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Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
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The San Pedro Sun

World Cup “inspiring” for Belizean football players and fanatics
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour created quite a buzz in the country as Belizeans travelled from all over the country to get to spend a few seconds with the World Cup that arrived from El Salvador. The most coveted sports trophy was in Belize on Thursday November 7th, as a final leg of the tour of the Western Hemisphere before leaving to Egypt tomorrow. Hundreds of Belizeans took tours to take pictures, admire and come in close proximity with the FIFA World Cup Trophy. In an interview with the San Pedro Sun, FIFA Representative of the World Cup Tour Pikka Odriozola, said that idea of the tour came in 2002 with the idea to bring the FIFA World Cup closer to as much fans worldwide as possible. “Football is the most globally played sport and we wanted to share the passion and the spirit of the World Cup directly with the fans. They don’t get to travel all around where there is World Cup but we are bringing the experience to their home country. The World Cup is returning to Brazil. The last time it went to Brazil was in 1950 and the last time in South America was in 1978 in Argentina and so we wanted to include all of Latin America and also the entire Americas and the Caribbean. We are stopping in all the countries in the Concacaf region which is the football confederation to which Belize is a part of. It doesn’t matter if a country is a world champion of if a country qualifies for the World Cup – the main idea is to share this experience to all the fans,” said Odriozola, a Spanish national working with FIFA for over 10 years.

The play “Our World – 1 in 4” captivates SPHS audience
“There is no greater agony, than to bear an untold story inside me… he took my virginity… he was my hero… I was raped by my grandfather…” Those were some of the words that captivated the student audience at the San Pedro High School (SPHS) as the play “Our World – 1 in 4” written by retired US college professor and playwright Larry Heimgartner was presented. Trained actresses Sarah Mackenzie of Scotland and Katie Emma Hughes of England, along with four students of SPHS managed to bring across the stories of sexual abuse and rape to the attentive audience of students from the beginning to the end of the play. Heimgartner taught theater and film at the Los Angeles Harbor College, California USA for 40 years, and after retiring now dedicates his time to taking plays to different parts of the world. Since 1970, Heimgartner has written several plays on topics that continue to negatively impact the global society and for over 12 years he has brought some of those plays to San Pedro Town.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro High School Male Volleyball Team are National Champs
If you heard the drumming and screaming cheers this afternoon from the San Pedro High School students as they paraded through the streets of Downtown San Pedro and wondered what all the excitement was all about, then you might also want to give the school a congratulatory cheer. The school is boasting that its male volleyball team came home victorious from the National Volleyball Championship Tournament over the weekend. Both male and female volleyball teams from San Pedro High School headed to Belize City where the tournament took place at the St. John’s Junior College Gymnasium. The male team came in first place after battling it out with St. John’s Junior College in the final match, while the female team placed fourth in the tournament.

Golf Cart Crashes into Barber Shop
Reports indicate that the driver was thrown off the golf cart and was seen holding his head and stomach as he got up; the passenger was seen fleeing the scene of the accident. Police arrived shortly at the scene to conduct their investigations; luckily there were no serious injuries reported.

Waterlogged Ambergris Caye Residents Find Ways to Get Around
This week’s Picture of the Week comes courtesy of Mata Grande Grocery located in 4.5 miles in North Ambergris Caye, Belize. Their Facebook page post says that the kayak anchored in front of the store is their newest delivery transportation “Cody and Collin used it to deliver 3 five-gallon water containers down the road a few hundred yards. They had a blast! Now that is customer service...right?” – says Mata Grande Grocery’s post on Facebook.

25 years ago: The Marvelous Barrier Reef of Belize
“Hey Dad, let’s go fishing? “No my son because when you come out of school at 3:30 p.m. it is already a bit late.” “But Dad, it is May and our summer vacations have commenced.” With this said, my dad became excited and was delighted to take me and my brother out to the reef. There were two or three ways to go fishing at the reef. This day we took our small ten-foot dory, El Bonito, and paddled out towards the reef only about a mile away. It was very calm, so my dad decided to go outside the reef. He did not look for the channel which was about three fourths of a mile south. We went right over the reef by threading our way between the corals that were deep enough. Once on the other side of the reef which we called the “outside” or “afuera” in Spanish, we went about 200 feet out and dropped anchor. Soon with our hand lines and using sardine as bait we were pulling in large grouper, snappers, tuna and once in a while a small nurse shark. Fishing was great and by midday we had our catch of some two dozen large fish that would suffice for an entire week’s meals. Then I would beg dad to take me out trawling by hand line.

Belize Marine Conservation Organization ReefCI, Receives Global Recognition
Belize marine conservation organization ReefCI, receives Global recognition at the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards - Highly commended for Best for Responsible Wildlife Experiences goes to Marine conservation organization ReefCI at the 2013 10th annual World responsible tourism awards. The winners and highly commended were announced at the World Travel Market (WTM) exhibition in the UK to an audience of tourism ministers, destination managers, industry professionals and media. The WTM exhibition, held at Excel, London on 4-7 November 2013 is the leading global event for the travel industry. The awards panel of judges pre-announced: ‘We are focusing on organizations that are both committed to wildlife protection and to providing their guest with memorable experiences tourists will talk about and share with friends and family when back home. We are looking for organizations that have found the right balance between protecting wildlife and providing great experiences to holidaymakers. Their ideas and practices should be an inspiration to companies trying to achieve the same.’

