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Today's Belize News: May 31, 2014 #491678 05/31/14 06:03 AM
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OP Marty	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report. Specials and Events Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3 Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials The San Pedro Sun SPJSC takes top three at the Placencia Sailing Regatta The San Pedro Junior Sailing Club (SPJSC) has dominated in the past three regattas of the sailing season, and the fourth was no different as the sailors took the top three prizes. The Placencia Youth Sailing Regatta was held on Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th at the Placencia Peninsula and saw the participation of 48 sailors from across the country. At the end of the two day regatta, SPJSC returned home victorious, with Jerdon Anderson taking first place, Christian Trejo taking second place and Faith Noel taking third place. The regatta consisted of six races, and throughout each, sailors aimed to score the least amount of points as to rank on top. At the end of the competition Jerdon Anderson of SPJSC placed first in the optimist class, closely followed by Christian Trejo and Faith Noel, both also from SPJSC. Top finishers in the optimist class included: Antonio Ricardez Jr. (BCSC) in 4th, Samantha Vasquez (SPJSC) on 5th, Blanca Vasquez (SPJSC) in 6th, Trent Hardwick (Sea Scouts) in 7th, Davin Puc (SPJSC) in 8th, Christopher Young (CBSC) in 9th and Nashira Ricardez (BCSC) in 10th. SPHS holds Grand Raffle On Wednesday, May 28th, San Pedro High School (SPHS) held their grand fundraising raffle, the proceeds of which were used for the sports and drama exchange programs. Drawing the winners of the raffle was Afrie Black, member of the SPHS basketball team. First prize was a round trip ticket to Miami, Florida US and the very lucky winner was Juan Carlos Perez. Other winners: 2nd- a roundtrip ticket to Chetumal and one night stay at Los Cocos Hotel - Noemi Juarez 3rd- HTC smart phone - Renison Crawford 4th- Get to know the Miss SPHS Contestants before the big night on May 31st! On Saturday May 31st the Rafael Angel Nu�ez Auditorium will be the place to be as the Miss San Pedro High Pageant takes place. The show kicks off at 7PM and tickets will be on sale at the gate. Tickets can be purchased in advance at $7 for General Admission and $10 for Reserved Seating, and they can be bought from students, teachers and board members of SPHS. We got to know a bit more about the four lovely contestants, and here's what they have to share: Erica Bodden, Ezra Jailene Jacobs, Sheila Chi, Marisha Jamel Thomspon. Industria del Amor to headline Costa Maya Festival 2014! The Costa Maya Committee has been working behind the scenes to bring entertainment and fun to the island once again, and headlining the three-night event scheduled for August is the romantic group Industria del Amor. Originating from California, USA, Industria del Amor began in the 1980's, and scored minor hits in Mexico before hitting their stride in the 90's. The mid-level soft-rock musical group is comprised of vocalist Roberto Verduzco and musicians Tony Avalos, Alex Solis, Salvador Chava Vasquez, Bobby Verduzco and Francisco Javier Solis. The prolific group has put out a veritable number of albums, the majority of them chart-toppers. With such favorites as Amor, Amor, Rosas Rojas, Tu Amante Escondido, Tunaciste para mi, Dos Enamorados, and many more. Industria del Amor is sure to bring the romance and memories for the night of August 9th. Ambergris Today Problems of Living in Belize - Coconut Roadblock You are driving along the beach, gazing at the clear blue sea, bright beach and beautiful scenery when suddenly find yourself making an abrupt stop. There is bunch of coconuts blocking your way. What do you do? Well when live gives you lemons, you naturally make lemonade. So when life gives you coconuts, get some coconut water and refresh yourself. So finding a bunch of coconuts blocking your way might seem to be a problem of living in Belize, but like most of us residents do - stop and purchase some fresh coconut water and meat. You can also have the 'Coconut Lady' slice open one coconut and have yourself one serving of coconut water (milk); she carries straws with her too!!!! Rowan Garel Keeps Working Hard for the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired Climb Victoria Peak - Done Walk Across Belize - Done Dive the Blue Hole - Done Everyone has been asking the question, "What will Rowan do this year to raise fund for children like him, children who are blind?" The Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI) is proud to announce that Rowan Garel has officially been named Belize's Youth Ambassador for the Commonwealth Games in Scotland this summer. In addition, Rowan will also be working as an assistant instructor at BCVI's Summer Camp in July teaching other children in the Rehabilitation and Education Program. Since 1981, BCVI has been working to not only prevent and reduce blindness, but also to provide blind children and adults with educational support and skills needed to live independent and fulfilling lives. Every year, the BCVI faces the challenge of raising fund for their Rehabilitation Program, the area that provides training and equipment for people who are irreversibly blind or visually impaired. The BCVI's annual summer camps are the highlight of the children and provide not only entertainment and field trips, but the crucial skills needed to meet their milestones and educational targets. Town Council Hires New Town Foreman The Town Council is always looking for ways to meet the needs of the island and has hired another foreman to share the work with the present foreman. Mr. Abel Guerrero Jr., now joins Mr. Freddie Gonzalez in taking care of our island needs. Freddie Gonzalez was hired in June 2012 and joined Mr. Samuel Gonzalez as the second town foreman. With Mr. Abel Guerrero joining the team, Freddie Gonzalez has been assigned as General Town Foreman and Mr. Abel Guerrero will be in charge of the southern end of the island. Mr. Samuel Gonzalez has now been assigned to be in charge of Waste Management for the island. Mr. Abel Guerrero has great managerial expertise which he will put into great use and will ensure that workers are organized and that our town is maintained clean and well-kept. Mr. Guerrero brings with him more than 35 years of experience in supervision as he was previously the manager at Krystal Shipping and prior to that, the co-manager at The Victoria House. He is a very hard working man with nothing but the town's best interest at heart. Celebrate Customer Appreciation Day with Santiago Castillo Ltd Celebrate Customer Appreciation Day with Santiago Castillo Ltd. Saturday, May 31, 2014 with special guest Chef Sean Kuylen Misc Belizean Sources Workshops for the National Song Competition 2014 begins this weekend The National Song Competition sets the tone for the celebration atmosphere each year for the annual September celebrations. This year for the first time, the competition will be branching out to the districts offering both workshops and stage performances to the artists and song writers in the four regions of the country. In lieu of this the National Celebrations Commission in association with Atlantic International Bank presents artist workshops to kick off this year's National Song Competition season. Facilitating the workshop will be some of the leading musicians currently in Belize and topics to be covered include: Lyrical Content; Song Writing; Stage Performance among many others. 3rd annual Men at Work Art Exhibit The Corozal House of Culture (NICH) is pleased to present the 3rd annual Men at Work Art Exhibit. The majority of time, men are occupied producing their work in order to provide for their families. Our male artists rarely take time to simply showcase their art and be recognized for their cultural achievements. Please join us Saturday June 7th, at 7 p.m. as we proudly give recognition to the talented men of Corozal. Truly some of the finest in the country. Belize Economic Statistics Q1-2014 The Statistical Institute of Belize has released the numbers for the 1st quarter of 2014. There's been a double digit growth in eco-tourism...and mass tourism, and also shrimp farming. "IMPORTS: Imports increased 3.8 percent to $602 million between January and April 2014. Increased spending on all major categories of goods except free zone purchases, which has fallen by $18 million. In absolute terms, largest increase was in purchases from Mexico and Central America." From Poland to US to Belize: Engineer travels globe Starting at a young age, a strong work ethic was instilled in Piotr Wilk. Born in Poland, he moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York, at 6 years old. For the 13 years before he joined the U.S. Air Force, he worked construction with his father. "A strong work ethic - that's been driven into me quite a few times by the old man," said Wilk of laboring alongside his father. "It was a lot of manual labor, and I learned a lot of lessons in those few years, particularly, that it could always be worse." Self-described as "Cutthroat. Quick to it. Definitely not reserved. Passionate. Strong," Wilk said. "That's the way I was brought up - to be hard-working." As a technical sergeant in the service, Wilk has applied that ethic to his current position as the project manager at the Stella Maris School Belize Academy for the Deaf, where he and a team of multi-service engineers are nearing completion on building additions for the school as part of New Horizons Belize 2014. New Horizons is a multifaceted exercise that incorporates mutual training opportunities for Belize Defence Force, Canadian and U.S. military members in the engineering and medical fields. Placencia Mangrove Planting Project Organized in Memory of Environmentalist Adrian Vernon Over 350 baby mangroves planted at the old Crimson development site (next to the airstrip) in memory of a great conservationist and a pioneer of mangrove restoration in Placencia and throughout the country. This morning more than forty volunteers gathered in the Crimson Development community area of Placencia Village to participate in a mangrove planting activity organized in memory of environmentalist Adrian Vernon. Approximately four hundred seedlings were planted by members of the Vernon family, the World Wildlife Fund, the Southern Environmental Association, Oceana, the Placencia Village Council, Placencia Citizens for Sustainable Development, the Placencia Fishermen's Cooperative, Friends of the Placencia Lagoon and the Coco Plum Resort and Residential Development. The mangroves now line the canal adjacent to the Placencia airstrip and will serve as a buffer for the residential plots of the Crimson Development community area. Adrian Vernon, a staunch advocate for the protection of the Placencia lagoon as well as national mangrove restoration initiatives, passed away in February 2014. Vernon's commitment to the environment was recognized in 2012 when the Belize Audubon Society presented him with the prestigious James A. Waight award. During the planting exercise, SEA announced that other initiatives, including a scholarship will be named in honor of Adrian Vernon and a Mangrove Restoration Guide. Best mural painting competition Congratulations are in order for, Leeworth Robateau, a 2nd form student of the Belmopan Comprehensive High School for winning the best mural painting competition. His submission will be painted on the newly renovated Civic Center very soon. The Belmopan City Council wants to thank all the other students that submitted their paintings, we wish them all the best and hope to have more competitions like this one in the every near future. Lemon Meringue Cake Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. For CAKE cream butter gradually adding the sugar. Add egg yolks and 1 egg to creamed mixture beating well. Combine 1 cup of flour and baking powder and sift. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternating with milk mixing after each addition. Pour batter into prepared cake pan; bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely. For FILLING combine egg yolks and water; set aside. Combine � cup sugar and 1/3 cup flour in a heavy saucepan; add egg yolk mixture and lemon rind. The U.S. Embassy Belmopan has vacancies for two Project Assistant positions with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office and an IT Multimedia Technician. The successful candidates will be required to obtain a security clearance and undergo a medical examination. More info. here: http://belize.usembassy.gov/job_opportunities.html SUBMIT APPLICATION TO: [email protected]. All applications must be signed and scanned. ONLY electronic applications will be accepted. To view the DS 174-Universal Application for Employment form (UAE) and application instructions, please click on http://photos.state.gov/libraries/belize/231771/PDFs/134kb.pdf. Your e-mail must state the vacancy title and vacancy announcement number in the subject line, Example: INL Project Assistant, vacancy announcement No. 2014-08. E-mails received without the appropriate subject line will not be considered. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, June 13, 2014. Applications will not be accepted after June 13, 2014. Channel 7 Finally, Coyes Get Their Millions Finally, after almost 5 years of fighting the money laundering case, a huge part of the Coye estate has been handed back to Melonie Coye and her mother Marlene. That decision came this morning out of the court room of Justice Sonya Young. Almost 2 months ago, Melonie Coye, and her late father, Michael Coye, were fully exonerated by the Court of Appeal of the charge of money laundering. The court ordered that their money, 1.557 million dollars, needed to be handed back to them. A month later, the Supreme Court unfroze their bank accounts, but the Panamanian Company, Internet Experts SA managed to get an interim injunction in the Supreme Court which blocked them. So, for that entire time, all the money which should have been returned, was once again locked up. That's because Internet Experts SA is claiming that the Coyes owe them 4.8 million US dollars, and they brought a private lawsuit against the family in 2010. So, when their attorney, Lisa Shoman, heard that the court was releasing everything back to them, she got an interim injunction granted. Accident Victim Says Dump Truck To Blame Yesterday we told you about the accident that killed well-known Customs Guard Frank "Mango" Robinson. As we told you, Robinson was driving an Isuzu D-Max pickup at the end of Lord's Ridge Cemetery when he made a sudden left turn. The 10 wheel dump-truck that was coming behind him, was driven by 48 year old Martin Burke -and he has been served with a notice of intended prosecution. Burke says there's nothing he could do because Robinson turned suddenly, and he couldn't pull to the shoulder because pedestrians were standing there. Robinson suffered major injuries, and was crushed inside the truck. He died shortly after rescue teams managed to remove him, which took about half an hour. But, while a major part of the narrative has been that Robinson was distracted or was on the phone when he made an unexpected turn, his passenger in the back seat had a completely different perspective. He explains how he saw the accident:.. His Mother Perished In A Fire; Gabourel Says It Wasnt Him The biggest story of last week was the tragic death of Erceline Gabourel, the 82 year old who perished when her wooden home burned down. But, the house didn't just "burn down" - it was burnt down - and neighbors we spoke to point their finger at her son, Dennis "Desho" Gabourel. They say he had long been a neglectful and disrespectful son - and, in saying that, they indirectly blame him for somehow being responsible for the arson. Now, that's so evil that it seems unthinkable, but Gabourel today acknowledged that those accusations are out there. He says he knows he can't do anything about what people say - but he also has a business and a reputation to protect. Gabourel is the owner of a Horse and Carriage Company, and he's also a licensed tour guide. So, today he came to our newsroom to clear his name as best he can. He told us what it was like when he reached the scene:... Jules Vasquez "What was your reaction when you saw that your mother had perished in the fire when you finally got up to the house and saw that she had perished in the fire?" Shanicka Won A Gold But Lost Her Health Last weekend, a delegation of 19 juniour athletes went to Nicaragua to participate in the 2014 CADICA Jr A and JR B Tournament. They did modestly well, earning ten medals, most of them bronze. Acting President of the Belize Amateur Athletic Association Jaheed Smith gave us a rundown:� Less Than A Handful Of Protesters Against Shyne This afternoon, there was a protest held in Battlefield Park organized to allow local artists to vent their frustration with the situation in the music Industry. The two main issues they had to discuss was the immediate removal of Moses "Shyne" Levi as the musical ambassador, and Diane Haylock as the President of NICH. UWI Makes Its Position Clear On Prof. Bain Tomorrow, Christian Activists, Belize Action & Belize Association of Evangelical Churches will hold another protest in downtown Belize City. This one is named - quite dramatically - "Freedom Under Attack" and it starts at 11:00 am in Battlefield Park. Their well-publicized position is that Professor Bain was fired for simply quoting scientific and statistical fact: that men who have sex with men have a far higher incidence of HIV. The University of the West Indies addressed this and other issues in an internal communiqu� sent out on Monday. The statement says, quote, "For more than a year, there has been mounting concern about the incompatibility of Professor Bain's testimony with the programme he was contracted to lead�it was becoming increasingly evident , based on private discussions, that regional and international groups were becoming uncomfortable with Professor Bain's credibility in advocating for the most vulnerable individuals. This lack of credibility, which also led to his resignation from the leadership of PANCAP, has undermined his ability to represent CHART and adequately fulfil the programme's objectives." Police Say He's A Marijuana Farmer 24 year-old Biscayne Resident Dwayne Bradley is out on bail tonight after he was taken to court for allegedly setting up a marijuana farm. Officers of the Anti-Drug Unit visited area between miles 29 and 30 of the Northern Highway in Biscayne Village yesterday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m. They found 101 marijuana plants being grown in this area, and after investigating, they connected the plants to Bradley. He was then arrested and charged with cultivation of marijuana plants and drug trafficking, and he was arraigned today before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart. He tried to plead guilty to the charge saying that indeed he does sell the plants, but Magistrate Stewart entered him into a not-guilty plea because she believed that he didn't understand the nature of the charges. Prime Minister In Washington DC Prime Minister Dean Barrow was in the US Capital Washington DC today where he visited the Inter-American Development Bank, or the IDB as it is more commonly known. A release from the IDB says he met with President Luis Alberto Moreno to discuss Belize's relationship with the Bank and priority areas of collaboration. They also spoke about the Bank's recently approved new country strategy with Belize which focuses on public expenditure efficiency and effectiveness and promoting private sector development and sustainable export-led growth, by concentrating on four priority areas: education, tourism, transport and trade and tax policy. The Bank's 2014 lending program with Belize centers on road rehabilitation and education, totaling $30 million US dollars. The Bank's current portfolio in Belize includes five loans for 38 million US dollars, supporting agriculture, citizen security, water and sanitation, solid waste and flood mitigation. Upgrading Earthen Streets We know all about those cement streets in Belize City - but with central Government putting in another 10 million dollars for the last tranche of streets, it can't all go through City Hall, some of those allocations have to go through UDP area representatives - who want to show their constituents that they're doing something. An Arresting Look At Powerful Women Artist Briheda Haylock has opened a very interesting exhibit at the House of Culture. She's taken photographs of some of the most powerful women in Belizean society, but with a slight twist. Why GOB Is Claiming Victory In SATIIM Case We've finally gotten a copy of the perfected order from Justice Michelle Arana in the SATIIM case, and it seems to be official that Government and US Capital Energy got the win, if only by a small margin. As we've told you the perfected order is agreed upon after the attorneys from all parties have carefully read and interpreted the judgment. All interpretations are then taken back before the judge, where the final order is delivered after consultation with everyone. We've since been querying how that final order came about, and we were told that SATIIM and the Buffer Communities wanted the interpretation to be that Government must obtain consent from the Communities before permits or licenses could be granted in line with the UN Convention on Indigenous Rights. Denys Barrow, attorney for the Government, presented his interpretation, to the judge given the entire judgement, and that's when Justice Arana made a modification. PROFILE... Tonight's I am Belize Teacher Profile focuses on Marie Fernandez a teacher at Santa Elena RC Primary in the Cayo district. Unlike most of our profile subjects, she's not a career teacher - but she came to the profession after a first career in the public service where she rose to the rank of Finance Officer, until a change of personal circumstances pushed her to teaching. She explains in the profile:.. BBQ Fund-raising For Ladyville Police Cadets Officers from the Ladyville Police Station are hoping that the public will support them tomorrow in a fund raising effort for their cadet program. It's a simple barbeque sale, but according to the community policing commander from Ladyville the funds will go toward buying uniforms and other items for the cadets: The barbeques will cost $6, and Ladyville police are hoping that you will stop by to buy from them. Channel 5 Vitalino Reyes Jr. clings to life after he is brutally beaten by employees of competition Tour Operator, Vitalino Reyes Junior of Cavetubing dot bz, is in a coma at the K.H.M.H. tonight, the victim of a brutal beating on Thursday evening. It happened at a [...] 