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

Belize to Prepare a Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2014- 2017
The Government of Belize is pleased to announce that in partnership with the United Nations Development Program, through financial and technical assistance, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has commenced preparation of a Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy for the Period 2014 to 2017. The strategy will be one of a series of medium-term strategies that will need to be prepared and implemented towards realizing the vision put forward in Horizon 2030. This vision reads: “Belize is a country of peace and tranquility, where citizens live in harmony with the natural environment and enjoy a high quality of life. Belizeans are an energetic, resourceful and independent people looking after their own development in a sustainable way.” Achieving this vision requires effective planning which involves developing good medium-term strategic plans, linking these plans to successive operational multi-year budgets and putting in place an appropriate monitoring and evaluation framework. This first Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy will therefore complement efforts already under way to improve Government’s budgeting process through the adoption of programme budgeting. Programme budgeting is expected to result in much improved management of public resources.

Renovations completed at the Boca del Rio Park
The renovation of the Boca del Rio Park is now complete thanks to the generous donation of Don Listwin of Canary Cove. Supervised by Gil Nunez, the park renovation involved the construction of four gazebo style palapas, each with its own picnic table, a new and complete playground set, the painting of the basketball court, installation of basketball nets and the planting of several flowers and shrubs. According to Mayor Daniel Guerrero, this is part of a bigger plan from the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) to provide better recreational spaces for residents. “We believe that people need a place where they can go as a family, a place that the children can play safely. That is what we have created here at the Boca del Rio Park, a place for the whole family to have fun and enjoy the beach,” said Guerrero.

What’s New? Wahoo’s Lounge has new owners!
The San Pedro Sun is pleased to introduce Cindy and Mike Gonkowicz. Cindy and Mike are the new owners of Wahoo’s Lounge, Home of the World Famous Chicken Drop. Originally from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, the couple has only recently moved to Ambergris Caye to get started on their new business venture. Cindy and Mike look forward to becoming a part of the community, especially supporting the Saga Humane Society and enjoying the weather in paradise. They assure all patrons that Wahoo’s will remain the same place you know and love. So if you’re out in town, stop in to have a cold one and say hi!

San Pedro’s Oldest Resident celebrates 99th birthday
Many residents may not be aware, but over the weekend, the San Pedro’s Oldest Resident celebrated her 99th birthday. Cecelia Guerrero Lara, the oldest born islander celebrated her birthday on Sunday November 9th. The mother of five children was given a surprise visit by members of the San Pedro Cultural Committee, who spent some time over the weekend with the longest living islander. A happy Cecelia Lara expressed her gratitude to the committee for remembering and spending time with her on her birthday. Even though she has sight problems, she can still move around with minimal assistance. “Thank God for living this long,” she commented. Cecelia explained that her parents and their family were amongst the early settlers of the island.

Misc Belizean Sources

'Belize: Through My Eyes' Launch
The Benque House of Culture had their new exhibit launch last night, and they got some great pictures from the event. The launch kicked off the Benque Festival of Culture, which is happening now, and continues through Monday. This weekend, there will be performances from the Benque Marimba Academy, Pablo Collado, and Panerrifix, just to name a few. "Belize: through my eyes a juried photographic exhibition was launched today for the 5th International Cultural Festival. It was unveiled by the NICH President Ms.Diane Haylock. We all thank the 16 Artist from all over Belize for sharing their personal images. We will share their names soon.. Some of this images will be showcased in Argentina at the Belize Consul...in 2014" More picture albums: 1 - 2

Cayo Coaches Clear CONCACAF Course
Congratulatoins to the Cayo coaches that have obtained their CONCACAF 'D' License certification! Johnny Medina, one of the SI United's Coaches, was one of the recipients. Great job! "Congratulations to one of San Ignacio United's coach in obtaining his CONCACAF Coaching License."

Sarteneja residents cry for help
After incessant rains yesterday, the road turns to a river. The BDF truck provided for emergency can no longer drive in the rising flooded waters! Residents of the Village in the Corozal District continue to face serious difficulties in traversing the Sarteneja Road. More than half a mile of the road between Chunox Village and Sarteneja Village has been inundated by water overflowing from a lagoon that is adjacent to that section of the road. This new obstacle has been affecting everyone and up to last week Saturday, the Sarteneja Bus Line Company had stopped picking up residents who would usually board the bus at the village. But now the villagers, including children have to walk more than a mile in the murky waters to meet the bus which is waiting for them at the other end. According to bus driver, Joel Diaz, the company made the decision to have the villagers walk after the flood damaged three of their buses.

