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The September 23rd, 2012 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Hillview Burglar Gets Maximum Sentence
  • Miss New York Queen of the Bay Krystal Gutierrez On Official Visit
  • Accused Drug Traffickers Jailed
  • FFB Elects Ethics Committee
  • Patriotism
  • Happy Independence Day 2012 Wishes from Many!
  • Terrorist Granted Citizenship In Foreign Lands
  • Here Is Your Open Invitation To Participate In the Cayo Art Exhibit
  • STAR Humor
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices


Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Dr Love: My fiancee is changing even before the wedding - help!
Dear Doctor Love, My fiancee and I have been together for two years. Our wedding day is coming up in less than six months. I have loved this woman since the first time I met her but lately I have been worried about whether our marriage is going to work. I just really started noticing how things have changed so much for us in the last year and a half. When we first met, we were always lovey and touching and kissing. Now, she won't even hold my hand in public. When we are together, which is most of the time in the evenings, she makes up a thousand excuses why we can't have sex. She doesn't even let me kiss her hardly ever anymore either. Since we moved in together I found out that she has a really bad temper and when she gets mad she stays that way for a long time. I am the one who always has to make up, even when it is her fault that we had a disagreement.

The PUP insists that SPTC commission an independent audit
The recently held meeting by the San Pedro Town Council to present their report for their first hundred days of administration raises more questions than answers. In the Questions and Answers period the following were raised.What about the campaign promise for an independent audited financial report? The Mayor answered that he did not want to go on a witch hunt as to what and who was responsible for perceived mismanagement. That, according to him, the past was past and that he wanted to concentrate on the future. Although we recognize that yes we should really worry about the future and make sure that the appalling mistakes made by the past UDP administrations that has put San Pedro in a two and a half million dollar debt according to their report, should not be repeated, we, the executive of the San Pedro P.U.P. demand on behalf of the San Pedro Tax payers, that the mayor keep his promise and commission an independent report.

Wolfe's Woofers: Witness
A witness questioned by a lawyer explains the two distances he was from where shots were fired

Misc Belizean Sources

PACT Announces Interact and Win Contest Winners
The Protected Areas Conservation Trust announced the winners of their 'Interact & Win' contest. The contest coincided with the September Celebrations, and was held to raise awareness about PACT, and all the great projects they fund each year. Congratulations to Cayo's Asuncion Martinez for winning!

Khalid Hyde passes away
Condolences to former government minister Cordel Hyde and his family on the death of his son Khalid. To quote the Eileen Elias Freeman:"The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God."

CTV3

What's In Store For The September Celebrations
The celebration of each country's independence is the biggest celebration of the year. For us it is a significant milestone in our history as we attained our territorial, political, and economic sovereignty, not through bloodshed or uprising like others around us, but through resiliency and diplomacy. On the eve of the nation's birthday, a ceremony will be held in front of the Orange Walk Town Hall. Customarily the night is rich with cultural presentations to welcome the 21st. This afternoon we spoke with Mayor Kevin Bernard who told us that among the highlights, we can expect one of the best fireworks show ever. "We have the Japanese JICA group that will be doing some presentations, we have the Palmar Cultural Group that will also be doing their cultural dances and we have invited the young guy Mc. Bride Pop to do a little song for us but at the same time the entertainment that will come after." Hipolito Novelo - Reporter "And of course you have the torch runners." Kevin Bernard, Mayor O/W "Yes, we have the entrance of the torch runners coming in, actually they left not too long ago to Belize City which they will be running and I want to thank the young faces that are there coming up wanting to participate and this September celebration should be a good one. We have the official BDF march on and all of these things and flag raising but what is more important is the fireworks display and this year is going to be an exciting fireworks display, we have planned a half an hour fireworks for today, very costly of course, but I think the people will enjoy it and of course music and entertainment by three bands, Lucio and the New Generation, New Rebels will be here and Electra Sounds will be highlighting us with their music from earlier on in the evening."

First Caribbean Bank Inaugurated In Orange Walk
First Caribbean International Bank opened its doors here in Orange Walk and last night the bank was officially inaugurated during a special ceremony held at the Gala Lounge. First Caribbean Bank is the largest regional bank in the Caribbean with assets of over $11 million. The bank has 22 banking centers and seven offices in 18 regional markets, including Belize. With a branch here in Orange Walk the banking institution now boast of 75 branches and over half a million active accounts. The opening of First Caribbean Bank signifies new opportunities for Orange Walkenos, who, like the rest of Belizeans, are struggling to make ends meet. This same sentiment was shared last night by Mayor of Orange Walk Town Kevin Bernard who welcomed the management and staff of First Caribbean Bank to sugar city.

