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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

3 more teams need to qualify for Mayor's and Minister's Cup upcoming finals
The tenth and final week of the Mayor's and Minister's Cup is here, and only three spots are left for the playoffs. Five teams have already qualified, and they are: Catrachos, Progresso Boys, Peace Makers, Ambergris Divers and Belize Pro Team. More qualifiers will be taking place on March 18-20th, and fans are invited to come to the Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex to cheer on their favorite teams. Perhaps your favorite will take one of the three coveted spots!

San Pedro Tiger Sharks fight to stay on top
Now in the eighth week of the 2016 National Elite Basketball League (NEBL), the San Pedro Tiger Sharks are facing some major challenges. In the most recent round of games, the Tiger Sharks experienced yet another loss against the Smart Belize Hurricanes, dropping to fifth place on the tournament ladder. The current leaders of the tournament are the Smart Belize Hurricanes who have won nine out 10 played matches. But hopes are still high that the Tiger Sharks will make a comeback and claim the third consecutive NEBL Championship. Facing off on Friday, were the Smart Belize Hurricanes and the San Pedro Tiger Sharks. Two time defending champions, San Pedro Tiger Sharks, traveled to Belize Elementary School gym to try and avenge their first loss in the season against Smart Belize Hurricanes. The home team took a 25 - 15 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Hurricanes kept the lead, as they finished the first half with a 37 - 28 advantage. At the end of the third quarter, San Pedro Tiger Sharks was able to cut the lead to 51 - 48, and a 1-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, Smart Belize was able to pull away in the end, winning 78 - 69, to increase their first place seeding, by two games. The top scorer for San Pedro Tiger Sharks was Caleb Sutton with 17 points and 4 rebounds. Gene Myvett tallied 12 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, while Andrew Ortiz finished the game with 8 points and 11 rebounds. Smart Belize Hurricanes out-rebounded the visiting team, 52 - 43, while having the 20 - 17 advantage on second chance points.

Five-Year plan set in place to make San Pedro Town a Child Friendly Municipality
Children are raising the bar as they take on a big role in voicing their concerns and expressing their ideas towards improving the standards of life in San Pedro. Within the next five years, major changes are set to take place as our leaders of tomorrow contribute to structuring an effective plan. According to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), San Pedro is one of four municipalities in Belize that has not been certified as a "Child Friendly Municipality". That changed on Friday, March 11th when the Ministry of Local Government, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Belize's Mayor Association held an assembly at The San Pedro Town Council's conference room implementing the "Sustainable Child Friendly Municipalities" Initiative (SCFM). The San Pedro Child Friendly Municipal Developmental Plan is directed in several areas: environment, pollution, educational development and transportation. Presenting the plan was Keisha Rodriguez, an urban planner contracted by UNICEF, who has previously worked with seven other municipalities. Rodriguez organized a presentation with key points and strategies that will guide San Pedro through the years of 2016 to 2021. According to Rodriguez, children make up 50% of the population in San Pedro. School enrollment numbers are decreasing, and education data shows significantly less children enrolled in high school. Schools are at their capacity, having only six primary schools and one high school on the island. Rodriguez introduced concepts that took into consideration children's top observations: opening other schools, the availability of healthy foods in school, bullying in school, drug use in high school and making education more affordable.

SPHS Softball male team dominates Northern Regionals
After the first round of games played on Friday, March 4th and following the postponing of the remaining games due to the inclement weather, the San Pedro High School (SPHS) softball male team finally captured the title of regional champion at the National Secondary School Sports Association (NSSSA) Northern Softball Regionals. The second round of the competition was held on Sunday, March 13th, at the Honourable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex on Ambergris Caye. Both male and female teams from SPHS joined the teams of Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico (ESTM), Orange Walk technical High School (OWTHS), Corozal Community College, and Belize High School of Agriculture (BHSA). They all competed for the opportunity to represent the Northern Regionals at the anticipated NSSSA National Softball Championship. During the female championship game, SPHS took a good lead against ESTM who gave the impression that they were no match for the home girls. However, this might have been their psychological strategy, as near the end of the last innings they made a resounding comeback, claiming the victory with a final score of 23-13. The SPHS girls ultimately lost their chance to be in the National Tournament, but they sure put forth a strong effort.SPHS NSSSA Softball Northern Regional Champions-14

"Celebrating Women" Karen Brodie captures San Pedro women's stories
On March 8th, women across all nations celebrated "International Women's Day", which is universally recognized for contributing to the cultural, social, political, and economical achievements of females. Not only is the 8th specially dedicated to our women, but the entire month is observed as "Women's Month". The San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC) and National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) promoted female empowerment in recognition of "Women's Month", by exhibiting a photo collection entitled "Celebrating Women" arranged by Canadian professional photographer, Karen Brodie. The initial launch was on Thursday, March 10th and will continue running until the end of this month.

Ambergris Today

Check out Super Buy Supermarket's new vehicle
Giving new meaning to the words 'Pimp Your Cart!' San Pedro loves the 'bling, bling'.

Vocational School Launches Facebook Page and Essay & Poster Competitions
The European Union, through the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) Program, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Chamberlain Consulting Limited, is pleased to inform the public of the launch of its Facebook Page Votech Belize and on-going poster and essay competitions open to students throughout the country. The Votech Belize Facebook page has been launched in an effort to keep the public updated on the many successes of the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions and high schools. The page is managed by key players within the Ministry of Education and helps to showcase the positive factors of each of our vocational schools through thumbnails, updates, newsletters, etc. Like the page on Facebook and come to see all the wonderful things the vocational schools have to offer.

Why Would Belize Name an Island a After Hip Hop Artist?
It made news all over the internet, social media and in the music industry, Belize (the Belize Tourism Board) nicknamed its Snake Caye island "Mayor Caye" after DJ Khaled a Miami-based producer, radio personality, DJ and record label executive. Well, the Tourism Board said it was inspired by Khaled's "love for the ocean" and "constant positivity," and they nicknamed the island and invited him to come visit. The BTB chose to make the announcement via Belize's Twitter account. The Miami New Times said, "His appetite for success is insatiable, and his people skills are impeccable. So when we learned that the country of Belize names an island in Khaled's honor, we can't say that we were shocked...Ok, maybe a little. But you can't rule anything out when it comes to DJ Khaled."

Norwegian Cruise Line Announces First Call and Reveals Details to Harvest Caye, Belize
The President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced on March 16, 2016, that the first call to Harvest Caye will be on November 15, 2016, and the caye will have calls four (4) times for the week. The announcement was made during a presentation at Seatrade Cruise Global - the world's largest cruise industry event. Both the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr, and the Director of Tourism, Mrs. Karen Bevans, were present for the announcement. President and Chief Operating Officer for NCL, Mr. Andy Stuart, stated, "Belize is one of the most ecologically and culturally rich gems in the Caribbean, and Harvest Caye will be the perfect destination for guests to experience all that the country has to offer in authentic, unique ways. There is so much to do on the island from the spectacular seven acre beach and watersports, to interactive wildlife programs. Beyond Harvest Caye, we will strongly encourage our guests to explore Belize through the spectacular eco-adventure and cultural tours this incredible destination has to offer visitors."

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Lion's Club Pancake Brunch with the Easter Bunny!
Saturday, March 26th, 9am-noon, San Pedro Lion's Den Pancakes with fun toppings! Sausage, juice and fruit! Kid games, craft activities face painting and more!

BTEC Completes its 5- Star Tourism Trainings in Independence Village
On Tuesday,March 15th 2016 , The Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC) a unit of the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service ( Beltraide), held the Certificate Ceremony for its 5- Star Wait Staff, Front Desk and Bartender Trainings at the Independence High School in Independence Village. This intense three- week training programme covered professionalism, ethics, an over view of Belize's tourism industry; customer service and telephone etiquette as well as a technical component which fine-tuned the trainee's industry-specific skills.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Anomalisa, Point Break, Snowtime!, Mockingjay part2.

" The Fair " on Caye Caulker will be opening Friday,March 18
From 11am-8pm ( across from Rainbow Hotel ... on the beach ) We will start with partial menu and will be serving the following menu items: Tornado Potato - 8 flavors, Deep Fried Chocolate Bars, Deep Fried Oreo Cookies, Fresh Fruit Smoothies, Corn Dogs.

Chaa Creek Named as Top Venue For Corporate Retreats
The Lodge at Chaa Creek has long been known as Belize's premier vacation haven for families, couples, groups and individuals. However, in naming the eco-resort as one of the world's top five corporate retreats, a recent travel feature highlighted a lesser-known facet of the popular eco-resort, according to Chaa Creek. A March 10 2016 Oyster.com Travel Fantastic feature, "5 Mind-Blowing Corporate retreats" listed Chaa Creek's Macal River Camp as one of the world's top five "resorts that offer truly awesome settings for company getaways". Chaa Creek was also the only resort not located in the United Sates; something that Ms Fleming said reflects on the high level of quality and service as well as Belize's close proximity to North America. "We were delighted to be included among such distinguished corporate retreats, and took particular satisfaction in seeing that Chaa Creek was the only one not located within the United States. That's something we attribute to the quality of our offerings as well as the fact that we're so close to the US.

Easter Celebrations
All roads lead to Sarteneja this Easter Holiday. The traditional boat regatta is a MUST SEE. St. Francis Xavier Credit Union will have their canoe raffle on Sunday March 27th during the events. You can still buy your tickets at any of their branches.

