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Police Updates Media on Robbery Gone Wrong
Belize City police are reviewing security camera footage, hoping to determine what exactly unfolded inside Kephawn's Pawnshop at the Commercial Center in Belize City yesterday afternoon. The shooting incident drew a huge crowd that blocked traffic downtown. They too wanted to know what had happened. Inside the pawnshop was the body of 20-year-old Phillip Anthony [�]
Shoman vs Faber in Collet
The Collet Division is one of thirty one electoral areas that will see voters coming out on November 4 to elect an Area Representative. Today, we met up with the two candidates for that area. The incumbent, Patrick Faber told us that he is not sure where his opponent is campaigning or what she is [�]
FREE Education - Practical or Not?
A few days ago, the manifesto promises from the two main political parties were highlighted during a special ceremony held at their respective headquarters. One of the focuses of those manifestos was the issue of education and how they plan to address the needs in that area. The People's United Party has pledged to provide [�]
First Female President Appointed for SJC Junior College
Mirtha Peralta has been appointed to be the new President of Saint John's College. Peralta is now the first female president to be appointed to the post. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Education from the University College of Belize and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida in [�]
PlusTV
Banana Farm workers protest
Maya King Farms workers, about 700 of them, were protesting today because there is no more work at the banana plants. The banana workers held a two hour, peaceful protest at the Big Creek Port at the Head Quarters of Fyffes and Banana Grower's Association. As we told you yesterday, Maya King's only buyer, Fyffes , abruptly pulled out following a recent interview with Maya King's Farm where John Zabaneh, the previous owner of Maya King, acted as the spokesperson for the company. Zabaneh is listed under the US Drug Kingpin list and that blacklisting was gravely affecting the company. The solution was to install a managerial company; Meridian Company ; but late last week, Fyffes informed Meridian that they will no longer be buying bananas from them. Meridian, who was already struggling to meet payroll, was left with no other choice but to inform their workers that they have no work for them. The workers are incensed and desperate. Today, we spoke with some of them who were protesting Fyffes decision.
Amandala
New passport controversy - "shades of Penner" scandal?
With general elections a mere two weeks away, another scandal involving passports began to unfold in San Ignacio Town on Tuesday after a bag containing a Belizean passport and several foreign-owned passports and other documents was discovered in a business establishment and handed over to police, who have not named the establishment.
The discovery led to two days of protests in front of the San Ignacio Police Station by People's United Party supporters who view the discovery of the passports with suspicion, because they were connected to a known United Democratic Party operative.
This evening, Amandala spoke to the officer in charge of San Ignacio police, Superintendent Andrew Ramirez, who told us that the passports and documents were turned over to the Major Crimes Unit in Belmopan, and that he cannot make any comment.
5 houses crashed in storm
The owners of five houses which underwent either complete or partial collapse after not being able to withstand the onslaught of a low pressure system that passed over Belize over the weekend, are still struggling to regain some sense of normalcy in their lives and to pick up the pieces in the face of devastating loss.
In the case of Kendra Smith, one of these five homeowners, her house on Jane Usher Boulevard was partially damaged. The verandah of the house was torn off, there are no stairs, and the upper portion of the house is leaning forward, and appears ready to come crashing down at any moment. At about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, Smith was washing under the house, when the verandah and stairs collapsed and the house leaned forward.
US scares off Fyffes!
Today, a demonstration was staged in front of the offices of the Banana Growers Association, the exporter for Fyffes, in Independence Village, by hundreds of workers of Meridian Enterprise Limited, located in Mayan King Village. These workers, their families and other sympathetic supporters were protesting the recent move by Fyffes, an Irish multi-national business, to sever its business relationship with Meridian Enterprise-a decision which means that they are now out of a job, and suffering through no fault of their own.
Fyffes has said that its decision follows reports that John Zabaneh, whom the United States of America had designated as a "drug kingpin" in 2012 over alleged ties to the Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel, has been connected with Meridian Enterprise. Zabaneh had formerly operated a banana business under Maya King Ltd.
Alleged pawnshop robber shot dead!
A shooting incident this afternoon in the downtown area of the city resulted in the death of a 20-year-old man, who allegedly had gone to rob a business establishment.
Police have not yet issued a report on this incident, only saying that they will brief the press tomorrow, Friday.
