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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

San Pedro welcomes New Deputy of Police Henry Jemmott
Senior Officer Henry Jemmott is the new Deputy of the Belize Police Department Coastal executive Unit, in charge of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Deputy Jemmott has 16 years of experience and is looking forward to working with the community to improve the islands’ safety. Originally from Dangriga, Deputy Jemmott most recently served three years at the Violent Criminals Apprehension Program (VCAP) in the Investigation Branch of the Belize City Police Unit. He also has 13 years of working in the special patrol unit. Deputy Jemmott promotes exceptional customer relations and believes all officers should behave with discipline, honor and respect. “I want to change the image and the present perception between the community and the police. We need to inform the public that the police are here to render a service and have the community reassured that San Pedro will be a safer place for the residence and visitors,” said Deputy Jemmott.

Costa Maya Festival® presents Miss Belize!
The Costa Maya Festival organization is pleased to announce that Belize’s representative for the Reina de la Costa Maya pageant is the lovely Grisel Rosseli Carballo. Grisel is from the northern district of Orange Walk, and is no stranger to pageantry. In 2011 she was the first runner-up in Miss Orange Walk, and followed it up with a triumphant win of the title of Miss Diosa Maya 2013. The 22-year-old stands at 5’ 4” and has burgundy hair and brown eyes. She is an enthusiastic community activist, and is presently the Director of Public Relations for the Rotaract Club in Orange Walk Town. She loves playing football, enjoys modeling and she champions causes aimed at improving the lives of women and children. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management at the University of Belize, and on the side, hosts “La Voz Kareoke” on the local television network in her hometown.

New US Ambassador Carlos Moreno present credentials to Belize’s Governor General
The new United States of America (US or USA) ambassador to Belize His Excellency Carlos Moreno has presented his letters of credence to the Governor General of Belize His Excellency Sir Colville Young. The US diplomat arrived in the country accompanied with his wife Christine on Saturday June 21st from California, US and on Tuesday June 24th he presented his credentials. President Barrack Obama appointed Moreno as the US Ambassador to Belize last year but it took the US Senate ten months to approve his appointment. “The Government of the United States and the Government of Belize have an outstanding, longstanding relationship. I look forward to improving that relationship in so many ways,” said Ambassador Moreno in an interview with a local television station.

Boat capsizes after captain rescues two tourists
Authorities on Ambergris Caye have confirmed a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday June 24th in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The incident occurred around 12:10PM when boat captain Nisan Zuniga of San Pedro Town was trying to rescue two drifting tourists. According to several reports, Zuniga was out with family members when he noticed two Caucasians who seemed to be in distress and losing the battle against strong currents and drifting into the main channel. Without hesitation, Zuniga left his family in shallow waters inside the reef section of the reserve and proceeded to rescue the two drifting tourists. Authorities say that the boat flipped over outside the reef when a large wave hit the vessel, sending Zuniga and the two rescued tourists into the water.

Congratulations to Britany Ysaguirre, Miss Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2014-15!!!

Ambergris Today

Miss Belize Contestant Announced for Costa Maya Festival
Grisel Roselli Carballo has been chosen to represent our beautiful Belize as Miss Belize Costa Maya at the Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant that will be taking place during the International Costa Maya Festival in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize on Thursday, August 7, 2014. At 22 years of age and standing 5’ 4” tall, Grisel Carballo has brown eyes and burgundy red hair. She has an Associates Degree in Economics and is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Business Management at the University of Belize; she loves dancing, working with children, doing community service and is a show host. Grisel was 1st Runner Up at the Miss Orange Walk 2011 pageant and won the title of Miss Diosa Maya 2013 pageant held in Merida, Yucatan. Grisel says that she will proudly represent her beautiful country at the International Costa Maya Festival.

Social Security Grants SP Police Two Motorcycles
Through grant funding provided the Social Security Board of Belize, the San Pedro Police Department was able to purchase two new motorcycles and a power washer. A special appreciation ceremony was held on Thursday, June 26, 2014, by the Police Department for the Social Security Board. Officer in Charge of the SP Police handed out certificates of appreciation to Ariel Mitchell and the Social Security Board for the kind donation and thanked Mr. Steve Perera for his assistance in the process of receiving the grant. OC Castellanos stated that the motorcycles will be used to patrol Northern Ambergris Caye and areas with the highest crime rate on the island. On hand to accept the certificates on behalf of the Social Security Board was Mrs. Miriam Requena.

Belize Conch Season to Close July 1st
This is your last weekend to enjoy those delicious conch ceviche, conch soup, conch fritters and all those delicious conch dishes as the conch season is set to close for three months effective Tuesday, July 1, 2014. The Belize Fisheries Department issued a press release informing the general public that the conch season will be closed effective July 1st and it will remain closed until midnight of September 30th. As a reminder, we note that failure to comply with the close season will result in prosecution in court under Regulation 3 (1) (b) of the Fisheries Regulations, Chapter 210 of the Subsidiary Laws of Belize R.E. 2003.

Misc Belizean Sources

6th Annual Tres Pescados Slam Tournament Announced for July in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

Our Lady of Guadalupe Graduation
Congratulations to the graduating class from Our Lady of Guadelupe primary!

Canadian corporal deploys to Belize for dental mission
Entering the makeshift dental clinic in Belize City, Belize, you’ll notice a swarm of U.S. Air Force dentists and dental technicians busying around the clinic at a dizzying pace. You’d see the effortless teamwork and think that all of these professionals must’ve been training together for months to be able to keep up with the workload of seeing 700 patients in two weeks. But, you would be wrong. Only upon close examination would you would realize that a few of the uniforms are not like the other and that they just joined the dental team eleven short days ago. Canadian Army Cpl. Glenn Keefe, a dental training support corporal at Canadian Forces Health Services Training Center, is in country working side-by-side with his U.S. and Belizean counterparts to provide dental care to patients in Belize in support of the U.S. Southern Command sponsored New Horizons exercise.

Dental resident hones skills while deployed to Belize
Following in her father’s footsteps, she met with an Air Force recruiter while she was in dental school and joined the military. Now, during her first year as an Air Force dentist she’s deployed to Belize. U.S. Air Force Capt. (Dr.) Marie Cross, a dentist in the Advanced Educational and General Dentistry Program from the 99th Dental Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, is in the country supporting the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored New Horizons exercise. A significant part of New Horizons exercise is the collection of Medical Readiness Training Exercises, better known as MEDRETES, which are designed to provide humanitarian assistance and medical care to people in the local area while helping improve the skills of U.S. military medical forces and those of military medical professionals of the host nation.

Chiclero Park Clean Up
CACHE is having a clean up at the Chiclero Park this Sunday. In related news, they are asking for proposals for the CACHE Cafe. "CACHE is not limited to our Centennial Park, we want to beautify the whole community so join us this Sunday morning at the Chiclero Park!!!!!"

In Bloom at Boat Wharf
In Bloom will be playing at the Boat Wharf tonight. Emendo will also be there. "Come out for a great night of music courtesy of In Bloom and Emendo at Boat Wharf Rest. & Bar located on the ground floor of the Manzanero Building In San Ignacio Town (to the left of Heritage Bank!!!)"

