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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
Police find large amount of Marijuana on the beach
On Thursday, August 22nd around 8AM, San Pedro Police conducted searches along the beach front area and found a parcel wrapped in tape. Upon inspection the content was revealed to be suspected cannabis, which weighed a total of 7,100grams. No one was in the area and the drugs was deposited as found property.
BTB encourages local tourism via the Belizean Traveller campaign
To encourage domestic tourism in the country, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), for the fourth consecutive time, launched its 'Belizean Traveller' campaign on Thursday, August 15th in Belize City. The project is a joint venture with the Belize Hotel Association (BHA), and aims to allow Belizeans to be tourists in their country via attractive discounts at top hotels. The initiative also seeks to highlight what Belize has to offer as a tourism destination to locals. To make the idea even better, this year BTB is giving away a $4,000 vacation package via a video competition on the subject 'What would be your ideal vacation as a Belizean Traveller.' Interested persons simply need to submit to BTB a 45-second video explaining their ideal vacation as a Belizean traveller.
Police Report: Robbery and Possession of Stolen Equipment
*23-year-old Jovani Augustine of San Pedro Town was charged on Thursday, August 15th with robbing $1,976.00 cash from the Registry Office on Treasury Lane in downtown Belize City. The incident reportedly occurred in April of this year. *19-year-old Gilberto Santos and a 16-year-old minor appeared at the Belize City Magistrate on Tuesday, August 20th, after San Pedro Police found them in position of a yellow chain cutter. Police on the island reported that on Sunday, August 18th, they found Santos and minor with the chain cutter at a place other that their home.
Official sashing ceremony presents Miss San Pedro 2019-2020 contestants
Five lovely young ladies vying for the title of Miss San Pedro 2019-2020 were presented to their sponsors during an official sashing ceremony at El Patio Restaurant and Lounge on Wednesday, August 21st. The contestants have now begun their journey to become the island's next beauty ambassador. That decision will be made on Saturday, September 7th at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex.
This year's aspirants include: 20-year-old Tanisha Rhaburn, sponsored by Castillo's Hardware, 18-year-old Litzy Castillo, sponsored by Ramon's Village, 19-year-old Eileen Reyes, sponsored by Jaguar's Temple Night Club, 19-year-old Blanca Reyes, sponsored by Captain Shark's, and 18-year-old Helen Barrera sponsored by Toucan Gift Store.
Ambergris Today
Speaker Of The House Of Representatives Attends FOPREL Meeting In Mexico City
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Laura Tucker Longsworth, recently attended the 22nd Extraordinary Meeting of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments of Central America and the Caribbean Basin (FOPREL) that was held in the Chamber of the Mexican Senate in Mexico City. The extraordinary meeting of FOPREL was held on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the regional institution that comprises of Legislative Assemblies/Congresses of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Belize.
NEMO's 2019 Hurricane Season Precautionary Notice
The Office of National Emergency Management takes this opportunity to urge the public, government line ministries, NEMO national and district emergency committees, its partners and the private sector to continue fine tune your preparations for natural hazards. The period of lull is over; the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea are showing signs of activity. All are strongly advised to convene your emergency committee meetings and identify the logistics needed to make your plan work.
Various Belizean Sources
TASTY CHICKEN BAR-B-Q FUNDRAISER IN COROZAL
Proceeds to fund the BDA-Corozal Branch activities for Diabetes Awareness, Prevention, Education and Support.
August 31st 2019 Price per plate $8.00.
*Includes dessert & a bottle of water.
San Pedro Planned Power Outage Cancelled
Postponed until further notice, power outage previously scheduled to affect a portion of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye on Wednesday, August 28, 2019.
Job Vacancy at BTB
Are you a Software Developer with diverse programming skills? If so, the BTB would like you to join our team!
NEMO'S 2019 HURRICANE SEASON PRECAUTIONARY NOTICE
The Office of National Emergency Management takes this opportunity to urge the public, government line ministries, NEMO national and district emergency committees, its partners and the private sector to continue fine tune your preparations for natural hazards. The period of lull is over; the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea are showing signs of activity. All are strongly advised to convene your emergency committee meetings and identify the logistics needed to make your plan work.
Monthly Weather Summary, July 2019
July, on average, is the second wettest month of the year for the country of Belize. Systems that affect the country during this month normally include tropical waves, tropical upper tropospheric troughs (TUTTs) and occasionally tropical cyclones. However, July 2019 was significantly drier than normal.
