FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE
Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.
Specials and Events
Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials
The San Pedro Sun
30 Day Belizean Treats Challenge: Day Five and Six
Our Belizean Treats Challenge continued over the weekend! On day five (Saturday) it was all about a Mestizo favorite: Salbutes!
But our taste buds really exploded on day six (Sunday) with the all time Belizean favorite: Rice and Beans with stew chicken and potato salad! YUMMMMMM!
Dr. Otto Rodriguez Polyclinic II providing a valuable service to the community
The Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II is equipped with a great array of services for the general public. Currently, the medical facility offers over a dozen services and is open 12 hours a day with 24/7 emergency service as well. The medical facility is committed to maintaining the health of the people of San Pedro Town.
According to Dr. Nidia Larrinaga, the clinic has an out-patient service which covers different branches in the primary health care area. "Presently, we offer maternal and child health services, in which we deliver immunization, health education in schools, pre and post natal care, vitamins/mineral supplements, pap smears, breast examinations and family spacing programs," stated Larrinaga. These services are available Monday to Friday 8AM to 5PM. The clinic is still open for emergencies after working hours and on weekends. To access the emergency room, patients are directed to follow signs at the left side of the building.
Island Athletes represent Belize at Central American Under-21 Male Volleyball Championship
Island athletes, Gabriel "Gaby" Nu�ez, Guillermo Nu�ez and Afrie Black were in El Salvador participating in the 2015 Central American Under-21 Male Volleyball Championship as part of the Belize Male Under-21 National Volleyball Team. Since Friday, August 28th the team consisting of the best volleyball players from across the country have been competing again the national U-21 volleyball selection from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panam�. The tournament is scheduled to finish on Thursday, September 3rd, with the winner advancing to the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation U-21 Male Volleyball Championships. While Belize did not take the championship they certainly garnered new volleyball skills for the other teams that will improve their play in the future. The Belize Male Under-21 National Volleyball Team was made up of Afrie Black, Simon Sedassey, Guillermo Nu�ez, Jaryn Lino, Ernan Caliz, Dane Bradley, Voshaun Castillo, Alwyn Mahung, Jiovanny Gonzalez, Gabriel Nu�ez and Terique Avila. Coaching the team was Leon Leslie and Brian Castillo, while Dawn Quan was the team manager.
Belizean economy declines 1.6% in second quarter: First six months still more productive than 2014
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) has released their Gross Domestic Product estimates for the second quarter of 2015. While the second quarter of 2015 shows an overall decline of 1.6% when compared to the same period in 2014, overall, the Belizean economy has registered a steady increase in the first six months. The report also indicated that the agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing industries are down. However, the country's level of production was 2.7% higher than in 2014 for the first six months of the year. According to SIB, the total value of goods and services produced in Belize from April to June 2015 was $728.6 million, down almost $12 million from $740.5 in the second quarter of 2014. This is a big change from the first three months of 2015 which registered an increase of 7% in comparison to the same period last year. So far the total production in the first six months of 2015 are at $1,462.4 million, 2.7% higher than the country's level of production in the first six months of 2014.
Ambergris Today
Pic of the Week - Belize King and Queen of Carnival Selected
Belize selected its King & Queen for Carnival 2015 over the weekend and Titans Mas Band swept both first places. Costume designer David Matus boasts his hard work and dedication as he created both winning costume designs. The King and Queen of Carnival will lead the parade in Belize City scheduled for September 12, 2015, as September/Independence Day Celebrations are well underway in the country.
Flashbacks - The First and Early JPs of Ambergris Caye
Today there are over one hundred Justices of the Peace in San Pedro. Not so in this flashback which goes back to the 1980's just after township of San Pedro. In this flashback for the Independence Eve's midnight flag ceremony, there are only a few up front to salute the flag because there was only a handful of J. P.'s at the time.
