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Channel 7
Cab Driver Leslie Roland Found Murdered In his Own Vat, Nephew Detained
Last night on the news we told you about Leslie Roland, the 61-year-old taxi driver we'd been missing for at least six days. His car was found abandoned yesterday morning, and his family panicked. Well, two hours after the news we learned that he had been found dead - in the concrete vat in his own yard on Guerrero Street in the Port Loyola area. Our news team responded last night, and here's what we found:...
Daniel Ortiz reporting
Steven Rowland, his family, and the neighbors on Guerrero St. waited around for the police to process the scene at the Rowland Family house. Apparently, the stench of rot and scavenger birds signaled that there was decomposing flesh nearby . Further inspection by persons in the area revealed that a body was inside the cement vat.
Given the fact that Lester Rowland is still missing, his vehicle was recovered last night, and the fact that he lived here, has led everyone to strongly suspect that the body in the vat is Rowland, who has been missing for some days now.
Steve Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"Police had informed me after searching my brother's house that they observed a body inside a vat which is adjacent to the family house. They are in the process right about now trying to remove that body from the vat, so we can identify the person that is in there. It is very significant because I was here when my mother and my father got this land and I was here when the house was built and when my father died, it just passed down and left in my brother's hand, so it's very significant."
Cuban Wanted For US Gold Heist Caught in Benque
Tonight, a Cuban man wanted as the mastermind of a gold heist in Coral Gables Florida is in jail at the Hattieville prison. On Thursday, he was found in the bushes at the west of Benque Viejo. He is believed to have crossed illegally from Guatemala and was detained for illegal entry. He had a Cuban passport but he had no stamp showing he had entered Belize legally. On Friday he was charged for illegal entry and fined two thousand dollars which he paid. So with that he might have been set free, but he could not be deported or returned to Guatemala because he didn't have any visa for that country either. So he was sent to jail for six months, and that's when Immigration authorities decided to check up on his story.
They found that he is the accused mastermind behind a heist in which nearly three million dollars in gold was stolen in Coral Gables, Florida. US news reports say he vanished in March of 2013 after he cut off his ankle monitor while out on bond. US Police say said he came up with the plan to steal at gun point two rolling suitcases filled with more than 100 pounds of gold flakes from a courier working for a Bolivian export company.
Mexican Zurisiday Skips Bail, Predictably
Mexican Zurisaday Villasenor Mendez, the man who police say they caught with a small arsenal of weapons and drugs, has been out on bail for 8 days now, and because he didn't attend his court hearing today, there is the strong suspicion that he has skipped out of the country.
Mendez was granted a $75,000 bail on last week Monday, and he was supposed to show up to court today for a routine adjournment before Magistrate Narda Morgan, but he didn't.
The police court orderly called for him several times, but they couldn't find him, and in a strange co-incidence, none of his attorneys made an appearance in court either. It was likely that the Magistrate would have requested of them to try to explain why Mendez had skipped his adjournment date.
Citrus Stakeholders Meet: Can't We All Get Along?
Last night, we showed you the press conference that the Prime Minister hosted to explain how his government intends to bail out the crisis torn Citrus Industry.
Majority Shareholder the Citrus Growers Association has been at odds with Barbadian Beverage Giant, Banks Holding Limited, which is a minority shareholder - but one with a powerful veto vote over board decisions.
The CGA, which represents 90% of citrus farmers, has repeatedly criticized Banks for using its veto power to stall board decisions for years. CGA wants to buy out Banks - but that's an expensive dream - as much as 20 million US dollars, and government has said it won't use public funds for a private buyout. But it will front about 15 million dollars to bridge the Citrus products of Belize Limited through a cash flow and debt crisis which has immobilized the industry.
The road map was hammered out by the Prime Minister yesterday before he left the country and today in Belmopan, Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega met with all stakeholders to ensure they agree to a way forward. The meeting included Anthony King, the Board Chairman of Banks Holdings Limited. He sat with all other stakeholders in the cabinet room today for almost 6 hours, and when they exited, 7News was there. Here's what the Banks Holdings Chairman had to say to the media about the controversy his company continues to find itself in:
Alleged "Queenpin" Of Sea Cucumber's Black Market Nabbed
The sea cucumber season opened on Saturday and yesterday the police department's Mobile Interdiction Team made a dramatic bust of a Guatemalan woman believed to be the Queenpin of the black market trade in this prized sea creature. We found out more about the bust and sea cucumber sin general today. Jules Vasquez reports:..
Jules Vasquez reporting
This 3-inch creature is a sea cucumber - we found it at a local restaurant. Not very impressive right? In fact it looks deserving of one of its colloquial names, Donkey Dung.
But, put it in boiling water for a few hours and it blows up - three hours later this is how our sea cucumber looked. It's a Chinese delicacy; they usually stew it, and enjoy the gelatinous insides.
It may not be your cup of tea, but a dish like this will sell for one hundred dollars locally and about 165 US for just one in China.
Barge Crashes Into Port Bridge, Breaks It, Forces Closure
This morning before dawn, at about a quarter to five a barge crashed into the main pier at the port of Belize. It caused major damage and it may leave the port closed for as long as a week - creating major delays in the shipping industry. Today CEO of the Port Arturo Tux Vasquez told us that three major cross beams - valued at about 150 thousand dollars each were damaged - and all of those now have to be demolished and replaced. He told us about the effect:..
Arturo Tux Vasquez, CEO - Port of Belize
"It's quite significant really because it puts the pier out of commission and obviously we are still in the stage of assessing everything and the priority for us right now is to make sure that we get this - we thought that it was only one of the beams but apparently it damage all 3, so instead of having to replace one, we are looking to having to replace 3 now. The engineer is currently looking at it and trying to put all the plans in place, but for us even to replace one beam, we would have had to close the pier off, so initially we thought about 4 days, but I think now we are realistically looking about 6 days."