Generally fair, warm and dry conditions dominated the country from the 1st through to the 5th of July 2019. The dominant surface feature during this period was the Atlantic High Pressure Ridge north and northeast of the area which supported a moderate easterly surface flow. Based on the National Hurricane Center (NHC) analysis, tropical waves that crossed during this period were mostly south of Belize. Upper level conditions were mostly convergent and dry which inhibited the formation of deep convection over the area. As a result, only light isolated showers were noted.
Over 13,000 Residents in Southern Villages will Enjoy Equitable Access to Primary Health Care
The Government of Belize in collaboration with the European Union (EU) under the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) programme will officially inaugurate the Bella Vista Polyclinic II and the Independence Polyclinic (first floor) in the Stann Creek and the Toledo District on August 26, 2019, commencing at 11 am.
The completion of the health facilities were funded by the Government of Belize and the European Union under the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) Programme at a combined cost of �460,470 or BZ $968,000 - ( Bella Vista � 294,930 or BZ$620,000 and Independence �165,540 or BZ$348,000).
Ministry of Natural Resources to Launch the Belize National Spatial Data Infrastructure (BNSDI) Web Portal
The Ministry of Natural Resources will officially unveil the Belize National Spatial Data Infrastructure (BNSDI) web portal on August 29, 2019, at the Best Western Plus Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City at 10:00 a.m.
BNSDI is an initiative undertaken by the Government of Belize with funding from the World Bank through the Belize Climate Resilient Infrastructure Project (BCRIP) to create a world-class infrastructure and solutions for developing spatial data decision support tools.
Ocean Academy High School on Caye Caulker is hiring a full time IT teacher
Belize Football Champs will be playing one of Mexico's top teams in a friendly game on Ambergris Caye on September 7th
Let's flood the stadium in support of our local team! Tickets will be on sale starting August 30th, 2019!
Ticket agent: 3 Brothers Pawnshop. Ask for your Pirates wristband for every ticket purchased!
Declaration of Good Intent
In February, a Declaration of Good Intent for protection, conservation and restoration of natural and cultural landscapes was signed by 11 civil society organizations of Guatemala and 7 from Belize. Today the first technical session was held which resulted in the creation of the Technical Taskforce that will relate jointly on several transboundary matters such as watersheds, trafficking of species, forest fires and indigenous communities.
Belize National Song Competition Playlist
A playlist comprising all entries of the "Belize National Song Competition" 2019. Feel free to open this page in a new tab and be entertained with back to back tracks while you browse other pages.
Channel 7
Family Wants Answers For Man Found Drowned
The body of a Belize City man was found floating off Turneffe Atoll - and, tonight, his family wants answers.
32 year old Micheal Hyde's body was discovered yesterday. The last his family knew, he had gone out to Turneffe to work as a watchman.
On Tuesday, a colleague of Hyde's informed the owner of the Island that he was missing.
His grieving family told us that it was only after they filed a missing person's report that Hyde's sister was escorted to the island by Police to identify the body.
Scale of Tower Hill Fish Kill Scares Tower Hill
Orange Walk townspeople are getting ready right now, because in less than an hour, the Department of Environment will be hosting a public consultation in that northern town to discuss the plight of the New River.
Since the beginning of the month, the frustrations of the conservation-minded Orange Walkeños have been building, to the point where things may become very contentious at the public consultation.
But, now it's not just the conservation minded; there's widespread public consternation and outrage because huge volumes of dead fish are floating up at the water's edge.
Crocodile Corpse's Tell Quite A Tale About Pollution
And there's one more source of confirmation tonight that the New River is polluted.
Dr. Marisa Tellez, the Executive Director of the Crocodile Research Coalition, is an expert in these apex predators. For several years now, she has been working with the government in a fascinating study and survey of the entire crocodile population in Belize. Her team and the Government are trying to come up with a conservation and management action plan to make sure there's less contact with human populations.
We'll have more on her research in subsequent newscasts next week, but today, in an extended Skype interview, she told us that while she and her team were surveying the crocodile population in Northern Belize, they encountered several of these animals in a very sick and weakened state.
Pistol On A Plane
Air cargo - it's one of the fastest ways to send packages around the country. And for traffickers of illicit products, it's one sure way to evade police checkpoints.
But, one anonymous sender's illicit package was intercepted by the cops based on intelligence. Yesterday at 3:00, the Special Operations Team and other units, pulled up at the Belize Municipal Airstrip where they picked up a nondescript brown box from one of the airline companies.
Then the cops peeled open the the box, and found a black Glock 17 9 millimeter pistol with an empty magazine.
The Southern Regional Hospital Is Sick
The Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga is becoming a real pain for resident sin the south.
The level of service, and the equipment have been failing for a while now; the problems at the morgue are well documented.
