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The San Pedro Sun
AGUSM moves to mainland; new medical university starts in San Pedro
The American Global University School of Medicine (AGSUM) is no longer on Ambergris Caye after moving to a larger facility in Ladyville Village in the Belize District. The confirmation was made by the university President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Malik Soudah. He explained that there are new and exciting plans for AGUSM and for that reason, the university needed a larger campus. Dr. Soudah also explained that with AGUSM moving to mainland Belize, a new medical university has been operating in San Pedro under the name of Washington University of Health and Science (WUHS). Both universities are operating under a consortium with two different accredited charters from the Government of Belize but under one company, namely American Academic Services. WUHS-Students-San-Pedro-2"We wanted to expand and do more things with the university. One of the things we needed was more space; space that suits a medical school," said Soudah as he explained why AGUSM was relocated to mainland Belize. One of those exciting changes explained Soudah is that AGUSM will be slowly moving to cater to the Central American and Caribbean markets. "There are some medical students who wish to study medicine in Central America or the Caribbean so we decided to move into that area and cater to that market as well," Soudah explained.
Zulema Ayala wins 13th Annual Spelling Bee Zone 5 Elimination
2013 Spelling Bee-1Students of the various schools from both San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker Village participated in the 13th Annual Coca Cola National Spelling Bee Zone 5 Elimination. The event started at 9AM on Thursday February 21st at the San Pedro Lions Den. A total of 14 students competed from 7 different schools which included Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES), Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School, Holy Cross Anglican School, Isla Bonita Elementary School, New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist School, San Pedro Roman Catholic School and The Island Academy. The winners will represent Zone 5 at the District Eliminations are scheduled to take place in Belize City on April 30th.
2013 Spelling Bee-5The competition went to five rounds, and in the end, The Island Academy's Zulema Ayala took first place, while Kaylee Kumul took second place. Shanelly Guttierez of San Pedro Roman Catholic School took third place in the sixth round of competition. In the case that the first or second place winners are unable to compete, the third place winner will act as the alternate speller in the District Elimination.
Belize Male Volleyball Team prepares for Central American Games in Costa Rica
San Pedro's own Gustavo Morataya and Orange Walk's Abimael Godoy are the two Belizeans representatives who will participate in the regional games that will run from March 2nd to the 9th. The two athletes were selected from a three-stop beach volleyball tour which concluded last week. Head coach for the Belize Team is Arvid Arnold.
The two young men will be representing Belize for the first time and according to Oscar Arnold, the Beach Volleyball Commissioner for the Belize Volleyball Association, "the team will have a huge task in front of them, as they will be going up against some very talented and experienced teams from Central America." In speaking to The San Pedro Sun, Morataya explained that he is pleased and excited to be representing the jewel. "Beach volleyball has been happening here for quite some time. The last three years, Belize hosted the Central American Games at the Marion Jones Stadium so we have been playing it for some time now in Belize. For me, it is an honor, because it is the first time I am going abroad to represent my country to compete internationally. It's a big step for me because I have always had the opportunity to play beach volleyball but never to represent my country," said Morataya. He also took the opportunity to thank Cholo's Sportsbar and Caye Caulker Water Taxi for their continued support in his endeavors.
Ambergris Today
Enhancing Belize's Resilience to Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change
The Project "Enhancing Belize's Resilience to Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change", launched in September 2012 is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Belize (GoB), and funding of the European Union Global Climate Change Alliance (EU GCCA). The project aims to enhance adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in national policies and demonstrate action in support of effective governance of climate change and climate change related impacts in the water sector in Belize.
As part of the larger project, two activities, namely the "Enhancement of National Capacities to Plan for and to Coordinate a National Response to the threats of Climate Change" and the pilot entitled "Applied Forest Management: Building Capacities for the Restoration of Watersheds Impacted by Natural Disasters" valued at over �865,000 / BZD $2.2m are being executed in partnership with the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development.
San Pedro High School Enters Recycling Project in Visionary Challenge
On Monday, February 18, 2013, the San Pedro High School contacted Ambergris Today to showcase their Paper Recycling Project. The brains of the impressive project are academic students guided by their teacher Mr. Ricardo Sedacy. Together they plan on representing San Pedro High School on the Sagicor Visionary Challenge on March 20, 2013.
The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), SAGICOR, and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) partnered to form the first Science competition known as the Sagicor Visionary Challenge. Each high school across the country of Belize was asked to carry out a survey in their community to find a problem that's affecting their community. Each high school team had to find a solution to the problem.
