AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: September 26, 2013

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

2014 Public and Bank Holidays
The Government of Belize Press Office has sent out a press release informing about the Public and Bank holidays for 2014. It is notified for general information that public and bank holidays specified in the First and the Second Schedules to the Holidays Act, Chapter 289 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2003, will be observed on the following days during the year 2014 in accordance with section 3 of the said Act:-

Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit disrespected by Coast Guard personnel

Lions Quest influencing better behavior in students on Caye Caulker
The Belize Lion Zone 59 handed out Lions Quest textbooks to the Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School students on Thursday September 19th. The donation is the organization's continued support to the Lion's Quest Program that has been adopted by the school since its inception in Belize. Generally, the programs are comprehensive, positive youth development and prevention curricula that unite the home, school and community to cultivate capable and healthy young people of strong character. On hand to deliver the textbooks was the Chairperson of Belize Lion Zone 59 Melanie Paz and the Lions Quest Director Robert "Bobby" Lopez. Speaking to the kids, Paz took the opportunity to share with the students, the Lion's commitment to the program as well as the importance of Lions Quest in molding good, productive citizens.

ACES and BFD collaborate to train police officers
Following Garcia's presentation Cherie Chenot- Rose of ACES gave an oversight of the decreasing crocodile population on Ambergris Caye, and just how the different aspects of human interaction have contributed to this decline. According to Rose, the population of American crocodiles on Ambergris Caye has declined from a record 5,000 in 2005 to a current estimated 1,000. Rose shared the activities imposing threats upon the declining population, the most major being poaching and feeding crocodiles. The American crocodile is a protected species but is illegally poached for meat , teeth, skulls, skin and for torture. Feeding crocodiles has also desensitized the species from its natural instinct to stay away from man. However crocodiles are very territorial and feeding them gives them grounds over a new territory in which they won't hesitate to attack and defend if they associate humans with food. Later that evening, the officers led by Officer in Command Luis Castellanos, accompanied by the BFD officers had a chance to get some hands-on experience in handling crocs with the ACES team. The crews of police and forest officers were escorted to the ACES crocodile holding facility in San Mateo. At the facility ACES croc wrangler and animal behaviorist Vince Rose along with the ACES team demonstrated essential techniques in handling these aggressive reptiles. The officers got a chance to practice those techniques and were later carried on an eye-shine expedition via boat on the lagoon to learn how to spot crocodiles in their natural environment.

Ambergris Today

Video Pick: Beach Bunny Swimwear Loves Belize
She is a Russian model known for her 2007 through 2013 appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and cover model for the 2011 issue. She is Irina Shayk who has has been featured in a batch of just-released, sizzling hot Beach Bunny Swimwear that were shot, where else, but in BELIZE! Check out sexy Sports Illustrated beauty Irina as she flaunts her perfect figure in a variety of bikinis while frolicking in the tropical waters of Belize, Sanctuary Island, Turneffe Atolls to be exact. Beach Bunny's favorite Russian beauty stuns again with the release of her very own collection, Irina Shayk for Beach Bunny.

Dorian's Angels 'In Love' with the New Frozen Treats in Town
Belizean 'Pops' - it's a Belizean frozen treat similar to a popsicle, 'ideal' or push pop. What makes the Pops such a great frozen treat is that it's usually made with condensed milk and is very sweet, packed with flavor. Well let me tell you more about the delicious POPS and how the Angels have gotten addicted to them. Zinnia Gomez has found the golden mixture of ingredients and producing some delicious POPS. Of course she has the regular fruit flavors that everybody loves, but because she is inventive and creative, Zinnia's POPS have become very popular. Besides the regular flavors like Chocolate, Strawberry, Coconut, Orange, Sugar Corn she is making Soursop, Rasberry, Mango, Peanut Butter, Oreo Cookie, Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri, Lemon Iced Tea, Tamarind, Jamaica and Horchata Frappe! So the Angels are inviting you to visit Zinnia at Mash Company Ltd. located on Pescador Drive because her Belizean POPS are a must have treat. Once you find your favorite flavor, trust us, you will be going back for more and even making special orders. Her POPS go for a reasonable $1 ($1.25 for the Rum POPS) but are available in pints for $6 and quarts for $12. You can call 226-2089 for orders or special flavor requests. We are sure Zinnia is capable of pleasing your cravings for Belizean POPS! - By Perlita Zapata

Misc Belizean Sources

Bathrooms, Books, Blackboards & Basic Supplies: Help us provide them to students in Punta Negra, Belize.
After years of work the Punta Negra Village Council has won the support of the Government of Belize to replace the old condemned school building in our village. Construction on the new building started in August 2013 and will be completed in October 2013. We are truly grateful for this investment in our children but it has been left to the community to supply everything beyond the shell of a one room wooden school house measuring 24 x 30 feet. The children here are used to doing without but we are hoping to augment the structure with basics like a bathroom, electricity (we are an off-grid community), a rainwater collection system, a basic library, blackboards, desks, school supplies, etc. The children of Punta Negra have a true love of life and remain as yet untainted by consumerism. We do not want to change this but hope to be able to equip them with the skills to contribute in the future. Your contribuition WILL make a huge difference in the lives of not only the current students but those to come in future generations. Thank you for reading about our campaign and please help us reach our goal.