Police: Raynard Grinage's Stash House Was Rented By BEL Employee
Last night we told you about that 53 pound bust of high grade marijuana known as hydro valued at well over fifty thousand dollars. Well today the chips keep falling as the GSU says it is a drug ring led by Raynard Grinage.
A female associate of his who works at BEL as a technical assistant has been charged jointly with him for 'Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Supply". 31 year old Clarissa Vasquez was renting the property on Bachelor's Avenue that Grinage allegedly used as his stash house - the same house where the 53 pounds of weed bricks were found stuffed in boxes.
And then yesterday evening, further information from that case led the GSU to GSU to Central American Boulevard, where they saw a Toyota Camry with taxi plates parked on the side of the street. 35 year old Orvin Leonard Hugh-Donald BEEKS was standing outside and a search led to the discovery of a black plastic bag on the floor of the front passenger side of the vehicle. The bag contained 383 grams - almost a pound - of what police say is the same hydro cannabis. BEEKS was arrested and charged for the crime of "Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Supply".
More Manual Labour For Men From Troubled Neighborhoods
Last week we told you about the plan to start road works on all of Central American Boulevard. Well, it started yesterday with the trenching of street side where the BTL cables run. But, it's not being done by some big time contractor with tones of heavy equipment, instead, it's manual labour getting the job done the old fashioned way with shovels and pick axes. It might not seem thoroughly modern, but it's a way to generate employment for young men from tough neighborhoods who can't find gainful employment anywhere else. Today we found them working hard and making good progress:..
Reina Gonzalez, supervisor
"We started yesterday at around 10am and well as you can see we have more than 200 feet of trench of the BTL trench ready for us to set the pipes on and back fill. So we can say in a day's work the guys basically work 200 feet of trench with the dimensions of 2 feet and 3 feet deep. We are seeing that man power is proving effective for us so far."
"Something like this traditionally it's done with the back hoe, with a 24 inch or 12 inch bucket and basically who you will have working? It will be the operator and maybe 2 people supervising and maybe another 2 laying down the pipes and checking that everything is going okay. That is a total of roughly 5 people doing the same thing. Right now we are starting and we have a group of 20 guys doing the manual labour and I have 5 of my guys checking that we meet the specifications and we have another 2 guys dealing with the man holes, so we basically have a total of around 27 people working right now."
BNE Gives A Renovated Schoolbuilding
The Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust has spent almost 80,000 to renovate the school buildings belonging Maya Mopan Pre-School and the Richard Quinn R.C. School.
This donation from the Trust has positively affected over 20 students and 2 teachers from the pre-school and 200 students from the primary school. The buildings for both schools were renovated after grants of 33 thousand dollars and 45 thousand dollars, which were disbursed last year, and after the work was completed, it was handed over today.
Channel 5
Body of cab driver, Lester Rowland, retrieved from vat at his home
There was significant progress made in the citrus industry today with an agreement to reconfigure the Board of Citrus Products of Belize Limited. We'll have all those details coming up [...]
Human remains found on farm in Orange Walk
Up north, human remains were found today at a farm in the outskirts of the village of Guinea Grass in the Orange Walk District. A caretaker at a farm discovered [...]
Is there no criminal investigation in the immigration scandal because other ministers are involved?
Do you think there is no criminal investigation in the immigration scandal because other ministers are involved? Yes or No. Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to [...]
CGA, CPBL and Banks agree to proposal to restructure CPBL Board
On Monday, the Government of Belize announced its intervention in the ongoing citrus industry crisis. That intervention came by way of enabling immediate financing to assure payment to growers, and [...]
Social Security to ultimately take swap debt for shares in industry
The announcement was made Monday that the Social Security Board will be taking on a financial role in Citrus Products of Belize Limited. Currently CPBL has a loan facility with [...]
Barge damages the Port pier
The collision of a barge into the pier at Port of Belize Ltd., shortly before five o'clock this morning, has forced the company to temporarily cease operations at the dock.� [...]
Mexican National, Zurisday Villasenor Mendez, a no show in court today
There is an update to report tonight about Mexican national, Zurisaday Villasenor Mendez, who was granted a seventy-five thousand dollar bail by the Supreme Court less than two weeks ago. [...]
3 persons, all political appointees of Vega, dismissed from ministry
In this newscast, we have reported on a number of cases involving land hustles and questionable land deals facilitated by various players in the Lands Department.� We'll have another such [...]
US national involved in adoption scam caught in San Pedro
A US woman who was living in San Pedro for some time was picked up by US agents with the cooperation of local police and whisked away to the United [...]
A mentally-ill man is shot and killed by PG police
Punta Gorda police are tonight investigating the shooting death of a Big Falls resident at the hands of one of their own.� Police claim that Moses Williams, a mentally ill [...]
Still no leads in murder of Corozal customs broker, Stephen Kuylen Jr.
It has been one week since Stephen Kuylen Junior was killed in the front yard of his Orange Walk home. Today when we caught up with police in Orange Walk, [...]
Another drug bust by the Gang Suppression Unit
The Gang Suppression Unit is reporting another bust in the alleged ring controlled by Raynard Grinage. On Monday evening, the GSU mounted an operation on Central American Boulevard, where they [...]
CTV3
Three Persons Fired From Ministry Of Natural Resources
Corruption within the UDP administration has been taking over the news over the last months. And at the foot of the immigration scandal that broke at the start of the year and the Belize Airport Authority cheque scandal with Edmund Castro, there is apparently another looming scandal about to hit the already battered image of the PM's administration.
Reports reaching our news room are that three persons have been fired from the Ministry of Natural Resources. They are Deputy Registrar of Lands Barony Hernandez, Deputy Commissioner of Lands Nestor Hernandez and National Estate Officer Darleen Padron. The tree high scale officers have, as we were reliably informed, been fired under orders of the Prime Minster himself. We understand that the decision was announced during a recent Cabinet meeting.
