Today's Belize News: November 30, 2017

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Today's Belize News: November 30, 2017 #527396 11/30/17 07:04 AM 11/30/17 07:04 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,548 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	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 Cruise Tourism info at your fingertips with BTB app Belize’s cruise tourism operators can now have real-time notifications and access to all the information about their industry: ship calls, passenger arrivals, and all other statistics – past, present and future, at their fingertips with a new, free BTB Cruise App, which they can download to their smartphone or tablet from the Google Play store or Apple store. The Belize Tourism Board launched the new app at BTB headquarters in Belize City on Monday, November 27, and BTB’s director of Cruise and Destination Planning Noriko Gamero explained how it works. San Pedro House of Culture hosts a Belizean Art Exhibition In the 2017 Copa San Pedro quarter-finals battle, only four teams managed to claim a coveted spot in the semifinals playoffs. The top eight teams participated in four decisive matches that took place this past weekend. The first two matches of the quarterfinals were played on Friday, November 24th, starting at 7PM, Jokers F.C. went up against United F.C, in a tight match that ended in a 3-3 point draw. The second match was a clear 7-2 point victory for Terror Squad who decisively defeated Assassin’s F.C. The first round of semifinals begins on Thursday, November 30th starting at 7PM, with Jokers F.C taking on Legends F.C, followed by Sandy Point facing Terror Squad. The second round will be played on Sunday, December 3rd. At 5PM, Terror Squad will face Sandy Point, followed by Legends F.C against the Jokers F.C. Everyone is invited to come out to the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town, to support their favorite team. San Pedro House of Culture hosts a Belizean Art Exhibition The San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC) held an Art Exhibition on Friday, November 24th featuring pieces from local artists. The various paintings portrayed Belizeans beaches, forests, animals and even cultural scenes. Attendee’s feasted their eyes on authentic Belizean art pieces while enjoying delicious appetizers and refreshing drinks. Six Belizean artists filled the SPHC display room with colorful, dramatic and bold masterpieces. The artist’s featured included, Edwardo “Papo” Alamilla, Alfredo Kinisha Trejo from San Pedro Town, Jeovan Chacon, Edgar Gomez, Stephanie Perez from Corozal Town, and Manuel Rosales from Cayo District. All of the exhibit pieces are available for purchase, with values as low as $800 and as high as $5,000. “We hope that this exhibit showcases some of the many talented Belizeans artists,” said Director of the SPHC Mito Paz. Ambergris Today Government Of El Salvador Awards Former Ambassador Of Belize On Tuesday, November 7, 2017, The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugo Martínez, awarded the former Ambassador of Belize in El Salvador, Her Excellency Mrs. Celie Paz Marín, on behalf of the President of the Republic of El Salvador, Salvador Sánchez Cerén. Celi was awarded with “La Orden Nacional "José Matías Delgado" en el Grado de Gran Cruz Placa de Plata”, a recognition given to her for her great contribution in strengthening bilateral, political and cooperation relations between Belize and El Salvador. "I receive this recognition with great pride and as a sign of the work done on behalf of our peoples," stated Celi. She expressed her sincere gratitude towards the Government of El Salvador for all their support in developing a healthy relationship between the two countries. Meet Eric Najarro The New Administrator At The Dr. Otto Rodriguez Polyclinic II The Dr. Otto Rodriguez Polyclinic has a new administrator and he is 26 year old Eric Najarro. Mr. Najarro was born in San Pedro at the former Lions Clinic (now Polyclinic), his family left the island after Hurricane Keith and he is now back in his home town as the new administrator of the polyclinic. As a recent graduate of the University of Belize, Mr. Najarro is excited to be working at the poly clinic and one of his first priorities is to work on the maintenance of the building. “First thing I want to address is the maintenance of the building as it needs some upkeep so as to have better working environment for both the employees and patients,” stated Najarro. Misc Belizean Sources Crocodile attacks in Belize rare During our outreach events, we get a lot of questions or concerns in regards to croc attacks here in Belize. Many people think the American and Morelet's crocs we have here in Belize are similar to the Nile croc and Australian Saltwater crocs in aggression and attacks (due to the sensationalization of many nature shows on TV). Well since you hear the facts from us so much, we thought we bring in one of the experts of croc attacks to provide their knowledge on the subject.... FCD's Annual General Meeting The Chiquibul Forest represents 7.7% of our national territory. Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) manages this protected area and helps protect it from incursions from Guatemala. There is little that is as important than our national sovereignty...without protecting and securing our borders we have no country. Come out this Sunday at 2pm to the San Ignacio Hotel to learn more about FCD and how you might help. Dr. D's Clinic on Caye Caulker gets an Automated External Defibrillator Dr. D's Clinic is delighted to inform you that it received an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), as donation for the Community of Caye Caulker, through the clinic. The AED was kindly donated by Mr.& Mrs Lee from Sports Bar and Grill. This generous act will surely improve our health care services and help save more lives! On behalf of the people of Caye Caulker and ourselves here at Dr. D's Clinic, we would like to say a very heartfelt thank you to them. THANK YOU......Mr.