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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

Ministry of Health Update on Chikungunya Surveillance Activity
The Ministry of Health can at this time share preliminary results on samples taken during an active Chikungunya surveillance investigation done in the Las Flores area of Belmopan. Today, the Central Medical Laboratory confirmed three positive IgM antibody tests for Chikungunya from samples collected early last week as a consequence of an investigation of a suspected case of Chikungunya from the Las Flores community. These three positive IgM samples along with another sample will be sent next week Monday for further testing and confirmation by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Laboratory in Trinidad. The Ministry will provide updates as it becomes available.

Your Beliefs and Attitudes and How They Affect Your Health
Every person has beliefs about the world and their purpose in the world. Someone may believe the world is a friendly place or a not-so-friendly place. Someone may believe that their opinions matter and that they can have a positive impact in people's lives. Or an individual may believe that they are powerless and that there are too many obstacles to overcome, that there is too much to do and too short of time to do much more than pay the bills and have food to eat. You may even say, "I don't have time to worry about my health!" Or, "I know I can't get HIV because I'm not like those people that have it:" While everyone has a right to believe as they wish, it is important to reflect on your beliefs to determine if your beliefs are impacting your health.

Over 10 thousand dental patients to benefit from Belize Mission Project 2014
Over the next two weeks over 88 dental specialists, nurses and volunteers will see at least ten thousand patients in Belize as part of the Belize Mission Project 2014. The first set of 42 American dental care givers arrived on Saturday October 25th and started their clinics on October 27thin various parts of Belize. This is the 22ndyear that the team of dentists are coming to Belize headed by Dr. Frank Whipps of the Belize Mission Project. One of the larger groups is on Ambergris Caye where they are expected to conduct dental work on patients at the San Pedro Lions Club. The group consists of dentists, physicians, audiologists, dental hygienist assistants and a variety of other medical professionals. "The first group will be in Belize from the 27th to the 31st of October and the second group will be in the country from the 3rd to the 7th of November. We will have clinics all over Belize; as far north in Corozal, far south in Placenica and far west as Cayo. We go into the little villages providing free dental clinics to the general public. Last year we treated over ten thousand patients and this year we intend to see more," said Dr. Whipps.

CTV3

Consultation On Municipal Employees Regulations Carried Out In O/W
Development in the various municipalities is among the priorities in all constituencies but development is not as fast coming as we'd hope but nonetheless the efforts are there. In an effort to making this happen, government is teaming up with the various municipal teams across the countries to ensure that projects are carried through. Eugen Palacio, Director of Local Government, speaks of an initiative being carried across the country. Eugene Palacio- Director Of Local Government "It come about of the need to have one regulation so that we could have the employees of all the councils guided by that regulation, the need came about because at separation; when the employee and have termination or have retirement benefits different pieces of legislation, different contracts that they claim, that they should be benefitted from and so you have for example people say well I am governed by the labor law, or I am governed by the GWR along with some other piece of regulation and it causes confusion all over the country so we are trying to put a second regulation that will govern them all and the initiative...

CZL Police Line Up For Inspection, Good Cops Awarded
As is protocol, every end of the month officers attached to the Corozal Police Formation line up for inspection in front of the Corozal Police Station and this month was no exception. Today, over 40 police officers were individually inspected by Superintendent Andrew Ramirez, Officer In Charge of the Corozal Police Formation, with the objective of maintaining officers well attired and well-presented while on, and off duty. For this particular inspection, nine officers in rank and file were granted a day off for carrying out the rules and regulations of the department.

Celebrating Hanal Pixan
It originated from the Mayan Culture and is celebrated every 31stof October and 1st and 2nd of November. The Mayans believed that death was simply another form of life. Hanal Pix�n, which means "Food of the Soul", is celebrated to remember friends and relatives that have passed onto the afterlife. Roy Rodriguez - Retire History Prof at CJC "It goes directly to the Mayans even before the Mestizo came in to play a role here so an it has to do with the Maya preoccupation with the dead and the Maya strongly believe that the dead influence their live and because of that they would have to be in harmony with them." And when Roy Rodriguez, Retire History Professor at Corozal Community College says to be in harmony with the dead, it means that the living is obliged to set up an altar in their respective homes. But what is the real significant behind the setting of the altar and the offering set for them? We asked Rodriguez.

