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Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials
Ambergris Today
Camp Starfish Extends Thank You's to Community
On behalf of the entire Camp Starfish team and the 27 Special Needs individuals you helped with your generosity, we say it again:
THANK YOU!
Providing food, drinks, supplies, transportation, and a even a float, the following businesses made Camp Starfish an overwhelming success. These corporate citizens exemplify the best of what teamwork can accomplish. So we say:
THANK YOU
Flashbacks - The Historic Belize City Swing Bridge
San Pedranos vividly and with nostalgia remember the Belize City swing bridge. They used to cross underneath it with small skiffs and used to patiently wait for six in the morning to pass and go beyond the bridge.
In the evenings when the bridge was swung, they lined up to return to the east side of the bridge and up the river to the open sea. Reasons to cross to the west side of the bridge were to load up for ice or gasoline or to seek safe harbor in the approach of a hurricane.
In 1923 April 11th, at a cost of $84,000.00 this new swing bridge across the Belize River was officially open. It was the first swing bridge in Belize. This metal swing bridge replaced a wooden one that had been built since 1818 and again in 1859. This makes the first wooden bridge 197 years old and the metal bridge still in use 92 years old. Judging from the models of cars in the city, this Flashback takes us back to around the 1950's. We also remember large crowds of people stopping by to enjoy the spectacle of the bridge being swung manually by a team of six men using a metal bar.
25 Years Ago - The Filming of Mosquito Coast in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Twenty five years something really exciting happened in San Pedro. It was the Mosquito Coast. Today people talk about Mosquito Coast though knowing very little about it. Well, see if you can discover exactly what it is.
In 1986 San Pedro was chosen to be the site for the filming of the hurricane scene for the movie Mosquito Coast. The particular site chosen for the shooting was Holliday Lands just south of Victoria House, about 3 miles south of San Pedro Town. Belize was selected for the filming of this movie after considering Jamaica, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil and West Africa. The actual filming of the movie began on mainland Belize on February 3 1985 at various places including Gracie Rock, the mouth of Sibun River and the Manatee River. The filming of the hurricane flood scenes commenced on April 2 in San Pedro.
Pic of the Week - Extreme Selfie High Above Ambergris Caye, Belize
Belizean photographer Jose Luis Zapata shows us how amazingly fun his job can be. He "WOW's" us with this selfie on board Astrum Helicopters during one of his most recent assignments high above San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Needless to say the shot is epic, giving us some perspective as to the adrenaline rush he was feeling while taking pictures.
Misc Belizean Sources
12th Annual Saga Spooktacular Oct 25th
Get those spooky costumes ready and brush up on that favorite pet trick. The 12th Annual Saga Humane Society Spooktacular Halloween Party and Costume Contest is Sunday October 25th at Carlo & Ernie's Runway Bar and Grill. Spook you all then!
Splashers!
This Thursday at Crazy Canucks! 2p.m be there for some fresh splashing! ; ). Will create the event when I'm around my laptop.
Maya House of Cacao and Chocolate Museum
The Maya House of Cacao and Chocolate Museum is a three year project funded, predominantly, by the European Union. We are coming up on our second year and are proud to announce that the majority of our work packages have already been completed! This will give us more time to concentrate on the construction and design of the museum. We are excited to create this museum/ cultural learning center in order to educate students about cacao and its importance in the Maya culture as well as bring more tourism to Toledo.
The second year of this project will be very exciting. It will include the ground breaking of the museum and the beginning of construction. We will be hard at work designing the museum, hiring a curator, and training future employees. We will be finishing the value-add processing work package by bringing in expertise from Trinidad and Tobago to train 50 women. You may find their handcrafted products sold at the museum! Our new planned opening date will be early 2014 and we look forward to seeing you!
Power interruption 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midday Wednesday, October 7, Dangriga
Ecumenical Dr, Melinda Rd, Benguche Area, Wagierale Area, Commerce St, Market Square, Church St and Sisters of the Holy Family St. BEL to energize high voltage line extension, reroute high voltage lines and replace utility poles carrying high voltage lines in the area.
BTIA Tourism Discussion
The Cayo chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association and the Sacred Heart Junior College are inviting everyone to the SHC auditorium on Wednesday night for a discussion about the new Belize Tourism Board rules and regulations. Find out how the new rules will affect your business.
