June 29, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Mango Season
Mango season in Belize is one of the most delicious times of the year. Not only does it bring about several variations of the juicy fruit, it also means time for tasty mango treats! Be share to get your fill of mangoes before the season is gone!

Caribbean Villas Hotel to Host the Biggest LGBT Pride Event in Belize History
Caribbean Villas Hotel (CVH) will be hosting the first annual Temptation Island Pride Week, an exclusive event with nightly activities such as Drag Shows, Toga Parties, Leather & Lace Parties, a Masquerade Ball, Runway Model Shows and more. As this event will be the biggest LGBT gathering in the history of Belize, CVH has set aside all 61 of their rooms in order to exclusively accommodate event attendees.

Wolfe’s Woofer: Sunday Visitors
“Sherry!” Sherry came out of the kitchen saying, “What is it? What’s going on?” “I’m still in my underwear,” I said. “Can you see who’s knocking at the door?” She said. “It’s probably those church people again.” “It is the church people,” she said, when she came back. “They’re the only ones who would come knocking at eight o’clock on Sunday morning when we’re trying to sleep.” “What did you say to them?” “I told them that we are trying to sleep and asked them to please go away.” That was last Sunday. This Sunday at eight o’clock they knocked on the door again. “I’m going to tell them that if they come around here at 8 a.m. again I’ll put my dog on them,” Sherry said.

Police Report
Rape: An American student who was staying at a beach resort in Caye Caulker Village reported that about 3AM on Saturday, June 20th, she was socializing at a Night Club located in the Bahia Area of Caye Caulker. She then wanted to use the bathroom so she went outside by the seaside when she was choked from behind by someone, which caused her to pass out. Upon her gaining consciousness, she realized that someone was on top of her having sex with her against her will and another person was holding down her wrist on the sand.
Robbery: On Saturday, June 20th at 10:50PM, San Pedro Police responded to information of a robbery in progress at the beach front of Crazy Canucks. Upon arrival, Corporal #400 Jose Blanco spoke to 24-year-old Allison Holmes, an American Forest Ranger who reported that at 10:25PM she was robbed by a dark-skinned male person. While Cpl Blanco was speaking with her, a dark-skinned male person dressed in a white T shirt and ¾ blue jeans pants was seen running from an east to a west direction. People who had gathered there started saying ‘that’s him, he is escaping’.
On Wednesday, June 17th at about 4PM, a joint team of San Pedro Strike Team, Criminal Investigation Branch and Special Branch personnel intercepted a grey Chevy Impala with license plate # SP-C-3619 on Pescador Drive. At the time the vehicle was being driven by its owner 30-year-old Howell Sydney Longsworth. Also in the vehicle was 29-year-old Colin Searle. A search was conducted inside the vehicle led to the discovery of a grey and black knapsack containing two transparent plastic bag with 139.2 grams of suspected cannabis. They were formally arrested and charged for Drug Trafficking.

Doctor Love: Relationships
Dear Doctor Love, I have never been to Belize but I have been reading the San Pedro Sun for nearly a year. I was looking for dive sites when I stumbled across it. I have been hooked ever since. Two months ago a Belizean woman looked me up at an on-line dating site. We started chatting and soon moved into exchanging emails. Our long distance relationship is wonderful. My company just got a contract that keeps me tied up here seven days a week so I won’t be able to visit Belize for another year. She wants to visit me here in British Columbia and I started talking to her about the possibility of her living with me here and maybe getting married. She loves the idea but it turns out that her visa only allows her to stay 90 days at a time. Should I sponsor her as an immigrant to come to Canada with the possibility of her becoming my wife? /s/ Lonely Canuck

Misc Belizean Sources

Miss Caroline Barkwell, needs your help!
Miss Caroline of Caye Caulker Belize, collapsed with a stroke on Friday night & needs help with medical bills in order to continue with treatment. She was taken from Caye Caulker to Belize city and is currently in hospital, fighting for her life. Doctors are optimistic that her treatment is working, yet she still remains in a coma. In order to keep her in the Belize medical Assosiates hospital until Tuesday, we are required to pay 17,750.00 Belize dollars that equals $8,875.00 US dollars within the next 2 days! If you could please help us save our Mom, we will so greatly appreciate it!

Fabulous wedding cakes by Hicaqueno Raul Young

LOVE FM

Artisan upset after building dismantled
Yesterday evening 48 year old Alberto Ramos showed us what he built with his own hands, a small shack made out of pieces of planks and boards. It was situated just beside Scotia Bank on the Phillip Goldson highway and right next to the ongoing works at the Belama round about. Ramos told us that […]

Belmopan prepares for September celebrations
Angelica Cruz reporting… “The 10th and 21st September Celebrations committee in Belmopan informed all artists of Belmopan and surrounding villages that for the first time the National Song competition is coming to Belmopan. Artists are asked to submit their applications before July 4. Tricia Pelayo Public Relations officer for the Belmopan City Council tells us […]

Fisher folks to be celebrated
June 29 is recognized as Caribbean Fisherfolk Day. The day is observed as a part of the bigger International Fisherman’s Day. It is being celebrated under the theme, The Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy, breaking the cycle of poverty in fishing communities. The Belize Fisheries Department has teamed up with a number of organizations to […]

Melvin Hulse to be replaced in Stann Creek West
Yesterday, Melvin Hulse, tendered his letter of resignation as the UDP Stand Bearer for Stann Creek West following the release of a very scandalous and slanderous secret recording. In this recording he spoke about Prime Minister Dean Barrow and made some damning allegations about former PUP Standard Bearers, Ivan Ramos and Joseph Mahmud. Today, Prime […]

Santa Cruz incident revisited
On Wednesday, 11 Mayans of Santa Cruz Village were arrested and charged for false imprisonment of Rupert Miles. Miles was arrested by the community members on Saturday. They say that he has been unruly and would not relocate from living on an ancient Maya Site. Miles filed a police report and so the Maya group […]

Image Factory celebrates twenty years
The Image factory Art Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary today with an exhibit of a number of artists and their works. According to Yasser Musa, the celebration is more a chapter within the long history of art. The event is a celebration of the pure nature of art and looks to show the importance […]

Mexican naval ship runs aground in Belizean waters
Another naval ship has run aground in Belizean waters. This time it was a Mexican naval ship and according to a release, it happened in the wee hours of this morning. A 55 ft. Mexican Navy Vessel, a “Polaris – Intercepter” experienced a “soft grounding”, on the mud flats and shoals just south of Blackadore […]

Minister Lisel Alamilla speaks on environmental bills
Earlier in the week, executives of the Association of Protected Areas Managements Organization, APAMO, held a press conference in which they presented their concerns in regards to the Protected Areas System Bill. According to APAMO, while the bill will paved the way for several good practices and initiatives, they were not properly consulted and has […]

Cruise Ship Passenger Tax and validation bill goes through the House of Representatives
The Cruise Ship Passenger Tax and Validation Bill also went through its three readings. At the moment, Michael Feinstein, is currently in a legal battle against the Government of Belize, the Belize Tourism Board and Fort Street Tourism Village and for the most part of it, it has to do with the collection of head […]

The Reporter

Katy Sealy leading at Central American Games
British-born heptathlete Katy Sealy, representing Belize, is leading all athletes in points in the haptathlon, after the first two days of competition in Nicaragua at the Central American Games. After the first four events of the seven-event heptathlon, Sealy leads in every category. She leads with a total of 2831 points, combining her results in the 100 meter race, high jumps, shot put and the 200 meters race. The competition wraps up on Sunday with the last three events of the heptathlon, the long jump, javelin throw and 800 meters. Sealy had previously told The Reporter she was confident heading into the event and expected to come away with either gold or silver. On the first day of the event, on Friday, Sealy won the bronze medal in the individual shot put event. Following the Central American games, Sealy will represent Belize in the Pan American games in Canada in July and the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) games in Costa Rica in August.

Coast Guard search for Varela continues
Search efforts by the Belize National Coast Guard (BNCG) for 80-year-old San Pedro businessman, Liobijildo Varela, in the area off the Port of Belize continue without much luck or any sign of Varela’s body. According to Ensign David Ayala, BNGC on-scene search coordinator, as of Saturday afternoon the search was still underway, but Varela’s body still hasn’t been found. Ayala said the Coast Guard team conducting the search included several boats circling the area where Varela was known to fall into the sea. According to Ayala, there have been several changes in the weather conditions over the last few days since Varela went under and the shift in currents may have caused the body to drift out. Still, Ayala said, the search will continue until they are given directives from their commander that the search party is over. Varela was on-board his tug boat on Thursday night, traveling with cargo from San Pedro to the Belize Port along with his crew. The boat was pulling a barge into the Port but a squall, which brought a heavy downpour on them, forced them to switch course from the usual barge docking area to the Port’s pier.

Breaking Belize News

Body found floating in the Caribbean Sea in Corozal Town
Reports reaching our news room is that the body of an East Indian man was discovered floating in the Caribbean Sea in Corozal Town. This is a developing story and we will be updating it as more information becomes available.

Prime Minister lauds teachers’/public officers’ salary adjustments
$72 million in more wages for teachers and public officers over the last two years has boosted national purchasing power, said Prime Minister Dean Barrow during Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives. This represents a total increase of 19 percent in both actual wages and increments, or $6,000 for each of 12,000 Belizean workers per year, something that, in the Prime Minister’s words, “has simply never happened before in this country, never ever. Citing recent statistics from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) which recorded deflation of prices at 1% in the month of May, 2015, over May, 2014, the P.M. described the increased wages as a boost to individual spending power and stimulant to the economy, and does not expect this to change any time soon.

APAMO divided over conservation bills; Minister defends purpose of legislation
As the Government of Belize prepared to introduce the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) Act and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) (Amendment) Bills in the House of Representatives on Friday, the primary umbrella organization for managers of Belize’s protected areas, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO) showed division among its membership, a majority of whom are said not to support either Bill. APAMO claims that follow-up consultation promised by the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development after an initial meeting earlier this year did not materialize, and there remains concerns that APAMO says can only be remedied by their involvement. It says it will take the time to submit the recommendations they wanted to present before the Bills were passed.

Blogs

Seven Fundamental Truths Behind Sustainability
It is important to distinguish here between the meaning of truths and principles. The statement of a truth represents a reality in our world, a fact that is supported by scientific evidence, as we know it to be now, whether it is natural, social, or economic science. A principle, on the other hand, represents a belief that forms the foundation of a fundamental doctrine (like sustainability) or serves as a rule, law, or assumption about the nature of a policy. To begin understanding chaotic and complex systems underlying global patterns addressed by sustainable development requires confidence in the tools of systemic analysis that include the basic truths or facts that surround any particular issue. Because of significant causal uncertainty in many instances, however, we can never be sure how systems are going to behave as conditions change. This uncertainty can make a symptomatic approach to problem-solving more appealing, advocating the evaluation of symptoms rather than underlying causes even though symptom assessment often leads to failed outcomes. For example, it is tough to convince a North American Midwest farmer that global warming of the climate is occurring when they are facing record snowfalls.

International Sources

C'bean integrity commissions form Commonwealth body to fight corruption
NATIONAL authorities from 12 Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean have joined forces to establish a new regional body to enhance transparency and help fight corruption. It's called the Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean. It was formed at the first Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Caribbean, which was convened last week, June 22-26, by the Commonwealth Secretariat in Grenada and hosted by the Integrity Commission of Grenada. The association was inaugurated by Dame Cecile La Grenade, Governor General of Grenada, and Dr Keith Mitchell, the prime minister of Grenada. It comprises the heads of national commissions and is intended to help Caribbean countries cooperate across borders, exchange best practices and develop regional anti-corruption initiatives.

Videos

June 28, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Nature Love
It’s easy to fall in love with Belize’s natural beauty! Wheter it’s our lush green jungles or pristine marine waters, the beauty of Belize is natural.

Sewer Pump Lift Transfer Station Almost Completed
The Belize Water Service Limited (BWS) is on its last phase of completing construction of the Sewage Transfer Station on Bonefish Street at Boca del Rio area of San Pedro. The area has been labeled as Zone 1 and the Pump-lift Station will improve the quality of service for residents in the area when it comes to sewage treatment. This project will also reduce the risk of contamination to the water bed due to sewage seepage. Works on the building site started on August 2014 in a government owned parcel of land. The acquisition of this lot was possible through the efforts of The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC). The station will collect all waste material and pump it to the adjacent zone’s sewer system. According to BWS, the scope of this project entails the installation of this new pumping station which will include inlet manholes connecting it to the existing sewage collection network. The installation of the pump is presently in an advanced stage, with the installation of all electrical connections coming up. The company again reiterated the benefit this project will have on residents of the area. The sewage waste will be more controlled, properly collected and dealt with and it will alleviate the stench secreted by the waste. Not to mention that with this improvement in the quality of sewage treatment, the local environment will be less prone to any hazardous waste leakage. In a press release, BWS stated that once the sewer lift pumping station is completed, a survey will follow in order to determine how many residences and businesses will be connected to the station. This will come with a connection fee, which has yet to be revealed.

Danielle Neal receives Queen’s Award
On Monday, June 22nd, Queen Elizabeth II along with Princess Beatrice of York, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, hosted an award ceremony and reception to celebrate this year’s exceptional Queen Young Leaders awardees. Among the 60 awardees from across the Commonwealth, was Belizean Danielle Neal, who was awarded by Her Majesty for doing remarkable work in the Belizean communities which have helped many young women to improve their lives. Neal was privy to a special experience in London, England. The awards were issued out at the Buckingham Palace, and the awardees spent time at Cambridge University meeting key people as well as visiting Downing Street. Neal was mentored in hopes of improving her charitable works in Belize.

WWE Superstars vacation in San Pedro
Ambergris Caye is become quite the celebrity hot spot, with several public figures choosing La Isla Bonita as their vacation destination. Among those celebrity vacationers was 50-year-old Mark Calaway, better known by his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) ring name The Undertaker. Calaway and his wife, retired WWE Diva Michelle McCool, were spotted at the Philip Goldson International Airport on Monday, June 22nd at around 4PM waiting for their connecting flight to San Pedro Town onboard Maya Island Air. Calaway is an iconic American professional wrestler who employs scare tactics and links to the supernatural. He has won multiple championship belts in the WWE and is synonymous for “The Streak”, an unprecedented run of 21 straight victories at WWE’s annual Wrestle Mania (the biggest event of the industry). He was also winner of the 2007 Royal Rumble, is a four-time WWE World Champion, three-time World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time United States Wrestling Association Unified World Heavyweight Champion. McCool also has quite an impressive portfolio in the WWE. She is a former two-time WWE Divas Champion, a two-time WWE Women’s Champion and a one-time Diva of the Year. McCool and Calaway tied the knot on June 26, 2010. She retired from WWE about a year later in May 2011 following severe injuries. McCool and Calaway have one daughter together, Kaia Calaway, who was born on August 29, 2012.

SPRCS male football team place 3rd at Nationals
After emerging victorious at the Belize District Primary School Football Championship the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS) male football team went on to the National Primary Championship which took place on Wednesday, June 17th in Belize City. While the boys were not able to claim the championship, they still returned home with a commendable 3rd place prize. In the District Finals held on Tuesday June 9th at the MCC Grounds, San Pedro was represented by both female and male teams from SPRCS. The female squad won over the Belize City champions, Holy Redeemer 4-2 in penalty kicks. Shalini Young, Mayranite Panti, Eric Pop and Babee Lopez scored for SPRCS, while the boys won over the Belize City champions, St Joseph’s RC with a clean 4-0. Dixon Paguada, Ian Pou, Jason Sorto and William Madrid were the protagonists of the goals. However, in the girls’ finals, the Belize Elementary School (BES) girls won over SPRCS girls with a score of 2-1 during penalties. Then in the boys’ finals, the SPRCS boys won 2-1 over Hattieville Government with goals scored by Dixon Paguada and Wilson Cruz. With these results, the girls remained as sub-champions while the boys advanced to the Nationals.

The Reporter

PM says GOB has given public servants 19 percent salary increase
Prime Minister Dean Barrow, during Friday’s House Sitting, boasted that his administration has raised teachers’ and public officers’ salaries and increments by a cumulative 19 percent in just two fiscal years. According to Barrow, that 19 percent represents a $72 million increase in salaries being paid out to teachers and public servants. He estimated that to be an additional $6,000 per year being paid to each and every teacher and public servant. “A $72 million wage increase in two years for 12,000 Belizean workers has simply never happened before in this country, never ever,” Barrow gloated. He added that the increase has boosted spending power, stimulating the economy citing figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), which most recently indicate that inflation is at -1 percent. Barrow said with no foreseeable spike in inflation the purchasing power of those 12,000 Belizeans has gone up significantly. Barrow said the teachers and public officers are the single most valuable element in the unceasing endeavor of United Democratic Party (UDP) nation building and government. He also took the time to take a shot at the former administration comparing his eight year in office, giving salary increases, to the former People’s United Party’s (PUP) eighth year in office where they were requesting salary cuts.

Breaking Belize News

Traffic Accident on the Philip Goldson Highway lands several at the emergency room
Reports reaching our news room is that a Grand Cherokee SUV ran off the Philip Goldson Highway slamming onto some trees. Information is still sketchy but BMG was made to understand that three persons have been transported via ambulance to the KHMH. We will be updating this story as more […]

Belize Weather: Expect clear skies this weekend
The National Met. Service of Belize is predicting mainly dry and fair conditions for the next 24 hours in the country. The 24 hour forecast is for mostly sunny during the daytime and partly cloudy tonight. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to be isolated. Winds will blow from East at […]

Why U.S. Supreme Court decision on gay marriage is important for Belize
In a razor-thin 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that marriage between persons of the same gender is a legal right under the Constitution in all 50 states. With more than 30 already supporting gay marriage, the ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges clears the way […]

P.M. hopes new legislation will solve cruise impasse
Cruise developer Michael Feinstein is suing the Government of Belize and Fort Street Tourism Village over certain provisions in the amended agreement between the latter two that purport to offer security to the Village in both revenue from the head tax collected on passengers by the Belize Tourism […]

P.G. Garinagu charge BWS with discrimination
Approximately 200 residents of what is known as the St. Vincent Block in Punta Gorda Town, an enclave of Garifuna, are up in arms with Belize Water Services Limited (BWS) over alleged discriminatory practices. They believe that the company or the Government should compensate them for the thousands […]

15 year old Tyrique Thompson dies from shooting injuries
Shooting victim Tyrique Thompson, 15, of Belize City, died of his injuries in hospital on Friday afternoon after falling into a coma since his admittance to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He had been shot in the head Monday night on Lakeview Street near Vernon Street. His mother, […]

Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School Needs Your Help
By Charles Leslie Jr. My wife and I have a 5 year old daughter that is attending the Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School in the capital city of Belmopan, Belize. We are proud that the faculty works really hard to give our children a great education. Unfortunately, the school does […]

Melvin Hulse still has a home in the UDP says PM Barrow
Yesterday PM Barrow told the media in Belmopan that Melvin Hulse, the former standard bearer for the Stann Creek West division still has a place in the United Democratic Party (UDP). Hulse resigned on Thursday as Standard Bearer for the UDP after he was exposed in a recording on Monday […]

Blogs

San Pedro Snapshot Saturday and Sun?
It has been a grey week and the last two days, we’ve seen quite a bit of rain. Which reminds me that the rainy season is SO HARD TO DEFINE. Actually, that’s not true…it’s quite easy. Hurricane season (or “the season that can be rainy”) is June 1st to November 30th. It CAN rain during this time. But I get so many emails…people asking if it is okay to visit in July or September…and I always say YES! But the truth, the cold hard truth is, you may see rain. But then…I still think the odds of sun are much better. So…with San Pedro Lobsterfest over…and Caye Caulker’s this weekend. It was a grey weekjust to be. Life is not always exciting events in Belize…just most of the time. ANYWAY…here are snapshots…most already on Instagram of my grey week. Lots of plants…and well…as usual food. Feeding Wish Willies my well aged bananas.

Belize’s Chaa Creek Wins at 2015 Interactive Media Awards!
The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Belize’s eco resort website, chaacreek.com has received a prestigious recognition as winner of the ‘Outstanding Achievement’ Award in the Hotel/Resort category at the 2015 Interactive Media Awards – one of the IMAs highest honors. The new website, designed by Avatar New York was launched on January 12th 2015, carries across much of the same content as the previous site, it has a fresh new look, enhanced functionality and was developed for a busy, increasingly mobile clientele.

San Ignacio, Cayo's Best Food Spots
San Ignacio town, or as it’s locally known “Cayo”, is the ideal place to go in Belize if you are seeking adventure. This small quaint town acts a hub for travelers in search of jungle expeditions, tours to ancient Maya cities, caves and countless other eco activities that get you up close to nature. Visitors are also treated to a glimpse of how diverse Belizean culture is. A few ways to experience this is by strolling down Burns Avenue (the main street) and seeing how locals interact, another is by visiting the farmers’ market on Saturdays, but my favourite approach is by eating at the local restaurants and bars. Below are nine of the best restaurants in San Ignacio, Cayo.

Oxtail Chili Burgers
Mom suggested this spicy, savory sandwich made from 3 dishes I've already made at the site. This chili is made from Oxtails rather than ground beef. With this homemade sandwich bread this meal is finger licking good.

Videos

June 27, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Office Wear at the second annual Public Service Fashion Show
An enthusiastic crowd made its presence heard at the second Public Service Fashion Show that took place on Saturday, June 20th at Señor Marlin’s Beach Bar. The event kicked off Public Service Week 2015, with the showcasing of public officers’ dress codes and styles. The show featured what is appropriate and what is not. The DJ kept pumping the music as the models walked down the runway showcasing the different uniforms from several government offices. The second segment of the show was a bit more glamorous, as Foreva Fancy dressed the ladies up for fashion outside the office. MCs for the night were Kristina Romero from the National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDACC) and Miriam Codd from the Ministry of Education. Public servants present were treated to snacks and drinks courtesy of the San Pedro Town Council during the event. Near the end of the show, the crowd was treated to a Carnival themed dance show by the models.

Michael Dudikoff (A.K.A) American Ninja Vacations in San Pedro
American actor Michael Dudikoff, well known for his lead roles in the American Ninja series between 1985-1990 recently spent some time in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Dudikoff began his career in the entertainment industry as a model, and worked in the high fashion world for the likes of Calvin Klein and GQ among other clients. He quickly rose to international print modeling after high fashion, and continuously traveled New York, Los Angeles and Milan in Italy. Acting was the next step and he starred in several commercials for companies such as Coppertone, Coca-Cola for Japan, Army Reserve and even Stridex. Following this his acting career in movies kicked off and among all the films he was involved there was one production that exposed him the most. He was widely recognized for playing the character of Private Joe Armstrong in the American Ninja series which began in 1985 and comprised of five movies. In an interview in 2012, Dudikoff expressed his desire to be in The Expendables 3 and also hinted a possible sequel to American Ninja and Avenging Force.

Kicking off summer with five-a-side football tournament
The Island Citizens Sporting Club (ICSC), in collaboration with the San Pedro High School (SPHS), will be hosting a five-a-side football tournament commencing on Thursday, July 9th. The tournament will bring football action to the Angel Nuñez Auditorium for male and female athletes of all ages. Prior to the tournament kick-off, an all-day football marathon will be held on Sunday, June 28th to showcase the skills of the participating teams. The five-a-side football tournament is divided into several categories to accommodate athletes fairly: little league (under 13), junior, female and senior teams. So far, confirmed teams include: 16 senior teams, four female teams, 12 little league teams. Organizers inform that only three more senior teams will be allowed to register, but that female, little league or junior teams are welcomed to register. No unregistered team will be allowed to participate.

Public Service Officers awarded at 10th annual Public Service Day Awards
On Tuesday, June 23rd, Belize celebrated the United Nation’s Public Service Day under the theme “Belize Public Service: Commitment, Empowerment and Industrious – Cultivating an Ethos of selfless service to all Belizeans”. In commemoration of the day, the Ministry of Public Service and Elections and Boundaries held its 10th Annual Belize Public Service Awards for the first time in San Pedro. 76 public officers were awarded for being devoted to the government for 25 years or more. The ceremony started at 10:30AM at the Blue Water Grill and saw the presence of His Excellency Governor General of Belize, Sir Colville Young, His Worship Mayor Daniel Guerrero, Deputy Mayor Gary Greif, San Pedro Town Councilors, Minister of the Public Service and Elections and Boundaries Honorable Charles Gibson, among other invited guests. After protocol was established, Mayor Daniel Guerrero greeted those in attendance. “Today we commemorate the commitment, sacrifice and the unselfish dedication of the many public officers across the entire country. The theme for this year’s highlights the very essence of our responsibilities of what is expected of us as public officers,” said Guerrero who also commented on San Pedro’s nurse, Shawmela Kelly. “She has given many years of service to the island and we encourage many other public officers to follow her path. We are proud of all public officers that will be awarded on the island today and I do hope you all enjoyed your stay at La Isla Bonita,” ended Guerrero.

Ambergris Today

First Ever Invest in Belize Seminar Held in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
The Ambassador of Belize to the Republic of China (Taiwan) H.E. Cherie Nisbet hosted the 2015 Invest in Belize: Investment Seminar at the Palais de Chine Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 15, 2015. The event was the first of its kind and was held with the aim of attracting Taiwanese investment to Belize. A small delegation from Belize was invited by the Embassy of Belize to attend: Mr. Lincoln Blake, Director of the Policy and Investment Unit of the Ministry of Trade; Mr. Brian Lin, Manager of BelizeINVEST, BELTRAIDE; and Mr. Hero Balani, Investment Associate of BELTRAIDE. The seminar was attended by approximately 40 potential Taiwanese investors. The presentation focused on the areas of key interest for Belize: Tourism and Leisure, Medical Tourism, Offshore Outsourcing, Agri-Business and Agro-Processing, Aquaculture and Mariculture, Renewable Energy, and Investment in the Free Zone.

