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FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

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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

NEBL playoffs fast approaching as teams fight for playoff positions
There are three weeks remaining in the National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) regular season, as each game becomes even more critical and teams are making their final playoff push. Below is the schedule for the upcoming games. All games can be followed live on our website at nebl.sportingpulse.net, with real time box scores, while the game is being played. The website also has all game scores, box scores, players and teams' statistics, along with standings for the season.

First female DJ shines at Island Invasion's King of the Island Easter Bash
It was another long Easter weekend on Ambergris Caye, and King of the Island Promotion's Island Invasion did it again with their sixth installment of their annual Easter Madness. It all happened on Saturday, March 26th inside Fido's Courtyard where hundreds of party lovers gathered for the highly anticipated Easter party of the year. The top DJs of Belize, along with feature performer and the first female DJ to join Island Invasion, Lady X from California USA, kept the massive crowd dancing until the wee hours of the night. The party came alive when Lady X took her spot on the stage. The crowd was quite appreciative of the tracks she played- and Island Invasion's vibe only got better as the night went on. Keeping the festive atmosphere at its highest level with the best tunes in dancehall, hip-hop, soca, reggae and pop hits was an entourage of very talented Belizean DJ's, including DJ Biggz of Air Invasion Sounds, DJ Jago, DJ Odyssey, Fyah Statah, and Evolution sounds.

Victor Garnett murdered over alleged gang retaliation
A notorious drug/gang affiliate was murdered in Belize City on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 23rd. No stranger to the island, 35-year-old Victor Garnett was shot and killed on Sibun Street in the south side of Belize City shortly after 2PM. Garnett, who had only recently moved to the City from San Pedro Town, has long been associated in drug related incidents and was even acquitted of a murder which occurred on the island back in 2009. While police have not detained anyone in relation to Garnett's murder, they strongly believe it was a planned assassination. "From what we are seeing, it appears as if he was in that area waiting for somebody, and that person or persons might have met him and eventually inflicted the gunshot wounds that he sustained, which subsequently resulted in his demise," said Regional Commander for the Eastern South Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. Garnett was shot at twice while driving his vehicle, with one of the bullets hitting his head and resulting in an almost immediate death. "We are looking at a possibility of gang retaliation as a result of those murders that he had been accused of in the past. And from our investigation, what we have gathered so far, the suspects are two teenagers who were seen coming out of a yard and firing shots at him," said Williams.

Brunching in style at Caprice
Caprice Bar and Grill has begun offering Sunday brunch specials. As if their fabulous Happy Hour(s) from 3-6PM on weekdays wasn't enough, they draw us in on the weekend too: that banner featuring a luscious image of Eggs Benedict has teased and tempted us for weeks from our office across the street. How could one choose between classics like Bananas Foster French Toast, chocolate chip pancakes, omelets, biscuits and gravy�or�ooooh�Eggs Benedict, and Chicken and Waffles? Oh my! Our decision was made - Bennies and chicken and waffles, plus Apple Spice Crepes for dessert. Sunday Brunch at Caprice runs from 10AM - 2PM, on Barrier Reef Drive at the Holiday Hotel. You can call 226-2014 to make your reservation. We highly recommend brunching on the deck for both delicious food and views!

Ambergris Today

BDF Soldier Shot at Belize Camp near Guatemalan Border
A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated yesterday March 29, 2016, stated that the Government of Belize has requested the Office of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the Adjacency Zone to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the March 26, 2016, shooting incident that occurred 400 meters east of the Belize/Guatemala border in the Valentin Camp area in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve within Belizean territory. Members of the Belize Defence Force detachment who are stationed at the Valentin Camp Conservation Post were on a routine water supply and administration task at about 4:50 p.m. on Saturday when they came under fire from men armed with rifles. The encounter resulted in gunshot injuries to the arms and abdomen of a member of the BDF patrol. The injured soldier was subsequently transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was treated for his injuries and he remains in a stable condition.

Mr. Vegas' Manager Almost Drowned at Belize Reefs!?
Mr. Vegas was on the island of Caye Caulker, Belize over the Easter weekend and performed in a concert on Saturday, March 26, 2016. Needless to say the island was packed with local and international vacationers who were enjoying their long holiday spring break weekend and looking forward to his performance. Posting about his fun trip to Belize, Mr. Vegas has both images and videos uploaded on his social media channels, including a fun video in which he jokingly says that his manager almost drowned in our Belizean reef. In the video Mr. Vegas's manager sums up the courage to dive into the Hol Chan Marine Reserve park, but soon changes his mind as he sees the sharks and sting rays approaching the boat. Mr. Vegas videos while his friends laugh as his manager desperately tries to get back on the boat.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Celebrating Women in San Pedro
Here are a couple of photos that are on display at the San Pedro House of Culture. Please drop by and see the full collection. Celebrating Women in San Pedro by photographer Karen Brodie.

Power interruption 6:00am to 1:00pm, Sunday April 3
Cayo and Belize Districts: entire City of Belmopan, and area from Mile 31 to Mile 50 on the George Price Highway including La Democracia, Mahogany Heights, Franks Eddy, Saint Matthews, Cotton Tree, Roaring Creek, Valley of Peace, Camalote, Teakettle, Arizona, Ontario, Buena Vista, Blackman Eddy, Unitedville and all that area from Belmopan to Armenia Village on the Hummingbird Highway. BEL to replace transmission structure in the area.

Statistical Institute of Belize - Latest Statistics
The latest economic statistics released to day by the Statistical Institute of Belize: February 2016 External Trade statistics, February 2016 Consumer Price Index/Inflation statistics, Fourth Quarter 2015 Gross Domestic Product.

Small Business Development Centre (SBDCBelize) 2016-2017 Workshop Calendar
Please click the link to access SBDCBelize's calendar of workshops/trainings for fiscal year 2016-2017.

Child Friendly Benque
Congratulations, Benque! Benque Viejo Town has been certified as child friendly.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
Mojave, Star Wars: TheForce Awakens, Kung Fu Panda 3, The Forest.

