November 9, 2016

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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

Pup holds rally on Ambergris Caye
A strong and encouraging message was delivered at a rally organized by the People United Party (PUP) on Sunday, November 6th on Ambergris Caye. The PUP showcased their intentions of taking over the next municipal and general election with the strong promise of not just better governance, but to rescue the country’s disastrous situation for the benefit of the Belizean people. A panel of special invited guests along with the PUP chairmanship of Belize Rural South spoke to the supporters in attendance about the country’s current situation. Chairman Perez delivered a few words as the rally started. He reminded attendees of the importance and priority to begin the race for municipal and general elections. He pointed out the negligence of the local authorities on the island’s infrastructure, in particular the streets. “The message that we want to spread out, not only in San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker, is that the only party that can fix this country and put it back on track, is the PUP,” said Perez. “No other party is equipped with more capable people, that have great ideas to implement in our country, than the PUP.”

SPTC donates to San Pedro Garifuna Council
As Garifuna Settlement Day quickly approaches, the San Pedro Garifuna Council (SPGC) has planned several activities to commemorate the Garinagu’s rich heritage. In embracing the Garifuna culture and celebrating diversity, Mayor Daniel Guerrero donated $1,000 to the SPGC on Friday, November 4th at the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC). According to Noralez, the council has limited funds, but they are optimistic that the Garifuna culture will be preserved. “After activities are done this year, the funds that are left over will be used to make bigger and grander activities next year. We won’t be able to do many of the activities we have planned this year because of insufficient funds. However, we will commit to making sure there the council is self-sustained, and there is a continuous flow,” said Noralez.

World-class skydivers visit San Pedro
On Wednesday, November 2nd a group of six international female skydivers paid a visit to Mayor Daniel Guerrero. They are Amy Chmelecki, Domitille Kiger, Anna Moxnes, Sara Curtis, Megan Gunn, and Nancy Koreen. Most of them had done thousands of jumps and even participated with skydivers of the ‘Red Bull Team.’ They were accompanied by Richard Grimm. He is no stranger to the island, having brought skydivers to the island as part of the Boogie in Belize contingency. Grimm stated that he plans to bring 200 skydivers in 2018 and revive the Boogie in Belize experience which ceased in 2011. He also announced that skydiving services will be provided on the island starting December 3, 2016 until Easter of 2017 through Caribbean Villas Beach Resort. For more information on this upcoming new attraction on the island, visit their Facebook page.

Belize Tourism Health Program to Enhance Well-Being for Visitors
The Ministries of Health and Tourism in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) are pleased to announce the launch of a national initiative to enhance the health and well-being of its visitors and locals while promoting sustainable and profitable tourism. The primary objective of the project is to see fewer, less costly outbreaks and other negative public health events occurring in the tourism industry; promoting a healthier, safer, more reputable Caribbean tourism product on the global stage; and to strengthen regional safety and security for both visitors and locals. The project also aims to strengthen human resource capacity and skills in health, food safety, and environmental management and promote public-private sector intersectoral partnerships at national and regional levels in support of HSE tourism threats.

Ambergris Today

Changes to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Blackadore Caye Revealed
Located off the coast of Belize, Blackadore Caye or better known to Belizeans, as Leonardo DiCaprio’s Island is soon to be the world's leading example of green hospitality with an aim to restore and revitalize the surrounding ecosystem. After having received the green light by Belize’s Department of Environment, the Blackadore Group has now revealed the new look of the eco resort. DiCaprio and his team have spent the last six months gathering feedback from local stakeholders and citizens on the original project design. The final design reflects the input of the surrounding community on every aspect of the project, including even the removal of overwater structures that garnered great design acclaim but caused concern for just a few local environmentalists. Jean Michel Gathy best known for his work with Aman and One&Only is the lead design architect. Jean’s work has remained modern with natural materials such as wood and marble, however he was inspired by Belize's ancient Mayan ruins.

CANCELLATION OF THE REGIONAL OFFSHORE SEISMIC SURVEY
The Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum would like to reconfirm to the general public that the regional offshore seismic survey has been cancelled. The survey was suspended on October 20, 2016 and was subsequently canceled later on the same day. The seismic vessel Seabird Northern Explorer departed Belize on October 21, 2016. This survey will not take place. Public consultations on the seismic survey, as initially proposed, will not be conducted. If, in the future, such an opportunity were to arise, the Ministry will continue to ensure that all legal requirements are followed and that the appropriate levels of consultations are held with stakeholders. The Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, through the Geology and Petroleum Department, will continue to ensure that the petroleum sector is developed in a responsible and environmentally conscious manner which can contribute to the sustainable development of Belize.

Ready Set Go 2017 BHA Hotel Guide Set for Distribution
The Belize Hotel Association (BHA) is excited to announce the release of their new Hotel Guide for the 2016/2017 membership year. The Guide has been completed, printed and shipped to BHA’s distribution house in Florida, where it will be dispatched accordingly to all the International trades shows. The hotel guides are not distributed in Belize, as their main purpose is to target international travelers who are considering making Belize their next vacation destination. Over 4,000 printed guides are handed out at all the trade-shows and events that the Belize Hotel Association attends and also the shows that the Belize Tourism Board attends internationally.

Misc Belizean Sources

BELTRAIDE AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY SIGN MOU
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), through its EXPORTBelize Unit, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit organization based in the USA, which seeks closer collaboration in encouraging a sustainable seaweed aquaculture industry in Belize, among others, that provide products for the local and international market. This business plan will include a curriculum that provides information on best practices that highlight conservation values, facilitates replication, ensures quality assurance and control of seaweed production, as well as provide a long-term system to retain know-how and share lessons across the country and the region. Best practices will also target maximizing benefits to wild conch and lobster populations and coral reefs. This includes spatial mapping of priority sites to capture resilient reefs and incorporation of nursery habitats within replenishment zones.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SYMPOSIUM 2016
The University of Belize (UB), Belmopan Campus in collaboration with The Small Business Development Centre, Belize (SBDCBelize), a unit of Beltraide, will hold its third annual Entrepreneurship Symposium on November 14th 2016 at 1:30 pm. The symposium is an annual event observed as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). This year the symposium will be held at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development, Belmopan, under the theme: “Entrepreneurship: The Foundation of a Nation”. It will include various presentations by young Belizean entrepreneurs, who will present a synopsis of their projects as well as success stories and challenges faced by them during the establishment of their business ventures.

Drafting of a Local Economic Plan for San Pedro
Join us on Thursday Nov. 10th at the Lion's Den, 7pm

Cleaning up the Stann Creek House of Culture
It's been incredible to see the community come together to spruce up Stann Creek House of Culture and Gulisi Community Primary School! Thank you to all those who are pitching in... We did a lot today. SCHC, DTC, BDF, Gulisi , and the community. Thanks a million.

National Women’s Show Toronto 2016 & Canadian Road Show Toronto
Belize at the "National Women’s Show Toronto 2016 and Canadian Road Show".

Community Screening happening this Friday at the San Pedro House of Culture at 7pm
The film is titled:The Beginning of Time / El Comienzo del Tiempo (México, 2014) 110 mins, Dir: Bernardo Arellano Rated: G Original, Language: Spanish. Synopsis: Antonio and Bertha are an elderly couple, about 90 years old who find themselves in trouble when social security pensions are suspended due to a financial and social crisis in the country where they live. Given the fact that their children have not visited them in many years they are confronted with the need to survive alone. The couple is forced to sell their belongings and sustain themselves selling food on the street or stealing. The lives of the two elderly people change when their son Jonas and grandson Paco, absent from their lives for over a decade, appear unexpectedly once again.

The Toledo Howler
The autumn 2016 issue of The Toledo Howler looking back on a wonderful chocolate Festival in May and forward to The Battle of the Drums this month

BELTRAIDE and The Nature Conservancy Sign an MOU
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), through its EXPORTBelize Unit, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit organisation based in the USA, which seeks closer collaboration in encouraging a sustainable seaweed aquaculture industry in Belize. Under the MOU, BELTRAIDE and The Nature Conservancy will establish a working committee, which in addition to sharing data and information, will work with fishermen, the Coral Caye Ltd. and the Placencia Co-op Society to develop a comprehensive business plan for a sustainable seaweed aquaculture business. This business plan will include a curriculum that provides information on best-practices that highlight conservation values, facilitates replication, ensures quality assurance and control of seaweed production as well as provide a long-term system to share lessons across the country and the region. Best practices will also target maximizing benefits to wild conch and lobster populations and coral reefs. This includes spatial mapping of priority sites to capture resilient reefs and incorporation of nursery habitats within replenishment zones.

RE-SHUFFLE OF PORTFOLIOS OF SAN PEDRO TOWN COUNCIL 2015-2018
San Pedro Town that the portfolios of the Mayor and Councilors of the San Pedro Town Council 2015-2018 have been reshuffled and are as follows: *the changes are effective immediately SAN PEDRO TOWN COUNCIL - PORTFOLIOS 2016 -2018 DANIEL “DANNY” GUERRERO – MAYOR Finance Customer Services Foreign Relation Communications & Consultations Services Ambergris Caye Master Plan

Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize
H.E. Ambassador Benjamin Ho has completed his tour of duty as Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize and will be departing on November 13, 2016. Ambassador Ho arrived in Belize in July 2014. Ambassador Ho wishes to express his profound gratitude to the Government and the people of Belize. For the friendship, hospitality and support accorded to him making his tour of office here in Belize a most pleasant and rewarding one. The New Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, H.E. Charles Keh-yue LIU, is due to arrive on Monday, November 14, 2016. He is a senior career diplomat who serves in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for nearly 30 years. Before arriving Belize, he was Director General of Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town (2015-2016) and was posted to Los Angeles as Deputy Director General (2009-2012), Atlanta as Deputy Director General (2006-2009), San Francisco (1996-2002) and Philippines (1987-1991).

500 ft runway extension at the Pelican Beach Airstrip, Dangriga
Looks awesome!

Power interruption 7:00am to 12:00midday, Wednesday, November 9: entire Hopkins Village and Sittee Point area
BEL to install load break switch on the distribution system in Hopkins Village.

Benque Tree Light Up
The Benque Tree Light Up is starting on December 9th. If you want to adopt a tree, and help the Belize Child Friendly Project, call 803-2020. "The benque child friendly project group presents the light up a tree program! On december 9th, Benque will light up all the trees of the George Price Boulevard! Do you want to adopt one and help us light them all? For more information visit us at the Benque Viejo Town Hall or call us at 803-2020! Any group,organization, business, family or individual can adopt one! JOIN THE FRIENDLY MOVEMENTS, ADOPT AND LIGHT UP A TREE!"

It's almost time! Here are 5 things to know about the Belize International Film Festival 2016:
1. There are two great films for Opening Night: Yochi Film and Ixcanul 2. $25 gets you the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and the two films Bliss Center for Performing Arts 3. After that, individual films are just $10. What a bargain! 4, The symposium on Friday and Saturday is FREE 5. There are screenings in the districts as well!

Embassy Belmopan celebrates USA Election Day 2016 in style!

Channel 7

ACP Chester Put On Leave By Compol, Brought Back By Minister
Tonight Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams is back in the Commander's Chair after suddenly being placed on administrative leave yesterday evening. Reports from junior officers on the southside tell us that Commissioner Allen Whylie ordered Williams to hand over command to his second, Senior Superintendent Alden Dawson and go immediately on Administrative Leave. What did he do to earn such a swift and stern come uppance? Well it's that very same dispute we told you about last night: Williams switched his officers over to an eight hour shift - without first getting approval from the Commissioner. The commissioner demanded that he revert to the 12 hour shift immediately - and when Williams didn't, he was placed on leave, forthwith. Well, today all sides were called to Belmopan to meet with Minister of State with responsibility for police Elodio Aragon and CEO George Lovell. We understand that the administrative issues were thrashed out and a resolution was arrived at. A brief press release issued this evening says, quote, "after a meeting with the administration, including Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, ACP Chester Williams, CEO Lovell and Minister Aragon, (the internal administrative) issues have since been resolved.

Former Police Minister Supports Eight Hour Shift
So, the new Police Minister Aragon has taken a wait and see approach with the eight hour shift, and the former minister Godwin Hulse felt much the same. Hulse only held the portfolio for a few weeks, but said there is wisdom in eight hours instead of 12:... Hon. Godwin Hulse, Former Minister of Home Affairs: "The more officers you get clearly and I think you are referring to overtime payment and that sort of thing. People get tired you know and people need jobs. So you can't have one or two persons making a continuous amount of overtime when other people need jobs and you have other people that you can place. That not only applies to police, that applies to everything in general."

Make-Up School Days For Strike Finalized
And while city cops have been working extra hours, starting in 2017, school children will be taking in a few extra days of school. After meetings between the Ministry of Education and the managements of Pre-, Primary and High Schools, a decision has been finalized on make-up days for the 11 days lost to the October strike. Fresh off the meeting with secondary school board chairs and secondary school principals, Education Minister Patrick Faber made the announcement: Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education: "It is 40 secondary schools supporting the ministry's proposal to add 6 days. There was one vote against the proposal and one abstention. So, again, that proposal is to have the schools calendar year be amended to include 6 additional days, which would be 4 in January from the 3rd to the 6th. On the initial school calendar, schools would have reopen after the Christmas on Monday 9th January and with this amendment it would now reconvene on the 3rd, which is a Tuesday and we would then get Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th which is 4 days and then we would add on two additional days at the start of the Easter break which would be the first two days Monday and Tuesday the 10th and 11th of April and for reference, this is the Monday and Tuesday before Good Friday."

Shotguns, Fences, And Face-offs In Frank's Eddy
Last week, 7News broke the story of the second flare up of tensions between Franks Eddy neighbors Michael Modiri and Bradley Paumen who are bitter business rivals, and personal enemies. It's well known that Modiri has reported that Paumen tried to get him killed. Paumen told us last week that all the accusations which Modiri has made against him are false and malicious. But, as we told you, these are two investors who want to carve out a piece of the cruise tourism industry for themselves. They're both interested cave tubing, where Bradley Paumen has already started running a million dollar enterprise, an idea which Modiri claims Paumen stole from him. Mix in the court battles for trespass, which Modiri won, and the rivalry has only deepened. That's because Modiri has made an active stance at the start of this cruise season to block Paumen from entering his land, something Paumen needs to do to get to the Dark Night Cave system. It's causing a major loss in earning, which is hurting workers from Franks Eddy, and so a lot is on the line. So, that confrontation we've been speculating on sort of sparked last week Monday when Bradley Paumen went head to head with Modiri's head of Security, Jerome Crawford.

The Modiri-Paumen Panorama
Crawford was detained only hours after he gave us a short tour of the Modiri property, which sits between Bradley Paumen and his tour site at the Dark Night Caves. These sought-after cave systems are the subject of dispute between both men, who can't decide on whose land the system sits. Today, we got a chance to visit it for ourselves for the first time, and Daniel Ortiz has put together the most comprehensive look at the dispute so far. Here's his story: Daniel Ortiz reporting: This "keep out" sign marks where the public road ends, and where Michael Modiri's land starts. Currently, it's also the only access which makes the trip to the Dark Night Cave System possible from Belize City's Harbour all the way to this Cayo South tourist getaway. So, locked behind the Modiri blockade lies a picturesque nature trail, complete with exploration of the different parts of the Cave system. There's ziplining, and cave tubing, and the great outdoors here in the Belizean jungles. All of these make for a perfect package for those adventure tourists who come from all across the world, and undoubtedly, the earnings potential from the tourist traffic is visible.

Local Operators Diss Both Paumen and Modiri
And two tour operators who have a unique perspective on the Paumen/Modiri property dispute are Yohny Rosado and David Almendarez. As members of FECTAB, they have long led the charge for indigenous ownership of tour operations. They claim that both Paumen and Modiri called them to the table - and they told us why they rejected the partnership:.. David Almendarez, Cave Tubing R Us: "It's ironic that Mr. Paumen, who is the guy that has all the big contracts with the preferred cruise operators, is now the person threatening to break the law. It's a shame that he will use his employees as pawns and put them out there to rally and say they are going to break down this and that. When we all know that Dark Night is the culprit here and they are the ones that get benefits from the government that have the inside jobs and now they are ones that don't want to abide by the law. The law has stated that that is that gentleman's land. But because Mr. Paumen have the nice fat contract, he is trying to bully his way through this man land. So I am saying Mr. Paumen, fix up."

Hulse Versus Francis In Defamation Suit
Public figures, especially those involved in politics are often the targets for harsh or even unjustified criticism. While some think this is par for the course, others like Senator Godwin Hulse, don't take it lightly. Hulse values his good name, and is always ready to go to court to energetically defend it. And that's why he went to court when former PUP party leader Francis Fonseca had some choice words about Hulse's conduct as Minister of Immigration. Hulse filed a defamation of character suit against Fonseca. Today, Hulse along with his attorney Yohanseh Cave and Fonseca's attorney, Kareem Musa, met in court for the pretrial review hearing. We spoke to them both to get the details... Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture: "Well it was, I think they call it pretrial review and it is simply to set a date for trial and to talk about whatever might be necessary for the trial whether there is gonna be requiring any support equipment or whether there are any witnesses that they should be concerned about, so that's basically it." Marisol Amaya, KREM: "This one is in relation to which utterance?" Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture: "This is the case that I have brought against the Hon. Francis Fonseca for character defamation."

Hulse on Cash Compensation
We also pressed Hulse - as former Minister of Natural Resources - to speak about those lavish compensation awards given to UDP friends and family. He says he discovered the huge payouts shortly after he took over in November of last year. That's when a moratorium was put on compensation payouts in January: Hon. Godwin Hulse, Former Minister of Home Affairs: "I was the minister then and I was just in the chair a month and I began to say well what the heck is this? I mean all these compensations, how we get to this. Let's try to stop it first of all, not pay anything else, but get a complete analysis of who we owe and why we owe etc. Even those that were mandated by the courts. A lot of them were mandated by the courts and I didn't see it fair at all from how I sit and how I think. So, very short term I had. We didn't approved any additional compensations and I don't think the present minister is either until that whole matter is settled. But to answer your specific question how we came to that, a lot of the compensations were old compensations that began to be paid. Some people were waiting forever. I want to make this very clear, from where I sit then and now in the future, I don't believe at all even of the court rule and I don't want to step on the courts, so I'll be careful. But I don't believe that you got a piece of land for $4,000, you do nothing to it. It is suggested that you got it in error and then it is valued by at commercial rates and you are paid nearly a million dollars. Just seem odd to me. I would give you back your $4,000 with average interest from the time you paid your $4,000 to now, because I think that's all you deserve and I mean that."

Yohny Says No To NICH
The 2017 cruise ship season started today with the arrival of two ships. That meant the Fort Street Tourism Village was abuzz with activity - but cave tubing specialist Yohny Rosado wasn't celebrating. And that's because he says NICH suspended two of his guides for no good reason. Rosado told us more today in front of the Tourism Village:... Yohny Rosado, cavetubing.com: "Allegations are one of my guys went to cave tubing when the cave was closed. One guy Jimmy Cortez could fight 10 employees of NICH. They have park rangers there. How my Jimmy would beat up 8 park rangers. They have 8 of them living in 2 houses." Jules Vasquez: "You are saying if they were serious, these people should have prevented him from doing the tour." Yohny Rosado, cavetubing.com: "They were supposed to be there. There were no park ranges. They were no sign. Jimmy saw the caves and Jimmy went cave tubing. When they came out back, they say he went when the cave were closed. They were sleeping, they were partying. I don't know what they were doing, but there were no park rangers when Jimmy got there and Jules, be real, where do you go and you get suspended from a job without a hearing? What kind of country we live in. Jimmy will never go to the caves if there are park rangers and caves are closed. He went there, the river was fine, the tourist were okay. When they came out of the caves, they say' oh you will get suspended.' What kind of law NICH have to suspend and fire and let someone stop making money in a critical year like this where we can't make money."

Operators Say BTB is Pushing Them Out
But NICH isn't the only institution Rosado was complaining about. He also complained about the BTB - which he says is pushing all the small operators away from the door of Terminal One at the Fort street Tourism Village - and into the Memorial Park. This is a proposal that has been floated and rejected many times, but this time the BTB seems determined to push through. Rosado claims that it's all because of Carnival Cruise Line which is complaining about the jostling for tours that confronts visitors as they step out of the terminal. Here's how he put it:... The BTB rejects that assessment; they say there's a much larger plan to overhaul the entire Fort George Tourism zone - for which full consultations will be held starting this week.

Seismic Surveys First Suspended Then Cancelled
Last month - under pressure - government suspended the seismic surveys in Belizean waters. The government maintained that surveys were being conducted as part of a regional initiative to gain a better understanding of what lies beneath our waters. However, after public outcry and opposition to the surveys by environmental stakeholders like the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum decided to halt the surveys until proper public consultation could take place. Those consultations have not yet taken place, and don't hold your breath, because according to a press release by the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, the regional offshore seismic survey has been cancelled. The Ministry has committed to hold appropriate consultations the next time a matter of such great national interest occurs.

Robbed Schoolgirl, Sent to Jail
Today in the Magsitrate's Court, Bernard Seawell was sentenced to 7 years in prison for robbery. On April 4th, a female student was walking on Princess Margaret Drive towards SJC when Seawell, wearing a bandanna over his face, approached her on a bike. Seawell demanded that she hand over her gold chain, or else he would kill her. Fearing for her life, the victim handed over the chain and Seawell rode away. She reported it to the police, and positively identified Seawell in an ID parade. In court both Seawell and his wife testified that at the time of the incident he was at home building his barber shop. Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith did not believe them, and denied Seawell the minimum sentence because he had two previous convictions for dishonest crimes. The father of a two year old started serving his 7 year sentence today.

Karim Pleaded Not Guilty To Choking Micah
Last night we told you about the elections for the PUP's BYM Executive. Things got heated and Karim Adle is accused of choking his PUP comrade Micah Goodin. Adle was charged for common assault and appeared in court yesterday where he was arraigned for a charge of common assault. He was represented by another PUP comarade, Michel Chebat and pleaded not guilty and met bail of six hundred dollars within an hour. The Case was adjourned for January 9, 2017.

Faber Says No to LGBT Spin on Minister's Award
Last week - as part of Youth Month - Education and Youth Minister Patrick Faber handed over the Minister's award to twenty- eight-year-old BDF Lieutenant Derricia Jael Castillo. Thats her mother and son getting the award. It happened at the youth awards and was the highlight of the evening, a moment reserved for an exemplary young person who has spearheaded a positive cause which has impacted his or her community. Dericcia is a well trained Aircraft Maintenance Officer in the BDF who - according to the Youth department - has assisted in creating and implementing a BDF HIV Response, spoken at the 38th Meeting of UNAIDS in Geneva, worked as a Conflict Mediator, is a member of the Caribbean Women's Alliance for Diversity and Equality and Created awareness and sensitize communities on human rights issues. But, shes also a proud member of the LBGT community and an activist. So, Derricia posted on her Facebook that she was honored for her positive impact in the LGBT community, and the people living with HIV community.

Keeping The Corozal shoreline Intact
The Sustainable Tourism Program is an initiative being undertaken by the government, Belizean tourism stakeholders and the IDB to promoted and boost traffic to emerging tourism destinations. Areas like Corozal Bay, which have the potential to become major tourist attractions but are not yet at the level of San Pedro or Placencia, will receive special attention from stakeholders to ensure that they do not fall victim to environmental degradation. A team of experts has set out to identify at least four key areas in the Corozal Bay that could be vulnerable to erosion or natural disasters and develop them so that they are no longer a concern. We spoke to the leader of that team, Adam Hosking, for more details. Adam Hosking - Halcrow CH2M Team Leader/IDB Consultant: "So our project links to a part of the broader tourism program STP II, which is looking at promoting tourism in a number of emerging destination in Belize to diversify the tourism economy from where it is today. One of those is Corozal Bay in the North. Our project specifically relates to developing shoreline stabilization concepts for Corozal Bay. Well that's specifically looking to identify areas where there's an erosion problem or an area where the seawall is in a poor state of repair and select location where we would improve that situation and to act as demonstration projects for how they can be improved in other locations using a more sort of natural approach rather than seeing always how we work with mangroves, beaches and natural habitats to prove that resilience over time. Taking account of climate change and the sea level rising in the future."

Hulse Wants To Save Citrus
In three months, Godwin Hulse has pinballed between three ministries - but he may have found his best match at agriculture. An engineer by training, Hulse is a farmer by profession - and his first challenge is to turn around the struggling citrus industry, where production continues to fall. He discussed his plan for citrus today:..

Hulse Happy At Agriculture
And Hulse hopes he has time to effect that transition - meaning he's asking the PM to leave him right where he is:... Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture: "I am not upset at all. I mean I serve the people of Belize and prime minister appoints his ministers and wherever he puts me I go. I will preempt that statement by saying I just hope I don't move from agriculture." Reporter: "Because then you really would be minister of everything, kinda, sort of." Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture: "Yeah maybe, but I believe that because agriculture - if you look at immigration and you look at labor and you look at police, those are service ministries in a way and they are reactive. Agriculture is a productive ministry and it's proactive and that's suits my personality better."

Procurement Politics
Public officials involved in procurement of goods and services for government are going through a five-day training course this week at the Biltmore. The European Union funded event is all about getting taxpayers value for money. Director General for Trade, Leroy Almendarez explained how it affects the taxpayer's bottom line:.. The training course is a part of the CARIFORUM-EU Capacity Building Project - which aims to get CARIFORUM Member States' integrated into the world economy.

Channel 5

ACP Chester Williams Sent on Leave Over Shift Decision; Are Longer Shifts Necessary?
For months, the cracks in the top brass of the police department have been showing wider and wider.  Last week, the outspoken ACP Chester Williams was noticeably absent at high [...]

What Happened to Criminal Complaint on Elvin Penner?
Former Minister of State Elvin Penner was thrown out of Cabinet in September 2013 after having been found to facilitate jailed Korean businessman Won Hong Kim with a Belizean passport [...]

Immigration Minister Looks Forward to Senate Committee Hearings
And speaking of the Senate hearings, Senator Godwin Hulse as substantive Minister will be must-watch viewing when he appears before his fellow Senators at some point down the line. He [...]

The Big Land Compensation; ex-Lands Minister Calls $71Million in 8 Years “Excessive”
Nearly seventy-one million dollars in compensation was awarded from the Ministry of Natural Resources over eight years under the administration of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Information has come to light [...]

Seismic Testing Cancelled, but There Are Limits According to Department
Government confirmed today that regional offshore seismic survey has been cancelled. The survey was initially suspended on October twentieth following public outcry from tourism stakeholders and the N.G.O. community. Immediately [...]

Why Were Yhony Rosado’s Tour Guides Suspended from Caves Branch?
Owner and operator of Butts Up Cave Tubing Adventures, Yhony Rosado, is up in arms again at the Belize Tourism Board and National Institute of Culture and History. Without warning, [...]

No Tears for Paumen and Modiri from FECTAB Execs
Last week, businessmen Bradley Paumen and Michael Modiri renewed open hostilities in their ongoing war over access to the cave tubing system in the area known as “Dark Night.” The [...]

Big Move Coming for Operators in Tourist Village; Will It Solve Problems?
In one final piece of news from the cruise industry, meetings have been held with tour operators on plans to move them from the open area in front of Terminal [...]

Ministry of Education To Go Ahead with Deductions and Projected Make-Up Time for Classes
The Ministry of Education has finalized an agreement with managing authorities for teachers to make up time lost as a result of recent industrial action.  That decision was met without [...]

Faber Not Backing Down, But Will Prime Minister Weigh In?
In his capacity as Acting Prime Minister, Faber was privy to a letter written by B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio to PM Barrow in which he requested that the notice issued [...]

Godwin Hulse Sues Francis Fonseca for Defamation; Trial Coming in January
The Supreme Court will hear a case brought on behalf of Senator and Government Minister Godwin Hulse in the New Year against former leader of the People’s United Party Francis [...]

The Birth Certificate Issue: Minister Laments Lack of Trust in Institutions
We reported last week that a Belizean woman was denied her birth certificate because the Vital Statistics Unit is reviewing allegations of fraud involving someone taking Belizean birth certificates and [...]

Hamilton Siblings Burned in Fire Getting Better After Surgeries
It’s been just over a month since two minors, severely burnt in an act of arson, were airlifted to Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Texas, U.S.A.  On October seventh, four [...]

Family Agonizes Over Who Destroyed Their Home and Lives
But while the children continue the fight for their lives, it is very much emotional time for their mother, Melisa, and family members in Belize. To add salt to the [...]

Trio Faces Trial for Stann Creek Resident’s Murder
Two brothers and their friend, John and Sheldon Grinage, along with Brandon Baptist accused of the January thirtieth, 2016 murder of Stann Creek resident, Mariano Castillo, will stand trial for [...]

Anti-Drug Unit Busts Cocaine on Boom-Hattieville Road
Police have confirmed a major cocaine bust that occurred over the weekend. The report is that this past Saturday the Anti-Narcotics Unit were conducting an Interdiction Exercise near the Philip [...]

C.G.A. to Hold Special Meeting
A special general meeting has been requested by a group of forty-six farmers, including former Citrus Growers Association Chairman Bryon Bowman, to address the current financial state of affairs of [...]

Financials Will Be Ready for Annual General Meeting, Says C.E.O.
According to Chief Executive Officer Henry Anderson, during the time when there was an issue with Banks Holdings, an agreement was made for new auditors to be assigned to the [...]

U.B. Joins Forces with University of the West Indies
Regional institution UWI and Belize’s national university UB signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen partnerships to improve tertiary level education in Belize.  The MOU seeks to foster the relationship [...]

U.W.I. Open Campus Also Working with Chamber of Commerce
Another MOU was signed today, this time between the UWI Open Campus and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This MOU is a continuation of another MOU signed in [...]

Ministry of Education Works on Early Childhood Program in North
The European Union and the government kicked off an important program on early childhood education over the weekend. The program covers the Corozal and Orange District where preschool teachers are [...]

CTV3

Hulse Sues Former PUP Leader For Defamation Of Character
Hon. Godwin Hulse is suing Freetown Area Hon. Francis Fonseca for alleged defamation in relation to comments uttered during a press conference two years ago. Both parties appeared in court for a pre-trial review hearing today. In that encounter, they reported to the court that mediation has not worked therefore they are prepared to go to trial. Both sides spoke to the media following their hearing. Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Minister of Immigration, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, the Environment and Sustainable Development: “This is the case that I have brought about against the honourable Francis Fonseca for character defamation.” Reporter: “What statement did he make?” Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Minister of Immigration, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, the Environment and Sustainable Development: “I don’t want to repeat the statement but it was in relation at the time of the Penner passport issues.”

Free Eye Clinics For Corozal School Children
The San Pedro Lions Club has embarked on a national programme to improve the vision of school children. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Lions representatives are visiting schools across the country with state of the art eye testing equipment. Today, the President of the San Pedro Lions Club Nigel Belisle was visiting Paraiso Government School. He told us ensuring that the children have good vision can improve their education. Nigel Belisle, President, San Pedro Lions Club: “We’ve been going from school to school checking the kid’s eyes and thing, as you know better sight means better vision and better vision means children will do better in school so we embarked on this program to try to help the children of Corozal Town.” Nigel Belisle, President, San Pedro Lions Club: “We sent out Parental form for the parents whether they accept for us to test the children’s eyes and once they accept they return that form back to us, we go and we visit the school and we do it classroom per classroom and we have this device and it’s called the plus optic machine and it detects exactly what is wrong with the children’s eyes.”

GOB Suspends Seismic Testing For Good
On Wednesday October 19th, two vessels, namely the MV Northern Explorer and MV Campeche begun seismic testing in Belizean waters, only a short distance away from the country’s fragile World Heritage site, despite Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s promise back in May of 2015 that all offshore concessions had expired and none would be renewed. Although the testing started one day earlier than had been publicly announced, the government of Belize was forced to cease seismic operations the day after it commenced, following an outcry from concerned citizens, national civil society groups and international conservation organizations and their supporters. Today the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum announced that the regional offshore seismic survey has been cancelled. According to the release, the seismic vessel Seabird Northern Explorer departed Belize on October 21, 2016 and this kind of survey will not be taking place in Belizean waters as previously proposed.

Former Minister Of Lands Speaks On Compensations
As you heard from Gaspar Vega, there are persons in the UDP that called for his full resignation, even from the House of Representatives. He said these were persons that did not like him. Well, we don’t know if Hon. Godwin Hulse is one of those people, but today when the media caught up with him outside the Court, where he was for a private matter, he expressed gross dismay at the idea of hustling from the public’s coffers through land compensation. Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Minister of Immigration, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, the Environment and Sustainable Development: “When my former CEO said that in January we put a brakes in compensation and try to review I was the minister then and I was just in the month and I began to say what the heck is this I mean with all this compensation who did we get to this and then try to stop it first of all not pay anything else but get a complete analysis of who we owe and why we owe and even those mandated by the court a lot of them were mandated by the courts and I didn’t see it fair at all from my how I see it...”

Amandala

Katehlyn Rubio is Miss Garifuna 2016
This year’s Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations are being held under the theme: “Garifuna: Rísiti, Pántati, Gabafuti. Iúrahowa meme la – Garifuna: Rich, Proud and Powerful. Let us continue to preserve it”. A highlight of the annual celebrations, founded in 1941 by Thomas Vincent Ramos, is the annual Ms. Garifuna Belize Cultural Pageant, which showcases Garifuna talent, beauty, culture and history. This year, though, the winner of the pageant used the platform to put the spotlight on a burning national issue. Katehlyn Rubio, 18, of Punta Gorda (‘Peini’ in Garifuna) in the Toledo District, captured the title of Miss Garifuna 2016-2017 on Saturday night, November 5, after a stellar display of garifunadüaü—the rich essence of the Garifuna culture—and delivering a compelling message for her main item on pageant night, calling for peace between Belize and Guatemala, and especially at the Sarstoon River, the country’s southern border where there have been numerous conflicts between Guatemala’s military and Belizeans, both civilians and armed forces. The divisive conflict is a grave concern for the wider Garifuna community, which spans the borders of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize.

Fr. John Stochl, S. J., passes in St. Louis
The newspaper has been reliably informed of the death last night of Fr. John Stochl, S. J., in St. Louis, Missouri. Our source says that he suffered a stroke while attending Mass in the Jesuit Infirmary there last week. Fr. Stochl was a priest who was much loved in Belize, where he served for many decades. In turn, Fr. John loved Belize as a man would love his home. He left The Jewel reluctantly to go into retirement in St. Louis last year. May he rest in peace. This was a good man.

Gary Seawell was falsely imprisoned, Court of Appeal finds
Gary Gordon Seawell, a Belizean, who has been fighting a United States extradition request for three years, was released today with a Writ of Habeas Corpus from the Court of Appeal. The court found that Seawell was falsely imprisoned when the Chief Magistrate ruled that he should be extradited and remanded him to the Belize Central Prison on October 22, 2013, without the proper warrant for his legal imprisonment. Seawell, through his attorney Anthony Sylvestre, filed a civil claim at the Court of Appeal against the Superintendent of the Belize Central Prison and the Attorney General of Belize. At today’s hearing, British attorney Ben Cooper, from Doughty Street Chamber, teamed up with Sylvestre for Seawell’s appeal. The Attorney General and the Kolbe Foundation’s Belize Central Prison were represented by Senior Crown Counsel Triennia Young, and Agassi Finnegan.

Return the $400,000, GOB tells Pitts and Vega!
Attorney Sharon Pitts and Andre Vega, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, both walked away with $400,000 each after a shady land transaction occurred when the senior Vega was the Minister of Natural Resources. Pitts and Vega were both granted acres of land despite being told on more than one occasion that those lands were already privately owned. After acquiring the land, the Government of Belize was forced to compensate them so that the land could be returned to its original owner. Both Pitts and Vega each received approximately $400,000 for lands that they had purchased at a price of just a few thousand dollars. When this scandal broke last month it made headlines and stirred so much controversy that Gaspar Vega was forced to resign from Cabinet with immediate effect.

The PM’s appointment with history
The Government of Belize announced late Friday that it would be making the moves necessary for the recovery of a total of $800,000 paid to Sharon Pitts and Andre Vega as compensation for private lands the Ministry of Natural Resources had sold to them in what may be described as land scams. As has been the case with most high profile disputes between the Government of Belize and private individuals and groups in the modern era, this attempt to recover the compensation money looks like yet another case where some attorneys in Belize will make a lot of money. When Belizeans began to fight for self-rule in 1950, you could count the amount of native attorneys on one hand, and almost all court cases were criminal ones. Today, it seems everyone, and his brother and sister, is an attorney, and ours has become a highly litigious society since political independence in 1984. Multimillion dollar civil cases abound on the legal calendar in Belize. “Civil” is where the big money is.

From the Publisher
Two or three months ago I wrote in this column that I felt Donald Trump, the Republican Party nominee for the United States presidency, had put himself in a position where the Democrats could make a caricature of him which would frighten the American people into voting for the Democratic Party candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton. I mentioned that the Democratic campaign of the incumbent President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, had succeeded in doing such a caricature job on Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential candidate in November of 1964, who was beaten badly by Mr. Johnson. The so-called Cold War between the United States and Russia had been perhaps the biggest issue in 1964, because it carried with it the threat of nuclear war and the annihilation of planet earth. The Democrats had made Goldwater look like an extremist hawk who would be quick to use America’s nuclear arsenal.

I recommend BURN, featuring Marlon Brando
Dear Editor, I always look forward to reading your editorials, and as usual the one in the current issue of Amandala is informative, incisive, to the point — and a bit “arch,” which I like! Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the people. Last night I watched a free movie on You Tube, the seldom seen and heretofore unknown to me BURN, featuring one of my favorite actors, Marlon Brando. A story of slave revolution in the Caribbean circa mid-1800’s, when both the Portuguese and the English were jockeying for economic advantage in the very lucrative sugarcane trade. With enough nefarious deeds and duplicitous dealings to go around, it illustrates just how craven colonial machinations in pursuit of wealth could be; sugarcane here, but hell, it could just as well have been mahogany…. At any rate, if you have the time for this, I recommend it highly. (Ed. NOTE: We believe this is a movie which was shown in Belize under the name of QUEIMADA. It was only shown once at the Palace Theater, because this was around 1970, during the time of UBAD. Apparently, the Government of Belize, which also banned Nina Simone’s YOUNG, GIFTED, AND BLACK from being played on the government monopoly radio station, felt the movie Mr. Czarnecki was referring to would have encouraged UBAD impulses. We believe the said movie, BURN or QUEIMADA, was directed by an Italian named Gillo Pontecorvo, who had previously directed the more famous revolutionary film – THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS.)

Breaking Belize News

Ministry of Home Affairs confirms Chester Williams’ suspension
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a release today confirming reports that yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was placed on administrative leave pending the resolution of internal administrative matters. The release states that today, after a meeting with the administration, including Commissioner […]

BTIA Dangriga Tourism Expo to be held on Garifuna Settlement Day
The Dangriga Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) will be hosting the first ever Dangriga Tourism Expo on Saturday, November 19 at the Alejo Beni Park. BTIA advocates for the sustainable development of the industry and improved quality of the visitor’s experience. BTIA […]

Minor raped in Independence
A woman of Independence village took her daughter, who is a minor, to the Independence village police station and reported that on Saturday at about 1:00 pm while at home alone, Samuel Canelo visited the house and had sexual intercourse with the minor against […]

More weed found in San Ignacio
Yesterday evening at about 5:30 p.m., police conducted a search at the home of Isiah Azueta on Jaguar Street in San Ignacio Town where officers discovered a black plastic bag on a T.V. stand . It contained seven transparent plastic bags and six smaller […]

Hit and Run in Orange Walk claims life of one
Yesterday morning about 6:30 a.m., police visited an area in Trinidad Village in the Orange Walk district where officers observed the body of a man. The victim was identified as Luciano Jose Chi, 71. He was lying on the ground with head injuries and […]

NEMO Minister deliver houses in Belize Rural North
NEMO Minister, Edmund Castro has been delivering houses to victims of Hurricane Earl in all the areas that were severely affected. This week in Belize Rural North he handed over a number of houses to residents in villages throughout that division. The houses delivered […]

Chester Williams suspended
ACP Chester Williams is at odds with the Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie. After a meeting this morning, Whylie reportedly placed Williams on a five day suspension with immediate effect. Officers reportedly work exhaustive 12 hour shifts causing officers to become overworked so Williams […]

Entrepreneurship Symposium 2016 to be held in Belmopan
The University of Belize (UB), Belmopan Campus in collaboration with the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC-Belize), a unit of Beltraide, will hold its third annual Entrepreneurship Symposium on November 14 at 1:30 p.m. The symposium is an annual event observed as part of […]

Micah Goodin beat up by fellow PUP supporter
A senior People’s United Party (PUP) supporter has been arrested and charged for assaulting a junior supporter of the party. The incident took place at the Belize Youth Movement’s (BYM) election on Saturday in Belize City. Karim Adle Sr., 55, reportedly beat up known […]

Cayo residents join hands in fighting crime
Last night, a joint meeting was held at the Aguada in Santa Elena town with members of the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association (CNWA), People’s Coalition of Cayo (PCC), Cayo Special Constables committee and the San Ignacio police in attendance. The first of its kind, […]

World watches US election
The world has paused to observe the election of the next President of the United States of America. History will be made today if either the Democratic Nominee, Hillary Clinton, or the Republican Nominee, Donald Trump, is successful. If she wins, Clinton who embodies […]

Blogs

Learn How to Play the Garifuna Drums with the Locals in Belize
One of the signature musical styles of the Garifuna is their special drumming. Using hand-made drums formed from native hardwoods and animal skins, Garifuna drums are much more than just a simple musical instrument. Garifuna drummers believe that their sacred rhythms are an important vehicle for communicating essential truths about the world. A number of towns and villages offer traditional Garifuna drumming classes for visitors. Whether it’s learning how to drum, dance, or how to make a traditional drum, classes are usually found in areas with a significant Garifuna population like the villages of Punta Gorda, Seine Bight, or Hopkins as well as the town of Dangriga.

Youth volunteer programs in Belize empowering leadership
Leadership means different things to different people around the world. It is the capacity to translate vision into reality; to lead the way. Not only to stand up and fight for what you believe in but also to know when it’s time to kneel to serve others in need. Belize has been blessed with a melting pot of cultures; cultures that respect each other and come as one when in need. There are various community youth groups, religious youth groups, political youth groups and even youth clubs in Belize that display great leadership to various communities in the country. For instance, La Inmaculada Catholic Youth Group in Orange Walk Town is an active youth group that is involved in community projects such as gathering “Back to School” supplies, visiting the sick, engaging in church activities, etc. In Southern Belize, the Youth Advocacy Movement of Dangriga focuses on social education programs that addresses peer pressure, self esteem and sex education.

5 Private Belize Islands You Should Know About
The Caribbean sea is generously freckled with islands, many of which constitute entire nations. While Belize isn’t one of the aforementioned Caribbean “islands” we have our own ample supply of sea oases. We’ve already told you about six of the best Belize islands to visit, but, what if you don’t want to spend all that time among the company of droves of people? Surely a region known for turquoise waters and white sandy beaches is all out of private escapes… right? Guess again; check out some of the most private Belize Islands for your enjoyment: 1 The Turneffe Atolls: The atolls that constitute the Turneffe cluster are situated 20 miles east of Belize City. These atolls are large enough to each feel deserted when you’re on one – and in the best way too. 2 Hatchet Caye: Have you heard of Hatchet Caye? We’re going to imagine the order of those answers was “Yes!….Um, No.”. Fear not, if we just described you (even if we didn’t) Hatchet caye is one ideal place for private group travel offering up the “Caribbean before it got crowded” feel. The draw here is that you and your group of (up to) thirty friends can rent the entire island and it’s facilities for yourselves. 3 Silk Cay: The Silk Cayes, sometimes called Queen Cayes are two deserted islands (Those still exist?) perpetually chilling right along the reef. Silk cay makes up part of what is called the Silk Cay and Gladden Split reserve that sits about 22 miles off the coast of Placencia. Silk Cay is a veritable mound of sand peering out of the Caribbean sea from Behind the reef which makes it an uninhabited white sand beach, what could be better? 4 Glovers Atoll: Catch and release fishing, snorkeling with coral wildlife and turtles, hundreds of reef patches, pristine beaches, and complete privacy. Glover’s Atoll has it all for your private week on an island, but what really sets this place apart from the rest is the fact that is had been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 5 Sapodilla Cayes: Making its second entry in a countdown, the Sapodilla Cayes in southern Belize really are something. The trek to this location takes deliberate intent, it’s not the sort of place you happen upon along a weekend drive. Aren’t those the best kinds of places, though? The Sapodilla Cayes are a collection of 14 small islands chained together off the southern coast of Belize.

International Sources

UE: diferendo Guatemala-Belice debe ir a corte internacional
UK And the EU congratulate Guatemala on ratification of the Special Agreement 2.0 now lets see if Guat will get the money for the referendum from them that they are requesting... La Unión Europea (UE) calificó de "positivo" que el diferendo territorial entre Guatemala y Belice, que se agudizó en abril tras la muerte de un adolescente guatemalteco a manos de tropas beliceñas, se resuelva en la Corte Internacional de Justicia, informó el lunes (07.11.2016) una fuente diplomática. El embajador de la Unión Europea en Guatemala Stefano Gatto dijo durante una visita al Congreso Nacional que la reciente ratificación guatemalteca del Protocolo al Acuerdo Especial entre Guatemala y Belice representa un "aspecto positivo". Este protocolo determina que el Reclamo Territorial, Insular y Marítimo de Guatemala sobre 12.000 kilómetros cuadrados de Belice debe someterse a la Corte Internacional de Justicia, pero sin que la consulta popular que ambos países se comprometieron a realizar –para que el fallo tenga sustento- deba ser necesariamente simultánea. El territorio de Belice, una ex colonia británica que obtuvo la independencia unilateral por parte del Reino Unido en 1981, consta de 23.000 kilómetros cuadrados.

Taiwan helps Belize citrus farmers fight citrus greening
Belizean citrus growers, Justino Chiac of Maya Mopan Village on the Southern Highway, and Gilbert Galvez of Ringtail Village on the Hummingbird Highway, are learning to control the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, known as citrus greening, which is so detrimental to citrus orchards, through the technical support of a project, funded by Taiwan’s International Cooperation Development Fund (ICDF). The project to “Strengthen the Control of Huanglongbing (HLB) and the Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Citrus” is jointly funded by the ICDF and OIRSA, the International Organization for Regional Agricultural Health. The ICDF control HLB pilot project, has collaborated with four Belizean farmers, two in the Stann Creek and two in the Cayo district, to establish four exhibition groves, using best practices for control of HLB, as demonstration models to teach other citrus growers in the area how to control and manage HLB.

Student Reconstructs Lost Maya Pigment
For centuries, scientists from around the globe have probed the secrets of an ancient azure pigment known as Maya blue that vanished thousands of years ago. Maya blue is singularly resilient, adding color to Maya artifacts millennia after other pigments have worn away. Although descendants of the Maya have begun creating ceramic pottery using the traditional methods of their ancestors, they had long ago lost the recipe used to create the durable paint ancient Maya artisans began using on ceramics and stonework around A.D. 300. Until, that is, SUNY Cortland senior Kelly McKenna figured it out. McKenna, an art history major and archeology minor, drew on her chemistry background and began a quest to find the right mix of natural compounds that would yield a contemporary blue paint that closely mimics the lost, nearly permanent, sacred pigment of the Maya. Having earned an undergraduate summer research grant to recreate the rare pigment, McKenna — under the supervision of SUNY Cortland’s Jeremiah Donovan, a professor of ceramics in the Art and Art History Department — rolled up her sleeves and dug clay from the banks of the nearby Groton River. Her work paralleled the process the Maya used to collect clay from the rain forest surrounding them.

Videos

November 8, 2016

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

EIA for North AC Water System and Sewage Collection Treatment Project approved
After its final consultation on February 4, 2016, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the North Ambergris Caye Water System and Sewage Collection and Treatment Project has received its preliminary approval. The project is now pending its Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP). The purpose of the project is to enhance the quality of life of the populace of Ambergris Caye while contributing to the protection of the eco-system. In addition, it is intended that it will help support the island’s tourism package by providing quality service to the residents and resorts of Northern Ambergris Caye. Garcia explained how the system will operate. “The proposed expansion project which entails a development of 12 miles north from the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge will centralize the sewage system that will treat the waters to tertiary levels before the effluents are disposed,” he explained. “This would significantly reduce the severity and extent of impacts to the environment.” He added that the area surrounding the project site is considered to be ecologically sensitive given the extensive coral reef, sea grass and mangrove habitats in the area. For this reason, there is a need to raise the standards of the treatment of effluents for the sake of the environment. However, he also indicated that due to the upgrade of the quality of treatment, the budget of the project might also increase and additional funds will need to be acquired.

Ambergris Today

25 Years Ago - Lobster Fishing During Fat and Cold Novembers
My dad was a conch, fish and lobster fisherman. He had two wire fish traps, 200 wood lobster pats (traps), a small dory and a small 18-foot sailing boat. He worked his fishing grounds Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. To 12 noon. Those were working hours of all fishermen. During school days I could not help my dad in his fishing journeys, but on Saturdays I was up bright and early to go check the fish traps. The most exciting part of those Saturday fishing trips was the fun of trolling for barracuda along the reef on our return to the village. Now let us find out why I call November the "fat month". It was this month that the northerly winds began to blow, just like this past Sunday. These northerly winds caused fish and lobster movements. The wire fish traps were loaded with hundreds of prized snappers and lobsters moved along the grassy and shallow seas. Knowing this, my dad (and this is true of most families) got my brother and I up at 5a.m. We boarded our small dory and paddled our way about 500 feet from the beach right in front of the village. In our case it was in front of the Tackle Box Bar. There we spotted lines of lobsters moving in procession southwards.