&Mrs Lee!!! Coast Guard 5th Annual Best Warrior Competition The Belize Coast Guard is currently holding its fifth annual Best Warrior competition from 28-30 November 2017. The competition will include six events over three days and will incorporate the CG PFT, 2 mile ocean swim, swim-run-O course, CG medley, march and shoot competition, and a cross fit competition. The competition is open to all three branches of the security forces including the Police, BDF and the Coast Guard however there was no participation from the BPD. It is expected that each branch will furnish at least two teams from their specialized or regular units. Each team will consist of eight members BAY Art Fest 2017 Pictures from the Belmopan Active Youths Art Fest. "Talented local artists! Huge thanks to all our sponsors: Belmopan City Council, Development Finance Corporation, Buca Services, Belize Telemedia Limited, Formosa Belize, Twin Palms Bed & Breakfast, Banana Bank Lodge & Belize Horseback Adventures, A+ Computer Solutions, Institute of Archaeology (NICH) Belize, The Orange Gallery, Visuals by GlennPatrick, and Kelston Jacobs Photography" October 2017 External Trade, CPI & 3rd Quarter 2017 GDP During the month of October 2017 the All-Items Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 104.6, an increase from the CPI of 103.6 recorded in October of 2016. For the month of October 2017, Belize imported goods valuing $168.8 million. This represented a 14 percent or $20.7 million increase from the same month in 2016, when imports totalled just over $148 million. The total value of Belize’s domestic exports for the month of October 2017 was $37.1 million, up 66.4 percent or $14.8 million from the $22.3 million recorded for October 2016. SP Dance Academy Presents "The Nativity" This Sunday, 7:30PM at the Lions Den! Don't miss it!!! The Closing of the 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season Thursday 30th November marks the closing of the 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was forecasted to be above average and above average it was. A total of 17 named storms formed, of these seventeen storms, ten (10) became hurricanes and six (6) reached major hurricane status - category three (3) or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The two (2) strongest storms of the season were Hurricanes Irma and Maria with winds of 185 mph and 175 mph and minimum central pressure of 914 and 908 millibars, respectively. The table below summarizes the 2017 Hurricane Season and compares this season’s activity against the 2016 season and that of the 30-year average. The Right to Health The Ministry of Health is happy to once again partner with other Ministries, NGOs and business agencies to commemorate World Aids Day this Friday, December 1st. We are celebrating this year under the theme, The Right to Health. District activities start yesterday. Today we are in Corozal and the Belize District. Get Tested today, know now, live longer. BELRAIDE LOOKING FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT DIRECTOR A vacancy exists at BELTRAIDE for the post of Executive Director. Suitable candidates are encouraged to apply no later than December 15, 2017. TV donated to Hope Haven Mayor Daniel Guerrero, on behalf of the San Pedro Town Council and the people of San Pedro Town, presented Hope Haven - Belize with a Smart Television set - perfect for movie nights with the kids! SJC History Club hosts visit with Cuban Ambassador Today the SJC History Club hosted an encounter with Cuban Ambassador to Belize Lissette Perez Perez. As part of the visit a special screening of the short film Ode To The Revolution by Roberto Chile was shown. This special visit comes at the 1st Anniversary of the passing of Fidel Castro. After the film, our students shared their questions and comments with the Ambassador. Rowan made it to the final round! You can vote for Ro to be the CTO's Caribbean Ambassador of the Year by following the link below. http://caribambassadors.pgtb.me/Mt4j4D/ngpsw#&gid=1&pid=1 Rotary Club of Belize Annual Truck Raffle It’s time to buy a ticket or two and support a great cause. OUR winner doesn’t only get a truck, he or she will also get one year comprehensive insurance from RF&G Insurance along with oil from Mobile (sufficient for 4 oil changes). Please look out for more post with specs on this year’s truck and ticket sellers in each district. There are a number of consolation prizes we will be announcing as the drawing day nears and there is an upgrade option for our winner as well. Today might just be your lucky day, get your ticket while supplies last Corozal Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony On behalf of his worship Mayor Hilbero Campos and the Corozal Town Council, we invite one and all to the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony this Saturday December 2, at 6pm in front of Town Hall. Enjoy the beautiful lights at Central Park, presentations on stage and more!! St. Francis Xavier Parish Fair 2017 Saturday, December 2nd starting at 4:00 p.m. This will be FUN!!! Attention to all Corozal Tourism stakeholders The Belize Tourism Industry Association is cordially inviting you to our 32nd Annual General Meeting to be held on December 7, 2017. Key items on the agenda will include the following: -ED Yearly Report -Presentation on 2018 Birding Festival - 2018/2019 Destination Belize Presentation Brunch -Elections of 1st Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer BELTRAIDE Hackaton CJC created a platform called YouTility for the BELTRAIDE Hackaton. The winner will be announced today, November 30th, 2017 at the EntreCon. Let us wish our team all the best. Power outage scheduled for portion of Cayo District on Thursday, November 30 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Affecting Unitedville to Arenal including Santa Elena, San Ignacio, Benque Viejo and surrounding villages. BEL to install jumpers on structure at San Ignacio Substation. BTIA Go Green Highway Clean Up The Cayo BTIA is having their first Highway Clean Up Campaign this Saturday morning. They'll clean from Kontiki to Benque, and are asking for help with the cleaning up. The Cayo BTIA's focus on Sustainable Tourism is commendable. "THE BELIZE TOURISM INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION CAYO CHAPTER in conjunction with its members proudly invites you to its FIRST GO GREEN HIGHWAY CLEAN UP! We are meeting at the Kontiki Gas Station where we will be distributing garbage bags, gloves, and drinking water to all teams and individuals participating. So far we have BLACK ROCK LODGE, THE LODGE AT CHAA CREEK, KA'ANA BOUTIQUE RESORT confirmed to participate with their individual teams. BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of Nov. 20th - Nov. 26th, 2017 A nice week with family and friends. The lodge has been close to full this week with lots of folks coming to Belize to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday in the Caribbean. The weather has been beautiful, and the bonefish have been hungry. Juan, one of our favorite guests, came down with the Orvis BBB group and managed to land a total of fifty-eight bonefish. Good job Juan! Coconut Drive closing Dec. 1 in San Pedro Please be advised that this