BSI Engages In Public Education Of Sugar Exportation
The start of the current sugar crop saw a delay due to an impasse in the industry triggered by the standstill in negotiations between the Belize Sugar Industry and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. But the crop kick started on January 26th and by all accounts all is flowing rather smoothly.
Today, after almost a month the first shipment of sugar left the Belize coast. The Belize Sugar Industry, in an effort to educating the public and other stakeholders in the industry as to the extent and magnitude of sugar production took the media on a tour of the first cargo ship to leave for this crop. Our crew went on board the San Remo II along with a delegation from BSI and filed this report.
Four Persons Charged For Burglary At Fruta Bomba
On our newscast last night we reported on the burglary that was carried out at Fruta Bomba over the weekend. Today the four men that were arrested for the burglary after police conducted a search on an empty lot in San Andres Village that led them to the discovery of (2) picnic tables, (4) vehicle tires and (1) wooden door, were arraigned in court.
Thirty six year old Juan Orosco and 31 year old Miguel Daniels both from the village of San Andres, 51 year old Nonato Yam from Patchakan village and 33 year old Nicholas Landero from San Joaquin Village were jointly charged for the crime of burglary and handling stolen goods.
Human Bones Found In Ambergris Caye And Police Intercept Package Suspected To Contain Cannabis
In a similar case as the one here in Orange Walk, authorities on Ambergris Caye, acting upon information received around 1:58pm, visited the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve where a park ranger of the reserve reported that on same date at about 6:30 a.m, she came across some human remains while on her routine checks. She then escorted the Police to the western side of the Reserve where the police observed what appeared to be human bones partially embedded in the mangrove. The bones retrieved from the area were parts of Fibula (2), pelvis, ribs, sternum and cranium. The bones were then placed in a bag and taken to the San Pedro Police Station to be forwarded to the Forensic Laboratory for testing. The identity of the individual is yet to be ascertained.
Also on Ambergris Caye, authorities intercepted a box of suspected cannabis from hitting the streets on Monday from the islands airline cargo section. According to police, on Monday around 2:10pm, San Pedro Police proceeded to the Tropic Air Cargo Section which is located on Manta-Ray Street, where they searched a package in a "Mega-man supplement" box measuring six by three inches wrapped with plastic tape. Upon opening the box police observed a white transparent plastic zip-lock bag which contained a compressed green in colour vegetable substance which was suspected to be cannabis. All items, including a receipt was retrieved and taken to the San Pedro Police Station where the suspected cannabis was weighed and amounted to 229.7 grams. It was then sealed and labelled as found Property.
Another Wanted U.S National Caught In San Pedro
A US national who was residing in the tourist mecca of Ambergris Caye was one of four persons the US Department of Justice in the United States have charged for conspiracy to Defraud the United States in Connection with Ethiopia Operations.
A release from the Department states that Mary Mooney was taken from her home on San Pedro Ambergris Caye, in an operation between the island's police department and the US State Department.
She was taken to the Embassy and whisked out of the country to the U.S. where she faces charges in relation to adoption fraud in Ethiopia. She and her company is accused of paying orphanages to "sign off" on contracts of adoption with the adopting parents as if the children had been raised by those orphanages - even though the children had never resided in those orphanages and had not been cared for or raised there.
Police Trying To Ascertain Decompose Body Found On Richman Hill Farm
Orange Walk Police are putting together the pieces of a puzzle to identify a male person whose decayed body was found approximately half a mile on Richman Hill Farm located on the Guinea Grass/Shipyard Road. With more questions than answers police are still trying to ascertain the cause of death and are looking at all angles. Before going into the story we advise our viewers that some images may not be suitable for our young audience and viewer discretion is advised. Reporter Maria Novelo and Video Journalist Jesus Melgar were first on the scene this morning and filed this report.
Maria Novelo - Reporting
Caretakers of a farm on the Guinea Grass/Shipyard Road made the discovery this morning around 8:00am and alerted the authorities. When we arrived at the location, we trekked about quarter mile into this vegetated acreage. The putrid scent permeated in the air and flying vultures overhead signaled the location as well. One of the property's caretakers told us how the discovery was made.
CDTF Assists MOW In Rehabilitating The Road And Dump Site At Consejo Shores
During the rainy season the road into the village of Consejo is one of many vulnerable areas to floods impeding the passage of villagers in and out of the community. The dump site that is located approximately three miles from Corozal which is used primarily by residents of Corozal Town and the Consejo Community only makes matters worse. The incessant rains experienced during last year's rainy season have not only caused the road to dilapidate, it has also affected the dump site which is filled with garbage, chemicals, and carcasses thus turning into a health hazard for residents.
The good news tonight is that the Consejo Road Disaster Task Force, a non- governmental organization, commissioned by the Consejo Village Council, has extended a helping hand to the Ministry of Works in rehabilitating the road and to build a much needed retaining wall at the dumpsite. This is to avoid the spillage of bio hazard and garbage, that could possible contaminate a half mile segment of the Consejo Road.
Police Uncertain Of Cause Of Death Of a Man Found In Santa Clara Village
The body of John Doe is not the only one that was found in the north today. A second body was found in the Village of Santa Clara in the Corozal District only that this one has been identified as that of 24 year old Auriano Samuel Ramos.
Reports gathered from the family indicate that Ramos arrived home last night from work under the influence of alcohol and went to sleep on one of the hammocks that were hanging in the family's living room.
With Ramos asleep, his common Law wife, 23 year old Karina Pech and his 2 year old daughter went to bed. It was until this morning around 6:30, when Karina went into the living room, that she noticed that Ramos was motionless.
