Today's Belize News: April 14, 2012

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Today's Belize News: April 14, 2012 #435773 04/14/12 07:16 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE WEEKEND WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR BELIZE Valid: Friday-Tuesday, April 13 - 17, 2012 A broad high pressure system will move into the SW Atlantic this weekend and will keep a stable and seasonally dry South-easterly airflow prevailing across Belize this weekend and on Monday. A convergence zone on the tail end of an old frontal system will drift northward over Central America on Monday and Tuesday, and will likely induce some showers and thunderstorms but mostly over southern Belize on Tuesday. We can expect the fair and seasonally dry weather to persist this weekend with only brief, isolated showers developing mostly along the coast in the morning, and inland during the afternoon hours. Heavier showers and thunderstorms are likely to increase over the Toledo District and southern coastal waters later on Monday and Tuesday. Daily rainfall totals will be minimal, ranging 0.01-0.10 of-an-inch across the nation this weekend. In the South however, showers and thunderstorms are likely to increase on Monday afternoon and evening and persisting through Tuesday morning. Daily rainfall totals for this period will be in the range of 0.25-0.50 of-inch in the South. No threat of flash flood expected this weekend! CLICK HERE for the full Belize Weekend Weather Report Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 7 Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials The San Pedro Sun SP resident remains critical at the KHMH A resident of San Pedro Town remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after he was rushed off the island on the afternoon of Easter Monday. Ian Caba�as, a resident of Boca del Rio Area was found in an ally by family members with what appeared to be severe head injuries sometime around 2:30pm on Monday, April 9th. Because he was none responsive and in an unconscious state, Caba�as was taken to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Poly Clinic II for initial treatment and later airlifted to the KHMH. Ernesto Bernardez still on the run and wanted by Police Ernesto Bernardez remains on the run and on the Belize Police Department Wanted List. The 17 year old is wanted in connection with a chain of incidents that occurred on Caye Caulker that eventually led to a police officer being shot in the head and two firearms stolen from the police. Police had originally launched a man hunt for Bernardez on Caye Caulker but have moved focus to the mainland where a Wanted bulletin for his capture has been released. "It appears that Bernardez is on the mainland now. We are circulating a bulletin countrywide with the hope of capturing him and recover the two firearms that were stolen," explained Sergeant of Police Basil Reyes who was leading the manhunt operation on Caye Caulker. Ambergris Today Cancer Treatment Center To Open in Belize Raquel Battle, along with the other LIU participants, completed a CGI U Commitment to Action pledge to contribute to the greater good. "The Clinton Global Initiative University offered 'hope' to realize my commitment to build the Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice in Belize, Central America, and to establish a Belizean Educational Association for Treatment of Cancer (BEAT)," she said. "The skill sessions offered practical solutions to many of the existing challenges that I face in utilizing social media and in building practical partnerships with a focus on my CGI U commitment." BTIA Summer Awareness Campaign and fundraiser The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) embarks on a "Summer Staycation" raffle to create awareness of Belize's diverse tourism destinations and attractions - 2012 "Year of the Maya" a time of rebirth and rejuvenation and simultaneously celebrated as the "Year of sustainable tourism" within our Central American region; The Belize Tourism Industry Association has embarked on various projects and plans which will enhance the association and the tourism sector in Belize. As part of the BTIA's local marketing campaign, we are creating awareness of Belize's diverse tourism destinations and attractions with a "Summer Staycation" raffle. New World-Class Shopping Center Coming to Belize According to a press release from DHS Holding Co. in Nashville, USA, the company has begun the first phase of development of the Cenote Falls Shopping Center, a new world-class and family-friendly shopping experience slated for development on a recently acquired 40-acre parcel of land in Belize. This phase will include negotiations with major retailers and restaurant chains. Misc Belizean Sources Caye Caulker islanders clean up La Isla Cari�osa A group of islanders have one common goal and that is to keep beautiful Caye Caulker clean by spearheading occasional beach clean-ups. With a total of 13 volunteers, they make this venture a reality and are proud of their efforts in beautifying our little island. However, they are welcoming as much new volunteers as possible to participate in this worthwhile effort. Volunteers for the time being consist of Jane Peoples, Ellen Armstrong, Dorothy Beveridge, Sally Ringsred, Luciana Essenziale, Noelle Hogan-Gray, Brian and his wife Evelin Babineau and Deb Folmer among some other tourists and visitors. Big Kudos to those people who have taken up the initiative to keep Caye Caulker clean, though it would be an even better idea if the entire community, young and old would come together to participate in this endeavour. Here are a few photos of our hard working Caye Caulker people: A Legal Government Practicing attorneys have had control of both political parties and all governments since Said Musa became Prime Minister and this trend seems unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. Attorneys are well versed in the law and operate under a supposedly rigorous regime of integrity, self-responsibility and respect for the law while serving as officers of the court. They should have the moral fortitude necessary to remain honest and lead the country by showing by their respect for law and our democratic processes. The sad fact is that over the last fourteen years we have had a Senior Counsel as Prime Minister and during this time our international reputation for integrity and honest government that