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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

The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) Mourns the Passing of Mrs. Alice Craig
The Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, through the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) mourns the passing of a stalwart of local culture, Mrs. Alice Craig, affectionately known, as “Ms. Meg” or “Meggy”. Mrs. Craig was an exceptional woman; she was a true patriot, a collector, a historian, and unsung hero. Mrs. Craig would often visit the Museum of Belize where she would sit with staff, share good jokes and stories, speak to school children visiting for that day, but most importantly, she would check on her Collection on Display. Her valuable collection brought her much joy and she was always eager to explain what an object was, or how, and why she collected it.

Ambergris Today

Oceana Hosts ‘Fish School’ For Local Media And Communication Professionals
The One-Day Training Offered Technical Insight On Fisheries Science And Fisheries Management To Better Assist Local Media In Their Coverage Of Fisheries Related Stories Twenty journalists and communication professionals from all around the country attended the one-day training workshop entitled “Fish School”, hosted by Oceana in Belize City on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina. During the workshop, participants heard presentations from Margot Stiles, Marine Scientist and Chief of Strategy and Philip Chou - Senior Advisor, Science and Strategy, both from Oceana.

HEALTH ADVISORY - Increase In “Pink Eye” Cases In Neighboring Quintana Roo
The Ministry of Health has been notified of an increase in the number of Conjunctivitis cases (more commonly known as “Pink eye”) in Mexico, particularly in Yucatan and Quintana Roo. According to the National Epidemiological Surveillance System of the Ministry of Health of Mexico, since the start of this year up to February 5th, 2019, Yucatan and Quintana Roo have recorded double the cases at this same time compared to last year.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Blood Drive
Saturday March 2, 9am-3pm, at the Dr. Otto Rodrigues Ploy Clinic. Donors are reminded that they should not consume alcohol the day before the blood drive. They should ensure they get a good night sleep and eat a healthy iron-rich meal before donating.

Belize Welcomes the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Chagos Archipelago
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the findings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the right to self-determination is an established customary norm of international law. The Court found that the right to self-determination of a people is defined by reference to the entirety of their territory. It established that under international law, the right to territorial integrity is a corollary to the right to self-determination. These findings mean that any attempt to forcibly detach any part of a territory from its whole is incompatible with the right to a people’s self-determination and international law.

Ascenthium WOA Fundraiser at Soul Project
Ascenthium is having a concert at the Soul Project to raise funds so they can go win the Wacken Open Air C.A. Competition in Panama. They rock Soul on Friday, March 8th. They'll have some surprises at the concert.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: FEBRUARY 17, 2019 THROUGH FEBRUARY 24, 2019
An unusually long string of windy days kept the fishing close to the cayes and islands. Bonefish, barracuda ,and jacks provided plenty of action. Permit fishing was good despite the challenging conditions.

Carnaval Fashion Show
Carnaval Fashion Show will be depicting our traditional comparsas. Join us on Friday, March 1st, 7 pm at the San Pedro House of Culture. Come one, come all and enjoy the history of Carnaval in San Pedro.

YUUMTSILO'OB - Úuchben nukuch máako’ob
The Ancient Maya lords are representations of every aspect of Human life like birth,death,travel,trading, pregant,suicide,wild nature,agriculture,rain,creation,destruction etc .

Public consultation on Caye Caulke Submarine Cable Project
We hereby inform the General public that a public consultation will be held on March 21, 2019 6:30 PM at the Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School. Hosted by Caye Caulker BTIA.

Increase In Pump Prices for Diesel Oil and Kerosene
The Ministry of Finance announces that at midnight on February 27, 2019, the pump price for diesel oil will increase by 33 cents from $9.97 to $10.30 per gallon, while the pump price for kerosene will increase by 29 cents from the $7.45 to $7.74 per gallon. These price increases are due to a reduction in supply from the OPEC countries and are also due to geopolitical uncertainties combined with an increase in demand in North America during the current winter season.

INVITATION TO REFERENDUM MONITORS
The Elections and Boundaries Department hereby informs the public that in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. 20 of 2008, Monitors are allowed to observe the 10th April 2019 Referendum. As a result, the following organizations that are represented in the National Assembly are invited to appoint referendum monitors at each polling/counting station:

IDB launches cartoon and illustration contest on the future of work
The competition seeks the most creative cartoonists and illustrators in Latin America and the Caribbean; entries accepted through March 31, 2019 The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announces the launching of its third edition of the Cartoon and Illustration Contest under the theme The Future of Work. Cartoonists and illustrators from all IDB member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are invited to participate and submit their entries by March 31, 2019 at 23:59 in Washington, D.C. time (EST).

YOUTH MAINSTREAMING
The Department of Youth Services has partnered with the Commonwealth Secretariat in putting in place a strategy for youth mainstreaming in Belize. Youth mainstreaming is a coordinated all-of-government approach that will enable equitable, social, economic, political and ecological outcomes for young people. This requires strategic youth sector initiatives that engage comprehensively and substantively with holistic, youth-centric planning processes, and that bring young people’s aspirations and voices to the forefront in national planning. Belize will in this way become the second country after Kenya to receive Commonwealth support for youth mainstreaming.

Corozal Red Cross Clothing Sale
$5 per Bag Clothing Sale. Help our Red Cross to help our community. Thursday March 14, 9am-12pm.

Brandon D. Williams, American Football tight end for the NFL Indianapolis Colts hanging out on San Pedro
at Secret Beach. Welcome to Belize and do enjoy.

