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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: November 30, 2014 - 11/30/14 10:31 AM


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The San Pedro Sun

Dancing closer to your culture
Coming from Northern Belize, I am more than familiar with the traditional dances of the Mestizo. I started dancing at the age of two, learning basic zapateado skills. Of course at that age I didn't understand much of what I was doing, but as I grew older I started to understand the meaning of each dance and appreciated them even more. Moving to San Pedro meant I couldn't continue dancing, (no cultural dance classes available� maybe I should offer some) but I still hold the memories of the dances close to my heart (and trust me I still remember all the dance steps I learned). One of the first dances I ever learnt (and one that was a pain to learn), Las Mujeres Que Se Pintan. This dance is a Jarana (Waltz) originally from the Yucantan Penisula, Mexico. The dance is a comedy about women that get all dressed up to go out and flirt with guys. The steps are pretty easy, it's a six step dance with few upper body movements.

2014 Lighted Boat Parade in full swing!
Back by Popular Demand - The San Pedro Holiday Lighted Boat Parade will be held on Saturday, December 6th starting at 6pm until around 9pm. This traditional event introduces the holiday season and brings us into the holiday mood with a fun event filled with twinkling lights, children's laughter, and Christmas carols. The dazzling boat parade will start at 6pm and span from Wayo's Beachside Bar, Boca Del Rio to Caribbean Villas Hotel. Our community will have amazing views of the festive boats from all over town! We look forward to past participants as well as new additions lighting up the sea this holiday season! All boat owners and organizations are welcome to enter a boat in the parade and competition.

Mayor returns from working visit in Trinidad and Tobago
The Mayor of San Pedro Town Daniel Guerrero was part of a Belize Delegation that returned on Monday November 24th from a working trip to Trinidad and Tobago. The work visit to the Caribbean island was coordinated through the Caribbean Local Economy Development Project (CARILED). The purpose of the visit was to attend a forum in which Mayors and other CARILED officials converged from November 20th to 21st to discuss progress on some of the CARILED projects. According to Mayor Guerrero they participated in several activities as part of the Policy and Local Economic Development Forum. They discussed and analyzed progress made on existing policies and programs spearheaded by CARILED, while looking at areas such as Gender Consideration in Policy Reform. During the forum, they took the opportunity to look at current and pending policy reform that have been outlined by the CARILED program.

First Chikungunya case confirmed for Belize
With one confirmed case of Chikungunya (Chik V) in Belize, residents are being asked to take extra precautions to prevent the transmission of the disease. On Wednesday, November 19th the Ministry of Health (MOE) officially confirmed that there was a positive laboratory result for Chik V in Belize from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad. The viral disease, which is transmitted to humans by infected Aedes mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti), has been rampaging countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America. MOE had released preliminary results which confirm four positive Immunoglobulin antibody tests for Chik V. These results do not confirm if a person is positive for Chik V, and as such the tests are sent to CARPHA for further confirmation. The confirmed lab test is the first documented case of Chik V in Belize. The residents that contacted the disease is from the Las Flores community in Belmopan City. MOE had been conducting several active surveillance and vector control activities in the area following rumor of suspected cases of the disease. Since testing was confirmed, the confirmed patient has been receiving treatment and specialized medical attention. The results of three more lab tests are still pending.

$1.2 million identified for new school in San Pedro
Currently there is no Government School on the island, since all are either private or church-run/grant aided school. When the new school is completed, it will address the current need of the island by providing much-needed placement for children that cannot currently attend school. It will also help minimize congestion in some of the existing schools. In addition, because it will be a Government school (public school), it will target those that cannot afford going to a grant aided or private school. Currently San Pedro has a total of three grant-in-aid and three private schools. It is estimated that about 200 students are unable to attend school either because there is not sufficient space or for financial reasons. While he could not say the source of the funds, Hon. Heredia explained that the construction of the school is within the mandate given to him by his electorates, as promised in his manifesto in the last general election. If the land is acquired and all goes as planned, it is expected that the school could be ready to open its doors for the next school year in September 2015.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

