Today's Belize News: July 14, 2017

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Today's Belize News: July 14, 2017 #524552 07/14/17 06:38 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,392 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	The news will be a bit brief for the next week or so due to time constraints 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 David and Anke Doehm charged with 'Cruelty to a Child'; Investigations continue into Faye Lin Cannon's murder American couple David and Anke Doehm have been formally arrested and charged for the crime of Cruelty to a Child. They also remain the prime suspects in the death of 13-year-old Faye Lin Cannon, Anke's adoptive daughter. Faye died on Monday, July 3rd inside the Doehms apartment north of San Pedro Town. At first, her death was treated as 'Sudden Death,' but then the results of the post-mortem revealed that she had been physically and sexually abused, and the coroner listed her cause of death 'due to compression on the chest, causing internal haemorrhaging'. The Doehms were arrested on Thursday, July 6th and kept at the San Pedro Police Station. On Tuesday, July 11th, they were transported off the island to the mainland, where they were jointly charged on Wednesday, July 12th. BTB records brisk growth path in overnight tourism arrivals On Wednesday, July 12th, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) released the latest figures on overnight tourism arrivals for 2017. Once again, the BTB registers a positive trend for the first half of this year, maintaining a steady, brisk growth path. The latest statistics show that the month of April registered the highest overnight arrivals (24.2%) compared to the same month last year, followed closely by June, with a 10% growth. There was also an overall growth of 7.8% in tourism overnight arrivals for the second quarter of 2017. BTB states that this a clear affirmation that Belize continues to attract an increasing number of travelers as a 'must-visit' destination. Costa Maya Festival presents: Miss El Salvador, Iris Yazmin Guerra With the announcement of Miss El Salvador Iris Yazmin Guerra, the International Costa Maya Festival® Committee has a full line-up of beauties to vie for the title of Reina de La Costa Maya 2017-2018. 22-year-old Guerra is currently a student at the La Univesidad Catolica de Occidente, pursuing a degree in Business Administration. Guerra now joins Miss Belize Michelle Estrella Nu�ez, Miss Costa Rica Glennys Medina Segura, Miss Guatemala Lesly Fernanda Flores Sagastume, Miss Honduras Kerelyne Isell Campigoti Webster, Miss Mexico Ximena Cardoso Gutiérrez, Miss Nicaragua Danielle Nicole Hodgson Joseph and Miss Panama Maria Fernanda Jaspe. Young Belizean footballers participate in U.S summer soccer camp Warriors F.C, A Belizean youth football club, attended international youth soccer camp Rush Fest in Colorado Springs, Colorado in the United States. The team, comprising of 16 young footballers between the ages of 12-13, played their first game on Monday, July 10th, comfortably defeating a team from Michigan USA, 8-0. Considered at-risk youth, it was the Belizean athletes' first visit to the U.S. According to Country Director Daniel Fabro, it is expected that this experience will promote the physical and mental well-being the athletes. "This soccer camp aims to provide the finest soccer experience possible, by teaching the fundamental skills of the game and developing athletes through organization," he said. "The entire experience will be life-changing for these youth, most of whom come from challenging backgrounds." Warriors F.C continued playing against other teams throughout the week, with the camp concluding on Friday, July 14th in grand ceremony. Henry Jemmott promoted to Superintendent of police On Wednesday July 6th, Henry Jemmott was officially promoted to Superintendent of Police. Jemmott had been acting as Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit since November of 2016 under the title of Assistant Superintendent. He took over from Superintendent Sandra Bowden after her transfer to the Belize Police Department Headquarters in Belmopan City. Jemmott has been stationed in San Pedro Town since June of 2014, and has been instrumental in the operations and community relations building of the San Pedro Police Department. Originally from Dangriga Town in southern Belize, Jemmott has 17 years of police experience and is looking forward to continue working with the community. "We have been working hard to decrease the crime activities in this area. We are working hard to make Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker safer for residents and visitors," said Jemmott. He indicated that there is much work to be done and categorized the crime of burglary as the prevailing crime so far. SESB - Training Belizean Solar Caretakers SESB (Solar Energy Solutions Belize) provided an eight-day SOLAR CARETAKING TRAINING course. It was held between Monday, June 26th and Thursday, 6th, July, 2017 and took place at SESB show system in Teakettle, Village. The need for trained personnel in the area of solar system maintenance sparked the idea to seek funds for the development of the course. It resulted in collaboration with the interdepartmental platform of the Swiss Federal Office - REPIC (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Promotion in International Cooperation) and partners ZENNA from Switzerland and CDW STIFTUNG from Germany. The aim of the course was to provide Basic Solar Caretaker training customized for people handling solar systems on a daily basis. Topics included learning about system components, maintenance and troubleshooting of solar systems. The 12 successful participants from all over Belize received a SESB-Certificate at the end of the eightday training. Ambergris Today DPP Describes Faye Lin Cannon's Medical Report As "Something Out Of A Horror Story" Bruises were observed on Faye's arms and legs when she was discovered inside the Doehm's condo on Ambergris Caye, Belize. A post mortem examination revealed that she had been physically and sexually abused. Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl Lynn Vidal, states that the Doehms have not been charged for the murder of Faye Lin because evidence is lacking. "But we did not feel that is was appropriate for us to ignore other charges that could have possibly been laid," stated Vidal to Belize City media. "And one of them is definitely 'Cruelty of a Child'. And so we decided that while the investigation into the death is ongoing we would proceed with this one since we have sufficient evidence." Belize Coast Guard's Almita Pinelo Makes History In Mexico Lieutenant Almita Pinelo of the Belize Coast Guard is the first female ever to attend and graduate from the Universidad Naval, Centro de Studios Superiors Navales (Naval University) in Mexico City in the course of Especialidad de Mando Naval' (Naval Command Specialty). Almita graduated from a 6-month course along with 81 other male naval officers. "The last three weeks have been so essential and important to my career as a woman in the military," stated Almita Pinelo in a Facebook Post. She had the honor of being nominated by the William J. Perry Center For Hemispheric Defense Studies to represent Belize as a panelist under the topic of Inclusive Security. Belize Announces Overnight Tourism Arrivals On Brisk Growth Path The trend of overnight arrivals remained positive through the first six months of 2017, with 7.8% growth in overnight arrivals overall, and 10% growth in the month of June. June 2017 had the highest arrival total for a June month in history, with over 37,600 overnight visitors. Over the past 5 years, overnight arrivals in June have rivaled the figures seen in the high season month of January. This trend suggests a possible expansion of the number of months that are traditionally recognized as high season months for tourism in Belize. Misc Belizean Sources Reef Radio radio telethon Friday Telethon this morning in support of Raise Me Up and their efforts to complete a children's home for Ambergris Caye. Pledge your support to assist a worthy cause and help prevent any more child neglect and abuse in our community. Reef Radio has allowed us to do a good ol' fashioned radio telethon Friday, July 14! Our goal? $10,000BZ. Help us to achieve our goal! And please share to spread the word! If you want to get involved for the children's home and don't know how, tune into Reef Radio and Reef TV Friday! Then call in to 226-4054 to pledge whatever amount you can donate. EVERY dollar helps! We will have volunteers driving around town to meet you to pick up your pledges. Let's show everyone what the San Pedro community is all about! Caye Caulker Health Fair The Caye Caulker Health Fair is today, to be held in front of CCVC office from 9:00 am to 3:00p.m. Brodies will be here displaying various products and conducting free glucose and blood pressure reading, Belize Medical Associates will be here with Dr. Cawich, internist, and Dr. Abdallah pediatrician along with their lab facitites. Smart will also be doing a double up, please stop in next week Friday. Please feel free to come check the fair out. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announces Launch of New Diaspora of Belize Website The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce the launch of a new Diaspora of Belize website. The new site offers a fresh new look, easier navigation, comprehensive information, and links to other relevant authorities and institutions. The Ministry's main goal in designing this new site is to facilitate the gathering of information on skills, experiences, and interests of Belizeans living in and legitimate Belizean organizations operating out of the Belizean Diaspora, and to engage them in contributing to the development of Belize primarily through investment and repatriation of skills. Additionally, the site will serve as a one-stop shop for the diaspora community to access information on investment and other opportunities and development initiatives in Belize. Optimism in the Citrus Industry A meeting was held on Monday, July 10th, 2017 at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Agriculture between the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Godwin Hulse, along with his executive team and representatives of the Citrus Growers Association and Belize Citrus Mutual. The meeting was as the result of a joint request of the Citrus Growers Association and the Belize Citrus Mutual. The purpose of the meeting was to apprise the officials of the Ministry on the ongoing collaboration between the Belize Citrus Mutual and the Citrus Growers Association, to discuss the performance of the 2016 - 2017 crop, the progress being made in managing the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, the issues facing the industry such as labour and access to affordable capital and the need to develop a strategic plan for the industry. The meeting discussed the outturn of the 2016 - 2017 crop, noting that despite Hurricane Earl which accounted for an estimated loss of 569k boxes of orange, the industry produced 3.2m boxes of oranges in 2016 - 2017 as compared to 3.25m boxes of orange in the 2015 - 2016 crop year. NATIONAL CORN, COCONUT & BBQ FESTIVAL 2017 It all starts today Friday, July 14 at 5:00 p.m. at Rainbow Beach/Park. There will be no cover charge to visit the booths but there will be a $5.00 token to attend the dance. It is the Biggest Cultural event in Corozal. The action will continue on Saturday, July 15 from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 a.m. and on Sunday, July 16 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Cover charge at the gate on Saturday and Sunday - $3 Adult & $1 Children. Do enjoy and we welcome you to Corozal to have a wonderful and pleasant stay. National Corn Coconut and BBQ Festival NATIONAL CORN FESTIVAL GROUNDS...RAINBOW BEACH...its the beach nearest to the Corozal Civic Center. where Old Gov. Rest House and Lands Office used to be. (Its the Original Beach Part beach :-) back in the day.) Belize Zoo Conservation Camp Concludes The Belize Zoo's 24th annual Conservation Camp has finished. The lucky kids had an amazing time. "For the 24th year running, another super successful Conservation Camp was held last week at our Tropical Education Center. 