Today's Belize News: January 23, 2019

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Today's Belize News: January 23, 2019 #534473 01/23/19 06:29 AM 01/23/19 06:29 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,968 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, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials The San Pedro Sun Carpentry and Mechanical Internship Program launched at Royal Caribbean Resort Aimed at capacitating youth interested in the vocational fields of Carpentry and Mechanics, an Internship Program was officially inaugurated on Friday, January 18th in San Pedro Town. The initiative is the effort of island businessman, Yorham Shostari of Royal Caribbean Resort, in collaboration with the Area Representative and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Honourable Manuel Heredia Jr. It is set to start in February, with participants ages 16 and up eligible to apply for an internship lasting four months. Only two candidates will be selected for each internship period. During the short inauguration ceremony, Shostari and his daughter Lee-el gave an overview of the program. It is free of cost, and participants will work in the workshop adjacent to the resort, six days a week from 8AM to 5PM, with lunch provided. According to Lee-el, the internship program is a way of giving back to the community and establishing an even closer relationship with the island’s work force. “Persons interested in carpentry or mechanics should take advantage of this opportunity to improve their skills and become great contributors to the society’s growth,” said Lee-el. San Pedro collects 23 pints during successful emergency blood drive Sunday, January 20th saw an emergency blood drive being held in San Pedro Town, and a total of 23 pints of blood were collected. Originally scheduled for March 2019, the event date was moved up in order to assist island resident Daryl Kennedy, who is in urgent need of blood as the country faces a drastic shortage. From 9AM to 3PM, potential donors made their way to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where personnel from the Belize Blood Bank, along with volunteers from the Belize Red Cross, San Pedro Branch welcomed them. The volunteers also held a dollar drive in the downtown area, collecting $192.81 in cash. Ambergris Today Kris Miller - New CARICOM Youth Ambassador The Department of Youth Services under the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture announces the appointment of Mr. Kris Miller as the second of two CARICOM Youth Ambassadors to represent Belize. Mr. Miller is a 22-year-old youth leader and advocate from the City of Belmopan and is pursuing his Bachelors of Science in Social Work from the University of Belize. Mr. Miller also serves as a board member of Belmopan Active Youth and second vice of the Belize Youth for Road Safety Project. Misc Belizean Sources Placencia Blood Drive by Rotary Club Feb. 4, 9am-4pm, Placencia Health Clinic by St. Johns School 2nd Annual BELIZE INVESTMENT FORUM in Houston If you happen to be in the area, mark the date! The Belize American Chamber of Commerce (BACC), in Partnership with BELTRAIDE & BelizeINVEST, the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), & in collaboration with the Greater Houston’s “Tri-County Regional Black Chamber of Commerce” (TCRBCC) is proud to present the 2nd Annual BELIZE INVESTMENT FORUM (BIF) on Thursday February 28th, 2019 at the INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER (ITC) in Houston, Texas, USA. For more info Contact: [email protected] The Books of Chilam Balam(The sacred Books of the Yucatec Maya) The Books of Chilam Balam are handwritten, chiefly 17th and 18th-centuries Maya miscellanies, named after the small Yucatec towns where they were originally kept, and preserving important traditional knowledge of the indigenous Maya . Many of them contain information which were copied from ancient Maya codices . The Maya wrote the Books of Chilam Balam as a necessity of preserving knowledge for the future generations after many codices where destroyed by the Spaniards. Written in the Yucatec Maya language and using the Latin alphabet, the manuscripts are attributed to a legendary author called Chilam Balam, a chilam being a priest who gives prophecies and balam a common surname meaning 'Jaguar'. Some of the texts actually contain prophecies about the coming of the Spaniards to Yucatán while mentioning a chilam Balam as their first author. The best-known prophecies are those of the return of Kukulkan . Cabinet Unanimously Supports a ‘Yes’ Vote in ICJ Referendum In its meeting today, January 22, the Cabinet unanimously reaffirmed its position that a ‘Yes’ vote in the April 10th Referendum in support of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) option is the right decision for Belize to rid itself forever of the unfounded Guatemalan claim. In May 2018, it was announced that the official position of the Cabinet was that a ‘Yes’ vote ought to be recommended to the people of Belize without prejudice to individual members of Cabinet reserving their right to disagree. Exchange