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Standard and Poor Ups Belize’s Ratings Following Renegotiated Bond
Earlier this week we told you of the ratings placed on Belize by Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency with the understanding that a revised assessment would be conducted due to the recently restructured Superbond. The new ratings are in and we can tell you that the agency has upped the rating for Belize’s long term […]
Belize Puts Stop to Brazil’s Corned Beef Imports
The Government of Belize has decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of import permits for Corned Beef from Brazil. This comes after Brazilian Federal Police detected irregular practices involving certification of meat and meat products by staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture in 21 meat processing facilities that handled beef. According to the Government’s […]
Belize Chairs Sugar Subcommittee of ACP States
Belize has assumed the chairmanship of the Sugar Subcommittee of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. Belize’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, Dylan Vernon, assumed the chairmanship on Wednesday and is expected to quote “lead the ACP Sugar Subcommittee during a period of challenges for ACP sugar exporters like Belize.” End […]
Calaney Goes Free Following Death of Ex-Boyfriend in 2012
Calaney Flowers was acquitted of the murder of Lyndon Morrison. Supreme Court Judge Troadio John Gonzalez handed down his decision this afternoon and found Flowers not guilty. Flowers is accused of the August 28, 2012 murder of her ex-boyfriend, Lyndon Morrison, and the attempted murder of his girlfriend, Sochil Sosa. The two were allegedly rammed […]
Fires Spark in Caye Caulker and Majestic Alley
Firefighters in Caye Caulker Village began fighting a house fire at around five o’clock this evening. Up to news time the firemen were still at the scene ensuring that the embers had been extinguished so as to avoid further damages. Love News understands that the two-storey wooden structure belonged to a foreigner and was named […]
Revenue and Appropriation Bill 2017 Debated
Day two of the debate over the Revenue and Appropriations Bill is winding down in Belmopan. It is the highlight of the parliamentarian affairs in the National Assembly where thirty one elected representatives are allowed to speak on economic issues. Today’s proceedings got underway just after ten o’clock with the Freetown Area Representative, Francis Fonseca. His […]
Minister Panton Boasts of Advances in Productive Sector
The news coming out of the agriculture sector during today’s debate noted several advances that small and large scale farmers are reportedly benefiting either via export-aid or fiscal incentives. Albert’s Area Representative, Tracy Panton spoke of the productivity in this sector. As it relates to the sugar sector, Panton says that the farmers are being […]
Area Reps Get Heated Over Land Greed
Shortly after today’s debate got started there was a moment of high tension between Area Representatives Francis Fonseca and Anthony Martinez over the issue of land greed. Things got so heated that Mesopotamia’s Representative and the Speaker had to intervene.
Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in 2017
Today Belize joined the international community in recognizing the achievements in the prevention and control of tuberculosis. This year’s World Tuberculosis Day was commemorated under the theme, “Unite to End TB”. A TB Awareness health fair took place at the Cleopatra White Polyclinic compound in Belize City where reporter Hipolito Novelo spoke to a health […]
Two Men Shot and Two Detained on Ambergris Caye
A shooting incident last night in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has left two men injured and two others in police custody. According to reports, 18-year-old fisherman, Delson Paguada was walking towards his home in the San Mateo area when he said he heard gunshots and saw two men armed with what appeared to be nine […]
Amandala
Murder convicts to be considered for parole
Parliament is expediting passage of a suite of 4 bills as a part of criminal justice reform which would enable murder convicts to be considered for parole—a reform pushed in consequence of a legal challenge lodged at the Caribbean Court for Justice (CCJ) by murder convict Gregory August back in 2015 in the first criminal appeal filed with the CCJ from Belize.
In April 2015, the CCJ agreed to hear August’s application as “a poor person,” to challenge his conviction for the 2009 murder of Alvin Alpheus Robinson, 73, for which August was sentenced to life behind bars.
The mysterious “Mr. Middleton” unmasked by Cassanova
The Auditor General’s Special Audit into the Passport, Visa and Nationality Departments of the Immigration Ministry revealed that 8 visa stickers were discovered missing from the Western Border in December 2012.
