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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: May 19, 2016 - 05/19/16 12:00 PM


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Specials and Events

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


The San Pedro Sun

Belize to be represented at 2016 Taipei International Tourism Expo
Two prominent Belizean professionals in the tourism industry, Karen Pike and Ian Anderson, will travel to Taiwan to represent and promote Belize in the upcoming "2016 Taipei International Tourism Expo" from May 20-23, 2016. Taipei International Tourism Expo is one of biggest tourism expos in Asia, and the biggest tourism expo in Taiwan. With close to a million attendees, the exposure Belize will get from this event is monumental. *Karen has been the Director of Marketing and Industry Relations at the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) since December of 2014. She manages and oversees the operations of five units - Travel Trade, Hospitality, Marketing Intelligence, Digital Marketing and Marketing & PR. The Belize Tourism Board is a strategic partner in marketing the Belize tourism product, developing tourism initiatives and programs, and implementing tourism policies, to address the changing needs of visitors and stakeholders, therefore her role is extremely important to the BTB. *Ian, his wife Ella and son Gabe landed on the shore of Belize in 1992, from their native home in Vancouver, Canada. Ian's desire was to fill his life with adventure, and for 24 years, Ian has been living that life of adventure in Belize. Initially starting as a small camping ground with no electricity, no communications and no running water, Caves Branch Jungle Lodge nowadays boasts 5 totally different designs of rooms from the basic jungle cabana up to their 5 star, 1200 sq ft Canopy Tree Houses, perched above the Jungle Canopy hundreds of feet above the caves branch river and overlooking the valley below.

Hundreds of lionfish caught during fishing tournament
A lionfish tournament took place on Monday, May 16th at Estel's Dine by the Sea to celebrate the 11th Annual Northern Reef Week. Hol Chan Marine Reserve encouraged all tour operators, tour guides, and divers from dive shops on La Isla Bonita to participate in catching as much of the beautiful, but invasive fish to help reduce its population in our waters. A total of five teams registered for the tournament: the Dive Bar, Lionfish Snipers, Belize Diving Adventures, Team Amigos Del Mar, and Hol Chan. After tallying points, The Dive Bar took the first place cash prize of $1,000 with 175 lionfish caught. They also won a 15-gallon gas voucher for winning the largest catch of the event, with a lionfish measuring a little over 15 inches. Coming in at second place was Team Amigos Del Mar, with a catch of 100 lionfish, winning $750 in cash. The third place cash prize of $400 went to the Lionfish Snipers who caught 31 lionfish. Everette Anderson from the Belize Diving Adventures won the remaining 15-gallon gas voucher for the smallest catch, with a lionfish measuring only a little over three inches. At the end of the event, the total count of lionfish removed from the reef amounted to 344.

Team Amigos are the champs of the 2016 Class A/B 8-ball Pool Tournament
The San Pedro Billiards Association held its Class A/B 8-Ball Pool Tournament finals on Sunday, May 16th at Average Joe's Sports Bar. Four of the 10 registered teams made it to the semi-finals and finals of the competition. Team Amigos, AJ's Snipers, Hitman Recruits, and Solids were the teams who gave their all in the last round of the competition. At the end, Team Amigos emerged as the tournament champions, claiming a cash prize of $700 plus a computer tablet for each member of the team. Immediately after the third place game, the crowd at the sports bar just about doubled, as it was time for the first place title match. AJ's Snipers took on Team Amigos, the competition leader from the start. Attendees cheered on and supported their favorite players. AJ's Snipers was leading the competition by three games when Team Amigos made a surprising comeback, tying the game 3-3. The final match was on, and the anticipation grew heavy around the pool table. Two balls remained on the table, one of them the 8-ball. Team Amigos went for the difficult and decisive shot. Armed with the cue on his left hand, the player did his magic and the 8-ball found the chosen pocket. To much applause, Team Amigos was crowned the champion of the San Pedro Class A/B 8-Ball Pool Tournament 2016. AJ's Snipers graciously accepted their second place title, along with a prize of $350 and a 24-hour golf cart rental for each player.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of May 8th - May 14th, 2016
A very exciting week as we had a great mix of seasoned anglers and out right first timers. The weather was pretty good, the food was excellent as usual, and the company was fantastic. Another week in paradise!

Garifuna Leaders Release Statement on Current Conditions of Garifuna Peoples
A group of Garifuna Leaders has released a statement detailing the current state of affairs within the Garifuna community. The release also mentions that the group's concern extends to indigenous Maya as well, and details both threats to indigenous culture and suggests a plan of action moving forward. "In finding our solutions Garifuna Leaders are embarking on action plans through education to: a) promote a deep awareness of the Garifuna as Indigenous Peoples with all the rights and obligations articulated in the several instruments of the UN, which include land and cultural rights. b) bring realization of the rights of Garifuna people to participate fully in the current efforts of SICA toward regional integration...

2016 Frenchie's Offshore Open Fishing Tournament May 18
Caye Caulker Invites you this Saturday and Sunday, May 21 & 22. Grand Prize $5,000.00. 2nd Place $2,500.00. Third Place $1,500.00. Many more cash consolation prizes and trophies. Come and enjoy beautiful Caye Caulker this weekend.

Splashers
Attention all splashers! Since there is no paint party today there is a specially for members! All members who head to the gallery to paint today, Thursday May 19th, will be able to paint any painting they missed for only $35!

Road to Cayo warehouse sale at Mahogany Bay Village
Our first ever Road to Cayo warehouse sale at Mahogany Bay Village in San Pedro happens this Saturday 21st from 9am-1pm! Up to 70% off retail prices on beautiful handcrafted wooden pieces made in Belize. We have queen & king-sized beds, dining tables & chairs, loveseats, night stands, storage armoires, entertainment credenzas, coffee tables, benches, outdoor furniture, and wooden cutting boards. We also have imported, brand new mini-refrigerators still in the boxes, and used ceiling fans with lighting. Arrive EARLY for the best selection! Come to Rum+Bean and follow the signs to the warehouse.

