Today's Belize News: May 1, 2018

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Today's Belize News: May 1, 2018 #530192 05/01/18 05:48 AM 05/01/18 05:48 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,241 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	HAPPY LABOUR DAY!! 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 Gaspar Vargas stabbed to death at his home in San Pedro San Pedro Police has detained 35-year-old Ricardo Mendoza for the murder of 57-year-old Belizean construction worker Gaspar Vargas of the San Mateo Area in San Pedro Town. Vargas was stabbed once to his stomach on Monday, April 30th, around 2PM allegedly by Mendoza, his son-in-law, as they socialized at home. Vargas was rushed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where he was immediately treated but later succumbed to his injuries. The Vargas family is devastated and believe that their loved one was unnecessarily murdered. According to a few neighbors, Vargas had a drinking habit, and on a few occasions he would get into arguments with Mendoza and others, but things never escalated. According to one of the deceased’s relatives, who wishes to remain anonymous, when she left for work earlier in the day, Vargas was working, but hours later she received the bad news while at her job. She also stated that this was not the first time Mendoza had attacked Vargas, as in a previous occasion Vargas had allegedly been badly beaten by his son-in-law. Ambergris Today Construction Worker Killed During Argument in San Mateo San Pedro Police confirm the death of Gaspar Vargas, 57 year old Belizean Construction Worker of San Mateo Area, San Pedro Town. At about 2:24 p.m., Police visited the San Pedro Poly Clinic where they encountered the lifeless body of Vargas that had one stab wound to the abdomen. Reports indicate that Vargas was socializing at home along with his son-in-law Jose Ricardo Mendoza 35 year old Belizean Chef of San Mateo Area, San Pedro Town when an argument ensued over a old misunderstanding. Belize Sets Date For Referendum On International Court Of Justice The Government of Belize announces that Cabinet has set the date for the referendum where Belize will decide whether or not to take the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claim to Belize’s land and insular territories, and to the maritime areas pertaining to them, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final settlement. In accordance with the Special Agreement and its protocol, the referendum will be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019. SPHS Celebrates Drug Awarness Week "Actions Today - A Healthier Tomorrow" - this was the theme under which the San Pedro High School celebrated Drug Awareness Week from Monday, April 23 to Friday, April 27, 2018. The week consisted of various in class activities including motivational speakers talking to students. The week full of activities came to an end with students gathering at the Angel Nunez Auditorium where each class made presentations in relation to drug use/drug awareness. Many beautiful and meaningful poems were recited as well as interesting and well practiced skits. Misc Belizean Sources Ag Fair in Belmopan is the Real Thing! Enjoyed a great day around the Grounds! Best Part of the Ag Fair 2018... The YOUTH RODEO! These kids were so much fun to watch..... Pics & Video worth watching in this post! Love my beautiful Belize! Paint N Splash See you this week at from 2-4pm Thursday to paint this Southern Sting Ray. San Pedro Community Clean-Up Day The San Pedro Town Council hereby announces its Clean-Up Campaign and we're starting with the Boca del Rio Lagoon Side! Every one is invited to join in and help clean the area. Saturday, May 5, 2018 at 6:00 a.m. Meeting place: Boca del Rio Park. Residents are being invited to clean up their yards and take out any trash from their yard so that the SPTC trucks can dispose of it. Trash bags, gloves and refreshments will be provided. Join Ya’axché As Sustainable Conservation Financing Officer We have an exciting volunteer opportunity for you to join our team as Sustainable Conservation Financing Officer! In this position, you will be responsible for the implementation, management and development of Ya’axché’s sustainable financing initiative. The initiative aims to generate funding for Ya’axché’s critical conservation and community development work. Cabinet Sets Date for Referendum on International Court of Justice The Government of Belize announces that Cabinet has set the date for the referendum where Belize will decide whether or not to take the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claim to Belize’s land and insular territories, and to the maritime areas pertaining to them, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final settlement. In accordance with the Special Agreement and its protocol, the referendum will be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019. Computers for Everyday Use Training Do you have little or no experience working with computers? Would you like to learn the fundamentals in 5 days? Get started today with this 5-day crash course offered by BTEC! CARICOM Week 2018 The Directorate General for Foreign Trade