Today's Belize News: October 5, 2019

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Today's Belize News: October 5, 2019 #538602 10/05/19 06:31 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,398 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials. The San Pedro Sun San Pedro's Ms. Evelia Paz receives George Price Service to the People Award During the 69th celebration of the founding of the People's United Party (PUP) on Saturday, September 28th in Belize City; San Pedro resident Evelia Paz received the 2019 George Price Service to the People Award for Belize Rural South (BRS) constituency. The award was presented to Ms. Paz by the PUP Party Leader John Briceno and PUP BRS Standard Bearer Andre Perez. Perez shared with The San Pedro Sun that Ms. Paz was nominated for the George Price award for BRS for her dedication and solidarity with the PUP for many years. "We decided to nominate Ms. Evelia because she is a perfect example of a true PUP supporter. She has been supporting and dedicating her time to all party leaders like George Price, Said Musa, among others since the beginning of the party. San Pedro Red Cross Branch conducts clean up at the entrance of San Mateo The rainy season brings an increase in mosquitoes and with it, vector-borne diseases like Dengue or Zika. In an attempt to raise awareness to keep residential and public areas clean and free of mosquito breeding grounds, members of the Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch (BRCSPB) conducted a community clean-up at the entrance of the San Mateo Sub-division on Monday, September 30th. San Mateo, located north of San Pedro Town has for years been plagued with improper garbage disposal creating an unhealthy environment for the families living in the said subdivision. Three persons arrested and charged following a burglary in San Pedro Town Two men and a woman have been arrested and charged after a residence in the Tres Cocos Area north of San Pedro Town was burglarized. Additionally , police continue to investigate another burglary at a supermarket on Pescador Drive in which the main suspects are believed to be teenagers. The Tres Coca burglary reportedly occurred on Wednesday, September 25th. According to a police report, on Thursday, September 26th, about 10:40AM, 31-year-old Paola Cobb, a Belizean manager, reported that the previous day around 4:04PM, she noticed that a door of a house in the said area belonging to a Chris Jansen from the United States of America, and which she cared for, was not properly lined up. Bonefish and Tarpon Trust presents insights on conservation needs for Belize's fishing flats industry The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT) organization held an informative presentation for fly fishing guides and interested islanders at the Lions Den in San Pedro Town on Monday, September 30th. The organization presented recent findings on the evaluation of fishing flats in Belize and Mexico, conservation needs in Ambergris Caye and the importance of a sustainable approach to the management of these valuable coastal assets. The consensus of BTT is that all populations of bonefish, tarpon, and permit in the Caribbean are connected, primarily by larval dispersal. Some of the larvae spawned in one location are transported via sea currents to other locations hundreds, even thousands of miles away. Various Belizean Sources Ocean Academy Tourism Class Ocean Academy students taking the elective class on Tourism participated in a field trip this week. This trip allowed students to interact with and to learn directly from professionals involved in the Belizean tourism industry. Students visited the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) office and received a well-rounded presentation about the tourism industry and the role the BTIA plays in representing the private sector. OA students also visited Bacab Eco Park. They took a guided tour where they learned best practices and techniques used by tour guides, tourism products, marketing and also about the cruise ship industry in Belize. BDF Recruiting in Corozal Saturday Great Opportunity for our youth. Belize Defence Force (BDF) Volunteer Element will conduct RECRUITING DRIVE in Corozal on Saturday, October 5th at the Corozal Drill Hall on San Antonio Road (just before BWS office) from 7:00 a.m. Ms. Divali Queen Pageant "Miss Arelee Parham, Miss East Indian 2019-2020 prepares to represent Belize in the upcoming international Ms. Divali Queen Pageant in Trinidad & Tobago. Your considerate support will be appreciated". Courtesy: COEICH Ms Wendy Auxillou Called to the BAr Congratulations to Ms Wendy Auxillou as she is called to the bar. Belize's newest barrister!!!! Caye Caulker is so proud!! Annual Tourism Industry Conference 2019 Friday, October 18, 2019 at 8 AM - 4 PM, Best Western Plus Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City. You are cordially invited to the annual Tourism Industry Conference. "Destination Marketing & its Impact on Belize." RSVP Before October 11th to reserve your spot! Paradise Theater playing this weekend Stuber, Hobbs & Shaw, 101 Dalmatians, Midsommar. In honor of the new Dalmations movie currently being remade starring, Emma Stone as Cruella .. Finally October is here .. Let the horror movies begin. Indigenous Resistence Day October 12 is Indigenous Resistence Day the day when we survive one of the worst Genocides in Human history which started in 1492 with the arrival of Columbus. First they taught us to celebrate Columbus Day then they tried to beautify it calling it D�a de la Hispanidad y El Mestizaje or D�a de la Raza . Different ways of saying it but same idea of cultural Genocide . Instead of celebrating Columbus Day, many Spanish-speaking countries and communities celebrate "D�a de la Raza", or Day of the Race on October 12th. This holiday celebrates and honors the many countries and people that were conquered by Spain and other European explorers. Coral Fragment Nursery Progress Remember the coral nursery we setup earlier this year? We are happy to report that we have over 95% survival to date. The coral fragments are growing very slow but they are faced with lots of stressors. Just look at this Google Earth image and you can clearly see the amount of sediments coming from the island. They spread all over the reef even when we no longer see them from space. All of this affects the health of our reefs and the fragments at our nursery. However, our corals are surviving and will allow us to put new colonies in areas where they have been depleted. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Get checked today, early detection saves lives. Implementation of the Partial Remission of Land Tax Arrears Programme The Ministry of Natural Resources will be implementing The Partial Remission of Land Tax Arrears Programme (2019/2020), also referred to as the "Land Tax Amnesty Programme." This programme allows land owners who owe land taxes the opportunity to settle or manage their tax arrears during a six-month period commencing Monday, October 7th 2019. Benefits of the programme include a 25% discount on the outstanding tax for each financial year and the waiver of interest on discounted arrears. Aquila Development Workshop for Tour Operators Tour Guides of Orange Walk and Corozal: You are invited to the Aquila Customer Service Training and the Aquila Storytelling Training! For the Aquila Customer Service & Frontline Destination Training, register here: https://forms.gle/sGe89gPFpU4S3KMg9 For the Aquila Storytelling for Tour Guides, register here: https://forms.gle/qW6KNb5Njp2W9SYs9. Caribbean Studies Forum 2019 The 2019 Caribbean Studies Forum will be next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the University of Belize. It's been a year and half since the last one, and this year's theme is: Writing, Rite-ing, Righting, Wright-ing. Approaches uniting fields such as anthropology, the arts, economics, education, folk culture, geography, history, languages- including Creoles and Pidgins-linguistics, literature, medicine, music, politics, psychology, religion, and sociology are encouraged. My visit to the Contagious Disease Cemetery in Belize City Most people know where the Yarborough and the Lord Ridge Cemeteries are located, but how many people know where the Contagious Disease Cemetery is located in Belize City? If your answer is, you don't know, don't worry, because I am in the belief that most people have never heard about this cemetery and its location. I had heard about this cemetery and knew the vicinity of where it was located, but I had never visited it. A friend and I have been making plans to go visit this cemetery for a while. He knew a lady who knew the location. So, on October 2nd we finally decided to go visit what was remained of this forgotten cemetery. Yaoling Lee, The River of Art Flows Everywhere Mark your calendars for another exciting opening night at the Museum of Belize! Join us on Friday, October 18th, 2019 for the opening of an art exhibit by artist Yaoling Lee!! Call us at 223-4524 to let us know you are coming! Channel 7 Ousted City Admin. Vindicated In Court Tonight former City Administrator Candice Miller is vindicated. The Supreme Court found that Belize City Council wrongfully terminated her in May of 2018. For the past two days, we've been telling you about the trial where Miller sued the council for half a million dollars, and the council countersued for a million dollars - the value of a default judgment they say she failed to tell the mayor about. So, it's a case with huge financial implications, but also very high political stakes. Miller was brought in as City Administrator by the UDP, and her six-figure contract, signed months before 2018's municipal elections, became a battle cry in the PUP campaign leading into the elections. "Chicken Dread" - A Dreadful Witness And the PUP also got more bad news in the Magistrate's Court today when their objections to supposed "phantom voters" in Caribbean Shores and Belize Rural North failed. You'll remember that earlier this week, PUP operators in those two constituencies lodged a complaint in the Magistrates Court. They claimed that they could prove that voters who don't live in these constituencies were allowed to transfer to these divisions by tricking the system, allegedly with the help of the UDP standard-bearers. Broaster the Builder? And, so where is Edward Broaster in all this?Finally today, we got to speak with the man at the middle of all this political noise, the Deputy Commissioner of Police. For the past two weeks his name has been making headline news, and he's become banter for talk shows. But today we found the Deputy Compol - not hiding in an office at Belmopan headquarters, or out on some far flung operation; we found him doing construction work - building his house in the North End Estates housing area - in the Freetown division. We asked him how he feels now that the challenge is over, and, where he lives: Case Of 21 Indian Students Cause Friction At Immigration There is an intriguing story coming out of the Immigration Department tonight - and it shows major friction between the Minister of State, Beverly Williams and the Director, Diana Locke. Also, it suggest some questionable activity at one of the medical universities in Belize. 