Today's Belize News: June 6, 2018

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Today's Belize News: June 6, 2018 #530812 06/06/18 06:52 AM 06/06/18 06:52 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,952 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 Social Security Board hosts Open Day to celebrate 37th Anniversary In commemoration of their 37th Anniversary, the Social Security Board (SSB) San Pedro Branch held an informative Open Day at their office located in Pescador Drive in downtown San Pedro on Friday, June 1st. The event focused on educating islanders about the importance of the corporation while introducing their 2018-2022 strategic plan. Throughout the day, employees of the SSB guided attendees to different booths to tell them about their strategic plan and the benefits of the corporation. The SSB’s five main objectives in their 2018-2022 strategic plan are to enhance customer service experience, build a robust, financially thriving institution, strengthen reputation and image, empower and enable the workforce and improve health outcomes. Ambergris Today Belize To Host XX Central American Women’s Volleyball Championship In August The Belize Volleyball Association (BVA) is proud to announce that Belize will be the host country for the upcoming XX Central American Women’s Volleyball Championship. The major seven-day international volleyball event will be held in Belize City from August 4 - 10, 2018, and is a regional ranking and qualification event to the continental (NORCECA) championship that has further ranking and qualifications to FIVB world championships. All Central American volleyball federations (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama) are expected to participate in this AFECAVOL event. 100 Professionals Trained In Suicide Prevention The YouthRise Project in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation in collaboration with Galen University have trained some 100 social workers, educators, counsellors, administrators and youth workers in suicide prevention. The training took place between May 24th and June 1st in Belize, Cayo, and Stann Creek Districts. The training was facilitated by Dr. Guy Ilagan, Assistant Professor of Counsellor Education at The Citadel College in Charleston, South Carolina; Dr. Jill Ilagan, Clinical Psychologist and Adjunct Professor at The Citadel’s Psychology – Clinical Counselling Program; and Kendra Hoyt, Lecturer and Life Coach at Galen University. Misc Belizean Sources Summer Art Wave Summer Art Wave is coming!! It's all about having a good time learning about other cultures, our culture, linguistic and artistic skills. Register today as space is limited! SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN TOURISM Are you a professional working in the tourism sector and are interested in developing professionally? This is your opportunity! Cortes tree This Tree Tuesday we are highlighting the Cortes tree (Handroanthus chrysanthus). From Mexico to Belize and South America, this tree is beloved for its eye-catching yellow crown that punctuates lowland forest landscapes from March through May. Cortes is often used for construction due to its hard, insect-resistant timber. The species is fairly drought and salt-tolerant – it is also a desirable ornamental shade tree. The flowering season for cortes is coming to an end as the rainy season gets underway. Have you enjoyed this display of spectacular color? Atlantic Bank-Caye Caulker Branch collecting donations for Guatemala Atlantic Bank-Caye Caulker Branch informs the public that we are collecting food and hygienic items for the victims of Volcan Fuego in Guatemala. Donations can be dropped in the box pictured below. Thank you. Paint N Splash See you this week at from 2-4pm Thursday to paint “Just A Kiss”!. NEMO OFFERS CONDOLENCES AND HUMANITARIAN AID - APPEAL FOR THE PEOPLE OF GUATEMALA AFFECTED BY THE ERUPTION OF "EL FUEGO VOLCANO" The people and Government of Belize offer our sincerest condolences to the people of Guatemala who lost their loved ones and empathize with those affected since "El Fuego Volcano" erupted. Our heartfelt support and appeal for humanitarian aid are particularly for those families affected in Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, Mixco and some areas of Guatemala City. In view of the situation, cash donations are the best form of relief. Donations can be sent to the Belize Red Cross. Corporations are strongly encouraged to utilize this arrangement. NEMO's Humanitarian Officer can also be contacted at 822-2054, 668-7550 or 828-4334 by those persons or corporations offering donations. NEMO Belize continues to monitor the situation and to receive offers of assistance. BPP condemns rumours of BTL boycott of Kremamdala and Plus TV Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) belongs to the people of Belize and not to the United Democratic Party or the government of the day. Belizeans are often reminded that this company belongs to us; therefore, it is egregious for the government of Belize to influence the management of “our “national company, as has been recently implied/cited by way of a news item, released by Breaking Belize News (BBN)! If this is true, the Belize Progressive Party (BPP) calls on the government to stop meddling in BTL’s operations and to allow the company to be run based on business best practices. BPP is also calling on BTL to re-establish advertising with these two news stations and not to allow the government of the day to interfere with their day to day management of the company. Corozal Historical Society Meeting Are you curious about history; especially Corozal's history? Do you have knowledge of Corozal's past? We have a group for you!! The Corozal Historical Society is seeking members who are interested in various historical aspects of Corozal. Please join us this Saturday June 9th at the Corozal House of Culture. Funding Opportunity to Help Protect Belize’s Incredible Marine Resources! Applications due June 29! Four grants of up to $246,875 U.S. Dollars (USD) each will be awarded for work that will support efforts that help prevent marine debris from entering the ocean, subject to the availability of funding. Eligibility is limited to U.S. non-profit/nongovernmental organizations subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, foreign not-for-profit/nongovernmental organizations, educational institutions, and to public international organizations. The initial period of