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Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: July 7, 2019 - 07/07/19 11:43 AM


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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.


The San Pedro Sun

Governor-General Leads Delegation to Taiwan
The delegation called on President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday, 2nd July. While at the Presidential Palace, the Governor-General and President Tsai witnessed the signing of a bilateral agreement by Belize's Attorney General Hon. Michael Peyrefitte and Taiwan's Justice Minister Hon. Tsai Ching-Hsiang that would see the two countries cooperate on addressing matters of anti-corruption.

First ever Management Guide for Sharks and Rays developed
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), along with Project AWARE and The Manta Trust joined together to develop the world's first Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice. Shark and ray tourism is on the rise globally. If current trends continue, the numbers of shark-related tourism could more than double over the next 20 years. The guide, developed in collaboration with science and industry, aims to create well-managed shark and ray tourism operations while conserving species and benefiting local communities. The guide states that everyone can be a best practice operator when dealing with sharks and rays. The best practice is about running a business in a way that's financially profitable, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible. For shark and ray tourism operators, this means having a business model that includes: operating profitably and safely and minimizing impacts on target species and their habitats, building a positive relationship with the local community and having a culture of continuous improvement and compliance.

Trade Licenses Fees to be adjusted in 2020
In 2020, an adjustment in Trade License fees is expected to come into effect across the country, and businesses will be charged based on their commercial category. On Ambergris Caye, businesses are informed that surveyors from the Ministry of Local Government, along with staff from The San Pedro Town Council will be visiting establishments to collect information from proprietors and at the same time, inform them of the upcoming change in Trade License Fees. On the island, Mayor Daniel Guerrero said that the idea to categorize businesses would benefit the businesses sector as they will pay fees according to their group.

Ambergris' Caye Triple R receives donation from RRR Team in Texas, USA
To continue the good work on Ambergris Caye, Rickilee Response and Rescue (Triple R) team from Houston, Texas, USA donated rescue supplies to San Pedro's Triple R team on Wednesday, June 5th. The donations are expected to better equip the Triple R team for their rescues on the island. At 2:30PM, Triple R Founders Traci and Jim Curtin officially handed over the rescue supplies to the island's Triple R team, Billy Leslie and Vanessa Parham at the National Emergency Management Organizations office in San Pedro Town. Supplies donated included six Automated External Defibrillators, 18 spotlights, 14 safety vests, six handheld radios, seven Personal Flotation Device, 10 personal flashing flights, 20 whistles, 20 extension cable, five stretchers, two first aid supplies, 60 medical wraps, one projector, one project screen, one air splint, seven body bags, 30 t-shirts, 150 signs, 5000 stickers, 5000 magnets, 10 shock blankets, 20 burn dressings, six inverters, 10 throw bags, and six red duffle bags.

SPTC begins rehabilitation project on Sea Gull Street
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has embarked on a project to rehabilitate several streets on the island by cementing them. One of those streets is Sea Gull Street, located in the Boca del Rio area and leads to the San Pedro High School. Works commenced on Friday, June 28th, and following its completion the other streets to be cemented will be Spider Lily and Deer Streets. Mayor Daniel Guerrero told The San Pedro Sun that these three streets should be cemented within the month. Overseeing the project is Councilor Severo Guerrero, and works are being carried out by Medina's Construction Limited. Guerrero said that the rehabilitation is part of his plan to invest in the town's infrastructure. "This is Phase One of the street rehabilitation project in the Boca del Rio Area.

Various Belizean Sources

mzz

Photos from Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2019 25th Anniversary Ceremony

Caye Caulker police making friends...
On Thursday, July 4th,2019,Police officers attached to the Caye Caulker Police Sub-Formation, conducted their weekly Meet and Greet in the areas of Hattie Street,and Lagoon side. The residence applauded the Police on their efforts and expressed their gratitude towards the. initiative .

Prime Minister Departs the Country
The Office of the Prime Minister informs that the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow departed the country today, July 6th, on personal leave. The Prime Minister returns to Belize on Tuesday, July 9, 2019. During the Prime Minister's absence, the Hon. Hugo Patt, Minister of Natural Resources, will act as Prime Minister.

GRUPO PHOENIX @ INTERNATIONAL COSTA MAYA FESTIVAL 2019
Live Concert with GRUPO PHOENIX July 26th at the Louis Sylvestre Sports Complex. Sponsored by INTERNATIONAL COSTA MAYA FESTIVAL 2019. See you there!!

SUPPORT THE COROZAL ANIMAL PROGRAM (CAP)
Come Celebrate with us! You are invited to come on Sunday, July 7th to the New Millennium in Consejo Village across Consejo Shores, COROZAL for a Fourth of July Rocking Dance Party! Live music by Moulah Tabulah Rock Band. Time: 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Cost: $4 50/50 raffle for CAP - May the 4th Still be with you!

Melisha Janelle Williams passes away
It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our beloved, Melisha Janelle Williams on July 05, 2019. A wake will be held at the Robateau Residence on Mahogany Street in Corozal Town today Saturday, July 6th. A remembrance service will be held at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Carolina Village at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 7th. Thank you for all the prayers and love you all have been sending to the family. Rest In Peace Mel

The Reporter

Woman Shot While Asleep In Her Home
Police have confirmed that a woman was shot last night while asleep in her house on Neal's Pen Road in Belize City. Police say that Kanchi Casey, 31, was asleep with her husband around 10:30 pm, when a bullet ripped through the door of their plywood home at #108.

