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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
Mahogany Bay Village employees encouraged to ‘think differently’ about their future
On Thursday, April 6th, the team of Mahogany Bay Village (MBV) and Caribbean Homes and Exports were treated to a surprise inspirational talk by finance author and investor Robert Kiyosaki. Members of the construction team through office staff gathered at the MBV conference room to listen to the “rags to riches” business specialist.
The talk centred on the concept that everyone has a choice in deciding their future and no one method is similar for the same person. “As long as you keep working hard you will get ahead,” said Kiyosaki. “School will never teach you about money, so you have to decide what to put in your head. Work for more than just money. You have to think smart. It’s up to you to change your thinking. Each person has the potential to be a rich person, but it’s really hard and requires hard work.”
CEO Caucus Cancer Awareness Ride Exceeds Fundraising Goal Again
The CEO Caucus of the Government of Belize takes this opportunity to express its sincerest gratitude to the public, partners, donors and members of the cycling community who participated in “The CEO Caucus Cancer Treatment Ride 2017: We’re with You” which took place on Saturday 8th April 2017. The CEO Caucus announces that to date the 2017 Ride raised over $70,000. The final amount will be announced later as the initiative is still receiving pledges. Proceeds are for the Belize Cancer Treatment Center Dangriga.
Faber promises compensation to teachers who did not strike
Minister of Education, Honorable Patrick Faber made an announcement on Monday, April 3rd stating that the Ministry of Education (MOE) had $1 million dollars to distribute to teachers who did not participate in the Belize National Teachers Union’s (BNTU) 11-day strike in October 2016. BNTU President Luke Palacio issued a press release in response, accusing both the MOE and the Government of Belize (GOB) of Union Busting. Faber said that $1 million was allocated to honor the “loyal” teachers. “So while it is we cannot fully compensate those teachers who attended school on those days, we thought that it would be important for us to give some kind of honorarium to those teachers and so in consultation with the Prime Minister Dean Barrow, and we have agreed to set aside $1 million dollars that will be divided among those teachers. We are hoping that this can be done before the Easter break comes,” said Faber.
Ambergris Today
Sun And Moon Festival Hits San Pedro To Kick Off Easter Festivities
As part of fundraising efforts towards the San Pedro Children’s Home Hope Haven, Raise Me Up held a Sun and Moon Festival that took place this past weekend from Thursday, April 6, to Sunday, April 9, 2017, in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
After a recent visit to Belize, DJ Trimmer reunited with Britney O’Daniel, an old friend whom he knew back in Dallas. Since he had come to Belize to celebrate his birthday with his friend and some Dj buddies, they did a mini club, yacht and beachside tour. When Britney saw that this event went over well she came up with the idea to do a festival on the island to help raise money for the children’s home. DJ Trimmer is known for throwing parties and to him it was a perfect idea; a party for a purpose.
The Opening Moon Party took place at Luna Loca on Thursday from 8p.m. to 12a.m. The Sun Party, VIP boat party took place the following day Friday from 2p.m to 8p.m.
Easter Travel Advisory Issued For Belizeans Going To Mexico
The Embassy of Belize in Mexico issued a travel advisory for Belizeans visiting Mexico for Easter.
· Ensure your vehicle is in good condition, that you have a valid driver`s licence, and that all vehicle documents are in order.
· Vehicles with Belizean licence plates may only circulate within the state of Quintana Roo (which includes Cancun and Playa del Carmen) without a temporary import licence. Vehicles weighing more than 3.5 metric tons cannot travel further into Mexico apart from Chetumal and no permit is granted.
Belize Immigration Resumes Passport Services
The Department of Immigration and Nationality Services hereby informs the public that it will resume normal processing of applications for renewal and issuance of new passports Today, Monday, April 10th 2017.
Persons wishing to apply for expedited passport services may now submit applications to the office in Belmopan. Applications for normal passport services continue to be accepted at all district offices except Orange Walk and Dangriga.
