Today's Belize News: July 12, 2019

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Today's Belize News: July 12, 2019 #537260 07/12/19 06:06 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report. Specials and Events Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials. The San Pedro Sun Medical students and health authorities conduct fever survey after confirmed cases of dengue With the rainy season comes an increase in mosquitoes, which can spread diseases such as dengue fever. In San Pedro Town, the first cases of dengue have been confirmed and in an effort to further educate the community on the disease and its prevention, local health authorities, along with medical students from the Washington University of Health and Sciences, conducted a fever surveillance in several areas of the island on Wednesday, July 10th. The activity covered the areas of Seagrape Drive, Mar del Tumbo, San Marcos, San Pablo, Escalante, and the DFC sub-division. According to Dr. Javier Canul from the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, due to the rise in cases across the country, they worked on the said activity along with the island's Health Inspector and medical students to be ahead of any possible outbreak and to be better prepared. SPTC administrators and Mayor Daniel Guerrero attend an institutional anti-corruption workshop San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) administrators and Mayor Daniel Guerrero attended a two-day Institutional Anti-Corruption strategy workshop held from Wednesday, July 2nd to Thursday, July 3rd at the Radisson Fort George and Marina in Belize City. The workshop was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which is seeking to strengthen the state-run systems for the application of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in Belize. The workshop was also aimed at strengthening the capability of municipal leaders to prevent corruption. 2019 Ambergris Caye's Camp Starfish brings joy to special island children The extra-special Ambergris Caye's Camp Starfish 2019 began on Monday, July 8th at the Lions Den in San Pedro Town and will run until Saturday, July 13th. Under the yearly theme: "We are more alike than different," the free one-week camp not only focuses on children with learning and physical disabilities but also provides them with an outlet to explore their creative abilities. During each camp day, children and volunteers meet from 9AM to 12PM for a morning of fun-filled activities and interaction. The first day of camp, on Monday, July 8th, the theme was Rainforest and Ruins. Children got to engage in arts and crafts, creating rain sticks. The following day was a sports day theme, and campers were very active in playing different games such as sports bingo, musical chairs, relay games, and even making jerseys. San Pedro R.C School's first floor classrooms being tiled thanks to island businesses Blue Water Grill Restaurant, along with its sister businesses, Red Ginger, The Phoenix Resort and Wine de Vine, continue to assist the community of San Pedro Town. The latest community project they have embarked on is to tile the first floor classrooms of the San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS). The projected is estimated to cost $30,000 dollars and is expected to be done before the school re-opens in September. The money was raised via Blue Water Grill's monthly charity guest donations. From January through June 2019 they raised money to tile the first floor classrooms at SPRCS. In total, guests at The Phoenix and customers at Red Ginger, Wine de Vine, and Blue Water Grill donated $8,881.24 dollars. Ernesto Caliz remanded for sexually assaulting a minor 64-year-old San Pedro Resident Ernesto Caliz has once again been accused of sexually assaulting a minor. A 9-year-old boy is alleging that Caliz kissed his anus. Caliz was arraigned at the Magistrate Court in Belize City on Monday, July 8th, where he was offered an $8,000 bail plus two sureties of $4,000 each. Caliz was unable to meet his bail and was thus remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date on September 12, 2019. Caliz was unrepresented when he appeared before Magistrate Michelle Trapp. Prosecutor, Corporal Roman Andrews submitted to the court the allegations against Caliz, stating that he pulled down the minor's pants and kissed his anus. Andrews told the Magistrate that this is not the first time such allegations have been made against Caliz and that no bail should be offered to the accused. Belize and Suriname Begin Technical Exchange for Safeguarding Pre-Columbian and Historic Built Heritage Sites A two-member team from Suriname arrived in Belize on June 16 to begin a two-week technical exchange with authorities in Belize's culture sector. The exchange, which is funded by UNESCO, is phase 1 of a project in which Belize and Suriname will share expertise on how Pre-Columbian archaeological and Historic period built-heritage sites are conserved and