Today's Belize News: July 29, 2014

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Marty	More News: Scroll up from here CTV3 Opposition Weighs In On Appointment Of New Ambassador To Guatemala Prime Minister Dean Barrow is expected to announce the name of the person who will hold the post of Belize’s new Ambassador to Guatemala, sometime next week. That person, who will more than likely be CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexis Rosado, will replace former Ambassador Alfredo Martinez who passed away on the night of July 8th at a hospital in Guatemala. While Martinez’s shoes will definitely be one difficult to fill, It is believed that Rosado has enough experience to get the job done as he is well versed with the Belize/Guatemala Territorial Dispute. While the Guatemalan Government will have to approve Rosado’s appointment GOB does not expect a rejection. But does the Opposition support Rosado’s appointment as Ambassador to Guatemala? We asked Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca. Honorable Francis Fonseca- Leader of the Opposition “I don’t want to comment on it until the government has officially state it that that in fact is their decision, I have heard the same reports that the government is considering appointing His Excellency Alexis Rosado who is currently the CEO in the Ministry of foreign affairs to the port of Ambassador to Guatemala but I want to wait until that is official but I will say that I know Alexis and I believe that he will serve Belize as well in any capacity.” Cane Farmer's Day Celebrated In Corozal After a productive crop season, today the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association once again celebrated their annual Dia De Los Caneros only that this time the vent was celebrated in Corozal. Each year at the end of the crop season, BSCFA organize a day with an elaborate opening ceremony, musical presentations, booths, products on display and the invasion of crowd and good cheer from cane-farmers from the eighteen divisions of the northern districts. Reporter Victor Castillo and video Journalist Jesus Melgar were at this year event. Here is that story Victor Castillo – Reporting Under the theme of “Celebrating 55 years in the sugar cane industry, strengthening the development of our small farmers” more than one thousand caneros celebrated their day. A parade led by the Corozal Community College Marching band followed by religious mass, marked the opening of this year’s festivity. El Dia de los Caneros now forms part of tradition and is basically held in honor of the closing of the crop season. Opossition Says Penner Must Be Brought To Justice When the Wong Hong Kim passport scandal first broke out in the month of August 2013, public outcry increased when news spread that a Government official was involved in the immigrations scandal. Former Minister of State Elvin Penner was accused of allegedly being involved in the issuance of a fraudulent Belizean passport to Korean national Kim Wong Hong. The passport was issued in the first weeks of September 2013 while Wong Hong Kim was in detention in Taiwan. More than five months passed and still no criminal investigation was launched into the passport scandal by Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie. So, the People’s United Party decided to take Commissioner Whylie to court by filing a writ of mandamus in the Supreme Court. The aim was for the judiciary system to rule that Whylie must commence an investigation into the passport fiasco. In a landmark presiding, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin ordered Commissioner Whylie to commence the investigation. And that’s what got the ball rolling. But today, Penner is a free man; at least for the time being because according to the PUP, they will do everything in their power to ensure that he be brought to justice. Four Belizean Prisoners Serving Time In Mexico Handed Over To Local Authorities In July of 2005 the armed forces of three counties collaborated to thwart cocaine run with an estimated value of six million Belize Dollars. Four Belizeans and a Honduran National were intercepted in a boat some twenty-five miles east of Caye Caulker after being chased by members of the Belize Police Department, B.D.F. and the DEA. Mexican authorities were also contacted as the boat headed north. Investigations revealed that the vessel made its way from Colombia. As an international team of law enforcement personnel attempted to board the vessel, shots were fired and a Honduran national, Jesus Castillo Orellano was shot and injured and authorities managed to detain the other men on board. KHMH's Whistle-blower Speaks On Current Financial Issues Plaguing The Hospital In December of 2011, Delroy Herrera, a former store clerk of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, who was fired two months earlier, came forward with stinging allegations of financial mismanagement at the hospital, allegations which prompted Prime Minister Dean Barrow to order a special audit of the hospital’s operations by the Auditor General. Herrera had signalled that KHMH management had been violating the