Misc Belizean Sources
>Power interruption 7:30am to 9:30am, Wednesday, April 12: entire Caye Caulker
BEL to conduct urgent repairs of hotspots at the Caye Caulker Substation.
Nesting season of the American Crocodile, and shortly after the Morelet's Crocodile
We have seen a lot of activity in Placencia with females looking for good nesting habitat. We are now into nesting season for the American Crocodile here in Belize, and this means there will be a bit more croc activity. If you find a nest please do not disturb it as the eggs are extremely fragile, and mom will be nearby. If you have any information on nesting crocs please email us at [email protected]
Green Dollar Symposium
You're invited to the first ever Green Dollar Symposium. The GDS is organized by the National Protected Areas System Secretariat. This unique and inspiring symposium is designed for the private sector and focuses on the socio - economic benefits happening now in Belize's Protected Areas, as a result of ground breaking environmental protection measures pioneered by different sectors of our economy.
CEO Caucus Cancer Awareness Ride Exceeds Fundraising Goal Again
The CEO Caucus of the Government of Belize takes this opportunity to express its sincerest gratitude to the public, partners, donors and members of the cycling community who participated in “The CEO Caucus Cancer Treatment Ride 2017: We’re with You” which took place on Saturday 8th April 2017.
The CEO Caucus announces that to date the 2017 Ride raised over $70,000. The final amount will be announced later as the initiative is still receiving pledges. Proceeds are for the Belize Cancer Treatment Center Dangriga.
Beyond the Horizon 2017
Be sure to take advantage of the Beyond the Horizon 2017 medical services events available to communities across Belize. The medical services events are free to the public and will offer family medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, optometry, and dentistry. Beyond the Horizon is a a partnership exercise between U.S. Southern Command and the Government of Belize that will provide three medical services events and five construction projects to communities across Belize. The medical services event are free to the public and will offer family medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, optometry, and dentistry.
CHETUMAL WILL RECEIVE 30 THOUSAND BELIZEANS IN THE HOLY WEEK 2017
Seventeen thousand Belizeans will travel to Quintana Roo, according to Belize's council in Mexico, Jorge Valencia Gómez, who said that the vast majority of these visitors will remain in the lodging centers of Chetumal.
For the weekend bridge and commercial in the neighboring country of Belize will have a break from this Thursday, and their workers will enjoy the long weekend, announced the council in Mexico Jorge Valencia Gomez.
This will bring economic benefits to Quintana Roo, particularly to the south, as approximately 30,000 Belizean citizens traveled to Majahual and Chetumal to enjoy the holiday period.
National Agriculture and Trade Show Dance
Saturday April 29th, 9pm-3am, $30
Sarteneja United Drum Corp
Sarteneja United Drum Corp is an amalgamation of the Nazarene Marching Band and the Sarteneja Marching Band. Under the leadership of Band Director Antonino Rivero, 55 member strong band has ranked 2nd twice in the Drum Corp category. They are known for their unique colors and this year's coral colored outfits with delicately done embroidery were tribute to the Maya Mestizo culture. Their theme included Lionfish props in order to encourage fans to eat the Lionfish which is a predator not welcomed by fishing villages such as Sarteneja.
Power interruption 9:00am to 11:00am, Tuesday, April 11
North San Pedro from Journey’s End Resort to Tranquillity Bay Resort. Two 5 min power interruptions from 9:00am to 9:05am and 10:55am to 11:00am will also affect entire North San Pedro. BEL to urgently replace regulator on power distribution system in area.
Belize Band Fest 2017
Lots of great photos!
South Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch April, 2017 General Meeting
Wed, April 12, 7pm, Lone Start Grill and Cantina
Butterflies of Belize
From the US Embassy
Blue Hole Flight with Tsunami Adventures
Such a great tour, fly over the Blue Hole and the Turneffe Atolls.
