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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

Belize Hosts Third Multi-National Security Conference
The Ministry of Defence hosted the 3rd Annual Multi National Security Conference on Friday, 6th October 2017 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City. The main objective of the conference was to share Belize's vision, work and requirements with regards to military assistance with our allies and partners. The conference emphasized security cooperation and military capacity building for the Belize Defence Force, Belize Coast Guard, and the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre. The keynote speaker of the conference was the Chief Executive Officer, Lt. Col. Rt'd. Felix Enriquez. He highlighted that the Ministry of Defence's vision "requires a broader understanding of national security to encompass the defence of our territorial integrity, fighting criminality locally and transnationally and providing a stable and enabling environment for the prosperity of Belize.

Authorities respond to reports of raw sewage disposal in northern Ambergris Caye
According to Mayor Guerrero they still do not know who is guilty of the dumping as it seems to be happening at night. He indicated that he condemns such activities by people who have no regard for the environment. "Anyone up here in the north of the island knows that they need to get rid of their sewage waste the proper way, which is by using the only sewage treatment plant on the island located south of town, operated by the Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) and consists of four large ponds where the waste is deposited," said Guerrero. "If this continues and we find out who the culprit(s) are, the Town Council will take drastic measures through a court case. If it is a business, they can run the risk of losing their trade license for such offense." Guerrero added that until the sewage treatment plant is installed in northern Ambergris Caye, residents and business owners from that area of the island need to have their sewage waste transported to the BWSL ponds.

Iris Salguero represents Belize in Miss Earth Pageant
Former Miss San Pedro and Miss World Belize, Iris Salguero, is back in the pageant spotlight representing Belize in the Miss Earth 2017 Pageant. Currently in the Philippines, Salguero will be taking part in a series of activities and pre-competition events leading up to the big pageant on Saturday, November 4th. The Miss Earth Pageant is an international event challenging the beauty industry to make a change and promote environmental awareness. With 88 delegates from across the world, Miss Earth is one of the largest pageants held under the theme "Heroines Fighting Climate Change". Participants begun arriving in Manila, Philippines on Friday, October 6th. The month long journey to the main event will see the participants taking part in clean-up campaigns, environmental seminars, school tours, eco tours, interviews and several meet and greets.

San Pedro Lions and Leos place anti-littering signs on North Ambergris Caye
Improper garbage disposal has long been a problem across Ambergris Caye. Throughout the years, several organizations have launched clean-up initiatives to bring awareness to land pollution and the effects it has in our environment. As improperly disposed trash continues to accumulate on the island, the San Pedro Lions Club along with the San Pedro Leos Club is making an effort to encourage people not to litter by placing signs on Northern Ambergris Caye. According to the San Pedro Lions, the project was initiated by the former San Pedro Lions Queen and Leos' member, Solani Graniel last year. The project was completed this year by the Leos with assistance from the Lions Club. In observance of Lions World Service Day, members of both clubs took to the streets on Sunday, October 8th to install the anti-littering signs north of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge as far up as four miles. The aim is for these signs to remind persons traveling in the area to refrain from disposing garbage along the streets or in the nearby waterways.

Misc Belizean Sources

Customer service training for new tour guides on Caye Caulker
Customer service training for all new tour guides was held last night. We will announce all other trainings early next week for the CCBTIA annual Tourism Training Week. Dr. Alberto August, Principal of La Isla Carinosa Academy was the facilitator. Sponsors of this event includes Lazy Lizard and Barrier Reef Sports Bar & Grill. Thank you very much for prizes that made this class even more exciting!

Walk For A Clean Belize
Kudos to all who came out to support Walk For A Clean Belize initiative in Belmopan along the George Price Highway this morning! Special thanks to the Belmopan Cancer Society, Women Empowering Families, 4H, and the Belmopan City Council! Mr. Luke Ramos and his wife donated metal picks and breakfast and Mr. James Scott joined in the cleaning impromptu during his morning run! Amazing what gets accomplished with willing hearts, determination, and great partners!

Art in the Park, Corozal
Art in the park was held last night in Corozal.

Institute of Archaeology goes on Tour for Archaeology Week
The Institute of Archaeology in Orange Walk and San Pedro to celebrate International Archaeology Day! The National Institute of Culture and History through the Institute of Archaeology under the guidance of Dr. Allan Moore, Associate Director of the Institute, will be touring with a lecture series to Orange Walk Town on the 17th and 18th and talk about the origins of the Maya. The presenters, Antonio Beardall, Josue Ramos and Paul Smith will be looking back in time, using photographs, video clips and the fossilized remains of a giant sloth. The presentation will also give emphasis to specific aspects of a few of the sites in the Orange Walk district such as Lamanai, Cuello and Ka'kabish. The team will then visit San Pedro Town, on the 19th and 20th October. These presentations will focus on the Maya use of the island as a trading zone, especially highlighting the dynamism of the Marco Gonzales Site. A visit to Marco Gonzales will be coordinated on the Saturday the 21st (Archaeological Day).

Channel 5

BODY OF ERWIN RODRIGUEZ FOUND!
News 5 has confirmed that the body of 17-year-old Erwin Rodriguez was found a short while ago. The teenager's body was buried under a tree near the sea in the vicinity of the Port. His family confirmed that the body was found close to the area where his bike was discovered two weeks ago. The minor's hands and feet were tied. The body shows injuries to the forehead & has at least one gunshot wound to the head. Rodriguez has been missing since August 24th. His family & friends have been searching for him for the past couple weeks. His bike & slippers were found previously.