Friday, December 1st, Coconut Drive from Island City Supermarket to the Manta Ray junction will be closed to ALL vehicles and bicycles from 2pm till 10pm.. Please follow the diversion by using Manta Ray street. Thank you for your co-operation Channel 7 UDP's 90 Million Dollar Nightmare - Will They Pay? The UDP Government won't pay the Belize Bank 90.6 million dollars. That's not the officially stated position, but it's the only conclusion anyone could reach after listening to today's press conference by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Before a room full of Cabinet ministers and senators along with leading party personalities, The Prime Minister said it would be all up to parliament - who he made clear would be completely justified in voting against paying what he called an immoral debt. The PM said he took one week to speak on the judgement because he wanted legal and Cabinet advice: Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow- Prime Minister: "Now we are confronted by this thunderbolt of a loss coming from the CCJ, the most unkind cut of all. The short question is what happens now? I have kept personal silence since last Wednesday; I didn't want to speak until I had carefully considered all the ramifications, done my own research and sought legal advice. The first point to make is that while the bank won the case the CCJ refused to make the particular order or one particular order that the bank sought. Opposition Leader Says UDP Must Pay: "You Break It, You Buy It" The Press conference lasted almost two hours - and we'll have much more from it coming up - especially regarding the issue of the interest which will start to compound in the next few weeks. But, first to the PUP. They held their parliamentary caucus today at party leader John BriceÃ±o's office suite in the Charter House Building. It finished an hour ago and the press spoke to the party leader who said that they didn't take a decision on how they would vote - instead they discussed the facts of the case:... Hon. John Briceno - Leader of the Opposition: "We are not at the point of making a decision as to whether it is going to be a yes or a no or whatever. It is important for us to be able to get the facts." Will UDP Leave Interest To Keep Compounding? And while the Opposition Leader won't say how he plans to vote - neither did the Prime Minister - although you can clearly catch his drift. But, they're in very different positions. As The Minister of Finance, PM Barrow has the duty to take the motion to the house to request payment. And, as Prime Minister he has a duty to manage the country's affairs judiciously. So, what can be said to justify simply not paying a debt on which interest is compounding monthly? The PM says that it can run to a billion dollars - they just can't do anything without Parliament's approval:.. The "Irresponsibility" Issue We pressed the Prime Minister on that point of whether it is responsible to move forward into the future with an ever growing debt:... Jules Vasquez - Reporter: "If you could speak more specifically about the concept of irresponsibility, that it is irresponsible to leave a debt hemorrhaging and accumulating interest. Inevitably, the bank, operating as all banks do, must eventually get their pound of flesh. There is a debt and at some point it must be paid; it is owed." PM Ready To Go To "Da Bak" With His Bad Back Bur instead of laurel wreaths - the Belize Bank would want to see the Prime Minister in bangles - and we're not talking about "escalavas" - we mean handcuffs! The Bank's position is that if the Minister of Finance does not pay - the Bank would then commence proceedings in the court for his imprisonment. Now, once the Minister of Finance does his duty to take it to the House, it can be argued that he's done his job and he cannot be jailed. But, the PM conceded that the Bank may come up with other angles to appeal:.. Chamber Tells GOB It Must Honor the Debt And while the PM SAYS he is ready to go to Hattieville with his bad back and all, we'll take that with a grain of salt. But the Chamber of Commerce says that what cannot be taken with a grain - or a sack of salt - is government running away from a debt that the highest court in the land has upheld. The Chamber issued a statement today saying it, quote, "condemns in the strongest possible terms both the previous People's United Party (PUP) administration and the incumbent United Democratic Party (UDP) government for their respective roles in burdening taxpayers with a debt which the government has allowed to snowball to $90 million." Hon. Hulse Reminds the Chamber of its 2007 Hardline And while the Chamber complains that it has, quote, "witnessed one government granting secret accommodations and concessions to one investor, followed by another government spending the majority of its time in office in costly litigation with that investor. Meanwhile, the private sector, the average Belizean worker and consumers, continue to pay the resulting awards while struggling to survive in a stagnant economy." End quote. But former chamber president now UDP Senator Godwin Hulse today reminded the Chamber of the very very hard line it took in 2007 when the UHS scandal was brewing:.. Hulse Says Privy Council Judgement Shows GOB Took Out "No Loan" Today, Hulse who was at the Chamber at the time and Dr. Carla Barnett who was the Financial secretary at the time - both spoke about the chaotic situation produced by the secret loan note signed by then Prime Minister Said Musa. That eventually went to the Privy Council - in a suit by Hulse and the association of concerned Belizeans. Now, the conventional wisdom is that the court upheld the legality of the loan note. But Hulse said that the court established there was no loan. Man Found Decapitated In Cotton Tree Tonight, Belmopan police are investigating a shocking murder by decapitation which happened in Cayo South. The victim has been identified as 56 year-old Hilton Wayne Wade, a homeless man who living in an unfinished cement house in Cotton Tree Village. It was an unbelievably violent murder; Wade's head was cut off and left at a bus shed less than a mile away from his current home. The cops later found the rest of his body behind that house. Our news team has been Cayo trying to get some answers, and Daniel Ortiz has that story: Economy Showing Sluggish Growth The Statistical Institute has released the economic figures for the 3rd quarter - that is, from July to September. There has been very minimal growth. We start off with the Gross Domestic Product. For this period, there has been a marginal 0.5% growth compared to the same period last year which