AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: November 22, 2013

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Specials and Events

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

The San Pedro Sun

Miss Lions contestants officially sashed for upcoming pageant
The San Pedro Lions Pageant is set for Saturday November 23rd, and four beautiful and talented young ladies are vying for the title of Miss San Pedro Lions 2013/2014. Ahead of the pageant, the four contestants have been engaged in several events, and on Friday November 15th, they were officially sashed at the San Pedro Lions Den. Current Miss Lions Alexis Del Valle did the honors, sashing each contestant with sponsor's sashes. Miss Erica Bodden is representing Hummingbird Rattan Furnishings, Miss Julissa Trejo is being sponsored by Cayo Espanto Resort, Miss Arlethe Lima is Rojo Lounge's delegate while Catline Benguche represents Caribe�a Enterprises. The event took place before a group which included sponsors, family members, Lions members and other regular Lions supporters.

The Belize Red Cross launches flood victim appeal fund
The Belize Red Cross is a making a special appeal to aid families affected by the recent floods in communities in the Cayo District and the Belize River Valley. Local rivers, their tributaries, and lagoons spilled their banks during two weeks of continuous rains caused by tropical depressions that affected Belize. Villagers in some areas have endured up to four feet of water in their neighborhoods. The Belize Red Cross has begun assessing the needs of communities most affected in these areas. Both the National Emergency Management Organization and the Belize Red Cross are jointly collaborating in efforts to alleviate the suffering of those families most affected. Some 200 families in these areas are in great need so we ask for monetary donations, canned food, and toiletries to help in assisting these communities in need. The Belize Red Cross urges members of the public to support this appeal and to make contributions at our headquarters #1 Gabourel Lane, Belize City, and at our branches in Corozal, Orange Walk, San Pedro, Belmopan, Dangriga, and Punta Gorda.

Ambergris Today

World AIDS Day Solidarity Walk and Fundraising Fair
San Pedro AIDS Commission invites the community of Ambergris Caye to their annual World AIDS Day Solidarity Walk and All Day Fair and Fundraiser on Sunday, December 1st. The Solidarity Walk will take place around downtown San Pedro and it will be followed by the Fair including Rapid HIV Confidential Testing, Food & Drink Sales, Music by Rompe Raja & DJ Tribal. Read flier below for more details:

Tropic Air Inaugurates Service to Roatan, Honduras
The tourist community of Roatan is also very excited about this new connection with Belize. Speaking with various business owners (including hoteliers, restaurant & bar owners and tour operators) they expressed how happy they are and expect great things from this new flight. Both Roatan and Belize have much to benefit from the new flight. It is such an easier and more convenient way to connect with both destinations as many tourists are looking to visit Belize once in Honduras and vice versa.

Belize Coast Guard and BDF Receive 2 Million Dollars in Equipment
On Friday, November 15, 2013, Belizean and U.S. Military forces came together to commemorate important security and defense cooperation efforts between the two countries through a major equipment donation ceremony. The equipment the United States donated to Belize will allow the Belize military to deploy its forces more efficiently and rapidly. This equipment represents an investment that will yield major long-term security progress in the region, and will enable the Belize military forces to address the transnational threats of terrorism and illicit trafficking of humans, weapons, drugs, and merchandise. As part of the donation, the Belize Coast Guard received one Boston Whaler 370 Outrage Justice Series boat, 12 complete sets of Maritime Dive Gear, Three Panasonic Toughbook laptops, two sets of maintenance tools, one Hydraulic Outboard Engine Hoist, and one Motor Backup Test Tank. The Coast Guard boat package includes three four-stroke Mercury outboard engines that will be able to effectively operate and maneuver in coastal areas, and maintain sustained high-speeds, a vectored chase on the open seas, and maintenance spares to keep the fleet operational. This donation also included a 10-year limited hull warranty, a chart plotter with touch screen and GPS navigation equipment, radar and multi-band radio.

Actun Tunichil Muknal - One of the Creepiest Places on Earth
Our beautiful Belize is known for its natural wonders that included the Great Belize Barrier Reef, the Blue Hole and its Mystical Maya World and Archeological Sites. Making it in the international scene is one of Belize's most popular Maya sites, the Actun Tunichil Muknal, also known locally as "Xibalba" or ATM, is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District. The Actun Tunichil Muknal is a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. It is a very popular tourist attraction and both locals and tourist enjoy visiting the cave. ATM has been featured in Ghost Hunters International season 3 episode 9 "The Crystal Maiden: Belize and France" where the team of Ghost Hunters evaluated the ghost stories behind the mysterious maiden. "The cave of Actun Tunichil Muknal is also known as "The Cave of the Stone Sepulcher." The cave plays host to numerous skeletons, but what makes it even creepier is the fact that most of the skeletons belong to sacrificed children. Many of the remains and artifacts are completely calcified to the cave. One of the cave's most notorious features is the skeleton of a teenage girl, whose bones have been calcified into a crystallized appearance. This skeleton is known as 'The Crystal Maiden'."

