Today's Belize News: February 6, 2019

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Today's Belize News: February 6, 2019 #534758 02/06/19 06:56 AM 02/06/19 06:56 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 Meet the San Pedro Pirates F.C. 2019 The 2019 Closing Season of the Premiere League of Belize (PLB) began on Saturday, January 12th. With fresh faces across many teams, The San Pedro Sun is pleased to introduce the players that form the San Pedro Pirates Football Club. This season, the Pirates have four new and 12 returning Pirates. The San Pedro Pirates F.C is currently coached by Alex Noralez, who is originally from San Pedro Town, and Jorge Nuñez, who is originally from Brazil. Both coaches told The San Pedro Sun that they are working hard to give their best this season and hopefully bring the championship to the island. Coach Nuñez was San Pedro Pirates F.C first coach when they first participated in the PLB in 2017. He is pleased to come back and bring more knowledge and experience to the team. They are assisted by San Pedro Pirates Manager Tony Maldonado and assistant coach Hugo Pineda. San Pedro Tiger Sharks fall to the City’s Hurricanes After leading with two consecutive victories, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks experienced their first loss in the National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) against Mirage/Smart Belize Hurricanes on Saturday, February 2nd. The game took place at the Civic Centre in Belize City, where the ‘Home’ team dominated three out of the four quarters, ending with a blowout 87-71 victory over the island team. Games continue this weekend: On Friday, February 8th, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks will be traveling to Belmopan City to face the Bandits. That same day, Verdes will travel to Belize City to face Mirage/Smart Hurricanes at the Civic Centre. The following day, Dangriga Dream Ballers will visit Orange Walk Running Rebels for a match at the Orange Walk Sporting Complex. Isla Bonita Elementary School celebrates Cultural Day 2019 To encourage students to keep their culture and traditions alive, Isla Bonita Elementary School (IBES) hosted its annual Cultural Day at the school compound on Friday, February 1st. Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to showcase their knowledge on the country’s various ethnic groups to visitors. Some students even performed traditional dances. Attendees also had the opportunity to purchase some of the delicious traditional dishes on display. RCGO are the 2019 Champions of the San Pedro Co-Ed Softball Tournament For the third consecutive year, Team RCGO were crowned champions of the San Pedro Co-Ed Softball competition on Sunday, February 3rd. The three-time champions overcame a tough Team Extreme during the tournament’s finals in a best out of three-game series at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex. Games tipped off at 9AM with Team Rusties and Quality Reef fighting for third place. Rusties had many opportunities, but Quality Reef kept pressing on and taking advantage of their crucial mistakes. Quality Reef managed to secure the points needed to seal the game for a 5-4 victory and an honorable third place in the tournament. Groundhog Day Boat Poker Run Raises Money for Two Island Organizations What started as an annual pub crawl via boat to celebrate Groundhog Day four years ago evolved this year into a fundraising Poker Run event on February 2nd. Two worthy causes, Rickilee Rapid Response (Triple R or RRR) Water Rescue and Ambergris Caye Elementary School’s (ACES) special education program benefited from the proceeds, which totaled more than $4,500bz. Organizers Jodi and Scott Harnish of the well-known Palapa Bar and Grill spearheaded the tradition. Jodi explained their decision to host this event. “Years ago, we thought a boat pub crawl would be a fun way to celebrate Groundhog Day and we usually have around 30 people join us. This year we decided to make it a Poker Run fundraiser, and we had over 120 people! We couldn’t be happier with the turnout and money collected!” Ambergris Today Pic Of The Week - Tropic Air's Belizean Cessna Caravan A few weeks ago, Tropic Air Belize welcomed its newest addition, a Cessna Caravan 208B EX to its fleet. This brings their fleet to 17 aircraft, and gives the company the third largest passenger Caravan fleet (14) in the world. To celebrate this milestone, and Tropic’s 40 years of service, they have adorned the new aircraft with a special Belizean flag themed livery, and dedicated it to the people of this great nation. San Pedro Cancer Society Holds Annual Cancer Walk Upon the invitation of the San Pedro Cancer Society, Ambergris Caye, Belize, residents took time to participate in the island’s annual Cancer Awareness Walk in commemoration of World Cancer Awareness Day, February 4, 2019. Every year, the San Pedro Cancer Society holds its annual cancer awareness walk, an event which has been very well attended. This year saw the participation of many island business groups who sent their staff to show support for the cause; this included members of St. Francis Xavier Credit Union, San Pedro Lions Club, Castillo’s Hardware, Sandy Point Resort and Atlantic Bank, to name a few. Also joining these business groups were cancer survivors and people whose lives have been affected by the deadly disease one way or another. Misc Belizean Sources Mark Jones a.k.a "Marky" Missing HELP WANTED! Family members are seeking the public's assistance in locating Mr. Mark Jones a.k.a "Marky". Mr. Jones is a mentally challenged person and it is reported that he was seen in Police custody in Corozal but was later released. Please call Viola Jones at 652-1237 if you see Mark Jones anywhere in Corozal or call our Police Station at 402-0022. BELIZE FISHING REPORT: JANUARY 27, 2019 THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2019 Several beautiful days with calm winds and cooler weather made for a lot of memories for our guests. Fishing for bonefish was good from the boats and