Around 1:30 p.m., traffic that was heading over the Swing Bridge had to be diverted from Bishop Street, at its junction with Regent Street, as police had sealed off the area while they processed the scene inside Kephawn's Pawn Shop, located at the southern corner of the Belize City Commercial Center.
"Munchie" involved in murder plot, prisoner suddenly alleges
Three men who are accused of the brutal murder of Ramon Cervantes, Sr., appeared in the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court yesterday, Wednesday, for a preliminary inquiry to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence against them to commit them to stand trial in the Northern Session of the Supreme Court.
As the paper committal hearing was nearing its end, however, one of the accused men, Noe Gonzalez, shocked the courtroom, causing an uproar when he told Senior Magistrate Merlene Moody that he wanted to address the court, which was an unusual request.
The court prosecutor, Edwin Burallos, told the court that he hoped what was going to be said by the accused man had some bearing on the paper committal proceeding; otherwise he would object to allowing him to address the court, but the Senior Magistrate overruled him and allowed Gonzalez to speak.
54-year-old accused rapist of child, 13, remanded
Alphonso Wiltshire, 54, president of the San Pedro Taxi Association and a landlord of San Juan, was remanded to the Belize Central Prison on Friday in the San Pedro Magistrate's Court on two counts of aggravated burglary and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse for raping a 13-year-old girl.
Police say that Wiltshire went into the girl's home when she was alone, and raped her at gunpoint, threatening her life if she reported him to police.
The girl, in the presence of her mother, told police that Wiltshire had raped her more than once, the first time occurring on Sunday, May 3. Wiltshire, she said, came into the home, showed her his gun and told her not to tell anyone, or he would kill her.
Editorial: Bullies at home and wimps abroad
In a couple days the people of Guatemala will vote in a run-off presidential election to decide between Jimmy Morales and Sandra Torres as their new President.
Belizeans will have noted that whereas between February and August of this year, the temperature in Belize-Guatemala relations rose dangerously high, featuring repeated incidents at the mouth of the Sarstoon River and around the Sarstoon Island, since the resignation and arrest of Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina in September, things have quieted down substantially.
We think Belizeans can expect the Guatemalan power structure, which is dominated by a continuing alliance between the Guatemalan business/industrial sector and the extraordinarily powerful Guatemalan military, to become aggressive again towards Belize once a new Guatemalan President is installed. The new President will be a civilian, but the nature of Guatemala's very delicate democracy is such that any civilian President who defies the Guatemalan military would be behaving in a suicidal manner. This is a historical reality.
From the Publisher
I was struck by an opinion piece I read in the editorial pages of The New York Times' issue of Saturday, October 10, 2015. The New York Times is the most prestigious newspaper in the United States of America, planet earth's superpower. The opinion piece was written by Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard, the most prestigious university in the United States. Her opinion piece indicts Exxon Mobil, an oil company, for its perfidy where the matter of climate change is concerned. Exxon Mobil may be the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful business corporation in the United States. If it is not, it is close to being that.
I will use my column this week to reproduce Professor Oreskes' opinion piece, because the lesson is classic: corporations are so driven by their greed for profits that they are willing to sacrifice the good of humanity and the welfare of the planet itself. We saw this in the case of the tobacco industry, which spent decades and billions seeking to deny that cigarette smoking caused lung cancer and other illnesses.
On "nature and nurture �"
Dear Editor,
I cannot remain silent in view of the suggestion in your editorial of 11 October entitled "Need and Greed" that the needy are inherently (at birth) unequal in gifts and talents. The editorial suggests a direct correlation between such inequalities and poverty. In reference to the late Prime Minister Mr. George Price, the editorial described him as always having a real concern for the poor; that in fact it appeared that Mr. Price had become a socialist, meaning Mr. Price believed that the state, the government, should work to ensure that the natural inequalities amongst Belizeans did not become cancerous. Please allow me the following in which I draw from many sources and from my own training and experiences in working with the poor.
Your editorial came down in no uncertain terms on the side of nature in the debate on Nature vs Nurture. It stated that "in any field of endeavor, some humans will surge ahead of others and that is because of intrinsic inequalities in gifts and talents." Yes, some people do better than others but is, it because of intrinsic inequalities in gifts and talents?