performance will be for 24 months. Ride Across Belize From COROZAL TO PUNTA GORDA - It's that time of the year! Social Security Board's initiative, Ride Across Belize is back! Contact us to sign up. Channel 7 Serrano’s Strange and Startling Suicide Leaves Many Questions Dangriga Mayor Francis Humphreys and his town hall staff are still trying to come to terms with their loss. As we told you last night, Humphreys' driver, 61 year old Maurice Serrano killed himself yesterday afternoon while police tried to detain him. He shot himself in the head on his front steps. Now is it a situation where he rather be dead than face any allegations or criminal charges for unlawful carnal knowledge? Or was there something else that led him to end his life? There are no easy answers to these questions but Courtney Weatherburne went to Dangriga today to try to put the pieces together in this case. Here is her story. Opposition Calls For OAS Observers On Re-registration Right now, the Government and the officials at the Elections and Boundaries Department are putting together the final logistics in preparation for the big voters re-registration exercise that will start on July first. It's been over 2 decades since the last re-registration, and the Opposition, PUP says that they don't want to take any chances that fraud could be introduced into this new voters list. That's why Opposition Leader John Briceno has written to the Prime Minister asking him to invite OAS observers to watch over the process. Briceno on Convention Contention Today's press conference gave us an opportunity to ask Briceno about all the public bickering in his party that these recent constituency conventions have been causing. Last week when Jason Patrick Andrews and Arthur Saldivar were disqualified from contesting the Belmopan convention, both men were very critical of their party's leadership. Today, we asked Briceno to explain his party's decision to reject their candidacy: Men Dressed As Security Guards Robbed Spoonaz Over the past few weeks, Belize City has seen a worrying number of broad daylight robberies in the downtown area. Yesterday it wasn't broad daylight, but almost midnight when robbers pounced on the owner of Spoonaz Cafe on North Front Street, near the Swing Bridge. At around 11:00, 69-year-old owner of the cafe Jeremy Spooner was closing up, when a man dressed in brown security uniform forced the glass door open and pointed a gun at Spooner. Robbers Re-appear on Albert Street And, this evening, the daylight robbers were back on Albert Street in the heart of the downtown area. Around 4:30, two men made an attempt to rob a small clothing and footwear store named ML Collections next to Mirage store. Full details aren't available but we saw police and CIB personnel on the scene canvassing the area. Reports suggest that the men attempted to rob the clerk, but she wouldn't let go of the money. Those reports also suggest the men may have been wearing security uniforms. Police say the victim refused to make a police report. Guatemalan Post - Volcano Saga Still Unfolding At least 72 people are dead after Guatemala's worst volcanic eruption in more than a century. Thousands of people are displaced and in shelters, and entire villages are buried in what is unfolding as a true human catastrophe. The "Volcan De Fuego" - located 25 miles from Guatemala City - erupted on Sunday - sending miles of pyroclastic flow -- a nasty mix of ash, rock and volcanic gases racing towards villages on the slopes of the volcano. Now, Belize and Guatemala may have a standing dispute, but we are neighbors, and the human dimensions of this grim tragedy far outweigh any historical differences. Opposition Urges Compassion For Guatemala The PUP is also highly attuned to the dimensions of the human catastrophe in Guatemala. In their statement yesterday, the Party said, quote, "At a time like this, we must put our differences aside and let our humanity rule. On Sunday, it was Guatemala. Today or tomorrow it can be us or any other country that is susceptible to natural disasters." End quote. Santander and the Politics of Sugar Another portion of his prepared remarks was focused on the news which broke that Santander was caught selling white plantation sugar in the local market, something which the company - as an EPZ - is not permitted to do. It's a hot button political issue because all three sugar associations have condemned the violation - and those cane farming groups represent a huge political constituency. Here's what Briceno had to say: Should Guat Belizeans Be De-Naturalized? So, what does the PUP think about all those born Guatemalans who hold Belizean nationality, and have been living here? As you probably heard by now, in Belize's Constitution, under Section 29.3, reads, "No person shall be entitled…to be a citizen of Belize or be granted citizenship of Belize if such person shows any allegiance to or is a citizen of a country which does not recognize the independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity of Belize …" End quote. Best CA Volleyballers Coming To Belize In August, the best women's volleyball players in the region will be coming to Belize for the 20th. Central American Women's Volleyball Championships. World class teams like Costa Rica and Nicaragua will be a few of the Central American countries squaring off in the week long tournament. But is our Belize team ready for the competition? Well according to the Belize Volleyball president Alan Sharp they are. Teaching Police The Art Of Communication Today twenty police officers graduated from a four-week course. Their training wasn't in weapons use or evidence gathering, it was in effective writing and spoken communication. Now it may seem strange that law enforcement officers would be trained in grammar and communication, but a big part of their job engenders writing clearly and coherently. Police have to pen countless reports about incidents - and many times these reports end up in court where precision is paramount. Today was their last day of class and we stopped by to find out more: Antigua, Guatemala, Out of The Ashes Earlier on in the news we told you about the dozens dead, and the thousands displaced by the volcano in Guatemala. As many as 1.7 million people have been affected by the volcano's huge footprint of lava and ash rains. That includes one of the country's top tourist attractions - the historic city of Antigua Guatemala - which is only 9 miles from the Volcan De