Mr. Baldemar Graniel Sr. was a J. P. and also a member of the first Town Council. He later became mayor of San Pedro Town. Mr. Enrique Staines Sr. had been a village council chairman and was an active J.P. Mr. Efrain Guerrero Sr. had been an early village council chairman and was an active J.P. And finally there was Iraida Staines Gonzalez, J.P. Mr. Wilfrido "Fido" Nu�ez was not present because he had retired and was living in his ranch up the coast. Mr. Abel Guerrero was also absent from the group of village Justices of the Peace. And that was it, my friends. Today the group of J.P.'s covers almost one half of the central park.
San Pedro Crowns First Ever Queen of Bacchanal
With just one week after selecting its new Miss San Pedro beauty representative, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has crowned its first ever Queen of Bacchanal, over the weekend on Saturday, September 5, 2015.
The pageant featured five young ladies, bursting with energy as they displayed their celebratory spirit in conjunction with Belize's Carnival and September Celebrations Activities honoring the country's Independence Day on September 21.
The pageant was a fundraiser event for Mystic Mas Band that is a new Carnival Group participating in the September 21st Parade in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. The pageant was not your typical beauty pageant, as the contestants graced the stage to prove who was the most energetic, colorful and patriotic. The contestants were judged in three categories that included a Swimsuit Competition, Talent Competition and Carnival Finale Performance.
Misc Belizean Sources
Little "AJ" in the middle with his catch of the day on Ambergris Caye
Heavyweight Boxing in Cayo
We're getting a heavyweight boxing match here in Cayo, at the new Victor Galvez Stadium, on Friday, September 25th. Fres Oquendo will be fighting David Ferraez. Tickets are available at Midas Resort, Catwalk Fashions, and Venus Records.
They'll be having an autograph night on the 24th at Midas Resort.
BOLEDO DRAWING for Monday, September 7, 2015: 22
Under the Shade, I Flourish: The Art Revolution in Belize
Interesting article about the art revolution in Belize. Cayo's Jorge Landero is highlighted.
"Jorge Landero is a painter. He likes to start working at three or four in the morning, after a cup of milk. His open-air studio is a concrete floor walled by a hedge of bamboo, and is frequented by his German shepherd, Max, who cannot be deterred from lapping water out of the paint cans... Now, he paints bright, beautiful canvases that hang in offices, banks, and resorts all over Belize. When Prince Harry visited the country in 2012, a resort owner touched down by helicopter to pick out a gift for him."
Metal Haven 2015
The 5th Metal Haven Bash has been announced for this Halloween. They have an amazing line up. In Bloom, Almost 7, and Verge of Umbra will all be there. Get your tickets in advance, and they are only $15.
Placencia Breeze
Sept. 2015
Channel 7
Sexual Assault of Elderly Patient At "Palm Center"
There is a disturbing case at the Belmopan residential psychiatric facility known as the "Palm Center". An 80-year-old female patient reported that a much younger male patient raped her. The alleged rape happened on Monday August 31st at around 6:00. The Center Administrator Michelle O'Brian didn't have the full details when we spoke to her today, but she told us that it may have happened while the patients were lined up to receive their medication. O'Brian told us that the alleged attacker was under supervision because he had gotten into an argument with another patient earlier. But that patient somehow got away or was left unattended- and that's when the alleged rape happened. O'Brian told us what they know so far.
Michelle O'Brien, Palm Center Administrator - Belmopan
"On August 31st, I did received a report of an alleged rape - patient to patient. To my knowledge up to this point police still have the incident under investigation. I met with them on Friday and it occlude at the facility. This is the first incident of this kind that has been reported and we have the usual staff there and we always try to ensure that we are adequately staffed. However unfortunately even when we try to put measures in place to ensure that incident like theses and this is the first one that has occurred, unfortunately I believe that this occurred in the split of a second because everyone who was to be at work was there including the security officer."
Why Rats Are A Chronic Problem At Western Regional
And while the Western Region now has that issue to deal with - it is still grappling with the very disturbing rat episode from last week Friday morning. That's when a rat squeezed into an incubator the Western Regional Hospital Nursery and bit a newborn that was only hours old. It gets no worse than that, and tonight Jules Vasquez takes us into the hospital where he found out why rats will be a persistent problem:
Jules Vasquez reporting
The Western Regional Hospital has no door - and it is at ground level. The emergency entrance is also wide open - open for rats:
Mark Bernard, Senior Public Health Inspector
"What is contributing to this problem is that this hospital is an old institution. It is on the ground level. As a matter of fact rats walk in just like how patients walk in. It's on the ground floor. There is nothing to really keep them from getting in."
