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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: April 23, 2014 - 04/23/14 11:55 AM


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The San Pedro Sun

Island Invasion Easter Bash rocks Fido's Courtyard
King of the Island Promotions' Island Invasion did it again, bringing the party atmosphere to Fido's Courtyard for the 3rd installment of their Easter Bash. With a crowd of close to 300, Island Invasion kicked off the party on Friday, April 18th. But the party really "tun ove" on Saturday, April 19th, with over 800 patrons enjoying the rhythms and tunes of some of Belize's premier DJs. Spinning the best of club, house, dancehall, reggae and pop music was Fyah Statah Sounds (Selecta Ras and DJ Jaro), Tagg International Sounds (DJ Kris and DJ Jago), Air Invasion Sounds (DJ Trilla Man and DJ Biggz), Blue Wave Sounds (DJ Julian), and Evolution Sounds (DJ K-Mix and DJ Pinky). With a general admission of $10 before midnight and $15 after, the crowd flooded the gates from early; of course many opted for the exclusive VIP admission on the second flood for $30. Fido's transformed into a club for the event, as party goers reveled until the wee hours of the next morning. It wouldn't be an Easter Bash without a few cocktail and beers. Thankfully the bartenders at Fido's were well stocked and prepared to satisfy the crowd. It was definitely the place to be for the weekend.

Letter to the Editor: Norwegian Cruise Line
I viewed with interest the hosting of a press tour by Norwegian Cruise Line and the explanation by NCL executive Colin Murphy of why the establishment of a cruise port at Harvest Caye would be such a wonderful blessing for Belize. What particularly prompts me to write is his astonishingly candid - and frightening - statement that "Really, what we are doing is locking ourselves into Belize". Remember that word, "locked". Although no longer a member of the Belizean media I could not help but think of a few questions for Mr. Murphy had I been present. Specifically could he explain: -why Belizean taxpayers should pay NCL over a hundred million Belize dollars in direct cash subsidy over the course of its exclusive concession, thus allowing NCL to recoup its entire capital investment at Harvest Caye?

The Party Doesn't Stop with Tackle Box and Tuff E Nuff
The island certainly lived up to its name as being one the country's most sought after destinations for Easter in Belize, as revelers flocked ashore this past weekend. Whether you decided to party on the beach, on a boat or under a palapa, there was one thing certain of this Easter weekend in San Pedro-there was absolutely no shortage to the party supply! Tackle Box hosted a weekend of fun under the theme: We Gwein da Blue Baby! Party goers danced the weekend away to the finest tunes being juggled by Dj Debbie, DJ Smallz, Federation 501, DJ Karizma , Tuff E Nuff Sounds, and Sweet Pain Band. Bartenders kept the Heineken coming and for those that wanted to take the party on the blue- Tuff E Nuff Tours took the party to the sea with their first ever Easter Booze Cruise. All who attended the were sure to have a memorable Easter 2014!

2014's San Pedro Sun Easter Egg
We have a winner!! 2014's San Pedro Sun Easter Egg hunt winner is Arlene Torres!! Congratulations!!!

Ambergris Today

Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner on Easter Break in San Pedro
Not a stranger to Belize, this time Malcom-Jamal was in Ambergris Caye enjoying the sun, sand and sea and accommodations of Portofino Resort and X'tan Ha north of town, our sources tell us. He was reportedly on a tour of the country and visiting various locations. Malcolm had visited the country for the first time back in 2007 with his friend Daryl (Chill) Mitchell. Warner is best known for his role as Bill Cosby's only son, "Theo Huxtable," on the NBC sitcom, The Cosby Show, but he also starred in "Jeremiah", was the voice of the producer character on "The Magic School Bus" and co-starred for four years on the UPN sitcom "Malcolm & Eddie."

Belizean US Army Sergeant Returns Home
While Army Sgt. Karen Burbank was growing up in Belize City, Belize, her mother always emphasized that if she stuck with her education, she would succeed. She heeded that advice, and with five years of training and experience as a medic, Burbank recently deployed to Belize from the 349th Combat Support Hospital in Los Angeles. From April 7-17, Burbank helped people from her home nation receive proper medical care while working in the triage section of the New Horizons Belize 2014 medical readiness training exercise. Burbank was responsible for obtaining blood pressure and pulse readings and for determining patients' main reasons for visiting the temporary clinic.

Letters To The Editor: United Christian Women's Alliance Belize (WALLBelize)
We are a Belizean organization of Christian women and girls desiring to nurture, promote and defend our faith, families and the welfare of each person. We are called to defend the life of the unborn, the rightful position of females within society, and to confront systems of oppression, injustice and exploitation through our message, service and by our influence on legislation. WALLBelize also joins the Roman Catholic Church in celebrating the dignity of all women and in condemning all forms of violence, aggression and disrespect of women. We also support their stand for the families and children of Belize. We are aware that our government is determined to implement the Revised Gender Policy 2013, including the sections that encourage violence and disrespect against both males and females in promoting abortion and same sex relationships, and in its earliest revision, also promoting prostitution. These concepts violate God's plan for a male and female to unite in marriage and to produce offspring of both sexes and deny the rights of the female to develop in her role as a nurturing mother, sister, daughter and helpmate to her male husband.

Pic of the Week: Recovering from Easter Break in San Pedro, Belize
At first glance we thought it was a giant starfish at the edge of the shoreline, then we thought it was a drowning victim; but after a closer look we realized that this man was just one of the many who were recuperating from a long (but amazing) Easter holiday weekend break in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. He is one of the few who still stayed on the island and surely found a great way to just relax and get his energies back. Sadly for many, they had to go back to work with tired bodies and all hung over. But there is nothing to complain about once you had an amazing time in PARADISE!!! Hoping everybody had an amazing Easter holiday weekend. See you all back next year. - photo coutesy of Desi Rosado

Misc Belizean Sources

Army veterinarian serves animals, country
For someone to go through basic officer training at 57 years old, he must have a fairly compelling reason to join the U.S. armed forces. That reason for U.S. Army Capt. Brian Joseph, now a veterinarian in uniform, was one former military work dog named Ringo. From meeting Ringo to wearing a uniform Seven years ago, Joseph attended a Continuing Education Veterinary meeting in San Diego, Calif. While perusing the exhibitors' hall on break during the meeting, he came across a U.S. Army Veterinary Corps booth. There, he met Ringo, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Belgian Malinois. "If Ringo wasn't there, I might not have stopped; but I stopped to talk to Ringo, and I heard about his experiences," Joseph recalled. "Ringo had done four tours in Iraq with the Marines, and he had retired and lived with an Army veterinarian."

