Today's Belize News: February 28, 2020

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Today's Belize News: February 28, 2020 #540810 02/28/20 12:14 PM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	February 28, 2020 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 Cost of Production Survey Design and Business Modelling for Small Farmer Public-Private Partnership for Value Chain Workshop The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) hosted a one-day workshop on Cost of Production Survey Design and Business Modelling for Small Farmers under the project "Sub-regional Capacity building in Sustainable Food Systems and Value Chain Development". The workshop was held on February 25 at the National Agriculture and Trade Show Grounds Conference Room in Belmopan. Luis Manuel Carter found guilty for the 2016 murder of Dwayne Hyde In a judgment delivered on Friday, February 21st, 37-year-old Luis Manuel Carter, aka 'Wiz,' was found guilty by Justice Colin Williams for the 2016 murder of island resident Dwayne Hyde. Carter will face sentencing on Friday, February 28th. The trial began on January 30, 2020, and the main witness for the Crown was Hyde's common-law wife, Kimberly Humes. According to Humes, while she was lying in bed waiting for Hyde to come home from work someone knocked on the door. PUP holds Mass Demonstration in Belize City, calls for an early election As previously declared, the People's United Party (PUP) saw thousands of its supporters come out on Sunday, February 23rd to participate in their anti-corruption demonstration in Belize City. The march started on Albert Street and concluded at Battlefield Park, where the leader of the Opposition, Honorable John Brice�o, and his standard-bearers gave charged speeches to the massive crowd. Standard bearers from all over the country were in attendance with their constituents such as Julius Espat (Cayo South), Florencio Marin Jr. (Corozal Southeast), Mike Espat (Toledo East), Kareem Musa (Caribbean Shores) and Andre Perez (Belize Rural South) among others. Water shortages affecting San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker Tourism season is underway in Belize, and one of the most visited areas of the country are the cayes, with Ambergris Caye and Caulker being the favorite spot for thousands of visitors. The heavy influx of tourists means financial benefits to the islands, which is its strongest economy. However, annually during peak tourism season, islanders often struggle with inadequate water supplies, which in turn affects their businesses and daily lives. This season is no exception, and although Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) has made upgrades in their infrastructure, they are yet to meet the demands of Belize's prime tourism destination. Various Belizean Sources Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Mission We would like to announce our Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Mission 2020. Please feel free to share this info with those who may need it. Take Advantage of this wonderful opportunity - Date: March 15th at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (K.H.M.H) at 8:00 a.m. Peace Corps Employment opportunity Peace Corps seeks qualified candidates for the post of Medical Officer. Please follow the guidance on how to apply. High level event with UNESCO ORGANIZATION in beautiful Mexico city We are ready to commence high level event with UNESCO ORGANIZATION in beautiful Mexico city. Meeting many fine friends, some already developed friendships and finding that there are joys in diversity. Having lots of fun and laughter with Ivan Cetzal from Universidad Intercultural Maya Cultural de Quintana Roo. To'one Masehualo'on NGO representing the Yucatec Maya of Belize at Mexico City. Artist Toolkit Sensitization Session EXPORTBelize, a unit of BELTRAIDE, in collaboration with the Music Industry Association of Belize (MIAB) would like to invite musicians to the Artist Toolkit Sensitization Session on March 19, 2018, at 6 pm. The session will provide participants with relevant information (Contracts, Visa Requirements, Promotional Documents) every artist needs in order to perform at a professional level in local and international markets. Reef Week 2020 The official Reef Week 2020 Calendar is here! Join us for a week of fun, reef-friendly activities. Check out all the details to see which initiatives you would like to be a part of! Belize against non-essential travel to several countries The Belize Government says it is not recommending non-essential travel to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan, as the country continues to monitor the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that has killed more than 2,700 people in those countries. "While the Ministry of Health continues to heighten surveillance at points of entry, the ministry is aware that new studies are showing that individuals who may not be showing symptoms can be infected and also have an unknown source of infection." Ministry of Agriculture Hosts Workshop for the Development of Belize's Tilapia Industry The Ministry of Agriculture hosted a half-day workshop for fishers, buyers, retailers, and other relevant government agencies to examine a value chain analysis and proposed strategy to develop Belize's tilapia industry. The workshop was held at the George Price Center for Peace and Development in Belmopan. Supported by the Caribbean Value Chains team of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the one-to-five-year strategy is expected to help boost market opportunities for tilapia. The approach may also potentially be applied to other priority crops and commodities. FEB 2020 DIVE INTO TOURISM A publication by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation highlighting current research and tourism trends in Belize. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL ANNUAL FAIR Come for a spectacular evening of family fun and entertainment. Lots of Games of Chance - Great prizes - Presentations - Dances - Food - Drinks Saturday, February 29th, at the St. Francis School Auditorium from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Come out and support a worthy cause! Football Action - Belize vs. Mexico - International Match in Corozal Champs of Champs. Saturday, February 29th at Bacadia Football Field, South end Corozal Town starting at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is cordially invited. Some impressive numbers from CAWS' low cost clinics Clinic summary: In the 9 days of Feb 15-23, we: Spayed 55 female dogs; Neutered 18 male dogs; Spayed 4 female cats; Neutered 5 male cats; Did 2 elective surgeries; and Euthanized 4 terminally ill dogs... Upcoming events from the San Ignacio & Santa Elena House of Culture -NICH The Juan Carnaval parade, and the reflection(which will be on the 5th). On March 5th we will be having a reflection on the Mestizo's Juan carnaval, that was practiced in Cayo.If you have information on this carnaval you are invited to share your stories, or simply listen to the stories and songs that were performed back then .SISEHOC NICH at 6;00pm.Our carnaval parade will be on the 7th of March through our main streets of SISE Town. Valentin Conservation Post The Valentin Conservation Post was installed in 2014, overlooking the village of La Rejoya in Guatemala. The major threat there include incursions for cattle ranching activities. With support from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT), FCD joins the BDF and Police as part of the Joint Forces Unit protocol presence, aimed at protecting the Chiquibul Forest ecosystem. Paradise Theater playing this weekend Jumanji, The Last Thing He Wanted, Guns Akimbo, Spies in Disguise YARBOROUGH GREEN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT The revitalization of the Yarborough Green continues. New bleachers for the football field has been completed. The underside of the bleachers will house a new restroom for the facility. Installation of a concrete seaside promenade has begun. POLICE SR. SUPERINTENDANT RICHARD ROSADO NOW PHD The police department is recording a first ever doctor. Senior Superintendent of Police, Richard Rosado has completed his doctoral studies at Edinburgh Napier University. He now holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Police Administration. Rosado becomes the first specialist in policing in the Belize Police Department. Rosado underwent five-and-a- half years of studies and will be graduating in mid-July. Ya'axch�'s Community Forestry Symposium for State Actors Ya'axch�'s Community Forestry Symposium for State Actors, a one-day event, brought together over 70 actors to discuss Belize's current forest conservation and governance status. We delightedly presented our work in the Maya Golden Landscape; the different climate-smart agricultural practices that the farmers are implementing, science-based approaches and the enhancement of conservation in southern protected areas. The results and livelihoods of our partners are an inspiration for others. Photoshoot and presentation for Destination Belize at San Lazaro's musuem The Belize High School of Agriculture players looking great! Channel 7 Narco Plane Lands on Coastal, Cops Make Big Bust Word spread like wildfire after dawn this morning that another drug plane had landed. And while you might expect this case to follow the all too familiar narrative of a burnt plane with all the contents spirited away by narcos, this one provided a sharp twist in the storyline. Law enforcement got the plane and the drugs in an impressive show of readiness and cross border cooperation. Cherisse Halsall went out to the Coastal highway to find the plane this morning. Here's what she saw. "It's here off mile 16 on the Coastal Road that a G2 jet packed with 70 bales of cocaine landed at about 4:30 this morning." May Be Biggest Bust Ever That's right, as much as 100 million Belize dollars! Yes, indeed, today's bust amounts to one of the biggest - if not the biggest in Belize's history. It hasn't all been weighed and tallied yet, but based on the preliminary figures given by the commissioner of police today, it is not over one tonne as we originally estimated, but over two tonnes. Here's more from the commissioner as he gave an outline to the press this evening - setting alongside his Deputy and Commander of Operations - both of the senior officers nicely outfitted for the occasion in their battle Dress Uniforms: Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police: "This morning early around 12:15, 12:30 thereabout a track was observed leaving Venezuela heading our way. Based on the tracking we mobilized as we would normally do and the tracking was followed closely by an