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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: October 29, 2014 - 10/29/14 12:01 PM


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Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
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The San Pedro Sun

Island residents invited to participate in 5K and 10K run
On Saturday, November 1st, the San Pedro Sports Committee (SPSC) will be hosting a five kilometer (K) and a 10K running competition. The competition is scheduled to commence from the Boca del Rio Park at 6AM. Runners of all ages and gender are invited to participate, as there are cash prizes and trophies to be won! The competition will be divided into three main categories: male, female and group. The group category consists of teams of five members with at least four members completing the race to win. Each team participating in the group category must have of at least one female member and wear similar colored T-shirts to represent individual teams.

Letter to the Editor: Miss San Pedro Michelle Nunez
On October 19, 2014, I was invited to an amazing dinner at Ramon's Village and met such wonderful people. I knew I couldn't miss this opportunity to get to know the nonprofit organization, On Eagles Wings Ministries. It all started on September 10th, when I was crowned as the official Miss San Pedro 2014-2015. I had a short conversation with Alexis Guerrero, I told her how much it meant to me to reach out to the young ladies who have been victims of sexual abuse or lack self esteem, since that topic hits home to me. Alexis Guerrero is the present counselor at San Pedro High School. Last week I received a message from Emily Fitchpatrick, founder and president of On Eagles Wings Ministries (OEWM). She messaged back setting up an appointment for us to meet each other and the group. At last I found a nonprofit group that would suit my goals. We talked as we had known each other for years. Emily is such a caring person and full of ideas. It was an honor to meet another key person, Amena Mchea, employee at the OEWM Hope House. I also met Autumn Hanline, who is the prevention coordinator and also enjoys running and we both shared our good work out habits. I got to meet Ashley Frady, a nursing student who wanted to help out. Blake Davis, an intern with the ministry and works with the girls at the safe house. The entire team welcomed me at dinner with big smiles.

Governor General of Belize Welcomes New Costa Rican Ambassador
On Monday morning at the Belize House in Belmopan, His Excellency Edgar Garcia Miranda, the Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to Belize, presented his credentials to His Excellency Sir Colville Young, Governor General of Belize.

The fun, scary and plain 'ol� creepy at Holiday's Halloween Bash
It was a night to let your freak out at the annual Holiday Hotel Halloween Bash held on Saturday, October 25th. The long anticipated event saw a crowd of islanders and visitors alike, dressed in their most ghoulish and terrifying attire. Of course there are always those that prefer to dress up as the sweeter, classier or even down right hilarious side of Halloween. This year's event saw wicked costumes, as partygoers reveled in the night and strutted the orange carpet. Holiday saw it all, from the scary monsters, vampires, witches and werewolves to the not so scary 80's chicks, hard rockers, fairies and even a couple angels here and there.

Ambergris Today

Pic of the Week: Spectacular Skies in Belize during October
We always say that October has the most amazing sunrises and sunsets in Belize. Practically every day there is a spectacular show during the morning and evening hours that occur around 5:30 a.m. and p.m. We notice many residents sharing their unique views of both daily events and marveling at the awe-inspiring sight. Here is just one of those sunrise moments in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.

Tropical Storm Hanna Develops Over Nicaragua & Honduras
It may not pose a big threat to Belize but the ninth named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season may bring more unwanted rain to Belize this week. The remnants of Tropical Depression 9 which crossed over northern Belize late last week now have developed into Tropical Storm Hanna. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) has sent out a press release informing the public that as of 3:00 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm (TS) Hanna was located near 14.6N 83.9W over northeastern Nicaragua. Maximum sustained winds remain at 40 miles per hour and TS Hanna was moving towards the west at 7 miles per hour.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Evidence of Journey
Come and make it a Family Affair! An event you don't want to miss! Free Christian Concert in San Pedro, Louis Sylvester Sports Complex, Nov. 1, 8pm

Bert Belize
ready to serve Belize! Access to swift, skilled medical care and evacuation may save your life!. If you have access to a usable airstrip in your area Bert Belize is willing to come to you assistance.

Public and Bank Holidays, 2015
Thursday, January 1st: New Year's Day Monday, March 9th: National Heroes and Benefactors Day Friday. April 3rd Good Friday Saturday, April 4th: Holy Saturday Monday, April 6th: Easter Monday Friday, May 1st: Labour Day Monday, May 25th: Sovereign's Day/Commonwealth Day (in lieu of Sunday, 24th May) Thursday, September 10th: St. George's Caye Day Monday, September 21st: Independence Day Monday, October 12th: Pan American Day Thursday, November 19th: Garifuna Settlement Day Friday, December 25th: Christmas Day Saturday, December 26th: Boxing Day

Reinado Internacional del Tropico 2014
Belize Pageant Updates shares pictures of Adriana Rain Haylock (Belize Delegate) at Reinado Internacional del Tropico 2014 Pageant in Honduras. The delegates of Reinado Internacional del Tropico 2014. Miss Belize Adriana Haylock is on the far left.

Looking for talented kids
CM3 media Group, Inc. is looking for Belizean kids that are talented in the area of Music - Art - Culture Dance, please do post and we will review.

Haunted House at Wayo's Bar
Friday October 31st!! Haunted House from 7pm - 10pm (Haunted house will also be open the 29th and 30th from 7pm - 9pm) Kids candy give away at 4pm! Costume Contest at 9pm!! Win awesome Raffle prizes from Restaurants, Hotels and Tour Operators in San Pedro!! Try your luck with the 50/50 Raffle Come join us for an amazing afternoon and evening all benefiting a great cause!! All proceeds benefit San Pedro AIDS Commission

Power interruption Placencia Peninsula
Power interruption, 7:00am to 11:00am, Saturday, November 1: entire Placencia Peninsula, Independence Village and surrounding areas. BEL to repair hotspots at Independence and Placencia Substations, install and repair lightning arresters and replace utility poles in area.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT Week of October 18th - October 26th, 2014
It was a special week at the lodge but it was even more special for 2 guests. Daniel and Maria were engaged to be married during their stay at El Pescador! He proposed while they were diving, it made the whole lodge happy!

Belize fights to save a crucial barrier reef
Home to the second longest barrier reef in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, which provides jobs in fishing, tourism and other industries which feed the lifeblood of the economy, Belize has long been acutely aware of the need to protect its marine resources from both human and natural activities. However, there has been a recent decline in the production and export of marine products including conch, lobster, and fish, even as tourism figures continue to increase. The decline is not helped by overfishing and the harvest of immature conch and lobster outside of the standard fishing season. But the primary reason for less conch and lobster in Belize's waters, according to local experts, is excess ocean acidity which is making it difficult for popular crustacean species such as conch and lobster, which depend on their hard, spiny shells to survive, to grow and mature. According to the executive director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC), Dr. Kenrick Leslie, acidification is as important and as detrimental to the sustainability of the Barrier Reef and the ocean generally as warming of the atmosphere and other factors generally associated with climate change.

Clown Theatre Performance in Belize City "Triciclo Rojo" (90 photos) 25 Oct 2014
The Embassy of Mexico presented the theater clown company "Triciclo Rojo". "Triciclo Rojo" is a group of dancers and clowns that integrate dance, juggling, animation and music, in vivid complicity with children's imagination. This show has been recognized for its stage authenticity. "Triciclo Rojo" has presented its art and work at important venues in Mexico, such as the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Palace), as well as in other countries such as Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, India, Portugal, Spain, and USA. In Belize City, they presented the play: "The Basin Poet" which tells the story of Etolo, a wandering knight, who is always looking for small miracles to restore people's faith in their dreams. With the help of Bum and Hum, he will discover where do forgotten dreams go and he will conquer fear and danger before climbing the world.

Cultural tradition of Hanal Pixan
The Corozal House of Culture will be showcasing the cultural tradition of Hanal Pixan - the Maya tradition of honouring the dearly departed. Please visit us this Friday October 31 and view the traditional altar on display. Learn more about this cultural celebration as we offer free lectures at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with Mr. Roy Rodriguez. Yours in Art and Culture, Debra Wilkes Coordinator Corozal House of Culture 1 Avenue Corozal Town

Thunderbolt Water Taxi resumes operation on Friday, 31 October.
The Thunderbolt Water Taxi Facebook has been out of service from 15 October until Friday, 31 October, for its yearly maintenance.

Channel 7

Toyota Thief Worked For The Dealership
Last week when police recovered a Toyota Hilux that had been stolen minutes earlier from the Institute of Archaeology, it gave them their first real opening in the case of the stolen Hilux pickups - four of them since July. And tonight, the news is that police have made their first arrest - and it's huge. Huge because the man who stands accused is an employee of the Toyota dealer, Belize Diesel and Equipment Company. His name is Hector Monterosa, a 22 year old maintenance man from St. Matthews's village. His job at Belize Diesel was to wash vehicles after servicing and in some cases deliver them back to the clients. Information so far suggests that he would use that time to make the unauthorized duplicate keys, which would later be used to steal the vehicles. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; so far he's only been linked to one stolen Hilux - and that's the one from the Institute of Archaeology. Today the Officer Commanding Belmopan - who's been working overtime to crack this case told us about the arrest - and the important missing link which they need your help to find:..

Gang Boss "Roger" Appears In Court on Crutches; Arraigned, Remanded
Tonight, 37 year-old Roger Anthony, the reputed boss of the Ghost Town Crips, is at the Belize Central Prison along with 23 year-old Kendis Flowers. That's after being taken to court for shooting up the Meighan residence. Anthony showed up walking on crotches after he injured the arch of his foot. Both Anthony and Flowers were charged with attempted murder, damage to property, and aggravated assault. Anthony was additionally charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition. As we told you, Anthony appeared beside GSU Commander Mark Flowers and announced on national television that he was leaving the gang life behind. 2 weeks later, he now stands accused of opening fire on the house of his rivals, Tyron and Ellis Meighan Jr.

