Channel 5
Santander Walks Away from S.S.B. Loan
There was a huge outcry from the public, the unions, the People’s United Party, the Belize Progressive Party about a loan of twelve million dollars to the foreign owned Santander [...]
C.F.O. Says Investment is Low-Risk…High-Return
Ayau spent the first part of the conference outlining the investor structure of the loan, and also the reasons why he says any investment in the project is a sure [...]
Ayau Claims Santander Has Already Pumped Millions into Belizean Economy
Ayau says that the Santander Group has already made a significant, concrete on the ground investment in Belize – in money spent, in taxes paid, in employment and also in [...]
Has the Santander Loan Issue Been Unfairly Politicized?
Ayau says the press conference was deemed necessary because of the public outcry, much of which he says has been based on inaccurate information. The Santander Rep felt that the [...]
Jack Charles Fires Back at Bureau of Standards
The Bureau of Standards responded this week to rice importer Jack Charles who announced that he has tested three types of local rice at a U.S. laboratory and results show [...]
Chamber Condemns Charles’ Actions
In the ongoing saga, rice producers have said that Jack Charles has it all wrong. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry today took a stand, and a very strong [...]
Baby Nina Will Return to Guatemala
This morning, there was heavy Police presence at the Family Court, with senior officers, Special Branch personnel and uniformed cops manning the perimeter of the building. It’s the type of [...]
Former Girlfriend of John McAfee Detained For Questioning in Faull Murder
U.S. national Gregory Faull was murdered at his home in San Pedro, back in 2012. His neighbour John McAfee, the US anti-virus founder millionaire, was considered a person of interest [...]
Darrel Mayen Awaits Sentencing in Attempted Murder Conviction
Twenty-one year old Darrel Mayen is awaiting sentencing for attempted murder after he was found guilty of the charge in a trial by judge alone. Justice Troadio Gonzalez has deferred [...]
Jason Cortez Charged for Aggravated Burglary
After more than a month of intensive investigating and various visits to a catamaran that was robbed and burglarized on Middle Caye back in mid January of this year, police have [...]
High Level Discussions on Climate Change Continue
Climate change experts from around the Caribbean region continued a two-day conference in Belize City today. At the heart of the discussions was the COP 21 Agreement reached in Paris [...]
Harpy Employee Recounts Ordeal at Hands of Fake Policeman
On Thursday, Police issued an advisory warning the public to be aware of persons purporting to be Police officers. That advisory is a result of two incidents on Tuesday. In [...]
Evonne Hendy Was Fired by Harpy Security
While Hendy was held with a knife at her throat, her family was threatened. But she has been forced to suffer another indignity. On Thursday, she was called into the [...]
Senior Customs Officers Plan Human Resource Development
Last week Wednesday, the Customs Department and the Financial Intelligence Unit signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen domestic cooperation in the fight against money laundering and terrorism. It allows [...]
Customs Lacks Resources to Adequately Tackle Contraband Smuggling
According to Customs Comptroller Victor Recinos, the mandate of the Customs Department is wide and with proper investment and structures in place, the department and its officers will be more [...]
What Are Your Plans for Valentine Day?
Love and romance are in the air as this Sunday will be celebrated as Valentine’s Day. Today, we took to the streets to get a sense of how Belizeans will [...]
LOVE FM
Santander Pulls Loan Application from SSB
This morning the Chief Financial Officer for the Santander Sugar Group, Andres Ayau (A-YO) announced that Santander is no longer interested in the twelve million dollar loan from the Social Security Board. Since Love News broke the story that SSB had agreed to lend Santander the twelve million dollars million at an interest rate of […]
Santander Prepares to Export Sugar in EU
In less than a month, Santander Sugar Group is expected to officially commence the production of sugar for export as explained by the company’s CFO, Andres Ayau. Ayau told the media they already have orders to exports sugars to the European market.