air asset of another Central American country all the way into our airspace..." The Bust Gives Police A Breather So, there was no arrest made, and tracks in the area suggest the pilot and the ground crew left through one of the side roads in the area. But, to go over the numbers, there are about 2,070 parcels of cocaine. Typically the parcels are 1 kilogram bricks, and converting that into pounds, would result in 4,554 pounds, and that works out to just over two tonnes. Though that is a preliminary number based on estimates, the US Street value per tonne is about 27 million US dollars, and a little over two tonnes would have a US street value of close to 60 million US dollars. So the very rough and preliminary US street value for this shipment is about 120 million Belize dollars. Drug Cargo Was Going To Be Moved By Water So there was no firefight, and all that may have been caused by close tracking of the plane by "air assets" from neighbouring countries. Commissioner Williams says the pilot and his ground counterparts probably knew that the plane was being tracked in the air, which forced him to make a landing and quick escape. But, what were they going to do with those tonnes of cocaine? Surely, moving all that weight by road would have been impractical. Williams says they were probably going to push the cargo out through the sea: Coastal Clandestine Runway Was Used Before Indeed, the pilots and ground crews of these narco planes are believed to have multiple contingencies in place depending on what law enforcement is doing. That means they likely have more than one possible place to land their narco planes. And, as we showed you in our first story, this airstrip has apparently been used before. We asked the Commissioner if they plan to destroy it: Reporter: "There's also the burnt remains of another aircraft right next to the runway. Wat there no effort made in the first instance? Perhaps to destroy this particular airfield?" Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police: "Not to my knowledge. We still need to ascertain the owner of the airstrip because while yes there are number of these makeshift runways that we want to destroy..." The Drug Hunter Predicted It And one man who often seems to know well in advance where the planes will drop is Edward Martinez. He's the same whistleblower calling himself the"Drug Hunter" who held a press conference in January of last year. He often seems to have very specific knowledge of when and where drug planes will land. And twice in the last week, he predicted a landing off the Coastal Road before Friday - and it happened on Thursday morning. Today, we asked the Commissioner about it: Jules Vasquez: "On February 19th and on February 21st he posted that there is going to be a landing just off the Coastal Road. And so said, there was a landing off the Coastal Road..." New Minister, Sudden Drug Bust And while police say they are keeping an eye on certain persons, what about their former minister. He is now the subject of an unrelated investigation after he was forced to resign from Cabinet two weeks ago. It's been one week since the a new minister has been in place, and, bingo!, what may be the biggest bust ever is made. Now, correlation is not causation, not at all, but it is one heck of a coincidence - so we had to ask. Man Charged For Murder and Shooting On Monday we told you that a 33-year-old man died and a 61-year old woman was shot at the hands of two gunmen on a motorcycle. And today one of those men, 22-year-old Dion White, was read 5 charges, including murder when he appeared in the court of Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts Anderson. The Charge of murder is for the death of Walter Ezeikel Usher, 33, aka "Zeke" who was the intended targeted of the shooting. Belmopanese Boiling Over Proposed Gas Station There's grumbling in Belmopan after the plan for a new gas station went public. First off, the land for the project is across from Our Lady of Guadalupe School - and another school; second, the land is repeatedly on a buffer zone for the road. And, third, the person who's getting the land is reported to be a well connected individual. PUP Push No Confidence Motion We've told you all about the political flux in the UDP as the ruling party searches for a leader to succeed Dean Barrow and replace the hastily dethroned John Saldivar. And now the PUP is trying a parliamentary play to capitalise on that inter-party discord. The opposition yesterday submitted a "no confidence" motion to be tabled at next week Friday's house meeting. It asks the House members to consider a while bunch of stuff including the recent Supreme Court judgement which found that the Barrow Administration spent monies from the Consolidated Revenue Fund without prior House approval. SJC Celebrates The Sciences Saint John's College, one of Belize City's prestigious secondary and tertiary schools, is getting ready to build a brand new science building. Administrators say that the popularity of its science programs has caused the enrollment of students to outgrow its teaching facilities designated for the different science disciplines. So, they are hoping that by next year, their brand new, 5-million dollar building will be ready for use for the class of 2021. The SJC President invited the press for the building's groundbreaking ceremony this morning, and 7News