September 17th Shooting Victim Dies
Violence erupted in Belize City on of September 17th.; within six hours, 3 persons were dead, while 5 others had been shot. Well, of those five who were shot, one died last night. He is 28 year old Leon Savery, a resident of Belama. On the night of September 17th, at 8:00 pm, he was hanging out with John Aviliez, Nigel Ferguson and Mark Alamilla at the corner of angel Lane when a gunman pulled up and opened fire. Avilez was killed and Savery was shot in the buttocks - which, most times, doesn't end up in a fatality. But, in his case, the family tells us, the bullet travelled up inside his midsection. Despite numerous surgeries doctors could not remove it - and he died from pneumonia at a few minutes to eight last night. So he joins John Avilez as the second person to be killed in that shooting - and becomes the fourth casualty from the 6 hours of gun violence on September 17th - which is the highest single day murder count in Belize so far for 2014.

Alleged Immigration Queenpin Beats 10 Charges
In May, it made major news when 46 year-old Marleny Elizabeth Castellanos, and her common-law husband, 42 year-old Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos, were charged for fraudulent immigration documents built around stolen identities of dead Belizean citizens from Benque Viejo. That led to them being scrutinized as part of a wider immigration ring. All the circumstances pointed to Castellanos being an immigration fraudster who facilitated documents for other illegal immigrants in the country. Well, the news tonight is that Castellanos and her common-law, Gonzalez Marcos, have been acquitted of the first 10 charges they faced for those illegal documents, and they may also get a full acquittal of the other charges they currently face. When they were first arraigned in May, from the details of the investigation, it appeared as if though the Immigration Department had an airtight case against them both.

Man Who Rode "Up-Stop" Got Beat Up By Cops
We know police have been cracking down on quality of life crimes, but on Friday, 28 year old Sherwin Baizar felt the brunt of it. Police reportedly caught him riding contrary to traffic, or "up stop" on Collet Canal near the Michael Finnegan market. They arrested him for causing a bicycle to proceed on a one way street. But, they say he also resisted arrest assaulted a police officer and used insulting words on the police. And that, it seems earned him some raw street justice - when police put a beating on him. He said during his ride to the station the officers began beating him for no reason. Today he gave 7news his account of what happened. Sherwin Baizer - Allege Police Brutality "On Friday the 24th, I went to the market to buy vegetables on my bike and like the men (police) were coming on the lane the same time I am going to a stall to buy.

45 Year Old Man Convicted of Molesting 6 Year Old Girl
Tonight, 45 year-old Brian Charlesworth is on remand awaiting his sentencing hear after he was found guilty of having sexual relations with a girl who was 6 years at the time. He stood trial before Justice Troadio John Gonzalez where the girl testified against him as the main witness. She told the court - in a closed session - that between January 20111 and October 21, 2011, Charlesworth had intercourse with her. The child's mother also testified for the jury and explained what her daughter had told her about the sexual violation. A medico-legal form was tendered into evidence in which the doctor who inspected the child says that what he found was "suspicious, but not confirmatory." In his defence, Charlesworth testified under oath and denied that he had committed the offense, explaining his version that he was elsewhere when this violation of the child happened. After deliberating for 4 hours, a jury of 9 found him guilty in a Majority verdict of 7-2.

Stole A Visa Card, Went On A Spending Spree, Now Going To Jail
Yesterday 28 year old Ron Haylock was sentenced to two years in jail for stealing a BDF's visa debit card and spending over $2000 dollars. According to BDF Jose Hun he lost his visa debit card on Wednesday and reported that about $2,115.32 was missing from his account. Police found 4 invoices and slips with what appeared to be Hun's signature, but when the signatures were shown to him, he said he had not signed for any of the transactions. Apparently Haylock found the card in Green Jades Restaurant on Poinsettia Street and used it to buy items for his son and himself then to throw a party for his friend. Haylock pleaded guilty and said that he told Hun that he would pay him back all the money he spent but that the authorities wanted him to pay more.

82 Year Old Man Emerges From Rubble of Collapsed Home
Tonight an 82 year old man is lucky to be alive after his wooden house collapsed with him inside. It happened around 1am this morning on Mangrove Street near the Bel China Bridge. Neighbors say Randy Cabral was inside his home sleeping when they heard a loud sound. When they ran outside, they saw the elderly man crawling out from under the rubble. Cabral lived in the house alone and his neighbors say something like this was bound to happen.. Voice of: Neighbor "Well I was watching TV and about minutes to one I heard a crack and when I heard that I told my girlfriend Mr. Ranny house drop. We ran outside and we saw the house on the ground and I yelled out for him and he climb out from under the house and I ask if he was alright and he said yes. I send my husband for him and I bring him here to spend the night. Every time you have a hard breeze or the weather comes, the house shake like a hammock - like crazy.

Teenager Charged For Street Robbery
Yesterday, we told you about the 64 year-old woman and her daughter who were robbed at knife point. Well, police say that they have made a quick arrest, and tonight, 19 year-old Khalil Heusner is out on bail. As we told you, it happened on Saturday afternoon at around 3:15. The elderly woman and her daughter were walking on Albert Street west when 2 men approached them in front of Anglican Cathedral College. One of them pulled a knife on them, and placed it on her daughter's throat. When he had her subdued, the culprit then grabbed her purse, which contained an iPhone 5 and other personal documents, and ran off.

Dr. Lisa, New DMS At KHMH
3 week ago, we told you how the Board of Governors chose Dr. Adrian Coye to become the new CEO of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Dr. Lisa Johnson had also applied for the job as CEO, and she got avid support from board members. In the end though, after a close vote, they chose Coye, and offered Johnson his old job as the Director of Medical Services. Well, Dr. Johnson has since accepted the post, taking over as the second most senior staffer at the hospital. Today, she introduced herself to the media and discussed what her vision for the hospital will be while she is in charge as Director. She told us that the focus will be improving relations with the public that medical staff serve: Dr. Lisa Johnson "Sometimes you get caught up in the moment as you are dealing with patients and you try your very best and I will tell you that most if not every doctor and nurse as they are dealing with a patient, or not necessarily a trauma patient but every patient, have a stake in how that patient does and they are very much engaged and not only engaged but are extremely empathetic to the situation that we find our patients in and It's something that I said a lot in the emergency room and I think that we all feel that way that a lot of times when we see our patients we need to understand that it is possible that patient's worse day and relatives worse day and sometimes unfortunately it may be that patient last day and we strive to give excellent patient care and to also treat patients with dignity.

19 Year Old Gun-toting High Schooler Looking At 8 Years In Jail; Tells Court Tired of Being Chanced
19 year-old Jonathan Gideon, a high school student, is spending the first night of an 8-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to being in possession of a sawed-off shot gun in Magistrate's Court today. The incident happened yesterday at around 10 a.m. at the Novelos Bus Terminal. Police officers were on mobile patrol, and one of them spotted Gideon and 3 other males exiting the terminal area. The officer decided to search the group, and as soon as they made for the 4 men, Gideon tried to avoid them. Because he acted suspiciously, the officers detained him and searched his Old Navy school bag, where they found a 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun with 4 cartridges. Police subsequently charged Gideon with keeping a prohibited firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition. He was arraigned today before Magistrate Herbert Panton, and he pleaded guilty to both offences.

A Chance For a Climate Change Discussion
Last night we told you about UWI's poster competition that reflects the effects of Climate Change. Well, today the more formal discussions began at the UWI open campus. It's called the Belize Country Conference and the focus of this year's conference is to examine the factors that threaten the region's economic stability and the well being of its people. We spoke to two of the invited guests and they explained the dynamics of the discussion and the way forward. Dr. Mark Bynoe, Senior Resource Economist, Climate Change Center "The idea is to begin to sensitize and get the information more out that climate change is a real phenomenon and what are some of the things we need to be looking at, some of the actions we need to be taking so that we can build our resilience to climate change. In terms of what has actually been accomplished, we have pass the stage of just educating. Within Belize I can speak for my own organization; we have been working with government; we've been working with other organizations; we've been working with the University of Belize. So for example, we have put in place hydrometeorology stations, coral reef early warning systems. We've been doing vulnerability assessments and training. We are also working with community such as the Ya'axch� NGO which is a group down in the Toledo District as well as the Flowers Bank community where we are looking at the cohune palm and how that can be used as a source as renewable energy."

If We Took a Holiday...
The holiday list for 2015 was released today and you can start to mark your calendars for those vacation days. First off New Year's Day falls on Thursday January 1st while National Heroes and Benefactors Day falls on a Monday March 9th ; so that's one long weekend for you. Then for the Easter holiday, it begins from Friday April 3rd with Good Friday to April 6th which is Easter Monday. And there's another long weekend for Labor Day which is on Friday May 1st. There is another long weekend with Sovereign's Day on Monday May 25th. Looking at September now, the 10th falls on a Thursday and Independence falls on a Monday while Pan American Day, October 12th will also be on a Monday. Garifuna Settlement Day is on a Thursday and we end off another year with Christmas on Friday December 25th and Boxing Day observed the Saturday.