Belize Includes HPV Vaccine to National Vaccine Program for Cancer Prevention
On November 3, 2016, Belize’s Ministry of Health hosted a press conference to speak on the inclusion of the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine into the National Vaccine Schedule under the National Vaccine Program of Belize. He mentioned that the administering of the vaccine will commenced by the end of this month to girls age 10 in standard 4 school settings. They will be required to have a signed consent form from the parent indicating either a yes or no before getting the vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine will be given, one followed by another six month thereafter.

Belize Government Still Refuses to Legislate Position on Offshore Oil Moratorium
The Government of Belize Declines to Safeguard Belize’s Marine and Coastal Resources from the Threat of Offshore Oil Through Legislation. Is the Government of Belize saying ‘YES’ to Offshore Oil? In the spirit of transparency, the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage has disclosed a letter sent to a member of the Coalition on November 4th 2016. As a reading of this letter will reveal, the Government is refusing to legislate a position on the offshore oil moratorium. Oceana is reiterating the need for legislation on the moratorium because the policy referenced in the letter is not even a written document and given that policies can change with little or no notice.

Misc Belizean Sources

New Name and Face for the Belize City Municipal Airstrip
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the Belize Airports Authority (BAA), is pleased to announce the inauguration of the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport, formerly the Belize City Municipal Airstrip. The airport was expanded and renovated through a BZ$17 million project implemented by the BAA through a loan from the Social Security Board. The new features of the airport include an expanded runway 2,900 ft. long and 60 ft. wide with a parallel taxiway measuring 2,700 ft. long and 60 ft. wide, including a new lighting system to accommodate the landing of aircrafts at night. With the appropriate marking and signage, the airport is now compliant with local and international civil aviation standards. An apron with safety lines, parking and service road markings and 10 aircraft parking stalls are also among the newly added facilities.

Pool Party Entertainment this Weekend
Banana Beach Resort Brings You Lova Boy

Intermittent Closure of New Burrell Boom Bridge
The Ministry of Works informs the General Public that the Burrell Boom Bridge will be closed for short intervals commencing today, November 7, 2016 from 9.00 AM through to 11.00 AM. This is to enable heavy equipment in the area facilitate the disassembly and removal of the Old Burrell Boom Bridge. The Ministry implores the general public to be alert when approaching the bridge site and adhere to the traffic control measures in place while heavy equipment operations are on-going during the time period specified. The Ministry of Works regrets the inconvenience caused but the intermittent closure is necessary to enable removal of the Old Burrell Boom Bridge.

3rd Annual Flavours of the Garifuna!
Mark the Date! November 19th, Garifuna Settlement Day, at the Corozal House of Culture at 7:30pm. Garifuna cuisine sampling.

FCD’s Executive Director met with Ambassador of Costa Rica to Belize, Mr. Edgar Garcia Miranda to explain our work in the Chiquibul
Ambassador Garcia noted, “We reiterate our wishes to serve and assist in accordance to our possibilities and our best experiences, in search for protecting, developing awareness and promoting benefits to humankind; whilst respecting nature and the goods that the forests, rivers, mountains, water, minerals and all the blessings that God has given us.”

Garifuna welcome visitors to Belize
The Garifuna are a proud people who keep their heritage alive today by continuing their traditions and sharing with visitors. This is how they welcomed Visitors to Belize this past weekend at the Northern Border.

The U.S. Embassy in Belmopan is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for six Gardener (6) positions
The successful candidates will be required to obtain a security clearance and undergo a medical examination. The U.S. Mission in Belize provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

Paint N Splash
Join us this week at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar!

The Ministry of Health Joins the World to Celebrate Malaria Day in the Americas
The Ministry of Health is pleased to announce that as part of the regional initiative to eliminate Malaria by the year 2020, the Ministry has just completed another round of external evaluation by the Global Fund and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and has surpassed its targets for 2015/2016. This year’s success comes on the heels of Malaria Day in the Americas, which is observed yearly by countries in the region on November 6th. This year’s theme is “End Malaria for Good”. Belize is on track to meet its regional commitment as to date the Ministry has achieved a 99% reduction in cases between the period from 2000 to 2015. In 2015 there were nine locally-acquired cases reported from six villages mainly in the Corozal, Orange Walk and Stann Creek districts. Most of the country including the Belize, Cayo and Toledo districts have met requirements to be declared Malaria free. This is a vast difference from the mid-90’s when Malaria peaked at over 10,000 cases.

Prime Minister Departs the Country on Official Business
Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow left the country today on official business to the United States of America. The Prime Minister will be travelling to New York for consultations with Government of Belize’s legal and financial advisers on various pending matters. The Prime Minister is expected to return to Belize on Saturday, 12th November, 2016. During his absence, the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber will act as Prime Minister.

Antoney Acosta electrocuted in San Pedro
Sadly the doctors weren't able to save the hands of Antoney Acosta, he has only 13 years old,he was carrying food for his dad on a rainyday in sanpedro and he was also barefooted he accidentally got electricuted,but thank god he's still alive the parents still in need of donations, "please guys have a heart remember,libit,libit full basket"it doesn't matter the amount if u wish to donate you can contact the parents at telephone: #651-6592 or 665-7708 also u can send it by bank at Belize bank account#252930 (Maria Acosta) thank you!

Jesuit who dedicated life to Belize passes away
Fr. Jack Stochl S.J. was most recently known to the parishoners or St. Martin DePorres in Belize City. He was also a former Headmaster of St. John's Junior College High School Division. Anyone who remembers him also knew of his parrot. A quiet humble man who spent many years in Belize. He passed away peacefully last night. May he rest in peace. As the SJC boys would say "Hail the white and blue!"

GRANT AVAILABLE!
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) works closely with national governments, U.S.agencies, and a range of other partners to ensure a results-based approach to conserving priority species, habitats and ecological processes across landscapes with high biodiversity value in Central America. Protecting wildlife and forests is a critical element in securing food sources,livelihoods and sustainable development for the region. USFWS is providing funding opportunity to reduce threats to key species and ecosystems in Central America and to strengthen the requisite local individual and institutional capacity to sustain conservation processes in the long-term. The approximate amount of funding available under this program is $1,000,000 USD.

Ambassador Carlos Moreno hands over an Emergency Operations Center
Today, Ambassador Carlos Moreno handed over an Emergency Operations Center, valued at approximately USD $547,000, to the Government and people of Belize at a ceremony in Orange Walk Town. This facility is the first of its kind in the Orange Walk District and represents the U.S. Government's and the USSOUTHCOM's continued commitment to Belize in the field of humanitarian assistance. The operations center will enable NEMO to effectively coordinate disaster response, provide relief efforts and deliver timely assistance to the people of Belize, especially in remote areas.

Channel 7

Cocaine Bricks With The Mark Of The Puma
Tonight police are puzzling over the origin of over 20 pounds of cocaine with an intriguing logo on it. The logo which appears to look like a Puma with its jaws wide open appears on 9 cocaine bricks which the Anti-Drugs Unit intercepted on Saturday on the Boom-Hattieville Road. Unofficial reports from rural police say that at around 9:00 on Saturday morning, the ADU saw a tinted SUV turning into the Boom Road from the Northern Highway. The ADU tried to get the driver to stop, but he sped off, and the officers set chase. The driver of the suspect SUV then did an unusual thing; he came to a sudden stop and one dark skinned man jumped out carrying a duffle bag. The SUV zoomed off, and the man dashed into the bushes and the officers abandoned the vehicle chase, to set chase on foot after the suspect with the bag.

Someone Set Their House On Fire And Locked The Door From Outside
The rash of fires continues in the city, and more families are displaced tonight after an early Sunday morning fire destroyed 3 buildings on Castle Street. This time, the blaze claimed 2 family homes and a church - and fire authorities say it's arson. At around 4:35, the fire raged at the house situated between the church and another residence. Fortunately, both families quickly made it out before the fire engulfed their homes. We went to find out what caused this fire and how these families will move on. Courtney Weatherburne reporting: There will be no more service at the Castle Street Salvation Army church. That warm spirit that greeted the congregation every Sunday was cast out by an early morning blaze. The only semblance of hope was shining through an opening in the charred roof. But there was no hope for this home. The fire started here, on the right side of the church. A woman and her 2 kids were sleeping inside when the flames rose. When they tried to get out, the door was jammed but they found another way out.

Who Would Want To Kill Kyla?
And the owner of the house that was set ablaze is also pleading for help. As you heard Kyla Reynolds was inside sleeping with her 2 kids when the fire started. Reynolds came to our studio this afternoon to give her frightening account. She says she is grateful to be alive but she also shudders to think that someone wanted to harm her and her kids. She asked to appear off camera: Voice of: Kyla Reynolds, Fire Victim "I was sleeping and then I heard a little crackling sound and when I look under my room door I saw something red. So I said "fire?" cant. I say it must be wiring for the house, but then I searched for my phone on the bed and when I found it I flash it to open the room door. When I opened the room door and I looked outside I saw the sofa under fire. So I ran back in the room to get my son and my daughter. I woke up my daughter and told her "fire" and then afterwards I ran to the door trying to open it. It didn't want to open..."

Was First Street Fire Also An Arson?
And arson is also rumored for another city fire. This one happened at around 11:30 on Friday night, on First Street in the King's Park area where a 35 by 40 foot bungalow house was destroyed. Two persons were at home at the time of the fire: an older woman who was babysitting a young child. The boy's father, Rene Ayuso was working as a security guard at BTL Park while stepmother Valerie Valerio was just getting home - and when she did she found that everything had been destroyed. Speaking off camera, she gave us her reaction:.. Voice of: Valerie Valerio, Fire Victim: "My stepson and I were in the house. They already came out when I reached there. I just started to cry, because I felt bad." Jules Vasquez, 7News: "Were you all able to save anything?" Voice of: Valerie Valerio, Fire Victim: "No, nothing. Everything got destroyed."

Rash of City Fires Spawns Fire Safety Tips
Now there isn't much you can do if somebody deliberately sets your house on fire - you just have to get out and save yourself from getting burnt alive. But Station Officer at the Fire Departure Orin Smith told us that some fires can be prevented.

Vega Not Resigning, Just Retiring, Eventually
The UDP just completed one year in office for their third term - and, politically, it's been the worst year ever for Gaspar Vega. The man who helped deliver five of eight seats for the UDP in the north first went from Lands Minister to Agriculture Minister, then from Deputy Party Leader to Standard Bearer, then from Deputy Prime Minister to just another minister, and then, finally, last month to no minister at all, after he resigned from Cabinet - under extreme public pressure and outcry. Now, the UDP's former King In The North is no longer in Cabinet, and the question many are asking is will he take that final step and resign as area representative for Orange Walk North, and be replaced in a bye-election? Well on Saturday he held a meeting with his faithful supporters in the constituency he was won three times, and, after, that, he told Dillon Jones from the UDP Friendly Sugar City Morning Show that he's not going anywhere:...

Daniel Arzu Jr On The Rebound After Shot To The Head
We last updated you on 28 year old Coast Guardsman Daniel Arzu 11 days ago when he was being flown out in an Air Ambulance courtesy the Mexican Navy. Well, tonight the news about him is good. A shot to the head usually offers a grim prognosis but his father says his son is now conscious, speaking and going through therapy at the Navy Hospital in Mexico City. We spoke to Daniel Arzu Sr. today when he returned from Mexico and the grateful father gave us an update on his condition, and the reason he was shot. Supt. Daniel Arzu, OC - Benque Viejo Police: "He at this time is recuperating. He is recovering relatively fast and he is able to speak and do things just as normal, but because of the impact of the bullets, he has to undergo therapy and that is exactly what he is pursuing at this point in time."

Man Dies After Crashing Into River
Last night Inair Chan, Luis August and five other passengers were driving through San Antonio village in Orange Walk, when August, the driver, lost control and sent the car straight into the river. Most of the passengers, including a 4-month-old baby made it out with only scratches and bruises, all except Inair Chan of Trial Farm in Orange Walk. When they got to the scene police said they found Chan's body dead in the water. The Assistant Superintendent of the Orange Walk Police, Selvin Tillet, told us more... Supt. Selvin Tillett, OC - Orange Walk Police: "On Sunday 6th November at about 8:15pm, Orange Walk Police received information that a vehicle had ran into the San Antonio River which had several persons on board. As a result police visited the scene where they saw a Hispanic male person, learned to be Inair Chan, a mechanic of Trial Farm motionless in the river. Information received that Mr. Chan was one of the persons in the vehicle." August has been detained pending an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

Elderly Man Killed In Hit And Run
Orange Walk Police received a report of another traffic accident early this morning. The body of an elderly man was found on the side of the road near Trinidad Village, and due to his injuries, police believe he was killed in a hit and run. ASP Selvin Tillet gave us more details. Supt. Selvin Tillett, OC - Orange Walk Police: "On Monday, todays date 7th November, about 6:30am, information was received of the body of a male person on the side of the road about a mile pass Trinidad Village, Orange Walk District towards August Pine Ridge. Police visited the area where they saw the motionless body of a 71 year-old male person, unemployed of Trinidad Village." Due to the time the incident occurred, and the lack of houses in the area there are no witnesses to the fatal collision.

Rivers, Willoughby And Who Threatened Who
Raymond Rivers - when we last spoke to him 11 days ago - he had just finished meeting with Southside Commander Chester Williams about his threatening Facebook posts. He also alleged that UDP City Councilor Phillip Willoughby had put a hit out on him - a claim which Willoughby flatly denies. But we did learn that Willoughby had made a statement against Rivers on October fourth, alleging that the activist had threatened him telling him he would die. Willoughby got his lawyer to send a letter to Rivers and made a police report. Well One month later, Rivers was arrested this weekend and went to court today for threatening words. His attorney, the PUP Representative Kareem Musa says that the government is trying to muzzle him:.. Kareem Musa, River's Attorney: "This purported offence, this allegedly offence took place September 20th, 2016. Almost 2 months ago. Since then we know that Mr. Rivers has been very vocal against this administration on Facebook. He is a grassroots activists. Imagine that, September 20th this offence supposedly took place."

Chester's Changes Rejected By Compol
The 12 hour shift for Belize City Police Officers, it was implemented back in 2012 in the middle of a crime wave. The idea was to maximize human resources in Belize City for the greatest crime suppression. Since then, about 500 new police officers have been added to the force, and some say there's no longer as urgent a need to maximize resources. At least that's what southside commander Chester Williams seemed to think. He reverted to the 8 hours shift this weekend, but that sent off alarm bell in Belmopan. Our reports say that Commissioner Whylie told him to return to the 12 hours shift system, pronto! According to our reports that hasn't happened yet - and one city resident hopes it doesn't; Justice of the Peace Grace Flowers lives on west Canal between multiple gang zones and the police have to keep a permanent presence on her block. She says the 12 hour shift makes them inattentive:..

Police Minister Knows About Shifts
Now one man who should know very well about the drudgery of the shift system is former Deputy Commissioner of Police Elodio Aragon. He was in the senior command when that controversial system was first implemented - and so today we asked him - as Police Minister whether it should continue. He says it will have to be looked into: Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs: "Well the 12-hours shift system has been in operation for a couple of years. I think roughly maybe 5 years now. That was done in terms of looking at the demands and the needs of policing in this country and I think that it is not that they are working above their working hours. They work more, so we could focus on having more officers on the ground. But they do get their adequate time off. So it's not a problem. The fact is that at this point in time I think the department and the commissioner, he has to look at it directly."

When Will Deplorable Barracks Bldg Be Fixed?
Aragon also commented on the deplorable status of the Caye Caulker Police Barracks. Last year we told you about complaints coming from Caye Caulker police about the state of their barracks. When we spoke to the Minister of National Security, John Saldivar, about the issue and he told us that the 30 million dollar loan from CABEI would be used to repair barracks all over the country. But still, since then nothing has been done. In September the Public Health Bureau inspected the police barracks, and found that they were completely uninhabitable. According to the report, the walls, floors and ceilings are rotten and are all in a state of disrepair, and in most cases the officers living there were exposed to the elements, bats, rodents and other vermin. So what will be done about it? Here's what Aragon told us.

PUP Fisticuffs: Adle Choked Micah?
On Saturday the PUP held an election for a new Belize Youth Movement president. But a man who was no youth at all, 55 year old Karim Adle Sr got into it with PUP activist Micah Goodin. Adle's son Karim Juniour vied for the presidency and lost, while Goodin's candidate, Ivan Valencia won. Goodin was an active campaigner for Valencia and it seems that caused some friction with the elder Adle. Goodin alleges that Adle walked up to him and pushed him in his chest, choked him with his two hands then pinned him against the wall. Police arrested and charged Karim Adle, 55yrs. Belizean Laborer of Cor. Stanton and Benque Viejo Road, San Ignacio for the crime of "Common Assault".

PM to NYC, For "Consultations"
Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country today for New York where he is on unspecified government business. A press release says that he is going, quote, "for consultations with Government of Belize's legal and financial advisers on various pending matters." It doesn't say what those matters are but the PM returns on Saturday, and Deputy Patrick Faber will act in his absence.

US Sponsors NEMO Bldg in OW
Since 2006 the US Embassy has assisted the government of Belize with over $10 million US DOLLARS for the development of our disaster response infrastructure. Today, the US Ambassador to Belize, Carlos Moreno, handed over a new Regional Emergency Operation Center in Orange Walk Town. The new operations center cost over half a million US to build, and will help to effectively coordinate disaster response and relief efforts. We spoke with the Ambassador about project and how it is important for maintaining the security of Belizeans… The emergency operations center was received by Minister of NEMO Edmund Castro, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Elodio Aragon. Both Ministers told us about the strategic value of these centers, and how they can help in maintaining citizen safety. The US Embassy will hand over more emergency operations centers in other crucial locations around the country.

Castro and The Casas
We also spoke to Minister Castro about his efforts to relieve those effected by the Hurricane Earl. Since the storm, Castro has provided new houses for around 200 Belizeans and he told us today that despite how quickly they were put together, they will be able to hold up...

SEA Saddened By Gladden Development
A southern conservation group is sounding the alarm about dredging on a small island. The Southern Environmental Association known as SEA says it "is deeply disappointed with the construction of a tourism related development on Gladden Caye for the Gladden Caye Resort Ltd." SEA personnel say that the contractors are dredging and dumping sand on a smaller island beside Gladden, while the larger island was filled up three feet above its original height. They say all this is happening without approval from the Mining Unit for dredging, or the Fisheries Department or the Lands and Survey Department for the construction of a seawall. They also say that there are no silk curtains or barriers to mitigate against siltation and no beacon lights or demarcation buoys to aid navigation. Gladden Caye is located two miles from the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, SEA says its Rangers will continue to be vigilant during all phases of the development.

John Stochl, SJ passes
And tonight we note the passing of an exceptional Jesuit who served Belize since the 1940's. Father John Stochl passed away at the age of 92 last night in St. Louis. He died of a heart attack. Stochl first came to Belzie in the 40's and was known for his exception durability, humility and commitment to service. We'll have more on him tomorrow. Fr. JOHN STOCHL DEAD AT 92.

Channel 5

Castle Street Fire Guts 2 Homes and Salvation Army Church
Thirteen people have been displaced by two separate fires that happened between Friday night and Sunday morning in Belize City. We start with the most recent fire that happened very [...]

Did Someone Set Fire That Destroyed Senior Citizen’s First Street Home?
The other fire happened on Friday night around eleven-thirty on First Street, also in Belize City. Sixty-eight year old Maria Ayuso was at home with her grandson when she was [...]

Education Minister Patrick Faber Goes On Attack: B.N.T.U. ‘Telling Untruths’
Minister of Education Patrick Faber has responded openly to criticisms made by the Belize National Teachers Union last Thursday.  The Deputy Prime Minister was chided for purportedly being dishonest in [...]

No Change in Date for Submission of Pay Sheets, Says Faber
Among the charges made against the ministry is the deliberate bumping up of the submission of pay sheets from the ninth of every month.  According to Faber, the collection date [...]

Ministry Will Proceed With Salary Deductions, Bypass Union on Make-Up Time for Strike
The academic calendar is made up of at least one hundred and eighty contact days, of which teachers and students are required to be in session.  The eleven-day strike in [...]

Raymond Rivers in Court; He Denies Threatening Death of Philip Willoughby
We have been reporting on firebrand activist Raymond Rivers’ various run-ins in recent weeks. He has been consistently crying out against the Government through the realm of Facebook. His language [...]

Before Pursuing Line of Credit, Citrus Growers Ask Association to Open Books
There is word tonight that there is financial trouble in one of the major industries in the south. Reports from within the citrus industry say that the Citrus Growers Association [...]

Are Citrus Growers Better Off After Losing More Than Half of Shares in C.P.B.L.?
According to Chanona, growers have lost fifty-eight percent of ownership in CPBL.  Shareholdings have since plummeted from ninety-nine to forty-one percent over the years and farmers are urging the committee [...]

“Life” Isn’t Life Anymore; Gregory August Wins Reduced Sentence for Murder
The case of convicted murderer Gregory August who is serving a life sentence for the stabbing death of seventy-three-year-old Alvin Robinson was heard in the Court of Appeal on Friday.  [...]

Imprisonment For Life is “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”
The moral argument, according to Courtenay, is whether or not an inmate can be reformed and rehabilitated after serving a lengthy sentence.  He says that an inmate who is not [...]

Accused Attackers of Suspected Arsonist Charged
Two-year-old Kaylee Alvarez perished in a fire on October twenty-seventh at her house on Ebony Street, Belize City where she was watching television.  Police have ruled that the fire was [...]

55 Year Old Man Charged for Common Assault of Micah Goodin
Police have arrested and charged fifty-five year old Karim Adle of San Ignacio Town for common assault on popular youth activist and journalist Micah Goodin. The incident took place around [...]

Cayo Man Shot Saturday Morning
A Cayo resident is hospitalized tonight at the Western Regional recovering from a shooting. Patrick Gordon was travelling in a small car when he was shot at in Santa Elena [...]

Developer on Gladden Caye Called Out on Dredging
Tonight there is a report of damage to fisheries and the marine environment in southern Belizean waters. The Southern Environmental Association reports that it has come across the construction of [...]

Father John Stochl Dead at 92; Beloved Jesuit Pastor and Educator
The Roman Catholic community, thousands of past students as well as Garifuna communities are tonight mourning the passing of a beloved pastor and educator who dedicated his entire life in [...]

Get a Job With EmployMe Belize
If you are looking for a job, there is a internet service that can make it happen because a new online job search engine is being launched. Employ Me Belize [...]

Toyota Hilux Stolen in Belmopan
Last Friday, we reported that a government vehicle assigned to the Ministry of Health was stolen from an employee’s yard in the Kontiki area of San Ignacio. Well, there was [...]

Region’s Officials Train in Best Practice on Public Procurement
A five-day training course in Public Procurement commenced today at the Biltmore Plaza in Belize City. Officials from across the region are taking part to acquire knowledge on the process [...]

Lots of Sports on Sports Monday
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. {Feature on Weekend Sporting activities…}

CTV3

Free Eye Check-up Offered In Corozal
A team of eye specialists from the Rayjon Eye Clinic in Canada is in Corozal Town offering clinics at the Methodist Eye Clinic. Today when our newsteam stopped by the clinic was full to capacity as Belizeans arrived to benefit from the special eye care provided by the visiting medical team. The Rotary Club of Corozal is hosting the visiting group. According to Club member and organiser, Loretta Randall, so far the response has been of high volume Loretta Randall, Rotary member: “Today was Monday and we’ll do it Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday we are going to try keep up portion of that day available for the students who some of them get out of school a little bit early and do have some that have prescriptions that we hope we could will fill those for them too.”

Belize Youth Movement Executive Conducts Elections For New Leaders
On Saturday November 5th, elections were held for the Belize Youth Movement National Executive members at the Party Headquarters in Belize City. The Belize Youth Movement is the youth arm of the People’s United Party. The elections saw two candidates contest the President and Vice President posts. The successful candidates were Ivan Valencia, who is also the Chairman of the Corozal North constituency, who vied for President; and Marissa Cervantes, a youth activist who is also the daughter of Orange Walk North Standard Bearer Ramon Monchi Cervantes. The convention was high-spirited and very lively. Valencia, who is no new comer to politics, shared with us today that as the new BYM leader, he will focus on ensuring that the youth arm reaches out to as many youth.

Guinea Grass Resident Allegedly Brutalized By Police Officer
A 21 year old resident of Guinea Grass village is tonight recuperating at the Northern Regional Hospital after he sustained severe head and body injuries reportedly at the hands of a police officer attached to the substation in the village. Reports from the family indicate that Hugo Noh was socializing at a local grocery store in the village, when he allegedly got in an altercation with an off duty police officer who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and was also socializing in the area allegedly in the company of other villagers. Reports are that the altercation between the two led to the officer inflicting several lesions to Noh, principally on his head with his police issued fire arm.

BNTU Meets To Discuss Make Up Time For Strike
The Council of Management of the Belize National Teachers’ Union met on Saturday and has agreed to return to its membership for a mandate on the matter of making up time lost during 11 days of strike in October. As you are aware, after an impasse on the composition of an outstanding meeting, the Minister of Education and other education officials chose to go around the union to settle how the time is made up. In consultation with managements of primary schools they have agreed to extend the calendar by four days in January and 2 in April.

PM Meets With Financial Advisors In New York
A recent report by the International Monetary Fund continued to raise alarm over the state of Belize’s economy and finances. The report confirmed that the debilitated sectors such agriculture and oil exports and increasing debt were weakening the economy significantly. It also confirmed that the Government, in response to the economic difficulties, is considering increasing the GST rate as well as the fuel tax for next year’s budget. The nation’s distressed economic state is becoming a major concern and today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow flew out of Belize for consultation meetings with Government-hired legal and financial advisers in New York. A very vague Government-release only indicated that the meeting will be on various pending matters and gave no further information.

LOVE FM

Woman and Grandchild Escapes from Burning Home
The weekend got off to a hot start on Friday night as fire officials were called to the first of two fire scenes. Ingrid Fernandez has the story. INGRID FERNANDEZ REPORTING “Friday night saw emergency calls going into the 911 hotline when a fire began in the King’s Park area of Belize City. Assistant Superintendent […]

Multiple Structures Caught in Sunday Morning Fire
Early Sunday morning the fire officials were again called out to extinguish a blaze that caused damages to three structures on the north side of Belize City. Ingrid Fernandez followed the story today and shared this report. INGRID FERNANDEZ REPORTING “Just two days after a fire left a family homeless on First Street in the […]

San Ignacio Police Seeks Gunman in Weekend Shooting
San Ignacio Police are looking for one man who they say can help them figure out who shot thirty three year old Patrick Gordon and why. Gordon was shot several times over the weekend while in the company of friends but investigators are having difficulties extracting information from those who may have seen the shooter. […]

Hispanic Man Caught in Hit and Run on the Hummingbird Highway
The body of a man of Hispanic descent was found on the Hummingbird Highway over the weekend. Fem Cruz has the story. FEM CRUZ “Belmopan Police continue to investigate a fatal hit and run traffic accident that occurred on the Hummingbird Highway. Based on information received Belmopan Police visited Armenia Village at the entrance of […]

Police Officers and the 12-hour vs 9-hour Shifts
On several occasions comments have been made on the salaries and working conditions as well as the resources that often times have proven insufficient for police officers to perform their duties. Love News has learnt that while the officers attached to the Eastern Division South have recently been placed on 9-hour shifts, the powers that […]

Youth Awards 2016 Celebrates Achievements of Young Belizeans
The annual Youth Awards was held on Friday night at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts in Belize City where over fifteen awards were issued to young persons for achievements in sectors such as agriculture, education, innovation and media, among others. Minister of Youth, Patrick Faber was a speaker at the event and spoke […]

Land Scandal Goes Beyond Repayment from Vega and Pitts
Last Friday we told you of a letter sent by the Government of Belize to Andre Vega and Attorney Sharon Pitts requesting a reimbursement of eight hundred thousand dollars total from the two individuals. It is the first step at an attempt to have some semblance of confidence restored in the Ministry of Natural Resources […]

Ministers Vega and Penner: The Similarities
With the resignation of Gaspar Vega from the Government’s Cabinet and with an ongoing investigation reportedly being carried out, there is somewhat of a déjà vu as the Penner passport scandal is remembered. Area Representative Kareem Musa spoke on the similarities and the need for an international investigator to be brought in to the Lands […]

City Councillor Charges that Rivers Threatened His Life
Activist Raymond Rivers and Belize City Councilor, Phillip Willoughby are not the best of friends. Tonight we can tell you that not only do they have opposing political views but they are also at opposite ends of a police matter. Willoughby has filed a police complaint against Rivers alleging that Rivers threatened him. This alleged […]

Reformed Gang Leader turned Father of Four Speaks on Turning a New Leaf
On Thursday, November 3, Deshawn Jiwe Morris arrived from the United States to serve as guest speaker for Friday night’s Youth Awards in Belize City. His 16-minute presentation focused a lot on the needs of the young persons as well as his mind-set as a reformed member of a gang. DESHAWN MORRIS “I look at […]

Breaking Belize News

Prime Minister departs country on official business
Today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country on official business to the United States of America. The Prime Minister will be traveling to New York for consultations with Government of Belize’s legal and financial advisers on various pending matters. He is expected to […]

Ministry of Health joins the World to Celebrate Malaria Day in the Americas
The Ministry of Health in a release today announced that as part of the regional initiative to eliminate Malaria by the year 2020, the Ministry has just completed another round of external evaluation by the Global Fund and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and […]

Disaster and Climate Resilience in Corozal District to improve with IDB support
A press release was issued today to inform that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation will host a Shoreline Stabilization Workshop on November 8 at the Belize Airport Authority Conference Room as part of a […]

Orange Walk town receives new Emergency Operations Center
Ambassador Carlos Moreno today handed over an Emergency Operations Center, valued at approximately USD $547,000, to the Government and people of Belize at a ceremony in Orange Walk Town. This facility is the first of its kind in the Orange Walk district and represents […]

Rivers faces court for threatening words
Raymond Rivers, is scheduled to return to court again on Wednesday. He appeared in court this morning to answer to charges of threatening words, which he allegedly made against Belize City Councilor, Philip Willoughby, last September. His attorney Kareem Musa, however, argued that the […]

Group of 10 escapes arson attempt
Ten persons on the north side of Belize City are grateful after having escaped a fire unhurt. According to Orin Smith, National Fire Services station manager, firefighters were called to a house burning on Castle Street at around 4:25 a.m. The fire started at […]

Guinea Grass man beaten bloody, police abuse alleged
Residents in Guinea Grass are reporting a disturbing case of police brutality. According to reports, Hugo Noh, a resident of the village, was brutally beaten by an off-duty officer who was out drinking with friends. The incident reportedly happened at Zhen Zhen store in […]

Belize City municipal airstrip gets New name and face
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with the Belize Airports Authority (BAA), issued a release to announce the inauguration of the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport, formerly the Belize City Municipal Airstrip. The airport was expanded and renovated through a BZ$17 […]

Intermittent Closure of New Burrell Boom Bridge
The Ministry of Works issued a release this morning informing the public that the Burrell Boom Bridge will be closed for short intervals commencing today from 9:00 through to 11:00 a.m. This is to enable heavy equipment in the area facilitate the disassembly and […]

Fair weather conditions to prevail
The 24 hour forecast is for sunny skies and partly cloudy skies tonight. A few showers and periods of rain will continue mainly over Southern offshore areas. The wind will blow from the north to northeast at 5 to 15 knots and the sea […]

Blogs

Elsie Goes For A Spa Day: Dog Grooming at Pampered Paws
I have a dog and her named is Elsie. She’s a hero. After spending 3 or 4 years in Dangriga, neglected (at best) and starved, she now lives with us in San Pedro. She has doubled in weight (literally), had a fully infected leg removed, has been identified, by us, as a teacup Great Dane and has the best temperament of any human or animal I’ve ever met. She now lives in a state of pretty much full blown adoration. There is a whole shop called Pampered Paws. Located on Middle Street San Pedro, the crew does groomings, dog sitting, short or long term boarding, training and tons more. Toys, specialized food, leashes, costumes, collars, cleaning products, litter…all the things you need for your well cared for pets. Now to the back room…where one dog was finishing her blow dry.

Celebrating the Garifuna with Battle of the Drums
Every November 19th, Belize celebrates one of its most vibrant cultural groups, the Garifuna. Garifuna Settlement Day is one of the largest and most celebrated national holidays, heralding the arrival of the Garinagu people to Belize after their exile from St. Vincent in the early 1800’s. Exiled, the Garinagu traveled via dugout canoes and landed on the shores of Southern Belize, in places like Dangriga, Hopkins, Seine Beight, and Barranco (Toledo). Out of an estimated 500,000 Garinagu world-wide, there are about 15,000 Garinagu in Belize (about 7 % of the total population). They are descendants of two ethnic groups, Carib Indians and Black Africans, who lived on the island of St. Vincent. Speaking of drumming – one exciting event leading to the big celebration down south in Punta Gorda Town, Toledo is the Battle of the Drums! Taking place on the last weekend before November 19th, Battle of the Drums is a loud and proud celebration of the Garifuna culture. I can never resist the call of the drums…their sound is unique and primal, stirring the dancing bones in my body like nothing can. This battle sounds like culture heaven on earth!

It’s a Family Affair in Belize: at Phoenix
A family affair, only the parents and the kids in a intimate stunning tropical decour. We were together for a little time, but we made the most of it! Tropical rain did not stopped us and, as we were already wet, well, we went ahead and just get more water blessings! Enjoy some of their photos!

Kids Bring a Little Magic – Belize Weddings
As wedding photographers in Belize, we are beyond lucky to be able to photograph weddings in the most spectacular scenery. We get to work at people’s dream destination weddings. You think that would be enough and most of the time it is, but we have to share a little secret. When couples let us know that they have kids in attendance, we look forward to the wedding even more because kids bring just a little bit of their own special magic to every wedding and they are just so freakin’ cute. Their charm, innocence, curiosity and sense of fun make for truly memorable and magical moments. This wedding is perfect example. Although every bride and groom are unique, there are certain things that are pretty much guaranteed to happen at most weddings. First, the bride gets a little help so that she can feel her most beautiful. Enter – the love of a child. Children understand celebrations better than anyone and they wear their hearts on their sleeve more openly than any adult.

International Sources

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Private Island Resort Takes New Direction
Leonardo DiCaprio’s much-ballyhooed Blackadore Caye Resort off the Atlantic coast of Belize is finally taking shape. Renderings were unveiled Friday for what the living structures will look like once the property is fully completed (projected for late 2018). Lead design architect Jean-Michel Gathy, known for his work with Aman and One&Only, drew inspiration from Belize's ancient Mayan ruins, with minimalist designs that subtly nod to Central American pyramids while remaining resolutely modern—thatched roofs over plenty of natural materials such as wood and marble. There will be 36 residential estate homes and 36 bookable bungalows spread over the island's 104 acres. Paul Scialla, a partner at Blackadore Development Group, says the “goal is to create a development true to the history of the area.” Sustainability and the environmental integrity will continue to remain top priorities during construction, which will start early next year," he says. “From a materials standpoint, our plan is to source as much local materials as possible that support the local economy and minimize emissions.” To that end, the trendy overwater bungalows have been scrapped—a major selling point in the initial furor when news broke last year of the Oscar winner's intent to turn his private paradise into a hotel. The development team spent six months gathering feedback from local stakeholders and citizens about the project ahead of the building timeline, says Scialla, leading to that significant change, among others. Sustainability is still the word of the day on Blackadore Caye.

Grolier Codex ruled genuine: what the oldest manuscript to survive Spanish conquest reveals
Extensive trade networks connected the Maya to the rest of Mesoamerica, producing the dynamic landscapes and bustling ports reported in early Spanish accounts. Much of what we know of the Maya comes from codices – screenfold books made of paper from the bark of a fig tree. Pages were coated in a white stucco wash and then painted by scribes with text, which was often accompanied by images. The Spanish in the 16th century reported a flourishing manuscript tradition comprising histories, prophecies, songs, genealogies and detailed information on the movements of the heavenly bodies. Of the thousands of books produced throughout the Mayas’ long history, however, only three Maya codices were known to have survived, all written in the “postclassic” period after AD 900 and brought to Europe sometime after the conquest. They are named after the cities where they were archived: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris. Now, after years of debate over its authenticity, we can add a fourth manuscript – the Grolier Codex.

Treasure hunter Tommy Thomspon faking memory problems to hide coins, judge rules
An ex-deep sea treasure hunter is faking memory problems and intentionally deceiving authorities about the location of missing coins minted from gold from an 1857 shipwreck, a federal judge has ruled. Tommy Thompson has been held in contempt of court since mid-December last year, when Judge Algenon Marbley found he violated a plea deal by refusing to respond. Thompson also was ordered to pay $1,000 a day until he cooperates. Thompson also received a two-year prison sentence in December and a $250,000 fine for failing to appear before a judge three years ago to answer similar questions. Thompson previously said, without providing details, that the coins were turned over to a trust in Belize. The government, which believes the coins are worth millions of dollars, has doubts Thompson’s explanation.

Moody's warns of climate change impact on sovereign ratings
Countries' creditworthiness could be increasingly affected by climate change, with African and South Asian sovereigns most susceptible to the economic effects of global warming, ratings agency Moody's said on Monday. By contrast, Western Europe, North America and Australia as well as the huge landmasses of Russia and China were least vulnerable, Moody's found. "Climate change is expected to become an increasingly dominant factor in our analysis of the credit profiles of those sovereigns that are most susceptible to its effects over the coming decades," it said in a new report. Jamaica and Belize, small countries with high debt and Caa2 ratings, are seen as the next two most vulnerable, while India is also seen as highly at risk from climate change, with 48 percent of its workforce in the agricultural sector.

Videos

November 7, 2016

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

Letter to the Editor: Saga Humane Society says Thank You San Pedro
The directors and staff of Saga Humane Society extend their deepest gratitude to the community of San Pedro of making this year’s Halloween Spooktacular a HUGE success! Through the courtesy of this fine newspaper we would like to publicly thank the following individuals and businesses for their kindness and generosity. Alpha Omega, Ambergris Store, Amparo Fruit Shop, Ana’s Store, Best Price Store, Big Tree Fruits and Vegetables, Caribbean Chicken, Caye Mart, Cindy’s Store & Fruits, Cost Less Store, Danieli Escalante, Fruteria Michelle, Jose’s Vegetable Stall, La Fruteria El Mexicano, La Despensa, Lino’s Meats, Liquor Shop, Local Grocery, Marina’s Store, Mark’s Store, Mermaid Supermarket, Paradise Market, Quality Poultry, Publix, Richie’s Supermarket, Rita’s Shop, Rock’s Shopping Center & Golf Cart Rental, and Super Buy. The Wedding Couple. Annie’s Pastries, Aquarius Salon, A&R Supply, Ashley’s Boutique, Bella Italia Restaurant, Bowen & Bowen, Candle Garden, Casa Pan Dulce Bakery, Caye Supplies, C & S Golf Cart Rental, Beach Basket at Grand Caribe, Brooklyn Bros. Bagel Shop...

Doctor Love: Old Fashioned
Dear Doctor Love My daughter-in-law and I really have a wonderful relationship. I take care of the children, ages eight and six, two afternoons a week. If she needs time on her own she knows she can always call on me for a few hours at least. I try not to get into the “raising” of the kids but I think there are still some of the old ways that a lot of children are missing out on experiencing. I tell them I would like to see them play outside games, and learn some of the classic children’s stories I know from my childhood. They did not want to stop playing their electronic games. They complained to their mom that I took their tablets from them and made them listen to a stupid story from a book I read them. Should I give up and just let them be? /s/Old Fashioned

Misc Belizean Sources

DYS Youth Awards 2016
The Department of Youth Services had their 2016 Youth Awards last week. Cayo was well represented at the event. Thank you, DYS, for all the planning and effort that went into this event. Congratulations to all the bright and outstanding youths that won!

Belize International Film Festival 2016 Schedule
The 2016 BIFF starts on Thursday, and they have quite a lineup of movies and documentaries.

The Reporter

Ministry of Econ. Dev. to hold procurement workshop
The Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce, is preparing to hold a week-long training on public procurement for government departments. Public procurement is the process by which public authorities, such as government departments or local authorities, purchase work, goods or services from companies. The training, funded by the 10th European Development Fund, forms a part of a regional project between Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries and the European Union (EU). The Ministry expects that through the training, equip the public officials participating with knowledge of the broader context within which national procurement policies operate and with the tools needed to develop professional procurement systems and practices. “The course will also enhance policy makers’ expertise in the field and provide the means with which they can promote the use of international best practice in procurement,” the Ministry said.

Youths awarded for outstanding performance
The Department of Youth Services (DYS) honored several youths and youth organizations at its annual Youth Awards Gala on Friday. The DYS held the black tie, red carpet event at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts where it handed out 12 awards. Awards included: Environmental Award, Innovation Award, Enterprise Award, Arts and Culture Award, Youth Worker of the Year Award, Youth in Agriculture Award, Youth in Sports Award, Pacesetter Award, Academic Excellence Award, and the Youth Minister’s Award. “Each year the Department of Youth Services engages energetic speakers who are able to motivate and inspire youth to lead positive, non violent lives,” explained Sabreena Daly, public relations officer with the DYS.

Breaking Belize News

PUP Youth election leads to fight
A man in his mid 60s is in trouble after he choked a PUP youth during the PUP’s youth arm election held yesterday in Belize City. According to reports, the man is a former driver and body guard of a former PUP leader and […]

Blogs

The Palapa Bar Rises Quickly After Hurricane Earl and A Bit Of Lunch
Yesterday morning was a gorgeous day…then darkening clouds… And then this morning? Rain. It’s November. And Palapa Bar in full palapa mania. So so pretty. Take a look. And then underneath the huge open space, a circular bar…awesome. She’ll soon be back – better than ever.

International Sources

Woodstock businessman helping children in Belize
With the season of giving just around the corner, a local businessman in Woodstock, N.B., is getting ready to help people who live thousands of kilometres away. Guy Stewart has turned a vacant building into a depot to help 17 children in Belize. “Some are orphans, some aren't, but most have been removed from their parents because of abuse," says Stewart. The building is the former Sears location that closed a few years ago. It wasn’t until recently that Stewart realized what he wanted to do with it. Stewart sold his business six years ago and started looking for a way to give back. It took him five years to find his calling. “September of last year I sat down in front of my computer for the 100th time and typed in ‘mission opportunities in Belize,’” says Stewart. “For some reason I was drawn to Belize. Now I know why." Stewart has travelled to Belize and says the money collected from items sold at the centre will go towards a college education for some of the orphans there.

Jewelry designer's grace trumps controversy
Designer: Lynnae Tanner Ruff. Home: Webster Groves. Age: 40. What she makes: Classic statement jewelry with precious metals and semiprecious stones, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals, Czech and Venetian glass and seed beads. Hot or not: “I’m originally from Belize, but I met my husband in Portland and we moved her 13 years ago. So basically, every day we have conversations about whether it’s hot or it’s cold. And no matter, we argue different sides. He’s originally from Buffalo, New York,” she said. Traveling heritage: “OK, so my father is American, but his dad took him to Belize when he was a kid. He met my mom, who is Indian, there. She was born and raised in Belize, but her mom is from Jamaica. I was born in Belize and came to America later,” says Ruff with a lilting Caribbean accent.

Airlines' service issues with unaccompanied minors unnerve parents
It's a story that Carrie Calzaretta's 14-year-old son, Tyler, will probably tell his kids someday. This year, the Calzarettas paid American Airlines an extra US$300 (NZ$409) for their son to fly round-trip as an unaccompanied minor in order to join a 10-day educational tour of Belize. When thunderstorms delayed his flight from Miami to Newark, the airline offered to re-book him for the next morning - but not to provide a hotel room for the night. According to Calzaretta, the airline had subcontracted its escort duties to another company and the two parties couldn't agree on what to do about Tyler. "Each blamed the other," says Calzaretta. "Ultimately, they threw him on a last-minute, late-night flight to avoid him having to sleep on the floor of the airport. "We had to pick him up in the wee hours and in a total panic."

Commentary: Our country cannot afford to elect Donald Trump and his Republican Party
By Wellington C. Ramos. It is now ten months since Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died and the Republicans who currently control the US Senate continue to refuse holding hearings on Justice Merrick Garland who was nominated by President Obama to replace him. They are afraid that, if they approve his appointment, he will make the court more moderate or liberal leaning. Currently, it is being reported in the news that some Republican senators met recently and vowed that if Hillary Clinton is elected president, they will not approve any of the judges she nominate for the Federal or Supreme Courts who they dislike. This is causing the court to function with only eight members and end up with a tied vote on many important issues affecting our citizens. It is now clear that an amendment to the constitution is desperately needed to prevent both political parties controlling the senate from stalling presidential appointments in the near future. In the United States if there is a tied vote on any issue before the court, then the ruling that was made from the Circuit Court where the case originated from stands.

Caribbean countries receive US$8 million to reduce health risks from toxic chemicals
Eight Caribbean territories are to receive financial assistance totaling US$8 million to combat exposure to toxic chemicals found in household cleaning products, processed foods and even clothing that can severely damage a person’s health. Dr Ahmad Khan, director, Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean) has stated that some pesticides, cleaning agents and industrial chemicals contain hazardous properties, which can cause cancer, developmental delays, dysfunction of the reproductive organs and reduce immunity.

Videos

November 6, 2016

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

Tenants feel violated after GSU raid
A raid conducted by the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) officers stationed in San Pedro caused renters in the DFC area to feel violated. Initial reports are that due to the surge in recent shootings, the San Pedro Police Department (SPPD) requested for the GSU to assist them in conducting patrols. A few citizens are now claiming that they were indiscriminately searched without a warrant on Tuesday, November 1st, and they formally made their report to the San Pedro Police Station. According to acting Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit, Assistant Superintendent, Henry Jemmott, 10 GSU officers allegedly raided a home in the DFC area, claiming that they acted on special intelligence received. Jemmott indicated that police do not necessarily need a warrant in this case, but however, the GSU searched the premise without the directive of the SPPD. In the end, a total of four rooms, and two board houses in the backyard were searched. Three eyewitnesses saw the GSU ransacking a tenant’s room, with one of them describing the experience as ‘inhumane’. “It was painful to see the GSU searching my neighbor’s room because her room looked as if a tornado hit it. She was not home, she was at work when they stormed in the house and started searching. GSU know no boundaries, and I saw the officers blatantly criticizing her room because she hung her underwear inside her room, and a female GSU officer was shaming her because of the scent that circulated from the dirty laundry basket as a result of all the windows closed. After that, the GSU ripped up her poster, threw all of her clothes everywhere, carelessly flung all of her important documents in the air, while dumping everything else she had packed all over the place,” said the eyewitness.

Senate Select Committee moves forward
On Wednesday, October 19th, the Senate Select Committee on Immigration proceeded with its sitting at the nation’s capital, Belmopan City. At the gathering, Senator Aldo Salazar was appointed as the chairman for the committee. Now that the committee has a chairman, the People’s United Party (PUP) has appointed its representative, Senator Eamon Courtenay. The appointment of a chairman is the start of the investigation regarding the immigration hustle revealed in the Auditor General’s special report on August 27th during a sitting at the House of Representatives. The committee’s membership did not change and it continues to include two Government Senators: Senator Salazar and Doctor Carla Barnett, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance. Also making up the committee are Reverend Ashley Rocke – Senator representing the Churches and Elena Smith – Senator representing the trade unions. Senator Mark Lizarraga represents the business community, but was not present at the meeting. Courtenay is the most recent addition to the team.

Henry Jemmott takes over the role of OC
Last week, San Pedro Town bid farewell to former Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit Superintendent Sandra Bowden, who served both Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker for over a year. With Bowden now stationed at Belmopan City at the Belize Police Department Headquarters, Henry Jemmott has taken on the role as the new Officer in Charge (OC) of the Coastal Executive Unit. According to Jemmott, being an OC requires a lot of dedication, patience, and promptness, which he believes he has. “This is actually my third time acting as the OC, and I am confident that this will remain as my position. I have strategic plans that will help improve the department, as well plans to deter crime,” said Jemmott. Furthermore, in an effort to alleviate crime in the most active criminal zones on the island, Jemmott, along with the assistance of the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC), have installed a police substation in the San Mateo Area. This sub-station will be operational in the coming days and will serve to provide constant police presence in the area.

IMF says Belize’s economic growth is in jeopardy
Belize faces challenges of high public debt, depleting international reserves, and large and external deficits, and now its economy is in jeopardy. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Belize is encountering significant vulnerabilities, and reducing public debt should be the country’s first priority. In September 2016, IMF executive directors discussed the September report of an IMF mission to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country. Within the report, it emphasized that decisive policies are urgently needed in Belize to ensure macroeconomic stability, as well as to improve growth performance. According to the IMF mission, the country’s fiscal position has weakened, which in turn, has pushed the public debt higher. In 2015, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to one per cent, and the overall fiscal deficit expanded to eight percent of GDP. The decline in oil and other commodity prices led to deflation in 2015, and even deflated to a negative 1.5 percent in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015. However, the inflation rate increased during the first months of 2016, thanks to increased food prices and a hike in the fuel tax.