CONGRATULATIONS to Belize's own Clayton "C-Wills" Williams on the numerous WINS at this year's Garifuna Music Awards in New York!
Clayton continues to make Belize proud with his beautiful music, a testament to the Garifuna culture and legendary musicians before him. WINS: 1. "Song Of The Year" - "Garifuna Nuguya" 2. "Producer Of The Year" 3. "New Artist" 4. "Best Musical Video" 5. "Album Of The Year" Keep up the GREAT WORK Clayton, from your friends at the Belize Tourism Board (BTB)

List of Religious Processions
7:00am Sunday March 20th Palm Procession RC school to RC Church. 9:00pm Thursday March 24th RC Church to Pescador Drive back to Church. 4:30pm Friday March 25th Procession around town from RC Church. 7:00am Sunday March 27th "El Encuentro" Barrier Reef Drive. We request the co operation of the driving public and ask they avoid driving in these areas during these times and use the car park. Holy Friday March 25th. Barrier Reef Drive Closed to all vehicles and PARKING from Midday , Pescador Drive closed to all vehicles and PARKING 5:00pm - 7;00pm. Any vehicles parked or trying to use these streets during these times will be ticketed, this includes bicycles.

Channel 7

Belize And Guatemala Back To Talking ICJ
How far will Belize go to preserve peace in the Sarstoon? That's what everyone wanted to know today when Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, flanked by opposition representative Assad Shoman briefed the press. Shoman and Elrington met on Tuesday in Washington DC with a Guatemalan delegation led by Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales in a meeting mediated by OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro. It was an emergency meeting to discuss the confrontation between the Guatemalan military and the BDF, which happened last weekend at Belize's Forward Operating Base on the Sarstoon River. Elrington opened today by saying that there were actually three meetings: Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "We had 3 meetings essentially in Washington; we had the meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States and then we had a meeting with the group of friends, the people who help to finance the OAS office and then we had a meeting with the United States State Department. We like to think that the meetings went quite well. We appeared as national team. The team consisted of myself, Ambassador Shoman, Alexis Rosado, Pat Andrews, our ambassador in Washington and that comprised the team."

What About The BDF Report?
But, for the past two days, we've been showing you an internal threat assessment report from the BDF, which was done in October of last year to catalogue Guatemala's incremental aggression in the Sarstoon River. The report details each aggressive encounter the BDF has had with the Guatemalan Military going back to 2003. In their expert opinion, the BDF concluded that these encounters are calculated almost to force an armed conflict between both sides. It's a very different narrative from the one the government has been pushing - where the armed encounters are explained as exceptional events - but the BDF narrative shows that it is almost a program of provocation. Today we asked Elrington about that disparity: Daniel Ortiz: "The calculation of the BDF is that they've always been aggressive and that these aggressions seem to be to force an armed conflict between the Belize side and the Guatemalan side. In light of this, have both governments been downplaying the seriousness of that situation?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "I can honestly say to you that you have better strings with the BDF than I do. I've never seen that report."

Basketball and Bullets
Last night just as the news was winding down, we heard police and ambulance sirens scream past our Albert Street studio. They were racing to Cemetery Lane on the Yabra basketball court where a 31 year old had been shot multiple times. Godfrey Hemsley had his guard down, as he rested between games on a court he knew very well - when a shooter crept up on him. Just minutes before, Godfrey Hemsley was dribbling this ball on the court. He had challenged a few friends to a round of 5 games - he lost only one. But those are only 5 games out of the many Hemsley has played every evening on this court - right behind his house. Last night was no different. He went home after work, changed off and went to shoot some hoops. But after those games were over, he rested on the bleachers - getting ready to play a couple more. But that is when a gunman crept up behind him and shot him several times. The ambulance dashed over to the KHMH to try and save him. But shortly after his family got the news.

The Suspect Is 15?
Although police didn't catch those shooters in 2005, they have charged a 15 year old boy for Hemsley's murder. They also found 2 guns in the Yabra area - one is believed to be the gun used to kill Hemsley. Today Senior Superintendent Chester Williams gave us an update on this case. ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED: "Information we had obtained so far is that Mr. Hemsley was socializing on the basketball court along with some other friends when two gun toddlers came by and opened fire with a handgun which resulted to the injuries and subsequently to his demise. Subsequent to that police have conducted an operation in the Yabra area this morning and that operation also resulted in the recovery of two firearms one of which we believe is a weapon of choice in committing the murder last night." "From what we have seen, it could be gang related and it does not mean that Godfrey was out there involved in gang activity. We know that he have a past and like many others he was trying to put his past behind him. He was working, trying to make a living for himself. So by any account, I believe that he was chance out of his life."

Boy Charged for Murder
Another 15 year old boy has been charged with Mario Trotman's murder. As we told you on Tuesday, police found 18 year old Mario Trotman's body in the Jane Usher Area. Police believe that a friend lured him to that area and shot him to the head. Well police told us that they caught the 15 year old shooter and that he has been charged, but police are still searching for more answers to close this case. ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED: "The only person they have charged is the 15 year old who actually lead us to the body. We have not charged anybody else in relation to that matter, but the investigation is still ongoing. Should we later gathered additional evidence that could put other person on the scene or have other persons as suspect having committed the act itself, then we will proceed with those information. But until now, we only have against that one person who took us to the location where the body was found."

With Boy Killers On The Loose, Police Set Up Curfew
Now there is one common factor in the murders over these past few days: the shooters are all minors, boys, actually, and police say they must do something about it. Today Williams told us about a new police program that should take these kids off the street and keep them there. ACP Chester Williams, OC - Southside ED: "As of tonight we will be going after children who are on the streets after 9 at night. Any child found on the street after 9pm at night without a parent or guardian with him/her, that child will be brought to the police station and be detained and the parent will have to come for the child in the morning. We will be getting the social services involved and we will see what we can do to begin to deal with some of the parents who for some reason or the other want to have the street raising their children for them. You will see that the last two murders for which we have made arrest, the one with then guy who we found in the creek behind Jane Usher Boulevard are, the suspect is a 15 year old. The murder we had last night, the suspect again is 15 year old. We are seeing that the age group of person who are creating this problem for us are these toddlers. I will not call them gunmen or gunboy. They are too young, they are toddlers. When we call them gunman, we make them feel like they are bigger than who they are. So I refer to them as gun toddlers and it is time that we begin to focus on these young people and see what we can do to help them by removing them off the street, but at the same time, holding the parents responsible for the action of their children."

Soldier Freed After Being Accused Of Stealing From BDF
In 2015 the name of Jamel Webster, a BDF private, was dragged through the mud when he was accused by his own of breaking into the BDF Special Assignment's Group's office, at Price Barracks in Ladyville, and stealing a 9 mm pistol. Today he appeared before the courts for his scheduled trial date but at the start of the session, Prosecutor Cpl. Christopher Smith withdrew the case against him. The incident occurred on April 30th 2015 and the stolen weapon, which was the property of the BDF, was valued at approximately $2,000 dollars. We understand that investigators could not gather sufficient evidence in time to lead a successful prosecution, so the charges were dropped. If at any point police do gather enough evidence Webster could be rearrested and charged again for the same burglary, but for the time being Jamel Webster is a free man.

Did Cyclist Byron Pope Dope?
Byron Pope is one of the premier names in cycling and a perennial cross-country contender. But the news tonight is that he has been flagged for a banned substance based on a blood test taken after the 2016 KREM Classic - where he placed third. In short, Byron Pope has been accused of doping. If you follow cycling any at all, you're probably stunned to hear the news - and that's mainly because Pope has earned a reputation for a hard work, rigorous training, and consistent performances. But, this year he won't be taking all that into the cross country - and that's because he's been suspended for use of a banned substance, pending a full review of his results. This morning he came to our studio backed up by his Benny's Megabytes team management to tell us how it came to this:... Byron Pope, Banned From Riding Cross Country: "Further testing have revealed that they have found a steroid or a precursor to a steroid which is something like a family to a steroid in my system and ever since I got that news I was devastated, because I'm not the kind of rider who would go and use banned substance, and just to be on point Jules, the banned substance, I Byron Pope into he last 4 to 5 years I have been tested in Krem Classic at least 4 times I WON THAT RACE BEFORE. I came second in that race and I came third and each and every time I have tested I have never ever have to reach this point."

Major Accident Launches Couple Through Top of Jeep
There was a very major accident between miles 11 and 12 on the Western Highway this afternoon - but fortunately no one was killed. Two persons, husband and wife, Aldo and Nicole were very seriously injured when they were flung out the top of their SUV unto the shoulder of the road - where an ambulance driver who also got caught in the traffic pileup used his stretcher to get them to safety. Tonight the couple is in the Belize Medical Associates - with Aldo Chavarria in a critical condition. Here's what happened: this afternoon at 2:00, 34 year old Chavarria was driving a Jeep SUV to Belmopan when he clipped the side of an oncoming dump truck. That sent him barreling into the guardrail alongside the canal. The massive impact launched he and his wife out the top of the Jeep and into the canal. They were hurriedly pulled out of the water still alive and are tonight in Belize Medical Associates. He was bleeding profusely with severe head injuries.

Woman Knocked Down In City
A woman was knocked down on Central American Boulevard today. This morning before 10, she was riding her bicycle when a black truck tried to overtake her as she passed a vehicle parked on the side. A witness told us off camera what happened. Voice of Witness: "I didn't see anything really, I just heard. I came out and saw the vehicle speeding off behind her and just stopped. When I heard 'bam' after it stopped, I came by the door and heard someone was on the street. I just stayed inside and I couldn't see anything, but I just called 911. That's all. well it's evident if you're a driver and you see a vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road, you do an observation which is a distraction so you're to wait until the driver, rider or pedestrian proceeds and passes through whatever obstruction is there in the midst of the road before you pursue your journey."