Misc Belizean Sources

Fishing Report Week of November 2 - 9, 2013
It was old home week here at El Pescador. Kyle has been here several times and this time he brought his dad Patrick! Steve and Scott returned to fish with Captain Gilberto and I’m hoping for big things from their arsenal of spin gear. Thank you Tom for bringing you son Tom again, and thank you to Ed’s group: Paul and Randy, Ned and Mary, Loren and Shelly – we love seeing you here again! Walt and Ann were back for their third time here, and this time Walt slammed. We are all thrilled for him. It was Paul’s birthday and also Joan’s birthday. Our youngest “guide in training,” Gordy, celebrated his 18th birthday! Good sportsman awards to all of our anglers this week. Husband and wife team, Bill and Eddie share their passion for fly fishing. This time Bill got his tarpon, but Eddie you are due! The weather was a little tough, but they went out there and made it happen. And it was a pleasure to meet up with John and Diane who were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. They still look like kids. That’s what love will do! Matt and Sara are also celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary. Sara is loving the “no schedule” and Matt is ready to fish and catch! I don’t think John and Geoff ever stopped laughing as they spent the week fishing with Captain Sinoe. They also had a blast exploring the lagoon. I think they ripped it up back there… And I really enjoyed the absolutely pure passion for fly fishing that poured out of Conner. We had fun tying up some flies and he made some great creations. And thank you Rob for tying some beautiful tarpon flies at the vice. Big huge thank you to Mr. Ed, my partner in this job, for working with the guide team and our guests. I had a wonderful break and it’s great to be back with our El Pescador family.

FEIN TAU WEIYEMA (Garifuna Pumpkin Bread)
¼ cup oil, plus more for pan 2 cups flour, plus more for pan 1½ cups sugar ¼ cup milk 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. salt 2 (15-oz.) cans pumpkin purée, or 2 lb. puréed, roasted pumpkins or acorn squash Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan; set aside. Stir together oil, sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin in a bowl; add flour, and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan, and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cut into squares or wedges to serve

Educate Our Youth Fundraiser
The Rotary Club of San Ignacio has posted some pictures from their Educate Our Youth fundraiser. Even though it was a little wet, a great time was had by all. "Thanks to all guests, donors and everybody who supported our club to make this event unforgetable. A special thank you to the students of the F&B class of the Sacred Heart Collage and CET."

Inclusive Linkage Closing Ceremony
Beltraide had a great closing ceremony of their Inclusive Linkage Project at the Cayo Welcome Center this morning. The Benque Marimba Academy was there, and they played some Christmas music. "BELTRAIDE, in collaboration with Center for the Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises in Central America and Dominican Republic (CENPROMYPE) under the execution of the Ministry of Economic Development in Guatemala (MINEO) had their closing ceremony of the Inclusive Linkage Project today at the Welcome Center in San Ignacio."

BWRC Visits Wildtracks
The Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic visited Wildtracks to help them with a troop relocation and do some surgery on an injured monkey. Thanks, BWRC! "Yesterday we went out to assist with the relocation of an entire troop of Howler monkeys, which despite our small army of Wildtracks and BWRC volunteers under guidance of FD officers, prooved to require further logistical arrangements for successful completion. Simultaneously we were asked to tend to a fresh laceration injury in one of Wildtracks young rehab candidates "Sy". Thanks to my friend Chad Burrow we can share with you a brief foto documentary of our field set up, many helping hands and the quick procedure. Be warned that there are a couple of slightly graphic images, but nothing like orthopedic surgery ;)"

Belize Accounting Records (Maintenance) Act 2013
Belize has recently passed the Accounting Records (Maintenance) Act in a bid to improve the country's legal and regulatory framework. In accordance with the Act, every entity shall keep its accounting records at any of the following locations: At its registered office in Belize. At the office of its Registered Agent in Belize. At such other place within or outside Belize as may be determined by its directors or other competent persons. If the accounting records of an entity are kept outside Belize then such entity shall provide its Registered Agent in Belize with a written record of the physical address of the place(s) where the accounting records are kept and notify the Registered Agent of any change thereto within 14 days.

Channel 7

Possible Precursor Chemicals Caught In Cayo, Right Under The Nose Of Police
If you follow the news closely you'll remember words like pseudo-ephedrine, phenyl-acetic acid and even methyl-amine. These are all chemicals known as precursors for the production of meta-amphetamines or crystal meth, a highly addictive drug that's wreaking havoc in the United States. Many times in the past these precursors have been shipped from China into the Port of Belize and end up in the hands of customs. But tonight, Cayo police are reporting a discovery of what appears to be chemical precursors brought in not by sea, but by land, most likely through an illegal crossing with Guatemala near the western village of Bullett Tree. We had a look at the illicit cargo today in Cayo:.. Monica Bodden reporting The 40 foot container had only 10 barrels and san Ignacio police found it along with this pickup parked on the Bullett Tree Road at 12:30 this morning - both vehicles bearing Corozal license plates. Incredibly, both vehicles were parked just a short ways from the village police station. There is credible suspicion that the police were paid to keep an eye on what is at best illicit contraband, and at worse chemical precursors bound for the United States.