BDF private stands guard during New Horizons exercise
Sitting quietly, acutely aware of his surroundings, a young Belize Defence Force guard stands watch over a construction site and the partially built walls of a new preschool. Having joined the volunteer BDF three years earlier at 16-years-old, Pvt. Guzman considers himself to be a seasoned guard. "It's pretty quiet during the day, I get to enjoy the friendly environment," he says about the worksite, "I enjoy coming to work." Looking out through the opening of his tent, he points at the preschool in progress and says, "� this will help a lot of children, it will let them be at school and learn a trade doing something good for their life," he smiles and says "I'm happy to be a part of it." Pvt. Guzman, who volunteered to work security during the New Horizons exercise, says that he wanted "to observe how the U.S. military operates," and he hopes that this joint exercise will integrate him more into the Regular BDF (which he someday hopes to possibly join in a few years) as they demonstrate the capabilities of the BDF in a joint environment.

CTGA Tourism Eco Conservation Camp Raffle
The Cayo Tour Guide Association is having their first Tourism Eco Conservation Camp this July, and they are having a raffle to raise funds for the event. Get your raffle tickets, and you could win 2 nights at both Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn for 4 people. Transportation to Mountain Pine Ridge and Placencia is included. Tickets are only $10, and you can get them from any CTGA member.

Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies" - an on-line opportunity !
The U.S. Embassy is partnering with the University of Belize to facilitate a 6 week FREE online course offered through Case Western University titled, "Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies." The course starts on April Th so sign up today! While the course work will be offered online and completed at your convenience, we will host scheduled review meetings with an Embassy facilitator to help participants better understand and discuss course materials. At the end of the course, the participants who successfully complete the course materials, and attend the review meetings will be given a certificate of completion to add to their professional resumes. If you decide to sign up for the course and want to attend the review sessions. Please email us at [email protected] so that we can send you the meeting schedule and location in Belmopan.

Job Vacancy: Chief Executive Officer for the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality, Barbados
Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons to fill the following position: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) Assigned duty station will be Barbados Reporting to the CROSQ Council, the Chief Executive Officer shall have responsibility for: spearheading the development and implementation of the CARICOM Regional Quality Infrastructure (standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment), including securing the support of donor agencies and key stakeholders; providing advice on the formulation of policies of CROSQ and the effective management and leadership of the CROSQ Secretariat

Water Taxi company issues statement on dock collapse
The San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi today issued a statement regarding the partial collapse of its dock in Caye Caulker village over the Easter holiday weekend. The company, in its statement, apologizes to its customers who were thrown into the Caribbean Sea when a portion of the dock collapsed and that it "is making every effort to fortify its ports and implement additional safety features to ensure this incident is not repeated." According to the official statement, officials of the Water Taxi and "relevant authorities" who included the police, Belize National Coast Guard and Belize Port Authorities personnel, "requested that passengers wait on the beach to improve accessibility and ease the stress on the bridge."

Teen driver knocks down 2 year old girl in Orange Walk
A two year old girl had to get 25 stitches and suffered three broken ribs after she was knocked down on Holy Thursday in Orange Walk. The child, identified as 2 year old Rachel Chan was knocked down by a pickup truck around midday on Thursday in Trial Farm village. Chan sustained a large cut wound to the forehead which required a lot of stitches. She was rushed by neighbors to the Northern Regional Hospital. The little girl was later transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial in Belize City for further treatment. The police department has not released any information on the incident so far, but sources say that the driver of the Ford pickup truck that knocked down the little girl, was a 14 year old boy.

Decomposed body found in a lagoon in Corozal
The decomposed body of a woman was recovered from the Quintal Lagoon in the Corozal district this afternoon. The name of the woman has not yet been determined. Reports say that a motorist who was on his way to Patchakan village detected a foul odor and when he looked out of the window of his vehicle, saw the body in the lagoon which is about a mile from the village of Chan Chen. Preliminary reports are that the body was nude when it was discovered and the right hand was missing. A large abrasion was also visible on the back of the head. There are no reports of any missing person in the Corozal area where the body was found.

JASMINE ALERT - BEVERLY MARTINEZ
This notice is in regards to an urgent activation of a Jasmine Alert. Twelve Year Old Beverly Martinez went missing yesterday and was last seen at 5pm in the evening. Please air this Alert AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and as many times for the following days. May we bring this child back home safely. Please find more details attached.

Un Viaje de Ida y Vuelta Concert
The Embassy of Mexico is having a free concert at the Cayo Welcome Center on Friday, April 25th, at 7:00pm. It's entitled 'Un Viaje de Ida y Vuelta' and will have 3 musicians from Mexico performing. "During this concert,the pianist Melanie Lopez, the guitarist and composer Victor Celis and the soprano Cristina Woodward will take the listeners to a musical journey through Europe, to countries such as France, Spain and Germany, ending the trip in Mexico, particularly in Yucatan. The concert will include sound combinations of piano-soprano, guitar-soprano, piano-guitar andending with the combination of the three instruments."

Zoo Pathway Pounces Forward
The Belize Zoo, which was just written up in the Detroit News(The Belize Zoo is a Hoot at Night), has gotten a lot of help with building the pathways which will make it fully accessible, and while the pathway isn't 100% completed, it is ready for the last phase. Thanks to everyone that's helped on its journey. "In its second year of development, the beautiful accessible pathway which winds its way throughout The Best Little Zoo in the world, STILL is not fully complete... The month of March has proven to be a magical month for Belize Zoo pathway progress. First off, a request for funding help which was submitted to the British High Commission, received a thumbs up! These good folks see the imperative need to have the zoo be accessible for all. They share our vision that the beauty of the zoo and its great character will have an everlasting place in Belizean society as a caring and forward-thinking institution. Wheelchairs, walkers, canes and strollers can easily travel the rose-coloured zoo pathway. Presently, the zoo is the only nature destination in Belize which is accessible, and we hope that this is a trend which will grow to other destinations in our country."

Rotaract Easter Fair Fundraiser
The Rotaract Club of San Ignacio had a booth at the Easter Fair, and they had a fun time raising funds for their community service projects, including the Disease Prevention Project. If you bought a raffle ticket, the winners have been posted. Thanks, Rotaractors, for all you do! "We want to give a huge thank you to Scotiabank Belize, JDB Pharmaceuticals, and Cash Genie Pawn Shop for donating towards making this fundraiser a success. Thank you for all the monetary, gas, and support given throughout the 2 days. The Rotaract Club San Ignacio is very grateful for your contributions to make the upcoming community services a reachable goal. Total funds collected excluding expenses was a little over $1000.00. These funds will go towards the Constitution Talk for the community and the Disease Prevention Project. Thank you all who came by to support the Lollipop and Tombola games; and thank you to all of those who bought our delicious bbq :) "

Holy Week in Benque Viejo
The Institute for Social and Cultural Research got 100's of great pictures of Holy Week in Benque. Another amazing week of culture in Benque. "As part of our pilot project to document Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), our team was present in Benque for the various activities of Holy Week. A very special thank you to the Mr. David Ruiz, the organizing committee and the community for allowing us this privilege."

