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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

Kayak Race highlights 11th Annual Northern Reef Week
The 11th Annual Northern Reef Week ended with a spectacular kayak race, which saw nine teams paddling around the island on Sunday, May 22nd. Junior and senior kayakers alike took to the channel heading south of Ambergris Caye on the leeward side, racing for their chance to claim the first place title, while bringing awareness to conservation of the barrier reef. In the last minutes of the race, competitors began separating from each other as the finish line came into view in the horizon. In a fast sprint, Team Sea Monsters crossed the finish line to glory. Afterwards each winning team was given their respective prizes. In the Juniors category, second place went to Team Do It Boys, comprised of Joseph Pineda and Brayan Bradley, who received $100. First place went for Team Buff Kids, comprised of Kyron Vasquez and Brayan Averdado, who walked away with a cash prize of $100.

Ambergris Today

La Isla Bonita Telenovela Star Pregnant
The continuation of La Isla Bonita Telenovela is still in the works and rumors that production of the telenovela might be picked up seem to be true. Information coming in to Ambergris Today is that if all goes well, shooting should start this year. But the telenovela might need a new a new cast member to take on the leading roll of Carolina as news came in this week that Oscar Generale and Denny Mendez expect a baby. Generale & Ms. Mendez took time off from the Cannes Film Festival this year in anticipation of their new addition to the family. The Italian superstar couple was spotted shopping in Beverly Hills among the famous store fronts and top designer labels. Denny recently completed filming a promotional campaign for Festina watches with Gerard Butler; Oscar Generale was the force behind the deal.

Catch and Release Success at Frenchie’s Offshore Open in Caye Caulker
The Frenchie’s Offshore Open was hosted by the Belize Game Fish Association (BGFA) out of the Lazy Lizard in Caye Caulker over the Commonwealth Day weekend. A total of 17 boats hit the seas in a blasting south-east breeze early Saturday morning and it seems the Billfish were hungry! Princesa Del Mar captained by Shadany Bradley was the first boat on the board with a Sailfish release. Team Venator later reported landing a Blue Marlin just outside of Tres Cocos in San Pedro, which weighed in a 135lbs. The first place trophy as well as a check for $5,000 went to Team Venator out of Chetumal who recorded 1,370.5 points over the two days with a Blue Marlin, Wahoo and Tuna, which also won them the cash prize and trophy for the Heaviest Blue Marlin and the tournament’s Top Angler. Second place went to the San Pedro boys aboard Team Princesa Del Mar who accumulated 1,156.5 points by releasing a Sailfish, a White Marlin and weighing a Tuna. The third place cash prize also went to a San Pedro boat, Team Fishizzle who recorded 668 points with a White Marlin release and an 18lbs Dorado, which also won them the trophy and cash prize for Heaviest Dorado and Heaviest Non-Billfish.

Misc Belizean Sources

GOB Revokes Sarstoon Prohibition SI
The Cabinet of Belize announces that the Government of Belize has asked the Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young to sign a Statutory Instrument revoking, with immediate effect, the Sarstoon Prohibition SI. Government's decision comes as a consequence of the agreement reached in Turkey between Belize and Guatemala regarding the Sarstoon. That agreement commits both sides to start work now on a formal cooperation mechanism that will respect Belize's and Guatemala's respective use and navigation of the Sarstoon. While the formal mechanism is being worked on, the two sides have informally accepted a situation in which there will be untrammeled traffic for Belize's military and civilians along the Sarstoon.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belize and Guatemala Meet in Istanbul, Turkey to Address Matters in their Bilateral Agenda
On the occasion of the World Humanitarian Summit held by the United Nations Secretary General, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belize and Guatemala, Hon. Wilfred Elrington and Mr. Carlos Raúl Morales, and in the presence of Magdalena Talamas, Representative of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), held a working meeting in the City of Istanbul, Turkey on the 23 and 24 May 2016, and discussed several issues under their bilateral agenda. Both Foreign Ministers once again expressed their commitment to peace and good faith. In this vein, they reiterated that the existing Territorial, Insular and Maritime differendum should be definitively resolved by the International Court of Justice, once approved by the required referenda. They expressed that as long as this process continues and even after its conclusion, it is necessary that both promote and develop relations of good neighborliness that conduce to peace and stability and that promote the economic development of both peoples. In this vein, they underlined the importance of the thirteen agreements signed in Placencia, Belize in December 2014 that have contributed to the development and strengthening of their bilateral relations.

The BHA is being represented by staff of the Embassy of Belize in Mexico at the The Feria de Las Culturas Amigas (FCA 2016) which is being held in Mexico City at the Plaza Zocalo from May 21 to June 5, 2016. Ambassador of Belize in Mexico, HE Oliver del Cid and Mrs. Elena Baeza del Cid at the Belize Booth FCA 2016 The Festival is one of Mexico City's most important international cultural events, where visitors can learn about the culture, traditions and customs of the 85 participating countries which include Belize, Jamaica, Haiti, Austria, and Malaysia to name a few. The Festival has become a tradition, being held every year since 2006, and serves as a great opportunity for the residents of Mexico City to strengthen ties of friendship at the international level. In 2015, the Feria de las Culturas Amigas received approximately 3 million attendees, and as many if not more, are expected for this year.