documented a 1.2% decrease. Here is Statistician Angelita Campbell with the breakdown. Now that slight increase in GDP has to do with good performance in the tertiary industries including tourism, transportation, communication among other categories. But the same can't be said for the primary and secondary sectors. there were notable decreases in both. For the primary sector, there was a major decline in fishing while in the secondary industry - the production of beverages including beers and softdrinks declined. Here are more details. Food Prices Down, Inflation Inches Up Moving on to the Consumer Price Index - based on the statistics, food prices have gone down for this 3rd quarter while rent and of course, transportation has driven the inflation rate up. Statistician Jacqueline Sabal tells us more. Jacqueline Sabal - Statistician: "The Inflation Rate for the month of October 2017 stood at 0.9 percent, meaning that on average prices were 0.9 percent higher than they were in October 2016. If we look at the major categories affecting the inflation rate then we must consider the food and non-alcoholic beverages category which decrease by 0.8 percent. The housing water, electricity, gas and other fuels category which recorded a 0.9 percent increase as well as transport which increase by 7.8 percent." Former Immig. Director Lashes Out - Will Not Be Fall Girl Today in Belmopan, Maria Marin, the former Acting Director of Immigration, was called once again to testify before the Senate Select Committee in their Hearings on Immigration. Now, as viewers are aware, she was one of the first witnesses who testified earlier this year when the Senate Hearings began. Over the course of the 40 sessions, all sorts of illegal acts in that Department have been carefully examined and digested by the Senators, and you the viewers. The narrative has been slowly been shifting as the Senators keep trying to find out who in authority was responsible for the serial irregularities found by the Auditor General. Fingers have generally been pointing at the office of the Director of Immigration, and its various occupants. Revealing the "Visa Express Line" And over the 41 sessions of the Senate Hearings, the debate over the potentially corrupting influence of UDP politicians in the Department has been repeating over and over, sort of like a scratched CD. Well today, it came up again, when Marin revealed that there was a special visa express line for applicants being recommended by UDP ministers and caretakers. Marin suggested that it was put in place after everyone observed that she was being strict in the enforcement all application procedures. She first mentioned it in her prepared presentation, and so the Senate asked her about it: Hon. Elena Smith, Senator: "You state that the application - you said and you quote 'all applications supported by ministers. Caretakers would come to the ministry for initial vetting and the ministry will then hand over to the director of immigration under confidential cover.' Could you expound on that please?" PM says Belize Bank Behaviour Will Not Dissuade Investors Our first segment was all about the 90.6 million dollars that the government of Belize owes the Belize Bank. You heard Senator Godwin Hulse say that - according to the Privy Council - there was no loan. But that's the kind of shading of meaning about a court's judgement that may put off investors. So will this episode dampen the investment climate? The Prime Minister says anyone who knows the facts will not be dissuaded: Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister: "Any such persons who is a potential investor, if that person will say well I have reservations about coming to a country and investing unless I can be sure that even if I make a corrupt deal - you see what's happening in Brazil, all over the world - if I make a corrupt deal and somehow I get a court to justify it, I will be discourage because I know I run the risk that the government or a succeeding administration will not honor a corrupt deal. Anybody who things like that, they are welcome not to come and invest in Belize." Defense Minister: Lt. Col. Roches Matter Will Be Dealt With By Commander And, also at today's press conference we got a chance to ask the Minister of Defense John Saldivar about the status of Lieutenant Colonel Charlton Roches. He's the subject of an audio genera;'s report about a contract awarded to his private for services related to the same job he was doing for the BDF. The suggestion is that his private company Belize Jungle Experience was running a parallel operation for the BDF's international training program. The auditor noted a number of irregularities with transactions relating to that company. Today Saldivar said that it's up to the commander:.. PM Not Worried About Moving Goalposts on Guate Referendum We also got a chance to ask the Prime Minister about the planned ICJ referendum in Guatemala. The date has been moved at least three times now and is now set for mid-April. Now, the uncertainty about this date - and the troubled history of this much delayed referendum - has some seasoned Guatemala watchers speculating that it could mean no referendum at all. Today the Prime Minister conceded that it is a fluid situation:... Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister: "I don't know how the postponement of the date of the referendum in Guatemala would have the effect that you raised. It strikes me that things are uncertain in Guatemala. We read the news every day. Things are very fluid and in that kind of a context, in that sort of an atmosphere, wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that there would be still yet another change." Repeat Molestor Back To Court Repeat child molester John Leslie is currently in jail serving a 5 year sentence for the sexual assault of a 5 year old girl. And Today Leslie was taken before Magistrate Michelle Trapp for another sex crime against a child - this time an 11 year old girl. The incident occurred in July 2016 at a house on Santa Rita Road in Lord's Bank Village. The child went to the Ladyville Police Station, accompanied by her mother, and reported that Leslie had sex with her. Today in court, the Magistrate didn't take a plea because the offence is indictable. His case was adjourned until January 16. Reaping The Reward Of Her Investment With Goodwill Dividend Last week Friday we told you about American Philanthropist Amy Guliano who came all the way from Hawaii to work with some of Belize's at-risk youths and today got to see the result of all that mentoring. Kevin Faber who she worked with is now on his way to opening up his very own barbershop - thanks to her investment. Today we spoke to both of them about the accomplishment. Kevin Faber, Owner of Fresh Cuts Barber Shop: "Well it will have two seats for me and my nephew for the start." "I have been cutting hair. I just never really legit." Sahar Vasquez, reporter: "So now you have a legitimate business for you. How do you feel about that?" Kevin Faber: "Grateful." Swift Hall Over All Saint Martin's De Porres School is home to a new hall with a brand new basketball court. The construction recently finished and the school community is now using the court for games and events. Today 7news was there to see the new court and find out more about its name and use. Father Matthew Rule, Pastor Of St. Martin De Porres: "Well it is open to the school the church, the neighborhood, and the larger public. It is open to basketball, events, and whatever you can put into a building this size that is what it is open for." "Everybody is enjoying it. The students, the neighborhood people, the big basketball player. Everybody enjoying it thank goodness." "Carl Swift is a Belizean Jesuit. He worked as an educator in this City for 35 years and he was one of the members here at St. Martins De Porres so when we were looking for a name that was just a really obvious choice." Where The Streets Have A New Name Taiwan has done a whole lot for Belize and in a gesture of gratitude, The Belize City Council today gave them "Taiwan Street." It's a renaming of North Park Street - which is where the Taiwanese Embassy is. The gesture may seem small but to the Taiwanese Embassy, it is a welcome show of appreciation and acknowledgement. We spoke to the Taiwanese Ambassador and Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington: Ambassador Charles Liu, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize: "Taiwan and Belize. We have a strong bond so we wanted to be a permanent monument to be established in Belize City. We wanted something physical to symbolize the friendship so that is why we cooperated with the city council and then we thought naming the street Taiwan Street would be a good idea. When people come in from Taiwan and other parts of the world people always like to say that this is a very beautiful street and now when they take the photo they will see that this is Taiwan Street in Belize City, Belize. Then they will be making it more famous for more tourists to come not only to Taiwan but also to Belize." Ministers Endorse Their FFB Presidential Picks The Football Federation of Belize is having its long delayed election for a new president coming up this weekend. Today we asked two UDP Ministers who they are backing. Michael Finnegan is a lifetime fan of football, and John Saldivar is a club owner. Here's what they said:... Jules Vasquez, reporter: "You are you riding with in the FFB Election?" Hon. Michael Finnegan - UDP Mesopotamia: "I'm not riding with anyone Jules, but I would want to believe and I would hope I should say that the people who will be voting, it's this Saturday. The people will be voting Saturday and will make correct decision and I honestly in my heart believe that Mr. Fabro and Mr. Sharp are a cut from a clean and immaculate and almost impeccable cloth and I would wish them all success."

Re: Today's Belize News: November 30, 2017 [Re: Marty] #527397 11/30/17 07:05 AM 11/30/17 07:05 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,548 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	Channel 5 Belize Bank Has 3 Weeks to Serve U.H.S. Judgment, Goes to House Next Prime Minister Dean Barrow finally broke his silence today exactly one week after the Caribbean Court of Justice delivered a ruling in which it granted leave to the Belize Bank [...] C.C.J. Cannot Compel Bill Authorizing Payment to Pass The Prime Minister is duty-bound to table a proposal in the House of Representatives at its next sitting requesting the appropriation of that eight-figure sum from the Consolidated Revenue Fund [...] P.M. Says ‘Extremely High Risk’ That Payment Will Not Go Through According to the PM, the mandate of the CCJ does not extend to parliament so it can be struck down by a majority vote. In this case, he says the [...] The People’s House Has Final Say; Cannot Be Challenged With most ministers already saying no, the PM says that a conscience vote will end with U.D.P. parliamentarians voting against the bill. In this instance, interest will admittedly continue to [...] P.M. Says Disappointment with the C.C.J. Does Not Extend to Bias or Corruption Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has gone on record to chide the CCJ, after losing an appeal in respect of a private land dispute involving Progresso Heights. He soundly criticized the [...] Parliament Would Not Be ‘Irresponsible’ with Debt Decision Until the UHS debt is settled, the outstanding balance continues to accrue interest at a rate of seventeen percent monthly. Is government’s refusal to pay the debt an act of [...] Belize Bank ‘Does Not Concur’ This afternoon, the Belize Bank issued a brief release in response to the Prime Minister’s statements. It reads: “The Belize Bank does not concur with the views expressed by the [...] Conscience is Cop-Out, Says P.U.P. – Step Up or Step Down The People’s United Party held a parliamentary caucus this evening, a meeting which lasted for the better part of two hours. Despite the lengthy discussion on the UHS debt and [...] U.D.P. Must ‘Fix’ the Problem There’s a possibility that the People’s United Party may return to power in 2020, and with the UHS debt being kicked around like the political football it has since become, [...] Murder in Cotton Tree: Man is Beheaded Beheadings are rare in Belize, but early this morning a gruesome discovery was made near the Harmony community on the George Price Highway. The head of a man was found [...] Ex-Immigration Director Returns; Says Bosses Failed to Fully Support Reform The Prime Ministerial press conference delayed today’s Senate Special Select Committee hearing in Belmopan. The sole witness was former Acting Director of the Immigration Department, Maria Marin, who served in [...] Ministry Wanted Control of Visa Vetting to Satisfy Ministers Marin noted that despite the original desires expressed by Minister Godwin Hulse and then-C.E.O. Candelaria Saldivar-Morter to support a clean-up in the department, they clashed immediately over the approval of [...] Directive by Immigration Minister ‘abnormal’ Accompanied by attorney Darrell Bradley, Marin then answered questions from the reduced panel of senators led by Pro-tem chair Mark Lizarraga. She confirmed that the process for visa applications with [...] Modest Economic