respects the law has slumped to where we have one of the worst reputations for corruption in the world and it has crippled our ability to attract foreign investment. Bill Gates' Children Enjoy Belize Bill Gates' daughters' visit to a popular Belizean eco resort highlighted the fact that no matter their background, kids will be kids when immersed in the natural beauty of the rainforest environment, The Lodge at Chaa Creek's spa manager, Bryony Fleming, said today. Ms. Fleming said that 16 and 7 year old Jennifer and Phoebe Gates visited Chaa Creek with a young friend for an enjoyable day in the rainforest that included a visit to the Butterfly Farm, lunch and some pampering at the Chaa Creek Hilltop Spa. "One thing you really notice is how similarly kids respond to the rainforest environment, no matter their cultural, national or economic backgrounds," Ms. Fleming said, "The look of wonder when they're surrounded by beautiful, gigantic Blue Morpho butterflies, and seeing them go from pupae stage to being released into the forest - it's a fascination that all people, whether young and old, seem to share," she said. Western Spirit takes back the Cross Country Classic for Belize Western Spirit dominated the Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic. So once more, congratulations to the Western Spirt Team, and to Giovanni Choto! This article gives some history of the race. "Metzgen's Sporting Legacy arises in 1928 as he observes numerous cyclists traveling on the road and decides to challenge them with an expedition-like race. He then gathers a group of notable individuals from a bank, public hospital, church, medical clinic and lands department to help sponsor the event and then joined by the Governor, Superintendent of Police and others to give further vigor to the event." VIDEO: TAS Belize's Tell A Story Thursday episode 5 Another installment of Tell A Story Thursday. "Carla Hart of Maheias United shared her thoughts on what it means to be a proffessional in the business sector as well as other helpful tips for upcoming entrepreneurs." VIDEO: University of Belize Physics Students Make Potato Cannon Great video of Physics students from UB launching their potato cannon. Powered by flamable aerosol too. Looks like fun. "Potato cannons may be for school projects, but they ARE weapons and can definitely inflict some serious damage on a person." PHOTOS: San Ignacio United Youth Football Team The SI United Youth Football team were the sub-champions of the Crime Stoppers Youth Football Marathon. Congratulations! Another great way to keep youths interested in sports while informing them about Crime Stoppers. Heartz Football Team were the champions Heartz Football Club U16- Champion of the Crime Stopper Belize Football Tournament 2012- April 12, 2012 Crispy Waffles Just in time for the weekend breakfast. Waffles are a typical breakfast bread in most homes. I prefer my waffles to be crispy and not soft like pancakes. This bread can be eaten alone or topped with jellies, jams, butter, whip cream, powdered sugar or pancake syrup. Raggamuffin Heros - Ellis and Chilo Yesterday, Ellis and Chilo became heros as they rescued three Mexican tourists, whilst on their way to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The tourists had set off at sunrise from Caye Caulker in a canoe, determined to have a do-it-yourself snorkeling tour to see the manatees at the North of the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve - far cheaper they thought than one that the tour operators offer and surely the reef was not that far away!!! Instead of heeding the advice of locals and staying close to the land (they had rented the canoe with a different pretex than the one they intended), the three ventured out in to the open seas (none of them with any experience or knowledge of what lay before them). When they were far from the point of Caye Caulker over an hour into their excursion, the canoe started taking on water in the higher waves expected in this location. One of the tourists referred to their canoe as 'drowning' and within minutes the canoe had sunk with all their possessions - leaving them to tread water out on the open sea with no flotation devices - far away from any land. Channel 7 GOB SAYS: "SORRY" NOT GOOD ENOUGH? TELL IT TO THE JUDGE! On Wednesday the Police Ministry apologized to Taylor's alley residents for excessive force used by members of the GSU and the ADU. And Last night on this newscast - you heard a Taylor's Alley resident say, "apology not accepted." Well, tonight the Ministry has fired back with another release. It says, basically, that those who aren't satisfied with "sorry", can take their grievances to Court. The release says that while there was unjustifiable and excessive use of force by Police on the night in question in Taylor's Alley - that doesn't mean there's strong evidence to support that. The release says, quote: "many of the evidence used�would not�meet the strict standards of 'rules of evidence'" for a Court of Law. FALSE IMPRISONMENT BY FAKE POLICE A 19 year old Belize city resident had a crazy encounter with a man pretending to be a police officer. It happened at a few minutes to midnight on Wednesday. Mike Smith was in front of the Princess Hotel and Casino when he was approached by Reginald Wagner who took out something resembling a "Police Badge" and then put a gun in his back. "I was at Princess on Saturday night at 12:45 am. A dark skin complexion man was 12 feet away from me; I realized it was Reginald, a person that I knew. He came up to me and told me not to say anything. He told me to hand him all my money. I gave him my black touch screen phone that is valued $200 plus. He took $200 from me also and after that he told me to follow him to his house. He told me that if I ran he will shoot me." "He took me on Marine Parade and then to his house on Daly Street where he tie me up. He starts to punch me and ask me about some information about different things. He tortured me. He told me that he is a police officer; he showed me a silver crown and said that he will lock me up. He said that he would kill me if I reported the incident to the police." "He took me at his aunt's house in the Port Loyola area where he continued to search me. He showed me a black hand gun." MINISTER AND CO-OPS MEET: CLOSE CONCH SEASON SOON? Today Fisheries Minister Lisel Alamilla met with key stakeholders in the fisheries industry - including the