues to attract island residents who have a passion for protecting Belize's territorial waters. Vasquez told The San Pedro Sun that he plans to make his service at the Coast Guard a lifetime career.

GOB votes against paying multi-million UHS loan ordered by the CCJ
Despite an order issued by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the Government of Belize (GOB) has once again decided not to pay the now over $95 million owed to Lord Michael Ashcroft's Belize Bank for a loan to Universal Health Services (UHS). The decision to abstain from payment was debated during a sitting of the House of Representatives in Belmopan City on Friday, August 31st, with a unanimous 'NO' vote from members of the current United Democratic Party (UDP) administration. Members of the Opposition, the People's United Party (PUP), walked out without casting their votes. The debt stems from the days of the PUP administration when then Prime Minister Honourable Said Musa signed a $33.5 million loan with the Belize Bank without the National Assembly's approval. It is alleged that Musa secretly placed the Government as the guarantor for the loan in 2004 in an attempt to improve the health services in the country. That debt continues to balloon, fuelled by interest and legal fees against Belize.

BCCI and GST host informational session with San Pedro businesses sector
On Thursday, August 30th, businesses on Ambergris Caye learned more about General Sales Tax (GST) via a compliance training held at the Sunbreeze Hotel in San Pedro Town. The training was an initiative of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), in an attempt to create a closer relationship with their members and to find out more about the GST department. Many business owners and representatives attended, and they were lectured on the importance of properly filing GST tax to avoid trouble with the Department. GST's Tax Service Supervisor, Shirleen Coote stated that the session serves as a platform to inform businesses of their rights and obligations as taxpayers registered for GST. They also can reach out to the taxpayers and address any concern they might have about the tax.

Ambergris Today

SPTC Plants Mahogany Trees At Schools
September Celebrations are in full swing and the San Pedro Town Council set out on Friday, September 7, 2018 to plant Belize's National Tree at school compounds throughout the island. Mahogany tree saplings were planted in schools and parks by students, teachers and principals as part of the patriotic celebrations. Students were given a brief summary of the importance of patriotism and quick facts about the Mahogany Tree.

Misc Belizean Sources

mzz

40th Anniversary celebrations of Corozal Community College
, Sept. 12, 1:30pm at the Rudolph Wade Auditorium. Corozal Community College Valedictorian Listing, 1979-2018

Vacancy at BEL
A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for a Computer System Technician III in the Information and Communication Systems Department (Belize City).

Benque House of Culture gets large flag
It is with immense gratitude that we express our most sincere acknowlegment to the kind gift of an extra size Belizean Flag as our 17 years anniversary gift from Mrs.Lupita Kuylen Nabet and crafted by our very own Mrs. Josefina Salas. Our flag will fly high and bold at the historic former Police Station Flag Pole, where many were brought to strenghten social bonds. Belize da fi we now and forever 8,867!

Ismael El Buki Chacon se presenta en el anniversario de Reef Radio
Boletos en promocion a solamente 19.00 por dos en El Botanero.

Naledo Belize Ltd.'s Truly Turmeric selected as finalist in SIAL Innovation Awards 2018, Paris
Naledo Belize Ltd. is one of the world's first manufacturers of fresh turmeric paste. Owned by Ms. Umeeda Switlo and established in 2016, the company produces a high-quality turmeric paste from a yellow ginger base, which is processed from farm to shelf in the Toledo District in southern Belize. The company uses as much locally sourced ingredients in its paste, including limes, cold-pressed coconut oil and black pepper. In little over two years, Naledo Belize Ltd. has produced over 30,000 bottles of yellow ginger paste, under the trademark, "truly Turmeric". The company started by exporting to Canada and from then has expanded to the Bahamas and the United States. The company, structured with the principles of a social enterprise, operates by its creed "Better Business, Better Lives". The company buys from a network of approved growers, young and old, who do not use pesticides or herbicides, and grow the yellow ginger sustainably in and amongst other crops in the forest. "We have registered over 200 growers with our company to ensure we can meet the demands of our Truly Turmeric in 2017 and forward" said Ms. Switlo.

Faith Nazarene Bathroom Inauguration
The faculty and students of Faith Nazarene Primary School in San Ignacio celebrated the handing over of the new toilet building, built with funds and efforts from Canadian, US and the San Ignacio Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of Athabasca, Rotary Club of St. Albert, Rotary Club of Fairbanks, Rotary Club of Russian Jack Anchorage, and District 7930 funded this through a global grant with the Rotary Foundation. This new facility will positively effect student health and absences due to illness. The San Ignacio club has built 14 toilet buildings at schools around Cayo, impacting the health of over 7500 students.