7NEWS has learned that in September, immigration charges were brought against 21 Indian students at Columbus University in Ladyville. Routine checks at the schools to make sure that the students had all their requisite permits allowing study and residence in Belize - showed that their fees had not been paid as required. It also showed that the school had possession of their passports; and that's always a red flag. Pickup Flees In Serious Hit and Run Accident There was a serious traffic accident a short while ago at the junction of Albert and King Streets. It happened around 6:10 when best information says two men traveling on one motorbike on Albert Street where locked down by a vehicle that ran the stop sign at King Street. They were flung unto the sidewalk - and the driver sped off towards Regent street. One escaped unharmed and the other was rushed to the hospital with what look to be substantial injuries. Robber Remanded After Targeting Elderly Man Alleged ruthless robber Aaron Munnings was today arraigned for the robbery of 90 year old Lewis Tillett. On Tuesday morning, the senior Citizen had just exited the Saint John's Credit Union after withdrawing two thousand dollars in cash. The robber pounced on him, threw Tillett off his bicycle, and then mercilessly beat and robbed him of two thousand dollars in forty 50 dollar notes. Shyne Sides With Saldivar He may not be an elected representative, but Shyne Barrow is a fixture at House Meetings. We met the Mesopotamia Standard Bearer at today's meeting and asked him about his recent bold deflation of support for aspiring UDP Leader John Saldivar. It's significant, because Meosoptamia was a lynchpin for Patrick Faber in the last major inter-party election when he won the Deputy Leadership. But, now Mesop has gone for Saldivar. It's additionally telling because you wouldn't expect Shyne Barrow to go against his own father, party Leader Dean Barrow's choice for leader. House Moves Urgently To Amend IBC Legislation And going now to the business of today's house meeting - as you can tell so far in the news - it wasn't very dramatic. Usually, house meetings are headline material, full of political combustion and combat, but today was housekeeping - serious housekeeping, actually. Government and to urgently amend the International Business Companies and the International Financial services Acts to meet European standard. The Prime Minister explain that Belize is trying to avoid being condemned to a blacklist - which would seriously damage the offshore services sector: GOB Backs BEL Loan For Caye Caulker Government also took to the house a motion to act as a guarantor for a 6.8 million dollar loan for BEL. The Loan is form the CDB and it seeks to electrify Caye Caulker by the use of a submarine cable. This would mean the send of greenhouse gas emitting diesel generators on the island. Contractor General Legislaiton Amended And, another important piece of legislation take to the house today was the Contractor General Amendment Bill. It's legislation to change the requirements of the contractor general's terms of service. The new law eliminates the provision that a contractor general cannot work for the government after he finishes his term of employment as contractor general. The Prime Minister explained: Shooting on Santa Barbara 31 year old Justin Richards, 24 year old Jamal Elijio, and 27 year old Marquin Dury were shot last night on Santa Barbara Street. The men were socializing on the side of the road when they became the victims of a drive by shooting by a Kia Rio taxi. When the bullets stopped raining down on them Richards had been shot to the neck, Elijio had been shot to the right shoulder, and Dury received a graze to his right foot near the knee. We visited the scene earlier today and a neighbor told us off camera what she heard in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Fishermen Shot At On Marine Parade There was another shooting in the city yesterday - this one happened in the evening. Two fishermen on the Marine Parade pier were targeted. It happened at about 4:45pm. 38 year old Micheal Hemmans and 50 year old Shelton Reyes were cleaning fish on the sea wall near Marine Parade when a man exited a dark coloured van and began to fire shots at them. Hemmans jumped into the water and Reyes ran toward Golden Bay, neither of the men were shot. Making Martime Careers Accessible Are you a high school or university student who just hasn't nailed down your future career path? Belizean maritime agencies may have some ideas for you. We headed to the Coast Guard compound today for the 1st annual Maritime Educational Expo. A showcase for the jobs the seafarer in you might love. Cherisse Halsall reports. Today, in celebration of World Maritime Day The Belize Port Authority in collaboration with its key Maritime partners hosted the first "Maritime Educational Expo." Students from across the country were invited to learn about jobs in the maritime industry and consider the possibility of a maritime career path. Men Convicted of Murder Back in 2013, 40-year-old Steven Valencia, the well-known PUP activist from Cayo, was killed in a home invasion at his residence in Santa Elena Town. Well tonight, Jarod Lamb, and Marvin Neal, the men who police accused of the gruesome crime, are serving out a life sentence after they were convicted in a Supreme Court trial. At around 9 p.m. on January 24th, 2013, Valencia was at his home with his 2 daughters, who were 4 years-old and 6-years-old at the time. Two men barged in by breaking open his backdoor, and they robbed him at gunpoint of a small amount of money in front of his children. Up in Smoke... No one was arrested this afternoon when, between 1:00 and 2:15, a joint police operation led to the discovery of 55 mature marijuana plants measuring between 5 and 6 feet in height. The plants were located on a farm located about 1 ½ mile North West of Silver Creek Village. The Magic of Intermagia Sunrise Rotary is bringing its Intermagia show to Belize one last time this weekend. It's a fundraiser for the group's charitable works at St. John's Vianney, and it's