Oceana Bike Ride: Day 1: Corozal to Belize
Day one of the Ride for Belize; Ride with Oceana from Corozal to Belize. A big thank you to all who came out to ride and support Oceana's campaigns. (4 photos)

The Reporter

One more dies in George Price road traffic accident
A traffic accident at around one on Saturday morning on the George Price Highway has claimed the life of 35-year-old Joseph Eiley, a technician of Dunn Street, Belize City. Thr incident occurred between miles nine and 10 while Eiley was driving a blue Isuzu Rodeo from Hattieville to Belize City. Police say he apparently lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road, during which hr suffered severe injuries which claimed hus life at around two a.m.

Venezuela jail drug overdose kills 35 inmates in Uribana
Thirty-five prisoners in north-west Venezuela have died after overdosing on the contents of a jail infirmary they stormed. More than 100 others were being treated, 20 of whom were very ill, said lawmaker William Ojeda from the governing Socialist Party. After breaking into the facility, the prisoners are reported to have consumed a variety of medicines. They had been protesting about conditions in the jail. Ojeda said the inmates at Uribana prison near the north-western city of Barquisimeto had ingested a combination of anti-seizure drugs, insulin, antibiotics and hypertension treatments. Riot police guards the jail in Lara state.

GOB absent for BGYEA mediation
Mediation ended between the government of Belize and the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) after GOB's attorney failed to show up at Friday's mediation session. BGYEA President Nigel Petillo said that attorney Rodwell Williams' absence from the mediation session was an act of bad faith by the government. Petillo said the session was actually scheduled for Wednesday but there was an extension given when GOB didn't show up for that session either. Petillo said BGYEA was willing to mediate and wanted the mediation sessions to work as an act of good faith. Petillo said he was disappointed in the government's stance on the issue. He also noted that the case has been handed over from former Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke to Barrow & Williams, the Prime Minister's law firm. According to Petillo, this is also a sign of bad faith.

The Belize Times

UDP BUY ELECTION IN CAYO NORTH!!!
The UDP Government is preparing to use the millions of dollars it has at its disposal from illegal borrowing to buy out the upcoming by-election to be held in the Cayo North Division. Cayo North residents and voters, who have been totally neglected and forgotten over the past seven years by the Barrow Government, will witness a sudden flurry of UDP activity in their communities like never before. Cabinet Ministers dressed in red and white, will be making sudden appearances. Luxury SUVs marked with Government plates will be circling the villages. Santa in the form of Dean Barrow will be coming in early December, with big promises that millions and millions are in Government coffers and can be spent in Cayo North if the people vote for their party. Of course, we know this because that is what occurred only a few months ago when the Elvin Penner immigration scandal broke out and the Prime Minister felt insecure about that seat. He made a first time visit in Cayo North East and promised schools, streets and bridges ONLY IF they support their candidate. The residents of Cayo North East can give those in Cayo North a good advice: PROMISES ARE COMFORT FOR FOOLS.

UDP & Union Senators kill motion to probe Petro-Caribe spending
The Alba/Petro-Caribe Loan motion was approved by the Senate, but not without fierce debate, criticism and dissent from the Opposition/PUP and Business members of the upper House. The motion was voted on by a division which went 8-4 in favor of the motion. Following the debate and voting, Business Senator Mark Lizarraga stood up to introduce a motion "to require CEO in the Government of Belize to come to the Senate to explain the expenditure of Petro Caribe funds". The motion sought to get accountability in the borrowing and spending of millions under the Petro-Caribe programme.