Channel 7

Thieves Stole Four Guns From City Hall
There are four more guns on Belize City Streets tonight, and they were all stolen from the City Council. The city's Special Constable office at the commercial centre was targeted. That's the unit which handles nightclub and liquor licensing enforcement, and they keep their guns locked up in a safe inside their office. But between 6:00 last night and 7:00 this morning, someone slipped into the commercial centre, broke into the office, pried open the safe, and stole the guns. Police told us more this afternoon Inspector Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Southside: "We observed that the 2 main doors that leads to that office was tampered and inside of the main office where the manager of the Special Constable sits, a safe was broken and after making checks they discovered that 4 99 pistols was missing from the safe. The safe was tampered, it was allegedly opened with a crowbar and the firearms that were stolen are two glock 9 mm and two CZ 9 mm along with 55 live rounds of ammunition, GFL brand, 9 holsters; all to a total value of 7,085 dollars property of the city council. At this time we have several of the Special Constables being interviewed." Jules Vasquez: "Does it have the appearance of an inside job or was there inside knowledge?" Inspector Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Southside: "We have conducted an investigation at this time. We cannot just come and tell you it's an inside job because we are not sure at this time."

Staff Sgt Lambey Released, Officialdom Still Mum
BDF Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey, who was shot on Holy Saturday by border bandits suspected to be Guatemalans, left the KHMH this morning after being treated for his gunshot injuries. He was picked up by BDF personnel who prevented the press from trying to get any on-camera comments. He did speak briefly to reporters, however, to explain that his recovery is coming along well, and that he had been allowed by his doctors to leave. And while the soldier's reluctance to comment is understandable, today, still, no one from the BDF, the Ministry of National Security or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to our requests for comment on the very alarming incident. All we have is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs release which was issued 73 hours after Staff Sargent Lambey was shot. And it only discloses that

Cyclist Greg Lovell Gets Two Year Suspension For Banned Substance
Cyclist Greg Lovell has been suspended two years for use of a banned substance. The announcement came down today from the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation. It says, quote, "The Results Management Authority after hearing the facts as were presented in its hearing on March 1, 2016, and on Wednesday 23 rd March, 2016, has decided to sanction that named cyclist with a two year suspension effective March 10, 2016." So that means Lovell, widely known as one of Belize's best sprinters will not be able to ride in any sanctioned event anywhere in the world until March of 2018. Lovell tested positive for Dexamethasone when he placed second in the New Year's Day KREM Cycling Classic. Dexamethasone is classed as a cortico-steroid that is used as an anti inflammatory usually to treat inflammations, asthma and arthritis. It is common in certain medicines.

Micah Cries Foul and Fraud In Youth Election
3 weeks ago, we showed you the by-election that the Department of Youth Services conducted for Presidency for the Belize Chapter of the National Youth Council. Stafin Duncan - a UDP supporter and Micah Goodin, a PUP supporter, went head to head, and when the votes were tallied, Duncan won. Goodin complained bitterly that UDP operators politicized the Elections when there should be no such thing in youth work. Well tonight, he's taken it one step further; he says that Stafin's UDP campaigners paid for votes. Now, as you may be aware, this National Youth Council is the Government's latest attempt to give the Youth population an opportunity to have representation in the decision making process by Central Government. But right now, instead of giving the youth a voice, it's just turned into "PUDP" noise. Today, Goodin and his fellow PUP youth advocate, Alberto Vellos staged a sidewalk press conference in front of the Department of Youth Services, where the Youth Council Elections was held. Here's Micah explaining this evidence of 2 youth voters who came forward to complain of being bribed:

CITCO Will Pave Cinderella Plaza
The City Council may have spent a couple dozen million dollars on paving 150 streets in Belize City - but while the money may be done, the work isn't! And today - 13 months after being elected to his second term of office - Mayor Darrell Bradley launched a new infrastructural program to sort of fill in the blanks. It's 1.6 million dollars - which may sound a like a lot - but for a council which has spent close to thirty million on city infrastructure, it's only finishing funds, to focus on those parts of the city that got left out of the paving bonanza. And it begins in Cinderella Plaza, a much-trafficked intersection, which has been left in a condition worse than the road to Pine Ridge! That's because the municipal drainage project dug it up - and left it for City Hall to repair. But CITCO didn't have the funds, until now�.the council has negotiated an agreement to pave Cinderella Plaza and a whole lot more. The mayor outlined plans at Cinderella Plaza this morning where he says work will start next week:�

RJB Financing Street Works, But Mayor Deflects
And while RJB gets the 1.6 million dollar contract for Cinderella Plaza and various street works throughout the city - we were sort of surprised to learn that it wasn't even put out to bid. The mayor explained that RJB had been involved in the development of the project - and that made the company an automatic fit:� Jules Vasquez "What make you select them and was it put out to tender?" Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City: "This wasn't put out to tender. With this project we have been working with a particular contractor to kind of develop the scope of the work including what we want to do in relation to Cindarella Plaza and working with the utility companies for about 8 months; so that this isn't something that we are just kind of thinking about. Usually when we do sole source procurement it's because we have a relationship with that particular contractor and they are working in the development phase of the contract. Again when we do the monitoring of this, we have our works team who will cross reference in terms of the pricing and so forth; but we are satisfied in relation to the quality and RJB has done probably about a third of our concreting streets so far." "In relation to RJB, the only difficulties we had with them as you mentioned in terms of some cracking works on Chetumal Street. What you did also mention is that immediately when there have been recognition of deterioration in works, we engage with the contractor and they fix the works immediately at their own cost and this what we've done with all the contractors."

City Will Pave Busy Streets
And that will include works on 7 other busy streets which are in dire need of repairs. The mayor says it begins with St. Joseph Street, which is off Baymen Avenue:� Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City: "It will include the entire length of St. Joseph Street. If members of the public can recall that we commenced a first portion of St. Joseph Street last year from Princess Margret Drive to St. Thomas Street. The entire remaining length of the street from St. Thomas Street to Baymen Avenue would be concreted. We're also doing the finishing portions of Queen Street, we're doing Dolphin Drive; we concreted a section of that, so we're finishing that. We had started a section of East Canal but we did not finish the section from Bishop Street to Regent Street West that will be completed as well as the entire length of West Canal, especially in front of Publics. We're also doing Eyrie Street and we're doing the continuation of University Drive. As well we are looking at a project to asphalt some of the streets in Belize City including streets like 4th Street and 3rd Street. We've seen these as being strategically important particularly because we made 6th Street one way so that we need another street to be asphalted or concreted that will alleviate some of the traffic flows in that area.

Shoddy Cement Streets Will Be Fixed
And apart from paving those streets - the City Council will also embark on a program to repair concrete streets, which were not paved to standard and are already falling apart. The mayor says funds from this are coming from the contractor responsible for the poor work:� "Works that was not signed off on so that we have retention for that person in the amount of approximately 190,000 dollars and we are already doing the redevelopment in relation to using that retention to renovate and in some cases entirely reconstruct some of the works that the council was not satisfied with. I will point attention to Muscle Street which we completed works in terms of hot mixing on that area last week Friday and Saturday we did it over those 2 days because we didn't want to interrupt the flow of traffic. But if you go on Muscle Street right now, that is a perfectly finished and hot mix street."

