Today's Belize News: February 13, 2017

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Today's Belize News: February 13, 2017 #521568 02/13/17 12:38 AM 02/13/17 12:38 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,222 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report. 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 Tropic Air Employee of the month for January 2017 Our Employees are known for friendliness, attention to detail, operational excellence, and working efficiently. They strive each and every day to provide our Customers with the best possible flying experience in all the destinations we serve. Our Employee of the Month program recognizes current staff members who demonstrate outstanding contributions to our Customers through his or her work, and exhibits a positive and supportive attitude. One staff member each month receives the award, and all recipients of the monthly award in a year become eligible for the Employee of the Year. We are proud to announce that Brian Humphreys, Station Ramp Agent at Belize City Municipal Airport, is our ‘Employee of the Month’ for January 2017. Letter to the Editor: ACES says thanks! Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES) would like to thank everyone who helped make the 2nd Annual Charity Gala & Auction a huge success! Thanks to the incredible generosity of so many, our 2nd Annual Charity Gala & Auction was a night to remember and will be a bright spot on Ambergris Caye’s social calendar for years to come! Ambergris Caye Elementary School raised over $30,000 in much-needed operating and scholarship funds. We were delighted to have our tickets sell out well before the event & to see the ladies of San Pedro get into the spirit of the night with fabulous frocks while the gentlemen at their side sported Hawaiian shirts and tropical linen (even the occasional panama hat could be seen among the crowd). With the gorgeous company and the rum punch flowing it could only be a great night in San Pedro! This year’s event was graciously hosted by Crazy Canucks. With special thanks to Rob & Krista Burrows for their continued long term commitment to ACES and the education of San Pedro’s children as well as their amazing bar staff. Wolfe’s Woofer: Another Checkup “Don’t forget that you have another checkup scheduled with the doctor today,” Sherry said. “I just had one last week. Why do I need another one?” “The checkup last week was with your eye doctor. This one is with your regular doctor.” “They’re all pretty much the same.” “What is it that you don’t like about doctor visits?” she asked. “I hate checkups because they always make you give up all the good things in life.” “They do not.” Letter to the Editor: Fr. Scott please open your heart Dear Editor, As a lifelong Catholic brought up and educated in Dublin Ireland, I was taught Latin by the Franciscans in Dublin and the Jesuits taught us our faith. The Christian Brother’s School I went to taught us the normal scholastics, plus a good dose of the school of hard knocks. I have been blessed to have had a great life travelling to many corners of the world with my wife, and we will be celebrating our 47th anniversary next month. We have visited many parishes throughout our travels and have enjoyed our faith with many people from all walks of life. I retired here [San Pedro] eight years ago, and have enjoyed all aspects of Belize and its people, including the Catholic Church; that is until the arrival of the latest pastor. The remarks given at the recent funeral mass for Felix were not only not called for, but were so far out of place considering the Pope’s recent public contrition regarding the LGBT community. Regardless of your stance on the subject, the respect to a grieving family from their pastor should be a time for healing, not creating division. Doctor Love: Curious Local Red Cross branch and volunteers host educational campaign and food drive Dear Doctor Love My live in boyfriend of three years and I have a one-year-old child; there have never been any issues of infidelity on either part. However, I recently discovered that he has a secret email address. Now I am really wondering what else he is hiding. I don’t have the password to get in to the account, but I could get into the account if I decided to do so. I saw his phone on the desk yesterday and it was all I could do not to go through it. I know that snooping into his account poses huge moral issues, as well as trust issues, but I can’t get this out of my mind. What should I do? /s/ Curious National AIDS Commission highlights stigma, discrimination, human rights The National Aids Commission (NAC) in Belize hosted a two-day workshop on how to train journalists/media personnel in reporting topics regarding HIV (human immunodeficiency disorder)/TB (tuberculosis)/AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The San Pedro Sun is sharing the information gathered during the workshop facilitated by Martha Carrillo (Founder of MC Consultancy) in a series of articles over the next two weeks. In the first article, out on Friday, January 27th, Volume 