D Catch Lobster Fest
No need to travel for Lobster Fest. Celebrate tonight in the Cayo Welcome Center at D Catch. Carlos Landero will be playing. "D Catch presents to you the First Ever Mini Lobster Fest in San Ignacio. Taking place tomorrow June 28th, 2014. We will be having a Lobster Cookout with Music and Cold Drinks! Later in the night we will be having Carlos Landeros and his Band on stage at the Welcome Center. Get your Lobster on at D Catch tomorrow. Gona Be Great! U can't afford to miss this!"

San Ignacio Online Map
There's a new website in Cayo, and they have a convenient online map for all to use. It loads a little slowly, but the map is there quickly. Thanks, Artemis Glass, for the great map. "The San Ignacio Online Map is an effort to allow tourists, as well as locals and Belizeans, to find their way around San Ignacio Town, in the Cayo District, Belize. The map pinpoints Prime Businesses of San Ignacio, with essential information on how to reach any of these."

Channel 5

Court of Appeal determines the fate of Lavern “Anti Christ” Longsworth
Four years after being behind bars for dousing and setting her husband on fire, Lavern “Anti-Christ” Longsworth heard her fate. This afternoon, she smiled on the docks as President of [...]

6 men charged with the largest drug bust get a retrial
One year and a half after the charge of facilitating the landing of a drug plane was struck out against six men by Justice Denis Hanomansingh, the Court of Appeal [...]

Deon Bruce granted stay of execution from being extradited
The extradition appeal of Deon Bruce was also before the Court of Appeal. Back in January of this year, Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith granted an extradition request on twenty-eight [...]

Cause of horrific and tragic fire still unknown
It’s been two days since the horrific fire on Newtown Barracks gutted two massive wooden buildings and tragically ended the life of twenty-one year old Jacqueline Arteaga. After days of [...]

Court prosecutor finds himself behind bars for a good deed
An ex-police officer, who is prosecuting cases for the municipal court, finds himself in big trouble with the law after being busted with a firearm loaded with live rounds. While [...]

Auditor General Report says Immigration Director obstructed investigation
On Thursday night, we took at brief look at the twenty-seven page interim Auditor-General’s report. The document chronicles an attempt at an intensive investigation into the corruption at the Immigration [...]

Martin Cal taken off P.U.P. slate after name surfaces in Auditor General’s Report
The Auditor-General’s report has had no visible repercussions on the man at the front and centre of the scandal, former Minister of State Elvin Penner. But it has had serious [...]

Darell Carter in court for failure to make Social Security contributions
  Businessman Darrell Carter was back in court today. This time he was there to answer to a single charge of failure to make Social Security contributions payments in respect [...]

Late evening robbery – Mark Anthony Pelayo is nabbed
There are details available of a late evening robbery on Thursday.  Three persons were robbed after five o’clock in the evening of their cell phones and keys by an armed [...]

Tourist dies on diving trip at the Blue Hole Natural Monument
A tourist collapsed and died while on a diving trip at the Blue Hole Natural Monument. The U.S. visitor, Larry Smith, was along a group of nineteen tourists who left [...]

The winning theme of the National Celebrations
One of the events by which you can tell that the national celebrations are upon us, is the selection of the theme that guides the festivities. This year to mark [...]

A Labor Education Seminar
There is no shortage of disputes in the work place that involve employers and employees. This morning at the auditorium of the Belize Elementary School, representatives of the private sector [...]

B.D.F. volunteers join US Army for jungle warfare training
A battalion of four hundred and fifteen volunteer soldiers attached to the Belize Defense Force and the Louisiana National Guard is currently on an annual military training exercise in the [...]

Mayan woman from the south is called to the Bar
A historic ceremony was held at court today when Monica Coc was called to the bar. Coc is from the Toledo District and is the first Mayan woman to ever [...]

54 young men graduate from the Southside Youth Success Project
A graduating class of fifty-four young men has successfully completed the Southside Youth Success Project.  During a brief commencement exercise on Wednesday afternoon at the UWI Auditorium, the Belize Police [...]

Police officer makes clarification to story
We have been contacted by the Attorney for Sergeant Octavino Victorin of the San Ignacio Formation in respect of a story aired earlier this week. Sergeant Victorin is requesting that [...]

F.F.B. promises to pay players by July fifteenth
On Thursday, we showed you the results of a two-million dollar facelift on the football field and facilities at the F.F.B. headquarters in Belmopan. The works are scheduled to be [...]

CTV3

Standard Four Student Goes Missing
A standard 4 student from Louisiana Gov’t School has been reported missing. According to her aunt, Maria Lucia Carrillo, her 15 year old niece, Luz Clarita Carrillo went missing on Tuesday morning. Fearing the worst, Lucia reached out to us for help. Maria Lucia Carrillo – Aunt of missing teen “I send her to school on Tuesday at 8:15am and she said she was going to school and since then I haven’t heard of her.” Maria Novelo – Reporter “Is she a person to do this all the time, or is this the first time she ran away?” Maria Lucia Carrillo – Aunt of missing teen “She is doing it the first time but I feel she ran away because when I send her to school I rail up with her because I told her to do the domestic work and she doesn’t want to do anything and she not even help us doing the domestic work and I told her how is she going to learn and she is getting older an older and she got mad and I think that is why she ran away.”

Unemployment Rate Sees A Slight Dip
Yesterday the Statistical Institute of Belize held a press conference in Belize City where they released a number of findings including the Consumer Price Index and External Trade which we spoke to you about in last night’s newscast. What we did not touch basis on is the information released on the Labor Force Survey. The report shows that unemployment rate reduced slightly from 11.7 percent in April of 2013 to 11.1 percent in April this year. This means that as of April this year, there are approximately sixteen thousand seven hundred men and women who are unemployed. That’s six hundred and seventy five less unemployed persons compared to April of 2013 when 17,375 were jobless. According to the report, only the Belize District experienced a higher rate of unemployment in April this year when compared to the same month last year. The increase was due mostly to workers entering the labour force at a much faster rate than jobs were being created in the district. It is believed that the heightened construction activity in Belize City may have made many residents more hopeful about obtaining employment.

Minor Traffic Accident On Riverside Street
And closer to home on Riverside Street around 2:00pm today, a minor traffic mishap disrupted the flow of traffic on that stretch of road. The driver of a cargo truck was reversing when he backed up into this small white Camry which was behind him. Driver of the truck was advised of the offence since he did not have any rear view mirrors to notice the bystanders signalling him to stop. No one was hurt but the Camry suffered minor damages.

MOE Rectifies Uncommon Mistake And Awards Second Top Performer
Last week we reported on the story with Louisiana Gov’t School student Jose Arciga who was not initially included in the list of top ten performers for the Primary School Examinations issued but the Ministry Education earlier this month, despite getting 365 out of 400 points overall. This grade should have placed him fifth in country and as such a complaint was lodged by the administration of the school to the Ministry and soon it was rectified. He was recognized for his accomplishments yesterday in Belize City and was also present in today’s North awards ceremony. But while Minister of Education Patrick Faber has indicated that efforts have been made to lessen the errors, he also considers them not to be uncommon. But what does Arciga think? Today he shared his sentiments with reporter Victor Castillo.