Misc Belizean Sources

How Belize Transformed My Life.
I have been in Belize for over 5 years now and looking back I can see some profound changes that happened within me. For many years I owned an Import/Export business in the states. I did product development and consulting. After a few years in Mexico I went back to the states and lived in a gated community. I had everything that I thought I wanted in life. However something was wrong in my life. Very wrong. I did not feel I belonged anymore. The culture in the USA was moving in a direction I did not like. Government regulation and interference was constantly nagging me. I had to hire someone just to keep up with all the red tape and filling out forms that business need to give. Out of the blue my father called me. He wanted me to learn and take over the family business in Belize. At the time he had been in Belize for 25 years. I jumped at the chance. I did everything I thought I needed to do. I visited Belize several times and then sold the house.

VIDEO: Musical presentation by the Bimecacule Group from Belize City.

Belize's National Bird - The Keel- Billed Toucan
The Keel-billed Toucan, known as the "bill bird"locally, is the national bird of Belize. The most obvious characteristic of the toucan is the huge yellow, orange, red, green and black bill. The toucan's bill is amazingly dextrous and allows the bird to feed on a variety of tropical forest fruits. The Keel-billed toucans are a very social bird and can often be seen in flocks of six or more birds. They are found throughout Belize's forests and nest in holes in tree trunks. They lay one to four eggs and the parent birds take turns incubating the eggs. This bird displays a rapid, heavy flapping of the wings when flying and calls with a creek creek sound, similar to a frog. Toucans are primarily fruit eaters, feeding on a wide variety of tropical fruits of the forest. It feeds by snipping off the fruit and flipping its head back to gulp the fruit. Toucans will also feed on insects, lizards, snakes and event the eggs of smaller birds.

Glass-floor hotel room on private island in Belize: Watch fish and 'facetime your houseman'!
I couldn't resist sharing this photo from Cayo Espanto, a private island for rent on the back side of Ambergris Caye in Belize. This is the glass floor in their Over Water Villa. "At bedtime, we recommend counting fish rather than counting sheep," they say. The high end in Belize really is high-end. Every villa comes with iPad 2s, so you can call your butler ("facetime your houseman! surf the web in your star bed")-or film and broadcast those fish in your floor.

VIDEO: Octopus steals GoPro camera
An octopus stealing my GoPro Hero 3 camera at Calabash Caye in Belize.

Xunantunich Frieze Highlights Maya Exhibit
We are featured inside the Nov/Dec issue of the American Alliance of Museum's magazine 'Museum'.

Festival of Culture Continues
Benque's Festival of Culture continues this weekend, starting tonight with poetry from Amado Chan. Saturday, Orquidea Negra will be performing, and on Sunday, Wagner Majus will be playing. Pictured are the Caracol YCD Stilt Walkers from last weekend. "The manifestation of the Arts by our Youths from Caracol Youth Community Development for the International Festival of Culture...Kudos to the skillful Youths.. for their support and Regional Representation at the Community Arts Network in Central America."

Buena Vista Gets Safe Water System
Feelgood news of the day. The ROWKIDS, with Low Country Community Church, are back in Belize, and they installed another safe water system. This time, they went to Buena Vista village, which recently got a new school building. Thanks, ROWKIDS, for providing safe water to another 3 villages that needed it. "Today was the first day of work. We all set out early at 8:00 to head to Buena Vista, our host town. It was smooth sailing until we hit the towns lovely pot hole filled roads, then the adventure started. The school was updated, and slightly modern, but still held its own personality. We were met by the children with open hearts and open arms. In true amazement that someone would devote even a moment of their lives to them. The building was almost completely finished, just needing an inner wall for storage and a sink for sanitization. We started our day with finishing the end of the stucco on the backside of the building."

Sixth Annual Artisan Fair
The 6th annual Artisan Fair, held in front of the U.S. Embassy, is tomorrow, from 10:00am until 2:00pm. There will be arts and crafts from all over Belize, and it's just in time for Christmas. In related news, they are having an auction the next day.

Cayo Celebrates Garifuna Settlement Day
The Cayo Welcome Center was jumping over the weekend, and the World Culture Band played there on Sunday night. There was also team of marimba players entertaining the crowd too. "The Cayo Welcome Center had a lot of live music over the weekend. The World Culture Band played on Sunday. There were also marimba players. In related news, there's a new restaurant in the CWC called Masabaduga, which is Garifuna for 'barefoot.'"

In Our Own Words (HD)
A video produced by the Special Envoy for Women and Children and partners and launched at the National Symposium to End Violence Against Children. Hear what Belizean children have to say about violence; their experiences and opinions... in their own words! Ever wondered what children think about the violence in our country? Have you ever heard their stories? If not, then you should take a few minutes to watch this jaw-dropping mini-documentary created by Special Envoy Belize .

Deputy Prime Minister Visits Belize Aquaculture Limited
The Shrimp Industry is on the rebound and Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Gaspar Vega found out why ... Check out our Belmopan Weekly story here!

