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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

Improper raw sewage disposal threatens Ambergris Caye's natural environment and the Meso-American Barrier Reef
Ambergris Caye off the north-eastern coast of Belize is the largest and most populous island in the country and considered the prime tourism destination which supports the livelihood of thousands of islanders. Its urbanized area, San Pedro Town is the fastest-growing municipality in Belize which day by day continues to expand both in population and size. At the center of this rapidly developing sector, is the Meso-American Barrier Reef System, flanking the island's east coast and playing an important role in the local economy of tourism. The continued growth, however, has put heavy pressure on the local marine ecosystem and natural resources, and one of the main issues unknown to some residents is the improper disposal of sewage waste. With a limited sewage collection treatment system, the environment and waterways around the island continue to be exposed to contamination.

National News: Police Department introduces new measure to tackle crime in 2020
A leaked memo from within the Belize Police Department invaded social media on Saturday, December 28th, giving the impression that police were abusing their level of profiling persons at all vehicular checkpoints. The leaked memo instructed police officers to stop and search vehicles where groups of persons were traveling, get a full description and photograph the vehicle. At the same time, all information of the occupants was to be obtained and each person photographed as well.

Ambergris Today

GOB Decriminalizes Adult Consensual Same-Sex Relations
Belize court upholds finding that LGBT people are protected by non-discrimination laws, major victory for human rights It's been a battle that started in 2010 and ended in 2019, rounding off the decade with a win for LGBT+ activists who tirelessly worked to get the ban dropped. On Monday, December 30, 2019, The Court of Appeal delivered a judgment denying the Belize Government's appeal of a 2016 ruling decriminalizing adult consensual same-sex relations.

Various Belizean Sources

mzz

Vote For Your Favorite PLB Team
Premier League of Belize | Awards Gala | 2019-2020 Opening Season | Top Fans Award Vote Now! Once Per Day! Voting Closes Saturday 4th, January 2020 at 9:00 am!

Corozal screening of Tecuani & the Duende
The official Corozal screening of Tecuani & the Duende will be Saturday January 11th! Come out and view the first animation film produced in Belize with the support of our Corozal artists who were part of the production; voice actress Kristen Tillett and animator Maggie Gray. Meet the Director Lee Mc Loughlin. Cultural performances, storytelling and more!

Tourism Stakeholders Briefing Today onCaye Caulker
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) has organized a meeting for Tourism Stakeholders of Caye Caulker, on Friday, January 3rd, 2020, at 10 a.m. at Sea Dreams Hotel (Rooftop) in Caye Caulker Village. The objectives of this meeting are to provide an update on the recent interruption of electricity and water services on the island and for the Utility Companies to provide a briefing on plans leading to a permanent solution for infrastructure to satisfy the needs of the island, in an effort to avoid a repeat of this situation which can seriously impact our Tourism Industry.

BEL reminds Caye Caulker Customers to conserve Energy during Peak Hours
Earlier today, representatives of Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) met with key stakeholders in Caye Caulker to provide a status update on the supply of electricity to customers on the island. Questions and concerns were addressed from participants who included representatives of the Caye Caulker Village Council, Belize Tourism Industry Association, Caye Caulker Business Association (CCBA), National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the media. Three generation units continue to provide power supply to customers on the island. However, with the onset of the evening peak hours, BEL advises that energy consumption is escalating in Caye Caulker.

Pump Price of Premium Gasoline Declines on January 3, 2020
The Ministry of Finance announces that on Friday, January 3, 2020, the pump price of premium gasoline will decrease by two cents from $10.74 to $10.72 per gallon. The pump prices for regular gasoline, diesel and kerosene will remain unchanged. This price change reflects current demand and supply conditions of crude oil in the international petroleum market and fluctuations in the acquisition price of refined fuel products in the countries from which Belize obtains its supplies.