Misc Belizean Sources

National Belize Youth Awards
The National Belize Youth Awards were last night and it was a very inspiring celebration of young leaders. Ocean Academy's Next Gen Croc won a Special Mention for Environmentalism. Their project is called Crocodile Nocturnal Eyeshine Surveys with Purpose and combines citizen science with social entrepreneurship. Senior project leaders Annabella, Lily, Daniel and Mathew represented the project at the ceremony. The students work in partnership with their mentor Dr. Marisa Tellez of the Crocodile Research Coalition, Tony Aguilar of the Caye Caulker Forest and Marine Reserves and Ocean Academy's Social Enterprise program.

Sisimito Sessions
The 3rd Annual Sisimito Sessions held in Placencia. A weekend of quality underground electronic music in the secluded country of Belize. Limited release weekend passes for BZ$50/US$25 available from http://www.wantickets.com/sisimito17, Barefoot Beach Bar, Placencia & Luna Loca, San Pedro, call +501 636 5015 or email [email protected]. clock January 28, 2017 – January 29, 2017

BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
See you at the movies!

San Pablo RC school Cultural Day
Today San Pablo RC school had its cultural day they represented the Maya Mestizo(Yucatec Maya) culture along with others in the village. San Pablo is a village in the Orange walk district which had milpas since 1886 from people of the nearby villages. In 1915 the village had its first permanent settlement consisting of Mayeros(Maya People) who spoke Yucatec Maya. The first inhabitants consisted of Don Pedro Marin,Anacleto Mai,Fulgencio Sabido,Prudencio Sabido,Liberato Sabido among others. Also the village had the famous Maya H-men(Curandero) Don Agustine Cawich. Today even that most of the youths speak the Spanish language you can still find elders who speak Maya. Today you can still find people holding ancient Maya surnames like Bacab,Chuc,Itza,Uh,Yama,Mai,Cawich,Cowo,Pat,Tamay,Tzul,Pott,Chable and others.The San Pablo Village Council was present also for this event. Pictures courtesy of Ak Kuchkabal Maya

High School Battle of the Drums
Congratulations to the 1st place winner of this year's High School Battle of the Drums Competition -Stann Creek Ecumenical High School!

Ambassador Carlos Moreno visited the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)
To learn about the institute's great new initiatives and programs for the youth in the Toledo District. TIDE currently hosts three student interns from the United States--check out the videos to find out what brings them to Belize!

Miss Universe Poll Voting Batch 1 Winners
• Miss Universe Belize - Rebecca Rath • Miss Universe Honduras - Sirey Moran • Miss USA - Deshauna Barber Congratulations

The Reporter

Climate change agreement takes affect
The Paris Agreement on climate change entered into force on Friday, 30 days after the required 55 minimum states – accounting for 55 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions – ratified the Convention. The central aim of the Agreement is to keep global temperature rise during this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to try to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius (the level pushed by CARICOM during the Paris negotiations). This commitment supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (Climate Action) and 12 others that include targets addressing climate change. Countries will begin to tackle implementation of the Paris Agreement when COP22 (the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)) convenes in Marrakech, Morocco from November 7 to 18. The CARICOM Secretariat will join several CARICOM Member States at this meeting.

Human Rights Commission holds AGM
The Human Rights Commission of Belize held its annual general meeting today, at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) open campus in Belize City. Among other business, the HRCB met, for the first time in four years to hold elections for a new board of directors. Vice president of the Commission, Kevin Authurs, explained that the meeting was critical in getting the HRCB’s affairs in order so it could better establish itself to work with other NGO’s and serve Belizeans. “There have been new legislations passed with respect to NGO’s in tea of accounts and so on. So this meeting was essential for us to get our ducks in a row so we can engage other organizations about doing the same,” Authurs said. Newly-elected President, Leo Bradley Jr. said that the Commission’s board will continue to hold projects working with various target groups in different communities, for the betterment of those in the target area.

Breaking Belize News

Shooting in Santa Elena Town
Reports reaching our newsroom is that a man was shot this morning near the gas station on Carillo Puerto Avenue in Santa Elena. The victim has been identified as Patrick Gordon of Santa Elena town. He was shot in the left upper chest. He […]

Belize invites Cubs’ David Ross to free vacation
The biggest Cubs fan base outside of Chicago is located in Belize and to celebrate the team’s historic World Series win, Belize has offered David Ross an all expenses paid vacation. The invitation was extended by the Belize Tourism Board through a Belizean version […]

Blogs

“Money on My Mind” in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Regular readers will know that I’m one of the world’s great ponderers. But, I have to admit, it wasn’t always that way. When working in the UK (boy does that seem an eternity ago) I used to ponder but back then I described it as thinking. I was paid to think, and think quickly, not ponder, you understand. But now ? Well now I ponder. And I ponder a lot. I ponder about the weather. Will it be sunny? Will it rain? Will our water tank be full soon? Will Arsenal win the next game? You give me a subject and I’m sure I will able to ponder about it. But the subject I’ve spent a lot of time recently pondering about is the sterling v US Dollar exchange rate. It’s fair to say that I’ve had money on my mind. Why? Quite simple really. My pensions and the majority of our easily convertible assets are in sterling and sterling has taken a real pummelling recently and particularly so since Brexit. Before we moved here I did all of our budget calculations on the basis of US$ 1.50 to £1 exchange rate. The rate was better than that but my years of managing budgets for companies that I worked for had taught me (well actually it was the Finance Directors that browbeat it in to me) to always be prudent. I then did the same calculations – for the cost of building our house and living expenses during and after the completion of the build – but this time using outliers . I even went so far as calculating a 1:1 exchange rate. I never, ever, expected the rate to drop so low but I wanted to be sure that if it did we could still ‘cut the mustard’. And we could.

International Sources

U.S. Court Enforced Arbitration Award Bodes Well For Caribbean Investment Holdings Shareholders
Summary: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has enforced an arbitration award against Government of Belize worth ~$0.364 per share including prejudgement interest on the Final Award. Only 1% of cases petitioned to the U.S. Supreme Court are reviewed, giving us confidence that the petition for review by Government of Belize will be dismissed. The stock trades at between 10 to 15x EPS and less than half of book value; a special dividend of the financial award would double an investment. The U.S. Court enforcement stems from an unfulfilled Government of Belize guarantee on a loan made by Belize Bank over 10 years ago. The foreign arbitration enforcement follows the New York Convention, and the London Court of International Arbitration's decision to force Belize to pay the loan plus interest worth $37mm.

Belize includes HPV vaccine to National Vaccine Program
The Belize Ministry of Health hosted a press conference to speak on the inclusion of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the National Vaccine Schedule under the National Vaccine Program of the country. The presentation panel was headed by the Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero accompanied by Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal and Child Health Unit. Dr. Manzanero spoke of the consultations that the Ministry has undertaken and the support it has garnered from the partners in this discussion including the Churches, the Ministry of Education, related NGO agencies, parents and the community. He mentioned that the administering of the vaccine will commenced by the end of this month to girls age 10 in standard 4 school settings.

2 named finalists in Siemens contest
Will Duke of Pine Bluff and Nick Nehas of North Little Rock, seniors at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts in Hot Springs, were recently named semifinalists and region finalists in the 2016 Siemens Competition in Mathematics, Science and Technology. The Siemens competition is one of the nation's premier competitions in math, science and technology for high school students who vie for college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. Duke and Nehas' project focused on the Coral Gardens reef in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize. They conducted research on the health of the reef during their school's Global Learning Program trip this summer to the Tropical Marine Research and Education Center in San Pedro, Belize. More than 1,600 projects were submitted to the Siemens competition this year, and 498 students were selected as semifinalists. Ninety-six semifinalists are chosen to advance to one of six regional competitions. Duke and Nehas will compete in Region 2 at the University of Texas at Austin this month. They are guaranteed at least a $1,000 college scholarship for being named a regional finalist.

Commonwealth Tax Administrators to meet in Barbados
The issues of tax compliance, enforcement and exchange of information will top the agenda when the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) hosts the 37th annual Technical Conference of the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators next week. Over 140 delegates including representatives from Commonwealth nations, tax advisors from international agencies, and members of the business community are expected to attend the November 7-11 meeting, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel under the theme ‘Enhancing Tax Compliance through Strategic Alliances’. “This forum provides an excellent platform to share experiences on strategies for enhancing tax compliance as well as identifying opportunities for stronger cooperation between respective tax administrations,” the BRA’s communications officer Erica Lazare said.

Videos

November 5, 2016

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

Financial Intelligence Unit signs MOU with Income Tax Department
A most significant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on Wednesday, October 26th between the Income Tax Department and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). In this new domestic cooperation, they will fight against money laundering, countering terrorism financing and tax evasion. The new agreement will also facilitate the exchange of information between the two government agencies. Clare believes that there is a real threat of laundering taking place locally in Belize. “Simply put, this is where we are, we are exposed to the unknown,” said Clare. “It is incumbent on us to monitor and not take anything for granted, whether is our borders, the risk from criminal activities, to street crime, to cyber-crime and the protection of our financial systems, and so on.”

Proposed mega development on nearby Cayo Rosario raises many concerns
On the heels of the recently approved Blackadore Caye development, another tourism project has been proposed on the leeward coast of Ambergris Caye. The upscale tourism development is to take place at Cayo Rosario, a 10-acre island densely packed with mangroves and a well-known bird nesting site. Equally troubling is that Cayo Rosario is part of the finalized expansion of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and therefore is within protected grounds. However, investors are claiming that while they do intend on developing the privately owned island, they plan to do so in an environmentally-sound manner. The Cayo Rosario project is being carried out by a group of investors who acquired the island in 2015 from David Mitchell. Among the investors is previous listing broker for Cayo Rosario, John Turley who spoke to The San Pedro Sun about the project on Thursday, November 3rd.

New flight and boat services offered in San Pedro
San Pedro will be able to take advantage of a new boat ferry service, as well as Tropic Air’s new flight schedule that accommodates visitors arriving via international airlines. In support of the new, early morning American Airlines flight that departs the Philip Golson International (PGIA) Airport airport at 7:30AM, Tropic Air announced on October 26th that they have added a 5:30AM flight from San Pedro to the airport. The new American Airlines flights will land in Miami, Florida, USA on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. In addition, a new San Pedro based water-taxi company, Isla Norte Ferry will be offering two daily runs from San Pedro to Sarteneja or Corozal Town starting on Friday, November 4th. At one point, the Thunderbolt was the only Sarteneja/Corozal based boat water taxi, but Isla Norte Ferry will be introducing a new time schedule that differs from Thunderbolt, to provide more convenience to travelers.

Press Officer Director Dorian Pakeman still under investigation
It’s been over a month that Director of the Government of Belize (GOB) Press Office, Dorian Pakeman, was put on immediate unpaid leave following the revelation that cocaine had been found in his blood specimen following a traffic accident that killed a man. Pakeman is still being investigated by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). In March 2016, Pakeman was involved in a traffic accident in Biscayne Village, which resulted in the death of 45- year-old Dean Dawson. Pakeman was never charged and was only served with a notice of intended prosecution. However, when the DPP stumbled across Pakeman’s laboratory exam, which tested positive for cocaine but was hidden by a police officer, he was placed on leave. Rural Executive Officer for the Eastern Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Edward Broaster, stated that the police have fulfilled certain directives from the DPP, and the investigation is still ongoing. “The status of the Pakeman file as it is, the DPP had given us certain instructions to carry out and we are in the process of completing those instructions and we will return the file to the DPP,” said Broaster in an interview with Channel 5 News.

Glamour Shots to help fundraise for Red Cross and Food Bank
Getting glammed up and pampered is always a treat, especially when it’s supporting a great cause. CG Esthetics Beauty Salon will be hosting their “Glamour Shots Day” fundraiser on Sunday, November 13th from 9AM to 4PM. The proceeds will be donated to two local charities who greatly assist the community, the San Pedro Red Cross and the San Pedro Food Bank. For a price of $150, you can enjoy the perks of a pampered treatment by having your hair and makeup done with one photo taken, while one single picture without hair and makeup is $75. Group pictures with four or more persons is priced at $40 per person, while those who wish to have their hair and makeup done for the group picture are looking at $140 per person. CS Esthetics will also offer a regular nail polish application for $15. According to salon owner Carole Goudreau, people are liking the idea and she has been getting positive feedback. “It’s the first time that I am doing this type of fundraiser, but it is something I always wanted to do in order to help. I think the Red Cross and the Food Bank are very important when it comes to helping out our community,” said Goudreau.

Ambergris Today

Parents Called to be More Vigilant of Children’s Safety
The National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC) issued a press release expressing deep concern over the random devastating residential fires that are apparently becoming the new trend of claiming the innocent lives of children lately. The National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC), launched in 1994, is the lead national agency and major advisory body to the government on families and children issues. To that end, one of its obligations to our children is to ensure the safety and protection of our children at all times. In fact, Article 36 of the CRC states that children have the right to protection and safety. On that very premise, NCFC issued a press release this week expressing how deeply bothered they are by these random devastating residential fires that are apparently becoming the new trend of claiming the innocent lives of children lately. In just about one month, fire has gutted several homes claiming the lives of two children and therefore, NCFC is calling particularly on parents, to be more vigilant about your child’s surroundings and whereabouts at all times.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belize International YOGA Festival
Ring in the new year doing yoga! December 31, 2016. Larbour View Grens, 6am. Workshop and Concert.

Pumpkin pone
Peel, wash and grate the pumpkin and coconut. Add the cornmeal and work the margarine in with a fork. Add the sugar and water to make a soft dropping consistency. Add the essence, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, mixing well. Pour into a greased dripping pan. The mixture should be 1 – 1½ inches thick. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) until crisp and brown. Cool, and cut into 2 inch squares before serving.

Green Corn Pudding
Mix the corn, sugar, melted butter; add the flour and beaten egg. Mix in gradually the milk. Bake in a moderate oven one hour. Serve with roast beef or lamb.

Remembrance Day Exhibit in Corozal
You are kindly invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Remembrance Day Exhibit one week from today, November 11th. As part of the ceremony; we look forward to honouring Corozal's two ex-servicemen for their service and sacrifice during WW II. Please join us beginning at 9 am.

BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We have a compelling lineup of short documentaries, including entries from Wil Maheia, Orson Picart, Carol and Richard Foster and Linda Ainouche (Jamaica). Check out the trailers!

Finados celebration in Banquitas
Banquitas held its annual Finados celebration in honor and memory of our dearly departed. We want to sincerely thank all those that help in one way or another. it means a lot to us that we can count on you all to carry out this tradition. I want to thank Ms. Libertad Cal for being our right hand in this. She is always with us every year ensuring that we carry it out. Most of the items on the altars belong to her and for that we are more than grateful. While setting up Ms. Libertad ensures that we all know the meaning of all the essential elements on the altars. Thanks to Ms. Felicita Cantun for being our guest speaker. Ms. Fel gave the history and explain all the important elements on the altars to give all a clear understanding of this tradition. She was a vital role in this celebration. Thanks to our Rezadora/ prayer lady who is always working in collaboration with the HOC, Ms. Bertha Alonzo. Her role was also very important as she lead the rosary and songs. Thanks to the ladies of our community that recited the decades of our rosary. Special thanks to Ismael Quiroa, Christian Cantun , Dion Cal and Kevin Arnold for being with us in the preparation. Lastly we extend a huge thanks to all those that participated and for being with us on this special day.

Grace Kennedy donates to FCD
Grace Kennedy (Belize) Limited handed over a 6 month supplement and groceries for the Park Ranger team yesterday in Chiquibul. Handing over was done by Marketing Manager, Mr. Marnix Perez. These groceries will help rangers with their ration requirements, as they spend two weeks at a time in the Chiquibul jungle. Thank you Grace Kennedy for the support.

The Placencia Breeze November 2016
Pg 3 Tour Operator of the Year Pg 5 BTIA news Pg 6 Poet Bob Pg 7 Rotary Club Ladies Gala Pg 9 Crocodile Research Coalition celebrates Croctober! Pg 11 Placencia Players Theatre presents “Ebony Scrooge” Pg 13 5th Annual End of the World Marathon/Half Marathon Pg 15 & 18 Placencia BTIA Members Pg 16 & 17 Placencia Peninsula Map Pg 19 Ms Cunchie's 79th October 26 Pg 20/21 Placencia Peninsula Guide Pg 22 Placencia Humane Society News Pg 23 Bird Watching in Placencia / Farm House Deli opening in December Pg 24 Volunteer Support for The End of the World Marathon / Drink Contest Form / Marathon Sponsors Pg 26 Community Corner Pg 27 Licensed Tour Operators in Placencia / Christmas Boat Parade Pg 28/29 The History of Kitty’s Place Pg 30 Placencia Peninsula Happenings Pg 31 Calender of Events

Ocean Academy Visit
Nice to see the little children of LICA visiting their big sister counterparts. LICA students had a great learning experience at OA. Thanks for the invitation.

Lucky Boy, Black Jaguar at the Belize Zoo passes away
The Belize Zoo sadly announces that our beloved black jaguar, Lucky Boy, has passed away. Our staff attended to him for over two weeks, providing care and constant medical attention. Unfortunately, his health steadily declined. Lucky Boy was twenty years old and fought chronic health problems ever since his arrival to the Zoo in 2012. This stellar jaguar brought joy and happiness to the lives of many for well over four years. We are grateful to everyone around the world who were part of his amazing story..The Belize Zoo is committed to keeping his special spirit alive forever. Lucky Boy, such a an incredible guy, is, and always will be, greatly missed.

SPTB gives Donation of $1,000 for Garifuna Settlement celebrations
Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Councilor Hector "Tito" Alamilla presented the Garifuna Council with a donation of $1,000 to be used for the Garifuna Settlement celebrations. Look out for all the activities to take place throughout the month in celebration of the Garifuna's settlement to Belize!

Students from Galen University in the class of Introduction to Sustainable Development
Guided by professor Victor Alegria, visited Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Deputy Mayor Gary Greif as part of their learning trip to San Pedro Town. Their purpose of their trip was to learn about the daily tasks of the town council and how the town council is applying sustainable methods in their day-to day tasks. Thanks for the visit guys!

Battle of the Garifuna Drums, High School Edition!
The competition is on!!!!!!!!!!

Preserving & Promoting Finados to our Schools
Despite the heavy rains, we thank the Schools for making their constant visits to the annual Finados Altar Display & Interaction session in honor of Don Julio Alvarado & Ms. Cristina Bejerano.

Cave Mapping Team
The fourth session of the Chiquibul Cave System Working Group was held today. At this session the recommendation for developing a Cave Mapping team was agreed. Any avid caver who wishes to join this mapping team can write to [email protected]

Christmas Bird Count 2016
My friends, this is YOUR official invite. You need not to be a birder or expert or any sort of bird guru at all. Just join. Mark your calendars and don't say I did not invite you. And the "Christmas" theme actually has nothing to do with Christmas, bring your binos, not gifts.

BTB Customer Service Frontline Personnel Training
The Belize Tourism Board joins with the Ministry of Public Service to launch it's second Customer Service Frontline Personnel Training.

New Roof Covering completed for the Caracol Monuments
After waiting for several weeks for the right time to cut the sticks, the Park Rangers at the Caracol Archaeological Reserve have now completed the new roof cover which protects the monuments from around the site.

Channel 7

Extradition Denied! Alleged Narco Gary Sewell Set Free After 7 Years On Remand
Back in February 2010, it made national headlines when Gary Seawell was found holed up in Esperanza. Sewell had been on the run from the US Government who was seeking his extradition to face trial for narcotics trafficking. Gary was the last Sewell standing after his older brothers Mark and Duane had already been arrested. According to US law enforcement, the brothers, allegedly imported cocaine into the US through Mexico, and sold marijuana in Texas from December 1994 to August 1997. They are also allegedly responsible for 1 million dollars in drug proceeds sent to Houston, Texas; Lakeland, Florida, and Belize. He had been on remand fighting his extradition since his arrest more than 6 years ago. And today, after failing in the two lower courts, he struck gold in the Court of Appeal. Our 7News team was there when he was released from police custody, and allowed to exit the court a free man. We got a chance to speak to the one-time icon of the underworld, and we found an individual who was only very happy to go home to his wife and children. Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Life In Prison No Longer An Automatic Sentence For Murder
And, while that was the huge decision coming out of the Court of Appeal in the morning, there was another massive ruling which was handed down in the afternoon session. The court ruled that a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole can no longer be given to convicted person. That means that defendants who have been convicted of murder will now be given a certain number of years in jail, and if they eligible, they will be given parole after serving part of that sentence. This came out of Gregory August's appeal. In November 2012, he was convicted of the 2009 killing of 73 year-old Alvin Robinson. A jury found him guilty of stabbing the elderly disabled man 9 times in the face and neck. He had been sentenced to life in prison - but the landmark judgment now quashes that life sentence. More importantly, it sets a major precedent, scrapping automatic life sentences for murder convictions. After the hearing, we spoke with his attorney, Eamon Courtenay, about the significance of the decision:

GOB Writes To Vega and Pitts Giving Them 30 Days To Refund Compensation
3 weeks ago, we showed you the press conference, which Prime Minister Dean Barrow held to address the scandal of the land compensation racket. He announced that Gaspar Vega had resigned from the Cabinet as a minister after it became public that under his watch, his son, Andre, received 400 thousand dollars in compensation for a piece land that the Ministry of Natural Resources sold to him. The Lands Department knew that the land was private, and that they should not have sold it, but they did so anyway. The new Minister of Natural Resources, Vanessa Retreage, declared that the Government would seek the return of that 400 thousand dollars of taxpayers money which was given to Andre Vega as compensation. Well, a late evening press release notes that the Government has already started the process. They're asking Andre Vega and attorney Sharon Pitts to pay back the compensation they received. You'll remember that she also received 400 thousand dollars as compensation when it was revealed that government sold her a piece of pre-owned private land.

Paumen's First Interview: Did He Plot To Kill Modiri?
For the past 2 nights, we've been showing you our interview with Michael Modiri, the Franks Eddy business man who is locked in a criminal and civil court battle with his neighbour and major American Tour Operator, Bradley Paumen. Modiri says that he will not stand by anymore and allow Paumen to continue trespassing on his land without compensation, especially since he is collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in his tour guide operation. Today, we got an opportunity to hear from Paumen himself on this alleged trespass, and we also spoke with a number of the villagers from Franks Eddy about this road in dispute. We'll get to that bit later on in the news, but first, we'll show you our interview with Paumen, where we asked that burning question everyone wanted answered since January, when this story first hit the news. Did he hire a hitman to kill his neighbour?

Modiri Responds
Paumen mentioned that Modiri was involved in some shady business back in the US. He handed us some documents connecting Modiri to the prostitution industry. So, we called Modiri and he gave us his side of the story, which involved one of Paumen's partners in this very, very tangled web... Michael Modiri - Refutes Paumen's Claims: "One of those properties which was tens of millions of dollars valued was a huge building in Washington DC. I did not buy it. I couldn't afford it as it was like 18 million dollars to buy that building. So, I leased it. Subsequently, subleased it to a business who owned and operated by Haun Park who is now some sort of a partner. They keep saying partner but I haven't seen any business they run together but they are saying that they have a business relationship and they are the ones who conspired to plant a gun in my vehicle."

Family Of Murder Victim Complains About Cop/suspect Release
27 year old Belize City resident Jeon Peebles was found dead on Monday morning. He had been executed on the Boom-Hattieville road. The last time he was seen by friends was reportedly on Sunday night when he was picked up by two police officers on Mahogany Street. One police officer was detained - after he handed himself in with his attorney. He was held for 48 hours, when he answered no questions. Police released him yesterday and he has been put back on active duty. For the family of Jeon Peebles, it's an outrage, and special treatment given to a police officer. Today, Jeon's sister who asked to appear off camera told us why the family is angry at the development and concerted that justice will not be served: Voice of: Shantel Thompson - Jeon's Sister: "The family of Jeon Peebles very concerned because the 2 officers who held Jeon, one of them held him and the next one, we haven't heard anything about him. He is just not in the picture any at all. The one that was held was already released and he is back on duty and working and I don't think that is fair because if it was someone from the street and they did something and the police hold him for that then the person would have not been released."

Police: They Beat Up Richie Rich!
Two days ago we told you about the beatdown at the scene of the fire where Two year old Kaylee Alvarez perished. Relatives of the deceased beat a man suspected of setting the fire. Well, so far, police say there is no evidence of arson, and, now, additionally, the two persons accused of the beating were charged today. Fisherwoman, 23 year old Nickesha Rhaburn and stevedore, 28 year old Brian Welch were arraigned in court for use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm upon 20 year old Richie-rich Jones (yes, that's the name that went to court!). A mob of men and women allegedly beat and stabbed Jones after knocking him off his bike near the fire scene. He was stabbed three times in the back, and clubbed over the head with a two by four. The police prosecutor objected to bail because a knife was used and Senior Magistrate, Sharon Fraser agreed and remanded both into custody at the Belize Central Prison. They are due back in Court #2 on December 9th.

The 13th Senator - Who Will It Be?
Probably one of the most surprising outcomes from the October's teacher's strike is that they forced the Prime Minister to activate the 13th Senator. This wasn't something like the United Nations Convention Against Corruption which he had said he might do. Activating the 13th Senator was something he said he would never do - because it would cause paralysis in government. But, when the teachers applied pressure, the Prime Minister caved - and he signed the commencement order two weeks ago, after holding off on it for 7 years before that. So now the way is paved for that Civil Society Senator - but who will it be? The first consultation to come up with that name was held today when 22 NGO's, quote,"in good standing" met at the Biltmore. We interviewed their designated spokespersons after the meeting to find out what they had come up with:... Armando Aban - Int'l Commissioner, Scout Assc. Of Belize: "We have all the NGO's that have been invited by the Attorney General to initiate the process election of the 13th senator. At this present time what we have done is that the NGO has decided that they'll be holding a next meeting for next week where we will father discuss the detail information in terms of how the process will imitate."

Franks Eddy On the March Against Modiri
As you saw in our first segment, Frank's Eddy neighbors Bradley Paumen and Michael Modiri have MAJOR issues. But as they battle for land rights and usage in court, other involved parties have taken to protesting. Many of Paumen's employees and fellow Frank's Eddy villagers took the fight to the government in hopes that it will be able to stop Michael Modiri from blocking them off from their main source of income. Alex Courtenay was in Belmopan for their protest... Alex Courtenay reporting: Today about 80 people from Frank's Eddy, many who work for Paumen's Dark Night Cave Tubing Adventures, were out in front of the Assembly Building in Belmopan to urge the government to intervene. Rudy Barrera - Dark Night employee/Protester: "Now today we all decided to come out. All of us that you see here behind me because we are working with Dark Night, but since a week ago we have been stop by one man. His name is Michael Modiri." Since Modiri started blocking access to the cave system Dark Night uses to conduct its tours, business has declined. Now the tour operators are asking the government to make the road that passes through Modiri's private land public, because they say, that's what it has always been.

What's Up With The Weather?
Is there another storm out there? With all this rain and flooding since Wednesday, it might seem so and those still - recovering hurricane Earl victims are starting to get worried. Well, the experts say there's no need to be overly concerned because it's just the usual wet November weather. Today Meteorologist Ronald Gordon assured the public that the rainy spell will pass, eventually:... Gordon says the weather should clear up by Tuesday. The Northeastern part of the county is being most affected, and that includes Belize City and San Pedro and the northern districts.

Community Service For Copycat Customs Officer
Earlier this week we told you about the copycat customs officer Miguel Manzanilla who was found wearing his neighbour's Customs uniform - which he had stolen. On Wednesday, Manzanilla appeared before newly appointed Magistrate, Norman Rodriguez where he pleaded guilty to committing a mischievous act. He was not jailed or fined; instead Magistrate Rodriguez sent Manzanilla to community service. He was ordered to perform 60 hours of Community Service in his home town of Corozal. Manzanilla got caught when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Ladyville where he told police he was a customs officer but his uniform was off and police arrested him. And while he stole the uniform, he could not be charged for theft since the neighbour has not made a complaint against him.

Those Were Some Pretty Pricey Panties! Panty Pilferers Fined $1,000
They were the famous panty pilferers who went to prison on remand, but today northerners, 36 year old Donaela Bernaldita Smith from Palmar and 27 year old Johny Netty Lopez, from Ranchito changed their not guilty plea to guilty and begged the court for leniency because they have children. Smith told Senior Magistrate that they were drunk when they stole panties from Siloe's store one year ago. The women were caught red handed on a surveillance camera stealing a whole bunch of panties from the store. In mitigation, Smith broke down as she spoke and said she is ashamed of what she did and that she knows that the act made her family ashamed of her too. Senior Magistrate, Sharon Frazer took into consideration the fact that they saved the court time in and that they have no previous convictions for theft or crimes of dishonesties. So instead of sending them to jail they were fined $1,000 dollars or in default 1 year imprisonment. SO, at one thousand dollars, those were some pretty pricey panties.

Coalition Calls Out GOB
Government has made it official that it won't put legislation in place to confirm the referendum on offshore drilling. The Belize Coalition to save Our Natural Heritage says that won't do - because they say policy can change overnight. It all goes back to 2015, when OCEANA and the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage submitted a draft bill outlining the requirements that needed to be met in order to lift the moratorium on offshore oil exploration. While the government acknowledges the submission of the draft, in a letter to OCEANA, it notes that it never asked for a bill. So, rather than making all the Coalition's requirements legislation, the Government has decided to maintain the policy-based moratorium which will only be lifted if three of the Coalition's stipulations are met. This isn't exactly the decision OCEANA was hoping for, and here's what they told us about their position moving forward...

Smooth Sailing Through OW South
In last night's news, we told you about the 2 new multimillion dollar roads which have been constructed in Orange Walk South. Here now is that story about the Yo Creek to San Antonio Road, and the August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road. They are valued and 20 million dollars, and instead of having to endure a punishing ride to and from Orange Walk Town, residents of villages along these roads will now cruise all the way. Our news team tested out the new roads when we attended the inauguration ceremonies today. Here's what the Minister of Works had to say about it: The roads were upgraded under the program called the EU's Accompanying measures for Sugar.

Black Cat's Luck Ran Out
If you've been to the Belize Zoo, you have surely seen Lucky the Black Jaguar. Visitors marvel at his glistening coat and massive yet graceful structure. He was rescued from a resort in the South in 2012 where he was an exotic display to entertain guests. But he was neglected and Zoo keepers found him starved, and close to death. Since then the Zoo staff has been trying to rehabilitate him. But his chronic digestive problems among a string of health complications took him over and he died yesterday. The Belize Zoo announced his passing today, noting that staff attended to him for over two weeks, providing care and constant medical attention. But nothing could halt his decline and the 20 year old Lucky Boy passed away. Indeed, caring for the rare and exotic cat was an ongoing struggle and in January of 2015, I was there when specialized vets performed a procedure on him - and it gave a rare chance to observe his majestic power at rest. In memory of Lucky, we repeat that story tonight:...

Channel 5

Gary Seawell free, ending long-running extradition case
After languishing in prison for six years, Gary Sewell is finally a free man. He was apprehended back in February, 2010 but had been on the run since 2007 wanted [...]

G.O.B. demands compensation money from Andre Vega, Sharon Pitts
The government is seeking to recover almost a million dollars paid in compensation to Andre Vega, the son of the former DPM and Minister of Natural Resources as well as [...]

Supreme Court awards damages for victim of police beatdown
But government is settling out of court on another matter. In mid-April of last year, Orange Walk resident Andres Rodriguez was brutally assaulted by three police officers, under suspicion that [...]

A woman without identity: Vital Statistics accused of dragging feet on alleged scam
Imagine a born Belizean being told that she could not access her birth certificate because someone else may have her identity. Then, imagine that an investigation has been underway for [...]

NGO’s begin consultations on Thirteenth Senator
A thirteenth Senator will be appointed in January, the choice of Belize’s non-governmental organizations. Following the Prime Minister’s signing of the commencement order for Sections seven and nine of the [...]

NGO leaders promise appointee will be ready for January
The Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO), following the passing of the Sixth Amendment, nominated former executive director of Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management, Gregory Ch’oc, but he [...]

Another Ministry of Health pick-up stolen, this time in San Ignacio
A government owned vehicle was stolen in the early hours of this morning in San Ignacio Town. The vehicle attached/assigned to the Ministry of Health was parked in an employee’s [...]

Cubs hold big parade, will retired catcher visit Belize?
Today was celebration day for fans of the Chicago Cubs, as the biggest parade in the city’s history flowed from Wrigley Field, the World Series’ champions’ home stadium, to Grant [...]

Government responds to environmentalists on moratorium
The Government of Belize has responded to the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage, putting aside for now the issue of legislating the currently policy-based moratorium on activities relating [...]

A step forward, but environmentalists still want complete ban
So, is this a step forward or a step backward? And will it move the Coalition even slightly from its position that a complete ban on offshore petroleum-related activity of [...]

Cop accused in Jeon Peebles death released; family wants answers
Twenty-five year old father of one, Jeon Peebles, died in mysterious circumstances nearly a week ago. Peebles was picked up by the cops on Sunday night near a supermarket on [...]

Accused underwear thieves plead guilty; blame it on the alcohol
In December of 2015, a woman from Palmar Orange Walk and another from Ranchito, Corozal District were accused by a Belize City businesswoman of shoplifting underwear from her store. This [...]

Children’s surgeries planned for Dangriga
The World Pediatric Project will be conducting surgery clinic at the Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga Town. The surgery clinic is only for children from birth to twenty one years [...]

Rain, rain, please go away!
Incessant rains across the country have inundated parts of Belize City and the weekend forecast indicates that there are more showers ahead.  The downpour began in the wee early hours [...]

B.N.T.U.’s Council of Management will plan new strategy
The council of management of the Belize National Teachers Union is meeting on Saturday to discuss the way forward in light of recent developments in the education sector.  Earlier this [...]

B.N.T.U.’s Palacio said Education Minister never put Strike Fund in play
The strike fund and its intended use are also at the center of the ongoing controversy.  According to B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio, the Minister of Education quotes liberally from a [...]

Taking C.S.E.C. examinations online
C.X.C. going online? Yes, well, at least a part of it and it is happening sooner than you’d think. In January of next year, students who are sitting CSEC exams [...]

Lucky Boy, the Black Jaguar, passes on at 20
There is a bit of sad news coming out of the Belize Zoo tonight. One of its beloved residents, Lucky Boy, has passed away. According to the zoo, the twenty-year-old [...]

The original Halloween monster: Remembering Hattie, 55 years on
Fifty-five years ago, a true monster unleashed havoc, death and destruction on the tiny colony then known as British Honduras. We speak of Hurricane Hattie, which struck on October thirty-first, [...]

LOVE FM

Government Wants Monies Back From Sharon Pitts and Andre Vega
The Government of Belize is demanding four hundred thousand dollars each from Attorney Sharon Pitts and Andre Vega, the son of former Minister, Gaspar Vega. A release from GOB stated, quote, “As a result of the findings, of the investigation into the matter concerning Ms. Sharon Pitts and Mr. Andre Vega, letters were sent to […]

Court of Appeals Frees Gary Sewell
After being in prison for about 7 years awaiting extradition proceedings, Gary Seawell today became a free man when Belize Court of Appeals allowed his appeal and granted him a writ of habeas corpus. Seawell’s attorneys, Ben Cooper and Anthony Sylvestre submitted that a check of the legal files revealed that there was no committal […]

Protesters Upset Over Inaccess to Public Roads
More than one hundred employees and stakeholders of Dark Knight Adventures picketed the Sir Edney Cain Building in Belmopan earlier today. They were protesting against Iranian businessman, Michael Modiri . Correspondent Fem Cruz was there for the protest and he shared the story.

Consulting the NGOs for the 13th Senator
Attorney General Vanessa Retreage called a meeting with twenty two non governmental organizations this afternoon to discuss the selection of the thirteenth Senator which will represent the NGOs. Armando Aban, International Commissioner of the Belize Scouts, spoke on behalf of the NGOs in terms of what was discussed in the meeting. Aban stated that they […]

Coalition Wants Government’s Commitment in Black and White
Is the government of Belize saying yes to offshore oil? That is the question that the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage is asking after a letter was sent to one of the members from the Department of Petroleum in which they claim that the government is refusing to adopt legislation on the offshore oil […]

Bert Vasquez to Stand Trial for Forcible Abduction of Minor
Back in 2012 residents were outraged at the murder of 13-year-old, Jasmine Lowe. The young girl had gone missing on her way to an event where she was to perform in the Scouts Diamond Jubilee celebration on Monday, June 4 but she never made it. Two days later, authorities in San Ignacio found her body […]

Fire in Seine Bight Consumes Home
Police in Seine Bight Village in the Stann Creek District has launched an investigation into a fire that destroyed a two-storey home this afternoon. Love News spoke with Plcencia’s Commanding Officer, Dennis Miles for an update.

Police Probes Into the Death of a Baby Girl
A 1-year-old baby is dead and police are looking for answers following the autopsy report which shows that the child suffered injuries to the forehead and the neck area. Inspector Dennis Miles spoke to Love News on the investigation. The child lived in Seine Bight Village with her mother but the father who also has […]

Police Minister Speaks of Improving Officers’ Incentives
For some time now there have been talks of the officers of the Belize Police Department not being well compensated or looked after when it comes to benefits like insurance and the likes. It is a complaint that has not gone on deaf ears as the recently appointed Minister for Home Affairs, Elodio Aragon Jr. […]

Internet Exchange Training Addresses Various Areas
The Belize Internet Exchange Point (BIXP) in collaboration with Casa de internet de Latin-American and the Caribbean (LACNIC ) provided an Internet Exchange Training with facilitator Guillermo Cicileo; he spoke to us on the content of today’s training. Information Technology Manager for Alliance IP, Andrew Martinez spoke about how the training will benefit his company. […]

Reformed Gang Leader as Guest Speaker at Youth Awards 2016
Dishawn “Jiwe” Morris is the invited guest for the National Youth Awards. Morris has an interesting life story that relates to many Belize City youth. He is a reformed gang member who went on to publish a best-selling book. He does motivational speaking to help young persons gain a better perspective of life. We met […]

Amandala

Businesses report problems accessing US dollars
Earlier this week, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) launched a poll to canvass its membership on whether they have been experiencing problems sourcing foreign exchange. The poll was triggered by several concerns expressed by members who said that they had been affected by limited or no access to foreign exchange, and in particular, to US currency. The wider membership has since been asked to submit responses by this Friday, November 4, stating whether they have been affected and if so, to specify the currency they have had problems accessing. Amandala understands that companies who are in both the merchandising trade and services sectors are being polled at this time.

Vital Statistics birth certificate scam?
A Belizean woman from the village of Progresso in the Corozal District is distraught after her birth certificate was allegedly listed by the Vital Statistics Unit as one of the documents in a purported identity scam. According to Jazminie Lino, 29, she went to the Vital Statistics Unit today, Thursday, to apply for her birth certificate and those of her children. While she was able to get those documents belonging to her children, she was prevented from getting hers because her identity has been linked to that of a Mexican woman.

Taxpayers forced to pay $13,000 to victim of Orange Walk police brutality
Policemen with no regard for the constitutional rights of citizens continue to cost taxpayers many thousands of dollars in court awards and legal settlements. On Tuesday in the Supreme Court of Madam Justice Sonya Young, attorney Kareem Musa reached an out-of-court settlement with a government attorney in a case of police brutality in Orange Walk that was captured on video and uploaded to social media—displaying the abuse inflicted by police officers on the man at his home. In the claim filed by Andres Rodriguez against the Attorney General of Belize, named the first defendant; the Commissioner of Police, second defendant; PC Marcial Ramirez, third defendant; PC Edward Swift, fourth defendant; and PC Shawn Chin, the fifth defendant, the evidence of police brutality was overwhelmingly convincing.

Faithful Belizean Cubbies celebrate World Series win!
When the ball settled into the glove of first baseman Anthony Rizzo from a throw by third baseman Kris Bryant off a Michael Martinez slow roller into the infield, Chicago Cubs fans went wild with joy, and that included long-suffering Cubs fans in Belize, who had “adopted” the Chicago Cubs since the early 1980s, when all they watched were Cubs games, and when the Cubs star outfielder Gary Matthews, Sr., came to Belize in the winter of 1985. After Matthews’ visit, the Cubs almost instantly gained practically a whole country of Cubs-mad fans. In Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field, the Chicago Cubs shattered their 108-year championship drought with an 8-7, 10-inning World Series victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 after causing consternation when in the 9th inning, the Indians leveled the playing field by tying the score 6-6.

Cop detained in connection with bullet-riddled body found on Boom Road
On Monday morning, a passerby saw a body on the ground riddled with bullets and called police, who removed the body and several expended shells from the scene at the junction of the Burrell Boom/Hattieville Road. The body was later identified as Jeon Peebles, 25, a Belize City man whose family claims that he was in police custody on Sunday night for marijuana possession. Last night, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that a police officer was detained and is being questioned in connection with the apparent homicide of Peebles. Williams told 7News, “Yes, we have one officer in custody who we believe was one of the officers who picked him up. That information, though, is yet to be confirmed and the allegation that you’re saying, is that two officers did pick up him.”

Animal Planet’s Monsters Inside Me looks at flesh-eating leishmaniasis in Belize
The UK-based Daily Mail is reporting that a new episode of Animal Planet to air this Thursday on The Discovery Channel will feature the story of a retired US firefighter who contracted a flesh-eating parasite while at his vacation home in Belize. Without treatment, the infection—cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by a protozoa, a single-celled organism—can prove fatal, the report warned. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cutaneous leishmaniasis usually produces ulcers on the exposed parts of the body, such as the face, arms and legs. It adds that there may be a large number of lesions—sometimes up to 200—which can cause serious disability. Notably, when the ulcers heal, they invariably leave permanent scars, which are often the cause of serious social prejudice, WHO explains. Whereas Belize’s Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero, has indicated that he does not know of the case in question, involving Mark Ward of Prescott, Arizona, and his wife Janina, he has indicated that leishmaniasis has been reported in Belize—as in most tropical countries—and soldiers of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) or others out in the forest/jungle are most particularly at risk. In fact, cases have been reported among British soldiers who have been in Belize’s jungles.

Belizean cyclists dominate in Chetumal, Mexico
The third annual “Carrera de la Frontera Sur” was held in Chetumal, Mexico this past Sunday, October 30. Most of the big Belizean teams were present: C-Ray, Benny’s Megabytes, Smart, Digicell, Santino’s, Cabral/Marin Cycling, Marie Sharp. Belizeans placed top-three in the Junior category. Team Marie Sharp took the first and third spots on the podium, with Darien Anderson winning and Patrick Williams in third position. Smart’s Kaydine Pinelo was second. The trio got away from the peloton, and were able to hold them off until the final lap. In the Female race, eleven cyclists lined up – three of which were Belizeans. National Road Champion, Kaya Cattouse of the C-Ray Cycling Club, was in a break-away from the first lap with Mexican Wendy Maldonado Molina. After the 26-mile race, including 10 laps on the circuit, Cattouse finished solo. Molina finished in second place, and Belizean Alicia Thompson of Belize Bank Swoosh rounded out the top three.

Cubs win! And Belizeans celebrate!
There are quite a few Dodgers fans in Belize, and also Giants fans and Yankee fans, and others; but, ever since television arrived in Belize in the early 1980’s with WGN Channel 9 the main station, featuring broadcaster Harry Caray’s Chicago Cubs, large numbers of Belizean baseball fans have been hooked on the ritual cycle of hope and disappointment dished out religiously, year after heartbreaking year, by the never quite good enough, Cubbies. Belizean fans, by and large, were of Harry Caray’s mold, “die hard,” always believing that one day, one fine day, Cubs would be World Champions. Well, that day is here; last night, actually, as the Chicago Cubs finally ended the 108-year drought since the 1908 Cubs won the World Series. They beat the Cleveland Indians, 8-7, in game 7, after being down 3 games to 1 in the best-of-7 series. And we just had to share the adjacent article with the many jubilant Cubs fans among our readership.

Belize Bank Bulldogs 3-peat as Charles Solis Memorial Softball Champions
There were only 3 teams participating in this year’s 8th Annual Charles Solis Memorial Invitational Softball Tournament, which took place on Sunday, October 23, at Rogers Stadium. The competition was nevertheless intense and when it was over, the Belize Bank Bulldogs, who won 3 of their 4 games in the double round-robin, out-scored 2nd place winners, Unitedville Rebels, 6-3, were crowned champions for the third straight time. At the end of the round-robin phase, both the Bulldogs and the Rebels had similar records of 3 wins and 1 loss, while Independence PALS was winless with a 0 and 4 record. By the ground rule agreed upon by the teams, “in the case of a tie, the runs for and against for the two teams tied would be used to determine the winner. As such Belize Bank Bulldogs outscored Unitedville Rebels, 6-3, and were thus declared champion.

Editorial: When the PM overstepped
If Belize were to change to the system of proportional representation, and were Kremandala then, for argument’s sake, to present candidates as a political party, the electoral performances of Evan X Hyde in Collet in 1974 and Rufus X in Belize Rural North in 1989 suggest that Kremandala would gain at least 4 percent of the votes cast. In a system of proportional representation, were the teachers of Belize to present candidates as a political party, the chances are the teachers would gain as much as that 4 percent, and probably more. The way our present first-past-the-post political system has worked, it has produced two major political parties – the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP). These two organizations, which have controlled, monopolized political power and public funds in Belize since 1961 to the present, are “big tent” in philosophy in the sense that they include individuals and groups with major differences in political and economic philosophy under the one party tent, under the one party banner.

From the Publisher
When Amandala and the UBAD Party came to Partridge Street from 46 Euphrates Avenue in the latter part of 1972, conditions were really primitive. Ismail Omar Shabazz, the secretary/treasurer of UBAD, had leased adjoining swamp lots on Partridge from the Government of Belize back in 1969, shortly after UBAD was founded. One lot was for UBAD, and the lot on our left was for Shabazz. Our old Chandler & Price letter press, along with the lead type and the trays which held them, were squeezed inside Shabazz’s mechanic shop on his lot. UBAD was trying its best to complete a 20’ x 30’, one flat ferro-concrete building on its land. I remember mosquitoes used to kill our lady typesetters on Thursday nights, paper nights. I can see Gilda Samuels Leslie even now. Everything west of Collet Canal and north of Pound Yard/Cemetery Road was considered Lake Independence back then. The man Lester Smith, known by various nicknames, such as “Bailar”, “Experience,” “Kid,” “Sundance”, and whatever, was a muscular butcher in the old Central Market who was one of the first residents of Mayflower Street. To the best of my knowledge, it was he who organized the young men of this new Lake area into a senior football team which was called, of course, Lakers.

“But this I’ll say openly, that Hattie was the worst in our history”
Editor, Monday, October 31, marked 55 years since an event that changed the course of history in many ways of the then colony of British Honduras. The year was 1961; that event was a category five hurricane by the name of Hattie. Belize had been hit in 1931 by a strong hurricane and the number of lives lost was over 2,500. The loss was great because there was very little warning. The hurricane struck on September 10, a day when the “natives” were out commemorating the Battle of St. George’s Caye. The then governor of the colony refused to warn the citizens, since in his mind the common folks were relieving the stress of a very hard life in the colony. Six years before Hattie, Hurricane Janet did great damage to Corozal and Chetumal (Payo-Bispo). There was much more warning for Hattie, although many did not heed the warnings.

Suffering in silence doesn’t get you closer to heaven!
Dear Editor, It must have been around 1971 or so, that I found myself waiting around the Cement Masons Union Hall in Santa Cruz,California, waiting for my number to be called so I could put food on the table. Having recently received a Bachelor’s university degree, and with the voter registration wars in the deep south still fresh memories, I needed to make a living — plain and simple. Burned-out with academia and tired of sitting behind a desk, I enjoyed the immediate gratification at the end of the work day that comes from doing a measurable task (“product” not “process”) with a handful of other like-minded men, and surveying our accomplishment while having an ice-cold beer. Pouring concrete is hard work, but I always thought of it as “invigorating toil.” Sitting next to me at the Union Hall on another of the many folding chairs strewn around the place, was a grizzled older black man who, judging from his accent, was from somewhere in the South, Louisiana maybe, or Mississippi. We made small talk, and I happened to be riffing on how Santa Cruz sure was changing with the rapid growth of the university and influx of new people, whereas until quite recently it had been home to many generations of Italian fishermen.

Chriss Roggema writes Prime Minister Barrow
Dear Editor, Please publish this open letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow for me. Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I saw a video interview with you which made me feel very uncomfortable as a Caye Caulker resident, and that feeling won’t blow over as a lil’ breeze. Even if I am not a young man anymore, I feel I am obliged to participate in the democratic political process (even if I am not a lawyer) because of my four young sons who were born here on Caye Caulker, who love the sea and the reef and love to fish. Most fishermen might not dare to address you or maybe can’t find the words allowed for publication when they express their feelings concerning the fact that GOB still might consider oil exploration in the waters outside our coast, even close to the Blue Hole. Did our voices not reach your ears or your heart after the people’s “referendum” about oil exploration? Just because it was not arranged by the GOB? Since you say there is so little money to spend on the democratic process, maybe we should use that money on a referendum for more than only this question, at the same time.

2016 murder count already exceeds 2015’s
The Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, George Lovell, has confirmed to Amandala the tragic news that the 2016 murder count has already exceeded the count for the year 2015. Last Tuesday, Lovell reported that 115 homicides had been reported for the year to date. During last week, there was one murder on San Pedro, pushing the number up to 116. Then over the weekend, four more murders were reported, pushing the number to 120. The year 2015 recorded 119 homicides, which represented a 2% decline from the 2014 figure. Lovell said that the state of crime is a matter of concern for the new minister of state with responsibility for police, Elodio Aragon, Jr. “Some time next week, we have intention to do some media rounds, to lay down what our new minister of state’s plans are to address some of the concerns that he has and the entire nation has as it relates to not just major crimes but in particular corruption,” Lovell told us.