But, the complaints extended well beyond that - and now, the PUP standard bearer for that area Dr. LOUIS Zabaneh combined many disgruntled groups to stage a protest today. Here's what he said it was about:
Family Says GSU Broke Both Legs
A 26 year old man was admitted to the KHMH yesterday with two broken legs - and his family says the cops did it!
The family has asked that we not disclose his name - since they fear reprisals - but, here's how their story goes: he says that he had just come off work as a watchman around 1:00 am, and went to pick up a cell phone that was being repaired nearby.
But, he claims that while he was picking up his phone, a burglary was underway. Two men emerged from one of the apartments with a stash of stolen items and jumped a fence. He came out of his hospital bed and spoke to us outside the KHMH to tell us what happened next:
NEMO Warns: Height of The Hurricane Season Is Here
NEMO sent out a warning to the public today, saying basically to beware because the height of the hurricane season is here. What is called a precautionary release says, quote, "The period of lull is over; the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea are showing signs of activity. All are strongly advised to convene your emergency committee meetings and identify the logistics needed to make your plan work."
Historically August, September and October are the most active storm months - and the season peaks in mid September.
But NEMO says, quote, "We must not wait until a storm threatens the country to focus on hurricane preparations.
Man Once Accused of Stabbing Death Of Uncle, Now Allegedly Stabbed By His Brother
42 year old Oliver Peters remains at the KHMH in stable but critical condition - from stab wounds he sustained on Saturday night during a brawl. Initial reports had been that he was stabbed by a family member - and yesterday his brother was charged for it.
On Wednesday police apprehended Mark Anthony Ferguson. He was arraigned late yesterday evening for the attempted murder of his brother. Ferguson was also read two additional indictable offenses including use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. Last Monday we spoke to an eyewitness who told us about the Ferguson's vicious attack on Peter's
Bizarre! San Pedro Man Charged For Trying To Renew License On His Licensed Weapons
A San Pedro businessman says he is being charged for trying to license his own guns. And, more than that, William Mulligan says the cops are trying to frame him!
Mulligan's story is that he went to license his four firearms earlier this month at the Raccoon street station - as he does every year. But, when he got there this year police said they could only find two of his permits in their system and could not find the other two - even though he had copies of them. Still, they took those two weapons: One 12 gauge Shotgun and one 9mm pistol.
Weed On the Move Through Hattieville
Yesterday morning , police intercepted two crocus sacks with weed on the move through Hattieville village.
Around 9:00, 21 year old Patrick Dean Tillett was in a Ford Edge SUV, on an unnamed Road, at mile 17 when a police operation team stopped him and searched the vehicle. They found 2 crocus sacks inside, each containing 10 parcels of cannabis.
Mary Jane On the Beach
No one was arrested in San Pedro yesterday when special branch intelligence led police to a 15 pound container of weed.
At around 8:00 am, police found the weed in a parcel wrapped in tape on the beach front. Due to the tourist presence, and the legal possession of 10 grams, San Pedro is known to have a strong demand for marijuana.
A Krooman Kilo
And in Belize City, police also found a kilo of weed. Yesterday afternoon at 2:30 police searched an abandoned lot on Krooman Road when they discovered just over 1 kilo, or 2.2 pounds of weed. It was labeled as Found Property.
Unlicensed Pistol Found Near Canuck's Cannabis Nursery
And from weed to weapons found. Yesterday morning Corozal police found a 22 pistol with 9 live rounds at mile 31 ½ oil the Sarteneja Road. Notably, this was found in a lot adjoining the property of a Canadian who had pleaded guilty to weed cultivation and trafficking the day before.
Big Gun Found in Roaring Creek
And, finally, on Tuesday, police searched a yard in Roaring Creek where they discovered a chrome and black 40mm Glock pistol along with a magazine containing ten live round and 81.85 grams of weed. No one was found in or near the yard so the weapon and the drugs were deposited as found property.
Cruiser Conference Talks About Successes
Today the BTB along with tourism stakeholders held the first Cruise Conference at the Radisson. There were a number of presenters who discussed key tourism topics from guest satisfaction to the wider theme of Belize's place in the Caribbean market. We spoke to a BTB rep. as well as two of the panelists. Here's more.
Noriko Gamero, Director of Cruise & Destination Planning, BTB
"Today is a first ever Belize Cruise Conference 2019 which is geared to provide information from a collective of 60 years of experience plus of expertise and panelists and people who have been in the industry for many many years.
Cruise Number Sagged in Summer Months
And while Belize is pushing for greater guest satisfaction, how about more cruise ships in the summer months? June and July cruise calls were sharply down from the year before, but to hear the BTB spin, that's just because summer of 2018 was so strong:..