GUARDIAN SPIRITS: The Alux and Nukuch Tat between the Yucatec Maya
Despite the European influence, the Yucatec Maya(M�asewal) of Belize still honor ancient Maya Guardian spirits like the Alux and the Nukuch Tat ,especially at planting and harvest time . For the Maya these spirits work with God(Yuumstil) to help them . Sadly due to Christianity many aspects of this Guardian spirits have been distorted to look evil and misunderstood by outsiders. Many people confuse these two spirits the Alux and the Nukuch Tat . It have been because many use the term "Duende" when referring to them .

Channel 7

Islanders Bex With BEL
One year ago on January second, we started the news with the report of five murders on New Year's Day.  Tonight, we're very happy to report that the first newscast of 2020 - has no murder stories - not one.   We start, instead, with the story of New Year's frustration on Caye Caulker - where  a large potion of the island community started out 2020 in a blackout.  Now, this is after, in our New Years' Eve newscast, when the power company promised reliable services for at least the New Year's Day holiday itself.  A promise broken - and, it couldn't have come at a worse time - the peak of the tourism season.  

Protest Falls Flat After Utility Meeting
About an hour after that public meeting, residents of Caye Caulker got underway with a protest against the utility companies for the outages and irregular service. They wanted to send a clear message that as customers, they are dissatisfied and disappointed with how unreliable the utility providers have been for this tourism high season. But, even though they started a little later than they planned to allow for more arrivals, the turn-out was small. We asked the organizers about the possible explanation for that, given that this issue is affecting over 600 businesses on the island. Here's what they told us:

Caye Caulker's Coming Crisis
So, while the Caye Caulker is focused on the losses in tourism earnings caused by the utility failures, residents are telling us that there is another crisis that has also been slowly building. The island does not have an adequate sewage and liquid waste disposal system, and they tell us that with the growth of this community, sewage is about to become a big environmental hazard.  Here's how the chair of both the BTIA in Caye Caulker and the Village Council explained it to us on New Year's Eve:

2020's First Babies
And, changing gears now to some lighter news.All expectant mothers want nothing more than the birth of a healthy, happy baby. But what if that birth happens to be moments before or after the New Year?  Well, the country's biggest hospital, the KHMH recognizes the births of the first three New Year's babies with a showering of gifts from corporate sponsors and a whole lot of media attention. We were invited to start the new year with oodles of cuteness:

Off Duty Cop Chopped Defending Family
There was a New Year's Day chopping in Belmopan's Maya Mopan neighborhood. It happened when a Police Constable attempted to chase off a group of men who were threatening his family.  And while 33-year-old Edgar Teul survived the incident he remains in the KHMH intubated and with a broken skull. Cherisse Halsall looked into the series of events that put the officer's life in grave danger: This was the harrowing moment when Police constable Edgar Teul was attacked by a mob of men on a football field in Maya Mopan. He received one chop to the arm before attempting to shield himself and then fight back against his attackers.

Lukie, Son of Ganzie Shot In CET Site
As we told you at the top of the newscast - 2020 didn't start out anything like 2019.  Thankfully, there's not much violence to report - and the only civilian shooting making news tonight is on where 23 year old Lukie Barrow was shot on New Year's Eve.   Barrow lives in the CET site area and he came under fire at around 7:30 pm.  Superintendent Alejandro Cowo is in charge of the CIB investigation:

City Man Charged For Densmore's Murder
On December 16th we showed you the tragic end of the Bowman family's desperate search for their son and brother, Densmore. After a long and drawn-out search, Bowman's body was finally found that morning after 10:00 near mile 25 on the George Price Highway. A post mortem examination found that he had been chopped to death. Tonight, we can tell you that 23-year-old Belize City resident, Hildebrand Codd has been charged with Bowman's murder. Here's what police had to say this morning about whether they believe Codd acted alone:

Soldier Charged For Village Chopping
Earlier this week we told you about the chopping that happened on Saturday, December 29th in Bullett Tree, Cayo.  Three men, Genaro Martinez, Patricio Kuylen and Silvestre Cordova received chop wounds to various parts of their bodies.  It happened at a bar where the men had gone to buy beer. Coming downstairs they met two brothers they had known since childhood. But, an argument started and then they were chopped up.  