27 Issue #4, the basics of HIV/TB/AIDS, how it is transmitted, the various stages of HIV, and treatment options for HIV were explained. The second article, out on Friday, February 3rd, Volume 27 Issue #5, The San Pedro Sun explored the global and regionally statistics on HIV, and introduced Belize’s leading HIV advocate, Erika Castellanos. In this issue, we highlight stigma, discrimination, and human rights, especially how it impacts persons living with HIV. Forest Fire Fighters Teams to receive new safety gears and equipment Today, Wednesday, 8th February 2017, the Forest Department and five of its key partners in Forest Fire Prevention and Management will receive essential fire-fighting safety gears and equipment through the Key Biodiversity Areas Project (also known as the KBA project). During the handing-over ceremony, Minister Omar Figueroa will distribute the fire-fighting gears among the Forest Department’s ranges, Toledo Institute of Development and Education (TIDE), Ya’axche Conservation Trust (YCT), Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative (CSFI), the Rancho Dolores Environmental and Development Group limited and Programme for Belize (PfB). SPTC addresses beach erosion on Ambergris Caye The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is getting ready to launch a project that will hopefully save the eastern shoreline of Ambergris Caye from erosion. Work is expected to start in the upcoming week, and the cooperation of all residents, particularly those who live near the coast, is being requested for its success. Mayor Daniel Guerrero says that this is not the first attempt in fighting the speedy erosion along the island’s beaches. This time, however, he believes that the project will be successful. “The erosion is taking most of the sand to the southern part of the island, so we plan to use that same sand and spread it along the stretch of the beach from the Boca del Rio Park to the dock by Palapa Bar,” said Guerrero. SPTC believes one of the culprits for the degradation of the beach is the pipe system some businesses and residences along the beach use to drain out rain water. The force of the water from these external pipes scar the beach and wash away extensive amounts of sand. The plan that Mayor Guerrero has is to connect everybody’s pipe system to one main hub, which will go underneath the ground. “This new system will drain rain water without affecting the surface of the beach,” said Guerrero. “The underground pipe system will take the rain water directly to the sea and will also decrease the amount of sediments settling down on the shore, thus adding to the enhancement of the beach.” What’s new: Culture, Cuisine and Hospitality at Itza Belizean Place Restaurant As San Pedro Town continues to grow, so does its culinary enterprises, with restaurants across the island offering fine service and delicious dining. One such eatery, located near the beach in the downtown area is ‘Itza Belizean Place’ Restaurant. Offering great local and international cuisine, including special cultural dishes on the weekends, Itza Belizean Place is a welcome addition to La Isla Bonita. Featuring 100% Belizean service for visitors and locals alike, the restaurant features new décor, a menu with many options to choose from, and the talented Chef Virginia Melendez. According to proprietor Jeff Klaitman, the restaurant has that Belizean-home touch that everyone longs for. “Besides having a variety of options on our menu, including local and international cuisine, our main focus is Belizean food,” said Klaitman. “Every day we have a different Belizean dish on our special of the day.” Ambergris Today Eleven Year Old Blogger Madison Edwards to Snorkel Belize Barrier Reef for Awareness Madison Pearl Edwards will make history as she sets off on her biggest adventure yet! The eleven-year-old travel and adventure blogger from iTravelBelize.com will snorkel the Belize Barrier Reef from the Northern end of the country in her home town of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, to the Southern end of the Barrier Reef in the Toledo District. She will be cleaning the Reef, collecting bottles, fishing nets, fishing lines, anchor ropes and other marine debris along the way. Madi and her team are scheduled to commence their journey today Sunday, February 12, 2017. A team of four will accompany Madi on a sailboat which will serve as shelter for her during rest periods. The team will consist of Martin John Leslie a local tour guide and experienced sailor, who will be teaching her about the marine life that she encounters along the way. Misc Belizean Sources Students at Caye Caulker Ocean Academy learn about the tourism industry and their environment They lead beach clean ups, tutor students at the primary school and are part of the tourism industry themselves. The U.S. Embassy is a proud sponsor of the Caye Caulker Ocean Academy's tourism linkage and arts programs. Meet Alessa. She is an Academy grad and a junior trainer for the Academy's art program. Alessa said it's a "good program for students who love art. There