PlusTV
Missing Taxi Man Found Dead Inside his Vat
This morning, Belize City police and Scenes of Crime returned to a house on Guerrero Street for the unpleasant business of retrieving a dead body found inside a vat. The family of missing taxi operator, 61-year-old Lester "Tin Man" Rowland, is hoping it is not him, but police say...
Human Remains Found Among the Mangroves
Human remains have been found on San Pedro yesterday afternoon. On Monday February 17 , San Pedro Police were called to the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve where a park ranger of the reserve reported to the police that she came across some human remains while on her routine checks. Human...
Barge Damages Port of Belize Pier
CEO of the Port of Belize Limited, Arturo Vasquez, says services at the Port in Belize City are limited following an early morning crash of a barge into the pierhead at the Yarborough compound. The incident took place between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. and has knocked the pier out...
Bank's Holdings CEO Speaks About Government's Intervention on CPBL
Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced Government's intervention plan to save the citrus industry of Belize. It amounts to a 15 million dollar bailout for Citrus Products of Belize Limited - with its bank First Caribbean International. The bank will provide 2 million dollars in working capital funds to CPBL...
Decomposed Human Body Discovered on Farm
Earlier we told you about the body of the missing taxi man which was found in his vat in Belize City. Then there were human remains found on San Pedro. Well, today there was another discovery of a body, this time in Orange Walk. The decomposed remains were discovered...
Minister Hulse Updates on Immigration Scandal Investigation
Yesterday, Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse gave the media an update on investigations into the passport scandal as it relates to the two officers from the Nationality section being questioned. He said that the director was satisfied that there were enough questions that the two persons would need to answer...
PM Opines on PUP's Pursuit on Penner's Prosecution
PUP's Legal Advisor Anthony Sylvestre, has confirmed to the media that tomorrow, Wednesday February 18th, his party intends to apply to the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus which would compel the Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie to carry out his duties and lay charges on Hon Elvin Penner....
Integrity Commission Member's Appointment Questioned
The Prime Minister was then asked to update the nation on the ongoing search for replacement members of the Integrity Commission. It has been duly noted that another of his appointees, Armeid Gabourel, was a past member of the now infamous Belize Airports Authority Board of Directors. PM Barrow says...
PM Updates on Problems at the University of Belize
The PM was also asked for an update on the Problems at the University of Belize as it relates to the standing of President, Dr Carey Frazer, here is what he had to say about that. Hon. Dean Barrow- Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development "Dr....
Big Tom in Court for Cursing Cops
Deported former murder suspect Kenneth "Big Tom" Flowers was back in court on Monday, accused of using curse words at police officers who were searching his vehicle on Friday. Mr. Flowers, 36, acquitted of a 2010 Salt Lake City, Utah, murder but jailed on federal weapons and illegal entry...
Tourism Horse Euthanized After Getting Injured in Traffic
A horse used in the transportation of tourists in Belize City had to be euthanized today, after it received serious injuries. According to reports, a horse pulling a carriage of tourists on Craig street crashed into the back of a trailer after it was frightened by a vehicle which...
Amandala
ATTORNEY LIONEL WELCH, DEAD AT 63
Attorney and businessman Lionel Welch, who has been ailing for some time, died in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, shortly after 3:00 p.m.
Welch had been receiving treatment in Los Angeles since last October for prostate cancer, which, according to attorney Marilyn Williams, the former Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Director who is now working out of his office, has spread to his spine.
After completing his legal studies at the Norman Manley Law School, in Jamaica, Welch returned to Belize to begin his legal practice. He was called to the Belize Bar on December 18, 1980.
Apart from his work as an attorney, Welch was also an avid football player in his youth.
In later years he supported the sport by serving on the executive of the Belize City Football Association as its vice chairman. He also served as an advisor to the Football Federation of Belize, up to the time of his death.
"EROTIC VACATION" PROMOTER THREATENS TO QUIT BELIZE!
At a minute before 6:00 this evening, Amandala received an e-mail via our website, responding to last Sunday's headline article, "Belize 'Sex Paradise?'", seemingly from an agent involved in the very type of promotions outlined in the article. In the message, the agent threatens to quit promoting Belize's vacation packages amid investigations into online postings on the websites Global Fantasies and Universal Fantasies, which promote the agent's services as "a premium erotic vacation provider" that offers packages which, the postings claim, include beautiful Belizean women.
The e-mail, sent to us via [email protected], an e-mail account which seems to be linked to a user in the USA, says: "Our packages consisted of a resort room, some tours and meals, as well as some local excursions. Only a name and contact number of a local Belize taxi driver was ever provided to any guest.
SSB TO THE RESCUE!
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dean Barrow today announced that the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) would inject a total of BZ$24.1 million into the beleaguered citrus industry-which reported BZ$50 million in losses in 2013-as a part of a Government proposal to break what Barrow described as "a fierce, intractable deadlock."
That deadlock between foreign investor Banks Holdings of Barbados and the Citrus Growers Association of Belize (CGA) has meant financial pain for citrus growers, who are owed roughly BZ$3 million in overdue payments - funds they have not been able to receive, because local bankers have frozen the accounts of Citrus Products of Belize Limited (CPBL), the processing plant which buys fruit from growers.
The proposal unveiled today will see a major shift in the power structure of the industry, with the two main stakeholders-at loggerheads for several years now-making way for the Government to not just intervene, but to grab a 10% stake in the industry via a debt-for-shares swap.
This latest development comes after years of Government trying to broker a truce between the parties. Growers are now optimistic that their funds will be freed up-but there is no commitment yet on when they will actually be paid.
TAXI DRIVER FOUND DECOMPOSING IN VAT
The family of popular city taxi driver Lester Rowland, 61, well known as "Tin Man," of Guerrero Street, is mourning his death after his body was found in an advanced state of decomposition in a cement vat in their yard.