A report from Immigration officer Vernon Leslie, reproduced in the audit, alleged that former Immigration officer Lindsay Wade had removed the stickers and given them to a man identified only as “Mr. Middleton,” who, he also alleged, was the common-law husband of Immigration officer Inez Cassanova.
Middleton reportedly travelled to Belize City and sold the visas to former Deputy Mayor, Eric Chang, and the Council’s Financial Controller, Patrick Tillett.
Director of CITO lives in New York!
Last year, Candelaria Saldivar, former Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry responsible for Immigration and sister of Belmopan area representative John Saldivar, was put on early retirement after having received an estimated $100,000 in salary plus benefits while “chilling” for almost 19 months on paid leave.
Today, Lake Independence area representative for the Opposition People’s United Party, Cordel Hyde, senior deputy leader of the party, said during his budget presentation that the wife of an ex-minister, assigned to a diplomatic post overseas as Consul General of Belize to New York, is still receiving her salary while accompanying her husband in the US.
Rotten corned beef controversy sparks ban on imports from Brazil
–Belize today joined a number of other Caribbean countries which have imposed a ban on imports of corned beef originating from Brazil, including cans of Grace corned beef, which could have been unscrupulously passed into trading networks, as a consequence of bribes allegedly paid to officials in Brazil to have unsanitary products approved.
The Caribbean corned beef distributor, GraceKennedy, which sources beef from Brazil, announced that in full compliance with the directive of the Government of Jamaica, it has suspended sales of corned beef originating from Brazil and it immediately withdrew the product from the Jamaican market.
Bogus, not bold: Briceño answers Barrow on 2017 budget
Opposition Leader Johnny Briceño, People’s United Party member for Orange Walk Central, this morning opened the debate on the 10th budget tabled in Parliament by the Barrow administration, calling it bogus, and suggesting that the Government “cooked the books” to come up with the figures presented to the National Assembly.
Last Monday, March 13, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Natural Resources, Dean Barrow, presented the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2017/2018, and the debate by the 31 members of the House of Representatives is scheduled for today and tomorrow.
Berne returns home from his travels with Broken Dreams
–Berne Velasquez is a special Belizean, who carries his artistic flame with a rarely found determination. Most Belizeans would be ashamed of being deported for attempting to enter the United States illegally and they would be silent about such an episode in their life. Not Berne Velasquez. He announced it to the world, turned it into art and created an album that he aptly titled Life After Deportation, released in 2008, when Berne stormed on Belize’s music scene.
Between the release of that first album and now, Berne has moved worlds. He has landed minor and major roles in four international movies, filmed in Belize. Music, however, remains Berne’s passion and he has released a steady stream of works since his first album that propelled him into the consciousness of Belizean music lovers. As a man who has single-handedly sold over 200,000 of his own CDs, this puts him in a league all by himself.
NEBL “In the Paint”
In NEBL Thursday night action, the (4-3) Belmopan Bandits shocked league leading San Pedro Tiger Sharks by the final score of 71-69, thereby propelling themselves into a first-place two-way tie with arch-rivals Cayo Western Ballaz, who also won their game on Friday night.
The Tiger Sharks had a seven-point lead with 9:46 remaining in the game, but the Bandits surged ahead, 60-58, at the 6:44 mark in the fourth quarter, behind back-to-back field goals by Greg Rudon (8 points 2 rebounds 1 assist). That set off an 11-0 Tiger Sharks run, which was sparked by a flurry of seven made free-throws, shared between Douglas Valley and George Williams, and capped by a deep trey by the latter, which gave them a 69-61 lead with just 3:32 remaining in regulation.
Simeon Lopez Kids, Youth & Female Cup 2017 Tournament in Belmopan
The Belmopan Football Association’s (BFA) Simeon Lopez Kids, Youth & Female Cup 2017 had another hectic weekend of games at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium.