Video of the road recorded on Thursday
Yesterday, things went from bad to really bad! Our people should never have to be going through something like this. Mitigation should have been done a long time ago. Sarteneja Road now a river.

The Belize Times

Coming For Castro – Whistleblower: U.S. has Castro on tape!!!
“Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do when they come for you”… goes a popular song used in American movies before the cops make a sensational arrest of a criminal. For UDP representative Edmund Castro, the lyrics to this song must be ringing in his ears after it was alleged on Monday that special agents of the United States in Belize have a secret audio recording of him engaged in one of his many dealings. The revelation was made by whistleblower Alverine Burgess, who has made serious allegations against Castro, a UDP Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport. Mrs. Burgess, who has known Castro for many years, has alleged that the UDP Minister personally benefitted from the processing of visas for Chinese nationals through his Belmopan office. She said the price for each visa was $2,000. While appearing on Channel 5’s Dickie Bradley Special on Monday of this week, Mrs. Burgess dropped a bombshell revealing that after going public with the allegations, she was called in by the United States Embassy located in the City of Belmopan and was interrogated by agents for over three hours. During the many hours of interrogation, the agents, according to Burgess, showed her a computer which contained an audio file of a conversation she had with Castro and another individual. The conversation is said to be related to the allegations and is part of the U.S. Embassy’s own investigations into the scandal. The agents were thorough with their questioning about the visa and passport scandal. They took down notes and reviewed the information given, at times asking Mrs. Burgess to repeat and clarify her accounts in order to tie pieces together. At one point, said the brave whistleblower, the agents showed her files of dozens of photos and asked her to verify whether any of them had been facilitated with visas or passports.

UB in Crisis!
The Barrow Administration has found a way to drag down Belize’s national university, the University of Belize, into chaos and a crisis of leadership. The University’s President Guyanese national Dr. Cary Fraser, has submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, informing that he will not return to the University after the current academic year ends in December. In the letter, dated November 6, 2013, Dr. Fraser signals his total discontent and frustration with the Barrow Administration’s poor support for the University. He accuses the Ministry of Education of treating the national university as a “low priority”, when he had hoped that his appointment would have paved the way for needed systematic changes. Dr. Fraser points that the recent negotiations over the University’s upcoming 2013-2014 budget have not given him any assurances that the Government is prepared to treat the institution with greater interest.

UDP Hotbed of Corruption! – Government steals land from US national, then rewards culprits
As the massive fire of corruption continues to gut the Ministry of Immigration and Godwin Hulse’s integrity, an equally devastating fire is now raging at the Ministry of Natural Resources. If, as Dean Barrow predicted, visa hustling would bring down his government, the next story is set to nosedive our country right down to the very bottom of the corruption index charts. Frederick Dow, a US national, was the proud owner of 1.3 acres of prime beachfront property on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. In 1995 he, along with his siblings, received the property as a gift from their late father. The approximate value of the property is Two Million Belize Dollars. In what can only be described as an elaborately orchestrated heist, in October of 2011, the Ministry of Natural Resources did the unthinkable. They issued a second title over Mr. Dow’s property to a UDP crony, on the recommendation of the Minister of Tourism, Manuel Heredia.

PUP Leader proposes solution to BSI/BSCFA Impasse – Delay in Crop Season could cripple industry
Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca has proposed a solution to the ongoing impasse between the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) over whether cane farmers should or should not collect payments for the waste material known as bagasse which is produced by the sugar cane delivered to the mill. Hon. Fonseca has said that the parties must agree to an equitable formula which would see BSI recover the substantial investment it has made into establishing the cogeneration plant, but also that cane farmers should be awarded payments on a graduated scale for their stake in the industry. The Opposition Leader urged both BSI and the BSCFA to come to the table to discuss the matter. Otherwise, he warned, “the repercussions of any delay or interruption to the start of the crop season could be devastating to an already challenged industry”.