are not many art classes offered on the island. Before, most the art on the island was not done by Belizeans, but now Belizeans from Caye Caulker are doing the art, including murals." We caught up with Alessa hard at work. Local companies commission her to advertise their businesses. Keep up the great work and thanks for passing on your skills to Caye Caulker's youth! Elvira Villanueva of Caye Caulker Bakery Meet Elvira Villanueva. She has owned Caye Caulker Bakery, a family run business for 24 years! Elvira told us that a friend from the U.S. gave her and her family the idea to start a bakery on the island. She learned different recipes and built her business with her family. What's the secret to a successful business? Elvira says, "hard work and a good team that works hard too. Without a good team, a business can't be successful." Educational outreach during the Placencia Artwalk The last two days, the CRC has been going strong in our educational outreach at a few local schools and during the Placencia Artwalk. With special guests from The Belize Zoo and the Belize Raptor Center, we had a fun weekend talking about the wonderful world of Belize's apex predators! World Merit Belize La Ruta Maya River Challenge Sign Up Form Join us for 4 days of adventure! The La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge is a grueling multi-day canoe race traveling a perilous river route across the country of Belize. The route runs West to East along the Macal and Belize Rivers, once the only link between beautiful San Ignacio, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, and the bustling port of Belize City. This is a race for everyone (not just professional racers)! We'll be following the race day to day camping, playing games, watching movies and helping our community learn more about World Merit and the Sustainable Development Goals. The canoes leave from San Ignacio and take a four day journey to Belize City. They stop at Banana Bank, Double Head Cabbage, Henderson Bank in Burrell Boom then end the race in Belize City. The race brings commerce to the Belize River Valley as it travels down the river and builds a celebratory event at its stops. 3rd Annual Boom Run Sunday, Feb 19th, Castleton Entertainment Park, Burrell Boom SISE Town Hall Ground Breaking The SISE Town Council had their ground breaking ceremony this week. They're building a 4000 square foot building on the old hospital grounds. The Cayo Scoop is chronicling the construction. "Yesterday Mayor Earl Trapp reached a historical milestone in his commitment and promise to the people of the 'Twin Towns' of San Ignacio & Santa Elena. Mayor Trapp along with Ministers of the Cabinet;Mayors from across the country; past Mayors of the twin towns; Councillors; staff of the San Ignacio & Santa Elena Town Council and other stakeholders came together for the ground breaking ceremony of the New Administration Building." Placencia Sidewalk Arts & Music Festival 2017 This annual 2-day event attracts a few of Belize's top artisans and is enjoyed by all! The Reporter Greater export opportunities for Belizeans as CARICOM and Cuba strike trade deal Belizean exporters now have even greater export opportunities, through a new duty free trade arrangement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba. The countries agreed to extend preferential markets at the recently concluded 10th Meeting of the Joint Commission established under the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement between CARICOM and Cuba, held in Guyana. “A significant number of items from the Community, including beer, fish and other agricultural products, and manufactured goods have been approved for entry into the Cuban market free of duty once both sides formalize the agreement,” the CARICOM Secretariat said. “Courtenay sold out Belize”, says GOB The Government of Belize, in the face of another legal battle with Michael Ashcroft, is calling out PUP Senator Eamon Courtenay for betraying his country. Courtenay was present in a Washington D.C. court this week, in a new case regarding the loan agreement with the People’s United Party and Ashcroft for Universal Health Services UHS. GOB pointed out that Courtenay discarded his duties as a Senator to assist Ashcroft in his legal battle against Belize. “He left Wednesday’s session of the Special Senate inquiry prematurely, long before the most important witnesses could be heard, so that he could depart to Washington in the service of the Ashcroft Alliance,” the UDP said. The UDP reiterated its call for Courtenay to lose his privileges as a Senator. Mason’s wife walks Melissa Ferguson, wife of accused murderer, William “Danny” Mason, was acquitted of ‘conspiracy to commit kidnapping’ in the Belize Magistrates Court this week. Ferguson, also known as Mila Mason, walked free of the charge after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), gave a directive to withdraw the case against her. Police Prosecutor, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, explained that the DPP gave the directive after concluding that there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue a case against Ferguson. Ferguson’s attorney, Dickie Bradley, said that he believes police arrested her simply out of spite, because they never had an actual case against Ferguson. Her charge was connected to the kidnapping and brutal execution of Dangriga pastor, Llewellyn Lucas. Lucas’ head was found in a bucket, in the back of William Mason’s pickup in July of 2016. 