visit FCD Belize With support from the British High Commission, Belmopan an exchange visit was made with personnel from the Belize Forest Department, CONAP, Balam, Foro de Justicia Ambiental and FCD to discuss strategies to address illegal wildlife trafficking. Channel 7 UDP Revs Political Engine For "Yes" To The ICJ Two weeks ago - the Opposition PUP announced that it will say "No" to the ICJ. Well, today, the Dean Barrow Cabinet - according to an official release - quote, "unanimously reaffirmed its position that a 'Yes' vote in the April 10th Referendum is the right decision for Belize." This follows up on a collective position first announced in May 2018, where the caveat was that a 'Yes' vote, quote, "ought to be recommended to the people of Belize without prejudice to individual members of Cabinet reserving their right to disagree." Well, it seems, they have now agreed to agree. Today's release makes it clear, quote, "All members of Cabinet are now fully convinced that Belize needs to take this matter to the ICJ and put an end to this unfounded claim once and for all." Father And Son Die In Fatal Accident Two families are torn apart after a fatal accident in Spanish Lookout. A father and son were killed in a collision yesterday evening around 6:00. The victims are father 55 year old Manuel Ramos and his son 24 year old Jaime. Courtney Weatherburne has the story. It was too late for the Ramos'. By the time the ambulance arrived on scene, they were already dead. Jaime Ramos and his dad Manuel were heading to their Duck Run 1 home when they T-boned a Ford Ranger Pickup. Compol Chester Meets With All Officers He took over command two weeks ago, and, today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams held an All Officers Conference. He met with every cop at the rank of Inspector and above at the Training Academy in Belmopan. That's 135 cops, and he told the media that he is trying to get everyone reading from the same song sheet: Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: "You would know that the all officers press conference was a feature for policing for years, but over the past couple of years we have not had an all officer's conference in quite some time. Under my administration it is my intention to bring it back the way it used to be and all officers conference will be held every 6 months. Today main message is basically to enlighten the officers on the new changes in administration..." To Reduce Murders, Police Will Focus On And while Compol Chester says he won't victimize, truth is, if he wants to be seen as a difference maker, he won't have time for petty grievances. The political directorate and the public want to see a significant decrease in major crime - and they want it quickly. To achieve this, Williams says police will be targeting gangs, domestic violence and night clubs:.. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: "As a department we cannot and will not allow the masses of the country to be held hostage by our minority..." How To Purge Corrupt Cops The other major issue for the public is corruption in the police department - recently demonstrated by police officers charged for active involvement in the landing of narco-planes. But, with only two officers criminally charged in a vast web of corruption and facilitation of narcotics shipment - the police have to do more to win back public confidence. Williams says that without evidence there is only so much that can be done: Police Went Looking For Another Plane And, again on Sunday night, police were again called out to the Progresso road - which has been the site of many drug plane landings. Williams says they responded but found nothing:... Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: "I don't know about an attempted plane landing in Progresso. I know that yes there was information of a low flying aircraft and we had responded the way we normally do and that aircraft did not landed. As it relates to plane landing in Crooked Tree, there is no such information." Police Take Charge of Joint Operations and Intelligence Center And now the local tracking mechanism for those drug planes is under police command. The Joint Operations and Intelligence Center is rotating command from the BDF to the police. Williams discussed this change: "I will first and foremost say that Col. Amoa has been at JIOC for over 2 years which is the tenure of the coordinator and during the time that he has been there he has done an exceptional job in coordinating operations and how we respond to these clandestine plan landings and so forth..." Conch Shell Fire Was Electrical Yesterday we told you about the fire that left a Conch Shell Bay family without a home. There were conflicting reports about the cause of the blaze. The mother of the homeowner whose was there at the time said it was an unattended stove fire while authorities said it may have been an electrical issue. Today we have the official report from the National Fire Service... Orin Smith, Station Officer, National Fire Service: "Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was the result of an electrical fault. The structure, I