Constitutional Confusion
By G. Michael Reid Last Friday’s Senate hearing was quite telling in more ways than one. First it exposed the type of dictatorial system under which we live and secondly it exposed the hypocrisy of the once saintly Godwin Hulse. It also exposed a serious flaw in our Constitution and leaves us wondering if this Constitution is really only considered the supreme law of the land when it becomes convenient to those in power. The main focus of Friday’s meeting was a motion presented by Lisa Shoman, a Senator for the Opposition who issued a call for a Senate Inquiry into the lingering scandal at the Immigration Department. After some debate, the matter was put to a vote and that is where the situation got most interesting. As expected, the six senators for the government side all voted no. This I believe is solid proof that we are living in a dictatorship. Had this been a real democracy, members would be allowed to vote their minds. Anyone of sound mind (which is a requirement for either House), would certainly recognize the need for an objective, impartial or at least bipartisan investigation into this very substantial matter. It seems that no one in either House is ever allowed to go against the whim of the Prime Minister. The biggest surprise of all is Godwin Hulse. For years, Godwin Hulse, who has served in the Senate since 2003, was considered a champion of the people. During the last administration, Hulse was on the radio on a daily basis, condemning anything that remotely resembled corruption. He was a founding member and integral part of the Association of Concerned Belizeans (ACB) which helped to bring down the previous government and install the present government. Even during the first UDP term of office, Godwin was on the air criticizing anything that seemed out of place.

PUP MEANS LOVE IN ANY LANGUAGE
“Continuing to proudly empower our children in their Garifuna language” Theme – GSD 2013 Language is the art of communicating. This year there is something explosive about the thirty-sixth celebration of Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize. The holiday celebrates the settlement of the Garifuna people in Belize after being exiled from the Grenadines by the British army. The Garifuna culture in Belize is a vibrant and colorful one and will be on full display all around the country with special attention in villages and towns in southern Belize, like Hopkins, Seine Bight, Barranco, Dangriga and Punta Gorda. The holiday is one thing. But the fact is that the UDP have acted like “one day Christians” to us as Garifuna people. Imagine, that the culture capital of Belize is said to be Dangriga. Yet, Dean Barrow over looked and snubbed all the talent and competence of us Garinagu The UDP chose a cultural ambassador that is not a Garifuna. The insult to us Garinagu is that he chose his son who is a convicted criminal. What happened to Adrian the Doc Martinez? What happened to Pen Cayetano? What happened to Roy Cayetano? The BELIZE TIMES could go on with a long list.

Gwen Liz girls & boys lead basketball competition
The Gwen Liz girls blew out the Ladyville Technical High School girls: 34 – 27 in the high school basketball competition last Tuesday. Gwen Liz’s Ann Ma Chang top-scored with 14 points, and KeKee Requeña scored 10 points. Ladyville Tech’s Dejeanne Noralez scored 24 points. The Wesley College girls posted their first win – a 31-9 blowout of the Pallotti High School girls last Tuesday. Wesley’s Breanne Meighan scored 13 points and Shanice Neal added 9 pts. The ACC boys bombed the Excelsior High School boys: 76 – 40 last Wednesday. Douglas Valley top-scored with 19 points.

San Pedro wins male volleyball champs San Pedro wins male volleyball champs
The San Pedro High School boys are the 2013 volleyball male championship after they defeated the Mopan Technical volleyball team for the title. The Mopan Tech boys were no easy contest. They took the game to 4 sets. MVP Gabriel Eduardo Nunez, Damien Pollard, Alex Roache and Alfrie Black led the island team with attacks, spiking home points on plays set by Joshua Marin and Giomar Marin. San Pedro won the 1st set 25-15. The Mopan boys recovered to win the 2nd set: 26-24, powered by Denver Chan, Justin Alas, Luis Chan and Christian Lopez who hammered kills at the net on plays set by Denny Can and Justin Aguirre. San Pedro won the next two sets: 25-19 and 25-20. SCA principal Mrs. Tillett presented medals to the champs, 2nd and 3rd place winners; but the team trophies will be presented at a later date. The Most Valuable Player award went to San Pedro’s Gabriel