E Series � A musical journey begins
Belize connoisseurs of the musical arts and fans of the craft of the art form jazz will be glad to know that the near and immediate future offers some enticing and tantalizing possibilities. Last Friday night the Belize Music Agency's "E Series" debuted at Kiki Witz welllnes spa and restaurant on the George Price Highway just outside of Belmopan City. Word has leaked out that the Belize Music Development Foundation has revived and will be presenting the Belize Jazz & Culture Show for mid- July. And the second iteration of the Belize International Jazz Show is on track for August 12 - 21, 2016 at a venue near you. The "E Series - A musical journey" is the first of what will be a ground breaking, history making endeavor. The concept is simple - two new entertainers, two relatively unknown songstresses, will present their developing repertoire of covers and original renditions every Friday night, chanteuse-style, at the same venue over a period of months.

Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize 18 May 2016 Statement
The Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Senator the Hon Maxine McClean, and comprising Barbados, Canada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria and Tanzania, as well as Belize and United Kingdom as observers, met on Monday, 16 May 2016, to discuss the recent events taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize, Hon Wilfred Elrington briefed the Committee on recent developments, including discussions between the governments of the two countries. The Committee reiterated and endorsed the firm support of the Commonwealth for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Belize, as expressed consistently and most recently in the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Communiqu�. The Committee encouraged all concerned to work towards a peaceful and final resolution of the longstanding disagreements concerning the border between Belize and Guatemala.

Poets Corner: Belize-Guatemala takeover
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez. All you Alices in Wonderland Marcus Garvey tried to make you understand "A people without knowledge of their history culture and origin are like trees without roots!" Dealing with Belizeans is like pulling out tooth Did you not see what Guatemala did with their indigenous population? They slaughtered them like animals Belize has to take this issue international Our people need to be vocal If Guatemala takes over Blacks will be gentrified to the exterior Can't you see what happened to Labuga? They will slaughter the Maya See what happened in Gaza See the cunning Adjacency Zone takeover Belize will be cut up like Kashmir We need to be seeking alliance with Vladimir

Father and Son 5 Aside Football Tournament at Gwen Liz Compound
Saturday May 21. Musical Entertainment will be provided!

This is our third year hand-raising at-risk Yellow-Head chicks
This year, we have six babies in our care. Even though they have been removed from their parental care, they all now have a chance at a wild life. We plan to re-release them all into the Rio Bravo area and the post-release monitoring and feeding will be carried out by the excellent crew from Programme for Belize. The older three babies are just a few days off fledging and we anticipate their final release will take place just before the end of the year. Our gratitude as always to Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team, Programme for Belize, TIDE, Belize Audubon Society and Hagen Inc (Canada).

Revised National Classification System for Accommodation Stakeholder Consultations Schedule

Dangriga - Screen on the Green
Dangriga - Belize Screen on the Green will feature the movie, "Red Tails" on May 26, 2016 as part of the monthly movie series. Please join us at the Slaughter House in Dangriga for a free feature film. Movie starts at dark! About the movie: During World War II, the Civil Aeronautics Authority selects 13 black cadets to become part of an experimental program at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The program aims at training "colored personnel" to become fighter pilots for the Army. However, discrimination, lack of institutional support and the racist belief that these men lacked the intelligence and aptitude for the job dog their every step. Despite this, the Tuskegee Airmen, as they become known, more than prove their worth.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
London Has Fallen, Mune: The Guardian of the Moon, Gods of Egypt, Pel�: Birth of a Legend.

Channel 7

Officialdom Responds To Plett: The OAS has been Called in To Verify
For the past two nights you've been hearing every detail of Mennonite Farmer Roger Plett's story of abduction in Belize and detention in Guatemala. And while he unspooled his narrative in granular detail, officialdom said nothing: neither the police nor the ministries of National Security or Foreign Affairs would confirm or deny his account. Well, today, the Ministries ended their inexplicable silence with a Belmopan press conference held by the CEO's in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security. The first announcement was that the OAS has been called upon to verify the incident:.. H.E Lawrence Sylvester - CEO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The government of Belize yesterday 17th of May requested of the Office of the Organization of American States in the adjacency zone a formal verification into the incident reported by the Pletts which allegedly occurred in the Green Hill area of the Cayo District. We are aware the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of an ongoing police investigation into the matter."

Plett Says Police Haven't Been To Site, Cops Say Otherwise
So the police are saying in their report that they did go to the site, while Roger Plett said up to yesterday that he hadn't taken them. Now, it's a situation where there is distrust on all sides, but it starts with the police who don't seem to trust his account - even while, by all appearances, not doing their work as thoroughly as they suggest: Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News: "I spoke to the San Ignacio police and he told me that they had handed it off to Belmopan. They confirmed that they had not gone to the scene and would not be able to go to the scene because of the sensitivity of that area and that they could not move into that area along the border without the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I spoke to CEO Sylvester minutes after and CEO Sylvester is telling me what, we can't move until we get the report from the police. So the police is saying we can't go on the scene until we get we get Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is saying we can't move until the police report. So what I'm asking what is the police say; forget any queries or questions, what did the police say, what is the outcome of their report?"

Guats Say No Military Was In Area
And there is a lot of confirming to be done. First, the Government of Belize is trying to confirm who grabbed Roger Plett and tied him up. Plett is saying that they were Guatemalan military. And indeed, pictures posted by Guatemalan Luis Gongora on Facebook on Wednesday, the day before Plett was detained show persons dressed in what appear to be military uniforms involved in fighting the forest fire. But, Guatemalan officials told the government of Belize that no one was detained by their military - because no military was in the area:� H.E Lawrence Sylvester - CEO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "We are given every assurance that there's no Belizean detained and that the Guatemalan armed forces were not on any patrol near the areas or adjacent to the Mennonite property on that day."