managed. As one of the countries which is home to ancient Maya archaeological sites, Belize has a well-developed program in Maya archaeology. Similarly, Suriname's Inner City of Paramaribo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which features Dutch colonial forts and wooden architecture. Ambergris Today Vivian Noralez Vying For The Miss Universe Belize 2019 Crown The Miss Universe Belize Pageant is set to take place on Friday, September 6, 2019 and on Friday, July 5, 2019, eight beautiful contestants were officially presented during a press conference at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts in Belize City. This year San Pedro has a representative and she is no stranger to beauty pageants, she is the lovely, 20-year-old Vivian Magdalen Noralez. "I am representing San Pedro, it has been three years since San Pedro has been on the Miss Belize stage so I feel very honored to represent us once again." Stated Vivian Noralez during the press conference. "Not only do I feel honored, it's a huge responsibility because I also have a huge load on my back, a lot of weight to carry on my shoulders because I know my town, they love pageants and they have been looking forward to having a San Pedrana on stage again." Various Belizean Sources BTB training for language courses Hey, Tour Guides! Want to hone your French or German language skills? The Belize Tourism Board is now offering training for language courses! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/HE49VTphwPqpN1Ca8 Transportation of Bridge Beams and Periodic Closure of Roaring Creek Bridge M&M Engineering Consultants Ltd. and the Ministry of Works would like to caution the public that they will be transporting extremely long and heavy bridge beams on Friday, July 12th and Saturday, July 13th 2019. The beams will be transported from Ladyville through Burrell Boom Road and unto the George Price Highway with destination to the Roaring Creek bridge site in Belmopan. The public is advised to exercise extreme caution when approaching the convoy transporting the beams as it may take up the entire width of the highway. In addition to the transportation of the beams on the aforementioned dates, the public is advised that on Saturday, July 13th, 2019 and Sunday, July, 14th 2019, the Roaring Creek bridge will be temporarily closed for short intervals to accommodate the installation of the beams. The duration of closure will be for 45-minute intervals between 7:00 a.m. and midday on both Saturday and Sunday. CASTE WAR STORIES: CHAN SANTA CRUZ IN SAN PABLO Pedro Marin is said to have fled to Belize from Chan Santa Cruz, Quintana Roo with his wife Paula Acosta shortly after the turn of the century. Before coming to San Pablo he lived in Corozal Town and Louisville where he worked as a laborer on sugar ranchos. Many of the mayeros who settled in the Douglas-San Pablo area during the 1920s came from sugar ranchos in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts ( San Juan Saltillo, Louisville, and Caledonia; and Louisiana Farm, and San Lorenzo) while others had moved away from BEPC-owned villages (San Estevan, San Felipe, Libertad, and San Joaquin) get out form under company control. Back to School Essay Competition 2019 Tune in this Saturday, July 13th Live on Radio Bahia 99.7 FM. BACK TO SCHOOL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED. Join us and be part of the excitement. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS for your generous contribution. This is what makes our "BACK TO SCHOOL INITIATIVE 2019" possible. List of Endangered Fish in Belize It's time to protect these Giants before none are left in Belize. Catch and release everybody... Goliath Grouper, Nassau Grouper, Cubera Snapper. Henry Fuller "Sugar" passes away On behalf of the Ramon's Village Family, I hereby announce the passing of our beloved brother, "Sugar". Henry Fuller had been THE security guard at Ramon's Village for many years. We are deeply saddened by his passing, may He Rest In Peace. We will miss you Sugar! Funeral services will be announced. Ya'axch� receives National Energy Globe Award Ya'axch� receives the prestigious National Energy Globe Award for its Sustainable Use Zones in the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve (GSCP). We are leading the implementation of Sustainable Use Zones within the 15,441 acre GSCP for communities to carry out their cultural traditions and livelihood practices. Members of the buffering communities of Tambran, Golden Stream, Medina Bank and Indian Creek are privileged to extract materials for building and harvest plants used for cooking ingredients. BTB MID YEAR STATISTICS 2019 The latest statistics for the first half of this year show a remarkable and persistent growth in both overnight and cruise ship arrivals; positioning Belize as a favorite vacation paradise and underscoring the effective marketing strategy by the BTB and its industry stakeholders in promoting the country as a leading tourism destination. The