In the opener on Friday night, March 17, (U-17) it was Bandits, 3-0, over San Martin Medina, with goals from Jovaun Ramos (28’), Steven Gentle (46’) and Hollis Popper (55’). And in the nightcap, (U-17) Spanish Lookout FC and Piccini Rising Star played to a 1-1 draw. Evert Peralta (32’) put Spanish Lookout in front, but Joshawn Flowers (56’) replied for San Martin.
E.P. Yorke girls and San Pedro High boys
Edward P. Yorke High School girls & San Pedro High School boys won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) softball championships, which were held in Belize City at Rogers Stadium on Friday and Saturday, March 17-18.
On Friday, the 4 country-zone champions, in both female and male categories, clashed in the first-round knockout format. On Saturday, the losers played for third place, and then Friday’s winners clashed for the female (F) and male (M) championships.
Dangriga sports stats
The Stann Creek Football Association’s U-13 Smart Mundialito Tournament continued on Saturday, March 18, with Week 3 games at the Carl Ramos Stadium. In the 4 games played, Silk Grass dropped Ubafu, 3-1; Young Bombers won, 3-1, over Montise; Hopkins and South Side drew, 0-0; and New Site bombed Benguche, 5-0.
The 2017 Dangriga Mayor’s Cup regular season got under way with 2 games each on Friday night, March 17, and Sunday, March 19, at the Carl Ramos Stadium. The Mayor’s Cup Tournament is also sanctioned under the Stann Creek Football Association and the Football Federation of Belize.
Editorial: Aikman, Ashcroft, and the atomic age
We have said to you before that in October of 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) came this close to catastrophic nuclear war because of a quarrel over missile installations in Cuba, just a few hundred miles northeast of Belize, we Belizeans had no idea what was “going down.”
In the Amandala issue of Tuesday, March 21, 2017, we reproduced an article from The New York Times issue of Friday, March 17, 2017, which revealed that video footage is now available on YouTube of thousands of nuclear tests carried out by the United States between 1945 and 1962 in Nevada (a state in the U.S.) and in the Marshall Islands (a formerly idyllic site in the central Pacific Ocean.)
From the Publisher
When I returned to Belize from college in June of 1968, no Belizean had ever attempted what I was setting out to do: write creatively as a profession. Zee Edgell, who became Belize’s first novelist with Beka Lamb, had been trained in London as a journalist and was editing The Reporter in 1968. It was a few years afterwards, in the 1970s, that she married, moved away from Belize, and decided to write creatively. My point is that, in 1968 I was going to be a pioneer of sorts.
Family responsibilities soon forced me to take a job teaching English at Belize Technical College, but after the 1968/69 academic year, Technical and I parted ways. I was in the streets for two years before I taught at Wesley College during the 1971/72 academic year, and then I returned to the streets again, hard core.
Elrington’s outrageous statement
The Editor Amandala
Sir,
During a press meeting reported by Channel 5 on Friday, March 17, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the nation of Belize, the Hon. Wilfred Elrington, is quoted as saying, “Up to this present time we still don’t have internationally recognized borders.” I believe Channel 5 was kind in referring to this statement as “stunning”, but I don’t have to be kind, so I will refer to the statement as “outrageous.” From this statement, we can infer that our Constitution which defines the limits of our country is not recognized internationally either.
Charles Goff – Belize’s most dominant basketball center!
Belizean 1960s, 70s and 80s basketball has seen many a big man come through the middle on a Belizean basketball court; but through the lens of many Belizean sports enthusiasts, the Belizean basketball center of the great 1970s basketball team, Belikin, Charles Goff had made a serious impact on Belize’s basketball landscape. Depending on which way you want to look at it, Goff was one of Belize’s most domineering big men, under considerable pressure and opposition from others like J.J. Lynch and Emil Grinage of the legendary Belize basketball team, Happy Homebuilders.
In our Belizean Legends interview with Goff last year, he remembered how it was when he was a novice under the shadows of the towering Wilton “Cama” Cumberbatch, who at that time stood more than six feet tall and taught him many basics in terms of how to dominate in the center. Goff reflected that he had to wait his turn as a junior member, of Cama’s team.