Belize On High alert for Chikungunya Disease
A painful mosquito-borne virus called Chikungunya, which is common in Africa and Asia has advanced quickly throughout the Caribbean region in a span of several months, raising the prospect that a once-distant illness will become entrenched throughout the region including Belize. The closest suspected cases were confirmed in neighboring El Salvador. And as such, health officials have stepped up their prevention measures and heightened their preparedness. Today officials of the Ministry of health gave the media an update on the disease. Reporter Maria Novelo reports. Maria Novelo – Reporting Following the continued regional outbreak of the chikungunya or Chik-V virus, local health officials and personnel are on high alert here in Belize. While there are no known cases of Chik V in the country, neighbouring El Salvador has seen an emergence in suspected cases. Dr. Michael Pitts is Director of Health Services for the MOH.

Unity Is Strength With Harvest or Kids
Unity is strength; we’ve heard that chant before and however cliché, there is much truth to this. And there is no better example to prove it than the consorted efforts of farmers and missionaries who have worked together to give underprivileged children an opportunity to not only have fun but spend quality time with others their age in an annual camping experience. They are Belize Camping Experience and in an effort to ensure that the program is held every year, the organizers have been working with farmers to grow crops that are sold and all profits are directed to the program. This year, Belize Camping Experience worked with rice farmers and has harvested their product. Here is a look at the success of that initiative.

MOE Award Outstanding PSE Students Form The North
Yesterday the Ministry of Education hosted its annual awarding Ceremonies at the Biltmore Plaza in Belize City where students from across the country gathered to be recognized as the top students for this year’s PSE results. The Northern part of the country had representation among the top 25 students. At a forum today at the Corozal Community College Auditorium, 20 students from Both Corozal and Orange Walk were awarded for their exceptional performance in this year’s examinations. Reporter Victor Castillo was among the invited guests and filed the following report. Victor Castillo – Reporting Meet the top twenty primary school students whom after their dedication achieved the highest scores in the Primary School Examination for the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts. The smiles and excitement this morning were the most notable expression at the CCC Auditorium as each of the 20 student’s received an award from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in recognition for their accomplishment.

Dates Set For The Closure Of 2013/2014 Crop Season
When plans were being made for the 2013/2014 crop season it was estimated that one million two hundred and seventy one thousand tons of cane would be delivered to the factory. That of amount of cane was expected to produce 130 thousand tons of sugar at a TCTS of 9.5. But the 2013/2014 crop season experienced a delay of two months to be exact due to an impasse on the negations of Bagasse between BSI/ASR and the BSCFA. With crop coming to an end the effect of that standoff is about to be felt as this year’s target will not be meet. A date has been set for the closure of crop, July 8th which is less than two weeks away. If the weather holds up BSI/ASR expects the factory to mill 1.2 million tons of cane. That’s just above last year’s amount of one million 78 thousand. But all is not good news.

PlusTV

Tourist Dies at Blue Hole Natural Monument
A tourist died while on a dive in Blue Hole Natural Monument. According to Marcus Alamina, Belizean Boat captain, Dive master and Tour Guide , Thursday morning at about 6:25 a.m., he and three other Dive masters accompanied by 19 tourists, left Ramón’s Village dock en route to the Blue...

Is Rawell Pelayo Still a Member of FFB Executive?
Who could forget the very stellar performance of Belize Jaguars in the Gold Cup Tournament last year, but what is also quite unforgettable is the very embarrassing arrest of Football Federation of Belize’s Vice President Rawell Pelayo. In July 2013 while travelling with the delegation, Rawell Pelayo was detained...

Belize Youth and Road Safety Capacity Building Project Graduates 19
The Belize Youth and Road Safety Capacity Building Project known as YOURS saw 19 young men and women graduate from the two weeks training program this afternoon at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The Program which is being jointly funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Government...

The Financial Woes of the Football Federation of Belize
In an interview with Ruperto Vicente yesterday he told Plus News that the current financial state of the federation does not permit them to pay off all their bills. However they should be getting monies from FIFA sometime soon and this will allow them to pay the National Team...

Traffic Prosecutor Charged with Unlicensed Firearm
Thirty-three year old Joseph Nunez, a prosecutor at traffic court, became an inmate of Belize Central Prison today when he appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton and was arraigned on charges of kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Nunez’ plead was ‘not guilty’ to the charges.  He was...

Deon Bruce Given Stay of Execution
Deon Bruce remains under threat of being extradited to the United States on murder charges following a decision of the Supreme Court upholding that of Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith. However, he was given a reprieve today as Justice Courtney Abel granted a stay of execution so that the decision...

 Belmopan Infrastructure Work Continues
The second phase of the Belize Municipal Development Project is well underway as works are near completion at the Belmopan Civic Center. Apart from the Civic Center and parking lot, which will be occupied by the Tuesday and Friday Market Vendors,  phase two of the development project also entails...

It’s a Rice Harvest for the Kids!
Harvest for kids has become one of the largest summer camp programs in the country. To sponsor the large event the organizers embark on a harvest program hence the name Harvest for kids. Last year the Belize Camping Experience, BCE, after a good corn harvest, reached approximately 2,000 children...

Growing the Future Projects
Growing the Future Projects, a School Boost Program kicks of this summer. The program which has been operating since 2004 has now branched off to 6 different areas in the country. They are to function in Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize City, San Pedro, San Ignacio, and now in Belmopan....

Lavern Longsworth Sentence Reduced by Court of Appeal
Convicted murderer Lavern “Anti-Christ” Longsworth has appealed her conviction, citing that at the time she killed her partner David White she was suffering the effects of battered woman’s syndrome. The Court of Appeal has accepted that defense and reduced her charge to manslaughter.  However, there was disagreement between Longsworth’s...

Six Men to be Retried on Drug Plane Case
The case of six men accused of aiding in the landing of an alleged drug plane on the Southern Highway in 2012 concluded in the Court of Appeal late this evening. The attorneys for the accused, Senior Counsels Hubert Elrington and Simeon Sampson and Anthony Sylvester, urged on the...

Darrell Carter in Tax Trouble Again
Businessman and former PUP politician Darrell Carter was charged with failure to make Social security Board contributions for the period February to May 2014 when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. Carter’s plead was “not guilty’ to the charge. His case was adjourned until August 12 for...

More News: Scroll up from here

Amandala

$11,150 in cash and personal items, including a gun, stolen
The Precinct 1 police of Belize City are on the lookout for a thief or thieves who burglarized the home of a woman, 35, of, Queen Charlotte Street, Belize City, sometime between 11:40 Friday night and [...]

Sandhill man remanded for threatening wife with shotgun
He allegedly caught his wife with another man in their home A Sandhill man was remanded to prison after he was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm, threat of death and harm upon [...]