But the rat that found its way into this incubator didn't walk in - he probably slipped in through here - this break in the wall of the nursery for air conditioner piping:
School Strike At Faith Nazarene
There were no classes today at the Faith Nazarene Primary School in San Ignacio. That's because the teachers spontaneously went on strike. Along with parents, they remain adamantly insistent on the removal of Principal Policarpia Pech and they wanted to make that message clear today - the day when she returned to work. When we got there - the classrooms were locked, a few students were wandering about the compound, and parents and teachers were there as well. The parents voiced their concerns:
Stephanie Moody, Concerned Mother
"We don't want the principal here because she is a chancy person. She is chancing the children. She is charging person that has already paid and who have their receipt. They have proof that they paid and she is still trying to collect. That is not fair, because right now money is hard to get. Everybody is working. I have a son and she targeted my son, she chance my son and she does my son lots of things. As something happens, my son is at her office. She targets my son. That is not fair and like I told the other radio stations, I just hope that she doesn't target our children - we, that are out there. This is not happening just now. This has been happening for 4 years now and the teachers are tired, because she treats the teachers like they are children."
Melba Balan, Concerned grandmother
"We need a change here with Miss. Pech. Because the first week of classes last week my granddaughter began going to school here. She told my granddaughter and my granddaughter corrected her and said that not how to say the word. But Miss Pech took my granddaughter to the office and beat her, because she said no little girl will correct her."
Sisters Charged For Abetment To Rape
3 persons have been charged in connection with the gang rape in Indian Creek. On Sunday August 30th a 21 year old woman was walking alone near the Nim Li Punit junction at around 4:30 in the evening. That's when 4 women grabbed her, beat her and pushed her in some bushes nearby where a man held her down while another man raped her. Police have arrested and charged sisters 29 year old Santa Shol, Zita Shol and 22 year old Albert Canti with abetment to rape. Police are still looking for 2 more persons in connection to this case. Police believe that this was a personal attack on the 21 year old because there is a feud between the Shol family and the 21 year old's family.
PUP Rally - Rebel Eleven Absent Again
Yesterday, the PUP held its 4th Power to the People Rally - this time in the Belize Rural North Constituency. The idea behind the series of meetings is to make the party's candidates accessible to the voters of the area that they are meeting in. But, again, 11 of those candidates were absent - those being the G11 who are currently at odds with the party's leadership. Importantly, four of those eleven are from the Belize District, or Eastern Caucus and they too boycotted the event.
So, the PUP leadership took that impaired roster into the UDP stronghold of Belize Rural North, where, just over 2 months ago the current Area Rep., Edmond Castro, brought out just over 2100 voters for a contested convention and won by a margin of 3 to 1.
For the PUP, our count says that around 700 persons showed up at the Community Center Grounds in Sandhill Village. We saw around 12 buses, suggesting that many of the supporters were not residents of Rural North. That would suggest that the voters in that constituency did not show up to listen to the PUP Leaders, certainly not in the kind of numbers that the party would hope for. We challenged the Deputy, Julius Espat, and not surprisingly, he disagreed:
Hon. Castro Stoned Out Of PUP Event
While the Power to the People Rally was in full swing, a most peculiar thing happened. PUP Standard Bearer Dolores Balderamos-Garcia was delivering her speech when, suddenly, everyone's attention was drawn to the rear of the compound. At first it appeared that some sort of fight had broken out, but when we went to see for ourselves, we found current Area Rep. Edmond Castro, in the throes of a projectile assault from a mob of angry PUP supporters.
Apparently, he had decided to see for himself how the PUP event was going, and he drove his vehicle unto the compound of the Sandhill Community Grounds. He was about to drive out when he was sighted, and that's when the PUP's crowded his vehicle and started stoning it with bottles, water, stones, and pretty much anything they could get their hands on.
