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Specials and Events

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

Domestic abuse escalates to murder in Caye Caulker Village
Continuous physical abuse and domestic violence has resulted in the death of a woman in the village of Caye Caulker. The victim has been identified as Julia Moran originally of San Pedro Columbia in the Toledo District and a resident of Back Street in the Black Neighborhood. Police were informed that she may have been possibly hurt and was locked up inside her house, but when they arrived shortly around 11:30AM on Wednesday, June 12th they found her dead. Police are looking for her husband, Sergio Moran, Guatemalan national, for the murder. According to neighbors sometime after 1AM, they heard arguments upstairs of the wooden building. “The guy came in about 12:30AM and knocked on the door. She did not open the door so he kicked it open after which he locked it. About 45 minutes later my wife and I opened our door after we heard a commotion and the struggle upstairs in their house. I heard when the girl said ‘Sergio, please don’t do it.’ Then I heard him said in Spanish ‘shut the f$*@ up…I am going to kill you.’ After a few moments, I heard nothing else. This morning when we got up and the neighbors were talking about the incident and realized that no one had seen her, we said to ourselves that perhaps she may have been killed. She was not someone who stayed locked up late; she would get up very early and come out and talk to all of us,” said Benedict Lopez her neighbor who lived in one of the many structures in the same yard. Lopez said that the couple, who had a seven year old boy, lived a very contentious relationship. “They used to go through a lot of arguments and we don’t get into wife and husband fight.”

First ever All-star basketball competition
Andre Almendares from team Jaguars won both the three point competition and the points accumulation competition. However, the night was not over yet, as the best players from across San Pedro took to the court to play in an All-star basketball game. The two teams (East and West) were sure to deliver a great game. It was an extremely tight game, but in the end, team West rose to victory in a 54-53 point game. Most Valuable Player for the event was Ron, aka “Big Ron”, from team Tarpon. The night was a huge success displaying the talent of our various basketball players. Organizers would like to thank all those who came out to show their support. Great thanks go out to The San Pedro Town Council and Saija’s Construction for sponsoring the event.

Lobster Fest 2013- It’s hAPPening!
It’s almost that time again and with lobster season literally right around the corner our favorite crustacean is looking to make its way ashore! In preparation for its arrival the San Pedro Lobster Festival committee has been working hard getting everything in place for the big event. The 2013 Lobster Fest promises to be nothing but amazing-and most definitely worth while to say the least. In addition to the loyal participants that partake in the event, some new businesses have jumped on board, adding to the array. Due to the high demand for lobster, the Belize Fisheries department has set laws and regulations to safeguard the population of the spiny lobster for future generations. In Belize, the legal weight of a lobster tail for consumption must be over four ounces, or the carapace must exceed three inches. The carapace of a lobster is referred to the part of the crustacean where the head connects to the tail all the way to the center of the pair of small spines located between the two eyes. While lobster season will last till February 15, 2014 The San Pedro Sun reminds all fishermen to fish responsibly, and consumers to adhere to the laws in place to ensure delicious lobsters for many years to come!

Amigos del Mar Team captures third place in Mahahual fishing tournament
A fishing team from Amigos del Mar on Ambergris Caye captured third and fourth place in the annual Dorado de Plata Fishing tournament in Mahahual, Mexico. The annual two-day event tests the ability of some of the best fishermen in high seas fishing. Over 250 fishermen onboard 40 vessels set out on June 8th and 9thfor this year’s competition. Ambergris Caye’s very own, ‘Another Boat’ captained by Mike Hancock, along with Andre Paz, Shadany Bradley, Irvin Chacon, Mario Donis and Daniel Gregorio were sponsored by Amigos del Mar. The group of fishermen performed impressively in the tournament. Another Boat captured a total of nine Dorado; one of the largest, a 30.8 pounds fish, was captured on day one and placed them in second place. But on day two of the event, the Mexican teams were hungry for a win, especially since a Belizean fishing team had topped the previous Copa Governador earlier this year in Mahahual. Despite the competitiveness, Another Boat managed to stand its grounds and reeled in a bigger Dorado weighing 31.8 pounds. That was not enough since two Mexican teams captured a few larger Dorados thattopped Another Boat’s haul by a few ounces.

Ambergris Today

Belize Police Graduate From Squad Drill Course
On Friday, June 7, 2013, graduation ceremonies were held for close to 20 Police Officers who completed a two-week long Squad Drill Course conducted at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan. The course was for non-commissioned officers, corporals and sergeants, attached to the various formations and sub-formations around the Country. Its purpose was to have the participating officers re-sharpen their drill-skills; something which keynote speaker at the Ceremony, Acting Director of Training Senior Superintendent Chester Williams, reminded them is an integral part of their discipline as members of one of the Nation’s leading security forces.

San Pedro Tourist Guide Association Promotes Dive Safety in San Pedro
The San Pedro Tourist Guide Association (SPTGA) has undertaken great steps to ensure that diving is done in the safest way possible. Below they outline four major accomplishments completed in the month of May 2013. *A seminar on updating all dive professionals in diving was conducted. The PADI forum was conducted at the Sun Breeze conference room on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Over 75 dive instructors and dive masters from both San Pedro and Caye Caulker attended the event. The forum ensured that dive professionals got all updated materials and procedures when dealing with the safety of diving and training.

Belikin Beer Celebrates the Natural Beauty of Belize

Misc Belizean Sources

Ready or Not, Here We Are!
June is a month for Graduations, annual rites of passage and new beginnings for students in Belize and throughout the world. Young teenagers complete Primary/Elementary School (Standard 6) while older teenagers graduate from Secondary (High School), and adults graduate from Tertiary (Sixth Form or University). Most of the students who graduate from Primary (Standard 6) typically will head straight into a High School or Technical School, if their families can afford to pay for it, while students who leave or graduate from High School will enter the workforce, the military, or opt to continue studying, or choose a combination of employment and continuing education. Those students who graduate from a university with an Associate, Baccalaureate, or other degree are now ready to enter the workforce as career professionals. Nonetheless, each year brings more challenging and complex academic and career options. This month thousands of young Belizeans who are graduating, from Primary up through University level, face increasingly complex and pivotal crossroads and new phases in their lives. How ready, though, are they to make crucial decisions and take on the world? If they are ready, are there places for each of them in today’s world?

