November 19, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Canadian National Guy Cooter Smith badly injured during boat accident in Caye Caulker
A boat collision off the coast of the island of Caye Caulker has left 61-year-old Canadian national Guy Cooter Smith severely injured. The accident took place late in the evening of Friday, November 17th, involving a dinghy (small boat) and a larger vessel belonging to Koko King Restaurant. An unconscious Smith was then taken to the Caye Caulker Polyclinic where he was briefly treated before being transported to Belize City for further treatment. He remains in a critical condition. According to the official police report, when police arrived at the clinic, they observed Smith in a state of unconsciousness and suffering from a cut wound to his right elbow. Initial investigations revealed that around 9:45PM, Smith and his 19-year-old son, Cooter Smith, were in a dinghy in the sea without lights or reflectors when Koko King’s boat accidentally collided into their small boat. Koko King’s boat was reportedly transporting customers from the north to the south side of the island when the mishap occurred. Guy remains in a critical condition at the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital.

Island residents to hold fundraiser for fire victims
After Carla Velasquez’ family lost their home to a fire, a group of kindhearted island residents is organizing a fundraising event on Friday, November 24th to raise much-needed funds to help them. The event is scheduled to start at 7PM at the Central Park, and it will include a bake sale, with free kids and adult movies. All proceeds will go towards the reconstruction of Velasquez’ home. Organizers Dalia Alamilla and Sarah Bol from Starfish Camp are looking forward to everyone’s support on the day of the activity, and they invite the entire community to attend this worthy cause. They are still accepting donations for the fundraising in the form of baked goods, cheese dip, sodas, and even monetary contributions. Anyone interested can reach Lara Goldman, one of the volunteers helping with the event at 670-5272.

San Pedro R.C School library urgently needs repairs
The library building of San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS) is in dire condition and in need of urgent refurbishing. It has been estimated that around $10,000 will be needed to make the necessary repairs. The school is hoping to raise funds with assistance from the community to start the work during the Christmas break. Spearheading the initiative is librarian Catherine Whitney, known as “Teacher Kate.” With 47 years teaching experience, Whitney has been volunteering at the SPRCS library for approximately 18 years. According to Teacher Kate, the doors, windows, and stairs are broken and even the walls of the school library are falling apart. After the September 19th Mexico earthquake, the building itself was rocked and needed to be reinforced.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve to implement new rules for film/photography crews
Hol Chan Marine Reserve management is planning to set up new regulations for filmmakers and underwater photographers at the Reserve. The new rules seek to prevent any potential damage that may be caused to the reef and marine life within the said protected area during such activities. This decision comes after a social media post by a local tour operator alleges that on November 3rd, while filming at Hol Chan, a film crew hired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line behaved carelessly and caused damage to the Belize Barrier Reef. Alamilla further explained that in order to avoid any future incidents, film crews will now have to apply directly to Hol Chan for approval. “We are working on that service so they can make all the arrangements with us,” he said. “In the case of underwater photographers and videographers, we will do a background check on them to find out if they have the sufficient experience and responsibility to carry on these types of activities.” In addition, he said that for future groups of this kind, when approved, they will try to have a member of their staff onsite to monitor such activities. A date was not given when the new regulation will be implemented.

San Pedro residents plan fundraising event for Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II
A fundraiser to assist the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II with much needed medical equipment is being organized for Sunday, December 10th at Caribbean Villas, south of San Pedro Town. The entire community is asked to come out to support the worthy cause, which seeks to raise $60,000. Island residents are encouraged to make monetary donations or provide prizes for the event’s silent auction. So far, several stakeholders have started to make monetary donations and prizes for the silent auction. Some of the prizes range from stays at luxurious resorts to electronic items and dinner at gorgeous restaurants. There will be a beach BBQ during the day of the fundraiser, and everyone is invited to come out and support the worthy cause. Tickets for the BBQ will go on sale on Friday, November 17th, and they can be purchased at Caribbean Villas, Pedro’s Inn, the Red Cross San Pedro Branch, Rotary Club, and from members of the San Pedro Lions Club. All proceeds will go towards this long-awaited project. Anyone interested in making donations can do so by contacting Carla at Caribbean Villas at 226-2715 or via email [email protected].

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Town joins the Garifuna community in their celebration!

Golf Cart Accident in North Ambergris Caye
These are images sent by an eye witness to a rental golf cart that was ran off the road just behind Portofino Resort. Reports indicate it was driven by tourists.

Here's what Culture Day looked like at San Pedro High School Friday
Part of Children's Day celebrations on Ambergris Caye.

Arsonist Burns Down 4 Structures in Southern Belize
Four buildings were destroyed by fire last night in Pueblo Viejo Village, Toledo. The principal of Pueblo Viejo School Stephen Sho told Love News that at around nine o’clock last night two house went up in flames. Two hours later that same night, the kitchen at the village’s Catholic Church burnt to the ground due to fire. Fast forward to three o’clock this morning, another house was destroyed by fire. Principal Sho believes all structures were intentionally set on fire. He says that police have one person for questioning. Sho confirmed that the destroyed buildings were of wooden structure with thatched roof and expressed gratitude to Pueblo Viejo Village and local church leaders and other helpful villagers who responded very quickly in the darkness of night to help.

BHA BiAnnual Meeting
We invite you to join us at the Banyan Bay Suites in San Pedro on December 5, for our Biannual meeting. Discussions about the BHA's accomplishments over the past months and the upcoming projects for the rest of the year! Kindly RSVP at 223-0669 or email us at [email protected]. See you there!

BZEMX
Next Sunday there will be a Motocross race in Spanish Lookout. Miss Deb's will be there to provide some good grub. "Motorcycle Club , Nov 26 at 12pm there will be a Motocross race happening in Spanish Lookout. Everyone is welcome to come out and watch and enjoy this event. Come for lunch as Miss Debs will be there to serve her wonderful selection of burgers and drinks. So if you're bored on Sundays and need some adrenaline pumping action, come out and support the racing that will happen against the best riders in Belize. If anybody wants to participate in the races you can contact Marlon Dueck via Facebook messenger. We may even have a scooter race if we get enough riders! So mark your calendars and come on out! Would be awesome to see you there!"

Muscle Hut Strength Meet II
Pictures from the Muscle Hut Fitness Club's 2nd Strength Meet last weekend. Miss Deb's created her new Gut Buster burger for the event. They have lots of videos of the event on their page.

1st leg of the BDF vs Verdes semi-finals game
The game ended in favor of Verdes FC with a 7-1 win over the BDF at the MCC grounds in Belize City

In the Vaca plateau a major reforestation program is underway
Over 1,500 mahogany seedlings ae being planted by farmers inside and nearby the forest reserve. This endeavour is made possible through the support of GEF SGP.

Maimouna Youssef and Friends are still in Dangriga!
Yesterday, they were at Stann Creek Ecumenical High School empowering the students with their songs!

Institute of Archaeology NOTICE: Sunday 19 November 2017
The Nohoch Cheen, ATM and Barton Creek Archaeological Reserves are open. The Xunantunich Archaeological Reserve remains closed.

Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway
The first 500 families in St. John Parish will receive a FREE turkey dinner with all the fixings November 18. The giveaway will be taking place at East St. John High School from 9 am to 11 am. This event is sponsored by Cargill, Eliza Eugene Enterprises, L.L.C. Blessed to be a Blessing and St. John the Baptist Parish District Attorney Bridget Dinvaut's Office. For more information call 985-359-9954.

People, Livestock & Jaguars Forum and Workshop
We are hosting a People, Livestock & Jaguars Forum and Workshop on Friday, 24th November 2017 at our Field Station in Golden Stream. We will be sharing the results of our project to reduce conflict with jaguars and people. Guest speakers from 6 communities in Toledo and partner organizations will join the discussions. Livestock farmers and interested persons can contact Marchilio Ack to participate.

The Reporter

Man critically injured in boat collision
A man is in a critical condition following a boat collision last night near Caye Caulker village, Belize district. Police say that sometime around 9:45 last night, Guy Cooter Smith, 61, a Canadian, and his son, Cooter Smith,19, were in a dinghy in the sea without proper lighting or reflectors. An oncoming boat belonging to KokoKing Beach accidentally collided into the Smith’s dinghy, rendering the elder Smith unconscious. He is at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital receiving treatment, and police are investigating the incident.

Police identify British woman found murdered inside Ladyville apartment
Police have identified the British woman who was found murdered inside her apartment complex on Perez Road, Ladyville. Michelle Anison, 46, was discovered just before 11:00 a.m., Friday by her landlady. Anison’s body wad found face up with multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest. Police say Anison’s 4-door Nissan Rogue, which was parked on the apartment’s parking lot was missing, as well her travel documents. It is believed that Anison’s killer was someone she knew. Residents of the area had reportedly advised her against keeping company with several questionable characters in the community.

Breaking Belize News

Guatemalan map including Belize installed at Melchor border
Confirmed reports to BBN is that the new design of the Guatemalan map that includes Belize as part of their territory has been installed at the Immigration offices at the Western Border. When Belizeans stamp their passport at the Belize Immigration department, they head over to the Melchor Immigration department to stamp entry to Guatemala.

83-year-old man missing in Sand Hill, Belize District
Anna Richards, a Belizean housewife of Queen Helmet Avenue, Coral Grove area, Belize City reported to authorities that her father Hubert Richards, 83, a Belizean retiree of Sand Hill Village, Belize District left her house at 10 AM on November 16th 2017 and have not been seen or heard from since.

House and car set on fire in Mahogany Heights; Police looking for suspect
Yesterday around 3 in the morning, acting upon information received of a house fire at #170 Mahogany Heights Village, Belize District, authorities visited the scene where upon arrival they saw a 20 by 20 feet bungalow house engulfed in flames. Police investigation revealed that at 3 AM yesterday, a male person dressed in full black was seen running away from the house and shortly thereafter the house was engulfed in flames.

Man arrested for drug trafficking in Maskall Village
Yesterday afternoon around 4, police conducted a search at the residence of Gildon Edwards, 33, of Maskal Village, Belize District which led to the discovery of a black plastic bag in the bedroom that contained 94.9 grams of cannabis.

Business woman robbed at gun point in San Pedro
Gladys Cortez, a Belizean business woman and owner of Procell Store on Sea Grape Street, San Pedro Town reported to authorities that yesterday around 4:30 PM while inside her store attending to customers, two male persons entered the store, one armed with a handgun and robbed her.

Belizean youth arrested and charged for drug trafficking in San Pedro
Yesterday morning around 11:30, police were conducting a patrol on an unnamed street in the San Mateo area of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye where they searched Gerson Marroquin, 20, which led to the discovery of a transparent plastic bag containing 109 grams of cannabis.

Blogs

November GLORIOUS November: Weather Perfection Has Arrived
Guide books for Belize will let you know that the temperature, year-round, is ridiculously consistent. We don’t waiver far from the average yearly temperature of 84 degrees F. I grew up on the east coast of the United States…winters as low as 0 and summers as high as 104…this Belizean forecast was my idea of heaven. And it is. No winter winds that cut through your 7 layers of clothes…no black ice…no soul crushing darkness at 7am or 4pm… But there are nuances that you become more and more aware of as you spend more time in Belize. In fact, there are proper seasons. I’ve written about the Seasons of Belize before so I will keep it short. Winter is coming! And the gorgeous north breeze is blowing again after a long HOT summer. The weather is perfection…and it makes me want to take pictures. So here are a few from the last day or so.

Belize is all about the colors. So, why shoot it in black and white?
If God wanted Belize to be a black and white photo, he would have called it Lower Manhattan. If ever a country was born to serve up every smudge in the global color palette, it is Belize. Even during an overcast day, Belize pops with colors unlike any you will encounter elsewhere in the world. Clearly, a special light is cast over the country. Especially here on Ambergris Caye. So, what’s with all the black and white photography?

International Sources

Can We Really Halt the Coral Reef Catastrophe?
Blue Planet II spectacularly described a series of fascinating interactions between species on some of the most pristine reefs in the world. These reefs, analogous to bustling cities, are powered by sunlight, and provide space and services for a wealth of marine life. Competition is rife, as exemplified by the ferocious jaws of the meter-long bobbit worm, ready to pounce on unsuspecting fish by night from its lair in the sand, or the pulsating show of colors of the cuttlefish as it stalks a mesmerized crab. Other reef species team up in unlikely partnerships to improve the outcome of a hunt for fish amongst the coral, as shown by the pointing display of an octopus working in cahoots with a grouper. Inevitably, the episode described how these cities are under threat, as warming oceans destroy the symbiotic relationship between the corals and the algae living within them, causing the corals to lose their algae, and become bleached. Prolonged bleaching leads to the death of the colonies that build the reef, leaving behind lifeless ruins. Since 2014, an unprecedented series of consecutive warming events driven by climate change, have affected many reefs, including the Australian Great Barrier Reef, and annual bleaching is predicted to become more frequent, leaving no time for the reefs to recover between these extreme events. In the last scenes, narrator David Attenborough provides a glimmer of hope as he describes corals and other reef species spawning on mass to produce new generations of life to build new reefs.

1894 $1 note of British Honduras is among the few from the series available
Stack’s Bowers Galleries will be offering one of only three known 1894 British Honduras $1 notes at its Jan. 12 to 13 auction in New York City. The note is from the first British Honduras issue, of which no issued examples are known of any of the five higher denominations. The other two known examples of this denomination are the Pick plate note, which is in terrible quality, and one reportedly in a private British Honduras collection. The upcoming auction piece is graded Very Fine 20 Net, Splits and Rust, by Paper Money Guaranty, and is estimated at $30,000 to $50,000. It is signed by E.B. Sweet-Escott, as colonial secretary (later governor) of British Honduras, and commissioners of currency C. Melhado and H.C. Usher. The design features floral borders, lathe work and stars within circles. The note bears Crown above CC (for Crown Colony) watermarks, an official ink stamp indicating Belize as the city of issue, and the date OC[tober] 17, [18]94. The left margin is serrated where a counterfoil was once attached.

Videos

November 18, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro House of Culture hosts Garifuna Culture Night
The Garifuna Culture has become an integral part of Ambergris Caye. As such, the San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC) hosted a Garifuna Cultural event on Wednesday, November 15th to share the ethnic group’s drumming, history and fun with island residents. The event began at 7PM, when Director of the SPHC Mito Paz officially welcomed everyone in attendance. Thereafter, organizer of the event, Julia Martinez, shared the significance of the Garifuna Culture and the evening. “I feel so happy to see that my culture is now a part of San Pedro and that it is being honored and celebrated. Garifuna Settlement Day is not a day only for the Garinagu people, but for all Belizeans,” she said. The significance of the Garifuna flag colors was then explained.

SPTC delivers donation to earthquake victims in Mexico
On Monday, November 13th, Mayor Daniel Guerrero led a delegation to the Mexican city of Chetumal, Quintana Roo to deliver a donation to its earthquake victims on behalf of the people of Ambergris Caye. The donation included boxes of assorted canned food, rice, cards with messages from island students and a monetary donation. Accompanying the Mayor was his wife, along with personnel from the Belize Red Cross San Pedro Branch including President Eiden Salazar Jr., Nisani Zuniga, and Ashty Dennison. Guerrero was also joined by his secretary Yolanda Parham and SPTC press officer Shamir Guerrero.

National Association of Black Scuba Divers celebrate summit on Ambergris Caye
A total of 106 scuba divers from around the United States of America convened on Ambergris Caye from the 4th to the 11th of November, for the 27th Annual Summit of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS). The group of divers stayed at Ramon’s Village Resort where they engaged in a week of activities. Presentations held at the resort included a medical symposium on cardiovascular risks, asthma and diving, beach clean- up, lionfish hunting, sports, parties and of course lots, and lots of diving.

Probe on immigration bust continues; Immigration authorities on the island weigh in on the matter
The immigration representative on the island pointed out that sometimes it is difficult to carry out their duties when residents get involved. “I have heard stories whereby we visit a certain bar and there are a lot of women illegally working. When they are taken into custody, one or two guys from the island will quickly pay their fines so they can be released,” said the Immigration officer. “The person is then ordered to leave Belize, but they are not banned. They can come back to the country with no problem.” According to the Department, the situation with work permits is another headache for them to deal with due to the judiciary system. The officer stated that if anyone is detained and taken to court for working without a work permit, the court needs concrete proof of employment. “Many times, the person will not cooperate, and they will deny working at the establishment,” he said. “The court will request employment letter, a bank statement showing the payments, and we know that bar owners don’t work like that; they pay under the counter.” He added that at times, the court case can end up being adjourned for several months in an attempt to try to charge the proprietor for employing someone without a work permit. “So it is a bit more difficult to charge them for working than to just charge them for being here illegally,” he said.

Acting Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber and Minister of Agriculture Hon. Godwin Hulse Safe After Plane Crash in Placencia
At approximately 8:45 am on November 17th, Acting Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber along with Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Immigration Hon. Godwin Hulse were enroute to Punta Gorda Town via a Tropic Air flight. Upon takeoff from the Placencia Airstrip, the left landing wheel made contact with a passing vehicle that had managed to bypass one of the lowered barriers. The impact caused the Tropic Air vessel to plunge into the sea right off the coast of Placencia not far from the airstrip.

Current Town Council Members represent UDP San Pedro Municipal slate 2018
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has revealed its 2018 municipal elections San Pedro Town slate. All seven candidates who currently make up the Town Council will run again. Candidates include Mayor Daniel Guerrero, who is responsible for the Finance, Customer Service, Foreign Relation, Communications and Consultations Service and Ambergris Caye Master Plan, Deputy Mayor Gary Grief who is in charge of Tourism, Environment, Public Relations and Transport, Hector “Tito” Alamilla responsible for Sports, Youth Development, NEMO and N.G.O’s, Ruben “Rux” Gonzalez in charge of Revenue Collection, Economic Development, Health and Waste Management and Sanitation, Gabriel “Gaby” Nuñez in charge of Public Utilities, Community Protection and Safety, Civic and Infrastructural Development, Severo “Severito” Guerrero Jr. in charge of Community Beautification and Upkeep, Housing and Planning and Education and Flora Ancona who is in charge of Public Events, Human Development, Culture, Leisure, and Women’s Affairs.

Ambergris Today

Tropic Air Investigates How Vehicle Passed In Front Of Departing Aircraft
In a press release sent out by Tropic Air this afternoon, Friday, November 17, 2017, the airline confirmed that one of our aircraft clipped a vehicle that crossed the end of the runway as it was taking off from the Placencia airstrip this morning. The subsequent loss of airspeed resulted in the pilot conducting a forced landing in the water beyond the end of the runway. All seven passengers and crew members are safe. The Belize Airports Authority had placed barriers and signage in place at the Placencia airstrip to prevent just such an occurrence. In the wake of what has happened Tropic Air in coordination with the Belize Airports Authority and the Belize Department of Civil Aviation are looking at how this vehicle passed in front of the departing aircraft and what measures need to be implemented immediately to prevent another such occurrence.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models Invade San Pedro, Belize
Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition 2018 is being shot on location in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. By no you have probably heard about the excitement and seen some post on Facebook, because the news of the sexy models is buzzing strong around town. On Wednesday, Sports Illustrated narrowed down their model search for their Swimsuit Issue to six finalists: Allie Ayers, Iyonna Fairbanks, Olivia Jordan, Haley Kalil, Camille Kostek and Tabria Majors. The six models will all appear in the magazine’s 2018 Swimsuit Issue and the winner will get her own spread in the 2019 issue as a rookie model. SI Swimsuit has been taking pictures at Mahogany Bay Village and various beach locations around the island. Here are a few more images of SI on Ambergris Caye.

Taiwan To Donate $1Mil For Equipment To Belize Police Department
As a result of Minister Elrington’s visit, Taiwan has agreed to make a grant of US $500,000 for the purchase of equipment for the Belize Police Department including body cameras, motorcycles, handcuffs, drones, a cellebrite machine and breathalyzer equipment to test for driving under the influence of alcohol. Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), is currently on a working visit to Taiwan. Minister Elrington paid a courtesy call on H.E. Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as well as on H.E. Dr. David Lee, the Foreign Minister of Taiwan on Tuesday, November 14, 2017. Minister Elrington also received a briefing from the Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan, on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017.

Ministers Patrick Faber And Godwin Hulse Safe After Plane Crash In Placencia
This morning at approximately 8:45 am, Acting Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber along with Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Immigration Hon. Godwin Hulse were en route to Punta Gorda Town via a Tropic Air flight. Upon takeoff from the Placencia Airstrip, the left landing wheel made contact with a passing vehicle that had managed to bypass one of the lowered barriers. The impact caused the Tropic Air vessel to plunge into the sea right off the coast of Placencia not far from the airstrip. A rescue team was sent out and all seven passengers and three Tropic Air crew membes onboard the plane were transported safely back to land. Preliminarily, there are no reports of any sustained injuries.

Misc Belizean Sources

Acting Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber and Minister of Agriculture Hon. Godwin Hulse Safe After Plane Crash in Placencia
This morning at approximately 8:45 am, Acting Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Faber along with Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Immigration Hon. Godwin Hulse were enroute to Punta Gorda Town via a Tropic Air flight. Upon takeoff from the Placencia Airstrip, the left landing wheel made contact with a passing vehicle that had managed to bypass one of the lowered barriers. The impact caused the Tropic Air vessel to plunge into the sea right off the coast of Placencia not far from the airstrip. A rescue team was sent out and all passengers onboard the plane, including the pilot, were transported safely back to land. Preliminarily, there are no reports of any sustained injuries.

DAVCO Cultural Expo 2017
Happened Friday at the Parking Lot just east of Family Store and south of Central Park. DAVCO Cultural Expo 2017. See the different cultural booths and displays.

New Joint Utility Office For Benque
New Joint Utility Office Opens in Benque Viejo del Carmen on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. BWS and BEL partnering to expand our services to customers!

United Nations SDG Knowledge Fair
The Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Fair will be held on Thursday, November 23rd, at the Belmopan Civic Center. The United Nations agencies in Belize invite you to our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Knowledge Fair to be held on Thursday, November 23, 2017 in Belmopan at the Civic Centre.

Tropic Air issues statement about Placencia plane accident
Tropic Air has confirmed that one of our aircraft clipped a vehicle, that crossed the end of the runway, as it was taking off from the Placencia airstrip this morning. The subsequent loss of airspeed resulted in the pilot conducting a forced landing in the water beyond the end of the runway. All 7 passengers and crew members are safe. The Belize Airports Authority had placed barriers and signage in place at the Placencia airstrip to prevent just such an occurrence. In the wake of what has happened, Tropic Air in coordination with the Belize Airports Authority and the Belize Department of Civil Aviation, are looking at how this vehicle passed in front of the departing aircraft, and what measures need to be implemented immediately to prevent another such occurrence.

HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!!
A spectacular display of creativity, imagination and knowledge during the Children's Day Parade through downtown San Pedro.

Any Form of Violence against our Adolescents and Children Must Stop!
The National Committee for Families and Children, mandated to advocate for the protection of all children, is troubled by the disturbing report of a pair of police constables accused of humiliating youth cadets. According to the news dated Thursday, November 16th, 2017, the unnamed officers were accused of taking nude pictures of male cadets attached to the Placencia Branch Youth Cadet Corp. This is disheartening, especially since the public seeks the police department to ensure the safety and protection of all citizens, especially children. When this confidence is breached, the result is the questioning of the integrity and erosion of trust of the Department to serve as the first and most fundamental line of protection.

Happy Children's Day to all the good children of Belize
Especially the wonderful children of our beautiful Corozal.

Reserves Today
The Nohoch Cheen, Barton Creek and ATM Archaeological Reserves are open. The Xunantunich Archaeological Reserve remains closed.

Channel 7

Plane Took A Dive, Acting PM Survived
The news whipped across Belize at around 9:00 this morning when word went out that a Tropic Air plane had gone down and the Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber was on board. It seemed unbelievable at first, but it did happen. Very luckily, no one was hurt. Deputy PM Faber - along with his Cabinet colleague Godwin Hulse and five other passengers were rescued in the waters just off the Placencia coast near the airstrip. The amazing part is that not only was Faber unhurt, neither was his phone! The Deputy was good enough to snap a few selfies of his strange and surprising plunge.

Tropic Air President: It Won't Happen Again
Government issued a statement saying, quote, "Upon takeoff from the Placencia Airstrip, the left landing wheel made contact with a passing vehicle that had managed to bypass one of the lowered barriers." End quote. Tropic Air's release says, quote, "Tropic Air in coordination with the Belize Airports Authority and the Belize Department of Civil Aviation are looking at how this vehicle passed in front of the departing aircraft and what measures need to be implemented immediately to prevent another such occurrence." That's what we spoke to Tropic Air President John Greif about today via telephone from San Pedro:... John Greif, President - Tropic Air: "The driver went past the warnings, and apparently past cars that were parked waiting for us to depart, so...we really don't know what we could have done differently."

British Woman Found Murdered In Ladyville
A British woman was murdered inside her Ladyville apartment on Perez Road. 46 year old Michelle Anison's body was found this morning around 11:00. She was stabbed to her chest and neck. Reports are that she was last seen alive on Monday the 12th at her apartment. According to her friends, Anison has no family members here, only in England. We spoke to one of her close friends today at her favorite hangout spot in Ladyville. Altereith Smith, Friend: "She is a person that comes here every other day or so to get her food, her drinks or whatever, she comes here and associate with everybody regardless of who it is. Whether you are rich or whether you are poor. She was such a lovely lady. It is hurtful to see her gone that way. So we are grieving as freinds of the restaurant of Benny. Because this was one of her main spot, beside her work at Liberty [children's home]. I hope with the police and everybody that they find the culprit and do what they have to do."

Mahogany Heights Family Claims Arson
An early morning fire gutted 32 year old Sorunica Garbutt's Mahogany Heights home. The fire started around 3:00 this morning and destroyed the entire structure even her vehicle. We haven't gotten any official report from the fire department but the family believes it was arson. We spoke to Garbutt's niece this afternoon. Voice of Niece: "I got a call about minutes to 4am, my brother got a call and then my mother came and woke me and tell me that my aunt's house is on fire. By the time we reached house, only one of the room was really on fire. The car was already on fire as well. The neighbors threw water to put out the fire and by the time they stomp down the fence to try and open the door to see if they could have saved anything - the fire was already gushing out. So they couldn't save anything. All we could have done was stand up and watch the house went down."

Guatemalan Soliders Facey!
Alarms were raised today when 4 Guatemalan soldiers and a media crew appeared on what we are told is the Belize side of the Western border. Best reports say they were first in the "Champon" or "no-man's-land" area getting interviews with persons crossing the border. But then they walked over to the Belize side, and reports say, they started to capture video of the Immigration Hall and other secure areas. They reportedly intended to go on to Arenal. Eventually police came over and they questioned the crew - who reportedly said they thought the border area was a part of "Champon." Many Belizeans expressed outrage that the Guatemalan military showed no respect for Belizean authorities or norms, and walked over freely like they were in their own country.

Two Arrested, Two Acquitted, One Still Jailed
Antonio Rodriguez was a PG taxi man viciously murdered in December of 2015. He was lured to a remote location outside of Punta Gorda Town by a customer and while driving back he was stabbed multiple times. Even though he had his licensed 9mm pistol next to him, Rodriguez was caught off guard. Today 24-year-old Albert Valentine and a 17-year-old male minor that had been charged with the murder were acquitted of the charge by Justice Denis Hanomansingh in a trial without jury. Prosecutor, Senior Crown Counsel Christelle Wilson had relied on a caution statement Valentine had given to the police but it was ruled inadmissible because Valentine claimed that he was beaten by police to give the statement.

Alcaldes Got Paid, Night After News Played
Last night on the news you saw PUP Toledo West Representative Oscar Requena calling out the Attorney General and the Prime Minister, demanding that they pay 80 Alcalde's from 40 villages their monthly salary going back to January. Well, faster than you could say, "rapid response", we saw this release today. It says, quote, "on November 13, 2017, funds were transferred to the Punta Gorda Sub-Treasury for onward payment of the First and Second Alcaldes. The funds include payment from January to October of 2017." End quote. Alcaldes can visit the PG Sub-Treasury to collect their stipend.

Weed On Venezuela Street
Yesterday afternoon, Belmopan police searched 23-year-old Salvadorian Marvin Vasquez Torres's home on Venezuela Street in the Capital city. They found a plastic bag with just under half a pound of weed. Torres and 20 year old Carla Stephanie Najarro who was also present at the time were both arrested and charged with Drug Trafficking.

NCFC Charge Cops With Child Exploitation
For days, we've been reporting on the misconduct of a pair of Placencia Community Police officers who took advantage of police youth cadets on a camping trip. Today, the National Committee for Families and Children spoke out against the police in a statement. The NCFC says it is, quote, "troubled by the disturbing report of a pair of police constables accused of humiliating youth cadets….This is disheartening, especially since the public seeks the police department to ensure the safety and protection of all citizens, especially children. When this confidence is breached, the result is the questioning of the integrity and erosion of trust in the Department…"

Tourist Dies In ATM Cave
A tourist has died in the Cayo District. Yesterday 68-year-old American Doctor Madhukar Jiggini, his wife, and other tourists were doing a river crossing at the Actun Tunichil Muknal, or ATM cave in the TeaKettle Village when Jiggini began to feel weak and lost consciousness. He was taken out of the water and transported to the Western Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. No sign of foul play or violence is suspected. The police are waiting for the results of the postmortem examination.

Family Makes Plea For Missing Grandfather
An 83-year-old man named Hubert Richards from Sandhill village is missing. His family got a call yesterday informing them that Richards had not returned home after running errands in the city. This evening the worried family came to 7News to make an appeal to the public in hopes of finding their loved one. Kenisha Richards, Granddaughter: "He came to do his normal errands. He came on the bus, he was in the Coral Grove area which us where our relatives lives. Leaving there, there has been no other indication of where he went. We've heard varying reports that he was seen walking near the Haulover Bridge, he was seen through the Los Lagos Road and also he was walking towards Biscayne Village. So based on that we haven't seen any sighting of him."

Dejron Not Down With Kings
Last night on the news we told you about an alleged robber, Dejron Joseph, charged for attempted robbery. He told the court that he is a student at King's College - but today King's sent us an email refuting that the principal says he's not a student. We stand corrected, but we are told he did attend the college last year.

Placide Preaches Peace Panacea
Trinidadian-American War Veteran and Vocalist Gerard Placide is back in Belize. He has visited a number of times to spread his inspiring message. He's back again for a concert called "Victory" tomorrow night at the Bliss Center. Today he told us it will be a Christian bashment with universal appeal:... Gerard Placide: "Within the last 2 years this is 17th time here. I sing all over Belize. Tomorrow night we are at the Bliss live band, Trinidadians flying in and stuff through Panama. The musicians - live. We are going to have a stomping time. I gave your camera man a little bit of "lift Jesus higher" song."

Celebrating Children Through Music
Today is Children's day and primary schools all over the country celebrated the by honouring their children with fun and games. But All Saints Primary School took it up a notch with an all-day concert. We learnt more from one of the organizers and spoke to some excited kids. Mark Usher, President - PROTO Foundation: "We decided to start with All Saints so what we have done is provided them with a number of extracurricular services to All Saints, for example, today event. Today is children's day and today event is performing arts and music festival. What we are doing here is simply giving the children of All Saints and a number of others schools the opportunity to come on stage and perform whether they want to sing dance or do acting right. The next phase is this we have a lot of talented Belizean artists here in Belize but they never get to perform in front of their big audience which is primary school student so we are bridging the gap and bringing a Supa G. We are bringing a Denise Castillo here."

Remembering Yurumei 2016
We leave you on the eve of this 19th weekend with some clips of last year's Yurumei ceremony in PG and Dangriga. It's the re-enactment of the arrival of the Garinagu to these shores, a scene that will be played out in communities all along the coast of southern and Central Belize on Sunday. Enjoy, and have a great Garifuna Settlement Day weekend - We'll see you back here on Tuesday.

Channel 5

Tropic Air Plane, with Ministers and Others Inside, Sinks after Clipping Vehicle at Airstrip
A Tropic Air flight carrying Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber and Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse plunged into the Caribbean Sea in Placencia shortly before nine o’clock this morning. Reports are [...]

Company Disclaims Responsibility for Accident
As personnel from the Civil Aviation Department and Belize Airports Authority began their investigation into the incident, the management of Tropic Air and the Government of Belize issued separate releases [...]

Was British Volunteer in Ladyville Killed Because of the Company She Kept?
A British woman was stabbed to death sometime this week in Ladyville and it wasn’t until her landlady made a check at her apartment that her advanced decomposing body was [...]

2 Including Minor Freed of P.G. Taximan Murder Charge
Two men from Punta Gorda Town were today acquitted in the Supreme Court of Justice Denis Hanomansingh of a charge of murder. Twenty-four-year old Albert Valentine and a seventeen-year-old minor [...]

D.P.P. to Decide on Charges for Security Officer Who Fired Weapon at Nightclub
Thirty-three-year-old security officer Glenford Brown was picked up by police on October fifteenth, following a shooting incident outside of the Ramada Belize City Princess Hotel and Casino.  Brown reportedly discharged [...]

P.U.P.’s National Convention Put Off to January
As we told you on Thursday, P.U.P. Leader John Briceño will go into the national convention unchallenged with a few changes to the National Executive, ratified during yesterday’s meeting at [...]

U.D.P. Ripe for Implosion?
And speaking of politics, the People’s United Party is licking its chops at the prospect of a potential United Democratic Party implosion after ten years of dominance at the polls. [...]

The City is Humming to the Blue Machine!
It has been less than two weeks since the People’s United Party introduced its slate of eleven Belize City candidates for the City Council, which the United Democratic Party has [...]

No Response, But Does Patrick Faber Know the Deal on BIL?
Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber told reporters on Thursday that he has yet to personally receive a letter sent two weeks ago by Leader of the Opposition John Briceño, which [...]

Urgent Action Needed in Alleged Nationality Fraud
On Thursday, Leader of the Opposition John Briceño spared no quarter in his condemnation of Immigration Minister, Senator Godwin Hulse. He said he considered it hypocritical of Hulse to attempt [...]

The Hustle Continues in Caye Caulker…
It appears the Caye Caulker Airstrip project will go ahead with Social Security Board funding, albeit reduced. The Belize Airports Authority is said to be receiving between three-point-five and four [...]

…And the B.D.F. Too
There is bipartisan support for an extended investigation of Belize Jungle Experience Limited. The company is already being audited by the Supreme Audit Institution concerning monies paid for the training [...]

B.W.S. Rocks Down to Electric Avenue, Left Poor Results
It has been several years since the Belize City Council completed a mammoth undertaking to concrete as many streets as it could have, using monies that were floated through a [...]

Mexico Gets Settlement Day Party Started
The Mexican Embassy is celebrating with the Garinagu of Belize. The nineteenth is two days away, but tonight the Embassy is hosting an event at the Mexican Institute in Belize [...]

All Things Garinagu at Mexican Institute
The event kicks off at seven tonight and features an exhibition that shows the art, history, clothing, tools, instruments and leaders of the Garifuna Culture. Sapien says that you can [...]

LOVE FM

No Fatalities in Plane Crash
Eleven passengers onboard a Tropic Air flight en route to Punta Gorda from Placencia were rescued from the sea this morning. The aircraft was taking off around 8:45 this morning when it struck an SUV that was at the end of the runway. The impact caused the pilot to lose airspeed and the aircraft veered […]

Briceno: Government of Belize Needs a Strategy
April 15, 2018, is the date when it is expected that more than seven million registered Guatemalan voters will decide whether to take the country’s unfounded territorial claim on Belize to the International Court of Justice, ICJ. Belize is expected to carry out its referendum by the end of 2018 or early 2019. Guatemala is […]

Briceno: Belize City Municipal Slate have been well Received
The leader of the People’s United Party, John Briceno, says his party’s Belize City Municipal slate has been well received by voters. Two weeks ago, the PUP launched its Belize City Municipal slate with Bernard Wagner as its mayoral candidate. Since then the PUP team has been visiting houses in traditionally UDP constituencies where Briceno […]

Requena: “Its a Total Shame”
Some seventy-eight Alcaldes in Southern Belize are upset with the Government because they say they have not been paid what they are due. Alcaldes form part of the Inferior Court system and they act as magistrates, making formal rulings over disputed matters. The first Alcade and the Second Alcalde are paid one hundred dollars and […]

FCD helping to Reduce Illegal Logging
Friends for Conservation and Development, FCD, co-manages the largest protected area in Belize, the Chiquibul National Park and the largest cave system in Central America, the Chiquibul Cave System. It’s no easy task but in the last seven years, FCD has been fighting encroachment from Guatemalans. The good news tonight is that FCD rangers along […]

UNICEF wants to Completely Abolish Corporal Punishment
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been championing the cause of children to ensure that children’s rights and needs are being met. Paulette Wade, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist of UNICEF, spoke to Love News about some of the accomplishments here in Belize. Paulette Wade – Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist of UNICEF “I even have through […]

House & Vehicle destroyed by Fire
This morning at approximately 4:00 a.m. both a house and a vehicle went up in flames in Mahogany Heights. The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Love News understands that the homeowner is presently out of the country. According to the Fire Department, they may be looking at a case of arson. […]

No Foul Play Suspected in Death of American Tourist
An American tourist from California died yesterday while visiting the ActunTunichil Muknal cave in the Cayo District. Police say that sixty-eight-year-old Doctor MadhukarJigjini was along with his wife and other tourists at the cave when he began feeling faint, thereafter losing consciousness. He was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead […]

British Woman Stabbed to Death
A British woman was found stabbed to death in her apartment today. Police say that the body of forty-six-year-old Michelle Anison was found in an advanced state of decomposition. She was found lying face up with multiple stab wounds to her neck and chest. Her grey Nissan Rogue vehicle is missing. Anison was last seen […]

World Vasectomy Day
Today is observed as World Vasectomy Day and is being commemorated in a big way in Mexico. Representatives from numerous organizations that deal with family planning are discussing the current state of male involvement in family planning, the latest updates on the future of male contraception, the state of masculinity in a changing world and […]

Research highlights Solutions for Sustainable Fishing
Efforts for sustainable fishing in Belize are ongoing and a newly published research in Belize shows how this can be attained. The “Integrating Science-Based Co-management, Partnerships, Participatory Processes and Stewardship Incentives to Improve the Performance of Small-Scale Fisheries” in the October 2017 issue of Frontiers in Marine Science was co-written by members of the Belize […]

Grocery Shop in Roaring Creek held up in Broad Daylight
An armed robber made off with an undisclosed amount of money from a shop in Roaring Creek Village. Correspondent Fem Cruz has the story. “Based on information received of an armed robbery sometime around 1:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon Love News visited Chun Green Shop located on Cooperative Avenue in Roaring Creek Village and saw the […]

Police arrested two persons for Drug Trafficking
Two persons were charged with drug trafficking after Police conducted a search at a residence in Salva Pan. Correspondent Pauline Soberanis Tillett reports. “Based on information received on Thursday at about 3:15 p.m. Belmopan police conducted a search for illegal drugs and firearms at a room located in the Salvapan area of Belmopan. Inside the […]

Duo Walked from Murder Charge
24-year-old Albert Valentine and a 17-year-old boy, charged with the murder of 64-year-old taxi driver Antonio “Sapote” Rodriguez, were acquitted of the charge in a judgment given today by Justice Denis Hanomansingh. Rodriguez, a resident of Eldridgeville, Toledo, was killed on December 15, 2015. His body, with multiple stab wounds, was found on a feeder […]

Children’s Day
Today, schools across the country are commemorating children’s day, even though, the actual day is November 20. The theme for this year’s Children’s Day is ‘Children of today, our keepers of tomorrow’.This initiative was started by UNICEF. Michel Guinand, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF tells us more. Michel Guinand -UNICEF “Children’s Day was established to […]

PROTO making a Difference at All Saints
The children of All Saints Primary School are being given the opportunity not only to develop academically but also to develop their talents. The Principal of All Saints Primary School, Tanesha Ros, said that making available these extracurricular activities have allowed the children to express themselves. Tanesha Ros – Principal of All Saints Primary School […]

Nepotism at BTL?
It was just over two years ago that Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke of a Procurement Policy that would seek to add to the transparency of contracts awarded from the Government of Belize to private entities. Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s presentation was on the UDP’s Manifesto presented on October 21, 2015 in Belize City. Barrow […]

Amandala

Where is the Association of Concerned Belizeans (ACB) now?
When the Said Musa/Ralph Fonseca-led People’s United Party (PUP) government was around the halfway point in its term in 2005, a new pressure group, the Association of Concerned Belizeans (ACB), burst on the scene and played an important role in the removal of that corrupt PUP government in 2008. The ACB, as an Amandala editorial said, was made up of various individuals from the professional class of the Belizean society and represented a new hope for the country’s democracy and vigilance against a corrupt government. “The ACB is groups of young businessmen and professionals who participated in the giant August 28 demonstration last year, and have since held public forums featuring prominent speakers addressing topical issues.