11-year-old blogger dives entire barrier reef Madison Pearl Edwards, an eleven-year-old travel and adventure blogger from iTravelBelize.com, embarked on a mission today to snorkel the entire length of the Belize Barrier Reef, in an awareness campaign against offshore oil drilling. Edwards, is being accompanied by a team who will provide support from a following sail boat. She began her journey in her home town, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and will make her way down to the to the Southern end of the Barrier Reef in the Toledo District. Along the way, Edwards will clear the reef of trash, such as: plastic bottles, fishing nets, fishing lines, anchor ropes and other marine debris. “I love Belize; I love our Belize Barrier Reef and I say NO to offshore oil exploration!” Edwards said. “Please don’t stay quiet, staying quiet says that you are ok with our sea life being sick or disappearing!” The Belize Times CANDELARIA SAYS GODWIN KNEW… Candelaria Saldivar-Morter, sister of Minister John Saldivar, was possibly the first public officer in charge of the Immigration and Nationality Department to be completely candid and straight to the point with the Senate Select Committee. In her hours-long testimony on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 she threw Godwin Hulse under the proverbial bus, stating “For me, what the Auditor General put out, myself and Minister Hulse knew.” Saldivar-Morter continued to say that, “...We need a complete reform and structuring. Otherwise, 10 years from now, we'll be having another Senate Hearing." There is a lot from her testimony in which the Senators looking into the Auditor General’s reports asked her to explain as a Former CEO In charge of the Immigration and Nationality Department. The hearing finished very close to press time, and so the Belize Times will examine it in greater detail in our next week’s issue, but Saldivar, made this point very strenuously. She said, “For me, yes, you're saying 'oh, there are these issues that the Auditor General reports’, but nothing in these Auditor-General's reports was a surprise to us, and that is the reason why we went into the whole session, and we put so much emphasis, especially myself, in terms of getting the working group to push to come up with a recommendation because we realized that if we stay and sit back and try to fix all the little things within, we will still have the problems at the end of the day…. Local Farmers Unable to Sell Potatoes It’s happening again. Since the UDP took over the government in 2008, farmers have been suffering as a result of gross incompetence and a lack of a comprehensive marketing policy. Potato producers in the country are up in arms once again as they are unable to sell their local product. They are unable to do so because the government has issued permits for the importation of potatoes to importers which over extend into the harvesting time of the local potatoes. Many of the importers are cronies who were being furnished by the former Minister of Agriculture, the disgraced Gaspar Vega. One such person is Hector Bobadilla and Sons of San Antonio who has enjoyed years of import permits. It is alleged that this company mixes the legally imported products with contraband imported via Santa Cruz and San Antonio UDP Wants to Steal Municipal Elections 2018 Despite valid concerns expressed, the Barrow administration is forging ahead with plans for re-division/re-districting before re-registration is held, ignoring its own 2012 Statutory Instrument that set the deadline for re-registration as 2017. With this delay, it will be almost two decades since the last such exercise was held. The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) chaired by UDP insider and former Minister Douglas Singh has prepared and is following a 9-page timeline for electoral processes and events from now until the General Elections in 2020. According to that document, a task force is to be set up to head the re-districting exercise and sometime this month, a bill will be prepared to amend the Representation of the People’s Act to formally delay the July 2017 re-registration exercise to a later date. That date as per the EBC’s timeline is July 1st to August 31st, 2018. As we have shared in previous stories, the intention is to delay this exercise until after the Municipal Elections scheduled for March 7th, 2018. Shutdown of Immigration Department Narrowly Averted Who and what are the connections at the Public Services Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Immigration which allowed a specific Immigration clerk to get an easy promotion above her colleagues who had more seniority and