TOURISM ARRIVALS SHOW A STEADY INCREASE IN
1ST QUARTER OF 2017
Even following such unprecedented growth in 2016, the latest statistics for the first quarter of 2017 indicate that tourism arrivals in Belize continue to register a small but steady increase. This underscores the hard work and dedication of our tourism stakeholders and the fact that Belize continues to attract travelers, as a growing and popular world tourism destination.
CARICOM week celebration
Join the CARICOM week celebration and Sign-up to participate in the Art Competition today!
PHOTOS: The journey from Mile 25 George Price Highway to Belmopan
CEO Caucus Cancer Ride
PHOTOS: Starting Line at Mile 25 George Price Highway
CEO Caucus Cancer Ride
Co-Ed Softball Tournament 2017
The San Pedro Town Council's Co-Ed Softball Tournament 2017 closed with a bang! After weeks of hitting the bases, on Sunday, April 9, 2017, the Hon. Louis Sylvestre was the host of the Championship games.
Playing for the big win were Quality Reef vs. Extreme who battled it out for the 3rd place prize followed by San Pedro High School vs. Sea Star Dive Shop for the 1st Place prize!
After a few hits and misses, Quality Reef came out victorious against Extreme and took the 3rd place prize.
Belize Crime & Safety Report 2017
Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, is the only English speaking country in Central America and is located south of Mexico and east/north of Guatemala on the Caribbean Sea. Approximately 25-30% of the population lives in Belize City, and nearly 50% are located in rural communities. Tourism is a major part of the economy, with high season running November-April. Over 1.8 million tourists visited Belize in 2016. Favorite destinations include the cayes (islands) off the eastern coast, including Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, and the coastal areas of Placencia and Hopkins in the south.
There is no indication that foreigners are broadly targeted, although tourists can be easy targets when not displaying situational awareness. Over the past several years, there has been a shift in major crimes from being concentrated mostly in the population center in Belize City to districts in the north, west and south of Belize. Murder, sexual assault, and robberies have occurred in tourist areas in recent years and visitors should remain vigilant. Criminal acts, including extremely violent acts, can and do happen in all areas of Belize, to include Belize City and the tourist destinations (San Pedro, Caye Caulker). It is generally preferable that you comply with a robber’s instructions. Break-ins and vandalism of automobiles do occur.
Corozal Easter Bus Schedule
Valentino Blanco has been appointed as the new CEO - Chief Executive Officer of the Corozal Free Zone
He succeeds former CEO Raul Rosado Sr. who last year, had tendered his resignation.
Belizean Exodus to Mexico for the Holy Week Easter Weekend!
Between 30,000 to 35,000 Belizeans are expected to travel to Quintana Roo,Mexico according to Belize's consul in Mexico, Jorge Valencia Gómez, who said that the vast majority of these visitors will remain in the hotels and lodging centers around Chetumal (in an interview with the Mexico Press).
As a result of the holy week easter holiday, which unofficially commences on Holy Thursday, April 13th for some businesses and their employees in Belize, many vacationers will be able to enjoy the long upcoming holiday weekend, explained Belize's Consul in Mexico, Jorge Valencia Gómez.
This will bring economic benefits to the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico particularly to the southern Yucatan area, because approximately 30,000 Belizean citizens will travel to Majahual and Chetumal to enjoy the holiday period.
Channel 7
More Contraband Cops - This Time With Clothing In Corozal
Tonight, a new set of a contraband cops are making news. This time they were caught smuggling a bag of contraband clothing - and they ran from Customs like common criminals - except these criminals were in a police pickup. On Saturday at around 2:00, Corporal Abner Marroquin was commander of the Isuzu D-Max #42-03 assigned to the Corozal police station when Customs tried to stop them at the Santa Elena border checkpoint to examine a large black bag they had in the pan of the pickup. The police drove through the regular checkpoint and accelerated out of the compound. So Customs had to set chase - and the police truck actively evaded them - all of this was caught on a customs officer cell phone camera. But the cops had an advantage because customs were in a car, so the pickup cut down a sugar road in Chan Chen village, and threw the bag in the bushes - just like what criminals do when the cops are chasing them. The D-MAX made a clean escape - and customs recovered the bag - which is similar to one of the "Bultos" - often seen being smuggled into Mexico.