bosses of the principal cooperatives. It was a consultation session about a very sensitive issue: namely, an early closing of the conch season - as much as two months early. It's no small matter - that two months could mean significant losses in earnings for fisherfolk. But, the issue is that the Queen or Pink Conch is now listed internationally as an endangered species. At the start of the consultation this morning, the Director of Fisheries, and the Minister made it clear that a delicate balance between conservation and Belize's fourth largest foreign exchange earner has to be struck:.. MAN SHOT DURING FIGHT IN PATCHAKAN Yesterday a fight in Patchakan village escalated into a shooting, leaving one man suffering from two gunshot wounds. At about 6:00 yesterday evening, Abraham Ek, a Belizean labourer of Ranchito Village in Corozal, was relaxing with friends at the Patchakan creek. Michael Clarke, a 48 year old Real Estate Broker of Burrell Boom Village and Jury Charlie, a 31 year old of San Antonio Village were also at the creek, located 3 miles west of Patchakan. The three men got into an argument, so Clarke drew a 9 mm pistol and fired several shots at Ek. Two bullets caught him, one in the right side of the chest, and the other on the right forearm. The police have since apprehended Michael Clarke and Jury Charlie who are pending charges. Ek was treated for his wounds at the Corozal Community Hospital. FRAUDSTERS USING DEAD MANS NAME TO STEAL ESTATE Sarita Kerr, a resident of Dangriga is a victim of a very cruel kind of land fraud - where fraudsters have been using her dead father's name to steal his estate. Her father Catharino Ramirez, died in 1987, but, still, in 2009, his signature was forged to transfer his land title to two other people. Because it is a sensitive case where people being accused of fraud, are not under police investigation, and also because Kerr hasn't made a police report yet, we cannot reveal their identities at this time. We do have their names and signatures on the documents, however. The documents we have say that in 2009, Ramirez, who, at that time, had been dead for 22 years, sold the land to these people for $8,000 dollars. The conveyance is complete with signatures, stamps, witnesses and the Lands Department seals. Kerr says that when she discovered this, she went to Lands Department and a few days after she started investigating, another deed of conveyance was drawn up to sell the land back to Ramirez. GALINDO GUILTY OF DRUG TRAFFICKING 1.2 KILOS OF MARIJUANA 39-year-old David Galindo, a Santa Elena resident who was busted on November 9, of last year, with 1.2 KILOS of marijuana was found guilty of drug trafficking today. He was fined $10,000 dollars instead of being sent to jail. According to the 2 arresting officers from the GSU, at 2:45 that day, they stopped a BBOC bus at the mile 4 Check point on the Western Highway. They searched all the passengers and found a schoolbag with the cannabis parceled in 3 bricks. They found Galindo's social security card in one of the pockets, and as a result, they arrested and charged him. In his defense, Galindo testified that when the officers asked him if the bag was his, he said no, but the officers didn't believe him. FOUR CONVICTED FOR BRAZEN DAYLIGHT ROBBERY And also in the Magistrate's Court, 4 of 6 persons charged for a broad daylight robbery were convicted yesterday. The robbery occurred in October of last year, in the early afternoon. Godwin Penner, a Mennonite of Spanish Lookout and his sideman, Wayne Humes, were robbed while they were doing their Belize City deliveries. Penner was robbed of his 9 millimeter pistol loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition along with his wallet. Humes was also robbed of his wallet - even though it only had $5.00 dollars in it. A quick response by the GSU was able to intercept the robbers 10 minutes later, and Ryan Arnold, Mervin McDonald, Andrew Talbert, and Randy Rowland were charged. MURDER VICTIM LERONE, DEAD, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Last week Thursday Lerone Johnson was killed in an explosive murder - shot to the head in a robbery. His murder was shocking; 21 year old Leron was a working man - had been from the age of 15. The bus driver for Cavetubing.com was not known to be involved in gang or underworld activity. The news of his murder broke out on Thursday evening - but it was washed away in the flood of blood from a particularly violent Easter weekend - that left four dead from violence in the Belize district. And while many of us in the public may have already forgotten the name, Leron Johnson - his family and friends can't forget - his absence has left a gaping hole in their everyday life. And that's why they invited us to his wake last night. Now, as media, we don't do wakes; we feel we're already invasive enough as it is - and a family's grieving process should be private. But his wake was not private; it was a community event on Faber's road. His family and friends invited us there last night so that we could see and show how many people are left devastated by the loss of one life. Here's what we found: CAN YOU SAY WIND IT IN SPANISH? And we close tonight with a look at a new music video from Bernadette Gilharry. The Cayo-girl is the lead singer for Northern Combo Gilharry Seven but she's gone solo on this one, duetting with Supa-G for a song that's called "Wine It Up." Doesn't leave much to the imagination, and she told us about it:.. Bernadette Gilharry "I am just premiering my new single called "menealo" with video. Menealo means "wine it up" and Supa G is on the video also well featuring Roberto. He is a friend of us." "It's a lot of dancing and winding up like in a disco-tech." The video is directed by Richard Holder. Channel 5 Ministry of National Security says an apology is all Taylor's Alley residents will get On Thursday night, the Taylor's Alley affiliates told News Five that a government apology for the March twenty-first incident when they were brutalized and injured was not cutting it. In fact, they claimed they first heard it on the news and that the apology was silent on the issue of compensation for the medical bills [...] Wanted US Fugitive enrolled at UB in Belmopan Thirty-five year old Nadine Gladden, enrolled at the University of Belize's Faculty of Management, is a wanted fugitive by United States federal authorities. Gladden, whose real name is Nadine Martin, is on