GST’s $690,000 assessment “a huge, malicious mistake,” says Yhony Rosado
Last Friday, about 50 persons, mostly from Belize’s activist community, staged a protest in front of the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building on Mahogany Street, where the offices of the General Sales Tax (GST) are located. The protest was in support of businessman Yhony Rosado, a pioneer in the provision of cave-tubing tours, whom the GST has assessed with a whopping $690,000 in back taxes. In an interview with Amandala today, Rosado said, “The GST assessment was done maliciously. It was done rapidly, without me being a part of it. Whenever any government department office or institution is auditing you, they question you and they work with you to make sure they get the best information for the benefit of both parties.”

“Flawed nationality” holders should not be allowed to vote in impending referendum
Substantive Minister in the Ministry of Immigration, Senator Godwin Hulse, appeared today to make his second appearance before the Senate Select Committee tasked with investigating widespread corruption in the Ministry of Immigration. While in the hot seat, Minister Senator Hulse was grilled about the Guatemalan nationals who received Belizean nationality without properly denouncing their Guatemalan nationality. Hulse explained the difficulties in the nationalization process involving Guatemalan nationals. He went a step further to claim that those who received their nationality in a flawed fashion should not be allowed to vote in the impending referendum to determine if the longstanding Belize-Guatemala border dispute should be settled at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Pro plumber questions Civic Center plumbing
Professional plumber Colin Gill dropped a wrench on the plumbing system of the multimillion-dollar Belize Civic Center when he called into the Wake Up Belize (WUB) Morning Vibes talk show today to provide his technical opinion. The plumbing system in that building cannot pass a plumbing inspection under the Belize plumbing code, Gill declared. When Gill was asked by Nuri Muhammad, one of the hosts of the WUB, how he arrived at that conclusion, Gill revealed that he was able to do so because he had been a part of a six-week plumbing training session at the Institute of Technical Vocational Education and Training, ITVET.

Police charge man and woman for Carlos Navarro’s murder
An onsite post-mortem exam conducted on the decomposed body of Carlos Albeno Navarro, 29, a Guatemalan laborer of Armenia, Cayo District, on Tuesday morning revealed that his death was caused by a gunshot wound to the chest. A bullet wound was also observed in Navarro’s leg. At the conclusion of the autopsy, Navarro’s body was taken to the Armenia Village Cemetery, where he was buried on Tuesday evening.

Over 150 youth leaders converged in Belize for World Youth Conference
Last week, for the first time in its history, Belize hosted the World Youth Conference, which saw the turnout of over 200 youth from 43 countries around the world. The conference, which is held annually, is for youth leaders to meet and discuss pressing issues, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are new goals and indicators that are to guide the political policies of UN member states over the next 15 years. These goals are a continuation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were drafted in 2001. Today, Amandala spoke to Dominique Noralez, the acting president of the Belize National Youth Council.

Belmopan F.A. Amateur 1st Division Tournament update
Once again, I am pleased to provide to fans the results of the 2017/2018 Belmopan Football Association (BFA) Amateur First Division 2017-2018 Opening Season Football Tournament. The current tournament features 18 teams, divided in two groups of 9. The tournament kicked off on October 13, and has now completed its fifth week of play. Following are the results of the past weekend’s games at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, and the schedule for the upcoming weekend along with the tournament standings. In game 1 on Friday, November 10, (Group A) Valley United clipped Las Flores FC, 1-nil, on a goal by Francisco Monterroza (86’). And in game 2, (Group B) it was Police FC, 2-0, over Valencia YWAM Boyz, with a goal each from Charleston Gardiner (27’) and Marlon Jones (89’).

Stann Creek F.A. 1st Division Cup Week 7 results, schedule
The Stann Creek Football Association (SCFA) continued over the weekend with its 1st Division 2017 Cup Tournament Week 7 games at the Carl Ramos Stadium. The top four teams from each group will qualify for the playoff round, and we are winding down. The games scheduled for Sunday, November 12, were not played due to the bad weather conditions. These games will be played as back matches.

Youth Tennis News
Junior Tennis action was at the Hilltop tennis courts in Belmopan this past Saturday, November 11, where juniors Red Stage and Orange Stage competitions were held. Twelve children total participated – 7 Red and 5 Orange. Sportsmanship, grit and perseverance were seen at play, as well as general camaraderie between kids who hailed from Belmopan and Belize City. In the Orange Stage, the top scorer was Tephaune Frazer, and ranking second was Solomon Davis. Both boys showed athleticism and great technique. In the Red Stage, Aden Hunt took top place, Dario Bernard took second, and Nicoli Tatum took third.

Dangriga sports stats
The countdown is on for the big race – the Annual T.V. Ramos Cycling Classic on Monday, November 20, starting at 10:00 a.m. This is also a special event every year as a part of Garifuna Settlement Day activities. The T.V. Ramos Classic will start (and finish) from in front of Kay’s Kool Spot on George Price Drive, right across from the old Eden Rose. The Elite riders are going to Placencia junction round-about and back. Masters and Juniors are going to Maya Centre and back.

Editorial: Racism and capitalism: the Guat claim
If you listen to Pupa Curly’s composition, No gi wi to no Guatemala, which is the theme music used on Ya Ya Marin Coleman’s Sunday Review show, you will be impressed by the artist’s level of knowledge where the socio-economic and politico-military realities of Guatemala are concerned. Most Belizeans who grew up in the post-World War II era, similarly to the vast majority of our ancestors, were very ignorant about Guatemala. Pupa Curly has lived in Los Angeles, California, for several decades, so he would be in a better position to access facts and information about Guatemala than the roots masses in Belize. We’re just saying. The Guatemalan claim to British Honduras had no pressing significance for Belizeans until the Guatemalan dictator, Jorge Ubico, revived it in the late 1930s, when Great Britain was being threatened by Nazi Germany, and then the Guatemalan oligarchy inserted the claim into their constitution in the mid-1940s and began making noises around 1948 or so. The British quickly sent a warship in the latter instance, and things became quiet just as quickly on our western front.

From The Publisher
Very few Belizeans would remember that when our softball girls won gold at the Central American & Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo in 1974, a basketball selection travelled to the Dominican Republic on that trip as part of Belize’s sports contingent. The star of the Belize basketball team was a teenager named Clinton “Pulu” Lightburn. He would have been about 18 at the time. I don’t know how the Incatecu entry in the 1975 senior basketball competition at the St. Ignatius School court was put together, but there were a lot of young St. John’s College (SJC) products on that team – Pulu, the late Fonso Martinez, the late Frankie Flowers, Bobby Leslie, and two of Premier George Price’s nephews – Henry Canton and David Craig.

Garinagu … in the land we love, Belize …
Dear Editor, I read with trepidation and pride your editorial entitled “Settlement Day 2017”. Your clear and concise chronological breakdown of these historical events is very much appreciated. I read with trepidation, feeling for my ancestors who endured hardship and deprivation at the hands of others. I read with trepidation, feeling for the hardship and discrimination they lived even as they were “welcomed” in The Jewel. At the same time, I beamed with pride as you accurately stated some of the achievements made and the impact the Garinagu have had on life throughout the Jewel. A lot of that achievement and impact however, came at a heavy cost to individuals and families but we persevered. I believe that “all a we dah one” remains a work in progress. We are getting there but there’s work to be done.

http://amandala.com.bz/news/pup-leader-writes-deputy-prime-minister/
Dear Deputy Prime Minister: I write to you in your capacity as co-chair of Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL), the wholly Government-owned company that has been executing public works across the country. Recent revelations suggested that through its negligence millions of dollars in loss to the public has occurred on the Lake Independence Boulevard Project. Our information suggests that other works have also been completed under BIL’s supervision with poor design, lack of proper execution with the result that more loss has been suffered by the public purse. We have decided that it is time for accountability. Kindly therefore provide me with the following:

Why the crocodile let go …
Dear Editor, My name is Dr. Marisa Tellez and I am the Founding Director of the Crocodile Research Coalition recently established in Placencia (Jan 2016), and the IUCN/SSC-Crocodile Specialist Group’s Vice Regional Chair for Latin America (www.iucncsg.org). I read your article about the recent crocodile attack and wanted to clarify a fact – there are 24 species of crocodiles in the world, and there are 2 in Belize: the Morelet’s crocodile and the American crocodile. The American crocodile inhabits the cayes and the coast, and the Morelet’s crocodile inhabits rivers and lakes. The crocodile that likely attacked the man is a Morelet’s crocodile given the habitat, and this species in Belize gets to be about 9 feet. Additionally, the CRC is currently leading the countrywide Morelet’s crocodile population survey and we surveyed this area prior so I am confident to say this was an attack by a Morelet’s crocodile. By looking at the bite, it was smaller than 7ft.

The 2017 world order, and beyond …
Dear Editor, We live in a multipolar world. The United States (US) is no longer the undisputed leader of the world. China is a direct challenge to US hegemony. Venezuela is also a threat to the old world order because she is influencing Latin America and the Caribbean. North Korea is a military challenge to US dominance. Iran is a threat to US control of the Middle East. Russia is also a threat to the US military dominance. In the Caribbean and Belize the threat of climate change and crime are other aspects of the world in flux. The countries that come out on top of this new world order will be resilient and assertive of their interest. The US has pulled out of The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), which is a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States (until 23rd January 2017), designed to hinder the influence of China.

The state of Garifuna in Belize
The state of Garifuna in Belize is very dire. The current leadership of Garinagu in Belize is lost and do not know where to go or how to get there. Many including the leadership will read that previous statement and respond the way Garinagu do when they are criticized, that is, they say you don’t like them thus the criticism. If one looks closer one may see love and not dislike in pointing out our weaknesses. The National Garifuna Council is the NGO of choice for GOB regarding Garifuna matters. Thus, the GOB should seek their advice on all matters concerning Garifuna. They even solidified this relationship in a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU)with one of the stipulations stating the GOB will do just that, seek their advice on matters Garifuna in so many words. The MOU also says the Government recognizes the National Garifuna Council as the LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE of the Garifuna people. In short, they have done nothing worthy of that power granted them by the Government of Belize.

More on Ishmael Omar Shabazz Primary School …
For the many people whose lives were touched by Brother Ishmael Omar Shabazz, all will agree that one of his ever-present attributes was his humble spirit and persona. Yet in spite of this meek personality and kind disposition, Shabazz possessed a rock-solid faith in his convictions. As I began to share with the public in my last essay why it is the right and appropriate step to rename the Muslim school the “Ishmael Omar Shabazz Primary School,” I began receiving responses from many Belizeans, both at home and abroad, who had witnessed and experienced the goodwill of Brother Shabazz’s numerous charity works over the decades. On social media the reaction equally was overwhelming and is a testimony to his legacy.

Some things must remain in our control
The Soviet Union wasn’t the same after Kennedy stared down Khrushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Ronald Reagan didn’t have to push down the Berlin Wall: that was so ready to fall he just had to lean on it. This move by the British to exit the EU, that is so they can move further to the Right, become more capitalist. After over fifty years of US embargo, a weary Cuba is drifting very slowly to the Right. Hopefully our great friends have the resilience to hold off Trump, or they’ll once again become a playground for American playboys and gangsters. Our very helpful neighbours, the Venezuelans, it will take some mighty prayers for the Bolivarian machine to keep turning. It’s consolidation. Right is righter, Right is mightier, all over the world. They are on the move. In Belize, the Right did not believe that it made good economic sense for BTL to be owned by the public. So the Right (represented by the PUP at the time) sold it to private interests, Ashcroft.

A reflection on Garifuna History: After the celebration, what next?
Garifuna Settlement Day, which is observed on November 19th each year since 1943 in the Southern districts and 1977 countrywide, draws many Belizeans together to celebrate the arrival of the Garinagu to Belize in 1823. Around 1823, the Spanish republics were preoccupied with endless cycles of civil wars, assassination attempts and revolutions. Around that time most Garinagu and their communities were (and still are) found in these republics, their population having spread across the region ever since their banishment from their homeland, St. Vincent, in 1797 – about twenty five years earlier. 1823 was also the pivotal year in which the short-lived Federal Republic of Central America (then, a single nation comprising of the provinces of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) declared itself independent of Mexico.

Belize Community Pharmacist Association attacks GOB over new regulations
The Belize Community Pharmacist Association (BCPA) called on the government this week via a press release to reconsider its new Statutory Instrument, which came into law on November 1, because it could adversely affect the quality and reliability of medicine imported into the country. This morning, Amandala asked Wayne Vernon, the president of BCAP, to further comment on his organization’s position. Vernon, however, would only tell our newspaper, “we sent out a press release on the matter and the time for interview is over … we will be meeting with the Minister, so we will have no further comment.”

Heart attack led to road accident that killed Preston Coleman, 55
Preston Coleman, 55, a well-known taxi driver of Belmopan, was driving his taxi on Argentina Street in San Martin, Belmopan, at about 3:15 Tuesday afternoon, when he lost control of the car and crashed into a lamppost on the side of the road. Police say that, on their arrival on the scene, they found Coleman outside his car, which was extensively damaged in the front portion. Coleman was lying on the right side of the road. He had a cut on the left side of his chin, and he was dead. Police said that he was alone in the car when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed.

The twists and turns of Peter William Dahlstrom’s Belizean nationality
According to the Auditor General’s Special Audit of the Immigration Department, Swedish national Peter William Dahlstrom, who had married Sherrette Normandeen Simplis in 1994, received Belizean nationality in 2012 even though he did not meet the required qualifications. The audit further revealed that Dahlstrom’s sister-in-law, Kim Simplis Barrow, and her husband, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, recommended his application, and in that application, they stated that they had known him for 20 years. On his application, Dahlstrom wrote that he did not live in Belize but, “Eventually wants to reside in Belize.” Additionally, he revealed that he had been spending 4-6 weeks in Belize every year “for the last 20 years.”

Two cops interdicted for Police Cadets’ naked pictures
At a police press brief held at the Racoon Street Police Station this morning, ACP Joseph Myvette revealed that two policemen stationed in Placencia who are accused of abusing members of the Placencia Police Cadets during a hike on Saturday, have been interdicted from duties. The officers, members of the Placencia Community Police Unit, have been arrested and charged internally (not criminally) for breaching the Police Officers Code of Conduct. They will be tried by a police tribunal for the offences. Allegations against the policemen are that last Saturday they took members of the Police Cadets on a hike, during which, the young cadets allege, the officers took nude pictures of them after ordering them to take off their clothes.

The Reporter

Tropic Air questions circumstances that led to plane crash
Following a forced crash landing in the Caribbean Sea this morning with seven passengers on board, including two government ministers, Tropic Air Belize is questioning the circumstances that led to the incident. In a press release today, Tropic Air says that aviation personnel are conducting […]

Decomposed body of woman found in Ladyville apartment
Police have confirmed preliminary reports to the Reporter that the decomposed body of a woman was found inside an apartment complex in Ladyville this morning. The discovery was reportedly made sometime around 10:00 a.m., by the landlord of the apartment on Perez Road. […]

American doctor collapses and dies while on tourist adventure
An American doctor who was visiting a cave in Teakettle village, Cayo collapsed and died on Thursday. Police say they do not supect any foul play in the death of California resident, Madhukar Jiggini, 68, MD, as no sign of violence was observed on his […]

Tropic Air plane goes down in sea with two government ministers
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber, who is currently acting Prime Minister, and the Minister of Agriculture Godwin Hulse are reported to be in safe condition after a Tropic Air plane they were flying crashed into a vehicle at the Placencia municipal airstrip and careened into […]

Police constables interdicted on allegations of abuse against cadets
Two police constables from the Placencia Community Policing unit have been placed on disciplinary charges following a report that they abused their authority when they took a group of young boys on a camping trip last weekend. One of the constables faces 5 disciplinary charges, […]

Couple charged for murder of Armenia villager
Late Thursday evening Belmopan police successfully cracked the murder case of 29-year-old Carlos Albeno, who was found dead with gunshot wounds to his chest on Monday morning. Jose Valladarez, 29, was charged for murder while his common-law wife, 27-year-old Amelia Garrido was charged for ‘abetment […]

Dangriga man found dead on beach
Dangriga police are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to be conducted on the body of 41-year-old Dangriga resident, Howard Aaron Nicholas, who was found dead on the beach in Dangriga town Wednesday evening. Dangriga police believe Nicholas was under the influence of drugs and was […]

Roaring Creek man remanded for rape
A Roaring Creek resident was remanded to the Hattieville prison last Friday after it is alleged that he was caught in the act of raping a pregnant woman in the wee hours of Friday morning. Justin Austin Williams, 29, was arraigned in the Belmopan Magistrate Court on […]

UNDP offers anti-corruption training for secondary and tertiary students
High school and tertiary level students country wide will be getting lessons on anti-corruption measures during the months of November and December, through a new project hosted by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP). UNDP, in collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) […]

Oceana representative honored at World Youth Conference
An Oceana field representative was recognized and honored with the Environmental Youth Award during the closing ceremony of the 2017 World Youth Conference, which was hosted in Belize last Thursday. Celeshia Guy, the award’s recipient, was recognized for her tremendous contributions to increasing awareness of Belize’s natural […]

Bureau of Standards hosts energy efficiency consultancy
To assist with the development of the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code (REEBC), the Belize Bureau of Standards hosted a stakeholder consultation to gain feedback from those in the relevant fields of expertise. The BBS hosted the consultation, done in collaboration with the Ministry […]

Belize Renewable Energy Potential
There are several global indices that rank Belize in less-than-favorable positions. For crime, we rank a little too high for comfort, and a rank of 121 on the Doing Business Index (DBI) places us a little too low. However, there are those areas that the statistics and measures indicate that […]

Portals to Culture and History Pt. 2
November 19 is one of the biggest events on Belize’s calendar every year for the Garinagu people and for those who are either curious or have fallen in love with their culture. The story of a people who have persevered throughout the years despite incredible opposition, seems to resonate with […]

Lynn Whitfield stars at Belize’s 12th International Film Festival red carpet gala opening
Hollywood celebrity and Emmy award winning actress and producer Lynn Whitfield was undoubtedly the star of red carpet gala opening night of the 12th Belize International Film Festival at the Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts in Belize City on Wednesday evening, November 9. Whitfield is judge on the film […]

Small aircraft collides into vehicle in Placencia
The Reporter Newspaper has received credible but unconfirmed reports that sometime this morning a small aircraft crashed into a vehicle at the Placencia municipal airstrip. Details of what transpired are still sketchy but we are made to understand that a minister along with some tourists […]

FABULOUS FEATHERS!!!
Yes, the feathers which handsomely cover our birds are indeed fabulous.  They are astounding for so many reasons.  They are made of keratin, however, an especially strong keratin.  Our fingernails are made of keratin, too.  Feather keratin is stronger that the keratin of horns or hooves.   Feathers insulate a bird […]

Over 50,000 Belizeans have diabetes
The Belize Diabetes Association (BDA) said this week that it is concerned that the number of Belizeans with diabetes reportedly exceeds 50,000. BDA President, Anthony Castillo, during the World Diabetes Day health fair on Tuesday, said the new data coming out of the International Diabetes Federation shows […]

Much ado about nothing
The Senate Select Committee is spending time flogging a dead horse in insisting that the Government acted wrongly and illegally in awarding a Belizean passport to a man who was not continuously resident in the country for one year before his application was approved. The Senate Select Committee seems to […]

Ministry of Health vs. Pharmacists
Local pharmacists and the Ministry of Health are at odds this week over new import regulations for pharmaceuticals, leaving stakeholders concerned about the quality of drugs which will now be available to the public. At the start of November the MOH implemented an amendment to […]

Another “hotbed” of corruption at SSB?
Two separate investigations are ongoing – one by the police and the other by the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) – to determine whether a fake nationality certificate discovered last week could have more disturbing roots, involving personnel from the SSB. The forged nationality document […]

Eleven-foot boa constrictor found in Constitution Park
Visitors of the Constitution Park in Belize City were in for a surprise when an 11-foot boa constrictor was found in the park, causing a bit of commotion and piquing the interest of many who recorded the discovery on their phones. The massive snake was […]

Another multi-million dollar court loss for GOB
Adding to its numerous consecutive losses in United States courts, the government of Belize lost another case this week at the US Supreme Court level, which will cost Belize some US $18.5 million. The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that it will not review […]

Three policemen under investigation for rape of detainees
The Police Department’s Professional Standards Branch is collecting statements in connection with an allegation by two women that three policemen raped them while in their custody last Thursday night at the Independence police station compound. Two of the policemen, whose ranks vary, allegedly committed the […]

Shark fishing causes outrage on social media
Pictures showing two men posing with dead sharks caught in Southern Belize this week caused outrage and condemnation by citizens as well as several non-governmental organizations, who called on the relevant authorities to step in and address the issue. Mar Alliance was the first to […]

Breaking Belize News

Tropic Air issues statement about Placencia’s plane accident
Tropic Air has issued a release confirming that one of their aircraft clipped a vehicle that crossed the end of the runway as it was taking off from the Placencia airstrip this morning. According to the release, the subsequent loss of airspeed resulted in the pilot conducting a forced landing in the water beyond the end of the runway.

Two charged for drug trafficking
Yesterday evening around 3:15, police conducted a search at the residence of Marvin Alexander Vasquez Torres, […]

American doctor dies at ATM Cave
Yesterday afternoon around 1:00, police visited the Western Regional Hospital where they observed the lifeless […]

Happy Children’s Day!
Children are one of the most treasured possessions on earth; loved by one and all. […]

Corozal lecturer almost kidnapped, no report made to police
A lecturer from the Corozal Junior College was allegedly almost abducted on Wednesday when the attempt […]

Armenia villagers arrested for killing Carlos Navarro
Yesterday, Belmopan police formally arrested and charged, Jose Valladarez, 29, for murder and Amelia Garrido, […]

Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber and Minister of Agriculture Godwin Hulse safe after plane crash in Placencia
The Government of Belize press office issued a statement this morning stating that this morning […]

Body found on beach in Dangriga identified
Yesterday, BBN reported on the body of a Dangriga man that was found on the […]

Airplane with DPM Patrick Faber crashes into vehicle, plunges into sea
Reports to BBN indicate that a local airline taking off from the municipal airstrip in […]

Blogs

Would you like a little cheese with that wine?
If you are vacationing on Ambergris Caye you can quench your thirst for the glorious grape and savor the best in imported cheese and charcuterie at Wine de Vine. Founded in 2002, Wine de Vine is part of a locally owned family of businesses that include The Phoenix Resort and Blue Water Grill. Whether you are looking to stock up on these dining essentials, or just want to chill out in a cool place with a bottle of wine and some delectable bites, this store/deli/wine bar has been a longtime island favorite. Although anytime during business hours you are welcome to enjoy a glass (or bottle) of wine at this comfy establishment, it’s the Tuesday and Friday night socials that attract a crowd. Tuesday evenings tend to be more chill, and after a long week of work, it’s the perfect place to unwind and kick off the weekend on Friday. Wine de Vine is also a favorite spot for travelers who like to mingle and sample the featured wines and recommended cheese and charcuterie platters.

DAVCO Cultural event is happening now at Corozal
DAVCO Cultural Expo commenced with a short cermmony that began at 10am. Welcome Address, short dance presentation, Mayor of Corozal and vote of thanks. And this event will conclude at 4pm. If you haven't made yet to the DAVCO Expo you still have chance to come out with the entire family. The Expo has including cultural presentations, music, food, and beverages. Informational booths are out here at the event such as: SFXCU, Corozal NICH, Oceana, Patchakan, Escuela Secundaria questioner, Minister of Civil Aviation, SIR, smart, NDCAD, Nortenio, Honey Bee @ more. Villages from around Corozal Came out to present their cultural food, clothing, and their background, How their food is being prepared. Maya mestizo, mestizo, creole, garifuna, East indian, lots of stuff's are being sold at the event such as: local pepper sauce from Orange Walk, Escabeche, Chimole, Pibil, Mayan Food, Tamales, Escabeche, Chimole, local sweets and lots more. Come out and join the fun until 4pm today.

International Sources

Belize Bank Wants Court Order Enforcing $35M Judgment
The Belize Bank Ltd. asked a D.C. federal court on Thursday for an order authorizing enforcement of a $35.2 million judgment stemming from an arbitral award issued after a dispute with the Belize government over a complex debt guarantee, saying the country may evade its obligations despite a dearth of remaining legal options. The award of 36.9 million Belize dollars ($18.46 million as of Friday) had been issued to Belize Bank by a London Court of International Arbitration tribunal in 2013 after it concluded that the...

Babes in Belize! Camille Kostek joins bevy of models vying for spot in famous SI Swimsuit issue
They're the final six participants in Sports Illustrated's #SISwimSearch, which featured an open casting call to find the next Swimsuit rookie. And it will no doubt be a tough call when the judges are tasked with picking the winner, if the girls' antics in Belize are any indication. All six finalists were flown to the tropical nation for a shoot that will end up in the SI Swimsuit 2018 issue as a part of this year's Model Search class spread. Allie Ayers, 23, joined Olivia for some ocean fun, which included snorkeling, specifically with sharks. Allie seemed to have a particularly good time in a very flattering Baywatch-esque red one piece. She accessorized with glasses and some blue flippers. Iyonna Fairbanks, 25, stole the show during a group shot thanks to her forest green one piece swimsuit.

Acting PM of Belize plane crash caused by passing car
The government of the tiny Central American country of Belize said its acting prime minister is safe after the small prop plane he was riding in crashed into the sea after takeoff on Friday. A Tropic Air flight carrying Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber and the country’s agriculture minister was taking off from the tiny airstrip in the town of Placencia Friday when one of the wheels on its landing gear clipped a passing car. A road passes near the end of the airstrip and a barrier is usually lowered to stop traffic during takeoffs and landings. The government said in a statement that “the left landing wheel made contact with a passing vehicle that had managed to bypass one of the lowered barriers.”

Island Nations, With No Time to Lose, Take Climate Response Into Their Own Hands
From rising seas to the loss of fresh water, islands are among the most vulnerable nations to global warming. Hurricanes, expected to become more ferocious with climate change, pummeled Caribbean island nations into crisis this summer. Irma destroyed nearly every car and building on the island of Barbuda and swelled the population of Antigua overnight as thousands of Barbudans sought shelter. Maria knocked out power across the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and left Dominica in tatters. Small islands also are among the smallest contributors to climate change, producing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The industrialized world, their leaders say, owes some recompense for the disasters these vulnerable nations will suffer in the years ahead. But hopes are waning that island nations will see a major increase in financial support to help address the consequences of climate change. So, too, is an effort here to expand ways for nations to adapt to future disasters. Money is not forthcoming here, and President Trump has declared that the United States, historically the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, will exit the Paris agreement.

The life and accomplishments of Thomas Vincent Ramos, founder of the Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize
Thomas Vincent Ramos was born in Puerto Cortez, Honduras, on September 17, 1887. Later in life he migrated to Dangriga, Belize, the home of his mother, where he spent the rest of his life. Mr Bernard C. O. Blanco was one of the outstanding persons who had an impact on his life. He got married to Miss Eliza Marian Fuentes, daughter of Mr Roman Fuentes and Mrs Pasquala Fuentes of Dangriga Town, on Monday, February 16, 1914. Mrs Eliza Marian Fuentes was born on Wednesday, December 9, and died on Monday, November 23, 1970, at the age of 73. From this marriage he had seven sons and five daughters: Isaac Jacob Joseph Ramos (deceased), Kline Harland Ephilstone Ramos (deceased), Elswith Viola Ramos (deceased), Thomas Tate Armstrong Ramos (deceased), Gadsby Clockstan Tilford Ramos (deceased), Carl Raymond Gustav Ramos (deceased), Abraham Lincoln Washington Ramos (deceased), Jewell Izetta Ramos (deceased) married Lopez, Ward Bliss Beacher Ramos (deceased), Ruth Viola (deceased) married Gentle, Pasquala Eliza Ramos (deceased) married Blanco and remarried Glossie, and Dorcas Elswith Ramos married Andrew Higinio. Mr Ramos was also the father of Jane Ramos, Naomi Ramos and Miss Ellen Ramos a child that was born in Honduras.

Videos

November 17, 2017

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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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Belize hosts the World Youth Conference 2017
On November 6th through the 9th, the World Youth Conference (WYC) 2017 was held at The Ramada Belize Princess Hotel in Belize City. It was the first time that the conference was held in the Caribbean Region and Central America, and Belize was honored to host the prestigious event. The conference included 250 national, regional and international youth leaders under the theme: “Globally Running to 2030, Becoming Sustainably Strong.” The group focused on giving a voice to the youth through a transitional deliberation on how to make the post-2015 development agenda a reality. This involved four days of panel, roundtable discussions, workshops, and musical and cultural presentations on various community, national and international youth-related issues and sustainable development.

Caye Caulker residents charged for drug trafficking
Three Caye Caulker residents, 57-year-old Timothy Stapleton, 30-year-old Bernaldo Teul, and 25-year-old Raphael Erebua, were arrested and charged on Tuesday, November 14th for the offense of drug trafficking. According to the official police report, on Tuesday at around 2:20PM, the Caye Caulker Police conducted a house search on the second flat of a three-story cement building. This happened to be Stapleton’s residence, where police discovered 64.8 grams of cannabis atop a table. Immediately, Stapleton along with Erebua and Teul, who were at the residence during the discovery, was detained and escorted to the police station with the said drugs, where they were charged.

SPTC to repair roads damaged by heavy rains
The constant rains in October extended to November, and have caused extensive damage to the roads around the island, particularly in the sub-divisions south of town. In recent weeks, the inclement weather has been the main culprit of the inundated potholes and flooded muddy roads that continue to affect businesses and residents. The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has acknowledged the situation and says it is gearing up to address the issue as soon as the rains abate. In sub-divisions like San Pedrito, San Pablo, and DFC, many roads remain underwater, making it difficult for residents to go to work and children to attend school. Residents of these affected areas are hopeful that as the rains stop, local authorities will fix the roads. According to a business owner in DFC, the road leading to her establishment is practically a lagoon. “I am losing business, I mean I really hope the Mayor takes into consideration the street must be fixed permanently and not just temporarily,” she said.

Pharmacist Association at odds with MOH
The Belize Community Pharmacist’s Association (BCPA) is calling on the Government of Belize to review its implementation of a new regime of standards for the pharmaceutical industry, dubbed as ‘Food and Drugs Regulations 2017.’ The new regulation started early this month, and will now require pharmacists across the country to substitute products from the United States of America and Europe with those from a Central American provider. According to the BCPA, this change could have a consequential effect on the quality of reliability of medications sold in Belize. This new amendment on the source of the products is identified in the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) new required standards. MOH now requires all drugs to be certified with a standard called ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ (GMP), instead of the ‘Good Distribution Practices’ (GDP) from the USA and Europe.

Copa San Pedro 2017 heads to quarter-finals
After ten weeks, Copa San Pedro 2017 regular season came to an end. While the football tournament began with 12 teams, only eight managed to make it to the quarterfinals. Six crucial games took place this past week, as some teams had to win in order to secure that spot. At 7PM, on Thursday, November 8th, the first game got underway with Terror Squad versus Assassins F.C. The clear 12- 2 victory went to Terror Squad, who advanced. The following day saw Martha’s Ice defeating Boca Bombers 4-2. At 9PM, Legends F.C took an easy 6-2 victory over Victoria House Jr. The last two games of the week were played on Saturday, November 11th, starting at 7PM, with Jokers F.C triumphing 3-2 over Assassins F.C. The last game of the regular season saw G. strikers dominating 4- 1 over Sandy Point. With the regular season completed, the quarter-finals will see Terror Squad, Legends F.C, Assassin F.C, G. Strikers, Jokers F.C, United F.C and Martha’s Ice fighting for the semi-final spots.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro House Of Culture Celebrates Garifuna Awareness Day
The San Pedro House of Culture celebrated with the Garinagu of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize, with entertainment and lots of free food and Garifuna treats for those in attendance. The evening was part of Garifuna Awareness Day to showcase the music and food of the Garinagu of Belize. This was in preparatipon of the upcoming Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations on November 19, a national holiday in Belize. Drumming and dancing were the highlights of the evening, provided by the Chirikanari Drummers/Dancers. A very awesome cultural experience.

UB Nursing Graduates Top Regional Nurse Examinations
The results released from the Regional Exam for Nurse Registration the week revealed the impressive performance by the nursing students of the University of Belize. Bonaventure Nwangwu had the highest examination score for Belize. The Regional Exam for Nurse Registration (RENR) was approved by the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Health in the Commonwealth Caribbean in 1990. It is considered a challenging exam and over the years, performance has fluctuated for Belize. The exam is administered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

Misc Belizean Sources

Ministerial Signing of Memorandum of Agreement by the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, and Health to Strengthen the School Feeding Program in Belize
A new cooperation agreement to foster the strengthening of the School Feeding Program in Belize was signed today, November 16, 2017, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Immigration, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Health and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation. The agreement in form of Memorandum of Understanding formalizes the mutual interaction and strengthens the existing relationship between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Health at the strategic and working level, focusing on the development of the School Feeding Programs in Belize.

Research from Belize Sheds Light on how to Better Manage Small-Scale Fisheries
Small-scale fisheries are critically important for the provision of food security, livelihoods, and economic development for billions of people. Most of these fisheries appear to be under-performing with respect to conservation, food production, revenue, and the quality of the livelihoods they can support. According to a recent study and newly published research, Belize is among a handful of countries that are successfully innovating and pioneering solutions to ensure the sustainability of small-scale fisheries. Many factors related to successful small-scale fisheries management have been articulated in previous research and through practical experience, including strong leadership, co-management, secure catch or marine tenure privileges, and scientific assessment of fishery status. Both the pathways and tools employed in fishery reform vary, but there is a growing consensus that the integration of effective fisheries governance and science-based management is crucial for success.

Find out more about what Belize has been doing to develop the e-commerce sector
As e-commerce expands, countries need to explore how to create an enabling trade policy environment, enhance transparency and information exchange as well as improve the e-infrastructure for cross-border e-commerce. The Caribbean has seen the importance of ICT and has prioritized it as a rapidly expanding sector. As a member state of CARICOM, Belize has also prioritized the ICT sector.

Dean Barrow receives the ambassador of Cuba
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize today received the ambassador of Cuba, Lissette Perez, to whom he ratified the solidarity and support in the battle against the blockade imposed by the United States on our country for almost 60 years. Premier Belizean confirmed his government's recognition of the contributions to Belize in the field of health and human resources training. This year, cooperation is serving 27 years of uninterrupted work with a significant impact on the levels of assistance to the population of the nation. Barrow recognized the willingness of both countries to expand economic and trade relations, which has been demonstrated by the participation of companies at the main trade fair in Cuba (Fihav-2017) recently completed.

Hon. Wilfred Elrington on Working Visit to Taiwan
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), is currently on a working visit to Taiwan. Minister Elrington paid a courtesy call on H.E. Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as well as on H.E. Dr. David Lee, the Foreign Minister of Taiwan on Tuesday, November 14th, 2017. Minister Elrington also received a briefing from the Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan, on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017. The main purpose of Minister Elrington’s visit to Taiwan is to explore concrete opportunities to implement the Agreement signed between Belize and Taiwan, on September 7th, 2017, on Police Cooperation. In this context, Minister Elrington has been meeting with officials from the National Police Agency in the Ministry of the Interior of Taiwan, as well as the Central Police University, and Taiwan Police College. The Minister also toured the Taiwan Crime Investigation Bureau and the K-9 Unit of the National Police Agency.

Griga — The Documentary: Please help us reach our goal
Griga — The Documentary explores some of the issues and challenges artists and entertainers in Dangriga, Belize faces while exploring creative solutions. Back this project now to help us reach our goal.

The Big Ferry will be closed this week
Here are some pictures to update you of the progress today...it was painful! The ferry is about 70% out of the water now. It's almost on land. There are small boats carrying people that need to pass as students and workers need to get to their place. This ferry is not worth repairing! Thousands of people need to pass this everyday. I believe its time for a new ferry or a plan to make a bridge. I know some of you will laugh, but it takes the people to make a difference. It's time.

