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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: March 6, 2019 - 03/06/19 12:51 PM


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The San Pedro Sun

Carnaval 2019
"Mejorando la Tradicion" - San Pedro's 4-day Carnaval celebration is underway!

Child Stimulation Month begins in San Pedro!
As is customary, Child Stimulation Month opened with a festive parade through the main streets of San Pedro Town on Friday, March 1st. Under the theme: "Hug me, Listen to me, Read with me, Help me Grow!" the island's preschoolers, along with their teachers and parent(s)/guardian(s), commemorated the significance of early childhood education. Participating Preschools included: San Pedro Preschool, ABC Preschool, Isla Bonita Preschool, San Pedro Shining Stars Preschool, Brighter Tomorrow Preschool, Holy Cross Preschool and Little Angel's Preschool.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Carnaval 2019
The painting, the dancing, the fun of it all. San Pedro's Most Unique Cultural Festival

Rhea Gomez Celebrates Quincea�os
Sergio and Zennia Gomez formally presented 15-year-old Rhea Gomez to society as a young lady in the community at her Quincea�era birthday party that was celebrated on Saturday, March 2, 2019. After her special mass at the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church, family and friends celebrated at a reception held at El Patio Restaurant. It was a magical evening under a musical theme as per Rhea's love of music. Happy Birthday Rhea Gomez.

The Barbies Make It To Carnaval Day Two!
Carnaval Day Two saw two comparsas the ever popular Barbies (Men's Group) and Dona Floras Group. Dona Flora's Group took us back in time as they danced as Flinstones. Great music and much fun was provided by these dancing ladies. The Barbie's (Mens Group) entertained in their dresses and colorful wigs and danced along the tune of "Baby Shark". These two comparsa groups danced through the main streets of San Pedro and are getting ready to put up their last show this evening. If you have missed out on the fun be sure to catch it tonight as it is the last day of Carnaval. Here are a few pics and videos of Carnaval 2019 Day Two!

ACES To Host "A Taste Of Belize" Charity Gala & Auction
Ambergris Caye Elementary School proudly presents their "A Taste of Belize" Charity Gala & Auction! - At this, our fourth Charity Gala & Auction, we hope to raise both awareness and much-needed operating and scholarship funds for ACES. Because it is a nonprofit organization, all donations to the school are tax deductible, and all proceeds will directly benefit ACES and its students. Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES) is a non-denominational community-based private school on Ambergris Caye. Since its establishment in 2009, ACES has enthusiastically embraced the amazing cultural and ethnic diversity that makes up our wonderful island and promotes awareness and respect among our students.

Cherish And Protect The Land We Call Home
Everything in this world we use comes from the ocean in some way. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat like those delicious fish fillets, lobster, conch, and shrimp dishes. Even the products we use day to day would not be possible without the ocean. That's why the issue of ocean pollution is so important and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. We depend on the ocean for so much in our lives, without it we would surely become extinct. People seem to think that since the ocean is so large and vast, we can dump as much waste as we would like into it, and it will never have an effect on us. However, since we have been polluting the ocean as far back as Roman times, the evidence of ocean pollution becoming a major problem is all too clear.

Canine Distemper Is A Threat To Your Puppy And Dog
The Veterinary Association of Belize advises the general public that veterinary clinics in Belize, particularly in Belize City, are reporting an increase in outbreaks of Canine Distemper. This disease of puppies and dogs is often fatal and those that survive have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage. All dogs are at risk but puppies younger than four months old and dogs that have not been vaccinated against the disease are at increased risk of acquiring the disease. Puppies and dogs often become infected through airborne exposure.

Misc Belizean Sources

mzz

RUN FOR A CAUSE! Half Marathon/10K Run
Organizers of the 1st ever Ambergris Caye Half Marathon & 10K Fun Run/Walk scheduled for April 6th, 2019 are now accepting runner registrations. This sporting event seeks to garner support from international and local runners, in an effort to raise money for educational scholarship opportunities for the islands' underprivileged youths and to provide medical and emergency relief to needy families. The Half Marathon will kick off at 5:15am followed by the 10k walk/run at 6am from the entrance of Banyan Bay Suites on Seagrape Drive, on the abovementioned date.

Corozal Cleaup last weekend
The newly formed Hall's Lay Out Neighborhood Watch Committee came out in full force this weekend on a site evaluation and clean up campaign in the Hall's Lay Out area. The group consisted of members of the Police Department, CCC & UB students, Youth Cadet Corp, Teachers residents of the Hall's Lay Out area and members of the Corozal Town Council. We pledge to continue working and supporting these initiatives for the benefit and safety of our people.

Cayo Live Well Festival!
Secure your booth spaces and be part of the Cayo Live Well Festival! Contact the BTIA Chapter at [email protected]!

Crocodile Research Coalition visits San Jose Succotz and Benque Viejo
The CRC has amazing day with preschools in San Jose Succotz and Benque Viejo villages. The preschoolers learned about crocodiles and what they can do to protect and conserve them. A super fun way to kick off the week.