Attempted murder charge lands George McKenzie, Jr., 19, in prison
George McKenzie, Jr., the 19-year-old son of deceased gang leader George “Junie Balls” McKenzie, narrowly escaped being remanded to the Belize Central Prison in mid-April when police fingered him for a homicide despite his alibi, which [...]

3rd suspect in Canadian’s murder may face charges
2 suspects have been murdered; the other is in jail on a committal warrant The murder of Brian Townsend, a Canadian Adventist missionary who was residing in the Valley of Peace, last Christmas, was later coupled [...]

Police nab 2 young thieves
The thieves, 15 and 16, were running out of the store they had just robbed Two young thieves, 15 and 16, both of Belize City, are in police custody pending charges of aggravated robbery, handling stolen [...]

Robbery in Belmopan area – again!
The D-Mundo company of Belmopan is out of $547 in cash after their collector was robbed by a thief who punched him in the left side of the face and escaped with the company bag containing [...]

The murder case of Vinnie Garbutt, 21, adjourned to August 27
Vinnie Garbutt, 21, of the Kontiki area of Cayo, accused of kidnapping and killing his girlfriend, Kayla Burgess, 23, a student of the University of Belize who lived in Independence, was returned to his cell at [...]

Man remanded for burglarizing a police officer’s home
A Mahogany Heights resident was remanded into prison after he was arraigned on charges of burglary and use of threatening words when he appeared before newly appointed Magistrate, Herbert Panton, in his Court #3 this afternoon. [...]

Wilbert Carcamo, 24, released on $5,000 bail
Out-of-control driver allegedly beat victim with wheel iron Wilbert Carcamo, 24, a driver of Libertad, Corozal District, who was wanted on charges of aggravated assault and dangerous harm, has been released on a bail of $5,000 [...]

Santa Elena man busted with shotgun and cartridges
Rodel Guerra, 27, of Carmen Street, Santa Elena, has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison on charges of “kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license” after he was busted with a 16-gauge shotgun and [...]

Venus Photo and Records burglarized
The popular Venus Photo and Record Store, of Hudson Street in San Ignacio, was burglarized by thieves, who stole a quantity of electronic items and assorted jewelry, all to a total value of $4,909. The incident [...]

“Vanessa” refuses to press charges against thief
A thief who was shot by police after he robbed a cross-dresser on a Belmopan walkway in the area of Ambergris Avenue has been released from the Belmopan Hospital and from police custody after the transvestite [...]

Cane cutter, 60, fined and confined for drug and gun charges
August Pine Ridge resident, Matilde Ku, 60, a cane cutter, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and fined $11,500 after being found guilty of drug trafficking and keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He was [...]

He was almost killed because he owed $2
Denver Stuart, 18, of Sandhill, is recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital from head injuries after he was beaten with a piece of wood by a 16-year-old boy at about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon in the [...]

PG machete and knife fight
Two young men of Punta Gorda are presently hospitalized – one in the Punta Gorda Hospital and the other at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital – after they chopped and stabbed one another respectively while fighting [...]

Corozal money changer escapes death
Martin Guerra, 47, a money changer of San Joaquin, Corozal District, escaped serious injury when his ear was grazed by the pellets from the gun of an unknown gunman who shot at him. He was treated [...]

Police operations nab 1,583 grams of weed, a gun and ammunition
Police on anti-drug operations in Punta Gorda, San Pedro, and Belize City, collectively found and confiscated about 1,583 grams of marijuana and 2 grams of cocaine, along with a .22 Smith and Wesson pistol loaded with [...]

San Pedro Tigersharks
San Pedro Tigersharks are first NEBL champions The inaugural National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) 2014 tournament climaxed over the weekend with Game 2 and Game 3 of the best-of-3 games championship series culminating with the San [...]

“Mr. Bigs”
Ephraim “Mr. Bigs” Banner, man of principles I’ve been noticing for some time now, most small villages have one or more individuals who are great help for the villagers who live there or people who visit. [...]

Weekend Warriors Tour
Weekend Warriors Tour and Criterium results Below are the results from the Belize Bank/Stationery House/Stag Beer Tour held from Friday, June 20, to Saturday, June 21. Also following that are the results from the Anglican Diocese [...]

Belizean athletes
Belizean athletes compete at Central American Senior Championships in Honduras Returning to Belize today was a delegation of the Belize Athletics Association (BAA) who represented Belize at the XXV Central American Senior Championships hosted in Tegucigalpa, [...]

Smart Football
Smart Football Summer Camp kicks off on Monday at ITVET The Smart Football Summer Camp 2014 takes place from Monday, June 30, to Friday, July 11. Activities will be held daily from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 [...]

Imports up, exports down
Consumer prices edge up 1.6% as imports reach a record $800 mil for first 5 months of 2014 Belize has become heavily dependent on imports from the United States, China, Mexico and the European Union – [...]

CWU reinstated as NTUCB member
The Christian Workers Union (CWU) underwent sweeping changes in late 2013, after the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) made a controversial decision to axe the union after revelations that it was not participating in [...]

H.E. Carlos Moreno, new US Ambassador, presents credentials to Governor General of Belize
Ambassador says there is no LGBT agenda Retired California judge Carlos Moreno, who arrived in Belize over the weekend, took over the United States’ Belize mission from Charge d’Affaires Margaret Hawthorne today, after he presented his [...]

Justice Abel to rule on BCB Holdings’ challenge to JA Awich appointment
Perhaps no other judicial appointment in the history of independent Belize has generated so much controversy as that of Justice of Appeal (JA) Samuel Lungole Awich, who was elevated from the Supreme Court bench two years [...]

Top ten PSE performer boycotts school graduation
Although he placed 1st for the entire southern region, his mother says that a school “practice” did not allow him valedictorian honors Today, Larry Palma, 13, received the award for obtaining the highest PSE score in [...]

SICA presidency to be handed to Belize
Prime Minister Dean Barrow departed the country today to attend the handing over of the SICA (Central American Integration System) Presidency to Belize for a 6-month period commencing July 1, 2014. The SICA Summit will be [...]

Court of Appeal will rule on DPP’s appeal of acquittal of lawmen accused of landing drug plane
Submissions concluded late Tuesday evening in the Court of Appeal, which heard from attorneys representing five police officers who were charged with facilitating the landing of a drug plane, and from the Director of Public Prosecutions [...]

Girl, 6, abducted from Benque school
A conflict between the parents of a 6-year-old girl has resulted in the kidnapping of the child from her school in Benque Viejo yesterday, and her whereabouts are now unknown. Police said that the parents of [...]

Orange Walk Town student, 14, missing
The mother and family of Bianca Miriany Guerra, 14, a student of Altun Ha Street, Orange Walk Town, are very worried after she went missing on Monday, June 23. The girl’s sister told police that Bianca [...]