Grounding of Mexican Navy Vessel near Blackadore Caye
Commandant Rear Admiral John Borland of the Belize Coast Guard reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that in the wee hours of this morning June 26, 2015, that a 55 ft. Mexican Navy Vessel, a "Polaris - Intercepter" experienced a “soft grounding”, on the mud flats and shoals just south of Blackadore Caye, adjacent to Ambergris Caye. Mexican Navy vessels customarily transit from their Chetumal Bay base on a routinely scheduled basis through that area with the knowledge and permission of the Government of Belize to access their southern most outpost at Xcalac. The Belize Coast Guard immediately responded from their Forward Operating Base at San Pedro Ambergris Caye. They are in communication with the Mexican Navy and are cooperating on a response to this incident. The Belize Coast Guard along with the Belize Port Authority, the Department of the Environment, and the Fisheries Department are coordinating an assessment of the impact of the grounding of the Mexican Navy Vessel.

Celebrity Spotting - WWE Wrestler The Undertaker Vacations in San Pedro, Belize
Word got out the international superstar wrestler The Undertaker and his wife had arrived in Belize on Monday, June 22, and everybody started wondering in what part of the country he would be vacationing after the couple was spotted at Belize’s Phillip Goldson International Airport. Ambergris Today set out its drones and secret spy gear and found out that Mark William Calaway (The Undertaker) and wife Michelle McCool-Calaway had made it to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye to spend a few days on vacation. Having stayed at the ultra-private, luxury celebrity resort of Cayo Espant, there was no way of tracking the wrestler down until he was making his way out of the island. Ambergris Today caught The Undertaker at the Maya Island Air terminal today, Friday, June 26, 2015, as his vacation ended in paradise. Mark William Calaway better known by his ring name The Undertaker, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he has worked since 1990, making him WWE's longest-tenured performer.

Misc Belizean Sources

Graduación 2015
Las niñas y niños de la Escuela Primaria La Inmaculada celebraron hoy su graduacion.

Prescription reading glasses available on Caye Caulker
Had a visit from these 6 lovely ladies from Oklahoma, bringing free reading glasses! If you see them at Lobsterfest this weekend, say HI! It really brightened my day today. So, I have free reading glasses in all prescriptions available.

Landmark Legislation for Protected Areas to be introduced to the House of Representatives
The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development is pleased to announce that the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) Bill and the Amendments to the ProtectedAreas Conservation Trust (PACT) are being introduced to the House of Representatives today. These Bills are as a result of over a decade of assessments and consultations, and more importantly stems from the National Protected Areas Policy and System Plan (2005) which was endorsed by the Government in 2006 and was reaffirmed in 2010. The National Protected Areas Policy and System Plan recognized that it is vital to strengthen and modernize the laws regarding the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) in order to guarantee its financial future, increase sustainable economic investment, and greatly improve the way it is managed. The National Protected Areas System Bill will formally establish the national system of protected areas along with a comprehensive framework for the management of the NPAS. The proposed amendments to the Protected Areas Conservation Trust Act will assist in closing the financial gap of the National Protected Areas System as well as enable PACT to monitor and report on the investments across the NPAS, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.

SAN PEDRO FISHING RODEO
ATTENTION FISHERMEN! DIA DE SAN PEDRO FISHING RODEO BRIEFING

Power interruption 8:00am to 10:00am, Saturday, June 27, Stann Creek:
Silk Grass, Hopkins, Sittee River, Maya Center, Kendal & Riversdale. BEL to energize new high voltage line extension and repair static ground wire in the area.

Belize Going Green
Belize has joined the Ten Island Challenge, a consortium of Caribbean countries that aim to get all their electricity from green sources. "The government of Belize has signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to join the Ten Island Challenge, a partnership initiative between Carbon War Room (CWR) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). The move signals the Caribbean country’s commitment to transition its transportation sector and outlying islands off of fossil fuel use."

Humor Therapy
Ozzy the clown, along with a clown car full of friends, will be going around Belize for another Humor Therapy tour. They'll be in Belmopan on Monday the 29th. Thanks, Ozzy! "Hey Belize, Remember these days for Humor Therapy. Laughter have no Borders (RISA SIN FRONTERAS) 4 more days left, don't be left out!!!"

Channel 7

Biggest Day On Parliamentary Calendar - PUP Walks Out Of House Meeting
So today was the biggest day on the Parliamentary Calendar for the year so far - the much hyped Amended Petrocaribe Loan Amendment Bill was taken to the house. This issue has galvanized all those organizations opposed to the government for months - principally for the PUP which has made it the central focus of all discussion and political activity. So today surely they would have rained down a mighty debate to push back against and expose the government. Well, that's what we thought....but, this one never happened. And that's because very early into the House Meeting the opposition walked out. They did it in support of their senator Patrick Andrews who was in the gallery as an observer. Now, the Senator is a member of Parliament so he has special privileges - but speaker Michael Peyreffitte told had cautioned him earlier - and then during a Patrick Faber presentation - he ordered him removed! We pick it up about a minute after the speaker called the police - and Andrews refused to move - that's when UDP's Michael Finnegan brought the situation tot the speakers attention.. We air it moistly unedited from there:..

PUP Blames It On Barrow
We followed him outside - where he linked up with his fellow PUP Parliamentarians - and the Senator blamed it all on Barrow:.. Jules Vasquez "Senator, you've been thrown out of the House of Representatives. What's you initial reaction?" Hon. Patrick Andrews - PUP Senator "I wasn't thrown out. I decide to walk on my own. What happened here today is nothing new in this country. We have a prime minister and a UDP government that feel like they are above the law. I was in this same house, the last house meeting when Alberto August. That man was talking and insulting our party leader and our PUP representatives and when that same House Speaker ask for him to be taken out, no one could have taken him out. Now, I am a Senator and I have immunity in this House. Now two things: I want then to how me what I was doing or saying to have the House Speaker feel as if though he could have taken me out of the House. Yes, there was people behind me saying things, but man, we live in a democratic society and so, he had no reasons or conditions on why. That's why I refused to have stepped out."

Did the PUP Walk Off The Job?
And while he says the PM is shutting down freedom of speech, on this day, it's the PUP that gave up the right to debate when they walked off the job. So, was it the right decision? Well, judging by the body language of some of the members - it's clear they had prepared for the day and didn't want to go. We asked the leader of the opposition if it was worth it:.. Jules Vasquez "We know that todays a very important day in the House and Opposition certainly needed to be there to discuss particularly the Petrocaribe legislation. Why did you al take the decision to walk out?" Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition "You're absolutely right, Jules. It's very important matters and we had had very important contributions to make, but we think events over took that."

PM Says Opposition Walkout is Shameful
And while the Leader of the Opposition walked out on principle, the PM says the PUP it all wrong: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Precisely, they've made all this noise about Petrocaribe. This is the opportunity to make a last stand on their part and they manufacture an excuse to walk out. I don't know if it is sea breeze and Pelican they figured to dodge this lick that's coming because we were ready for them on this side of the House. But in any case what on earth Mr. Speaker is happening to the constitutional opposition in this country? First, they didn't want to contest a bi-election. Second, petrocaribe that they claim - is the most fundamental issue in this country today. When you get a chance to debate it, you walk out. It is a gross dereliction of duty. They will walk out and leave the nation and those that support them and those that are interested in democracy and debate - hanging. Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House say, shame."

A Media Manufactured Debate
Of course, a discussion with the media is not quite a house meeting - in fact, it's kind of like preparing for a Turkey dinner - and then ending up eating fried chicken and water ideal! Still, we did our best to piece together a debate on the main points of contention for the Petrocaribe Loans Amendment Bill: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "It is now a requirement of law that we come to the House every quarter to report on all spending under Petrocaribe for the quarter that would have proceeded the meeting and we also have to forecast for the quarter to come. When we go to the House for the three months in view what the proposed spending will be." Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition "The bottom-line with the Petrocaribe loan motion is - we are not interested in any amendments. The resounding cry and call from the Belizean people. It was come from the Chamber of Commerce, it has come from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, it has come from APAMO - all of these entities have called for the repeal of this act. This Petrocaribe loans act. Not amendment. Not fixing it. Repealing it. This is law that cannot be fixed. It is a law that must go, it must be repealed."

Teenaged Shooting Victim Succumbs
15 year old Tyrique Thompson succumbed to his injuries at midday today. The second form student of Canaan High School was shot in the head on Monday night on Lake View Street. After fighting for his life for almost 4 days, Thompson's heart stopped beating this afternoon. We spoke to his grieving mother shortly after. Mother of Tyrique Thompson "It's sad. Nobody can believe, not even myself as the mother can believe Tyrique, the sweetest, lovingness, kindest, and friendliest person. He has lots of manners, yes ma'am, yes sir, no sir - that's my baby. I never thought a day would come that they would kill one of children, but someone out there just took a gun and give my baby one shot to his head. For what? And for why? And I know who shot him, my baby didn't do anything to." Monica Bodden "Could you recall the night that you heard those gun shots? Tyrique was shot only a few yards away from his home."

Storm Throws Seaman To His Death
For most of today, divers from the Belize National Coast Guard were in the waters around the Port of Belize Facility in Port Loyola, Belize City. They were looking for elderly seaman Leobihildo (Leo-bildo) Varela who went overboard last night. He's the owner of the Varela Tug Boat which transports merchandise and supplies from Belize City to San Pedro Town. Last night he was on his way to the Port of Belize, but he went overboard during a thunderstorm. All accounts to us are that he and his crew were pulling his barge, "San Vicente" into the waters near port of Belize last night. The crew was caught in a squall which dumped heavy rains and strong winds on them suddenly. It pushed them off-course from the usual barge docking area, and sent them in the direction of the bridge of the Port's pier, where they certainly would have crashed. The crew opted to try to release the barge before they were tipped over, but the tugboat and the barge collided with Varela on deck. That sent him overboard, and it is believed that he may have been injured. Since then, he's not resurfaced, and everyone involved is fearing the worst. The CEO of the Port of Belize, Arturo "Tux" Vasquez, spoke with 7News about the incident this afternoon, and here's what he had to say:

Now A Mexican Boat Gets Grounded in Belize
As we reported last night, the official claim of compensation for damages on the reef is in the process of being finalized and sent to the Guatemalan authorities. Well, it seems that if not a claim of compensation, then at least a ticket for poor navigation might have to drafted and sent to Mexico. That's because this morning at around 8:00, a 55 foot Mexican Navy Patrol Boat - known as a "Polaris Intercepter" ran aground on mud flats and shoals 7 miles North West of San Pedro - which is near the Coast Guards Operating Base on the island. According to our sources, the Mexican Navy vessel was traveling from Chetumal heading towards Isla Mujeres when it veered off course and ran aground on shoals which are merely sandbanks or platforms elevated above the surface of the water. It was the Mexican Navy who called Belizean authorities to inform them of the incident and that's when the Coast Guard responded. Fortunately, the boat was removed this evening at 4:30 and according to the CEO in the Ministry OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Lawrence Sylvester, no marine life or ecosystem was damaged and there was no oil spill or spill of any contaminants from the boat.

Santa Cruz, Toledo: UDP and PUP See Race and Village Politics Differently
Santa Cruz, Toledo - that small village in southwestern Belize has become a flashpoint for racial discord between Mayas and creole Belizeans. Today, the unprecedented and divisive matter went to the House of Representatives - where both sides put in positions over who was wrong: was it the Mayas or was it Rupert Myles? Again, it is a debate that should have happened in the House - but, after the PUP walkout, we had to stitch together another media-manufactured back and forth. Here are both sides, starting with the statement made by the Prime Minister at the opening of the sitting:.. The Prime Minister says that the Mayas have called for a meeting with him next week and he is hopeful that common ground can be found…

Garifuna Community Alleges Discrimination By BWSL
Earlier we told you heard both political sides of the dispute about Creole Belizean Rupert Myles and the Mayas of Santa Cruz village. But earlier this week, a group of Garifuna residents turned up on our radar. These are about 100 to 200 Garifuna living in the community of Punta Gorda Town known as the St. Vincent Block. It is being erroneously referred to as 960+ acres of Garifuna Communal Lands, but our research says that it is a private property being held in a trust by a few leaders of the community. After a long struggle, in 1923, a group of Garinagu living in PG put together the required money to buy the land from the colonial government of the day. Since then, the ownership has been held in a trust, and, since then, their descendants have been living on the land. That history is important because the community is complaining that Belize Water Services Limited has not been providing them with the service they need. A continuing dispute between the company and the community is that wells were dug in their in their property and the water from those wells is being used by BWS to supply water to the rest of PG and the surrounding communities for years. They believe that natural resources from their property are being exploited, but they receive no compensation for it. They are only provided with one community pipe which must supply 100+ persons. One of the members grabbed us shortly after the Arraignment of the Santa Cruz 13 in Punta Gorda. Here's how he explained it:

The Factory At 20
Over the past two decades, we have reported on numerous art exhibits and events at the Image Factory. But today the walls, ceiling and floor at the Factory weren't adorned with a singular narrative or just one artist's vision - instead it was coloured with landmarks and landings that the factory crew have made in the last 20 years. In a press conference this morning, the Director of the Image Factory along with several artists told us that today is not so much of a reflection but more a realization that there is so much more to be done for Art in Belize. A celebration is being held at the Factory right now. There will be a documentary exhibit, a photo booth and poetry presentations.

Chamber Against Amendments
At the top of the newscast, we told you about today's House Meeting where the Barrow Administration pressed and passed the amendment bill to the Petrocaribe Loans Act. As we've shown you, the Opposition believes that it needs to be repealed, and in principle the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry agrees with them. President of the Chamber Tux Vasquez told us that the changes are cosmetic, and that this law wasn't needed in the first place: Arturo "Tux" Vasquez, CEO - Port of Belize Limited "The chamber is certainly not against the initiative of the Petrocaribe funds. We are not against the borrowing the 1% interest is a great advantage for us. We are also a bit concern as to the spending, how it was being done. We have been requesting more details and then after the recommendation of the amendments were made, we also look at that with our legal people and we also believe those amendments are also not really necessary. At the end of the day the chambers' position is again I emphasize, not against the Petrocaribe initiative and not against the borrowing at that very minimal rate but we are certainly concerned about the transparency. we are of the opinion that they was no need for an act like that, that this loan could have been handled within the Finance of Audit Reform Act of 2005 and the amendments made in 2010 and also were the constitution is concerned that this loan could have been handled within the controls already provided under that and that's where we stand with it and saying there is no need for a new act."

PM Says Chamber Never Asked The Right Way
And while that's the Chamber position, not surprisingly, the Prime Minister isn't moved one bit. He says they are not serious, and while he claims government is open to suggestion on the Petrocaribe Law, the suggestion box is about to close:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "While nobody wants to shut off the debate about Petrocaribe, nobody wants to close down their campaign and the campaign of those in alliance with them. I need to tell them there's a point at which the Government certainly will say, fine you continue to talk, we're not going to entertain you any further and I fear we've reached that point." Jules Vasquez "However, there is the Chamber of Commerce which says that the Government has in fact not even responded, that you have not responded to their request to speak about the legislation." Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "Man, but that's it. I will send you a copy of the last letter they sent to me. They said in that letter that they appreciated my general invitation to all social partners and everyone else in deed to dialogue. They never in that meeting said, so we want to take you up on that offer and we're asking you for that meeting. The invitation that went to them, went to the NTUCB. NTUCB quite properly wrote to me and said fine. Therefore can we have a meeting and we agreed a date. The Chamber never asked that. How can they say I did not give them the opportunity? They had to say to me, yes we accept your invitation can we fix a date. They never did that. I also think they were playing the fool."

PACT Bill Passes, NGO Groups Applaud
And while the Petrocaribe Loans, the PUP Walkout and Santa Cruz village dominated the discourse today in and around parliament, some other very important pieces of legislation were passed. First among them is the PACT Amendment Bill - which had gotten considerable pushback from the conservation community. That's why we were surprised to see the galleries full with members of the conservation community - dozens of them - all there not to bash, but to support the legislation. They even cheered when the Prime Minister presented it! It's a coup for the Minister of Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development and today she took nor prisoners when she described the naysing organizations as blue koncas.: Today APAMO sent out a release saying, quote, "The Association of Protected Areas Management Organization (APAMO) would like to clarify that decisions are taken through a democratic process and a decision only becomes an organizational position when supported by majority of its members. Majority of APAMO's members support the decision to express our concerns to the Prime Minister to express the organizations' concerns regarding the National Protected Areas System Bill and amendments to the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) Act." APAMO's concerns are based on the premise that the proposed Bill can further be improved"

Head Tax Law and the Possibilities of Case in Court
The Cruise Ship Passenger Tax and Validation Bill was also passed through all its stages today. Now, this is a bill to validate the head tax - which as you may recall is being argued in the Supreme court this very week. So how does the legislation interact with the ongoing proceedings in court? Well, it's interesting - because of the possibilities that the lawsuit raises:.. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "What is does, is of course, it ensures that there can be no disruption in terms of the cruise industry. If Mr. Feinstein have succeeded in getting a court adjudication that the head tax is invalid, until we could have corrected that we couldn't pay FSTV and they would no doubt close that village. So we wanted to avoid that and once this passes we'll achieve that result, but that's not the end of the case. Apart from the question of wanting to have collection of the Head Tax declared illegal as well as I understood Feinstein is also arguing that the entire contract between the Government of Belize and FSTV is illegal and that in fact we do want to see play out and quite frankly I don't want in fact appear to be looking to take on FSTV but if the court rule in favor of Mr. Feinstein, that would certainly allow us to see our way far more clearly."

Hulse Still Has a home in The UDP
And finally from the Prime Minister tonight - what does he think of his suddenly departed candidate Melvin Hulse? He was exposed in a recording on Monday making all sorts of claims about the Prime Minister - and by yesterday Hulse had resigned - and publicly retracted everything he said. So what now for Hulse - who has been a ranking UDP for decades? The PM said there is still a place for him in the UDP:..

A Feast For Fisherfolk
"The Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy: breaking the cycle of poverty in fishing communities." That is the theme for this year's Caribbean Fisherfolk Day. It will be celebrated on Monday June 29th and there will be number of activities and awards for fisher folk in Belize. For those who simply don't appreciate life on the sea or know the daily struggle of a fisherman - this observance may not be inspiring but for Belizean fisher folk - this day means that their passion, hard work and sacrifice matters. On Monday morning, the series of events starts off with the blessing of the boats at the Commercial Center in Belize City. Thereafter, the official opening ceremony will be held at 9:00 Monday morning at the Coastal Zone Training Room.

Belize's First Mall?
Belize City's first mall was opened today. Well at least that's what many Belizeans are calling it. Businessman Dinesh Bhojwani has been planning brainstorming and planning out this concept for about 10 years and today his plans were realized. The business is called The Northern Shops and when we got there for the opening people were already sampling what the mall has to offer. But Bhojwani says that it's more than just a shopping mall, today he told us about the broader vision he has for this idea. There will also be a second phase which entails opening a theater and other stores. There are 18 stores in the mall.

Channel 5

Opposition Storms Out of House Meeting Following Ejection of P.U.P. Senator
Tonight, we have extensive coverage of a House meeting in which four significant bills were passed through their stages. But we start with certainly the most significant single event of [...]

Promise of Heated Debate Dashed By P.U.P. Walkout
The walk-out came as a complete surprise, and even some members on the Opposition side were unsure to leave the chambers. There was the promise of a heated debate today [...]

P.U.P. Issues Release on Legislative Assembly Powers and Privileges Act
Late this evening, the P.U.P. issued a statement on the walk out. According to the Opposition, the standing orders of the House makes it clear that a Speaker can only [...]

PM Barrow Sets Out Details of Petrocaribe Expenditure
As we mentioned earlier, the amended Petrocaribe Loan Motion was pushed through its stages today, obviously without debate from the absent Opposition. Earlier in the day, before that perhaps knee-jerk [...]

Despite Amendment, Opposition Sticks to its Guns, Petrocaribe Must be Repealed!
The Opposition doesn’t want to hear about supplementary appropriations where Petrocaribe is concerned. They maintain that the government is being less than transparent and accountable where the spending of those [...]

PM Reiterates: No Alcalde System Can Supersede Laws of Belize
Also before the Opposition walkout, another sensitive and critical issue was ventilated by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. On Monday the PM took a hard line against the Mayans of Santa [...]

Opposition Leader Says PM is Flaring Up Ethnic Tension Following Santa Cruz Fiasco
That stance has been criticized in various sectors as premature and one-sided, and today the Opposition finally weighed in, from outside the House. According to P.U.P. Leader, the position expressed [...]

Well-known San Pedro Businessman Believed Drowned Near Belize City Port
Tonight, the family of San Pedro businessman Leovijildo Varela is bracing for the worse. On Thursday night, Varela and his crew were transporting three butane trucks on a tugboat from [...]

Tarique Thompson Succumbs to Gunshot Injuries After Monday Night Shooting
Tarique Thompson has succumbed to gunshot injuries he sustained on Monday night in Belize City. Around twelve noon today, the fifteen year old second form student of Canaan High School [...]

Another Minor Remains on Life Support After Being Shot Two Days Later
Meanwhile, in Wednesday night’s shooting of another minor, sixteen year old Reuben Leslie remains brain dead at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The student of a George Price Highway address [...]

Mexican Naval Vessel Runs Aground Near Blackadore Caye
Exactly two weeks after a Guatemalan gunboat ran aground in Belizean waters near Glovers Reef, another maritime vessel has beached in shallow waters south of Blackadore Caye.  This time, a [...]

PM on 8% Salary Increase for Teachers and Public Servants
Back to the House Meeting…just before the Opposition walked out and with government coffers overflowing with Petrocaribe money, PM Barrow announced that it was honouring an eight percent salary increase [...]

Toledo West Area Rep Weighs In On Santa Cruz Debacle
Earlier in our newscast you heard PM Dean Barrow speaking about what he called excessive force being used by Mayans to unlawfully detain a black Creole Belizean. Much has been [...]

Was Rupert Myles Aggressive in Santa Cruz?
Requeña says that Saturday’s events were precipitated by the very aggressive behaviour of Rupert Myles when he attended a meeting following months of being invited to speak to village leaders. [...]

Francis Says Flippin’ Is Right About Dean O.
On Thursday, the media received a rather embarrassing resignation letter from three decade politician, former U.D.P. Minister and now former Standard Bearer of Stann Creek West Melvin Hulse. The letter, [...]

What’s Up With the PACT Bill?
Today Minister of Fisheries, Forests and Sustainable Development Lisel Alamilla was in the House of Representatives, surrounded by invited representatives of various conservation N.G.O.s. They were there for the passage [...]

Collet Area Rep Defends Petrocaribe Pibil Party
Tacos, pibil, BBQ, sand, sea, unlimited liquor and dancing to a live band….that’s how Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber does it, thanks to Petrocaribe! The politician has taken some hits [...]

U.S. Supreme Court Recognizes Right to Same-sex Marriage…
The United States Supreme Court ruled earlier today that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right throughout the U.S.; it is considered a historic victory for gay rights advocates.  The decision, [...]

UNIBAM’s Caleb Orozco Weighs In
According to the executive director of the United Belize Advocacy Movement, UNIBAM, while a legal decision is one thing, it does not necessarily deal with the issue of living with [...]

Image Factory Turns Twenty
The image factory turned twenty years today and it was a perfect opportunity for the founders of the art gallery to celebrate its contributions and achievements in the art world. [...]

Fisherfolk Honored
On June twenty-ninth International Fishermen’s Day will be celebrated in Belize, as well as the wider Caribbean region. The Fisheries Department and several other organizations concerned with fisheries will be [...]

LOVE FM

Amendments to Petro Caribe bill debated
As we mentioned, very important bills were read today in the House of Representatives and one of them was the Petro Caribe Loans Amendment Bill. The amendments were drafted after several sectors of society expressed concern about the wording of the bill. But the amendments are not satisfactory to several bodies including the People’s United […]

Elderly man goes overboard, search for his body underway
The search continues for the body of 80-year-old Leobihildo Pablo Varela, a boat captain from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Varela was on a barge making its routine journey from San Pedro to the Port of Belize last night. Somehow there was a mishap which ended up with the elderly man going overboard. Love News spoke […]

Senator kicked out of the House of Representatives, Opposition walks out
Today the Sitting of the House was held in Belmopan where three important Bills went through all their readings. The National Protected Areas System Bills, the Petro Caribe Loans Amendment Bill and the Cruise Ship Passenger Tax and Validation Bill all passed through their third readings. It was expected that the debate, specifically in regards […]

Amandala

GOB raids Santa Cruz Maya!
The mood was tense outside the Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Wednesday, as eleven residents of Santa Cruz Village, Toledo, along with the mouthpiece of the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) and the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA), Cristina Coc, were formally arraigned for what authorities have termed as the unlawful assault and detention of Rupert Myles, 37, a Creole man who was almost evicted from the said village for allegedly violating the community’s regulations regarding the occupation of their communal lands. Today, Thursday, the 1st (head) alcalde, Manuel Pop, handed himself in to police and has been detained pending charges. The villagers were rounded up during a pre-dawn raid that took place at around 4:00 a.m. yesterday when four truckloads of police officers descended upon the village, literally dragged the ones they wanted out of their beds, refused to let them dress properly, and whisked them off to the Punta Gorda Police Station, some without shoes and shirts, where they were collectively charged based on a police report that was lodged by Myles in the wake of the incident, which has attracted national attention due to the circumstances surrounding his detention.

Racial discrimination or Mayan justice?
The alcalde (mayor) system, which has been accepted as a form of local government, exists in certain Kekchí and Mopán Maya villages in Belize, and was designed so that an elder, a respectable citizen of the community, could serve as a village leader and role model. Since there is no police presence in many of those villages, the alcalde – who has the right to judge disputes over land and crop damage – would be called to settle a dispute or even a fight, and in minor cases, the alcalde has the authority to try, and punish offenders. That system, however, has now come under fire from critics who argue that oftentimes, it is exploited to racially discriminate against Belizeans of other ethnicities who venture to take up residence within those indigenous communities. Such was the case last Saturday, June 20, when Rupert Myles, 37, a Black Belizean who had recently moved to Santa Cruz, Toledo District, with his Mayan common-law wife, Maria Cal, was handcuffed and bound with a rope after a confrontation with the residents of that community.