also the rare show put on in Belize that has something for the entire family. Shows are Saturday at 11:00, Sunday at 2:00, Sunday at 6:00 at the Bliss Center. Area Rep Complains About Phillip Goldson Highway And, turning back now to the house of representatives, PUP Area Rep Francis Fonseca brought up the issue of the northern highway which is sinking in his division: Kareem Calls On GOB And, Kareem Musa also spoke on the adjournment. Or at least he tried to speak about the write off of the loan for Joshua Perdomo. But, the PUP missed it opportunity for debate when that motion first came to the house. Today it came back for final approval after going to the committee, and Musa tried to slyly get a second bite at the cherry - but the PM wouldn't have it. Here's how that went:.. Another Look At Albert Street Accident And, finally tonight, we have more footage of the accident we told you about earlier on in the news. It happened shortly before news time two blocks form our studio at the corner of King and Albert Streets. Security footage form a nearby business shows a black pickup truck barreling through the intersection and hitting two men off a motorbike. The pickup is being looked for by police tonight. Channel 5 Court Rules that Former City Admin Candice Miller was Wrongfully Terminated The case brought against City Hall by the former City Administrator Candice Miller, came to end this afternoon around three-thirty after days of gruelling arguments and counter arguments from both [...] Alleged Voter Registration Fraud Goes before the Chief Magistrate Today, members from both political parties were back before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser on a series of challenges of voters registered in a division where they do not reside. In [...] Joshua Perdomo's $40K Loan Write-off Approved by House The House of Representatives met in Belmopan today. One of the significant actions involved the controversial forty- thousand dollars loan motion granted to Joshua Perdomo.�� Perdomo, the son of Cabinet [...] A US $6.8 Million Loan for Caye Caulker Electrification Project A six-point-eight U.S. million dollars loan motion was presented during the Sitting of the House of Representatives. The loan was offered by the Caribbean Development Bank and the monies have [...] Another Home Invasion in San Lazaro Village, Woman is Attacked in her Bedroom Tonight there is another home invasion to report in San Lazaro Village in the Orange Walk District. A woman was attacked while she rested in her bedroom, rendered unconscious and [...] Trio Injured in Belize City Shooting There was a shooting in the city just before eight o'clock on Thursday night which fortunately was not fatal for the victims. It happened on Santa Barbara Street where a [...] 22-Year-Old Remanded for Robbing Elderly Man A ninety-year-old man was the victim of a broad daylight robbery earlier this week. Just seconds after Llewellyn Tillett had withdrawn money from the Saint John's Credit Union on Basra [...] 2 Belize City Men Guilty of Being a Member of a Gang Tonight, two Belize City men, well-known to the courts, pleaded guilty to being a member of a gang to avoid jail time. Police say Edward Saldano and Tareek Malique Goff [...] Belize Passes Laws to Have Name Remove from E.U. Blacklist One of the string of bills passed into law by the House, is to cause the removal of Belize from the European Union's blacklist. In March of this year, Belize [...] Works on Philip Goldson Highway Not Looking Good A portion of the Philip Goldson Highway within the city’s limit is being rehabilitated. If you are entering Belize City through the north you might have some complaints about the [...] Land Tax Amnesty Programme to be Implemented Government announced today that the Ministry of Natural Resources will be implementing the Partial Remission of Land Tax Arrears Programme which is also known as the Land Tax Amnesty Programme. [...] Life Slowly Returning to Normal at La Inmaculada RC School Life at La Inmaculada R.C. Primary School in Orange Walk Town is slowly returning to normal. The school administration had to adjust its class hours as they struggled to deal [...] COTED Wraps Up; What is in it for Belize's Sugar? Five days of meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development in Belize wrapped up today. CARICOM hosted the regional meetings to discuss and plan for trade, agriculture and [...] CARICOM Countries Take Precautions for African Swine Fever Another matter that came out of today's conclusion of the COTED meeting, was the region's recommendation on how to approach African swine fever. It is a virus that spreads rapidly, [...] Deadly Banana & Plantain Fungi Threat Detected in Colombia; CARICOM Plans Another issue that was discussed and recommendations put forward for the region to monitor is a soil fungi that devastates crops like bananas, plantains and related species.� The fungi called [...] Shyne Barrow Supports John Saldivar for U.D.P. Leadership The U.D.P. Leadership convention is four months away and is to be held in February 2020 at the Civic Center. Deputy Prime Patrick Faber and Minister John Saldivar are the [...] World Maritime Expo Day with the Belize Port Authority The Belize Port Authority held its maritime educational expo today at its headquarters at mile four on the George Price Highway. The event featured speeches, an award ceremony and several [...] Amandala Cocaine landed in Belize found by Mexican army Police reported that on Monday, September, 30, an executive jet crash-landed on a stretch of road in Blue Creek, a short distance away from the Mexican border with Belize. When police arrived on the scene around 4:00 a.m., they found the wrecked plane, broken in two, its seats were intact, but no personnel or cargo were found either inside