CEO Sylvestre: Plett and Ayala "appear elusive"
And back now to how Belizean officials are handling the entire report. From what Roger Plett and his co-worker Manuel Ayala told the media, there has been a constant level of official skepticism. Today the press got into an extended back and forth with CEO's Sylvestre and Lovell about just what the police had done - including what they had allegedly done to try and censor the statement Roger Plett Gave police. CEO Sylvester said they appeared elusive when he requested a de-briefing: H.E Lawrence Sylvester - CEO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "To make things doubly sure I directed Ambassador Guerra who serves in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and assists on some of the counsellor and the matters, the cooperation with Guatemala to seek out and find the individuals in Spanish Lookout and arrange for a prompt debriefing. I found that the individuals were rather elusive in making themselves available for this debriefing and it wasn't until after close on normal business on Friday that some type of debriefing or statement that they made themselves available to give a statement at the San Ignacio police station."

Heroin Case Crumbles
Today two men who were allegedly busted with heroine walked out of court free and clear of charges. The supposed drug bust made headlines in December of last year. Police intercepted a vehicle at Bel China Bridge and inside they found 11 kilos of what they believed to be heroin. The case went to trail today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. But, before the trial could even really pick up steam, it was struck out. That's because police were unable to prove that the brown sandy-like substance was indeed heroine. Their attorney Herbert Panton told us more:,� Herbert Panton - Attorney for Richard McDonald: "At the time the undercover police officer tested, you know they have these portable testing kit; tested the substance and instead of the substance turning green which would have indicated heroine, it turned brown. So that from December of last year the police knew that what they had in their possession was 12 kilos of brown sands and they knew that from December of last year. They have dragged this matter on my client has lost tremendous business as a tour operator nobody in the industry wants to deal with him."

Refugees: The Real Situation Beyond The Flip Flop
Last night, we showed you how the Government of Belize flip flopped on Help for Progress. That's the NGO funded by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which has been assisting the Government's Refugee Eligibility Committee to process the major spike in the numbers of persons applying for refugee status in Belize, starting from January 2016. Last week, Government said that Help For Progress was assisting the Refugee Committee by conducting the initial interviews for these persons who were applying for asylum in Belize. But, after a meeting of Cabinet yesterday, the Government announced that Help For Progress had no mandate to take up this responsibility. Their press release ended, quote, "Any entity other than the�Refugee Eligibility Committee involved in processing applications for refugee status considerations, should cease and desist..." End Quote. So, why now? That's an especially relevant question since Help for Progress had assisted the Committee in interviewing over 700 applications, which reportedly included illegal immigrants, who should not qualify for Refugee Status, since they've been in the country for years.

How Did Fraudulent Passports Re-emerge?
But, we continue with more from the Minister with responsibility for Immigration on a topic, which we'd been trying to seek clarification on for almost 5 weeks. That's a report which we received in the second week of April that the Immigration and Nationality Department came upon 2 fraudulent Nationality documents for 2 Chinese Nationals, Nina Huang and William Wang. Our information was that they were acquired with suspect documents, and the officials weren't even sure if they ever actually entered the country. Well, we asked Beverly Castillo about it, and she said that their inquiry reveals that these were passport renewals, meaning that these applicants were processed and approved before the new, very stringent measures were put in place after the Citizen Kim passport scandal. She told us that they caught these suspect documents due to those new measures:

Carmelita Fatal Accident Allegedly Caused By Cop Veering On Road
A traffic accident in the north involving three vehicles has left one man dead - and it could be the fault of a policeman who was reportedly swerving across the road. It happened around 6 yesterday evening in Carmelita village. Richard Orellana, a well-known businessman of Orange Walk, died on the spot. He was driving a Ford Explorer, which was extensively damaged. The other vehicles involved were a blue Kia Sorrento, which was being driven at the time by Phillip Waight and a silver Kia Sorento, which was being driven by Police officer of Belmopan Roberto Tec. Here is the official version of the crash: Inspector Nicholas Palomo - Deputy OC, Orange Walk: "Initial investigation reveal that the blue ford explorer bearing license plate OW C05085 was travelling in a south to north direction heading to Orange Walk and the silver kia sorento bearing license plate BMP C04853 was travelling in a north to south direction heading to Belize City..."

Arrest For Ladyville Shootings, But No Murder Charge
Police have charged the 2 suspects in the weekend's Ladyville fatal shooting. They are 19 year old Darwin Estuardo Prado and 28 year old Egbert Baldwin - but they haven't been charged with murder. We'll explain that shortly, first, though, we'll tell you what they are charged with: 3 counts of attempted murder, 3 counts of use of deadly means of harm, 1 count of wounding, 1 count of grievous harm and 1 count of dangerous harm. Prado and Baldwin were charged with all these offenses for shooting at the men who were outside Cynthia Lozano's Marage road house. Today at the Magistrate's court no plea was taken because the offences are indictable. They were also denied bail because the crimes involve a firearm. Prado and Baldwin were remanded into custody until August 15th.

Teenaged Girl Grazed In City Shooting
A 19 year old girl was shot last night in the city. Around 8, Chiaoma (Chi-oma) Williams was talking to a man at the corner of Freetown and Barrack Road. She was getting more information about a house she wanted to rent in his yard. But that is when 2 men on a cycle drove passed them and opened fire. The men quickly sped off. Williams was hit in her buttocks and grazed on her hip and leg. Today we spoke to the sister of the man who was with Williams. She told us more about what happened last night. She also explained that neither her brother nor Williams were the targets. Eyewitness of Shooting: "I mi gone da shop gone buy me and my baby and I the come from shop but as I the come from shop I meet my lee brother but I just mi the run a lee joke with ah and thing, he and the young lady; because the young lady mi come check pan wa house da back she mi said she mi come check pan it because she hear da how the back da for rent. So anyways I couldn't talk to she or anything so I mi ask my brother do it because I mi the cook and thing and which in he and the young lady da friend so..."

