Today's Belize News: October 31, 2017

Print Thread

Today's Belize News: October 31, 2017 #526742 10/31/17 06:24 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,395 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	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 Ambergris Today Saga Humane Society's Annual Halloween Bash It was a packed house at Palapa Bar and Grill this past Sunday, October 29, as the Saga Humane Society of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, held its annual 14th Annual Spooktacular Halloween Party and Costume Contest. It was a family fun-filled event where man's best friend was the main attraction. Island residents got their canine friends in costumes and celebrated along with Saga to help raise funds for the organization. A panel of judges assisted in awarding prizes for Most Original Costume, Scariest, Funniest, Best Look-alike and Best Trick. Below are the winners and a roundup of all this year's participants: Belize AIDS Report 2016 Shows Decreasing Number Of New Infections The Ministry of Health has released a copy of the official Annual HIV Statistical Report 2016. On the bright side, the report shows a decreasing number of new infections and ZERO HIV positive mother-to-child transmissions of the 35 babies born last year to infected mothers. That number indicates that the Ministry's HIV Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission strategies are working. Misc Belizean Sources Values Training for Belizean Children to Prevent Corruption The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Attorney General Ministry of Belize, will be delivering training on values for children November 1st-3rd in various public primary schools across the country. On International Anti-Corruption Day last year, Dec 9th, Belize took a historic step by signing its accession to the United Nations' Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), becoming the 182nd country worldwide to sign onto this international agreement. As part of the UNCAC implementation process, numerous activities will be held across the country to build awareness among and actively engage youth, women, civil society and other relevant stakeholders on corruption. Belize's representation at this year's International Living's Retire Overseas Bootcamp Conference 2017 Pruning Inga Trees History in the making! 13 farmers in the Maya Golden Landscape received practical training in pruning the amazing inga trees over the weekend. Inga edulis trees are planted in rows to get rid of weeds, improve soil health and produce healthier food in a system called inga alley cropping. 17 farmers in the MGL are pioneering the establishment of inga alley cropping in southern Belize. Plans are underway for more training sessions for this innovative farming practice. Splashers Join us this week at Crazy Canucks to paint "November Chick" from 2pm-4pm! Remember to sign up to reserve your seat for Thursday November 2nd. The Belize Youth Challenge (BYC) Holds Orientation Ceremony The Belize Youth Challenge (BYC) held its Orientation Ceremony this morning at Mile 21 George Price Highway. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, and the Ministry of Defence. The BYC grows out of the National Youth Cadet Service Corp and the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge program. It seeks to adopt the best practices of both within the context of Belize, customized for the needs of Belizean at risk youth. San Pedro Town Council Breast Cancer Awareness Walk\|Run On Saturday, October 28, 2017, the San Pedro Town Council hosted its annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk\|Run which saw the participation of many! It was a bit chilly but that didn't hold back the walkers and the runners in participating in this meaningful event. Thanks to everyone who participated and made this event once again a great success! Thank you to the San Pedro Cancer Society for being there at the finish line with refreshments and goodies - definitely a well deserved reward! All proceeds from this event will be donated to the San Pedro Cancer Society. Return to Happiness (RTH) program in San Pedro The San Pedro Town Council in collaboration with UNICEF through the Sustainable Child Friendly Initiative Program within the Ministry of Local Government held a small certification ceremony for 10 trained residents in the Return to Happiness (RTH) program. The participants, who either work with children or volunteer in programs that involved children, were part of a one week training. The Return to Happiness program, is a psychosocial program designed to assist children in externalizing their feelings after any traumatic event. The goal of the program, is "to create an opportunity for children between the ages of 5-12 years, who have experienced a natural or man-made disaster, to process their experiences through a series of guided play activities for the purpose of reducing their post disaster anxieties and begin to re-establish their sense of joy, happiness, security and confidence in adult protection". 