May 30, 2018

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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 featured in National Geographic guide to Top 50 dive destinations
Belize’s barrier reef is to be featured in a National Geographic travel guide book to the top 50 dive destinations in the world. Professional dive master Chris Taylor and travel writer Carrie Miller of New Zealand arrived in Belize from Panama on Monday, May 28, for a week-long visit to research the Belize chapter of their travel guide commissioned by National Geographic to the top 50 destinations in the world. Belize is the ninth stop for this husband-and-wife team, who began their odyssey around the world in New Zealand in March this year, and have made their way across the South Pacific and up the coast of South America with their last dive destination before Belize being Curacao. They hope to complete their fact-finding tour by March 2019, at which time their book will be published by Random House.

9-A-Side football Tournament champions crowned
After seven weeks of play, the San Pedro Sports Committee 9-A-Side Football tournament ended on Sunday, May 27th at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town, and three champion teams were officially awarded their trophies The last match of the night saw Ambergris Combined Forced easily taking the female championship with a 4-0 score against Island Warriors #2, who had to settle for sub-champions. The first championship match was in the Under-15 (U-15) category, which saw Los Catrachitos going against Atletico Madrid. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, and so they moved to the penalty rounds to declare a champion. With a final 4-2 score, Los Catrachitos took the championship in the U-15 category, and Atletico Madrid settled for second place.

Ambergris Today

Belize Defence Force Addresses Illegal Farming Activities On Belizean Territory
The Ministry of National Security has deployed Belize Defence Force (BDF) assets to areas in southern Belize to investigate reports of cutting down forest areas for illegal farming. The first report to Belizean authorities was made late last week by Otoxha Village Alcalde, Mr. Santiago Peck. The villagers reported that they have come across several areas within Belize that appear to have been cleared by farmers from across the border. The BDF is in the area monitoring the situation and working with the area alcaldes and villagers to gather as much information as possible and offer security where needed.

De-Listing Of The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System As A World Heritage Site In Danger
he Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources recently led a collaborative team comprising the Fisheries Department, Forest Department, Lands and Surveys Department, the Belize UNESCO Office and the World Wildlife Fund to implement a series of remedial actions to qualify the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System for de-listing from the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger.

Sunsets In Belize To Make The World Jealous
May sunsets are rivaling those of October in Belize, when we usually get the most spectacular views of the year. There is something in the air this month as all eyes turn to the west during sunset hour.

Misc Belizean Sources

Paint N Splash
Part 3 “Terrific Tarpon”, See you this week at from 2-4pm Thursday.

Belize Defence Force Addresses Illegal Farming Activities on Belizean Territory
The Ministry of National Security has deployed Belize Defence Force (BDF) assets to areas in southern Belize to investigate reports of cutting down forest areas for illegal farming. The first report to Belizean authorities was made late last week by Otoxha Village Alcalde, Mr. Santiago Peck. The villagers reported that they have come across several areas within Belize that appear to have been cleared by farmers from across the border. The BDF is in the area monitoring the situation and working with the area alcaldes and villagers to gather as much information as possible and offer security where needed.

Save The Date and Celebrate the 10th Flowers Bank Village Festival!
Save The Date and Celebrate the 10th Flowers Bank Village Festival on June 2nd!

On this Tree Tuesday, we are featuring the Rosewood tree (Dalbergia stevensonii)!
We are calling this tree Rosewood although its English name is Honduran Rosewood. Honduran in the name refers to Belize’s previous name British Honduras where this species was first described in 1927. This particular species has not been recorded in the country Honduras. Due to the loss of forests in Mexico and Guatemala, wild places in southern Belize are now refuges for the species. Rosewood is prized internationally for its beautiful timber. The tree is a member of the bean family Fabaceae and can increase nitrogen in the soil. Consider planting rosewood; even better, include it as part of your agroforestry farm!

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce Issues Update on the Sale of Sugar on the Local Market by Santander Sugar Ltd.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce is conducting consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant stakeholders in its effort to formulate recommendations to the Export Processing Zone Committee on the sale of sugar on the local market by Santander Sugar Ltd. Santander Sugar Ltd. received Export Processing Zone (EPZ) status on February 17th, 2014 and was authorized by the Export Processing Zone Committee to “process raw sugar and molasses” for the export market. On January 11th, 2018 the company expressed interest to value-add its product to take full advantage of opportunities that may exist in the CARICOM Market.

U-13, U-15 AND FEMALE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
The San Pedro Town Council would like to congratulate all the teams who participated in the latest tournament that the San Pedro Sports Committee organized for Under 13, Under 15 and Female category. The tournament concluded on Sunday, May 27th at the Ambergris Stadium where many spectators gathered to witness the grand finale! The tournament ended in grand manner with the distribution of trophies and medals to the winning teams. The San Pedro Town Council would like applaud the San Pedro Sports Committee, Sponsors and Teams for making this tournament a great success!

RADIO BAHIA 99.7 FM officially launches its application
It’s now available on apple store or play store. It’s free and easy to download! Give it a try. Streaming 24/7. Any business who would like to advertise on our app feel free to email our agent @[email protected] or call them at 665-5618.

Water Interruption Wednesday for Benque and Succotz
Belize Water Services informs its customers in Benque and surrounding areas that there will be an interruption in the water supply today, Wednesday, May 30, 2018, starting at 1:00pm. The areas to be affected are Benque and Succotz. This interruption is necessary for the installation of a new water main. Due to the upgrade, customers may experience low water pressure and/or discoloration in their water supply when water is restored. Residents of these or nearby areas are advised that water is expected to be fully restored by 9:00pm. If they experience any water supply problems after that time, they should immediately call BWS' hotline at 0-800-CALL-BWS (0-800-225-5297) to report it.

Water Interruption Wednesday for parts of Belize Disctict
Belize Water Services informs customers in parts of Belize District, that there will be an interruption in the water supply today, Wednesday, May 30, 2018, starting at 1:00pm. The areas to be affected are Biscayne, Gardenia, Sandhill, Maxboro, Burrell Boom, Fresh Pond, Los Lagos, Lord’s Bank, Lake Garden, Vista Del Mar, Ladyville, Bella Vista, Belama (Phase 1 – 4), and West Landivar up to Princess Margret Drive. This interruption is necessary for the installation of a new water main. Due to the installation, customers may experience low water pressure and/or discoloration in their water supply when water is fully restored.

Channel 7

BDF Deployed to Investigate Incursions
Last night, we showed you what was happening in Otoxha, A Belizean Village in Toledo at the southwestern edge of Belizean territory. That's where villagers are saying that they've seen Guatemalan farmers pressing into Belizean territory and clearing land for farms. Well tonight, the Ministry of National Security is reporting that they've deployed BDF assets to the area to investigate and confirm these incursions for themselves. The Ministry notes that the first report reaching them of this activity was last week, when the Alcalde of Otoxha, Santiago Peck, first brought it to their attention. The villagers reported that they have come across several areas within Belize that appear to have been cleared by Guatemalan farmers.

Southside Swimming in Garbage
If you live on the southside of Belize City - your garbage may not have been picked up today. And here's why: City Hall owes Waste Control about a half a million dollars in arrears - which means they are 9 weeks behind on payments to the sanitation company. So - as it has done before - Waste Control is on go slow - and only picked up some of the garbage on the southside. It's a real headache for residents - who now have to bring back in their garbage so the stray dogs don't get to it, and find a way to store all that accumulating garbage. But it's nothing that new for city hall, where huge arrears to Waste Control has been a chronic problem for at least a decade.

Cops Split Open Man’s Eyelid
Tonight, Lincoln Robinson Jr., a resident of the Queen Square area of Belize City is recovering from a very serious injury to his right eye - and he says its the police that did it. It happened early last Saturday, when 3 police officers from a specialized unit put a beatdown on him. Now, we warn that the photo of the injury to his eye is graphic, but we believe that we must show you the damage he suffered for context. He says that one of the officers kicked him so many times to his face, that his boot almost tore off his eyelid completely. His version of events are that he was coming from a female friend's house late on Friday night, early into Saturday morning, when he encountered these officers, who stopped him.

Man Walks for Slitting Throat in Santana
After spending 4 years on remand, 28 year-old Albert "Cat" Reid, is at home tonight after he was acquitted in a trial without jury of the 2014 murder of 57 year-old Maurice "Tuco" Young. It made major news back in May 2014 when Young was found dead in his back yard in the quiet and remote village of Santana, which is located on the Old Northern Highway. It was first murder in that community 5 decades or more. An onsite post-mortem determined that someone cut his throat. A few days later, Reid was arrested and charged with murder.

Alleged Child Rapists Get Off, Accuser Abroad
It made major news in 2011 when two grown men were accused of the gang rape of a 14 year old second form student. But tonight they are free - after a major mis-step in the prosecution's case. The rape happened in January of 2011 at the end of University Drive, in the West Landivar area of Belize City. At the time, the girl gave a statement saying that she had left school early and was playing video games at a male friend's house. She then asked for a ride home to Belama with then 22 year old Kevon Bardalez. She says she got into the car with him and his friend who was driving, 35 year old Jordy Rhaburn.

Fonso Will Stand Trial in Supreme Court
Alfonso Noble, the Editor of the Guardian Newspaper, and one of the UDP mouthpieces on WAVE RADIO AND TV, will stand trial for the accident in which he knocked down and killed Gilbert Myers. On Christmas Eve of 2016, Noble was passing an area between miles 3 and 4 on the George Price Highway when he hit Myers, a Hattieville Resident who was riding his bicycle on his way home. Noble was charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, and failing to provide specimen to police for testing.

GOB Says Santander Was Given Cease & Desist
Last night we told you about the uproar amongst cane farmers in the north after the learned that Santander - which is an export company - was selling sugar on the local market. Today the Ministry of Trade and Commerce sent out a statement saying Santander has admitted to selling 750 metric tons to one local distributor. They did that without any permit to do so, and the Ministry has asked the Customs Department to, quote, "determine a means to clear the local market from the sugar that had been supplied by Santander." End quote.

Robbers Make Off with 30k in PG Home Invasion
A pair of thieves stole over $30,000 in cash and items from a store in Punta Gorda, and, so far, Police have detained one man. The robbery played out like a home invasion - which is very unusual for the sleepy southern town. On Sunday morning around 9:00 at James Store on Jose Maria Nunez Street, owner Huigiang Chen was asleep in his bedroom. His wife Yanhi Huang came into the room but behind her were two men with handguns. They pointed the gun at Huang's head and demanded money. Chen then handed them a bag with $20,000 cash and his 9mm Beretta brand pistol, loaded with 15 live rounds.

Ghastly Backatown Attack
And from that PG home invasion and robbery to a home invasion and attempted rape in Belize City. 3 armed men tried to rape a pregnant women in the Backatown area! The special patrol unit were making their rounds in the neighborhood when their attention was drawn to a house. Police found the pregnant woman tied up and beaten on her bed. She was rushed to the hospital. Police are following leads that it may be her husband's ex-girlfriend who ordered this attack on her. We'll keep following the story.

Accused Murderer Admits Firearm Offence
Valentine Baptist: he is accused of the 2016 bold daylight killing of Devin Parham. Well, Baptist is back in court for firearm offenses, not for the murder charge. When he appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford, he changed his initial plea of not guilty to guilty of possession of an unlicensed firearm. The report is that police saw him throw a glock 9 millimeter pistol in a Plues street yard shortly after Parham was killed. On July 6th 2016, Parham was walking home on Cemetery Road - right in front of Habet Hardware with one of his cousins when a gun man opened fire on them from behind. His cousin escaped but Parham was killed. Senior Magistrate Ford sentenced Baptist to 2 years and stipulated that his remanded time is to be included in the sentence. Baptist has been in custody since July 8, 2016.

Cops Say Pen Gun, Artists Say Tattoo Instrument
A pair of cousins - who are tattoo artists - have been remanded to prison for firearm offenses. But they say police have it all wrong - their explanation is that this Pen gun police found in their Freedom Street home is actually a tattoo machine and not a weapon. But the police tested it and confirmed that it is capable of firing a point 22 round. So today Carlton Tillett and Dimitri Tillett were charged with kept prohibited firearm. They pleaded not guilty to the charge and they were remanded into custody until August 29. The police reported that they searched their house yesterday and found this brown and black homemade firearm between the wall and a speaker in one of the bedrooms.

YWCA Fight For Human Rights
The YWCA has launched a new project, it is called Addressing human rights for more equitable development. It sounds like a very involved and difficult plan but the team hopes to make a difference with this 4 component project. The main focus is on teaching young girls and women about their rights and training them to become leaders and advocates. We stopped by to find out more at the launch. Kiri Lizama, Project Coordinator, YWCA: "Today we are doing the official launching of the addressing human rights for equitable development project at the Y. It is an EU funded project and it is being implemented in 3 districts so in Cayo, Stann Creek and of course here in the Belize District."

Unesco Looking for Education Answers
For the last two days, education specialists from UNESCO and the technocrats of the Ministry of education have been in a workshop to improve Belize Education system. They're trying to Integrate Education for Sustainable Development into the country's education policies. As we all know, the country's education system is far from perfect, and so, to try and improve on its infrastructure, the Ministry invited the UNESCO specialists to examine it and implement elements of Education for Sustainable development in areas where it can actually benefit.

Machel in Belize, For Prom, Not Soca Concert
Soca Superstar Machel Montano is in Belize. Now you all may be thinking that he is 4 months too early for the September celebrations, but he isn't here for that, he's here for a graduate's prom entrance at Ecumenical School in Dangriga. Yes! a parent paid for Machel to come in and perform for his daughter's prom entrance. What a memorable entrance that will be !!! He arrived this afternoon but he and his crew had to rush off to an engagement so he didn't grant us an interview at the airport. There will be a press conference on Thursday in Dangriga.

Human Smuggling: 17 Central Americans Caught
Today, 12 Central American illegal immigrants appeared in San Ignacio Magistrate's Court charged for illegal entry. It's a routine charge, but not a routine case after police caught 19 persons total - 12 adults and 7 children - coming across the Western border illegally on Sunday night. The police caught them at a checkpoint on the Bullett Tree Road - coming down from Calla Creek - which borders Guatemala.

A Gun Called Jericho
ON Monday, CITY Cops found a gun near the corner of George Street and Rocky Road. Police got information about a suspicious person in black clothing in the area. Police went to check but they didn't find anyone, instead they found a Jericko brand 9mm pistol along with a magazine with no live rounds. No one was in the immediate area so the firearm was sealed and deposited as found property.

Nat Geo Dives Belize
The husband and wife team of Carrie Miller and Chris Taylor, who work for National Geographic are on an ambitious one year assignment - to cover the 50 most best dive destinations in the world. They are compiling National Geographic's first dive travel guidebook - and are on the society's longest assignment every. This week it's Belize and they told us why they are here:

Senior Diplomat Will Vote Yes to ICJ
He may be the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS - but Nestor Mendez is, foremost, a Belizean, and a senior diplomat who has represented this country at the highest level. Two weeks ago in Washington DC, he told the government press office why he passionately believes that Belize should go to the ICJ:… Mendez has made it clear that he plans to offer himself for the post of Secretary General of the OAS in 2020.

Fugitive Still Roaming Free
It has been 5 days since he escaped from police custody and the alleged teenaged killer Jordan Burns hasn't been caught. Police need your help to locate him. As we have reported, 18 year old Burns was charged for Carlton Moriera's murder. While police were escorting him with no handcuffs to the main police station, he slipped away and skipped through the main gate of the police station.

PSU Power Struggle, President Unfazed
Yesterday, we told you about the upheaval from last Saturday's Annual General Meeting of the Public Service Union. The President, Doreth Obermayer Cayetano, is facing a resolution calling for her immediate resignation based on a vote of no confidence. She has to work for her union as leader for an entire year with this draft resolution hanging over her head. As we reported, at the very end of the AGM, the Union's Resolution Committee, which is chaired by Jacqueline Willoughby, placed the resolution on the floor for discussion. All resolutions, which are given to the Committee by any PSU Member, must be put on the floor for debate, and put to a vote, no matter how frivolous they may be.

Channel 5

Trade Minister: Santander Jumped the Gun on Sugar Sales
Santander, the Spanish multinational operating in Valley of Peace, is again in hot water, this time for illegally producing and introducing plantation white sugar into the local retail market.  Tonight, [...]

Sugar Confiscated, Fine Coming
News Five understands that the supplier of the Santander sugar is DV Distributors, which may be connected to the Vega Empire. Santander’s move to proceed with production and the retail [...]

Company Not Even Empowered to Produce Plantation White Sugar
Minister Panton says that Santander has met with the Ministry of Trade, but is also requesting a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, even though it has already violated the [...]

Sugar Associations Question Agriculture Minister
As the issue continues to heat up, three associations; Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Progressive Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Corozal Sugar Cane Farmers Association are seeking a meeting [...]

P.U.P.’s Jose Mai Sides with Cane Farmers
The Opposition People’s United Party has weighed in on the topic, from differing angles. Orange Walk South area rep Jose Mai, who is a cane farmer and staunch supporter of [...]

Julius Espat Says Be Careful with Santander
Cayo South area rep Julius Espat provided an alternative view focusing on the economic development provided by Santander in his area. He notes that farmers in the Cayo District have [...]

Albert Area Rep Awaits Outcome of P.U.P. Showdown
P.U.P. caretaker Paul Thompson lost his initial bid to represent the Albert Division in 2015 when he ran against the then U.D.P. standard bearer Tracy Panton in the last general [...]

Corozal Lady Aspirant Challenges Party over Female Representation; Arthur Saldivar also Denied
In other political news, the People’s United Party held a meeting today of the National Executive in Belize City. It debated several serious matters and heard from Thea Garcia Ramirez [...]

B.D.F. Investigating Illegal Incursions in Dolores, Otoxha
The Ministry of National Security has deployed Belize Defence Force soldiers to areas in southern Belize to investigate reports of Guatemalans cutting down forest areas for illegal farming.  According to [...]

Albert Reid Acquitted of 2014 Murder
Twenty-eight-year-old Albert Reid appeared before Supreme Court Justice Colin Williams today. He was accused of the May seventeenth, 2014 murder by stabbing of fifty-seven year old Maurice Young, also known [...]

Complainant’s Absence Leads to Acquittal on Rape Charges
At the direction of Supreme Court Justice Colin Williams, a jury of nine today entered a verdict of not guilty in favour of forty-two-year-old Jordy Rhaburn and twenty-nine-year-old Kevon Bardalez. [...]

Father Charged with Incest
Up north, a twelve-year-old student has reported a most disturbing incident. While the incident allegedly happened months ago, it is only now being reported. The minor claims that in mid-February, [...]

30K Robbery at P.G. Chinese Store
A pair of thieves pulled off a robbery in Punta Gorda which netted them more than thirty thousand dollars. Over the weekend, Huigiang Chen of James Store reported that two [...]

National Geographic Writers to Feature Belize in Dive Guide
Belize’s Barrier Reef remains a place of great interest to visitors, whether those come to relax or seeking answers to some of the great mysteries under the ocean waters. Now, [...]

Praise for Belize’s Efforts to Heal Barrier Reef
The World Heritage Committee has signaled good news in respect to potentially removing the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System from the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in danger at [...]

2 Maud Williams High Boys Rewarding for Doing the Right Thing
Two students were recognized for doing the right things at their school. Darwin Beaton and Ashton Vernon were not always walking the straight and narrow, but when they got some [...]

Mexico Renews Trade Opportunities, Focusing on Eco-Friendly Products
More than ten entrepreneurs from Mexico were today at the Mexican Institute in Belize City for a trade mission. For years now, the Mexican Embassy in Belize has been facilitating [...]

Human Rights Training for Women and Girls
The Young Women’s Christian Association today launched a new project AHRMED—Addressing Human Rights for More Equitable Development. Funded by the European Union, the initiative is expected to provide human rights [...]

Participants Will Help Teach Others
There are four components to the project that will see the five hundred participants then go out into their communities and engage other women and girls in gender and human [...]

Renewal of Support in Annual Cancer Walk
We have been covering the annual cancer walk for years now, and we do so again this year. The walk started in Ladyville with thousands trekking to Belize City to [...]

Journey Begins for Members of Police Youth Mentorship Program
Saturday was the first day of the second cohort of the Police Youth Mentorship Programme. Ninety-six mentorees from eight to seventeen years of age were matched with thirty mentors to [...]

LOVE FM

PUP comments on Santander sugar issue
The Sugar Industry was discussed today at the People’s United Party’s Executive Committee meeting. The three sugar cane farmers association are not happy that Santander Sugar, based in the west, has submitted a request to sell its sugar on the local market. The associations believe that if granted permission to do so, the impact will …

Ministry of National Security address incursions by Guatemalan farmers
The Ministry of National Security is addressing reports of illegal farming in southern Belize near the border with Guatemala and has deployed personnel from the Belize Defence Force, BDF, to investigate these reports. Authorities first received reports from the Alcalde of Otoxha Village, Santiago Peck, who stated that they have encountered several areas within Belize …

National Geographic to feature Belize in travel guide book
Carrie Miller and Chris Taylor, two world-renowned National Geographic writers, are in Belize on a one-week working visit sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board. Belize is the ninth country the team has traveled to with forty-one to go. During their time in Belize, the team is expected to visit Belize’s premier attractions. The Belize Tourism …

MOE to embark on Education for Sustainable Development
In September 2015, Belize along with other countries embraced a set of goals under the new sustainable development agenda in the hope of protecting the planet. The Ministry of Education is now looking to provide education for sustainable development. To this end, a two-day workshop was held at the Radisson Fort George where educators learnt …

UNESCO’s proposes to remove Belize from in Danger list
UNESCO’s World Heritage Center in a press release announced that it has made a draft recommendation for the removal of Belize’s Barrier Reef Reserve System from the list of World Heritage in Danger. The draft recommendation will be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee at its upcoming meeting in Manama, Bahrain in late June, where …

12-year-old accuses father of rape
Corozal police are investigating another case of rape. Police report that on Monday, a twelve year old girl, in the company of her mother, reported that her father had raped her. The child says it happened on February 13 of this year. The child took a medical exam which confirmed that she had been carnally …

Two Schools receive hand out from two schools
Sagitun Banana Farms has lent a helping hand to two schools in the Belmopan area. Pauline Soberanis Tillett has the story. Sagitun Banana Farms Ltd. donated bananas to two primary schools in Belmopan. The two schools are United Evergreen Primary and St. Martin Government School in the San Martin Area of Belmopan. The donation is …

Amandala

Santander accused of invading local sugar market
Santander, the multinational sugar-producing company that began operations in the Cayo District in 2012, may be violating the terms of its EPZ arrangement with Belize by selling its sugar on the local market. Reports in the local media are highlighting the fact that Santander has apparently begun viewing the local market as just another market where it can garner a quick profit by selling its sugar below the controlled price set by government for local sugar producers. The move by the giant multinational company, which has its origin in Spain but has large regional investments in Guatemala, has caught local sugar producers by surprise.

3 charged with robbery of Jolli Bee’s Restaurant
The police’s investigation of a robbery at Jolli Bee’s Restaurant, located at the corner of Amara Avenue and Cemetery Road has led to the arrest of three men. They are Lemar Lamb, 19; his brother, Robert Lamb, 18; and Iwin Palma. They pleaded not guilty to 5 counts of robbery when they appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. They were remanded into custody until August 28. The incident occurred on Saturday, May 26. Three men entered the restaurant, one of them armed with a firearm. They stole a cash register containing $1,200 from the restaurant.

18-year-old charged with Oscar Rosado’s murder
Brandon Hughes, 18, a resident of Aloe Vera Street, was charged with the murder of businessman Oscar Rosado, Sr., 70, when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser. No plea was taken from him because the offense is of an indictable nature. It was also not possible, because of the nature of the offense, for the court to offer Hughes bail. He was remanded into custody until July 25. The incident for which Hughes was charged — a robbery which culminated in the killing of Rosado — occurred around 1:30 p.m. on April 23 at Rosado Hardware Supplies, located on Cemetery Road next to Lord Ridge Cemetery.

Alleged murderer, Jordon Burns, 19, escapes police
Last Wednesday, just as things seemed to have been returning to normal in Belize City after a long, murderous weekend, gun violence struck again, claiming the life of another innocent, productive citizen. Shortly after the lunch hour Wednesday, a number of police vehicles were seen swarming into Lakeview Street, in the Mayflower Street area, which is the turf of the Ghost Town Gang, following the fatal shooting of Carlton Moreira, 34, a plumber and longtime resident of the area.

Carlos Panti, “the Caveman,” dies in road collision
Well-known tour guide operator Carlos Panti, 47, also known as “the Caveman,” of San Ignacio, was driving his vehicle to San Ignacio from Benque Viejo Del Carmen, on the George Price Highway, when he lost control of his vehicle, which overturned in front of Logs Cabin. When the vehicle overturned, Panti was thrown out and suffered head and body injuries when he landed on the pavement. He died almost immediately. Police found Panti lying face-down on the pavement, about 10 feet away from his vehicle, with massive injuries.

Chief Justice to rule on PUP San Pedro municipal election petition
Attorneys representing the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP)’s San Pedro municipal election petition made final submissions today in the courtroom of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, who, at the end of today’s hearing, indicated that he will issue his ruling in the next two weeks. Attorney Eamon Courtenay, SC, appeared for the petitioners, the six PUP San Pedro Town Board council candidates and their mayoral candidate, while attorney Estevan Perrera defended the UDP San Pedro mayor and his six councilors. Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke appeared for the Attorney General of Belize, Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai and Returning Officer Catharine Cumberbatch, who has been named in the election petition as an interested party.

Another legend passes, football great, Nelson “The Roo” Robinson
We first received the sad news on Saturday evening from Yabra football icon, Jerome “Pealoff” Mejia; and this morning, a very close friend of The Roo’s, Bert Dougard visited Amandala to inform us of his passing in Brooklyn, New York. A survivor of heart surgery some years ago, The Roo reportedly took ill sometime last week, and a close relative confirmed to us today that he passed away on Friday night. As the outstanding goalkeeper for the 1963 Brodies team that dethroned the BEC “Missiles” for the Belize City football championship, Nelson “The Roo” Robinson later became the starting goalie for a number of All Belize selections; but he actually rose to immortality in Belize football lore with a spectacular save in a big game at the MCC Grounds, when fans saw him acrobatically turn his body in mid-air to snatch a curving shot that had seemed a certain goal. It was a save that football fans, those who witnessed it, have never forgotten.

Is the NEBL championship dance too big for the Cinderella team?
Game 2 of the Pepsi NEBL Finals will take place on Friday, June 1, as Smart Belize Hurricanes will try to sweep the series and grab their second NEBL championship in the past 3 years. Their city counterparts, DigiCell Belize City Defenders will be forced to defend the city in order to keep their championship hopes alive and extend the series to a decisive game 3. Their two regular season match-ups witnessed two blowout games, with both teams winning at home. In the first game, Defenders won by 18 points, only to be blown out by 20 points by Smart Belize Hurricanes in the last regular season game in the inauguration of the Belize Civic Center.