The police officers on duty did as much as they could to try to control the crowd, but Castro had to make a hasty retreat. Shortly after, one of the attendants of the rally took to the mic during the questions and comments section and proudly declared that she helped to run Castro out on Lloyd Jones' behalf. Here's how she put it:
Lloyd Jones Endorsed, Questions Arise
Yesterday's rally also served as the platform for the party to officially endorse Major Lloyd Jones as their standard bearer for that constituency. 4 months after he was introduced as one of the PUP's newest name brands, he was officially sworn in. Circumstances have changed since then because the man who brought him in, former campaign manager Godfrey Smith has been rinsed from the PUP Executive. But Jones stayed on, and here's what he had to say to those in attendance in his first address after taking the party's oath:
Major Lloyd Jones - PUP Standard Bearer, BRN
"On May 4th, I made one of the most important decisions of my life. I decided to get involved in partisan political politics. i offered myself as a standard bearer for the People's United Party in Belize Rural North. Like so many other Belizeans I have grown tired of a political system that promises hope, but delivers anguish. A political system that destroys rather than build. A political system that snatches away dreams rather than help us to fulfil them."
Hon Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"Major, we welcome you. We are proud and honored to have you join our team 31. You are a good man. The people of Belize Rural North are getting to know you."
Jones Weighs In On Contents Of Diplomatic Note
On Friday, we showed you an excerpt of the comments that PUP Senator Lisa Shoman gave last week Friday. She was speaking on the topic of the Belize Government's diplomatic note of protest to Guatemala following the Sarstoon River confrontation between the Belize Territorial Volunteers and the Guatemalan Navy.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow, in a prime ministerial press conference to address the expedition to Sarstoon Island, say, that "an extremely strong protest note" had been sent. Well, Senator Shoman disclosed some of the wording of that note and declared that it was weak.
Lloyd Jones, a former BDF major seized on his new platform as politician to criticize the government's foreign policy with Guatemala. Here's what he had to say about that and the current political upheaval in that country:
Major Lloyd Jones - PUP Standard Bearer, BRN
"I think the protest note reflects precisely the kind of cowardly behavior that we see coming out of the Barrow administration with respect to Guatemala. Mr. Barrow is bombastic when it comes to the Belizean people, but the shudders in fear when it comes to the Guatemalans. What we need in this country is a leader who is smart, but fearless and will have Guatemala understand that they cannot continue to bully us. At some point we are going to have to stand up as a people, otherwise this kind of behavior is going to continue and it will only get worse."
Can Jaguars Rebound From Loss To Canada?
Right now, the Belize national team is trying to recover from the 3 goals that the Canadian National Team scored against them on Friday in Toronto. The Canadians got 26 shots, while Belize took only one - and that kind of sums up an outing that was primarily defensive for the Belize side.
But what will happen when they play tomorrow night at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan? This afternoon, Assistant Coach Charlie Slusher told us that the goal is still to make it to the 4th Round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
Charlie Slusher, Assistant Coach - Belize National Team
"I think tactical wise we watch all the teams, the Canadian team we knew what they would have brought for the game and exactly how the Canadian played is how we expected them to play. Now on our end we practice how to counter that and we started the game with the right approach pressing from three quarters of the field, but later we fell on our half defending our half and we know that as long as we do that we would be in a lot of problems because that's the strength of the Canadian team. They play a lot of long ball, they load up in your box and if you allowed that to happen, then you will get hurt. So I think we really didn't execute our game plan and I think the simple answer to why we did not really play the way we should have is that we didn't execute our game plan going into that game."
Expo, Still Finding Favour With Consumers
This past weekend was the busiest on the September celebrations schedule, from the Belikin Bash to the Carnival King and Queen to the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Expo.