3 cops present, but man chooses to punch female cop outside bar On 28.10.2017 Woman Police Constable (WPC) 2097 Crystal Noralez attached to Eastern Police Division North Strike Team ,reported that at 2:45 a.m. while she was performing 'extra duties' at the Sit and Sip Lounge along with other police officers, a group of young men exited the business and one of the men started behaving disorderly and demanded that the officer return his cap. He shouted "I want my [#%!] hat from that asshole police." Even though the man was told that his friends had his cap he punched WPC Noralez on the chin. Police then arrested and charged 26 years old Justin Usher for "Assaulting a Police Officer." Cop on interdiction busted with gun On 28.101.2017, at 3:40 a.m., while a Police officer was performing 'extra duties' at the Elements Night Club on Newtown Barrack in Belize City, he observed a patron behaving disorderly. The patron, identified as Carlisle Bol, was searched and the officer found a brown wooden handle .22 caliber Pistol. Police have formally arrested and charged the 23 year old, Carlisle Bol, a police officer on interdiction for "Kept firearm without a gun license." Gunman shoots 4 but injuries not life threatening On 29.10.2017 about 3:00 p.m. 4 men were socializing on Neal's Pen Road when a man riding a bicycle fired multiple shots at them. They were immediately taken to the KHMH. At 3:05 p.m. police visited the KHMH and took note of their injuries. 18 year old Cameron Moreira had 1 gunshot wound to his buttocks, 1 gunshot wound to left elbow and 1 to the right hand; 28 year old Godwin Flowers had 1 gunshot wound to his right upper arm and left thigh; 32 year old Darren Dawson had 1 gunshot wound to the right upper arm and 1 to the left thigh; and 67 year old Gerald Tillett had 1 gunshot wound to his left thigh. All victims are in a stable condition while Gerald Tillett has been released from the hospital. "Dia de Los Muertos" at the Corozal Public Library November is almost here! We are celebrating the "Dia de Los Muertos" again, here at the Corozal Public Library! View the flyer for additional information! SISE HOC Finados Altar Display The SISE House of Culture is having their Finados on Wednesday, November 1st. This year the Finados Altar Display is in homage to David Morey, who was a councilor on the SISE Town Council. The Belize Youth Challenge (BYC) Holds Orientation Ceremony The Belize Youth Challenge (BYC) held its Orientation Ceremony this morning at Mile 21 George Price Highway. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, and the Ministry of Defence. The BYC grows out of the National Youth Cadet Service Corp and the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge program. It seeks to adopt the best practices of both within the context of Belize, customized for the needs of Belizean at-risk youth. San Pedro Dia de los Finados November 2nd Oceana 2017 Wavemakers of the Year On Saturday October 28th, 2017, Belizeans from across the country gathered at the Belmopan Civic Center to participate in Oceana's Annual General Meeting (AGM) of its dedicated volunateers, our "Wavemakers". During the event, several Wavemakers were awarded certificates of appreciation for their sensational support for Oceana's campaigns and initiatives over the past year. Oceana was proud to recognize the St. Catherine Academy (SCA) Wavemaker Club and parent Mrs. Tania Mahler as the 2017 Wavemakers of the Year. The SCA Wavemaker Club, which started in December 2015, was awarded for their dedication to the offshore oil campaign as well as their consistent involvement in cleanups throughout the year. Earlier this month, the SCA Wavemaker Club succeeded in implementing their "Kick Plastic" campaign on campus when the school banned the use of single use plastic and styrofoam, which positively impacts both the environment and reduces the administrative costs of garbage disposal. Channel 7 Dollar Van Drive Becomes 11th Murder Victim for October On Friday night we reported on Odner Estiverne, the 40 year old Haitian-Belizean dollar-van driver who was shot in his vehicle at the corner of Complex Avenue and Jones Street. He was shot to the midsection at 5:15 PM, and half an hour later, he died at the KHMH, the record 11th murder in October. But for his family, the loss is a lot more than just another numbing statistic, they are wracked by grief and loss - because Estiverne wasn't any kind of criminal, or gang-banger, or someone who dabbled in the underworld. He was just a dollar van driver who worked very hard to feed his family. His nephew, who asked to appear off camera, said that Estiverne on occasion would hang out with the wrong crowd but only to get them to the right side. He explained this afternoon. Cops Say Haitian Dollar Van Driver Killed For His Vehicle Now, his murder also happened half a mile from where police had mounted a command center on Flamboyant Street. Today we found out that Police were close enough to fire at the suspected shooter, but not close enough to catch him. Police say that Estiverne was killed for his vehicle: Sr. Supt. Marco Vidal, Commander - Eastern Division South: "Mr. Estiverne was driving his grey Dodge van and when he approached the corner of Complex Avenue and Jones Street. That is when he was shot upon by an unknown male person and later succumbed to his injuries." "This investigation continues. We are seeking 3 persons in relation to this." Cardinal Held On For Four Days And while Estiverne is murder #11 in October, 28 year old Cardinal Andrews is #12. He clung to life for four days after a gunman shot him in the head on Wednesday. He died yesterday at 4:00 as a result of the gunshot which penetrated his skull. Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo gave us an update:... Alejandro Cowo, Assistant Superintendent of Police: "Well he succumbed to his injuries yesterday evening. We have two persons in custody that were detained and interviewed that we have received certain information and we are still following it up at this moment." One of the persons in custody is a minor while the other is an adult. Police have not disclosed a motive - but said it is not part of the gang warfare in the St. Martin's area. Swazo Shot, Three Weeks After Attempt On His Life And while the October murder count stands at a dizzying dozen deaths, it could have been more: 5 people were shot between Saturday and Sunday on the Southside - right within the area of concentration for Police Operation ACT. Fortunately, there were no fatal injuries. The first shooting happened on Sunday morning at 7:30 on Jane Usher Boulevard - again, about a half mile from where police have their command center. James Swazo was shot twice by someone who called him out of his house. Police told us that Swazo had been targeted three weeks earlier:... Sr. Supt. Marco Vidal, Commander - Eastern Division South: "Mr. Swazo, 44 years old security guard of Ground Dove Street in the Jane Usher area was at home when he was called out by a male person and when he came out he received a gunshot wound to his stomach and to his left thigh. Mr. Swazo is in a stable condition at this time and this matter is being investigated and there are person being sought for this matter as well." Four Shot On Pen Road, Including 68 Year Old And 8 hours after that shooting, four more were shot yesterday afternoon on Neal's Pen Road. Police say it was a targeted attack that injured four: Sr. Supt. Marco Vidal, Commander - Eastern Division South: "Four persons were socializing on a sidewalk near #10 Neal's Pen Road when a lone gunman came and fired shots in the direction of the 4 persons. The 4 persons being: Mr. Kamron Moreira, 18 years old of Freedom Street, who received a gunshot wounds to his buttocks, to his left elbow and right hand; Godwin Flowers, 28 years old, messenger of #10 Neal's Pen Road, received gunshots to his right wrist, right upper arm and left thigh; Darren Dawson, warehouse clerk of #10 Neal Pen Road, also received gunshot wounds to his right upper arm and his left thigh and Mr. Gerald Tillett, 67 years old, of #64 King Street, received gunshot wounds to his left thigh. All persons are stable. Mr. Tillett has since been discharge form the hospital." Is Operation ACT just a Charade? So, with 5 shot and one dead on the Southside since operation ACT was launched, can it be said that the operation is working? Today, in what we would hope is an overstatement, the commissioner said it would be, quote, "far worse" without the presence of the operation:... Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police: "I can say that in respect to the launched of the operation that commenced on Friday, we have had a number of assets, human as well as vehicular resources deployed in the 3 key areas that have been identified and we will continue to meet today to look again in terms of our areas of operations and the current deployment that we have on the streets and where we believe we need to make some changes and tweak those changes will be done." Vidal Rejects Blame For Four Month Murder Spike/The Myth of The Weed Wars And so, the worst kind of record has been set on the Southside - which has recorded more than 10 murders in a month for the first time ever. In the City, there have been 53 murders so far in 2017, which is also a record - and we're only in October. That eclipses the previous high in 2014 when there were a total of 48 murders for the entire 12 months of the year. 29 of those 2017 murders have come in the past four months - since Senior Superintendent Marco Vidal has been at the command. We asked him directly today if he is to blame:... Jules Vasquez, reporter: "Mr. Vidal, there has been 12 murders recorded in October on the southside. This is a new high. I think the previous record was 10 and under your tenure since July there have been 29 murders, which is also a quite high figure in 4 months. Explain to me how do you react to this, do you feel any personal accountability or culpability for this?" Couple Caught In Hit And Run: Wife Dies, Husband Survives There was a fatal accident on the Southern Highway on Saturday night. It left Mellisa Dorothy Murillo dead and her 35 year old husband Allen Andrews in the hospital. It happened between miles 11 and 12, which is between Sitee River and Silk Grass villages. The couple were on a motorbike. Best information is that Andrews had stopped to fix something on the bike, when a pickup hit them, and then drove off. Dorothy Murillo was flung to the side of the road and died on the spot, while Allen Andrews is in a stable condition at the Southern Regional Hospital. He told police that the pickup came out of nowhere and rear ended the motorbike - but police note that the impact on the cycle is on the front wheel; the back is intact. Police had first reported it as a collision, but at this time it is being treated as a hit and run. Today, the head of crimes investigation said police need your help in finding the truck: Burnt Remains Found Off Coastal Road Police don't know what to make of skeletal human remains which were found scattered across an area off the Coastal Road on Saturday night. ACP Joseph Yvette says they don't have much to go on:... ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - Nat'l Crimes Investigation: "Police visited Mile 10 on the Coastal Road, where they came upon some burnt human remains. The remains were processed and then transported to the Southern Regional Hospital for further transportation to Belize City to be examined by the pathologist." "From the observation of the officers who went out there it seemed that it's not too much of an old death, it's not too recent. However, not even the sex could have been determined at that point. That's one of the reasons why it will be brought in today." Why Was Majil Killed? Dangriga police have not made any arrests in the murder of 32 year old taxi-man, Jose Alfredo Majil. He was found dead on Friday morning in an orange orchard between miles one and 2 on the southern highway. His body was a few feet from his car, and his throat had been cut. Police say he was last seen on Thursday night:.. ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - Nat'l Crimes Investigation: "Majil was last seen socializing within Dangriga Town on the night of Thursday October 26th, sometime around 10pm. That was the last time he was seen alive." "Police have since conducted several searches and detained 2 persons pending investigation." Was Exterminator Accidentally Poisoned? On Saturday morning 54-year old exterminator Ryan Swift died under mysterious circumstances. Swift and his 61-year-old brother Steve had just finished doing some morning work and were drinking rum and socializing at his residence and office on Central American Boulevard. Steve left the compound to go and buy something but when he came back his brother was on the ground seizing. A frightened Steve ran to go and get help but then the same thing happened to him. He survived, but his brother did not. This morning we spoke to Ryan's son, Mark who was still shocked by his father's very sudden and strange death. Cops Say No Foul Play In Ryan's Death And while it is a very strange end, head of the Crimes Investigation Branch Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo says they do not suspect foul play. Alejandro Cowo, Assistant Superintendent of Police: "They were socializing at the lower flat of their house in the open area. But when the police checked they found several containers containing suspected liquor that they were consuming." "The house was checked inside the lower and the upper where police found a number of pesticides and other poisonous materials inside the house so far we expect it is a death investigation we are dealing with we do not believe that any foul play is suspected at this moment." "Ry-Bo", A UDP Legend So, while police try to determine how he died, his UDP family is more concerned about how he lived. Ryan Swift was a loyal UDP both as a campaigner, and an election strategist. On his Facebook page, Deputy Prime Minister said, quote, "Farewell my friend! You were as true and loyal a soldier for our beloved UDP as any could be!" UDP Party Whip Michael Finnegan shared similar sentiments with us this evening in an interview. Here's what he had to say about the man he called, "a UDP intellect": Hon. Michael Finnegan - UDP Parliamentarian: "The United Democratic Party, we have lost a soldier. We lost an intellect, a political intellect that we'll not be able to replace. We have lost a political lion, and we mourn the passing of Ryan Swift." Capital Cops Quicker Than Quick Stop Robbers Belmopan police have moved with commendable quickness to wrap up an armed robbery investigation and recover the stolen items. We told you about it last week Thursday. Three men held up First Stop Pawn shop on Constitution Drive at gunpoint. They made off with $8500.00 dollars in cash, and $51,000.00 dollars in assorted gold jewelries. Well, Belmopan police cracked the case quickly, and recovered 95% of the stolen jewelry. The Head of National Crimes Investigation said it was with the community's help: Mayas and GOB Back To Court On last Monday's newscast, we told you about the teleconference hearing that the Government, the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association had before the Caribbean Court of Justice. They were there to report to the CCJ judges what progress, if any, had been made in implementing the Consent Order of April 2015. But if you ask the Mayan claimants in this case, in the two and a half years since the CCJ judgment, the Government hasn't done much to make Mayan Communal Land Rights a real thing. So, the two sides went back before the CCJ today for another hearing, where they discussed 5 points of disagreement. The attorneys believed the two sides were miles apart from common ground. At the end of almost an hour and a half, the CCJ helped the Government and the Mayan claimants to resolve 4 out of those 5. Satisfied that this would be the only achievable progress for the day, the hearing was brought to a close. Desperately Calling For Clues To Calvin's Whereabouts The Belize City family of 27 year-old Calvin Cattouse are anxious tonight for any information that could lead them to find him. He's been missing for 30 days now, and his family have all but accepted the likelihood that he is no longer alive. Today, his mother returned to our office to make a public plea for information that would lead them to find him. She told us that she and her children just want closure for their loved-one: Bernadine Cattouse - Mother: "I am worried because [it's been] a month, and no answers, nowhere to be found. I am really hurted inside. I have an empty space I want to fill. I just want to locate my son, or find his body, or wherever he is, so that I can have closure. I really need that in my life, and my kids do