the lam after committing a string of misdemeanor offenses in Tampa, Florida. A warrant for her arrest, for the offence of throwing a [...] FIFA organizing Commission of Inquiry into F.F.B. funds Football Federation of Belize president, Ruperto Vicente says that FIFA has moved to organize an ethics committee which will act as a commission of inquiry into monies, Vicente says, that are unaccounted for at the F.F.B. Weeks ago, Vicente said that the F.F.B. is broke despite significant financial contributions from FIFA annually. At the time, [...] Rosewood grace period ends on Saturday In the south, loggers have until Saturday to extract felled rosewood. After months of pressure by conservation groups that the forests were being depleted of the precious wood, on March sixteenth, the Ministry of Forestry slapped a moratorium on all rosewood activities. But while conservationists supported the move, stakeholders in the lucrative trade protested that [...] Viewers believe gang truce is failing Statistically, murders are down compared to the first three and a half months of last year. But the past few weeks have been particularly violent. So we asked "Do you believe that the spike in violent crimes is indication that the gang truce is failing?" Seventy-five percent said yes on our e-poll while twenty-five percent [...] Woman's laptop snatched out of her car�while she was using it Shortly after eleven-thirty this morning, a woman was robbed of her laptop computer on Vernon Street. It happened while forty-two year old Patricia Rodriguez was sitting in vehicle using her computer when a man pushed his hand through the open window, grabbed the laptop and dashed through a Mayflower Street alley. A short while later [...] Mega development set to begin near Belize/Mexico Border A major announcement was made today that was picked up by US networks, such as MSNBC. A US company DHS holding is claiming that franchises such as McDonald’s and high end stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Nike will be opening in Belize. The development is called Cenote Falls shopping Centre and is described [...] Minister Alamilla says APAMO's conservation action plan is "ambitious" On March thirtieth, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organization, APAMO, met with Minister Lisel Alamilla where it unveiled an action plan for conservation efforts. The proposal is to have government address what are primarily described as legislative changes to the forestry and fisheries acts. Those amendments, APAMO suggested, should be made during a short [...] Conflict in Stann Creek over football association chairperson Earlier in the newscast, we told you about a commission of inquiry that will look into the financial affairs of the F.F.B. under Bertie Chimilio. And in other football news, there is tension brewing in the Culture Capital tonight over the chairmanship of the Stann Creek Football Association. According to Acting Chairperson Denise Flores an [...] Grandmother and son-in-law convicted of trafficking over 14 pounds of weed Sixty-nine year old Dellis Mariano and her son-in-law Deon Wright were both convicted of drug trafficking today when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. The grandmother was one of three persons arrested following a search of their residence on Nurse White Street in Belize City which turned up a parcel of marijuana. Initially [...] Bus passenger busted with weed gets fined $10,000 A Santa Elena Resident who was busted with almost three pounds of weed on November ninth, 2011, was today found guilty of Drug Trafficking. He's not going to prison, but David Galindo, was slapped with a fine of ten thousand dollars by Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. Galindo was on a bus heading into Belize [...] Police say Kent Skeet was flung from cycle and hit his head Police have released official information on Thursday evening's fatal accident at the Lord Ridge Cemetery. Holy Emmanuel Street Mechanic, Kent Skeet, was riding a Suzuki five hundred motor cycle, commonly known as a ninja bike, from Vernon Street onto the Western Highway. As he neared the highway divider, he lost control. According to police, he [...] Catarina Ishim's tumor is surgically removed in Tennessee We've been following the story of twelve year old Catarina Ishim, who has been disfigured by a cancerous tumor. Catarina today successfully underwent the first round of surgery in Knoxville, Tennessee where doctors removed the rare cancerous tumor that had almost covered her entire lower face. The surgery started this morning at UT Medical Center. [...] Sr. Edlin Leslie Sr. Hospice in the pipeline in Dangriga In 2007, Raquel Leslie Battle of Placencia Village lost her father, Edlin Leslie Sr., to prostate cancer. He had to travel to Mexico for treatment and his dying wish was for a hospice to be built in Belize. Since his passing, Battle has made that dream her own and has started home care services after [...] Taiwanese visa applications must now be done online The increase in fees for a US Visa application took effect today. And this afternoon, the Taiwanese Embassy also announced changes in the visa application process to travel to the Republic of China (Taiwan). But it's not an increase in charges, it's a new system being put in place. According to the embassy, as of [...] Benjamin Nicholas; a glimpse at the life, art and philosophy of the icon Benjamin Nicholas died on Sunday in Dangriga. Nicholas is known for the tremendous work he did in promoting the Garifuna culture through his paintings and sculptures. In 1994, William Neal traveled south and captured the story of Nicholas' life, art and philosophy. Here's that story. {Feature on Benjamin Nicholas; 1994�} LOVE FM Friday, April 13 - - POLICE NEWS Two people have been arrested and charged for the crime of drug trafficking. They are Ernest Forman and Samantha Garbutt. Police say they conducted a search at Forman's residence yesterday where they found a plastic bag containing 62 grams of suspected marijuana. ... MILPA FARMERS IN TOLEDO GET ASSISTANCE Spray pumps for use by milpa farmers were recently presented to leaders of ten Toledo villages. Paul Mahung reporting� "The spray pumps costing $1,130.00 were contributed by the Toledo Rice, Beans and Corn Producers Association and were handed over... ACCIDENT CLAIMS YOUNG MAN'S LIFE A fatal traffic accident yesterday evening on the Western Highway claimed the life