Belizean Nationalist Philip Goldson-The Ardent Revolutionary To The Expanionist Guatemalan Claim
A documentary on one of the most celebrated Belizean nationalist, the late Philip Wilboforce Goldson, and the struggle he waged against the expansionist Guatemalan Claim since 1948. Goldson was also the architect of the National Independence Party (NIP), the opposition party that opposed the policies of the Peoples United Party (PUP) led by the popular Belizean leader and Prime Minister George Cadle Price. Minister Goldson, as he is referred to in Belizean political circles, was also one of the founding members of the PUP before leaving the party in the 1950's. To date, he remains the most ardent revolutionary to the insidious Guatemalan Claim that remains unsettled up to today. The body of political work in which he has laid down for future generations of Belizeans in resistance to the Guatemalan government aggression to Belizean sovereignty and territorial integrity has today become a revolutionary force that Belizean activist and nationalist continue to use to resist. In tribute to his great political brilliance and resistance for some 46 years, he remains the ardent Belizean nationalist for Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Today, Belizeans at home and abroad continue to resist the present Compromis signed between Belize and Guatemala on December 2008 that the Organization of American States has orchestrated to get both countries to settle the dispute at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The historical presentation in the documentary was aired in 1991 on the popular Dickie Bradley Show on the revolutionary KREM radio.

Belize Guatemalan Dispute
The podcast highlights the escalating crisis about the Belize Guatemalan Dispute and how a 2008 signed Compromis between the Belize and Guatemalan government in Washington sparked tension between the Belizean people and the Belizean government. The Belizean Foreign Minister, Wilfred Elrignton, who referred to Belize's border with Guatemala as artificial has been criticized by Belizeans at home and abroad for misrepresenting the Belizean people in negotiations with the Guatemalan government. As the crisis escalates, the diaspora based organization BREDAA aired a radio program on the issue, and its spokesman, Nuri Akbar Estrada articulated a resistance position against taking the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

A Tribute To The Late Belizean Mayan Activist Julian Cho
In 1996, Belizean Mayan activist Julian Cho visited Washington in the United States to draw attention to the plight of the Belizean Mayans and to stop 17 logging concessions that that the Belize government under the Esquivel Administration had granted to international logging companies, one in particular, the Malaysian logging giant Atlantic Industries, to log on Mayan ancestral lands. A law suit was filed against the Belizean government to stop the logging but Cho who died mysteriously afterwards did not live to see the fruits of his struggle as the Belizean Mayas won an unprecedented victory against government in the Belize supreme court a few years later. Today illegal logging continues to plague Belize's Ministry of Natural Resources and its forestry department under the Barrow administration. The documentary celebrates the struggle of this Belizean revolutionary.

Breaking Free! (Part II)
This past week I received very many emails and Facebook messages with readers' comments regarding my thoughts on Belize's September celebrations of Independence, and on its "Breaking Free". Since this topic resonated with many readers, especially Belizeans who shared their many thoughts on the subject with me, this week I offer more ideas along these lines. To break oneself free of a habit or custom, whether it's positive or negative, is by far much easier said than done. Adapting to change is never easy for anyone, especially when he/she is set in his/her ways. (To both my young adult sons, I humbly and publicly offer my "mea culpa".) Painful examples of peoples and countries throughout history that chose to break free of domineering rulers show that they went to great lengths, including fighting (civil) wars that incurred many deaths and great suffering, before being able to freely choose their very own path(s). Moreover, people throughout the world who were once enslaved also had to fight and suffer greatly for long periods of time, both physically and emotionally, before finally gaining their emancipation and freedom.

Delicious Sweets of Belize
Belize has some unique, yet very delicious sweets that you "must try" when visiting. These sticky, sweet, bite sized delicious sweets are locally handmade and perfected through generations of sweet makers. These delicious, heavenly sweets can be found on food carts, markets and street stalls throughout the country. Here are our favorites..

Starting A Business In Belize
Whether it's large or small, starting a business in Belize is a great idea. The type and size of your business all depends on your target market. If you're catering to local Belizeans, bear in mind that the country has a small population of around 330,000. However, the country is a major tourist destination, thus if that's your primary interest, your target market is much larger. Belize is close to the USA, which means it's easy to travel to, having direct flights from, New York, California, Georgia, Florida, and Texas. The main language in Belize is English/ Kriol however, most locals speak English and/or Spanish, two of the most common languages in the world. The country has links to both Central America and the Caribbean, which allows us to benefit from trade agreements within both regions.

Rompe Rajas at Cayo Welcome Center
Video from the Rompe Rajas Band playing last week at the Cayo Welcome Center for Music in the Park. They'll be playing at Benque's Art Fiesta, which starts at 2:00pm this Saturday. This will be the Rompe Rajas Band's first time playing at Centennial Park in Benque. In related news, the Arthur Guinness concert in Jamaica will be televised tomorrow at the Cayo Welcome Center.

Lonely Planet Features Make-Belize Films
Kurse a di Xtabai is mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide for Belize, with the heading, 'Creating Hollywood in Cayo.' They interviewed Matthiew Klinck, and asked, 'why Cayo?' The answer mentions the 'pristine jungle' and how they needed caves and a river, and that they were all found in Elijio Panti National Park. San Antonio and Actun Tunichil Muknal are mentioned too.