New Year's Burglars At DHL Office
This morning, employees at the DHL office on Coney Drive in Belize City arrived at work to find out that their office had been burglarized over the New Year's break.

Cops Shot Man With Machete
Police shot a man to the left leg after he allegedly threatened them with a machete. It happened in Hattieville on New Year's Eve and superintendent Alejandro Cowo spoke to us about the circumstances surrounding the subduing of Albert Reid earlier today:

Big Baby's Back Home
We haven't heard much about Belizean American Heavyweight boxer Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller since he tested positive for multiple banned substances in April of 2019.  That's when he blew a shot at the world heavyweight championship against the then champion, Anthony Joshua.   Indeed, he missed more than a boxing match - he missed an appointment with history. And, after going quiet for some time, and serving out a six month ban, Big Baby is determined to get back to the top.

Cyclists Ready For The Road On New Year's Day
And keeping it on sports, we started the New Year right - our ace camera man Codie Norales went out on the road for the KREM New Year's Day Cycling Classic.  For the male elite riders, It was a race dominated by three riders, but it started out with 78.  Jules Vasquez has the story:

The Tale of The Race On. The Northern Highway
And, when it was all finished, here's what the top finishers had to say about the determining factors in the race:

Looking Back At Last Half of 2019
On Tuesday, we showed you our review of the first half of last year. And tonight, with 2019 now in our rearview mirror, we present part two of last year's biggest stories:

Channel 5

"The utilities have failed us" – Caye Caulker Residents Suffer Tremendous Losses
In our first newscast for 2020 we head to Caye Caulker where electricity has been restored somewhat on the island after five days of outages that plunged one of the [...]

Caye Caulker Residents Take to the Streets in Protest
Following a press conference held by Belize Electricity Limited in Caye Caulker this morning, the local chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association, as well as other stakeholders and concerned [...]

Manny H is Depressed and Disappointed with Events on Caye Caulker
Belize Rural South Area Representative and Minister of Tourism, Manuel Heredia Junior also attended today's press event in Caye Caulker where he took the opportunity to voice his discontent with [...]

P.U.P. says Caye Caulker's Utilities Crisis Needs Permanent Solutions
The People's United Party has registered its concern over what is describes as the complete breakdown of electrical and water services in Caye Caulker Village. The Opposition party is calling [...]

BWS to Expand Operations on Both Sides of Caye Caulker
Belize Water Services is yet to follow it sister utility's lead and face the people of Caye Caulker.� Representatives of the company were noticeably absent from the island today, despite [...]

Police Constable in Induced Coma after being Attacked and Chopped
2020 did not start right for a constable who came under attack by as many as four men. It happened during a football match in the Belmopan area and it [...]

PM Barrow's Promises for 2020
In his twelve-minute long New Year's message Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke on several challenges that the country faced in 2019.� Barrow touched on agriculture, tourism, the economy and citizen [...]

Addressing Crime and Violence in 2020
Both political leaders touched on the dogged issue of domestic crimes and violence. The unofficial murder count for 2019 has not been released, but it is dangerously close to 2018's [...]

Will Others Be Charged for Densmore Bowman's Murder?
On December thirty-first, Hildebrandt Codd was charged and arraigned for the murder of Densmore Bowman. Bowman's decomposing body was discovered on December sixteenth, about two and half weeks after he [...]

A Belize City Resident is Injured in Shooting; but No Motive
There was no reported gun violence in the city and elsewhere over the New Year holiday. But leading up to 2020, there were several violent incidents recorded. On December thirtieth [...]