3-day FREE Spay and Neuter Clinic on June 24 to 26
GREAT NEWS! Belize Humane Society will be having a 3-day FREE Spay and Neuter Clinic on June 24 to 26 at St. Catherine Academy (SCA). This is your opportunity to have your dog or cat "fixed" at no cost. We are very fortunate to be assisted in this event by a group of vets and veterinary technicians from the US who have done similar work with other Humane Societies in Belize. Watch this page for more information as the date gets closer. And please share the news with your friends! We will be needing lots of volunteers to help with the event, so please consider signing up. In the weeks before the event, we need people to help us go door to door in neighbourhoods to spread the word and sign-up animals and their owners for the clinic. On the days of the clinic, we need about 15 volunteers each day to help with intake of animals and other duties so that everything runs smoothly. If you can volunteer, message us with your contact info or contact Annette at 610-1071 (after May 27).

Rockin' the Caye w/ Abracadabra
Saturday, June 4 at 4 PM - 7 PM at Mahogany Bay Village. Former and current members of the Steve Miller Band, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy inductees, ­live and in concert! Proceeds support the South Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch providing security and well being to our neighborhood. Tickets going for sale online at www.SACNW.org and at Seaside Realty across from Fido's. General admission is $125BZD and limited VIP Meet & Greet tickets are $400BZD.

Splashers
Sign up for this weeks paint party! ERBER DAISIES!! I LOVE them. I'll be in the studio to paint these.

Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Three Day Working Visit to Belize
Ambassador Manorma P. Soeknandan, PhD., Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), is currently in Belize for a three day working visit. During that time, Dr. Soeknandan will be meeting with officials of the Government of Belize, as well as representatives of the various CARICOM institutions headquartered in Belize. Today, May 24th, 2016, Dr. Soeknandan completed a visit to the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, where she was briefed on the latest developments taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala. In demonstrating their strong support for Belize, CARICOM Foreign Ministers at the Nineteenth Meeting of the Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), emphasized their “resolute support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Belize.”

Lobster Fest 2016 Cook-Off Competition
You say you have cooking skills?? Sign up for this year's official Lobster Fest 2016 Cook-Off Competition. That's right, this year we have teamed up with GraceKennedy (Belize) Ltd. to bring you this fierce cooking competition. If you think you have what it takes, then step right up!!

Calling Entrepreneurs in Belize!
Good News!!! The YLAI deadline has been extended until Friday! Don't miss out! Apply today!

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
13 Hours, The Other Side of the Door, Zootopia, The Brothers Grimsby.

Channel 7

Bilateral Talks In Istanbul; FM's Vague About Details
Belize-Guatemala talks were held yesterday and today in Istanbul, Turkey. On Sunday, Belize's Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and his Guatemalan counterpart Carlos Raul Morales held what we are told was a four-hour working session in the margins of the World Humanitarian Summit. The business of the meeting was concentrated into that session at the Hilton Bomonti Hotel in Istanbul. The Belize delegation was led by Foreign Minister Elrington, accompanied by Ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado, and Representative of the Leader of the Opposition, Eamon Courtenay. The Guatemalan side was represented by Foreign Minister Morales, and the Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize, Manuel Barillas, among other officials. Magdalena Talamas, the Representative of the OAS Secretary General, acted as mediator.

Cabinet Ends Sarstoon Ban Early
Now we've all heard that so many times before, so if you're scratching your head and wondering what's the real takeaway from the meeting, well…maybe the Prime Minister knows. He's the chair of the National Security Council and the report he got seems to have given him confidence about the way ahead. Shortly after the joint releases went out, another Government release arrived announcing that the 30-day ban on the Sarstoon is over - the S.I. has been pulled a few days early. This release says quote, "the Government of Belize has asked the Governor General…to sign a Statutory Instrument revoking, with immediate effect, the Sarstoon Prohibition SI." End quote. The release then goes unto say, quote, "While the formal mechanism is being worked on, the two sides have informally accepted a situation in which there will be untrammeled traffic for Belize's military and civilians along the Sarstoon." End quote.

PUP Failed To Go To The Sarstoon
But it's a moot point for the PUP - who failed to challenge the law as they had promised to do on Saturday. 3 weeks ago, the party said it was going to the Sarstoon to challenge the Government to stop them. It was marketed first as direct action against an oppressive law. But then, starting last week, the leadership of the party started to change tune, describing this intended excursion as an "educational" trip. Still, we were on board, and plans were made for the members of the PUP's National Party Council to go down to PG on Saturday morning at 10:00. The plan was for them to board boats which would take them near the mouth of the Sarstoon. But, at about 11:00 on Friday night, hours away from departure time, word started getting around that the PUP had suddenly cancelled their Sarstoon sojourn. Politically, that's a major letdown, especially since the law has now been rescinded.

Joe Briceno Passes; Son, John, Stayed At His Bedside Til The end
As you heard, one of the two reasons that Opposition Leader John Briceño agreed to cancel the trip was because his father's health was failing fast. And, personally, he made the right decision, because 78 year-old "Elijio Joe Briceño" passed away at the hospital at two minutes to midnight on Saturday. The elder Briceno was a two term PUP representative for Orange Walk and today, his son John spoke with us about his many accomplishments: Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition: "MY father passed away on Saturday at 11:58pm. As you all know that my father suffered a stroke 11 years ago and its because of him being unable to move that overtime his party started to slow down, his metabolism and it started affecting his organs. We did everything try to try to keep him here, but the good Lord has other plans for him. Whilst we've been through a difficult time, a time of sorrow, a time of grief, it fills our heart with love to find out that so many people appreciated the work that my father did as a person and as a politician.