Growth in Third Quarter; Hotel Accommodations Down The Gross Domestic Product grew by zero point five percent for the last quarter. According to the Statistic Institute of Belize, this is on par with last year’s growth for [...] B.T.L. Must Answer to ‘Color Blind’ Contract Color Blind – it’s a media production company created by Audrey Wallace, in which she is majority shareholder. She also currently holds the post of chief executive officer in the [...] U.S. Embassy and Local Partners Target Gender-Based Violence, Trafficking in Persons The US Embassy, through the Central American Regional Security Initiative, is funding a project in several communities to tackle the pervasive issues of gender based violence and human trafficking. The [...] St. Martin’s Builds ‘Swift Hall’ Saint Martin De Porres Parish officially opened its new Parish Hall that will serve many different purposes including a sporting gym and event complex. Construction started over a year ago [...] Reward to Find Missing Hubert Richards, 83 The Richards family is offering a one thousand five hundred-dollar reward to anyone who can help locate eighty-three-year-old Hubert Richards. He has been missing for almost two weeks now and [...] CTV3 Will The Barrow Administration Honor CCJ Ruling And Pay Belize Bank? What will the Barrow Administration do about the $89 million which the Caribbean Court of Justice has ruled them to be liable towards the Belize Bank, for a $35 million loan guarantee payment they refused to honour upon taking office in 2008? After holding his silence for almost an entire week, today Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dean Barrow, called a press conference to speak on the ruling and announce what direction the Government will take. As you might have expected, the PM put on his lawyer cloak and began to set the stage as to why he will leave it up to the House of Representatives to decide. What Will Be The Belize Banks Next Move? Would Belize Bank seek an order to jail the Prime Minister for non-compliance with the CCJ’s order? Seven days ago, following the announcement of the CCJ judges’ ruling, attorney for the Belize Bank Eamon Courtenay made it clear that while that is the last resort, it is an option for his clients. Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Belize Bank: “First we will ask the registrar to issue a certificate in the amount that is due on the Award, after that amount is due we will serve it to the Financial Secretary and he will be required to pay it, if he does not pay it then we would commence proceedings in the court for his imprisonment...” PUP Says 90 Million Dollars Payment Is Borrow's Headache. The PUP’s Parliamentary Caucus met this evening to discuss the CCJ ruling and events leading up to today’s press conference. Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceno shared whether the PUP was prepared to respond to the matter of the UHS ruling. Honourable John Briceno - Opposition Leader: “We are not at the point of making a decision as to whether it is going to be a yes or a no or whatever it is important for us to get the fact for us to get a proper understanding as to what has been taking place under the Barrow administration, what we know for a fact is that the Barrow administration has been litigating from day one and every case he has taken up he has lost and he has cost this country millions and millions of dollars....” Hurricane Season About To End. Tomorrow November 30 officially marks the end of the 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane season. As anticipated by weather forecasters, this year’s Hurricane season was estimated to be above average, and at the start, seventeen named storms were predicted. Of the seventeen, ten became hurricanes with six of them reaching major hurricane status ranging from a category 3 or higher. The major factors contributing to the above-normal activity included a fall in vertical wind shear and the presence of above-normal Sea Surface Temperatures in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. Another key element was the transition from a neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) pattern at the beginning of the hurricane season to a weak La Niña by the end of the season. LOVE FM Parliament to Vote on UHS Debt Will the Government pay Belize Bank the ninety million dollars UHS debt as ordered by the Caribbean Court of Justice? We thought we would have a definitive answer for you tonight, but the answer to that question will be known at the next Sitting of the House of Representatives. That’s because all 31 parliamentarians must […] Will Belize Bank get their Money? In its most recent press release, the Belize Bank Limited stated that it looks forward to the Government settling its ninety point six million dollar debt after quote, “unnecessary litigation to recover the funds, which at the end of the day were lent from funds deposited with the Belize Bank by Belizean depositors.” End of […] How will Government’s Decision Affect Belize? In its ruling the Caribbean Court of Justice, stated that it also reinforced the need to uphold treaty obligations noting that they are quote, “an important factor for foreign investment and economic development has given the advantages of predictability, certainty, and reliability of the global network of arbitration arrangements.” End of quote. So when Prime […] Will PUP Vote “Yes” or “No” on UHS Debt? The People’s United Party met today to discuss the UHS debt. The meeting was held in Belize City and ended a few minutes before news time. During the press conference this morning, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that the PUP met with Michael Ashcroft to decide if they will vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ with regards […] Man found Decapitated in Cotton Tree Village Another homicide investigation has been opened as police try to piece together the death of Hilton Wade, whose head had been severed and separated from his body. The elderly man’s head was found at a makeshift wooden bushed at a junction between Harmonyville and Cotton Tree Village. His body was then found at an unfinished […] Consumer Prices up 0.9% in October 2017 For the month of October, consumer prices went up by point nine percent due to a rise in transportation. The Statistical Institute of Belize’s latest figures show that for the first nine months of 2017, an inflation rate of one point two percent was recorded. This morning the Statistical Institute of Belize revealed the latest […] Imports Up 14%, Domestic Exports Up 66.4% The Statistical Institute of Belize says that Belize’s imports for the month of