3 Belize City high schools to amalgamate; teachers in fear of losing their jobs Tonight, there is fear and anxiety among a number of teachers over the proposed amalgamation of three high schools in Belize City. The proposal has been on the drawing board [...] Family of Frank Robinson believes a third vehicle was involved in fatal accident On Thursday afternoon, two vehicles collided on the George Price Highway. Customs officer, Frank Robinson perished on impact, while two others traveling with him in the government pickup truck were [...] Coye family finally gets back frozen assets On May fifth, the Supreme Court ruled that the assets of the Coye Family, frozen for years by the FIU in a money laundering case, be released. But any jubilation [...] Attorney says collection attempt in case of Trevor Vernon is intimidation On Tuesday, Belize Rural North resident, Trevor Vernon paid half his costs to attorney Denys Barrow, in coins…twenty-five hundred dollars worth on behalf of Minister of State Edmond Castro, who [...] PM meets with President of IDB Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country this past Tuesday. His first stop was in Houston, Texas where he reportedly received medical attention for his back. From Houston the P.M. [...] A major drug plantation bust in Biscayne The Police department is recording a huge drug bust in the Biscayne Village. The department says that around two-thirty on Thursday afternoon, a joint patrol between police, the B.D.F. and [...] 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season The 2014 hurricane season is here, and as it does every year, the Met Office is advising Belizeans to be prepared for the worst. Best predictions are that there will [...] NDACC celebrates World No Tobacco Day Every year on May thirty-first, the World Health Organization observes World No Tobacco Day. At its offices countrywide, the National Drug Abuse Control Council held activities in celebration of the [...] 5 officers honored for doing the right thing For the past two years the Belize Police Department has embarked on a citizen awards program for secondary school students.� The initiative known as the Do The Right Thing rewards [...] 4 manatees dead in a week Since the beginning of the week, four manatees have perished in the waterways surrounding Belize City.� The sea cows, as they are colloquially known, were victims of boating accidents and [...] Photographic Exhibition launched at the Belize City House of Culture Twelve women are at the centerpiece of an exhibition that was launched today at the House of Culture by curator Briheda Haylock. The exhibit captures the singular lifetime achievements of [...] Belizean artists join forces to put country on the international music scene The Belize Conglomerate Music Group, better known as BCMG� It's a group of eleven Belizean artists-living in Belize and in the US-that have joined together with a mission�.to take their [...] CTV3 Men Say They Are Wrongfully Accused of Stealing Log-wood With its mandate to promote the conservation of the natural heritage of Belize and to promote wise use of its natural resources, the Programme for Belize organization is in the news tonight, but this time by a group of men who are alleging that they were wrongfully accused of stealing logwood from the entrusted lands managed by the organization. According to Manuel Dominguez, one of several men at the time of ranger's arrival, yesterday around 10am, forest rangers accompanied by soldiers caught up with them on their property which they were clearing for planting corn. Dominguez claims that the rangers confiscated their chain saw and took away two bikes which were those of Mike Novelo, Neri Dominguez and Jose Manuel, alleging that they took logwood from them. Johnson's Wife Says Free My husband Viewers may recall the April 11th, shootings of two men at a farm in the outskirts of Carmelita Village which landed its proprietor, Edison Johnson in jail for murder. As we reported, two alleged robbers were met by the property owner while they made away with the zinc of the roof, sheet rock, tore out the electrical wires and had removed other items from the two buildings found on the farm. They had returned to come and carry the last few sheets of zinc that had remained on the farm when Johnson spotted them and shot them as they ran. And while Johnson remains in remand for murder tonight, his family came out to the media to shed some light on Edison's case which they felt he was 'wrongfully charged'. Salomon School Hosts Career Day It is third term for primary school students and there is much preparation being done for those who will be graduating this year. But today the preparations for the students' future started even earlier at Solomon's Seventh Day Adventist School. It was a first time event for the fast growing institution and it was one occasion where our news team was able to take a break. Here's why. Maria Novelo - Reporting Career Day - the time for these children to hear from the professionals on what it's like to be a part of the work force and what their prospects are. Booths were set behind the school and these students flocked around every corner. Sheryl Distan is the school principal. Louisiana Government School Makes Orange Walk Proud It is a great feat for schools to excel not only in academics but in sports as well. Here in the Orange Walk District there are quite a few schools at the primary and secondary levels that have done great in these areas year after year. One of them is the Louisiana Government School and today they have more good news to share with the public. The teachers and students have been hard at work and for the first time, they will be dividing into three groups to cheer on their candidates who will be taking part in national competitions, get this, on the same date. Here is a look at what they will be up to on June sixth. Dalila Ical - Reporting At eleven thirty this morning students poured out of their classrooms for lunch break, but two groups of students and an individual strong speller were out long before to share with us their exciting trips scheduled for June 6th. Important Conference On Sugar Industry Takes Place In The North Day one of a two days conference took place today at the Hibiscus Conference Room at Tony's Resort INN in Corozal Town, with delegates and stakeholders in the Sugar Industry from across the globe including members from Latin America and the Caribbean. The two day conference is a joint project with Fairtrade and CLAC, (Coordinadora Latino Americana y del Caribe de Peque�os productores de Comercio Justo.) Director and organizer for CLAC, Sonia Murillo, told us more on the two day activity. Saint Francis Xavier Credit Union Celebrates AGM With over three decades of service in the northern communities, this past Sunday St. Francis Xavier Credit Union celebrated its 33rd annual general meeting at the CCC auditorium. With over 2000 members present, General Manger Rafael Dominquez claims it was a successful year. According to Dominquez important topics were brought to the members attentions such as the institutions financial report. Rafael Dominquez - General Manager. "Tuvimos los reportes como cada ano que reportamos a la membrec�a a lo que transcurri� en los doce meses pasados entonces tuvimos diferentes reportes, tuvimos reporte de c�mara de directores, tuvimos reporte de la comitiva de pr�stamos, el reporte de c�mara de educaci�n y el reporte de la c�mara de supervisi�n y por supuesto reporte como gerente general tambi�n adonde se le informo a la membrec�a de otro un ano exitoso y rentable en ganancias y sobre todo un crecimiento en nuestros activos, la cartera de pr�stamos, y un crecimiento de membrec�a de mil quinientos treinta y ocho." P.M Barrow Goes Out Of The Country The office of the Prime Minister announced today that the leader of the nation, Dean Barrow has departed the country on an 8 day personal/duty leave to Washington DC and Houston, Texas. During his absence, Deputy PM Gaspar Vega will act as PM from May 27th to 31st, and Minister of National Security, John Saldivar will hold over from June 1st to 3rd, the day scheduled for his return. Custom Guard Dies In Traffic Accident A Customs Officer is killed in a traffic accident mid-afternoon today. According to reports, the incident took place around 2:30 near Mile two and a quarter on the George Price Highway. Frank Robinson also known as "Mango", a customs officer originally from Belize City was driving a Gray Isuzu D-Max, property of the Government of Belize. Robinson was hit by a green dump truck which is the property of Imer Hernandez Construction. The driver of the dump truck, whose name was not mentioned told our Colleagues at KREM TV that he and Robinson were headed towards Belize City. Both had just passed one of the recently constructed speeds bumps in that area. He, the driver of the dump truck, says that he was picking up speed when Robinson suddenly made a u turn causing him to collide into Robinson's side. PlusTV Attorney Challenges Markup of Client's Property Earlier this week, we reported that court marshals and representatives of Barrow and Company Law Firm visited Trevor Vernon's home and marked up his appliances. Denys Barrow led the defense of Belize Rural North area representative Edmond Castro suit by Trevor Vernon in which he won a strike-out on... Belize City Man Shot to the Head Survives A Belize City man was shot to the head but survived the ordeal. 