BPP Members Visited; Without Hype Or Fanfare; PUP Senator Also Went
So, after hearing that the PUP failed to follow through with their trip to the Sarstoon, border activist Wil Maheia took his fellow BPP party member Bobby Lopez and TV personality Rosalie Staines to the river in his own personal boat. Maheia had told the teachers that the Security Forces had been closely monitoring his movements ever since the Sarstoon Statutory Instrument was passed. Well, it appears that on Sunday, he was able to make the trip without being stopped. Here's Rosalie Staines making the announcement only minutes after they had arrived close to the river mouth:

Bilateral Commitments Made At FOPREL Meeting
On Friday's newscast, we told you about how House Speaker Mike Peyrefitte tried his hand at parliamentary peacemaking between Belize and Guatemala at the FOPREL meeting in Managua, Nicaragua. As we reported, Peyrefitte is the Vice President of "FOPREL", the Forum of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments of Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean Basin, while the speaker of the Guatemalan Congress, Mario Taracena Diaz-Sol is the President. Well, during the weekend, Peyrefitte spoke with us, and he told us that while he was speaking with Mario Taracena for the parliamentary cooperation on last Tursday, he also mentioned that that worrying resolution that the Guatemalan Congress had passed. You'll remember that it was the travel advisory warning citizens not to travel to Belize - alleging human rights violations by the BDF.

CARICOM's Deputy Sec. Gen. Visits Belize
Ambassador Manorma P. Soeknandan, the Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), is currently in Belize for a three day working visit. During that time, Dr. Soeknandan will be meeting with officials of the Government of Belize, as well as representatives of the various CARICOM institutions headquartered in Belize. Today, May 24th, 2016, Dr. Soeknandan completed a visit to the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, where she was briefed on the latest developments taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala. In demonstrating their strong support for Belize, CARICOM Foreign Ministers at the Nineteenth Meeting of the Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), emphasized their "resolute support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Belize." Dr. Soeknandan leaves Belize on Thursday, May 26th.

Families Terrible Accident Victims Waiting In Vain For Compensation Cheques
You may remember that terrible traffic accident back on July 3, 2013 which killed 64 year-old taxi driver Eliseo Chan, and his 3 female passengers Molly Hude, Angela Bugeja, and Ioanna Thomopoulou. The three women were all international scholars who were studying archeology under the then Director of Archaeology, Dr. Jaime Awe. On that date, they were heading to the airport when the taxi that they were in slammed head on into a Westline Bus right after Busman Arnold Bridge, at mile 60 on the Western Highway. They died on impact or shortly after. Well, in the years that followed, their foreign families brought a private suit against the insurance company involved in covering the vehicles in the accident, and they won over a hundred thousand dollars in compensation.

Wildfire Threatens Zoo's animals
The Belize Zoo's animals almost perished in a weekend fire. The blaze erupted on Sunday afternoon in the Pine Savanna forest area - opposite the Belize Zoo and took the fire dangerously close to the facility. The wildfire was raging, and wind carried the smoke and ash over to the Zoo's compound. That's when the staff rushed over to try and contain it. Guests had to be asked to leave the compound. eventually, it was too much and the Belmopan fire department had to be called in to put out the fire. This is not the first time that a fire came so close to destroying the Zoo. There was another bush fire in 2011 but this one was much closer.

Orange Walk Teacher Drowns
This morning police found the body of a teacher who had drowned in San Carlos, Orange Walk. 31 year old Bartolo Torres and 2 of his Coast Guard friends were on a Sunday fishing trip across the New River Lagoon. Around midday that Sunday, they decided to rest at a nearby wharf but the strong winds caught them on their way and water got into their small boat - sinking it. The men then jumped into the water. 2 of the men survived but Bartolo Torres did not know how to swim and he drowned. Police told us that they conducted the post mortem immediately after they found Torres' body this morning. Torres taught at Chunox St. Viator Vocational High School.

Mystery Chopping In Independence
A man was chopped this weekend in Independence. 33 year old Guatemalan watchman Jose Coc left for work around 6 Saturday evening. Coc was guarding the tools and equipment at the bridge being built just outside Trio village. But later at 11, 2 men came to the bridge and called out to him, and when Coc did not respond, the men approached him and chopped him - slicing off his right hand. Coc was also slashed to his stomach and foot. He is at the KHMH in a stable condition. Coc told police that he did not recognize the men because it was too dark. No tools were stolen from the bridge so police believe this may have been a planned attack.

Cayo Cops Come Up On Weed/Weapon Bust
Police in San Ignacio came up big last week Friday when they discovered upwards of 33 pounds of cannabis and an unlicensed firearm in the streets of San Ignacio. The first discovery was made around 5 am on Friday. San Ignacio Police were on mobile patrol between miles 68 and 69 on the George Price Highway and upon making checks by the police booth in front of Rumors Resort, they discovered a black plastic bag wrapped in transparent tape. Inside that bag was a large quantity of suspected cannabis. The substance weighed in at a total of 14,968 grams- approximately 33 pounds. Further searches in the area lead to the discovery of a smaller black plastic bag which also contained suspected cannabis. The substance in this bag weighed approximately 170 grams. Searches continued in the area which lead police to discover a 20 gauge sawed off shotgun with a wooden brown stock, and a brown wooden handle. Inside the barrel of the shotgun police discovered a single RIO Brand cartridge. No one was around the area when the discovery was made and as a result the items were deposited as found property.