Massive Manhole Drive
And the city has another project - but it's an unconventional one. They intend to replace nearly four thousand manhole covers at a cost of a quarter million dollars. Today the mayor explained:� "To retrofit and rebuild all the manhole covers in Belize City. This is something that the council has been looking at for a couple months and we have done an analysis and there are 3,868 manhole covers that need to be repaired in Belize City at a cost of 251,000 dollars so that project is also being unveiled so to speak at this launch." As we understand it, the plan includes changing wooden manhole covers for cement ones.

CITCO Got Commercial Loan At 10%
Now, to finance a lot of its new projects, the city is taking out a commercial loan: close to 4 million dollars at 10%. At least half of that will be spent to settle judgment debts - which currently costs the council 1.2 million dollars annually. The mayor explains that they are getting more money and simply stretching out an existing loan. We asked if there weren't cheaper financing alternatives:� Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City: "So that cost us 100,000 dollars every month, so that what the council is doing is that we are getting one facility that we are actually stretching out an existing facility we have at Heritage Bank where we spent currently 20,000 dollars on and what we will do is that we will include in all of this the paying off of those litigation debts. So that we will no longer have the 100,000 dollars in terms a drain on monthly outflows and one of the things that Heritage has agreed to do is that they will keep the monthly payments at the 20,000 dollars so that we are actually going to save substantially in terms of our cash flow and we think that will allow us quite comfortably to carry out these projects."

GDP Ticks Up Slightly In Fourth Quarter
The Statistical Institute of Belize released its latest economic figures today. They show a slight increase in GDP for the fourth quarter of last year, a sharp decrease in imports and exports for February 2016, and a slight increase in consumer prices also in February. Also of note is that both the shrimp and drought crises of 2015 along with plummeting world oil prices were among the main contributing factors for the fluctuating figures in SIB's latest report. First we take a more in-depth look at the Gross Domestic Product for the last quarter of 2015- that is from October to December. During this period GDP increased slightly by 0.6% percent.

Exports Crashed
Now moving on to our foreign economic outlook. The figures for the month of February show that imports are down but exports are waaay down. Imports showed a 2.6% decrease while exports showed a 43.1% decrease. This is representative of $4.6 million dollars on the upside, and $22.4 million dollars on a very sharp downside. The number of imports destined for "Export processing zones" fell sharply from $12 million dollars to $4.5 million dollars. A significant note is that for the first time this year all major exporting sectors showed negative growth. Tiffany Vasquez - Statistician 2, SIB: "Papaya and crude exports are basically halved in 2016 as you would notice. It falls from 2.6 million to 1.4 million; earning for crude from 6.3 million to 3.4 million. Marine on the other hand, while marine exports are almost one third what it was in 2015 but notably within this is the other category which grew considerably in 2016; so much so that the other category actually held the largest share of exports in 2016. The major contributor to this was animal feed which actually doubled in the period and of the 14.7 percent, 40 percent belonged to animal feed."

Inflation Inches Up
Now the last thing on the agenda was the inflation rate for the month of February compared to the same month in 2015. According to SIB's latest statistics, the inflation rate or consumer price index is up by 0.3% during that period. This means that the price of goods and services was on average 0.3% percent cheaper in February 2015 than it was in February 2016. The statistical institute attributed this to the rise in local fuel prices - due to the higher import duty on fuel. Angelita Campbell - Statistican 2, SIB: "Inflation rate for the month of February stands at 0.3 percent. What this is saying is on average, prices are 0.3 percent higher than that of last year February. For example, if a consumer purchased a basket of goods for 100 dollars last year. What they would purchase for the same basket of this year February would be 100.30. When we look closely at the diagram, we realise that Orange Walk recorded the highest increase in inflation of 2.1 percent which can be attributed to an increase in rental of housing as well as food price; while Belmopan continues to show the highest decrease in inflation rate of -1.1 percent. Finally we'll be looking at the inflation rate in the region and within the region we see Costa Rica recording the lowest inflation rate of -0.3 percent; while Guatemala recording the highest inflation rate of 4.3 percent."

Immigration Officer Gets Kerry's Congratulations
Yesterday, Belizean Immigration Officer, Debra Baptist-Estrada received a high honour from US Secretary of State John Kerry. It was presented at the annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony, in Washington DC. 14 women from around the world were honoured for exceptional courage and leadership in advocating peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women's empowerment. Baptist-Estrada was one of those 14. She has over 20 years in the Immigration and Nationality Department and has served recently as the Port Commander of Belize's international airport. Here are Kerry's remarks as Baptist-Estrada was honoured:

Broaster Says On Brutality
As we told you on Friday, 2 teenagers were charged with 3 counts of robbery in connection with the Scotland Halfmoon armed robbery. They are 18 year-old Trevor McFoy, and a 17 year-old minor- and they were both were taken to court yesterday. The incident happened last Thursday when Mcfoy and the minor, dressed in Fort Point Security Uniforms barged into the Scotland Halfmoon Gas Station and held everyone up at gunpoint. They stole $1,490 cash, $1,000 Mexican pesos, deodorants, an additional $400 in cash and 2 iPhones. But police responded quickly and foiled the robbery- capturing the 2 teenagers and recovering all the stolen items and the 9 millimeter pistol. Now while the case is closed there is still another lingering side to the story. Mcfoy as well as the minor claim that police abused them and Mcfoy's attorney Dickie Bradley also commented on the alleged police abuse saying that the boys were beat up badly and weren't even given a medical form to properly submit their complaint. Well today Assistant Commissioner for Eastern Rural Division Edward Broaster told us that measures will be put in place to avoid a recurrence of such allegations.

Diplomacy And A Deal Got Back Tillett Pickup
You might remember that brazen incident back in February where Assistant Superintendent Selwyn Tillett, the commanding officer for Orange Walk Police, was car jacked in Benque Viejo. His son-in-law's white 2014 Mazda pick up truck was stolen by armed bandits and a few days later, it was found abandoned in Guatemala, in an area known as Camalote, 10 miles away from Melchor. Well, Foreign Affairs Diplomat Said Guerra had been hard at work trying to get it back, and today, that effort paid off. The Guatemalan authorities finally handed the vehicle over after the paper work was finalized, and the Belmopan police took custody of it. But, in a neat kind of informal confidence building Belize police also handed over a van that had been stolen from Guatemala and recovered in Belize. All this was done without any diplomatic agreement, just a cross border quid pro quo.