Belize District F.A. weekend football program
Good evening, Football Family! See below the upcoming schedule of the Belize District Football Association (BDFA) activities for this weekend at the MCC. Inter-Office Thursday, May 31 7:00 p.m. – Ramada Gray Enterprise/ brothers Habet vs Atlantic Insurance 9:00 p.m. – Simon Quan vs Tourist Village FC U-13

FFB Inter-District quarterfinals end; 2 City teams clash in semifinals
The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) Inter-District Club Competition 2018 completed its 2nd leg of quarterfinals with all 4 games played yesterday, Sunday. At the MCC Grounds, it was 1-1 between FC Elite and Valley United FC from Belmopan. Jason Sanchez (2’) put the visitors in front, but Tyriq Ciego (23’) equalized from the penalty spot for FC Elite, who advance by 3-2 aggregate to the semifinals. Meanwhile, in an all-Orange Walk affair at the Louisiana Field, it was Progresso FC, 3-0, over Trinidad FC, with goals from Walter Robles (36’ & 46+’) and Gabriel Perez (71’). Progresso advances on 3-0 aggregate.

Editorial: The Guatemalan volcano
Outside of the World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) years, 1968 was the most sensationally turbulent year internationally of the twentieth century. Inside the colony of British Honduras, which had become self-governing in January of 1964, official release in late April 1968 of American mediator Bethuel Webster’s Seventeen Proposals sparked riots in Belize, then still the capital of the colony. The response of the ruling People’s United Party (PUP) was to organize a Police Special Forces unit, for the purpose of controlling such riots in the future, which became known as the “paramilitary.” Once the PUP government formally rejected the Webster Proposals, things quickly settled down, even though bloody violence erupted to the north of us in Mexico City in the days leading up to the September 1968 Olympics, while to the east of us across the Caribbean Sea an uprising took place on the University of the West Indies campus in Mona, Jamaica, and in the capital city of Kingston itself, when the Guyanese professor, Walter Rodney, was refused re-entry into Jamaica by the Hugh Shearer government in October of 1968.

From The Publisher
As the years go by, students of history like myself usually end up with many books in our collection. We also end up with lots of publications of various kinds, and pieces of publication which we find ourselves absolutely unable to consign to the garbage heap. This is because such publications and pieces of publications contain information and records we consider precious. Over the last three weeks or so, I’ve been moving, with assistance, from my old office in a rented building on the eastern side of Partridge Street back inside the Kremandala yard to a new office. I’ve run across material that I thought I had lost, such as the July 5, 2001 pages from The New York Review of Books which revealed previously unknown (at least in Belize) information about Edward Marcus Despard, who was Superintendent of Belize in the late 1780s and early 1790s, a critical period in the history of the Settlement of Belize.

What Dean Barrow wants, Dean Barrow gets …
Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the Belize/Guatemala referendum and going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The government has recently announced re-registration to clean up the voters’ list, to make sure all those on the list are actually eligible and legal to vote, and all information is up to date for the upcoming ICJ referendum. A noble endeavor, except they have already made it illegal from the start by allowing naturalized Guatemalans to be included on the voters’ list. Another one of the government’s attempts to convince us once again that yes, two wrongs do make a right. I will explain the reason I say this.

Criminal lawyers really need to pause
Some people who commit murder might savor the headiness of being known by the world, if that is their game. But it really must be a life of hell. You might get off in court, but you’ll know jail time and other deprivations. And yes, it must be terribly uneasy for the conscience with such a sin. We know the story about Cain, how God cursed him after he killed Abel. But human beings are sometimes hard in the head. We fail to grasp the lesson, or we forget. Or life is so frustrating, so without hope, that we lose all love for others. There is a moment of gratification, and then it’s over.

BOOK REVIEW
Assad Shoman. Guatemala’s Claim to Belize -The Definitive History- Historically, Belizeans have been hearing phrases like “The Anglo-Guatemalan Dispute” and the “Belize-Guatemala Territorial Differendum”, all of which, describing a centuries-old dispute, can be summed up as “The Belize Question”, which has seen several publications on the subject, and I am especially intrigued by an American lawyer, William Bianchi, who asked the question in 1959 in his book Belize: The controversy between Guatemala and Great Britain over the territory of British Honduras in Central America: “Who can guarantee that the march of history will not overtake the law of today and transform it into the relic of tomorrow; that it will not produce or create any new legal doctrine or doctrines to justify Guatemala in demanding and acquiring the disputed tract?”

BELIZEAN STANISLAUS
Recent revelations of the records of the Belize City Council during the term 2015-18 indicate how urgent and desirable reform has become throughout our public sector management. I believe the founding members of the UDP like Joe Andrews and Shubu Brown would never have imagined that unelected functionaries of their party would be pocketing salaries like what are paid in the mighty economies of the world. These men were patriots so their imaginations soared to the glorious sacrifice for the benefit of fellow Belizeans and not for personal financial enrichment. How would they now react to the information that an unelected bureaucrat was contracted to earn thirteen thousands per month? Shubu would scowl and condemn with an historical note: the first UDP mayor earned one hundred and fifty per month for two years.

Sandhill resident Jermaine Rhaburn, 27, killed in hit-and-run accident
Jermaine Rhaburn, 27, a resident of Sandhill, who was a construction worker at E Tech in Belize City, was found lying face down, unconscious, on the road in an area between Miles 1 and 2 on the Old Northern Highway, in Sandhill by someone who was passing by. That person called the police and then a BERT ambulance went to the scene and took Rhaburn to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. However, Rhaburn succumbed to his injuries about midday yesterday. Rhaburn’s family believes that he was knocked down by a vehicle while he was walking home at about 4:00 yesterday morning, Sunday, on the Old Northern Highway, in the village.

Ladyville resident who claimed he is a doctor remanded for psychiatric evaluation
The charge for using insulting words is a misdemeanor, but when Keith Staine, 43, a resident of Ladyville, told Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford that he is a cardiologist and a medical practitioner, she immediately had doubts about his sanity. Staine was accused of calling his neighbor, Myra Castellanos, a wh*re and a b***ch and telling her that he would “deal with her.” Staine pleaded not guilty to the charge. He said that it was he who was being harassed by Castellanos.

Bartender shot during armed robbery in San Pedro Town
Osner Campos 26, a bartender at Wayo’s Bar, located in Boca Del Rio, is recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in a stable condition from a gunshot injury that he suffered in the back of his head. Two men have been detained in connection with the incident. Information to us is that, at about 11:30 last Friday night, Campos was at work with a fellow bartender when two armed men of Hispanic descent entered the bar. One was armed with a pistol and the other with a sawed-off shotgun.

Farmer released on $7,500 bail for sexual offenses
Jose Angel Martinez, 55, a farmer of St. Margaret Village, who was remanded to prison after he was arraigned on two counts of sexual assault, one of them for an act of assault against a woman, 28, and the other for an act of sexual assault against the woman’s 6-year-old daughter, was released on a bail of $7,500 that was offered to him today by Justice Colin Williams. The bail was granted on the condition that Martinez does not contact or interfere in any way with the complainants; that he attends Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on each and every adjournment date until the case has concluded; that he reports to the police station in St. Margaret Village twice every week; and that he does not leave Belize without the court’s permission.

The Reporter

Man reportedly shot in Belize City
Reliable reports indicate that a man was shot a few minutes ago in Belize City. Preliminary information is that the shooting occurred in the vicinity of Holy Emmanuel Street. The Reporter will have on this breaking story later.

Breaking Belize News

Santander Sugar Ltd. issued with letter to cease from sale of sugar in local market
Today, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce informed that it is conducting consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture […]

PUP rejects Pat Andrews and Arthur Saldivar
People’s United Party (PUP) hopefuls looking to represent the part in Belmopan, Patrick Andrews and Arthur […]

Jermain Rhaburn’s death caused by hit and run
Hit and run victim Jermaine Rhaburn’s postmortem results confirm he was killed by multiple blunt […]

San Pedro bartender survives being shot to the head in robbery
A San Pedro bartender, who was shot to the head over the weekend in a robbery […]

Murder was the case in Rudolph Kelly’s death, police say
Rudolph Kelly, the cab driver who was found dead in his car with cut wounds […]

Inattentive officer causes killer of Boledo winner to escape
Jordan Burns, 18, of Mayflower street in Belize city who was arrested and charged for […]

St. Martin’s Credit Union hosts 69th AGM
Last week Friday, May 25, 2018, the only credit union in San Ignacio and Santa […]

Police searching for suspects that robbed PG Store of over $30,000
Police are investigating an armed robbery at James store in Punta Gorda (PG). On Sunday morning […]

Father rapes 12-year-old daughter in Corozal
Corozal police are investigating a report of incest. Yesterday, a 12 year -old student and […]

Inattentive officer loses Boledo killer
Jordan Burns, 18, of Mayflower street in Belize city who was arrested and charged for […]

St. Martin’s Credit Union hosts 69th AGM
Last week Friday, May 25, 2018, the only credit union in San Ignacio and Santa […]

Police searching for suspects that robbed PG Store of over $30,000
Police are investigating an armed robbery at James store in Punta Gorda (PG). On Sunday morning […]

Father rapes 12-year-old daughter in Corozal
Corozal police are investigating a report of incest. Yesterday, a 12 year -old student and […]

British TV series ‘Our Girl’ to feature Belize
British television series, Our Girl, which airs on BBC One is returning for its fourth […]

Belize Audubon Society hosts 49th Annual General Meeting
The Belize Audubon Society (BAS) held its 49th Annual General Meeting on Friday May 25, at […]

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System has substantially met indicators for de-listing
The Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Natural […]

Ladyville Police remove illegal firearm and ammo off the streets
On Sunday at around 5:30 p.m., Ladyville police found a 9mm pistol with (10) 9mm rounds […]

Santander selling sugar in Belize without permit says sugar association
Santander Sugar Group, located in Valley of Peace, Cayo is a Guatemalan investment sugar mill […]

BDF addresses illegal farming activities by Guatemalan farmers in Southern Belize
The Ministry of National Security today informed that it has deployed Belize Defence Force (BDF) […]

Blogs

The Hopkins Mango Festival is coming!
As if thoroughly understanding my complete and utter devotion to the delicious fruit, one of my favorite destinations in Belize has even come up with a festival celebrating all things Mango. Known as Mangu in the Garifuna language, the fruit is the center of attention in Hopkins, Stann Creek. Eight miles south of Dangriga and four miles off the highway, Hopkins is referred to as the top cultural destination in Belize, and with good reason. Its approximately 1,500 inhabitants are warm and friendly, their vivacious personalities just embracing visitors to Hopkins’ shores. This year, hundreds of Belizeans and visitors alike descend to the seaside village on June 2nd and 3rd, ready to indulge in the over twenty varieties of mangoes that grow in the area. With names such as blue, Julie, Harry, #11 (a personal favorite), thunder shock, white, slippers, black, common, belly full, apple, and more, the fun is discovering new favorites and flavors.

Exciting News in Conservation!
When a group of concerned citizens gathered with boats, snorkel gear and lots of energy, it was in an effort to clean up the lagoon waters of Ambergris Caye. Around 40 people, from all walks of life, made sure they did an excellent job of cleaning our all-important mangroves. 5000 pounds (yes, FIVE THOUSAND!) of trash later, and the mangroves are breathing easier, ready to become proper nurseries for young marine life. Awesome job everyone, and thank you for helping to clean our environment!! Led by Addiel U. Perez, a Ph.D. student of El Colegio de la Frontera Sur and a BTT research associate, a research team recently identified bonefish pre-spawning activity in two sites in Northern Belize. This discovery represents a major step forward in bonefish research along the Belize-Mexico border, as it is the first time pre-spawning behavior has been documented in the region.

International Sources

A New Place to Stay on Belize’s Ambergris Caye
The fast-growing destination of Belize has a new boutique lodge in its portfolio. The Diamond Lodge has opened its doors just outside the heart of San Pedro Town on increasingly hip Ambergris Caye in the north of Belize. The property, which opened in the first quarter of 2018, features nine rooms, each with a king bed and shower room. Diamond Lodge’s amenities include a private pool, an in-house chef and a “mini-spa” called Art of Touch Spa.

Containers of books headed to Zambia and Belize
Mission Cry just sent one shipping container to Belize and another to Zambia. But what makes these massive crates so special? “Those are filled with about a half million dollars worth of used Bibles and Christian books ranging anywhere from Bibles to seminary books by Christian authors for Christian education, and those are sent around the world for free distribution.” Jason Woolford of Mission Cry has been working with Mission Cry, donors in the United States, and on-the-ground missions organizations around the globe to put Christian literature in the hands of believers desperate for a closer relationship with God. Their goals have been high, but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to reach.

The 8 Best Beaches For Summer 2018
Whether you count the warm temperatures or the advent of Memorial Day weekend, there is no question that summer 2018 is officially here. In honor of my favorite season, I asked a panel of experts from around the world for their favorite beaches. We've got hidden getaways in Greece, one of the best surf spots in the United States and some drool-worthy white sand in Zanzibar. Basically, whether you like to suntan or snorkel, this curated list has you covered wherever you are in the world. Time to get your wanderlusting on. The Cayes of Belize are home to the second largest barrier reef in the world. They are perfect for activities like sailing and snorkeling, and also offer camping.

Latin America And The Caribbean Economic Outlook For 2018
Economic growth in the Caribbean and Latin America is expected to increase to about 2.7 per cent on average by 2020, aided by an improvement in global economic conditions and commodity export prices. Possible increases in commodity export prices might help to improve growth in commodity exporting countries. Most non-commodity exporting countries in the Caribbean and Latin America have been recording positive economic growth and are expected to continue on the positive growth trajectory in 2018 as a result of infrastructural expansion and increased provision of tourism services. Economic growth in the Caribbean and Latin America is expected to improve in 2018 after falling short of its two per cent target by only materialising growth of 0.9 per cent on average in 2017. Economic growth was more than projected in Brazil but was offset by a greater than expected contraction in Venezuela. Although below target, the 0.9 percent growth in 2017 was the first sign of positive economic growth for the region since 2014, according to a World Bank report.

The Many Narratives of Growing Up With Central American Roots
Growing up in Los Angeles, Iliana Guevara would often feel conflicted about her Guatemalan-American identity. People would always ask her where Guatemala was, or were simply confused she wasn’t Mexican like the majority of the Latinx immigrant population in L.A. “After a while, nobody knew where [Guatemala] was and I kept saying, ‘Oh you know what, it’s better to say I’m Mexican.’ And so I became Mexican for a while,” says Guevara, a 30-year-old filmmaker, of her childhood.

IDB/OECD projects tax-revenue uptick in 2018 for Latin America and Caribbean
At the 30th regional seminar on fiscal policy in Santiago, Chile, from May 26 to 27, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released its “Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2018”, which details how tax-revenues have shrunk in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries since 2016 but are projected to grow from 2018 and beyond. The 308-page report, which covers 25 LAC countries and includes Guyana for the first time, is produced jointly by the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Tax Policy and Administration and the OECD Development Centre.

Commentary: The constitution is the supreme law of Belize like most democratic countries in the world
By Wellington C. Ramos. The constitution of Belize and most democratic countries in the world is the supreme law of the nation. When a person is elected to office, he or she must swear that they will abide by the laws of the constitution and execute them. If any person violates the laws of the constitution, he or she is subject to some form of disciplinary action. For that to happen, the citizens of the country must demand that action be taken against the people who violate their nation’s constitution. If the citizens of the country do not demand that action be taken against the individual or individuals who violate the constitution then nothing will be done about it.

Videos

May 29, 2018

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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

Two detained following armed robbery at Wayo’s Beach Bar and Grill
Police have detained two persons in connection with the armed robbery at the popular Wayo’s Beach Bar and Grill on Friday, May 25th. According to reports, two masked dark skinned men surprised patrons and staff at gun point around 11:20PM, demanding money. During the hold-up, 26-year-old bartender Osner Campos was injured from a gunshot ricochet to the back of his head. Immediately after the thieves left with an undisclosed amount of cash, Campos was taken to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II. He was later airlifted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City where he was listed in a stable condition. Campos recovered quickly, and by Monday, May 28th, he was released from the hospital.

The Island Academy graduates 11
The 2017-2018 school year is coming to an end and The Island Academy (TIA) is the first educational institution to hold its graduation ceremony in San Pedro Town on Friday, May 26th. The school celebrated its 23rd commencement exercise, with a total of 11 students graduating; Gabriella Knox-Alexander, Ayissa Alpuche, Noah Beaumont, Elyssa Crampton, Angela Duran, Kimberly Houghton, Xavier Graham, Collin Romsa, Hector Salazar, Calliope Sirman and Mackenzie Turley. Students, families, friends and invited guests gathered at the TIA Campus to celebrate the graduate’s academic achievements. At 10AM, the graduates proudly marched into the sound of the customary Pomp and Circumstance.

SPRCS girls and Holy Cross boys represent Belize Rural South at Belize District football finals
The National Sports Council of Belize along with the San Pedro Sports Committee held its primary school football competition Zone 5 elimination (Belize Rural South) at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town on Tuesday, May 22nd. Participating schools were San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRCS), Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES), New Horizon Seventh Day Adventist School (NHSDAS), Holy Cross Anglican School (HCAS) and Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School (CCRCS). After a long afternoon of intense matches, the SPRCS girls and HCAS boys were declared the winners and will have the honor of representing Zone 5 at the Belize District Finals. The San Pedro Sun joins the community in congratulating SPRCS girls and HCAS boys for being the champions of Zone 5 and wishes them the best in the Belize District finals to be held in Belize City sometime in the beginning of the month of June 2018.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Hosts 40th National Lions Club Convention
The San Pedro Lions Club was the host club for the 40th Annual Convention that was carried out from Friday, May 25 to Sunday, May 27, 2018, on La Isla Bonita, San Pedro. Under the theme “Lions promoting peace, we continue serving”, the San Pedro Lions Club, San Estevan Lions Club, Belmopan Lions Club and Belize City Lions Club all convened at the San Pedro Lions Den on Friday, May 25, 2018 for the opening ceremonies. The Lions convention was dedicated to Lion Carlos Santos, a member of the Lions Club since 1977, he is one of the two surviving members of the Belmopan Lions Club. He has served as President of the club and Governor and Zone Chairman of Belize Lions Zone 59 for two terms and in various other capacities within the zone.

Misc Belizean Sources

Audubon gets some training
Congratulations to our eleven (11) field staff who successfully completed the Special Constable Training held at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan! The Special Constable certification training was facilitated by the Forest Department on May 14th through May 25th, in partnership with the Police Department as part of Capacity Building for Protected Areas Rangers. The certification will strengthen BAS' enforcement efforts as we continue to mitigate illegal activity in our co-managed protected areas.

We Got Net (W.G.N.)
A young man from British Honduras, Ludwig Lightburn walked into Madison Square Garden and stood up to a goliath in the boxing world, the number 2 lightweight contender Ralph Dupas. While the Garden felt each solid blow, and the fight was one of the first televised, they could only be heard by a few radios in the Central American nation. Neighbors gathered around and listened as Lightburn punched his way to victory. It was 1955, almost 3 decades later video would kill the radio stars and television would reach British Honduras. Just like your fathers the Baymen, valiant and bold, Arthur and Marie Hoare had no idea that their business idea would change the landscape forever. They weren’t looking for timber, but the rooftop antennas connected to the tube would not only bring entertainment, but their Channel 9 would provide a compass for thousands to follow and would change lives and culture for Belizeans to this day.

Committee recommends Belize Barrier Reed removed from the List of World Heritage sites in Danger
The significant progress made by the State Party towards achieving the DSOCR is commendable, particularly the enactment of a moratorium on oil exploration and other petroleum operations within the entire maritime zone of Belize, whereby Indicator 3 of the DSOCR, related to protection of the property from possible oil operations, has been fully met and exceeded.

MIF & BELTRAIDE, through SBDCBelize, are providing trainings in June
For the following locations: Dangriga, Placencia, Punta Gorda; and we encourage Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners to take part. Please note there is LIMITED AVAILABILITY. To REGISTER please call BELTRAIDE's Headquarters at 822-3737.

6th Annual Climate Outlook Forum May 30
The National Meteorological Service is hosting it's 6th Annual Climate Outlook Forum (NCOF-6), George Price Center for Peace and Development, City of Belmopan. Contact the office for information and confirm your space.

POWER OUTAGE SCHEDULED
Power outage scheduled for entire Corozal and Orange Walk Districts on Sunday, June 3 from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Necessary for BEL to conduct urgent repairs to circuit switcher at the Buena Vista Substation.

San Pedro Water Outage today beginning 1:30pm
Belize Water Services informs customers in San Pedro that there will be an interruption in the water supply on Tuesday, May 28, 2018 starting at 1:30pm. The areas to be affected is from Pedro’s Inn going North including San Pedrito, San Mateo, Downtown Area, Beach Front and San Juan Area. This interruption is necessary for repairs to a broken water main. Residents are advised that water will be restored by 5:00pm.

BTB Scholarship Opportunities for 2018
The Belize Tourism Board is offering scholarship opportunities to interested applicants for Tourism Programs commencing August 2018 for Full-time Students for the following degrees.

Channel 7

Santander Selling Sugar On Local Market Without Permit
The Santander Sugar Group in the Valley of Peace area in the Cayo District is in serious trouble with the Ministry of Trade tonight after the export company started selling sugar domestically. The company has EPZ status meaning they get certain exemptions on the clear understanding that they can only export. But, they've been doing more than that. This is a photo of Santander's Plantation White sugar being sold at a store in Orange Walk. It's presence on the local market has infuriated cane farmers - who are already going through a difficult year with historic lows in sugar prices. Now they say they are facing competition in a market from a company not licensed to sell locally. Here's what Fred Ortega of the Belize sugar Cane Farmers Association told CTV-3 in Orange Walk:..

Two Weeks For CJ To Decide On PUP Election Petition
The PUP wants the court to throw out the UDP's victory in San Pedro in the March Municipal Elections. Well, today, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamain listened to submissions from the attorneys for all the litigants as to why he should or should not uphold the petition. Tonight, the case is in his hands for a decision that should arrive in about 2 weeks' time. The PUP 7 Municipal Slate from San Pedro alleges that there is a discrepancy over the total number of ballots from polling station #37 in the island town. They say that 275 ballots are not accounted for, and that those could have drastically affected the outcome of the elections, since Incumbent Mayor Daniel Guerrero and his team won by only a small margin.

The Quest For Truth: Eamon Vs. Tamai
So, as you've heard, a significant element in the PUP's complaint against the San Pedro Municipal Election results is the manner in which Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai handled the San Pedro ballots after they were transferred to her from the public officers who oversaw the polling in the island town. You'll remember attorney Eamon Courtenay saying that Tamai violated the law when she unsealed the ballots. They are supposed to remain under lock and key after they are sealed, and are only to be touched by an order of the court.

Police Didn’t Cuff Teenaged Murder Suspect
Tonight an alleged teenaged killer is on the loose. As we reported on Friday, 18 year old Burns was charged with the murder of Carlton Moreira - which happened on Wednesday. On Thursday, police made it known that the teenager from the Mayflower area was wanted. By Friday morning they had him in custody, and by Friday afternoon, he was charged for Moreira's murder. But, somehow, he escaped. Police today told us how he just skipped through the station gates:... ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "Police arrested and charged Jordan Burns. However, it is very unfortunate that whilst he was being escorted to cell block he escaped from police custody and up to now he is at large."

Knocked Down And Left For Dead
A man was run over and killed on the Maskall road over the weekend. 42 year old Jermaine Rhaburn was heading home early Sunday morning around 5:00 when he was knocked down. He was left in the middle of the road bleeding out. Police don't have much information in this case neither does his family. Courtney Weatherburne has the story. Jermaine Rhaburn had been renting this Boston Village house for 2 years. But living next to his landlord, Brunelda Alvarado, was what made this place a home for Rhaburn. They shared a special bond.

King Vs. Sulph In Supreme Court
Tonight, former UDP Minister Mark King is back in the news for a slander lawsuit which he's brought against the grassroots activist, Moses Sulph. He's known for his outspoken stances against the government of the day, but Moses Sulph is being accused of going too far on Facebook when he came out swinging against Mark King and his company, Brints Security. This security company is one of several that King owns and manages, and among the contracts Brints has right now is one to provide security for the Magistrate's Court.

BWS Resists Lower Rate, Takes Regulator To Court
Belize Water Services Limited and its regulator, the Public Utilities Commission were also in court today. Both sides appeared in Justice Michelle Arana's courtroom for a hearing on the lower rate that the PUC ordered the utility to implement on April first - but instead BWS went to court asking for an injunction against the new rate, pending judicial review. That was to have started today but it could not - and the attorney for BWSL explained why:...

Bartender Shot In Back Of Head
There were a number of scary armed robberies this weekend. The first happened on Friday night at around 11:20 at Wayo's Bar in the Boca Del Rio of San Pedro Town. Two men stormed into the bar, and both were armed: one of them with a 9 millimeter pistol, and the other with a sawed off shotgun. The man with the shotgun stood guard at the entrance of the bar, while the man with the pistol demanded that the money in the cash register be poured into a bag. While the bartender was doing that, the robber fired a shot towards the bar, which ricocheted and hit 26 year old Osner Campos to the back of his head.

Quick Cops Catch Robbers, All Familiar Faces
The second significant robbery happened on Saturday afternoon in Belize City. Robbers held up a fast food restaurant on the southside - but police were quick to set chase and caught the robbers. ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "On Saturday just about 4:30pm, the Jollibees Restaurant was held up by 3 male persons. At present in the establishment was the manager of the restaurant Mr. Kumar, along with other Indian decent medical students who were having lunch at the time, when 3 male persons entered; one with a firearm and they held up the students along with the manager and the 2 employees that were inside of the restaurant. Stolen from them were assorted items being cell phones, cash and the cash register and other monies that the person had. Police quick response in the area led to the detention of 4 male persons who are presently detained and police are looking for charges to be levied against them sometime today."

Police Say Robbers Are Out, Advise Extreme Caution
And those are just two of the major robberies which occurred. Indeed there have been a rash of violent armed robberies in the past month and Cowo made it clear that you need to be very aware of your surroundings:... ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "There were a number of robberies that occurred within Belize City and it is a trend that they had being seeing that is developing for the past month or even at the beginning of the year..."

Alleged Murderer, Brandon Hughes Was One Of Three
Today, Cowo also discussed the murder charge against 18 year old Brandon Hughes. He is accused of the murder of businessman Oscar Rosado, Sr. Cowo said he is one of three men they hope to charge:.. Reporter: "Is he the suspect that you all had been looking for from that day and he'd been in hiding?" ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "Yes, he and another person. We are still looking for the other person."

Kelly Was Killed, No Accident
And a murder investigation has also been opened up in the case of Rudolph Kelly. The 52 year old died last week Tuesday night after an accident in which he was found behind the wheel with massive stab wounds to his arms. As we reported on Friday a post mortem showed that the stabbing, not the accident killed him. Police discussed what is now one more Belize City murder case:...

Making Customs Quicker
How long should it take to clear and release goods through customs when it arrives in a country? Well according to World Customs Organization experts, there is no standard time, it all depends on the cargo or shipment and the country's regulations. But the idea is to get the goods physically released in the most time efficient manner. That is why a workshop on what is called a time release study was held today at the Customs office. Here is more from the coordinators on how this study will help Belize. Today was day 1 of the workshop. It is a week-long training.