VIDEO: Belikin - NATURE
Belikin, the beer of Belize, celebrates the natural beauty that Belize has to offer. Belikin is proud to call Belize, this lovely place, full of nature and culture, its home. Directors: Funk Brothers Producer: Chelsea Stier Directors of Photography: Chayse Irvin, Dana Morris Camera Assistant: Matt Cabinum, Arturo Rojas Gaffer: David Miller Key Grip: Virgile Dean Jib Operator: Brian Gaetke

Placencia and Laughing Bird Caye in Belize Among the World's Top 100 Beaches
"Placencia has great beaches, but it's the adventures to be had that make this a top 100 beach destination. Jungle rivers, Mayan ruins and fantastic wildlife make this one a beach trip with various purposes," reads the description of Placencia beaches, from a recent publication by CNN Travel." We met up with Natalie Ranguy, the Guest Services Manager at Chabil Mar, to chat about this honor for the area. "Placencia is a small traditional fishing village of about 1300 full time residents, so we don't always get that much international recognition. What makes us so special is our location along the southern coast of Belize on a 16 mile long peninsula, at the end of which, lies our Village of the same name." "And to top if off, the list includes Laughing Bird Caye, a Belize National Park, just 11 miles off the coast of Placencia Village, where so many of our guests snorkel and scuba dive while visiting with us. It is a beautiful little piece of paradise and The CNN Travel list describes Laughing Bird so nicely - "Reaching barely a meter above sea level, this protected isle is less than a hectare in size, but offers one of the best day trips off the Belize coast. A huge amount of coral, bird and marine life call this place home, which is why so many visitors call it perfect", says Natalie.

New Horizons help Belizeans see more clearly
U.S. military medical personnel partnered with the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired and the Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga, Belize, to conduct an ophthalmology medical readiness training exercise May 31 through June 14. Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine dealing with the functions, structure and diseases of the eye. The 15-day medical exercise is part of a larger exercise called New Horizons. The team is conducting cataract surgeries, retina laser procedures, and pterygium removal. Pterygium is a growth of scar tissue that grows from the white part of the eye onto the cornea and is very common in Belize due to intense UV radiation from the sun. New Horizons partnered with the BCVI and the Southern Regional Hospital to coordinate the logistics and patients required for the MEDRETE.

SIPL Summer Kids Program
The San Ignacio Public LIbrary is doing a Summer Program for kids between the ages of 5 and 12. The dates are from July 1st through the 5th, and the activities will be held at the SIPL. The theme will be 'Endangered Species of Belize.' Contact them at 804-0459 or by email at [email protected] "Summer Program 2013. All parents are advised to sign their children as soon as possible since there are limited spaces available."

MTA: Mr. Lawrence Vernon
The National Heritage Library is having another Meet the Author day tomorrow, and this time they are bringing in Mr. Lawrence Vernon. "The National Heritage Library on Mountain View Blvd. in Belmopan is having its sixth segment of Meet the Author to be held on Thursday, June 13th, 2013 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Mr. Lawrence G. Vernon is the featured author, editor, researcher and librarian for this event. He has contributed dozens of articles, book reviews and chapters to Belizean publications throughout the years. His research has yielded several books, including, Cultural Groups of Belize, From the Pages of our History and A History of Political Parties in Belize: 1950-1981."

Belize Zoo Conservation Camp
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center will be having their 20th annual Conservation Camp from July 1st through the 5th. Students between the ages of 12 and 17 are welcome to apply for the Summer camp. It'll be a great time, and they'll also learn about wildlife and conservation while taking field trips. Contact them at 822-8000 or email them at [email protected] for more information. "The Zoo is once again hosting it's Summer Conservation Camp. Students ages 12-17 are invited to sign up! Call or email us for more details. **Note: Preference will be given to first time campers this year. Camp veterans will be put on a waiting list."

VIDEO: Bare Pantry Show in Belize Part 2
This vlog covers day 6 through 8th of our Belize adventure.

Channel 7

Barrow to Ashcroft Alliance over Offshore Registries: “Bring It On!”
Yesterday Government took over the operations of Immarbe and the IBC Registry. Now, these are what are known as offshore operations, so, outside of the Belizeans who work at the registries, the takeover has very little effect on everyday life in Belize. But, it’s a major move in the broader picture, because these registries generate millions of US dollars in revenue annually and they do so for a company that’s part of the Ashcroft Alliance, and another called Morgan and Morgan that’s a Panamanian law firm. So even though most of us might not see it, the stakes are high – and to verify that, you just need to look at the 60 million US dollars that the Ashcroft Alliance says it will claim as damages. But today when he held a press conference to explain the whole takeover, it looks like Prime Minister Dean Barrow wasn’t feeling the heat one bit. He told the media that it’s not nationalization, it’s a legal and necessary transition. Here’s how he explained it:… Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "This is not a nationalization, this is not in any way in the same category as BTL and BEL. This is the government of Belize determining that the contractuary agreement that these people had to run these two registries has come to an end. And that the secrete purported extension signed by Said Musa and Francis Fonseca is of no validity, therefore, the government has moved to assume control on a completely legal basis. The government's course of action is justified for any number of reasons but in particular in consequence of the fact that the European union by way of the commission decision has served us notice, that unless you get control of the registry and do something to regularize the operations of registry and in particular of the fishing fleet - you will have exports to EU band

Man Shot Multiple Times By Masked Men Escapes Serious Injury
But turning first to other news, a woman was murdered in Caye Caulker this afternoon – and the key suspect is her husband. Our team is just back from Caye Caulker and we’ll have that story a little later, but first….an update on the shooting we told you about last night. At 6:00 pm, 30 year old Arturo Varela was shot in a yard on Antelope Street Extension. Police say he had an argument with his common-law wife and as he was leaving his house, he saw two men pulling on ski – masks in the adjoining yard, which is where his mother-in-law lives. He ran back inside his house, but the masked men kicked open the front door and fired several shots at him. Fortunately, he was not seriously hurt and the KHMH reports that he has been treated and released. Police have detained four persons all of Antelope Street Extension. The fight he’d had with his wife is believed to be related to the shooting.

Two More Men Shot In City
Less than 2 hours after that shooting, more shots were fired on the city’s southside. This one happened on Pine Street at 7:40 where shots were fired at 39 year old Cecil Gill and 57 year old Rafael Francisco Aguet by a man standing at the corner of Hondo and Ebony Streets. Gill was shot to the nose and the left foot while Aguet was shot to the left shoulder. Both men are stable and under police guard at the KHMH.

Woman Killed In Caye Caulker; Suspect Husband Flees
Tonight, Sergio Morran is believed to be on the run with his 7 year old son – after his wife was murdered on Caye Caulker today. We say “on the run” because he is a suspect in the tragic homicide – which happened early this morning. Daniel Ortiz went out to Caye Caulker and he has this story. Daniel Ortiz reporting The upstairs house in the area of Caye Caulker, known as "Black Neighbourhood", seemed tranquil at its location overlooking the coast. That, coupled with the freshly laundered clothes swaying in the wind, would mislead a casual observer into thinking that it was just another Wednesday afternoon. But that was the furthest from the truth, as cordon tape, along with the mass gathering of police officers and onlookers signaled that terrible violence had been committed there. 27 year-old Julia Morran was killed inside that house - her home - early this morning.