Honduras Football Prez Pleads Guilty
Rafael Callejas is the former president of Honduras, and also the former President of Honduras's Soccer Federation. He has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, admitting he solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to award contracts for media and marketing rights to World Cup qualifier matches. Callejas said he distributed a significant portion of his bribes to delegates of the Honduran football federation so he could remain president, which he did from 2002 to August 2015. Callejas will be sentenced on 5 August and could face up to 40 years in prison. Belize is the only country in Central America where no soccer official has been indicted in the FIFA scandal.

Praying In A Petro-Chapel?
The KHMH now has a new chapel which patients and their families can retreat to whenever they need spiritual guidance and comfort in their time of need. But it's not just any chapel; it's a "Petro-chapel" - and that's because the Prime Minister set aside some money from the Petrocaribe fund which made up a large portion of the funding for this church. We stopped by and spoke with the Church leaders and the KHMH administrators about it: The chapel is now open to anyone visiting the hospital.

Professional Policing Rewarded In Rural
South side police are well known for their community initiatives. They have the meet and greet sessions every Wednesday and are working on several youth projects. Well, the Eastern Rural Division has a reverse approach to community outreach and that's by rewarding officers for being professional and courteous to citizens. Today Broaster told us more about the project. The training for the officers is still on going. In order for officers to get their $500 reward at the end of the year, they must get the fewest complaints from the public - which will be evaluated by reviewing the citizens comments on a form provided to them, and they must be helpful and courteous.

Harbor Siltation Needs 2M Dollar Solution
Almost two months ago, we told you about the situation at southern foreshore where the sea was being swallowed up by silt. Well, since then it's gotten much worse, and the mass of silt now stretches halfway across the harbor - even threatening to get into the channel that the cruise ship tenders and the water taxi's use. And while all this happens, no one seems to be doing anything about it. Neither the Port Authority, nor the Fort Street Port, nor the Central Government, nor the city council is working to move out the silt. And today we found out why. The mayor says it costs two million dollars!:..

The Race, From Above
And we leave you tonight with one last look at the 88th riding of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. All these shots are from Jungle Drones which hovered above the race.

Bradley Bullish On Faber
And in one final clip from the Mayor - we asked him who he will support in the upcoming contest for UDP first Deputy. Here's what he said:�


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Channel 5

Thieves Make Off with 4 City Council Guns and Ammo to Boot
There's a major burglary to report tonight which happened overnight and from the looks of it, the crime could be an inside job. Four guns and live rounds of ammunition [...]

Was Theft of Guns an Inside Job?
There were no security guards stationed at the building during the burglary and it is more than likely that the stolen firearms will end up on the streets of the [...]

Injured B.D.F. Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey is Released from K.H.M.H.
This morning, Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey was released from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was receiving treatment for injuries to his hand and abdomen.� Lambey was promptly handed [...]

Charges Withdrawn from 2 of the Santa Cruz Thirteen
This morning, ten months after their arrests, the Santa Cruz Thirteen were back in court.� A police raid in the early hours of June twenty-fourth of last year, resulted in [...]

Case Against Coastguard Officer Keyren Tzib is Adjourned
Tonight, Coastguard officer Keyren Tzib remains at home as she waits to learn her fate in the stabbing death of her common-law husband, Thythis Blancaneaux. He was fatally wounded on [...]

Mother of Stabbing Victim Ezekiel McKoy Needs Assistance with Her Son
Ezekiel McKoy is on life support at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The Belize City resident was stabbed multiple times on the neck, back and arms and he was found [...]

Greg Lovell is Suspended from Cycling
The Results Management Authority of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation has confirmed that well-known cyclist Gregory Lovell has tested positive for the In-competition prohibited substance Dexamethasone a Glucocorticoid steroid. The test [...]

Cinderella Plaza Finally Begins Its Transformation
After a significant delay, work is about to begin on the transformation of the Cinderella Plaza in Belize City. Mayor Darrell Bradley says that the contract for the four-million-dollar project [...]

Pastor Scott Stirm in Hot Water
Evangelical Pastor Scott Stirm has come under fire for remarks he purportedly made about the sacred "Dugu" ceremony of the Garifuna on a webcast beamed to the U.S. earlier this [...]

SIB Releases Quarterly Economic Indicators
Indicators of the performance of the economy for the last three months of 2015 and the first three months of 2016 were released today by the Statistical Institute of Belize. [...]

An Investigation into Allegations of Police Brutality in Ladyville
Following the arrests of Trevor McFoy and a seventeen-year-old student for allegedly robbing a gas station in Scotland Half Moon, officers attached to Rural Eastern Division have come under fire [...]

Belize Waste Control Employee Charged with Drug Trafficking
A Belize Waste Control employee picked up his first conviction for drug trafficking today in the court room of Magistrate Deborah Rogers. Deon Jex was slapped with the mandatory non-custodial [...]

Port Commander Wins International Women of Courage Award
But there is some good news to report and that is because Port Commander of�Immigration and Nationality Department Debra Baptist-Estrada has won the International Women of Courage Award.� The award [...]

An Ecumenical Chapel is Inaugurated at K.H.M.H.
Built with Petrocaribe funds, a chapel was today inaugurated on the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital compound. It will be used by religious denominations across the board and according to hospital [...]

Rural Eastern Division Incentivizes Police Officers to be Professional
An initiative to incentivize officers attached to Rural Eastern Division was launched earlier today in Ladyville.� The top twenty-five men and women in law enforcement working within that jurisdiction will [...]

Is Micah Goodin Sour Grapes After Losing District Youth Council Elections?
Three weeks ago, the Department of Youth Services had its Youth Council Elections. Micah Goodin and Stafin Duncan vied for the top spot in the Belize District; the race ended [...]

CTV3

Are We In Recession? UDP Says No, PUP Says Yes
On the first day of the 2016/2017 Budget debate which took place last week in Belmopan the Leader of the Opposition Honorable John Briceno expressed great disappointment in the budget. During his presentation Briceno declared that Belize is in recession as he cited figures from Statistical Institute of Belize showing Belize had experienced negative growth for two consecutive quarters in 2015. Briceno's analogy was backed up by Honorable Francis Fonseca who in his statement mentioned that we are in fact in an economic recession since we are technically facing two-quarters of negative growth. For context here is that portion of Briceno and Fonseca's presentation. Honorable John Briceno - Leader of the People United Party: "We are in a recession, and how is the government planning to get us out of this recession, by spending and putting a 50 million dollar whap on the Belizean people, you know how much of that 50 million dollar each one of us will have to pay, every Belizean man, woman and child will have to pay $143.00 more to government this year, this is the true picture and an economy in recession and our national debt reaching 80% of GDP and a government clueless about how to fix one of the key pillars of our economic growth the agro-productive sector ."