ISCR Independence Day Pictures
The Institute for Social and Cultural Research got some cool Independence Day Parade pictures.

Channel 5

PSU calls for passport investigation to include nationality certificate
There has been very loud silence from the Ministry of Immigration in the wake of the recent passport scandal. The only slight murmur came when a press release offered that [...]

Minister Hulse says there will be no attempt to whitewash crime under his watch
And while the PSU draws attention to the nationality process, Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse today asked for patience. He offered no new information, only proclaiming that there will be [...]

Coastguard Officer demoted for detaining PM Roosevelt Skerrit
The Coastguard this morning confirmed what has turned out to be quite an embarrassing incident on Independence Day. It involves Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, a guest of honor during this [...]

Social Investment Fund officially take over the Dangriga Market project
There is another scandal that has remained in the headlines since it first broke. We are referring to the million dollar Dangriga Municipal Market Project which was being rehabilitated through [...]

3 persons detained for the fatal stabbing of student, Darrel Wade
Orange Walk Police believe that they have solved the vicious murder of a high school student that happened in broad daylight on Tuesday. Eighteen year old Darrel Wade, originally from [...]

2 weeks after cop was slain criminal file is forwarded to D.P.P.
Detective Constable Dean Yearwood was shot and killed by a fellow officer in the early hours of September eighth while pursuing a pair of robbers who attacked him, as he [...]

Major flooding in the north; San Antonio Village cut off from Orange Walk Town
The waters of the Rio Hondo continue to rise, creating serious problems for communities along its banks. In the rural community of San Antonio, located just twenty minutes from Orange [...]

Meet the new SEALS of the Belize National Coast Guard
While the coastguard is under scrutiny for the shameful incident involving the detention of a boat carrying the Dominican Prime Minister, a team of eight operators attached to the Coastguard [...]

Dangriga resident says he was robbed of $6,000 after he was brutalized by the police
On the heels of one allegation of police brutality in Belmopan, there is another claim of excessive use of force by the police. This time around, a Dangriga resident says [...]

2 cruise ship passengers fined for possession of controlled drug
Two cruise ship passengers, who came into Belize City on Tuesday, got themselves in big trouble with the law when they were found in possession of marijuana. They are American [...]

Man charged for attempting to use forged Bowen & Bowen voucher
A Belize City man who attempted to swindle Bowen and Bowen Limited out of three hundred dollars and lied about his identity was arraigned today in the Belize City Magistrate's [...]

3 environmental N.G.O.s awarded grants from Belize Nature Conservation Foundation
The sixth grant award ceremony of the Belize Nature Conservation Foundation, formerly known as the PACT Foundation, was held today at the Coastal Zone Management Training Room on Princess Margaret [...]

The P.U.P. celebrate 63rd birthday of party with exhibition
This Sunday, September twenty-ninth will mark some sixty-three years since the establishment of the People's United Party. It's a big moment for members and supporters of the P.U.P. as they [...]

Chamber of Commerce calls on House members to exercise respect at house meetings
The House of Representatives meets this Friday in Belmopan. As we understand, a number of bills will come back for second and third readings and passage, including the Trusts (Amendment) [...]

LOVE FM

Second Round of Hearings for Public Accounts Committee
Today the Public Accounts Committee held its second round of public hearings for revision of the auditor general reports. Once again, Chairman of the committee, Julius Espat, along with opposition member, Rodwell Robinson was a no-show. So, John Saldivar was elected as pro-tem chairman once again and the revision of the annual report of the Auditor General for April 1st 2008 to March 31st 2009. That report was not handed in until September 23rd, 2009, six months after the period ended. The first witness in the form of former auditor general for that period, Edmund Zuniga, was called and the questions began. Committee member, Patrick Faber, pointed out what can be considered a flaw in the process; several of Zuniga's answers were simply that he could not recall and that key information was not passed unto him by the accountant general. EDMUND ZUNIGA "During the course of the audits there is regular communication with the Accountant General office via memoranda; in this case we would have sent memoranda to the Accountant General outlining those differences that we observe during the audit."

Immigration Minister Backs Out of Scheduled Meeting With Reporter; Many Questions Remain
A number of questions remain as to how South Korean national, Kim Won Hong ended up with a Belizean passport. Three employees from the Immigration Department have been recommended for suspension in connection with the incident. Love News made attempts to get answers from Minister Godwin Hulse however despite agreeing to an early afternoon interview, Minister Hulse proved to be unavailable to answer our questions. Love News obtained a copy of the nationality document signed by former Minister of State Elvin Penner dated April 22, 2013. On the document the address listed as permanent address for the South Korean is Piccini area Belmopan even though all indications are that he never entered Belize and given the rigorous process of obtaining nationality, could not have qualified.