Patrick Dean Tillett, 39, shot dead on Cairo Street
The seemingly never-ending gun violence in Belize City has claimed yet another life, this time, that of a well-known taxicab driver Patrick Dean Tillett, 39, of Hattieville, also known as “Nally,” who was sitting in front of a house on Cairo Street, a dangerous area in the city’s south side, last night at about 9:30. Tillett was shot multiple times by an unknown gunman. Police reports are that Tillett was sitting on his car, which was parked in front of the house, when an unknown man came up from through an alley connecting Cairo Street to Far West Street, and fired about five shots at Tillett. Police, who quickly went to the scene of the shooting, found Tillett lying on his car. He had been shot in the head, chest, left upper arm and in the left armpit. He was declared dead on the scene. Police are looking for a man who is known to them in connection with the murder.

Melvin “Flipping” Hulse’s strange resignation!
On Monday, an audio recording of an extended rant by United Democratic Party (UDP) standard bearer for the Stann Creek West constituency, Melvin Hulse, also known as “The Flipping Minister” during his time as a Minister, surfaced in the public arena. In the almost half-an-hour-long recording, done surreptitiously by some trusted person who was listening to him, Hulse attacked his Leader and Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow, in a relaxed manner, severely criticizing him about bye-elections spending and other matters that were described as libelous by Barrow, who threatened the media with a lawsuit if they reproduced or repeated Hulse’s more sensational allegations, especially the reason for the spending of what has been presumed by some to be Petrocaribe money. Late Monday evening, however, Hulse “sort of apologized” to his Party Leader when he gave an exclusive interview to Love FM news. We say “sort of apologized” because Hulse did not retract his explosive comments, but rather, castigated the “someone” who made his comments public, and the other individuals who made his recording “go viral” on social media. This evening, however, three days later, a 189-word release from the UDP Secretariat announced that Melvin Hulse had resigned as the UDP standard bearer for the Stann Creek West constituency.

Rodwell Williams asks court to dismiss Feinstein claim against FSTV
Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel continued to hear arguments this Wednesday and Thursday into the challenge filed by Belizean businessman Michael Feinstein against the Government of Belize and Fort Street Tourism Village (FSTV), in which the business calls into question the legality of the US$7 head tax being collected by the Government, of which US$4 goes to the FSTV. In response to the ongoing litigation, the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) hopes to introduce a new law in the House of Representatives tomorrow, Friday, to retrospectively validate the head tax, covering the 15-year period starting in the year 2000. The legislation does not name any other cruise port, such as the Stake Bank port which is proposed for construction and for which Parliament approved a bill last year, which has yet to be brought into force. While he had not yet seen a copy of the proposed bill to regularize the head tax when we spoke with him on Wednesday, Andrew Marshalleck, SC, Feinstein’s attorney, told Amandala that it is “duplicitous” for the Government to be arguing in court that what they had been doing in collecting the head tax and apportioning it in the manner that they have been is fine.

FBI arrests US-Canadian, Gregg R. Mulholland, 45, for fraud scheme which allegedly used Belize to launder hundreds of millions of dollars
Last July, news broke that a company trading under Cynk Technology on the US stock exchange had been stopped from trading after the worth of the penny stock company mysteriously ballooned to US$6.4 billion. At the time, Belizean Javier Romero, who once worked as a Fisheries official in Belize but who had since migrated to the United States, was named as the president, chief executive officer, chief finance officer and main shareholder of Cynk, which was purportedly set up to develop a social network online, featuring a ‘Black Book’ of many notable figures, including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence, and claiming to hold the key to contacting some of the most sought-after celebrities. Romero had denied involvement in the company. The Cynk controversy soon faded off the radar—until this week, that is, when US law enforcement officials announced the arrest of Gregg R. Mulholland, 45, a dual US and Canadian citizen, also known as “Stamps” and “Charlie Wolf,” on charges of securities fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for fraudulently manipulating the stocks of numerous U.S. publicly-traded companies and then laundering approximately US$300 million in profits through at least five offshore law firms.

Cheerful for one, and tearful for the next
Under the auspices of the Belize National Cricket Association, the 2015 Harrison Parks Cricket Competition continued over the weekend with some very heart breaking results. Again, my opinions are solely mine. You have any questions, then I’m the one to direct them to. The first to mention is between Sunrise and Western Eagles at Lords Bank. It was an easy game for Sunrise, who defeated Eagles, 70 to 69, with 6 wickets to spare. In that game, the Eagles batted 69 runs. This is a very small score in any playoff game, if their bowling is not strong. For that inning, Conway Young top scored with 24 runs, and Dirk Sutherland, 14 runs for the Eagles; while Zaggi and Gilbert Seguro took 4 wickets each for Sunrise. After lunch break, the Eagles went on the field to try and defend their score, but, try as they did, at the fall of 4 wickets, Sunrise surpassed the score. In that inning, Conway Jones and Michael Sobers scored 21 and 14, respectively, for the home team; while Kevi Flowers took 4 wickets for Western Eagles. Sunrise now travels to Rancho to play the second game. Before the game, I overheard someone telling Eagles team “be careful of Zaggi and Seguro. They are very good bowlers.” Whether they took the warning or not, these two bowlers damaged them.

Veterans play at Hostel field to honor two legends – “Canalete” and “Winty-J”
Regretfully, we could not be there on Sunday, but reliable reports are that football veterans came out in numbers at the old Hostel field to share the vibes and some to participate in the veterans game, following some youth games, to honor two legends in our football life – All Belize goalkeeper of the early 1970’s, Rupert “Canalete” Anderson, who starred with Spurs, Landivar and White Label; and football/music/culture icon Vincent “Winty-J” Johnson, who emerged on the football scene from under the wings of his idol, Louis “the Mugga” Garbutt, while “Lee Mugga,” as fans called him then, was also a member of the original and legendary Messengers combo of the 1960’s. According to Lilly White (Edward Charles Rubio), it was a fine day of football, which culminated with an Under-50 selection defeating an Over-50 squad, which included 66 year old Winty-J, by a 3-2 score. After the game, the brothers all got together and shared in a big pot of soup as well as some watermelon, etc. In the coming weeks, we will dedicate a column to take a closer look at the football careers of Canalete and Winty-J.

Belizean athletes attend Central American Senior Championships
A delegation of Belizean athletes and officials of the Belize Athletic Association (BAA) will be representing the Jewel at the Central American Senior Championships in Managua, Nicaragua, this week Friday to Sunday, June 26-28. Below are the names of athletes and their respective events, and officials accompanying, them. Athletes – Brandon Jones (200m, triple jump, long jump); Mark Anderson (100m, 200m); Linsford Avila (100m, 200m); Kenneth Brackett (long jump, triple jump); James Bregal (100m, 200m); Ajahnie Requena (400m); Card Hance (400m); Raheem Arzu (800m); Benjamin Fairweather (400m); Alexander Alvarado (800m/ 1500m); Ernest Villafranco (1500m, 5000m); Kaina Martinez (100m, 200m); Katy Sealy (heptathlon, shotput); Shanicka Augustine (100m, triple jump, long jump); Alexia Neal (100m, 400m hurdles); Ashontie Carr (400m, 800m); Ashantie Carr (long jump, shotput); Tricia Flores (long jump).

Editorial: A Belizean crisis in Toledo
A terrible situation has developed in the Toledo District which may have become a national crisis for Belize. An attempt last Saturday morning by the Maya village of Santa Cruz to discipline a newcomer who is black, one Rupert Myles, was videotaped, and the images went viral. At the same time that the video of Myles, handcuffed, his hands tied with a rope, and being paraded in Santa Cruz by Maya villagers, evoked traumatic images of slavery for black Belizeans, Myles himself told the media that he was a victim of racism. He quoted racist remarks he claimed were made by the Santa Cruz village chairman. If we are to judge by the inflammatory comments of Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Monday afternoon in Dangriga and the nature of the WAVE Radio morning shows between Monday and Wednesday, we would have to say that the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) has encouraged an ethnic backlash to the Rupert Myles incident which is truly a slippery slope in this young, multi-ethnic nation-state. For most of this twenty first century, the accepted leader of the Toledo Maya in their struggle for customary land rights in various villages in Toledo and their protective custody of the Sarstoon/Temash national park, was Greg Ch’oc. Last year it became clear that Ch’oc had been superseded in authority by a small group which was heavily influenced by evangelical religion. Greg Ch’oc, a secular leader by contrast to the new evangelical group, decided to begin the study of law at the University of the West Indies in Barbados. So that, when a monumental court victory for the Maya in the matter of customary land rights was announced earlier this year, it was this small religious group which led the celebrations.

From the Publisher
It is clear that there was an organized attempt at the highest levels of the Government of Belize to downplay the incident at the Sarstoon River Island which took place between Thursday, May 28, and Friday morning, May 29, when armed elements of the Belize Coast Guard and armed elements of the Guatemalan navy confronted each other. At the time of an incident, exactly three months before this May 28/29 incident, when armed elements of the said Guatemalan Navy kidnapped 37 Belizeans who were under the banner of Belize’s Northern Territorial Volunteers (NTV) from the same location in the Sarstoon River mouth and forced them to go to the Guatemalan port of Livingston, the response of the various Cabinet Ministers of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) had been inappropriate. One high-ranking leader of the Belize Government actually referred to the NTV mission as “misguided patriotism.” In the House of Representatives, the Toledo East area representative of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), it should be noted, took a similar line, when he criticized the NTV and similar groupings for behavior which he said would provoke violence from “those people” (the Guatemalans). Smart people sometimes do dumb things, we all know that, and it now appears that the adjacency zone decision some years ago was a bad idea. What that adjacency zone business essentially did was create a third millennium vagueness where there had previously been historical precision – in the matter of the border between Guatemala and Belize.

http://amandala.com.bz/news/request-politicians/
Dear Editor, As time goes by, we are seeing that our government is becoming more corrupt, backstabbing, and cutthroat. You can clearly see that they don’t have any integrity or interest in pushing Belize towards success. They are only interested in money. And we Belizeans allow them to be in office because we sell our votes for a mere $75, a piece of land, or a month’s worth of rent. There is the passport scandal, the Guatemalan situation, and now the Melvin Hulse recordings confirming that the UDP government is corruptly using Petrocaribe funds to trigger resignations by members of the House of Representatives leading to “buy-elections.” The general election is coming soon and I’m sure that there will be people who will sell their votes for a couple of bills. To all politicians regardless of what party you belong. I challenge you to do the following: 1. HAVE INTEGRITY. Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. I cannot stress how important this is. If you give us your word, keep it! If you say something, keep it truthful and don’t try to spin it. We the people elected you because we trust that you will lead this country to success. Success will come and go but integrity is forever. Do the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, whether or not anyone is watching. It takes courage to do the right thing, no matter what the consequences will be.

Commercial prices in Dangriga rise, contrary to fall in national average
The latest report issued by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) states that nationwide, the inflation rate was down in May, although the municipality of Dangriga stands out as the only municipality in the country that saw a rise in inflation, meaning that consumer prices were 1.8% higher there this May, compared to the same time last year. This contrasts sharply against the national inflation rate of -0.9%, which means that nationally, consumer prices were on average almost a full percentage point lower than they were twelve months ago. The greatest price ease was seen in the “transport” category, which fell by 7.4%, driven by falling fuel prices. The SIB said that “…the average price per gallon of premium gasoline, regular gasoline, and diesel fuel all fell by more than $2.50, or well over 20 percent, in comparison to the same month last year.” Furthermore, international airfares were significantly lower, declining by almost one fourth compared to last May. Cooking fuel, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was also substantially cheaper in May, with the average price per 100-pound cylinder falling from almost $120 last May to $111 this year.

BTEC trainees graduate from Job Readiness Program
Much-needed employment skills were the focus of a job readiness training program which was administered over the last three weeks under the auspices of the Belize Training and Employment Center (BTEC), which is a unit of the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE). After covering courses in career management, personal development, work ethics, communication skills, customer service, among others, a group of 29 trainees were visibly delighted to attend their graduation ceremony which was held at the ITVET compound in Belize City today. When it concluded, Amandala spoke with Vanessa Johnston, the Training and Recruitment Officer for BTEC, who explained the mission of the organization and the components of the training. She said, “BTEC is aimed at providing demand-driven training for [various] industries’ specific needs; the first one in particular is the BPO industry which comprises of the different call centers, so that was the technical part of this session.”

Belize 5th on Gallup’s personal well-being index, but low on financial well-being
Belize has ranked fifth among 145 countries in the 2014 Country Well-Being Rankings by Gallup, an American research-based, global performance-management consulting company, which indicates, based on Gallup surveys, that 38.9% of Belizeans are thriving in at least three of five elements: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. For the second year, Panama leads all other countries in well-being, with 53% of its residents thriving in three or more elements, while Afghanistan ranks last with 0% of Afghans thriving in three or more elements. Gallup said that its research included more than 146,000 surveys in 145 countries and areas, and captures how people feel about and experience their daily lives. The Five Elements of Well-Being Purpose: Liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goalsSocial: Having supportive relationships and love in your lifeFinancial: Managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase securityCommunity: Liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your communityPhysical: Having good health and enough energy to get things done daily

PetroCaribe Loan amendment and Cruise Ship tax go to Parliament
When the House of Representatives meets this Friday, June 26, a bill to amend the Petrocaribe Loans Act, along with two supplementary appropriation bills to cover roughly $70 million in unbudgeted spending for fiscal year 2014/2015 and fiscal year 2015/2016, will be tabled for passage at that sitting. There are three major provisions in the proposed amendment. The first addresses criticism over the spending of Petrocaribe funds, and whether such spending complies with financial regulations that govern the use of public funds. The new provision says that, “The money borrowed from APBEL [Alba Petrocaribe Belize Limited] shall be kept in a fund at the Central Bank of Belize, which fund shall form part of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Belize, and may be withdrawn from time to time as the need arises.

Sibun Street youth, 15, critical after being shot in the head
The prospects of summer vacation have been dashed for a 2nd form student of Canaan High School who was shot in the head and neck while walking on Lakeview Street in Belize City last night. According to police, Tarique Thompson, 15, was approached from behind by a lone gunman, wearing a fisherman’s hat, who fired several shots at him as he headed in the direction of Vernon Street, just one block away from his home on Sibun Street, at around 8:30 p.m. yesterday, Monday. The teenager was hit twice, once in the chin and once in the neck, and was later rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he has been admitted in a serious condition, and is clinging to life.

Race for Dangriga seat in high gear
Political activity was rife in the “Culture Capital”, Dangriga Town, today as the candidates for the upcoming bye-election in that community, scheduled for July 8, officially threw their proverbial hats into the ring. The atmosphere was quite lively as officials and supporters of both major political parties flooded the municipality to endorse their respective candidates in what has become a heated race to garner the support of the constituents of Dangriga, Hope Creek and Sarawee, which together comprise 6,275 registered voters. The People’s United Party (PUP) started it off this morning with a spirited group of almost 300 party loyalists who rallied behind their newly installed Dangriga standard bearer, Anthony Sabal. Sabal is a retired teacher who recently came on the political scene as the replacement for former PUP Dangriga area representative, Ivan Ramos, who exited the party under controversial circumstances in mid-May, and later abruptly resigned from his post two weeks ago, prompting the unanticipated bye-election.

Rodwell Williams asks court to dismiss Feinstein claim against FSTV
Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel continued to hear arguments this Wednesday and Thursday into the challenge filed by Belizean businessman Michael Feinstein against the Government of Belize and Fort Street Tourism Village (FSTV), in which the business calls into question the legality of the US$7 head tax being collected by the Government, of which US$4 goes to the FSTV. In response to the ongoing litigation, the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) hopes to introduce a new law in the House of Representatives tomorrow, Friday, to retrospectively validate the head tax, covering the 15-year period starting in the year 2000. The legislation does not name any other cruise port, such as the Stake Bank port which is proposed for construction and for which Parliament approved a bill last year, which has yet to be brought into force. While he had not yet seen a copy of the proposed bill to regularize the head tax when we spoke with him on Wednesday, Andrew Marshalleck, SC, Feinstein’s attorney, told Amandala that it is “duplicitous” for the Government to be arguing in court that what they had been doing in collecting the head tax and apportioning it in the manner that they have been is fine.

Breaking Belize News

BDF soldier attempts to commit suicide
Reports reaching our news desk is that an off duty Belize Defense Force soldier attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the Bridge in Big Falls Village which is located about 21 miles outside of Punta Gorda Town in the Toledo District. It is believed that the bridge is approximately […]

Suicide in Xaibe Village
Belize Media Group has received reliable information about a suicide in Xaibe Village in the Corozal District. We are currently getting more information on this incident and will be updating this story as more information becomes available.

House passes Petrocaribe, cruise bills
Following suspension of the House of Representatives after noon in Belmopan, the Committees of Finance and Economic Development and Natural Resources and Environment met to discuss multiple bills including amendments to the Petrocaribe (Loans) Act and Cruise Ship Passenger Tax and Validation Bill, 2015. With the Opposition People’s […]

Guatemala not “hostile” to Belize, says Foreign Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington has been battling public perception of being soft and appeasing after repeated run-ins between Belize and Guatemala in recent weeks. There was the encounter between Coast Guard personnel on reconnaissance on Sarstoon Island with their Guatemalan counterparts, where rumors persist that the […]

Mexican Navy vessel grounds near Blackadore Caye
The Belize National Coast Guard has reported what it calls a “soft grounding” of a Mexican naval vessel just south of Blackadore Caye in the Belize District. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which received its report from Commandant of the Guard Rear Admiral John Borland, the […]

Image Factory marks 20 years
The Image Factory Art Foundation has established itself at the forefront of the conversation about art and culture in Belize, but after twenty wild and wacky years they will be the first to tell you that their business is not to pay tribute. Indeed, with such statements as […]

Belize to Celebrate Fisherfolk Day
Internationally, many nations celebrate Fisherman’s day and on a smaller scale, June 29th of every year is celebrated in our region and in our country as ‘Caribbean Fisherfolk Day’. A consortium of organizations along with the Belize Fisheries Department organized a series of events to acknowledge our Belizean fishers and […]

Mexican Navy Vessel Runs Aground Belize’s Territorial Waters
A Government of Belize statement is asserting that in the wee hours of this morning, June 26th 2015, a 55ft. Mexican Navy Vessel, a “Polaris-Intercepter” experienced a soft grounding on the mud flats and shoals just south of Blackadore Caye. “Mexican Navy vessels customarily transit from their Chetumal Bay base […]

Well known San Pedro cargo boat owner missing at sea
It has been reported that a popular Cargo boat owner of San Pedro has gone missing at sea and a search is currently being conducted to try and locate him. Mr. Leoli Varela was allegedly flung from his boat last night, Thursday June 25th, as he was approaching the Port […]

Opposition bows out of House during supplementary debate
Members of the parliamentary Opposition left the House of Representatives this morning following a disturbance in the gallery during a meeting of the House in Belmopan. Following an intervention by PUP Senator Patrick Andrews during the debate over the first supplementary presentation concerning Petrocaribe funds from the 2014-15 fiscal year, […]

Blogs

Green Reef Receives PACT Environmental Support Grant for Summer Youth Camp
Green Reef, a marine conservation NGO, was awarded a PACT Environmental Support Grant to undertake a four week summer camp at at Basil Jones on North Ambergris Caye adjacent to the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. The Summer Youth Camps is being spearheaded by Green Reef in collaboration with Oceana, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Marine Education Research & Rehabilitation Institute (MEER), Tranquility Bay Resort, The San Pedro Sun, the Department of Youth Services and the San Pedro House of Culture (NICH) with financial support from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT). One hundred campers will have the unique opportunity to participate in this fun-filled adventure and experience the thrill of a lifetime at a week-long summer camp. Campers will pack their bags and head to an idyllic beach-side retreat, where they will indulge in over-the-top competitions inspired by classic camp games, learn about Belize’s marine natural resources and create unique art & rafts from sustainable materials.

A Charter Flight Over The Barrier Reef and the Blue Hole…OH BELIZE!
Just a few weeks ago, Danielle Burruss and her husband stayed for one GORGEOUS week at Grand Caribe Resort. GORGEOUS week. I located some of her sunrise photos on Instagram (follow her – she’s still posting lots of gorgeous pictures of Belize!) and I’ve basically been Insta-stalking her ever since. Photography is her passion CLEARLY…and she visited so many spots on Ambergris Caye and took so many pictures…but the ones on a private charter flight with Tropic Air to the Blue Hole REALLY captured my attention.

International Sources

Rights of passage
A landmark ruling finally gives hope to indigenous peoples around the world fighting to reclaim their homelands. In the south of Belize lies the Sarstoon Temash National Park, home to 42,000 acres of broadleaf, wetland and mangrove forest. It was established by the government in 1994, which was a surprise to the indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ and Mopan populations, whose ancestors had occupied the land since the early 1800s. Furthermore, in 2001, concessions were granted to energy company US Capital Energy to start exploring the park for oil – all without any consultation with the local communities. The ensuing legal wrangling between the Maya people, the government and US Capital Energy, as well as indigenous rights organisations such as Cultural Survival, finally came to a close last month when the Caribbean Court of Justice (the highest court in Belize) confirmed that the Maya people have the right to ownership of the land. This follows a similar 2010 ruling, in which the Supreme Court of Belize declared the government could not grant concessions on Maya land. The Belize government is now required to demarcate and register Maya village lands, to not allow any future interference to the Maya people, and to compensate them for the environmental damage already done.

Boise State students reflect on service-learning
There aren’t many portions of the college curriculum that give students room for personalized experiences. However, some classes offer students service-learning options that allow for a more customized experience and, in some cases, a hands-on approach to a selected major. Kylee Geffre, a health education and promotion major, took a whole class dedicated to the service-learning experience. “Our professors partnered with community members of a small town in Belize. The class had multiple projects going on from the requests of the community members,” Geffre said. “My specific project was to teach the children of a local elementary school physical education and why it is important.” Brandt’s experiences with service-learning the result of taking communication courses with adjunct communication professor Jerald Catt-Oliason. Catt-Oliason has implemented service-learning for about eight years.

Time for Caribbean countries to ditch fixed exchange rate to dollar
Is the fixed currency exchange rate between the US and some Caribbean countries affecting the latter’s international competitiveness? This is a question that deserves review as Caribbean countries struggle with difficult economic conditions caused, in part, by the rapid change in their terms of trade and the value of currencies in which such trade occurs. Nine of the 14 independent Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have currencies whose values are tied to a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. These countries are: The Bahamas, Belize, Barbados and the member states of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. There is no evidence to suggest that these nine countries are performing more competitively than other countries in CARICOM that have a floating exchange rate. Indeed, based on economic performance over the last decade, particularly as guaranteed markets for exports have disappeared and trade rules have changed significantly, the economies whose currencies are not fixed to the US dollar have performed better. Small states face real difficulty in competing with other countries across the world in the free trade environment that has developed since the 1960’s. While it was possible in previous decades to prop-up economies through import substitution protected by high tariff walls, those days are over. Businesses now have to stand on their own, competing with foreign businesses in their home market, and for a place in export markets. The issue of competitiveness is now central to the success of any small state in finding work for its people, including its annual school leavers.

Belize: Maya Leaders Arrested as they Peacefully Protect Sacred Site
Maya leaders of Southern Belize were arrested on Wednesday in a gross violation of their rights. On the early morning of June 24th, traditional leaders of the Maya people of Southern Belize were violently awoken in their homes by police on the charges of unlawful imprisionment. The charges were brought against 12 people, including the Village Chairman, and the Second Alcalde, elected by their communities according to traditional practices. Also arrested was Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) spokesperson, Cristina Coc, a peaceful and well-respected advisor to the traditional leaders and mother of two. At an arraignment that afternoon, bail was initially set at $8000 each. When one of the attorneys for the Maya defendants explained that this was beyond the means of Maya farmers, the Magistrate increased the amount to $10,000. According to local attorneys, bail for this level of offences is usually between $1000-$3000. Bail was posted by other Maya villagers from various communities and all were released. The group warrant was never presented to the attorneys or their clients. The case has been adjourned until July 28, 2015.

Videos

June 26, 2015

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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Reserve Celebrates the Summer Solstice
The summer solstice, which usually falls between June 19th and June 25th, is the longest day of the year and the official first day of summer. Also referred to as mid-summer, the day is recognized worldwide among many cultures in the way of holidays, festivals and rituals, with themes of religion, fertility and good fortune. The Maya are no different, and their ancient architecture indicates that the celestial event held great significance, with temples, public buildings and other structures often precisely aligned with the shadows cast by the astrological phenomena of summer and winter solstice. Therefore, it was only fitting that for the second year in a row this day of grand importance was celebrated at the Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Reserve here on Ambergris Caye. Located just 5.5 miles south of San Pedro Town, dozens of guests gravitated to the Maya site on the morning of Saturday, June 21st to be a part of a special ceremony officiated by 87 year-old Kekchi Maya Elder Mr. Martin Choc. Choc, who speaks Kekchi and Spanish, traveled with his grandson Jose from the southern district of Toledo.

Caye Note: San Pedro Sports Committee to host amateur triathlon
The San Pedro Sports Committee invites all amateur athletes to participate in a triathlon competition (swim, bike and run) on Sunday, June 28th. The triathlon will coincided with the Dia de San Pedro festivities and will be held at Boca Del Rio Park starting at 9AM. The competition will be divided into three categories: 13 years and under, 15 years and under, 16 and over, and new comers. Everyone must arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the race to register. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded to top finishers. For more information contact Councilor Hector “Tito Alamilla at 623-0772 or Kent “Bob” Gabourel 604-9013. Everyone is invited to come out and take the challenge!