too." Capital Corporal Crapulous A police officer who was caught drunk in uniform on cell phone camera will face the consequences for his actions. The video was posted on Facebook over the weekend and it shows Corporal Glen Arzu stumbling on the side of the road, apparently outside a Belmopan nightclub. Arzu stumbles, steadies himself for a while, and then walks off again, stumbling. He is assigned to the Roaring Creek police station, and his officer commanding, Belmopan Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett says that he will be dealt with. Gillett sent the media a message this morning, saying, quote, "I have directed that he be disciplined before midday today. We are really sorry that this occurred." No "White Van" Kidnapping Kids in Belmopan And one more item from Belmopan police, commanding officer Gillett today flatly rejected the Facebook rumor that there's been a white van kidnaping schoolchildren in the west. Today, if you believe Facebook two were supposedly picked up. He says, quote, "Kindly be assured that there's no report of and child being kidnapped or abducted in any part of the Belmopan police jurisdiction." Of course, the white van story has been circulating for the past week, supposedly trying to pick up unsuspecting children here, there and everywhere. Today the police senior command confirmed that they have not gotten a single report about this white van, and there is no investigation; it is just a facebook rumour at this point. Ministry of Defence Investigating BDF Lt. Col's Company Connect The BDF is known all over the world for its training facilities which are on offer - for a price - to armies interested in jungle training. But, 7News has received information which shows that the Auditor General is investigating a case where a senior officer and his company may have used his inside connection to have his company benefit from a troop of German soldiers training in Belize. Belize Jungle Experience is a company whose directors are Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches along with Margaret Flowers. The auditor general notes that the German Jungle Training package agreement for 152 thousand dollars was not directly with the German Army, but was channeled through Belize Jungle Experience. The small section of the report we have seen goes on to suggest that Belize Jungle Experience was the main contracting party. Alleged Domestic Abuser Who Stabbed Mom and Kids To Court, To Jail Last week Tuesday we told you about the serious domestic violence incident on Mayflower Street that left two minors and their mother Nikita Smith injured. They all survived the scary ordeal but Smith sustained the most serious injury with a cracked skull. She gave police a statement where she confirmed that the assailant was her common-law husband 47-year-old Mark Rhaburn who fled the scene. Police picked him up on Friday and today he was taken to court and charged with 3 counts of wounding. He pled not guilty to the charges, but bail was denied because of the threat to his common-law wife and her children. Justin Usher Strung Up By Cops Over the weekend, this video which captured 26 year-old Justin Usher being arrested, went viral on Facebook. He is being accused of punching a woman police officer in the face, and in the video, he is heard shouting that this was an injustice. As the video continues on, someone behind the camera shouted at him that he's being arrested for assaulting the officer. That officer, WPC Crystal Noralez, reported that on Saturday morning, at around 2:45, she was working at the Sit and Sip Lounge with other police officers. That's when a group of young men exited. One of them was reportedly behaving disorderly, and he was demanding his cap, which he believed was confiscated by a police officer. Pesero Chased Off Robber With Horn There's been a rash of armed assaults on money changers in Corozal in the past few months. Robbers have made off with big amounts of Belizean and Mexican dollars - but, in a few cases the wily peseros have also managed to get away. This weekend, one of them simply used his hon to scare off an attacker. Police told us more:... ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - Nat'l Crimes Investigation: "The information is that sometime around 6:30am on Thursday last, whilst Jose Sanchez was entering his yard, he was approached by 2 male persons dressed in dark clothing where one of them pointed a firearm at him and demanded money. He did not have any money and as a result of that quick thinking lead him to blow the horn of his vehicle and when the neighbors start coming out, the culprits made good their escape." Belmopan Police Taking Time For Kids As you saw earlier on the news, they solved a robbery case in less than 72 hours - but Belmopan police don't only play cops and robbers - they've also been doing some good in the community. On Friday they handed over a full playground set to the children of Blackman Eddy village. Villagers say they had been asking for one for a long time. And on Sunday they took 30 underprivileged kids from Belmopan to visit the Belize Zoo. The Belmopan police say that is an effort to engage the young people of the community in a positive way. It's also a way to give exposure to children who might not get out of their own neighborhoods too often. And The Winners Are... On Friday we told you about the Garifuna Song Competition Award concert. In the end, The Peoples Choice Award went to Bridget Miranda, while Densfeild Augustine