A Police-involved Shooting in Hattieville
Shortly after a shooting in Belize City on the night of December thirtieth, Hattieville police responded to a domestic violence incident in the village. A woman requested assistance in a [...]

Burglars Hit DHL on Coney Drive, Belize City
Less than forty-eight hours into the New Year and burglars struck again on the north side of Belize City; this time at a business in proximity to our studio on [...]

The Firstborns of 2020
In the first hours of the New Year as many as five babies were born at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. And as we do every year, we headed to [...]

Premium Gas Goes Down by Two Cents
There is an announcement tonight of a slight decrease in the price of premium gasoline. �At midnight, the pump price of the fuel will go down by two cents. At [...]

Brandon Baptist Speaks Out on Police Harassment after Being in Lockdown on New Year's Day
On December thirty-first, Denise Flowers reached out to News Five to express her frustration with what she claims is the constant harassment of her sons by police officers. That morning, [...]

Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller is Back!
Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller is determined to reclaim his glory as a heavyweight contender. �The Belizean/American heavyweight well-known boxer tested positive for a banned substance before he went head-to-head with [...]

The Reporter

VIDEO: Police Officer In Serious Condition: Chopped Up In Belmopan
The Reporter has been informed that a Police Officer identified to us as PC Edgar Teul is hospitalized in serious condition after he was chopped several times in the Maya Mopan area of Belmopan on New Year's Day. We warn that the language is explicit.

LOVE FM

John Briceno attacks UDP in New Year's address
While the Prime Minister spoke on the successes of his administration and the country on a whole, the leader of the opposition's address was the complete opposite. John Briceno used his time to remind Belizeans of the crimes, scandals, and corruption rampant in the country.

One Man charged for Bowman's murder
A Belize City resident, Hildebrand Codd, has been charged for the murder of 34-year-old Densmore Bowman of Belmopan. Bowman was reported missing on November 29 and his body was found on the George Price Highway 17 days later.

BDF Soldier charged for double chopping in Bullet Tree, Cayo
One man has been charged for the chopping incident that occurred on December 29 in Bullet Tree, Cayo District that left two people injured. Cayo Correspondent, Elaine Berry told us about the charges being levied.

Belizean Boxer in the ring again February
Belizean American, heavyweight boxer, Jarrell Miller is in Belize and he had some news he shared at a press conference today at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. The 31-year-old boxer also known as "Big Baby", will be in the ring again in February

Man shot to the leg by Police Officer
A resident of Hattieville, Belize District is hospitalized after being shot in the left leg reportedly by police. 22-year-old Albert Reid was shot to the leg after he attempted to attack a police officer with a machete.

PUP speaks on Caye Caulker crisis
The situation in Caye Caulker has spurred several organizations in sending out releases calling of a long-term solution. Releases came from the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) that spoke of the monies lost in the last two days and the tourists not being accommodated.

Missing teenager
A family in Punta Gorda, Toledo District brought in the New Year searching for their loved one. 16-year-old Edica Pop. The Belizean Sales agent had reportedly left home for work on New Year's Eve and did not return home.

Ministry of Health releases death statistics for 2014-2018
There have been eight thousand nine hundred and eighty-five deaths in Belize from 2014-2018. According to a press release from the Ministry of Health the ten leading causes for deaths in Belize are heart diseases, Malignant Neoplasms, Diabetes, Assault, Unintentional injuries, Human Immunodeficiency virus, cerebrovascular diseases, Influenza and Pneumonia, Hypertension, and Chronic respiratory diseases.

Fuel prices decline slightly
Fuel prices have declined for the first time this year. While this may sound like news to celebrate, it must be noted that the decline is only by 2 cents.

Family left homeless after New Year's Day fire
Eleven persons were displaced following a house fire in rural Cayo. The fire occurred yesterday afternoon. Correspondent Fem Cruz, spoke with the family and filed this report.

ComPol says Murders for 2019 down by 6.3%
On the eve of 2020 the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams issued his New Year's Message speaking of the crime rate and how they plan to address the situation. According to Williams, at the beginning...