21 bright young Belizeans joined us on an exciting adventure to explore and celebrate our country's natural heritage, and learn ways to become better stewards of it for years to come! TBZ would like to thank all our partners and colleagues who joined in to make last week such a memorable experience. And, of course, our campers and their parents/guardians who participated this year. We are already planning exciting new experiences for next year for the Silver Jubilee of 'Zoo Camp' at 25!" Belize at the South Florida Trade Show The BTB Travel Trade team encouraging travels to Belize at the South Florida (American Society of Travel Agents) Trade Show 2017. Miss Costa Maya 2017 hosts announced Popular San Pedro TV/radio personality and Reef Radio owner Eiden Salazar returns to co-host Miss Costa Maya 2017. No stranger to the Costa Maya stage, Salazar has hosted the pageant for a number of years. This time he will be assisted by the beautiful Tanya Arceo. Arceo was born in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and raised in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo. Arceo recently graduated in Guatemala with a degree in Broadcasting. She has had the opportunity to work with and learn from long-time professionals at Guatevision, such as Maria Luisa Gomez. This has allowed her to develop in a field in which she is very passionate about. "For me it is a real honor to be part of Miss Costa Maya International. THANK YOU for this opportunity and for trusting in my ability and talent," she said. Salazar and Arceo will join forces to make Miss Costa Maya International 2017's pageant final, the festival's 25th anniversary scheduled to take place in San Pedro on August 3rd, one to remember for the next 25 years and beyond. Paradise Theater playing this weekend: Gifted, Unforgettable, Scoobhy Doo Blowout Beach Bash, Going in Style. Channel 7 Doehms To Court For Child Cruelty, DPP Fights To Get Them Remanded Tonight, after 8 days of being investigated for the death of their daughter, the Americans David and Anke Doehm are at the Belize Central Prison. They were arraigned this evening before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on the charge of "cruelty to a child". DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal has reviewed all the evidence that the police have gathered in the questionable death of 13 year-old Faye Lin Cannon, and she is convinced that her office can prove that the child's parents were criminally negligent in their care of her. It's the first offense that they're facing, which holds them somehow responsible for Faye Lin's death. Original Adoptive Father Wants Custody Of Faye's Sisters So, while Faye and David Doehm are at the Prison, the 3 other adopted daughters are in the care of the Ministry of Human Development, which is being assisted by the US Embassy. We have learned that their adoptive father, David Cannon, is in Belize, and he is trying to gain custody of the girls, insisting that he can provide better care for them. He shares parental rights with Anke Doehm, and at this point, he is only allowed visitation. David Doehm is the adopted stepdad to the children, and with the death of Faye Lin, the original adoptive father believes that he should have full custody of the children. Barber Dies 7 Weeks After Being Shot In Head 51 days ago on May 23rd, 23 year old Hammon Lemoth was shot inside 'One Love' barber shop on Central American Boulevard. Lemoth was trimming a client when a gunman barged in and opened fire. Lemoth was hit to the head by one of nine bullets. That was over 7 weeks ago - and despite the shot to the head, Lemoth survived. That battle to recovery was a struggle - since he had lost part of his brain. And Lemoth lost that fight at 11:00 this morning. This evening his mother told us what is keeping her strong in the face of this loss. Courtney Weatherburne - Reporter: "Could you shed any light as to what happened that night in May?" Clara Salman, Mother of Deceased: "All I could say is that I heard gunshots. My daughter's house isn't too far away from the barber shop where Hammon was working. And we heard gunshots and we heard that it's by the barbershop. So when I went to see, my son in law and another guy were lifting him out of the barber shop to take him into an ambulance. That's when we reached there." Police May Have 16 Year Old's Killer Earlier this week we told you about the murder of 16 year old Julian Tun, who was shot dead in San Pedro over the weekend. Police say that the motive for the shooting is still unclear, but police suspect that Tun was targeted after he was accused for attempting to kill a senior George Street figure last year. The news tonight is that CIB investigators were able to track down and detain a Belize City man who they believe is connected to the murder. When the cops apprehended the man, he allegedly gave them a false name, but police soon identified him as