Channel 7

Eight Year Old Girl Crushed in Holy Saturday Accident
The Easter Weekend was relatively peaceful, especially in Belize City, but 3 persons did lose their lives due to accidents, there are two possible homicides, and 1 Belizean was killed in Melchor. We start tonight's newscast with the death of 5 year-old Akeelah Wade, which happened on Holy Saturday at around 4:00 pm. She was on the front of a scooter which slammed into a Belize City Shuttle Bus at the intersection of Douglas Jones and North Front Streets. Little Akeelah was one of the 3 persons who were on the scooter, and they were all rushed to the KHMH after the accident. She died 2 hours later while undergoing treatment, turning the holiday into a time of mourning for her family. Today, 7News spoke with her parents, and they told us what they know of the accident which killed her: Cynthia Morgan - Meighan - Adapted Mother of Deceased "They were coming from Princess pool on their way home and my daughter Vishana Carcamo with Akeelah in front of her and my other daughter Kelsey Peyrefitte was at the back and on their way approaching corner Douglas Jones and North Front Streets that was where the accident happened. A brown metro was coming from North Front Street straight across and my daughter-in-law was coming from Douglas Jones Street heading to BelChina. More or less you can put together what happen from there."

Two-Year-Old OW Child Knocked Down, Truck Owned By DPM Driver
Much the same fate could have faced a two-year-old girl who was knocked down in Orange Walk on Thursday. She got hit by a pickup owned by Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega's driver. Rachel Chan was walking across a street in Trial Farm village to meet her father when a Ford F-150 pickup truck being driven by a 14 year old knocked her down. The toddler received serious injuries and had to be rushed first to the Northern Regional Hospital, and then to the KHMH for emergency surgery. She had injuries to her spleen, intestine and head and was listed in a critical condition. But, after surgery, she has shown steady progress and is now in a stable condition and walking.

Boston Villager Found Dead, But Was It Murder?
When residents of Boston Village found 68 year-old Myra Miller inside her house on Friday evening, she was clinging to life. Her house showed signs of being searched, and based on what they found, the villagers believe that she was attacked while inside her home by an intruder who was trying to steal from her. She died on Sunday while at the KHMH, and though police continue to investigate the burglary angle, those who found her are convinced that the case needs to be treated as a murder. Yesterday, Daniel Ortiz went to the village, and spoke with residents: Inside the house of 68 year-old Myra Miller looked like someone had been looking for something - what is still unknown, but her personal belongings and clothes had been strewn everywhere. Daniel Ortiz reporting Investigators will have to determine whether or not the condition of her home is somehow connected to her death, but the villagers who found her believe that it was either ransacked or caused by a struggle.

Nude, Maimed Female Body Found In Chan Chen
And, so, while Belize Rural police cannot say definitively if foul play is involved in that death - Corozal police are leaning clearly to homicide after the grisly discovery of a nude female body in a pond near Chan Chen village. The body appears to have a large chop wound to the back of the head and her right hand seems as if it was severed. But her identity is a mystery since no one has been reported missing in either Chan Chen or Pachakan which are the two nearest villages. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, a post mortem will have to be done on-site tomorrow. Chan Chen is the northern most village in Belize and the body was found about a mile from there.

McKenzie Free of Murder After Surveillance Camera Shows Him At Restaurant
Last week, we told you about 19 year-old George McKenzie Jr., the son of slain street figure, George "Junie Balls", who was suddenly charged and then not charged for murder. As we reported, investigators took him to the Magistrate's Court to be arraigned for the murder of 57 year-old Alfonso Cruz, who was killed on April 12 in Rhaburn's Alley. They had a signed witness statement and a positive identification from a man who reportedly had the gun pointed at him moments before Cruz was murdered. Now, murder is a capital offense for which there is no bail, and so when his mother realized what was about to happen, she sought the intercession of senior police officers. Those officers were eventually able to get their hands on a copy of surveillance camera footage which showed that McKenzie was in a Chinese restaurant at the time of the murder.

Cross Country Hopes Dashed, Sober Lessons For Local Cyclists
The 86th. Cross Country, would a Belizean win it? Would the cycling gods be so kind? Well, looking at it statistically, probably not, considering that Belizean riders won in 2012 and 2013. But, in the heart and mind of even the casual cycling fan - if he or she is a patriot - a Belizean just had to win it! Except this year they didn't. Defending Champion Darnell Barrow had high hopes on his shoulders, as did National Road Champion Byron Pope. But hope can only go so far on the highway when 22 top foreign cyclists are trying to snipe at the crown jewel of Belizean sport. Here's how it played out on the road:.. Jules Vasquez reporting This year sign-in and bike check for the 109 riders in the 86TH Holy Saturday Cycling Classic started from 4:00 am, in front of the BTL Park. his year, the cyclists wore a black bow in memory of Ernest Dangalang Thurton and by extension all fallen members of the cycling family. Defending champion Darnell Barrow and National Road Champion of Belize Byron Pope took their positions at the front of the lineup.

Belizean's Mysterious Death In Melchor
A Belizean was killed in Melchor over the Easter. 22 year old Benque Viejo Resident, Edwin Javier Chan was fatally shot either late on Friday night or early Saturday morning, reportedly at Auto Hotel in the Barrio Campito area of Melchor. 7News has confirmed that Chan had a gunshot wound to the left side of his head, most likely from a handgun. Interestingly, he had not been robbed of his jewelry or passport, only his phone was missing. Police confirm that he seemed to have been beaten up before he was killed. His body was returned to Belize on Saturday night and he was buried yesterday. So, what led to his death? We do know that he left for Melchor at 4:30 pm on Friday night and was reportedly with friends. They say they left him there and returned to Benque Viejo. Interestingly, his passport has an exit stamp from Melchor dated Friday April 18th - the same day he entered at 4:30 pm. That suggests that on Friday night, he reached the Guatemalan side of the border - but did not make it to Belize. We know that because his passport had no re-entry stamp to Belize -suggesting that he was likely called back over to that side before he crossed back into Belize.