4 Difference Accidents Over Holiday Weekend
There was a spate of traffic accidents over the long weekend but fortunately, none were fatal. On Friday afternoon at around 2:00, 64 year old retired Mechanic Kenneth Wright was driving his Dodge Ram Pickup to Sandhill from Ladyville. His brakes failed near the Burrell Boom Junction and he swerved into the opposite lane, hitting the rear tail of American National Carlos Arango's Toyota 4 Runner. The impact sent Arango's truck spinning on the highway then landing on the side of the road. Wright was served with a notice of intended prosecution. No one was seriously injured. And later that Friday night, a pastor and his family were hurt in another accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. At 9:10, 37 year old Pastor Angelo Dominguez and his family were heading to Ladyville from Belize City in his Toyota Hilux. As he was driving between miles 7 and 8, a white SUV coming in the opposite direction veered onto Dominguez's lane. Dominguez then darted to the side of the road to avoid the collision, but he lost control of the vehicle and it flipped twice. Dominguez received injuries to his hand and lower back, while his wife Gayle Dominguez was injured to her knee and upper back. The pastor's 63 year old mother Mona Requena Smith received only scratches. Other minors who were seated inside and in the pan of the Hilux also received minor injuries. The family was treated at the KHMH. Now their injuries are classified as harm and wounding but for now the driver of the SUV, American national Krlo Barbery has been charged with failure to provide specimen. Police continue to look into this case.

Police United Needs Your Help To Compete In Champion's League
It is the biggest football tournament in the region and the Belize Police Department has been invited to participate. After a tallying of points from the two local tournaments back in April, the Police United FC came out on top with a total 40 points besting the Belmopan Bandits by only one point. As a result the last two weeks, the team committee received their official letter from CONCACAF inviting them to this, one most prestigious football tournament. And while it is noteworthy that for the first time ever, a police club is entering the Champions League, this regional tournament will be a very costly initiative one that is of course not included in the police department budget. So today the police department invited us to a press briefing at the Raccoon Street Police Station to appeal for the public's support as they take on this venture. The team committee has enlisted Charlie Slusher as the head coach for the team and are also looking for foreign players to add some more muscle to their rank.

ESRI GIS Conference Upcoming
Looking at the world and everyday life through digital maps: that is the idea behind the Geographic Information System technology. And to celebrate the impact of this type of referencing, the 6th annual ESRI conference will be held tomorrow at the Biltmore. There will be a number of presentations on how GIS can improve business operations in Belize. Organizer Loretta Palacio told us more today . The conference is a 2 day event. It starts tomorrow at 8:30 at the Biltmore.

Hand In Hand Against Offshore Oil
On Friday Oceana Belize joined 82 other countries around the world in observing the annual Hands across the Sand campaign. It is an event held every year to in a very literally way, draw a line in the sand in solidarity against offshore oil development. Oceana was joined by hundreds of activists and ocean lovers from all across the country: including people from Orange Walk town, Dangriga, Belize City, Placencia, Corozal Town, San Ignacio, Hopkins, Sarteneja, Punta Gorda Town, Belmopan and of course from the islands of Caye Caulker and San Pedro. No numbers are yet confirmed as it relates to how many persons actually participated in the activity but according to Oceana it was very much comparable to last year's event- which would put the number at somewhere between 400 to 500 individuals.

Shyne's Reunion Performance For Bad Boyz
One of the biggest names in rap history, Sean Puffy Combs, rap mogul, producer, and founder of the Bad Boyz record label in the United States launched his much anticipated 2nd reunion tour on Friday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It featured mega stars such as Jay Z, Rick Ross, DMX, and Usher performing live. And Belize's Music Ambassador was right there in the lineup with them. Of course, Shyne can't travel to the US because he is a deportee, but he did grace the stage, well sort of. Shyne came up on the big screen at the Barclay Center to perform his hit "Bad Boyz" - and he did it from Xunantunich. He told us about it today: Though not quite on par with a Tupac Hologram, Shyne's was well received, and one press report we saw described it as a performance that drew goosebumps.

Channel 5

G.O.B. Revokes Controversial Sarstoon Law!
There’s a lot of news tonight revolving out of Belize/Guatemala talks and the Sarstoon – perhaps the most sensational being that G.O.B. has revoked the Sarstoon Prohibition S.I., that piece [...]

Belize and Guatemala Negotiate Sarstoon Protocol in Istanbul
That’s big news indeed, since the Sarstoon has remained a potential flashpoint for months. So that brings us to the Istanbul talks, scheduled for May twenty-first. We’re told they didn’t [...]

P.U.P. Cancels Planned Weekend Sarstoon Trip
While those talks were supposed to be happening on Saturday, the P.U.P. had planned a trip to the Sarstoon. They claimed that it was an educational trip as opposed to [...]

Deputy Party Leader Cordel Hyde Says There Were No Boats
The revocation of the Sarstoon Prohibition SI comes only four days after it was challenged in Court by the People’s United Party, and three days after the P.U.P. planned an [...]

P.U.P. Cautiously Optimistic About Progress in Istanbul Talks
So what’s the P.U.P. position on the big news coming out of the Istanbul breakthrough? That agreement between both foreign ministers that Belizean military and civilians will be allowed to [...]

C.E.O. George Lovell Speaks on SI Annulment
The P.U.P. may not be showing much enthusiasm just yet, but for Ministry of National Security C.E.O. George Lovell the agreement is a welcome one. We’ve all seen the footage [...]

Former P.U.P. Minister Elijio Briceno Passes Away
The father of P.U.P. leader John Briceño passed away at midnight on Saturday after a long illness. Elijio Joe Briceño was a former Minister of Government, and as such will [...]

Cordel Hyde Weighs in on B.T.L. Arbitration Award
In a matter of a couple weeks, the arbitration panel will be delivering its final, tabulated award on B.T.L. share value assessment, reliably reported to be close to half a [...]

Police Investigation into Alleged Abduction of Roger Plett Concludes
Last Wednesday, the C.E.O.s of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security spoke out for the first time on an allegation made by Belizean Roger Plett. Plett claimed that [...]

A Run for Diabetes Awareness
The Second Annual Diabetic Run and Wellness Expo was held over the weekend in the west. Wellness Ambassadors in collaboration with the Belize Diabetic Association Belmopan Branch and Marathon runner [...]