The Reporter

RIP, Lucky Boy
The staff of the Belize Zoo is mourning the loss of their beloved black jaguar, Lucky Boy. One of the zoo’s most iconic animals, the staff had to euthanize him early this morning, because his deteriorated health made it inhumane to keep him alive. He […]

First-ever renewable energy fair being planned
Several regional and international organizations are coming together to hold Belize’s first renewable energy fair. The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in partnership with the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), are collaborating for the fair, which […]

Belize dodges $90 million bullet
The Supreme Court of Belize spared the country’s economy a US $90 million loss when it ruled in favor of the Government of Belize for nationalizing the International Merchant Marine Registry (IMMARBE) and the International Business Companies Registry (ICB). Justice Michele Arana ruled that the […]

Belizean students excel in 2016 CXC
Students from St. Johns College and SJ Junior College topped this year’s Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) for Belize. Rhiki Alegria,16, of SJC ranked as the country’s top scorer in CSEC, earning 16 grade one, one grade two and […]

House Speaker vs Auditor General court battle begins
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Peyrefitte went to court this week, for case management in his civil suit against the Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley. Attorney Marilyn Williams is representing Peyrefitte, while the office of the Attorney General, in accordance with the laws of […]

To pre-empt Cancer epidemic GOB plans vaccine for pre-teen girls
Female cervical cancer resulting from Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is on the rise, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend that countries with limited resources vaccinate all girls of 9-13 years of age against the virus. Acting on this advice, the Ministries of Health and Education and Youth […]

Man accused of raping woman
Dangriga police have arrested and charged Aldrick Alvarez, a 36-year-old resident of Silk Grass village, Stann Creek with ‘rape’ and ‘sexual assault’ following a report by a young woman that he forcibly had sexual intercourse with her. The 24 year-old woman, a resident of Hopkins […]

Minister’s daughter involved in highway accident
Stacey Martinez, the daughter of Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, Anthony “Boots” Martinez, was involved in a traffic accident on the George Price Highway on Wednesday evening. Martinez was not seriously injured, but the vehicles were so extensively damaged that it […]

What about the Prevention of Corruption Act?
By Alexis R. Milan Editor Next Wednesday Belize will officially sign on to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), the world’s first legally binding international anti-corruption instrument. It is even being heralded by many as a great triumph for Belize’s democracy and the fight against corruption. Legal experts from […]

Political rivals mend fences following heated verbal dispute
Two political rivals, Douglas Grant, Jr., and Paul Ferguson, this week shook hands and settled their differences publicly after they were involved in a heated verbal dispute in front of the Sit and Sip nightclub sometime after 3:00 on Sunday morning. The incident could have […]

CARICOM holds regional consultation on Human Resource Development
Representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) visited Belize this week to meet with various stakeholders to help draft a regional Human Resource Development action plan. CARICOM held the consultations at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza, and met with entities such as the Ministry of Human Development, […]

Taiwan helps Belize citrus farmers fight Huanglongbing
Belizean citrus growers, Justino Chiac of Maya Mopan Village on the Southern Highway and Gilbert Galvez of Ringtail Village on the Hummingbird Highway, are learning to control the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, known as citrus greening, which is so detrimental to citrus orchards, through the technical support of project funded by […]

PUP’s Dr. Mendez walks free of sexual assault charges
Some 21 months after he was charged with six counts of ‘aggravated assault of an indecent nature’ and ‘unlawful carnal knowledge’ upon two female minors, the People’s United Party’s (PUP) former Orange Walk East Area Representative, Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, has been acquitted of the […]

Mentally ill man ran over by bus in Corozal
A 22 year-old mentally ill man was knocked down and killed by a Morales bus on Monday night in Corozal Town. According to reports, Javier Luis Chan was in the process of stealing a license plate off a parked vehicle when the alarm went off and […]

Editorial
The November rains have arrived and with them, the seasonal high tide. When this happens water from the sea pushes up in the river and into our canals, shutting down the drainage system. When the tide goes down the drainage system kicks in once more and surface water from the […]

Cops investigate cop for murder
Police are investigating one of their own in connection with the murder of Belize City resident, 25-year-old Jeon Peebles. Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told the media on Wednesday that the Department has one officer detained for questioning in relation to Peebles’ death. Williams […]

Cubs win! Belize celebrates
The Chicago Cubs baseball team, which has since the early 1980’s had some deeply rooted fans in Belize, closed a 108-year world series losing drought on Wednesday when it edged out the Cleveland Indians by a score of 8-7. The seventh and final game was […]

Shorter Christmas and Easter for students, MOE says
Students will have shorter Christmas and Easter vacations, to make up for the days lost due to recent strike action from the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) The Ministry of Education announced this week that it arrived at a formula for making up the lost […]

Breaking Belize News

One year later- Greater days still ahead
Exactly one year ago, on November 4, 2015, the UDP was re-elected to office and Dean Barrow became Belize’s first Prime Minister to secure a third consecutive term. That in itself was a major accomplishment, for such a clear re-endorsement (19 out of 31 […]

Vega and Pitts given thirty days to repay
The government issued a press release this evening informing the public that as a result of the findings of the investigation into the matter concerning Sharon Pitts and Andre Vega, letters were sent to both persons on 31st October, 2016 demanding the repayment to […]

Belize- Mexico Identity theft scheme?
There seems to be another major scandal brewing in another government agency. There are allegations that a woman from Corozal applied for her birth certificate at the registry department in Belize City but was denied the document. According to the infuriated woman, her birth […]

Belama police station dilapidated
Residents in the Belama phase two area of Belize City have raised concerns to BBN over the lack of security they now feel in their community because of the condition of the police station in the area. According to them Precinct 4 of the […]

Flash flooding across highway in Central Farm
This evening heavy rains in Cayo district caused localized flooding in some areas. At the Baking Pot junction in Central Farm there was 6 to 8 inches of water across the George Price Highway about 4:30 pm slowing down traffic a bit. Drivers are […]

“ Yochi” focuses on endangered parrots in Belize
Robert Dugan, cinematographer, left, and Ilana Lapid, director, work on a scene from “Yochi,” in western Belize. (Courtesy Of Ilana Lapid) Albuquerque Journal “Yochi” a fascinating story filmed by a New Mexico State University professor, Ilana Lapid, will be featured on opening night film […]

Gary Sewell freed after fighting extradition to the U.S.
Gary Sewell is today a free man. Sewell had been fighting extradition since 2010. In October of 2014, Sewell, accused of drug trafficking lost his fight to avoid extradition to the U.S. state of Ohio. There he faces conspiracy and drug-related charges. Sewell is […]

Belize in the film festival spotlight
The Belize International Film Festival’s 11th edition will showcase a number of selections that address important societal themes. There are many countries being represented at the festival; however, there will be a feature of events and selections that put Belize in the spotlight. These […]

Lucky Boy, Famous Black Jaguar at the Belize Zoo passes away
The Belize Zoo has issued a statement announcing that Lucky Boy, the famous black jaguar has passed away. “The Belize Zoo sadly announces that our beloved black jaguar, Lucky Boy, has passed away. We struggled for over two weeks to provide care and medical […]

Belize to hold 1st B2B Waste to Energy and Renewable Energy Fair
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in partnership with the GIZ, the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is hosting Belize’s First B2B Waste to Energy and Renewable Energy Fair at the Belize Biltmore Plaza, in […]

Bert Vasquez trial starts December 9
Bert Vasquez became one of the most disliked personalities in recent Belizean history after he was charged in connection with the abduction and murder of Jasmine Lowe in 2012. However, he is facing more heat for another instance in which he allegedly abducted and […]

Moist weather is expected to prevail
The 24 hour forecast is for cloudy skies with a few showers and isolated thunderstorms. Showers or thunderstorms are expected across the country and will increase over the coast and the south tonight. The wind will blow from the northeast at 5 to 15 […]

Blogs

What are we Preserving?
If you have been following the news this has been a hot topic in many respects – environmentally, politically and personally. The Barrier Reef is extremely fragile and so many people agree seismic testing is risky business and would put the reef in danger. The process involves airguns to blast shock-waves to penetrate the sea bottom. This is not healthy for the marine ecosystem and can disrupt animal migration, communication and even cause deafness. More than half of Belize’s population 366,942 people, are supported through tourism and fishing related income. It is not worth jeopardizing our most precious natural resource which provides the country with long range economic development and a thriving tourist based industry. Last year (2015) Belize received 1.3 million travelers and overnight arrivals were up 6.2%. Southwest and COPA Airlines’ flights to Belize brought a 7% increase in airport arrivals. If we want to keep increasing our numbers, oil exploration and ultimately oil drilling in our jewel should not be done. The following article was a submission I wrote for for BTIA Destination Belize Magazine. It is geared towards first time travelers and a great reminder of all the wonderful things we stand to lose by allowing oil drilling. We need to give people who have not seen our precious jewel yet the opportunity to do so and for those that have the chance to keep on loving it.

8 Posts that Will Make You Want to Visit Ambergris Caye SOON
I started blogging in June of 2011! And during the last five PLUS years, I have just over 1500 posts – some that have been read tens of thousands of times (like those on how I moved here) and about my (very calculated) run-in with the TV Show “The Bachelor” and others that well…are best left to the deep black hole that is the internet. Here are eight posts that I hope inspire newbies to visit Ambergris Caye (and Belize) as well as perk up those living here as the high season is just on the horizon and cooler breezes start to blow in.

Belize Cruise: 7 Things You Wont Experience On One
Cruise tourism has been a trend for the last few decades, and certainly a growing one in Belize. We can see why; weeks on a big ship at sea with all the large hotel amenities floating along with you, it’s difficult not to be at the very least curious. There’s always something going on in the many lounges and theaters of these sea vessels which serves to say that the main attraction is the ship itself and not the many destinations at which it makes port. That said; you’re stopping in Belize, and for the time being Belize city‘s “Tourist Village” is the first thing you’ll get to see of land when you dock. Sure, they make inland tours available to you, as well as sea tours, however, there is still much you’re going to miss when stepping out of a crowded bus or packed up skiff. Here are just A Few of the things you’d miss if you’re on a Belize Cruise: 1. An Authentic Belizean “Hello.“ 2. The most adventurous moments. 3. Souvenirs with personality. 4. Pristine Belizean landscapes. 5. Cuisine prepared with love. 6. Charming Belizean communities. 7. A sense of belonging.

Game day TV blackout got real on Ambergris Caye during Game 7 of the World Series
The national baseball team of the country of Belize is the Chicago Cubs. This is no bandwagon country. Belize has been Cubs Country since the 1980’s when cable television was first introduced here. The story, which is solidly embraced by everyone, is that the first channel to be re-broadcast here was WGN, home of the Cubs and I believe, the Chicago Bulls, also a local fan favorite. For years, these were the only professional sports teams available to the country, which gained its independence from England in 1983 and still carries the image of the queen on its paper money. The Cubs gained a real foothold in the imagination of Belizeans. It was underdogs rooting for underdogs. Pirating a broadcast signal in those days apparently wasn’t as easy to do as it is today. That’s right. This is still pirate country. One of the unshakable beliefs of Belize is that the country’s one cable content distributor steals his channels from the US. This would explain why our PBS channel comes from Detroit while our network channels rotate periodically between Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. (Currently they are from New York and we love the ads for Broadway shows.)

Little Kitchen Dogs
These are the two fuzzy dogs who live behind Little Kitchen restaurant. Normally they intimidate me a bit but this evening they were very mellow and even sleeping until I went all paparazzi on them. The darkness and flash make them look a bit spooky.

Island Beach Wedding at Las Terrazas, Belize
Ambr & Jason decided to tie the knot in beautiful Belize and they choose as their destination one of the best resorts from entire country, Las Terrazas Beach Resort, North Ambergris Caye, Belize. Their day was filled with laughter, family love and emotions. I consider myself blessed and I am grateful for being able to capture this special day. Ambergris Caye is fantastic and Las Terrazas, simply amazing!

The Soundtrack of Life
Perhaps the most beautiful demonstration of this statement can be found in the music of his people, the Garinagu, one of the many cultures that make up the melting pot that is Belize. Product of the indigenous Arawaks of South America and shipwreck prisoners destined for slavery, the Garinagu claim St. Vincent as their homeland. Forceful exodus from the Caribbean lead to Central American settlements in Honduras, Guatemala and Belize.. Throughout migratory pathways, the Garinagu have continued to use music in daily life and work to retell their story from elder to younger generation, to diminish the boredom of everyday chores, to accompany sacred rituals that maintain intergenerational bonds and to recreate a sense of shared identity despite borders. The main instrument used in Garifuna music that requires musical accompaniment is the drum. Traditionally these drums were made from a hollowed out trunk of hardwood, covered with animal skin usually a deer, peccary or sheep which was stretched over the trunk and tightened with rope and wooden pegs and they were always played solely with the hands. Today the design is very much the same, although the hollowing out is normally done with a machine rather than by hand. In the majority of everyday secular music, two drums are involved. The main and largest drum provides the bass and is known as the Segundo. Its namesake drummer provides the regular beat. The Primero drum is usually smaller and its player uses a more complicated pattern of beats and is considered the more skilled musician. In Garifuna rituals a third larger drum is used with the central instrument, the Lanigi Garawoun (the heart drum) providing the lead for the other two drummers.

El Lechero
It’s called the “Lechero” (español for Milk Run) but could just as easily be known as “The Supply Run” or “The Grocery Run.” If you’re looking out the window of one of our Cessna Caravans, you might call it the “Victoria Peak” or “Barrier Reef Run” or if you are visiting Belize, maybe just “part of my vacation”. In aviation, the term milk run refers to a scheduled flight with many stops. In shipping or logistics, a milk run refers to a round trip that facilitates both distribution and collection, similar to the way a milkman used to deliver and pick up around the neighborhoods of old. It also refers to the dairy industry practice of picking up from different suppliers – when one truck collects milk from several farmers for delivery to a central location. For our flights, all these definitions seem to fit, and so the nickname has stuck.

International Sources

Ancient Maya king had a luxury pleasure palace outside the city he ruled
“Lying in a hammock in your courtyard on a mountaintop, being fanned by servants, perhaps is more pleasant at certain times of year than life in your (city) palace,” says Susan Toby Evans of Pennsylvania State University, who wasn’t involved in the discovery. But the site, known as Bejucal, was not always about relaxation. Long before it was a place to get away from it all, it was a sacred center dotted with temples, the researchers report in the Journal of Field Archaeology. At one temple, a sacrificed baby was buried, a Maya ritual for consecrating a holy space, says Thomas Garrison of the University of Southern California, who led the Bejucal excavations. Over centuries, a grand palace complex took shape atop the temples. In the end, Bejucal included two courtyards, each bordered by a pyramid and residential rooms. The ruins of one palace held bits of ceramic painted with colorful designs associated with royalty, objects fit for a king’s household.

Country of Belize invites Cubs' David Ross on free vacation
To celebrate the historic World Series win, the nation of Belize—the biggest Cubs fanbase outside the Windy City—just offered David Ross an all-expenses-paid vacation. The country extended the invite through a Belizean version video of “Go Cubs Go.” After 15 seasons, and admitting “he’s totally exhausted” after Game 7, Ross deserves a little relaxtion and the Belize Tourism Board wants to help. Belize has a long history of cheering for the Cubs. Since 1981, it’s been known to be the most Cubs-friendly place outside Chicago due to WGN being one of the only channels available in the country. You can read more about Belize’s history of Cubs fandom here. While Chicagoans dyed their river blue to celebrate, Belizeans are sharing the excitement by the pristine blue ocean.

Grolier Codex ruled genuine: what the oldest manuscript to survive Spanish conquest reveals
The Maya were, at their height, one of the world’s great civilisations. In the “classic” period, from AD 250–900, Maya cities with monumental architecture and huge populations spread across a large area through what is now Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and western Honduras. Extensive trade networks connected the Maya to the rest of Mesoamerica, producing the dynamic landscapes and bustling ports reported in early Spanish accounts. Much of what we know of the Maya comes from codices – screenfold books made of paper from the bark of a fig tree. Pages were coated in a white stucco wash and then painted by scribes with text, which was often accompanied by images. The Spanish in the 16th century reported a flourishing manuscript tradition comprising histories, prophecies, songs, genealogies and detailed information on the movements of the heavenly bodies. Of the thousands of books produced throughout the Mayas’ long history, however, only three Maya codices were known to have survived, all written in the “postclassic” period after AD 900 and brought to Europe sometime after the conquest. They are named after the cities where they were archived: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris. Now, after years of debate over its authenticity, we can add a fourth manuscript – the Grolier Codex.

Some regional central bank banks turn to SWIFT to combat de-risking threat
Eight regional central banks have signed up to adopt the sanctions screening service and Know Your Customer (KYC) Registry provided by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) in an effort to combat the threat posed to the region by de-risking measures imposed in correspondent banking relationships. The trend of de-risking – the decision taken by international banks partially or fully to exit certain jurisdictions, product domains and currencies by exiting their foreign correspondent banking relationships – has been pervasive in the Caribbean and Latin America. By taking up SWIFT's financial crime compliance services, the central banks of Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti and Paraguay, hope to enhance transparency and build greater trust with the international financial community, mitigating the threat of being disconnected by their foreign counterparts. In addition to adopting the KYC Registry themselves, some of the central banks have also endorsed the uptake of the services across their entire jurisdictions, doubling the number of regional institutions adopting SWIFT’s financial crime compliance tools over the past 12 months.

Videos

November 4, 2016

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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

Garifuna Council announces activities for Garifuna Settlement Day
Garifuna Settlement Day falls on Saturday, November 19th this year, and the National Garifuna Council (NGC) San Pedro Branch has launched several events that will be held to commemorate their culture and heritage. With the assistance of Foreva Fancy Boutique and the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church, the events will serve to promote and raise awareness on the rich Garifuna culture. This year’s celebrations are being held countrywide under the theme “Rísiti, Pántati, Gabafuti, Iúnrahowa meme la Rich, Proud, and Powerful, let us continue to preserve it.” Have you ever wanted to indulge in cultural cuisine like boil up or hudut, or even delicious sweet potato pound? Your opportunity is here, as the NGC San Pedro Branch will be hosting a food expo on Saturday, November 12th at the Central Park. All are invited to come out and support the council by purchasing these staple Garifuna meals and desserts. On Sunday, November 13th, the council will partake in their spiritual devotion by hosting a Garifuna Mass at the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church (SPRCC). The Garifuna Choir will be present to help praise and worship at this event.

Police officer Zani Savala charged for two counts of theft
Following two separate reports made by a local taxi operator and a local dive instructor in San Pedro, Police Constable (PC) Zani Savala has been arraigned for two counts of theft. Details from the San Pedro Police Department indicate that PC Savala abused his authority, and stole $100US from the dive instructor, and $175BZ from the taxi operator. Police investigated the reports, and after conducting an identification parade, Savala was arrested. On Wednesday, October 26th, PC Salava appeared before the Magistrate Court, where he was charged and then granted a $3000 bail with two sureties. According to acting Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit Henry Jemmott, during a transparent investigation on the two claims, it was confirmed that PC Savala stole monies from both the taxi man and the diver. “On two different occasions, PC Savala extorted the victims and stole their money without their knowledge. PC Savala conducted a search on a diver at the police station, where the diver accused him of swindling. On a different occasion, PC Savala went to assist the taxi driver, whose taxi broke down, and upon doing that, he took the driver’s money,” said Jemmott.

All-Saints Day celebrated at San Pedro RC School
As a yearly tradition of the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCPS), All-Saints day was celebrated on Tuesday, November 1st. Many children came dressed up as their favorite saints, and participated in indoor activities, such as a mini parade and a costume contest. A few lower and middle division classes walked over to the Roman Catholic Church to attend a mass at 9AM. Due to the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) strike and inclement weather, Principal at SPRCPS, Roxannie Kay, explained that the school chose not to host a fair this year. “Since we are a Catholic School, the meaning of All-Saints Day is integrated into our curriculum. I believe it is important for students to learn the significance of this day. Many unexpected events arose, and we hope to have a fair next year,” said Kay. All-Saints Day is a formal holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1st. The day is dedicated to the saints of the church, and those who have attained heaven.

Our World project brings dance show and treats to the island
For many years, Debbie and Larry Heimgartner have been visiting Ambergris Caye, and with each visit they continue bringing their love and positive vibes to the youth of the island through the ‘Our World’ project. On Monday, October 31st they visited the San Pedro High School (SPHS) and the San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) where they engaged in different activities with the students. Students were happy to see them again, as they brought ballet dance and some icy cold snacks. This year the Heimgartners brought with them two ballet dancers from the United Kingdom (UK) who have performed in different countries around the world. The dancers, Rosy Nevard and Jenny Morrison, are part of the international dance academy known as Nova Grace Productions. Both of them began learning ballet from the age of three, and for around 25 minutes they delighted the students of the SPHS. The dance presentation called ‘A Glimpse into our World of Dance,’ featured the two ballerinas graceful on stage flawlessly executing every number of their dance performance.

Hearing Solutions in San Pedro
As part of the Belize Mission Project and Christian Dentistry Association, a medical team from Colorado and Florida, USA, offered “Hearing Solutions” to the general public on Monday, October 31st. Many community members headed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II to take advantage of free hearing services, including hearing tests, wax removal, hearing aid fittings and a variety of hearing aids. The team leaders of this service were Dr. Phil Bangle, Medical Director; Buddy Jewell, Hearing Instrument Specialist; Christine Jewell, Audiologist; Dr. Linda Cox, Audiologist; and volunteers Ron Cox and Jean Bedell. After receiving a slip, patients were called into a room for a general checkup. Doing the examinations was Audiologist Cox, who inserted two different ear utensils into the patient’s ears to determine whether or not the ear canal and drum are normal. A set of headphones was then placed on the ears to detect hearing frequencies in both ears. Afterwards, Buddy Jewell cleaned the ears of any wax, which he said could improve the hearing quality of a person.

Ambergris Today

Belize Electricity Limited Apologizes to Angry Sanpedranos
There might not be enough apologies Belize Electricity Limited can offer the people of Ambergris Caye after a power interruption left the entire island without electricity for the entire night. The evening was a very important one for baseball fans who were excited to witness the final game of the World Series. The Chicago Cubs’ victory was suppose to be the highlight of the evening, but rain, poor satellite cable signal and the outage plagued the island town. Nevertheless, fans were resourceful enough to find live feeds on their cellular phones and a few managed to watch the game and parade in the rain and darkness of the night. No amount of consolation can replace the precious moments lost as fans were eager to watch the Cubs win. And today, many would not want to hear the reasons as for the power outage, but bellow is the press release from Belize Electricity Limited with their explanation and apology:

Letters to the Editor - Dear Prime Minister...For Our Children
I saw a video interview with you which made me feel very uncomfortable as a Caye Caulker resident and that feeling won’t blow over as a lil’ breeze. Even if I am not a young man anymore, I feel I am obliged to participate in the democratic political process even if I am not a lawyer because of my four young sons who are born here on Caye Caulker who love the sea and the reef and love to fish. Most fishermen might not dare to address you or maybe can’t find the words allowed for publication when they express their feelings concerning that GOB still might consider oil exploration in the waters outside our coast even close to the Blue Hole. Did our voices not reach your ears or your heart after the people arranged referendum about oil exploration? Because it was not arranged by the GOB? Since you say there is so little money to spend on the democratic process maybe we should use that money on a referendum for more than only this question at the same time.

Department of Environment Advises on Overwater Structures
The Department of the Environment (DOE) of Belize has released information advising the general public that environmental clearance is required for the construction and renovation of Overwater Structures. Overwater Structures, depending on their size and location, could have significant impacts on the environment, and as such, the Department, in consultation with key stakeholders, prepared the National Environmental Guidelines on Overwater Structures.

Misc Belizean Sources

Help Miss Universe Belize get to the Phillipines
Every dollar and cent counts! Bex has already had many adventures as Miss Belize! You can be part of the BIG one on the Road To Miss Universe: www.gofundme.com/missbelizeuniverse

Belize Investment Portfolio Campaign Public Sector Sensitization Session
The Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce, through the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) in collaboration with Connect Americas and the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), is launching the Belize Investment Portfolio Campaign. The campaign is expected to foster the development of a national portfolio to fast-track investment generation efforts, both local and foreign, through targeted matchmaking of pre-packaged investment concepts and projects. Through the advancement of this campaign, BelizeINVEST, a unit of BELTRAIDE, mandated to serve as Belize’s National Investment Promotion Agency (IPA), expects to further substantiate investment concepts submitted by key public sector Government Ministries and stakeholders into actionable business cases aligned with national development priorities.

OVERWATER STRUCTURES
The National Environmental Guidelines on Overwater Structures was finalized back in 2010 and is available for download on the DOE’s website at www.doe.gov.bz. For the purpose of these Guidelines, the following definition for “overwater structure” is used: Any structure suitable for use as a restaurant, bar, dive shop or dwelling especially for commercial purposes and the enjoyment by tourists, which extends in any part beyond the shoreline of any public water or publicly-owned water body and includes pontoons and floatels. These structures have been proposed primarily for tourism purposes in the coastal areas such as the offshore cayes, riverbanks and lagoons. The DOE recognizes that developments of this nature should be conducted in a prudent and regulated manner, and hence developed such environmental guidelines for the benefit of all.

SARTENEJA TO BENEFIT FROM NEW HEATHCARE CENTER
According to the Social Investment Fund (SIF) more than 2,000 residents of Sarteneja Village, Corozal will benefit from services administered at a new healthcare facility. SIF held a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the Sarteneja Health Center. The health center project is being financed by the Government of Belize at an estimated cost of $789,300.00 through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank under the Ministry of Health Portfolio and is expected to be completed within a period of five to six months. The health center which is expected to provide better access to healthcare to over two thousand Belizeans will significantly contribute to the reduction of the prevalence of Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers among others since it is expected to be equipped with rooms for consultation, examination, treatment, pharmacy, dispensary, laundry, an asthma bay area, sterilizing room, waiting area for patients, and male and female bathrooms measuring.

Vacancy at BEL
A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for the post of Call Center Representative in the Customer Care Department.

Artisans at work in the Toledo District
The Chiac Family creates a variety of crafts, part of the Unique Belize collection!

Belize's Wonder Women! Mrs. Nicole Haylock-Rodriguez
Ms. Nicole Haylock-Rodriguez serves as the Deputy Coordinator for the National Security Council Secretariat, Belize Ministry of National Security (MNS). In this position, she is CEO George Lovell, MNS right hand. Most recently Ms. Haylock has been charged with heading up the Technical Support Team currently revising Belize’s 2008 National Security Strategy. She has done a fantastic job coordinating with all ministries within the Government of Belize, as well as with other non-governmental stakeholders to ensure that the 2016 National Security Strategy is all-encompassing, as well as enforceable. This most recent task is in addition to her everyday tasks that include overseeing the development and implementation strategy of the Joint Intelligence Operation Center (JIOC).

B2B Waste to Energy and Renewable Energy Fair
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in Partnership with the GIZ, The Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is hosting Belize’s First B2B Waste to Energy and Renewable Energy Fair at the Belize Biltmore Plaza, in Belize City on the 9th November, 2016. Event Highlight: Presentation of the “Potential Study on Producible biogas and renewable energy from biomass and organic waste in Belize” by TNO Consultants for GIZ / J-CCCP. The business to business (B2B) fair will serve as: A forum for waste to energy and renewable energy networking An opportunity for stakeholders in the sector to learn about renewable energy, renewable energy & energy efficiency financing programs and waste management solutions

Tropical Splash in Corozal
For all you "Tropical Splashers" - It's Official - Our 1st Thirsty Thursday at our New Location. Tropical Splash is back at their new location at the Corner of 7th Avenue and College Road (where Panorama was). Come by and bring the entire family and enjoy our rich smoothies.

BEL Locates Fault Responsible for San Pedro Power Interruption
A few hours prior to daybreak today, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) crews completed their search for the cause of a power interruption that affected entire San Pedro Town for over 7 hours, starting 8:59 p.m. last night. San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye is connected to the national electricity grid via a submarine power cable which enters the sea from the Belize District coastline, originating at the Maskall Substation. This section of the power system traverses remote, swampy terrain that is inaccessible by road. Efforts by BEL crews to identify the fault responsible for the power interruption required overcoming the challenging terrain, unstable weather condition and intermittent availability of communication in the area. Shortly before 4:00 a.m. the fault was found on a terminal structure located along the Belize District coastline where the power line transitions from overhead to submarine. Thereafter, the fault was rectified and power supply was restored to San Pedro.

Green Sun Belize
There's a new green business in Cayo. They are specializing in solar hot water heaters at this point. Using the sun for free energy. Great idea! "GreenSun ltd. was established by a couple who fell in love with the nature and culture of Belize and settled down in Cayo. The vision? Increase awarness to sustainable use of energy. How? Something new under the sun.. Solar water heating, Solar power, Biogas, grey water treatment, Aquaponics - the sun is the limit."

Fisheries Department Fundraiser
Asking for your kind support to assist our friend in conservation. November 11, 11am - 2pm, at the Fisheries Department, Margaret Frive, Belize City

Belmopan branch of the Belize Cancer Society opens multicultural center
The Belmopan branch inaugurated its new multipurpose center named in honor of longtime Belmopan cancer advocate, Ms. Beverly Swasey, for her lifetime achievements. The center will house the branch, conduct outreach, and host cancer awareness, prevention, and counseling programs. The multipurpose center is the first part of three development phases ultimately culminating in Belmopan's first hospice care facility. The building is a grass roots project funded by private citizens, businesses, the CEO caucus, the Government of Belize, and many community members. Deputy Chief of Mission Adrienne Galanek attended the opening celebrations. The Pannerfix Steel pan band from Our Lady of Guadalupe primary and high school, Belmopan's Senior Steppers, and Mr. Ben McKoy provided first rate entertainment.

"Dia de los Finados" exhibition in San Pedro
The opening of "Dia de los Finados" exhibition has been re-scheduled for Friday, November 4th at 7 pm. Kindly join us as we honor our dearly departed.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
You Know His Name, Finding Dory, Hands of Stone. This Friday and Saturday night the theater will be hosting Ponco Laduarte comedy show at 9pm. Performed in Spanish $25

Channel 7

Teachers Union Says It Won't Let Minister Have His Way
Earlier in the week we told you about the Minister of Education's plan to bypass the teachers union - and go straight to the school managements to discuss making up teaching days for time lost due to the 11 day strike. The Minister's position is that teachers will be paid for those extra days - and the suggestion seems to be that they can stand to lose a few days' pay right now, since they'll make it up during those extra days. And then yesterday Faber told LOVE News that the deadline for submissions for November's paysheets had passed, and he hadn't heard anything from the Teachers Union President on how to proceed - so the paycut for 11 strike days would go into effect. The Minister said, quote, "we will proceed with the deductions in the month of November." Well that dismissive comment stirred the BNTU beast, and today President Luke Palacio called a press conference to say Faber's mistaken on that deadline for the submission of paysheets:

BNTU Asks For Clarity
But it looks like the most important thing right now is clarity. That's because there's some ambiguity. The Minister says that teachers will be paid for extra make up days - but he has not established clearly if that would offset the loss in earning from the strike. He has also not established how lost time in the classroom will be made up. The BNTU explained why these issues have to be clarified. Luke Palacio, President - BNTU: "We are not clear whether they are saying that they are going to pay the teachers for those 11 days. What the minister had said resoundingly and it's in the news that they are going to deduct the 11 days at the end of November. This is not yet clear to us. So are they saying we are not going to deduct? And then when you make up the time in the January and Easter break that they are talking about, are they going to give additional compensation? That is not clear and that is why I think Mr. Frazer has made the point that the ministry seems to be playing a game and hoping that people will continue to become confused and try to go against the teachers. The position remains absolutely clear, we were prepared, we are still prepared to make up the time. That, we continue to insist is the purview of the management and the teachers to meet and settle this thing once and for all."

Hon. Montero Explains Bradley Estate Confusion
3 weeks ago, we told you about the land dispute over the landholdings in the Bradley's Bank Estate in Santa Elena town. This is disputed land in the Cayo District acquired from businessman Santiago Mendoza. He was allegedly threatening to bulldoze the houses on the 20 acre property, because Government acquired his land and didn't pay him a dime of compensation. That immediately put the residents in distress because they say that they got the land from Government, and they've been paying their leases. So, when we caught up to Area Representative Rene Montero today at another event in Orange Walk, we asked him about it. He said that Government has been trying to compensate Mendoza, but his asking price is too high.: Hon. Rene Montero: "As far as I am concerned there is no dispute. The government in 2005 acquired that land. Acquired it through publishing it in the gazette and inform the owner who is Mr. Santiago Mendoza. After that we issued it out to the residents of the area which have constructed their homes and we have already put in infrastructure there; roads, electricity and water. So as far as I am concerned there is no dispute. That land belongs to the government of Belize. Government of Belize acquired it, so it is Mr. Mendoza's duty to go to the ministry of works and to try get compensation for it, because it was legally acquired. Governments all over the world universally have the right to acquire land for public purpose and that's what we did."

Hon. Montero And The Harmouche's - A Special Relationship?
And Montero was in the hot seat today. We used the opportunity to ask about the Auditor General's Report on the Immigration and Nationality Department. In it Dorothy Bradley questions the recommendations he made for Lebanese Nationals Saad Mohamad Harmouch and Wael Harmouche. She flagged those in her Nationality Audit, pointing out that several shortcuts were taken to get these persons their Belizean Nationality. She also notes a particular letter which he wrote to Former Director of Immigration Ruth Meighan in January 2012, which says, "Ms. Meighan, please facilitate me with the following nationality for the ceremonies to be held on the 13th January 2012: 26536, 26537, 26543, 27020, 23414, 22999 and 30743." Now, you'll remember the stance that all the ministers who've written this type of recommendation take: They make the distinct point that these letters are requests, and are always qualified with words like "If all is in order" or something to that effect. They say that it is a request, and not a demand to approve these persons for their immigration documents. We brought it up today with Montero, and like the other elected politicians, he stuck to that same position. We challenged him on that, and here's how that conversation went:

Did Hon. Montero's Family Get Special Compensation Payouts?
One final topic we grilled the Minister on was reports we had been receiving that his brother and sister have also gotten some of those sweet land compensation deals which we've been showing you. You'll remember them as the ones where land titles are sold for cheap, and then the Government buys them back exponential profits, all at the expense of the taxpayers. Our reports suggest that Montero's brother and sister each got a 250 thousand dollar pay out, and so we asked him about IT today. Here's how that back-and-forth went: Daniel Ortiz, 7News: "We've also heard tell that persons within your family and yourself supposedly got compensation for properties and at very huge profit margins. Jaime Montero, your brother, supposedly $250,000 for land on Northern Ambergris Caye. Was there any such deal in which your brother benefitted?"

Bert Vasquez Will Stand Trial For Forcible Abduction Of Teenager
Alleged girl killer Bert Vasquez has been on remand since 2012 - and he could go to trial next month not for murder, but for forcible abduction and harm upon a 16 year old girl - which is alleged to have happened over 5 years ago in May of 2011. The minor, who was 16 at the time, says that Vasquez forced her into his vehicle at the Pound Yard Bridge in Belize City, and took her to an area in the Vista Del Mar area where he pistol whipped him with what appeared to be a gun causing an injury to her nose. Today the case went before Justice Adolph Lucas for case management where Lucas heard from prosecutor, Janelle Tillett and Vasquez's attorney in the case management, Christelle Wilson. At the end of that session, Vasquez's trial was tentatively set for December 9, 2016 - which is five weeks away.

Charged For Standees? Seriously?
Our next story is about charging a bus driver because he was carrying standees. Now, if you're a regular commuter you're probably checking your calendar to make sure this isn't some kind of April Fool's day prank - because…standees? That's such an everyday occurrence that it's like cracking down on mosquitoes after a hard rain. But, as out of place as it may seem, a Benque bus driver was slapped with a fine dollars for having 15 persons in excess on board his bus. It happened on October 13, 2016 between Miles 14 and 15 on the Western Highway. 23 year old Wajib Guerra from Benque Viejo town was arraigned before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza in the Belize City Magistrate's Court for a single charge of carrying passengers in excess. He wasted no time and pleaded guilty. He was fined $500 dollars, which he was ordered to pay before January 3, 2017, or, in default, serve 5 months in prison.

HPV Vaccine For All Std. IV Girls
HPV is a virus that many contract and they don't even know it. While most people only carry the virus for one to two years, it is easily transmitted and can lead to much more serious conditions, like cervical cancer. The Ministry of Health, National Cancer Society, and other stakeholders have joined together in an effort to prevent HPV. Today, they announced that HPV will be included in the Belize National Vaccination Schedule for children. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services - MOH "There is ample data, two reasons: there is lots of data suggesting that we have higher rates of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, cervical cancer we are identifying in very late stages of the disease. It is not that people are coming in in the early stage. Data from last year, for example, that we have managed to capture in the BHIS, suggest that there were twenty one cases and thirteen patients died as cancer last year.

Modiri's Principled Stand Against Paumen Could Spell Trouble
Last night, we showed you part 1 of our interview with Iranian American Businessman Michael Modiri. He's the man who has become sort of famous for reporting that his neighbour, American Tour Operator Bradley Paumen masterminded a plot to kill him. They have unresolved business in the criminal courts because Paumen is out on bail right now for charges of abetment to commit murder. As we showed you, Modiri claims that Paumen continues to trespass on his Franks Eddy Property to run his million-dollar Dark Night tour, even though the Supreme Court has sanctioned him for it. Modiri is making a stand to stop this trespass by blocking the road which Paumen needs to use to ferry his guests to his tour compound. Modiri says that he has had enough, and he will not be pushed around by Paumen anymore, but why would he risk conflict with a man he's accused of plotting to kill him? Well, he says that he had plans to set up his own tour company to make use of the Dark Night cave system, and after years of planning, he will not give up on it. Yesterday, he shared a few details on how he came to buy the land, which now puts him in direct confrontation with Paumen:

Global Recognition For Belizean Do-Gooder
Manuela Lue is no stranger to being recognized for her accomplishments. She co-founded the Belize Rosary Mission, and is the Director of the BNE's Energy for Life Program who has been featured in The Catholic Times multiple times for her work with the youths in both Belize and the US. Most recently, Lue was awarded the 2016 Commonwealth Youth Worker Award for the Caribbean and Americas region. She was chosen for her work in with the Energy for Life Program where she acts as a mentor to help young people become community leaders and entrepreneurs. Lue and the four other regional winners will travel to London next week to share their experiences, and present their work at an international symposium.

Cubs Victory Brings Joy To Belize
Tonight, Chicago Cubs fans all over the world are basking in the afterglow of victory because those loveable losers are losers no more. The "Cubbies" broke the longest championship drought in any major US sport last night when they won the deciding game 7 of the World Series - in what's being called one of the greatest games ever. And why not? The Cubs did it in extra innings, on the road, after coming back from a 3 - 1 series deficit. It gets no more dramatic than that - and throughout the game, where the score against the Cleveland Indians was up and down, true fans got a mixture of butterflies and blood pressure - wondering if the legendary curse of the goat could be overcome at all. We sat in with some of those familiar fans at the NICH café, and witnessed the rollercoaster emotions of a Game 7 date with destiny:... The Cubs cave at NICH was silent for long spells last night, the muted tensions, the Cubs fans swallowing hard - their dejection palpable late in the evening. These fans wear their passion on their chests. Every strikeout a celebration, every missed swing a reason for anxious concern and every pivotal play is breathless anticipation often followed by dejection and the agony of lost opportunities, complete with gesticulations.

Area Representatives Gets Cozy In Cubs Jacket
And while that particular championship after party went on well into the morning, one well-known cubs fan, went to bed early just so that he could get up early and show off his Cubs World Series jacket. No, we're not talking about a 12 year old, this is a grown man, and a well-known national figure, who was eager to get work at his political clinic so that his constituents could see how fancy jacket. If you don't know by now who we're talking about, allow us to introduce you to Michael Finnegan, Chicago Cubs uberfan:... The governor of the state of Illinois has declared Friday as "World Champion Chicago Cubs Day".

When Caring Becomes Really Caring
Caring for someone isn't the same thing as "caring" for them. In other words, you might genuinely want to help a sick or disabled person but you simply don't know how to. Those skills come with training. The Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities hosted a 4 day training for care givers on how to handle and cater to the elderly and special needs kids and how to respond to emergency cases. We stopped by the ITVET for the closing ceremony to find out what valuable techniques these caregivers learnt. There were 3 persons trained to be care giving trainers and 20 who participated in the training sessions. This initiative was undertaken in partnership with Healing Hands in Canada.

Cheers For K-9 Cop
Last night you saw the intelligent canine officers in their element, scouting for drugs and guns and missing persons. Well just as these dogs are awarded for their stellar work with a rubber toy, the K-9 handlers are recognized too, And No!! Inspector Hamilton doesn't scratch them behind the ears and say "That's a Good boy!!" He honors them with a certificate and a day off. Yesterday a short impromtu ceremony was held to recognize September's officer of the month. Insp. Brent Hamilton, Head, K-9 Unit: "In the police department we have where every month have gone beyond the means, have gone beyond the extra mile, have just been outstanding in the month. It is by the police department, every month, we try to recognize a good police officer." "The officer for September for this year , 2016 is no other than from the K-9 Unit, the only female officer, we refer to her as our sister, as our mother , as our cook, as our everything she is the one who keeps us together."

New Roads In OW South
Residents living in those villages that make up the Orange Walk South will now have a smooth ride thanks to a 2 new roads that have been paved. Those are the Yo Creek to San Antonio Road, and the August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road. They were made possible through generous funding from the European Union, who partnered with the Government of Belize to raise just over 20 million dollars to cover the Costs. Our team is still on the road, and tomorrow, we'll have more on these new roads.

Channel 5

Ministry of Education & School Managers Cut Holidays to Restore Lost Time From Strike
Students will be spending six additional days in classrooms to make up for lost time during striking days. The Chief Education Officer, Doctor Carol Babb, says that the six days [...]

Teachers’ Salary Deductions Will Go Ahead
But even as the teachers will be spending more time with the students in the academic year, will their salaries be docked? Doctor Carol Babb says deductions will be reflected [...]

B.N.T.U. Slams Government Interference, Questions Whether Management Caved In
Even as teachers are back in the classrooms, the B.N.T.U. and the ministry remain at odds. On Tuesday, Government issued a release stating that it is in direct discussion with [...]

B.N.T.U. Claims Victory With Ministry Concession on Authority
While the ministry’s decision to skirt the gridlocked union can be seen as high-handed, Palacio says that B.N.T.U. will continue advocating for the rights of its membership, as well as [...]

Is Ministry Sending Mixed Messages Over Time Recovery and Salary Deduction
But is the Ministry of Education sending mixed messages with respect to their salary deductions? Palacio says that on one hand, the ministry says it will dock salaries at the [...]

G.S.U. Senior Personnel Demand Apology Over Alleged Sexual Harassment Allegations
The issue of sexual harassment within the workplace isn’t new to the Belize Police Department.  With several hundred officers within its ranks, cases of unsolicited advances among officers have been [...]

Attorney’s SUV Collides With Crowded Bus; No Injuries Reported
An SUV traveling to Belize City collided into a bus loaded with passengers on Wednesday evening. The accident caused a disruption in the flow of traffic for hours on the [...]

The Dark Night War Resumes: Bradley Paumen Accused of Getting Illegal Access Through Michael Modiri’s Property
Convicted tour operator Bradley Paumen finds himself in another bind tonight with his Dark Night Tours, after rival businessman Michael Modiri cut off access to his property near Frank’s Eddy [...]

Michael Modiri Says Paumen Has Refused to Settle Deadly Dispute
According to Modiri, he has tried to strike an agreement with Paumen for the use of his land as an access point; however, Paumen has refused to accede to Modiri’s [...]

CSEC Results Were Good; Local Examiners Want to See Even Better
In Tuesday’s newscast, we showed you some of the top performers in the 2016 CXC’s CSEC and CAPE examinations. But, what about Belize’s overall performance? According to the CXC local [...]

Belize Advances in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination
And the marks for Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations have been consistent and students are performing extremely well. Vargas says the students have demonstrated that they prepared well and he explains [...]

Trial for Sales Representative Accused of Sex Assault on Minor
A sales representative accused of sexually abusing a minor earlier this year will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse. Following a [...]

Bert Vasquez to Stand Trial in December for 2011 Abduction
Bert Vasquez, who is on remand for murder was before the court today for another allegation against him for which he is charged with forcible abduction and harm upon a [...]

Chicago Cubs Finally Win World Series! Belizean Fans Celebrate
“The Chicago Cubs are World Series champions.” Before Wednesday night, that phrase had never been uttered or written anywhere since 1908, the team’s last victory. But after a heart-stopping ten-inning [...]

Manuela Lue is Regional Commonwealth Youth Worker for 2016
Manuela Lue, one of three directors of the Energy for Life Program, a non-profit company run in conjunction with Belize Natural Energy Limited, has been shortlisted as regional finalist for [...]

OCEANA Pans Minister’s Comparison of Belize with Ecuador on Petroleum
On Monday, Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia Junior, while confirming that Government is committed to maintaining its moratorium on offshore petroleum exploration activity, remained insistent that Belize needed to at [...]

HPV Vaccine to be Given to Schoolgirls in Cancer Fight
Over four thousand girls are expected to receive the HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer. While Belize has one of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in Central America, [...]

Canadian Group Trains Caregivers For Disabled Persons
Training concluded today for caregivers of persons living with disabilities. A Canadian group, Healing Hands, has been in Belize working along with the Belize Assembly of Persons with Diverse Abilities [...]

Healthy Living: Surviving Adult Acne
It’s part of the teenage experience that we are glad to leave behind. There were even a lucky few who never had to face this challenge as adolescents. It’s a [...]

Chicken Dread and Dougie Bury the Hatchet…
A politically charged fracas that ensued outside of a popular Belize City nightclub on Sunday morning between two political opponents has been settled.  Footage of the disturbance outside of Sit [...]

…But, Will Douglas Grant Still be Charged for Firearm Offense?
The complaint by Ferguson was withdrawn on Tuesday evening after he agreed with Grant not to proceed with the criminal matter. This afternoon, ACP Chester Williams explained the possible scenarios. [...]

What is the Fate Press Office Director Dorian Pakeman?
There is another case involving another political operative. It involves Dorian Pakeman, the Director of the Government’s Press Office. Pakeman hit and killed Gardenia resident, Dean Dawson.  Pakeman was driving [...]

A Cop is Detained in Jeon Peebles’ Murder
A cop is tonight in custody of his colleagues in connection with the execution style murder of Belize City resident Jeon Peebles. The twenty-five year old father of one was [...]

Police Won’t Confirm Arson in Tragic Death of Kaylee Alvarez
Police are no closer to determining the cause of the fire that claimed the life of two year old Kaylee Alvarez last Thursday in the Conch Shell Bay Area. As [...]

Belize City Motorist Succumbs to Fatal Traffic Accident One Week Later
The family of thirty-eight-year-old Rafael Marin is tonight mourning his untimely death following a traffic accident last Thursday night. The father of two was knocked down by a motorcycle in [...]

CTV3

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez Speaks On Withdrawal Of Charges
On last night’s newscast we told you about the charges of aggravated assault and carnal knowledge which were filed against well-known Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez in early 2015 and were dropped yesterday after the police informed the Court that they will not be proceeding with the case. In February 2015, the personal and political life of the former PUP Orange Walk East Area Representative was dragged through the mud when he was charged with six counts of aggravated assault of an indecent nature. In August 2015 those accusations intensified when he was charged with an additional three counts of carnal knowledge. With the charges dropped, Mendez can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Today we got an opportunity to speak with. He was emotional and told us how the entire ordeal affected his life and how he plans to leave it all behind now that it is all over.

Young's' Attacker Remanded To Prison
Last night we told you about Gilbert Young, a resident of Savannah Street who was assaulted by an individual personally known to him after an argument reportedly ensued between both men on Saturday night allegedly over political affairs. Tonight we can tell you that while he had been detained by Orange Walk Police following the incident, forty one year old Michael Shaw Sr. better known as ‘Taicos’ the driver of Rachel Dominguez the president of the National Sports Council was officially charged this morning for ‘Aggravated Assault’ and ‘Dangerous Harm’. CTV3 News understands that Shaw was denied bail and was remanded to prison until the 3rd of November. As a result of the incident, Young sustained a fractured skull and according to reports from a family member, he had to undergo immediate surgery. Young is currently recovering from his injuries at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Speaker Of The House Says "It Wasn't Me"
In yesterday’s newscast, we aired interviews with House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte on the legal matters for which he appeared in Court. Peyrefitte also addressed the strange goings on his Facebook page which literally forced him to call it quits on social network. A week ago, a controversial post appeared on Peyrefitte’s page which enraged the LGBT advocacy group, UNIBAM. The post was accompanied by a link to the youtube video of the controversial Buju Banton song “Boom Bye Bye”. UNIBAM spokesman, Caleb Orozco, did not miss the post and fired away his own comments at the House Speaker on his Facebook page, accusing him of hate speech. According Peyrefitte, the post was not done by him and he claims that his account was hacked.