won the Multi-Genre Song award and Desiree Diego won the Single Genre Award for her song. The biggest award for Song of the Year and Budding Artist of the Year went to Kenrick "Luvlace" Lewis. The lucky winners won prizes and cash. The bash ended off with superstar judge Aurelio Martinez showing off his impressive dancing skills. They hope to make this a yearly competition in an effort to keep the Garifuna culture thriving. Audio Problems With 7News? Call The Cable Company And, finally, before we close tonight, a note to our viewers who have been complaining of audio difficulties on 7News. For weeks now, we've been getting complaints from viewers on Centaur and Central Television cable systems. They tell us that the news audio cuts out when we return from commercial breaks. First off, this is not a problem at our end; the problem is with your cable provider. Channel 7's audio is fine on CBC cable, and on our Facebook and VIMEO streams. So, regrettably, we cannot fix a problem that we don't have; the problem is with your cable provider. We urge you to complain to your cable operator to push them to solve the problem urgently; we have been trying to do so for months, but with little success. Channel 5 The Mysterious Death of Cabbie Odner Estiverne There were three shooting incidents beginning Friday evening in the south side of Belize City that left one person dead and five others injured. Shooting victim Cardinal Andrews also succumbed [...] Why Did Cardinal Andrews Die? A second person succumbed to the ongoing gun violence in the Lake Independence area of south side Belize City. Four days after he was shot to the head by a [...] 2 Detained for Dangriga Taximan's Death But on Friday morning, investigators in southern Belize had a murder on their hands. A taxi operator, who is originally from Orange Walk, was shot dead inside his vehicle and [...] Could Coastal Road Bones be Missing Person? But police are also investigating the remains of a body which was discovered on the Coastal Road on Sunday, which may be upgraded to that of a murder.� Today, Police [...] Exterminator and Older Brother Accidentally Poisoned at Home But the strangest death over the weekend involved one of two Belize City brothers, who are believed to have inadvertently consumed a toxic chemical as they socialized on Saturday afternoon. [...] Drunken Cop to be Disciplined in Latest Police Embarrassment But on the other side of the law, there have been several recent videos of uniformed police officers acting out while on duty; being drunk and disorderly, embarrassing themselves and [...] Mayas Back in Court, C.C.J. Leans on Government over Consent Order The Government of Belize has been given one last chance by the Caribbean Court of Justice to live up to its promises made in April of 2015, when it agreed [...] Will Crique Sarco Be Model for Maya Communal Lands? In August, the Maya village of Crique Sarco was the first to be entered in the Maya Land Registry. A geographical map created over the course of five years delineated [...] Trial in Franz Parke Case Set for December A trial date of December eleventh has been set in the fixed date claim filed by Leader of the Opposition John Brice�o against the Attorney General, which concerns the appointment [...] Wife Perishes, Husband Hospitalized after Traffic Collision Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in the south. On Saturday between miles eleven and twelve on the Southern Highway, thirty-five-year-old Allen Andrews of Sittee River was driving a [...] Youth Activist Faces Police Assault Charge A physical altercation between a police officer and a young activist was captured on video this weekend.� Justin Usher was arrested for reportedly punching the policeman.� But the tirade did [...] Cop Nails Cop at Club for Unlicensed Gun Aside from the Roaring Creek police officer who is in trouble for his drunken behaviour, in Belize City a cop was detained and is in custody for an incident that [...] Accused Attacker of Mayflower Street Mom and Kids in Court A thirty-one-year-old mother and her two children ages were viciously attacked inside their home on Mayflower Street in Belize City. The culprit has been identified as the common-law husband to [...] Pen Road Shootout Leaves 4 Injured Four persons were injured in a single shooting on Sunday afternoon as they socialized on Neal Pen Road. A man walked up to the group of friends and fired several [...] "Chainsaw" Can't Escape Second Shooting in 3 Weeks The weekend's fifth shooting victim is James Swaso, who is better known as "Chainsaw."� He is in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was shot [...] Is Operation ACT Working Despite Shootings? The weekend rollout of the latest crime fighting measure to be undertaken by police in Belize City is yet to yield fruit.� Despite the seemingly overwhelming presence of officers in [...] Police Tiplines in Overdrive on weekend Assistant Commissioner of Police Dezerie Magdaleno also plays a key role in the effectiveness of the campaign.� Her responsibility to ACT includes the gathering of actionable leads from members of [...] Pawnshop Robbery Trio Charged; Cops to Receive Honors Belmopan police have arrested and charged three persons in connection with last Thursday's robbery of First Stop Pawn Shop in Belmopan. And it appears that a disgruntled former employee of [...] Vidal Says Blame It on the "Kush" The illegal sale of marijuana has long since been identified as the root cause for an eruption of gun violence among feuding groups in Belize City.