BELIZE’S FOOTBALL GREATNESS – RUPERT “CANALAYTE” ANDERSON!
Meeting the legendary Belizean football goalkeeper, Rupert Anderson, for the first time in person after seeing him play so many games as the “hard to score on” iron clad defense for first Landivar in the 1960s and early 70s, then Spurs, and later on White Label in the late1970s and early 80s, Belizean Legends embarked on one of the most ambitious productions to date two weeks ago to document the incredible story of one of Belize’s most celebrated athletes of all time.
The keen vision of Belizean sports enthusiast and athlete, Evondale “Coby” Coburn, who invited yours truly to Florida to chronicle the life and times of the man they called “Canalayte,” Rupert Anderson, has got to be appreciated here. Being a visionary in many ways, Coby saw the story and pressed me urgently since the long time Belizean goalkeeper has been ailing, and found it very important that Anderson’s classic work as probably Belize’s best goalkeeper of all times be respected and not be forgotten.
Post traumatic syndrome, attention deficit disorder, and severe disabilities in children growing up in violent societies like Belize!
This is an urgent call to action to address the effects of trauma on children born and raised in communities wracked by gang warfare and day-to-day violence in Belizean society. The trauma effects on Belizean children living in violent communities like Belize City and other similar municipalities across the country like Dangriga, Orange Walk Town, and Cayo to mention just a few, has paralleled that of the inner cities of the United States and other countries in Central America and the Caribbean that have seen trauma become a serious factor in the learning disabilities of children.
Hon. Cordel Hyde eulogizes Philip Palacio
Family, friends and colleagues of former politician and attorney-at-law, Philip Palacio, poured into the St. Ignatius Church in Belize City for a mass of thanksgiving for his life.
The up-tempo celebration of his life was marked by the blending of Garifuna drums and the soulful presentations of a Garifuna choir.
During the early morning of March 7, Palacio a husband, father to four and a grandfather to one, passed away while receiving treatment at a medical facility at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Almost half of remanded prisoners couldn’t afford bail
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Central Prison, Virgilio Murillo, almost half of the 474 persons who were remanded to prison during 2016 were there for bailable offences. Data published in the 2016 Ombudsman’s report gave a breakdown of the categories for which persons were on remand, and pointed to lengthy remand times of as many as 10 years.
Of the persons remanded, 251 were there for murder, for which they cannot seek bail. Additionally, there were 83 remanded for crimes of dishonesty, which include theft, burglary, robbery and handling stolen goods.
The Reporter
Raging fires in Belize City, Caye Caulker
Fire officials have finished mopping up two fires in Belize City, one of which left numerous families homeless; while another blaze in Caye Caulker destroyed two buildings. Sometime around 4:00 p.m., a fire started at a wooden building near a basketball court in Pinks (Majestic) […]
MOH observes World TB Day
Key departments of the Ministry of Health gathered for a health fair today, to educate the public on Tuberculosis, in commemoration of World Tuberculosis Day. The Ministry held the health fair on the Cleopatra White Poly Clinic II compound, in Belize City. The Ministry gathered […]
Calaney Flowers walks!