Mahogany trees planted
A very active group of young people called Seeds of Change planted 5 mahogany trees at Nature Park on Sunday November 12th, 2017.

St. Francis Xavier Parish Fair 2017
This will be FUN!!!

Corozal- 7th Avenue will see brighter nights ahead
Today, a crew from the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is installing 97 brand new street lights beginning at the entrance to Corozal on the first round-about all the way to Santa Rita. The street lights are in addition to the existing lights and are being installed on both sides of 7th Avenue/Philip Goldson Highway. This will perhaps deter some of the crime occurring in our community. THANK YOU BEL from the entire Corozal Community.

Davco Cultural Expo 2017 Friday in Corozal
Come out this Friday at Central Park - Davco Cultural Expo 2017 is ready for you. The Corozal Central Park is the place to be on Friday, November 17th from 9:00 am.You cannot miss the opportunity to taste the different cultural foods and drinks. Meet the world champions of pok ta pok . Enjoy the Maya mestizo , mestizo, garifuna and east indian cultural performances. Educate yourself on what many government and non government organizations do. Your participation is your contribution towards the development of our villages. Let's make DAVCO Cultural Expo 2017 a successful one.

Ms. Melissa Castillo now President of National Garifuna Council Orange Walk
Today, November 16th is Garifuna Awareness Day and we proudly present Ms. Melissa Castillo President of National Garifuna Council Orange Walk Branch.

Corozal - "STOLEN GOODS FROM OUR SHOP. FRANKS MEAT PRODUCTS
Good afternoon my fellow customers, Christmas is right around the corner and as we prepared ourselves stocking up and investing in our local hams, jumbo shrimps, slabs of pork ribs, slabs of pork chops, conchs etc we were robbed last night and they took almost everything. So if you see or hear about people selling Christmas hams ribs pork chops shrimps, conchs The management and staff would kindly appreciate if you don't buy and report this crime as soon as possible to help and find these people.. please share and tag people for the word to spread. Normally these people go out of the district and sell things where people don't know about the incident. So with the help of technology I'm kindly asking for your help. From the management and staff we thank you for sharing. May God bless you".

Workshop with music students at St. John's College, Belize!
Sharing ideas with Maimouna Youssef and Friends on creativity, interpretation, articulation, importance of practice, and singing with expression.

My lovely sisters representing
Today we observe Garifuna Awareness Day across this nation, we look forward to seeing everyone wearing their favorite traditional outfits. What beautiful colors did you wear to school or work today?

Punta Rock Star Aziatic, ready for his Tropic Air flight
To beautiful Dangriga (DGA) for what will certainly be an awesome show over the weekend.

Tropic Air welcomes @si_swimsuit models, editors, photographers and makeup artists to Belize for their shoot!
Have a blast on our hometown ladies.

LEGENDARY BELIZEAN BOXER "ERNEST REID" REVISITED! "HOME AFTER 26 YEARS!"
(Reproduced from the Belize Billboard article below for better clarity for the Belizean Legends audience) A Honduran who was at one time the No. 2 contender for the welter weight championship of Panama, is here on a three week vacation to his homeland once again, after being away for 26 years. Ernest Reid 42, who left Belize in 1941, along with one of the first recruitment workers for Panama during World War II, arrived back home on December 19, and spending nearly a month's vacation leave here with his brother Richard Reid, of 105 George Street. He returns to Panama next week.

Giving Up Territorial Seas For Peace: A Garifuna Fisherman Speaks
In 1991, the government of Belize who should have claimed a 11 miles territorial sea in international law, only claimed three miles of sea territory as an olive branch to the Guatemalan government to gain access to the high seas. In return the Guatemalan government would have recognized Belize's independence and sovereignty. The move which was presented in a bill was agreed upon by both the Belize government at the time, the Peoples United Party, and its opposition the United Democratic Party, but was not presented to the Belizean people in a referendum. The feature highlights how the Martime Areas Act marginalized the Garifuna fishermen in the southern district of Belize, Toledo, and how it affected life for the Garinagu who depended on fishing and farming as their chief source of subsistence.

A MOVING ENCOUNTER WITH DAVID DAKERS!
(Special tribute to Belize's greatest boxer that ever lived, David Dakers) by Bilal Morris. On a 2002 bus ride on the Western Highway now the "George Price Highway" in the Belize District towards the capital city of Belmopan, a slumped figure of a tall black man sat beside me with his face turn towards the window seat of the bus. He seemed quiet and reserved and never spoke until he turned his face after a very long time to the right of me, that it appeared to be Belize's best boxer that ever lived, David Dakers. The shyness in me never succumbed to look clearly at him from my left side vision to ascertain that it was really David Dakers that was actually sitting next to me. The skillful pound to pound boxer of Belize's middle weight boxing championship of the golden era of boxing in Belize, had disappeared from Belize in the 1970s, and was understood to be living in the states.

LIONS OF THE SOUTH: DR. THEODORE ARANDA (PART ONE)
(An Expose on Belizean politics in commemoration of Garifuna Settlement Day) The feature highlights the political life of Belizean politician and Garifuna statesman, Dr. Theodore Aranda. In Part 1 of this exclusive interview, the legendary Dr. Aranda speaks with brother Leo Sanchez on Belize's political climate when he entered politics and how Belizean politics has regressed presently with the scandals in the present United Democratic Party government and why the party, that he once led in 1979 made calculated mistakes in planning prior to their coming to power in 1984.

Make a Wish Water-Lantern Night & Closing Ceremony
Here are some of the photos we recently captured for Ms Fiona Hsu who did an outstanding job in planning this event for the Embassy of the Republic of China - Taiwan in Belize for their Water Lantern Festival. It was an honor to be able to capture images for such a meaningful event. A big big thank you to our sponsors Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize,Belize Department of Youth Services, Atlantic Bank and Ramada Princess Hotel; and partners Belize Department of Youth Services, NICH, Museum of Belize, Samuel Haynes Institute of Excellence, St. John’s College (especially the Student Council, Prefect and Six Form students), University of Belize and our international youth from WYC. The project wouldn't have been what it was without any of you, thank you!

Mr. Peetaz Bruk Dong Bram Call for Accordion Players
an you play the Accordion? I mean REALLY play the Accordion?

4th annual Flavours of the Garifuna
In celebration of Garifuna Settlement Day the Corozal House of Culture kindly invites you to the 4th annual Flavours of the Garifuna. Immerse yourself in the Garifuna culture by way of taste, sight, sound and movement. Sample the flavours of hudut, darasa and sahou. Enjoy the incredible sounds of Larubeya Band who recently won the Battle of the Drums 2017. Learn about the arrival of the Garinagu with the screening of the documentary Yurumein. Witness the colourful and vibrant Jon Kanu performances. Please join us this Sunday November 19th for a wonderful night of culture beginning at 7:30pm.

Sarteneja Nazarene Primary School Spelling Bee contest
Sarteneja Nazarene Primary School - "Our School held a Spelling Bee contest. We want to congratulate our first place winner Merari Rodriguez from Std 4, Second was Rydel Torrez from Std 6 and third Izaac Muñoz also from Std 6".

Prime Minister Departs the Country on Personal Leave
The Office of the Prime Minister informs that the Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow departed the country today, November 16, on personal leave. He will return on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. The Prime Minister travelled to Houston, Texas. During the Prime Minister’s absence, the Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, will act as Prime Minister.

Open Tryouts for Men's National Basketball Team
Calling all players. BBF announces the launch of the National Team Programme for upcoming international play. First round of tryouts scheduled for 19th and 20th November at Bird's Isle.

Caye Talkers Looking for Sales Agents
Our team is happy to welcome full time sales agents for in office positions in Belize City and work at home positions. On Saturday, November 18th, we will be at the SSB Building in Orange Walk Town from 9am-2pm. Documents required: Copy of Social Security Card, Resume, Certificates and Reference Letters. Minimum age of 18 years. Be prepared for an interview. You can call 223-2016 to reserve your spot! See you there!

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Tulip Fever, Logan Lucky, The Son of Bigfoot, Mayhem.

Channel 7

Command Comes Down On Community Cops Who Messed With Youth Cadets
They were assigned to do community policing work, but two constables in Placencia are accused of engaging in some very vile behavior with boys in the police youth cadet corps. Reports we have gotten say that the officers forced the cadets to take nude pictures, and charged them for use of the restroom and drinking water. Today, two constables were brought up on disciplinary charges. The Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch Joseph Myvette told the media more - but not a whole lot more - today: ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - NCIB: "Because of the fact that the investigation involved minors, I will not go into the details, but I can tell you that an investigation was done. Two officers have since been placed on charged; one got 5 disciplinary charges and the other one had one charge. They will be interdicted today as soon as they have appeared before a tribunal they will be interdicted today and it is likely that if they are able to keep their job at the end of this, they will certainly be removed from the community policing unit."

Police Slow To Bring Charges In Alleged Station Rape In Independence
The other ongoing internal investigation into gross acts of alleged misconduct is in Independence Village - where police are accused of raping two women who were detained on suspicion of drug possession. One of the women is a Belizean and the other is a Salvadoran. We know that Independence police detained them on Saturday - but after that police would not go into any great detail. They said - as they have been saying - that the investigation is ongoing: ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - NCIB: "As we speak, members of the PSB and CIB are still on the ground as more work needs to be done in regards to that investigation."

Police Investigating Immigration Irregularities But How Far Will They Go?
Police are also investigating immigration irregularities after Chinese national Yuanran Zheng was discovered with a bogus nationality certificate. That was last week - and while Zheng flew out on Friday - he left a trail for investigators to follow. As we told you last night, it extends into the Immigration Department, and the Social Security Board - where one manager has already been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation progresses. Police say they are doing their own criminal investigation - but this bears watching, because, as we know, police haven't been able to bring a single criminal charge for all the immigration irregularities detailed in the Auditor General's Reports. Today, however, they said they are taking this investigation seriously:

Hulse Says Immigration Dept Not Part Of This Hustle
But, it's not a small investigation. As we told you last night, 7News has received information that there are possibly dozens of fake or questionable nationality certificates out there. Just like the one Chinese national Yuanran Zheng was caught with and charged for. Reports suggest that senior employees at the Immigration department and the Social Security Board are involved. Well today we caught up with Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse and he told us that the immigration department is not behind this. Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration and Nationality: "My understanding is that no, the immigration department has nothing to do with that. There will always be these operatives out there who try to forge and fake documents, it is good the system in place now is beginning to catch them, this is not the first time they have been caught we have caught people before but I don't see that as something that is ever going to end. Where there is money and a demand people will try all sorts of things and I'm happy to know that so far it has been reported to me that no one in immigration has been involved because there is no authentic document that has been re-done, it is clearly some fake documents since its inception."

Couple Charged For Albeno Murder
This evening, Belmopan police have again moved quickly to wrap up another major crime investigation. This time it's the murder of 28 year old Armenia Villager Carlos Albeno. This evening, Belmopan police laid charges on two persons, 29 year old Jose Valladarez for murder and 27 year old Amelia Garrido for abetment to commit murder. They are both Armenia villagers and a common law couple. Garrido allegedly shot Albeno twice last week Friday. Reports say he suspected that Albeno had stolen a parcel of weed he'd gotten from Arenal village and hidden in the buses outside of the village. He concluded that Albeno stole his weed - and went to him with a gun. He then shot him twice - once in the knee and then fatally in the chest.

Dangriga Man Appeared To Have Drowned, Was Wanted
Dangriga police have confirmed the identity of the man who was found washed up on the town's coastline yesterday. Police told us more: ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - NCIB: "Dangriga responded to information of a body on the beach in the bar mouth area of Dangriga Town where the body of Howard Nicholson was found. No sign of physical injury was observed on his body. So that is awaiting a postmortem examination." Reports to us say that at the time of his death, police were seeking Nicholson for questioning in connection with a number of robberies.

Mexican Feeding Program Could Go Nationwide
You hear about feeding programs at a few schools, but the Ministries of Education, Agriculture and Health have collaborated to establish a national feeding program for all Belizean children. It is part of a wider initiated called "Mesoamerica Hunger Free". Today at a ceremony at the Agriculture Show Grounds in Belmopan, Courtney Weatherburne found out how important this project is for youth and the entire country. The "Mesoamerica Hunger Free" project was first launched in 2015 in Mexico. The main objective is to provide healthy foods to needy school children in Latin American and the Caribbean. Belize is among 13 participating countries. The initiative has already been implemented in the South where 4 schools in Toledo now have new cafeterias. There is one in San Antonio, Santa Cruz, Santa Elena and Pueblo Viejo.

Changing Eating Habits Of Schoolkids
Now we all know getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables and less sugary treats, is a mammoth task. But that's just what this program hopes to do. So instead of pizza or fried chicken and a soft drink for lunch, the cafeterias will be serving garden salad and water. Emilio Montero, Coordinator for the National Food & Nutrition Security Commission, Ministry of Agriculture: "The project supports purchasing from the farmers and also in designing of the menus and one of the key arrangements was in the project we will not provide salt, sugar nor grease to be use for meal preparations, because that is encouraging unhealthy eating."

Hon. Requena Demands Pay For Alcalde's In His Area
If you don't live in the south, you may not know it, but village Alcalde's and Second Alcalde's actually function as magistrates in their villages - adjudicating disputes and mediating differences. And they get paid for it - or they should get paid, at least. It's 100 monthly for Alcalde's and 50 monthly for the Second. But, Alcalde's and Second Alcalde's in as many as 20 villages say they haven't been paid since January - and today their area representative came to the city to say it's unacceptable, and that he blames the Attorney General, and the Prime Minister:... Hon. Oscar Requena, Area Rep., Toledo West: "It is very unfair what the government is doing to our alcalde's, not paying them since January of this year. We are basically talking 10 months going into 11 months at the end of November that our alcalde's have not been received their stipend. As you are aware the attorney general went on record..."

Corozal Meat Shop Cleaned Out By Thieves
As Christmas nears, butchers and meat shops are stocking up those cured local leg hams. But one meat store in Corozal suffered a major loss of their Christmas inventory. Franks Meat Products was burglarized of all their meat products and seafood - basically their entire Christmas stock. The owner told CTV more about the devastating loss. Elizabeth Rosado, Franks Meat Products: "When we came in the first thing I was looking for was what they took machinery or anything but I saw that everything was complete in machinery but I didn't realize they were going to take products so when the police officer came and said well we need to open the freezer to see what is in there and everything that is when I saw that it was food products that they took. They took shrimps, the jumbo shrimps, the 26.30. They took conchs, they took slabs of pork chops, and the most what they took was the boneless hams."

Operation ACT Scores With Weed Seizures
Today the police department's ACT operation pulled in a lot of weed. Officers made three busts across three different Belize City streets. They found 1.1 kilos, which is 2.4 pounds on Custard Apple Street, 6.3 ounces on Neal's Penn Road, and one kilo, or 2.2 pounds at the corner of Pen Road and Baldwin Street. All the pages were labeled as found property.

The Case Of Keyur, It's Complicated, Apparently
More than 6 weeks after they were brought back to Belize as fugitives, there have been no criminal charges against Keyur Barot and Jitendra Kumar. The Indian nationals are former employees of Jack Charles. He accused Barot of the theft of sixty thousand dollars and his vehicle. But, today police confirmed that no charges can be brought because the man have alleged that they are victims of human trafficking:...

Attempted Kidnapping In Coro?
There are reports of an attempted kidnapping last night in Corozal town. Reports say an evening division staffer at the Junior College was assaulted in an attempt to kidnap her. Police say they have heard the same, but there is no official report: ACP Joseph Myvette, Head - NCIB: "Sometime yesterday evening around 7:45 p.m., a teacher leaving the Corozal Community College was attacked by a male person; however, no official report has yet been made."

Tyrin Shot By Security A Month Ago, But No Charges Yet?
Tyrin Faber was shot by a Princess Security Guard one month ago. The guard was reportedly trying to break up a fight, and fired a warning shot with his shotgun unto the pavement. The pellets ricochetted and hit Faber to the chest and hand. He is still receiving treatment for that injury, but police have not charged the security guard. Today we asked the deputy for Belize City CIB what is the holdup:...

Pink Eye Epidemic Receding In North, But Still Active In South
If you aren't seeing many people with those puffy, oozing red eyes around anymore - it is because pink eye is on the decline. The last report we got put it at 16,000 cases countrywide. Today CEO in the Ministry of Health Dr. Ramon Figueroa says the numbers have certainly dropped. Dr. Ramon Figueroa, CEO - Ministry of Health: "I know that we are already on the descending curb in terms of the epidemic itself. I think the fire is dying out, fortunately, so I think we are getting to a point where eventually we should have very minimal numbers of pink eye." Courtney Weatherburne, reporter: "So weekly you are seeing less and less cases or patients?" Dr. Ramon Figueroa: "Absolutely, absolutely."

PM Heads To Houston
Prime Minister Barrow won't have to worry about that this year, because while he was down in Dangriga with his dashiki last year, this year, he will be in Houston. Today his office announced that he left for Houston on personal leave. The PM returns on November 21st, and during his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber will act as PM.

Taiwan Assists With Police Equipment, Expertise
And while the PM's in Texas, Foreign and Home Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington is in Taiwan. He's there to get funding and technical assistance for the Police. It comes out of an agreement on Police Cooperation. Elrington has been in meetings with the National Police Agency and toured the Taiwan Crime Investigation Bureau along with the K-9 Unit of the National Police Agency. Taiwan has agreed to make a grant donation of one million Belize dollars' worth of equipment for the Belize Police Department, including body cameras, motorcycles, handcuffs, drones, and breathalyzers.

The Music and Magic of Maimouna
This morning Maimouna Youseff and friends filled the SJC music centre with the sweet sound of their music. The group is from the United States and they are here as a part of the American Music Abroad program. They have toured all around Central America and Belize is their last stop. This morning we caught up with the leader who explained the message behind the lyrics and even shared some advice. Maimouna Youssef, Artist: "We are kind of like an acoustic and electric band. We have a set up where we can play acoustic. Some of the places we have gone on our tour with no electricity and just poured our hearts out to the people." "Well we have all kind of been together like friends we have worked together for like 10 or 15 years so you know these are the guys I call when I am going out on the road."

They Resisted Robbers, Now Teens Have To Answer Charges
On Tuesday Oscar Itza and Dennis Eck were walking on Orange Street when two men held them up, demanding money. They fought off their attackers men who then fled the scene. Itza received an injury which the doctor classified as wounding. Today a 19-year-old student at Kings College Dejron Joseph and a 17 year old male minor were charged with the attempted robbery. Joseph was charged with attempting to rob Itza while the minor was charged with attempting to rob Eck and wounding Itza. They were offered bail of $4,000 dollars and the case was adjourned until December 27th, 2017.

Faber Says He Didn't Get LOO's Letter
DPM and co-chair of Belize Infrastructure Limited, Patrick Faber says he hasn't received John Briceno's letter as yet. As we told you last night, in his letter, Briceno alleges that works completed under BIL's supervision have poor design, lack proper execution and will result in losses of public funds. His office claims he sent that letter two weeks ago and there hasn't even been an acknowledgement of receipt. Faber says there's a simple reason: he just plain hasn't gotten it. Courtney Weatherburne, reporter: "Briceno's letter concerning BIL, he criticizes projects that have been done under BIL and is requesting several documents , documentation in terms of audited reports and so forth , have you gotten the letter ? Will you respond?"

Chester Got Chased?
And in one final bit of police news - that's not really news at all - our final story is about PC Glenn Arzu. Except its not really about him. It's about the police department's very deliberate strategy to keep the commander of the professional standards branch, ACP Chester Williams away from the cameras at all costs. For weeks now, the press has been asking for the Commander PSB to appear at the weekly briefing to answer questions on very specific allegations of police misconduct. But, even though we submit these questions well in advance, seems ACP Williams is on a media ban, because he can't appear to answer our questions. Instead, the commander of the National Crimes Investigation is trotted out to answer questions he knows little or nothing about.

Faber Responds to Complaints About PG Sporting Complex
And while Briceno is ready to go to court, DPM Faber is going to PG tomorrow for the official opening of the Punta Gorda Sporting Complex. As we showed you last week, it's a fancy new building, completely re-imagined from its previous incarnation. But, we've heard some residents complain that it has some rather glaring shortcomings: like no parking area, inadequate drainage, and only two fans. Faber says he knows that town split up the available funds across two facilities:... Hon. Patrick Faber, DPM/ Minister of Education: "We will open the Punta Gorda Civic Center tomorrow and indeed there was an allocation of $5 million dollars to each municipality but Punta Gorda chose to spend its portion of the money on both the Union Field and the civic center so the money is split in between those so I think the portion that has gone into the civic center is indeed around $3 million or so dollars and I said, I am not certain..."

LOO Says He's Willing to Go To Court To See BIL Documents
Speaking last night on the municipal campaign trail in Orange Walk, Briceno isn't buying it. He believes Faber is deliberately not answering him - and he says he will go to court to get the BIL working papers, if necessary:... Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition "So we are asking which contracts have been given out, to who, who were the people that bid, what did they bid and why is it that you have given it to such privileged UDP contractors? We sent that letter at the beginning of this month and to this day the deputy prime minister and this government have not have the decency to answer us. So I want to put on record that if they don't answer, we are going to take action and if we have to go to court under the freedom of information act, or as the leader of the opposition, we are going to take action."

Channel 5

Corozal Junior College Lecturer Targeted for Kidnapping
There is an alarming report coming out of Corozal Town tonight, where news of a foiled abduction has spread like wildfire.  The victim of the thwarted kidnapping has been identified [...]

Police Tread Carefully with Disturbing Rape Case in Independence
An allegation of rape against several male officers attached to the Independence Police Station is being investigated by the Professional Standards Branch, after two women claimed that they were sexually [...]

No Criminal Charges, But Disgrace Visited on Cops Accused of Humiliating Youth Cadets
A pair of police constables has been placed on interdiction even before appearing before a tribunal earlier today.  The unnamed officers are accused of taking nude pictures of male cadets [...]

Armenia Couple Charged in Carlos Navarijo Murder
Late this evening in Belmopan, police formally charged an Armenia couple for the murder of twenty-nine-year-old Carlos Humberto Navarijo Albeño. Jose Valladarez and his common-law-wife, Amelia Garrido, were processed for [...]

Thumbs Down for ‘Hypocrite’ Godwin from P.U.P.
The People’s United Party held a National Executive meeting at Independence Hall this morning. Among other things, the party rounded off its slate of candidates to be presented at the [...]

B.T.L. Still a Bee in P.U.P. Bonnet
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied, without explanation, a review of the Government of Belize’s case against the Belize Bank Limited in a long-standing arbitration settlement dating back to [...]

Faber Challenged over B.I.L.
Two weeks ago, Leader of the Opposition John Briceño revealed that the People’s United Party intended to write Prime Minister Dean Barrow asking for all the contracts awarded by Belize [...]

Is Fabers Road Contract Going to Court?
In the same vein, it has been nearly a month since Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action and attorney Kareem Musa requested details of Imer Hernandez’s eight-million dollar contract for [...]

Another Change of Date for Guatemala Referendum; Re-Registration First Here
The Government of Guatemala has once again changed the date of the referendum on attending the International Court of Justice to resolve its unfounded claim on Belize. According to Siglo [...]

Accused Murderers Still Loose; Accident Accused to Face Charges
It has been almost two weeks since the murders of German national Raimund Adalbert Kobler and Amit Moryani in San Pedro and Orange Walk Town, respectively.  Despite launching separate investigations [...]

Trafficking Claim Investigated by Ex-Jack Charles Employees Turned Alleged Thieves
Keyur Barot and Jitendra Kumar are former employees of businessman Jack Charles.  The duo has been accused of stealing over sixty thousand dollars in proceeds from the wholesaler when they [...]

Trienia Young is New Registrar of Supreme Court
Trienia Marie Young is the new Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrar General of Belize. The thirty-seven-year-old former head of the Police Prosecution Branch was sworn in on Wednesday [...]

Why Elvin Penner Was Never Charged
Elvin Penner’s political career is in tatters after he was booted from Cabinet in September of 2013 over the Won Hong Kim scandal. He narrowly survived a recall drive shortly [...]

Roger Tien’s ‘Special Access’ at Immigration Dept.
Roger Tien – he was directly invited to Belize by Minister of Economic Development Erwin Contreras on the basis of making investments here. And Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse agreed to [...]

Reforms Suggested for Public Service Commission
At least one member of the Senate Special Select Committee, Ashley Rocke, has gone on record to say he believes that public officers are more to blame than Government ministers [...]

Food Security Programs Implemented in Southern Schools
An initiative to strengthen food security programs has been ongoing since April 2016. Phase three of that project which involves its implementation stage was launched today in Belmopan between the [...]

The Great Pen Cayetano Paints Garifuna ‘Legacy’
Pen Cayetano wants to share the Garifuna culture with Belizeans this nineteenth. The renowned artist is opening an exhibition called ‘Legacy’ at his gallery in Dangriga. The collection of paintings [...]

Foreign Minister Elrington to Taiwan on Crime Issues
Taiwan is giving Belize one million dollars for crime-fighting and law-enforcement equipment. The Belize Police Department will acquire body cameras, motorcycles, handcuffs, drones, breathalyzer equipment and a cellebrite machine, which [...]

Healthy Living: Know Your Antibiotics and How They Work
It’s a major health concern that we don’t talk about enough. But this year, the World Health Organization is commemorating Antibiotics Awareness Week. It’s a global campaign to make people [...]

Godwin Hulse Says Questionable Guate-Belizeans Can’t Vote in I.C.J. Referendum
After a week’s hiatus, the Senate Special Select Committee returned with Minister of Immigration and Nationality Senator Godwin Hulse facing his Senate colleagues in the chair once again.  Over three [...]

Immigration & Foreign Affairs Moving Slowly on Verification of Renunciation Process
That announcement came during an extensive discussion of the countries’ relations in terms of Guatemalans becoming Belizean citizens.  Hulse told the Committee that previously, Guatemala simply accepted the Belizean renunciation [...]

Are ‘Canceled’ Nationalities, Passports Still Being Used?
The Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Senator Godwin Hulse, is the final authority on the granting of nationality certificates. In the Auditor General’s special report, two cases were cited of [...]

Recommenders for Nationality Must Come Out in the Open
In light of the many problems with recommenders for nationality and other Immigration problems, Minister Hulse readily agreed that a recommendation should be made that recommenders present themselves in person [...]

5 Years Later, Still No Solution on Peter Dahlstrom’s Citizenship by Marriage
As noted by Minister Hulse, the case of Swedish national Peter Dahlstrom was one of those that made the news. He married the sister of Kim Simplis Barrow more than [...]

Won Hong Kim Could Evade Gazette Publication for Nationality
P.U.P. Senator Eamon Courtenay questioned Minister Hulse on the matter of the composition of the Nationality Committee, which considers the qualifications of applicants, as well as the publication of names [...]

LOVE FM

Opposition Leader demands Details from BIL
The leader of the Opposition, John Briceno, says that he will do everything in his power to obtain documents and information relating to Belize Infrastructure Limited, BIL. Two weeks ago, Briceno sent a letter to the Co-Chair of BIL, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber requesting documents such as copies of all audited accounts of BIL, […]

Briceno weighs in on the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting Belize’s Petition
Two days ago, we told you that the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition made by the Government of Belize on the ruling handed down by District of Columbia Circuit which enforced an $18.5 million London arbitral award against the Government. Government officials have said that the government will not pay the sum because the […]

Briceno comments on PAC
Last week Thursday the Public Accounts Committee, PAC, met after failing to do so on two prior occasions. Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber described the meeting as fruitful but the People’s United Party still has a problem with how the PAC is meeting. The meetings are held in Belmopan and in private. Today Leader of […]

Hulse supports Public Officers being Sanctioned for Wrongdoings
Earlier we mentioned that Minister Hulse stated his support to having sanctions placed against public officers who have committed illegal wrongdoing. Throughout the course of the hearings, the Committee has placed the question to members of the executive of the Ministry of Immigration who have appeared before them. When asked, Minister Hulse did not shy […]

Will Guatemalans with Belizean Nationality Vote in Belize’s Referendum?
Among the matters brought up by the Committee was the issue of Guatemalans obtaining nationality and renouncing their Guatemalan citizenship. While there was a lengthy discussion on that matter, of interest is a question posed by Senator Eamon Courtenay. He asked Minister Hulse about allowing Guatemalans who have obtained Belizean nationality to vote in the […]

Briceno: PUP has always taken a bi-partisan approach to Guatemala
Earlier in the week, we reported that the Guatemalan Government changed the date of its referendum to April 15 as opposed to March 11, 2018. This is the second time that the Guatemalans have changed the date and Opposition Leader John Briceno was not surprised. John Briceno, Opposition Leader “I think Guatemala has massive problems […]

Hulse probed by Senate Select Committee
Another question posed to Minister Hulse that has been posed to the present and past immigration directors surround the role and necessity of ministerial recommendations in applications for visas and nationality. For his part Minister Hulse said he does not support the practice. Mark Lizarraga, Senator “There was one letter I can recall Minister Contreras […]

Senior Manager of Social Security under Investigation
A senior manager of the Social Security Board has been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is ongoing. That investigation is a result of the arrest of Forty-five-year-old Chinese National, Yuanran Zheng who was charged with forgery after being caught attempting to obtain a Social Security card using a phony nationality certificate. While […]

Police Officers being Investigated for Misconduct
Two police constables attached to the Placencia Community Policing Unit have been placed on interdiction. Earlier this week, reports surfaced those police officers allegedly took nude pictures of boys. Today, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the National Crimes Investigation Branch confirmed today that one of the officers was slapped with five disciplinary charges […]

Two Charged in connection with the Murder of Navarijo
A man and a woman have been charged with connection to the murder of 29-year-old Carlos Navarijo. Twenty-nine- year-old Jose Valladarez was charged with murder while 27-year-old Amelia Garrido was charged with abetment to commit murder. Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Joseph Myvett briefed the media. ACP – […]

The Guardian

Punta Gorda gets the Best basketball court in the country
On Friday November 17th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Hon. Patrick Faber along with Sports Council representatives and the Mayor of Punta Gorda, Fern Gutierrez, will officially inaugurate the brand new state of the art multipurpose complex in that municipality. While that will be the official opening, the facility has already undergone its first test when it hosted the Battle of the Drums and Food Fete to a massive success. Mayor Gutierrez notes that, “the people of Punta Gorda can now enjoy the facility.” Adding to that sentiment was former area representative for Toledo East, Eden Martinez who vividly recalled that, “the old center was hitched with thatch that was rotting and was dangerous for people and it embarrassing for leaders to hold activities here.”

20 years for killing his wife
The case of murder against 46-year-old Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez has come to an end after Justice Adolph Lucas sentenced him to imprisonment for the November 22, 2007 murder of his wife. The sentencing was handed down on Monday, November 13, 2017, 13 days after Bermudez pleaded guilty to manslaughter instead of murder. The allegation against Bermudez is that on November 22, 2007, he met his wife and fired a single shot at her to the head which killed her on the spot. He drove to the Hattieville/ Boom Road junction where he got a wire and attempted to hang himself but was unsuccessful and later told the nephew of his deceased wife of the crime he had committed.

Working for sweeter cane in 2018
The sugar cane farmers, the millers, Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI), and the Government authorities which manage the sugar industry have launched another program to make Belizean sugar cane more competitive. They’re trying to reduce the cost of production, since Belize’s sugar is about to face tough hardships as it tries to remain relevant among the other sugar producing nations on the world market. This latest cost-saving initiative is called the Pre-Harvest Cane Quality Program, and the idea is to teach farmers about the best time to cut their cane and transport it to the mill. The program which is themed, “Sweet Sampling for Sweet Returns”, was launched on Richmond Hill, at the Guinea Grass Farms, which is located in the Orange Walk District.

Pharmacists resist new regulations - antibiotics no longer sold over the counter
On Tuesday of this week the Belize Community Pharmacists Association (BCPA) sent out an extensive press release in which it states that it had not been consulted by the Ministry of Health in the passing of a new statutory instrument which will affect its members. The Association says that under the new regulations they will be unable to import medication from first world countries. It states that drugs from the “US, UK, Germany and other first world countries are now being replaced with alternative pharmaceuticals from manufacturers in places such as Central America which may cost more and not work as well.” It goes on to state “that these changes are being made without proper consultation.” It further added that, “no effort was made to engage the association in the crafting of the regulations.”

BIL winds down on construction of sporting facilities
In 2012 The Government of Belize (GOB) decided to form a public company to act as an agent of the GOB to undertake the design, construction and management of capital projects in Belize. At that time particular emphasis was placed on sporting and other multipurpose facilities in order to find an efficient conduit to undertake the largest of sporting projects, the rebuilding of the Belize City Center. A key driving force behind the GOB’s action was to also ensure that each municipality received at least one proper, functioning sporting or multipurpose facility to serve the needs of the community for sport and recreational activities. The company established was Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL). Its mandate would be to act as the executing agency with the overall responsibility to bring each project to fruition, from start to finish. The company officially got underway in late 2013 and now in its 4th year in operation, the first phase of its mandate is complete.

Allegations of Rape and abuse against minors surface in police department
The Police Professional Standards Branch is investigating two separate and unsettling allegations of deviant sexual behavior by officers from the Stann Creek District. Cops from Placencia are being accused of forcing young boys to take nude pictures, while officers from Independence are being accused of gang raping 2 female detainees. According to reports, several young boys, who are all a part of the cadet program on the peninsula, went out with officers on a camping trip over the weekend. It has not been specified to the press if the incident happened on Saturday, November 11, or on Sunday, November 12. Multiple boys have reported to police that on this camping trip, the officers from the Community Policing Unit forced them to take off their clothes. The cops allegedly then forced them to take nude pictures. The boys have also reported that the officers forced them to pay for water and bathroom use, which was supposed to be provided for free.

2.8 million more in concrete streets and more for Belize City
The Belize City Council is rolling out a 2.8 million dollar program of more infrastructural development across the city. Current councilor and Mayoral Candidate for the UDP, Dion Leslie says that under the new spate of works, East and West canal will be completed with concrete. The areas to be paved will be between King and Water Lane on East Canal and from Dean Street to the Yarborough Bridge on West Canal. Also on the schedule to be concreted will be Eyre Street, Chancellor Avenue, Gibnut Street, 3rd Street, Racoon Street and Cemetery Road from Central American Boulevard to Dolphin Street.

Better border security with more training for customs and immigration officers
The Belize Customs and Excise Department as well as the Department of Immigration and Nationality have enlisted officers to be part of a weeklong training for border security. The training began on Monday, November 13, 2017 through the partnership between Belize and the European Union (EU). The workshop was launched by the Ministry of Immigration, the Caribbean Customs Laws Enforcement Council, and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS). At the end of the training, the officers will be expected to have learnt joint strategies in addressing common security threats as well as operational procedures in an effort to secure the borders of Belize and, by extension, enhancing regional security. The workshop will focus on capacity building in the area of detection of illegal activity and the enabling of higher prosecution and conviction rates.

The fate of Marijuana as a drug discussed at a regional level
The National Consultations on marijuana by way of focus groups will be held through the collaborative efforts of the Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize with and under the guidance of CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana. This will take place on Thursday, November 23, 2017 at the Tapir Room at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Consultations will be focused on conducting enquires into the social, economic, health, and legal issues surrounding the use of marijuana in the Caribbean, determining whether or not to change marijuana’s current drug classification, recommending possible legal and administrative conditions in the event of a re-classification, and preparing a final report to be submitted to the heads of CARICOM.

New LED lights for Cayo North
A visit to the Cayo North Division during the nights will reveal that the area is now being fully illuminated. Through an initiative led by the Hon. Omar Figueroa and in collaboration with the Government of Belize and the Belize Electricity Ltd, over 1,000 Light Emitting Diodes (LED) street lights are being deployed throughout Cayo North. The objective is to replace all existing conventional street lights as well as installation in key areas that currently do not have appropriate lighting. This new technology will provide for brighter, more durable lighting while consuming far less electricity. More importantly though; this investment will help to improve safety and security in the area, be a deterrent for the criminal elements and provide peace of mind for all residents.

Disorder, discord, disorganization in the PUP
For some strange reason, during the past two weeks, we at this newspaper have been keeping our eyes on the PUP Municipal Campaign in the streets of Belize City. What we’ve seen so far, has not impressed us for not even a second. Their campaign appears, to be rather lackluster. It is devoid of any positive message, ideas or organization. The candidates and their campaigners appear not even to be working in uniformity. The only thing that they appear to be doing together is walking on the same streets. Otherwise than that they are not doing anything together. Their on-the-ground campaign seem to be more of an enumeration rather than a campaign. All that they are doing is to ask who lives at the various homes and if they are registered to vote. Some of their campaigners wasted no time in letting us know that they were only campaigning as a job because they know that the PUP has no chance of winning. There were even some of them who went as far as to tell us they won’t even be voting for the PUP.

Shyne produces music again
Good night everyone, Protocol having been established I’d still like to acknowledge the deputy Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Farber Belize’s youngest ever elected member of parliament when he was elected at the age of 24 and he is also Belize’s youngest ever deputy prime minister. Minister of trade and commerce Tracey Taeger Panton, all those at the head table, Mayor Bradley, Ambassador Lu, Dr Singh, H.E. Tarun Butcher, Ambassadors, youth leaders, Miss McKenzie & Department of Youth Services, the US embassy, our CARICOM brothers and sisters, all those of you who traveled from different parts of the world to visit my wonderful Belize for the 2017 World Youth Conference, ladies and gentlemen welcome!

United Against Corruption
Belize took a momentous step on December 9, 2016, International Anti-Corruption Day, by signing its accession to the United Nation’s Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Belize became the 182nd country to sign into the international agreement and as a part of the UNCAC, a series of activities are being held countrywide to celebrate the one-year anniversary with the intention of engaging youth, women, and other relevant bodies. The anti-corruption training for secondary and tertiary students during the months of November and December have come about from the collaboration between the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize.

STRAIGHT LIKE THAT
At a meeting Robert told the committee that last week Tuesday he was taking a walk around town andnoticed two white-bearded old men sitting on the bulkhead of a new drain and sidewalk being constructed by the Orange Walk Town Council inpartnership with the owner of “The Wet Corner“Car Wash at the corner of Trinidad and Fonseca streets. The two men were sharing the contents of a small green pint and would smack their lips and sigh contentedly after each long sip of the burning liquid. Suddenly,a double cabbed pickup truck swerved into the corner and one of the men immediately pushed the bottle in one of his baggy pants pocket without bothering to cover it. When the swerving vehicle levelled off the two rum soakers noticed that the insignia on the door did not bear the symbol or name of the Orange Walk Police, so they visibly relaxed but not after uttering a few curse words since some of their valued contents had spilled on the ground.