Maya Mopan Marijuana
Cops from the Intermediate Southern Formation destroyed a marijuana plantation in the Maya Mopan Nature Reserve on Tuesday. Acting on intelligence, the officers went to a farm 12 miles west of the Maya Mopan Village in the Stann Creek District. There, they found 20 marijuana plants ranging from 1 to 3 feet tall. The plants were uprooted and destroyed. There was no arrest because no one was in the area at the time. AND, Earlier this week, a Coast Guard team, which was patrolling Halfmoon Caye, came upon this plastic bag which contained 12 pounds of marijuana. It was brought in to the Coast Guard Headquarters, and it will be handed over to police. Another team, operating in northern part of the country's territorial seas, came upon this bag containing 15 pounds of marijuana. It was brought in to Coast Guard Headquarters, and these drugs will also be handed over to police.

Black is the Color, Love Is The Message
BLACK: Be Loving And Cease Killing, that was the message that was hoisted on flags and banners as 300 police officers and residents marched the city streets in the second annual BLACK parade. The movement was launched in 2015, with the idea of reaching out to the community with a positive message. The event was a precursor to the yearlong of activities in community policing, which the organizers say, will continue on in 2016. The march kicked off this morning at around 8 and we were there. Emanuel Pech Reports. It was difficult to count heads, but we'd estimate the number to be somewhere between 3 to 4 hundred people. Police Officers, were joined today by residents, students, and members of the city council - including the Mayor, for the second annual BLACK parade. The atmosphere was quite celebratory. And why not? The year has seen a significant decrease in the rate of City homicides since the last couple of years.

Infection App Launched
Keeping up with its mandate and with technology, the National Aids commission today launched its very own app. It's called "Infection" - and while the name may seem un-appetizing - it's a fun, interactive and information-filled game that you can download for free on any android device. The project has been over two years in the making and it started out as an app competition which a programming club from Escuela Mexico won. Since then, they have been in non stop consultation with the National Aids commission in finishing the proposed app- the product of which was seen today at the launch of "Infection." To download the free app, you can simply go to your google play store, search for "Infection Belize," click download and play on.

International Group Of Friends Wants To Know When Bze-Guat Dispute Going To ICJ
At the top of the news, we showed you the press conference with Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, which finished around 6:00. He was discussing the meetings that the Belize Delegation had with The OAS and Guatemala, the Group of Friendly Nations, and the US State Department. You heard him say that it costs several million dollars to keep the Adjacency Zone office open. The Group of Friends are concerned that so much money, which are taxpayers' dollars from their countries, have been invested for 8 years now, and still, no ICJ resolution has happened. Well, Elrington went on to explain that he and the Guatemalan Foreign Minister have started a campaign to raise those funds. He said that it started just last night when the outgoing Taiwanese President was in Belize: "One of our major donors to the OAS would have been China, but we can't approach them because we are not diplomatically tied to them. So both the foreign minister of Guatemala and myself agreed that we would approach the government of Taiwan. I can say to the nation that in fact last night we delivered a note of request to the foreign minister of Taiwan who happily was in our country. In a private discussion which I had with him..."

The Y Is For Women
The YWCA celebrated its 60th anniversary today. Throughout all those years, the organization's main focus has been on women's empowerment. So we asked the president how their various programs and initiatives have improved the lives of Belizean women. The YWCA has launched another program entitled CASA - Creating a Safe Place Agenda. That project will focus on tutoring kids and training women in business skills among others.

Slight Citrus Relief, Still No Bridge Financing
Citrus farmers will get a little bit of a reprieve from very hard times tomorrow when CPBL comes up with money to pay them last week's cheque. But, it's just an interim relief because the Citrus Growers Association reports that the Heritage Bank loan still has not been approved - so that critical bridge financing is still being held up. So payment for this week will be deferred until funds become available.

A Festival Of Promise
And that's 7news this evening. We leave you tonight with highlites from the preschoolers festival of the arts. This is Saturday night's show from the Bliss Center where Belize Rural schools were featured.

Channel 5

A Brazen Murder at the Yarborough Green
A late evening press conference convened by Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington, upon his return from a meeting at the O.A.S. in Washington, has just concluded.� The brief was [...]

A 14-year-old is Arraigned for Murder of Mario Trotman
While police have two minors, ages fifteen and sixteen, in custody for the murder of Hemsley, a fourteen-year-old boy has been charged for Tuesday's murder of Mario Trotman. This morning, [...]

9 O'clock Curfew to be Imposed on All Belize City Minors
Three minors have been detained as the gunmen in two of the recent homicides in the city; it's a reality that is frightening because it is believed that minors are [...]

Be Loving And Cease Killing: A BLACK March Against Crime & Violence
Hundreds of Belize City residents participated in a BLACK March this morning. The procession is the second of its kind and seeks to create awareness on the effects of crime [...]

President Ma Bids Adieu to the Jewel
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou departed Belize around eleven o'clock this morning, following an overnight visit during which he met with various government officials, including heads of state from St. Kitts, [...]

Foreign Minister Holds Conference Following Meeting with Guatemala in Washington
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington is back in the country, following high-level meetings at the O.A.S. headquarters in Washington D.C. He was accompanied by Ambassadors Assad Shoman, Alexis Rosado [...]

Is BTV to Blame for Heightened Tension in Sarstoon?
The conference held by Foreign Minister Elrington was delayed because the Belizean delegation spent much of the afternoon briefing Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Opposition Leader John Briceño. But we [...]

A Peaceful Solution for Age-old Territorial Dispute, is It Possible?
A government release issued on Sunday, after a military to military incident in the Sarstoon on Saturday made reference to tensions being at an all time high, and spoke of [...]

Assad Shoman Weighs in on BTV and Sarstoon Debacle
Ambassador Assad Shoman is a member of the current negotiating team, and negotiating teams of the past. In fact, he is perhaps the most experienced member on that team. He [...]

COLA Says Government is Finally Seeing the Light in Sarstoon Dispute
Across the country, much has been said in the wake of the most recent bout between Belize and Guatemala over access to the Sarstoon River.� Since the standoff at the [...]

A Ban on All Guatemalan Imports?
In the aftermath of last Saturday's armed confrontation, the Belize Territorial Volunteers have come under heavy criticism for unsolicited visits to the Sarstoon area.� It is strongly believed that the [...]

Citrus Woes, Fruit Payments Trickling In Late
For the past several weeks we have been reporting on a looming cash flow crisis within the citrus industry.� Growers have not been receiving fruit payments from Citrus Products of [...]

HIV/AIDS Awareness Sees Launch of Mobile App
A mobile application to test your knowledge of HIV/AIDS was launched by the National AIDS Commission earlier today.� The product of two years of careful research, development and meticulous fine [...]

Infection – Get it Now on Google Play!
According to Chairperson Laura Longsworth, the rationale behind the development of the software was to come up with an interactive approach to sharing critical information about the virus with a [...]

Healthy Living: Belize Family Life Association's Chit Chat
Chit Chat - a program executed by Belize Family Life Association since 2013. It connects curious youths with accurate and age-appropriate sexual reproductive health information using technology. In tonight's episode [...]

CTV3

Guatemala Releases Info On OAS Meeting
This morning the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Carlos Raul Morales issued a release concerning the meeting in Washington with the Group of donor countries from the Peace fund which is responsible for the office of the OAS. In the release Minister Morales commended the efforts made by Foreign ministers of both countries to advance the solution of the territorial dispute and Maritime laws by strengthening trust and good neighborliness between the two countries. The release continued by stating that that a deadline has not been determined to carry out the referendum in which the people of both countries shall allow their respective governments to take the case to the International Court of Justice and that such discussion should be carried out at the most opportune moment for each country, to guarantee successful approval in both populations.

Two Parcels Of Weed Confiscated By Corozal Police
A routine checkpoint carried out by Corozal Police between miles 67 and 68 on the Philip Goldson Highway, resulted in the confiscation of two suspected parcels of cannabis and the arrest of one person.According to authorities, while on the checkpoint near the Village of Buena Vista in Corozal, they stopped a white Ford Escort car bearing Corozal Licence plates. At the checkpoint the driver was asked for his license which he immediately produced. But in sight that he was acting suspiciously he was asked to pull to the side of the road for a search to be conducted for drugs and firearms.In the vehicle police found two tightly wrapped parcels and a small transparent plastic bag containing suspected marijuana hidden in the glove compartment weighing 1,070 grams. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 45 year old Anthony Daniels of a Hall's Layout address in Corozal, was escorted to the Corozal Police Station where a further search was conducted on the vehicle. Nothing else incriminating was found.

Who Will Win UDP Convention For First Deputy Leader?
Sticking to the subject of Gaspar Vega, his announcement leaves an immediate empty seat in the party, that of First Deputy Leader. The United Democratic Party has indicated that following the convention on Sunday, the UDP's National Party Council will meet to decide on the procedure and timing for a special election to choose the new first deputy leader to succeed Hon. Vega. To date three persons have indicated that they are aspiring for the position, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Erwin Contreras. Today Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Hugo Patt was asked who of the three is best fit for the position. Here is his response. "All three are qualified, in fact any candidate that you have here in the UDP they are the best qualified that you can speak of about in term of leadership, in terms of character, in terms of honesty and more importantly in term of the service that they have given to this country and to their constituency but most importantly to the people of Belize, certainly at this point I am looking at the possibilities that we have but at the end of the day whosoever wins will stand behind that person and I am sure that any leader that we put any deputy leader that we put is going to be the best choice for us as a party and the best choice for Belize."

