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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, and other specials
The San Pedro Sun
Police Report
Assaulting a Police officer:
* On Monday, January 2nd, the Quick Response Team (QRT) received information that a dark skinned male person with dreadlocks, wearing a blue checkered shirt was carrying an unlicensed firearm near a bar by the Central Park Area. Upon entering the said bar, Police Constable Darnell Madrill’s attention was drawn to Paul White, who he had known for two years and who fit the same description. PC Madrill and PC Eduardo Magana approached the said person, escorted him out of the premises and conducted a search. Whilst searching the said person, Pedro Campos approached PC Madrill and told him that he can’t search White and used profane words towards PC Eduardo Magana. He was informed to move back. However, Campos refused to leave.
* On December 17, 2016, PC Phillip Swift, along with other members of the Quick Response Team ( PC Kareem Staine, PC Norman Coye and SC Richard Nunez) were conducting a routine patrol in the Central park Area. PC Swift’s attention was drawn to a male person of Hispanic descent, wearing a grey T-Shirt and a long blue Jeans pants, who was aggressing and cursing another male person upstairs of a local bar. PC Swift approached them and asked both of them to leave the premises. One of the males left the bar, but the other Hispanic male refused to leave and told PC Swift that he will not go anywhere.
Southwest announces direct flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Belize
The Belize Tourism Board is pleased to announce exciting news on another new direct flight from the United States of America. Southwest Airlines commencing from June 4, 2017, will offer a daily, year-round non-stop flights, from Ft. Lauderdale to Belize. The flight will have multiple connections to and from Fort Lauderdale from cities such as Baltimore, New York, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa and DC. Introductory rates for this flight are as low as US$79 one way and is currently available for booking on Southwest’s official website.
Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch reports a successful 2016
The Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch (BRCSP) was very busy during 2016 as they hosted fundraisers, first aid trainings, blood drives, and even radio and telethons during times of tragedy on the island. BRCSP has taken the opportunity to raise much needed funds year after year in order to continue their work in the community and despite the great challenges in 2016, they are reporting a successful year.
According to the official report, in 2016 five blood drives were organized, collecting 64 pints of blood for the Ambergris Caye blood reserve. The different blood drives were held at Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, San Carlos Medical Centre, and the Washington University of Health and Science. By the end of the year, the local branch was able to help nine persons with 19 pints of blood.
Throughout the history of blood drives on the island since 2013, the BRCSP has collected a total of 267 pints of blood and helped 19 persons by using 46 pints of blood.
SP Belize Express says Municipal dock use is ‘temporary’
Mayor Daniel Guerrero has been prompt to shut down the rumours that the boat company San Pedro Belize Express (SPBE) will be using the municipal dock permanently. The company, which provides commuting services to and from Belize City to Ambergris Caye, was one of the many businesses affected by Hurricane Earl in early August of 2015, and the company was forced to find an alternative area to operate its daily runs. Since then, they have been conducting business from the municipal dock by Central Park. A recent addition of structures on the dock, and the extended use of the dock have raised concerns among island residents.
According to local authorities, the dock, which is Government property, has been serving the people of San Pedro Town ever since the foundation of the community, and no private entity should be entitled to operate on it permanently.
Ambergris Today
Belize Blue Hole Contender for Best Caribbean Dive Site - VOTE
The Belize Tourism Board is pleased to share that Belize has been nominated in the latest 10Best Readers' Choice Award contest. An expert panel of diving and Caribbean Travel experts selected Belize’s Blue Hole as a contender for Best Caribbean Dive Site. A total of 20 countries have been nominated such as Bonaire, Puerto Rico and Aruba to name a few. Voting ends Monday, January 30th, 2017 at 11:59am EST and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, February 3rd, 2017 at 12:00pm EST, then later on USA TODAY. The official rules can be found here.
Misc Belizean Sources
A new fishery is born!
Forget Conch and Lobster! Today was open season for glass bottles!!!! Freedivers from around the island got started and we caught alot of them! None got away this time! lol... Many more areas to check and clean! The movement has begun! Lets do it again soon!
UB-ERI Panthera Seminar Series
Join us next week Wednesday for the first of our 2017 seminar series. See you there!
Vote for Miss Belize - Rebecca Rath for Miss Universe 2016
Miss Belize - Rebecca Rath stole the stage, the crown and the hearts of many. She has departed for the Philippines to represent Belize at the Miss Universe Pageant. Please show your support by VOTING for her as your favourite candidate. The voting is easy.
Miss Universe 2016, will be the 65th Miss Universe pageant. It will be held on Sunday the 29th of January, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Bon voyage and all the best of luck to our Miss Belize - Rebecca "Bex" Rath!