Budna On The Run!!
In other news out of Guatemala, the notorious Joseph Budna is a fugitive after he escaped from this hospital in Zacapa, Guatemala. Budna had been serving a 25 year sentence for kidnapping but was admitted to the hospital on April 11th . According to the Prensa Libre, Budna had an illness that causes bleeding all over the body. But, it seems Budna, who likes to pose as a healer, got well enough to escape the three prison guards who were put there to keep an eye on him. Budna had been serving time at the Los Jocotes prison in Zacapa until he was taken to the hospital in the same area. He is still at large, but police in Peten have put out an all points bulletin for him. Budna - who is a colourful character if ever there was one - also served time in Belize. After his release he was involved in many odd occurrences and then fashioned himself as a cross border fixer in Melchor. That led him to a kidnapping ring, where, it is alleged, he would mastermind the kidnapping of the children of wealthy persons.

Compol Vs. Constable?
Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie was involved in an ugly exchange with a drunken police officer in Crooked Tree on Saturday. It happened at the end of a day of horse racing, and the full details are tough to come by because there are so many different reports, many of them from persons who had been drinking. But best information suggests that Whylie publicly lectured a police constable who was drunk and disorderly, so much so that the constable fired his weapon while another policeman was trying to part a fight. Whylie reportedly lectured the constable - who then, reportedly, also disrespected the Compol. We tried to reach both the constable and the commissioner by cell phone for comment but none of them responded to our requests. We know also that the Commissioner's brother in law was involved in the confrontation, but, again, there are widely varying reports.

Special Constable Behaved Especially Badly
A police special constable is facing criminal charges after he allegedly beat up two Chinese men in San Jose Village in the Orange Walk District on Thursday night. The men, an uncle and a nephew operate a grocery store and it seems the special constable, Eldo Itza wanted to buy beer - but the store was closed. But he saw them cleaning up at the back door, and so he jumped the fence and started to beat owner's uncle. The owner, Ben Wong rushed to the store, and says that Itza hit him in the head with a beer pint. Wong had to get over 10 stitches for the massive wound on his head. He made a report against Itza, but it seems the fraternal order of police are taking their own sweet time about charging him. Any regular civilian would have spent the weekend in lockdown, but today, Orange Walk police told us they were waiting for Itza to come and get his charges. We were told that they don't want to embarrass him by going to pick him up - and will only do so if they have to. He will be charged with aggravated assault and harm.

A Pair of Weekend Drowning
2 persons drowned over the Easter Weekend, one in Cayo, and one Stann Creek. The first one happened on Friday at around midday where 37 year-old Arsenio Landero and his wife were traveling by canoe from Esperanza Village to Santa Familia. The canoe was unstable, and it overturned, dumping them both into the river. Landero didn't resurface, and an hour later, his body was retrieved by police. The other one happened at around 2 p.m. on Saturday. 34 year-old Santos Del Cid Amaya, a resident of Bella Vista Village, was swimming in the Swasey River. He went under and didn't resurface. 2 hours later, police officers found his body in a section of the river, about 1 and a half miles behind Red Bank Village. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police Bust Gun, Charge Men
This morning, Police busted 4 men with a gun believed to be stolen, and tonight, they are all on remand after being taken to court for it today. According to Police they were mobile patrol at around 1:45 a.m., when they saw a grey SUV travelling on Caesar Ridge Road at high speed. They pursued the vehicle and caught it on Prince Street. Inside at the time were 21 year-old Kashief Gallego, 20 year-old Akeem Garcia, 18 year-old Ijaman Young, and 22 year-old Paris Williams. On the backseat of the vehicle, the officers found a black 9 millimeter pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition in the magazine.

Man Jumped In Canal to Escape Gunshots
21 year-old Lincoln Robinson Jr., a resident of Tigris Street, is at prison tonight because he allegedly tried to kill 21 year-old Anthony Young. The incident happened on March 23; Young told police that he was socializing with some friends in a yard at #44 Dolphin Street when his assailant ambushed them from behind. According to Young, the man, who was wearing a red cap, looked at him for about 15 seconds, pulled out a firearm, and pointed it at him. He heard the gun go off, and that's when he tried to jump over the canal but fell into it. When he was climbing out, he heard 4 more shots, and felt his right ankle and left wrist burning, where he had been shot.

San Pedro Belize Express Pier Collapses
Thousands of Belizeans rushed to the cayes over the Easter weekend and most of them went on water taxi's. But, coming back nearly proved disastrous in Caye Caulker on Sunday evening at around 5:00, when hundreds of passengers queued up on the San Pedro Belize Express Pier to get on the boat back to the city. But the rickety wooden pier couldn't take the load and at about the half-way point, an entire of it collapsed - causing the waiting passengers to fall into the sea. Fortunately it was only a short distance down, and the water was shallow. No one was seriously hurt, passenger report receiving a few scratches and losing cellular phones. San Pedro Belize express sent out a release today saying that their staffers, Port Authority and Coast Guard were present and asked passengers wait on the beach to ease the stress on the bridge. But the release says, quote, "this request was met with rebuttals as the crowds continued to move onto the bridge against the directives of the authorities resulting in a portion of the bridge buckling under the pressure." The release adds that the company is quote, "making every effort to fortify its ports and implement additional safety features to ensure this incident is not repeated."

No Arrest In Case Of Man Stabbed Three Times In Throat
A young man from Camalote named Shane Parham almost died after he was stabbed three times in the neck this weekend. His family's concern tonight is for his health, but also because police appear to be in no rush to pick up the man who did it. It happened on Friday night and Parham was rushed to the hospital in time to save his life from a near fatal injury. His family reports that he is recovering and is in stable condition at the western Regional Hospital. Police told us tonight that they have been unable to track down the accused, but did detain his younger brother today. Parham's family and friends however say that the perpetrator is walking around freely - and they claim he's doing that because of political connections. Police deny that account and say they have gone to his home several times to pick him up. They are confident that he will be arrested.

Police Say Transgender Vanessa Champagne Was Not Assaulted
Over the Easter Holiday, rumours were raging on the social media that Transgender Vanessa Champagne Paris was assaulted, some even said killed, in Placencia. But police say they have nothing on record to reflect that alleged assault or any violent event involving her. We spoke with Inspector Mark Flowers, the Officer Commanding of Placencia Police, who said that he received multiple phone calls that Paris had been stabbed and killed, and so he and his officers made exhaustive efforts to look into those reports. But, it turns out that they were was only just rumours. So, we spoke to the Executive Director of UNIBAM, Caleb Orozco to find out if this incident did indeed occur. Orozco told us that he will have to go down to Placencia tomorrow to find eyewitnesses to present to police to prove that Paris was indeed assaulted. He said that Paris reported to them that 3 of the same men who assaulted the her on Vernon Street 2 weeks ago, were in Placencia and they attacked Paris once again.