Students Show Their Patriotism For Belize
Today is the eve of Belize's Independence and across Belize children, teachers and parents lined up the main streets of their respective towns for the annual children's rally. Here in Orange Walk Town six schools, seven high schools, ITVET and Muffles Junior College all joined together and braved the hot sun to demonstrate their patriotism. The annual children's parade kicked off a little after 9:00 this morning and our news team was out there and caught all the excitement and energy. In multitude, students from all the schools in Orange Walk Town lined up to parade through the principal streets of town thus demonstrating their patriotic spirits in celebration of Belize's 31 years of Independence. Posters with this year's theme: "Many faces, Many dreams, one Goal - Celebrating Belize," where held high by some students while others demonstrated their love for the place they call home, by waving their Belizean flag.

GOB Makes Partial Payment On Super Bond
When Government missed their $46 million coupon payment in August they were given a 30 day grace period to make the payment before entering into default. The 30 day grace period ended yesterday with the Dean Barrow Administration still unable to meet payment on the $544 million super bond. To date their still hasn't been any update on the negotiations presently taking place between the Debt Review Team headed by Mark Espat and creditors who hold more than $300 million of the debt. And while reports both locally and internationally are that Belize has defaulted on its super bond debt, Prime Minister Dean Barrow says otherwise. Honorable Dean Barrow- Prime Minister of Belize "We certainly were, it appeared, making some progress with the bondholders. Now if things changed dramatically between then and now, I would not have had an opportunity to be briefed, but I am pretty confident that we are in decent shape as far as the negotiations are concerned."

Belize At 31
Tonight Belizeans countrywide will be celebrating the nation's 31st birthday. The torch run, the gun salute and the fireworks display at midnight followed by a massive parade tomorrow all form part of the annul September celebration. But for Belize to be celebrating 31 years of being an independent nation signifies more than just fun for Belizeans. Today we hit the busy streets of Orange Walk Town and found out how Orange Walke�os feel about 31 years of sovereignty. Hipolito Novelo - Reporting Kevin Bernard, Mayor O/W "Well first of all it is a very special time for all Belizeans knowing that as a young nation we are growing and we are getting to that age and there is a lot to do and I think we as Belizeans must be proud to be living here in Belize and we want to also pay tribute to the Father of the Nation Honourable George Price for fighting that struggle along with many other Belizeans to gain Independence so that we could call ourselves Belize."

Paying Tribute To The Father Of The Nation
Yesterday marked one year that Belize's National Hero Honorable George Cadle Price passed away and in honor of his legacy the day was celebrated as National Service Day. All across the country students, various organizations and members of the community engaged in a community service activity in honor of Mr. Price. Here in Orange Walk, street sides and drains were cleaned, garbage was picked up, Mahogany trees were planted and dirt bins were donated to schools. That was carried out during the day and last night a special activity also took place in memory of the Father of the Nation. A special committee, headed by Councilor Neri Ramirez, organized a mass and candle vigil which took place on George Price Avenue. After the mass, special tribute was given to Mr. Price as Orange Walkenos, accompanied by Honorable John Briceno, Honorable Marco Tulio Mendez, Honorable Abelardo Mai and members of the Orange Walk Town Council, placed wreaths and flowers on the George Price Monument which was recently refurbished.

Blogs

BELIZE STEEL BANDS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES!
There are I am surprised to say: SEVEN steel bands in the country of Belize. I believe they are in Belmopan the capital and the port of Belize City. They played for INDEPENDENCE DAY. I tuned in quite by accident on Saturday and caught a replay, of the steel bands. The first one, was the Pantempters, I believe? Either I'm getting too old, or they seemed SO YOUNG. Some of the kids in the front row, were really bouncing with the rythmm of the music they were playing. Probably not more than between 12 and 16 years old. I had to hide my face from my wife when she came in to see what I was watching on TV. My eyes were just brimming tears, ( it didn't seem manly somehow ) with joy and pride in what is happening in Belize. I know how long it takes to produce a band, having been a cornet player in one at age 16 years. The delight was in seeing them bobbing and weaving with the rythmm as they played with all their hearts. What I loved, was when one girl, who would take a quick glance at a neighboring friend and then both would break out in a GRIN of unadulterated JOY. It was so uplifting and HAPPY.