After five years on remand at the Belize Central Prison on a charge of ‘murder’ and ‘attempted murder’, Calaney Flowers is finally free. Justice Troadio Gonzalez handed down the verdict today, saying that Flowers could go free, but warned that there is a possibility she […]
Culture is the key to better bilateral relations, says Cuban Ambassador
Since her arrival in Belize, Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Belize, Her Excellency Lissette Perez, has been touring the country with the intent of strengthening bilateral relations. Perez explained that the tours have been largely to familiarize herself with Belize, […]
OAS Commission investigation into Danny Conorquie murder
The same set of international investigators who delved into the shooting death last year of Guatemalan, Julio Alvarado, 13, in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve is now investigating the murder of Belizean Special Constable, Danny Conorquie. He was shot dead at the Caracol Archaeological Reserve in […]
Trouble looming for the sugar industry
The sugar industry in Belize is under increased pressure in 2017, in light of a decision by the European Union (EU) to remove the limitation that it had placed on beet sugar produced within the EU. On October 1, beet farmers in the EU will […]
Belize’s borders not recognized, Foreign Minister says
Belize’s borders are not recognized, not by Guatemala or the international community, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington said last week. Elrington was speaking to reporters following the visit to Belize by Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro. “We have got to complete […]
NEMO provides homes for Albert fire victims
Fire victims in the Albert constituency this week received new homes provided by the Ministry responsible for the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). On Monday, Minister responsible for NEMO, Edmond Castro handed out the homes to three families who lost their homes in the Conch […]
Introducing Barton Middleton
The Senate Select Committee learned this week, that the mysterious “Mr. Middleton,” who has been named in several testimonies as a key player in a visa fraud scheme being investigated at the Immigration and Nationality Department, is Barton Lee Middleton of Orange Walk. Immigration Officer, […]
A billion more in debt! Legacy forecasts
Belize needs structural reforms to avoid racking up another $1 billion in debt, according to projections made by financial advisory firm, Legacy Fund Ltd. On Thursday, Legacy, in collaboration with the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), held its quarterly meeting with the private […]
NTUCB gets new president
Christian Workers Union (CWO) General Secretary, Floyd Neal, is the new president of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB). Neal took up the position at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the NTUCB, held on Saturday, March 18. Neal had only one opponent for […]
GOB gets 10 million US poverty alleviation cash
The Government of Belize, this week, got a US $10 million loan through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to provide services to poor and vulnerable communities across Belize. The loan, which was recently approved, is to support the strengthening of the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF), which […]
Brother hacks sister to death
A young Belize City mother was gruesomely chopped to death on Sunday night, allegedly by her own brother Elijah Blake, who was been detained by police for the shocking murder. The incident happened outside of 29-year-old Julian Blake’s St. Peter’s street home. Police say that on March […]
Orange Walk man dies in RTA
A 23-year-old man from Orange Walk died in a road traffic accident this week, after his motorcycle collided into a white pickup truck. Matthew Bull, a resident of Yo Creek Village, was travelling on the Philip Goldson Highway towards Orange Walk Town, around 8:00 a.m., […]
Missing fisherman found dead at sea
The body of a 51-year-old fisherman of a Sandhill Village address, who was reported missing at sea earlier this week, was discovered floating near Alligator Caye on Wednesday night. Barrington Rosales’ lifeless body was discovered in a mangrove area on the southern section of Alligator […]
17 year old stabbed in Caye Caulker
A San Pedro man who tried to evade Caye Caulker police is facing a charge of wounding after it is alleged that he stabbed a 17-year-old boy multiple times in Caye Caulker last Sunday. The minor, of a Belize City address, reported to police that on Sunday, […]
Editorial
If Belize is looking to create new start-up businesses from among native Belizeans it would be wise to amend the General Sales Tax Law so that start-up businesses can have some breathing room to grow. The General Sales Tax, effective as it has been, is not friendly to start-ups because […]
Body parts found in bag, head missing
San Ignacio police are investigating a grizzly murder, in which a yet unidentified woman was dismembered. Police are now hoping to find the body’s missing head to identify the victim. Residents in Blackman Eddy Village made the first horrific discovery on Tuesday, when a sack […]
PUP blasts budget on day one of debate
The People’s United Party (PUP) started day one of the debate on the national budget, taking strong positions against the Government of Belize on several issues. PUP Leader, John Briecño indirectly accused the government of tampering with statistics, saying that the projections of growth in […]
“Bully beef” ban?