Queen's Baton In Belize
The Queen's Baton is in Belize tonight for the 3rd time in its history of use as official symbol for the Commonwealth Games. It arrived at the Phillip Goldson International Airport at around 1:10 p.m. yesterday, and 7News was there. Daniel Ortiz has that story: Daniel Ortiz reporting The Queen's Baton...it's on its 3rd trip, which will last for 288 days, where it will visit 70 Commonwealth nations, spanning over some 190,000 KM - or 118,000 miles. Alistair Camron - Travel Manager, Queen's Baton "The handle: elm wood from a tree that fell in the gardens of a place that's called Garrison House in old fortress on the isle of Cumbrae and the top is made out of titanium, it's all one piece, and it's made through a methodology called a laser sintering which is effectively 3D printing. In the top is a little piece of granite from Ailsa Craig just off the Scottish coast and we will gift that to the country when we leave. It's a little of Scotland that remains behind and it's the first time it's ever been done."

How The Race Was Won (And Lost)
In our last segment we showed you how it all went down in the 86th. Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic. But, as we close tonight, we'll have a little more for all you race junkies. The well-spoken second place finisher explained how he saw the race and the sprint shaping up between the dominant Mexican cyclists Magallanes and Rangel:.. Perry Gibson, Manager - Team Megabytes "In the end the foreigners really rode tactically; one attacking, one waiting and it were good that we had two where we were able to play our cards better." Alejandro Padilla (Miranda), 2nd Place - Team SMART (Guat) "These guys Florencio and Magallanes on the front earlier on - the thing is with them - I know them, I race with them quite a bit and they are really strong riders. They have a lot of experience in the races around the world and I know they have the legs to go the whole way. I knew Mexicans work together, even if they are riding for different teams and them racing different teams back home as well. But it's the same, imagine you as Belizeans, you go to another country and everyone else is a stranger, but between you guys, you race together, you'll help each other and that's what they did. At the end the problem we had was 3 Mexicans an American and myself and one time I got on Magallanes' wheel, when he saw the American wanting to work with the others and they didn't want to go, Magallanes saw that and he just went real hard. I thought for a while I could actually take it but coming into the end with all those guys (Mexicans) here, he jump from behind, I didn't have the legs to respond. I just waited as close as possible to finish second."

Posted By: Marty Re: Today's Belize News: April 23, 2014 - 04/23/14 11:55 AM

More News: Scroll up from here

Channel 5

Nude body of a female found in lagoon near Chan Chen, Corozal
There is breaking news. At around two pm this afternoon the body of a woman was found in a lagoon on the Chan Chen Road in the Corozal district. She [...]

An elderly woman dies following what appears to be a home invasion
The past Easter weekend had its share of traffic mishaps, robberies and murders. We start our newscast with a report on a sixty-eight year old Jamaican woman who died on [...]

Belizean is murdered in Melchor de Mencos
The second murder of the weekend happened in Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala. The body of young Benque Viejo resident Edwin Chan was found in a remote area early Saturday morning [...]

5 year old Holy Redeemer student dies in traffic accident
There was another tragic loss of life two days into the Easter weekend and it involved yet another school-aged child. Sometime after five p.m., five year old Akeela Wade met [...]

Channel 5 blocked from covering 2014 Cross Country Cycling Classic
And now to an unfortunate issue close to home; Channel Five has covered the Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic for twenty-three years, but disappointingly, the tradition was broken this year. [...]

U.S. expert to investigate the killing of a Guatemalan national in Chiquibul
On March twenty-ninth, Guatemalan Tomas Ramirez was shot and killed inside Belizean territory. Reports are that a joint B.D.F. and Police Patrol came under fire by a group of men. [...]

Foreign Affairs Minister says Guatemalan incursions must be dealt with sans lethal force
It's not the first time B.D.F. patrols have come under fire while patrolling our border…and Tomas Ramirez is not the first Guatemalan casualty of such an altercation. High level diplomatic [...]

George McKenzie Junior; wrongfully charged, now freed of murder
George McKenzie Junior was hauled before the courts on Thursday morning accused for the murder of fifty-seven year old Alfonso Cruz. Cruz was killed on the night of April twelfth [...]

McKenzie Junior's family says he is being harassed because of his name
Attorney Matura-Shepherd as well as McKenzie Junior's family maintained from the onset that he was wrongfully accused for Cruz's murder. While the attorney questions the actions of the arresting officer, [...]

The latest on transgender woman, Vanessa Champagne Paris
Over the weekend, a transgendered woman who came into the public spotlight two weeks ago was the subject of a heated, emotional debate on Facebook. A post reported that Vanessa [...]

Was Vanessa Champagne Paris also assaulted in Placencia?
While Vanessa was not killed or seriously injured, Orozco says that the increased attention drawn to the LGBT community has to some extent resulted in them being targeted. He, however, [...]

2 men drown over the weekend
Thousands of Belizeans traditionally head to the beaches over the Easter holidays. But unfortunately, two persons lost their lives due to drowning. On Friday, just after noon, Santa Familia resident, [...]

2 men injured in motorcycle accident on George Price Highway
Earlier we told you about a motorbike accident in Belize City which claimed the life of a five year old. There was another incident on the George Price Highway on [...]

Joseph Budna escapes Guatemalan prison
Joseph Budna, a former freelance reporter, who gained notoriety for kidnappings in Guatemala is on the lam tonight. According to Prensa Libre, Budna had an illness and had to be [...]

The viral video of a visitor restrained by police in Caye Caulker
There is a video that has gone viral on social media. It involves a confrontation between police and a civilian, on Sunday afternoon. A visitor to Caye Caulker was physically [...]

Baton of Queen Elizabeth II arrives in the Jewel
Amid the bad news, there was a bright spot over the Easter weekend for those following the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be held in Scotland.� The Queen's baton relay reached [...]

Sports Monday highlights the 2014 Cross Country Cycling Classic
Good evening, I'm James Adderley and here's the sporting news.   The 86th running of the Annual Cross Country resigned supreme on Holy Saturday as expected from the biggest one-day [...]

CTV3

Badly Decomposed Body Found In The Corozal District
Has Corozal recorded its third murder? All indications are that it has. This is after the badly decomposed nude body of a female was discovered a little after one this afternoon in an area known as the Quintal Lagoon located one mile off the village of Chan Chen in the Corozal District. Shamir Rancheran, from the village of Patchakan, was traveling on the road in his vehicle when upon reaching the area, the strong stench of putrefaction made him look outside his window. That's when he made the gruesome discovery. Shamir Rancheran - Villager "Cuando mire de ese lado a ver pues mire el cuerpo y para asegurarme pues baje y pues lo bid� y me fui m�s adelante a buscar m�s gente para que vengan a asegurarlo y llame a la polic�a." V�ctor Castillo - Repórter "Bueno, cuando tu encontraste el cuerpo y bajaste a bajo a ver, descr�benos como vistes el cuerpo?"