Oceana hosts Fish School for Media and Communication Professionals
Twenty journalists and communication professionals from all around the country attended the one-day training workshop entitled “Fish School”, hosted by Oceana in Belize City on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina. During the workshop, participants heard presentations from Margot Stiles, Marine Scientist and Chief of Strategy and Philip Chou - Senior Advisor, Science and Strategy, both from Oceana. Among the topics the workshop covered, were overfishing and illegal fishing, the impact of climate-related changes, seafood sustainability, fish and habitat, fisheries management, fishing methods and transparency. The training also allowed those in attendance to share information and their experience, including some of the challenges they face when covering fisheries related stories.

Reef Week Belize 2019 Calendar
The official Reef Week Belize 2019 Calendar is here! Check out all the details to see which initiatives you would like to be a part of!

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE BATTLE OF ORANGE WALK 1872
The British authorities had agreements with the Yucatec Maya(Máasewal) from the Icaiche Maya group about the interchange of prisoners . So if some one from one part did a crime or something wrong . The person would be remited to the judge or leader so they can give a punishment. Jose Maria Manzanero a Maya captain of Marcos Canul was detained and was captive along with his wife in Orange Walk town . According to the Maya Leader Marcos Canul the event went against the agreement and that Manzanero was imprisoned without a formal judgment. Canul Presented his claims but the British ignored him . The Maya General Marcos Canul stoop up with his men in Orange Walk demanding if they could give the Maya official and his wife . Instead of giving a explanation about why they were detained the British officials acted in a aggresive manner and shooted a rain of bullets in the aire. The Maya immediately attack Orange walk which resulted in Canul being wounded . Marcos Canul die after because of his wounds.

Channel 7

PG Reeling From Double Murder
Right now, Punta Gorda is on edge after the southern town witnessed a double murder last night. PG is known for its serene, laid-back way of life, but it over the last few months, gangs and elements of the criminal underworld have been infiltrating the community and causing chaos. Residents tell us that tensions had been simmering for some time now, and last night, it reached a crescendo with the gun murders of Kevin Moro and Oscar Humes. Our news team travelled there to find out what's driving the murderous violence. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Cops Pledge To Contain And Counter PG Violence
In response to this outrageous double murder, the Commissioner of Police hosted a press conference at headquarters in Belmopan this morning. He and his top commanders discussed the recent escalation of violence in the south - and what police are doing to contain and counter it. The Southern Regional Commander Sr. Supt. Sandra Bodden told the media what police have so far on this double murder in PG. Sr. Supt. Sandra Bodden, Southern Regional Commander: "Police, after receiving information visited the hospital where they observed one Kevin Pandy Moro 30 years Belizean of Punta Gorda Town and one Oscar Humes also with gunshot injuries. Unfortunately, at their arrival of the hospital Moro had already passed away..."

Two Morning Shootings Related To Night-time Murder?
And, two separate shooting incidents yesterday morning in Punta Gorda may be connected to the murders. Bodden also discussed those incidents: Sr. Supt. Sandra Bodden, Southern Regional Commander: "Police visited the Punta Gorda hospital where they observed two male persons with gunshot injuries. They were identified as Ulalio Chiac and Seferino Cho. Information revealed that both men were walking home in the Columbia Village after socializing when they were fired upon by one Robert Chen. Chen is the nephew of Ulalio Chiac with whom he had a misunderstanding previously..."

Independence Shooting Victim Dies
And, keeping it in the south, but going now from Punta Gorda to Independence village, we can confirm tonight that shooting victim, 22 year old Edward Conorquie is dead. He died this afternoon at the KHMH after receiving multiple gunshot injuries to his head and back. The Belize City resident was found early on Sunday morning thrown on the side of the road. He had been picked up on Saturday night, and police believe that someone shot him multiple times and then threw him on the side of the road - left for dead. He survived for 36 hours after the shooting.

City Men Stabbed Shannon in Hopkins
Adding to the list of crime in the south, two Belize City thieves stabbed American national, Tommy Shannon and then burglarized his Hopkins home on Sunday. Police caught the assailants charged them today. Here is what Southern Regional Commander Sandra Bodden had to say earlier this morning at the press briefing. Sr. Supt. Sandra Bodden: "Police responded to a report of an aggravated burglary in Hopkins Village. The victim was identified as a US national where he reported that two men entered his home, one with a firearm and one with a knife. The person with the knife inflicted stab wound to him. Stolen from him was his motor vehicle..."

Bludgeoned Business Owner Showing Signs of Recovery
Continuing now with the depressing spate of crime news from the south, we have court details on the men charged for that aggravated burglary in Hopkins village. The two accused men 23 year old Steve Crawford and 20 year old Carrell Sanchez, appeared in Belize City court today. They are Belize City residents and were charged with aggravated burglary, theft and handling stolen goods. They were denied bail and remanded to prison until May 30, 2019.

The Southern Strategy
So what is police going to do about all this violent crime down south? As you have seen, it is a mix of shootings, murders, aggravated burglaries, Chinese shop robberies and not to mention vehicular fires. And these crimes are mostly carried out by Belize city criminals trying to escape police pressure. Well, Commander of Operations Sr. Supt. Marco Vidal who was also at this morning's press conference says the police are already on the ground in the south and they have a strategy in place to address the crime situation. Sr. Supt Marco Vidal, Commander - Operations: "Currently as we speak we have the special patrol unit along with the special branch along with the local investigators in Punta Gorda and we are targeting the persons who we suspect are involved in the other criminal activities as you mentioned as the Senior Superintendent..."