San Pedro AIDS Commission Carnaval Thank You Letter
Dear Editor:
The San Pedro AIDS Commission wholeheartedly thanks all those who in one way or another helped make our participation in Carnaval 2013 yet another success for this group. I applaud the members who opted to dance during the three days of Carnaval and the members who donated or worked for this event. I also salute the "friends" of the AIDS Commission who joined in the festive dancing: Sara Sanchez, Shirley Eiley, Naie Duran, Alex White, Mari Maga�a, Erin de Santiago, Brittney O'Daniel and Kristi Gonzalez. Great job guys!
Gracias to our "Friends" for their continued support. Special thanks to Mata Chica Resort, Sandbar, Findley Halliday, Mrs. Elvia Staines & Ryan Edwards, Ellos Boutique, The Liquor Box, Tropic Air, Carmen & Alex Eiley, Super Buy, Juvinie Sabido, Mrs. Shelly Huber and Betty Villelda. Thanks to Bistro Mestizo for providing the tasty food following the dances and to Martin Ancona and Mauricio Aquino for their assistance.
San Pedro Lions Club Annouces Queen Pageant 2013
The San Pedro Lions Club will be holding a beauty pageant on Saturday, March 15, 2013, at the San Pedro Lions Den in which four beautiful young ladies will be vying for the title of Lions Queen. The lovely contestants are Alexis Del Valle, Lynda Quintanilla, Cecibel Cortez, and Lina Mazeriegos.
This year promises to be a good show as the young ladies will be doing an opening dance as well be modeling in sportswear, talent competition, evening wear and the question and answer session.
There will be lots to eat and fun entertainment at the San Pedro Lions Queen Pageant Saturday, March 16, so don't miss out. Show starts at 7:00 p.m. entrance fee is $10.00. Come and support the local San Pedro Lions Club.
Misc Belizean Sources
VIDEO: Spotted Eagle Rays at Hol Chan Canyons
Spotted Eagle Rays at Hol Chan Caynons
Energizing Youth Entrepreneur Workshop Today
The Energizing Youth Entrepreneur Workshop is today in Belmopan at the University of Belize. It's only $10 per person, and that includes lunch. Speakers include Stephen Okeke, Shelly Usher, James Scott, and Kay Menzies. Sounds like it'll be highly motivational.
The Fashion at Wedding Spectacular Featuring Rebecca Stirm
Best of luck to Rebecca Stirm and Chantae Guy, who are representing Belize in Jamaica at the Wyndham Wedding Spectacular this weekend.
"So I noticed that Rebecca Stirm will be one of the designers showing at Wedding Spectacular this weekend and I remember that name causing quite a buzz from the last season of Mission Catwalk, so I decided to click on over to her facebook page to get familiar. I immediately liked what I saw! ... She seems very talented at draping, a skill that's hard to get right. I love this burgundy dress and the styling with the teal and I love the braiding on the green dress! Couldn't you see yourself in that for something formal? How about your bridesmaids?"
European Commission proposes to open plurilateral trade negotiations on services
The European Commission today asked the Council to give its green light for negotiations on a new international agreement on trade in services. To begin with, 21 WTO Members will be at the negotiating table, but the EU is keen to encourage others to join. The EU is also pushing for the agreement to dovetail with WTO rules so it can be later folded into the WTO system.
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said: "The perspective of a new broad-based trade in services agreement is excellent news - for jobs and for economic growth. I encourage all WTO members who support market opening and strong rules for trade in services to join this initiative."
The negotiations will cover all services sectors, including information and communication technology (ICT) services, logistics and transport, financial services and services for businesses. But the EU, like the other participants, is looking for the negotiations to go beyond simply further opening up markets for services. The aim is also to develop new rules on trade in services, such as those applying to government procurement of services, licensing procedures or access to communication networks.
Rebecca Stirm and Chantae Guy are representing Belize in Jamaica
"Thanks to Belize Bank, Rebecca Stirm will be heading to Kingston Jamaica, along with Belizean headline model Chantae Guy [Miss Belize World 2012], to show her "Pfuma Ye Nyika" collection on the runway this weekend at the Wyndham Wedding Spectacular!"
Channel 7
University Student And Mother Of Two Murdered in Toledo; 16 Year Old Suspect
A female university student was chopped to death in Punta Gorda yesterday afternoon and a teenaged minor I being held for the crime. At 3:30, an off duty BDF soldier saw 24 year old Corina Coh in the bushes on the outskirts of Laguna Village with multiple chop wounds. She was conscious enough to tell him her name and the identity of the person who had chopped her - she gave him the name of a 16-year-old farmer from the village. He called to the village where a car owner rushed her the 11 miles to the PG Hospital - but she succumbed to her injuries shortly after. Police have detained the 16 year old farmer - and expect to charge him for murder. The motive is not known at this time. Coh was riding a bicycle to the junction of the Southern Highway to catch a bus to go to her afternoon class at the University of Belize.
