Today's Belize News: January 26, 2019

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Today's Belize News: January 26, 2019 #534537 01/26/19 06:45 AM 01/26/19 06:45 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 83,968 oregon, spr Marty OP .
Marty OP	I will not be doing the news tomorrow, Sunday morning. I will return Monday morning.... 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 San Pedro Police Department receives laptops for their community policing unit During a short ceremony on Thursday, January 24th, the Community Policing Unit of the San Pedro Police Formation was the recipient of five HP laptop computers along with a printer and ink toners. The equipment will be used at their ‘Drop-in Center’ within the Unit, where they will be accessible to underprivileged children to do their school work. The generous donation came courtesy of island residents Paola Tatiana Cortes and David Title, and was facilitated by The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC). Students can access the center by visiting the police station Monday to Friday from 2PM to 5:30PM. Proper garbage disposal registering an improvement on Ambergris Caye Over the last couple of months, local authorities have seen an improvement in the way island residents and businesses are disposing of their garbage. The improper disposal of garbage has long been an issue on Ambergris Caye with illegal dumping resulting in unsightly litter across large portions of the island, polluting our water system, marring our natural beauty and threatening the health of our environment. Many non-governmental organization and businesses such as the San Pedro Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (SP BTIA), American Crocodile Education Sanctuary, Oceana Belize, The Phoenix, and even individuals, have hosted regular clean-up campaigns to raise awareness on the negative effects of illegal and improper garbage disposal on the environment. Increase in Pump Price for Regular Gasoline The Ministry of Finance announces that at midnight on January 25th, the pump price for regular gasoline will increase by 20 cents from $9.31 to $9.51 per gallon. This increase in the price is principally due to tightening global demand reflecting extreme winter conditions in North America and Europe, together with uncertainties in geopolitical conditions in several major oil-producing countries in the Middle East and in Latin America. Leader of the Opposition ends ICJ listening tour in San Pedro Town On Friday, January 18th, Honourable John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition- the People’s United Party (PUP), visited San Pedro Town, where he and his team wrapped up a nationwide listening tour on whether Belize should take the Guatemalan territorial claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). For the past few months, the tour has been aimed to listen what PUP supporters on the island are saying about the issue ahead of the April 10th national referendum, in which Belizeans will either vote for or against heading to the ICJ. Ambergris Today INTRO by XS Entertainment Presents MISTAH GEEH this Weekend in San Pedro Call 614-5139 for Tickets. BTB Joins Industry Stakeholders In Launching The O.W. Heritage Trail As part of its ongoing efforts to develop destinations and promote the attractions and historical areas of the various tourism regions of Belize, the BTB on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, joined key industry stakeholders in launching the Orange Walk Heritage Trail Project during a brief ceremony at the Banquitas House of Culture in Orange Walk Town. Misc Belizean Sources Saturday power outage cancelled in Corozal Postponed until further notice: power outage scheduled from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 26 to affect entire Corozal District. Celebrating The BDF 41st Anniversary & Passing Out of Recruit Intake No. 64! Plastic bags will soon be banned Are you ready for the ban on single-use plastics and styrofoam? It's coming to Belize in April 2019 and the Belize Department of the Environment - DOE wants you to be prepared. Here's how you can be a Smart Shopper! Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2019 The dates are set! June 28, 29, 30 Belize’s International Business Companies (IBC) Regime Assessed as “Not Harmful (Amended)” The Organisation for Economic Co-operation for Development (OECD) Forum on Harmful Tax Practices (FHTP) released the results of its recently concluded meeting held in Paris from 9th to 11th January 2019. The FHTP is the body mandated to monitor and review tax practices of jurisdictions around the world, focusing on the features of preferential tax regimes. During the January meeting, the FHTP discussed and assessed the recently enacted changes to Belize’s International Business Companies Act and concluded, based on the amendments, that the regime was “Not Harmful (Amended)”. The Belize delegation to the January meeting comprised representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the International Financial Services Commission, and the Belize International Financial Services Association (BIFSA). Laptops and Printer donated On Thursday, January 24th, 2019, the San Pedro Town Council made a donation to the San Pedro Police Department through some kind residents of Las Terrazas, Mr. David Title and Ms. Paula Cortez. The donation consisted of an HP laser printer, toners for the printer and two brand new HP lap top computers. The donated items will be used for the Children's Center at the Police Department so that students can use for their daily home works and projects. The San Pedro Town Council would like to thank Mr. Title and Ms. Cortez for their kind donation and their interest in helping out the children of San Pedro Town. Live and Invest in Belize Conference 2019 BelizeINVEST, unit of BELTRAIDE, attended the annual Live and Invest in Belize Conference held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina on January 24th, 2019. The event offers real-world advice to those seeking to invest, retire and do