Many Road Traffic Accidents Reported Over Holiday Weekend
There were at least seven traffic accidents in the Belize and Cayo districts over the weekend, but none were fatal. The wave of RTAs started on Friday near the Burrell [...]

Forest Fire Comes Dangerously Close to the Belize Zoo
On Sunday, fire nearly burned its way into the Belize Zoo. Reports from Zoo Management is that a raging bush fire which started in the pine savanna forest south of [...]

Ocean-lovers Hold Hands Against Offshore Oil Development in Belize
On Saturday at midday, Belizeans across the country joined hands on beaches, along sea walls and other public areas to stand in unity against offshore oil development in Belize’s sea [...]

Chocolatiers Descend on Punta Gorda for Annual Festival
It started as the annual Cacao Festival, but over the weekend, the tenth edition of the event surrounding chocolate was held in the southernmost town of Punta Gorda. The three-day [...]

Police United to Defend Belize in CONCACAF Champions League
The Police United Football Club, winners of the 2016 Premier League tournament, will represent Belize in the upcoming CONCACAF Champions League series.  It is a momentous occasion since the Belize [...]

Team Needs Financial Assistance to Meet Competition Expenses
The team has put together a budget for expenses related to the tournament; however, it needs another one hundred thousand dollars to meet its overheads.   Supt. Andres Makin Sr., [...]

Shyne Rocks Bad Boy’s Barclays Center Concert from Xunantunich
Music powerhouse Bad Boy Records took a journey down memory lane this weekend.  An audience of twenty thousand gathered at the Barclays Center in New York City to experience the [...]

CTV3

Honorable John Briceno Remembers His Father's Accomplishments
Eleven years ago Elijio Joe Briceno suffered a stroke and since he could not move his body slowed down and started affecting his organs. But this did not stop Don Joe from continue being an active member of the People’s United Party and following step by step his sons political career. Today Leader of the Opposition John Briceno told our colleagues at Seven News how he will remember his father and also spoke about some of his other accomplishments. “It fills our heart with love to find out that that so many people appreciated the work that my father did as a person and as a politician, he was larger than life person and he took on the powers of when he felt it was not in the interest of the people that he represented for instance in the history book we talk about black Wednesday when he with the cane farmers of Orange Walk stood up to defend the interest of the cane farmers in the Orange Walk district and went against his own government and they sent the BDF and I was there and witness what was going on.”

PUP Will Proceed With Law Suit
As you heard at the top of the newscast GOB has revoked the SI implemented in the Sarstoon that restricted movements through the area. So…. will the PUP move forward with their claim against the Sarstoon Law in court even though it was rescinded? According to Leader of the Opposition, Hon. John Briceno, the People’s United Party will be moving full steam ahead with the constitutional challenge. According to Honorable Briceno, the P.U.P.’s legal team is proceeding with the suit in an effort to provide guidance to this current government and others to come, from the court as to when it is accurate for a law of this nature to be implemented. “We do plan to go through the law suits as what our legal advisor pointed out that it is very important for which ever government to know how far they can go with this which is almost like the preventative detention that they try to do remember that when they wanted to amend the constitution when Belizeans were vehemently against the likewise in this case it is almost like that, it is important for the courts to make a ruling to see if it is something that it is allowed within the constitution in the laws of Belize so it is important for us for the government and future governments to see how far they can go.”

Oceana Corozal Promotes Awareness And Environmental Consciousness
Hands across the Sand across the Land was also commemorated in Corozal on Saturday. According to OCEANA’s Field Representative for Corozal, Ryan Rivero, the activity showed that there are still Belizeans who care about the environment. “The purpose of the event, Hands Across the Sand, is to show solidarity in the efforts being carried by Oceana and other organizations to keep oceans health and our reef healthy, in fact our entire environment healthy, this was done nationally and internationally in countries that are supportive of this initiative, it just entails people that come out holding hands for a period of fifteen minutes to show that they are in support of what we are fighting for right particularly free from offshore oil exploration and that is the support and participation that we are looking for people to want and to help us work in any way possible.”

GOB Issues Press Release To Rescind The Sarstoon Law
An hour after GOB issued the release on the meeting in Istanbul, another release was issued…this time by Cabinet stating that a decision had been made to recede the Sarstoon Law. The decision comes five days before the law was scheduled to expire on May 29th. In the release Cabinet states that the Government of Belize has asked the Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young to sign a Statutory Instrument revoking, with immediate effect, the Sarstoon Prohibition SI. The decision came as a consequence of the agreement reached in Turkey between Belize and Guatemala regarding the Sarstoon. That decision, according to Cabinet, commits both sides to start work now on a formal cooperation mechanism that will respect Belize's and Guatemala's respective use and navigation of the Sarstoon.

GOB Issues Release On Meeting In Istanbul, Turkey
Before midday today the Government of Belize issued a press release on the meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey where discussions for protocols for the Sarstoon was at the top of the agenda. There is no doubt that Belizeans were waiting anxiously for word on the outcome of that meeting attended by Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala Wilfred Elrington and Carlos Raul Morales, their delegations and representative of the Opposition Eamon Courtney. But after reading the Governments release we can simply state that Belizeans remain in the dark because while the release is quite lengthy…it does not mention any direct decision taken in reference to the Sarstoon. The release states that “The Ministers recognized the need to avoid incidents between the two countries that affect the process of confidence building as agreed in 2000, 2003 and 2005. In this context they affirmed the need to work more in the development of building confidence, especially between the Armed Forces of both countries, including the possibility of having joint training for the troops responsible for patrolling the Adjacency Zone.