hospital’s regulations on procurement in overpaying the US suppliers. Since then, Herrera, dubbed as the ‘KHMH’s Whistle-blower, was accused by the KHMH of stealing 30,000 electronic files, including private patient information, and faced arrest last December. Two years later, his court case is yet to be heard and today he dropped by our studios to share with us his sentiments towards the case and to publicly say that if authorities had listen to him back then, that today history would not be repeating itself. Screen_Shot_2014-07-25_at_8.06.48_PMDelroy Herrera – KHMH whistleblower “It’s already written now and is just to post and log in the court system to get started from there.” Maria Novelo – Reporter “Why do you find it important that you kind of expose what is happening internally at the KHMH?” Delroy Herrera – KHMH whistleblower “Basically, I find it to expose anybody especially whose party claim to be one of transparency and one of those who has tampered any kind of corruption as to them they having their gums coming around doing the same thing they were going to stamp out so I find it more important to show you that you said to do this and do that but you are living in a glass house.” Mexican Authorities Confiscate Chemical Precursor To Make Synthetic Drugs Mexican authorities have confiscated 1, 400 liters of chemical precursors believed to be used to make synthetic drugs and have arrested four men, reports the Mexican press. The chemicals the reports indicate were smuggled from Belize. The Mexican Army intercepted the vehicle, a Ram 350 Van near the Pioners del Rio community located in the conflict zone between Quintana Roo and Campeche, near the border with Belize and Guatemala. The chemicals were being transported in seven drums. The four men arrested were not armed and were identified as 28 year old José Alberto Ávila Reyes, 48 year old Ricardo Hernández Reyes, and Francisco Gómez Chanelo, all of José María Morelos town in the state of Quintana Roo. Thirty three year old Crisanto Zapata Zapata of the Pioneros del Río community was also arrested. The chemical as mentioned is believed to come from Belize and were being taken to Pioneros del Rio where Mexican authorities suspect smugglers have a drug lab and which they are presumably trying to locate. PUP Leader Disagrees With Proposed Payment Of Fifty One Cents Per Ton Of Bagasse For Cane Farmers Presently, negotiations between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Belize Sugar Industries Limited on the payment of bagasse, is at a standstill. There is no telling when negotiations will resume after the membership of the BSCFA rejected BSI’s proposal of 51 cents payment per ton of the by-product used by the company to produce electricity which is then sold to the national grid. During Sunday’s Annual General meeting, which is where cane farmers rejected BSI’s proposal, the association was tasked to resume negotiations to be completed by October 15th with the Sugar Industry Control Board acting as intermediary. While BSI is willing the to pay cane farmers 51 cents per ton of bagasse, cane farmers are asking for $10.00 but are willing to settle for a little less, how much is left to be seen. The situation has caused uproar in the Sugar Industry as both sides are making it their business to make their story known. And while sentiments vary, we asked Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca to weigh in on the issue. And apparently he is also not satisfied with BSI’s 51 cents per ton of bagasse offer. PUP Disappointed In Outcome Of Penner Case The fact that the case against former Minister of State Elvin Penner, for his alleged involvement in the Wong Hong Kim passport scandal, was dismissed yesterday at the Belmopan Magistrates Court due to lack of evidence, did not come as a surprise to Belizeans. COLA, the organization that took Penner to court, has 21 days to appeal the case that was struck out after four adjournments, and that is exactly what they intend to do. The case against Penner began on March 27th after he was charged for two immigration offences. The case fell through since COLA could not get its hands on the investigative file basically stashed away by Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, who COLA requested, be summoned to court so he could hand over the investigative file. That application however, was denied by Magistrate Aretha Ford and the case was thrown out. As mentioned at the top of the story there are those who are not surprised with yesterday’s outcome, amongst them, is Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca. Electrical Malfunction Causes Fire In Black Water Yesterday we told you about a fire in the Black Creek Water area of Orange Town that left a family of four homeless. When our news crew left the scene, fire personnel were rummaging through the remains in hope of deciphering what caused the blaze. Today we got an update from Fire Chief, Kenneth Mortis, who informed us of the source of the fire. Kenneth Mortis – Fire Chief, OW Fire Service “We did conclude after investigation that the fire was as a result of an electrical malfunction that the Jones