understand, was receiving an electrical drop that might have resulted in that fire." Gaynair Gets 15 Years An Orange Walk resident was today sentenced to 15 years for the manslaughter of a student he stabbed to death in 2013. In October of last year, 30 year old Keith Gaynair was found guilty of manslaughter for killing 18 year old New Hope Student Darrel Wade Jr in 2013. Wade was stabbed three times as he was heading home from school. Gaynair was sentenced to 15 years in prison but five years and four months were removed for time served leaving a total of nine years and eight months left on his sentence. Once half his sentence has been served Gaynair will be eligible to apply for parole. Gaynair was represented by attorney Richard Dickie Bradley, while Jaime Burns and Shanidi Chell appeared for the prosecution. Man Pleads Guilty To Weed, Friends Get Off Yesterday police, assisted by a K-9 unit, searched the home of 34-year-old Jason Rivers. Nothing was found inside the house or on the person of Rivers, or his younger brother Gildon and associates Fitzroy Miles and Delvin Lopez, who were present at the time. However the K-9 unit did pick up the sent of cannabis coming from Rivers' vehicle. After a quick check, police discovered about 4 ounces of weed hidden in the rear wheel of the vehicle. All four men were arrested and appeared in court yesterday where they were charged with possession of controlled drugs. Bullets On A Bus A Hattieville woman was busted with ammunition on Tillett's Bus. Police stopped the bus between miles 55 and 56 on the Phillip Goldson Highway as it was heading to Orange Walk from Corozal. They searched a female commuter form Hattieville and they found 5 boxes with a total 250 rounds of 9mm ammunition. She was detained, cautioned and escorted to the OW police station and is pending charges of kept ammunition without a gun license. Customs Modernizing The Customs and Excise Department is in the preliminary stages of rolling out its new Advanced Cargo Information System. Today Customs, with the help Caricom partners, held a sensitization workshop for involved parties. We spoke to representatives from both organizations about the new system... ACIS is expected to significantly speed up the Customs process. Police Petition Challenges Chester Earlier in the news, you heard the new Commissioner of police talk about the big issues of unity in the senior command, major crime, and corrupt cops. But the details of administration is a tall task unto itself. And right now Compol Chester is facing his first wave of resistance with a petition that's going around. It started after Williams proposed returning to the 8 hour shifts. Currently Police are on 12 hour shifts with four days off. The new system would change that to 8 hours shifts for 7 days with two days off. Williams discussed why he wants to change it - despite resistance: Police Command Needs Will For Change And while he battles through that, Compol Williams has to be operating and implementing at multiple levels - beyond just basic policing. We asked him about the police's apparent inability - or incapacity - to implement new programs:... Chester, Started From The Bottom And while Williams tackles those tough issues - don't expect that ever present smile to turn into a frown anytime soon. That's because - like the song says - he started from the bottom as a 17 year old village boy who hadn't even gone to high school. Now, 27 years later, he's the top cop. Williams reflected on it today:.. Artists For Cuba On Saturday a group of 5 Belizeans will be traveling to Cuba to participate in solidarity activities in Havana. Alex Courtenay spoke to members of that group to find out the details of the trip... Alex Courtenay reporting: Teachers, artists and activists - all words that best describe the delegation of Belizeans traveling to Cuba at the end of this week. The group will participate in the conference of the Equilibrium of the World in Havana as well as take part in several activities and discussions to demonstrate their solidarity with the fellow Caribbean nation. Midtown Grocery Robbed And - before we leave tonight - there was a robbery just a few minutes ago on Albert Street - right next to our studio. It happened at an Indian-owned store named Midtown Grocery - which just opened a couple months ago. Well, they were robbed about half an hour ago - but all the details aren't known yet. We note that - in a sharp contrast from many years ago - this is now one of the only stores open on the entire Albert Street downtown area after 5:00 pm. Police usually keep a strong presence in the area during daylight hours - after a spate of robberies early last year. Channel 5 Video Images of a Drug Plane Landing in the North are Leaked Two weeks ago, drug plane whistleblower, Edward Vincent Martinez held a press conference in Belize City providing details of illegal landings in the Jewel. While his commitment to a follow-up [...] Rogue Cops Will Not be Tolerated The new ComPol, Chester Williams has been making his media rounds and connecting with the department he is now heading and depending on to carry out his