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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

San Pedro Cancer Society thanks Mrs. Alma Gabourel Staines for donation
On behalf of the board of directors and members of the San Pedro Cancer Society we extend our most sincere gratitude for your kind donation of $10,055 made from proceeds of your birthday celebrations on the 31st of December, 2016 at which you asked for contributions to the San Pedro Cancer Society in lieu of gifts for yourself. The San Pedro Cancer Society is very honoured in being the recipient of your generosity. For this and the many years of assistance to us and our patients both directly and through the Belize Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Center we are honoured to include you as an Honorary Member of the San Pedro Cancer Society. As a small, active group that is greatly supported by our islander and Belizean communities we have many goals and objectives that we aim to fulfil in order to further assists cancer patients and their loved ones who are both directly and indirectly affected.

Wolfe’s Woofer: Happy and Mad
“Hey Mr. Dennis; I thought I would find you here.” I was sitting on the deck at the Holiday Hotel enjoying my morning coffee from Celi’s Deli when Mario walked up to my table and sat down. “Hello, Mario.” I said. “Ooh, that is some black eye you got there. How did you get it?” After he chugged down his beer he said. “I got this black eye for something I said. I had a chance to do a good job last week that paid two hundred dollars for one day but I got drunk the night before and I couldn’t wake up. My friend Jaime got the job.” “That’s a shame,” I said.

Letter to the Editor: San Pedro Cancer Society 2017 Election of Officers
Please be informed that the San Pedro Cancer Society held its election of officers on January 21st, 2017. We would like to inform the media outlets, supporters and general public that the result of elections concluded as follows: President – Gonzalo E. Muñoz, Vice President – Miguel A. Perez, Treasurer – Claudia Miranda, Secretary – Luciola T. Muñoz. We look forward to further serving the San Pedro Community and anxiously wait to unveil the many projects and events we have planned. We also take this time to thank you for all the love and support on behalf of our patients and members. Regards, Gonzalo E. Muñoz, President, San Pedro Cancer Society.

Doctor Love: Mother Doesn’t Know Best
Dear Doctor Love, I am afraid my ten year old son will grow up thinking he will always have someone to clean up after him. When I ask him to help out with chores, I get huge sighs, rolling eyes, whining and lately, refusal. His room is always a mess, he leaves everything where he lays it and I have become the caretaker for his dog. Every time I try to tell my son what I want him to do, he “forgets” or “was going to do it” and I end up doing it myself. My husband shrugs it off but I don’t want my son to become a man who is lazy and entitled. How can I make him see it is important for our son to learn to be self sufficient and to start to take care of himself? /s/ Mother Doesn’t Know Best

Misc Belizean Sources

Fire in San Juan Area of San Pedro
Just shortly after lunch on Sunday, February 5th, the San Pedro Fire Department responded to a distress call about a fire in the San Juan Area. The firefighters got the fire under control upon arrival, however the house was completely destroyed by the blaze. The San Pedro Fire Department is now launching an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. No one was injured during the fire and officials are reporting that the family was not at home at the time. Also, here's a video.

FCD aerial recce together with BDF
FCD undertook the second aerial recce together with BDF. A peek across the Guatemalan landscape shows the impending dangers of the agricultural frontier expansion from Guatemala into the Chiquibul Forest.

“Building Safer Communities One Child at a Time”
On January 25-27, 11 police officers from the Belize Police Department’s Community Policing Unit, Mr. Dale Anthony of the Ministry of Education, and the Embassy’s INL representative Lesmore Paul attended a “Building Safer Communities One Child at a Time” conference in Panama City dedicated to the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program. Assistant Superintendent of Police Gerald Jones, who is the Commander of Community Policing, Inspector Elroy Carcamo, the GREAT Focal Point Leader, four GREAT Trainers, five GREAT instructors, and Mr. Dale Anthony from the Ministry of Education took part in the event. These Police Officers are currently assigned as GREAT instructors within their communities. The event was the first of its kind in Central America and gave participants a chance to share information on the importance of maintaining lasting relationships with school staff and students, discipline versus arrest, becoming a more confident instructor, strategies to connect and excite student learning, how to stay motivated and sustain your GREAT program, and advanced ethics and decision making. The conference also gave attendees the opportunity to share ideas on best practices for GREAT instructors within the region.