of thirty four year old Belize City mechanic Kent Skeet. The accident happened just after five o'clock at the entrance of the Lord Ridge Cemetery. According to some of Skeet's friends, ... MINISTER ALAMILLA GIVES UPDATE ON ROSEWOOD ASSESSMENT Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Liselle Alamilla today gave Love News an update on the Rosewood assessment. Liselle Alamilla - Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development "We are not doing the assessment of the rosewo... POLICE DEPARTMENT FACES POSSIBLE LAWSUITS On Wednesday the Ministry of National Security apologized to the six men who were assaulted during a raid of their Taylor's Alley homes on March 21. That raid was conducted by the Gang Suppression Unit, whose members that were found to be in violation of the victims' ... CTV3 White Sapphire In Corozal Falls Victim To The Hands Of Crinimals Over the past weeks there has been a spate of burglaries in Corozal Town. In order to reduce the misdemeanor Corozal Police have augmented their mobile and foot patrols. To some extent the game plan has seen results since police have arrested and charged a number of housebreakers. Knowing criminals; however, they will not desist and that proved true on Tuesday night when another robbery was committed in Corozal this time in broad daylight. On Tuesday afternoon at around 2:30 Angelo Pasos, Belizean businessman and co-owner of White Sapphire along with his employee Jose Martin Rodriguez were inside the establishment located on 7th Avenue when three armed mask men entered the business. Orange Walks Very Own Heads Out To Cleveland Ohio Belizean students who have dreamt of playing basketball professionally will soon be getting an opportunity to do so. The National Sports Council of Belize along with the Belize Basketball Federation has put together a team of selected basketball players to compete in the Lebron James Classic Tournament in Cleveland Ohio. Fifteen young Belizean basketball enthusiasts along with several coaches from across the country will be granted the opportunity to attend one of the largest Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments in the world. One such player is 18 year old Roger Reneau, an Orange walk student from New Hope High School who will be representing the North. Reneau's talent and love for the sport of basketball tracks back to childhood which led him to compete in a series of competitions from which he was selected as one of Belize's best players. Farmers Of The Year Awarded, Two Are From The North Civilization began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society was forever changed. Not only did villages, towns and cities begin to flourish, but so did knowledge, the arts and the technological sciences. And for most of history, society's connection to the land was intimate. Human communities, no matter how sophisticated, could not ignore the importance of agriculture. To be far from dependable sources of food was to risk malnutrition and starvation. In modern times, however, many in the urban world have forgotten this fundamental connection. Insulated by the apparent abundance of food that has come from new technologies for the growing, transportation and storage of food, humanity's fundamental dependence on agriculture is often overlooked. The upcoming National and Agricultural Trade Show set to take place this year from the 27th to the 29th of April in Belmopan serves as an important opportunity to reconsider the importance of agriculture. The farmer of the year award also serves as an incentive for Belizeans to become more involved in the Agricultural Sector. Tonight we are proud to announce that two farmers from the Corozal District have been recognized for the annual Farmer of the Year Award for the year 2012. Woman farmer of the year was awarded to Mrs. Maria Balan from Paslow falls in the Cayo District. The distinction for Senior Farmer of the year went to Mr. Jorge Moralez from Consejo Village in the Corozal District while the Junior Farmer of the Year was awarded to Mr. Nandy Aldana from Concepcion Village in the Corozal District. On tomorrows newscast we will be visiting the North's winners and their farms. PUP Caucuses And Party Arms In Full Support Of Party Leader, Francis Fonseca On April 4th 2012 Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin granted leave for Lee Mark Chang to file an election petition against Leader of the Opposition Honorable Francis Fonseca. The decision was made after Chang's Attorney Michael Young presented submissions from seven individuals who claim that they accepted bribes from one, Albert Vaughn to vote for Fonseca in the Freetown Division. During his defense Fonseca's attorney, Said Musa argued that at least one of the statements was inconsistent. In spite of Musa's argument Chief Justice Benjamin granted the leave to apply for the petition, at the same time cautioning that counterfactual statements made by witnesses could result in criminal proceedings. The day after the hearing Leader of the Opposition Honorable Francis Fonseca, in a release, categorically and equivocally denied any suggestion or allegation of bribery on the part of anyone associated with the P.U.P. Freetown Election Victory. Today the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern P.U.P caucuses and the Party Arms: Belize Youth Movement, United Women's Group, Marshalls and the Order of Distinguish Service expressed their unambiguous support to Honorable Fonseca. Deadline For Registration Of Cellphones Extended Today would have marked the deadline for cellular phone registration at both Belize Telemedia Limited and Speednet Telephone Company. The deadline; however, has once again been extended for a three month period. The last extension made was on March 15th which proposed today as the final call. The mandatory registration of cellular phones started on October 11th whereby the general public was given a six month grace period to register their telephone numbers. The process succeeded a mandate from the Ministry of Police in September 2011 to have all mobile handsets listed in the company's records as part of government's security measures. According to Smart's Public Relations Manager Ian Courtenay, the extension serves as an opportunity for their remaining customers to register their numbers before the upcoming deadline. Belize City Teacher Crowned Miss BNTU Last night Miss BNTU 2012 was crowned at the Gala