agenda to reduce [...] No Victimization under ComPol Chester Williams’ Leadership In his exit speech last week, former ComPol Allen Whylie spoke about the undermining of his authority and the rivalry within the department. Whylie ranted that the media and the [...] Double Traffic Fatality in Spanish Lookout A father and son lost their lives in a double fatality in Spanish Lookout. Manuel Ramos and his son, Jaime, were on motorcycle heading home to their families when they [...] Cabinet Takes a Definitive Yes to the I.C.J. Ahead of an anticipated announcement by the People’s United Party on the I.C.J, cabinet re-affirmed its YES vote for the April tenth Referendum. As far as we know, the United [...] Santa Cruz Farmers Up in Arms Over Sold Land We have been reporting on land dispute in the southern village of Santa Cruz where some thirty farmers are up in arms after they were told that the land they [...] Santa Cruz Village Expansion Project Has Villagers Divided A meeting is being held tonight in Santa Cruz Village by U.D.P. Stann Creek West Standard Bearer Ivan William concerning the village’s expansion project. Williams says the purpose of the [...] Fisherman Sets Up Gillnet Near Belize City Fisherfolks remain divided on the issue of gillnets. There are groups such as the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries who are vehemently opposed to the continued use of gillnets. On the [...] Juanita Ical Becomes First Woman Alcalde to Sit on TAA Executive On Saturday the traditional handing over of the leadership of the thirty-nine Maya villages took place in Punta Gorda, Toledo. In total, seventy-eight First Alcaldes and Deputy Alcaldes were elected [...] Toledo Alcaldes Association Discusses I.C.J. Referendum A recent telephone survey is pointing to an increasing number of persons who are against taking the claim to the I.C.J. for final resolution. Cabinet today endorsed a YES vote, [...] National Fire Service: “Cause of Fire on East Collet Canal is Electrical” On Monday we reported on the fire that destroyed one small wooden home in the Conch Shell Bay area. A mother and her daughter were living at the house up [...] Climate Change and Belize’s NDCs Belize National Climate Change Office is responsible for the coordination of Belize’s national, regional and international response to Climate Change. This entails some sensitization, as well as reporting on and [...] ComPol Williams Hosts 1st All Senior Officers’ Conference It’s been a while since senior police officers from across the country would converge to be debriefed and plan strategically for the future. Today, the first all-senior officers’ conference under [...] ComPol’s Overall Crime Fighting Strategy One of the biggest challenges for the police department is what seems to be a never-ending battle against crimes, particularly murders. It has been the Achilles’ heel for most commissioners [...] New South Side Commander on Tackling Crime As we’ve reported, the changes within the command of the police department have seen Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett now in charge of the Special Patrols Unit of the Police Department. [...] 2-Day Workshop for Customs, Shipping and Airlines Agents The CARICOM IMPACS, with support from the European Development Fund have been working with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to implement the Advanced Cargo Information Systems in [...] LOVE FM Cabinet says “YES” to ICJ It’s Tuesday and that means that Government’s Cabinet members were in session in Belmopan this morning. We don’t ordinarily hear what is discussed in these meetings unless there is some resolution or pressing issue decided on; which is the case in this instance. While it comes as no surprise, it is official that the Cabinet … Amandala 3 remanded for suspected ATM card scam Three men, all of them foreigners, were charged with two counts of preparation to commit a crime when they appeared today before Magistrate Patricia Arana. They are Edgar Vargas, 36, a Colombian national; Luis Marroquin, 24, a Peruvian national; and Juan Espinosa, 35, a native of Chile. When asked to state their occupation, all three classified themselves as businessmen. Magistrate Arana did not take a plea from them because the offences will be tried on indictment. The prosecutor objected to the granting of bail to the men on the ground that the men are flight risks and if they were granted bail, they would not return to court. 