Two Year Old Knocked Down, Fourteen Years Old Behind The Wheel
A two year old child from Orange Walk is recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City after she was knocked down on Holy Thursday. Off the bat, we will tell you that police seem relatively tight lipped about the situation, so much so, that the accident did not even make it on the police sitrep today. But this is what we have been able to find out. We understand the incident occurred around midday on Thursday on Sapodilla Street and East of Guadalupe Street in Village of Trial Farm. Reports are that two year old Rachel Chan was crossing the street when she was knocked down by a Ford pickup truck belonging to Christopher Hendricks, the driver of Deputy Prime Minister Honorable Gaspar Vega. But Hendricks was not the one behind the wheel. The vehicle was being driven by a fourteen year old minor who ran over the child. Reports are that the 14 year old is a family member of Hendricks, who allegedly gave him the vehicle to drive. Chan suffered a large cut wound to the forehead and 3 broken ribs.

Another Chinese Victim Of Robbery In Corozal Town
Over the past few weeks the District of Corozal has played witness to a number of robberies. Statistics from the Corozal Police Department show that to date, there have been approximately 10 reported cases of robberies including those committed with firearms. The most recent case added to the list occurred on Holy Thursday a little before 9:00pm. This time, 51 year old Chinese Nationalized Belizean, Wei Shi Lui, was the victim. Around 8:55pm Lui and his sister were inside Chinese Shop located on 6th Avenue, Corozal Town, when three persons entered the store as Lui was closing for business. The three men, including one armed with a shotgun and another with a machete, ordered Lui and his sister to lie on the floor.

Civic Pride Campaign Launched By OWTC
How to properly dispose of household garbage is a problem faced around the world. If you thought that the biggest problems are faced by first and second world countries, you might want to think again. Statistics show that one person produces up to 4.3 pounds of garbage a day. Multiply that by our population in Belize - a little of three hundred thousand people. But there is no need to go that far because we can do the math for our population in Orange Walk Town alone. And this is also where the Orange Walk Town Council is getting their campaign on civic pride in an effort to clean up the town and keep it that way. Today, the Town Council along with several other groups launched the civic pride campaign at Town Hall. It's an effort to encourage more cleanliness and love for this beloved town. Dalila Ical reports.

SPBE Water Dock Collapses While Passengers Board Vessel
On Saturday in Caye Caulker, passengers waiting to board the San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi around 4:45 in the evening, en-route to Belize City, got more than they bargained for when the water taxi's dock appeared to have buckled under the weight of the people. No one was seriously hurt but we understand that some of the passenger's belongings and digital devices were water damaged. Today the San Pedro Belize Express management sent out a press release stating that the collapse was due to overwhelming overcrowding. The release further states that the mishap could have been avoided if the passengers had listened to the relevant authorities stating "The SPBE team and relevant authorities requested that passengers wait on the beach to improve accessibility and ease the stress on the bridge; however, this request was met with rebuttals as the crowd continued to move onto the bridge against the directives of the authorities resulting in a portion of the bridge buckling under the pressure. SPBE's fleet consisted of fifteen (15) vessels and two (2) contracted catamarans to guarantee all passengers would be accommodated for during the Easter Festivities," End quote.

Two Charged For Armed Robbery Of Bargain's Centre In Orange Walk Town
Last week Tuesday we reported that thieves targeted the Orange Walk Bargain's Center and made off with over $7,000 dollars in cell phones and around $200.00 in cash. The entire ordeal, which lasted approximately two minutes, was captured on the stores surveillance camera which gave the authorities a look at the perpetrators. Since the incident, police have arrested 33 year old Leroy Rabatteau, security guard of Princess Diana Street in Orange Walk Town and a 17 year old minor who was captured by Corozal Police on Holy Thursday in the Village of Libertad in the Corozal District. Both men appeared in court today and were remanded until 21st of May.

Dyer charged For Armed Robberies
Locke was not the only wanted man that was captured by Corozal Police on Holy Thursday. The second individual that spent the Easter Holidays behind bars is Julian Dyer who was wanted by police for a number of armed robberies committed in that municipality and in Belize City for other crimes. Dyer was charged for three counts of robbery with a firearm. Dyer was charged for the April 7th armed robbery of Jing Jing Store, located at the corner of the Philip Goldson Highway and the Paraiso Junction. He is also being accused of robbing one of the customers who was inside the store at the time. As previously reported, three male individuals entered the business. One of the men pointed a gun at the owner of the store while another robbed him of three to four hundred dollars in cash. The third person attacked a customer and took one hundred and fifty dollars from his wallet. The men escaped on bicycles.

Robert Locke Recaptured
Remember Robert Locke? If you don't, then let us refresh your memory. He is the man who managed to make it on Corozal Police's wanted list after being accused of rape and most recently for injuring his ex-common law wife and ex mother-in-law. But Locke somehow managed to escape from police. His luck though, ran out on Holy Thursday when he was captured in the vicinity of Altamira Corozal around midnight. Locke was arrested and charged for Rape, two counts of aggravated burglary, one count of harm and one count of wounding. He was taken to court this afternoon to answer to the charges and was remanded until May 29th when he is scheduled to reappear in court. The charges of harm and wounding are as a result of a confrontation Locke had with his ex-common-law-wife and her mother. As previously mentioned, in the wee hours of April 16th 2014, Gloria Martinez was awakened by Locke who entered her house without her permission.

LOVE FM

Construction Worker Faces Attempted Murder Charge
Twenty-one year old Lincoln Robinson, a construction worker of Tigris Street, was charged with attempted murder when he appeared today before Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Robinson was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. He was remanded into custody until June 21. The incident occurred on March 23. The complainant, 21 year old Anthony Young, reported to the police that he was in a yard on 44 Dolphin Street, socializing with some friends when his assailant came from behind. He said the person looked at him for about 15 seconds that the person took out a firearm and pointed it at him. Young said he heard a loud blast then he ran. He said he tried to jump over a canal but he slipped and fell in to the canal. He said that when he got out of the canal he heard four more gunshots then he felt a burning sensation and he realized that he was shot. Young was shot in his right ankle and left wrist.

Pier Collapses with Passengers
Over the weekend, thousands of Belizeans journeyed to the cayes for the Easter Holiday with many flocking to Caye Caulker, but as several were getting ready to come back to the mainland, a portion of the docking pier for San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi collapsed due an overwhelming pressure on the pier's beams and the deteriotated conditions of the structure. While no one suffered any major injury, a release from the water taxi company says that along with employees, Caye Caulker Police, Port Authority and Coast Guard that were present made every effort to enforce safety and crowd control procedures to ensure passengers were boarded safely onto the vessel. The release says that passengers were advised to wait on the beach to improve accessibility and ease the stress on the bridge; however, this request was ignored and the massive crowd gathered on the bridge. While the portion of the pier was being fixed passengers of the Belize San Pedro Water Taxi were directed to the dock belonging to Caye Caulker Water Taxi.