Two Months For Fondling Girl
26 year-old Belize City resident Ashton Lambey is at the Belize Central Prison tonight after pleading guilty to sexually molesting a 10 year-old girl. He will spend 2 months in jail for it. It happened just a few days ago, on Sunday, May 15th, when the child told police that her 26 year-old sister, instructed her to go get a broom. When she did, she met Lambey who fondled her backside, and ordered her not to tell anyone, or else, he'd get into trouble with the law. She ignored him, and told her family, who took her to the police to report the incident. They investigated and charged Lambey with sexual assault. He was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith, and he chose not to waste the court's time. He pleaded guilty, and because he did, he was spared the maximum 3 year sentence. Instead the the Chief Magistrate sentenced him to just 2 months.

Why A Museum Visit Matters
Today is International Museum Day and here in the city at the Museum of Belize, over 700 preschool and primary school students learned about Belize's cultural landscapes. The main focus was to get the kids interested in Belize's historic sights and the rich story behind them. Director of the Museum Sherilyne Jones told us more about why a museum visit matters:� Tomorrow some kids will be taken on a tour around the city to see more of Belize's historic buildings and sites.

Special Needs, Special Abilities
Several special needs kids graced the stage at the Belmopan Civic Centre earlier today to participate in the 2016 exceptional confidence competition. The event was sponsored by the Ministry of Education and organized by the National Resource Centre for Inclusive Education, known as NARCIE. The 11 kids who participated live with various challenges, but today it's their abilities that got highlited on stage. As a show of camaraderie, all 11 kids were gifted with phones and school bags loaded with school supplies. In addition to that, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners received gift baskets, phones and tablets.

Football Phenom In Spain
Teenaged football phenom Dmitri Fabro is a fast rising star and is now in the roster for the Getafe Juvenil A (under 19) Team in Spain. Fabro got an early start to his football career with FC Belize at the tender age of 16. Since then he has gotten the opportunity to play with the Belmopan Bandits, and the Belize Defence Force, in addition to being the captain of various youth national teams including the U-15 who brought home the gold from the Dominican Republic back in 2012. Now at 18 Fabro is currently training with the Getafe Juvenil A. That's a team that ranks only below the B Team and the A Team of the Getafe Organization which currently plays in the Liga BBVA- one of the top leagues in the world. Now young Fabro is aiming even higher and is marketing himself through NCSA athletic recruiting. We understand that Fabro is now venturing to continue pursuing his passion for football while studying in the US.

Channel 5

G.O.B. Responds to Plett Allegation of Kidnapping
Six days after Guatemalan military and civilians allegedly came onto Belizean soil and abducted two men, along with a tractor and bulldozer, there is finally official comment from the Ministries [...]

Police Have Not Visited Scene of Alleged Border Incident
But there's a problem straightaway with that response, firstly from the Ministry of National Security. The investigation is the first line of action in whatever government's response will be. Just [...]

O.A.S. Verified Release of Belizeans
According to Colonel Lovell, they have been liaising with their counterparts and colleagues in Guatemala and at the O.A.S. since day one, verifying that no Belizean was still in Guatemalan [...]

MFA C.E.O. Says Plett and Ayala Were Elusive
So that's where we were at that point - verification from no less than the O.A.S. that the Belizeans detained had been released. And that's where the confusion comes in. [...]

Parallel Investigations Will Determine Way Forward
So with all the confusion and miscommunication arising out of what seems a very clear cut border incident, what happens next? Well�the Police investigation continues, of course, and then the [...]

FM Elrington Meets With Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize
There is support coming from the Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on the territorial integrity of Belize. After weeks of tension between Belize and Guatemala since the death of Julio Alvarado Ruano, [...]

Government Revisits Refugee Program
There was very significant news coming out of Cabinet on Tuesday, via a release sent to us via email three minutes before news time. It clarified that there is no [...]

OW Resident Killed in Road Traffic Accident
An Orange Walk resident was killed last night in a traffic accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The driver of the vehicle that crashed into Richard Orellana is police officer [...]

Police Investigate Human Remains Found in Blue Creek
On Tuesday evening, sometime after five p.m., Police were called out to a farm in the Blue Creek Village, Orange Walk District. There, they discovered the human remains of a [...]

Teenage Wounded in Belize City Shooting
Nineteen-year-old Chioma Williams is recovering from injuries she received during a shooting incident in Belize City on Tuesday night.� Williams reported to police that shortly after eight o'clock, she was [...]

2 Men Walk Free from Major Heroin Charge
Two men were accused last December with the possession of twelve kilos of heroin, but even though tests from the National Forensic Laboratory showed that the substance was not the [...]

Ladyville Men Charged for Shooting Spree
While a duo has been freed,�two teenagers who surrendered to police on Tuesday are on remand at the Belize Central Prison for a shooting spree on Marage Road, Ladyville which [...]

Belize City Man Remanded for Sexual Assault
A twenty-six year old man who behaved inappropriately by touching a ten young girl on her rear was taken to court today. The incident took place on Sunday and Ashton [...]

Southern Communities Affected By Sarstoon Ban
The remote Garifuna community of Barranco, in the context of what is taking place at the Sarstoon, is widely seen as a mere transit point for local law enforcement officers [...]

Resolution Drafted on Concerns of Indigenous Communities
Earlier today, a group of Garifuna elders, including Doctor Joseph Palacio, issued a statement on the current conditions of Garinagu in Belize.� The Garinagu, like other ethnic groups in the [...]

B.P.P. Upset at Comments of US Ambassador
The Belize Progressive Party has taken umbrage with recent comments made U.S. Ambassador Carlos Moreno on the Belize/Guatemala issue.� Ambassador Moreno has expressed support in taking the territorial claim to [...]