the plane, or in its immediate surroundings. According to police, an intensive search of the area was done, but nevertheless, nothing was found. Former City Administrator Candice Miller vs Belize City Council The lawsuit for wrongful termination that was filed against Mayor Bernard Wagner and the Belize City Council by the former Belize City Administrator, Candice Miller, got underway in the Supreme Court of Justice Courtenay Abel this week. Final arguments were made by the two sides today and Justice Abel has indicated that he will issue his ruling tomorrow, Friday, at 2:00 p.m. Miller is seeking damages for wrongful termination in the region of half a million dollars, while the Belize City Council has counter-sued Miller for one million dollars that it lost due to her alleged dereliction of duty. Aaron Munnings, 22, charged with attacking man, 90, after he left credit union This evening police announced that Aaron Munnings, 22, has been charged with the robbery of Lewis Tillett, 90, who was mercilessly shoved off his bicycle and robbed of $2,000 at about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon after he had exited the St. John's Credit Union on Basra Street. Tillett was riding away from the credit union when he was accosted by the thief. The entire robbery was captured on security cameras mounted in the area. New River contaminants kill fish in Libertad, Corozal The pollutants affecting the New River in the Orange Walk District are being flushed out by the moving currents that have resulted from the arrival of the rains over the last few days. One of the fears of the Department of the Environment is that when the New River begins to flow again, its pollutants will wash into Corozal Bay. This week, fish kills were recorded in the New River in Libertad, Corozal District. The Department of the Environment had minimal success last month in their fight to restore life to the New River when they placed aerators at some points in the river around the area of Orange Walk Town. Broad-day burglary on Curassow Street; police no-show for 2 hours The home of Carmita Leslie of Curassow Street was burglarized by thieves who stole all her electronic appliances and household items, after being in her house for about 2 hours. A vigilant person in the area who saw the thieves attempting to break into the house called 911, and the operator told her that police would be coming. The burglary occurred about 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, and Leslie came home from work at about 3:30 p.m., and found her house burglarized. She called police, who arrived about an hour later. Stars of the future - FFB U-15 and U-17 Inter-District Championship Finals put the spotlight on future national stars On Saturday, September 28, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan, the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) staged the championship finals in two of its youth competitions; it was the U-15 Male Inter-District Finals between Orange Walk and Belize District, followed by the U-17 Male Inter-District Finals between Toledo and Belize District. Cricket Corner - Two young cricketers are off to India After a few weeks of not informing you of cricket activities, here I go with some very interesting news. The Association is pleased to inform you all that two youths, Abigail Banner of Easy Does It Cricket Club from Lemonal, and Lebron Broaster of Excellence Cricket Club from Double Head Cabbage, have been selected and are on their way to Bengaluru, India to learn about cricket. This initiative is being sponsored by the Government of India. This event is scheduled for a month. Corozal F.A. Week 3 Opening Season report We start off by giving thanks to the Almighty Father for His continued blessing upon our tournament. This week marks Week 3. After taking a week break due to the festivities, we resumed our weekend with lots of football games. On Sunday, September 29, the Corozal Football Association (CFA) had a total of 8 games, i.e. 2 U10, 3 U13 and 3 U20. We are pleased to report that all went well; it has been three successful weeks. Luxy Sports Bar 1st ever 10-Ball Tournament - Luis Valdez top shooter!!! The Belize District Billiards Association (BDBA) organized the 1ST EVER single-player 10-ball billiards tournament which was sponsored and played at Luxy Sports Bar at Princess Hotel and Casino in Belize City on September 28 and 29, 2019. The tournament was open to players from anywhere in Belize and outside of Belize. Registration fee was $40.00 per player. It was a bang, as a total of 24 top shooters registered, with only one player being from El Salvador in this race-to-4 match, double-elimination format. Stann Creek F.A. 1st Division Cup 2019 Week 4, and Smart U-13 Mundialito Finals results The Stann Creek Football Association (SCFA) hosted Week 4 games on Friday night, September 27, in its 1st Division Cup 2019 tournament; and then on Saturday, September 28, it held third place and championship games in the SCFA Smart U-13 Mundialito 2019 tournament, which was followed by an award ceremony. All games were at the Carl Ramos Stadium. Editorial: The result of "party before country" is collapse When Hon. Dean Barrow became Prime Minister of Belize in 2008, he did not ride in on a record that showed he had capacity to create jobs and subdue crime. Indeed, the accepted opinion is that the record of the 1993-1998 United Democratic Party (UDP), in which he served as Deputy Prime Minister, was dismal in regards to crime, and it is a fact that they obliterated many jobs. PM Barrow did not ride in to power on a record of selflessness, self-sacrifice, in the service of this nation either. The fact is that the law firm which he co-owned provided services to Lord Michael Ashcroft, a gentleman who was squeezing the last drop