Language Training for Tour Guides
11 Week Course French or German. Tentative start date - week of September 24th, 2018

Tour Guides get Certificates
Two special groups of tour guides obtaining the certificates !! Commercial Fishermen and Guides !!!! Thanks to Minister Heredia Danny Guererro Mike Miguel Alamilla Pact BTB Billy Leslie Omar Arceo SPTGA !!! Congratulations!!!!!

Channel 7

Big Money Robbery At Top Shelf Liquor Store
There was a major armed robbery at a top shelf liquor store on the Northside of Belize City this morning. At 10:25, 3 men entered Premium Wines and Spirits on Princess Margaret Drive, not far from BTL Park. They walked in as customers, without masks, but two of them suddenly pulled out guns and demanded money. And they must have known something about the liquor store's money movement's, or they were the very lucky thieves. We say that because reports from police are that the company was about to make a deposit of $36,400 dollars - and all of it was stuffed into a knapsack, ready to be taken to the bank.

Cops Focussed on Southside, Robbers Focussed On North
It's frustrating for police who have hot zones in the southside under a state of emergency - but they can't be everywhere. And this broad daylight, big money robbery of a top shelf liquor store in the King's Park area is a definite black eye for the security forces. Today, we could detect some level of frustration in acting COMPOL Chester Williams - who said the state of emergency focusses on the southside:..

Police Minister Says Regulations Will Be Sent Out
Today Acting Compol Williams was with Police Minister John Saldivar as they visited police on patrol, delivering lunch to them. The Minister does it every few weeks as an act of gratitude to the cops. Today, though, the Public Emergency Zones on the southside were the biggest news. The press asked the minister when the regulations for the State of Emergency will be released:...

Bar Assoc. Blows Hot And Cold on Southside State Of Emergency
Last night you heard the human rights advocates - who are also attorneys - complaining about the many grey areas in the state of emergency proclamations - and saying that the state had invoked the maximum constitutional power with reckless haste. Well, the Bar Association is taking a slightly more circumspect approach - and seems to want it both ways. A release today says, quote, "The Bar Association…stands in solidarity with law enforcement and the Ministry of National Security in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Belize…however…any measure taken to address the crime situation should not lead to the abuse of the human rights of any citizen…"

Cops Shoot Dog In Zone #1
And, this morning, the residents of West and Plues Street say the police swept in at around 7:00 am. This area is in EMERGENCY ZONE Zone 1, and on West Street, residents heard shots fired. They came form a police weapon, after an officer shot a resident's pitbull. We warn you the next story does show the dog after he was shot. A resident told us they felt it was unfair::...

Manslaughter For Cement Factory Death
He accidentally hit the switch of a cement mixer while his co-worker was inside, and today, 18-year-old Victor Hernandez of San Carlos Village in Orange Walk District has been charged for manslaughter by negligence. Police had no objection to bail and Hernandez received bail of $10,000 by noon today.

Chief Ed. - Nazarene High Students Should Not Have Been Sent Home
Earlier this week, we told you all about the two dozen or so students that were locked out of Nazarene High because their hair wasn't short enough. It's sparked a lot of debate in the public on whether the school went too far in enforcing its code for dress and appearance. But, according to the Chief education Officer - there can be no debate: it's as simple as this: children should not be sent home from school:...

Gwen Liz Teachers - Some Will Fall To Natural Attrition
Babb also commented on the situation at Gwen Lizarraga High School. As we've reported, enrollment at that school has sharply declined, which means that many teachers won't have a job. Babb said the Education Minister is trying to find a solution, but for some, there will be natural attrition:.. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer: "Our deputy Prime Minister, Minister Faber, is trying as hard as much as possible to ensure that each teacher on that staff gets the opportunity to keep their job..."

Caye Caulker Airstrip Re-Opens A Year Later
The Caye Caulker airstrip has finally been re-opened. It's surely a great relief for Belizeans and tourists to have this quick travel option again. And of course it is great news for the local airlines who have racked up significant losses since they had to discontinue flights one year ago. Businesses on the island are also rejoicing that visitors can now freely flood the island. I was there for the official opening. Here's that story. It has been about a year since these passengers could have enjoyed a smooth 8 minute flight from Belize City to La Isla Carinosa, Caye Caulker. They were among the few to fly the first flights which touched down at the newly constructed Caye Caulker airport.