Operations Commander On The Ground in PG
And from the big picture, to the local picture…. While our news team was in PG this evening, we encountered Deputy Police Commissioner Edward Broaster on the ground. He was there as Commissioner Williams' most senior officers overseeing police's immediate response to last night's double murder. He granted us an interview in which he discussed what steps are being taken to hopefully prevent retaliations which residents suspect will take place sooner or later: Edward Broaster, Deputy ComPol, Ops and Crime: "The Commissioner of Police wanted to have an appreciation of what's actually transpiring on the ground. hence, the reason he sends one of his most senior officers to Punta Gorda, as well as reinforcement to ensure that we quell any uprising or any situation as it relates to retaliation in terms of the violence that occurred last night and we have brought in other reinforcement to backup the Punta Gorda formation so that we can deal with the situation and reduce any more bloodshed."

Commish's Message To Criminals
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams also spoke at the press briefing today and assured residents that police will hunt down these criminals and restore peace in their communities and if that means getting rid of rogue cops who facilitate these criminals, then they will do. Here is what the Commissioner had to say. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: "I want to say to the residents of Punta Gorda as well as Mango Creek that these criminals who would leave from Belize City and go to either Dangriga and Independence they will only feel as comfortable among you to the extent that you make them feel comfortable. If it is that these people are not welcomed within your community then you have a responsibility to to let them understand that they are not going to be welcomed among you..."

Council Of Churches Comes Out For ICJ
The ICJ in the Hague came out with a blockbuster decision yesterday - and it's a case in which has a direct parallels to the Belize - Guatemala case. In what is known as an advisory opinion, the ICJ ruled that the United Kingdom should end its control of the Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean - which should be the property of the country and former British colony of Mauritius. The genesis of the case goes back to 1968 when Mauritius got its independence from Britain but was basically forced to give up the islands to the British, which evicted the entire population, before inviting the US to build a military base on one of the larger atolls. Well, the court has taken a dim view of that maneuver to dismember a former colony. The court upheld the the right of all people to self-determination with their territory intact.

Belize Chinese Community Gets Ready For Referendum
And the Belize Chinese community is also educating itself to vote in the ICJ referendum. On Sunday at the Princess theatre, the community was inited to listen to an ICJ presentation - which was translated into Mandarin. The chairman of the community discussed the event and the expectations: Chairman Ou says that since the presentation members of the community have been reaching out to him to help them register to vote.

Registration In Overtime
And they will have more hours in the day to do so. The Elections and Boundaries office has announced that effective 1st March all registration offices countrywide will be opened on Mondays to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. And on the two Saturdays before the cutoff date on March 12th, offices will be opened from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. That is the 2nd and 9th March 2019. And, in other news from the Elections and Boundaries office, they are inviting local monitors to observe the 10th April Referendum. The invitation is extended to the UDP..

Vital Stats Sputtering
And while all the machinery for the referendum is now going into high gear, the Vital Statistics office sputtered today. Their system went down this morning. A public announcements says, "The Management of the Vital Statistics Unit informs the public that the office will resume normal working hours on Wednesday, February 27, 2019."

Man Got Off Murder Charge
27 year-old Orlando Salazar, who was charged with murder, attempted murder, and maim, is a free man tonight after he was told that the DPP's Office no longer wants to prosecute him for the murder 2017 murder of Windel Gibson Jr. At around 4 p.m. on August 24th, 2017, 27 year-old Windell Gibson and 25 year-old Karron Santos were in the Conch Shell Bay Fish Market, when a gunman rode up with an accomplice on a motorcycle, and opened fire on the pair. They tried to escape by fleeing into Lindo's Alley, but the assailants pursued them and gunned them down. Gibson was pronounced dead on arrival, and Santos was injured to his left shoulder.

Keeping Marine Protected Areas Under Surveillance
There are 10 Marine Protected Areas in Belize - and increasingly they are being monitored by what are called Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tools - or "SMART" for short. That can be something as simple as a smart phone - which is used to precisely map activities in those protected areas. For the next three days, the Wildlife Conservation Society is hosting a regional workshop on the use of these SMART tools. We stopped in today to find out more:

Fuel Prices Up Again
Fuel prices have been climbing steadily in the past few weeks, and it's going up again tonight at midnight. The pump price for diesel oil will increase by 33 cents from $9.97 to $10.30 per gallon, while the pump price for kerosene will increase by 29 cents from the $7.45 to $7.74 per gallon. Premium and regular will remain stable. Government says, quote, "the frequency of fuel price changes is due largely to high seasonal demand, particularly in the aviation, construction, and tourism sectors combined with limited storage capacities which together result in a need for more frequent shipments of fuel to the country in recent months."

Belize Murder Rate Surpasses Civil War Benchmark, Every Year
Violence is the most confounding social problem of our time - and you see it every night on the news, the seemingly endless procession of violent crime. That's why all this week, we will be featuring short excerpts of Dr. Herbert Gayle's presentation from last week Friday on the failure of suppression as a strategy to reducing crime. Tonight, he discusses the civil war benchmark for crime - that when the murder rate exceeds 30 per hundred thousand. As it does every year in Belize - that benchmark has been exceeded:

Pink Eye Alert Across The Border
For those Belizeans who love to travel to Chet every other weekend or for those long holiday weekends better be mindful of an increase of pink eye cases in Mexico specifically in Yucatan and Quintana Roo. The Ministry of Health sent out a release saying "since the start of this year up to February 5th, 2019, Yucatan and Quintana Roo have recorded double the cases at this same time compared to last year. While at this time, the Ministry is not seeing an increase, persons are advised to monitor the situation...