Fuego. In 2013 Jules Vasquez visited the city for an OAS General Assembly - and found that apart from history, Antigua is also surrounded by its own volcanic mountains, including the Volcan De Agua. Here's the travelogue of his visit to the city:… The Thrill of Storm Chasing And, now, for something completely different….while digging through our archives today we stumbled upon a few storm stories - and five days into the 2018 hurricane season, they seemed especially relevant. Here at 7News we've been chasing storms for years, and while the aftermath has traumatized and devastated entire communities, the event of the storm itself - while dangerous and foreboding - can also be thrilling and awesome. Here are a few of our close encounters with storms over the past 11 years:... Channel 5 Robbers Stopped at M&L Collections on “The Alberts”… Businesses along Albert Street have become the target of thieves in recent days, despite a noticeable police presence in the downtown area of Belize City. Last Thursday, we reported on [...] Spoonaz Café on North Front Hit Overnight by Armed Thieves While the robbery at M and L Collections failed, on Monday night, well-known businessman Jeremy Spooner, better known as ‘Spoonaz,’ was the victim of an armed robbery. He was inside [...] P.U.P. Leader Hits Andrews, Saldivar for Commitment to Party Leader of the Opposition People’s United Party, John Briceño, today hosted a press briefing at Independence Hall covering a multitude of national issues. But the party is presently experiencing some [...] Briceño Tells Feuding Senators in Albert to Hold it Down Another flashpoint for the P.U.P. is the June seventeenth contested convention in the Albert division. Current standard bearer Senator Paul Thompson is being challenged by his Upper House colleague Valerie [...] The P.U.P.’s Big Tent: Zenaida May Be In, Said Not Out The party has faced questions about its level of participation in the convention season by women, after defeated candidate in Corozal Bay, Thea Garcia Ramirez, suggested the party would not [...] Solving a Problem Like Guatemalan Citizenship Renunciation Ahead of the July first start of the long overdue re-registration exercise, the People’s United Party has shared many of its concerns about the preparation of the Elections and Boundaries [...] O.A.S. Asked to Observe Re-Registration; EBC Not Constituted Ahead of the start of the process, the P.U.P. has called on Prime Minister Dean Barrow to invite, as the Manuel Esquivel government did in 1997, the Organization of American [...] Dangrigans Shocked as Town Hall Driver Maurice Serano Ends Life On Monday afternoon, the sixty-one-year-old driver of Dangriga’s Mayor Francis Humphrey ended his own life in front of his house as he was being pursued by the police. Maurice Serrano [...] P.U.P. Urges Government to Help Santander Pursue other Sugar Markets A decision is pending on whether the export processing zone status of Santander Sugar Limited will be amended to allow it to put part of its plantation sugar on the [...] Corozal Producers Say Multinational Can’t Sell Sugar at Home The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association issued a three-page response to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, as well as Santander Limited on the sale of sugar on the [...] Renewal of Plea for Sarstoon Protocol Minister for Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington has told us that the work to establish the Sarstoon protocol continues with our western neighbour and the Organization of American States, but that [...] Cop Caught in Drug Bust Faces Internal Charges As we told you on Monday, police constable Braiden Robateau and three siblings were arrested and charged by Orange Walk Police after they were nabbed in a marijuana smuggling operation [...] Teen Boy Shot While Pointing Gun Still in Hospital; Was Firearm Planted? Thirteen-year-old Elwin Pitter remains in recovery at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital under police guard. It is expected that upon his release, charges stemming from several firearms offences will be [...] Examining Why Accused Murderers Are Applying for Bail It has become almost a fixture recently in the newscast: persons charged with murder years ago, languishing at the Belize Central Prison, attaching legal representation to seek bail. The law [...] What Can Be Done About Fuel Prices? Earlier in the newscast, you hear the P.U.P. leader speak on a number of pressing national issues as well as party matters. But John Briceño opened his press conference today [...] Opposition Calls Out Government on Crime Dialogue A total of seventy-nine murders have been reported, unofficially, across Belize to date, putting the country on course for another triple-digit year of killings. Other types of major crime reports, [...] Celebrating World Environmental Day “World Environment Day” was observed today under the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution.’ Since 1974, the United Nations marked June fifth as World Environment Day to promote worldwide awareness and action [...] How You Can Help Victims of Guatemala Volcano Disaster Disturbing images of death and destruction continue to emerge in the wake of the eruption of Volcan de Fuego in Antigua in neighboring Guatemala. The death toll is rising as [...] LOVE FM Tone it down, says PUP Leader PUP Senators Paul Thompson and Valerie Woods both want to become the party’s Standard Bearer for the Albert constituency. The PUP’s convention for that Albert Division is expected to be held on June 17 and on that day only one of the Senators will come out on top. It’s a battle for the delegates who … Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs addresses the OAS General Assembly. The United States Government renewed its call for the Organization of American States to suspend Venezuela. The call is supported by six other OAS member states. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and Peru supported the US in proposing a resolution rejecting the result of the “unconstitutional” election. If passed, it would initiate a process that … PUP Leader explains why Patrick Jason Andrews was not given the chance to run in Belmopan The People’s United Party is experiencing a very vibrant and dramatic convention season this year, as the party positions its standard bearers for the next general elections. It’s a process that political parties go through and a process in which egos are bruised and relationships are put under tremendous stress. Recently, the PUP has come … Belize offers Guatemala assistance after horrific volcanic eruption So far over seventy fatalities have been recorded as a result of the horrific volcanic eruption in Guatemala on Sunday. The death toll is expected to increase. Countries around the world have pledged to support Guatemala in their time of need. Belize is one of those countries. This morning while at the OAS General Assembly, … Villagers want to clear the border Since April 15, reports of incursions by Guatemalans into Belize have increased. Two months ago, rangers for Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) discovered pieces of land inside the Chiquibul being surveyed by Guatemalans. At that time it was explained that since the voting population in Guatemala voted ‘yes’ in its ICJ Referendum, rogue agents … Police officers receive training in communication Twenty officers from the Eastern Division graduated from a four-week training in Effective Speaking and Writing for Modern Day Policing which was facilitated by the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU). Love News spoke with Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett, Commander of Eastern Division Region One about the initiative. Sr. Superintendent Howell Gillett – Commander of Eastern … PUP Leader to Arthur Saldivar: “there is no hard feelings on my part” Another person who is not happy with the People’s United Party is Attorney Arthur Saldivar. He too wanted to contest the PUP’s Belmopan convention. But unlike Andrews, Arthur’s application was not rejected. It was simply not entertained or considered by the PUP vetting committee. That’s because, even though his suspension from the party has been … PUP wants OAS Observer Mission to oversee re-registration process The Opposition, People’s United Party, wants an OAS observer to oversee the re-registration process slated to begin in Belize on July 2. PUP Leader John Briceno wrote to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, reminding him that Belize is a signatory to the Inter-American Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States and as a member country, … Belize Red Cross launches monetary appeal for Guatemala The Guatemala Red Cross is currently on the ground offering medical and psychosocial support to survivors. The Belize Red Cross has launched a monetary appeal to assist those affected by the volcano eruption. Love News spoke with Fred Hunter Jr., the Focal Point for Disaster at the Belize Red Cross about the initiative. Fred Hunter … Labor Commissioner comments on CWU and CITCO labor dispute Last month, the Belize City Council laid off six employees including the city administrator. The council’s decision was based on the council’s ‘poor fiscal condition.” In a statement, it was explained that a quote “restructuring was an inevitable and necessary component to achieve financial stability and the fulfillment of the council’s mandate.” End of quote. Cecil … Sugar association says NO to Santander Sugar The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association says that Santander Sugar’s deliberate action to sell white sugar on the local market is quote, “only the preview to further their quest to possible access/approval to be able to participate in the local market which is clearly denoted in the most recent waiver application on the EPZ committee for the sale of sugar into the local market.” End of quote. Belize Red Cross in preparation mode The Belize Red Cross has been offering assistance in times of disaster by deploying its volunteers to affected areas. With the hurricane season already upon us, the Belize Red Cross is making the necessary preparations in case of a disaster. Fred Hunter Jr., the Focal Point for Disaster at the Belize Red Cross spoke with Love News about the preparations. Zenaida Moya for Mesop? For the PUP? Is former UDP Mayor Zenaida Moya interested in running for the People’s United Party? Reports to Love News is that she is. Since last week, reports have surfaced that Moya has expressed interest in running for the PUP in the Mesopotamia Division. We know that Moya had expressed intentions to become the division’s next area representative. Youth workers participated in suicide prevention training One hundred social workers, educators, counselors, administrators and youth workers participated in a suicide prevention training. The Youth Rise Project in the Ministry of Human Development Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation in collaboration with Galen University hosted the training which took place from May 24 to June 1 in several districts. Sol Gen says GOB’s case against Sharon Pitts is ‘fairly on course’ The last time we reported on Government’s case against Sharon Pitts was in February, four months ago. Back then we reported that both parties were ordered to go to mediation. In 2016, Government wrote to Pitts demanding that its four hundred thousand dollars be returned. Pitts failed to do so and that prompted the government … PlusTV 13 YEAR OLD GUN SLINGER SHOT BY COPS A 13 year old Belize City Minor was shot by a Police Officer over the weekend, after the minor reportedly pointed a loaded firearm at officers. According to reports, officers were tipped off about a male person in possession of a firearm near the intersection of Racoon and Seagull Street. When they ... DANGRIGA MAYOR’S DRIVER COMMITS SUICIDE While we do not make it a habit to report on Suicides, this particular one is of national interest as the individual is the Driver of current Mayor of Dangriga Francis Humphries. We are withholding the name of the individual who is from the New site area of Dangriga, but according to our Dangriga Co... POLICE OFFICER GONE ROGUE CAUGHT DRUG TRAFFICKING A Police Officer, attached to the San Ignacio formation, along with three other men were detained on Saturday with over 24 pounds of Marijuana. According to reports, Police intercepted a white vehicle between Santa Cruz and San Antonio, Corozal that was suspected to be trafficking drugs. Upon police... MEN DRESSED IN POLICE ATTIRE ROBBED TAIWANESE NATIONAL Two Men dressed in Police attire reportedly robbed a Taiwanese national and his wife inside their Ladyville home. According to reports, on Thursday night at about 9 p.m. the men approached the home of 64 years old Taiwanese National, Liang Gee Fong and told him that they had a warrant to search his... BASKETBALL FAN STABBED OUTSIDE