Good News For Belize Barrier Reef
It's rare to report really good news on the protection of Belize's natural wonders, but tonight even UNESCO has acknowledged that a moratorium on offshore drilling has made a huge difference. A draft decision has been taken to de list the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System as a World Heritage Site in Danger. The Final decision of the World Heritage Committee will be made at the end of June at UNESCO's 42nd meeting in Bahrain.

Quite A Contest In Corozal Bay
The PUP had a rare contested convention in Corozal Bay on Sunday. It was a five way race between Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Freddy Alex Ewens, Shamir Alpuche, Edwardo 'Dado' Torres 26 votes and, David 'Dido' Vega. In total, 2042 voters went out to the St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic School in Corozal Town. And, at 7:00 pm, the Party Chairman announced the winner - who clinched the convention by a large margin:

No Confidence Vote Tabled At PSU
Last year, the Public Service Union was plunged into turmoil when the past President, Eldred Neal, was put on blast for a secret recording of him was released publicly in which he made prejudiced remarks about the Garifuna Members of the Public Service Union. The New president, Doreth Obermayer Cayetano, was elected after Neal's exit, and her leadership was to supposed to help the healing process within the Union, after that messy internal dispute. Well tonight, the sitting president is now caught up in turmoil of her own, after a no-confidence vote was tabled as a resolution during the Union's AGM on Saturday.

What’s Up In Otoxha?
Wil Maheia and the Territorial Volunteers were called out to Otoxha in southwestern Belize this weekend to see how the Guatemalans were making incursions into their territory. Here's what they found:

Channel 5

56 Regent Street Shared by U.D.P. Area Rep, P.U.P. Aspirant
Two weeks away from the Albert Division convention for the People’s United Party on June seventeenth, the campaign between Senators and People’s United Party’s aspirants Valerie Woods and Paul Thompson [...]

Paul Thompson Counts on Support from Albert Residents, Cordel Hyde
Paul Thompson is going head to head with fellow Senator Valerie Woods, who has prided herself as being born and raised in the division. But Thompson says he has been [...]

Corozal Bay P.U.P. Elects David “Dido” Vega
In other political news, David “Dido” Vega, former mayoral candidate for the P.U.P. in Corozal Town, was elected standard bearer for Corozal Bay on Sunday in the party’s first contested [...]

Death of Rudolph Kelly Now a Murder Investigation
When Rudolph Kelly perished following a violent collision on Central American Boulevard last Tuesday, speculations ran wide that he did not succumb to injuries received during the accident.  It was [...]

Carlos Panti Succumbs in Vehicle Flip on Western Highway
A tour guide and a father of three from the Cayo area perished in a road fatality over the weekend. Carlos Panti, who was well established in the tourism industry, [...]

Jermaine Rhaburn Dies after Apparent Hit-and-Run
A Sand Hill resident has also lost his life following a mishap along the Old Northern Highway over the weekend.  In the predawn hours of Sunday morning, Jermaine Rhaburn was [...]

Santander Sugar Faulted for Selling in Local Market
There is a developing story tonight in the sugar industry. Santander, the Spanish sugar miller located in the Valley of Peace area is reportedly selling sugar in the domestic market. [...]

Final Arguments for San Pedro Election Petition
The two municipal election slates from San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, continued their fight in the Supreme Court this morning. The People’s United Party’s Andre Perez and the United Democratic [...]

Mark King Takes on Moses Sulph over Facebook Comments
Mark King, former Lake Independence area rep, is suing activist Moses Sulph for defamation of his character and that of his business, following a post on social media. The case [...]

B.W.S. Challenges Decision of P.U.C. on Water Rates
A third case before the Supreme Court today dealt with an unprecedented move. Belize Water Services Limited is suing the Public Utilities Commission over its decision in an interim review [...]

Bartender Survives Ricocheting Bullet During Armed Robbery
Twenty-six-year-old Osner Campos, a bartender of San Pedro, is lucky to have escaped with his life on Friday night when an armed robbery at Wayo’s Bar resulted in a discharge [...]

Thieves Couldn’t Get Away from Police after Jolly Bees Robbery
A trio of thieves was busted over the weekend after holding up a restaurant on Euphrates Avenue.  An Indian manager inside Jolly Bees and several of his patrons, all medical [...]

Teen Brandon Hughes Sent to Jail in Murder of Oscar Rosado Sr.
Eighteen-year-old Brandon Hughes is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being arraigned of Friday for the murder of businessman Oscar Rosado Sr.  Hughes was one of three men [...]

“Armed, Dangerous” Jordan Burns Sought by Police
There’s an all-points bulletin for the capture of Jordan Burns who escaped from police custody on Friday, after being charged for the murder of Carlton Moreira in the Mayflower Street [...]

Barrier Reef Has Shot at Coming Off Endangered World Heritage Site List
Belize’s world-famous Barrier Reef Reserve System could be headed off the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. This is after the World Heritage Committee found that the series of [...]

The End of Evangelical Holiness Academy in Cayo
A private school in the west is closing its doors due to a number of factors after twenty years of providing education to students of Santa Familia and surrounding communities.  [...]

Protest on High Cost of Living Fizzles
The Belize Leaders for Social Justice were only able to attract a minimum number of protesters to their widely advertised march from Constitution Park to Battlefield Park on Saturday morning. [...]

Swing Bridge Gets New Coat of Paint
The Belize City Council on Saturday collaborated with eleven students from Wesley Junior College to give the historic Belize City Swing Bridge a facelift. The bridge got a fresh coat [...]

Motor Stolen from Belcan Bridge
In related news, the City Council has confirmed information to our newsroom which suggests that the motor for the BelCan Bridge is missing. There were previous reports that parts for [...]

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

LOVE FM

Demonstration against high cost of living sees poor turnout
Belize Leaders for Social Justice held a demonstration against the continued increase in the cost of living. Member Moses Sulph announced the event last week but, on Saturday morning, the group did not receive the support it had hoped for. The turnout was very poor. Besides the police officers who oversaw the demonstration, about ten …

Medical students robbed at restaurant in Belize City
Another robbery happened on Saturday in Belize City where medical students and the employees of a restaurant were robbed. ASP Cowo shared details of the incident. ASP Alejandro Cowo: “On Saturday just about 4:30PM Jolly Bees restaurant was held up by three male persons. Present inside of the establishment was the manager of the restaurant …

David “Dido” Vega crushes opponents in PUP Convention
On Sunday the People’s United Party held a convention to elect its Standard Bearer for the Corozal Bay Division. Five persons namely, Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Freddy Alex Ewens, Shamir Alpuche, Edwardo ‘Dado’ Torres, and David ‘Dido’ Vega contested the convention. When polls closed at 5 o’clock and the counting began, it became clear that Vega was …

NTUCB supports increase of SSB contributions
While the BCCI and the PUP are concerned with the increase in the cost of living, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize is supporting the SSB’s bid for contributions to increase. In a letter dated May 23, NTUCB President Floyd Neal writes to the CEO of SSB, Dr. Colin Young quote, “NTUCB hopes the …

Santander warned about selling sugar on local market
Love News has confirmed that Santander Sugar has not been given the green light to sell sugar on the local market. Minister of Investment Tracey Taegar Panton told us that the company has been warned because Santander’s sugar has been found on the local market. Minister Panton told Love News that the Government has strongly …

18-year-old charged for murder escapes police custody
Police are once again on a man hunt for eighteen year old Jordan Burns. The teenager was detained last Thursday and charged by Friday with the murder of Carlton Moreira, who was killed in an alley between Lakeview and Mayflower Street on Wednesday afternoon. Burns remains at large and police are asking the public for …

BSWL’s legal challenge against PUC’s decision proceeds in court
Also in court today before Justice Michelle Arana is a case brought against the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by Belize Water Services Limited, (BWSL). As we have reported, BWSL is challenging the PUC’s decision to reduce the water rate. That reduced water rate was supposed to have been in effect this past April but, with …

PUP concern about increasing cost of living
The People’s United Party joins the Belize Chamber of Commerce Industry in calling on the government to redesign its fuel tax strategy and decrease the excise duties on fuel. The increase of fuel affects daily activities and with the increase of data, cable, and electricity, PUP Chairman, Henry Charles Usher, says that it is time …

Chief Justice hears closing argument in Election Petition case
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin heard closing arguments today in a case brought against the San Pedro Town Council by the People’s United Party. It is the first election petition filed in Belize’s history as the PUP is challenging the results of the March 7 municipal elections in San Pedro Town. Essentially, the PUP has asked …

Mark King’s lawsuit against Moses Sulph proceeds in court
Mark King’s lawsuit against Moses Sulph will proceed. A case management conference was held in the courtroom of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Young. Sulph made comments on his Facebook page regarding King’s company, Brints Security. Sulph boldly stated that King’s company was taking advantage of its employees by not paying Social Security contributions, a claim …

PUP to discuss national issues
Tomorrow the People’s United Party will convene a national executive meeting to discuss issues of national concerns. When we spoke to PUP Chairman, Henry Charles Usher on Sunday, he told us that the Executive will discuss matters such as the re-registration exercise and Arthur Saldivar’s application to run for the PUP in Belmopan …

Family homeless after house collapse
A father and his five children are now homeless after their home which was located in the Mayflower area collapsed yesterday. Love news spoke with the father who said it all happened just as he was preparing a meal for them. Victim of Collapsed House: “I was providing some food for my kids on the table you know when suddenly I heard a little screech and all we could have done my son and I was to take to the ground. We tried to run out but same time you can’t run out because everything is coming crumbling down …

Rudolph Kelly death now a murder investigation
Police have now upgraded their investigation surrounding the death of Rudolph Kelly Jr. to a homicide investigation. ASP Cowo says the post mortem showed that he died from wounds he sustained before he collided into a lamppost on the night of Tuesday May 22. ASP Alejandro Cowo: “A post mortem examination was conducted on the body of Mr. Rudolph Kelly and at the conclusion of the post mortem the doctor certified …

Robberies on the rise
The Belize Police Department says that they have noted an increase in robberies within the Belize District. ASP Alejandro Cowo, Head of the Crimes Investigation Branch in Belize City says the department has noted the upward trend since the start of the year and today he advised the public and the business community to remain vigilant.

Bartender shot in the head during robbery on San Pedro Ambergris Caye
Police continue to seek two men for an armed robbery that resulted in one man being shot in the head at Wayo’s Bar in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The incident happened on Friday. ASP Alejandro Cowo told the media more about the incident. ASP Alejandro Cowo: “Friday night just after 11, police were called to the San Pedro Polyclinic where they observed Mr. Osner Campos with a gunshot to the back of his head. What police gathered so far, Mr. Campos was working at Wayo’s Bar …

Belize Customs & Excise prepares for Time Release Study
The World Customs organization is holding a one week workshop in Belize which will prepare participants for a time release study that will be conducted soon. Jonelle McKenzie has the story. Belize Custom & Excise Department technical officers and other stakeholders are participating in a one week workshop which is being facilitated by the World …

Cancer Walk a success
The annual cancer walk was held in the Belize District on Saturday morning. The event saw participants walk a little over nine miles, from Ladyville to Belize City. The event this year was well attended and the Belize Cancer Society also received several generous donations towards its work. Here’s a look at how it went. …

St. Martin’s Credit Union nets $1.3 million in profits
St. Martin’s Credit Union held its 69th Annual General Meeting at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio Town on Friday. At the meeting, the over five hundred members who attended learnt that the credit union net profit for its fiscal year which ended March 31 amounted to one point three million dollars. As …

Breaking Belize News

Barranco loggers and GOB come to terms
The villagers of Barranco and the Government of Belize have met and come to an […]

Global price of oil falls
Oil prices on the global market fell on Monday after reports that Russia and Saudi […]

NatGeo to feature Belize in upcoming publication on scuba diving
National Geographic is compiling a guidebook on the world’s 50 best dive travel destinations and […]

Free nephrology clinic at La Loma Luz Hospital
A capacity building project for the prevention and control of chronic renal failure in Belize […]

Double murder still unsolved-one year after
As the month of May draws to a close, a month away from mid-year, Belize […]

“Swing bridge” gets facelift by Belize City Council and WJC students
On Saturday, the Belize City Council in collaboration with students from the Wesley Junior College […]

David Dido Vega wins convention for Corozal Bay
David Dido Vega is the new standard bearer of the People’s United Party (PUP) in […]

Blogs

Five Reasons to Head to Hopkins, Belize for June’s MANGO FESTIVAL
Hopkins is a beach town in Southern Belize (population 1500ish) that has really held on to its roots as a Garifuna Village. Well maybe that’s the wrong way to say it…it hasn’t held onto anything. It is a tiny Garifuna Village. A friendly place on a long strip of beach that will have you thinking about buying a shack on the Caribbean sea, quitting your job and relocating. A few years ago, I went to the village’s rejuvenated Mango-Fest and it was fantastic. Let me see if I can convince you to join me in Hopkins this year for Mango Festival.

International Sources

Ambergris Caye is Getting a High-End Bump With New Resorts Opening
All eyes are on Belize this year. This may have a lot to do with the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio’s eco-resort Blackadore Caye, on an 104-acre island just west of Ambergris Caye, is expected to launch later in 2018, complete with a hotel and 36 luxury villas available to buy. But that’s not all that’s happening in the Central American country with raved-about Caribbean beaches, Mayan ruins tangled in jungle, and the world’s second biggest reef after the great barrier reef. “High-net-worth buyers see that Belize is developing, and they see the opportunities to get invested before the prices become outrageous,” said Debbie Wade, broker at Sancas Realty, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. Ms. Wade reports growing interest among high-net-worth owners keen to buy a second home in Ambergris Caye, the most exclusive part of Belize.

Region urged to brace for wetter than usual period of rain
“Except in the Guianas, rainfall totals are forecast to be lower than usual or similar to the usual; a number of short dry spells is expected, along with fewer wet spells than usual. The latter may reduce the potential for flooding and associated hazards in Belize and in the islands. Nevertheless, there is a concern for flash flooding from extreme wet spells in any area,” the CIMH said with regards to the June to August period this year. “Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada and north-western Puerto Rico were particularly wet. Drought is not a primary concern at this time. This was one of the coolest season in recent years in the east of the region.”

Barbados Will Remain With CCJ, New PM Says
Barbados will be sticking with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The assurance has come from Prime Minister Mia Mottley who said the CCJ represents “one of the best examples of Independence” in a court across the entire globe. She made her government’s position clear following a threat by former prime minister Freundel Stuart that if his Democratic Labour Party (DLP) won the May 24 general elections, Barbados would no longer make the CCJ its final appellate court.

Videos

May 28, 2018

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: Birth Control
“Hey, Mario, you want to play some darts?” “I can’t right now, Cindy,” Mario said. “We waiting for Juan to get here so we can play our tournament.” “Next time, then.” “O.K.” Mario, Vernon, Juan and I meet at the bar once every week for what we call our darts tournament. The loser buys the drinks. “Cindy is a strange name for a guy,” I said. “Is that his real name?” “It’s Sindy with an S,” Vernon said. “It’s a joke in Spanish. You see how he doesn’t have any teeth in front? He got them knocked out playing football. Now, you see why we call him Cindy?”

59 Forest Rangers Sworn-in as Special Constables
On May 25, 2018, 59 Forest Rangers of both government and forest co-management agencies were sworn-in as Special Constables following two weeks of intensive training at the Belize Police Academy. The training, which began on 14th May, 2018, culminated with Forest Rangers being sworn-in to exercise greater authority to arrest and seize for forest, protected areas, and wildlife-related crimes. Mr. German Novelo, Key Biodiversity Areas Project Manager, stated that “the only way we can successfully stem illegal forest activities is by empowering our hard-working forest rangers within our partner agencies with the legal authority to seize and arrest.”

Doctor Love: Worried
Dear Doctor Love: My husband and I have been married for almost a year and things have been pretty good. But recently he bought a new cell phone and it is password protected. He will not give me the password and only answers texts when I leave the room. I also found a login on our computer to an email account I didn’t know he had. When I asked him about it he became defensive and couldn’t give any plausible explanation why he had this account. Even though we’ve always shared our password information I never checked his email nor did I check his old phone but this new secrecy has me worried. I want to trust him but in the back of my mind I feel something is amiss and I am afraid of what he might be hiding. /s/Worried

Misc Belizean Sources

Carlos Panti has Fatal Accident
Approximately 5:00 a.m. on Sunday 27/5/18 police visited an areas on the George Price Highway near Log Cabin Resort. Upon arrival they observed the lifeless body of 47 year old Carlos Panti, of San Ignacio Town near a silver Isuzu trooper. Panti was from the direction of Benque Viejo Town towards San Ignacio Town in the trooper when he lost control of the vehicle and it overturned. He was flung a few feet from the vehicle. Panti was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Ignacio Community Hospital.

Elijio Bishop of Melanation / Carbon Nation Leaves Consejo Village
The Chairman of Consejo Village, Mr. Christian Loza has called in to report that the meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Monday May the 28th with local authorities and the group leader Elijio Bishop of Melanation / Carbon Nation (the religious cult) that has been in Belize since the beginning of this year, has been cancelled as the group packed up all their belongings in their white van this morning and abruptly left Consejo Village. It is believed that the group is still in the country and heading towards Orange Walk or further south. They are indefinitely out of Consejo Village and our Corozal District.

Metal Haven Acoustica III
The Acoustica III concert was a great show. The Soul Project was the perfect venue for the concert. So many amazing songs by a wide range of Belizean and Central American musicians. Can't wait for the next one. In related news Metal Haven VIII will be on November 3rd. Matel Haven's set of pictures. Pictures on fb.

The Reporter

San Hill villager dies in hit and run
Sandhill resident, Jermaine Rhabrn, was knocked down and left for dead on the Maskall road in the wee hours of Sunday morning. He later died of his injuries at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) this afternoon. Just after 4:45 a.m. on Sunday, police responded to a report of a man laying face up in the middle of the road between miles one and two on the Maskall feeder road. Rhaburn was found in a semi-conscious state and was transported to the KHMH by BERT personnel. He died around midday.

Guinea Grass resident chopped in fight
A confrontation in Guinea Grass village on Saturday night turned violent, ending with one villager being chopped to the head with a machete. Aurelio Armando Pop, 20, was engaged in an argument with another man in front of a restaurant in the village around 8:30 p.m. last night. That individual inflicted the chop wounds and fled the scene. Pop was hospitalized at the Northern Regional Hospital for treatment. He remains in stable condition.

San Ignacio man dies in road traffic accident
A San Ignacio man is dead following a road traffic accident, which happened around 4:00 this morning on the Benque road. Carlos Panti, 47, was traveling alone in his silver Isuzu Trooper from Benque Viejo town towards San Ignacio when he lost control of the vehicle in front of the Log Cabin Resort. As the vehicle careened off the road, it flipped and Panti was flung several feet away from the vehicle.

Breaking Belize News

IMF researchers say Belize’s Superbond problem not solved
A working paper prepared by researchers from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about Belize’s “Superbond” titled ‘Sovereign Debt Restructuring – Third Time Lucky?’ compared the country’s unprecedented third restructuring of the bond and noted that the IMF concluded the new measures were still not enough to put national debt on a sustainable downward trajectory. […]

Brace yourself for a busy 2018 hurricane season
The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1 and goes through to November 30, 2018. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted that this year’s season will be strong and above average. […]

Guinea Grass man chopped to the head last night
Last night around 8:30 p.m. a man was chopped to the head in Guinea Grass Village. According to police, the victim has been identified as Aurelio Armando Pop 20, of Guinea Grass. […]

Man dies following hit and run incident
This morning at around 4:45, police visited the road between miles 1 and 2 on the Old Northern Highway, Sand Hill Village where they saw Jermain Rhaburn in a semi-conscious condition and with severe injuries to the head and body. […]

Popular Cayo Tour guide dies in fatal traffic accident
Carlos Panti, a popular Cayo tour guide died in a fatal traffic accident this morning. According to reports, the incident happened on the George Price Highway near Windy Hill Resort. […]

International Sources

Fernando Paiz on Why a Trip to Belize is as Good as it Gets
The developer behind the luxe Ka’ana and Itz’ana resorts shares why Belize will quickly be at the top of your travel wish list. At the forefront of the soon-to-be-booming destination’s development is Fernando Paiz, the Guatemalan hotelier behind Ka’ana, one of the country’s first luxury resorts (and one of the best places to call homebase if you’re looking to explore the region’s newly discovered Maya Megalopolis). Robb Report sat down with the developer and philanthropist—he also serves as the head of La Ruta Maya foundation, which works to return illegally-traded Maya artifacts to Guatemala and Belize—as he gets ready to open the much-anticipated Itz’ana Resort and Residences to discuss why Belize needs to make its way to the top of your itinerary. I became acquainted with Belize at a very young age. I started coming in the 1960s with my parents, and I was fascinated with the crystal-clear waters of the cays and the richness of the fauna and all of that. My passion is the ocean and the water, and that’s what brought me to the country in the first place. It was a big catch for me.

Videos

May 27, 2018

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

Heineken partners with Belize Brewing Company
Holland-based brewing company Heineken has acquired a minority stake in Belize Brewing Company Limited (BBC). The partnership, which provides BBC with a strong international partner, was announced on Friday, May 11th. BBC, a subsidiary of Bowen and Bowen Limited, has been importing and distributing Heineken’s brands including Amstel and Red Stripe in Belize since 2016.

The A Team wins first ever 2018 BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge!
The Belize Tourism Board in partnership with Love FM successfully debuted their first ever ‘Belize Sea Challenge,’ which saw kayakers enduring the odds of the sea in a five-day race from Punta Gorda Town to Corozal Town. Seven teams braved the 218-mile race that ran through Thursday, May 17th to Monday, May 21st, making stops in Placencia Village, Dangriga Town, Belize City, and San Pedro Town. After five grueling days, the A Team from the Belize Coast Guard, comprising of Daniel Gregorio, and brothers, Godfrey, James, and Mark Alford, emerged as the winning team, clocking a cumulative 35:59:14. Teams competed in the male, female, and mixed category, leaving each departure point at 5AM every morning. The teams participating included The A Team, Belize International Water Sports, BDF Breaking Waves, Belize Territorial Volunteers, Wave Runners, Delta Squad, and Koop Sheet Metal/NICH.

Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala brings ICJ educational campaign to San Pedro
As Belize moves towards the national referendum to decide whether to take the Guatemalan claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Ambassador of Belize to Guatemala, His Excellency Alexis Rosado, addressed students and invited guests on the topic at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium on Tuesday, May 22nd. Rosado spoke about the history of the Guatemalan claim on Belize, the role of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the reason why the ICJ is the only solution to the long-standing territorial dispute with Guatemala. Most of the audience was comprised of students, who listened as Andre Perez introduced Ambassador Rosado. The presentation, which is part of the nationwide ICJ educational campaign, started with the summary of Belize’s position against the territorial claim from Guatemala.

Ambergris Today

Bartender Shot During Robbery At Wayo’s Beach Bar
Island residents are shocked once again at the escalating crime on Ambergris Caye. Yet another robbery and assault last night at one of the island’s popular bars has left a bartender injured from a gunshot wound. Initial investigations by San Pedro Police Reveal that two male persons entered Wayo’s Bar at about 11:20p.m. on Friday, Ma 25, 2018, armed with with a chrome pistol resembling a 9mm and what appeared to be a sawed off shotgun. Working at the bar were two bartenders. The male person with the pistol proceeded to the bar area where he demanded the contents of the cash register be placed in a bag he had. The other assailant waited at the entrance of the bar.

Misc Belizean Sources

Three arrests for illegal fishing in one night!
Our 3rd arrest for illegal fishing within Port Honduras Marine Reserve tonight! Thanks TIDE rangers and Belize Coast Guard for protecting our marine resources! Night patrol team crept up on 2 Guatemalan fishers who had just set up long gillnets in our conservation zone! Will keep you posted on prosecution results!

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF SAN PEDRO TOWN: Dear Lions and friends of Lions
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Ambergris Caye on the occasion of the Belize Lion Zone 59, 40th Annual Convention. Over the years, the Lions Club of San Pedro, and by extension Lions Club International, has been at the centre of many success stories on our island. It is the hope of the San Pedro Town Council and the people of Belize, that over the duration of your convention, Lion members will be able to meet, discuss, plan and foster ideas that can make our communities a better place for all. As you know, Lions Club International new national and global service focuses on diabetes as part of the Centennial Service Challenge. We are hopeful that your clubs will consider hosting awareness campaigns, screening programs and help in expanding treatments in an effort to reduce, and where possible, stop diabetes.

BELTRAIDE successfully completes Career Fair 2018
BELTRAIDE successfully implemented its very first CAREER FAIR, which connected up to 300 job seekers with job opportunities within six (6) hours. The CAREER FAIR was bolstered by prominent companies crossing Tourism, Business Process Outsourcing, Agro-Processing, Aquaculture, and Energy, which showcased over 700 vacancies at the FAIR today. With a firm commitment to foster development in Belize, BELTRAIDE will be keeping all its stakeholders briefed of up-to-date development opportunities. As a signature event to conclude BELTRAIDE’s 2018 National Competitiveness Month activity, we invite you to contact BELTRAIDE should you wish to participate in developing Belize:

Rotary Finishes Bathroom in Succotz
The Rotary Club of San Ignacio handed over the finished bathroom at Succotz RC Primary School this week. Thanks, Rotary! More photos from the handing over ceremony in Succotz for the toilet block at the RC school. This was a great community and international effort. Thank you, Rotary!

NCCO Video Competition
The National Climate Change Office is having a video competition. If you have an idea for a 3 minute video, you could win some nice prizes. Youth from Belize, ages 18 to 30, can apply to the NCCO's second National Climate Change Youth Video Competition from now until July 13, 2018. The Video Competition highlights climate action being taken by youth through videos, giving them a platform to share their successes and inspire others. Send us a 3 minute about how you are fighting climate change for a chance to be one of two winners. See the attached files for more details.

West Fest Date Announced
The first annual West Fest date has been announced! The BTIA has spent many years formulating this - from Corn Fest to Cayo Fest - and it's finally happening. It'll be a full day, family oriented event that focuses on the variety of unique cultures that can be found in Cayo. There will be many different kinds of food and drinks, cultural presentations, entertainment, and music. It'll all take place at Macal River Park on Saturday, September 15th. West Fest, 3000 years and counting. Culture, Food & Music. We are inviting all local cultures to be represented with costumes, music, dance and food, representing their presence in Cayo. Join us for a spectacular presentation of our heritage in the melting pot of cultures of our Beautiful Belize.

Celebrating community and partnerships!
The U.S. Marines and U.S. Army Joint Civil Affairs Team partnered with the Belize Defense Force & Belize Police Department at a fun event involving 200 kids at La Inmaculada School in Arenal! The Belize Defense Force & Belize Police Department provided and cooked over 150 pounds of food for everyone and the U.S. Joint Civil Affairs team donated to the kids shoes courtesy of Shuzz Fund and part of our Beyond the Horizon 2017 exercise. The team also collected and donated school supplies for the upcoming school year, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

The Independent Maya Masewal Communities during the Guerra Social Maya(Caste War 1847-1930's)
In 1850 the Chan Santa Cruz state founded by the Yucatec Maya group known as the Cruzoob Maya, stretching from north of Tulum to the Belize border and a considerable distance inland, was the largest of the independent Maya communities of the era but not the only one. The Ixcanha Maya community had a population of some 1,000 people who refused the Cruzob's break with traditional Catholicism. In the years of stalemate, Ixcanha agreed to nominal recognition of Mexico in exchange for some guns to defend themselves from Cruzob raids and the promise that the Mexican government would leave them alone. As Chan Santa Cruz was more of a worry, the Mexicans let Ixcanha govern itself through 1894.