Man Killed In Vicious Bar Brawl
A brawl in front of a Bar in Belize City has left 1 man dead and his family grieving his loss. 28 year-old Guatemalan Edgar Salazar Velasquez was out socializing with his friends at La Catracha Bar on Coney Drive, and after a few drinks, he left early Sunday morning. While outside, a fight broke out between his friends and another group of men. He tried to run, but he was chased down and badly beaten; the fatal injury came from a stab wound inflicted, reportedly, with a broken bottle. He was rushed to the KHMH, but 15 minutes later, while undergoing treatment, he passed away. Today, 7News caught up with his wife who was at the morgue waiting for the post mortem, and she spoke to us off-camera about his death, which she calls senseless: Voice of Rosalina Aguilar, Wife of deceased "I don't have a clue why they did that. They say that he and his friends were in the club and they just entered and did that for no reason, just out of idleness. He was very hard working person who made sure to take care of his son and me. he didn't give trouble, he wasn't a thief - nothing like that, he was easy going."

Man Dies After Being Struck In Head Last Week
And in an update to the story of the critically injured security guard we told about last week, Desmond Villa died yesterday evening at around 5:30. As we told you, Villa was standing in front of City Hall on North Front Street on Last week Tuesday, when he saw a man he knew as "Pizza" approaching him. The man picked up a piece of wood and clubbed him in the back of his head, leaving a huge gash, and knocking him unconscious. He was taken to the KHMH, where he went into a coma and died. As we told you, police arrested and charged 38 year-old Kevin Jex and he was arraigned on Friday for attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm. It is expected that at the earliest convenience, police will upgrade his charges to murder since Villa passed away.

“Teef and Kerr’ Back”?
He forged Housing Minister Michael Finnegan's name on a government housing grant - and now a government clerk is wanted by police. CEO in the Ministry of Housing Lawrence Sylvester has confirmed that an office assistant who was performing clerical duties forged the Honourable Finnegan's signature on applications for home improvement grants. He did it twice, on October twenty - third for one-thousand dollars, and on the 24th for 6,700 dollars. Sylvester says the ministry discovered the forgery and fraud through routine internal checks. But by then, the money had already been transferred into his account. With that, Housing was able to recover $4,460 from the bank and Sylvester says they are pursuing every administrative, criminal and civil procedure to recover the balance. The ministry has also recommended to the public services commission disciplinary action with a view to immediate dismissal. They have also reported the matter to Belmopan police. The young man, whose name has not been released has been working at the ministry since 2009.

PUP Supports Position of Social Partners On PAC
On Friday we told you about the social partners, the Chamber and the Labour groups lukewarm reaction to the UDP's re-loaded Public Accounts Committee Proposal. We haven't yet gotten a reaction from John Saldivar who framed the proposal, because he was out of the country. But the PUP - which has mostly stayed out of the UDP-lead discussion thus far - says it quote, "welcomes the latest proposal being offered by the BCCI and the NTUCB for a re- composition of the Public Accounts Committee." The PUP says it supports the social partners' proposal for a nine member PAC, with a quorum of five, and the proposal for a MINORITY OPINION to form a part of the reports of the PAC when sent back to the House of Representatives - the last two being, government proposals. Still today's PUP release says it calls "on the UDP Government to immediately join us in supporting this proposal."

Missionaries Busted With Cash For Christ?
68 year-old Gary West, and his wife 67 year-old Evelyn West, a retired couple on missionary work from Minnesota were taken to court today for failing to declare that they had fifty six thousand, six hundred dollars on them in cash when they tried to enter the country. According to the Customs Department, the couple arrived at the PGIA last week Friday, and they told the authorities that they were here to explore the possibility of opening a church in Belize. The problem is that when they approached the customs officers, and they were asked if they had anything to declare, they said that they didn't. Their bags were then searched and the officers found 21 thousand US dollars in Evelyn West's luggage. The officers also found $7 thousand, 3 hundred US dollars in Gary West's wallet and his pants pocket.

CEO Denies Prison Ruckus
Last night the Quick response team at the prison had to scramble into the Tango 8 building where a prison guard had been attacked. According to reports, the guard was struck by an unruly prisoner whom he was transferring to another area. Fortunately, he was not knocked unconscious and managed to call for back up on his radio. According to prison sources, the QRT mobilized and even had to fire warning shots to quell the ruckus. But, today Prison CEO Earl Jones told us that the event has been highly exaggerated, that nothing of the sort happened; he said the prison was removed for disorderly conduct and they returned him to Tango 8 after a stern talking to. Our reports say he was placed in solitary confinement. Tango 8 is the section that houses the almost 200 prisoners who are under remand.

Stole From Her Employer
51 year-old Desiree Mejia is at prison tonight after she was taken to court for stealing from her employer. Dr. Lisa Johnson reported that between July 10 and September 15, someone stole a purse from her house which contained an assortment of jewellery, a Blackberry cellular phone, and wristwatches to a total value of $15,520. Police investigated the theft, and one piece of the stolen jewellery was recovered at the JL's Pawn Shop on last week Friday. Police say that they traced it to Mejia, who admitted that she stole the purse. Investigators also recovered some of the stolen items from her daughter, 24 year-old KeIsha Trapp. Police charged Mejia with theft, and Trapp with handling stolen goods. They were both arraigned in Magistrate's Court this evening, and Mejia once again pleaded guilty and asked for leniency as mother providing for her children. She was sentenced to 2 years in prison, and her daughter was released on bail of $500 after she pleaded not guilty.