Signing Of UNCAC Is On Its Way
In accepting the sweeping changes to the nation’s governance system pressed by the Opposition and social partners, Prime Minister Dean Barrow committed to signing the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on December 9th. Critics responded that the commitment by the Government was only a delay tactic since the global anti-corruption treaty could only be enforced upon ratification and not just signing. Well, there’s been a slight change of plans as today a Government press release indicated that to expedite the process, the Prime Minister would sign an Instrument of accession that would be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General to bring the treaty into force in Belize on that very day.

Cuban Ambassador Presents Credential To GG
The credentials of Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, Her Excellency Lissette Perez Perez was cordially accepted today by the Governor General of Belize, H.E. Sir Colville Young who welcomed her to the country expressing his appreciation to the Republic of Cuba for their continuous commitment to Belize. And while Ambassador Perez reaffirmed her country’s vow to strengthen the existing bilateral agreements with Belize and the CARICOM, she also expressed her pleasure of being in the country. Ambassador Perez travelled to Belize in the company of her husband and H.E. Said Guerra of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

LOVE FM

Forecast for the Remaining Hurricane Season
The country has been experiencing an onset of consistent rains lately and in the region they have caused major damage. We visited the MET office this morning where Forecaster Michael Gentle explained what is causing the rains and what we have to look out for in low lying regions. He also spoke about the hurricane […]

From the Attorney in the Baby Nina Custody Battle
Baby Nina Charlotte Barrera Perez was returned to her mother last week after her father was accused of psychological abuse against the girl and her mother, Analis Gutierrez. Attorney Anita Alicia Penados Cambranes who represented Gutierrez spoke about the arduous process in getting Baby Nina reunited with her mom. ANITA ALICIA CAMBRANES “Good afternoon, viewers […]

Minister Elodio Aragon Speaks on His Experience as a Policeman
Fifteen days into his new portfolio and already Minister Elodio Aragon Jr is looking at ways to transform the Belize Police Department. We’ll tell you all about his plans in an upcoming feature but for tonight, we thought we’d let you get to know the former police officer a little better. Renee Trujillo sat down […]

Belize Protectors Prepare for B2V Race in Las Vegas
In January 2016 we first heard of The Belize Protectors; it is a team made up of law enforcement officers of Belize who would be representing Belize at the B2V Race in Las Vegas, Nevada. The training went on for weeks after that and in March 2016, the Belize Protectors went in and came out […]

The Guardian

United Nations anti corruption law effective December 9
“Actors in the private sector are not only victims of corruption and part of the solution to it; they are also part of the problem.” – (Transparency International, UNCAC and the Private Sector). Cabinet has announced that Belize will accede directly to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) when Prime Minister Barrow signs the Instrument of Accession on Friday, December 9. The original plan was to sign the Convention on that day with Senate ratification at a date to be determined. The plan now is to call a Special Session of the Senate to formally consider and approve a motion authorizing accession to the UNCAC. Following approval by the Senate, the Prime Minister will, on December 9, sign the Instrument of Accession that would be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General bringing the treaty into force in Belize on that very day.

Btl’s Internet on Steroids - Hypernet
On Saturday 29th October we at this newspaper had the honor to have been represented at Belize Telemedia’s launch of it’s newest service in internet technology in the country. The event took place in the Los Lagos Community. That service is known as HYPERNET. The service is available for residential use only at this time in the area and marks the first time BTL has laid infrastructure in the area. According to BTL’s Product executive, Janine Salazar, the service brings internet speeds of 5, 10, and 12 megabytes, to an area that previously could only get up to 2meg, due to the mix of wireless and copper land line connection. She explained that, “we chose the areas that we did because we wanted to take the service into areas where we didn’t previously have infrastructure,” She explained that Los Lagos is one of 6 such areas to receive the service under the phased rollout. Full coverage of the entire or most of the country is to follow over time as they continue to put in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate its roll out.

House Speaker sues Auditor General
Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, whose office should represent the highest levels of accountability, is being forced by House Speaker, Hon. Michael Peyrefitte to own up to a mistake she made in her Audit Reports. She erroneously named him as a person who was not authorized to sign recommendations for passports as a Member of Parliament. Instead of coming clean to the Belizean people and owning up to that error, the Speaker of the House has no other choice but to take her to court. He is seeking to get the Chief Justice to compel her to make a public apology, and amend her Special Audit Reports into the Immigration and Nationality Department.

Hon. Elodio Aragon meets with top officers in the Police Department
Belize’s new Minister of State with responsibility for the Police, the Hon. Elodio Aragon Junior met with his top officers on Friday at the Belmopan based Police Training Academy. Having served in the Police Department for some 17 years, and now armed with a master’s degree in criminology from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, his first officer conference in the Nation’s Capital was another step in bringing a positive impact to the Police Department. It was during his meeting with 128 ranking officers that Minister Aragon set up the pace “…to bring me up to speed with you the commanders where we are as a department…” The Hon. Elodio Aragon now holds the task to look at the policy direction of the Police Department and to ensure that the work gets done by the 2000 plus police officers.

Eamon Courtenay fails to squeeze $90 million from GOB
The Barrow Government has won a victory against the Ashcroft Alliance in the Supreme Court. It has affirmed that the takeover of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), and the International Business Companies (ICB) Registry were lawful. The best news is that Government does not have to pay the Alliance any compensation for the nationalizations. The former owners were claiming 45 million US dollars in compensation, and the court has ruled that they are not entitled to any of that money. Readers are aware that IMMARBE is the entity which sells the Belize flag for use by ships abroad. The ICB Registry is the Government operation which registers offshore companies so that they are legally allowed to run their business in Belize. It also gives them a degree of secrecy in their affairs. These registries should have been returned to the Belizean people. Past PUP administrations entered into an agreement with the Belize International Services Limited (BISL), which is part of the Ashcroft group of companies.

Road to August Pine Ridge, Blue Creek and Yo Creek to San Antonio Roads officially opened
Work under the AMS 2010 Feeder Road Rehabilitation Projects – Phase 3 Lot “B” (August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek) and Phase 3 Lot “B2” (Yo Creek to San Antonio), has been completed and on Thursday 3rd November 2016 these roads will be inaugurated. The rehabilitation of the August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road which is 13 miles long and the Yo Creek to San Antonio Road which is 3.7 miles come at a total cost of BZD$ 21 million. The road construction was financed by the European Union and the Government of Belize through funds from the Accompanying Measure for Sugar 2010. The August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road and Yo Creek to San Antonio Road are of major importance for the agricultural, tourism and social development of Northern Belize. These roads posed additional transportation cost and hardship to farmers because of their deteriorated conditions. The rehabilitation consisted of the supply, construction, installation, and completion of the following: Site clearance; culvert and drain construction; provision, transportation, placement and compaction of fill and surface dressing to pavement standard with double and single chip seal.

Electricity and more for Bomba Minister Castro delivers!
Hon. Edmond Castro continues to deliver for the people of Belize Rural North. After tireless lobbying by Minister Castro, the go ahead was given for an electricity expansion project into the beautiful village of Bomba and now it finally has electricity. This is great news for residents of Bomba who don’t ask for much from the public purse. The people of this village are proud hard working individuals who don’t believe in hand outs. However, access to the national electricity grid is not too much to ask for and it has been long passed due. Minister Castro took their request to Cabinet and managed to attach it to a larger Belize River Valley development project. This project has seen water and electricity expansion throughout the area. Hon. Castro says, “There’s one word that best describes it: TRANSFORMATION!”

HOLY COW! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!
The devil may not be enjoying his cold day in hell but who doesn’t love to see pigs fly across a starry sky lighted by a gigantic blue moon??? We have finally gotten the answer to how often these things happen, every 108 calendar years. The Cubs are World Series Champions! The geniuses from Back to the Future were off by one year, but time travel is an inexact science so you shouldn’t hold that against them. The Hollywood producers that actually got the closest to predicting a Cubs World Series ride are those from the Rookie of the Year (1993). A young unfazed kid with a magical right arm that comes out of nowhere to lead the “lovable losers” to the promised land – yes I am talking about Kyle Hendricks – and doesn’t he look exactly like Henry Rowengartner from that classic? Enough babbling. If you all don’t know by now, I am a die hard Cubs fan so expect no objectivity in this article. The Cubs are World Series Champions! And I am going to say that a lot in this piece.

A plan to make education relevant again
There are very few Belizeans who are working in positions for which they were trained at school. Likewise, most graduates are qualified for skills that they will never use in their professional career. Belizean students are entering fields of studies for which there are no jobs and employers are desperately in need of skilled workers in fields that are not being offered. These realities have caused many to conclude that school is a waste of time. Student morale is extremely low and many school aged males don’t even bother. The Ministry of Education’s number one priority is to make education in Belize relevant again and has championed a number of initiatives that have caused progress. The CARICOM Secretariat has this same goal high on the regional agenda and has developed the Regional Education and Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy to take a regional approach to making education relevant for the 21st Century.

Forest Department responds to human-jaguar encounters
In response to the recent reports of jaguar sightings and attacks on livestock in the Laguna and Yemeri Grove areas, Toledo District, a Forest Department response team has been dispatched to assist farmers and ranchers in livestock husbandry techniques to prevent loss of livestock. The team, consisting of wildlife conservation experts, are also monitoring hotspots and conducting public awareness in these communities in order to better mitigate and reduce human-jaguar conflicts. Forest Department/Panthera representative, Ms. Shanelly Carrillo, explained that even-though jaguars are recognized as an important flagship species both for conservation and tourism, farmers often see them as a nuisance. She noted that with the continuous expansion of farming communities into once pristine forested areas, there is an increasing likelihood of jaguar encounters. Apart from their shrinking habitats, the jaguars’ dwindling natural food sources due to overhunting have also forced them to seek other alternatives outside of the protected areas. Consequently, they pose a direct threat to livestock and other domesticated animals. In some instances, these human-jaguar conflicts lead to the retaliatory killing by residents.

Guatemalan Congress agrees to referendum
The Guatemalan congress according to PrensaLibre has resolved to deal with the referendum over the territorial dispute with Belize in such a manner that it does not have to be held simultaneously in both countries. In an agreement signed in 2008 as part of the confidence building measures, one of the points was to have a simultaneous referenda in Belize and Guatemala where the territorial dispute must be submitted for decision to the ICJ. Guatemala has maintained that half of the Belizean territory belongs to them and has from time to time flexed its military muscle to try and impose itself upon Belize. This dispute has carried over for almost two centuries and countless efforts to try to come to a peaceful resolution have failed. The fact is that up to date the social and political differences have impeded any forward movement with respect to the referendums being held in both countries.

Julius Espat looking for sympathy at the Supreme Court
On Friday August 26th, Julius Espat, Area Representative for Cayo South was named in the National Assembly and was subsequently ejected from the House of Representatives. He has maintained that he was improperly removed and as a result has now sought to take out a suit against the Speaker of the House. Apparently the cutting of his almost 4 thousand dollar a month salary is putting a hurting on Espat so much so that he has appealed to the Supreme Court for a decision on whether or not the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Michael Peyrefitte acted in accordance to the law in having him ejected from the House.

Ministry of Education discusses how teachers will make up lost school time
The Ministry of Education sent out a release on Tuesday November 1 in which is stated that, "in light of the stalemate reached with the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports & Culture... will be meeting with Managing Authorities to discuss plans for making up a significant portion of instructional time lost as a result of the recent strike." The release notes that teachers will be compensated for time that is made up and it further notes that "where a school will not meet the requirement of 180 school days within its regular schedule of school days, then unless otherwise approved in writing by the Chief Education Officer, special arrangements shall be made by such school to fulfill this requirement. Any such arrangement must be approved by the Chief Education Officer."

Not sick and Not Tired in Front of any Fence
The following are thoughts in reference to ‘the publisher’ of the Amandala. In a recent issue the phrase “sick and tired” popped up… and another article in the same newspaper by a contributor also mentioned the phrase ‘sick and tired’. The only cure for the sick is rest [maybe the long rest] and for the tired….well, the same cure [the long rest]. Amandala-October 9, 2016-The Publisher: Publisher: “......I try to avoid opinionated discussions….I did my best to HUMBLE myself.......it became HOSTILE..! An expected and clear outcome when there is no capacity of dialogue and exchange of ideas; acceptance and respect of opinions. The conviction is of always ‘being right’ [the publisher, of course], or for the other to accept that he is right [the publisher, of course]; but if someone sticks to his guns [ideas, opinions] there is no other recourse but to insert hostility to end the discussion.

San Ignacio Police continue with their neighborly outreach
San Ignacio Police continued last week with their community outreach programs. On Tuesday 25th October 2016, between the hours of 3:00 pm and 5:30 pm Deputy Officer Commanding San Ignacio Police Formation Assistant Superintendent Daniel Iche along with members of San Ignacio’s Community Oriented Policing Program COPP’S conducted a Meet and Greet focusing on Second, Third and Fourth Street San Ignacio Town. By itself, COPP in San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town continues to be an astounding success. COPP is a full-service, personalized policing where the same officer is assigned to a specific geographical area on a permanent basis out of satellite offices or booths preventing crime and resolving community problems. The objectives of COPP are to reduce the likelihood of a person becoming a victim of crime, identify the problems, concerns and fears of community members as well as identify and eliminate the hazards that may promote crime or disorder.

Gunned down in a barber shop
George Young, 37, a Belize City man, was killed in a barber shop shoot-out, which has also left another young man seriously injured. On Saturday, October 29, at around 5:30 p.m., Young, who is better known as “Jaro”, was at Buck’s Barber Shop, which is located at the corner of Mohamed Ali Street and South Creek Road. His friends and family say that he was a regular customer who stopped by every weekend to get a shave. While the barber was working on him, a lone gunman walked into the shop, and opened fire on him immediately. Young was caught completely off-guard, and he was shot several times to the chest, the legs, and to the back. While the gunman was retreating from the business place, he stopped 19 year-old Abraham Craig, who was also inside. The gunman then shot Craig several times in the chest, the abdomen, and the back, after which he ran into Mohamed Ali Street, making his escape.

Bail for men that allegedly brutalized Camalote cop
Sanjay Casey and Belhem Guzman, both of Camalote Village, Cayo District, are out on bail after being at the Belize Central Prison for over a week on remand for allegedly beating a police officer almost to death on Sunday, October 16. Attorney Dickie Bradley successfully applied for bail on their behalf at the Supreme Court on Friday, October 28. The Crown had heavy objections to bail since the victim is still hospitalized but Justice Herbert Lord granted it in the sum of $4,000 each with conditions that the accused report to the San Ignacio Police Station every Monday and Friday of the week and not interfere with the victim, his family or any of the police witnesses. According to reports, young Police Constable Mark Rodriquez, who is attached to the Belmopan Police Formation, was going about his normal duties when he was viciously attacked by two men that Sunday night in Camalote Village. He was checking on a case with the owner of the Sirenita Bar when he was cornered by the men and beaten to an unconscious state.

Columbian woman attacks pregnant immigration officer at PGIA
Jessica Gonzalez Roman, 22, a Columbian national visiting her boyfriend in Belize, has to pay $1,200 to immigration officer Addie Pacheco, 39, who she assaulted at the Philip Goldson International Airport on Friday, October 28. According to reports, Roman arrived at the PGIA on Friday and walked up to Pacheco’s cube to be processed. She was upset by Pacheco’s treatment and started cursing and making a scene. Pacheco is pregnant and wished not to deal with the stress; therefore, she called another officer, Patricia Hyde, to assist. After Hyde showed up, Roman continued cursing and eventually grabbed Pacheco by the hair. She pulled her hair with one hand and punched Pacheco in the face with the other. The attack caused Pacheco’s $1,700 prescription glasses to fall and break. Hyde and other officers eventually managed to restrain Roman. Police were called and she was arrested. Pacheco was issued with a medico legal form where a doctor said he saw no visible injuries to her and no harm to her pregnancy.|

Crack and marijuana found at home of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King, 42, and his common-law-wife, Sherlette Banner, are out on bail after they were taken to court on Friday, October 28, for marijuana and crack cocaine that was found at their premises in Hattieville Village. According to police, a unit executed a search at the couple’s residence on Thursday, October 27, and found six grams of crack cocaine, 13.79 grams of crack cocaine, 121 grams of cannabis and 40 grams of cannabis in different parts of the house. The couple was represented by attorney Herbert Panton when they appeared before Magistrate Norman Rodriguez on Friday. They pleaded not guilty to three counts of drug trafficking and one count of possession of a controlled drug. There was no objection to bail which Magistrate Rodriguez granted in the sum of $4,000 each plus one surety of the same amount. They are due back in court on December 28, 2016.

Caught hiding a firearm
Warren Davis is behind bars at the Belize Central Prison on remand after police claim they caught him trying to dispose of a 9 mm pistol loaded with 9 live rounds of ammunition. Allegations are that at about 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25, PC Paul Herrera and other officers we conducting mobile patrol on Pitter Street when they spotted Davis riding a bicycle towards them. From about 10 feet away they saw him push his hand into his pants waist, pulled out what resembled a firearm and threw it into a yard where it landed on the roof of a house. Police say that after Davis threw the object he jumped off his bicycle and ran away from the area. The officers informed control room of the situation and other mobile units were alerted. One of those units caught up with Davis shortly after. He was returned to the area where he was seen throwing the object. A search of the house’s roof led to the recovery of a Sig Sauer 9 mm pistol loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition.

Drugs found near house in Benque
On Wednesday October 26, 2016 about 5:50 am, Benque Viejo Police along with the K9 Unit conducted an anti-drug operation at mile 8 1/2 on the Hydro Road, and with the strength of a search warrant, a search was conducted at the residence of Jose Francisco Martinez. Present in the house at the time were 45 year old Jose Francisco Martinez, a Belizean Businessman, 40 year old Miriam Khalil Martinez, a Belizean Domestic Worker and a 14 year old Belizean Student. Benque Police found nothing incriminating inside the house; however approximately 15 feet behind the house Police were alerted by a K9 dog. Police were able to find a black plastic bag containing a green vegetable like substance suspected to be Cannabis.

Fatal hit and run
There was a fatal hit and run near Belmopan over the weekend. On Saturday 29th October 2016, at about 1:09 pm, Belmopan Police visited Mile 46 on the Hummingbird Highway, where about fifteen feet off the highway, they saw the motionless body of a hispanic descent male person. He was lying face down with multiple injuries to his body. He was also seen wearing a blue in colour t-shirt, khaki pants, and a pair of black shoes. That person was identified as Damian Anastacio Paredes, a 50 year old Belizean Labourer of Orange Street, San Ignacio Town Cayo District.

Walter Jimenez pleads guilty to drug trafficking
Walter Jimenez tried to sneak over 500 grams of marijuana on barge leaving the Port of Belize compound for San Pedro on March 17, 2015. He was caught by the security guard on duty, Deon Barrow, and police were called to the facility. Jimenez claimed he was drunk but this did not stop police from arresting and charging him for drug trafficking. Trial was scheduled to commence on Wednesday, November 02, a year and a half later. However, Jimenez chose to plea guilty to the charge of drug trafficking in court before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. He threw himself to the mercy of the court hoping for only a fine. There is a mandatory fine of $10,000 for drug trafficking convictions and the option of confinement for three years.

Jason Gillett’s past catches up with him in San Pedro
Jason Gillett, a Belize City resident who moved to San Pedro to make a better life, unfortunately had it cut short when a gunman shot and killed him. It happened on Wednesday, October 26, in a part of the island known as San Mateo. That’s when the 30 year-old, who was better known as “Skilla”, was socializing with his friends at his favorite spot. Some time after 6 p.m., a gunman reportedly rode up on a bike and opened fire on him. Gillett suffered 5 gunshots to the chest and the back of the head. He collapsed in front of a church building named, “Iglesia De Cristo”, and that’s where police found his lifeless body. The officers have been very brief with the details, and they have commented saying that it is too early in their investigation to discuss the motive of the shooting, or possible suspects. They did indicate that they have received information which they intend to follow up on. His family, who did not want to speak with the media, did share that he moved out of the city to try to get away from the street life he was involved in as an affiliate of the “Gaza”. He got a job as a fisherman, and they suspect that past enemies may have come after him that evening.

Justin Hyde will stand trial for attempted murder
Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith says that there is sufficient evidence for Justin Hyde, 21, to stand trial in the Supreme Court for two counts of attempted murder. In a Preliminary Inquiry conducted on Wednesday, November 2, prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo, presented statements from several witnesses including the victims, Aaron Munnings and Wendy Lambey. Hyde was represented by attorney Tricia Pitt-Anderson. The charges stem back to a shooting incident that took place almost a year and a half ago. On the weekend of Friday, April 17, 2015, a gunman forced himself into the home of Wendy Lambey on Curl Thompson Street and opened fire indiscriminately. According to Lambey, she was home with relatives when she heard the sound of gunshots coming from the veranda. She then realized that her 18-year-old son and his friend, Aaron Munnings, were being chased by a gunman.

Police officer free from extortion charge
Police Officer Amir Moh, 33, has been facing an extortion charge since January of 2012 and now he is free from that cloud hanging over his head and career. The prosecution’s case against Moh fell through when the complainant recanted his statement in court on Thursday, October 27. According to police, Moh was manning a checkpoint at Mile 8 on the Philip Goldson Highway on Thursday, January 26, 2012, when he extorted Alexander Tate of $70 for a traffic violation. Tate, a medical technician, said that around 10:30 a.m. he was towing a vehicle in his silver Toyota Tercel when he was stopped by Moh at the checkpoint for a vehicle insurance violation. It was at this point, police say, that Moh told Tate he would be “criminally charged” if he did not hand over money. Tate told Moh he would pay when he returned from Lords Bank where he was heading because he didn’t have money on him. Tate then marked the serial numbers of seven $10 bills and gave them to Moh after returning from Lords Bank.

Jeon Peebles picked up by police found dead hours later
The family of 25 year-old Jeon Peebles are convinced that police had a hand in his very violent murder. At the very least, they are demanding that police give a detailed account of his whereabouts when they detained him, because hours later, his lifeless body was found riddled with bullets, as though it was roughly disposed of. His family says that he was on Mahogany Street on Sunday night, October 30, when he was taken into custody by two police officers, who are yet to be identified. That was around 7 p.m., and his family and friends contacted different police stations to try to find him, and possibly bail him out. Their attempts were fruitless, and less than 13 hours later, his body was discovered on a dirt road off the Hattieville Boom Road. It was partially nude, and he had been shot several times in his head and the body.

15 year old gang raped
Kevin Buller, 22, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after a 15-year-old minor reported that he and two other men had sexual intercourse with her against her will. Police are searching for the other two men but Buller was detained and charged on Thursday, October 27. The minor in the presence of her mother told police that on Wednesday, October 26, she went to a house on Antelope Street Extension where she had sexual intercourse with her boyfriend. After she had sex with her boyfriend, which is also unlawful since she is not at the age of consent, she alleges that three other men kept her inside the house and had sexual intercourse with her against her will. One of the men is known to her as “Pisa”. The minor was taken to a medical doctor for examination and it was confirmed that she is carnally known.

Turf war claims another man in San Pedro
Nieves Antonio Paguada, a 44 year-old hardworking man, was shot and killed on San Pedro just over 48 hours after 30 year-old Jason Gillett. It happened in the same area, and police also have reasons to believe that the murders are connected. On Friday, October 28, at around 11 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting, and when they arrived in the San Mateo area, they found Paguada’s lifeless body. He had 4 gunshot injuries, 3 in the abdomen, one to the rib cage area, and one to the chest. By that time, the culprit had already fled the scene.

Alrick Smith free from abetment to murder charges
Alrick Smith, a notorious criminal figure of the Ladyville area, is free of the charge of abetment to murder 11 members of Cynthia Lozano’s family. According to Ladyville police, on May 14, 2016, Smith solicited to cause the death of Cynthia Lozano, Jerome Lozano, Justeen Lozano, Cassidy Lozano, Amber Lozano, Celine Lozano, Sherdon Lozano, Camryn Lozano, Athlee Lozano, and Shemera Williams. Cynthia Lozano is the mother of Casey Lozano, one of three persons shot over the weekend of Saturday, May 14, on Marage Road, Ladyville. In that exchange, Lionel Rhamdas was shot fatally. Smith is said to be an in-law of Rhamdas and the charge stems from his intended retaliation.

Toddler ran over by his aunt in Spanish Lookout
A child has lost his life in Spanish Lookout as a result of a traffic accident. At about 6:00 pm on Tuesday of this week, 22 year old Elnora Braun of Spanish lookout was driving an Isuzu pick up into a yard when she accidentally knocked down her 4 year old nephew Kyson Braun. The child was taken to the Western Regional hospital however he succumbed to the injuries. San Ignacio Police continue their investigation.

FC Belize and Verdes FC play to a draw in PLB Competition
The Premier League of Belize Opening Tournament competition continued over the last weekend with a number of games on the schedule. On Sunday 30th October, 2016, at the MCC Grounds in Belize City, the host team FC Belize and the visiting Verdes FC played to a 1-1 draw. The host team FC Belize made it onto the scoreboard first when Jordi Lopez scored the 1st goal of the game in the 22nd minute of play via a penalty kick that gave his team a 1-0 lead. FC Belize’s defence was able to protect the slim lead well into the second half of the game, and it was not until the 88th minute of play that Verdes FC made it onto the scoreboard when Jarret Davis was able to convert a penalty kick into the equalising goal for his team that tied the score at 1-1.

East Coast Ballerz and One Love win in game one of Sugar City Hoops finals
The Sugar City Hoops Basketball Tournament entered its championship round on Saturday 29th October, 2016, with game 1 in the finals in both categories. The championship series is utilising the best of three format. In the U-17 and under competition, East Coast Ballerz defeated Ever Ballaz by the score of 57-43. The top scorers for the East Coast Ballerz were Norris Fisher with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals; Kristan Puerto with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and blocks and Javier Rosado with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist. For the Ever Ballaz, the top scorers were Emmanuel Torres with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal; Tyrique Dawson with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals and Shane Pollard with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

2017 Copa Centroamericana Groups Selected
The Central American Football Union (UNCAF) has made its selection for the group stage for the upcoming 2017 Copa Centroamericana Tournament. Belize, being a part of the seven (7) UNCAF Nations, has been placed in Group A, which includes Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua. The Tournament will be held from 13 – 22 January, 2017 and will be hosted by the Republic of Panama. The top four teams will qualify for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, while the fifth-place team will advance to a play-off against the fifth-place team from the 2017 Caribbean Cup for the final Gold Cup berth. All matches will be played at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City.

Belize to participate in CONCACAF Beach Football Championship
The Football Federation of Belize will participate in the up-coming CONCACAF Beach Football Championship scheduled for February 20-22, 2017, in Nassau, Bahamas. The Football Federation of Belize had representation in Miami, Florida, USA, where the draw took place on Monday 17th October, 2016 in connection with the 2017 Beach Football championship. At the draw, Belize was placed in Group A which consists of the Bahamas, Jamaica and Guyana. The other groupings include Group B: Mexico, Guatemala, Canada and Guadeloupe; Group C: USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda and the US Virgin Islands while Group D includes El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Softball Federation names National U -22 Female Team to represent Belize in Central America U-22 competition
The Executive Committee of the Belize Softball Federation today November 1st, 2016, named the 18 U-22 female softball players that will represent Belize at the XIII Central American U-22 Female Softball Championship scheduled to commence on Friday 4th November, 2016, at Rogers Stadium. The XIII Central American U-22 Female Softball Championship will feature the national teams of Costa Rica, El Salvador and Belize as the three countries will battle for softball supremacy on the mainland. The Belizean team will be led by Head Coach Nelberth Flowers and his coaching staff will consist of Assistant Coaches Floyd Flowers and Ruth Lamb, while the pitching coach is Brandon Bood.

What would P. S. W. Goldson do?
The Guatemalan Congress has agreed to present to its citizenry the question of having the claim adjudicated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The next step in the process will be referenda in Belize and Guatemala. If both sets of voters agree – the ICJ will get to work on settling the claim! Citizens have two main classes of duty to country: 1) Civic and 2) Military. In the first, we vote in the best interest of our self and our country. In the second we take up arms to defend our country. The duty that is in front of us now is to vote in the best interest of the Jewel! Defeating the unfounded Guatemalan claim is of supreme importance to Belize’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity. Evan X Hyde wrote on page 9 of the Wednesday June 10th, 2015 issue of the Amandala that: “The Guatemalan claim is a threat to Belize’s very existence…a serious issue…more than serious…dangerous.”

Youth Talks - The future of Belize
Belize needs us. We are nearing the “future” they always told us about. The one in which we’d be doctors, politicians, musicians, parents, and whatever else. The future, the one that was in our hands, is even more in our hands now and we need to start to make serious decisions that will not only positively impact ourselves and immediate families, but also the families of those that cannot help themselves, everyone else, and even our country itself. One way to do that is through science. Science is such an applicable and resourceful field that without it, I think we’d be very lost. I believe we could all, in some form or the other, contribute to science and its advances as it affects us. Science is the gateway to technology. With the advent of new technology in the grander scheme of the world, if we are really looking out for Belize, its people and future, we need to start applying it to our country. For instance, renewable energy is becoming more and more common and practical. It reduces harmful emissions into the atmosphere and could even preserve our health, economy, and society.

The Belize Times

ONE YEAR OF HELL…
As we go to press, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has yet to speak on the scandalous documents which continue to be leaked from the Ministry of Natural Resources. The latest to be revealed show that the brother of Gaspar Vega, Eduard Vega, and UDP insider Dean Williams both shared a $400,000 pay-out in a land deal made possible by then DPM Vega. That document joins another in which Vega transferred crown land to a company for $6540.30. That land was flipped, costing taxpayers $1,000,000. And there is another in which Vega’s son Andre Vega received $400,000 from the Ministry in compensation, when he had paid only $15,000 for a parcel of land. There are reports that during Gaspar Vega’s terms as Minister of Natural Resources, GOB paid out approximately $70M in compensation and owes $100M more which has not yet been paid. This massive land scandal, in a place that the Prime Minister himself referred to as a hotbed of corruption, is what will take the United Democratic Party into its first anniversary of “The Best is Yet to Come.” For Belizeans, it has been a year of hell, in which all of the Prime Minister’s fat corruption chickens have come home to roost.

Rat-Infested Belmopan Restaurant Given Green-Light by MoH…
In early October, pictures taken during a public health inspection of a popular Chinese restaurant in Belmopan were leaked on social media and caused an immediately outcry and outrage for two reasons – one, the pictures documented incredible filth in the food preparation area of the restaurant, piles of rat droppings strewn between condiments and sauces and two, the restaurant was closed less than 24 hours before it was allowed to reopen to the public. Today the Ministry of Health issued a release addressing “queries on Public Health Violations at a Belmopan Restaurant.” In that release the MoH makes reference to the leaked pictures, and explains that “the reported conditions of this establishment were investigated by the Public Health Department in Belmopan with support from the Belmopan City Council over a two-day period on October 4th and 5th, 2016.

DOUGIE DODGED A BULLET
Via text this afternoon, in response to a query, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Eastern Division North Commander Dezerie Phillips explained that “Paul Ferguson visited CIB office Queen Street at 5:13 on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 and gave a further statement requesting no Court action into the report he made against Douglas Grant on October 30, 2016.” At least up to the time of that report Grant, an employee of the Ministry of Defence and political confidante and best friend of Minister of Defence John Saldivar, was ALLEGEDLY being sought by Police in relation to an incident outside a Belize City nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning. Video from a surveillance camera clearly shows an argument between Grant and chicken vendor Paul Ferguson. Grant walked away, clearly intoxicated, and the footage then shows him pulling his gun, racking the slide and then pointing it into the air. From the video, which is without audio, it appears that the weapon was actually discharged, and then Grant kissed it for some unknown reason, all the while still shouting at Ferguson, who was at least 15 feet away from him during the entire exchange.

Above the Law
For there to be good governance…accountable governance and a healthy respect for the people who elect politicians to office, those politicians must realize, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are not above the law. They are not untouchables. They are not special. In fact, by the very privilege of the office allowed to them by the people, these politicians must be held to a higher standard across the board. Whether this government or a future one, be it UDP or PUP or one of the emerging alternative parties – politicians must be subject to the same law, and same repercussions for breaking the law, as any normal Belizean. We watch as unbridled, unapologetic, bold, brazen corruption is revealed at the Ministry of Natural Resources. This is no small change, penny-ante hustling. This was brutal rape over a period of years, under the then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Gaspar Vega. What is emerging is a tale of institutionalized corruption, using the system to plunder tens of millions of dollars from public coffers to enrich family members, friends and cronies. There was little attempt to conceal the outrageous hustling.

Sweetshots & Topspinners Win Thru to Bros. Habet Table Tennis Playoff
The 8th annual Brothers Habet table tennis team league is into its semi-finals and finals round on Sunday November 6 after completing its 5th round of the tournament at the Belize Elementary auditorium last Saturday. Fifteen teams began the tournament and the top 4 teams from each division have made the playoffs. The format for the semi-finals is set as the 1st Division’s top 4 are the Sweetshots, the Prodigies, Racqueteers and SJC Wildcats. The 2nd Division’s top 4 are the Topspinners, Racqueteers, Bismark and the Strikers. The 3rd division’s top 4 are the Youngstars, ACE, C-Ray and T3.

Tut Bay, Ladyville FC, Yabra FC, & Ebony Lake Win in CYDP Football
The Tut Bay, Ladyville FC, Ebony Lake FC, Yabra FC and Stars Academy posted big wins at the Conscious Youth Development Programme (CYDP) football competition at the MCC Garden over the weekend. In Game 1 on Saturday, undefeated Coast Guard and Kelly Street FC drew 1-1 when Kelly St’s defender Shannon Flowers scored first in the 5th minute and Coast Guard defenders Ardel Avila equalized with a long lob from centerfield that goalie Keron Miguel fumbled.

Hattieville Riverside Boys Win BDFA U-17 Championships
The Hattieville Riverside boys won the Belize District Football Association under-17 football championship, sponsored by Maclean Insurance, taking the finals: 2-1 against Fabro’s Young Warriors at the MCC Garden on Sunday. Richard Hinds scored the 1st goal in the 5th minute and Jadon “Cheetes” Macgregor caught goalie Shawn Billary off his line and scored a 2nd goal with a reverse kick into the empty net in the 15th minute for Hattieville to lead 2-0 at the half. In the 2nd half, Akeem “Bib” Sutherland and Jaheim Thomas came off the Warriors’ bench to strengthen their attacks, and Sutherland created the play for Kyle Samuels to score Warriors’ only goal. Hattieville might have made it 3-1 when they got a penalty, but Mario Rivera’s try sent the ball over the top.

A SENSE OF OCCASION, PLEASE…MR. PREACHERMAN?
Is the ecumenical movement, which enjoyed a certain level of success among the churches in Belize, alive or dead? Or has it been fragmented by the usual divisiveness that comes with Christianity? It would appear so, especially when thrown in the mix of a toxic blend of partisan politics and manipulation. In recent developments, when the churches have had to take firm positions on moral issues, it appeared that they may have been reading and interpreting various scriptures, or even certain versions of the bible, on morality and authority. It has also become clear, by the pronouncements of certain clergymen, that the ruling political party may have infiltrated the leadership of certain churches and senior churchmen. They have been unabashed in their defence of the government, despite its sins and inequities. The church in Belize is divided. It would appear that salvation is not nigh. This is based on some very strong political pronouncements that have been made from the holy pulpits. It would even appear that God has already selected his chosen ones.

MY PERSPECTIVE – NO ONE BUT HIMSELF
This is surely the winter of Belizean discontent with the Barrow administration, coming short months after the last general election of November 2015. Although the BNTU voted that teachers would return to their classrooms, and although there is determination to make up the lost teaching and learning time, there is still widespread unhappiness and disgust with the UDP government. More and more horrendous corruption that took place in the Ministry of Lands is coming to light. Some people really need to go directly to jail, not passing GO, not collecting $200, and certainly not enjoying any “Get Out of Jail Free” card. Perhaps too much is said about the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, but he is the Head Honcho; the buck stops with him, so he must be held responsible. The PM loves to tout that he is not involved in any shenanigans, but he has repeatedly failed to be above board with the Belizean people. In relation to his family, he has ensured that all their nests are well and properly feathered, and this blatant nepotism is corruption and definitely not good governance.

Youths: The Future of our country
Young people are often considered representatives of the future as they bring new ideas and energy to add to the pool of knowledge that currently exists. They can bring enthusiasm and vitality which can lead to new discoveries and developments that can benefit society or even the world at large. Although not the only drivers of social change, young people are seen to be some of the key drivers engendering change. Whether this is inherent in the beliefs of young people or the hope for the future is placed upon them by older generations is not clear. However, Belize is changing and developing, and this affects the lives of the people living here in varying degrees depending on their individual circumstances. Therefore, there are many new opportunities becoming available that can provide very different futures for today’s youth that were not available to previous generations.

Thinking Out Loud
I was watching a video just now which shows Douglas Grant outside a club, obviously under the influence of alcohol. That video, from surveillance footage, shows Grant arguing with somebody who is at least fifteen feet from him. Grant then stones something at the person before pulling his firearm, cocking it and then firing it into the air while the crowd outside the club watches. It is clear from the video that there was no threat to him, nobody attacking him, nobody except one of his friends even within ten feet of him. It is an offence to pull out a firearm in a crowded area. It is an offence to pull out a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. It is an offence to discharge a firearm in public, and an offence to discharge a firearm while under the influence. Yet from the video it is clear that members of the Police who approached the scene seemed to target the person Grant was arguing with, and not Grant who is known to be “ass and chamber-pot” with former Minister of Police and now Minister of Defence John Saldivar. In fact, if I’m not mistaken Grant is an employee of the Ministry of Defence.

THE WONDERER VERSUS CAPTAIN MORGAN!
Captain Morgan, a Welshman, was very famous when he WANDERED around the Caribbean Sea as a pirate, a privateer, a buccaneer, same difference. Bloodthirsty Morgan was widely viewed as a National Hero by the British under whose commission he ransacked and plundered what he could all in the name of mother country! When you look at a map of Belize you see island names such as Gallows Point, Deadman’s Caye and Man O’ War Caye. You must wonder how these names came about! Today in modern days we have a resort in Ambergris Caye, “Captain Morgan” that is polluting/contaminating/plundering our waters, the lagoon, the sea and the groundwater. The same waters the real Captain Morgan wandered around while wandering and plundering! No difference! According to the San Pedro Sun, Captain Morgan was given a cessation order by the Department of Environment (DOE). This order was to shut down their operations due to non-compliance with the DOE, because for years they have lacked a proper wastewater treatment system and are polluting the environment – our environment, the environment we Belizeans and the tourists use, and oops our Belizean creatures such as the fishes, the turtles, the manatees, the birds, the crocodiles, etc. the defenseless!

Guatemalan Court Orders Baby Nina into Mom’s Custody
Guatemalan born baby Nina Charlotte Alexandra Barrera Pérez, now three years old, will soon be back in Belize with her Belizean mother, Analiz Gutierrez. Details of the sensational cross-border custody battle first made it into the public domain in mid-November 2015 when Analiz Gutierrez spread word on social media that the baby, then 2 years old, had been abducted. She pointed fingers at the Department of Human Services whose social worker she initially accused of acting in collusion with the Guatemalan father of the child, failing to provide formal identification and present documentation to back Nina’s forcible removal from the home. On Monday November 16, 2015 the matter went before the Family Court where it was ruled that the Department should have interim custody of the child for two months.

Police Minister Interferes in OW Assault
Elodio Aragon Jr. was announced as Minister of State with responsibility for the Police less than two weeks ago, but already his plate is full of politically volatile stew. One incident over the weekend involves two of his constituents, one, Michael Shaw, an employee of the National Sports Council and the driver of National Sports Director Ritchel Dominguez. It was reported from Orange Walk that both men, Michael ‘Taicos’ Shaw and Gilbert ‘Malico’ Young were socializing at a home in Orange Walk Saturday night when they got into a heated political argument. That allegedly led to Shaw following Young home that night and hitting Young to the head and fracturing his skull, an injury so serious that the victim had to be rushed to the KHMH where he underwent immediate surgery to save his life.

Penner Rewarded! For Keeping His Mouth Shut?
On Thursday, September 19, 2013, the Prime Minister via a release dropped a bombshell – revealing that the (dis)Honourable Elvin Penner was fired from Cabinet with immediate effect. The release from his office stated that the Prime Minister, Dean O. Barrow “formed the view that, with respect to a situation brought to his attention on Tuesday, Hon. Penner, as Minister of State in the Immigration Ministry, did not discharge his responsibilities with either the due judgment and balance, or the scrupulous regard for appearances, which the Prime Minister demands of all his Ministers.” By way of explanation, the release added, “in a related development, the Office of the Prime Minister also announces that the Immigration Ministry, together with the Ministry of the Public Service, has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issue of a Belize passport to a South Korean national.” That South Korean national was Kim Won Hong, prisoner in a Taiwanese jail at the time when he was illegally issued a passport.

From $6K to $1M…Vega Style!
Another of those shady land compensation deals has been exposed, and it has resulted in the Belizean taxpayers losing one million dollars. Once again, it happened under the watch of that “not normal” man, Gaspar Vega, whose ministerial integrity continues to be called into question. The documents in our possession show that on February 15, 2012, Gaspar Vega, who was Minister of Natural Resources at the time, approved the transfer of a 1.677-acre piece of land in Placencia. The exact ID number in the Land Department registration system is Parcel # 3246, Block 36, in the Placencia North Registration Section. A check at the Companies Registry reveals that the Principals of the Ron J Company are of Indian ethnicity. The directors are listed as John Najendran, Sharon Peters and Richard Wilson.

Lands Corruption Gone Wild…Vega’s Brother Named!
The leaked documents from the Ministry of Natural Resources which put former Minister Gaspar Vega, his son Andre and UDP attorney Sharon Pitts on blast may have been the ultimate reason for his departure from Cabinet, but it is clear to all now that this straw which broke the corruption camel’s back was just the tip of the iceberg. The “compensation scam” may well have netted Vega’s family, friends and affiliates millions, but the hotbed of corruption had different layers. Documents released this week chronicle what appears to be a crystal clear land speculation hustle. The records we have obtained show that UDP insider and former candidate Dean Williams received a lease certificate in 2009 for 2.82 acres of land on Spider Caye, approximately 19 miles East of Placencia Village, Stann Creek District. Three years later, on August 6, 2012 he received a title for which he paid $10,998. But four days before that, he had already drafted an agreement to sell the land to a foreigner for BZ$400,000!

“Jaro” Shot Dead in Barber’s Chair
Southside Police are trying to solve the murder of 37 year-old George Young, better known as “Jaro.” The father of 3 was killed by a gunman who caught him off-guard while he was getting a haircut. The incident happened on Saturday, October 29, at around 5:30 p.m. at Buck’s Barber Shop, located at the corner of South Creek and Mohamed Ali Streets. Young was a regular at the barbershop, stopping by every weekend for a shave. He was in the barber’s chair when a gunman entered the shop and shot him several times to the back, the chest, and his legs. In the hail of gunfire, 19 year-old Abraham Craig was also injured the chest, abdomen and the back. Reports say that the gunman turned his weapon on Craig as he was exiting the barber shop. He then ran into Mohamed Ali Street, escaping from the area shortly thereafter.

Did Police Murder Jeon Peebles?
The family of Belize City resident Jeon Peebles continues to search for answers after the 25 year-old Periwinkle Street resident was found dead in an abandoned area off the Hattieville/Boom Road. On Monday, October 31, at around 8 a.m., a passerby found his partially nude body in a dirt road off the main highway. He had suffered several gunshot wounds to the back of the head. It is believed that he was taken to that area sometime between Sunday night and early Monday morning, where his assailant or assailants killed him and left his body.

Toloza Stabbed to Death
Orange Walk police continue to investigate the stabbing murder of 25 year-old Manuel Toloza, a resident of the “Otro Benque” area of the town. His family strongly suspects that he was attacked by a known group of trouble makers from the Trial Farm area, but the Police say that until evidence is forthcoming to support that conclusion, they will not be able to act on any such reports. The incident took place on Saturday, October 29, in Trial Farm which is just outside of Orange Walk Town. Reports are that Toloza and other persons were socializing and drinking when he got into some sort of quarrel with a man which escalated into a fight. The two men walked away from that scuffle mostly unscathed, and while Toloza was walking away he was attacked by a group of five men, one of whom stabbed him in the chest and the back of his neck.

Drug Wars Escalate in San Pedro…Two Dead!
San Pedro police are scrambling to solve two separate murders, believed to be connected, while they try to keep the peace on the island. The two murder victims are 30 year-old Jason Gillett and 40 year-old Nieves Antonio Paguada. Both men were murdered within 3 days of each other. Police suspect that Paguada was killed as some form of retaliation for Gillett. At around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, the cops responded to reports of shots being fired in the San Mateo area of the island. There, in front of a church building, they found Gillett’s lifeless body. He had been shot 5 times to the chest and the head. Reports are that he was hanging out at his favourite spot in that area and that’s when a lone gunman rode up on a bicycle and fired shots at the group. Gillett was the only one injured in the attack. Police have released no further information, and they say that their investigation has only just started. They have been given certain information which they cannot release, but which they intend to follow up on.

If Dah Noh Soh
A Man & his Chicken… I can’t for the life of me understand what the baldhead chicken dread was thinking when he told Dougie there was no more chicken that night. Man what is wrong with you? Couldn’t you take one look at the guy and know that he is passionate about his damned chicken? Don’t you ever, ever be getting between that man and his chicken…that crap will get you shot. You should be grateful that the man was able to restrain himself after DJ Richie told him that Li Chee was still open. That big ole boy was so happy to hear that he kissed his gun and shouted hallelujah. Hell you’re lucky that northside strike-out team didn’t charge you for Denying Dougie his Chicken. Moral of this story – when you see Dougie coming out the club, find some damned chicken in a hurry, cause that boy be needing to get his munchies on.

Questions to Ministers
Could the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister of Belize say if he is proud to celebrate one year in office when instead of the best that was to come, his administration has run the country into the ground and rampant corruption is destroying his Party and his so-called legacy? Could the Member for Queen Square and Minister of Police please update Belizeans on the alleged investigations into the corruption at the Lands Department, the corruption in Immigration and the William Mason scandal? Could the unelected Senator and former Minister of Natural Resources please explain why he never revealed the corruption going on in the Ministry when he was there? Could he further say if ‘being a part of the team’ means actively covering up corruption when you find it?

The Central Bank Needs All Your US Currency
The effects of government’s risky payment to the Dunkeld and the BTL Employees Trust using foreign reserves from the Central Bank are now becoming evident as the business community is having a hard time accessing foreign exchange, specifically US currency, to conduct business. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), this week started circulating a poll to its membership asking for feedback on the challenges many business owners now face in trying to find US currency. The Belize Times has learned the Chamber is so concerned that it is scheduled to have a meeting with CB Governor Joy Grant, who is currently out of the country, next week when she returns.

Breaking Belize News

Teachers to make up lost class time
In an interview with BBN this morning, the Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Carol Babb, announced that teachers will be allowed to make up time for the days missed during their industrial action. However, for the eleven days missed, teachers […]

Ministry of Health to roll out HPV vaccines
The Ministry of Health has acquired vaccinations via the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is a major cause of cervical cancer and which affects thousands of Belizean women in their late 20s. According to health officials, girls […]

Overwater structures require environmental clearance
The Department of the Environment (DOE) yesterday issued a press release advising the public that environmental clearance is required for the construction and renovation of Overwater Structures. Such structures depending on size and location, could have significant impacts on the environment, and as such, […]

Cubs win! Cubs win! – Holy Cow
Tonight Belizeans at home and abroad, particularly in Chicago, are celebrating as the Cubs clinch their first World Series championship since 1908 by defeating the Cleveland Indians in a nail-biting game for Cubs fans. The Cubs won back to back World Series championship in […]

Blogs

8 Kid-friendly Belize Resorts to Consider for a Fun 2017 Visit
If you make a list of reasons to visit Belize with the kids in 2017, you can remove the topic of high air fares from the equation. New, direct flights from major North American cities are increasing like rabbits, so whether you’re an American Airlines regular, Southwest devotee, you’re collecting Delta frequent flyer miles or WestJet is your ride from Canada, 2017 makes an ideal year for a “family vacation.” Travel time from major cities is equally easy on families: short flights mean your kids won’t get bored. What better way to start a family vacation! What’s in it for kids? Tell your youngsters that you’re thinking about vacationing in an old jungle river camp that’s morphed into a complex of 5-star tree houses and watch their eyes light up. This resort is off the beaten path and as “un-touristy” as it gets. Kids fascinated with biology, nature and jungles may just transform your Caves Branch holiday into a “Best Vacation I Ever Had” report!

Belize in November
November may mean cold winds and wintry weather in North America, but balmy temperatures and sunny skies in Belize make it the perfect time to visit. With the big crowds arriving later for Christmas and New Years, November is the ideal time to enjoy fabulous weather with plenty of affordable deals on tours, transportation, and lodging at some of the top resorts and lodges in the country. Here are some exciting activities to enjoy in Belize in November: November 19 is when the entire country celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Garifuna people. Enjoy traditional Garifuna drumming, plenty of tasty Garifuna foods like hudut (a fish stew made with coconut), street dancing, and parades. The Garifuna are a unique people descended from a mix of African slaves and native Carib islanders who emigrated to Belize more than 200 years ago. The town of Punta Gorda in Belize’s southern Toledo District is the site of the annual Battle of the Drums Festival. Running through the night until the wee hours of the morning, the festival is an excellent place to see demonstrations of athletic prowess and dance to the hypnotic rhythms of Garifuna and other traditional musical styles..