The Reporter

Corozal girl reports sexual abuse by father
A female minor of Paraiso village in the Corozal district reported to police that over a three-year span, she was sexually assaulted by her father on multiple occasions. Police say that on May 24th, the girl and her mother visited the police station and reported that between June 2015 and March 2018, her father fondled and groped her. Police are investigating the report.

San Pedro bartender shot during armed robbery
Osner Campos, 26, a bartender who was on duty at the Wayos Bar in San Pedro town was shot once to his head during an armed robbery at the establishment last night and is in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). Campos and another bartender were on duty when two armed robbers entered just after 11:20 p.m. One man was armed with a .9mm pistol while the other stood guard at the door with a shotgun. The bandit with the handgun proceeded to the counter and demanded cash from the register, which he put in a bag.

Breaking Belize News

3 affordable ways to increase the value of your home
So you’re trying to sell your home right away or flipping a fixer-upper? Here’s some advice you’d be interested in! […]

Succotz man detained for unlicensed firearm
Yesterday Benque Viejo police detained Ronald Lopez, 29, of Succotz village, Cayo after police received a report that he had an unlicensed firearm. […]

Police find bullets near Lord Ridge cemetery
Yesterday at around 1:30 p.m., Belize city police found a transparent plastic bag filled with ammunition in an abandoned lot after an illegal drug search was conducted around the Lord Ridge cemetery. […]

One charged for illegal weapon found in house search
A Dangriga man, Derrick Ramirez, 25, has been arrested after a police search at his home in Belize city on Ordonez street around 5:50 p.m. yesterday led to the discovery of a 12-gauge single action shot gun and three 12-gauge cartridges. […]

Officer allegedly threatens colleague with gun at police station
Reports to BBN say on Thursday evening around 5:30, two police officers at the San Ignacio police station were involved in an altercation, which reportedly escalated to the point that one officer threatened the other with his weapon. […]

San Pedro man shot to the head during armed robbery
San Pedro police are investigating a daring armed robbery at Wayo’s bar in the Boca del Rio area of the island last night. Around 11:20 p.m. yesterday, Osner Campos and another bartender were working at the bar when two men arrived. […]

Belize’s Opposition Leader congratulates Barbados’ PM Mottley
Belize’s Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno sent a letter to Barbados’ first female Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley yesterday. Briceno extended congratulations to Mottley for making history in the Caribbean country with her historic victory for the Barbados Labour Party. […]

Policewoman charged with stabbing common-law husband
On Sunday, BBN reported a stabbing incident involving two police officers in San Ignacio Town. […]

Blogs

You Want Me to do What?!?
When I told my trainer Sarah that I was taking a Belizean cooking class, her expression was a close match to the title of my post. Knowing I do not care to cook it was guaranteed to be the last thing she expected to come out of my mouth. While she is right for the most part, I do have a few exceptions. A fun atmosphere, and cooking with other people is generally a couple of them. Plus when you find out you are one of the ingredients in Belizean cooking 101 food tour and you get hand-delivered a Belizean wood cutting board with cheese knife for an invitation, it definitely builds excitement.

International Sources

Georgia Marine’s murder in Belize remains unsolved one year later
Brandon Barfield has kept his best friend’s room just the way he left it. Drew DeVoursney’s black suit still hangs in the closet of the West Palm Beach home they shared. And his guitar — the one he used to perform Lynyrd Skynyrd and Allman Brothers songs while they were both deployed in Iraq — rests beside the bed he slept in. To Barfield, it feels fitting to keep everything in place, including DeVoursney’s poster of “Jeremiah Johnson,” their favorite movie. The two became fast friends serving alongside each other with the U.S. Marine Corps in Fallujah in 2004, then a dark and violent battleground where both men narrowly survived rocket-propelled grenade attacks. When they returned home from the war, they bought 5 acres near Corozal Bay, planning to develop a vacation home on it.

Murder in Belize: How a reporter found the tragic scene
My guide hacked at the towering maze of sugar cane stalks with his machete, clearing the way. A sharp cane leaf sliced his right wrist, drawing bright red blood. It was hot and sticky in there. Mosquitoes swarmed us. Finally, we reached a clearing. And that is where we picked up the scent of death and then spotted the disturbing dark stain on the ground. Traveling to the remote cane field in northern Belize where the bodies of Drew DeVoursney and his girlfriend, Francesca Matus, were found probably wasn’t the safest thing I’ve done in my 24 years of reporting for newspapers. I had no idea if the killer or killers were still lurking nearby. But my impulses — an insatiable curiosity among them — drove me there last year.

Former MISD administrator to 'Teach Beyond' as vice principal in Belize
At 69, retired educator Risa Jordan Anderson is preparing for a new adventure as she has accepted a position to “teach beyond” the states, serving as vice principal at Belize Christian Academy in Belmopan, Belize. She is excited about the opportunity, which came to her through a surprise email from “Teach Beyond,” a transformational education services ministry. Anderson will begin her new role when the 2018-2019 new school year begins.

Videos

May 26, 2018

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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 registers fifth increase in fuel prices for 2018
For the fifth time this year, fuel prices have increased in Belize. The new controlled prices were announced by the Belize Bureau of Standards on Wednesday, May 23rd. Regular gasoline saw an increase of .21 cents, going up to $11.34 per gallon. Having started the year at $10.40, it has seen an overall increase of .94 cents. While, premium gasoline increased by .31 cents, going up to $11.67. It started the year at $11.07, showing an overall increase of .60 cents. Diesel was also affected in this round of increases, as it went up by .03 cents to $10.63 per gallon, with an overall increase of $1.13 since it began 2018 at $9.50. The price of kerosene remains at $7.75 per gallon, however, it has suffered the highest price increase since the start of 2018, at close to $2 dollars per gallon.

USA volunteers train teachers and students on Ambergris Caye
For the past two weeks, students from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, USA have been training teachers of San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker on child education techniques. The volunteers included Brittany Steinman, Taylor Lee, Davis Sutton and Doctor Susan Catapano. Using charts, diagrams, games and other fun-filled methods the group of volunteers have been teaching students from different schools along with their teachers on subjects, such as mathematics, science, digital storytelling, reading and language arts. According to the professor of the University of North Carolina and leader of the group Dr. Catapano, the training is for teachers to learn better and more fun-filled ways to teach their students. “We have done these kinds of workshops already; however this time we decided to include the teachers so they can observe and learn some fun ways of teaching other than just the regular way,” she said.

Caribeña Fuels gas station robbers out on bail
Zimmer Perez, Jair Brown, and Arrie Gentle were arrested and charged for the Saturday, May 19th robbery at Caribeña Fuels Gas Station, south of San Pedro Town. They were jointly charged for two counts of robbery, while Perez was charged along for the crime of wounding, after inflicting a knife injury to the pump attendant. However, after appearing at the San Pedro Magistrate Court on Tuesday, May 22nd, the trio managed to secure bail which they met and were therefore released. They are scheduled to return to court on June 25, 2018, for a disclosure on their charges.

Ambergris Today

Why Does This Golf Cart Wheel Clamp Have Islanders In Dispute?
A recent picture of a golf cart with a wheel clamp has stirred up quite some conversation and confrontation after it was posted on Facebook this week. The topic of dispute, or what was claimed on the post, is that residents going against the traffic laws or parking regulations will find themselves paying $75 to have this wheel clamp removed from their vehicle. Is this a new measure of law enforcement by the San Pedro Traffic Department? While some residents argued that it is right for the property owner to attach the wheel clamp on the golf cart that was parked in their property for days, others insist that the property owner has no right to such action. Arguments ensued as to who has legal rights; if owners have the right to stop anyone from parking on designated parking areas; can business owners claim “NO Parking” sections on their property; should residents be charged for parking in red zones and many more issues of traffic congestion and parking problems.

4th Annual Frenchie’s Offshore Open Fishing Tournament
The 4th Annual Frenchie’s Offshore Open took place this past weekend, Saturday May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2018, out of the split on Caye Caulker. A total of Fifteen boats participated in this fishing tournament, competing to win $15,000 in cash and prizes! Over 60 anglers were out at sea on Saturday, May 19, including five junior anglers, under the age of sixteen, and four female anglers. It was a beautiful day for fishing! Dorado proved to be the most popular species of the event with a final count of 48 fish totaling over 400 pounds. Final count for other fish in the tournament came to: 1 blue marlin release, 1 white marlin release, 1 wahoo and 1 tuna. There are always plenty of fishing stories to be told on that final day at the weigh station where anglers, families, and friends enjoyed drinks and the famous sunset views from the split in Caye Caulker.

Misc Belizean Sources

Wayo's Bar and Grill Robbed
Unofficial reports reaching our news room indicate that the popular Wayo's Bar and Grill at Boca Del Río was robbed sometime after 10PM on Friday, May 25th. Witnesses say that four armed masked men entered the bar holding up patrons and staff. In the ordeal it is alleged that one of the male bartenders was shot. He was later transported to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where he was stabilized. Police are investigating and we will continue following this developing story.

Guatemala's claim to Belize: The Definitive History, by Assad Shoman
Impressively researched with granularity and precision, this timely and important book traces with seismic fidelity the twists, turns and turnarounds of two centuries of negotiation. Shoman frames the territorial dispute within the broad arcs of imperial ambition and colonial manipulation, and his tactile sense of the state of play in the critical era from the 1970’s to the present lends the work a singular intimacy and authority. This is essential reading, a book for our times and for posterity, one which bestows the reader with a profound understanding of the complex historical, cultural and geopolitical dynamics that have formed and framed this 200-year-old dispute. It is an essential volume for all students of the dispute, and required reading for all Belizeans contemplating their vote on the ICJ.

Fifty-nine Forest Rangers Sworn-in as Special Constables
Today, 59 Forest Rangers of both government and forest co-management agencies were sworn-in as Special Constables following two weeks of intensive training at the Belize Police Academy. The training, which began on 14th May, 2018, culminated with Forest Rangers being sworn-in to exercise greater authority to arrest and seize for forest, protected areas, and wildlife-related crimes. Mr. German Novelo, Key Biodiversity Areas Project Manager, stated that “the only way we can successfully stem illegal forest activities is by empowering our hard-working forest rangers within our partner agencies with the legal authority to seize and arrest.”

DFC Area Community Clean Up Day
DFC AREA GET READY! The San Pedro Town Council will be having its Community Clean-Up Day in the DFC Area on Saturday, June 9th. Meeting place will be at W&W Convenience Store at 6:00 a.m. EVERYONE IS INVITED! *Gloves, bags and refreshments will be provided. *Residents of DFC are asked to clean up your property and take out any garbage for the trucks to dispose of it.

Made In Belize Expo 2018
This will be a great event. If you happen to be in the area, drop by! Saturday, June 16th (one day only) at National Agri-Trade Show Grounds, Belmopan, Capital City.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: Weeks of May 14th - May 20th, 2018
We just finished with our Orvis Bonefish Bonanza, and it was a blast. The fishing was excellent as all of the participants landed bonefish. The weather was phenomenal as well and also helped to produce a great week. Come and join us for one of the Orvis Bonanza's…you won't be disappointed.

National Climate Change Video Competition

Museum of Belize at the Salvation Army Primary School
Special thanks to the staff and students of the Salvation Army Primary School for inviting the Museum of Belize (NICH) to be a part of its Career Day 2018 activities today!

Channel 7

Suspected Teen Killer Captured, Charged, Then Escapes
Police apprehended a murder suspect in the killing of an innocent man - but, late reports say, he has escaped. 18 year old Jordan Burns was named by police yesterday as a person wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of Carlton Moreira. By this morning, he was in custody at the CIB office at the Queen Street Police Station. But, somehow, this evening around 5:00 reports tell us that he escaped from police and is on the run again tonight. 34 year old Carlton Moreira was killed in an alley between Lakeview and Mayflower Street on Wednesday afternoon. Initial reports say that he had won a substantial sum of money from a Boledo draw. But what investigators have learned is that it is his friend who won the Boledo - more than two thousand dollars.

Businessman’s Killer Charged
70 year old businessman Oscar Rosado was killed in his hardware store by a robber one month ago. The case faded from the headlines, but police did not give up on finding their suspect. Today they charged 18 year old Brandon Hughes for the crime. The Aloe Vera Street resident appeared today before Chief Magistrate, Sharon Fraser this morning. He was remanded into custody until July 25. He'll likely spend at least a year on remand before he goes to trial. On the day of the murder, Oscar Rosado's outspoken wife Elena told the media what she would do if she got her hands on the man who killed her husband:...

Rudolph Kelly Died From Stab Wound, Not Accident
Rudolph Kelly Jr. died from a stab wound, and not from the accident - that is what his family tells us the post mortem results say. As police reported, Kelly left from Eight Miles and came back to Belize City with two stab wounds to his left hand. He passed a checkpoint on Central American Boulevard, where he was bleeding profusely and told the police that he was racing to the hospital. But he lost control at the roundabout and crashed into the lamppost. An ambulance carried him the rest of the way, but he died later that night. Police are still trying to figure out what led to the stabbing - but will now have to investigate his death as a murder.

“Compre” Teachers Give Admin An “F”
At this time of the school-year, most 4th formers are just counting down the days to graduation. Some of their teachers as well certainly can't wait to see their star students walk up to get their diplomas. But for the teachers at the Belmopan Comprehensive School, the time leading up to the end of the school year has been frustrating. That's because they say the board of management want to implement new policies at the last minute - to allow failing fourth formers to pass. The teachers were not having it so they staged a two day sit out which started on Wednesday. I went to Compre today to see if things had settled down. Here is more. A friendly football match to pass lunchtime - although classes resumed today after the 2 day teacher sit out - for 4th formers, much of the day was spent like this, laid back. But while the senior students enjoy their final days at school, the teachers have to figure out how to settle their issues with management. Those issues center on the calculation and teacher access to final grades.

Hundreds Of Containers Were Put On Hold In Shipping Dispute
It didn't make the news this week - but the economy almost ground to a halt because of a shipping dispute. As many as 400 containers were being held up at the Port of Belize - because local shipping agents owed the owner of the CFS Pacora - one of the biggest container ships that offloads to Belize. The local attorney for the CFS Pacora's owners invoked a little used law with the Port Management - forcing them to offload and freeze all containers until the debts are settled. That was on Monday.

Family Of Bruce Davidson Reaches Out
For 10 days now we've been reporting on the apparent murder of Bruce Davidson and the arson on his property just outside Belmopan. But we haven't been able to show you an image of him because he had no relatives at the site. His son has now provided an image of the British Citizen who was a resident in Belize. His family is hoping that someone seeing the picture may have some recollection of seeing him in "conflict, conversation or interaction with the perpetrators," and that this may lead police to the perpetrators.

Rumblings of Discontent At UB
Yesterday, we told you about the University of Belize's transformational plan. Well, all the lecturers aren't on board with all the changes specifically as it relates to new proposals for employee contracts and the new employment conditions for rehired retired lecturers. From information 7News has gathered, the new employee system removes the permanency of employment by offering short term contracts. In a pamphlet produced by a group of lecturers and that has been circulated at the University, it states, quote, "the president's new plan to issue temporary, short term contracts to all employees will take away job security, making it easy for administration to victimize or fire us."

Job Fair Beckons The Unemployed
In a slumping economy, jobs are scarce and that's why the BELTRAIDE, held a Career Fair in Belize City today. It was an opportunity for 12 local companies could meet prospective employees interested in applying for a total of 714 jobs. Instead of the companies giving an application deadline, sifting through the resumés of all applicants, and then choosing a short list of potential employees, they get to meet as many of the interested applicants as possible in a kind of speed dating environment. This initiative is part of BELTRAIDE's Competitiveness Month, and 7News stopped by to find out if it was actually working as planned. Here's what we learned.

Clean Sweep In Barbados Vaults First Female PM to Power
For the first time in its history, Barbados has a woman Prime Minister. Mia Mottley was sworn in today after she led her party, the BLP to the most one sided victory in the history of Barbadian politics. How one sided, you ask? Well, how about a clean sweep of all 30 seats? That's right, Mottley's party won every single seat, leaving the outgoing DLP administration with no seats in the Barbadian Parliament. The 52 year old politician - who even had an endorsement from Barbadian pop queen, Rihanna - was sworn in today and is expected to name a Cabinet by Monday. There's no clarity yet on how her government will introduce an opposing voice in the Barbados National Assembly - since no opposition was elected. She takes over a country with serious economic problems, and a sewage disposal problem that is crippling its tourism sector.

Perspective On AIDS From The Young
As part of their mandate of reaching their goals in responding to HIV in Belize, the National Aids Commission has been reaching out to young people to get input from this key demographic. Key because they are, or will soon become the most sexually active group, and because social and economic prohibitions make sex among youths likely to be high risk. Today they had the second youth forum and we found out more from the Communications Officer Arthur Usher. Arthur Usher, National Aids Commission Communications and Programs Officer "Today's event is a youth forum for HIV, youth, and the future. A youth leaders forum. It is targeting young people from San Ignacio, Belmopan, Dangriga, and Belize City which are basically the three highest HIV rates in the country and so we brought together today and we are hoping to get their feedback as to programmatically how do we move forward with HIV."

Two Armed Robberies In One Day In Corozal Town
There were two armed robberies in Corozal town yesterday. The first happened at 1:15 in the afternoon at Multi Electra Company on the Santa Rita Road. Two men stormed into the electronics and furniture store - and one of them had a nine millimeter pistol. They stole $500.00 in cash and several electrical items amounting to almost three thousand dollars. Six hours later, there was an even more audacious robbery at Altamira Supermarket, on Antonio Sosa Drive. The 28 year old female shopkeeper, told police that 5 men barged in and one of them had a handgun. They stole several items including the security Monitor and cash amounting to $2,700.00 dollars.

Pretend Police Turned out to Be Thieves
And in the Belize District, tonight, the cops are looking for two crafty robbers who dressed up in police uniforms, and preyed upon 2 unsuspecting, law abiding citizens, robbing them of several thousand dollars in cash. It happened yesterday morning at around 10:00 at mile 22 on the old Northern Highway. 25 year-old Jimmy Valdez, a Park Sub- Director for the Institute of Archaeology; and his co-workers, 59 year-old Errol Torres, and 29 year-old Felix Cruz, were traveling in an SUV when they came upon what looked like a legitimate police checkpoint. They saw two men, pretending to be police officers standing guard at the location. One of the men was dressed in black clothing, while the other wore a camouflage outfit.

A Serious Sawed Off
There's one more dangerous weapon off the streets. This afternoon, police found this sawed off shotgun in an empty lot in the Conch Shell Bay area. It's a 20 gauge shotgun and it was found with a single cartridge. Police believe the weapon was actively used in the commission of crimes.

Dogs of Weed
This morning the K-9 unit came upon a big cannabis find. Around 6:30 while the K-9 unit was searching through an overgrown, garbage - strewn lot near the home of a known drug peddler, they found 3 parcels of cannabis amounting to a total of three pounds. As we understand it, the weed was concealed in a PVC pipe in such a way that only the K-9's could find it. And also this morning, police came up with half a pound of weed inside a wrecked SUV. First, they searched in the yard of an abandoned house on Faber's Road, and found nothing. But, when they checked inside an SUV in the yard they found a black plastic bag with the weed in the armrest compartment. The drugs were labelled as found property.

Festival is Fun!
This morning the Bliss was filled with an excited audience and enthusiastic performers for the opening of the 2018 Festival of Arts. As it does every year, the show has a lot to offer, with performances from primary schoolers, high schoolers, and even preschoolers. According to NICH Youth Development Officer Kim Vasquez, the performers continue to exceed all expectations. Kim Vasquez, NICH Youth Development Officer: "We will have performance art showcase every day starting tomorrow with the Pre School golden showcase. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we have the primary schools from every district performing daily at 10 am. On Thursday we have the secondary schools competition and we close off with chords and voices which is a special concert in the festival of arts on Saturday, June 2nd at 6 pm."

Financial Literacy In A Real World Scenario
Proper money management… it's probably an area that all of us could probably be better at, and today, the students of Belize High School got a head start how to make prudent financial decisions. The organizers are trying to teach them how to make their future finances bring the best return, so that they can possibly own a home, and live comfortably and within their means entering adulthood. The BHS program is called "Mad City Money", and the students were put into real-world simulations, and assessed on how well they were able to budget, invest, and save money, as if they were in charge of their own finances. We stopped by and found out that the kids were no slouches. Here's what their principal had to say about the program:

Bushmen As Lawmen
Safeguarding the forest is becoming increasingly complex and involved, and that's why 59 forest rangers have been trained as police special constables. They were sworn in today, equipped with knowledge and skills to effectively enforce all aspects of the green law legislation. They also learnt how to use a number of innovative law enforcement techniques like investigative skills, search and seizure, and gathering court evidence. The Forest Department will now formally establish its Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Unit countrywide.

Walking For Cancer
The Belize Cancer Society is hosting its annual Cancer Walk tomorrow morning at 5:00, and they're asking you to to come out and support the worthy cause. The Cancer Walk is serves to raise funds and awareness. We stopped by the organization's Belize City headquarters, and we spoke with one of the community service volunteers about the event. Here's what she had to say. So, as you heard, the Cancer Walk starts tomorrow at 5 a.m. from in Front of Celina's in Ladyville. Participants will walk from Ladyville to Belize City, and they will complete the walk, which ends at the Cancer Society's headquarters.

Channel 5

Brandon Hughes, 18, Charged with Murder of Oscar Rosado, 70
After spending a night in lock-down, eighteen-year-old Brandon Hughes was taken to court this morning and arraigned before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser for the murder of well-known businessman, Oscar Rosado [...]

Resolution Reached in Compre Standoff
Teachers and students were back inside their respective classrooms at Belmopan Comprehensive High School today, after a two-day sit-out effected by faculty and staff.  The protest was led by fourth [...]

Computer Glitch was Difference Between Pass and Fail
According to Smith, the disqualification of so many students was the result of a miscalculation in the school’s electronic tallying system.  Those discrepancies were compared with manual averages derived by [...]

Dwayne Davis Guilty of Manslaughter of Doctor
Back to the court…Thirty-seven-year-old Dwayne Davis on Thursday admitted to causing the death, though not intentionally, of fifty-two-year-old Doctor Ivan Enrique Garcia Gomez, a naturalized Belizean originally from Guatemala, in [...]

Windell Neal at it Again; Held for More Swindling
Twenty-three-year-old Windell Neal pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception from the Belize Book Center. On April thirtieth, 2018, he’s accused of collecting one hundred dollars from manager Andrew Bennett [...]

Policeman Walks from Unlawful Sex Charge
Thirty-five-year-old Rupert Thomas was released from a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse dating back to 2013. The Seine Bight resident, a police officer for nine years, was accused of raping [...]

Mia Mottley for P.M. as Red Tide Sweeps Barbados
In historic regional news, following a sweep of the country’s thirty seats in the House of Assembly by her Barbados Labour Party, Mia Amor Mottley was this afternoon sworn in [...]

Sapna Budhrani Holds Over as NICH President
A change at the top of NICH went under the radar, but tonight we can confirm that there is a new acting president of the statutory body. For the past [...]

Festival of the Arts Goes National
On the heels of the successful district festivals of arts, the national event opened this morning at the Bliss Institute and continues until Thursday of next week. The theme “Pathway [...]

Chamber Attacks Fuel Taxes
Fuel prices went up again on Thursday for the umpteenth time this year, and the third in a month, with premium now selling at eleven dollars and sixty-seven cents per [...]

A Protest Against the High Cost of Living
Last year, Moses Sulph’s Belize Leaders for Social Justice carried out a protest on the high cost of gas prices. While results were mixed as prices have gone up and [...]

University of Belize Unveils 4-Year Vision Plan
The national university, the University of Belize, this week unveiled big plans for the growth of the institution in the next five years, including introduction of more Bachelor’s-level programmes and [...]

How to Get a Good Job and Career
Want a job? There were at least seven hundred and fifty available at different levels of experience and pay scale today at Swift Hall on the compound of St. Martin [...]

Cuba, Belize Doctors Meet
On Thursday at the Inspiration Center, healthcare professionals from across the public and private sectors participated in the second annual Cuba and Belize Medical Symposium.  Both countries share a unique [...]

Scotiabank Assist with Scholarships for South Side
The 2017 school year is winding down quickly, but the Belize Police Department and Scotia Bank are already thinking ahead to the next academic calendar.  That partnership has seen the [...]

Kids’ Outreach Program Continues With Ziplining Tour
Since his transfer to Belize City several weeks ago, Region One Commander Howell Gillett has been on a relentless outreach to at-risk youths across the south side of Belize City.  [...]

Youths Talk HIV/AIDS
The 2017 report on HIV by the Ministry of Health is pending, but the 2016 statistical data shows that there were two hundred and twenty-five new infections reported for that [...]

LOVE FM

“HIV, Youth and the Future: A youth leader’s forum”
Youth leaders from Belize City, Dangriga, and San Ignacio have gathered in the old capital to participate in an HIV Research Forum. The forum is the collaborative initiative of the National AIDS Commission (NAC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). This forum was created to address overarching issues that are affecting the youth population …

Barranco villagers reach agreement with Minister Figueroa
Last month, Barranco villagers met with the Chief Forestry Officer Wilbur Sabido over logging license concession for five of the villagers that were denied. Villagers expressed dissatisfaction that concessions were granted to persons who did not reside in the village. Following that meeting with Sabido, the National Garifuna Council sent a letter to Prime Minister …

Arthur Saldivar wants to be Belmopan’s Area Representative
Attorney and politician Arthur Saldivar wants to represent the People’s United Party in the Belmopan Constituency for the next general elections. But first, Saldivar’s application to run for the convention must be accepted by the PUP’s vetting committee which is also reviewing other applications. Saldivar was once the PUP’s Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North …

Amandala

Failed homosexual sex attempt led to doctor’s death
The scandalous details of a case of a murder resulting from a homosexual’s request for sex and his partner’s inability to meet his demands unfolded today in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas when Dwayne Davis, 37, charged with the murder of Dr. Ivan Garcia, 52, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. It was a trial in which Justice Lucas was judge of the law, and of the facts. He deferred sentencing until June 14 in order to hear a plea for mitigation and in order for the court to receive a social inquiry from the Community Rehabilitation Department and a report from the Belize Central Prison.

Like a scratched record … fuel prices have increased again!
Fuel prices have gone up again. Premium gasoline price per gallon has jumped from $11.36 to $11.67; regular gasoline from $11.14 to $11.35; diesel from $10.60 to $10.63. Kerosene remained at $7.745 per gallon. Breaking News Belize said that “The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) has issued a release with new increases in gas prices effective midnight tonight (Wednesday)”.