The Government of Belize, through the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), has placed a temporary ban on contaminated corned beef products coming from Brazil, Belize’s main supplier of the “bully beef”. Belize has taken steps to block affected imports from entering the country and has […]
Breaking Belize News
Belize, One of the world’s most obese countries
Belize is one of the world’s most obese countries according to an article on GazetteReview.com. “It’s always worrying to see a country quickly climb a list of the fattest countries like this. While the obesity problem in countries like Egypt has been pretty widely […]
“My Ministry is best Ministry & Belizean people believe in the UDP,” says Boots Martinez
At the budget debate yesterday, Minister of Human Development and Social Transformation, Anthony “Boots” Martinez told parliament that he believes that his Ministry is the best Ministry in all of government. Boots stated that his Ministry has helped thousands of Belizean people and has […]
Fire in Belize City leaves 16 families homeless today
Sixteen families are distraught tonight as their home with everything that they own went up in flames earlier today. A mid afternoon fire gutted almost a whole neighborhood this afternoon in Belize City. The inferno occurred around 4:30 this evening and destroyed a long barracks […]
Woman walks free from murder trial
Calaney Flowers, accused of causing the death of Lyndon Morrison in 2012, is today, a free woman. Supreme Court Judge Tradio Gonzalez, dismissed the case today freeing her from a single count of murder, and one count of attempted murder, against Sochel Sosa. Gonzalez warned […]
Luxurious Wyndham Hotel group to open new hotel in Belize
Picture: Hotel News ResourceThe Wyndham Hotel Group has revealed plans to manage a luxurious 242 room Wyndham Grand Ambergris Caye. This will be the first resort in Belize to fly the Wyndham Grand flag. The five star oceanfront resort is scheduled to open in […]
John Saldivar salutes and honors Women in the Ministry of Defense
Minister of Defense, John Saldivar, this morning addressed a gathering of women who work within the ministry. The event was organized as part of International Women’s Month activities under the theme, “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2010”. In his […]
Belize’s credit rating improves
Standard & Poor’s Global Rating agency raised Belize’s long-term foreign currency rating yesterday to B- from SD (Selective Default) following completion of the restructuring of the 2034 Bonds. S&P says the outlook is stable. S&P also raised the country’s short term foreign currency rating […]
“Mr. Middleton” finally identified
After months of probing, the Senate Select Committee has finally identified the elusive “Mister Middleton.” According to the Auditor General’s report, Middleton was the man who the Patrick Tillett paid $3,000 each per visas stolen from the Immigration Department allegedly by Immigration Officer, Lindsay […]
Former Minister’s wife allegedly collecting salary without working
During yesterday’s budget debate, PUP Deputy Leader, Cordel Hyde, claimed that the Director of the Central Information Technology Office (CITO), Michelle Longsworth, lived in New York with her husband. Her husband, Former Minister of Sports, Herman Longsworth, was appointed as Consul General of Belize to […]
BDF officer is #1 in Guyana
Officer Cadet Francisco Choc of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) was awarded the best student overall in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Standard Officers Course (SOC), according to a Government of Belize press release. “Choc, who hails from Dolores Village in the Toledo District, […]
Police issue official report on last night shooting in Belize City
s According to police reports, at around 8:08 p.m. last night, cops responded to a shooting incident on Neal’s Pen Road extension where they met 26-year-old Ron Myvette, a food vendor of Faber’s Road Extension. Myvette was seen suffering from a gunshot injury to […]
Two men shot in San Pedro Town last night
Last night police visited the San Mateo area of San Pedro where they saw 18-year-old Delson Paguada, a fisherman of San Mateo suffering from a gunshot wound to his right armpit. Paguada was taken to the San Pedro Polyclinic where 30-year-old Leroy Goff also […]
Grandma busted with crack
This week an elderly woman appeared in court after she was busted with crack-cocaine. Our colleagues at 7News reported that 67 year old Ida Simpson, a resident of Gan’s Rest House in Belize City was busted last week Friday with 0.6 grams of crack-cocaine. […]
PUP blasts 2017/2018 budget