9M In Works Contracts Signed
Contracts were signed yesterday in Belmopan for major road works in Belize City and Punta Gorda. 5 miles of the Old Northern highway will be paved with hot mix by RODLA Construction for 3.4 million dollars. Then, a four-leg roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of the George Price Highway, Faber's Road and Lake Independence Boulevard. That's to make way for traffic coming off the southern end of the New Chetumal Street Bridge. A similar 150 foot reinforced concrete roundabout will be placed on the Phillips Goldson highway to regulate traffic on the northern side of the bridge, at the intersection with Chetumal Street. This will be done by CISCO construction for 3.6 million dollars.

Channel 5

Roger Anthony & Kendis Flowers Arraigned for Shooting at Meighan's Residence
Thirty-seven-year-old Roger Anthony and twenty-three-year-old Kendis Flowers were arraigned this morning in the courtroom of Magistrate Herbert Panton on a battery of firearms-related offences. The charges stem from a shooting [...]

Leon Savery Succumbs to Gunshot Injuries Five Weeks After Deadly Shooting
A victim of a shooting spree back in September died on Monday night at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Leon Savery was among a group of men who were targeted [...]

Hector Armando Monterosa, What's His Role in Toyota Hilux Thefts?
Last week Belmopan Police narrowly missed capturing a man who was stealing a Toyola Hilux assigned to the Department of Archaeology. He abandoned the vehicle and escaped in the bushes [...]

82 Year-Old Man Escapes Injury During Overnight House Collapse
An elderly Belize City resident is tonight lucky to have escaped grave injuries when his home on Mangrove Street suddenly collapsed in the wee hours of this morning.� The elevated [...]

UN Says Belize is Third Deadliest Country In the World
Belize and four other countries in the region continue to take the lead with the highest murder rates in the world. The other hotspots for murders are Honduras, El Salvador [...]

Marleny Castellanos and Alfredo Marcos Walk Off Immigration Charges
For several months, we have reported on an alleged immigration scam which was suspected to be masterminded by Marleny Castellanos, aided by her husband Alfredo Marcos, both Guatemalan nationals residing [...]

Gwen Liz Student Busted with Sawed-Off Shotgun
On Monday, a team of police officers on mobile patrol in the area of the Novelo's Bus Terminal in Belize City set chase behind a group of men who had [...]

Cabinet Agrees on Financial Compensation for Danny Conorquie
Danny Cononquie was executed at the Caracol Archaeological Site on September twenty-fourth. His murder sparked national outrage because it is believed that he was killed by Guatemalan encroachers; and then [...]

Caracol Park Manager Recalls Last Conversation with Danny Conorquie
The Caracol Archeological Site reopened on Monday, and for the tour guides and tourists who visited, it was business as usual. The tour guides have not told their guests about [...]

Khalil Heusner Arrested for Belize City Robbery
Over the weekend, a sixty-four year old mother and daughter were accosted in broad daylight by two men on Albert Street West, near the Anglican Cathedral College. One held up [...]

Will Compensation Be Extended to Yanie Cu?
Twenty-eight year old Yanie Cu was badly injured when a vehicle being driven by Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura slammed into his taxi on August sixteenth. Today, he cannot [...]

Sugar Crop Season Approaching, Where Are B.S.C.F.A. and A.S.R. on Bagasse Agreement?
For months, we've been reporting on the impasse in the sugar industry between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the American Sugar Refinery. Both sides have been unable to [...]

2014 Climate Change Conference Opens in Belize
Four days ago, the European Union agreed on targets to protect the changing climate. The principal target was a pledge to reduce emissions by at least forty percent by 2030. [...]

Paul Nabor In Concert Revisited
The National Institute of Culture and History, NICH, has released information on the upcoming events which will culminate on Saturday with the funeral of Paranda legend Paul Nabor in Punta [...]

CTV3

No One Arrested Or Charged For Stabbing Incident At CJC
Last week Friday we reported on an unfortunate incident that landed one student of Corozal Junior College at the Northern Regional Hospital. The student, who is said to be a minor, was stabbed by one of his fellow classmates allegedly over a seat on the bus. The incident is said to have transpired on the afternoon of Thursday October 23rd on the school campus. To date, CJC's administration has refused to speak on the matter simply stating that they are investigating the incident.While the names of both the victim and his attacker are yet to be released, we do know that Corozal Police is aware of the incident and are carrying out their investigations. But it hasn't been easy since authorities have been unable to interrogate the minor who remains hospitalized at the NRH.According to Officer Commanding the Corozal Police Formation, Andrew Ramirez, as soon as they have all details in hand they will proceed with necessary measures.

One Year After Canadian's Murder Arrests Are Yet To Be Made
Today makes exactly one year that 57 year old Canadian National Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich was brutally murdered at her home located in the Consejo Shores Area in Corozal Town. Since the incident, no one has been charged for her murder and all indications are that the case has gone cold as police have no leads. Today, Officer Commanding the Corozal Police Formation, Superintendent Andrew Ramirez, updated us on the case.Andrew Ramirez - OC Corozal"Unfortunately I must apologies to the Corozal community that the Corozal formation has no other lead in relation to what we have already had in constantly being informed to the community, we still look forward in getting the opportunity to interview that male person who had left the day prior to Mrs. Patricias' unfortunate demised and in the absence of that we could basically say that the investigation has been stalled somewhat but we must be mindful as well that these cases that were committed basically in a planned manner tend to take a little bit more longer than the normal haphazard type of killings and we would hope at least during my tenure here as the Commanding Officer that we get some sort of break truth to satisfy the family especially the family, whilst we have not had any other serious matter there in Consejo, remember a live lost is far too much for us."

Hanna Weakens, Rain Still Expected
Storm watchers continue to monitor what was Tropical Storm Hanna which had moved into Central America and weakened midweek. According to forecasters, the system could redevelop and another system bears watching. The system has headed towards Belize and forecasters give it a 20% chance of returning to a Tropical Storm. The high pressure system to the north will prevent Hanna from moving northward into the Gulf of Mexico and approaching coastal areas of the United States. Part of the lingering zone of showers and thunderstorms from Hanna could redevelop nearby along the coast of Belize, Honduras and Guatemala this week, according to reports. As a result, this part of Central America could continue to deal with locally drenching rain and gusty storms through the end of the week. Reports indicate that the system is currently carrying maximum sustained winds of 25 miles per hour and moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour. By midday on Wednesday, Invest 96L should be inland over Belize and northern Guatemala. Hanna formed in warm waters of the western Caribbean, right along the coast of Nicaragua, on Monday morning. The system originally formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Depression 9, but then weakened while crossing the Yucatan Peninsula late last week. Hanna was the eighth named system in the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season. The next name on the list of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane season is Isaias.

Murder Rate For Corozal Remains Same As Last Year
The first three quarters of this year has surely proven to be similar to that of last year when it comes to the murder statistic for the Corozal District. But while the murder rate for 2014 is similar to that of 2013 in Corozal, statistics also reveal that all murders committed so far for 2014, are registered in the rural areas and 60% of the murder cases have been solved. Andrew Ramirez - OC Corozal"For 2013 we had five murders within the Corozal District including the death of Patricia but we had an incident in Sarteneja where a woman was charge in relation to that one, we also had an incident in Libertad where a male individual was charged, we had an incident in the Patchakan village outskirt of ChanChen where a gentleman had lost his life and two person were charged in relation to that, then we had Darwin Salazar whose body was found just in the outskirt of Chan Chen heading toward the Phillip Goldson Highway so as a recap those were the five murders so basically we solved 60% 3 out of 5 we solve, and we hope to get assistance from one family in relation to that two and the other two as I mentioned those were well planned as a result we do not have any suspects so to speak.

Confication Of Drugs In San Pedro Leads To Several Arrests
Over the weekend, San Pedro police with help from GSU members of Belize City, conducted several raids and searches to get rid of drugs, firearms, ammunition and any illicit articles off the streets. And while these reports may seem petty to the average Belizean, authorities on the island are not taking anything lightly and are treating these cases with the same severity. In the first instance 8 persons were arrested for being in possession of a pipe. According to police, a search was conducted at the residence of 40-year-old Claudia Cabanas, 19-year-old Diannie Cabanas, 21-year-old Laura Valencia, 21-year-old Nayelie Cabanas, 31-year-old Jaime Campos and 21-year-old Alexis Alvarenga in the San Juan Area. The search led police to the discovery of a silver and green metal pipe measuring 3.25 inches suspected to be used for smoking cannabis. All persons were formally arrested and charged for the crime of "Possession of pipe".

Former Lands Committee Of Palmar Village Refuses To Hand Over Reports To New Committee
Earlier this month the residents, particularly those who have descended from the founders of San Jose Palmar Village, concluded a several months long wait for a new lands committee. With the input of the Lands Department, representative of the Government as trustee to the village's land, a legal and binding election was held on October fifth for three of the new committee members. That should have concluded the conflict between the former committee members and descendants who claimed irregularities in how the former committee handled the village's land affairs. Well, it is not and today there is continued contention and the latest being, that the former committee members are reportedly refusing to hand over all documents to the newly elected committee. Chairman of the village and member of the new committee, Orlando Balam told us more about the situation.

PUP Seven Endorsed In Orange Walk Town
In five month's Belizeans across the country will once again head out to the polls to elect the team they believe will best run the affairs of their respective town or City for the next three years. With Municipal Elections right around the corner both political parties in Belize have cranked up their machinery and from all indications it will be a highly contested election. Here in Orange Walk the incumbent P.U.P Seven Team, with the exception of Councilor Neri Ramirez, was endorsed during a special convention held by the party on Saturday night at the Crystal Palace Auditorium. Taking Ramirez's seat is Councilor Candidate Gian Vazquez who is no stranger to Orange Walk and to the P.U.P. Here are the highlights of the endorsement. Carmelita Perez - Reporting The endorsement of Mayor Kevin Bernard and his team was attended by young and old and had the support of Party Leader Francis Fonseca, Former Party Leader John Briceno and other members of the party including Standard Bearers and Area Representatives from across the country.