Curlan Phillips denied bail for attempted murder charge
Curlan Phillips, a resident and laborer of Tigris Street in Belize City, was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 in connection to a shooting incident which occurred on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 on Jones Street. Phillips was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford where he was only read charges of attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm upon Inmar Welch although two men were shot and injured. According to police, on Wednesday, March 18, 2017 at around 6:20 p.m., they received information of shots being fired on Jones Street, Belize City. As a result, DC Jaime Arzu along with other CIB officers visited the KHMH where they saw two male persons suffering from gunshot injuries.

Darrel Carter owes GST
For quite some time, businessman Darrell Carter, owner of Carter’s Upholstery located on Cemetery Road, has been coming before the court on Social Security offenses and GST matters. On November 14, 2017, he was taken back to court on three counts of GST offenses. The allegation made by the General Sales Tax Department is that Carter failed to file GST returns within the required time; that for the months of July, August, and September 2017, he failed to furnish the Commissioner of GST with GST returns for those months.

Man shot in front of polyclinic in Belize City
On November 11, 2017 at about 12:30 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident on Magazine Road in Belize City. Upon visiting the Matron Roberts Polyclinic, they observed 41-year-old Clinton Dale Abraham, a Belize City driver, with a single gunshot wound to the left knee. Initial police investigation revealed that Abraham was riding his bicycle on Magazine Road heading toward Cemetery Road and upon reaching in front of the Matron Roberts Polyclinic, a dark skinned male person riding in the opposite direction fired a single shot at him causing his injury. Abraham was transported to the KHMH where he’s listed in a stable condition.

Second suspect in pizza robbery caught
A second suspect has been arrested and charged in connection to the armed robbery of a pizza delivery man who was robbed at gun point while making a delivery on Ebony Street on October 30, 2017. He has been identified as 26-year-old Ian Jenkins Jr., an unemployed resident of a Mayflower Street address. Jenkins Jr., who was unrepresented, appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford on Friday, November 10, 2017. There he was read a single charge of robbery to which he pleaded not guilty. Due to the nature of the offense, he was denied bail and remanded into custody until December 21, 2017.

Rapist caught in the act in Belmopan
A young woman was raped in the early hours of Friday in Belmopan. At about 1:00 am a woman in her twenties reported that she was accessing the road that leads from Cohune Walk to near the Roaring Creek junction, when she was raped. The suspect Justin Austin Williams, a Belizean, from Roaring Creek was quickly taken into custody by Belmopan Police and an investigation ensued. The 29 year old was caught in the act and was injured during detention. Justin Williams was arraigned that same day on Friday evening, pending charges for rape. His case has been adjourned to January 12, 2018 and he has been remanded.

Alleged rapist gets off
The strange multiple rape case against a Belize City man, 25-year-old Eric Gutierrez, ended on Monday, November 13, 2017 in a dismissal before Justice Adolph Lucas. When Gutierrez was 20-years-old, he was accused of raping three women, a 36-year old Belizean bartender, a 29-year-old Honduran cook, and a 25-year-old unemployed Guatemalan. The allegations against Gutierrez are that on September 6, 2013 at around 2:30 a.m. in San Pedro, he raped and stabbed three women with a screw driver. The women were injured on various parts of their bodies. According to the bartender, she left her apartment in San Pedro to purchase food and on her way back, she was attacked with a knife by Gutierrez.

Denied bail for sexual assault case against a 9-year-old
A 31-year-old Belize City resident, Orlando Fisher, is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after he was denied bail for allegedly sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl on two separate occasions. Fisher appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 where he was read two sexual assault charges against the minor. The allegations are that on October 17, 2017, he sexually assaulted a 9-year-old child with his finger. On a previous occasion on June 29, 2016, he touched the child on her private part.

Bandits Sports and Verdes FC top teams to Premie League playoffs
The Premier League of Belize 2017-2018 Opening Season regular competition came to an end over the last weekend with a number of games on the schedule. On Saturday 11th November, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan, the defending champions and current leaders in this year’s competition, Bandits Sports won handily over the visiting Wagiya by the score of 7-2. Meanwhile, at the MCC Grounds, the Belize Defence Force FC blanked the Freedom Fighters by the score of 7-0. At the end of the regular season, the following teams, Bandits Sports, Verdes FC, Belize Defence Force FC and the San Pedro Pirates have qualified for the semi-finals of this year’s competition. The semi-finals will commence this coming weekend.

National Elite Basketball League season to open January 18, 2018
The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) will be tipping off its fifth consecutive season on Thursday, January 18, 2018, as the defending champions, Belmopan Bandits, will host the sub-champions San Pedro Tiger Sharks. The game will be played at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan, with tip-off time being 8:30 p.m. The upcoming season will have 8 teams. Six (6) of the teams from last season will return to participate in the upcoming season. These teams are Orange Walk Running Rebels, Belize Hurricanes, San Pedro Tiger Sharks, Belmopan Bandits, Cayo Western Ballaz and Dangriga Dream Ballers. Belize City No Limit has changed management and their new team name is Belize City Defenders. The eight team participating will be Agharta, which is a team from Chetumal, Mexico.

CONCACAF Women’s Football Day to celebrate on Saturday 18th November
CONCACAF Women’s Football Day (WFD) is celebrated every year in the month of November. This year the third CONCACAF Women’s Football Day will be celebrated on Saturday November 18, 2017. The focus for this year is on the younger generation. The aim is to consolidate a platform for the sustainable growth of women’s football within the country. November 18 is the official kick-off preparations for the CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship. This tournament is all about player development, exposing young girls to what football offers on and off the field, it is an opportunity to see what skills they need in order to reach the next level.

CYDP Peace Cup Football competition rolls on
The Conscious Youth Development Programme 2017 Peace Cup Football competition rolls on at the MCC Grounds. On Saturday 11th November, in the first of three games played, FC Elite defeated King’s Park Strikers by the score of 6-0. The goals for FC Elite were scored by Marlon Gutierrez, Walter Bernardez (2) and Mangar Hernandez. In game two, Stars Academy edged out Police Street FC by the score of 2-1. The goals for Stars Academy were scored by Shemar Thompson while Tarique Ceigo scored for Police Street FC.

Football Federation of Belize to hold 11th Ordinary Congress
The Football Federation of Belize is pleased to inform the general public and the football world that it will be holding its 11th Ordinary Congress on Saturday 2nd December, 2017, at 10:00 am at the Ramada Belize City Princess on Newtown Barracks in Belize City. The high point of the 11th Ordinary Congress will be the elections of the President and Vice President of the Football Federation of Belize. The Football Federation of Belize Electoral Committee has reviewed the nominations and secondments submitted by the Football Federation of Belize General Secretary and the following persons have met the criteria as defined by the Football Federation of Belize Statues Article 32.4

“OFF WITH HER HEAD!” SHOUTED THE VERY ANGRY PEOPLE
When she was told that the PEOPLE had no bread, her reply was:” Let them eat cake.” Bread is flour, water, yeast and salt. A PEOPLE so poor as not to have the necessities for bread making will find it impossible to make the much more expensive cake! Well, King Louis XVI was put to death first and then Queen Marie Antoinette was guillotined. Repudiation by the PEOPLE! The Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, Press and Church lead the PEOPLE; but sometimes the PEOPLE take things into their own hands- outside of peaceful elections! The French revolution of 1789 is the best example that I know of! The residents of the Jewel are absolutely NOT happy with the flight of BILLIONS associated with Ralph and Said. We are angry at the loss of our dough, bread, notes, money… Similarly, Ashcroft gets us extremely angry and we are totally fed up with his instrument Eamon! Trombones steal notes! We are very unfortunate in Belize to have been burned over and over by members of the Trombone Family that does everything possible, to take away our Belizean notes. We rebel against that Family!

Words of Life with Pastor Barry Fraser
In Ephesians chapter 6, verse 18, the Apostle Peter encourages us: “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” When it comes to setting time to pray to God most of us have trained ourselves to do that. However to get to a deeper more mature level in Jesus Christ, we need to move a step further into praying all day. This is what helps us to remain centered on Jesus Christ, and hear Him throughout the day.

The Hon. Patrick Faber
Some supporters of the United Democratic Party don’t appreciate when I get too candid in my opinions, since l tend to be blunt at times. But that is why I support the UDP; this Party allows, encourages even, differences of opinions and hearty discussion. Even so, I don’t want anyone to take this essay the wrong way. At first, my acceptance of Hon. Faber as Deputy Party Leader was lukewarm, to say the least. This may be as a result of his challenge to OW’s Gapi Vega at Ricalde’s stadium in Corozal town for the post of UDP Deputy Party Leader, we from the North did not like the idea that both the seats of PL and DPL should be from the City. So we all thought of him as being too cocky and too pushy, too soon.

How the music you listen to affects your life experiences
I’m a big fan of music, and I listen to a variety of genres and tunes throughout my day. Since music is such a big part of my life, and yours too I would bet, I thought it would be interesting and useful to find out if music has any effect on our personalities, our behavior and our moods. Many people regularly talk about how music affect the personality and lifestyle of its listeners, ranging from classroom debates to lobbyists lobbying to legally ban or restrict certain kinds of music. While most will agree to the obvious that music does have immediate effects on our thoughts, emotion and mood while being listened to some believe that there is evidence to suggest that the influence reaches deeper. As it turns out recent studies have shown that musical preference may show the listener’s personality, and in turn, affect the personality of a person as well.

Breaking Belize News

Research from Belize Sheds Light on how to Better Manage Small-Scale Fisheries
Small-scale fisheries are critically important for the provision of food security, livelihoods, and economic development for […]

Ministries of Agriculture, Education, and Health sign memo of agreement to strengthen school feeding program
A new cooperation agreement to foster the strengthening of the School Feeding Program in Belize […]

PM Barrow departs country on personal leave
The Office of the Prime Minister informs that PM Barrow departed the country today, November […]

Mexican Embassy honors Garifuna Culture
The Embassy of Mexico in Belize, in collaboration with the National Garifuna Council, Belize City […]

Dangriga man found dead on beach
Yesterday evening around 4:40, police visited the Bar Mouth area on the beach in Dangriga […]

Minor reports statutory rape
According to police, a 12-year-old girl and her mother visited the Ladyville police station and […]

Gun and ammo found in Bullet Tree village
Yesterday, San Ignacio police conducted a search in an abandoned lot in Bullet Tree Falls […]

Santa Elena Chinese restaurant robbed of cash and gun
According to police, Chinese businessman Zhong An Ruan, 37, the owner of New Flavor Restaurant […]

Taiwan to donate $1 million for equipment to Belize Police Department
Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, at the invitation of the Government […]

UB nursing graduates who pursued Regional Nursing Examination Course succeed
The Regional Exam for Nurse Registration (RENR) was approved by the Conference of Ministers Responsible […]

BELTRAIDE’s business hackathon finalists selected
BELTRAIDE conducted the first pitch of this year’s national business hackathon on November 13th as […]

Special Envoy for Women and Children attends Cancer Summit in Mexico
The Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow was in Mexico City recently […]

Two men stabbed in Belize City
On Tuesday, David Williams and David Phillips reported to police that they were socializing on […]

Blogs

The Truck Stop, Turkey Dinner Lunch and The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue HERE on Ambergris Caye
The town is back in FULL swing. New businesses are opening, all those that closed for vacation or refurbishing are back open and Ambergris Caye seems like it is bustling. But before I get to any of that there is some SERIOUS excitement in Belize. THE SIX MODEL FINALISTS FOR THE 2018 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT ISSUE ARE HERE ON AMBERGRIS CAYE. Meet them all here.

The season for sun worshiping on Ambergris Caye is near and a professional statue offers some tips
You know how you can be in a certain situation and all of a sudden, boom, a solution appears right at your fingertips? And sometimes, you are in a situation — and not even aware of it until the solution appears? I’m talking, of course, about the recent New York Times Magazine “Tip” article, “How to Stand Still.” The article interview John Eicke, a German whose resume lists his major skill as “living statue.” I’m sure the NYT had no idea how relevant such an article would be to a guy who lives on a tropical island off the coast of Belize, especially now that the rainy season is almost over. I too have been mistaken for a statue.

List of the Best Luxury Hotels in Belize
Before you go, check out our Ultimate List of Best Luxury Hotels in Belize for recommendations that include rates, locations, and great reviews. This article will help you with your stay! Browse through our best hotel finds in these top cities that cover: Belize City | San Ignacio | Orange Walk Town | Belmopan | Hopkins | San Pedro. Belize, located in the heart of America, is a country that holds part of the Central American jungles and the Carribean Sea. Also the home of the Ancient Mayan civilization, the wanderer will never run out of adventures and cultures to explore!

The start of high season in Placencia, Belize is an exciting time of year!! Here's some new can't miss ideas...
If you follow our Facebook page, you'll see all the new and exciting things to look forward to for this upcoming high season! If you visited in October, you may have seen/heard all the painting and updating many businesses do right before reopening in November. Below is some new information and images of what is new for this upcoming season! Here for Thanksgiving? Check out this locally famous spot to try a Belize Thanksgiving dinner!Back by popular demand Cliff's delicious finga licking turkey dinner sale Thanksgiving Day Thursday November 23rd at Nite Wind Tours next to the old shell service station.Super moist oven baked turkey served with coconut rice and beans,real Belizean Christmas ham,potato salad,homemade stuffings and gravy and cranberry sauce.Price $15.00bz per plate.Place your orders here or call Ms. D at 660-6333.

Culturally Unique Hopkins
One place that pops up on the radar after a long scenic drive down the Hummingbird Highway is Hopkins Village. Located eight miles south of Dangriga and four miles off the highway, Hopkins is fascinating. A red dirt road, with more than its share of bumps along the way, leads to brick, thatched and wooden homes. The breeze that blows in comes from the Caribbean Sea, its waves crashing onto brown sugar-like sand, so thick your feet sink in, the footprints washed away almost as soon as they’re made. The clip-clopping of horse hooves fill the air, and soon, two animals race down the beach, ridden by young boys out for a jaunt.

“This Lifestyle Isn’t Available at any Price in the U.S.”
“We have been traveling to Belize since 1997 and have never found a country with more caring, welcoming, and positive people,” says Lisa Cyrier. “And it’s gorgeous, too. We can travel from the beach to the rainforest in just a few hours. And the tropical climate suits us just fine.” For three years now, Lisa and her husband Ronnie, have made their home on the island of Ambergris Caye. But this couple aren’t ones for just lazing on a beach all day. They enjoy an impressive array of water-based activities on Ambergris. “We can take our pick from snorkeling, kayaking, boating, fishing, or maybe we’ll take the paddle boards out,” says Lisa. “We aren’t fully retired yet, so we can’t spend all day, every day just lounging around. But I can’t imagine a more wonderful place to hang out. Some days, the weather and the water are just too hard to resist, so we go play. Freedom is the key, and we have set up our lives to allow plenty of freedom to do what we want to do, when we want to do it.

Belize’s Cheese Revolution
“Cheese is milk’s leap towards immortality,” wrote the iconic American intellectual and TV host Clifton Fadiman. We at Ka’ana couldn’t agree more. The dairy delicacy, which dates back over 7,000 years, truly is one of humanity’s most timeless culinary infatuations. And that goes for in Belize too. Travelers are often surprised to find that here in the tropics, we too have a growing appreciation for it. We all love our queso fresco, but, recently, the region has developed a growing taste for more international styles of cheeses. It’s a veritable dairy revolution! Two of the leaders of Belize’s cheese revolution are Chris and Sue Harris, who moved to Belize in the early 2000s from the UK. In 2013, they founded White Rock Farm, a 15-acre mixed-use plot near Belmopan, and have since become regional leaders in craft cheese production. We love to visit their shop, where you can choose from a constantly rotating roster of small-batch, artisanal cheeses made from the milk of either the Harriss’s own goats or of their neighbors’ jersey cows. Highlights we’ve loved during past visits have included nutty Gloucester, Italian-style bel paese, tangy chevre and a signature blue. While many of the cheeses change throughout the year, some form of traditional English county cheese is always available.

12 Reasons You Won’t Want To Spend Your Winter In Belize!
Some people love winter, some of us think winter downright stinks. It gets cold, in some places there’s snow – blizzards, icy roads and all that iciness. You gotta layer up to the point that you look like some sort of nylon turkey, and even so your fingers and toes can hardly stay warm. Spending winter in Belize is no cake walk either, it’s quite the challenge! Weather is possibly the most quintessential thing to consider when planning a vacation. Why go temple trekking in India during monsoon season right? Anyway – As with anywhere during winter, Belize gets cold… like 60 degrees cold, insane right? How are we supposed to go for rain forest hikes in weather that will keep us at comfortable temperatures, Let alone go to the beach! (more on that later). If you want to see the REAL weather situation in Belize, click HERE.

International Sources

Five more hot-spots for well-to-do snowbirds
Sun-seeking retirees who are not pinching pennies have plenty of options for escaping winter. Luxury amenities, private beaches and championship golf courses are waiting in out-of-the way destinations throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. "Life in Latin countries is less hectic than in North America, and you have room to stretch free here in every way," says Sergio Llach, director of Sotheby's International Realty in the Dominican Republic. Ambergris Caye, Belize: This island off Belize's eastern shore is perfect for an upscale tropical getaway. Part of the Belize Barrier Reef, the Caye and its central town of San Pedro are seeing more development, services and amenities, says Kristin Fisher, owner of Sotheby's International Realty in Belize. "We now enjoy a Saturday morning farmers market, daily yoga, wine bars, coffee shops and even a sushi bar," she says. The area is especially remarkable, though, for being part of one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, spanning 300 kilometres along the coast. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a breeding ground for turtles and other sea life.

2017 High Level Caribbean Forum: Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience
Opening Remarks by Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director. Good morning, Bonjour. Welcome to the 2017 High Level Caribbean Forum, Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience. I am very glad to see old friends, and new faces. Thank you all for sharing your time with us today. I would also like to thank the Government of Jamaica for its warm hospitality, and Prime Minister Holness for his strong support of the Forum. The annual Forum is an important platform for brainstorming and collaborating with key stakeholders on the challenges facing the region and the possible solutions to address them.

ECLAC sheds light on structure of Caribbean economies at Belize conference
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) sub-regional headquarters for the Caribbean discussed the relationship between debt accumulation, the external sector deficit and lack of robust growth in the Caribbean at a recent meeting in Belize. ECLAC’s deputy director, Dr Dillon Alleyne, attended the 49th Annual Monetary Conference, which took place in Belize City from 8-10 November 2017, and presented a paper on strategies to model Caribbean economies in light of the emphasis on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The response to the Caribbean’s high debt burden has thus far focused on raising taxes and curbing expenditure, despite sluggish domestic and external demand, in order to reduce government’s borrowing requirements and stabilise the debt overhang.

Belize on Fodor’s 2018 Go List
Belize is number 10 on Fodor's 2018 Go List, their list of must visit places around the world. Once again, Cayo's SIRH gets top billing, as do the caves in the area. "Ancient Mayan secrets are being unearthed daily at historical locales all over the country. Chances are, you will see a team of archeologists at any of Belize’s Mayan dig sites during your visit. Part Caribbean and part Central America, Belize feels untouched by the rest of the planet, making it seem like a true getaway. In today’s world, how much longer will we be able to find a destination so unplugged? In the heart of the jungle, San Ignacio Resort Hotel features top-of-the-line rooms, friendly staff, and even a medicinal jungle trail."

Videos

November 16, 2017

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, and other specials

Misc Belizean Sources

SBDC Workshop: Customer Service for Management and Business Owners
Presented by: Ms. Monique Usher, Business Advisor SBDCBelize, Beltraide. Location: BTEC Building, ITVET Campus, Belize City. Workshop Date: November 23rd, 2017. Time: 9am to 3pm. This training seminar on providing good customer service gives you the skills you need to communicate professionally, gain respect, enhance customer relationships and secure an overall competitive advantage through customer service excellence.

American crocodile on Turneffe Atoll using a coral nursery table as cover
Just like a lot of other species, crocs use and rely on our reefs here in Belize and it's up to us to protect this amazing resource.

Free Legal Advice
San Pedro residents... Nov. 17th, San Pedro Town Hall. 9:30am - 3pm. People will be seen on a first come first served basis. Questions? 625-9221

Maimouna Youssef and Friends in Belize City
Are you ready for Maimouna Youssef and Friends? They are hours away from landing in Belize. We invite everyone to pickup their tickets from the Bliss Centre or contact us to attend the FREE Belize City concert on Thursday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. It will be lots of fun with an opening performance by 'Di Maroons' of Belize City!!

Pest and Disease Management approach in the Sugar Industry of Belize
Part of SIRDI’s commitment to introduce Best Practices to the sugarcane farming community is now showcasing a new video presentation on the topic of Integrated Pest and Disease Management. The video describes the number of pests of economic value to farmers with emphasis on the Frog hopper. This pest is the major cause of lower yields and poor quality of sugarcane delivered to the mill. Its control is highlighted by using integrated pest management practices to control it and emphasizes that chemical control is the last line of attack. Integrated pest management is the most ecologically approved method to control pests and diseases and makes the most sense in a quality improvement program of management of sugarcane production. The video was produced by SIRDI and BSI/ASR and aired using funds provided by the IDB/MIF project “Creating a Sustainable Sugarcane Industry in Northern Belize”.

The National Channel ticket giveaway for San Pedro Pirates FC vs Belmopan Bandits SC
In Ambergris Stadium. San Pedro. Be the first and you get your ticket!

Exhibitors at World GIS Day
OA Form 2 Geography students showcased real-world uses of mapping technology. OA shared how tracking manatee locations is important for the creation of “no wake” zones, and they also discussed liquid and solid waste management site locations and transport. Hundreds of Belize City students attend this event, so OA students gained excellent practice in communication and presentation skills!

ayor Daniel Guerrero visits Chetumal bringing earthquake aid
On Monday, November 13, 2017, Mayor Daniel Guerrero visited Chetumal, Q. Roo to deliver boxes of canned items and rice to help aid the earth quake victims in México. Also accompanying the mayor was president of the San Pedro Red Cross, Mr. Eiden Salazar, the Mayor's wife, the Mayor's secretary and members of the San Pedro Red Cross, Nissan Zuniga and Ashty Dennison. Before handing over the items, the Mayor made a few protocolary visits, which included a visit to the person in charge of the Customs department at the Santa Elena border. The next visit included a visit to the Mayor of Othon P. Blanco, Ing. Luis Torres Llanes where he gave a warm welcome to Mayor Daniel Guerrero and his accompanying guests. They discussed the strong relationship that Belize, and especially San Pedro Town, holds with the city of Chetumal and its neighboring municipalities of X'Calak and Mahahual.

New roundabout coming to Corozal

Caye Caulker Papsmear Drive Nov 24 & 25
Cancer Society along with Ministry of Health will be having a Papsmear drive on November 24th and 25th 2017 from 8a.m to 5p.m at the Caye Caulker Health Center. See you there!

Power outage scheduled for a portion of Stann Creek District on Thursday, November 16 from 7:00am to 1:00pm
To affect entire Placencia Village and Malacate area of Independence Village. BEL to conduct maintenance and testing of equipment, and install reclosers at Independence Substation.

We are working to produce an Inga Alley Cropping video
Inga alley cropping, an innovative farming technique, could transform the way land is cultivated for food and cash crops in Belize. We are working with 17 farmers to pioneer this farming practice; however, we want it to be adopted beyond the Maya Golden Landscape. We are excited and we will keep you informed on the release date!

DOE's Radio Trivia Week 28
Attention Stann Creek and Toledo residents!!!.... it's your chance this week...

CSEC Examination Grant Application
Are you a student who is planning to take CSEC or BzNVQ examinations or do you know someone who is? Then this message is for you! In keeping with its commitment to provide equitable access to quality education for all Belizeans, the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture (MoEYSC) pays the cost for secondary school students to sit up to six (6) Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and for students at ITVETs to sit up to three (3) Belize National Vocational Qualification (BzNVQ) examinations.

INVITATION FOR PARTICIPATION AT THE 1ST BELIZE TERTIARY OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES EDUCATION EXPO 2018
Be a part of an amazing event!!! The Ministry of Education’s Tertiary Unit cordially invites all institutions that offer financial aid in the form of scholarships or grants for tertiary level studies in Belize or abroad, to participate in the 1st Belize Tertiary Options and Opportunities Education Expo 2018. The Belize TOO Education Expo will be held on January 31, 2018, from 9:00 a.m.-6:00p.m. at the Belize ITVET. This invitation is extended to foreign and local government and non-government organizations, educational institutions, embassies, and private sponsors.

Expanding Belize’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)
The United States and Belize are partnering to upgrade and expand Belize’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). AFIS uses digital imaging to obtain, store, and analyze fingerprint data. Its standard use will make a huge difference in Belize’s ability to use fingerprint evidence in criminal cases. As part of the program, the U.S. Embassy sponsored training for 15 Scenes of Crime technicians and 14 Police Officers on November 13. Our next step is a “train the trainer” course that will start next week.

Belizean Christmas Concert
Alida Sharp and Mervin Budram will be performing their hits at the Belizean Christmas Concert at the George Price Centre on December 8th. Their Christmas album, Belizean Christmas Vol. 1, was released on Sunday.

Institute of Archaeology Notice
16 November 2017. The Nohoch Cheen, ATM and Barton Creek Archaeological Reserves are open. The Xunantunich Archaeological Reserve is closed

Channel 7

Many Bogus Nationality Documents In Circulation
Last week the news was all about Yuanran Zheng, the Chinese man who was caught with a bogus nationality certificate, and Zheng Hui Lin, his Taiwanese-Belizean translator. Zheng left the country on Friday, and, as a Belizean, Lin was free to return to his residence in Camalote after he pleaded guilty to uttering upon a forged document and trying to use that document. But, 7News has learned that after questioning those men, police have gathered information which points to a functioning immigration ring, and, reports suggest it involves senior employees of the Department of Immigration and The Social Security Board. 7News has confirmed that one SSB manager has been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is underway. Board Chairman Doug Singh told us it's not an indictment of this manager, the Board just wants to carry out an investigation without interference.

No Charges For Alleged Armenia Killer
Police haven't yet charged the main suspect in the Armenia murder case. He is a Guatemalan man resident in the village, but there are no charges against him yet because the arresting officer is waiting on a directive from the DPP . As we told you, 28 year old Carlos Albeño left his mother's Armenia house on Friday morning but his body was found on the side of the Hummingbird Highway on Monday evening. He had been shot and killed. Information is that Albeño was killed as a result of a deal gone wrong with an associate. They had gotten their hands on a looted Mayan artifact from a ruin. Albeño allegedly sold it on the black market and didn't share up the monies from the sale with his buddies. A dispute over those proceeds is believed to have led to the murder.

Southern Police Ready to Bring Charges In Accidents
Police expect to charge 42 year old BDF soldier Donald Enriquez tomorrow for causing the death of 34 year old Dangriga resident Hubert Lucas. On Friday night, Enriquez ran over Lucas right in front of the Bowen and Bowen distributor on George Price Drive in Dangriga. In the weekend's other fatal accident in the Stann Creek District, where Placencia couple Mark Leslie and Myrna Vasquez were killed, the driver of the GMC Yukon, Delmar Ortega has been served with a notice of intended prosecution. Ortega remains in the hospital- and could face charges when he comes out. Police say he was overtaking a tractor when he ran into Leslie's car at mile 12 on the Southern Highway.

Dangriga Police Find A Body
A body was found in the seas off the coast of Dangriga this evening. Police retrieved the body about two hours ago in the waters close to "Y-Not" island, near the market. It's too early to tell, but, so far, police suspect the person was swimming when he drowned. The drowning victim had been known to have some mental health issues. Police do not suspect foul play, but a forensic doctor will determine the cause of death.

Pablo Vs. The Pharmacists
Last night on the news you heard from two pharmacists coming out of the recently formed Belize Community Pharmacists Association. They say that with the new regulations implemented by the Ministry of Health at the start of this month, you won't be able to access your regular meds coming out of the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Why? Well, it will be too expensive - if it is available any at all. That's because the ministry now requires what's called a GMP certificate - that's short for good manufacturing practices. But, the pharmacists told us that those developed countries give another kind of certificate, and it's called GDP, short for good distribution practices - which the Ministry no longer accepts. They said that it will create a scarcity of proven and favored pharmaceutical products. Here's how Wayne Vernon from Waver Pharmacy put it:..

Man Who Shot At Cops In Cayo On The Run
Gerson Espinoza Medina is still on the run. He is the brazen Honduran national who pulled a gun on Cayo police on Friday night. Police had pulled him over on Loma Luz Boulevard to search him. Medina came out of his vehicle and allegedly tried to bribe the officers. That didn't work and the officers told him he was under arrest and that is when Medina pulled out a gun. One of the officers tried to wrest the gun away from Medina and in that struggle it went off. Medina escaped but not before firing two shots at the police. Police returned fire but Medina got away. Police are still looking for him and suspect he may have been grazed by a bullet.

Lamppost Collision Didn't Kill Capital Cabbie
Belmopan taxi driver Preston Coleman died of a heart attack at the wheel. It wasn't a car accident – he died before the car came to a stop at the lamppost. As we told you, Coleman was in his taxi driving along the San Martin Road when his heart failed. No one knows what triggered this heart attack but family says he got his first heart attack about 13 years ago and that severely affected his heart and he was also a diabetic. Coleman was a well-known taxi man in Belmopan and he worked as a security guard at the Belmopan Comprehensive School for 10 years.

Charged For Chopping Two Friends
At 1:00 yesterday morning, 24 year old David Williams and 37 year old David Phillips were socializing in front of Phillips tom eon Central American Boulevard when a man attacked them with a machete. But received cut wounds on their hands and arms. Phillips got the worst of it and his injury was classified as grievous harm. Today, the alleged culprit 23 year old AYMON FLORES appeared in court where he was arraigned on charges of "Use of Deadly Means of Harm & Grievous Harm." He was offered bail of $1,000 and his case was adjourned until January 31st.

Curlan To Court For March Attack
28 year old Curlan Phillips is on remand tonight for attempted murder. Phillips was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. He is accused of shooting Freedom Street resident Inmar Welch in March of this year. Welch was hanging out in front of a house on Jones Street when Phillips allegedly drove by, came out of his vehicle and shot at Welch hitting him in his lower back. Today in court Phillips asked for leniency because he says he has a 2 year old son who has heart problems and he is the only one to take care of him. But he did not produce anything to prove this. He also said that the case was settled out of court. But regardless of his statements, he was he was remanded into custody until January 29.

The Sweet Science of Sugar
Last night, we brought you coverage of the latest cost-saving measures that the sugar cane farmers and the millers are about to roll out for the next crop season. 6 of the 18 reaping groups from Corozal and Orange Walk, representing all 3 cane farming associations, will participate in the first phase of the Pre-Harvest Cane Quality Program. The technicians who work in the sugar industry want to give all farmers a system of telling exactly when to cut their cane, for optimal quality. Tonight, we have the full story, and Daniel Ortiz reports: Yesterday in Guinea Grass, the leaders of 6 harvesting groups, representing all 3 cane farmer associations, stepped forward to sign up for the Pre-Harvest Cane Quality Program. For this upcoming harvesting season, these 6 test groups are going to be trained in the science of getting the sweetest sugar from their cane.

BSCFA and ASR/BSI Make Peace, Quietly
So, as you can see, those who earn a living from sugar are doing all they can to ensure that Belize's product can compete with the Beet Sugar from European farmers. Their low cost production is driving the world price for sugar down, and right now, it's as much as 10 US dollars lower per pound than last year. So, the projected financial impact of that trend probably helped convince the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association to sign a revised commercial agreement with ASR/BSI. As we told you, there had been a brewing dispute between the BSFCA and the millers, over the 2015 cane purchase agreement. BSI wanted to remove the three-year opt-out clause and allow the contract to run for its full term until 2022. But, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association did not want to get locked in like that.

Hulse Back At The Senate, Stays On Defence
After a week's break, Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse was today called to testify a second time in the Senate Hearings on Immigration. You'll remember how the Senate Select Committee grilled him on a great many topics within his ministerial portfolio, and a number of the cases of irregularities flagged by the Auditor General in her reports. In the hearing from 2 weeks ago, they asked him about things that shouldn't have happened under his watch as the substantive minister. But in today's hearing, he was in the hot seat for nationality documents he signed for persons who did not qualify. You'll remember the cases of Randall James Davis and Charles Francis Knoll Jr., who both entered Belize in September 2012. And in only 3 months, they were given Belizean nationality and Belizean passports they certainly didn't qualify for.

Mr. Hulse and Mr. Tien
The Senate Select Committee also questioned him about a note he wrote on November 29, 2012 to the former Acting Director of Immigration, Maria Marin. In it, he instructs quote, "Ms. Marin, Mr. Roger Tien will be applying for visas for visitors from Mainland, China. Kindly peruse and facilitate if all is in order." End quote. Apparently, this "Mr. Roger Tien" approached the Immigration Department at that time asking them to approve visas for persons who were supposed to visit to look at prospective investment opportunities. The Auditor General then flagged the visa applicants because their names then showed up on Nationality applications, documents that they didn't qualify for.

Re-thinking Public Service Commission
And one part of today's hearing which caught our attention was Hulse's conversation with the Senate Committee about the Public Service Commission. You'll remember his very strong comments against the Commission for the tribunal's decision to reinstate the immigration officers who were suspected being culpable for the Won Hong Kim Passport scandal. Well, the Senators brought that topic back up today, and they asked him about the dilemma of holding public officers responsible for wrongdoings versus trying to protect rights to natural justice.

Making GIS Relevant
Today, in countries all across the world, fairs and expos were held to educate the public about Geographical Information Systems, and all the things these systems do that you might not be aware of. 7News visited the annual EXPO here in Belize City and learnt about the useful program. This morning students, educators, and the general public from all over the country crammed into a room at the Ramada Hotel to attend a fair highlighting the great benefits that the Geographic Information System has to offer. The name sounds complex but it is actually a pretty basic system that has made life easier for many companies and people all around the world. How does it do that? Well, one of the GIS experts told us exactly how. "

Caught With Cannabis in Caulker
Yesterday afternoon Caye Caulker police conducted a search at the second story flat of 57-year-old Timothy Stapleton and they found 64.8 grams of cannabis on a table. Police found Stapleton along with 30-year-old Bernardo Teul and 25-year-old Raphael Erebua. Now, under the new law, you might say they were allowed 10 grammes each, but that only counts when it's a total of ten grammes or less. So there's no discounting the quantity for personal possession, meaning that in this case, the heavier charge of trafficking is used for 60 grammes and above. With that, all three were charged for drug trafficking.

Man Accused of Molesting Girl
A man was charged with two counts sexual assault for molesting a 9 year old girl. Today 31 year old gas attendant Orlando Fisher pled not guilty to the charges. He was denied bail and remanded into custody until February 15th. The incident happened on October 17th. The little girl reported that while she was in a house on North Creek Road, Fisher fondled her.

High School, High Culture
At this time of year, you can bet you will start to see Christmas lights, decorations and everything you need for the season in stock at every store. But before we get to loading up on the ham and turkey, there is an observance that always starts off the end of year festivities with a bang, and that is Garifuna Settlement Day on the 19th. This morning in that strong Garifuna cultural spirit, Wesley College had a celebration of their own: Courtney Weatherburne: "You said it is pretty much a cultural day commemorating and celebrating the Garifuna culture?" Edison Ogaldez - Head of Department, Social Sciences: "Yes it is that and more, we respect the other cultures and so today we re-enacted the Yuremi, we just arrived and we are now going through the service. It is something that we try to do yearly and we have succeeded since we started."

Briceno Wants Answers From BIL
Leader of the Opposition John Briceno wants some answers from BIL. Two weeks ago, he wrote to Deputy Prime Minster Patrick Faber as co-chair of Belize Infrastructure Limited asking for audited accounts, all projects, proof of public tendering, and all contracts. Today the PUP sent the media the letter, noting that "there has been no response from the D.P.M., not even an acknowledgment of receipt." In his letter, Briceno alleges that works completed under BIL's supervision have poor design, lack of proper execution and will result in losses of public funds.

Making Right On Muffles
On Monday we told you about the NSSSA volleyball national tournament. But, we made an error naming the competitors in the female competition. We reported that it was Saint Catherines Academy against Muffles for the finals when it was actually SCA against Stann Creek Ecumenical High School. SCA emerged victorious. We apologize for the mix-up. Muffles Bobcats won 3rd place in the male category.

Channel 5

Godwin Hulse Says Questionable Guate-Belizeans Can’t Vote in I.C.J. Referendum
After a week’s hiatus, the Senate Special Select Committee returned with Minister of Immigration and Nationality Senator Godwin Hulse facing his Senate colleagues in the chair once again.  Over three [...]

Immigration & Foreign Affairs Moving Slowly on Verification of Renunciation Process
That announcement came during an extensive discussion of the countries’ relations in terms of Guatemalans becoming Belizean citizens.  Hulse told the Committee that previously, Guatemala simply accepted the Belizean renunciation [...]

Are ‘Canceled’ Nationalities, Passports Still Being Used?
The Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Senator Godwin Hulse, is the final authority on the granting of nationality certificates. In the Auditor General’s special report, two cases were cited of [...]

Recommenders for Nationality Must Come Out in the Open
In light of the many problems with recommenders for nationality and other Immigration problems, Minister Hulse readily agreed that a recommendation should be made that recommenders present themselves in person [...]

5 Years Later, Still No Solution on Peter Dahlstrom’s Citizenship by Marriage
As noted by Minister Hulse, the case of Swedish national Peter Dahlstrom was one of those that made the news. He married the sister of Kim Simplis Barrow more than [...]

Won Hong Kim Could Evade Gazette Publication for Nationality
P.U.P. Senator Eamon Courtenay questioned Minister Hulse on the matter of the composition of the Nationality Committee, which considers the qualifications of applicants, as well as the publication of names [...]

The “Culture” of Ministerial Recommendations
Those members of Cabinet who have appeared before the Senate Special Select Committee continuously contend that their recommendations for persons to acquire visas, permanent residence, passports and even nationality should [...]