The horrible discovery was made about 5:30 this afternoon shortly after his brother, Steven, made a missing person report to the police.
Steven Rowland told Amandala that his brother had not been seen since Friday, February 7, but their mother told him that she saw him on Friday, and they have been looking for him since.
However, this afternoon, the family was informed that his car was bogged in the Krooman area of Fabers Road. They went to the area and saw the car, but Rowland was nowhere to be found.
Steven then reported him missing to police, who began a missing person investigation.
Steven told Amandala that they were going to his house to begin the search, and when they looked in the metal vat, his decomposing body was discovered.
WOMAN, 18, LIED TO POLICE ABOUT RAPE
A Belize City woman was remanded into custody until Friday, February 21, after she pleaded guilty to one count of committing a mischievous act when she appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on Monday.
Myesha Williams, 18, a resident of #39 Neal Pen Road, remained silent when the Chief Magistrate asked her: "You think the police don't have enough work?"
"Why you think it is alright to waste police investigators' time, scenes of crime and government resources?" Smith pressed her.
"I'm remanding you into custody until sentencing," she informed Williams, who maintained her silence.
On February 15, Woman Police Constable Mario Quinn received information from the Racoon Street Police Station about a report of a sexual assault committed upon a woman by a man.
http://amandala.com.bz/news/citco-security-workers-happy-final-payments/
In our last issue, we reported that the stalemate between the CWU and the City Council had the prospects of ending off on a good note after relations between the two entities had soured due to the Council's decision to privatize their Security Department, leading to the ultimate redundancy of about 26 security officers who were employed with CitCo.
While the agreements that were made during this week between Belize City mayor Darrell Bradley and CWU president, Audrey Matura Shepherd, existed in principle, they were not "etched in stone", and consequently, the workers were up in arms once again today, as they railed and vented outside City Hall this afternoon, anxiously awaiting their much-needed final cheques, which the workers asserted not only came late, but did not match up to the figures that they were initially promised.
This evening, the employees - who were visibly upset - stood in wait outside the offices of City Hall, clamoring because they contended that their severance payments were supposed to be ready at 2:00 p.m., and this did not happen as promised, and some of the irritated workers began to lose their patience.
BASKETBALL SPECTATORS SHOCKED BY DERANGED GUNMAN WHO FIRED INTO CROWD
Spectators watching a basketball match on a Ladyville basketball court were thrown into an uproar when a gunman went into the area and opened fire with a shotgun at about 9:00 last night.
There was confusion, as people "scattered" to escape the shooting.
Arlene Bainton, 37, a domestic who resides at the corner of Partridge and Pigeon Streets in Belize City, and Ornan Joseph Avila, 16, a student of Paradise Lounge, Ladyville, suffered gunshot injuries. Bainton was grazed near the left temple, and was shot in the foot and arm, while Avila was shot in the left side of the chest, inside the left lower arm and in the left foot.
They were both treated at the Belize Defense Force Hospital at Price Barracks in Ladyville and later released.
GRIGA, P.G. AND CAYO UNDEFEATED
The Week 1 game between Dangriga Warriors and Toledo Diplomats was postponed last week due to weather, so the two southern teams in the inaugural National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) tournament saw their first action this past weekend in Week 2 of the competition. And both had a winning start, while the only other team to remain undefeated in the young season is Cayo Western Ballers, who made it two victories in a row with their win yesterday in Orange Walk.
There were 2 Friday night games this past weekend, 1 game on Saturday, and 1 on Sunday.
It was a see-saw dog-fight down in Dangriga on Friday night, February 14, at the Y-Not Island, where the home team Dangriga Warriors won a nail-biter, 57-56, over visiting Belmopan Point Bandits. The Point Bandits led, 13-12, at the end of the first quarter; Warriors led, 31-30, at the half; Bandits took the lead once more, 42-40, to close the third quarter; but at the final buzzer it was Griga Warriors in front again for the 57-56 win. Leading the Warriors were Trevaughn Usher 16 pts 4 rebs, Jamir Flores 10 pts 9 rebs 4 assts 4 stls, and Shai Peters 8 pts 4 rebs; while for the Bandits, Jamal Harris had 17 pts 7 rebs, Kyle Pascasio 11 pts 8 stls, and Christian Rodriguez 9 pts 4 rebs. The Warriors are now (1-0), while the Bandits are (1-1).
Football family
It was in mid-November of last year, during a most competitive and exciting Premier League of Belize (PLB) Belikin Cup Opening Season 2013-2014, that FC Belize long time and original owner/manager, lawyer Lionel Welch suddenly departed for emergency medical attention abroad, days before his team was to travel to Belmopan's Isidoro Beaton Stadium for a Saturday night, November 16, encounter with the Belmopan Bandits. Both teams were former semi-pro champions, FC Belize back in 2006 and 2007, and the Bandits as recently as 2012. But, despite Welch's absence, which led to a bit of controversy over some unpaid yellow card bills, FC Belize pulled out a surprising 3-2 road victory, that prompted the Bandits owner, Hon. John Saldivar to seek additional help for his coaching staff, then headed by Edmund "Buzzard" Pandy who had steered them to their first ever championship a couple seasons earlier. But Saldivar was taking no chances; and he managed to lure former national team coach, Leroy Sherrier Lewis back from Costa Rica in mid-season to lead the Bandits effort the rest of the way.
THANKS UBAD FROM CALIFORNIA
Dear Editor,
On the 45th anniversary of UBAD, I'm writing this E-mail in acknowledgement and gratitude for the influence and teachings I received from the organization in the early 1970's.
As a result of the "liberation" classes that were held on Hydes Lane, I developed a greater awareness about the politics of that time - both locally and internationally; and also a higher consciousness of my roots.