PUP launches "Power to the People" manifesto
This morning the Opposition People's United Party (PUP) launched its 2015-2019 Power to the People manifesto at its Independence Hall headquarters, where 30 of the 31 PUP standard bearers who are contesting the November 4 general elections were present.
PUP Leader Francis Fonseca spoke about his party's 10-point manifesto captioned "Urgent Matters."
In its introduction, Fonseca writes, "This manifesto is being presented at a time of great uncertainty. In our 34 years of independence, our neighbor to the west has become more belligerent in its unfounded claim to our country.
"The hard work of the previous PUP administrations that consolidated our security and achieved Guatemalan recognition of our sovereignty has been jeopardized by the UDP government. Their irresponsible action of appeasement, in the face of aggression at the Sarstoon River, has created an unacceptable appearance of land cession in the south of our country."
SCA on a roll
Game 1 in the best-of-3 games semifinal series for females (F) and males (M) of the Central Secondary Schools Sports Association (CSSSA) 2015-2016 Volleyball Competition were played today at Bird's Isle; and, thanks to sports director Ms. Barbara Cadle of the National Sports Council, we have the final scores for the 4 games played today. The first game started at 2:30 p.m., but, because 3 of the 4 games went beyond 3 sets, the last game of the evening was not completed until just after 9:00 p.m. tonight. And, as the scores indicate, it was an evening of excitement and tough competition, with two contests going to 4 sets, and one to all of 5 sets. Only traditional powerhouse SCA was able to cruise to an easy straight sets victory.
Here are the scores: (F) SCA defeated ACC, 25-6, 25-11, 25-5; (F) Belize High def. Nazarene High, 25-17, 25-7, 24-26, 25-13; (M) SJC def. ACC, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22; and (M) Belize High outlasted Ladyville Tech, 17-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-19, 18-16.
PLB playoff race tightens
Details are not in yet, but confirmed reports indicate that in last night's back match played at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan to complete the first round of regular season in the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2015-2016 Opening Season, it was Belmopan Bandits with the 4-3 win over BDF. The win catapults the Bandits right into "the thick of things," as the playoff race tightens going into the second round of regular season games.
The second round begins this weekend with Week 6 games. Tonight, Verdes FC is facing San Franciso FC in Panama, to complete their CONCACAF Champions League 2015 participation. The scheduled Saturday night encounter between Verdes FC and Placencia Assassins FC is therefore still questionable.
Verdes loses 8-nil to San Francisco in Panama
Making it to the quarterfinals was already out of the question for Belize's Verdes FC going into tonight's final game in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage against San Francisco FC at the Estadio Maracana de Panama. But, after a 2-1 victory at home on September 22, Verdes was looking to end our first venture into this prestigious regional tournament on a good note; if not a victory, at least a respectable loss. It was neither.
Unfortunately for Verdes and their praying fans back home in the Jewel, a disturbing pattern continued where, after a good showing at home, our team received a big score on foreign soil. After drawing 0-0 with Queretaro FC of Mexico at the FFB Stadium on August 18, Verdes promptly fell to Queretaro by an 8-0 margin on September 17 in Queretaro, Mexico. That was at high altitude; approximately 6,000 feet above sea level. Verdes promptly returned home, regrouped, and dealt the visiting San Francisco FC of Panama a 2-1 surprise a few days later on September 22 at our FFB Stadium. Panama would not be at high altitude like Mexico, so there were high hopes for Verdes going into tonight's return match a month later; but those hopes were dashed early, as San Francisco came out blazing, taking a 1-0 lead at the 3rd minute, and adding 3 more by half-time, on their way to an 8-0 shelling, to match the score dealt Verdes by Queretaro.
UDP launches general elections manifesto
UDP party leader, Dean Barrow, and twenty-eight of the thirty-one standard bearers of that party, along with their supporters and the media gathered today at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City for the launch of the party's manifesto, titled "The Best Is Yet To Come: UDP Third Term Agenda 2015-2020." This is the party's third manifesto in eight years and eight months, as it seeks to win an unprecedented third term.
The event was chaired by Alberto August, Chairman of the party, who did the introduction of select speakers who spoke specifically about certain sections of the document.