What’s Happened to the Commercial Center
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley is coming to the end of his two terms in office, that’s six years at the helm of City Hall.  Now, he has undertaken massive [...]

Guatemalan Resident of Armenia Held Pending Murder Charge
A Guatemalan national, who resides in Armenia Village, remains in police custody tonight pending directives from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions if charges should be laid on [...]

City Resident Remanded on Sexual Assault Charge
Tonight, thirty-one-year-old Orlando Fisher of Belize City is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being denied bail for the alleged sexual abuse of a nine-year-old child on two [...]

Machete Attack Leads to Charges
An alleged machete wielding attacker was arraigned this morning in court. He is twenty-two-year-old Aaron Flores of Gentle Street, Belize City, who is charged with grievous harm and use of [...]

Trio Charged for Caye Caulker Drug Offence
Police have arrested and charged three Caye Caulker residents for a drug offence.  Around two-thirty on Tuesday afternoon, Police searched the home of fifty-seven-year-old Timothy Stapleton where they found sixty-five [...]

No Ease for Ex-Servicemen Manager – She Must Pay to Park
Congestion and an overall lack of adequate parking along Newtown Barracks in the vicinity of B.T.L. Park, continues to be a problem for patrons of the various establishments along the [...]

Zoning Contributing to Parking Problem
The challenge, according to Mayor Bradley, is that a lack of zoning forces motorists to compete for public parking and that buildings should have been erected with a private parking [...]

New Belizean Tops Regional Nurse Examinations
The results of the Regional Exam for Nurse Registration were released the week and it shows an impressive performance by the students of the University of Belize.  The Caribbean Examination [...]

Diabetes Association Now Has Branch in Corozal
On Tuesday, we shared the staggering diabetes statistics. Latest numbers show that the disease is on the rise in Belize and that more than fifty-thousand persons are afflicted.  During World [...]

World Geographic Information System Day Expo Targets Schools
Young minds gathered today in Belize City at the start of an expo that showcases how the use of technology can result in efficiency. GIS, or Geographic Information System, is [...]

Celebrating Culture and Music at Stella Maris
Cultural activities are taking place around the country to celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day. Over at Stella Maris today in Belize City, we found the young children celebrating four other cultures [...]

CTV3

Guatemala Changes Referendum Date
Guatemala has changed the date on which it will hold a Referendum on whether to take their claim of Belize’s entire territory before the International Court of Justice to adjudicate. In mid-October Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal announced that it would be holding that exercise on Sunday, March 18, 2018. The date was later approved by Guatemala’s Congress and plans have moved forward. But Guatemalan officials have had to deal with their first hurdle – which is that that Sunday will be an important day for Catholics worldwide who will be celebrating Lent season. The specific date will be the Fifth Sunday of Lent and the fear for officials is that citizens would be dissuaded from participating in the political process. As a result, the date was changed to April 15, 2018.

LOVE FM

Chinese Man ordered to leave Belize
Forty-five-year-old Chinese national Yuanran Zheng, was given the order to leave the country last week which he did. Zheng is the man who was caught attempting to obtain a Social Security Card using a phony nationality certificate. He was arrested, charged and later arraigned in Belmopan Magistrate court for the crimes of uttering upon a […]

“Sweet Sampling for Sweet Returns”
“Sweet Sampling for sweet returns”, that’s the slogan for the new pre-harvesting quality testing program to be implemented in the coming sugar crop. The program is a collaborative effort among BSI/ASR, the three cane farmer associations, the Sugar Cane Production Committee and the Hershey Company. The program aims to have mature sugar cane tested before […]

BSI/ASR looks for New Market
BSI/ASR now has the full cooperation of the three cane farmers associations as they move forward with the project of producing more direct consumption sugar. BSI/ASR is investing twenty-two million dollars in BSI to increase the production of direct consumption sugars that fetch higher prices on the world market and especially the EU market. The […]

EU’s Sugar Reform will cause Sugar Prices to Fall
The new sugar crop is almost here, and as stakeholders in the industry continue to work towards improving their product, the imminent lower paychecks lie ahead. Again these are due largely to the sugar reforms in the European market. It became effective in October this year, and at the final payment for the last sugar […]

McLachlan: “We have no problem in exchanging information about pricing”
At a recent meeting, the People’s United Party’s Northern Caucus passed three resolutions relating to the sugar industry. The PUP has agreed to support the amendment to the Sugar Industry Act which seeks to establish a Marketing Committee comprised of all stakeholders. The PUP is of the view that a ceiling to the sugar cane […]

Briceno: BIL’s Negligence has caused Millions in Loss to Public Purse
The leader of the Opposition, John Briceno, says that Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber has yet to answer a letter he sent two weeks ago. The letter is with respect to Belize Infrastructure Limited, BIL, which is Co-Chaired by Minister Faber. In his letter, Briceno writes quote, “Recent revelations suggested that through its negligence, millions […]

Guyana chooses the ICJ to Solve Border Problem
Belize and Guyana are both former British colonies who have border disputes with their neighbours. The unfounded Guatemalan claim over a portion of Belize has been well documented and it is expected that a referendum on the matter will take place. Meanwhile, for Guyana, Venezuela is claiming over 40 percent of the country. Love News […]

Man sacrificed to realize Dream
This year, 47 men and women sat the Regional Exam for Nurse Registration which is administered by the Caribbean Examination Council, CXC. The students who successfully completed the exams are from the University of Belize. Hipolito Novelo reports. Eight years ago, Bonaventure Nwangwu traveled to Belize from Nigeria. Bonaventure Nwangwu, Nursing Student, U.B. “When I […]

Dr. Marques: ICA is ready to help TCGA
The Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture is prepared to assist the Toledo Cacao Growers Association. Correspondent Paul Mahung has the story. Paul Mahung, Love FM “The message of preparedness to help the Toledo Cacao Growers Association in its revitalizing efforts was mentioned at TCGA’s recent annual general meeting by Inter-American Institute for Cooperation […]

Matachica Resort and Spa makes the Top Ten List for Central America
Located on Ambergris Caye, Matachica Resort and Spa has been named as one of the Top Ten resorts in Central America in the 2017 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. The award celebrates outstanding properties from every region of the globe using feedback from its readers to decide upon the winning properties. For the 30th […]

Belize celebrates GIS Day
Today Belize joined the world in celebrating GIS Day. The day provides for a forum for users of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society. The expo here in Belize was organized by Total Business Solutions Limited. Hipolito Novelo reports. “Students from across the country […]

One Suspect detained in connection with Murder in Armenia
Belmopan Police have detained one suspect in connection with the murder of Carlos Navarro of Armenia Village. On Monday, Navarro’s partially decomposed body was found about one hundred and fifty yards off a feeder Road off the Hummingbird Highway. A post-mortem conducted certified the cause of death as gunshot injuries to the chest.

Fisher charged with Sexual Assault
Thirty-one-year-old Orlando Fisher, a gas attendant at 1700 North Creek Road, was charged with two counts of sexual assault when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser. He pled not guilty to the charges. He was denied bail and he was remanded into custody until February 15. The incident occurred on October 17. […]

Phillips charged with Attempted Murder
Twenty-eight-year-old Curlan Phillips, who allegedly shot Inmar Welch, was charged with attempted murder when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. Phillips was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. Senior Magistrate Ford told him that he will have to give her special reasons for her to grant him […]

UNDP Speaks Out Against Corruption
UNDP continues its campaign to bring awareness to the topic of corruption. The present campaign is targeting students. Today the team stopped in at a high school in Belmopan. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. Fem Cruz “In celebrating International Anticorruption Day which is on the 9th of December Karen Bernard Deputy Resident Representative from UNDP along […]

Musical Ambassador shows up for Stella Maris’ Cultural Day
Today, Stella Maris held their cultural day for children to appreciate who they are, as well as to appreciate other individuals, who are different from them. Love News was on hand for the event and spoke with the Principal of Stella Maris, Karema Oshon and Felecia Garbutt, Sewing Teacher about the event. Karema Oshon – […]

Breaking Belize News

Belize Football Woes – the secret ballot and the FFB elections
Between these lines ….“In my opinion, fixing the problems plaguing the Football Federation of Belize […]

Mar Alliance condemns fishers who killed sharks
On Monday, Mar Alliance shared photos of two men posing with two dead sharks on […]

Police make arrest in murder of Armenia villager
Police have made a breakthrough in the murder case of 28-year-old Guatemalan national residing in […]

Government vehicle in accident on Coastal road
According to reports, on Monday evening a Government issued vehicle assigned to the Belmopan Lands […]

Regional Commission on Marijuana to host National Consultations
The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize in collaboration with and under the auspices of CARICOM’s […]

International Sources

Belize Uses Tourism Growth to Shine Spotlight on Caribbean
“Though recent news has been covering the hurricane destruction, we want to shift perceptions to remind travelers that the Caribbean remains open for business,” Karen Bevans, director of tourism for the Belize Tourism Board and vice chairman for the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), told TMR. While Belize, located on the eastern coast of Central America, was spared from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, a number of Caribbean countries in the northern Leeward Islands and the northern Caribbean were not as lucky – many of which are still recovering from the storms a month later. “Because we are in a position to welcome visitors and are experiencing tourism growth, we want to use that bright spot to help others during this difficult time,” Bevans said.

Big, Bold Dreams: The Belize International Film Festival brings the world to Central America
There’s no shortage of film festivals in the world. From the prestige of Cannes, Toronto and Sundance to more regional affairs, on any given weekend any film fan with enough money and free time can hop on a plane and touch down in some city or other where the local cinephile set is celebrating movies from both near and far. But no other festival has a goal quite so noble as that of the Belize International Film Festival: jumpstarting the film industry of its home country. Granted, that’s only of the goals of BIFF, the 12th annual incarnation of which took place in Belize City Nov. 9-12. The plain and simple act of showing good films—like Ryan Suffern’s Steven Spielberg-executive produced documentary Finding Oscar, about Guatemala’s Dos Erres massacre, or Flavio Florencio’s intimate, passionate Made in Bangkok, about the journey of a trans opera singer to undergo sexual-reassignment surgery—is priority number one. But speaking with those on the ground at BIFF—the staff, the volunteers, the attendees—two things come across more than any other: love of Belize and love of film.

Videos

November 15, 2017

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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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Post-mortem results confirm Raimund Kößler was murdered
On Monday, November 13th, the Belize Police Department released the post-mortem results indicating the cause of death of island resident and German attorney, 53-year-old Raimund Kößler (Koessler). According to the examination results, his death was a result of blunt force trauma after suffering a severe injury to the head. His death has been labeled as murder, but so far police have not detained anyone. As police continue investigating, the official police report maintains that the last time Kößler was seen alive was on Sunday evening November 5th at around 10PM at his residence. Several hours later, he was found dead just a block away from his home. The motive is yet unknown. Police identified his injury as a large cut wound to his head, however, the type of weapon or object used in the crime was not revealed.

Despite 2-1 loss to Verdes FC, San Pedro Pirates advance to PLB semi-finals
The San Pedro Pirates Football Club hosted Cayo’s Verdes Football Club on Sunday, November 12th, at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town. It was the last week of regular season games for the Premiere League of Belize (PLB), before the semi-finals begin. The Pirates and Verdes had a tough match, but when the final whistle was blown, it was 2-1 victory for the Verdes. However, despite the loss, the island team managed to squeak into the semi-finals thanks to goal differentials between Police United FC. The first semi-final game between the Pirates and Bandits will be held at the Ambergris Stadium on Sunday, November 19th in San Pedro Town. Kick-off is at 3PM, and all of San Pedro is invited to come out and support its island team.

Ambergris Today

Another Day At The Office
"Another day at the office," comments Chris Summers on his Facebook profile. The island's American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) crocodile hunter seems to be very busy lately. His hands are full with these reptiles appearing in people's backyards, in construction sites and along the roads; or are we encroaching in their natural habitats? Residents know who to call to handle these scary but unique/beautiful creatures that are native to Ambergris Caye.

Matachica Resort & Spa In Top10 For Conde Nast Traveler
Matachica Resort & Spa Named Amongst Top 10 Resorts in Central America in the 2017 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards - Secluded beachfront getaway, Matachica Resort & Spa, in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, is honored to announce they have been named amongst the top ten resorts in Central America in the 2017 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. The award celebrates outstanding properties from every region of the globe using feedback from its reader’s to decide upon the winning properties.

Anti-Corruption Training For Belizean Secondary And Tertiary Students
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Attorney General Ministry of Belize, is delivering anti-corruption training for secondary and tertiary students during November and December in various high schools, junior colleges, and universities across the country. On International Anti-Corruption Day last year, December 9, Belize took a historic step by signing its accession to the United Nations’ Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), becoming the 182nd country worldwide to sign onto this international agreement. As part of the UNCAC implementation process, numerous activities are being held across the country to build awareness among and actively engage youth, women, civil society and other relevant stakeholders on corruption.

Misc Belizean Sources

BELIZE ATTENDS UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE (COP23)
“FASTER COLLECTIVE ACTION TO BUILD RESILENCE:” Hon. Dr. Omar Figueroa, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development, leads a delegation of government officials at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany. The COP23 meeting calls for not only the preservation of the global consensus of the landmark adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement but urges for greater momentum by countries to build resilience and low carbon societies. During the opening ceremonies, H.E. Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and the new President of the COP23 conference, pleaded for faster action as the conference comes on the heels of recent extreme weather events that ravaged hundreds of communities and displaced millions of people in the Caribbean, Asia and the Americas.

BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Andy Palacio
Andy Vivian Palacio, born in Barranco, is a Musical Icon!!! He burst unto the music scene in the 80’s with hits bikinis panty, gimme punta rock, and One of my personal favorites watu! He made hit albums like Nabi: 1990. Kiemoun: 1995. Till da mawnin: Listed as 1 of the 100 essential recordings from Latin America & the Caribbean. 1997 Watina, which blew the world music scene away, was critically acclaimed, his most globally successful album and one of the greatest albums ever released by a Belizean. 2007 was the year of Andy Palacio He won countless awards for Wátina including Order of meritorious service UNESCO artist for peace

UNDP Belize is inviting Belizean musicians to enter its anti-corruption jungle competition
For details see the flyer below or visit www.bz.undp.org. Deadline is November 30th.

Orphaned margay
Brief patient update and news snippet: "Growing up well but post release monitoring is incredibly expensive... Yesterday the orphaned margay was given a health check, microchipped and measured to determine what type of equipment could be used to track him post release next year. He is growing up wild and loves to hunt already. But unfortunately for now he is still too small (he is only 7 months old) and the quotes received are from 2500 - 3700 US$!

JINGLE COMPETITION
Know any aspiring Musicians? UNDP Belize is inviting Belizean Musicians to enter our Anti-Corruption Jingle Competition . Deadline is November 30th. 1st Prize: Vacation to Cancun, Mexico for 2 persons. Round Trip Airfare and one Room in a 4-star hotel included (courtesy of Tropic Air)

Power outage scheduled for a portion of Belize District on Friday, November 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
To affect Los Lagos, Burrel Boom Junction, Sandhill, Maxboro, Gardenia, Biscayne, Crooked Tree, Rhaburn Ridge and all villages along the Old Northern Highway up to Maskall Village. BEL to replace insulators and conduct maintenance works on the power distribution system in the area.

VACANCY: BTB | Industry Relations Officer
Kindly see the link for details and submit all required documents to [email protected].

Are YOU ready to welcome Maimouna Youssef and Friends to Belize this week?
FREE show @ the Bliss in Belize Center, this Thursday, November 16, @7 p.m. You must have a ticket (free) to enter! Here is YOUR chance to WIN a ticket! The first two people to answer this question correctly will WIN a FREE ticket to the SHOW!

BIRD WATCHERS ALERT!
Check out this rare spotting of a summer tanager making appearances around the island. Gorgeous!!!

Regional Commission on Marijuana to Host National Consultations
The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize in collaboration with and under the auspices of CARICOM’s Regional Commission on Marijuana, hereby issues this release to notify all interested parties and stake holders, that the Regional Commission on Marijuana will be hosting National Consultations by way of Focus Group meetings on the 23rd day of November 2017 at the Tapir Room of Best Western Plus, Belize Biltmore Plaza. These consultations will commence promptly at 9:00 a.m. through to 1:30 p.m.

Arms of Love, Cancer Group, will be having turkey dinner sale on Saturday, November 18th, 2017 on Caye Caulker
Also there is still time to get in on our raffle: $5 per raffle 1st prize: 1 basket liqour 1 Baileys 1 Jose Cuervo 1 Cinerator Whiskey 1 Red Wine 1 Jack Daniels 2nd prize: 1 Microwave 3rd prize: 1 Set Comforter Please support a worthy cause!

The third xate assessment has begun in the Chiquibul Forest
The objective will be to validate the status of xate populations in the wild. This activity is funded by the Belize Nature Conservation Foundation.

Rufino's Concerts in Benque Viejo
Rufino's Grand Musical Concert, in support for Needy Children! make it a date and call for reservations!

Day 2 of the course to fight illicit trafficking of antiquities
Brought out prosecutors who spoke on the weaknesses of international laws, customs agents to talk about smuggling, and Carabinieri drone pilots to talk of their experiences in how they monitor illegal activity.

Channel 7

Armenia Villager Murdered By Associate
As we told you last night, a man's body was found in Armenia village. He has been identified as 28 year old Carlos Albeno - and he was shot and killed. At this point, the police are not releasing much information only that they are looking for a Central American man in connection with this incident. Albeno's family also don't know much about what exactly happened and why he was targeted. Courtney Weatehrburne has the story. Yesterday evening Police and villagers swarmed the bushy road side in Armenia Village. They had found 28 year old Carlos Albeno's decomposed body. Today his father and a few friends were back at the scene searching for clues that could lead to Albeno's killer.

Police Investigating Troubling Allegations Against Placencia Community Police
Police are actively investigating the case in Placencia village which we told you about last night. As we reported, community police in Placencia Village took the police cadets - all young boys out on a camping trip over last weekend. The boys allege that the officers forced them to take nude pictures, and made them pay for water and use of the restroom. Very gross abuses and we're told it's a high priority investigation by the office of the Professional Standards Branch - which is herring to finalize the case. Until then, police would not comment on specifics. The professional standards branch is also actively investigating another matter in the Stann Creek District. That is the allegation of a gang rape inside the Independence police station. Three officers of varying ranks are accused of raping two women who were told they were being searched for drugs. Again, police are disclosing very little on this case - but we'll keep following it.

Fatal Accident in Belmopan - Driver May have Had Heart Attack
Last night we told you about three traffic fatalities in the Stann creek District. Tonight, there's another to report - but this one happened in Belmopan where a taxi driver was killed. It happened yesterday afternoon at 3:15 in San Martin village. 55 year old Preston Coleman was driving his Toyota Camry at the corner of San Martin and Argentina Street when he lost control of the vehicle and collided into a wooden lamp post. Police found Coleman lying on the road with a cut to the left side of his chin. Now that's not usually a fatal injury, but our sources say Coleman may have suffered a heart attack which caused the accident. Police have not released any info on that aspect of this case - we'll wait for the result of the post mortem examination.

Police Say No Arrests in Weekend Accidents In Stann Creek
And, in updates on the three other accidents which happened over the past weekend, police say they haven't brought charges yet in either case. The first happened on Friday night where Placencia couple Mark Leslie and Myrna Vasquez were killed. They were in a Toyota Corolla which collided with a GMC Yukon driven by Delmar Ortega which was overtaking. The third vehicle involved was a tractor hauling oranges. Police say that the farmer Cesar Montenegro did not have adequate lights and reflectors. But, up to this evening, no one had been charged. In total, Leslie and Vasquez had four children.

Pharmacists Say New Regs. May affect The Quality of Meds You Buy
The Belize Community Pharmacist's Association is a new group formed in May to look after the interests of those small private pharmacies who are trying to protect their interests in a changing landscape. The main change they faced on the first of November was the Food and Drugs Regulations 2017, which is a new regime of standards for the pharmaceutical industry. Now, standards are a good thing; they make sure that the pharmaceutical products you use are up to mark, and not inferior in anyway. But the Community Pharmacists say that if you are used to products out of the USA and the UK - you may have to find a central American Substitute. That's because the new Ministry of Health Standards requires that all drugs be certified with a standard called, "GMP" - short for good manufacturing practices.

Man Remanded For City Shooting
Yesterday we told you about a shooting incident that occurred in Broad daylight on Saturday morning. 41-year-old Clinton Abraham reported to police that he was riding his bike on Magazine Road when he was approached by a lone gunman who fired one shot. He had a minor injury to his left knee. 26 unemployed Eugene Fraser of Collet Canal Street was arrested and charged with use of deadly means of Harm and Wounding. Today he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser and was arraigned for the use of deadly means of harm. No plea was taken because its an indictable offence, and there's no bail for firearm offences, so he was remanded into custody until January 9th, 2018.

Cops In North Caught Big Gun
Corozal Police found drugs and live rounds in a pre-dawn operation in San Antonio village. They found a .45 pistol - which is a prohibited weapon - along with 8 live rounds along with 2 ounces of weed. No one was in the area, so those items were labelled as found property.

CARICOM Coming To Belize To Talk About Weed
Well, possession of small amounts of marijuana has been de-criminalized and the world hasn't ended, not yet at least. But, the Attorney General's Ministry is opening up to more consultation on the subject. Now you might say this is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but it's for wider CARICOM consideration. A release issued this evening says that the AG's Ministry has teamed up with CARICOM's Regional Commission on Marijuana, for a day of "National Consultations by way of Focus Group meetings on the 23rd November at the Biltmore Plaza from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Consultations are geared at, first, "Conducting rigorous enquiries into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean; and second, determining whether there should be a change in the current drug classification of marijuana. The findings of this consultation will be submitted to the Heads of CARICOM.

Shark Catch Provokes Outrage
Yesterday pictures surfaced on Facebook of two men posing with the dead sharks they caught in Belizean waters. Even though the shark season is open Belizeans on social media were outraged at the pictures and the crass displays of animal cruelty. We spoke to Dr Rachel Graham from MARALLIANCE via phone today. She told us what's behind the outrage and the struggle our shark population is currently facing. Dr. Rachel Graham - Executive Director of MARALLIANCE: "Well I think you know Belize is at a crossroads. We need to decide whether or not they want to protect some of these species or protect the fisheries moving forward. The fisheries are also in gross decline as well we work with traditional fishers and they are always coming to us saying you know what our lobster fishing was bad our conch fishing was bad populations are really low compared to what they used to be and so we are not saying don't fish. Definitely not, there needs to be a fishery in the country. A smart and sustainable fishery and in doing so you can't expect to use all gears and have a smart and sustainable fishery."

Jerry's Ode To His Amazing Parents
Today Jeremy Enriquez officially launched his book "To Educate A Nation: Autobiography of Andres P and Jane V. Enriquez. The book is a biography on the lives of his grandparents as teachers and the many hardships they faced. He said he actually put the book together with a manuscript his grandparents left behind chronicling their journey. Jeremy Enriquez - Author: It is a story of their life teaching from the early 1900s. 1907 to 1950. It is there words written on an exercise book over a period of time about the experiences they had teaching throughout parts of the country. It was an emotional journey for me also to look at the tremendous sacrifices and hardships that they have been through in those early days in Belize when there was no infrastructure. They had to walk 25 miles through the forest to reach San Antonio. Forest and Swamp and climb hills that were a difficult time to start schools in the colony at the time."

How To Make Sugar Sweeter
It's been a few weeks now since the European Union lifted all trade restrictions on the purchase of sugar. That will allow for European beet sugar farmers to compete on the same level as Belize and the other African Caribbean and Pacific countries. Experts predict that these changes will drive the world prices of sugar down since the European farmers are able produce high quality sugar very efficiently. Bracing for the change, everyone who depends on the viability of the Belize sugar industry have been hard at work to change their farming practices. They want to be more efficient, and to reduce the cost of production.

Capital Cops Caught Armenia Killer
There is a late breaking news update on the murder in Armenia Village which we told you about at the top of the newscast. Information to 7News is that Belmopan police have caught their prime suspect - who is A Guatemalan from Armenia village. It seems someone was allowing him to hide out on their property. It is believed that this man killed 28 year old Carlos Albeño in a dispute between the two who were familiar with each other.

Remembering Diabetes Day By Catching New Cases Early
Today is World Diabetes Day and Belize along with the rest of the world is honouring the day by bringing awareness to the disease that affects millions. 7 news spoke with the President of the Belize Diabetes Association this morning at the Diabetes Health Fair. He explained what Belize did for the big day and gave tips on living a healthy lifestyle. Sahar Vasquez: "At this fair today people are able to what get tests done?" Anthony Castillo - President of The Belize Diabetes Association: "For us here in Belize we are having a health fair our health partners provide services for people living with Diabetes and join us in creating more awareness on the condition of Diabetes. Unfortunately diabetes continues to be on the rise. It is on the rise everywhere in the world including for us here in Belize. Globally the IDF is saying that we now have 425 million persons living with the condition of Diabetes.

Channel 5

Armenia Stunned by Murder of Guatemalan Resident
A four-year-old boy on Monday afternoon stumbled into the body of a villager from Armenia, Cayo. The child thought the man was drunk, but as it turned out, Carlos Humberto [...]

NICH “Snitched” on Yhony Rosado’s Taxes
Businessman Yhony Rosado is recognized in the tourism industry for pioneering cave-tubing activities at Nohoch Che’en.  He is also an outspoken social activist who has stood up to the government [...]

G.S.T. Screwed Up Service?
Having been denied an opportunity to explain to the department where they are purportedly mistaken in their calculation of his taxes, Rosado turned to Chartered Public Accountant Cedric Flowers.  According [...]

Yhony Rosado Puts Fate in Court’s Hands
So, how will Rosado’s mounting debt be resolved?  According to the tour operator, he is headed to court and the judge’s decision on a final dollar amount will determine how [...]

Survivors in Recovery, Family Forgives Driver in Fatal Accident
Seventeen-year-old Aurora Sanchez, the lone survivor in a fatal crash that killed her mother and stepfather over the weekend, remains in stable condition and is recovering from injuries received during [...]

ComPol to Review Case of Rogue Cops on Camping Trip
Two police constables attached to the Placencia Police Substation are in big trouble and their fates lie in the hands of the Commissioner of Police tonight after multiple reports from [...]

Defence Ministry Explains Why B.D.F. Senior Officers Are Not Ready to Retire
Tonight, the Ministry of National Security says four officers who have reached retirement age are well within the law to remain in the Belize Defence Force.  Late last week, documents [...]

Eleven-foot “Wowla” Removed from Constitution Park Residence
Our following story is not for the faint of heart, so if you’re not a fan of snakes, you may want to exit.  Belizeans have grown used to sharing our [...]

Call Center Employee Charged in Clinton Abraham Shooting
Twenty-six-year-old Transparent B.P.O. employee, Eugene Mark Anthony Fraser is on remand at the Belize Central Prison tonight after being arraigned for the use of deadly means of harm and wounding [...]

Ex-Servicemen Manager Fighting for Parking
Almost a month ago, the Belize City Council implemented a ‘no parking’ regulation for the left side of Newtown Barracks, between the Ex-Servicemen’s League Building and MJ’s Building near Ninth [...]

Does Established Organization have “Squatter’s Rights?”
Richardson says she has so far failed to get the ear of either Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley or City Administrator Candice Miller, not to mention Traffic Manager Kevan Jenkins. [...]

Fatal Accident Reported
Fifty-five-year-old Preston Coleman, a cab driver from Belmopan, lost his life in a road traffic accident on Monday afternoon.  In a report issued by the police department, officers responded to [...]

Minister Defends Regulations, but Pharmacists Disagree
There was debate in the House of Representatives on the adjournment on October twentieth, 2017, when Minister of Health Pablo Marin responded to Orange Walk South area representative Jose Mai [...]

“Sugar” on the Rise – More Women at Risk
Diabetes is on the rise across the world. More than four hundred million persons are living with the disease and women make up those hardest hit by this growing epidemic. [...]

Book Celebrates Teaching Pioneers from Toledo
Much of the history of Belizean education, especially outside of Belize City, has been shouldered by the Garifuna population. These men and women braved often treacherous conditions in the deepest [...]

How to Celebrate the 19th in Belize City
It is mostly coincidental, but today’s book launch does line up with the run-in of activities leading up to Garifuna Settlement Day this coming weekend. Garinagu in Belize and elsewhere [...]

Wrapping Up Successful Film Festival
There were seven winners at the just concluded Belize International Film Festival, including three Belizeans. At the closing of the successful twelfth edition, Belizeans won in Best Short Film, Most [...]

LOVE FM

Guatemala has a New Date for its Referendum
The Guatemalan Government has changed the date of its referendum for the second time in the past few weeks. We are told that the new date is April 15 as opposed to March 11, 2018. The reason it was first changed was because of their ‘busy activities during Lent’ however the reason for the second […]

U.S. Supreme Court denies Belize’s Petition
On Monday the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition made by the Government of Belize. On August 8, 2017, GOB submitted an application for a writ of certiorari, a petition which losing party files with the Supreme Court, asking the Supreme Court to review the decision of a lower court. In this case, the Government […]

BCPA: Under the new regime the quality of medications will be impacted
The Belize Community Pharmacist Association, BCPA, is calling on the Ministry of Health and by extension the Government of Belize to consider the impacts which will be caused by the implementation of a new regime for the pharmaceutical industry. The new policies and procedures are expected to be effected this month with the signing of […]

Child discovers Dead Body
Yesterday we reported that the partially decomposed body of a man was found just off the highway in Armenia Village. Correspondent Fem Cruz has more in this report. Fem Cruz, Love FM “The decomposing body of 29-year-old Carlos Navarijo better known as Chapo and a resident of Armenia Village was found shot to death at […]

Belize receives help from IMPACS to Secure its Border
In unity there is strength, this statement holds true for the work of the Customs and Excise and Immigration Departments. It is believed that by working together, they are better able to fight the war against human trafficking and drug trafficking. A one week workshop is being conducted by the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security […]

A Belizean Delegation is in Germany
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development Dr. Omar Figueroa is in Bonn, Germany. Dr. Figueroa is leading a delegation of government officials at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The COP23 meeting calls for not only the preservation of the global consensus of the landmark adoption of […]

Three-Hundred and Twenty-Six Fires so far for 2017
According to the Fire Department, the data collected up to the end of October shows a total of three-hundred and twenty-six house fires. Yesterday, we told you about a family who lost their home in a fire. The family was at home sleeping at the time of the fire and narrowly managed to escape the […]

Today is World Diabetes Day
Today is being observed as World Diabetes Day. The Belize Diabetes Association joins the campaign in promoting awareness of the disease which continues to affect millions of people worldwide. There has been an increase in the number of children and young persons affected by the disease. Anthony Castillo, President of the Belize Diabetes Association, says […]

Belize Diabetes Association wants to ban the Sale of Candies
The Belize Diabetes Association’s President, Anthony Castillo also spoke on the Association’s efforts in further protecting children by having the sale of candy and junk foods at schools discontinued. Anthony Castillo – President “Its a work in progress. The Belize Diabetes Association continues to work along with the Ministry of Health, there is a committee […]

Diabetes Forum held in Belmopan
As part of World Diabetes Day, a forum for students was held today in Belmopan. Pauline SoberanisTillett reports. Pauline Soberanis Tillett “High School’s Diabetes Summit was held this morning at the University of Belize Jaguar Auditorium in Belmopan. The topic for this summit was ‘Killer Cycle- The complications caused by diabetes”. Love News spoke to […]

Eric Neal: New Chief Scout of Belize
Captain Eric Neal has been appointed the new Chief Scout of Belize. Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young, who is the Patron of Belize Scouts, was present for the ceremony. Captain Neal is an accomplished Military Officer who has participated in numerous military training courses. In accepting the appointment, Chief Scout Neal pledged to […]

Maheia: Guatemalans have Belizean Fishing License
A pair of pictures circulating on Facebook, showing two men posing over the corpse of sharks, has received the attention of environmental groups such as Mar Alliance and Oceana Belize. Mar Alliance says it is dismayed, adding quote, “fishers recently fished, landed and mocked several globally endangered great hammerheads, a large, locally rare and putatively […]

John Saldivar: the next President of the FFB must bring Unity
Last week, the Acting President of the FFB, Marlon Kuylen issued a nine-page statement, making several allegations against members of the executive and detailing his experience as the Acting President. Kuylen’s salacious statement came a month away from the FFB Election scheduled for December 2. The post of president and vice president will be up […]

Boa Constrictor safely Removed from Tree
A boa constrictor was yanked from a tree in Constitution Park in Belize City today. The discovery was made during lunchtime by a passerby. He along with several other men managed to pull the huge snake from a tree while students and residents of the area were shocked by the discovery. Boa constrictors can grow […]

Man Charged with Deadly Means of Harm
Twenty-six-year-old Eugene Fraser, an unemployed of Collet Canal Street, was charged with use of deadly means of harm when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser. No plea was taken because the offence is of an indictable nature. Neither could the court offer him bail. He was remanded into custody until January 9. […]

Traffic Accident leaves Two Persons Dead
Tour operator Mark Leslie and his wife Myrna Vasquez were killed when their vehicle was involved in a road traffic incident. ACP Jospeh Myvett, Head of National Crimes Investigation Branch shared the details. ACP Joseph Myvett “The first being sometime around 6:15 p.m. the deceased Mark Leslie with his common-law wife Myrna Vasquez was travelling […]

Cyclist dies in Traffic Accident
A traffic accident claimed the life of a motorcyclist in Dangriga. ACP Joseph Myvett said initially the driver of the vehicle that collided with the motorcyclist did not stop to render aid. ACP Joseph Myvett “In respect to the second road traffic accident, one Donald Enriquez was driving in Dangriga Town en route to the […]

Traffic Accident sends Two to the Hospital
Meanwhile, two men from the Cayo District remain hospitalized at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital following a traffic incident on the George Price Highway early Sunday morning. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. Fem Cruz, Love FM “Based on information received love news visited the Western Regional Hospital’s emergency ward and saw two Hispanic male persons with […]

Two Police Officers under investigation for Rape
Over the weekend three women alleged that they were raped by two officers while in custody at the Independence Police Station. Today ACP Joseph Myvett was asked about the reports. ACP Joseph Myvett I can confirm to you that the police has received two reports of rape and a joint investigation is being carried out […]

Bermudez sentenced to 20 years
Forty-six-year-old Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez, who pled guilty to manslaughter in the fatal shooting of his wife, Raquel Bermudez, was sentenced to twenty years today by Justice Adolph Lucas. Justice Lucas subtracted 9 years, 10 months and 18 days from the sentence for time served while he was in prison. In arriving at the sentence Justice […]

Man walked from Rape Charges
Six counts, 3 for rape and 3 for wounding, against 25-year old Eric “Gato” Guitierrez, were dismissed today by Justice Adolph Lucas when the complainants, three women, failed to appear. The women were first summoned to appear in court on October 2 and they did not do so. They were summoned again to come to […]

Family Escapes from Burning House
A family is homeless after a fire broke out at their home on Saturday night. November 11. Love News spoke with 62-year-old Ysusf Bilal who shared how he was alerted to the fire. Ysusf Bilal “Well I was in my bed sleeping and I woke up and I saw some light on the thing and […]

Ministry of Education roles out TVET Training
Today was the launch of the Leadership and Management Certificate Program to provide for capacity building and professional development for administrators and instructors of Technical Vocational & Educational Training (TVET). The program is being sponsored by the European Union at a cost of one point three million Euros. Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of […]

Body of Man found in Armenia
The partially decomposed body of a man was found sometime around five o’clock this evening. We understand the body was found about a hundred yards off the Hummingbird Highway in Armenia Village. Police are on the scene at this time. We will have more on this story as information becomes available.

Man being sought for Bribery
A man who reportedly attempted to bribe a police officer is being sought by Police. ACP Joseph Myvett shared the details. ACP Joseph Myvett “On Friday last San Ignacio Police was on patrol on Loma Luz Boulevard* when they stopped a vehicle in order to conduct searches and in the process, the driver alighted the […]

Man charged with Wounding in Connection with Shooting Incident
Police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in Belize City on Saturday afternoon. Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino provided the details. Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino “Police visited the scene however the victim was already transported to the KHMH, that victim is Clinton Abraham a 41-year-old resident of Belize City. Initial investigation revealed that he was riding on […]

SBDC is engaging Young Minds
Today a total of five teams competed in a first pitch Hackathon Competition that was held by the Small Business Development Center Belize (SBDC) of Beltraide and sponsored by Belize Electricity Limited (BEL). The schools were the University of Belize, Galen University, Corozal Junior College and Centro Escuela Mexico Junior College from Corozal District. They […]

National Garifuna Council holds Writing Workshop
Representatives of the National Garifuna Council Youth Arm participated in a concept note writing workshop held at the weekend in Punta Gorda. Correspondent Paul Mahung reports on the two-day event. The event was organized by the National Garifuna Council of Belize with President Sandra Miranda. Sandra Miranda, National Garifuna Council “We had participants from each […]

Amandala

Barrow must find another US $18.5 million!
Today, the United States Supreme Court has decided that it will not review a lower court decision which enforced a US $18.5 million London arbitral award against the administration of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The Government of Belize was appealing a D.C. Circuit ruling which confirmed that the arbitral award could go forward. On August 8, Belize filed a petition for writ of certiorari, which orders a lower court to deliver its record in a case so that the higher court may review it. In that petition, Belize argued that the ruling was incorrect because it is not party to the New York Convention, which is a convention that deals with the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.

From life to 20 years
Security at the Supreme Court was noticeably beefed up, with police officers decked out in paramilitary uniforms and armed with semi-automatic rifles as the sentencing phase for a convicted wife-killer, whose life was purportedly threatened with “a hit,” began in front of Justice Adolph Lucas on Friday morning and continued this afternoon. Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez, 46, is a former Belize Defence Force soldier who was convicted of murder and was serving a life sentence, but had his sentence set aside and a new trial ordered by the Belize Court of Appeal in June 2013. Bermudez’s new trial began two weeks ago before Justice Lucas, but instead of engaging the court with a full trial on the murder indictment, Bermudez pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Cotton Tree man survives crocodile attack
A resident of Cotton Tree was released from the Western Regional Hospital this morning after receiving treatment for injuries he sustained on his left arm when he was attacked by a crocodile while fishing in the Sibun River on Friday, around 9:00 p.m. Amandala visited Raul Zuleta, 46, this morning at his Cotton Tree home, and he explained to us how narrowly he escaped death from the mighty jaws of a crocodile, he estimated to be about 7 to 8 feet in length. Zuleta explained that he was standing in the river when the attack occurred. A friend, who was fishing some distance away, was not aware of what was happening when the attack occurred, but he was the one who rushed Zuleta to the Western Regional Hospital Emergency Room.