Each event has its own pull and its own fans, but the Expo crosses all demographics - because, after all, who doesn't want a deal? At this year's opening of the trade show, Chamber President Arturo "Tux" Vasquez talked about how the expo came about some 19 years ago:
Arturo "Tux" Vasquez - President, BCCI
"The Expo over the years evolve into its new name and identity: "Expo Belize Market Place." The largest consumer trade show in the country and a significant and welcoming addition to the September celebration calendar. This year marks our 19th anniversary after starting back in 1996. What a long way to have come, despite its yearly difficulty face by the chamber in putting this event together. September as you all know is a month of celebration with many different activities happening to commemorate our month of Independence and 10th celebrations. We have managed to organized ourselves with the September Celebration Committee schedule in order to properly fit into such a busy month.
Woman And One Year Old Jacked On Farm
A woman was robbed on a feeder road off mile 20 on the Hummingbird Highway - when she was with her 1 year old daughter. On Friday morning at 9:30 the 26 year old mother was driving down a feeder road heading to her farm when she saw some bushes and branches blocking her way. She reversed and that was when two men jumped out of the bushes on the side of the road. One of the men pointed a gun to her forehead and demanded the vehicle, her cell phone and cash while the other went to the passenger side and took out the baby and placed her on the ground. The men tied the woman up, left her and her baby on the side of the road and sped off with the vehicle. The vehicle was later recovered in Cayo but police continue to look for the 2 men. The woman's Chevy pickup is valued at $24,000.
Senate Favors Fortis Settlement
Friday's Senate meeting was a marathon session - going up until about 4:00 in the evening. So, in Friday's news we didn't get to include any excerpts from the debate on Government's settlement with Fortis for the 2001 BEL acquisition. The Senator from the business sector said they approved of it, and of the source of funding:..
Hon. Mark Lizarraga, Business Senator
"Mr. President, the business community is pleased to see that we are finally using Petrocaribe money, affordable loan money to retire debt obligations of tax payers in the settlement of the bonds and the Fortis debt. We are pleased to see that the government has heeded the advice of the business community for the use of the Petrocaribe money in this most appropriate manner. Mr. President, we are happy to see this motion before us today, one that we will support, because this motion today vindicates and exonorates the business community, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, its leadership and its then senator, Senator Hulse. Our position then was clearly that government had taken a premature position an unjustified solution in the acquisition of BEL. Today, 4 years later, we are vindicated, as government has come to its senses and negotiated a settlement as was our advice to them 4 years ago."
Hon. Lisa Shoman, PUP Senator
"When we look at the deal that has been struck, we have to realize that it is the government that has woken up from its self-delusional coma to now admit that they need the strategic partner of FORTIS INC. and it is no doubt the smelling saults of a CCJ judgement that has taken them out of that self-induce coma."
PACT Act Pushed Through, Finally
The Senate also passed the Amendments to the PACT Act on Friday. These amendments had come under fire from some in the conservation community - and there was vigorous input at the house committee level. But on Friday, the sponsor of the bill, Minister of Forestry Fisheries and Sustainable Development Lisel Alamilla give it the final push through the legislature:..
They Stole Sterling Silver From Out The Box
Burglars got away with over $16,000 dollars' worth of sterling silver jewelry from the Art Box in Belmopan. On Saturday night after 8:00, 2 men broke into the Art Box through one of the windows. The man staying there at the time told police that when he emerged from the room where he and his wife were staying - the 2 masked men approached him with a machete and a hammer. They ordered him to kneel and they stole $16,500 worth of jewelry and $2,900 in cash. No one has been detained.
The Wild Abandon Of Mas Camps
On Friday night, due to time constraints, we didn't bring your part three of our mas camp coverage. And of course, it's not the kind of thing you just leave on the cutting room floor - and that's because there's just no easy way to ignore the reckless abandon of mas camp, dancing in the streets on a weeknight - like there's no tomorrow. That's the spirit we encountered on Thursday night.
And from Mas Camps right into Saturday night's Carnival King and Queen Competition, at the Rogers Stadium.
It started at around 8:00 and lasted for a marathon 5 hours. Here are a few highlights of the competition in all 4 categories:
As noted in the story, the entry from Mahogany Mas Band was chosen as the Junior Carnival Queen. The Junior King was chosen from Jump Street Posse. Titan's Mas Band won both the Senior King and Queen Competitions.