is celebrating CARICOM Week beginning today April 30th to Friday, May 5th! See the schedule of events lined up to celebrate the week. La Idea Incubator Program If you are an entrepreneur and you are developing innovative solutions in the food and farm industries, the U.S. Department of State and its partners encourage you to apply for the Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) La Idea Incubator Program. This includes small businesses that produce food and beverage products or provide agricultural/agriscience products or services. World Trade Organization (WTO) Advanced Workshop on Agriculture Notifications Belize participated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Advanced Workshop on Agriculture Notifications at the WTO headquarters in Geneva from 24th to 27th April 2018. The country was represented by a Member of the Directorate General for Foreign Trade. The Workshop was a Level 3 specialized training activity implemented within the WTO Progressive Learning Strategy and represents the highest level of learning among WTO training activities. Export to CARICOM Roundtable On Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018, EXPORT Belize, a unit of BELTRAIDE, along with the Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT) of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Commerce joins together with private sector enterprises to facilitate an Export to CARICOM Roundtable that will bring together private sector enterprises that have experience in exporting to CARICOM with potential exporters, who have serious interest in entering the CARICOM markets as well. The objective of the session is to have companies, who have an interest in exporting to markets in CARICOM receive a first-hand account of the documentations and logistics required to start the exportation process. Participants will engage in active discussion about the challenges, market access requirements, trade opportunities, distribution channels, shipping logistics and more. Labour Day Model Sailboat Regatta on Caye Caulker What are you doing on your Labour Day? Come out to a day of family fun at CCCSC's Labour Day Model Sailboat Regatta. Seaworthy Small Ship pine wood models, 'BUILD IT AND SAIL IT' in the pond or in the sea., $20.00 donation Your contribution will help to fund training costs and expenses for competing in regattas. See you there. BELTRAIDE’s National Competitiveness Month – May 2018 BELTRAIDE, with several of its key public and private sector partners, will be celebrating National Competitiveness Month in May. The month with showcase how competitiveness is being strengthening in three key areas: in firms, in labour, and in government. As a result, there will be a series of export development discussions and workshops, importance of intellectual property rights to competitiveness, career fairs and job preparedness trainings, as well as the launch of BELTRAIDE’s very own client assistance mobile app, Police Youth Cadet Corp Visits Ag Fair On Sunday April 29th,2018, Community Policing officers and members from the Police Youth cadet Corp from Regions 1 and 2, visited the National Agriculture and Trade show where they participated in a booth display that was organized by the Police Department. Whilst at the show grounds, the cadets visited the different booths where they learned about the importance of the Agricultural Industry. Corozal Historical Society General Meeting We kindly invite our community to the Corozal Historical Society's general meeting next Saturday. The objective of the group is to retrieve, document, preserve and promote the diverse history of Corozal. The group is still in its initial phase and is looking for community participation. If you are a historian, history buff or just an interested citizen please join us on May 5th here at the House of Culture. BEL Info Fair BEL Info Fairs are coming to Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Placencia. Residents are invited to come out and learn about BEL’s plans for your community. Visit our interactive safety, environment and technology booths. Update your account info and get a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab. See you there! The Maya Cross The Maya Cross’s symbolic identity is that of supernatural entities, such as Itzamná and Chaak; as well as ancestral entities, trees, corn stalks, and other plants which abound in the Mayaab, the land of the Maya. Maya Crosses often have an overhead semi-circle of flowers. Maya crosses are often painted a blue-green hue, which signifies centrality, and are referred to as "ya’ as che’ "--’green tree’ and "kuxa’an" –alive. The Maya belief that proclamations of these crosses come from the "divine" voice of "hahal ku," the true Maya god of the Macehual. Interestingly, this Maya God, which communicates through the different crosses, is sometimes literally stated as being Itzamná, the god of creation. THE YUCATEC MAYA, CULT OF THE TALKING CROSS AND THE CASTE WAR During the nineteenth century the subject Maya population of the Yucatan revolted against the Hispanic overlords who kept them in servitude. The conflict , the Maya Social war more commonly known as the Caste War of the Yucatan in 1847 . Soon the Maya