James Bus Line Now Offers Free WiFi Services On Buses
Passengers, especially students and businesspersons from Punta Gorda to Belize and vice versa will be benefitting greatly, thanks to the added convenience of wireless internet in the express James bus Line. The project is in its testing stage and according to Manager James Williams, they wish to expand on this service since the reception from their passengers and commuters have been positive. James Williams- MANAGER, JAMES BUS LINE "We decide ways to give back to our customers and we decided that WIFI was going to be one of the best things to give back and it took a long while to figure out how to implement it on the bus but now I guess we are successful because today was the first test run." Maria Novelo - Reporter "Now, is this implemented on all the fleet or only on the buses that take students to UB?"

Tropical Storm Hanna Brings Rain For Belize
Tropical Storm Hannah is expected to make landfall in Honduras tonight and for Belize it means heavy rainfall and squally conditions. The National Emergency Management Organization, (NEMO) reported that at 3:00pm today the centre of Tropical Storm ‪ ‎Hanna was located over north eastern Nicaragua. Maximum sustained winds remain at 40 miles per hour and Hanna was moving towards the west at 7 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, has Tropical Storm Hanna heading deeper into Nicaragua and Honduras. On the present track the center of circulation is expected to remain inland along the border of Honduras and Nicaragua. This track over land will weaken the system. Tropical Storm Hanna currently poses no significant threat to Belize; however, its proximity will support some showers and thunderstorms around the country during the next 24 to 36 hours. The Rio Hondo and Mopan Rivers are slowly rising. The Low-lying Bridge and the Iguana Creek Bridge on the Macal River are at flood state. Both the Baking Pot and Succotz ferries remain closed.

Two Of Four Blood Samples Sent For Testing Prove Positive For Dengue
On Friday we reported on an active investigation by the Ministry of Health on suspected Chikungunya cases in the Belmopan area. And while the Ministry is yet to receive official confirmation, public relations officer Claudette Dakers told us today that two of the four suspected cases of Chikungunya in the Belmopan area have come back positive for Dengue. These two cases are related since the two female individuals are sisters from Las Flores. In the first case, the Ministry is still awaiting results from CARPHA, which they project to come in on Wednesday. In the fourth case, the Ministry is still working on getting samples from family since they are not fully cooperating but authorities say they are actively investigating that case. Still, as of late his evening, there is no confirmed case of Chik-V in Belize, just two confirmed cases of Dengue and they are being treated accordingly. More on this story as it develops.

Ambassador Of Costa Rica Presented Credentials To GG
In a short ceremony this morning, His Excellency Edgar Garcia Miranda, the Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to Belize, presented his credentials to His Excellency Sir Colville Young, Governor General of Belize in Belmopan. The Governor General welcomed the new Ambassador who expressed his desire to quote, "further strengthen the cordial relations of friendship which happily exist between Costa Rica and Belize".

PUP Standard Bearers And Area Reps. Endorses PUP Seven
Also coming out in numbers to witness the endorsement of Mayor Kevin Bernard and his team were P.U.P Area Representatives and Standard Bearers from across the jewel, including down south. Those who addressed the crowd brought along with them a message of hope for Orange Walkenos and the nation. Oscar Requena- PUP Area Representative Toledo West"I have every confidence that this is the winning team, this is the team that is going to deliver for Orange Walk and it is the team that is going to send a clear message to Dean Barrow that this is strike one, strike two, strike three, when we take over Belmopan under the leadership of Honorable Francis Fonseca and team 31 whenever he calls the elections. I will tell and I am certain that when we go to Belmopan under the leadership of the honorable Francis Fonseca and team 31 we will have a hell of a bloody job to fix back this country because everything is in shambles; whether it is in the lands department, whether it is in education, whether it is health worst in infrastructure we are going to have a hell of a job but I will tell you nation building is for giants and the RT. Honorable George Price said it, nation building is about giants and we are the giants, the PUP is going to respond to bring back this country, to save back this country my friends and that is why tonight I proudly endorse our Mayor Kevin Bernard and his team."

Woman Get Stab Over Cellular Phone
A brawl over a cellular phone almost turned tragic for one Orange Walk resident over the weekend. Authorities say on Sunday, 21 year old Embrece Franklin, domestic of Asuncion Street, was socializing at Xunan Bar located on Lovers Lane, when she had an altercation with 39 year old Sherlaine Smith of Smithsonia Street. The altercation allegedly stemmed from a cellular phone and resulted in Franklin being stabbed on the left hip by Smith. After the report was made, police detained Sherlain Smith who was arrested and charged for aggravated assault. Smith was arraigned in court this afternoon.

DPP Is Back In Belize
The Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl Lyn Vidal is back on the job after taking what was reported by the Government as a study leave of three months. Information provided to CTV3 News by our colleagues at KREM News in Belize City, state that reporters ran into the DPP today while at court. She was asked if the Kim Wong Hong passport was already at her office and about her studies. Her response was: why would her vacation be of interest to anyone. She then proceeded to dispel that she had gone on study leave.At the time of her leaving the country, the COLA private prosecution of former minister Elvin Penner was at court and the NGO was hoping that the Kim Wong Hong case file, that the police had sent to the DPP for further directives, would be sent to them but this never happened. When questioned about this today, the DPP is quoted as saying, "today is literally my first day on the job," end quote.

LOVE FM

Garifuna Celebrations Declared Opened
November 19 has been observed as a national holiday since 1977. Through the efforts of civil rights activist Thomas Vincent Ramos, the day was set aside to celebrate the settlement of the Garifuna people in Belize. A number of activities will take place leading up to the day and today the President of the National Garifuna Council, Senior Superintendent Robert Mariano, declared this year's celebrations open. ROBERT MARIANO "The Garifuna race continues to struggle for survival and therefore needs the contribution of all. If this great race of people is to meet its fullest potential. This year we celebrate under the theme 'Let's not just talk, let the work progress. God before us and we behind'. This is a theme that is very important because as a struggling nation we cannot do it standing on the peripheries bickering, hating or by separation. The bible speaks of the impact of separation when it is said that a house divided will fall. We need to have cohesion and unity with everyone to stand on the side and bicker about the work of the organization can no longer do.

Structure Collapses on Elderly Man While In Bed
An 82 year old man is lucky to be alive after his house collapsed with him inside. Ronald Cabral Senior was asleep when around one o'clock this morning, his house which is located on Mangrove Street in Belize City, came crashing down, trapping Cabral Senior among the rubble. His neighbors heard the noise and ran to Cabral's aid. Cabral Sr. did not receive any serious injuries. Rosa Cadle spoke to Love News. "When we were sleeping we heard the thing crash down and when it crashed down my son yelled for me and we ran out and that is how we got over there to see what was wrong and my son hold his hand and brought him out on the piece of bridge and asked him if he got hurt and he said cabral house 2no only a bump in the head. So we took him over and he went to sleep in my warehouse. The house is already old, he has no finance to repair it, nothing because he is an old man. He has no way of income." Hipolito Novelo "He is luck to be alive." Rosa Cadle "Yes, He's very lucky because all the neighbors who would see it always wish that he would not be in the house when it falls down."

A Synergy of Maya Mountain Cacao and French Chocolate
A long term business agreement was signed between Maya Mountain Cacao of Toledo and a French chocolate manufacturer. Paul Mahung "The signing of the agreement on Friday October 24th marked an exciting partnership with Chocolate Colleagues in France as explained by CEO of Maya Mountain Cacao of Toledo Emily Stone." EMILY STONE "Maya Mountain Cacao has signed a really exciting partnership with the chocolate maker Valrhona out of France. This partnership is specifically related to one single large farm in Belize and we will set a new standard for quality and consistency of production coming out of country that is now so valuable in the global cocoa industry."

Trapp Brothers Freed of Attempted Murder Charge
Two men were acquitted of attempted murder in the Southern Session of the Supreme Court. Correspondent Harry Arzu reports. HARRY ARZU "24-year-old, Norman Trapp and 29-year-old, Dennis Trapp, both of Punta Gorda Town, were today acquitted of two counts of attempted murder in the Supreme Court of Justice Denis Hanomansingh. Both men were charged for attempted murder as a result of a shooting incident, where they were accused of shooting in a crowd on the Main Street of Punta Gorda Town sometime between 11:30pm and 12:00am on the 28th of February 2011. The victims in the incident were John Sanchez and William Sanchez. As a result, the duo were arrested and charged for the said crime but were granted bail. After the decision was handed down by Justice Hanomansingh, Love News Spoke with the attorney for the Trapps, Arthur Saldivar."

A Look at Health Issues Within East Indian Community
The East Indian community in Belize is one of the smallest ethnic groups in the country. Despite this, the small community is making all efforts to retain as much of its culture and traditions for the sake of present and future generations. Arturo Cantun reports. Arturo Cantun "The first Indian Diaspora Conference in Belize was held in August. During the four day event, several topics were discussed which included history, social economic issues and health. Dr. Raju is East Indian and has been a doctor for the past 39 years. She was one of the presenters at the conference who spoke on health matters affecting East Indians in Belize. Dr.Raju explained that a study was conducted among East Indian families that exposed the common illnesses within that community." Dr. Raju "The majority of diseases they are experiencing is diabetes, and then high blood pressure or hypertension, heart complications and obesity. So I gave them a few tips on how to prevent these diseases because prevention is better than cure and health is wealth and the family nuclear unit is very important, the belief systems and how they live as a family and community. So I talked about team work and to work as a team together so that they can have a better, healthier society, happier and then I gave some illustrations on how to take care of their bodies as a temple of the living God."