22-year-old Egbert Bailey, a Belizean Tour Guide of Belize City, reported that he was at his cousin's home at Antelope Street Extension, Belize about 8:15 p.m. Along with him at the time were three friends watching... Post Mortem Says Honduran Man Died as a Result of Chop Wounds Yesterday we told you about the mysterious death of 27 year old Honduran National Oscar Armando Gomez Alvarez. Reports had it that he was attacked by another male person on Sunday May 18th at the village of Los Tambos. He was subsequently taken to the Western Regional Hospital in... Freezing Order Against Coye Family Lifted Mere hours after one Supreme Court judge lifted a freezing order against the assets of Melonie and Marlene Coye and Money Exchange International Limited (MEIL) on May 5, another replaced it pending arguments in the case of Internet Experts S.A. Vs. Omni Networks Limited and others, those others being... Cannabis Cultivation and Drug Trafficking Arrest 24-year-old Dwayne Bradley, a Belizean Farmer of Gardenia Village was arrested for drug trafficking yesterday. The arrest came about after a Composite Patrol from the Belize Defense Force and Police conducted an Anti-Drug Operation between miles 29 and 30 on the Phillip Goldson Highway, Biscayne Village. About 1� miles... Belmopan Walkway Robbery Victims of Robbery "A masked man came out and asked her to give him her cell phone, so, he put the machete to her neck and then she gave it away. The mask was like a knit, like a cap I guess, and it was covering all of his... A Teacher Says she was Detained for Selling Barbeque at her School An educator in Roaring Creek, Cayo, claims she was detained for selling Barbeque at her school, however she was not charged and no one took her statement. Selmita Russell, who now teaches at Raymond Shepherd Nazarene Primary School, claims she was at home with her three children on Friday... Winner for the Belmopan Mural Competition is Presented with Cash Prize Today the Belmopan City Council Announced the winner for the Belmopan Civic Center Mural Competition, which was launched on May 13th. The competition, which was opened to all secondary and tertiary level students, required participants to draw something historical about Belmopan. Eight entries were submitted but in the end... Police Recognition in Belmopan On Wednesday Belmopan Police hosted officers from the Belmopan Police station to a luncheon as a means of positive motivation. Officer Commanding the Belmopan Police station also hinted to the reinstatement of the Officer of the month award which has been dormant for some time. Supt. Howell Gillette- Officer... Nicole C. Mullen Concert in Belmopan Award winning gospel artist Nicole C. Mullen is back in Belize, and if you haven't heard yet, she will perform at the Governor General's field of Belmopan tomorrow, Saturday May 31st where she will grace the stage. Accompanied with her band, the author of the world famous song, "My... Amandala Estranged couple "stab up" each other? A man and a woman are currently in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital following a serious stabbing incident that happened on Zericote Street in Belize City early yesterday morning. Although there is little information on what led to the occurrence, police believe that it might have been a case of domestic violence, because the victims are an estranged couple who used to live together until about a year ago. What is known at this time is that Erwin Smith, 50, a resident of Zericote Street, and Jennifer Salam, 33, of a Newtown Barracks address, were both discovered at Smith's residence early yesterday, Wednesday morning, severely hemorrhaging from multiple knife wounds. Cayo cop shoots teenager in the back! The Belize Police Department is currently conducting an internal investigation into a shooting incident which occurred in Unitedville, Cayo, this past Monday, May 26, in which a police officer allegedly shot a teenager in the back, for no apparent reason. Amandala understands that Elston Arnold, 19, and four of his cousins were on their way home from a wake in a nearby village and were riding on bicycles along the George Price Highway sometime after midnight Sunday. When they were about half a mile from their home, a police mobile unit approached the group and proceeded to search them. It was during that search that one of Arnold's cousins, known only as Calbert, was allegedly assaulted by the four officers, after which Arnold himself was later shot by one of the police constables. Highway accident claims life of Frank "Mango" Robinson, 51 Amandala and its executive secretary, Odessa Robinson, are mourning the sudden, tragic death of Robinson's brother, Customs officer Frank Robinson, 51 - the result of a collision between a department vehicle that he was driving, and a sand truck at Mile 2 1/2 on the George Price Highway, near the junction of Krooman Road and the highway at about 2:45 this afternoon. Robinson, also known as "Mango," suffered massive head and body injuries in the collision between his Isuzu D-Max pickup and the 6-wheel 10-ton sand truck. Police said that in the pickup truck with Robinson were Karima Williams, a fellow Customs officer, and another female, whose name has not been released. The sand truck was driven by Martin Burke, a truck driver of Benque Viejo Del Carmen. Caledonia villager, 26, chopped to death Death in Los Tambos Honduran national Oscar Armando Gomez Alvarez, 28, of Los Tambos Village in the Cayo District, who had been attacked and chopped on May 18 in San Ignacio, was found dead in a room in his house in Los Tambos, at about 5:00 yesterday evening. It is believed that he died from the chop wounds. Police said that on Sunday, May 18, Alvarez was attacked by an unknown man in San Ignacio who chopped him four times in the left shoulder area, and twice on the left side of the face, those two being large cut wounds. Alvarez was taken to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan that Sunday, where he was treated and later released. After he was released, Alvarez moved out of San Ignacio and went to live in Los Tambos. Industrial action threatened over dispute between pharmacists and Ministry of Health Union sources told Amandala this week that pharmacists, who are members of the Public Service Union (PSU), have indicated that they are ready for industrial action if Minister of Labour Godwin Hulse does not respond favorably to their letter asking him to urgently address their dispute with the Ministry of Health, principally over the hiring of Danini Contreras as Director of the Drug Inspectorate. "If the Minister's response is not favorable, members have told us from the inception that they are ready to go to the next level - meaning industrial action," PSU president Marvin Blades told Amandala today. Blades told us that they had already written Hon. Hulse, on the matter, and they were told that no dispute exists between workers and employers, within the ambit of the law, which could be settled under the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Service Act, Chapter 298 of the Laws of Belize. Court costs paid with pillowcases full of shillings While it may have been comical to some, confounding to others and just plain cumbersome for the carriers, Trevor Vernon, an unsuccessful claimant whose lawsuit was thrown out by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin last Monday, May 19, yesterday chose to pay the first half of his court costs using a heap of twenty-five cent coins, otherwise known as "shillings", which were stacked in two old pillowcases. Denys Barrow, SC, the attorney and recipient of the payment, has indicated, however, that when the two bags stuffed with coins were tallied, the total amount paid wasn't enough. Amandala understands that the sum of money received was $2,489.50, which is $10.50 short of the $2,500 that was due and thus, today, a Supreme Court marshall and a representative from Barrow's law firm showed up at Vernon's home in Burrell Boom to demand full payment immediately, based on a writ of execution for payment of costs to Barrow.

Re: Today's Belize News: May 31, 2014 Marty #491679 05/31/14 06:04 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	More News: Scroll up from here Former Toledo West PUP area representative Marcial Mes dies in traffic accident Marcial Mes, a former two-term People's United Party (PUP) area representative (1998-2008) for the Toledo West constituency and a former minister of government, died in a traffic accident on Monday, when he lost control of his RAV4 SUV between Miles 7 and 8 on the Southern Highway. Mes, 65, was heading to his home in San Marcos Village, when the tragic accident occurred, police say. A government press release announced that there will be an official memorial service to celebrate the life of Marcial Mes on Friday, May 30, at 10:00 a.m. at the Roman Catholic Church in San Pedro Columbia, Toledo District. Mes and another man, identified as Mario Caal, a resident of San Marcos, were travelling together when the accident occurred. They were rushed to the Punta Gorda Town Hospital, where Mes was pronounced dead on arrival, and Caal was admitted in a stable condition. Placencia Regatta With steady breeze and moderately challenging waves, sailors showed off their growing sailing skills with tactical maneuvers at the 2nd Annual Placencia Sailing Regatta 2014, hosted by the Placencia Sailing Club, last Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25. This year saw far fewer capsizes, but last year also experienced 22-knot winds, compared to peak winds of 15 knots this year. Out of 46 competing sailors in the Opti class, San Pedro Junior Sailing Club's Jerdon Anderson, Christian Trejo and Faith Noel took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. Trejo and Trent Hardwick of the Belize Sea Scouts led the fleet in 1st and 2nd place standings after the first day of four races, but Faith and Anderson recovered from disappointing finishes in the 2nd and 3rd races and finished on top. Notably, top ranking youth sailor, Antonio Ricardez, Jr. had equipment failure in the 1st race when his hook and block on the sprit halyard broke, and he was unable to recover from this early loss, even though he finished in the top three in four races out of the total 6 races in the regatta. Introducing "Lily White" We've been hearing a lot lately about the football promotions being conducted by one "Lily White," and we got a chance to meet the brother in person this morning when he visited our sports desk to seek some publicity for his upcoming "Happy Father's Day Football Bash" at the MCC Grounds. Lily White's official name is Edward Charles Rubio, who returned home a couple years ago from the U.S., and he says since coming back he has been making himself busy holding small football promotions for the youths in Belize City. His most recent event was a "Kids Day" at Holy Redeemer Play Yard at the corner of Hyde's Lane and North Front Street, which took place on Labor Day, May 1. Edward is "Old School," and still carries that passion for "peace and love" and the generous spirit typical of his/our generation. He tried to pull me out of retirement, and I promised to start doing some running; but no guarantees yet about the Father's Day match. Belize City No Limit The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) playoffs got underway over the weekend with a couple semifinal match-ups. The Tigersharks hosted the Point Bandits on Saturday night, and on Friday, the Belize City No Limit Soldiers journeyed to the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio to face the Cayo Western Ballaz. During