Today, I can look back and confirm something positive that the UBAD Party brought to at least one Belizean brother.
"Big Tom" pleads guilty to uttering indecent words; claims police harassment
Deportee, Kenneth "Big Tom" Flowers, 36, a laborer, pleaded guilty to uttering indecent words when he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano.
Cayetano imposed a $300 fine for two counts of uttering indecent words after the court threw out a third, similar charge.
The Magistrate questioned why was it necessary for the police to level three charges of use of indecent words against Flowers, when the circumstances of the complaint appeared to be one incident.
Magistrate Cayetano then asked Flowers what he had to say before he passed sentence upon him.
"I am a hard-working man, but everywhere police see me, they search me. If the GSU sees [me] five, six times for the day, they will search me," Flowers told the court, "I just let the anger get the best of me and cuss out the police."
Gas station robbed; thieves escaped with $248
The Freetown Road Puma Gas Station was robbed by two thieves who got away with $248. No one was hurt and no shots were fired.
The incident occurred about 10:30 last Friday morning. Norris Santos, 28, a gas attendant at the station, told police that while at his workplace, two men rode up to the gas station on separate bicycles. One of the men, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, pointed the gun at him and demanded money.
Santos told Amandala that he saw the two men coming. They hesitated by a parked vehicle in the compound, then one of them lifted up his shirt and took out a big gun.
The gunman pointed the gun at the two attendants, and the second robber came to him, Santos, and told him, "Bway, gimme di money!"
Glenford Ferguson, Jr., 29, gets 15 years for manslaughter conviction
After listening to mitigation pleas from four persons, Supreme Court Justice John Gonzalez adjourned the mitigation hearing for 10 minutes, and when he returned, he imposed a 15-year sentence on Glenford Ferguson, Jr., who was convicted of manslaughter on February 6 for the stabbing death of Koffi Beeks.
Ferguson, who was initially charged with murder, spoke first at his mitigation hearing, telling the court that he knows he has done wrong, but pleaded for another chance to be with his family.
"I have never been in a situation like this before, and I am really sorry," Ferguson told the court; "I like to say I apologize to the family, Your Honor."
Ferguson's brief statement was followed by the four character witnesses who also spoke briefly, but all appealed for leniency on his behalf.
His father, Glenford Ferguson, Sr., testified that he was "not a trouble child."
Minors, 12, and 8, molested by trusted adults
Two families - one from Camalote Village in the Cayo District, and the other from Bella Vista in the Stann Creek District, have been devastated by the discovery that a young girl in each family - one 8 years of age, the other 12 - was raped, each by trusted male adults - in one case, the girl's brother-in-law, in the other, the victim's uncle.
In Bella Vista, the 44-year-old uncle of an 8-year-old girl was arrested on Friday after being on the run since February 1. However, an intense manhunt conducted by the Independence police forced him to hand himself in at the police station in that village on Friday, where he was immediately charged with carnal knowledge, rape, and an unnatural crime.
Police believe that on top of raping the little girl, he also committed unnatural acts with her. He will be taken to the Independence Magistrate's Court today, where he will be remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date.
FATHER, 44, CONVICTED ON TWO COUNTS OF INCEST WITH DAUGHTER, 10
A 9-member jury deliberated for three hours and 17 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict in the trial of a 44-year-old man indicted on two counts of incest against his daughter, who was 10 years old when the incidents occurred in 2009.
The incestuous man is already serving a 3-year prison sentence for a conviction of aggravated assault of an indecent nature that he committed upon another minor.
The trial took place before Justice John "Troadio" Gonzalez, and eight out of the nine jurors voted to convict the man on the two incest indictments.
Justice Gonzalez has set Friday, February 21, for a mitigation hearing, before he passes sentence.
Incest carries a prison term ranging from 12 years to life in prison. Due to the sensitivity of incest cases (court reporters were barred from this trial), Amandala cannot not use the name or photograph of the convicted man.
"CONTAINED" CASE OF CATTLE DISEASE CONFIRMED
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), in a press release issued today, announced that it has strengthened its standard disease control measures upon receiving information from the Central Regional Laboratory in Merida that cattle specimens, which were submitted for routine testing, have tested positive for Bovine Tuberculosis on bacteriological culture.
BAHA added that through the Belize National Sanitary Cattle Plan Project (BNSCPP), they have been methodically identifying cattle farms and routinely testing all cattle for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis. Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic animal disease that affects cattle and is caused by slow-growing (16- to 20-hour generation time) bacteria called 'mycobacterium bovis', which is closely related to the bacteria that causes human and avian tuberculosis.
The agency reported that a total of ninety thousand cattle have been tested, and all the results of those routine tests have proven negative, with the exception of one case that came back positive.
GEORGIA AND JANAE MATUTE KEEP HOPE
At a hearing held by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) earlier this week, the standards of care that medical practitioners ought to uphold when attending to a woman giving birth-especially women undergoing cesarean section (C-section) procedures and those having a higher risk of complications-was an important point discussed.
What exactly are those standards of care? Who ensures that medical practitioners adhere to them? What recourse do patients have when they are dissatisfied with the care provided to them?
Thirteen years ago, Georgia Matute of Roaring Creek underwent a C-section at the Western Regional Hospital. She gave birth to her daughter Janae, who is now a student of Belmopan Comprehensive School. Matute said that she had to leave her government job to focus on giving Janae the best possible chance in life.
"It has really been a challenge, but I would rather do this than to have stayed and pushed forward my career", she told Amandala.
CAYO SALESMAN MISSING 5 DAYS
Luis Eduardo Baki, 33, a salesman of El Mana Bakery located at Blue Bird Street, San Ignacio, Cayo, has been reported missing since 6:00 Wednesday evening, February 12.