CIVIC The Belize Civic Center came alive of Saturday night for the N.E.B.L Basketball Finals. Hundreds of fans entered the Civic Center in hopes of seeing their favorite team win the title matchup. However, one basketball fan is lucky to be alive tonight after an altercation outside the Civic Center which... ‘VOLCAN DE FUEGO’ ERUPTS NEAR GUATEMALA CITY Guatemala’s ‘Volcan De Fuego’ erupted yesterday, leaving more than 60 people dead and over 400 injured. Over 3,000 people have been evacuated from areas surrounding the Volcano, while it is estimated that more than 2 million people have been affected by the eruption. The eruption discharged red hot... MORE DRUGS DROPS ON RIO HONDO? A Mexican new source has confirmed reports of another drug plane sighting in Northern Belize sometime last week Thursday. According to ‘Linea de Fuego Chetumal’, a Colombian drug plane flew at a very low height over the Rio Hondo River between the communities of Union and Revolution sometime around ... ROBBERIES ON ALBERT STREET Last week Thursday we reported to you that there were two robberies reported in Belize City, on Albert Street, on the same day. The first robbery reportedly occurred at Hofius Store where police said that two armed male persons made off with a thousand dollars in cash. The second robbery reportedly... COURTS COROZAL ROBBED On Friday we reported that there was an armed robbery in Courts Corozal late that evening. Details were still sketchy at that time, but Police were able to give us the details at this morning’s press briefing. Wilfredo Ferrufino, National Crimes Investigation Branch: On Friday, the report was made a... BTL PRESSES BRAKES ON KREMANDALA; PUP CALLS IT ‘PUNISHMENT’ On May 11, 2018, BTL abruptly ended all media advertisements with Kremandala which incluudes KREM Radio, KREM TV and the AMANDALA Newspaper. KREMANDALA is now subjected to the same Advertisment Bann that PLUSTV has singlehandedly endured since 2013 when the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) Gover... FISH KILL ON LAGOON SIDE OF SAN PEDRO UNDER INVESTIGATION Hundreds of dead fish are surfacing on the lagoon side of San pedro, Ambergris Caye. The phenomenon, which also happened last May, is occurring this time in an area near the San Juan Subdivision, according to The San Pedro Sun. Species include snapper, and barracuda sardines. The staff at Hol Chan Marine Reserve have been made aware of the situation and have commenced an investigation ... 6 WEEKS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TRAINING The Caribbean International Development Bank in Collaboration with the Government of Belize is hosting a Training Seminar in Capacity Building in Public Policy Analysis and Management and Project Cycle Management. The training is scheduled for 6 weeks and its purpose is to assist the government of Belize in the rolling out of its Sustainable Growth and Development Program ... BELIPO ON GAINING EXLUSIVE RIGHTS TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Belize Intellectual Property Office (BELIPO) was established after Belize signed on to the Patent Corporation Treaty in June of 2000. Belizeans have since been able to register their inventions locally, regionally, and internationally in order to gain exclusive rights to Intellectual Property. Today, BELIPO hosted a one-day training in Belize City in order to highlight the process of registering patents ... BELIZE SMART HURRICANE WINS SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP The Smart Belize Hurricanes has captured their 2nd championship in three years over the DigiCell Belize City Defenders with a score of 78 – 66. Devin Daly let his team with 35 points and took home his second finals MVP. We couldn’t have a word with Daly, but did have words from his teammates, ...

Re: Today's Belize News: June 6, 2018 [Re: Marty] #530813 06/06/18 06:53 AM 06/06/18 06:53 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,952 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	Amandala BTL declares war on KREMANDALA! Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), one of the biggest advertisers in the country, has not been doing any advertising business with KREMANDALA’s three companies, the Amandala newspaper, KREM Radio and KREM Television, for several weeks now. Last Wednesday, the online news service, Belize Breaking News (BBN), reported that sources within BTL had confirmed that the company had pulled all of its advertising from KREMANDALA. BBN reported that they could not confirm how long the advertising boycott of KREMANDALA would last, but it added, “The decision by BTL has all appearances of being vetted out as punishment to the KREMANDALA empire.” UDP mayor’s driver commits suicide When the word spread this evening that a man had taken his life in Dangriga, there was not much interest until it was learnt that the person was Maurice Amancio Serano, 62, of New Site. Serano, more known by his middle name, Amancio, was a retired soldier of the Belize Defence Force, an elite physical training instructor, a martial arts instructor, and most notably, the driver and bodyguard of UDP mayor Francis Humphreys. Cop busted with 23 pounds of weed Constable Braiden Robateau, 22, of San Ignacio police, and three others, were busted with 23 pounds of cannabis on Saturday afternoon. All four persons have been detained at the Corozal Police Station, pending arraignment for drug trafficking at the Corozal Magistrate’s Court. Police said that a joint operation by police, Customs Department officers and soldiers of the Belize Defence Force was being conducted in Santa Cruz in Corozal District, when the members of the team were told of a vehicle that was carrying drugs. The Damanzaihao, a Belize-flagged “fishing factory,” held in Peru Belize’s name continues to be dragged into controversy in the international maritime world, because authorities continue to facilitate the use of the country’s flag by vessels which run afoul of maritime laws and standard environmental practice. The latest fallout involves a Peruvian vessel, the Damanzaihao, which has a capacity to process 547,000 tons of fish per year and is described as the world’s largest “fishing factory”. Shortage of medication for mentally ill patients Back in 2015, we reported on a shortage of the medication Risperdal, which is used to treat some mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. In that article, we had said that the San Ignacio Hospital and Western Regional Hospital