Carl Coc, 19, shot to death on Dolphin and Gibnut Streets
Carl Tristan Coc, 18, and Gian Michael Moro, 19, two construction workers from Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Cayo District, were shot several times at about 6:30 yesterday evening at the corner of Dolphin and Gibnut Streets. They were employed at the construction site at Maud Williams High School on Dolphin Street, Belize City. Coc was shot in the chest and abdomen and died almost immediately. However, Moro was shot in his neck and thigh and is recovering, in a stable condition, at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Jose Zelaya, Jr., found dead in Calcutta cane field
Jose Zelaya, Jr., 22, a laborer of Mahogany Street Extension, Belize City, left the city on Friday, May 18, to go and live with family members in Calcutta, in the Corozal District. His father said that Jose wanted to change his life, so he went to live outside of the city. Police and a number of other persons saw Zelaya at a beach party in Corozal Town on Sunday, but shortly after that outing, he disappeared. His body was found yesterday evening in a cane field near a school in Calcutta.

Mother of 5 found dead on roadside
Around 9:35 on Sunday morning, police responded to a report of the discovery of a body of a woman on the outskirts of Silk Grass Village in the Stann Creek District, between Miles 9 and 10 on the Southern Highway. According to a police report, the woman’s body was discovered on the left side of the highway, heading towards the Hopkins Road junction. There were injuries in the head and body, and the police are saying that the woman had been knocked down. The body was later identified as that of Rosita Requeña, 37, a mother of five from the village. Her youngest child is said to be four years old.

Bruce Davidson’s pickup truck found burnt on Hummingbird Highway
Last Friday, we reported a case of suspected arson on the Jordan Ranch road, which is located off the Banana Bank road on the George Price Highway. Four wooden structures that were clustered together were set on fire, and human remains were found among the debris. The structures had belonged to British national Bruce Davidson (age unknown), who was living there, but there was no evidence that identified him as the dead person.

NEBL championship series tips off on Friday at the Civic
The date and teams are finally set for the big showdown in the 2018 NEBL Finals, and this will be the first year in the NEBL’s five-year history that San Pedro Tiger Sharks will not be participating in the final dance. However, Darwin “Puppy” Leslie will be in his fourth NEBL Finals in five years, to now tie the San Pedro Tiger Sharks’ franchise. Newcomers, DigiCell Belize City Defenders have climbed their way into the finals, making them the first team to reach the finals who have entered the playoffs as the #4 seed. History was also recorded when both semifinals series were stretched out to three games.

Cricket Update from the BNCA
Greetings from the Belize National Cricket Association (BNCA)! The Sir Barry Bowen Harrison Parks Cricket Competition 2018 continued over the weekend of May 19 & 20, with the following results: Wicked 11 won over Suga Boys with a score of 198 to 113. For Wicked 11, Winston Flowers top scored with 53 runs, and Winston Dawson took 5 wickets (good going!). For Suga Boys, Michael Wade top scored with 56 runs, and Jamie Wade took 5 wickets (good going!).

Bandits rule!
It all happened so quickly, but the Premier League of Belize (PLB) was under pressure to produce a champion in time for the CONCACAF League Tournament draw today, Wednesday, May 23. So, after the re-play of the 2017-2018 PLB Closing Season semifinal game 2 last Wednesday, May 16, ended 0-0 between Verdes FC and BDF FC at the Norman Broaster Stadium, thus qualifying BDF to the Finals on a 2-0 aggregate win, there needed to be an accelerated schedule for the home-and-away Finals series. Following negotiations among the PLB and the two teams, the dates were set at Saturday evening, May 19, at the MCC Grounds in Belize City for game 1; and Monday night, May 21, a holiday, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan for game 2.

Big BBSF Billiards Tournament – It was a BANG!!!
The Belize Billiards Sports Federation (BBSF) held two tournaments on Sunday, May 20, and Monday, May 21, at Mike’s Cue Club in Belmopan. The results were as follows: National Open 9-Ball Tournament for Senior Players Four (4) players per team saw 20 teams registered from Cayo, Stann Creek, Belmopan, Belize City, Orange Walk and Corozal. 1st Place – C-Delta 1 of Belize City received $2,500.00, trophies and medals (players were: Francisco Rodriguez, Nain Rosado, Eddy Conrado, Wilman Meji...

Nationalism and neighborhood-ism
About 35 or 40 years ago, a trend began amongst world intellectuals to speculate on, or project, a decline in nationalism, perhaps even its demise, as a surpassing world force. Great thinkers began to suggest that regionalism and internationalism would more and more become the order of the day, moving forward. Well, you and I know that in 2018 nationalism is still around, big time. When the World Cup begins next month, you will see the most graphic examples of nationalistic intensity. People will live and die emotionally with their national team. And in fact, the nation-state which should be the least nationalistic on the planet because, as the planet’s only superpower, they unquestionably rule the sucker, recently elected a new President who has taken the United States into an orgy of nationalism which is almost isolationist in tone.

From the Publisher
My paternal grandfather, James Bartlett Hyde, was the great great grandson of a Scotsman, James Hyde, who fathered a son – George, with a colored lady named Ariadne “Adney” Broaster, George Hyde being born in 1795 in the Settlement of Belize. Adney Broaster was the daughter of a slave lady named Eve Broaster, originally from the Niger in West Africa, but, as far as I know, no one in the modern era was sure of who Adney Broaster’s father was until a Canadian of Scottish descent named Forbes Morlock visited Belize in January this year. Forbes Morlock is descended from the Scot James Hyde’s sister, Elizabeth, from way back there in the late eighteenth century. His Morlock ancestors had migrated to Canada. He had run up on the Black Hydes of Belize through the one George Hyde (son of James and Adney) while doing family research.

Major Jones calls for “perpetual engagement and vigilance”
Dear Editor, The treasonous practice, by both political parties, of granting citizenship to Guatemalans—a bold-faced violation of the Belize Constitution, has finally caught up with us. On April 10, 2019 Belize will go to a referendum to decide on the ICJ matter and it will go to said referendum with a voters’ list that could include a significant percentage (5.8%) of Guatemalan-born Belizeans. The number of Guatemalan-born Belizeans on the voters’ list represents a significant bloc of voters that can “affect the [referendum] results materially”; to borrow a phrase from the Amandala.

A letter to Jimmy Morales
Dear Editor Amandala I have written a letter to the President of Guatemala but I doubt it will ever reach him, so I ask to use the most widely read newspaper in Belize to convey this message to him. Thank you. Dear President Guatemala, Mr. Jimmy Morales I ask that you give me two minutes to take time to read this letter. I have sent a copy to the Amandala newspaper and to Prensa Libre, your government newspaper. I am a Belizean citizen and can trace my roots back to the first settlers here. I have been speaking to my countrymen and foreigners alike about your claim...

JUSTICE DELAYED
To whom it may concern Greetings, My name is Ryan Pook and I am presently at the Kolbe Foundation (Belize Central Prison) for the past six (6) years and seven (7) months remanded for a murder that I and my two (2) brothers, namely Michael Pook and Adrian Pook, were accused of committing from the 5th of May 2011. We went on trial in November 2015 and our trial finished in December of that same year. Normally, after a trial finishes the trial Judge is supposed to hand down his decision right after hearing the case, but in our case, we haven’t gotten back a verdict as yet and that is very strange, considering that it was a murder trial and that it has been completed for two years now.

A “YES” vote could play out okay
First of all, let’s get this absolutely clear: Guatemala’s legal case against Belize rides solely on the interpretations of certain Guatemalans and certain Americans. In his, Pocket Guide to the Referendum on the ICJ, Dr. Assad Shoman, Belize’s leading expert on the matter, wrote, on page 23, that,”No independent international lawyer has concluded that Guatemala has any rights over the territory of Belize.” So, why is Guatemala going to court if she knows she is going to lose? There is not a short answer to that. We would not be having a good day if we believe that all Guatemalan leaders are consumed with the “Get back Belize” madness. There are leaders in Guatemala who are civilized, not greedy human beings.

The British royal wedding and the Caribbean colonial jumbie
Ten years ago, British “royalty”, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visited the Caribbean and locals prostrated before them. Local leaders made arrangements for them to play the Steelpan and the sacred Rastafarian Nyabinghi drums. Leslie from Africaspeaks.com wrote an insightful article titled Royal Visit Highlights Lingering Colonialism that brought attention to the dynamics of colonialism in this visit. This article is as relevant today as it was ten years ago when it was written, given the celebratory eruptions at the wedding of British monarch Prince Harry and his bride Meghan Markle. Yet the region is poorer today for elevating fake royalty to dizzying heights of reverence while neglecting the royalty inherent in resistant Caribbean voices who have worked hard at improving Caribbean societies. While many people gush at royalty and the “power of love”, for people of the Caribbean and wider global south, who are still faced with the structures of British colonialism imbedded deeply in our society and the world we live in, it is an opportunity to reflect on these issues.

Nicholi Rhys, 27, arraigned for Luis Moh’s murder
Around 11 p.m. on Monday night, the body of taxi driver Luis Carlos Moh, 31, was found in the bushes on the side of the road leading to Homeland Memorial Park, which is a cemetery near Mile 8 on the George Price Highway, out of Belize City. Today, Wednesday, police reported that Nicholi Rhys, 27, had been arrested and arraigned for murder in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court in front of Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser. He was remanded until July 27.

Rudolph Kelly Jr., 52, dies after crashing into lamppost at roundabout
Around 9:00 o’clock on Tuesday night, there was a fatal car accident at the roundabout at the intersection of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street in Belize City. When police arrived on the scene, they saw a Toyota Camry with extensive damage to the front. They also found Rudolph Kelly, Jr., 52, slumped over in the driver’s side of the car. At a police press brief held today, police said that Kelly, the landlord of a residence at Mile 8, drove to the checkpoint on Central American Boulevard, heading toward the Civic Center after leaving the roundabout at the intersection of Cemetery Road and Central American Boulevard and told the officers that he had been injured.

Hospital attendant busted with over 7 pounds of weed
On Thursday, May 17, at about 8:23 p.m., members of the police’s Mobile Interdiction Team were on patrol in the Fabers Road area when they stopped and searched 20-year-old Travane Trapp. Police discovered that Trapp, a hospital attendant at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, was carrying seven and a half pounds of cannabis in a backpack.

Michelle Anderson, 40, shot at the Michael Finnegan Market
Michelle Anderson, 40, a mother of nine children ranging from ages 4 to 27, was shot and killed at about 10:00 Monday morning while buying food for her family at Jun’s Meat and Grocery Store, which is situated across the canal in front of the Michael Finnegan Market. Anderson, who worked as a fish vendor at the Conch Shell Bay fish market, not too far from the Michael Finnegan Market, was shot in her left breast when two men rode up on separate bicycles, and one of them fired several shots at a male customer who was in the store. Anderson was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where she was declared dead on arrival.

The Reporter

Corozal police investigating two robberies
Corozal police are investigating two armed robberies in that municipalities in which two business were targeted by armed thieves who made off with substantial amounts of cash. According to police, Multi Eletrica Company Limited located on the Santa Rita Road was robbed of $500 in cash and […]

NICH employees robbed at phony checkpoint
Ladyville police are investigating a case of armed robbery in which imposters posed as police, staged a phony checkpoint and robbed employees from the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) of a work-issued firearm, ammunition and several cell phones. Jimmy Valdez, 25, park sub-director for NICH; […]

One charged for Oscar Rosado Sr.’s murder
A month after well-known Belize city businessman Oscar Rosado Sr. was killed in his business in front of his family, one man has been arrested and charged for the murder. On May 24th, police formally arrested and charged Aloe Vera resident Brandon Hughs, 18, for Rosado’s murder, […]

Wounded man crashes and dies on the way to hospital; police look for suspects
Central American Boulevard at its junction with Mahogany Street became a deadly crime scene on Wednesday night when a critically wounded man tried to drive himself to the hospital and ended up crashing at the roundabout and dying shortly after. Police say they were summoned […]

Hopkins police investigating arson, possible murder
Police are investigating the possibility that an arson was used to cover up a murder in Hopkins over the weekend. Head of the Police National Crimes Investigation Branch, George Myvett, said authorities recovered a charred human body out of the remains of the Flomon’s Guesthouse and Hopkins […]

American charged for Placencia Airport scam
American citizen and owner of a New York based investment firm, Brent Borland, 48, was arrested and charged last week in federal court for scamming investors of over $21 million dollars for a supposed international airport in Placencia, Belize. According to court documents, Borland, via […]

Belize City man missing in Corozal, feared dead
Family and friends of Jose “Muskett” Zelaya, 22, or Belize city have sought assistance from police and Belize Defense Force (BDF) personnnel after he reportedly went missing from a beach party in Corozal on Monday. Zelaya reportedly left his Mahogany street extension address to attend […]

BIL’s manager responds to criticisms of broken seats, faulty railings at new “Civic”
which spoke of broken seats and faulty railings and backboards at the recently opened Belize Civic Centre. The comments and accompanying images the article presented were from […]

Storm likely to develop near Belize; no direct threat expected
The first potential threat of 2018’s first tropical storm developed and was centered near the coast of northeastern Belize this week, more than a week before the hurricane season officially opens. Weather experts were studying the movement of the broad surface low pressure that is […]

WE WELCOME WHISTLE THE JAGUAROUNDI
What a joyful surprise for all of us here at The Belize Zoo. Manny and Nina, our two gorgeous Jaguaroundis, showed us how very much they love one another.Yes, What a surprise! Enter into our zoo world, a little jaguaroundi kitten.While we separated poppa Manny from Mom Nina and the […]

Coast Guard’s Ace Team snags first ever BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge
The first ever BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge from Punta Gorda to Corozal Town did not end with a sprint at the tape, but it proved to be a spectacular event with the winning team creating such a huge distance between itself and the other […]

IMF says Belize should reduce debt stock
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week released a working paper titled, “Belize’s 2016–17 Sovereign Debt Restructuring– Third Time Lucky?”, authored by Tamon Asonuma, Michael G. Papaioannou, Eriko Togo and Bert van Selm. The paper examines the causes, processes, and outcomes of Belize’s 2016–17 sovereign […]

Belize fishing industry struggling with decline
The last economic report issued by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) indicated that whereas Belize continued to see growth towards the end of 2017 in agriculture, the fishing industry was experiencing “a significant decline,” reported at 35.3%, with continued challenges in aquaculture, particularly as […]

UB with $3 Million deficit, offers 4 new Bachelor’s degrees
The University of Belize is operating with a deficit to the tune of $3 Million per year, despite the Government of Belize’s present annual subvention to UB of $10 Million per year, announced UB’s President Professor Clement Sankat, even as he introduced four new Bachelor’s […]

Fuel Prices at Home
In the last Business Perspective article we had commenced a discussion on the external factors driving the increase in world price for oil. It was noted that a large part of the upward trend is stemming from the decisions of the OPEC countries, and the impact of the unilateral withdrawal […]

Solar Power
The Development Finance Corporation has begun to encourage people in Belize to explore the use of solar power as the renewable energy of the future. Sunlight is free, and Belize has lots of it. Solar power is effective, not only for illumination at night. The sun’s energy can be harvested […]

Belizean nationality NOT legit for Guatemalans
As Belize prepares to clean up its voters list through the re-registration exercise, a clash between the constitutions of Belize and the Republic of Guatemala could affect the outcome for thousands of Guatemalans that became naturalized Belizeans and their children. This week Chief Elections Officer […]

Gas prices skyrocket!
Only a week after Belizeans were saddled with an increase in the already high prices of fuel, the Government of Belize announced the seventh price change for the year, which saw increases across all fuel types. Under the revised pricing, Premium gasoline has gone up […]

Murder toll rises to 80!
The murder count up to Thursday evening, not even half way into 2018, stands at 80, an alarmingly high number, according to the police department which had raised concern several weeks ago noting that the murder count at the start of May was already above […]

Man admits to manslaughter; claims doctor tried to sodomize him
The murder of a doctor in his home sparked questions in 2012, when he was found dead on his bed. On Thursday, May 24th, the man who admitted to murdering the doctor, changed his plea to that of manslaughter. In court, Justice Adolph Lucas listened […]

Benque construction worker killed in Belize city
Belize city police are investigating the murder of a construction worker from Benque Viejo del Carmen, which happened around 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday evening at the corner of Dolphin and Gibnut street. According to police, Carl Coc, 21, and Gian Moro, 19, had just left […]

Boledo winnings reason for murder?
A father of two from the Mayflower street area in Belize city, Carlton Moreira, 35, was shot and killed during a robbery attempt in the vicinity of Lakeview and Mayflower streets on Wednesday afternoon. Police believe he was targeted after he had won the nightly […]

Breaking Belize News

BELTRAIDE hosts job fair in Belize city
Today the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) gathered various companies at the St. Martin […]

Venezuela to invest in social projects in Belize
The Venezuelan government, via its embassy in Belize, announced on Thursday that it would be investing […]

BCCI calls on GOB to lower fuel taxes
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) is calling on the government of Belize to […]

Police investigating armed robbery in Corozal
Corozal police are investigating the armed robbery of a business on the Santa Rita road. Around 5:50 yesterday […]

Father accused of sexually assaulting daughter in Corozal
Corozal police are investigating an incident of sexual assault against a minor. Yesterday, a female student […]

Men in black and camouflage stage ‘fake’ check point and steal gun
Ladyville police are investigating a “fake” checkpoint set up on the Maskall road. Yesterday morning around 10:30, […]

Another robbery reported in Corozal
Corozal police are working to find five culprits responsible for an armed robbery in Corozal. Last […]

Central TV and Internet announces hike in prices
Today, Central TV issued a release officially informing the public that prices for monthly cable services […]

Sub tropical storm Alberto forms
This afternoon, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the weather disturbance it has been monitoring for […]

Taxi man killed by crash or murder?
Belize city police are investigating the death of taxi man Rudolph Kelly, who was found dead […]

Blogs

Sudden Golf Cart Stops, A Delicious Lunch and the First Tropical Storm: A Gorgeous Day
Yesterday was a gem. A come-to-a-screaming-halt on the golf cart…take a picture of a gorgeous cloud kind of day on Ambergris Caye. The heat…the humidity…the first named tropical storm moving north away from our coast – a good week early on the traditional Atlantic Hurricane season of June 1 to November 30. I’m not sure what it was but the sky was gorgeous. It’s the time when the flamboyant trees – ridiculously bright yellow and orange flowers that are…well…flamboyant.

US Family Travel Experts Share Their Best Trips
When planning a vacation getaway, families are now looking for unique destinations that offer a variety of activities and sights for people of all age ranges. Lonely Planet alongside family travel experts have put together a list of preferred places worth considering—among the chosen few ranked destinations such as San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, Colorado and Chicago in the United States, The Philippines, and Belize. Although Belize is not a large country, the nation surely makes up for it with its natural beauty and variety of coastal and inland Belize adventures that are able to keep the spirits of all family members active.

International Sources

Want Privacy? Try A Hotel On Its Own Island, With Only One Suite
Fitness executive Jim Worthington had one goal for the luxury trip he was planning to celebrate the birthday of his girlfriend, Kim Levins: privacy. “I wanted to be 100 percent away from everybody,” he says from his office in Bucks County, Pa. “It was her 30th birthday, and I didn’t want to share it with anybody but her.” So he booked the couple into Gladden Private Island, a tiny hotel off the coast of Belize that opened in December. It consists of a single two-bedroom villa. The island “is less than an acre. You could walk from one tip to the other, and it would take less than 30 seconds,” he says, laughing. “It was like being Robinson Crusoe—you have no idea the staff is even there.” “The beauty of where you are is unbelievable,” Worthington says. Indeed, the two were so impressed that they’re planning to make the island a regular vacation spot, taking a week to decompress there every 18 months or so.

Videos

May 25, 2018

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 Police officers awarded for thwarting gas station robbery
Five police officers attached to the San Pedro Police Formation were awarded on Wednesday, May 23rd for outstanding performance, after responding to a robbery in process at the Caribeña Fuels gas station south of San Pedro Town. The incident took place on Saturday, May 19th, and the rapid response of the officers led to the arrest of Zimmer Joel Perez, Jair Vincent Brown, and Arrie Kareem Gentle. The five law enforcers are PC Shamilt Chan #2183, PC Winston Flowers #1746, PC Kerwyn Neal #1778, PC Phillip Hernandez #2050 and PC Floyd Lemus #2241.

Fire Chief Visits Belizeans Studying in Virginia, USA & Meets Fire Chief of Hanover County
Currently on a trip to the United States, Belize’s Fire Chief, Ted Smith, has visited two Belizean firefighters studying in Virginia, USA. The two firefighters, Patrick Parks and Johnny Cardenas, are a six-month training course at the Hanover Fire Academy. Fire Chief Smith says he is trying to secure similar scholarships for two more Belizean firefighters to study at the Hanover Fire Academy.

CRFM and FAO launch Pacific-Caribbean Nearshore FAD Fisher Exchange
The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the FAO Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (FAO SAP) in Samoa are collaborating to host the Pacific-Caribbean Nearshore FAD Fisher Exchange – a 12-day study tour in three Caribbean countries. Stakeholders from four Pacific territories – Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa – arrived in Barbados this weekend for the first leg of the tour, organized to facilitate the sharing of experiences among stakeholders from the Pacific and Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The tour will also facilitate the development of best practices to support sustainable development of small-scale fisheries which rely on the use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).

San Pedro Lions Club to host 40th Lions Club National Convention
The San Pedro Lions Club is proud to be hosting the 40th Zone 59 Lions Club National Convention starting on Friday May 25th. The entire weekend will see a variety of social activities, workshops and seminars, ending with a grand parade and final ceremony on Sunday, the 27th. Friday the convention kicks off at the SP Lions Den at 8PM with guest speakers, entertainment and hospitality booths presented by participating Lions Clubs from across the country. The evening ends with a dance, complete with live music from Rompe Raja. Saturday the convention includes a training workshop, national elections, an afternoon community service project ending with a snorkel trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Saturday evening the fun continues with entertaining club skits, queen presentations, crowning of Zone 59 queen, dinner and dancing of course! Sunday a parade at 10AM follows attending church at 8AM, with lunch, awards and a closing ceremony that afternoon.

Orange Walk Black Mambas leads Belize 2018 Inter-District Rugby 7’s Tournament
The second round of the Belize Inter-District Rugby 7’s Tournament was held this past weekend on Sunday, May 20th at the San Jose Palmar Field in San Jose Village, Orange Walk District. The tournament has the participation of San Pedro Hammerhead Sharks, Belize City Kings Park Scorpions and Orange Walk Black Mambas, all aiming to win the championship. The tournament began at 1PM, with the San Pedro Hammerhead Sharks taking on Belize City Kings Park Scorpions. It was a resounding 26-12 victory for the island team, who moved on to the final game. The next match saw the Orange Walk Black Mambas dominating 36-5 over the kings Park Scorpions, and then they moved on to face the Hammerhead Sharks. The tight match saw the Black Mambas as winning 9-4 over the San Pedro Hammerhead Sharks.

Ambergris Today

CARILEC Elects Belize Electricity Limited’s CEO As New Chairman
The regional association of electric utilities, Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) held its 29th Annual General Meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the meeting, Belize Electricity Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jeffrey Locke was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the period 2018 – 2020 after serving as Vice Chairman for the past two years. He succeeds Mr. Colin Cover, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada Electricity Services Limited. Elected as Vice Chair was Mr. Eddington Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis TCI.

San Pedro Team Places 3rd At Volleyball Tournament In Caye Caulker
Bryton Codd/Francis Hauze and Shantell Arnold/Emma Hoare win the 2018 SMART Lazy Lizard Beach Volleyball Tournament in Caye Caulker Twelve male teams and six female teams competed in the Belize Volleyball Association’s 2018 SMART Lazy Lizard Beach Volleyball Tournament in Caye Caulker over the weekend at The Split. The tournament was spectacular, with a large fan base present on both Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th. This official BVA 2X2 beach volleyball tournament was the second annual event at Lazy Lizard, and was a huge success, with high level beach volleyball being played. It was very well attended by beach volleyball enthusiasts from across Belize, and Mexico, as well as quite a number of tourists who were in Caye Caulker over the weekend.

Misc Belizean Sources

Orange Walk Police DU DI RAIT TING ceremony
On Wednesday May 23rd, 2018, Orange Walk Police Formation held its DU DI RAIT TING ceremony where, Mr.Zhamir Rosado was awarded for the month of January. Congratulations to Supt. David Chi and his Community Policing team for a job well done.

KTV the Remix!
KTV is looking for the next superstar - could it be you? Singing competition.

Nature Boy of Melanation/Carbonation in Consejo Village
For the most part, Corozal is a very quiet area. Nature Boy of Melanation/Carbonation sets up camp in Consejo Village northern Belize - In 2017, the group was ousted from Costa Rica on allegations of cult activity (click link from CBC below). Villagers are concerned that the group may be engaged in cult like activities and solicitation. They are always seen riding a white in colour van. Osirus Bishop (see link) is a little boy living with his father and 10 other adults in Consejo Village from Feb 26, 2018 to just before Easter when the entire group went to Cancun, Mexico. When they returned, Osirus Bishop was not with them. According to our sources, Osirus may have been reunited with his mother at the CUN airport but that is unconfirmed.

JP II JC Mission Trip 2018
The John Paul II JC students headed to Punta Gorda for their 2018 Mission Trip. They have a wonderful story in their pictures.

A Day in San Antonio: Culture, Nature & Sports
The San Antonio Sustainability Committee is having their cultural event, A Day in San Antonio, on Sunday, June 10th. The idea is to promote culture and history, along with sustainability, through education and community involvement. They'll have many cultural presentations, a bike race, and lots of food and drinks.

Chords & Voices Musical Showcase
So much talent in this year's Chords & Voices Showcase! June 2, 6pm at Bliss Center.

Chords & Voices Musical Showcase Calendar of Events
Belize National Festival of Arts 2018 Opens this Friday at The Bliss Center! ...."Pathway to Peace: Unity & Creativity"

Contract Signing for the Feasibility Study and Detailed Design for the Upgrade of the Philip Goldson Highway
he Ministry of Works signed a contract today, May 24th, with British Consultancy firm, Mott MacDonald Ltd. The contract is for the provision of consultancy services for the preparation of a feasibility study and detailed designs for upgrading miles 24.5 – 92 of the Philip Goldson Highway and the Remate Bypass Road in Corozal. The detailed design of the Philip Goldson Highway will allow for upgrading of 67.5 miles/108 km of road and 11 miles of the Remate Bypass to paved standard, inclusive of climate adaption measures to build resilience against climate change impacts. The consultancy study is to be completed within the next 10 months.

George Price Highway – Axle Load Survey
The Ministry of Works, hereby informs the public, motorists in particular, that an axle load survey to weigh all heavy goods vehicles, including buses, will take place at Mile 29 on the George Price Highway (near the Belize Zoo). The survey will commence on Friday, May 25 through to Friday, June 1, 2018. The survey will commence daily at 6.00 a: m. through to 6.00 p: m. The main purpose of this survey is to gather preliminary information regarding the range of heavy axle loads traversing Belize’s main highways. This is necessary for Road Engineers to design a more robust road network, improve the performance of routine and periodic maintenance, and to expand its database of vehicular axle weights.

Movie Night at KoKo King
Family Night at KoKo King, Friday 25th May. The timeless classic 'HUGO' and to follow Stephen Spielberg's latest blockbuster 'READY PLAYER ONE'. Kids meals, popcorn, marshmallows and adult beverages all available - so see you there!!!!