PUP Senators Object To Three Amendment Bills
At the last House Sitting on March 8th, Parliament approved five bills that will give the Minister of State with responsibility for Immigration, Beverly Castillo, authority to sign immigration documents and other powers. That Bill did not sit too well with the Opposition Senators who objected to the Bill yesterday when the matter went for second Reading before the senate. Senator Eamon Courtenay - Opposition Senator for People's United Party: "What this is saying is that Minister Hulse may issue his order, delegates to Minister Castillo the ability to exercise and perform all the power under section 10 and 16 of the Nationality Act but at the same time simultaneously notwithstanding that delegation Senator Hulse reserves all to himself the right and ability to exercise all an any of the functions at the same time that Senator Castillo has the right to exercise any and all of those functions that is a duality of powers, when god forbid Senator Castillo says yes to something and signs it and I am not suggesting anything on to all but through some administrative slip up some oversight or just the fact that Minister Hulse was not made aware of it the matter comes to him and he says no on the same matter who prevails." According to Lead Opposition Senator Eamon Courtenay, if accepted the new Legislation would award substantive power to a person who is not a member of Cabinet thus going against the constitution.

Orange Walk Records The Highest Inflation Rate In The Country
The Statistical Institute of Belize, today held the first in its 2016 series of press conferences, where its latest economic statistics were presented, including the 2015 fourth quarter Gross Domestic Product estimates, February 2016 External Trade statistics, and February 2016 Consumer Price. We start off with the Consumer Price Index for which figures show that the prices of various goods and services purchased by Belizean households were, on average, 0.3 percent higher in February 2016 than they were in February of 2015. This means that an increase of 0.9 percent was observed in the "Food & NonAlcoholic Beverages" category when compared to the same period last year. At the individual product level, higher prices were seen for beef, pork, fish, eggs and fresh vegetables but lower prices for Red Kidney beans partially offset these increases. The "Transport" category recorded an overall decrease of just over 4 percent when compared to last February, despite an increase of 0.7 percent in the "Fuel" index. Premium gasoline prices saw a 27 percent spike while regular gasoline was up by about 3 percent. In contrast, the average price of diesel fuel declined by 9 percent and international airfares were down by 32 percent.

SIB Releases Estimates On Country's Economic Activity
Today the Statistical Institute of Belize also released the figures for the country's Gross Domestic Product. Preliminary estimates indicate that from October to December 2015, the country's level of economic activity increased marginally by 0.6 percent compared with the same period in 2014. The total value of goods and services produced in Belize during the fourth quarter rose by almost $4 million dollars from $657.4 million in 2014 to $661.1 million in 2015. The primary sector experienced a sharp drop of 27.4 percent in total production for the period, as several major industries recorded downturns during the quarter. Marine production was significantly lower compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, due to a decline in farm shrimp production. Banana shipments also decreased, by 25 percent. Livestock production was down during the quarter, as both cattle and swine saw decreases for the period. With sugarcane deliveries starting in December 2015, a month earlier than in the previous delivery season, production of over 122 thousand metric tons was recorded for the fourth quarter of 2015, while there was no sugarcane production recorded for the same quarter of 2014.

US State Department Awards Belizean Woman
Yesterday the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presented 2016 Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award to a group of extraordinary women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women's empowerment. Since the beginning of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored nearly 100 women from 60 different countries. But this year, for the first time, one of Belize's very own was presented with this prestigious award for her exceptional demonstration of courage in three pivotal areas: exposing and opposing gender-based violence; combatting corruption and strengthening the rule of law; and promoting justice and human rights for all.Debra Baptist-Estrada, who works as a Port Commander at the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department was one of the recipients of the honorary award which was present at a ceremony at the US State Department office in Washington D.C. As Port Commander of Belize's international airport, Estrada worked with U.S. to crack open a drug and human smuggling operation to the U.S. and Europe, and for her integrity and commitment to good governance in Belize she was honored as a woman of courage.

IMF Concludes Article IV Consultation With Belize
Executive directors of the IMF noted the slight improvement in economic activity as of 2015 attributed to a rebound in agriculture, a strong performance in tourism, electricity, construction, services and the relatively strong widening of imports which offset the significant decline in oil-related activities which saw the fall in international oil and food prices in December of 2014.The report continued by stating that the fiscal stance deteriorated significantly in the Fiscal year 2014/2015 where the primary fiscal balance recorded a deficit well above budget target, describing it as "a significant deterioration in the fiscal stance and the widening external current account deficit." As it relates to the banking system the report concluded that the termination of major correspondent banking relationships with Belizean banks has so far had a limited impact on the financial system and economic activity.

SIB Figures Shows Imports And Exports Are Down
Belize's total imports for the month of February 2016 were valued at $168.3 million, decreasing 2.6 percent or $4.6 million from imports for February 2015, which totaled $172.9 million, this is according to the latest figures released by the Statistical Institute of Belize today. The report shows that Imports destined for the 'Export Processing Zones', which fell sharply from $12 million to $4.5 million, were the primary contributors to the month's decline. Imports into the 'Commercial Free Zones' and purchases of 'Chemical Products' fell by $2 million and $1.5 million, respectively, in the month of February. Despite a slight increase in the quantity of premium fuel imported, Belize spent almost $6 million less on 'Mineral Fuels and Lubricants', as fuel prices remained lower when compared to the same month of 2015. Imports of 'Food and Live Animals' went up by $2 million. Merchandise imports for January to February 2016 totaled $299.3 million, representing a 4.8 percent or $15.2 million decrease from the same period last year. The 'Commercial Free Zones' and 'Export Processing Zones' experienced the largest declines in imports within the period, recording a $13 million and $12 million dollar drop, respectively. Similarly, importation of 'Mineral Fuels and Lubricants' fell by $11 million, from $36 million to $25 million, the result of decreases in the quantities of all major fuels purchased coupled with lower world market prices.

Eighteen Year Old Nearly Beaten To Death
An 18 year old individual is tonight recuperating at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was assaulted over the Easter weekend. Reports are that on Sunday at around 8:30 p.m. police received information of an altercation on Mahogany Street in Trail Farm Village in Orange Walk involving several youths from the area. When police arrived they found 18 year old Luis Fernando Lopez in a ditch bleeding profusely from injuries to his head and body. He was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital suffering from head trauma, broken right rib, stab wound on the right leg and a broken jaw. Lopez was then transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a critical condition. One witness to the attack told our news team that she was at home when she heard the commotion; she said that she saw one individual being attacked by a group of boys who are known to cause trouble in the area.