Next Upgrade Is For Placencia Airstrip
But Caye Caulker isn't the only spot that will get a fully decked out airstrip. Minister Heredia and his team are working on a plan to renovate the Placencia airstrip as well. Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism: "We are already in the work plan for Placencia and I am sure that in the next couple of months I am hoping that something will be in the pipeline to see if we can get Placencia going." Courtney Weatherburne, reporter: "So in Placencia it is going to be a big project such as this one?"

Tropic Offers $21 Flights On Independence Day
Now that the Caye Caulker airstrip is opened to the public, Tropic air is doing a super special Independence Day promotion. You get to fly anywhere in Belize for just $21, one-way. You don't believe me? Well, we asked Tropic Air President John Greif about it today. John Greif, President, Tropic Air: "We are actually opening the Caye Caulker airstrip on the 20th just so the Caulkenos can get benefit of the $21 special so on September the 21st so for that day only you can travel between any two points in Belize for $21 and another $21 to return."

Sargassum Smothering Belizean Beaches
So while these renovated airstrips are a solid look for tourism - one pesky phenomenon that is plaguing the industry is sargassum. This brown, smelly sea weed clutter has inundated the beautiful beaches of Caye Caulker, San Pedro, with Placencia and Hopkins being the most affected. Residents have been doing their best to get rid of the sargassum but it is just too much. Minister of Tourism Heredia says this is the worst it has ever been. Today he discussed how the ministry plans to deal with this problem. Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism: "We have a task force of DOE, Coastal Zone, Fisheries Department and our own people from the industry to see what will be the short term, middle term and long term for this one because we have seen that rather than minimizing it is increasing. The amount we are getting in the Belizean coast line is much greater than anytime in my 30 years of fishing that I did, I have never seen anything like that..."

New NICH Interim President Speaks
Last night we told you about the installation of a new interim President of NICH, Dr. John Morris. He's the Director of the Institute of Archaeology, and told us today how seniority earned him the interim post:... Dr. John Morris, Interim President - NICH: "I was informed by the Deputy Prime Minister a few days ago, given that the actual president Miss Sapnah was placed on administrative leave and that he ask me if I could hold over for the meantime until the audit is done, because obviously an organization the size of NICH requires somebody to be in charged during that period and so being I presume the most senior officer, in terms of the directors at NICH, he asked me to hold over."

The NICH Audit Continues
Dr. Morris will be president - at least until Cabinet reviews an external audit which is ongoing. Morris told us about that process, and discussed the internal audit of the Music Ambassador's office:.. Dr. John Morris, Interim President - NICH: "And now the external audit is focusing on the internal audit to either validate the audit or to see where the supposed errors were made within that audit. So it's a 2 step process. I can tell you that the external auditors are currently working. I saw them in Belmopan yesterday and this morning..."

Copyright Crackdown Coming For Radio?
Copyright compliance is coming to Belize. You;Re already feeling it in your that increased cable bill - and it's also going to affect those tunes you listen to on the radio. Whether you chill with Vybes Kartel, or groove to Maroon 5, or get down with Supa G, every song that pays on the radio has got to pay a royalty to the local or international publisher. And right now, few to none of those royalties are being paid. That's what the Broadcasting Authority called over 60 radio operators to the Biltmore to discuss today. We stopped in:.. Government has signed 5 international copyright conventions.

Caracol, The Threat Persists
Special Constable Danny Conorquie was killed by Guatemalan bandits at Caracol in 2014, and since then a conservation post has been opened to provide greater security in the area. But as the Director of Archeology discussed today, when you're that close to the Guat border, you're never safe:.. Dr. John Morris, Interim President - NICH: "Let me be the first to say that I am never comfortable. We have placed measures out there and I am still not fully comfortable. Primarily because it's an open border and without casting a aspersions to our neighbor, there is still a lot of Guatemalans to Belize. It's an open border..."

Beenie and Belizean Artists Team Up
The Belize September Festival weekend will be held this weekend at the Marion Jones Stadium tonight, Saturday and Sunday. It's a celebration of Belizean talent, headlined on Sunday by Jamaican Dancehall legend, Beenie Man. We spoke to him today:… As we said at the top the event starts tonight, and ends on Sunday. General admission is 30 dollars.

Read Between The Lines For Literacy
Tomorrow may be carnival day, but it is also world Literacy Day and today the Ministry of Education held an event at ITVET to underscore the values and targets for literacy:..

Taiwan Gives To Jade Exhibits
When the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited in August, she was taken on a tour of the Museum of Belize. The prime attraction was the jade head. But she may have also noticed that the room could use some sprucing up. So, today the Taiwanese Embassy's second secretary dropped off a small cheque to take care of that:..