District winners B&B 2018 National Spelling Bee
Congratulations and we wish them well as they advance to the Nationals on Friday, June 1 at the Civic Center in Belize city

Traffic Accident in Corozal
Corozal - A Road Traffic Accident along the Philip Goldson Highway, just before noon, leaves one man hospitalized. Witnesses account that the driver of the motorcycle lost control and to avoid hitting a parked van, he swerved into the oncoming pickup truck and hit it on the front drivers side. We will share the official police report if we get it.

Graphic Designer Needed!
Great company in Belize City Looking for a creative talent to join our team. If you can visualize, create and work well with others, we want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

Got questions about #CARSI Grants?
We have answers! Check www.grants.gov (part of the opportunity package: related documents tab) or visit this link. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: June 4, 2018, 11:59 PM

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
A Wrinkle in Time, Every Day, Gringo, The Strangers: Prey at Night

Pelican Street closed Friday at 12:30pm
The public is advised that Friday 25th May, There will be NO PARKING on Pelican Street also Pelican street will be closed to all vehicles from 12.30pm This is because of a function at the Lions Den. We are asking for your co-operation

A Day in San Antonio
For the first time, an event for all the family to enjoy, come to experience the culture of the Yucatec Maya(Masewal) people of San Antonio Village Cayo. There will be lots of food and beverages, all prepared by the hands of men and women of the Village.

Channel 7

Father Says Son Lured To Death In the North
Last night on the news we told you about four traumatic deaths - 3 of them conclusively murders, and one a possible murder. Tonight - we have more on the two murder reports which came into our newsroom late in the evening. First, 22 year old Jose Zelaya Jr.'s body was found in a state of advanced decomposition yesterday evening about 1/4 mile Northwest of the Calcutta/Xaibe road. The Lake Independence resident had gone up north to visit relatives, but death was waiting for him. He was cruelly killed and then dumped on a remote cane road. The body had to be guarded throughout the night and an on-site post mortem was conducted this morning.

Police Have Two Suspects
Police have been speaking with Jose Zelaya Sr., and his surviving son, plus they say they have two suspects detained. ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB: "Police have two persons who they are questioning in regards to his disappearance at this time. " Reporter: "So far is it indicative of some grudge of some retaliation for activities in Corozal District or is it that something from Belize City followed him all the way up there? His father said that he always on the run from Belize City from bad men or gun men and from the police."

Cayo Construction Worker Murdered In City
We turn now to the last night's late breaking story of another murder Belize City. It happened around 6:00 at the corner of Dolphin and Gibnut Streets, just as a downpour was coming down on the city. The 2 victims were two construction workers, one only 19, the other 21. They were working men from out district, and they went to a shop nearby shop to buy food. Unfortunately, they were gunned down in what appears to be a random, senseless shooting. Daniel Ortiz has that story: 21 year-old Carl Christian Coc was gunned down right here on the corner of Dolphin and and Gibnut Streets.

Police Seeking 18 Year Old Suspect For Murder
And in an update on the first murder in the city yesterday - police are seeking one suspect and have other persons detained. 34 year old Carlton Moreira was killed through an alley in the Mayflower and Lakeview Street area - where he lived. Police believe that the suspect comes form that same area which is a gang stronghold - and they have also heard that he was killed in connection with some big Boledo winnings:... ASP Alejandro Cowo: "What we have learned so far from family members is that yes, he had won some money and he had some money on him, and we suspected that the reason for his being shot is because they wanted the money from him."

Man Pleads Guilty To Killing Doctor in Tryst Gone Wrong
He was accused of murder, but Dwayne Davis today pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a male on male sex tryst gone wrong. On June 18, of 2012, the police and KHMH medical staff rushed to the Belama Phase 1 home of Dr. Ivan Garcia, a Guatemalan General Practitioner. The Doctor was found inside dead, in a pair of boxer shorts on his bathroom floor, with a cut wound to the head and a black and blue eye. His neck also showed signs of manual strangulation - which is believed to have been the cause of death. His apartment showed no signs of forced entry - which suggested that the Doctor's killer was someone he knew. Police investigations led them to Dwayne Davis, a basketball player - who was 31 at the time. He turned himself into police and was charged with murder.

UB Plans For The Medium Term
Vision 2022: That's the name of the University of Belize's new transformational plan. President Clement Sankat and his team have been working on this plan for about a year and it was officially launched today at the Radisson. It is a very ambitious plan - one that will introduce a wide range of new Bachelors programs as well as a few Masters programs - and that is just one part it. Now while all that sounds good - where will the University get the money to fund these very expensive changes? Sankat told us more about vision 2022 and about the University's financial challenges. Clement Sankat, President, University of Belize: "The plan that we have developed touches on all the important faucets of the university. The important faucets are teaching and learning, the types of graduates we produce, the programs that we have in place, this view of research, knowledge creation, innovation and fields of service and of course the plan also talks about how the University will deliver these things because we have to have service side to the University itself."

UB Cutting Back On Costly Contracts
So while UB and the government work out that 3 million dollar deficit and the prospect of a subvention increase, Sankat said it is also up to the University to increase efficiency and cut costs where they can. Well, there were complaints that Sankat is trying to get rid of those retired lectures and cut their contracts. Today Sankat admitted that yes, some lecturers have to go but he says it is all part of the plan to revive the University. Clement Sankat, President, University of Belize: "University are places of knowledge, the cant be fossilized, you have to have regeneration. That is what we are going to do. We have never said we are not going to employ those who have retired but under new conditions. There is a strange thing happening in Belize, that I have never heard about people collect pensions.."

Major Upgrade For Phillip Goldson
67 miles of the Phillip Goldson Highway will be paved and upgraded - that is from mile 24 and a half in Biscayne Village to the northern border at mile 92. The contract for the design of this road upgrade project was signed today in Belmopan. Here is more from the signing. The Ministry of Works signed the contract along with the British Consultancy firm Mott MacDonald Ltd. They will provide consultancy services for $2.1 million US dollars. In terms of the overall national highway infrastructure, 90 percent of the major roads have been upgraded. The Coastal road is the only one remaining and the Ministry is working on the design for that road.

Hopkins Man Charged For Murder/Arson
He allegedly set some barrels under a Hopkins Village guest house on fire in an attempt to kill two men inside. And for that, Hopkins Fisherman Daron Gonzalez was charged for murder and arson. Police explained today that they got advice on this from the DPP:.. ACP Joseph Myvett: "Police continues to investigate the matter of the arson in Hopkins, and have arrested and charged [twenty-one-year-old] Daron Gonzalez for the crime of arson and the crime of murder since yesterday." "No, he was an associate of the deceased."

Rudolph Kelly Death Still Inconclusive
Police also had an update on the death of 52 year old Rudolph Kelly. The mile 8 resident was found crashed in his car with two major stab wounds to his hand. Police don't yet know what killed him:... ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "What we know is that he had just left from Eight Miles and came back to Belize City, and we cannot ascertain how he got that injury. At the moment, the family members have been interviewed, but there is little that we can share in regard to that. All we know is that he was passing by a police checkpoint, the one by Central American Boulevard, where he informed the police that he had received an injury and he was in a hurry to reach the hospital. Just reaching at the roundabout, he lost control and crashed into the lamppost. There, the B.E.R.T. personnel rendered him assistance and he was taken to the hospital, where once he was receiving treatment he succumbed to his injuries."

Cabbie Luis Moh Had Major Gang Figure In Car
In other police news, investigators today discussed the case of slain taxi - man Luis Moh. He was lured to his death on Monday night - and a well-known gang figure, Nicoli Rhys has been charged for his death. But, our investigation shows that Moh had been hired in the past by another rival gang. So, he had to be in trouble when he ended up in a cab with members of the other gang. Police discussed this today:.. Reporter: "Was he targeted because of his relationship, maybe just straight business relationship, to gangs which are rival to the gang which Mr. Rhys is a part of?"

Robbers Ran Leaving Gun
Police got the gun but not the suspects after a robbery at Diamond Bar on the Northside of Belize City. ASP Cowo told us what happened:.. ASP Alejandro Cowo "There was a robbery at the corner of St. Thomas Street and Dunn Street, Diamond Bar and the suspects that were involved in the robbery, upon fleeing from the location, they had drop their firearm and that is when it was found by police." The gun has been labelled as found property.

Cops Catch 4 Guns In a Day
And so have two other guns which were found yesterday. The first one was found at midday on Fern Lane in Belize City. Police found a revolver loaded with four live .38 rounds. Later on in the evening they searched an abandoned boat in the Conch Shell Bay Area and found one Chrome and Black 9mm pistol - concealed in a styrofoam plate. In total police found four guns in the city yesterday - we had already reported on the other painted one last night.

Talking Trade
Today representatives from the Directorate General for Foreign Trade wrapped up a 3 day workshop at the Radisson. The focus was to educate public officers about the World Trade Organization agreements and how they can work to protect Belize's industries. Of course, it's a lot more technical and dense than that when it comes to trade and economics. The workshop coordinator told us more. The workshop ended today.

Making Reading Relevant
Literacy is a major focus for the Ministry of Education and Restore Belize this year. They have led several different initiatives to ensure that children are taught how to read well and are encouraged to do it more. And that's what was behind today's readathon. Primary School kids were asked to read as many books as they could and write reports about it. The kids all came together at the Readathon award ceremony at the Leo Bradley Library to receive prizes for their strides in literacy. We stopped by and found out more from the budding bibliophiles. Rosalyn Bradley, Education Consultant- Restore Belize/Ministry of Education: "The whole purpose of the readathon is to encourage reading especially in school. We encourage the kids to come to the library check out books and read as many books as possible. We know that reading is very important if the students cant read it affects their academic performance across the board and so there is no excuse..."

Venezuela Defends Itself In Storm of Int’l Disapprobation
Venezuelan electoral politics continues to be a subject of a polarizing controversy around the world, after the incumbent President, Nicholas Maduro Moros, was re-elected in this Sunday's Presidential Elections, for another 6-year term. Of course, Maduro's government, and the Venezuelans who support his leadership claiming a confident victory, but his opponents say the election was rigged, and the result patently bogus. They call his government a dictatorship, and cite as proof Venezuela's National Electoral Council - kind of like the elections and boundaries office - which his political opponents say is run by government stooges.

Muslims Celebrate Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar and is observed by Muslims all over the world as a month of fasting. The year it is being observed from May 14th to June 14th and in Belize, Muslims are proudly and devoutly honouring the revered tradition. We found out more from the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Belize Naveed Mangla. Naveed Mangla, President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community "Once a year for one month are expected to fast. It is mandatory for every Muslim that is able to. For those that can't, they can feed another person. The Holy Quran says that it is mandatory upon you as it was for those that were before you meaning that it accepts that there has been fasting in other religions as well."

Fire Chief Visits VA
Belize's Fire Chief Ted Smith is currently in Virginia at the Hanover Fire Academy visiting two Belizean fire fighters, Patrick Parks and Johnny Cardenas. The two men are on a six month course at the academy. Smith was accompanied by The President of the Virginia Emergency service for Belize, Archibald Mcfarlane who is a Belizean American along with Paul Mauger a retired fire chief from Chesterfield County in Virginia. In February Mcfarlane and Mauger came to Belize for one week and toured the facilities countrywide and provided training sessions for firefighters in leadership, management, and strategic planning.

A Comprehensive Mess
Teachers staged a sit - out at Belmopan Comprehensive School today. They are displeased with an administrative change in graduation requirements. Here's more form the BNTU rep:.. Voice of: Daron Gonzalez - BNTU Rep.: "The staff of Belmopan Comprehensive School hereby wishes to offer clarity to our actions over the past few days and to convey our dissatisfaction via a sit-out. This chain of events counts as a direct outcome of decisions conveyed to staff by our school's administration, decisions that will certainly change the landscape for academia and impact the existing standards and specifically the graduation policies of our school."

Channel 5

City’s Fifth Murder in 5 Days; Construction Worker Gunned Down on Dolphin Street
The unrelenting spate of gun violence in the Old Capital since last Saturday continues, as we open our newscast tonight with coverage of yet another murder.  On Wednesday evening, a [...]

City Resident Jose Zelaya Jr. Murdered in Corozal – But Who Did It?
Missing Belize City resident, Jose Zelaya Junior, was found dead on Wednesday afternoon in a cane field north of Calcutta Village. He had been missing for three days and his [...]

Robbery Likely Motive for Death of Carlton Moreira
Police are seeking two persons in connection with Wednesday afternoon’s murder of Carlton Moreira in an alley between Banak and Mayflower Streets. While the area is known for both external [...]

Gangs’ Net Ensnared Luis Carlos Moh
On Wednesday, alleged gang leader Nicoli Rhys appeared in court, charged with the murder of taxi operator Luis Carlos Moh, who was found near Homeland Memorial Park on Monday dead [...]

A ‘Comprehensive’ Sit-Out by Teachers over Final Grades
Teachers at the Belmopan Comprehensive High School are on a sit-out. Today when we travelled to Belmopan, we found most of them sitting out in the school compound and most [...]

Daron Gonzalez Charged for Hopkins Murder-Arson
Police have arrested and charged twenty-one-year-old Daron Gonzalez for the crimes of arson and murder. Twenty-four-year-old Jorge Magana was killed over the weekend inside Flomon’s Guesthouse, which was then set [...]

What Killed Rudolph Kelly?
Accident or murder? Police say it leans toward the former for now in the case of Rudolph Kelly, a landlord of Mile Eight on the George Price Highway who sustained [...]

4 Firearms Removed from Streets; Police Chasing Diamond Bar Robbers
Police on Wednesday removed four firearms off the street in a span of about eight hours, the last as a result of a robbery at a north side establishment. At [...]

Woman Corporal Charged with Stabbing Male Constable Partner
Woman Corporal of Police, Audrey Moody, faces charges of dangerous harm stemming from a domestic dispute at her home over the holiday weekend. The victim is a fellow officer and [...]

Maya Mopan Family Dispossessed
A family in Maya Mopan is without a home tonight after their home was dismantled by local authorities in Belmopan. The family says they have been left out in the [...]

Study for Northern Highway Rehabilitation
The Ministry of Works signed a two point one million dollar feasibility study and design contract for the upgrade of the Philip Goldson Highway.  The contract’s feasibility study and design [...]

2 Charged for Fishing Illegally in Marine Reserve
Two Guatemalan nationals were today arraigned in the Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court for fisheries and immigration offences. The duo, Dalian Cruz and David Medina, was caught illegally fishing using a [...]

Venezuela Defends Election Results from Charges of Fraud
Nicolas Maduro remains president of Venezuela after securing a second term on Sunday with more than sixty-seven percent of the nine-million plus votes cast, compared to just under twenty-one percent [...]

How U.S.-Venezuela Battle is Affecting Belize’s Oil Supply
Castillo Pena railed at the international powers that have refused to recognize Venezuela’s electoral process, citing their own internal problems in response. He also noted that some of Venezuela’s allies, [...]

The Future of Petrocaribe in Belize
Despite his assurances that the Petrocaribe program would continue, Castillo Pena was not able to be pinned down on how the Belizean and Venezuelan governments would handle the ongoing issues. [...]

U.B. Launches Transformational Plan
The University of Belize has unveiled a new concept which will see the country’s national tertiary institution taking a transformational leap over the next six years.  Earlier today, UB introduced [...]

Barbadians Count Votes in General Election
Votes are being counted at this hour, two hours east of Belize on the island of Barbados, where voters went to the polls today to elect a new government. The [...]

Arthur Saldivar Hopes for Political Comeback in Belmopan
On July first the People’s United Party will select its standard bearer for Belmopan. Last week, we understand at least three persons submitted their application; those persons are Patrick Andrews, [...]

Healthy Living: Why You Should Come Out to Cancer Walk 2018!
The annual Belize Cancer Society awareness walk takes place this Saturday. It’s one of the largest activities executed by the N.G.O.  Although thousands are expected to participated, if you’re still [...]

LOVE FM

Jordan Burns being sought by police in connection with Moreira’s murder
Jordan Burns is being sought by police in connection with the murder of Carlton Moreira. As we reported, shortly after 1:00 p.m. yesterday Moreira was shot and killed. At today’s press brief, ASP Alejandro Cowo, Head of Crime Investigation Branch, provided an update. ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City: “Acting upon information police visited …

BEL’s CEO Jeffrey Locke elected CARILEC’s Chairman
BEL’s CEO Jeffrey Locke has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC). CARILEC, a regional association of electric utilities, comprises a total of one hundred and six members. With more than three decades of experience in the energy industry, Locke says that CARILEC will …

What is the responsibility of RECONDEV?
Yesterday Mario Ayala and his family were forced to relocate after their house was dismantled by authorities acting upon the request from RECONDEV, the Reconstruction and Development Corporation. Ayala built his home on a piece of land he had been developing in the Maya Mopan Area of Belmopan for more than twelve years. But unfortunately …

Man arrested, charged, and remanded for the murder of taxi man
Investigators believe that Nicholi Rhys is the man who murdered taxi man, Luis Carlos Moh. Rhys was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer on a single count of murder yesterday. He stands accused of luring Moh out of his home in the Kings Park Area on Monday night. And while investigators have a suspect, ASP …

Seventh Belize Esri User Conference comes to an end
The seventh Belize Esri User Conference came to an end today in Belize City. The two-day event saw the participation of geographic information systems or GIS users from all spectrum of the commercial sector. Geographic information systems technology is being pioneered by Esri which uses the technology to make maps that communicate, perform analysis, share information, and …

Second Cuba-Belize Medical Symposium held
The Second Cuba-Belize Medical Symposium was held today in commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the Cuba Medical Brigade in Belize. Ambassador of Cuba to Belize, Lissette Perez and Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Angel Campos spoke of the longstanding collaboration between both countries. Lissette Perez , Cuban Ambassador to Belize:“At …

Venezuela Embassy in Belize defends Presidential Elections
On May 20, Venezuela’s Socialist President Nicolas Maduro won his second term in office. The election board, believed to be Maduro Loyalists, reported he received 5.8 million votes while his closest challenger Henri Falcon received 1.8 million votes. But the President’s victory is accompanied by continued local and international scrutiny. Many states have denounced the …

Venezuela plans to invest Petrocaribe monies in Belize
Petrocaribe monies being withheld in Belize due to an inability to transfer payments for shipments to Venezuela, will be used to finance social projects in Belize. At a press conference held today by the Embassy of Venezuela, Charge D’Affairs, Mykel Lenin Castillo Peña explained that sanctions placed by the United States have caused more than …

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community observes Ramadan
This month, Muslims across the world are observing Ramadan- the sacred month for Muslims. Muslims believe it was during this month that God revealed the first verses of the Quran. As part of the observance, Muslims will fast as explained by the President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Naveed Mangla. Naveed Mangla, President of the …

Firearms taken off city streets
A .38 snub nose revolver handgun was removed from the streets yesterday. The gun which was loaded with four .38 S and B brand rounds of ammunition was found on Fern Lane in Belize City during a search. A chrome and black 9mm pistol was also found. Officers found it in an abandoned boat in …

Why was Christian Coc killed?
Christian Coc was the second murder which occurred yesterday in Belize City. Coc was along with a fellow construction worker when they came under fire. At this morning’s press brief, ASP Alejandro Cowo, Head of CIB provided details of the incident. ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City: “Police responded to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. It was just after 6 and upon arrival there they saw two male person with gunshot injuries to their body …

Ministry of Health says all clear in whooping cough scare
No Belizean has been diagnosed with whooping cough. That’s the latest information from the Ministry of Health which has concluded its monitoring of the situation. The Ministry mobilized after receiving a report that a tourist who had been diagnosed with pertussis, a bacterial infection most commonly known as whooping cough, had entered the country in the third week of March. The tourist had been to different places in Belize and came in contact with a number of people during his/her stay prompting the Ministry into action. Head of the Epidemiology Unit in the Ministry, Dr. Ethan Goff says no infection was detected …

Belize Leaders for Social Justice protest high cost of living
Belize Leaders for Social Justice will be holding a demonstration on Saturday to protest the increase in the cost of living. Member Moses Sulph told us more. Moses Sulph, Member, Belize Leaders for Social Justice: “The purpose of Saturday’s demonstration is to highlight the injustice in the high cost of living that many Belizeans are facing with regards to house rent, light bill, cable bill, we have seen an increase of all these things over the past years significantly. Belize has the highest cost per gallon for premium in the entire region today and this is affecting other goods and services as well …

UB taking a “transformation leap”
The University of Belize has unveiled its transformation plan for 2017 to 2022. President of the University of Belize, Professor Emeritus Clement Sankat, in speaking with Love News said that the University has found the need to implement change in an effort to better serve its present and future students …

Belize’s Fire Chief visits studying fire-fighters in the US
Belize’s Fire Chief, Ted Smith, is in the United States visiting Patrick Parks and Johnny Cardenas, two Belizeans fighters who are studying in Virginia. The duo is on a six-month training course at the Hanover Fire Academy. During his visit, Smith also met with the Chief of the Hanover County Fire Department, Jethro Piland …

The Guardian

PUP Senators fight for Albert division
Once again Johnny is trying to protect his position as leader of his party. He is now trying to put Valarie Woods-Smith in the Albert Division. The PUP already have a candidate in Albert, in the person of Paul Thompson, but the problem with Paul is that he is a Cordel/Zinc-fence man. Back in 2015 when the PUP needed a candidate for Albert, Paul stepped up for them and walked the plank. He was defeated by the UDP dynamo Tracy Teager Panton.

Carlton Moreira shot in his neighborhood
A shooting in the area of Lake View Street has claimed the life of 35-year-old Carton Jarrett Moreira. At around 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, police responded to reports of a shooting incident in said area and upon arrival, officers observed the lifeless body of a male person with two apparent gunshot wounds to the head.

Esperanza sportsman killed in front of nightclub
Kyne Gentle, a 28 year-old Esperanza resident went on a night with friends, which ended tragically in San Ignacio. Someone ruthlessly executed him on the compound of the night club he was partying at. Sometime after 1:00 p.m on Monday May 21, Gentle was on the steps of the Blue Angels night club, which is located on Hudson Street. He had reportedly just arrived with his friends who were celebrating the birthday of one of the companions in the group.

Popular hot dog vendor shot and robbed
Juan Angel Vargas, a 44 year-old Honduran business man who has been residing in Belize for over 20 years, was killed in an early morning robbery after spending the late night selling hotdogs. The armed gunman mercilessly shot him to death and then robbed him of all the money he earned from that night’s sales.

Mother of 9 killed in wild shooting
Michelle Anderson, a 40 year-old mother of 9 from Belize City, was gunned down and killed in a shoot-out which had nothing to do with her. Anderson’s return trip to the shop was supposed to be uneventful, and she was there only to pick up some items she forgot to purchase the first time around. Unfortunately, that’s the time that a gunman decided to carry out his assault on the shop, and she died in the gunfire.

Launch of National Transportation Master Plan
Belize’s first Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan (CNTMP) was launched at the Belize Biltmore Plaza on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. This master plan is a part of the Government of Belize’s commitment to deliver a well-organized, sustainable, and climate-resilient transportation sector. This initiative was funded by a technical cooperation grant from the IDB’s Japan Special Fund valued at US$880,000 along with the counterpart contribution of US$220,000 by the Government of Belize.

Ministry of Agriculture Hosts Educational Tours of the NATS
Today, May 23rd, a total of 18 students from the Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, USA, visited the National Agriculture and Trade Showgrounds (NATS) Small Scale Garden. The purpose of the tour was to demonstrate how to lead a change in an agriculture environment.

News from the Land of the Barbarians
The PUP City Council slate has been in office for over two and a half months now and has done nothing to improve the city; however, they have done a lot to improve their own lives and that of their relatives, friends and lovers. Less than a week after being sworn into office, one councilor ordered the council to hire his brother and his sister with no adherence to the hiring procedures outlined in the Municipal Service Regulations. There was no vacancy published, applications accepted, shortlisting of candidates, interviews nor voting. This practice quickly became the standard operating procedure with the mayor and councilors hiring their close friends, siblings, girlfriends, boyfriends and common-law-spouses.

BEL CEO is New Chairman of CARILEC
The regional association of electric utilities, Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) held its 29th Annual General Meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the meeting, Belize Electricity Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jeffrey Locke was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the period 2018 – 2020 after serving as Vice Chairman for the past two years. He succeeds Mr. Colin Cover, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada Electricity Services Limited. Elected as Vice Chair was Mr. Eddington Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis TCI.

BELTRAIDE’s Career Fair
As a part of BELTRAIDE’s Competitiveness Month which focuses on developing and improving one’s competitive mind-set, activities continue throughout the month to showcase the strengthening of competitiveness in three key areas: firms, labour, and government. To encourage Belizeans to find ways to improve their efficiency and personal development, BELTRAIDE facilitated a series of business workshops for Small Business Entrepreneurs, trade clinics for exporters, and job preparedness trainings for job seekers. One major highlight of the month is BELTRAIDE’s Career Fair for individuals seeking employment. The Career Fair serves to connect job seekers with enterprises currently looking for talent.

Free Educational trip to Chetumal by Mexican Embassy
Students from both Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic High School in the City of Belmopan and St. Joseph Roman Catholic School in Cotton Tree Village, Cayo district were beneficiaries of a Free Educational Trip to the Planetario Yook’ol Kaab, Zoo (Zoologico Payo Obispo) and the Museum of Mayan Culture in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The trip was a reward from His Excellency Carlos Quesnel Melendez, Mexican Ambassador to Belize for being excellent students as well as for their hard work and commitment to education and improving themselves. This event was in collaboration with ADO who provided two of their own buses to transport the students in air conditioned comfort.

Development continues
While the other guys are going around making promises that they will never keep, the Area Representative of the Orange Walk East Constituency is in his trademark fashion been delivering for the people he represents. In the past few weeks as part of ongoing work Honorable Elodio Aragon secured a number of stadium lights which have been installed in sporting facilities in Orange Walk East. Recognizing that sports plays a vital role in the development of our children and which will eventually turn them into positive catalysts of change, much attention is being given to sports and sporting facilities. As a result new lights were installed at the football fields in palmar and Carmelita villages. In Palmar three new light bulbs were installed, one damaged/burned out light was replaced and another one which had been was totally destroyed due to high winds.

FIRE CHIEF VISITS BELIZEANS STUDYING AND MEETS FIRE CHIEF IN VIRGINIA (USA)
Currently on a trip to the United States, Belize’s Fire Chief, Ted Smith, has visited two Belizean firefighters studying in Virginia, USA. The two firefighters, Patrick Parks and Johnny Cardenas, are on a six-month training course at the Hanover Fire Academy. Fire Chief Smith says he is trying to secure similar scholarships for two more Belizean firefighters to study at the Hanover Fire Academy. Fire Chief Smith also got the opportunity to meet Jethro Piland, Chief of the Hanover County Fire and EMS (Emergency Medical Support) Department in the State of Virginia.

Fuel: The Economic Driver
The economic driver is fuel! In small economies like ours, ever so slight upward movements in the price of this commodity has damning effects on the economy. Over the past few months Belize has been rattled by a number of price hikes which sees drivers suffering at the pumps and while from a transportation point of view every trip to the pump is met with pain, the reality on the ground is that it will not be long before the pain is also transferred to the supermarkets and everyday products.