BSI/ASR Says We Made Investment; We Own Bagasse
Last week, 7News told you about the tense relations between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and BSI regarding the bagasse issue. As we've told you, the company has been using the bi-product to generate electricity which is sells to Belize Electricity Limited. The farmers say that they provide the cane which turns into the bagasse, therefore they are entitled to some compensation for it. We've only been able to provide you with the cane farmer's position, but tonight, we share the strong response from BSI. They say that for 30 years they've taken on the responsibility and the liability of getting rid of bagasse, with absolutely no assistance of the cane farmers. The company says that all through that time, they've bared the brunt of the financial cost to manage the environmental challenges of the bagasse storage and disposal, which represented a total value of 20 million dollars.

Terminated BWS Workers Want Water Company To Pay Up
4 weeks ago, 7News told you about the 6 former employees who were taking Belize Water Services Limited to court for wrongful termination. Viewers may remember that these 6 were sent home after scandalous letters circulated about employees who were supposedly engaged in inappropriate relationships within the company. The story didn't progress any further because Justice Courtney Abel left the matter in the hands of the attorneys from both sides to come up with an amicable out-of-court resolution to avoid a drawn-out trial. Well, those employees now believe that BWS is intentionally dragging the process out, and refusing to bring it to a closure because it would mean settling with them and paying compensation. Today, for the first time since the scandal broke, they held a press conference to give their version of the events.

Gender Gap Large In Belize
The World Economic Forum has just released its 2013 report on the Global Gender Gap. Overall, Belize is ranked 107 out of 136 countries in the study - which is down from a score of 87 in 2009. This year's ranking is also down four from last year. And while that's bad enough, the roughest part is when it comes to the political empowerment of women. On that, Belize ranks 133rd out of 136 countries, at the absolute bottom of the scale. Only Lebanon, Brunei and Qatar are lower. The report notes that Belize is the lowest performing country from the region on female Enrolment in primary education and the Women in parliament indicators. Still, it's not all bad, Belize was tied for first in the health and survival category AND 80TH for economic participation and opportunity.

The First Steps Of Solar Power
Earlier we told you about how BSI is using Bagasse as a renewable source to generate electricity. Well, the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology, and Public Utilities is also stepping up their plan for renewable energy. Today, they facilitated a workshop at the ITVET Compound in Belize City to train technicians on installation, maintenance and the importance features of solar panels. It's part of the Ministry's plan to mainstream solar technology within the private sector, and we found out what the international expert has to offer the workshop attendees: William Hinds, Solar Energy Expert "For countries like Belize that experience heavy rains and even hurricanes the trainees need to know how to install these systems onto the roofs or on the ground to ensure that they can resist the elements and finally they will learn all the aspects relating to connecting these systems to your electricity grid if permitted by your local utility and doing this design and installation according to the national electric code as stipulated by the Government of Belize electricity company."

Nat’l HS Volleyball Champs
Last week, 7News told you about 2013 High School Volleyball National Championships. It was an intense 2 days of competition, and at the end, Saint Catherine's Academic and San Pedro High School emerged as the female and male Champions respectively. The coaches explained what it takes to become winners in their highly competitive sport:

More News: Scroll up from here

Channel 5

Guatemalan man stabbed to death in the city
There has been relative peace in the City streets, but that was broken over the weekend when two stabbing victims succumbed to injuries.  We start with the most recent murder, [...]

Security guard dies after almost a week of being in a coma
In the other homicide…Kevin Anthony Jex was remanded on Friday for the attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm upon former security guard of Brown Sugar [...]

Forgery at the Ministry of Housing involving thousands of dollars
There is word tonight that police are looking for a staff member of the Ministry of Housing. The officer allegedly forged the signature of the Minister of Housing on vouchers [...]

First meeting on the immigration bills is postponed
At the last sitting of the House of Representatives on November first, the government tabled three amendment bills following public outcry in the immigration and visa scandal. The bills include [...]

Deputy P.U.P. Party Leader maintains no participating in PAC hearings
  When the government turned down the restructuring of the Public Accounts Committee, the Opposition walked out and the hearing continued by the committee made up only of Government ministers. [...]

U.S. Missionary couple fined for failing to declare over $50,000
An American couple, a Pastor and his wife, were detained by the police and taken to court for failing to declare some twenty-eight thousand U.S. dollars, that’s a little under [...]

Julius Espat says recall efforts one step closer to becoming a reality
When we caught up earlier today with the P.U.P. Deputy Leader, Julius Espat, he told us that the recall effort of U.D.P. Cayo Northeast area representative Elvin Penner is one [...]

The United Nations’ Global Gender Gap Report 2013
A recently issued report by the United Nations shows that in respect of important indicators, Belize has regressed. The Global Gender Gap Report 2013 provides a comprehensive overview of current [...]

B.S.I. responds to BSCFA on bagasse
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is making its media rounds this week.  BSCFA, as you know, wants to get a slice of the pie in respect of millions of [...]

Fired employees of BWS demand settlement for unlawful dismissal
Since their dismissal from the Belize Water Services Ltd. in early February, a group of five former employees, including Don Gillett, Colin Morrison, Charlette Barnett, Michael Novelo and Journett McKoy, [...]

BWS Workers Union failed to support former employees during investigation
Furthermore, the terminated employees say they are aggrieved by the fact that the Belize Water Services Workers Union, to which they were all members serving in various capacities, failed to [...]

Former employees want individual compensation
The group is seeking individual compensation from BWS since it is unlikely that they will be reinstated if the court finds the company guilty of wrongful termination.  Their lawyer, Senior [...]

Missing Dangriga teen returns home
A Dangriga family is tonight breathing a sigh of relief that their loved one is alive. Seventeen-year-old Hansel Garcia had disappeared some three weeks ago, following a threat on his [...]