Channel 5

Double Murder in Peini, Has Gang Violence Taken Root in PG?
A spike in gun violence has shattered the calm and peace that Punta Gorda is known for, following a heinous double homicide on Monday evening.  Oscar Humes and Kevin Moro [...]

Operations Commander Vows to Quell Hostilities in Peini
Police in Punta Gorda Town remain on high alert tonight and additional manpower has been sent in to quell what has been an escalation of gun violence over the past [...]

2 Unrelated Shootings in Toledo
There were signs that a wave of violence was sweeping through the district. Even before the double murders there were two shootings in Toledo. Police say the first incident happened [...]

22-Year-Old Succumbs to Gunshot Injuries
There is another murder victim.  Twenty-two-year-old Edward Conorquie succumbed to gunshot injuries today. He was receiving medical attention at the K.H.M.H. after he was shot in the head and back [...]

ComPol Urges the Public in the South to Cooperate with Authorities
As his deputy was in the south, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was in Belmopan where he spoke about the growing gang-related violence in Punta Gorda. He says that that [...]

ComPol says Operations Will Target Criminals and Dirty Cops
The commissioner also told the media that they will be coming down hard on the criminals – not just to apprehend them, but to make sure that they are held [...]

Are Criminals Being Brought in to PG as Hired Guns?
The situation in Punta Gorda begs the question whether criminal elements are being brought in from out of town for use as hired guns. The notion arose in the wake [...]

Belize Council of Churches Says YES to the I.C.J.
The Belize Council of Churches has come out in favour of going to the International Court of Justice and is offering prayers for a settlement of the dispute. After carefully [...]

N.T.U.C.B. Members to Exercise Conscious Vote for April 10th Referendum
So while the churches are in the yes corner, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize says its membership is free to exercise a conscious vote.  The N.T.U.C.B. has been [...]

N.T.U.C.B. Prez Leaning to a NO Vote
But when it comes to his personal decision, Mora says he leaning toward a no. He’s been acquainting himself with past rulings by The Hague on similar cases of territorial [...]

Pump Price for Diesel to Increase
The pump price for diesel fuel is set to increase at midnight on Wednesday. It will go up by thirty-three cents, from nine dollars and ninety-seven cents to ten dollars [...]

8-Year-Old Student Alleges Assault by Teacher
Corporal punished has been banned from schools for more than a decade. In 2017, Minister of Education Patrick Faber told the media that corporal punishment in schools will not be [...]

Man Charged for Murder is Freed
A preliminary inquiry ended today in the murder case against Orlando Salazar, who was charged jointly with Joel Choco for the killing of Windell Neal. The court withdrew the charge [...]

2 City Youth Arraigned for Attempted Murder
Two city youth were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on six criminal and indictable offenses. Twenty-one year-old Mark August and eighteen-year-old Avery Bain were read the criminal and [...]

Police Doing a Deep Dive into Victor L Bryant’s Inventory as Investigation Continues
Last week we told you that police recovered about one thousand rounds of ammunition and that five hundred more remain on the streets. The ammo is a part of the [...]

Specific Organizations Invited to Monitor I.C.J. Referendum
There are forty-three days left before the April tenth I.C.J. referendum and logistics are still being worked out. The Elections and Boundaries Department is still carrying out preparations for what [...]

2,500 Plus Electors Disallowed from Re-registering Due to Missing Docs At Vital Stats
While on Open Your Eyes, Tamai and Singh responded to concerns regarding the Vital Statistics Unit. As we have been reporting, many electors are complaining that they are being disenfranchised [...]

Vita Stats’ System Down, Temporarily
Concerns regarding the daily operations at the Vital Statistics Unit have been mounting for years. Those who have visited the Unit go through a hellish and frustrating experience.  Today, the [...]

Was There Negligence in Fatal Electrocution Case in the West?
On Monday we reported about thirty-one-year-old William Vasquez who was killed while working on a construction site on the Chial Road.  Reports are that Vasquez accidentally made contact with a [...]

2020 Will See Trade License Reform
In other news…A reform in the trade license fee is expected to be rolled out across the country in 2020. The legislation has been completed and according to Belize City [...]

Mapping the Guatemalan Claim: A News Five Flashback
Next Tuesday at eight p.m., Channel Five will be launching “Mapping the Guatemalan Claim: a News Five Flashback.”  The series will run through to the April tenth referendum and is [...]

Failure of Suppression – Doctor Herbert Gayle Lecture
On Friday night at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts, well-known anthropologist Doctor Herbert Gayle delivered a public lecture entitled Failure of Suppression. Breaking down crime and violence into [...]

Success is Community-Based Initiatives with Violence Interruption Groups
According to Doctor Gayle, the region has only one violence reduction success and that is through the concept of community policing. He is of the belief that hard-line policing is [...]

LOVE FM

Chinese Association Hosts ICJ Education
On Sunday the Belize Chinese Association held its first consultation and history lesson about Guatemala’s unfounded claim on Belize. They were treated to a history of Belize that brought them up to speed on the April 10 referendum. The consultation took place at the Princess Ramada Cinema for about 145 Chinese as well as Taiwanese …

Taxi man is stabbed and recovers in Guatemala before filing report
A taxi operator, Walter Lopez says he was robbed and stabbed by a group of men last week. Lopez told police that his ordeal began when he was working in Benque Viejo Town, Cayo District, where he picked up three men; but Lopez made the report five days after he was attacked. ACP Joseph Myvett …

Man is electrocuted and dies in Benque
Police report that one man has died after being electrocuted while doing some welding. It happened in Benque Viejo Town on Sunday morning while 31-year-old William Vasquez was doing some work. ACP Joseph Myvett: “Sometime around 10:45 AM Police was called to an area in Benque Viejo known as Chial where they observed the body …