PM Expects Minimal Fallout From Guate Civilian Shot In Chiquibul
As you saw at the top of the news, today, the Prime Minister held a press conference to talk about the take-over of the offshore registries – but he also took time to address topics of public interest. First, is the case of the Guatemalan civilian shot by Belize security personnel in the Chiquibul one week ago. His name is Edgar Alexander Alveno and he was shot in the Caballo Camp area of Chiquibul. The Prime Minister today told the media that Alveno fired first: Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "After Mr. Alveno had fired on the BDF patrol, they returned fire and Mr. Alveno was shot. Members of the Patrol disarmed him, searched and found two cell phones, one 22 rifle and 11 rounds of ammunition. He received 4 shots - the BDF medics who are obviously outstanding attended to him, tried to bind up his wounds, it took a while given where they were to walk and carry him to a point where the ambulance was waiting to take him to a hospital - this process lasted about 12 hours. The medics did such a good job that he was taken to the hospital, surgery was done on him and he is now in a critical but stable condition." A joint verification team including the Guatemalans and the OAS has confirmed that the shooting occurred within Belize. The PM says he expects minimal fallout if Alveno survives.

PM Agrees: Police Taking Too Long To Press Noh Mul Charges
The Prime Minister also addressed the situation at Noh Mul. It’s been almost five weeks since the story made the news – and still, no charges have been brought against De-Mar’s stone Company which has admitted to bulldozing the ancient Mayan temple. Today, the Prime Minister told the media why it’s been taking too long:.. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "They need to record a statement from the camera man/men that did the video recording and the drivers of the equipment have still not been properly identified. The video recording is available but the DPP doesn't think that's sufficient for prosecuting purposes. The DPP is obviously being extremely careful, she wants to be sure that when she gives the directive to lay the charges - the case will be water tight. Yes I am concerned that the office in charge of the investigation whom I shall not name, from the start did not get some of the material that the DPP is now sending him back to get. This report was brought to my house last night by Cornell Lovell after I had spoken to him during the day making claim that I wanted to be able to report to the public and that I would not be at all pleased if I couldn't report that this thing has happened or is about to happen imminently. I signaled that in my view it's taking too long."

PM Will Bend But Not Bow On Gender Policy
And last week Friday, the Prime Minister met with the Belmopan Churches to discuss the Gender Policy. It’s created a great deal of furor among some Christian sects because of the interpretation that it seems to be mainstreaming homosexuality. But the Prime Minister says he’s willing to bend but not bow: he will not rescind the policy:… Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "I reiterated my position - I will not withdraw the Gender Policy but as I have said repeatedly to the extent that there is terminology used, to the extent that there are wordings, language formulations that are being misunderstood that are subject to misinterpretation - the government is perfectly willing to sit with the churches and rework the language in order to put matters beyond any doubt. Already there were three such formulations that we agreed could be reworked. We made some progress on Friday against the backdrop of my insistence and I believe the acceptance of the part of the churches that there will be no withdrawal of the policy."

PM Discouraged About Once “Encouraging” Oil Show
And, finally, the PM spoke about what was once called “an encouraging oil show in northern Belize”. Well those hopeful words went out over two months ago – and it’s not so encouraging anymore. The PM explained:.. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "That's not going as well as we would have hoped. They are having great difficulty getting the oil to flow in a way that would confirm or help them to confirm of the volume is there - that's in respect to the well that has already been dug. They are now drilling a second well and they are going to do a directional drilling, instead of straight vertical well - this will be a kind of horizontal well, almost and they are hoping that that would help to solve the problem."

How The Registries Deal Got Done And Why GOB Says It Was Illegal
All those comments were made in a press conference that lasted for one hour and forty-five minutes – followed by another 20 minutes of one on one interviews. Indeed, the Prime Minister laid it all out today – especially in the case of the Ship and IBC registries. He showed up at the press conference with a thick file – and delved deep into the creation and continuation of the Registries. We looked at some of the paperwork dating back to 1993 – and the so-called secret extension agreement. Jules Vasquez reporting This agreement was signed on 11th June 1993, mere days before the June 30th general elections this is the master agreement signed by the then PUP government. It was a 10 year agreement with Belize International Services Limited which managed IMMMARBE and the IBC Registry with an option to renew for another ten years. When that ten years was about to expire in 2003 Government’s legal counsel Gian Ghandi wrote to BISL saying that due to a fundamental change of circumstances and they could no longer exercise the option to renew for another ten years. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "That letter, I'm told by Mr. Ghandi was written after he had advised Ralph Fonseca and Said Musa of the legal position that he took. The Prime Minister turned right around and told BISL 'you can ignore Ghandi's letter and simply continue to operate the agreement and we in effect will treat your exercise of the option to renew as valid.' "

Gambis Gets Off
Keon “Gambis” Williams is free of charges tonight after he was acquitted today before Justice Adolph Lucas. Over 3 years ago, it was alleged that he had molested a 14 year-old primary school student. According to police, the boy reported that in November of 2009, he was at the BTL Park when he was approached by Williams, who allegedly sodomized him. The boy continued that on a second occasion, Williams held him against his will at an abandoned building near the Foreshore area, but a bystander rescued him before Williams could assault him. As a result, Williams was charged with committing an unnatural crime, and aggravated assault. He was forced to await trial, which came up finally, and when the boy, who is now 17, took the stand, he recanted his written statement to police. He said that nothing like this happened, and that he told his mother this much. When he was asked about his statement, he suggested that he didn't freely give it. He went even further and told the court that he wanted to drop the charges. Because there was no evidence against Williams, Justice Lucas directed the jury of 9 to acquit him, setting him free.

Meighan Family Alleges Continuing Police Abuse
The Meighan family of Banak Street in Belize City made headlines on March 6th, when the entire household was shipped off to the Hattieville prison – after the GSU claimed to have found two rounds of live 9mm ammunition in their home. Because no one wanted to take ownership of the bullets, the entire family was imprisoned. Shelly Meighan, her daughter Shanice Meighan and her 17 year old son received bailed 3 weeks later – while her older son Ellis Meighan served out his 3 months on remand. He was released from the Hattievielle prison on bail pending his following court date. But less than 24 hours later, the GSU was back at the Meighan’s resident looking for him. The family says that they are being constantly targeted by the GSU – and today, the women of the house Shelly Meighan made an angry plea to cease the harassment. She asked to appear off camera. Voice of Shelly Meighan "The officer asked me where Ellis was and I asked him why, he said he needed to see Ellis and I went off.