Channel 7

Hon. Faber Vs. President Fraser
Good evening, and welcome to an early edition of 7news. We apologize for the early start but we're doing it so that we can have live football coverage for you from the FFB stadium in Belmopan at 7:00. Tonight the junior jaguars are taking on regional powerhouse, HONDURAS. In the headlines tonight is UB President, Dr. Cary Fraser. He announced his resignation to the Board of Trustees two weeks ago, and now rumours have surfaced saying that he's abruptly left office. And we don't mean "left" as in stepped out for a cup of coffee; we mean "left" as in "gone"! Those reports contradicted statements made by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees last week. He said that although Frazer had effectively tendered his resignation, he would remain on as President until the end of this current school year in mid-2014. Well, the Office of Public Information at the University circulated a notification amongst the faculty and staff that Frazer hadn't left office, he was simply on leave. Again, the circumstances surrounding that sudden leave has not been provided, and it has been interpreted by some at the university as the upper management quietly forcing Frazer out of office, given that he has already publicly accused them of micromanagement and undermining his office. Yes, it seems to have gotten quite ugly.

Faber Uses Public Platform to Defend Government
At that CXC Award Ceremony - Faber was one of the keynote speakers, and he used his remarks to address some of the pressing matters of public interest, which included the raging scandals revealed this year, and finally, the current dispute between the cane farmers and the BSI/ASR Group over the bagasse issue. Here's how he put it to the parents, students and CXC awardees in his remarks: Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education "If you have been tuned in to the airwaves and the media over the last few weeks, maybe even a couple months now, you may be aware of apparent insidious coordinated attempt, I would say politically to discredit a lot of what this government has done. Even when we have done well, somehow if one little thing is going wrong, it is use to taint the entire effort of the government." "There is an attempt to paint a picture that there is a general lack of accountability in this government and that we are somehow obstructionist in this regard. Yet it is this government that has passed laws which allows for the recall of elected representatives that is now being used. This really put power in the hands of the people to hold their elected officials accountable."

Smart Students Celebrated
2013 CSEC and CAPE exams. As we told you, Aaron Stock, who was the second best performer in the 2011 when he graduated from high school, was the best this year in the CAPE examinations when he graduated from 6thform. He managed to get 8 grade ones, and he was the country's best performer in Caribbean Studies, Chemistry Unit 1 and Physics Unit 2. He is currently studying in in the US, and today, his mother had to deliver his speech which he prepared especially for the UB Gynasium filled to capacity with this year's celebrated students and their proud parents. Here's what he had to say to his fellow students through his mother: Beverly Menzies-Stock, Delivering Aaron Stock's Address "Failure is not falling down; it is refusing to get it after you have fallen. One place where I fell a few times was 6th form, you 2 years at junior college is the time to find yourself spiritually, socially and academically. As you enjoy the almost total freedom of post-secondary education. Of course like it is always said with freedom comes the responsibility to act as mature adults do."

PUP's Penner Recall Fizzling?
Whatever happened to the PUP's much discussed recall of UDP's Cayo Northeast Representative Elvin Penner? Three weeks ago, Deputy Leader Julius Espat told us the party would submit the signatures to the Governor General "next week". Well two "next week's" have come and gone, and a third is about to pass - and still no signatures have been submitted and no recall has been triggered. So is the PUP going to try and recall Penner, or what? Today Espat told us that all signatures have been handed in to the party secretariat and that he is now awaiting word from the Party Leader and the National Executive on how to proceed. Now you may ask why is the PUP waiting around when the party leader himself issued an ultimatum on a recall a whole seven weeks ago? Well, Deputy Leader Espat told us it is a matter of strategy and timing. We'll conclude that obviously momentum is not a consideration. Penner remains a member of the House and apparently has no intention to resign as his party has publicly asked him to.

A Workshop To End Violence Against Children
From bullying in the schoolyard to sexual abuse in the home setting - a two day workshop which started today is studying all forms of violence against children. It is ambitiously titled "Ending Violence Against Children" and is spearheaded by a constellation of child advocacy organizations: The Ministry of Human Development, the National Committee for families and Children, Restore Belize, UNICEF and the Special Envoy for Women and Children. They're all coming together to tackle a problem that is institutional, interpersonal and structural. That's a lot to take on but CEO in the Ministry Judith Alpuche says they have to start somewhere:... Judith Alpuche, CEO in the Ministry of Human Development and Social Services "What we intend to do over the next 2 days is to really come together and fleshed out or at least have the bare bones of a road map to combat violence against children."

UB, Embassy Encouraging Enterprise In Students
Every year, management students at the University of Belize are required to develop a product or service and pitch it publicly at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo. It's one of the signature events of the management programme, and this year was no different as the US Embassy and the Youth Business Trust joined in. Lecturer Dr. Vince Palacio says it's about nurturing a spirit of enterprise which they'll need in a real world where opportunity isn't exactly waiting for them:... Vincent Palacio, Dean - Faculty of Management and Social Sciences - UB "Every year we put out over 800 graduates and the economy does not absorb them as fast as they come out, so we encourage our students and we trained them to be entrepreneurs. This particular initiative helps students to develop product from scratch and to be able to go out there and actually develop their own businesses." "As a part of the expo as well, we have some established entrepreneurs and our students can see them and strive to be like them also."

