February 7, 2012

Why YOU Should Visit Belize In February
CARNIVAL: You have probably heard of the big parties in Rio or New Orleans, but San Pedro also does a carnvial. It's exciting and definitely unique. VALENTINES DAY: Belize embraces classic American holidays full force. Halloween is HUGE and Valentines Day is very popular. You'll see red roses and teddy bears for sale everywhere and most restaurants do romantic dinner time events. Check for ones at Casa Picasso, Blue Water Grill, Portofino Restaurant and really any place up north. Some of the best places for low key romance. SUPERBOWL SUNDAY: Okay...I'm late on this one. But if you are the least bit worried about travelling to Belize and missing your big game, think again. This game is HUGE down here. Lots of bars are having Superbowl parties. THE COOL BIRDS: The birds are still wintering down south. From smaller song birds to huge egrets and herons. Take an early morning walk...they are hard to miss.

Puppetmaster Cashcroft aims for bigger prizes (A Pirates of the Caribbean Update):
Our Lord Cashcroft, (who has given the Tory Party coffers more than £10m and aided the rise of buddies Old Haig and PM Cameroon in particular), is spending a small fortune on lawyers and spin doctors to deal with inquiries about his relationships with companies in the Caribbean. HM Revenue and Customs would rather he paid them what is owed to them!

San Pedro's Al Akramine Mosque
Did you know that the island has had a Mosque for over a year now? Maybe because it's located in the San Pedrito Area, Ambergris Today (like many) was not even aware of the Al Akramine Mosque. Today, we have a strong Muslim presence on the island that is growing along with the community of San Pedro. Just a couple weeks ago, a group of Muslim men arrived on the island dressed in their traditional clothes, causing heads to turn and people to stare. The Muslims we see on a regular basis look a lot different. The group was traveling around the world and was hosted by the Muslim community on the island.

Community Shows Support at Cancer Walk
The community of San Pedro Town showed great support to the San Pedro Cancer Society as hundreds attended the island's second annual "Light the Night" World Cancer Awareness Day Walk that took place on Saturday, February 4, 2012.

History of Immigration to Ambergris Caye (Part Four) -Benque�os
However in the middle of the 1970's the tourism industry started growing by leaps and bounds. There was a need for girls to provide all the necessary services in hotels and restaurants. At this time the local girls working at the fishing cooperative started opting for these tourism related jobs and left for the hotels. This was a serious situation for the fishing cooperative that was at the peak of its export potentials. They needed man power which the young la dies provided and the men were not willing to do because they earned better wages fishing for lobster. Suddenly someone had the solution.

The Bachelor' 2012 Week 7 Spoilers: Off to Belize
They all head to Belize for this date. Six girls are going there with Ben Flajnik. Lindzi Cox will get a 1 on 1 date and they will jump into the Great Big ...

Our first trip to Placencia - travel home day and Paisley's 4th birthday (day 4)
It seems like we just got to Placencia, and it was already time to head back to Ambergris Caye. It was another early morning as the alarm rang at 5:45 am. We made coffee and ate oatmeal cookies for a quick breakfast. We had decided to go back a slightly different way, so we could experience two different ways of traveling between the same points. We would take the Hokey Pokey water taxi from the lagoon side of Placencia over to Independence and catch an express bus to Belize City there, avoiding the bus change in Dangriga and all the extra stops of the non-express bus.

BSI WORKERS RECEIVE SALARY INCREASE UNDER NEW AGREEMENT
Belize Sugar Industries workers are getting a salary increase. ... "The Belize Workers Union has struck a deal with the management of BSI for a wage ...

BELIZE GETS ANOTHER DOWNGRADE FROM STANDARDS AND POOR'S
The credit ratings service Standard and Poor's today downgrade Belize's credit worthiness, taking the long-term foreign- and local-currency sovereign credit ... CNN

TEENAGER MURDERED IN BELIZE CITY
A Belize City teenager was shot and killed last night in the old capital. The victim has been identified as nineteen year old Dundre Brannon, a resident of ...

MAN HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING CHOPPING INCIDENT
A chopping incident last night in Belize City has left one man injured. The victim has been identified as twenty three year old Shane Jones.

US FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN WESTERN BORDER AREA
Belize police have assisted in the capture of an American fugitive. Fifty seven year old George Thomas, who is wanted in the US state of Arkansas for the ... Channel 7 Daily News

BELIZE UNITY ALLIANCE CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The umbrella group that calls itself the Belize Unity Alliance, which comprises political candidates from the Vision Inspired by the People, the People's ...