Police Spitefulness Backfires! - Russell Blackett memo screws up murder case
A controversial move by the Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch, Russell Blackett, to bypass the constitutionally-placed Director of Public Prosecutions from the process of consulting before the Police could lay charges on a person has backfired. On September 24, 2014, Assistant Commissioner of Police Blackett issued a directive to all Regional Commanders of the Department instructing that with immediate effect "�the practice of consulting the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as to whether to charge a person or persons for murder or any other crime must cease". This decision, reportedly taken on the advice of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, has caused a major embarrassment for the Police Department. On Tuesday of this week, the Police charged 18 year old Wilser Echeverria for the murder of Panamanian Diplomat Jose Rodrigo De la Rosa Stanford. But when Echeverria was taken to the Magistrate's Court for arraignment on Wednesday, as would normally occur, Defense Attorneys Dickie Bradley and Michelle Trapp-Zuniga objected to the process citing section 36 of the Criminal Code which states that when a person claims self-defense in a murder case, the prosecution must have the Director of Public Prosecution's written permission before laying charges.

COLA drops bombshells! - Police Department - A Political Pawn!
The vocal activist organization Citizens Organized for Liberty thru Action (COLA) dropped bombshells on Thursday afternoon, exposing evidence of high-levels of political intervention in the operation and running of the Police Department by UDP politicians. While standing just outside the Precinct Three offices (formerly Queen Street Police Station) on Queen Street, COLA President Geovanni Brackett 'leaked' documents it obtained from "confidential sources" inside the Belize Police Department's chief watchdog association, the Belize Police Association (BPA). The Association claims that a number of its officers have been transferred as a form of punishment for doing the right thing. According to a September 25th, 2013 letter written by the Association's President, Eldon Arzu, to the Ombudsman Lionel Arzu, there is sufficient evidence that points at political intervention as a serious problem within the department.

Think About It
The UDP members in the House of Representatives illegally passed the Petro Caribe Loan Resolution to cover-up the unlawful borrowing and spending of millions of dollars since 2012. The government, which has secretly been using loan monies from Petro Caribe funds since 2012 sought to distract attention away from their gross violation of the Finance and Audit law. The law requires the National Assembly - i.e. the House and the Senate to approve any loan of over ten million dollars. It requires that such funds be placed in a special account under the safe guard of the Accountant General. It requires that estimates of how the monies will be spent be submitted to the National Assembly. And it requires that open, public tenders be published for those getting construction contracts. None of these legal requirements were done in 2012, 2013 or up to November 2014. The law makers have become the law breakers.

Bitter Times in Sugar Industry
While time has moved on and a whole year has passed, things within the Belize Sugar Industry seem to have remained at a total standstill. A year ago, the sugarcane season, which normally runs from November to June, was delayed because of an impasse over payment for Bagasse. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) was demanding $141 per ton for Bagasse while current owners American Sugar Refinery (ASR) has refused to budge from an offer of $51. The farmers consider ASR's offer an insult and while they subsequently agreed to proceed with the 2014 crop, it was with an understanding that an agreement would have been reached before the end of this past season. Farmers believe that a year is more than enough time to have come up with a suitable agreement and are once again insisting the ASR come to the table to negotiate. Instead of negotiating in good faith, ASR employed the old "divide and rule" strategy. They were urging farmers to abandon their association and deal directly with the factory. This would have been detrimental and the worst thing that cane farmers could ever do. The old truism is as relevant here as it ever was, "united we stand and divided we fall."

Editorial: WHY BIL?
In April 2013, the government passed a law establishing a company called the Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL). This company would be given public monies and build public projects such as sports stadiums, markets and parks. BIL has a board of directors, all hand-picked by the UDP politicians and is like a fifth wheel to a coach. In a sense BIL is set up to allow hustling and stealing of public monies. The Government of Belize is structured, and like all democratic, parliamentary governments elsewhere, has always been structured along legal and functional lines. There are Ministries and department staff operated by public officers whose duties are laid down by law and who are unanswerable to the various checks and balances in the system. There is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Ministry of Education, a Ministry of Agriculture, a Ministry of Tourism and so on. There is a Ministry of Works. In this Ministry there are technical and professional public officers who are career persons whose years of service allow them to accumulate and pensions.