Good Citizen Returns Wallet Full Of Cash
And while the Taiwanese demonstrated goodwill to a faithful ally, a Belmopan resident showed neighborliness and strong civic values to a fellow resident of the Capital. Kevin Bautista found a wallet on a rainy day and didn't rest until he found the very relieved owner. Police recognized him for it today:…

Mas Camps, Come Een!
Tomorrow, the country's eyes will turn to Belize City for the Carnival Road March. Those who can't be here to see it can watch it on Channel 7, and the images of getting wild in the streets will no doubt fill up social media feeds for days. And all the planning, work, energy and design that's going to be displayed on the streets tomorrow started months ago at Mas Camps all across the city. The judges and the media have been visiting those camps all this week - and here's what last night looked like:.. And if you can't make it out on the route, you can see the Carnival first on Channel 7 tomorrow starting at midday with hosts Wilson Grinage and Jeannie Brooks.

Motown Memories At Bliss
And while Carnival will play tomorrow, last night and tonight at the Bliss Center, it's all about timeless Motown Memories. We leave you tonight with highlites of last night's show at the Bliss… Have a great tenth weekend and join us back here on Tuesday night… Plus you can see all the tenth activities right here on channel 7...

Channel 5

Thieves Hit Premium Wines for Massive Haul
A trio of thieves netted a sizeable haul this morning, ahead of the extended carnival weekend and tenth holiday, during an armed robbery at Premium Wines and Spirits on Newtown [...]

Bar Association Raises Concerns Over State of Public Emergency
There is growing concern within the legal fraternity regarding the recent declaration of a state of public emergency in the George Street and Mayflower Street communities.� The Bar Association of [...]

Defense Attorney Says Detention is Not the Solution to Crime
The legal basis for establishing the state of public emergency in two areas is coming under question in many quarters. Defense Attorney Dickie Bradley, is also opposing the state of [...]

Attorneys Prepare to Represent Persons Illegally Detained
As we have reported, over a hundred persons were detained since the morning of September fifth, including adults and minors following the signing of the proclamation by the Governor General [...]

Tourism Minister Supports "State of Public Emergency" Measure
We did find today support for the proclamation by Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia. He has no problem with the Governor General invoking the constitutional powers to address the issue [...]

Gang Members Flee Belize City
In the three days since the government declared a state of public emergency in Mayflower and George Street areas, masked law enforcement officers have barged into the homes of residents [...]

Cache of Firearms and Ammunition Found in Cayo
This leads us to a joint operation between San Ignacio Police and officers of the Special Branch Unit which resulted in the discovery of several high powered firearms and ammunition [...]

Audit Report Reveals Contracts That Were Not Put for Tender
Tabled last week Friday in the House of Representatives was the Report of the Auditor General for the period April 2013 to March 2014. While the purpose of the audit [...]

The Renovated Caye Caulker Municipal Airstrip is Inaugurated
Commercial flights are set to resume services to and from Caye Caulker. �If you'll recall, last October Maya Island Air and Tropic Air suspended service in Caye Caulker because the [...]

Ashley Meighan on Bail for Murder of Classmate
The number of persons accused of murder, who are applying and successfully getting bail in the Supreme Court, is on an upward trend.� One of the most recent cases involves [...]

Dean Dawson Junior Granted $40,000 Bail
Another person who is out on bail for murder is Dean Dawson Junior.� The Supreme Court granted him bail in the sum of forty thousand dollars. Dawson was charged for [...]

G.O.B. to Address Sargassum Problem
The Sargassum problem affecting coastal communities is getting worse. Villagers in Placencia, Hopkins, Seine Bight and residents of San Pedro have been battling with the stench and toxins released into [...]

Belmopan Resident Awarded for Being Honest
Belmopan resident Kevin Bautista today was recognized for being an honest individual. Last month, while dining in a restaurant in Belmopan, Bautista found a wallet containing about a thousand dollars [...]

An Ambulance is Donated to Boost Emergency Services in Southern Belize
There is limited number of ambulances to serve patients in southern Belize, but that number grew by one today. �With assistance from the Rotary Club of Edmonton, Canada and the [...]

Belize Celebrates International Literacy Day
Belize joined the rest of the world today in celebrating International Literacy Day. The event was marked with a fair at the ITVET Compound in Belize City. The Ministry of [...]

UN Joint National Steering Committee Discusses Citizen Security
The third meeting of the United Nations Joint National Steering Committee was held today in Belize City and it was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and UN Resident Coordinator [...]

Mas Camp Day 3: Mas Bands Ready for the Road
Get ready for Saturday's carnival road march and stay tuned to this station for our live coverage beginning at one p.m. with the J'ouvert. Now, there are fewer mas bands [...]