The Reporter

Activists offer reward for the capture of Albert Cattouse's killer
Following the shooting death of activist Albert Cattouse, the group Belize Leaders for Social Justice has offered a $5,000 reward for information that will lead to the capture and conviction of his killer. The BLSJ condemned Cattouse's murder as emphatically as it could, calling on other activists and the Belizean public to take a stand against the violence that has been plaguing Belize. The group was also disturbed by what it feels is the possibility that Cattouse may have been targeted for his role in protesting corruption. "The Activism Community and Human Rights Defenders are concerned that this murder can be related to Mr. Cattouse outspoken condemnation for acts of corruption and the injustices levied on our citizens by the Government of Belize," the group said.

Controversy erupts over Fabers Road reconstruction contract
Members of civil society and the political third parties have condemned the Government of Belize's decision to award the contract for the reconstruction of Faber's Road to the nephew of former Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega. The Vision Inspired by the People third party, called for the contract to be rescinded because it was awarded in contrary to the Finance and Audit Reform Act, Chapter 15 of the Laws of Belize. The community activist group, Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA), has also retained the services of a law firm to demand that GOB make the contract public. The firm of Musa and Balderamos wrote to GOB on COLA's behalf asking that the contract be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act.

Mental Health Association hosts speech competition
Students from four high schools put their public speaking skills to the test on Friday at the 10th Annual Speech Competition, hosted by the Mental Health Association of Belize. The contestants gathered at the St. John's College Chapel, where they were required to give a speech between four and eight minutes long, focusing on the 2017 theme for World Mental Health Day "Mental Health in the Workplace." Candidates were scored out of 100 points for various aspects of their speech, including presentation and tone. "The Speech contest for high school students is an activity that serves to disseminate information on mental health issues in a format appropriate for this age group," the MHA said.

Breaking Belize News

Orange Walk Chinese store robbed of $600
Yesterday, police visited Sun Luck Store located on Zericote Street, Orange Walk town where Hong Zhen Quin, 24, reported that around 3:15 p.m., two Hispanic men dressed in full black and white rags covering their faces entered the store.

Man shoots brother in freak accident
A Silk Grass village resident in the Stann Creek district reported to police yesterday that he shot his brother in a freak accident. According to Aaron Wilson Guzman, 23, he and his brother, Brandon Guzman, were unloading lumber from a loader.

Armed masked men rob SIRROM Gas
Yesterday morning around 10, Vicente Maldonado 28, a pump attendant reported that around 9:45a.m., while on duty at the Sirrom Gas located in the Kontiki area of San Ignacio town, a dark complexion man dressed in dark clothing, with his face covered, approached his desk and put a black .9mm pistol against his left cheek.

17 year old girl missing in Belmopan
Yesterday, Jerlene Neal,28, a Belizean Administrative Assistant of Marla's House of Hope located on Mountain View Area, Hill-top Lane, Belmopan City reported that around 7am, Ailyn Raquel Limas,17, a third form student of the Belmopan Methodist High School left Marla's House of Hope along with two other female students.

Belize City man shot in buttocks
Last night around 9:25, police visited the Karl Husner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) where they saw Floyd Elston McNab, 33, of Campos Avenue, Belize City suffering from a gunshot wound to the right buttock and 3 to the left buttock.

"We've got this," says police minister
Responding to the escalating level of violence in Belize for 2017, the Minister with responsibility for the police, Elodio Aragon Jr. has assured the public that police have the situation under control.

Aragon says Cattouse's murder not a political hit
On Thursday night, 72-year-old taxi man and activist Albert Cattouse was murdered in his car on Hicatee Street in Belize City. Cattouse was a firebrand activist speaking out against social injustices. He was an executive member of Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA). He was killed exactly one week after he participated in a protest against recent gas hikes in Belize.

Francesca Matus' family says no help from Belize police
According to a report from Canadian news outlet, the Toronto Sun, the family of Francesca Matus told them in an exclusive interview, that the Belize police are not accepting or returning their phone calls.

Blogs

Grey Weather: Out and About on Ambergris Caye
Three grey days is a pretty long stretch here on Ambergris Caye - even for the rainy season. Not total rain-outs but some rain and lots of clouds. The winter birds are coming down�yesterday I spotted this guy in the morning. I'm told he is a Wunderman's Heron: Last, there is a sub-species of the Great Blue Herons called Ardea Herodias Occidentalis and is known as the White Morph form. This morph is found only in South Florida and the Caribbean. In Florida where the white and blue forms of the Great Blues overlap, an intermediate bird known as the Wurdemann's Heron can be found, although somewhat rare. They have the body of Great Blues, but the white and neck of the Great White Heron.

International Sources

Maggots, worms, amoebas: Animal Planet explores 'criminal acts' of parasites
After a family vacation in Colombia, an American teenager returned home with a rash. Doctors found the cause - maggots that were hatching and eating her flesh. In all, 212 tiny larvae were picked from her head. Her harrowing experience and that of other Americans who hosted foreign organisms make up "Monsters Inside Me," an Animal Planet show whose eighth season is getting underway. The series is popular because people respond with fear about these invasive creatures, many of which are parasites, said Dan Riskin, a biologist who appears in each episode. But parasites deserve our respect, he said.

Videos