Santi Says He’s Retiring From Competitive Racing
Last week we told you that Minister of State Santino Castillo had been seriously injure din a cycling accident on the Western Highway. And that’s why we were surprised to see him today in the front row at the Prime Minister’s Press Conference. He told us he’s recovering faster than expected, but after decades of competitive cycling, he won’t be going faster on the road:… Hon. Santino Castillo - Will Retire From Competitive Riding "Jules I have a collapsed lung that is presently back at 80%, that's the most serious part - I can't travel at high altitude none at all for two months. I have a rib, #6 that punctured it, I broke two of my fingers - one which had to be retendonized and of course the colar bone. Truth be told due to my healthy condition, I don't drink or smoke, I'm actually out sooner than doctors expected and I expect it to continue." Jules Vasquez "Will you ride again?" Hon. Santino Castillo "Jules I will ride again, but I have to re-evaluate if it's just for excercise - this happening racing and of course when you race, chances of this type of injury greatly increases. We were sprinting at 36 miles an hour and all hell broke loose when I touched the rider's wheel in front of me trying to pass him for the victory so I might have to just do it for my health. At 57 I can't take another 'lick' like this." Castillo was also feeling well enough to address the issue of the challenge from Mayor Darrell Bradley who’s indicated that he wants to challenge him for the UDP seat in the Caribbean Shores division. Castillo says that’s a long ways off.

Rotary Renovates Children’s Home
The Dorothy Menzies Childcare Center has been in operation since 1975. It has provided a temporary safe and caring environment for children of all ages, races and backgrounds to seek refuge during difficult periods in their lives. But to sustain one of Belize’s biggest orphanages, it takes a lot of resources – and that is why the Rotary Club of Belize has been engaged with the institution over the last 3 years to conduct a renovation project. Maria Coye- President, Rotary Club of Belize "Well as you know Rotary is a Humanitarian Organization - we do raise funds. So this time we are in the third phase of the refurbishing of the home . The first phase was moving the kitchen out of the building into the downstairs of where the activity center is - the second phase we dealt with separating the boys from the girls and we built bathrooms and we refurbished the bedrooms that they now sleep in. Now we're in the third phase that we're renovating the top floors for the girls, putting in bathrooms and making the space more pleasing to them so that the girls have their own space."

Channel 5

Prime Minister explains nationalization of registries
Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a press conference his morning. He touched on a number of subjects, but the hot button issue was the recent take-over of two private companies. [...]

Was management of registries part of a secret agreement?
P.M. Barrow says that the agreement signed between B.I.S.L. and former Prime Minister, Said Musa, and the then Attorney General, Francis Fonseca, was done in secret. That documentation sets out [...]

Leader of the Opposition and Former P.M. says no secret agreement
As we’ve told you, the agreement in the spotlight was signed by Said Musa and Francis Fonseca in 2005, and extended B.I.S.L.’s contract to 2020. The legality of that document [...]

Takeover of registries will cause multimillion dollar litigation
Government assumed control of the registries on Tuesday morning; and there will be much discussion and yes, expensive litigation ahead. B.I.S.L. is confident that it holds a valid agreement and [...]

PM concerned about Denny Grijalva/Noh Mul case
It’s apparent that this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the registries are concerned. But while it is the big issue right, there is another of [...]

PM says Health Minister has no apology to make about neonatal deaths
The death of thirteen newborns at the K.H.M.H. in the month of May and the deadly bacteria outbreak in the neonatal intensive care unit is another big issue which is [...]

Woman is hacked to death and her husband is on the lam
A mother of one was murdered in her house in Caye Caulker; her mutilated body was found around noon hidden under clothes on her bed. Her family says Julia Moran [...]

Did sympathizers of his wife shoot him?
And in Belize City, there were two shooting incidents on Tuesday evening in South Side Belize City which left three persons suffering from gunshot injuries. The first occurred around five-thirty [...]

2 persons shot on Southside Belize City
But as police were processing the scene on Pitters Street, shots rang out in close proximity of the well known Pratts Fried Chicken. Two cousins, Cecil Gill and Rafael Francisco [...]

Teen says sodomy incident didn’t happen
The case against Keon ‘Gambis’ Williams, accused of sodomizing a fourteen year old student, ended today with an acquittal of the charges that were initially levied on him in 2009.  [...]

Safa wants to come home free from suspicions of Hezbollah
The alleged terrorist suspect who took the identity of a Mennonite Wilhelm Dyck that died shortly after childbirth has been released from prison. In August 2012, a Belizean passport, driver’s [...]

P.M. says injured Guatemalan was shot in Belize
A Guatemalan national was shot by the Belize Defense Force last Tuesday in the Chiquibul and remains hospital under guard at the Western Regional Hospital. Prime Minister Barrow explained today [...]

Wife of Guatemalan national asks Human Rights Attorney for help
The report from the government on the shooting of Sacasa says that the soldiers on patrol found a make shift thatch roof shed within Belizean territory. And while securing the [...]

Recovered from injuries, Santi Castillo ready to ride again
Among those who attended the Prime Minister’s press conference this morning, was the Minister of State, Santino Castillo. Castillo was involved in a cycling accident on the George Price Highway [...]

Santi will ride to victory on streets of challenger/mayor
Eager to get back on his feet, Santi is facing a challenge, not from a competing cycling team, but from a member of his own party. Belize City’s Mayor, Darrell [...]

Highlights of Belize/Guatemala football game
A telethon will be held this Saturday to assist the Belize National Team to raise funds and we will be showing that event live from the Princess Pool side. The [...]

Dorothy Menzies Childcare Center gets upgraded
The Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center in Belize’s mission is to ‘provide a temporary safe and caring environment where children can seek refuge during a difficult period in their lives.’ [...]

Well known Caribbean musician, Glen Washington in Belize
Legendary Reggae artist Glen Washington is back in the Jewel after thirteen years.  The soulful crooner is here to perform for one night only during a pre-Father’s Day concert at [...]

More News: Scroll up from here

LOVE FM

Prime Minister Explains the Taking Over of International Registries
On Monday the Government of Belize issued release announcing that it would take control of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize, IMMARBE, and the International Business Companies Registry, IBC. The takeover came into effect yesterday. Both companies were being semi-managed by the ...

PM Updates On Investigation Into Neonatal Deaths
At this morning’s press conference Prime Minister Dean Barrow updated on the investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of at least 13 neonates at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Prime Minister Barrow said the results of the PAHO investigation are in the draft stage but...