while wading. Several large bonefish were landed. Help us Rep.our Marimba Heritage @ Costa Rica Fest Benque Marimba Los Hijos del West Belize 2nd annual BELIKIN DJ CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Over $7000 in district and finals prizes!!! The Office of the Music Ambassador kicked off the 2nd annual BELIKIN DJ CHAMPIONSHIP in the Culture capital Dangriga February 1. This was the setting for the Stann Creek district preliminaries that saw 500 people fill island breeze bar & grill to capacity to enjoy the skills of their favorite Dj’s. The competition was judged by the Iconic Fada Stone, Omar Arzu & Dangriga’s own Dj Allo. Hosted by the legendary Dj Dalla! The energy from the crowd was pure pandemonium as the Belikin drinks set in and Dj’s demonstrated their skills scratching, mixing, blending while playing the best Music! At the end of the night Dj Bass(Hopkins) was the Stann Creek district winner! He will receive $250 from Ambassador Shyne Barrow and advance to the finals where he will face off against the other district winners in the National finals to be the 2019 Belikin Dj Champion & win $3000! Police holding a public meeting at Central Park in San Pedro On Thursday, February 7th the new Commissioner of Police of the Belize Police Department Chester Williams and his management team will be hosting a public meeting at Central Park at 7pm sharp. Discussion on AIRBNB /VRBO properties & BTB Regulations in San Pedro On Friday, February 8th BTB Chairman of the Board Einer Gomez has arranged for a meeting with HOTELIERS and owners of AIRBNB /VRBO properties to discuss the BTB licensing process and discuss policies and regulations. This meeting is for INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS only and discussion will focus on this topic only. There will also be BTB staff in attendance to provide support. It will be a lunch meeting at the Holiday Hotel at noon. PLEASE RSVP to [email protected] Space is limited to 25 people. Fake Instagram Account for Minister Michael Finnegan A fake Instagram account purporting to belong to the Hon. Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, has been detected. The Minister has never had and has no intention to open an Instagram account. The public is advised to disregard any information published under this fake account in the name of the Hon. Michael Finnegan. Increase in Pump Price for Diesel Oil and Kerosene The Ministry of Finance announces that at midnight on February 6th, the pump price for Diesel Oil will increase by 66 cents from $9.31 to $9.97 per gallon while the pump price for Kerosene will increase by 63 cents from $6.82 to $7.45 per gallon. These price increases are due to a reduction in supplies from the major oil-producing countries in the Middle East and in Latin America, coupled with an increase in demand due to extremely cold winter conditions in North America. Paint N Splash See you this week at from 2-4pm Thursday to paint “A Quiet Day”. Rugby Belize comes to Hopkins Village Saturday, February 9. Belize Kids Vision Clinic Stanford Eye Doctors will be offering free eye exams at the Belize Kids Vision Clinic at the San Pedro Lions Den. Date: February 11-15, 2019, from 8:30am to 4:00pm. Adults and children are to present Social Security cards if they have them. Please bring sunglasses to use after the exam as the eyes will be sensitive to light after the exam. Grand re-opening of La Beliza Join in the celebration of the grand re-opening of LA Beliza this Friday. Live music with Terryl Godoy, happy hour specials, and free appetizers from 3pm - 5pm. Everyone is invited! Back To Prom 2019 Dig out those lovely gowns from days gone by and rock that look once again at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar this Saturday! Sure to be super entertaining! Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 7 PM. Ever wanted to relive your prom? Never went to prom? Want to just go again cause it was that much fun? Well this is your chance! Dress how you want! Wanna be funny? Pretty? Gaudy? In your “prom” era? Or just beautiful....go for it! COED SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT 2018 The San Pedro Town Council's Co-Ed Softball Tournament 2018 came to a close on Sunday, February 3rd, 2019 after a thrilling season. Competing for the Championship title were: RCGO, Extreme, Quality Reef, Rusties, Beer League and San Pedro High School. Sunday's game was filled with suspense and exciting moments as the players ran from base to base as fast as they could trying to avoid to the best of their might for them not to get outed. Tha fans were at the edge of their seats, and even though, the games are lengthy, they stuck by and witnessed an exciting game! Coming in 3rd was Quality Reef, who won the third place game against the Rustie who won 4th place, while team Extreme won the 2nd place title. And lastly, winning first place was RCGO, making it their third consecutive win! French Kiss At Sunset in San Pedro! Saturday February 16th BumSquad DJz - Belize invade French Kiss At Sunset in San Pedro! Firs tKiss, it’s a day & night beach party! Begins at 2pm in the afternoon straight through until midnight! Kelly McGuire’s last show at The Dive Bar It is that time of the year on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. You don’t want to miss Kelly McGuire’s last show at The Dive Bar this Friday, Feb 8th, 2019 starting at 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. -Seafood Specials -Cocktail & Drinks Specials -Jell-O shots -Complimentary Paddle boards & Kayaks!! Come and sing along to your favorite island music! See you here!! Valentine's Marimba Dinner Dance The Los Hijos del West will be having a Valentine's Dinner Dance to fundraise for their trip to Costa Rica. It'll be on Saturday, February 16th, at the Cancha Marshalleck. "If you are at the Twin Towns, tickets are available at the San Ignacio and Santa Elena House of Culture with Mrs.Shary Medina" Channel 7 Hit and Run Victim Identified Tonight, a family in Xaibe Village is mourning after