Petty Officer to Seaman; Harsh Lesson for Officer
A member of the Belize Coast Guard has been demoted following an incident offshore Belize in which he reportedly disrespected and humiliated Dominica's Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, who was in Belize on the occasion of our Independence. The incident happened on Independence Day, when Skerrit, was taken to San Pedro for a stay at Victoria House. Dominica News Online is reporting that on Saturday afternoon Skerrit was taken by boat to see the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, escorted by a representative of the Tourism Board, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a police escort from Special Branch and Skerrit's own security. The article goes that the Coast Guard was supposed to have trailed the vessel, which is standard for VIP's - but the coast Guard vessel showed up late. When the Coast Guard vessel eventually showed up with four officers on board Skerrit and the delegation were heading back to Victoria House and were near their destination when the Coast Guard reportedly stopped the boat and detain it by tying it to their vessel. Local escorts informed the Coast Guard that the prime minister of Dominica was on board the boat, to which the officer in question, Petty Officer, Richard Ogaldez, gave no acknowledgement and only asked, "Who is the prime minister?" When Skerrit responded that he was, Ogaldez reportedly ignored him. It took the Minister of Tourism's Secretary who finally got Ogaldez to stand down and let Skerrit and his entourage through. Today Rear Admiral John Borland explained to reporters that the incident that unfolded was the result of a lack of communication and that the Coast Guard received the request to accompany the VIP vessel very late. He added that Ogaldez has already been penalized following a meeting.

House Meeting Comes Up; Chamber of Commerce Pleads For Better Conduct
A meeting of the House of Representatives has been called for this Friday, September 27. About a month ago there were some concerns being raised about the behavior of the members of the House by members of the community and various organizations as well. This time the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling on the Members of the House to conduct themselves with dignity. According to the BCCI this call is in light of the impending meeting. The release says that the BCCI has quote "noted with concern the continued and unchecked practice of members of the House of Representatives of displaying behavior during meetings of Parliament that is shameful, disrespectful and unbecoming of leaders of our thirty two year old democracy. The release further states that the members of the house are expected by the nation, to conduct themselves with decorum and maturity implicit in the title Honorable. The BCCI closes with calling on the speaker of the house to quote "maintain order in the House so that the real business of the day can indeed be carried out in exemplary fashion and to ensure that the lewd behavior displayed at the last House Meeting is never again repeated" end quote.

More News: Scroll up from here

Lands System Restored; Information Not Compromised
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture yesterday issued a press release in which it informed the public that due to damage to their servers caused by lightning storms over the weekend, the Land Information System at the Lands and Survey Department went offline deterring them from offering complete services to the public services. Today however, Commissioner of Lands Wilbert Vallejos says there's no reason to worry for the system has been restored. WILBERT VALLEJOS "We were unable to offer complete service to the general public. The service that got damaged has to do with the Land Folio, the new system that we have recently adapted and obviously because it is interconnected with Belmopan and the districts then we were able to offer the main services. What has happened since then is that we have managed to retrieve the information from the back up and so we are really glad that the backup we have in place is actually working and so now, we are able to provide the services. We have gotten the information from the back up and we have loaded it on a new server; we took advantage of the situation in terms of the old server because the server that got affected was an old server because the server that got affected was an old server that we had and now the information is back up on a new server. This new server is an improved version of what we had before and it's offering the system with rapid speed and the interconnectivity within and among our offices; it's even faster as we speak."

Ammunition In Lumber Yard in Western Belize
A resident of Unitedville in the Cayo District, twenty two year old Jhaymen Bladdymir Martinez has been charged for the offence of kept unlicensed ammunition without a gun license. According to reports, acting upon information received they executed a search warrant for firearm and ammunition at the residence of Martinez in Unitedville and it led them to the discovery of a transparent plastic bag under some old lumber in the yard. The bag contained ten Aquila brand nine millimeter live rounds of ammunition. Martinez was then formally arrested and charged for the offence.

Coast Guard Certifies First Set of Seals
Despite having to explain the behavior and actions of Petty Officer Richard Ogaldez to reporters regarding the visit of the Dominican Prime Minister, Rear Admiral John Borland is also feeling a sense of pride today because the law enforcement agency that he heads today graduated its first set of SEALS, trained by the US SouthCom in Florida. The new team started training a year ago to prepare for dangerous encounters on the high seas. Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Security, George Lovell, said its all a part of a commitment to enhance the service. George Lovell, CEO, Ministry of National Security "We are making every effort to maintain our operational effectiveness abreast of the ever changing environments and situations that confront us. The forming of the Seals is another effort to maintain our operational readiness and that is for us to deal with the change in the environment. The Coast Guard Seals was formed as a result of the increase hostile encounters with our armed groups or joint enforcement groups because we now operate in a joint environment and we note that they were not afraid; these hostile encounters or elements were not afraid to engage our patrols in fire fights. These groups were equally as armed and equipped as the patrols carry similar weapon systems, ammunition and tactical gears. The regular Coast Guard units were not prepared for this type of engagement and thus the requirement of the Special Navy Force or Seals as they are today known."

Trio Bounds and Robs Southern Resident
Sixty six year old Fabian Martinez, a resident of Punta Gorda reported to Police that he was robbed this morning. Martinez visited the station around 2:20 this morning with duct tape on his neck, both hands and legs. He reported to them on Tuesday sometime around 11:30pm, while at work at Johnson Distributors located at the corner of Main and North Streets in Punta Gorda, he was approached by three men, one who pointed a firearm which appeared to be a thirty eight revolver, at him. He said that they proceeded to duct tape him around his mouth, taped both his hands behind him and also taped his legs. They then carried him downstairs where they searched him and took his Samsung cell phone and placed him on the veranda where they left him and went to the back of the building. Martinez later heard a vehicle speed off and later managed to release himself. Two persons of interest have been detained pending the investigation.