The Reporter

Uruguayan coach to resign in protest
Oscar Tabarez, Uruguay coach has threatened to resign from two Fifa posts in protest of what he terms as the “excessive severity” of Luis Suarez’s ban. Tabarez said Suarez was made a “scapegoat” following his punishment for a third biting incident. The 67-year-old says he will leave his roles on Fifa’s technical study group and strategic committee. Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini during Tuesday’s game in which Uruguay beat Italy 1-0. He has been banned from all football-related activity for four months and is also suspended from Uruguay’s next nine internationals. In addition, he was fined£65,680.

Guatemalan family dispute turns Belizean kidnapping
Efforts are ongoing to locate a six-year-old girl who was kidnapped from in front of her Benque Viejo school on Tuesday. Jermary Yony Cancinos, who lives in Melchor De Mencos, Guatemala, was forced into a blue Kia brand vehicle in front of Hills of Promise […]

Public Standards Bureau to investigate Cop assault on civilian policemen
The Public Standards Bureau is currently conducting an investigation to determine whether two policemen, a sergeant included, are criminally and are answerable to a complaint of assault upon a civilian. The investigation follows a formal report last Thursday night by Ernesto Chan, 39, a […]

Boy 15 stabs farmer at graduation party Belmopan police say rival groups at odds
Belmopan police are looking for a 15 year-old boy after he allegedly stabbed Moses Ruiz, 22 on Saturday at a graduation party in Valley of Peace community, Cayo, located six miles off the George Price Highway at mile 45. A source at the Belmopan […]

Court Reporters! A simple solution for a persistent problem
By Kenneth Gale Belize prosecutes defendants under a law and under procedures that are manifestly unjust. Such unjust prosecutions can result in the convictions of the innocent and long periods of punitive imprisonment while an innocent defendant awaits trial. Such inappropriate procedures have resulted in low conviction rates and the […]

Slight decrease in unemployment
Belize’s unemployment rate as of April 2014 is 11.1 percent, down slightly from 11.7 percent in April of 2013, according to recently released statistics from the Statistical Institute of Belize. As of April 2014 there were 16,730 unemployed persons in Belize, which according to […]

Belizean government must pay American couple for damage to property
BELIZE CITY, Mon. June 23, 2014 The Government of Belize is at fault for allowing Toledo villagers to destroy a crocodile sanctuary while searching for two missing children nearly four years ago, a court has decided. The Court of Appeal on Monday dismissed the appeal […]

Fire kills woman, guts four buildings, leaves seven homeless
Jacqueline Arteaga, 23, a mother of three children under ten years old, died when she reportedly became trapped in a fire that totally destroyed three buildings and partially gutted another on Newtown Barracks, Belize City, early Wednesday morning. Arteaga, reports say, was an employee […]

Protest greets new US ambassador
BELMOPAN, Tues. June 24, 2014 Five persons, led by Belize Can’s President Patrick Menzies, protested the arrival of United States’ newest Ambassador to Belize, His Excellency Carlos Moreno. The protesters objected to Moreno’s arrival on the grounds that believe the ambassador is in Belize to […]

Editorial
Exams are a useful tool which allows us to gauge the competence and performance of our students and of our teachers. But it would be wrong to conclude that teachers alone are to blame because more than 40 percent of students under-perform in PSE examinations. The problem goes much deeper […]

Penner bound for trial; ROC supports COLA
The trial date in the private prosecution against Elvin Penner, former junior minister in Barrow administration, is set for July 24. That is when evidence will be presented and witnesses will testify on behalf of the Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA), which is […]

FIFA invests $2M on FFB field

The football field at the Football Federation of Belize compound in Belmopan is getting a facelift in time for the opening of the champions’ league next week. The season opens on Tuesday and according to FFB President, Ruperto Vicente, the field will be finished by Monday. Vicente explained that the […]

KHMH penalizes staffers for abandoned fetus
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, KHMH is in the process of administering penalties to those members of staff whom it deems responsible for the abandoned fetus found under one of its beds last month. The Reporter has confirmed with the hospital’s Public Relations Manager Sheena […]

AG Preliminary Report: Officials uncoorperative!
The Preliminary Auditor General’s report on the Penner-Passport Scandal reveals that the AG’s office met resistance from key government officials from the onset of the investigation. The report, which the activist group Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) shared with the media this week, […]

The Belize Times

Fire On The Barracks!! – Pregnant mother killed in blaze
21 year old Jacqueline Arteaga, who was pregnant for her third child, perished in a fire that destroyed three business establishments on Newton Barracks. The fire started at Kimmy’s Bar and Club in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. The downstairs of the establishment housed the bar and club, while the upstairs were rooms where the employees resided. Around 4:30 on Wednesday morning, neighbours woke up to the sound of crackling, thick smoke and a huge fire. The building, an old wooden structure, was ablaze. Reports are that all the residents evacuated, except for Jacqueline, who was trapped inside. Reports are that she was told to jump through a window to save herself, but she refused, saying that it could pose a threat to her pregnancy. She remained inside the building throughout the fire and perished. The fire was intense and eventually spread unto the building next to it, which housed computer hardware store Business Computer Systems Limited, owned by Lourdes and Giovanni Smith. Within minutes the fire swelled and consumed both buildings totally. Residents say that had called the Fire Department but the fire fighters took 45 minutes to respond. Upon arriving on the scene, they seemed disorganised and poorly manned.

Check Yourself!
Political philosophy explores topics such as politics, justice, rights and the enforcement of laws. It is a study of the duties owed to a people by its government and the duties (if any) owed to that government by its citizens. It also looks at when a government might be legitimately overthrown. In political philosophy, revolution is considered not only a right but the duty of a people whose government acts against their common interests. The “right of revolution” dates as far back and was first articulated as part of an official state philosophy of the Zhou Dynasty which ruled China from 1122 until 256 BC. The Chinese believed that Heaven gave emperors the right to rule based only on their ability to govern well. This was referred to as the “Mandate of Heaven”. The Chinese also believed that if a ruler did not rule well or became despotic, then Heaven itself would withdraw the mandate which would then result in the overthrow of said ruler and regime. In fact, the Christians of Jesus day, actually believed that he was sent to lead them in a revolution that would overthrow the oppressive Roman regime. The philosophy has been used throughout history to justify various rebellions, including the American Revolution and the French Revolution.

A PREDATORY GOVERNMENT OF RUTHLESS PEOPLE
This Barrow administration is sitting on a powder keg. Its arrogance, its greed, its corruption, its nepotism, its mockery and hypocrisy towards the poor and dispossessed, its indifference to the voices of dissent AND of reason and its overall ruthlessness, are no longer palatable to the masses-certainly not to the majority of this small multi-ethnic population. The voices of discontent are slowly becoming a crescendo. There are frightening signs that the attitude of the Prime Minister is to take no prisoners and to vanquish any opposition and dissent, even within his own encampment of crooks, hustlers and thieves. It would seem that not one single member of the Cabinet is now above reproach. There is strong evidence that money laundering is one of the many favourite crimes of choice. It appears that the Financial Intelligence Unit, which falls within the Prime Minister’s portfolio in his role as Minister of Finance, has its head in the sand while people in the international business of following money, sees Belize as a money laundering haven.