Letter to the Editor: San Pedro Lobster Festival Committee says THANK YOU
The San Pedro Lobster Festival Committee takes this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation and heartfelt THANKS to everyone who supported the event and ensured its success. We would like to thank our Grand Sponsors, the Belize Tourism Board and the Honorable Minister Manuel Heredia for their generous support towards the 2015 San Pedro Lobster Festival. Very special thanks to Mayor Danny Guerrero for your speech at the Block Party and to the San Pedro Town Council for all your hard work arranging the booths, supplying the tents and erecting the stage and providing a electrician to name only a few items handled by the council. Thanks also to Grand Sponsors Bowen & Bowen Ltd. and the Belize Border Management Agency for your contributions. Thanks to Atlantic Bank Ltd. for allowing us to use your premises. To Maya Island Air for your donation and Casa Pan Dulce for hosting our entertainers. Special thanks to all the participating businesses in the Lobster Crawl and to those who donated prizes towards the grand raffle. Thanks also to the booth participants who put out excellent food and drinks.

Honor St. Peter at the 2015 Dia de San Pedro
Dia de San Pedro is upon us once more and the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has announced dates for the various activities held to celebrate the islands patron saint. The annual week-long event honors St. Peter (San Pedro), the patron saint of Fishermen, Bakers, Bridge builders, Butchers, Harvesters, Cordwainers, Horologists, Locksmiths, Cobblers, Masons, Net makers, The Papacy, and Shipwrights. For years, Dia de San Pedro has combined religion, culture and festive activities to create one of the most anticipated celebrations in the island. Festivities started from Saturday, June 20th with La Bajada at 4AM. But the celebration does not peak until Friday, June 26th after six days of novenas (a devotion ceremony consisting of prayer). Kicking off the main festivities is the first ever Dia de San Pedro Junior Karaoke Competition. Everyone is invited to come out to the Honorable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex on Friday, June 26th at 6:30PM to witness San Pedro’s rising stars sing the night away. There will also be local dance entertainment and an after party with DJ Mauricio.

Island youth graduate from primary school
Four primary school commencement exercises were held over the weekend. Standard six students from New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist School (NHSDA), San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS), Isla Bonita Elementary School (IBES) and Holy Cross Anglican School (HCAS) who successfully completed their primary education were honored in a presentation of diplomas in front of family and friends. As this chapter in education closes, the new graduates now embark in their high school journey. NHSDA held their graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 18th at the school grounds. This year marked their 15th commencement exercise and saw 64 students graduated. The ceremonies were held under the theme “Chase your dreams, following the road to Christ”. Elias Zetina was class salutatorian and delivered the welcome address, while class valedictorian went to Michael Carmona. Following the guest speaker address by Rocio Burgos, Miguel Hernandez delivered the principal’s report. Naim Luna ended the ceremony with the vote of thanks.

Costa Maya Festival presents: Miss Honduras
As plans for the International Costa Maya Festival® continue to build and grow, we get to know the lovely ladies who will be participating in the Reina de la Costa Maya® pageant. Eight countries have confirmed their intent to participate in the highly anticipated pageant, and this week, we are pleased to present to you one of our neighboring countries’ beauties, Miss Honduras: Vanessa Salazar Valle. Vanessa is 22 years of age, and stands at 5’7” tall, with dark hair and eyes. The marketing student is a sport enthusiast who particularly enjoys basketball and baseball, and speaks both English and Spanish. Vanessa joins Miss Costa Rica Corlina On Porras as they both await the announcement of the remaining 2015 Reina de La Costa Maya® pageant contestants. They will be joined onstage on Thursday August 6th by Miss Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama in the quest to take the coveted crown currently held by Miss Mexico Elisa Gomez.

Ambergris Today

BTB and Hon. Manuel Heredia Grand Sponsors of Costa Maya Festival
The Costa Maya Festival is pleased to announce the support of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and Hon. Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation as Grand Sponsors of this year’s festival. Taking place from August 6 to August 8, 2015, the San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival is making grounds in preparations for the star-studded event and the Miss Costa Maya Pageant. This week the festival committee presents the Miss Honduras contestant. A former Miss Tegucigalpa queen, model Gabriela Vanessa Salazar Valle will have the honor in representing her country of Honduras at the Miss Coata Maya Pageant 2015. Gabriela is 22 years old, stands five feet seven inches tall, has dark brown eyes and black hair with a clear brown complexion. Her hobbies include basketball and baseball, plus she has a degree in marketing.

Misc Belizean Sources

MADA FISH! Melvin Flippin Resigns
Statement by Melvin Hulse "I yesterday informed the UDP Stann Creek West executive committee of my decision to resign as UDP standard-bearer for the constituency. And I today delivered the formal letter of resignation to the UDP secretariat and to the Party Leader. I wish to make clear that I remain a member of the United Democratic Party, and am completely committed to the party and to the people of Stann Creek West. Indeed, I will work actively with my successor to bring a UDP general election victory in the constituency. I, of course, greatly regret the circumstances that have caused me to come to my decision. What I said about my Party leader in connection with the resignations from the House of Joseph Mahmud and Ivan Ramos, is utterly untrue.

Belize Fashion Week 2015
Check out WHAT'S NEW on Belize Fashion Week 2015 - performance by Denise Castillo // after party with DJ Dzl and International Award Winning DJ DJ Geraldo - GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

5 - A - Side Marathon in San Pedro June 28
Bring The Entire Family for Football 5 - A - Side Marathon

Ms. Mishelle Spain Thompson passes away
Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff would like to extend its deepest condolences to the Spain/Thompson family & friends on the passing of Ms. Mishelle Spain Thompson. May her soul rest in peace.

The Secret Garden Fashion Show
Gabriela Barrera, founder of Add!ction, has posted some pictures from her Secret Garden Fashion Show, which was held at Midas Resort. More pictures here. "Fashion Show 2015 MUA: Vanessa Awe Photos by: 501 Boys Productions Back Stage and Runway Photos!!"

Caricom Basketball Marathon
Happy Caricom Week! This Saturday, starting at 12:30pm, there will be a basketball marathon at Falcon Field. Call 604-4452 for more information.

BCS Father's Day Gala
The San Ignacio branch of the Belize Cancer Society is having their 2nd annual Father's Day Gala fundraiser. It'll be at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel's Bedran Hall, so you know the food will be superb. The New Sensation Band will be providing the entertainment.

Channel 7

Inside The Arraignment of The Santa Cruz 13
Last night, we showed you a small excerpt of the extraordinary day at the Magistrate's Court in Punta Gorda Town. 13 Mayas from Santa Cruz village were arraigned, accused of unlawfully detaining Rupert Myles on Saturday, June 20. Tonight we have the full report on the day from PG - a day that won't soon be forgotten: Daniel Ortiz reporting About an hour before the scheduled arraignment, a number of Maya supporters began lining the verandah of the Punta Gorda Magistrate's Court. Right next door, police officers from different units had gathered. The Punta Gorda formation was reinforced with out-of-town officers from the Special Patrol Unit, ADU, and Mobile Interdiction Team. In the back of one of the vehicles, the police had riot shields and helmets ready. They were prepared to contain any disruptive behavior from the Mayas, but on this day, all the spectators were calmly waiting to see their people charged and bailed. Everyone was ready - that is - everyone except the defendants. The predawn police raid on Santa Cruz left a number of them without shirts or footwear - and they could not appear before the judge like that.

"Flipping" Falls On Sword
The man called "Flipping" - has flipped himself right out of candidacy for the UDP. Last night in Stann Creek, Melvin Hulse told his committee that he was resigning - and today he made it official with this release from the UDP. In it, Hulse doesn't just fall on his sword, he jumps on it! In his statement, he says, quote, "What I said about my Party leader in connection with the resignations from the House of Joseph Mahmud and Ivan Ramos, is utterly untrue." He adds, quote, "I freely retract it because I knew it could not be true even when I said it. I was upset and disgruntled at the time, but that should never have caused me to say what I said with no basis at all. So I apologize and move on now to re-establish my personal and party relationship with Dean Barrow and the UDP." End of story for Hulse's political career, but not his end with the UDP. In a signed, handwritten letter of resignation, he names the man who will more than likely be his successor. In that letter, he said, quote, "…I ask(ed) the executive to meet and select a good person to carry the torch for the upcoming elections. The Executive selected Nathan Young, the Chairman of the Stann Creek West executive." End Quote.

Well Known Taximan Killed
Last night - it was murder again in the city - the second in four days. This time the target was a well-known taxi-man from the City Bus Terminal. 39-year-old Patrick Dean Tillett was at a residence on Cairo Street when he was riddled with a hail of gunfire. Monica Bodden found out more from his family today:... Ian Arana - Brother of Deceased "I had one of my good friend from out of the police department who called me and told me that Dean Tillet got shot. I asked him 'are you serious?' and he said 'yes' so immediately I got up and went out to the area." Monica Bodden reporting By that time 39 year old Taxi driver Patrick Tillett had already been rushed to the KHMH -where he succumbed to his injuries only minutes later. The shooting happened here on Cairo Street just five minutes before 10 last night. Tillett was sitting on a cement block in front of this this house socializing - when several shots were fired in his direction.

Second Teenaged Male Shot in Less Than 72 Hours
In less than 72 hours two male high school students were shot in the head- disturbingly in the same neighborhood. The first was 15 year old Tyrique Thompson on Monday night, and just before 10 last night,16 year old Ruben Leslie - a first form student of Wesley College was shot in his forehead. Leslie was riding his bicycle on Magazine Road on his way home -when approaching the corner of Banak Street and Magazine Road- a gunman came out from a nearby yard and fired several shots in his direction. The young man was shot in his left leg and forehead and was quickly rushed to the KHMH - where today he is listed in a critical condition. Voice of Friend "He was riding up the street and then I saw somebody ran out from an open lot and pulled him backway, like turn him towards them and then the guy shot him and he fell, then he shot him again, then the person run back and then I hurry call the police and the police came and took him to the hospital." Monica Bodden "You didn't see the gunman. We are getting that on the record. You just saw him from all the way up the street?" Voice of Friend "Yes ma'am. I didn't see his face or anything, because it was really dark and the person was dark skin and he had on full black, so I couldn't see him. The only reason I knew it was Reuben is because I was watching him from a long distance and I didn't take my eyes off him and he had on white."

Brightest PSE "Pikni"
Today the 28 top achievers for PSE were officially honored in a ceremony at the Bliss Center. After all the long and tedious nights of studying and extra PSE classes, these students can move on to another phase of their lives. We spoke to several of the students along with their parents about how personal dedication and family and school support translated to the students success. Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education "28 students topped the exam this year nationwide, and so all of them are here today, all of them received their awards. For those top performers, I think they received a full scholarship and a book grant. That's something that we changed some years ago and of course the 3 top performers received computers and I think the top one also received a printer. And of course the Nembhard scholarship award." Madyson Burrowes, Top Achiever "I feel very proud of myself because I didn't expect to rank this position, I was just planning on passing with a good grade, but hard work pays off so...." Courtney Weatherburne "As a parent, and I'm sure that you are overwhelmed with joy seeing your daughter getting her award and accomplishing this at this stage in her life. Tell us about your role in terms of her preparing for the PSE and reaching this point."

Patrick No Apologies For Petro Tacos
The Minister of Education, Patrick Faber has been called out and publicly condemned for organizing a fun day in Corozal for his Collett constituents - courtesy petro funds from the Mother's Day/Father's Day cheer program. As we reported the chamber even sent out a release earlier this month stating that it was a blatant misuse of the Petro Caribe Loan Funds. Well while everyone is "sweating fever " over Faber's Family Fun Fest and his "petr-tacos" - Faber and his constituents couldn't be bothered. In fact Faber told us today that he makes no apologies and that he is already planning for another outing next year. Faber told us that the total cost of the family day was about $36,000 dollars.

Playing Cagey With Guat Gunboat
The 65 foot Guatemalan Navy Gunboat was removed from the reef on June 13th and the Department of Environment's final assessment of damages has been completed. But the thing is - no official report has been sent to Guatemalan authorities. So what's the delay? Well when we asked Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington, he told us that it is in the process of being prepared and finalized. Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs "I know it's being worked on, but the CEO is right in the other room. You could ask him. He is the man that is dealing with directly. But I know that he has discussed with me. I received the assessment and he was in the process of getting the message sent to the Guatemalans to inform them of it and see how the arrangement can be made for payment." Courtney Weatherburne "Sir, lastly on that note, looking at the public opinion, it is being widely spread that somehow we are being soft with the Guatemalans - that looking at the issue in the Sarstoon Island with the Territorial Volunteers as well as this gun boat as well - having the gun boat leave before the final assessment has been made. How do you respond to that criticism that it's simply appeasement or we are being too soft with them looking at all those issues?"

Inflation Down
The Statistical Institute of Belize says that prices in May of this year were 1% lower than the year before - putting inflation at minus 0.9%. And declining 'Transport' costs account for the difference, because of lower fuel prices. The SIB notes that "International airfares were also significantly lower, declining by almost one fourth compared to last May." And the price for Butane, or LPG fell by nine dollars from May of last year to May 2015. For food items, the price of beef products rose sharply, more than 10 percentage points while Red Kidney beans were down by more than one third compared to last May. Dangriga was the only municipality where an overall increase in consumer prices - 1.8% was recorded in May. The biggest average drop was seen in Belmopan, which had an inflation rate of negative 2 percent, followed by San Ignacio/Santa Elena with negative 1.8 percent.

Teenaged Pregnancy, Finding Solutions For A Social Sickness
Today a forum on teenaged pregnancy was held at the Radisson under the theme: Call to action: Adolescent Pregnancy in the Caribbean. Now, there have been countless national discussions on this issue, numerous sexual reproductive health fairs and workshops, even quantitative studies done but the reality is that -children are still getting pregnant. When we spoke to the CEO of Human Development Judith Alpuche, she told us that this issue is a complex and multilayered one that all efforts to address this issue will need to be doubled. Sheila Roseau, Director, UNFPA Sub-region Office for the Caribbean "The reality is, generally the Caribbean has one of the highest prevalent rate of adolescent pregnancy and generally the birth-rate per country per thousand is normally 49 per thousand. In the Caribbean it's 65, in that number you have adolescence per thousand, a given example, we have the highest which is Guyana. That is 97 per thousand, so can you imagine every thousand birth, 97 belongs to a young person. Belize also has a high number, 90. That is 25% of the general birth-rate of the general population, that's quite high. We also have Jamaica as well coming up with a high number which is 72 and the list goes on. Its high in many of the countries and it's something that we cannot afford to overlook. CARICOM has seen the need for strategies to be put in place to prevent this from happening, to reduce this number and we have worked with CARICOM to develop a strategic framework. The goal of that framework is to reduce adolescent pregnancy by 20% by the year 2019."

Sparks Fly At Teachers Petro-Consult
Tomorrow in the House of Representatives, government will present the amended Petrocaribe Loans Act - and last night the Belize National Teachers Union held a public forum on that same topic - featuring Audrey Matura Shepherd, Mose Hyde, and Patrick Rogers. All of them have taken public positions opposing the Petrocaribe Loans Act, and we would have expected the public forum to follow that script. But, the script got flipped when a good many who support the bill showed up to take on the panelists. Things got heated and we got video of it from KREM TV:..

Channel 5

Santa Cruz: Unlawful Imprisonment, Predawn Raid, Mass Arraignment
Tonight, impassioned debate continues to dominate over the incident in Santa Cruz, Toledo in which a Creole man, Rupert Myles, was ordered detained and handcuffed by the community alcalde.  That [...]

PG Police Refute Allegations of Physical Abuse During Early Morning Ops
Following the arraignment of the group of eleven, allegations of physical abuse by personnel from the Special Patrol Unit are being refuted by Superintendent Simeon Alvarez, Officer Commanding Punta Gorda [...]

Are Racism and Land Ownership at a Crossroad in Toledo?
The race card, as we’ve mentioned in our coverage of this incident, is on prominent display, having been played by Rupert Myles in the wake of his detention on Saturday.  [...]

Flippin’ Steps Down As U.D.P. Standard Bearer for Stann Creek West
To nobody’s great surprise, Melvin Hulse is no longer the Standard Bearer for the United Democratic Party in Stann Creek West. The news came via official U.D.P. press release today, [...]

Cab Driver Gunned Down in Old Capital
There have been four shootings in less than forty-eight hours in the Old Capital. And tonight, one man is dead and two others are in critical condition at the Karl [...]

16 Year-Old Minor is Brain Dead After Being Shot on Banak Street
But it is likely that police will have another homicide on their hands. Sixteen year old Reuben Leslie, a student of a George Price Highway address, was shot multiple times [...]

Patrick Faber on Hulse’s Leaked Recording
As we told you earlier, Melvin Hulse has retracted comments he made about the prime minister and earlier today, he followed up with a resignation as U.D.P. standard bearer in [...]

P.U.P. Deputy Leader Says Flippin’s Resignation is Simply Damage Control
Hulse’s departure from U.D.P. politics comes in the wake of him making very serious allegations against his Party Leader and Prime Minister. Hulse was recorded while speaking at length about [...]

Julius Espat Says Santa Cruz Debacle is About Respect and Rule of Law
The ugly situation which is now playing out in Santa Cruz, Toledo will likely not blow over. It incorporates the cloudy issue of communal land rights, religion and cultural diversity, [...]

P.S.E. Top Scorers Honored by Ministry of Education
The IQ at the Bliss went up today as primary school students from across the country converged for the annual national P.S.E. Award Ceremony. Top scorers were honored and walked [...]

Landowner Emilio Zabaneh on Purchasing Parcel on Communal Land
The situation of communal land rights is in the forefront of the news this week, and it’s brought with it a peripheral, but very serious issue. Here it is in [...]

Single Mother Charged with Drug Trafficking
Tonight a single mother of three is facing court fines of ten thousand dollars which she must pay by November of this year or serve three years prison time. Thirty-five [...]

Burrell Boom Motorist Arraigned for Manslaughter
Forty-one year old Burrell Boom Driver, Eddison Dawson was arraigned this week again in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court for two traffic related offenses stemming from a fatal accident that [...]

UNFPA Tackles Teenage Pregnancy Across the Caribbean
Teenage pregnancy is a growing issue for Belize and the wider Caribbean region, and more so as the teen moms are of a younger age every year. The call for [...]

CTV3

Melvin Hulse Resigns As UDP Standard Bearer For Stann Creek West
Following the burning confessions recorded in a secret tape in which he is heard speaking badly about his party leader, UDP Stann Creek West Standard Bearer Melvin Hulse, this afternoon released a statement in which indicated that he has decided to resign as the UDP standard bearer for his constituency. In his statement to the public, Hulse states and we quote, “Today I delivered the formal letter of resignation to the UDP secretariat and to the Party Leader. I wish to make clear that I remain a member of the United Democratic Party, and am completely committed to the party and to the people of Stann Creek West. Indeed, I will work actively with my successor to bring a UDP general election victory in the constituency” end quote. The release goes on to state that “I, of course, greatly regret the circumstances that have caused me to come to my decision. What I said about my Party leader in connection with the resignations from the House of Joseph Mahmud and Ivan Ramos is utterly untrue. I freely retract it because I knew it could not be true even when I said it. I was upset and disgruntled at the time, but that should never have caused me to say what I said with no basis at all. So I apologize and move on now to re-establish my personal and party relationship with Dean Barrow and the UDP”, end of release.

Undelivered Cane Remains In The Field As Crop Comes To An End
So what’s the expected outlook for the remaining 13 days in the Sugar Cane Crop season? That is the question we posed to Chair of the SICB, Gabriel Martinez today who is calling on all group leaders to give priority to those farmers who have not been able to deliver or meet their quotas. GABRIEL MARTINEZ – Chairman, Sugar Industry Control Board “The challenge is those farmers who have not delivered their quota, some who haven’t delivered a piece of sugar cane, we are calling on all the Asscociations and all the group leaders to ensure and to do their very best to have these people to deliver their cane and it is for the benefit of all and I see that apart from the weather considitions to be a priority as we go through these last days in the crop.” Maria Novelo – Reporter “Will you guys access a percentage of cane that will be left undelivered?” GABRIEL MARTINEZ – Chairman, Sugar Industry Control Board “Not at this time, however there is a study being carried on by SIRDI and we are having a meeting of the Sugar Industry Control Board next week Wednesday at which time we will have a status report on that study which will give us an idea of basically on how we are finishing the crop in terms of the amount of cane that was deliverd and the amount of cane that is still on the ground so basically next week we will have an idea about that.”

Mayor Kevin Bernard Weighs On Santa Cruz Issue
Since the incident in Santa Cruz Village in the Toledo District erupted, there have been countless opinions expressed over the radio, TV and social media. It has definitely been a subject of discussion in households and the discussion goes on. Today Orange Walk Town Mayor, Kevin Bernard issued a statement on the matter. The Mayor says that he, like many, views the recent event in shock but continues on to “urge Belizeans to attempt to learn the facts surrounding the detention of Belizean Rupert Myles in Santa Cruz, Toledo, and the subsequent arrest and arraignment of MLA Spokesperson Cristina Coc and other Mayan residents of the village on Wednesday” unquote. He goes on to say and again we quote, “It is irresponsible, careless and regressive for any of us to make wild leaps and engage in reckless word-play and fear-mongering without being in possession of all the facts…Information is power, and all the excessive speculation and hatred being spewed, especially on the social media, is regrettable,” unquote. The Mayor also urged the Prime Minister Dean Barrow to remember that he is leader of the nation and that his words carry great weight and implication needing care on his part. He ended his statement saying, quote, “Racial division in Belize cannot be encouraged in any form or fashion. That is a dangerous road to take, and I caution all of us to step back before embarking on that journey,” unquote.

Three Cane Farmers Associations Working Towards One Goal
As mentioned at the top of the newscast the 2014/2015 crop season will come to an end on July 7th and with only two weeks before the crop season closes, the presumption is that the inclement weather would pose a challenge to farmers getting their sweet cargo to the mill. But according to Martinez, rain is not a factor. “Perhaps you and I would say that we have had a lot of rain but the farmers say that the rain that we have gotten is not what they consider to be a factor that will deter them from moving on and putting their efforts to get their cane to the factory, they should know very well they are the experts on the ground but it is a factor that we need to consider because you know everybody is into the issue of ensuring that we have quality cane in the factory so and that of course we have to monitor but unfortunateky we can’t do anything with the weather no.” And with the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association and the United Cane Farmers Association officially registered, the Sugar Industry Control Board had its hands full working with three associations instead of one as has been the case for more than 50 years. Martinez says the relationship with the different associations has been a “cordial” one.

Woodrow West Makes It To Honduras
After his admirable performance in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, Woodrow West was approached by Honduras’ El Progresso Football Club who presented him a 3 year contract which he signed last week. West rise to fame came after proving himself both home and on the international scene. He flew out of the country en route to Honduras last night and arrived today. A recent post on his face book page stated that he is grateful to God for his safe arrival, and apologizes for having forgotten his goal keeper coach Mr. Kent who trained with him unlimitedly and encouraged him towards his entire career in Belize. In his public profile statement West stated in his own words “Big up coach thanks for everything”.

East Indian Council Of Belize Weighs In On Myles Issue
And today the East Indian Council of Belize issued statement on its position surrounding Myles detention and the way he was treated by villagers. In their statement, EIC says that the incident has served to highlight a situation that has prevailed within the Mayan communities for a long time. The statement goes on to make reference to an incident that took place in the late 1990’s when a Rastafarian was allegedly killed at Medina Bank Village in quote, “very unusual circumstance,” end of quote. It also references the incident where Mayan villagers reportedly set fire to the crocodile sanctuary on the Rio Grande in San Marcos. The EIC says that the incident involving Myles is being cloaked by using the Alcalde System and is calling on the government to eliminate that system as it is quote, “antiquated and has outlived its usefulness,” end of quote. The statement ends calling on Mayan villagers to cease their actions as quote, “we cannot, as a people, long survive if bias, grudge, prejudice and racial discrimination pervades our societies,” end of quote.

2014/2015 Crop Season Comes To An End July 7th
Yesterday, officials of the Sugar Industry Control Board met with representatives from BSI/ASR and the three associations for a crop update meeting where several matters were discussed including the date for the closure of the sugar cane crop season. The agreement for the end date says Chair of the SICB, Gabriel Martinez, was a flexible decision with the industry’s stakeholders. “The Associations would have wanted a little bit more time because well they have their members and they need to deliver but am BSI also have some deadlines that they need to meet particularly as it relates to maintenance of the factory. I was very happy to see them coming up to a mid point, a common date, where BSI was flexible and the associations were flexible, I would say that both were good in justifying their positions but finally they came up with July the 7th which I think well you know perhaps is not the best date for the farmers but I like the spirit in which they came up with that final cloure of the factory for this crop. It was agreed that the crop comes to a closure on July 7th at six in the evening so the SICB being the body that sanctions this type of relationships has consulted with its member and has put forward that notice to all so the crop will close on July 7th at 6pm.”