the regular season, the Belize City No Limit Soldiers were simply unable to defeat the Cayo Western Ballaz in not one, but two attempts. In the first meeting, it was shaping up to be a blowout in favor of the Ballaz, as the Soldiers were down 22 points at one point in the game. The Belize City squad would storm back in the 2nd half, even taking the lead in the closing minutes, but fell short, losing by just one point, 74-73. In their 2nd meeting, the Western Ballaz were without the services of one of their top players, Richard Troyer, and it seemed that the No Limit Soldiers would have their revenge. But the Belize City squad lost that game by an even larger margin, with a final score of 77 to 63. So, naturally, when the news broke that the No Limit Soldiers would be matched up with the Western Ballaz in the playoffs, some fans were a little bit less than optimistic going into game 1 of this semifinal series. Amiri and Trevon winners The Belize Table Tennis Association's (BTTA) 2014 - 2nd Bi-Annual SMART Junior Ranking Tournament took place on the weekend of May 17-18 at the BES Auditorium, and once again resulted in great competition among players in the 3 junior categories - 12Under, 15Under and 18Under - with Amiri Hoare capturing the top prize in both the 12Under and 15Under categories, while Trevon Brown was victorious in the 18Under class. The tournament got under way on Saturday with the Round-Robin qualifiers in all categories, followed by the Double Elimination FINALS on Sunday. In the 12Under Category, some 16 players started out in 4 Round-Robin groups, with the top two from each group qualifying for the 8-Draw Double Elimination FINALS. Easy Does It The village of Lemonal in the Belize District is the home of many well-known cricketers. The name of their team was Surprise, of which many trophies and awards were won. At one time, Lemonal had so many players that there were too many for one team, so some went to play with other teams. You could see players on teams like Sunrise, Berlan, Western Eagles, Wicked 11, etc. This was how Easy Does It was formed. Surprise had older men playing, and the younger men could not play in that league; so in 2009, John Anthony, Ike and Denvo Banner got together and started talking to the rest of the youths, and Easy Does It was born. Ike is now the captain of the team. All these years, this small team struggled with the stronger teams in the area to reach in the top finishers, but luck was not on their side. During these years, Surprise was still playing strong, and sometimes looked down on this small team and wondered if they would go anywhere. But today, with determination and dedication, Easy Does It is now heading for the semifinals. Editorial: Paul of Belize American producers and directors no longer make cowboy-and-Indian movies. But in the decades leading into the 1960s, such movies were a staple of the American motion picture industry. These cowboy-and-Indian movies were exported to the rest of the world, including British Honduras, and so it was that several generations of Belizeans grew up here cheering for the romanticized white cowboys fighting bravely to defeat the demonized red Indians. In the revolutionary fervor which swept the world in the 1960s following the successes of the Cuban and Algerian revolutions, and amidst the campaigns of world youth against nuclear proliferation and the imperialist excesses of the American war effort in Vietnam, cowboy-and-Indian movies were exposed as propaganda. The truth was that a terrible genocide had been visited upon the various Native American tribes which had inhabited North America for millennia. The Indians had fought heroically, but had ended up being overwhelmed by wave after wave of European immigrants who believed that it was their "manifest destiny" to civilize the red "savages" and claim North America as their own, in the name of God and white womanhood. From The Publisher There has been a lot of negativity in the press reports coming out about Brazil in the weeks and months before the World Cup opens there next month. The negativity has focused on street protests and construction problems in infrastructure. Personally, I am inclined to think the negative press is being orchestrated from Washington, because Brazil has become the second largest economy in the Western Hemisphere, because the Brazilian president is a former left-wing guerrilla - Dilma Rousseff, and because Brazil has supported the democratically-elected Venezuelan governments of the late Hugo Chavez and now Nicol�s Maduro. South American Brazil has a larger black population than any African country except Nigeria. They speak Portuguese in Brazil, because when the Pope of Rome divided the "New World" between Spain and Portugal in 1494, Brazil was to the eastern side of the Pope's imaginary line. Everything west of that line became Spain's. The indigenous people who lived in these territories did not count as human beings: the Treaty of Tordesillas was European imperialism at its most arrogant. Czarnecki discusses Lopez letter In a Letter to the Editor, written by Robert Lopez and published on April 1, 2014, under the heading, "Prevention of Corruption Act deadline for disclosure," I'm curious as to whether these annual financial disclosures were ever�well, disclosed and made available to the public, and also, who are the members of the "Integrity Commission?" I already know that, "You can run, but you can't hide!" Welcome�� but! America has morphed from super hero of liberation and freedom to colonizing bully. Friday after next, 6th June, will mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day. On 6th June, 1944, youthful Americans stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, to free Europe from the clutches of German Nazi terror and tyranny. Glorious young warriors waded, landed defying death, conquered, rebuilt and then left. I was only 6 years old and could not then comprehend the full meaning of what America was doing and did for humanity. As an adult I have prayed that what America had done would last forever as the most powerful monument of man's everlasting hunger for freedom. A half decade or so passed, and much of my time was consumed watching cowboy movies. I became enchanted by the unselfish heroism portrayed in such movies as Shane. This is the story of a converted gunfighter who stops by and decides to stay to work on a family farm. Their security is threatened by a big farmer bent on devouring all the small farmers, with the help of bullying gunslingers. Shane changes back to his former ways of settling conflicts by violence to preserve this wholesome family of father, mother, and son. The story ends with him riding off into the sunset after a gunfight in which he dispatches all the gunslingers. But he was wounded, and you don't know if he will survive. Belize pressed to excise sodomy laws In an interesting turn of events this week, a CARICOM organization of which the State of Belize is a member has issued a statement supporting the recent firing of Professor Brendan Bain as head of the Caribbean HIV AIDS Regional Training Network (CHART) and making it unequivocally clear that it stands with UNIBAM in its bid to get sodomy laws removed from the nation's law books. Of note is that the Caribbean Court of Justice, the judicial organ of CARICOM, is at the same time, set to hear a challenge by LGBT activist Maurice Tomlinson against immigration laws in Belize and Trinidad, which he claims discriminate against LGBT visitors. On Wednesday, Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) issued a statement via the CARICOM Secretariat, in which it said that Bain's testimony in the Caleb Orozco (UNIBAM's Executive Director) v. A.G. Belize (2012) case is not consistent with the stated goals of PANCAP to reduce stigma and eliminate discrimination, and is, furthermore, in dissonance with PANCAP's ongoing work to remove discriminatory laws and affirm human rights. CONFLICT OF INTEREST� Really??? Recently I have heard the term "conflict of interest" wielded like an out of control sword and to me it seems that those wielding the sword were doing so with the intent to intimidate, injure, annihilate, behead and kill. If the sword will be used, those wielding it should know what they are talking about. So I was on Open Your Eyes morning show and my eyes were surely opened to how, at all cost, my hosts, William and Marleni, defended the decision of UWI to unlawfully terminate Professor Bain. They couldn't even hide their bias and came wielding but since I carry the armor of truth, I did not fear. What struck me was their lack of understanding of what is a conflict of interest, the court process, and what are truly human rights. It had me thinking if two intelligent persons have missed the mark, I wonder how many more either out of ignorance or mis-information are unable to see why so many of us support Professor Bain and will stand up to defend his rights! Thus I thought it important this week to share some information, not expert opinion, but hard core facts based on knowledge and black and white. The drill rig is coming: US Capital Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay indicated to Amandala today that the court hearing to review a request made by the Sarstoon Temash Institute of Indigenous Management (SATIIM) and four Maya villages: Conejo, Crique Sarco, Midway, and Graham Creek, for an injunction order to stop US Capital Energy from proceeding with petroleum works inside the Sarstoon Temash National Park will help to resolve the pending issues which lie at the heart of the dispute between the Government of Belize and some Maya communities in Toledo. The Maya communities in question continue to call on the Government of Belize to consult with them before US Capital begins to drill inside the national park. Currently, the project is at a virtual standstill, but Alistair King, the representative of US Capital in Belize, told Amandala today that they intend to press ahead as soon as possible, but works, he said, have been delayed because they are still waiting for the rig to arrive from Mexico-and they hope it will by the end of the month. Belize stars in dry cleaning services sector There are some who believe that Belizean enterprises cannot compete on a regional or even international scale, but in the services sector, there are clearly Belizean businesses which stand out for trying to raise the bar, to achieve higher standards of service. Alan Spielvogel, Director of Technical Services for the National Cleaners Association based in New York City, today concluded an in-house, 1-week training for 11 members of staff at Belize Cry Cleaners - an enterprise which he told us is, for the most part, a lot better than similar kinds of establishments in the USA, and which, he said, "can serve as a model for other members." "It looks like you're going into a high-end clothing store. We call it a sizzle!" Spielvogel said, lauding the enterprise's collections of garments, shoes and accessories, rented