PlusTV

The Holy Spirit Can Dwell in You and Make You Live Again
Our verse for the week is taken from the epistle to the Romans 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me, He who raised Messiah from the dead will also give life to my mortal body through His Spirit who dwells in...

Senator Spreads False Facebook Rumors of Murder of Transvestite Vanessa
Facebook is known as a rumor mill, but what about when that rumor is traced back to the Facebook account of an accomplished lawyer and senator in the National Assembly? On Good friday, April 18, as Christians prepared to celebrate the crucifixion of Jesus, a most ghastly and totally...

Five Year old Dies in Easter Weekend Traffic Accident
There was one loss of life in Belize City over the Easter weekend after yet another traffic accident, this time in the busy Northside intersection of Douglas Jones and North Front Street. Police say driver for Progressive Shuttle Eyeon Bermudez was driving the bus on North Front Street toward...

Cayo Man Shot on Easter Sunday
A man was shot in San Ignacio on Easter Sunday. 23 year old Trevor Lamb was heading home with a female friend around three o'clock that morning. When they were on 2nd street they were approached by a male person who fired at Lamb. Lamb was hit to the...

19 year old Stabbed Multiple Times in Belize City
A 19 year old was stabbed multiple times on Wednesday in Belize City. 19-year-old Parish Corpius of Ladyville reported that on Wednesday night at about 11 pm, he was at his cousin's house located at the corner of Pigeon and Parakeet Streets socializing when he was approached by...

Camalote Man Barely Survives Stab Wound to the Throat
The peaceful village of Camalote was disrupted on Holy Saturday Night with the reports of a stabbing incident. Police were called out to the Western regional Hospital in Belmopan following the report of a stabbing of 20 year old Shane Parham. Reports to Plus News are that around 8 pm that night, Parham...

Joseph Budna Escapes from Guatemalan Hospital While in Custody
Guatemalan newspaper, La Prensa Libre, is reporting that Joseph Budna, Belizean National, who was serving time at the Guatemalan prison escaped while he was being treated at a local medical hospital. Joseph Budna is no stranger to the media as, while living in Belize, he built up quite a...

Belizean Pilot Murdered in Guatemala
In other related news, a Belizean pilot identified as 22 year old resident of Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Cayo Edwin Javier Chan was killed in Guatemala sometime on Friday, April 18th. According to reports, the body of Chan, who worked with Tropic Air, was discovered laying face down near...

Elderly Woman Murdered During Robbery of DVD player
On Good Friday, a thief turned murderer and the life of an elderly woman came to an end. 68 year old Myra Miller, who lived in a house located at mile 21 on the Old Northern Highway near the entrance of Boston Village, was discovered lying face down on...

Several Easter Drownings Reported
A man reportedly lost his life on Saturday, April 19th in the river of Red Bank Village. According to reports, Independence Police visited an area on the Swasey River Approximately 1 1/2 miles behind the Red Bank Village, Stann Creek District, where the body of a Hispanic man was...

The Reporter

Belizean convict, Joseph Budna, escapes Guatemalan authorities
Joseph Budna, 33, a Belizean who was convicted in Guatemala in 2013 of kidnapping and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, is a fugitive on the run. According to the Prensa Libre newspaper of Guatemala, Budna was being hospitalised when he escaped from custody under the watch of two guards. Budna, who currently faces more trials for at least two more kidnappings, turned to Guatemalan police prior to his conviction in 2013 after he was targeted by two men who threatened and tried to blackmail him. Guatemalan police shot and killed one of the men in the process of protecting Budna.

Blogs

Vacation at Victoria House & A Contender for San Pedro's Best Burger
So yesterday, Easter Monday - a proper holiday in Belize, I took a vacation afternoon just down the beach from my condo. At one of (if not THE) prettiest properties on Ambergris Caye, the lovely Victoria House. I walked down to Victoria House's beautiful beach. Since they have been on the island for over 20 years, the property has amazing mature palm trees and plants. The maintenance is impeccable. And they boast nicest lawn FOR SURE on the caye. It all just feels so civilized. And a resort where I am dying to spend the night. Even though it is a 5 minute walk from my condo.

International Sources

How Citizen Security is Changing in Latin America and the Caribbean
Faced with epidemic rates of violence, Latin American and Caribbean countries are expanding their investment in security and development cooperation. Many are doing so under the rubric of "citizen security". Citizen security implies a commitment to responsible statehood and proactive citizenship in achieving public safety. It differs markedly from national security and law and order paradigms of the past. Governments from across the political spectrum are urgently exploring new ways to promote safer and more secure societies. Since the late 1990s, there has been explosion of innovation with more than 1,300 distinct citizen security interventions launched across Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the preliminary results of a mapping exercise. So what kinds of trends are emerging in the twenty first century? Although the United States still plays a dominant role in shaping the direction and character of security priorities, there are nevertheless new patterns of cooperation that privilege regional and local priorities over international ones. Three overall trends stand out. This post is also available in Spanish

Cruising in Belize
For years, Marian and I have watched the television show, Wheel of Fortune. Many times the prize given to the show's winner is a free trip to Belize and a stay at a five-star resort. The show's host raves about the beaches. Over the years, I've occasionally said to Marian, 'we should visit Belize to see for ourselves just what Belize offers'. So, a couple of weeks ago, as we were planning a trip to Houston, TX to visit relatives, I noticed a cruise going out of Houston to the Caribbean, with Belize one of the three destinations. I said to Marian, "Let's go on the cruise," so we did. I can honestly say, Belize City, and the nearby beaches is a worthwhile trip. It is beautiful. The beaches are magnificent. And, while neither Marian nor I are into snorkeling, we were told by several of our cruise buddies that the snorkeling and scuba diving is terrific. Belize has its own barrier reef. The barrier reef stretches 185 miles, and it has been identified as the largest reef in the Western part of the world, but smaller than the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The reef is home to as many as 500 species of fish. The reef was popular for diving.

St. Mary's County church team travels to Belize
In January, 10 members of St. John Francis Regis Church in Hollywood, along with the director of Camp Maria in Leonardtown, traveled to Belize City, in Central America, with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. The sisters taught at St. John's School for 65 years, and the parish took up a special collection to build a "St. John's Hollywood House" in their honor. Soon after receiving the donation, Sister Luke Boiarski, director of the lay mission volunteer program, called to ask if St. John's would like to put together a team to actually go to Belize and physically build the house. This is known as an "immersion trip" and allows volunteers to experience firsthand the work of the sisters in their ministries throughout the world.