Magic Shows at Octavia Waight Centre
Tonight there will be a magic show at the Octavia Waight Centre. The shows are fundraisers for Rotary so they can give scholarships to local students in need. Thanks, Rotary!
Fight Night Highlights
The big boxing match between Fres Oquendo and David Ferraez was last week, and the 501 Boyz got tons of great pictures from the event. Gallery 1, Gallery 2, Gallery 3, Galery 4.
Channel 7
Social Security Workers Protest Countrywide
Social Security employees staged protests all over the country today. The workers are demanding financial compensation because they haven't gotten their new uniforms - those have been delayed for 10 months.
Now, the agreement says that the workers should receive their uniforms every 18 months but that period expired last year December and now the workers say they want compensation for all those months without the uniforms. Today when we went to the Social Security office in the city, the employees had nothing to say but President of the Christian Workers Union Audrey Matura Shepherd spoke on their behalf. She says they are all entitled to compensation.
Audrey Matura Shephard, President, CWU
"What happened, they took their lunch time and for half hour in protest and disapproval of management's decision not to pay them their clothing allowance. They united and came out together to show management that they are not satisfied with their decision. Now don't think that they didn't just decide to get up and say we are not satisfied. There has been a process and there have been attempts and discussion and negotiation to get management to come around to accepting that let the present CBA, the protocols and procedures already established if you do not give the employees their uniform every 18 months as you should, then you need to give them a clothing allowance. This is an agreement.
Uniforms? It's About Uniforms?
So now what is the Social Security Board's management saying on this issue? Well, they definitely aren't taking all the blame for the delayed uniforms. When we spoke to Chairman of the SSB Doug Singh he told us that the committee responsible for confirming the style and other details of the uniforms comprises of 3 union members and 2 members of management. But apart from that, the management says the workers are NOT entitled to any financial compensation because according to their understanding of the agreement - it does not say anything about compensation. Singh told us today that it has to with a difference in interpretation.
Doug Singh, Chairman, Social Security Board
"It is my understanding, I mean t wasn't clarified until today when I asked the CEO to meet with the chief of steward of the union, Ms. Flowers and ask exactly what the action was based on. Other than that we would been guessing. And they indicated that it was on the uniform issue and when I saw uniform issue, is they wrote a letter to Social Security asking for compensation for a clothing allowance payment in accordance with their interpretation of their collective bargaining agreement. We responded to that letter indicating, the CEO responded that we did not interpret the clause in the collective bargaining agreement as they did and that there was not a financial entitlement.
Worker Says It's About More Than Uniforms
So as we told you SSB employees protested all over the country during their lunch break. We have an interview with SSB member from Belmopan courtesy our colleagues at PLUS TV. They told Plus TV it's more than the uniforms:
Employee - SSB
"We had our first protest this morning, the first sign that members are unhappy and the CEO called us in and basically dismissed us with nothing. Our members will not have it, we have sat by quietly and be good for too long. We need to pay attention to us."
Reporter
"What sort of intimidation are you talking about?"
Employee - SSB
"Intimidation, telling us that because we are working for the people and it's the people's money, that people will not be on our side - we don't have the support of the public. We are begging for anything. We come to Social Security every day and we give our hard work and we expect to be treated with respect and dignity that is due to workers."
Former PUP Mayoral Candidate Chacon Defects To UDP, Disses The Blue
Tonight there is a high profile defection from the PUP - and one that is making the UDP giddy with excitement. He is Jose Chacon - who ran as the PUP's Mayoral candidate in Belmopan 7 months ago. But now, Chacon says he is through with the PUP; he's resigned from the party and has thrown his support behind the UDP's John Saldivar. And for maximum effect - Chacon - who is also a reggaeton artist - was made to record a statement underscoring the reasons he left. He pointed to disillusionment with the party which he formerly embraced with such zeal:...
Jose Chacon, Former PUP Mayoral Candidate - Belmopan
"When I sought elected office to be the mayor of Belmopan under the PUP banner earlier this year, I sincerely thought that the PUP had changed. I have come to recognize the truth, that the PUP has not changed and that this PUP is the very same party with the very same leaders whom from 1998 to 2008, over saw the most corrupt government in Belize's history. But the more I saw of this PUP, the more I was exposed to its leaders, the quicker I came to realize that the PUP was only a vehicle for the enrichment and power of a few individuals.