Whistle blower on visa hustle to appear on Dickie Bradley Show
Later tonight on the Dickie Bradley Show, Alverine Burgess will be making an appearance. You have heard her voice, but tonight Burgess will face Dickie Bradley one on one with [...]

Veterans Day celebrates the life of 3 Belizeans
Today is being celebrated as Veterans Day, in honor of those who served in the armed forces during the World Wars.  Major conflicts of the First World War were formally [...]

James Adderley and the weekend sporting activities
Good Evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   For a 2nd week in a row, the seasonal rains has played havoc with the sporting scene across the [...]

CTV3

Will The 2013/2014 Crop Open On November 25th?
Will the 2013/2014 Crop season commence on November 25th as scheduled? Well, that’s a question we can’t answer because according to the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, if the Belize Sugar Industries Limited does not set a date for renegotiations to resume on the Bagasse issue, cane farmers will not deliver cane to the factory. On Sunday the BSCFA hosted is Annual Division AGM at the CJC auditorium in Corozal Town where several topics were laid on the table for discussion including the resolution not to commence crop on the 25th of November. “Bueno hasta en estos momentos sigue parado no hemos conseguido nada de BSI todavía para que nos podamos juntar con ellos, lo que hemos hecho esta semana le mandamos una carta al chairman de sugar board para que asi pueda ver esa intervención de sugar board para que si se puede continuar esta negociación con BSI.”

Tensions Rise Between BSI And BSCFA As The Miller Says "We Own The Bagasse"
And while the BSCFA has been knocking on every legal door for a bigger audience on the Bagasse issue, today we have a breakthrough to report as the Belize Sugar Industries Limited responded to the matter through a press release. It’s a step closer to an actual interview with the executives, but it’s a response that won’t sit too well with the BSCFA. The release starts off by stating that BSCFA, through the airwaves, has painted BSI as unfair at the same time claiming that their cause is morally right. In efforts of bringing certain points to the attention of the public, the release states that the cane purchased and delivered to the sugar mill includes; water, sugar, fiber (bagasse), mud etc and that the cane becomes BSI’s property, responsibility and risk. This is confirmed by the long standing historical position that BSI alone (1) undertook and financed the cost of the storage and disposal of bagasse, (2) BSI was responsible for and had to manage the environmental challenges of the bagasse and (3) BSI faced and dealt with the risk of claims and liability for the storage and disposal of bagasse both in respect of possible statutory liability and regulation and private claims.

Five Minors Charged For San Fran Burglary
Five minors between the ages of 16 and 17 were charged this morning at the Orange Walk Magistrates Court for the burglary at San Francisco Roman Catholic School, or we should say for the first burglary that occurred at school. CTV3 News understands that three of the minors pled guilty to the charge of burglary while two pled guilty to the charge of handling stolen goods. They are being accused of the burglary of seven flat screen computer monitors and other items that were stolen from the schools computer lab between the 3rd and 4th of November. Since all of the accused are minors, the Magistrate ordered that the Human Development Officer do a report and make recommendations to the court before sentencing is passed. In the meanwhile the minors were released on bail and will return to court next month. While these five minors have been charged and most of the stolen items were recovered, no one has been arrested for the second burglary that took place at the school on the night of November 7th.

PUP In Full Support Of Senator Shoman
Last week we told about the special senate meeting that was held in Belmopan City to bring across three bills of national importance. Chief among them was the hot button issue in the Immigration Scandal which brought forward a motion from Senator Lisa Shoman on a Senate Inquiry for the appointment of a Special Selected Committee. But that motion was thrown out the room by the UDP senate. Here is that fiery exchange between Opposition parties. Karen Bodden, Opposition Senator “I no longer trust that what is being called an administrative investigation will do what a real investigation is supposed to do that is, reveal the truth and allow the law to take its course, and that is what Belizeans are asking for. We are fatigued by all this smoke and mirrors and we are asking for the respect that we deserve. We are asking for a thorough investigation. We are asking for the chips to lie where they fall. No area representative is above the law.”

Arrested And Charged For Stealing Liquor
Tonight two women from the Orange Walk District are waiting to be tried before the Corozal Magistrates Court after they were arrested and charged for the crime of theft. Over the weekend, on Saturday to be specific, 27 year old Irma Lopez, Belizean domestic of Guinea Grass Village Orange Walk District and 30 year old Lourdez Lopez Belizean domestic also of Guinea Grass were arrested and charged for the crime of theft after they were caught stealing from Ueta Club of Belize located at the Corozal Freezone. Reports coming from the Secretary of Ueta, 21 year old Melanie Chable, indicate that she was at the store when three women of Hispanic descent entered the store with their large handbags and walked to the liquor section.

LOVE FM

Weekend Murder Claims Father of Young Girl
28 year-old Guatemalan labourer, Edgar Geobany Slazar Velasquez left home early on Saturday morning to go to work. But that would be the last time that his family would see him alive. That’s because sometime over the course of Saturday, he met up with friends and went socializing. The partying took them, according to police, to a bar on Coney Drive, where shortly after one on Sunday morning a fight broke out on the street in front of the establishment between Salazar’s group and another group of men. Salazar and his friends reportedly ran, but he group of attackers caught up with him and in the process, he suffered a stab wound, possibly from a broken bottle, to the right lower back which claimed his life fifteen minutes later. Genaro Sho, a relative, told Love News that Salazar’s co-worker called the family to check on him when her wait for him to show up at work resulted in bad news. GENARO SHO “She was waiting for him after nine because normally he would reach a few minutes to ten but then he had to ride to Sixth Street from Faber’s Road to get to his work. He migrated here about seven to eight years ago, around 2005; he was a hardworking man and that is what I know about him because he is like a brother to me; we live at the same place.”