out of Belizeans after he was allowed to gain majority control of BTL, the only telecommunications company in the country. PM Barrow might have argued that a person has a right to earn his bread in any legal endeavor, but working for one who seemed rapacious did not exhibit the kind of stuff and fiber that would make a great leader for our country. Strained relations between Western Union Belize and Western Union Mexico Dear Editor: My name is Ausencio Fermin Olivera. The attached letter is a formal complaint I wrote to the Central Bank of Belize, which did acknowledge receiving my letter. Western Union, to my mind, has completely ignored my complaint, and I wish, as indicated in the letter attached, to go public. I hope that you will consider publishing my letter in your paper in the public's interest. Elogio Itzab vs Father Scott Giuliani Dear Editor, In his recent answer to my letter, Father Scott Giuliani, SOLT, has given the impression that the Inquisition never happened, that it was just one big misunderstanding, a lie that has been said so often that people tend to believe it. I did not intend to answer him on this point, since it would just become a back-and-forth, a yes-or-no, true-or-false. But then, I decided to put forth my case. Brian Plummer on inflation Dear Editor, Inflation is the rate at which prices of goods and services rise, and therefore, the purchasing power of the currency is decreasing. I will argue that inflation has done more harm than good and is by design. People with assets like gold, property or stocks benefit from inflation because that increases the value of their assets. Those who hold cash, which is the vast majority, dislike inflation because their cost of living increases and their cash is able to purchase less. PSU: Stand up and be counted! For a union to be effective in the service of its members, it requires administrative and technical staff and space where its members can hold meetings and socialize. Recognizing the special role that unions play in the socio-economic development of a country, progressive governments in the Caribbean and elsewhere have always moved to assist unions in their development plans. Thus, unions in small countries in the Caribbean such as Dominica (66 thousand inhabitants as compared to our 375 thousand) own and are housed in multiple-storey buildings with elaborate facilities for their members. PSU Belize deserves no less, and must stand and insist on no less. Our slow and silent death� We have had so little time in Belize to collectively focus on living in a healthy environment and respecting our natural environment because we have been so busy weeping over the deaths of our brothers and sisters. This seems a more immediate threat, while Mother Nature plots against us as we have looted her to the point of her silent death. The earth is fighting back, and we do not even have time to recognize it and soberly deal with it, due to the immediacy of the killings at hand, the hardships of life and the never-ending scandals of corruption. We also have not been able to address it because for many it is a fact that we are strictly in survival mode, as the reality on the ground is that many are barely able to eat, pay the rent, school fees, utility bills and the list of basic needs. The Monrad Metzgen Story: Tribute to a Belizean Patriot Most persons within their life-span set limits as to what they can achieve. One man who lived his life without limits, and whom I refer to as a 'limitless patriot' was Monrad Sigfrid Metzgen. He did not limit himself on what he could accomplish in life, because he was always aware that all things are possible for those who believe. Belize has had its share of patriots who have really loved their country, and have exhibited it tangibly to upkeep the pride of the country. There are some patriots, however, who have not been fully recognized for their achievements, mostly because they have not been as vocal in the opinions expressed about Belize. One such person might well be Monrad Metzgen, whom I describe as a stalwart patriot who spanned both the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. He was born in Belize in 1893 and died in 1956. During his lifetime he discovered and appreciated what it meant to be a real and sincere citizen of Belize. Either a new beginning or the beginning of the end? Today the Chinese people celebrated 70 years of National Day. President Xi Jinping said, "This was the end of 100 years of humiliation. The Chinese people stood up and embarked on a grand journey of rejuvenation � The country has made unparalleled achievements, and now there is no force that can shake the foundations of this nation or prevent us from moving ahead." As I watched live from Beijing the over one million people gathered for the parades and floats, I was struck by the awesome might of the New China. House of Representatives meeting on Friday The House of Representatives will be meeting in the National Assembly chambers tomorrow, Friday. Based on the Order Paper in circulation among members, the House will introduce a new Customs Regulation Bill and another bill, the Caribbean Development Project loan, for the Belize Electricity hydroelectric plant. The House will also get a report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee. Wanted poster issued for Aaron Munnings for death of Devaun Mascal Devaun Mascal, 25, of Mile 4, Philip Goldson Highway, Belize City, and his girlfriend drove into their yard at about 12:30 Saturday morning, August 31, and he got out of his car, opened the bonnet of the vehicle and started to remove the battery cables from the battery poles of the terminals of the car's engine. Mascal's girlfriend got out of the car and went into the house, leaving him alone in the yard, taking off the battery cables. Judge