3 cops accused of raping 2 women in police station
Solid, official information is almost nonexistent, but two Hispanic women who had been held in police custody in Independence, a Salvadoran, 19, and a Belizean, 23, have alleged that three police officers of the Independence police came to their cell on the night of Friday, November 10, and raped them. According to reports, the women were taken from the bus stop in the village and taken to the police station that Friday, where they were detained for an unspecified investigation and later released.

Charges against “Gato” Gutierrez for rape of 3 women dismissed
The details of an apparently strange case of multiple rape unfolded this morning when Justice Adolph Lucas dismissed 3 counts of rape and 3 counts of wounding that had been brought against Eric “Gato” Gutierrez, an auto mechanic of San Pedro Town, who was 21 at the time of the incident. Justice Lucas dismissed the charges after the virtual complainants, three women, failed to appear in court for the second time. The women were first summoned to come to court on October 2 and when they did not show up, they were summoned again. Justice Lucas said that he is satisfied that they are not interested in pursuing the charges, and he dismissed the charges.

The whole City Center maintenance scheme “stinks to high heaven!”
The Government of Belize (GoB) has already spent a whopping $34 million from the PetroCaribe loan funds on the reconstruction of the Belize City Center. But it doesn’t end there. The facility will have to be maintained, and to that end, GoB is looking to pay a private entity close to a million dollars annually. GoB is of the view that public officers will not be able to properly manage the center. It believes that having a private entity manage the expensive public asset is the route to take. Amandala understands that a tendering process has begun and six entities, three of which are headed by known UDP personalities, are to submit their proposals for consideration at the end of this month.

Belize City’s St. Joseph girls and St. Martin’s boys are National Primary School Basketball Champions 2017
The National Primary School Basketball Championships were held last Friday, November 3, at the SJC Gym in Belize City, where male (M) and female (F) primary school basketball champions from all six districts competed for the female and male National Championships. The teams were divided into groups of 3, and played a simple round-robin in each group, with the top two teams from each group going on to the semifinals. Representing the different districts were: FEMALE: Division A – St. Francis Xavier (Corozal); La Inmaculada RC (Orange Walk); St. Joseph RC (Belize); Division B – Santa Elena Primary (Cayo); Forest Home Methodist (Toledo); Holy Family RC (Stann CreeK).

PLB Week 14 heartbreak and jubilation
Suspense was in the air from the start yesterday morning, as persistent rain caused cancellation of Smart 13 & Under Mundialito games at the Marion Jones Sports Compex, as well as the Leal Football Cup Finals in Sandhill; but the word from the Premier League of Belize (PLB) secretariat was that the pivotal Week 14 games were still on. By midday the skies began to clear, and with a light drizzle in Belize City at 3:30 p.m., the official kickoff time for all 3 scheduled PLB Week 14 games, it looked like the games would go ahead as planned. Starting Sunday afternoon two points behind San Pedro Pirates and Police United (20 pts each), BDF quickly jumped to a 2-nil lead at the MCC Grounds over visiting Freedom Fighters from Punta Gorda, and looked like sure winners, to put them at 21 points. But, with only two playoff spots remaining, their fate would still be left to the verdicts in the other two games. (Belmopan Bandits SC and Verdes FC had already clinched the #1 and #2 playoff spots, respectively.)

Dangriga sports stats – Coconut Fest Race results and upcoming T.V. Ramos Cycling Classic
Here are the results from the First Annual Coconut Fest Cycling Race that took place on Saturday, November 11, from in front of Eldrid Martinez Park on George Price Drive into Maya Centre on the Southern Highway and back, for both Junior and Masters. First place for the Masters went to Darrel O’Brien; second was Edmund Camal; and third, Ryan Willoughby. First place for the Juniors went to Wilhelm Coye; in second place was Shawn Codd; and third was Jayven Gonzalez. Most of the Junior station prizes going and coming were shared between Shawn Codd and Wilhelm Coye.

Smart Mundialito Week 4 results; reg. season ends with Week 5 this Saturday
The Smart 13 & Under Mundialito 2017 Closing Season regular competition was scheduled to end this past weekend with Week 4 and Week 5 games on Saturday and Sunday, respectively; but only the Saturday games were played, as the Sunday games were cancelled due to rain. In game 1 on Saturday, Hattieville Riverside Boys bombed Ladyville Jaguars, 5-1, with 3 goals from Jose Almendarez and 2 from Jalen Young; while Kyle Garcia scored for the Jaguars. Game 2 saw Heights FC and Sampson Academy ending in a 1-1 draw. Trimett Lopez shook the net for Heights, while Devin McCaulay, younger brother of Deon McCaulay, hit the target for Sampson.

Editorial: Settlement Day 2017
This is a week, Settlement Day Week, when we reflect on the history of Belize’s Garifuna people, and that history is one which is both seriously tragic and massively triumphant, at the same time. In the late eighteenth century, the British made attempts to exterminate the Garifuna people on St. Vincent, in Balliceaux, and at Roatan. The ancestors of our present Garifuna Belizeans watched thousands of their brothers and sisters die two centuries ago of starvation, disease, and despair, especially on Balliceaux and Roatan, after the bloody wars on St. Vincent. With respect to the Garinagu, the supposedly civilized British had decided to commit genocide. Cold talk. There are prominent, influential elements among the Creole people who swear by a historical narrative which featured the populations of the settlement of Belize around the same time, the late 1790s, when the Garifuna people were being deported by the British to die in Balliceaux and at Roatan.

Crime and violence on Southside — is police intervention really working?
Dear Editor, I humbly request an opportunity through this medium to add to the ongoing discourse on the issue of crime and violence and its impact on the country, particularly the Southside of Belize City. I am a resident of Freedom Street. Like many others, I long to see a curbing of the murder rate that is affecting the Old Capital. Consequently, I welcome any crime fighting or law enforcement initiative by the Police Department to stem the haemorrhaging of our Southside youths. This includes the current intervention efforts being made by the police. While I join many residents in support of this endeavour, I sincerely believe that a meaningful intervention program should not solely be police-led or driven. It must also involve upstanding members of our community who truly understand the plight of the marginalized and are able to earn their trust.

The Northern Maya of Belize
Dear Nojoch Mak Clinton Uh Luna, For many years we have heard little of the Northern Maya of Belize. Many do not know that we, the Maya Masewal in Belize, are the ones who stood up against the British imperialism during the Guerra Social Maya (Caste War). During and after the Caste War it has not been easy for us. After our Maya villages were burned down in Yalbac in 1867 and again in 1930’s by the British, we had to move to more populated areas of Northern and Western Belize. Our great grandparents and grandparents were punished in Belizean schools for simply speaking Maya and they were ridiculed for their culture and beliefs. They made them feel that being Maya was bad. Many of our grandparents to avoid more discrimination did not teach Maya to our parents.

I agree. Hope you agree too
One of my friends, mentors, told me recently that he was looking at a primary school program on the television and he saw something during the singing of the national anthem that made his eyes go, pop. He said that some of the girls looked pained when they came to the part about pledging “manhood.” Well, I don’t know what is going on with females these days. Don’t they know their place anymore? Females, our other half, our better half, you will have noticed that they are getting more and more uppity as time goes by. Once upon a time they were squarely under foot. In Moses’ time they knew their place. Then along came Jesus, and His soft spot. He filled their heads with all kinds of ideas. But Paul of Tarsus, that great hero, he would have none of it. That bad boy turned good boy, didn’t change his ways when it came to matters of male/female relationships. He had one word for them – OBEY! Whatever opening Jesus left there, Paul of Tarsus sealed shut.

Cynthia Jenkins: Power to the Belizean Women of Softball Greatness!
Belizean Legends has been in dialogue occasionally with the legendary Belizean softball player and pitcher, Cynthia Jenkins, in Chicago, Illinois where she lives after her migration from Belize in the early 1970s. Jenkins holds one of the most important keys to yours truly’s completion of the softball documentary called, “When We Were Queens”. The documentary that we started to shoot some years ago has been incomplete because we cannot proceed until we capture on camera the historical story of those like Cynthia Jenkins and those of her peers who made Belize great in the softball world. Though Jenkins is only known to me through my seeing her play ball at MCC Grounds, and by hearing about her softball skills often by the legendary Belizean sports broadcaster, Manfred Atkins, on his popular “Sports Report” on Radio Belize, her positive energy could be felt in the very electric conversations we had by telephone about what we call here, “The Golden Age of Belizean Softball.” Her highlights of the game during her time were emotional, heartfelt and packed with information. It dawned on me then that just a mere photo of her and her missing peers in the documentary, “When We Were Queens”, would not do justice. We had to get Cynthia live and direct to hear her tell her incredible story.

Daughter, 17, loses mother and father, both 48, in tragic road accident
A fatal road traffic accident which occurred just before 8 o’clock on Friday night between Miles 11 and 12 on the Southern Highway has claimed the lives of two persons, while leaving five other persons with injuries. When Dangriga police arrived on the scene, they saw a white Toyota Corolla 4-door car with extensive damage to its left side. Police say that the driver of the Corolla was Mark Leslie, 48, and he was accompanied by his girlfriend, Myrna Vasquez, 48, and Vasquez’s daughter, Aurora Sanchez, 17. On the scene, police also observed a green John Deere tractor to which was hitched a metal trailer which contained oranges. Police say the tractor, which showed no damages, was driven by Cesar Montenegro, 23.

Chinese Yuanran Zheng, 45, paid his $1,800 fine for fraudulent nationality certificate and left Belize
Yuanran Zheng, 45, the Chinese national who was busted on Monday, Nov. 6, with a fraudulent nationality certificate, left Belize on Friday, en route to Canada. Zheng was given an OTL (Order To Leave) by the Department of Immigration; instead of being deported, however, he opted to leave on his own accord. In our previous edition of the Amandala, we told you that Zheng entered Belize from the United States on Sunday, Nov 5. On Monday, he and Taiwanese Belizean national, Sheng-Hui Lin, went to the Social Security Board (SSB) headquarters in Belmopan to apply for a Social Security card.

Police say they caught Justin Williams, 29, of Roaring Creek, raping woman
A Roaring Creek man whom police reportedly caught in the act of raping a woman was remanded to the Belize Central Prison after a single count of rape was read to him in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court today. Justin Williams, 29, did not have to enter a plea when he appeared before the Belmopan Magistrate this afternoon, because the offense of rape is an indictable offence and will be tried in the Belmopan Session of the Supreme Court if it is determined, after a preliminary inquiry is held, that there is a prima facie case against him to commit his case for trial at the high court.

Fire destroys the home of well-known welder Yusuf Bilal, 64
Well-known Belize City welder, Yusuf Bilal, 64, owner of Bilal Welding, is without a home after a fire destroyed his 24‘ x 30’ lumber house on the Philip Goldson Highway at about 11:30 last night. The Belize City branch of the National Fire Service was able to contain the fire to the house, which is located near Scotia Bank Belize, opposite Benny’s Superstore, so no other structure nearby was damaged. Present in the house at the time of the fire were Yusuf; his wife, Beatriz Bilal, 56; and their daughter Sadiya Bilal, 13. Sadiyyah escaped the fire unharmed, but Yusuf suffered minor burns on his body, and Beatrice suffered burns to the left side of her back and left palm.

Breaking Belize News

Sandy Beach Women Cooperatives Society celebrates 5th anniversary
In commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Sandy Beach Women Cooperatives Society, the Cooperative Department […]

Two men stabbed while socializing
Today, Belize City police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) where officers observed David […]

Belmopan taxi man crashes into lamp post and dies
Yesterday around 3:15 p.m., Belmopan police responded to a traffic accident on the San Martin […]

Body of Carlos Navarro found in Armenia
Yesterday evening around 4:15, Belmopan police responded to a report of a decomposed body being […]

Police officers under investigation on charges of rape
Three police officers attached to the Southern Formation of the Belize Police Department are under […]

Diabetes Association holds health fair in Belize City
The Belize Diabetes Association (BDA) held a health fair in Belize City today in honor […]

Belize attends UN Climate change conference
Omar Figueroa, Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable […]

Shootout in Santa Elena Town
According to reports, on Friday night, San Ignacio police were stationed at a checkpoint on […]

Community police officer accused of perverse behavior
According to a report from 7 News yesterday, a group of community police officers are […]

Police officers accused of rape
Three police officers attached to the Independence Village police formation are being accused of raping […]

Pharmacist association calls on GOB to rethink new regime for pharmaceutical industry
The Government of Belize (GOB) is implementing a new regime for the pharmaceutical industry this […]

Anti-Corruption Training for Belizean Secondary and Tertiary Students
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office of Drugs […]

Glenford Bermudez gets 20-year sentence for killing wife
Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez, 46, was sentenced to prison for 20 years yesterday after pleading guilty […]

Body found in Armenia
Yesterday evening, the body of a man was found in Armenia Village. According to reports, […]

Blogs

Matachica Resort & Spa Named Amongst Top 10 Resorts in Central America in the 2017 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards
For the 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, more than 300,000 travelers took part in submitting their ratings and feedback to help create this year’s top lists. Over 30,000 properties were reviewed resulting in millions of assessments and over 100,000 comments – a new record. “The team is thrilled to be recognized as one of the top resorts in the region by Condé Nast Traveler,” says Daniel Lighter, owner of Matachica Resort & Spa and sister property GAÏA Riverlodge. “We’ve work hard every day to create the perfect environment to help our guests unwind and recharge.”

Some of my Favorite Seafood at Lily’s Treasure Chest on the Beach
There are a handful of places that I always recommend for visitors to San Pedro, Belize. Tops on the Lunch Time List is Lily’s Treasure Chest – ALWAYS #1 for fried fish and conch ceviche with a gorgeous view. We pulled into town – up to the Amigos Del Mar Dock. Located JUST in front is one of the older restaurants in town, Lily’s Treasure Chest. To the left is Nook Restaurant. And to the right, the very popular Cholo’s Sports Bar. We glanced at the menu but there really was no need – I know what I want. Fried Fish. It’s the best I’ve ever had. They also do fantastic fried chicken (the best in San Pedro I say) but I always get the fried fish. AND the conch ceviche – simple and perfect.

World Diabetes Day Was celebrated Inside Corozal House Of Culture
The general public was invited to attend World-Diabetes Day inside the House of Culture on November 14, 2017 from 9am until. The public was invited to attend to test your diabetes, Blood Pressure, Sugar, High Blood Pressure, hight, weight, How normal was your blood and lots more. One of the important matter for people to know about their future health, how healthy are you? It is important to know about your personal health.

Making Cassava Bread in the Heart of Belize’s Culture Town
When I think of cassava, I immediately associate it with the Garifuna culture of Belize. Its a staple food for them. They fish, grow cassava and other Carib crops like plantains to make fufu. Coconut milk, garlic, basil, black pepper, plantain, bananas, chicken and fish are also key ingredients in Garifuna Cuisine. Fish boiled in coconut milk, called “serre”, served with mashed plantain called “hudut”, is a delicious rich meal. Cassava generally accompanies many of their dishes and is so versatile that it can be made into a drink, pudding, chips or even wine. One delicious, popular treat in Belize is the Cassava Bread, which kinda looks more like a large tortilla cut into crispy pieces (much like a cracker). Toast it in the morning with some butter and/or local jam and you have a great breakfast.

International Sources

Crime and Youth Unemployment in the Caribbean
Growth in the region has stalled since 2000, generating few jobs and high levels of unemployment. The 2008 global financial crisis had an especially strong effect on the unemployment rate for those between the ages of 15 and 24, which jumped on average by 5 percentage points between 2007 and 2013—from 21 percent to 26 percent. In some countries (for example, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Jamaica), youth unemployment rates are nearly three times that of those aged 30 and over. Meanwhile, crime has risen sharply since 2004 in the region and murder rates are now among the highest in the world. More specifically, violent crime in the Caribbean is significantly higher than in any other region (with 6.8 percent of the population affected versus a world average of 4.5 percent), according to a forthcoming IMF book, Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean. About 40 percent of the Caribbean population identifies crime and security-related issues as the biggest problem facing their countries, even more than pov­erty or inequality.

Videos

November 14, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Foreva Fancy hosts Garifuna-themed Fashion Show
On Saturday, November 11th, Foreva Fancy Boutique, alongside with the National Garifuna Council San Pedro Branch (NGCSPB) hosted a Garifuna Style fashion show. The event started at 9PM at the Central Park, and many islanders were gathered to view the spectacular fashion on display. Attendees were even able to enjoy some delicious cultural food. After the singing of the Belize National Anthem, Host of the evening Philip Ramsey introduced the first segment. Beautiful models walked the runway in the cultural Garifuna outfits. Thereafter the audience were treated to a dance performance by the San Pedro Dance Group.

Ambergris Today

Foreva Fancy Garifuna Inspired Fashion Show
Foreva Fancy Boutique helped kick off the Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations that are coming up on November 19, 2017 with a fashion show held over the weekend. The fashion show was inspired by the Garifuna Culture and it's people with models showcasing traditional Garifuna clothing made available by the San Pedro Garifuna Council and assistance by the San Pedro House of Culture. The island boutique also put together an ensable of clothing inspired by the colors and style of the Garifuna culture - a modern twist to traditional/cultural style.

Over 100 Scuba Divers Descend On Ambergris Caye
They have been coming to Belize for 30 years now, bringing scuba divers from all over the United States and this year, during their 27th Annual Summit, the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) organized a trip with 106 scuba divers who enjoyed a week-long stay in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. All divers came to San Pedro and booked out Ramon’s Village that catered to their accommodations, diving and extra curricular activities. Every year NABS organizes a dive summit in different locations in the Caribbean and Bahamas; this is NABS’s 27th Annual Summit. Being a great friend to Belize, Dr. Jose Jones (co-founder of NABS) was delighted to once again bring the summit to the country.

Oceana’s Field Representative Honored With Environmental Youth Award
On November 9, 2017, Oceana’s Belize District Field Representative Celeshia Guy, was awarded the Environmental Youth Award at the annual Belize National Youth Awards. This year’s event was held during the closing ceremony of the World Youth Conference 2017. The 2017 World Youth Conference was celebrated under the theme “Globally Running to 2030, becoming Sustainably Strong!” Guy was awarded the Environmental Youth Award for her tremendous contributions to increasing awareness of our natural environment as well as promoting active youth participation in the decision-making processes for sustainable management and development of our marine ecosystems.

Misc Belizean Sources

This years Belmopan temperatures
Below are this years Belmopan temperatures. A 3% difference between the red and blue lines or the high and low of the summer red and winter red lines, would be almost insignificant. We have Day and Night temperatures due to the round Earth rotating at about 25,000 mph, resulting in different parts facing the Sun over the 24 hour period. The thick red and blue lines are the 31 day running average temperatures.

Reminder - Tuesday, November 14th will be viewed as "INTERNATIONAL DIABETES DAY"
The theme for this year is "Women and Diabetes". The Corozal Community Hospital, the Corozal Diabetes Education Resources in collaboration with the Corozal House of Culture will be hosting an education session about Diabetes between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on November 14th at the Corozal House of Culture. Everyone is invited to attend. This is a very important topic to discuss. We encourage you to take part.

Tarun Butcher Receives Global Youth Award
Congratulations, Tarun! Representing Cayo well! She was awarded the Global Youth Award at the 5th annual World Youth Conference, which was held in Belize last week. Talk about well deserved. Keep doing your best! "The Prestigious “Global Youth Award 2017” for the 5th World Youth Conference 2017 goes to: Ms. Tarun Frances of Belize , Ms. Aishath Rafiyya of Maldives along with Ms. Shengna ‘Cicy’ Zhang of China & Ms. Nazmeen Amin of UK.

2017-2018 Opening Season Week 14 Game Results by the Premier League of Belize

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: CHATTELS
Belmopan Civic Center, Bliss Parade, Belmopan, Cayo District. BY ORDER of the Embassy of the United States of America, Licensed Auctioneer Noel Codd will sell the following chattels at Belmopan Civic Center, Bliss Parade, Belmopan, Cayo District on SATURDAY 18th November 2017 at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Household Furniture, Household Appliances, Office Furniture, Office Supplies, TV, Plastic Tables, Ice Maker Machine, Printers...

Splashers
Join us Thursday at Crazy Canucks Beach Bar from 2pm-4pm to paint “Afternoon at Shark & Ray Alley”! Don’t forget to sign-up to reserve your space!

Fishing, landing, and mocking sharks
We are dismayed to receive these photos shared with us today of fishers who just recently fished, landed and mocked several globally endangered great hammerheads, a large, locally rare and putatively pregnant tiger shark and a nurse shark (protected species in Belize) on a caye in southern Belize. With the exception of nurse sharks and whale sharks, shark fishing may well be legal in Belize. BUT is this the image of a progressive and marine life and tourism-friendly Belize that we wish to project to the world? Moreover, any transport of hammerheads across borders to Guatemala (which is where the meat and fins go) is illegal as it contravenes the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) for which there is no completed assessment yet of the sustainability of hammerhead fisheries in Belize. Belize could truly become the shark and coral reef diving destination of the Caribbean IF Belize would conserve its sharks...that are also key to maintaining coral reef and finfish fisheries health. Let's be proactive and progressive.

Poets Corner: Yours apologetically
By Abdulamajeed K Nunez. Despite UNESCO’s declaration And failed attempts of build a Garifuna nation The Garinagu culture has been in death’s deplore Intellectuals complaining it was at death’s door God sent one of Africa’s sons To restore hope To these dying folks He made first the Drums of My Father Restoring decaying pride to Dangriga Drums of My Father is Belize’s most used picture From linens, plates, bags shirts, caps to bumper stickers Yet we fear to acknowledge the intellectual property rights of the creator This brought the town new life Despite Sylvia Flore’s strife Their PUDP misunderstanding of the sophistication of life The Ibo man Steven Okeke gave Garifunadua new life From whence they were on life support clinging on to life

Registration and Licensing of vessels for 2018 on Caye Caulker
The Belize Port Authority will be conducting registration and licensing of vessels for the year 2018 under the Laws of Belize, Chapter 234 Revised Edition 2000, Harbour and Merchant Shipping Act. Schedule for: CAYE CAULKER VILLAGE Date: 21st to 24th November, 2017 Place: Caye Caulker Community Center Inspection Area: Caye Caulker Main Pier Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Important Note: Proof of Captains and Registered addresses of Vessels must be submitted with other documentation as a requirement to update registration information.

Panel of judges selects Business Hackathon 2017 Finalists
BELTRAIDE today conducted the First Pitch of this year’s national Business Hackathon 2017 as a part of Global Entrepreneurship Month (GEM) in Belize. A heartfelt congratulations to the 5 teams that participated in the first pitch. The judges panel, comprising of representatives from BEL, BTL, BWS, BELTRAIDE and smart! agreed that each tertiary level team participated to the best of their abilities with ample thought and energy being put into each innovative solution.

Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day Service began at Town Hall yesterday with the House of Culture's exhibit. We shared information on the history and importance of Remembrance Day and the WW 2 chronicles of our two living Ex-Servicemen Mr. Vera and Mr. Correa. We then marched through town and attended a lovely ceremony at Soldiers Park in honour of our fallen soldiers. A kind thank you to our BDF cadets, soldiers, scouts and police cadets for their kind participation.

Great Job Opportunities at BENNY'S
Job Vacancy exists for TWO (2) Technical Consultants. Send resumes to [email protected]

Tarun Butcher Receives Global Youth Award
Congratulations, Tarun! Representing Cayo well! She was awarded the Global Youth Award at the 5th annual World Youth Conference, which was held in Belize last week. Talk about well deserved. Keep doing your best! "The Prestigious “Global Youth Award 2017” for the 5th World Youth Conference 2017 goes to: Ms. Tarun Frances of Belize , Ms. Aishath Rafiyya of Maldives along with Ms. Shengna ‘Cicy’ Zhang of China & Ms. Nazmeen Amin of UK.

Art Show & Sale at San Pedro House of Culture
Friday, Nov. 24th - Dec 1. Featuring Eduardo Papo Alamilla Jeovan Chacon Manuel Rosales Edgar Gomez Stephanie Perez Alfredo Kinishu Trejo

Nohoch Cheen, ATM, Barton Creek and Xunantunich Archaeological Reserves are closed
Today 14 November 2017 The Nohoch Cheen, ATM, Barton Creek and Xunantunich Archaeological Reserves are all closed for visitation

Channel 7

Community Cops in Placencia Accused of Deviant Behavior
There are two very disturbing cases of alleged sex crimes coming out of the Stann Creek District tonight - and both involve police grossly abusing their power. The first is in Placencia where 7News has confirmed that there is a report alleging very deviant behavior by community police officers. A group of officers took the police cadets - all boys - out on a camping trip this weekend. 7News has learned that multiple children have alleged irregularities and deviant behaviour. They claim that while there one of the community police officers forced young male cadets into taking nude pictures for him. Second, they also allege that the community police officers charged the boys a quarter for water and a dollar to use the bathroom. The water was provided to the police for free.

3 Cops Accused of Gang Rape in Independence Station
The news is possibly even more disturbing in Independence Village where three police officers are accused of gang raping two women in the police station. It allegedly happened on Friday night when - according to reports - the women - one Belizean, one Salvadoran - were taken off a bus supposedly to be searched for drugs. Unofficial information says they were taken into the station by a WPC where they were stripped down for a search. But instead of getting searched, they were raped. Three officers - of various rank - allegedly gang raped the nude and defenseless women inside the station. Today, police would not give us much details at all, other than to confirm the report:

BODY FOUND ARMENIA... (UDPATE)
And in other breaking news tonight - a male body was found in Armenia Village this evening. Belmopan Police responded to the scene at 4:50 pm - but, initial reports are that they could not make even a preliminary assessment of the case of death because the body was already decomposing. A post mortem examination will be conducted on site and we'll know more tomorrow. Presently, police are guarding the body and waiting for the Forensic Doctor to arrive.

Honduran Outlaw Shot at San Ignacio Cops
Turning now to the west, police say they had to return fire on Friday night when a driver turned lawless. The police were conducting a checkpoint on Loma Luz Boulevard when they stopped a man in a Hyundai Santa Fe. From there, a routine searched turned dangerous very quickly - so much so, it's a minor miracle that no one was seriously hurt. Police told us more today:... ACP Joseph Myvette - OC, NCIB: "On Friday last San Ignacio police was on patrol on Loma Luz Boulevard, when they stopped a vehicle in order to conduct searches and in the process the driver alighted the vehicle where he was informed that searches will be conducted on the vehicle. As a consequence he put his hand in his pocket and attempted to pay the police."

Another Accident on Southern Highway Claims Husband and Wife
When we left you on Friday night, it was with the news that there had been a double fatal road accident on the Southern Highway near mile 12. This one happened not far from where married couple Allen and Melissa Andrews had been knocked down two weeks earlier. Melissa Andrews - the mother of one child - died from her injuries. Well on Friday night, another Stann Creek couple were the victims - except this time - both husband and wife were killed - leaving their 4 children without parents.

Soldier Didn't Stop for Man He Knocked Down
And there is another fatal accident to report in the Stann Creek District this weekend. 34 year old Dangriga resident Hubert Lucas was killed in a hit and run on Friday night. Police have tracked down the driver who hit him, and kept driving: it is 42 year old BDF soldier Donald Enriquez. ACP Joseph Myvett told us that Lucas was riding when he was run over and left for dead:... ACP Joseph Myvette - OC, NCIB: "One Donald Enriquez was driving in Dangriga Town enroute to the 6 miles junction when upon reaching a junction in Dangriga he collided into a cyclist who rode out on to the highway. The cyclist was later learnt to be Hubert Lucas, 34 years old. The driver Mr. Enriquez did not stop and fled the scene. Police investigation later led to his detention and the vehicle was impounded. He has since been served notice of intended prosecution."

Lucas' Family Laments Loss
And while police will charge Endriquez, today in Dangriga, Lucas's family told us that the charges will not bring back their loved one:... Ruby Lucas, Mother of Deceased: "When I got the news that he got into an accident, his cousin came to me and told me that he got into an accident. So, his dad and I went to the hospital, because he was already at the hospital and there was where I saw him. When I was at the hospital I ask the police who did it, he said that he couldn't tell me, because they didn't get the person yet, but afterwards I got to understand that it was him (Donald Enriquez) and he fled the scene. That was a big shock to me, because I wasn't looking out for something like that, because I was waiting for him since he told me that he was on his way coming."

20 Years for Bucket Burmudez
Convicted wife killer Forty-six year old Glenford "Bucket" Bermudez was finally sentenced today- after pleading down to manslaughter two weeks ago. Justice Adolph Lucas sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Justice Lucas subtracted 9 years, 10 months and 18 days from the sentence for time served. That leaves him with a little over 10 years left in jail. In arriving at the sentence, Justice Lucas said he took into consideration the aggravating factors and the mitigating factors as well as an impact statement from the children of the deceased.

Well Known Welder's Home Burns Down
A family lost over $20,000 worth of belongings in a weekend fire. It happened on Saturday night about 11:30, right next to Brodies on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Yusuf Bilala, his wife and daughter were asleep when the fire started but they got out just in time before the flames spread throughout the entire house. Courtney Weatherburne has more. 25 years of hard work destroyed in a matter of minutes. That is the reality Yusef Bilal and his family are still coming to terms with after a Saturday night blaze. Yusef Bilal, Home Owner: "When I wake up I see a light on top of the window, on top of the door and it is blinking, it is blinking I said but what is happening out there! So I jump out of bed and when I opened the door I saw the refrigerator under fire." Today fire officials confirmed that it was the icebox's motor that started the fire.

Shot in Foot, Broad Daylight, Busy Intersection
There was a broad daylight shooting in Belize City on Saturday. It happened on Magazine Road and the victim was 41 year old Clinton Dale Abraham. Police told us how he was shot while riding a bicycle past a busy intersection:.. Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino, CIB - Belize City: "Police received information of shots fired on Magazine Road. As a result police visited the scene. However, the victim was already transported to the KHMH. That victim is Clinton Abraham, 41 years old resident of Belize City. The initial investigation has revealed that he was riding on Magazine Road heading in the direction of Cemetery Road, when a lone gunman approached him and fired a single shot at him which caused an injury to his left knee. He was treated and released. One person is detained at this time."

No Traffic Lights Cause Traffic Accident
There was an accident at the corner of Vernon Street and Central American Boulevard in Belize City on Saturday night. It wasn't a very serious accident, but it again underscores all that can go wrong at this intersection where everyone seems to think they have the right of way. On Saturday night that left a motorcycle driver plastered on the pavement - his ordeal captured on someone's cell phone camera - and posted on facebook. Police told us more about it:... Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino, CIB - Belize City: "From the report received is that police responded to an RTA on Vernon Street. This was sometime around 10pm on the 11th November and upon arrival they saw a van and under the van was motorcycle and beside the motorcycle was the driver of that motorcycle."

Two Vehicles Flip, No One Dies in Head-on Collision
There was a serious accident up north last night - but luckily it wasn't fatal. Carmelita Village resident Nigeria Matura was driving a SUV at mile 50 on the Philip Goldson Highway when she lost control and slammed into a 2013 white Ford truck. 55 year old Ray Hohenkirk was driving the Ford at the time. The impact caused both vehicles to flip. Hohenkirk complained of pain to her neck and shoulder. SUV driver Matura complained of pain to her left arm. Other passengers in the vehicle also got injuries.

Alleged Serial Rapist Gets Off
A man accused of raping three women in one violent invasion of their San Pedro apartment left the court a free man today. Back in September of 2013, 25 year old Eric Gutierrez allegedly chased one woman with a screwdriver into her friends' apartment where he tried to rob one of them, and then ended up allegedly raping all three. He allegedly also stabbed all three with the screwdriver. One of the women told police that Guitierrez seemed to have been under the influence of some drug, and offered to get some water for one of the women who had fainted. He went to get the water and they went to get help from a male nieghbor. When Guitierrez returned with the water the man chased him off.

Border Workers Learn advanced Interrogation Techniques
Today the Ministry of Home Affairs began a workshop to educate customs and immigration officers on Passenger Interdiction, specifically Advanced Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques. It's part of border security training and Immigration Minister of State Beverly Williams told us why the workshop is so important and what different tactics the officers will be learning. Earl Harris, CARICOM Impacts Assistant Director Strategic Services: "As a region we face several threats, illegal migration, human trafficking, trafficking in illicit arms, light weapons, drugs and we recognize we have a lot of unattended borders and the borders that we do secure we have ensured that the staff have the skills and competencies to recognize the new and emerging threats so we teach them how to profile passengers, how to do threat assessments, best practice in examining and interrogating passengers."

Immigration Minister of State Speaks on Zheng Certificate
Last week the news was all about Yaunran Zheng, a Chinese who was found with a forged Belize Nationality Document. Zheng and his Taiwanese Belizean translator, Zheng Hui Lin were charged for uttering upon a forged document and trying to use it to get a social security card. Minister of State told us a little more about his bogus nationality certificate, how it they claim that it is a replacement from 2007: Hon. Beverly Williams, Minister of State with Responsibility for Immigration and Refugees: "It appears that social security saw some irregularities in terms of what they normally see. It is comforting or I hope the public will be comforted by the fact that we no longer use those certificates that are being replicated at the time."

Minister Speaks on BDF Beef
On Friday night we told you about the beef inside the BDF where some soldiers feel that their promotions are being taken by officers who should have already retired. The dispute arises from the statutory instrument - passed in August of 2016 - which changes the age for retirement, form 42 and 45 years old to 50, 52 and 55 years old. The argument is that at least three senior officers, Acting Commander Ortega, and Majors Amoa and Romero should have been retired by the time that SI was passed.

Suspects Released in Ranchito Home Invasion
Last week police told us that they had a number of persons detained for that home in vision in Ranchito - where a couple of retiree form the US where held at gunpoint, tied up and robbed of all their possessions, right down to a diamond wedding ring. Last week it seems promising when police had suspects from the Belize District and Corozal - but today, we learned that no one has been charged. ACP Joseph Myvette - OC, NCIB: "Actually 2 persons were detained, but eventually they were released pending further investigation into that matter. But I can tell you that one of the detainees were from Belize City and one was from that area where the incident occurred."

Cops Catch Weed and Rounds
On Friday evening officers from the ACT operation team conducted a search in the Conch Shell Bay area that resulted in the discovery of 214.5 grams of cannabis along with a 38 Derringer firearm and two .38 rounds of ammunition. On Saturday they conducted another search on an abandoned lot on Flamboyant Street and found seven rounds of 7.62 ammunition. This afternoon the ACT officers did another search of the Conch Shell Bay area and found one 9mm Luger brand firearm along with a magazine containing ten 9mm rounds of ammunition tucked away near the riverside tucked away in a shirt.

Clifford Caught with .38
In the case of a gun that WAS NOT labeled as found property, Twenty-four year old Clifford Anderson was charged today for kept firearm and ammunition without a license. Appearing before Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser. Anderson pled not guilty. He was remanded until January 22nd. On Saturday November 11 police saw Anderson by 88 Shopping Center, located at the corner on Neal pen Road and Central American Boulevard. They said when Anderson saw then he jumped on his bicycle and rode off. The police say when they caught up with Anderson on Arlington Drive they saw him throw an object in an open lot. The police retrieved a .38 revolver special with 5 rounds in its chamber.

SCA Girls Dominate Volleyball Championship
On Thursday we told you about NSSSA volleyball nationals. The epic final took place right here in Belize City and history was made as Saint Catherine's Academy won their 9th consecutive National championship. SCA is the first team male or female to win so many titles back to back, but as one of their coaches said it was not an easy tournament. They had to fight for the gold. Amber Marin, SCA Team Member/ 2017 National Female Volleyball Champions: "It honestly feels great. It is great to know that our hard work and practice, running at the track, lifting weights, volleyball practice even when we have countless homework to do its all paid off in the national tournament."

Belizean Boys Play Football Arizona
Last week Thursday three young Belizean boys went up to the US state of Arizona for a football try out. The try out had about 120 participants from different Rush Organizations. All the participants were selected based on their skill, so the talent and competition level was high. This morning organizer Daniel Fabro told us how they did. Daniel Fabro, Director Rush Belize: "Tryout camp it is a very intense camp they play a lot of games amongst each other. The coaches are looking for different characteristics from the players who want it more, who has a bigger heart. who has the talent obviously and the skills but skills and talent are not everything that makes the coaches decide who to choose and after that try out it is three days of an intense tryout."

Channel 5

Body Found in Armenia
There were no murders reported over the weekend, but this afternoon, the body of a man was discovered this evening sometime around four in Armenia village, just outside of Belmopan. [...]

Families of Mark Leslie & Myrna Vasquez Mourn after Horrific Accident
A fatal traffic accident on the Southern Highway claimed the lives of two well-known residents of Placencia.  The couple was returning home along with their teenage daughter in anticipation of [...]

Soldier Charged in Dangriga Hit & Run
In another accident in the south, a Belize Defense Force soldier has been charged in connection with a fatal hit and run incident that occurred near the outskirts of Dangriga [...]

4 Injured in Collision near Toll Bridge
Damage on the roads was not contained to the south this weekend. On the Philip Goldson Highway near mile fifty, forty-year-old Nigeria Matura of Carmelita village, Orange Walk was driving [...]

Police Investigate Alleged Double Rape in Independence
There is a disturbing report coming out of Independence tonight. The troubling incident reportedly involves at least two cops attached to the Independence Police Station. Two females were allegedly raped [...]

Yuanran Zheng Makes Tracks Out of Belize after Expulsion Order
Chinese Yuanran Zheng was today confirmed to have left the country after being served with an official Order to Leave by the Immigration Department on Friday. He first arrived in [...]

Fixing Nationality and Identification
On Friday, some fifty-seven new citizens were sworn in at the George Price Center in Belmopan. Their nationality certificates are of a different kind than the one found on Yuanran [...]

U.S. Supreme Court Turns Down Further Review of UHS Case
The Supreme Court of the United States today declined to review an order from the District of Columbia Circuit affirming a trial court opinion in favor of the Belize Bank [...]

Overheated Refrigerator Causes City Fire
A Belize City family is without a roof over their head. A fire broke out at the Bilal’s residence at mile two and half on the Philip Goldson Highway on [...]