attended. According to the president, the building will also house the first-ever robotics laboratory in Belize. City Sweets Up Sore-looking Sidewalks Albert Street's straight up "dutty" sidewalks are getting a long overdue makeover. And while that is welcome, there's been some trouble this week getting bad minded pedestrians to stay off the fresh paint. We spoke to the City Council's Economic Development Manager and Senior Public Relations Officer about the goals behind the beautification of the city's sidewalks. CARICOM's Corona Plan The CARICOM Secretariat is reporting the Ministers of Health from its member states held an emergency meeting, via video conference, to discuss the coronavirus or COVID-19, as it formally is known. International press reports say that the virus has been detected within 50 countries around the world, and the medical experts are addressing it as a priority. The CARICOM Ministers of Health agreed to the establishment of a Working Group to formulate possible recommendations and protocols for a regional response to the disease. The Tilapia Comeback, Again Tilapia has been the food crop of the future for decades, but now that the future's here, we're discovering it didn't quite work out that way for fish farmers. That's why the Ministry of Agriculture today hosted a half-day workshop today to discuss ways to develop Belize's tilapia industry. The ministry invited fisher-folks, buyers, retailers, and other relevant government agencies to closely examine a value chain analysis and a proposed strategy to improve the industry. According to the Ministry, the 5-year strategy is expected to boost market opportunities for tilapia. Why Are The Cops Building A Drug Plane Runway? It seems the police are constantly battling with narcos - to find their many and multiplying clandestine airstrips, and destroy them, where possible. So then why are the cops building an airstrip for a drug plane behind Crooked Tree? That's what concerned villagers reached out to ask to find out yesterday. And we've learned that it's to fly a drug plane out of there - one that is literally stuck in the mud, or, at least stuck in the soil. This is the Gulfstream G2 that landed behind Crooked Tree a little over a month ago. COMPOL Scolds Knife Weilding Cop There never seems to be a shortage of complaints about police brutality. But what about the actions of cops while out of uniform? Last night this video surfaced. It shows an officer in plain clothes involved in an altercation on Amara avenue in which he threatens another man with a pocket knife. A Decade Of Trade Deficits During last night's newscast, we told you about the latest figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize which showed how the country's economy performed for the last 3 months of 2019. Last year was the first time in 6 years that the country's gross domestic product contracted during the fourth quarter. The SIB explanation for the decline was the lasting effects of the extended drought of 2019, which caused poor performance in the major agricultural sectors. Man Convicted Of Uncle's Murder 26-year-old Sydney Bucknor Jr was found guilty today of the murder of his uncle, 61-year-old Micheal Bucknor in the court of Justice Marilyn Williams. The killing happened on June 27th, 2013. Micheal was walking on Faber's Road heading toward Tony's shop when Sydney shot him in the back of the head. 2 days later Sydney gave police the caution statement used to convict him in which he admitted that he shot and killed his uncle. Channel 5 Biggest Cocaine Haul in Belize's History is Recorded The biggest cocaine bus here in Belize took place in the wee hours of this morning. Combined work of the Belize Defense Force, the Police and Central American counterparts tracked [...] ComPol Williams Says Members of Security Forces, Belizeans Involved in Plane Landings Unlike other instances when the police have come up empty-handed-only to find remnants of burnt planes-the Gulf Stream this morning was intercepted on the illegal airstrip loaded with sixty-nine bales [...] ComPol Says Additional Resources Needed to Fight Illicit Drug Trade Police are spread thin and under-resourced in the fight against the illicit drug trade, which uses sophisticated equipment to evade the long arms of the law. Williams says that the [...] Chester Williams: Police Presence Prevents Most Plane Landings The Commissioner of Police acknowledges that every plane landing gives Belize a black eye and there have been three since the start of the year.� But according to Chester Williams, [...] ComPol Speaks on Drug Activity in the Region The excess production of cocaine in Colombia has been causing increased activity in getting the drug into the North American market, where the appetite is insatiable. It means that the [...] New Minister of National Security Comments on Drug Seizure The most recent drug bust, on record as the largest confiscation of narcotics in Belize's history, comes on the heels of the latest Cabinet change where Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte [...] P.U.P. to Vote for No Confidence Motion Buoyed by the support of thousands at Sunday's anti-corruption demonstration, the opposition People's United Party is stepping up its pressure and now going to a Special Sitting of the House [...] P.U.P. Outraged About Secret Sale of Prime Land in Belmopan Aside