PM Says No Withdrawing of The Gender Policy
The revised gender policy has been the topic of the discussion and controversy since its release a few weeks ago. The churches have made known their strong opposition to certain sections within the policy. While the Prime Minister has said repeatedly the policy will not be withdrawn, ...

Verification Team Confirms Guatemalan National To Be On Belize Territory In Last Week's Shooting
Guatemalan national Edgar Alexander Alveno remains hospitalized recuperating from gunshot wounds inflicted last week. Alveno was in Chiquibul Area on Belize’s side of the border when he was shot by Belizean security forces. Earlier this week Guatemalan newspaper Prensa Libre rep...

DPP Has Urged For Additional Info In The Noh Mul Case
Last week the Director of Archeology Doctor Jaime Awe told Love News he expected that charges for the destruction of Noh Mul would be laid early this week. During his press conference, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said key evidence is missing from the investigations- evidence which is expected to b...

Head of Business Bureau Says He Is Optimistic on Possibility of Trade Agreement
Last week we reported on the Mexican Trade Mission that visited to market their products in Belize. Fourteen businesspeople, mainly from Merida were here to access markets in the local arena. But while the Mexicans came to broaden their marketing horizons, Belize currently does not ha...

Belize's Embassy in Washington Raises 60K For Inspiration Centre
The Embassy of Belize in Washington has donated sixty thousand US dollars towards the Inspiration Center. The money raised by the embassy was handed over in the form of a cheque to Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow by Ambassador Nestor Mendez yesterday. According to a...

Burglary In The West; Armed Robbery In The South
An armed robbery took place yesterday afternoon at BWEL on three and a half miles on the Stann Creek Valley road. A forty seven year old plant supervisor reported that around 3:00 pm he was in his office when two dark complexioned men, one armed with a shotgun and one with a machete, entere...

Police Investigate Separate Shootings In Old Capital
Two men are injured following separate shooting incidents in Belize City. The first occurred shortly before 6:00 pm.. The victim, thirty year old Arturo Varela, a Manager of Antelope Street Extension, reported that around 5:30 pm yesterday, he had an argument with his common law wife....

Domestic Dispute Leads To Woman's Death In Caye Caulker Village
A woman was reportedly murdered by her husband in Caye Caulker. Love News understands that the murder occurred sometime last night or early this morning. It is reported that Sergio Moran, a Guatemalan National inflicted deadly chop wounds to his wife Julia Moran, who is originally fro...

Local Children's Home Gets Boost From US Military and Rotary
There was a lot to sing about today at the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Centre as the 60 children residents now have more amenities at their facility. The residents are housed there for a number of reasons: they’ve been abandoned, neglected or abused in their home settings and their fam...

Hurricane Hattie Exhibit Opens In Orange Walk
A new exhibit was opened today in Orange Walk Town. Reporter Dalila Ical reports: DALILA ICAL “A new exhibit “Hurricane Hattie” was opened this morning at the Orange Walk Banquitas House of Culture. The opening was attended by students. Coordinator at the Banquitas...

Orange Walk Woman Remanded On Ammunition Charge
A twenty two year old woman from Orange Walk has been remanded to prison for keeping ammunition. On Saturday June 8th, members of the GSU conducted a search on a house on Asuncion Street where they found four 4-10 caliber ammunition. Present at the time of the incident was twenty two year old Sop...

LOVE TV

Final Document on Neonatal Investigation To Be Released Shortly
At this morning’s press conference Prime Minister Dean Barrow updated on the investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of at least 13 neonates at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Prime Minister Barrow said the results of the PAHO investigation are in the draft stage but as far as he can say, one person has already resigned and another high level official is expected to follow suit. Rt. HON. DEAN BARROW “I have been informed by the chairperson that the draft final report of the PAHO people is now extant, has been done, that has been submitted to the board and PAHO and the board are going over it, with a view to the finalization. It is a draft final document and they are trying to reach to the point where we can eliminate the word, ‘draft’ and there will be a final document that should not take more than another day or two and then the KHMH board will come to the media and as I understand it, will share that document with the media and the public. I said to the board, any investigation that takes place; they asked me of the possibility of liability, of people suing, I said I don’t care what the liability would be, you are to cover up nothing; if you find negligence, you are to identify negligence and let the people sue and be compensated we can’t be playing the fool with a tragedy of those sort of dimensions. I understand that ahead of this draft that the final report of PAHO has prepared, one person has already resigned, to be confirmed and I understand that a second person even higher than that person is about to resign. I don’t yet know what the draft final report is saying; I gather from the chairlady that it does not put the KHMH in a good light; whether it goes to the extent of saying person A and person B is negligent, I don’t know, but please, if that is so then the consequences must follow and who is negligent must face disciplinary action and if there is negligence, compensation must be given to the family.” The results of the PAHO investigations are expected to be released shortly.

National Gender Policy Will Not Be Withdrawn
The revised gender policy has been the topic of the discussion and controversy since its release a few weeks ago. The churches have made known their strong opposition to certain sections within the policy. While the Prime Minister has said repeatedly the policy will not be withdrawn, once again today he said he is open to discussions that could lead to changes with the language used in the policy. RT. HON. DEAN BARROW “I have met with a number of church leaders; the last such meeting being on Friday, I was accompanied in the meeting by Ministers Godwin Hulse, John Saldivar and Lisel Alamilla and I reiterated my position that I will not withdraw the gender policy but as I have said repeatedly, to the extent that there is terminology used, to the extent that there are wordings, there are language formulation that are being misunderstood, that are subject to misinterpretation; the government is perfectly willing to sit with the churches and rework the language in order to put matters beyond any doubt. Already there were three such formulations that we agreed could be reworked. That group was the representative of the Belmopan pastors; there is clearly a far larger body that they tell me, will send formal submissions to government by way of a brief being prepared by lawyers; we will look at that. I thought we could work things out without the presence of lawyers; you know, whenever lawyers get into anything then that’s trouble and if they call for their lawyers, I will have to call for my lawyers.”