She told the persons who took her to the hospital that the young man was pursuing her and wouldn't leave her alone. She was a mother of two young children and had a common law husband.
Two Men Shot In City
Two men are in the KHMH tonight recovering after they were shot while working on a house on Jane Usher Boulevard Extension this afternoon. It happened at a few minutes to two when the three men were resting under the house. That's when an unmasked shooter rode up and walked from the street with a nine millimeter pistol. He shot 39 year old Cecil Hinds and Moses Del Cid. Del Cid got the more serious injury, he was shot in the jaw, but luckily, the bullet exited through his cheek. Hinds was shot two in the arm and once in the shoulder. The third man - who was the homeowner, fled to safety in the nearby bushes. Hinds had to presence of mind to jump into the property owner's vehicle and drive Del Cid to the hospital. The vehicle was parked in the emergency room driveway when we got there. Both men are in stable condition.
The 43 year old property owner, who asked us not to release his name, told us that he has no idea why anyone would want to target them. He says Del Cid is form the Cayo District and 39 year old Cecil is an older, working persons with no enemies. The property owner is also a working man - who was fixing up the home on his vacation.
Police do have a suspect who has been detained.
Garbage collector Run Over And Killed By Garbage Truck
A garbage collector lost his life in Belize City around 2:30 this afternoon when he was run over by his own garbage truck. It happened on Holy Emmanuel Street in the Lake Independence area. KENRICK MONEY SUTHERLAND - who is a temporary worker on his first day of work with Belize Waste Control was sitting on the edge of a small garbage truck when he fell off, right beneath the back wheels of the truck. According to eyewitnesses, he had just jumped unto the truck as it was moving off and never did stabilize himself. The driver didn't have time to react and ran over his chest without even knowing. The driver had to be alerted that he had just run over someone. He was rushed to the hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
We spoke to the George Lamb, the General Manager of Waste Control who didn't yet have much information:..
Sentenced To Five Years For Her Boyfriend's Bullets; Can Woman Get Free
One month ago we told you about 25 year-old Natalie Coleman, who was sent to prison for 5 years after she was convicted of illegally possessing four 12-gauge shotgun cartridges.
She was charged jointly with her boyfriend, 22 year-old Randy Dominguez, but Dominguez's attorney was able to get the charge withdrawn when they presented to the court that he was not present at the time of the search.
And so, Coleman stood trial alone for the ammunition discovery and in her defence, she told the court that when the police conducted the search, she was only present because she was visiting her boyfriend.
Still, she was the only one there and the Magistrate gave her 5 years in prison. IT seemed unfair to a group of citizens and now they are working to get her free. Darrell Carter told us more:..
Cattle Soon to Be Exported To Mexico (Legally)
In August of last year, we told you about the cattle sweep that was being conducted. It's a massive effort to develop what's called a biological passport each exportable head of cattle in Belize. That means they are rigorously tested, screened and documented so that they can meet the standards to be legally exported into Mexico. It's a huge undertaking - but after six months, it's almost off the ground. In fact, this morning the first batch of cattle were to be exported form Blue Creek but the truck coming from Mexico never made it. Apparently, the massive cattle truck had a registration problem and Mexican Authorities would not let it pass over. So while the cattle owners in Blue Creek are ready - and even now a little impatient, the first legal exportation of cattle from Belize has had to be re-scheduled for next week. We stress the word "legal", because illegal exportation has been happening for some time.
Guatemalans Object To Maheia's Border Clearing Effort
On February fourth, we told you about Will Maheia's dramatic drive to cut the line along entire border. Here's how he explained it then:..
Wil Maheia - PNP
"One of the things that we will be starting in 3 weeks' time - we have secured 100 machetes. We will begin to clear the border lines ourselves, just like when we started to place the flag it was one of us; two of us. Rufus when you went down there maybe it was 6-10 of us, now its bus loads. We will start to clear that borderline by had with machetes - one machete at a time and we will start from Gracias Adios, up the Sarstoon River and we will begin chopping and we will chop and chop until we get up to the Chiquibul and Caracol. I don't know how long it's going to take but in a couple of weeks we will start chopping along the borderline."
Now the date for the event has been set. It starts on Sunday March 2nd, when Maheia's group called the Belize Territorial Volunteers will begin a project called "Clearing Our Borderline."