Carnival King And Queen Complaints
But, of course, it's carnival so there's always going to be contention - and differences of opinion over the results. You could call it sour grapes, but a number of senior bands are straight up saying that the judges bent the rules to make the Titan Band emerge victorious in the Senior King and Queen competitions. We spoke to them this evening and found bitterness in abundance:..
The interviews were conducted late in the evening, and we could not reach the President of The Belize Carnival Association for comment.
Channel 5
Murder in Roaring Creek
There is breaking news tonight of the murder of another Roaring Creek resident. Late this evening, the resident, identified as Devin Neal, was riding a motorcycle near the Valley of [...]
Police Investigate Disturbing Allegation of Rape at Palm Centre
The Palm Centre is a residential psychiatric facility currently housing thirty-five patients, primarily persons that have been de-institutionalized from the Rockview Hospital, but have nowhere else to go and no [...]
Health C.E.O. Says Ministry Safeguarding Rights of Alleged Victim and Rapist
The outrageous allegation of the sexual assault of an elderly woman inside a mental health facility is unthinkable as is the accusation against another, much younger, mentally challenged patient.� The [...]
WRH Administrator Says Measures Being Taken To Rid Facility of Rats
A nightmarish scenario played out at the Western Regional Hospital on Friday. As we reported, somehow a large, adult rat managed to get into the nursery and into a sanitary [...]
C.E.O. Baffled By Latest WRH Rat Incident
An official public health investigation is underway at the Western Regional Hospital to determine just how the unimaginable could have happened inside the neonatal unit where a newborn was reportedly [...]
Rats Proving Difficult to Remove From the WRH
The latest scandal at the Western Regional Hospital does little to boost the morale of those accessing healthcare services at the facility.� Not only is the recent incident another public [...]
Jimmy Morales Stages Upset in Guatemalan Elections
There has been a major upset in the Guatemalan elections.� Jimmy Morales, a businessman and comedian, is the front- runner in Sunday's elections. Latest poll results show that while Morales [...]
Trinidadians Await Results of Elections
There is also an election taking place today in Trinidad and Tobago where the polls have closed but a winner is yet to be declared. About one point one million [...]
B.D.F. Soldier Arraigned for Sexual Offences
A B.D.F. solider has been arraigned for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse and Grievous Harm; he is twenty-nine years old and the alleged victim is fourteen. � Late Friday evening, the B.D.F. [...]
Buller Charged for Violent Home Invasion
A woman's house was burglarized while she was at home and when she tried to confront the burglar, she and her daughter were attacked.� But tonight, the alleged culprit is [...]
2 Die in Separate Weekend RTAs
There were two traffic fatalities over the weekend in the Corozal District. On Sunday night, police found forty-five year old Dionicio Acosta of San Narciso Village dead on the San [...]
Health Initiative Unveiled in the Toledo District
Primary schools in the Toledo district were today recipients of equipment under a project with the World Bank, the Japanese Social Development Fund and the Ministry of Health. The equipment [...]
Jaguars Prepare to Face Canada Tuesday
The Belize Jaguars lost a heartbreaker to Canada on Friday - three to zero. But the story was not the score as much as it was the lacklustre showing for [...]
Striker Deon McCaulay is a NO SHOW at Practice
One key player on the Jaguars line-up was missing from practice this morning. Actually, reports are that prolific striker Deon McCaulay only showed up for two practices in August. Best [...]
F.F.B. Executive Says Feeding Program for Jaguars was Deficient
Quite apart from facing a very formidable Canadian team on Tuesday, the Jaguars have been having other problems. The players are housed and fed at the F.F.B. headquarters in Belmopan, [...]
A Look at the Carnival King & Queen Competition
There was only standing room available at Roger's Stadium on Saturday for revelers of the anticipated King and Queen Competition. After long hours of judging, the results were finally in [...]
Sporting Highlights with James Adderley
Good evening, I'm James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. Toronto Canada was the scene where the national male football selection at 5:30 p.m. Friday Belize time, took on [...]
AmbergrisCaye.com 