from a motion of no confidence to be moved in the House in the coming days, the Opposition is tonight expressing outrage at reports of another secret agreement and [...] U.D.P. Chairman Describes Upcoming National Party Council The United Democratic Party is hosting another National Party Council meeting this Saturday, the second in less than a month, to decide on a timeline during which interested candidates can [...] Escapee Omar Cahueque is Wanted Police have released the photograph of this man, Omar Cahueque, from Corozal Town. Cahueque is on the lam, having escaped from police custody this morning in Corozal Town. The inmate [...] ComPol Chester Williams Defends ACP Marco Vidal The Police Department is facing public cynicism after a check through Interpol did not detect the long list of illegalities involving accused fraudster Lev Dermen. Assistant Commissioner of Police Marco [...] ComPol on the Credibility of Police The Commissioner of Police also defended his own reputation as the top cop. That came about when he was reminded that not too long ago, the Police Department was tasked [...] Honing Skills on Crime Scene Reconstruction With heightened criminal activity, personnel from the National Forensic Science Service are receiving training in forensic ballistics, toxicology and legal medicine.� A team of technical experts, through the support of [...] S.J.C. Breaks Ground for State of the Art Science Facility Construction of a new five-million dollar building is about to begin on the compound of Saint John's College in Belize City. Over the years, there has been a continuous and [...] D.O.E. Placed a Stop Order on Road Works in Riversdale The Department of Environment says that a stop order has been placed on the construction of a road in Riversdale. As we've been reporting this week, residents in that southern [...] D.O.E. Says Road Works Didn't Have Permits and Clearances! So, what's next for road construction?� As we've reported, the road would give access to lands in Riversdale where a big development is expected to be established.� When we spoke [...] Corozal Town Gets 19 High Definition Cameras Corozal Town Council inaugurated the installation of nineteen surveillance cameras in the town on Wednesday. Since last year, the Council and Belize Police Department have been working to set up [...] A Management System to Monitor & Evaluate Impact of EPA A results-based management system to monitor the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM and the E.U. is being put in place across the region to track the impacts [...] International Trade Consultant on limitations International Trade Consultant Errol Humphrey has been advising the CARIFORUM Directorate and its member states on the monitoring of the Economic Partnership Agreement, known as the EPA. Humphrey says that [...] Santa Cruz Farmers Up in Arms� Farmers in the villages of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Roman in the south are up in arms. Villagers, who rely on the land to provide for their families [...] �Farmers Will Protest! According to Scott, the expected sale of the land in question and subsequent development will have an adverse effect on not only villagers of Santa Cruz, but those from San [...] Healthy Living: Covid-19 Personal Prevention Plan The entire world is still on edge as we continue to see the rapid spread of the new virus, COVID-19. Locally, the Ministry of Health's surveillance efforts continue at the [...] The Reporter New Appointments At Ministry Of Foreign Affairs After Longsworth's Removal Belize's Former Consul General to the United Nations (UN), Herman Longsworth has wrapped up his counsel-related work and is on his way back to Belize to "hand over" as was his instruction from Prime Minister Dean Barrow in January. Pan-Am Health Org. Recommends Increased Efforts To Tackle CoronaVirus The Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Carissa F. Etienne, today recommended that countries intensify their plans to prepare and respond to COVID-19 given the appearance of cases of new coronavirus disease in the Region of the Americas. Another Mystery Plane Landed In Southern Belize While details are still scarce, the Reporter has received these images of the alleged plane seized by Police and B.D.F. this morning off the Coastal Road. LOVE FM Hope for Life will hold benefit concert Hope for life pregnancy centre in Belmopan is having a benefit concert to raise funds to continue supporting women and children. Cayo correspondent Fem Cruz has the details. Busienss Senator says Senate Report is PAC chairman's responsibility Another point brought out by the NTUCB during their meeting with the PM was that of the Senate Inquiry into the Immigration and Nationality Department. According to the PM, Senator Aldo Salazar reportedly stated that the other senators, quote, "abandoned" him during the drafting of the report. Mark Lizarraga says government not willing to be accountable Mark Lizarraga spoke more on transparency as it relates to the Barrow Administration. He zeroed in on the auditor general reports which he states consistently indicate mismanaged monies. Senator comments on PAC The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) met with the Prime Minister yesterday, and discussed the demands that were put forth by the union prior to their demonstration last week. Of those six