Kurt Burgess reaches 1000 Career Rebounds
Congrats to San Pedro Tiger Sharks player Kurt Burgess on this milestone in the most Elite Basketball league in this country.

Reading: Popol Vuh
Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 6 PM - 9 PM, Wildfire Artzmosphere 1 Waight St. Embarcadero Plaza, San Ignacio San Ignacio. Hosted by Wildfire Artzmosphere. Want to know more? Join our Community Reading of this ancient, wondrous, cosmology of all things Maya. If you are interested in actually reading a section, please message us.

Reef Week Fair 2019
It's that time of year again! Our Reef Fair is happening on Friday, March 15th at the Central Park in Orange Walk Town from 9AM-3PM. Come out for a day filled with games, food, art, music, and reef-minded educational booths! See you there!

Ya'axch� hiring Communications Consultant
We are securing the services of a Belizean Communications Consultant to implement Ya'axch�'s EU/ICCO Forest Governance Communications and Visibility Plan. The consultancy is for a period of 46 working days over a period of 20 months for the project "Nuestra Tierra-Nuestros Bosques: Gobernanza Forestal de Pueblos Ind�genas y Comunidades Forestales en REDD+ y FLEGT." Deadline to submit application is Friday, 15th of March 2019. Kindly follow the link below for more details on this consultancy.

Child Stimulation Month
Playing and communicating with your child is important from birth; contributing to their optimal survival, healthy growth and development! In commemoration of Child Stimulation Month, we will be highlighting recommended activities for all ages of children.

Best Carnaval Inspired Booth
Congratulations to Nayobie's Hope For Children Project on winning the Best Carnaval Inspired Booth at the Carnaval Fiesta!

CARNAVAL PARADE 2019
The first ever Carnaval Parade was a great success, even though we had little participation. Leading the parade was Mr. Panny Arceo with El Torito followed by the vibrant Titans Mas Band. The parade also consisted of former Miss San Pedro titleholders, as well as former Reina del Carnaval titleholders along with Mrs. Flora's group. The cartoon mascots was the crowd's favorite as they danced with the people on the sides. And ending the parade was, Nayobie's Hope for Children who were full of energy. Thank you all for participating and we hope next year we can have more participants to make it a more bigger and more exciting parade!

BELTRAIDE meets with representatives from The State of Qatar to discuss new avenues for investment in Belize
Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), represented by our Executive Director, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, met with Ms. Margaret Juan, Charg� d'affaires at the Embassy of Belize in El Salvador, Ms. Jenny G Iglesias Zablah and Sr. Tariq Othman Fakhroo, officials from The State of Qatar today to discuss the exploration of new investment avenues in Belize. This meeting sought to identify key areas of business interest in Belize that would generate the most investment and also discussed the plan to have two investment missions between Belize and Qatar to propel this initiative.

New palapa's are being built at Rainbow Beach in Corozal

Corozal Municipal Spring Bazaar
A new and fresh initiative to promote and support our local artisans, local vendors and our business community at large. This event will take place at the Corozal Central Park, join us and support our business community.

Validation Workshop of the Draft Economic Development Plan for Corozal
Important Notice: Stakeholders are invited to attend a Validation Workshop of the Draft Economic Development Plan for Corozal to be held on Friday, March 8th at the ITVET Conference Room, Santa Rita Heights from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please confirm your attendance with Carmen Sosa at [email protected]

Kumbh Mela 2019
Thanks Government of India for inviting Belize to the Kumbh Mela 2019 Thanks so much for granting me the opportunity to represent Belize at the Kumbh Mela in New Delhi, India. The experience I gained is filled with priceless memories which have inspired me to appreciate the great cultural heritage of faith and spirituality displayed wholeheartedly by devotees of different countries and people of different ethnic backgrounds at the Kumbh Mela. Congrats to our Corozal delegation. You have made us proud.

Vegetable Grafting workshops
Our Fulbright Scholar Bruce Hicks held the first ever Vegetable Grafting workshops at the University of Belize, Central Farm #UBCF Campus. Vegetable grafting creates stronger crops that in return reduces pesticide use, increase yields, extends the crop season and ultimately increases farmer profits. The two workshops saw the participation of farmers, educators, staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and students from the University of Belize. The Fulbright Program

"Honduras Chronology"
If you have the time or willpower to read the 1829 Almanac of British Honduras from cover to cover you will find a section called "Honduras Chronology". It is basically a section that gives a chronological list of historical events that happen in or were connected to British Honduras; however, many of the statements lack enough details for the reader to develop the real story associated from what was stated. The author may have assumed that the reader would have known what he was writing about and did not realize someone would be reading his book 160 years later. Case in point, a historical event which happened on March 24th, 1824, the Almanac stated: "The notorious Colonel Low, one of the equally notorious Sir Gregor Mcgregor's Marquis's arrives in Belize". This short statement does not give the reader any idea of the magnitude and suffering that was associated with the name Gregor Mcgregor and what was his connection to British Honduras.