upholds no-case submission in Kenyon Dominguez murder trial An accused murderer, Kenyon Dominguez, 28, who has been awaiting his day in court for the past 7 years after police charged him with the June 2012 murder of Keith Lewis, 24, walked out of the Supreme Court of Justice Colin Williams yesterday, Monday, after the judge ruled, in the trial by judge without jury, to accept a no-case-to-answer submission from Dominguez's attorney, Kareem Musa. Police brought the murder charge against Dominguez a full seven months after Lewis was gunned down in the Lake Independence area of the city. Lewis' shooting had all the hallmarks of a gang hit. Brindel Munnings dies 44 days after being shot Brindel Munnings, 44, a laborer of Police Street, was shot at about 10:00 Saturday night, August 17, while riding through an alley that runs from the Inspiration Center to Police Street in the Lake Independence area of the city. A gunman who waylaid Munnings shot him in the stomach and in the leg, and he was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a critical condition. He survived for 44 days, but died today in the living room of his house. The Reporter Candice Miller wins wrongful termination lawsuit Former Belize City Administrator, Candice Miller, today won a ruling handed down by Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel in a wrongful termination lawsuit which she brought against the Belize City Council after her employment was terminated in 2018 after the new PUP council took office. ELECTRIC CARS: PLUG IN AND SHUT UP! By: Major Lloyd Jones (Ret'd) - Over the period September 23-24, the UN held its 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York City. The summit saw leaders from around the world converging on New York to discuss the issue of climate change and to find common but differentiated solutions to urgently address it. Controversial Joshua Perdomo write-off approved At this morning's sitting of the House of Representatives, the controversial $40,000 write-off for Joshua Perdomo, son of Cabinet Secretary Carlos Perdomo was approved by a split 17-10 majority by the government. PUP Files Court Motion Challenging Voter Registrations The People's United Party (PUP), led by its Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa, filed a motion in the Court on Monday, challenging a number of voter registrations in the Belize District. House Of Rep. Meeting - Debate Many Business & Financial Services Bills A full agenda of several Amendments and Bills were on the tables at today's House Of Representative's meeting in Belmopan. As of 1 pm this afternoon (Friday, Oct. 4th.) the House Of Reps. were still in session, The items on the orders the day are several write-off motions... 3 Men Shot In Belize City Many people in Belize City were in good spirits because there were no gun violence for the past few days, but the short lived calm in Belize City was shattered last night (Thursday Oct. 3rd.) LOVE FM 17 representatives vote in favor of Joshua Perdomo write off Belize's Parliamentarians met at the National Assembly in Belmopan today. Coming back to the House were the write-offs initially presented in August 2019. During this morning's session, the Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno rose to speak on the write-off for Joshua Perdomo. Area Rep for Toledo West upset over no water in southern village Earlier this week, Love News reported on an issue that was affecting the villagers of San Antonio, Toledo District. The southern village had been without water for some days. The issue was brought to our attention by the Toledo West Area Representative, Oscar Requena. 13 Million Dollar loan to BEL discussed in the House of Representatives A motion to have the Government of Belize guarantee a thirteen-million-dollar loan was tabled this morning during the Sitting of the House of Representatives. The loan is being acquired by the Belize Electricity Limited to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and to improve on their infrastructure to provide and maintain a reliable supply Breaking Belize News Wendy Auxillou called to the Bar Wendy Auxillou was today called to the Bar by Justice Sonya Young. Auxillou completed the [�] Candice Miller wins case against Belize City Council Former City Administrator, Candice Miller today won the case in a suit she filed against [�] Ministry of Natural Resources implement Partial Remission of Land Tax Arrears Program The Ministry of Natural Resources today informed that it will be implementing The Partial Remission of [�] 2 men sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of Steven Valencia Today, Jarod Lamb and Marvin Neal were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility [�] Orange Walk-based fitness center hosting dance marathon to support cancer patient Divas Under Construction fitness center in Orange Walk is hosting a dance fitness marathon in [�] BELTRAIDE's Belize Training & Employment Centre celebrates 5th anniversary The Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC), a unit of BELTRAIDE, and leader in workforce [�] Homeless for a night: Welcome Resource Center to host 2nd Annual Sleep it Out fundraiser The Welcome Resource Center, which assists the homeless population in Belize, is raising awareness about [�] Contractor General: should he continue in Public Service? The Contractor General Act prohibits its holder at present from holding further office in the [�] Financial Secretary, IFSC Director to meet House over financial amendments Following certain concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition John Brice�o, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight [�] Belize to assume Presidency of Mesoamerican Integration & Development Project In January 2020, Belize will assume Pro Tempore Presidency