Guzberry Bowen, and charged for a single count of committing a mischievous act. Cargo Truck Driver And Sideman Charged For Trafficking Driver Jose Garcia and his sideman Bryan Hernandez who work for Belize Parcel and Mail Service have been charged for drug trafficking. Police intercepted the pair yesterday just outside Orange Walk town when they searched a BPMS Cargo truck headed from Corozal to Belize City. the truck was full of all kinds of cargo, but police had intelligence saying that the two men had a specific package of marijuana. Sure enough, the cops found 23 pounds in a large rectangular box, and 2 pounds stashed separately. Police concluded that the two were directly responsible for the packages - and charged them today. Up until this morning, the cargo truck was held and it was being searched by the K-9 unit. Police suspect that this kind of operation had been happening for some time. Bus Driver For Aggravated Assault In 2015, Bus Driver Daren Stuart Sr. made the news with a sensational right cross that sent a drunken commuter flying unto the pavement. And while that case did not result in charges, today Stuart was in court charged for aggravated assault after threatening to crack a man's skull. This morning, his son, Darren Stuart Jr., was charged with harm. Allegations are that on Saturday, July 8th Darren Stuart Jr., caused harm to Deon Talbert. Stuart Jr. pleaded not guilty and was bailed for $300 dollars. Then his father came before the court for more serious charges. He was charged for aggravated assault upon Deon Talbert and using threatening words after it is alleged that told Talbert, quote, "I will crack your skull and kill yuh because I nuh play with my daily bread." Stuart Sr., pleaded not guilty to both charges. Alleged PG Robbers Caught At around 9 on Monday night, two men entered Three Star Quality Poultry in Punta Gorda Town and allegedly robbed three people of their cell phones and the money from that day's sales. The two alleged robbers have since been identified as Jovannie O'Brien and Kavaughn Smith, both residents of Banak Street in Belize City. Today O'Brien and Smith were jointly charged robbery. Senator Steps In To Save Human Traffic Victim He may be the 13th. Senator, but Osmany Salas is the first civilian we know of to almost singlehandedly break up a human trafficking abduction - and he did so without involving any Belizean law enforcement authority. Salas today posted the account on Facebook. Using fictitious names, he explains that the mother of a teenaged girl from Orange Walk called him on Tuesday night to say that her daughter had run away from home. The mother later found out that her daughter had crossed the border at Botes along with other girls led by a male escort. The mother's story is that an unidentified woman met her daughter at home and lured her on a bus to Santa Cruz village - which is the jump off point to Botes, Mexico. A man joined them along the way and paid the bus fares for a whole group of girls. They went across to Mexico, and that's when the mother called on Salas. Opp. Leader Wants BDF Investigation Tonight, Leader of the Opposition John Briceno is calling for an investigation into the irregularities that ended with those 90 plus discarded BDF uniforms inside an Orange Walk home. As we've reported, the uniforms were part of 1,200 which the Ministry of Finance had sent to the Ministry of Finance for destruction. In what the Financial secretary calls a "major breach", one of the persons contracted to destroy the items, Sarco Torres ended up with 100 of the uniforms at his house. Some of these uniforms were then found with a Mexican who was heading form Belize to Botes. Heredia and The Harmouche's Last night's news was all about UDP Ministers Rene Montero and Manuel Heredia Jr. testifying before the Senate Select Committee. Montero's testimony was significantly shorter than Heredia's because the Tourism Minister had to answer all those Harmouche's, who he helped to become Belizean citizens back in early 2012. The Auditor General was concerned with Heredia's interest in the Harmouche Clan, even questioning if there was a conflict of interest between him and Khodr (Coder) Harmouche, the Honorary Consul of Belize in Lebanon. As we showed you, Heredia claims that there are close to 100 Harmouches living in San Pedro, and so the Senate wanted to know if he was eager to help them get nationality because he was in election mode. Here's that exchange between Heredia and the Senators on the Commitee: Hon. Heredia Courier Service? The Senators also wanted to know about the immigration courier services Heredia claimed to have been providing since 1994. As viewers will remember, the Auditor General flagged the practice when she noted that he received 52 visa stickers back on September 7, 2012. Those stickers were for the Immigration Officer in charge of the San Pedro office. The Auditor General says that it was improper for him to do so, but yesterday, he explained that he started doing this for San Pedro because its isolation from the mainland causes undue delays: Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.- Area Rep, Belize Rural South: "From 1994, when I was mayor of the island, right, the previous administration was in power, they had asked me if I can provide services because usually, I will come at least once a week to tend to the businesses of my constituency in different departments. So being myself, that I usually come Mondays, particularly, for the business of the constituency, immigration in San Pedro with the consent of the Minister responsible had asked me if I can take and bring sealed envelopes from San Pedro to Belmopan and from Belmopan to San Pedro. And that is what I had been doing from 1994 until Minister Hulse became the minister..." Briceno Seeing Red: Wants DPP to Charge, Charge, Charge And Opposition Leader John Briceno has heard enough from the Senate Hearings. He says the DPP needs to investigate criminals charges against all four ministers who've testified so far:... Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition: "The DPP should look into that. The DPP should look into the actions of Minister Castro, or Minister Martinez, of Minister Heredia and Minister Montero. I mean we can just start there. We need to start at the very top, until we can get after the people at the very top, the people at the bottom are going to continue to follow the example of the top." Do Want Scrubs Today the Belize and California Branches of the Association of Justices of the Peace donated almost 1500 medical scrubs to the Ministry of Health. The scrubs will be distributed to various public hospitals across the country and BERT. A handing over ceremony was held today, where President of the Association, Danny Madrid, and Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero, told us why they do want scrubs... Adrian Madrid -National President, Association of Justices of the Peace: "Now today we are here presenting to the Ministry of Heath, 1,479 pieces of uniforms for doctors and nurses. This is just the beginning. I believe that through the California chapter we will be able to do more donations to our fellow Belizeans. As we speak the California chapter is preparing to donate a container of some wheel chairs which we know we have done our survey and we know that this is very necessary and needed in Belize. So we are happy to say that that is is the other project that we will be doing and we have other projects that we are thinking about, but today we are here to represent these uniforms to the Ministry of Health." Yoga For Healers, Helpers Tomorrow Om Shanti Belize will host a yoga retreat for nurses - and we all know how badly our nurses need it after those long hours on their feet - shuffling through the hospital halls. The 2 part session starts tomorrow morning at 9 and 10 nurses have already joined. There are more free spaces for other nurses to participate. Lead instructor Kathryn McPherson discusses why these yoga and relaxation sessions are worth it... Kathryn McPherson - ROC Om Shanti Facilitator: "We are putting this workshop on to provide a place for nurses to come get some self-care, they work very long hours and their jobs are very strenuous. So this workshop is to help them calm distress also alleviate back pain any neck pain that they might be having, I've heard that neck and the back are the main issues. We will also be doing some core strengthening to help develop and strengthen their core to help with their lower back and also to some quick fixes on the job so when they are in pain on the job, give them some tools that they can use right away." Searching For A Citrus Solutions Citrus fortunes have been steadily declining over the last 10 years, and some speculate that without a massive infusion of capital, new plant stock and collective will - Belize's oldest agro-industry could slip away. But, based on a meeting on Monday in Belmopan, it seems that collective will could finally be on the horizon. The Ministry of Agriculture convened a meeting with representatives of the Citrus Growers Association and Belize Citrus Mutual - the growers groups with a long history of hostility. Well, this time, they are ones who jointly requested the meeting. According to a joint release, they wanted to talk about "the performance of the 2016 - 2017 crop, the progress being made in managing the Huanglongbing disease, and pressing issues such as labour and access to affordable capital. Pallotine Sisters Need Your Help The Pallottine sisters have dedicated their lives to helping others but now they really need your help. They are out of a home because the building they've lived in for over 60 years can collapse at any minute. It's no longer safe to inhabit and it has to be demolished. Courtney Weatherburne visited the sisters at the convent to see how dire the situation is:... The first Palloti High School classes were held in the lower flat of this 3 story building during the 1950's. It wasn't the conventional school setting but it was all they had at the time. GOB Doing The Diaspora There's good news for all Belizeans living "da foreign": The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a Diaspora of Belize website. diasporaofbelize.org seems like just another government website to us, but a press release says, quote, "this new site is to facilitate the gathering of information on skills, experiences, and interests of Belizeans living in and legitimate Belizean organizations operating out of the Belizean Diaspora, and to engage them in contributing to the development of Belize primarily through investment and repatriation of skills." Taiwan Waives Visa Requirements And while the government of Belize is sidling up to the diaspora, the Taiwanese are reading out to its allies in Latin America and the Caribbean. That country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that citizens of 10 diplomatic allies will no longer need visas to go to Taiwan. So, citizens of Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines can stay visa free for up to 30 days:. Citizens of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua can stay up to 90 days. FFB Moving Fast Towards Congress Yesterday we told you all about the new General Secretary at the Football Federation of Belize. Well, he has to hit the ground running because four member associations have called for an urgent extraordinary congress. That letter was sent to the FFB on Saturday July 8th., so, as of now, the clock is ticking. Acting President Marlon