MLA Speaks Up on Commission Decision
The Toledo Alcaldes Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance remain at loggerheads with the government-appointed Toledo Maya Land Rights Commission, following an incident on Monday in Punta Gorda Town.� As [...]

Cristina Coc Says Commission Release is Disingenuous
According to Coc, it is not the first time the Toledo Alcaldes Association had sought an audience with Alamilla.� She says that several attempts have been made verbally, as well [...]

Posted By: Marty Re: Today's Belize News: May 19, 2016 - 05/19/16 12:00 PM

CTV3

Six Days After Plett's Alledge Kidnapping By Guatemalans GOB Speaks On Issue
The allegation of two Belizean Mennonites who claim they were captured and held hostage by Guatemalan military for hours has been widely covered by local media since its occurrence on Thursday May 12th. Although both men have given their account of the occurrence and the People's United Party has called for a proper investigation into the allegation, the Government of Belize had not made any official statement on the matter. But that changed today�..six days after the incident alleged transpired�.when CEOs in the Ministries of National Security and Foreign Affairs George Lovell and Lawrence Sylvester, held a joint press briefing the media on the incident in Belmopan. After the conclusion of the press conference, there was still a lot of confusion about what exactly happened, especially on the police side of things but what could be concluded was that at least one of the CEOs did not believe the Mennonite's report. CEO Lovell shared some of the actions that were taken immediately after getting word of the alleged detention.

Corozal Students Learn On How To Make Financial Decisions
There is no doubt that the rapidly changing economic climate, coupled with the increasing complexity of financial decisions, makes personal money management more challenging than ever before. Fortunately in Corozal the St Francis Xavier Credit Union in conjunction with the Corozal ITVET are carrying out a literacy campaign known as the Mad City Money project which targets students. The projects sees students participating in a 2 hour simulation exercise. The have a job, a salary, experience what it's like paying bills, buying a house, and even a vehicle. At the end the aim is for each participant to understand how to budget their money wisely. Elvis Canul Head Office Manager: "This is like a minimum two hours course, we come (1) to bring education in a fun way this brings a real life example to the students, to the youths and we give them some situations for example..."

Corozal Celebrates Museum Day With Collection Of Post Cards
The Corozal House of Culture also held an open day in honour of International Museum Day. The activity featured educational videos and the original post card collection of James Lindsey which is more than 90 years old. Debra Wilks coordinator for the Corozal House of Culture: "We are having an open house, we have activities inside the House of Culture so we always have a film running and today's film is on hurricane and it is part of the NICHE's Belize Culture Series educational DVD's as well we have parts of the James Lindsey, the British Honduras collection, we have just under 100 post cards dating as far as 1904 and they are throughout the whole country from Toledo, to Cayo to Corozal and the majority of them are from Belize City but they are original post cards on display today and I think will keep it up until tomorrow and perhaps Friday as well."

FORPEL Calls Emergency Meeting To Discuss Adjacency Zone
Diplomatic discussions between Belize and Guatemala for a Sarstoon agreement is scheduled to commence this Saturday, May 21st in Istanbul, Turkey. But even before that meeting takes place Presidents of Legislative Bodies of Central Americans Countries will be meeting to discuss tensions between Belize and Guatemala specifically in the Adjacency Zone which seem to escalate daily. FORPEL, the Forum of Presidents of Legislative Bodies of Central America and the Caribbean basin, has called an emergency meeting in Managua Nicaragua on Thursday May 19th to come up with a diplomatic solution to the border dispute between Belize and Guatemala in order to avoid an armed conflict. So far Presidents of Congress for El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala represented by Mario Taracena and Belize Represented by Speaker of the House of Representatives Michael Peyrefitte have confirmed that they will be attending the meeting.

Commonwealth Ministerial Committee Declares Support For Belize's Sovereignty
And while members of FORPEL are scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss the recent events taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala, the Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize, met on Monday, 16 May 2016, to discuss the same issue. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Senator Maxine McClean, and joining him were Barbados, Canada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria and Tanzania, as well as Belize and United Kingdom as observers, The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize, Hon Wilfred Elrington briefed the Committee on recent developments, including discussions between the governments of the two countries and the Committee reiterated and endorsed the firm support of the Commonwealth for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Belize.

LOVE FM

GOB Responds to the Green Hills Incidents
Late last week Mennonite farmer, Roger Plett was working in the Green Hills area west of Spanish Lookout when he was reportedly taken into Guatemala and tied up by uniformed persons. Plett took his story to the media on Monday after he felt he was not getting the necessary attention from officials. There had been [�]

Guatemala Asks Belizean Army to be 'Less Aggressive'
In an online article published today, the headlines read, "Guatemala Asks Belizean army to be less aggressive'. It is a headline that would immediately draw one's attention considering that the aggression has been coming from the Guatemalan Armed Forces; a situation that has led Belizeans complaining about the passive and submissive reactions from Belize. The [�]

Commonwealth Reiterates Support for Belize
Senator Maxine McClean of Barbados recently chaired the Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize, comprising of representatives from Barbados, Canada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria and Tanzania, as well as Belize and United Kingdom . Observers met on Monday, 16 May 2016, to discuss the recent events taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and [�]

The Way Forward with PUP and GOB on Belize/Guatemala
The move to treat the Belize/Guatemala issue as a non-partisan matter, the People's United Party under John Briceno had reached out to the Government of Belize to work together in coming up with a solution to the territorial issue. At that time, Assad Shoman was appointed as the PUP representative on the Foreign Affairs team. [�]

PUP Says Expedition Is Not Political Mischief
Yesterday we told you that the People's United Party is getting ready to go to the Sarstoon on Friday; turns out, we were mistaken as that expedition is being planned for Saturday, May 21. As Senator Eamon Courtenay told Love News, it is being done towards internationalization of the issue and the aggression of Guatemala. [�]