Logo Design Competition
The Department of Youth Services is having a logo competition to brand the Youth Centres across Belize. There's a week left, and you could win a tablet. Best of luck!
Closing date Jan. 15.
Maya abdominal massage: An answer to ending infertility, miscarriages?
Laura Brown never believed she’d go a month without suffering debilitating menstrual cramps.
Then 13 years ago, her frustration led her to a massage table, where a San Francisco naturopath applied soft, sweeping strokes around her abdomen and pelvis, using a technique rooted in the traditional practice of the Maya people of Belize. Brown, then 19, found herself transformed.
“When I got up off the table, I felt an immediate shift in my body,” she said.
The naturopath explained to Brown that the technique -– officially called the Arvigo Technique of Maya Abdominal Therapy –- is designed to increase the flow of blood, lymph and what traditional Chinese medicine calls chi energy to tissues and ligaments in the pelvic area. The massage also uses gentle manipulation to move the uterus and other organs into proper alignment.
The massage, Brown learned, did more than just reduce her menstrual pain — it promised to help other women in other ways. It could also ease the symptoms of endometriosis and menopause and, most remarkably, help women conceive and to enjoy easier pregnancies, even prevent C-sections.
“The way she explained it to me, it all made sense,” said Brown, who decided to train in the Arvigo technique to offer it to others.
Hotel License Renewal forms for 2017
Welcome to your one-stop for BTB business forms. We know that every second counts when it comes to achieving excellent visitor experiences. With this in mind, we have made the process of applying, renewing, licensing and becoming qualified easier with categorized downloadable forms.
These categories include: hotels, tour operators, tour guide, qualified retirement program, and live abroad.
Belize selects Final 23 for UNCAF Tournament
The National Football Team of Belize Selects Final 23 for UNCAF Tournament. The Coaching staff of the National Football Team of Belize has selected the final 23 players who will represent the country in the upcoming UNCAF Copa Centroamericana Tournament. These players were selected from among 30 who were called to training camp.
Newly hired National Team Coach, Richard Orlowski of Poland, his assistant Carlos “Charlie” Slusher and their staff has expressed confidence in this selection to compete at a high level.
The FFB will be holding a Media Press Conference on Tuesday, January 10th at 10:00 a.m. at the headquarters conference room. The purpose of the press conference is to introduce the final 23 players and showcase the new Belize Jaguars jerseys. All media houses across the country are invited to attend.
The tournament is set to start on Friday, January 13th, 2017 in which the Belize Jaguars will be playing their first match against the host country Panama. The team and delegation will leave Belize on Wednesday, January 11th and returning on Monday, January 23, 2017.
Public meetings on offshore oil in SP and Caye Caulker
ATTN: San Pedro and Caye Caye Caulker!
The conversation continues! The Belize Coalition invites you to a public meeting to discuss updates as they relate to offshore oil exploration in Belize. We hope to see you there!
Channel 7
Clashes, Looting and Unrest in Chetumal
Tonight, there is concern in Belize for our northern neighbors in Mexico, or more specifically, in Chetumal after a night of looting and unrest in the capital of Quintana Roo. Indeed, you may think of it as a peaceful and easygoing city, but last night there were pockets of unrest in Chetumal, and police had to lock down the town.
But, while it was slightly chaotic, and totally uncharacteristic, it wasn't as bad as all the facebook rumours might suggest. From what we have been able to tell, there was no mass looting in Chetumal, and the Plaza De Las Americas Mall was not thrashed, as some reports suggest.
In fact, what happened in Chetumal is a microcosm of what has been happening all across Mexico, in as many as 14 of 32 states states, causing looting at 250 stores. The unrest was triggered by a 20% increase in gas prices, after the Mexican government decided to stop subsidizing fuel prices. This has driven up pump prices, and even tortilla prices, and unleashed waves of violent demonstrations and looting across Mexico in the past five days. According to international press reports, close to a thousand people have been arrested and three people were killed amidst looting in Veracruz. AND last night in Chetumal, things were definitely on edge as State police had to fire their weapons to disperse the crowds looking for an opportunity to loot. Jules Vasquez put together the various facebook videos:…
Elderly Man Suffers Scary Home Invasion
Another elderly man was targeted in an armed robbery last night. But fortunately, he was unharmed and is recovering with his family. 77 year old Clinton Belisle was alone at his house outside Hattieville when 4 masked men broke in. They jumped over the fence from the back of the house, broke 2 of the surveillance cameras that were installed at the back and then forced their way inside. They then tied up Belisle while they ransacked his home. They took a number of electronic items including the DVR with the surveillance recordings.
It was a well planned and executed crime which has left the family shaken and fearful that they might be targeted again.