Accused Pedophile Taylor Meeting Adjournments
On December 20, 2012, British Belizean David Taylor, the man who is accused of outrageous acts of Pornographic exploitation of 4 boys on Placencia, was arraigned on 2 charges of aggravated assault on an indecent nature, and committing an unnatural crime for having sexual relations with a 13 year-old boy.
At the end of that arraignment, he was denied bail, and so when residents of Placencia got news that he was out, they became alarmed, and all sorts of rumors started flying around.
There was one rumor that he could have possibly left the country, but tonight, we can confirm that he is in the country, and more than that, he's complying with the courts.
It all started when he applied to the Supreme Court and got bail, but Placencia police were not notified, in fact, they believed that he was still on remand because they registered their strong objections to his bail in the first instance that he is a flight risk. This evening, 7News contacted Inspector Mark Flowers, the Officer Commanding Placencia Police who told us that the police department responded to the community who were alarmed that Taylor was missing his adjournment dates in court, and so they started to search for him on Placencia.
Advocacy For The Aged
VOICE Belize City is an advocacy group for older persons and today they launched one of their latest projects. It's a preferential seating system for the elderly and disabled and Russell bus line has embraced the initiative. 7news caught up with the members of the group this morning as they were hanging up signs in the buses.
Shaz Davison, VOICE, Member
"We are an advocacy group for older persons and right now we are working on preferential seating for older persons so that when they go on board they know that they have a place to sit without having to stand up."
Monica Bodden
"How will that work?"
Shaz Davison, VOICE, Member
"Right now this is the sign here and we will do is that Mr. and Mrs. Russell will come and we are going in and start placing them up onto the bus seating in the first two rows so that people will know that these seats are for the older persons and other people of need."
Art In the Street
It's the third year for the annual Street Art Festival and according to organizers, there will be new surprises for those art lovers. On Saturday afternoon downtown Albert Street will be lined with booths showcasing live art, fashion and a wide selection of entertainment. The festival was created to build a national forum for artists and offers artists the opportunity to showcase their talent and artwork to a crowd. We caught up with the team at NICH who told us what families can expect tomorrow.
Karen Vernon
"The Street Art Festival 2013 takes places this Saturday on Albert Street as usual. It starts from 2pm to 10pm and it starts at the junction with Belize Bank and it goes all the way down Albert Street to where Doony's is. This year we will be featuring the vendor's booth as usual artist promoting our local artist. We have a food court on Treasury Lane; we have a kid's zone which will be very interesting this year with puppets. We have a fashion street which is new. We will be having different designers displaying what they do in clothing and jewelry and we will have a runway on that street featuring different fashion show throughout the day. We have a youth stage where youths will be featuring; they have competition and entertainment on that stage from 2-8pm. It's quite exciting. Also on the youth stage there will be a flash which is new and exciting for us this year."
The Dubious Border At Jalacte
As we told you earlier in the newscast, the Guatemalans have sent a diplomatic note urging the Belizean government to intervene and stop Will Maheia and his Belize Territorial Volunteers from commencing with their project called "Clearing Our Borderline". It starts in Jalacte which is an area we visited with Maheia in 2008. At the time there was a dispute about a warehouse which a Guatemalan businessman had placed in Belizean territory. It took months to get that removed - even though it was squarely in Belizean territory. The businessman was form Santa Cruz Guatemala which is the Guatemalan village adjoining Jalacte in Belize. Through commerce and daily life, they are like sister villages, and they have established a much used - though unregulated border crossing. When we went there, we found out how difficult it is to two the border line. Tonight we repeat only a small excerpt of that story that noted the contrasts and the similarities between Jalacte Belize and Santa Cruz Guatemala.
Unlike Jalacte, it has electricity and Belizean shoppers come here for Gallo beers, and cheap products. The village - or most of it - is in Guatemalan territory - the cemetery for example is believed to be inside Belizean territory. But it's a fine, widely unknown line, and the entire village exists under the eye of the BDF treetops observation post - the sole indicator of Belize's domain in the area.
Channel 5
Guatemala dismantles Comision de Belice
The Guatemalan government dropped a major bombshell late on Thursday evening following recent statements by President Otto Perez Molina in respect of the October sixth referendum. The government has moved decisively to dissolve the main agency in charge of monitoring matters relating to the unfounded claim against Belize. While the reports spread like wildfire in [...]
100 machetes to clear border line faces resistance
There is another development in respect to the territorial claim by Guatemala. For the past few years, Punta Gorda's activist Wil Maheia and a group called Belize Territorial Volunteers have raised the flag along the border with Guatemala. The celebratory and symbolic gesture has taken them as far as Gracias de Dios. The group feels [...]