learning that their loved one was killed in a hit and run at 1:00 am on Monday morning. It happened near the entrance of San Joaquin Village. The body was unidentified up until last night - but after seeing the news, the family went to the police station - and identified the deceased as 61 year old Carlos Galvan - a Mexican by birth who has lived in Belize his whole life. Today his son told CTV-3 he's not quite sure what his father was doing riding on the road at that hour:... Waiting For A Verdict For 3 Years, Murder Suspects Get Bailed Three brothers: 30 year-old Michael Pook, 29 year-old Ryan Pook, and 26 year-old Adrian Pook, are out on bail for the first time in over 7 years and 9 months of remand at the Belize Central Prison. They were tried for murder 3 years ago before Justice Troadio Gonzalez in a trial without jury, but he retired and never delivered his decision. So, the accused were left in limbo, waiting for a verdict on whether they killed Errol Lighter Ferguson. Attorneys Leeroy Banner and Leslie Mendez presented bail petitions today on behalf of the Pook brothers before Justice Colin Williams. They focused on the nearly 8 years that the brothers have spent in prison, 3 of which have been due to this pending verdict. Alleged Rapist of a 13 Year Old Will Stand Trial 41 year-old Charles Brown who has been charged for allegedly raping a female minor, will stand trial in the Supreme Court for the offense. The child, who was 13 years-old at the time, told police that on September 18th, 2017, she was at a home in the company of her aunt, who suffers a mental disability. She said that Brown, whose face she knew well, entered the house and raped her. Today, the police prosecutor presented the investigation file to Magistrate Emmerson Banner today during Brown's preliminary inquiry. The prosecution intends to call 8 witnesses to testify against Brown. Bad-Man Moreira It seems Belizean Santos Moreira just couldn't get enough of the United States - no matter how many times they deported him - he just kept going back. And now, he could face 20 years in a US jail because of it. An indictment made out against him on January 25th of this year says he was previously deported on three separate occasions - in December 1995, September 1999 and October 2010. ICE found the 46 year old in Los Angeles County on November 2, 2015. Foreign Minister to Uruguay For Venezuela Crisis Meeting Belize's Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington is heading to Uruguay to participate in an international conference focusing on the ongoing political upheaval in Venezuela. CARICOM has positioned itself as a moderate voice trying to ensure some measure of stability in Venezuela while global powers push for the ouster of President Nicholas Maduro. Last week, CARICOM leaders went to the United Nations, quote, "to advance dialogue and negotiations for the benefit of the Venezuelan people." Walking The Environmental Tightrope At Turneffe Last night we told you a little about the media's visit to the Turneffe Atoll. It was arranged by the Turneffe Atoll Trust. It follows up on a report compiled by the group, which is abbreviated as "TATS". That non profit organization produced a report in December called Risking the Atoll. And yesterday they showed us what some of those risks were, including a mega resort on Ropewalk Caye. Here's the story:.. Eden Garcia, UB - Ph.D researcher: "I have been out here in Turneffe since 1996. I have seen from a very green place to these islands completely covered with vegetation to many of these islands now having some really some very large infrastructure." Belmopan Beware! Bees! A Belmopan woman is fortunate to be alive after she was stung by bees. On Sunday evening around 5:00, the woman was riding her bike on the sidewalk near the park on Santa Maria Street when she was attacked by bees. We understand that some kids threw rocks at the hive in this tree which is in the park. The bees then stung the woman and, after that, stung a dog to death in a nearby yard. The woman was treated and released from the hospital. It's a serious public health concern because many people especially school kids pass the park everyday. Diesel & Kerosene Prices Surge If you own a diesel vehicle, or if you use kerosene, you may want to replenish your stock right about now, because at midnight tonight, pump prices for these 2 types of fuels will increase by more than 60 cents each. The current price for diesel oil is $9.31 per gallon, and at midnight, it will increase by 66 cents to $9.97 per gallon. Right now, kerosene is being sold for $6.82 per gallon, but at 12:00 tonight, it will be increased by 63 cents to $7.45 per gallon. All other types of fuel will remain at the same price. Lemus Lost to Roaring River 34 year old Carlos Angelino Lemus from Las Flores drowned in the Roaring Creek River yesterday. At around 1:30 he went swimming with a friend, went under and did not resurface. He drowned and his body was recovered some hours later near the Roaring River Golf course. To Havana With Heart and Art Last week, a delegation of 5 Belizean artists, teachers, and community activists went to Havana, Cuba on mission to foster a renewed spirit of solidarity and friendship with Cuba. These Belizeans included Yasser Musa, YaYa Marin Coleman, Carlos "Lito" Quiroz, Katie Usher, and Delmer Tzib. They had a very filled itinerary, meeting with influential Cubans in the fields of art, education, and community activism. A press release says that they had discussions with Casa de Las Americas, a Latin American publishing and cultural organization to collaborate on projects that they would like to bring to Belize. Potatoe Farmers Searching For a Market Amidst Mexican Supply The farmers of San Carlos Orange Walk are ready to harvest their potatoes this season - but they are worried that they won't have a market to sell them to. It's an annual anxiety, because Mexican potatoes dominate the supply - and consumers have gotten used to that product - which is still on the local market right