were themselves eligible for promotion but passed over? That is the question that no one at the Immigration Department or PSC wants to answer. In fact, officials have appeared rather uncomfortable in addressing the matter. Had it not been for the remainder of the over 20 immigration clerks who banded together and threatened a go-slow for Monday, February 6th, the act of apparent nepotism would have gone unaddressed. For sure, when the management at the Department learned of the serious intent of the clerks to strike, they quickly intervened, even as junior Minister of Immigration Beverly Castillo insisted that no officer had been unduly promoted and nothing was awry at the Department. Pawn Shops & Moneylenders BEWARE On Monday February 6, 2017, inside the empty courtroom of Justice Sonya Young, a landmark judgment in Claim No. 171 of 2016 was handed down. In the case of Janine Vega v Laura Blanco and Julio Blanco, the owners of PayDay Advance & Ezy Loans Pawning located in Orange Walk Town, the Judge considered the law and sided with the borrowers, ruling that it is illegal for more than 4% interest per month to be charged on any loan offered by pawn shops or moneylenders. The Judge further stated that it is unlawful for those companies to seize a customer’s assets, provided as security for the loan. The Supreme Court in this decision struck down an illegal rate of interest of 120% per year. It sternly ordered that land which was unlawfully transferred by the Pawn Shop be returned “forthwith.” Empty Vessels & Full Pockets It is now exactly 100 days since the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that a letter was written to Andre Vega and Sharon Pitts demanding the return of $400,000 ‘gifted’ to them by Andre’s father and then Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Prime Minister, the very dishonourable Gaspar Vega. It is understood that neither Pitts nor Vega responded to those letters, if indeed those letters were even delivered to them. It is likely that the letter shown to the media was just a prop, and nothing will ever come of this unfortunate, corrupt event in which taxpayers were robbed almost a million dollars. The new and very easily led Minister of Natural Resources has said nothing about the return of those monies. She has said nothing about any ongoing investigation into the Vega-led compensation scam (an investigation allegedly launched by her predecessor Vanessa Retreage) and she has said nothing about corruption in that department. To put a fine point to it, she has said nothing, which is probably as directed by her political boss Dean Oliver. If Dah Noh Soh Me hear dat some high up ministah battam deh goh cinco-seis cause dih Senate wah soon call Elvin Penner fuh come testify. Unnu mih tink dah only Penner involved inna dis ting noh? Try fuh mih. Why unnu tink dat even after Penner lef politics he still midi get land dah Mountain Pine Ridge and Turneffe, only dat he put it inna fuh he ma and pa name. But dah fuh he. He get dat soh he could shet up and noh talk bout who all mih inna dih mix. But check dis out. I hear dih man done seh dat wen he get pon datideh stand he wah sing like a nightingale, pretty pretty. I fuh one deh look forward to it…dah bout time denya bloodsucking, dutty, scurvy ministah tek lick. Dih senators deh chancey up dih lee public officers while dih ministahs deh watch Netflix and chill. Lesgo den Penner…run it! Questions to Ministers Would the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister please say who will be replacing him in that constituency when he leaves office very soon? Could he confirm or deny reports that his favourite son Anwar will be his anointed replacement? Would the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister please say how much his other son Shyne is being paid as the so-called Music Ambassador of Belize? Could he also confirm or deny reports that his favourite son Anwar is being paid close to $800,000 when he leaves BTL at the end of this week, and will continue to receive thousands more every month as a member of the Board? THREE LETTERS THAT POLITICIANS HATE THE Belize government has been spending borrowed money as if it was going out of style. Suddenly one day, the Barrow Administration discovered that it has. The government is bankrupt. There is no national economy. If there is, it is being terribly mismanaged or it is a failed economy. Whatever is left of it is being propped up by Taiwanese money. That country spends billions on a foreign policy aimed at buying friends and influencing people. It would appear, in some instances that they may even be unintended surrogates to corruption. This has been so in recent cases in Guatemala and El Salvador. Notwithstanding, the Taiwanese have contributed greatly in assisting developing countries like Belize. Without them, and with the Belize government’s abuse of power, mismanagement and corruption, Belize, would have been a failed State – it is on the edge. International experts would assert that it is! Taking the High Road It is unfortunate that the Orange Walk Town Council