Today, Area Representative for Freetown, Francis Fonseca blasted the Government’s new 2017/2018 budget. According to Fonseca, the new budget for the fiscal year has no real developmental projects, no new projects for development, and no manufacturing projects. Fonseca said that the country has seen […]
2016 was phenomenal year for Belize’s Investment & Trade Ministry says Tracy Panton
At today’s budget presentation, Minister with responsibility for Investment, Trade and Commerce, Tracy Taegar Panton said that 2016 was a phenomenal year in her Ministry. Panton stated that her Ministry promoted investment and completed many projects successfully that were suggested by the public sector. […]
Belize Assumes Chairmanship of the ACP Subcommittee on Sugar
H.E Dr. Dylan Vernon, Ambassador of Belize to Belgium and the European Union (EU), assumed the chairmanship of the Sugar Subcommittee of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) on Wednesday, March 22nd, according to a Government of Belize press release. “Ambassador […]
BAHA warns of tainted corned beef
Yesterday, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and the Ministry of Health met with all importers of corned beef to discuss the recent tainted corned beef issue in Brazil. The meeting was held to ensure that corned beef in the Belizean market is safe for […]
Elrington says PUP wrote book on corruption
Yesterday, Wilfred Elrington, Area Representative for the Pickstock Division and Minister of Foreign Affairs told Parliament that the book on corruption in relation to visas and passports was written by the People’s United Party (PUP). Elrighton was responding to PUP Parliamentarian Cordel Hyde who […]
Belizean Johnny Cakes
This tasty bread is one of the most ubiquitous and popular dishes served in Belize. Commonplace on every Belizean’s breakfast table, Johnny cakes are, in effect, the local version of pancakes or toast, served alongside other dishes or topped with meat, cheese, and/or beans.
Belizeans are left without a consulate since the first day of December of 2016
The government of Belize did not renew the contracts of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Veracruz, Monterrey, consulate in Belize. So, now the citizens will have to carry out any traffic in Mexico City. Chetumal, Q, Roo, the honorary consulate of Belize in Chetumal did not have a representative since the first day of December of 2016, leaving the citizens of that nation who daily enter the state on the Mexican-Belize border vulnerable.
Jorge Valencia Gomez, former honorary consul of the neighboring country the state capital, indicated that his government did not renew the contracts of this entity as well as of Yucatan, Veracruz and Monterrey.
Why You Have to Visit San Ignacio Belize on Your Vacation
Originally a small village of logging camps and chicle farmers, San Ignacio and its twin town of Santa Elena have grown to become a thriving metropolitan area in the western part of the country. Close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal just over the border in Guatemala as well as several of Belize’s most prominent Mayan ruins, San Ignacio is a popular tourist destination.
San Ignacio is the de facto capital of the western Cayo District. Along with its twin town Santa Elena, San Ignacio is built on the banks of the Macal River and form the second-largest municipal district in the country after Belize City.
International Sources
CROCODILE CRAFTS FOR KIDS!
Can we say "ahhhh" in the spirit of World Croc Day!?! Here are some great croc arts and crafts for your kids, and we can guarantee these and more will be at the celebration of World Croc Day at The Belize Zoo on June 17, as well as all the other locations celebrating around the world! Join the Crocodile Research Coalition, The Belize Zoo and croc enthusiasts around the world in celebrating these magnificent animals!
Several Cancun restaurants close in wake of extortion attempts
With a series of attacks against restaurants in Cancun, organized crime is sowing terror stemming from the indifference and inefficiency of law enforcement authorities that have failed to stop the insecurity that is taking over this tourist destination.
Just this week, at least four restaurant torchings have been reported in an alleged pressure attempt to collect extortion payments.
S&P ups Belize rating following completion of debt restructuring
On March 23, 2017, S&P Global Ratings raised its long-term foreign currency rating on Belize to 'B-' from 'SD' (selective default). In addition, we raised the short-term foreign currency rating to 'B' from 'D'. At the same time, we raised the long-term local currency rating to 'B-' from 'CC' and the short-term local currency rating to 'B' from 'C'. The outlook on the long-term foreign and local currency ratings is stable. We also raised our rating on the bonds included in the sovereign's debt exchange to 'B-' from 'D'.