Strange life found in underwater caves
Surrounded by darker, deeper ocean waters, Belize's Lighthouse Reef Atoll glows in vibrant hues of turquoise, teal, peacock blue, or aquamarine. msnbc.com

ALBERT REPRESENTATIVE STEPS OUT OF POLITICAL FRAY
The three-time representative for the People's United Party in the Albert Division Mark Espat will not be offering himself for reelection in next month's general elections. Espat did not offer a reason for his decision not to contest the election. In a letter to the Albert Executive Committee, Mr. Espat thanked them for their years of support, which contributed to his election to the House of Representatives and consequently serving in cabinet at various times.

PUP INTRODUCES NEW CANDIDATES
Today the People's United Party called a news conference to introduce its thirty-one standard bearers contesting the March seventh General Elections. The occasion was also to field questions and to discuss the recent decisions of three of its high profile members as standard bearers in their respective communities.

S&P Downgrades Belize A Notch On Prime Minister's Comments
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services pushed Belize's credit status a notch deeper into junk territory after comments from its prime minister signaled less ...

Season Two of Mission Catwalk in the Caribbean
Designers will hail from Belize, Barbados, Jamaica, as well as Trinidad and Tobago so they can all compete for this year's prize. Linton-George, who is the ..

Espat Steps Down, Puts Another Sure Seat In Play, PUP Names Replacements
There are only 30 days to go before the double elections in March, but tonight The PUP is recovering from another wounding body blow. Albert Incumbent and three-time PUP representative Mark ...

Teenager Killed, Meets Same Fate As His Two Uncles
Dondre Brannon was an 18 year old going to evening school at Gwen Liz - but last night he was shot as he walked home. It happened around 8:30 while he was riding on Central American ...

23 Year Old Chopped In City
One hour after Brannon was shot, another youth was chopped up near the Matron Roberts Clinic. 23 year old Shane Jones was chopped to the head at approximately while he was walking on a ...

Killer Convicted Of Manslaughter
On Friday, Estevan Williams 22, a resident of San Jose Succotz Village in Cayo, who was initially charged with murder, was convicted of a lesser charge of manslaughter in the Courtroom of Ju...

Rodwell Williams Alleged Shooter Will Be First To Be Tried Without Jury
Belize's first trial without jury is set to commence in the courtroom of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. In his speech for this year's opening, CJ Benjamin had indicated that trial withou...

Lady Police Investigated For Extortion
Unofficial reports tonight say that a Woman police constable attached to the police traffic branch could face charges of extortion. The "W" was reportedly busted allegedly extorting a civil...

A(nother) US Fugitive Caught In Belize
Another American Fugitive has been captured in Belize, this time, attempting to enter Belize from Guatemala. 57 year old George Thomas, an American national, was attempting to enter Belize f...

Cayo Woman Threatened At Knifepoint
Three men have been detained in connection to an aggravated burglary which OCCURRED yesterday in Santa Elena. 24 year-old Norma Rodriguez was inside her business, Grace Mini Shop located in ...

US Capital Accused Of Firing Conejo Workers
In mid-December we showed you a story on Capital Energy's work in Southern Belize where villagers from the five so called buffer communities of Barranco, Midway, Sundaywood, Conejo, ...

Pickwick Suddenly Plunged Into Receivership
Tonight there is news of some major local investors going into receivership in two separate ventures. The first piece of news is about the Pickwick Club Limited. That is the company whic...

Gobie Challenge In Belize For A Good Cause
Since 2008, Challenge Gobie, an annual bike-a-thon has been raising funds for the treatment of sicknesses such as Cancer, HIV/Aids and Diabetes. This year's funds are geared toward the...

A Charming Snake Tale
In hard times resourceful people have to find a way to get by. And for city residents clearing land in the wetlands surrounding the city - this often means cashing in on Crocodiles and Snak...

Mark Espat steps down; P.U.P. reacts
There is a gigantic shift in the P.U.P. today. If it could be measured on the Richter scale, strong tremors would have been felt in both the Albert and Lake Independence Divisions. Both are considered P.U.P. strongholds and safe seats but Mark Espat has stepped down along with his brother-in-law Cordel Hyde. The latest resignation [...]

David Craig replaces Mark Espat
With just about four weeks before the General Elections there is no time to waste and the Leader of the Opposition promptly introduced his candidates to the media. David Craig, a face from the Barry Bowen empire, is known publically for being the corporate face of the Coca Cola Spelling Bee. For a few years [...]

Schakron replaces Cordel Hyde
Yolanda Schakron is inheriting, for the most part, the Lake I executive committee but she may still have to make a few changes. She has received support from most members and they will stand by her through Election Day. Party Leader Francis Fonseca said the Belizeans for Justice Founding member would make a smooth transition [...]

Albert will no longer listen to Mark's Gospel
As the P.U.P. was meeting this morning, Mark Espat confirmed that he won't be on the P.U.P. ticket for the March Seventh general elections. Espat's withdrawal like Cordel Hyde's was anticipated and the hierarchy of the P.U.P. spent the weekend recruiting replacements that were announced this morning. Espat has generally enjoyed a good track record [...]