3-day Concert Weekend Sees Ernestine and Beenie Man Gracing the Stage
Music lovers from across the country will converge on the Old Capital this carnival weekend for three nights of concert performances from Belizean and international artists.� It's a ticket that [...]

LOVE FM

Broadcasters get the facts on copyright
The Belize Broadcasting Authority (BBA) met with local broadcasters who are licensed by the BBA to discuss the importance of copyright compliance. Copyright gives the author of any creative work the right to control the reproduction of their work and to receive payment for that reproduction. For years, Belize has not been complying, but now �

Minister Heredia speaks on cost of new runway
Minister Manuel Heredia said the new runway came at hefty price. Manuel Heredia Jr. Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation: "Implemented at a cost of $3.6 million the Caye Caulker municipal airport is now one of the latest and most modern Municipal air drums in the country. The engineer team included substantial work to the �

Caye Caulker's impact on Belize's Tourism
With the improvement to the Caye Caulker municipal airstrip, it will only further create a boost in the island's contribution to Belize's Tourism product. Known for its allure in providing travelers with not only a small, but peaceful getaway, Caye Caulker, boasts accumulating the second highest number in overnight stays, therefore largely impacting Belize's tourism. �

Minister Heredia speaks on sargassum
With the recent issues involving the overgrowth of sargassum along Belize's coastline, many communities have been doing everything possible to not only clean, but to minimize the amounts accumulated on the seashores. Various communities such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins and Placencia are all battling with the seemingly never-ending incease of sargassum on their �

BTIA says long term solution needed for crime
What happens beyond the initial 30 days legislated under the Statutory Instrument signed by the Governor General that put into force a State of Emergency is still anyone's guess. And though the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) believes the police department is doing its best to try something new, though draconian in nature, a long-term �

Dangriga Polyclinic employees apparently stages sickout
Usually when you're sick you go to the hospital but the hospital is exactly where a group of disgruntled employees avoided going today. Some employees of the Dangriga Polyclinic staged a sickout and our correspondent from the culture capital, Harry Arzu reported on some of the concerns that led to the employees taking that step. �

Literacy initiative in Punta Gorda
Similar activities took place in other districts to mark the day. Correspondent Paul Mahung reports on activities in the Toledo District. Dr. Carmen Lopez Avila: "The whole purpose of celebrating Literacy day is to bring literacy alive to our students. We believe from the Ministry of Education that if our students start to read at Std. �

Laptops and tablets given away for International Literacy Day
Ten schools received tablets while five others received free laptops at the Belize District Education Centre expo at the Belize Training and Education Centre this morning. CEO for the Ministry of Education, Carol Babb said September 8th is celebrated as International Literacy Day and this year the theme is Literacy Skills and Development. Carol Babb �

Queen of the Bay designate assists Belize Red Cross
The Queen of the Bay designate has reached out to assist the Belize Red Cross after their office was burglarized earlier this week. Fem Cruz reports. Fem Cruz: "Following the sad news that we reported on Tuesday that heartless thieves broke into the Belmopan Red Cross and stole all the food supplies for the feeding �

Rotary's ambulance donation
Today, the Southern Emergency Service located in Hopkins Village received its second ambulance from the Edmonton Riverview Rotary Club in Canada. The ambulance was brought in on a US military aircraft. The staff of the Southern Emergency Service was at the airport to receive it. Love News spoke with Rose Smith, one of the directors �

Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation speaks on rehabilitation of Caye Caulker Airport
If you're one of those individuals that can escape Belize City for the rest of the state of emergency perhaps you would be interested in flying to the cayes. In October, 2017 local airlines stopped flying to Caye Caulker after sending many complaints to the authorities that the airstrip was not safe �

Making citizen security a priority
It may have just been coincidental but a United Nations Joint National Steering Committee meeting held today, citizen security was the main topic. Christian Salazar Volkmann, the UNDP Representative for Belize told Love News that citizen security is not only about reducing the crime rate �

The price of fuel keeps going up
Effective midnight, the price of a gallon of diesel will increase by twenty two cents. The new price will be ten dollars and sixty nine cents up from ten dollars and forty seven cents. Premium remains at eleven dollars and seventy cents, regular at eleven dollars and four cents and kerosene at eight dollars and thirty four cents a gallon �

Police seized weapons
Yesterday afternoon, police conducted a joint operation during which they searched a bushy area in the Shawville Area of San Ignacio. Authorities discovered one M6 Carbine LWRC with 2 magazine loaded with forty six 5.56 rounds, 1 Mossberg brand pump 12 gauge pump action shotgun along with three 12 gauge cartridges �

BAR Association concerned about Human Rights
So far attorney, an attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd and the Belize Tourism Industry Association have both weighed in on the declaration of the state of emergency but the Bar Association of Belize had been relatively quiet on the legality of the instrument being forced on the south side of Belize City over the past week that had engulfed 110 persons in a dragnet �

Amandala

Ghost Town/George Street under "State of Public Emergency"
In the early hours of this morning, heavily armed elements of the Belize Police Department and Belize Defence Force (BDF) swarmed into the neighborhoods of the Ghost Town (Banak Street) and George Street gangs. By the time the Ministry of National Security decided to call a midmorning press briefing to explain what was happening in the areas (which they had declared to be areas where a "public emergency" exists as defined in a proclamation that was signed by the Governor General and published in the Government Gazette yesterday, Tuesday, September 4), the early morning police and BDF operation had picked up and detained about 100 persons, most of whom police believe have gang affiliations. The proclamation conferred special powers to the security forces to operate without being challenged on constitutional grounds by the residents in the declared areas, where some of the constitutional rights of citizens are being suspended under the emergency measures.

City gangsters flee police dragnet
Just before we went to press tonight, we received a report that as much as 20 gang members who are said to belong to the George Street Gang, were seen coming off a bus in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District. It appears that these gang members who were seen in Cayo have managed to somehow escape the police dragnet that was set up early yesterday morning when heavily armed police and Belize Defence Force soldiers, many of them with their faces covered, descended on the George Street and Ghost Town gang neighborhoods, detaining at least 100 gang affiliates under a proclamation which declared a public state of emergency in the two neighborhoods.

City gangsters flee police dragnet
Three brothers are on trial before Justice Adolph Lucas for the murder of Denver Villafranco, 23, a BDF volunteer who was fatally stabbed around 7 p.m. on January 17, 2015, at the corner of Sunflower Street and Complex Avenue. The three accused men are Phil Staine, 45; Orlando Staine, 41; and Kareem Staine, 37. It is a trial without a jury and it began on Monday, September 3, with the Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Portia Ferguson, stating the 5 elements that the Crown has to prove to get a murder conviction. She said the Crown has to prove that Villafranco is dead, that he died from harm, that the harm was unlawful, that it was the accused persons who inflicted the harm and that when they did so, their sole intention was to kill.

Opposition leader Brice�o says government's "heavy-handedness" is not going to work
The Leader of the Opposition, the People's United Party (PUP), Hon. John Brice�o, called a press briefing at his Belize City office this afternoon in response to the Ministry of National Security's decision to declare two areas on the south side of Belize City as areas where "a public emergency" exists. The areas where the Ministry of National Security has declared that a public emergency exists in its Statutory Instrument No 49 of 2018, are the areas bordering on the turf of the Ghost Town Gangs on Mayflower and Vernon Streets, Lake View Street and Banak Street and the George Street gang on the lower section of that street and the immediate area of Plues Street.

Jenny Lee Cruz, 19, is the new Queen of the Bay
In the 73rd Queen of the Bay Pageant, six beautiful ladies from every district except Orange Walk competed to win the crown. In the end, Jenny Lee Cruz, 19, representing Belmopan, was crowned this year's Queen of the Bay. This is the first time in 11 years that a delegate from our nation's capital has won the crown. The six ladies competed in four categories: the formal introduction, talent, evening gown, and question and answer categories. At the end of the evening, although all the contestants performed well, Cruz was crowned by the former Queen of the Bay, Aaliyah Ysaguirre.

Belize vs Bahamas on Friday in Concacaf Nations League qualifier, on the path to Gold Cup

Dangriga sports stats
Delille Academy females and Ecumenical males basketball teams, who both won the secondary schools national tournament and are preparing for the Central America high school CODICADER Games in Panama starting next week, will be playing exhibition games this Friday night, September 7, at the Russell "Chiste" Garcia Auditorium. The first game will be the females matchup - Delille Academy versus a Dangriga female selection at 7:00 p.m.; followed by the second game which will be the males matchup - Ecumenical High vs Ecumenical Junior College (sixth formers).

Cricket update
Greetings from the Belize National Cricket Association (BNCA)! On Saturday, August 25, the BNCA had their 2018 trophy distribution event in Lemonal Village. First place trophy for the 2018 Harrison Parks Bowen & Bowen Cricket Competition was awarded to Easy Does It Team of Lemonal Village; second place went to Summer Fever of Bermudian Landing. First place for Zone One went to Police Cricket Team, while first place for Zone Two went to Wicked 11 of Flowers Bank.