4 tourists robbed at Mayan site, El Pilar Four tourists were robbed yesterday afternoon, January 20, at the El Pilar archaeological site, which is about 7 miles southwest of Bullet Tree Village. Although there were reports that the robbers were Guatemalan, police have not confirmed that. When police arrived on the scene around 12:30 p.m., they met Teddy Waight, 39 — the tour guide who had been with the tourists when the incident occurred. Waight told them that he was conducting a tour of the Mayan site with two American and two Canadian tourists when the robbery took place. Young killers of elderly Maskall man to be sentenced on Feb. 1 Two men who have been on remand for the murder of Maskall villager Ervin Morales, 61, appeared in the Supreme Court of Justice Colin Williams today for sentencing after they pleaded guilty last month to the lesser charge of manslaughter, but they will have to be brought back to court on February 1 for sentencing. Six years ago, when Clive Geban was charged with Morales’ murder, he was a 19-year-old teenager and his accomplice, Roberto Rodriguez, was so young his name could not be mentioned in the news because he was a 14-year-old minor. Domestic, 51, and chef, 37, busted with cocaine in Dangriga Karen Valentine, 51, a domestic of Dangriga, and Marlon Palacio, 37, a chef of Gumagarugu Road, Dangriga, have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking, and they have been detained pending arraignment at the Dangriga Magistrate’s Court. We were told that there is no magistrate in Dangriga until Friday, so Valentine and Palacio remain detained until Friday, when they will be taken to court. Family loses house to fire A woman, her mother, her three children, and her cousin are all homeless after a fire erupted at #40 East Collet Canal sometime after 8:00 last night. No one was injured, but all their belongings were destroyed in the fire. There were 3 plywood structures in the yard, and the fire started in the structure closest to the street — a structure that was only about 12X13 feet in size. According to police, the owner of this structure, Candice Wade, 26, was at her neighbor’s house when someone told her that smoke was coming out of her house. Is Wagiya for real? Week 2 results and standings in PLB 2018-2019 Closing Season They ranked 7th of 8 teams, with the worst Goal Difference (-15) at the end of regular competition in the last Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2018-2019 Opening Season; but with the completion of Week 2 in this PLB 2018-2019 Closing Season, Wagiya Sporting Club is in the top 4, and is the only team yet to concede a single goal so far this season. (See standings below.) They held defending champion Bandits Sport scoreless in the season opener last week; and yesterday they dropped BDF FC, 2-nil, at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga. BDFA First Division meeting tomorrow at MCC A release last week Tuesday from the Belize District Football Association (BDFA) called on all teams “interested in participating in the Second Leg of the BDFA First Division to a meeting at the MCC Grounds on Tuesday, January 22, at 5:00 p.m.” The release continued that “the winner of this tournament will be awarded a cash prize, trophies and medals and, more importantly, will get an automatic berth to the FFB National Amateur League Championship.” Packed venues and excited fans welcome in the NEBL 2019 basketball season The much anticipated National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) 2019 season surely lived up to the hype for its opening weekend, as all three games witnessed packed auditoriums and raucous fans cheering on their favorite squads. All 3 games were decided by single digit points, with Cayo fans getting a treat to the first over-time game this season. Chief Sunday Race results – January 20, 2019 Here are the results from Chief Sunday Race held yesterday from Leslie’s Imports (with a roll-out to Old Belize). The race, for Open A/B/Elites, started at 8:00 a.m. and went to Mile 35 and back to Old Belize, for 59.8 miles. Forty-five cyclists started the race, and forty of them finished. Finishing order was: 1st Place – Nissan Arana (Westrac Alliance, 2:28:11); 2nd Herman Requeña (Santino’s, 2:28:17); 3rd Shane Jones (Westrac Alliance, 2:29:39); 4th Angel Tzib (Westrac Alliance, 2:29:58); 5th Brandon Cattouse (Smart, 2:30:03)... Editorial: We’re not that young It’s quite the popular saying: Belize is a young country. It’s about 40 years since we became an independent nation and our poverty rate keeps going in the wrong direction. We’re not going to turn that dismal fact around just because we are eighty years old. It will happen because we did the things we had to do, to make progress. How did Taiwan become one of the world’s top economies and how long did it take them to do it? Like most countries, Taiwan’s economy was based on agriculture. The government reformed land policies so that their farmers got land, and they made sure they got the equipment and other inputs they needed so that they could maximize the productivity of their fields. Taiwan, taking a page from the British, provided huge subsidies for irrigation and drainage projects, and farm roads. From The Publisher The broad masses of us Belizeans now know, beyond a doubt, that something has gone seriously wrong in Belize, at least for us native Belizeans, since independence. The stark evidence of our socio-judicial collapse is the fact that our young men have been murdering each other, with basic impunity and seemingly indiscriminately, for more than the last quarter century. The irony of our present situation is that the class of Belizeans (non-working class) who argued most vehemently against independence for Belize may have been the ones amongst us who benefited most, who have climbed, in