business in Belize or overseas. It also serves as a medium in gathering stakeholders from key institutions and sectors to guide and advise those seeking to live in Belize by offering relevant information. Presentations are often delivered by those in the real estate, banking and insurance industries. Belize Hosts EU-CELAC Workshop on Citizen Security From 23rd to 24th January 2019, Belize hosted the joint European Union (EU) and Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) Workshop on Citizen Security in Belize City. The event was co-organized by the EU and CELAC in the framework of the implementation of Chapter 10 of the EU-CELAC Action Plan. Experts from 31 CELAC and EU countries participated in the event, as well as several regional organizations, local governments, and civil society organizations. The workshop was the third and final activity mandated under Chapter 10 of the Action Plan and involved for the first time civil society and local governments. The topics discussed included police and border control cooperation, criminal investigation and intelligence sharing as well as the role of local governments and civil society in enhancing citizen security. Hon Edmond Castro Addresses First Nemo National Planning Meeting for 2019 This afternoon in Belmopan, Minister of National Emergency Management Hon. Edmond Castro addressed NEMO Coordinators and Warehouse Managers from around the country at the National Emergency Management Organization’s first National Planning Meeting for 2019. Hon. Castro thanked the staff for their dedicated service in 2019 and encouraged them to continue working hard and preparing themselves to lead the way in managing whatever disaster might come our way in 2019. Main topics discussed were Tsunami Readiness Plan and Flood Planning. The two-day meeting, which started yesterday and finished this afternoon, was conducted inside the training room at the NEMO Headquarters. Gift of Life Belize's Pediatric Cardiology Clinic D'Sky Bistro Grand Opening Night Chef Ennel had the grand opening for his the new D'Sky Bistro last weekend. San Ignacio is now officially a foodie town. "Thank you so much to everyone who joined us on our Grand Opening Night on January 18th, 2019. The night consisted of great food, drinks, views, laughter, happiness, marimba entertainment and warm ambience. NICH Stakeholder Consultation The SISE HoC is having a stakeholder consultation on Wednesday, Fabruary 6th, at 6:30pm. They are inviting anyone in the community, artist or not, who's interested in meeting with the new director and the NICH president. "Inviting the public to a special meeting in regards to culture and activities on the 6th February at SISEHOC all are invited." Low Water Pressure today in San Pedro BWS notice: Low water pressure to the entire San Pedro Town from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm, Saturday January 26, 2019. Channel 7 D-Day For Dion Landowner Dion Zabaneh has been acting in open defiance of the Department of the Environment for 6 days now. He's continued to fill his mother, Prime Rose Gabourel's titled land, parcel 4670 at the western end of Seashore Drive - after he was informed of a stop order against the development. The parcel happens to be in the sea - and - DOE says it would first have to approve any such development - that is, if you can overlook the fact that the seabed cannot be sold. But Zabaneh has openly defied them - and all this week, the DOE has been preparing its legal standing to enforce the order. So, this afternoon, the DOE showed up with the Gang Suppression Unit to enforce a stoppage. Two environmental officers went to the property and one of them read the Order and thereafter, gave Zabaneh and his crew 30 mins to clear the premises. Zabaneh exploded in a fit of rage. BWSL Beats PUC Your water company, Belize Water Services Limited won a major victory in court today against the Public Utilities Commission - and it has a direct effect on your water bill. The background is that in February of 2018, the PUC ordered that new, lower rates were to come into effect in April of 2018. BWSL objected and got an injunction blocking the implementation of the new rates. The issue is that the PUC's review was conducted under what it called "exceptional circumstances" and BWSL argues that no such circumstances existed. BWSL challenged the new rates in court, and today, in a 32 page judgement, Justice Michelle Arana found in favour of the water company. She found that the PUC did not give BWSL proper notice of Annual Review Proceedings under exceptional circumstance. She found that the PUC acted outside its jurisdiction and the PUC must pay its costs. Alleged Zitro Robber Remanded Another alleged robber made an appearance in court today. 18-year-old Raheem Budran was charged for the robbery of Zitro International and Western Union earlier this week. It is alleged that Budran made off with a little under $2000 in cash in the robbery. Police were able to identify him thanks to security cameras in he office. While no shots were, Budran did hold up the employees with a gun which means he was not offered bail. He was then remanded into custody until March 27. Ranold Released From Remanded Ranold Hernandez has been remanded after being charged for handling stolen goods belonging to Elodio Aragon Sr., the father of the current police Minister of state. Today after 8 days on remand, he got Supreme Court bail. Hernandez was released on $10,000 bail by Justice Antonette Moore. She also ordered the San Jose Palmar resident to hand over his travel documents and agree to check in at the Orange Walk police station every Friday starting next week. Hernandez also agreed not to interfere with any witnesses. He has not been charged for kidnapping of Aragon Sr. - only handling goods stolen from his house. He is scheduled to return to court on March 16. Evan Neal's Family Pleading For Closure 11 days ago, we first told you about 43 year old Evan Neal. He's been missing from his fishing camp on Mapp Caye in the Belize District since January 12th. That's when police found