That's why the relative we spoke to appeared off camera and asked us to distort their voice. Here is that conversation.
Voice of Relative:
"He was by himself here because we left him to go home as he said he was okay being by himself here. When we were at home we got a call saying that the house was broken into and he was tied up. As we got the call we alerted the police instantly and they came onto the scene."
Courtney Weatherburne:
"At what time did you get the call?"
Voice of Relative:
"Around 12. As we approached, the police were already on the scene and they were already doing their investigation and getting a statement from my grandfather. So when my mother came they just had to get the report from here and we just had to ask what was happening and if everything was alright. We checked the scene and the surroundings. We checked inside to see what all was missing and if anything, was broken."
7News In Chetumal
At the top of the newscast, we showed you what happened last night in Chetumal, but what was it like today? Well our newsteam of Daniel Ortiz and Codie Norales went north - shopping for a story. Here's what they found:..
Daniel Ortiz reporting:
Rolling through Chetumal, it appeared calm, and at a glance, it was hard to tell that riots and looting had broken out in this, Belize most beloved Mexican City.
But, as we inspected more closely, we saw small signs of the civil unrest over the fuel prices. Here at this OXXO store, the caution tape was the remnant of the looting which happened here hours ago. We saw this other branch with the shutters down. But today was the Mexican holiday, Tres Reyes, so, maybe they were closed for the holiday.
But, make no mistake, riots did happen here, as in other parts of the country, and as this amateur video shows, police had to move in to control unruly crowds. Some of it happened right in front of the Plaza Las Americas Mall which draws large numbers of Belizeans.
Godfrey Gone!
He's one of the leading Senior Counsels in Belize, but Godfrey Smith is leaving his private law practice to become a judge in St. Lucia. 7News has confirmed that Smith has taken up an appointment with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Smith leaves next week, when he will commence sitting as a judge at the High Court in St. Lucia.
At the age of 48, Smith is expected to be one of the younger judges on that highly regarded court which has responsibility for the Eastern Caribbean States of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He is not the first Belizean to take up the bench in that court; Denys Barrow was the first.
Compol Reverses Position, Changes Rules Of Media Engagement
If you watch the evening news with any regularity, you'll be very familiar with Assistant Commissioners of Police Chester Williams, Edward Broaster, Dezeree Phillips, and maybe even Superintendents Selvin Tillett and Richard Rosado. They - and others - all came to national attention when Commissioner of police Allen Whylie changed the rules of engagement for top cops and media in May of 2013. Here's what he said at the time.
FILE: May 15, 2013:
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police:
"I believe that us having the first hand information is that right person to give that information. So I am empowering you today to feel free to speak to the media. If they call and you have the information, provide the information but at our level also know the information you must provide. We need to balance the right of the public to know against the right of the individuals and the victims that may have reported something. Again, we have to be careful in terms of information we do release but I will want to see the commanders more active in terms of passing information directly to the media."
That was in May 2013, but two and a half years later, with murder rates climbing and no scapegoat in sight, Commissioner Whylie has reversed that position. At a meeting today at the Raccoon street station, Whylie announced that interviews will no longer be given by commanders; instead that job will now revert to the Police Press Officer Raphael Martinez. That decision has been met with widespread condemnation from a slew of media houses - including this one - which consider it retrograde and ineffective. The Police Press Office has planned a meeting with the media next week to discuss the new/old arrangement.
Cops Found A Strange Gun
Early this afternoon, the Southside Strike Team searched an empty lot on Iguana Street extension where they found a unusual weapon: a black .9 millimeter Hi-Point Carbine Rifle. We hear about 9 millimeter pistols all the time, but this one is a rifle. They also found an extended magazine containing five live rounds. No one was in the area so it was labeled and submitted as found property.
Man Says His Accuser Wanted Company In Jail
A Pinks Alley resident Twenty-nine year old Daniel Cain was charged with aggravated assault in the magistrates Court today. He is accused of shooting at Michael Arnold on November 28th of 2016. Cain pled not guilty to the charge. He said Arnold made a false report against him because Arnold knew he was going to prison and he wanted company. Cain said that at the time of the alleged crime, he was gambling. But, regardless, he was remanded into custody.
And while Cain was charged for allegedly firing at Arnold, Arnold also had to answer to a charge as well. He was already charged with robbery and today he was charged with threatening words. He pled not guilty to the charge but because he was granted bail for the charge of robbery with the condition that he is not to be arrested for any other offence, he was remanded into custody.