Belize Museum 15th Anniversary celebration
Our 15th Anniversary celebration featured a brand new exhibit, as well as recognition for those who contributed to our growth.

Coral restoration efforts in San Pedro
Fragments of Hope extends a big thank you to all those came out in San Pedro, and especially to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve office for hosting us on a site visit the next day! There ARE restoration efforts beginning in San Pedro, spear headed by Miguel Alamilla, Manager at Hol Chan. Stop by their office to learn more! Always pleasing when Belizeans get to see more of their reefs; I have spent over 20 years exploring north to south and all of the atolls. Each exposure for each guide to new areas is priceless! Thanks again to Miguel and Kirah and the entire Hol Chan office crew!

Death of Mr. Felix Ayuso
The International Costa Maya Festival Committee is sadden by the death of Mr. Felix Ayuso who served as its President in 1996. Our deepest sympathies to the Ayuso family. Pic courtesy of the San Pedro Sun. Pictured are some members of the 1996 Sea & Air Festival Committee: Front row, left to right: Nigel Belisle, Einer Gomez and Mandy Castillo. Second row: Mary Beissner, Victoria Collins, Donna Koehnen, Marissa Salazar and Chairman Felix Ayuso. Back row: Nando Trejo, George Siegrist, Wil Alamilla Jr., and Gach Guerrero

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
by Abdul Marin Nunez. Beloved students of tertiary institutions in country Why do you go to sixth form and university? If not to transform yours country If not to learn to think critically If not to mold the future of the country If not to learn science and technology If not to question authority If not to lean to run our democracy If not to make Belize better for wi pickney I am perplexed Downright vex That you prefer to be annexed Buy political conduits Instead of insist That our campuses be fixed After all we are paying for it Yet the service is bullshit Instructors trying to bring back America When the Nordic countries are better

The Reporter

Fundraiser planned to gift Ms Belize Universe
An all-day fundraiser will be held on Monday in Dangriga to collect monies to gift to Miss Belize Universe, Rebecca Rath for having represented Belize so well in the recent Miss Universe pageant. The telethon is the result of an idea by Emil Torres, a car dealership marketing representative who felt Rath is deserving of a car worth $37,000. Torres said that citizens of other countries show great appreciation to their Miss Universe representative by giving them gifts of significant value. Rath, thought to be one of Belize’s most excellent rerepresentatives, got overwhelming support from fellow Belizeans for the pageant. Some of them had suggested online that the Belize Tourism Board should organize a fitting welcome home ceremony for Rath.

Quake rocks St. Lucia
Residents of St. Lucia were stunned by a 5.8 magnitude tremor that rocked other parts of the Eastern Caribbean Saturday afternoon. The University of the West Indies announced that the quake occurred around 3:54 p.m., at a depth of 20 km, 120 km northeast of Castries; 73 km northeast of Fort-de-France, Martinique; and 93 km east-southeast of Roseau, Dominica. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but reports are that the earthquake was felt throughout the island, shaking buildings and supermarket shelves. Residents in Antigua, Martinique, and St. Vincent also reported feeling the shaking. Earlier in the day, there were two smaller quakes in the region that went unreported. At 1 a.m., one occurred west of Tobago. Then, at around 8:08 a.m., another occurred 31 km northeast of Basseterre.

Blogs

Feel Free Enough to Get Hooked in Belize
As destination wedding photographers in Belize, we are always eternally grateful that we get to share important moments in people’s lives while they are visiting this stunning country, we call home. Other people discover Belize and become repeat visitors because of the fishing. Belize is one of the only places, maybe the only place, where it is absolutely possible to get what fisherman call the ‘Grand Slam’, which is so elusive, in one single day. Belize recognises this and protects its fishing grounds fiercely. It’s all catch and release. Fishing isn’t all there is to do in Belize. With the water sport lifestyle available in a tropical climate, year round, boats are for pleasure as much as they are for sport.