Posted By: Marty Re: Today's Belize News: October 29, 2014 - 10/29/14 12:02 PM

More News: Scroll up from here

PlusTV

Man arrested in connection to missing Government Vehicles
Belmopan Police are making progress in the case of the missing Government issued Hilux vehicles, which police believe are all connected in some way or another, but have yet been able to prove it.Last week, the fifth vehicle since July would have gone missing; but by a stroke of luck, it was spotted...

Quality Poultry Broiler Explodes, Employee Dies
There was a work related accident at Quality Poultry Products' facility in Spanish Lookout on Thursday October 14th. Sabino Primentel, a resident of Santa Familia Village and the manager of the boiler system at the rendering plant for Quality Poultry Product, received severe burns when there was a...

Fire truck damages vehicle
The National Fire Service has taken responsibility for an incident which took place late Monday evening as trucks responded to reports of a fire near the Majestic Alley area of Belize City. But they claim that it might not have happened if the fire report had not turned out to be a false alarm.Arou...

Brian Charlesworth found guilty of carnal knowledge of child
45 year old Brian Charlesworth was convicted of carnal knowledge today by a jury of 9, before Justice Troadio Gonzalez in the Supreme Court. The jury voted 7-2 to convict Charlesworth of molesting a six year old female child. The incident occurred at an unknown date between January of 2011 and Octob...

Guatemalan couple beat charges
A Guatemalan couple, 42 year old Alfredo Marcos and 46 year old Marleny Castellanos, who were charged with using document that they were not entitled to use, were freed of those charges on Tuesday when they were dismissed by Magistrate Dale Cayetano, after presentations were made by Crown Counsel Sh...

Teenager jailed for prohibited firearm
He says he is tired of being disrespected and taken lightly, but 19 year old student Jonathan Gideon will spend the next eight years in Central Prison, after pleading guilty on Tuesday to keeping a prohibited firearm and keeping ammunition without a gun license. Magistrate Herbert Panton set sentenc...

Accused hand bag thief charged
Nineteen year old Khalil Heusner, a construction worker of Berkeley Street, Belize City, is one of two persons who the police believe stole a hand bag containing an I Phone. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbery, when he appeared on Tuesday before Magistrate Dale Cayetano...

Land fight on Ambergris Caye goes to court
The case of Santa Rita Holdings versus Reef Village Limited and others went to court on Monday. It is a dispute over usage of lands along the sea coast in Northern Ambergris Caye. Proprietor and resident of Santa Rita Holdings and Tabony's Industries, Gus Tabony, tells us about his company's efforts to stop rival developers from using his property for their own. Gus Tabony - Proprietor and Resident of Santa Rita Holdings "What we're trying to do in enjoin is the unloading of materials from barges from front of our beach front property. We feel that this is a private use of the public right of way, and that it's damaging the sea wall. They've destroyed our pier, and the defendants just claim that they have the unlimited use of the sea front in front of our property, in which we are claiming because of our rights to the sea front, that's why we buy sea front property is to have the use and the access to the sea, that it's a violation of our rights to that part of the property. There's some issues here to what is a private use as to a public use, because yes the public has the use of the right of way. There's no Queen's land in San Pedro, which is owned by the Government, but there is a right of way. It's just a legal issue."

Fire in PG Guts House; Resident Lost Everything.
An overnight fire over the weekend gutted a small cement building with zinc rooftop at Lovers Water Supply area in Punta Gorda. The fire started sometime before midnight on Friday September 24th. When police arrived at the scene they found the building already engulfed in flames. Contrary to police reports the house was not abandoned. 22 year old Rigo Zuniga says he has been living there with his brother. He had left Punta Gorda for Belize City to find a job, and had not been home for a week and a half when he got the call. Rigo Zuniga "The building was in flames. I got the call at 12:27 a.m. on Saturday morning. Everything is totally destroyed. The house itself was [worth] 40 plus thousand dollars. The belongings inside was probably like maybe 15 or 17 thousand dollars. I went to the Fire Department this morning trying to get a fire report, to submit to the bank, because I had a loan from the bank. That's still at the preliminary stage right now."

Steven Buckley attempted murder trial put off again
On April 28 of 2010, construction worker Steven Buckley and two companions were shot at in a Dodge Ram vehicle, stopped by Police on Kraal Road, Belize City, as part of their investigations into a shooting incident. The shooter was identified as Inspector of Police Dennis Lopez from Belmopan. Four years after the events of that Wednesday night, Stephen Buckley still waits for his day in court. It should have been Monday, but as he tells us, Inspector Lopez's trial has been traversed again. Steven Buckley "When I want to the Court, they tell me the case is adjourned till next year. They said that it's due to the lawyer for the policeman not coming. So they say they adjourn it again, for sake of that."

Cayo Cancer Society walks for awareness
There was a cancer walk in San Ignacio on Saturday October 25th . The San Ignacio branch of Cancer society started at 6:30 a.m. from Running W on the George Price Highway, all the way to the Macal River Park. It was a good turnout to raise awareness of the disease and the need for support of victims and their families. We spoke to one cancer survivor, John Lopez, who participated in the walk. John Lopez "All my life I work out, and that is the best I can do. I work out. I don't drink now. I got about ten years I don't drink. I think exercise really helps. Cancer is for everybody. Anybody could get cancer. I would advise the majority that don't exercise, to exercise, because I believe in exercise."

Amandala

Hanna hits Honduras, will drench Belize
The 8th named storm of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane season made landfall south of Belize this afternoon, in Honduras, and while the storm does not pose a direct threat to Belize, it is expected to trigger heavy rainfall and squally conditions, according to an alert today from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). In its first advisory on Tropical Storm Hanna, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression after it made landfall in Honduras at 2:00 p.m. today, Monday, October 27, 2014, NEMO says that the proximity of the tropical system will cause showers and thunderstorms around the country during the next 24 to 36 hours. "The Rio Hondo and Mopan Rivers are rising slowly. The low-lying bridge and the Iguana Creek bridge on the Macal River are at flood state. Both the Baking Pot and Succotz ferries remain closed," NEMO reports.

Crips vs Crips!
Roger Anthony, the reputed leader of the Mayflower Street-based Ghost Town Crips, who renounced his gang leadership two weeks ago, is in police custody pending charges, the police press office reported today. According to a police press release dated today, Monday, October 27, on Sunday, October 26, Shelly Meighan, 39, reported that around 10:10 p.m., "whilst inside her house on Banak Street, she noticed a male person standing outside her house and shortly after, she heard what sounded like gunshots and realized her house was shot at, causing damage to a glass louver." The police report said that four expended shells were retrieved from the scene. "No one was injured," the report said. "Quick police response in the area led to the detention of Roger Anthony, 37, and a .9mm pistol which was seized. Anthony is in police custody pending charges," said the report.

Minor traffic violation leads to alleged police beating and four charges
A resident of the West Lake community at Mile 8 on the George Price Highway was arraigned in the Magistrate's Court late this evening on four charges stemming from a minor traffic violation. Typically, someone accused of such a violation is promptly released on station bail and he or she is given a date on which to appear in court. That, however, was not the case with Sherwin Baizar, who had been in police lockdown since Friday, October 24, when the incident occurred. Baizar was brought to court this morning in the police mobile unit transporting prisoners. Baizar, a 28-year-old musician, pleaded not guilty to "causing a bicycle to proceed on a one-way street; resisting lawful arrest; assaulting a police officer; and use of insulting words," when Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart arraigned him on the charges.

Exploding boiler kills Quality Poultry employee
A resident of Santa Familia, Cayo District, succumbed to varying degrees of burns he received following an incident in which he was accidentally drenched with boiling water while working at a local chicken processing plant belonging to Quality Poultry Products in the Spanish Lookout community in the Cayo District. The incident reportedly happened a little over a week ago, on October 16; however, the victim, Sabino Pimentel had been fighting for his life since then until he died on Thursday, October 23, while undergoing specialist treatment in Guatemala. Raymond Barkman, general manager of Quality Poultry Products, issued a statement this evening explaining the sequence of events concerning the unfortunate incident. The statement said that on October 16, 2014, the management was alerted to an accident that had occurred in the boiler section of the compound, and upon arriving there they saw Pimentel under a water fountain cooling himself down from an obvious steam burn, after which an instant decision was made to get him out of the country to a burn victim facility in Guatemala City.

BNE and Maranco case goes to Caribbean Court of Justice
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will hear the final appeal in a contract dispute between Belize Natural Energy and Maranco, which had been hired to work for Belize Natural Energy in the early stages of its operation here, particularly in relation to the onshore drilling contracts of May 1, 2008. Court documents indicate that a dispute arose under the contracts between the parties concerning the amount of demobilization fees, the daily rates and damages payable to Maranco for alleged breaches of the contracts by Belize Natural Energy.

Court mediation in Maya land rights dispute faces GOB challenge
Conejo, Crique Sarco, Midway and Graham Creek are four Maya villages surrounding the Sarstoon Temash National Park, where US Capital Energy has been drilling for oil in rural Toledo. The communities have gone to court challenging the decision by the Government of Belize to permit drilling inside the national park, on what they insist is Maya ancestral lands, without properly consulting the indigenous communities in question. Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana has ordered that the parties meet for court-connected mediation, but the Government of Belize is challenging that mediation order on the claim that the matter has been submitted for appeal. A date and time have been set for the hearing of the Government's challenge. At 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28, 2014, Justice Arana is scheduled to hear the Government's petition to have the mediation order vacated.