had been successfully resupplied after the Ministry of Health became aware of the issue through the local media outlets. The surplus that Northern Regional Hospital had, was also used to supply facilities in Belize City and Cayo. Bowen and Bowen 2018 spelling bee champs On June 1, Bowen and Bowen held their 24th annual national spelling bee, and the names of the top three spellers have been announced. Bryce Steur, from Toledo Christian Academy, took the first-place spot. He is thirteen years old and a standard 5 student. He was homeschooled until standard 3. Steur loves programming and math and his favorite sport is volleyball. In second place was Eric Wade, 13, from La Inmaculada R.C. in Orange Walk. Wade also loves math and reading and he wants to become an electrical engineer. The third place prize went to Sierra Steur, 14, also from Toledo Christian Academy. Her favorite subjects are creative arts, spelling, and physical education. She also loves reading, knitting and playing volleyball. Smart Belize Hurricanes grabs second NEBL Championship in 3 years The 2018 Pepsi NEBL (National Elite Basketball League) season came to an end on Friday night at the Civic Center in Belize City, as Smart Belize Hurricanes swept their city counterparts, DigiCell Belize City Defenders in two games to claim their second NEBL championship in the past three years. Game 1 had witnessed a 29 point blowout, while game 2 was following a similar trend, as Smart Belize Hurricanes had a commanding 21 point lead going into the half. At the midway point of the fourth quarter, Defenders cut a once 26 point lead down to 9 points, but missed three opportunities to further slice the lead down, giving Hurricanes enough cushion to pull off the 78-66 victory. Toledo Rumberas and Jewel Fury win 1st leg of NAWL women football semifinals he National Amateur Women’s League (NAWL) kicked off its football semifinals over the weekend with one game each on Saturday and Sunday. The semifinals are home-and-away series, and the decisive games 2 take place this coming weekend. At the M.A. Stadium in Independence on Saturday night, June 2, it was hosts Toledo Rumberas securing the 3-1 win over Gladitators of Orange Walk in the 1st leg of the semifinals. Netting a goal apiece for Rumberas were Ashley Rodriguez (29’), Karla Flores (70’) and Kelsey Polanco (73’); while Kaite Jones (48’) got the lone goal for the Gladiators. (This game was originally scheduled for Saturday night at the Victor Sanchez Field in P.G.) Catching up with Over-40 football We don’t have the scoring details for recent games, but here is catching up on some scores in the National Over-40 Football Tournament since our last report just over a week ago. The Saturday games for May 26 were reportedly cancelled due to referee unavailability, but it appears that one game was still played out at San Pedro, where the San Pedro Veterans bombed Medina’s House of Jewelry (Lake) by 6 goals to 1. BDFA Inter-Office Tournament kicks off at MCC The Belize District Football Association’s (BDFA) 2018 Inter-Office Football Competition got under way on Thursday, May 31, with 2 games at the MCC Grounds. In the opener, Ramada Gray Enterprises Ltd. /brothers Habet defeated Atlantic Insurance, 2-1, with a goal each from Kareem Flowers and Elber Perez; while Kevin Martinez scored for Atlantic Insurance. And in the nightcap, it was Simon Quan, 2-0, over Tourist Village Tennants, with Rodolfo Enriquez netting both goals. Editorial: The UDP and semi-pro sports Semi-professional sports began in Belize in 1991 with the first semi-pro football season, which was a success. Following in football’s footsteps, basketball went semi-pro in 1992, and the first semi-pro basketball season was a spectacular success. The old Civic proved too small for the overflow crowds. At this newspaper, we thought at the time that semi-pro basketball would have an easier hill to climb than football, because all six inaugural franchises were Belize City-based, hence there were no travelling expenses, as there were in football, which had franchises in all six Districts. But, it was semi-pro football which stood the test of time. There has never been a year since 1991 when there was not at least one semi-pro football season. When the People’s United Party (PUP) returned to power in 1998, they revived semi-pro basketball (which had crashed after the 1997 season), at which point the sport went national, or at least franchises from outside Belize City participated. From The Publisher There are many Creole people who seem happy with the amount of Creole personalities in leadership positions in this three-term United Democratic Party (UDP) government. Some of us from the 1970s, however, know that there are very powerful UDP leaders who entered public life back then and have now proven themselves to be like traitors where Black youth are concerned. Every time you read or hear of some Black teenager being busted with an unlicensed gun or ammunition, which usually costs that youth years in jail because of Belize’s draconian gun laws, you have to understand and remember this: there are areas of Belize City where a Black youth actually prefers to be busted by the cops with an unlicensed gun than to have one of his street enemies meet him without a weapon. The first situation means years in jail: the second means Lord’s Ridge. Think about that. How did we get here, Belizeans? The people who run things look just like the people murdering and being murdered in their childhood and youth. South Side Caye Caulker residents write Jr. Heredia To: Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Jose Manuel Heredia, Jr. Chief Executive Officer – Mr. Yashin Dujon. I am writing to you on behalf of the residents, citizens and land owners that live on the south side of Caye Caulker in the communities also known as South Point and Eden Isle. For the past 20 years we have never had a permanent road built by the GOB that would cross or go around the airstrip. Instead we have had 2 homemade roads, one for the west side (Eden Isle) and 1 for the east side (South Point) that went around the airstrip. Although these trails worked for the residents and guests living/staying on the south side they were and still are illegal as they cross through private property. “B” is for Belize 1 June 2018, presentation at Belizean Studies – People’s Dialogue, Marion Jones Sporting Complex, Belize City, Belize. Good morning: How many teachers are here in this room? I ask you