San Pedro's Independence Day Parade...AMAZING Again. Part Two.
So yesterday, I showed you my pictures of the first half of the parade. Let's continue... I ended with ABC pre-school, my very favorite entry. Next up with the AIDs Society. These guys know how to turn it out...whether it's December's Lighted Boat Parade (another killer event here in San Pedro) or September 21st. Miss Petie.... David Marin aka DJ Habo aka My Morning Show Guy. Don't take my picture! Next...Belikin and Island Academy. My second favorite group. Nita and Amy. And here comes the beer truck. Free beers! And Dixie following up... Wilhema and her daughter.

Four Ways to Find Relaxation in Belize This Winter
Belize is the only English speaking country in Central America. It is a country filled with natural beauty, miles of white sandy beaches, and mystique ancient Mayan culture and owns the second largest barrier reef in the world. Did you know that it only takes one hour 32 minutes to fly from Miami to Belize City? While it takes two hours and 11 minutes from Miami to New York City. The Belizean refer to their country, as "JEWEL" and they are proud of their diverse heritage. You can see Caribbean, European, Asian, Mayan, Latin and African cultures all over this 8,867 square miles country (which is smaller than Massachusetts). Winter in North America means dry season in Belize. It's the best time to visit from December to March when the rainy season is over and humidity is lower. Belize's subtropical temperatures average between 75-85 degrees. If you are planning on taking a break from the cold this winter, think no further. Belize may be just the right place to spend your time with your family away from the snow and cold days of winter. Here are 4 ways you can find your piece of paradise in Belize this winter:

I Hate Belize� Belize City To Be More Specific
Foodie and travel blogger, Ayngelina Brogan, from BaconIsMagic.ca has been telling me how much she loves Central America but hates Belize; Belize City to be more specific. This actually doesn't surprise me as it is pretty evident that the sentiment resonates throughout the internet. Many people who visit Belize and only see Belize City, especially Cruise Ship passengers, end up with the impression that the old capital reflects the entire country. A justified assumption or not, it makes for an interesting discussion. Tell me a little about yourself, your blog and travel style. I'm in my mid-thirties and two and a half years ago I decided to leave my career, boyfriend, apartment and friends to take a one-way flight to Mexico. I then spent the next 14 months in Latin America, with a short side-trip to Belize. I am really interested in learning more about the Americas and in particular about the culture, especially the food.

INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY-2012
At 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. In an instant most of the city was in ruins; hundreds of thousands of precious lives were lost. After the bomb, people were mobilized among the ruins to demolish buildings and remove debris for fire-lanes. Many bodies were never found and returned to love ones. Today, September 21 is "Peace Day"; a day designated by the UN to advocate for peace around the world. And yet humanity remains threatened by tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. Estimates of deployed warheads from what I can gather are as follows: US-2150; Russia-2427; UK-225; France-300; China-240; India-100-240; Pakistan-90-110; Israel-80; North Korea-unknown. The missiles on this globe are enough to kill all of humanity many times; why do we need more? As of December 2010, North Korea's plutonium stockpile was estimated to be 24-42 kg which would be sufficient to build up to eight nuclear weapons. And let's not forget Iran. Today, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking during a military parade in Tehran, threatened the complete destruction of the State of Israel as the country unveiled a domestically manufactured air defense system as part of a military parade, various Iranian news agencies reported.

International Sources

S&P: Belize in default despite partial payment
The Standard & Poor's (S&P) ratings agency said late Friday that its selective default (SD) foreign currency rating on Belize and its 'D' rating on Belize's bond due in 2029 remain unchanged following the government's partial payment of US$11.7 million on Thursday. According to S&P: "Although the terms of the 2029 bond include a 30-day grace period for interest payments, our ratings speak to full and timely payment. They also address debt exchanges that we view as distressed. By either measure, the government remains in default, based on our criteria. Rescheduling negotiations between the government of Belize and holders of the $547 million bond due in 2029 are ongoing. Once the likely rescheduling terms become clearer, we will publish our expectations for a postdefault foreign currency rating. Of the rated sovereigns that have emerged from default during the past 15 years, postdefault ratings typically have ranged from 'CCC' to 'B'."

Belize gov't raises funds to pay 'super bond' holders
The Belize government says it has been successful in raising funds to meet a partial payment of its multi-million dollar foreign debt, referred to as the "super bond". The announcement came in time for the country's celebration of the 31st anniversary of its political independence. The Dean Barrow administration issued a statement on Friday indicating that it had been successful in raising the money required to make a partial payment of $11.7 million, which amounts to approximately 50 per cent of the interest payment due to bondholders. In an immediate response, a committee representing a group of bondholders said it would not go to court for an additional 60 days to allow for the conclusion of negotiations on debt restructuring.


Last edited by Marty; 11/17/12 09:48 AM.