International Sources

Royal Marines feel the heat in the jungle of Belize
Howler monkeys, tarantulas, black widow spiders and snakes. Just some of the residents who have ‘welcomed’ Royal Marines to the jungle of Belize this week. Taunton-based 40 Commando are putting all of their basic soldiering skills to the test as they learn to fight and survive in one of the world’s most hostile environments. Delta Company, the jungle warfare specialists of 40 Commando, have been in Belize conducting vital training under the watchful eye of the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) and Royal Marines directing staff. The first phase of training saw the Royal Marines conducting break contact drills, close target reconnaissance, survival, patrol and navigation training in the depths of Sibun Gorge. Meanwhile the BATSUB staff, called trackers, have been teaching the elite Commandos all about operating in the jungle; providing instruction on survival, building shelters and animal traps, creating fire, and understanding what plants are edible, inedible and which are medicinal, as well as what insects and wildlife to avoid in this environment.

Videos

Best of Belize !, 10min.

Belize SnapShot, 2min. My parents took the trip of a lifetime to Belize, Central America. I got to tag along and capture the moments of our adventures.

Fire coral - Belize, 1min. Doug pointing to fire coral while snorkeling in Belize 2/2/17.

Fishing for Permit in Belize, 6min. Fishing with Chasin' Tail Guide Services for Permit in crystal clear waters around Caye Caulker, Belize.

Belize Dive 1/18/17, 13min.

Belize Diving - Blue Hole - 12/14/2016, 4.5min. Video of descent into Blue Hole and stalagmites at 120 feet.

Amazing Drone Footage of Belize (Ocean)! (Phantom 3 Standard), 2.5min. Here is some footage of the ocean off the coast of Hopkins, Belize!

Amazing Drone Footage of Belize (Beach)! (Phantom 3 Standard), 2.5min. Here is some footage of the beach at Parrot Cove Lodge near Hopkins, Belize! The shots were taken with the DJI Phantom 3 Standard drone.

The Great Blue Hole at Depth - Lighthouse Reef, Belize, 1min. Cruising through Belize's Great Blue Hole at depth. One of the best dive's in the world. Max depth was approximately 150'.

Descending into the Great Blue Hole - Lighthouse Reef, Belize, 1.5min. Descending into Belize's Great Blue Hole. Named by Jacques Cousteau as one of the top 10 dive sites in the whole world.

Belize Janvier 2017, 6min.

Getting in the Groove, 1.5min. This weekend, we blended a bit of ballet with Garifuna drumming. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission J. Nathan Bland took part in drumming lessons with renowned Garifuna musician, Joshua Arana. As the pair began to sing Paul Nabor's "Nabi," Nathan's daughter (apparently feeling the groove) gave an interpretive dance contribution with her ballet moves.

Nile Jones: A Belizean -American Raisin In The Sun!, 23min. This Belizean Legends "Black History Month Special" for the column, "Scholars Corner", on the young and outstanding Belizean-American brilliance, Nile Jones, comes at the right time since we did this interview with him last year, and saved it for a most momentous time like this. Of course we would have liked to introduce Nile to you the audience just after we rolled out the first in this feature, Aaron Francis, but we thought that Nile's time would be most celebrated on this month when it appears that the struggle for young black male role models in the Belizean-American community in the Belizean diaspora and in Belize has reached an all time high. So then, here is Brother Nile. Nile Jones as a top accomplished achiever in education, music, the arts, and now a prospect at the prestigious Cornell University in New York pursuing a career in medicine is not just the typical kind of kid on the block and one we would find around anywhere. He has triumphed incredibly well through a morass of stagnant black teenage educational achievers though he has had his challenges of peer pressure, the "want to be white" criticism that is always flung at most black males like him, and the hidden forms of racism and cultural prejudice that would derail most high achievers among his peers. Rather, Nile appears to have been born with a natural resistance to these kinds of pressures in a young man's life not withstanding his most powerful cultural upbringing that has empowered him through the relentless war against failure that was waged by his Belizean mother, Charlene Rene.