BTTA hold 2014 BNE junior table tennis championships
Terry Su, Latrell Solis and John Del Cid won their categories in the Belize Natural Energy junior table tennis championships at the Belize Elementary School auditorium on Sunday under the supervision of the Belize Table Tennis Association (BTTA). Some 70 young players competed in the 12 and under category in a knockout format. Terry Su won the championship final 3-1 against 2nd place winner Desire Amagula, who had knocked out 3rd place winner Sahil Hochandani 3-1 in the semifinals. Su had eliminated the other 3rd place winner Samron Pott 3-1 in the semifinals.

San Ignacio United upsets FC Belize 1-0
San Ignacio United picked up its 1st win in 5 outings over FC Belize 1-0 at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio on Sunday, though it remains a cellar dweller in the standings. Brandon Jones and Devaugn "Beckham" Zuniga led the visitors' attacks with the help of midfielder James Bermudez, but San Ignacio's Rafael August Jr. and goalie Elmer Calderon handled their challenges. Julian Maldonado looked to put the home squad on the scoreboard but FC Belize goalie German Grajalez was not really put to the test until the 37th minute with Maldonado's execution of a free kick. Grajalez got another wake-up call from Edmond Martinez's long range cruise missile that fortunately drained wide of the sticks.

Triple Bs win FFB President's Cup
The Triple Bs of Belmopan won the 2014 FFB President's Cup national women's championship at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio on Saturday, outgunning Esperanza's DFC Gentle Touch 1-0 in Game 2 of the finals. Mexican import Yamilli Herrera and Miriam Villamil led the Triple Bs' attacks with the help of midfielders Jennisha Scott, Kursha Pollard, Diana Esquiliano and Anijay Quiroz while regular season MVP Shinel Gentle and Kimberly "Brazilian" Perez led 'Ranza's offensive, supported by Cynthia Salazar, Abbie Halliday, Vailene Lambert and Sheryann "Baby" Tracy, forcing the Triple Bs' defense to goof into giving up a penalty. No harm was done, however, as Abbi Halliday squandered the chance to put the home squad up 1-0.

Young people call for greater economic opportunities - BYM holds youth forum in San Ignacio Town
Young people do not believe that an enabling environment exists in Belize for them to pursue economic opportunities such as through entrepreneurship. This was just one of many views expressed at a Youth Forum held by the Belize Youth Movement in San Ignacio Town on Saturday November 22, 2014. The forum, organised by Cayo BYM and the BYM National Executive at the Cahal Pech Resort, was aimed at providing young people of surrounding communities with an opportunity to discuss issues affecting their inclusion in the development of the country. Cayo BYM includes the constituencies of Cayo North, Cayo North East and Cayo Central, but the forum included representation from the Belmopan, Cayo South and Cayo West constituencies. President Zoila Palma introduced the day's agenda and the members of the new Cayo BYM executive that include Janine Godoy as Vice President, Cavanny Cabrera as Secretary, Ruben Pulido as Chief of Staff, Karimi Santos as Treasurer and Anthony Bedran as Public Relations/Sports Coordinator. They are supported by National Executive Secretary Sheena Urbina. The members of the new team were sworn in by National BYM President Alberto Vellos.

Massive Turnout in Collet to Support Yasmin Shoman
The People's United Party held its endorsement convention for the Collet Division Standard Bearer on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014 at 3180 Dakers Street. Despite the threat of inclement weather, over 1,000 supporters crowded the backyard to hear dynamic speeches from Party Leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca, and other PUP Standard Bearers as well as a fiery acceptance speech from Yasmin Shoman, whose "New Beginning for Collet" campaign is the party's thrust to recapture an old PUP stronghold. Shoman is no stranger to the Collet Division; she was twice elected to the Belize City Council from 1999-2006. She served as Deputy Mayor in 2001, and again in 2003. She is intimately knowledgeable with the problems and challenges facing Belize City and especially the problems of the Collet Division, where she has spent considerable time consulting with residents and working on projects to uplift that area of the South Side of Belize City. Shoman worked closely with former PUP Collet Area Representative, the Hon. Remijio Montejo, to improve the infrastructure of Collet, spearheading a two-year project to eradicate "London Bridges" and build trafficable streets.