20 Years for Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez on Wife Manslaughter
Justice Adolph Lucas this afternoon sentenced forty-six-year-old Glenford Gilbert Bermudez to twenty years imprisonment for the November twenty-second, 2007 killing of his wife.  The time Bermudez has spent behind bars, [...]

Traffic Stop Turns Shoot-Out in Wild West
There has been a welcome reprieve in murder reports for the past week; in fact, no murders were reported over the past weekend for the first time in some time. [...]

1 Charged in City Shooting
In Belize City, a man was shot over the weekend. Shortly after midday on Saturday, Clinton Dale Abraham was riding his bike on Magazine Road when he was targeted.  Luckily, [...]

Cops before Courts for Extortion
The Professional Standards Branch continues to investigate multiple reports of police misconduct, including two cases of extortion. Sergeant Lenancio Bol and Constable Daniel Requeña of Belize City were arraigned in [...]

Little Movement in Open Murder Cases
Police provided several updates in relation to recent open cases across the country. The cause of death was released for German attorney, fifty-two-year-old Raimund Adalbert Kobler, whose body was found [...]

Jumoke Castro Latest to Run Afoul of the Law
The eldest of three Castro brothers, sons of Belize Rural North Area Representative Edmond ‘Clear the Land’ Castro, was arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court late last week in connection with [...]

Immigration & Customs Team Up to Secure the Border
Belize and the European Union are partnering on a week-long training to keep our borders safe.  A group of immigration and customs officers is participating in a joint national border [...]

Vocational/Technical Teachers Participate in Leadership Conference
A first of its kind training for managers, principals and heads of department for Technical Vocational Education and Training centers was officially launched today in Belize City. The six-month program [...]

Collegians Go to Battle in Business Hackathon
For the remainder of the month, teams from across the country are competing on developing an innovative digital solution to make communication between utility companies and customers user friendly. It [...]

Sports Monday with James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.     [Highlights of the weekend sporting activities…]

Breaking Belize News

James Bus Line office burglarized
Punta Gorda police are faced with a case of burglary in that municipality. Sometime this […]

Belize International Film Festival 2017
The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), through the Institute of Creative Arts and […]

Belize to pay US $18.5 Million for UHS loan agreement
The US Supreme Court has rejected a request from Belize to review an order to […]

John Saldivar’s analysis of the pending FFB elections
On December 2, the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) will elect a new president. There […]

Traffic accident near Tower Hill bridge
According to police reports, Nigeria Matura, 40, of Carmelita village was driving a 1989 Ford Probe SUV from a south to north direction when she lost control of the vehicle and collided into a 2013 white Ford Edge driven by Ray Hohenkirk 55, of Belize City.

Moist weather to continue
The 24-hour forecast is for mainly moist and unstable conditions to continue over most areas. Cloudy skies with a few showers and periods of rain are expected over the south and coast, becoming generally isolated tomorrow morning.

Blogs

I Went to Play Shake a Day
After doing my main weekend chores (laundry and answering emails), I decided to head north to Coco Loco’s Saturday Beach Party and play “shake a day” (an ongoing dice game) and listen to some live music. Daryl Kennedy plays at Coco Locos Beach Bash every Saturday. His style is classic rock and island music with his own flare. He has recorded a few albums of his own song and his guitars are handmade and very unique. Anything he gets paid for playing goes to his foundation which is how shake a day comes into play. New owners of Coco Loco’s Charles and Tricia wanted to help Daryl’s foundation so they are doing a daily dice game. The pot starts at $100 BZD and will be progressive. You get five dice to roll and a shake costs $1. No matter what you role, you are already a winner for helping a great charity. However, if you are lucky at dice you do have a chance to win some good prizes.

Welcome to Belize
Hey friends this blogpost wiull help search out some great tips about Belize. Come visit Belize today and will will enjoy lots of fun!

Tips When Travelling to Belize
In Belize, experience a tropical rain forest and coral reef just miles apart. In the rain forest, see iguanas, howler monkeys and leaf cutter ants while gaining insight into the Mayan culture. On the coral reef, the longest in the Western Hemisphere, swim with brilliantly colored reef fish among the diverse assemblage of corals, sponges, and other invertebrates. To all backpackers and tourists coming to visit Belize, there's a lot to learn about Belize before coming here. Like you heard in the Beginning of this article this is something you will enjoy for your rest of your vacation while being in Belize. Before I commence on tips when you travel to Belize I will give you some Travelling tips to what you should bring in Belize.

International Sources

My Love Letter to Belize
For a country the size of Rhode Island, with a population of only 380,000, Belize has changed my life more so than any other country I’ve visited before. It opened my heart, healed me, inspired me, scared me, excited me and made me fall so deeply in love with it. I met my husband in Belize, got married in Belize, have a God-Daughter in Belize and “extended family” there. I love it so much, that on a bus one day leaving Belize on my way to Mexico (not sure when I would be back again), I wrote a tearful love letter to it about all of the things that I love so much about this beautiful country… Here is my love letter… Well Belize, you did it again and stole my heart once more. There is something about your country that resonates with me – that fills my soul and makes me happy. After returning a dozen or so times, I feel I’ve gotten a good grasp on what this country has to offer, and I am able to dig deeper into all the guts and glory that lies within Belize. And when it comes down to it, despite some pretty dark stuff that happens here, all the light and goodness of this country outshines the dark and makes me love so many aspects of it.

Supreme Court Won't Hear Belize's $18.5M Arbitration Appeal
Law360, Washington (November 13, 2017, 12:57 PM EST) -- The U.S. Supreme Court will not review a lower court decision enforcing an $18.5 million London arbitral award against the government of Belize in a case involving a Central American bank, the high court said in an order Monday. Belize was appealing a D.C. Circuit ruling that affirmed a trial court opinion saying the arbitral award could go forward. In a petition for writ of certiorari filed on Aug. 8, the nation argued that the ruling was incorrect because Belize is not party to the New...

Indigenous Peoples: Towards a space for mutual learning and empowerment
This article draws from a presentation made at the World Youth Forum in Belize on November 8th, 2017. Dr. Filiberto Penados a Yucatec Maya from Belize, is an indigenous studies and education scholar at the Center for Engaged Learning Abroad. He is president of the Julian Cho Society and a member of the technical committee of the Maya Leaders Alliance and Toledo Alcalde Association. I want to address the theme of empowerment of Indigenous Peoples. In the process of constructing a sustainable world what is needed is a space for mutual learning and empowerment. Too often the notion of empowerment suggests that there is someone doing the empowerment from some point above, and therefore those to be empowered have very little if anything to contribute. This is the very notion I want to challenge, for it fails to recognize that those who we are presumably empowering might also have something to teach us and closes the possibility that we the empowerers might also need to be empowered. I do not want to minimize the fact that indigenous peoples are marginalized but rather emphasize the point that they are not mere objects to be saved, and that that there are powerful lessons to be drawn from indigenous struggles and ways of knowing and being.

Videos

November 13, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Wolfe’s Woofer: Lightning
“Let’s eat here.” I pointed at the new little restaurant on the beach. “Fine with me,” Mario said. When Mario works for me I usually buy lunch for him as I was doing now. As we waited for our food, Mario looked down the beach and said, “Hey, isn’t that Bill and Jenny Martin coming there? Hey, Bill! Jenny!” He waved them over to our table and they joined us for lunch. “Where you been?” Mario asked. “Seems like I ain’t seen you for half a year.” “We’ve been spending time in Chicxulub, Mexico.” Bill said. “Oh, yah. On the beach over near Merida.”

Letter to the Editor: Fundraiser for the Polyclinic
Dear San Pedro Community, It is time to do a major fundraiser for the Polyclinic! A few weeks ago, I witnessed a moving experience. The Polyclinic medical staff saved the life of one of our island residents. The standard of emergency care by the staff of the San Pedro Polyclinic was outstanding from the time the patient was brought in to her delivery to Tropic Air. Tropic Air was also outstanding in its efforts of coordinating the flight as well as providing a stretcher for transporting the patient to Belize City. The emergency service team in Belize City was waiting at Belize Municipal Airport for onward transportation to Belize HealthCare Partners. The surgeon who then was waiting to perform the surgery said that had the patient not arrived at the hospital when she did, she would have died within three hours. The happy ending of this story is that patient is currently recovering back on the island.

Doctor Love: Concerned Parent
Dear Doctor Love, I am the mother of a fourteen-year-old girl who is a pretty good kid. She does well in school, is happy and compassionate and has a large circle of friends. Last weekend I was in town late in the evening and I happened to see three of her friends. They were accompanied by a much older boy and they were all very drunk. One girl in particular was being physically supported by the boy and her friend. I approached them and they were embarrassed and they did let me send them home in a taxi. When I casually asked my daughter if she engages in this behavior, her surprise told me that she was telling the truth when she said no. She has a curfew and we have a very open relationship as far as discussions about sex, drugs and drinking. My problem is now I worry about her being influenced by her friends, but I don’t know if I should tell her to stay away from them. I also don’t know if I should speak to the girls’ mothers. My husband thinks I should let it go for our daughters’ sake and I am inclined to agree except I would feel terrible if something happened to these girls and I stayed silent. Help me do what is best for my daughter. /s/ Concerned Parent

Misc Belizean Sources

Despite losing 2-1 against Verdes, San Pedro Pirates are in for the playoffs
After securing the fourth place in the Premier League of Belize!

Releasing a boa
BWRC's staff are awesome! The job is often dirty, always demanding, sometimes a bit dangerous or requiring overcoming some fears and may involve walking good distances. Thanks to Godwin for taking the 7 foot boa 1.6 Miles into the jungle to release her far away from (human) danger. Her story? She was nearly killed for being in someone's yard in the city, saved by Gordon Kirkwood and then treated and allowed to recover from head trauma at BWRC. Relocation recommendation for snakes (especially as large as this one) is 1 Mile or more away from human settlements and by a water source.

2nd Annual Belize International Yoga Festival
December 2 and 3, 2017. Harbour View Greens, Fort Street, Belize City

The home next to Bilal welding service which is adjacent to Brodie’s on the Northern Highway in Belize City went up in flames on Saturday night
The fire occurred after 11 p.m. on 11.11.2017. Yusuf Bilal and his family were awakened by the smell of smoke and found fire coming from behind a refrigerator. The structure measuring 24x30 feet and all it's contents were destroyed by the fire. Mr. Bilal received minor burns over his body, his wife Beatrice received burns to the left side of her back & left palm and their daughter escaped unharmed. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department. The house and it's contents were not insured.

PLACENCIA & DANGRIGA BARTENDER TRAINING
BELIZE MIXOLOGY is ONCE AGAIN coming to the south for BARTENDER and CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING! Details are as follows: ~INTRODUCTION TO BARTENDING. Date: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21st to 23rd. PRICE: $250 per person. ADVANCED BARTENDING. Date: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24th to 27th. PRICE:$350 per person.

San Pedro Fitness Day
Come one come all, 4 Instructors, Fitness Models, DJ, Food, Refreshments! Sat Nov 11, 7:AM Louis Sylvester Stadium, San Pedro

Raise Me Up loves Blue Water GrillQ
Not only did they help us finish Construction at New Horizons School Library, they just donated two computers and enough funds to build shelves, tables and buy chairs! These guys truly are amazing and we hope everyone else loves them as much as we do. Their monthly program makes a huge difference to our organization and many others, we can’t thank you enough!

Dynamics of Belize
Free free dance with the best band of belize from 9 pm to 2 am come and enjoy. Volleyball marathon during the day with trophies and cash prizes and give aways. Nov. 18th, San Joaquin Village behind the football field.

Power outage scheduled for a portion of Stann Creek District on Thursday, November 16 from 7:00am to 1:00pm
To affect portions of Placencia Peninsula up to Miller’s Landing, Placencia Lagoon Estate, Noralez Extension, Sunset Drive and Malacate Areas of Independence Village. BEL to conduct maintenance and testing of equipment, and install reclosers at Independence Substation.

Dance X Belize 2017
The 2017 Dance X Belize is coming to Cayo on Friday, November 24th. It'll all happen at the Cayo Welcome Center. Check out the promo video to get and idea of what it's all about, and to see some cool dance moves. "Western Masqueraders just Confirmed! Join them for Dance X BZ 2017 in San Ignacio, Cayo on Friday, November 24, 2017 at the Welcome Center!"

CELEBRATING GARIFUNA CULTURE @ the House of Culture on Wed., Nov. 15th.

Garifuna FlavoursCELEBRATING GARIFUNA CULTURE The San Pedro House of Culture in collaboration with the Black & White Cultural Center cordially invites the general public to come and celebrate the Garifuna Culture and enjoy a live performance by The Charikanari Dancers. On Wednesday November 15th, 2017 At 7:00 pm. At the San Pedro House of Culture.

The Reporter

Did policemen rape women in their custody?
The Belize Police Department has begun an investigation into a report that three of its officers allegedly raped two women who were in their custody. The allegation is that the incident took place at a police station in southern Belize on Thursday night. Reports reaching the Reporter is that the women, who are said to be cousins, were detained pending investigations of human trafficking, but neither of them was charged with any offense. We have been informed that the Police Department’s Professional Standards Bureau is investigating the report.

Fire leaves family homeless; two injured
A late night fire has left a family of three homeless, and two of them injured from burns. Police are investigating the circumstances of how 62-year-old Yusef Bilal’s home at 2 ½ miles on the Philip Goldson Highway caught fire around 11:15 last night. Police say that Bilal along with his wife Beatriz Bilal, 56, and their daughter Sadiya Bilal, 13, woke up to the smell of smoke. The couple got their injuries trying to escape the fire; however, their daughter escaped unharmed. When authorities arrived at the scene around 11:30 pm, the entire 24×30 feet structure was engulfed in flames. The Fire Department extinguished those flames, but there was nothing left to save. Neither the house nor its contents were insured.

Haven House invites you to shine a light on domestic violence
Haven-House, a non-profit NGO that provides programs and services for domestic violence survivors, is calling on Belizeans to install a purple light bulb in their home or office during their “Shine Your Light On Domestic Violence” awareness campaign. The annual campaign is in support of both survivors of domestic violence and in remembrance of those who have lost their lives because of it. As a part of the organization’s fundraising efforts, persons are invited to purchase a purple light bulb from Haven House, so those funds can help the organization to continue offering its services. Those interested in purchasing a light bulb can call Mindi Pratt, program director at Haven House, at 630-4839. Over the past 23 years, Haven House has offered emergency shelter for women and their children, food, clothing and basic counselling, free of cost, to domestic violence victims.

Breaking Belize News

House burns in Belize City
There was a fire reported in Belize City last night around 11:30 p.m. police responded to a report of a house fire on the Philip Goldson Highway at mile 2 1/2.

BELIZE WILL VOTE 70% NO TO I.C.J.
By Richard Harrison: As this process already involves international actors and interests….Guatemala and Belize will still spend many millions in ”popular consultation” and referendum vote to see if the people are in agreement to take this imaginary “diferendum” which was ANGLO-GUATEMALAN…and because of their unilateral decisions they change it to BELIZE-GUATEMALA DIFERENDUM…to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Belize City police find weed,gun and ammo
On Friday night around 6:15, as s result of operation ACT, officers conducted searches in the Conch Shell Bay area that resulted in the discovery of 214.5 grams of cannabis and a 38 derringer firearm with (2) .38 rounds of ammunition.

Belize City police find ammo
Yesterday morning around 11:30, Belize City police were on operation ACT and conducted a search in an abandon lot on Flamboyant Street that resulted in the discovery of (7) 7.62 bronze ammunition with no visible brand.

BDF soldier served with notice of intended prosecution
On Friday night around 7:45, Dangriga police responded to a report of a traffic accident between miles 1 and 2 on the Southern Highway. Police saw a beach cruiser bicycle extensively damaged on the right hand side of the road.

Blogs

Belize It or Not: A True or False Trivia Quiz about BELIZE
Belize is a tiny country but filled with mystical magical things. From the 2nd longest coral reef in the world to some of the densest, untouched forest in this hemisphere. We also have the smallest capital city in Central America and one of the least dense populations in the world. Interesting…I know! So here are some simple True or False questions that…aren’t always so simple. See how you fare. All the answers are at the end.

Dr. Eric Thompson was one of the foremost scholars Maya Civilization in Belize
The late Dr. Eric Thompson (1898-1975) was one of the foremost scholars of Maya civilzation. He first visited Belize in 1927 to excavate Lubantuun in the Toledo District. Dr. Thompson was awarded the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle and was a commander of the Spanish order of isabel la Catolica. He was a fellow of the British Academy and was awarded and Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the Tulane University in 1972. He was practicularly concerned with deciphering Maya hieroglphs. Dr. Thompson developed several close friendship during his many seasons excavating in Belize, notably with his assistant Jacinto Cunil, whom he had originally hired in San Jose Succotz, Cayo District in 1928, and who later became his compadre. In 1970 Dr. Thompson prsented this manuscript to the people of Belize.

BFREE is a mission to Conserve the Biodiversity and cultural heritage of Belize.
BFREE’s mission is “to conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Belize.” As the only field station in this biologically important area, we seek to achieve our mission by successfully integrating scientific research, environmental education, and conservation initiatives in the Maya Mountains of Belize, while also enhancing sustainable development, providing alternative livelihoods, and ultimately improving the quality of life for Belizeans and visitors from abroad.

International Sources

Staging Bird Murders to Save a Species
Interesting read on the training birds go through to survive release back into the wild.
The chatty green parrots had a front-row seat to a spine-chilling show. Tethered to a tree branch not far from their cage, another parrot, similar in appearance but of a different species, was armored in a small leather vest. As the green parrots looked on, a man approached the lone parrot with yet another bird leashed to his arm: a red-tailed hawk. The hawk lunged at the parrot in the vest, wrapping its talons around it. The parrot screamed, a sound only made when death is imminent. Satisfied, the man pulled the hawk off. This simulated attack—don’t worry, the parrot was unscathed thanks to the vest—was a ruse, aimed at Puerto Rican parrots about to be released into the wild for the first time. A critically endangered species found nowhere else in the world, those chatty green birds had never known life outside of captivity. So they were being taught what to look out for when they headed into hawk territory.

Videos

November 12, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Videographers allegedly damage reef while filming at Hol Chan
The tour guide and conservation community are concerned after allegations surfaced that a film crew caused damage to the Belize Barrier Reef System at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. According to a social media post by a local tour operator, while filming at Hol Chan on Friday, November 3rd, a film crew hired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line behaved “carelessly…touching, kicking and even standing on the delicate corals”, even after being advised against these actions. The tour operator further explained in his post that he had been hired to guide the film crew while on the job. “I was given the assignment to keep an eye on the videographers in the water. So we hopped in the water, me, a diving videographer and two others that would be on the surface snorkeling while they filmed two young boys snorkeling around. As soon as we got in, we headed towards the northern part of the channel in the shallow area. I noticed that the snorkeling videographers were kicking the coral. I popped my head up and told them they need to watch how they’re kicking as they can’t be doing that,” explained Tour Operator Ian Oliva.

Guatemala to produce maps that include Belize territory as their own
The unfounded Guatemalan claim to Belize has taken an aggressive approach after the government of that country announced on Thursday, November 2nd that it intends to produce maps depicting Belize as part of their territory. This move comes as part of an educational campaign ahead of their referendum on the territorial dispute with Belize which is scheduled for March 2018. In addition, the claim seems to have changed, and instead of claiming half of Belize as previously stated, Guatemala is now seeking to obtain the entire Belizean territory via the International Court of Justice (ICJ). During a press conference on Friday, November 3rd, Rafael Salazar of Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they are working on an awareness campaign to ensure that by the start of the 2018 school year, the annexation of the Belizean map appears in all textbooks. In the new Guatemalan map, Belize will be separated by a dotted line and labeled ‘Territory in Dispute.’ “Our claim is the entire Belizean territory,” Salazar said. “How much we will recover? That will be up to the decision by the International Court of Justice.

Misc Belizean Sources

ATTACKED BY A CROC
47-year-old Raul Zulata of Cotton Tree Village was attacked by a crocodile last night. Zulate left his home to go fishing at the Sibun River near Mile 36 of the George Price Highway at around 9 o’clock. According to Zulate, the crocodile bit him on his right arm. He managed to break free and is currently at the Western Regional Hospital receiving treatment.

GMC Envoy attempts to overtake tractor and kills 2 killed in head on collision
A GMC Envoy driven by Delmar Ortega attempted to overtake a tractor but instead crashed directly into a Toyota Corolla, killing a man and his wife, while hospitalizing his daughter. The details of the scene police encountered is below. On 10th November, 2017 at 7:45 p.m., Dangriga Police responded to a Road Traffic Accident between mile 11 &12 on the Southern Highway. Upon arrival they observed a white Toyota corolla 4 door car that was extensively damaged which was driven by Mark Leslie. Leslie was accompanied by his common law wife, 48 year old Myrna Vasquez Belizean of Placencia Village and his daughter, 17 year old Aurora Sanchez.

RTA IN SOUTHERN BELIZE CLAIMS TWO LIVES!
On 10th November, 2017 about 7:45 p.m., Dangriga Police responded to a Road Traffic Accident between miles 11 &12 on the Southern Highway. Upon arrival, they observed a white Toyota 4 door car extensively damage on the left hand side of the road (when travelling from Dangriga Town to Sitter River). Mark Leslie was the driver of the car and was accompanied by his common-law-wife 48-year-old Myrna Vasquez and his daughter 17-year-old Aurora Sanchez. On the scene, police also observed a John Deere Tractor, driven at the time by 23-year-old Cesar Montenegro of Hope Creek Village. The tractor, which had no visible damage, had an attached metal trailer that contained oranges. Also, on the left hand side of the road, Police observed a G.M.C Envoy engulfed in flames .

Power outage scheduled for a portion of Stann Creek District on Thursday, November 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 midday
To affect Silk Grass, Hopkins, Sittee River, Maya Center and Riversdale. BEL to facilitate connection of customer in the area.

Power outage scheduled for a portion of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye on Wednesday, November 15 from 7:00am to 2:00pm
To affect San Mateo and the entire area north of Boca del Rio. BEL to install voltage regulators, replace poles carrying high voltage lines and conduct maintenance on equipment at the San Pedro Substation.

Reese Medina Receives Queen's Scout Award
Congratulations, Resse Medina! The Cayo native was awarded the Queen's Scout Award, which is the highest award in the Belize Scouts. "Governor- General of Belize, His Excellency Sir Colville N. Young who is the Patron of Belize Scouts was present for the ceremony and presented the Highest Award in Belize Scouting, the Queen's Scout Award to Assistant Cub Scout Leader Reese Medina from the 27th Cayo Santa Elena Jaguar Scout Group. In a congratulatory message from the Governor-General he stated that he not only congratulates Reese for this outstanding achievement but also reminds her that the Queen's Scout Award is not the end but the continuation of the road she has choosen to follow. Pass on what you have learned to new members of your Venture Unit, Scout Unit and Cub Scout Pack and do not forget that many other Queen's Scouts around the world share the same principles and live the Scout Promise and Law which are the foundation of this great Movement."

Photos from the Battle of the Drums

The US Marine Corps Birthday Celebration in #Belize!
Happy 242nd! Semper Fidelis!

Belize Chocolate was recognized as the San Pedro Wavemaker of the year for their "Go Strawless" initiative
Great chocolate and wonderful people!!!!

The Reporter

Fire claims house; leaves man injured
A fire sometime after 9:00 last night has left a family homeless and the homeowner with injuries to both hands. Preliminary reports are that the blaze occurred at a family house near Brodies parking lot on the Philip Goldson highway and left a Mr Bilal, a welder, with burns to his hands. The Reporter will have more on this as the details become available.

Opposition condemns GOB response to new Guatemalan map
The People’s United Party (PUP) is condemning the government of Belize for not protesting Guatemala’s intention to include Belize as a part of its territory in a new map. Guatemala announced this week that it plans to produce the map as part of its educational campaign to take the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice, despite a decision by its congress in April to refrain from printing the map. Guatemala’s government said that it launched an international tender for any company willing to, for the next 10 years, provide the service spreads and include Belize as the 23rd province on the map, with only a dotted line separating our two countries, on the front cover of Guatemalan passports.

Guatemala wants to include Belize on their map, again!
Guatemala has once again embarked on a mission to include Belize as part of its official map, despite a ruling in April of this year when the Guatemalan congress voted against the exact decision. This week, Guatemala launched an international tender for any company willing to, for the next 10 years, provide the service spreads and include Belize as the 23rd province on the map, with only a dotted line separating our two countries, on the front cover of Guatemalan passports. The new mission seeks to take the Guatemalan effort on promoting that country’s claim to Belize to new levels, since the travel document would go one step further than what is being taught to Guatemalan children in the classrooms, that “Belice es nuestro”. The travel document would send a send across borders.

Man dies in traffic accident in Dangriga
A man is dead following a traffic accident between miles 1 and 2 on the Stann Creek Valley road on the approach to Dangriga around 7:30 Friday night. Upon arrival they saw a blue beach cruiser bicycle extensively damaged on the right hand side of the road and beside the bike, a man lying on the road with head and body injuries. Police say that Donald Enriquez, 42, a Belize Defence Force soldier of Dangriga was driving from the direction of Dangriga to Hopkings village in a Toyota 4-Runner and upon reaching between miles 1 & 2, Hubert Lucas, 34, a labourer also of Dangriga, rode onto the highway from off another street, causing a collision. Lucas died of his injuries and Enriquez was served with a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

Several left injured in Friday night’s Southern highway fatality
Police say last night’s fatal traffic accident between miles 11 and 12 on the Southern Highway has also left a number of persons injured. Police released the details a few minutes ago, saying that when they arrived at the scene, they saw a cream colour GMC Envoy engolfed in flames, a white Toyota Corolla 4-door car extensively damaged and a green John Deere tractor with a trailor filled with oranges, with no visible damages. According to police, the GMC Envoy was travelling from Sitter River village to neighbouring Hopkins village, and was in the process of overtaking the tractor when it collided into the white Toyota Corolla which was travelling in the opposite direction.

PG Sports Complex opened for Battle of the Drums
The multi-million dollar Punta Gorda Sporting Complex will be used ahead of its original opening day, to host the Battle of the Drums this weekend. Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL), the state-owned company that upgraded the facility, announced that the complex will be used to house the competition on November 10 and 11. BIL noted that the facility has reached “substantial completion,” and has passed a site visit inspection by Punta Gorda Mayor, Fern Gutierrez, and the Local Sports Council Management Committee to ensure the facility is well prepared to host this event. BIL also noted that there are still works going on at the complex, such as site filling and drainage, but the building itself is ready to use. The newly upgraded complex, which cost around $3.4 million, boasts a center wood court, approved by the International Basketball Federation, with moulded bleachers for over 850 and additional courtside and upper seating to hold a total of 1200.

Breaking Belize News

Man stabbed while socializing in Orange Walk
Around 4:15 yesterday morning, police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where cops saw Llamont Wade, 27, of a Key Hole Alley address in Orange Walk town with multiple stab wounds to his chest, abdomen, and back.

Justin Williams arraigned for rape
Yesterday, a young woman in her twenties reported to authorities that while traversing the road that leads from Cohune Walk to Roaring Creek Junction around 1am, she was raped by a man.

Police issue report on fatal accident
Last night around 7:45, Dangriga police responded to a road traffic accident between miles 11 and 12 on the Southern highway . On the scene, police officers saw a white Toyota Corolla car extensively damaged on the left hand side of the road.

Immigration minister speaks on latest initiatives
The Immigration and Nationally Department is working on phasing out old nationality certificates as well as trying to simplify the process for Belizeans to get passports, according to Minister of State with responsibility for Immigration, Beverly Williams.

PAC meets without problems
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) convened a meeting on Thursday without any issues after PAC Chairman, Julius Espat accused government ministers of boycotting the last PAC meeting, a claim which the government denied and clarified saying their representatives were sick at the time.

Yohnny Rosado protests GST bill
Yohnny Rosado, tour operator/activist and owner of Cavetubing.com, staged a protest yesterday along with fellow activists to condemn what he calls an “outrageous, unfair and unjust” $700,000 arrears assessment from the General Sales Tax (GST) department.

Chinese man with fake documents ordered to leave Belize
Yuanran Zheng, the Chinese national busted trying to obtain a Social Security card last week using a fake nationality certificate, has left Belize after he was issued an Order to Leave by the Immigration Department on Thursday.

PUP condemns GOB and Guatemala on action to include Belize in Guatemalan map
The Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) today issued a release saying that the indifference shown by Foreign Minister, Wilfred Elrington when faced, once again, with Guatemala’s bullying, bad faith, and clear intention to skew the results of a referendum set for March 2018 is an outrageous response by the Government of Belize.

International Sources

Disruptive weather to hinder cleanup efforts across Caribbean this week
An unsettled weather pattern will continue to plague the Caribbean for several days, threatening hurricane-ravaged areas with flooding rainfall and gusty winds. “A broad area of low pressure will continue to produce heavy showers and thunderstorms across much of the western portion of the Caribbean over the next few days,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said. Those in Belize, Honduras or on the far eastern shores of the Yucatan Peninsula will need to be wary of flash flooding and mudslides as rounds of heavy storms batter the region through the first half of the week. This system will continue to impact coastal Central America and much of the Caribbean into Wednesday.

Videos

November 11, 2017

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, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

Bernadette Damper’s art exhibit opens at San Pedro House of Culture
On the evening of Thursday, November 9th, the San Pedro House of Culture (SPHC) debuted a new art exhibit, featuring the work of talented island resident Bernadette Damper. The art collection includes a variety of paintings depicting nature, the island and its many aspects of life. Damper warmly welcomed guests, mingling and pleased to share words about her work. She maintains that she will continue painting and donate the originals to San Pedro’s fundraising events as her contribution to her beloved island people.

Beechwold Christian Church donates fire truck to Caye Caulker
The Caye Caulker Fire Department will be the proud new recipient of a fire truck thanks to a generous donation from the Beechwold Christian Church in Columbus Ohio, United States of America. The much-needed vehicle arrived at Belize’s Philip S.W. Goldson International around 12:30PM on Wednesday, November 8th, aboard a U.S Airforce C-17 Globemaster aircraft. Local authorities on La Isla Cariñosa, along with the island’s fire department are now making arrangements to transport the truck to the island. The fire truck is a 1981 Pierce Arrow model, very common in fire trucks, and according to James York III, a former firefighter and member of the Beechwold Church, it is in excellent condition, with just a little over 50,000 miles. York told The Sun that the truck also comes with some hoses and a 1000 gallon tank.

Caye Caulker resident fined for possession of illegal wildlife
A resident of Caye Caulker Village, Jacob Emmanuel Cabral, was fined $2,000 for Unlawful Possession of Forest Produce on Tuesday, November 7th. Cabral appeared before Magistrate Janelle Villanueva at the San Pedro Magistrate Court, where he was ordered to pay the fine by March 30, 2018 or face imprisonment of up to six months. According to the official report from the Forest Department, on August 15th of this year, police officers visited Cabral’s business place on Caye Caulker, where he was found in the possession of three raccoons. When he was questioned, Cabral responded that the raccoons were awarded to him as a gift and was reportedly using them for wildlife tourism. The raccoons, who were five weeks old, were then confiscated by the Department and transported to the Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic for rehabilitation with the hope that they will eventually be returned to the wild.

Amended Stamp Duties Act comes into effect
On Wednesday, November 1st, the Government of Belize’ (GOB) Amended Stamp Duties Act came into effect. The amendment sees the stamp duty transfer tax increasing to 8% on all foreign purchased properties on a value of land in excess of $20,000BZ. However, the rate remains at the original 5% on transfers of land to all Belizean or CARICOM nationals. Belize is currently considered a prime real-estate market, however, many realtors believe “such an amendment to the law will serve as a deterrent for any investor to consider Belize as a potential option.” Many are concerned that the real-estate industry in Belize might shrink due to the increased tax. The new raise, according to them, might force an exodus due to the loss of sales. According to GOB, this new amendment will assist in deterring fraud and promote healthy real-estate transactions in Belize.

Michael Ashcroft accused of tax evasion in leaked Paradise Papers
British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft is once again in the headlines after being linked to another tax evasion scheme dubbed ‘Paradise Papers.’ Over 13.5 million leaked files reveal the offshore activities of some of the world’s richest, most powerful people, and names Ashcroft for major tax-evasion in the United Kingdom (UK) after he listed Belize as his permanent residence. The British magnate has been enjoying tax-free benefits despite pledging to give up his ‘non-domiciled’ or ‘non-dom ‘ status, which under British law is a person living in the UK, but considered a resident in another country, with significant tax advantage for the wealthy. When Ashcroft was confronted with these new allegations, he was quick to deny them and has since abstained from further commenting on the matter.

Misc Belizean Sources

Punta Gorda Multi-Sport Sports Complex
Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL), hereby issues this press release to notify the general public that the Punta Gorda Sports Complex has now reached substantial completion and will be in use this weekend, Friday November 10th and Saturday November 11th, 2017 to welcome and host the return of Battle of the Drums to its original home. The team concluded an extensive site visit on November 9th coordinating with Punta Gorda Mayor Fern Gutierrez, and the Local Sports Council Management Committee to ensure the facility is well prepared to host this event. The Government of Belize welcomes the opening use of this facility highlighting the multi-purpose functions of the projects now being delivered by BIL extended to culture, entertainment, and sports. While works on the grounds do continue for civil works to complete site filling and drainage, the building is now complete and ready for use.

BTIA's 32nd Annual General Meeting
SAVE THE DATE: BTIA's (Belize Tourism Industry Association's) 32nd Annual General Meeting is coming up! Dec 7 in Belize City.

Methodist Eye Clinic in Corozal
The METHODIST EYE DOCTORS will be at the METHODIST EYE CLINIC, COROZAL TOWN on Sunday, January 7th through Thursday, January 11th, 2018. PERSONS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DOCTORS DURING THESE 4 DAYS ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENTS IN ADVANCE. To make an appointment in person, please go to the Eye Clinic on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning November 21st, 2017 (in lieu of the 20th which is a holiday). Time for appointments: From 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon or call CALL 422-2887 NOTE: LAST DAY FOR APPOINTMENT IS TUESDAY DECEMBER 12th, 2017.

International Diabetes Day in Corozal
Next week Tuesday, November 14th will be viewed as "INTERNATIONAL DIABETES DAY". The theme for this year is "Women and Diabetes". The Corozal Community Hospital, the Corozal Diabetes Education Resources in collaboration with the Corozal House of Culture will be hosting an education session about Diabetes between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on November 14th at the Corozal House of Culture. Everyone is invited to attend. This is a very important topic to discuss. We encourage you to take part.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of Oct. 30th thru Nov. 5th, 2017
The permit bite is remaining productive, but as usual can be challenging to keep on the line. More fish hooked than landed, and anglers are coming back to the lodge with stories of the one that got away. Mike and Brian did, however, manage to land some and Brian landed two during his stay. Good job Brian and Mike!

FCD Wildlife trafficking poster
Illegal wildlife trafficking threatens many species worldwide. FCD’s most recent poster addresses this challenge. This material is made possible through the UKAid/DEFRA/WCS Project

Chiquibul Cave System: Management & Challenges
Yesterday was planning in the jungle. Today we are sitting with IDAEH, Guatemala counterpart to the Institute of Archaeology (NICH) Belize and Friends for Conservation and Development - FCD Belize

Celeshia Guy awarded Environmental Youth Award
On November 9th, 2017, Oceana’s Belize District Field Representative Celeshia Guy, was awarded the Environmental Youth Award at the annual Belize National Youth Awards. This year’s event was held during the closing ceremony of the World Youth Conference 2017. The 2017 World Youth Conference was celebrated under the theme “Globally Running to 2030, becoming Sustainably Strong!” Guy was awarded the Environmental Youth Award for her tremendous contributions to increasing awareness of our natural environment as well as promoting active youth participation in the decision-making processes for sustainable management and development of our marine ecosystems. “Oceana is proud to work with and support dynamic young Belizean leaders and all our sensational volunteers, our wavemakers,” shared Oceana Vice President Janelle Chanona. “As Celeshia continues to realize her potential and that of her peers, her hard work and determination to excel represents just how bright, promising and sustainable Belize’s future can be.”

Museum of Belize campaign against gender-based violence
Please join us in supporting the campaign against gender-based violence. You may order your shirts at 223-1941 or 223 - 1942.

Corozal House of Culture celebrates sacred Maya tradition of Biix
The beautiful and sacred Maya tradition of Biix which took place in Xaibe Village last night. November 9th is the last day of Hanal Pixan when souls return to the spiritual world. The Maya place candles in front of their doors, yard entrances and cemeteries to guide the souls of their dearly departed back to the spiritual world. A gracious thank you to the villagers of Xaibe for giving us the opportunity to document this sacred cultural tradition.

BATTLE OF THE DRUMS 2017 and Belize Garifuna Musical Festival
The night commences with the 12th Annual Battle of the Drums Competition and Show. This is a Competition and Show that allows groups to compete and display their musical artistry in playing five (5) different categories of Garifuna drumming. The first Battle of the Drums was held in Punta Gorda Town on November 17, 2006 and was well received by spectators from home and abroad. In 2007, there was even a bigger audience and greater enthusiasm. As of 2008 the event has evolved into an international drumming competition and show involving drumming groups from various parts of Belize as well as from neighbouring Guatemala and Honduras. This competition and show has become a major local and tourist attraction and a catalyst for significant economic activity in the Punta Gorda Area during the period when it is hosted. The Battle of the Drums Competition and Show is held every year on the Saturday immediately preceding the 19th day of November.

The Caye Caulker Humane Society is happy to announce that Dr. Dale Wilson will be at clinic today
Caye Caulker is very fortunate to have the services of this excellent visiting vet. If you have a sick pet, now is the time to bring it in for a check.

Fitness Park at Rainbow Beach opens!
Today was a very great day for the citizens of Corozal...the Fitness Park at Rainbow Beach was officially opened with a ribbon cutting! This park is for all who want to achieve a better self! Thank you Rigo Vellos for participating in the ribbon cutting. Your commitment to physical fitness is appreciated and obvious! Enjoy Corozal citizens and use with good judgement!

Streets being upgraded in Corozal

SHC La Tarde Cultural 2017
Sacred Heart College is having their annual La Tarde Cultural on November 24th. Students present on Latin American culture, and it's always a fun experience. "La Tarde Cultural is an annual Spanish Project for third form students at Sacred Heart College that allows them to learn about the culture of the Latin American countries."

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Birth of the Dragon, The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, Brawl In Cell Block 99, November Criminals.