Will Other Agencies Join the PUP Expedition
When the PUP held a press conference some weeks ago, they did indicate that they would be inviting the civil society, unions and other agencies to join them. To date, it is unclear if any of the organizations has decided to join the PUP on their Sarstoon expedition although we can tell you that up [�]

Road Incident Near Carmelita Turns Fatal
Last night a fatal road traffic incident in the village of Carmelita claimed the life of Richard Orellano while another person has been hospitalized and a police officer attached to Belmopan, Roberto Teck is in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Love News spoke to Deputy Commander for Orange Walk, Inspector Nicholas [�]

Shooting in City Streets Leaves Chiaoma Injured
Last night a teenager was victim to a shooting that occurred sometime after eight o'clock at the corner of Freetown and Barrack Roads in Belize City. When police arrived at the scene they saw 19-year-old Chiaoma Williams of a Belize City address suffering from a gunshot wound to her right buttocks and an apparent gunshot [�]

Immigration Department Speaks on Refugee Issue
One of the stories in the news for the last few weeks is that of the increase in individuals who have been going through the NGO, Help for Progress, seeking refugee status in Belize. In yesterday's cabinet meeting, Government said there is no formal, nor legal agreement with Help for Progress. Today we spoke with [�]

Community Rehab Speaks on Runaway Teens
Over the weekend a group of eleven girls ran away from the Youth Hostel located at mile twenty one on the George Price Highway. There were speculations that they were making their way to the western border. During this week the hostel authorities collaborating with the Police were able to locate nine of them and [�]

PlusTV

More on Mennonite Farmer being abducted
Yesterday we brought you the story of the Mennonite Farmer and his workers who say they were kidnapped by Guatemalan soldiers, taken across the border, and detained for hours before being released and allowed to return to Belize. We also told you that police apparently have some issues with the far...

Surveyor explains Belize's boundaries
Belizeans were treated to a very special Rise and Shine Morning show this Tuesday morning as retired surveyor Lindsay Belisle made an appearance to explain to Belizeans the history of the Belize Border with Guatemala. He also brought copies of rarely seen photographs, maps and documents that substan...

Men re-arrested on murder charge after new evidence found
Last week, 19 year old Tarique Gilett and Lyson Cacho were released from murder and attempted murder charges on a nolle prosequi. But they were back in court today and are behind bars tonight, after new evidence led to their re-arrest and charges for the same incident. Gillett and Cacho appeared thi...

Man shot in the back by son-in-law
A man was accidentally shot in the back by his son- in -law. On Tuesday afternoon, sometime after 2 o'clock, Doni Polanco and Emilio Arevalo were returning from a fishing trip in the area of Frank's Eddy village when Polanco's licensed 16 gauge shotgun accidentally went off after being t...

Two Dangriga residents arrested for prohibited firearm
On Monday night, members of the Special Branch Tactical Response Squad conducted a search at the residence of Anna Garcia located in Monument Site, Dangriga. Present at the time of the search were Anna Garcia and Angel Hernandez. A search in the living room area led to the discovery of a black bulle...

MAR Leadership program seeks new applicants
Belize shares the Meso-American Barrier Reef System with neighbors Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, but the majority of it, as the Belize Barrier Reef, lies within the Jewel's borders. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a source of many natural wonders and hundreds of thousands of jobs and dollars in ...

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Marage Road shooters charged
Tonight two teenagers are on remand at the Belize Central Prison after they were arraigned for the Saturday, May 15, 2016 shooting spree on Marage Road, Ladyville area that left one man dead and three of four others who were socializing with injuries as [�]

Traffic collision leaves one man dead and another in critical condition
An early evening traffic accident on Tuesday in the Orange Walk District claimed the life of Richard Orellana of Orange Walk Town. Eyewitnesses told police that between miles 41 and 42 on the Philip Goldson Highway, shortly before six in the evening a silver KIA [�]

Orange Walk police investigate the identify of human remains
Orange Walk police are trying to identify human remains of a male adult that was discovered on Tuesday May 17th. Officers received a call around five that evening from the owner of a farm at Cuatro Leguas in the Blue Creek Area south of the [�]

2 months for inappropriate touching
He "patted" a 10 year old child on her buttocks and told her not to say anything to anyone so he did not get into trouble with the law. But 26 year old Ashton Lambey will spend 60 days in jail after the child [�]

Belize City men see drugs charges dismissed
On New Year's Eve, 2015, police escorted two men to the Belize City Magistrate's Court where they were jointly charged with supplying a controlled drug, to wit, methamphetamine or heroin to Ervin Teck contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act; and possession of 24 [�]

Atlantic Bank San Ignacio Branch to host Pre-Owned Auto Show
Atlantic Bank San Ignacio Branch is hosting their very first Pre-Owned Auto Show on May 28th from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Macal River Park in San Ignacio Town. Join them and take advantage of their promotional interest rates, 40% off legal [�]

Warm weather to continue
The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting mostly sunny skies and warm weather during the daytime, then cloudy skies tonight. Showers, if any, will be isolated. Winds will be blowing from the East-Southeast at 10-20 knots with occasional higher gusts and the sea [�]

Woman shot in drive-by
A 19-year-old female resident of Belize City was injured last night when a man on a motorcycle opened fire in her direction as she walked at the intersection of Freetown and Barrack Roads. It was around 8:10 p.m. that police responded to reports of [�]

Central American countries to meet to find solution to Belize/Guatemala tensions
At a point of heightened tension between Belize and Guatemala, six countries (both Belize and Guatemala included), meet later this week to discuss the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute in an effort to find a diplomatic solution to the existing tensions. Parliamentarians of El Salvador, Honduras, [�]

Blogs

Rice a la Beer (Arroz a la Cerveza)
Fry rice until it changes color, then add the green part of the onions, minced, and continue to fry. Add chopped bacon and continue to fry a while. Pour in beer and orange juice and let cook. Enjoy!