Peaceful protest in Caye Caulker
Residents of La Isla Carinosa, Caye Caulker, held a peaceful demonstration today to register their dissatisfaction with Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL). This protest follows a year of long intermittent...

PUP demands better for Caye Caulker residents
The situation in Caye Caulker has spurred several organizations in sending out releases calling of a long-term solution. Releases came from the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) that spoke of the monies lost in the...

Benque Viejo Police Officer attacked on New Year's Day
A police officer attached to the Benque Viejo del Carmen police station is recovering from chop wounds he sustained on New Year's Day.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Duck Run residents make donations to homeless in Belize City
Residents of Duck Run village in Cayo decided to spread some after-Christmas cheer this New [�]

Salesman fined for toting gun at pizza parlor
Insurance sales agent Roger Ventura Chamel was spared jail after entering a guilty plea to [�]

Duo charged for break-in on Ambergris Caye
Two men, Keith Bennett, 29 and Corwin Bennett, 28, were charged with burglary and handling [�]

The Orozco Appeal: The international impact
The wider lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender movement (LGBT) has been closely following events in Belize and this week's [�]

Oscar Quiroz wins KREM New Year's Cycling Classic
It was a one-two-three all-Cayo District finish for the 2020 KREM New Year's Day Cycling [�]

No more fake profiles, warns A.G. on cyberbullying legislation
The end of the old year - indeed much of it - was dominated by [�]

San Pedro records 0 murders under Supt Chris Noble
Career cop, Christopher Noble, was appointed head of the San Pedro police formation last July. [�]

Belize ends 2019 with slightly lower murder count
The Belize Police Department's count of murders as of the end of 2019 is 134, [�]

Premium fuel going down in 2020's first gas price change
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced today that the price per gallon of premium fuel [�]

BEL normalizes power to Caye Caulker
Today, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) announced that the company had normalized power to all of [�]

Caye Caulker BTIA appeals to Government to rectify water and electricity situation
The Caye Caulker chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) has issued a statement [�]

PUP urges the Government to find solution for residents of Caye Caulker
The People's United Party (PUP) issued a statement today expressing its concern over the breakdown [�]

Blogs

The 2020 Color of the Year: Belize Blue!
In early December 2019, Pantone, the experts in all things "color", announced the 2020 Color of the Year. As advertised the color is "calming" and a "return to basics" but it is also decidedly MEH. Boring. Classic Blue. I'm not offended by this color�but I would NEVER call it inspiring or exciting. I would never rush out to buy something in this color or paint a room this�this�denim hue. Let's just say that Pantone's 2019 color was FAR better.

Fish Filet Bruschetta
Looking for an easy fish dinner? Skip the frozen filet meals at your local grocery store and try Riverside Tavern's Fish Filet Bruschetta recipe. Bruschetta is an easy all-time favorite appetizer. There's nothing quite like a good bruschetta to get your main course started. It's one of the classic things to order at an Italian restaurant, and now you'll love that you can make it right at home, any time you want!! Riverside Tavern's Fish Filet Bruschetta recipe is proof that you can make incredible food in minutes with simple, great quality ingredients. No unnecessary extras, just the essentials!

Ringing in 2020 With a Quiet and Packed House
This year I decided to lay low and do a quiet night at home watching TV, then hit the big party at Central Park, San Pedro just before midnight. I love being a city girl. It was easy for me to leave my house around 11:50 pm and walk over to the beach for midnight. I snapped a pic of the girls below as I could have done a whole glitterati themed post, there were so many girls that sparkled their way into 2020. I was doing so emotionally more so than fashion-wise and just threw on a simple print dress.