Premium Gas increases by 36 cents!
Belize City, June 25th, 2014 The price of Premium gas increased at midnight on Tuesday, June 24th 2014 by a whopping 36 cents! The new price per gallon, which now is $12.03, surprised drivers across the country as there had been no announcement of the hike in price by the facey UDP ...

Auditor General fingers Elvin Penner in Report!
BELIZE CITY, Thursday, June 26th, 2014 It wasn’t that much of a surprise that disgraced ex-Minister of Immigration Elvin Penner has long been believed to be at the center of the. But now, with the ...

US places Belize on Human Trafficking Watchlist – “Police Officers provide security for sex trade establishments” – Trafficking In Persons Report, 2014
Belize City, June 25, 2014 Belize’s anti Trafficking efforts have worsened according to a report by the United States Department of State, which announced that the country has been placed on a “Watch list” along with countries with Governments that does not fully comply with the minimum standards of elimination of ...

City Boys & Collet Strikers lead SMART Mundialito
Belize City, June 21, 2014 The City Boys and Collet Strikers are leading the 2014 SMART Mundialito into week 7 of the tournament held at the Yarborough Green. Carlston FC and Heights FC played to a nil-zip ...

Belize Bank Bulldogs clobber Customs 11-4
Belize City, June 21, 2014 The Belize Bank Bulldogs posted their 4th win over Customs/Central Bank in the Belize City interoffice softball competition at the Rogers Stadium last Saturday evening. Bulldogs took a bite out of Customs ...

Tigersharks are 2014 Elite Basketball Champs!!
San Pedro Town, June 22, 2014 The San Pedro Tigersharks will go down in history as the first National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) champs. The Tigersharks were very hungry for the win as a heated Game 3 unfolded against the Cayo ...

Green Tropics’ proposal doesn’t cut it, says attorney for Valley of Peace farmers
Belize City, June 23, 2014 A proposal pitched by Green Tropics Limited to a group of Valley of Peace farmers to end a dispute over land ownership has been deemed as unacceptable by the farmers’ attorney Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck. The farmers have accused Green Tropics of destroying hundreds of thousands of ...

St. Matthews Government Primary School graduates 27
27 proud young and promising Belizeans said farewell to St. Matthew’s Government Primary School at a special graduation ceremony held today, June 25, 2014. The graduating class was led by Valedictorian ...

Belize lags behind in Internet Use & Affordability
Belize City, May 27, 2014 Belize sits at the bottom of the ranking in the area of internet use in the Caribbean region. A recently-released World Development Indicators report shows that Belize and Haiti are the countries with the lowest levels of ...

HOME ECONOMICS – The Great Forestry Opportunity
by Richard Harrison The economy of Belize once depended heavily on forestry-based industry, especially during the second half of the 1800’s and first half of the 1900’s. It provided most of the jobs in what was then a British colony. Logwood for production of dye….and mahogany for furniture production….were the principal contributors ...

Lying in the House of Representatives and Independence of the Judiciary – A Case of Déjà Vu
By Andrew Marshalleck SC Last week the President of the Bar Association Mr. Eamon Courtenay SC directly accused the Prime Minister of lying in the House of Representatives. The language of the accusation was colourful, thoughtful and measured; no doubt a ...

Lost Dreams
By Gilroy Usher Sr. A careful view of the on-going massive sale of homes by the commercial banks and other lending institutions in Belize reveal a number of interesting things. This week alone, over 120 homes have been lost by various individuals and are being sold away. The vast majority of ...

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE – LAVERN AND NORA
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia In this piece I wish first of all to commend the writer of “Think About It” for his entry on Lavern Longsworth which appeared on page 30 of the Belize Times for June 22, 2014. Lavern is the Belizean woman who was harshly convicted and sentenced for the ...

REFLECTIONS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE – Wilfred Sedi Elrington- The Real “Charade”
By Francis W. Fonseca Last week in an interview with the media, Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Wilfred Elrington described the COLA private prosecution of Elvin Penner as a “charade”. Elrington went to great lengths to disparage and belittle the efforts of COLA, and its young, dynamic, and patriotic ...

PUP condemns the press release issued by the Office of the PM
June 25th, 2014 PRESS RELEASE The People’s United Party condemns the press release issued Tuesday June 24th 2014 by the Office of the Prime Minister in which it responds to perceived “attacks” on Justice of Appeal Awich. The press release was personal in nature, intimidating and threatening in tone and reckless and ...

Patrick Jones

Deon Bruce given stay of execution in extradition fight
Deon Bruce faces extradition to the United States on murder charges following a decision of the Supreme Court upholding that of Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith. However he was given a reprieve today as Justice Courtney Abel granted a stay of execution so that the decision can be appealed […]

Court of Appeal reduces Lavern Longsworth’s prison sentence
Convicted murderer Lavern “Anti-Christ” Longsworth has appealed her conviction, citing that at the time she killed her partner David White in 2010, she was suffering the effects of battered woman’s syndrome. The Court of Appeal has accepted that defense and reduced her charge to manslaughter from murder. However, […]

Retrial ordered for alleged facilitators of drug plane landing in Toledo
The case of six men accused of aiding in the landing of an alleged drug plane on the Southern Highway in 2012 concluded in the Court of Appeal late this evening. Police officers Corporal Renel Grant, Corporal Nelson Middleton, Sergeant Lawrence Humes, and Sergeant Jacinto Roches; former Customs boatman Harold […]

First indigenous attorney called to Bar
Monica Coc Magnusson, the sister of noted Maya rights activist Christina Coc, made legal history today as the first member of the indigenous Maya community of Belize to be called to the Belize Bar. Today she was formally admitted by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin at the Supreme Court […]

Traffic prosecutor charged over unlicensed firearm
Thirty-three year old Joseph Nunez, a prosecutor at traffic court, went to Belize Central Prison today after he appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton on charges of kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Nunez pleaded not guilty to the charges but was remanded into custody until August […]

Youths charged with firearm robbery
28 year old Phillip Samuels and 19 year old Aymon Flores, who allegedly stole a firearm from Carl Butler, were charged with robbery when they appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. They pled not guilty to the charge and they were denied bail after the prosecutor objected to […]

Darrell Carter in tax trouble again
Businessman and former PUP politician Darrell Carter is in trouble with the court again. This time Carter was charged with failure to make Social security Board contributions for the period February to May 2014. He appeared today before the Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith and pled not guilty […]

Senior police officers undergo criminal justice training in the USA
Five senior Belizean law enforcement personnel have completed a training course in criminal justice and are headed back to Belize ready to utilize the acquired knowledge in their daily work. The graduation took place today. The Belizean attendees of the training were: Senior Superintendent Deziree Phillips, Superintendent […]

Major discontent among staff at Faith Nazarene Primary School
The 2013-2014 academic year ended on a very sour note for teachers at the Faith Nazarene Primary School in San Ignacio town. And the principal of the institution, or to be more precise – her attitude, is at the heart of the upheaval among the staff. The […]