had nearly succeeded in driving the Hispanics out of the peninsula, driving them back to one final refuge, the city of Merida in the north of the peninsula. However, the Maya abandoned their seige of the city when the season for planting corn came. That allowed the Hispanics to bring in new troops. The Hispanics with the new force push back the Maya deeper to the Jungle . When the Maya was losing the war a miracle happen . Conquer the HIlls For those interested in participating and supporting some of the events for the Cultural Day in the Maya village of San Antonio Cayo . Let's support our Yucatec Maya brothers and sisters of western Belize . Channel 7 Referendum Will Be In A Year. Ready? Belizeans will vote on the ICJ in about a year's time. Cabinet today decided that the referendum to decide whether or not Belize should take the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice in the Hague will be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019. That's exactly 345 days from now - and government says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will now ramp up its public awareness campaign under the banner - "ICJ, Be Informed." A press release says quote, "The nationwide campaign will include various approaches in an effort to reach citizens in every corner of the country." 25% of the Guatemalan electorate voted an emphatic yes to the ICJ on April 15th. BDF To The Rescue On The Sarstoon And so you have a little under a year to gather information and make up your mind. But, Wil Maheia and his Territorial Volunteers don't need all that time - their mind is already pretty much set on a "no" vote. It's a position hardened by many weekends spent being harassed by the Guatemalan Navy on Belize's side of the Sarstoon. And that was expected again this weekend when they took an outing for the Sarstoon Island Annual Concert. Maheia set out along with brukdong singer Cocono Bwai and Pastor Derek Aikman. They were inevitably shadowed by the Guatemalan navy - but then a most unexpected thing happened. It begins with Cocono Bwai singning his patriotic song:… Foreign Minister Clueless About Belizean Fisher in Guat Jail And keeping it on territorial issues, on Friday we told you about Belizean Fisherman Iginio Canto who is currently being held in a Guatemalan Prison. Canto was arrested with two other Guatemalans about two weeks ago for smuggling large quantities of out of season lobster into Guatemala. On Wednesday his brother who lives in Corozal got a call from inmates in Puerto Barrios. The inmates demanded $5000 from him to ensure Canto's safety. This is apart from the fine they have to pay the Guatemalan authorities. For the family, it's very scary stuff, and for Belizeans it's very disturbing, since there is some lack of clarity about whose waters the fishermen were captured in. Teenager Tried To Part Fight, Got Killed Tonight a Belize City family is mourning the death of high schooler Arkel August. The 15 year old was stabbed in the chest during a basketball game on Saturday - and he died on Sunday. It's a crazy, senseless killing - but it's even more so when we find out that it's another 15 year old who did it. And sadly, the young victim's family has lost a loved one to murder before: 23 months ago - Arkel's older brother was slain. Today, Daniel Ortiz spoke to a mother who knows loss all too well:.. Killed His Father In Law On San Pedro And tonight, there is another murder to report from San Pedro - the second in four days, and the third this month. While the others are suspected to have been drug related - this one seems to be a family rivalry. Around 2:00 this afternoon, 35 year old Jose Ricardo Mendoza got into an argument with his 57 year old father in law Gaspar Vargas at his home in San Mateo. Police say the men were socializing in the yard - which suggests that alcohol was involved - when they got into an argument about what is being called "an old misunderstanding" Teen Killed Shopkeeper So, while island cops now have another murder case on their hands, they have made an arrest in last Thursday night's murder on the island town. As we told you, 25 year old Shop-owner Reniery Figueroa Garcia was killed as he sat behind the counter in a store in the San Mateo area. The cops say that a male minor pulled the trigger, and they will charge him for it: No Arrest Yet For Griga Murder The cops aren't making the same kind of progress in Dangriga murder of 43 year-old Gabriel Laurie. He's the man from the Wagierale area of Dangriga who was found dead at his front door with a gunshot wound to the neck. We asked around and none of the neighbors could tell us what happened. Apparently, the cops are having the same difficulty, and today, police told us that they had to release the suspects they had detained: Another Charged For Mental Patient’s Murder Police have charged a second man for killing 25 year old Albert Ervin Johnson 9 days ago in Belize City. The Punta Gorda resident - who was mentally ill - was shot twice in the head on Rectory Lane near Southern Foreshore on Friday night, April 21. Today 19 year old Wagner's Lane resident Israel Anthony Usher. Usher was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. He was also charged with