now. Today, two of the farmers said their potatoes are better, and they are under pressure to sell them:... Israel Hernandez, Potato Farmer: "The harvest for local potatoes just start, but some people from Cayo came to see the potato in Belize City. When I can't sell, I have to drop the price cheaper. These potatoes look good. Yesterday a Chinese man wanted to buy potatoes, the man ask what kind of potatoes are these..." Table Tennis Kids To CA Championship The Belize Table Tennis Association is reporting tonight that a delegation of 10 athletes, 2 coaches and 1 parent left Belize for Cancun, Mexico today. Team Belize will compete in the 2019 Central American U-15 and U-18 Table Tennis Championships. The athletes will be participating in the Singles, Doubles, Mixed Double and Team competition events. The U-15 athletes include Taye Parkinson, Devesh Hukmani, Jofny Paguaga, Sarai Paguaga, and Abigail Thurton. The U-18 Athletes include Rohit Pagarani, Kelly Lui, Terry Su, Mihir Karnani, and Amiri Hoare. Finnegan Don't do Instagram UDP Housing Minister and Mesop Area Representative Michael Finnegan has no Instagram account. A release says someone has made a fake Instagram account claiming to belong to Finnegan. A release says, the Minister has never had and has no intention to open an Instagram account. Channel 5 Pook Brothers Out on Bail for 2011 Murder of Taxi Man A trio of brothers, who had been behind bars for the 2011 murder of taxi man Errol Ferguson, was released today on bail. Though they have not been found guilty, [...] Choice Bank Takes G.O.B. to Court The Government of Belize, via the Minister of Finance, is being sued by Choice Bank Limited after operations were shuttered in June 2018 when its international banking license was revoked. [...] Still No Charges for the Driver that Knocked Down and Killed Marilena Mortis There are still no charges for the driver of the vehicle which knocked down and killed twenty-three-year-old Marilena Mortis. Mortis had just visited with her mother on Dolphin Drive in [...] Baby’s Parents Seeking Legal Action against Corozal Hospital News Five has confirmed that the parents of eleven-week old Dion Woodeye Junior have commenced legal action against the Ministry of Health. The parents have consulted a lawyer and are [...] Belizean Named as 1 of U.S. ICE Most Wanted Deportable Alien For some time, a Belizean has been named as one of the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s most-wanted deportable aliens. He is forty-six-year-old Santos Moriera who has a number of [...] Fuel Prices Going Up Again At midnight tonight, the prices of diesel and kerosene will take a significant hike. Consumers will be hit with a sixty-six cents increase per gallon in the price of diesel [...] Four Local Tour Operators Take GST Commissioner to Court As many as four legal claims have been brought against the Commissioner of General Sales Tax in the wake of a 2018 decision handed down by the Caribbean Court of [...] Belize City Man Committed to Stand Trial for Rape of Minor A resident from rural Belize District was arraigned and remanded for allegedly raping a male child on Monday. Today, a man accused in 2017 of raping a female child was [...] Ignatius Williams is Remanded for Another Firearm Charge Also in court, twenty-five-year-old well-known repeat offender, Ignatius “Bantan” Williams of Flamboyant Street, Belize City was sent behind bars for possession of a firearm loaded with seven live rounds of [...] Assad Shoman Response to Lindsay Belisle’s Theory In January Former Boundary Commissioner Lindsay Belisle made his media rounds voicing his complete opposition in taking the Guatemalan claim to the International Court of Justice. According to Belisle taking [...] World Cancer Day – “I Am, I Will” “I am; I will” is this year’s theme for World Cancer Day. Every year, across the globe, there is an observance to bring awareness about the importance of prevention, detection, [...] Local Potato Producers Fear Losing Revenue to Imported Mexican Potatoes Tonight there is growing concern among farmers in San Carlos Village, Orange Walk. Potato farmers are worried that their investment and weeks of hard work will be all for naught [...] Is the Contraband of Mexican Potatoes Affecting Local Farmers? According to Mai, local potato farmers have also been affected by contraband. He says that all relevant stakeholders should come together to prevent the perpetuation of illegally bringing in the [...] Jose Mai: “That is nonsense!” Today, the P.U.P.’s Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai took a jab at the Ministry of Agriculture with respect to the concerns of the potatoes farmers. Mai says [...] A Second Look at What’s Happening in Turneffe A recent trip to the Turneffe Atoll shows that there is large scale development in areas within the cluster of islands that are considered private property. Despite the acreages being [...] Voyse Cares and Donates to the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Centre Back in 2018, Infotel International was rebranded as Voyse International. On Monday, the community service arm of the organization, Voyse Cares donated four thousand dollars to the Dorothy Menzies Child [...] Meet the 2018 F.F.B. Youth Awardees An investment in football is bearing fruits for the next generation of footballers. A group of athletes from all over the country were carefully selected and honoured over the weekend [...] LOVE FM Orange Walk farmers say they cannot sell their potato harvest In February 2017, we brought you the story of the farmers in the north who were complaining of the low market prices for their locally grown potatoes. The main factors attributed to the low prices was the excess supply as well as what Jose Abelardo Mai noted as being, ‘import permits for the politically favoured’. … Make Way for Peppa- It’s the Chinese New Year of the Pig February 5th marks the start of the Chinese New Year and according to the zodiac cycle it is the year of the Golden Pig. Across the planet some of the activities include