family sustained within the premises.” Maria Novelo – Reporter “We understand too that they were sharing electricity, could that has been the cause?” Kenneth Mortis – Fire Chief, OW Fire Service “If the truth been told that they were sharing electricity, that could have very well be a factor, electricity sharing between houses that is fully furnished with all the electrical commodities it tend to draw more than what one house can sustain, there may be speculations that that was the case then if that is the case then if could be a factor, I am not at a position to disclose whether that was been done or not but like I partially told you guys yesterday from our finding son the fire scene we can conclude that the fire did started out of an electrical malfunction.” Extortionist Taken To Court Yesterday we broke the story of the Orange Walk businessman who lives on the Chan Pine Ridge Road that became the latest victim of extortion. While we told you that an operation was launched by police and that a woman was detained by authorities while the money transaction took place in Belize City there was not much that we could have revealed since the matter was under investigation. But tonight police have official released the details of the case and have even charged two persons including a 15 year old Guatemalan female minor. He is no other than 23 year-old Edwin Flores who allegedly tried to extort Wilbert Valencia of $8,000. LOVE FM Prime Minister Speaks on Corruption and His Administration Dean Oliver Barrow has been Belize’s Prime Minister since 2008 when the United Democratic Party garnered 25 of the 31 seats in the House of Representatives during the general election. Four years later, in an early call for election, Barrow was granted a second term as Prime Minister, albeit by a slimmer margin. It was a historical time for Belize when Barrow first emerged as the country’s leader in 2008 since it was the first time that Belize had elected a Prime Minister of Creole descent. For many, it was also dubbed historical, as Barrow’s victory was gained on a platform of helping the poor, taking out corruption and roping in those who were excluded from opportunities and assistance by the previous administration. Five and a half years later, with curve balls thrown at Barrow via the speculations, accusations and acts of some of his Cabinet ministers, the Prime Minister gave an up close and personal interview with his long-time friend and supporter, Stephen Duncan; that interview was aired on some local channels this past weekend. Prime Minister touched on various issues, corruption being one of them. Home Invasion of Tacos Vendors Leaves Family Mourning and In Prayer “At around 5 o’clock on Saturday morning, 52-year-old, Carlos Mayorga; 21-year-old, Sijhan Avila and 42-year-old, Alida Asencio were at their home on Mopan Street in Belize City preparing for work. 19-year-old, Karina Avila was still sleeping in one of the rooms. Suddenly, two men with t-shirts over their faces, one brandishing a 9mm pistol and the other a knife, barged in through the back door and immediately took the trio into Mayorga’s room. There the two men demanded money. We understand that Mayorga told the men that he forgot where he had place the key for the money drawer. He was immediately pistol whipped. At this point Asencio ran into the room where Karina Avila was sleeping. The gunman ran after her and instructed both Asencio and Avila into Mayorga’s room. We were told that Mayorga took out a machete to force the money draw open. He was then ordered to his knees and fatally shot.” Police Awaits Post Mortem Results for Michaels Last Friday the body of twenty eight year old Steven Michael Jr. was found inside his bedroom at his home on Tapir Street in Belize City. Police at the moment are treating the matter as sudden death but Michael’s family believes that he was murdered. Today Senior Superintendent of Police, Commanding Precinct 2, Alford Grinage, updated the media in regards to that investigation. SR. SUPT. ALFORD GRINAGE “Since then we have begun an investigation because after speaking to relatives and the father of the deceased person we have learned that there are some items that are missing from the residence. We learned that there is a flat screen TV that is missing, a laptop computer, his wallet and also a cellphone that was taken from the residents. We are not at this time able to say if these items were taken upon his death or before so that matter is still under investigation and we are following other leads. The post mortem is being conducted tomorrow and from there we will know what to do from there; if it’s a murder or a natural death. Belize Institute of Management Celebrates 40 Years The Belize Institute of Management (BIM) has been in existence for over forty years. With its structure being a landmark in Belize City in the West Landivar area, for the last twenty years, the institute has progressed over the years in terms of the varied topics offered in short term training courses. Love News met up with Rainaldo Guerrero, Chairman for the Belize Institute of Management, who gave us an overview of the facility and what they offer. “We are a management training organization. We do short term training for most businesses in Belize throughout the country but strictly within the areas of management which include finance, marketing production, lots of soft skills for businesspeople, some technical skills and so on. We don’t do long term training like what the sixth forms do or the Universities would do. What we do is, in fact, the icing on the cake on what others have done. Couple Robbed and Husband Shot for Their Vegetable Earnings A businessman from Armenia Village is recovering from gunshot wounds. Correspondent Fem Cruz has the details. FEM CRUZ “A business man of Armenia Village on the Hummingbird highway is in serious condition after he was shot several times. According to the wife, Iris Vasquez, on Thursday evening, July 24 sometime around 4 o’clock, she and her husband Salvador Vasquez left home in their white Isuzu truck en route to Punta Gorda to sell wholesale vegetables. On their way back home on Saturday, July 26 around 7:30pm they were held up at gun point in front of their home by two armed masked men demanding all the money they had. They refused to and at that point her husband was shot.” IRIS VASQUEZ “Thursday evening I left my home at 4 o’clock and I reached Dangriga then I left Dangriga to go straight to PG. Saturday when I came after I sold my vegetables, when I reached home about 7:30PM I saw a vehicle stop in front of the junction to my house. My husband then asked ‘what happened to this man; maybe they’re drunk’. My husband started the truck and that’s when two men came out of their vehicle. One went directly to my husband and the other came to me. One of them put the gun to my head and he told me to give him my wallet and I told him that it’s not his and when he had the gun to my head I took it and hit him and he fell. I jumped out of the truck and hid in a Hibiscus bush. I stayed there and I saw when these men shot my husband and I prayed for God to help me and I started crying for people to hear me. Only Jesus could have saved my life in that case because the man already had the gun to my head.” Shotgun Blast Injures Watchman at Shrimp Farm A man was shot over the weekend. Police say that Charlie Macintosh reported that on Saturday night at around 10:30 he was informed that one of his security guards was shot at his shrimp farm. When he rushed to the scene he saw one Alejandro Calderon suffering from multiple pellet wound all over the body. Calderon shared that while he was inside his quarters he heard a noise outside. When he went out to check, someone fire a single shot in his direction. ASP Christopher Noble shared more. ASP CHRISTOPHER NOBLE “We got that information late Saturday night, early into Saturday morning. We understand that earlier in the night a gentle man who is a watchman on a farm in the area did receive an injury that we are suspecting is from a shotgun blast. The gentleman was taken to the hospital and treated. We are looking into who may have been the persons targeting him or if he was just in an area where someone may have fired a shot and injured him, we are not certain of how and why at this stage but it is on the investigation and we are looking into it.” Investigation into Missing Chairman Intensifies Chairman of Hattieville, 43-year-old, Kevin Carcamo is still missing. A ten thousand dollar reward has been put forward by the Discoverseis Company for information leading to the safe return of Carcamo. Today, Executive Officer of Rural Belize, ASP Christopher Noble, updated the media on the search for the missing chairman. ASP CHRISTOPHER NOBLE “The investigation is still ongoing with the search for the chairman. We are still hoping for the best outcome. We are not in a position, at this stage, to say that we are not going in a positive direction; we are going in a positive direction. It will now become something quite uncomfortable for some people, our investigation has to be done and it has to be done thoroughly. As a colleague of mine mentioned, no stone will be left unturned. We have started doing a more intense investigation strategy and now we will be holding onto persons for clarity with regards to our investigations. We are still having active searches in certain areas and we expanded that search over the weekend with persons going into these areas to physically check particular places, the Coast Guard is still on board with us. We are still looking of Mr. Carcamo and we are hoping for the best outcome.” Dawson Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Third Murder Trial Thirty-five year old Jamie Dawson, charged with the murder of Maurice Neal, pled guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter when he appeared today before Chief Justice, Kenneth Benjamin. Dawson will be sentenced on Monday, August 4. Neal was shot and killed on December 7, 2002, at Bismark Club, located on Queen Charlotte Street. Dawson was tried two previous times for murder. He was found guilty of manslaughter at the first trial which was held in 2004. He appealed and his appeal was allowed by Belize Court of Appeal and a retrial was ordered. The jury was unable to reach a verdict at the retrial which was held in 2006. Nicholee Lewis, the person who had identified Dawson as the gunman, was killed. Dawson was represented by attorney Anthony Sylvestre. Crown Counsel Sheneiza Smith represented the prosecution. Matura Gets Five Years for Buried Revolver Thirty year old Martin Matura, a resident of Unity Street, was given two five year sentences today by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser after he pled guilty to kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. The sentences are to run concurrently, so Matura will only serve five years. Two other persons were charged jointly with Matura, but the charges against them were withdrawn. The Police reported that on July 26 they went to Matura’s residence along with their K9 Unit. They said that when they went to the yard near to where the bathroom is situated, the dog indicated to them that something was buried there. They said when they dug about four inches into the ground they found a black plastic bag that contained one .380 revolver with three rounds of ammunition. Only the women were at home at the time but by the following day Matura went to the police station and handed himself in. He told the police that the firearm was his. As a result, he and the women were arrested and charged. U.S. Wants Elrington For Health Care Fraud Tonight, there is news coming out of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that involves a Belizean relative to Belize’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Wilfred Elrington. According to a published page on the US Inspector General’s website, there is a warrant for the arrest of Errol Elrington which was issued last October. The warrant, according to the site, is a result of racketeering, Medicaid fraud and health care fraud. US investigators are of the belief that Elrington falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid more than $400,000 US dollars, for services that he never performed. In addition, it is believed that he had employed an unlicensed physician who engaged in criminal sexual misconduct. Elrington was reportedly a licensed physician who practiced medicine in the Redford, Michigan area and was the owner of a private medical centre, Elrington Medical Centre PLLC. But while he had his own company, he held the position of the Chief Medical Officer at another medical facility unaffiliated with his clinic. PlusTV One man killed and three women injured in early morning shooting Who wanted a group of humble, hard-working men and women to die even after robbing them? Police have detained three men of Belize City as part of their investigations into that question, following a fatal shooting incident around 5:00 Saturday morning, July 26. Police information is that around 4:50... Patrick Jones Dr. Errol Elrington listed as a fugitive wanted in the U.S. The Office of Inspector General within the United States Department of Health and Human Services has listed Dr. Errol Elrington on its list of Most Wanted Fugitives. Dr. Elrington who is the proprietor of Elrington Medical Center in the Michigan area of the US is wanted on […] Teenager found; family upset with the authorities A 15 year old girl Orange Walk girl who was missing back in June has been found; but her family is not happy with the way the case is being treated. Because of her age, the name of the child is being withheld, but confirmed reports are […] BGYEA sent to mediation with Government This morning, the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) returned to court for a case management conference as it looks for a way past the Government, who wants it to desist from a planned initiative to plant corn in the Harmonyville buffer zone with the George Price Highway. […] Tropic Air land case settled out of court The San Pedro-based airline Tropic Air and Construction Depot Limited, owned by Brett Feinstein of the Benny’s Group of Companies, have been at odds over ownership of a piece of land on which Tropic Air is building a $6 million airplane maintenance complex near the municipal airstrip. Construction […] New Solicitor General takes office this week Reports say that Government has identified a new Solicitor General who will take office this week. The new senior attorney has been identified as Anita Johnson of Barbados, who is expected to arrive in Belize tomorrow and may take office as early as Friday, but official information is […] Belize hosts SICA economic integration meeting Belize recently took over the pro-tem presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA). For the next six months, it will lead the isthmus’ discussions on major issues of the day. It hosted its first meeting today and we spoke with CEO in the Ministry of National Security, […] David Gegg owes Social Security Sixty-four year old David Gegg, the owner of Cruise Solutions and Sun Dancer Belize limited, was charged with 2 counts of failure to make Social Security contributions no later than 14 days after the end of each month. This was in respect to the number of persons employed […] Murder accused pleads guilty to manslaughter The Supreme Court accepted a plea of manslaughter from Jamie Dawson, also known as “JJ”, 35. He appeared before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, who will sentence him on August 4. Dawson is accused of the death of Maurice Neal on December 7, 2002 at Bismark Club on Queen […] Man jailed for unlicensed gun and ammunition Thirty year old Martin Matura, a resident of 3188 Unity Street, was sentenced to two five-year terms by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser after pleading guilty to keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Senior Magistrate Fraser stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently, therefore Matura […] Armed men hold up delivery truck in Corozal A pair of employees of Bowen and Bowen were held up and robbed at gunpoint on Friday afternoon. Felipe Uk and his sideman were in the process of making a delivery in the Alta Mira area of Corozal when they were accosted by three armed Hispanic men wearing […] Tropical Wave shows signs of development Conditions will become highly favourable later this week the development of a Tropical Wave as it approaches the Eastern Caribbean. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center says that the Tropical Wave, which is located several hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, is currently producing disorganized cloudiness and thunderstorms. But the NHC says that environmental conditions will become favourable for gradual development. Forecast models increase the possibility for development to 30 percent in the next couple of days, but by the weekend, the chances of development goes up to 70 percent. The Tropical Wave is moving westward at 10 to 15 miles per hour. The things you see on the George Price Highway Every now and then while out covering stories, my reporters would come across incidents they were not specifically assigned to cover. One such incident was witnessed on Sunday afternoon. A pickup truck was transporting many more passengers that it was license to carry. And what’s more, those passengers were being transported in a manner which is clearly a danger to everyone in the vehicle. This incident was captured on the George Price Highway on Sunday afternoon on the approach to Hattieville village. Our reporters counted as many as two dozen people packed into the back of the small pickup truck. And there were people crammed into the front as well. Blogs My Lovely Neighbors: Mata Rocks Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize I have posted photos of Mata Rocks Resort since the very beginning of my blog (June 2011 if it comes up on Belize Jeopardy). Mata Rocks is the small, lovely hotel just north of me and one of my very favorite beach bars - both for the scenery and for the bartenders. My friend, Jamie, who was visiting for two weeks found that her allergies to my cat pack were kicking into gear. She decided to take a short air conditioned/dander-free holiday next door at Mata Rocks. And for me? It was the perfect time to take advantage of her frailties and take a few pictures. Let’s start outside at the Squirrel’s Nest – the uber-cute, white washed palapa bar with the lovely pink and lavender stools. The nest was also named BEST HIDDEN BEACH BAR GEM on my last “Best Bars of San Pedro List”. It’s a very cool spot to spend a late afternoon. ALSO, a super fun fact, did you know that the original BC’s Beach Bar (the now closed but FAVORITE beer drinking spot) was first located right here at Mata Rocks? OIG Fugitive: Errol Elrington On October 7, 2013, an arrest warrant was issued for Errol Elrington, M.D., for racketeering, Medicaid fraud, and health care fraud. Investigators believe that Elrington falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid more than $400,000 for services that he never performed, and he employed an unlicensed physician who engaged in criminal sexual misconduct. According to the Felony Complaint, Elrington was a licensed physician practicing in the Redford, Michigan, area, and was the owner of a private medical center, Elrington Medical Center PLLC (EMC). Elrington allegedly employed an unlicensed physician to treat patients at EMC when he was not there, then billed Medicare and Medicaid as if he performed the services. Though he was the owner of EMC, Elrington spent most of his time employed as the chief medical officer at another medical facility that was unaffiliated with EMC. Major Study: Monsanto GMO Corn Can Cause Damage to Liver and Kidneys A scientific study that identified serious health impacts on rats fed on ‘Roundup ready’ GMO maize has been republished following its controversial retraction under strong commercial pressure. Now regulators must respond and review GMO and agro-chemical licenses, and licensing procedures. A highly controversial paper by Prof Gilles-Eric Séralini and colleagues has been republished after a stringent peer review process. The chronic toxicity study examines the health impacts on rats of eating a commercialized genetically modified (GM) maize, Monsanto’s NK603 glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup. SALAD BAR – ROAST BEEF SALAD Preheat the oven to 425. Rub the beef with pepper to taste and Worcestershire sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small roasting pan over high head, add the beef, and sear on all sides. Transfer the dish to the preheated over and roast for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool. Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove with slotted spoon and refresh the beans under cold running water. Drain and put into a large bowl. The July 27th, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE This Week's Stories: Pech Walks Free: This murder case did not even make it to the Supreme Court as it was dismissed right at the magistrate court level in San Ignacio Town. The murder charge against Geovanni Pech, 24, at the time of the October 11, 2013 death of his cousin Leroy Moises Tzib, was today dismissed by magistrate Narda Morgan when the police could not produce a case file. The accused walked free out of the San Ignacio Town courtroom after spending almost 10 months in jail. Prior to dismissing the capital charge magistrate Morgan noted that the instruction from the office of the Director Of Public Prosecutions was for the civilian prosecutor not to interfere in the case and for it to be left to the police to prosecute as it is alleged that, in keeping with established protocols prior to the institution of a capital charge, the police did not consult with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The file has since been held in limbo. The charge was consequently dismissed “due to lack of cooperation between the police and DPP”, as noted by the presiding magistrate. Miss Manchie Laid To Rest: It is with profound sadness that we record last week’s passing of a pioneer resident of Santa Elena, Miss Manchie Jones. A faithful serving member of the Catholic Church, Ms. Manchie is pre-deceased by her husband, Wilward “Willie” Jones and a son Randy Jones. She is survived by daughters; Florence, Priscilla, Sonia, Laura, Catherine and Geraldine. She is also survived by sons; Wilward Jr., Joshua and David Jones. Editorial: Flogging A Dead Horse: The case against UDP Cayo Northeast Area Representative Elvin Penner was one that even the layman on the street referred to as “flogging a dead horse” notwithstanding, the exception opposition lawyer continued flogging it thereby ending up with egg all over his face. It was the singular flogging horse in the opposition arsenal. Mark our words, with nothing else to flog, the sole opposition lawyer/opposition Caribbean Shores Area Representative aspirant, will appeal the magistrate’s decision as he continues foolishly flogging a now legally confirmed dead horse as they sit in their individual corners hoping and praying for something else to flog. This opportunity, it seems, will never come their way as Prime Minister Dean Barrow continues to steer his administration in the right direction. Movie Nights At The Cayo Welcome Center: The new Welcome Center in San Ignacio is fulfilling its intended purpose. It is bringing back the community to an area where we can socialized with family and friends. It is also providing the place and the means for us to meet new friends. The bambu tee, in conjunction with D Catch , Masabaduga, Yoli's Pizza (all business owners operating in the Welcome Center) are working in partnership with the Center’s Committee in organizing social activities. The first such activity is Movie Night held on Wednesdays and Sundays. Residence of the twin towns and visitor alike are gathering at the Welcome Center on Movie Nights to watch the Movie garnering the most votes by customers visiting bambu tee, during the daytime hours. We encourage families to bring out the children and friends for Movie Nights at the Welcome Center. Movie starts at 7:00 pm. Our Welcome Center was built for us to use and enjoyment Let us come out and socialize in Peace, Love and Harmony. IDB President Meets With Belize’s Prime Minister: Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno met today with Belize Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, to exchange information and provide an overview of the IDB’s activities in the country. President Moreno and Prime Minister Barrow also discussed the current IDB portfolio as well as future projects for Belize. The current IDB Country Strategy with Belize for the period 2013-2017 has four priority areas: education; tourism; transport; and trade and tax policy. This year the IDB and the Belize Government are preparing two new loans in the education and transport sectors for a total of US$30 million. The “Education Quality Improvement Program” was approved by the IDB on June 12 for a total of US$10 million. This program seeks to improve the quality of primary education and the governance of Belize’s education system by training teachers so they can adopt innovative and best practices; developing and implementing an Education Management Information System; and improving the profile of teacher candidates. Gingivitis: Gingivitis ("inflammation of the gum tissue") is a non-destructive periodontal disease The etiology, or cause, of plaque-induced gingivitis is bacterial plaque, which acts to initiate the body's host response. This, in turn, can lead to destruction of the gingival tissues, which may progress to destruction of the periodontal attachment apparatus. The plaque accumulates in the small gaps between teeth, in the gingival grooves and in areas known as plaque traps: locations that serve to accumulate and maintain plaque. Examples of plaque traps include bulky and overhanging restorative margins, claps of removable partial dentures and calculus (tartar) that forms on teeth. Although these accumulations may be tiny, the bacteria in them produce chemicals, such as degrative enzymes, and toxins, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS, otherwise known as endotoxin) or lipoteichoic acid (LTA), that promote an inflammatory response in the gum tissue. This inflammation can cause an enlargement of the gingiva and subsequent formation. Early plaque in health consists of a relatively simple bacterial community dominated by Gram-positive cocci and rods. Rugby Sevens - First Rugby In Belize: Preparations are being made for the first rugby clubs to be established in Belize, focusing on the hugely popular and fast growing Sevens game, which will make its debut in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games. Rugby Sevens is a variant of the traditional rugby union game in a number of ways, chiefly: · Seven players on the field only (2 Props, Hooker, Scrum half, Fly-half, Centre & Winger) · Seven minute halves, instead of forty minutes, with one minute half-time · All conversions are drop-kicked, not place-kicked · Only three players in the scrum instead of eight STAR Humor Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers Letters to the Editor Public Notices International Sources You'll Spend All Day On This Gorgeous Drone Map Think of it as a better version of Google Street View, because it has drones. A new website, TravelByDrone, lets people from around the globe pin their own drone videos to a massive world map. TravelByDrone makes sure each video that makes it to the map is high quality and isn't overly promotional. There are currently 3,500 videos -- from all seven continents -- on the site. "We want to give you the chance to discover the world from the perspective of drones," the company said on its website. For example, you can soar over a zebra stampede in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Or hover over the fog in San Francisco to watch the sunrise. Why We Love the Tropics – 100 Colors of Hibiscus! What’s your favorite part about the tropics? Is it the warm sea breezes? Maybe the laid-back lifestyle? Maybe it’s just the idea of being in a land that offers more freedom. Or maybe getting some of your life back by having great domestic help? Today, let’s see some Hibiscus! First, you have to understand that these flowers are HUGE! Coach helps start track and field camp in Belize An Oral Roberts University coach helped start a track and field camp this summer at the Marion Jones Sport Complex in Belize. ORU assistant track and field coach Shawn Venable partnered with the Belize Athletic Association to host the free camp that drew more than 40 athletes, ranging from children to members of the Belizian National Team in attendance. The attendees worked on everything from general strength exercises to fine tuning their skills. Both Venable and the Belize Athletic Association plan to continue holding the camp each year. Videos Video: Flying at the Guacamayo Bridge, Belize, 2min. Video: Caracol from Above - DJI Phantom - Gopro 3 +, min. Video: TV Interview with PM Barrow, 1hr 17min. If you didn't get a chance to view Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow's up close and personal interview last night, click on the link. Video: Skydiving into the Blue Hole, Belize HD, 9min. Video: Chaa Creek - Macal River in the Cayo District, 2min. Video: Cahal Pech - Cayo District of Belize, 2min. Cahal Pech is a Maya site located near the Town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The site was a palatial, hilltop home for an elite Maya family, and though most major construction dates to the Classic period, evidence of continuous habitation has been dated to as far back as far as 1200 BCE during the Early Middle Formative period (Early Middle Preclassic), making Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably Maya sites in Western Belize. Video: Branch Mouth - Mopan River, 2min. Branch Mouth is the meeting place of the Mopan River, coming from Guatemala, and the Macal River, flowing down from Mountain Pine Ridge. The confluence of these rivers forms the beginning of the Belize River, which flows northeast to the sea. Video: Puma Belize Jan 2014 Puma, 11sec. Video: Belize 14, 13min. Our family vacation in Ambergris Caye, Belize. Video: belize 2014, 15min. i filmed my family vacation this year… hope you enjoy sorry its a little long there was a lot of footage :) Video: Missions Boot Camp 2014, 8min. Highlights from our Missions Bootcamp this summer where kids trained, mentally and physically, for missions trips to NYC and Belize. Video: Delia choc maya Mopan belmopan belize, 5min.