has been dragged into a seedy back and forth with the UDP Area Representative for Orange Walk East, Elodio Aragon Jr. Now that Aragon has woken up from his long slumber and is making untrue allegations against me as Mayor and against the good people at the OWTC, I thought it important to share a few words which I hope will remind him of his negligence, and his obligations. Without the assistance of Central Government, the Orange Walk Town Council has carried out an intensive works program. That is a fact. With the assistance of individuals and corporate entities in the community, we have paved 35 streets, cemented 8 intersections and completed 5 major drainage projects and 13 vehicle entrances on Santa Familia Street. We have also seen the complete renovation of the Central Park, turning it into a secure, safe zone for families. We are proud of our record, which includes restoring transparency and accountability to Town Hall so that residents know exactly how their tax dollars and contributions are being used. MY PERSPECTIVE – HERBERT GAYLE AND DOMESTICE VIOLENCE University of the West Indies Anthropologist Herbert Gayle PhD. is again bringing attention to the issue of violence, notably domestic violence. He is of course well known in Belize as the author, along with Belizean Nelma Mortis, of the Gayle Report entitled “Male Social Participation and Violence in Urban Belize,” the exhaustive study he published recently. In the Report he is styled as Anthropologist of Social Violence, and so it is clear that he is considered an expert in this field. On January 22, 2017 he published a Commentary in the Jamaica Sunday Gleaner which is called “Misconceptions About Domestic Violence.” As soon as I saw the caption my interest was clearly piqued. Upon reading the article I thought that it is imperative to share his ideas, especially since some of his findings have to do with Belize, and in particular the results of his Report on males mostly in the Southside of Belize City. Real Hope for Belize Rural North On Saturday the 4th of February 2017 the Party Leader, the Hon. Johnny Briceño along with Major Lloyd Jones and the Belize Rural North team visited the beautiful villages of Maskall and Bomba along the “old road”. The visit started with a door to door in Spanish Town, Maskall. The Party Leader heard the concerns of residents in Spanish Town who amongst other things complained about the troubling land tenure situation, the lack of market access for their produce and the poor conditions of the farm roads in the area. The Key to Success Although grace of God and blessings of elders bring achievements, a hardworking and sincere person gets the cooperation of all due to his bravery. Fortune or destiny smiles on him because he dares to achieve the goal. Always…luck goes hand in hand with people who dare to for the enforcement of something new to traditional systems. Only those people who show bravery and fight against the prejudiced customs and rituals get positions in history. In other words, he who moves against the flow of a stream is the hero, not the person who swims with the flow of the steam. Fear is a state of mind, and unless and until one thinks more and more positively, bravery will not come. To progress and prosper, one has to be bold enough to cross the hurdles in the path of destination. Challenges and obstacles are ever present on the way of life, but if it is decided strongly to achieve a goal nobody can stop the person. Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln are the best examples of this and the popular saying “fortune favors the brave” fits them perfectly. Thinking Out Loud In every one of my weekly articles, I try to touch on issues which are important to our nation and our development as a people. Particularly, since Orange Walk is my home and I will never have any other, I try to touch on matters which affect our community, from poverty to the economy to infrastructure to corruption. Unfortunately, Belizeans from our community and from all corners of the country are facing challenging times not of our making. As a people we will have to tighten our collective belt to do our part to attempt to rescue an economy in crisis. I do not apologize for my conviction that we are in this position because of the bad decisions of the government. This UDP administration has been in power since 2008 and we are in the worst era of our young political history. Street War Claims Another Victim Police have arrested and charged 2 men for the murder of 29 year-old Mark Anthony Jones. Jones is the Belize City resident who was murdered on Thursday night, February 2, 2017 right outside his home. His family says that he was coming back from walking his girlfriend home, which was part of his nightly routine. Sometime after 8 p.m., he was about to enter his family yard on Iguana Street Extension when a gunman ambushed him and shot him. According to Police, the bullet hit him in the left arm and exited to the left side of his back. Persons nearby rushed him to the KHMH, but he died on the way. Beloved Activist Killed in San Pedro