Alleged Shooter Who Was Shot In The Back Goes To Court in Wheelchair
He was shot in his back - but that didn't stop police from wheeling 30 year old Leroy Goff into court this evening to face charges for shooting a 14 year old.
Goff was shot on on March 23 on San Pedro. The 14 year old boy told police that that he was lying in bed when he heard a loud bang. When he opened his window and looked outside he saw his brother, Delson Paguado holding his chest. There as another loud bang, and that's when his brother began to run. He also told police that the gunman - allegedly Leroy Goff - pointed the gun at him and he ran. Goff was then shot and subdued by neighbors who kept him in custody until the police arrived.
Gangs Trying For Truce
Today, gang figures from all different Southside neighborhoods crowded into the conference room at the Raccoon Street police station to talk out their issues. The meeting went for hours and ended at around 5:15 when various participants told us that they are working on a truce. They told us that they are hoping to have a peace march on Wednesday. Southside Commander Chester Williams has been working steadily to try and mediate the issues between rival gangs. He is set to be transferred form the Southside at the end of June.
Fake Cop Sentenced, Judge Lenient
Last week a jury found fake cop Aaron Wilson guilty of 2 counts of false pretense of a public officer. As you saw on 7News, Wilson emphatically rejected the jury's decision; he said they got it wrong - since he never impersonated a police officer, he was acting as a special constable. But, he had to tell that to the judge at sentencing today. Instead, though, his attorney Christelle Wilson took a different tack. She explained to us today that he could have been facing prison time - so she had to ask the judge to consider the 7 hard years he waited for trial:..
Christelle Wilson, Attorney for Aaron Wilson:
"The sentence was that he could have been sent to prison for 2 years, but the judge after hearing the arguments and also being made aware or reminded that the court has an inherent power, a discretionary power whereby they can impose a fine as opposed to a custodial sentence where the court sees it fit to do so and what we argued today was that there was a very long delay, from 2010 to 2017 when this matter came before the court and Mr. Wilson has suffered throughout those 7 years and the judge said nobody endured any loss as a result of what he was charged and convicted of."
Capital Cops Nab Robbers, Quick
Belmopan Police were quick to strike back at criminals this weekend after an armed robbery. It happened on Friday afternoon at "Circle R" Rice at mile 44 on the Western highway. Two men with a revolver showed up at the depot and demanded money. The officer commanding Belmopan told the media more via telephone:..
Voice of: Sr. Supt. Howell Gillett, OC - Belmopan Police:
"We received information of a robbery at Circle R products, located just outside of Belmopan and near to Cotton Tree Village. Our officers immediately proceeded to the area where the manager Mr. Vargas reported to us that he and another staff member was at the work site when they were approached by 3 men who were in a black car approached the establishment and demanded money."
21 Year Old Recovering After Shooting
Tonight, 21 year-old Earlin Butler Jr., a resident of Rivero Street in Belize City, continues to receive treatment at the KHMH after he was shot by a gunman early yesterday morning.
We know very little about the incident because his family has declined to comment, and police have not released any details other than to confirm that the incident happened. We do know that Butler was at his home and sometime at around 7 a.m.. That's when someone approached and opened fire, hitting him in the chest and abdomen.
There is no known motive and those we have spoken to say that it comes as a surprise to them. That's because Earlin Butler Jr. is a clerk at the Vital Statistics Unit, and all indications are that he is law abiding youth who keeps out of trouble.
84 Year Old Woman and Son Grazed By Stray Bullets
So, while Earlin Butler Jr. remains hospitalized for that shooting on Sunday morning, about 14 hours later, there was another shooting. This one was on Antelope Street, and in the spray of gunfire, 84-year-old woman Ignacia Alpuche was grazed by a bullet, while her son, Miguel Alpuche, was injured in the right foot.