to join us. Be part of a team that will help build up this proposal. With your ideas, your passion, your desire, Belizean Studies can become a reflection on love, trust, compassion, hope, generosity and service. How many administrators are here in this room? I ask you to join us. You can decide to be part of a team that could empower teachers to become what they were born to do, BE, soldiers fighting for the soul of a nation. Cuba should legalize it Many Belizeans, maybe most, have great appreciation for what Fidel Castro and the Cuban people have achieved after their great revolution in 1959. Cuba was the playground of rich Cubans and rich Americans. That is a fact. The people were poor, and uneducated. Before the revolution there was great inequality in their society, and a lot of chaans of people who weren’t rich, especially those with a lot of melanin. The revolution changed that. The Cuban people now rank among the most educated in the world. Rich people would say that Cubans are still poor. There are few greater tragedies than great inequality of wealth. Great inequality of wealth in a country (the immensely rich and the immensely poor), leads to a myriad of social problems, the worst one being instability. There is no worse place to live than the one that is unstable. Cuba does not have this kind of poverty. Book Review, “Empire in Retreat. The Past, Present and Future of the United States” The Empire incorporated Western Europe after WWII, and built military bases in many of those countries. It also encompassed Japan, part of China (Taiwan, which incredibly occupied China’s seat at the UN until 1971), South Korea (after fighting a war that ended in stalemate), Indonesia and other countries. In the Middle East, the “Eisenhower Doctrine” declared in 1957: “the United States regards as vital to the national interest and world peace the preservation of the independence and integrity of the nations of the Middle East”. As usual, the words meant exactly the opposite: the right of the US “to intervene in the Middle East whenever there was a perceived threat to US hegemony”. Woman, 28, knocked down while jogging: critical at KHMH Ansella Rodriguez, 28, a domestic worker, is presently admitted in a critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after a vehicle knocked her down while she was jogging on the Bullet Tree Road. The incident occurred at about 6:30 Thursday evening. Information to us is that Rodriguez was jogging from San Ignacio to Bullet Tree on the left side of the road. As she approached a curve on the hill, in front of the New Site Area, Rodriguez was knocked down by a Great Wall Wingle pickup that was coming from the opposite direction, which hit her head on. MoH closes three pharmacies for infringement of law In 2016, the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press release stating that an amendment to the Food and Drugs Act Chapter 291 of the substantive laws of Belize would be approved by the House of Representatives and would allow for the ministry to enforce harsher penalties for persons and businesses found violating the laws. MoH is finally enforcing these laws now, with the closure of three pharmacies in the Cayo and Stann Creek Districts. Strangely, when we asked a representative from MoH for the names of the pharmacies, that person declined to give out that information. CCJ: Belize Bank must wait for parliament’s vote on BZ$90 million UHS arbitration award In the never-ending stream of litigation by the Ashcroft Alliance, the Government of Belize registered a victory when the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled on Friday not to issue an enforcement order against the government for the payment of the more than BZ 90-million- dollar Universal Healthcare Service (UHS) arbitral award. The Belize Bank had filed an application in March, after the CCJ had ruled that the government must pay the bank, asking the CCJ to enforce its ruling on the award, but the court ruled that it would wait for the Belize parliament to first act on the court’s judgment. Petville farmer, 51, killed in hit-and-run accident At about 7:00 last Thursday evening, Melito Macario Medina, 51, a farmer and resident of Petville, was walking home on the San Estevan Road. Medina had already crossed the ferry and was almost home when he was knocked down by a vehicle from behind. He was dragged under the vehicle for a short distance, then the vehicle sped away. The Reporter Police constable and three others charged with drug trafficking A police constable is one of several persons who faces drug trafficking charges following an incident between Santa Cruz and San Antonio villages, Orange Walk. Police intercepted a rented vehicle during a joint customs/police/BDF operation on Saturday afternoon. The vehicle had three occupants inside and […] Breaking Belize News Police Minister excludes Opposition from crime fighting strategy? Since the start of the year there have been an estimated 79 murders in Belize. Today […] SSB meets with PUP leader to discuss increase in contributions For weeks, news has circulated that the Social Security Board (SSB) has intentions of increasing the […] Opposition leader shares concerns about Elections and Boundaries Department A national voter re-registration was last done 21 years ago in 1997, however, on July 1, […] Zenaida Moya for PUP in Mesop? Heated speculations are that former Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya, will serve as the People’s United […] Andrews and Saldivar situation not personal says PUP leader Andrews and Saldivar situation not personal says PUP leader The People’s United Party (PUP) has installed […] PUP leader says Santander must respect laws During a press conference today in Belize City, Opposition Leader, John Briceno, weighed in on the […] CCJ: Belize Bank must seek award enforcement in Supreme Court The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Friday, made a ruling on the enforcement of the […] Belize re-registration and the Guatemalan dilemma With national re-registration scheduled for July 1, today the press asked Opposition leader, John Briceno if […] Leader of the Opposition suggests OAS observer for re-registration People’s United Party Leader, John Briceno has written to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, suggesting that […] Fake security guards rob owner of Spoonaz Café at gunpoint Yesterday around 10:50 p.m., American businessman, Jeremey Alexander Spooner, 63, was