Channel 7

Zheng Given OTL, Leaves On His Own
7News has confirmed that Yuanran Zheng, the Chinese National who tried to get a Social Security card with a bogus nationality document, has left the country. As we told you last night, the Immigration Department issued an order to leave after he pleaded guilty at the Magistrates Court to Immigration and Social Security offences. Well, that OTL was activated today, but we are told that he was also ready to leave. The Director Of Immigration confirms that that he flew out of the country to Canada, instead of going to the US. It appears that he wanted to avoid any possible legal troubles in the US. As we told you, immigration records show that he arrived in Belize for the first time on Sunday, November 5. One day later, he showed up to the Belmopan Social Security Board Office with a translator, Zheng Hui Lin who is a well known Taiwanese Belizean from Camalote.

From Press Conference to Protest, Yohny Can't Pay
Two weeks ago tour operator Yohny Rosado held a press conference in collaboration with COLA to sound the alarm about a business crisis he's facing. Rosado was assessed by the General Sales Tax Office for owing $700,00 in arrears. At the time, he said the bill was outrageous, unfair, and untrue and said it had trend his life and his business upside down. He says he cannot pay the bill - so he's going to keep up the social pressure. Today activists and Rosado spearheaded a protest outside the GST office at the Complex Building not just condemn the six-figure bill, but also to rage, generally, against corruption. 7News was there, and here's what Rosado and two other Social Activists had to say.

Alleged Roaring Creek Rapist Caught in Belmopan
Justin Austin Williams was charged for rape in Belmopan today. The 29 year old Roaring Creek Resident is accused of raping a woman in her 20's in the Cohune Walk area early this morning. Police say that after 1:00 this morning, the woman was accessing the road that leads from Cohune walk to near the Roaring Creek junction when she was raped. Capital cops caught him almost instantly and charged him for rape by this afternoon. They say he sustained this injuries during detention and when he was caught in the act. He was arraigned this evening.

Late Evening Fatal Accident on Southern Highway
And this just in to 7news: There has been another fatal accident on the southern highway. According to reports, this one happened near to Beefmasters at mile 12. Details are very scarce and all we know at this time is that two vehicles were involved. And we have an update to that fatal accident we told you about earlier. We can confirm that two people are dead after a head on collision. It happened between miles 12 and 13, which is right after the Beefmasters facility. One of the vehicles is burnt to nothing - and the other is in the bushes. Multiple people with serious injuries have been rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital. Again, two people have died. We'll tell you more as information becomes available.

Bucket's Sentence Delayed
Police provided armed security at court today for 46 year old Glenford "Bucket" Bermudez. The convicted wife-killer pleaded down from murder to manslaughter 10 days ago, and he was supposed to be sentenced today. He was previously serving a life sentence. But, seems someone still had that death sentence in mind, because the added security was on hand because there was reportedly a "hit" out on Bermudez. But after all that buildup, the day ended in anticlimax because the sentencing did not take place as scheduled. Justice Adolph Lucas deferred it until Monday, November 13 so that both the Crown and the defense can make adequate representation on the range of sentencing to be passed, including deduction for any and time already served. Bermudez has been in jail for ten years.

Tech Savvy High Schoolers
Last year in March, we showed you the tech savy high schoolers who participated in the first annual Raspberry Pi Jam. It's a competition which the Public Utilities Commission put together in partnership with the Ministry of Education to try to encourage bright young students to immerse themselves into the world of computer technology. As we told you, the PUC invested a quarter million dollars to acquire Raspberry Pi computers, which they distributed to high schools all across the country for free. These miniature computers make great teaching tools, allowing students to disassemble and re-assemble them as they see fit, so that they can improvise and invent. Well, since the students had a year of experience with the devices, the organizers of the Raspberry Pi Jam were hoping that they would show up with inspiring creations. And, the competitors did not disappoint. Our news team was there, and Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Immigration Minister Wants to Make it Easier For Belizean To Get Passports
And, while that bogus nationality document has been making headlines all this week, business as usual continued today for the Immigration Department. 57 new citizens were sworn in at a ceremony at the George Price Centre. That's where our colleagues at PLUS TV got a chance to speak with Minister of State Beverly Williams about that bogus nationality certificate. She handed out many of the newer type today -with its added security features - but says she feels there are many fraudulent older types out there:... Hon. Beverly Williams, Minister of State - Immigration: "Really there are many certificates out there that I firmly believe were duplicated before. We changed it and now they are trying use them to get a social security card and to also then move for a Belizean passport. We are in partnership with all the departments; the vital statistics, social security board - sometimes Election and Boundaries, so that we share information and it was in deed social security who look at it and said it doesn't look right and brought it to the immigration department."

What About A National ID System?
And while the passport is difficult - apparently the Social sEcurity Card is not so difficult to get. That's why Yuanran Zheng was likely directed by his illicit immigration agents to go and try to get that with a fake nationality certificate. He was caught in the act, but his attempt demonstrates how susceptible key national identity systems can be to fraud and forgery. And that's because the different departments who manage Belizean identification documents are disconnected. But, there is a plan to create a national ID system. Government's Chief Technology Officer Mike Singh discussed it last week, and yesterday the CEO of the Social Security Board told us that such a system would help SSB to ensure the integrity of this critical national identification document:

PAC Meeting Quietly Convened Without Kerfuffle
2 weeks ago, we showed you how Julius Espat, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, was calling the UDP Government out for the canceled meeting that they were supposed have. He was accusing them trying to frustrate the examination of Auditor General's Annual Report for the year, April 2012 to March 2013. So, going into yesterday's meeting, it appeared that the Government and the Opposition members of the committee were at odds. But, yesterday's meeting went off without incident. Today, when we got a chance speak with ranking UDP member, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber he told us that both sides engaged in a mature conversation about what is wrong with the checks and balances for public spending:

BDF Beef: Complaints from Senior Ranks About Officers "Past Retirement Age"
We always look to the the BDF to put its discipline on display - but tonight we can confirm that there is growing frustration in the middle to upper ranks of the army because of differences over the retirement age. Up until recently, the retirement age was 45 for the most senior officers, or 42 for majors. Government recently revised that law with this Statutory Instrument which came into effect a year ago on August of 2016. It changes the retirement age to 55 for a commander, 52 for a Colonel and 50 for a Lieutenant Colonel or Major. But, now there's contention within the senior ranks because some officers who are stuck at major are seeing the promotion of two men who they believe should have already been retired.

Getting Into The ACT
The ACT police operation has come up with two drug and ammunition busts recently. Yesterday at noon, police searched a swamp in on Patridge Street Extension where officers found a bucket with 19 parcels of compressed cannabis, weighing in at 2.2 kilos, or 5 pounds. At almost the same time today, officer in the ACT operations conducted two searches that resulted in busts. On Oleander Street they found ten live rounds of .380 ammunition along with 4 bags of cannabis weighing 1.1 pounds.

Another Charged For Pizza Heist
Last week Wednesday we told you about pizza delivery man Yonardo Rash who was robbed and held at gunpoint while making a delivery on Mayflower Street. 21-year-old Norman Vernon Jr. was charged with the robbery the next day. He pled not guilty and was remanded in custody until December 19th. Today another man from Mayflower, 26-year-old Ian Jenkins was also charged. He pled not guilty as well and he was remanded into custody until December 21st.

What About Child Labour?
In September, the US Bureau on International Labour Affairs listed Belize as a country that made minimal advancement in eliminating child labour. And one of the major areas where this happens is the sugar cane industry. The report noted that, quote "Children in Belize perform dangerous tasks in agriculture." And so, today a consultation was held with government and non-government stakeholders to talk about the issue. The aim of the consultation was to develop a hazardous work list along with a light work list for the sugar cane industry. Diana Shaw of the Child Development foundation told us more.

BIL: Mission Accomplished?
Last night we showed you the spanking new Punta Gorda Sports Complex. It's one of the last major projects that Belize Infrastructure Limited has spearheaded. General Manager Christ Mastry says that they have all but fulfilled their mandate: Christy Mastry, General Manager - BIL: "BIL's sporting mandate included basically the facilities that we've been opening over the past three to four years now really with the completion of the Belize city center we will have completed the mandate of Belize Infrastructure Limited, which was the initial portfolio of the sporting facilities and a package of 60 million, "60 million Belize dollars to be spent throughout the country." Of course, a major hole in the BIL matrix is in Benque Viejo where the death of the contractor has left that football stadium in the lurch.

Sports Minister Promises Open Day At Civic
Today, the media also asked Sports Minister Patrick Faber about the Civic. As you just heard, there are concerns about who will manage it, and who will get to use it, and at what cost. He said that once the Civic is officially opened, BIL and the contractors will have an open day where all will be illuminated: Hon. Patrick Faber - DPM/ Minister of Education: "Because of the buzz on the social media about the cost of the Belize Civic Center, we will do an open day. We will announce the date of that shortly, and we will invite anybody who is concerned - and when I say anybody, that means anybody who wants to come - to special day that we will set aside, and we will do hourly tours and explain. But, we will hold a special briefing by the BIL officials, and also the engineers, the contractors, to explain just as much as in layman's terms as possible, why it is that the Center is costing what it is costing. And so that Belizeans can see for themselves, what is in it, which we are sure of in our minds, is value for money. We will also at that time try to share with the Belizean population as best as we can, why we feel there is the need for a management company take on the running - the day to day running - of the Belize Civic Center."

FFB President Kuylen Calls Out Many
He's the president of FFB, bit could Marlon Kuylen be the fish from rivabottom? He has written a sweeping and often scathing review of the organization he was forced to lead after an election deadlock. Kuylen writes, quote, "In my opinion, fixing the problems plaguing the FFB is achievable, but not a quick fix, and will take a complete change in culture. As it now stands, with the current mentality of some of the elected officials in the organization, they are part of the problem, instead of part of the solution. " And that's only for openers. He goes on to suggest, quote, "The Statutes and Codes need a complete review and revamping. Currently, the articles are too vague, and can be easily manipulated and abused. In fact, in this upcoming election, I could have placed myself at an advantage to win the presidency; and although it would not have been illegal, it would have plunged the Federation into serious discord…"

Talking to Tirso
Senior Transport Officers from all around the country were in Belmopan yesterday for an important meeting with their new boss. He's Chief Transport Officer, Tirso Galvez, who was recently appointed to the post after months of holding over as the Acting Chief. In the afternoon, senior officers from all districts were afforded the opportunity to raise specific matters affecting their areas of responsibility. Galvez explained that he is well aware of the many challenges confronting the department:

Arrest for Castro
And from Transport to traffic. Much has been made on this newscast of the Castro brother, Dasani and Jafari who escaped a number of criminal charges after a scrape with Belize City Police. They were taken into custody but ultimately release. Well, one Castro brother, the elder Jumoke was not so lucky. On Wednesday night Precinct one police caught him in a traffic offense and they did take him in without anyone stopping them:... Supt. Alejandro Cowo - CIB, Belize City: "He was driving a vehicle by East Collet Canal where he was intercepted by a regular police patrol. They inspected the vehicle and it did not have any license, so he was arrested and charged last night and he was given bail to appear in court. He was charged with driving motor vehicle without a valid drivers licensed and failed to display the licensed sticker. Those were the 3 offences that he was charged for last night. He was granted bail and he is to appear in magistrate court at a later date."

Channel 5

BATSUB & B.D.F. Stop a Wedding on St. George’s Caye
Gunfire and explosions at Saint George’s Caye crash a wedding party in progress as armed soldiers storm the beach. It happed on Thursday night as a group of twenty-six guests, [...]

Defence Force’s Top 3 Officers Past Retirement, Juniors May Sue
The leadership of the Belize Defence Force is under fire tonight, but not from Guatemala. Internal information forwarded to News Five indicates that several senior officers may be in violation [...]

PAC Meets after Extensive Delay
The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee’s last two meetings wound up canceled.  One was by its chairman Julius Espat because Auditor General Dorothy Bradley was not able to attend. [...]

Why Government Can’t Agree to “Public” Accounts Committee Meetings
One of the contentions raised by Espat and echoed by the social partners is that Public Accounts Committee meetings should be held in public as the name suggests. But Patrick [...]

Chairman of P.A.C. is Cautiously Optimistic
This evening, we sought a response from the Committee’s Chair, Julius Espat. For the most part, he said, the meeting was an education in the role and responsibility of the [...]

Julius Espat Says ‘No Excuses’ to Miss Meetings; Continues Fight for Public Hearings
Espat told us that with respect to the past absences, he has made it clear to his fellow parliamentarians that he will tolerate no excuses for future absences from meetings. [...]

Education Minister Doesn’t Buy Theory against Decriminalized Weed
A primary argument for those opposed to the recent decriminalization law is that Belize already has high rates of students smoking marijuana fairly regularly. They argue that decriminalization would increase [...]

Teachers’ Union and President Have Lost Their Way
One week ago, Minister of Education Patrick Faber called out the Belize National Teachers’ Union. During an interview last Thursday, Faber said the leadership of the union is neglecting its [...]

The Raspberry Pi Jam Takes over the Princess
It was created in 2008 and first brought to Belize seven years later. But the Raspberry Pi computer has become the base of the Public Utilities Commission’s Young Innovators Program. [...]

Yhony Rosado And Friends Protest “Corrupt” G.S.T.
A small protest against corruption was held this morning in front of the Complex Building on Mahogany Street this morning. It was organized a group of very vocal activists and [...]

Leon Usher Tells Story of Domestic Shooting from Hospital Bed…
Shooting victim Leon Usher tells News Five that Ladyville Police are lying on him. He says they fabricated a report that he threatened, aggressed and attempted to take away a [...]

…Accuses Police of Lying, Unjustly Shooting him
Police have since launched a criminal and intern investigation into the shooting incident. Usher says that the cop who shot him should be held responsible. He told us that his [...]

Partying, Arguing, Stabbing in O.W.
Twenty-seven-year-old Llamont Wade is in the hospital in a critical condition after he was stabbed multiple times. According to police, sometime after four this morning, they were called out to [...]

Wrapping Up the World Youth Conference
Belize hosted the World Youth Conference 2017 this week and it concluded on Thursday night. More than one hundred and fifty youths from across the world gathered in Belize to [...]

Channel Five’s Informed Teen Reporters at the WYC!
Tonight we introduce to you a new feature to our News Five line up. Over a decade ago, Channel Five partnered with the National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC) [...]

Lights, Camera, Action for International Film Festival
The 2017 Belize International Film Festival officially opened on Thursday night at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. Professionals in the audio and visual art industries walked the red [...]

Working to Reduce Child Labour in Belize
Youth Empowerment Services and the Child Development Foundation partnered today to find out the status of children in the work force, particularly in the sugar industry. Available data shows that [...]

New Fabers Road to Get “Olympic” Football Stadium!
Collet area representative and Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber announced in April that some one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars would be spent on upgrades to the football field adjacent [...]

The Drums Will Sound in B.I.L.’s P.G. Sporting Complex this Weekend
There’s a massive pre-Battle of the Drums event scheduled to kick off at the Punta Gorda Multipurpose Complex shortly.  After two years of work, the facility is finally completed and [...]

LOVE FM

Lake I residents protest against corruption
Lake Independence residents joined the Belize Leaders for Social Justice in a demonstration against corruption and crime. The protest was held in front of Charles Bartlett Hyde building. Hipolito Novelo reports.

Amandala

$641,000 worth of land titles wrestled from Sedi
A protracted legal battle neared its end today when the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled that the Registrar of Lands is to publish the 16 land titles that it had ordered Foreign Minister Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington to return to his former business partners, Lawrence and Adam Schneider of Progresso Heights Limited. The lands, together, are valued at over $641,000. Elrington had failed to carry out the court’s order in August, and continues to insist that he does not have the land titles. The legal battle between Elrington, who was Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time as well as a business partner of the Schneiders, an American father and son team, has been going on in the courts for almost 7 years. The fight began after the company acquired 2,000 acres of land in Progresso, Corozal District.

GOB pays US$78 million to Ashcroft Alliance
–Last Wednesday, the Caribbean Court of Justice ordered the Government of Belize to pay US$78 million dollars to the Ashcroft alliance as final settlement for the acquisition of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) on or before November 10. Failure to adhere to the court’s deadline would incur interest of 8.34%. Amandala understands that the government paid the US$78 million dollars today, Thursday. That money represents the final payment for the BZ$557 million settlement with BTL’s former owner negotiated in September 2015 in Miami. Prime Minister Dean Barrow had stated last week during his press conference that the government has the money, but it is in Belize dollars. The interpretation of that is that the country would have to dip into its foreign reserves to come up with the US$78 million, a figure that amounts to about 25 percent, or one quarter, of the country’s foreign reserves.

Alleged robbery of truck and $60,000 leads to human trafficking case
On September 13, Jack Charles, a businessman, sent an employee of his in his Chevy Equinox to pick up $60,000 from a business in Dangriga. However, instead of returning with the vehicle and the money, that employee, Keyur Barot, 23, fled the country. Barot allegedly met up with his colleague, Jitendra Kumar, 29, and they both headed into Guatemala, where they abandoned the vehicle. Guatemalan authorities have since returned the vehicle. On September 23, Barot and Kumar were seen in Mexico. Mexican officials intercepted them with US $13,000 in their possession, and returned them to Belize in October. They have not yet faced any charges, however, because according to our sources, they alleged that they were the victims of human trafficking.

Daynah Marin is Miss Garifuna Belize 2017/2018
Seven beautiful Garifuna young ladies, each representing their respective Garifuna communities, were contestants in the annual Miss Garifuna Belize Cultural Pageant, which was held at Birds Isle at 6:30 Saturday evening, November 4. The confident and entertaining ladies were Ms. Peine (Punta Gorda): Tyrese Bermudez; Miss Seine Bight (Sein Bide): Enmesh Cruz; Miss Georgetown: Anita Augustin; Miss Hopkins: Aaliyah Augustine; Miss Dangriga: Daynah Marin; Miss Belize City: Ruth Nunez; and Miss Belmopan: Moira Arana.

“Wishy-washy” Elrington!
In its International Court of Justice (ICJ) education campaign, Guatemalan leaders have resorted to the use of a map which depicts Belize as a part of Guatemala and it is demarcated by means of a dotted line as “disputed territory.” Under the terms of the 2008 compromis that the Governments of Belize and Guatemala signed, referenda are to be held in both countries and the electorates have to give their approval before the old colonial territorial dispute could be submitted to the ICJ for a final juridical determination. On Sunday, March 18, voters in Guatemala will go to the polls to vote in a referendum on this question: “Do you agree that any legal claim of Guatemala against Belize relating to land and insular territories and any maritime areas pertaining to these territories should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement and that it determines finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the parties?”

New City Council regulations lead to parking woes for Belize Ex-Services League
The days leading up to Remembrance Day have been difficult for the National Office Manager at the Belize Ex-Services League, because, not only has she been busy with the preparations for the big day on Sunday, November 12, but traffic officers from the Belize City Council Traffic Department have been ticketing her vehicle, which she has been parking in front of Canada House, the league headquarters, on Newtown Barracks, for many years. Valerie Richardson, J.P., the league’s National Office Manager, has resorted to writing to Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley, because the new parking regulation for Newtown Barracks that the city is implementing is a major inconvenience to her.

A long time coming; 2014-15 softball champions finally receive trophies
At a quiet ceremony last night near home plate at Rogers Stadium, with hardly any fans in attendance, the 2014-2015 Belize City Softball Champions, Belize Bank Bulldogs players finally received their long awaited “hardware,” courtesy of Reginald Jex of Jex Trophies, who presented the individual trophies, as well as a big team trophy, to appreciative softball ladies. For whatever reasons, the Softball Association at the time had failed to give individual trophies to the champions, and when Reggie got wind of their plight through various Facebook posts, he endeavored to rectify the situation. Some people take it for granted, Reggie observed afterwards, but as time goes by, that little piece of memorabilia becomes more and more precious to athletes as a record and reminder of their achievement.

Updated PLB Week 14 schedule
The Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2017-2018 Opening Season regular season ends this weekend with Week 14, after which the top 4 teams in the standings go on to the semifinal home-and-away playoffs. Standings rank is determined first by points total, then goal difference, then total goals scored. Note that the start times for the three Sunday games below, previously 4:00 p.m., have been moved back to 3:30 p.m.

Hogan’s football story – Part 10 – the finale
(Hogan gives his opinion, advice and an offer for the Belize National Team.) Amandala (A): Hogan… It has been a good opportunity to get to hear from you personally… after hearing about you so much over the years… You’ve seen a little bit of football here since you’ve been in Belize… you have any little word of advice for the youths you see about? Hogan (H): Well, I mean… I’m thankful for this opportunity… and I’m glad you asked me that question… because, you know, I’m excited right now with all the… being here… and all the questions… because you know football is my life… Part 10 – the finale H: Okay, now I want to talk about what I’ve seen so far…. I’m talking to all the football players… and to the management… you know, because I… in the States we have done things our way for so long… and I think…. with all this fighting among the leaders… they are holding back players…

Dangriga sports stats
Tex-Bel Farm and the Dangriga Town Council, along with the Dangriga Amateur Cycling Association, will be hosting the First Annual Coconut Fest Race this Saturday, November 11, starting at 1:00 p.m. This race was postponed from October 28 because of rain. This race will start (and finish) from in front of Eldrid Martinez Park on George Price Drive, right across from Dangriga Bowen & Bowen Distributors, and head on the Southern Highway to Maya Centre and back, a total of 40 miles. For Juniors and Masters only, prizes remain the same for both Juniors and Masters categories; also, there will be station prizes, and a special prize for the first Dangriga rider who passes the finish line first. Registration per rider is $10.00.

Natural and supernatural
There are natural explanations for almost all earthly phenomena, but very many Belizeans prefer supernatural explanations. What we see on the Southside of Belize City is a once vibrant community which has become self-destructive where a significant proportion of our young people are concerned. The unraveling of the Southside human fabric does not have anything to do with God or supernatural forces, in this newspaper’s opinion. And the partial solution which was offered a few months ago, a partial solution which was working quite well, did not have anything to do with God or supernatural forces. At the same time, it is a frequent sociological development among populations which experience traumatic reverses of various kinds, for those populations to become more deeply immersed in religious activities. In the Yucatan in the second half of the nineteenth century, this is what happened to the fierce Santa Cruz Maya after their Caste War opponents began to gain the upper hand. The Santa Cruz Maya then developed the religious cult of the Talking Cross, which apparently assisted their community in the continuation of their resistance to oppression.

From The Publisher
Next year June will mark fifty years since I returned from college in America. It is difficult for me to imagine that there could be any other place on planet earth which has changed so much over that half century as Belize has. Even our name has changed. In 1968, we were still “British Honduras.” I missed my home every day of the three years I was away. To this day, I read eagerly any material published here between 1965 and 1968, and whenever people start to talk about the sports, music, politics and personalities in my home while I was away, I always listen attentively. I would say that Belize reached a high point of socio-political confidence between 1965 and 1968, but my perspective would be very much confined to Belize City, still the capital back then. Between ’65 and ’68, our road system was still quite primitive. City people didn’t travel much to the Districts.

Letters of June 16, 2011, and June 23, 2013, on nationalization
My exposure to World history and events started at a very early age. Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s my brother worked at the Punta Gorda Post Office and had a subscription to both Times and Newsweek magazine from the United States. He would get his subscription every month and after reading them, he would store them in a box next to his room. I was always intrigued by them because it had colourful pictures — something that we seldom saw during that time, since all the pictures were in black and white and also because the people in them from far away reaches of the earth looked so strange and different from us in little 1970’s PG. Two distinct cover stories that I can always remember was Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini January 1980, Time Magazine Man of the Year. The reason was because he was a man that in my young mind looked like Santa Clause but wore what to me looked like a dress. The other one was the Newsweek cover story in October 1981 which covered the assassination of Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat and the headlines read ‘An Act of Infamy’.

ICJ ruling on the Bakassi
In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Bakassi, a strip of land between Cameroon and Nigeria, was properly the territory of Cameroon. On the purely physical level, to any impartial observer the Bakassi’s geography puts it squarely for Cameroon. If you draw a line down the middle of the Akwayafe River, which forms a portion of the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, the Bakassi is on the south side. Nigeria is on the north side; Cameroon is on the south side. The countries we are discussing here did not exist prior to the invasion of the African continent by various warlike European tribes. The African continent, at the time of the invasion, was a land of many, many tribes, and many, many languages. Interesting-africa-facts.com lists over three-thousand tribes, and nationsonline.org says that 1500-2000 languages are spoken. In the African continent of the present there are only 54 countries, and the people, while they still speak tribal languages, they conduct much of their business in the languages of the European tribes.

Cow noh belong in haas race
You can get bored with some old sayings, but be advised to not dump them. They are the lessons from the ages, to keep one out of harm’s way. You know them—be careful what you wish for—neva trouble trobl—every bully gat ih kecha—let sleeping dogs lie…Madabog, what was AG Pere thinking when he challenged the religious crowd? He couldn’t have been cerebrally engaged when he misfired so badly. There are so many ways to effect change in a country. You can vote for the people who have ideas that are similar to yours. You can go slow, or strike, when your leaders have head tek. You can start a revolution and throw the bohgaz out. Of course, if you think people like you, you can enter the political race. That last one, it is so much like a beauty or a strongman contest.

Awu le wuguri
The Caribs lived on the Island of St. Vincent. Numerous attempts to enslave them by the English, French and Spaniards had failed because the Caribs resisted so fiercely. Columbus first encountered the Carib Indians on his second voyage to the West Indies on November 3, 1493. After discovering Dominica, and other islands, he landed at Santa Maria de Guadeloupe, where he found twelve Indian women and two young boys, who said they were prisoners of a man eating tribe of Indians. Columbus immediately dispatched Alfonso Flores, a soldier who had experience in fighting the Moors in Spain, to investigative their claim. Alfonso set ashore with fifteen men and he was immediately set upon by the fierce Indians and slaughtered.

Guardian’s Alfonso Noble settles with family of man he killed in traffic accident
On Christmas Eve last year, Alfonso Noble, the editor of the ruling United Democratic Party’s newspaper organ, The Guardian, and co-host of the government-owned radio station WAVE, allegedly knocked down and killed Gilbert Myers as he was riding his bicycle toward his home in Hattieville. Noble was traveling in the same direction, heading to his home at Mile 8 on the George Price Highway. Neither of them made it home for Christmas. Meyers died from the impact of Noble’s pickup truck, and Noble, because he failed to provide a specimen to police, spent the long holiday weekend in police custody at the Racoon Street Police Precinct. Today, Noble reportedly settled with the wife of his accident victim, Andrea Meyers, who reportedly will be paid a six-figure sum by Noble’s insurance company, RF&G.

Senate showdown looms over the PUP’s proposal to amend the Maritime Areas Act
The next showdown between Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s United Democratic Party (UDP) government and the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) is expected to take place at the next meeting of the Senate, when the PUP will be allowed to introduce a motion to amend the Maritime Areas Act. If this actually happens, Belize will then be able to claim its 12 nautical miles of sea in the south, instead of the 3 nautical miles the Maritime Areas Act makes provision for. In 1992, the Belize parliament passed into law the Maritime Areas Act which delimited the sea boundary of Belize in the south to 3 miles, instead of the 12 miles Belize was entitled to claim under current international law.

Chinese national, Yuanran Zheng, and accomplice, nabbed for immigration fraud
The special audit of the Immigration Department revealed that thousands of foreign nationals fraudulently received Belizean nationality certificates, passports, and visas between 2011 and 2013. While those persons have escaped the arm of the law so far, Chinese national, Yuanran Zheng, was not so fortunate. He was busted in an attempt to use a fraudulent nationality certificate to obtain a Belizean Social Security card, and thereafter, a passport. Director of the Immigration Department, Diana Locke, told Amandala that Zheng entered the country on Sunday, and on Monday he visited the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) headquarters in Belmopan, to apply for a Social Security card.

Police legal adviser makes clarification about the legal possession of 10 grams of cannabis
Members of the public are no longer at risk of being charged or arrested if they are found with 10 grams or less of marijuana. They can now smoke marijuana in their homes or in other buildings where approval has been granted by the building owners. However, according to the new law which decriminalizes possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana, it is still illegal to be found with cannabis in schools or other places of education. Senior Superintendent Bart Jones, legal adviser to the police, in an interview with us today, calls on policemen to be professionals: 10 grams, no charge.

The Reporter

Persons who died in accident identified
The Reporter has confirmed with relatives, the names of the persons who perished in tonight’s traffic accident on the Southern highway. The victims are: Placencia tour guide, Mark Leslie and his girlfriend, Myrna Vasquez. The couple was travelling in an SUV on the highway near […]

Two confirmed dead in traffic accident
The Reporter has confirmed that two people died in a traffic accident that happened tonight on the Southern highway. The incident happened near the Kendall bridge and claimed the life of a man and a woman, and left a third person with an injured limb. […]

Serious accident reported on Southern highway
Dangriga police are on their way to investigate what has been reported as a serious traffic accident on the Southern highway. Unconfirmed reports are that the mishap occurred near the Kendall bridge sometime before 7:00 p.m. The Reporter will have updates as soon as they […]

Central Bank reserves $78 million lower after BTL payments
The foreign reserves in the Central Bank of Belize are between 20-25 percent lower today, following the Government of Belize’s US $78 million payment to the Michael Ashcroft owned entities Dunkeld International Investments and the B.T.L. Employees’ Trust. GOB made the payment yesterday in accordance with […]

Orange Walk man critical after early morning stabbing
An Orange Walk resident is in a critical condition at the Northern Regional Hospital (NRH) following a stabbing around 4:00 a.m. Police say they visited the NRH at around 4:15 a.m., to find 27-year-old Llamont Wade of Key Hole Alley, Orange Walk Town with multiple stab […]

Drivers escape death in early morning RTA
Two people narrowly escaped death this week, following an early morning road traffic accident between miles 5 and 6 on the George Price Highway. Devon Bailey, 25, of Belize City, and Randean Valerio, 25, also of Belize City, were headed towards Belize City around 7:00 a.m. on […]

Mentally challenged deliveryman shot dead at home
Dedron McKay, 20, a mentally-challenged deliveryman for Smiling Meats, was shot dead in front of his sister and other relatives at his family home at #19 Haynes Street, near the corner with Kraal Road, sometime around 8:30 Saturday night. McKay’s older sister, Natasha Smith, told […]

Drivers escape unhurt while 4 passengers are injured in accident
A head on collision in Orange Walk on Monday night involving a pickup truck and a Ford Escape has resulted in various degrees of injuries to four passengers, while the drivers of both vehicles were able to escape unhurt. The accident reportedly unfolded around 9:05 p.m. on […]

Premium fuel going down soon says FinSec
Less than a month after the last marginal reduction in gas prices, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight is signaling that a drop in the price of Premium fuel is on the way. Waight told the media this week that the Government of Belize is expecting a new shipment of premium fuel, […]

There has to be an End
I love my country and that will never change. No matter how far away I travel and may reside, my heart and soul will always remain in Belize. The life I experienced growing up in the 1970’s is a far cry from the Belize I see today. As with most […]

The Billion-Dollar Question: How to fill Belize’s SME Credit Gap? Part 7
Last week’s column commenced a conversation on yet another alternative or innovative form of financing for start-ups and SMEs. Fundamentally, because the problem of the SME credit gap is so large, the point has to be consistently underscored that over the years there have been a proliferation of solutions, ranging […]

AG tells churches to “shut up”
Attorney General of Belize, Michael Peyrefitte, has called on the pastors opposed to the decriminalization of marijuana to either offer themselves for political office or keep from making any negative criticisms about the passage of the new legislation. Peyrefitte, speaking after the asencion of the Misuse of […]

PUP introduces team 11 for Belize City
Dubbed “The Rebirth”, the Opposition People’s United Party’s (PUP) introduction rally for its 11-member Belize City municipal slate took place on Saturday night at the Pound Yard bridge. The party’s mayoral candidate is Bernard Wagner and councilor candidates are: Dr Candice Pitts, Ayesha Gentle, Delthrude […]

Coping with Suicide – a 12th BIFF perspective
The 12th Belize International Film Festival had a soft opening with the screening of the film: “El Sonido de Las Cosas, (The Sound of Things”) byCosta Ricandirector Ariel Escalante, at the Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts in Belize City on Wednesday evening, November 8. […]

Protest the Map!
It may not deter her in any way, but we believe Belize should nonetheless protest Guatemala’s plan to print a bunch of maps showing Belize as part of her national territory. We really should make a fuss about this by lodging a protest with Guatemala herself and at the United […]

New fleet of police trucks for southside Belize City
The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Monday, donated 15 new Great Wall Wingle pickup trucks to the Belize Police Department mainly to assist in crime fighting efforts in major hot-spot areas in Belize City. The trucks will be used by various units […]

“Decriminalization has its limits,” says police
The Belize Police Department reminded the public this week that under the new regulations regarding the decriminalization of marijuana persons can still commit offenses and be criminally charged under certain conditions. A week before the scheduled release of the new regulations by the Attorney General’s Ministry, Police […]

PARK AND WALK
Only two weeks after the price per gallon of Regular fuel went down by 16 cents, the price has shot back up by 27 cents at midnight on Thursday for the 14th adjustment of fuel prices for 2017. The news comes on the heels of […]

Chinese men busted with fake nationality documents
The Belize Police Department is teaming up with the Social Security Board and the Immigration Department in a joint investigation of how a Chinese national ended up with a fraudulent nationality certificate this week. Officer Commanding the Police Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB), Alejandro Cowo, explained […]

Indian fugitives accuse former boss of human trafficking
The Police and Social Services departments are carrying out an investigation after two fugitive Indian nationals accused a prominent businessman of human trafficking, after they allegedly stole his SUV and $60,000 in cash and fled to Mexico, where they were busted and returned to Belize. […]

More BEL linemen dispatched to British Virgin Islands for hurricane relief
Belize Electricity Limited dispatched a second team of linemen to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) this week to assist with restoring power after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The team of five linemen, Wayne Lewis, Gregory Kerr, Manuel Lopez, Paul McCalla and George Neal, left Belize […]

Businessman fined $2,000 for keeping raccoons
A businessman from Caye Caulker was stuck with a monetary fine at the San Pedro Magistrate Court on Tuesday, after he was found in possession of three baby raccoons, which he claimed were being used for wildlife tourism on the island. Businessman Jacob Emmanuel Cabral […]

Breaking Belize News

Two dead in southern road traffic accident
Two people are reportedly dead following a traffic accident in Dangriga earlier tonight. Reports are that […]

BTB steps up Canadian marketing campaign
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is actively trying to boost the […]

Chinese man arrested and charged for falsifying documents
A Taiwanese/ Belizean and a Chinese man appeared in court yesterday for falsifying immigration documents. […]

Ashcroft US$78 million richer
The Government of Belize has paid off its US$78 million debt to Michael Ashcroft for […]

Over 30 women arrested in human trafficking ring
Last week, BBN reported that a Honduran National was busted in her home country for human trafficking […]

Official opening ceremony for Punta Gorda Sports Complex underway
Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL) has issued a release informing the public that the Punta Gorda […]

Moist weather to continue
The 24-hour forecast is for mostly moist and unstable conditions to prevail. Cloudy skies with […]

Police detain rape suspect this morning
Belmopan Police have detained a man for raping a woman. According to police reports, this […]

Blogs

The best tobacco in Belize is waiting for you at Havana Cigars
Right in the heart of San Pedro Town, on Barrier Reef Drive to be exact, is a specialty smoking lounge, with a full bar and coffee, like no other in the country. Havana Cigar is a haven for cigar lovers like me, who are always looking for a unique experience. Cigars have always been my favourite treat, and so one Friday evening, I found myself heading to this authentic tobacco shop for a night of enjoyment, comfort, cool vibes, and of course relaxation with a great cigar in hand! One you open the glass door, the familiar scent of tobacco greets you, and you know you’re in for a treat. Proprietor Carlos Utrera is originally from Cuba, but made the island his home nine years ago. His tobacco shop has a wide variety of cigars, and Utrera was more than happy to show me his walk-in humidor stocked with a wide range of handmade cigars from Central America and the Caribbean. Cohiba, Montecristo, Rome y Julieta, Tatuaje Cigars, Arturo Fuente, and Padron Cigars, have been joined by Bellaterra from Nicaragua, a new cigar in the market. There are even flavoured cigars infused with distinctive aromas.

Find the Caye to Your Heart in Belize – Belize Weddings
We’re not sure how many there are. We’re not sure anyone really knows, but there are possibly hundreds of small ‘islands’ off the coast of Belize. The thing is that they are not islands, in the true sense. They are ‘cayes’. Cayes are formed on the top of reefs and are pretty much held together by the forests of the sea, mangroves. In this photo, not only are you able to see how mangroves grow and help to create cayes, but you can also see how love seems to sprout on the cayes in Belize. And just in case you didn’t know how to pronounce ‘cayes’, it rhymes with Belize. Perfect!

Using Digicell Data on Vacation and SIM Card Information
A recent forum thread asking about unlocked phones and getting a Belize SIM card with a data plan was a good reminder to do an update on basic vacation phone options and pricing for travelers. Since so many that visit Belize fall in love and start daydreaming about how they can make their move, I have also included home WiFi information. Many folks want to know if the phone they use in their home country will work in Belize. First of all, unless you have a good travel plan with your company, the phone must be unlocked. There are places here that can help you do that on the island however, I would recommend doing it before you travel. Not only do you not want to deal with “waiting and chores” on vacation, but sometimes what is possible elsewhere is not possible here tech wise.

International Sources

Ancient Mayan Heads Smuggled Out of Guatemala Return Home After More Than 50 Years
A trove of ancient Mayan artefacts including the heads of several figurines have been returned to Guatemala decades after they were smuggled out of the country into European museums and private collections. The Guatemalan ministries of culture and foreign affairs announced the return of rare ceramic pottery and sculptures Tuesday, which were brought to the country’s National Palace after more than 50 years in European nations such as Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Guatemala’s minister of culture and sports, Jose Luis Chea, said the 18 items had originally been taken from archaeological sites in the northeastern and southern parts of the country. They date from between 250 A.D. to the year 900. Chea said the pieces would be added to Guatemala’s extensive collections from the early classical Mayan period.

Who are the Young Garifuna Influentials (YGI)?
According to Dr Joanne Liu, “Sometimes in your career, you are at the right place at the right moment. But you have to be aware that eventually you may no longer be the right person for that position. So build your succession and foster for it while you are still at the peak of you career.”

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