Opposition Party Celebrates 63 Years
Last week the nation observed the second anniversary of the passing of the late George Price and today, the party that he helped to establish celebrated its 63rd year of existence. Secretary General of the People's United Party, Myrtle Palacio, said that even though their Leader Emeritus has now passed on, the level of interaction that students have shown about him is indicative that his memory will live right along with the party. MYRTLE PALACIO "You can hear the discussion about George Price; I think maybe it's done in the homes and also in the schools in Social Studies. Today, the kinds of questions that are being asked by the students, there are certainly a lot of interest and the legacy of George Price among these standard six students." MARION ALI "How has the party evolved since 1950 onwards?" MYRTLE PALACIO "From my own opinion, you can see that the party is still very much vibrant and strong; that the party is still very much one of serving the people, social justice; you will hear now because of social media and people are allowed to express themselves in whatever way they want to and these are sometimes members of the party who want to do so. The party has evolved into changing leaders and I think it has now moved to one of personality to a party where there is a leadership that is listened to and it's not a personality party."

CTV3

It appears that of recent, Belize just can't seem to get any positive press as it has been embarrass...
Another Scandal For Belize As PM Skerrit Is Stopped In His Tracks By Belize Coast Guard

Three Persons Detained Pending Investigations Into Murder Of High School Student
The family, friends, fellow classmates, and teachers of a vibrant and intelligent young man ar...

Corozal Resident Drowns During Fishing Trip
Tonight, a man lies in the Corozal Hospital morgue after he passed away during a fishing trip betwee...

DFC Celebrates 50th Birthday By Giving Back To The Community
Approximately fifty students will be benefitting from a generous donation made by the Development Fi...

PlusTV

Names of suspended Immigration Officers revealed
On Monday night, we told you that the Ministry of Immigration has suspended three Immigration Officers following the passport scandal involving South Korean national Kim Won-Hong - a scandal that led to the resignation of now former Minister of State Elvin Penner. Well now the identity of those persons...

SIF project financiers call for independent investigation into Dangriga market project
Last week the Social Investment Fund effectively took over the Dangriga Market Project after Kennard Smart, contractor with K&G Construction, left it up in the air following reports of lack of financing and inability to continue the project. The responsibility has fallen on Emy Gilharry Ramirez...

Rosewood still being extracted in the south
It's been a while since we've heard about Rosewood transactions in Belize, but on Monday evening, persons were busted in the south harvesting the dangerously close to extinct species. The bust took place in the deep river area of the Toledo District and was a...

17 year old alleges Police brutality
Every so often, we come across allegations of police brutality. On Tuesday, a mother told us she is seeking justice for her teenage son who she says was beat by Belmopan police. Journalist Emanuel Pech has the story. Emanuel Pech: The distressed mother of a 17 year old minor...

Police Commissioner's wife stops a crime in progress
On Tuesday morning, in the vicinity of the Pound Yard Bridge, the wife of Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie and his daughter were reportedly involved in stopping a crime in progress. Details are sketchy at this time, but PlusNews understands that the Commissioner's wife reportedly witnessed someone taking away...

National Bank of Belize is already attracting interest
Earlier this month the National Bank of Belize Limited located in Belmopan opened to much acclaim. First-time borrowers can access loans of as much as $100,000 with just 5.5% interest rate - a steal that has already caused the competing commercial banks to reduce their mortgage rates. The Hon....

HMS Lancaster on duty in Belizean waters
A former British colony and crown colony, Belize maintains strong ties to the United Kingdom particularly in military matters. Ladyville is still home to a downsized British Army Training Support Unit (BATSUB) and British fighting men have used Belize as their base for jungle training....

PM updates on Belize City Civic Centre, national economy, and oil
The Government of Belize, through the Belize Infrastructure Works Limited have resumed a complete overhaul of the Belize City Civic Centre. During his Independence Day address, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow updated the nation on the 30 million dollar project. Prime Minister Dean Barrow: "Those of you...

The Sixth Meeting of Caribbean Network Operators Group convenes in Belize City
The Sixth Meeting of Caribbean Network Operators Group (CARIBNOG) convened in Belize City on Monday morning. Over the next four days technology and security professionals from around the Caribbean will be discussing the latest advances in fighting attacks on computer networks and strategies for improving computer safety in business,...

Female special constable charged with aggravated assault
A female special constable was before the court Tuesday morning to answer to a charge of aggravated assault with a knife upon a minor, 31-year-old Natalie Hamilton, is accused of stabbing a 16 year old girl at the corner of Prince and George Street on Independence Day. In a...

High School Students in Belize City receive supplies
The nation's schools reopened a few weeks ago and while learning is taking place, some students have difficulty acquiring even the basic school supplies they need. Moses Sulph's Hands of Mercy charity foundation is seeking to close the gap and has received a donation from the New York Belizean-American...