Bail For Japanese Wife
Last night we told you about the Japanese female who was remanded for a firearm offence. That's after her Belizean husband accused her of threatening him with his own gun in their bedroom. He says Asako Solis threatened him and demanded money from the safe. Well she was remanded on 2 counts of aggravated assault and using threatening words. But after only a brief stay in jail, she was released on a bail of $5,000 that was offered to her today by Justice Antonette Moore. The bail was granted on the condition that she attends the magistrate court in Belize City as required, and that she does not interfere with the complainant or any other witness for the prosecution. Solis was represented at the bail hearing by attorney, Alifah Elringfton Hyde.
Prisoner Slips Out of Police Custody on Trip To Restroom
In February of last year, police searched Eugene Bailey and found an unlicensed .38 revolver with four live rounds. Bailey appeared in the Magistrate's Court today, where he was found guilty. He was sentenced to 5 years for each offense, both of which will be served concurrently.
After his sentencing, police took Bailey to the Queen Street Police Station holding cell. While there, he was allowed to go to the bathroom without an escort. Bailey used the lack of oversight to escape from custody.
But he didn't get far and he was captured later this afternoon. He is now back in custody pending a charge of escape.
Ford En Fuego
Today, a white Ford Escape was found in flames on the Old Northern Highway, near the Lake Gardens area. The vehicle was reportedly stolen from somewhere near the area, but so far police have turned up nothing in their investigation.
Dan Marcus, The Return
Belizean recording artist Dan Marcus is back in Belize working on a short film and music video project. But it's more than just another music video. Marcus, who is currently the CEO the record label Rebellious Entertainment, is shooting a video biography of sorts. One that he hopes will positively influence Belizean youths. Dan Marcus told us more about the project this afternoon...
Dan Marcus, CEO, Rebel Empire Ent. Group:
"The new project name is 'Life and Times of Dan Marcus' which is really an ode to my mother because it has a second title 'Life and Times of Miss Marian Last Son' which is basically me. It's basically self-explanatory, it's just a little story about my life and the teachings my mother instill in me. That's what this project is all about."
Alex Courtenay, 7News:
"So it's almost like a biographical movie?"
Dan Marcus, CEO, Rebel Empire Ent. Group:
"Yes it's basically a short film accompanied by 4 music videos which surround the concept of the very essence of what I was talking about. The life and times of me and the lessons I learnt from my mother and how I instilled it in my life to use it to execute and move forward with my craft."
Voting System For 13th Senator Finalized
The members of the NGO community in good standing met today in Belize City to hear from the five nominees for the 13th senator. Today each of the candidates gave brief presentations to urge the NGO reps to vote for them on next week Tuesday. Turns out there are only 27 NGO's who will vote, since only 29 are in good standing and two of them are inactive. As we understand it, each NGO will have one representative to vote. They will vote by rounds, and after the first round the top two or top three vote getters will advance to a run-off. And from there, the nominee which gets a simple majority will be selected. The nominees are:
Edilberto Romero from Bacongo
Janelle Chanano from Oceana,
Donovan Reneau from BCVI
Pablo Collado from Adopt A Child With a Disability
And Osmany Salas from BTIA.
Integrity Commission Appointed, Gets Ready To Meet
And while the appointment of that 13th senator is a major reform initiative which will bring unprecedented balance to the National Assembly, another is the appointment and activation of the integrity commission. Each member of that body has been officially appointed by the Governor General and they will be sworn in on Thursday 12th January at the national assembly in Belmopan.
After that, the Commission will have its first meeting. We'll be sure to report on it.
Channel 5
Chetumal in Protests Over Fuel Hike; How Will it Affect Belize?
The New Year has been greeted with protests in Mexico against a government price deregulation that sent the price of fuel there up by as much as twenty percent over [...]
Senior Citizen Attacked in Hattieville Home Invasion
Tonight there is a report of a despicable act upon an elderly man in Hattieville. It happened at a time when seventy-eight year old Clinton Belisle was grieving the death [...]
Japanese Asako Solis Out on Bail after Domestic Incident Involving Firearm
After spending two nights on remand at the Belize Central Prison, Japanese national, Asako Solis, who has been living in Belize for over ten years is home tonight. The thirty-eight-year [...]
13th Senator Candidates Speak Out Ahead of January Tenth Election
The Prime Minister is forced to make good on his promise and a thirteenth senator is nigh. This Tuesday, twenty-eight non-governmental organizations will elect the long anticipated thirteenth senator who [...]
SATIIM’s Froyla Tzalam Explains Decision to Decline Nomination
Along with a shortlist of nominees who had been chosen to vie for the senatorial post came information that Froyla Tzalam, executive director of SATIIM, had declined her appointment. Tzalam, [...]
Integrity Commission to be Appointed Next Thursday
Following the appointment of the thirteenth senator by the N.G.O.s, the Office of the Integrity Commission will swear in its new members at its first meeting next Thursday, January twelfth, [...]