Keeping Cayo clean
Police in the Cayo District continue to engage our youths in productive activities. On Friday, Police cadets from the San Ignacio Police formation took part in cleaning the highway between Red Creek and Esperanza Village. Corporal Jason Jones from the Community Program within the Police Department would like to thank Village Chairman Mr. John Trapp and Cayo Cargo for their assistance. He would also like to thank the parents and other persons who assisted with the clean-up.

Lawyer or Liar?
Last week one of Belize’s most prominent attorneys Mr. Eamon Courtenay alleged that the Chief Elections Officer Mrs. Josephine Tamai, opened seal envelopes and counted ballot papers. According to Courtney, Mrs. Tamai admitted to it in court during her testimony under oath. This is what Courtenay said to the journalists outside of the Supreme Court. “I think the regulations are very clear once those ballots have been counted the presiding officer should seal the envelopes hand them to returning officer in seal envelopes and the law is very clear that it should not be opened until and if they are brought to court by an order of the court, and we have the chief elections officer by her own mouth saying that she opened them, and she counted them.”

Can the Elections and Boundaries Department take away nationality?
After reading a release from the organization known as Belizean Citizens Abroad; the release ascribes some extraordinary powers to the Chief Elections Officer. According to the release, the Chief Elections Officer should turn away persons who have Belizean Nationality Documents, if they were born in Guatemala. According to the release, she must do so because it is illegal for Guatemalans to be granted Belizean Citizenship. With regard to registration of persons including persons born in Guatemala tendering Belizean Nationality Documents, when applying to be registered as a voter, I must say that the position taken by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), is indeed the proper position.

Capacity Building for the Ministry of Agriculture Extension and Cooperative Staff
The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture hosted a training workshop for its Extension and Cooperative Officers today, May 23rd, in Belmopan. The objective of the training was to build capacity in the use of different extension group methods. The one-day training involved participatory and adult learning training approach to ensure active participation of trainees. The facilitator for the training was specialist Dr. Juan Caliva Esquivel.

Mundialito held in Belmopan
Emerging from the West, the tradition of the Mundialito continued at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in the Nation’s Capital. Closing ceremonies for the “Mundialito KYF2018” was held on Sunday by the Belmopan City Council. Mayor Khalid Belisle has congratulated all the winners of this year’s event. In the U-13 category, Team Revolution came in first place, Spanish Lookout Ducks second place and YWAM third place. Also, in the U-15, Team Revolution came in first place, Rising Star second place and the bandits third place. Meanwhile; in the female grouping, Compre Flames came in first place, Medina FC second place and Valley Girls third place.

New Road to Neuland
Last week Hon Elodio Aragon Jr. met with a number of leaders from Santa Marta Village and from the new community of Neuland. As a result a work group was organized consisting of residents of both communities. It was decided and by consensus agreed to bring unprecedented development to the area by pooling resources and working together. This working group will ensure that the upgrading the road that leads to Neuland and the streets within Santa Marta village is carried out.

Police Zone One’s Zip line and Scholarships
On May 20, 2018, 30 children between the ages of 8 and 15 were taken to the Frank’s Eddy Village in the Cayo District to do zip lining. Responsible for this outing was the staff of the Eastern Division Region One and their commander, Sr. Spt. Howell Gillett. According to the Gillett, “one of our objectives is to keep young people positive by taking them out of their usual environment to experience other possibilities. This we hope will help these young people by opening their minds to a life other than the status quo.”

Man pleads guilty of manslaughter in a retrial
Abimael Pott, 17 at the time, was accused and charged for a murder which occurred on a school compound in May 2011. He was already convicted of murder before Supreme Court judge Justice Herbert Lord, who sentenced him to life imprisonment. His attorneys appealed and he was given a retrial and at his latest court date on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Pott, now 24, chose to change his previous plea from not guilty of murder to guilty of manslaughter.

Car crash claims life
A car crash in Belize City has led to the death of a 52-year-old man. On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, minutes before 9:00 p.m., police responded to a report of a traffic accident. Upon arrival at the Central American Boulevard/Mahogany Street roundabout, the officers observed a Toyota Camry with its front portion extensively damaged. In the car, the officers observed a man who was later identified as Rudolph Kelly Jr., a 52-year-old resident of 8 Miles. Kelly Jr. was seen suffering from two cut wounds to his left arm.

Everal Martinez appears in court again for rape of toddler
Everal Martinez, the 21-year-old accused of raping and molesting a 17-month-old toddler earlier this year, continues to be brought to court by special police escort for protection reasons. Martinez appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court for the third time on Friday, May 18, 2018. In court, he appeared unrepresented before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford who gave him his fourth date to appear in court, July 19, 2018.

Charges against Camalote Taxi driver following Hit and Run
On Friday, May 18, 2018 at about 7:30 p.m., police responded to a road traffic accident between miles 45 and 46 on the George Price Highway. Upon arrival at the scene, they observed the motionless body of a female. That female was identified as Silvia Zavala, a 30-year-old Belizean domestic of a Belmopan address. Zavala was observed to have multiple injuries to the body. The responding officers also observed a red and black Honlei motorcycle on the highway with damages to the rear portion. Initial investigation revealed that Zavala was traveling from Cotton Tree Village to Belmopan.

Hit and Run on Southern Highway leaves woman dead
Police in the Southern Formation are investigating a traffic accident that claimed the life of a woman on the Southern Highway. At around 9:35 a.m., on Sunday May 20 they visited an area between miles 9 and 10 on the Southern Highway on the outskirts of Silk Grass Village, Stann Creek District. There they observed the body of a female on the left side of the Highway when travelling in the direction of Hopkins Road junction.

Human remains found in Hopkins fire
On Sunday, May 20, 2018 at about 4:15 a.m., police responded to a report of a house fire on the Southside of Hopkins Village. Upon arrival at the scene, they observed a 2-storey wooden structure engulfed in flames. The building housed four apartments, all of which were completely destroyed by the time the fire was put out by fire personnel. After the scene was inspected, police found what appeared to be the charred remains of a human body under debris from the fire. The charred remains were transported to Southern Regional Hospital morgue where it now awaits a post mortem examination.

Missing man found dead in cane field in Corozal
Police are reporting that the body of 22 year old Jose Zelaya has been found in a cane field in the Corozal District. The 22-year-old Jose Zelaya, a laborer of a Mahogany Extension address, was reported missing on Tuesday May 22, 2018. He was last seen in Corozal at a beach party on Monday May 21, 2018. On Wednesday May 23, 2018, preliminary reports received indicated that that a body was found in a cane field near the Calcutta School area.

Missing young man feared dead
The family of a 20-year-old young man who went missing fears the worst. Oswald Arnold of Roaring Creek Village was last seen alive around 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2018 when he told his family that he would be going on an overnight fishing trip with four friends, all from Roaring Creek. The friends have all made it back safely but Arnold is yet to be found. Arnold’s family says that they have reasons to believe that something disturbing happened on the trip, and they want answers. It was on the return of the four others that Arnold’s family became suspicious. Since then, they’ve been on several searches for Arnold, which have since become futile. According to Arnold’s aunt, Natalee Arnold, the family has received credible reports that her nephew was killed and that his body was either dumped in or buried along the river.

Police continue to investigate arson and murder
On May 15, 2018, fire investigators in Belmopan discovered the charred remains of a man in an area just outside of Belmopan. 4 houses were burnt in a yard on Jordan Ranch road, an area off the old Banana Bank road. According to police, this particular case is one of arson and whoever set the fire set it with the intention of burning the victim. As a result, the case is also being treated as one of murder. It was while sifting through the burnt rubble that personnel from the fire department came across the remains and called the police.

Nyle Vasquez charged for Seine Bight shooting
An attempted execution has left a Seine Bight Villager hospitalized with gunshot wounds he suffered during the incident. At around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, police responded to information of a shooting incident in Seine Bight Village on the Placencia Peninsula. Upon arrival at the scene, police met Austin Williams, the victim. Williams reported that while standing at a street corner with a friend, Ralph Forbes, they were approached by a male person who fired several shots in their direction, two of which caught Williams. He was hit twice, once to the left side of his lower back and one to the left cheek.

Ex Court’s Employee charged with robbery
An ex-employee of Courts was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 before Magistrate Michelle Trapp. Eric Jones, was accused of robbing his former workplace. Surprisingly, Jones was offered bail despite the use of a firearm in the robbery. He was arraigned on four counts of robbery for allegedly robbing the establishment at gunpoint as well as three employees of their cash, jewelry, electronics, and other valuables. Jones and another man allegedly stole a total of $1,420 from the establishment on May 17, 2018.

Three men arrested after San Pedro Gas Station robbery
On Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 7:15 p.m., police responded to a robbery in progress at the Caribena Fuels Gas Station at the corner of Blake Street and Sea Grape Drive in San Pedro Town. Upon arrival, police set chase behind two male persons and eventually caught up to them in nearby bushes. Initial investigation revealed that Adolfo Victor Gongora Jr., a 33-year-old Belizean pump attendant of a San Pedro address, and his co-worker, Jonathan Reyes, were working when two male persons approached them. Gongora was held with a knife to his throat by one of the men who stole a black waist bag that contained monies from the day’s sale.

Belmopan Bandits best the BDF FC to regain national football title
The Premier League of Belize 2017-2018 Closing Season came to an end on Monday 21st May at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan. In the second and final game of the championship series between the Belmopan Bandits SC and the Belize Defence Force FC, the Belmopan Bandits SC bested the Belize Defence Force FC by the score of 5-3 to regain the National Football Title. The Belmopan Bandits SC was the first to make it onto the scoreboard when Rony Flores scored the 1st goal of the game in the 22nd minute of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. The visiting Belize Defence Force then followed when Trimayne Harris, the regular season MVP scored the equalising goal for his team in the 25th minute of play to tie the score at 1-1. The Belmopan Bandits SC once again took the lead when George Welcome scored the 1st of his 3 goals in the 29th minute of play to give his team a 2-1 lead. The lead was extended when George Welcome scored the 2nd of his 3 goals in the 37th minute of play to give his team a commanding 3-1 lead. The first half of the game ended 3-1 in favour of the Belmopan Bandits SC.

Ephesus SDA Primary humble Bethel Primary in the Belize City Primary Schools Football competition
The Belize City Primary Schools Football competition continued on Thursday 17th May, with three games all in the boys’ competition. In the first game played, St. Joseph Primary School blanked Salvation Army Primary School by the score of 2-0. The goals for St. Joseph Primary School were scored by Luis Sosa and Kaylene McFoy. In game two, Ephesus SDA Primary School humbled its neighbour school Bethel Primary by the score of 9-0. The goals for Ephesus SDA were scored by Jose Almendarez (5), De’Andre Williams, Ralston McDonald, Elroid Rodriguez and Kenneth Duron.

Tricia Flores and Mark Anderson fastest man and woman in Belize
The Belize Athletics Association held its National Senior Track and Field Championship at the Marion Jones Stadium in Belize on May 19 and 20, respectively. Flores and Anderson dominated the fastest event of the meet in their respective categories. The winners of the events both in the track and the field are listed below: 100m female senior Tricia Flores 12.65, 100m female senior Faith Morris 12.66, 100m female senior Ashantie Carr 12.67, 100m female senior Jada Parchue 13.1...

Smart Belize Hurricanes survive Griga’s onslaught to advance to championship round
Last night the Belize City Centre was home to game 3 of a hotly contested series between Smart Belize Hurricanes and Griga Dream Ballers. Both teams were able to defend home court in the first two games, leaving game 3 to be the final battle between the number 2 and number 3 seeds. The visiting squad, Griga Dream Ballers were able to establish themselves at tip-off, taking an early 21 – 10 lead at the end of the first quarter. It was crucial for the visitors to establish themselves early in the game, while combatting the loud fan base in the Civic Centre. At the half Griga was able to hold on to a 7-point lead, 32 – 25. Griga was led by Daniel “Buddy” Nolberto who finished the night with 15 points and 3 assists, while Edgar Mitchell tallied 10 points and 4 dimes and Trevaughn Usher chipped in 10 points off the bench.

NEBL championship series will tip-off on Friday; City teams at the big dance
Tuesday, May 22, 2018. The date and teams are finally set for the big showdown in the 2018 NEBL Finals and this will be the first year in the NEBL’s five-year history that San Pedro Tiger Sharks will not be participating in the final dance. However, Darwin “Puppy” Leslie will be in his fourth NEBL finals in five years, to now tie the San Pedro Tiger Sharks franchise. New comers, DigiCell Belize City Defenders have climbed their way in the finals, making them the first team to reach the finals who have entered the playoffs as the #4 seed. History was also recorded when both semi-finals series were stretched out to three games. After a battle last night, Smart Belize Hurricanes was the victor, joining their Belize City comrades to the championship series. It is the first time that two Belize City teams have reached the finals, where Smart Belize Hurricanes will try to win another ring, after being the 2016 champions. This is Kurt “Chengo” Burgess’ fourth trip to the finals in 5 years.

Nigel Jones, DigiCell Belize City Defenders advance to NEBL Finals
In the final game between San Pedro Tiger Sharks and DigiCell Belize City Defenders, there was a tense environment, where both teams had something to prove to the league, and the nation of Belize, in a decisive game 3, win or go home scenario. Both teams are equally matched against each other and it’s only a matter of wanting it more that will be the deciding factor in this series. Due to excellent shot creation and tough defense, DigiCell Belize City Defenders made a jump on the Tiger Sharks team early on in the game. However, before the opening quarter was over their lead vanished and it was Tiger Sharks with a 1-point lead, 25 – 24. Throughout the second quarter the San Pedro Tiger Sharks maintained their lead; even though, whenever their rivals kept slimming down the lead, they kept their poise and finished the first half with a small 4-point advantage, 48 – 44.

Oceana on Hands across the Sand
Hands Across the Sand/Land was founded in 2010 and has since grown into an international movement after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster of April 2010. People came together to join hands, forming symbolic barriers against spilled oil and to stand against the impacts of other forms of extreme energy. It seeks to reject offshore drilling, the KXL and other tar sands pipelines, hydraulic fracturing, seismic air gun blasting, and call on leaders to protect communities by rejecting projects that expand the extraction and use of fossil fuels and instead accelerate the shift to clean, renewable energy.

Tree falls on 10-year-old in Toledo
A family in Toledo has lost their 10-year-old granddaughter to a freak accident. Preliminary police reports indicated that on May 18, 2018 while Valentino Teul, 58, was cutting down a tree, it fell on his 10-year-old granddaughter, Emilda “Edna” Che. The two were in their yard in San Pedro Columbia, Toledo when Teul was cutting the tree. He did not notice his granddaughter and the trunk of the tree fell on her. Despite being rushed to the poly clinic in San Antonio, she succumbed to her injuries. Police are investigating.

Words of Life With Pastor Barry Fraser
In the Gospel of John, chapter 11, verse 35, we read, “Jesus wept.” His friend Lazarus had died. Jesus wept after speaking with Lazarus’ grieving sisters, Martha and Mary, and seeing all the mourners. That seems natural enough. Most of us would have wept too. However, Jesus had come to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead. He knew that in a few short minutes all this weeping would turn to astonished joy, and then tearful laughter, and then worship. He had come to Bethany to bring these mourners the best news they could have imagined.

It Only Takes One Storm, Get Ready Belize!!!
The start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season is almost here, and it is time to review and revise your Family Hurricane Plan. Remember June to November is the official Hurricane Season. The Colorado State University (CSU), University College of London (TSR), North Carolina State University (NCSU), The Weather Channel (TWC), and AccuWeather have issued their pre-season predictions on the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season activity. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is expected to issue their pre-season predictions later this month.

Summertime is Here Again… Well Almost!
After a full academic year of intense study, and the final push through exams, most students can’t wait for summer break. Thoughts of being able to sleep in, rest, relax and just do nothing for a change sounds rather blissful but after the initial high following freedom from classes, essays, homework, projects and deadlines, the summer months can get pretty old, pretty fast. And nothing can feel worse than realizing that you have wasted your precious days of freedom in a haze of binge watching TV and Facebook stalking. It’s possible to make summer break a relaxing, fun and yet industrious time. Here are some fun and productive ways to enjoy your summer break

Breaking Belize News

Attention all drivers: Axle load survey to commence on George Price Highway tomorrow
The Ministry of Works today informed the public that an axle load survey to weigh all […]

Belmopan Bandits crowned PLB’s Champion
The finals of Premier League Of Belize (PLB) closing season kicked off on Saturday May […]

US $2 million Contract signed for design of Upgrade of Philip Goldson Highway
The Ministry of Works signed a contract today with British Consultancy firm, Mott MacDonald Ltd. The […]

SIF to host Sensitization Workshop
The Social Investment Fund (SIF) in collaboration with the Basic Needs Trust Fund, the Caribbean Development […]

Teachers from Belmopan Comprehensive stage sit out
Reports to BBN indicate that teachers from Belmopan Comprehensive School are on sit out today […]

Barbados advised not to withdraw from CCJ
Former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Michael de la Bastide, in a […]

Belize’s fire chief visits fire fighters in training
Belize’s Fire Chief, Ted Smith, is on a trip to the United States this week visiting […]

Missing man found dead
The body of a man who went missing on Monday was found in Calcutta village, Corozal […]

International Sources

40s & Shorties Visit Belize With Shyne for Summer Lookbook
Coinciding with today’s launch, 40s & Shorties share the official lookbook for their Summer 2018 collection. Starring former Bad Boy rapper, Shyne, the brand took to his native Belize to get a tour of the Central American country. Shyne in turn guided the 40s & Shorties crew through the parts of the area that are dearest to him, including the street he grew up on, the resource center he opened in one of the more impoverished neighborhoods, the port, and the picturesque island of San Pedro. The brand ultimately got to experience his culture, country, and lifestyle, which is portrayed in the above imagery.

Zika Virus Genomes Elucidate Disease Spread in Central America, Mexico
Researchers have reconstructed the spread of the Zika virus in Central America and Mexico using the genomes of viruses collected from patients in the region. Zika virus, a Flavivirus, was first discovered in Uganda in 1947 and is transmitted primarily by mosquitos. It was first reported in the Americas in 2015, where it is expected to infect about 100 million people by the end of the epidemic. In a new study appearing in Cell Host & Microbe today, researchers sequenced 61 Zika virus samples. In combining phylogenetic, epidemiological, and environmental data, they found that there were multiple introductions of the virus into Central America and Mexico, and that there have been peaks in transmission that coincide with variations in mosquito abundance.

The Most Stunning Deep Sea Sights in the World
From coral reefs and sinkholes to shipwrecks and submerged hotels, the ocean is brimming with beautiful scenery that even landlubbers will appreciate. Belize is a mecca for snorkeling and scuba enthusiasts (not to mention one of the top vacation spots in Central America). Of all its abyssal attractions, none compare to the Great Blue Hole. Made famous by French explorer Jacques Cousteau, this massive 406-foot-deep marine cavern lures aquatic adventurers with its crystalline waters, stalactites, and fascinating creatures, including the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle.

Videos

May 24, 2018

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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

2nd Annual Raise Me Up Masquerade Party a success!
Island residents brought the glam at Raise Me Up 2nd Annual Masquerade Party, held at Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club south of San Pedro Town on Saturday, May 19th. For a $90 admission fee, attendees got to enjoy a variety of entertainment, casino games, prizes, delicious food, drinks and fun live auction. Promptly at 6PM elegantly dressed and masked guests began arriving at the venue. Ushers escorted them to their choice of table or the casino area while plying them with delicious appetizers. The casino area featured a variety of fun games, including Poker, Roulette, and Blackjack. A cash bar kept the drinks flowing.

CARILEC Elects Belize Electricity Limited’s CEO as New Chairman at Annual General Meeting in Barbados
The regional association of electric utilities, Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) held its 29th Annual General Meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the meeting, Belize Electricity Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jeffrey Locke was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the period 2018 – 2020 after serving as Vice Chairman for the past two years. He succeeds Mr. Colin Cover, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada Electricity Services Limited. Elected as Vice Chair was Mr. Eddington Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis TCI.

San Pedro observes Hands across the Sand
Ambergris Caye residents joined thousands of Belizeans on Saturday, May 19th for the annual ‘Hands across the Sand’ in an effort to highlight the issues that threaten Belize’s marine natural resources. The event is organized by Oceana in Belize and encourages Belizeans at home and abroad to love Belize and to protect its unique marine wealth for future generations to come. The demonstration in San Pedro included attendees from schools, tour companies and even tourists visiting the island. Many believed that the chain of joining hands across the country, and across the entire world, should never be interrupted as it is important to continue raising the awareness for the protection of the environment. A few even expressed hope that in future events, members of the local authorities can join this movement and make it a priority in their agendas.

Caribbean Fisheries Ministers endorse protocol for securing small-scale fisheries
Fisheries Ministers who recently attended the 12th Regular Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), held in Montserrat on Friday, 18 May 2018, endorsed a newly drafted protocol on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the region. CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, noted that small-scale fisheries are the mainstay of the fisheries industry, both in the region and around the globe. He said that small-scale fisheries accounts for more than 95% of fisheries in CARICOM and are vital for food security and employment, particularly in coastal communities. Globally, it accounts for 90% of all the fisheries produced, Haughton said.

San Pedro Tiger Sharks out of the 2018 NEBL championship
For the first time in the National Elite Basketball League’s (NEBL) five-year-history, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks will not be contesting the big prize. The island team was after being eliminated by the Digicell Belize City Defenders on Saturday, May 19th in the last game of the semi-finals. The Tiger Sharks gave their best shot on the court, dominating most of the match, however, it was not enough to overcome their opponent, who stole the crucial victory by a tight 78-74. The other semi-finals match took place on Monday, May 21st, between Smart Belize Hurricanes and Dangriga Dream Ballers. The game ended with a 60-54 win in favour of the Hurricanes, who will now face the Digicell Belize City Defenders at the finals. Game one of the finals between Defenders and Hurricanes will be on Friday, May 25th at the Belize City Civic Centre starting at 9PM. The championship match will then take place on Friday, June 1st at the same venue and at the same time.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro RC Church To Hold Father Child Fishing Tournament
The San Pedro Roman Catholic Church would like to invite all fathers to a Father and Child Fishing Tournament this Father's day. Fishing tournament will be on Saturday - Sunday (June 16-17, 2018) and it will consist of two categories: From Dock and From Boat. If you have any questions, you can contact the Parish Office at 624-4215. Please note that the smallest fish should be within the legal size allowed. God bless you all!

Ambassador Of Belize To Guatemala Talks Territorial Dispute With Island Students
With the upcoming National Referendum in 2019, people want to know more about the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute and the country heading to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). With this in mind, the board of directors of San Pedro High invited the Ambassador of Belize to Guatemala, His Excellency Alexis Rosado to address the student body of San Pedro High School and San Pedro Junior College on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the beginning of the presentation a video was shown to the audience entitled “Why the ICJ”. It explained, in brief, what the dispute and what the International Court of Justice is about. Chairman of the Board of Directors of SPHS, Mr. Andre Perez then briefly introduced H.E. Alexis Rosado after which Mr. Rosado took the podium to explain how is it we got to where we are in regard to the territorial dispute and explaining how the ICJ works.

Misc Belizean Sources

BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge Winners
Congratulations to the First Place Male Winners and Overall BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge BCG Belize Coast Guard Champions for completing in 35 hours 59 minutes 14 seconds. Special thanks to our Corozal Town Council, Belize Port Authority, Belize Coast Guard and our Corozal Police Department for rendering great services.

Power outages scheduled on Friday, May 25 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. to affect: entire Toledo District and entire Placencia Peninsula
Independence, Maya King, Santa Cruz, Georgetown, San Pablo, San Roman, Santa Rosa, Maya Mopan, Red Bank, Cow Pen, and surrounding areas. BEL to conduct climbing inspections and replace transmission poles in the area.

Cayo Cancer Society Gala 2018
It's that time of the year again. We are preparing for our 5th Annual Gala. June 23rd, 2018 starting 7pm at the Bedran Hall, San Ignacio Hotel. Live Music by Electro Sounds. $65 per person entitles you to dinner, dance, pictures by professional photographer and door prizes. Inbox if you wish to purchase. All proceeds go to continue helping Cancer Patients in every way possible.

Happy World Turtle Day Belize!
Learn about the Hawskbill Turtle from some turtely cool facts

Hands Across the Sand 2018
On Saturday, May 19th at noon, Belizeans around the country joined hands on beaches, across bridges, in conference rooms, along sea walls and in other public areas to celebrate Belize’s historic decision to implement an indefinite offshore oil moratorium to safeguard its natural resources. The event is also a unique platform to promote clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Every year, patriotic Belizeans and nature lovers from across all sectors of society join hands to promote a clean energy future across the world and to end our dependence on fossil fuels in world-wide solidarity events. Belize was one of 117 countries to organize Hands Across the Sand events world-wide. This year saw the participation of hundreds of residents from Orange Walk town, Dangriga, Belize City, Placencia, Corozal Town, San Ignacio, Hopkins, Sarteneja, Punta Gorda, Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Belmopan.

Jimenez Family Fundraiser
Please donate if you can... On the evening of Saturday, May 19, a terrible fire destroyed the home of Amin and Sandra Jimenez. Their house and cherished personal possessions were destroyed, leaving nothing but charred wood and ashes. Next door, Fidel and Dalinda, Amin's parents', house suffered significant fire, smoke and water damage. They their daughter Fidellie and grandson Zane lost furniture, and no longer have a place to live. They have lived in this house for 20 years and raised 4 children and grandchildren in it.

Paint N Splash
See you this week at from 2-4pm Thursday. Come paint this "Beautiful Bonefish" part two of the Grand Slam series! In hopes to spread awareness to help protect Cayo Rosario we are painting this "Beautiful Bonefish" Belize is one of the most famous destinations for saltwater fly fishing - and for the beautiful bonefish. We were the first country to protect the "Grand Slam" - the permit, bonefish and tarpon and now we must protect their habitat AND our reef from destructive development. Join us this week and be sure to take a picture of your painting and caption it " "Protect Cayo Rosario"

Ministry of Agriculture Hosts Educational Tours of the NATS Small Scale Garden
Today, May 23rd, a total of 18 students from the Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, USA, visited the National Agriculture and Trade Showgrounds (NATS) Small Scale Garden. The purpose of the tour was to demonstrate how to lead a change in an agriculture environment. On Thursday, May 24, 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture will be touring the NATS Small Scale Garden with six schools from the northern and southern areas of Belize. It is expected that 60 students and 30 adults will participate in the tour.

Capacity Building for the Ministry of Agriculture Extension and Cooperative Staff
The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture hosted a training workshop for its Extension and Cooperative Officers today, May 23rd, in Belmopan. The objective of the training was to build capacity in the use of different extension group methods. The one-day training involved participatory and adult learning training approach to ensure active participation of trainees. The facilitator for the training was specialist Dr. Juan Caliva Esquivel.

Summer Art Wave
Yes, summer is near ...and the House of Culture has activities for you!