Kuylen explained: Marlon Kuylen, Acting President - FFB: "We have 60 days from receipt of that letter to convene that Congress, and by the statute we must convene it. But it can be done within 60 days, so, ah, it will happen. The date we haven't set as yet because we have our homework cut out for us. Because items on the agenda include the election or the formation of an ethics committee, and a new electoral appeals committee. So we have to go and search for people that are willing to serve on these committees. So, yes, it has to happen, it will happen within the 60 days." BSI and BSCFA Have Substantial Differences As you heard last night, ASR/BSI and the three cane farmers associations will have a very busy off - season. They have to agree on a way forward in a changing market landscape. ASR/BSI wants a 7 year commitment from the farmers groups to make a 20+ million dollar investment that they say would give the industry better market position. But the largest association which is the BSCFA doesn't feel comfortable moving forward on that just yet. They still have unfinished bagasse business with ASR/BSI - which Mac McLachlan lamented in an interview with CTV-3:... Shyne Getting Ready In Mesop As has been very well publicized, Shyne intends to follow in the footsteps of his uncle Michael Finnegan, and offer himself as a candidate for Mesop. When we spoke to him earlier today, Shyne gave us an update on his work with the people of Mesop... The UDP must still hold a convention for the area - no word yet on whether it will be contested. Shyney New Saxophones Today, Music Ambassador, Shyne Barrow, donated one saxophone to the students at the Samuel Haynes Music Institute. The new sax was specifically requested by the orchestra, and will serve as a much needed addition to its tenor section. This is Barrow's second donation to the Institute this year, so today we spoke to him about the importance of music in our community and how he can afford to keep making these donations... Channel 5 Doehms Back in Court on Child Cruelty Charge; D.P.P. Spars with Defense David and Anke Doehm were escorted to the Magistrate Court in Belize this afternoon for arraignment. The American couple has been under investigation since last week after their adopted daughter [...] Adoptive Father of Cannon Siblings in Belize and Working with Authorities As we told you on Wednesday, David Doehm is not the adoptive father of the Faye Lin and her three siblings. In court today it was revealed that David Cannon, [...] Chief Prosecutor Praises Police for Work on Faye Lin Cannon Case According to the Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, this case has been one in which the police department has worked hand-in-hand with her office. Vidal says that while murder [...] Cayo Resident Hammon Lemoth Dies; Shooting is Now a Murder Fifty-one days after he was shot on the head in the city, Hammond Lemoth succumbed this morning, just after eleven o’clock. Lemoth was inside a barber shop on Central American [...] City Man Questioned in Murder of Julian Tun San Pedro police are tonight questioning a Belize City man in connection with the shooting death of sixteen year old Julian Tun. We understand that he was picked up in [...] The Harrowing, But Triumphant Story of Teen Rescued from Human Traffickers Tonight there is a disturbing report from the north about a Belizean teenager rescued from the clutches of human traffickers in Chetumal, Mexico. It comes on the heels of the [...] Help Needed to Demolish Historic Pallotti Convent Established in 1955, the Pallotine Convent on Princess Margaret Drive in Belize City has served generations of the Catholic order, which in addition to running Pallotti High School does missionary [...] What is Status of F.F.B. Finances? The failed F.F.B. Congress, which ought to have taken place on the weekend of June twenty-fourth, has instead left in its wake serious unfinished business.� While executives and members of [...] Orange Walk Farmer Hit by Break-In at Farm An elderly farmer has been robbed of an assortment of items worth more than forty thousand dollars. Eighty-one-year-old Douglas Own Fox resides in San Estevan, Orange Walk District but his [...] Heredia Questions 'Natural Justice' at Senate Hearing Tonight we have more from Wednesday's public hearing of the Senate Special Select Committee starting with Minister of Tourism and Belize Rural South area representative Manuel Heredia Junior. In the [...] Checks and Balances Needed to Fix Immigration Service for San Pedro Heredia also conceded during his testimony that he did not have specific authority to transfer packages from the Immigration Department's main office in Belmopan to its sub-office in San Pedro [...] Montero Says Office Workers Behind Nationality Requests On Wednesday, Minister Rene Montero strongly denied involvement with the Harmouche family in terms of assisting to get their nationality. According to him, he only intervened once in the documented [...] Camp for Athletes Living with Intellectual Disabilities Organized by Special Olympics Schools across the country have now closed; it means that it is the beginning of summer camps. Earlier today, we stopped by a unique camp for athletes living with intellectual [...] Travel Visa-Free to Taiwan According to Taiwan News, a media outlet in Taiwan, citizens from a number of Caribbean countries, including Belize, are now able to enjoy visa-free travel to Taiwan. It is reported [...] Yertle the Turtle Contributes to Tracking of Endangered Species For a few years now turtles are being tagged to track their movements to find out their migration patterns and other valuable information to assist in research and management. A [...] JP's Donate to K.H.M.H. This afternoon, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital received a generous donation of medical scrubs.