His common-law wife, Neidy Cifuentez, a naturalized Belizean domestic of Ladyville Street, Santiago Juan Layout, San Ignacio, Cayo District, told police that at about 8:30 Wednesday morning, Baki left the bakery in the company's white-and-orange delivery truck, with L/P 00225, to carry out routine deliveries in San Ignacio.
Since driving out of the compound, Baki has not been seen; neither has the vehicle been found.
Luis Eduardo Baki is of Maya descent. At the time he left work, he was wearing a black-and-gray checkered shirt, long blue jeans pants and a white peaked cap. He is about 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a low haircut. Baki is of fair complexion and weighs about 235 pounds. He has a tattoo of a heart on his right hand.
MONDAY MORNING MAYHEM:
Complaints over an inadequate and sometimes overly hassling public transportation system-some of them lingering unresolved for years now-are getting the attention of Crispin Jeffries, Chief Transport Officer, who told Amandala this morning that he has been advised of a call to a morning TV talk show complaining of commuter problems.
Partly due to the absence of a proper ticketing system, many commuters have daily troubles trying to get a space on a bus. Our newspaper learned on Friday that a group of students were upset that they were removed from a bus in Belmopan and told to wait for the next available bus, but the same bus which ejected them, on the claim that they had no more space, packed on several more standees just a few blocks away, while Transport officers were not looking.
Under existing law, it is illegal for a bus to carry more passengers than its capacity, but Jeffries said that each passenger should by law also be allotted 15 inches of seat space. The refurbished school buses used to run commuters may say they can seat 80, for example - but that's 80 children, not 80 adults, Jeffries explained.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
British Honduras became a self-governing British colony in 1964. At the time, it was felt that we would now move on smartly to independence, but the Anglo-Guatemalan dispute got in the way in 1968 when the Belizean people rose up against Bethuel Webster's Seventeen Proposals.
Early the following year of 1969, the UBAD organization was established, out of nowhere actually, and three months later there was an attempt to unseat the Hon. Philip Goldson as Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition - the National Independence Party (NIP). It was a strange and unexpected challenge. Mr. Goldson was a full-fledged national hero.
Two years before, some wealthy businessmen in the British Honduras Chamber of Commerce had begun publishing a new weekly newspaper - The Chamber Reporter. Its first editor was Miss Zelma Tucker, the eldest daughter of a prominent executive in the Santiago Castillo group of companies. Miss Tucker had been trained in journalism in the United Kingdom. (Miss Tucker soon left the newspaper and went on to become Belize's first novelist - Mrs. Zee Edgell.)
Editorial: THE BARRACKS GREEN
The 1984-89 UDP administration of the Right Hon. Dr. Manuel Esquivel made at least three controversial moves. One was to begin selling Belizean passports. This was reportedly a proposal which had been in the PUP pipeline before they were voted out of office in December of 1984. Another very controversial Esquivel move was to allow the American government to spray Belize's marijuana fields with paraquat. The third move was to begin the privatization of the Barracks green by selling the southern section of the seafront to the transnational Ramada hotel chain.
Subsequently, a prominent PUP family managed to grab the northern portion of the green, where they have built the Marina Towers. Between the Ramada/Princess and the Marina Towers there remained a central seafront section, which became known as "BTL Park."
It is one of the deep and abiding differences between the traditional indigenous view of life, on the one hand, and the modern capitalist mode of economics on the other, that indigenous people view certain God-given treasures as having been gifted to the people as a body in perpetuity, whereas rapacious capitalists believe that the Gospel of private property is supreme, that individuals and corporations can own anything once they have enough money to buy it.
PUP PROCEEDING WITH JUDICIAL REVIEW AGAINST COMPOL WHYLIE
The Opposition People's United Party (PUP), having failed in its recall effort against the disgraced Cayo North East area representative Hon. Elvin Penner, is now initiating judicial review proceedings in an application that will be filed as early as tomorrow, Tuesday, in the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus.
Attorney Edwin Flowers, S.C., who had written to the Commissioner of Police last week on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, has confirmed to Amandala that he has not received a reply from Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie.
Based on instructions Flowers received from the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Francis Fonseca, Commissioner Whylie had until the end of the business day, today, Monday, February 17, to respond, Flowers said.
Flowers said that the Commissioner has not communicated with him. "Not even a phone call," he emphasized.
He added: "As we speak, I am going over the paperwork to file the judicial review."
MINORS, 12, AND 8, MOLESTED BY TRUSTED ADULTS
Two families - one from Camalote Village in the Cayo District, and the other from Bella Vista in the Stann Creek District, have been devastated by the discovery that a young girl in each family - one 8 years of age, the other 12 - was raped, each by trusted male adults - in one case, the girl's brother-in-law, in the other, the victim's uncle.
In Bella Vista, the 44-year-old uncle of an 8-year-old girl was arrested on Friday after being on the run since February 1. However, an intense manhunt conducted by the Independence police forced him to hand himself in at the police station in that village on Friday, where he was immediately charged with carnal knowledge, rape, and an unnatural crime.
Police believe that on top of raping the little girl, he also committed unnatural acts with her. He will be taken to the Independence Magistrate's Court today, where he will be remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date.
FATHER, 44, CONVICTED ON TWO COUNTS OF INCEST WITH DAUGHTER, 10
A 9-member jury deliberated for three hours and 17 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict in the trial of a 44-year-old man indicted on two counts of incest against his daughter, who was 10 years old when the incidents occurred in 2009.
The incestuous man is already serving a 3-year prison sentence for a conviction of aggravated assault of an indecent nature that he committed upon another minor.
The trial took place before Justice John "Troadio" Gonzalez, and eight out of the nine jurors voted to convict the man on the two incest indictments.
Justice Gonzalez has set Friday, February 21, for a mitigation hearing, before he passes sentence.