ONGs de Belize conhecem de perto o trabalho do Tamar
Um grupo de 13 representantes de ONGs e do governo de Belize, e da OAK Foundation, que trabalham com conserva��o marinha, envolvimento comunit�rio e �reas protegidas, fizeram visita de dois dias ao Tamar para ver como � realizado o trabalho de prote��o �s tartarugas marinhas. Conheceram um pouco da experi�ncia em autossustenta��o, as opera��es no Centro de Visitantes da Praia do Forte/BA, a principal �rea de desova de tartarugas na regi�o, a creche Finn Larsen e as atividades socioambientais. A delega��o voltou para a terra natal inspirada na riqueza cultural valorizada e na capacidade de transforma��o de mentalidades e h�bitos tradicionais para a conserva��o das tartarugas marinhas no Brasil. O Tamar aprendeu em todos esses anos de pesquisa e manejo a trabalhar em zonas de desenvolvimento costeiro, respeitando as necessidades dos animais e das comunidades, conta a coordenadora de pesquisa e conserva��o, Neca Marcovaldi. O objetivo da visita foi prover de informa��es e mostrar exemplos para que, dentro de suas realidades, os pesquisadores possam encontrar mecanismos que os ajudem a consolidar e implementar alguns programas e atividades de conserva��o em sua localidade.

How to Fix a Coral Reef
Scientists find a simple solution can give new life to some of the oceans' most important ecosystems. Six feet below the surface of the Caribbean Sea, Lisa Carne holds a small ceramic disk with a chunk of elkhorn coral, its curled leafy shape resembling rust-colored kale, cemented onto it. She threads a plastic cable tie through holes in the disk, then fastens the other end of the tie to a lattice-like metal frame, one of a dozen or more anchored to the sandy floor. Carne deftly maneuvers her fins and scuba gear, careful to not disturb the surrounding coral, and repeats the process, attaching the ceramic cookies with their exotic flora onto the metallic grates, which sway rhythmically in the gentle current.

Equipped to Dive, Students Make Aquarium Their Classroom
"We run a diving program that's basically shut down in the open water from around mid-November to mid-April," said Joseph Gessert, the school's diving safety officer. "So getting the kids in the water over the winter has filled a big hole. It helps keep their skills fresh." For some of the students, it was their first experience in the crystal-clear waters of the tropics, albeit in miniature. Glover's Reef mimics the underwater world of Belize. Fatima Moataz, a 17-year-old senior from Downtown Brooklyn, has logged plenty of hours in the city's waters. She has surveyed for eel grass and scallops in Jamaica Bay for the National Park Service and helped restore oysters to New York Harbor through the Billion Oyster Project, an initiative led by the New York Harbor Foundation.

7 Unique Honeymoon Destinations You Haven't Thought of Yet
7. Belize: A wilder Mexico, on the cheap! If you love Mexico but want something a little more novel for the 'moon, try Belize. With the worlds largest sinkhole (it looks amazing!), gorgeous beaches and tropical jungles to explore, you'll love the many aspects of paradise that Belize offers! Plus it's a shorter flight than most of these other destinations... so that's a perk, right? So who's buying a bunch of awesome plane tickets to these amazing places right now? Well, I wish I was. Hopefully you'll be inspired and look up some of these unique honeymoon destinations for your own getaway. Which is your favorite?

Earth Day 2014: Find Out What Environmental Problems 20 Latin American Countries Face
Since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has destroyed the natural environment and is responsible for climate change. While not everyone blames mankind's actions, a 2013 report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded with 95 percent certainty that people are to blame for at least half the climate change in the last half-century. "Climate change is a present and growing threat to economic development, and the goals of reduction of extreme poverty and the promotion of shared prosperity," said Erick Fernandes, the adviser for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Latin American and Caribbean region for World Bank, to Latin Times. "Unless the world takes bold action now, a warming planet threatens to put prosperity out of reach of millions, roll back decades of development gains and making it impossible to end extreme poverty by 2030." In Latin America, global warming has already made its mark with corals being bleached by warm temperatures, glaciers melting, cities becoming vulnerable to rising sea levels, and more. And it's not just global warming that is threatening nature in Latin America: other forms of destruction (e.g. logging in the Amazon) is proving to be detrimental to biodiversity. In fact, according to The World Bank, Latin America is responsible for a small portion of global carbon emissions -- 12.5 percent, to be exact--but the region is the most affected by the temperature spike.

Videos

Video: Snorkle Belize, 3min.
Combo of the cut and shark ray alley

Video: How to Gather Cashew Fruit and Nuts in Belize, Central America , 4min.
Join us in a short video showing the kids gathering the fruit and nuts of the Cashew tree. They explain what they are doing and why. The fruit of the Cashew tree is called simply "Cashew" or "Cashew Apple" (it is not related to apples in any way). The Cashew is unique in that the single seed grows externally to the fruit. Please note: The Cashew tree contains an oil closely related to Urushiol - the irritating oil in Poison Oak and Poison Ivy.

Video: Swimming in the Belize River, 3min.
After a scorching hot day, I went with some friends to cool off and have some fun in the Belize River.

Video: Tropical Sunset in Belize - Timelapse, 1min.
Timelapse taken from the tower at Plett's Electronics.

Video: Pioneer Cherry Picking in Belize, 4min.
One weekend in our search for adventure we decided to go look for some May cherries. We found lots of them. After eating our fill we went for a ride through the newly cleared jungle

Video: Estreno RS: 'Ritmos', nuevo v�deo de Belize, 6min.
El soplo de aire fresco que llega a la escena pop nacional desde Navarra es, sin embargo, muy c�lido: hablamos de Belize, tr�o Pamplon�s de aires tropicales que prepara su primer trabajo y del que ya hemos podido escuchar tres temas: Egos, Babas y el estrenado hace unas semanas Ritmos, del que ROLLING STONE te trae ahora, en exclusiva, su videoclip. El trabajo, que puedes ver arriba, fue filmado por Santi G. Barros -hombre tras los �ltimos audiovisuales de Joe La Reina- en una sesión de directo de la banda, realizada en un lugar tan c�lido y floral como la propia canción: el invernadero de Montreal Studios, en Subiza, Navarra.

Video: Flyfishing for permit in Belize, 10min.
Flyfishing at Tarpon Caye with an amazing guide

Video: Channel 5 blocked from covering 2014 Cross Country Cycling Classic, 3min.

Video: Baton of the Queen Elizabeth II arrives in the jewel, 2min.

Video: Belize Sunset in Paradise, 5min.

Video: GoPro Adventures, 4min.
Exploring Belize, Honduras, Mexico and Key West.

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