Channel 7

Belmopan Murder Attempt, But Why?
A 56 year old tour guide was shot last night in the Maya Mopan area of Belmopan -. Courtney Weatherburne spoke to him and area residents to find out what might have been behind the attempt on the life of Clement Mangar Senior:.. Clement Mangar's friends are perplexed as to why he was shot last night. Voice of: Friend: "I don't know if he has enemies but he is a nice person to us neighbors because he always like hang out with us, anything he has he shares with us so I don't know why really they wanted to do this to him."

Man Shot In Home Invasion
Tonight, a family from Ladyville is trying to recover from a frightening home invasion. 2 masked gunmen barged into the place where they should have been safest, and shot the man of the house in the stomach. Around 10:00 pm, 35 year-old Jeffrey Eligio, his common-wife and 3 of their 4 children were at their home in the La Milpa Area of Ladyville when someone started knocking persistently on their door. Eligio went to the door with a knife in hand, but opened it to a man with a gun who shot him in the stomach. Our news team went to Ladyville, and we spoke with his common-law wife about the terrifying experience. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Two Charged For Prostituting/Trafficking A Child
The US State Department Belize currently lists Belize as a "tier 3" country for human trafficking. It's the lowest ranking and fewer than 5 countries in the hemisphere are ranked so low. Last year's report says that Belize as a country "does not fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act's minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so." Well, the police department is reporting tonight that they've made a major arrest for a human trafficking case, which they say involved child sexual exploitation.

No Charges Yet For Teenager's Murder
Police have made no arrests for the murder of 18 year old Joan Gabourel. As we told you, the pregnant teenager was hacked to death and found on Saturday night. Investigators are looking at various angles, including the possibility that it may have been motivated by a family dispute over land. But, while persons were detained, they have been released. And, in Corozal, no additional charges have been brought against the alleged border robbers. Yesterday four men were arraigned on dozens of charges - but two more who were arrested have not been arraigned. As we understand it, one of them is in the hospital in a very serious condition.

Esquivel Says Yes To ICJ
Belize has had four Prime Ministers in its history - and now, all three who are still living have come out saying they will vote yes to the ICJ. Right Honourable's Said Musa and Dean Barrow have made their positions well known - and, now, Right Honourable Sir Manuel Esquivel has done the same. Today at his home, the 78 year old Esquivel told Jules Vasquez why his long history with the Guatemalan claim tells him this is the best and simplest opportunity Belize will have to end the dispute: Sir Manuel Esquivel (Rt. Hon) - Two Term Prime Minister: "A yes without any hesitation." Jules Vasquez, reporter: "Explained to me why you have arrived at such a hard and fast position?"

G. Price Billboards Going, Going...
So, now that we know what Sir Manuel, Said Musa and Dean Barrow will vote on the ICJ, what would George Price say? Well, there is no known quotation from Price on this issue, but the Government's referendum unit has used his image and words to suggest that he would support putting country before party. They've put up a billboard in English and Spanish using a quote from Price; it says, "National Interest must override party politics." Seems generic enough to not offend anyone, but - according to a report - the Usher family has asked that Price's image and likeness not be used in the campaign. And, mysteriously, one of the billboards near Ranchito village has disappeared.

What Do Guatemalans Expect Out Of ICJ?
And, keeping it on the ICJ, last night we showed you our interview with Belize's Ambassador to Guatemala Alexis Rosado. He's heading the national education campaign on the ICJ issue - and he's embraced the expert opinion on the Belize - Guatemala dispute commissioned by the Bar Association. They retained one of the the region's authorities on international law, Professor Stephen Vascianne, And while the 42 page Vascianne report validates Belize's official position - what about Guatemala? All the opinions we have seen rubbish their case. So, do they know something we don't, or are they simply using the ICJ as the easiest way out of a thorny domestic situation? As Belize's man in Guatemala, we asked Ambassador Rosado:

A Firearm Fracas At Football Game
Football fans from Belmopan witnessed a dangerous brawl last night at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium where University footballers got into a fist fight on the football pitch. Things escalated when 1 person pulled out a firearm to break up the fight, and started discharging the weapon in public. Cell phone footage captured of the incident shows players from Galen and the University of Belize on the field, about to face off due to some sort of disagreement. And at the height of the confrontation, persons from both sides started throwing punches, until 1 person on the field pulled out a gun and fired 2 gunshots into the air.

The Cus Land Controversy
Earlier in the news we told you about Clement Mangar's shooting and how it may be related to an evolving land issue in Maya Mopan. Well, it is a story we hear about all too often, it's the tale of a squatter fighting to stay on parcel of land that's not legally hers, but she's invested so much in it already that she can't let go Courtney Weatherburne spoke to Nicolasa Cus about this messy land dispute. Today, the planks that once formed the walls of Nicolasa Cus' home are now just a pile of worn wood. And work on the cement structure concerned residents erected in its place has ceased. Cus squatted on and developed this piece of land and has been living here for 12 years. But the peace she and her two daughters once enjoyed was shattered early Thursday morning when RECONDEV workers came to demolish her house.