Jadas win male, female softball finals games
The Orange Walk softball league championship games were held yesterday, October 26, 2014 at the People's Stadium in Orange Walk, and Team Jadas of Orange Walk won both the male and female championships in grand fashion. In the male championship game, Jadas defeated Mad Bull Productions 3 -2. The winning pitcher in that game was Jeremias Chi. In the female game, Carmelita Caribbean Queen faced off against Jadas, and in the end, Jadas won 16 - 4 in the fourth inning after the Mercy Rule was applied. The winning pitcher was Marina Gongora. Game three of the finals series featuring Jadas and Carmelita Caribbean Queen, who won game 1 (9 -5), comes up on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at People's Stadium at 2:00 p.m.

Southern region volleyball semi-final competition results
This weekend, in the semi-finals of the NSSSA Southern Regional Volleyball tournament, Stann Creek Ecumenical College came in first, while Toledo Community College and Delille Academy placed second and third respectively in the female category. In the male competition, Toledo Community College boys were the first place winners, and Georgetown Technical High School and Delille Academy settled for second and third place respectively. Of note is that the top two teams in both categories will now go on to play each other for the NSSSA Southern Regional Volleyball tournament championship.

Talking football - Part 7 - End
Hurricane Hattie of 1961 (October 31) started a process some months afterwards that continued to have a great impact on Belize football development over the years. If it is stars that fill stadiums, then there may be a clue here as to why it has been difficult over the years to keep fans crowding the stadiums like they used to "back eena di day." When the USA "opened the door" to Belizean families following the devastation of Hurricane Hattie, an exodus of Belizeans began, and that exodus was joined especially by the brightest of Belizean sports stars, one after the other. And it continued for decades. It is sometimes said that one man, Babe Ruth, was responsible for the building of the great original Yankee Stadium, so great was his popularity, and his effect on fan attendance at games played there. When Pine, and Chico, and Pops Hamilton, and Frankie Clarke, and Reds Wilson, and the Roo, and the Mugger, etc. � when these star players left Belize for the U.S. still in their prime, it had to have a negative impact on fans who were their contemporaries. Of course, many fans of their generation also joined the exodus themselves.

Editorial: Infrastructure
The real yardstick by which future generations of Belizeans will judge our contemporary political leaders is not by what they have thought or by what they have said, but by what they have built. Economists refer to the "infrastructure" of a nation, and this includes roads, bridges, ports, public buildings, water and sewerage systems, and so on. We are not economists at this newspaper, but we thought of opening up a conversation to which more knowledgeable readers may care to contribute. Belize has had four Maximum Leaders in our lifetime, and these are Rt. Hon. George Price, Rt. Hon. Manuel Esquivel, Rt. Hon. Said Musa, and Hon. Dean Barrow. Mr. Price had the longest run as Maximum Leader, from 1961 to 1984, whereas Mr. Esquivel spent a total of ten years as Prime Minister, likewise Mr. Musa, whereas Mr. Barrow is working on his seventh year in office. Mr. Price was also Maximum Leader from 1989 to 1993, but the evidence suggests that he may have been a figurehead during that term of office.

From the Publisher
When United States President John F. Kennedy was murdered by right wing elements in November of 1961 in Dallas, Texas, Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency. Business proceeded to go on as usual. But when Mexican President Francisco I. Madero and Vice-President Jos� Mar�a Pino Su�rez were murdered by Mexican Army elements in February of 1913 in Mexico City, it was a Mexican Army general, Victoriano Huerta, who took over the presidency after a plot which involved the United States Ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson. Business did not go on as usual: a bloody civil war broke out in Mexico. During his presidency, Victoriano Huerta, who is reviled in Mexican history, was supported by the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico. It is primarily for that reason that the Mexican Constitution drawn up in 1917 by the nationalist forces which had forced Huerta into exile in July of 1914, was distinctly anticlerical.

Letters: Dealing with deadbeat dads!
I heard the understatement of the year this morning when one of the panelists on the Talk Show declared: "Our women are overwhelmed!" During the discussion of Sexual Abuse of Children, one of the main causes seemed to be the economic deprivation of women and children which leads to various other abuses too. The inability to prosecute perpetrators is a problem that needs national attention. But such prosecution is related to cure and we should be looking to prevention as much as cure. Our laws and our practice must pay keen attention to find practical ways to deal with the root causes. Take, for instance, the widespread economic deprivation that occurs because many fathers won't pay child support. One woman told me the problem is the court says she has to get DNA proof that the guy is the father because he denies that the child is his. The woman, of course, can't find the $900.00 (her quote) to pay for the test so the guy walks free! I believe the following, properly girded by legal firewalls, is a practical solution that should be considered:

Bus line installs onboard Wi-Fi
James Bus Line, which is known for its daily runs to western and southern Belize, has launched an initiative that will now enable its customers to access Wi-Fi services while travelling on its express runs. The owner of James Bus Line, James Williams, told us today that at this point, the service is undergoing a testing stage to determine how it will work and what else will be needed to make it possible, and that once it is up and running, it will be there for as long as the bus line exists. It comes as a welcomed idea for university students who utilize the bus line to travel to and from school in Belmopan, since we understand that they plan to use the Wi-Fi to occupy their time or catch up with assignments while on their way to school.

BSCFA, BSI discuss upcoming sugar season
While there may still be no finalized commercial agreement between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) and the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI)/American Sugar Refineries (ASR), representatives of both parties met with the Sugar Cane Production Committee (SCPC) in Orange Walk yesterday to plan for the start of the upcoming sugarcane crop season, which is slated to commence in about five weeks, at the end of next month. Despite the gloomy future of this year's sugarcane crop delivery season, the stakeholders are assessing the produce in the fields to outline a plan for a successful and manageable harvest, which is currently estimated to be in the vicinity of 1.3 million tons of cane. After the session, Alfredo Ortega, vice chairman of the BSCFA Committee of Management, told the media that as long as weather conditions are conducive during this crop season, the season should go smoothly, given that cane farmers take into account what needs to be done at the farm level with regards to harvesting, so that any problems with the quality of cane delivered to the mill can be reduced.

Mayor and Minister exchange words at deferred Dangriga market opening
After having been delayed for a lengthy period on account of a major setback that was reportedly the result of a sizeable chunk of its funding having been allegedly siphoned off by former employees of the Social Investment Fund (SIF), the government entity that was in charge of the project, the long awaited renovation of the Dangriga market has finally been completed and yesterday, amongst political fireworks, it was handed over to the Dangriga Town Council. The market project had been launched in May of 2012 and was slated to be completed a little over a year later; however, in September of 2013, it was struck with controversy which resulted in a change of contractor, termination of at least four SIF officials, including the executive director, and reallocation of financing in order for the market to be completed. All that, coupled with the fact that the market was delivered 15 months past its scheduled completion date and $400,000 over its proposed budget, apparently caused Dangriga Mayor, Gilbert Swazo, to lash out at SIF and Government officials during the opening ceremony yesterday in the "Culture Capital", Dangriga.

The FIU's move to freeze accounts of securities companies
The courtroom of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin was filled with about a dozen attorneys yesterday, Tuesday, because the Belize's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) had made a move to freeze the assets of six companies and their employees who were indicted on money laundering and securities fraud charges in a United States Federal District Court in Brooklyn, New York, on September 9. All media representatives were asked to vacate the courtroom as the arguments over accounts that the FIU had secured a court order to freeze in Belize's banks got underway "in chambers." The six individuals who have been indicted in the U.S. are Belizean, Andrew Godfrey, 51; Bahamians, Kelvin Leach, 34, and Rhon Knowles, 29; Canadians Brian De Wit, 45, and Cem Can AKA Jim Can, 44; and American Robert Bandfield,70. Knowles and Leach were released on Supreme Court bail after they were arraigned on an FIU charge of attempting to leave Belize with more than the prescribed amount of money allowed under the law. After the two were granted bail at the Magistrate's Court, however, they were rearrested and taken directly to the Belize Central Prison.

The Reporter

Supreme Court orders Mayor to pay arrears of $525,026 to Belize Waste Control
The Supreme Court of Belize has ordered the Belize City Council, to pay more than half a million dollars to Belize Waste Control (BWC) for arrears on garbage collection owed to the company. For every day that the City Council fails to make the payment an additional $86.30 will be added to the total as interest. The City Council did not offer a defense in court, so the ruling became a default judgement. Mayor Darrell Bradley has indicated that CitCo has already reached out to Belize Waste Control Limited and is in the process of formulating a payment schedule with the sanitation company. Belize Waste Control Limited had previously taken the City Council to court in April of this year over arrears that the Council owed. At the time both sides had agreed to an out-of-court settlement when the debt was reduced to just two-weeks of outstanding balances.

Guatemalan boys shot in Belize near Guatemalan border; One still missing
A trio of Guatemalan teenagers who entered Belize illegally at Clarissa Falls near the border in Cayo last Sunday were shot at by an unknown aassailant. One was wounded, while another is possibly dead. A third teenager who fled during the shooting, has returned to his home in Melchor de Mencos. . Police Superintendent Daniel Arzu, Officer Commanding the Benque Police Formations, disclosed that they were three Guatemalan boys from Melchor de Mencos, aged 15, 16 and 17 respectively, who crossed into Belizean territory illegally to fish in the river. Based on the information the police received from the 17-year-old youth who has been hospitalized at the San Ignacio Community Hospital, police believe that the boys were trailed by another Guatemalan who shot at them, wounding two.