Injured Guatemalan National Was On Belizean Territory; Verification Team Confirms
Guatemalan national Edgar Alexander Alveno remains hospitalized recuperating from gunshot wounds inflicted last week. Alveno was in Chiquibul Area on Belize’s side of the border when he was shot by Belizean security forces. Earlier this week Guatemalan newspaper Prensa Libre reported that the shooting occurred on their side of the border. Prime Minister Dean Barrow said a verification team has confirmed that the incident did indeed occur on Belizean soil. RT. HON. DEAN BARROW “This shooting incident, as you know that occurred on June 3, 2013 between the hours of 2 and 3pm a Guatemalan national, Edgar Alexander Alvano was shot by Belizean security forces during an operation in the Caballo camp area of the Chiquibul National Park, he was encountered two kilometers east of the Belize/Guatemala border. So, he was well within Belize’s national territory. After Mr. Alvano had fired on the BDF patrol, they returned fired and Mr. Alveno was shot. Members of the patrol disarmed him, searched and found two cellphones, (1) .22 riffle and 11 live rounds of ammunition. The BDF medics, he received four wounds, the BDF medics who obviously are outstanding attended to him, they tried to bind up his wounds; it took a while, given where they were to walk and carry him to a point where the ambulance were waiting to take him to a hospital. How long did that extraction process last, Colonel? – About 12 hours but the medics did such a great job he was taken to a hospital and surgery was done on him and he is now in a critical but stable condition; apparently recovering with each passing day. A joint verification team including officials from Guatemala, the OAS and the Government of Belize visited the area and confirmed that the incident occurred well within Belize. The Foreign Minister or rather the CEO who accompanied the Foreign Minister to the OAS meeting in Guatemala had a discussion with I believe, the Deputy Foreign Minister in Guatemala. As I recollect, the Foreign Minister did not even raise the incident with our Foreign Minister, so presumably the fallout from this incident is going to be minimal especially if the man makes a full recovery.”

Charges To Be Levied Shortly for Destruction of Noh Mul
Last week the Director of Archeology Doctor Jaime Awe told Love News he expected that charges for the destruction of Noh Mul would be laid early this week. During his press conference, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said key evidence is missing from the investigations- evidence which is expected to be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions by Friday. RT. HON. DEAN BARROW “The file was given to the Director of Public Prosecution who was directed that additional police work be done to complete investigations into the matter. Police hope to do the additional work by Friday and there are two critical issues. They need to record a statement from the cameraman or cameramen/camera persons that did the video recording and the drivers of the equipment have still not been positively identified; there are the video recordings available but the DPP doesn’t’ think that’s sufficient for prosecution purposes. The DPP is being extremely careful; she wants to be sure that when she gives the directive to lay the charges, the case will be water tight. Yes, I am concerned that the officer in charge of the investigation whom I shall not name did not from the start, get some of the material or all of the material that the DPP is now sending him back to get. This report was brought to my house last night by Colonel Lovell after I had spoken to him during the day making it plain that I wanted to be able to report to the public and I would not be at all pleased if I couldn’t report that this thing has happened or is about to happen imminently; I signaled that, in my view, it’s taking too long; no getting away from that.” The man at the center of the controversy is the owner of De’Mar’s Stone Company, Denny Grijalva.

Business Bureau Supports Trade Agreement with Mexico
Last week we reported on the Mexican Trade Mission that visited to market their products in Belize. Fourteen businesspeople, mainly from Merida were here to access markets in the local arena. But while the Mexicans came to broaden their marketing horizons, Belize currently does not have a full agreement to trade local merchandise with our neighbors. But President of the Belize Business Bureau, Arturo Lizarraga, says if we go by recent comments from our Prime Minister, Dean Barrow that should soon change. ARTURO LIZARRAGA “One of the encouraging things that we recently heard on the radio is our Prime Minister saying, the debacle on the fact that we did not attend the Guatemalan investment forum and we are playing catch up and one of the most important things I think the PM said is that he is now interested in a full blown agreement albeit with protection for Belize. I think that should have been done quite a while ago with Central America because if we do that then we establish Belize as the portal, as he was commenting but I think the other item on the agenda and the last meeting they had had at the Biltmore, we had brought it up with the gentleman, Gomez who is from the Caribbean of establishing Belize City as a headquarter or as a depositary of all trade matters for Central America and the Caribbean. I believe that Mexico is the biggest player, Mexico is our biggest market even though we have tourism coming from Canada and the United States, Mexico will replace that market as a larger market but we have to seek it out and I think this small visit, it might appear small but this is one of the many other processes where they look for market access and there are looking at Belize and Belize is very small as a market but if we can position ourselves for Mexico and Central America as the gateway to the Caribbean then I think we will have more investment and people who will be looking to use Belize as a distribution platform. We only have a small partial scope with Guatemala; so I think what I just previously said about Belize pursuing for a full blown agreement with the protection of Belize being a smaller country should apply to Mexico as well.

Another Big Score For The Inspiration Centre In Belize
The Embassy of Belize in Washington has donated sixty thousand US dollars towards the Inspiration Center. The money raised by the embassy was handed over in the form of a cheque to Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow by Ambassador Nestor Mendez yesterday. According to a press release from the office of the Special Envoy, the donation is the proceeds of several fundraising events hosted in Washington between October 2011 and May 2013 which brought in over forty thousand US dollars. The release says Barrow is extremely grateful to Ambassador Mendez and his team for supporting the important cause of providing a safe inclusive environment for children with disabilities to access much needed services. This donation comes at the heels of a nationwide telethon which met and surpassed its mark of five hundred thousand dollars for the building of the Inspiration Center. The Special Envoy for Women and Children and partner CARE-Belize are committed to meet the goal of completing the Inspiration Center by September and have it operational by the end of this year.

Armed Burglary at Gas Depot; GOB Department Reports Stolen Items
An armed robbery took place yesterday afternoon at BWEL on three and a half miles on the Stann Creek Valley road. A forty seven year old plant supervisor reported that around 3:00 pm he was in his office when two dark complexioned men, one armed with a shotgun and one with a machete, entered the establishment. One of the men ordered him not to move. The man with the firearm reportedly hit him behind his head causing a large cut wound. The men then searched the table and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the day’s sales. They also took his wallet which contained personal documents, then made good their escape. Police have detained one man from the Wagierale Area of Dangriga in connection with the incident and are seeking another. Over five thousand dollars in items was stolen from the Ministry of Agriculture Department in Central Farm. An extension officer reported that between the hours of 4:30 pm on the 10th of June and 7:15 am yesterday, persons burglarized the Horticulture Office located on the George Price Highway in Central Farm. Stolen were a number of electronic items and seeds valued at five thousand four hundred and seventy five dollars and the property of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Two Separate Shooting Incidents Reported In Belize City
Two men are injured following separate shooting incidents in Belize City. The first occurred shortly before 6:00 pm.. The victim, thirty year old Arturo Varela, a Manager of Antelope Street Extension, reported that around 5:30 pm yesterday, he had an argument with his common law wife. When he was leaving his house he observed two men putting on ski-masks on their faces in his mother-in-law’s yard which is adjacent to his. He immediately ran inside the house when he saw the men, but they managed to kick open the front door and fired several shots at him causing him multiple wounds. Varela was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he is listed in a stable condition. Police have detained four persons of Antelope Street Extension pending the outcome of the investigations. The other shooting incident took place shortly before 8:00 pm and caused injuries to two men. They are thirty nine year old laborer of Pine Street, Cecil Gill and fifty seven year old Rafael Francisco Aquet, also a laborer of Pine Street. Reports are that both men were walking on Pine Street heading home from the direction of Ebony Street, around 7:40 pm when a man standing at the corner of Hondo Street and Ebony Street fired several shots at them. Gill received gunshot wounds to the nose and left foot and Aquet received a wound to the left shoulder. Both men were admitted to ward in a stable condition and police continue to investigate.