LOVE FM

IMF Concludes Assessment of Belize
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded their Article IV Consultation with Belize. The Article IV Consultation is where a member-country is assessed by a team of economists as it relates to economic and financial developments as well as the economic and financial policies. Following their working visit to Belize, the IMF team brought forth [�]

BNTU Members Travel to Jalacte
BNTU members representing all ten BNTU branches nationwide, participated in an event that took them to the Belize Guatemala border at Jalacte in Toledo. We hear more in this report from correspondent Paul Mahung. PAUL MAHUNG "In connection with the Belize National Teacher's Union convention on Wednesday and Thursday of this week in Punta Gorda [�]

Business Senator on National Security
As we told you yesterday, the Senators had met up in session to debate the budget for the fiscal year 2016/2017. The Senator representing the private sector, Mark Lizarraga in his presentation brought up concerns regarding the monies allotted for maritime security and national security, in general. Love News spoke to Lizarraga on his concern. [�]

A Chapel for the KHMH
A dedication and consecration service took place on the grounds of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City as the administration in collaboration with the Council of Churches and the Belize Evangelical Association, officially opened the Chapel on the hospital's ground floor. Chief Executive Officer at the KHMH, Dr Adrian Coye spoke to Love [�]

Mayor Announces New Street Works and City Projects
An official opening held by the Belize City Council for upcoming infrastructural works in the city was held this morning at the Cinderella Plaza in Belize City. During his address to the small gathering made up of the council's employees and the media, Mayor Darrell Bradley spoke of what this phase of the project will [�]

Marie Sharp to the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame
Marie Sharp, the owner of Marie Sharp's Fine Foods Ltd. has been selected to be inducted in the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame Class of 2016. The Hot Sauce Hall of Fame will induct five people, all of whom have been very instrumental in the fiery foods. This year's group is the biggest and brightest [�]

Police Gets Soup for Aggravated Assault
Jason "Soup" Williams, a resident of Supal Street who allegedly knocked down Deon Warrior with a car, was charged with aggravated assault when he appeared today before Magistrate Deborah Rogers. Williams pled not guilty to the charge. He was offered a bail of two thousand five hundred dollars and his case was adjourned until May [�]

McFoy and Student Charged in Scotland Robbery
Two persons, 18 year old Trevor Mcfoy, a sixth form student and a 17 year old boy, were charged with three counts of robbery when they appeared today before Magistrate Deborah Rogers. Mcfoy alone was charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. According to the allegation, on March 23 three male persons, [�]

Broaster Updates Media on Robbery Investigation
McFoy and the minor involved in the robbery reportedly escaped the scene in a car. Last week Police said there were three men in the waiting car. Today ACP Broaster said no charges have been brought against the men. EDWARD BROASTER "

Firearms Go Missing From Office of Special Constables
Around seven o' clock this morning, CIB personnel reported to a burglary at the Commercial Center on Regent Street in Belize City. The second floor of the commercial center houses the office of Special Constables of the city council. When police got to the office they realized that four nine millimeter pistols had gone missing. [�]

PlusTV

Day two of 2016 Budget Debate
The second day of the Budget Debate 2016 was held on Wednesday in Belmopan. Various aspects of the Budget of 2016/2017 were highlighted and one of those was the monies allocated to National Security; 141 million dollars. Minister of National Security, Hon. John Saldivar spoke about plans for the bu...

Belize Telemedia Limited will appeal Mek Mi Rich case
BTL executive committee chairman Anwar Barrow says that the company has plans to appeal the recent decision against them and Mek Mi Rich Productions, owner of the game show of the same name, in the Supreme Court. Businessman Curtis Swasey alleged that BTL conspired with MMR to sell his idea for a lo...

Prime Minister family rakes in millions in legal fees
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has been constantly accused of nepotism and Anwar Barrow at the head of the now state owned BTL has been one example cited. At the budget debates, Area Representative for Caribbean Shores, Kareem Musa, spoke about the outlandish legal fees raked in by the Prime Minister's...

Oscar Gomez murdered, police say; prime suspect sought
Police believed that 41 year old Salvadoran national Oscar Gomez could not possibly have stabbed himself to death in a bizarre successful suicide attempt, and a post-mortem examination has proven them right. The Lords' Bank man sustained at least 8 wounds, but the perpetrator may have been the...

Suspect in custody for Rene Chavarria murder
An unnamed suspect has been detained in relation to last Friday night's murder of 25 year old Rene Chavarria of Ladyville. We hear more from Assistant Commissioner of Police and Officer in Charge of Rural Eastern Division, Edward Broaster. Edward Broaster: "As it pertains to Chavarria's murder...

BDF commander says he is working with Guatemalan counterpart to ease tensions in Sarstoon
Today Commander of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), Brigadier General David Jones, issued a report on the ongoing efforts to ease tensions between his forces and those of Guatemala in the Sarstoon River. Speaking in Belize City, General Jones said he has established camaraderie with his counterpart a...

General Jones of BDF warns Belizeans over leaked Sarstoon report
A report by the Belize Defence Force (BDF) which was released ten years ago offered new insights into activity in the Sarstoon area. But it also brings up the question: when it comes to national security, how much knowledge is too much? Brigadier General David Jones, current BDF commander, believes ...

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Youth Services Department dismisses claims of corruption in elections
Party politics invaded the recent elections for the Belize District Youth Council held a few weeks ago. In the run-off between Micah Goodin of the PUP's Belize Youth Movement and Stafin Duncan of the UDP's Youth Popular Front for the post of president, Duncan prevailed by [�]

CITCO launches latest infrastructure project
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley unveiled a relatively small but crucial infrastructural project to upgrade and cement Cinderella Plaza and complete the concreting of 7 other streets in the city. Following the completion of work by the Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Project, the heavily [�]

Minors, adults detained in Victor Garnett murder
Reliable sources say there is a 15 year old minor in police custody tonight regarding last Wednesday afternoon's murder of Victor Garnett in Belize City. Also in custody are two known street figures who have previously been accused of murder and are being questioned [�]

SIB reports inflation up in back to back months for first time in a year
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the formal name for the measure of inflation, or increase in prices paid by Belizeans. It is measured in selected items representing what most Belizeans buy on a monthly basis. For all of 2015, Belize saw percentage decreases [�]