LOVE FM

Students graduate from Police GREAT program
Angelica Cruz reporting… “Today 82 students from Kush Lin Ha Ha Government school in Belmopan graduated from the Gang Resistance Education Training Program. These students were taught the middle school 12 lesson curriculum GREAT program which lasted for 8 weeks. Love News spoke to Superintendent Howell Gillett about the GREAT program and its objectives.” Supt. […]

Book on Sustainable development hit bookstores
A new book penned by a Belizean author will be on bookshelves shortly. Dr. Louis Zabaneh has published “The sustainable development of Belize, a citizen’s manual. Today we sat down with the author to find out why the topic of sustainable development. Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Author “Our hope is that in the form of a […]

Date set for close of sugar cane crop season
After 24 weeks, the 2015 sugar cane harvest season will come to a close on July 7, milling a little less than the target quantity projected at the beginning of the season. The decision was not easy to make says Sugar Industry Control Board chairman Gabriel Martinez, but the main stakeholders are aware that it […]

CEO says while teen pregnancy is a complex issue, more needs to be done
During the official opening of the symposium on adolescent pregnancy in the Caribbean, the keynote address was delivered by the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, Judith Alpuche. She spoke to Love News about the objective of the meeting. Judith Alpuche – CEO, Ministry of Human Development, […]

Adolescent pregnancy discussed
The spouses of some of the region’s heads of government met today for a symposium entitled call to action: adolescent pregnancy in the Caribbean. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney General, Wilfred Elrington addressed the gathering and said the regional problem needs to be addressed. Wilfred Elrington – Minister of Foreign Affairs “As you are […]

La Inmaculada Credit Union shareholders demands answers
Some member shareholders of the La Inmaculada Credit Union Limited in Orange Walk Town are demanding an update from the institution following the suspension of its General Manager Yolanda Gomez. Since the beginning of May, Gomez has been on administrative leave. Following pressure from members and the media, the board of directors was forced to […]

Teenager hospitalized following shooting incident
And while Police say they have no suspects in that murder, they have a number of persons detained for questioning in connection with a shooting incident that left a teenager hospitalized in a critical condition. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Head, CIB “At five minutes after ten police responded to a shooting incident at Magazine Road. They […]

Taxi driver gunned down in Belize City
Belize City Police are investigating the murder of a taxi driver that occurred last night. . Head of CIB, Superintendent Hilberto Romero updated the media. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Head, CIB “At about ten fifteen on Wednesday the 24 of June 2015, police personnel visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they found Patrick Spencer with […]

Outstanding students recognized at PSE award ceremony
Today the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports held this year’s primary school examination Award Ceremony at the Bliss Center for Performing Art. This year’s top PSE performers and schools were recognized. Minster of Education Patrick Faber told Love News that while he congratulates the top performers, the ministry is not fully satisfied with the […]

Attorney General says Belize is for all Belizeans
Earlier today we caught up with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney General Wilfred Elrington. Minister Elriington said he is not of the view that the situation was racial discrimination but rather a practice by neighbouring Mayan communities. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs “You would have seen my position in relation to Guatemala because […]

Breaking Belize News

Patrick Faber explains the “Petrocaribe Pibil Party”
The infamous statement by Collet area representative and Minister of Education Patrick Faber at the endorsement convention for Darrell Bradley in Caribbean Shores earlier this month still resonates, as many wonder how a national official could be so cavalier about spending of public funds? How does a Minister […]

Belize’s brightest honored at PSE Awards
The Annual Primary School Examination (PSE) Awards Ceremony took place at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts today. Top performer Gabriel Hope of Bernice Yorke Institute of Learning and 24 others from around the country were recognized for their efforts as they looked forward to new vistas […]

Before Melvin Hulse resigns, Patrick Faber distances himself from recording
This afternoon, standard bearer for Stann Creek West Melvin Hulse announced his resignation from that post, forestalling a party meeting to determine his fate after an explosive recording was released at the start of this week detailing his frustrations with the United Democratic Party (UDP) and particularly Prime […]

BNTU hosts Petrocaribe forum
The Petrocaribe Loans Act is heading back to the House of Representatives for amendments on Friday. But its opponents are not giving up the fight to get it overturned. They gathered at the St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Belize City on Wednesday night to vent their frustrations. The […]

An explanation of why the PSE results are what they are
In the year 2000, the PSE was introduced. The results were far from satisfactory. Today, fifteen years later, the results are not much better. The Minister of Education, many in the Government, and many in the Ministry of Education must be very disappointed. The Minister of Education must […]

Belize ranks highly in global wellness index
The second annual Gallup-Healthways 2014 Country Well-Being Rankings Report gives high marks to several countries in the Americas, including Belize. Belize ranks fifth behind Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Switzerland, and ahead of Chile, Denmark, Guatemala, Austria and Mexico. According to the organization Healthways International in a statement, “The Gallup-Healthways […]

Operation Tradewinds concludes
A ceremony Wednesday morning at Price Barracks in Ladyville concluded Operation Tradewinds 2015, the annual regional training exercise bringing together military personnel from North and Central America and the Caribbean, along with a few selected South American nations. For nine days, there were challenging military training operations developing both intelligence […]

Government responds to Head Tax argument in court
The power players in cruise tourism were back in the Supreme Court on Wednesday resuming arguments over – fundamentally – who will control the future of cruise tourism in Belize: will it be the Fort Street Tourism Village, or will it be The Feinstein Group and their Stake Bank Project? […]

Ministry of Public Service honors outstanding officers
Yesterday in San Pedro, the Ministry of the Public Service observed public service day with an awards ceremony where they recognized outstanding and long serving public officers. And while they had already been rewarded with an 8% increase – they also got some nice plaques and a chance to shake […]

Hattieville taxi driver brutally murdered while another clings to life
Belize City Police are currently investigating the details surrounding the brutal murder of a taxi driver. According to reports, 39 year old Patrick Dean Tillett was socializing on Cairo Street in Belize City when a lone gunman fired several shots in his direction inflicting wounds to his upper left arm […]

Blogs

International Sources

Belize commits to 100 per cent clean energy with Carbon War Room
Belize has announced its intention to become fully powered by renewable energy, after joining the Carbon War Room's high profile Ten Island Challenge. The country's government has this week announced ambitious targets to transition away from fossil fuels for transportation and energy on the Cayes, its outlying islands. The Caribbean nation is expected to particularly focus on installing wind turbines and shifting the islands' transport sector towards electric vehicles. Additionally, a partnership with Belize Electricity will hope to identify other renewable energy opportunities, and energy efficiency retrofits for hospitals will be explored. Senator Joy Grant of the Belize Ministry of Energy, Science & Technology and Public Utilities, expressed the country's enthusiasm for the project. "Belize is extremely pleased to join the Ten Island Challenge," she said. "As a regional leader in the use of renewable energy, this partnership with the Carbon War Room and Rocky Mountain Institute will allow Belize to make significant strides in realising its renewable energy production target of 89 per cent in the electricity sector by 2033."

Remembering Shyne's Phenomenally Bad Comeback Song "Belize"
Whatup, rap nerds? It's the Summer Man subbing in for #TBT. Rest assured, resident Drake Denier and rapologist Angel Diaz hasn't forsaken you, but in light of a busy schedule the gawd let me take the reins for his series this week. Me being the happy Troll that I am, I'm going to use this opportunity not to reflect on a forgotten and/or underrated gem but instead to resurface an abomination. The phrase "so bad it's good," used to describe art that's admittedly awful and yet undeniable, is rarely associated with music the way it is movies and TV. We all have our guilty pleasures, sure, but usually if a song is bad it's just bad. Like, never play that in my presence again. When Shyne finally emerged from Clinton Correctional Facility—after famously taking a hit for Puffy—with a seven-figure Def Jam contract, rap heads eagerly waited for him to tap into that debut album-level heat, Godfather Buried Alive notwithstanding. Instead, he came out the bing with a rap voice approximating a weird cross between Christian Bale's Batman-growl and Bane's weird oxy-mask annunciation* (Yes, I'm aware Tom Hardy's Bane didn't impact until 2012), a stilted, lazy flow, and trash freestyles on everything from Drake's "Over" to Rihanna's "Rude Boy." The rap community was bemused, to say the least.

Corals Are Already Adapting To Climate Change And Humans Might Be Able To Help Them
The effect of warming and acidifying oceans, caused by climate change, is already being felt on corals -- tiny stony-bodied animals that form reefs. Although coral reefs, which are formed as a result of a symbiotic relationship between corals and microscopic algae, cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, they support an estimated 25 percent of all marine life, making them delicate biodiversity hotspots. Scientists have now found that certain corals are adapting to climate change and are becoming more tolerant to warmer ocean temperatures. Their findings, published Friday in the journal Science, could potentially provide a method to protect these vulnerable creatures from the mounting threat posed by global warming. According to the study, it might be possible to save threatened coral populations by allowing them to spread their genes across oceans, particularly to areas that are likely to become hotter in future. “Corals already have the genetic variance to adapt to changing temperature,” Mikhail Matz, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a co-author of the study, told the New York Times. “It’s just a matter of transporting these mutations from hot locations to locations that will be hot very soon because of global warming.”

C'bbean poised to be next hotbed for renewables, says IRENA official
A senior official of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said Wednesday that the agency is convinced of the potential that renewables present for sustainable development for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) including those in the Caribbean. Director of the IRENA Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre, Henning Wuester, said renewable energy is abundant, scalable and replicable and every SIDS has indigenous renewable energy resources that can be harnessed and integrated in the domestic energy mix. "As renewable energy technologies have matured, costs have come down impressively, and they continue to fall (so) for many islands renewables are now the most cost-effective energy solution," Wuester told a conference here on Island Energy Transitions. "In addition, renewable energy development generates jobs -- so far 7.7 million worldwide -- and it enhances local value creation. Shifting from diesel to renewables for power generation will yield major cost savings, and it is possible to integrate a higher and higher share of renewables reliably into the power grid.

Celebrity Realty Update: Leonardo DiCaprio Builds a Multimillion Dollar Eco-Resort
Oscar-nominated Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio is planning to heal an island. He announced ;ast Friday that he is now building a multimillion dollar eco-tourism resort that will be open in public by 2018. The resort would have a name of "Blackadore Caye: A Restorative Island". After his scuba diving trip in Belize in 2005, he bought this beautiful 104-acre Belizean island for $1.75 million with Jeff Gram, the owner of Cayo Espanto Island Resort, which is also a luxury vacation spot nearby. According to NY Times, DicCaprio said while speaking on the telephone from Los Angeles, that the island was like heaven on earth, and almost immediately, he found this opportunity to purchase an island there. NY Times added, that the "Blackadore Caye" is a 45-minute boat ride from Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City and a 15-minute boat ride from the nearest big town, San Pedro. Based on the statement of Juan Rovalo, the biologist who leads a team of scientists studying the caye, the island has been used for hundreds of years.

CARICOM rejects EU's tax haven blacklisting
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) issued a statement on Thursday to "strongly" oppose a recent blacklisting of its members as "non-cooperative" tax jurisdictions by the European Union (EU). The list published last week named 14 Caribbean states and territories, including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, Bermuda, and British Virgin Islands, among 30 worst tax havens in the world. The list drew immediate fires from several Caribbean leaders and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). They criticized it as unjust and groundless. In Thursday's statement, the CARICOM condemned the EU's decision as "patently false," considering "the continued efforts made by member states to comply with the onerous and unilateral regulatory measures put forward by the OECD which sets international standards on tax cooperation."

Caribbean integrity commissions form new Commonwealth body to fight corruption
National authorities from 12 Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean have joined forces to establish a new regional body to enhance transparency and help fight corruption. The Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean was formed at an international conference convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat in Grenada and hosted by the Integrity Commission of Grenada. It was launched at the first Commonwealth regional conference for heads of integrity commissions and anti-corruption bodies in the Caribbean, taking place between 22-26 June 2015, and inaugurated by Dame Cecile La Grenade, the governor-general of Grenada, and Dr Keith Mitchell, the prime minister of Grenada. The association, made up of the heads of national commissions, will help Caribbean countries to cooperate across borders, exchange best practices and develop regional anti-corruption initiatives.

Videos

June 25, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

La Bajada and El Alba honors local fishermen’s Saint
The San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC) and the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church, under the auspices of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), hosted La Bajada del Señor San Pedro and El Alba on Saturday, June 20th. The event marked the opening of the Dia de San Pedro celebrations which honors the patron saint of fishermen, St. Peter. Both La Bajada and El Alba are part of the religious activities held throughout the week long celebrations. Followers of the Catholic faith converged at the Catholic Church at 4AM for the special opening mass. At La Bajada (the lowering), the statue of St. Peter is brought down from its permanent elevated altar in the church and kicks off the novenas (evening prayers) leading up to Dia de San Pedro. The joyful mass includes the singing of songs of praise to St. Peter. Local artist, Natalie Arceo was among those that serenaded the island’s patron saint.

American Gymnast Simone Biles vacations in Belize
American artistic gymnast, Simone Biles recently took holiday on Ambergris Caye. Simone was staying at Ramon’s Village Resort where she joined family and friends celebrating her brother Ronald’s tropical wedding to his new wife Lindsay. She is a two time US National All-Around Champion for 2013 and 2014, two-time World All-Around Champion for 2013 and 2014, two-time World Floor Champion for 2013 and 2014, the 2014 World Beam Champion, and a member of the gold-medal-winning US team at the 2014 Word Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Despite being only two years into her senior career, Biles is the first African-American to be World All-Around Champion. At her early age of 18 she is already one of the most decorated gymnasts in US history and considered the best gymnast in the world.

FFB’s Grassroots Program comes to San Pedro
Football Federation of Belize (FFB) in collaboration with the San Pedro Sports Committee hosted a four- day football development workshop for talent identification and capacity building on Ambergris Caye. The event was part of the FFB Talent Academy and Grassroots Program, and is evaluating the skills of young athletes accompanied with a course for coaches and aspiring coaches. The workshop began on June 17th and culminated with an all – day football fair at the Ambergris Stadium on Saturday, June 20th, where football lovers displayed skills learned during the training program. Heading the workshop was FFB Technical Director Renan Cowo. He indicated that FFB is conducting the Grassroots Program to bring structure to the sport of football in Belize. The ultimate goal is to improve the national selection of Belize and the sport on a whole.

Belize Armed forces to benefit from Exercise Tradewinds
As part of the United States Southern Command’s Exercise Tradewinds, a team of 31 Canadian Army personnel were in San Pedro training with the Belize Coast Guard. Exercise Tradewinds is hosting its second phase of activities in Belize, and it encompass land operations. The program started on Saturday, May 30th with the first phase, maritime operation taking place in St. Kitts and Nevis. The first phase ended on Thursday, May 30th with the fleet moving to Belize to start phase two on Sunday, June 14th. Exercise Tradewind involves training designed to conduct joint, interagency capacity building exercises for participating nations with the support of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).

Ambergris Today

Celebrity Spotting: Gymnast Simone Biles Visits San Pedro
One of the most decorated gymnasts in United States history just recently visited San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Simone Biles stayed at Ramon's Village as her family celebrated the wedding of her older brother this past week in La Isla Bonita. Ramon’s Village shared this pic of Simone with staff members of Pineapples On The Beach Chief, Jack and Vidal on its Facebook Page, while Simone shared a few images of her vacation on the island on her personal Instagram profile. Simone Arianne Biles is an American artistic gymnast who is a two-time US National All-Around Champion (2013 and 2014), two-time World All-Around Champion (2013 and 2014), two-time World Floor Champion (2013 and 2014), the 2014 World Beam Champion, and a member of the gold-medal-winning US team at the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Biles is also the first African-American to be World All-Around Champion.

Misc Belizean Sources

Ten day Weather Outlook for Belize: June 20, 2015
An upper level low in the Bay of Campeche and NW Yucatan will provide the uplift for increasing convective activity over southern Mexico and northern Central America over the next five to seven days. An approaching Tropical Wave (TW) around middle of the week, coupled with a surge in the easterly airflow over the Caribbean, will provide low level instability for increasing widespread convection over Belize this Wednesday through Saturday. Residual moisture will provide the fuel for more showery conditions persisting through the last three days of June, 2015. Figures 1 – 3 below are the NOAA forecast precipitation maps for June 24 – June 26, 2015. Maximum, daily rainfall rates will be in the range of 20 – 40 mm (0.80 – 1.60 inch) over northern Central America during this period, with higher rates in the elevated terrain later on Thursday through Friday (June 25-26). Cumulative rainfall by the end of the working week will favor flooding in low-lying areas and localized flashfloods in the hilly terrain.

Dia de San Pedro Calendar of Events
Join us for this festive and traditional celebration!

Cayo Wellness Symposium
The Cayo Wellness Symposium had it all this time around. Honey, remedies, fruit, greens, soaps, cambucha, and even massages. A big thanks to Maya Mountain Lodge for hosting the event.

Butterflies on the Road 2015
Butterflies on the Road is a project sponsored by Chaa Creek, where their naturalist guides visit local Cayo primary schools to teach the students about the big role butterflies play in the eco-system. Looks like the 415 students they taught this year had a fun time learning about them. Great job! "The 'Butterflies on the Road' initiative main focus is reaching out to the rural community schools in western Belize in an effort to educate our young children on the conservation of butterflies and the significant roles that they play in our eco-system. This year the program saw the participation of six schools at the primary level and a total of 415 students within the ages of 5 and 12 years of age."

Channel 7

11 Mayans Charged For Detaining Black Man
For the past 2 days, we've been telling you about the story from the Toledo District where the Mayan residents of Santa Cruz Village handcuffed and tied Creole Belizean Rupert Miles. He says that they unlawfully detained him and tried to kick him out because he’s black. They say that they did it because he destroyed a portion of the Uxbenka Archaeological Site when he built his house on village lands without the proper permission. Well, it seems that the police agree with Rupert Miles - that he should not have been detained. Today, they marched 11 Mayans to the Punta Gorda Magistrate's Court for the offence of unlawful imprisonment. They are all Santa Cruz villagers, namely 24 year-old Michael Sho, 30 year-old Alfredo Mes, 20 year-old Timoteo Sho, 26 year-old Pedro Teul, 43 year-old Basilio Teul, 34 year-old Renato Canti, the 2nd Alcalde, 28, year-old Isabel Canti, 23 year-old Oliegario Sho, 44 year-old Raymundo Sho, 24 year-old Armando Mas, and 33 year-old Aran Canti, the Village Chairman. The eleventh person to be arraigned today was 34 year-old Cristina Coc, the well-known spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance. She was charged, however, with the separate offence of conspiracy to commit unlawful imprisonment. Viewers will remember that Rupert Miles told us that they arrested him on the orders issued by Coc.

Gun Misfires, Woman Escapes Death, but Not Injury
There was another shooting last night in the City – it happened on Fabers Road and the victim is a woman. Around 9 last night 28 year old Jamelia Neal was walking on Fabers Road when a gunman approached her and pointed a firearm in her direction. He pulled the trigger but the gun misfired. She seized on the opportunity, pushed him to the ground dashed for her life. But, he scrambled to his feet and shot her as she escaped. She was transported to the KHMH and was listed in a stable condition. Police recovered one 9mm expended shell from the scene and are looking for a known suspect. We were told that Jamelia Neal is the niece of 34 year-old Tyrone Neal – who was murdered on Kraal Road in April of this year. The shooting appears to be the result of a turf war between Faber’s and Krall Road two adjoining streets in the Port Loyola area.

Head Tax Court Case Coming To A Head
The power players in cruise tourism were back in the Supreme court today resuming arguments over – fundamentally – who will control the future of cruise tourism in Belize: will it be the Fort Street Tourism Village, or will it be The Feinstein Group and their Stake Bank Project? Feinstein can’t start his stake Bank project because of legal hurdles put in his way by previous arrangements signed by the Musa administration. That gives the FSTV owners some level of domain over his project. And so now, as means of counter-attack, he’s going for their money maker: the head tax, arguing that only government – through parliament - can levy taxes. The FSTV and the Belize Tourism Board don’t have that authority – so he argues that the head tax is illegal. Now, that represents millions od dollars in earnings annually for the Fort Street Tourism Village – so they are prepared to fight it tooth and nail. Caught in the middle is the Government of Belize. And so the case, which is sure to be a marathon hearing started last week with the presentation of Feinstein’s case – and it continued today with

Teenaged Gunshot Victim Tyrique Still In Induced Coma
15 year old second form shooting victim Tyrique Thompson is still in an induced coma at the KHMH after he was shot in the head on Monday night. His family says he is still critical but they are hoping and praying for the best. The teenager was shot on Lakeview Street – and his family believes it was just to send a message to his neighbourhood.

Hung Jury For Alleged Killer
When we left you last night, a jury was deliberating the fate of Daniel Myvett, charged with the murder of Nigerian security guard Kimaru Olongondudu. Well, it’s a hung jury. After deliberating for a little less than 4 hours, a jury of 7 men and 5 women was unable to reach a verdict for Daniel Myvett, Myvett’s attorney, Alifa Elrington said she is going to apply for bail for her client. Two other persons, Jamal Jackson and Talbert Mena, were charged with the offence but they were acquitted on a no case submission that was made by their attorneys, Simeon Sampson and Alifa Elrington. The Crown was represented in this case by Crown counsel Sheneiza Smith.

Tradewinds Blowing Through
Operation Tradewinds 2015 concluded today and a ceremony was held at the Price Barracks this morning to honour the soldiers who participated in this year’s session. The Trade Winds was separated into two phases: the Martime phase which was done in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Land Phase which was completed in Belize. It was a long and grueling week of challenging military training operations but it wasn’t all about the test of strength or the level of preparedness for combat – more importantly it was about building meaningful relationships among nations. H.E. Carlos Moreno - U.S. ambassador to Belize "My impression, my view of what all of you have been engaged in this past week has been not so much about engaging in an enormously complex, physical logistically challenging operation. It's not so much about engaging in a joint response capability of various nations to fight the threat of counter terrorism - preparing for national disasters relief or engaging in humanitarian assistance. Of course it is all that. It's also not so much about testing or comparing the equipment or facilities of one military organisation with another. And in kind of a larger sense to me it's not even about one nation cooperating with another nation. In my mind, what I see is not so much hand to hand but hand in hand cooperation. And yes at one level it involves military organisations but on another level it's what I would foresee and speak about the human element."

Rhaburn's Route To Court
A few weeks ago we told you about former Ruta Maya champion Jerry Rhaburn – who was charged for possession of Hicatee during the closed season. Well they just went to court today where the 36 year old Rhaburn and his 21 year old wife Anisa Vernon, both residents of Burrell Boom, pled not guilty. Their case was adjourned until August 11. According to the allegation they were found with one Hicattee on May 22 – the fisheries department believes that Rhaburn was involved in a alrger trade of game species. They were represented by attorney Arthur Saldivar. And, in another fisheries story, Forty year old fisherman Moises Flores, a resident of 208 Albert Street, was charged with engaging in the fishing of sea cucumber without a special license when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser.

Monitoring Manatees
Late this evening 7news received information of an injured manatee and its calf behind the Bella Vista Canal. So far a team from the Coastal Zone Management is on the scene closely monitoring the situation to see if the mammals will need to be rescued. 7news was also on the scene and spoke with Program Coordinator Jamal Galvez –who told us the manatees were spotted from yesterday. Jamal Galvez – Program Coordinator "Yesterday we got a call about a baby manatee and a mother in this canal. My colleagues came out to look for it - we found it and it seems that nothing was wrong with it. We came out again today to make sure that the animal is okay. We realise that the animal has a boat strike on it's shoulder and it has been swimming a little bit on it's side which is signs of injuries. Normally they come into these quite areas to try and recover from the injury they may has sustained from any water craft or any thing of that sort. We're closely monitoring the animal to see what it does and we hope that it stays in here so it doesn't leave. Our plan is trying to block the canal off so it doesn't leave so we can monitor it to make sure it's okay."

Deondray Got Off Attempted Murder But Still In Jail
The family of 23 year-old Deondray McKoy says he is being held in jail for no reason. Mckoy was serving a 12 year sentence after being convicted in November 2013 of attempting to murder Everald Gray. But on June 16th he successfully appealed his conviction when he convinced the Justices of Appeal that he should be acquitted. He was not set free because he was awaiting a verdict for other attempted murder charges. But according to his family he has been offered bail and all charges have been dealt with - so today they came to our studio irate and demanding his freedom: Sister of Deondre Mckoy: "When we went to prison Friday, my sister-in-law carry a paper stating that yeah, it's for whatever but the prison officer said no, this a paper that shows his feedback. So I said alright, well she bring out a next paper. The man said it kind of legit but they want a paper that's signed and stamped from the magistrate court - a removal form. So I said okay. They need a removal from courts of appeal. So I said why I need that and he done win the case from the court of appeals? They said they just a paper that stating it's signed and stamped. So why? That no sound correct to me. Why they have my brother back there, they don't give me the reason why yet. When we talk to the people they say appeal, so why they have we the push round? Just say one thing, if we need lawyer, tell we. If we need something, just tell we. Why they going to have us push round push round mommy? I done frustrated you know."

Vendor Cries Foul
40 year old Martha Mcgregor has been selling fruits and snacks on the sidewalk beside First Caribbean Bank for about 8 years – overall she has been a street vendor for 25 and Mcgregor and her husband came to our studios this evening claiming that city council moved them from that spot on Monday after 3 in the evening. They are saying that it’s simply unfair and that if they are forced to move, the other vendors shouldn’t be allowed to stay there either. "The first time since they fix the street, I stayed right there on the sidewalk on Church street. They done the street, it touch the sidewalk. They touch the sidewalk and I set my table right there because it no dry yet. The worker that use to work for me, he set the table on the sidewalk front of Albert street but against First Caribbean; they people have enough space to walk on the sidewalk." "The issue right now is that we get to understand that we can't sell out there because we are on the sidewalk - we're taking up space. What happen about the other ones that are on the sidewalk and they move. I get to understand that they give the person permission to stay there. They give him letter but even if they give him letter, we no see no letter and we can't ask about letter. What about we that are out there long time, why can’t they give we letter? They come and say let's go because you can't sell out here, you can't sell out here, nobody can sell can sell on the sidewalk. But yet you look over your shoulder we see other people sell on the sidewalk too. And the thing is when the say nobody to sell on the sidewalk that means nobody should sell on the sidewalk at all. No particular person is supposed to sell."

Profile...
Tonight the I am Belize profile is back and it focuses on Lauren Panting – a Belize City mother who has an all too familiar story: left home and school at the age of 15, and pretty soon after that had a pair of boys and no way to support them. But, hers is a success story – a success built with the help of others and a unique mentoring programme that her sons qualified for by being less than exemplary students. Here’s more:..

Rewarding Long Service
Yesterday in San Pedro, the Ministry of the Public Service observed public service day with an awards ceremony where they recognized outstanding and long serving public officers. And while they had already been rewarded with an 8% increase - they also got some nice plaques and a chance to shake hands with the Head of State. Chairperson of the Public Service Day National Committee Freya Parham underscored the importance:… Public officers and teachers have gotten a 14% salary increase over the past two years costing the public purse about 65 million dollars annually.

Channel 5

Cristina Coc and Mayas Charged in PG Court
A News Five crew is in Punta Gorda tonight where the situation is a volatile one. We’ll have much more on this story later on in the newscast, but at [...]

Mayas Were Detained in Pre-dawn Raid
As we said, Cristina Coc and ten others were arraigned this morning in the Punta Gorda Magistrate Court following an early morning operation. Several persons in detention were reportedly injured [...]