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE - The Lady Yasmin
Yesterday I attended the special backyard convention for Yasmin Shoman as she was endorsed to be the PUP candidate for the Collet Division at the next general elections. It was a brilliant decision to have this convention and rally in the heart of the constituency in Ms. Emily's backyard because it signals our candidate's connection with the people of Collet and Southside Belize City as well as a grassroots approach to the work at hand. A brief rainshower did nothing at all to dampen the spirits of the large crowd in attendance, only delaying the proceedings by twenty or so minutes. Party stalwarts and officials from Collet and from many parts of the country were out in force, and there was a comfortable air of camaraderie and a deep sense of belonging and pride in the PUP which pervaded the afternoon.

Address by PUP Leader Francis Fonseca - Garifuna Settlement Day 2014
Once again this year it is indeed a great honor and privilege to join with you here in the beautiful southern community of Dangriga as we gather to mark and celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day 2014. I am very proud to be here this year in the company of so many friends and distinguished guests including the Hon. Ivan Ramos (Dangriga), Hon. Rodwell Ferguson (Stann Creek West), Hon. Oscar Requena (Toledo West), and Hon. Mike Espat (Toledo East), Mayor Gilbert Swazo (Dangriga), Deputy Mayor and Councillors of the Dangriga Town Council. My colleagues and I have travelled many miles across Southern Belize but each time we are refreshed and invigorated by the magnificent beauty of the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts. But above all, I have been inspired by the strength and resilience of the people of Southern Belize who toil tirelessly and proudly to provide for their families, to grow their communities, and to develop our beautiful Belize.

Letters: Poor KHMH Treatment
Many people turn away from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) for treatment. Why this is the case when the KHMH provides care at a lower cost than other hospitals? Why would people refuse paying less for treatment? Well, according to testimonies gotten, many tend to shy away from getting care at KHMH due to the poor customer service. What surprised me most is that many claim that the poor customer service came at the hands of our fellow Belizeans and not from the foreign nurses and people who work there. This matter brings our country down due to the fact that our people are treating one another in such a manner that isn't professional. I believe that the employees whether they are Belizeans, or from abroad, should all be trained in the way they act towards others especially in a hospital that treats hundreds of patients.

Letters: New Beginning for Collet
I support Miss Yasmin Shoman's candidacy in the Collet Division because she is a hard worker and Collet needs a hard worker who will do everything possible to make life better for all the residents. Miss Shoman is also a person who is always there for the little man. Years ago when I was facing strong opposition to start Monica's Pawnshop from the Commercial Centre near the old Swing Bridge in Belize City, I explained my situation to members of the Belize City Council which included Miss Shoman, and she was one of the first councillors who stood up and supported by request to start my pawning business from that location. While she was a member of the Belize City Council in the late 1990s, Yasmin also proved herself as a no-nonsense councillor. That's because with Yasmin time to work is time to work.

Letters: Let us do more to promote nationalism
It is difficult for me to understand why "National Pride" is not being instilled in students, especially at the Tertiary Level. The reason why I bring this up is because of a particular situation I faced at the University of Belize. While attending my classes this semester, I noticed that all the campuses nation-wide were in absence of a Belizean flag. Keep in mind, the institution is fully equipped with flag poles at all the UB campuses. As a result, I went about trying to secure a number of Belizean flags from the various Government Ministries, and I was appalled by the responses I got from them. Most of the emails that were sent back contained comments like "limited resources" or "check with the other ministries". Essentially, I am at a loss of words and in reality I've come to the conclusion that the Government itself should make it their responsibility to instill "National Pride", no matter which Ministry it is. And if they do not make it their business, no one else will in our country. It's plain to see why Guatemala wants our country, we as Belizeans seem not to want it for ourselves.