October are valued at one hundred and sixty-eight point eight million dollars, an increase of fourteen percent or twenty point seven million dollars when compared to October 2016. Tiffany Vasquez, Statistician II of the Statistical Institute of Belize, tells us more. […] Former Acting Director reappears before the Senate Today the Senate hearing was delayed due to the Prime Minister’s press conference held in the morning. When it resumed, Former Acting Director of Immigration, Maria Marin returned to testify. Before the Senators questioned her, however, she gave a statement in which she outlined her time in office starting from February 25, 2013, to April […] North Park Street rename Taiwan Street North Park Street has been renamed Taiwan Street by the Belize City Council as a gesture to show Belize’s appreciation for Taiwan’s generosity to Belize. Taiwan has given a lot Belize including offering scholarships to Belizean students to study in Taiwan, donating two helicopters, donating two hundred and twenty-two thousand US dollars to health in […] One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars Reward for Information on Hubert Richards A reward of one thousand five hundred dollars is being offered for information leading to the return of 83-year-old Hubert Richards. The family is holding on to hope that he will be found alive. This afternoon, the family held a press briefing to plead with the public for help. Kenesha Richards “The family of Mr. […] Breaking Belize News Belize exports up by 13.2% while imports up by 14% in 2017 For the second month since the drastic drop in exports recorded in August, Belize’s exports […] Belize Bank responds to PM Barrow’s Press Conference Only hours after Prime Minister Dean Barrow held a press conference to discuss GOB’s position […] Cost of living in Belize up for 10 straight months Belizeans have had to endure increased cost of living for ten straight months, according to […] Police removes gun and ammo from Belize City streets Yesterday morning around 10:30, police conducted searches in Boots Crescent area, Belize City where they found […] Police issues official report on human head found in Cotton Tree This morning around 6:10, Belmopan Police received information of a decapitated human head at a bus […] 2017 Atlantic basin hurricane season closes Tomorrow, Thursday 30th November marks the closing of the 2017 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season. The 2017 […] Barrow plays the waiting game Prime Minister Dean Barrow held an almost two hour press conference today to say that […] Elderly woman needs blood transfusion before 3 pm The family of Cotton Tree resident, Eluvina Rivera, is asking for your support in getting […] Chamber slams PUP and UDP over UHS ruling The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), in a release issues this morning, condemned […] Cabinet agrees to vote ‘No’ to UHS payment Following Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s return to the country on Monday, Cabinet met in Belmopan […] Police identify head found this morning BBN has received more details surrounding the discovery of a head out west this morning. The […] Child from Santa Elena Town missing The family of Ethen Castellanos of Santa Elena Town, Cayo is worried after their child […] Money missing from San Ignacio’s Magistrate Court Reports reaching our newsroom are that a significant amount of money is missing from San Ignacio’s […] 2 American tourists robbed in Belize City; Incident captured on camera Yesterday, a video was posted on social media that shows 2 women walking on King’s Street, […] The strange case of the missing Indian student Maninder Singh, 21, an Indian National studying at the Belize Medical College on the Burrel […] Human head found in Cotton Tree According to reports, a human head was found this morning in the Harmonyville area of […] Head of Caribbean Regional Office for European Investment Bank Visits Belize Yesterday, officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Transport met with Rene […] Blogs Ladybug Nursery: Scoring a GORGEOUS Orchid at a Crazy Sale Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way There is a ton of room for serendipity in my life on Ambergris Caye. Things rarely go as planned. My morning errand list can include: cash a check (this can take 10 minutes or 45 minutes at the bank – I have given up trying to predict good times to go) and fruit and veggie shopping (best to leave that vague – you never know if cauliflower is SCARCE or in abundance, if there are gems like Mexican avocados available) or, like yesterday, something seemingly easy like buy some terracotta flower pots can lead to happy and beneficial things. Even though I got no terracotta flower pots. Like a gorgeous new VERY REASONABLE priced orchid! And re-connecting with one of my very first friends in Belize. Serendipity for sure. We headed just south of town to Ladybug Nursery to look for pots. I have driven past this super cute sign 1000x but never stopped in… But this time there was an additional sign. Sale…hurray! Chocolate Education Another Belizean Adventure Chocolate is healthy! Ok hear me out, cause we’ve all been told to put down the chocolate cake or refuse the chocolate bar staring us in the face at the grocery store checkout. It has become associated with all the calorie dense, fatty, sugary things that we should consume less of, but it’s really not chocolate’s fault. We learned this and so much more on our quest to educate our mini blogger while traveling and enjoying the jewel that is Belize. Our travels took us down a dirt road and to the gates of a farm and factory just outside Punta Gorda Town in Toledo District, Belize. Juan, of Ixcacao Maya Belizean Chocolate, was willing to give us a tour of their facility on a Sunday. Since the machines don’t work over the weekend, we did not get to see large batches of cacao being processed. Still, we got to learn a lot about the origins of the exotic fruit and how the Maya people processed it hundreds of years ago. International Sources The Active 2017 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season Ends The 2017 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which runs from May 15 to November 30, is in the books. The amount of death and destruction was lower than usual, though 2017 had above-average activity: 18 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. The averages from 1971 – 2009 were 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. The 2017 numbers fell within the range of the May pre-season prediction by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which called for an 