Keeping The Culture Of Hanal Pixan Alive
As we have mentioned before, the 31st of October and the 1st and 2nd of November, are very unique days in the Maya calendar as it marks the celebration of Hanal Pix�n or Food of the soul". In this 21st century the celebration of the Hanal Pix�n is very rare and according to Coordinator of the House of Culture in Corozal Town, Deborah Wilkes, the culture is actually disappearing. With that in mind, the Corozal House of Culture, in collaboration with NICH, organized two lectures for students on the importance of the Hanal Pix�n and the importance of keeping the culture alive. Debora Wilkes - H.O.C "Today we are honoring the Maya tradition of Hanal Pixan so our objective today was to reach out to our community and to our educational institutions and promote the tradition and honored as well so toady we have two lectures on and one this morning with Mr. Roy Rodriguez and this evening at 1:30 we have another lecture, calling out students from our local community and engaging with them on the celebration of the duly departed, I see they are engaged and I believe this is a dying tradition here or at least in Corozal Town and this morning lecture Roy was very much engage with the students and they were standard three so they are on the young side for comprehending all of this but they were very much interested, questions were being asked throughout the lecture, it is their heritage and the House of Culture is trying to bring that back and this celebration is something that goes one on the opposite side of the border, in Mexico is very much alive and this is our ancestry and our ancestors and so in Corozal I think it is very important to bring back such a tradition as this."

Tower/Hill Chan Pine Ridge Inaugurated
The unveiling of the newly renovated airstrip located at the Tower Hill/Chan Pine Ridge road was officially inaugurated today. The once white marled, dilapidated stretch was the only transit point for air arrivals to Orange Walk and whilst the numbers of tourist arrivals to our shores are steadily increasing, the need for an internationally accepted standard airstrip was pertinent. Today among several government dignitaries, BTB officials and members of the Belize Airports Authority, the newly upgraded airstrip and its name change was unveiled today. Elodio Aragon Jr. - OW EAST, STANDARD BEARER "This airstrip will go a long way to improving the safety of all those who come to Orange Walk and to all those who use it, over time the use of this airstrip has been constantly growing not only by those living in Orange Walk or doing business here but also to the many Belizeans and tourist that use it every day."

Chick-V Makes Into Belize
The Ministry of Health announced today that 3 persons tested positive for Chikungunya after preliminary IgM antibody tests confirmed that revelation. As we've been reporting, Chikungunya is an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites. Today, the Central Medical Laboratory confirmed three positive IgM antibody tests for Chikungunya from samples collected early last week as a consequence of an investigation of a suspected case of Chikungunya from the Las Flores community. Here is what with Director of Health Services, Doctor Michael Pitts from the Ministry of Health, had to say about the situation. Dr. Michael Pitts, Director of Health Services "Out of the 11 we had 3 reactive by the screen and now we are sending it for confirmation. I will tell you it is heading in the direction that we think it would go because the population, we are finding these preliminary tests positive from Las Flores where we have a lot of people traveling to Salvador and as you know Salvador have a lot of cases. We have increased our level of activities in terms of house to house inspection and spraying in the area."

The Reporter

Fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100 says IPCC
The unrestricted use of fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100, if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change, a UN-backed expert panel says. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says in a stark report that most of the world's electricity can - and must - be produced from low-carbon sources by 2050. If not, the world faces "severe, pervasive and irreversible" damage. The UN said inaction would cost "much more" than taking the necessary action. "Science has spoken," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "There is no ambiguity in their message. Leaders must act. Time is not on our side." The IPCC's Synthesis Report was published on Sunday in Copenhagen, after a week of intense debate between scientists and government officials.