Letters: Calling on Fairness and Common Sense to prevail
I write in regards to two issues, the first concerning Education and the second about Special Constable Officers performing traffic duties. The Prime Minister in his 2014 Independence Day Speech said that his administration would "pay for 6 CXC exams for all qualifying students". A survey test which was conducted in conjunction with the Ministry of Human Development deemed that 'approximately 58% of the more than 2,000 students' who applied were qualified for the relief in fees for 6 CXC exams. However, what about the remaining students? Now there has been a change and it is to the advantage of the students who had initially applied but were not granted the relief. In speaking with several high school teachers from only 3 high schools in Belize City they have a general consensus: not all their students applied since they felt strongly that the survey test was not only invasive but political. Surely this is not the sentiments of the majority but if that is the case then we have students who may have benefitted greatly but have now lost an opportunity. They are not to be blamed, since at their age the decisions are dependent upon their parents.

Traffic Department exposes hundreds of residents to identity theft!
The Belize City Council has made no official comment on the reckless manner in which they disposed of sensitive material containing city residents' very sensitive information. On Tuesday, November 25th a concerned citizen stumbled onto a pile of Belize City driver's license identification cards behind the Council's works department compound lot at mile 4 on the Western Highway. Pictures were taken of the mess and shared through Rhenae Nunez's Facebook page, displaying the City Council's lack of sensible thinking and action.

Patrick JonesPJ

Day of Healing activities held in Belize City
The penultimate days of healing for 2014 was held today on the grounds of the Unity Presbyterian Primary School on Antelope Street extension in what is known as the Jerusalem area. Organizer Perry Smith says activities included football tournament and yoga demonstration for children. Smith says the activity has been shunned by both the Area Representative Patrick Faber and the People's United Party standard bearer Yasmin Shoman because they want to control it.

Roger Anthony, accused of attempted murder, is out on bail
Ex-boss of Ghosttown Crips Roger Anthony applied for bail at the Supreme Court on Friday � and got it. He is accused of attempting to murder Sheldon "Shelly" Meighan, mother of his intended targets Ellis Jr. and Tyrone Meighan, with whom he was reportedly involved in a battle for leadership of the group, by shooting at her house on Banak Street on Sunday night, October 26. Only two weeks before the incident, Anthony appeared publicly with Inspector Mark Flowers, Commander of the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU), renouncing the gang lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same.

Fender-bender knocks taximan out of business
A traffic incident on Friday morning in Belize City has left a taxi operator fuming. The incident happened at the Pound Yard area near the corner of Cemetery Road and Woods Street, where a taxi driver was complaining of his vehicle's rear left side passenger door being jarred out of place by a passing Ramos Bus from Ladyville which was coming in to park. According to Wilword Pinto, who works with the City Cab Taxi Union, the incident happened as he was preparing to go on a run with a passenger. The bus, according to Pinto, suddenly swerved toward his vehicle, scratching its side and nearly pinning down the passenger.

Coast Guard graduates its fifth recruit intake
The youngest of Belize's armed forces - established in November of 2005 - the Belize National Coast Guard is also one of its most disciplined. The life of a seaman requires intense discipline and commitment, and is thus not for everyone. So it was on Friday that 44 men and women joined the ranks of the Belize National Coast Guard and accepted the task of making Belize's waterways safe for everyone. Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Coast Guard Operations Officer, says they underwent grueling physical training that brought the numbers down from an initial 80 to the current group of 44.

Man killed in early morning road traffic accident
An early morning road traffic accident on the George Price Highway has left one man dead. The victim has been identified as 35 year old Joseph Eiley. According to police reports, Eiley was driving a Isuzu Rodeo with Belize City license plates around 1 am today when he apparently lost control of the vehicle and overturned between miles 9 and 10 on the George Price Highway. Police say that at the time of the incident, Eiley was traveling from Hattieville village to Belize City.

Fatal shooting reported in Mahogany Heights community
A Belize City family is today mourning the death of a loved one. 25 year old Kenroy Parham was found dead this morning in the quiet community of Mahogany Heights near La Democracia village in the Belize District. According to a family member we spoke with via telephone, Parham's body was found this morning in the back area of the community with multiple gunshot wounds. Circumstances surrounding the apparent homicide are still sketchy, but reports are that residents of the community heard what they believe were gunshots late last night.