CEMJC Celebrates 5th Annual Expo
Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College is a growing institution where students are taught that education is the key to success and to a secure future. Throughout the school year students engage in many carrier subjects and today to showcase what students have been learning, the institution held their 5th annual Open Day under the theme "Promoting Innovative Ideas, Partnering with Stake Holders, Paving the Way to Quality Assurance." A total of 66 booths, including those from the business community, were set up each one with a different purpose saysDean for CEMJC, Hugo Gonzalez:"Today we are celebrating CEMJC's annual open day under the theme Promoting Interactive Ideas Partnering with Stakeholders paving the way towards quality assurance, this is the fifth annual open day that we've been hosting and every year seems to be getting bigger and better, this year alone we have invited people to and organizations to come both from the business community and other NGO's and together with them the projects that were developed from the students here at school we have a total of 66 booths here present today; we have agricultural entities like the BSCFA, PAO, we also have SIRDI, BAHA we also have others that deals for example with the sciences, we have FOCUS, we have EPI which is the Ecology Process International, we also have booths for example that deals with the businesses like the banks; we have Scotia Bank. Atlantic Bank, Credit Union, Belize Bank we also have other people like for example Emilio Ahmad Group of Companies."

Trial Farm Government School Promoting Healthy Minds
The Trial Farm Government School here in Orange Walk has been engaging in a School Improvement Project that offers each student the opportunity to sign up for a club in which they are able to express themselves freely and expand their learning in many areas. Today an open day was held at the school grounds with the purpose of showcasing the many skills and talents that the children possess. Naira Romero - Principal, TFGS: "Today's activity is to showcase what we have done, this year we are embarking in a school improvement project and as part of that we are doing Club, and in it children get to practice different talents that they have, for example we have the sports clubs, we have arts and craft, we have beading, we have environmental, land escaping and gardening club, first time for Trial Farm that we have done these clubs and we have incorporated it in the timetable so for one time period a week the students get to go to one Club of their choice and then they work on the different items this is what we want to show the public and show the parents that the child might not be gifted academically but the child can do something manually or the child has talent in dancing, singing or the child can also become an agriculturist and can grow his/ her garden at home."

OWTC Awarded To Be a Child Friendly Municipality
The Child Friendly Municipality Initiative, headed by the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), was created to promote and approve an international initiative aimed at confirming Mayors as Children's Defenders. The idea is basically to provide infrastructure, amenities as well as the proper environment for children to be free, healthy and well-informed of what is happening within the community.The Orange Walk Town Council received the Child Friendly Municipality Award earlier this afternoon during a ceremony that was held at the Central Park where a number of invited guests were present. We spoke to the Minister of Labour, Local Government and Human Development, Hugo Patt, who expressed his views about the award itself and how pleased he is with the council for receiving such recognition.

Hugo Patt Surprised At Vega's Retirement
On Sunday March 20th the United Democratic Party will hold its National Convention in Dangriga where Prime Minister Dean Barrow will be endorsed as Leader of the party and Erwin Contreras will be endorsed as second Deputy Leader of the party. In that convention Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega would have been endorsed as the First Deputy Leader. That however, won't happen since Vega does not want the position and has also indicated that he will no longer be seeking re-election in the next general election.Vegas decision to retire early from politics took many by surprise including Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Hugo Patt. "It is a huge lost for us here in the north but it is a decision that he has taken and we respect that decision as much as I can tell you that the Minister has indicated that he will supportive of our efforts and certainly as a party we have to move we have to make sure that we have the necessary kind of gear to be in ground personally I am so thankful for him to be his support and certainly Corozal we will miss him, Orange Walk we will miss him but I am sure that the party will move on as with everything we have to transition and we are gearing up practically for that transition in the upcoming weeks."

LOVE FM

Taiwan President Concludes Visit to Belize
President Ma Ying-Jeou of Taiwan ended his visit to Belize this morning. Renee Trujillo has been following his itinerary and filed this report.

60 Years of the YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association, YWCA is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary this year. A number of activities to highlight this momentous occasion have been taking place. Today a special ceremony was held at the headquarters at the corner of Freetown and St. Thomas Streets in Belize City. Guest speaker was the Special Envoy for Women [�]

Town Hall Cashier Fired for Neglect
A tax collector from the Orange Walk Town Council has been fired for not handing in thousands of dollars collected for Property Tax. According to Orange Walk Town Mayor, Kevin Bernard, Oscar Tillett, collected the monies between late December and early January and did not submit the monies to the Orange Walk Town Council. As [�]

BLACK March 2016 Sends Strong Message
An estimated five hundred persons took part in the second annual BLACK March, coordinated by the Belize Police Department. We join Renee Trujillo for that story.

FAO Targets Small Onion Farmers on Best Practices Training
Today, twenty eight farmers from the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts were celebrated for successfully completing phase one of the Promoting Agribusiness Development Project in Northern Belize. The project is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization and it targets small time onion producers in the north. They were trained on how to properly prepare [�]

New High School Planned for Southern Belize
A new High School will be established in rural Toledo. The announcement was made by Minister of Education, Patrick Faber. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the story. PAUL MAHUNG "Plans for the establishment of the new high school in Pueblo Viejo Village was made at a recent well attended town hall meeting of education stakeholders in [�]

PlusTV

Taiwanese and Eastern Caribbean leaders meet in Belize
Three heads of government and a head of state touched down in Belize this morning at the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA). The Prime Ministers of St. Lucia, Dr. Kenny Anthony; St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; and St. Kitts and Nevis, Honorable Timothy Harris, and outgo...

COLA says Guatemalan aggression unchecked
Citizens Organized for Liberty thru Action (COLA) expressed its dismay over what it calls the "the continued and unchecked aggression shown by Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF)". In a press release issued Wednesday March 16, COLA says it "�denounces any attempt by the Government of Belize (GOB) to insi...

Placencia residents sign petition to keep doctor on peninsula
Over 800 Placencia residents have signed a petition to have the contract of a medical doctor with NHI renewed. The doctor received a letter on March 4saying that his contract would be terminated as of March 16th. Residents say the doctor has been in the village for 14 years and they don't see why he...

CPBL still delayed in payments to CGA
Citrus Growers will receive their delayed fruit cheque for fruit payroll from March 8, 2016 . That check will be ready on Friday, March 18th, 2015 at 8am. According to a statement from the Citrus Growers' Association, they were informed that CPBL would be making the payment from CPBL's Collaboration...

Five beat burglary charge
For want of prosecution, five Belize City residents including a female teenager saw charges of burglary dating back to June of 2015 dropped this morning. Released are 30 year old Brandon Errol Smith, aka "Battery;" 30 year old Devon Delon Smith, a Security Officer; 29 year old Leon Lee Smith, unem...

Group of 4 see sex charges dropped by DPP
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Cheryl-Lynn Vidal has directed the courts to withdraw charges of unlawful sexual intercourse against 4 males; 3 minors and an adult male identified as 22 year old Wilfred Ramirez. The group of four were accused of all having sexual intercourse, one at a time, wi...

Weed plantation inside Natural Reserve
A weed plantation was found inside a Natural Reserve. On Tuesday 15th of March, 2016 an anti- drug operation was conducted by personnel attached to the Independence Southern Formation 12 miles West of Maya Mopan village, Stann Creek District. There, the team found 20 marijuana plants ranging from 1...

Ex-employee charged with theft
Nineteen year old Ricardo Borje, a resident of New Road, who allegedly stole $6,000 from Ricky Perrera, was charged with theft when he appeared today before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza. Borje pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was released on bail of $8,000 and his case was adjourned until April 26....

Fisherman charged with undersized conch
Thirty-two year old Raymond Myers, a fish vendor of Conch Shell Bay, was fined a total of $9,020 today by Magistrate Carlon Mendoza after he pleaded guilty to possession 444 undersized conch. He was given until July 29, 2016 to pay. if he defaults on payment he will serve 3 months. About 7:30 this m...

Belmopan ; a sustainable child friendly municipality
On Wednesday, March 16th, Belmopan was officially inaugurated as a sustainable and child friendly municipality. The inaugural ceremony was held at the Mae Gordon Field in Belmopan with primary and high school students. The child friendly initiative was formed in September of 2015 and aims towards g...

First game played on new synthetic field
Last night on Tuesday the 16th of March, fans flocked the newly renovated Isodoro Beaton Football stadium to witness the inaugural match of the new synthetic turf. Earlier Tuesday morning, the new stadium, which cost just under 4 milion dollars was ceremonially inaugurated but Tuesday night's game ...

Poetry workshop at St. Johns
Students from Oklahoma State University under the leadership of Dr. Jen Sanders, along with Peacework, are conducting their annual visit to St. John's Anglican Primary School in Belize City. For the third year running, they are practicing their skills in literacy on the students of the school, as we...


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The Guardian

Guatemalan threats in the Sarstoon date back to 2006
On Saturday March 12, there was a confrontation between the Belize Defence Force and the Guatemalan Armed Forces. Late on that evening the forward operating base at the Sarstoon was approached by GAF personnel. With the use of a loud speaker the GAF informed the BDF that they should not be at the Sarstoon. Even as this was taking place the Belize Forces stood their ground. Reports indicate that the GAF were in the area for approximately an hour after which they withdrew. After a meeting of the National Security Council, General David Jones, BDF commander explained that he had communication with his Guatemalan counterpart about the incident and within 10 minutes the GAF withdrew from the area. He explained that they were dissatisfied that the BDF had not reported to them as it relates to their movement in the Sarstoon River. "Our troops had never gone in there and asked permission to go through and we continue to go through the Sarstoon without asking permission," stated Jones. He continued explaining that just earlier in the week there was a meeting between the BDF and the GAF at the highest level for the Saturday incident to have unfolded. Jones said that the Guatemalan General was "going to pass the direction that there isn't going to be anymore interception and we are going to work towards peace in the area."