The Hope For Hopkins
If you're a frequent traveller to Hopkins, you'll know all about the state of disrepair that main street was in. As we told you last night, after months of work by the construction firm, Teichroeb & Sons Ltd, just over 1.8 miles of road has been paved. The completion of the project was celebrated yesterday with an inauguration ceremony. Here's what the head of European Union's Delegation to Belize had to say:

Remembering Aikman's energy
Derek Aikman's funeral will be held on Thursday at 1:00 at St. John's Cathedral. Aikman's place in history cannot be argued. After all, he beat sitting Prime Minister George Price in 1984 - handing the political giant his only defeat ever in a General Election. Today, Aikman's party leader at the time, Manuel Esquivel said that it was Aikman's matchless energy which put him ahead of the political legend:

Silva Slips Charges
A 22 year old accused of having sex with a 15 year old girl from the children's home is free of charges. Guillermo Silva was facing 2 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, but he was freed of the charges yesterday when a "nolle pros," indicating that the Crown does not wish to proceed to trial, was entered before Justice Colin Williams. The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions explained that the complainant indicated that she will not testify.

Channel 5

Football Brawl Prompts Off-Duty Cop to Fire Shots
Things got chaotic on Monday night at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. A football match was underway between Galen University and the University of Belize when a fight broke [...]

Maya Mopan Man Shot; He Believes He is Being Targeted
But there is another incident in Belmopan that landed a resident in the hospital. Clement Mangar of Maya Mopan in Belmopan is lucky to be alive tonight. The fifty-five-year-old man [...]

Home Invasion in Ladyville
A home invasion almost turned deadly on Monday night in Ladyville Village. A family of five was about to retire for the night when a gunman attacked them inside their [...]

Opposition Leader on Legal Opinions
There are two recent legal opinions relating to the Guatemalan territorial dispute; one by international expert Stephen Vascannie, which has just been made public and the other is by attorneys [...]

A Closer Look at Professor Vasciannie's Legal Opinion
Turning to the legal opinion provided by Professor Stephen Vasciannie, as commissioned by the Bar Association. The international law professor at the University of the West Indies has put forward [...]

Exploring the Weakness of Belize's Argument in Territorial Dispute
Professor Vasciannie's opinion also focuses on recent developments pertaining to the Sarstoon River and Sarstoon Island, arising from activities of the Guatemalan Armed Forces.� While he says that the GAF [...]

Dispute over George Price's Likeness and the I.C.J. Referendum Campaign
Billboards of well-known Belizeans, including national heroes Phillip Goldson and most recently George Price, have sprung up across the country as the I.C.J. awareness campaign continues to be rolled out [...]

Who is Funding CDS?
Citizens for the Defense of Sovereignty is a newly formed organization headed by Ambassador Assad Shoman.� The N.G.O. works closely with government in the referendum campaign and supports a YES [...]

The Plight of a Mother and a Son Who Live Homeless in a Park
The plight of homeless persons is a big social issue; today, we found a mother, her son and dogs living in a park in an affluent part of the city. [...]

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the West
Belize is known as a transit point for the trafficking of men, women, and children for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour, especially of minors. Arrests and convictions have been [...]

Why Were Ledgers with Voters' Information on Ground in Front of Vital Stats?
Photographs were made available to News Five today showing six ledgers strewn on the ground in front of the office of Vital Statistics in Belize City.�The ledgers contain information of [...]

Man Charged for Allegedly Attacking His Sister with Knife
George Matthews, who has had troubles with the law, was back in court today on a charge of aggravated assault with a knife upon his sister, Michelle Matthew. The George [...]

U.S. Embassy Separates Fact from Fiction on Venezuela
Today, the U.S. Embassy in Belize released a four-minute video message called "The Truth about Venezuela."� Charg� d'Affaires Keith Gilges talks about what the U.S. sees as facts and fiction [...]

Referendum Survey Coincides with Public Awareness Campaign
A survey is being conducted simultaneously by the Referendum Unit, running parallel to the public awareness campaign.� According to Ambassador Alexis Rosado, the poll serves to ensure the satisfaction of [...]

Security Forces Train in Children's Rights and Laws
UNICEF is hosting a one week train the trainers for security forces. The weeklong sessions are being used to share techniques and knowledge on children's rights with police officers and [...]

Knowing Children's Right and Laws Can Help with Cases
Consultant Joshua Dankoff says the training in children's rights and the law is important for security forces. He says that there are many instances where the training can prove to [...]

B.N.T.U. to Host I.C.J. Forum
The Belize National Teachers' Union is holding an I.C.J. forum on Friday. The forum will take place at the auditorium of the University of Belize. According to National President, Senator [...]