S&P pushed Belize's Credit Status deeper into junk territory
As you know, the date for the general elections was announced last Tuesday by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, almost a year before they are due. What was probably missed by most people in his televised and radio statement had to do with huge debt that Belize owes internationally. Prime Minister Barrow said that his administration [...]

Exclusive Pickwick Club fallen into receivership
There is another story that reflects on the investment climate and that is that the exclusive Pickwick Club has fallen into the hands of receivers. This morning former B.D.F. Colonel, Robert Garcia, was appointed to take-over management of the Club on behalf of Atlantic Bank. Pickwick had taken out a loan of eight and half [...]

Another Brannon Murder
Shots rang out early on Sunday night in Belize City. A nineteen year old whose family is familiar with gun violence, was shot at the corner of Iguana Street and Cemetery Road. The modus operandi is all too familiar; the assailant rode up on bicycle from behind and delivered the fatal shot to his abdomen. [...]

Fuel at the pump up again
The cost of living is one of the biggest factors for voters going into elections. Well, that's gone up more because to start the work week, drivers were greeted with a hike in prices at the fuel pumps that took effect on Sunday night. Today premium gasoline is selling for eleven dollars and fifty-eight cents, [...]

Rape suspect, U.S. fugitive caught
A second US fugitive has been captured in Belize in less than two weeks. At around two o’clock on Saturday afternoon, police received a tip that fifty-seven year old George Thomas was heading into Belize from Guatemala. With the help of Melchor Police, Thomas was intercepted and detained near the border. He was travelling in [...]

1st case of Trial by Judge without a Jury
The first case to be tried by a judge, without a jury will be against the two men charged for the Attempted Murder of Attorney Rodwell Williams. The trial was set to begin today and both accused men, Akeem Thurton and Ricky Valencia, appeared before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. But it was brought to the [...]

Manslaughter conviction for beer bottle death
Also in the court, an eighteen year old, who was on trial for the murder of twenty-seven year old Honduran national, Jerson Paguada Hernandez, was convicted of the lesser charge late Friday evening. After only two hours of deliberation, the twelve member jury emerged with a unanimous verdict, finding Estevan Williams not guilty of murder, [...]

P.U.P. responds to issues including Old Guard
Earlier in the newscast, we showed you the replacements for the P.U.P. Albert and Lake I. Divisions. And though the faces are fresh, the P.U.P. still faces criticism for the past. Catch phrases like Superbond, G7, Old Guard and New Guard have stuck to the Opposition much the same way Retrenchment and nepotism have stuck [...]

U.S. Capital Energy fires employees
Down south, the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management today confirmed that twenty three employees from the village of Conejo have been fired from US Capital Energy. While the company did not have a license to explore in the Conejo area, it had began seismic testing and according to a SATIIM release, U.S Capital Energy [...]

All Hail the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Stamps
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations kicked off in London today. It was full of pageantry and color to mark the sixty year reign of Queen Elizabeth. The Queen renewed her commitment of service to the Commonwealth and along with other members of the royal family she will be undertaking numerous activities. On March second and [...]

Sports Roundup with James Adderley
Good Evening, I'm James Adderley welcoming you to this portion of Sports Monday. The Belize Canoe Association continued its preparation for the 2012 La Ruta Maya set to launch on 9th March with the presentation of another stage race on Saturday February 4th. At the 9:30 a.m. start, 18 canoes have lined up for the [...]

PlusTV's Belmopan Mayoral Debate slated for tomorrow
Earlier today all five of Belmopan's Mayoral candidates received the list of questions which will form the heart of...

PUP selects new standard bearers for Lake Independence and the Albert Division
Three resignations in less than three weeks and General and Municipal elections is only a month away when. It is un...

Mark Espat not contesting upcoming general elections
In Friday's newscast we reported that there were wide spread rumors that PUP's incumbent for Alberts, Mark Espat, m...

Teen gunned down in the old capital
Belize City Police is investigating a murder that took place yesterday in the old capital. Police Personnel's visit...

House of Representatives dissolved
The House of Representatives was dissolve by request of Prime Minister Dean Barrow as he called General Elections f...

BUA calls for the removal of all political appointees from government offices
The Belize Unity Alliance which is the merger between the VIP, PNP and all independent candidates sent out a releas...

Mena family denied access into The Wood Depot
Plus news began receiving information this morning from several sources that the Mena brothers, along with their fa...

Woman held up, car stolen
Last week Tuesday Plus news reported on the theft of a Toyota Hilix from the Garden City Plaza parking lot belongin...

Home reportedly set on fire during the wee hours of the night
23 year old Kayla Spencer a Belizean Sports Coordinator of Belmopan reported to Belmopan Police that last week Frid...

Richard Allen Eli in Belizean courts on third drug charge
Richard Allen Eli� He is the 52 year old American national that was arraigned in court mid January on two criminal ...

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