Lounge. The competition saw the participation of six contestants, one from each district. From what we found out the event wasn't organized just to display pageantry. Each contestant had to depict a virtue such as love, joy or peace and present it in a manner that can be useful in the class room. Coordinator of the Women's Committee for BNTU, Nidia Caliz, organized the event and shared the meaning underlying the pageant. "This whole initiative of holding Miss BNTU every two year is for us to capture certain issues with the society and then we use pageantry to highlight these issues and so you find teachers like Miss Keisha Garbutt who did love for the night and she used love to show us how we can get rid of aids and disunity. One of the things that I loved was the fact that she was able to take people back in time to see what life was like back then and how as we evolve these certain fabrics of society are just falling apart gradually so this is an initiative that we are proud of because we can get our teachers to see that these are things that we need to highlight in the classroom and not just through pageantry." U.S Visas Fees Increased By $40.00 If you're planning to visit the US the first thing you need to do is to get your VISA and if you are thinking of doing that then hold on to your pockets because you'll have to pay more to obtain a visitor's Visa. In a press release issued out by the US Department of State it is announced that effective Friday April 13th the price tag for most non-immigrant visa applications and border crossing cars will increase but the processing fee for all immigrants Visa will decrease. Vice Counsel at the US Embassy, Salinas Rico, explained to us via phone the reason for the increase of fees. "We are adjusting the fees for processing Visas to better reflect the cost of providing these services. We are required by law to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant Visas through the collection of these application processing fees. The cost of service is updated annually to determine the direct and indirect cost to the U.S Government for providing all services such as non-immigrant Visas processing. This update was completed in December of 2011 using the Activity Based Cost Model which is standard for estimating the cost of government services. Activity Based Cost Model takes into account all cost to the U.S Government including number of Visas processed, new regulations requiring additional security screening and it also includes cost of major departments initiatives. LOVE TV George Street residents want investigation of alleged GSU abuses On Wednesday the Ministry of National Security apologized to the six men who were assaulted during a raid of their Taylor's Alley homes on March 21st. That raid was conducted by the infamous Gang Suppression Unit, whose members that were found to be in violation of the victims' rights have since been transferred elsewhere out [...] New investment magazine in the works Investors who are looking to get their hands on available prospects in Belize will soon have a new tool to add to their arsenal. The Belize Trade and Investment Service, BELTRAIDE this week announced a partnership with a local firm called Idea Lab Studios that will put Belize's investment prospects on a whole level. Invest [...] Minister Alamilla updates the media on rosewood moratorium Just over a month ago, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Liselle Alamilla announced a halt to Rosewood harvest in southern Belize. The purpose of the moratorium announced on March fourteenth was to assess the current state of the Rosewood population and to chart the way forward for this precious hardwood. Not much has [...] PlusTV UB athletes set to compete in Central American University games The University of Belize is aiming to once again participate in a major regional sporting event, the Central Americ... FFB undergo efforts to improve football in Belize A wave of reformation has been sweeping over the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) since Ruperte Vincente assumed... New high school scholarship program birthed in the west The prospects, for many young people aspiring higher education, is a daunting one. The Cayo Christian Academy, loca... Corozal man shot, suspects in police custody A Corozal man was shot yesterday evening. According to police reports, Abraham Ek, a resident of Ranchito Village C... Victim in fatal motorcycle accident ID'd Yesterday we reported on the motorcycle accident that claimed the life of a man late yesterday evening. At the time... McDonald's, Abercrombie & Fitch and Nike outlets coming to Belize Belize does not boast brand name franchises, in regard to international companies; however all that may soon change... Man bound and beaten by 'alleged' police officer Mike Smith, a Belizean messenger of Belize City reported that on April 11 at 11:45pm, whilst walking on Wilson Stre... How much will applicants really pay with visa fee increase? Yesterday we informed you that application fees for US visas are increasing; Belizeans will be paying $40.00 more f...... Caye Caulker Chronicles Armando and Judith Abigail Chan nuptials Congratulations are certainly in order for the most recent newly weds of Caye Caulker, Mandy and Abi Chan who sealed their love with the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony on Caye Caulker on March 31st, 2012. Amandala Kent Skeet, 34, dies in road accident Kent Skeet, 34, a well-known resident of Supaul Street and the father of four children, died tragically this afternoon after he lost control of a motorcycle he was riding and crashed into a concrete grave monument erected on the area that divides the road in front of Lord Ridge Cemetery into two sections, which join back to form one road. Crime/violence tsunami!! In eight days, six murders, three attempted murders and 14 reported robberies and burglaries... There were six murders in the span of eight days, dating back to last Wednesday, April 4, when there had been none reported in the previous two weeks. Lee Mark and Martin Galvez get green light for petitions Collet Montejo says he will challenge Rene Montero election in Cayo Central... The Opposition People's United Party's (PUP) legal advisor, Anthony Sylvestre, Jr., told the media today that they have crossed a very important preliminary hurdle with the decision by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin to grant