fact, to an elite financial status where they live apart from the chaos on the ground and do not appear all that troubled by it. OJ’s disgraceful threat of a lawsuit There are times when I’d rather say what’s on my mind to a tree, or a farm animal, or just a couple close confidential friends while we are sharing a few drinks. It’s just an uncomfortable game for me to get so up to anyone. But what do you do when you see someone or some people shredding the chances for your country? The way our country is set up, a lawyer has all the run in the world, and if that lawyer also happens to be a politician they are absolutely in an advantageous position. It’s just absolutely despicable the way these lawyers and politicians hide behind/take advantage of the law. The life and deeds of a politician are public property because character is essential in a leader. Yes, it is wise for a politician to defend his reputation against all accusations. But hiding behind the law for every little misdemeanor is a dishonorable defense for people who aspire to lead. Tyrone Fitzgibbon, 30, a fisherman, remanded for arson Tyrone Fitzgibbon, 30, a fisherman of 44 A Dolphin Street, was charged with two counts of arson when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. No plea was taken from him because the offences are indictable. The prosecutor, Sergeant Macedonio Sanchez, objected to the granting of bail to Fitzgibbon on the grounds that there is the likelihood that Fitzgibbon might interfere with witnesses if he were granted bail and there is a strong case against him. Owner and patrons of Latinos Barber Shop held up and robbed At about 7:45 Saturday evening, the Latinos Barber Shop located on Cemetery Road was held up and robbed by two thieves who escaped with cash and cell phones. During the weekly police press brief held this afternoon at the Raccoon Street Police Station, ASP Alejandro Cowo said that Ezekiel Miranda, 39, a barber and owner of the Latinos Barber Shop, and a customer were in the shop when two men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, entered the shop. The armed bandit pointed the gun at them and demanded money. Falling branch kills Pedro Perez, 43 Pedro Perez, 43, a Guatemala national who was a worker at the Maya King Banana Farm on the Southern Highway, was cutting down a tree Saturday morning when a branch from the falling tree landed on him, causing him to suffer massive head and body injuries. Workers who saw what happened rushed to help him, and the branch was taken off him. Perez was rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. Woman grazed by gunshot A woman was injured by a gunshot on Saturday, January 19, at around 2:40 in the afternoon. According to police reports, June Willoughby, 49, of Belize City, was standing in front of a Chinese-owned store on Ebony Street when she heard several gunshots. Shortly after, she realized that she had been grazed on the right foot. Breaking Belize News Cabinet unanimously supports a ‘Yes’ Vote in ICJ Referendum The Government of Belize announced minutes ago that in a meeting held today, the Cabinet […] Cornell Vet school engage in activities at The Belize Zoo Over the last two weeks, The Belize Zoo (TBZ) hosted Cornell Vet School and the […] 3 ATM scammers from Colombia sent to Hattieville Prison Three Colombian nationals are on remand at the Belize Central Prison after police caught them […] Benque Viejo represents at World Youth Day Six students and two teachers from John Paul II Junior College (JPIIJC) met the President […] Father and son die in road traffic accident in Spanish Lookout A father and son from Duckrun 1 lost their lives last night in Spanish Lookut, […] Get the blow by blow with BFLA for Valentine’s Day To help women spice up their love life this Valentine’s Day, the Belize Family Life […] ComPol Williams says he hopes to keep murder count below 100 Today, during his appearance on Krem’s Wake Up Belize Morning Vibes, Commissioner of Police (ComPol) […] Belizean artists, teachers and community activists stand in solidarity with Cuba A group of Belizeans; Yasser Musa (artist/teacher), YaYa Marin Coleman (community activist/media worker), Katie Usher […] Over 2 pounds of cannabis found inside bus Early yesterday morning, police conducted a search on a comuters bus in San Jose, Orange […] Great things coming to Lake-I Blvd, says DPM Since late last year, drivers in Belize City traveling on Lake Independence Boulevard were given some […] Blogs Belize; one of the last strong-holds for the White-lipped Peccary A new study by Wildlife Society Conservation Program (WCS), El Colegio de Frontera Sur, Washington State University USA and other key regional partners has found that the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), one of the last large herding mammals of the Americas, has been eliminated from 87% of its historical range in Mesoamerica. Thought to be the ‘canary in the coalmine’ for Mesoamerica’s forests due to their ecological sensitivity, their loss could indicate the beginning of the end for Central America’s wilderness. Already lost from El Salvador, the white-lipped