following is a breakdown of the latest figures for the first half of 2019 for both overnight and cruise ship arrivals. Ocean Academy High School in Caye Caulker is looking for teachers for next school year Meetings on Mesoamerica Network for Integral Risk Management Meetings are being held this week in Belmopan to assess the progress made in fully incorporating Belize into the Mesoamerica Network for Integral Risk Management (RMGIR). The platform of the RMGIR is a virtual tool which makes available to governments, institutions and related actors the information products generated for the identification of threats and vulnerabilities, as well as geospatial information in terms of cartography, agrology, cadastre and geography. The map layers are guaranteed by the governments that upload them both nationally and regionally. The platform used for these maps has the ability to run scenarios on the possible effects that various natural events may cause, enabling NEMO to focus its planning on targeted areas of highest vulnerability. Government of Belize Cautions the Public Against Dealing with Trust Lands in San Jose Palmar in the Orange Walk District In 1936, a trust was created in favor of the San Jose Palmar Indians and pursuant to the terms of the trust, the Government of Belize is entrusted with the power to dispose of the trust lands in accordance with the advice of the committee appointed by the villagers of San Jose Palmar. There is currently no legally constituted committee; however, the Government of Belize is in the process of appointing such committee. As such, until that is done, the public is advised against dealing with any trust lands outside of the terms of the trust deed. The Government of Belize assumes no responsibility for any liability incurred as a consequence of reliance or otherwise, by any person, estate or otherwise, on any representation or otherwise, that is contrary to the terms of the trust deed. MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY CONCLUDES SOUTHERN TOUR The Honorable John Saldivar concluded his southern tour this morning with an overnight spent at Cadenas Military base currently being manned by F Company. Today the Minister's tour continues with a helicopter ride along the western border with visits to the other Military installations at Rio Blanco, Ceibo Chico, Cebada, Caracol, Valentin, Caballo Douglas D'Silva and then lunch in the western village of Arenal, Cayo. Other Officials will then join the Minister as his tour continues for the next two days with visits to all police and military installations in the Cayo District. Minister Saldivar is accompanied by CEO Ret Col. George Lovell, General Steven Ortega, commander of the Belize Defence Force, Senior Superintendent Linden Flowers and Senior Officials of the Ministry of National Security. Alex Palacio passes away National Garifuna Council would like to announce the untimely death of our dear Alex Palacio, President of National Garifuna Council Libertad Branch. Condolences to his family and friends let us keep his family in our thoughts and prayers during their time of bereavement. May his soul rest in peace. MSME Enhancem,ent Program sensitization and registration session Corozal Town Council Conference Room, today July 12, 9am. Back to the Grotto Dance Video promo for the Back to the Grotto Dance, which will be held at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel on Saturday, July 27th. DJ Special will be mixing through the night. "BACK TO THE GROTTO! ...because there's no goodies like the oldies! Join Love FM Belize - News and Music Power at San Ignacio Resort Hotel for a night to remember! Featuring old time classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s brought to you by Dj Special! Date: July 27, 2019. Time: 9pm-3am. Entrance fee: $20BZD. Must be 21 years and older!" The Bridge Across Pleasant Creek Halloween Rave The Bridge Across Pleasant Creek Halloween Rave has a date! Friday, October 12th is the night -the first night of two it appears - and it'll be at Kiki Witz Resort near Belmopan. Mind & Me never fails to amaze with their themed raves. "Who says Halloween can't be early? It's always Halloween. Join us for a mind blowing experience 2 Day event! More information coming SOON..." Culinary Diplomacy in China Our Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative - YLAI fellow Hernan Urbina demonstrates his culinary diplomacy skills during his entrepreneurship workshop in the Republic of China, Taiwan! "We have been learning a lot about the culture and food here in Taiwan. Now was our chance to present our culture and a bit of our country's history through food. Each country presented a dish to our professor, his assistants and our colleagues. We presented a Belizean breakfast: journey cakes, fried jacks, fried beans, cheese, ham, and jalape�o. Caribbean/Latin flavor!" Paradise Theater playing this weekend Hellboy, Falita, Missing Link, Shaft Ya'axch�'s Nursery has seedlings for sale