leave for Martin Galvez, the PUP candidate who fell to Mark King in the March 7 general elections, to file an election petition, alleging that King is disqualified to serve in the National Assembly because he failed to properly and publicly disclose a contract he has held to provide security services to the Government of Belize. Bus commuters punish - DOT considering solutions With the holiday weekend now over, Belizeans and visiting tourists using the public transportation system to travel from one part of the country to another found themselves faced with very unpleasant-if not deplorable circumstances, due to lack of proper bus accommodations to meet the demand. Herman Lanza, 37, shot to death at corner of Casuarina and Poinsettia The ongoing, senseless gun violence in Belize City has claimed the life of Herman Lanza, 37, who, his family says, had retired from the gang life and was the father of a young son. Geovanni Belize!!! Geovanni's inspired and historic victory made cycling fans all over the nation ecstatic! Belizean Geovanni Choto, 23, a native of Red Creek Village, adjacent to Santa Elena, Cayo District, became the nation's newest sports superstar when he won the 84th Cross Country Cycling Classic on Holy Saturday, April 7. The garland comes home; Geovanni Choto new Cross Country Champion Only 7 foreigners lined up for the start of the 2012 Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic - 4 Mexicans from the Depredadores team, 2 other Mexicans riding with the Benny's Megabytes team, and U.S. based Anthony Taylor who rode unattached. It was a significant reduction from the 25 foreign riders that dominated the race in 2011, with 11 of them finishing in the top 20. The reduction to 7 foreigners this year appeared to give Belizeans a better chance at recovering the garland, and we took it, in the person of Western Spirit's Geovanni Choto who rode a most gallant and heroic race. 4 of the 7 foreigners finished in the top 20. A late obituary to "Black Bird Island" From time immemorial, the natural environment and its various elements have been a sustaining lifeline to the survivability of the human creature. But at times, the natural environment rebukes the dominion of the human creature via hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, cold, heat and drought. Some civilizations learned to coexist in a mutual agreement between themselves and the natural environment, while others attempted to subdue and abuse the natural environment. It is with this backdrop in mind that I would like to talk about an island that once existed in Belize, called "Black Bird Island." Fix di Barracks beach! A couple decades ago, when there were 4 football fields on the Barracks coastline where now stand the Princess Hotel & Casino, BTL Park, Marina Towers, and a well-manicured grassy pitch reportedly owned by the Bowen Group, the cry was for Belizeans to "Save di Barracks" from sale to foreigners. Ideas and Opinions - The Greatest Force This is not about physical force. That would be countries' armed forces, their weaponry and, those who have the power to use them. This is about my own country and those who have the power to make great changes in society, for the betterment of the nation. I submit that the Greatest Force for this kind of social change is the Holy Catholic Church. All those who say and subscribe to the Apostles' Creed belong to that body, about 90% of the citizens of Belize. Why, then, do we have so much corruption and, so much crime and, so much indiscipline and, so much disorder and, so many self-serving politicians and, so little patriotism and�endlessly, if such a Force exists. The answer is that the Force is inactive. This is why a small group of homosexuals are threatening to institute a major social change to the status quo, through a law suit. Geovanni's glory The Belizean people were very happy on Holy Saturday with the fact that a Belizean, Geovanni Choto, won the 84th running of the Belize Crosscountry Cycling Classic. As a nation, we had gone through five consecutive Holy Saturday disappointments and humiliations, a five-year period which had succeeded in alienating some Belizeans from the Holy Saturday process itself. From The Publisher Residents of this old capital are nervous tonight after having witnessed an unprecedented spate of shootings and killings over the past six weeks. The most dramatic came shortly after 7:00 p.m. last Friday, May 15, at the stables of the National Stadium. City Police responding to a report of a shooting there, found Derek "Itza" Brown, 19, of #1 Pinks Alley, with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body, in a shallow grave. � City folk are now aware that there is a full scale drug war on the streets. The official Police line is that their interdiction efforts have resulted in a shortage of large quantities of drugs on the street, so dealers are "jacking" each other. The street talk is that guys have been "jacking" for a long time - it was just a matter of time before the shooting began. - Headline story, AMANDALA No. 1180, Friday, May 22, 1992. I believe sociologists measure generations in twenty-year periods. This year is twenty years since 1992, which was a wild year in Belize City. As this year's extended Easter weekend began last week, murderous gunfire exploded on the Southside of Belize City. This was the 2012 generation, a new generation, in effect, and the question we had to ask ourselves is what had and had not changed since '92. The Reporter Blogs Festivals, Parties and Shows: Cacao, Cashew, Lobster...April, May and June are GREAT Times to Visit Belize There is so much to do in Belize during this time of the year. So much eating and travelling to do. I'm already packing my bags...it's time for you to pack yours. For some reason, the Belize Tourism board doesn't have specifics available on their facebook page or the official site, www.travelbelize.org, so here is what I have compiled. Please let me know if I missed anything! Bill Gates enjoys the "real Belize" He may be the second richest man in the world, but Bill Gates is enjoying Belize the way many visitors, from A list celebrities to backpackers do - by experiencing the natural beauty of the Caribbean sea, pristine rainforests and Maya heritage, according to a Belizean travel professional. "That's the wonderful thing about Belize," Chaa Creek marketing administrator Larry Waight said today, "You can be one of the richest