PUP Party Leader Speaks On Cancellation Of Sarstoon Trip
The PUP's scheduled educational trip to the Sarstoon, which was to take place this past Saturday, was called off late on Friday night. According to a release issued by the PUP the Party was having difficulties with the boats for the journey as they were unable to assure the boat captains that they would not be victimized by GOB. On Friday, indications were that the group would not have been allowed to reach their first destination, the BDF's Forward Operating Base at the mouth of the river but according to the release issued by the PUP, GOB went a step forward as there was reportedly a barrage of overt intimidation of licensed boat captains and charter groups in Punta Gorda Town and southern maritime areas which untimely resulted in the last minute cancellation of the charter arrangements the party had made weeks ago. Today Opposition Leader, Hon. John Briceno spoke to the media about the cancellation of the trip.

LOVE FM

Belize and Guatemala to Formulate Cooperation Mechanism for the Sarstoon
Bilateral talks between Belize and Guatemala began yesterday in Istanbul, Turkey with delegations from Belize, Guatemala and the Organization of American States.For Belize’s part, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington led the delegation while Carlos Raul Morales represented Guatemala and Magdalena Talamas represented the Secretary General of theOrganization of American States. The meetings coincide with the World […]

BTV Visits Sarstoon; Boycott Efforts Continue Against Guatemala
While the top foreign affairs officials from both Belize and Guatemala were making their way to Turkey for these bilateral meetings, a handful of Belizeans had ventured out onto the Sarstoon on Sunday. Head of the Belize Territorial Volunteers, Wil Maheia led that small group including Bobby Lopez of the Belize Progressive Party. According to […]

CARICOM’s Deputy SG In Belize
Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, Ambassador Manorma P. Soeknandan, PhD. is on a three day working visit to Belize. During that time, Dr. Soeknandan will be meeting with officials of the Government of Belize, as well as representatives of the various CARICOM institutions headquartered in Belize. Earlier today, Dr. Soeknandan visited the OAS Office in […]

US Court of Appeals Affirms Judgement Against Government of Belize
Belize’s debt is at the highest it has ever been and with the final ruling imminent regarding the nationalization of Belize Telemedia Limited, it will go even higher. Today, however, there is more to add to the country’s debt as a US court has confirmed an arbitral award made against the Government of Belize. It […]

US Citizen Found in Belize Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Activities
The gravity of the issue surrounding offshore banking and the effects it has had on the banking sector was not given much attention back in July 2014 when Belize was in the international news following the launch of an investigation into CYNK Technology, a company that had falsely stated its address to be inside the […]

Former Government Minister Elijio Joe Briceno Dies
Last week when we brought you an interview with the Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno, he was standing outside the Buttonwood Bay Clinic in Belize City where his father was being treated. His father had become frail in the last few weeks after suffering from cardiac complications. On his Facebook page, John Briceno wrote […]

Garifuna Council Elects New Executive
The National Garifuna Council has a new executive. During the thirty second annual NGC convention in Libertad Village in the Corozal District, Sandra Miranda was elected as President. Other members of the executive are Vice President, Hazel Cayetano; second Vice president, Stanislus Martinez; Secretary, Dr. Ethel Arzu; Assitant Secretary, Marsha Mejia; Treasurer, Marietta Enriquez and […]

Saldivar Remains Confident on a Win for the Upcoming Convention
A convention to elect the new first Deputy Party Leader of the United Democratic Party will take place on Sunday. The two men contesting to fill the post, Minister of Education, Patrick Faber and Minister of National Security, John Saldivar have been on a campaign to woo the almost five hundred delegates. The two men […]

BTL Hustles to Repair Broken Fiber Optic Cable
A fiber cable break in Belmopan, this morning caused the interruption of 4G internet network around the vicinities of the US Embassy and the British High Commission. Public Relations for the Belize Telecommunications Limited, Roneisha Gentle told Love News the company is doing everything to restore the network by nine o’clock tonight. RONEISHA GENTLE “There […]

Sedan Collides Into Market Wall in Saturday Morning Incident
In the wee hours of Saturday morning, San Ignacio Police was called out to the area of the low lying bridge in that municipality following a traffic incident. Reports are that police responded to Savannah Street just after four o’clock where they found a blue Toyota Corolla sedan with extensive damages near the wall of […]

PlusTV

Council of Churches weighs in on Belize-Guatemala dispute
The Belize Council of Churches says it supports Government’s program of diplomacy with relation to the Belize-Guatemala dispute and is calling for all involved to avoid unnecessary conflict. That is the main plank of a statement issued this morning during a press conference called by the Council at ...

PUP leader speaks to press
Yesterday Leader of the Opposition John Briceño confirmed that his People’s United Party (PUP)’s intends to travel south to the Sarstoon and spoke about why the party feels it must go this weekend. The PUP leader also discussed the partnership with civil society, who will not be a major part of thei...

1 Killed and 1 Injured in Road Traffic Incident in Placencia
42 year old Richard Moguel died in a road traffic incident on Thursday night between miles 19 and 20 on the Placencia road. It happened sometime around 9 0’clock when Moguel was riding his bicycle on the road. Along with Moguel at the time was 46 year old Osvaldo Matute of Saine Bight Village . Acc...

Shooting victim charged with abetment to murder
Police continue to try to crack down on the spiralling violence in the Ladyville area of Eastern Division (Rural). In the wake of the shoot-out at the residence of Cynthia Lozano early last week Saturday on Marage Road, police have arrested the two accused of the incident, Darwin Prado and Egbert Ba...