Get your plants for as low as BZ $1.00 per seedling! Available in stock are Balam, Bilimbi, Cacao Regular, Cashew, Cedar, Coffee American, Coffee Caturra, Coffee Local, Chinese Plum, Grafted Cacao, Jamaican Lime, Mahogany, Monkey Cap, Star Fruit and Vanilla. The Amazing Race: San Pedro Edition, Pt. 5! Get ready for another edition of one of the most-fun games we've ever played at The Truck Stop! To win this famous scavenger hunt, you'll need to complete fun challenges, decipher cryptic clues, race between stops, and show the other teams who's boss. Teams will be competing for a huge cash prize, among other fun prizes. Sign up now! We'll post more details soon, but if you want to play, you should sign up! There's a limit of 20 teams, which we'll be accepting on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign up soon to make sure you don't get left behind! Channel 7 Five More Alleged Human Smugglers Charged On last night's newscast, we told you about the 2 Belizeans, one of whom is a social worker, who was charged with facilitating the commission of a crime. That's after police allegedly intercepted them near Crooked Tree Village on Tuesday, smuggling 4 Honduran nationals from San Ignacio to Orange Walk. Well, police today charged 5 more Belizeans with the same crime, after they were linked to the same incident. They are 25 year-old Neysa Gomez, 19 year-old Joanna Arrevallo, 34 year-old Felicito Galvez, 39 year-old Enrique Morales, and 26 year-old Ervin Arrevallo. Police Explain Human Smuggling Arrest So, 7 persons have been charged for smuggling four Hondurans - 2 adults and 2 minors. Police and the Immigration Department are working to build as airtight a case as possible to get a conviction - which is rare in such cases. Today at the bi-weekly press brief, the head of national crimes investigations told us about the arrest that police made:' ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch: "Based on information, Orange Walk Police mounted an operation supported by Ladyville police where upon doing the investigation..." Balloons For Yanira's Funeral Today was a sad day in San Jose village in the Orange Walk District. The village came out to bury 23 year old Yanira Novelo, the mother of two who was found dead in a canefield on Tuesday morning. Today, her funeral was made memorable by some villagers who quickly organized a movement to show solidarity with the family by wearing white, floating balloons and carrying small signs with messages of support, demanding justice. Yanira Was Stabbed and Strangled And those calls for justice are weighing heavily on the police - who have not made any arrests and have no one detained at this time. Police today discussed what they know about the case - starting with the state of Yanira's body when it was found in the canefield; she had been stabbed multiple times, but she was strangled to death:.. ACP Joseph Myvett: "Police immediately launched an operation in the San Lorenzo Road and on yesterday's date they were joined in the search for Yanira de la Rosa by family members where shortly after 11am her body was discovered in a cane field..." On the Run From Guatemala, Budna Found in Camalote 39 year old Joseph Budna, he escaped from a Guatemalan prison at the end of May, and had been on the run for weeks, but police found him in Camalote village this morning. Based on intelligence from Special Branch, Belmopan police detained Budna at a home in that western village this morning. There wasn't much ACP Myvette could tell us about it at the 11:00 am press brief: ACP Joseph Myvett: "This morning, I believe shortly after nine, the details are still sketchy, police carried out an operation in Camalote Village where one Joseph Budna was found at a home and he has been taken into custody at this point in time. No other information is yet available. As I said, this is something that just recently occurred earlier this morning." What's Special About Special Development Area If you travel on Lake Independence Boulevard with any regularity, you will have seen the ongoing construction work on the western side of the Boulevard. Well, that's the new Ministry of Finance, a 15 million dollar building - paid for by taxpayer dollars. We found out about that and everything else that's happening on the Lake I Boulevard - at what is now designated as a Special Development Area. Jules Vasquez has the story: The Lake Independence Special Development Area, it's 50 acres of consolidated government land - and the signs are aggressively advertising land available for lease. Even if this passerby didn't seem too interested, BIL is hoping the mega developments in the area including this new Ministry of Finance building will be a pull: The Troubles With Lake I Resource Center And while that story only covered the plans for Special Development Area - you don't need to be a news junky to know that there's a whole lot in that same area that's very controversial. First, there's the Lake I Boulevard of broken