demands, there were two on which the PM refused to budge. Belize City Council announces reform of Trade License The Belize City Council is looking into reforming the trade license system in the city. Mayor Bernard Wagner noted that this reform will introduce a new methodology with a focus on transparency and predictability. According to Mayor Wagner, this will address many of the issues businesses are experiencing. BSI explains the reason for the delay in production rate at the factory Yesterday, we told you that Sugar Cane Farmers in the North were prepared to strike against the Belize Sugar Industry (BSI) due to several concerns about production. The strike was reportedly called off after a meeting with BSI. Today, we contacted BSI and spoke with Mac MacLachlan, Vice President of International Relations for BSI/ASR. He spoke on several issues including the effects of last year's drought. Police makes biggest drug bust in recent history In a period of just 36 days Belize has seen four narco planes land on its territory. The most recent happened a few hours before sunrise today in the Coastal Road area. Surveillance captures a case of police brutality Tonight, we are reporting another case of police brutality in the streets of Belize City. 31-year-old Jimmy Robinson was physically assaulted last night, allegedly at the hands of a police officer. He was purchasing food at the corner of King Street and Euphrates Avenue when the officer approached the food stall No-Confidence motion against PM A 4-page document filing a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Dean Barrow has been sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly and signed by the Leader of the Opposition and the PUP's Cayo South Area Representative, Julius Espat. Business Senator comments on road contracts The Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno, is calling for transparency in the Coastal Road Upgrading Project. Yesterday, he wrote a letter to the Caribbean Development Bank (CBD) and the British High Commission, both of whom are assisting to fund the project, stating the PUP's concerns. Mark Lizarraga Agrees With PUP On CJ Ruling In continuing with Senator Mark Lizarraga, he also spoke on the Chief Justice's ruling in regards to the Petrocaribe funds. As you will recall, the CJ ruled that the constitution be amended to facilitate multiple... Belize City Council Moves Towards Eco-Friendly Communities The Belize City Council stated that various eco-friendly projects are underway for Belize City in last night's Freetown Town Hall Meeting. At the meeting, they gave updates on the current projects being carried out as... PUP Outraged Over Construction Of Gas Station The Belmopan City Council is reportedly constructing a gas station in front of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Primary School (OLOG). The People's United Party has issued a press release expressing their outrage about this situation... Dion White Arraigned For Murder 22-year-old Dion White was arraigned today in court for murder the murder of 33-year-old Ezekiel Usher and attempted murder of 61-year-old Joyce Edwards... Local Painter, Alex Sanker goes to Los Angeles to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant Local painter Alex Sanker was featured on ABC News earlier today as he stood on Figueroa Street painting a tribute to Kobe and Gigi Bryant. Here's a clip of that report from ABC News. Santander talks about mechanized farming methods Last year farmers in the northern region of Belize were impacted by a severe drought. Yesterday, during the Santander Sugar Group conference they spoke about the use of mechanized farming and its impacts. According to Santander, the farming methods allowed farmers in the Cayo district to reduce the impacts of the drought of last year. SIB talks statistic for the fourth quarter of 2019 Today, the Statistical Institute of Belize held its first statistics conference for 2020. At the conference, they presented the statistics for the fourth quarter of 2019 along with some statistics of January 2020. We can tell you that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2019 was down by 2.8% which is $19 million when compared to 2018. Cane Farmers threatened to strike Sugar Cane Farmers in the north were threatening to strike against the Belize Sugar Industry (BSI) due to several concerns about production. Love News understands that the protest was scheduled to occur today but was called off after the association and BSI came to an agreement. SIB prepares to begin data collection for population census 2020 The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) have completed their recruitment of temporary staff phase for the 2020 Population and Housing Census. The census is conducted every ten years with the main objective to count the resident population of Belize. The future of Santander Sugar Group The Santander Sugar group of the Cayo District has been utilizing modern technology in efforts of moving towards a mechanized way of farming. According to Santander, this is a method that they hope to perfect and pass on to their farmers and other farmers within the country. Prime Minister meets with unions Thursday was the unions' demonstration of corruption and the presentation of six demands made to the Government of Belize. 