San Pedro Police have made no arrests in the gruesome murder of Jose Felix Ayuso, a well-known AIDS activist from San Pedro who was found stabbed to death inside his home in the island town. The 44 year-old was well-respected and liked by the residents for his altruism and for his love of the San Pedro Carnaval event. His sister discovered his body inside his apartment, located at the corner of Jew Fish and Seaweed Streets. That was at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2017, after he missed work for that entire day. She last saw him alive at around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1st at his business place JoSe’s Salon. That’s where he caters to the beauty needs of his local and international clients. When he didn’t show up for an appointment, she went to check up on him, and that’s when she found his lifeless body. US Judge Authorizes Enforcement of Arbitration Award United States District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Monday, February 6th authorized a motion made by BCB Holdings Ltd. to have an arbitral award of US$27.4 million (with interest) enforced even as the Government of Belize seeks to avoid payment. The order by Judge Kollar-Kotelly follows on the US Supreme Court’s refusal on January 10, 2017 to review the matter upon request of the Government of Belize (GOB). It also comes despite last Friday’s urgent injunction granted by Belize Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana to prevent BCB from getting the order enforced. A City Neglected…A Council Gone M.I.A. In 2018, the UDP Belize City Council will undoubtedly return to residents of the city to ask for support and votes. But what will they point to as their successes? What will they highlight as their accomplishments? What stellar service will they have to boast about? Why should residents of Belize City vote for the UDP team in the city whenever municipal elections are called? The truth is that Belize City, after consecutive UDP administrations, is in terrible condition and it is getting worse every day. Mayor Darrell Bradley has survived so far on the fruits of a multi-million dollar municipal bond and the largesse of Central Government. But those fruits have rotted. See for yourself. Talk a walk on any of the cement streets constructed under Bradley’s term. Every single one of them is breaking up…every one. It is a disgrace. If done properly, those streets should have lasted for years. But they were not done properly, and there was certainly no proper monitoring by the Council. While the streets which ‘benefitted’ from the Council’s short-sighted attention are breaking up, the many streets which were left untouched are disaster zones. Breaking Belize News Early morning shootout At around 6:15 a.m. this morning Roland Small, 35, was walking near Belize Waste Control in Belize City when a dark complexion man dressed in a white T-Shirt came out of the bushes, pulled out a firearm and fired shots at him. The assailant then ran […] Missing Santa Elena man found dead Reports reaching our newsroom is that 65-year-old missing mental patient, Alberto Requena of Santa Elena town, was found dead yesterday. The body was found in a decomposed state at 12:45 p.m. floating in the river in Santa Familia village. Requena’s nephew, Jaime Requena found his body. Police […] UB graduates 200 students The University of Belize today conducted the first leg of its 24th graduation ceremony with as many as 200 students. Today’s ceremony was held for those students that had completed their courses last December. The event began at 10 a.m. with Minister of Police […] Dolores Balderamos appointed to Senior Counsel Thirty years ago Dolores Balderamos Garcia began legal practice in Belize after completing her studies at Norman Manley School of Law. However, this week she was promoted to a Senior Counsel within the legal arena. Aside from being one of the country’s finest […] Taxes will go up in 2017 After months of ducking, dodging and dancing around the fire; Financial Secretary Joseph Waight has finally acknowledged what Prime Minister Dean Barrow could not muster the words to say, which is that taxes are expected to increase with the implementation of the budget […] Blogs A Beautiful Day in San Pedro: Park Kiosks, Turkey Dinner Lunch and…I Shiver Just to Type this…Sargasso It has been a windy, gorgeous week on Ambergris Caye. With no rain at all, the roads have dried out nicely and after a cart ride, you generally return home with a good coating of dust. Spring in San Pedro. Yesterday I left home with a long list of errands and my camera. Here are some things that I saw… I drove past the football field at the back side of town. The area is usually called “The Old Football field” or “Saca Chispas” and just a few years ago, it had a huge overhaul. The upgrade was meant to turn the lagoon side of town into a bustling, well used hub – a proper sports facility, the station for all of the water taxis and a sunset promenade. I’m not sure any of those came to fruition. And while I was going to just pretend…gloss over it…I will