Major decisions handed down by Belize Court of Appeal
The Belize Court of Appeal closed its second session of the year with two major decisions today. In the appeal of Lavern Longsworth, the Court of Appeal substituted a conviction of manslaughter and handed down a sentence of 8 years in prison retroactive to the date she was […]

September Celebrations theme chosen
The September celebrations are still a good two months away, but the National Celebrations Commission today announced the theme for this year’s festivities. According to a press release issued this morning the theme is: “Industrious hands, intelligent minds, together for Belize.” The theme will be used as […]

Man assaulted, teenage boy detained as suspect
A man remains hospitalized in stable condition after being knocked unconscious in what authorities describe as a case of aggravated assault. Denver Stuart was the victim of the assault which happened on Tuesday near the junction of the old Northern Highway and the Phillip Goldson Highway. According […]

Blogs

Dia De San Pedro Festival Goes Into Full Swing Tonight…As Do Belize’s Two Oldest Lobsterfests
Long before Lobster Festival in San Pedro (started in June 2007), there was Dia De San Pedro. The week before June 29th is a combination of culture, religion and fun celebrating the patron saint of our town, St. Peter. A fishermens’ breakfast. A art exhibition – Check out Bob’s blog on the Art & Photo Exhibition and a gorgeous picture of Wilema from Island Academy. Lecture on the Caste Wars (I wish I attended that…it’s something that really brought many of the San Pedrano families to the caye and something I know next to nothing about.) All interesting stuff… The front street is aflutter with red, green and white flags to celebrate.

“People” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
It’s taken me nearly week to get this edition out. I tried to start it when I was sitting at Estel’s Dine By the Sea on Monday morning waiting for breakfast. But I just sat there looking at the Caribbean Sea wondering what in the hell I was going to write about. I had gone through the same fruitless process earlier when I was out on the veranda -the western one on the first floor – from around 05.00 hours taking my caffeine fix. I could have taken the easy way out and produced another edition on Lobster Fest .I’ve got loads of photos that I took on Saturday night that I could have used but I decided not to. Lobster Fest has, after all, been ‘done to death’ by anyone who has a blog. And I include myself.

Igniting a Cultural Renaissance and avoiding temptation
Anyone who has ever been to San Pedro knows how easy it is to get temped by food and drink here. Since I have a couple of special events coming up where I plan to indulge a bit, I am doing my best to eat well and give my body a rest with super healthy food and drinks. As a result, yesterday was all about avoiding temptation from the get go starting at breakfast. I totally wanted to chow down on bacon and eggs instead I opted for a yummy pineapple and banana fruit smoothie and enjoyed the view with Shirlee and Frank. My first errand brought me to another strong temptation that ranks right up there with fried eggs and bacon, fine chocolate. I managed to get away from the treats counter with a quick glance at the artistic chocolate lobsters and fish while I was paying for my favorite chocolate mint body spray. It smells so yummy and is my secret way to substitute sweet treats when I am eating low sugar.

Farewell Belize!
Travel is by far one of the best teachers we should all allow ourselves to seize. I found that the world does not actually conform to all the snazzy theories we read about in books or online. The world runs on people. Even though history teaches us that there are geo-political differences among us, I have learned that human beings all over the world are fundamentally the same. Many friends and family who are closet to me describe my living philosophy established in a free spirit mindset. Being free-spirited means having the courage to not only follow your dreams, but to also take the time to figure out who we really are – which is arguably a very difficult and soul searching journey. It involves taking the time to unearth secret passions that maybe you didn't even know you had – and then taking the plunge to follow those passions.

Belize in Photos

International Sources

Mount Everest in 3D
You can climb Everest and look around from the summit in virtual reality. also take note of the avalanche tragedy that befell 16! sherpas ....... amazing chance to see what incredible lengths it takes to climb this far, this high

New US Ambassador to Belize
New United States Ambassador to Belize Carlos Moreno presented his credentials to Governor General Sir Colville Young on Tuesday. Moreno expressed his desire to work with the government on “matters of mutual interest, issues relating to youth, culture education, health and commerce.” He said there was “great potential” for continuing strong relations between the two countries. Belize’s Governor General said he was particularly interested in building relations as it relates to “youth.” Moreno is a former Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.

Inequality poses Central America’s most daunting challenge: Dominican leader
President Danilo Medina Thursday night said the huge inequality gap among citizens, where a few have it all and the vast majority has nothing, is the main challenge for the countries that form the Central American Integration System (SICA). Medina, speaking to journalists at the SICA Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Governments, said in Central American and Caribbean countries a small group has it all and the vast majority little or nearly nothing. He said the challenge for those countries is to raise their people’s standard of living, as integration wouldn't make sense if people don’t feel that it’s in their personal interest.

Videos

Video: Belize Zipline and Cave Tubing, 5min.
Cruise ship passenger....

Video: Oh Barracuda, Belizean Style, 6min.
Kids went fishing with me near San Pedro, Belize. We had an excellent Captain by the name of John Murray along with deckboss San. The handled the Kelly J and treated us just right. Thanks for a wonderful day of fishing the Caribbean.

Video: Driving along the Northern Highway, Orange Walk, Belize, on June 26, 2014, 3min.

Video: "The Future", 15min.
Sanctuary Belize Owners Update Trimmed Version- April 2014

Video: Discover Kanantik Belize, 2min.

Video: Belize - Ambergris Caye - 2014, 5min.
My wife and I took a trip to Belize in June 2014. Cave Tubing, Zip-lining, Spear Fishing, Snorkeling, Diving, I dove the Blue Hole. The video has a little bit of everything. We stayed on Ambergris Caye. All of the video was shot using my GoPro 3 Silver. Enjoy.

Video: Lasell College Ecotourism Trip 2014, Belize, 10min.
A documentary following Lasell College's HEM214 Ecotourism class on their service learning trip to Belize.

Video: PLACENCIA, BELIZE, 4min.
America Mia

Video: AMERICA MIA VISITA ALDEA MAYA EN BELIZE, 4min.
America Mia

Video: Family Vacation to Belize, 5min.

Video: Feeding Barracuda Upclose in Belize, 1/2min.
Feeding Stingrays, sharks and a barracuda up close in Belize with Cleis Chloe mazden Max mason and Michelle

Video: A Year in Belize, 7min.
The Video story of a year in Belize. Read the blog at www.TraceyDevlin.com

More News: Scroll up from here

Channel 7

Laverne "Antichrist" Gets A Reduced Sentence
Lavern "Anti-Christ" Longsworth, who was serving life in prison for killing her common-law husband, will only spend about 4 and a half more years in jail. That's the decision that the Court of Appeal handed down this afternoon when it announced that her conviction in the Supreme Court for murder will be reduced to manslaughter, and her life sentence will be quashed. As we reported, her attorneys submitted to the court that she should be afforded a defence of diminished responsibility because she was suffering from battered women's syndrome after years of physical abuse by the late David White. They were able to show with professional reports from a forensic psychiatrist that she was under duress when she doused him in kerosene and lit him on fire in July of 2010. It's an important victory for Longsworth, and we spoke with her attorney outside of court about it:

Lawmen Will Be Re-tried for Landing Drug Plane
And there was another big decision coming out of the Court of Appeal just about an hour and a half before news time. As we told you on Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecution made an application to the Court of Appeal. She's trying to get the 5 law men accused of facilitating the landing of the drug plane on the Southern Highway to be re-tried. As we told you, the 5 lawmen Police Corporal Renel Grant, Corporal Nelson Middleton, Sergeant Lawrence Humes, Customs Boatman Harold Usher, Sergeant Jacinto Roches, and civilian Victor Logan were all charged of abetment to commit a crime. The accusation was that they facilitated the landing of the plane, which resulted in the biggest drug cargo on record to enter Belizean soil, 5,704 pound of compressed cocaine.