Pen Pals from Belize and Ontario Meet for First Time at Canadian University
And tonight to end the news, a heart-warming story of a Belize City resident studying at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. �Melissa Hamilton met her pen friend [...]

LOVE FM

Husband and father shot during Ladyville Home Invasion
A family of five thought they were about to sleep during another peaceful night amongst family. They lived in the last house in a family compound bordered by an alley connected to Marage Road in Ladyville Village in front of them and behind their home, there was overgrown bush. But at minutes to ten on �

Referendum campaign reaches all corners of Belize
With several months invested in the ICJ Referendum campaign, the Referendum office has taken the education sessions to pretty much every corner of the country. The office begun last year with a lecture series in all municipalities and proceeded to increase its outreach since January. Director of the Referendum Office, Ardelle Sabido says that the �

Shooting victim claims he was targeted for helping in protest to save woman's house
56-year-old, Clement Nevin Mangar was shot on Monday night to the chest and abdomen in Belmopan. Love News received information indicating that Mangar was heading home at around nine o'clock last night after visiting her daughter when the incident occurred. Cayo Correspondent, Fem Cruz spoke with Mangar who says he believes the recent situation involving �

The ICJ Legal Opinion on Sarstoon Island and Sarstoon River
Tonight we continue with our series on the recent legal opinion commissioned by the Bar Association of Belize. Former University of West Indies Law Professor and diplomat, Steven Vasciannie delivered his finding to the Bar last week. One of the last and salient tasks conferred to him was to consider the Sarstoon River and Sarstoon �

Brawl at football match between university students ends with shots fired
There is a 37-second video circulating on social media that documents a fight that took place between students of Galen University and the University of Belize. The incident happened on the field of the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan Monday night and saw the firing of a gun during the fight, used as a warning �

March is Child Stimulation Month
Last Friday, the month of March kicked off with a children's rally in celebration of child stimulation month, celebrated under the theme, "Hug me, listen to me, read with me, help me grow". Love News spoke with Nadera Ross, Early Childhood Education Officer, at Quality Assurance and Development Services, QADS, who said that during the �

CWU and SSB commence talks
The executive of the Christian Workers Union, the Labour Commissioner, Anne Marie Thompson, and senior staff of the Social Security Board, SSB, met this afternoon at the Labour Office in Belize City. There was no song of unity sang following the meeting but it was the start of a dialogue to settle differences and they �

Security Forces learn best practices to use with children
In January, there was a training held for court personnel sensitizing them on how to treat children who may come in contact with the law either directly as a victim or indirectly as a suspect. This week there is a similar training being held for law enforcement officers. Love News spoke with Joshua Dankoff, Consultant, �

Nolle Prosequi for alleged rapist and a Shooter
A woman who allegedly had sex with an adult when she was a minor failed to turn up in court today and the accused man was freed. The complainant was 15 years old at the time and she resided at Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center. At the time, she went with a social worker to �

Ambassador says it's ok to use George Price in ICJ Campaign
The ICJ Campaign relied on familiar faces that we see on the TV and ear on the radio. The visages of these local celebrities are accompanied with bold text messages that encourage people to vote on April 10. There are two posthumous billboards that have attracted negative as well as positive responses from the public. �

NICH signs MOU with the Embassy of Panama
Today, the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH, and the Embassy of Panama signed a Memorandum of Understanding for training in the areas of drama theatre and handicraft. Sapna Budhrani, the President of NICH, said that NICH is dedicated to developing and safeguarding the culture. Sapna Budhrani President of NICH: "Between mid March and �

The response from both sides of Professor Vasciannie's Legal Opinion on ICJ
Late last week Professor Stephen Vasciannie, a former University of West Indies Law Professor handed the Bar Association of Belize his legal opinion on the Belize case which the Government intends to forward to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Though the Bar had published the document online, the leaders are still preparing their statements �

Amandala

Britain planning to play bigger role in Belize?
Amandala is in possession of documents that suggest that the British government may have plans to "develop their footprint in Belize." The information surfaced in the context of British plans to "help meet their obligations in the Caribbean," because Britain will leave the European Union "within the next 90 days", and because, according to the documents, Britain "needs to stand tall on the world stage." Belize is the most probable Caribbean country in which such an exercise to expand British involvement would take place (there were reports of the Caribbean's Guyana and Montserrat being considered), because in the documents it is stated that "MinAF (Minister of State for the Armed Forces) has always been pretty clear we should develop the Belize option - as far as I'm aware, we don't have any access options in either Guyana or Montserrat to build on like we do in Belize."

"Mi D" dead at 59
A massive outpouring of sympathy to his family blanketed social media yesterday after Belizeans at home and in the diaspora learned that the Reverend Derek Aikman, a former United Democratic Party (UDP) Cabinet minister, had passed away on Saturday, March 2, while undergoing treatment at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Aikman was 59. Information to us is that Aikman died of a heart attack, but this could not be confirmed from family members. Derek "Mi D"Aikman is best remembered for his fiery oratory skills on the political rostrum when he first entered the political arena as a very young man.