one of his workers, watchman Edinio Enso Humes shot in the head. But, there has been no sign of Neal and after almost two weeks of intensive searching the Coast Guard has told his family it cannot continue to look. Today, his brother Mark made a plea for his return:... In Case Of Emergency Imagine being stranded in the jungle all alone with an injured leg, or trapped in a house during a hurricane or flood - those might sound like scenes out of action movies, but these things really do happen. And personnel from NEMO, Belize Red Cross and the Belize Institute of Search and Rescue have to know how to effectively respond to these emergencies and more. So they finished up a 4 day Advanced search and rescue training and I found out more. Courtney Weatherburne reporting: Sleeping under a tent like this one for a week, braving the cold rainy nights, and not to mention constantly swatting those pestering insects, is certainly not for everyone, but this bunch handled it pretty well and made the best of this outdoor adventure. Hapless Burglars Pry Into Prosser, Leave Empty Handed A hapless thief or thieves ran off empty handed after they tried to burglarize Prosser Fertilizer in Belmopan. It happened sometime last night. When the workers opened up this morning they saw the bathroom grill window pried wide open. The alarm system must have scared them off before they could steal anything. We spoke to the Manager about this 3rd burglary attempt. Sonia Casey, Manager - Prosser Fertilizer, Belmopan: "What we noticed is when we came in this morning that the alarm was not armed, We didn't really make a big fuss of it, because we had a truck to off load, so we went straight into the truck, until one of the guys went into the bathroom to wash his hands, that's when we noticed the bathroom was broken into." Honest Labels, Healthy Consumers Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity are becoming increasingly prevalent among younger and younger populations. In an effort to combat this issue, the Ministry of Health and Belize Bureau of Standards are collaborating to develop a new labeling standard. These new front of package labels would warn consumers about the harmful ingredients in the products they buy, similar to the warning sign on cigarette packs. This legislation is still in the works, and members from the business community were invited to take part in a sensitization consultation. We went to the meeting to find out more... Jose Trejo - Director, Belize Bureau of Standards: "Today we're actually presenting to the business sector a draft Caricom regional standard that is actually being worked on right now. This standard is a labeling standard for prepackaged foods. One of the important things about this standard is that it has been a recent addition to the work that we're doing at a regional level on front package labeling..." A Day For Customs Officially, World Customs Day is tomorrow, but since that's a Saturday the Belize Customs and Excise Department showcased their work to the public today. The department displayed the various aspects of the job of a customs officer and the important work they do to maintain domestic stability. The slogan for this year's customs' celebration is SMART borders for Seamless Trade, Travel and Transport. We spoke to one of Custom's head strategists about how they plan to turn this year's theme into a reality... Therese Martinez - Strategic Policy and Trade Unit: "The theme for this year is smart borders for seamless trade, travel and transport. The objective is for Customs as a lead agency, a border agency and an agency that is at the front line at the border to be able to facilitate trade. The movement of goods, the movement of people and the movement of transport conveyances. And so the theme brings to us the need for us to make trade.." A Customs Officer's Job Ain't Easy And while it seems like the Customs Department is prepared to do what it can to keep the borders safe, it's a task easier said than done. Here's what one Customs enforcement officer told us about the difficulties of the job... Ronald Sanchez - Intel/Enforcement Officer, Customs and Excise : "We're seeing some major challenges at the moment. As you guys know the same roads that are being used for contraband are being used to transport illegal items such as drugs, weapons, ammunition even human trafficking so. It is increasing, the challenges are increasing and we're trying to step up our efforts as much a possible to see how we can combat the situation and stay on top of the game. Saldivar Sends Shot Across "Drug Hunter's" Bow The BDF is celebrating its 41st anniversary this weekend, and today 98 new soldiers from intake #64 passed out. Minister of National security John Saldivar congratulate them for surviving the BDF's tough training regimen:â€¦ And Saldivar also used this national platform to take a stand for the security forces - who are often maligned for involvement with narco traffickers. Seeming to take a swipe at self proclaimed Drug Hunter Edward Martinez, he used the word "delusional": Theater For The Thespians In the era of 200 plus channels of cable TV, and streaming services such as Netflix, the idea of leaving your home to go watch a live play at the theater may seem antiquated. But, a new production called Belize Rewind Theater and Tapas hopes to change that - and, in fact, change the way you think about a dramatic production. They've assembled an ambitious and sweeping review of Belizean history - and we found out about it today:â€¦ Studying Sargassum If you were near the beach any time in 2018 there's a good chance you've encountered sargassum. The brown algae has been plaguing waters in Belize and the Caribbean for the better part of this decade, and according to the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism its presence in our waters reached an all time high last year. In order to figure out exactly how and why the sargassum is blossoming in the Caribbean, the CRFM has launched a fact-finding study with the intent of developing effective management strategies. Sargassum has