Why “Make-Up Week” Failed, According to Teachers’ Union
Students were away from the classrooms this week and so were teachers and other members of the Belize National Teachers Union. They are expected back in school next Monday as [...]
Convicted for Firearm Possession, Eugene Bailey Makes a Break
Police have re-captured thirty-nine-year old Eugene Bailey, who fled the long arms of law at the Queen Street police station at around noon today. Bailey had been taken to the [...]
Belmopan Police Report Lesser Crime in 2016
Earlier this week we shared with you a wrap-up of the year in terms of crime statistics from the western-most part of Belize, Benque Viejo del Carmen Town. While that [...]
In Belize District, Residents Not Feeling Very Well
The Central Health Region has released the second part of its bi-annual health bulletin for the Belize District for 2016. The data, which is pulled from the Belize Health Information [...]
Babies Doing Better after Central Region Intervention
The Central Health Region also released the latest data on the infant mortality rate for the Belize District in 2016 and there is some good news to report. In 2015, [...]
Dengue Down in 2016; Women are Majority Affected by Zika in District
Another key set of numbers released for the Belize District are the numbers for the vector borne diseases. The Environmental Health Unit at Central Health Region continues to monitor the [...]
The Jaguars Renewed: National Team Calls Up 23 for Copa Centroamericana
A new national team has been selected to represent Belize in the 2017 UNCAF Copa Centro Americana Games scheduled to begin on January thirteenth through to January twenty-second. The team [...]
Dan Marcus, Reggae Artist, Addresses Love and Family in New Music Release
Belizean recording artist Dan Marcus is in Belize working on a new project. Marcus will be releasing a short film with two music videos as well as an EP that [...]
Meet Kendis Gibson, a Belizean-American ABC News Anchor
In tonight’s newscast, we feature Kendis Gibson; he is a Belizean American who currently works at the ABC News network. Gibson relocated to the U.S. at the age of ten [...]
LOVE FM
Belize Gets Closer to Renegotiating Superbond 2038
The last we heard of the renegotiations of the Superbond 2038 was around Christmas time when Prime Minister Dean Barrow noted that another round of talks were due prior to the New Year. He also added that it is the hope of the Government that the bondholders would approve their proposal and that everything would […]
Belize’s Heads of Mission Meet for Annual Review
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today hosted their fifteen heads of mission at the Belmopan office to discuss and review several matters in the diplomatic arena. Love News spoke with Arlette Gomez, the Public Relations officer in the ministry for a briefing on the 3-day meeting dubbed HOME, which is the acronym for Heads of […]
The Race Is On for the First 13th Senator of Belize
The 13th Senator nominees made their presentation to twenty seven nongovernmental organizations today. Donovan Reneau of BCVI, Janelle Chanona of OCEANA Belize, Pablo Collado of Adopt a Child with Disability, Edilberto Romero of Bacongo and Osmany Salas of BTIA all expressed why they should be elected as Belize’s 13th Senator. What was also discussed was […]
A Look at the Senatorial Nominees
Yesterday we featured Donovan Reneau, the Vice President for the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired, BCVI and Janelle Chanona, the Vice President of Oceana Belize as they expressed why they should be Belize’s 13th Senator. Tonight we feature the remaining three nominees. We start with Pablo Collado. He recently founded “Adopt A child with […]
SATIIM Says Trips to the Sarstoon Will Continue Until ….
In November of last year, Guatemalan Armed Forces stopped a community forest patrol organized by the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management, SATIIM. This was the first time that SATIIM was told that they needed permission from the Guatemala military to traverse the Sarstoon River. Today we asked SATIIM’s Executive Director, FroylaTzalam, for an update.
No Construction Allowed on the Sarstoon Island
In recent times, the tension between Belize and Guatemala over Sarstoon Island and Sarstoon River has dangerously increased. Guatemalan Armed Forces have become excessively aggressive in their belief that they control the river and Guatemala owns the island. Many activists have accused the Belize government of conceding Sarstoon Island and Sarstoon River even though military […]
Popular Shopping Sites for Belizeans Looted During Riots in Chetumal
Residents in various parts of Mexico are angered and have been expressing that rage via protest, road blocks, looting and civil disobedience over the last few days. Reports reaching our newsroom are that the entire situation began over the increase in fuel prices. Kenrick Theus is a Belizean living in Chetumal, Quintana Roo for the […]
New Chetumal Consular to Be Named Soon
In early December we told you of the non-renewal of the contract for Honorary Consul, Jorge Valencia in Chetumal, Quintana Roo. It has been one month already since Valencia vacated the seat and with that we asked Arlette Gomez of the PR Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if that position will be refilled. […]
No Water in Hopkins Since Christmas Season
Love News Centre has received several calls over the last few days from residents in Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District who have been struggling without water for almost two weeks now. We spoke with the village Chairman, Ted Mckoy who explained the lack of cooperation and communication from the Water Board. The residents have been […]
Invaders Steal $14, Television and Laptop from Elderly Man
Hattieville Police are investigating a home invasion which has left a seventy eight year old man shaken up. At around midnight last night, four men wearing masks and one armed with a shotgun barged into the home of Clinton Belisle in Hattieville. They held him up at gun point and stole fourteen dollars from him […]
Amandala
Japanese woman, 37, accused of shooting at her Belizean husband, remanded
A domestic dispute between a Japanese businesswoman and her Belizean husband took a violent turn, and resulted in the woman being arrested by police and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and uttering threatening words to her husband.