� The surgical attire was gifted to the hospital authority by the Justices of the Peace and [...] Top Public Hospital Welcomes Contributions According to Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, the contribution speaks to the relationship between the Ministry of Health, the K.H.M.H. and the public. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director [...] Fundraiser Saturday for New Domestic Violence Shelter in San Pedro A local organization in San Pedro called Raise Me Up is asking the public for help to get a shelter completed. The shelter called Hope Haven will serve as a [...] Healthy Living: Nurses, Take Care of Yourselves It's a profession that is well-known for its difficult shifts and long hours.� Nurses provide around the clock care to patients. While they are one of the experts in providing [...] LOVE FM American couple charged with cruelty to a child The American couple who are suspected to be involved in the death of 13 year old Faye Lin Cannon are not free. Yesterday, Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie, told the media that David Anke Doehm was unable to meet bail after being charged and arraigned for possession of valium but his fine was eventually paid. [�] Defence CEO says internal investigation into uniforms that were to be destroyed is now complete The investigations continue into the incident where two Belizeans and a Mexican National were found in possession of uniforms and outboard engines belonging to the Belize Defense Force. These were to have been disposed by the Ministry of Finance. Today, we spoke with the CEO of Defense Lt. Colonel Felix Enriquez who says they have [�] Minister Manuel Heredia answer questions from Senate Committee Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Area Representative for Belize Rural South, Manuel Heredia Junior, appeared this morning before the Special Senate Select Committee. Heredia's name appears in the visa immigration audit report on page 12. According to the Auditor General, stated that Minister Heredia received 52 visa tickets on September 7, 2012. Those [�] Minister Heredia says there was no special relationship with Harmouch family Minister Manuel Heredia also answered questions relating to the several recommendations he made as noted in the auditor general reports. According to the auditor general, Khodr Harmouch, the Honorary Consul of Belize in Tripoli Lebanon wrote letters to Minister Manuel Heredia to intervene in the nationality process of persons with the same Harmouche surname. The [�] Compol says more boots on the ground in areas that have seen spike in crime Yesterday the commissioner of police Allen Whylie flanked by Minister responsible Home Affairs, Elodio Aragon Junior and CEO Retired Colonel George Lovell, hosted the media to share the latest crime statistics. The statistics presented are for the first six months of the year and the numbers were compared to the same period for 2016. Overall, [�] Legislation to address gang problem to be introduced The Ministry of Home Affairs is also looking into introducing legislation to deal with the gang problem in Belize. It is being called the anti-gang legislation and it has already been drafted up. Minister Elodio Aragon Junior also shared that a legislation to protect the identity of witnesses in order to ensure the successful prosecution [�] Belize will continue to send DNA abroad for analysis One of the greatest problems facing the Belize Police Department is the processing of forensic evidence. Belize does have a forensic lad but critical testing is done abroad. Minister Elodio Aragon spoke more on the challenge. Elodio Aragon - Minister of State, Home Affairs "It's not a problem about the collecting of the DNA, it's [�] Michael Blease booted from post of FFB General Secretary Michael Blease is no longer the General Secretary of the Football Federation of Belize. Blease was 'released' by the executive of the FFB on Monday. Allegations had surfaced that Blease had manipulated the electoral committee and the electoral appeals committee. However, that was just the surface of it. Acting President, Marlon Kulyen, told the media [�] No budget, no problem for FFB On June 24, the Football Federation of Belize attempted to hold its tenth congress. It was aborted when the quorum needed was not achieved and so many of the items on the agenda were not approved. One such item is the federation's budget which has yet to be approved. Acting President Marlon Kuylen said it [�] Tourism arrival numbers keep on upward trend Overnight tourism arrivals continue its upward trend. For the first half of 2017 overnight arrivals showed a seven point eight percent growth. June 2017 had the highest arrival total for a June month in history, with over 37,600 overnight visitors. There was an overall increase in cruise passengers. The figures for June 2017 did not [�] Breaking Belize News David and Anke Doehm denied bail and remanded Americans David and Anke Doehm, accused of abusing and killing their adopted 13-year-old daughter Faye Lin Cannon, were arraigned in Magistrate's Court this afternoon on a charge of 'cruelty to a child'. The couple was denied bail and both remanded to the Belize Central [�] Two-car accident near mile 8 George Price highway There was an accident a short time ago at mile 8 on the George Price highway near Prosser Fertilizer involving two vehicles. One of the vehicles reportedly flipped causing debris and glass to litter the highway. The vehicles each came to a stop [�] Housing cost is crippling young Placencians: What needs to be done, now By Charles Leslie Jr.: I had the opportunity to speak to a young man from Placencia. He is a distant cousin