It's Faber for deputy, says Darrell
"Superdelegates" of the United Democratic Party - its many area representatives, Ministers, Senators, Mayors, Councilors and other big people - are quickly choosing sides in the coming battle for first deputy party leader between former chairman Patrick Faber and John Saldivar. The party has not [�]

Belize has positive economic finish in 2015, slow start in 2016
Belize finished 2015 in a steady if not promising pace economically, according to statistics published today by the Statistical Institute of Belize. However, the country is both importing and exporting less goods to start the year 2016. Fourth quarter economic growth was just zero point [�]

Special constables' office at Commercial Center burglarized; guns stolen
There was a breach at one of the City Council's Office in Belize City sometime between the closure of the work day yesterday and opening this morning. One of the office spaces at the Commercial Center in downtown Belize City was broken into and four firearms [�]

The National Evangelical Association of Belize defends Pastor Scott Stirm
The National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) has come out in defense of Pastor Scott Stirm, who recently came under fire over the last week following the publication of a video where he made derogatory comments about the Garifuna culture. Those comments led to a [�]

Water to be restored in Santa Familia
A press release issued earlier today by the Department of Rural Development serves to inform residents of Santa Familia who are experiencing water problems, that the river will be used to restore water supply by tonight. It goes on to instruct residents of that [�]

Elections for Premier League of Belize (PLB) Executive
Tonight the Premier League of Belize (PLB) will be having its elections for a new PLB executive. It will be held at the FFB compound in Belmopan at 6:00 p.m. PLB elections are held every 4 years. This will be the second electoral congress of the PLB [�]

Woman escapes rape attempt
Belmopan Police are investigating what is believed to have been a rape attempt in the San Martin Area on Saturday night when a 27-year-old female was attacked by a man with a knife who threatened to kill her. The victim reported to police that [�]

34-year-old Guatemalan found with weed in Benque
On Saturday afternoon in Benque Viejo Town, Cayo District, a Guatemalan National was arrested and charged for the offense of 'possession of controlled drugs' after he was busted by police with cannabis in his pants pocket. While patrolling on George Price Boulevard in that [�]

Imports, exports down to start 2016
Belize is both importing and exporting less goods to start the year. For the first time in statistical history, all major export industries declined, marine products, citrus and sugar especially so. However, the sugar fall is due not to prices but level of exports, which are expected to recover. The free zone's worries continue with less goods imported, while there is also less imports of fuel. Inflation is positive for the first time in several months; unfortunately, that means Belizeans are paying more for food and housing rental as well as health and insurance costs and even hairdressing.

Blogs

15 Things No One Told You About Living in Belize
In the blogging world, it's all about lists these days - and I guess, when they have a bit of substance, there is nothing wrong with that. They are orderly, informational and easy to read. So, here's my list - of things that I learned in my last 9 years living in Belize. Many�like the signs planted all over Caye Caulker, Belize, I may not have learned without moving here. It's a pretty simple but solid piece of wisdom. Some on my list are not so deep. Here are the 15 Things that I learned living in Belize. 1. Though English is the national language, most people don't speak it at home or with friends - 2. Time has a different meaning - 3. Groceries are expensive - 4. No one will look at you askance if you are drinking a beer with breakfast - ...

Debra Baptist-Estrada wins 2016 International Women of Courage Award
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presents the 2016 International Women of Courage Award to Debra Baptist-Estrada of Belize, Port Commander at Belize Immigration and Nationality, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on March 29, 2016.

Practically free ways to travel more safely than ever...and the tired advice most people still don't follow, but we know we should :)
Over the last 2 years of having friends and guests (and ourselves) in Belize and elsewhere, we have watched as new apps and ways of keeping your stuff safe, communicating more effectively all over the world, and new inventions come up that can turn a potential vacation-ruining experience, into one that you pat yourself on the back, because your past self did your future self some favors by covering your behind! The first part of this post is some of the newer ways you can prepare yourself before your vacation - some that didn't even exist several years ago. Second part is some of the old, tired, boring stuff we all KNOW, but we still see first hand how many people do not/will not/forget to follow...and then vacations are ruined and you just want to slap that past self of yours! So, some ideas and gentle reminders... -Don't post on social media that you will be gone on certain dates, it is too easy to find all of someone's personal info with very little effort. Don't "check in" at the sweet places you are at, just post the pics when you get home.

International Sourcesizz

IMF Executive Board Concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation with Belize
On September 16, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV Consultation with Belize. Real GDP growth reached 3.6 percent in 2014, up from 1.5 percent in 2013 and well above the five-year average of 2.9 percent. A rebound in agriculture, strong performances in tourism, electricity, construction and services offset the significant decline in oil-related activities. The fall in international oil and food prices pushed headline inflation (y/y) to -0.2 percent as of December 2014. Despite strong tourism receipts, falling exports and relatively strong imports widened the external current account deficit to 7.6 percent of GDP in 2014, up from 4.4 percent of GDP in 2013. PetroCaribe and other official disbursements continued to finance the current account deficit and help build international reserves (equivalent to 5 months of imports at end-December 2014).

Belize's new port call at island resort Harvest Caye to open in fall
There's a new port stop coming to Belize, and it will be the only one in the country with a cruise pier. Harvest Caye, which has been developed by Norwegian Cruise Line, is an island-turned-resort that's scheduled to open in November. Last week, the cruise line offered a glimpse of what travelers can expect to find at this southern Belize port of call. The Norwegian Escape is scheduled to stop at Harvest Caye during weeklong cruises from Miami between May and October 2017. Regent Seven Seas and Oceania also will make stops at the island. So what's the island like? First off, you can stroll off the ship -- no need to take a tender -- and onto Harvest Caye, which has six miles of sandy beaches. Second, you may not need to go very far to enjoy this stop.

A remote job gave me a taste of island life - the culture shock was intense
My wife and I rented out our 750-square-foot Vancouver apartment for $1,200 a month, rented a 400-square foot fisherman's shack on flood stilts on Caye Caulker for $300 a month and bought plane tickets with what remained of our savings. With our mortgage payments in Vancouver factored in, we would have roughly $300 a month for food, supplemented by whatever I hoped to write about the adventure or fish out from the lagoon behind our new home. For my four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son, it was the first time they would live next to poverty and on the open ocean. For my wife, it would be her first taste of life without a telephone or hot water, in surroundings of tropical flowers and fruit. As for me, I would have to tough it out daily at a job I mostly loathed, but would be able at the end of the day to rig a dinghy and sail to my heart's content. We arrived in Caye Caulker at the start of February and stayed until the end of April. A water taxi deposited us at the end of one of the dozens of piers that jut out of the island. We pushed our four suitcases to the shack on a wooden cart. That afternoon, we discovered things about our island home that we had not expected. Behind our shack lived a tongueless war veteran from El Salvador and a crocodile; in the front field, scads of kids of all ages played without a parent in sight. Soon our kids, too, were shoeless and out of sight, and happily remained so for much of our stay.