� Both activities have spiked [...] The World of Sports with James Adderley Good evening, I'm James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. [Highlights of the weekend sporting activities�] CTV3 Electric Shock Victim Identified Tonight the individual who was electrocuted on the night of Wednesday October 25th in the village of August Pine Ridge here in the Orange Walk District has been identified as nineteen year old Elias Francisco Teul of Bella Vista Village located in the Toledo District. Teul's body was reportedly identified by his younger sister, Merlyn Teul. A post mortem examination conducted earlier this morning by Doctor Lloyden Kent certified that the cause of death was due to 'electrocution'. Though it is still unclear what led to the electrocution�a group of Mexican carnival operators, who were stationed at the village at the time of the incident, suspect that Teul lost his life after touching wires inside the control room that maneuver the mechanical rides. Diesel Reduces By 13 Cents At the stroke of midnight on Saturday October 28th, fuel pumps across the country saw a change in prices when it comes to the cost of diesel, which saw a marked decrease of thirteen cents� pushing the price from nine dollars and seventy one cents down to a total of nine dollars and fifty eight cents. While the value of diesel experienced a reduction, the same cannot be said for the other fuel prices which remained consistent. The price for regular gasoline remains at ten dollars and twenty cents, kerosene at five dollars and ninety seven cents and finally, the cost of premium gasoline stays at eleven dollars and ninety nine cents (Close to the twelve dollar mark). Sale And Consumption Of Soft Drinks Prohibited At All MOH Facilities A memorandum issued earlier this month by the Director of Health Services in the Ministry of Health announces a new policy implemented by the Ministry to band unhealthy foods, including Soft drinks from all Ministry of Health facilities. According to the memorandum, the implementation of this new policy comes after considering the financial and social effects that diseases such as Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension and Cancer has in our society. Healthy eating, according to the Ministry, is the main contributor to management and prevention of these diseases and as such the Minister of Health along with senior administrative staff of Health facilities have engaged in this 'Healthy food on site policy" The switch from soft drinks, foods high in sugar, salt and fat�to fresh fruits, vegetables and whole wheat products within all MOH facilities is expected to take effect on November 1st. Corozal PUP Seven Team Empowers The Youths And on Friday, the same PUP office was the venue for a graduation ceremony held for participants in a nail design and cake decorating training organised by Dilan Cassanova with support of the PUP Town Council team. According to Cassanova, while the participation was modest, it has given the group of trainees an opportunity to venture into their own business. Dylan Cassanova - Aspiring PUP Candidate: "It was acrylic nail design training and cake decorating so it was two courses we are offering, we had five girls graduating yesterday, basically the course was in the afternoons when they had a free time like from in the afternoon to four or five, the girls went through different stages of the course, basically they learnt to do encapsulado, 3d's and normal acrylic nails..." Pesero Committs Suicide Just before midnight on Saturday October 28th Corozal Police were called to a residence along Olga Marin Drive in Corozal Town where the body of a well-known pesero was discovered dead by family members. The circumstances behind the incident are not known, but reports are that Juan Roberto Cowo was found hanging inside his house. Corozal Police have not released any final report but preliminary indications are that they are viewing the tragic incident as a suicide. Plan In Place To Protect Corozal Peseros On Thursday's newscast we reported on the attempted robbery of a pesero in Corozal Town. Jose Sanchez was preparing to leave his home located in the in the Altamira area of Corozal Town when two men armed with weapons ambushed him. The men who were allegedly wearing masks over their faces demanded money from Sanchez and seeing that he had none, pistol whipped him causing a deep laceration to the forehead. Sanchez's wife was inside the house and when she saw the incident, she reportedly ran outside to help, but the men pointed their guns on her. Sanchez then reportedly began blowing the vehicle's horn to alert the neighbors, scaring the robbers away. LOVE FM Youth activist arrested; claims police brutality Justin Usher was arrested on Saturday night after allegedly punching a woman police officer. A video shows Usher being arrested while in front of BTL Park in Belize City. According to Usher, he was at a popular establishment where an altercation ensued over his hat. He says that he was physically assaulted by two police [�] Breaking Belize News Police issue report on Pen Road quadruple shooting On Sunday evening around 3:05, acting upon information, police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital [�] Justin Usher charged for assaulting a police officer On Saturday, Woman Police Constable Crystal Noralez, attached to Eastern Police Division North Strike Team, [�] Skeletal remains found in southern