What Wilfred Said
On Friday night we played you a small portion of Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington's speech at the United Nations - where he spoke about climate change. And indeed, in his 18 and a half minute address that's mostly what he spoke about. But his critics say that instead of talking about that - he should have been talking about the Belize - Guatemala issue - and telling the UN about Guatemala's acts of aggression on the Sarstoon. But, in fact, those critics say, he only glossed over the amendment to the special agreement with Guatemala. Here's what Elrington said.
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Earlier this year, we signed a protocol the special agreement between Belize and Guatemala to submit Guatemala's territorial insular and maritime claim to our country to the International Court of Justice. We expect that this will facilitate and speed up the process to finally and definitively put an end to the unfounded claims that have plaque us and our region for far too long."
PUP's Former Foreign Ministers Inveigh Against Elrington
Today the PUP pounced on that very brief reference. Not satisfied with a press release which they sent out on Friday evening - today the party brought together four of its former Foreign Ministers: Said Musa, Eamon Courtenay, Godfrey Smith and Lisa Shoman to put Elrington on mass blast. The 40 minutes press briefing was held at party headquarters where Shoman led the assault on Elrington:..
Lisa Shoman, Former Foreign Minister
"The People's United Party is deeply concerned, not only by what is contained in that delivery of that speech at the United Nations by Foreign Minister Elrington. But more importantly we are concerned by what it does not contained. We know that climate change is critical and important, but right now Guatemala and the unfounded claim is a bigger existential threat to Belize than is climate change right now. We are doing our work on climate change. The climate change center of the Caribbean is here. We did not need only one minute and nine seconds of addressing Belize and eighteen minutes of climate change. The foreign minister goes to the biggest world stage that there is, the biggest annual world stage and delivers one minute and nine seconds of basic inconsequentialities."
A Trio Of Weekend City Shootings
There were several shootings in the city over the weekend. The first happened on Saturday night on Antelope Street - where police saw 24 year old Devon Bailey suffering from 2 gunshot wounds- one to his left calf and one to his right thigh. According to police Bailey was standing beside a fence inside a yard at #10 Antelope Street when shots were fired from a black car travelling from the direction of Central America Boulevard. Bailey remains at the K.H.M.H in a stable condition. Police have since detained one person and are seeking another.
The other shooting happened last night on Supal Street around 9:30.19 year old Travis Williams was shot to the right leg. Williams told police he was standing on the street side when a lone gunman on a bicycle fired about four shots in his direction. Williams has been released from the KHMH. No one has been detained for the shooting.
OW Police Ask: Do You Know This Man
Orange Walk police need your help to find a gunman who held up a Chinese store in sugar city. It happened on Saturday night - and it was all caught on security camera. Police say they have the gunman's face but no ID. Second in command Nicholas Palomo explains:...
Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk
"A Chinese establishment Yen Store that is located on Belize/Corozal Road also in Trial Farm Village was robbed and stolen was $2,000. At this point the Chinese grocer has not come to make a report but the police have visited the scene and there is a footage that shows the two robbers. They went in barefaced with a 9mm pistol and the footage shows them very good and we would like to ask the assistance of the media to show the faces so that we could identify these culprits."
Looking For "Paraquat's" Killers
Keeping it in Orange Walk, last week we told you about the vicious beating of Carlos Griffith. He was brutalized on the 28th September by two men who were fighting him for a stool he was sitting on. They fractured his skull and smashed his face. He died on Friday night at 8:15. Orange Walk police say they have one person detained - and he is from the city.
Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk
"Since then, police investigation commence and we have one person detained where we are awaiting the conclusion of the identification parade, we will know if we will arrest and charged the persons or release the persons we have detained at this time."
Reporter
"The persons detained, I understand they are Belize City men."
Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk
"Yes, they are Belize City people and investigation and assistance from the public lead to the detention of these persons."
Another OW Home Invasion
Belize City suspects are also wanted for the home invasion of DJ Gaby's home and business on the Belize Orange Walk Road which happened last week. Police say the suspects are two men from Jump Street, or Wagner's Lane in Belize City. And there was another home invasion on Saturday at 1:00 pm in the san Lazaro Area of Orange Walk. Police told us more:..
Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Officer Commanding Orange Walk
"Mrs. Vangeline Chan, a Belize business woman of 9 Dolphin Street, San Lorenzo Housing Site visited the police station and reported that about 1pm, she was at a residence when two male persons came in. One of the male persons held her down and pointed a 9mm at her and started to search the house. They stole $900 and jewelries and a cell phone. All amounting to a total of $4,600. She managed to take off one of the assailants mask, because two of them wore mask and now we are looking for two persons. We have one person detained right now pending investigation."
Human Remains Found
Human remains were found in Cayo's remote Spring Field Community on Thursday morning - and Belmopan police suspect foul play. The remains were found in a sack 6 miles south of the community between 2 large rocks. Inside the sack police also found a long grey jeans and a brown shirt. Now, police believe that it may be the remains of 75 year old Francisco Reyes Ruiz who went missing in that area on September 22nd but when we spoke to them a couple minutes ago, no report has been sent to them as yet, so no details or identity have been confirmed as yet.
Convicted Sex Offender Gets Free
28 year-old Artie Myers, a resident of Gales Point Manatee who was in jail serving 12 years for a carnal knowledge conviction, is at home tonight. That's after the Court of Appeal handed down a significant ruling in his favor. His conviction was quashed, his sentenced was set aside, a retrial was ordered, and he was granted bail.
Myers was convicted on March 21 of last year in the Belmopan Supreme Court, in a trial conducted by Justice Antoinette Moore. He was accused of having sexual intercourse with a 12 year-old girl in Punta Gorda Town on November 6, 2012.
In that criminal trial back in March, Myers was unrepresented. The complainant, who was 13 years-old at the time, took the stand and told the court at that time that the statement she gave to police accusing Myers was a total and complete lie. The prosecutor on the case treated her as a hostile witness, and her original witness statement was admitted into evidence. At the end of the trial, the jury found him guilty, and Justice Moore sentenced him to 12 years.
Harvest Caye Cometh
10 Days ago, we gave you a look - albeit from a distance - at the ongoing development on Harvest Caye. That's where Norwegian Cruise Line is building its 100 million-dollar cruise port and docking facility. That project will bring mass cruise tourism to Southern Belize, and the official deadline for its opening is February 2016. So, is NCL still on schedule with that timeline? This weekend we asked BTB's Destination and Cruise Tourism Director about it - here's what he said:
Daniel Ortiz
"Are we still on schedule for February 2016 opening of Harvest Caye?"
Valdemar Andrade - Director, Destination Planning & Cruise, BTB
"Yes. As far as the last conversation I had with the director of port operations Mr. Colin Murphy from NCL, yes. We are still on target for February of 2016. I think all the aspects on the island are on target. We are also working with the tour operation side of it. We are now having the detailed discussions as to what kind of tours they will be having there and being able to get those on target as well. So from our side and in terms of the cruise calls we have secured from that port, yes, everything is set for February 2016."
Life After Third Degree Burns For Three Year Old
For the past 3 months, 3 year-old Dylan Pop, and his mother, who live in Big Falls, Toledo, have been in Boston, Massachusetts in the USA. He was receiving specialized medical care at the Shriners Hospital for Children. He arrived there with 3rd degree burns to 40% of his body, injuries he suffered in late June, when he accidentally fell into a pot of boiling water that his mother was preparing lunch with.
The burns he suffered were already life-threatening, but in Dylan's case, he was born with multiple cardiac complications. The burns made his case far more complicated because they were putting stress on his already compromised heart.
So, the Burn Victim Mercy Fund and the Gift of Life, Belize teamed up to get him and his mother from the KHMH to Shriners Hospital in Boston where he arrived in a frail and fragile state. The doctors gave him a 50% chance of survival, but with their expertise, and a stroke of great fortune, he received care for the burns, and life-saving surgery for his congenital heart defect.
Darren Banks, Schizophrenic
On March 26th 2012, the Notorious Darren Banks, said to be the leader of the PIV gang back then, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for 26 and a half pounds of marijuana which was found on top of the roof of his Oleander Street home. At the time of the search at Bank's home, police say they found an AR-15 rifle, twenty nine 5.56 live rounds of ammunition, and thirteen .223 live rounds of ammunition. Banks was charged with kept prohibited firearm, kept prohibited ammunition and drug trafficking. It's been over 3 years now since Darren Banks has been locked up and things have only gotten worse for him and his family. Banks was diagnosed with Schizophrenia - a long-term mental health condition that causes a range of different psychological symptoms. According to his family, his rights are being violated at the prison due to his mental condition.