Finance Officer at Santander Says Loan Risk was Minimal
As we mentioned, since the news broke that SSB will be facilitated Santander with a twelve million dollar loan, several entities voiced their displeasure. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize, NTUCB, The People’s United Party, and the Belize Progressive party among others have all said no to the loan citing several reasons. One of […]
Chamber Says Chawla’s Allegations are Without Merit
Up until Wednesday there was a lull in the rice saga involving businessman, Jitandra Chawla. That silence came after the courts ruled in favor of the local rice producers and ordered that he return his containers of Guyanese rice thus taking it out of the country. Chawla’s silence, however, was not a sign of resignation […]
Chawla Challenges Belize Bureau of Standards
For his part Chawla has kept up the fight. He fired yet another release in response to the Belize Bureau of Standards. He says, in part, quote, “With reference to the press release from the Belize Bureau of Standards: Since rice is a staple food for majority of Belizeans, occurrence of aflatoxins as contaminants should […]
COP21 Outcomes Discussed in Regional Meeting in Belize
A two day regional meeting concluded today in Belize where CARICOM Ministers responsible for climate change discussed, reviewed and analyzed the outcomes of the 21st Conference of the Parties that produced the Paris Agreement. In the Paris Agreement, countries such as Belize agreed to limit global warming to as far as two degrees Celsius in […]
New Lead in 2012 Murder of Gregory Faull?
US National, Gregory Faull, was murdered on Ambergris Caye in November of 2012. His murder then took a sensational turn when businessman, John McAfee was accused of the crime. McAfee was never detained by Belize Police as he fled the country. Since then, no one has been arrested for Faul’s murder. News coming out from […]
World Customs Ends Working Mission with Belize
Customs experts from the World Customs Organization have been in Belize since Monday on a working mission to assist the Customs and Excise department with creating a human resource strategy. According to Comptroller of Customs and Excise, Victor Recinos, for the entire week, Customs top management have been participating in the workshop to identify key […]
High School Student Injured in Road Accident
A high school student is hospitalized after being knocked down in western Belize. Fem Cruz has the story.
CARICOM’s Sec Gen Unveils Software for Visually Impaired in Belize
As Belize prepares to host the Inter-sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads on the Placencia Peninsula, the Secretary General of CARICOM Secretariat, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has been doing his rounds at various points in the country. One of his recent visits was to the Belize National Library Service yesterday. During that visit Ambassador LaRocque officially unveiled […]
PlusTV
Robbers dressed as cops hit businesses in Belize City
There have been two disturbing reports of robberies in Belize City. While, robberies are common enough in Belize City, these ones are particularly disturbing, prompting police to issue a public advisory for business establishments to be careful. That’s because, within the last 24 hours, there have b...
Man found guilty of attempted murder
Twenty-one year old Darrel Mayen, charged with attempted murder, was found guilty of the charge today by Justice John Gonzalez in a trial that was without jury. Justice Gonzalez has deferred sentencing until Friday, February 19, in order to give Mayen’s attorney, Oscar Selgado, time to prepare...
Jury convicts grandmother of trafficking a 15 year old girl
A nine-member jury needed just under an hour and a half on Wednesday night to convict 64 year old Estella Gonzalez of Mile 10, George Price Highway, of one count of trafficking in persons. Now, the owner of Temptation Bar could face anywhere from a fine to jail time when Supreme Court Justice Adolph...
Two men arrested for large quantity of drugs
Yesterday we told you about the huge drug bust police made while conducting a checkpoint in Camalote Village. Today, police say they have officially arrested and charged the two men involved. They are 21-year-old Travis Sutherland of Georgeville and 48-year-old Anthony August of Santa Elena. Yeste...
Police investigate murder of man found in orchard
Police in the south are investigating the murder of 30 year old Jose Pedro Menjivar Murcia . Murcia was found in an orchard near miles 15 and 16 on the Southern Highway January 29th. He was unconscious at the time and it appeared that he was hit several times in the head with some blunt instrument. ...
PUP comments on Santender SSB loan proposal
There has been much discussion regarding Guatemalan company Santender’s request to borrow some 12 million dollars from the Belizean Social Security Board. It has caused quite a heated discussion on the talk show circuits and today, the People’s United Party joined its voice of concern saying that “...