Douglas Singh, Chairman of the Public Policy and Platform Committee, was the first to present on the consultative process used by the party to come up with the largest manifesto ever to be published by the UDP. Singh said that the consultative process included the private sector forum, and focus groups from various sectors which make the document worthy of all stakeholders. Singh said that the manifesto reflects that the party "intends to continue building on our past success of the last two terms."
The public isn't concerned about the Guatemalan problem �" - Sedi
At Wednesday's launch of the UDP Manifesto, no mention was made by the Party of the unfounded claim of Guatemala against Belize; one would have thought that so important an issue would have been given extra attention by the party's spokespersons.
When Amandala posed the question to those gathered on the stage, the amount of static energy created by the question was remarkable.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow handed over the answering of the question to Hon. Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who immediately dived into a diatribe about the media in Belize.
"The Belize-Guatemala issue", he said, "at least at this time, is one of those creations of the media. It is not, in fact, an issue that the public is concerned about. It is a concern for only certain sections of the media."
Gold panners still targeting Chiquibul's wealth untold
Expensive gold nuggets continue to be pillaged from Belize's Chiquibul Forest-evidently by Guatemalans who knowingly make illegal incursions across the border into Belizean territory. Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), the conservation NGO which co-manages the Chiquibul National Park, notes that patrols from the Joint Forces Unit, which includes military and police, have seldom been successful in capturing gold panners.
Recently, though, one Guatemalan, Eliseo Che Mucu, 35, of Monte Los Olivos, Dolores, Petén, was captured-while two of his accomplices escaped.
Mucu-who was detained last Thursday, October 15, approximately 7 kilometers, or more than 4 miles, inside Belize in the Chiquibul National Park-was taken to court after he was found illegally panning for gold in the southern section of the park, according to FCD Executive Director, Rafael Manzanero.
Mucu's camp, which was located near the river but hidden in the forest, was searched and 3 vials containing what is believed to be gold were found. Each of the three vials is capable of holding several hundred dollars' worth of gold.
Supreme Court denies Keyren Tzib's bail application on medical grounds
Keyren Tzib and her attorney Darrell Bradley have been making the rounds of the Supreme Court, hoping to obtain a favorable outcome to a bail application filed seven weeks ago, but today, Justice John "Troadio" Gonzalez ruled to deny bail to Tzib based on evidence presented by a psychiatrist who examined her.
Keyren Tzib, a Belize Coast Guard seaman who is on interdiction, accused of attempted murder and manslaughter in two separate incidents, has been described by psychiatrist Dr. Richard Olivera as suffering from bipolar disorder.
Under cross-examination, Dr. Olivera told the court that if Tzib is provoked she would be violent to herself and others.
During the lengthy bail application hearings, a number of submissions were made by Crown Counsel Sheiniza Smith, who opposed the granting of bail to Tzib on the grounds that she represents a danger to society and to herself.
The Reporter
Credit Union League holds financial literacy competition
Thirteen students from around the country gathered at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall on Friday to compete in the first ever National Fr. Marion Ganey Quiz Competition. The competition, hosted by the Belize Credit Union League in collaboration with member credit unions countrywide and the […]
Editorial
On November 4, the day Belizeans go to the polls to elect a new government 43, year old Justin Trudeau will be sworn in as Canada's new Prime Minister. s. He has pledged that his Cabinet will be made up in equal numbers of men and women. Canadians feel the […]
Political promises released!