Was Former U.D.P. Minister Juan Coy Selling Mayan Lands?
Also in the south… On Friday, Magdalena Buul came forward with a story alleging that former U.D.P. Minister of State Juan Coy sold off a forty-five acre tract of land [...]

S.S.B. Explains Loans to Companies Allegedly Operated by John Zabaneh
Did the Board of Directors of the S.S.B. approve loans to Belizean businessman and banana magnate Johnny Zabaneh? That’s the report which came out of the S.S.B. last week, and [...]

Woodrow West Departs for Honduras
Woodrow West is minutes away from touching down tonight in Honduras where he will join the Club Deportivo Honduras de El Progreso, the Honduras Progresso Football Club. The star goalkeeper [...]

Two Hospitalized in Separate City Shootings
There was yet another shooting in the city in less than twenty-four hours. Just before nine p.m. on Tuesday night, shots rang out on Old Fabers Road in the Caesar [...]

Myvett Remanded After Hung Jury in Murder Trial
There is a development tonight in respect of a decision reached on Tuesday night in the trial of Daniel Myvett who is accused with the murder of a Nigerian security [...]

Arguments Continue in Feinstein vs. G.O.B./B.T.B./FSTV
The Government of Belize, the Fort Street Tourism Village, the Belize Tourism Board and developer Mike Feinstein, or at least their legal representatives, were back in court this morning. Just [...]

BET Arraigned for Lord’s Bank Shooting
A Lord Bank, Ladyville, man was shot multiple times on the night of June sixteenth, 2015. But Jorge Carlos Lozano rolled over and pretended he was dead and when the [...]

SIB Releases Latest Statistics
The May figures in respect of the cost of living have been released by the Statistical Institute of Belize. SIB says the prices remain almost one percent lower than in [...]

Retired Public officers Honoured
Public Service Day is celebrated every year on June twenty-third. On Tuesday, a number of public officers with twenty-five years of service were honored at the tenth Annual Belize Public [...]

Benefit Concert for Stann Creek Ecumenical This Weekend
There are currently one thousand students attending the Ecumenical High School in Dangriga in the south. With the school reaching its maximum student capacity and bursting at its seams, there [...]

Rotary Club Facilitates Orthopaedic Clinics
Scoliosis, osteoporosis hip fractures, and rheumatoid arthritis are among a long list of orthopedic diseases that affect adults. In the case of young children, they are affected by flatfeet; toe [...]

Severe Cases Referred Overseas for Specialized Treatment
For the severe cases that require medical treatment overseas, the children are transferred to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Saint Louis, Missouri where they are provided free medical care. [...]

CTV3

Mexican Authorities Confiscates Thousands Of Boxes Of Cigarettes
Mexican authorities are reporting that over 30 million individual contraband cigarettes were confiscated in a raid in Chetumal on Monday. According to Mexican law enforcers, they received an anonymous tip and with the strength of a search warrant; they visited the town of Huay-Pix in the municipality of Othon P. Blanco. The area is located a few miles outside of the Belize/Mexico Border. Authorities searched a building and found 10 vehicles loaded with boxes of cigarettes. The team further searched the vehicles and found 3,342 boxes, and when they counted up all the packs, inside each box, the total amount was just over 33 million individual cigarettes. The origin of the load or its final destination has not been ascertained. Authorities in the past have said that the Commercial Free Zone in Corozal has been a hot spot for illegal cigarette trade.

Lets All Protect The Manatees
In the past sailors mistook them for mermaids. Today they are called sea cows and generally travel solo. They have no known natural enemies and with this fact, it could lead them to a life span of over 60 years. They are gentle and their name is the manatee. Unfortunately, these majestic and magnificent creatures have become very much unappreciated, causing human related manatee deaths to rapidly increase. They increase in deaths is primarily due to coastal development; boat propeller kills and habitat destruction. These factors remain the major threats to the survival of these creatures. And so in an effort to protect these gentle creatures, conversationalist Jamal Galves is organizing a Small Boat, Trailer and Truck fundraiser to help save our manatees. Galves, is the Belize Manatee Program Coordinator for Sea to Shore Alliance and works in collaboration with the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI) to protect threatened coastal species and their habitat, in particular the West Indian manatee. And in an effort to be fully resourced, the fundraiser seeks to raise enough funds to purchase a truck and a small boat that will aid the team greatly in our response to the growing numbers of reports.

Consumer Prices Remian Almost One Percent Lower Than One Year Ago
Consumer prices remain almost one percent lower than one year ago reports the Statistical Institute of Belize. The SIB reports that figures for the month of May 2015 showed that the inflation rate stood at negative 0.9 percent, as the Consumer Price Index declined from 103.6 in May of 2014 to 102.7 in May 2015. Falling prices is due largely to transport as the average price per gallon of premium gasoline, regular gasoline, and diesel fuel all fell by more than $2.50, or well over 20 percent, in comparison to the same month last year. International airfares were also significantly lower, declining by almost one fourth compared to last May. Liquefied petroleum gas prices continued to trend downward, with the average price per 100-pound cylinder falling from almost $120 to $111 from May of last year to May 2015. On average, food prices remained largely unchanged. Some items though continued to see fluctuations and these include beef products which were up by more than 10 percentage points and Red Kidney beans, which were down by more than one third compared to last May. Hospital or clinical consultation fees increased by five percent reports the SIB. Also seeing increases was the cost of household domestic services by 4.5 percent. By district, Dangriga was the only municipality seeing an overall increase in consumer prices in May, with an inflation rate of 1.8 percent. Belmopan saw the biggest drop with a rate of negative two percent, followed closely by San Ignacio/Santa Elena with a negative 1.8 percent.

Stakeholders Assess 2014/2015 Crop Season
The 2014/2015 sugar cane crop is nearing its end yet officials are continuously assessing the industry’s performance. In an interview with Chair of the Sugar Cane Production Committee, Jose Novelo yesterday, he spoke on the issue of farmers who have not delivered any cane to the mill. Novelo says this is a recurrent problem and that the SCPC will need to look more closely at the issue. “It’s a problem that has been in existence for quite a while some group leaders for instance will deliver their qouta first and then the others will come after but I can also say that we have some very good group leaders that would ensure that the rest of their group members deliver first an then they deliver towards the end but it is a matter where the SCPC will need to look more closely at in the future to ensure that everybody has a fare chance of delioveing their cane, in fact the schedule delivery was intended to serve part of that purpose because we need to have confidence that a farmer that has cane will be able to dliver that cane with as little difficulty as possible to the factory.”

East Indian Council Of Belize Weights In On Myles Issue
And today the East Indian Council of Belize issued statement on its position surrounding Myles detention and the way he was treated by villagers. In their statement, EIC says that the incident has served to highlight a situation that has prevailed within the Mayan communities for a long time. The statement goes on to make reference to an incident that took place in the late 1990’s when a Rastafarian was allegedly killed at Medina Bank Village in quote, “very unusual circumstance,” end of quote. It also references the incident where Mayan villagers reportedly set fire to the crocodile sanctuary on the Rio Grande in San Marcos. The EIC says that the incident involving Myles is being cloaked by using the Alcalde System and is calling on the government to eliminate that system as it is quote, “antiquated and has outlived its usefulness,” end of quote. The statement ends calling on Mayan villagers to cease their actions as quote, “we cannot, as a people, long survive if bias, grudge, prejudice and racial discrimination pervades our societies,” end of quote.

Banquitas House Of Culture Announces Summer Programs
School is almost over for primary school children and if you are a parent who is looking for extracurricular activities to enroll your preteen into, you may want to visit the Banquitas House of Culture as the Sugar City Artisan Group will be hosting a number of summer programs in July. The group has been activity providing numerous classes for adults throughout the year and this summer they have decided to focus on children says group Secretary Cindy Rivero. “Every week we are going to be having something diferent we are going to offer for kids and for adults, for example we have the instructors from within the group tha will be teaching the students what is it that they do and we are going to be having some foamy ornaments that we are going to be doing, crotchet and some bows from cloth and we are going to be doing some bandoos and hair accessories and we also going to be doing 3D embroidery and to finalize we are going to be doing basic acrylic nail and manicure so we are going to be having these session going on for the entire month of July, each of them has different age range and we have minimum cost so if any one is interested you could call us at 322-0517 to resgister if you are interested.”

LOVE FM

CIBC First Caribbean International Bank holds fundraising initiative for Cancer Society
A fundraiser for cancer is being planned by the CIBC First Caribbean International Bank. It is an annual event, as we hear from Sandra Mahler of Bel-Caribe Communications. Sandra Mahler, Representative Bel Caribe Communications “CIBC First Caribbean everywhere helps the Belize Cancer Society in raising funds for the cause. This year we are going to […]

Students on expedition trip to Beize
A group of nineteen students and teachers from the United States arrived at the Philip Goldson International Airport yesterday as part of a team called the Belize Expedition Crew 2015. We spoke to the head of the crew, Sheryl Mortel, who teaches biology in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. Sheryl Mortel, Teacher “We do a trip every […]

BDF Commander speaks of upcoming changes
A few months ago, former Chief of Staff, Raymond Sheppard went on pre-retirement leave from the Belize Defense Force. Since then there has been constant changes in that department. But according to Commander David Jones, things will be cleared up soon. Brigadier General David Jones, Commander, BDF “Colonel Shepherd officially is on preretirement leave. He […]

Retired public officers honored
Today the Belize City Public Service Committee honored 15 retired public service officers. The ceremony was held in Belize City and in attendance were the honorees along with the Minister of Public Service and Elections and Boundaries, Charles Gibson. The Keynote address was given by Lizbeth Castillo. Lisbeth Castillo – Guest speaker “Public service has […]

Mexican Naval Ship visits Belize
Officials of Belize Coast Guard and a group of Port Honduras Marine Reserve dignitaries yesterday made a courtesy visit to a visiting Mexican Navy ship. Paul Mahung reporting…. “The Mexican Naval Ship named Independence which is on exercise with the Trade Winds in Belizean waters was in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve PHMR area in […]

Sugar cane farmers looking for extension of crop season
Arturo Cantun reporting … “Belize Sugar Industries, BSI, has broken the all-time record of sugar production in the history of Belize. The record was broken this past Saturday when the factory surpassed the 125,769 metric tons of sugar produced in the crop of 1997. Up until six this morning which marks 149 days of milling, […]

Goalkeeper Woodrow West off to Honduras
Last week Belize’s premiere goalkeeper Woodrow West signed up to play with a professional team in Honduras. Today West left the country and we were at the Philip Goldson International Airport. He told us it is a bittersweet moment however it is a step he must take to move up to the next level. Woodrow […]

Two women injured in a robbery
Two women were injured during an armed robbery in Cotton Tree Village in the Cayo District on Tuesday. Angelica Cruz reporting…. “Two women are lucky to be alive following an armed robbery in Cotton Tree Village. According to Romelia Dominguez, on Tuesday afternoon June 23 sometime around 1:30, she was working inside Guerra’s shop […]

Military Tradewinds exercise concludes
Phase two of Trade Winds 2015 came to an end earlier today. The joint military forces exercise ended with a reception that included awards for all participants. The exercise focused on several areas. Brigadier General Coffman Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces South, elaborated on the objectives of the exercise. Brigadier General Coffman […]

Latest figures show decrease in imports; fall in consumer price index
Last month, Belize imported goods valued at 162 million dollars, 32.8 million dollars less when compared to May in 2014. According to the Statistical Institute of Belize, importation of ‘Mineral Fuels and Lubricants’, ‘Food and Live Animals’ and goods destined to the Commercial Free Zone were among those which decreased. Purchases of goods destined for […]

Breaking Belize News

CARICOM’s Round Table on Adolescent Pregnancy commences today
Caribbean countries will unite in Belize City today, to discuss Adolescent Pregnancy in the Caribbean. The discussions, organized under the umbrellas of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, and the Spouses of Heads of State in the Caribbean, are part of the CARICOM Integrated Strategic Framework, aimed at the reduction […]

Own a Belize island for $1 and help raise millions for charity
The World’s First Crowdfunded Charity Island Thursday, June 25th 2015. BMG: A crowdfunding effort has been put forward in hopes of purchasing Belize’s Secret Island for $500,000 US dollars. The ‘Charity Island’ Project was recently featured on popular crowdfunding site, Indiegogo, and offers one share in the island for $1.00 USD. […]

Mayan Leader,Christina Coc and others slapped with Unlawful Imprisonment charges
Following the detention of Toledo resident Ruperto Miles on Sunday, much have been said and stated in the public domain. Since the incident, Miles has made a formal complaint to the police about his wrongful detention. And today, police were seeking several of the angry mob for questioning. This afternoon, […]

The Statistical Institute of Belize issues its monthly report
The Statistical Institute of Belize has issued its monthly report on inflation and Belize’s external trade. Prices are down by 0.9% for the month of May, 2015, over the same month in 2014. Driving the drop is lower gas prices, which fell by over 20 percent or $2.50 […]

San Pedro hotel owner defends LGBT pride event
Owner of Caribbean Villas Hotel, Peter Lawrence, has spoken to local media defending plans for a gay pride event at the resort in September. It has been billed as the biggest gay pride event in Belizean history, but it is more a matter of finance and good business. According to […]

Melvin Hulse apologizes for leaked recording
His position with the United Democratic Party as standard bearer for Stann Creek West under threat, former Minister and area representative Melvin Hulse moved quickly to apologize for a recorded conversation with friends in which he blasted his party leadership and made certain statements which have been labeled as potentially […]

PM comments on Santa Cruz incident
The buzz about the incident in Santa Cruz Village in The Toledo District remains to be in the public domain. As we’ve reported, Rupert Myles was handcuffed, hogtied and escorted through the village because of what the villagers claimed to be a violation of “Mayan Land Rights”. Mr. Myles refuted […]

Pretty Streets with Bad Drainage in Santa Elena
Over the past few months there has been mass infrastructural development of the streets in Santa Elena and San Ignacio Town. Residents were happy to see a change but now that it is the beginning of the rainy season, and they realize that all this infrastructural development was […]

Mayan Leader, Christina Coc in police custody
Reports reaching our news room is that Christina Coc, a member of the Mayan Leader Alliance is presently in police custody and about to be taken to Punta Gorda Magistrate court. Our correspondent is presently at the scene and will be providing an update to this developing story.

TIDE Freshwater Cup 2015
Every year, the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) hosts a football tournament for primary school students, promoting the importance of conservation and a clean environment. This annual event, named the ‘TIDE Freshwater Cup’, unleashes the potential of young people as agents of change and environmental protection […]

Blogs

Mymula Ceviche and A Film Star: Lunch at Hurricane’s Ceviche Bar
I have walked past it 1000x but just recently, I’ve been asking around town about THE BEST CEVICHE. And Hurricane’s CEVICHE Bar keeps popping up. Oddly, though, they have been around for about 5 years now, I’ve never eaten there. But yesterday, with the sun out and the breeze blowing, it seemed like a perfect time to visit. PLUS, it’s fly season here on the island. Wait…they don’t mention that “season” in the visitors’ guides? House flies galore…just for a few weeks…best to eat in the breeze. You will see clear plastic bags filled with water hanging over fruit stands and eateries. Apparently the fly sees his reflection GIANT and is scared off. Even MythBusters and Snopes.com investigated this common practice. It ain’t just a Belize thing. Here’s a photo of Hurricane’s Ceviche Bar from a few years ago. Remember the days without sargasso seaweed? We were there to try the ceviche…and eat lunch and enjoy the breeze…and bartender Josh is a bonus.

International Sources

Casey: With 'Bookbag Santa' heading to Belize
A few times over the years I’ve written about the tribulations and triumphs of Bookbag Santa, a tiny, funky international charity based right here in Roanoke. It collects usable school supplies, discarded by Roanoke-area students each June, and transports that stuff to impoverished kids in the Central American nation of Belize. Bookbag Santa was conceived and created by Gary Hunt, a kindly artist/environmentalist/handyman I’ve known for about 20 years. One of his attributes is that he’s mastered the art of living cheaply and with a low impact. Another is, “I’m good at talking people into donating something they’re going to throw away anyway,” the modest Hunt once told me. The outfit’s world headquarters is an 8-by-20-foot donated metal shipping container in northeast Roanoke. Back in 2010, the land it rested on, gratis, was sold, and the container needed immediate moving. With an uncharacteristically anxious edge in his voice, Hunt called me to dish that news.

Falconer in Belize for adolescent pregnancy forum
Senator Sandrea Falconer, information minister, left the island for Belize this morning to attend a specially convened Round Table on Adolescent Pregnancy in the Caribbean. She will be representing Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. The forum will take place tomorrow in Belize City. Minister Falconer will deliver the prime minister’s address to the meeting and participate in the call to action discussion on the issue. The regional round table is being held within the context of the CARICOM Integrated Strategic Framework for the reduction of adolescent pregnancy in the Caribbean and seeks to mobilise, support and establish a strong network of spouses of Caribbean heads of State to champion the cause.

Tourism Ministry hosts Belize Delegation
Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has credited Jamaica’s Tourism Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development with providing guidance for the development of the industry, its current success and ability to contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth. He was addressing a six-person tourism delegation from Belize yesterday (June 23) that is being hosted by his Ministry to assist that country with further development of its tourism industry. The weeklong visit is an initiative of the Interregional Cooperation in Tourism. “Because of how Jamaica has been positioned, there is now a great demand for the island as a vacation destination, with measurable growth in both stop over and cruise arrivals as well as investment by both international and local investors,” the Minister stated. Head of the delegation, Belize’s Chief Tourism Officer, Abil Castaneda, explained that his country is a crossroads with regard to its tourism development.

Can we (should we) put a price tag on nature?
For businesses, natural capital has often been seen as the environmental economics equivalent of a free lunch. Companies could use water or timber, or emit vast amounts of carbon with little recognition to the actual impacts or value it had on the natural world. Yet, as any student of business or economics knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Meaning that as the impacts of climate change, severe droughts and ravishing natural disasters are being seen throughout the world, the value of nature’s finite resources will eventually be felt by businesses.

U.S. Slips In World Well-Being Rankings; Panama Is No. 1
Very interesting....Belize is ranked #5 in the world's top 10 — percent thriving. "Latin Americans in particular have higher levels of well-being than any other regional group," the polling firm says. "Residents of many Latin American countries are among the most likely in the world to report daily positive experiences such as smiling and laughing, feeling enjoyment, and feeling treated with respect each day."

Videos

June 24, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Leaked audio recording of Melvin Hulse makes serious accusations against PM Barrow
There is tension within the United Democratic Party (UDP) as a leaked audio recording alleges that Prime Minister of Belize, Honorable Dean Barrow paid monies to a People’s United Party (PUP) representative to sabotage the election process. The recording came from a conversation with UDP Standard Bearer for Stann Creek West, Melvin Hulse. Among the […]

San Pedro Lobster Fest 2015: So many tasty choices!
The 9th annual San Pedro Lobster Festival has come and gone, and in its wake trail plenty of memories for residents and visitors alike. The festivities began on June 14th with the official “Meat and Greet” at El Divino, kicking off the week-long Lobster Crawl. Businesses throughout the island were packed to the gills with […]

Introducing the Caye Caulker Miss Lobster Fest Contestants
It is lobster festival season, and all is ready for the 21st Annual Caye Caulker Lobster Fest! The original crustacean Festival will be held from Friday, June 26th to Sunday, June 27th. The long waited event kicks off with the Miss Lobster Fest 2015-2016 Pageant. The highlight of the festival, the Miss Lobster Fest pageant […]

Guest Editorial: Commentary on Caye Caulker Police Brutality
The San Pedro Sun was impressed by the following words shared on Facebook by Woman Police Officer Shanique Roca. We wanted to share her heartfelt thoughts on the situation in Caye Caulker, over the death of Hilberto Sotz. Her empathy and honesty truly struck a chord. – By WPC Shanique Roca I woke up […]

Importance and Ease of Blood Donation
Submitted by the San Pedro Belize Red Cross By helping ensure that blood is available whenever members of the Ambergris Caye community or visitors require medical attention, your blood donation may one day save a life. The San Pedro Belize Red Cross (SPBRC) has been working with the Belize Blood Bank and medical professionals of […]

Ocean Academy celebrates 7th Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony
On Saturday, June 13th, Caye Caulker’s Ocean Academy held its 7th Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony, where five youth were honored. The awards ranged in a wide category, from curricular excellence to community involvement. An addition five students were also recognized during the ceremony for obtaining Full Basket Belize scholarships of $1,000. Mistress of Ceremonies, Anissa […]

Australian Rugby Player Ed Stubbs visits the San Pedro Turtles
26-year-old professional rugby player from Australia, Ed Stubbs met up with Rugby Belize founder, Tony Gillings while vacationing in San Pedro Town. Stubbs recently took a leave from his rugby career to recover from injuries and embarked on a tour of Central America. After learning about Rugby Belize and getting in contact with Gillings through […]

Taking a bite at Big Bite
Finding a place to grab a quick bite when on the go can easily turn into a huge hassle if you’re not too familiar with the area. My trips to Belize City have always been pretty basic, usually just to get in, get what I need and get out, so I’m still somewhat feeling my way around when I take trips over. Yesterday I found myself in the city for a quick trip to run a few errands, but man was hunger knocking at my door! I wasn’t starving so I decided to just grab something quick. But where from? I didn’t want anything too pricey or that would take too long, as I had a bit of time to spare but not too much. When I stumbled across Big Bite, man, was I happy! I was strolling along the block on Barrack Road and a sign that read Jamaican Patties and Sexy Chicken (haha) caught my eye. As I got closer I was surprised to see just how airy and modern the place looked; this definitely drew me in! I walked in at the peak of lunch hour and by the size of the crowd, their simple menu seemed to be working: Jamaican Patties (chicken, spicy chicken, beef, spicy beef and veggie) and Rotisserie chicken.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Holiday Hotel Celebrates 50th Anniversary
On behalf of the community of San Pedro and on behalf of all stakeholders in the tourism industry, Ambergris Today takes great pleasure and honor to say “Congratulations to Holiday Hotel that is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. It seems very easy to say fifty years, but it is not that simple. If you ask Celi McCorkle it is fifty years of commitment, passion, hard work and vision. It was back in 1965 that Celi Nuñez recently married to John Greif had the vision to introduce the very first hotel to the island and Holiday Hotel was born. Celi built a fairly large wood building with several well ventilated rooms and sought to sell to the American travelers ocean view rooms with ventilation from the Caribbean Sea. This idea hit like wild fire and soon thereafter word spread that there was a comfortable, affordable and very friendly place in paradise owned, managed and operated by Celi herself.

A Glimpse of Central Park in the 60’s
There are several points of interest in this Flashback. First of all we see the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church at exactly the same location it is today except that the length of the wood building ran from Barrier Reef Drive to the beach. Notice the large expanse of land that existed from the church yard to the beach. Then notice the large piece of land in front of the church. This used to be a playground where boys and girls played baseball and football at times. Also notice the large wooden vat or water reservoir beside the church. This was so because annexed to the church right behind it was another large building that used to serve as the home of the nuns and the priests when they took their summer vacations in San Pedro. On the left side of the picture is the front part of the famous Blake House which became Barrier Reef Hotel, and now The Alliance Bank. On the extreme right of the picture you see part of the famous Daddy’s Club which was a bar and a dance hall. Finally you might ask, why such a large crowd following the bride and the groom, Ovidio Guerero and Elia Aguilar? Well a wedding was not a common occurrence in San Pedro Village in the 1950’s and 60’s- perhaps one or two per year. That is why the entire village was out for the celebration with or without invitation.

Miss Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Pageant to Kick off Festivities on Island
Kicking off the 21st Annual Caye Caulker Lobster Fest taking place this weekend at La Isla Cariñosa is the Miss Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Pageant with four contestants vying for the coveted crown. It all starts on Friday, June 26, 2015. Highlighting the Color Explosion part of the island’s Lobster Fest, the pageant promises to be an explosion of color, music and festivities. The Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Pageant Committee is pleased to present the delegates for this year’s Miss Lobster Fest 2015 pageant: Leah Canto, Aricelli Cadle, Shayenn Magana, Alessa Madrill.

Elvi’s Kitchen Tops Lobsterfest with Best Dish
It was another successful Lobsterfest in San Pedro full of great food, drinks and entertainment. The culmination of the week-long celebration took place on Saturday, June 20, 2015, as restaurants decorated the block party with their festive booths that had people from all over rushing to get that delicious lobster dish. The aroma of great food was in the air luring many to this year’s Lobsterfest. It was definitely the place to find the best lobster dishes from the best restaurants in town like Elvi’s Kitchen, Caliente, Pirate’s Treasure, Casa Picasso, Di Vu, Pineapples, Rendezvous, Estel’s Dine By the Sea, Pedro’s Pizza and Amber Beach Bar & Grill. It was indeed a very challenging and yummy task for the judges in choosing this year’s winner of the Lobsterfest food and drink competition. There were a lot of creative dishes as well as drinks that definitely got everybody’s taste buds on cloud nine.

Misc Belizean Sources

On Caye Caulker
A young woman was choked till she passed out and raped by two men Friday night-Saturday morning, after exiting West Bay Beach Club on Caye Caulker. If anyone knows or hears anything about it, pls contact me and/or police [email protected] Women have to be aware, especially in the lee morning hours at these clubs, which attract a rough crowd. Could have been worse and every reason to find and nail the scum who attacked her

Caye Caulker Music Summer Camp
The best in percussion camp, have fun and learn how to play the most variety music family

FFB Grassroots Program
Councilor Hector "Tito" Alamilla, the Football Federation of Belize and the San Pedro Sports Council hosted the Grassroots Program from Wednesday (June 17) to Saturday (June 20) where a total of 73 kids participated. With the help of 5 coaches, the kids were able to learn various techniques and maneuvers of the sport. The kids were really excited to learn these new tricks and were more than ecstatic to be a part of the Grassroots program.

Power interruption 5:00am to 7:00am, Sunday, June 28: entire San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye.
BEL to replace protective device for transformer at Maskall Substation.