Alpuche spoke with us today and said that he and his mother were injured by the gunshots which penetrated their upstairs home, but which were fired from down the street. He told us that he and his family were sitting in their living room last night. They were having a small memorial at the house for his father who had passed away. He said that their door was open, and they heard the sound of gunshots outside on one the street.
Father In Law Chopped Wife's Allegedly Abusive Husband
38 year old Gabriel Zelaya was chopped on Friday night in the Halls Layout area of Corozal - and police say it's his own father in law who did it. 59 year old Armando Cob told police he did it because Zelaya has been continually abusing his wife - who is Cob's daughter. Zelaya was taken to the KHMH where he is listed in a stable condition
Woman Says She Was Stabbed By Cousin
And there's another report of a blade used in a dispute between relatives, this time it's cousins. It happened early on Saturday Morning on Caye Caulker where around 2 a.m., police were on patrol, and saw 20 year-old Megan Marie Holland in distress, right in front of the police barracks. Holland reported that she had a misunderstanding with one of her cousins. The officers encouraged her to make a formal complaint, but she refused and went home. She appeared to be fine when the cops spoke with her, but about 5 minutes later, they received information that she had collapsed inside her house.
A Pair of Persons Shot In PG
So far we've told you about three people shot in the city. Well, two more were shot in Punta Gorda. On Saturday night at about 7:00 29 year old Jordy Flores was shot to the right arm and 21 year old Renita Jackson was shot to the right upper leg. Both of them were in a car on at the junction of Orange and Cayo streets when a lone gunman on bicycle rode up and fired several shots at the car.
Cayo Man Shoot To Head
And In Cayo, a man was shot in the head. On Saturday morning at 1:10, police found 27 year old Deon Gongora was on Bishop Martin St. in Santa Elena. He had been shot to the head and mouth. He is in critical but stable condition at the western Regional Hospital.
Citco Demolition Stalled
Today the Belize City Council along with the Police Department, National Fire Service, NEMO and Human Services Department met to launch a new project. The agencies have joined together in an effort to get rid of the City's derelict buildings, or the structures that pose risks to public safety, health and natural disaster relief efforts. We spoke to the man spearheading the project, City Councillor Phillip Willoughby, for more...
Phillip Willoughby - Belize City Councillor:
"All of us at the table have discussed 3 important issues that are of high importance where it concerns: 1) abandoned and derelict buildings, derelict vehicles and overgrown lots. The residence and the community has also spurred the talks for us to be more proactive for the city to lead the charge in relation to the said undertaking. So on my part along with NEMO, it is how well and best we prepare the city as the we mitigate against these derelict buildings that may be deemed dangerous in times of disaster and we have to mitigate better to protect life and preserve property, maybe not the owner property that is or the owner of the structure that is deemed abandoned or derelict but to secure persons within the vicinity or the proximity where these structures are."
Examining the Impact of Child Labour In Sugar Industry
It's not a popular subject - but it is a real one: Child labour is a part of Belize's sugar industry. But just how much a part? Today, the government and the European Union embarked on a partnership to find that out. It's a consultancy aimed at collecting statistics about child labor in Belize's Sugar industry. The new information will be used to ensure that Belize is operating within Fair Trade International's policy's regarding child labor. One of the project's stakeholders, Diana Shaw from the Child Development Fund, told us more...
Diana Shaw, Child Development Foundation:
"This project is a consultancy to research on the incidents of child labor in the sugarcane producing areas of Belize in Orange Walk and Corozal, so that we can document for the purposes of establishing the record for Belize for Fair Trade International. The European Union and the other partners that Belize needs to be able to report on the progress that it's making and the steps that are being taken to eliminate child labour in Belize."