detrimental effects on both the tourism and fisheries industries - two main money earners for most Caribbean countries. CRFM is set to begin regional consultations with key stakeholders in the coming weeks. Defenderz Ready For Home The National Elite Basketball season is in full swing - ands fans in Belize City have two teams ot choose form, the Hurricanes and the Defenderz. The Hurricanes have already played their first home opener and the Defenderz do so tonight. We visited with the team and found out about their hopes for this season. Channel 5 2 Weeks and Still No Signs of Anthony Reneau and Evan Neal Tonight, we have more details about one of two men who went missing off Mapp Caye two weeks ago. His name, as we have reported is Anthony Reneau and his [...] M.O.H. to Await Nursing Council’s Decision The Ministry of Health says that it will await the Nursing Council’s decision on the matter of the death of three month old baby Dion Woodeye. As you heard on [...] Belizean Ambassador to O.A.S.: “The failure of the government of Venezuela is unquestionable” The situation continues to deteriorate in Venezuela where Opposition Leader Juan Guaido claims he is the interim president and has the support of the U.S., Canada and other countries. On [...] A No Vote Can Be Catastrophic for Belize We are one hundred and four days away from the April tenth I.C.J. Referendum. The Belize Referendum Commission is the official body in charge in carrying out a proper and [...] Wilfred Elrington: “I.C.J. Now is Just the Icing on the Cake” Guatemala’s claim over Belize has lingered over the country and its people for more than two centuries. The territorial dispute has divided the country especially when it comes to deciding [...] B.W.S.L. Wins Case against the P.U.C. In court today, an interesting case came up where the government controlled Belize Water Services Limited sued the regulator, the Public Utilities Commission. The matter was before the courts last [...] Report: Disadvantages of Gillnets Outweigh Benefits Gillnets in Belize continue to be a divisive issue among environmentalists and fisherfolks. Earlier in the week, the Fisheries Department had to confiscate a large gill net which had been [...] World Customs Day observed in Belize Today, the Customs and Excise Department joined the rest of the world to observe World Customs Day. The World Customs Organization is dedicating 2019 to the swift and smooth cross-border [...] A Customs Department Reminder If you’ve ever travelled through the borders or pass through the P.G.I.A., you would’ve come in contact with the Customs and Excise Department. Their role is to check for uncustomed [...] Blood Drives to Assist with the Shortage at the Blood Bank Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health confirmed a hold on some elective surgeries due to a shortage of blood supply at the blood bank. Today, when we spoke with [...] 98 New B.D.F. Recruits Approximately eight hundred applications were submitted to the B.D.F. for Intake number sixty- four but only one hundred and thirty were invited to train. But after the first several weeks [...] Lip Service: a Fellatio Workshop There is a raging social media debate over B.F.L.A.’s decision to hold a fellatio workshop. The Belize Family Life Association is an N.G.O. that focuses exclusively on sexual and reproductive [...] A Regional Initiative to Tackle Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a challenge throughout the region so policymakers are engaging the private sector to adopt standards that will make consumers more aware of making healthy choices when buying [...] Meet the Belize City Defenders Week two of the National Elite Basketball League goes down tonight at the Civic Centre in Belize City. Last year’s finalist, Belize City Defenders, takes on the Belmopan Bandits in [...] The Ahmadiyya Muslim Annual Convention The Ahmadiyya Muslim Organization is headquartered in the U.K. But here, the international movement has been working in the community in sports and spiritual services. On Thursday, the national presidents [...] LOVE FM Civil Review Complaints Commission Roadshow Reaches Toledo The Civil Review Complaints Commission was launched on the 21st of November, 2018. It is chaired by former police commissioner Gerald Westby. The oversight committee has a representative from each of the districts and the committee is mandated to make sure complaints are dealt with expeditiously. The commission is embarking on a countrywide listening tour … Belize’s Cagey Response about Venezuela The United States does not recognize Nicolas Maduro as the President of Venezuela. The majority of Organization of American States members voted on a resolution that did not recognize his new term in office. 8 countries abstained from voting and Belize was one of them. Belize, like several CARICOM countries, had benefited from low cost … Fifth annual Ahmadiyya Basketball League competition The fifth annual Ahmadiyya Basketball League competition is taking place on Sunday. The hoop dreams of youths from Belize and Mexico will converge at the St. Johns College Auditorium in Belize City. The organizers expect approximately 500 teens at the event. There will be no less than 40 teams that will participate in the competition. … Several injured in Accident There was a traffic accident just before 3 p.m. today. Two vehicles collided and has seriously injured one of the victims. 