Asako Solis, 37, who has been living in Belize for over a decade and is the owner of a tour company, appeared along with her attorney, Alifah Elrington-Hyde, before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser this afternoon.
Magistrate Fraser arraigned Solis on the three charges. When she was asked to enter a plea, Solis said, “Nothing like that happened.”
When Magistrate Fraser read the charge of using threatening words, Solis remarked, “That is not true. He is the one who told me if I do not sign the agreement; he will do anything to get me in jail.”
US hunts Raymond McLeod, last seen in Placencia
A former officer of the United States Marines sought in connection with the murder of an American woman is on the run, and US authorities have informed us that the man, identified as Raymond “RJ” McLeod, 33, was last seen in Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize.
Krystal Jaye Mitchell, a property manager and mother, was reportedly strangled to death in an apartment in San Diego, where she had reportedly been visiting with friends.
San Diego police subsequently listed McCleod as a “person of interest,” and they have consequently issued a warrant for his arrest.
Back in June 2016, it was said that McLeod would he heading south to Mexico, but reports later indicated that he soon found his way to Belize; although not via formal immigration channels.
A law enforcement bulletin from San Diego Police and the US Department of State, Diplomatic Security Services, was issued by the US Embassy in Belize earlier this week.
UDP’s Fonso charged for death of Gilbert “Thready” Myers
Alfonso Noble, host of the Fus Thing Da Mawnin talk show on Wave Radio/TV and editor of the Guardian newspaper, propaganda organs of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP), spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day in police custody at the Racoon Street Police Station, after he knocked down and killed Hattieville resident, Gilbert Myers, 48, popularly known as “Thready” or “Tyson,” on Christmas Eve night, December 24, between Miles 3 and 4 on the George Price Highway.
On Wednesday morning, representatives from the city’s media corps gathered outside the Magistrate’s Court, as the police van transporting detained persons arrived and Noble, his face appearing tired from the many hours in police custody, climbed out of the van and was escorted to the court’s holding cell area.
Belize on high alert for suspected MS13 gangsters
Belizean law enforcement authorities have issued an all-points bulletin for 10 escapees from El Salvador, said to be connected with the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) gang, who were being held at San Francisco Gotera, the eastern department of Morazán, for homicide and narco-trafficking charges.
Reports out of Honduras say that authorities from the neighboring countries of Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, dubbed the Northern Triangle, a classification highlighting problems with cross-border organized crime, were reportedly collaborating to secure the recapture of the fugitives. No mention was made of Belize.
Colonel George Lovell, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Security, told Amandala this evening that he had received notification from Belize’s diplomatic mission in El Salvador of the escape and Belize police are being put on high alert.
Similarly, we have been advised by another official source that Belize’s military has been advised of the possibility that the escaped Salvadorans could be headed to Belize, where there are established Salvadoran migrant communities in parts of the Cayo District.
Of nationhood and nobility
The attorney profession, while obviously a most lucrative one, can not be considered a noble profession. Attorneys say and do things which, if the rest of us were to say and do the same, would be considered self-serving, opportunistic, dishonest, and even venal. This is the license which attorneys are allowed by virtue of their esteemed profession.
The military profession, by contrast, must be considered a noble and honorable one, because soldiers have to offer their lives on the battlefield. No subtlety and sophistication of rhetoric is in play during combat. The field of battle tests soldiers’ courage, resolve, fiber, manhood, and so on and so forth.
In Belize, a nation 35 years of age, it is usually the case that the attorneys, who flock to the political arena, give instructions to our soldiers. Thus, with regards to the situation at the Sarstoon River, it is Baize’s attorney/politicians who have been calling the shots. We refer to our system of government as a parliamentary democracy. Attorneys and politicians rule.