Taiwan President meets four regional leaders in Belize
Four Heads of State arrived in Belize on Wednesday, March 16, and in that time, they will have a number of meetings in the country. Those leaders include The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Timothy Sylvester Harris, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Everard Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Dr. Kenny D Anthony, and the outgoing Taiwanese President, Ma Ying-jeou. President Ma is going to demit office in a month's time, and his trip to Belize is being interpreted by members of the Taiwanese community living here, as a gesture of good faith that Taiwan's friendship with Belize will continue. The Taiwanese President has met with each of the Caribbean Prime Ministers in closed door sessions, and he has made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He has had a courtesy luncheon with Governor General, Sir Colville Young, and all 5 Leaders have held a round table discussion.

New Schools for Belmopan, Stann Creek & Toledo
Ground-breaking ceremonies for new schools in Belmopan, Stann Creek and Toledo are scheduled throughout this week. Funding for the construction of six government schools has been made available through grant-funds from the Caribbean Development Bank under the bank's Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF 7) programme. This means that students in the respective communities will have easier access to a better learning environment; enable schools to address the increasing demand of enrollment, alleviate over-crowding and thus enable the country's future leaders to further boost their learning skills. A ground-breaking ceremony will be held for Santa Cruz's New Government Pre-School and Primary School and Trio's Pre-School and Primary School on Friday, March 18. A similar ceremony already took place for the Kuxlin-Ha Pre-School and Primary School in Belmopan on Tuesday, March 15. Officials for the ground-breaking ceremonies in Belmopan were Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of National Security and Area Representative; Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports; representatives of the Social Investment Fund and Ms. Shirlene Wilshire, school Principal.

The Best is Here! Football fans receive four million dollar renovated stadium
Football fans from all over Belize now have good reasons to rejoice for having been gifted with an almost four million dollar stadium in Belmopan. The magnificent state of the art Isidoro Beaton Football Stadium was re-opened to the public on Tuesday of this week in Belmopan, this time with the first FIFA qualifying synthetic turf in Belize. Former home of the Bandits, the renovated Isidoro Beaton Football Stadium now has a seating capacity for 1,200 fans and will allow for play any time of the day or night and professional playtime anytime of the year. The FIFA two star polythene turfs would be warranted for up to ten years with the play of up to 40 hours a week. At a brief ceremony on Tuesday, Mayor Khalid Belisle noted that just a few years ago, the idea arose for using some of the portion of the post proceeds of the Petrocaribe Program "�to spark a rejuvenation of sports in Belize." Mayor Khalid Belisle thanked our Country's leaders for the realization of a dream.

Micah get drop again!
One thing is certain about young Micah Goodin and that is, he will always be a part of a losing campaign . It seems as if though this young man has an aura around him that just turns off people. About a little over 2 years ago he was all set to become the People's United Party's Candidate in the Collet division. He was already on the ground in the division. The party was showing him around as if though he was the greatest thing since Sliced Bread. Low and behold there was a Bi-election in Cayo North and his party got to see him operate under pressure and then he was no longer their Collet candidate. We don't know whether they had dumped him or he had quit. The word at the time ranged that he thought it was not his time yet to certain members of his party referring to him as "WAH LEE BWOI WEH NO READY " We at the time suspected that he was removed by force, but we could not prove that so we held back our thunder. He was then made to run on a City Council slate that was only put together sort of as to say that they were contesting the City Council election. We use the term contesting very loosely, because it was no contest. In one corner was a bunch of losers and misfits being lead by a person whose confession stated that she was not good with numbers and that she proved by her public statements that dealt with numbers. While in the other corner there was a TEAM with a proven track record being lead by a very popular Mayor Darrel Bradley. We don't need to go into any details about Mayor Bradley's team and why everybody knew why he and his team were far better than the others and why they demolished their opponents. One only has to look at the new and improved Belize City under the Mayor Bradley lead City Council, to get a clear picture.

Atlantic Bank hosts gathering of land and home agents in Belmopan
There is a general agreement among real estate agents that now is the best time to buy land in Belize. At a gathering hosted by the Atlantic Bank at the Belmopan Civic Center on Saturday of this past weekend, land owners were meeting face to face with members of the public, with messages on how to buy properties. Andrea Rodriquez, a representative from Eagles Wings Belize Property Management and Real Estate was the first one to say that potential buyers of land should "�do their own background checks, references and investigation�" to prevent land scams. Andrea Rodriquez also advises that if the land managers ask their customers that money be placed into a different account, which does not match with the business-- that would be a red flag. Present at the gathering over the weekend were representatives from Our Forest Realty, Atlantic Insurance, Association of Professional Architects and others.

Citco traffic department to regulate 'Dalla Vans'
With mounting complaints against operators of 'Dalla Vans' the Belize City Traffic Department is currently in the process of regularizing them for better service to Belize City residents. According to Traffic Manager, Kevan Jenkins, the move is as a result of concerns which have been constantly expressed as to the unsafe manner in which the vans operate. With support from the traffic councillor, Bernard Pitts, meetings have been held with the van operators to get them organized into a cooperative who will be authorized to operate from Mahogany Street into downtown. Lionel Longsworth is the chairman of the cooperative, he says so far there are 56 persons who have signed on to the organization and they have some $3000 to begin to organize themselves. He says that great interest has been put into joining the cooperative. But even as it has generated great interest he added that those who will be members need to go through a series of training workshops for them to improve the manner in which they serve the public. For his part Jenkins says that not all of those who are members with the cooperative will be able to offer 'dalla van' services. That number he says is too great for the city and consultations have to be carried out in order to determine an appropriate number of operators to function in the city.

Speaking to empty seats!
On Tuesday night Johnny Briceño held a much advertised Budget CONSULTATION Townhall type meeting at the George Price Center for Peace. This meeting as we were made to understand was to discuss the recently presented budget and to get feedback from the audience. He and the PUP had promised that they would then use that feedback to formulate their presentation for the budget debate next week. Such an idea has a very good genesis, and with Belmopan being the place where many Public Officers and former Public Officers reside, that meeting should have been a very productive one. Those potential attendees understand PUBLIC FINANCES and the way things operate or is to be operated in the public sector and their contributions would have been exceptional. In a way they are the public sector. However it seemed like the residents of Belmopan know Johnny and the way he and the PUP operate also, so they stayed away from him and his consultation. It was as if though Johnny had LEPROSY or some other sort of deadly disease that one could catch from him just by being in his company.

Political Games
For some folks pushing their political agenda supersedes all logic and common decency. And for the Belize Progressive Party (BPP) it is no different. For them it seems the end justifies the means. From the get go it seemed like this bunch of political neophytes were willing to play politics with any and every thing. One only need to go back and look to see who makes up the majority of the movers in the BPP and one would quickly get the sense of where they started in their quest of forming a political party. The BPP is an offshoot of the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV). They started out to try and gain national prominence by using the one thing that invokes a high degree of passion in most if not all Belizeans. That issue is the age old UNFOUNDED GUATEMALAN CLAIM. Belizeans regardless of where they stand in the political landscape share that no Guatemala stance and the BPP is banking on that. They want to gain power without building a reputation as a party that has paid it's dues. In effect they want to gain power without putting in the work, getting there by default.

20 thousand strong and the launch of an entrepreneurship assistance program
Women are far more likely to be unemployed and underemployed than men. The most recent Labour Force Survey shows that the unemployment rate among women decreased from 19.4 percent to 15. 1 percent from 2014 to 2015. Reason for optimism but this is still far higher than it is for men whose rate increased from 5.9 percent to 6.8 percent over that same period. The results show that women are also far more likely to be underemployed than men. Over 20,000 persons were underemployed, 9,373 males and 10,847 females. The underemployment rate for men is 10.8 percent. The underemployment rate for women is 21 percent. On average, males make $90 per month more than women. Those are only some of the statistics that show women and men are operating on different playing fields. Therefore, the need for financial empowerment of women in Belize cannot be overstated and it has become the number one gender based campaign of the National Women's Commission, the Women's Department and the Special Envoy for Women and Children.

Embassy of Japan and Belize High School of Agriculture sign grant contract
On March 11th, 2016, Mr. Hideki Shinozaki, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan to Belize, signed a Grassroots Human Security Grant Contract of US$90,804.00 with the Belize High School of Agriculture in Orange Walk. The grant will be used for the construction of a new building (two classrooms and a library) to address the issue of overcrowding of students in the classrooms. The contract signing ceremony took place at the Belize High School of Agriculture. Present at the ceremony were Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, and Mr. Monty Sadarangani, Honorary Consul General of Japan. The Belize High School of Agriculture was established in 1984. It currently has 233 students and 15 teachers. The new building is expected to provide an appropriate educational environment for young Belizeans.

Johnny giving Lisa the cold shoulder, Hmmmm!
It now appears that the PUP leader Johnny Briceno wants to be as far away from Lisa Shoman as he possibly can . Hot on the heels of replacing her as a Senator, it seems that she has been replaced on the Belize team that handles the Belize /Guatemalan negotiations. We say that because it is now Assad Shoman who has gone to the OAS meeting in Washington D.C. along with Minister Wilfred Elrington to hold talks with OAS and Guatemalan officials. Ordinarily it would have been Lisa who would have been the Leader of the Opposition's representative, like she has been doing since 2008, but not so this time. Lisa is known to be a person with a rather abrasive character. People don't flock towards her. It is just the opposite, people seem to try and stay very far from her. Running in the opposite direction may be the best thing to do when one sees her and it seems that Johnny is now of that very same view. Run Johnny run is the name of the game in regards to Lisa.