International Sources

Beneath the surface — caving and diving — Belize is breathtaking
“Fishing” for a tarantula — using a twig to tease it out of the hole in the ground it calls home — is cool by me, at least after I pull the thick sleeve of my rain jacket over my hand. But I draw the line at holding the scorpion spider that my guide, Alex Guzman, offers me. He had nonchalantly plucked it off its perch and it now rests in his palm, looking as sedate and nonvenomous as a spider the size of an adult’s palm can look. It’s still a spider, though. The size of my palm. Except it’s not a spider. Alex tells me this in an attempt to convince me that holding it isn’t such a bad idea. “So it’s a scorpion?” I ask. I’d rather hold a spider. But it’s not a scorpion, either. A scorpion spider is related to both spiders and scorpions, but is its own thing, which Alex assures me is not venomous. Whatever it is or isn’t, there’s no question it’s the size of my palm. I’m not sold. My attention returns to the main attraction. We’re in the front cavern of a cave in the limestone-rich Cayo District in west-central Belize. The undulating walls, ceiling and floor are cartoonish and otherworldly — “The Snorks” on Mars — and glisten with mineral-rich water. It’s impossible to see the entirety of the chamber we’re in at once; sight is limited to the areas that our headlamps illuminate. As amazing as the features illuminated by our lights is the utter darkness surrounding us when we switch them off.

NMSU prof’s film focuses on endangered parrots in Belize
Ilana Lapid set out to tell a compelling story. And people are listening. Her latest feature film, “Yochi,” will premiere at the 2016 Belize International Film Festival on Thursday, Nov. 10. If it wasn’t enough just to be in the festival, Lapid found out it is going to be the opening-night film. “When we found out that we were accepted, we were really excited to premiere our film there,” she says. “Then we found out about opening night and it took it to the next level. The Belize Film Commission has been supporting us, and they invited me to be on part of a panel.” “Yochi” is a story of a 9-year-old selectively mute Mayan boy who guards a nest of endangered yellow-headed parrots in Belize’s pine savanna. When his beloved elder brother, Itza, returns from the city, Yochi learns that he’s in debt and has turned to poaching – setting the brothers on a collision course. “This film is a story about connection and finding your voice,” says Lapid, a professor at the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University. “And it poses the question, what are you willing to sacrifice to protect that which is most sacred to you?”

BANKING UPROAR LINGERS
The row between commercial banks in the Caribbean and the larger ones on the American mainland just would not go away. In the past week, finance officials from across the globe and from multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) flew to Antigua for a conference on the latest developments in the sector as regional banks complain that they are being unfairly treated by American counterpart institutions. Governments have since the beginning of 2016 been complaining that federal officials in the United States have stepped up pressure on American banks such as Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citibank to increase scrutiny on transactions from the Caribbean region because monitors think it is easy to stash illegal money in the Caribbean. The result is that the Americans have moved to cut ties with banks in the region, forcing governments to organize the global conference both to seek a solution and to try to diminish the perception that the region is an offshore tax haven for people involved in dirty financial transactions.

Videos

November 3, 2016

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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

Westjet lands in Belize
Canada’s second largest airline, Westjet Airlines, inaugurated its direct service from Toronto to Belize on Saturday morning, October 30. Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr and his wife, along with Belize Tourism Board (BTB) director Karen Bevans were the first passengers to disembark from Westjet’s aboard the Boeing 737-700 after it had landed at the Philip Goldson International Airport. Westjet’s representative Linda Dawe, who is also the regional manager for International Airports Caribbean, said the airline was proud to add Belize to its list of destinations and that Westjet would be flying into Belize twice a week from Pearson Airport in Toronto. She said the new service meant that passengers could depart Canada in the morning and be checking into their hotel in Belize by lunchtime, and enjoying warm Belizean sunshine on the beach by early afternoon. She said she was happy that Westjet would be bringing more visitors to Belize, to enjoy our hotels and fine food in our restaurants, and their business would be providing more jobs for Belizeans.

Halloween Movie Night at San Pedro Town Library
While adults were gearing up to attend the biggest Halloween bash of the year, the San Pedro Town Public Library was hosting a Halloween-themed Movie Night on Saturday, October 29th. At 6:30PM, more than 30 children, accompanied by their parents flocked to the library to watch Monster House. Besides watching the Halloween movie, Library Assistant Marlene Coral hosted a mini Halloween Costume Contest. The contest judged three categories of: Most Creative, Scariest, and Cutest. According to Coral, choosing a winner was the hardest part. “Many children came dressed up this year, and there were so many creative costumes to choose from. My team and I had to make hard decisions. Almost everyone who came with a costume left with a prize,” said Coral. While adults were gearing up to attend the biggest Halloween bash of the year, the San Pedro Town Public Library was hosting a Halloween-themed Movie Night on Saturday, October 29th. At 6:30PM, more than 30 children, accompanied by their parents flocked to the library to watch Monster House.

GOB is vindicated for the takeover of IBC and IMMARBE
In a court ruling made on Friday, October 28th by the Supreme Court, the Government of Belize (GOB) was vindicated in the takeover of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) and International Business Companies (IBC). The court’s verdict declared illegal the secret contract made by the People’s United Party (PUP), which gave control of the said companies to the Ashcroft Alliance for 25 years. As a result, the court ruling rejected the Ashcroft Alliance’s claim for $90 million for GOB’s take back of the registries. This recent vindication in favour of Belize puts the current administration in a good position and marks a significant triumph for the rule of law and constitution of the country. The country first took control over those registries on June 11, 2013. At that time they were estimated to net the Government $11 million in revenues towards the fiscal budget. When the contract was inspected, it revealed the involvement of a major financial player in Belize – British billionaire Michael Ashcroft. Further inspection into the document stated that the agreement linked back to a company called Waterloo Investment Holdings Ltd.

Pets shine at Saga’s Spooktacular Halloween Party
For a little over a decade, the Saga Humane Society in San Pedro Town has been bringing the spirit of Halloween via island pets. The 13th Halloween Spooktacular Party was held at Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar on Sunday, October 30th, where pet lovers dressed their furry friends in creative costumes for an afternoon of fun and fabulous prizes. There were lots of giveaways, great food, drinks and even a piñata for the children to have fun with. Patrons who attended had a great time while supporting a worthy cause. The event began shortly after 2PM and saw attendees with their pets in their best costumes ready for the competition. Owners dressed their pooches as butterflies, princesses, vampires and even as a poop factory. Other activities taking place included a silent auction, raffles, and face painting. Children also had the chance to break open a piñata full of candy. Information was also handed out to continue raising awareness of the services the organization has to offer to the public.

Ambergris Today

Ambassador of Cuba Presents Credentials to Belize
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Belize Her Excellency Lissette Perez Perez presented her credentials to the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan on November 1, 2016. Ambassador Perez expressed her pleasure in being in Belize and conveyed her country’s commitment to continue to strengthen bilateral relations with Belize, as well as with the Caribbean Community. The Governor General accepted her credentials, welcomed her to Belize and expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Cuba’s commitment to Belize.

Belize to Honor Stellar Performances in CXC Examinations
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports & Culture and the CXC National Committee of Belize congratulate all students who sat the 2016 CXC examinations, especially those that displayed stellar performance in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). The Twenty-second annual CXC National Awards Ceremony to recognize the outstanding students is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Catherine Academy Auditorium in Belize City. At the Awards Ceremony the CXC National Committee of Belize will present several categories of awards to outstanding students in the 2016 CSEC Examinations. Three hundred sixty-six (366) students will receive CSEC Certificates of Excellence, two (2) will receive Subject Group Awards and thirty-four (34) Individual Subject Awards. The CXC National Committee of Belize will also recognize students who excelled in the 2016 CAPE Examinations. Five (5) student will receive CAPE Certificates of Excellence and three (3) students will receive Certificates of Recognition. Certificates will also be presented to the top performers in thirty (30) CAPE units.

Misc Belizean Sources

Climate Prediction Center’s Central America Hazards Outlook November 3 – 9
Suppressed rain observed over the interior of Central America during the past week. Poor second season rainfall performance observed over many areas of Central America. An inconsistent rainfall distribution since the beginning of August has resulted in moderate to large seasonal deficits across Central America. While some areas received average to below-average rain during August and September, many regions accumulated well below-average rain during October.

Inauguration Ceremony for August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek and Yo Creek to San Antonio Roads
The General Public and in particular, the media houses are hereby informed of the inauguration ceremonies of the AMS 2010 Feeder Road Rehabilitation Projects – Phase 3 Lot “B” (August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek) and Phase 3 Lot “B2” (Yo Creek to San Antonio), on the 3rd November 2016 at 3:15 p.m. The rehabilitation of the August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road (for a length of 13 miles or 20.8 km), and Yo Creek to San Antonio Road (for a length of 3.7 or 5.92 km) at total cost of Euro 9.5 million or BZD$ 21 million was financed by the European Union and the Government of Belize through funds from the Accompanying Measure for Sugar 2010. The August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek Road and Yo Creek to San Antonio Road are of major importance for the agricultural, tourism and social development of Northern Belize. These roads posed additional transportation cost and hardship to farmers because of their deteriorated conditions. The rehabilitation consists of the supply, construction, installation, and completion of the following: Site clearance; culvert and drain construction; provision, transportation, placement and compaction of fill and surface dress (pavement standard) with double and single chip seal.

Ministry of Health Addresses Queries on Public Health Violations at a Belmopan Restaurant
It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Health through various social media platforms that an eating establishment in the City of Belmopan has been called out for their unsanitary conditions and rodent infestation supported through personal testimony and photographs. The reported conditions of this establishment were investigated by the Public Health Department in Belmopan with support from the Belmopan City Council over a two-day period on October 4th and 5th, 2016. The restaurant was found to be in violation of several public health infractions, namely unsanitary conditions and rodent infestation. Immediately a closure was effected on the establishment ordering it to conduct thorough cleaning and sanitization of the restaurant and control of rodents. After several checks over the course of the two days, the establishment had complied with the recommendations of Public Health and was reopened. The owner was notified that follow-up monitoring would continue to ensure the problem was resolved.

Port Area of Belize City experiencing Flooding Wednesday

Burrell Boom residents need the road to be fixed
A resident of Burrell Boom wrote to say " I live in burrell boom by the horse track area for 4 years and I was asking for some help an no help come to us about our road. The problem is that students, parents and adults have to walk in dirty water to go to school an jobs. And upon returning home they have to do it a second time for the day, everyday. We really need help. There are two big holes on the road so it is so difficult for small cars to pass. Perhaps if you post the pictures on your page someone in authority will be shamed into helping the residents of my area."

Belize Fishing Report, Weeks of October 23rd – October 29th, 2016
The first annual Jim Klug photography school was a great success with anglers having a mix of fishing and expeditions combined with classroom study with Jim, Jess, and Bryan. Jim is the founder of Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures as well as a well-published photographer. The tarpon were around but not quite as ready to eat as last week. (which goes flies against the small moon is better theory) Jimmy got a few, Steve landed 2 in a day, Lisa added 2 more to last week’s fish total, Pete had a big one on for all the hard part but the 50-pound fish came unbuttoned on a late jump.

BHA Accommodation Guide 2017
The Belize Hotel Association has released their 2017 Hotel Accommodation Guide online. It looks professional, and Cayo starts on page 27.

BTIA Belmopan Expo
Please come and join us at the BTIA Belmopan Expo at the Blue Moon on Saturday. We will be raffling a gorgeous BBR Gift Pack, plus we have our usual education display and information on our organisations' work and on Rock Farm Guest House, which is now supporting BBR. It should be a great fun day out for the whole family!

SBDC Workshop: BASICS OF GST WORKSHOP
SBDCBelize in collaboration with the department of General Sales Tax (GST) is facilitating a workshop called "BASICS OF GST". The workshop will be conducted by two members of the GST Department who have expertise in the field. Presented by: Mr. Jason Emmanuel and Ms. Genevie Jones. Post/Teaching Description: GST Officer and Supervisor Tax Payer Service. Location: BTEC Building, ITVET Compound, Free Town Road, Belize City. Workshop Date: November 10th, 2016. Time: 9am to 12noon. FREE OF COST! Includes refreshments.

Institute for Social and Cultural Research Visits Galen University
Today, our Research and Educ. Officers were invited by Galen University, Belize to give a presentation on Finados in Belize. The presentation highlighted the tradition's history, associated rituals, and factors that have affected its continuity in Belize.

Cayo Cancer Walk 2016
There was a huge turnout for the Cayo Cancer Walk. Picture album 1 and album 2.

Artisan Fair
In front of the US Embassy front gate. Tuesday, November 15, 10am til 2pm

San Pedro House of Culture's Dia de los Finado postponed
Kindly note that due to inclement weather forecast for the rest of this week, the San Pedro House of Culture's Dia de los Finados scheduled for today November 2nd, 2016 has been postponed until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Kindly share with family and friends.

Riverside Tavern Halloween Monster Bash 2016

Channel 7

Cop Detained For Murder Of City Man
Tonight, a police officer is detained for questioning in the murder of 25 year old Belize City resident Jeon Peebles. Peebles family claims that he was last seen with two police officers who took him the night before he was found executed – quite a distance from home - on the Boom-Hattieville road. Today Southside Commander Chester Williams confirmed that one officer is being investigated:… ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South: "Yes we have one officer in custody who we believe was one of the officers who picked him up. That information though is yet to be confirmed and the allegation that you're saying that information is that two officers did pick him we have received that as well and that is the basis on which the officer has been detained and Mr. Cowo as I said who is assisting the rural with investigation has been busy interviewing that officer and other officers who were working that night to be able to ascertain if in fact the officer or any other officer is involved in the detention and subsequent death of Mr. Peebles."

"Chicken Dread" Drops Complaint Against "Douggie"
For the past two days – we've been telling you about the dispute between PUP driver Paul Ferguson, and Douglas Grant – who is John Saldivar's right hand man. Ferguson made a complaint alleging that Grant had pulled a gun on him on Sunday morning in front of Sit and Sip nightclub. At the time, Ferguson insisted that regardless of the complaint, police would not bring charges because Grant is a well-connected UDP:… Jules Vasquez, 7News: "Have you made a complaint to say that this person pulled a firearm?" Paul "Chicken Dread" Ferguson, Alleged Victim of Aggravated Assault: "Of course I did." Jules Vasquez, 7News: "And has any action been taken?" Paul "Chicken Dread" Ferguson, Alleged Victim of Aggravated Assault: "Well you and I know that nothing ain't going to happen."

Chester Says Cops Could Continue With Prosecution
But attorney Chester Williams said that police still could try and push the matter for the very public display of what might be called "gondolero" behaviour: ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South: "The truth is the person who is the victim of as crime do have the right to decide whether or not they want to pursue that charge or charges before the court of law and if the victim in the matter decide that they do not want to pursue the police has one of two options. One the police can still proceed with charges and have the complainant go to court and withdraw the matter or the police can get a further statement from the complainant, attach it to the case file, send it to the DPP and let her decide whether or not they will still continue with charges against the individual." A significant number of cases are dropped on a regular basis for the want of a complainant.

A Rat In The Restaurant? Or Was Chen's Chanced?
How safe and sanitary is your neighbourhood restaurant? It's probably something that's lurking in the back of your head, but you'd rather not think too much about it, since there's only so much you can do, and, really, it's the job of the Public Health Department. Well, one concerned citizen just wasn't going to take things for granted, and she reported the Belmopan fast-food spot, Chen's Restaurant, to the Ministry of Health. In early October, she posted some pictures of rats, which she says were seen inside the Restaurant's kitchen area. The concern it generated on Facebook, prompted the Public Health Officials and the Belmopan City Council to act, and the Belmopan Public Health Department inspected the business place. They inspected the Restaurant, and they did find unsanitary conditions, and a rodent infestation. They forced the Restaurant owner to close for 2 days, while she took steps to deal with the sanitary infractions. Even though it happened almost a month ago, it's a rare occurrence and when we learned of it today we asked Principal Public Health Inspector, John Bodden about what they found:

Modiri Versus Paumen, Round Two
In the past few months, the Bradley Paumen Saga has gone sort of dormant while the criminal prosecution wends its way through the court system. in January of this year, the American tour operator, who owns the Dark Night Tour Company, was accused of hatching a plan to murder his neighbour, Iranian-American Businessman Michael Modiri, and 3 of associates, including his bodyguard and his attorney. But, while Paumen faces a number of criminal charges, for which Modiri is the main complainant, these two are locked in a private war, waged in the civil court and at ground zero in Franks Eddy Village. The problem is and has been that as landowners, they can't get access to their properties without stepping on each other's toes. Modiri sued Paumen in the Supreme Court and won when the court determined that Paumen was trespassing on his land to run his million-dollar tour guide operation. Modiri was awarded 300 thousand dollars in damages and compensation for that dispute, which Paumen has to pay. Also, the Gaspar Vega-led Ministry of Natural Resources got a slapdown judgment when the court ruled that they improperly acquired Modiri's land for a public purpose. As we reported, because the Government acquired Modiri's land, it allowed Paumen to build an access road, which he uses to ferry his cruise guests from the cruise ship to his Dark Night operation.

Swift Says She Got Swindled Out Of Her Retirement Dream By Con-Man Contractor
Gloria Swift is a Belizean American, who planned to spend her retirement in Belize. She saved her money and invested it into a house in Bermudian Landing. That's hundreds of thousands of dollars, left in the hands of a local contractor who she instructed to buy and build quality. But, she ended up with a white elephant – and says the contractor conned her. Today Alex Courtenay visited her to get the story: Gloria Swift has had plans to move back to her hometown of Bermudian Landing from the US for over a year now. During that time, Swift hired contractors to build her a home, some guest houses and a learning and enrichment centre for the children in her community. Swift, a lifelong educator, told us why this was so important to her...

Contractor Says Swift Was Too Hasty
Of course, there are two sides to every story – and we spoke to the Contractor Ben Betancourt this evening. He says it's not a matter of quality or conning anyone, it's about time, which Swift didn't give him enough of:… Benigo Betancourt - Contractor: "She gave me one project, it was one house and her sister in law gave me one so it was two houses. That project contract was signed for the 7th of June in 2016; from 2015 to 2016. In that period of time she added a huge amount of project I think she added about four different project with the one thing and she demanded me to finish the entire compound with the same 4th of June. If she really read the contract; the thing is I'm glad because if she really read the contract once you give somebody a contract to build a house and if you even add on an extra step you need to give that person a week.."

No Eyewitness Statements For "Jaro" Murder
Police may be forced to release three suspects in the murder of 37 year old George "Jaro" Young. Young was killed on Saturday on South Creek when he was in the barber's chair. The Southside commander says they are having a hard time collecting statements from witnesses… ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South: "Yes we had detained about three persons in respect to that murder but again we always encounter that stumbling block where people are reluctant to give statements to the police as to what they have witnessed when a crime is committed and so we are at the hurdle right now that we are trying to cross and we have not been able to."

Police Use Carrot and Stick: Mediation And Raids
But, in this case policing isn't just about making arrests; it's about making sure there's no further retaliation. The rivalry between South Creek/North Creek and Antelope Streets has been simmering and today police intervened and acted decisively to quell the violence: ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South: "We were engaged in mediation today and the mediation had to do with the space of shooting we have been in the Antelope Street, South Creek, North Creek area and again yes we get with the different groups with a view to assist them to come to some amicable solution to the problem. Both sides made commitments that they will do their best to ensure that the shooting stop but not withstanding that I will say that our police presence in the area will continue. This morning we went in the area and we brought in elements from the SPU and elements from the MIT along with our strike team and we did operations in the area which was geared at targeting those persons who we believe are involved as well as to conduct searches for firearm and drugs in the area because we have come to understand that the reason behind the shooting is a war over a turf to sell drugs. So we want to see how we can assist in trying to eliminate that issue."

Police: Conch Shell Fire Tragedy Was Not Arson
A two year old perished in a house fire six days ago, and tonight police are denying reports that it was arson. Kaylee Alvarez was trapped inside the house in Conch Shell Bay, and the fire enveloped her room before anyone could get to her. It is a tragedy made much worse by speculation that someone set the fire. Today, Commander Williams addressed that report:… ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South: "I will say at this time we have no evidence to suggest that it was an arson; from all indications it is a fire, we are still trying to determine how it was started and the fire department is working closely on that to be able to ascertain what is the cause of the fire and where on the building is the point where the fire had started but the video you all were told about of a person running away from the fire scene, that video has been examined, it did in fact exists but that video has been countered with other videos to reflect that the person in that video was not present on that fire scene when the fire started."

Mentally Ill Man Run Over In Corozal
A mentally ill man was knocked run over by a bus in Corozal Town last night. 22 year old Javier Luis Chan allegedly ripped off someone's license plate right in downtown Corozal and was running off with it when two men set chase. Police saw the commotion and joined in. Chan was trying to escape and ran directly in front of an oncoming 47 seater Morales bus. He survived the massive impact, but the head and body injuries were too much, and he died shortly after at the Corozal Town Community Hospital. Police have served the bus driver with a notice of intended prosecution and have impounded the bus. They await the instructions of the DPP on whether they will bring charges.

Aunt Accidentally Runs Over And Kills Young Nephew In Span. Lookout
A 4-year-old boy was run over and killed by his aunt at their home. Yesterday evening around 5:00, 23 year old Elnora Kornelsen turned unto the driveway at their Spanish Lookout house when she crushed her little nephew, Kyson Braun. Kornelsen didn’t see the boy. Police say that there is a slope on the driveway and that maybe the boy was hidden behind it. Kornelsen has been served with a notice of intended prosecution. The family does not want to press charges but police say they will be sending the file to the DPP’s office.

Court For Copycat Customs Officer
Miguel Angel Manzanilla from Corozal Town may have wanted to dress up as a Customs Officer for Halloween, but instead he is facing criminal charges. As we told you on Monday, Manzanilla was caught wearing a customs uniform – which it turns out he had stolen from a neighbor’s clothesline. Manzanilla was stopped at a checkpoint in Ladyville where he told police he is a customs officer – but they sensed something amiss (maybe the shorts?) – and took him in for questioning. That’s where his ruse was revealed, and he has now been charged for committing a mischievous act.

Courtney And The Canine Cops
We regularly report on the countless GSU and Strike Team drug and gun busts on the news. But there is one other police unit that has its own unique way of sweeping the streets. And that is the K-9 Unit, a team of highly trained dogs who use their noses and their instincts to do what human cops could never do. Courtney Weatherburne put them to the test: Amigo is a German Shepard. He is 4 years old. He might look like just a beautiful guard dog, but he is far from ordinary, he is a K-9 officer. The Unit has 7 police dogs that are all highly trained to detect drugs, guns and explosives. And like any other officer, they work along with a partner.

Cops Take A Walk On The Southside
In Belize City’s southside, the top dog is Commander Chester Williams. Today he took his meet and greet tour to Albert street, and the surrounding areas, which is the country’s commercial hub. And while that sounds grand, the truth is, there are a lot of small businesses in the downtown areas, each with its won very specific security concerns. Williams told us more:…

Southside Will Train On Northside, Sometimes
But will southside police be staying in their zone when it comes to the brand new training unit opened up yesterday on the northside? We had to ask that same question yesterday when the commanders of northside and rural showed up at the opening while the soutshide commander was conspicuously absent. We asked Williams if there’s some kind of boycott…

Minister's Daughter Unharmed In Major Highway Collision
An accident on the western highway this evening had commuters backed up for miles, and for hours. It happened near mile 21 before Rockville when a large SUV hit the back wheel of the bus. The SUV was driven by Boots Martinez’s daughter Stacey Martinez – who was unhurt. There were no fatalities, and but traffic was stuck for over two hours. The accident happened at about a quarter to five, and traffic just started moving at 7:15. We’ll have more details tomorrow.

Swampland City Flooded Fast
We saw schoolchildren and dogs struggling on Dean Street, and just getting into the city on the Western Highway was not an easy feat for small cars. And on Waight Street, this Camry left a wide Wake to the street which was opened like a river mouth. The rain fell from before dawn to until around 9:00 am – but it reached its height around 8:00 am, and by 10:00, the water had mostly run off.

KKK.BZ!?
The US Presidential race is running red-hot in the states right now, and most of us can only stand by and watch as bemused bystanders. But, Belize’s name got pulled into the campaign in a most unexpected way today. That’s after a newspaper called the Crusader endorsed Donald Trump. It’s described as the official newspaper of the racist organization known as the Klu Klux Kan, or KKK. And what does that have to do with Belize? Well, the paper says it is online at “kkk – dot – bz,” meaning they are registered using the Belize domain name. We contacted a principal of the private company who sells the domain and he told us the “KKK” is registered in many other domains all over the world. He says it is not the job of the registry to screen what is objectionable and what isn’t. And while the tech types can always be morally ambiguous, the only good part of this whole deal is that the site isn’t working – so the kkk.bz address leads nowhere.

Channel 5

Chicken Dread and Dougie Bury the Hatchet…
A politically charged fracas that ensued outside of a popular Belize City nightclub on Sunday morning between two political opponents has been settled.  Footage of the disturbance outside of Sit [...]

…But, Will Douglas Grant Still be Charged for Firearm Offense?
The complaint by Ferguson was withdrawn on Tuesday evening after he agreed with Grant not to proceed with the criminal matter. This afternoon, ACP Chester Williams explained the possible scenarios. [...]

What is the Fate Press Office Director Dorian Pakeman?
There is another case involving another political operative. It involves Dorian Pakeman, the Director of the Government’s Press Office. Pakeman hit and killed Gardenia resident, Dean Dawson.  Pakeman was driving [...]

A Cop is Detained in Jeon Peebles’ Murder
A cop is tonight in custody of his colleagues in connection with the execution style murder of Belize City resident Jeon Peebles. The twenty-five year old father of one was [...]

Police Won’t Confirm Arson in Tragic Death of Kaylee Alvarez
Police are no closer to determining the cause of the fire that claimed the life of two year old Kaylee Alvarez last Thursday in the Conch Shell Bay Area. As [...]

Belize City Motorist Succumbs to Fatal Traffic Accident One Week Later
The family of thirty-eight-year-old Rafael Marin is tonight mourning his untimely death following a traffic accident last Thursday night. The father of two was knocked down by a motorcycle in [...]

Javier Chan Perishes in RTA in Corozal Town
There is another traffic fatality. Police are investigating a traffic accident on Tuesday night in Corozal Town that claimed the life of twenty-two year old Javier Luis Chan. According to [...]

OCEANA Hosts Seismic Consultations in Belize City
There does not appear to be much of a debate on the issue of seismic testing in Belize’s offshore waters – at least, not if you ask the environmentalists, who [...]

OCEANA VP Says Legislation for Moratorium is a Firmer Option
As we reported, the Cabinet met last week to consider the plans for legislating the moratorium on activities related to offshore exploration for petroleum and conditions for lifting that moratorium. [...]

TGS and Its Relationship with G.O.B. Goes Back Years
For many, the company conducting the testing, TGS, came out of nowhere. But OCEANA’s Janelle Chanona reported that its relationship with the Government has been long-standing and it is clear [...]

Bradley Paumen and Michael Modiri: Unresolved Land Dispute
Businessman Michael Modiri and tourism stakeholder Bradley Paumen share a history of enmity over access to private lands in Franks Eddy Village.  Earlier this year, Paumen, along with several others, [...]

Public Health Department Cracks Down on Rodent Infested Belmopan Restaurant
The Ministry of Health has responded to concerns raised on social media about Chen’s Restaurant, an establishment in the Water Reservoir Area of Belmopan. Patrons and residents of the area [...]

Justin Hyde to Stand Trial for Attempted Murder
Twenty-one-year-old Justin Hyde, the man accused of shooting up his neighbour’s house in Belize City, will have to stand trial at the Supreme Court for two counts of attempted murder. [...]

Phillip Willoughby Opens Up About Beef with Raymond Rivers
Last Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams openly invited Raymond Rivers to a sit-down at the Raccoon Street Police Station, following a series of inflammatory social media posts made [...]

Hurricane Victims Receive NEMO Assistance Following Overnight Downpour
Hurricane Earl struck Belize on August third causing substantive damages to properties in the city and elsewhere. And despite all efforts to bring relief to families affected, many are still [...]

NEMO Hurricane Assistance Program Broken Down
Since embarking upon its Hurricane Earl relief initiative, NEMO has been criticized by residents who have been affected by the natural disaster and have not been visited by ministry personnel.  [...]

Chester Explains His Absence from Eastern Division North Activities
On Tuesday night, we showed you the opening of a training facility at the Eastern Division North. And noticeably absent was top cop Chester Williams. At today’s weekly meet and [...]

Meet and Greet on Albert Street
As we said, we caught up with Commander of the Eastern Division South Chester Williams and his officers on their weekly meet and greet in Precinct One in the downtown [...]

Belize City Police Mediate with Rival Gangs
In recent weeks, there has been a spate of shootings and murders across the city. It is believed that these have resulted from turf wars on the south side, namely [...]

Louisiana National Guard and B.D.F. Celebrate 20 Years of Partnership
On Tuesday, the Belize Defence Force and the Louisiana National Guard reached a milestone in their state partnership program. It has been twenty years since Louisiana and Belize have been [...]

GISCAD in Belize; Hosts Geospatial Conference
Advantage, Trimble, Digital Globe, AutoDesk, SCI are geospatial engineering companies that provide top of the line tracking hardware and software to public and private sector companies for cross-effective solutions. Through [...]

CTV3

Corozal Resident Crushed By Morales Bus
A young Corozal Town resident was crushed by a bus yesterday evening. The incident took place on 1st Street, almost in front of the Corozal Police Station. Twenty two year old Javier Luis Chan ran onto the street and in front of an incoming Morales bus. The bus, driven at the time by Alberto Luis Cowo, could not halt in time, and hit Chan and ran over him. The Police are investigating and have impounded the Morales bus for the time being. According to their preliminary investigations, Chan ran onto the streets because he was being chased by two male persons from the direction of 7th Avenue. The two men were attempting to apprehend Chan because he had reportedly broken someone’s windshield.

Taxistas To Pay Taxes
At a meeting held on October 21st, the Corozal Town Council informed taxi drivers that they would have to pay a new trade license fee in order to operate in town. The rule would even apply to taxi drivers from the rural areas who come to town to operate. Following the meeting we tried to confirm the news with Mayor Hilberto Campos, but he did not make that possible. Today, we finally got an interview with the Traffic Manager, Richard Quan, who confirmed the introduction of the new fee. Richard Quan - Traffic Manager, Corozal Town Council: “The trade license is actually the taxis in the town, the coop or the Union they will be paying one hundred dollars per year to do their service in town and the freelancers outside they will be paying one hundred and fifty dollars to do their service in town.”

Minor Traffic Accident In Center Of Corozal
There was a minor traffic accident downtown Corozal Town at the corner of 2nd Street and 5th Avenue. A Blue in colour Toyota Prado with Belmopan license plates collided into a white in colour Nissan Rogue with Belize City plates. The driver of the Prado was visibly furious following the collision and accused the other driver of not stopping at the stop sign. Traffic officials and the Police were at the scene carrying out their investigations and will determine whether to charge anyone for any infractions committed.

Belize Progressive Party Stays Without Treasurer
Serious internal problems in the Belize Progressive Party has resulted in the resignation of two senior members of the most recently formed political party. Bobby Lopez confirmed reports today that he had resigned as Treasurer for the BPP with a press release indicating that the Party was not moving in a direction that he agreed with. Lopez, who was once a member and candidate for the Vision Inspired by the People (VIP) had switched to BPP when it formed in October 2015. The BPP had shown promise when in April of this year, Dr. Louis Zabaneh came onboard as their Sustainable Human Development advisor. Well, it appears the relationship was not sustainable since there are reports that Dr. Zabaneh has opted out of the BPP also.

Traffic Manager Freelancers To Join Unions and Cooperatives
Earlier we told you about the Corozal Town Council’s imposition of a new trade license fee for taxi drivers. The Council also held a meeting today but it wasn’t to discuss that fee – that’s a done deal. Today’s gathering was for the taxi operators to bring up concerns to the Council’s attention. Traffic Manager Richard Quan told us more about the meeting and how the Council plans to address the issues raised. Richard Quan, Traffic Manager, Corozal Town Council: “Well the Unions and taxis are very courteous and everybody conducted themselves nicely and the concern was let us work together the taxi drivers and Unions work together because when you stop in one taxi area you are messing up all the other taxi brothers so what we are trying to do is that every month to have a meeting with them to keep the communication with them and we go a longer way and we are asking each one of them to all the freelancer to either join a cooperative or Union so that we can be more organize and more control of the freelancers or control of them it is not mandatory to join but it will control them and they will have more respect and to abide by the rules and the regulations when they are in Unions.”

LOVE FM

Faber Says Time’s Up; Deductions to Be Made From Teachers’ Salaries in November
Each month the management of pre, primary and secondary schools who are either fully funded or subsidized by the Ministry of Education are required to submit their paysheets for their teachers by the first Wednesday so as to have them processed in time. As you would recall, the Ministry of Education had announced last month […]

Stalemate Persists with Education Minister and BNTU President
As we mentioned earlier, the BNTU and the Education Minister were to meet to discuss the ministry’s proposal to have the teachers’ strike fund used to pay the teachers who went on strike as well as the possibilities of having teachers make up the time lost in the classroom. BNTU’s President, Luke Palacio refused to […]

Consultations Begin on Making Up For Lost School Days
This morning the Association of General Managers for the pre and primary schools met with officials from the Ministry of Education. When we spoke with the association’s President, Deborah Domingo, she told us this is the first part of a consultation process. DEBORAH DOMINGO “We did get in to discussing ways to assist students in […]

CXC Registrar Says Results Show Increased Competitiveness
Belize has been having stellar performance in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) recently with students getting more competitive every year in the number of CXCs they are sitting. Yesterday we spoke with the 2016 most outstanding performer for Belize, Rhiki Alegria who spoke about his tactics for good performance. Today we spoke with CXC […]

Government Seeks to Up Penalties for Public Health Infractions
The Ministry of Health is looking to review its public health laws with an aim at strengthening the penalties for non-compliance. The notice of the revision came via a press release that sought to clarify a current discussion on social media. Reports are that in early October, a food establishment in Belmopan was closed down […]

Still No Answers in the Kaylee Alvarez Death by Fire Tragedy
Last week a fire at the Conch Shell Bay area in Belize City took the life of two year old Kaylee Alvarez. The investigation on what may have caused the fire is still ongoing amidst allegations of arson. Today information from the Fire Department stated that they have narrowed down the start of the fire […]

No Progress in Peebles and Jaro Murder Investigations
24-year-old, Jeon Peebles was violently murdered last week. His body was found on October 31, 2016 on a feeder road in Hattieville Village, Belize District. Rural Eastern Division police are still investigating the murder. Today Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams commented on the investigation as information surfaced linking the southside police to Peebles. CHESTER […]

Grant Escapes Remand Following Confrontation with Ferguson
Yesterday we told you of the aggravated assault charge that the Commander of Police’s Eastern Division North, ACP Dezerie Phillips told the media would be levied against Douglas Grant Jr. of Belmopan following an altercation on Sunday morning with Paul Ferguson. Up to news time, that charge had not been levied against Grant and it […]

Woman Raped Inside Her Home
A woman was raped as she was asleep at her home on Saturday night. The 24-year-old woman of Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District reported to police that while she was sleeping, she was awoken by the feel of someone on top of her. Upon waking up she realized that a man was over her and […]

Family Loses Assets to Fire on Military Base
A family living on the BDF Price Barracks lost everything when a fire gutted their house. It happened on Monday and fortunately no one was hurt. Commander of the B.D.F., Brigadier General David Jones told us more. DAVID JONES “Yes we had a fire on the camp; one of our families’ sustained complete damage of […]

Breaking Belize News

Traffic accident on the George Price Highway
An SUV belonging to Minister Boots Martinez and a Westline Passenger Bus were involved in a collision this evening between Mile 20 and 21 on the George Price Highway. While both vehicles recorded major damages, no fatality occurred and no serious injuries have been […]

Gun and ammunition found in Placencia
Last night around 8:45, police Officers from the Placencia Sub-Formation conducted a search in the Placencia Village Park where officers found a Sentinel DELUXE brand .22 revolver with a brown plastic handle and black metal barrel. The revolver contained three live rounds and four […]

Weed found in San Ignacio
Yesterday morning around 8:30, police conducted a search in a bushy lot, situated on Tech Street, San Ignacio Town, where officers discovered a black plastic bag, hidden under dry leaves, which contained Cannabis. No one was in the area at the time. The drugs […]

Young woman raped by cousin in Dangriga
A 24-year-old woman visited the Hopkins police station on Saturday morning and reported that while she was at her home in Hopkins Village, she was sleeping in her bedroom when she was awakened by someone who was covering her mouth. She further stated that […]

Traffic accident in Corozal claims one life
Last night around 7:30 while Sgt. Everon Teck Sr. was walking on 1st Street North heading towards the Police Station he saw two men chasing a man from the direction of 7th Avenue to the direction of 5th Avenue. The man that was being […]

Two new roads in northern Belize to be inaugurated
Two needs roads, August Pine Ridge to Blue Creek and Yo Creek to San Antonio, will be inaugurated tomorrow. The $21 million project was financed by the European Union (EU) and the Government of Belize. The project saw the rehabilitation of the August Pine […]

Ministry of Health addresses reports of unsanitary Belmopan restaurant
The Ministry of Health, this morning, issued a press release informing that through social media platforms, it has become aware of a restaurant in Belmopan that has been called out for unsanitary conditions and rodent infestation supported through personal testimony and photographs. The Public […]

Blogs

Top Travel Photos and Videos of Belize for October 2016
October has come and gone and while it may not have been as festive as September, it was a spectacular month for adventurous travelers. Visitors and locals alike made their way to various destinations within the country of Belize, to explore the Mayan Temples, dive among the inhabitants of the Caribbean Sea, and simply enjoy the beautiful beaches that the country has to offer. With so many travel related posts on Instagram featuring Belize this past month, it was definitely no easy task choosing our favorites. Thousands of travel photos and videos were taken, that highlighted the beauty of Belize during the month of October and here's our list of the Top Travel Photos and Videos of Belize for October 2016:

Belize Age of Consent
The Age of Consent in Belize is 16 years old. The age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger in Belize are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape or the equivalent local law. Belize statutory rape law is violated when an individual has consensual sexual intercourse with a person under age 16. Belize does not have a close-in-age exemption. Close in age exemptions, commonly known as “Romeo and Juliet laws” in the United States, are put in place to prevent the prosecution of individuals who engage in consensual sexual activity when both participants are significantly close in age to each other, and one or both partners are below the age of consent. Because there is no close-in-age exemption in Belize, it is possible for two individuals both under the age of 16 who willingly engage in intercourse to both be prosecuted for statutory rape, although this is rare. Similarly, no protections are reserved for sexual relations in which one participant is a 15 year old and the second is a 16 or 17 year old.

Food Fantasy at Casa Picasso Restaurant
Still going strong since the Friday before Halloween and bringing you Party number 6. Without a doubt Casa Picasso has the top 2 key ingredients of a great party locked down for their annual season kick off event. Absolute heaven each and every one – several times over. We also had the best spot in the house – entrance area bar. It was nice and cool, we got to say hi to everyone coming and going. Most importantly it was a prime stop on the wait staff route. Drinks were also part of the mix and they had the usual extended bar in the back room. This years signature cocktail for the party was the “Endless Summer.” Being a beach boys fan I totally would have gone for a virgin version. Unfortunately star bartender Jason said it would not translate. He knows my beverage style and immediately hit the mark suggesting a lime spritzer and told his crew to hook me up.

Cayo Rosario On the Leeward Side of Ambergris Caye: Development that Should Not Happen
There is a small island on the gorgeous, practically untouched leeward side of Ambergris Caye. leeward-side-of-the-island A few acre caye that has long been a well known rookery for all types of native and migrating birds – from cormorants to gorgeous bright pink roseate spoonbills. It has always been locally knowns as one of the “Bird Cayes” and was thought, for years, to be protected land or “Crown Reserve”. This caye is Cayo Rosario – just behind Ambergris Caye on the leeward side. One of the cayes part of the chain of spectacular pink sandbars, one of the cayes crucial to the flyfishing guides and flyfishermen that spend millions on Ambergris Caye each year. Just last week, a development plan was announced for this caye. Sure they are only drafts…but 90 over the water structures in a marine reserve? Cayo Rosario is an environmental gem, how it quite suspiciously switched from public lands to private hands, how the proposed development plan within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS and how the developers of this plan have a track record that we need to consider before the GOB allows them to develop anything in this country.

International Sources

A Family Beach Vacation That Puts Love to the Test
A multigenerational trip to an island in Belize tries to do the impossible: Make everyone happy. After Australia, Belize offers the second-best diving in the world. The barrier reef is so close to San Pedro’s beach that we could see it from our resort, and at some properties on the northern part of the island, you can swim right up to the reef from the hotel. None of us could scuba, but the snorkeling, which you can arrange to do through two dozen different outfits in San Pedro, was fabulous enough for anybody. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a half-hour boat ride from the shore—a short trip for an immense experience: Angelfish and parrotfish and spotted eagle rays drift over brain coral, while lobsters and moray eels tuck themselves into the rocks. The beauty of diving off Ambergris Caye is that you’ll find hundreds of spots nearly as good as Hol Chan. They are all short boat rides away, with most comfortably protected from the ocean swell, and so appropriate for all levels of swimmers. Everyone, of every generation, I imagine, would love swimming with sea turtles. We had to take a much more drawn-out journey to reach the ruins of Lamanai, in the center of Belize—a long boat ride then a protracted bus ride then another lengthy boat ride. The ruins at Lamanai are extensive and gorgeous, and provide that strange sense of futility that only abandoned cities overgrown with jungle provide. Belize was inhabited by a million and half people before the collapse of Mayan high culture in the 10th century. Now, as we walked around the ruins, howler monkeys overlooked streets once ruled by kings, a boa constrictor curled up at the base of a tree growing in the middle of a street, and a red tarantula, as big as a fist, wandered the clearing in front of the main temple.

'It felt like something was gnawing at me': Man describes seeing flesh-eating parasite ravaging his own skin
A man has described seeing a flesh-eating parasite ravaging his own skin. Mark Ward, a retired firefighter from Prescott, Arizona, was in Belize with his wife Janina when he started to notice small pin-sized spots all over his body. Assuming them to be bug bites, he ignored them. But within days he was exhausted, losing weight rapidly, and the dots had transformed into huge lesions, bursting open. He had been infected by a flesh-eating parasite which was reproducing in his body and eating his cells. The infection - called cutaneous leishmaniasis - can be fatal if left untreated. However, bewildered doctors in Belize then in Arizona took more than a week to realize that Mark had more than a contact skin infection. Doctors in Arizona managed to diagnose, control and cure the infection before it was too late. Now Mark is sharing his story with the Animal Planet's show Monsters Inside Me to warn others about the dangers of parasites, which are becoming increasingly common in the United States.

Miss Divali Nagar Queen Pageant
It's always inspiring to see our youth shine on an international stage: Congratulations to Asia Gilharry, a finalist in the Miss Divali Nagar Queen Pageant hosted by the National Council of Indian Culture of Trinidad and Tobago (NCIC TT) Miss Gilharry, of Corozal, placed 4th and won "Best Sari!" Photos courtesy of Sylvia Perez.

Unraveling the Mystery of a Newly Discovered Migratory Species, Hook-billed Kite, in Belize, Central America
Apex predators are critical for healthy ecosystems, yet basic information on most Neotropical raptors is limited. In 2013, we began to document novel scientific information on the biology of the Hook-billed Kite, an enigmatic Neotropical raptor. In 2014, we documented over 5,000 Hook-billed Kites on a south-bound autumn migration. Attaching satellite transmitters to individuals will unravel this mysterious migration of this never-studied species. In 2013, Belize Raptor Research Institute (BRRI) launched the Hook-billed Kite Project and the Belize Raptor Watch as long-term research and conservation projects. These projects aim to unravel the mysteries of the enigmatic Hook-billed Kite, a highly specialized Neotropical raptor species, which ranges from the southern extreme of Texas to northern Argentina. Currently, minimal information exists about the ecology, breeding biology, habitat usage, prey ecology, foraging, and migratory movements of Hook-billed Kites (Bildstein et al. 1998 ). This species warrants high study priority in order to gain a better understanding of population status and threats, since it is thought to have a decreasing population trend (BirdLife International 2012).

Calling all history teachers and students
The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project will be conducting a series of Oral History Workshop during the month of November (15th and 29th) and December. The Workshop will be conducted in Belmopan at the National Library. The Workshop is free and Lunch will be provided. Please message this page if interested for more information and we will send to you an application form.

BELIZE-ING IN THE CUBS
Like many other Cubs fans’ right now, my dad’s stress level this past week has been dictated by Chicago’s performance in this year’s World Series. My dad grew up a Cubs fan, which is interesting since he’s not from Chicago. Instead of hailing from the Windy City, my dad comes from Belize City, the largest city in the tropical country of Belize, which is an English speaking paradise nested in between Guatemala, the Yucatan Peninsula and the Caribbean Sea. My dad has never downed a Chicago style dog on Clark and Addison, but I would bet he’s piled on numerous meat pies while strolling around Swing Bridge. So how did my dad, who lived nearly 2,800 miles away from Chicago, fall for the Lovable Losers. Well, as Washington Post writer William Branigin put it in 1989, “through a quirk of geography and satellite technology, Belize has more Cubs fans per capita than any place outside greater Chicago.”

Mexico strengthens agricultural ties with Caribbean
The Ministers of Agriculture of Mexico and the Caribbean recently met to discuss the need to improve regional collaboration for the benefit of rural development in their countries, and highlighted the technical cooperation provided by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to enhance agrifood development in the region. During the First Meeting of Ministers and Secretaries of Agriculture of Mexico and the Caribbean, José Calzada Rovirosa, head of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), highlighted Mexico’s partnership with Caribbean countries in matters related to the agrifood sector, and expressed his commitment to increase collaboration with that region.

Global and Regional Challenges to Caribbean Economic Development - 2016 High Level Caribbean Forum on Shifting Tides: Challenges and Opportunities
Honorable Prime Ministers, Ministers, Central Bank Governors, friends and colleagues, good morning. On behalf of the International Monetary Fund, I am honored and pleased to welcome you to the 2016 High Level Caribbean Forum. Before I begin, please allow me to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims of Hurricane Matthew, particularly in Haiti, where so many people have lost their lives and damage has been extensive. I would also like to express my gratitude to Prime Minister Rowley and the government of Trinidad and Tobago for your warm hospitality and for co-hosting this forum. This forum and the four previous ones have now become an annual tradition. This is a testament of the Fund’s commitment to working with you in addressing the challenges that stand in the way of securing strong, inclusive and sustainable growth in the Caribbean.

OPINION: What a Trump victory would mean for Mexico
The U.S. presidential election, pitting Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton, is November 8th. In Mexico, Donald Trump has been excoriated in the media and among the political class since he announced his candidacy in June of 2015. The candidate has been likened to Hitler; he’s been slammed by politicians, journalists and entertainment personalities. The Mexican government has attempted to influence the U.S. election through its vast consular network north of the border, by helping Mexicans in the U.S. acquire U.S. citizenship so they can vote against Trump. Recently, Silvano Aureoles, Governor of the Mexican state of Michoacan, was visiting California and made his wishes known.

Why do U.S. expats become involved in worthy causes?
The U.S. shared first place in the World Giving Index 2014, according to the Charities Aid Foundation. It is the only country to be ranked in the top 10 for all three charitable behaviors covered by the organization’s index. Given this, it is not surprising that expat Americans would get involved in charitable and volunteering activities when living overseas. What is surprising, based on interviews with 500 expats for the website, Best Places In The World To Retire, and included in the study Expats: Expectations & Reality, is how central these charitable activities have become for expats. It is also surprising how significant the impact many of them are having. Many of these expats became involved in worthy causes after seeing that they could have more of an impact than in their native lands. For example, Americans are often touched by their experiences with people who need help in their adopted countries. Kelly German, who lives in Ambergris Caye, Belize, explained that there is also a social aspect to volunteering. As expats move to a new home, they look for organizations to belong to as a way to meet others. But she said that they are also looking to help provide resources that local government is not large enough to offer — resources that are taken for granted in the U.S. “From my experience, expats generally congregate around good works,” German said.

Videos

November 2, 2016

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

Another Halloween to remember at Holiday Hotel
Another epic Halloween Party was held on Saturday, October 29th at the Holiday Hotel on Barrier Reef Drive. The anticipated annual celebration attracts people from different walks of life who bring out their best costumes to impress judges and get a chance to win some fabulous prizes. From the most creative, to the elegant, creepiest and spectacular, this year was another scary and crazy night to remember! Shortly after 9PM, a large crowd of onlookers gathered around the traditional orange carpet that extended for almost a block. One by one, attendees began making their way down the carpet to an audience that was amazed at each unique costume. From monsters, vampires, pirates, witches, unknown creatures, zombies, super heroes, villains, and even a group of cereal characters, the party got bigger and bigger as the hours passed. In keeping with current times, there was even a portrayal of U.S Presidential Candidates Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump, along with a Miss Universe participant. The event was so irresistible that people from outside of planet Earth stopped by! Yes, the whole crew from Star Wars was present at the party.

San Pedro holds Breast Cancer Walk/Run Awareness campaign
On Saturday, October 29th The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) organized a ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Walk/Run.’ Over a hundred participants gathered at the foot of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge at 5:30AM and joined the many Belizeans across the country in spreading awareness about this deadly disease. For a registration fee of $10, participants not only helped to spread awareness but they also raised funds for the San Pedro Cancer Society (SPCS) which assists island residents battling the disease. This year, the SPTC also offered a ‘Pink Package,’ for a fee of $50, which included a breast cancer awareness water bottle, t-shirt, and cap. Before the event started, Councillor Hector Alamilla thanked everyone who joined the effort and came out to show solidarity. He briefly explained the importance of the activity and how vital it is to get educated on breast cancer, which continues to affect women worldwide each day. After the short welcome by Alamilla, the crowd proceeded with the activity. Some ran, while others walked, heading north all the way up to the area known as Belizean Shores and then back to the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge.

GOB Moving Straight to Accession for UNCAC
At its meeting today, Cabinet agreed that Belize would accede directly to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in keeping with the process for treaties already in force. This means that rather than signing the Convention on December 9, 2016, with Senate ratification at a later date to be determined, the Senate will be asked to meet in a Special Session to formally consider and approve a motion authorising accession to the UNCAC. Following approval by the Senate, the Prime Minister will, on December 9, 2016, sign the Instrument of Accession that would be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General bringing the treaty into force in Belize on that very day.

Ambergris Today

Dogs Enjoy Halloween in San Pedro Too
It's not only the humans who have a blast during Halloween in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Saga Humane Society is responsible for putting up a fantastic fundraiser that is fun for the entire family, including their pets. Dogs are the favorite to play dress-up, but its not odd to see a cat or even a turtle in costume during Saga's annual event. This year marked the 13th year that Saga Humane Society in San Pedro is celebrating Halloween for man's best friend. Prizes were given out to Most Creative, Funniest, Cutest, Scariest and Look-a-Like, among others, with businesess around the island supporting the event held at Carlo's and Ernie's Runway Bar & Grill.

Belize Participates in Chetumal EXPOFER
A team from Belize’s National Institute of Culture and History, as well as a number of performing artists represented Belize at EXPOFER in Chetumal, QRoo, Mexico over the weekend. At the Feria Regional de la Frontera Sur. (EXPOFER) Karen Vernon, of the Institute of Creative Arts (NICH), lead the delegation. The President of the Municipality of Othon P. Blanco, Quintana Roo, invited Belize to participate in this year’s EXPOFER, even providing the country a booth space which offered the opportunity to showcase ‘Unique Belize’, an initiative which helps Belizean artisans to market and sell their work.

WestJet Touches Down in Belize, Direct Connection to Canada
On Saturday, October 29, 2016, WestJet Airlines made its inaugural flight to Belize, making them the only carrier to directly connect Canada and Belize. The flight now operates twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday, connecting passengers between the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize, and the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada. Details of WestJet’s new non-stop service:

Misc Belizean Sources

Caye Caulker, boat for sale
25ft Luna in excellent condition. 30 gallon in built gas tank. Centre console and running lights. $25,000. PM me for more details.

First Friday of November Roadside and Beach Trash Pickup
With so much talk lately about protecting our ocean, our reef and our island, we urge you to put your passion to good use and help us clean up our tarnished jewel, Ambergris Caye! Please join us on Friday, November 4th at 9 am at the Paradise Theatre, just north of the bridge, for our monthly trash pick up! We provide bags, gloves, trash pickers and water - all that's missing is you, your friends and your neighbours!

13th Annual Saga Humane Society Halloween Spooktacular
We would like to give a Huge Thank You to Carlo & Ernie's Runway Bar for hosting our 13th Annual Saga Humane Society Halloween Spooktacular fundraiser. Thank you to their great staff and great venue. Thank you to all the Saga crew who help put this together. Kristen Hudges, Katia Marin, Eileen Jamison, Dawn LoCascio, Iliana Paj, Kevin Fletcher, David Sosa, Zair Cardenas, Sandy Betz Eisenberg, Haley Baer, Patrick and Dawn Samuels from Chill & Cruise. Thank you to the High School softball team for helping to decorate, Jucely Badillo, Ashley Minoti, Vivian Marin, Mercy Galicia, Alice Corrigan. Thank you Matt Hoy and Kenny Quinn for the DJ Music. Thank you Brittney O'Daniel and Rafael Torres for helping with Kids games. Thank you Bernadette Damper, Karen Tzul, Elizabeth Hudson, Angelo Azueta, Heather Smith.

Cuban Ambassador Presentation of Credentials
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Belize Her Excellency Lissette Perez Perez presented her credentials today to the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in the City of Belmopan. Ambassador Perez expressed her pleasure in being in Belize and conveyed her country’s commitment to continue to strengthen bilateral relations with Belize, as well as with the Caribbean Community. The Governor General accepted her credentials, welcomed her to Belize and expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Cuba’s commitment to Belize. The Ambassador was accompanied by her husband and Ambassador H.E. Said Guerra of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

GOB Moving Straight to Accession for UNCAC
At its meeting today, Cabinet agreed that Belize would accede directly to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in keeping with the process for treaties already in force. This means that rather than signing the Convention on December 9, 2016, with Senate ratification at a later date to be determined, the Senate will be asked to meet in a Special Session to formally consider and approve a motion authorising accession to the UNCAC. Following approval by the Senate, the Prime Minister will, on December 9, 2016, sign the Instrument of Accession that would be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General bringing the treaty into force in Belize on that very day.

MAY-JUNE 2016 CXC EXAMINATIONS – STELLAR PERFORMANCE

Feed My Sheep Kitchen reopens
“My mother told me,” the late Zebedee "Sonny" Pitterson told Amandala in 2008, “that whenever you do good for someone, goodness and blessings follow you. I waste no opportunity to help my community where I can.” In that spirit, Sonny opened the Feed My Sheep Kitchen, named for an admonition of Jesus to His Disciples, in 1994. Hundreds have passed through receiving both physical and spiritual nourishment, though the kitchen was robbed at least five times. It shut down after his passing in 2014 but today it is reopened under the management of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Pastor Angelo Rodriguez conceives that the kitchen's role will be expanded to a kind of community service center, including counseling and health care. Costs will run about $1,500 to $2,000 per month, but donations will be limited, in honor of its founder's insistence on not taking any. The kitchen, for now, will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays but hopes to open all week in the near future.

Corozal Gilharry 7 Band at the Palenque
This past weekend our Corozal Gilharry 7 Band performed at the Palenque inside the Expofer Fair grounds in Chetumal, Mexico. Que Viva Mexico!

BTL is looking for a Senior Field Service Technician in the Service Operations Division with Duty Station in Corozal
The Senior Field Service Technician is responsible for connecting customers to the network and is works from documented processes and procedures. This includes troubleshooting, complaint handling and repair/replacement of access lines and CPE’s.

Government House ~ House of Culture (NICH) revamped. (Artist concept)
Coming soon as part of the The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project project!

2017 BHA Hotel Guide set for distribution
The NEW BHA Hotel guide for the 2016/2017 membership year, has been completed, printed and shipped to our Distribution house in Florida, where it will be dispatched accordingly to all the International tradeshows that the BHA will be attending for this membership year. As our members are aware, the hotel guides are not distributed in Belize, as their main purpose is to target international travelers who are considering making Belize their next vacation destination. Over 4000 printed guides are handed out at all the trade-shows and events that the Belize Hotel Association attends and also the shows that the Belize Tourism Board attends internationally. In addition, the 2017 guide will also be distributed digitally on on our BHA flashdrives, and it will be available on our Belize Hotel Association website this week for unlimited downloads. See the New 2017 BHA Guide online here. Download a copy (30mb) here. BHA members will be receiving their copy of the guide at the Bi-Annual Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 7, 2016 in San Ignacio. Members who are unable to attend will receive a copy in the mail.

Paint N Splash
Hey guys please make sure you have a black bic pen and make sure your black sharpie is packed in your kit. Also keep in mind that you can change your sea creature to maybe a turtle, dolphin or maybe a mermaid even a pirate ship would look cool with the map of Belize background. See you guys Thursday.

IMPACT Justice sponsors restorative practices workshops in Belize
Approximately 123 educators, ministry of education officers, and other stakeholders will receive training in restorative practices in four workshops in Belize being sponsored by the Canadian-government funded Improved Access to Justice (IMPACT Justice) project. This training is being provided in partnership with the ministry of education, Belize. The workshops are taking place on October 31 to November 1 (two workshops) and November 2 to 3, 2016 (two workshops) respectively. At the opening of the first workshop, remarks were delivered on behalf of Professor Velma Newton, regional project director of the IMPACT Justice project, and Dr Candy Armstrong, director of the Education Support Services Unit of the Ministry of Education also gave remarks.

BelizeINVEST HOSTS THE HOUSTON BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
On Wednesday October 26, 2016, BelizeINVEST, a unit of the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) hosted a delegation from the Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, led by Mrs. Leondria Thompson, who serves as a Trade and Investment Promotion Envoy for Belize. The delegation has identified Belize as a destination with viable economic development opportunities for investments, and thus, sought to acquire further insights from BelizeINVEST on the priority investment industries and opportunities that exist in Belize. During their visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet with various stakeholders to discuss strategic partnerships and collaboration for Belize’s participation, as a featured country, in upcoming regional trade shows and conferences.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO MEET WITH MANAGING AUTHORITIES TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR MAKING UP LOST SCHOOL TIME
Government of Belize Press Office

Children’s Safety, OUR Paramount Responsibility!
Government of Belize Press Office

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WALK|RUN 2016
The San Pedro Town Council in collaboration with the San Pedro Cancer Society held its first annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk|Run on Saturday, October 29, 2016. At 5:30 a.m., many of the participants starting gathering at the Boca del Rio Park, which was the meeting point. Before the walk/run started, Councilor Hector “Tito” Alamilla gave a brief speech where he expressed his gratitude to all those that participated in the walk/run and shared with everyone the significance of the event, which is to spread awareness of breast cancer and that early detection saves lives. After the brief speech, over 120 participants walked over to the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge and awaited the countdown to begin. 3-2-1 and they were off! Participants were to walk/run from the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge all the way to Belizean Shores (end of paved road) and back to the bridge which was approximately six (6) miles in total.

Manatee gets itself to rehabilitation!
Yesterday, the Wildtracks Manatee Team reported a wild manatee hanging around the lagoon enclosure gate. Whilst we know that wild manatees do enter the lagoon system, they normally stay on the far side - only once before have we had one come as close as this to the Manatee Rehabilitation Centre. Looking closer, we discovered that this large animal (2m 83cm) was skeletally thin - skin and bones, with the shape of the skull clearly visible - known as a "peanut head". It is more emaciated than any other manatee that has come into the Center, and wouldn't survive much longer in the wild - particularly with the cold weather systems starting. Today, we tracked it with the drone, and with all hands helping, we were able to catch it - great work, Wildtracks Team! Thank you Ubi and co. of the Sarteneja buses for your help as well! We have now started treating it - it has been fed and rehydrated, and is now in a safe environment. There is a chance that it may be too old or ill to recover - but like any other animal here, we are giving it the benefit of the doubt. It is now in the large pool (a HUGE thanks, again, to all those who helped with the costs of the second large pool construction, as both large pools are now occupied), and is being monitored.

Destination Belize App
Destination Belize has a new app out that highlights all the cool sights to see around Belize. Well done, McNab and BTIA! "Destination Belize introduces the country's first travel app. The Destination Belize app, is the ultimate travel planning companion and guide for visitors of Belize. Download today at: www.destinationbelizeapp.com"

Belize Coalition Cayo Meeting
The Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage is having meetings around Belize, and this Thursday, November 3rd, they are meeting here in Cayo, at CET, to discuss why drilling on the reef for oil is a terrible idea. Be sure to go out and learn about their cause, and show your support for keeping Belize green. "Cayo & Orange Walk...we're coming your way this Thursday! The national conversation on offshore oil continues and we want to hear from YOU! The Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage is hosting conversations to meaningfully engage with the Belizeans on the latest developments on offshore oil exploration.

Channel 7

Ministry Says More School Days To Make Up For Lost Time
Don't make plans for your kids' Christmas vacation just yet because those kids might spend some of those holidays making up for lost time in the classroom! The Ministry of Education announced this evening that it will be meeting with Managing Authorities of schools to discuss plans for making up, quote, "a significant portion of instructional time lost as a result of the recent strike." The release adds, quote, "Teachers will be compensated for time made up." Now, the Minister says it is doing this because of the stalemate with the Teachers Union - since they cannot agree on a format for a meeting to discuss lost days, and lost pay.

"Chicken Dread" And "Douggie", The Operatta
Last night we showed you how John Saldivar's right hand man Douglas Grant Jr and Kareem Musa's driver Paul Ferguson got into a heated exchange outside the "Sit and Sip" nightclub on Sunday morning. But political hard talk almost turned into gunplay when Grant pulled out what we presume to be his licensed firearm and pointed it menacingly. Here's the totality of their exchange which began unfolding at around ten to four when the nightclub was closing:.. Jules Vasquez reporting: At 3:50 am GRANT AND FERGUSON can be seen, engaged in light arguing in the street. Ferguson appears to walk away and so does Grant, but then he stops - and they begin another round of confrontation where Ferguson walks up to him.

Douglas Grant Faces Gun Charge, Which Means Remand
And while Grant was only taken aside by police on Sunday morning, tonight it looks like he will be taken in. The officer commanding northside confirmed today that Grant will be charged:... ACP Dezeree Phillips - OC, Eastern Division North: "I can confirmed to you that Mr. Paul Ferguson did in fact make a complaint to the police early Sunday morning. The matter is being investigated and we are at point where we believe that we have enough evidence that we will be laying charges on Mr. Grant pretty soon." Jules Vasquez, 7News: "Are you able to say what those charges might be?" ACP Dezeree Phillips - OC, Eastern Division North: "The first instance I can tell you is aggravated assault." Jules Vasquez, 7News: "We know Mr. Grant is a very close affiliate of the former minister of police and we've heard stories like this in the past where in Belmopan, not in this jurisdiction, things have been lead to slide. Were you contacted by anyone? Was any political pressure put on you to not act immediately?"

UNCAC Coming Faster Than Previously Planned
Over the last few months, we've documented how the Barrow Administration's position on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption has rapidly evolved. At the end of August, the Prime Minister was reluctant to sign, but under the pressure of trying to end the 11 day teachers' strike, he committed to doing so by December 9. Well, the Cabinet has reconsidered and they will speed up the process. A release from Cabinet says that in their meeting today, the members agreed that Belize would accede directly to the UNCAC. This moves up the timeline of bringing the convention into force. The plan was that the Prime Minister would sign on the Instrument of Accession on December 9, and the Senate would still have to approve it at a later date. That would have delayed its ratification, meaning that it would not be in full force. With this new plan, the Senate is being expected to approve a motion authorizing accession at the earliest convenience. The Government's explanation is that when that happens, the treaty will be in full force on December 9, when the Prime Minister will sign and submit the Instrument of Accession.

Snail Mail Even Slower Because of AA Changes
Except for a small blurb on this newscast months ago, it went unannounced when American Airlines switched over its Belize-Miami service to its smaller subsidiary American Eagle. That means smaller jets but three daily flights instead of two. But for the Belize Post Office, it means big trouble. It seems that American Eagle can't carry out the daily international airmail, because it doesn't have the same arrangement with US Customs that American Airlines did. And so international air mail and express mail which used to go out every day on American Airlines can now only go out twice weekly on Amerijet Cargo service. It's a major slowdown - especially for the express mail service. And it caught our attention this week because airmail hadn't gone out for at least six days, from October 25th to 31st, until it finally went out yesterday. This was confirmed to us by acting Postmaster General James Gabourel who said he is trying to work out an alternate arrangement with Grupo TACA at least for the Express Mail Service. He says that the problem has been affecting the Post Office for two weeks, and that since October 21st., they've only sent out mail five times, when normally they would be sending six days a week. Gabourel says he hopes something can be worked out with one of the other carriers before Christmas.

CXC Stars
The 2016 CXC results are out, and Belizean Students have performed exceptionally on the CSEC and CAPE exams. According to a press release from the Ministry of Education, 366 high schoolers will receive CSEC Certificates of Excellence, 34 will receive Individual Subject Awards, and 2 will receive Subject Group Awards. SJC's Rhiki Alegria earned the top spot and was named the Most Outstanding Candidate for taking 18 C-SEC's and earning an impressive 16 Grade 1s. We spoke to Alegria today about his success, and just how much work he put in to achieve it. Alex Courtenay, 7News "And how many examinations did you take?" Rhiki Alegria - Most Outstanding Student 2016 CSEC "I had taken 18."

The Quality of Mercy
Many countries across the world struggle with finding effective rehabilitation for criminals, both juvenile and adults. The problem is finding the right balance between punishment, and a reintegration mechanism which will not have convicted persons alienated from society upon their release. Well, all across CARICOM member states, they've been looking at a regional approach to the problem, and in 2009, CARICOM partnered with the Canadian Government to seek a solution. Fast-forward to today, and the results of that effort is a project called IMPACT Justice, short for Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean, funded by the Canadian Government. Under this project, 123 educators will be receiving training in the idea of restorative practices inside the classroom. The workshops started yesterday, and continued today, and we stopped by the find out how exactly do these restorative practices actually work. Here's what one of the lead coordinators told us about it:

Police Get Multi-room Training Facility
The Eastern Division Police station on Queen Street has a new training room on its third floor. Previously that area had been used as sleeping quarters for BDF and Police Officers working late shifts, but for the past ten years or so it had been abandoned and left in a state. That's until the heads at Eastern Division got the idea to build a proper training facility up there - all they needed was the money, which can often be the hardest thing to find. But that's where the US embassy's International narcotics and law enforcement affairs Office stepped in with some CARSI funding. Today, 75 thousand dollars in material and labour later, the fancy new facility was opened this afternoon - and we found out why it's so important:... ACP Dezeree Phillips - OC, Eastern Division North: "Trainings for all level officers and all kind of training will be occurring in this facility Jules. The reason why the trainings has to occur here is in house training. The officers are geographically located within Eastern Division North and so we are extremely grateful that we are able to realize a training facility like his that we are able to accommodate our officers' right within the confines of their working environment to receive training. The training will be different levels for all our officers, all rank and file. As a matter of fact, on Thursday of this week, we will be having our first training session in here where we will be having training on suicidal awareness and cancer awareness to commemorate cancer month."

BDF Celebrates 20 Years Of Fraternal Relations with Louisiana National Guard
And while the US Embassy hooked up with police for that effort, the US military has been hooking up with the BDF recently. In fact, the Belize Defence Force and the Louisiana National Guard have been long time partners for 20 years now. That's right, that American State's reserve regiment has been friendly with the BDF for 2 decades, and this evening, they celebrated the anniversary on the BDF's Price Barracks Compound. It gave us an opportunity to speak with the leaders of these two military units, and the US Ambassador to Belize about the milestone in their relationship. Here's what they told us about how each sides have benefitted: H.E. Carlos Moreno - Us Ambassador to Belize: "We're celebrating a 20-year partnership with between the Belize National Guard and the BDF. The coast guard is also included and is part of that partnership. Many states in the United States have a National Guards which is like a reserved unit and they've established partnership relationships with other countries. In this case, Louisiana has a partnership with Belize and also with Haiti. The idea is to exchange techniques, skills, training, resources and materials so that each side can really benefit from that relationship. Over the years the relationship here has focused primarily on natural disaster relief and training."

Fire At Price Barracks
This evening's press encounter with the BDF Commander also gave us an opportunity to ask him about reports of a house fire on their Price Barracks compound. That fire happened yesterday morning in the living quarters where the families of BDF soldiers reside. Today, the commander told us that one house was completely destroyed, and so the military is in the process of helping that soldier's family to put their lives back together again. Brig. Gen David Jones - Commander - BDF: "We had a fire on the camp. One of our families sustained I believe complete damage of their belonging. So we are in the process of relocating into another house and replacing the furniture. We won't be able to replace their personal belongings. Some of the mementos, documents that were lost, but the furniture and equipment that are required inside the house, we are in the process of replacing all of them for the family that lost it."

Jones: The Sarstoon Situation Was Cool, Not Scary
And also from the BDF, 10 days ago, we showed you a video coming out of the Sarstoon River, which showed Guatemalan Navy Vessels allegedly making incursions into Belizean waters, and stopping the BDF from traversing the river on the Southern Side of the Island, The images were cause for concern, suggesting that the Guatemalan Navy was once again attempting to block the BDF from using the River freely. We asked the BDF commander to clarify what happened there, and he said, that it was a simple misunderstanding, which was quickly cleared up: Brig. Gen David Jones - Commander - BDF: "There was some incident a couple weeks back where there was a report that the Guatemalans were building a facility on the island. That was erroneous information, it wasn't true. What was happening was that the Guatemalan armed forces were providing medical support to the people who live just opposite of the island. When the troops went there, they were actually stopped by the Guatemalan forces. They had their own reasons why, but it was not supposed to happen. Immediately I contacted General Perez who was informed and apparently the officer had just recently gone out there to work. So he wasn't aware of the protocol but it was corrected immediately. So there isn't any hindrance of what's happening there, but it was actually erroneous information that they were building a facility but they were actually providing medical support. One of the officers who weren't aware of what was expected out there, had actually informed the soldiers that they were not to go south, but it was corrected immediately."

Charges Against Hon. Tulio Dropped
In the early quarter of 2015, it shook the country when Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, the former Area Representative for Orange Walk East, become the first parliamentarian in memory to be charged with child sexual abuse. His accusers were 2 teenaged girls, who reported that the inappropriate contact started some years ago before the age of consent. In February 2015, he ended up being charged with a number of offenses, including aggravated assault of an indecent nature. For a year and 8 months, he had been quietly fighting this battle, attending all his court adjournments until yesterday, when all charges were withdrawn against him. His accusers have told the court that they do not wish to proceed with prosecution against him. While it isn't a "not guilty" acquittal, which would be a full vindication, Dr. Tulio Mendez's legal troubles are over. He granted an interview to our colleagues at CTV 3 News today to discuss the favorable end to the entire ordeal. Here are his comments:

NCFC Says "Enough Is Enough" Re: Kids Who Died In Fire
Last week Thursday, we reported on the house fire in the Conch Shell Bay area which claimed the life 2 year-old Kaylee Alvarez. She was the second child to perish in a fire in October in Belize City, and today, the National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC) said enough is enough. Their statement says, quote, "NCFC is deeply bothered by these random...fires that are apparently becoming a new trend of claiming innocent lives of children … As parents, we ought to be mindful that children will be children; children are very curious and experimental...parents must ensure that the environment is safe… we cannot take things for granted or assume that children are aware of the harm that can occur when in possession of these items or unsupervised." End quote. The NCFC reminds that under the laws of Belize, parents have responsibility to protect children from, "discrimination, violence, abuse and neglect".

Day Of The Dead, Lives
Everyone remembers a lost loved one in their own way, through music, pictures and inside jokes. Well, there are others who celebrate the life their loved ones once had through cultural traditions like "Dia De Los Muertos" or as it is referred to in Belize, "Finados". It is celebrated every year on Nov 1st and Nov 2nd, today being dedicated to the souls of children and tomorrow is set aside for the souls of adults. The idea behind this observance is to honor the dead with food and prayers. Many believe that the spirits cross over to our world to feast on the offerings. Now this might sound like something from a ghost story but according to Consular of Legal Affairs at the Mexican Institute Hugo Juarez , it is one of the most important and revered cultural traditions in Mexico. We stopped by the Institute today to see what offerings they had laid out for the departed souls.

Zebedee's Memory and Mission Live On
The Feed My Sheep Kitchen, a project started by the late Zebedee Pitterson of the Sunny Side Bakery in Belize City, once fed over 100 needy primary school children. Today, over two years since its founder's death, the project has been re-launched by his church with a larger vision. We spoke to Pastor Angelo Dominguez, the kitchen's overseer, about the project's new vision... Angelo Dominguez - Project Overseer/Pastor: "Well the truth of the matter is that we believe, as a church, that the work the Mr. Pitterson was doing was a divine initiative. He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and we want to simply continue the good work that he had started in reaching out to the children he used to feed. We would like to do more than that. We also want to reach out to the poor, we wanna reach out to the elderly, we want to impact our community as a church, following in his footsteps as well." Ingrid Ferlo, reporter: "How many people do you think you guys are going to be able to reach out to?" Angelo Dominguez - Project Overseer/Pastor: "To start with, we are planning to feed 80 children, our projection is much more than that. And then we also want to target as I stated previously we want to target the poor..."

BEL Linemen To Bahamas and Back
Last week we told you about the seven BEL Linemen who went to the Bahamas to help restore power to the island nation in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. They were called upon by CARILEC, a regional association of electricity providers, and today they returned home after helping to restore power to nearly 80% of the country. One of the members of that crew, Ronald Young, spoke about the work they did in the Bahamas. Ronald Young - Lineman Leadhand, BEL: "No truck had access to the area that we were working, so everything had to be done manually. We had to climbed the poles, A3 poles, LV poles, everything. Had to change out insulators, everything was done manually by the Belize crew. The expectation from Bahamas was like that would have been a three week job, and the Belize crew with assistance of the Grenada crew we did a great job, and restored the power back real quick. Everybody was happy, the people from Bahamas didn't want us to come back to Belize."

Everything At Expofer
And that's our news for tonight, we leave you tonight with footage from last weekend's Expofer in Chetumal. Saturday was Belize night where Dance Groups and well known performer such as youth connection Cocono Bwai and Ernestine Carballo performed. They played to a full house under the performance tent. We leave you with those performances, enjoy, have a great night and join me back here tomorrow:...

Channel 5

Video Emerges of Latest Confrontation Between Belize and Guatemala Forces in Sarstoon
Despite assurances that Belizeans and the B.D.F. can freely traverse the Sarstoon, News Five has obtained a video of another, more recent confrontation in the river between a Guatemalan gunboat [...]

B.D.F. Commander Suggests It Was ‘a Misunderstanding’
That incident occurred on the same day when a group of Belizean fishermen were held briefly by a Guatemalan coastal patrol vessel. The fishermen were fishing in the Gulf of [...]

Charges Coming for Douglas Grant in Fort Street Fracas
Belize City police say they are armed with sufficient evidence to charge gun-toting Douglas Grant Junior with a firearm offense.  But, will a warrant be issued for the U.D.P. henchman’s [...]

Police Respond to Questions on Response and Treatment of Paul Ferguson
The department disputes the presence of a mobile patrol in front of the Sit and Sit Nightclub, but says that police officers arrived on the scene moments later. But Grant [...]

Ministry of Education Goes to Managing Authorities to Resolve B.N.T.U. Dispute
The impasse between the Ministry of Education and the Belize National Teachers Union came to a head on Friday when B.N.T.U. National President Luke Palacio firmly stood his ground, following [...]

St. John’s College & Junior College Are Tops in CSEC and CAPE Exams
Saint John’s College and Junior College produced one of the best crops for this year’s CSEC and CAPE Examinations. Over at the high school Riki Alegria is the most outstanding [...]

UNCAC Treaty to be Approved by Senate Before Signing in December
G.O.B. is poised to bring an end to a long-running story – signing and ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). In September, Prime Minister Dean Barrow agreed to [...]

Should Area Rep Gaspar Vega Resign From Office?
And our question for tonight is: with additional information on crooked land deals surfacing, should Area Rep Gaspar Vega, resign from office? Send your comments and responses using your SMART [...]

Land for Peanuts in Pine Ridge and Turneffe
Two former United Democratic Party politicians from the Cayo District are among the latest to be fingered in the burgeoning land transaction scandal in the Ministry of Natural Resources. Copies [...]

Mother’s Terrible Tragedy in Seine Bight; Baby Found Dead in Bed
A young mother in the village of Seine Bight, Stann Creek District, suffered a sudden loss over the weekend, after she found her fifteen-month old daughter motionless in her bed [...]

Financial Secretary Says “No Setback” in Foreign Exchange Over B.T.L. Compensation
Compensation for Belize Telemedia Limited has been scheduled in two payments, the first of which was initially disbursed on July eighth.  We say initially because that sum was returned to [...]

Dump Truck and SUV Collide on Boom Road; Woman Critical in Hospital
In its Weekend Under Review session on Monday, Rural Eastern Division police spoke about incidents that occurred in rural Belize District. The officers pointed to a traffic accident that took [...]

Eagles Nest Pastor Howell Longsworth Loses Equipment to Burglars
Around twenty thousand dollars of equipment were stolen from the Eagles Nest International Church on Sunday night. Keyboards, amplifiers and digital and other equipment were looted after a truck was [...]

Fire Reported at Price Barracks; Family’s Home Destroyed
There was a fire on Monday at one of the family houses at the Price Barracks compound. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the family lost everything. Commander of the [...]

B.D.F. Commander Updates on Hurricane Earl Relief
When Hurricane Earl passed through Belize on August third the B.D.F. suffered substantial damage to their structures including the main store that houses the military equipment and also several roof [...]

New O.C. in San Pedro Addresses Crime Fighting Measures
There have been four murders in the prime tourism island of San Pedro in the month of October; three occurred last week alone. It is cause for concern to law [...]

Police Open Training Center in Belize City
A training center was launched today as a welcome addition to the police station on Queen Street in Belize City. The facility was previously abandoned, but has now been converted [...]

Where Was Southside O.C. Chester Williams?
Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was noticeably absent from this afternoon’s inauguration.  In fact, the Officer Commanding Eastern Division South has been a no-show at several events hosted by [...]

“Sonny” Pitterson’s “Feed My Sheep Kitchen” Re-Opens
The late Zebedee “Sonny” Pitterson felt the call to minister to members of his community. In addition to his popular bakery, Sunnyside on Racecourse Street, in 1994 he opened the [...]

Mexico Marks the Day of the Dead
November second is observed as “Dia de Los Muertos” or the “Day of the dead” across Mexico, primarily in the central and southern parts. This celebration coincides with the Catholic [...]

WestJet Touches Down in Belize
The newest airline to begin flights to be Belize is WestJet. The flights will be originating from a new destination; that being Toronto, Canada twice for the week. WestJet’s first [...]

CTV3

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez Speaks On Withdrawal Of Charges
On last night’s newscast we told you about the charges of aggravated assault and carnal knowledge which were filed against well-known Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez in early 2015 and were dropped yesterday after the police informed the Court that they will not be proceeding with the case. In February 2015, the personal and political life of the former PUP Orange Walk East Area Representative was dragged through the mud when he was charged with six counts of aggravated assault of an indecent nature. In August 2015 those accusations intensified when he was charged with an additional three counts of carnal knowledge. With the charges dropped, Mendez can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Today we got an opportunity to speak with. He was emotional and told us how the entire ordeal affected his life and how he plans to leave it all behind now that it is all over.

Young's' Attacker Remanded To Prison
Last night we told you about Gilbert Young, a resident of Savannah Street who was assaulted by an individual personally known to him after an argument reportedly ensued between both men on Saturday night allegedly over political affairs. Tonight we can tell you that while he had been detained by Orange Walk Police following the incident, forty one year old Michael Shaw Sr. better known as ‘Taicos’ the driver of Rachel Dominguez the president of the National Sports Council was officially charged this morning for ‘Aggravated Assault’ and ‘Dangerous Harm’. CTV3 News understands that Shaw was denied bail and was remanded to prison until the 3rd of November. As a result of the incident, Young sustained a fractured skull and according to reports from a family member, he had to undergo immediate surgery. Young is currently recovering from his injuries at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Speaker Of The House Says "It Wasn't Me"
In yesterday’s newscast, we aired interviews with House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte on the legal matters for which he appeared in Court. Peyrefitte also addressed the strange goings on his Facebook page which literally forced him to call it quits on social network. A week ago, a controversial post appeared on Peyrefitte’s page which enraged the LGBT advocacy group, UNIBAM. The post was accompanied by a link to the youtube video of the controversial Buju Banton song “Boom Bye Bye”. UNIBAM spokesman, Caleb Orozco, did not miss the post and fired away his own comments at the House Speaker on his Facebook page, accusing him of hate speech. According Peyrefitte, the post was not done by him and he claims that his account was hacked.

Signing Of UNCAC Is On Its Way
In accepting the sweeping changes to the nation’s governance system pressed by the Opposition and social partners, Prime Minister Dean Barrow committed to signing the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on December 9th. Critics responded that the commitment by the Government was only a delay tactic since the global anti-corruption treaty could only be enforced upon ratification and not just signing. Well, there’s been a slight change of plans as today a Government press release indicated that to expedite the process, the Prime Minister would sign an Instrument of accession that would be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General to bring the treaty into force in Belize on that very day.

Cuban Ambassador Presents Credential To GG
The credentials of Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, Her Excellency Lissette Perez Perez was cordially accepted today by the Governor General of Belize, H.E. Sir Colville Young who welcomed her to the country expressing his appreciation to the Republic of Cuba for their continuous commitment to Belize. And while Ambassador Perez reaffirmed her country’s vow to strengthen the existing bilateral agreements with Belize and the CARICOM, she also expressed her pleasure of being in the country. Ambassador Perez travelled to Belize in the company of her husband and H.E. Said Guerra of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Another Questionable Land Deal
Several weeks ago some of the most appalling land scandals that we’ve encountered were exposed when documents leaked to the media showed the politically-connected hustling big-time from public lands. Those documents showed that Andre Vega, the son of former Cabinet Minister Gaspar Vega, had bought a parcel of land for $15,000. But the land was privately owned and had been sold wrongly, so the Ministry of Lands with Gaspar Vega at the helm had to buy it back from Andre Vega, but at the princely sum of $400,000. The same took place with land purchased by Sharon Pitts, but she paid $2,500 for hers. There was also the land sold to a company, Ron J. Limited, for $6,540 but which the Government re-purchased for a cool million dollars. Tonight, there are more leaked documents alluding to gross enrichment by those with political connections with public lands. Dean Williams, well known supporter of the UDP, had lease papers for 2.820 acres of property on Spider Caye situated 19 Miles East of Placencia Village in the Stann Creek District. On August 6th, 2012 he obtained ownership through a Minister’s Fiat signed by Gaspar Vega, for the sum of $10,998.

LOVE FM

Legacy of Zebedee Pitterson Carries On
Zebedee Peterson was a well known man in Belize City South Side. He was known for his kind heart and it was evident through his works in running the Feed My Sheep Kitchen which offered food for children who needed it. Today the Adventist community reopened the kitchen in his memory to carry on the […]

Mexican Embassy Celebrates the Dead
The Embassy of Mexico is inviting members of the Belizean and Mexican communities to commemorate the Day of the Dead at the Embassy in Belmopan, as well as the Institute of Mexico in Belize City. According to Hugo Juarez Carillo, Mexico’s Consular of Legal Affairs and Press in Belize, the Day of the Dead is […]

No Charge for Impersonating Customs Officer
A Corozal man has been detained by Ladyville police for impersonating a Customs officer. ACP Commanding Eastern Belize Rural, Edward Broaster, told us more. EDWARD BROASTER ” We understand that the man stole the custom’s uniform from his neighbor and altered it to fit him. Police are having a hard time charging the man because […]

Amandala

“Chicken Dread” says UDP official pulled gun on him
Paul “Chicken Dread” Ferguson, a known operative of the People’s United Party (PUP), is claiming that he stared down the barrel of a 9mm pistol held by a high-ranking operative of the United Democratic Party (UDP). According to Ferguson, sometime between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m., he was near the Sit and Sip night club on Marine Parade Boulevard selling fried chicken when the UDP operative exited the club. Ferguson reported that he greeted the UDP official and went over to talk to him. Ferguson then claims that the man then went to his vehicle with a friend and reportedly withdrew a firearm. He thereafter asked Ferguson for a plate of fried chicken and Ferguson told him that the food was finished.

Shot dead in barber’s chair
George Young, Jr., 37, had been a regular patron at Buck’s Barber Shop, situated at the corner of South Creek and Mohammed Ali Streets in Belize City, for as long as anyone could remember. Young never thought that violence would ever rear its ugly head inside the small structure where he regularly groomed himself, or that he would be the recipient of it, but that is exactly what occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday when Young was sitting in the barber’s chair getting a haircut. According to police reports, a lone gunman ran into the premises and sprayed over eight shots at Young and another man. Young, also known as “Jaro,” died on the spot.

Jeon Pebbles, 25, found in ditch shot to death
The body of a Belize City man was discovered in a ditch off the Hattieville/Burrell Boom junction today, Monday. According to police reports, the body of Jeon Pebbles, 25, was found riddled with bullets at around 8 a.m. by passersby, who immediately called Ladyville police. The scene was processed and several expended shells were recovered. Ladyville police today told the media that Pebbles, a resident of Croton Lane in Belize City, was found with his jewelry intact and money in his pockets, and so they do not suspect robbery was the cause of the murder. However, police are yet to determine what the motive was for killing Pebbles. According to relatives of Pebbles, at around 7 p.m. he was picked up by Belize City police after they caught him with a joint of marijuana.

Worthless father’s 75-year sentence reduced to 19 years
A panel of three Court of Appeal justices ruled on Friday to reduce a 75-year sentence to 19 years for a Toledo man, who was convicted on six counts of incest with his daughter who was only 8 years old when she was raped and sodomized. The 45-year-old man was convicted on 5 counts of unlawful carnal knowledge and one count of an unnatural crime. He was sentenced to 12 years for each count, which were to be served consecutively, bringing the total time that he was supposed to spend behind bars to 75 years. His attorney, Oscar Selgado, successfully argued before the Court of Appeal, however, that the sentence was too harsh and that it would not take as many as 75 years to reform the man.

More UDP land shenanigans!
In 2013, Prime Minister Dean Barrow fired then Cayo Northeast area representative Elvin Penner from Cabinet when it was discovered he had arranged a Belizean passport for a Korean sitting in a Taiwanese jail who had never set foot in Belize. As the Penner Passport Scandal raged on, Barrow later announced that Penner would not be allowed to seek re-election. At the time, critics argued that Penner was getting off lightly because he still was being allowed to enjoy all the benefits and perks of an area representative. We now know that those benefits extended to choice real estate for him and his immediate family. According to documents obtained from the Department of Lands and Surveys, months after being dismissed from Cabinet, Penner and his family were the recipients of a total of 83.84 acres of prime property in the Mountain Pine Ridge and Turneffe Islands area.

Colombian woman fined for attacking immigration officer
A Colombian woman visiting Belize for the first time on Friday, October 28, got into trouble with the law after landing at the Philip Goldson International Airport, and was taken into police custody and charged with damage to property and common assault against an immigration officer. In court this afternoon, Jessica Gonzalez Ramon, 22, was fined $250 plus $5 cost of court for common assault and was ordered to pay $1200 compensation to immigration officer Adi Pacheco for breaking her eyeglasses, valued at $975. Ramon was scheduled to meet her American boyfriend Jacob Jackson on San Pedro, where the two had planned a vacation. Jackson arrived in Belize from the US one day before Ramon, on Thursday. Instead of meeting his girlfriend on San Pedro, however, Jackson met her in the precinct of the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning after police brought her to court to be arraigned on the two summary offenses.

Bunas Birthday Race results
Here are the results from Bunas Birthday Race for Weekend Warriors (WW) A/B/C/Juniors, held yesterday. The race started at 9:00 a.m. from Maheias United, with the C-Class heading down towards the Chetumal Street roundabout, taking a right towards the George Price Highway, then a right up to the Hattieville roundabout and back, to finish at Maheias United, for 30 miles. The Juniors did the same route; but the A/B Class went from the start line all the way to Rockville Junction, then returned to pass the finish line and head to the Haulover Bridge, then back to the finish at Maheias United, for 44 miles. It was a close finish in the A/B Class between two teammates, with Kenroy “Smokes” Gladden in first place and Kent “Bob” Gabourel in second. 32 of 39, starters, finished the A/B Class race; four “C” riders failed to complete the journey, and all the Juniors returned,to the finish line.

Orange Walk gains first win
The standings remained the same at the end of Week 12 in the Premier League of Belize (PLB) Opening Season 2016-2017, but there was one noteworthy change in the “W” column, where there are no longer any zeroes. It’s been a struggle for the new Orange Walk franchise in their first PLB season, but they have been getting better with each game; and on Saturday night at the People’s Stadium in Orange Walk, they registered their first win, defeating the visiting Wagiya FC, 4-3, with goals from Oscar Acevedo (2’), Joao Silva (47’) and Marlom Garcia (84’ & 88’). Wagiya goals came from Harrison Tasher (23’ PK), Hector Gomez (45+’) and Evan Mariano (53’). Meanwhile, out west at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, defending champions Belmopan Bandits SC cruised to an easy 4-0 victory over Placencia Assassins FC, courtesy of goals by Jeromy “Jarro” James (15’), Jairo Roches (32’), Jordi Polanco (38’) and Aloisio Teixeira (71’).

Hattieville Riverside Boys are BDFA/McLean U-17 Champions
The Belize District Football Association (BDFA) finally held its McLean Insurance Brokers U-17 championship game at 2:00 p.m. yesterday at the MCC Grounds. The tournament had suffered from a few breaks, first for the National U-17 in Belmopan in late August, then due to field availability problems following the start of the CYDP Peace Cup. An attempt was reportedly made to hold the playoffs at the ITVET (Old Technical) field; but this was rejected by the teams due to the abundance of limestone chips which is dangerous for the players. Eventually, an abbreviated one-day playoff round was held at the MCC on Monday, October 10, a holiday, with games played with 25 minute halves. They managed to complete the semifinals, and reach as far as the third-place game, where San Pedro prevailed over Brown Bombers. The final between Hattieville Riverside Boyz and Young Warriors FC was then put on hold, until yesterday. There is a bundle of football talent, without a doubt, in the Belize District, despite the fact that no Belize City youth reportedly travelled to Valladolid, Mexico, with the National U-17 recently.

Mighty America goes to the polls
The superpower United States of America will elect a new President next week Tuesday. Most Belizeans who live and work in the United States will probably vote for Hillary Clinton, the candidate of the Democratic Party, following as she does in the familiar footsteps of the incumbent President, Barack Obama. At a time like this, Belizeans at home and abroad realize how very small Belize is, and how highly important the United States is in our scheme of things. The United States dominates the Western Hemisphere, even more so Central America, where Belize is placed, just a few hundred miles south of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. This Monday, October 31, 2016, is the 55th anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Hattie, which destroyed Belize City and Stann Creek Town back then. In March of 1961, seven months before Hattie, the People’s United Party (PUP) had won all 18 seats in the House of Representatives in the first general elections held under a new Ministerial constitution. The following month, April of 1961, the United States sent an invading force of Cuban exiles, which the Americans had financed and trained in Guatemala and Nicaragua, to attack Cuba in the massively unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion.

From the Publisher
I know of a prominent, successful black Belizean family who are Anglophiles: they adore the British. They were raised that way by the family patriarch, who was a civil servant in colonial British Honduras, and clashed repeatedly with the early, anti-colonial People’s United Party (PUP), which he despised. In those days, when I was a child in the 1950s, native resentment against the British began to crystallize, I suggest, with the movement of Belizean workers to the Panama Canal Zone, where our people experienced a different approach to power and development, that of the Americans who controlled Panama. This resentment against the British built on the unemployed rebellion initiated by Antonio Soberanis in 1934. And the Soberanis rebellion, for its part, followed in the footsteps of the Ex-Servicemen’s Riot of 1919. In post-World War II British Honduras, there was a major class difference between the working and unemployed native masses, on the one hand, and the elite Creole families, such as the Hulses, the Longsworths, the Euseys, the Leslies, and so on and so forth, in league with the civil service administrators, who saw their ambitions as being tied to the power of the Governor and Colonial Secretary.

You cannot fight ideas that have power!
Dear Editor, One writer, more or less commenting about the U.S., posted this in The New York Times today: “This country is a nation of ideas, not white men. Three hundred years after the Renaissance, when ideas, curiosity and hope ran supreme, we are back to the same point of an elite sitting on its privileges and trying to keep everybody in check. “You cannot fight ideas that have power, and they come from everywhere. Proportionally speaking, there are no more raw intelligent men in the elites than in the confines of the Congo. Worldly education makes the difference. “‘Everybody is Equal’, ‘Nothing in Excess’ and ‘Ethical Behavior’ are pretty good precepts. Conservatism, trickle-down economics, ‘No New Taxes’ are nothing but a bunch of inconsequential non-sense. In other words, non-ideas.”

GOB has to find BZ$180 mil more to pay compensation for BTL
The Government of Belize has one final payment to make to the former shareholders of Belize Telemedia Limited. According to Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, roughly BZ$180 million more is outstanding, to be paid next year, in July 2017. The total compensation bill is about a half-a-billion dollars. “The Government does not have money and will issue mostly [treasury] notes and some [treasury] bills,” Waight told the press. Ervin Perez, Managing Director at Legacy Fund Limited, said at a luncheon held on October 20, 2016 at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza today, that the Government is paying too much in interest on these treasury notes, and at the end of the day, it represents a higher cost to taxpayers, who can save several millions a year if rates reflect the current market dynamics.

Breaking Belize News

Ministry to meet with managing authorities for plans to make up lost time
A release was issued today informing that the Ministry of Education will be meeting with Managing Authorities to discuss plans for making up a significant portion of instructional time lost as a result of the recent strike. Teachers will be compensated for time made […]

NCFC calls on parents to be more vigilant
The National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC) issued a press release today expressing deep concern over what it says are random devastating residential fires that are apparently becoming the new trend of claiming the innocent lives of children lately. In just about one […]

Ambassador of Cuba to Belize presents credentials to Governor General
Her Excellency Lissette Perez Perez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Belize presented her credentials today to the Governor General of Belize H.E. Sir Colville Young at the Belize House in Belmopan. Ambassador Perez conveyed her country’s commitment to continue to strengthen bilateral […]

Baby mysteriously dies
A mother from Seine Bight village reported to Placencia police that her infant child mysteriously died on Saturday night. Marylee Martha Gomez, 21, told police that on Saturday, between of 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. while at home she fed her baby Marley Blast; one […]

Police take pen gun off Belize City streets
Police have retrieved a loaded pen gun from the streets of Belize City in a territory claimed30 p.m. on Saturday while on patrol on North Front Street police observed two […]

Orange Walk man stabbed to death
Manuel Alejandro Tolosa, 25, was stabbed to the chest and neck on Saturday. According to police reports, at around 9:30 p.m. he was walking near the corner of Park Lane and Philip Goldson Highway, Trail Farm Village, Orange Walk Town when he was attacked […]

Almost $20,000 worth of goods stolen from Belize City church
Pastor Howell Longsworth from Eagles Nest International Church located at mile 2 1/2 Philip Goldson Highway, Belize City reported that sometime between of 1:30 p.m. on Sunday and 6:23pm on Monday the Church was burglarized. The culprits stole a dark grey with multi-color light […]

GOB to accede to UNCAC
The government, in a release issued this morning, announced that Cabinet has decided to accede to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Cabinet made the decision this morning at its weekly meeting in “keeping with the process for treaties already in force”. According to the […]

Police issue official report on murder in San Pedro
Last week Friday, police responded to a shooting incident in San Mateo Area where officers observed the lifeless body of a male Hispanic person lying face up in a pool of blood in the middle of the street with what gunshot wounds to his […]

Impact Justice hosts education forum in Belize
According to an article by Caribbean News Now, “Approximately 123 educators, ministry of education officers, and other stakeholders will receive training in restorative practices in four workshops in Belize being sponsored by the Canadian-government funded Improved Access to Justice (IMPACT Justice) project.” “This training […]

WestJet launches seasonal service to Belize
WestJet airline has reportedly launched a new seasonal service to Belize. According to the Toronto Sun this, “promises to give the Central American country’s tourism sector a boost, local tourism officials say.” WestJet kicked off its twice-weekly service from Toronto on October 29 to […]

Moist weather to continue
The 24 hour forecast is for cloudy skies with a few showers. Showers or thunderstorms are expected across the country and will increase over the coast tonight. The wind will blow from the north to northeast at 5 to 15 knots. The sea state […]

Belize~ Corruption vs Tax reform & Systems
Belize is like a ship with most of the weight on one side, out of balance, floating in turbulent seas, with big leaks. The ship is out of balance…..because the owners of the ship (from the time it set out to sea)….have systematically implemented […]

Blogs

Today we celebrate All Saints’ Day
November 1st is a solemn day observed as All Saints’ Day in the Roman Catholic Church. Also known as Dia de los Santos in Latin American cultures, this day is dedicated to the saints of the church, both known and unknown. The term Saint is bestowed on those who have attained entrance to haven. Within the Catholic Church Religion it is believed that millions, or even billions of people may already be saints, especially baptized children who pass away early in life. The most common Saints are is those recognized in the canon of the saints by the Catholic Church such as the Virgin Mary and Saint Peter. During this day, members of the Catholic Church attend mass and present offerings to the different saints.

Xtabai
As Belizeans, we are very superstitious people, and so is the rest of the Caribbean. All areas of Mesoamerica have their own traditional folktales and legends, and within the Maya territory, there are numerous characters and stories. Xtabai is what many would consider to be the most malevolent of them all. The very mention of her name is enough to bring chills to someone’s entire body. The character is not fully understood, which brings even more mystery to its motives and is best described as a demon. It was never alive. It was never a person that lived her life and after death failed to find her path to the afterlife. This is a demon that takes the form of a beautiful woman and manifests itself near the mouth of a cave at the base of the Ceiba tree, the sacred tree of the Ancient Maya. This woman is described having long beautiful hair, and wears a traditional white maya dress that is long enough to cover her feet. This entity appears only to men and may take the form of one’s wife or girlfriend, or simply someone that the man knows. Doing this puts the man into a spell. The man will try to catch up with her, but the entity will always be a few steps ahead. It will eventually lead the man to a cave, and if he enters, he will never be heard of again. The only way to break the spell is to look at her feet as she has giant bird feet that she tries to hide with her gown. Seeing that will snap the man out of the spell and he will be able to run away.