Fountain of Knowledge Scholarship
The National Tsing Hua University and Sacred Heart Junior College are collaborating on the Fountain of Knowledge Scholarship. The scholarship is open to any primary school graduates from the 13 Cayo schools that NTHU student groups have worked with over the years. The list, along with directions on how to apply, can be found at: http://goo.gl/ojhf4D. The deadline for applications is July 15th. If you have questions, you can email them at [email protected].

Oceana's Macal River Cleanup
Oceana celebrated World Oceans Day all over Belize. In Cayo they did a river cleanup along the banks of the Macal River. Thanks, wavemakers! "Across the country Oceana Belize celebrated World Oceans Day under the theme 'Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet'. Ocean Belize Field Representatives and wavemakers splashed and made waves by doing beach and river clean ups across the country. "

Howler Monkey Release
They captured the release of 4 of the younger Howler monkeys at Wildtracks. "The moment of the Teens release has been caught on video by several people...the moment when Molly opened the release cage door and Sam, Peanuts, Pebbles and Polly climbed to freedom. This is for you - all those who have worked with these monkeys during their time at Wildtracks. They are now FREE!

BTB Tourism Scholarships
The Belize Tourism Board is offering scholarships for the upcoming Fall 2015 semester. If you are interested, you have until July 10th to apply. "The BTB is offering scholarship opportunities to interested applicants for Tourism Programs commencing August 2015 for Full-time Students!"

Foam n Colors Fete
The Foam n Colors Fete at the new Playa del Cayo is this Saturday. Playa del Cayo is the inland beach party spot, so the festivities start at 1:00pm, and go until 9:00, and then the party moves to the Princess. Looks like there will be some good trance music - the Raging Masters will be there - and no talking. "The tickets for this event are 10$ promotional price!! Beach party from 1pm to 9pm. Foam Machine And color powder After party is at Princess Casinó San Ignacio Note: Everyone who enters the beach party gets a discount to enter the after party!! After party is from 10pm to 4am"

Channel 7

PM Says "Outrageous"; Mayans Say Justifiable
Last night, we told you how the Mayan villagers of Santa Cruz detained Creole Belizean Rupert Myles and tried to force him out whilst armed with machetes. The Prime Minister condemned their actions as outrageous, and indefensible. Here's what he had to say: Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "What I have seen, it is outrageous. I believe somebody sent me an attempted defense by the Mayans. That is indefensible for them to do something like this... they talk about their rights, what about that man's human rights? What about his rights as a Belizean? I don't know how on earth they can ever justify this. In my view they've lost whatever moral high ground they ever had and I want to look carefully at it to see if any of them might not perhaps be criminally liable from what they did to that gentleman. Tying up this man, falsely imprison him, physically assaulting him - that is absolutely intolerable and I am telling you, I mean to find out from the appropriate authorities what if anything they mean to do about it." Well, that has stirred the leadership of the Mayan community to fire back. This afternoon, the Maya Leaders Alliance released a statement to restate that Santa Cruz did what it did as a last resort, and only after months of trying with Miles. They say that he destroyed a portion of the Uxbenka Archaeological Site in Santa Cruz Village. The statement says, quote, "…The laws of Belize prohibit building on or damaging any archaeological site…Further, Maya people have lived and worked with many non-Mayas and recognize and appreciate their contributions in the villages. Maya customary law is part of Belizean law and exists to protect the communities." End quote

Teenager Shot to Head in Gang War
Today a second form classroom at Canaan SDA High School in Belize City had an empty desk and chair because student 15 year old Tyrique Thompson was in the hospital, he had been shot in the head. It happened last night in a gang affiliated neighborhood - where the boy's family feel he was shot just so that a rival gang could send a message. Monica Bodden has the story: Monica Bodden reporting 15 year old Tyrique Thompson is holding on to life at the KHMH after he was shot in the head. The student was only a block away from his home - when the gunman approached him from behind and fired a single shot. It happened here on Lakeview Street just after 8 last night. This is an area known for an escalating feud between two gangs who are only separated by a single bridge. And while the community is scared to speak out, they believe the teenage boy was not the intended target -instead it was a message for the neighborhood he resides.

Charged For Stabbing Murder
Last night, we told you how 45 year-old Carrington Bodden was stabbed to death on Sunday. Well, the man who police believe was his assailant is 36 year-old undertaker Sanjay Pilgrim, and tonight he's at the Belize Central Prison. Pilgrim was arraigned today, when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Pilgrim was remanded into custody until July 31. The incident occurred on Sunday, June 21, at a Barbeque and social gathering which was part of a Father's Day celebration at the corner of Kelly Street and Freetown Road. According to reports, Pilgrim and Bodden, two friends, had a misunderstanding which led to a fight and during the fight Bodden was stabbed to his chest.

Melvin Hulse Apologizes, Says UDP Recorded Him
UDP Candidate for Stann Creek West Melvin Hulse - by now, you've probably heard snippets of what he said in a 12 minute recording that being circulated by the PUP. Here's a small excerpt of the parts that aren't libelous:.. Melvin Hulse "But Dean is trying to push it. He didn't even consult. Papa doesn't run in nothing. Dean is dictating. It's he who sets the time. He is calling it right away. Patrick, Audrey, all of them are running things. Spending over 2 million on a bi election gets you nowhere. It doesn't achieve anything, because you call elections in 3 months everybody and to go right back again." "I've noticed that in my lifetime. You don't cut off your nose to spite your face. It's not always the time to go and... what you have to prove, but you could win a bi election if you have more money? I disagree when he did it with Omar. Why are you spending good money? You aren't helping the UDP." "The only, only thing important to Dean Barrow is for him to go down in the history book as the only Prime Minister to win 3 terms back to back. That is the only thing important to him. Not loyalty to friends our country or anything. He wants to be in the history books as the only person to ever win 3 times back to back. Because he's beginning to sound more and more arrogant. It is beginning to sound... it making it sound they can't stop me, we are unstoppable. You don't tell people that."

Two Charged For Chopping
Last night we told you about the vicious chopping of a Mexican student in Steadfast village. Ivan Turrijo was staying in the village doing research at the Billy Barquiedier National Park when he was attacked and robbed on Saturday. Two men robbed Turrijo of his laptop, cell phone and tablet. But, the two robbers took it further and chopped him twice to the back of his head, his shoulder and nearly maimed him - by almost severing his forefinger. As we told you last night he was transferred to the KHMH but he was discharged today. Police believe that Turrijo might have left the country for further medical treatment. In terms of the case, the two men - both Steadfast villagers - have been charged with robbery. They are 20 year old Miguel Cho and 25 year old Ryan Skeen. Police recovered all stolen items last night. Both men may also be charged with wounding and maim.

The Man Called BET Charged
6 days ago, we told you about the shooting in Lords Bank village which 28 year-old Jorge Lozano was shot. Well, police have arrested Brandon Tillett, better known as "BET", who is reputed to be connected to the George Street Gang. Tillett, was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith on the offences of attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm. He couldn't be offered any bail, and so he was remanded into custody until July 31. According to police, Lozano reported to the police that he was at home at 151 Lord's Bank village with his girlfriend and her family, when he heard a knock on the front door. He said when he went to open the door he saw Brandon Tillett and another man with what appeared to be 9 millimeter pistols in their hands.

A Jury Deliberates
Tonight, A jury 12 is deliberating in the court of Justice John Gonzalez to see if it can reach a verdict for Daniel Myvett, charged with the murder of Nigerian Security guard Kimaru Olungandudu. The security guard was stabbed 8 times on February 14, 2010, during an attempted robbery at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel. As we told you, the two other persons, Talbert Mena and Jamal Jackson, who were charged along with Myvett, were acquitted of the charge after their attorneys, Simeon Sampson and Alifa Elrington, submitted that they did not have a case to answer. The chief witness for the prosecution was Kareem Stevens who was initially charged with the security guard's murder but had agreed to testify for the Crown in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Huge Cigarette Seizure Not Far From Border
Mexican Authorities have seized a huge cargo of illegal cigarettes - and it happened not far from the Belize Mexico border. The Mexican law enforcement received an anonymous tip and with the strength of a search warrant, they visited the town of Huay-Pix in the municipality of Othon P. Blanco. That's a few miles north of the Belize/Mexico Border - and about 10 miles out of Chetumal. According to reports, they searched a building and found 10 vehicles loaded with boxes of cigarettes. The law enforcement team searched the vehicles and found 3,342 boxes, and when they counted up all the packs, inside each box, the total amount was just over 33 million individual cigarettes.

Deon, The Difference Maker
Last night, we showed you an excerpt of our interview with Belize's premier striker Deon McCaulay in which he discussed why the offer to play football in Honduras isn't what he's looking for at this point in his career. In his conversation with football commentator Freddy Cantiliano about what made the difference in the way Team Belize played with in Round 2 as compared to their performance in Round 1. McCaulay made no apologies in noting that his presence was a huge factor: Reporter "What did Deon do to the National Team? Because we saw a different National Team after you came to team. What type of thing you would say Deon brought into this National Selection?" Deon McCaulay "Well, Deon brought goals, Deon brought composer, and Deon brought his ability to play at a high level. That's what's lacking in most teams. If you can't score goals you can't win games."

Lobster Cheesecake And More At San Pedro Lobsterfest
How many ways can you think of to prepare Lobster? Most people immediately think of the traditional grilled or stewed lobster, but have you ever heard of Lobster cheesecake? Well the chefs in san Pedro have! For them, invention and presentation makes the lobster a platform for boundless creations. They put on that show for the Lobster Fest - Our 7News team was there on Saturday for this years festival, and Daniel Ortiz reports: Elvi's Kitchen was the winner for the lobster cuisine.

San Pedro Hotelier Courting Controversy With Gay Guests
And keeping it on San Pedro, we go back our interview with San Pedro Resort owner, Peter Lawrence. He's wants to throw a decadent gay pride event at his resort in September, something his PR team is promoting as the biggest gay pride event in Belizean history. He's thinking about all the business he can attract, but what about the social consequences of his event? Is he ready to become the next flashpoint for the culture war on sexuality? He said he welcomes any conversation with his critics: Peter Lawrence - Owner, Caribbean Villas Hotel "We're arranging a meeting with an American pastor, who is complaining bitterly in one of the National newspapers and ill quite happily meet him and the Catholic Church and I'm Catholic and spent several years in the monastery. Admittedly at school but it was a boarding school and I'm quite happy. In the monastery they had a thing of 'live and let live' and I think it's just any church - they want to talk to me and I'm quite happy and hopefully we'll have a meeting in Belize City in 2 weeks."

Can You say "Cacao" In French?
Cacao is a cash crop and critical export for producing countries. So it is big news to report on Belize's first ever commercial cacao export to France. PG-based cacao producer and exporter Maya Mountain Cacao Ltd. on Monday exported 12.5 metric tonnes of dried, fermented cacao beans to French chocolate maker Valrhona in France. IT'S the first time Belizean cacao has been shipped to France for commercial chocolate production. Valrhona, founded in 1922- is one of the world's most famous chocolate makers. A PRESS RELEASE SAYS THEY ARE SEEKING Belize's rare and uniquely-flavored cacao beans. Monday's export is from the Xibun River Estate formerly known as the -Hummingbird Hershey Plantation.

Art With A Purpose
And while that cacao is organic - students have also been encouraged to think about earth friendly solutions in a garbage recycling competition. After a few weeks of preparation, the Department of the Environment chose their winning art piece from the entries countrywide. We got a chance to speak with the winners today about how they did it: The first prize winners got $1,000 cash, while second place got $750. Third place received $500. The only winner we didn't get a chance to speak was Wilbert Barrera, a student of Our Lady of Guadeloupe RC in Belmopan.

Let Me See You Do The Yoga
Yoga: it's usually done in the comfort of one's home or a sacred solitary space. But according to yoga masters, it can also be a communal healing exercise: That was the main idea behind the 1st ever International Day of Yoga. It was observed all over the world on Sunday, June 21st - and in Belize it was held in the King's Room at the Princess Hotel. Over 300 people from across the country including Punta Gorda, Corozal and Caye Caulker attended on Sunday. The event began at 8 in the morning and concluded at 10 am. The participants did a series of breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. The theme of the event was Harmony and Peace. Belize joined over 177 other countries in celebrating The International Day of Yoga.

Channel 5

Santa Cruz Villagers Meet With Maya Leaders Alliance Post Rupert Myles Incident
There is public outrage over an incident that took place in Santa Cruz, Toledo on Saturday afternoon. A Creole man, Rupert Myles was detained by a group of Maya residents [...]

Maya Community Appalled at PM Barrow’s Comments on Myles’ Detention
This afternoon in Santa Cruz, dozens of villagers were attempting to determine the possible outcome of this volatile situation.  While residents maintain that the buildup, as well as the resultant [...]

Flippin Bashes Gapi Vega, More From Explosive Recorded Conversation
On Monday night we brought you pieces of an explosive recording in which senior UDP insider and former Minister Melvin Hulse lashes out at Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Allegations made [...]

How Big is the PM’s Ego? Melvin Hulse Says It’s All About Money
The media has elected to not repeat specific allegations against the PM in the Hulse recording, but today the social media lit up bright all day long, gag order or [...]

PUP Believes Its Former Area Reps Caved Into Petrocaribe Dollars
While the P.U.P. leader and others in the opposition have had their say on the Melvin Hulse recordings, the Party also issued a statement today. The PUP says the Hulse [...]

Do you now believe that parliamentarians are being paid off to step down?
And our question for tonight is: Do you now believe that parliamentarians are being paid off to step down? Yes or No? Send your comments and responses using your SMART [...]

15-year-old High School Student Shot While Walking on Lakeview Street
A fifteen year old student is hospitalized in a critical condition but stable condition. Shortly before nine on Monday night, the second form student of Caanan High School was walking [...]

Sanjay Pilgrim Arraigned for Murder of Undertaker
Tonight, thirty six year old undertaker, Sanjay Pilgrim of Belize City is on remand for the murder of his friend, forty-four year old Carrington Bodden, who was fatally stabbed once [...]

Tour Guides Acquitted of Attempting to Bribe Top Cop Edward Broaster
On March twenty-second, 2014, Senior Superintendent of Police, Edward Broaster, accused two men who were visiting Caye Caulker of trying to bribe him so that no charges be levied against [...]

Julius Espat Reiterates Position on Use of Petrocaribe Funds, “It’s Wrong”
The debate on the use of Petrocaribe monies continues to rage on in the political arena. For the UDP, which has composed songs to that entity, it is a good [...]

Will the PUP Have a Stronger Presence in Dangriga Going into Bye-elections?
In January, the UDP registered a blow-out victory in bye-elections held in the Cayo North constituency. In that political event, the PUP was almost a no-show in terms of presence [...]

PM Comments on EU Blacklisting Belize’s Offshore Sector
Last week Belize was blacklisted by the European Union, along with thirty other countries. The European Union claims that Belize is a tax haven for companies which are seeking to [...]

Workshop for Women and Entrepreneurship
What is it like for women who are in business or thinking of starting a business in Belize? Well, like other women across the world, the playing field isn’t leveled. [...]

Summer Camp Season Begins!
An annual summer school program organized by Peter Lacey is set to commence in the weeks ahead.  The brief curriculum is in its twelfth year and while thousands of primary [...]

VIP Nominate Stanislaus Martinez for Dangriga Bye-elections
On Monday we showed you the nomination day event, both theatrics and procedure, for both political mass parties. But there was another candidate who was refused. At around midday Monday, [...]

Liberty Children’s Home Spruced Up Thanks to British High Commission
Liberty Children’s Home in Ladyville got some much needed assistance today from their British friends. For years, the British High Commission and partners have been giving back to the Children’s [...]

CTV3

PM Borrow says Alcalde Acted Out Of Order In Toledo
Another burning issue brought up was the illegal detention of Toledo Resident Rupert Miles on Sunday. As reported, Miles, a Belizean of Garifuna descent was allegedly evicted from the Santa Cruz Village in Toledo for apparently no reason at all, except the color of his skin. Myles, who was living with a Mayan woman in Santa Cruz Village was handcuffed, tied with rope and then taken to his house by the leaders of the village who received support from the Mayan Leaders Alliance. During this ordeal, Myles was reportedly called “black man” and “Kerob” by his aggressors, the Mayans, who have denied that the situation had anything to do with race or skin color. And while there are still varying accounts circulating in the media, from what the Prime Minister has gathered, he is not too happy with the Alcalde or the Mayas of the village for what he cites as “wrongfully detaining” this Belizean. Here is that exchange with the media… "What I have seen, it is outrageous. I believe somebody sent me an attempted defense by the Mayans. That is indefensible. These people, they, I think were pretty much well-positioned in terms of public opinion. I believe they've lost that completely now with this sort of an action. Well they should. I mean, it is absolutely indefensible. I want to make clear to them again that, that consent judgement merely recognizes that they are entitled to certain rights. The nature of the rights is not spelled out. We have agreed we will set up some sort of a commission. We will hear from everybody - all parties in Toledo and elsewhere before we can come to a decision as to what their rights ought to be. In the meantime, for them to do something like this... they talk about their rights, what about that man's human rights? What about his rights as a Belizean? I don't know how on earth they can ever justify this. In my view they've lost whatever moral high ground they ever had and I want to look carefully at it to see if any of them might not perhaps be criminally liable from what they did to that gentleman."

McCauley Not Satisfied With Contract Offered By Honduras Progresso
Super Striker Deon McCaulay has played in Belize for Kremandala, FC Belize and Belize Defence Force and also played for Belmopan Bandits in the Premier League of Belize. He also was given the opportunity to try out with Puntarenas in Costa Rica; but after playing a pivotal role in the outcome of Round two of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, his performance has captured the attention of the international community. Honduran semiprofessional team, El Progresso, has been the first football club to approach McCaulay with a contract. Yesterday he spoke with our colleagues at Channel Seven and commented on the offer made to him which from all indications is not to his satisfaction. "I sat down and talked to the people on Friday. It was a nice opportunity I think, but like I told the person, the manager for the team 'Honduras Progresso', I was playing in Honduras 5 years ago. I think that there isn't a drastic change in the way how they do things. I told them 'you can't go to another country and get a player with 20 international goals with that type of money, that's impossible. Just because we're Belizeans, we want to settle and say we're going to play professional'. I'm not saying that the opportunity isn't good, but I think for me right now in my career, I'm getting to a point where I want to see better. I want to go to another level, I want to be comfortable because now I have to think about my future and my retirement goals. I want to be on a team where I can say 'okay I can save and uplift myself'. I'm not saying that it's not a good opportunity."

Mexico And Belize Business Owners Meet To Promote Tourism In Both Countries
The economy growth of our country depends on many factors, most of the time these factors are overlooked and taken for granted, and our country remains to rely on an external assistance. While many here at home are yet to realize the profit that our jewel could generate, our Mexican neighbors see potential. Proof of that statement is a meeting that will be held on Monday June 29th in Villahermosa, Tabasco between business owners, including travel, agencies of Chetumal and Belize. The purpose of the reunion will be to offer tour packages which will not only include packages at preferential rates but also tourist attractions in the southern part of Quintana Roo and in the Belizean coast. The president of the Camara Nacional de Comercio in Chetumal, Ligia Sierra Aguilar, reported that at least six Belize entrepreneurs, hotels and tourist services will join in the caravan of companies for the reunion.

Mexican Exhibits Opens At House Of Culture
The People of my Mayan Village” is the title of the exhibit presently on display at the Banquitas House of Culture. The exhibit is made possible through collaboration among the Embassy of Mexico and the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH and the Banquitas House of Culture. The artist is Hipolito Uicab Garcia of Yaxkukul, a village twenty-six kilometers north east of Merida, Mexico. The meaning of the name Yaxkukul is green feather or new feather. Coordinator at the Banquitas House of Culture Cindy Rivero says that through the exhibit, the artist aims at showcasing his hometown in Mexico. “The exhibition was officially opened this past Friday and it is a really nice collection of paintings from Mr Garcia, he is from Mexico and we are collaborating with the Mexican Embassy and we brought these 18 pieces for the public of Orange Walk to see we relate to this exhibition as it is about the people of the Mayan village and through the eyes of the painter we get to see the life of his people in Mexico and as Mestizos and as Mayas we could see this painting and see that we couls identify with many of the paintings that were here.”

Melvin Hulse Flip Flop, He Apologizes To PM
After lashing out at the Prime Minister of Belize during a conversation held with a person still unknown and being recorded, Melvin Hulse took the threats of the Prime Minister serious and apologized immedietly. He, without a doubt flip-flopped as one minute he was making damminig accusation against the Honorable Dean Barrow and his government and the next he was practically begging for forgiveness. But that’s probably because he knew the wrath of the P.M would come down upon him with no questions asked. In the recording, Hulse, who is the U.D.P Standard Bearer for the Stann Creek West constituency and also a former U.D.P. Minister speaks about the unnecessary spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars in order for the P.M to remain as Prime Minister and the excessive spending for bi-elections. Hulse’s remarks could see him being stripped of his position as Standard Bearer of the party or even booted out of the UDP. What the consequences will be is yet to be known but what we can tell you is that Hulse has asked for forgiveness. Here is what he told Love News last night.

PUP Tells PM To Show Petro Caribe Book
As previously mentioned, in the secret recording of UDP Stann Creek West Standard Bearer Melvin Hulse, he made startling revelations about his party and his party leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Hulse spoke on Barrow’s greed for power and making history to what he calls disparaging political decisions in the July Bye-election in Dangriga. And while we cannot air the recording in its entirety due to its vilifying nature, today the People’s United Party Secretariat issued a release stating that Hulse confirmed their assertions that and we quote, “the UDP government has been corruptly using Petrocaribe funds to trigger resignations by members of the House of Representatives leading to buy-elections”, end quote. The PUP statement further explains that and we quote “This is precisely why the PUP has been against the Petrocaribe law that the UDP is hell-bent on enacting. The UDP government has been grossly abusing both the Petrocaribe money and the Finance and Audit Reform Act to perpetuate itself in power. Mr. Barrow is seeking, indirectly, to amend the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act not only to cover acts of criminality by his government but also in order to ensure that he can continue to spend the Petrocaribe funds anyway he likes, without oversight from anyone. This is a naked and obscene corruption, the more odious because of the attempt to give legislative backing to the abuse and illegality”, end quote.

Guatemala Has To Pay Damages Caused To Belize's Reef
About two weeks ago, we told you about a Guatemalan vessel that ran aground near Glovers Reef. Investigations revealed that there were two military vessels travelling from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, en route to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, on a training exercise. They were in Belize’s territorial waters, which extends outward 12 miles from Glover’s Reef but authorities have confirmed that the vessel experienced mechanical problems causing them to drift at the location where they ran aground. And while the vessel has been removed, the Government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has assessed the damages caused and yesterday, the PM weighed in on the issue citing that they are preparing to send the damage bill to their Guatemalan counterparts…. “The people who were doing that assessment…I gave authorization for them to tell you. I think the damage is assessed at forty-six thousand dollars and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is therefore sending a note, but they want to send proper advice, legal advice as well, in terms of how you frame this because it is sovereign state to sovereign state. But the claim will go out now that the quantum of the damage done has been formalized.”

LOVE FM

‘Fireworks’ Expected in House Meeting on Friday
And while as an official news entity we cannot air the very scandalous and slanderous remarks Hulse made, there is no stopping you from listening to it on your own time. In this technology era, Hulse comments have gone viral on Youtube and Facebook. The Opposition, People’s United Party are using social media to their […]

Matura-Shepherd Says PM May Not Lose Anything Over Hulse’s Comments
According to attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, will have to prove to the court what of damages he has lost by way of the recording being published. AUDREY MATURA SHEPHERD “Now, reputation is a key issue when you want to prove slander or libel; it has to show that the person’s reputation has […]

Hulse’s Comments: Libel or Slander?
As soon as word got out that the Melvin Hulse recording was making the media rounds, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, acted quickly by sending out a press release in which he made it quite clear that quote, “no one should feel free to repeat Hulse’s libel just because it originated with a UDP candidate. Some […]

Mexican and Belizean Clowns Tour Belize
A group of clowns will begin their second tour in Belize beginning on Wednesday. It is a collaborative effort of Belize’s Ozzy the Clown and a group out of Mexico. Today Love news caught up with the group as they made a stop at St. Joseph Primary School. The shows are free of cost […]

Artists Arrive for Benefit Concert in Dangriga
The Seventh Day Adventist Church of Dangriga is organizing a spiritual concert for Friday night. The benefit concert is geared at helping the Ecumenical College to raise funds for the construction of a 4-classroom building. Jeremy Cayetano is the principal. Spearheading the organization and planning for the benefit concert is Pastor Ainslie Richards of […]

Leslie and Mahmud Seek Legal Advice on Hulse’s Revelations While Denying Statements
The People’s United Party has re-iterated its call for the repeal of the Petrocaribe Loans Act. The PUP says the Melvin Hulse recording confirms what the Party has known for the past seven months; that the Petrocaribe funds were used to trigger resignations by members of the House of Representatives leading to bi-elections. It says […]

Toledo Alcalde Association Disturbed by PM’s Remarks
The Toledo Alcalde Association has expressed their concern with comments made by Prime Minister Dean Barrow when addressing the Rupert Myles situation. In speaking with the media on Monday, Prime Minister Barrow said the consent judgement merely recognized that the Mayans are entitled to certain rights although the nature of the rights is not spelled […]

Atlantic Starr’s David Lewis in Belize for Benefit Concert
A former member of the group, Atlantic Starr and a former fashion model of the US arrived in Belize today for a benefit concert scheduled to take place on Friday night in Dangriga Town. The couple, David and Marian Lewis no longer works in the secular music and fashion industry and have chosen to establish […]

Breaking Belize News

Family members and Benque Viejo Police looks for Danny Marin Castellanos
Police in Benque Viejo and family members are today desperately asking the public’s assistance in locating 30 year old Danny Marin Castellanos who left home on Saturday morning and has not been heard of from since. Danny Castellanos, is a mechanic by trade, stands 6 feet tall, has […]

Eustace Hendy AKA “JACK BUDD” dies
Today, residents of Cayo are saddened and mourning the passing of former boxing champion Jack Budd, as he was affectionately known. Jack Budd was highly regarded in the boxing world and particularly popular in down Town San Ignacio. Jack made himself even more popular in December 2014 when […]

Villagers from Santa Familia in the Cayo District are up in arms due to lack of potable water
Residents of Santa Familia Village in the Cayo District are up in arms due to the lack of potable water in the village. Reports are that the villagers are fed up of the way the President of the Water Board Mr. Antolin Cano and Chairman of the village […]

High school student shot Monday night
Police have detained three persons pending investigation of a shooting incident in Belize City this morning. The victim is a 15 year old boy identified only as Tyreek. According to police he was walking on Lakeview Street in the direction of Vernon Street around 8:30 Monday night when […]

HMS Severn sailors call on Liberty Children’s Home
As part of the annual Tradewinds regional training exercise visiting Belize since last week, sailors from the Royal Navy River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Severn were giving back to the local community, specifically Liberty Children’s Home in Ladyville. The Liberty Children’s Home, tucked away in a quiet […]

Sanjay Pilgrim charged for Father’s Day murder
Thirty-six year old undertaker Sanjay Pilgrim was charged with the murder of 45 year old Carenton Bodden when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The incident occurred on Sunday, June 21, at a Bar B Que which was part of a Father’s Day celebration […]

Jury deliberates faith of Daniel Myvett
A jury of 7 men and 5 women is deliberating in the court of Justice John Gonzalez to see if it can reach a verdict for Daniel Myvett, charged with the murder of Nigerian Security guard Kimaru Olangodudu. Olangodudu was stabbed about 8 times February 14, 2010, while […]

Tour guides charged with ‘Attempting to corrupt a public officer’
Two Tour Guides, Argyle Jex and Lewis Caal, charged with attempting to corrupt a public officer, namely Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster, were acquitted of the charge today by the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. on march 22, 2014 at Caye Caulker. Jex […]

Brandon Tillett remanded into custody for attempt murder
Brandon Tillett, aka “BET”, was arraigned on a charge of attempted murder when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Tillett was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. He was remanded into custody until July 31. The police reported […]

UDP and PUP candidates nominated to contest in bi-elections
Yesterday in Dangriga, nominations were held to officially announce the candidates that will be contesting in the upcoming bye-elections. The candidate replaces the vacant PUP seat that Ivan Ramos left when he stepped down as Area Representative. After the PUP had already announced that it may not have placed any […]

Blogs

When to Visit Belize? A Comprehensive List of Holidays & Festivals in Belize
It feels like 2015 is FLYING by in a whirl wind of food and festivals. And rather than just continue to wing it…I thought I’d put together a comprehensive list because 1. I need to make sure I attend each and every one at least one time and 2. because you should too. Belize is a country of people that love to party and parade and party some more. For such a tiny place, you’ll find that this list of festivals is quite an extensive one.