Kulture Yabra Veterans are National Over-40 Football Champions 2018
The Football Federation of Belize's (FFB) National Over-40 Football Tournament 2018 concluded yesterday at the MCC Grounds, where Kulture Yabra Veterans claimed the championship, after securing a 2-1 victory over San Pedro Veterans in game 2 of the Finals series. Yabra got 2 first half goals, both headers, the first from Steve "Gellies" Young (26') and the second from Charlie Slusher (45'). Yabra forward Albert "Chicken" Arnold assisted on both goals, sending a corner from the left side for Gellies, and floating a center from the right side for Charlie, who had replaced the injured Mervin "Rugged" Flores at the 25th minute.

Prosecution withdraws ammo charge from Underwood brothers
A charge of keeping ammunition without a gun license against two brothers, Alexander Underwood, 28, and Austin Underwood, 24, was withdrawn by the prosecution when they appeared in court today. On October 23, 2017, four police officers, members of a special assignment team, went to the brothers' residence, a two-storey house on Reggae Street, and executed a search without any residents of the house being present.

Editorial: The Southside: cancer and matrix
The problem with treating cancer cells is that they basically live within a healthy matrix in the human body, so that attempts to destroy cancer cells cause collateral damage, in that the surrounding healthy matrix also comes under attack. Leadership of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) Cabinet of Belize passed from Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean O. Barrow, area representative for Queen's Square in Belize City, to Deputy (Acting) Prime Minister, Hon. Patrick Faber, area representative for the Collet constituency in Belize City, on Saturday, September 1, when Mr. Barrow flew to Havana, Cuba, to undergo major spinal fusion surgery, performed on Tuesday, September 4, in Havana.

From The Publisher
I have to admit that I've reached the stage of my life where I am regularly affected by bouts of nostalgia. On Tuesday afternoon, for instance, KREM's Lisa Love was playing Eddie Floyd's "Consider Me." In the summer of 1969, that song absolutely ruled the jukebox in the pool hall downstairs of where I lived with my wife, pregnant with our first child. This was at the corner of King and George Streets in Belize City. I had spent time earlier the said Tuesday with Nuri Muhammad, as I often do on Tuesday mornings. Nuri Muhammad had been like a special consultant to the fledgling UBAD movement during that summer of 1969. He was on holiday from university in Oakland, California. The interaction between us had not been altogether smooth that summer of '69, and after he returned to school in September that year, I had not seen Nuri until he came to Belize in 1972 as the Belize Imam of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam.

Was the 10th September a myth?
Dear Editor, There is a saying in life, "When you are a child, you digest what your elders tell you". It's that time again when we will start to sing Hip Hip Hurrah! Hip Hip Hurrah! May the glory of the Baymen never fade, as we march and wave our flags today! Growing up in the Seventies and earlier part of the Eighties, September was the month: a favorite part of the celebrations was marching with your school and had to pass Government House where the Governor, along with other Government officials, would wave to us as we paraded by, and whilst we were parading, we would hum or sing under our breath this famous line, "We are marching today for cake and lemonade, as we are celebrating our day, it was the 10th day of September when history was made."

Of Caesar and Pontius Pilate
Dear Editor, I was really surprised to hear the departing British High Commissioner's recent comment on television that he was not aware of any country that had lost territory to another country as a result of an ICJ decision. It is also an amazing coincidence that his arguments for going to the ICJ were exactly the same as those being used by the government, or is the converse the case? I hope that his replacement will display a little more respect for the intelligence of Belizeans. Now let's proceed with the topic of this correspondence. Ever since Guatemala endorsed the 1859 border convention with Great Britain they unwittingly signed away any claim, legal or imagined, they may have had to the area of land from the Sibun to the Sarstoon Rivers.

Musings by the Curious Non-Conformist
Deciding to write a column was no easy decision to make. I thought about how many young writers there are, if my desired audience still even reads the newspaper, my fear of possibly being rejected by the only newspaper I wanted to write for, and a load of other little considerations that delayed this, what is now unfolding on the page right before my eyes. What will this column be about? I write with the intention to highlight the positive contributions made by young Belizeans, and to share the value-added aspects of the majority of our population. For too long I have read and seen that traditional media has been rife with negative stories of young people, leaving the word "youth" in the category of scorned profanity.