A tribute to the life and work of the late Karlie Menzies
The death of the late Karl H.Menzies, at the age of 86, has evoked a flood of tributes from the business community of Belize City, where he was well known and greatly appreciated at every social level. The following nostalgic tribute was prepared and delivered by Mr. Marion Usher, his lifelong friend. "Mr Karlie may not have written any works that made it into the Harvard Business Review, the Economist or the Wall Street Journal, but there was no need to publish his words of wisdom. "We all knew. He had a stellar set of core and common sense values, which he developed in the Belize school of hard knocks, and which he willingly shared with all of us. "When he spoke his words of wisdom I listened. I will always remember my discussions with him and his response as I considered venturing into business. He raised his head slowly, looked me squarely in the eyes and said: "My brother, measure twice and cut once".

PAC Chairman urges Auditor General to perform her duty
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman, Julius Espat has urged the Auditor General to use her authority to look into the government's recent PETROCARIBE loan motion and he warned that to not do so would be a "complete abdication of responsibility." Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley told The Reporter on Thursday that since the funds in question originate from 2012, she would only be able to audit the matter when she receives financial records for that period from the Accountant General. Bradley explained that her office, once in possession of those financial records, would conduct a comprehensive audit not just particularly as it relates to PETROCARIBE funds, but all government spending.

Cacao farmers organizing to increase production
Cacao farmers in southern Belize, under the umbrella group Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), have organized to improve growing techniques and boost the level of production of local farmers. MMC, which is made up of mostly Maya cacao farmers along with Belizean chocolate makers and American entrepreneurs, have started developing a world-class demonstration farm which, when in full bloom would boost Belize's cacao production by 50 percent. MMC Field Director Gabriel Pop said the demonstration farm will be a great tool to create economic opportunities in southern Belize while passing traditional Mayan agricultural techniques to the younger generation. MMC recently acquired 120 acres just outside the village of San Pedro Columbia in the Toledo District and have started cultivating the land for their demonstration farm. The purpose of the demonstration farm is to share techniques and train younger generations on how to grow cacao in the hope that the industry will expand even further and improve economic activity in the area.

New bird regulations will restrict ownership
People and families who want to keep the birds they already have in their possession as pets can apply to do so before December 31, 2014. The Forest Department will review each application and where the requirements are met, it will grant permission for bird owners to keep them, except for the Scarlet Macaw parrot. This is under program that allows for one person per household to apply as a registered keeper of up to two birds maximum. After December 31, 2014, the law will be vigorously enforced to protect endangered birds. Under the current laws, it is unlawful to hunt, capture or keep a native parrot, but officials charged with protecting these creatures have found that people secretly go to extreme lengths to capture them, causing more harm in the process. So the Forest Department has embarked on a program that offers families an opportunity to keep birds that have already been taken from the wild.

On Taiwan's Anniversary A renewed pledge of solidarity with Belize
On the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Taiwan, Ambassador Ben Ho had some special words of appreciation for Belize . "Our people and government are most grateful to your government for voicing unwavering support for our participation in international mechanisms and present for the occasion and gave a speech extolling Taiwan for her economic and industrial strides, and for her enormous help to the country and people of Belize. Ambassador Ben Ho, in reply said that under the principle of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual assistance, bilateral relations between Belize and Taiwan since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1989 have been growing from strength to strength. "With the guidelines of "transparency, accountability and good governance our bilateral cooperation projects in infrastructure development, in technical cooperation projects, in infrastructure development, in technical cooperation, in medical cooperation, in capacity building and education, in youth and culture exchanges, we have effectively and efficiently implemented as planned", he said.

Video symposium to be held in November
A media and video symposium will be held on November 4th to help small businesses, non-profit and government organizations become better marketers, communicators and visual storytellers. The symposium is being coordinated by the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative along with South Shore Productions Incorporated and will be held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina. Erika Gilsdorf, founder of South Sore Productions, told The Reporter that the idea for the symposium arose after multiple jobs in the Caribbean indicated a need for this type of information disemination. The all-day session will be held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and include insider tips and advice from Belize's leading media and video professionals. Speakers at the session will include representatives from PGTV, Centaur Communications, KREM TV, Channel 7, Channel 5, The Reporter, The San Pedro Sun, TAS Belize, 13 Productions, Belize Filmworks and Idea Lab Solutions.

EDITORIAL
Every now and then the news of the day reveals an incident so outrageous that even seasoned journalists find it hard to believe. Such an incident was reported last week by a Belize City man who spent two days and three nights in a Queen Street police holding cell after [�]

Dead Guatemalan retrieved from Mopan
Police have retrieved the body of Rudy Leonel Salazar, 22, one of two Guatemalan youths who were shot by a person who was stalking them as they crossed the Mopan River into Belize on a fishing expedition. Benque police confirmed to The Reporter on Thursday evening, that Salazar's brother positively identified the body. The young man from Melchor de Mencos, had crossed from Guatemala into Belize along with two others. Based on testimony given by one of the boys who received treatment at the San Ignacio Hospital, for a bullet wound in his right thigh, police believe that the person who shot them was a Guatemalan who followed them from Melchor. The youth in the San Ignacio Hospital was shot in the leg, while Salazar was shot twice in the neck. He fell into the Mopan River. His body was found on Thursday evening in the River, about a mile north of Calla Creek in the Cayo District.

Paul Nabor, Soul of Garifuna Music, dies at 86 in Punta Gorda
Belize is mourning the passing of legendary Parandero, Paul Nabor, who died on Wednesday evening in his native Punta Gorda Town. Nabor had been ailing since 2009, when he first fell ill and had to be air-lifted to Belize City for urgent medical treatment. Nabor, 86, had composed many Paranda songs, mostly in Garifuna, which have gained him recognition in Belize and in international music circles. He lived a humble life in PG, but gained international recognition with his 1998 hit release, Naguya Nei, a tribute to his dying sister and her last wish. Nabor, whose real name was Paul Santino, came to be called "Nabor" by his friends and in known internationally by that name. On a 2004 visit to Honduras, he was declared a distinguished guest of the City of Tegucigalpa.

GOB court battle continues BISL wants $60 M in damages
The government of Belize on Wednesday filed an application in the Supreme Court for the BISL suit against it to be struck out. Belize International Services Limited, the company that used to operate the Merchant Marine Registry and the International Business Registry is suing the government for $60 million. The attorney representing the Belize Government, Denys Barrow,argues that BISL's claim for a violation of its constitutional rights is incorrect and therefore the case should be struck out. Barrow said BISL should have instead filed a claim for breech of contract. BISL attorney Eamon Courtenay said that BISL's claim is for damages because the government did in fact violate BISL's constitutional rights by forcefully taking over the International Business Companies Registry and the International Merchant Marine Registry (IMMARBE).

Pervert charged for biting boy's penis!
Police in Independence Village, Stann Creek have arrested and charged a 25 year-old man from that community with aggravated assault after he allegedly bit the penis of his neighbour, who is a five- year-old boy. According to police, the boy's grandmother took him to the Independence Police Station and reported that on Sunday, October 19th, her neighbour had bitten the boy. Police ordered a medical examination which confirmed that the child had indeed suffered an injury which doctors classified as harm.

EBOLA WATCH�Cruiseship threat averted! Belize will forego passport checks
Two major cruise lines have threatened to boycott Belize if the government were to insist on Ebola screening measures that would require Belize officials to inspect passengers' passports. Tourism Minister Manuel Heredia, disclosed this week the initial idea was to require each cruiseship passenger to present his/her passport on entering Belize. Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines have objected to this procedure and have threatened to remove Belize from their cruise itenary. Heredia explained that the cruise lines were concerned because their passengers would have already been screened by the time they reach Belize and individual screening of each passport would take away from the tourists' time in Belize.

Patrick JonesPJ

Belize Country Conference on Climate Change opens
Climate change has made an impact on Belize that few can ignore. But in terms of a unified response from the nation there is little to see by way of observation. To fill in that gap and make the issue more relevant to all Belizeans, a Country Conference [�]

Brian Charlesworth found guilty of carnal knowledge of child
45 year old Brian Charlesworth was convicted of carnal knowledge today by a jury of 9 before Justice Troadio Gonzalez in the Supreme Court. The jury voted 7-2 to convict Charlesworth of molesting a six year old girl. The incident occurred at an unknown date between January of [�]

Accused hand bag thief charged
Nineteen year old Khalil Heusner, a construction worker of Berkeley Street, is one of two persons who the police believe stole a hand bag containing an I Phone. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbery when he appeared today before Magistrate Dale Cayetano. He was released [�]

Teenager jailed for prohibited firearm
He says he is tired of being disrespected and taken lightly, but 19 year old student Jonathan Gideon will spend the next eight years in Central Prison after pleading guilty today to keeping a prohibited firearm and keeping ammunition without a gun license. Magistrate Herbert Panton set sentences [�]

Roger Anthony charged for shooting incident
Despite announcing two weeks ago that he was leaving the gang lifestyle for good and encouraging others to do the same, 37 year old Roger Anthony is back in trouble. He and 23 year old Kendis Flowers are accused of attempted murder, aggravated assault and damage to property [�]

James Bus line offers free wifi internet to customers
James Bus Line is undoubtedly the premier public transportation provider of bus service from Punta Gorda to Belize City and back. For decades, James Bus Line has been a mainstay on the highways and roads of Belize and in keeping with the times, has introduced a new on-board [�]