4 year old Victor Guzman is in a critical condition while the driver of one of the vehicles 68-year-old Sotero Zeceña is hospitalized. The other two minors, 2 and four years old were treated … Government looks at food packaging to address non-communicable diseases Government, through the Ministry of Health and the Belize Bureau of Standards has begun consultations on Front of Package Labelling, FOPL. The initiative is part of a larger regional effort under CARICOM. It seeks to look at new requirements for labelling of prepackaged foods in an effort to address health concerns including non-communicable diseases and … MAPP Caye Fisher still missing-Family wants answers 43 year-old Evan Neal, a father of three who owns a fishing camp on Mapp Caye is still missing. The watchman for the camp, 29 year-old, Edinio Enso Humes, was found with a bullet to the head in a latrine on the 14th of January. Neal and another man that the police department has not … PG Day, an Event for the Family There are two annual events that residents of Toledo look forward to every year. The first one is the Tide Fest and the other is PG Day of Course. Toledo Correspondent Paul Mahung reports on this weekend’s PG Day Activities Paul Mahung: “Plans are in place for the celebration of PG Day this weekend in … Ministry of Health focused on addressing issues with health care providers The investigation surrounding the death of three month old Dion Woodeye in Corozal Town is ongoing. The nurse who was on shift has not been placed on administrative leave as she took personal leave from the job. The Nursing Council is leading the investigation and is expected to hand in a report on its findings … HEARTS OF CHRIST Women’s Conference There is a conference in the capital, designed to improve the outlook, confidence and faith of women. Cayo Correspondent Fem Cruz reports on the 8th annual conference. Fem Cruz: “ Over 300 ladies from Roaring Creek and surrounding villages in Cayo South participated in the eighth annual Women’s Conference hosted by Hearts of Christ Ministry. … BDF expands with 98 new recruits The Belize Defence Force is celebrating its forty-one anniversary and continues to grow in years and size as it added ninety-eight more soldiers to its Force. Today’s passing out was indeed a momentous occasion for the members of Intake 64, who were cheered on by loved ones, as they displayed some of what they learned. … Belize Customs and Excise celebrates International Customs Day A short ceremony was held this morning to commemorate International Customs Day which is being celebrated under the theme “SMART borders for seamless Trade, Travel and Transport.” The Belize Customs and Excise Department has been working closely with World Customs Organization and CARICOM’S IMPACS to put in place, practices and discipline to better secure our borders... Amandala PUP says “No to the ICJ” Following a “Listening Tour” and a meeting of its executive today, the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) formally announced its position on the April 10 International Court of Justice (ICJ) referendum. PUP leader, Hon. John Briceño, flanked by the majority of the party’s standard bearers at their Independence Hall headquarters, announced that the PUP is saying no to the ICJ. Briceño, reading from a teleprompter, declared: “The People’s United Party (1) recalls the Party’s proud history of defending the rights of the Belizean people to self-determination and successfully leading Belize to political independence with all our territory intact, as defined by the 1859 Treaty; (2) deplores Guatemala’s refusal to accept the integrity of the long-established Belizean borders and its insistence on maintaining its unfounded claim to Belizean territory... Cabinet says yes, Lindsay says no! We do not normally editorialize in headline stories, or stories in general, but we consider an article sent to us by Lindsay L. Belisle, former Boundaries Commissioner, to be of such paramount importance – a bombshell, no less – that we feel that it is something to be shared with all Belizeans, in the diaspora as well, even though the Barrow administration has decided that they, true-born Belizeans, should not have a say in our referendum as to whether we should, or should not, go to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to settle, once and for all, the nefarious claim by our neighbor, Guatemala, to a sizeable portion of Belize, which, according to Mr. Belisle, whose credentials are impeccable, could well amount to a sizeable chunk, maybe as much as a quarter of the country. George Bednarik, accused killer of Emmanuel Sosa, given evidence disclosure George Bednarik, 21, a laborer of Ranchito, Corozal District, who is on remand for the shooting death of Emmanuel Sosa, 38, also of Ranchito, was brought to the Corozal Magistrate’s Court today where the evidence against him was disclosed by the prosecution. He was ordered to return to court on February 28, when a preliminary inquiry will be conducted to see if the case against him can be traversed to the Supreme Court for trial. He was then returned to prison, where he is remanded. Cop arraigned on wounding charge for New Year’s beat-down on San Pedro On New Year’s night, there was an incident of police brutality that was captured on video that went viral on social media — sending shockwaves and disgust across the country, as a police officer was seen brutalizing a pair of young boys, one of whom was already in handcuffs and lying on the ground. The Police Department promised to conduct an investigation and bring the rogue cops to justice. It has been a little over three weeks now since that incident, and yesterday, just before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court closed, police escorted one of their own to court so that a criminal charge could be read to him. Fuel prices increase midnight, January 25 The Ministry of Finance announces that at midnight on January 25th, the pump price for regular gasoline will increase by 20 cents from $9.31 to $9.51 per gallon. This increase in the price is principally due to tightening global demand reflecting extreme winter conditions in North America and Europe, together with uncertainties in geopolitical conditions in several major oil-producing countries in the Middle East and in Latin America. Kremandala’s countrywide People’s Forum on the ICJ referendum On April 10, Belizeans will vote in a national referendum on whether or not to submit the Guatemalan claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final, binding resolution, in accordance with the terms of the Special Agreement (compromis) treaty signed between Belize and Guatemala in December 2008. The question that voters will be asked to vote