Jack Charles says Belizeans should demand test results
Yesterday we told you about Jack Charles’ press release where copies of lab test reports were furnished the media. Those lab reports indicated, the Aflatoxin levels of local rice which Charles says indicated levels higher than the standards set by the Bureau of Standards. The Belize Bureau of Standa...
The Reporter
CARICOM Sec. Gen. unveils equipment donated to Leo Bradley library
The Secretary General of the Caribbean Community Secretariat, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, on Thursday, officially unveiled equipment which the CARICOM Secretariat had previously donated to the Belize National Library Service for the visually-impaired. The CARICOM Secretariat had donated and installed software for the visually-impaired at the Belize […]
Santander withdraws loan application from SSB
The Santander sugar group, which had sought a $12 million loan from the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) has withdrawn that loan application and has sought getting the loan from an international bank. This follows objections from the opposition Peoples United Party (PUP) and other […]
“De-risking”: a global phenomenon (Part 1)
There are few issues that one could say register on the economic Richter scale more significantly than one that could potentially cripple or disable a country’s ability to process payments across international borders. Fundamentally, any open economy, including Belize, needs to be able to send or receive money from abroad […]
Expectant mother and child survive traffic accident
A Hattiville resident, who is nine months pregnant, survived a road traffic accident on the Haulover Bridge this week. Paramedics took 37-year-old Raquel Burke to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) on Wednesday evening, after her red Nissan X Terra SUV, crashed head first into a dump […]
Ministry of Health on Zika prevention drive
Top ranking officials in the Ministry of Health met this week to discuss a national action plan for preventing and minimizing Zika virus infections in Belize. The officials met at the inspiration Center on Tuesday to discuss the roles of each arm of the ministry in the […]
KHMH to increase clinic fees
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) announced this week that patients wishing to access elective clinic services will have to pay more as of February 15. Norman Augustine Jr., director of finance of the KHMH, explained on Wednesday that the new fee will increase elective […]
World Bank lowers 2016 forecast for crude prices
The price of crude oil in 2016 will fall significantly, based on a forecast by the World Bank, which places these prices at around US $37 per barrel in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook report. This represents a sharp fall from its October 2015 projection, […]
Sale of unlabeled local rice for more than 90 cents is illegal, says BBS official
The sale of unlabeled, retail rice is illegal and should be something of the past, says Director of the Belize Bureau of Standards, Jose Trejo, despite reports to the contrary. Reports are that some merchants and market vendors are still selling locally produced rice in […]
Credentials for Haitian President
Ambassador of Belize to Mexico, Oliver Del Cid, presented his letter of credence to the President of the Republic of Haiti at the National Palace this week. Del Cid met with Haitian President, Michel Martelly to present his credentials in a ceremony that took place […]
Honduran busted with weed pleaded guilty, regional gang related
A Honduran national, Orbin Lenin Reyes, 25, was busted this weekend by Ladyville police with more than 16 pounds of Oaxaca marijuana at a bus shed on the Philip Goldson highway. According to police, Reyes was detained around 11:43 a.m. at mile 10 on the […]
Chinese businessman murdered in Teakettle
Belmopan police have detained one suspect and are seeking another in connection with the nation’s 16th murder, which occurred after 1:00 a.m. on Saturday at a bar in Teakettle, Cayo and claimed the life of a Chinese businessman. The incident took place at 69 Bar, […]
2 tourists robbed at gun point, one man shot; one remanded
Two Canadian tourists, Steven Temple, 75, and Cynthia Fredrick, 65, were robbed at gun point while one man was shot at the Tropical Education Center on mile 29 of the George Price Highway last Sunday. Adolphus Palacio, 21, has since been charged and remanded to the […]
Woman reported missing found dead
A Guatemalan woman reported missing by her son on January 18 was found dead in Dangriga on Tuesday. Dangriga police are asking public assistance to solve the mysterious case leading to the death of Lydia Garcia Giron, 39, who had been missing for almost a […]
SSB bombarded over $12M loan to Santander Group
Social Security Board (SSB) Chairman Doug Singh has been quick to point out that while the SSB approved a loan of BZD $12 million to the Santander Group on January 28th, the money has not been disbursed just yet. That may be a good thing, since public outcry against the […]
Test result confirms death by H3N2 influenza
One of three test results from samples sent abroad for in- depth analysis after several patients died unexpectedly from flu-like symptoms, has confirmed that one victim died from complications associated with the H3N2 strain of influenza (flu). The test result, which was sent to the […]