NTUCB discusses SSB’s proposal
For some time now, Belize’s Social Security Board has been proposing an increase in benefits and contributions. Last year, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, NTUCB’s under the leadership of Floyd Neal, stated that the union was in support of SSB’s bid for contributions to increase. Love News asked the current president of the …

Where does the NTUCB stands on ICJ?
The debate on whether or not to take the Belize/Guatemala issue to the International Court of Justice, ICJ, has the country divided. The Government has declared a yes position on the matter while the People’s United Party, PUP, after wavering for some time, finally arrived at a no-vote. Organizations like the Belize Peace Movement and …

Consultations on sexual offense legislation concludes
The Belize Women against Violence in collaboration with the Building People Movement has concluded their final public consultation on a sexual offenses draft legislation. The last consultation was held in Corozal Town where they heard from community members and representatives of organizations and groups that work in the area. The organization is being assisted with …

Squatters also causing a problem for BEWU
A few weeks ago we brought the issue of the squatters in Belama Phase Four and their dilemma of having their homes broken down and having to relocate. In our initial stories, we told you that the large plot of land belongs to Fen Lan Company. Tonight, however, there is a development as we have …

TOP POLICE BRASS ADDRESS VIOLENCE & MURDERS in TOLEDO
Over the past few months there have been a growing number of violent incidents in the south of Belize, ranging from fights to chopping and shooting incidents. A family was brutally hammered during a robbery in Independence Village last week and one person is still in a coma. On Sunday, 2 persons were shot in …

Police Update Status of Recent Major Crimes
73 year old Thomas Shannon. US National who resides in Hopkins Village sustained a stab wound after he became the victim of a home invasion on Saturday night. Two Belize City residents, 20 year old Karil Sanchez from a Flamboyant Street and 23 year old Steve Crawford from Jane Usher Boulevard were found with his …

Edward Conorquie dies days after he was found severely injured in southern Belize
Belize City resident Edward Conorquie died this afternoon after being shot several times in southern Belize. Police report that the 22-year-old was found on Sunday morning on the outskirts of Independence Village, severely wounded. ACP Joseph Myvett, Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch says they are yet to find out how he got to …

Amandala

Pink eye on the increase in Quintana Roo
Today, the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press release advising Belizeans on increased cases of conjunctivitis (pink eye) recorded in the Yucatan and Quintana Roo areas of Mexico. Quintana Roo is the state that borders Belize. The National Epidemiological Surveillance System of the Ministry of Health of Mexico reported that since the start of 2019, there has been a much higher number of cases of pink eye compared to this same time last year.

Councilor Micah Goodin stripped of his portfolio
Less than two months after taking office at the Belize City Council, Councilor Micah Goodin made public accusations about, and criticisms of, Mayor Bernard Wagner on social media. Now, less than one year since that initial outburst, Councilor Goodin has again exploded in an uncontrollable outburst at City Hall. This time, City Administrator, Stephanie Lindo-Garbutt, was on the receiving end of Councilor Goodin’s tirade. Things got so heated that the councilor had to be physically restrained and put out of City Hall. The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday.

Fake cops sentenced to 1 year
Two men, Dorian Blair, 24, and Barrington Slusher, 41, who posed as police officers, changed their plea from not guilty to guilty of a charge of pretense of an officer when they appeared today for trial before Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts Anderson. They were each sentenced to 1 year imprisonment.

92-year-old woman punched in face during burglary
An elderly woman was injured during a burglary of her home in the Southern Foreshore area of Belize City. The injury was not fatal, and the woman has already been treated and released from the hospital. According to police, Marie Gardiner, 92, was home around 1:30 p.m. when a man who had gained entry into her home punched her in the face, injuring her mouth. While police were unable to say how the man was able to enter her home, unconfirmed media reports are that he broke the back door.

Activist Audrey Matura stages solidarity demonstration for Wesley College student
Attorney and community activist, Audrey Matura held a solidarity demonstration in front of Wesley College this afternoon in support of a female student who had become a victim of cyber-bullying when a video of her dressed in her school uniform and engaged in a sexual act went viral when it was posted on Facebook. In a statement to the media, Matura said the demonstration has three components. “We are launching a petition to the government to ensure that issues of pornography are dealt with legislatively, socially and through institution.

We gave our all; respect to Cuba and Bahamas!
Belize came one 3-point shot away, and two chances to make it, from securing a 1-point victory over powerhouse Cuba in the FIBA World Cup qualifying quadrangular on Saturday night at the Civic Center in Belize City. Cuba’s outstanding center Javier Justiz was sidelined for almost the last three quarters, but with a superlative effort from Jasiel Rivero, Cuba still managed an 82-80 victory over Belize. Cuba walked away with the championship trophy after demolishing Antigua last night, while Belize fought gamely, but fell to second place Bahamas in last night’s final game of the weekend quadrangular.

Women Bandits setting football record at Week 4 of NAWL
With 4 weeks of competition completed in the National Amateur Women’s League (NAWL) 2019 tournament, Jewel Fury Bandits, as the Belmopan based women team is now called, has set a record that is not likely to be broken anytime soon; and they are not finished yet. At Week 4 of the competition in the South Group, Jewel Fury Bandits have not given up a single goal yet, while they have amassed a massive total of 45 goals so far in the competition. They are the only team from either group with a perfect 4 and 0 record. (See standings below.) Two North teams are also undefeated, but Black Orchid and Verdes have each drawn a game, against each other; while in the South, Rumberas are also undefeated with one draw, but they face Jewel Fury Bandits for the first time this coming weekend.