Reports of Mayawalk incident were exaggerated says owner
On Monday we got word of a most unsettling incident that took place in the Teakettle Village on Sunday evening. Rumours had it that 10 tourists, under the care of Mayawalk Tours, got trapped in the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Caves as a result of...

Donation made for KHMH Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital continues to move toward the construction of a new pediatric intensive care unit. On Monday the office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children Kim Simplis Barrow which is spearheading the project announced that a further one million dollars is to be donated,...

Belmopan Active Youth accepts a generous donation
The Belmopan Active Youth Group accepted a generous donation. The donation - a sum of $100,000 was donated by the US Embassy for the establishment of a grant project for youth drug prevention for Belmopan and Surrounding Communities. The grant funds for youth drug prevention program will be utilized...

Formation of the Belize Medical Tourism Association well on its way
On Tuesday stakeholders from the medical and tourism sectors met in Belize City to hash out the final details of the formation of the Belize Medical Tourism Association. It is the culmination of the promotional efforts of BELTRAIDE, the Trade and Investment Service to firmly ground medical tourism as...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Miss Isela Wins "Raise Your Flag" Competition
The winner of the Raise Your Flag Competition is Mrs. Isela Marin. The Raise Your Flag competition is a competition held during the September celebrations. The public is asked to decorate their homes, vehicles, boats and businesses. The winner of the competition is the best decorated establishment or boat. It is selected by a panel authorized by the Village Council.

Garbage: The Most Mentioned Negative Aspect Of Caye Caulker and Belize By The Foreign Tourists
I am sorry I don't do Facebook but I have a friend who informs me if there is anything being discussed in Caye Caulker which would be relevant to anything I am working on or writing about. So I am very happy that CCVC's Foreman Wayne Miller beat me to my next planned article which was going to be about garbage. I started about garbage in my first article about the location of the only secondary school in Caye Caulker. There I wrote that I do not understand Central Governments refusal to listen to the island Elders proposal to move the present school Ocean Academy out of the swamp to a better Public Health spot next to the airport at the Social Security owned Resort.

Blogs

Dinner and a movie at El Divino
As always you never know who will show at an event, we ended up with a lively table of 11 people and enjoyed a nice dinner together last Wednesday night and some very funny and all over the map conversations. We talked about everything from Boa Constrictors reptiles and giant bugs to what brought people to Belize and how they made their move. When it came time to set up the movie AV girl Mary had brought her dvd player and we found out that the plug would not work. We thought it was European but later found out it is just a strange plug that goes directly into a matching tv. My quick plan b was call Tacoboy to see if he could bring ours down. He paused sports got up off the couch, delivered our dvd player within in 15 minutes and earned some brownie points The final movie decision thanks to Cindy and Andy's recommend was he movie Hysteria. A mischievously inspired romantic comedy set at the end of the 19th century, the film depicting the invention of the vibrator. We all gave it two thumbs up and lots of laughs, it was the perfect movie choice.

One Day Trip: San Pedro, Belize to Cancun & Then Isla Mujeres, Mexico and The New Belize/Mexico Border
I've been on this trip many times before�traveling by boat or plane to the bus up the Yucatan peninsula either for vacation or to take an interenational flight. And each time it strikes me how many amazing places are SO close to Belize. We are pretty lucky. Now I need to get from Corozal, Belize across the border to Chetumal, Mexico (less than 10 miles). And then take the ADO bus. There is a 10:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm (check the schedule for more times). I planned to take the bus from Corozal bus station to Chetumal. It costs ONLY $3BZD and I had plenty of time. But I ran into my buddy from Belize Transfers and decided to splurge and do it the very easy, comfy way. He practically delivers you on a velvet pillow to your destination - the Chetumal Bus station.

Retiring in Belize can start with a holiday that maybe never ends
Some years back we wrote about retiring in Belize. It seemed a no brainer. Here was an English speaking country at the doorstep of the US and Canada, meaning you, your kids and grand kids were a few hours away from visits, yet a million miles away from the hassles, hustle, and costs of spending your golden years in a warm, sunny friendly country. And, with the Government of Belize's generous retirement visas, it seemed like you couldn't afford not to retire to the Jewel. No reason to leave your favourite cars (some of us wouldn't think of abandoning our 1967 Mercedes SL, not for one moment) furniture, life sized garden gnomes and containers worth of other personal possessions behind. And with various retirement communities springing up like those proverbial mushroom after a rain, you can chose to live among neighbours or build your own remote hacienda in the endless acres this underpopulated little country has. We've met so many people who have become amateur birders, Maya archaeologists, Spanish speakers, canoers, sailors, woodworkers and all sorts of keen hobbyists since moving here that the list seems endless.