Black History Month 2017: Pen to pay tribute to Evan X Hyde and UBAD
Renowned Garifuna artist, Pen Cayetano, and his family are organizing a special observance of Black History Month for 2017, and the musician and painter contacted our newspaper some weeks ago to announce that a centerpiece of the observance this year would be a special tribute to Evan X Hyde and the United Black Association for Development (UBAD)—a black power movement which Hyde and his peers led in Belize in the 1960s.
The launch of Black History month by Pen is scheduled to be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 5, 2017 at the Pen Cayetano Studio Gallery at 3 Aranda Crescent in Dangriga Town.
Ingrid Cayetano, who has been assisting Pen Cayetano with organizing the event, told Amandala that it is a great idea to honor Hyde so that Belizeans can understand the value of the UBAD movement. She called for a renewed interest in what Hyde and his peers did five decades ago and what activists continue to do even today.
Belmopan Bandits repeat as PLB Champions
After all the hype and anticipation surrounding the epic New Year’s Eve clash between Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2016-2017 Opening Season regular season #1 seed Belmopan Bandits SC, and #2 seed BDF FC, football fans were treated to a not-so-exciting game, that lost its thrill, except perhaps for the die-hard Bandits fans, a few moments after the opening whistle.
As a serious football fan, I acknowledged that Bandits played the better ball, but BDF knew how to defend. Their mud-and-water aided surprise 1-nil win in game 1 of the finals, meant that the intrigue of the game at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium would be, how long BDF could hold out the high-powered attack of the Bandits; and could they hold on for ninety. That was the question. But before I had finished my line-up notes, apprising the formations of both teams, the game had been decided.
After a centering pass toward a bunch of players, attackers and defenders, there was reportedly a hand-ball just inside the BDF eighteen around the second minute of the ball game. And referee Irfan Basdmir immediately indicated “penalty.” BDF captain Vallan Symms appealed passionately, suggesting from his actions that stopper Leon Cadle had been pushed from behind, causing the ball to hit his arm accidentally. Basdemir would hear none of it.
Yabra 10 & Under Grassroots Championship results
The first ever Yabra 10 & Under, Football Championship was completed on a rainy Saturday afternoon, December 31, with the 3rd place and championship games being played at the MCC Grounds. Nevertheless, the kids were unfazed by the inclement weather, and played right through till the end. Premier League star Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton was the referee for both games.
The 3rd place game between Ladyville Rising Stars and Face of Belize had to go into overtime, and then a penalty shootout, in which Ladyville Rising Stars prevailed, 2-1, after 5 shots were taken by each team.
In the championship game, Carlston FC defeated City Boys, 2-1, in regular time. Goal scorers for Carlston FC were Tayshawn Broaster and Maximiliano Gonzalez; while Raymond Gentle, Jr. scored for City Boys.
The tournament results are therefore: 1st Place – Carlston FC; 2nd Place – City Boys; and 3rd Place – Ladyville Rising Stars.
Sugar & Cream!!
Despite all the mayhem, the New Year started in spectacular fashion with beautiful weather for the 27th running of the KREM New Year’s Day Cycling Classic, “from the border to the Boulevard,” with fans lined up along the route and especially near the finish line on Central American Boulevard.
There was a righteous concern among some local fans, that the “fat” station prizes, 4 of $1,000 each and 1 of $2,000, might be taken away by foreigners; but the Mexican contingent was small and ineffective, and likewise the visitors from the U.S.A. At the end of the day, Belizean cyclists had taken all the top prizes.
For those of us unable to come out to witness the pedal by pedal action, KREM Radio announcers brought the action “live into our living rooms.” Mose Hyde and veteran cycling star Andrew Smiling brought the Elite race, later assisted by Weekend Warrior cyclist Steven Bisset, who started the day riding in the Elite/Masters race from the Corozal/Mexican border, but “cashed in his chips” when the going got too rough, and opted for the “mike” instead of the bike the rest of the way. Karen Rosito and KREM Station Manager Danilee Cadle announced the Female race; while Steve “the Groovemaster” Anthony along with Andrew Ordonez did the honors for the Junior race.
FFB announces Belize’s Copa Centroamericana Selection
The coaching staff of the National Football Team of Belize has selected the final 23 players who will represent the country in the upcoming UNCAF Copa Centroamericana Tournament. These players were selected from among 30 who were called to training camp.
Those players are:
Newly hired National Team Coach, Richard Orlowski of Poland, his assistant Carlos “Charlie” Slusher and their staff have expressed confidence in this selection to compete at a high level..
The FFB will be holding a media press conference on Tuesday, January 10, at 10:00 a.m. at the headquarters conference room. The purpose of the press conference is to introduce the final 23 players and showcase the new Belize Jaguars jerseys. All media houses across the country are invited to attend.