Youth allegedly kills woman for insulting him
Punta Gorda police have recorded the first murder for this year in that municipality.� A UB student, Corina Coh, was murdered on Thursday evening about a mile from her house in the village of Laguna and a minor has been charged for her murder. Coh was found bleeding by a B.D.F. soldier who was travelling [...]
2 shot on Levy Slusher Street
After a few days of relative peace on the streets, there was a mid afternoon shooting in the city which landed two men to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Cecil Hinds, Moises Delfin and a third person were at a wooden house on Levy Slusher Street in the Jane Usher Boulevard area when a lone [...]
Land grab on Placencia Peninsula
The Placencia Lagoon, a fifteen mile body of water west of the Caribbean Sea just behind the peninsula, has, for the past fifteen years, been the subject of protection by environmentalists lobbying for government to declare it as a reserve.� The lagoon, which is connected to three important rivers in South Stann Creek, is renowned [...]
Belizean woman dies following domestic dispute in U.S.A.
Police in North Las Vegas, Nevada are on the hunt for the husband of a Belizean woman who died following a domestic dispute. The woman is forty-year old Beverly McFarlane. Police found her at her home last August and took her to the University Medical Center where her brain injuries were so severe she could [...]
Bullets found in his home, but pregnant visitor convicted
It's not fiction but you can actual show up at a friend's house during a police search and wind up in prison. That's what happened to twenty five year old Natalie Coleman. The pregnant woman visited the home of her boyfriend, Randy Dominguez and police found four sixteen-gauge cartridges in the building. Both of them [...]
Several injured in accident on Stann Creek Valley Road
Sometime around four-thirty this morning, thirty-two year old Felipe Williams, a Belizean driver of Corozal Town was transporting cement on a truck with a trailer from Dangriga to Corozal. Upon reaching Mile ten on the Stann Creek Valley Road, the truck experienced transmission problems and Williams reversed from off the highway into a feeder road [...]
Cane field fire and smoke causes 3 car pile up
An accident occurred on the Philip Goldson Highway on Thursday evening at approximately six p.m. It was caused by a fire from a cane field which spread to the overgrown shrubbery on the side of the highway. The smoke became so thick that our news team in the area had to slow down. That's when [...]
Cop and accused both claim to be the victim
Twenty-eight year old, Mickalee Williams, a car washer of Belize City, appeared in Court before Magistrate Hettie-Mae Stewart where he was charged with one count of aggravated assault and harm upon a police officer. But Willaims told the court that he was in fact the victim of police brutality. The alleged incident occurred on [...]
A.P.S.S.M. meeting, president Castellanos absent again
Executives from the Association of Public Service Senior Managers were scheduled to meet this morning with president Jose Castellanos in Belize City to discuss a way forward following recent consultations on the proposed salary adjustment.� Castellanos did not attend the scheduled meeting which proceeded in his absence without any decision. Castellanos had also backed out [...]
P.U.P. against Castro's alleged fiefdom over Port Authority
The Ports Commissioner Major John Flowers called it quits at the Port Authority on Tuesday. Flowers told News Five that Minister of State Edmund Castro had him hire his daughter and then insisted that Flowers hire his son. When Flowers resisted, Castro said he would take it to cabinet to have Flowers removed. With all [...]
NICH's third annual Street Art Festival
NICH is staging its third annual Street Art Festival.� It takes place this Saturday in the downtown area of Belize City where whatever genre of art you prefer; there is likely to be something for you. Artists from around the country will be joined by clothes and jewelry designers and others who will be showing [...]
LOVE FM
European Union Funds Comprehensive Scholarship Scheme
There are scholarship opportunities for Belizeans who wish to read for a Masters degree or a Doctorate. The scholarships are being offered under the Caribbean, Pacific Island Mobility scheme. Lloyd Enriquez is the Development Officer at the University of Belize. LLOYD ENRIQUE...
Street Art Festival Scheduled For The Weekend
Promoting Belizean Artists and Activities at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts is what gave birth to the Street Art Festival in Belize City. The third year of the Festival will be marked this weekend as Albert Street will come alive featuring all genres of art as explained...
Interact Club From Canada Gives Santa Rita Villagers A Refurbished Park
The park in Santa Rita Village, Corozal is receiving a face lift. The project is being carried out by seventeen members of a Canadian Interact Club, a service club for youth which is an arm of Rotary International. Interact clubs receive sponsorship, support and guidance by individual ...
Police Questions Teenager For Woman's Death
A woman from the Toledo District is dead and authorities have detained a teenager for questioning. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the details. PAUL MAHUNG "From what police report confirmed, 24 year old Corina Co did not make it to her Thursday evening clas...