Yarborough renovation just in time for Ashcroft cruise port
Mayor Darrell Bradley stated this week that the renovations planned for the Yarborough area are in line with plans to build a cruise port in the area as outlined by the Belize City Master Plan.In an exclusive sit-down with the Reporter, Bradley said while the renovation project isn’t a pre-empting of Ashcroft’s project, the two are indirectly related because the Master Plan that was done years ago, and later adopted by CitCo, foresaw the need for a city cruise ship port.“I will make this point resounding…the Master Plan which was done six years ago mentioned an onshore port facility in exactly the same place it is,” he said. He added though that he has had no discussions with anyone, related to the proposed cruise facility at the Port of Belize. […]
Fruta Bomba closes shop; 250 workers laid off
After two decades of producing and packaging papayas for export, Fruta Bomba and Belize Fruit Packers are closing shop permanently. Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Tropicals, the parent company of Fruta Bomba and Belize Fruit Packers, Greg L. Smith said via press release: “After 22 years operating in the Central […]
Rice gets no rest!
Round two of the rice war between businessman Jack Charles (Jitendra Chawla) and the Ministry of Agriculture took a different form on Wednesday afternoon when Charles issued a press release, charging that locally-produced rice was, in essence, unsafe for consumption. The release succeeded a letter, […]
Citco’s hands tied, says Mayor
Without approval from Central Government, the Belize City Council will not be able to complete many of its infrastructure projects during this term, Mayor Darrell Bradley told the Reporter this week. Bradley, in an exclusive sit-down with the Reporter, explained that a clause in the […]
Grans convicted of human trafficking! 15-year-old used as prostitute for profit
Promising work at a salon, 64-year-old Estella Gonzalez, escorted a 15-year-old female to Belize from Honduras in August of 2014. But instead of salon work, the minor found herself at Gonzalez’s mercy and working as an entertainer and prostitute at Temptation Bar. Gonzalez, currently detained […]
Breaking Belize News
Jason Cortez charged with Middle Long Caye burglary
Last month, 20 year old Jason Cortez and 22 year old Bradwick Lino were separately charged with handling stolen goods in relation to the aggravated burglary on Middle Long Caye, where a docked catamaran was broken into. Police have now directly linked the two young […]
GOB meets with Ports Investments; cruise port project may be dead
The Government of Belize has confirmed that it held what is being called “an exploratory conversation” between a group of representatives of the Government and representatives of Ports Investments Limited. In response to a text message, CEO in the Office of the Prime Minister Audrey […]
Male person found floating in the Mopan River
Police from Benque Viejo Del Carmen are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a male body floating in the Mopan River a little after 4:00 this afternoon. At this time the body has been identified but the name has not been released until […]
CARICOM SecGen visits Belize
Secretary General of the Caribbean Community Secretariat, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque visited the Belize National Library Service on Thursday. The purpose of his visit was to officially unveil software that was donated by the CARICOM Secretariat to Belize that is to be used by visually impaired children […]
McAfee ex-girlfriend detained by police in Greg Faull murder investigation
Gregory Viant Faull, an American national, was killed more than three years ago on November 13, 2012. For most of the weeks immediately following his death, Belize Police focused their attention on anti-virus computer pioneer John McAfee, who was Faull’s neighbour, fled the country after […]
Traffic Mishap on the Yo Creek Road, Orange Walk
Information reaching our newsroom is that just before midday, Orange Walk Police responded to a traffic mishap on the San Antonio Road, also known as the Yo Creek Road in the municipality. Information indicates that the driver of the green Mazda pickup truck lost control […]
Santander Sugar Group withdraws loan request from SSB; project is “ready to go”
The Chief Financial Officer of the Santander Sugar Group, Andres Ayau, today addressed a press conference in which he announced that the group has formally withdrawn its offer for a $12 million loan from the Social Security Board (SSB). The Group, based in Guatemala […]
Corozal teachers receive early childhood training
Earlier today, 15 teachers in Corozal received Early Childhood Education certificates at that district’s Education Centre, after completing a training that will make them competent with skills and knowledge to positively impact three and four year old pre-schoolers. A press release from the Ministry […]
Showers increase over the weekend
A northeasterly airflow over the area will support relatively moist conditions today. The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting mostly cloudy skies today with some periods of light rain mainly along the coast and in the South. Skies will be partly cloudy tonight […]
Sweet Corn Bread Pudding
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sweat onions with butter and herbs in an oven safe skillet until translucent.