of the Mesoamerican Integration and Development [�] House debates old motions and new bills, welcomes children The House of Representatives today has a packed agenda as it welcomes schoolchildren from the [�] 3 men shot last night in Belize City Authorities are investigating a shooting incident that occurred last night in Belize City. Justin Richards, [�] Belizean youths complete youth ambassador program in the US Eleven outstanding young Belizeans and 1 mentor participated in the United States Youth Ambassador Program. [�] Over $11,000 worth of household items stolen in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye Authorities have charged 3 San Pedro residents for stealing over $11,000 worth of household items. [�] Blogs Sergeant's Caye- A Rich and Epic Story Belize is blessed with a bounty of natural beauty. Among those are an impressive collection of offshore islands that have long been the star attraction for visitors. Like some of the more well-known islands, Sergeant's Caye has a rich and epic story. Once a pristine white beached island, it boasted a large clubhouse, two smaller houses, three water tanks, a pier, dozens of coconut trees and even an adjacent islet called Paunch Caye. TK-421 and the Satellite Tracker I decided to reach out to Marisa Tellez of Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) with a few questions to find out more about TK-421 croc and the satellite tracker. What are you looking to or have you already found with the satellite tracker? The satellite tracker is to help us and the Forest Department (FD) understand the dispersal movement and behavior of crocodiles over time and season to assist us in conservation efforts (what habitat do they utilize more so we can work towards its preservation) as well as minimize human-crocodile conflict. For example, if crocs like to gather in one area of a lagoon a certain part of the year, we can inform community members to be cautious when spearfishing or swimming in that area that time of the year A visit to Sarteneja Village, Corozal, Belize If you're driving or riding through the back bush of Corozal District between Corozal Town and Sarteneja, you'll wind up fording two rivers in a distinctly Belizean way - via hand-cranked ferries that run along with thick cables strung from riverbank to riverbank. This throwback to the early days of industrialization owes its existence to the low traffic density plying the roads. With too few vehicles to make building a bridge feasible, the low-tech (and low-impact) human-powered cable ferry was seen as a fine way to ensure that cars, bikes, and motorcycles could get where they needed to go (even if only two at a time). Visiting Chuy's Art Studio in Sarteneja Village, Corozal, Corozal District, Belize Looking for a Talented Art Studio Painter in Northern Corozal? This name might ring the bell for those who Know's Chuy, Or, for some people who might not know I will explain in a few. Chuy was born and raised in Sarteneja Village, and he has been painting for approximately 20 years. Chuy is a very talented person that does art painting of Sarteneja Village, or, whatever picture you may want to tell him to paint. He also does painting on sailing boats in Sarteneja Village. He also paints conch shells in his own way. Cafe's in Belize City Coffee is the first thing most people think about every morning, and if we're being honest, the one thing that gets them out from under the covers. Understandably, people make it a point to go to a caf� to get their coffee fix because they know it will be of quality and have a delightful taste. Here area few top local caf� recommendations in Belize City that you must try on your next visit! Videos FISH KILL ALONG NEW RIVER IN LIBERTAD AND ESTRELLA COMMUNITIES IN COROZAL, 4min. TRAVEL DAY TO AMBERGRIS CAYE, 4min. For my wife's birthday this year we decided to travel to Belize to do a little island hopping. Contrary to what you might read, Belize is a very safe country, especially in its beautiful Caribean islands. In this video, we travel from home (with a bit of a hiccup) to Belize City hilip S. W. Goldson International Airport, and on to Ambergris Caye and it's largest town of San Pedro. GOB Sitting Of The House Of Representatives, 60min. GOB Sitting Of The House Of Representatives, 3.5hr. MAYOR EARL TRAP - CAYO-BELIZE, 5min. Mayor Earl Trapp Jr. AND WORKERS DOING A Cleaning up at the Macal River removing the Marass from the Bottom Healthy Living: The Elderly in Belize, 5min. Recently, the more common news reports about the elderly population in Belize have been about crimes where older persons are victims. It is just one of the vulnerabilities that this population faces. After commemorating the International Day of Older Persons on Tuesday, October first, and the launch of the "Front ah the Line" campaign; we take some time to look at the other challenges faced by our golden citizens in tonight's Healthy Living. Exclusive Interview with The Belize National Team Coach "Vincenzo Alberto Annese", 40min. Belize will be playing twice this month of October against St Kitts & Nevis. Also answering questions about the Camilo Sanchez and Asrel Sutherland incident. The Ya'axch� Show: Inga Alley Cropping in the MGL, 13min. Inga alley cropping is an easy to adopt climate-smart farming technique, farmers in the Maya Golden Landscape have adopted this farming practice to support food sovereignty and protect forests! As a fast growing leguminous tree, Inga edulis, or commonly known as bri-bri, releases nitrogen into the soil and its large leaves that fall on the ground to suppress fast growing weeds and add mulch to be broken down by a fungi. Inga alley cropping is an excellent farming practice that not only improves the soil fertility, but helps farmers to generate income and protect forests.