Prisoners Protest Within Prison Walls
Reports are that there was a small protest at the Belize Central Prison at around ten-30 on Sunday night. Love News understands that prison officials were summoned to the Tango eight section of the facility to transfer an inmate to another section. According to Prison Chief Executive Officer, Earl Jones, Moses Guzman, who was due in court today on a charge of aggravated assault, became unruly and had to be taken to another area for his own safety when he angered a few other prisoners in the Tango eight section. But while he was being transferred from there, Jones says, Guzman became so disruptive that other prisoners thought that he was being abused and they started a ruckus, demanding that he be left alone. He was eventually taken away and the prisoners quieted down. Jones denies reports that there was any harm or injury inflicted during the incident.

BSI Says Cane Farmers Should Not Expect Returns When They Made No Investments
For the past few weeks we have been reporting on the standoff between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Belize Sugar Industries Limited as it pertains to the bagasse issue. As we have been reporting, BSCFA is requesting that BSI pays for the bagasse that is produced during the production of sugar. The BSCFA is not taking no for an answer and has pledged to take industrial action by the start of the new cane season which is November 25. Well, today BSI sent out a press release saying that the BSCFA has no investments to lay any claims on bagasse. BSI explains that the cane purchased by BSI and delivered to the sugar mill includes: sugar, water, fiber or bagasse, mud, etc. henceforth BSI says that the cane becomes its property, responsibility and risk. BSI says that for 30 years prior to 2010 BSI dealt with the bagasse and its disposal at substantial cost, amounting to approximately BZ$20 million without any contribution from the BSCFA. The release further states that it was BSI that conceived the idea of the building of a power generation plant as a means to dispose of the bagasse and accordingly, BSI created a subsidiary company, Belcogen, and designed, financed, built, commissioned, managed and operated the co-generation plant that would supply the sugar mill with all its steam and electricity requirements and supply electricity to Belize Electricity Limited. No contributions from the BSCFA were made or offered with respect to this significant investment and BSI says that it is not reasonable or just for the BSCFA to expect a return where it has made no investment. The release says that the disposal of the bagasse through the co-generation plant benefits the overall sugar processing operations and therefore all sugar cane farmers and discussions with the BSCFA to date on a new agreement have resulted in tentative agreement on substantial matters.

Report Is Out on Belize’s Gender Gaps in Economics, Politics, Education and Health
The Global Gender Gap Index Report for 2013 has been released. While Belize has performed well in areas such as Health Services, overall we rank 107 among 136 countries. In economic participation we made it to number 80, in educational attainment our score is 103 and the worst is political empowerment where we ranked third to last at 133, from 136 countries in the study. In 2006 The World Economic Forum introduced the Global Gender Gap Report with the objective of providing an outline of the magnitude and scope of gender based disparities around the world. The report looks at gender gaps on economic, political, education and health areas providing a ranking for effective comparison across regions of the worlds. We will have more detailed review of this report later in the week.

Former Employees of BWS Maintain Innocence Following Termination
Back in March of this year we told you about seven employees who were fired from the Belize Water Services Limited. And as we told you last month, six of the former employees have filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against BWS claiming that they were wrongfully terminated. The workers were told that their post had been redundant however they believe they were fired because they were accused of disseminating scandalous information within the company. This morning the fired workers, Don Gillett, Colin Morrison, Journet McKoy, Michael Novelo and Charlette Barnett updated the media on the situation. DON GILLETT “Our terminations were unfair and unlawful. The company is trying to cover the unfairness and unlawfulness of what they did by saying our terminations were done because of redundancy due to restructuring of BWS. The company did not follow the law or the collective bargaining agreement on redundancy; beside this, the company put out a memo admitting that the terminations were not because of redundancy but because of the investigations of scandalous letters that have been circulated in the company. The company’s CEO Alvan Haynes told the court, in his statement that he misrepresented the reason for the terminations in the memo to the other employees. The company has shown itself to be dishonest in its actions thus far. The judge has advised both parties for the third time to iron out a settlement; if no agreement is reached by the next court date then the case will be tried, in which instance we are ready and willing to see the process through to the end; we are in for the long haul and have nothing to hide.”

Blogs

The story behind Ambergriscaye.com
I know Marty because he runs Ambergriscaye.com, the largest resource for information on Belize. The website is massive; it ranges from recommendations on things to do, where to go, photos, early history, economics, real estate and published research studies to name a few. I decided to interview Marty because I hope more people realise the great service he has done on pioneering tourism in Belize. Also, I’m sure many people believe that running a high-quality website is guaranteed passive income, and on the contrary, it’s a lot of hard work. Here’s his story, I hope it provides good insight.

Miss Earth Belize On a Serious Mission – Chaa Creek
Brion Young, assistant manager of Chaa Creek’s Belize Natural History Centre said that while the Miss Earth International Pageant may appear to be an unusual way to raise environmental awareness, Miss Earth Belize’s departure for Miami on November 9 to participate in this year’s Manila Pageant can only contribute towards spreading the message of environmental sustainability. According to Belize’s Amandala newspaper, Amber Reneé Rivero is the formal Environmental Ambassador of Belize after being crowned Miss Earth Belize on August 24, 2013, and on Saturday, November 9, she departed the country for the first leg of her journey.