Taiwan works with international community to fight Ebola
Taiwan is stepping up its preparatory measures to protect its citizens against the spread of the Ebola virus. The Taiwan embassy says that Taiwan is densely populated with a significant amount of international passenger traffic and that having experienced major disease outbreaks such as SARS, H1N1 and H7N9, it takes extreme caution to guard against the spread of communicable diseases. "When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 8, we immediately established a Task Force for Ebola Virus Disease Response to monitor the latest developments and reinforce the implementation of Ebola prevention measures", the embassy said in a press release. One of the measures that Taiwan has taken is heightened border protocols that were instituted during the post-SARS period. These include fever screening checkpoints at all entry ports, . For the current Ebola outbreak, broadcasting announcements on all arriving international flights, and urging passengers who had been in Ebola-affected West African countries within the past 21 days to contact the quarantine officer at the airport.

Patrick JonesPJ

Cool weather heading into the new week
A high pressure ridge in our area is maintaining cool and mostly dry weather conditions over the country. The general forecast for Belize and her coastal waters is for variably cloudy skies and cool temperatures. Periods of rain can be expected at sea and extreme southern coastal areas of the country. Winds over the open sea and along the coast will be northerly to northeasterly at ten to twenty knots. The sea state will be choppy to moderate. Low temperatures tonight will range from 70 degrees Fahrenheit along the coast to 64 degrees Fahrenheit inland. It will be a chilly 61 degrees Fahrenheit up in the hills.

Blogs

An Afternoon in Belize City: BTB's 3rd Annual Village Art & Crafts Expo
I walked to San Pedro town yesterday morning to go to the bank and then decide whether I'd head over to Belize City or not. The Belize Tourism Board was holding their 3rd Annual Arts & Crafts Expo in Memorial Park and Belize City is an easy hour and a half boat ride away from San Pedro. I had time. I always love getting Indian Food for lunch. Let's do it. I boarded the 10am San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi and could not have been MORE pleased to see this sign for the first time. FREE WI-FI on the water taxi! This, to me, is life changing. Christmas in November� I walked right over to the Craft Show with artisans from all over Belize. Slate carving from Cayo. Planters�art from coconuts� One of the most creative and beautiful things I saw�butterfly wing art. The wings are taken from a butterfly farm. NO not from live butterflies�from those they find on the ground�

Work, Live and Play in Diamante Beachfront Suite
Diamante is a luxury beachfront development in San Pedro Belize. It is a mix of classic and contemporary in design. It offers prospective homeowners a chance to buy a full strata condominium that is in perfect proximity to the town of San Pedro Belize and all the things that it has to offer. Aside from having one of the most coveted locations on Belize real estate, it is also designed in luxury and built with the utmost attention to structural integrity and energy efficiency. Its construction is paramount, given the exposure to the elements in this idyllic seafront location. Designed with luxury in mind, and to be built with utmost attention to structural integrity and energy efficiency, Diamante will have five stand-alone buildings are made up of two and three bedroom condos, all with 10-foot ceilings, granite countertops, high end appliances, and private balconies. Every unit of this Belize resort will feature floor to ceiling double insulated windows that offer unparalleled views of the Belize Barrier Reef and the Caribbean Sea, which lies directly ahead.

First pictures of the renovation!! Ready for high season :)
We are done with Sol! Our first "real" guest after the renovation comes tomorrow! Here are the first pictures of the new resort. We are really proud of it, and have spent the last two months working harder than we ever have (after a total of 8 months of planning and working!). These pictures were taken this morning, and of course it rained so they are a rough draft, but I couldn't wait any longer :) The sidewalk will be stained terra cotta but that is one of the only big changes that will take place over the next few months. These are in order from when you arrive at the Placencia Sidewalk. You can click for a larger view. Standing on the sidewalk, looking at the property, the Sea beyond it.