Capital Cops Catch Timroy
Police finally caught Timroy Neal. Neal was caught on Saturday in Belmopan after eluding police since September of last year. He is wanted in connection with a number of murders over the past months. He also faces other charges from robbery to attempted murder. Viewers may remember that Neal along with another suspect were wanted in connection with June's gruesome double murder in Teakettle. The victims were Americans Julian Christopher Jones, and Paul David Signorino.
A Marketplace Of The Unique
On Saturday over 100 artisans from all 6 districts gathered at BTL Park in Belize City, for the BTB's 4th Annual Arts and Craft Expo.
It's an opportunity to see all the neat stuff that Belizean craftsmen and women produce from jewelry to jams, purses to pepper sauce. But more than just a showcase, it's also a chance to get their products seen by potential new customers:
Andrade told us this afternoon that this year's expo performed about the same at the BTL Park as it did at the other locations where it had been hosted in the past.
Channel 5
P.U.P. Condemns Statement and Stance of FM Wilfred Elrington
The Foreign Minister's speech to the United Nations in New York on Friday is causing a firestorm.� While it is not the first time that Wilfred "Sedi'' Elrington has come [...]
Fonseca Says Belizeans Must Consider Nation's Sovereignty on Election Day
Is the People's United Party attempting to capitalize on what is being described as the foreign minister's blunder?� General elections are just a month away and whatever can be used [...]
Former P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate Defects
The U.D.P. sent out a release this morning which was followed by a response from the P.U.P. �The U.D.P. release announces that the former defeated mayoral candidate in Belmopan, Jose [...]
S.S.B. Employees Protest over Clothing Allowance
Today, employees of the Social Security Board from all branches countrywide protested for half an hour during their lunch break. The organization provides its employees with uniforms every eighteen months, [...]
CWU President Says S.S.B. Management Ignoring Rules
Matura-Shepherd says that the reason the employees waited to receive their uniforms is because it is only at that point that they could calculate how much they believe they are [...]
S.S.B./CWU Negotiate Employees' CBA
When we spoke to CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd in the wake of the S.S.B. protest this afternoon, she emphasized that the protest was not over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Still, [...]
S.S.B. Chairman Says Board is Cooperating Fully with CWU
Singh says any question of salary should not hold up the process since the framework places discussions on non-financials first. The CWU has condemned the S.S.B. for what they say [...]
OW Man Succumbs to Injuries Sustained in Vicious Beating
According to our records, since the start of the year, there have been five murders in the northern municipality of Orange Walk. On Friday night, that count went up by [...]
Skeletal Remains Found Near Springfield Community
There is another case of murder that the police will have to crack. Over the weekend, the remains of man were found stuffed in a sack in a community on [...]
Guinea Grass Man Chopped for Money
But back to Orange Walk where twenty-four year old Jose Antonio Zepeda Junior of Guinea Grass Village was chopped to the forehead last Friday. Zepeda Junior claims that after nine [...]
OW Police Try to Identify Robbers Through Surveillance Video
Just before ten on Friday night, two thieves, believed to be Belize City residents pounced on a Chinese Grocery Shop in Trial Farm, Orange Walk. While the robbers have not [...]
COLA Takes Aim at Elrington…AGAIN
Since delivering a lengthy address before the UN General Assembly on Friday, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has been raked over the coals for failing to properly address the Belize-Guatemala dispute.� [...]
COLA President Urges Pickstock Voters To Sack Elrington
COLA's endgame since going on the offensive a few weeks ago is the removal of Sedi Elrington as Belize's Foreign Minister, but that is a moot point because elections are [...]
CWU/POB Agree On CBA Framework
Port of Belize Limited and the Christian Workers Union have reached significant accord in the framework to negotiating the CBA governing stevedores. That's good news in a negotiating process which [...]
CWU President Says FCIB Operating in Bad Faith
Where the negotiation with First Caribbean International Bank is concerned the news is not as good. Matura-Shepherd told News Five that the bank continues to operate in bad faith, so [...]
Football, Basketball and Cycling Updates on Sports Monday
Good evening I am James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. Yesterday's PLB matchup between the Champions Verdes FC and Police United inside the Norman Broaster Stadium proved to [...]