Accused Bulgarian ATM thieves plead guilty
This afternoon, Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser reserved sentence who has been hearing the case of two accused of theft of over $14,000 from the Belize Bank ATM machine against the men after they both changed their not guilty plea to guilty for the offenses of a total of 18 counts of theft each. Bu...

Constitutional case against Sarstoon Regulations adjourned
The first hearing of the People’s United Party’s challenge to the Public Safety Act Regulations, Sarstoon Order of 2016, took place this morning at the Supreme Court. But when the case goes back to court, it may be likely that the crux of the case will be moot. That’s because the regulations expire...

Chief Executive Officer addresses MOE’s latest news
Yesterday during our interview with Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Education David Leacock, we queried him on ongoing issues within the Ministry. A few years ago the Ministry started a program to review funding being given to schools, aiming to level the playing field and reward schools ...

The Reporter

Former minister of energy dies
Elijio “Joe” Briceno, former Minister of Energy and Communications and father of People’s United Party Leader John Briceno, died today. Briceno, who had been very ill for some time was at the Northern Regional Hospital, when he passed away at 12 a.m. “HIs family and friends were close by his side. We are thankful for the life of our father and grateful to everyone for the amazing support. We ask you to pray for our family and for one another and remain thankful for your support.” John briceno posrted on his Facebook wall this morning. During the 1979-1984 term of the PUP, “Joe” Briceno served as Minister of Energy and Communications under the late George Price. He later retired from politics in favour of his son, John, who has kept the Orange Walk Central constituency as a PUP stronghold since taking up the mantle.

Breaking Belize News

Two busted for illegal logging in National Park
Last Wednesday, two men were detained for ‘illegal logging within a national park’ after they were busted by a team comprising of police officers, park rangers and a member of the Mayflower National Park. The men, Carlos Palacio, 35 and Donald Wewe, 45, were […]

Teenager pleads guilty to burglary and theft
Nineteen year old Zane Pott, a construction worker of 2 and a half miles George Price Highway, pled guilty to burglary and theft when he appeared today before Magistrate Deborah Rogers. Because he had no previous conviction for crimes of dishonesty, Pott was sentenced […]

Ex-Fultec employee pleads guilty to theft
Twenty-nine year old Kristoff Riverol, a former employee of Fultec Systems, located on Coney Drive, who posted a hard drive he stole in the “buy and sell” column on Face Book, was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared today before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza […]

Watchman chopped in Trio Village
Dangriga Police visited the Independence Polly Clinic on Saturday night at around 11:24, after receiving reports of a chopping incident in Trio Village. Upon arrival, officers saw Jose Coc, 33, suffering from large cut wounds to his abdomen, left foot and right hand. His […]

Ladyville burglary cost home owner over $17,000 in losses
On Friday of last week, 34-year-old Melissa Ellis of a Ladyville Village address, reported to police that her house had been burglarized and an assortment of valuables were stolen. Ellis stated that around 5:50 that morning, she arrived home from work and became suspicious […]

$15,000 van stolen in city
Philip Kewley, a 55-year-old resident of Ladyville Village in the Belize District, reported to Belize City Police on Sunday morning that his Ford-350 van was stolen from New Town Barracks. Kewley told officers that sometime between 9:00 on Saturday morning and 6:00 on Sunday […]

Belize and Guatemala meet in Istanbul
Belize and Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Ministers, Wilfred Elrington and Carlos Raul Morales, met in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday and today to discuss several issues related to recent tensions between both countries. Elrington and Morales met at the World Humanitarian Summit held by the United Nations Secretary […]

Agreement reached on Sarstoon, SI revoked
The following is a statement issued The Cabinet of Belize announces that the Government of Belize has asked the Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young to sign a Statutory Instrument revoking, with immediate effect, the Sarstoon Prohibition SI. Government’s decision comes […]

Bail for cop charged with unlawful sex assault and accused attempted murderer in bar brawl
Interdicted cop, Darren Evan Martinez and 25 year old Belize City resident, Steven Young, accused of the attempted murder of Lord’s Bank resident, Brandon Stevens, were each granted bail on Friday in the Supreme Court. Martinez, a police officer of Haulze Street, Belize City, was arraigned last week on a single count of unlawful sexual assault on a minor, at the tender age of 8. Young is accused of stabbing Stevens in an altercation to the chest with an ice pick. In the case of Martinez, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution did not raise an objection. According to Crown Counsel Sheiniza Smith, she was not aware that the victim in Martinez case was 8 and not 10 as previously reported because the age of the victim was not on the information and complaint form.

Blogs

Once more to Caye Caulker and a bunch of other stuff, like Reef Week
As small an island as Caye Caulker is, there is always something — or someone — new to be discovered. Like the kids in the picture above. I have never seen kids have more fun in four inches of water. I’d take a picture and then the kids would all run over to see themselves on the screen. Then I’d take another picture and they’d all run behind the camera to see themselves. Then I’d take another picture . . . . you get the idea. We could have kept this up all day. Yesterday was filled with great friends, gorgeous weather, long white sand beaches, cool water, delicious food and drink and, yeah, exactly the kind of day you imagine on a tropical island. Hey, look. It isn’t every day. Not by a long shot. When they do happen, when all the island gods align themselves, well, it becomes pretty special.

International Sources

Don't feed the monkeys—why your generosity is harming their health
Tourists who feed wild monkeys are risking the health of an endangered species by making them larger, more susceptible to disease, and more stressed, according to new research. Behavioural ecologists compared the health of two groups of wild Barbary macaques in Ifrane National Park in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco; one which spent nearly 50 per cent of their feeding activity eating food provided by humans, and another which rarely encounter tourists and instead relied on natural food resources. The macaques which ate food from tourists were found to have poorer quality fur, with some patches of alopecia, and also suffered from higher levels of stress hormones compared with the other group. All the females in the non-fed group gave birth, but only a third of females in the groups of Barbary macaques frequently fed by tourists had babies. The monkeys which relied on natural food were observed to only suffer one incident of a stomach upset, while the group which received large amounts of food from tourists had 32 bouts of illness.