Woman’s Throat Slit During Domestic Spat
A woman was reportedly murdered by her husband in Caye Caulker. Love News understands that the murder occurred sometime last night or early this morning. It is reported that Sergio Moran, a Guatemalan National inflicted deadly chop wounds to his wife Julia Moran, who is originally from Punta Gorda. Police were reportedly alerted by Julia’s brother in-law who lives close to her house, that he had heard a dispute last night and had not seen Julia since. When police visited the house, they found Julia’s body with chop wounds to the back of the head, the face and multiple other chops, one of which we understand severed several fingers. It is reported that Sergio Moran boarded the first boat out of the island along with the couple’s son who is said to be about seven or eight years of age. But it wasn’t only Julia’s body that the police found in the house. Love News understands that Sergio left a note explaining why he killed his wife, almost three months after they had separated. According to reports Sergio states in the note that he did it because his wife was unfaithful. He reportedly also indicated that he will return to his country of birth. We understand police have set up checkpoints trying to locate Moran.

US Military and Rotary Constructs Family and Counselling Centres for Local Children’s Home
There was a lot to sing about today at the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Centre as the 60 children residents now have more amenities at their facility. The residents are housed there for a number of reasons: they’ve been abandoned, neglected or abused in their home settings and their family units are no longer deemed safe for them. The place they now call home was the venue for a ceremony marking the upgrade. The highlight of them all was the construction of a new Family Care and Counselling Centre, built by the US Military and worth some $200,000 US. Deputy Military Liaison Officer, Demetrius Taylor was the overseer. Marion Ali, Reporting Chief Demetrius Taylor, Deputy Military Liaison Officer, US Army “Upstairs is four rooms where they have the conference centre and the conference area; they have rooms for the counsellors to work with individuals on one on one. We shouldn’t have any issues for the next 15 – 20 years with the building.” And along with the building comes the facility’s new resident Counsellor, Patricia Brown. Patricia Brown, Licensed Family Counsellor “All of them come with histories; some of them are pretty horrible for kids to deal with but now they are learning that life can have different choices, they have control to make better choices for their future and that’s what we are here to guide them in doing.”

House of Culture Hosts Exhibit on Hurricane Hattie
A new exhibit was opened today in Orange Walk Town. Reporter Dalila Ical reports: DALILA ICAL “A new exhibit “Hurricane Hattie” was opened this morning at the Orange Walk Banquitas House of Culture. The opening was attended by students. Coordinator at the Banquitas House of Culture, Yvette Torres tells us more. YVETTE TORRES “It is very important for us to know what a disaster such as hurricanes can do to our buildings, to our structures, to our country itself and to the people; for people to be aware of the seriousness when they hear about hurricane. On this exhibit, in particular, you will see the looting, the disaster of the buildings, the infrastructure loss that happened during that time of that hurricane and the assistance that was rendered to Belize that time. We think it is very important since the hurricane season has opened from June to November and for us to be aware of the precautions that one should have when they hear about hurricane.” DALILA ICAL The exhibition is a travelling exhibit that has been to the Museum of Belize and in Corozal. The exhibit will be at the Banquitas House of Culture until the end of August.

Ammunition Charge Levied Against Young Woman From Northern Belize
A twenty two year old woman from Orange Walk has been remanded to prison for keeping ammunition. On Saturday June 8th, members of the GSU conducted a search on a house on Asuncion Street where they found four 4-10 caliber ammunition. Present at the time of the incident was twenty two year old Sophia Luna. She was consequently arrested and charged for kept ammunition without a gun license. She appeared in the Orange Walk Magistrate Court yesterday. The case was adjourned and Sphia Luna was remanded to prison until July 10th.

PlusTV

Murder in Caye Caulker
Tonight, there is tragic news coming out of Caye Caulker. A woman was murdered and her husband and six year old son are presently missing. Details are still sketchy at this time; however, one neighbor who spoke to the local media “San Pedro Sun,” says that around 12:30 am...

Prime Minister announces takeover of registries
Earlier this week, the Government announced that it had re-taken the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) and International Business Companies Registry upon the expiration of an extended contract with Belize International Services Limited (BISL), a joint partnership between Panamanian law firm Morgan and Morgan and BCB (formerly...

Two resignations announced at KHMH after neonatal deaths
According to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, perhaps as soon as the end of this week, the final report of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)-led inquiry into the deaths of 13 babies at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital will be released. Here is the status report. Prime Minister Dean...

Police investigate two separate shootings
Police are investigation two separate shooting incidents occurring within three hours of each other in Belize City on Tuesday night. In the first, taking place just after 5pm, 30 year old Arturo Varela, of Antelope Street Extension was shot at several times, allegedly by two masked men. The men...

Three local organizations targeted by thives
Three local organizations were targeted by bandits. In the first incident, a laptop, the property of the Special Envoy, was reportedly stolen from out of the Conference Room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in Belize City. The computer went missing sometime between 6th and 3st of last...

Belmopan School Receives 5 Laptop Computers
What makes the world tick? Technology perhaps? Industrial Science and electronic components have for years been occupying a solid presence in the many sectors, and the ability to keep up with this ever-changing technological world is crucial to the education sector. In view of this, the Government of Chile...

Top PSE student from Bernice Yorke Institute of Learning
It has become an annual tradition to profile the top scorer in the Primary School Examination (PSE), who earns the accolade by producing the highest overall score in the examination among four subjects, English, Math, Social Studies and Science set in two testing days a few weeks apart. This...

Judgement reserved in OCEANA application
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin has reserved judgment in an application by the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment to stay an injunction given against him by Justice Oswell Legall in April as part of a judgment declaring several production sharing agreements with companies exploring for petroleum unlawful, null...