U-16 Team Recovering From Losses, Determined To Move On
Just a FEW MINUTES AGO, the Belize U-16 National Football team started its 4th game against Honduras in the 2013 UNCAF U-16 Championships in Belmopan. Channel 7 will cut to that game live right after the news, but today, 7News got a chance to speak with the team which is now playing with a losing record. The Junior Jaguars won the first game against Nicaragua, but they were defeated by El Salvador on Tuesday. They were looking to beat Guatemala last night in the rematch from the Cayman Island Tournament held earlier this year. They felt that they could have won that game, and so, when they hit the field last night it was with vengeance. But, it didn't work out as they had planned because the Guatemala National Team gave them their second loss of the tournament with a score of 3-2. They are set to go up against Honduras tonight, and Costa Rica tomorrow, and if the circumstances don't line up, they won't make it to the final round of the tournament, even if they win the two final games. Today, we spoke with the players and their coach about the mindset going into tonight's game:

BEL Builds, Donates House
Once upon a time not too long ago, say 7 years - your light company, BEL, was something like BTL - known as a proud corporate citizen, making donations to causes large and small. But, after the company's former owner Fortis clashed with government and started booking losses, the charity and community goodwill went out the door. Well, now, it seems the company is coming back around. No, they're not sponsoring reggae superstar concerts like BTL, nothing like that, but they did show some community love two weeks ago when the workers put hand to hammer to build a house for a woman in need. BEL says it has supported various other community initiatives this year, such as Dara's Feeding Program, the Inspiration Center, and other activities.

Channel 5

It is getting ugly at UB…President Cary Fraser goes on leave
Five presidents and seven provosts in thirteen years�.that is the track record of the national university at its top two positions since its inception in 2000. And as it stands [...]

Minister of Education speaks on burning issues
Earlier today, we caught up with the Minister of Education at an award ceremony for top national students who bested the CESC and CAPE. We'll have that story coming up. [...]

Faber makes huge announcement: high scorers to be compensated more
But there was an announcement by Minister Patrick Faber that students and parents will be pleased to know. The award for the Open Scholarship has been upped by a hundred [...]

BSCFA to meet with Deputy Prime Minister
Back to the sugar industry….With the opening of the new crop season in the sugar belt fast approaching and a threat of strike by cane farmers looming in the days [...]

Livelihood of Maypen villagers threatened by flood
Incessant rains in the past weeks have inundated most of the country, resulting in serious damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges. In various parts of Belize the damage is [...]

Baby Jaguars take on Central American powerhouse, the Honduran U-sixteen team
The Baby Jaguars are tonight facing Central American powerhouse Honduras after falling to Guatemala in a devastating three-one loss on Wednesday.� As the UNCAF Under-sixteen Tournament enters its tenth match, [...]

CSEC and CAPE top scorers are honored
The spirit at the gymnasium at the University of Belize was uplifting today; present were sixth formers from junior colleges around the country and the occasion was the award ceremony [...]

Minister Lisel Alamilla addresses UN Meeting on Climate Change
A Belize Delegation currently in Warsaw, Poland for a UN Meeting on Climate Change joined with other small and developing countries and walked out of the meeting in protest, bringing [...]

Gardenia village says that someone beheaded his horse
A horse was killed and beheaded by an unknown person or persons in the village of Gardenia early this morning. The horse belongs to Gardenia resident Leslie Moody, who says [...]

Promoting regional economic growth through F.D.I.s
Representatives from nineteen countries that make up CAIPA are currently meeting in Belize. The organization promotes foreign direct investment in the region and at its current annual general meeting it [...]

Forget the word diet�it is all about clean eating in Healthy Living
Christmas is right around the corner and we know that the last thing you want think about is a "diet". But for those immersed in the fitness world diets are [...]

More News: Scroll up from here

CTV3

What Causes Butane Tank To Explode
Earlier we told you about a butane explosion that almost cost the life of a 30 year old Daniel Ponce, a resident from Trial Farm Village. And while it is uncertain what caused the tank to explode, we can safely conclude that it was under massive pressure. We spoke with authorities at a well known gas company who are cautiously advising the public of damaged and unfit gas cylinders. The spokes person explained that it is company policy to inspect all tanks before they are filled. He adds that the tanks are usually pressurized and then checks with water are made to ensure that there are no leaks. Maria Novelo - Reporter "What would be some of the contributing factors for a tank to explode?" TANK SPECIALIST "Well, if you see the condition of this tank, how it is, if we continue to knock this section here the material will tear off and the same pressure of the tank can cause that or the material to burst or to make a hole and to start to leak the gas. Let say if you have a fire hart and this can just hall the fire and this can cause explosion of this same tank right, so what you can see here is tank that we had, we noticed the condition of the tank so we just decided to change it before something can explode or something worst can happen so what we did was just to remove it from where we had it and gave the customer a new one, for all the customers that we are working with right now, we just would like to recommend them that if their tank is in this condition to change it before something can happen to them."