Videos

June 22, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Reef Village renamed and under new management
The resort formerly known as Reef Village is now BARRIER REEF RESORT. The home owners, through their HOA and Executive Committee, have over the past few years achieved control and management of the resort and have obtained the hotel license from the BTB. The new BARRIER REEF RESORT is no longer in any way associated with the former developer, Reef Village, Reef Village Estates Ltd. nor any of its associated enterprises. Touch Management operated by Gonzalo and Lacey Salinas are the new property and resort rental managers. In the last couple of years many projects have been completed to improve the resort property. The electrical system has been upgraded to the highest standards with cooperation, assistance and oversight from BEL.

Wolfe’s Woofer: Birth Rate
Is this the water taxi to Belize City?” I asked. “It sure is,” the boat captain replied. “This is our new service from Dangriga to Belize City with stops at Gales Point and Nesbitt Caye. Enjoy the ride.” “Are you going to Belize City?” I asked the old, grey-haired Belizean man sitting across the aisle from me. “No. I’m getting off at Nesbitt Caye,” he said. A young, college-aged man sitting next to him got very excited. “Hey!” he said. “I’m a sociology student at Southern California University. I have a professor who is doing a population study this summer on Nesbitt Caye. His name is Mandell. Have you seen him?”

Letter to the Editor: Dangerous traffic situation
Dear Editor: We are first time visitors and liked the idea of a golf cart island. During a 2 week vacation: We have been in an accident with a speeding motorbike driver who ignored our left turn signal completely. His bike was damaged. Luckily he got away with minor injuries. A second time a similar accident was just avoided due to our additional care knowing already that a hand signal for a left turn would be ignored. A third time our golf cart was hit from behind by an impatient taxi driver. Our most concern was for our daughter sitting in the back. This is not what tourists can expect and deserve for a relaxing vacation. And by the way, can anyone tell your island car drivers that the horn is not in place to greet each and every friend you might spot on/near the road. Our review: The traffic on your island is unpleasant for tourists and often feels dangerous. We think the current and dangerous traffic situation on your island is counterproductive to a positive tourism development.

Doctor Love: Ex and Weddings
Dear Doctor Love, My ex and I split eight years ago. Since then we called each other occasionally for four years until she stopped phoning. When I finally realized that she was not calling me and our feelings were not mutual I stopped calling her. I found out that she got married and I never called again. I felt like I would be intruding on her new life. Now I am wondering if it would be all right to call her on special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. I do still love her and think of her all the time even though I know I will never get her back. I just want her to know how much I appreciate our time together and the chance I had of loving her. Should I re-establish contact? What do you think? /s/ Still Missing Her

Misc Belizean Sources

Power interruption, San Pedro Town
BEL crews have been dispatched to identity and rectify cause of unscheduled power interruption currently affecting entire San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye since 9:31pm, Sunday, June 21, 2015.

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: Conservation Science Coordinator, Wildlife Conservation Society
WCS seeks a Conservation Science Director to lead the scientific and technical aspects of their marine program in Belize. The primary purpose of WCS in Belize is to develop and implement science-based conservation and management programs that will conserve Belize’s marine ecosystems in the long term. Summary of Position The Conservation Science Director, who will be based in the WCS office in Belize City, will directly supervise the Technical Coordinator, and other staff as may be assigned, and assist in management of the science and education programs conducted at the Glover’s Reef Marine Research Station. S/he will also provide input on grant proposals and reports. The Conservation Science Director will report to WCS’s Belize Country Program Director.

The Reporter

Mexican drowns while swimming across the Rio Hondo
A Mexican national drowned on Saturday while swimming across the Rio Hondo River that divides Belize and Mexico. Juan de Dios Martinez, 38, who was living in San Roman Village, Orange Walk, tried to swim across the river at around 2:00 p.m., after socialising and decided to swim across the river, but went under the water and did not re-surface. Martinez’ body was retrieved later Saturday evening transported to the Northern Regional Morgue. The Río Hondo, is approximately 93.2 miles in length, and discharges into the Chetumal Bay on the Caribbean Sea.

Breaking Belize News

San Ignacio Police Officer involved in traffic accident
Information reaching our news room is that a police officer in San Ignacio Town was involved in a traffic mishap earlier tonight. More information will be posted shortly.

Guadalupe Magana wins convention in Orange Walk South
Guadalupe Magana is now the official standard bearer for the UDP in the Orange Walk South Constituency. Magana, Darlene Padron, and German Tillett were the three candidates that stepped to the plate for the post of standard bearer. At 5 pm the polling station closed with a total of 2535 […]

Police found a bucket of marijuana in PG
Acting on information received, Punta Gorda Police searched a property in the center of the town and discovered more than 1,000 grams of Cannabis. Reports state that the search was conducted in an open lot on #60 Far West Street, Punta Gorda, where officers found a bucket containing 1252 grams […]

Cotton Tree Village Teenager Missing
A report was made to Cayo police by 37 year old Ann Fermin that her son, 14 year old Louis Bowen had left their Cotton Tree Village residence at around 6:00p.m on June 11th, 2015 and has since not returned or been located. Fermin told police that her son was […]

Traffic accident on Phillip Goldson Highway sends man to the hospital
A traffic accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway on Friday, June 19th, resulted in one man being taken to the hospital. Police say that around 7:35p.m on Friday, officers responded to information of a Blue Toyota Corolla colliding into a trailer that was heading towards Corozal Town, between miles 77 […]

Three arrested for drug trafficking in Corozal Town
Corozal police conducted a search at the residence of Angelita Logan in Corozal Town on Friday morning around 7 a.m. which resulted in the arrest and charging of 3 individuals. According to police reports, they conducted a search at Logan’s residence on #14 Altamira Road where they made the discovery […]

Deon McCaulay is once again on the international spotlight
Belize will be moving on to the third round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, no qualifying victory was sweeter for Belizeans than the Jaguars’ dominant performance against the Dominican Republic winning both games and scoring a total of 5 goals. Deon McCaulay, […]

Blogs

Pope Francis on Climate Change and Poverty
In discussing possible working definitions of sustainable development early on in this blog (January 12, 2015) we referred to the Brundtland Commission’s activities in 1987, which were part of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). The Brundtland Commission, a meeting of world heads of state led by Gro Brundtland the Prime Minister of Norway, recognized two over-arching world situations: (1) natural resources and the environment were being degraded at alarming rates, and (2) human poverty was rampant throughout the world. The Commission effectively reduced most discussions to “sustainable development” in addressing these issues, stressing that sustainable actions are those directed at “meeting the needs of future generations” in our daily living – the basic necessities of life, such as clean air, clean water, viable forests, fertile soil, oceans, and so on. Now, almost 30 years after Brundtland, Pope Francis has issued a 183 page encyclical so radical that it is not just his call to urgently tackle global climate change; it’s the fact he openly and unashamedly goes against the grain of dominant social, economic and environment policies in his identity of needs for the poor. He has positioned himself as this kind of spokesperson for Francis is the first pope from the Global South, and naming himself in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, “a man of poverty and peace who loved nature and animals”, signaled to the world a commitment to going back to the roots of human existence. A lot of similarities exist between Brundtland and the Pope’s encyclical but 30 years have passed without much action since on the global scene. Improving the lives of slum dwellers and addressing environmental changes related to climate change is, for Pope Francis, one and the same thing, as the Brundtland Commission also saw them related. Both require tackling the structural, root causes of inequality, injustice, poverty and environmental degradation. For example, his encyclical says:

San Pedro Belize’s 2015 Lobsterfest Gets Even More Creative With Lobster
Ambergris Caye’s Lobster Festival is no longer the new kid on the Belizean block. This was the 9th Festival in San Pedro – so we are now the slightly more mature kid on the block. And each year, the players may change a bit but the food gets more creative and the crowd gets bigger. Last night was the final event in the week long San Pedro Fest and restaurants, vendors, musicians and tons of people gathered in Central Park to celebrate it. It was nice, this year, to start out with a display by the new San Pedro House of Culture to remind us a bit of the serious fishing culture that helped build the island (and Belize) over the years. One of my FAVORITE groups in Belize – Panerrifix – kids steel drum or steel pan band. They play mostly modern music and there is no way to wipe a smile off your face when you hear and see them play.

Which of the Top All-Inclusive Belize Resorts is Right for You?
If the phrase “all inclusive resort” makes you feel like someone who’s just found love for the first time, this guide is for you! All-inclusive deals are the ultimate in efficiency and for those who are exhausted from work and responsibility, all-inclusives are divine. The following resorts specialize in making sure that visitors don’t think or lift a finger—and isn’t that the secret to great vacations?

International Sources

Tradewinds 2015 builds regional maritime cooperation
The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark (WPC 1106) hosted search and rescue (SAR) training to representatives from six countries here today. The Jamaican Defense Force – Coast Guard, Belize Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, British Royal Navy, Mexican Navy and U.S. Navy were all on hand for the extensive, day-long training. “We’ve started with some basics,” said Ensign Meghan Daleiden, weapons officer aboard the ship. “SAR patterns, patching and plugging, basic response to fire - even basic medical training, and that’s just the classroom portion.” The afternoon was given over to hands-on drills where the students were put on small boats and sent out to sea. The drills simulated real-world fire and flooding situations and required the students to put their classroom training to practical use.

The glam Caribbean ‘staycation’ is for real
You have done the New York to Miami shopping thing so many times. Your clothes racks are crumbling beneath the weight of too many garments and you are on a shoe-diet until you build the bigger, better perfect closet. The ten-day European tour is exhausting and the Leaning Tower of Pisa will still be tilting next year. Terrorists are bombing everywhere. You don’t speak Spanish and the idea of wandering through Mexico with a phrase book is not your idea of a restful getaway. Take a “staycation.” The Caribbean has lots of happy, fun, memorable places to visit. If I am beginning to sound like a blasted brochure, it’s because I have been listening to Elle the Magnificent and Beautiful again. Her designer heels have trod nearly every city and town around the world which has bottled water and indoor plumbing. She just realised she can tell you more about how the women of Panama weave their beautiful molas than how to get to Asa Wright Nature Centre. Determined to correct this deficiency in her goal to ultimate perfection, she has been spending her last few vacations close to shore. Cayes of Belize: Caye Caulker is among the 200 or so cayes on a reef off the coast. Lobster fishing, sailing, lying in hammocks, and diving the Blue Hole are recommended by my adventurer neo-pirate friends.

The Problem With CARICOM (Part 4)
It is unfair to say, as so many are wont to do, that CARICOM has been a total failure. Valuable achievements have been made through functional cooperation. There is a range of institutions and facilities from which member countries have benefited. The Caribbean Development Bank, from which Jamaica has secured some US$250 million in concessionary loans and grants, is a prime example. Others such as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Caribbean Examinations Council, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, Caribbean Public Health Agency, and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility are of great value, although most are underfunded and underutilised by member states. Not to be disregarded is the much-sought-out influence we exert when we act in concert in important international and regional bodies such as the United Nations, Organization of American States, and Inter-American Development Bank.

Adventure in Belize
SLIDESHOW: Belize is a popular destination for fun outdoor activities, including scuba diving, snorkeling, sport fishing and cave tubing. Let Travel Channel inspire your next adventure in the "British Honduras."

Videos

June 21, 2015

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Rise and Shine Morning Show, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

The Bustling Back Street of San Pedro Town
Exploring BACK STREET! For starters there’s the Sunset Board Walk nestled right on the lagoon. Holding true to its name it is the perfect place to catch a breathtaking sunset. (The Sunset Board Walk runs all the way back to Nurse Shark street while the paved walkway leading there starts at Angel Coral). Make your way up the street and you’ll find find what has become a neat little chain of pretty good food and very reasonable prices! There’s Pou’s Ceviche Bar. Enjoy a serving of fresh ceviche with a cold Belikin Beer on the balcony with friends! Then there’s Waruguma’s second restaurant. Waruguma is essentially a Salvadoran restaurant that started out as a tiny hole in the wall. As their reputation for good food and better prices grew so did their location! After a few years of success on Middle St, they have now opened a new spot on Back St! Pollo Feliz! For the past couple this little joint located adjacent to Waruguma has been our favorite places to grab a quick $5 lunch of rotisserie chicken, a serving of fresh corn tortillas and pico de gallo- quite simple but very good! Then there’s Obando’s Hot Panades – don’t even get me started on how good these babies are! At $1 a pop get your choice of beans, cheese, beef, pork and seafood panades! Located right beside Obando’s has to be the cutest little fruit and veggie stall. Have a taste of local fruits such as mangos, and keneps at $2 a bag. Talk about bargains!

Catch of the Day – one VERY big lobster!!!
Coming from a fishing family, I get to see some astounding marine critters. A couple times during the lobster season, my dad pulls in some pretty mammoth sized Spiny Lobster. These lobsters were the lucky ones that have long evaded fishermen, allowing them time to grow to above average size. But the day has come when they are caught, and we are always more than happy to snap some pictures with the prized catch. My dad’s a pretty talented lobster fishermen- after all he is been doing it for ages. He shucks them in no time at all. Unfortunately I wasn’t born with the talent, but I was definitely born with the taste for devouring lobster- I love my Crustacean friends!

SPTC to repair faulty gate at Sporting Arena
Island residents have been raising concerns about the front gate at the Honorable Louis Sylvester Sporting Arena (Saca Chispas). In the most recent incident, a child who was trying to slide the gate shut was badly hurt when the gate actually fell on top of him. This is just one of many incidents that have been reported, as the field is frequented by island youth who play football and other sports. Due to the incidents, parents have become highly concerned over the safety of their children. The most recent victim’s mother, Amy Knox, indicated that upon taking her child for emergency care, she was informed that her son was one of three that had been treated for similar injuries. “”We need to bring this situation to public awareness. My son is getting better now…he does not have any broken bones/nose or a concussion like we thought,” said Knox. She also mentioned that her son sustained several scrapes/bruises and even complained about pain when walking. “The emergency personnel at the PolyClinic were very thorough. They took X-rays and did many tests to make sure of his well-being, and that he was really okay, outside of being banged up and the huge ‘goose-egg’ on his head.”

Police conduct Antidrug operation
On Monday, June 15th between 1PM and 5PM, acting on Special Branch Intelligence, a team of San Pedro Criminal Investigation Branch, Special Branch and Gang Suppression Unit personnel conducted a joint antidrug operation within San Pedro Town. As a result: * A search was conducted at the apartment room of 26-year-old William Cain Valentine in the Bayside Area, San Pedro Town which led to the discovery of 110 grams of suspected Cannabis. He was formally arrested and charged for Drug Trafficking. * A search was conducted at the apartment room of 26-year-old Victor Alonzo Sanchez 26 in Boca Del Rio Area, San Pedro Town which led to the discovery of a black in color plastic bag containing 694.2 grams of suspected Cannabis. He was formally arrested and charged for Possession of Controlled Drugs.

Danielle Neal Honored with Queen’s Young Leader Award
A young Belizean student will be awarded the Queen’s Young Leaders Award on Monday, June 22nd, at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace in London. Danielle Neal, originally from Belize City, is one of sixty young persons from across the Commonwealth Nations to be honoured with the award. The award recognizes young people between the ages of 18 and 29 who have been exceptional leaders in their community and taking the lead in transforming the lives of others. 18 year-old Neal has been recognized for her efforts to improve the lives of disadvantaged young girls and teenage mothers. She volunteers with Youth Enhancement Services and is the Public Relations Officer of the Youth Arm of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Prior to the award ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Neal and the other awardees will meet with British Prime Minister, David Cameron, followed by a visit to the headquarters of Global Social Networking Company, Twitter and meet with senior executives at the BBC World Service.

San Pedro AIDS Commission completes Beautification Project
The San Pedro AIDS Commission (SPAC) has completed its community beautification project on the fence/wall of the southern side of the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRC). The object saw the repainting of the wall white, with bright colorful messages on HIV/AIDS awareness painted on top. The project is meant to give a new look to the heavily trafficked alley that was covered in unsightly graffiti. Over the course of the beatification project, vandals defaced the paintings, causing setbacks and increasing the cost. Now that it is finally complete, SPAC urges everyone to care for the wall and to condemn vandalism. “This project is part of our educational awareness campaign as well, so that the community is sensitized about the importance of learning the facts about HIV/AIDS. We hope that through this medium we can eliminate the stigma and discrimination associated with this disease. Our group gets its funds through the many fundraisers we do throughout the year, and by dues that the members pay. In order to carry out this project, we received several donations from the community. But this project is worthless if people do not care for the wall and allow vandals to destroy the beauty of it,” said President of SPAC, Felix Ayuso.

The Reporter

Research determines 12 species at the brink of extinction
Sixty-five million years ago, the dinosaurs disappeared in what’s known as the Earth’s fifth mass extinction. Today, a sixth mass extinction could be well underway and humans are the likely culprit, according to new research published in Science Advances. The past five mass extinctions on Earth were caused by large-scale natural […]

Citizen provides refresher course for police officers
Police officers from the Belmopan, San Ignacio and Benque Viejo police formations on Saturday completed a refresher course on policing, through the initiative of San Ignacio businesswoman, Nefretery Nancy Marin. Marin facilitated the event, which was conducted by Peace Officers International (POI) President, Randy Green. […]

New World Bank report highlights CARICOM’s woes without a single market
A new World Bank report entitled, ‘Trade matters: New opportunities for the Caribbean’ indicates that having a common market in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would lead to a substantial rise in regional exports. But after 43 years of existence, the 15-member countries that make up […]

Breaking Belize News

Prison Guard gets shot while going home
Reports reaching our news room is that a prison guard from Santa Elena was shot while going home. He is currently admitted at the KHMH and is in stable condition. Police are investigating.

Mexican drowns in Belize’s waters
Orange walk police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning of a Mexican national. Residents say the drowning occurred around 1:30pm, when one male person known to the community as Juan, went swimming in the river and did not make it across. The person was seen having difficulty staying afloat […]

Belize weather calls for cloudy skies with sunny breaks
The National Meteorological Service of Belize is predicting a relatively dry easterly airflow to prevail over the country for the next couple of days. The 24 hour forecast calls for cloudy skies with sunny breaks today, and partly cloudy skies tonight. A few showers or thunderstorms will occur over the […]

Mental health of elderly discussed at workshop
Belize has long had a young population but increasingly as they get older they are afflicted by certain disorders including depression, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety and dementia. They also suffer bereavement from loss of family members both young and old. About 15% of Belize’s over-60 population have accessed a […]

Preparations begin for Belize International Film Festival
The 10th annual Belize International Film Festival to be held in the seaside resort destination of Placencia is now a month away and the media blitz has begun. Filmmakers from 38 countries submitted entries to this year’s event and selections have been made. We spoke today to festival […]

BTL Heads to CCJ against former Directors over Investment in Channel 5
Earlier this year former directors of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and several companies that assisted in its management prior to the first nationalization by the Government of Belize in 2009 won a judgment in the Court of Appeal that declared them free of responsibility for financing Great Belize Productions, […]

Speednet wins appeal versus PUC
The Court of Appeal closed its second session for 2015 today and both of Belize’s major telecommunications companies were represented in court for decisions. Speednet Communications Limited, the parent company of Smart, filed a lawsuit against the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in 2011 concerning fees payable for frequency […]

Blogs

The BTB Branding: How to Be Eurocentric & Why Not in Belize
It’s been two years since the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) launched the “Discover How to Be” promotional tourism video (“Discover How to Be”, 2013). However, it was until this week that I encountered the video on Facebook and I must express a grave dismay with the production. I would like to call attention to the segment (time slot: 1:11-1:20) which displays the text “be primitive” and “be peculiar” with our Maya archeological sites in the background. The representation of our indigenous heritage and people as “primitive” and “peculiar” is the perpetuation of Eurocentric discourse which facilitated the enslavement and exploitation of indigenous peoples and non-Europeans in general. To allow this representation of Belize for local and international consumption is disrespectful and prejudicial. The use of the terms “primitive” and “peculiar” in this context are derived from and are reflective of European colonization, enslavement, and hegemony over non-Europeans. These historical processes established a set of violent terminologies which carried great weight in how Europeans viewed and interacted with non-Westerners. On the one hand, Europeans were represented as “civilized”, “advanced”, “cultured”, and “intelligent”. On the “Other” hand, we were “savage”, “primitive”, “pagan”, and “barbaric”. It is from this history in which Europeans are announced as “normal”, “developed”, and “civilized” that the phrases “be primitive” and “be peculiar” locates its common-sense appeal, touristic romance, and vulgarity.

25 completely random things about me
Back before you could decide what sort of animal you look like; before you could decide what character from ‘Star Wars’ you are most like; before you could take a short test to determine if you are brilliant or simply smart, Facebook offered a more primitive time sinkhole for you to fall into. It was called “lists.” As in: Once you have been “tagged” by a friend, list in 15 minutes the 20 books that changed your life; list 20 concerts you have attended; list your top 25 songs. And my “favorite”: list 25 completely random things about yourself. I still don’t know what “completely random” really means. But I plunged ahead with a list, on January 31, 2009. Here are the “rules” from back in 2009: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you. To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.

Walking along the Ambergris shore: This gets me every time
Lately I’ve been spending the early morning hours walking north along the Ambergris Caye beach trai?. Well, early mornings? Most days that might be 8 or 9 a.m. but recently after not sleeping at all, I headed up the coast at 5:30 a.m. And yes, in full sunrise. Sun rises pretty early here, although I’ve succeeded in ignoring it most days. Anyway, about a mile up from my place, in the Tres Cocos neighborhood, there is a log. And not just any log. A crocolog. You might not notice it as you walk north, just past the Palapa Bar and before Ak’Bol Yoga Retreat. In this direction, it is just another log in the water. They float in from time to time and eventually run aground in the shallows, forming a nice roosting spot for the aquatic birds. I know it is there. I’ve seen it for many months. But it almost never fails that, as I return home, deep in my meditations, I come upon this thing and it gives me a jolt. “Mother of Spinach! That is one freaking big crocodile!” my mind says, in so many words. “Run, you fool!”

International Sources

My Kingston - Anwar Barrow
Entrepreneur and Chairman, Executive Committee, Belize Telemedia Limited What were your first impressions of Kingston on your first visit here? I was heartened by the friendliness, warmth and passion of the Jamaicans in Kingston which was manifested throughout the city. What was your most memorable meal in Kingston and where was it? My most memorable meal was at Strawberry Hill, not only for the meal but the breathtaking view and great company with whom I enjoyed it. (Shout-out to Karim, Nats & Tassia) What would you do if you were mayor of Kingston for a day? Get my council to pass a regulation mandating all taxi cabs to have meters. What would be your recommendations to a first-time visitor to Kingston? Enjoy your Jamaican brethren and sistren, for they are the real flavour of Kingston. What is your beverage of choice? Johnnie Walker Black Label, with a splash of water and light on the ice. What brought you to Caribbean FashionWeek? I came to experience the fashion and connect with the people.

Tradewinds tests skills for Mexican, British navies
OFF CALABASH CAY, Belize - Participating nations in the annual Tradewinds exercise here conducted a vessel boarding, search and seizure operation yesterday aboard the British ship HMS Severn. The boarding team from the Mexican navy ship Independencia conducted the seizure while observed by the Belizean coast guard from an attending patrol boat and a Panther helicopter crew from the Mexican navy. After completing the exercise, the Mexican boarding team returned safely to their ship, in spite of worsening conditions as the seas continued to rise, with swells in excess of 6 feet.

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