Hip-hop 101 Summer Camp aims to be positive experience for youth
Another school year is coming to a close and that means summer is almost here; for children, summer is all about vacation and fun. However there are numerous camps which different organizations host yearly to have kids engages in diligent summer activities. Plus news spoke with James Gentle, owner...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Possible Murder on Caye Caulker – Update
There are reports about a murder of a local woman that transpired between the evening of Tuesday, June 11th and morning of June 12th. Police suspects foul play and is looking for the husband and missing son of about 9 years old, believed to have fled to Guatemala. More details to follow as it becomes available.

Chairman candidate question & answer forum held
A question and answer forum for candidates aspiring to become the next Village Council chairman for Caye Caulker was held at the Community Center last night. It was organized by the San Pedro Sun. The questions were relevant and many. To get the best glimpse into the minds of the candidates, we think it best to refer you to a facebook page which has video clips of candidates’ responses to the questions they were asked. You can find the Caye Caulker Elections facebook page HERE. Five candidates (to date) are running for the position. They are Mr. Wayne Miller, Mr. Marcial Alamina, Miss Mineli Young, Mr. Phillip Guizar and Mr. Eduardo Arceo.

Blogs

Chaa Creek Applauds Belize Government Reef Decision
The Belize Natural History Centre at Chaa Creek has applauded a recent government decision to deny approval for a large cruise ship project in an environmentally sensitive area of Southern Belize, according to the Centre’s assistant manager Brion Young. Mr Young said that the decision sends a clear message that Belize is serious about protecting its natural environment. “When the proposal to build a large cruise ship facility at Crawl Caye in Southern Belize was announced, alarm bells were set off all across the Belize,” Mr Young said. “It’s not just environmentalists who were concerned, but stakeholders in Belize’s tourism industry as well. We have a great reputation as a clean, environmentally conscious travel destination, and that’s something we want to maintain,” he said. Belize’s main travel industry body, the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), has come out strongly against the proposal. According to a BTIA news release of May 30, 2013, “By opening the Southern portion of the country to large scale cruise ship visitation, the proposal fundamentally contradicts the country’s tourism master plan and irrevocably positions Belize as a mass tourism destination. This 180 degree shift from Belize’s identity as an authentic eco cultural destination is inexplicable in view of the uninterrupted success of Belize’s dynamic overnight tourism sector.”

Taking it Slow in Caye Caulker
If you’re looking for a place to relax and take it slow, consider Caye Caulker to be your next destination choice! The island motto is “Go Slow,” and you will stand out like a sore thumb if you don’t choose to spend your stay this way. The food is fresh and full of flavor. The people welcome you with big smiles and friendly hellos. It’s not difficult to understand why some visitors plan to stay a week and end up staying a lifetime. Getting around the island and finding accommodation is a piece of cake. There are many places of all price ranges to stay on the island. Hostel dorm rooms cost around $12 CAD while a hotel deluxe suite can set you back $200 CAD per night. Wherever you choose to stay or how much you decide to spend, your view will most likely be the same. Since the island is only made up of three streets—Back, Middle, and Front—it is best to explore the island by foot or bike. You can also choose to rent a golf cart for the day or take golf cart taxis around the island as you please.

RFP NOTICE- CONSULTANT: STRATEGIC PLANNER
Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), in collaboration with the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), invites proposals from qualified contractors to provide consultancy services for the execution of a Strategic and Sustainability Plan (2014-2018) for CAIPA. Contractors are invited to submit a detailed technical proposal that demonstrates their capacity to undertake the assignment and a financial proposal. The proposed consultancy is being undertaken in the context of the 10th European Development Fund Regional Private Sector Development Programme. Suitable applicants must submit a proposal (including a technical and a financial sub- section) that seeks to achieve the stated objectives.

Standard for Public Comments: Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality
The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) wishes to notify the relevant stakeholders and the general public that the standard “Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality” is being developed by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ). The Final Draft CARICOM Standard “Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality” is out for public comments and inputs into its technical contents. Stakeholders are asked to note, on approval of the standard by COTED, the BBS will adopt the same as a national standard. The deadline for submission of comments to the Bureau of Standards is July 31st, 2013. The standard is also available on request from the BBS office and website at http://www.bbs.gov.bz . Comments can also be mailed to the BBS Office or email at [email protected] or [email protected]

“I Can See Clearly Now” in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Anxious to see if any of our windows had been fitted and unable to control our curiosity Rose and I set off today to visit our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize a lot earlier than is our normal practice (that is aside from the major concrete pouring days which obviously have now finished) and got there around 10.30 am. As we drove in to the lot we could see activity on the southern side of the Second Floor – windows were being installed! No time for us to take our usual bottom to top approach. It was up to the First Floor and then up the scaffolding to the Second Floor where we found Nicholas securing the middle of the three windows that will provide daylight for he stairway between the First and Second Floors. With the three windows installed Nicholas and Angel moved on to start fitting the window above where the toilet in my bathroom will be. Porfelio though was inspecting the work already carried out to ensure that it was correct.

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Apple/Cranberry Crisp on t'Barbecue
Thishere is a greet deessert to prepare on t'barbecue. T' wunderful aroma waftyun' frum t'barbecue will make y'all hurry wit t'mane corse jes so y'all a'ken have deessert. It’s a purrfeck deessert to take along campyun'. T' dry ingredyints fer t'oppyun' a'ken be mixet at trayler an' put n' a zippet plastick poke. And t'res a'ken easilee be preparet at t'campsite.

International Sources

Wild Belize, a different scene than Durham
I wrote this while sitting in my room one evening last week in Indian Church, Belize, while I was covering an archeological dig. While I was expecting to see a lot of wild animals on this trip, I wasn't prepared for all the dogs in this small village of just 250 people. Trixie belongs to the owners of the place I'm staying this week. She jumps a lot and has long nails so I have giant scratches along my arms, but it's alright. She has a gentle soul; she was just excited. Then there's the adorable little puppy. I wish I could bring him home for a better life, one where he's not hanging around the local restaurant waiting for scraps. I sneak him food and he laps it up the second it hits the ground.

'PARKER LEWIS' STAR SUES Filmmakers Over Leg-Shattering Boat Crash
Corin Nemec -- star of the '90s sitcom "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" -- is suing the filmmakers he claims are responsible for the boating accident that mangled his leg, insisting it's THEIR fault he suffered permanent injuries ... and now he's out for payback. As we previously reported, the accident occurred in January in Belize -- Nemec was riding on board a boat to the set of B-horror movie "Rise of the Dinosaurs" ... when the vessel slammed violently into a submerged barge. Nemec told us the crash sent him flying into the side of the boat -- and as a result, he broke his femur in 3 places, lost TONS of blood, and needed emergency surgery (including blood transfusions) to keep him alive.