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LOVE FM
Recent High School Graduate Found Murdered
Just after six o’clock on Saturday morning, officers of Precinct Two responded to a call of a body near an open grave at the Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City. Their response led them to a young girl of creole descent lying face up in a pool of blood. The body of 16-year-old, Chrislyn Gladden bore apparent stab wounds to the left side of the neck and face. Love News spoke with a relative of the young girl, who has been appointed by the family as the spokesperson in this incident.
RELATIVE
“Chryslin left a little after six after speaking with her mom. She informed her mom that she was going to visit some friends. That’s about it when it comes to the last person from the house that actually spoke to Chryslin.”
RENEE TRUJILLO: “After she left home, did she at any point contact any family member via phone or text?”
RELATIVE
“Not that I am aware of. Everybody that’s actually living at the family house that Chryslin used to reside, we don’t have any information as to whether she got in touch with any of us after she spoke to her mom saying that she was leaving.
Vegetable Vendor Hijacked on Hummingbird Highway
A robbery on the Hummingbird Highway is being investigated by Belmopan Police. Fem Cruz had the details of the incident in the following report.
FEM CRUZ
“Belmopan police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred yesterday evening on the Hummingbird Highway. 25-year-old, Manuel Hernandez, a Honduran national, who resides in Dangriga Town, told police that on Sunday afternoon around 2:45, he along with his side man, 16-year-old, Ricardo Alexander Baldarez were traveling from Dangriga en route to Belmopan in his Isuzu truck to purchase vegetables. He was driving about 30mph and upon reaching an area between miles 28 and 29 on a hill he suddenly heard a gunshot and saw a man dressed in full black. The assailant with a handkerchief covering his face and wielding a weapon jumped to the passenger side of the truck, broke the window, opened the door and got inside. The gunman then punched Baldarez to the right side of the face, pointed the gun to his face and told Hernandez to stop the truck and surrender the money otherwise he would kill Baldarez. Fearing for their lives the driver stopped the truck and handed over a medium sized black plastic bag which contained $8600. The robber then jumped out of the truck and made good his escape.”
BML Employees Litter and Loiter In Protest of Citco’s Non-Payment
Disgruntled employees of the Belize Maintenance Limited, BML, staged an impromptu protest this morning in front of City Hall on North Front Street in Belize City. They demonstrated their frustrations by dumping a large amount of garbage in front of City hall. The City Council has a contract with the company which expires early next year and the employees will be left without a job. But the debt owed to BML has caused the company to let go some its workers and it was those workers and others standing in solidarity with them that were in front of City Hall demanding that Bradley pays up! Hipolito Novelo followed this story today and here is his report.
HIPOLITO NOVELO REPORTS
“Dozens of employees of Belize Maintenance Limited, BML, showed up in front of the Belize City Council this morning and staged an impromptu protest. The angered employees, more than fifty of them, brought a dump truck filled with garbage…..garbage which they violently scattered in front of the Belize City Council as a message to Mayor Darrell Bradley for him to pay his bills so that their livelihood can be saved.”
Mayor Bradley Says Ample Notice Was Given to Sanitation Workers
The garbage left on North Front Street by the protestors was picked up by employees of the City Council…..and while the BML employees demanded that Mayor Darrell Bradley pay the City Council’s debt which is about $1.3million, the City Mayor is saying that the council is not in a position to do so at the moment. Mayor Bradley says that a notice to not renew BML’s contract was issued to the company last year. While the council may have the ability to hire some of the employees that will be affected, they cannot hire the one hundred plus workers and those workers need to think what they will do when the contract’s expiration date comes.
MAYOR DARRELL BRADLEY
“We are doing a lot of analysis in terms of justifying and reprioritizing what we do at City Council to ensure that we spend public funds on what is considered public. I do not believe that BML has 100 people on the ground, I am not talking about supervisors, management, I am not talking about the owner; I’m talking about the people who go on the ground picking up the garbage, cutting the grass.
Scrub Board Sent to Jail On Firearm Charge
Forty-seven year old Edward Saldano, aka “Scrub Board”, a stevedore of a George Street address, was remanded to prison when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith and was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and harm. Saldano pled not guilty to the charges. He was remanded into custody until September 29. The incident occurred on August 2. The complainant, Shawn Middleton, aka “Cracker”, reported to the police that he and Saldano had a misunderstanding which led to an altercation. Middleton said that during the altercation he received an injury and Saldano pulled a firearm and pointed it at him.
21-Year-Old Charged with Double Homicide
Last week, we told you of the home invasion that occurred on Saturday, July 26 on Mopan Street in Belize City that left two persons dead and two others injured. In this incident, two men reportedly went into the home of Carlos Mayorga around five o’clock in the morning as they were preparing to come out to an area on Freetown Road to sell tacos, as was their daily routine. Today, police have reported that they have arrested and charged 21-year-old, Khaleel Caream Ponce of an Aloe Vera Street address in Belize City. Ponce has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of use of deadly means of harm and two counts of dangerous harm. In this incident, Mayorga was killed on the spot while Alida Ascencio died a few days later from the gunshot injuries she received in the incident.
Talbert Arraigned on Gun Charge
Twenty-one year old Andrew Talbert, charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, was sentenced to 5 years for each count today by the Chief magistrate, Anne Marie Smith after she found him guilty of the charges. Chief Magistrate Smith stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently, so Talbert will only serve 5 years. The incident occurred on January 6, 2013.according to the evidence from the prosecution, Talbert ran into a yard on Plues Street when he saw the police and the police pursued him and saw when he threw and Glock brand 9 millimeter pistol over a fence into an adjoining yard. The firearm contained one round of ammunition in its magazine. Talbert testified and denied that he committed the offences. He said the police lied and that there were he and 3 other persons in the yard. Talbert’s attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, said that he is going to appeal.
PlusTV
BML workers’ frustrations erupt at City Hall
What started as a meeting with soon to be temporarily terminated employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) Monday morning erupted into a sustained display of rage and frustration with the Belize City Council and Mayor Darrell Bradley. As we have reported, the Council is eighteen weeks behind schedule on payments to BML for its work in Belize City. Even as it insists that it intends to pay when it can, the Council is talking about a transition to a plan that appears to cut BML entirely out of the sanitation picture in Belize City. Unfortunately, that threatens the jobs of about 170 employees, many single parents who have nowhere else to turn. Their cries reached the ears of activist Delroy Herrera, who orchestrated a meeting at the company’s offices on Baymen Avenue Monday morning. He started out by explaining why the Mayor was not being truthful about whether the Council was in contact with BML regarding its plans.
Mayor makes candid response
The man at the center of the maelstrom sat down with reporters after the crowd had dispersed, and laid it all on the line in a half-hour interview. Addressing the subject of the impromptu protest itself, he stated that while the issues raised are legitimate and the Council is more than aware of the workers’ plight, their decision on Monday took them over the legal line. He drew comparison with the protest of the Asian community after two murders of shopkeepers in April of 2011.
Darrell Bradley – Mayor of Belize City
“Now you ask me about workers and Asian protest. I was at court the day when those people protested, and that was a very peaceful demonstration. Yes, it was a large group of people, but nobody put garbage bags in front of the Supreme Court. Nobody accosted City Council staff. Nobody went on in a very rambunctious way. If persons want to peacefully demonstrate, that is your constitutional right. But no one has the right to take garbage bags and throw it on the street, going in an unruly way, to have projectiles and different things like that, and to carry on and yell. I was out there, and the people who protested that day did not yell anything into the Supreme Court. It wasn’t disruptive on the Supreme Court. City Council provided traffic coordination in relation to that, notwithstanding the fact that there was no permit granted.”
BML workers’ frustrations erupt at City Hall
What started as a meeting with soon to be temporarily terminated employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) Monday morning erupted into a sustained display of rage and frustration with the Belize City Council and Mayor Darrell Bradley. As we have reported, the Council is eighteen weeks behind schedule on payments to BML for its work in Belize City. Even as it insists that it intends to pay when it can, the Council is talking about a transition to a plan that appears to cut BML entirely out of the sanitation picture in Belize City. Unfortunately, that threatens the jobs of about 170 employees, many single parents who have nowhere else to turn. Their cries reached the ears of activist Delroy Herrera, who orchestrated a meeting at the company’s offices on Baymen Avenue Monday morning. He started out by explaining why the Mayor was not being truthful about whether the Council was in contact with BML regarding its plans.
Pulled firearm during altercation
A fight between friends led to charges for forty-seven year old Edward Saldano, aka “Scrub Board”, a stevedore of George Street, Belize City. Mr Saldano is accused of aggravated assault with a firearm and harm against Shawn Middleton aka “Cracker’, who reported to the police that he and Edward Saldano had a misunderstanding which led […]
Five years for gun charges
Attorney Anthony Sylvestre is planning an appeal of a conviction for twenty-one year old Andrew Talbert, charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Mr Talbert was sentenced to 5 years for each count on Monday by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith, who found him guilty of the charges. Chief Magistrate Smith stipulated […]
Female Minor Found Dead at Lord Ridge Cemetery
On Saturday August 2nd at about 6:15 am, police visited the Lord Ridge cemetery, located at mile 1 and a quarter on the George Price Highway, Belize City. There they saw the body of a Creole descent female lying face up in a pool of blood. The body appeared to have […]
Khaleel Ponce charged for shooting death
Police have arrested and charged 19 year old Khaleel Caream Ponce, a Belizean Laborer of Aloe Vera Street, Belize City, for the shooting death of Carlos Mayorgo and Alida Asencio on Saturday July 26th and on Friday August 1st. On July 26th a two men invaded a house on Mopan Street, Belize City, with the […]
Police seek Andy Rhaburn following house fire
Orange Walk Police are looking for Andy Rhaburn a resident of Carmelita Village, Orange Walk, following a fire incident at two story wooden house. According to police, at about 11:00 pm on Friday August 1st, Sara Rhaburn reportedly saw her son Andy taking out some of his personal belongings from their house. A few hours […]
House burglarized in Belmopan
There was another robbery in the Capital which occurred over the weekend. According to reports the household of Michelle Cano, owner of A-Z learning school, was burglarized over the weekend. The residence, which is located on Mt. Moosey St, Belmopan, was apparently vacant during the weekend, which, according to Michelle Cano, […]
Fishers of Men Ministry holds basketball camp in Belmopan
Fishers of Men Ministry is holding a four day basketball camp at the University of Belize Gymnasium in Belmopan. The camp started on Monday August 4th, and will be concluding on Thursday August 7th. For the younger kids ages 5-11 the camp takes place from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, and for the older kids […]
Amandala
BML workers take on City Hall!
Up to press time this evening, a total of 44 Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) employees are in police detention at the Queen Street Police Station in Belize City after they were arrested and charged for causing an uproar in front of City Hall this morning by engaging in an impromptu protest during which loads of refuse were strewn in front of the building in a show of utter discontent with the Belize City Council’s management of its staggering sanitation debt with their employer, BML.
The source of their indignation stemmed from an early morning meeting that was held at the company’s Baymen Avenue office in which some 50 workers were informed that they would be placed on temporary termination since the company is struggling to meet its operating obligations, primarily due to non-payment of approximately 18 weeks of sanitation fees on the part of the City Council.
One remanded for murder of tacos vendors
This morning, a Belize City man was charged with two counts of murder and other related indictable offences in connection with a home invasion that turned fatal for two tacos vendors on the morning of July 26, when two armed men stormed into their Mopan Street home, robbed and then shot the four persons who were at home.
Khaleel Ponce, 21, an unemployed laborer, did not have to enter any plea, as Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith read a total of eight indictable offences to him.
Ponce stood silent in court after Smith read the first charge of murder to him and asked him if he understood what she had just read.
“Yes, I understand,” Ponce replied, before falling silent as the arraignment proceeded.
Corozaleño, 18, murdered in Orange Walk
What started out as an altercation in front of a popular Orange Walk nightclub early yesterday morning, August 3, later claimed the life of a Corozal resident who was followed and shot dead outside Garcia’s Tacos Place in Orange Walk.
The murder reportedly occurred sometime between 5:45 and 6:00 a.m. Orange Walk police said that they were called out to the scene at the Fort Cairns Plaza shortly after, and saw Roy Bayliss, 18, of a 3rd Street North address in Skeleton Town, Corozal, bleeding from what appeared to be gunshot wounds in the right cheek and below the left ear.
According to police, Bayliss had been involved in an altercation with a man in front of Hi-5 Nightclub, and upon leaving the area, he was followed by a gunman and shot multiple times in the upper part of the body as he attempted to have breakfast in another part of that municipality.
Wesley honor student murdered in cemetery
The family of Chryslin “Chrissy” Gladden, 16, of Neal Pen Road, an honor student who placed 5th in the Wesley College 2014 graduating class, are in mourning after she was found brutally murdered in the Lord Ridge Cemetery around 5:00 Saturday morning.
Chryslin’s throat had been slit and she had been stabbed multiple times in the back and in the chest. Cut wounds were also seen on her hands and her abdomen. She was found beside a tomb by a man walking on a footpath through the cemetery, who called police.
Her body was taken to the morgue at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival at about 7:30 that morning. Police have reported today, Monday, that a police officer from Precinct 2 has been detained in connection with the gruesome murder.
Police seek Santiago Ricardo Palma, 48
A woman who works in the janitorial section of Bowen and Bowen Company Limited’s distribution center on its Slaughterhouse Road compound in Belize City luckily survived a life-threatening attack in which her throat was slashed by her infuriated common-law husband at her workplace just after 8:00 a.m. this morning.
Amandala understands that Suzette Pavon, 37, was performing her usual cleaning duties when her estranged common-law husband, Santiago Ricardo Palma, 48, with whom she had been having a domestic dispute, managed to slip past the security checkpoint, armed with a pocket knife, and after he engaged her in a conversation, he allegedly took out the knife and slit her throat.
Christelle Wilson, Bowen & Bowen’s In-house Counsel and Public Relations Officer, told Amandala how the incident played out.
Francisco Rodriguez, 23, facing murder and arson charges for Kimmie’s Bar fire
Last week, while investigating the attempt to blackmail an Orange Walk businessman, police CIB officers unwittingly stumbled upon an information bonanza when they picked up Francisco Rodriguez, 23, and Edwin Flores, after they followed Flores’ girlfriend, who had gone to pick up blackmail money from Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City, in a sting operation.
It turned out that Rodriguez was wanted for an armed robbery in Cayo, and he allegedly confessed to police that he was the person who had set the fire that destroyed Kimmie’s bar on Newtown Barracks in the early morning of June 25.
Rodriguez, who has been linked to the transnational criminal gang, Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery with a firearm and was sentenced to 5 years in prison when he appeared before the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court.
Police seek Crooked Tree home invader
Police in Rural Belize are on an intensive hunt for Tyrone Davis, who is believed to have been one of two robbers who attacked a pastor’s wife, Betty Westby, 51, and her family at their Crooked Tree home a little after 7:00 this past Wednesday night.
Mrs. Westby, the wife of Pastor Maurice Westby, who ministers at the Ladyville Baptist Church, recognized the suspect when the hooded sweater that he wore to conceal his identity came off during a courageous struggle she had with him, after Davis had forcefully entered her house and attempted to kill her during the aggravated burglary two days ago.
Orange Walk couple charged with handling stolen goods for attorney’s iPad
An Orange Walk man and his wife were brought to the Magistrate’s Court from the Ladyville police station along with two court books, charging them for theft and handling stolen goods in connection with an attorney’s iPad that he had reported as being stolen.
Ernesto Cruz, 54, and his wife, Anna Christina Cruz, 52, who are residents of Hummingbird Street, Orange Walk Town, and the owners of A&E Bakery, located at Ramon’s Plaza in Ladyville, appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton along with their attorney, Hubert Elrington, S.C., this afternoon.
Panton read the charge of theft to the couple, but then noticed after they had pleaded not guilty, that there was a second court book in which police were also charging them for handling stolen goods.
The Magistrate explained to the court prosecutor that he would not read the two charges to the couple, because a person cannot be charged with theft and handling stolen goods at the same time, so he would have to decide which of the two charges they would proceed with.
New UDP City Council slate selected
Yesterday, the United Democratic Party (UDP) held a convention at the ITVET Compound in Belize City to select its set of Belize City Council candidates that will be contesting the 2015 municipal elections.
When the results were tallied, eight current city councilors who had placed their hats back in the ring, and two of the eight newcomers, emerged as the victors.
One of the current city councilors who got another chance to run is Dion Leslie, who got 3,244 votes – the most votes received by any of the candidates. He was followed by fellow councilor Phillip Willoughby, who received 2,893 votes, and present Deputy Mayor, Bernard Pitts, Jr., who got 2,742 votes.
Of the other councilors, Dean Samuels received 2,633 ballots; Dr. Alain Gonzalez got 2,482; Michael Theus received 2,456 votes; while Alifa Elrington-Hyde got 2,253 and Kevin Singh received 2,009 votes.
Wil Maheia to contest PG mayoral race
Wil Maheia, founding leader of the People’s National Party (PNP), told Amandala today that he plans to contest the 2015 municipal elections in Punta Gorda, with a full slate of 7, in his bid to unseat PG mayor Anthony Fuentes, who will also be challenged by the United Democratic Party’s hopeful, Fern Gutierrez.
Maheia said that Gutierrez is “hand-picked” by Prime Minister and UDP leader Dean Barrow, so we asked: “What makes you think you stand a chance?”
Maheia was confident, saying that it is time for the people of Punta Gorda to “send [a] message to Belmopan,” because it is the political organizations which tend to decide who runs and who gets elected.
“What is your motivation for running?” we probed.
Maheia then expressed his shock at learning from the weekend edition of Amandala that Belize had been importing rice.
Editorial: Drama in Toledo
Our sources are saying that the Toledo Maya have been divided, and that the leader best known to Belize’s national media, Greg Ch’oc, is in danger of being isolated, perhaps even humiliated. The combined forces of the Government of Belize, U.S. Capital Energy, and the evangelical churches in Toledo have broken the unity of the Toledo Maya, and the oil company – U.S. Capital Energy, has succeeded in bringing its oil drilling rig across our northern border and down south into Toledo.
The Maya in the so-called buffer communities of the Sarstoon and Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) have remained loyal to the relatively militant Ch’oc, but the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) and the Maya Leaders Association (MLA) are marching to different drums from SATIIM, and they have a working majority over SATIIM.
It was always the case that SATIIM’s campaign was an uphill battle, and that everything depended on the unity of the Toledo Maya. From the beginning, the other ethnicities in Toledo were skeptical of the Maya fight for “customary land rights.” The Creole, the Garifuna, and the East Indian communities in Toledo tended to see the “customary land rights” as exclusive.
From the Publisher
If you honestly consider life as it is in Belize, you cannot get away from the reality of poverty. The most stressful thing which poverty brings along with it, is hunger. Hunger demands the victim’s attention in an urgent way.
In a household where there is poverty, where there is hunger, the sexuality of the female gender early on becomes an economic asset. Rich people can protect their girl children’s innocence indefinitely, but where there is poverty the temptation is great for parents/guardians to expose their girl children’s sexuality to the marketplace. We’re talking cold talk.
Extrapolate this to the nation-state, and you will see that once you become a “destination,” and you want to increase your arrivals and the profits of your stakeholders, one of the attractions is a season when your sexual inhibitions are lessened. Inside our domestic situation, we look at our celebrations as a matter of “having fun,” but there are very rich people in the world who have the money necessary to roam the planet seeking gratification for various perverted desires. “Google,” for example, Thailand.
Julius Garvey visit postponed
Emerson Guild, spokesperson for the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Belize and the Mutual Improvement Alliance (MIA), informed our newspaper today that the Centennial Tour of Dr. Julius Garvey, the son of UNIA founder Marcus Garvey, [...]
Muslims organize protest in Belize against Gaza killings
Imam Nuri Muhammad and other members of the Muslim community in Belize, as well as non-Muslim citizens, have organized a protest rally for Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Battlefield Park, Belize City, to decry “the killing [...]
“August, look out! September, remember!” tough days ahead for Belizean football
After the U-20 debacle in El Salvador, where our national U-20 took 26 goals and scored none, on our way to last place and nary a point in the UNCAF U-20 Championships, Belize football fans need [...]
Knockout playoffs this weekend
The Belize District Basketball Association (BDBA) Firms tournament held its last regular season games in Divisions 1 and 2 over the weekend at the Bird’s Isle court in Belize City. In the Division 1 opener on [...]
1970’s Belize football pioneer “Cheezy” Hulse visits
Amandala sports desk received a visit this morning from a former Belizean footballer who left the Jewel after only a couple years of senior ball, but proceeded to leave his mark in the top level of [...]
Kaina Martinez is Trailblazer of the Week
This week’s feature is on a young Belizean athlete who has made us proud countless times, and is currently in Scotland to represent Belize once again in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Kaina Martinez, known to many [...]
Letters: Why is it that Dangriga has not requested their building money?
Dear Editor, Most of the other towns and cities in Belize have submitted their requests for funds to build a multipurpose facility in their jurisdiction except Corozal Town, Orange Walk Town, Punta Gorda Town and Dangriga [...]
Letters: Elrington editorial
Respectfully Sir Editor: Sometimes your editorial contains claims so true such as this week on Elrington: “It is because Belize is not a real nation-state; Belize cannot go after the big boys and punish them in [...]
Letters: Perspectives on the Belizean status quo
A commentary on “Stasis in Belize” Dear Editor, During my study of Belizean history at the University of Belize, we often talked about “why are things the way they are? And how can we make a change?” In [...]
Letters: Politics is not a game
Dear Editor, Third parties need to organize themselves nationwide to become a force in Belize politics. They have tried this before, but it was a complete failure. Belizeans need to be convinced that a third party [...]
Letters: Beryl on “unmarried mothers,” and other issues
Dear Editor, In my letter published in last weekend ‘s issue, a response to the July 25 letter by Major Lloyd Jones regarding dual citizen voting rights, I made a statement regarding unmarried mothers in Belize [...]
Resort to host Emmy-style events on Belize caye?
NEAC discussing terms of Puerto Azul EIA An alliance of foreign and local NGOs had come public in their opposition to the controversial Puerto Azul project, which proposed the construction of the mega resort just 8 [...]
Muslims organize protest in Belize against Gaza killings
Imam Nuri Muhammad and other members of the Muslim community in Belize, as well as non-Muslim citizens, have organized a protest rally for Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Battlefield Park, Belize City, to decry “the killing [...]
First ever mediation forum held at the Biltmore
Roughly 60 people, including Supreme Court Justices, attorneys and civilian mediators, convened at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City today for the first ever forum intended to strengthen the court-connected mediation initiated in 2013. Supreme [...]
Sr. Supt. Broaster “leans” on PUP activist Albert Vaughan
Leader of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), Hon. Francis Fonseca, and a number of his supporters began arriving at the Magistrate’s Court between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. in anticipation that the police would bring their [...]
Inflation up! Vegans and vegetarians feeling the pinch
Higher transport, rental and vegetable prices Steamed cabbage can help lower your cholesterol, and a substance known as sinigrin in cabbage is said to be vital for cancer prevention. However, those who rely on a diet [...]
Man found dead in the New River in Trial Farm
Gregorio Medina 43, of Trial Farm, Orange Orange Walk District, was found floating in the New River about 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Family members who were looking for him after he did not come home on Saturday [...]
Orange Walk couple charged with handling stolen goods for attorney’s iPad
An Orange Walk man and his wife were brought to the Magistrate’s Court from the Ladyville police station along with two court books, charging them for theft and handling stolen goods in connection with an attorney’s [...]
Patrick Jones
Will damaged cement streets be fixed?
By and large Belize City residents are enjoying the over 100 concrete streets put in by the current Belize City Council. Indeed it is their signature achievement in office. But that achievement is under threat as with the return of the rains some of the streets are beginning […]
National Song Competition finalists meet the press
The National Song Competition is in its final stage and today the fifteen finalists from across the country met with the press. Hometown entrants from Belmopan, Shameeka Moir and Earlyn Hutchinson, hope to impress the crowd and the judges at Memorial Park on Saturday, August 9 with their […]
Three men charged for robbery of Bowen and Bowen delivery truck
Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with the armed hold up of a Bowen and Bowen delivery truck in Corozal. The incident happened on July 28 and the culprits got away with an undisclosed amount of money after they accosted 50 year old Felipe Uk […]
BML workers face arraignments
As of late this evening, 41 employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) arrested on Monday, for their role in the spontaneous protest in front of City Hall, faced a charge in the Magistrate’s Court: taking part in an illegal gathering contrary to the Public Meeting (Control) Regulations. This […]
Kareem Bennett jailed for firearm
Kareem Bennett began a five year concurrent sentence for keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license after being found guilty by Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith. Bennett and three other men were stopped by police while in a black Saturn VUE around 3:30 in the morning of June […]
Teenage girl charged for murder of another teen
Belize City police have arrested and charged a 17 year old girl for the crime of murder. Ashley Meighan, a student of Doris Brooks Street in Belize City, has been charged for murder in connection with the death of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden. Police say they […]
BML workers arrested over protest
As we reported on Monday, 43 employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML), plus activist Delroy Herrera, were held for more than 7 hours in the original “pisshouse”, Queen Street Police Station, for their roles in Monday’s spontaneous demonstration in front of City Hall. They were each charged for […]
Easily Accessible from Hopkins, Mayflower Bocawina National Park Brings The Beauty & The Thrills
The list of activities available through Almond Beach Resort in Hopkins, Belize was almost…well…overwhelming. They got the ocean right there – and snorkeling, diving, fishing and more. They are sandwiches between two rivers and all of those activities – monkeys, manatees, birding and more. And then the mountains and the jungle just 25 minutes away.
The cayes in the south are beyond lovely, this I know. But this was my chance to do something a little bit outside of my comfort zone.
So…the night before, I signed up at the activities desk for the longest zip line in Central America and maybe some waterfall rappelling. The dock is covered with clip boards and sign up sheets. Angel, who worked for years at Ramon’s Village in San Pedro, is the very helpful activity coordinator.
Airborne LiDAR Meets Archaeology in Belize: the results are amazing!
We love the idea of using new technology to unveil the secrets of the past, and LiDAR and other new tools are poised to open a new understanding of the ancient Maya civilisation while contributing to Belize’s eco and cultural tourism industries.
What it is
Airborne LiDAR is a scanning system that sends over 100,000 short laser pulses to the ground every second while a plane flies over it. The laser light hits the ground, and then bounces back to the aircraft. The time it takes for the light to make the return trip tells researchers the height of various points on the ground, up to differences of less than 10 centimeters (4 inches), giving us a pretty accurate picture of what’s there. Think of it as a sort of Sonar (Sound Navigation And Ranging) that uses light rather than sound echoes to describe a surface.
It also maps those scans to GPS coordinates with pinpoint accuracy.
Now, back in the old days, archaeologists had to hack through the jungle to find potential sites and then clear them before excavating. Often using anecdotal accounts by hunters, chicleros and other people working in the jungle to identify promising sites, it was – and is painstaking work with hit-and-miss results.
International Sources
2014 Chicago Belize Day draws national and international crowd
On Sunday, the annual Chicago Belize Day at the Park was held at the Hawthorne Race Track in the city of Chicago. The event featured music, traditional Caribbean, Belizean, Latin and American Food. Also, the most anticipated performance by local and award winning recording musicians that included Taprick, Concego, JOBO, Danki Man, Lil’ June and Lova Boy, who headlined the summer event.
The family and community event has been growing for years. In 2011, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn proclaimed the first Sunday of August as “Chicago Belize Day in the State”, which serves to recognize the contributions of Chicago’s growing Belizean American and immigrant community in the city of Chicago and state.
The musical and entertainment acts did not disappoint the estimated crowd of thousands who attended to be part of the festivities. From the high energy of rising stars like Lil’ June, Concego, Taprick to the crowd pleasing Danki Man and Lova Boy’s antics who featured in a Punta Dance Off with a young Punta dancer the crowd chose as the winner.
The crowd included people from nearby states like Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Kentucky. In addition, people came from California, New York, Maryland, Texas, Maryland, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Honduras.
Letter: Response to Emancipation Day comments
I find this article written by Mr Smith to be factual that warrants our comments. For years many of us in Belize were taught in our primary schools that we had "good slavery" in Belize and we believed it. In fact, some Belizeans are so proud of this "good slavery" nonsense that they still preach it to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren up to this day.
I have never heard of "good slavery" because the unlawful imprisonment of any human being to provide free labour for any individual or group is one of the most evil acts committed by the European nations against Africans and the other indigenous people on this Planet Earth up to this day. Not only were they unlawfully imprisoned but they were also decultured to the point where they lost their true identity and culture. Most Belizeans are proud to be British more than to be identified with any African ethnic group. The former slaves in Belize are our Creole people but some of them are mixed with these same cruel people who enslaved them that they still adore and admire up to this day.
Commentary: Why civil servants will always escape justice in Belize
The highest ranking legal official in Belize and most countries in the world is the attorney general. In the constitution of Belize, like most former British colonies, the attorney general is appointed by the prime minister of the country after the elections are held. It is also a Cabinet post and he or she is granted a ministry to have people work for him or her.
The highest ranking legal official in Belize and most countries in the world is the attorney general. In the constitution of Belize, like most former British colonies, the attorney general is appointed by the prime minister of the country after the elections are held. It is also a Cabinet post and he or she is granted a ministry to have people work for him or her.
Ipswich Harriers’ member Katy Sealy is still on Cloud Nine after representing Belize at Commonwealth Games
The 23-year-old Bawdsey-based athlete, who qualified to represent Belize through her father, exceeded expectations in Scotland and has set her sights on representing the Central American country in Australia, in 2018.
Ipswich Harriers’ member Sealy, who played down her chances of success prior to the Games, said: “The next big target is the Commonwealths in four years time.
“I am hoping that by then I can be up there in the top-six or maybe be in a medal position.
“There is also the Olympics in Rio, in two years time, and who knows if I can make it?
“I am certainly going to give it my best shot and if I get there it will be a bonus.”
Reflecting on her performance, Sealy added: “I was closer to some of the girls than I expected in certain events and I felt more involved than I thought I would.
10 Luxury Islands That Are Surprisingly Affordable
We've never had such a good excuse to ditch the real world.
We always thought our living-on-an-island dreams would stay forever plunked on a Pinterest board, but now, there's reason to believe that actually living on a luxury island is totally possible.
The folks at Samujana Retreats and Residences recently named the world's top 10 luxury islands, and the prices of average day-to-day activities -- from meals to beers to adventure excursions -- are, shockingly, lower than we ever dreamed.
Pack up your yachts, people. We're moving (or at least taking a super long vacation) to the tropics.
Caye Caulker, Belize
Average price of three meals/day: $15
Videos
Video: Costa Maya Pageant Delegates Snuba and Snorkel in Belize, 5min.
When the Costa Maya Pageant delegates arrive on Ambergris Caye, Belize, they are treated with the utmost in hospitality, friendliness and service. Part of all the hospitality is wining and dining them at top restaurants, hosting them at special events, giving them a tour of the island and making sure they enjoy some fun in the sun. It is all part of making them feel at home and comfortable before they hit the stage on pageant night.
Video: Nello Player - Dah Belize Ih Deh ft. Lexi, 5min.
Nello Player - Dah Belize Ih Deh Ft Lexi National song competition winner 2013 Four Tweny Ent. Poconobwy Production.
Video: The JetSetter Show EP 27 - All Things Belize, 25min.
Jason Hartman and Tim discuss their recent trip to Belize.
Video: Enjoy A Beach Vacation In Caye Caulker, 4min.
If you are looking for a way to get away from it all, Caye Caulker, Belize is a good choice. Mario takes Peter to Caye Caulker, Belize, in pursuit of doing nothing but relaxing and resting on the beach.
Video: Our trip to Belize in the Hood., 6min.
People typically take the commercial version of a site seeing tour, but we took a look at what really goes down within the cities abroad with our boy Dionne. Recorded in October 2010. Our 1st trip to Central America.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