just come out with it. Over the past few days, SARGASSO has been arriving on our beaches. This is a normal, cyclical occurrence throughout the Caribbean. But sargasso strikes fear in the hearts of many. Over my past 10 years here, it can come and go. A few times a year…for a few days…or bunches for a few weeks but 2015 was a HORRIBLE spring for the stuff. We had, what seemed, a relentless wave of sargasso arriving and piling up on the beaches. Right now, it is just starting to come in…and the beach cleaners are on top of it. Not a problem yet. Corozal Art in The Park February 11th, 2017 Hey guys to all my followers out their if you are reading this you can just comment below. I was excited to announced this event's for all of you to read about " Art In The Park" in Corozal. I know most of you have been following me or have read my previous articles about Art in the Park. I hope you enjoy this article about Art In the Park that was held on February 11, 17. I walked to the Central Park where things where just starting up to display their Art Work. Usually, the event commence at 5pm. But, it was to early to go. So, I just went at 6pm. Taking out my camera when I arrived at the Central Park I commenced taking photo's of the view of the sunset view at the Central Park. Looking through the park and the sunset at the background that scenery was amazing. The first thing I saw was the Rotary Club that are always their to give out information. To my left hand side was a few ladies selling pastries. She had lemon pie, chocolate cake, cupcakes, cookies, valentine's chocolate, brownie's and more. To my far left hand-side was the children jumper. Island Expeditions celebrates 30 years Island Expeditions, one of Belize’s premier adventure travel companies specializing in kayaking and snorkeling, is celebrating three full decades showing travelers an amazing adventure in Belize. Officially opened in 1987, Island Expeditions began by offering paddling tours in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known for being one of the first tour companies in Belize to combine education and adventure, Island Expeditions is famous for all-inclusive paddle sports journeys that explore the best of the reserve. By its second decade of operations, Island Expeditions began offering paddling trips to the Glover’s Reef Atoll, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2003, the company opened a basecamp on Half Moon Caye, Lighthouse Reef. Moving into its third decade the company began offering tours venturing into Belize’s interior rainforest. They also began offering year round trips to Belize for all levels of travelers. Top 5 Eco Attractions in Belize Belize is rapidly becoming one of the premier eco-tourism destinations in the region. Mixing a gorgeous Caribbean coastline and hundreds of offshore islands with a diverse landscape of mountains, wetlands, rainforests, and jungle, the majesty and wonder of nature is all around you in Belize from the moment you step off the plane. Below are 5 unique eco attractions that lure intrepid travelers to Belize: International Sources Goal to resource country of Belize Mission organizations often set up large goals for the future that would be impossible apart from a miracle. The latest goal set by Christian Resources International is one such goal and it is exciting! CRI focuses on providing Bibles and Christian resources for under-resourced people around the world. These resources, donated from Christians who are not using them, are given for free. Last week, we spoke about how you can support mission efforts from afar. Today, we wanted to share an example of what your support could mean. So what is this goal? Jason Woolford of CRI tells us they want to provide the entire country of Belize with a Bible or Christian book by November. That’s right. The entire country. Videos TALK AH DI TOWN FEBRUARY 9, 2017, 31min. University of La Verne Belize Trip 2017, 23min. A University of La Verne study group traveled to Belize in January 2017. The group spent a week on South Water Caye snorkeling and exploring, a day and night in Hopkins at Jungle Jeanie's and five days at the IZE facilty in Blue Creek at the IZE facility, with a side trip to Punta Gorda Belize Playground Build Day 4 Summary, 5min. Finished very early today, went to Old Belize City for lunch, toured the museum, then spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach. Exploring the Mayan Ruins of Belize, 11min. Today, we headed out to Xunantunich, an ancient Mayan village to explore. We had a great time and got some amazing shots of one of the most impressive ruins in Belize. Our guide Ramus was very knowledgeable and we learned quite a bit about the village, and what it would have been like living there at that time. Afterwards we ate lunch at nearby Benny's and then went into San Ignacio to explore further. Hope you guys enjoy! Belize, 7min. This video is about the Belize cruise port, cave tubing and zip lines in the jungle. Visiting Mayan Ruins In Belize, 7min. Hey there! Here is some footage of the Mayan Ruins in Altun Ha, Belize.