for occasions such as proms and weddings. The environment is very clean and well-ventilated; the equipment is well-maintained and regularly updated to make the job easier and more efficient, said Spielvogel. He told us that the owners of the business, Lascelle and Dolores Arnold, are long-time members of the association, and they invited him to Belize to upgrade the skills of the staff - one of the paid services the association provides to its members. Belize protestors call for fund to fight Professor Bain's case At the conclusion of a spirited demonstration inside the Battlefield Park in Belize City during Friday's lunch hour, organizers asked for, and protestors agreed to give, support for an initiative to open a fund so that donations could be lodged towards legal fees for a court challenge of the recent termination of Professor Brendan Bain as head of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training (CHART) Network at the University of the West Indies (UWI). Pastor Scott Stirm of Belize Action, the lead organizer, told Amandala that, "�this is victimization, it's bullying at its best and we're seeing it happen all over the world and here it is: It's coming to our shores." Pastor Eugene Crawford, president of the Evangelical Association of Belize, called the termination of Bain "very, very unjust." Muriel Laing Arthurs, a prominent Belizean who actively promotes the legacy of Belizean icon Simon Lamb, termed it "cowardly" and said that he should be reinstated. Nicaraguan acquitted of theft charge for Minister's tractor parts A Nicaraguan man who was charged with the theft of almost $50,000 worth of tractor parts that were the property of Minister of State Edmund Castro was acquitted of the charge today when Magistrate Dale Cayetano dismissed the case. With the dismissal of the charge against him, Oscar Hernandez, 46, who was unrepresented by an attorney and whose status in Belize was uncertain at the time of his arrest and arraignment, breathed his first air of freedom after being on remand for over a year because his status prevented him from accessing bail. Minister of State Castro, in late December 2012, reported to police that someone had stolen his tractor sometime between October 1, and December 30, 2012, in Bomba, one of the villages in the Belize Rural North constituency, of which Minister Castro is the area representative. But after numerous adjournments, when the case was finally heard in court, Magistrate Cayetano, citing a number of deficiencies in the police's investigation during the period when Hernandez was arrested and charged, dismissed the case and freed him of the charge. COLA vs Elvin Penner adjourned to June 26 There appears to be unwillingness on the part of officials to prosecute Hon. Elvin Penner, the disgraced Cayo North East area representative accused of signing a Belize passport and nationality certificate for the unqualified South Korean criminal Kim Won Hong. Despite a Supreme Court writ of mandamus directed to the Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie, to conclude the police's investigation into the matter, according to Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA), Whylie has refused to hand over the file to them, saying that the investigation has still not yet been completed. Additionally, in a recent letter to COLA, the Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley, submitted that she could not turn over information she has gathered from an audit of the Immigration Department, saying that the report has to be handed to Cabinet and tabled in the House of Representatives first. And the Ministry of Immigration's so-called internal investigation led by Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse and his CEO, Candelaria Saldivar, has yielded "nada." Mental healthcare providers hold workshop for unemployed mental patients Persons suffering with mental disabilities often have the most difficulty finding gainful employment; however, the Ministry of Health is attempting to change that harsh reality by hosting a workshop to address the discrimination that such persons face in the workplace and hopefully assist people with mental illness to find work. The two-day workshop, which is being held at the Belize Institute of Management (BIM), is focused on the need for relevant stakeholders to provide employment for persons with mental disabilities as well as to provide coaching and training to potential employers for the inclusion of mentally challenged persons who have generally been left out of the workforce. Eleanor Bennett, who is the Nursing Administrator in the Ministry of Health's Mental Health Unit, told Amandala that the initiative is long overdue and comprises a three-part project which began by targeting those who work as mental healthcare providers. American woman overdoses with pills in San Pedro On Monday, an American, Susan Rose Cop, 47, a medical student, died after overdosing herself with pills in her apartment in San Pedro. Police said that when they went to the apartment, they found a doctor trying to help Cop, and they also saw many bottles of pills near her. She was rushed to the San Pedro Poly Clinic, where doctors worked to save her, but the effort was in vain, as she died shortly after. Police said that the woman had called her father in the United States and informed him that she was going to take the pills. Fearing for life, her father immediately alerted a doctor in San Pedro to check on her, but when he went to her apartment, he saw her on the floor. She had already swallowed a number of pills. Alex "Cat' Reid, 34, charged with murder A Belize City man, Alex "Cat" Reid, 34, who has been in police custody for 7 days while they investigated his connection to a murder that occurred in Santana on Tuesday, May 20, was arraigned in the Magistrate's Court this morning. Reid, a laborer and resident of Pine Street, has been in police custody as a person of interest in the police's investigation into the murder of Santana resident Maurice Dennison Young, 69. Police detained Reid on Wednesday, May 21, the day after Young's body was found. This morning Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith read the single count of murder to Reid, from whom no plea was required for the indictable offense. He was remanded to prison, from where he will begin the routine shuttling back-and-forth to court for the next few years, until his case comes up in the Supreme Court, if there is enough evidence after a preliminary inquiry is completed at the lower court. He returns to court on July 15. Hard-pay taxi customer arrested by Neighborhood Watch group in San Pedro A taxicab passenger who ran away without paying after using a taxi was caught by a Neighborhood Watch group and handed over to police. The man, 22, has since been detained, pending charges. The incident occurred at 12:45 Sunday morning in the Boca Del Rio in San Pedro. Boris Fuentes, a taxi driver of Laguna Drive, Boca Del Rio, San Pedro, told police that he was approached by a man who hired his taxi to take him home to the Airstrip area, from Boca Del Rio. Upon arrival at the passenger's home, however, the passenger jumped out of the vehicle and ran away without paying Fuentes. The San Pedro Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Patrol, which was on patrol in the area, sprang into action and found the hard-pay passenger hiding on the beach. The culprit was immediately seized and taken to the San Pedro Police Station by the patrol and handed over to police. Taxi driver ambushed and murdered Police told Amandala today that they still have no leads into the shooting death of taxi driver Norman Stanley Thompson, 57, of corner West Street and Kut Avenue, Belize City, who died at about 1:30 Sunday morning, May 25, after he was ambushed and shot by gunmen after dropping off three passengers in the alley between Logwood Street and Banak Street, at the rear of the Habet and Habet compound on Cemetery Road. A woman told Amandala that she heard two gunshots, and then a loud bang, as a car slammed into a chain link fence, breaking it and damaging a cargo container that was parked in the yard next to the fence. When neighbors rushed to the area, Thompson was seen in his car, slumped over his steering wheel, with gunshots in the upper back: he was dead. He was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival at about 3:10 that same Sunday morning. Belize City man remanded to prison for armed robbery in Ladyville A Belize City man who has several criminal matters pending in the Magistrate's Court was remanded to prison after he was arraigned on charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery this morning. He was charged along with a 17-year-old minor, his alleged partner in crime, who is hospitalized and under police guard after sustaining a gunshot wound during the robbery. When Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart asked Mason Patnett, 27, a construction worker of 72 Cemetery Road, if he understood the robbery charge she had read to him, Patnett replied: "I understand the charge, but that charge is bogus, as I neva meh deh in the village when that happen." Patnett, who had lived in Ladyville for some time, pleaded not guilty to the charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. And Magistrate Stewart, after explaining to him that she could not offer him bail because the alleged robbery was committed with a firearm, remanded him into custody until his next court date on June 24, 2014. Santa Cruz villagers busted with almost 1 pound of weed Two persons, believed to be a mother and son, were arrested and charged for drug trafficking after police discovered 448.8 grams - or just short of a pound - of suspected cannabis yesterday near their house in Santa Cruz Village at Mile 21 on the Southern Highway. Police said that while searching the residence at around 2:00 p.m., they found a black plastic bag containing 330.5 grams of suspected cannabis about 15 feet away from the house, and later came upon a "Malher" container with another 157.9 grams of suspected cannabis, which together totaled 448.4 grams. Eloy Perdomo, 18, charged for BWEL's robbery Eloy Perdomo, 18, a laborer of Trial Farm, Orange Walk District, who is one of two men who reportedly robbed Belize Western Energy Limited, a butane gas company office, in San Ignacio and held up the manager at gunpoint, stealing $1,915.43 in cash and two Belize Bank cheques totaling $1,874.58, was remanded on Friday to the Belize Central Prison on robbery charges until Thursday, July 10, by the San Ignacio Magistrate's Court. The incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8. In the office at the time were supervisor Ernest Hill, 46, his son, 13, and a security guard. Hill told police that around 5:50 p.m., two men ran into the office. They were not wearing masks. One of the men was armed with a handgun, which he held to the neck of the security guard, whom he held in a chokehold. The gunman then ordered their victims not to move, or he would