Belize v. Belize Social Development Ltd.
Issue: (1) Whether, under the doctrine of forum non conveniens, as applied to the New York Convention by Article III, a foreign forum is per se inadequate because specific assets in the United States cannot be attached by a foreign court, as the D.C. Circuit has held, or whether it is adequate if it has jurisdiction and some attachable assets, as the Second Circuit held; and (2) whether, under Article V(2)(b) of the New York Convention, the public policy in favor of arbitration yields where confirmation of an arbitral award would be contrary to countervailing public policies, such as those grounded in constitutional separation of powers principles, combating government corruption and/or international comity.

10 Reasons Belize Deserves To Be On Top Of Your Travel Bucket List
The reasons to visit Belize total far more than 10 and narrowing it down wasn't easy. From afar, Belize's appeal is all about the warm and clear blue waters of the Caribbean and the dense, wild jungles that draw you in. Once there, you start to pick up on more detail: the heart-pounding land and sea adventures, the blissful moments (like lounging on a deserted island or experiencing the rainforest come alive at dawn), the fascinating history of the ancient Mayan people, and the vibrant culture of the present day. For those who need more convincing, here are 10 reasons you should move a trip to Belize way up on your travel bucket list.

IMF Gives Mixed Review To Belize Economic Performance
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Belize's economic outlook is characterised by sluggish growth, weak fiscal stance, and external and financial sector vulnerabilities. But the Washington-based financial institution also noted the recent improvement in economic activity, despite the significant deterioration in the fiscal stance and the widening external current account deficit. According to the IMF, gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 3.6 per cent in 2014, up from 1.5 per cent in 2013 and well above the five-year average of 2.9 per cent. It said a rebound in agriculture, strong performances in tourism, electricity, construction and services offset the significant decline in oil-related activities. The fall in international oil and food prices pushed headline inflation to -0.2 per cent as of December 2014. But the IMF said that despite strong tourism receipts, falling exports and relatively strong imports widened the external current account deficit to 7.6 per cent of GDP in 2014, up from 4.4 per cent in 2013.

US Supreme Court asks solicitor general to weigh in on Belize petition
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States called for the views of the solicitor general regarding the government of Belize's petition for a writ of certiorari from a decision by the DC Circuit. Belize's petition asks the Court to resolve a circuit split between the DC and Second Circuits regarding the vitality of the forum non conveniens doctrine, and provide much needed guidance as to the proper balancing of public policy interests, when US courts are asked to enforce foreign arbitration awards. "We are pleased that the United States Supreme Court is giving careful attention to these important issues," noted Juan Basombrio of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, counsel to Belize. This case involves the enforceability of an arbitration award in US courts that is similar to one which the Caribbean Court of Justice, the highest court in Belize, recently held to be unenforceable, because to do otherwise would disregard Belize's "core constitutional values" and "attack the foundations upon which the rule of law and democracy are constructed throughout the Caribbean."

What is the real perception on safety for Expats living abroad?
The thought of living in certain places in Mexico or Central America can be alluring: fabulous beaches, colonial cities, inexpensive, quality healthcare, a slower pace and much lower cost of living. But some people think mistakenly that it isn't safe. To determine how safe it is for expats in places like Panama, Nicaragua, Belize and Mexico, Best Places In The World to Retire asked some of its more than 500 contributors to weigh in. They said that petty crime can be a problem, although that's no different than in the U.S. They also said that more serious crime is not nearly as rampant as the media indicates, although it's important to avoid certain areas. That's also no different than in the U.S. Overall, the expats said that they felt safe in their communities.

Videos

  • Mr Vegas's Manager almost drowned at Belize reefs!, 5min. Caribbean performer makes fun of his manager in funny video during Easter break.

  • Web Chat: Conversation With A Currently Serving Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize, 59min. Have your Peace Corps questions answered from the comfort of your home. Sign up for a real-time presentation and web chat with a returned Peace Corps Volunteer and recruiter, Emily Whitfield. This event will connect you with a Peace Corps Volunteer currently serving in Belize. We will discuss training, host families, work assignments, living situations, and the culture.

  • Easter 2016 - Caye Caulker, Belize, 4min. A little snap shot of Caye Caulker Island in the beautiful country of Belize during the easter 2016 weekend.

  • Belize Zoo 2016, 3min. Howler monkies, deer, tapirs, toucans, leopards, pumas, jaguars, crocodiles and more!

  • Ziplining in Belize 2016, 5.5min. Ziplining in Belize at Jaguar Paw / Chukka Video taken with GoPro HERO4

  • The Belize Public Service, 5min.

  • FISHING WITH WIL, 5min. from PGTV News Network

  • The Race, From Above, Montage, 1min. And we leave you tonight with one last look at the 88th riding of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. All these shots are from Jungle Drones which hovered above the race.

  • Diving in Belize!, 4min.

  • Sky Dive Into The Blue Hole, Belize, 4min.

  • Belize Trip Day 4, 5min.

  • BELIZE, 3min. San Pedro, Belize. What an unbelizeable experience! Taken July 2015.

  • Diving at Long Caye, Belize (Coral reef wall), 4.5min.

  • Secret Beach, Ambergris Caye, Belize., 2min.

  • Belize DAY 3 Travel Video, 6min.

  • Benefits of Lime Stone in Belize w/ Neal Kinsey (Ag Lime), 7.5min. http://www.limbebz.com/ Neal Kinsey of Kinsey Agricultural Services, Inc. visited Belize in February 2016 to give his course titled: Albrecht-Kinsey Method Soil Fertility Course. Limbe Managers took the time to learn more about the benefits of lime stone (also known as agriculture lime or white lime) and the best ways of making use of it in Belizean agriculture. The video above is of Neal Kinsey talking about the importance of lime stone in a interview he did for Limbe. He also talks about soil samples he's taken in Belize and speaks of his experience in Belize.

  • Belize - Caye Caulker, 2min. A quick trip to Caye Caulker is really all anyone needs to catch up on some quality R & R. A quick 25 min taxi from the Belize airport will get you to the port where you catch your 45 min to an hour ferry to island paradise.


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