pavement - which is a saga unto itself. Then there's the Lake I Resource Center - construction of which has stalled completely, and it now stands dormant and incomplete, a monument to wastage and contractor incompetence. It should have been opened two years ago, but the Contractor: Wood, Brick and Stone has now pulled out - and the job of finishing it falls to BIL. Mastry told us they plan to finish it by the end of the year:.. Man Gets Off Murder Charge He was charged last year with murder and abetment to commit murder, but tonight 20 year-old Israel Usher is a free man. That's after both charges were withdrawn against him at the instruction of the DPP's Office. Usher was one of 2 people charged with the April 2018 gun killing of Albert Johnson, a mental patient. Johnson was walking on Rectory Lane in Belize City, when he was approached by 3 men, one of whom pulled a firearm and shot him twice in the head. By all indications he was shot for no reason at all. Mental Health Training for Lawmen and Women Today at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan, police and Coast Guard officers participated in an all-day workshop discussing mental health and wellness. The organization known as the Belize Brain Awareness Society wants to help these officers learn how to better cope with the the intense stress that comes with the job, as well as any trauma caused by the dangers of being a member of law enforcement. Additionally, the hope is that these officers will be better equipped to properly handle civilians suffering from mental illness, who also come in contact with the law. Big Beams In Motion On Highway Be careful on the major highways on Friday and Saturday - because long and heavy bridge beams will be in motion. The beams will be taken from Ladyville through Burrell Boom and unto the George Price Highway headed to the Roaring Creek bridge in Belmopan - which is under construction. The beams will have escorts, but it will take up the entire width of the road, and the public is advised to exercise extreme caution when approaching the convoy transporting the beams. Earlin White Life Sentence Upheld 47 year-old Earlin White is a convicted murderer who has been serving a life sentence at the Belize Central Prison. Now, we've told you about multiple "lifers" who have been re-sentenced to 25 years, but in White's case, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin says that he should continue serving out that life sentence. White was convicted in October 2003 of the 2002 murder of businessman Dwayne Arnold who was at his workplace, Electrical Zone Rebuilding when White shot him in the head. According to the evidence in White's murder trial, white demanded a quarter from one of Arnold's employees, and when he told White that he had none, White held him at gunpoint and marched him up to Arnold's office. When Arnold asked White what he wanted, he also demanded 25 cents from Arnold. When no money was forthcoming, White fired 3 shots at Arnold, injuring him in the head and the right arm - killing him on the spot. What Will Jilted AIBL Depositors Get Yesterday we had coverage of the Prime Minister's press conference on the Sanctuary Bay debacle. He flatly refuted claims made by the US Federal Trade Commission in a court filing on June 10th. But, he also discussed practical elements of the settlement between the FTC and Atlantic International Bank - which was signed this week. The group most interested is the community of mostly US depositors in AIBL - who live in Belize. They have no idea what's up with their savings they had in the bank - which went belly up. It's clear they will not get it all back -but how much will they get? We asked the PM Mason Trial Update All this week, we've been telling you about the resumption of the Belmopan murder trial for William "Danny" Mason and his 4 co-defendants who are accused of the beheading murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas. This week, the court has been carefully testing a confession statement allegedly from one of the 5 accused, which could become a major piece of evidence in the favor of DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal prosecution's of this case. As we've told, it is being done in a trial within this trial, where multiple witnesses have testified to the court disclosing details of this written statement. After hearing from all the witnesses, Justice Antoinette Moore will decide whether or not it will be admitted into evidence. Channel 5 Bus Catches Fire on GP Highway with 41 Tourists Onboard A group of U.S. nationals, who arrived on a scheduled cruise ship call this morning, had a huge scare. �The visitors were heading to the Belize Zoo when the bus [...] 5 More Belizeans Charged for Alleged Involvement in Human Smuggling Case Five additional persons have been charged and arraigned for their alleged involvement in a case of human smuggling that was intercepted by police on Tuesday afternoon. It is being categorized [...] Police Were Tipped About the Human Smuggling Caravan Even before the five were arraigned today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvett shared details on the investigation surrounding the alleged human smuggling.