National Beach Soccer Week 3 results, standings
Placencia Village was the venue for 3 competitive games in Week 3 of the Football Federation of Belize’s (FFB) first National Beach Soccer League 2019 competition. In game 1 at 11:00 a.m., Dangriga Beach Soccer maintained its undefeated streak, as they prevailed, 6-4, over Hopkins Ibayani. Shaking the net for Dangriga Beach Soccer were Raymond Ramos (3’ & 30’), Evan Mariano (15’, 18’ & 31’) and Ramon Olmedo (22’); while Hopkins Ibayani goals were by Wayne Ford (4’), Devanny Tillett (19’ & 29’) and Deshann Nunez (24’).

Bandits’ first loss; San Pedro Pirates take standings lead at Week 7 of PLB Closing Season
The first round is completed, and at Week 7 of the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2018-2019 Closing Season, defending champion Bandits Sport has suffered its first loss, and the team that delivered that blow, San Pedro Pirates FC have taken over the standings lead. (See standings below.) It was a low scoring and fiercely competitive weekend in PLB action, with identical 2-1 and 1-nil scores on Saturday and Sunday.

Belize’s basketball challenge – FIBA World Cup quadrangular this weekend at the Civic
This weekend at the Belize Civic Center, our Belize National Basketball Team will attempt to reach the highest level it has ever been – the Round of 16 in the FIBA World Cup Tournament for the Americas. To accomplish that, Belize will have to emerge as one of the top two teams from this weekend’s international quadrangular which starts on Friday evening, with two games being played each night – Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Participating national teams will be from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Bahamas, and Cuba.

How the “South” votes should be a concern
When asked what Guatemala is claiming, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and former Foreign Minister, Dr. Assad Shoman, and the entire ICJ team, reply that it is the entire country of Belize. When Belizeans go to vote in the referendum to determine if we are for the Special Agreement, or not for it, we will not know the end game because that has not been specified. If we agree (to support the Special Agreement), we will be consenting to defend against any and all legal claims that Guatemala might have/believes it has on Belizean territory; if we want to know what Guatemala is claiming, we have to go to court. For Elrington and Shoman, and the entire ICJ team, it is absolutely essential strategy that they put forward to the public that the Guatemalan claim will be for all of Belize.

“With the safe open, even the most honest will steal.”
Dear Editor, “The PUP thief……… fu give we” were the words an elder gentleman directed to me while discussing politics when I was but a young lad of about 18, about to start casting my vote, and he was trying to convince me that the party was doing good and I thought they were “too thief”. This was before Belize attained Independence.

A theoretical analysis: Why we MUST vote NO …
As I further scrutinize the Joint Statement, I noticed that while Belize and Guatemala were “strengthening the bonds of mutual cooperation,” apparently a disturbing revelation suddenly emerged: “Guatemala and Belize, as two sovereign States, have not yet signed a treaty between them finally establishing their land and maritime boundaries and that such a treaty is one element of the expected outcome of the negotiations.” May I ask what the other elements are? Also alluded to at the bottom of the Joint Statement is “existing reference monuments” on which the “execution and implementation will be based.” Where do these “monuments” exist? Where on paper can we find them? Or are they shrouded in mystery? They seem important!

Joe Bradley clobbered by local Guardian
Label me gullible, but I really thought Wave’s Joe Bradley was on to something, a scoop to blow the Belize Peace Movement out of the water, when he told his co-host Alfonso that he had seen a certain young lady lawyer from Nigeria, preaching in a church in Belize. Belize has a growing Nigerian population, and we definitely wouldn’t put it past Mr. Brackett, “the tire burner in front of the Guat Embassy,” to pull one to put a brake on Sedi and Assad and all their company. You’ve seen the lady in the video, the one where she gives a warning to Belizeans about the ICJ. It seems that just about everybody in Nigeria is fed up with that court after it decided in favor of Cameroon in a case between them.

Human skull found near Port of Belize compound
he skull and some bones of an unknown person were found by a maintenance worker while cleaning inside the Port of Belize compound at about 8:30 this morning. Police said that the maintenance worker for Port Authority was cleaning the compound when he saw the human remains. The skull and bones were found at the edge of the fence, not far from a bathroom.

PM Barrow blasts Supreme Court Justice Courtenay Abel
The Supreme Court of Belize and its justices are creations of the Belize Constitution and function as part of the judiciary, one of the three branches of government. The office of the Prime Minister, likewise, is also a creation of the Constitution and functions as the executive branch of government, of which the prime minister is its head. Thirdly, there is the legislative branch, which has responsibility for making the laws for the good governance of Belize.

Edward Conorquie, 22, shot and left on roadside in Independence
Edward Conorquie, 22, of Vernon Street, who was in Independence attending a social event on Saturday night, is in a critical condition in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH)’s Intensive Care Unit, suffering from gunshot wounds in his head and back. Conorquie was found lying on the roadside not far from the Punta Negra road’s junction with the Southern Highway at about 4:00 Sunday morning by some persons traveling on the road. They rushed him to the Independence Polyclinic, where he was given initial treatment, and police were called. He then was rushed to the KHMH for further treatment.

Constable Mark Rodriguez, 38, survives traffic accident in Camalote
Constable Mark Rodriguez, 38, of San Ignacio police, is presently in the Western Regional Hospital, suffering from serious injuries to his head and arm, after a traffic accident that occurred at about 9:30 Friday night on the George Price Highway in Camalote, Cayo District. Reports to us are that the policeman, who was alone in his car, was driving from San Ignacio to Belmopan to be with his wife, who had been admitted at the Western Regional Hospital to undergo an emergency operation.