First 80 pages too much for old agenda
Some people noh have no chaynj fu chaynj. A month or so ago I had put aside enough chum to purchase my very own copy of Assad Shoman's, "Guatemala's Claim to Belize - the definitive history", and Jerry Enriquez's,"To Educate a Nation: Autobiography of Andres P. and Jane V. Enriquez", but people richer than I had purchased all the copies at Belmopan's three bookstores. I always have my projects, but someday soon I'll be liquid enough (after purchasing my necessary weekly libation) to go to the bookstores again. In the interim, last weekend, a very kind person stepped forward and loaned me their personal copy of Shoman's book. Thank you, thank you, it is worth every copper you spent on it.

Exploring the reasons behind the name "Crooked Tree" Village
A person hearing the last names "Tillett," "Gillett," and "Crawford," would instinctively associate the persons carrying those names with the village of Crooked Tree. This is because those names were those of the first English and Scottish settlers of the village when they arrived with their African slaves. Crooked Tree was settled almost 300 years ago and was discovered by these settlers while they were going up the Belize River in search of logwood. The village is essentially an island, being bordered by the Revenge Lagoon, Western Lagoon, and Spanish Creek. It was not until a 3.5-mile causeway from the Philip Goldson Highway was built in 1984 that the village became accessible by land. So how did this village get its name? Many websites agree that the answer is straightforward: an abundance of "crooked" trees.

Accidental shotgun discharge kills Daniel Alford, 42
Police are investigating the death of Daniel Alford, Sr., 42, a security guard of Georgeville, after he suffered a shotgun blast in the left side of his abdomen. Initially, police had told us that at about 4:30 p.m. Monday, Alford was carrying a loaded shotgun while hunting on the Mountain Pine Ridge road (Cayo District), and he fell while climbing a rocky hill and the gun hit the ground and discharged into his abdomen. When police went to the scene, they found a shotgun along with an expended shell, which was in the chamber. Myvette said they have not yet ascertained if the gun is licensed to anyone.

Man crushed to death while cleaning cement mixer
Yesterday, reports of a horrific accidental death at a cement factory circulated within the media, but it was not until about 6:30 p.m. that it was officially confirmed by the police. According to police, on Tuesday around 11:20 a.m. they visited the morgue, where they saw the body of Jeffrey Hernandez, 21, with severe injuries to his midsection - between his stomach and pelvis. Initial investigations revealed that about 10 o'clock Monday night, Hernandez, a resident of Guinea Grass, was at his workplace at AP Enterprise Cement Block Factory, when he suffered his injuries while cleaning the inside of a heavy duty cement mixer.

3 remanded for the murder of Sherris Stringham, 67
At about 11:30 last Saturday night, the decomposing body of Sherris Stringham, 67, a retired American from the state of Kansas, USA, who had been living in Hopkins for almost a year, was found under a bridge in Steadfast Community at Mile 18 on the Stann Creek Valley Road, 7 days after she had been reported missing from her home in Hopkins village. An onsite autopsy on the body certified that her death was caused by traumatic asphyxia as a result of multiple rib and sternum punctures to the chest. The investigation into Stringham's brutal murder led to Anthony and Wilhelm Nunez, both 18, who are relatives, and a minor, 16 years old, all teenagers of Hopkins, Stann Creek District.

The Reporter

LAWMEN INTERCEPT MULES WITH LARGE SUMS OF $US CASH . . . POLICE - KNOWN GANG FIGURE APPREHENDED IN PLACENCIA
These are BREAKING NEWS stories, more details will be available soon. BREAKING NEWS - September 6th. KNOWN GANG FIGURE APPREHENDED IN PLACENCIA Police sources are reporting that they have caught...

EDITORIAL - September 7th. 2018
The Tenth of September 2018 comes at a good time to remind Belizeans contemplating what they should do in the approaching referendum, that courage and valour are part of our...

Sapna = Collateral Damage
"I would presume so. No one knows where Sapna Budhrani comes from. No one. No one knows her in the creative sector or the culture sector. So, again, we understand...

Let's Talk Mandatory Voting!
There is a lot of talk, and there have been a lot of complaints about our leadership and how we are governed. I have tried to study this phenomena of...

FAMILY SUSPECTS MURDER IN GRUESOME DEATH
REPORTER: News Staff, - The family of Jeffrey Hernandez, who died after he suffered a large cut wound on his abdomen while cleaning the interior of a cement mixer on...

Bruno's Killer Captured
REPORTER: News Staff, - The dangerous crocodile which attacked a dog named 'Bruno' on a Facebook video that went viral, was captured last week through a collaborative effort involving the...

NO CHARGE�NO TRIAL, GO STRAIGHT TO JAIL
REPORTER: News Staff, - The Reporter has confirmed that Police have rounded up who they say are major players in both Southside gangs targeted in the State of Emergency which...