LOVE FM

FMVL Card changes
Last two weeks we reported that Belizeans traveling to Mexican border cities and towns were faced with a dilemma as the regular Mexican border transit card FMVL was being replaced by the Regional Visitors Card. Arturo Cantun updates us on the changes in the process of cards. ARTURO CANTUN "Belizeans told LOVE NEWS that in order to get the new card they were asked to pay $295 pesos, approximately 50 Belize dollars. Replacing the old card was urgent for frequent Belizeans traveling to Mexico as the FMVL cards were valid only until Nov 8, 2013. Belizeans who did not pay for the Regional Visitors' Card were faced with using their passport and standing in long lines to enter Mexico. This was quite evident this past weekend as hundred of Belizeans visited Chetumal.

Anglican Diocese Observes Stewardship Month
The Anglican Diocese of Belize is observing Stewardship month and schools are being encouraged to promote the importance of being good stewards among their students. Bishop Philip Wright was in attendance at a special service for the children of St. John's Primary school this morning and spoke to us about the activities being carried out during the month of November. BISHOP PHILIP WRIGHT "Throughout the month we have indeed been encouraging congregations through their Bible study and through their services and so on to focus on stewardship but the big highlight would be on November 30th where we will have a big Jamboree on Bird's Isle. We expect children from all our schools and all over the country to come in and display their talents because this year the theme stewardship is "Wrap your gift for Christ." And so we are hoping they will bring their talents gifts and put it on display. It should be a fun day on the Bird's Isle; Saturday November 30th. Hopefully you guys could come out and take a little glance of what we are doing."

Reading Contest Held in Belmopan
The 10th annual District Final for the National Reading Contest was held today in Belmopan. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. FEM CRUZ Today the Cayo association of Primary school Principals along with the Belmopan National Library Service held their 10th annual district finals for the National Story Reading Contest at the George Price Center for Peace and Development in Belmopan. We had participants from several different primary schools in the Cayo district. The coordinator Terresita Guerrera spoke to Love News. TERRESITA GUERRERA "We the Belize National Library Service work in conjunction with the Cayo Association of Principals of Primary School to make this happen. We are the ones who provide the stories for the children we find the stories for them from different levels. Standard 2, 3 and 4 who participated in this reading contest. We first vote through the school eliminations and then they come to the finals. It's basically to encourage children to read. You know a lot of children right now are having problems with reading. And then having problems at school so what we do the CAPS had brought out this initiative to encourage children to read and be more successful in school and the event today was very successful. All of the seven zones that we have participated and had my Judas Swasey from Christian Academy who came in first very very good reader and he is from the little division the standard 3. So we congratulate him also and his success in this event."

Minister of Education Comments of Resignation of UB President
The controversy over the President of the University of Belize and the Board of Trustees remains in the news and tonight, new a new report is that Carey Fraser has been placed on leave. This could not be confirmed but when we met with Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, today, he weighed in on the issue. PATRICK FABER I have not been briefed by the board but what the chairman has said I think is the position. I have received likewise a copy of the letter that the president wrote to the Prime Minister of Belize. I will say now that I do take some umbrage what the president has written in letter claiming he has not received the support of the Ministry of Education especially as it relates to the finances. People should know that some years ago an outstanding amount of monies that were owed to UB were in excess of four and a half million dollars. It's down to like 2 million and something now. And also all Belizeans were aware when I made the tough decision to cut back on granting the subsidized payments for incoming students for January of this year. So that that bill we have with UB is going down and going down substantially. So for the president to make that accusation I hold to be completely unfair but again that's just what was based in the letter that he wrote to the Prime Minister that was copied to me. I am not in a position to talk anymore what is going on there. As people will know I don't operate in that manner of micromanaging UB. I appoint a very competent board to do so. And as well people will know it's a contract with the office of the Prime Minister that sees a president staying off this. So he was right to have written to the Prime Minister and we are waiting for the Prime Minister to come back in office. For him and I to have a discussion as to terms of that letter the president wrote to the Prime Minister. The board runs in terms of setting policies and procedures and so on based on the guidelines the minister gave but the everyday running of UB is not done by the board and if the president is for some reason unable to carry out those duties. There are others in the management of UB that I'm sure are competent to take on the challenge.

Fred Hunter Authors Book
Former Minister Fred Hunter Senior has recently released a new book; titled, "The History of the Sovereignty of Belize by Occupation Force of Arms Treaties". As the title suggests, the book puts together in sequential order historical facts in regards to the sovereignty integrity of Belize. Hunter says that a great deal of research was done in order for the book to be informative. FREN HUNTER "This book was written specifically to deal with the problems of the referendum. Being on the referendum committee I realize there is such a lack of knowledge of the true history of Belize. And the strength of our case that was not out there. False conclusions were made by the very people who were supposed to defend us in the court. So I decided I was going to write this book get it into the schools if I could. The book is designed to be student friendly. There is no word in there that you have to go to a dictionary. Except the one on the cover-Sovereignty. That's the biggest word you see in the book. So it was put out there so the people could know about because as a child, as a young man growing up I couldn't get the history of Belize. When I got hold of Winsor Lynn's History of British Honduras it was an eye opener."