SCA wins 2013 volleyball champs
The St. Catherine’s Academy volleyball team won their 6th consecutive high school volleyball championship and 20th title when the national tournament was hosted by their school at the St. John’s College gym over the weekend. SCA girls crushed the Ecumenical girls in 3 sets in the championship final on Saturday afternoon. SCA’s star hitters: Sherika Burton, Leandra Betson and Gianna Brown led the attacks, spiking on plays set by Xiomara Quan and Karine Bernard, with Nayala Tun serving to win the 1st set: 25-10. Ecumenical’s Avery Sanchez, Tyler Williams and Trinity Caliz counterattacked, while Yorleni Robinson, Trycelin Choc and libero Leann Gongora received and kept the ball in play. Mya Musa, Alexis Burns and Hanna Diskin came off the SCA bench to help win the 2nd set: 25-20, and Juel Lewis, Karen Quan and Zakiyah Young reinforced the SCA offensive in the 3rd set to win: 25-4.

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE – PLEASE CALL ME MISTER
The man of the hour seems to be Senator/Minister Godwin Hulse. But when I say this you know that I mean it in an ironic way. Yes, he is the notorious man of the hour, the man of the hour of infamy that transpired in the Senate last week Wednesday. Of course everyone knows by now that this was when Senator Lisa Shoman presented the motion to the Senate for there to be appointed a Special Select Committee to investigate all the goings on surrounding the immigration/passport/visa scandals Eight of us elected representatives of the Opposition, accompanied by Secretary General Myrtle Palacio attended the Senate Meeting in a show of solidarity towards Lisa and towards our other two Senators Karen Bodden and Collet Montejo, as well as the social partners – the Churches, the Trade Unions and the Business Sector. It was a good experience, observing a meeting in the National Assembly, as opposed to being in a meeting in the National Assembly.

REFLECTION ON A PUBLIC SQUARE – SENATE DISGRACE
By Francis W. Fonseca On Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 the Senate met in Belmopan. The highlight of the meeting was the tabling of a Motion by Opposition Senator Lisa Shoman seeking approval for the appointment, pursuant to Standing Order 69, of a Special Select Committee of the Senate “to investigate and inquire into all policies, processes, procedures and the issuance of nationality certificates, passports and visas in the Ministry of Immigration and Nationality and to investigate any and all wrongdoing, mismanagement or corruption in the issuance of Belizean nationality certificates, passports and visas”. The Special Select Committee was to be comprised of 5 Senators being one from the Government, one from the opposition, and the three senators appointed by the social partners. The Motion was presented and debated and then voted upon. The three opposition Senators and the three social partner Senators all spoke in strong support of the Motion and voted in favor of it. All six Government senators towed the UDP line and voted against the Motion, including the Leader of Government Business Senator Godwin Hulse, himself once a champion of transparency and accountability.

Party Leader’s Message on 2013 Garifuna Settlement Day
The contributions of the Garifuna people to the building of this nation Belize are many. One very distinguishing mark on Belize has been in the area of education from the remote villages of yester-year to present day local education institutions. The journey has been an arduous one. History has distinguished them as among all Belizeans, the Garifuna people have been the ones whose immediate ancestors confronted their own death through the genocidal efforts of the British against them in St. Vincent during the late 18th century. Such extreme trauma has generated a deep faith in God among the present day people. There is also a trust in the goodwill of Ancestors. Garifuna spiritualism whose distinguishing feature is the faith in the Ancestral Spirits is a belief system that is based on lineal kinship and hinges on cultural practices of re-affirming obligatory social ties. These are the underlying topics covered in the theme of this year’s celebrations, which reads as follows: “Awanse wamá lidan aban lau lareini bungiu luma habayarahan áhari. Let us progress in unity with God’s goodness and the protection of our ancestor”.

Blogs

Roatan’s West End Part 2: Toppled Turtles, An Out of Place Night Club and My Favorite Restaurants
So where was I with my last post about Roatan’s West End… I showed you around our beautiful hotel, The Beach House, had a delicious breakfast at Earth Mama’s, posted some pictures around town and of the coolest rope swing ever off a old sail boat in the bay and then I stopped at a truly intriguing sign above a man of indeterminate age snoozing… $1US? Little higitees? This I can’t resist. Hickatees (the real way to spell it) are Central American river turtles that have been hunted almost to extinction for food. I WOULD be so happy to see so many. I tapped him on the shoulder…wakie wakie. He led me into his backyard and I saw this.