� He says that the operation, which led [...] Escape Prisoner Joseph Budna is Recaptured in Camalote, Cayo Escape prisoner Joseph Budna has been captured in Belize and remains in custody. Back in May of this year, the thirty-eight-year-old Belizean, who is serving a thirty-year sentence in a [...] Yanira Novelo was Strangled to Death The official result of a post-mortem has been released by the Police Department in the murder of Yanira Novelo in Orange Walk. It shows that the young mother had a [...] What's the Motive Behind the Murder of Yanira Novelo? Police are looking for answers on whether four-year-old Alexander witnessed the heinous murder of his mother.� While has not been confirmed at this time, it is known that the child [...] A Peaceful Demonstration for Murder Victim, Yanira Novelo Murder victim, Yanira Novelo, was laid to rest today in her home village of San Jose in Orange Walk. Over one hundred and fifty residents from San Jose and San [...] Dean Oliver Barrow Could Never Been Charge with 'Any Kind of Civil Fraud' His name is Andris Pukke and he is the felon who orchestrated the Sanctuary Bay real estate scam which has Prime Minister Dean Barrow, ministers and other high ranking officials [...] Prime Minister Defends Barrow and Williams Law Firm In the document filed by the F.T.C., the Prime Minister's law firm and his partner, Rodwell Williams, are named. �Aside from suggesting that the Prime Minister owns a piece of [...] PM Barrow: "Maybe the F.T.C. Should Look at Some of the Banks in the U.S." Present at Wednesday's press conference was Joy Grant, the Governor of the Central Bank of Belize and Grant was there to answer to a very specific allegation. �The F.T.C. alleged [...] Barrow Stays Away from Accusing the F.T.C. of Incompetence, Bad Faith Prime Minister Dean Barrow, having learned that the F.T.C. filed such damning documents against him and his government, summoned the Charg� d' Affaires, Keith Gilges, to make sure his complaint [...] A.I.B.L. and F.T.C. Settlement Soon to Be Sealed After negotiations, A.I.B.L. and the F.T.C. were able to come to an agreement which resulted in the F.T.C. filing an application to stay proceedings against the bank. �An appointed liquidator, [...] P.U.P. Blasts Barrow Administration over Sanctuary Bay Allegations After the Prime Minister's press conference, the People's United Party fired a press release describing the PM's conference as an attempt to clear the air. �The P.U.P. says that Barrow [...] Sarteneja Honey Producers Association Fight Small Hive Beetle Last month we told you about a donation of small hive beetle traps that was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture. �Those traps are to be used to control [...] Mason Murder Trial Resumes with Voir Dire Following a lengthy adjournment, the murder trial of William 'Danny' Mason and his accomplices resumed before Justice Antoinette Moore in the Belmopan Supreme Court on Wednesday.� Onboard are attorneys Bryan [...] Man Charged for Theft of $42,000 from Buca Shell in Ladyville Tonight a former Buca Shell employee is in trouble with the law.� He is twenty-five-year-old Victor Ayuso, a resident of Orange Walk, who appeared this morning before Senior Magistrate Tricia [...] M.O.E. Requires Teachers to Renew Their Teaching Licenses There is a new pressing issue between the Ministry of Education and the Belize National Teachers Union that is bubbling beneath the surface while school is presently out.� It has [...] How Will Renewal of Teaching License be Administered? So what will teachers do now that the ministry has sent out the memorandum while they are on summer vacation?� According to Executive Secretary Keisha Young-Flowers, B.N.T.U. is prepared to [...] Tourism Stats for the First Half of 2019 Despite the murder of a U.S. national recently in San Pedro that gave Belize a black eye in the international news, the Belize Tourism Board is touting a growth in [...] Young Prisoners Graduate from Kaina Online High School Two inmates were beaming with pride as they stood among a group of graduates on Sunday in Belmopan. �The two successfully completed a programme with Kaina Online High School. �Five [...] Entrepreneurs Get Training in Developing a Business Plan A one-day business plan development workshop was held today at the BTEC building on the ITVET Compound in Belize City. It's sister agency, the Small Business Development Centre, which also [...] The Reporter Joseph Budna Caught In Camalote Village Police have captured fugitive Joseph Budna, 38. The Reporter has confirmed that the former journalist was caught in Camalote sometime this morning. Budna, serving a 30 year sentence in Guatemala for kidnapping and a previous escape, eluded Guatemalan authorities during a visit to a hospital in