yes or no on, is: “Do you agree that any legal claim of Guatemala against Belize relating to land and insular territories and to any maritime areas pertaining to these territories should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement and that it determines finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?” Cricket Corner – new BNCA Executive elected Hello, cricket promoters, players, fans, supporters! On Sunday, January 20, the Belize National Cricket Association (BNCA) held its AGM at the beautiful village of Double Head Cabbage to elect new executive officers to handle all aspects in the everyday running of the Association’s business. In past elections at the meetings, persons were nominated to fill the seats of the executive body. This year was very different, as two persons presented a slate of persons to fill the seats. Barrack Road FC, champs; Ladyville FC, sub-champs of CYDP Peace Cup There were no surprises in the finals of the CYDP Peace Cup 2018-2019 football tournament on Saturday, January 19, at the MCC Grounds, where Caesar Ridge FC crushed Lucky Strike FC, 5-1, to take the 3rd place prize of $2,000.00; and Barrack Road FC shut out Ladyville FC, 3-0, in game 2 of their series for a 9-1 aggregate score (Barrack Road had won game 1 by a 6-1 margin) to secure 1st place and the $5,000.00 prize, while Ladyville FC settled for 2nd place and $3,000.00. In the 3rd place opener, Caesar Ridge FC got goals from Elmore “Esky” Godoy (34’), Sydney “Buck-it” Bradley (47’), Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton (53’), Kenroy Linarez (67’) and David Flores (89’); while the only goal for Lucky Strike FC was by Fredi Estivera. Belmopan F.A. 2018-2019 First Division Championship this Sunday The home and away championship series of the Belmopan Football Association (BFA) 2018-2019 Amateur 1st Division Opening Tournament kicked off on Saturday night, January 19, featuring defending champions and five-time finalists Club Atletico going up against a young and upstart Roaring Creek United, who have been missing from the finals for well over three years. (The tournament commenced in October, 2018, with 13 teams.) Entering their fifth finals in three years, and strengthened by the best acquisition of the offseason in striker Tyriq “Hammer” Ciego, Club Atletico looked all set to repeat as champions... U-10, U-13 football results from Orange Walk The Orange Walk Football Association’s (OWFA) U-10 and U-13 2018-2019 Opening Season competitions were completed on Saturday, January 19, at People’s Stadium with third place and championship games. In the U-10 3rd Place game, San Estevan drew, 1-1, with Orange Walk Central. Keadraun Cadle scored for San Estevan, while Pedro Pineda Quinones tallied for Orange Walk Central. San Estevan won, 4-2, in the penalty shoot-out. It will be anything but honest on April 10 The ruling UDP government, under the leadership of Hon. Dean Barrow, declared on Tuesday that its entire elected leadership (Cabinet) was supporting a YES vote in the referendum set for April 10, 2019. This could be a response to the country’s main opposition, the PUP, which had indicated that it would declare against the special agreement (to go to the ICJ). (The PUP made their NO position official on Wednesday.) Parliamentary democracy, definitely in Belize, means that whatever the ruling party proposes, the main opposition party will stand against. On the surface it does appear to be a reversal of roles, but this saga has been going on so long it all depends on where you choose to begin. World Youth Day 2019: A Light of Hope Dear Editor, I write to you from Panama. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has just arrived and there is great excitement. For days now the Belizean youth have been experiencing the Universal Church in a wondrous way. Youth from every continent in the world are coming together as strangers and leaving with an experience of family. Not a family of flesh and blood, but a diverse family united in Christ. The joy and love of youth meeting in the streets or singing together on the metro is contagious. Hart Tillett remembers the “old” Mullins River and Hurricane Hattie Dear Editor, Thanks for reprinting the piece on Mullins River by Abraham “Abe” Ramos. Like him, I too taught at the Methodist school in Mullins River, but unlike him, was there before, on the lucky side of Hattie, the hurricane he mentioned. Also, my stay was shorter, just a year, 1959-60. The RC school was still there at the time. By then a village council had succeeded town status, the only remaining evidence being the two or three disused paraffin lamps along the dirt road connecting North End to the south where our school was located. Romel Cuello reminisces about the man “Salitas,” his history and his “bad jukebox” Dear Editor, A couple of weeks ago I got a visit from a dear friend from long ago, Eduardo Salas. “Salitas,” as he was affectionately known, was once an iconic figure in Orange Walk. In the seventies he had the coolest spot in town, situated corner Gravel Lane and Belize-Corozal Road, with the coldest beers and a “bad” jukebox with sounds like Santana’s “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen”, “Jingo”, “Evil Ways” and “Soul Sacrifice”, Ike & Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary”, La Revolucion de Emiliano Zapata’s “Nasty Sex,” and Shirley Bassey’s “Love you Hate you”. PAUL OF BELIZE I WILL VOTE NO because… I am persuaded by Common Sense…. If a man comes to my door and tells me: get out of my way I have come to take over half of this house. My great grandfather left his will giving to me every piece of land in Belize City on the southside of Collet Canal. I will answer: Your grandfather never had the authority to give you what he never held or possessed. He might answer: Well, the Lord Bishop of Belize told him if he wanted it he could have it. My very cross response would be: Haul your r… out of my house! Son, bring me my bow and arrow. Time to go It was necessary for the politicians to have their say, and no one can shut them up when