shoot them. Decomposing body found in Indianville Less than 24 hours after the decomposing body of Norris Tingling, 57, of Majestic Alley, was recovered from within his house, at about 10:00 Monday morning, the decomposing body of Francisco Reyes, 65, of Indianville, was found in his house. Police who went into the house to recover him reported that there were no signs of foul play on his body, and he was nude. They have declared that he died of natural causes. Neighbors reported that Reyes was last seen on Friday, but throughout the weekend, he was not seen, and they became concerned. Aaron Elijah Juan, 33, remanded for carnal knowledge A businessman from the Cayo District - who, according to authorities, had been on the run for over five months - is now on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he turned himself in to San Ignacio police last Tuesday, May 20, at around midday, pending charges of carnal knowledge. Police reported that Aaron Elijah Juan, 33, who lives on Burns Avenue in San Ignacio, surrendered himself to police in that municipality in the company of his attorney, Richard "Dickie" Bradley. Juan was wanted based on a December 18, 2013 carnal knowledge report involving a 15-year-old female minor who had accused him of engaging in sexual intercourse with her. He appeared in the San Ignacio Magistrate's Court, where Magistrate Narda Morgan read him the charge; however, no plea was taken, since it is an indictable offense which will be heard at the Supreme Court level. Hit-and-run in Orange Walk leaves man dead The family of Santiago Cocom, 68, of Trial Farm, Orange Walk District, is mourning his death after he was killed by a hit-and-run driver at about 10:00 Saturday night on Queen Victoria Avenue in Orange Walk Town. Cocom was declared dead on the spot after suffering massive head and body injuries. Police said that Santiago Cocom was trying to cross to the other side of the road when he was knocked down by a vehicle, which dragged him about 100 feet from where he was hit. The driver, after knowing that he had hit a person, drove away. Cousins remanded for aggravated assault with a firearm Nuri Polanco, 27, an unemployed resident of 7005 Antelope Street Extension and his cousin, Kenroy Willoughby, 21, a carpenter of 75 Antelope Street, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith this morning and were remanded to prison after she arraigned them on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm upon Jason Lamb. They pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison until their next court date on July 14, 2014. The allegation against Polanco and Willoughby is that on Sunday, May 25, they committed an aggravated assault with a firearm upon Lamb, 23, a clerk and resident of 7020 Pelican Street Extension. Lamb reported to police that on Sunday, he was attending a family dinner at an address on Antelope Street Extension when he got into an argument with Kenroy Willoughby. The Reporter Belize kickstarts World No Tobacco Day festivities Over six million people die annually from illnesses caused by tobacco products, and this week the National Drug Abuse Control Council is observing World No Tobacco Day to raise public awareness. The NDACC carried out simultaneous educational fairs at all its district offices, including Belmopan and San Pedro, to engage students and the community about the dangers that tobacco poses to its users and those in their surroundings. Esner Vellos, director of the NDACC, explained that even though the celebration date should be May 31, the council wanted students to take part in the activity. "They can not only come and see what we do in terms of tobacco programs, but also the general work of the national drug council, so they will know what are the other services we provide", he said. Argentine Vice President summoned in corruption case Argentine Vice-President, Amado Boudou must appear in court later this year on a charge of corruption. The allegation is that Mr Boudou used his influence to ensure that a company he allegedly controlled got a contract to print Argentina's banknotes. The case involving the Ciccone Calcografica printing company has been under investigation for more than three years. He was Argentina's economy minister at the time. While the country's opposition has called for his resignation, Mr Boudou has denied the charge. He is scheduled to appear in court on 15 July. Accused killer recaptured Edwin Paula, 30, the suspected mastermind behind a series of bold armed hold-ups, including one at the dorms at the University of Belize in 2013, is back in custody after a two-month-long run for freedom. Paula, who escaped while being transported from the prison to [�] Lead investigator in Penner case speaks out Lead investigator in the Penner case, Assistant Commissioner of Police Russell Blackett, confirmed Thursday that he is in possession of the Penner case file. Blackett said that his office received the file about two weeks ago from the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, with [�] Police under investigation for shooting youth Police officers from the San Ignacio Police Formation may face criminal charges for allegedly shooting a 19-year-old Unitedville youth with a 12-gauge shotgun to his lower back. Crime Investigation Branch is investigating the four officers who were on duty at the time in that [�] Belize Port planning for bulk-cargo shipping The Belize Port Authority may soon see increased export activity due to a proposed development by a private company to facilitate bulk-cargo transportation using the facility. Port of Belize's Arturo Vasquez explained that the Port has been in negotiations with a company called Belize [�] Mayor: Citco still having problems with garbage payments The Belize City Council continues to have problems keeping up with its sanitation contracts, and is still several weeks in arrears. The Council continues to owe the sanitation company between two and four weeks, which is the limit that the contract allows for arrears, [�] New Auditor General report on the way Auditor General Dorothy Bradley said that she has finally received the financial statements for the period 2011-2012 and should have her audit of those statements ready within the next three months. Bradley told The Reporter that she received the statements from Accountant General Veronica [�] GDP and exports down in first quarter, says SIB Belize's Gross Domestic Product for the first quarter of 2014 declined by 0.4 percent. The decline in GDP follows eight consecutive quarters of positive growth, the Statistical Institute of Belize's data states. The decline was largely attributed to decreased output in three main sectors: agriculture, [�] Belizeans protest firing of UWI professor Members of the church and various groups participated in an anti-gay protest last Friday at the Battlefield Park as a way to voice their objection to the recent firing of Professor Brendan Bain from the University of West Indies (UWI). The protesters, who carried [�] EDITORIAL One week after the unceremonious sack- ing of Professor Brendan Bain, head of the UWI's Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Network (CHART), the Lesbian and Gay Rights Movement in Belize and the Caribbean has claimed another victim, Vice Chancellor E. Nigel Harris. Earlier this week Professor Harris announced that he would [�] Adjourned! COLA has one month to find evidence COLA has one month to gather enough evidence to save its private prosecution case against former minister of state, Elvin Penner. On Thursday, Belmopan Magistrate Aretha Ford gave COLA (Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action) until June 26 to obtain the relevant substantiations or risk [�] AG wants to audit Central Health Region AGAIN! The Auditor General's Office is planning to do another audit of the Central Health Region (CHR) within the next few months to uncover irregularities which may have gone unnoticed in their first audit. Auditor General Dorothy Bradley told The Reporter that given the amount [�] Court costs paid in "shillings" Attorney Arthur Saldivar and Burrell Boom resident Trevor Vernon used over $4,000 in coins this week to pay court costs from failed litigations. Saldivar used $2000 in coins to make his initial payment towards the $9,500 in legal fee owed to attorney Rodwell Williams. Vernon [�] Patrick Jones PM Barrow proceeds on personal leave The Honorable the Prime Minister Mr. Dean Barrow has traveled to the United States on what a statement from his office says is "personal/duty leave." The official statement says that Mr. Barrow will be in the US until June 3, with scheduled stops in Houston, Texas and Washington, D.C. The Honorable the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Gaspar Vega is currently acting as Prime Minister and he will hand over those acting duties on Saturday to the Honorable the Minister of National Security Mr. John Saldivar. Hon. Saldivar will then act as PM until Mr. Barrow's return to the country next week. Supreme Court lifts freezing order against Coye family Supreme Court Justice Sonia Young this morning declined to continue a freezing order made against Melonie and Marlene Coye and their company Money Exchange International Limited. The Coye family was being sued along with Omni Networks Limited for monies owed to Panamanian company Internet Experts S.A. also known as Instadollar. In making her ruling Justice Young stated that Instadollar, represented by Senior Counsel Lisa Shoman had not made a good and arguable case for continuing with the order made on May 5, mere hours after fellow judge Shona Griffith had rescinded it. It essentially means that the Coyes can resume access as soon as the order is made available even as the civil matter continues. It all stems from an alleged agreement made between the Panamanian company and Belizean agents and subagents to open a Moneygram money exchange service in Belize. Blogs Ambergris Caye has high population of smart people For a small Island, I would say Ambergris Caye has a high population of smart people. There are many groups of smart people that meet up weekly with the shared interest of claiming bragging rights and a decent cash prize :) Three times a week they have the opportunity to test their skills with the trivia hosts quizzing local and tourist teams with random interesting questions about the world we live in. Test your knowledge weekly against fellow trivia buffs at the following local Bars: Coco Locos Tuesday night Trivia: The only trivia game north of the bridge. Start time is 7:00pm sharp, there is $5 small buy in, teams can be up to 4 people. Owner Sue walks around to each table and asks teams 18 - 20 questions at the end it is winner take all. Pedro's Pizza Thursday night trivia: Start time 7:30, 5 people to a team with a $5 buy in. This one is done in rounds and Cindy will call out 5 rounds of 10 questions each with a short break in between each round and a bonus round at the end. Crazy Canucks Friday night Trivia: Start time 7:00 but it is wise to get there early to get a good spot as Think and Drink is a popular night and usually packed. 