Belize Medical Tourism Forums
BELTRAIDE invites key stakeholders in the medical and tourism sectors to the 1st Belize Medical Tourism Forum which will be held at the ITVET on Thursday, September 26, 2013 from 8:30am - 1:00pm. At this forum, international speakers will share their experience about (1) Fiscal Incentives for Medical Tourism Projects, (2) Quality and International Accreditation, (3) Insurance and Medical Tourism: Challenge and Opportunities and (4) Tourism and Health: the Importance of Emergency Response. Your presence will be greatly appreciated. Come and be a part of this forum.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" in San Pedro, Ambergris Cate, Belize.
Up and out on the veranda with my mug of black coffee and the iPad (of course) yesterday morning before 04.30 hours and straight in to my In Box to see if there was any word from Excess International Movers (the company we used to ship the stuff we had in storage in the UK to Belize) as to the whereabouts of our consignment. There was! The ship that our stuff was loaded on to in Miami had arrived in Belize City on 11 September. Only three days later than we had initially been informed that it would arrive by. But a time lag of fourteen days before we were told of its arrival. Crazy! And infuriating. Shipping arrangements from Miami through to Belize City were via Eurocaribe Shipping Services Limited which is a company that I have now struck off the list of potential shipping agents for the stuff we are going to purchase and ship from Miami. We now wait to be told when our stuff will be inspected by Customs and barged over to Ambergris Caye. We know that it is very close now though. But, as far as I am concerned, I still haven't found what I'm looking for until I can get my hands on it!

International Sources

New Blockbuster IPCC Climate Report: Comprehensive, Authoritative, Conservative
Those words summarize the world's most rigorous and important scientific report in history: the 2013 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate assessment, due to be released at 4am EDT Friday in Stockholm, Sweden. The Nobel Prize-winning IPCC has put together an amazingly authoritative and comprehensive report on a subject crucial to the future of civilization, a report that will guide policymakers worldwide as they struggle to cope with the growing chaos generated by the Great Climate Disruption that is already upon us. The first 31 pages of the report, called the "Summary For Policymakers", is what will be released Friday, and this summary will lay out a powerful scientific case that significant climate change with severe impacts is already occurring, humans are mostly responsible, the pace of climate change is expected to accelerate, and we can make choices to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases to limit the damage.

Product Launch UK/US: Fair Spirits' Fair Rum
Fair Spirits has launched what it claims is the first fair-trade rum into the the US and UK. Fair Rum follows the company's fair-trade quinoa-based vodka, which was launched in France, the US and UK in 2010. At a launch event yesterday, Fair Spirits' UK head Matthieu Boulas told just-drinks the company hopes the premium rum can match the success of the vodka, which sells around 1,000 bottles a month. The five-year-old Fair Rum is made from sugarcane from northern Belize and aged and bottled in France. Fair Spirits says the rum is "fair-trade certified from top to bottom", which benefits farmers in Belize and is an important selling point for consumers. "According to research we have done, about 74% of people are ready to pay a bit more for fair-trade alcohol," Boulas said. "People are ready to give a bit more for charity."

Discover the Secrets of Beautiful Belize
Belize, a country of approximately 311,000 people, rests on the eastern coast of Central America. Northeast of Guatemala and south of Mexico, only 185 miles long and 75 miles wide, and formerly known as British Honduras, Belize gained its independence from Britain in 1981, making it the only English-speaking country in all of Central America. Offering a subtropical climate with brisk, prevailing trade winds from the Caribbean and an average temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Belize has two seasons: the dry season from December to May and the green or rainy season from June to November. The capital, Belmopan, is in the Cayo District, just one of seven districts in the country.

Channel 7

Nationality Certificate, Application Signed By Hon. Penner Revealed
Tonight there are still more questions coming out of the Immigration Department about the fraudulent issuance of a passport to a South Korean fugitive named Kim Won Hong. So far, Minister of State for immigration Elvin Penner has been forced to resign from Cabinet. And now three Immigration Officers who work in the passport section have been recommended for suspension. They are Data Entry Clerks, Omar Phillips and Erwin Robinson and the head of that section Mrs. Sharon Neal-Flowers. They remain on duty pending a hearing. But, as we've noted no one from the nationality section has been suspended. And that's very strange, because those with a knowledge of how the process works tell us that the file for Kim Won Hong had to originate in the Nationality section. That section also produced this, the nationality certificate obtained by 7news which establishes Kim Won Hong as a citizen of Belize. When a new Belizean applies for a passport, this document is handed over to the passport section which then makes out a passport according to the specifications on the certificate. The document with the seal was signed by Elvin Penner and is dated April 22, 2013 -for a passport issued on September 9th, 2013.

What Led To Teenager Killing In Orange Walk?
As we told you last night, a teenaged high school student was stabbed to death in Orange Walk Town yesterday. Biscayne Village resident Darrell Wade was on his way home from New Hope High School when a man stabbed him in the chest. Daniel Ortiz found out more from his family today in Orange Walk: Daniel Ortz Reporting Today, the New Hope High School mourned the loss of 18 year-old Darrell Wade Jr., one of their own who was taken from them in an attack executed yesterday just after classes. They held a memorial service in his honor, and their sorrows were in chorus with his family. Sarah Wade - Mother of Deceased "Right now, I am presently at Darrell's school where they are presently doing the ceremony, and Darrell is a loving person. Whoever knew Darrell, or had anything with Darrell, know the type of persons who Darrell was. Whenever you saw Darrell, he is always smiling."