people in the world, or a backpacker on a shoestring budget, and still share similarly amazing experiences by immersing yourself in what we call the 'real Belize'. "Belize is all about natural beauty, our rich Maya culture and interacting with some of the warmest, friendliest people on the planet, and your enjoyment of Belize doesn't depend upon how much money you have. An openness to explore new things and to embrace nature and new experiences is more valuable than a big credit card balance," Mr Waight said. National Agricultural and Trade Show Agric is here again, and will be the last weekend in April, they 27th through the 29th. Congratulations to all the winners of the Farmers of the Year awards. "The National Agriculture and Trade Show is proud to announce the winners of the Farmers of the Year award for 2012. The awardees are as follows: Woman Farmer of the Year - Mrs. Maria Balan from Paslow Falls, Cayo District. Senior Farmer of the Year - Mr. Jorge Moralez, Consejo Road, Corozal District Junior Farmer of the Year - Mr. Nandy Aldana, Concepcion Village, Corozal District. The NATS Committee would like to congratulate the winning farmers and would also like to thank the others nominees who participated in the competition." My favorite easy, healthy supper to make in Belize I started making these Veggie Bean Soft Tacos when we were visiting Belize prior to moving here, because they are healthy, easy to whip up, and use many fresh ingredients easily found at the fruit and vegetable stands around town. We also ate a lot of these when we first moved into our new condo last August before we'd finished stocking up our pantry, since we didn't have a lot of dinner options until we got the "larder" filled up with basics like condiments, spices, baking essentials, and so on. I don't make them quite as often now since we have more options, but they are still one of my favorite easy things to make, taking only about 30 minutes from start to finish, and we both enjoy them, so I thought I'd share them with our friends and families. There are a lot of different vegetable options for these, but I always use onions, bell peppers (any color, 1-2 peppers total depending on size), beans, tomato, and chipotle chile in adobo sauce, which gives them a nice smoky flavor (plus some heat!) If I have a zucchini, which I often do, I add that, and normally I'll add grated cheddar or jack cheese, but neither are required. The cheese does help the other ingredients meld together so they don't fall out of the tortilla, though; plus, cheese just plain tastes good; but if you're avoiding dairy, feel free to leave it out. Cilantro is an optional ingredient as well. International Sources 12 Awesome Mexican Dishes You'll Seldom Find in the U.S. You may live in Portland or Seattle or New York, and your local Mexican joint may be a bistro that serves 'authentic moles, farm to table'. Or you may live in San Francisco or Los Angeles or Tucson where you are blessed with gritty little taquerias that serve up late night fare, greasy and simple, as it should be. But if so, you are in the minority. The vast majority of Americans and Canadians live in the hinterlands where Mexican food is served family style and buried in an avalanche of Sysco sour cream. You know the place-it's called Mazatlan or Los Amigos, and it looks like a cross between the Alamo and a strip club. Bright green margaritas the size of your heard are served in glasses shaped like flying saucers. Food arrives on platters draped in greasy skeins of cheddar cheese. To most of the poor unfortunate souls withering in El Norte, this is Mexican food. Here's what's missing... Doctors donate time to save a young girl Imagine having a growth the size of a football on the side of your face. That's what one young girl is going through right now and has traveled from Belize to Knoxville to get the help she needs. Her name is Caterina and she's from a small village in Belize. She is only 11 years old but has been through two surgeries in Belize. But they didn't take and the tumor on her face quickly grew back. Morristown's Heart of Christ Children's Mission heard of Caterina's extreme tumor and knew they had to help. "They helped to pave the way to to help the family get plane tickets and accommodations to get to Knoxville." said Doctor. Rick Glover of Children's Faith Pediatrics. The tumor grows about one centimeter a day and 8 months ago you could barely even see it. Enter Travel Channel's April 2012 Sweepstakes to Win a $10,000 Trip to Belize The Travel Channel offers a lucky winner the chance to win an exotic vacation prize every month. And if you enter Travel Channel's April 2012 Belize Travel Trivia Sweepstakes, you could win a $10,000 trip to Belize or daily instant prizes. The grand-prize winner will receive a week-long trip for themselves and a guest to Belize including airfare, first-class hotel accommodations, activities like a full-day excursion to the Lamanai Mayan Site and cave tubing and hiking through the Belizean Rainforest, and $1,000 in spending cash. The grand prize is worth $10,000. In addition, daily instant winners will each receive a Travel Channel-branded recyclable bag. Entry into Travel Channel's April 2012 Belize Travel Trivia Sweepstakes is open to US residents above the age of 21. Enter daily through April 30, 2012. CARICOM Leaders To Take Part in Summit of the Americas Twelve Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will be participating in the Sixth Summit of the Americas on 14-15 April 2012 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Two other Member States, Belize and The Bahamas will be represented by their Deputy Prime Ministers. CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque will also be attending the Summit on the invitation of the host, His Excellency President Juan Manuel Santos. The Summit will be held under the theme "Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity" at the Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Convention Centre, Cartagena. The previous Summit was held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009. Five themes have been selected for the discussions. These are: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Citizen Security and Trans-national Organized Crime; Poverty and Inequality; Integration of Physical Infrastructure in the Americas; and Information and Communication Technologies. Last edited by Marty; 11/17/12 10:13 AM.