abetment to commit murder. The allegation is that he aided and abetted Marlon Evrett, the first man charged for the murder. Usher was remanded into custody until June 25. Another City Man For Cayo Heist A second Belize City man has been charged for a big money robbery in San Ignacio. Asher Saunders - who is from Bagdad Street in Belize City - was charged with three counts of Robbery, two counts of Aggravated Assault and one count of Grievous Harm. He was picked up on Thursday in Belize City. The other man charged is 19 year old Marvin Phillips, from George Street. The armed robbery happened last week Monday, and was caught on security camera, and cell phone by civilians standing outside the gas station. They saw the robber dashing off, but he was one of a team of 4, who got away with a whopping $33,000 in cash and cheques. Fatal Accident Leads To Drug Find There was a very unusual drug bust this weekend - where the drugs were found at the cost of a life. At about 12:50 on Saturday morning, police had up a checkpoint at the intersection of the Phillip Goldson Highway and the Boom Road. That's when they saw a Mazda pickup approaching, but it diverted and sped off. The officers set chase and when they finally caught up with the vehicle at mile 17, it had crashed. Two men and a woman were trapped inside with severe injuries, while another man was crushed under the vehicle, dead. Councillor Micah Mad With Mayor He's only been in office for 52 days, but it seems one PUP councillor's notoriously short fuse has already run out. Today, PUP City Councillor Micah Goodin lost it on his mayor, Bernard Wagner. Goodin posted on his personal Facebook page, quote, "I will not be seeking re-election in 2021. Additionally I am contemplating resignation. I have lost all confidence in Mayor Bernard Wagner. He does not listen. He does not take advice. I am elected, and I feel powerless…we were elected on the platform of social infrastructure, but the mayor has apparently abandoned the ideology only days after tasting power." Former Mayor Answers His Predecessor As you saw last week Thursday, City Mayor Bernard Wagner had a lot to say about his UDP predecessors at City Hall. He criticized them for reckless spending and fiscal indiscipline - and added that the council did not pay in to government employee's tax and social security deductions between August 2017 and the date of election. Former Mayor Bradley had sent a text message in response saying that was untrue. Well, today, Bradley underscored that point, and advised Wagner to stop living in the past and embrace the future. Bradley Says 6k to Chinese Restaurant Was Not Irregular Bradley also addressed the city council's $6,000 Chinese restaurant bill - the bill Bernard Wagner suspended City admin. Candice Miller over. The new mayor says it was irregular - but the old mayor - whose father paid the bill - says it is not irregular at all. He says the council spends legitimately on food for social events, meetings and even in emergencies. Darrell Bradley, Former Mayor: "Nobody at City council just signs a cheque, when you sign a cheque there is at least 8 pieces of paper that comes beyond that cheque and for something like that it would have documented. Each and every incident if it was a meeting..." Responding to Gender-based Violence and Human Trafficking Relief and Resilience through education in transition - or the group called "RET" hosted an open forum today at the UWI Belize City campus. The discussion centered on improving mechanisms that respond to incidences of Gender-based violence and human trafficking. Those are two very weighty topics - certainly not issues that can be fully addressed in one session. But today's forum is a start. Courtney Weatherburne has more. Dr. Susan Kasadde, UNICEF Country Representative: "If you take away violence from armed conflict from wars, if you take away the current level of death due to violence in Syria, in the middle East, in Africa resulting from war, then the region with the highest level of violence where teenagers, children are more likely to die from violent behavior is Latin America and the Caribbean." Strange Story From Miami There's an interesting story coming out of Miami tonight. A Belizean involved in the drug trade who became a criminal informant for the DEA in 1999 - has avoided deportation - because if he comes back to Belize he might be killed. Steven Reneau also known as "Insect" gave information that led to the extradition requests for Andrew and Floyd Brown in 2005 - as well as other high profile extraditions. But, he never regularized his status in the US - and in January of this year, he was targeted for deportation to Belize, where he would be a marked man. That is, until a retired Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent intervened. Man Accused of Attempted Murder of Girlfriend and Her Male Friend Tonight, 21 year-old Jefferson Jacobo, a Salvadoran of Freetown Road, is at Belize Central Prison after being taken to court for allegedly trying to kill his girlfriend and another man. Police say that on Friday, he went home and found his girlfriend, Joslyn Duarte, in a compromising situation with another man, later identified as Manuel Acosta. Here's