The Perfect Proposal on Caye Caulker, Belize
For the majority of you who follow me on Twitter, then you will know that I got engaged recently whilst exploring the island of Caye Caulker in Belize. I've been with my fiancée for over eight years now and I couldn't be happier. He's been the person I have done the majority of my travelling with and is the one who alway pushes me to try new and crazy things when on our travel adventures. He's my world and the main reason I love to travel. So when he popped the question whilst we lay in the hammocks watching the pink and purple sunset over Caye Caulker, I immediately said yes. I thought I would share some of the stunning pictures of that sunset with you all.

International Sources

INTERACTIVE: A timid traveler's trip to Belize
This is my first time. I have never done it before and I have to confess I am nervous and a little scared. I am told it gets easier after the first time, I sure hope so. So here it is, I confess, I am 56 years old and a virgin traveler. I have never been outside the confines of the continental 48 states. The idea of crossing the border and stepping outside the U.S. and my comfort zone has been a huge challenge. I have bounced around the continental U.S. for work and sometimes vacations, but never crossing the big borders. Turns out that once you get your passports, all it takes is a click of a mouse and you are set to go. My wife found the best flight and a nice little place on the beach in the heart of San Pedro town, which is on Ambergris Cay about 35 miles from Belize City.

For virgin traveler, ease into Belize
The water taxi revved its outboard motors, spitting the scent of gasoline into the tropical air, and then took off, headed from Belize City to San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, 35 miles away. Onboard, airplane-weary tourists, commuting locals, boxes destined for island businesses — and my wife and I with our luggage — crowded on wooden benches for the hour-plus trip. Once the boat took off, we quickly lost sight of the onboard chaos and instead became absorbed in the tranquil view. To call the waters of the Caribbean turquoise is to sell them short. There is an underpinning of deep ultramarine, topped by intricate cerulean waves shimmering across the surface. When the sun casts a certain light, the water seems lit from below and downright otherworldly. That’s what I’d come for: to dive into a whole other world. It took me decades to get a passport, and not because of some State Department mistake. When I landed last winter in Belize, I was a 56-year-old virgin traveler. I had never been outside the continental United States — or my own travel comfort zone. It’s not that I fear planes or other modes of travel. I simply prefer to vacation in places I have been before, where I know what to expect ­— places I consider emotionally safe. And I bet I’m not alone.

Fishin' Magician: Dave Graybill
I just me with my travel partners at Journey Travel and Tours and we have the dates for the next trip to Belize. This will be my fourth trip to Ambergris Caye, and the reason I keep going back is that I have a blast every time I go. Last year my wife, Eileen, and I took eight people along and everyone enjoyed the experience. We will be staying at the Belizean Shores Resort again, as everyone loved the place. The same folks at Go Fish Belize will be providing the guide services, as they continue to a great job. The trip is structured a little differently than last year, adding another free day for people to enjoy the area on their own. Once more I have planned the trip for the ideal time for the best fishing for bonefish, tarpon and permit. We will be leaving on the 22nd of May and returning on the 31st. If you have ever considered visiting Belize and try the fishing and other activities it offers, this would be a great way to do it. If you want to learn more about the trip, contact Sandy at Journey Travel Tours toll free at 877-335-1153.

Monty Halls underwater mysteries: It was the scariest and most exhilarating experience
Explorer and marine biologist Monty Halls dives into a fascinating documentary series about the depths of the sea. Rolling around on fishing boats in force nine gales, photographing a dangerous and rare crocodile in Belize, and surviving temperatures of 52°C in a Californian desert are just some of his impressive tales of derring–do. Now he's back for more, fronting one of his most extreme documentary shows to date. The former Royal Marines officer and trained marine biologist, who is best known for BBC2's Monty Halls' Great Escape, sets of in search of the real story behind some of the greatest underwater mysteries for a new Channel 5 series. The four–parter, simply named Monty Halls..., and beginning this week with Monty Halls And The Kaiser's Gold, will see him pushing himself to the limit on deep–sea dives – many taking him to the edge of survivable depth.