Goff’s Caye: A Stunning Island off The Coast of Belize City
In Belize, all of the offshore islands are referred to as cayes (pronounced "keys") and Goff's Caye is definitely one of the more popular thanks to its close location to Belize City, gorgeous sandy beaches, and healthy marine system replete with a coral reef and a foraging area for sea turtles. The only way to get to Goff's Caye is by boat. There are no regular water taxi services to and from the island but many domestic charter and tour companies offer transportation to and from Goff's Caye. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes between Belize City and Goff's Caye. There is little of interest on the island itself aside from beautiful sandy beaches ideal for swimming or sun tanning. The most popular draw for this small island is the amazing snorkeling and diving opportunities available directly offshore. Snorkeling and diving gear is available from outfitters on Goff's Caye but you can save a little money if you bring your own equipment with you.

The 5 Best Beaches in Belize - Find your Perfect Slice of Caribbean Paradise
There are plenty of contenders to be one of the best beaches in Belize along the 240 miles of coastline which gives this small Central American country its laid back lifestyle. Exactly what qualities combine to create the best beaches in Belize is a pretty personal affair, so we've done our best to show just a little of the incredible variety that the beaches in Belize have to offer. Don't just take our word for it though, go there and explore the Caribbean coastline so you can discover your own best beaches in Belize! Here they are, just for you, our collection of the 5 Best Beaches in Belize: Hopkins, Placencia, Turneffe Atoll, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker.

Belize Revisited: Caves and Rivers in the Interior
It was three years ago this month of May when we visited Belize. Our travels there have been on my mind a lot lately, as we're asked about our more adventurous experiences. So we're sharing oldish posts-about our swim/trek into a cave to see one of the most remarkable ceremonial sites in the world, and another about a speedy boat trip down river to see remote Mayan temples. But the problem: back then our photos weren't quite so well organized, they were imported into our blog at a smaller size, and we weren't as good at sharing our new posts. Belize really does merit repeating. Highlights and recommendations? -We're the only people I know who skipped Belize's islands, reportedly great for snorkeling and scuba, to stay in the middle of the country. No regrets. -Do what you can to visit the ATM caves. It remains one of the most extraordinary adventures we've had. To date, visits are self-regulated by the local guides. This is a rare opportunity. -The guided river day trip to Lamanai was another surprise. We were just going with the flow, and ended up seeing unique Mayan temples, and wildlife.

International Sourcesizz

Carencias en la zona de Adyacencia
Executive Director of BALAM, the Guatemalan counterpart to Belize's FCD, has published an article in Prensa Libre entitled 'Carencias en la Zona de Adyacencia' or 'Shortcomings in the Adjacency Zone'. The article outlines the work being undertaken in the area by BALAM, and also attempts to give some explanation on the causes of problems in that area, for which the author seems to claim that a neglectful Guatemalan government is responsible. "Spurious diplomacy, false patriotism and political opportunists disguised as heroes should have no place in these communities who struggle daily against poverty, and expect the social and productive assistance of the Government of Guatemala, which has never reached that territory." The article concludes with an appeal to the Guatemalan government to combat poverty, injustice, hunger, environmental degradation, and neglect.

Arzobispo cree que diferendo con Belice se usa para desviar la atenci�n
In his Sunday Mass, Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian Morales, archbishop of Guatemala City, stated that the Belize-Guatemala issue was being used by the Guatemalan government to distract from that nations real problems. The Archbishop also addressed issues of corruption in the Guatemalan government and court system, including death threats sent to judges in high-profile cases. The Archbishop stated that the Guatemala-Belize issue was only a smokescreen and that any dispute should have been solved 40 years ago.

This Perfect Island Is Shutting Down Before Tourists Ruin It Forever
Belize is known for it's beautiful beaches, the second largest great barrier reef in the world, and countless other natural wonders. What steps do you think Belize should be taking to protect the environment from the negative effects of too much tourism?
If you were planning on visiting Koh Tachai anytime soon... well, don't plan on it anymore. The small Thai island is closing down indefinitely so that its beaches and reefs - home to some of the best diving in the world - can recover from the effects of too much tourism, The Bangkok Post reports. Officials are hoping to save the island from becoming a victim of its own popularity: Beaches meant to hold 70 people at a time have regularly been hosting more than 1,000, Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a dean at Bangkok's Kasetsart University, told the Post. "This caused the island to quickly deteriorate," he said. "If it's not closed now, we'll lose Koh Tachai permanently." Environmental impact from tourism is a common concern in this part of the world: In Thailand's Phi Phi islands, which were featured in the 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio film "The Beach," tourism quickly boomed to 10 tons of trash produced daily and coral reefs sustained damage from boats and snorkelers - a "critical" situation that prompted the island to reach out to the Thai government last year for help.

Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize-Guatemala border disagreement
The Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on Belize, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Senator the Hon Maxine McClean, and comprising Barbados, Canada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria and Tanzania, as well as Belize and United Kingdom as observers, met on Monday, 16 May 2016, to discuss the recent events taking place in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize, Hon Wilfred Elrington briefed the Committee on recent developments, including discussions between the governments of the two countries. The Committee reiterated and endorsed the firm support of the Commonwealth for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Belize, as expressed consistently and most recently in the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Communiqu�. The Committee encouraged all concerned to work towards a peaceful and final resolution of the longstanding disagreements concerning the border between Belize and Guatemala.

Belize Steps Up Fight Against Money Laundering
Belize's Financial Intelligence Unit and Belize Police have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the territory's safeguards against financial crime. The Financial Intelligence Unit is the authority in Belize tasked with the enforcement and implementation of all anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations and the prevention of domestic tax evasion. According to the Financial Intelligence Unit, the memorandum will "strengthen the cooperation that currently exists and facilitate the analysis and investigation of suspected money laundering, associated offenses, and the financing of terrorism." Implementation of the memorandum is intended to increase the potential sources of information available to both the Financial Intelligence Unit and the Police in their fight against crime. It also provides a framework for joint operations between the authorities.