The Reporter

Man Escapes Police – Tries To Break Into House Of Police Commissioner
Police are on the hunt for a suspect who escaped from Police custody in the village of Seine Bight, he then tried to break into a house, not realizing that the house belongs to the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams. According to reports, the man escaped from a Police pickup in which he was being transported, and tried to enter the house, which was locked.

Breaking Belize News

Fire in Punta Gorda, child reportedly injured
A house in Punta Gorda, Toledo was affected by fire tonight. A woman and a child were reported to be inside the house at the time […]

Candle light vigil being held in wake of double murder in Punta Gorda
In the wake of the double murder of Kevin Moro and Oscar Humes, a candle light […]

Team NICH takes Guinness 2019 Belize River Canoe Challenge
The National Institute of Culture and History’s (NICH) team took first place in the Guinness 2019 Belize […]

Government invites Opposition, NGO’s to monitor ICJ referendum
The Elections and Boundaries Department today informed the public that in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. […]

Prices of Diesel and Kerosene go up at midnight
The Ministry of Finance announced that at midnight, the pump price for diesel oil will increase […]

Commissioner of Police to host meeting in Punta Gorda following surge in crime
In light of the recent increase of violent crime in Punta Gorda, Toledo, the Commissioner of […]

Vital Statistics inform that their system is down
The Management of the Vital Statistics Unit informs today that their system is down. The Unit […]

Belize welcomes ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Chagos Archipelago
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement saying that it welcomes the findings of […]

Shooting victim passes away
After fighting for his life for more than 24 hours, a shooting victim has passed away. He […]

NICH mourns the passing of Alice Craig
The Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, through the National Institute of Culture and History […]

Police: Two persons shot in San Pedro Columbia, Toledo
Police have released information on an early morning shooting in Punta Gorda, Toledo that happened yesterday. […]

Punta Gorda shooter captured by police
Yesterday at around 10:45 a.m., a police officer was on patrol on Queen Street in Punta […]

Armed robbery in Belize City
On Saturday around 7:45 p.m. police responded to a robbery at Blue Marlin’s on Coney Drive […]

Police: Unable to determine motive in Independence shooting incident
On Sunday around 5 a.m. police in Independence, Stann Creek were called to the polyclinic. There, they […]

Armed robbery in Toledo
On Saturday around 8:55 p.m. there was a robbery in Eldridgeville, Toledo. Two armed robbers entered […]

Taxi driver stabbed in Benque Viejo, Cayo
On Friday there was a stabbing incident reported in Benque Viejo, Cayo. Walter Lopez, 37, visited […]

Fire in Santa Elena, Cayo; Police and fire officials investigating
On Saturday at around 3:30 p.m. San Ignacio police reported to the calls of a fire […]

Taiwan and Governor General congratulate Scout Association of Belize for new Headquarters project
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) announced today that in collaboration with Colville Young, […]

Man electrocuted in Benque Viejo Town
On Sunday around 10:45 a.m., police in Benque Viejo responded to calls of a body found […]

Human remains found in Belize City sent for forensic test
On Friday around 8:15 a.m. police were called to the Port Authority compound in Belize City. […]

Blogs

Choose your adventure at Iguana Juan’s
With several weekly and monthly events, Iguana Juan’s Restaurant and Bar on Back Street welcomes you to enjoy food, drinks, yoga, music, a combination of it all, and more! Their delicious Reggae Brunch is offered every Saturday, from 11AM – 2PM. With the smooth grooves of Melody Man Escobar playing in the background, you can indulge in a fabulous island brunch, which comes with a variety of tasty options. Iguana Juan’s is located on Back Street (Angel Coral St), next to Superbuy and of course you can find them on social media.

Pilates and a Latte In a Surprising Location on North Ambergris Caye
Yesterday I went to Pilates in a grand space – a huge space with a lagoon view that I had no idea was even there. Located at about 4 miles north – JUST as the paved road ends, across the street from Belizean Shores Resort and my new favorite baked good-ery. I texted the number – found out that it was fine for beginners and I only need bring ME. $20bzd for the class but free for my first time. Can’t beat that. PLUS, I so wanted to look inside this mysterious palapa. Perhaps you’ve seen it – it’s fairly hard to miss when you drive by. Holy beautiful. A towering ceiling, doors that fold out to a pretty awesome lagoon view, a smooth polished wood…the perfect party spot. OH! And a basketball half court.

No Rush Adventure
If you want the perfect “chill” day, grab a few friends, head down to the Melt restaurant dock in downtown San Pedro, and set sail on the No Rush catamaran! This wonderful boat has a crew that attends to your every need and Captain Steve ensures a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable day on the water. Every time on the No Rush is magical and different. On our Belize Happy Adventure, we sailed north and enjoyed some amazing snorkeling, fresh ceviche, and enough rum punch and beer to keep us happy. We enjoyed nummy fresh fish, chicken, and a sweet potato lunch, which was served to us right on board.