80% chance of 14 - 20 named storms, 6 - 11 hurricanes, and 3 - 7 major hurricanes. The May forecast by Mexico’s Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) called for 16 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes. Cure the Winter Blues with a Stay at One of These 8 Private-Island Resorts From Madagascar to Belize, these remote and sunny beach retreats are just what the doctor ordered. Though powdery-white wonderlands are a surefire way to get you in the holiday spirit, snow-covered driveways, freezing temperatures, and short, overcast days are enough to bum anyone out once the festivities end. Cheer up with a well-deserved getaway to one (or two) of the following private-island resorts where ample amounts of sun, pristine turquoise waters, and crowd-free beaches are guaranteed to cure even the worst cases of the winter blues. How digital technology is taking Mayan culture back to the future More than a century after the British explorer Alfred Maudslay took pioneering photographs and casts of some of the most incredible ancient Mayan objects and sites, digital technology is ensuring they can finally be widely seen. The British Museum and Google announced the results of a project to digitise and disseminate Maudslay’s incredible collection, one which has largely kept in storage unseen for more than 100 years. Jago Cooper, curator of the museum’s Americas department, described Maudslay, one of the first Europeans to explore and study Mayan ruins, as a “visionary” and a “pioneer in visual communication”. Unlike many European adventurers and explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries, Maudslay mostly left the archaeological sites intact. Instead of simply taking objects he used the latest photographic technology to record discoveries and made plaster casts of the monuments. British Museum, Google to Digitally Preserve Mayan Culture British Museum and Google are collaborating on a new project to digitize images of rarely seen Mayan artefacts, including hieroglyphs photographed by British explorer Alfred Maudslay, who led a Mayan expedition to Central America in the 1880s. British Museum Director Hartwig Fischer told the Guardian the multidimensional approach allows the audience to experience the exhibition in a unique way: you can visit the museum in person, or explore the artefacts online. There's even an immersive experience using Google cardboard. "Digital, virtual and analogue, here at the museum – coming here to engage with the objects themselves – do not exclude each other, they help each other," said Fischer. Videos UN Convention against Corruption to identify best practises, 45min. Christmas physique Keeping in Shape, 31min. Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, holds press conference to announce Cabinet's course of action following the CCJ's ruling, 56min. Chocolate Making at Ixcacao Toledo, Belize, 1.5min. Discover the unique Maya chocolate making process at Ixcacao in the Toledo District, Belize Prime Minister's Press Conference, 2hr. n the most recent multi million dollar courtroom loss whereby a PUP Government of Belize agreed to be a guarantor for a private debt approximately 33 million dollars and and years later another elected UDP Government of Belize refused to pay the debt and both Governments now have left the tax payers with over 90 Million dollars to pay while the interest continues to grow. "Exploring Travel" \| BELIZE (2017), 5min. We found round-trip tickets for cheap, packed our bags, and boarded the plane, swam with sharks, ate too much fried jack, drank our body weight in fresh juices everyday. This is a little bit of what we saw! Snorkeling in Belize - Sharks, 1.5min. My pictures of Belize, 5.5min. Slideshow Loving Belize 3 Tourist Advice, Belize City, Hip Hop artists of Belize, 37min. Welcome to 3 of Loving Belize. Featuring BCMG records and Party Belize, Belizean Backyard and the Belizean Cant Tak it no more. "A Letter to my Son", a gender-based violence awareness video by Jeanelle Mencias, 1min. This week, we hosted a workshop for journalists, entrepreneurs, Government of #Belize and NGO representatives on creating and editing one-minute long videos. We asked our participants to consider dedicating their final video products to the 16-Days against Gender Based Violence Campaign. Check out this simple yet powerful video below, created by one of the workshop participants! Garbutts Marine, 5min. Talking to Children About Sex, 30min. Yoga, 25min. The Chiquibul Forest - Friends for Conservation & Development (FCD), 4min. The Chiquibul Forest Reserve along with the Chiquibul Park and the Caracol Archeological Reserve compose the Chiquibul Forest. It is in the south-western region of Belize covering over 423,000 acres of rich tropical forest. This area features some of Belize’s most impressive wonders such as the largest cave system in Central America, the Caracol Mayan Site, and a rich biodiversity of plants and wildlife.This vast forest block has been continuously exploited for its natural wealth of resources. Largely by illegal incursions from Guatemala along the western border, targeting the xaté palm, gold, and timber of the forest. Poaching of wildlife for meat or the illegal wildlife, and habitat loss affects much of the iconic wildlife. Through catching massive amounts of rainfall and the winding Chiquibul River, the Chiquibul provides fresh water for over 40% of Belize’s population. The Chiquibul Watershed - PACT 2017 Watershed Alliance, 2.5min. The Chiquibul Watershed is one of Belize's most crucial features, critical in it's role in supplying for the countries growing population through agriculture and providing water and electricity to over 40 % of the country. It is home to much of the iconic wildlife of Belize, who depend just as much on this watershed as society does. However, as much as we depend on the Chiquibul Watershed, it also depends on us to protect it from pollution and over exploitation can harms the quality of the water and the environment for both it's animal and human inhabitants. 2 Social and Economic Ills Facing Belize with Poet & Activist Erwin X The Zenaida Moya Show, 1hr. Belize: Ambergis Caye & Caye Caulker, 10min. Had an unbelizeable time here with my mom! Snorkeled in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Grubbed on lobster every day and traditional Belizean cuisine. Belize 2017, 4min. Nov 21st (2017) Night Dive in Belize, 8min. The night dive I did from the Belize Aggressor 4 on November 21st, 2017. Lots of fun creatures to look at. A WEEK IN BELIZE, 3min. Backpacking Central America Part 2 of 5 1 week in Caye Caulker, Belize Oct 2017. Belize 2017, 13min.