Caribbean countries will ban the use of plastics in the year 2020
There's a lot of discussion going on these days about climate change and a ton hand wringing about what can be done and how, but genuine action on the part of global leaders is sparser than many people would like. But that doesn't mean that there aren't people out there willing to make a difference no matter what it takes, and that can be seen in an initiative by the country of Belize to ban plastic altogether. It's both a reminder that global powers will need to take a front and center role if we want to reverse climate change and an inside look in how difficult it can be to enact such massive change.

Money Saving Travel Tips!
Travel can get expensive, fast. But with these smart money-saving tips, you can enjoy an epic trip without racking up credit card debt. Here's everything you need to know about saving cash on your upcoming vacation. When you travel internationally, roaming and data charges can quickly outweigh the savings you started with. Contact your cellular service provider in advance of your trip and ask about their pay as you go cell phone plans. A prepaid phone plan will keep you in contact with everyone back home, with no unexpected overages to speak of.

International Sourcesizz

15 Caribbean Food Festivals That Are Worth Experiencing - Your Guide To The Best Food Festivals in the Caribbean
Food is a gateway to a country's heritage and culture. It's why I make an effort to eat local as I traverse the Caribbean region. I want to taste all the delicious local cuisine and also learn about the history of the dishes and ingredients as it provides insight into the people and their country. The Belize Cashew Festival & Agriculture Show is a two-day event showcasing the fruit from cashew trees. At this two-day event, artisans, chefs, and local cashew farmers come together to display a wide range of cashew products. Along with the fresh fruit, there are also various cashew-inspired dishes and wines to sample. Visitors to the Belize Cashew Festival & Agriculture Show can also watch a wide range of cashew cooking demonstrations and competitions.

Sorry about it homophobes, but Belize's appeal courts just unanimously ruled that gay sex is definitely legal
A battle against an outdated colonial law has finally come to an end, after the court of appeals in Belize unanimously upheld a 2016 ruling that a ban on gay sex is unconditional.

Videos

  • A meeting was held by BEL with the stake holders of the community as well as civilians, 68min.

  • Members of the CCBA holding a press conference addressing BEL and BWS on the water and power crisis, min.

  • Belize Bonefish Fly, 4min. Episode #22 of the Backwater Vlog covers a great bonefish fly for Belize that helped get me 19 bones in one day while DIY fishing from a paddle board. Tied on a #4 or #6 hook the bonefish really seemed to like it. I also used this fly in Florida for redfish while fishing with my brother and local fishing guide, Casey Males.

  • Belize 2019, 5min. For Christmas, my family and I went to Belize and stayed on a sail boat for 5 nights.

  • Stepping into the New Year like, 1.5min. Habinahan Wanaragua Garifuna Culture

  • Channel 7: End of Year 2019, 8min.

  • The community of San Pedro receives the New Year with Grupo Montana, 6min.

  • Caye Caulker Demonstration, 40min. The Caye Caulker BTIA held a demonstration in solidarity of the people to show unity regarding the BEL and BWS crisis.

  • See Belize Channel: Down South with Alanna & Destiny, 20min. Down South with Alanna & Destiny showcases the thrilling adventures of two friends as they explore the Southern region of beautiful Belize! In this episode the adventurous duo reaches Dangriga, the Culture Capital of Belize, and managed to meet up with the legendary artist, Pen Cayetano!

  • New years greeting from The President and Vice President of To'one Masehualoon NGO, 1.5min. Ms Adela Pederson Vallejos and Mr Roy Rodriguez Sr. Wishing you many blessings in 2020.

  • BEL Public Meeting in Caye Caulker - January 2, 2020, 70min.

  • Tim + Aleisha Nigerian Destination Wedding in Belize, 6min. This is the story of Tim and Aleisha's destination wedding in Belize. Their engagement on Steve Harvey's Family Fued made it on OMG best of 2019!

  • Shark Ray Alley Belize Scuba Diving, 6.5min.

  • Space View - 2020 Day 2 - Yucatan, Mexico, Belize, and Honduras, 2.5min. International Space Station livestream recording 02.01.2020