putting up decorations; eating reunion dinner with family on New Year’s Eve; and firecrackers and fireworks. Edmund Kwan, President of the Belize Chinese … BTL PARK Bar that had alcohol, fights and murder- PIER 1 Shut Down In September, 2018 the BTL Park, a child friendly space was the setting for a crowd that escaped a brawl at a bar that overlooks the park. The spillover effect resulted in shooting incidents at 95 Neals Neals Pen Road. The Pier 1 bar was clearly one of the hottest spots in the City as … Mayor says 2 more Pedestrian Crossing Needed to prevent accidents On November 16, 2018 the Belize City administrator sent a letter to the Ministry of Works regarding the stretch of highway from mile 2 to 3.5. The letter spoke of QUOTE “an area that presents safety challenges to pedestrians who must cross the highway at various points… and it has failed to consider that residents … Belizeans travel to Cuba to foster solidarity and friendship A group of Belizeans are back from a visit to Havana, Cuba where they took part in a week of activities to foster solidarity and friendship with Cuba. The group included Yasser Musa, YaYa Marin Coleman, Carlos “lito” Quiroz, Katie Usher and Delmer Tzib, a mixture of teachers, artists and community activists. The group met … Monkey River and Seine Bight Villagers give their opinion on ICJ It’s still a toss-up as to whether Belizeans will vote yes or no to forward Guatemala’s unfounded claim against us to the International Court of Justice. The referendum takes place in two months. Love News spoke to residents of Monkey River and Seine Bight, coastal towns which could be affected in the south about how … Amandala Stupidly-designed highway kills young teacher A young teacher is dead, and her death could have been avoided if politicians and technocrats had exercised some intelligence in designing and approving the construction of a piece of road (“highways” do not belong in a city’s environs) in the city, heading north, to Ladyville. Public criticism of the lack of even a pedestrian crossing on the long stretch of the recently-constructed entrance-exit roads between the roundabout near the Shell Depot/Mirab and the next roundabout near ScotiaBank/Brodies has proved to be well deserved. Shawn Hemmans, 33, fatally shot in Belize City Last night, a barrage of gunshots rang out on St. Thomas Street, leaving one man fatally injured. The man, Shawn Hemmans, 33, was seemingly called out to his death. According to police, Hemmans, a resident of 4th Street, was visiting a friend’s house to watch the Super Bowl when, at around 7 p.m., he stepped outside to have a drink. While he was on the verandah, someone called out to him, and he started to go downstairs to see who it was. Champion jockey, Kristian Tillett, 27, loses life after vehicle overturns Early this morning at around 2:30, Kristian Myles Tillett, 27, a well-known jockey who had won the last race of the day at the Burrell Boom racetrack, was fatally injured after he lost control of the vehicle he was driving. Tillett was driving his green Mitsubishi SUV from Burrell Boom to Scotland Half Moon, where he lived. As he was driving on the Bermudian Landing Road, his vehicle overturned several times and he was thrown out of it, hitting the pavement. He died on the spot. “Rebel” remanded for depraved act on 3-year-old baby boy The depraved details of a case in which a 50-year-old was caught allegedly having a boy 3 years and 10 months old perform oral sex on him, unfolded today when the accused, Alfonso Perez, aka “Rebel”, an electrician of a Handyside Street address, went before Magistrate Emerson Banner. Perez was charged with rape of a child. Magistrate Banner explained to him that he would not take a plea because the offence is indictable. He also explained to Perez that he could not offer him bail because the child is under the age of 16. Court of Appeal frees Gareth Hemmans, Jr., from 8-year sentence for attempted murder Gareth Hemmans, Jr., 28, who was convicted of attempted murder and was sentenced to 8 years in prison, went home a free man on Friday, February 1, when the Belize Court of Appeal, in a judgment it handed down, quashed his conviction, set aside his sentence and acquitted him. In his appeal that was heard in June last year, his attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, had appealed on the ground that the trial judge, Justice Adolph Lucas, had not considered all of the aspects of the evidence in deciding whether the appellant was guilty or innocent. Police going after domestic abusers through changes in Domestic Violence Unit — kid gloves are off! Newly promoted Commissioner of Police Chester Williams announced that they are stepping up efforts to combat domestic violence. Men who beat or otherwise abuse women will now be immediately arrested and charged. There will be no more “powder puffing” of abusers, said ComPol Williams during a community meeting held yesterday in Lake Independence. Compol Williams said that the Domestic Violence Unit will be detached from the police and set up in a spacious and comfortable building away from police, in which there will be counselors and a gynecologist, to reduce embarrassment of the victims after they are raped or sexually abused. Upset at the MCC; BDF, 1-nil, over Verdes It looks like we have one heck of a competition coming up in this Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2018-2019 Closing Season, which has just completed Week 4, and already every team has posted at least one victory, with only defending champion Bandits Sports still undefeated, but they have drawn twice. (See Week 4 standings below.) That milestone was accomplished yesterday, Sunday, at the MCC Grounds in Belize City, where formerly winless BDF FC stunned league-leading and then undefeated Verdes FC, 1-nil, with a 74th minute “contra golpe” goal. It was a quick outlet pass following a failed Verdes attack in the northern goal that saw BDF’s young speedster Jesse August, a second half substitute, on a breakaway just past the half-way line