Remembrance Day In Belize
Remembrance day (also know as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) commemorates the sacrifices and calamities of all the commonwealth countries in World War I and World War II. On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, on the eleventh month, Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car in the forest of Compiegne, France. The fighting officially ended at 11:00 a.am. The armistice between the Allies and Germany – also known as the Armistice of Compiègne after the location it was signed – was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It went into effect at 11 am on 11 November 1918, and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender. The Germans were responding to the policies proposed by American president Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points of January 1918.

“Right Back Where We Started From” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Regular readers may (or may not) have wondered where I have been. Had I given up this blogging lark? With our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize had I decided that it was time to call it a day. No, far from it. I have still been getting up early. Still taking my mug of black coffee on the veranda ((more often than not on the first floor veranda on the lagoon side because it has provided cover from the frequent (seems more like constant though) rain that we have been experiencing)) along with the iPad. Think about writing an edition but then the thought of completing our orders from stores in the States for the stuff that we want to ship to Belize for our new home under the “QRP” has taken over. And I mean TAKEN OVER. I mentioned in a previous edition that, having chosen what we wanted, we had experienced difficulty in getting the online stores to accept payment by our credit and debit cards because we do not have a US address.

10 facts about the Lionfish in Belize!
1. The Lionfish has venomous spines. However, the Lionfish is not poisonous. And, there is a difference! Venom must be injected into the bloodstream to inflict harm but it is harmless if eaten or drunk. Poison has to be absorbed or ingested to cause harm. The venom of a Lionfish is found in the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins and it is not deadly to a healthy human being. However, if a fin pricks you, you will endure intense pain, swelling and in some cases blistering and if not treated properly, infection. 2. Of course, prevention is always better than cure! To avoid a sting, make sure you are properly trained to spear a Lionfish. It is also a good idea to take your PADI Peak performance buoyancy course prior to you Lionfish hunting dive. If you do get stung, the best way to treat the sting is by putting the inflicted area in very hot water, as hot as you can bear! And, take antihistamine and strong painkillers with anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen.

T' Frugal Mennonite: T' Frugal Kitchin: Chicke an' Yalla Rice
I neetet ta make a quik meal las nite wit t'ingredyints I had un han'. N' t'fridge I had a package o'chicke thighs an' n' t'cupboard a package o'Vigo yalla rice. Yep, time fer chicke an' yalla rice, one o'DD’s favert meels. CHICKEN AND Yalla RICE 1 pkg. chicke thighs 1 pkg. yalla rice 1/4 peece o'garlic clove 1 tablespoon lime juice 3 tablespoons olif' earl ret pepp'r flakes ta taste salt ta taste Poach t'chicke: Place chicke n' saltid wat'r an' brang ta a bawl. The cov'r pot wit lid, turn off heat an' leeve fer un hour. Remoov chicke frum pot an' alloe ta cool. Wen cool remoov skin an' tear chicke into pieces. Dispose o'skin an' bones. Reserve broth fer anoth'r recipe.

Destination Eating in Belize: Maya Beach Hotel & Bistro
Last year the Belize Tourism Board awarded the Maya Beach Bistro, Belize’s “Restaurant of the Year” for the second time. The 2012 awards were pretty much swept by businesses on the Placencia Peninsula and caused a good amount of controversy throughout Belize. Was it a fix? Well…you can be the judge of that. But after visiting the area twice in the last few months and eating as many dishes and desserts as I could at the Maya Beach Bistro, I am here to put one dispute to rest. Maya Beach Bistro IS the best restaurant in Belize. Creative contemporary Caribbean? I’m not exactly sure what category the food would fall into and honestly, I don’t really care. I just know that this food is so incredibly beautiful looking and tasting. It is served in a elegant but homey beach bistro and the hosts are fantastic. In my uneducated estimation, the owners, Ellen and John are doing everything right.

How wet is San Pedro Town?
Mayor Daniel put things in perspective the other morning when he facebooked something along the lines that we should not be complaining about all the rain we are getting and how wet it is here. Our brothers and sisters affected by the massive typhoon in the Philippines are the ones who are really suffering. While this true definitely puts things in perspective, after driving around taking pictures yesterday I could not help but think of San Mateo and how most of the people there are living in cold, wet conditions right now surrounded by contaminated water – ugh. Hopefully one day we can hep fix that area once and for all. I was hoping the blue skies this morning were a sign of shifting weather conditions sadly not so. It has still be raining off an on all day, and I am about to get wet on my way to town. Hoping it will hold off a bit so I can at least get to the main road to catch a cab if not be able to walk it all the way. These pictures show just how wet San Pedro town and back roads of San Pablo area are right now. For some of them it was raining hard enough to have my bingo waterproof camera bag on so the quality is not the best as I could not keep the viewing area dry no matter how much I wiped it off.

International Sources

Gaia Riverlodge is Now Run Entirely on Hydropower
GAÏA Riverlodge, located in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of Belize, has long been a top eco-conscious resort (it was formerly the Five Sisters Lodge) but thanks to a new hydropower energy system and a few other environmentally-friendly upgrades, the resort and its jungle cabanas have pretty much topped all other green resorts out there. Using the nearby Five Sisters waterfalls as their energy source, the GAÏA Riverlodge is now run entirely by hyrdopower energy, eliminating the need for electricity. But don't worry, the hotel does have a back-up system, an eco-friendly one too that's battery-powered. The GAÏA Riverlodge is also cultivating an on-site vegetable garden which will bring fresh, or "hyper-local" as they call it, produce to the lodge's restaurants. Awesome.