These rating actions follow Belize's announcement on March 21 that the proposed amendments to the terms of the U.S. dollar bonds due in 2038 took effect following the acceptance by creditors holding 88% of such bonds. The ratings on Belize reflect the government's still-high debt burden, offset somewhat by its improved amortization and debt service profile in the next three years.
ETBU students spend vacation time in service
East Texas Baptist University students spent their spring break serving others with the love of Christ in a jungle of Belize, St. Tammany Parish of Louisiana, and on South Padre Island in Texas.
Ten ETBU students led by Lisa Seeley, director of global education and the Great Commission Center, recovered water wells and shared their faith in Otoxha, Belize, a remote jungle village without electricity or running water.
"Seeing how different our cultures are was eye-opening," ETBU sophomore Abbey Sturdivant said. "Even though we are so different, we are all equal in the eyes of God."
Beliceños se quedan sin consulado en la entidad
No Belizean consulate in Chetumal. El consulado honorario de Belice en Chetumal no cuenta con representante desde el primero de diciembre de 2016, quedando vulnerables los ciudadanos de esa nación que ingresan diariamente al estado por la Frontera de México-Belice.
Jorge Valencia Gómez, ex cónsul honorario del vecino país en la capital del estado, indicó que su gobierno no renovó los contratos tanto de esta entidad como de Yucatán, Veracruz y Monterrey.
Belize is number 3 on the fat list
No surprise. Let me tell you some alternative facts.
It's not alternative news. There are many cultural reasons we could use to explain this but it's more than just our appetite for rice and high carb foods.
Poverty is an issue. Yes we are the working poor. So cheap fast food such as fried chicken and tacos; cheap processed food such as luncheon meat, Dak, spam, luncheon meat and the holy grail which we all know is Ramen. But without cheap food our presumedly healthy options aren't healthy either. Saturday in some parts of the country is barbecue day. But the sauce is sweet from added sugar and so is the coleslaw. People say oh but "it's not white it's brown sugar so it's healthier." That's like taking drugs and saying "oh it's not crack its regular cocaine so it's better."
Videos
The 2017 Budget Debate Continues at the National Assembly in Belmopan,
Snorkeling in Belize, 1min. Snorkeling from Caye Caulker to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley! Thank you E-Z Boy Tours!
SkyDiving Belize, 9min. Skydiving into the Blue Hole
San Pedro, Belize Carnaval - 2017, 2min. New Barbies on the first day. They only danced the one time.
San Pedro, Belize - 2017 Cowboy Boots, 3min. Dale Wallace & Gary at Fido's.
San Pedro, Belize - 2017 Navajo Rug, 4min. Dale Wallace & Gary at Fido's.
San Pedro, Belize - 2017 Fishin, 4min. Dale Wallace & Gary at Fido's.
San Pedro, Belize Carnaval - 2017, 3min.
San Pedro, Belize Carnaval - 2017, min. Lion's group, second day
Belize with Sara Dietschy, 4min. We took our friend Sara Dietschy (rhymes with peachy) to Belize and she made an epic video.
Fire on Caye Caulker, 1min. No one was hurt, one building was destroyed, and the fire has been contained.
Best bar in Belize, 1min. Want to know why I've fallen in love with beautiful Belize?? Mainly because they have some of the coolest bars in the world - complete with swings, hammocks and inner tubes for floating in - all while you sip on Happy Hour cocktails. What's NOT to love?! Cheers to Sip n Dip Beach Bar!
Angela Belize waterfall rapelle, 4min.
2017 La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, highlights day 3, 56min. You wont want to miss this exciting finish, where two side by side canoes tip over just short of the finish line. What happens next simply remarkable. See the action and the interviews with the paddlers as they make their way from Double Head Cabbage to Burrell Boom.
BELIZE - Tobacco Caye, Hopkins (The Moka Diaries) GoPro Hero 4, 4.5min. Backpacking in Belize:
Scuba diving and snorkelling in Tobacco Caye.
Belize 2011 Howler Monkeys, 1.5min.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