Belize On Sunday morning around 9:00, Dangriga police visited an area on the Coastal Road approximately [�] Police officer charged for kept firearm without a gun license On Saturday morning shortly before 4:00, while police were performing duties at the Element night [�] Julius Espat responds to GOB over Public Accounts Committee meeting Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Julius Espat, issued a release today to clarify [�] Anti-corruption education and awareness to be held in Belize The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs [�] Vehicular traffic using Iguana Creek bridge The Iguana Creek bridge, up to this morning, still had 6-8 inches of water over the bridge. Despite this, vehicular traffic is still using the bridge to get to Spanish Lookout. Video of drunk officer lands him in trouble A video has been circulating on social media showing a police officer in uniform allegedly drunk in front of a business establishment in Belmopan City. The incident occurred on Saturday night and the officer can be seen stumbling and leaning up against a car to stand. Blogs 14th Annual SAGA Humane Society Throws a Killer Halloween Party at the Famous Palapa Bar Yesterday I attended the HUGE Halloween Fundraiser for the SAGA Humane Society at the Palapa Bar. It was their 14th Annual Party and jam PACKED with animals and children. ALL IN COSTUMES�all moving about�a huge crowd. It's one of my toughest "assignments" of the year. Over half of the photos are more like smudges or smears - this is action photography! So bear with me� Luckily it was an absolutely GORGEOUS afternoon for a party at a beautiful spot. The Palapa Bar and SAGA Humane Society did an amazing job decorating the space, gathering tons of donated prizes and auction items and keeping the crowd well fed and watered. Ten Mayan Ruin's to Visit Belize For almost 3000 years, the ancient Maya civilization flourished in Belize, building towering temples as tribute to their god-like rulers. The remains of these once-mighty city-states are scattered throughout the country and are prime for exploration. Xunantunich Set on a leveled hilltop, Xunantunich (shoo-nahn-too-neech) is one of Belize's most easily accessible and impressive Maya archaeological sites. Getting here is half the fun with a free hand-cranked cable ferry taking you (and vehicles) across the Mopan River. Xunantunich may have been occupied as early as 1000 BC but it was little more than a village. The large architecture that we see today began to be built in the 7th century AD. International Sources UNCW professor deploys drones to observe eagles in Belize A UNCW ornithologist has been working with drones to try to observe harpy eagles in the rain forests of Belize. An ornithologist at UNCW has been using drones to study the threatened harpy eagle in the rain forests of Central America. "In remote areas like the mountains of Belize, you can't just hike in there every day," said James Rotenberg, associate professor of environmental studies at UNCW. Unlike commercial satellite photos, which have a resolution up to 30 feet, drones can catch details down to a matter of centimeters. "You can identify individual trees," Rotenberg said. Videos Belize 2017, 6min. BELIZE part 4- CAVES by Viktor Popov 2017, 6min. On the last day of out trip in BELIZE we went on All day excursion to big cave system where we hiked thru jungle, jumped of clifs,floated on tubes,saw bats, lots of untouched staloctites and stalogmites formations, got stung by fire ants and giant mosquitoes,fell on our asses many times in slippery mud,but we survived. PUP CITY COUNCILOR CANDIDATE JUSTIN USHER ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING POLICE, 1min. The actual video footage of PUP want to be city councilor candidate Justin Usher being arrested for assaulting a Police officer has surfaced. In the Video Usher appears belligerent and under the influence as he violently screams and cries living eye water while being taken into custody by Belize City Police. National Song Competition 2017 - Courtney Briceno - Beauty of Belize, 3.5min. The PUP Corozal Town Council candidates provided health support to residents of the town, 6min. The PUP Corozal Town Council candidates provided health support to residents of the town with a health fair on Sunday, focused on tackling child malnutrition. We stopped in to find how it Another aspect of the health fair was the provision of physical therapy examinations for the disabled and senior citizens. Proof of police brutality here in independence, People take a look at the video when police arrested my family member in Bella Vista..then instead of taking him to independence police station they took him up the road to happy ranch ...jealous police officer Birthday Flyboarding in Belize, .5min. San Pedro Flyboarding with Eric the trainer. I can't swim one bit, but this was a bucket list item he made so enjoyable. All I wanted to do was get airborne a little. Belize 2017- Vacation, 4.5min. The week at SunsetBeach condo on Ambergris Caye and time on the mainland Belize. Maya Mountain Meditations - Peaceful Sounds from Belize Vol. 2, 10min. Sunrise at Maya Mountain Lodge in San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize BELIZE 2016, 3.5min. Compilation of my trip to Belize back in 2016 Go Slow at Caye Caulker, Belize, 1min. Diving, snorkeling or just chilling next to the ocean are the main activities at Caye Caulker in Belize. The locals literally live with the go slow philosophy.