Combine corn, cream, eggs, baking powder, cornmeal, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add cubed bread and fold to combine. Pour batter into skillet, right on top of the onion mixture. Bake 50 minutes, or until set. Cool slightly before serving.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, buttermilk, honey and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
Pour the batter into a cast-iron skillet; use a spatula to smooth to an even layer if needed. Place in the oven and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Serve the cornbread in the skillet.
Atlantic CEO Outlook 2016
Over the past six months, Atlantic International Bank Ltd. has faced many challenges in the Banking Industry. With the onset of de-risking by the larger US Banks, AIBL faced significant correspondent banking challenges, but we persevered and we continue to make significant progress.
We remain strong and resilient as we continue to effectively adjust to the new banking landscape. We now have the business acumen to overcome future difficulties with confidence and we will continue to hold on to the values that have made us who we are while instituting improved strategies for the growth and development of the company and its stakeholders.
In 2015, AIBL embarked on a project to create a new 5 year strategic plan. We have been successful in creating our strategic plan and we are currently in the execution phase. Our goal is to not only empower our staff but also to improve our processes and services to become a better bank for you. Several key projects have begun, projects that will bring about changes within the second half of this year. These projects are just a few of the initiatives in our strategy plan that will help us meet our goal of being a great bank, different from the ordinary.
Fundraising Hearts for San Pedro Red Cross
Coco Loco’s Beach Bar owner Carmen Arenal approached one of the Red Cross Volunteers to ask if she could do a fundraiser for the Branch.
The request was answered with a resounding “yes of course” from the Branch Coordinator after consulting with the Branch Board.
Tomorrow, February 13, 2016 is the first of 2 “Valentines” Fundraisers. It will be a “Games Day & BBQ” featuring Cribbage and Cornhole. BBQ Plate is $10.00 and will be available around noon.
If having one establishment asking if they could do a fundraiser for The Red Cross wasn’t enough, Stella’s Smile asked me about doing one as well. Because the 13th was already booked we opted for Sunday, which is actually Valentines day.
Between 8AM and 2PM Stella’s Smile will serve their famous crepe and bottomless mimosa brunch! For $2.00, DJ Matt Hoy will play your special love song, and Stella’s will match that amount for a contribution the Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch
International Sources
Why Belize Should Be Your Next Winter Getaway
“But where exactly is Belize?” This is one of the most common questions I receive when telling people about my recent adventure in Central America. Belize, a tiny but diverse country of 350,000 inhabitants, is bordered on the north by Mexico, on the south and west by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea.
Its population number is so low that it’s quite normal to be the only car on the road and to rarely even see a traffic light. One of the most fascinating aspects of Belize’s low head count is the diversity and rich cultural heritage of its citizens.
While the official first language is English, Creole, Spanish, and even Mandarin are widely spoken. I was quickly corrected when greeting my driver with “hola, como estas?” He assertively said he was more comfortable with English. I knew in that moment that this was going to be an interesting ride.