Owner of Caribbean-based brokerage firm admits to $1/4 billion money laundering scheme
The secret owner of an offshore broker-dealer and investment management company based in Panama and Belize has admitted to running a scheme that saw him laundering more than US$250,000 in profits through at least five offshore law firms. Gregg Mulholland, 46, owner of Legacy Global Markets S.A., on Monday pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for fraudulently manipulating the stocks of more than 40 US publicly-traded companies and then laundering the money. He now faces up to 20 years in prison. The dual American and Canadian citizen "used offshore shell companies in Belize and the West Indies to carry out numerous schemes", according to court documents. Mulholland made a plea deal with the government, and has agreed to forfeit, among other things, a Dassault-Breguet Falcon 50 aircraft, a Range Rover Defender vehicle, two real estate properties in British Columbia, and funds and securities on deposit at more than a dozen bank and brokerage accounts.

Father of six who moved to the UK from Belize when he was six months old is banned from working and faces DEPORTATION - because the Home Office 'cannot find his records'
A father-of-six who first moved to the UK when he was six months old has been told he could face deportation because the Home Office cannot find any evidence of his arrival into the country. Darren Harrety, 34, from Nelson in Lancashire, has bought a house, got married and even voted in the UK but is now banned from employment and could be deported. He said: 'In my eyes I have been living in England all my life and I am British. It is terrifying to think people could just come through the door and tell me I have to leave the country. 'We are scared and don't know what to do. It feels like no one will help me.' Mr Harrety was born in Belize in March 1982, six months after Belize [a former British colony] had become an independent country. As a six-month-old baby he moved to Britain with his mother, Angelica, and siblings on her Belize passport [which had replaced her British one post-independence]. It was stamped with indefinite leave to stay in the UK. They came to the UK with the help of the SSAFA military charity after her husband, former British soldier Roy Kyte-Powell, was shot dead in Belize.

Videos

  • Maritime Expert Discusses Belize-Guatemala Dispute, 4min. In Australia, Professor Warwick Gullett works along with the University of Wollongong's research center in ocean law and policy. While Gullet believes that the #ICJ would rule in Belize's favor on land, his expertise in maritime law compels him to believe that the country may lose territorial waters because of the concave area shared with Guatemala and Honduras. It's an old interview. He was not here to engage the political directorate but as a guest of an NGO on another issue.

  • 2016 Belize Service Immersion Experience, 12min. During April vacation, 12 BC High juniors and two members of the faculty/staff traveled to Belize City to participate in Hand in Hand Ministries' Building for Change Program. Here is a recap of the experience!

  • Belize eel clip, 1/2min. Moray eel in Belize.

  • Marketing Expo 2016 Belize City, 14min. University of Belize

  • GVSU Pre-PA trip: Belize 2016, 8.5min.

  • COROZAL WATCH TOWER REHABILITATED AFTER 16 YEARS, 4min. If you are a frequent visitor of the Corozal Bay especially the area located near the House of Culture, then we are sure that you have noticed the watch tower located in the vicinity. And yes you are right, it is non-functional or we should say was non-functional. We say was because the watch tower is now back on the job full time doing what it was intended to do���telling time.

  • THE PHILIP GOLDSON HIGHWAY TURNS DEADLY AS IT CLAIMS THE LIFE OF WELL KNOWN ORANGE WALKENO., 7min. the Philip Goldson Highway again proved to be deadly as it claimed the life of well-known Orange Walkeno Richard Orellana. The tragic incident played out about six in the evening between miles forty and forty one of the Highway on the outskirts of Carmelita Village, Orange Walk.

  • ORANGE WALK TOWN COUNCIL Q&A ON BELIZE/GUATEMALA DISPUTE, 9min. the Orange Walk Town Council held an informative forum for its employees on the Belize Guatemala Territorial Dispute and taking the dispute to the International Court of Justice for final resolution. The forum was also open to the public and got rather heated when it came to the question and answer session.

  • BSI ASR WEEKLY CROP REVIEW 2016 - WEEK 23, 2.5min.

  • OCEANA DEPICTS THE BEAUTY OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA THROUGH ITS MURALS, 4.5min. Oceans are the lifeblood of planet Earth and humankind. They flow over nearly three-quarters of our planet, and hold 97% of the planet's water. They produce more than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere, and absorb the most carbon from it. No matter how far from the shore that you live, oceans still affect your life and the lives of your families. The air that you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the products that keep you warm, safe, informed, and entertained - all can come from or be transported by the ocean. But despite its importance, the Ocean can fall victim to serious environmental consequences when disturbed by human activity for example oil exploration, which contributes significantly to noise pollution and contamination of our environment. In an effort to bring awareness of such dangerous activities OCEANA and the Belize Coalition have joined forces to show Belizeans the beauty that Belize has beneath the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Both organizations have embarked on a journey that will display through mural paintings, the beauty that lies within the Jewel's Barrier Reef and what could be lost if we do not protect our eco system.

  • ELROY JOHNSON, 4.5min.

  • Rise and shine Guest Lindsay Belisle International Surveyor on belize Borders,100 min.

  • Sandize in the Belize - San Pedro & Caye Caulker, 5.5min. Wanted to share our wonderful trip in the Belize, to San Pedro Ambergris Caye island and Caye Caulker.

  • Scuba Diving Belize.2016, 5min.

  • Karina and Ashley go to Belize!, 10min.

  • Minister of Education Patrick Faber on Belize Borders, 1min. Saying that every Belizean should familiarize themselves with the 1859 treaty between the United Kingdom and Guatemala which establishes Belize's borders. That is why his Ministry is undertaking to mass produce the 1859 Treaty for public distribution.
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