24 hours later, the unions were in meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Who will be the next UDP leader? Tonight, there is still uncertainty as to who will take over the leadership of the United Democratic Party (UDP) as Dean Barrow prepares to retire from politics. For the past two weeks, since John Saldivar's political career took a critical hit and since his legacy of being the UDP leader-elect for a mere 72 hours, the party has been unsure as to who will step up to the plate. Breaking Belize News Brazil's confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) case marks first for Latin America Brazil's Health Minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta has confirmed that a 61-year-old man is the country's first [�] Belize swims upstream with its Tilapia sector Over sixty stakeholders including farmers, fisherfolk, producers, processors, private sector companies, and ministry representatives from [�] Opposition leader writes to British High Commission and CDB: Expresses concerns over Coastal Road Rehabilitation Project Leader of the Opposition, John Brice�o, has written to both the British High Commission (BHC) [�] Ministry of Agriculture hosts workshop for the development of Belize's Tilapia Industry The Ministry of Agriculture hosted a half-day workshop for fishers, buyers, retailers, and other relevant [�] Belizean teachers invited to become Global Educators with #ParticipateLearning Picture: Belizean teacher, Marcia Flores and her students The US State Department's Cultural Exchange program [�] Texas newspaper says Belize is the best place to snorkel and dive The Texarkana Gazette, a newspaper in Texas, posted an article on its website this week [�] Arthur Saldivar wants Steven Duncan removed as the Managing Director of Heritage Bank Attorney Arthur Saldivar has written to the Central Bank of Belize (CBB) to complain about [�] Isolation areas for Coronavirus (Covid-19) within health facilities - Who advised Belize on this? The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize [�] PUP Leader John Briceno to table a Motion of No-confidence at next House Meeting People's United Party (PUP) Leader, John Briceno, is preparing to make a Motion of "No-Confidence" [�] Westrac looks to improve service further with Aftermarket Alliance partnership Westrac Belize is excited about its new partnership with the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc., a [�] Belizeans awarded for outstanding volleyball performance in Canada Belizeans Karym Coleman and Bryton Codd were recognized this week for exemplary performance in the [�] Canadian travel site says Belize deserves more attention The Canada-based travel site thetravel.com has told its over 4 million readers that Belize is one [�] Belizean authorities intercept drug plane loaded with approximately 70 bales of cocaine Early this morning Belizean authorities intercepted a loaded drug plane in an area near the Coastal [�] Sister of Canadian man slain in Belize says he loved living here Days after the gruesome discovery that 79-year-old Canadian national James Slemp had been murdered, his [�] Police reportedly nab loaded drug plane on Coastal Road Our newsroom has received reports that there was an illegal plane landing in the vicinity [�] Blogs Belize: A Springbreak Mecca Shots, Shots, Shots! � Of Tequila of course! Spring break has the reputation of college students "living their life" while partying the night away getting wasted and possibly even blacking out. Can Belize, which is known for its tranquil Caribbean lifestyle, fit as a location for wild partying? Yes! Belize has a combination of the best. Belize has mesmerizing nature packed activities by day and a lot of party lit venues by night.  A day at Moho Caye, Offshore Placencia Imagine the true definition of an untouched island. The simplicity of what an island should be: sun, sand, the ocean, palm trees, and hammocks - and that's exactly what you'll find at Moho Caye - a 12-acre private island that's located 12 miles East of Placencia. You'll find Picnic tables, Beach Chairs/Loungers, Hammocks, Beach Volleyball, BBQ Grills, Corn Hole and restroom facilities. Moho Caye does not have a restaurant or bar on the island, so please be sure to bring your daily provisions when heading out to Moho Caye. Snorkeling is pristine right off the island, the waters are crystal clear and fly fishing is also very popular around the flats of the island. International Sources 15 Caribbean Destinations That Deserve More Hype Just a few miles north of Belize City is Caye Caulker. This tiny piece of land is dubbed as the "party island" for its refreshing and unique twist on what everyone might refer to as a "tropical holiday." Here you will find diverse dive sites and a plethora of water sports at reasonable prices. Mayan Heritage at Risk, How The Black Market is Sacking Guatemala While traffickers know all about it, what can a country do against the plundering of its culture when more than half of its population still lives in poverty? The Mayans prophesied the end of the world for 2012, and it was also expected for 2017. What none of their myths about the apocalypse could foresee is what would remain of the ruins of their temples and the tools of this civilization. Because the black market of pre-Columbian pieces is still, despite the efforts of the impoverished Guatemalan government, a profitable business for smuggling. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant Returns Home After 9-Week Caribbean Patrol The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant returned home on Feb. 27 to Naval Station Mayport after completing a nine-week patrol in the Caribbean Sea, according to the Coast Guard 7th District. In addition to interdicting migrant vessels, the Valiant crew conducted joint law-enforcement operations with the Belize coast guard and hosted a Belize coast guard officer aboard. 1,300-Year-Old Maya Road Reveals Insights Into Warrior Queen's Reign Researchers using breakthrough technology have been studying a 1,300 year-old Maya road in Mexico. This ancient highway once connected two important Maya cities. The find is allowing researchers to better understand the history of these key cities and the reign of a powerful warrior queen. Traci Ardren, an Anthropology Professor at the University of Miami, has long been intrigued by a Maya road, built by the queen of Cob�, Lady K'awiil Ajaw, in the Yucatan Peninsula. It connected the city of Cob� and the smaller urban settlement of Yaxun�. Archaeologists from the Carnegie Institute of Washington "mapped its entire length in the 1930s, with little more than a measuring tape and a compass" according to Heritage Daily. Videos Passport Application Process Questions & Comments, 4min. We recently told our viewers about the changes in the application process for passports. Several of our viewers shared their questions and comments, which we've answered in this follow-up. Ruta Maya official launch party, min. The official La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Kick Off Party will be next Thursday at CK Sports Bar & Restaurant. The Ocean song in Belize, min. Missions trip I went on with my folks in Belize. They sang a song for us about the 7 oceans. I ate bugs in Belize for the first time!!!, 8min. We stopped at Belize port and went to Jaguar Rain Forest where we did river caving and zip-lining. Bishop Lawrence Nicasio - Bishop of the Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan - Lenten Message 2020, 8min. Mangroves, Belize, 1min. through the mangroves to Monkey River, Belize BELIZE SNORKELING EXCURSION TO RENDEZVOUS CAYE, 7min. On Tue Feb 18, 2020 I went snorkeling in Belize at Rendezvous Caye. This is part one of the underwater adventure. BELIZE SNORKELING EXCURSION TO RENDEZVOUS CAYE Part 2, 7min. Part 2 of an underwater adventure on Feb 18, 2020 in Belize. Snorkeling in Belize, 2min. Beautiful day in Belize the southern part punta Gorda clear waters of the Caribbean sea. University of Belize Student Government, 37min. We met a few of the valiant women in leadership in the University of Belize Student Government. They talked with us about youth engagement in our political process. On our couch: Aleesi Chun- President, UB Student Government. Sydellie Leslie - Senator, UB Student Government. Abbie Godoy - Secretary of Programming, UB Student Government. Belize Police Department - Update crime prevention strategies, 62min. Commissioner of Police, Chestor Williams, was our guest to discuss the work of the Belize Police Department. He touched on the ongoing crime prevention strategies, their work to curve plane landings and narco trafficking through Belize, the recent investigations against corrupt officials and their plans to improve the operations within the department. TG Marketing Solutions, 20min. If you are new to the streaming era this segment was designed for you to introduce you to the new ways people are watching content online. Tomas Gongora, Marketing Consultant with TG Marketing Solutions, walked us through the different platforms for television/movies and music. He also introduced a new Belizean website that allows for locals to share music. Fuzionent.com is a site for local creatives to upload music to connect with their fan base. He talked about how to access these popular platforms. St. Martins De Porres Parish - Message on lent, 30min. Today's Ash Wednesday and Fr. Jeremy Zipple of St. Martins De Porres Parish to share a message with us about the meaning of lent. The annual Street Art Festival 2020, 21min. The annual Street Art Festival 2020 takes place this weekend. Our guests were a few of the vendors who will be showcasing art. They shared the details of this year's festivities. The event begins at noon and finishes at 10:00 pm. On our couch: Lula Bennett - Owner, Lula's Impressions. Diego Sapi�n - Cultural Attached, Mexican Institute of Culture and Research. Participate Learning looking for Belizean teachers, 3min. Belizean teachers are encouraged to apply to become 'Global Educators' through Participate Learning. BBN's Zoila Gonzalez is visiting Participate Learning facilities in North Carolina and met with Chief Executive Officer, David Young, and Executive Director, Laura Tobal, who shared more about the program. The Real Talk Show was live at the DJ Competition in Belmopan, 2hr12min. The Cayo DJ Competition is on Saturday the 7th at the CAYO Welcome Center. Steev and Kasimira Vogel performing at The Bluffs last Sunday at the Belize Raptor Center's fundraiser, 7min. Belize-Starfish Island, 7min. Leaving the island and we saw a wild dolphin Caving in Belize, 7min. Exploring Belize: San Pedro, 4min. Exploring Belize: Ambergris Caye - San Pedro, Belize Barrier Reef, Secret Beach, Palapa, Dive Bar, Lina Point, Loser's Belize