they want to speak anyway. But at this time they have to recede and allow the untainted people to come to the fore. I am, of course, talking about the YES vote. Let’s get the real sense of these guys. In 2002, when the Ramphal/Reichler Proposals were being laid on the table, the leader of the main opposition party, Dean Barrow, declared that he supported the process, but that’s where it ended. The genocide of Africans and the Maya in Belize Genocide is defined in Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: a) Killing members of the group; b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.” On Thursday, December 20, 2018, on Krem’sWUB Morning Show, Brother Nuri Muhammad replayed a clip in which the youth Brother Dwight Mariano had expressed his thoughts. Keith Gaynair gets 15 years for the death of Darrell Wade, Jr. Today, in the Northern Session of the Supreme Court, Keith Gaynair, 27, of Orange Walk Town, was sentenced to prison for the death of Darrell Wade, Jr., 18, a student of New Hope High School in Orange Walk Town. Gaynair was originally charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter last November. Five years and six months were deducted from Gaynair’s sentence for time served while he was awaiting trial, so he has nine years and six months to serve. After serving at least 6 years of this jail time, Gaynair can apply for parole. Accused murders Maurice and Emory Felix get Supreme Court bail Two brothers, Emory Felix, 34, and Maurice Felix, 33, who are accused of the May 2015 murder of Mark Gentle, 27, and the attempted murder of Gentle’s mother, Pamela Cumberbatch, were released on Supreme Court bail today after a successful bail application hearing before Justice Antoinette Moore in the Belmopan Supreme Court, where they were represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. Justice Moore released the brothers on bail of $20,000 each and imposed strict bail conditions to which they must adhere. The court ordered them to attend all court hearings of their case, beginning with their next court appearance before Supreme Court Justice, Marilyn Williams, on April 2. Isaac Teul, 16, missing from Belmopan Isaac Teul, a 16-year-old student of Belmopan, has been reported missing from home. His family said he was at home up to 11:30 on Sunday night, when they went to bed. When the family awoke Monday morning, however, he was nowhere to be found. Teul is of fair complexion, is 5 feet 2 inches tall, of slim build, and has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a pair of grey Dickies pants and a black hoodie jacket. Gregory Mosser, 44, arraigned for accident that killed father and son Gregory Mosser, 44, a businessman who is the owner of Caribbean Tires of Spanish Lookout, was arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter by negligence, two counts of causing death by careless conduct, driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention and failure to indicate on a major road, in connection with a road traffic accident that claimed the lives of Jaime Ramos, 25, and his father Manuel Ramos, 55, both laborers of Duck Run 1. Mosser was taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court today, where the charges were read to him. Pleas were not taken and he was offered bail of $25,000 cash, plus two sureties. The Reporter A FATHERS CRY By Mike Rudon, Sr. I was attacked by a huge tarantula this weekend in Boom. It came out of nowhere, the size of a small horse, fangs glistening – straight out of a Wes Craven movie, the spawn of a hellish nightmare. It advanced on me menacingly, as my kids screamed and cowered behind me. I swear if that had been a roach there wouldn’t have been me to cower behind because I would have been out of there in a flash, screaming all the while. Police Charge Man With Two Counts of Manslaughter For Fatal Accident Police have arrested and charged Gregory Mosser, 41, with two counts of Manslaughter by Negligence, two counts of Causing Death by Careless Conduct, Driving a Motor Vehicle Without Due Care and Attention, and Failing to Give Way to A Motor Vehicle on A Major Road. EDITORIAL – January 25th. 2019 The disappearance of the young woman, Anisha Young, not seen since the morning of December eighth when she vanished after socializing with her boyfriend at a nightclub, continues to baffle and at the same time irritate her many supporters who have been following the macabre developments which led to her death. Doing it Big With Aj Originals If you would walk by Ashley Reid, 20, on the street and not know her personally or follow her Facebook page, you would never know that this young woman with the captivating personality and big smile is the machinery that is the driving force behind the local clothing line Aj Originals, trending locally and on the internet. BANK GETS ITS BENJAMINS! Court Rules No Taxes for BBL The Belize Bank may never pay business tax in this country again, almost $34 million in tax revenue a year, following a landmark ruling this week with far reaching repercussions. The case and subsequent ruling, though separate from the unsettled UHS judgement owed to the Bank by the government, may be an even sweeter victory than settling the $96 million UHS debt, as it essentially gives the bank a tax-exempt status as long as GOB refuses to pay the debt, which it has very publicly stated it will never honor. $600K in Compensation! The Chinese businessman that bought the Hilltop property which housed the headquarters of the Public Service Union (PSU), from the Belmopan City Council last November for $400,000; is now requesting a sum of $600,000 plus the cost of his legal fees and stamp duty as compensation for restoring the property’s title to the Union. Students vote 55% No – 45% Yes in Mock Referendum A sampling of students from 15 high schools from all over Belize voted 55% NO, 45% YES, to taking the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in a mock referendum hosted by St. Catherine Academy in Belize City on Friday, January 18. Breaking Belize News Belize Bank wins case against Tax