Incest carries a prison term ranging from 12 years to life in prison. Due to the sensitivity of incest cases (court reporters were barred from this trial), Amandala cannot not use the name or photograph of the convicted man.
2014 Placencia Art & Music Festival: THE ART and THE MUSIC!
Yesterday's afternoon post went in a few different direction: bus travel�my lodging�Chelsea Handler�but didn't really get to the main reason that I travelled to Placencia - the Art and Music Sidewalk Festival. The 11th annual.
There were artists and craftspeople from many parts of Belize� The Art Affair Gallery in Placencia (one of my favorite spots) had a booth with both Ernest Garcia's gorgeous art (see more here and here at the 2013 Expo) and Jeanna's PRETTY jewelry. You can see many of her gorgeous pieces in Rubimoon in San Pedro. Like this�
"The Best Things in Life Are Free" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Up a fair bit later than normal on Sunday at 06.55 hours. Obviously the price paid for a late and 'liquid' previous night!
Even in my slightly fragile condition I managed to make my black coffee (it's a times like that I'm pleased that I am not a coffee aficionado), grab the iPad and amble out to the veranda. My body and my experience told me that this was a day to be approached slowly so I decided that reading The Sunday Times online was exertion enough!
I made breakfast around 08.30 hours and then showered, shaved and dressed - oh, I did brush my teeth too - and settled down to watch the Arsenal versus Liverpool FA Cup game. We were far from being convincing winners but win we did and advanced to a home game in the next round against Everton.
After the game had finished I spent a little time in the back garden weeding (nothing too exertive) and then showered and changed clothes and then around 15.00 hours Rose and I headed to Carlo & Ernie's Runway Bar & Grill for a few beers (hair of the dog and all that) and a Barbeque. You can get a barbecue on a Sunday nearly everywhere (well at least it appears that way) in San Pedro but for us the best is to be found at Carlo & Ernie's. A word of warning though - get there too late and it's all gone.
Development of your business
DAGS is reimbursement grant funding facility specifically designed to provide financial assistance to legally registered firms/individuals/Business Support Organisations (BSOs) with the potential to export their products and services. DAGS is a reimbursement facility which means that no monies are advanced to beneficiaries and they will have to incur the full cost of their projects and be reimbursed on completion of their projects. A grant may not be awarded retrospectively. The objective of DAGS is as follows:
Education in Belize: Quality Schools
During the last few weeks, the entire country of Belize witnessed with great concern the plight of hundreds/thousands of educators and teachers whose pressing yet ignored working and workplace concerns had finally reached a boiling point. These professionals work very hard and tirelessly everyday to provide an education to our young people; yet they remain unappreciated by many, especially by those who control their very salaries, workplaces, and living conditions. BNTU (Belize National Teachers Union) and its members and backers staged many public rallies and demonstrations countrywide to showcase teachers' concerns to the government and to the country. Extremely unfair and low teacher wages was the overwhelming concern, but very large class sizes, and insufficient continuing professional education for teachers were among other continuously ignored concerns that were not financial. After several BNTU public rallies, and meetings between union and government officials, the Prime Minister and Minister of Education finally ceded. In a press conference, the Prime Minister (was forced to?) addressed the dismal plight of educators and education in the country. Resolution: a promise of a mere 4% raise in teachers' salaries in the future. However, did teachers win their fight? Did their recent rallies and demonstrations help to resolve their pressing concerns?
International Sources
Belize Zoo Project Plans March 1 Fundraiser
A group of SUNY Cortland students will take its service efforts abroad during the College's spring break with the intention of making a zoo in Central America more accessible for people with disabilities.
Prior to takeoff, however, the group will look to offset the cost of a $10,000 renovation project at the Belize Zoo with a local fundraiser Saturday, March 1.
It runs from 7 p.m. to closing time at the Blue Frog Caf� in downtown Cortland and seeks to pull in monetary donations of any amount with live entertainment, raffles and food and beverages.
"I want to become more aware of the conditions in which people live, and have my eyes opened to all the things people don't have," said Danielle Ben-Horin, a sophomore inclusive special education major who will make the trip from March 10 to 14. "I want to see how we can improve the environment and make it more inclusive."
10 Things You Must Do During Your Next Trip to Belize
Maybe your cruise ship docked for only a day in Belize, which didn't allow you the time to explore much of the local culture, jungles or coral reefs. Or perhaps you stayed at one of the all-inclusive resorts and didn't venture out beyond the sun, sand and water. If so, book the next flight you can back to this breathtaking Central American country. Its 9,000 square miles has an abundance of adventures to offer and is often overlooked by travelers. Plan to spend a few thrilling days diving into some of the most unique experiences found anywhere in the world.
Here are 10 things you must do during your next trip to Belize:
Diversity is hallmark of Caribbean country
We had a great trip to Belize last month. It was beautiful and diverse in its people, animals, birds, sea life, vegetation and geology.
We stayed on a small island off the coast called Caye Caulker, and as we flew there, I gazed at the clear, warm aqua waters and knew it was the Caribbean I had longed to see.
Our cabana was painted in bright yellow and blue, and it had a long dock that pointed east.
After we met up with Vicki and Dave, friends who had arrived earlier, we headed out to explore the island.
Palm trees waved at us as we made our way along the white, sandy shore that was lined with simple resorts. Folks passed us as they rode old-fashioned bikes or drove golf carts. We looked out at the sea and could make out waves breaking in the distance on the Belize Barrier Reef, part of the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere.
World Press Freedom Index 2014...The Biggest Rises & Falls Press Freedom..US Down To 46th
The new entry, Belize, has been assigned an enviable position (29th). Cases of violence against journalists are rare in Belize but there were some problems: defamation suits involving demands for large amounts in damages, national security restrictions on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and sometimes unfair management of broadcast frequencies.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