what the cops had to say about the case when the media asked about it: Man Gets off Murder of Stepfather He spent 7 years on remand for the brutal murder of his 72 year old step-father, Reginald Rowley, but, tonight, 31 year old Amir Dominguez is a free man. He was acquitted of all charges inside the Orange Walk Session of the Supreme Court this morning. The ruling delivered by Judge Herbert Lord came more than two months after closing arguments were made on February 27th, by both the defense and the crown. In the trial without jury, Justice Lord found that there were serious inconsistencies in the case against Dominguez along with contradictory and sparse evidence. CNN’s Evan Andres Won Saturday night was big for a pair of Belizean Americans in very different fields. CNN's Evan Andres Perez and HBO Boxing's Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller took center stage in events in Washington, DC and Brooklyn, New York. Perez was honoured at the White House Correspondent's Dinner for "presidential news coverage under deadline pressure." It was a black tie event snubbed by President Donald Trump - but that didn't dampen the applause for the CNN crew - which included Perez, who grew up in Belize City - with family from Sarteneja. Here's his moment:.. “Big Baby” Won And while Perez wore a tuxedo, Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller wore no shirt at all in his Saturday night event. He was in the ring at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, New York where he proved himself as a worthy opponent for the top heavyweights, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. "Big Baby" Miller fought journeyman Johann Duhaupas - and won in a unanimous decision against the tough Frenchman. Here's his post fight interview:… Miller hopes to face Wilder or Joshua in his next fight which could be in September. Both he and his wife are Belizean and they plan to visit Belize before then. CIVIC’s Grand Opening It's finally here: tonight the Civic Center will be christened in the first real, full scale basketball game at the most expensive public structure ever built in Belize. So while many Belizeans should throng to the Civic Center to see the NEBL's two city Basketball teams, the Defenders and the Hurricanes battle it out, let's face it: the main attraction tonight is the venue. The state of the art area is the first of its kind in Belize and is set to deliver a fun and unique experience for those attending. We found out more: An Inspired Donation See and Taste Belize Incorporated is an NGO founded by the Consulate of Belize in Florida. The goal of the NGO is to hold events that can raise money and donate to Belizean companies in need. For the past two years, the NGO has held the SEE and TASTE Belize festival giving foreigners in Florida the chance to donate and experience some of what the country has to offer. Last year's festival raised a total of $160,000 and today the money was donated to the Inspiration Center. We stopped by and found out more about NGO and the large donation. Labour Day, the Meaning Behind The Holiday Tomorrow we will all enjoy a day off from work and school but what does Labour day really mean? Well, it's celebrating workers, but also workers unions and their rights. Today the Public Service Union of Belize sent out a release praising workers saying, quote,"We can all be proud of what we have accomplished over the years both individually and collectively. But when people stand together they can make a change. Channel 5 I.C.J. Referendum Set for April 10, 2019 Late this evening, the Government of Belize announced that it has set the date for Belize’s decision on taking the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claim to Belize’s land and insular [...] Ex-Mayor: We Can Document What We Did Former Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley came out swinging today, after remaining quiet in the face of questionable city council spending that have since been exposed by his successor. Last [...] Darrell Bradley Insists Father Joe Signed for No Tab at Chon Sing The tab at Chon Sing Restaurant which came up to roughly six thousand dollars, according to Bradley, is a blatant falsehood. He says that for payment to have been approved, [...] Former Mayor Maintains Stance on Tenure for Administrators While he dismissed the allegation that it was indeed Joe Bradley who racked up a hefty food and beverage bill nearby, former Mayor Darrell Bradley also spoke candidly on the [...] New Mayor Questioned Administrator’s Contract and Salary During last Thursday’s presentation, Mayor Wagner went on record to state that in spite of all the financial mismanagement taking place at City Hall during the previous term, the city [...] Ex-City Mayor Holds Firm When asked about the city administrator’s contract extension and raise of pay, Bradley told News Five that he believes in remuneration based on ability. But when pressed with the present [...] Councilor Micah Goodin at Odds with Mayor Bernard Wagner? Is there discontent brewing at City Hall over Mayor Wagner’s leadership style? Earlier today, outspoken councilor Micah Goodin, in a social media post, expressed his dissatisfaction in the municipal