Ban On Corned Beef Lifted
After a few weeks, Belize's temporary ban on corned beef from Brazil has been lifted. BAHA sent out a release today saying, quote, "In order to verify the safety and wholesomeness of corn beef already in country, samples were collected from importers' warehouses, retail shops and supermarkets. Microbiological testing conducted at BAHA's Food Safety Laboratory did not detect any pathogens." The release adds, quote, "Belizean consumers can be assured that the corned beef imported from Brazil is safe for human consumption. Therefore, BAHA and MoH are releasing all corned beef at warehouses that were placed under quarantine." End quote.
10 Year Old Driving Horse and Buggy Dies In Accident
There was a fatal accident in the Orange Walk District on Saturday where a 6-year-old child died after a vehicle hit a horse and buggy that he was travelling in.
That child is Johan Thiesen of Ship Yard Village, and he was along with his 4 other brothers, 10 year-old Jacobo Thiesen, 1 year-old Gerado Thiesen, 7 year-old Pedro Thiesen, and 4 year-old Heinrich Thiesen. The eldest, 10 year-old Jacobo, was the one in control of the horse and buggy, and they were traveling on the Ship Yard and Indian Creek Village Roady at around noon on Saturday. That's when a Dodge Ram Pickup, driven by 27 year-old Felipe Cuellar, hit the horse and buggy, causing it to violently flip. All 5 boys suffered varying degrees of injury, but Johan was the one who took the worst of it. Those injuries claimed his life while he was on the way to the Northern Regional Hospital. The other 4 boys were treated and released from the hospital.
Another Arson In City
There was a fire in Belize City early on Saturday, and police believe that it was arson.
71 year-old Robert Ramclam, a resident of Maskall Street, Belize City, woke up at 3:30 AM to find flames engulfing his shop. When he sprang out of bed he saw a man he recognized, who walking away from the shop.
The shop was partially damaged, and the shop and its contents are not insured.
Police say that they are investigating.
The Best Women Raced In
Yesterday, 11 elite female cyclists went out on the George Price Highway to find out who was the best in the 29th Annual Women's Cross Country Cycling Classic.
It's a 70-mile ride from Cayo to Belize, and the female athletes battled back and forth for almost 4 hours. At the very end it came down to a 4-way sprint between defending Champion Kaya Cattouse, past champion Alicia Thompson, Patricia Chavarria, and American Gina Kavesh. To hear it told from Kaya's perspective, she had to work hard for the entire race to ensure that none of her competitors to made a solo run to victory.
Here's that photo finish where the 3 top cyclists crossed the line with inching each other out with more or less the same time:
CEO's Ride For Charity
So, while Belize's elite women cyclists were battling on the road to see who the best was. The CEO's within the Government of Belize were taking it at a more leisurely pace on the road for the 2nd Annual CEO Caucus Ride.
Their ride is to raise funds for cancer treatment, and the Government is reporting that over 200 riders from all across the public service, especially the CEO's, came out to ride from Mile 25 on the George Price Highway to the Agricultural Showgrounds in Belmopan.
At the end, the event raised over $70,000 which will go the Belize Cancer Treatment Center in Dangriga. That's a success from the perspective of the organizers, and here's what a few of the presenters had to say after riding over 20 miles:
BTB says Tourism Arrival Up In Overnight And Cruise
Tourism arrivals - particularly in the overnight sector - continue to grow. Now, it's not the kind of runaway growth witnessed in 2016, but the numbers are still increasing - ever so slightly. For overnight tourism there were increases in each of the first three months of the year, less than a percent in January, 4.2% in February, and 3.3% in March. March - which records the most tourists every year - set a new record with over 44,400 tourists coming in the highest number of arrivals ever recorded in a single month.
Aurelio, En Vivo!
On Friday night, Aurelio Martinez was back on the Bliss Stage - 13 years after he first claimed it for Paranda Music. In the intervening years, he's turned Garifuna Soul into a Garifuna Jazz, and on Friday night a 15 piece band had the Bliss rocking with transcendent tunes.
Tonight, we leave you with highlites from the two and a half hour show - and a clip of each of the almost 30 songs that were performed.
Enjoy, and join me back here tomorrow.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