UDP and PUP Take Hits From Immigration Scandal
The fallout from the Immigration scandal is affecting both major mass parties. On the UDP side, we are reliably informed that two time councilor Eric Chang has been told by party higher-up he will not be allowed to run because of his association, whether real or perceived with the Citizen Kim debacle. In 2008, Chang became the first Taiwanese Belizean to gain elected office – and he has consistently performed at the top of the polls.

Was Kimmie's Club Questionable?
Tonight, questions persist about the massive blaze at Kimmie’s Club on Wednesday morning. It gutted three buildings, and cost the life of 21 year old mother of three Jacqueline Arteaga – who was living in an apartment atop Kimmie’s club.

Okeke Smashes TV Ramos Sculpture
In March we told you about Stephen Okeke's unveiling of his TV Ramos Sculpture. He said it was his homage to the cultural icon and founder of Garifuna Settlement Day. The sculpture was dazzling, but it lacked one thing: sponsorship: meaning Okeke had to get forty thousand dollars before it was placed in Dangriga. We predicted at the time, that it would end badly - because that's what always happens on these artistic venture projects that Okeke embarks on. And sure enough one month ago, he angrily put it up for sale to anyone, and then last week some supporters said they had a rescue plan. But it all mounted to naught…yet, still, we never expected what we saw on Facebook this morning: Okeke destroyed the sculpture! Smashed it to bits!

Leptospirosis A Real And Active Threat
Last night we told you about the Chikungunya virus, known as Chik-V – and all that’s being done to minimize its impact in Belize. But one illness that’s been with us, is Leptospirosis. That’s a bacterial infection caused – in the urban setting - by exposure to rat droppings and rat urine. Currently there’s one serious case in Belize City – and the Director of Health services discussed it yesterday:..

The Immigration Enterprise and the Passport Product
On Wednesday, activist group COLA released the Auditor General’s preliminary report into irregularities at the Immigration Department. And in our first segment we told you how its disclosure has already caused tremors in the PUP.

Deon Bruce Gets A Break
Wanted Fugitive Deon Bruce, who the US Government is seeking for grand jury charges of murder and attempted murder, has been taking major losses in his fight to resist his extradition to the United States.

Prosecutor Remanded For Weapon
33 year old Joseph Nunez, a prosecutor at traffic court, and an employee of Belize City Council, is at prison tonight, after he was taken to court for a firearm offence Early on Sunday morning, Nunez was with a friend who works as a security guard for Elite Security and when the friend got into an argument with his girlfriend, Nunez suggested to him to hand over the licensed 9 millimeter pistol to avoid getting into trouble. Nunez received the firearm and got on his motorcycle and drove off. He hit a bit of bad luck when a police mobile spotted him. The rear lights for his motorcycle weren't working and Nunez was not wearing a helmet. The police vehicle began to pursue him and caught up with him on West Collet Canal. Nunez then declared that he had the firearm.

Harvest Picks Rice
For the past two years, we’ve been showing you the unusual events organized by Harvest 4 Kids. Alex Perez gets farmers to commit huge tracts of lands, and gets sponsors to pay for corn to be planted and fertilized, and then gets urban youth involved to give them the farming experience. This year, it was rice and he went to Blue Creek to plant 20 acres. It was harvested on Wednesday and he told us that they got a bumper crop:..

"Legal Hustling" Stopped On Sidewalk By City
This morning there was a commotion in front of the Novelo’s Bus Terminal – after special constables shut down business for street side vendors selling from off the sidewalk. 7News was quickly called to the scene and we were told that the officers roughly ordered them off the sidewalk. This means no income for these sellers who say that what they call a “legal hustle” is their only means of income. And even if it is illegal, they want someone to help them.

Alleged Gun Thieves got Beaten Up By Cops
Two young men 28 year old Phillip Samuels and 19 year-old Aymon Flores, who allegedly stole a firearm from Carl Butler, were charged with robbery when they appeared today before Magistrate Herbert Panton. The crime took place on Wednesday. Butler reported to the police that two persons accosted him and stole his 9 millimeter pistol that had 8 rounds of ammunition in its magazine. Samuels said in court that he and Flores were taken to mile 4 on George Price Highway and they were beaten by the police. Samuels said that they beat him until he lost consciousness and some of his ribs are broken.

Cops Not Horsing Around
Have you ever seen a horse under arrest? Well we hadn't either, but we came upon a scene yesterday that sure looked like it! We saw a police mobile on Mahogany Street leading a horse down the street. The horse didn't have on...what would you call it?....hoof-cuffs - but he was tied to the pickup. But don't worry, he wasn't under equine arrest; this horse had been stolen by some children who were trying to sell it. Police rescued the horse, which had a few cuts to return to his owner.

Soca Queen Destra Does Belize Again
The carnival season has officially opened and what better way to begin celebration than with a soca concert. Trinidadian Soca superstar Destra will be hitting the stage at the ITVET tomorrow night alongside Belize's very own soca queen, Ernestine Carballo. Today 7news caught up with Destra at the Radisson - where she told us it is her second time in Belize and she is ready to mash it up again. Doors open at 10pm.

Increasing HIV Awareness
Today, the National AIDS Commission took its mission downtown; they offered free and rapid HIV tests to the public in the open air.

The Coming of Cayo Boxers
The renovated BTL Park is a hub for all kinds of public engagements, form movies to concerts - and tonight they are putting on a boxing show. A contingent of boxers from the Lion's Den in Cayo are in the city tonight - and we found at YWCA getting ready for the evening of bouts:.. The night of boxing will be starting shortly.

PROFILE...
Tonight's I am Belize Teacher profile is about Dr. Lorna McKay - the principal of Gwen Liz High School. Tonight she tells the profile how she entered the teaching profession, and became a Doctor:..

How to Make It To 96 And Still Have Money In the Bank
Belmopan resident Alfred Pandy got a gesture of appreciation from Scotia Bank yesterday when they threw him a party for his upcoming 96th Birthday. Pandy's story is that he visits the bank several times a month, and because he walks without any assistance, and unaccompanied the employees were pleasantly surprised to find out that he's their oldest customer who does business with them regularly. The bank invited the media to celebrate Pandy's party with him, and we stopped in to get a few tips on staying active - and still having money in the bank - going on a century. Here's what he told us: