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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

Wolfe’s Woofer: How To Make Money
“Hi, Grandpa.” I was seated on the deck of the Holiday Hotel drinking coffee and reading my book when Melody came walking down the beach. She was carrying little Grayson while Davin tagged along behind. “Hey, sweet boy,” I said to Davin. “Where are you off to?” “Mom’s going to the gallery and I have […]

Doctor Love: Jealousy and Relationships
Readers, please send your letters. They can be emails, formal letters or handwritten notes. They are edited solely for grammar and spelling. Also, they are sometimes edited for length. Dear Doctor Love, I met my husband when we were in high school. We have now been together for ten years. I have never given him […]

Misc Belizean Sources

The Nautilus Live is in Belize
The Nautilus Live is in Belize now exploring the deep reefs. "We are exploring off the southern point of Glover Reef to investigate a series of "bumps" we located in our multibeam bathymetry data. These features may be rocky substrate ideal for corals 8 hours 9 min ago"

The Reporter

Principals, teachers prepare for road traffic safety workshop
As part of the initiative to imcorporate road traffic safety in the school curriculum, principals and teachers will engage this week in workshops in Belize City and Belmopan. The project is designed to, through education and strategic interventions, curb the rate of traffic fatalities, primarily as they relate to the youth population. The training will take place on Wednesday August 13 at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development on Price Centre Road in Belmopan, and on Thursday at the IT VET building on Freetown Road in Belize City.

Stabbing leaves man critical
Belmopan police have detained two suspects following a stabbing on Friday night that has left Germaine Leslie, 34, a resident of Dangriga Town in a critical condition. The incident happened near the New Capital Restaurant area around 11 p.m. while Leslie was staying at a friend’s house. Reports are that a man gained entry to Leslie’s friend’s apartment room and attacked him during which Leslie suffered the imjuries to his chest, leg and knee.

Guerillas attack oil field in Colombia
Rebels in Colombia have attacked the Tibu Oil Field in the north-west of the country near the border with Venezuela. The two main left-wing rebel groups in Colombia – the Farc and the ELN – are known to operate in the area. Power stations, oil fields, pipelines and roads have seen damages in actions consistent with the guerrillas. Armed men reportedly approached a team working at the oil field on Friday and threatened the workers before detonating explosives that damaged part of the facility. The country’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, 62, was sworn in on August seventh – one day before the attacks.

The Belize Times

Darrel Bradley Must Resign!!!
Darrel Bradley is a major Mayoral mess! He has proven to be worse than Ms. Underdeposits, Zenaida Moya. At least she ran the city without Dean Barrow babysitting her along the way. Not Darrell. He brought shame and disgrace unto himself and more unnecessary burden unto poor Belizeans, with his terrible handling of the recent dispute between the City Council and the sanitation company Belize Maintenance Limited over the Council’s refusal to pay for sanitation services. The result of this was the shameful mistreatment and jailing of sanitation workers after they protested in front of the Mayor’s office on Monday morning. Then Barrow did the unexpected-usurped the Mayor’s power and responsibility. This is equivalent to stripping him bare for the world to see and laugh at him. Bradley hung his head low as the Prime Minister Dean Barrow spun and juggled through the ugly situation created by the Mayor and turned it in favour of his own political fortunes at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Barrow, who seems to never know what his UDP politicians are doing, was dead set on teaching Bradley another tough lesson: that he is the boss.

SEDI GONE MAD – TIME TO GO!!
The normally mouthy and opinionated Wilfred Sedi Elrington was nowhere to be seen or found following the public disclosure of a US Office of Inspector General’s notice declaring that his brother, Dr. Glen Elrington, is a wanted fugitive. The allegation against Glen Elrington is that he may somehow be involved through his medical business interest in Michigan, USA, in medicare or Medicaid fraud. He has thus far denied any such involvement.

Alfredo Kuylen elected as PUP Mayoral Candidate for Benque Viejo del Carmen
On Sunday August 3rd 2014 a delegate convention was held in Benque Viejo del Carmen town to elect its mayoral candidate for the People United Party. Mrs Elisa Guerra and Mr Alfredo Kuylen were the two candidates. After the counting of votes ended, Mr. Kuylen was elected as the PUP Mayoral Candidate. He will join the team of Councillors candidates which include Mr. Antonio Ochaeta Jr., Mrs. Clemencia Araceli “Colocha” Martinez, Mr. Victor Manuel Mendez, Mr. Edgar Cocom, Mr. Juan Salas and Mr. Salvador Iglesias.

The economics of Barrow & Bradley
By G. Michael Reid. In his 1936 book “The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money”, British economist John Maynard Keynes presented the theories that formed the basis for what was to become the popular economic strategy that bore his name. The whole concept of Keynesian economics is quite complex, and not being an economist I will not claim to fully understand, nor will I attempt to explain. Suffice to say, Keynes (rhymes with brains) felt that it was not only government’s responsibility but in government’s best interest to create jobs, even if those jobs were meaningless. Keynes economics took traction during the Great Depression and served as the standard economic model for many of the developed nations up until and around the time of the oil embargo and resulting stagflation of 1973. The advent of the global financial crisis in 2008 caused resurgence in Keynesian thought and interestingly enough, 2008 was also the year that saw the emergence of Dean Oliver Barrow as Prime Minister of Belize.

Editorial: Darrell Bradley’s Legacy
The television images of over forty sanitation workers being arrested and locked up in overcrowded and unsanitary cells at the Queen Street Police Station in Belize City from Monday morning until Monday night was ugly. The charge: littering and some other frivolous misdemeanors. It was heavy handed Police behavior by UDP Superintendent Edward Broaster. The workers could have been issued summons and sent home. The sanitation workers, former City Council employees absorbed into the workforce of Belize Management Limited, were protesting in front of the City Council office Monday against the insensitive statements to their only means of livelihood The aggression to their jobs had been coming fast and furious from the mouth of Mayor Darrel Bradley; who let it be known is ending BML’s contract come January and has not shown concern in the least bit with what happens to the over hundred workers at BML. No doubt, the Mayor would then go on a hiring spree to take on two to three hundred new workers in time for the March 2015 City Council elections. Not to mention using the seventy eight thousand dollars weekly that the Mayor claims he spends on BML.

Orchid Girls stop Arrows Reloaded 16-14
The Burrell Boom Orchid Girls spanked Bermudian Landing’s Arrows Reloaded 16-14 in the Belize Rural women’s softball competition at Sand Hill Village on Sunday afternoon. Kelsey Robinson led the Orchid Girls’ attack with 4 runs, while Sabrina Campos and Lynese Alvarez scored 3 runs a-piece, Rebecca Nicholson and Kristy Terry scored 2 runs apiece while Arneek Baptist and Mardy Nicholson scored a run each. Arrows’ Malthia Garbutt and Turcia Ferguson scored 3 runs apiece, while Dian Baldwin and Georgia Joseph scored 2 runs each and Cindy Mae Lodge, pitcher Shana Avilez, Trecia Joseph and Marilee Garbutt scored a run apiece.

Sagitun & All Stars win in FFB President’s Cup football
Sagitun and the Belize District All Stars both posted big wins in Week 11 of the FFB President’s Cup football competition over the weekend; while Benque United and San Antonio FC also won by default. In Ladyville, the Belize District All Stars hosted Roaring Creek United for 4-2 blowout. Brian Martinez scored first for the hosts in the 3rd minute, but Roaring Creek’s Kenney Williams equalized in the 5th minute. Delroy “Thinman” Andrews scored Belize District’s 2nd goal in the 14th minute, but again Orin Reneau equalized for the visitors in the 31st minute for a 2-2 draw at the half. In the 2nd half, Albert Thurton headed in the 3rd goal to finish a free kick by Andrews in the 48th minute. Belize’s midfielders Dalton “Chicken” Cayetano, Jason “Paxon” Young and Mark “Kelo” Leslie looked for more goals, but it was Brian Martinez who delivered the coup de grace in the 89th minute for the 4-2 win.

BDF & Scotiabank win in BDVA interoffice volleyball
On Saturday, the Scotiabank crew dueled with the S.Q. Dragons’ Alex Evans, Antonio Quan, Peter Quan and Fenton James who won the 1st set: 25-18 with Sherlene Johnson and Karen Quan receiving and setting the ball. Veteran captain/coach Lupita Quan and Nelissa Ramirez joined the party but Scotiabank won the next 2 sets: 25-21 and 15-13. The BTL squad put up a valiant fight, but the Belize Bank Bulldogs’ Adrian Garbutt, Chris McGann, Francis Arzu and Curtis Bradley spiked their game with Judy Hoare and Kimberly Burns helping to receive and set the plays to win the 1st set 29-27. BTL bit back, taking the next 2 sets: 25-15 and 15-10.

Police Dept Crosses the Line!
The BELIZE TIMES condemns the actions of the Police Department towards our media colleague Albert Vaughan. Officials of the Department, under manipulation from its political bosses, arrested and imprisoned Vaughan who was doing journalism work during Monday’s sanitation workers’ protest on North Front Street. Furthermore, the BELIZE TIMES also condemns the Police’s abusive and illegal behaviour of searching through Vaughan’s cellular phone and deleting pictures that were in his digital camera. A dangerous line was crossed! We demand that the Police end this charade against Vaughan and apologise for the illegal actions and abuse of authority.

Hon. Dolores assists Western Paradise Summer Camp 2014
Belize Rural Central Area Representative Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia donated food to Mr. Leon Palacio, Camp Director of the Western Paradise Summer Camp ...

PUP Patchakan Executive Sworn In
This past Sunday, August 3, 2014, the People’s United Party (PUP) Patchakan Village steering committee along with the PUP Standard Bearer for Corozal North David Castillo held a meeting with party supporters. The meeting was well attended as the number of supporters almost doubled the numbers of all general meetings in the past years. The supporters arrived in numbers and expressed that the only hope for Patchakan Village and Corozal North is David Castillo and the PUP. Following a brief address from the Standard Bearer, in which he spoke about his vision that includes the development of industries and creation of jobs in the area, the PUP Patchakan Steering Committee was officially sworn in by the Chairman of the Northern Caucus, Hon. Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez.

Mayor Bradley is Manuel Barrow!!
After spending $50 million dollars on a concreting project without a penny being publicly accounted for, Mayor Darrell Bradley seemed baffled, lost and hopeless by the recent surge in gang violence and senseless killings that is ...

AMAZING GRACE – The Tomorrow Syndrome
For many people, ‘tomorrow’ is more than just a term describing the day after today. “I’ll do it tomorrow” has become synonymous with “This is never going to happen”. Time is short and to-do lists are long so it only makes sense that certain tasks are pushed to the back ...

HOME ECONOMICS – The building of a vibrant youth-oriented economy
By Richard Harrison The population of Belize in July 2013 was estimated at 334,297 persons. Of this, 56.9% or 190,215 persons were under the age of 24, and 35.8% at the age of 14 or under. A youthful and vibrant economy should be seen, felt, heard, smelt and tasted with the vast majority ...

CitCo and Police trample on the rights of BML and its employees
By Gilroy Usher, Sr. The treatment of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) and its employees by the Belize City Council and the Police for standing up for their rights is totally unfair, distasteful, and appalling. On Tuesday forty-one employees of the company were taken to Court for taking part in a protest in ...

In my perspective… Life is so unfair, but for some it’s never been better!
By Rayford Young My recent visit to Belize was probably the most enjoyable and I was able to do quite a lot of traveling and enjoyed the beauty of our Country. After so many years I was able to visit Chetumal and boy, what a change from the days when I ...

SCALES OF JUSTICE – Dangerous for Belize
By anthony sylvestre We are happy that our hardworking resilient brothers and sisters at BML will no longer be persecuted. For persecution was what they were being subjected to ever since they were hauled off en-masse from the bus near the  Queen Street Police station a little after 9:00 a.m. Monday ...

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE – A Seine Bight/Lord’s Bank Wedding
By Dolores Balderamos Garcia On Saturday, August 2, 2014 Franisha Thomas of Lord's Bank and Albert Augustine of Seine Bight tied the knot in an exquisite wedding Mass and ceremony at Saint Alphonsus RC Church in Seine Bight Village on the Placencia Peninsula. It was a very festive and gala affair. ...

REFLECTIONS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE – Cold and Dangerous
By Francis W. Fonseca The cold heart and heavy hand of the UDP Government was on full display this past Monday in Belize City where workers of Belize Maintenance Limited Co. (BML) once again took to the streets to protest against Mayor Darrel Bradley and the UDP Belize City Council for ...

Patrick Jones

Four shooting incidents, two fatal, in 12 hours rock Belize City
The Old Capital saw another flare-up of violence at the start of this weekend, which sent a total of six persons to the hospital in twelve hours, two of them dead. Mauricio Rodriguez was injured in an incident in the Belama Phase IV area on the Northside around 8:30 p.m. Friday. Rodriguez is stable as of last report at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Around 4:15 a.m. Saturday, at the corner of Gibnut Street and Central American Boulevard, Raheem Crawford was shot in the stomach and died in surgery two hours later, while companion Kevin Faber was shot in the leg and treated and released from the hospital. Five hours later, one Joshua Gallego was shot in the elbow and left arm in the Racoon Street Extension area. He was taken for treatment at the KHMH.

Nello Player, TR Shine repeat as National Song Champions
The Memorial Park hosted a record crowd attending the sixth annual National Song Competition Final on Saturday night in Belize City. The 15 finalists impressed all present with the range of their performance and enthusiasm for creating the soundtrack of the upcoming September Celebrations. But only six prizes were available, and after three hours of competition three familiar names appeared at the top. Nello Player (full name Kernelle Parks) was named Belize Song Category champion in the Senior Division, besting Ernestine Carballo with his song “Real Belizean.” In the Carnival category, it was Ivan “TR Shine” Burgess who beat Carballo to top prize with “Borderline,” exhorting Belizeans to defend our borders.

The August 10th, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Novelo Caught In The Act:
  A man caught carrying a washing machine on his shoulder in the early hours of the morning on Monday, July 28, was arrested, charged and denied bail. Police on mobile patrol shortly after 3:00 am on Monday, July 28, in the Bradley’s Bank area of Santa Elena town reportedly came upon a male person of Hispanic decent carrying a washing machine on his shoulder. When questioned he was unable to provide a reasonable response for his action. He was detained and transported to the police station in San Ignacio along with the PL Laundromat brand, 6 kilo washing machine. The detainee was identified as Armando Novelo, 24, Belizean mason residing in the Hill View Area of Santa Elena Town.
• Police Holds Public Meeting:
  Over one hundred residents of San Ignacio, Santa Elena and surrounding villages gathered today at the Welcome Center in San Ignacio Town to listen to the police report on the local crime situation and citizen security plans. The meeting was called by the Officer Commanding the San Ignacio police formation, Superintendent of Police, Dinsdale Thompson. Sitting at the head table with Supt. Thompson and likewise addressing the gathering were Thompson’s deputy, Inspector Reymundo Reyes; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Aaron Guzman in his capacity as the Officer Commanding the Cayo (Police) District; Julian Sherrard, Chair of the People’s Coalition of Cayo; neighborhood watch Chair, Ernie Braun and retired Superintendent of Police Rudoplh Orio currently serving as the National Coordinator for Citizens On Patrol (COPS) program.
• Editorial: Who Is Lying? Who Is Telling The Truth?:
  If there is any truth in the most recent allegation, against the PUP Standard Bearer in the Belize Rural North constituency regarding impropriety involving large sums of missing money from a client, then the accused might just be in for very rough times ahead. While we sit on opposite sides of the political divide, for the sake of his sanity, his political aspirations and indeed his entire well being, we wish him no ill. The allegations against him however are extremely serious in nature given that, in months just past, he portrayed himself as the vanguard for all that is right. Even more serious is that at one juncture in his life he was aspiring to become the leader of the political party to which he belongs, an aspiration that, who knows, he might still be harboring in the back deep recesses of his mind.
• Garcia Accused of Burglarizing His Sister’s House:
  The Cristo Rey village home of Jeffery Gonzalez was reportedly burglarized between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on Wednesday, August 6. In making the report to the police, Gonzalez informed them of the prime suspect being his brother-in-law, Selvin Garcia, also residing in Cristo Rey village. The police visited the scene where they observed that entry was gained by breaking the lock on the front door. In his statement to the police requesting court action, Gonzalez itemized the missing property as a gold engagement ring valued at $900, a black Cannon brand digital camera valued at $400, an Apple brand iPod valued at $400 and a black Gucci brand wrist watch valued at $600, all for a total value of $2,300.
• Ebola: Global Experts Begin Emergency Talks At WHO:
  Global health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) are meeting to discuss new measures to tackle the Ebola outbreak. The meeting is expected to last two days and will decide whether to declare a global health emergency. On Wednesday, a man suspected to have contracted Ebola died in Saudi Arabia. If confirmed, this will be the first Ebola-related death outside of Africa. The virus has killed nearly 900 people since February in West Africa. The outbreak began in February in Guinea, and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
• Roni B Releases New CD:
  Belizean producer Rubio "Josh The Code" Tzib will be Releasing a new CD under his record label RVM records on Saturday, 9 August 2014 at Costa Maya in San Pedro Town. The tittle of the CD is "K.O.B The Gold Edition" highlighting Josh The Code as the producer, engineer and composer. The Album is a compilation of various talented artist from the beautiful country of Belize, artists such as Roni B T-Romeo del Sentimeinto, Osky la Ultima Pieza, Cholin el Pirate, El Toro Ferros and Blondy D Melody. Also debuting in the album are new artists such as Alex and Brian and Frequency 3.
• The Ultimate Father:
  I’ll never forget the moment when my husband held each of our children in his arms the first time. The almost instant and complete adoration for each child was remarkable! As the children grew, I continued to marvel at the evidence of my husband’s love for each of them. His profound love for every child has helped shape them to become godly young men and women. As I study Scripture and see the many references to God as being our Father, I read time and time again where the Bible uses “Father” in a context where it stresses God’s loving care, provision, discipline, and suggests the way we are to address God in prayer. God, as our Father, clears the way so that we can come to Him and have a deep and rich relationship with Him. He desires that!
• Facebook Sued By 25,000 Members:
  A data privacy campaigner has signed up 25,000 people to a "class action lawsuit" being taken against Facebook. Max Schrems alleges that the way the social network monitors its members' activity on and off the site puts it in breach of EU laws. As part of the claim, he also alleges that the company co-operated with Prism, a US surveillance scheme. Facebook has previously denied knowing about Prism before it was mentioned in leaked US government documents. The company has, however, acknowledged complying with national security requests from US government agencies. Facebook has not commented on the wider case being brought against it.
• Chikungunya:
  Chikungunya is an infection caused by the Chikungunya virus. It causes an illness with an acute febrile phase lasting two to five days, followed by a longer period of joint pains in the extremities; this pain may persist for years in some cases. The disease is transmitted similarly to dengue fever. It is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes. Specifically, there are two species of mosquitoes, A. albopictus and A. aegypti, that are extrinsic hosts (vectors) of chikungunya virus. The strain of chikungunya spreading to the US from the Caribbean is most easily spread by A. aegypti. There is concern that this strain of chikungunya could mutate to make the A. albopictus vector more efficient. If this mutation were to occur, chikungunya would be more of a public health concern to the US.
• Protecting The Chiquibul:
  Friends of Conservation and Development (FCD), a non-profit organization charged with the responsibility to protect the Chiquibul Reserve in the Mountain Pine Area of the Cayo District, today held closing ceremonies for European Union’s ECP-FLEGT project 2013-2014 at the Rumors Resort on the western outskirts of San Ignacio Town. During the ceremony Rafael Manzanero, FCD’s Executive Director and his team received special commendation for the wonderful work they do in the national reserve. In his presentation Manzanero informed that the major challenges confronting FCD in the Chiquibul are illegal logging, the illegal panning for gold and the extraction of the exotic Xate plant.
• Venezuela To Close Colombia Border Each Night:
  Venezuela says it will close its border with Colombia at night from Monday, to try to stop large-scale smuggling of petrol and food. The government says that tonnes of goods - produced in Venezuela and heavily subsidised - are sold in Colombia at much higher prices. The shortage of many staples in Venezuela's western border area this year led to anti-government protests. The border closure was agreed with the Colombian government. President Nicolas Maduro discussed the measures with his Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos, at a summit on 1 August. The 2,200km-long (1,360 miles) border will be closed between 22:00 local time and 05:00 every night. Cargo vehicles, including vans and lorries, will be banned from crossing from Venezuela to Colombia between 18:00 and 05:00.
• USB 'Critically Flawed' After Bug Discovery, Researchers Say:
  Cyber-security experts have dramatically called into question the safety and security of using USB to connect devices to computers. Berlin-based researchers Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell demonstrated how any USB device could be used to infect a computer without the user's knowledge. The duo said there is no practical way to defend against the vulnerability. The body responsible for the USB standard said manufacturers could build in extra security. But Mr Nohl and Mr Lell said the technology was "critically flawed". It is not uncommon for USB sticks to be used as a way of getting viruses and other malicious code onto target computers. Most famously, the Stuxnet attack on Iranian nuclear centrifuges was believed to have been caused by an infected USB stick.
• Attorney Authur Makes Money Allegations Agianst Melonie:
  Attorney Arthur Saldivar is making national headlines - after his former client Melonie Coye accused him of making off with nine hundred thousand dollars of her money that was recovered from the Central Bank. Saldivar said he did no such thing, but her new attorney Eamon Courtenay is filing suit against Saldivar to get the money back. Saldivar says that he did not take her money, but that he is owed 1.6 million dollars in fees. He explains that the allegation came as a shock, and where he speculates as to what may be behind it:.. Arthur Saldivar. Former Attorney - Melonie Coye "In terms of the latest round of cases I have not been paid not a dime. So when I heard of this news it came as a shock, a real shock to me. The allegation itself is somewhat to me some justification or rationale that perhaps my former client is using to justify not returning funds that may not be hers. I don't know. That's the only thing I can conjure up at this time.
• US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Visits Belize:
  The Embassy of the United States of America in Belize today informed of the visit of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The release informed that on Monday, August 4, 2014, the embassy hosted Luis Arreaga, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) who spent two days in Belize, visiting key locations in Belize City on the first day and travelling to western towns of San Ignacio and Benque Viejo on the second day prior to crossing the border into Guatemala in continuance of the tour.
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Videos

Video: Belize video 2014, 3min.
We stayed on the island of Caye Caulker for a few days heres what went down.

Video: Wonderland is Around You, 2min.

Video: Belize Mission Trip - May 2013, 8min.
from Mpact Ministries

Video: Motorcycle Riding in Belize, 15min.

Video: Photographs of Belize,Land of the Maya, 20min.
Journey to Belize and Guatemala, and learn more of the ancient Maya Indians.

Video: Ramon's Village, San Pedro, Belize, May 24th-29th, 2014, 4min.

Video: Sailing Belize, 40min.
2012 - Sailing Southern Belize on a Moorings 4600

Video: United 737-824 takeoff from Belize, 5min.

Video: Belize 2014! EF TOURS, 10min.

Video: KT Belize Black Hole Drop 08 09 14, 5min.