Noriko Gamero, Director of Cruise & Destination Planning, BTB:
"For this years statistics we are single digits increase from January to July..."
On Best Behavior, Local Operators Still Have to Scrap
But, try telling that to local operators, who are hustling for scraps on the outside of the Fort Street tourism village - while the Lion's share of the visitors are whisked away by operators on the inside.
The BTB has put them to jump through all kinds of hoops to bring up that very same guest satisfaction rating. But, while they have complied, their earnings have not increased commensurately. And, now with Norwegian ships diverted down south, they are on the outside looking in.
Stake Bank, The Ship On The Horizon, When Will It Reach Shore?
But, will there soon be another cruise destination for the Belize District, that is, will the Stake Bank Cruise Terminal proposed mega-project ever get off the ground?
Gamero says it is progressing:...
Noriko Gamero, Director of Cruise & Destination Planning, BTB:
"From the perspective of government in regards to the future of a docking port in Belize..."
UN Store Robbery Still Unclear
It's the robbery that has King's Park residents talking and perhaps fearful that crime from the wider areas of the city might soon infiltrate their residential neighborhood. Yesterday UN Store on D street was robbed by four men armed with three guns and a blade.
They stormed into the establishment at 12:35 and a police report says, they demanded money. That report - which is very short on detail - says they made off with an undisclosed sum of money and stayed in the store for almost 10 minutes.
Channel 5
S.W.U. Protests Ministry of Health over Inadequate Health Services in the South
There was a late evening protest in Dangriga where members of the Southern Workers Union this evening protested in front of the Southern Regional Hospital. The hospital has been plagued [...]
GOB's Decision to Write-Off Joshua Perdomo's 40K Grant is Unfortunate, Says Patrick Faber
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber says that government's decision to write-off a forty thousand dollars loan issued to Joshua Perdomo, son of Cabinet Secretary, is unfortunate. Prime Minister Dean Barrow [...]
Faber Confident in Win for UDP Leadership Convention
Patrick Faber will be holding an endorsement convention for the Collet in early September.� He is also the Deputy Leader of the United Democratic Party and his hope is to [...]
Mount Carmel Preschool Denied License Due to Failure to Meet Requirements
Mount Carmel Preschool has failed to receive its license from the Ministry of Education. The school reportedly has sixty students on its enrollment list and the management is concerned that [...]
Michael Hyde's Body is Discovered Near Turneffe
The lifeless body of Michael Hyde was retrieved earlier today from the Caribbean Sea in the vicinity of the Turneffe Islands by coastguard personnel.� It is believed that Hyde may [...]
Henry Gideon still on the run after stabbing and robbing his grandmother
Police are still looking for twenty-three-year-old Henry Gideon, the man accused of attacking and stabbing his own grandmother on Wednesday night. Gideon allegedly pounced on his grandmother, sixty-five-year-old Fernanda Garcia [...]
Is Scotiabank Limited Leaving Belize?
There have been consistent reports that Scotiabank Belize is pulling out. Regionally the bank is said to be exiting from several branches in the Caribbean. The Central Bank of Belize, [...]
Belize Wins Gold in Football at CODICADER Games
The 2019 CODICADER Games are being held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where team Belize won a gold medal in male football earlier today.� Belize's victory over Panama by a score of [...]
Sports Minister Explains Reasons Why Works on Marshalleck Stadium has Slowed
Works on the Marshelleck Stadium in Benque Viejo del Carmen has slowed and the community is taking notice. Repairs were being done under the Belize Infrastructure Limited but there is [...]
San Pedro businessman spends night in lockup after attempting to license his firearm
The Operation Support Team and other Units of the Police Department made a number of busts in the past two days. The Operations team got a firearm off the streets [...]
The brother of Oliver Peters is charged with his attempted murder
A fight between a pair of siblings over property ended violently and tonight, thirty-eight year old Mark Anthony Ferguson is on remand accused of attempting to kill his brother, forty-four-year [...]
First-of-its-kind Cruise Conference Held in Belize
A first conference for tourism stakeholders took place today in Belize City. It was organized by the Belize Tourism Board to encourage those in the industry to become more competitive [...]
Orange Walk residents seek solid commitment from government to heal the New River
Tonight, representatives of the Department of the Environment are holding a public meeting at Orange Walk Town to address concerns on the deteriorating health of the New River. For several [...]
Darrel Smith is shot n the upper leg in Dangriga
At the crack of dawn this morning, there was a shooting in Dangriga. Twenty-one year old Darrel Smith was shot in the upper leg and transported to the Southern Regional [...]