4 people to a team with a $5 buy in and the last Friday of every month part of the proceeds go to San Pedro Red Cross. Owner Rob does 3 rounds and a bonus speed round at the end. The winning team of each round gets a free shot. If there is a tie, the tiebreaker is usually a beer chug. This of course, helps keep the game at a level playing field. Carlisle Holdings Limited (Carlisle) - Holding in BTL Nasdaq: CLHL; London: CLH), a leader in outsourced facilities services and staffing services announced today that their Chairman, Michael A. Ashcroft had recently agreed to purchase 23.5% of Belize Telecommunications Ltd (BTL) previously held by MCI WorldCom, Inc. A twelve month option to purchase this additional BTL stake at cost plus financing was granted to Carlisle by Mr. Ashcroft which would give Carlisle a controlling interest in the company. Notwithstanding Carlisle's current strategic direction to develop its services businesses in the United States and United Kingdom, the consolidation of BTL would create certain significant advantages which could help to maximize Carlisle's shareholder value. Background Information Through its OneSource brand, Carlisle Group is a leader in the outsourced facilities services sector in the U.S. and provides janitorial, landscaping, commercial interior painting services, general repair and maintenance and other specialized services for more than 11,000 commercial, institutional and industrial accounts. In the U.K. Carlisle Group is also a leading provider of outsourced facilities services, through LI Group and Capitol Security Services, and has a significant presence in the staffing services sector under a number of leading brands, including Recruit, Indigo Selection and Tate in over 70 locations servicing a diverse base of over 5,000 clients in the following markets: IT, Finance and Banking, Office and Industrial, Education and Care, Retail, Truck Driving, Technical, Legal and Catering. Scarlet Six Crowdfunding Campaign The Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team is trying to raise money to help save the Scarlet Macaws in the Chiquibul National Park. Check out their crowdfunding page, and help them if you can. "Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team is a small but dedicated group of Belizeans working to save the last remaining Scarlet Macaws in the remote Maya Mountains of Belize. Help us raise money for a long-range radio communication system which will enable the team to quickly and effectively communicate in cases of medical emergencies and poacher activity in these remote areas. This radio system will include a base radio, car battery, extendable antenna, programming, and hand held units for the field crew." Constitutional Rights Seminar The Rotaract Club of San Ignacio is having a Constitutional Rights seminar at the Cayo Welcome Center, today, Saturday, May 31st, starting at 4:00pm. Learn more about your rights, and make more informed decisions. International Sources Six Key Questions for the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season is officially underway on Sunday, June 1. What will this year's hurricane season bring? My top six questions for the coming season: 1) When will the first "Invest", tropical depression, and named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season form? We have a chance of all three of these events occurring in the Gulf of Mexico during the first week of hurricane season, though the models are currently hazy about this. An area of disturbed weather in the Eastern Pacific located a few hundred miles south of Southeast Mexico is forecast to move slowly northwards towards the Gulf of Mexico Sunday through Tuesday. In their 8 am EDT Friday Tropical Weather Outlook, NHC gave this system a 50% chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm by Wednesday. The 06Z Friday run of the GFS model predicts that this disturbance will make landfall in Southeast Mexico on Tuesday, then spread moisture northwards over the Gulf of Mexico late in the week. Eastern Pacific May Yield Gulf of Mexico Tropical Concerns Tropical troubles brewing in the eastern Pacific may lead to concerns in the Gulf and far northwestern Caribbean soon after the official start to the Atlantic hurricane season. AccuWeather.com meteorologists are monitoring an area south of Mexico, in the eastern Pacific, for a new tropical storm to take shape early next week. It is possible that the system's energy could then slowly fuel tropical development in the Atlantic Basin in the days that follow. Hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin officially commences on June 1. Man Proposes to Girlfriend With Travel Video Four Years in the Making Sept. 30, 2010. That's the day Jack Hyer and his girlfriend Becca went on their first date. Afterward, he wrote this in his travel journal: "I'm going to marry this girl eventually." And an elaborate idea for a proposal formed in his head. That was four years ago. Hyer, who calls himself a "globetrotter, explorer, budget travel expert" on his Twitter profile, has traveled 100,000 miles through 28 countries and spent four months abroad over the past four years. During that time, he and Becca were mostly apart, he said in his video introduction. So he worked on a proposal video. And, finally, it looks like the future Mr. and Mrs. Hyer will be honeymooning in Belize - for free. The Belize Tourism Board liked the video so much, it offered the couple a free honeymoon via Twitter: Caribbean countries ended 2013 on a stronger economic footing - CDB Caribbean countries ended 2013 on a more solid economic footing than it had done since the start of the 2007/2008 global economic recession, according to figures released by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The CDB, which is holding its 44th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors here, said that many of its borrowing member states (BMCs) recorded increases "albeit modest in economic activity". CDB President Dr. Warren Smith said that "at the regional level, growth and sustainability were recurring themes in discussions about performance". The CDB said that preliminary estimates indicate that the economic activity in the region grew by an average of 1.5 per cent last year, up slightly from a revised figure of 1.2 per cent for 2012. Disaster-prone Central America shows it means business on climate legislation The Monta�ona reserve is the biggest in the northern department of Chalatenango. Not only does it help keep the air clean and healthy, but the 70 water sources in its river basin supply at least 70,000 families in nearby urban areas. The forest protection scheme is part of the first phase of a national programme to restore ecosystems and natural landscapes, launched by the government in May 2012. Across Central America there are similar initiatives to preserve forests and coastal mangroves, which protect against storms, landslides, rising seas and soil erosion. Central American nations have been hammered by extreme weather and climate change impacts in recent years, including floods from heavy summer rains, strong winds, persistent drought and climate-sensitive plant diseases such as coffee rust. According to Nelson Cuellar, an expert with the Salvadoran Research Program on Development and Environment (PRISMA), this is because governments have differing development visions, with some focusing more on climate mitigation policies and others prioritising adaptation. "(Central America) is divided - each country moves individually in international negotiations," he said. This remains so despite the launch of a regional climate change strategy in 2010 by the Central American Integration System (SICA), which comprises Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panam� and Dominican Republic. Finding Hope in a Degraded Mangrove "This is the island of Chira, where women work and men cry." It was the third time the joke was told, and it still caused a good laugh among this group dominated by women from Chira Island, in Costa Rica's Gulf of Nicoya. I was standing at the beginning of a "human chain" that was moving, one by one, more than 200 mangrove plants through a degraded mangrove forest. With me were CI consultants Maguil, Annette and Alejandro, as well as Ana, our CI marine program manager. This was their fourth day of work that week - my first - and we had all been up since 4:30 a.m., trying to evade the sun and high temperatures. At 8 a.m. it was already very humid and hot in the mangroves in the small community of Montero. But nothing seemed to dampen the spirits of the group - not mosquitoes, thirst, mud or the fact that each bag carrying dirt and a 12-inch mangrove plant weighed over 5 pounds [2.3 kilograms]. Nor the fact that once our chain of hands moved all the plants 100 feet [30 meters] or so, we would have to line up four more times to move the plants further into the more degraded areas of the forest. Videos Video: Belize Bank Mobile Banking Ad, 1/2min. Video: BELIZE 2014,8 min. Croisière en catamaran sur la deuxième plus grande barrière de corail après l'Australie... Survol et plong�e dans le Blue Hole, unique au monde... Avant de visionner, n'oubliez pas de mettre la qualit� au maximum... Video: Belize Tripping - Snorkel Short, 11min. Video: Jaguar, video captured during Lakeland College Belize trip, 10sec. Video: Puma, video captured during Lakeland College Belize trip, 10sec. Video: Ambergris Caye Belize 2014, 2min. Diving with Sea Turtles Video: Belize, 25min. Belize Trip. May 4-11 2014. Great video. Zip lining, cave tubing, scuba diving, hanging out in Belize... Video: Scuba diving in Belize, 2 1/2min. I recently took a weekend trip to Ambergris Caye, which is an island off the coast of Belize. This video is GoPro footage from scuba diving at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which is an area just 10 minutes from the beaches of San Pedro town. Video: BELIZE 2014, 8min. Croisière en catamaran sur la deuxième plus grande barrière de corail après l'Australie... Survol et plong�e dans le BLUE HOLE, site unique au monde... Avant de visionner, n'oubliez pas de mettre la qualit� au maximum... Video: High on Belize in Isla Marisol Resort, 12min. Located 36 miles off the coast of beautiful Belize, Isla Marisol is a private island resort and one of the last true paradises in the Caribbean. From scuba diving and snorkeling, to deep sea fishing or beachcombing, your stay at Isla Marisol Resort will be nothing short of the experience of a lifetime. The private island resort offers the unique opportunity to enjoy one of the few remaining paradises in the world. Video: Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkeling Tour, 1min. Video: Rosie and Kyle's Big Trip: Central America, 5min. The highlights of our amazing two months travelling through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama - such a beautiful part of the world!