peccary is now confirmed to be the most endangered ungulate mammal in the region, and at risk of extinction in other countries. Stable and large populations can now only be found in two of Mesoamerica’s five largest and most intact wildernesses: the tri-national Maya Forest (Guatemala, México and Belize), and El Darién in Panama. However, 20 of 29 assessed populations are either significantly smaller or highly threatened and are rapidly becoming isolated. The report demands urgent attention to avoid further national extinctions Monday Blues as a Cold Front Passes over Ambergris Caye Yesterday, as many in the north were chiseling the ice from their cars in the US and Canada, the cold front dipped as low as Belize. Coldest temperature recording yesterday in the US: Seagull Lake, Minnesota -35F, Boston, 5 degrees, NYC, 4 degrees. Orlando’s temperature was 38! Belize dipped precariously into the mid to high 60s. It actually felt lovely outside – the wind wasn’t as strong as it has been with previous cold fronts – and the low humidity felt great. Everything was blue and sparkling. I took a bunch of snapshots while running around town. And then some later on my way to and from book club. A look at January in Belize – first a “Belizean thermometer”. It is COLD when your coconut oil turns solid. (It melts under 76F) Meeting a Crocodile One of the most fascinating things we’ve done since moving to San Pedro is spend an evening with the “crocodile wranglers”, Chris and Christina, looking for crocodiles in the island’s mangrove habitats. To be absolutely clear, they won’t be hunting crocs. Instead this well informed, and dedicated, young couple study them, do community outreach about them, and educate visitors about the need to save these remarkable creatures. They work for an organization called ACES - American Crocodile Education Sanctuary. What Chris and Christina (and their team) will do is take you out, beginning just after dark, on their twenty-foot Carolina skiff affectionately known as the “Swamp Thing” and with your help, search for crocodiles. Unforgettable National Parks and Protected Areas in Belize For a small nation, the amount of land the Belize government has allocated to parks is unprecedented, and about 50-percent of Belize is protected by one environmental law or another. We’ve chosen just 10 of the best. Each offers a unique experience you may not find elsewhere in Belize. International Sources BELIZE GREAT BLUE HOLE: WORLD’S BIGGEST OCEAN SINKHOLE HAS PLASTIC AT BOTTOM Richard Branson has found plastic at the bottom of the world’s biggest ocean sinkhole. The billionaire dove into the abyss with Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of French explorer Jacques Cousteau, and National Geographic explorer Erika Bergman at the end of last year. In a blog post about the trip, he has said the discovery of bottles at the bottom of the Great Blue Hole shows the great need to “get rid of single use plastic,” adding that it has become the “scourge of the ocean.” Branson went to the Great Blue Hole last month and broadcast the dive on the Discovery Channel. In a subsequent blog post, Branson wrote: “We travelled about 10 minutes in the submarine into the Blue Hole and then started edging down the wall of the hole. The first thing we came across was a massive wall of giant stalactites, which were breathtakingly beautiful. La Crosse teachers swap a week of winter for field research in Belize, bring their students through Skype University of Wisconsin-La Crosse researchers Gretchen Gerrish and Megan Litster couldn’t bring local middle and high school students on their field expedition to Belize, so they did the next best thing: They brought their teachers. La Crosse Design Institute teachers Maggie McHugh and Katy Weber Skyped into class on Tuesday through a satellite internet connection from a Smithsonian field station in the Caribbean Sea. They reported results from the first of several experiments designed in part by their students and answered questions about their first days on the island. Ancient Maya Tomb Reveals Political Intrigue The graves and tombs of the ancient world have long been a subject of fascination to archaeology. The dead may no longer speak, but their bodies and the objects buried with them can tell us much about the lives they lived. A newly revealed burial from the ancient Maya city of Cahal Pech, Belize, is opening just such a window on the intrigues of elite Maya politics. In the latest edition of the journal Latin American Antiquity, Anna C. Novotny, Jaime J. Awe, Catharina E. Santasilia, and Kelly J. Knudson, describe and analyze this elite burial from Cahal Pech making use of an assortment of traditional archaeological methods, osteological analyses, and epigraphic studies. Videos St. Catherine Academy debate and mock referendum - territorial claim to the ICJ, 62min. St. Catherine Academy held a debate and mock referendum on Friday to gauge the position of the student body on whether or not to take the territorial claim to the ICJ. The student population included representatives of participating schools from across the country. The