and heading south. Female footballers invited to skills training at ITVET compound Long time female football coach/trainer, Anthony Phillips informed us today that he is inviting female footballers to attend daily training sessions from Monday to Thursday, 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., at the ITVET compound (Old Belize Technical College). According to the flyer he shared with us, players at all levels – Primary, Elite, High School – are welcome. Some big scores in Week 1 of National Amateur Women’s 2018-2019 Closing Season he National Amateur Women’s League (NAWL) kicked off its 2018-2019 Closing Season with Week 1 games this past weekend. With the 12 teams separated into two groups – North and South – there were some interesting scoring results to start the competition. Four games were played on Saturday and two on Sunday. FFB holds first Football Awards Ceremony y on Saturday, February 2, at the Marion Jones Sports Complex, where 18 youths and 3 coaches from the recently completed U-15 Male, U-17 Male, and U-17 Female national football tournaments were awarded at this ceremony. According to FFB, the reason they organized the awards is because in 2018, they managed to get 123 clubs, which meant that 2,396 youths were actively involved in their tournaments. Changes: 1969 – 2019 In last week Tuesday’s issue of this newspaper, we published, without any kind of editorial comment, an excerpt from Godfrey P. Smith’s authorized biography of the late, Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price. The excerpt had to do with the fact that in 1936 Mr. Price had travelled to segregated Mississippi to study in a black seminary there for aspiring Roman Catholic priests. He spent four years there without returning to British Honduras, where he had been born in 1919. Mr. Price’s father, William Cadle Price, was an officer in the Belize Territorial Force (BTF) when the Ex-Servicemen’s Riot exploded in Belize Town (later Belize City) in July of 1919. That riot was a two-day black rebellion against a racist, colonialist status quo which existed in British Honduras at the time. Mr. Price’s father would have been considered a member of the white and near-white elite which administered the black majority colony. From the Publisher There is a conspiracy of silence about what happened with the Belizean phenomenon of “123rd” (One twenty-third) in Manhattan. That conspiracy of silence has lasted for four and a half decades, and, to be truthful, yours truly has participated in that silence. No one has ever said anything publicly, that is, on the media, about 123rd, and no one has ever written anything about it. Seriously, the people in Belize’s polite world never knew much. 123rd was an underworld thing. 123rd has done generations of Belizean youth a serious injustice, because they never knew about the down side of the phenomenon. All they ever heard about was the fabulous side of the experience – the money, the chicks, the rides, the threads, the fly style … Why isn’t there tourism in the Toledo District? Dear Editor, It is said that the Toledo District in the Central America country of Belize is the “Forgotten District”. Why is that? The short answer is rooms. There are not enough of the big-dollar hotels down here. Punta Gorda Town, the main hub of activity, has its share of hotels and guesthouses, but not many of the star-rated quality establishments. There are no big-dollar investment companies building million-dollar resorts here. I think that is also by design, but I cannot answer definitively. The only other area we lack is coastline beachfront. The sand is out on the islands, friends. African-American citizen writes on his “bad experience” Dear Editor, I am a retired African-American U.S. citizen residing in Punta Gorda, Belize. On February 2, 2019, at about 2:30 p.m. while I was doing my fast-walking regular exercise along the seafront in Punta Gorda, a Belizean firefighter in PG threatened my life with a firearm. First, the firefighter sent his pitbull dog to attack me, and when I responded to him saying “shame on you for sending your pit bull dog to attack me! Why do you do this to me? Go on and vote YES, Belize, and may God forgive you Dear Editor, Having read Mr. Harry Lawrence’s silver-tongued sophist spiel for voting YES to the ICJ, and having read in the same issue of Reporter an article advertising ‘how to’ classes for students of fellatio, I am reminded of Ezekiel 16:15: “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playdest the harlot because of thine own renown, and pourdest out thy fornications on every one that passed by….” Also, Zephaniah 2:15: “This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I AM, and there is none besides me: now she is become a desolation, a place for wild beasts to lie down in! Every one that passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.” Why we’ll never again get 8 bananas for a dollar The Reporter looked at it and saw that they, and we, were damned if we allowed the women’s organization to get away with their late night public education sessions. But they must have seen that they, and we, would be damned if they gave any ink and paper to the mischief, because that would be adding to the advertisement. Belize isn’t dumb to the tactic of IGNORE. We might have perfected it, taken it to higher heights, or deeper depths, depending on your angle. Bishop Diego de Landa infamously put fire to Mayan literature. The Kremlin banned Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s, The Gulag Archipelago. They just did away with anything they didn’t approve of. In Belize, we borrowed from the ostrich. We bury our heads and ignore. UDP Freetown standard bearer blames “mischief maker” for demolishing homes on private land in Belama Phase 4 A land dispute erupted in the Belama Phase 4 area of Belize City last week and at least two homes, which were said to be on land that is privately owned by a Chinese businessman, Alex Chang, were demolished. The Opposition People’s United Party area