Scuba trip to Belize nearly fatal for Rogue River man
When you’re 90 feet deep in the ocean, things can go wrong very quickly, as Rogue River veterinarian Bob Bradford learned while diving with his wife, Jan, a few weeks ago on a barrier reef off Belize. Bradford, 77, made several key mistakes — delay in starting up to the surface before he got below 700 pounds of air pressure, not staying with his diving partner when he reached the 15-foot depth and ran out of air, then shooting up to the choppy surface and, realizing he was in trouble, not dumping his weights so he could float. His wife quickly joined him and found him not breathing. A nearby dive boat saw trouble and pulled him aboard. Paramedics Dave and Becky Cook, leaders of Vagabond Ventures of Phoenix, quickly surfaced and found Bradford blue and unconscious, not breathing and with no heartbeat. As the boat sped to a shoreside clinic, the Cooks took turns doing CPR, restoring Bradford’s vital signs after five to eight minutes of unconsciousness. He was flown by private jet to a larger hospital and brought back to health over several days.

Ursuline students put lessons from Belize to work close to home
A group of Ursuline Academy High School students delivered two murals and more than 40 blankets to the Metropolitan Center for Women and Children on April 22. The students painted the whimsical murals for the shelter’s play therapy room and constructed blankets to comfort the children in residence. They devoted their school year to volunteering at the shelter and making a difference in the lives of women affected by domestic violence. The project is part of Beyond Our Borders, Ursuline’s service-learning immersion program. Students traveled to Belize, where they built a 16-by-16-foot home for a family in an impoverished community. They were challenged to take inspiration from their trip and relate it to comparable social issues in New Orleans. The students divided into four groups, recruited additional students and worked to implement service projects that connected their experiences in Belize with the Ursuline community and with organizations throughout the city.

THE BEAUTY OF BELIZE: A Tropical Paradise Made for Montanans
The Montana winter is a long one. The only thing paler than my skin come spring is the snow still causing slide-offs on the Bozeman pass. Every once in a while, a Montanan just needs to head south.

Armed conflict between Guatemala and Belize unlikely despite military build-up and increased border incidents
Guatemala and Belize have agreed to seek to de-escalate a border dispute through the staging of diplomatic talks in Istanbul, Turkey on 21 May. The Belize Foreign Ministry announced on 19 May that it had requested that the Organization of American States (OAS) investigate allegations that Guatemalan uniformed personnel had kidnapped a Belizean farmer and detained him in Guatemala the previous week. The request was made in the context of the OAS having already started an investigation into live-fire incidents involving the Belize Defence Force (BDF), which resulted in the death of a Guatemalan child on 20 April, and the wounding of a man on 13 May in Chiquibul National Park along the shared border. The child's death, along with the injury of his father and younger brother, triggered a rapid build-up of 3,000 Guatemalan soldiers on the border, including along the Sarstoon River near Belize's Forward Operating Base (FOB) on the Caribbean coast.

Videos

Guatemala and Belize, 4min.

University of Belize | Calabash Caye Trip, 13min.

Hopkins and Xunantunich- Belize 2016, 10min. May 2016 Hopkins Village 2 1/2 hrs south of Belize City

Belize Sharks & Rays Tour, 2.5min. Check out our excursion in Belize swimming with nurse sharks, stingrays, barracuda and various other sea life!

Holidays to Belize - San Pedro & Caye Caulker, 4in.

PUP MOURNS THE DEATH OF FORMER CABINET MINISTER AND FATHER OF LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, 8min. The Peoples United Party, Orange Walkenos and Belizeans on a whole are mourning the death of Mr. Elijio Joe Briceno father of Leader of the Opposition John Briceno. Elijio Joe Briceno died on Saturday May 21st at midnight after falling gravely ill. At the time of his death he was surrounded by family and friends. “Don Joe or boss Joe” as he was affectionately known served as a member of Cabinet for two consecutive terms from 1974 to 1984 and tonight we look back at his years of service to the people of Belize and his numerous contributions to the development of the country.

Former Government Minister and father of the leader of the opposition dies, 4min.

Cuba to Belize 2015, 3.5min. finishing 2015 in the Caribbean - this song is the biggest song we have heard through Central America

Belize - GoPro, 3.5min.

Aftermovie: 3 months 7 countries, 6min. USA, Costa rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico & Cuba

CHW of Belize, 1min. Community Health Workers of Belize Allies to Maternal and Child health care A production of the Ministry of Health - Belize , financed by JSDF and The World Bank

Yet Another Belize Bonefish, 8min.

Snorkeling Shark Ray Alley, Belize with Lil' Alphonse, 2min. My friend and I had a great time snorkeling while visiting Belize. Snorkeling with Lil' Alphonse was great! We hit up Shark Ray Alley and lured all the sharks over with bait and jumped in. So cool. They only have nurse sharks there, so it's perfectly safe. If you're ever staying out on San Pedro, check this guy out.

Blue Hole, Belize, 3.5min.

Another Belize Bonefish, 2min.

Clips from Belize: April 2016, 5min. Girls Weekend trip to Hopkins Belize

Dolphin Drive By Belize 2015, 1/2min.

Belize 2016, 6min.

Belize Tourism Board's "TASTE OF BELIZE" tv ad, 1min.