I Only Drink On Days Ending In "Y"
By: Mike Rudon Jr. - I discovered an amazing thing this past week. Truly mind-blowing. I think there are more than seven people who read this column. I think there may be as many as nine. I haven't yet done a comprehensive analysis, but I think my humble column, the rant of an alcoholic with a gift for words (if I do say so myself) has gone viral. Nine whole readers. My unending gratitude to the seven who have been along for the journey, and welcome to those two who have come on board.

Breaking Belize NewsPJ

Women's World Cup, CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America - 3 big football finals coming up
Football fans in Belize and across the world will have a feast on their hands [�]

PM leaves country on personal leave
Prime Minister, Dean Barrow departed the country today on personal leave. Barrow is scheduled to [�]

Robbers target Puma Gas Station in Belize City
Authorities are investigating a robbery that occurred on Wednesday afternoon at Puma Gas Station on [�]

International Sourcesizz

Making a difference one stitch at a time
Rose and Mark Greninger had always thought they'd like to go on a mission trip but were waiting for the right opportunity which would speak to their hearts. It came in the form of a young man, Evan Teck, who is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Crosby, and resides in Ironton with his wife, Mary, a stay-at-home mom, and their three children. Evan was born and raised in Belize and met Mary in 2007, whose home was in Minnesota, when she was a volunteer teacher at the local Belize high school. As often happens, they fell in love and planned a future together. However, getting his visa proved to be a challenge even then, but on his fourth application, he was accepted and came to the U.S. in 2012. The family resided in Duluth for their first four years and then settled in Ironton. Evan currently works for Aldi in Baxter.

Eccentric US millionaire McAfee plans presidential run ... from Cuba
fter making a fortune with his early antivirus software, then being caught up in murder and drugs cases in Belize, US millionaire John McAfee has now added a new chapter to his tumultuous life story: from a yacht in Havana harbor, he says he is running for the US presidency. This will not, he deadpans, be "an ordinary campaign." "I am wanted as a criminal by the government for which I am running for president," McAfee tells AFP as he sits surrounded on his white yacht by an entourage of seven campaign aides and two enormous dogs.

Why Waves of Seaweed Have Been Smothering Caribbean Beaches
Since 2011, blooms of Sargassum have wreaked havoc on tropical shores. A new study explains why this is likely a new normal. In 2018, as seaweed piled up on beaches throughout the Caribbean, it began to rot. Already stinking and sulfurous, the thick layers began to attract insects and repel tourists. The seaweed-a type of brown algae called sargassum-had grown in the ocean and washed ashore in unprecedented quantities. It prevented fishers from getting into the water, and entangled their nets and propellers. It entangled sea turtles and dolphins, too, fatally preventing them from surfacing for air. It died and sank offshore, smothering seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Barbados declared a national emergency. Now Mengqiu Wang, from the University of South Florida, and her colleagues have shown that this ocean-spanning bloom, which they've dubbed the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, is now an annual feature. By analyzing 19 years of satellite images, they showed that the belt first appeared in 2011, and has reappeared almost every summer since (except for 2013). Last June, when the belt was at its thickest, it contained more than 22 million tons of seaweed, and stretched fully across the Atlantic's waters, from the Gulf of Mexico to the western coast of Africa.

Rethinking Caribbean Cruise Port Revenues
Can tourism-dependent Caribbean governments learn something from oil producing countries? When relatively small and poor oil producing governments sought to get a fair price for oil - their main source of national revenue - they banded together to negotiate more effectively with the multi-national oil companies and the larger developed nations, which were the major consumers of their oil. In 1960, five of these countries came together to found OPEC - the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries - and were later joined by nine additional member states. As a result of their joint stronger bargaining power, oil prices have risen relatively steadily from US$1.63 per barrel in 1960 to an average of around US$77 during the last ten years. The weak negotiating position of individual Caribbean governments versus the massive cruise line corporations, relative to port taxes, poses similarities to OPEC's situation sixty years ago and the same potential "rebalancing" strategy should now be pursued in the Caribbean.

Videos

  • Caye Caulker, Diving, The Great Blue Hole 2019, 8min. This is our second video from our SCUBA trip to the Caribbean. If you're not part of the SCUBA diving community, you've probably heard a lot of things (or very few) about Belize

  • Wildlife at Risk: Wildlife trafficking in the Chiquibul Forest, 3min. The Chiquibul Forest Reserve along with the Chiquibul Park and the Caracol Archeological Reserve compose the Chiquibul Forest. It is in the south-western region of Belize covering over 423,000 acres of rich tropical forest. This vast forest block has been continuously exploited for its natural wealth of resources. Poaching of wildlife for meat or the illegal wildlife, and habitat loss affects much of the iconic wildlife of the Chiquibul National Forest. Join Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD Belize) in spreading awareness and protecting this critical resource to Belize's population.

  • Guinea Grass, Orange Walk District, Belize 360 VR Tour, 10min. A walk with a 360 camera through the village of Guinea Grass in the Orange Walk district of Belize.

  • The eagle in Belize, 7min.

  • Lobster Fishing Belize, 1min.

  • Diving Belize. Caye Caulker 19/08/2018, 3.5min.

  • NACL Finals | Club Atletico vs Caesar Ridge FC | Live at Isidoro Beaton Stadium, Belmopan, 2hr15min.
  • © Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board