By Benjamin Flowers Staff Reporter The United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People's United Party (PUP) both released party manifestos outlining each party's plans and goals for the next five years if elected. And though some points were similar, the parties widely differed on other […]
Accused killer says Ramon the son paid to kill his Dad
In a macabre twist to an already horrific murder, one of the men accused of abducting and then killing Ramon Cervantes Sr., stood up in Court on Wednesday and told the Magistrate that the man who hired him to kill Cervantes was right there in the courtroom. He pointed to […]
Robbery turns deadly for one of three thieves
One of three robbers lost his life on Thursday, while holding up Kephawn's Pawn Shop, on Albert Street in Belize City. The shop is owned by PUP representative, Gilroy Usher Sr., and it is reported that one of his sons was present at the […]
BTB hosts first annual Digital Marketing Summit
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB), this week hosted a Digital Marketing Summit and invited consultants from leading international brands to share expertise, mainly with tourism industry stakeholders, on the significance of developing digital-media strategies. Mynor Larrieu, BTB Digital Marketing manager said the event was […]
Sunscreen ingredient damages reef
An ingredient in sun screen is causing major damage to coral reefs, reveales a new study. A team of marine scientists from Virginia, Florida, Israel, the National Aquarium (US) and the US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration published the study on Tuesday, showing that the […]
Dialisis de Belice offers affordable care
A new kidney dialysis treatment facility, Dialisis de Belice, is introducing its services to Belize, offering dialysis at a significantly cheaper price than ordinarily is the case. Dialisis de Honduras’ Chief Executive Officer Patricia Molina and Chairman Donald Swendener joined Orange Walk Town Councilor Angel […]
Tourism on the rise, BTB says
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) has reported a positive increase of tourism arrivals to the country in the third-quarter of the year. This was after the Board reported a decrease in overall arrivals through the first half of the year in comparison to 2014's […]
ECLAC says tough decisions lie ahead
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, this week called for countries to make economic adjustments in light of its prediction that the value of Latin American and Caribbean exports will decline. On Tuesday ECLAC presented its annual report “Latin America and […]
Youth sells weed in order to pay for police record
In order to pay for a police record which costs $15.00, a 20-year-old youth set out to sell 14 grams of weed. When the matter was taken to court, the presiding judge deemed the act ridiculous and remanded Maverick Akeem Forbes to prison for […]
Guatemalans running for office?
Two candidates for the upcoming General Elections have been cited by local media for having Guatemalan nationality. Ralph Huang, member of the United Democratic Party (UDP) for the Cayo South division, and Dr. Lesbia Guerra Cocom, People’s United Party (PUP) member for Cayo West, denied […]
Floods cause transport problems in the north
The Corozal-Chetumal border this past Sunday, was a chaotic scene as buses were advised to not cross over into Chetumal due to massive floods, which were caused by a low-pressure system that impacted much of Belize as well. Maria Dominguez, officer in charge of the […]
New Pediatric intensive Care unit opening at KHMH
After two years, the new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is preparing to open at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. According to the Office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children (SEWC), the new facility is scheduled to open on Tuesday October 27. The specialized […]
Breaking Belize News
BWS and BWSWU finalise Collective Bargaining Agreement
Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) and the Belize Water Services Workers Union (BWSWU) has finalised a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), this according to release issued by the company today. The new CBA will be submitted to the Ministry of Labour for review before its formal signing. In [�]
25 years of the Belize National Dance Company
As we told you yesterday, the Belize National Dance Company is marking its 25th or Silver anniversary of formation in 1990. Its 78 current members range from ages 3 to 16 for juniors and two groups of adults: the main company performers and affiliates who do not have [�]
BEL delivers Care Packages
State-run electricity providers Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) says it is today distributing care packages to 165 families in Belize City affected this past weekend's floods, supported by the Community Policing Unit of the Belize Police Department, Eastern Division, and Unity Presbyterian School. The police helped identify certain families around the [�]
Patricia weakens slightly, still extremely dangerous
Hurricane Patricia, the strongest hurricane ever recorded, weakened slightly Friday as it barreled closer to Mexico's Pacific coast, with sustained winds decreasing to 190 miles per hour (mph) and gusts to 235 mph. The storm began lashing the coast this evening with strong winds and rain as residents of areas near the [�]
BDF visit Marine Camp
The website of the United States Marine Corps reports that leaders of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) visited the U.S. Marine Corps Forces South headquarters at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, U.S.A. earlier this week. BDF Commander Brigadier General David Jones led the group and said that for him, the visit [�]