MayaBags: Where Fashion Meets Fair Trade Artistry
MayaBags is where high-end fashion meets fair trade artistry at the end of a dusty road off the air strip in Punta Gorda, Belize. Shoppers approaching the combination workshop and store might encounter a Maya woman in a pastel colored dress weaving on the front porch, working steadily on hand made details with an artist’s eye passed down from her ancestors for millennia, creating beautiful purses that have been sold in Barney’s department stores for seven years and recommended by style icon Rachel Zoe. Judy Bergsma, owner and founder of MayaBags, and a Texas native and New York resident, decided to turn her background in visual design into an effort to help lift Maya families in southern Belize out of poverty and to develop an income generating alternative to slash and burn farming, one purse at a time. Ms. Bergsma, spoke with us via email about finding inspiration in the rain forest, a typical day in the life of a modern Maya woman, and the bus schedule in Belize.

IDB's Multilateral Investment Fund, Audubon Unveil $2.6 Million Bird Ecotourism Partnership to Support Economic Development, Biodiversity Conservation
In a novel regional program that uses bird-watching to create sustainable jobs in communities while simultaneously protecting biodiversity and natural resources, the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group and the National Audubon Society today announced a $2.6 million agreement to achieve a niche, high-value sustainable birding tourism program in the Americas. "We are very pleased to partner with the National Audubon Society on this program," said Carrie McKellogg, chief of the MIF's Access to Basic Services and Green Growth unit. "Audubon's powerful network and expertise in birding and conservation, the MIF's innovative approaches to capacity building of micro and small businesses, and our shared interest in the sustainable management of natural capital all combine to create to build what we believe will become a powerful model for conservation-minded community development." "It's win-win," said David Yarnold, president and CEO of the National Audubon Society. "The MIF's deep expertise in ecotourism and our extensive network and reach will help us engage local communities to create much-needed jobs in bird-rich areas for birders -- who typically have a very light 'eco-footprint.' At the same time, the partnership will provide a sustainable way to conserve natural habitats for endangered migrating and non-migrating birds and other wildlife." Project locations in Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay and The Bahamas were selected by 'layering' globally significant Important Bird Areas for conservation over economic maps with priority being given to sites with basic tourism infrastructure and potential for growth. Audubon will build on partnerships with local organizations, including Belize Audubon Society, Asociación Vivamos Mejor and Wildlife Conservation Society in Guatemala, Guyra Paraguay and the Bahamas National Trust.

Tribute: Garifuna legend Sidney Mejia
By Wellington C. Ramos Sidney Phillip Mejia Jr. aka “Mej” was known for his brilliance as a storyteller, poet, writer, musician, Garifuna activist, organizer and humanist. He was born on 27th July 1956, in Belize City, Belize, along with his twin sister Sidonie Mejia, to Carrie Edna Castillo and Sidney Mejia Sr. He attended Sacred Heart Primary School and Austin High School, which later closed, and was subsequently transferred to the new Ecumenical High School, where he graduated in 1975. In the summer of 1977, Sidney immigrated to Los Angeles, California, to join his mother and siblings. That year he enrolled as an English major at Long Beach City College. Sidney later migrated to New York City, where he resided up until 1982. When he returned to Los Angeles, he formed a musical group “The Brotherhood” and started composing several songs that would later become international hits. His determination led him to form another musical group with the name “Chatuye”. This group changed the course of Sidney’s life with its music. They produced international hits such as, “Ahmuti’, “Leh Hesebei Bu”, “Gagard-Magarda”, “Gumanana” and several other songs. While managing his band he was still writing his poems and telling his stories.

Bahamas trails Caribbean in renewable energy index
Head of The Bahamas Renewable Energy Association has called on the government to “stop delaying” advances in renewable energy generation in this nation, in response to a new report indicating that The Bahamas ranks 26th out of 27 countries in the region for its “progress and prospects” in relation to renewable energy investment. The 2013 CREF-Castalia Renewable Energy Island index was revealed in October to hundreds of energy sector stakeholders from throughout the Caribbean and beyond at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum, which was hosted this year in Aruba. The results show that The Bahamas has not only failed to gain ground with respect to its competitiveness as a jurisdiction for actual or planned RE generation, but it has in fact lost competitiveness simply by being overtaken by other Caribbean nations by dint of its inaction. In the 2012 CREF-Castalia Renewable Energy Island index, The Bahamas was ranked second to last out of 22 countries assessed. In the 2013 index, 27 countries are ranked, and The Bahamas again places second from the bottom.

English-Speakers Wanted…from Spain to Mexico
My profession has taken me all across the world, experiencing unique journeys…attending world famous events…and meeting fascinating people. And I got paid to do it. I have rung in the New Year at Hogmanay in Edinburgh, danced up a storm at Seville’s April Fair, and was awed by the beauty of Buddha’s birthday celebrations in South Korea. I have ridden camels through the Sahara desert, liberated baby sea turtles in Mexico and swam with sharks in Belize. Teaching English is a fun gig. Your days are never the same and you interact with interesting people of varying backgrounds. My students have come from all walks of life: a sous chef from Italy, Bedouin camel racers from Saudi Arabia, Japanese university students, Korean toddlers, Colombian engineers, and Mexican musicians.