The tournament is set to start on Friday, January 13, 2017, in which the Belize Jaguars will be playing their first match against the host country Panama. The team and delegation will leave Belize on Wednesday, January 11, and return on Monday, January 23, 2017.
From The Publisher
Between 1992 and 1995, this time of the New Year we would be going into camp at Bird’s Isle with the Kremandala Raiders, who won semi-pro basketball championships back-to-back-to back in 1993, 1994, and 1995, after being runners up to Penta Lakers in the Raiders’ rookie season of 1992.
Semi-pro basketball’s sensational entry on the city scene and its subsequent decline have left me with a permanent heartache. Usually I try not to let my enemies see how much pain they’ve caused me at any given time, but in the matter of semi-pro basketball they have a very good idea of what they did. I felt the pain. I feel the pain.
There were two aspects of the semi-pro ride which were especially painful. The first aspect was that the foundation of the Raiders was young boys who had been newspaper collators at Amandala from the time they were 10 or 11 years old back in the early 1980s. Their story was a kind of Cinderella ride, so to speak, and it was very, very painful to watch the politicians ruin a genuine Southside product.
Dorla Williams writes of incredible life-saving effort for Tyron Coleman
Dear Editor,
I never thought I would ever be on social media or the news media asking for any kind of help—an experience I will never forget. Imagine, you suddenly learned that you are very critically ill and was given a lifespan of about only two weeks to live if you do not undergo surgery… delicate, expensive life-saving heart surgery, and you’re bankrupt after spending all hard-earned savings and salaries on your health.
At this moment, life is far more precious than any material possession, but time is against you. Pride has no more space in your thoughts. You’ve always been kind and generous to everyone; now you are in need. Who can you turn to?
I would want to live too. An angiogram of the heart was urgently needed to confirm your already troubled news; you don’t have the money and another week has gone by. You’re scared to die and everybody is worried and frightened. For me, someone had bigger problems than mine. We played doctor and nurse after the angiogram; he checked his unstable pressure and I came for results and his daily experience. He trusted my medical background and I sought expert medical advice.
Three killer whales spotted in southern Belize
A male killer whale known as the orca, spanning more than 30 feet, has surprisingly surfaced in the south of Belize—a very rare sight in our tropical waters. The majestic apex predator aggressively warded off Belizean tour guides and stay-over tourists who were on a trip in the Ranguana Caye area last Thursday, before heading north with another adult whale and a younger whale of the same species, presumably on a migratory trip to cooler waters.
Known scientifically as Orcinus orca, this type of whale is distinguished by its distinctive black-and-white skin patches.
Jason Westby, who conducts fishing tours with a few different resorts as a freelance tour guide, told Amandala that on the day of the incident, he was working with Chabil Mar, and he was touring with a couple from Texas, USA, when the drama unfolded sometime between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. on December 29.
First newborns for 2017
News reports for the start of 2017 have been largely saturated with horrific murders, but this story is an exception, focused instead on new life for the New Year.
When our newspaper visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) on Tuesday, we met the country’s first newborn baby for the year, 2017. She is Kelsey Garnett, a bouncing baby girl born at exactly 12:00 a.m. on January 1st with a healthy 7 pounds and 6 ounces to a high school student, who wished not to be interviewed or named.
The newborn’s aunt, who has been by her sister’s side throughout the pregnancy, said that this was her sister’s first pregnancy. Baby Kelsey, the newest addition to the family, will live with her grandmother and mother in Belize City.
Her mother, we are told, will return to school to complete her studies.
Guatemalan foreign minister continues to push for referendum on Belize issue
Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Raúl Morales continues to press for a formal vote by both Belize and Guatemala to have the territorial differendum between the countries adjudicated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based on an agreement signed 8 years ago in Washington, D.C.
That agreement states that the question of whether the matter will go to the ICJ could only be answered by national referenda held in the respective countries.
The vote, originally scheduled for October 2013, was aborted and Guatemala’s then president, Otto Perez Molina, pressured Belize to change its Referendum Act, which requires a minimum voter turnout to validate the poll, to remove that requirement, as he argued that the provision was not conducive to a ‘yes’ vote.
Majority of teachers stay home
In a memo issued at the end of last year, the Ministry of Education and the Managing authorities of pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, indicated that students and teachers should return to their classrooms on Tuesday, January 3, to make up for time lost during last year’s eleven days of protests.
Despite that official announcement, the usual stampede of uniformed students trafficking through the streets of the old capital en route to school was not observed this week.
Instead, a majority of teachers and students enjoyed the full three weeks due during the Christmas break, as endorsed by the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU), which called for a return to classrooms on Monday, January 9, instead.
According to a principal who spoke with our newspaper today, Thursday, this week was another victory for the BNTU, which stood firm against the Ministry.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