leader. [...] ‘Peacemaker’ Teen Stabbed Dead Over Weekend A teenager was stabbed and killed over the weekend just around the corner from his house. Fifteen-year-old Arkel August was seriously injured on Saturday evening and by Sunday night he [...] Gaspar Vargas Stabbed Dead in San Pedro this Evening There was also a mid-afternoon stabbing murder in San Pedro today which claimed the life of a fifty-seven-year-old construction worker of the San Mateo area of the island. Around two- [...] Hattieville Man Dies after Accident Caused by Fleeing Alleged Drug Smugglers One person is dead and three others were severely injured in a traffic mishap which police say was apparently caused when they tried to avoid a vehicular checkpoint. At the [...] Former Couple in Hospital after New Flame Wields Knife Twenty-one-year-old Jefferson Jacobo, a Salvadoran national, is behind bars after an altercation with his girlfriend and her ex-partner. Jacobo was this morning read charges of one count of attempted murder, [...] Crime Being Exported from Old Capital You’ve probably noticed, but there haven’t been that many murders in Belize City since Regional Commander Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett took over in Region One in March. He has put [...] Suspect Sought in City for Dangriga Murder Police are still puzzling over Friday morning’s murder of Gabriel Tex Laurie Junior in the Wagierale area of Dangriga Town. The forty-two-year-old was found seated inside the living room of [...] Shopkeeper’s Accused Murderer is a Minor Meanwhile, police have made an arrest for Thursday’s murder in San Pedro. Twenty-five-year-old Honduran national Reniery Figueroa Garcia, owner of Dicky’s Store in the San Mateo area, was shot to [...] B.T.V., Guats, B.D.F. Come Together in Sarstoon for Treaty Anniversary Today, April thirtieth, is the anniversary of the signing of the 1859 Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty which was intended to establish borders between the Belize Settlement, run by Britain, and Guatemala. Among [...] 48-Hour Reprieve as Some Squatters Leave Mount Pleasant Creek The fourteen days notice given to squatters within the Mount Pleasant Creek Reserve area elapsed on Sunday. Today, the Belmopan City Council, Belmopan Police and Human Development went back to [...] I.D.B. Plans Coaches Training to Help Keep Violence Down Two Inter-American Development Bank consultants are in Belize doing an assessment for Region One of Eastern Division in an effort to reduce violence through sports. The bank has provided funding [...] Police Welcome More Help for Region One Consultants Arimany and Claude Magnifico met with the regional commander, Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett, at a breakfast meeting at the Princess Hotel. Having taken command on March nineteenth, Gillett has [...] The Sights and Sounds of the National Agriculture and Trade Show “Let’s Get Growing” was the theme for this year’s National Agriculture and Trade Show held in Belmopan over the weekend. The total figures are not in as yet, but thousands [...] Civic Ready for Grand Opening with all-City Basketball Showdown The Civic Center is officially opening its doors to the Belizean public tonight for a much talked about showdown between the Smart Belize Hurricanes and the Belize City Defenders. It’s [...] Halftime Will Rock to Belizean Artists Garth Guthrie has also been working tirelessly to ensure that tonight’s entertainment is technically sound. He has been busy tweaking and fine-tuning details such as sound and lighting. He speaks [...] A Sporting Review of the Weekend Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. [Highlights of the weekend sporting activities….] LOVE FM European Union provides over 2M worth of equipment to Sugar Industry The European Union, last week, handed over two million dollars’ worth of equipment to the Belize Sugar Industry Control Board. These include the Sugar Industry Management Information System (SIMIS), and a Sugar Cane Testing and soil laboratory. The SIMIS is a data management and mapping tool which will store data and assist with boosting sugarcane productivity planning and organization of harvest and milling operations. The Laboratory which uses Near Infra-Red technology, will provide farmers with a fast and accurate analysis of the sugar cane quality delivered to the mill. The Reporter Man knocked off motorcycle on George Price highway A man was seriously injured a few minutes ago after he was knocked off his motorcycle on the George Price highway. Reports to the Reporter is that the man, who was driving a motorcycle when a car knocked him down near Red Creek school in […] Stabbing reported in San Pedro A man was reportedly stabbed in San Pedro this afternoon. Sketchy and unconfirmed reports are that the victim, a man, suffered a stab wound in his chest shortly after 1:00 p.m., in the San Mateo area of the island. The Reporter will have details of […] Meat pie legend, Dario, laid to rest Rufino Dario Hernandez – the man everyone knew as Dario – was laid to rest on Friday at the Homeland Memorial burial ground at mile 8 off the George Price highway, following a funeral service in his memory at the Holy Cathedral on North