Habla Ingles?? My tour of Central America
Living as a vet in Central America is not all dangling legs and tick fever! One of my non-veterinary goals of moving to Belize was to see all of the countries of this vibrant continent while I was here. A few months ago I started contemplating how I could make this happen. Who would be a good travel partner and have the time to go on this journey with me? I decided excitedly to contact my sister Alissa in Canada, and after much discussion she said yes! We spent months planning our budget tour. Between my work and her family we decided on sixteen days. Due to our time constraints and my previous visit to Tikal, we decided to forego Guatemala so she could see my home country of Belize. Belize is also technically an English speaking country, but for this trip I would need to try to get by on the spanish I have worked so hard to learn over this past year.

Belize Folklore Legends – Finados Edition
The young nation of Belize has been made home by a diverse spectrum of people and cultures, all with their own beliefs and practices. As you can imagine having so many different people with different lore will lead to some interesting, albeit creepy urban legends and children’s stories. Check out these Belize Legends right out from the creepy archives. Check out these creepiest creatures sure to keep you home on Halloween:

International Sources

UNCP students get field experience in Belize
Paige Strickland is studying ways students from various cultures process information in her education courses at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. However, a semester crammed with lectures and research about differentiated instruction can’t compare to the experience Strickland and seven other elementary education majors received during field experience in Belize. “My experience in Belize was life changing,” said Strickland, a senior from Lumberton. “We not only learned about the culture, but the difference in the way the teachers teach and how the teachers are educated, themselves.” Strickland got a chance to teach a room full of pre-kindergarten students at La Isla Bonita Elementary School as part of a Belize International Study opportunity. The students also taught classes at nearby New Horizons School.

Guatemala to Hold Referendum on Border Quarrel with Belize
Guatemala’s foreign minister voiced satisfaction on Tuesday that lawmakers in his country cleared the way for a referendum on whether to ask the world court to settle a nearly 200-year-old territorial dispute with neighboring Belize. “For me, I would do it (the vote) tomorrow,” Carlos Raul Morales told EFE. The two countries agreed in 2008 to submit their dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, but the accord was never implemented because it proved impossible to satisfy the requirement that the respective populations endorse the pact in simultaneous referendums. Last year, the parties signed an additional protocol allowing non-simultaneous plebiscites, but Guatemala’s congress did not ratify the revision until last Thursday. “What is most important to both countries is the spirit to solve this disagreement, and we cannot leave it for another 1,000 or 2,000 years,” the foreign minister said.

Videos

November 1, 2016

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

Haunted House raises funds for island charities
In an effort to raise funds for Raise Me Up, Wayo’s Beach Bar hosted their third annual Haunted House for two nights on Thursday, October 27th and Friday, October 28th. For an entry fee of $1 for children and $5 for adults, dozens gathered to experience the family-friendly haunted house. A group of volunteers transformed the Wayo’s palapa into haunted attraction by draping it with cobwebs, canvases and scary props, and even building a graveyard. In addition to the haunted house on Friday night, Wayo’s hosted their Halloween costume contest, where many children came out and showcased their best costumes. 50/50 raffles took place, and various prizes were given out to the costume winners. In the end, $2,357 was raised through admission sales and raffle tickets. Raise Me Up is a local organization dedicated to the betterment of Belize families in need, which oversees the San Pedro Food Bank, San Pedro Kids Club, Hope Haven Orphanage and Women’s Shelter, and the Literacy Program at the Holy Cross Anglican Primary School.

Forest Department Responds to Human-Jaguar Encounters
In response to the recent reports of jaguar sightings and attacks on livestock in the Laguna and Yemeri Grove areas, Toledo District, a Forest Department response team has been dispatched to assist farmers and ranchers in livestock husbandry techniques to prevent loss of livestock. The team, consisting of wildlife conservation experts, are also monitoring hotspots and conducting public awareness in these communities in order to better mitigate and reduce human-jaguar conflicts. Forest Department/Panthera representative, Ms. Shanelly Carrillo, explained that even-though jaguars are recognized as an important flagship species both for conservation and tourism, farmers often see them as a nuisance. She noted that with the continuous expansion of farming communities into once pristine forested areas, there is an increasing likelihood of jaguar encounters. Apart from their shrinking habitats, the jaguars’ dwindling natural food sources due to overhunting have also forced them to seek other alternatives outside of the protected areas. Consequently, they pose a direct threat to livestock and other domesticated animals. In some instances, these human-jaguar conflicts lead to the retaliatory killing by residents.

Ambergris Today

Holiday Hotel Halloween Bash 2016!
A night full of spectacular costumes, lots of fun and dancing! From the least recognizable to the scariest costumes! Mark your calendars and make sure to join in the festivity next year in this annual event!

Belize Forest Department Responds to Human-Jaguar Encounters
Apart from their shrinking habitats, the jaguars’ dwindling natural food sources due to overhunting have also forced them to seek other alternatives outside of the protected areas. Consequently, they pose a direct threat to livestock and other domesticated animals. In some instances, these human-jaguar conflicts lead to the retaliatory killing by residents. In speaking on this issue, the Chief Forest Officer, Wilber Sabido, emphasized that the livelihood and safety of people are paramount but echoed concerns for wildlife conservation. He stated that resolving the issue hinges on creating opportunities for co-existence by: (1) affording farmers the knowledge and techniques to protect their livelihood and (2) enhancing the communities’ readiness to protect jaguar habitat and prevent overhunting of wild game.

Misc Belizean Sources

ZETA opens a Corozal Branch
Yet another business opens in Corozal. - ZETA opened its Corozal Branch on Friday, October 28th. They will continue serving its customers in the Corozal area from Monday to Sunday. Come by our new location in Ranchito, right across the new gas station for your Zeta Water and Zeta Party Ice. For special orders and deliveries call ZETA COROZAL at 422-2614 or email them at [email protected]. This news-schack wishes the Escalante family from Orange Walk all the best in their new location and hoping for your continued success.

SHJC Defeats UB in ATLIB Basketball Round 1
The Sacred Heart Junior College Scorpions beat the University of Belize Black Jaguars, 69 to 67 in their first of 2 games in the ATLIB Basketball tournament.. SHJC got some great pictures.

How to buy your Belize International Film Festival tickets online!
TICKETS! You can now buy them online OR in paper form at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts box office. You can now purchase tickets for the Belize International Film Festival online. This short video shows you how!

The order of the tribunal in the Belize Telemedia arbitration case at the PCA
This is the summary of the numbers: The tribunal determined that Dunkeld International Investment Ltd.'s investment in Telemedia was worth $96.94 million plus an additional $72 million in interest and £1.72 million ($2.11 million) and €67,590 ($74,138) in costs.

Largest Resort Spa on Ambergris Caye, Belize Now Open
Award winning Victoria House Resort on Ambergris Caye, Belize, has opened its new full-service spa and fitness facility, the largest of its kind on the island. Resort Managing Director Janet Woollam says the new spa is exactly what guests have been looking for, and the response has been enthusiastic and immediate. "We're being told by repeat guests of 20 years that the spa fits in beautifully with the resort, and with today's more health-conscious traveler, it fills a need," says Woollam. "Naturally we're excited to hear that kind of validation." At 3,500 sq. ft., Victoria House Spa features four treatment salons, including a VIP couple's salon and two with French doors which open a to private, enclosed patio allowing for outdoor massages, along with outdoor showers and lounge chairs.

The Garifuna people need to address their living conditions in all countries
By Wellington C. Ramos. From the time our Garifuna people were removed from their homeland; “Yurumein”, now known as St Vincent and the Grenadines, and imprisoned on the island of Baliceaux in 1796, their lives have never been the same since. Our people were then subsequently removed from this island to Roatan, Honduras, where they arrived on April 12, 1797. Under international law the forceful removal of a person or a group of people to another country is considered an act of “genocide”. The British Crown committed this act against my people and has never been held accountable for this gross violation of our fundamental human rights as a people. The forceful, unlawful and unjustifiable removal of our people to this strange land subsequently led to voluntary and forceful migration from Roatan and Honduras to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize and the United States. It is said that about 5,000 of our people were packed on ships and removed from Baliceaux to Roatan, Honduras. Only about 2,500 of our people survived that gruesome journey.

San Pedro Celebrates Halloween 2016
Another Halloween has come and gone, and with it memories of spectacular costumes. From humans to pets, this year island residents and visitors went above and beyond in dressing up for this ghoulish holiday.

Glamour Photo Shoot Fundraiser at CG Esthetic
Sign up for a great cause to Help S.P. Red Cross and S.P. Food Bank.

Belize Defence Force and Louisiana National Guard 20th Anniversary
Tomorrow morning catch the Belize Defence Force along with the Louisiana National Guard on Open Your Eyes at 6:45 a.m. and then on the Morning Show on Love FM - News and Music Power at 8:00 a.m. to discuss the 20th Anniversary of their partnership!

DISPOSAL OF BURNT MOLASSES FROM BSI
Earlier this year in July, the Department of the Environment (DOE) was made aware of a situation at the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) Ltd.’s Tower Hill Factory with respect to molasses undergoing the Maillard reaction in their storage tanks. Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between the sugars and proteins in the molasses that occurs upon heating and produces a browning or burnt effect with a thick, dark black appearance and lower pH. The molasses solidifies and expands upon cooling, and hence, is rendered useless; however it has the potential to contaminate the environment. BSI reported that burnt molasses from both a storage tank and a barge needed to be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. As such, after an assessment of all possible options available to dispose of the burnt molasses, the DOE agreed to the most feasible option achievable under the conditions existing at the time, which included the following steps:

rabies outbreak investigation
BAHA and MOH (Environmental Health) officials are following up on an outbreak investigation reference rabies cases in animals around the following areas: As such, the following areas will have vaccination of dogs: October 27 - Calla Creek, Corazalito, Negro Man & Santa Rosa, October 28 - Arenal, October 31 - San Jose Succotz. Human Rabies Vaccines are also being administered to exposed individuals. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and be informing all accordingly through the different social outlets.

IMPACT Justice sponsors restorative practices workshops in Belize
Approximately 123 educators, ministry of education officers, and other stakeholders will receive training in restorative practices in four workshops in Belize being sponsored by the Canadian-government funded Improved Access to Justice (IMPACT Justice) project. This training is being provided in partnership with the ministry of education, Belize. The workshops are taking place on October 31 to November 1 (two workshops) and November 2 to 3, 2016 (two workshops) respectively. At the opening of the first workshop, remarks were delivered on behalf of Professor Velma Newton, regional project director of the IMPACT Justice project, and Dr Candy Armstrong, director of the Education Support Services Unit of the Ministry of Education also gave remarks.

Belizean, Asia Gilharry, places 3rd runner up in Miss Divali Nagar Queen Pageant
Held in Trinidad & Tobago. Asia also won the title for Best Saree in the competition.

CARICOM Secretariat in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Belize holds National Consultation On the Draft CARICOM Regional Education And Human Resource Development Strategy 2030
The Ministry of Education, Youth Sports and Culture, Belize is pleased to collaborate with the CARICOM Secretariat in holding Belize’s National Consultation on the draft CARICOM Regional Education and Human Resource Development Strategy 2030 on 31 October, 2016 at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. The consultation will include, inter alia, Ministries of Education, Youth,Health and other relevant areas; Labour, the Private Sector; youth and students; tertiary level institutions. The CARICOM Human Resource Development (HRD) Commission was mandated, among other things, to: “Develop a Regional Education and Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy that would adopt a holistic approach to the transformation of education and which would, inter alia, ensure the continual alignment of education and training with the emerging academic, technical and personal/social skills and attitudes required for the 21st Century labour market and society; and also make more efficient use of regional resources to develop and implement solutions to the identified challenges.

Corozal Junior College - "Crazy Day" Halloween Party!
November 1, Prizes, photobooth... and more!

Corozal Rotary Club: UPDATE ON EYE CLINIC - FREE EYE EXAMS
Prescription glasses Methodist Eye Clinic. Nov 7th to 10th - 8am to 4pm. Friday 11th - 8am to 10am. Painless eye testing by professional doctors. RAYJON SHARE CARE of SARNIA Inc. This clinic is for those who normally cannot afford an eye exam and glasses. This is a first- come- first- serve clinic. FRIDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE FOR STUDENTS WITH PRE-ISSUED PRESCRIPTIONS.

Día de Los Muertos en Belmopán
The Mexican Embassy is having a special Day of the Dead on Wednesday in Belmopan. "Visita el tradicional Altar de Muertos que preparará la Embajada de México en Belice, en el patio de ingreso a la Embajada, ubicada en el número 3 de la calle Ring Road, en la Ciudad de Belmopán"

Halloween Concert
Ascenthium really put on a great show on Saturday night. Damon Russell got some great shots of the festivities at the Cayo Welcome Center and Bamboo Bar.

Asociacion Balam
Today an agreement was finalized by FCD for the transfer of funds to Asociacion Balam in Guatemala for a total of 42,063.00 quetzales (Bz$12,556.12) in order to support community governance through agroforestry systems in the community of El Carrizal, Poptun, Peten. El Carrizal is located across Belize’s Columbia River Forest Reserve. This financial support is made possible through the British Embassy in Belize.

Ole Heg
Ole Heg is a character that lives in the skin of a haggard old woman. She comes out at night to suck on the blood of innocents. The trick is to throw wangla seeds at her door so that she is so busy counting them she fails to realize that sunrise will catch her out of her skin. You must find her skin and salt it so that when she returns she can not re-enter it; Salt will sting her flesh and she will chant in desperation "Skinny, skinny, yuh no know mi?" " You picny now of disyer time, "You hab it good an fine; "You run about and play da night, " Sometime till eight an nine; "Wen I mi leel an stan like you, "No night could see me out: " Espece'y wen I hear dem talk, " Dat 'Ole Heg ' is about! -Granny's Stories ( No.1) Hag - J.S. Martinez

Channel 7

City Man Executed In Rural Area
The crime figures continue to rise as 4 more persons were killed this weekend - bringing the total murder count at the end of October to an alarming 122 homicides. We start off with an early morning execution. Around 8:00 this morning, police found 25 year old Jeon Peebles' body down a dirt path off the Boom/Hattieville road. The Belize City resident was found quite a distance from home, face down with several shots to his head. Reports are that police picked up Peeble around 7:00 last night but no one knows what happened after that. His older sister told us off camera that they are still trying to come to terms with his ruthless, mysterious murder. Voice Of: Shantel Thompson, Older sister: "From his friends I heard that 2 police officers came and took him from either his house or on the street in front of his house." Courtney Weatherburne, 7News: "We understand that they took him for weed I believe?"

OW: Tolosa Killed In Bar Brawl
The second murder we report on tonight is 26 year-old Manuel Tolosa, which happened in Trial Farm Village, in the Orange Walk District. The Orange Walk Town resident was fatally stabbed on Saturday night in what appears to be some sort of street fight. Our news team travelled to Orange Walk today, where we spoke with his grieving family. They said that he was invited to go out for a few drinks at a shop in Trial Farm, which is just outside of the Town. Their information is that while he was there, he encountered a known group of rowdy young men, and there was some confrontation. Police reports say that he got into a fight with one of the men, and it ended with two of them walking away after some hard talk. While Tolosa was leaving a short time later, it is believed that this group of young men jumped him a second time, and one of them stabbed him once in the chest, and once to the back of the neck. He died as a result of those injuries. Here's what his cousin, who asked to appear off camera, and the Orange Walk Police Commander had to say about the stabbing murder:

"Jaro" Executed At the Barber
And for our third murder we come back to the city. 37 year old George "Jaro" Young was kicking back in the barber's chair on Saturday evening at 5:30, when a gunman strode in. Young had his guard down and the killer was ruthless and precise, riddling him with bullets. Courtney Weatherburne picks up the story at the barbershop:.. Courtney Weatherburne reporting: George Young would always go to Buck's Barbershop to get his weekend haircut. And Saturday evening was no different, Young stopped by to get a quick line up. But as the barber was styling him, a masked gunman came up to Young in this chair and shot him to the chest. Another customer, Abraham Craig who was sitting on this chair, ran when he saw the gunman and he was shot to the foot and back.

Another Killing At Caye, This One Was Retaliation
And the fourth murder we're reporting on tonight, was the first to happen over the weekend. On Friday night, San Pedro saw its second murder in just over 48 hours. This time the victim was a 44 year old working man and father, Antonio Paguada. Originally from Honduras, Paguada had been working and living on the island for many years. He was heading to his home in the San Mateo area on Friday when He was shot and killed - very close to the same spot where Jason Gillett had been gunned down at sundown on Wednesday. The Acting Officer in Charge told us via phone that it's a retaliation:... Supt. Henry Jemmoth, Acting OC - San Pedro Police: "Initial reports into the investigation is that Mr. Antonio Paguada, a 44-year-old Honduran national who resides in the San Mateo area, he is a laborer, was heading home when he was approached by a male person and was shot 6 times in the chest. We suspect that this is a retaliation for the Jason Gillet murder which occurred a couple days earlier."

67 Year Old Victim Of Hit And Run
67 year old Police Street resident Gerald Bahadur was knocked down and killed early on Sunday morning. The senior citizen was just walking down the street just after 1:00 am - when a small SUV ran him over and drove off. He died on the spot, and police say they are looking for a blue RAV:... ACP Chester Williams, Commander, Southside: "Police were called to the area of Police Street where on arrival they saw a male person who appeared to have been lifeless. He was transported to the KHMH, where he was pronounce dead on arrival. The police investigation in that matter continues. We have viewed several cameras in that area. We are trying to locate a dark blue Toyota Rav4. The headlight is broken because debris from the headlight was found on the scene." And while police are looking for that RAV, we went to Bahadur's home and spoke with his family and friends to find out what they know about the accident.

50 Year Old Killed In Hit And Run
And another older man was killed in a hit and run accident - this one happened in Armenia Village just outside of Belmopan. On Saturday at around midday, San Ignacio resident 50 year old Damian Anastacio Paredes was walking on the side of the road when a speeding vehicle knocked him down and fled the scene. His body was found 15 feet off the highway. Police have no description of the vehicle.

Head On Collision Leaves Woman Critical
And there was almost one more traffic fatality this weekend on the Boom-Hattieivlle Road two miles in from the Northern Highway. There was a collision on Sunday morning when an SUV hit the rear end of a dump truck which was travelling in the opposite direction. Rural police told us more:... Faith Thompson is in a critical but stable condition.

A Pair Of Females Shot By Angry Man
Two females - one of them a minor - were shot in Carmelita Village just outside Orange Walk on Saturday night. The victims are 17 year-old Erica Hernandez, and her aunt, 34 year-old Sandra Rios. These Corozal residents were visiting a relative in Carmelita Village where they were cornered by a man who got into a shouting match with them. They were trying to walk away when he pulled out a weapon and fired several shots at them. Today, the Orange Walk Police Commander told us that police have already made an arrest: Supt. Selvin Tillett, OC - Orange Walk Police: "Police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where one Sandra Rios, 34 years of Chula Vista, Corozal was seen suffering from a gunshot wound to her right foot. According to her, she was with a 16 year old female walking in Carmelita Village where both females met a male person dressed in white shirt and camouflage pants, where they had a confrontation. When they were 20 feet away from the said person, the person opened fire at them causing said injuries. Initial investigations had led to the arrest of Floyd Hyde, 28 years laborer of Carmelita Village who have been arrested and charged for 2 counts of attempted murder."

Why Did Cops Shoot 14 Year Old Hostel Escapee
We often report on escapes from the Youth Hostel facility - and that's because it's a low security holding area with some high-risk juvenile delinquents. Well, Belize city police may have taken it too far on Saturday evening at 6:00 when they shot a 14 year old who had escaped from the facility. Assistant Commissioner Chester Williams told us more:... Williams could not detail the circumstances under which the youth was shot.

Teachers Rally And Demonstration Fails To Draw Huge Turnout
In October the teachers union proved its power when it forced to government to yield to the majority of their eight demands - while at the same time getting interest on their deferred salary increase. It was masters class in brinkmanship negotiation, driven home by an 11 day school shutdown, the longest in recent memory. But now the strike is done, and teachers are back to the rhythms of the classroom. And maybe that's why a national rally and demonstration on Saturday didn't draw the thousands we saw in Belmopan six weeks ago. That's when the battle was red hot - but on the last Saturday in October, it was - can we say - Lukewarm? Jules Vasquez has the report:... Jules Vasquez reporting: From the outset, the demonstration didn't impress. The teachers walked in two single files up unto the Belcan roundabout with a crowd we counted at a little more than one hundred. They moved unto Belcan within minutes - only stopping city traffic very briefly. By the time they reached cemetery road, the crowd had grown to just under 300 - notable, but surely not overwhelming for a union whose membership is in the thousands. It was a national event, after all. And it seemed on this day - many teachers stayed back - at home.

Saldivar Right Hand Man Wields Gun In Public, Police "No Charge"
If you've been watching the news long enough, you might remember Paul Ferguson, also known as "Chicken Dread". He's a fried chicken vendor by night, and a PUP politician's driver by day. Well on Sunday morning outside "Sit and Sip" Nightclub, those two worlds collided when he had a heated political argument about fried chicken! That might have been a funny story - but Ferguson alleges things took a very serious turn when well known John Saldivar right had man, Douglas Grant was leaving the club. Grant wanted chicken, but instead the bald-head dread gave him a steaming hot serving of political trash talk - which led to gunplay. Ferguson held a press conference today to press the point: Paul "Chicken Dread" Ferguson, Alleged Victim of Aggravated Assault: "Around 2:30-3:00am in the morning, I saw Douglas Grant exit the Sit and Sip Night Club. He walk up and he asked me if anymore chicken is there and I told him chicken is done. So he say how the chicken is done? I say how your government is done." Jules Vasquez, 7News: "Thereafter what happens next?" Paul "Chicken Dread" Ferguson, Alleged Victim of Aggravated Assault: "Me and him continue to walk and the man just went into a tantrum and just pulled out his firearm and bust in the air and DJ Ritchie Galvez yelled "boy" and so he stopped. The man point the gun at me and then the Strike Team went and pull him on the side and talk to him and they let the man gone and when I walking back I started to curse out the police, I say come on man, how will you not arrest this man? This man pulled a firearm at me and you all are making this man leave just like that."

UDP On UDP Assault Leaves Man With Cracked Skull
And while that was a case of UDP and PUP beefing, the next case involves a near deadly dispute between UDP and UDP. And it has left Orange Walk resident Gilbert Young Sr., better known as "Malico" is hospitalized tonight at the KHMH, with a cracked skull after he was assaulted, reportedly by one of his good friends. Reports to 7News are that Young and his attacker were at a football game and they were socializing together and having a few drinks. Unfortunately, their interactions turned from friendly to hostile, and it escalated to the point where the man, whose name we cannot release at this time, pulled a tire iron and struck him in the head with it. The man was rushed to the Northern Regional Hospital, and he was later transferred to the KHMH, where the doctors were able to perform life-saving surgery. We asked the Police about it, and they were very sparing with the details:

House Speaker Takes Auditor General To Court
At the beginning of September, we told you about the lawsuit which House Speaker Mike Peyrefitte brought against Auditor General Dorothy Bradley. As you might remember, she erroneously named him, in those now famous reports, as someone who was not authorized to recommend persons for passports. He warned that if she did not apologize in writing, and amend her reports, he would take her to court. She didn't do either, and so, he filed a claim against her. That case had it's first management conference today before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, and this afternoon, he granted us an interview saying that all this could be avoided if the Auditor General would just correct the mistake: Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker of the House: "We feel that it's a simple matter of law that can be settled very easily. So the Chief Justice stood the matter down for about half an hour to an hour and lawyers and the parties had a discussion, as a very fruitful discussion and I am confident that at the end of the day the Chief Justice would not have to make any pronouncements on the merits of the case. I don't want to get into the discussions that we had, because I don't want to prejudice the discussions, but it was a very good one and we expect that there won't be any need for the Chief Justice to decide on anything. At least that's my hope and expectations."

Colombian Woman Assaults Immigration Officer
She came to Belize on vacation, but on Friday, 22 year-old Colombian Jessica Gonzalez got into big trouble when she assaulted an immigration officer at the Airport. That officer is Ady Pacheco, and while she was escorting Gonzalez Roman to the Avianca flight, GONZALEZ got angry and started to curse her. She says that she requested another officer to come over and assist her, but that's when Gonzalez grabbed her by the hair, and struck her in the face, which caused her eyeglasses to fall to the ground and shatter. Gonzalez was quickly restrained, and she was arrested and charged with assault and damage to property. She was arraigned today before Magistrate Norman Rodriguez, where she pleaded guilty. She explained to the court that she got mad and offended by Ady Pacheco. She said that because even though she was insisting that she was here on a vacation planned in San Pedro with her boyfriend, Pacheco was treating her like a prostitute who was on a business trip.

Customs Copycat
School-children will be familiar with career day - when they get to play "dress-up", putting on the uniform of whatever career or profession they wanted to pursue. Well, tonight Ladyville police have a grown up version of that on their hands. A 22 year old from Corozal apparently stole a neighbor's customs uniform, altered it for a better fit, and left out like a customs man - one, oddly enough wearing short pants. Ladyville police told us more:... The suspect's neighbor is reportedly a legitimate customs officer. He has not yet been charged as police are working with customs on the case.

Cops Got Weed And Wesson
And while they have yet to charge that copycat customs officer - Ladyville police won't have to bring any charges for a weed and gun bust - which are found property. The police told us more about the more than one pound of marijuana: The weed weighs one pound, ten ounces.

Westjet Comes From Canada
On Saturday, Belize received its first direct flight from Canada. Before this weekend, Canadian tourists had to endure long layovers in American cities before coming to Belize, but now they have a non-stop connection. Philip Goldson International will now welcome 2 weekly flights directly from the Toronto'S Pearson International Airport. Minister of Tourism, Manuel Heredia, came on the first flight and he discussed the impact this new connection will have on the tourism industry.. Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism: "So this one is a milestone for Belize. I think it is something great, from a new country. As you know the USA has been our greatest, greatest market. Today, with Canada, I believe it will even improve the already substantial increase in percentage of tourists arriving to our country, but it is a team work. Everybody coming together and doing what we really need to do to be able to convince the people that Belize is a paradise, Belize is a place where anybody is welcome, particularly the hospitality of our people. Aside from that, the abundance of products that we have to offer, makes Belize so unique, makes airlines so as soon as the executives are here, they are enchanted. They are overwhelmed with what we have, and WestJet was no exception. When the executives arrived, we toured them around and they fell in love with Belize and that is what makes the difference. Today we witnessed the arrivals, full capacity plane, completely full, and I am hoping that the return will be likewise. And I am hoping that the twice a week, for a few months, and eventually I Belize that it will be a daily flight as we enter the Canadian market."

Harvest Caye, Anchors Aweigh
And as Belize enters into new markets and attracts new tourists, it needs to continue to develop its attractions. One of the new, key attractions is the Norwegian Cruise Line's Harvest Caye Cruise Port in Southern Belize. Heredia told us that ships will soon drop anchor at Harvest Caye... Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism: "That one supposed to have its first ship docking in Harvest Caye on the 17th of November. That is three weeks from now, and again, what they have done with that island, transforming that island from an abandoned island to looking like a paradise now. It was 95% when I saw it, and incredible. And it is a different type of product that they have in Belize that they have in all the other ports. It's a combination of little cabanas, a little over the overnight blended with the cruise, and again, that was a 100 million investment over there, and then if you're aware also, just a few days, I don't know if you were a part of the media, the Leonardo DiCaprio project which was given the greenlight to go ahead with their over the water structure with minimal sizes, but because there were people grumbling about that and Leonardo being a sponsor of the environment, they decided to scrap the over the water cabanas and concentrate on the land, but that project I can tell anyone, I can challenge any that within three years, that will be an envy not only for Belizeans and our neighbors, but for the entire world, that will be the greenest of the greenest resorts because it's in development together with restoration. There is not another project that I have seen in Belize, as the Minister responsible that has those ingredients together."

Seismic Decision Making Still In the Making
And while Blackadore Caye passed the EIA stage, the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum's seismic survey project did not. The ship conducting those surveys has left Belizean waters, but the conversation still hasn't ended. Last week the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage told us that the government has still not responded to their questions about the moratorium on offshore oil exploration and their demands for a referendum. Well this weekend, Minister Heredia gave us an update on both situations... Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism: "I personally believe that we supposed to know what we have in our country. What is there underneath, what we have above, and all around, but again, I don't believe in confrontation, I believe in listening to the people." "I believe that we took the right measures and decided to let it go. Unfortunately the second part of that in November should have been more of a sonar study where we would have been able to know what kind of species we have on the sea. What kind of different marine life is underneath, not beneath the ground but underneath the ocean. And then the boat, I must say that it will not be back again..."

Molasses In the Pits
In July we reported on the major problem at ASR/BSI with burnt molasses. It was a headache for the company and the farmers because the molasses couldn't be sold. But it was a bigger headache for the Department of Environment because safely disposing of the burnt molasses was very difficult. The DOE agreed to let them dispose of it in BSI's old quarry pit, ensuring that there was no runoff into any nearby water body. The DOE says the pit will be monitored by BSI daily during the rainy season. And to reduce the risk of a reoccurrence, BSI will install a "cooling system" for production of final molasses, as well as a "temperature monitoring system" of the final molasses.

Film Festival Fun
While Belize may be far from a global mecca of modern cinema, the Belize International Film Festival still receives a healthy serving of international and Belizean films. This year's festival kicks off on the 10th of November with a gala event at the BLISS. Today at the event's launch, we spoke to NICH's Communications and Marketing Officer, Holly Edgell, who told us that the 11th edition of the festival will be an exciting one. In addition to the film screenings, there will also be several symposiums.

Channel 5

4 Murders on the Weekend; Were Policemen Responsible for Death of Gion Peebles?
The murder statistics went up by four between Friday night and this morning. Aside from a slew of other acts of violence, four persons were killed at different locations: three [...]

In Belize City, George Young Shot Dead in Barbershop
In another murder in the Belize District, thirty-seven year old George Young was shot multiple times to his chest, back and leg on Saturday evening.  The father of three was [...]

San Pedro’s Third Murder in Less Than a Week; Was Antonio Paguada Targeted?
On Friday night, San Pedro recorded its fourth murder for the month of October. Antonio Paguada, a forty-four year old father of two, was killed a short while after he [...]

In Orange Walk, Youth Survives a Fight But Succumbs After Beatdown and Stabbing
So far this year, there are a hundred and twenty murders recorded by the police. In Orange Walk on Saturday night, a man acquitted of murder was found dead. Police [...]

Political Nightmare on Fort Street: P.U.P.’s “Chicken Dread” Vs. U.D.P.’s Douglas Grant
A Nightmare on Fort Street.  It’s the name of a Halloween weekend event that took place at the popular nightclub Sit and Sip.  An incident which occurred outside of the [...]

Video Evidence Uncovered; Who is to Blame?
Grant has since issued a release refuting the claims made by Ferguson.  In the statement issued by Grant this afternoon, he says, “luckily, a police patrol arrived on the scene [...]

Nightmare Ends for Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez; He Sees All 7 Sex Charges Dropped
He was charged with six counts of aggravated assault of an indecent nature in February of 2015, a few months after deciding not to seek re-election in his Orange Walk [...]

B.N.T.U. on the Streets; Demand Education Minister Stop Playing Games
The Belize National Teacher’s Union held another protest on Saturday, several days after its members resumed classes and ending an eleven-day strike.  The demonstration this time around did not enjoy [...]

House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte Maintains Lawsuit Against Attorney and Auditor General
The Speaker of the House appeared in court today—both as a claimant and a defendant. In the first case, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin is presiding over a matter before the [...]

Matter May Be Resolved Outside Court; Speaker Says Suit Will Not Affect Senate’s Inquiry
The civil suit coincides with the launch of a senate inquiry into the Immigration and Nationality Department for the period 2011 to 2013.  There is a general belief however, that [...]

Julius Sues Mike Over Ugly Ending to House Meeting of August 26th
But shortly that case, Peyrefitte was back in court for a case brought against him by Cayo South area representative, Julius Espat. In late August, Espat was removed by force [...]

Espat Calls on Judiciary to “Referee” Quarrel with Speaker
Since the incident, Espat confirmed that his four-thousand-dollar monthly salary has been withdrawn. There has not been any House meeting since August, but Espat believes the ugly incident constitutes an [...]

Father’s Sentence on Rape Charges Significantly Reduced on Appeal
On Friday, the Court of Appeal drastically reduced the prison sentence given to a Dangriga father in his forties who was convicted of raping his own daughter no less than [...]

Women Shot in Carmelita, Orange Walk; a Resident is Charged
There is more on the crime blotter. Orange Walk police had a very busy weekend in addition to the murder in Trial Farm. In Carmelita, the village immediately south of [...]

Co-workers Come to Blows; One Left in Hospital with Cracked Skull
In further violence up north, a pair of co-workers got into a confrontation in Orange Walk’s Louisiana neighbourhood over the weekend. It resulted in one of them landing in hospital [...]

Drugs and a Gun Come Off Rural Eastern Division Streets
The Eastern Division Rural formation removed a firearm and drugs off the streets. Their latest find took place on Thursday night in a remote section of the Philip Goldson Highway. [...]

Ban on Offshore Drilling for Protected Marine Sites; Minister Still Supportive of Petro-Exploration
Last Tuesday, cabinet officially suspended seismic testing that was being conducted offshore by an international company, TGS. Reeling from scandal to scandal and following a remarkable manifestation of people’s power, [...]

Harvest Caye Di Come!
The Minister of Tourism also provided an update on Harvest Caye in southern Belize. After hiccups along the way, the Norwegian Cruise Line cruise tourism Project is about to come [...]

Minor Who Left Youth Hostel found, Shot by Police
A criminal and an internal investigation are ongoing at the Eastern Division South of the Police Department after officers shot a minor on Saturday. Around six p.m., police observed a [...]

Hit and Run Claims Life on Police Street
Eastern Division South Police are also asking the assistance from the public in locating the a blue Toyota Rav Four and its driver following a fatal hit and run on [...]

Another Family Loses Home to fire in Sandhill
Investigators are currently trying to ascertain if a fire that consumed a house at mile nineteen and three-quarters on the Philip Goldson Highway on Friday afternoon was deliberately set and [...]

The Belize International Film Festival Begins
The eleventh edition of the Belize International Film Festival will be held from November tenth to the thirteenth. The international festival brings in international judges to select the winners of [...]

Premier League Football and Weekend Warriors Cycling on Sports Monday
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   We take you out to the MCC Grounds for week 12 in the PLB Opening Season and it brought [...]

CTV3

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez Free Of All Charges
House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte was a busy man in court today as he appeared for two separate matters before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. Interestingly, in one of the cases he was a defendant and in the other, he was a claimant. The former is the legal challenge brought on by Cayo South Area Representative Hon. Julius Espat who was according to the Speaker suspended from the House of Representatives on August 26th. As the world now knows because of videos that went viral, Hon. Espat, refused to leave the House despite the Speaker’s orders and was violently removed by the Police’s special patrol unit. Several days later, the Clerk of the National Assembly wrote to the financial officer instructing her to suspend further payment of any Government funds to the Cayo South representative due to the suspension. Hon. Espat has accused the Speaker of acting illegally. Well today it was Hon. Espat’s turn to put some heat on the House Speaker. We caught both individuals outside the Court.

Speaker Of The House And Julius Espat Meet In Court
House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte was a busy man in court today as he appeared for two separate matters before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. Interestingly, in one of the cases he was a defendant and in the other, he was a claimant. The former is the legal challenge brought on by Cayo South Area Representative Hon. Julius Espat who was according to the Speaker suspended from the House of Representatives on August 26th. As the world now knows because of videos that went viral, Hon. Espat, refused to leave the House despite the Speaker’s orders and was violently removed by the Police’s special patrol unit. Several days later, the Clerk of the National Assembly wrote to the financial officer instructing her to suspend further payment of any Government funds to the Cayo South representative due to the suspension. Hon. Espat has accused the Speaker of acting illegally. Well today it was Hon. Espat’s turn to put some heat on the House Speaker. We caught both individuals outside the Court.

Lake I Rep. Shows Support For Teachers
While the BNTU’s rally on Saturday lacked the backing of other Unions, it had the support of the Opposition People’s United Party. National Deputy Leader Hon. Cordel Hyde walked with the teachers in the march and we saw no less than six senior members of the Party at the rally. So why has the Opposition found it important to be on the teacher’s side? We asked Hon. Hyde to respond. Honorable Cordel Hyde – National Deputy Leader: “Our teachers have led the way, they’ve made huge sacrifice and they stood up for principle, stood up for their 3%, they’ve risk condemnation, they’ve risk cutting off their pay and they stood up and so we have to stand up with them and also I think that a message has to be sent to the government and get serious this is stupid what is happening we shouldn’t be at this point am really at a loss for words because at the end of the day the government have so many other problems to deal with; so much corruption....”

Hyde Throws Jabs At Farber
While Hon. Hyde had harsh words for the Education Minister, he wasn’t done yet. Hon. Hyde has served as a Minister of Education, so when we asked him whether he would have handled the matter differently than the current Minister, he said slavery days have been long over. Honorable Cordel Hyde – National Deputy Leader: “Absolutely and to be honest with you I am surprised that the minister has taken this approach to things I would think that he would be on the side of his constituents I would think he would be lobbying and fighting for and on behalf of the teachers and even if he has to stand up and go against his government that is what he should do as oppose of taking the position of his government as of though they are large over everybody and main slavery days are over long time and real talk we are not on any plantation but if we would be in a plantation we would understand when the slave escapes and when they try do what the master says they are not supposed to do they get lashing and some of them get killed...”

Baby Nina Coming Home
Viewers may recall the sensational story of Baby Nina, who captivated the hearts of all Belizeans after she was removed from the custody of her mother by the Department of Human Services, in November of last year, acting on a request from the Guatemalan central authority. The child was born in Guatemala, the father is a Guatemalan citizen, and when Nina’s mother, Analiz Gutierrez, a Belizean citizen returned home to Belize with Nina, the father of the child was able to apply for full custody of the child in a Guatemalan court, after claiming that Gutierrez wrongfully removed the baby from Guatemala. The last we heard of baby Nina, she was being returned to Guatemala after the Belize Family Court handed down its decision on February 12th of this year to have Nina returned to Guatemala, where legal battles over her custody and eventual home were to be fought.

Speaker Of The House Takes Attorney General to Court
In a second matter in Court, House Speaker Michael Peyrefitte was the one claiming a case against the Auditor General Dorothy Bradley. This is over the release of the recent Special Audit into Immigration matters by the Auditor General’s office, which is chock-full of irregularities. The House Speaker found his name in the audit report and took great offense. He wrote the Auditor General demanding an apology and when that didn’t come, he went to Court. Outside the Court, he and his attorney Marylin Williams stressed that all he wants is to clear his name. Marilyn Williams - Attorney at Law: “My client is taking to have his name cleared, our position and I really don’t like to discuss matter that are before the court so all I can say to you based on documents that has been filed is that my clients is concerned that there is potential damage to his reputation based on an error, on a point of law this is not a political application in any way shape or form it is just a matter of having his reputation not tarnished by being accused of any wrong doing.”

LOVE FM

Guatemalan Judge Orders Baby Nina to be Returned to Mother
At the approach of Christmas 2015, Analiz Gutierrez experienced a mother’s worst nightmare; having her baby girl taken away from her. It was the start of a custody battle that would prove challenging for the mother who told the media some months ago that she was the victim of domestic violence and in fear, she […]

More Land Flipping Uncovered Involving Vega’s Relative
In November 2013, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, described the Lands Department as a hotbed of corruption and he was right. Several scandals have broken out of that department and the most recent is the one involving the son of former Minister Gaspar Vega, Andre Vega. That scandal led Vega to resign from the Cabinet and […]

Female Officers in the GSU Make Claims of Sexual Harassment
About two weeks ago, reports came to our newsroom that a couple of female officers were having a hard time functioning in their unit as they were being sexually harassed by fellow male officers. At the time, it was just a verbal report but since then we have been able to confirm that two official […]

Speaker Says He Had Authority to Sign Passport Recommendation
Michael Peyrefitte’s name appears in the Auditor General’s Special Report on the Passport, Immigration and Nationality Departments. In her report, Auditor General Dorothy Bradley noted that Peyrefitte made a recommendation for a passport when he had no legal power to do so. Peyrefitte, however, does have the authority to do so because he is the […]

Julius Maintains He was Illegally Suspended from the House of Representatives
In August, Cayo South PUP Area Representative, Julius Espat was suspended as a member of the House of Representatives and unceremoniously put out from the chambers of the House as per directive of the Speaker of the House, Michael Peyrefitte. Espat’s position since that day is that he was illegally suspended because Peyrefitte did not […]

Speaker Says His Facebook Account Was Hacked
Speaker of the House, Michael Peyrefitte, came under fire from the LGBT Community and associates when a homophobic post appeared on his personal Facebook account. The post went viral and it got a lot of negative comments by people who said that Peyrefitte was spreading hate speech. However, minutes after the post appeared, another post […]

Family Speculates Police Involvement in Peebles’ Homicide
24-year-old, Jeon Peebles was found dead this morning on a feeder road in Hattieville Village, Belize District. Peebles’ body reportedly bore gunshot wounds to his body. Commander of the Rural Eastern Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edward Broaster briefed the media this afternoon on what their preliminary findings are. EDWARD BROASTER “At about 8am this […]

Jaro Gets Hit in the Barbershop Chair
There was a murder in the old capital over the weekend that has investigators of the Eastern Division South following leads into the incident. A man sat in a barber chair getting a hair cut and in that very same space the young man also known as Jaro, met his demise. It is a scary […]

Weekend Homicide on Ambergris Caye adds to Rising Crime on the Island
The San Pedro community has seen an increase in homicide cases recently. Within the last week alone two men were gunned down in the San Mateo area. The latest murder was that of Antonio Paguada which occurred on Friday night at around eleven thirty. We spoke with Deputy Officer Commanding the San Pedro Police Station, […]

Dispute in Orange Walk Turns Fatal
A fight in a village in the Orange Walk District turned deadly over the weekend. Police say that Trial Farm resident, Manuel Toloza got into a fight with five men and as a result suffered stab wounds which led to his demise. Officer in Charge, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Selvin Tillett shared the details. SELVIN […]

Breaking Belize News

Man found dead at Boom junction
In 2014, he was one of two men who walked from the attempted murder of Ellis Meighan Jr. and Malik Dixon; however, today he was in no position to walk. Jeon Pebbles, 25 was found lying lifeless on the road side near the Boom/Hattieville […]

San Ignacio woman arrested for bribery
Last Friday around 4:20 p.m., Cpl. Maximiliano Lanza and other police officers were conducting a vehicular checkpoint on the George Price Highway. They encountered two Salvadoran men and detained them for entering the country illegal. The men were traveling in a white taxi from […]

Miss Asia Gilharry represents Belize at the Miss Divali Nagar Queen Pageant in Trinidad and Tobago
The Corozal Organization of East Indian Cultural Heritage (COEICH) presents Miss Asia Gilharry, who was crowned Miss East Indian Belize 2016 – 2017 by outgoing Miss East Indian queen, Miss Namita Balani. She will be representing Belize in the upcoming Miss Divali Nagar Queen Pageant […]

BSI disposes bad molasses responsibly
The Department of the Environment (DOE) became aware of a situation at the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) Ltd.’s Tower Hill Factory with respect to molasses undergoing the Maillard reaction in their storage tanks in July of this year. Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction […]

NEMO Minister inspects Hurricane Earl rebuilding efforts on Ambergris Caye
Minister of NEMO, Edmond Castro conducted a tour on Ambergris Caye to inspect hurricane rebuilding efforts there through partnerships with the business community and the San Pedro Town Council. Castro visited houses built, repaired, and some which are under construction in the Boca Del […]

Belize- Nation of the Ingrato?
The Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), around 6,000 members strong, decided to use their option of industrial action recently to STAND FOR BELIZE….demanding better governance and working conditions for all laborers in Belize. Their 11-day strike action caused the Government of Belize to agree […]

Blogs

Brian
Brian is a good natured gentleman of no fixed address. He loves to meet new friends from around the world and can often be seen guiding tourists around the island, showing them the sights of Caye Caulker. I assume he makes his living in eggs scrambled in vacation cottage kitchens and restaurant left-overs. If you see him, buy him a meal and he may tell you about some of his amazing adventures.

The 13th Annual SAGA Spooktacular: Fun, Music, Food, Games & Dogs Stuffed into Costumes
Today was the second biggest event of the Halloween holiday season in San Pedro, Belize. Saturday night, adults partied until early morning at the huge Holiday Hotel Bash. Sunday – all day- dogs, kids and their parents dressed for the SAGA Humane Society’s annual fundraiser. A huge part of their budget for the coming year. And with 90 animals to feed and house right now, they need your help more than ever. Yesterday I pulled up to Carlo and Ernie’s Bar and the party was hopping. An untouched pinata was hanging near the entrance… I LOVE a pinata. Here’s a look at the situation. And later, the winner for Funniest Costume – the poop factory. Ruffles above won cutest as a princess butterfly. Time to whack the pinata. Little girls bashing for candy is so fun.

State Side Volume 1: Guns, Booze, and Stereotypes
It's hard to Belize I've been back a month already. It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying the company of my friends, feeling the nip of the cool Colorado air, driving a car, and by the end of it feeling like I did miss the simple life here. I'm glad to be back, even gladder I went, and truly feel like I've found a good balance these days (in most areas of my life - guessing the pan of brownies for lunch wasn't a good "balance" decision; but chill out mom that didn't really happen...or did it?). So you want highlights?! You want low-lights?! I know you do! I mean heck, the first section of my Cousin Jennifer's yearly Holiday letter that I read is always her "vital statistics" section...but that will come at the end. Oh yeah...and this is only volume one of a yet to be determined number of releases. Lots of stories, and many may not reach the light of day. But the sooner we get started the sooner we can go back to our drinks.

Halloween in San Pedro: recapping one scary weekend!
Another Halloween has come and gone, and with it memories of spectacular costumes. From humans to pets, this year island residents and visitors went above and beyond in dressing up for this ghoulish holiday. As always, San Pedro Town played host to the most fabulous Halloween parties in the country; from Wayo’s Beach bar’s Haunted House to Holiday Hotel’s Costume Party and even Saga Humane Society’s Spooktacular Party for pets. Keeping the Halloween spirit going, Holiday Hotel held their legendary Costume Party on Saturday, October 29th. What an event this was! The costumes were just WOW! The anticipated event is one of biggest celebrations, attracting people from all over Belize and even internationally, who bring out their best masterpieces to impress. Of course we did not forget the island pets we love and adore. On Sunday, October 30th, Saga Humane Society hosted their 13th annual Halloween Spooktacular Party at Carlo and Ernie’s Runway Bar. Pet lovers and pets alike came out in their most creative costumes. Cute little (and large) furballs dressed up as ghost, devils, super heroes and even fish – talk about cuteness overload!

4 Fun Island Style Halloween Parties
As always there was no shortage of Halloween parties this year – so many I lost count. I was prepared with a few costumes and a partner in crime to do 3 of the 4 parties with. Of course we knew loads of people at all of them, it was not always easy to recognize the person under the costume though. First in line was Wayo’s Beach Bar annual haunted house which is always a big hit with the kids. My partner in crime took the night off so I found a great plus 3 option – Sandie, Emily and Madison. They picked me up in Sandie’s very fitting purple and black cart and off we went through the streets of San Pedro waving my big Jolly Roger pirate flag. Next came San Pedro Red Cross trivia night. Most people do not dress up for Halloween trivia night but I never pass up the opportunity. Little did I know my costume would end up being our team name the Bondage Ballerinas. By the time we got to the Holiday Hotel around 9:30 it had already felt like a full night but my second wind came fast as soon as we hit the party. The the street was packed with people watching the red carpet entries and soon the party was full of amazingly creative costumes. For a small island we take Halloween very seriously.

Belize in November – What to do?
November is a great time to visit Belize. The weather is nice (it’s the end of the rainy season) and it’s just pre-tourism high season (December to April) so you might still get a few good deals on tours and accommodations. I’ve written before on how to save on a Belize vacation so make sure to check that out. As for things to do in November, here’s a list of tours and activities. And below are three main events worth exploring: Battle of the Drums is a celebration of Garifuna music and culture that takes place every year in Punta Gorda, Toledo. Some of the best drumming groups from all over Belize and Central America gather to compete and showcase their incredible talent and skills. November 19 is a national holiday that celebrates the arrival of the Garifuna people to Southern Belize (known as British Honduras at the time). They arrived in Stann Creek by sea in the early 1800s and now every year there is a reenactment followed by religious ceremonies and cultural celebrations.

International Sources

WestJet flights set to boost Belize tourism sector
WestJet's newly launched seasonal service to Belize promises to give the Central American country's tourism sector a boost, local tourism officials say. The Calgary-based airline kicked off twice-weekly service from Toronto on Oct. 29 to Belize City. It is the only Canadian carrier flying directly to Belize, an English-speaking destination known for lush rainforests, coral reefs and beaches along its Caribbean coast. Inconvenient layovers and connections in the U.S. have previously deterred "thousands of Canadians" from visiting Belize, Tourism Minister Manuel Heredia Jr. said in a news release. Americans make up the country's largest segment of visitors, more than 60 per cent overall, followed by Europeans at 12 per cent and Canadians at seven per cent, the Belize Tourism Board reported earlier this year. The WestJet flights, using Boeing 737 aircraft, depart Toronto at 9:15 a.m., arriving in Belize City at 11:59 a.m. They run until April 29, 2017.

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