Ministry of Health receives three vehicles from IDB
The Salud Mesoamerica 2015 Initiative which is an innovative public/private partnership funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Carlos Slim Institute for Health and the Government of Spain handed over three new 2016 Ford Ranger Pick-Up trucks to the Ministry of Health's Maternal and Child Health program. The three vehicles have a total estimated value of $120,000 and will be used to aid with outreach activities for preventive interventions at the community level geared at improving maternal health and reducing child mortality. The vehicles will be distributed to the Western and Northern Health Regions for immediate use. The SM 2015 Initiative seeks to reduce health inequity gaps in the Mesoamerican region faced primarily by those living in extreme poverty. The current project is being implemented in the Northern and Western Health Regions with a focus on Maternal and Child Health Services and it is in its second operational phase which started in July 2015 and which will end in June of 2017.

Belize receives more benefits from PetroCaribe
Belize, like all the countries benefiting from the PetroCaribe arrangement with Venezuela, have signed on to a special agreement called "FAO Hugo Chavéz Frías". It's an action plan funded by PetroCaribe to help eradicate hunger, and bring food security to the chosen communities in these countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In Belize specifically, 6 communities in Toledo, along the Southern Highway, will be benefiting from this initiative which currently has a population of 6,000. The Ministry of Agriculture says that the thrust of this initiative will allow for the improvement of crops in the south such as corn and beans, which are important crops for these 6 communities. It will increase, hopefully, the level of production, and reduce post-harvest losses of the crops, when it comes to storage.

Police's meet and greet continues in Cayo
The new Commanding Officer for the San Ignacio Police Formation, Anthony Rosado, continues with his predecessor's custom in the Meet and Greet with the public, and in doing so forming linkages in the fight against crime. Superintendent of Police Anthony Rosado visited the areas of Cristo Rey Road last week in Santa Elena Town to also become familiar with the residents and come to know their concerns. In a report to the Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, community policing Officer Ciriaco Medina notes that the community is very happy with the Community Oriented Policing Program COPP in their home "�by seeing the amount of police walking their beats every day. However; the report to the Commissioner of Police informs that the community complains about bushy lots, poor lighting conditions and people using the parks for the purpose of public drinking.

UDP to set date for Deputy Leadership election
The United Democratic Party has issued a release in which it states that a date will be set shortly to select a new first deputy. In the release the party explains that "the National Party Council will meet shortly after the March 20 Convention to decide on the procedure and timing for a special election to choose the new First Deputy Party Leader to succeed Hon. Vega." Via a letter dated March 8, 2016, the UDP was informed by Hon. Vega that he would no longer stand for elections in the Orange Walk North Constituency and also stated that he would not continue as First Deputy Party Leader of the UDP. With the announcement there will now be room for an election and so far Hon. John Saldivar and Hon. Patrick Faber have expressed their interest to run for the position as soon as the date is set. It is noteworthy that while Hon. Gaspar Vega has said he is no longer interested in electoral politics, he will remain a minister in the UDP's cabinet and will serve out his term as a minister. Additionally, Hon. Vega has made clear that he will continue to "faithfully serve the United Democratic Party and will do whatever....in the interest of the betterment of the party". He also "will work arduously with my successor to ensure another victory for the great constituency of Orange Walk North".

President Ma's Statement Upon Arrival in Belize
It is a great honor and privilege for me to be invited by Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize, to lead a delegation to visit Belize. This is my second visit to this beautiful country. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to extend our warm greetings to the government and people of Belize. Belize is one of the staunchest allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Over the years, our two countries have collaborated closely in perfect harmony in a wide array of fields, and stride forward hand in hand in international community. Belize has rendered strong support to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for its continuing campaigns for participation in international organizations. I therefore bring with me the heartfelt appreciation from the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize.

Belize celebrates World Water Day
Belize is celebrating World Water Day this year by holding a two day summit featuring various organizations that protect, preserve and process H2O. This year's theme is "Water and Jobs" and representatives of the Ministry of Health, Hydrology Unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Public Utilities Commission, Department of the Environment, Belize Water Services Limited, Crystal Water Limited, National Climate Change Office, University of Belize and the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL) are making presentations on the importance of Belize's water sheds and the income generating opportunities they present. Belize's 16 water sheds are the Rio Hondo River, Belize River, New River, Sibun River, Moho River, Temash River, Sarstoon River, Monkey River, Manatee River, Mullins River, Deep River, Golden Stream River, Rio Grande River, North Stann Creek and South Stann Creek. These rivers drain the Maya Mountains and provide vital nutrients to the Great Barrier Reef System in the Caribbean Sea. "Our magnificent reef system is of immense socio-economic significance to Belize because it provides employment and a source of income to thousands of people living in adjacent communities," says Sharon Ramclam-Young, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources. "Tourism and agriculture, acknowledged to be the bedrock of the Belize economy, are completely dependent on the care or our [water based] ecosystem."

Shanique Meighan charged for obstruction of justice
There have been numerous times on which the mother of Tyrone and Ellis Meighan appeared on the evening news to complain about police brutalizing her sons. The latest conflict between the Meighans and police have caused the sister to go public as an alleged victim of police brutality. Police raided the Meighans house on Banak Street early Tuesday morning, March 15, as part of their investigation into the murder of Tanika Lemoth. Shanique Meighan claims that police officers barged into their home early Tuesday morning and started to beat her and her brothers with pipes. "As I open dah door, they pull me by my hair; they pull out my two bredda dehn. Dehn next lee bwai weh mi deh deh, they pull them out and they start wah beating and a half with a white pipe." Meighan claims that after the beating she was denied access to a medical facility so that she could get treatment from a doctor. Instead, she was kept in police custody and dragged to court in the afternoon.

Robber shoots man in Cayo
A man from Cayo is glad to be alive after escaping from being seriously hurt by a robber. Henry Gordon 24yrs of Blackman Eddy Village, Cayo District, reported that on Monday 7th March 2016 about 7:30pm he was at the roadside on the George Price Highway in Unitedville Village where he was robbed. He said he was waiting to catch a bus when a young man known to him as Eric Elrington, placed a black pistol to his head and demanded money. Fearing for his life, the Belizean electrician took out his wallet and gave him $600.00 Belize currency, which he had in different denominations; after which he was shot on the right foot. Eric Elrington shot at Henry Gordon again but the gun snapped. Henry Michael Gordon took the opportunity to run, but was shot again on the lower part of his right hand. Members of the San Ignacio Police Formation are now seeking Eric Elrington and the public is being asked to contact the police if they know his whereabouts.

Raymond Myers pleads guilty to possession of undersize conch
Fisherman Raymond Myers, 32, who beat a murder charge in 2014, is now in trouble with the law for undersized conch. Early Tuesday morning, the Gang Suppression Unit conducted a search at #37 A West Collect Canal where they found a white cooler with 444 undersized conch inside. Myers was detained and the police department handed him over to the Fisheries Department along with the conch. Myers was taken before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza and was charged with possession of undersized conch. He was unrepresented in court and wasted no time in pleading guilty to the fisheries offense. Myers told the Magistrate that a friend gave him the conch. He begged for leniency saying that he has been buying and selling conch and other fisheries products for a while and this was the first time he has been in trouble.

Kaya Cattouse wins 27th Annual Female Cross Country Cycling Classic
The Cycling Federation of Belize sponsored its 27th Annual Female Cross Country Cycling Classic on Sunday 13th March, 2016. The 69 miles event started at Columbus Park in San Ignacio Town and travelled the full length of the George Price Highway into Belize City for the finish at the BTL on Newtown Barracks. The event saw the participation of 6 female cyclists which included the defending champion Alicia Thompson and former champion Kaya Cattouse. At the end of some 4:24:15, it was Kaya Cattouse of C-Ray Team who out sprinted Alicia Thompson at the finish line to regain the garland and the Cross Country Title. Alicia Thompson of the Belize Bank Swoosh finished second also with the time of 4:24:15. Thompson also captured the Queen of the Hills Title. Patricia Chavarria of Team C-Ray who was the real work girl on the road came in third in a time of 4:24:23. Chavarria was followed by Gabrielle Lovell of Digicell 4G Female Team in a time of 4:24:28. Meanwhile, Gina Lovell also of Digicell 4G Female Cycling finished 5th in a time of 4:31:29 and she was followed by Paulita Chavarria of Team C-Ray in a time of 4:49:21.

Smart Belize Hurricanes maintain lead in Elite Basketball Competition'
The National Elite Basketball League competition continued on Thursday 10th March, 2016, at the UB Gymnasium in the City of Belize between the visiting Belize City No Limit Team and the host team the Belmopan Bandits. In the game played, the Belmopan Bandits defeated the Belize City No Limit Team by the score of 81-70. The top scorers for the Belmopan Bandits were Nick Brown with 17 points, 5 rebounds and a steal; Jarrel Velasquez also with 17 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists and Stephen Williams with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. For the visiting Belize City No Limit Team, the top scorers were Gregory Rudon with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals; Keith Acosta with 13 points and 11 rebounds and Michael Bables also with 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals. On Friday 11 March, 2016, two games were played, at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio Town, the Cayo Western Ballaz edged out the visiting Dangriga Warriors by the score of 63-61.

Belmopan Bandits maintain lead in PLB Closing Season
The Premier League of Belize Closing Season Tournament continued over last weekend with three games on the schedule. On Sunday 13th March, at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town, the defending National Football Champions of Belize the Police United blanked the home team Verdes FC by the score of 2-0. The Police United Team got onto the scoreboard when Andres Makin Jr. scored his team's 1st goal of the game in the 4th minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. That lead was further extended when Carlton Thomas scored the Police United's 2nd goal of the game in the 18th minute of play to give his team a 2-0 lead. The Police United defence maintained its presence throughout the game and at the end of the long whistle it was rewarded the 2-0 white wash. On Saturday 12th March, two games were played; at the FFB Stadium in the City of Belmopan the Belmopan Bandits blanked the visiting Wagiya FC by the score of 3-0.