late May. High Heat & Max AC Causes Tourist Bus To Overheat - Fire The Reporter has confirmed with a representative from Chukka that no tourists were hurt when a tour bus caught fire earlier just outside Hattieville. That representative told us that all tourists were taken off at the first sign of smoke, put on another bus and they continued on to their scheduled tour at the Belize Zoo. The bus was totally destroyed. LOVE FM Governor of Central Bank discusses Sanctuary Bay While we told you of the allegations against the government, we didn't tell you that the FTC had also documented the lack of action by the Central Bank of Belize. The Central Bank is accused of knowing from early that something was awry with Sanctuary Bay and they did not act on the report. Governor � Human Smuggling or Human Trafficking? Police continue to investigate the human smuggling incident that saw six persons detained including 4 Honduran nationals and two Belizeans; a Social Worker and the husband of an immigration officer. Initially we reported that it was a case of human trafficking but officials have since clarified the report, saying it is human smuggling. The Orange � National Workshop on Marine Litter Belize has made significant inroads to tackle marine litter, which is a problem faced by many countries. Today, the Department of the Environment, in collaboration with Commonwealth Litter Programme, CLiP, is holding a two-day workshop which focuses on how to derive ways of dealing with marine litter. Dr. Percival Cho, the Chief Executive Officer of � Budna captured by Police 38-year-old, Joseph Budna is wanted by the Guatemalan authorities and was captured this morning in Camalote Village, Cayo District, as he made a quick trip to a nearby shop. Budna is a Belizean man who had been serving time in a Guatemalan prison prior to his escape from a hospital on Monday, May 27. This � Harmony Between Nature and Human Ya'axche Conservation has won the prestigious National Energy Globe Award for its sustainable Use Zones in Golden Stream Corridor Preserve. The award recognizes that the GSCP utilizes renewable or emission free sources and as well as preserving the wildlife located there. The GSCP uses Sustainable Use Zones to cooperate with the community and aid them � AIBL Liquidation Yesterday the headlines were all about Sanctuary Bay and the web woven with Atlantic International Bank Limited. Prime Minister spoke on allegations against him and his administration and kinda set some things straight - for now, at least. What has been placed at the forefront now is the way the liquidator will proceed with the � Corals at Risk! A disease at hand is threatening our Corals located in the Northern region of Belize. The Fisheries Department has confirmed the presence of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) (Stony Coral VO) on the Northern region of the Belize Barrier Reef Complex. The disease attacks the coral colonies and results in a loss of � Small Funds but Big Results Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) has concluded a GEF Small Grants Program (SGP) at Vaca Forest Reserve. The Program aimed to aid farmers adapt and fight against climate change. The project revealed that a total of ten strategies were learned and are now being implemented by the farmer in the Vaca Plateau. The study also � Blogs 5 Reasons Why Birding in Belize is for Everybody Birdwatching has ceased be known as such. Forget the old, cliche image of the bespectacled, clumsy professor wearing a pith helmet peering into bushes and jotting down notes. Although there might have been a few ornithologists and birdwatchers like that at some point in time, most folks who watch birds nowadays wear whatever clothes or hats they want, carry cameras just as much as binoculars, and come from all walks of life. These days, we go "birding" and although the hobby continues to be popular among retirees, a growing number of birders are twenty and thirty somethings. Birding has become discovered by the younger crowd, has become "a thing", and Belize is one of the best places to do it, with a thriving community or avid birders. International Sources Mysterious Disease Ravages Caribbean Reefs Marine biologists are dealing with a mystery. What's killing the coral reefs in the Caribbean? The scientists first noticed a deadly outbreak earlier this year off the coast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Big white lesions were breaking up the colorful tissues of stony corals. Some corals died the next day, bleaching completely. Others suffered for weeks, but within four months, more than half the reef died off from the mysterious disease, as Science News reported. Researchers estimate that the mysterious disease is now affecting around a third of the Caribbean's 65 reef-building species, but they remain unsure if the disease is microbial, bacterial, viral or something else. "Whatever the cause, it's annihilating whole species," said Marilyn Brandt, a coral ecologist at University of the Virgin Islands, leading a research team studying the outbreak, as Medical Daily reported. Videos Very first episode of Caye Caulker entrepreneurs, 16min. This is the first launch to our new segment where we feature and promote all local businesses and entrepreneurs on the island. Be on the look out for our next episode. Central America \| 2019, 4min. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize & Mexico PLACENCIA TO CAYE CAULKER: Traveling from beach to island in Belize, 8min. Traveling between scenic beach towns in Belize often means a small prop plane take off from Placencia airport, a taxi from Belize airport to water taxi and a water taxi to Caye Caulker. That about sums up our journey from Placencia to Caye Caulker. The Belize aerial view is spectacular. Watching rivers wind their way through the beautiful jungle from the air was quite the sight. The entire flight was picture-worthy - it was a great view of the stunning landscape. Vacation in Belize, 39min. Sail from Guatemala to explore Belize / with the - all new - shiny Rigg, 22min. Insight to the sweet cruising Live from RioDulce to TurneffReef. Beautiful Sailing, White Sandy Beaches and Cristal Clear Waters Real Talk Show , 1.5hr. w/ Host Ash Belize Special Guest Dajah The Statistical Institute of Belize launches a National Statistical System (NSS), 20min. The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) and the IDB are partnering to launch a National Statistical System (NSS). The initiative is a part of a strategy to strengthen the country's capacity to produce and use quality official statistics. Our guests gave an overview of how the portal would work and expanded on ways the use of quality statistics would contribute to development. On our couch: Dr. Leopold Perriott- Director General, SIB. Janine Perfit-Modernization of the State Lead Specialist, IDB. Belize City Council - CITCO to offer 20% off on outstanding fees for city residents, 31min. Mayor Bernard Wagner and officials of the Belize City Council were our guest to talk about their efforts to recoup outstanding property tax payments. A statutory instrument was recently passed to allow the CITCO to offer 20% off on outstanding fees for city residents. Our guests explained how this is a part of the efforts to bring in much needed revenues to further the work of the Council. On our couch: Mayor Bernard Wagner - Mayor, CITCO. Troy Smith - Evaluation Manager, CITCO. Tamara Minto - Communications Manager, CITCO. Justin " J. Cas" Castillo - Musical Guest, 21min. Justin " J. Cas" Castillo is one part of the musical duo of Kadence. Today he was our guest to talk about the recently released EP entitled "Intro". He wrote the songs and created the beats for this project all in his home studio. We talked with him about his inspiration for the music and plans to further his career. We were also treated to a performance of the song - Love and Affection. On our couch: Opening Performance: Love and Affection, J. Cas - Artist, Keanu Chaplin - Artist/Kadence. Representatives of the Public Sector Worker's Trust, 31min. Representatives of the Public Sector Worker's Trust were our guests to update us on the work of the trust. Our guests talked with us about the history of the trust and current affairs. On our couch: Dr. Philip Castillo - Mutually Agreed Trustee, PSWT. Elena Smith - President, BNTU. Gerald Henry Jr. - President, Public Service Union. The MSME ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, 31min.The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, along with its partners, embarks on a countrywide sensitization and registration session for the MSME Enhancement Program. The MSME ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (MEP) formerly known as the Conditional Duty Exemption Mechanism (CDEM), seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of Belize's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), and foster exports, through the removal of Customs Import Duty for a shortlist of packaging and labeling materials, specifically for eligible MSMEs. Talk Ah Di Town July 11, 2019, 31min. Divers in Belize remove 60 lbs of invasive lionfish from the Caribbean Sea, 5min. I went on a week long scuba diving service trip on an island off the coast of Placencia, Belize. About a dozen divers went out and hunted invasive lionfish every day. I was lucky enough to be one of those divers. There were so many lionfish! We later cooked and ate the lionfish. We took measurements of some of the lionfish (such as length and weight) for scientific research, and even cut open their stomachs to see what food they were eating. Often, the lionfish had local baby fish and shrimp in their stomachs. Night-time Spearfishing in Belize, 6.5min. Spearfishing in the Belize River at night with some friends. DRONE SHOT OF BELIZE CITY, 1min. Whale Shark in Belize!, 1min. How crazy is this??? Whale Shark literally bumps into our fishing boat! Belize Scuba Trip - Nov/Dec 2018, 6min.