Police search an SUV and comes up with 10 kilos of weed
On Thursday morning, a patrol mounted by the Operation Support Team of the Police conducted a search on a Silver Ford Edge S.U.V., at Miles seventeen in Hattieville, Belize District. [...]
BELTRAIDE Launches 2nd Edition of Made in Belize Catalogue
The Made in Belize Catalogue was launched this morning by the trade and investment arm of the government.� The magazine is a comprehensive directory of fifty local businesses and provides [...]
NEMO issue precautionary notice for hurricane season
Belize has been spared of hurricanes in the recent past, but the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO is not letting its guard down. NEMO is strongly advising government line ministries [...]
Government seeks to monitor usage and safety of pharmaceuticals
The Ministry of Health hopes to put in place a plan to monitor the use, effectiveness and safety of medications in Belize. This initiative is the first of its kind [...]
CARIBBEAN MEDIA AWARDS 2018 WINNERS & SPECIAL MENTION
The Fiftieth Annual General Assembly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union was held on Andres Island, Colombia today. An enduring highlight of the yearly gathering of radio and television broadcasters is the C.B.U. Awards where Belize won a majority of the distinctions in television broadcasting. Once again, our newsroom performed exceptionally well.
Amandala
GOB writes off Cab Sec's son's $40,000 student loan!
At Friday's sitting of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Dean Barrow introduced a motion to write off $40,574.88 that was owed to the government by Joshua Perdomo, a son of Cabinet Secretary Carlos Perdomo.
The younger Perdomo was granted study leave to pursue a Master's Degree in Forensic Genetics, and when he did not return to take up his duties and honor his three-year bond obligation to the government, "his service was terminated on September 1, 2011," Barrow told the House in his introduction to the motion to write off Perdomo's debt to the government.
Fernanda Garcia, 64, stabbed by grandson
Fernanda Garcia, 64, a domestic, was treated at the Northern Regional Hospital for stab wounds to her chest and body.
Information to us is that about 5:30 yesterday, Garcia and other family members were in her house in the village when a relative went to her and asked for $5.00 to buy drugs. She refused to give him and the relative attacked and stabbed her. Garcia said that he stole $300 from her and then he ran out of the house.
Barrow gives away $90 million, and borrows $100 million
At the sitting of the House of Representatives last Friday, it came as a surprise that Prime Minister Dean Barrow found it prudent to write off 90 million dollars that was owed to government by large landowners who had fallen behind in paying the government their land tax.
It is indisputable that that $90 million dollars could have been used to help alleviate poverty or for some other worthy social program that could have been of real benefit to the people.
The Prime Minister not only wrote off the $90 million, but he also introduced a motion for the government to borrow $100 million from Taiwan.
UDP "under pressure" for "Yellowman's" vulgar behavior
The position of Sergeant at Arms has been around since the reign of England's King George V in 1415, but over the years, the position has become mostly ceremonial. The one core function of a modern-day Sergeant at Arms that has not changed with the times is to keep order.
In Belize, since the United Democratic Party (UDP) government led by Prime Minister Dean Barrow came into office in 2008, Brian "Yellowman" Audinette has been the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives.
The Scotiabank saga
For many Belizeans, the fate of Scotia Bank's operation in Belize became uncertain last week when "speculations" began to reach the media about the institution's impending closure. Initial reports to several media outlets were that on Wednesday, August 14, a staff meeting was held at which Scotia employees were informed that the bank's local operation would be sold to a regional financial institution from Jamaica as early as October of this year.
According to that same report, the employees were not given any details regarding the fate of their future employment or the legal status of this transition; however, they were allegedly assured that the bank was not intending to close any of its branches in the interim.
National Basketball Team player Glency Lopez gets basketball scholarship to US College
It takes a community to mold an athlete, especially if he is coming from the south side of Belize City where the ambitions of young men could be easily derailed. It is therefore cause for celebration for every youth who defies the odds that are systemically stacked against them.
From deep inside the heart of Lake Independence, Glency "Coopeh" Lopez, an unlikely star basketball player, emerged to become a member of Belize's National Basketball Team, after he was rejected on two occasions. Through sheer discipline and with iron-willed determination to stay the course, Lopez eventually made it on to the national stage, and has become the recipient of a basketball scholarship to study in the United States.
8 medals for Belize at 2019 Yucatan Open Table Tennis Tournament - Circuit of Merida
Report of the results of the 5th Edition of the Circuit State of Merida - Yucatan OPEN 2019.
The event was held from 16 - 18 August 2019, with the participation of athletes from Yucatan, along with some other Mexican clubs, and Belize.