Ladyville Technical High females and Gwen Lizarraga High males won Central Region High School Softball Competition
The 2015-2016 Central Region Secondary Schools Softball Competition came to an end on Saturday 12th March, 2016, at Rogers Stadium with the Grand Final Game in the Page System played. In the female championship game, Ladyville Technical High School defeated Edward P. Yorke High School by the score of 12-0 to decide the out-come of the championship in four innings. The winning pitcher was Elma Wade and the losing pitcher was Jasany Westby. In the male championship game, Gwen Lizarraga High School defeated St. John's College by the score of 7-3. The winning pitcher was Devonte Middleton and the losing pitcher was Alwayne Hendy. On Thursday 10th March, in the Female Final Game that was played, Ladyville Technical High School eliminated Wesley College by the score of 16-6 to advance to the Grand Final. The winning pitcher was Elma Wade and the losing pitcher was Shania Pook.

Ricardo Borja charged for stealing from his boss
After working for two months, 19-year-old Ricardo Borja's boss fired and reported him to police on charges of theft. Allegations are that on January 27, Borja dishonestly appropriated the sum of $6,000 which belongs to his boss, Ricky Perrera, 28. Borja appeared in court unrepresented before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza on Tuesday, March 15, to answer to a single charge of theft. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was offered bail in the sum of $8,000 plus two sureties of $4,000 each. Perrera told us that Borja was employed with his business for two months, from December 17 to February 17 before he was fired for stealing. Perrera explained to us that Borja was going to his tenants to collect rent on his behalf without permission. Borja then took the money that he collected. This charge is for rent from one tenant.

Retaliation on a taximan claims life on Tanika Lemoth
After months of calm in Belize City's Southside area, the senseless murder of 34 year-old Tanika Lemoth broke the quiet on the predawn hours Sunday, March 13. Lemoth and 3 other persons were shot in a drive-by, but Lemoth suffered the most serious injuries, and she died 10 minutes after being shot. Police investigation is that at around 4:20 on Sunday, Lemoth, 33 year-old Doris Gilharry,, and 34 Hanifa Flowers all charted taxi man Jaime Villanueva to take them to their Belize City homes. They had only just left the Christopher Martin Concert when they caught Villanueva and instructed him to take them home. Flowers told the press that Villanueva appeared very concerned for his safety, was telling them, "I just threw out a well-known gunman out�I don't want any problems, I had to throw him out of my vehicle. I had to physically get out my front seat and throw him out of my vehicle".

Mario Trotman lured to his death
The family 20 year-old Mario Trotman, had the worst possible news delivered to them on Tuesday, March 15, when his body was found dumped in the dyke area. That's in the Jane Usher Boulevard area. He had been reported missing the day before by his relatives, and after police went searching for him, they found him floating in the canal's waters with a gunshot injury to the head. At this time, police believe that he was lured near that location by someone he trusted. His killer shot him in the head, and his body was disposed of. Nobody knows exactly why he was murdered in this fashion. The last his family saw of him, he was washing a vehicle belonging his stepfather. One of his best friends came by the house for him. The next thing they realized is that he didn't come home, and that's when they reported him missing to police. They became concerned when they heard that he had been killed.

Axle load survey for better road building
The Ministry of Works and Transport is currently conducting an axle weight survey specifically targeting heavy construction and heavy transport vehicles. the purpose of the survey is for the ministry to have better information as to the weight of large vehicles which traverse the highways in Belize. The information gathered will be used by engineers to improve designs of highways as well as to improve the performance of maintenance works that are carried out on the highway. This axle load survey will be taking place in Georgeville Village in the Cayo District in front of the Pine Lumber Company from March 15 to the 21. A similar exercise was held in Camalote village also in the Cayo district from the 2nd to the 10th of this month.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Packed weekend of sports action
This weekend in Premier League of Belize there are several big games scheduled. On Saturday night the Police United FC will travel down south to take on the Placencia Assassins at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village. On Sunday 2 games will be played. In Belize City [�]

Kareem Clarke murder case reaches preliminary inquiry
The minor charged with the murder of Kremandala journalist Kareem Clarke appeared in the Belize Family Court yesterday, Wednesday, for a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the case would proceed to the Supreme Court. While it was adjourned because the presiding Magistrate was absent [�]

Police organize second "Be Loving and Cease Killing" March
The Belize Police Department's largest division, Eastern Division, covers the nation's largest municipality, and, at least until recently, its crime capital. In the teeth of the murder epidemic in 2015, now-Assistant Commissioner of Police Edward Broaster came up with the idea for an initiative [�]

Godfrey Hemsley Murdered; third City murder in a week prompts police to look at curfew
Before this week, Eastern Division police had reported just two murders in the first two months of 2016, as the rest of the country saw a spike; this was on the heels of an improvement in the latter half of 2015. But as of [�]

BSAG soldier sees burglary charge dropped
24 year old Jamel Webster, a soldier of the Belize Defence Force assigned to the Belize Special Assignment Group (BSAG), saw a charge of burglary withdrawn for insufficient evidence today. However, he can be re-arrested and charged with the same offence. Webster is accused of removing a 9-millimeter [�]

14 year old boy is charged for murder of 18 year old Mario Trotman
A 14 year old male minor, dwarfed by the police officer escorting him, appeared this morning in the Family Court, with attorney Oscar Selgado. He is charged with the murder of 18 year old Mario Trotman, whose body was discovered on Tuesday in the dyke [�]

Taxi man robbed and vehicle stolen near Bullet Tree
Belizean authorities have reached out to Guatemala's Civil Police for assistance in locating a stolen taxi that was taken from 61-year-old San Ignacio driver, Albino Itzab yesterday afternoon. The car was reportedly taken by two males and a female after he picked them up [�]

Elderly man dead after being hit by truck in Spanish Lookout
A notice of intended prosecution has been served to 59-year-old Spanish Lookout resident, Felix Sandoval after his Ford pickup truck fatally injured an elderly man yesterday morning in the Esso Gas Station compound in that community. Sandoval told police that around 11:30 a.m., he [�]

Round-table discussion: Belize Press shut out
His Excellency the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Ma Ying-jeou, left Belize for Los Angeles today after his short visit to the Jewel began on Wednesday. Its highlight was a happy greeting from the Taiwanese-Belizean community at the International Airport, and a [�]

SUV and Freight truck collide on George Price highway
A short while ago, there was a very serious accident at mile 11 on the George Price highway involving a Freightline truck and a black Jeep. Police are still on the scene and no death has been reported as yet but the conditions of [�]

Orange Walk Mayor clears up $60,000 embezzlement accusations
After Facebook posts emerged recently, making bold accusations that Mayor of Orange Walk Town, Kevin Bernard was responsible for $60,000 that went missing from the municipality's town council, Breaking Belize News sat down with Bernard in an exclusive interview to see if there is [�]

Drug Bust in Corozal Town
Breaking Belize News has been reliably informed that police in Corozal have made another drug bust. Presently the vehicle, in which the drugs were found, is being escorted to the police station. This is a developing story and more will be posted as details [�]

Blogs

6 must do activities in Mountain Pine Ridge!
The mountain pine ridge forest reserve area of Belize covers over 400km squared of land in the Maya Mountains and is the exclusive home of many of our wildlife species and some interesting jungle resorts. 1. Explore the Barton Creek caves: The Barton Creek cave system, one section of a much more extensive limestone cave system in the region is just about 2km long and home to a host of wonders. 2. Swim in the Rio On Pools: A short drive up into the mountains one would happen upon the Rio On Pools, a wide shallow stream cascading over the granite rock formations, forming pools in the deeper crevices and mini waterfalls on the overhangs. 3. Shower under Big rock falls: Downstream from the 1000ft falls lies another visually impressive wonder of a fall. Big rock falls, so named because of the giant granite boulders that barricade the banks and indeed make up the fall itself, is a wonder to behold and an adventurers dream. 4. Sight the 1000ft falls: The 1000ft falls in Belize is as you'd imagine the tallest waterfall in the country and it is quite an impressive sight, especially being taller than any Belizean man-made building by about 90 floors! 5. Scale Caracol Mayan Ruins: The Caracol Mayan Ruins; seeming as though almost balanced atop the peaks of the Mountain Pine Ridge Range is the largest of our sites and is storied to have been quite the local power, on many occasions rivaling and trumping the inhabitants of Tikal, Guatemala to the west. 6. Take in the sights at baldy beacon: Somewhat of an oddity in Belize, Baldy beacon is so named because it has a stark contrast of foliage compared to the rest of the pine ridge area, trees barely grow there and it's inhabited primarily by thick grass which gives it a bald appearance when seen from above.

Entering the world of Wildtracks spider monkeys with Kelly
Months ago, when I decided to explore the depths of my curiosity with wildlife conservation, I knew I needed to look into volunteer opportunities to get my feet wet. As a postgrad, all I could think about was throwing myself into experiences - immediately linking experience with travel. This couldn't be just any trip, but one that lit a fire under my arse. It was easy to see after some mild scrutiny that Wildtracks was the best possible option. A lot of programs seem to lack affordability and simply put, they just weren't as interesting. I arrived at Wildtracks and immediately it was a sensory overload. I met over a dozen people who not only had already developed relationships with each other, but with the animals. After my first day, I found myself constantly questioning whether the volunteers were talking about humans, monkeys or manatees (no joke). A couple of days went by and I caught on that many of them had only been there a week or two themselves. I then received my allocations, working with the spider monkeys and two of the pre-release howler monkeys, and in no time I started to feel the flow of things. I had survived the wrath of the mosquitos (I happened to arrive just after the first influx of rain this season) and I was utterly stoked to be there. I had a purpose, a role. My first encounter with the spider monkeys was when Alysha was giving me a tour of the enclosures. I was walking by and all of a sudden one of the spit-fire females, Mel, came barrelling toward me swinging her tail through the wire and grabbing the string of my hooded jacket. She pulled at it, tightening my hood so that I couldn't see.