Anglican Diocese of Belize Observes Stewardship Month
The Anglican Diocese of Belize is observing Stewardship month and schools are being encouraged to promote the importance of being good stewards among their students. Bishop Philip Wright was in attendance at a special service for the children of St. John's Primary school this morning and spoke to us about the activities being carried out during the month of November. BISHOP PHILIP WRIGHT "Throughout the month we have indeed been encouraging congregations through their Bible study and through their services and so on to focus on stewardship but the big highlight would be on November 30th where we will have a big Jamboree on Bird's Isle. We expect children from all our schools and all over the country to come in and display their talents because this year the theme stewardship is "Wrap your gift for Christ." And so we are hoping they will bring their talents gifts and put it on display. It should be a fun day on the Bird's Isle; Saturday November 30th. Hopefully you guys could come out and take a little glance of what we are doing." LINETTE CANTO, REPORTER Ok for those of you who are watching the newscast what would you tell them about being stewards in this time of need? BISHOP PHILIP WRIGHT "There is a little phrase that we like to say at times "Count your blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." And I think that is the message that we might want to send that if people were to still step back a bit think about how good God has been to them share their gratitude and share from someone else what God has given them. I think that would be a good message for right now."

New House Donate to Belize City Resident
A resident of Belize City received an early Christmas gift today at a value of sixteen thousand dollars. Shantal Card of the Port Loyola Area, was handed over the keys of her brand new sixteen by sixteen wooden house by the Belize Electricity Limited and Hands in Hands Ministries. A team of 45 employees along with contractors of the Ministries worked through inclement weather. Card is extremely ecstatic about the donation which was made possible through a charity program carried out by BEL, as explained by Senior Communications Officer, Vonetta Burrell. VONETTA BURREL "Primarily we try to support initiatives that are aimed at reducing crime and violence across the country this is a south side resident. She is a young woman starting off her life and she expressed her interest to Hand in Hand her employees became aware and they encouraged the company to support the initiative so that is why we are here today." HIPOLITO NOVELO, REPORTER How was Miss Card chosen? "Well she was chosen based on specific criteria that Hand in Hand has they have their own criteria in which they request some information from candidates so they need to determine if the person has an actual need for a home and the person must adhere to certain requirements after receiving the home. Like they need to be involved in a community, they need to do different types of fellowship so. Hand in Hand have its own criteria that it requires. Let me tell you a little bit about the donation. Probably estimation the house is a 16 by 16 structure. It has a bathroom included. BEL provided all the electricity and pluming."

Belize Represented in International Climate Conference
Belize is in attendance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland. Led by a delegation appointed by the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Belize is participating in the conference which is divided into two segments; a technical segment which took place the first week and a High Level Segment which took place the second week. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Lisel Alamilla, left the country last week to join the Belize delegation and to participate in the High Level Segment and Dialogues. Minister Alamilla, delivered Belize's National Statement yesterday. LISEL ALAMILLA "Madam Vice President we see this come as a vital step on the road to success of a global climate change raceme in 2015. The slogan "I care." A slogan that is most appropriate for this occasion could easily be we care. Nothing exemplifies this fact more than the commitments we as governments made to address the issues of climate change when we ratify the convention in 1994. In 2009 in Copenhagen. We agreed to limit warming to at least 2 degrees Celsius and to scale up finance. We agreed to conclude a universal global climate treaty by 2015. Madam Vice President these are international binding, legal organizations. We convene in Warsaw so we made significant progress on a number of critical issues. Science is important to our work. To the extent that science continues to improve and to sharpen our understanding of what we have done to our retirement system it must also be a part of our solution. The latest intergovernmental panel on global climate change working group 1 findings."

Top CAPE and C-SEC Achievers Recognized
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports along with the CXC Committee of Belize awarded more than three hundred students this morning for their excellent performance in the C-SEC and CAPE exams. Reporter Marion Ali and cameraman Brian Castillo were at the Jaguar Auditorium in Belmopan. MARION ALI Belize's best achievers on the Caribbean Examinations Council's CAPE and S-Sec studies, CXC, were recognized during a special ceremony today at the UB Gymnasium in Belmopan. Topping the CAPE or sixth form level exams for 2013 is Aaron Stock, who was honored as Belize's Most Outstanding Candidate with the Belize Scholarship, now upgraded from a value of 80 thousand to 200 thousand dollars. At the secondary school level, Xiaowen Huang, a graduate of E.P. Yorke High School, was the top achiever in the CXC exams with a total of sixteen Grade Ones at the General Proficiency Level. Both Stock and Huang had sobering advice for students who now aspire for the same greatness as they have achieved. And Huang and Stock seemed to have the same views. Beverly Stock pinch-hitted for her son who is away studying.