National Belikin 8-Ball Finals in P.G. - Chatta's of O.W. - Champs!!!
The 22nd Annual National Belikin 8-Ball Tournament concluded over the weekend at the newly constructed Sports Complex in Punta Gorda Town. Throughout the country, teams competed from May to win a spot in the National Finals.
The results of the tournament are as follows: 1st Place - won by Chatta's of Orange Walk. Interestingly, this team was the sub-champs from Orange Walk. 2nd Place - won by CK Shooters of Cayo. 3rd Place - won by Mighty Ducks of Corozal.
FFB Youth Inter-District Football Tournaments update
The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) youth tournaments continued over the weekend, with playoffs near for the females, and already under way in the male categories.
"Suffudge" on home visit from New York
The sports desk was thrilled this morning with a visit behind the Zinc Fence of our Charger teammate from the 1975-76 football season in Belize City. One of the great young talents that flashed across the Belize football scene, only to quickly join the northern exodus, Michael "Suffudge" Rushford was a sensational counter-attacking defender on that exciting Charger team that finished third, while Suffudge was chosen the MVP in that 1975-76 season, which was won by back-to-back champions, Berger 404.
Editorial: ALL Belize's best farm lands (and fishing spots) are taken
We Belizeans have seen so many murders in our country these past two and a half decades, that we should be untouched by the pain they cause, unless we are directly affected as family or close friends of a victim. But, when we think it can't get any worse, it does.
All murders are cruel, but some of them have been particularly gruesome. We've seen people murdered as if they were vermin. It is standard practice in many cultures that a hunter or a butcher says a prayer before putting to death, in the most humane way possible, an animal intended for food. Game animals and livestock are treated more compassionately than some murder victims in Belize.
Amandala, from a newspaper to a reputable media network in Belize
Dear Editor,
I remember when the Amandala newspaper came to birth in the 1960's. It was during the time when there was a lot of political turmoil in Belize. The Black people in the United States were fighting for their rights, and at the same time, they were being drafted into the US Armed Forces to go and fight in Vietnam and risk losing their lives.
Evan X Hyde returned from his studies in the United States and formed the United Black Association for Development (UBAD) with his supporters to address the racial problems affecting Black people in Belize. The two major political parties, PUP and NIP, were against UBAD for bringing up the racism issue because of fear that it could lead to riots in the city.
We are on a road to serfdom - economic slavery!
Dear Editor,
As the anniversary of our independence draws near, I always contemplate the future of Belize. Firstly, the economic future looks weak, and there is evidence of social decay.
Regardless of which party is in power, their economic policies and practices seem based on political expediencies. For example, the Super Bond of over a billion dollars is managed for the benefit of the party, not the nation, by both the PUP and UDP administrations.
Adolphus A. Rosales congratulates Amandala
Dear Publisher and Editor,
Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the attainment of the Amandala Golden Jubilee. It's a newspaper I have been reading from its inception, and I continue to read. Its global headlines and information are masterful and exceptional.
Keep up the good work in vigor and truth.
Cocono Bwai, Belize is proud of you
Dear Editor,
I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing, in my home, one of Belize's youngest and most outstanding artists, 22-year-old Cecil Jenkins, whose stage name is "Cocono Bwai."
Cecil was born on November 22, 1996, in Belize City to a family of seven. He was raised by his grandmother, Racquel Baptist, who looked after his upbringing and kept him in school right up to Wesley College.
Saving the New River is saving our Great Barrier Reef
Our wonderful New River has been the victim of corporate savagery during the past 52 years since 1967 when Tate and Lyle/BSI (Belize Sugar Industries) began sugar milling operations at Bound-to-Shine, now known as Tower Hill.
Victims have been the wildlife and people whose sustenance/livelihood depends on the New River: the communities of Chan Pine Ridge, Tower Hill, Carmelita, Guinea Grass, to name only a few.
Corruption and nepotism prevail in Belize
It's good to look at our country's national development through the eyes of the oldest newspaper, having just celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. When Amandala started, it was at a time when young Belizean blacks were pushing for a higher level of black consciousness, nationalism and for sure involvement in the national life.
I was brought to my earlier recollection of politics, it was between my 7th and 11th birthday, when public meetings were still a major event.
Barrow, down; Musa, down; Goldson still up
I, for one, do not want to say anything bad about Mr. Wilfred Elrington, especially not at this time, because it isn't right to put weight on a brother's shoulders when it seems his enemies are tearing at him like wild cats on innocent game. Sedi is a human, so he must have sins - yes, among them is that he has sneezed at the intelligence of us regular folk - wait, forget all my concerns about enemies at his door, how dare he say we donsi when we questioned his behavior in the Sarstoon and his discourse about artificial lines separating countries?