Melody Man & Small World Band!
This Thursday head up to Bernie's Back for the smooth reggae sounds of Melody Man & Small World Band! Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 7 PM – 11 PM. Stop by for dinner and drinks with the show! You wont be disappointed! SEE YOU THURSDAY NIGHT! Hosted by BERNIE's BACK Bar & Restaurant

International Sources

Kurt Riley Heads To Belize On Magnum Xplosion Club Tour
The legendary DJ Kurt Riley of Jamaica will headline the upcoming Magnum Xplosion Club Tour that will be taking place next month in Belize. The tour, which kicks off on March 6, will see Riley making stops in Belmopan, Belize City and San Pedro. The Magnum Xplosion Club Tour is the most recently added element to the Magnum Xplosion series, which has ignited thousands across the region with feverish performances from soca and dancehall’s biggest names. Last year, Bunji Garlin, Ding Dong, Aidonia, Shenseea, Busy Signal and I-Octane took to Magnum Xplosion stage to deliver explosive performances, as Magnum continues to extend its magnetic energy regionally.

EU Demands Belize Remove Harmful Tax Regimes
The European Union Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) has warned the Government of Belize that the jurisdiction will be placed on the EU's blacklist of non-cooperative territories unless it commits to amend or abolish certain tax rules considered "harmful." In a letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, dated February 1, 2019, the Code of Conduct Group said that it has identified the introduction of a new preferential tax measure, namely the exemption of foreign income, as harmful under the Code Group's criteria for assessing potentially harmful tax regimes. The letter points out that while the general income tax rate in Belize is 25 percent, international business companies and firms operating in a Designated Processing Area (DPA) are taxed at a special rate of three percent up to BZD3m (USD1.46m) and at the rate of 1.75 percent above this amount.

His Invisible Footprint: A Conversation With Peter Kjellerup
We ended up in Belize, where we now have a house. Mandy and I are involved with programs related to the Waterkeeper Alliance in Belize, originated by its founder, Robert Kennedy, Jr. Now that the Waterkeeper Alliance is in place, Mandy and I are trying to get the government to preserve the bays and to protect mangroves and manatees. We are also working to preserve a 22,000-acre parcel of land that is nestled in the Maya Mountains and contiguous with several key nature reserves. Twenty-thousand of those acres is virgin rainforest, and the rest has been poorly farmed in citrus and coconuts. We are looking to rehabilitate that smaller piece and introduce native cacao as well, so that local farmers can model a more sustainable way of making a living. We believe that the impact we can have in Belize is enormous.

6 Things to Do in San Ignacio, Belize
Westjet Magazine loves Cayo. They recently ran another article, and this one focuses on some of the unique local sites found in the area. The Green Iguana Conservation Project is on the list, as is the market, Ajaw Chocolate, Kaj Expressions, Vivian's Cafe, and the new Capello's Art Gallery. A great list that can all be visited in one fun, artsy day. "San Ignacio is a small, friendly town in the Cayo District and is the perfect base to explore the nearby Maya sites. It's also filled with sights worth discovering, including an iguana conservatory and a vibrant market."

Videos

Brenda Reid impromptu singing with beach band, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 3min. Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn

Cave Kayaking Belize 2019, 14min.

Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) - work in the Chiquibul National Park, 24min. Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) continues to do important work in the Chiquibul National Park. Today they shared their work with the youths of Belize and Guatemala and talked about the Bi-National Youth Action Plan. On our couch: Esther Sho - Program Director, FCD. Abbie Godoy - Youth representative, FCD Environmental Youth Group. Cindy Sagustume - Youth Representative, Todos Por Un Mundo Verde.

Attorneys Views on Agreement "Invalid.", 40min. A team of attorneys have come together to challenge the legality of the Special Agreement. They have published a joint legal opinion that calls the Agreement "Invalid." They were our guests to share the merits of their position. On our couch: Kareem Musa - Attorney-at-Law. Anthony Sylvestre - Attorney-at-Law.

Give Your Heart to A Child - The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation, 56min. The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation maintains that the family is the fundamental unit of society. A critical part of the work they do is to seek suitable families to become foster parents for children who are in the care of the state. The "Give Your Heart to A Child" campaign looks for foster parents to help reduce the number of children living in institutions. There are various ways you can foster a child and our guests spoke to us about the requirements and process for interested persons. On our set: Elswith Chevez - Human Development Coordinator (CPSS), MHDSTPA. Shaneica Pitzold - Children Services Officer, MHDSTPA.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission representatives - process for the upcoming ICJ Referendum, 72min. The Elections and Boundaries Commission representatives walked us through the electoral process for the upcoming ICJ Referendum. They shared that to date there is approximately 66% of registered voters who have completed the re-registration process to vote in the referendum. On our set: Josephine Tamai - Chief Elections Officer, Elections and Boundaries Department. Douglas Singh - Chairman, Elections and Boundaries Commission.

10-4-19, 75min. Tonight on 10-4-19 we feature another edition of Backyard Chats - as we hear directly from Belizeans across the country as they share what their concerns are. Our panelists will attempt to address them.

Sarteneja Ferry, 1/2min. While Droning "Zip Line" locations for a client yesterday. I had a chance to drone the small ferry.

Protection work in the context of gang violence: Lily Bowman, Belize Red Cross, 3min.

Diving with Reef Sharks in Belize at Half Moon Caye, 3.5min. My son and I diving in Belize at Half Moon Caye. A reef shark decided to hang out with us.

Celebrate Belize!, 4min. 4 minutes of amazing photos Celebrating this singular Country

Aerial View of Beautiful Tobacco Caye Belize, 3min. Check out the wonderful island of Tobacco Caye in Belize off the coast of Dangriga a true honeymoon destination a gorgeous secluded spot! Perfect for snorkelling, diving and enjoying many cocktails in the islands two bars! 100% worth a visit!

Belize kite boarding, 1min.

Scuba Belize 2019, 7min.

Welcome to Belize:), 15min. Tag along with me on my adventure through Belize 2019!!!

The removal of derelict vehicles has begun in San Pedro, 1min.