International Sourcesizz

Belize reports suspected chikungunya cases
Belize is only one of two Central American countries yet to report a confirmed autochthonous, or locally acquired chikungunya case to date (Honduras being the other); however, this may have changed as at least three confirmatory tests are pending awaiting results from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) head office in Trinidad. 7 News Belize reports that Dr. Michael Pitts, Director of Health Services said in an interview: "Out of the 11 we had 3 reactive by the screen and now we are sending it for confirmation. I will tell you it is heading in the direction that we think it would go because the population, we are finding these preliminary tests positive from Las Flores where we have a lot of people traveling to Salvador and as you know Salvador have a lot of cases. We have increased our level of activities in terms of house to house inspection and spraying in the area."

Milwaukee County Zoo sends jaguar to meet mate in San Antonio
If B'alam were on eHarmony or Match.com, his dating profile might look like this: Single, spotted male, seeking companionship. Loves destroying toys, hanging out on his favorite log and dining out on dead rats. Instead of Tinder or OKCupid, B'alam is relying on the matchmakers in charge of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program, which sent him last week from his home at the Milwaukee County Zoo to the San Antonio Zoo. His potential mate, a year-old female named Arizona, is coming from the zoo in Seattle. While Stella was born in captivity, Pat came from the wild. He was a "problem" jaguar in Belize. But instead of killing him, authorities in that Central American country took him to a local zoo and eventually transferred him to Milwaukee. Because Pat's genetics are from the wild, his offspring are higher up on the list of desirable jaguars at American zoos.

Videos

Video: Belize Maruba 2014 World Tour, 2min.
Belize was just an amazing experience! Viv and I got to experience many outdoor activities. (Horse back riding, zip lining, snorkeling, cave tubing and more

Video: Belize Blue Hole, 4.5min.
Belize Blue Hole at 40 Meters

Video: USA Belize 2014, 7min.

Video: Belize Turtle 2, 1min.

Video: JoTiGiMa in Belize 2014 Compleet Movie, min.
Complete film van Jo(han), Ti(ne); Gi(lbert) en Ma(arten in Belize, oktober 2014. Duurt wel ruim 35 min, samenvatting van de best off volgt. Complete film by Jo (han), Ti (ne); Gi (lbert) and Ma (arten in Belize, October 2014. Lasts well over 35 min, summary of the best off follows.

Video: Belize Camping Experience at Fountain of Life, 51min.
Belize Camping Experience shared at Fountain of Life on Sunday Morning, on November 02, 2014.

Video: September part 1 September, 2014, 5.5min.
In and around San Ignacio and Belize City, Belize C.A. Visiting the local market in San Ignacio, eating delicious foods from the market and local cafes and meeting the people of Belize.

Video: Feeding Tarpon at Sunset Grill San Pedro Belize, 4min.
March 2012 Feeding tarpon in San Pedro, Belize.

Video: Diving in Hol Chan and Shark Alley in Belize, 4min.
Hol Chan is one of the most amazing dive spot in Belize. In one dive you can se a lot of StingRay, turtles, sharks and moraies.

Video: Pat Bennett: Belizean Softball Player & Legend!, 27min.
The tenth episode in a video documentary series called Belizean Legends that will profile the legendary Belizean softball player and gold medalist Pat Bennett who played on the Belize national selection that won the gold medal in the 1974 Central American & Caribbean Games in Santa Domingo. Bennett discusses her softball career in Belize with Belizean Legends host Bilal Morris and revisits highlights of the game where Belize won its first gold medal in an international sports competition, and the homecoming reception that the Belize national team received from Belizeans and government alike. In this episode, Bennett who is also one of the best Belize Softball archives ever, expressed the pitching talent behind the two best Belizean pitchers at that time who helped claimed that gold medal---the natural curve ball of Isolene Heath, and the fast pitch and power of Linda Lewis who pitched the game to victory for Belize. Bennett who was also the president of the Belize Softball Federation also presents highlights of the Belize softball Bronze Medal Team that beat the United States in the 1979 Pan American Games before they won the Gold in Mexico City in the Junior Softball championships that same year. Here Bennett underscored the physical conditioning of the Belize national selection at that time, especially their ace pitcher Margaret Usher whose many strategies as a pitcher was a factor against beating the best in the world at that time the U.S national team.