Walter Beaton, 48, taximan, executed in front of his house
Walter Beaton, 48, a cab driver of Reggae Street who was a father of 8 children, was ambushed and shot to death at about 12:30 this morning in his yard. His killer lay-waited him in his yard, and as Beaton drove up and got out of the cab to open his gate, the assassin ambushed Beaton and shot him multiple times. Beaton apparently died almost immediately in front of his house. A neighbor of Beaton told us that he and his girlfriend were on their verandah when they heard gunshots, and saw gun flashes, and they quickly took cover in their house.

Joan Sharen Gabourel, 18, missing, found dead in cane field
The search for Joan Sharen Gabourel, 18, a domestic of Valley of Peace, came to a sad conclusion at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon in her home village. Her decomposing body was found in a cane field north of the village by a search party after she was reported missing on Thursday. Police said that about 8:00 Tuesday night, Gabourel left home to go a friend's house, and subsequently disappeared.

SSB workers stage union protest
This morning, a video of an organized union protest at the Social Security Board (SSB) was circulating on social media. It showed many of the staff members standing and banging on the desks and counters in the SSB's offices with their hands. Shortly after the video surfaced, the Christian Workers Union (CWU) issued a press release to discuss "the state of unease and uncertainty that now permeates the Staff of the Belize's Social Security Board." On behalf of the SSB workers, the CWU began its release by "expressing dissatisfaction" concerning the way SSB approached the proposed conversion of the staff's pension scheme to a private company. The union says they are concerned about the quality of the consultation which should have preceded the initiative.

Family of National Hero George Price wants ICJ billboards removed
Currently, it seems that Belize has been split into two opposing camps: those who support taking the Guatemalan claim to Belize's territory to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final resolution in accordance with the protocols of the Special Agreement, signed between the Government of the Republic of Guatemala and the Government of Belize in December 2008 - and those who don't. Belizean voters are scheduled to cast ballots in a referendum on the matter on April 10, and the government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has mounted a "Yes campaign" as part of a so-called ICJ education campaign that has included a variety of ploys to persuade voters; even Amazon's Alexia has been featured in the "Yes to the ICJ" campaign in the government's advertisements.

City Boys Grassroots Football Tournament Week 2 results
Good day, Football Family! The 3rd Annual City Boys 10 & Under Grassroots Football Tournament 2019 continued over the weekend with Week 2 games at the Yabra Football Field. Below are the results from the 3 games played. In game 1, Reality Youths won, 2-1, over Poor & Famous. Dennis Nunez and Gilligion Nunez shook the net for Reality Youths, while Keon Gladden hit the target for Poor & Famous.

Belize National Female "A" Team wins friendly, 2-0, over Motlow Lady Bucks of the U.S.
In a friendly football match on Saturday night at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan, our Belize National Female "A" Team defeated the visiting Motlow Lady Bucks, 2-0, with a goal each from Katie Jones in the 29th minute and Anijay Quiroz in the 75th. The Motlow State College Team, which is reportedly leading their division in the state of Tennessee, U.S.A, is on a week-long visit to Belize, and will play another friendly against our Belize National U-17 Female Team at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro.

Griga holds on to #1 seed, as NEBL teams try to remain in playoff contention
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) hosted three games over the past weekend, and teams are already viewing every game as a must-win game, given the level of competition among teams and the fact that only 4 playoff spots are available. Verdes claims another big road win at the Civic On Thursday night, Verdes completed their 2-game sweep of the 2 Belize City teams in the Civic Center, as they defeated Belize City Defenders, 76-71.

Parity at Week 8 of PLB Closing Season
At Week 8 of the Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2018-2019 Closing Season, all 8 teams are still in contention for the 4 playoff spots (See standings below.); and parity was never more evident than this past weekend, where former 7th place Wagiya Sporting Club clipped defending champion Bandits Sport, handing the Bandits their second straight defeat, after breezing through the first 6 weeks of competition without a loss; and cellar dwelling BDF FC held former 4th place Assassins Altitude FC to a 2-2 draw. "Any number can play," indeed, in this PLB competition.

Editorial: For a little more freedom of speech
The Belize Times, in its headline story last week, declared that the Prime Minister was flirting with contempt when he made certain pronouncements about court-related matters at the Business Forum held at the Belize City Civic Center a couple weeks ago. The PUP has a battery of lawyers at their disposal, so they should know what they are talking about. The Belize Times headline story said: "The People's United Party regards the Prime Minister's assault on [a judge] as deliberately designed to interfere with cases actually before the Judge, to intimidate the wider Judiciary, to scandalize the court and ultimately undermine the rule of law."