Belize and Pakistan establish diplomatic relations
Belize has a standing Indian community, but their neighbour Pakistan has never had diplomatic relations with us, that is until this week. In Mexico City on Wednesday, the governments of Belize and Pakistan, an Islamic republic, officially established diplomatic relations via a joint communiqué signed by Ambassador Oliver del Cid, based [�]
Young men accused of handling stolen motorbikes
Two teenagers and two adult males are accused jointly of handling stolen goods, to wit two motorcycles, reported stolen and found in a yard. 18 year old , a construction worker of Mopan Street; 21 year old Leroy Sutherland, a mechanic of Vernon Street; and 22 year old [�]
Kareem Smith accused of red-handed burglary
He was accused and acquitted along with his brother of causing murder and mayhem when a grenade was lobbed at a group of residents of Mayflower Street and surrounding areas seven years ago. But he returned to court today, this time accused of breaking into a home in [�]
As elections near, the promises pour
The United Democratic Party (UDP) and People's United Party (PUP), this week, both released their respective manifestos making many promises in an attempt to appeal to the voting public one last time before general elections, less than two weeks away. Each party's plans and goals for the next five years, [�]
Would-be robber shot dead
The body of 20-year-old Phillip Anthony Barrera was found lying on the ground with apparent gunshot wounds on Regent Street, Belize City, yesterday, October 22nd. Police arrived on the scene at around 2:05 p.m. and were told that Barrera and another male person were attempting to rob a pawn shop with a [�]
Reported accident near Rumors Resort
Information reaching our newsroom is that a little after midday today, there was a traffic accident near Rumors Resort. Information is a bit sketchy at the moment. We will have more information as it is made available. Of note is that on September 22nd, 31-year-old Evelyn Kuylen, a Belizean [�]
San Ignacio police warns residents to be vigilant
San Ignacio Officer in Command, Superintendent Andrew Ramirez, today issued an advisory to vehicle owners in that municipality. In his statement, Ramirez mentioned that, "while they are doing their best to stop crime they also need the public to be on high alert and report any suspicious activities. [�]
Police and Fire Service investigate office burning; UDP "disappointed"
Police and Fire Service personnel are investigating a late night alleged arson at the office of 40 year old Ralph Huang, businessman and United Democratic Party standard bearer for Cayo South. Around 11:45 Thursday night, Roaring Creek police responded to information of a house on fire in neighbouring Camalote village. Fire Service personnel [�]
Ralph Huang's Cayo office burns
Reports coming out of the Cayo District suggest that the office of United Democratic Party (UDP) Standard Bearer for the Cayo South division, Ralph Huang, was destroyed by fire last night. The cause of the fire is still unknown as officials from the fire department are currently investigating, but some [�]
Dilly Chris talks collab with Tanya Carter
Jamaican artist Dilly Chris recently collaborated with Belize's Tanya Carter on a track called "Body Good", which was produced by Vexxx Bad Records and the video was later shot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where both Tanya and Dilly reside. The song has been getting a lot of local airplay and [�]
Mexico braces for strongest hurricane in Western hemisphere
Early this morning, Hurricane Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere, with its maximum sustained winds reaching 200 miles per hour (mph). Patricia is currently heading towards Mexico's Pacific Coast and is forecast to make landfall in the country's Jalisco State this evening as [�]
Taking Flight in Belize
All the air vents pointed towards her blowing full blast, however she was still hot and visibly unsettled as we got about 10 minutes into the first flight. I can feel that familiar feeling of 'Oh shit' what can I do to try to make this better. How can I be supportive? How can I ensure that she won't hate me for taking her on this plane? Her face is red and flushed. I get out the barf bag and show her where it is, and she tells me the Dramamine she took was expired, but her mom thought it would be ok. Her mom is a nurse who I'm now cursing in my head. We still have another flight after this, and then a long car ride; I realize it's going to be a long day even though this is a relatively short distance to fly from Nebraska to Belize. Why do plane rides have to be so hard on these niece trips?
Allie was never excited about flying. In fact one of her criteria for this Niece Project trip is that we didn't fly far. At the time I didn't understand, but after this incident - I was beginning to understand her fear of flying.
Allie made it through the next flights in better condition and I stopped worrying a bit. Yet I did always keep a barf bag within my reach just in case. I let Allie sit in the front seat in a hope to stave off motion sickness when our guide Mike picked us up and we started on the 3 hour drive to the Belize jungle. Mike pointed out the signs for the Belize Zoo and he said that even though the zoo was closing shortly, if we wanted to go we could. I looked at Allie to see if she gave it the nod, and she didn't really give me any indication what she wanted to do.