Symposium to end Violence Against Children Held
The first part of a symposium to end violence against children was held today at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City. The two-day symposium which started this morning is being hosted by Kim Simplis Barrow, Special Envoy for Women and Children, and is focused on ending violence against children. Mary Vasquez of Restore Belize told us that this symposium is very important as the future of our community and our nation starts with the children. Mary Vasquez We tend to think of violence as a phenomenon that happens on the streets with guns between gang members but when you talk to most people about violence in Belize they are thinking about gang on gang violence with guns. But in reality that is a product of a deeper cultural phenomenon of violence. That begins actually when the child is born. The child is often born in a violent environment. The violence that we see expressed on the street is actually a learned behavior. And it is an expression of frustrations that build up over time within the child so it stems from the child's experience. So if we want to stop the violence on the street that is being done by adults or 18 year olds. Then we need to make sure we are protecting the child from the time the child was born. So we can't really end it on the street. We can repress it but we can't end it. It has to end by rooting it up from the beginning.

PlusTV

GOB's Proposal Seeks to Tighten the Citizenship and Passport Laws
On Wednesday night, we took a closer look at two of the three amendment bills intended to tighten-up regulations at the Ministry of Immigration and Nationality. Those bills were tabled at the last sitting of the House of Representatives and are now being reviewed by the National Security and...

National Museum Unveils New Exhibit on Belize's Exciting Transport History
Fresh off a successful hosting of Caribbean counterparts, the Museum of Belize teamed up with the Belize Archives and Records Service to produce a new exhibit tracing Belize's history in development of transportation. Titled "All Aboard: Belize in Motion through the Years", Museum director Ms. Sherilyn Jones says, it was...

Garifuna Activities Got Colourful and Ryhtmic with the Upbeat of the Drums
Celebrations marking Garifuna Settlement Day took place across the country on Tuesday, marking the anniversary of the arrival of the first Garinagu to Belizean shores. Early in the morning there was the re-enactment of the migration from Honduras to Belize, and in the Old Capital this took place along...

Belize Family Life Association Pledges Support for Criminal Code Amendments
The Criminal Code Amendment Bill (2) was expected to return for further reading at the last sitting of the House of Representatives; however it turns out that the drafts team is still polishing up the bill. In the meantime, discourse continues on what some perceive as a controversial pitch...

Win or Defeat, my U-16 Players are Big Warriors says Coach Renan Couoh
The excitement of football fans throughout the country has reached a new level of intensity as we observe the U-16 UNCAF Tournament play out in our own backyard. We have placed all our hopes on the promising U-16 National selection, locally and famously known as the "Baby Jaguars". The...

Horizon Academy Sparks up the Reading Passion with a Book Fair
This past weekend, students of Horizon Academy hosted their fourth annual book fair at the ITVET Campus in Belize City. From a young age, students are taught that reading is fundamental to success. But not all take to it. However, principal Diane Maheia told PLUS News that her 100-member...

Historian Reveals Belizean Territorial History Secrets in his New Treasure Book
Belize and Guatemala did not quite make it past the first hurdle to going to the International Court of Justice to resolve the territorial dispute - a referendum scheduled in October. But that does not mean there is an end to the debate. Historian and former area representative Frederick...

The Caribbean Court of Justice Explains its Position on a Homosexual's Freedom
The Caribbean Court of Justice is currently tending to constitutional challenges to the Immigration laws in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, laws that claimant, Mr. Maurice Tomlinson says legally bans him from entering either country because he is a practicing homosexual. But as that case gets off the ground,...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Do you have extra washbasins?
The CCRC School is adapting the Quality Child Friendly School Program, this includes teaching the children proper health and sanitary procedures. The RC School are trying to have wash basins inside or right outside or in all the classrooms. If anyone has wash basins/sinks that they can donate to the RC School please let us know. They are in the process of purchasing materials for the new classrooms, when we have the total materials needed we will share that information with you and account number for monetary donations.

Only available seafront parcel in the village for sale!
Only seafront parcel in the village proper is for sale. This is a rare opportunity to own a seafront parcel within the village with all utilities to it. Seafront parcels anywhere on the South island are very rare to come by, and especially one with utilities to it. This is your opportunity to own one. Since the land is vacant, you can build the building of your dreams and not have to buy into someone else's dream. Property has commercial and residential potential. Act now! You will not find another seafront parcel with utility infrastructure available maybe for years.

US Embassy is looking for an experienced chef
Full time, 40 hours a week. Additional hours for special events.

Blogs

Cayo appeal, San Pedro lagoon area and another defibrilator donation
The Belize Red Cross is a making a special appeal to aid families affected by the recent floods in communities in the Cayo District and the Belize River Valley. Local rivers, their tributaries, and lagoons spilled their banks during two weeks of continuous rains caused by tropical depressions that affected Belize. Villagers in some areas have endured up to four feet of water in their neighborhoods. The Belize Red Cross has begun assessing the needs of communities most affected in these areas. Both the National Emergency Management Organization and the Belize Red Cross are jointly collaborating in efforts to alleviate the suffering of those families most affected. Some 200 families in these areas are in great need so we ask for monetary donations, canned food, and toiletries to help in assisting these communities in need.