students voted to not take the case to the ICJ. We spoke with the debate team about the experience and what we should learn from the results. On our couch: Vivian Ake - Proposing Team, Debate Team. Davren Rodriguez - Proposing Team, Debate Team. Camryn Linares - Proposing Team, Debate Team. Anya Andrews - Opposing Team, Debate Team. Krishna Guemez - Opposing Team, Debate Team. Zariah Hinds - Opposing Team, Debate Team. Kalima Enriquez Hibberd - Social Studies Teacher, SCA. Learn to exercise extreme caution in posting about persons and businesses, 36min. Social media users are going to have to learn to exercise extreme caution in posting about persons and businesses. There is a growing recognition of the need for personal accountability for statements and accusations that may tarnish the reputation of another. A recently concluded landmark case has set precedence for persons to have recourse against defamation on social media. We spoke with attorney-at-law, Estevan Perera, about the case and the implications for users. International Court of Justice, 10min. Since 1946, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has delivered 129 judgements on disputes ranging from maritime boundaries to economic rights. Presently, there are 17 pending cases before the Court. In 2018 alone, five cases were submitted to the Court. Some Belizeans are apprehensive about entrusting the ICJ with the jurisdiction to ultimately resolve the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute. We travelled to The Hague in the Netherlands to get a better understanding of the Court and its functions. EU IICA Banana Project Belize 1, 18min. EU IICA Banana Project Belize 2, 7min. A low-key corner of Belize \| Condé Nast Traveller, 1min. A quiet part of Belize's Caribbean coast is drawing in beachcombing wanderers with its offbeat charm. Arguments for NO to ICJ, 51min. Paco Smith - Belize Peace Movement, Rufus X - Belize Peace Movement Belize chamber of Commerce & Industry - Professional Etiquette in the workplace, 26min. Vanessa Johnston - Training & Recrutment Officer, Angelita Staine - Training officer, Yorshabel Cathouse - Manager of Member Relations, BCCI. Belize City Council Super Sale, 21min. Ian Mariano Sr. Public Relations Officer BCC. Angela Hunt - Marketing Manager, James Brodies & Company. Mario 'Super Mario' Lopez - Public Relations Manager Dibary. San Ignacio: The Heart of Belize, 10min. A tourist met up with Angel Xis, and learned a lot about Cayo. There are tons of different shots from all around Cayo in this video, from the market to the Branch Mouth bridge. "There is more to this Central American outlier than vast beaches and the clear Carribean sea. But to find it, you have to 'go deep..." Our Crewed Yacht Charter Vacation in Belize!, 3.5min. WOW! We experienced the ultimate way to see the best of BELIZE! Capt. Randy & I invited onboard Catamaran Nera for an All-Inclusive yacht charter broker's FAM Trip. We had the BEST time learning about sailing, snorkeling, fishing & scuba diving around the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world and the proud culture of Belize. We love this fascinating country and our charter crew! Capt. Ruben & First Mate Christina are the most excellent hard-working, gracious crew who are on point with showing their enthusiasm for their jobs and attention to their clients. We would love to book your charter aboard Catamaran Nera! THE BELIZE MUSEUM (ONCE HER MAJESTY'S PRISON OF BRITISH HONDURAS), 1min. The classic and historic feature here of a small glimpse of Belize's Museum that was once the British colonial government's, "Her Majesty's Prison of Belize", is now one of the most widely visited Belizean colonial landmarks today in the former British Honduras now Belize, capitol city called, Belize City. Belize 2018, 9min. Summer family trip to Belize. Romping Belize » Jaqual the Fruit Man of Caye Caulker,2 min. We met Jaqual one morning on Belize's Caye Caulker. He runs the fruit stand along the beach. He hooked us up with a mighty ... Belize Travel 2019, 17min. Belize Travel including San Pedro, Hol Chan, Caye Caulker, Xunantunich, cave tubing and so much more!!!! Scuba Daze Belize, 3min. Indigo Beach Homes Snorkeling Tours. Croco Belize, 10sec. Sunset and oh surprise, a big crocodile appears! Belize Grouper Steals Lion fish from spear fisherman Don't eat grouper, 1min. Grouper patiently waits for spear fisherman to hit Lion fish, then in an instant steals it away. Don't Eat Grouper, help reduce Lion fish population. Be eco friendly, big group do reduce Lion Fish Population Bonefishing at Belize River Lodge, 3min. Ziplining in belize, 16min. The Best Of Ambergris Caye, Belize!, 2.5min. All the best activities for your tropical island vacation on Ambergris Caye! Swim with Manatees! Parasail above the beautiful barrier reef! Snorkel with Sharks! Explore Secret Beach! Everything on your bucket list for a perfect trip! OCEANA on gillnets/a>, 1.5min. We took to the streets of Belize to ask people their thoughts on gillnets and its impact on our marine life and there was only one conclusion - If we all fish sustainably, we can always fish.