How To Be First In the ATM Cave Belize
We put on our helmets and tightened the strap. Allie was quiet as usual as we follow our guide Lenny down to the water's edge and took our first look at what we were undertaking early this morning. The cave entrance is shaped like an hourglass and there is a pool of light blue water. It doesn't look intimidating; it looks welcoming. Lenny turns and asks, "Can you swim?" We both answer yes. Yet I can't help but think it's a bit weird for him to ask us this question at this time in the tour. For the last hour, we've already trekked into the jungle, waded across waiste-deep rivers, and arrived at the cave entrance. There's not a life jacket in sight. What was he going to do if we answered "No"?
Our guide Lenny was very knowledgeable, but very dry in delivery. I was sort of hoping we'd have someone more charismatic so that it would create some excitement around this caving adventure, but you work with what you get. He was a bit like my niece Allie in a way - no nonsense, and doesn't mince words unless you get her on the right subject. I pretty quickly learned that Lenny's subject that he liked and would perk up a little about was history. So I kept asking him background questions about Mayan history and he entertained us for the long walk to the ATM cave. "You've got to love this," I say to Allie, "you're not the one getting asked a bunch of questions from me for once."
Quick Trip to Unspoiled Tropical Paradise: Belize
A short flight south from the US will get you to a little-known treasure that boasts the second largest barrier reef in the world, lush tropical jungles, and abundant opportunities for adventure travel.
And to make it even better, this eco-paradise is the only country in Central America where the official language is English. This shouldn't be a surprise since nearby Belize was once a British colony.
At one time, Belize was home to pirates who sought refuge from the Spanish fleet. After raiding gold-laden Spanish galleons, the pirates would dart through the sharp coral reefs and hide up the country's many jungle rivers.
Life in Belize is laid back and relaxed. In fact, everything is easy here. Everyone speaks English, and you can use your U.S dollars for all purchases. While the Belizean dollar still has the Queen of England on it, all the stores, restaurants and hotels take U.S. currency. Most things are priced in Belize dollars (except hotels), but it's easy to figure out your bill because the exchange rate is simply two to one. So just divide all prices by two to get the price in U.S dollars. Regardless of whether you pay with Belize dollars or U.S. dollars, they'll give you your change in Belize dollars.
SHRIMPS SPECIAL
Peel shrimp leaving the tail.
Then open the back and remove the veins.
Season shrimps with salt and black pepper to taste.
The tomato is cooked and liquefied with garlic, oregano and seasoning.
Fry the shrimp in butter and add the liquid.
Roast the peppers, cut into strips and add to the stew with Chihuahua cheese until cheese is brown and crunchy.
Serve with white or brown rice.
Flights to Belize Starting at $299 RT!
Belize has been a trending destination for travelers from around the world. With the introduction of flights out of Houston, TX being operated by Southwest Airlines, the industry has seen tremendous competition among the carriers that has lead to cheaper flights & easier points of access. We have been keeping an eye on airline tickets to Belize on AirfareWatchdog - airline tickets price tracker.
SWEET AND SOUR BEEF
� Heat oil in 3-4 liters pressure cooker. When hot, add the meat, season with salt and pepper. Add the onion and garlic and stir and let it cook for half a minute. Add green chili, peppers, carrots, zucchini and potatoes. Stir to mix. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, honey, grated ginger and stir. Season everything with salt and black pepper. Stir ti mix well.
Finn Kardashian Takes on SouthEast Asia 6.0: The Islands of Thailand (The Thai-slands)
I am currently in Vietnam and having the time of my life. Sorry for the late post but I've been on the road A LOT and Wi-Fi is bad at times. From Airplanes, Trains, Boats, Shuttles, the backpacker life is HARSH LOL. The last 2 weeks, we had been visiting THE ISLANDS OF THAILAND. ANd they are simply beautiful.
International Sources
Stunning, Historic, Mind-Boggling, and Catastrophic: Hurricane Patricia Hits 200 mph
Stunning, historic, mind-boggling, and catastrophic: that sums up Hurricane Patricia, which intensified to an incredible-strength Category 5 storm with 200 mph winds overnight. At 2:46 am EDT October 23, 2015 an Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft measured a central pressure of 880 mb in Patricia, making it the most intense hurricane ever observed in the Western Hemisphere. The aircraft measured surface winds of 200 mph, which are the highest reliably-measured surface winds on record for a tropical cyclone, anywhere on the Earth. The previous strongest Eastern Pacific hurricane was Hurricane Linda of 1997, with a pressure of 902 mb (estimated from satellite imagery.) The strongest Atlantic hurricane on record was Hurricane Wilma of 2005, with an 882 mb central pressure. Patricia does not beat the record-lowest pressure in the Western Pacific, though, which is held by Super Typhoon Tip of 1979: 870 mb.