"Vital Statistics" still bogged down by the past
The truth is that the Vital Statistics Unit should have fixed their game a long time ago. We have to believe that the department made no effort to correct the disenfranchisement of Belizeans during the last exercise, back in the late 1990s. There were people who got disenchanted and just walked away without resolving the issues. A lot of these same issues we failed to address have come back to haunt us. Mr. Urban Reyes, the Chief Elections Officer during the last voter re-registration, in the 1990s, had much to say about the process in his paper, "VOTING for DEMOCRACY". Mr. Reyes wrote in that paper:

Punta Gorda residents set pervert straight
Alberto Chiquin, 31, a farmer of Punta Gorda, was remanded until May 6 after being taken to the Punta Gorda Magistrate's Court this morning on charges of sexual assault of a female minor and burglary. Police said that on Friday evening, Chiquin went into the home of a female minor and exposed his private parts to her. A neighbor of the minor's family saw him enter the house and raised the alarm, and the girl's mother came and confronted Chiquin, and after she had shouted curse words at him, her neighbors attacked him.

4 accused pesero robbers charged
Four of six men who were arrested for a brazen robbery that occurred at the Northern Border on Thursday morning, during which there a shootout between the police and the bandits, have been arrested and charged. The shootout occurred when police set chase after the robbers following the robbery. The two other robbers, who have not yet been charged, are still hospitalized with gunshot injuries they suffered during the shootout.

Domestic worker charged with stabbing ex-common-law husband
Tanesia Payne, 37, a domestic worker of 2 B Flamboyant Street who allegedly stabbed her ex-common-law husband, was charged with grievous harm and use of deadly means of harm when she appeared today before Magistrate Khadeem Palmer. No plea was taken from her because the offences are indictable. She was released on a bail of $5,000 and her case was adjourned until May 10. Richard Ellis, 52, Payne's ex-common-law husband, reported to the police that at about 8:40 a.m. on February 28, he went to Payne's house and was loosening his gas tank when he was attacked and beaten by two persons who came out of a room.

The Belize Council of Churches says "yes" to ICJ
here is usually more than one side to any story. In the matter of the Guatemalan claim to Belize, there is a lot of history to digest before one could truly appreciate the complexities of what is at stake in taking the claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final, binding solution under the terms of the Special Agreement. Last Tuesday, February 26, the Belize Council of Churches issued a press release in support of a yes vote in the April 10 ICJ referendum. The press release opens saying: "This statement is issued by the Belize Council of Churches in relation to the ongoing border dispute between Guatemala and Belize, and whether the matter should be submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution.

The Reporter

THE REPORTER- Interviews Belmopan Shooting Victim
The Reporter has managed to get a brief phone interview with Belmopan resident Clement Mangar, recovering at the Western Regional Hospital after he was shot in the chest and abdomen last night.

Child Exploitation In San Ignacio - Arrest Made
On Monday Police arrested and charged Petrona Inez Montejo, 49, for Procuring a Child for Sexual Exploitation, and Jeffery Perez, 23, for Child Prostitution.

Dangerous Gun-Play Shooting At Belmopan Ballgame
The Reporter has obtained this video footage of a fight at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan last night, allegedly between UB and Galen. What is shocking is that during the fight there are two men with firearms waving them around, and one actually fires multiple times.

Ladyville Home Invader Shoots Man In Stomach
A home invasion in Ladyville has left one man in critical condition after he was shot to the abdomen. At around 10:00pm Police were called to a home in Ladyville where they found Jeffrey Elijio, 35, with one gunshot wound to the upper stomach area.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

BAHA issues advisory on Swine fever
The swine industry is an important contributor to the Agricultural growth of Belize. Pork is a [�]

Belmopan Bandits issue statement on university students brawl
Today, the management of the Belmopan Bandits Sports Club issued a statement indicating that it views [�]

Social Security CEO says Christian Workers Union should have allowed them more time to respond to their concerns
Yesterday, the staff of the Social Security Board (SSB) Branches countrywide staged an in-office protest by banging [�]

Family of George Price (GP) requests removal of ICJ billboards with photos of GP
With only 36 days to decision day 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Referendum Unit has [�]

2 charged in connection with child prostitution and sexual exploitation
A man and a woman from San Ignacio have been charged for procuring a child for [�]

Guillermo Silva free of rape charges after accuser refuses to testify
Guillermo Silva, 23, was freed on Monday after the representative from the Director of Public Prosecutions'(DPP) [�]

Ministry of Health bracing for Dengue outbreak
The Ministry of Health (MOH) says that it is aware of the advisory issued by [�]

"Pete" Matthews charged with aggravated assault on sister
George "Pete" Matthews,37, is accused of pulling a knife on his sister during a domestic [�]

Exes bitter dispute turns bitter and violent and ends up in court
Breaking up is always hard to do; but a Belize City man's attempt to retrieve his [�]

BNTU to host ICJ forum for educators
On Friday, March 9, educators from across Belize will gather at the University of Belize [�]

Clement Mangar shot in Belmopan City
Authorities are investigating a shooting incident that occurred last night in Belmopan. Clement Mangar, 56, was [�]

Funeral service announced for Derek Aikman
The funeral service for former government minister, Derek Edwin Leopold Aikman will be held at [�]