Murder of Patricia Nichiporowich remains unsolved one year later
Exactly one year after the brutal murder of Canadian national 57 year old Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich, police are no closer to solving the crime than they were last year. Corozal police have not made any arrest in the case and officially the crime remains "under investigation." Indications are [�]

Remnants of former Tropical Storm Hanna heading for Belize
The tropical system that was TD-9, then Tropical Storm Hanna, then a Tropical Depression again and now Invest 96L, just does not seem to want to go away. After going ashore on the Nicaragua/Honduras border as Tropical Storm Hanna on Monday, the remnants of the former Tropical [�]

Arguments in FIU/Titan trial set
Later this week, on Thursday at 9:00 am., arguments in the case of Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) versus Robert Bandfield and several persons and companies allegedly linked to an alleged billion-dollar fraud scheme in the U.S. will be heard before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. Six persons from four [�]

Deliveryman charged for stealing motorcycle
Thirty-three year old Orlando Salazar, a delivery driver for Chon Saan Palace, was charged with robbery and harm when he appeared yesterday before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart. Salazar pled not guilty to the charges. He was released on a bail of $1,500 and his case was adjourned until [�]

Steven Buckley attempted murder trial put off again
On April 28 of 2010, construction worker Steven Buckley and two companions were shot at in a Dodge Ram vehicle stopped by Police on Kraal Road as part of their investigations into a shooting incident. The shooter was identified as Inspector of Police Dennis Lopez from Belmopan. Four [�]

Can CitCo handle BML absorption?
It has been nearly three months since Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his Economic Affairs Ambassador, Mark Espat, negotiated a solution to the crisis involving Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) and the Belize City Council. BML workers had vehemently protested their possible firing by their employers because they could [�]

Land fight on Ambergris Caye goes to court
The case of Santa Rita Holdings versus Reef Village Limited and others went to court yesterday. It is a dispute over usage of lands along the sea coast in northern Ambergris Caye. Proprietor and resident of Santa Rita Holdings and Tabony's Industries, Gus Tabony, sought an injunction to [�]

Blogs

Chikungunya Virus
Chikungunya (pronunciation: \chik-en-gun-ye) virus is transmitted to people by mosquitoes. The most common symptoms of chikungunya virus infection are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In late 2013, chikungunya virus was found for the first time in the Americas on islands in the Caribbean. There is a risk that the virus will be imported to new areas by infected travelers. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus infection. Travelers can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites. When traveling to countries with chikungunya virus, use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens.

"Grand Hotel" in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Up bright (well as bright as I'm ever likely to be nowadays) and early this morning and out on the veranda - the western, lagoon facing one - with a mug of black coffee and my iPad by 05.15 hours. I sat out there enjoying the tranquility and solitude for a couple of hours (or three mugs of coffee's worth) before showering, shaving, taking care of the molars and dressing (and yes, I do it in that order) and setting off for breakfast. But it's Tuesday you're thinking -Estel's Dine By the Sea isn't open on Tuesday. And you're right, but I wasn't going there. I was going to Caribbean Villas Hotel for one of these And very good it was too. Knowing that Rose and I have been invited to the Grand Opening

Pet Adoption in Belize: Have I Got The Dog For You - Meet Boo
Just Sunday morning I found a puppy. A sweet white, hazel eyed pup climbing the steps at an empty condo next door. Far from anywhere she should be. Clearly lost. She stuck around for a few hours. No one was coming to pick her up. So I borrowed a collar and a leash� The kids loved her� the adults loved her.

The San Pedro, Belize SAGA Humane Society's 11th Halloween Spooktacular Is the Biggest Yet!
Yesterday afternoon the entire town turned out for the SAGA Humane Society's BIG Halloween Fundraiser Costume party at Carlo & Ernie's Runway Bar. The spot was JAM PACKED. Kids, adults, tons of dogs� �games, raffles, a smooching pooch booth�drinks, food. It was a roaring success. I took a ton of pictures and Mike, a SanPedroScoop reader who just came down with his wife to adopt a puppy that they met at the Bacalar Chico ranger station, took even more. Beautiful close-ups of kids, pets and volunteers.

Food Becomes Art at Casa Picasso Restaurant
Casa Picasso hosted their annual smash hit party to kick off their reopening for high season. This year's event was bigger and better than ever and it has definitely gained its place as one of the "must do" parties. The restaurant is also looking better than ever as they did some major renovations during slow season and totally opened up the place. Two hundred or so people came out to enjoy refreshing cocktails, delicious food, great ambiance and fun people. Throughout the night, 2,200 mouth watering appetizers were served by Picasso's fabulous staff and, as I chatted with different people, our opinions were all the same "simply delicious" and "glad to be there."

International Sourcesizz

The Rough Guide to Belize by Singha
The whole book online

Belize and Caribbean Real Estate and Vacation Resorts!
Volume 1 Issue 4

Living the dream: Guiding tours around Central America
I have just completed by fifth 49-day trip bringing groups of tourists around Central America. I was interviewed for an article for Generation Emigration just after finishing my first tour with a company called Tucan Travel last February, but I've learned a lot since then and wanted to offer a more rounded perspective of my job after several tours. I love my work but it is an undeniably tough challenge. As a tour guide, you are responsible for organising all logistics and managing group dynamics, and regularly face unforeseen problems which have to be solved on the spot. Some days, tour leading feels like the hardest job in the world, and on others it is like working in paradise; either way, you end up with good stories, which I've been collecting on my blog. We start our grand tour of Central America in Mexico City. Mexico is a diverse country, with an unfair reputation for drug violence. The ruins of many ancient civilisations, such as the half-excavated Palenque jungle ruins (pictured above), are a sight to behold. I would recommend avoiding the big cities in the Yucatan peninsula like Cancun - if you venture down to submerged caves called "cenotes", you will discover the real beauty of Mexico lies underground. In Belize, these caves have been left untouched, with the surprises of sacrificed Mayan skeletons awaiting you in the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal caves (pictured above). Caye Caulker takes the chilled-out Caribbean island stereotype to a whole new level.

Caribbean Tourism Report Q4 2014 - New Report Available
The Caribbean region is returning to sustained growth, with all countries expecting tourist arrivals to increase in 2014 and 2015 . However, this is expected to remain below pre-2007 trend growth, with regional arrivals now averaging about 3.0% annual growth. Nonetheless, we expect that improving growth prospects will encourage greater investment in the region, particularly in the hotel sector. Our tourism report for the Caribbean considers the impact of ongoing global economic uncertainty on the Caribbean tourism industry and how the region's fiscal issues are affecting its tourism arrivals. Following the decline of the financial services industry after the economic downturn hit in 2007, tourism has increased in importance to Caribbean economies. Although Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago have more diversified economies, the majority of the Caribbean islands are now primarily dependent on tourism as their major source of revenue.

"The Boy and the Jaguar"
"This book is sure to entertain. It takes place in New York and Belize, perfectly wrapping itself around the Book Buzz theme of accepting our differences. "Alan has a stuttering problem. No matter how many doctors he sees, or how many medicines he takes, nothing works. Although he has trouble talking to people, he can speak fluently to animals. Alan understands that animals haven't been heard, like him. He becomes determined to keep animals safe and give them a voice. "The author wrote this book in the perfect way. Within the first two pages, he hooked me on the story, just like a good book should. While reading it, I felt empathy for Alan and was cheering him on throughout the book! "My favorite part is when Alan explains how he feels misunderstood like his pets. I also love the part, 'The jungle makes me fell more alive than I have ever felt,' and 'I promise that if I can ever find my voice, I will be their voice and keep them from harm.'

Videos

Video: Charity work by Miss America Belize program, 14min.
CHARITY AT HOME -Belizeans for Belize!

Video: Paul Nabor Tribute, 3.5min.
1930 to 2014, Paul Nabor king of Paranda, Belizean singer song writer, and Icon, this tribute a made from clips of the documentary about Nabor, "Paul Nabor to bring you love" and clips of a visit with early this year. i am very happy to have had worked with this great legendary artist my good friend PAUL NABOR.

Video: Placencia Belize - Belize In America on tour, 2min.
So, I'm in Placencia, Belize capturing the many beautiful faces and places of this precious jewel. While it's quite convenient t move around the southern side of Placencia on bicycle, I'll park my bike and head over to Captain Jak's Rentals to rent a golf cart.

Video: Living in Rural Belize 15 min version 23 Oct, 16min.

Video: Belize cave medical training - Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Jungle Lodge, 5min.
Caves Branch would not be what it is today if it weren't for our tour guides. We take each guests safety very seriously. Our guides are all trained to international standards to provide each person the highest degree of personal safety while on our adventure tours.

Video: Lamanai: een prachtige Maya-tempel in Belize, 3min.
Kijk meer video's op Chris Zegers verblijft in de Lamanai Lodge en bezoekt de mooiste Maya-plek van heel Belize: de Lamanai.

Video: Dasha Belize - Photoshoot 2014, 9min.
Dasha Belize - Photoshoot 2014.

Video: Chris Zegers vliegt over Belize, 1min.
Kijk meer video's op Chris Zegers is in het tropische Belize, in het hart van Midden-Amerika. Hij stapt daar in 'n vliegtuigje dat hem het land �n de zee van bovenaf laat zien.

Video: Paul Nabor, 3min.
Paul Nabor about his love for his guitar. He will be tremendously missed and forever remembered.

Video: BELIZE SIZZLE 720, 8min.

Video: Belize Diving -- Dolphin Encounter, 3.5min.
Carolina Dive Center trip to Belize. Day 3 of diving encountered curious dolphins at Victoria Tunnels dive site.

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