via the Eiley side of our family. We met here in Belmopan, and he told me his horror story about how his grandfather left a piece [�] Inefficient, Ineffective, Inept- Senate Inquiry- Nine months and counting By Delroy Cuthkelvin: Let me preface my argument by acknowledging that I am indeed a supporter of the incumbent party in government and do not pretend to be free of any political bias. Notwithstanding, there should be some degree of reasoning in all of us. And, by [�] FFB gets new general secretary in 24 hours The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) terminated their General Secretary Michael Blease, replacing him in a matter of 24 hours with CEO of the Belize Central Prison, Earl Jones. Acting FFB president Marlon Kuylen, explained that Jones will remain the temporary General Secretary, while [�] It takes a village to raise a child By Osmany Salas: Today my wife, Lupi Salas, and I experienced the true meaning of the phrase "It takes a village". Last night we witnessed a mother's horror and this afternoon we shared in that same mom's happiness. Had it not been for the intervention and quick [�] Optimism in the Citrus Industry, says Ministry of Agriculture On Monday, July 10th, 2017, a meeting was held at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Agriculture between the Minister of Agriculture, Godwin Hulse, along with his executive team and representatives of the Citrus Growers Association and Belize Citrus Mutual. The meeting was as [�] Santa Elena man charged for possession of weed According to reports, Benque Viejo police were conducting motorcycle patrol in Succtoz Village when they met and searched a man. The man had 671 grams of cannabis in his possession. The man was identified as Hilario Romero of Santa Elena Town. Romero has since [�] Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces Launch of New Diaspora of Belize Website The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced the launch of a new Diaspora of Belize website. The new site offers a fresh new look, easier navigation, comprehensive information, and links to other relevant authorities and institutions. The Ministry's main goal in designing this new [�] Mark Pollard missing for 10 days Today, marks ten days since Mark Pollard went missing without a trace during a morning jog on the Philip Goldson Highway. There is growing concern with each passing day and search teams have not found any clues of his whereabouts. However, a surveillance footage [�] International Sources Sports Commentary: Belize Football League in big trouble By Wellington C. Ramos, Former national football player. In all the years that I played football in my country of Belize and here in the United States, I have never seen a set of people who are dysfunctional like some of the officers who have managed the Belize Football League and are aspiring to run for office. What hurts me the most is that some of these individuals never played football and if they played they were not stellar football players like the organization they are seeking to manage. When I was growing up in Dangriga Town in the 1960s, the men who played football loved the sport, were dedicated, made many sacrifices to give it their all without being paid a penny and played quality football. This was not only in Dangriga but throughout the entire country of Belize. In all of our cities and towns, the residents looked forward to taking their families to a Sunday evening football game to watch their teams play. When the games were finished, the fans would boast about their team's performances for the whole week and look forward to the next week set of games. Amateur football dominated Belize up until the late 1980s when we started to explore the possibilities of introducing professional football into our country. Experiences worth remembering I have been to Belize four times: 1973, for Christmas vacation; 1976, via motorcycle from Columbia; 1996, Christmas vacation with Linda and friends Janice and John; and 1998, to study Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula. Needless to say, I like Belize. Belize was a British colony, British Honduras, from 1862 until independence in 1981. The government is based on the British parliamentary system. Queen Elizabeth II holds the symbolic title Queen of Belize. A prime minister runs the government. The official language is English, but Spanish is used everywhere. I always found Belize to be a tropical paradise where black, white, Creole, Hispanic, and Indian people speak English, love Americans, and use the U.S dollar. Videos Belize Scouts Association - World Jamboree, 22min. Lab4 Poets of Pinks Alley Project, 45min. Paint and Chill Art Session, 24min. Caye Caulker is the first community in which BEL replaced all streetlights to LED in 2016, 1/2min. Cayo From the Clouds, 2min. Escape to Belize is putting out some high quality videos of Cayo. This one highlights Cayo from the clouds using a drone. Shark Party! Snorkeling Shark Ray Alley, Belize, 1min. A shark party just off the coast from San Pedro, Belize. Shot with my iPhone5 and Watershot Pro Housing. Diving Belize 2017, 11min. Some footage from a PADI Open Water certification course. The barrier reef that stretches along the coast of Belize is the second largest in the world. It is home to many caribbean life forms. During these dives the most noticeable were nurse sharks. I am sure that much more can be found here. Belize 2017 w/ EF Tours, 7min. BELIZE TRIP, 7min. this was such a great experience!! We did a lot of more stuff but it was water activities and i did not have a gopro/; I loved it so much and would recommend going on a vacation here. AND this was my bestfriends first time on an airplane!!!!! Under The Sea - Diving In Belize With Tony, 11min.