Category 5 Hurricane Patricia Hitting Mexico's Pacific Coast
Incredibly strong Hurricane Patricia is barreling ashore on the Southwest coast of Mexico near La Manzanilla as a Category 5 storm. At 5 pm EDT Friday, NHC put Patricia's intensity at 190 mph winds. Early on Friday morning, Patricia reached a remarkable intensity of 200 mph sustained winds, which the storm maintained for 12 hours. These are the highest reliably-measured surface winds on record for a tropical cyclone, anywhere on the Earth. At 2:30 pm Friday afternoon, October 23, 2015, a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft measured a central pressure of 879 mb--the lowest pressure ever measured in a hurricane in the Western Hemisphere. The previous strongest Eastern Pacific hurricane was Hurricane Linda of 1997, with a pressure of 902 mb (estimated from satellite imagery), and the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record was Hurricane Wilma of 2005, with 882 mb. Patricia does not beat the record-lowest pressure in the Western Pacific, though, which is held by Super Typhoon Tip of 1979: 870 mb.
Belize Defence Force leaders visit Camp Lejeune
Leaders from U.S. Marine Corps Forces-South, and the Belize Defence Force visited II Marine Expeditionary Force and the School of Infantry-East as part of a three-day visit to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 20-22.
The purpose of the visit was to assess the capabilities of U.S. forces, discern opportunities for Belize forces to train alongside Marines, and sustain enduring partnerships between the two countries in their efforts to counter transnational organized crime.
"The training we're doing with the Belize Defence Force right now is we have a security cooperation team of 25 Marines who are currently living in Belize," said Brig. Gen. Eric M. Smith, the commander of MARFORSOUTH. "Our Marines are training a BDF company of troops in subjects such as land navigation and marksmanship skills."
MARFORSOUTH recently deployed Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force -Southern Command, based out of Honduras, in June. SPMAGTF-SC is tasked with conducting security cooperation, providing training and support to partner nations for Countering Transnational Organized Crime and providing limited humanitarian assistance and disaster relief during the Atlantic hurricane season.
Welcome to the jungle for the Coldstream Guards and the WMN
The Western Morning News will be exploring more about the Coldstream Guards' strong ties to the South West and how Coldstreamers prepare for combat, as they have done on foot, by vehicle and by air in recent times, when the newspaper joins the regiment on a jungle training exercise in the rainforest of Belize in Central America.
David Wells, a senior news editor, will be joining Exercise Mayan Warrior, to learn how Coldstreamers train in the jungle, one of the toughest environments on the planet - with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle inland.
The jungle is often extremely difficult to navigate, while finding food, water and shelter is no easy task, so learning to survive and managing military operations under the canopy is an essential skill for troops going out into the field. And when it comes to army training, the jungle of Belize is undoubtedly a tough place to go on exercise - it is hot and humid, in thick forest, with venomous snakes, deadly spiders, and with rivers full of crocodiles, among other challenges - providing a range of tactical obstacles for soldiers to overcome. The modern Coldstreamer has to be equipped with these skills to maintain the flexible nature of the regiment, which has been developed over the centuries, in order to respond to its call of duty anywhere in the world, at any time.
Videos
Belize Video, 2min. from Living Streams, Dangriga Project
Kriol Proverbs of Belize, 1min. The students of Standard VI welcome Belize's Governor-General and Head of State, Sir Colville Young to St. Andrew's School by reciting some classic Kriol proverbs. See if you can pick out their meaning!
Hóffy & Curt in Belize, 8.5min. Our diving trip to Turneffe Island
Mana Kai San Ignacio Belize, 5min. My home for the next little while...
Belize Manatees, 3.5min.
The LadySong Show - Oct 22, 2015 - Belize Flood Drive, 14min. LadySong talks to Margaret Usher (President of the Belize Association) and Georgia Brown Gillette (Immigration Attorney) about the Belize Fund Relief Telethon.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