College students serve in Central America
Two dozen Catholic students from Oregon State and Portland State universities went on a two-week mission trip this year to the Central American country of Belize. Stationed in the town of San Ignacio with 15,000 residents, the Oregon group offered two Bible school programs to more than 120 kids, led a day retreat for 40 high school students and helped with the organization of a four-night retreat for adults who had not been active in the church for years. The students woke at 7 a.m., attended prayer and meditation, ate breakfast and cleaned the rooms before heading out to daily mission tasks, which included house visits. They prayed a rosary before lunch and the afternoon mission, then had Mass before dinner. They said night prayer before bed. "I was afraid of doing something out of my comfort zone," says Megan Angstrom, explaining that the trip turned out to be one of the most important phases of her life. Among her most meaningful moments was helping a sad girl pray for her sick sister.

Why I refused to submit to questioning by the Belizean authorities
by: John McAfee , November 16, 2013. Now that a civil suit has been initiated against me for the death of my neighbour Mr. Faull in Belize, I feel that it is important to explain the single factor that makes me look suspicious — that is: why did I refuse to submit to questioning by the Belizean authorities. The following video shows the GSU (Gang Suppression Unit) of Belize which was dispatched to my jungle compound on the 1st of May 2012 – 6 months prior to the death of my neighbour Mr. Faull. They were dispatched to my residence because I refused to pay a bribe. They killed my dog (view picture), destroyed my property and kept me kneeling for 14 hours with my hands handcuffed behind my back – a common torture technique used throughout Central America. After the assault on my compound on the 1st of May I went public with information about corruption in Belize to the International Press, including allegations that the Belizean government was selling passports to the Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations. No one at that time believed me. However, as the following news report from Belize will show, this was really happening been happening and is still happening today.

Our favorite destinations for snorkeling (so far)
Ever since we were tiny we have loved water and somewhere in our early twenties we both began to try snorkeling. That minor change in our water sport interests has entailed a fortune in travel expenses and “resort wear”necessities and massive grumbling around about it by Brunette’s husband, but we have snorkeled on regardless! We have a previous post which (surprisingly) has good advice for anyone considering just starting to explore snorkeling. You may want to check it out. If you are considering trying snorkeling, already enjoy it occasionally or are an experienced snorkeler we think you will be tempted to visit our favorite snorkel spots if you have not yet done so. For an extremely unreasonable fee we will accompany you and be virtually useless to you but happy to share your enthusiasm if you spot a good fish or ride a shark across a reef! Our favorite spots to date are: Ambergris Caye, Belize, Honduras Belize has hundreds of islands (cayes) and Ambergris is the largest and the Belize Barrier Reef runs the length of it. We stayed at Xanadu Island Resort and really enjoyed their eco-friendly luxury and the pleasant walk along the beach to get dinner in town each evening. One thing to keep in mind for this destination is that you cannot snorkel very successfully from shore – on Ambergris Caye, not only the Xanadu property. This is because the reef is a ways out and also because they are mindful of not destroying the area by making beaches and destroying the natural seafront beach grasses. You need to go out on boat trips which are a lot of fun but add to your trip costs. We had a very fresh bit of fish ceviche on one of our trips as you can see below!

Garifuna Flavor: Belize’s Battle of the Drums
Although Nick Cannon may have convinced some people that competitive drumming is a uniquely American institution, we’d like to show that you’ve been seriously misinformed. Take for example tomorrow’s Battle of the Drums, an international competition of Garifuna drum groups in Punta Gorda, Belize. The competition features eight groups from around the Garifuna diaspora, playing five different varieties of Garifuna music. Held annually since 2006, the event is a part of the celebrations happening around Belize in honor of Garifuna Settlement Day next Tuesday, Nov. 19. The Garifuna people are descended from Caribs, Arawaks, and West Africans. This unique blend of cultures begins on the island of Saint Vincent. There, the story goes, two ships full of Ibibio people (from modern-day Nigeria) who had been sold into slavery were shipwrecked in 1675. They soon assimilated into the local Carib and Arawak communities, but as the English and French each fought to colonize the island, the Garifuna were exiled to Roatán, off the coast of Honduras. From there, they eventually immigrated to mainland Central America, settling in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and of course, Belize. For more details, check out our article on the interesting history of the Garifuna people.