Coast Guard Officer Demoted For Hon. Skerrit Sea Stop
Last night we told you about the humiliating experience that Dominican Prime Minster Roosevelt Skerrit was subjected to when he was detained by the Coast Guard on the waters near his San Pedro hotel on Saturday. Skerrit was the special guest for Independence Festivities and the Coast Guard was to escort him and his delegation out to the Shark Ray Alley and the Hol Chan Reserve. But the Coast Guard missed the time for the escort and instead intercepted Skerrit and his delegation on the way back. The Coast Guard officers tied the Skerritt boat to their own and boarded it. According to eyewitness accounts, one Ogaldez from the Coast Guard rudely questioned members of the delegation on Skerrit's boat and roughly asked who is the Prime Minister? When Skerrit said "I am", Ogladez just ignored him. It's a major embarrassment for the government and the coast guard and today Rear Admiral John Borland, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard told explained what disciplinary action was taken against his officer.

The Rio Hondo's Mighty Rise
Flooding in northern Belize continues tonight - particularly in northeastern Orange Walk. That is a chronically flood prone area on the banks of the Rio Hondo. Our team just returned form those flood affected villages a short time ago - and while they are working on that story, we have the full view from yesterday when we visited Douglas - which lies just outside the land mass known as the Albion Islands and San Roman Village. Here's what they found: Daniel Ortiz Reporting 4 villages in the Orange Walk District are experiencing serious flooding as a result of the rapid rise of the Rio Hondo. The NEMO Branches in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts have had to be activated.

The Other Way Of Peace-Making: 200+ Men Working On Lake I Blvd
Last night we told you all about the project to dismantle the City Center in Belize City. It will take months to complete, because it is not a demolition, and almost everything has to be re-used somewhere. But while the long delayed removal of this eyesore is news, the social dimension of the story was the real interesting part: contractor CISCO construction has designed the project to be manual labour intensive and they're hiring males form gang affiliated areas to do it. And while that is providing employment for a few dozen men from the Back-A-Town area, we were blown away to find over 200 men form all different areas working on the Lake I Boulevard! That's the Boulevard that will connect the Western Highway to a new Bridge that will span the river across to Chetumal Boulevard in the Belama Area. Phase one of the project is all about landfill: 12 thousand loads of clay will be spread across the area over five months. That's a lot of loads, and to provide employment; they're doing it all by hand! And many of the hands are those idle ones that used to be "you-know-who's workshop" - but now those hands are holding shovels and pick axes. We found out more:

Public Accounts Questions Integrity Of Government Reporting Processes
The Public Accounts Committee UDP-style met again today in Belmopan. We say UDP style because the opposition Chairman Julius Espat and member Rodwell Ferguson have refused to join their agenda. But right now the opposition is the "odd-man-out" because the Chamber, the Churches and labour representatives have been attending the meetings. Heck, the UDP even enlisted a chartered accountant to monitor the proceedings. Day one focused on the 2003 - 2004 audit of the Musa Administration's second term. Day two fast forwarded to year one of the Barrow administration, 2008 - 2009. That's a report the auditor general refused to sign off on because of missing data and numbers that did not reconcile. Today's exchanges with the former auditor General focussed on a system where reporting and record keeping was apparently a very low priority:

Belize's Coast Guard Navy Seals Ready For The World
In August we showed you the slightly bizarre training regime for Belize's first Coast Guard Navy Seals. They had to bathe in mud, crawl on all fours under a midday sun, and then jump into a pool of ice cold water to sing the national anthem. Well after months of training like this, the highly specialized unit graduated today, as the pride of a Coast Guard that is quickly finding its way as a key part of Belize's security apparatus:

Territorial Volunteers Ready For Other Missions
Activist Will Maheia's Belize Territorial Volunteers have made a certain kind of history this year with their bold border expeditions. While they remain committed to that, the group wants to extend its activities with more direct interventions. To that end, they today launched their new logo along with a fundraising drive. We attended the open yard press conference at the KREMANDALA compound: For a shirt you can call Will MAheia at 610-0978.

Taking Paranda Further Than It's Ever Gone: Garifuna Collective Off to Eastern, Western Europe
September is the month of patriotism, celebration, revelry and music, but somehow, in all this, Belize's premier cultural Ambassadors, the Garifuna Collective didn't play a single show anywhere in Belize all through September. While we're trying to wrap our heads around that one, the Collective isn't hanging up. Tomorrow they head out on an ambitious European Tour which will take them to six cities, including Prague and Warsaw Poland. It's the first time any Belizean band has played those faraway places and they told us why they're ready for what's next: The band plays London England, Warsaw Poland, Prague Czech Republic, Brussells Belgium, Utrech Netherlands and Bern Switzerland. They leave tomorrow...

Deeper Into The Floodlands
In our last segment, we showed you what the situation in Douglas and San Roman Villages in the Orange Walk District. These are 2 of 4 villages currently on alert because the Rio Hondo is flooded, and has spilled waters into these villages. Today, our News team went back to the Orange Walk District, where they discovered that it is quite a task to get into - and out of - San Antonio. Here's what they found: Daniel Ortiz Reporting The San Antonio Village, one of the Albion Islands, has been cut off from normal means of transportation for 23 days now. Isela Wade - Chairlady, San Antonio Village "We noticed that one September 3, we had some water crossing on both sides of the road. Eventually, it started to pass. After that, small vehicles like Toyota's it became difficult for them, cars, the drivers didn't want to take the risk of crossing. Since then, it's been rising every day."