Mennonites throw away thousands of liters of water
The waste is carried onto rice crops in the Los Chenes region, with the consent of the authorities, while in other parts of the State the liquid is lacking.
May 1, 2019 - Poresto!
HOPELCHEN, Campeche, April 30- In the mountain region, where drought is overwhelming and care must be taken of every drop of water, millions of liters of this vital liquid are wasted by the Mennonites who have started the practice of rice planting, which is traditionally practiced in the area of the rivers of the municipality of Palizada. In this way, while other countries lack water and take care of it, in the Mennonite area known as Santa Fe, thousands of liters of the vital liquid are thrown away for minutes to irrigate the rice crop, at the consent of the authorities of the three levels of government.
Belizean says Chetumal cops robbed him of $3,000
A Belizean man has reported to us that he was robbed by Mexican police in Chetumal. The victim, who is afraid of using his name due to retaliation by the Mexican cops when he takes another trip to Chetumal, told Amandala that he went to Chetumal on Monday on a business trip.
He and a friend decided to have a few drinks in a popular bar, the Arrecife, and at about 10:30, they decided to leave.
Outside the bar, his friend went his own way, and he got in his vehicle and began driving to his hotel.
DOE to hold meeting about polluted New River
For some time now, the New River in the Orange Walk District has been afflicted by high quantities of pollutants that have changed the color of its waters and caused the river to have a putrid smell. This week, the dramatically disturbing pictures of dead fish in the river began making their rounds in social media and also through traditional media.
The Department of the Environment recently conducted tests of the water and has confirmed that indeed, the New River has been affected by a condition called eutrophication.
Belize Business Bureau slams National Gas Company as "worst idea of the decade"
The Government of Belize passed a piece of legislation last Friday in the House of Representatives, the National Liquefied Petroleum Gas Project Bill, to create a public/private enterprise - the National Gas Company - to take over the liquid petroleum gas (butane) industry, which is presently controlled by Mexican companies.
In his introduction to the new bill, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that the creation of the National Gas Company would, among other things, lower the price of butane for consumers.
Belmopan man shot when he objected to drug sale in his yard
Brian Chavarria, 44, a mechanic of Sinsonte Street, is presently fighting for his life at the Western Regional Hospital with gunshot wounds to his body after he was shot multiple times by an associate of his, with whom he had been drinking in his garage.
Chavarria had apparently objected to the sale of drugs in his yard. According to reports, Chavarria and five other men were drinking in his yard in his garage on Sinsonte Street when he saw drugs being sold by one of the men to another man.
The Reporter
Editorial - Friday August 23rd. 2019
At last Friday's meeting of the House of Representatives, Caribbean Shores Representative Mr. Kareem Musa, 41, called on the Prime Minister, Mr. Dean Barrow to step down. He charged that the PM was "old and tired."
Eat With Purpose
I'm sure you've heard the phrase "you are what you eat." Don't worry, I won't be making reference to us fat folks. The statement was made in an effort to encourage a shift in food choices and yes it was probably geared towards making the overweight person think before eating.
Scotia shoots Down Rumors of Sale
Despite media reports that ScotiaBank was finalizing a deal to sell its assets in the country and close its Belize branches, the Reporter understands that no such deal is final nor has the Central Bank been informed of any such transaction. A ScotiaBank representative in Jamaica also told the media that Belize remains a part of the bank's Caribbean network.
Body Found Near Turneffe Atoll Is Belize City Man - Michael Hyde
The Reporter has been able to confirm that a body has been found floating near mangroves in the Central Lagoon of the Turneffe Atoll. Reliable sources have said that the Coast Guard and Scenes of Crime personnel headed to the scene at 5:30am this morning.