Commissioner, doesn’t have to pay anymore taxes The Belize Bank, this week, won a ruling against the Commissioner of Income and Business Tax […] BDF celebrates 41st anniversary Today the Ministry of National Security held a ceremony in Belmopan, Cayo. The purpose was to […] Citizen security forum concludes This week, representatives from 31 countries from Latin America and Europe were in Belize for a […] Bureau of Standards hosts package labeling consultation The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) met with entities such as the Belize Chamber of Commerce […] Fate of Corozal nurse to be decided next Wednesday, says Health Director The disciplinary committee of the Nurses and Midwives Council of Belize is preparing to deliver its […] Lisa Shoman’s Article on the Courtney Doctrine: My reflection By Dr. Gerald Zuniga: On Saturday, January 19th, I read an article written by Ms. Lisa Shoman on Breaking Belize News with the title “The Courtney Doctrines” posted on Friday, January 18th. Here is my reflection. […] NEMO Minister addresses 1st National Planning Meeting Today, Minister of National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), Edmond Castro addressed NEMO Coordinators and Warehouse Managers […] Police find over 1 pound of marijuana in Roaring Creek Police conducted a search in a bushy lot in the Hattieville area of Roaring Creek Village, Cayo […] 16-year-old girl missing in Bella Vista Police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating, Ashira Johana Hoppington,16, of Bella Vista, Stann Creek. […] Raheem Budram charged with robbery Belize City police have charged Raheem Budram with the crime of robbery. He is accused of […] Belize silent on Venezuela divide Venezuela, the country known for being one of the world’s largest exporter of oil and the […] Ministry of Education warns schools of student dismissal during class hours The Ministry of Education issued a memorandum on January 14, 2019 warning schools against the dismissal […] ComPol Williams initiates open door policy for all Belizeans Chester Williams has recently been named Belize’s Commissioner of Police (COMPOL). However, the attorney-at-law and career […] Venezuela: Call it what it is- Intervention urn on the news, a quick glance of Western media houses will show endless headlines of Venezuelan crisis. This crisis refers to a lack of basic supplies on the shelves, hyper inflated currency […] Blogs Birding…there’s an app for that! eBird is a popular website and app where birders can record check lists, photos and audio recordings. The submitted data documents bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, and trends through checklist data collected within a simple, scientific framework. Birders enter when, where, and how they went birding, and then fill out a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during the outing. eBird’s free mobile app allows offline data collection anywhere in the world, and the website provides many ways to explore and summarize data and other observations from the global eBird community. International Sources Big success and stripped down sets It's no secret that Boulder's Gasoline Lollipops are one of Colorado's hottest bands to be following. In recent years, the folk-punk band has accumulated success with a Red Rocks debut, a brew from Odell Brewing Company named after them and strings on strings of shows overseas. Their most recent overseas adventure took place last weekend. The band celebrated their third annual trip to Belize. Their yearly series of shows in Ambergris Caye became a thing when a fan from Denver, who owns a place called "The Dive Bar," took a liking to them back in 2016 at one of their more intimate shows in Louisville. Gasoline Lollipops' Adam Perry said that this year, roughly 100 Coloradans hopped on a plane to see their Belize shows. Until recently he was the band's main drummer. Now, he's more on the management side of things. Perry said he works for Gasoline Lollipops because he believes in the group's music and their intention behind it. Southwest to Pull Plug on Service to Mexico City Southwest Airlines will stop flying to Mexico City near the end of March, saying its leisure markets are outperforming this business-heavy travel destination. The Dallas-based airline started flying from Hobby Airport to a variety of Latin American and Caribbean destinations in 2015 when it opened an international concourse at the city's smaller airport. Hobby is currently the only airport offering Southwest flights to Mexico City, with four nonstops a day. "Mexico City was showing very nice improvement," Gary Kelly, Southwest's chairman and CEO, said Thursday during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. "It's much more of a business market. And given where we are right now, we just have better business opportunities in terms of deploying that capacity. We'd love for us to be back in Mexico City one of these days." Videos Belize - Escape Away, 4min. Beaches & Dreams - Hopkins Belize Jan 2019, 9min. Time lapse waves Unforgettable Inspiration Student Teaching in Belize, 20min. Senior Zach Hunt, Elizabeth Crawford and I jumped at the chance to capture the life of UNCW Watson College of Education student teachers as they completed their field experience in San Pedro, Belize. What an amazing experience for all involved. Zach, Elizabeth and I walked the length and breadth of San Pedro capturing the beauty of this barrier island, meeting locals and ex-pats from Canada and the US, and capturing the real student-teacher experience on film. What an exhausting and inspiring week we spent in Wilmington's Belizean Sister-City. Belize Yoga Retreat March 2019, 35min. The Secrets of Belize!, 3min. They say do your travelling once a year while you are young before life traps you in a gutter. I say no to that! Come explore the secrets of beautiful Belize! NEBL 2019 \|\| Defenders vs Bandits, 2.75hr. Grace Flava With a Beat - Pigtail in Red Sauce, 22min. Morning Matters Mr Reneau, 60min. Morning Matters with Audrey Matura, 60min. Travelling in #BELIZE, 11min.