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Pear er Apple Brun Muffins
1 cup flour 1 1/2 cups natcherul wheet brun (nairy t'cereel) 1/2 teespoon bakyun' powd'r, 1/2 teespoon salt, 1 teespoon bakyun' sody 1/2 teespoon cinnamon 1/2 teespoon nutmeg 1 beete egg 1 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons molasses 1 cup buttarmilk 1 pear er apple, peelet an' choppet into small pieces 1/2- 3/4 cup raisins er Craisins (dride cranberries) 1/2 cup choppet pekuns (opt.)

97% Owned - Economic Truth documentary
You think you know it all? Take a look at this documentary and open your eyes.

International Sources

Significant Storm System Possible Next Week Which May Disrupt Holiday Travel During The Thanksgiving Week For The Gulf Coast & US East Coast
Looking ahead, we are looking at the potential for a storm system to develop along the northern Gulf coast late Monday into Tuesday and for this storm to track northeastward along the US East Coast on Wednesday. This storm is expected to bring some very nasty travel weather along Interstate 10 across the Gulf coast and along Interstate 95 up the US East Coast. Across the Interstate 10 corridor along the US Gulf coast, heavy rain with the chance for severe weather is possible from about Monday night through Tuesday. A heavy rain storm is then possible along the Interstate 95 corridor from Tuesday through Wednesday. Further inland, heavy snow and ice is a distinct possibility across interior parts of New England from Tuesday night through Wednesday, including the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Incredible UNESCO Sites in Danger of Disappearing
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System Of the 981 properties included on UNESCO's World Heritage List, some 44 are categorized as in-danger, for reasons ranging from political instability to irresponsible tourism. Why it's special: This is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere-visit for the coral-made islands; more than 500 species of fish; and the "Great Blue Hole," a famed diving spot that's nearly 1,000 feet deep. Why it's in danger: In addition to development in the area, extensive mangrove cutting has removed food sources and shelter for marine life.

Passports to ignominy
All this has caused scarcely a ripple in Suriname, whose foreign minister says he expects no upset to relations with the United States. Reactions to similar shenanigans in Belize have been louder. There Elvin Penner, a junior immigration minister, was sacked in September over a passport issued to Kim Won-Hong, a South Korean then in a Taiwanese prison while resisting extradition to his own country for fraud. Mr Penner personally signed his passport picture and application form, but says he was misled through an identity fraud. Mr Kim was sent to Korea on September 26th. Since then, Belize has buzzed with reports of passport and visa fraud. Another junior minister, Edmond Castro, is under pressure over alleged visa fraud. If both lose their parliamentary seats in possible recall votes, the government would lose its majority. The government says it will tighten passport procedures.

Belize Family Vacation: Ambergris Caye With Kids
What's 25 miles long, one mile wide and chock full of fun things to do? The answer is Ambergris Caye, an island off the coast of Belize with fine white sand, crystal blue water and the world's second largest barrier reef. Here are my five favorite things to do if you visit with kids. Drive a golf cart everywhere. The island is walkable but the primary mode of transport is golf carts. My golf-crazed hubby and kids loved it. Towards the north end of the island, before the bridge, there is a place where you can rive your carts on the beach. It's a beautiful drive, past some lovely restaurants. Tip: Do it in the late afternoon and you'll find a great spot to watch the sunset. Snorkel Plenty of tour providers leave from San Pedro for snorkeling trips to the barrier reef. We went with SEAduced for the Caye Caulker day tour and had a fine time. The first stop was Hol Chan Marine Reserve where there is a natural cut in the barrier reef, which is as shallow as five feet in some places. The kid's enjoyed the 45 minutes we spent snorkeling and were even able to spot some fish and corral. We brought our 2-year-old's floating ring* and our 4-year-old wore a life vest. The next stop was Shark Ray Alley where you do indeed get to swim with the sharks. The sharks are much more interested in their food than you. Nevertheless, my kids decided to skip this experience. After this, the tour stops at Caye Caulker (above, pronounced Key Cawker), the quaint sister island to Ambergris Caye. Five-miles long by 1-mile wide (with some 30 tiny hotels on it!), it's a lovely place to enjoy a lazy lunch, sample freshly made ice cream and savor a stroll along the beach. We managed to tire the kids out enough that they were happy to chill out on the bouncy deck of the catamaran for the trip back. Beaches There are many beaches to choose from on the island. One of the favorites, Ramon's Village, is easy with kids. It has a restaurant on the water. Our little kids were happy to play in the sand and wade in the water to spot fish. Bigger kids and grown-ups can jump of a boardwalk jutting out into the sea to swim or snorkel. We had a great day.

7 Amazing Things about Belize
If you're in the planning phase for a vacation, Belize should be your destination for all the right reasons. Belize is situated in Central America, between Mexico and Guatemala; it's beautiful and hugged by nature all around. The abundance of breathtaking beaches, awe-inspiring sea life, the humble people, and fresh air are just a few things from a long list of great stuff to mention about this place. It's a great place to get away from the usual hustle bustle of life and spend adventurous and pleasurable time with family. There are great many amazing things about Belize. Here are nine of them...