LOVE FM
BTB hosts first ever cruise conference
Belize has grown leaps and bounds as it relates to cruise tourism. According to the Belize Tourism Board, BTB, the first ship that docked in Belize had only ninety passengers and to date, ships come calling to Belize with approximately twelve thousand passengers a day. BTB is hoping to attract even more ships to our �
Firefighters receive training in Honduras
The Joint Task Force-Bravo's 612th Air Base Squadron is conducting the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences exercise (CENTAM SMOKE) in Honduras. Five Belizean firefighters are participating in the training where they are learning about safety, personal protective equipment, structural and helicopter live fire evolution, vehicle extrication, aircraft familiarization and wildland fires. Love News �
Made in Belize is the latest marketing tool
The second edition of the Made in Belize catalog was launched via Export Belize,a unit of BELTRAIDE, this morning. The purpose of the catalog, which features approximately fifty companies, is to be able to reach places where local producers are not able to physically go and to acquire new customers. Love news spoke with Shahera �
Preschool's license application denied less then two weeks before school starts
On September 2 when classes are set to resume on the primary level, over five dozen children might be out of school since the Mount Carmel Preschool in Benque Viejo del Carmen Town, Cayo District was not granted their school license by the Ministry of Education. Indications are that the district education office has expressed �
Marshalleck Stadium set to continue construction
A massive stadium in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, has been in the works for about three years. The project for the Marshalleck stadium was put on pause for while, but Benque residents can be rest assured that they will be able to witness the state of the art stadium in their own town. �
Mulligan charge for gun related offenses
36-year-old, William Mulligan, a resort owner of San Pedro, was arraigned on four-gun related offenses yesterday and today he was given bail. This morning before Justice Herbert Lord in the Supreme Court, his attorney Ellis Arnold was able to secure bail for him in the sum of $8,000 plus two sureties of $4,000 each. The �
Family dispute leads to man stabbing brother
38-year-old Mark Anthony Ferguson is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was arraigned late yesterday evening for the attempted murder of his brother, 44-year-old Oliver Peters. Ferguson appeared before Senior Magistrate, Aretha Ford in court where he was read three charges of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and �
Body of Belize City man found on Turneffe Atoll
30-year-old, Michael Hyde is dead, and investigators are looking for answers at the Turneffe Atoll. Hyde's body was found this morning just before six o'clock in the Atoll's central lagoon. Love News is yet to receive confirmation from the police officials, but we were made to understand that Hyde's body was found floating near the �
Breaking Belize News
"Cabinet was unaware of Joshua Perdomo loan write off," says Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber commented on the $40,000 Cabinet write off for a student [�]
The results are in! Belize U15 team bringing home 5 medals for CODICADER Track and Field
Belize's team participating in the Central American Athletic Championship (CODICADER) Under 15 Games are bringing [�]
Friends of the New River Belize needs your help!
Following an incident this week where hundreds of fish floated up dead in the New [�]
Belmopan man missing
The family of Belmopan resident, Robert Castillo is concerned about his whereabouts. Castillo was last [�]
11 outstanding Belizean Youth and 1 mentor to participate in Youth Ambassador Program
Eleven outstanding young Belizeans and 1 mentor will participate in the Youth Ambassador program next [�]
Belize Lady Jaguars play in triangular tournament
Belize's national women's senior team is leaving today and tomorrow, Saturday, for Miami, Florida, en [�]
US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs to visit Belize and Honduras
The United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Carl Risch will travel to [�]
College student in the US hopes to empower indigenous communities through research project on Belize's territorial dispute with Guatemala
Savannah Kelly, a 21-year-old undergraduate student at Hamilton University is conducting a research project on [�]
Southern Workers Union to protest
The Southern Workers Union is staging a peaceful protest today outside of the Southern Regional [�]
Nine persons charged for marijuana possession in Ambergris Caye
Eight Belizeans, including a public officer; and one American national, are on bail for possession [�]
Accused Lord's Bank arsonist in court
Thirty-two-year-old Jose Manuel Portillo is behind bars after being read separate charges of arson, using [�]
Parolee returned to jail after drug conviction
Eugene Lloyd Ramirez of Taylor's Alley is headed back to prison for a long stretch [�]
Blogs
Butterflies, botanicals, and hummingbirds!
Almost everywhere you explore in Belize has you immersed within a tropical paradise bursting with colorful flora and fauna. When visiting the Green Hills Butterfly Ranch in the Cayo District, you get a magical dose of these fabulous features showcasing gorgeous butterflies, jungle foliage and vibrant hummingbirds! Their butterfly pavilion is teeming with approximately thirty species of butterflies in all colors and shapes. From the iridescent Blue Morpho, which is one of the largest butterflies in the world, to the aptly named Malachite in glorious green and black, the air space within the enclosure is aflutter with a kaleidoscope of color.
International Sources
Kelly '21 Studies Belize Border Disput
Savannah Kelly '21 is conducting a Levitt Center research project on the effects of the Guatemala-Belize border dispute on Belize's indigenous communities. She has already conducted numerous interviews and plans to travel to Belize at the end of the summer to conclude the interview portion of her research.
What is your research project?
I am conducting research on the socio-political impact of the border dispute between Guatemala and Belize on Belize''s indigenous communities. Guatemala is claiming upwards of 50% of Belize's territory, much of which is home to the Mayas, Garifuna, and more.