Cayo North Wants Harrison to Debate Figueroa
The sudden resignation of Hon. Joseph Mahmud this week from his post as member of the The House of Representatives for Cayo North electoral division triggered the need for a by-election. The law gives the ruling UDP Prime Minister discretion to call the by-election between 21 to 90 days from the date of resignation. He chose January 5, 2015, obviously trying to take advantage of the fact that his caretaker for the division has been in place since February, while the opposition PUP did not yet have a candidate. Yesterday, the PUP decided unanimously at a meeting of the National Executive to choose Richard Harrison to contest the by-election on the party's behalf. In a press briefing held after the meeting, the party leader Francis Fonseca stated that it was the party's assessment that Harrison was in the better position to win the seat for the PUP. Harrison, from the time he agreed to contest, had been calling for an open, free and fair convention so that the people of Cayo North could decide who to represent them in the by-elections.

Blogs

TRAVEL DREAMS BELIZE
This week I am dreaming of a warm, tropical place to visit. Something with warm sands, beautiful blue waters, and a relaxed lifestyle. Belize fits perfectly into my dreams. For many years my family has traveled to Belize and enjoyed the locals, food, and beauty of the landscape. Top on my list is the Blue Hole in Belize. It lies within the coral reef in the Caribbean off the coast of east Belize.

ATTENTION PARENTS: YOUR EMOTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS
To stay healthy, people will do everything short of quarantining themselves to avoid getting coughed on, sneezed on, or breathed on by the sickly. As a parent, you're probably well aware of how quickly contagious diseases like the flu can travel through a family-nay, a neighborhood. Teachers notice the same thing when they see student after student calling in sick until the class is but a mere figment of the imagination. Research has also shown that in the workplace, one negative employee can spoil the bunch. A negative outlook on anything, whether it's the administration, a client, or a department, can affect the morale of everyone around. So what does this have to do with families? Believe it or not, the same research that shows how a negative attitude can "catch on" in families just as easily as it does in the office.

International Sourcesizz

Gabon, St Maarten and Belize approved as new members of FINA
Gabon, St Maarten and Belize have all been approved as members of the International Swimming Association (FINA) following a Bureau meeting in Doha. The trio will bring the total number of FINA members to 207, three more than the 204 members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Recognition for St Maarten, the Dutch constituent which was a former member of the Netherlands Antilles before the country dissolved in 2010, is particularly interesting because athletes from the island have had to since compete for either The Netherlands or Aruba. But FINA's decision could pave the way for similar moves from other international federations, with St Maarten also among islands to have benefited from the recent decision to allow non-IOC recognised territories to compete at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

PANAMANIAN DIPLOMAT KILLED IN BELIZE,SUSPECT DETAINED
Authorities in Belize say they have detained a man suspected of killing a Panamanian diplomat. Jose Rodrigo De La Rosa was charge d'affaires at the Panamanian embassy in Belmopan, the capital of Belize. His body was found late Sunday near a highway on the outskirts of the city with cut wounds on his head and neck. The spokeswoman for Panama's Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wednesday a three-member team of investigators and diplomats had been sent to Belize to familiarize themselves with the case. Spokeswoman Monica de Leon said De La Rosa was a 64-year-old career diplomat. The ministry said he had served in various postings, including in Canada, Bolivia, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and Israel.

Global Slavery Index 2014
The 2014 Global Slavery Index presents a ranking of 167 countries based on the percent of a country's population that is estimated to be in modern slavery. This year we have also ranked countries based on what actions their governments are taking to end modern slavery. We also analysed the contextual factors that make people vulnerable to modern slavery. HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM? The table below shows the prevalence of slavery, based on the percentage of the population enslaved and the estimated number of people enslaved by country.

Videos

Video: Belize Trip 2014, 36min.
Family trip to Belize.

Video: Man vs Wild S05E06 Belize, 43min.

Video: Podziemne miasta Belize Podziemie Majow TVRip XviD KilKr Lektor PL, 44min.

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