Man, 35, injured during home invasion by masked men in Ladyville
The victim of a home invasion that happened last night in Ladyville, Belize is in [�]

Fight breaks out and gunshots fired during football match between UB and Galen
What was suppose to be a night of sportsmanship between the top 2 educational institutions [�]

Man shot in Belmopan
Breaking Belize News has confirmed that a man was shot in Belmopan last night. Details [�]

Joan Gabourel,18, was 17 weeks pregnant when she was brutally killed
Eighteen-year-old Valley of Peace Resident Joan Gabourel, who was brutally murdered last week, was 17 [�]

International Sourcesizz

Belize Automobile Market 2019 - Growth Opportunities, Trend and Future Outlook 2026
The Belize Automobile report provides a complete perspective on the trends shaping the Belize Automobile market. The Malta automotive market is slowly shifting towards a service oriented model with new players focusing extensively on customer experience and consumer data. Transitions in automotive markets are providing opportunities for some parts while other components face stiff decline over the forecasts. Companies across the value chain are forced to adapt to market changes to sustain revenue and profit. New Vehicles must be aligned with the current states of technology and consumer preferences.

Air Canada Is Having A Massive Worldwide Spring Seat Sale
If you've been feeling the winter blues or are just getting antsy with all this indoor time thanks to the nasty weather, Air Canada is here just in time to whisk you away! From now until March 7th, 2019 Air Canada is having a worldwide seat sale. One-way flights listed to "Sun Destinations" from Toronto include: Belize City, Belize - $254

Videos

  • Orange Walk Marching Band led Chetumal Mexico's Fiesta Carnaval 2019 Parade, 43min. Every year more and more Belizeans flock to the streets of Avenida Heroes across the northern border, and this past Saturday evening was no exception as our Corozal Communtiy College's Marching Band, our Garifuna Brother's and Sisters and our Orange Walk Marching Band led Chetumal Mexico's Fiesta Carnaval 2019 Parade. Here is a snippet of that video. Please wait for it after the 10 seconds intro. The entire parade was just under two hours long. Our video covered about 1/2 of the parade. Thank you Chetumal for your kind invitation and your generous hospitality towards our Belizean participants and visitors. Awesome! Way to go Belize! Gracias Mexico Lindo!

  • Warasa Garifuna Drum School, 12sec. Unterricht bei Ronald McDonald in der der Warasa Garifuna Drum School in Punta Gorda, Toledo. Die traditionelle Garifuna Musik besteht aus afrikanischer Percussion und spanischen Elementen.

  • Belize City (Belize), 11min.

  • Videos from last night, Carnival 2019, min.

  • Channel 5 Obituaries - Derek Edwin Leopold Aikman, 2min.

  • "Mapping the Guatemalan Claim: a News Five Flashback.", 90min.

  • The Barbies' final dance. Fat Tuesday, 14min.

  • Last day of Carnaval!, 11min.

  • 10-4-19, 62min. Tonight on 10-4-19 we take a look at various expert Legal Opinions on the Guatemalan Claim, including the very recent opinion commissioned from the Belize Bar Association.

  • Harvest Caye x Placencia (Belize), 11min.

  • "We just get the cream..." Sailing Belize and the barrier reef, 21min.

  • Amazing adventures - Belize - Caracol Archaeological Reserve -, 8min. Maya archaeological site in Belize. The Caracol area was occupied as early as 1200 BC, yet occupation in the epicentral area was no earlier than 650 BC and lasted no later than AD 950.

  • Riding Belize - Western Highway, 5min.

  • Riding Belize - Hummingbird Highway, 7min.

  • Cahal Pech Belize 2015 - Day 9, 4min. A day at the San Ignacio beach! Hot water with mucky bottom, scalding hot slide, and a perfect day! Best chicken ever!

  • Scuba Diving Belize 2019, 7min.

  • FOUND A HUMAN SKELETON ON MY LAST FISHING TRIP, 11min. At first it scared the hell out of me but after a close examination it turn out to be fake and we went on with our fishing trip hope you guys like this video and don't forget to subscribe!!!

  • Police Check Point, 46min.

  • MAYA MASEWAL NATION 1849-1901:CRUZO'OB MAYA, 18min. The Cruzo'ob Maya or Cruzo'ob faith is a religion between the Yucatec Maya(Masewal) people of Quintana Roo(Mex) and Belize . This faith was born during the Caste War and inspired the Maya to form a Maya nation in modern times . This Maya nation became known as Chan Santa Cruz with it's capital known as Noh Kah Balam Nah Chan Santa Cruz. The city was laid out in the pre-Columbian Maya manner, surrounding a square with the Balam Nah, the 'Patron Saint's House', and the school at the east, the Pontiff's house at the west, the General's houses at the north, and the storehouses and market to the south (Reed 1964).The regional capitals in Bak Halal, Chun Pom, (Vigia Chico) and Tulum, were probably laid out on the same plan as the capital.
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