Front […] Breaking Belize News Belize to hold national referendum for ICJ on April 10th 2019 The Government of Belize has just announced that Cabinet has set the date for the referendum where Belize will decide whether or not to take the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claim to Belize’s continental, maritime and insular territories to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final settlement. Is newly elected Belize City Councillor Micah Goodin resigning or not? Is there turmoil within the newly elected Belize City council? Or is Councillor Micah Goodin Facebook page hacked? This morning, a startling post on Micah Goodin’s personal Facebook page suggests that there may be trouble brewing within the newly elected PUP Belize City Council. Belizean boxer wins big fight, challenges Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua Belizean boxer, Jarrel ‘Big Baby’ Miller was successful in his recent bout at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday night beating French boxer Johann Duhaupas by unanimous decision and setting the stage for a heavyweight title fight with current unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Man stabs father-in-law to death Police are investigating the stabbing death of a San Pedro man, in which his own son-in-law inflicted the fatal wounds. Around 2:00 p.m. today, Gaspar Vargas, 57, a construction worker of San Mateo area, San Pedro town was socializing at home with his son-in-law, Ricardo Mendoza, 35, when they began arguing. Export to CARICOM Round-table EXPORT Belize, a unit of BELTRAIDE, along with the Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT) of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Commerce will join together with private sector enterprises to facilitate an Export to CARICOM Roundtable. Benque taxi driver robbed at gunpoint A taxi driver from Benque Viejo Town was robbed at gunpoint on Saturday, April 28th. According to reports, the taxi driver was conducting a taxi run when he picked up three Hispanic men on the Benque Viejo Road and took them to Benque Viejo Town. Three families leave reserve in Belmopan; 5 families remain The squatting situation in Belmopan city have gained much publicity recently since the land that the squatters took and began developing is a reserve. Today, the Belmopan City Council issued an official update on the situation. 42 Nicaraguans dead in anti-government protests Protests and civil unrest continues in Nicaragua after a new Social Security law passed by President Daniel Ortega’s government. The law increases employer and employee contributions but decreases the overall pension amount by five percent. Thousands of students have since walked out of their universities and civil unrest has erupted in many towns and cities. Blogs Shopping & Plastic Free Market Day: An Easy Beautiful Afternoon in Belize City A day trip to Belize City can seem daunting. Belize’s largest city has a sharper edge – and is most certainly less visitor friendly, less easy than many other areas of the country. Just a few days ago, I had a bunch of things to do in Belize (the city is often referred to as just Belize by locals) so I planned a day trip. I needed to buy 8 pillows, some new heavy duty frying pans and some other kitchen and gardening ware. I wanted to refill my monthly prescription for half the price that I pay in San Pedro. (And about 1/20th the price it is in the US – I checked on PharmacyChecker.com) PLUS they do a discount all weekend. I picked up some cheap toiletries too. But MOSTLY I wanted to go to Plastic Free Market Day where a selection of my favorite vendors and organizations would be participating. International Sources Retirement destinations: Beat the retiree crowds to these 5 places abroad Coronado in Panama once had pristine beaches and not much else. Today the resort town is a haven for U.S. and Canadian retirees, with strip malls, fast-food joints and a lot of people speaking English. “For all the world, it’s like you’re in a U.S. beach town,” says Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas, a site and newsletter for people who want to work, invest or retire abroad. Belize is popular with U.S. expats for good reasons: English is the official language and the country exempts qualified retirees from many taxes, Peddicord says. Away from the more crowded Caribbean coastline, the inland Cayo district offers rainforests, lovely rivers and fertile soil for gardeners. Seton Hill team takes to Belize So, you thought college team work was all about sports? Think again. That's what a team of eight Seton Hill University students did when they immersed themselves in the culture of a small Central American country over the last six months. It's a long way from Greensburg, PA to Belize, but that didn't stop the Seton Hill University team from shining at a recent Model United Nations Conference in New York City where they represented the Central American nation. Belize FW Salazar: "The Gold Cup is one of our goals" Belize FW Michael Salazar believes that 2019/20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying can serve as the springboard to the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup for the Central American country. Salazar, who played three matches in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup with Belize, is hopeful that the Jaguars can finish in the top 10 in the CNL and qualify for its second ever CONCACAF Gold Cup. “Returning to the Gold Cup is one of our goals, it was a great experience the first time and we want to get back to that level,” said Salazar in an exclusive interview with CONCACAF.com. “It would be huge knowing that we’ve been there before and I think our experience would help,” added Salazar. Florida company says: 'We've beaten citrus greening' As HLB, or Citrus Greening, continues to devastate the Florida citrus industry, many different organizations, including the citrus industry itself, researchers, and commercial manufacturers are trying to find ways to minimize or ideally eliminate the disease. ScoringAg, a Florida based food safety equipment manufacturer, has developed several different techniques that growers can use to prevent the spread of the bacteria, which is generally found to be carried by psyllids. The company has already developed and distributed their TreeSteamer© solution, which it says is ideally suited to older, mature trees. Now, it has devised a product to protect young trees. Hundreds of human trafficking victims rescued in the Caribbean Nearly 350 potential victims of sexual exploitation and forced labour have been rescued in an INTERPOL-coordinated operation targeting human trafficking in the Caribbean, Central and South America. More than 500 police officers in 13 countries also arrested 22 individuals during Operation Libertad (3 – 9 April), held under the INTERPOL Project to Combat Human Trafficking in the Caribbean. The Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados hosted the operational coordination centre, with specialist officers from INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Human Beings unit deployed to the region. Videos Reef fishing and diving for conch in San Pedro Belize, 4.5min. World Intellectual Property Day, 4min. World Intellectual Property Day was observed on Thursday, April 26th. The Government of Belize has been working with stakeholders in addressing issues related to intellectual property protection, particularly to strengthen legislation and inform creators about the importance of IP protection in the creative industry. Here’s more… Caracol Road Upgrading Project, 3min. On thursday, April 26th , a loan was signed between the Government of Belize and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) for the Caracol Road Upgrading Project. Youth and Community Transformation Project, 5min. The Youth and Community Transformation Project (YCT) is a comprehensive social intervention, which responds to the challenges facing vulnerable groups. The project is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank through a loan facility with counterpart funding from the Government of Belize. We learned about one of the programmes under the project. Path of the Raingod Pt1, 52min. by Carol Farneti Foster. The Path starts from the Maya Mountains to the Rivers to the Ocean. This is the Maya Mountain film Part 1. MY TRIP TO BELIZE, 14min. shoutout to my dad for this amazing trip, i had such an amazing time in belize, BEST Places to Snorkel in BELIZE April 2018, 11min. Check out our Belize Caribbean Vacation with our snorkeling adventure at the Coral Reefs near South Water Caye, Belize. The Jaguar Reef Tour Guides did an amazing job at showing us awesome sea life like the Eagle Ray! Happy International Jazz Day!, 1min. On this day, we recognize Belize's very own Frankie Reneau. Angry Baby Howler Monkey Makes the Strangest Noises, 2.5min. Baby Tuli makes the strangest noises when her fellow Yucatan black howler monkeys annoy her. In this video, the primate princess shows the other monkeys at Wildtracks Primate Rehabilitation Center in Belize who is boss. Uploader Goska Zdziechowska has described the little rescue monkey as a ‘drama queen’ when angered. Bernard Wagner Mayor of Belize City, 60min. on Open Your Eyes Harmless Tiger tree snake (Spilotes pullatus), 1/2min. A mainly arboreal snake which primarly feeds on birds and small mammals like rats or other rodents. It's a non-venomous & constrictor snake (it kills its preys by constriction). Belize Now \| April 27, 2018, 34min. In tonight’s headlines: GOB signs loan agreement for the Caracol Road, we tell you about a program that fosters better parenting, and Belize celebrates IP Week. These stories and more on this week’s edition of Belize Now. Channel 5 Daily Obituaries, 3.5min. Howler Monkey Research in Belize, 4.5min. Belize Agricultural and Trade Show 2018, 2min. We are in Tobacco Caye Belize (Memorable Sailing), 18min. We arrived at Tobacco Caye at a bad time because there was a cold front in the night unfortunately it makes the place very windy and it was hard to video. Fishing in Livingston-National Geographic, 2min. Guests learn about how the locals catch and prepare fish and other food on the small coastal village of Livingston, Guatemala. Carnival Miracle (Belize), 13min. Belize Hurricanes VS. Belize City Defenders, 3.5hr. CIVIC CENTER GRAND OPENING and NEBL is on The National Channel!