We embarked on a lively journey to Gaia Riverlodge, where I would be experiencing beautiful seclusion, tradition, and adventure the Belizean way. Gaia is completely off the grid, and although the three-hour ride may seem like a long stretch for some, you won’t feel the time pass. Yes, it does get bumpy, but seasoned travelers know that nothing really worth seeing comes that easily. Gaia’s drivers are knowledgeable and always keen to share their local history. I probably learned more on this ride than I did the whole time I was in school.
Belize Has a New Beach
Following the successful completion of a series of community-based initiatives, Caye Caulker has a new beach.
After completing its Action Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development of Caye Caulker in September 2015, The Belize Tourism Board identified beaches as one of the development objectives of infrastructure improvement.
A total of 1,883 linear feet of the beach was reclaimed, with widths varying from 70 to 118 feet in areas between Sobre las Olas to Rainbow Restaurant, and widths varying from 40 to 60 feet in area between Blue Island pier to Len’s Guest House.
The reclamation works will soon be complemented by the establishment of an improved craft center for local artisans in Caye Caulker.
Waltham Voices: The power of crossing borders
This February school break, I will be leading a group of Brandeis University students on a service trip to Belize. Together with the help of Hand in Hand Ministries, we will build a home for a family in need.
My most powerful and formative experiences in life – personally, spiritually, and vocationally – were times I crossed borders. Borders can be geographical, but also cultural, religious, ethnic, political, and economic. The most powerful border-crossing experience of my life was when I served as a Jesuit volunteer in Belize and Haiti between 2001 and 2004. The Jesuit Volunteers half-joke that those who enter into this immersion program of community, spirituality, simple-living, and justice-seeking (the four Jesuit Volunteer components) are “ruined for life.”
In high school and college, I traveled annually to a work camp in West Virginia with the goal of making homes warm, safe, and dry. This camp opened my young, naive mind to new realities. One of my most powerful learning experiences in those young years was: “Wow, these people have so little, yet they are so grateful.”
Caribbean losing US tourists as Zika fears spread, poll reveals
The Zika virus is discouraging increasing numbers of Americans from travelling to the Caribbean and Latin America, with 41 percent of those aware of the disease saying they are less likely to take such a trip, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The poll is the latest sign that the virus — which is thought to be linked to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with brain damage and unusually small heads — could negatively impact tourism in the Caribbean.
Airlines and cruise ship operators have yet to report Zika-related drops in bookings, and analysts have downplayed the impact that pregnant women will have on the travel industry.
But awareness of the mosquito-borne virus has surged to nearly two-thirds of Americans, according to the poll of 1,595 adults in the United States conducted February 1-5, CNBC reports.
That compares with 45 percent who had heard of Zika in a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late last month.
In the latest poll, of those aware of the virus, 41 percent said they were less likely to travel to Puerto Rico, Mexico or South America in the next 12 months because of Zika. Some 48 percent said Zika had not changed the likelihood of their visiting those destinations, while others did not know.
Videos
David Dyck (pioneer of Blue Creek, Belize), 3.5min.
Belize 2016, 6.5min. Diary of a Foreign Couple
Belize, 10min. Here is a recap of my trip to Belize with some good friends. If you have 10 min to spare check it out.
Morning Matters with Melinda, 60min.
Caye Caulker, Belize. 6min tour january 25.2016, 6min.
Official video by ceann ross tv producer- A day on Caye Caulker, Belize, Central America, 12min.
Swimsuit Contest - Placencia, Belize Easter 2016, 6min.
Caye Caulker, Belize - Trip part 1, 7.5min.
Caye Caulker Belize Bike Tour, 9min.
Tara Mitchell, Post-Belize Successes, 2min. Tara Mitchell, Georgia State University graduate student, talks about how Belize helped prepare her for fieldwork and a new internship with HUD!
Green Moray Eel in Belize 2, 1min. This is a green Moray Eel that was filmed on Wee Wee Caye in Belize.
Belize 2016, 5min.
Cayo Steelworks (Georgevile, Belize), 3min.