representative, Hon. Francis Fonseca, who is also an attorney, did a title search and was unable to find a record identifying Chang as the owner of the property in question, according to reports on Positive Vibes radio and television, organs of the PUP. Re-registration highlights horror stories from Vital Statistics Unit The numbers for the amount of Belizeans who have been able to re-register and get on the voters list have dropped precipitously; add to that the frustration many citizens are facing in their encounters at the Vital Statistics Unit. For one family, however, it was more than frustrating when they were told that there is no paperwork verifying that their patriarch was ever registered, so he has to be recommended by someone who is 10 years older than he is. That is the predicament the family of long-time Belizean educator, Joseph Alexander Bennett, finds themselves in After over two years, Kurtis Lamb, accused murderer, released on bail An accused murderer who went on trial almost two years ago and has been sitting in prison waiting for the verdict that would determine his innocence or guilt, was released on a $40,000 bail this afternoon by Supreme Court Justice Herbert Lord. The bail application hearing got underway shortly after 2:00 p.m., with attorney Anthony Sylvestre representing Kurtis Lamb, 23, who has been indicted for the August 3, 2011 shooting of Gwen Lizarraga High School student Justin Roches, 20, was shot on the school’s basketball court, and the young Mayflower resident was critically injured as a result. Social impact statement delays sentencing of 3 convicted murderers On Friday, three men who were convicted of murder were brought to the Supreme Court of Justice Colin Williams for a sentencing hearing, but the hearing had to be adjourned because the court could not proceed without a social impact statement. The court was informed that the social impact statement would be ready on Friday afternoon, so Justice Williams adjourned the sentencing of Tyrone Clinton Harris, 32; Andy Forbes, 36; and William Vasquez, 35, to Monday, February 11. Breaking Belize News Man shot to the leg in Belize City A man was shot earlier tonight in Belize City. He has been identified as Keshawn Dennison. […] Notice from Ministry of Natural Resources The Ministry of Natural Resources hereby informs the public that the Land Information Centre will be […] GOB warns of fake Instagram account of Michael Finnegan A fake Instagram account purporting to belong to Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, […] El Salvador elects youngest president in its history El Salvador, in its elections held on Sunday, elected the youngest president in the country’s history, […] Is it time for pedestrian overpasses on the Phillip Goldson Highway? The public outrage over the death of a 23-year-old female teacher trying to cross the Phillip […] Southwest’s Latest Sale Lets You Book a Spring Getaway to Belize For $104 One-way Southwest Airlines is countering the record-breaking winter conditions in North America with record-breaking deals on […] Crisis looms again in the potato industry Farmers across the country are at this time harvesting potatoes. However, a crisis is looming […] Diesel, kerosene prices to increase at midnight The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) has just issued new fuel prices effective midnight tonight. […] Belizean busted in the USA illegally may face 20 years in prison Belizean national Santos Moreira, 46, is making headlines in international news. That is because he […] Man, 34, drowns while swimming in the Roaring Creek River Yesterday, police retrieved the body of Angelino Lemus,34, from the Roaring Creek River in Cayo […] Man, 50, sent to prison for raping 3-year-old-boy A man is behind bars after sexually violating a three-year-old child. That man is fifty […] Police seeking public’s assistance in identifying man killed in traffic accident The Belize Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in identifying the body […] Voyse International donates to Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center Yesterday, Voyse International, formerly Infotel International, donated BZ $4,000, to the Dorothy Menzies Child Care […] Man shot at Zeta Gas compound On Friday just before 3:00 a.m., police visited Zeta Gas company at 13 1/2 miles […] Blogs Caye Caulker Travel Guide Caye Caulker (pronounced KEY KAW-KER) is a tiny, pancake-flat island sitting in the Caribbean Sea, just a dozen miles off the Belize mainland. It’s split into two sections with the populated southern half being only 2 miles long and one-half mile wide. And even then, only about half of that section has been built up. What I’m getting at is; it is a SMALL place. Really small. It’s got two main streets. No pavement. Just white sandy roads. It’s got no cars. Just bicycles and golf carts. There are no Hyatts, Hiltons, or Marriotts. What Caye Caulker lacks in big hotels and fancy paved roads, it makes up for in FUN. It’s 80 degrees every day. Young American and Canadian tourists stroll the sandy streets in board shorts and bikinis, carrying a bottle of Belikin or a plastic cup full of rum punch. International Sources Óscar Arias Sánchez, a Nobel Winner and Former President of Costa Rica, Is Accused of Sexual Assault A psychiatrist and antinuclear activist has accused Óscar Arias Sánchez, the Nobel laureate and former Costa Rica president, of sexually assaulting her four years ago, bringing the #MeToo movement to one of Latin America’s most revered statesmen. Mr. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for having brokered a plan to end civil wars in Central America. He remains the most powerful figure in Costa Rica, which he led twice and where he continues to run a foundation that promotes peace and democracy. The sexual assault allegation could deliver a serious blow to his legacy. Sailboat with three Canadians in trouble near Xcalak reef Members of the Navy of Mexico say they have rescued three Canadian tourists who had run aground on a sailboat on the Xcalak reef in the south of Quintana Roo. The rescue came after a call was received from the Captaincy of Puerto de Xcalak who reported that the sailboat Mishtamek had run aground about 0.3 nautical miles NE (half a kilometer) from the Xcalak dock. Hudson Girl Scouts raising funds to travel to Belize Whether you need a babysitter, enjoy eating out, or are an avid recycler – there is an activity for you that can help send the girls in Hudson Girl Scout Troop 75242 to Belize. Their trip of a lifetime this July will include visiting a local school, hiking in the Mayan ruins, learning survival skills, ziplining in the jungle, and snorkeling in the barrier reef. The young travelers are looking for community support and offer the following opportunities: INVIGORATING GROWTH IN BELIZE Belize’s growth rate is now below that of other countries at a similar level of per-capita income with the country recording economic growth of 2.2 per cent since 2010, according to a Working Paper released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the paper titled “Reinvigorating Growth in Belize” economist Dmitry Vasilyev noted that in the 1990s and early 2000s, Belize grew faster than its regional peers. However by the mid-2000s, economic growth had slowed down to the regional average and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country has been in a “vicious circle of low growth and increasing public debt” that has been clouding its outlook. In the paper which examines the main growth constraints and opportunities for higher growth in Belize, Vasilyev argues that improvements in access to finance and in the business climate could unlock Belize’s strengths. CARIBBEAN MUCH DRIER The Barbados-based The Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) says since December last year, many parts of the Caribbean have become drier. “Major concerns exist in the southern Caribbean, including from northern Guyana to Barbados and west to the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) for short term drought that can impact small rivers, streams and ponds, by the end of April 2019,” CariCOF in its February issue of the Caribbean Drought Bulletin released here on Tuesday. It said that significant concerns also exist over long term drought that can impact large rivers and reservoirs, and groundwater by the end of May 2019, in parts of the eastern Caribbean, Jamaica, Hispaniola and southern French Guiana. “In any case, the entire Caribbean basin should closely monitor water supplies for the next few months,” it said, warning that rainfall has been normal to below normal for the islands of the eastern Caribbean. Videos Changes in the Ministry of Natural Resources, 7min. Changes are being made to significantly improve efficiency within the Ministry of Natural Resources this year. Our Belize Now team found out more... BELIZE TRAVEL DIARY, 3min. This was our fun adventure to Belize, it was absolutely magical and I loved every second of it! Citizens for the Defense of Sovereignty - Yes vote in the upcoming ICJ Referendum, 90min. World Cancer Day 2019, 43min. Today is celebrated as World Cancer Day. Education efforts have been ongoing to raise the awareness of the importance of early screening and detection. Our guests explained that they are working to bring about lifestyle changes among the population. On our couch: Dra. Natalia Largaespada Beer - Technical Advisor Maternal & Child Health. Ruth Jaramillo - NHI Manager MOH/ President, Belize Cancer Society. Heather Reneau - Sr. Administrator, Belize Cancer Society. Blooms by Confetti - what they are offering for this Valentine's Day, 37min. We spoke with Jaime Correa of Blooms by Confetti about the latest trends in floral arrangements. He spoke to us about what they are offering for this Valentine's Day. Bruk It Down Jenny - Valentine's themed show with a talk on handling expectations and disappointments, 33min. Bruk It Down Jenny continued our Valentine's themed show with a talk on handling expectations and disappointments. Jenny Lovell, Mental Health Expert, explained that it is all about understanding love languages and being appreciative of the efforts of your partner. Lashes by TT - Various styles of lashes, 23min. Tania Tanesha has ventured into selling her very own Lash Line called Lashes by TT. She was our guest to showcase the various styles of lashes. You can purchase the lashes at LA Fashions Boutique and LUSH Spa and Beauty. Adventures at Orchid Bay Belize, 3.5min. Parasailing in Harvest Caye, Belize February 2019, 4min. Belize 2019, 8min. Biological Marine Science Course Belize 2019. Belize Cave Tubing - Awesome experience, 17min. We booked a Cave Tubing Excursion with Lunch from Port of Belize while on our cruise ship Carnival Glory. We met at the office next to the port. Once there we got on a bus ride that took 50 minutes to the tubing location. They gave us helmets, life vests, flashlights, and big tubes to have fun. The tube can be heavy as you have to carry it approximately half mile to the launching area. belize cave tubing 2019, 5min. Belize Gone Punta., 6min. Channel 5 Daily Obituaries - Nessie Eleanor Young Nee Meighan, 2min. Jason Munnings Memorial, 2min. Las Vegas Hotel & Casino Belize, 1/2min. One of the largest Casino's in Central America and a cutting edge Hotel in Belize. Our Asian community celebrated the beginning of the Year of the PIG in Corozal Tuesday, 1min. This is the Year of Earth Pig, starting from February 5th, 2019 (Chinese New Year) and lasting to January 24th, 2020. Pig is the twelfth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Pig include 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031...The Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. Another story says that a wolf destroyed his house. He had to rebuild his home before he could set off. When he arrived, he was the last one and could only take twelfth place. Happy Chinese New Year to all our Corozal Community. Kids Chicken Dance Competition, 1.5min. Kids Chicken Dance Competition Lobster Fest, Placencia, Belize