held up at gunpoint by two […] Belize Red Cross launches monetary appeal to assist victims in Guatemala Today, the Belize Red Cross officially launched a monetary appeal to assist victims of Guatemala’s catastrophic […] Dangriga man wanted for sexual assault ends his own life Police have confirmed the details of a reported suicide in Dangriga yesterday, in which resident, […] Dangriga man wanted for sexual assault ends his own life Police have confirmed the details of a reported suicide in Dangriga yesterday, in which resident, Maurice […] How to increase the value of your home Brought by 4Realty Ltd., Full-Service Real Estate Brokerage in Belize Last week we gave you three tips to […] Belize~ Guatemala volcano relief centers The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize News. […] Dangriga man wanted for sexual assault reportedly ends own life According to Channel 5 News, yesterday around 3:00 p.m., Dangriga resident, Maurice Serrano, reportedly took […] Rescue efforts continue as Guatemala’s death toll rises Guatemalan authorities have confirmed that as of yesterday, there were 69 dead as […] BPP requests to contribute to ICJ campaign The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) has requested to contribute to the Government of Belize’s ICJ […] Belizean officials meet with Canadian commercial corporation Minister of Transport and National Emergency Management, Edmond Castro, headed a team of Belizean officials […] Mission Cry sends loads of Good News Bibles to Belize Mission Cry, an American Christian Mission has sent down a container of Good News Bibles along […] Belize national basketball team begins journey to FIBA Americup The Belize Basketball Federation (BBF) today announced that the National Basketball Team now begins the journey […] Foreign Minister attends Ministerial Meetings in Togo Wilfred Elrington led Belize’s delegation to the 43rd Session of the Joint Council of Ministers of […] Blogs Mango Festival 2018: Hopkins was Actually Bursting with Mangos This past weekend, the first weekend of June, the village of Hopkins, Belize celebrated the king of fruits – the MANGO. It comes in many colors, countless sizes and shapes, it can be tart and sweet, smooth or hairy and it can be made into all sorts of things. I was there to taste as much as I could. Here’s a look at some of the festivities. The weather was a bit iffy. And my time poor (I seemed to arrive at the fete in the middle of the village too early or just as it was about to start raining…I missed a bunch of the amazing live music but I had such a good time.) Courtney Sage says Belize is the definition of serendipity Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Courtney Sage feels that Belize has been the definition of the word ‘serendipity’. We certainly appreciate the chain of events that led her to the shores of Ambergris Caye, as she is one of the Belize visitors that gets what makes us unique and worth visiting, over and over again! She’s currently living in Germany with her husband Mark, their African Grey Parrot Cleo and one very spoiled kitty, L’Baby, and is busy making grand plans for a return visit to Belize. MBB: How did you find out about Belize? Courtney: I knew for a long time that there is an incredible reef in Belize. It was on my bucket list, but I had no idea how I would be able to get there. International Sources 5 Active Holiday Ideas to Prevent Boredom There are two types of people in this world, those who can quite happily spend their whole holiday lying on a sun lounger by the pool, drinking cocktails and sunbathing, and there are those who need to get out and explore. If you fall into the latter category then you’ll love these five ideas of holiday destinations where it is impossible to be bored. Belize lies on the eastern coast of Central America and it is famous for its beautiful Caribbean shorelines, dense forests and the great Belize barrier reef. There certainly is plenty to do here! It is a great place for scuba diving and the Great Blue Hole is an iconic location for divers that is a huge hole which is 124 metres deep and 318 metres wide in the middle of a shallow sea filled with diverse marine life. You should visit Ambergris Caye to explore the Belize barrier reefs and is a famed site for snorkelling and diving. You should also visit Hol Chan Marine Reserve, an area that is abundant with marine life and popular for its reefs. Guatemala warns of greater activity after volcano explodes again Guatemalan authorities warned that the Fuego volcano was showing signs of greater activity on Tuesday night as the death toll from a devastating eruption at the weekend climbed to 75 and nearly 200 people remained missing. The seismological, volcanic and meteorological institute Insivumeh heightened its warnings after the volcano erupted again earlier on Tuesday, forcing evacuations and sending rescue workers scrambling for cover. The peak had its most devastating eruption in more than four decades on Sunday, showering ash on a wide area and sending lava flows through nearby towns. Videos Life is good in Belize, 2min. on top of a mango tree St. John's College held a student debate on the ICJ Referendum, 54min. Wahil Kol Primicias Mr Manuel Solis video by Banquitas House of Culture NICH, 3min. The Wahil Kol Primica one of the Yucatec Maya traditions still done in Belize for the harvest . Mr Manuel Solis is a Yucatec Maya(Maya Mestizo) of Orange walk . Caminando Juntos En La Fe, 65min. Maya HieroGlyphs Writing Club - Mt. Caramel High School, 39min. Social Security Board - 37th Anniversary / Update, 45min. Department of the Environment - World Environment Day, 31min. Power was out in the Escalante, DFC and San Pablo Areas of Ambergris Caye for about 30 minutes as a lamp post caught on fire by Royal Palm, 1/2min. Escalante resident informs that the Fire Department was called 30 minutes ago and never showed up. Belize Electricity Limited utility workers had to out the fire with buckets of water! Power was restored by 1:40p.m.; BEL accounts for wildlife for the cause of the outage. Lionfish Hunting the Caribbean, 5min. Belize Participates in OASAssembly, 12min. Fly Fishing Belize, 14min. You better Belize it,12 min. Nach einer knapp 1,5 tägigen Flugreise ging es endlich nach Belize. Die Hauptstadt schnell hinter mir gelassen, nahm ich das nächste Schnellboot nach Caye Caulker. Eine kleine idyllische Insel in der Karibik - inklusive dem zweitgrößten Korallenriff der Welt. Unbeschreiblich.