Step by step guide to taking your (small) dog to Belize from the US! (2016 rules)
Hopefully you have stumbled on this blog after googling how to get your dog into Belize from the US, because it is stressful, complicated, and there is WAY too much information out there to make sense of it. You will feel like you have no idea what you are doing, and that what you are doing is probably wrong. I successfully brought my dog in and out once and just went through the process of taking him back in, and it was pretty painless, so I thought I'd share a step by step guide to make it easier for anyone researching this!

And So It Begins
Yesterday marked the official start of our pool project and, boy, was it exciting and slightly crazy. The crew arrived and started staking out the site. When that was done, work began on digging the trenches for the footers. This is being done by hand and is back breaking work. But in spite of this hard labor, all we heard were guys whistling and laughing. Another thing that amazed us is that they were all wearing hard hats, work boots, and reflective vests. If you live in Belize any length of time, you will realize what a novelty this is for a construction crew. While all that was going on, we started getting more materials delivered. First came the block. I think David said we have about 600 pieces. We suspect more will be needed, but this will at least keep the guys busy for the near term. While the block was being off loaded, in came a dump truck with another load of sand.

Where to get a $5 salad and 3 international adoptions
While we do have good agriculture, healthy food in Belize can sometimes be tricky. It can be a common thing for both locals and tourists to feel shorted on vegetables when eating out at fast food places on Ambergris Caye. Today I am here to help solve that dilemma, bringing great news of a $5 salad with two choices available. I have been getting them for a while now and I would say totally they're worth it. In addition to a lettuce based salad and slaw, Tortilleria Feliz also sell a $5 portion of lightly cooked vegetables. They have take-out only and a lunchtime thing. You will find Them on backstreet right beside Waruguma Restaurant (across the street and just north of Super Buy Grocery.) The Tortilleria is also well known for it's Rotisserie chicken. You can get a whole one for $20 bzd and a half for $10 bzd. It comes with corn tortillas and salsa - I often use the salsa to make bruschetta. I received a note from Dawn L of Saga Humane Society letting me know that three dogs were going to be sent on a journey. Two to the US and one to Canada (and that the day before one had gone to Lexington Kentucky). I know the lengths that Saga goes through to help get dogs internationally adopted to animal loving families.

International Sourcesizz

Guatemala y Belice intercambian acusaciones por diferendo
The Guatemalan version... Las autoridades de Guatemala y Belice intercambiaron acusaciones por la incursión de una embarcación militar del país caribeño en un río en la frontera no demarcada entre ambos países, que mantienen un añejo litigio territorial. El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Guatemala aseguró que el pasado viernes una embarcación militar de Belice ingresó al territorio guatemalteco por el río Sarst�n, sin seguir el protocolo establecido. Un día después, las autoridades guatemaltecas establecieron contacto radial con la embarcación beliceña para pedirle que siguiera los protocolos de seguridad y reclamarle que había cortado redes de pescar de un ciudadano guatemalteco. Seg�n la nota oficial, la "comunicación fue respondida con insultos por parte de los tripulantes de la nave beliceña". En un comunicado, el gobierno de Belice afirmó que se registró "un enfrentamiento" entre las fuerzas de seguridad de ambos países el sábado por la noche en territorio beliceño.

Four Caribbean prime ministers meet Taiwan president in Belize
Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou met in Belize on Wednesday with government leaders from four of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the Caribbean, all of whom expressed hope that Ma's successor will continue to push bilateral relations with their countries. Ma arrived in Belize earlier that day on the second stop of his last overseas trip before leaving office in May, and met with Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow. During the meeting, Ma invited Barrow to attend president-elect Tsai Ing-wen's inauguration May 20, when Ma will conclude his maximum two-term tenure as president. In response, Barrow expressed hope that Ma's successor will continue to enhance relations with Belize based on the existing foundation and that the two countries will carry out more exchanges. Taiwan elected Tsai, its first female president, on January 16. During a bilateral meeting with Ma on Wednesday, the prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis Dr Timothy Harris, and minister of agriculture, Eugene Hamilton, made a commitment to attend the inauguration in May.

7 Caribbean Countries Ranked in World Happiness Report 2016
Of the seven Caribbean territories/countries included in the World Happiness Report 2016 Update, Puerto Rico ranked the highest. Overall, 157 territories/countries from across the globe are included in the report released in advance of the United Nations World Happiness Day on March 20th, and Puerto Rico is ranked 15th. The next Caribbean country is Suriname ranked 40th followed by Trinidad & Tobago ranked 43rd. These top three are then followed by Belize ranked 52nd, Jamaica ranked 73rd; the Dominican Republic ranked 89th and Haiti ranked 136th.

Caribbean to tackle escalating cybercrime with regional approach
Commonwealth ministers, policymakers and cybersecurity experts are currently gathering in St Lucia for a three-day meeting (16-18 March) to tackle rising cybercrime in the Caribbean. The meeting will provide a platform for participants to address challenges and develop a coordinated regional action plan to prevent cybercrime and improve cybersecurity. This will involve setting up a virtual platform to share expertise and best practice. Those in attendance will include ministers responsible for legal affairs, ICT and National security, attorneys general from the Caribbean and international organisations, such as Interpol, the Council of Europe, FBI and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Caribbean tests tsunami warning system
A tsunami early warning exercise will take place in the countries of the Caribbean Sea on Thursday. The purpose of the test is to identify possible weaknesses in the tsunami and other coastal hazards warning system for the Caribbean and adjacent regions, which was established in 2005 under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO). The exercise will test a double scenario including a major earthquake off the coast of Venezuela and another off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. It will feature fictitious messages sent by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) to the countries taking part in the exercise. Countries can choose to extend the test at the local level by disseminating the alert via sirens or loudspeakers.

Belize and Guatemala military clash on southern border
Tensions between Belize and Guatemala at an "all-time high" following a military clash on Saturday (March 12) at the Sarstoon River on the southern Belizean border. A press statement from the Government of Belize Press Office, which was published on Facebook on March 13, says that on Saturday there was a confrontation on the Sarstoon River between the Belize Defence Force (BDF) and the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF). "The GAF approached the Belize's Forward Operating Base (FOB), though they never actually attempted to come on to our land, and behaved in an extremely hostile and threatening manner, insisting that our troops should not be at the Sarstoon. The Belize Forces stood their ground and after some time the GAF withdrew. In the intervening period the BDF Commander General Jones had spoken to an opposite member in Guatemala and Prime Minister Dean Barrow had sent a message to President Jimmy Morales," writes the Belize Press Office. The Belizean government said, however, that although the confrontation was resolved peacefully, "it is clear that tension with Guatemala over the Sarstoon and Belize's insistence on its sovereignty rights in accordance with the 1859 Treaty Demarcation of the river, is at an all-time high".

Videos

  • American Way Magazine 14th Annual Road Warrior Contest in Belize!, 3min.

  • Greater amberjacks, 1/2min.

  • Allie 1/5, 2min. Allie Johnstone, originally from British Columbia, has lived and work on the tropical island of Caye Caulker, Belize for 15 years. She works as a sailing, snorkelling and kayaking guide as well as being one of the islands main Sign Painters; getting from place to place by bicycle with her dog Rémy Martin riding with her. 1/5 in a series about creatives in Central America.

  • Guatemala - Belize Discovery, 7min. Viaggio alla scoperta delle bellezze naturali e archeologiche in Guatemala e Belize dal 26-12-2015 al 10-1-2016.

  • NYFA Documentary Expedition to Belize, 4min. New York Film Academy Students and faculty travel to Belize to shoot short docs about the coral reef degradation and the unique beauty and attributes of the country.

  • Belize's sovereignty being sold out to Guatemala, 3min. The PUP sold us out then. The PUP and the UDP continue to sell us out today to Guatemala!

  • Supa G - Ay Mami & wala wine Belize Punta sound tsapiky toliara (FIDA CYRILLE RUDY DIDI), 4min. Supa G - Ola Ola Punta Belize Sound tsapiky toliara mars 2016

  • Supa G - Ola Ola Punta Belize Sound tsapiky toliara (FIDA CYRILLE RUDY DIDI), 4min. Supa G - Ola Ola Punta Belize Sound tsapiky toliara mars 2016

  • Punta Rebels - The wine Punta Belize Sound tsapiky toliara (FIDA CYRILLE RUDY DIDI), 4min. Punta Rebels - The wine Punta Belize Sound tsapiky toliara mars 2016.

  • FISHING ABOARD FORTUNA San Pedro Belize, 2min. With guest Johnathan and Nikki Gaskin, Midway, Georgia. Captain Victor Lara, on deck Ballyhoo. Thanks for choosing Fortuna Fishing and San Pedro as you vacation destination.

  • THE AQUARIUM HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 13, 2016, 1min. Marine Life Highlights of dive Sunday Mar 13, 2016.

  • A pair of Manatees in Maya Beach Lagoon, 1/2min.

  • Belize PT 1_v1-HD 1080p, 4min. Copa Airlines and BTB

  • Belize 2016, 4min.

  • Belize Team 2016 Report, 60min. A group of nine people from Calvary Chapel of Truckee traveled to Seine Bight, Belize, in February-March 2016 to minister alongside Pastor Jim and Anna Mensie of Calvary Chapel of the Placencia Peninsula. The group shared their experiences at Calvary Chapel of Truckee on March 16, 2016.

  • Mexico and Belize February 2016, 10min. 8 day trip to Mexico and Belize.

  • [Doku Deutsch]Der KnochenJ�ger: Die H�hle der toten Mayas [E2/4]- Grab im Dschungel von Belize, 46min.


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