Caye Caulker Lobsterfest Schedule of Events

CARILEC elects Belize Electricity Limited’s CEO as new Chairman at Annual General Meeting in Barbados
The regional association of electric utilities, Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) held its 29th Annual General Meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the meeting, Belize Electricity Limited's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jeffrey Locke was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the period 2018 — 2020 after serving as Vice Chairman for the past two years. Fie succeeds Mr. Colin Cover, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada Electricity Services Limited. Elected as Vice Chair was Mr. Eddington Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis TCI. Mr. Locke has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry and continues to lead the successful transformation of BEL since June 2011. "CARILEC has a rich history of enabling utilities in the region to network and serve the people of the Caribbean better." said Mr. Locke as he accepted his appointment. "We will be rolling out our new Strategic Plan to support our members as they expand their services to customers and transform from electric utilities to energy service providers."

Jetz Mek
People from Yucatec Maya descent in Corozal performing the Jetz Mek also known as the Maya Baptism . This Jet Mek was done by Maya elders Felicita Cantun and Faustino Yam to a Baby boy for the symposium this weekend. El Pueblo Maya de Corozal y Orange Walk se levanta .

Channel 7

Young City Resident Found Dead In Corozal
Last night, Belize City resident Jose Zelaya Jr was reported missing in Corozal, and tonight his family has confirmed that he was found dead in a cane field near Calcutta Village this evening. He is believed to have been murdered.   Zelaya was from Belize City - but his father lives in Corozal.  He was expecting to see his son on Sunday - but he says the young man was kidnapped before he could get to him: Jose Zelaya Sr. - Son Found Dead: "Information right now that I the received is all pointing to them kidnap my son Sunday at Corozal here. I could live with the fact that my son missing three days now..."

Man Killed in His Own Neighborhood, Possibly for Boledo Winnings
This afternoon, a swarm of police mobiles flooded the Lakeview and Mayflower Street area after a fatal shooting inside the gang stronghold. The victim was 34-year-old Carlton Moreira - a plumber and lifetime resident of the area. Around 1:15 Moriera was walking down the alley to his home on Lakeview Street when he was fatally shot.  By all appearances, it is another case of an innocent man who stayed away from trouble being targeted. Sahar Vasquez was on the scene and found out from his wife that the 34-year-old may have been killed for after he came up big on a boledo win: This morning Angela Heinz woke up a happily married woman but she had no idea that before nightfall, she would be a widow and her two children would be fatherless. She spoke to us off camera:

Man Stabbed, Then Crashed, Police Can’t Say What Did Him In
And there is another violent death in the city to report - but police can’t say if the victim was stabbed to death, or if he died in an accident.   8 miles resident Rudolph Kelly Jr. also known “Tuna” died last night. When we spoke to the family this evening they said they had more questions than answers - and police say they have to do their investigation before they rule it a murder or an accidental death.  All we know was that police found Kelly in a crashed car last night around 9:00 on Central American Boulevard. Courtney Weatherburne has the story.

Woman Corporal Charged For Stabbing Constable Husband
Last night, we told you about Police Constable Hector Esquivel who had to be rushed to the San Ignacio Community Hospital after being stabbed by a woman corporal over the holiday weekend. Well tonight, we can report that the female officer who allegedly attacked him is his common-law wife, Corporal Audrey Moody. Sources tell 7News that she was formally arrested and charged today with 1 count of dangerous harm. She was arraigned before Magistrate La Donna John and reportedly remanded until May 31st. On Sunday, the couple was at home in the Cayo District, when they had a violent domestic dispute. That’s when Corporal Moody allegedly stabbed Constable Esquivel, and he had to be rushed to the San Ignacio Community Hospital in a critical condition.

George Street Figure Charged For Killing Cabbie
Last night, we gave you extensive coverage of all the murders that happened over the holiday weekend. Well, the cops say that they have solved one of them, and the suspect is on remand tonight.   He is Nicoli Rhys, a known George Street figure, and he has been charged with the murder of 31 year-old Luis Carlos Moh, the taxi man who was lured to his death near to the mile 8 community on the George Price Highway. Just before noon today, Rhys was rushed over to the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, and arraigned before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer. He was read a single charge of murder, and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July 27.  As we reported, on Monday night at around 10:00, Moh and his 17 year-old common-law wife were inside his Toyota Camry taxi, when he received a phone call to take a man to the mile 8 community.

20 Year Old Roaring Creek Resident Still Missing
At the top of the news we told you about 22 year old murder victim, Jose Zelaya - who we reported missing last night.  Well, there are also grave concerns tonight for a 20 year old - who is missing in the west.   There’s still no sign of the Roaring Creek resident, Oswald Arnold.  When we spoke Arnold’s mother this evening she says they extended the search to “Young Gial road” near Dream Valley Resort, but it turned up nothing. Police say they continue to search as well.  As we told you, Arnold left home on Thursday evening around 5:00 to go with friends to the river. He never returned but all his friends did. His family fears he was killed and his body thrown in the Iguana Creek.  We will keep following this case.

GIS As An Affordable Tool
GIS, or Geographic Information Systems is technology used all over the world to track and collect important spatial data that assists in planning and development. Over the years Belize has taken steps to integrate GIS into different fields and today we found out at the 7th Belize ESRI user conference that the technology has made a big difference and promises to continue to do so. Loretta Palacio - TBSL, Managing Director: “What we are trying to achieve this year is to bring more leaders, more business people to understand the role of this technology and national development. This technology is important for National development, it goes across all industries and is used by countries for National Development and so when we are looking at flooding, when we are looking at emergency management, border issues, economic issues, bridges transportation systems it is all in a GIS so we are looking at agriculture...

First Charged For Murder, Pott Pleads Down In Re-Trial
24 year-old Abimael Pott, who was accused of murder for the 2011 killing of 19 year-old Shamir Gonzalez, has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in the court room of Justice Colin Williams. It was the deadly school-yard brawl which played out on the compound of the Louisiana Government school in Orange Walk Town.  Gonzalez, a student at the school, was killed when he was bludgeoned to the back of the neck with a metal pipe. Pott, who was 17 years-old at the time, had intervened in the fight on behalf of his brother. In May 2014, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Charged For Stolen Goods From Scene of Arson/Murder
Last night, we showed you what police had to say about their investigation of the arson murder in Belmopan. The owner of the property, Bruce Davidson remains missing, and his house and Mahindra pick-up was discovered torched.  Charred human remains were found on his property, and police believe but need DNA to confirm that this victim may be Davidson himself. As we told you, the cops found some of his belongings at a house in Roaring Creek Village, and the intention was to charge the residents there with handling stolen goods. Police confirmed today that they have arrested and charged Stephanie Cruz, Ealsine Gentle, and a 17 year-old minor for the stolen goods. They were arraigned yesterday in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court, and they have been remanded to the Belize Central Prison. Police are still looking for David Cruz, who they also intend to charge with handling stolen goods.

Belizeans Feeling The Price Pinch At The Pump
Oil prices are going up the world over - and in Belize where fuel was already very expensive, the prices are now stratospheric! Prices went up at midnight - and the increase sees premium going up by 31 cents per gallon, regular by 21 cents per gallon, and diesel by three cents per gallon.   These increases are the result in rising acquisition costs, but government says it cannot reduce its tax take to give consumers a break.  Government said it is working with the importers to try to lessen the impact of the increases, but, just like GOB, PUMA has to get its pound of flesh as well.

Another City Murder - The Second In Hours
As we told you earlier on in the news, there was another shooting about an hour ago in Belize City.  It happened near Dolphin street and Cemetery Road.  Well, it seems two men were shot, and unconfirmed reports say one of them has died.   One of them, a 19 year old was hit to his neck and pelvis, and is in stable condition.  The other  has reportedly passed away from one gunshot to the chest and another to the hand.  We’ll have more on this tomorrow.

Who Is the Coast Guard’s Fittest Female?
Running, swimming, lifting weights, crunches – for those fitness freaks these are just a few of the exercises that you may do every day. Well, they are also part of the Coast Guard’s daily routine – no missed days, no cheat days.  And today 4 teams of female coast guard officers got to show off their strength and endurance with all these exercises and much more when the Wonder Woman competition started.  We dropped by to see these powerful and ultra-fit women in  action. Elton Bennett - Belize Coast Guard Commander: Today we started our Wonder Woman competition, this the second year in a row. it's a three day even which two activities per day. This morning we started with the ghost ride fitness test, this afternoon we're doing swimming and running, it's a one mile ocean swim followed by a one mile run then the score is by average score..."

Senator Paul Thompson Cites Price and Hyde
Last night on the news, you heard PUP Albert aspirant Senator Paul Thompson’s strong talk for his opponent, fellow Senator Valerie Woods.   And while they are the two candidates, there’s another name that we’ve been hearing in political circles, and that’s Mark Espat, the former three term PUP Representative.  Back in 2003, he won by the largest margin of victory in the modern era in any division, and Paul Thompson was a main cog in his political machine.   Espat has retired from electoral politics and is now Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s Economic Ambassador. But the question now is whether Espat has a favoured horse in this convention race. That’s what we asked Thompson:

Police Move From Murder Scene to Community Meet and Greet
At the top of the news, we told you about the murder of Carlton Moreira near to the Mayflower Street in the Ghost Town gang’s territory.  Well, less than 2 hours after that, when the cops were still mobilizing to keep law and order in that area, they still had to go out on meet and greet sessions on George Street and surrounding areas. Two of the weekend murders happened in what is considered to be in or near to George Street territory, and so police were out assuring the residents of this area, that they will attempt to prevent street tensions from escalating further. We met the officer commanding Police Precinct 2 meeting with the community, and we asked how it was going. Here’s what he had to say:

Island Police Reward For Courage
And in another bit of positive police news, a handful of Island police officers were today awarded with a certificate and cash bonus for their bravery and quick response. The San Pedro officers are the ones who responded immediately to the robbery of Caribena gas station on Friday night - and caught the suspects as they were escaping. The also recovered $1,900 dollars in stolen cash.

A Painted Gun Hidden In The Cemetery
Police today found a painted gun on Partridge Street Extension by the cemetery. The cops saw a man lurking around in the cemetery area by a tomb. When he saw the mobile, he fled. When the police looked beside a tomb, they found a black plastic bag with a 9mm pistol painted green and brown. It contained 3 live 9mm rounds and was labelled as found property.

Barbadoses PM Threatens To Leave CCJ
In November of last year, you heard 2 UDP parliamentarians complain about the Caribbean Court of Justice, the final appeals court for Belize, Barbados, Dominica, and Guyana. Well, Freundel Stuart, the Prime Minister of Barbados who is seeking re-election, has promised that if his Democratic Labour Party wins tomorrow’s general elections, his country will be withdrawing from the CCJ as its final court. News out of of Barbados on Saturday quoted him speaking at a national meeting, where he said that Barbados was the first to join the court, and it could be the first to leave.  He  is quoted as saying, “I am not going to have Barbados disrespected by politicians wearing robes… I don't subscribe to disrespect and I think that the attitude coming from Port of Spain leaves much to be desired in terms of how it is treating Barbados…” The Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper has since written a scathing editorial piece pointing out that Prime Minister Stuart is going against his Party’s history, and his own support of Barbados joining the court, back in 2004, when he was in Opposition.

NTUCB Makes Statement Against Israeli Killings
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has joined the chorus of voices out of Belize condemning the killing of 60 Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli military forces, who also injured over 2,000, four hundred and fifty of whom were hurt by live rounds fired upon them. A press release from the NTUCB says, quote, “The National Trade Union Congress of Belize… condemns the disproportionate and deadly Israeli suppression of Palestinian protests on the Gaza Strip boundary...

Channel 5

Murder in Mayflower: Did Sudden Riches Lead to Death of Carlton Moreira?
A father of two was gunned down in Belize City around one-fifteen this afternoon in the middle of a gang-ridden neighborhood. But the authorities and his family don’t have a [...]

Gangster Nicholi Rhys Charged with Murder of Taxi Man Luis Carlos Moh
Within hours of the murder of Luis Carlos Moh, taxi operator of the Kings’ Park area of Belize City at mile eight on the George Price Highway, police have made [...]

Final Appeal for Murdered Michelle Anderson; Family Seeks Help with Burial Expenses
While Belize City police are yet to make an arrest in the Monday morning execution of Michelle Anderson, the children of the slain fish cleaner are seeking public assistance in [...]

Rudolph Kelly Crashed on the Boulevard, but Was He Murdered Beforehand?
There was a fatal accident on Tuesday night at the intersections of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street.  Sometime before nine o’clock, Belize City police were called out to the [...]

Orange Walk’s Abimael Pott Takes Plea for Killing During Fight
He was originally charged, and subsequently convicted, of the murder of a teenager during a fight at a school in Orange Walk Town. However, he was ordered to stand trial [...]

Sharon Ferguson Sighted in City, but Looks in a Bad Way
Sharon Ferguson has been reported missing as of Tuesday afternoon although she has not been seen by her family since last week. But there have been several sightings since our [...]

Missing Jose Zelaya Found Dead in Calcutta, Corozal
The body of twenty-two-year-old Jose Zelaya was found in a cane field in Calcutta this earlier today, after reportedly attending a beach party in the Corozal District.  Zelaya was a [...]

Diaspora Belizeans Shut Out of Re-Registration over Residency
Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai appeared on this morning’s Open Your Eyes to discuss the upcoming re-registration process. The first and only re-registration of voters took place in 1997 and [...]

Guat-Belizeans Will Be Registered – but Immigration to Check Certificates
The express concern of those seizing on the re-registration process as a means of “cleaning up” the voters’ list is the presence of many persons of Guatemalan descent who claim [...]

Region One Commander Says Keep Calm on Murder Spate
Over the past week, several people have been murdered. Now, it is nothing new for Belize City, really, but for many these killings are worrying because most of the victims [...]

Bringing “Street Law” to the Youth
As Belizeans, we all play an important role in the framework of education and the development of our young people and adult learners. That’s the mission of a pilot group [...]

Cruel Hike in Gas Prices Coming Tonight
For a third time this month gas prices are seeing yet another increase at the fuel pumps.  Premium gasoline has gone up by thirty-one cents, from eleven dollars and thirty-six [...]

Belize’s Fire Chief Travels to U.S.
Fire Chief Ted Smith is presently away in the United States where he has visited with a pair of Belizean firemen studying in Virginia.  Patrick Parks and Johnny Cardenas are [...]

Celebrating Oil Moratorium – “Hands Across the Sand”
Over the weekend, on May nineteenth at noon, persons from communities and organizations across the country joined hands on beaches, across bridges, in conference rooms and along seawalls and other [...]

The ESRI User Conference Applies Science to Location
Every two years there is a gathering of Belizeans and international participants making use of geographic information systems technology under the aegis of its world-leading provider, ESRI, and its chief [...]

Honoring the “Flowers Bank Fourteen”
Next Friday, June first, marks not only the start of the hurricane season but an important milestone in Belizean history. On that date in 1797, the vote of twelve free [...]

Police Install New Booth on Barrack Road
Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett was on hand this afternoon to receive a brand new police booth on the north side. We met Gillett on Barrack Road where the police booth [...]

Defending the Community Policing Strategy
Earlier in the newscast, you heard Commander Howell Gillett speak briefly about the crime in the city.  While he has been on the Southside for less than three months, there [...]

Police Meet and Greet George Street Residents
This evening, officers attached to Precinct Two in Belize City took to the streets to meet with residents in the areas of Euphrates and Amara Avenues, as well as nearby [...]

LOVE FM

Family’s house dismantled
Tonight a family in Maya Mopan in Belmopan is without a house. The building which they called home for years was dismantled by Belmopan authorities. Mario Ayala, his wife, Ana Teck and their children are the latest family to be forcibly removed from a piece of land they have been living on for years. The …

Police take children from Region One zip lining in Cayo
As we mentioned, the Commander continues to promote community policing in Belize City. The most recent event to promote this was on Sunday when the Commander and other officers took thirty young people from the Region One division on a fun filled trip in the Cayo District.

Vinnie Garbutt sentenced to 18 years for the manslaughter of Kayla Burgess in 2014
Four years after 24 year old Kayla Burgess was killed, today the man responsible for her death was sentenced to prison. Vincent Garbutt, better known as Vinnie, was sentenced to eighteen years, but not for murder. He was sentenced for the crime of manslaughter. Burgess was killed on March 20, 2014. Her family who lives …

Introducing Street Law in schools
Today, St. Ignatius High School, Delille Academy, Mopan Technical High School, and Independence High School held a Street Law Belize Introductory/Consultation Forum at the Cayo Center for Employment Training. The program will also implement legal literacy programs with a focus on support of economic law and development activities, including law impacting small businesses, the created …

Who killed Carlton Moreira?
The latest murder in Belize City occurred just after one o’clock this afternoon. 34-year-old Carlton Moreira was shot and killed in the back alley of the Mayflower area. Police arrived shortly after and sealed off the crime scene. After the news of his death broke, family and friends gathered in shock and disbelief. His common-law-wife, …

Teacher seeks financial assistance for heart surgery
A school teacher of Buena Vista Government School, Imay Violeta Quiterio is seeking the public’s assistance. Quiterio, a mother of six, has been diagnosed with a serious heart disease that requires her to undergo surgery. She told us about her condition. Again, numbers to get in contact with Quiterio are 601-4030/666-4072.

BDF and Coast Guard face-off in Wonder Woman Challenge
The Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard females are facing off in the third annual Wonder Woman Challenge 2018. A total of thirty-two women are competing in this grueling event, which is organized by the Belize Coast Guard. Love News spoke with Lieutenant Alma Pinelo about the competition. Love News also spoke with …

Preventing corruption in public procurement
At the request of Belize, a workshop focused on the prevention of corruption in public procurement continued today in Teakettle Village. The training is part of the Strengthening National Systems for UNCAC Implementation project. Legal Expert for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Cristina Ritter, spoke to Love News. The workshop continues tomorrow. …

Workshop sensitize government workers to WTO regulations
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is responsible for regulating trade arrangements amongst countries. A three-day workshop is being held at the Radisson Fort George to sensitize technical officers from various government departments to the rules and regulations of the WTO. Love News spoke with Denise Swan Murillo, Trade Economist, at the Ministry of Foreign Trade. …

Police Department receives second police booth donation
The Police Department continues to follow through with its commitment to improving the working conditions of police officers who are attached to the Region One division in Belize City. Officer Commanding the division, Sr. Superintendent Howell Gillett has engaged in several meetings with the business sector to obtain their support in funding these improvements. One …

Major Crimes down in Eastern Division Region One
Major Crimes in the Eastern Division has dipped according to Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett, commander of Region One in Belize City. The Commander has been at the helm of incorporating community policing as a key part of addressing the violence in the region since his installation as Commander. …

Man dies in traffic incident
A fatal traffic incident which took place last night has claimed one life. 52-year-old Rudolph Kelly, of an 8 Miles address, was involved in a road traffic accident on Central American Blvd in Belize City, at the Mahogany roundabout. …

The Reporter

Man shot on Cemetery Road
Reliable information reaching the Reporter indicates that a man was shot a few minutes ago in Belize City. The incident, we are told, happened near Atlantic Bank on Cemetery Road in the Collet area and the person was shot in the right side of the […]

Police find body of Belize City man in Corozal
Police have discovered the remains of a Belize City man who went missing in Calcutta village, Corozal. Relatives of Jose Zelaya, 22, have confirmed with the Reporter that the remains are those of Zelaya, who left his house on Mahogany Street on Monday, May 21st. […]

Man shot to death near Mayflower Street
Unofficial reports are that a man was shot a few minutes ago in Belize City. Sources close to the Reporter indicate that the shooting happened in an alley that leads off Mayflower Street. The victim died at the scene of a gunshot wound to the […]

Breaking Belize News

BEL CEO new Chairman of CARILEC
CARILEC Elects Belize Electricity Limited’s CEO as New Chairman at Annual General Meeting in Barbados Chief […]

Plumber murdered today in Belize City
Police officially charged 27-year-old Nicoli Rhys, of George street Belize city, for the murder of 31-year-old […]

Belize City man charged with murder of slain taxi driver
Police officially charged 27-year-old Nicoli Rhys, of George street Belize city, for the murder of 31-year-old […]

Students tour Agric show grounds
Today,18 students from the Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, USA, visited the National […]

Agriculture Ministry’s Extension and Cooperative Staff receive training
The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture hosted a […]

Gas prices rise again!
The Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) has issued a release with new increases in gas prices […]

Potential tropical storm Alberto brewing in Gulf coast
The National Hurricane Center today increased the formation chance from 40 to 60% over the next […]

Mexican trade mission coming to Belize
The Embassy of Mexico and PROMEXICO (the Mexican Trade and Investment Agency) are organizing a trade […]

Man dies in fatal traffic accident
Belize city police are investigating a traffic accident that claimed one man’s life last night around […]

Climate-Smart agriculture opportunities workshop held in Belmopan
The Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and funding […]

Belize launches Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan
The Government of Belize, with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) officially launched Belize’s […]

Blogs

Mek Wi Kuk/Let’s Cook with Belize Food Tours!
Two years ago, brother and sister duo Dora and Felipe Paz started a unique venture that quickly became a must-do activity on Ambergris Caye. Belize Food Tours took the best of Belize: food and vibrant Belizean personalities, and converted it into a fun tour that takes guests on a culinary adventure. Now they’ve taken a step further, adding a cooking segment to their repertoire, inviting guests to try their hand at recreating some tasty Belizean favorites. “Yuh Belizean Kitchen” is located on Barrier Reef Drive, directly across from Fido’s Courtyard and in the same space as Maxi’s. The cheerfully decorated space has ample seating to take full advantage of cooking demonstrations, and for the inaugural first class, we were thrilled to make a delicious sweet potato pudding (pound), ceviche and the tres amigos de maiz (three friends of corn): panades, garnaches, and salbutes.

San Pedro Scenes: A Day of Errands
I’ll cut to the chase. I spend a couple hours a day running errands around San Pedro. Mostly for Cayo Frances Farm & Fly but everyday life requires many stops a day. Yesterday I checked on our busted golf cart (don’t even ask), we bought fish, meat, vegetables and ate lunch. I first went to pick up Jeff – who was doing shopping for his camp. It was the first time in ages that I was early enough to see the veg and fruit market on Back of Back Street. (I LOVE Backa Back Street) We headed back to San Pedrito to buy fish filet. I spotted two HUGH horse conch shells. Unlike the queen conch, these have no season but the meat is a bit…tougher. Locally it is called MYMULA.

Fun Things to Do in Belize: A First Timers Guide
Belize is a tropical paradise nestled small but glittering between its larger neighbors Mexico and Guatemala. For such a tiny country Belize is incredibly diverse, offering something of fascination to almost any sort of traveler. A Mystical history; deep-rooted religion; a warm and vibrant native culture; stunning ancient architecture; the list goes on and on . . . And of course––most famously––the vivid tropical climate, shuddering with life both above and below the ocean’s surface. Wildlife; trekking; snorkeling; diving; sailing; climbing; caving . . . there is enough crammed into this tiny little place to thoroughly exhaust any sort of holiday of any sort of length. Put Belize on your radar!

Gorgeous pics and new stuff to do in Placencia, Belize!
The weather has been awesome lately! April and May for the last few years have been great months weather-wise in Belize, very little rain, and since it is still technically high season-ish, everything is open! So I'm just going to sprinkle in a bunch of recent pics while you catch up on some Placencia happenings.... One of the the things I have heard again and again that Placencia is missing....is a wine bar....and....now one is opening! Right near Above Grounds, "The Little Wine Bar" is a welcome addition to what the village offers :)

Belize in June
On the vacation calendar, June is an odd month. Too early for school vacations and too late for springtime festivities like Easter and Carnival, June is sometimes a bit of a misfit. But precisely because it occurs during the "low" travel season, June is one of the best months to visit Belize. June is a bit of a transition month in Belize as the country is moving into its "green" season. Belize receives roughly eight inches of rain in June, but most of that falls overnight or in brief downbursts during the hottest part of the day. Visitors to Belize can easily wait out the brief afternoon showers to enjoy a full day's worth of exploring and traveling in the country. Expect daytime highs of 86F and nighttime lows of 78F. Water temperatures are likewise comfortably warm, making June an excellent time to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and other water sports.

7 Belize Barrier Reef Facts Every Scuba Diver Should Know About
With hundreds of islands and thousands of dive sites, it's no wonder that the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Belize Barrier Reef is a world-class scuba diving destination. belize barrier reef If you are coming to Belize for a fabulous scuba diving vacation, here are seven important facts you should know: It's Really Big: The Belize Barrier Reef is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-biggest barrier reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The Belize Barrier Reef forms approximately 35% of the total north-south length of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System but 80% of its total area.

6 Musts When Visiting Belize!
Although Belize is a small country, it has a lot of things to do and see, making it impossible to see them all in one go. If you're coming to Belize, here are six activities you shouldn't miss:

Belize Whale Shark Diving & Snorkeling
Whale sharks are truly amazing animals. Weighing in around 10 tons and measuring as long as 40 feet (12 meters), whale sharks are the largest non-mammalian animals in the world. Whale sharks are sharks, not whales, but they got their name for their enormous size. Like many giant creatures in the oceans, whale sharks feed exclusively on tiny plankton and krill, and they have no teeth as such, just a complex filter organism that strains out their food from the water. Because of this, they pose little danger to humans. Whale sharks circumnavigate the planet every year, traveling more than 30,000 miles (48,000 kilometers) as they follow the tides and currents. Whale sharks often cruise a deep depths, sometimes more than 5,000 feet (1.5 km) below the surface AND can filter over 1,500 gallons (5,600 liters) of water per hour when they feed.

Culture in Belize
Many people come to Belize for the great weather, amazingly beautiful natural areas, and exciting adventure options without realizing that the country is home to a unique blend of different cultures and peoples. Belize is a true melting pot society, one where people of different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and languages all live harmoniously side-by-side. The first Europeans to visit Belize were the Spanish, who were only partially successful at subduing the Maya, the descendants of the advanced culture that built the pyramids, temples, and palaces that still dot the landscape of Belize. By the 18th century, however, the British had come to dominate Belize, bringing in enslaved Africans as loggers and workers on their plantations. Today, their descendants are known as the Creole (or Kriol), who speak a unique dialect of English.

The Amazing Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley
The Belize Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the second-largest barrier reef in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Composed of hundreds of beautiful islands and lovely atolls, the Belize Barrier Reef is a mecca for snorkelers and divers due to the clarity of the water and the incredible eco-diversity of marine life that call the reef home. One of the top diving and snorkeling sites in Belize is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. A protected national park, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve gets its name from the Mayan term for "little channel." This is because the reserve is located on a natural cut in the reef (known as a quebrada) that allows marine life to transit between the inner and outer portion of the reef.

Best Beaches in Belize
Simply put, Belize has been blessed by a bounty of beautiful beaches. Belize enjoys more than 200 miles (380 kilometers) of beaches along its Caribbean coast, ensuring a more than ample supply of white sandy beaches for both locals and tourists to enjoy. In addition, Belize has more than 200 offshore islands located on the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the second-largest coral reef system in the world. In Belize, islands are known as cayes (pronounced "keys"), and most are located within just a few miles of the mainland. Belize's largest island is the popular tourist destination of Ambergris Caye. Measuring 25 miles (40 km) long by one mile (1.6 km) across, Ambergris Caye is home to some 15,000 people. Other popular tourist destinations include Caye Caulker, Tobacco Caye, and Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Many of Belize's islands lie inside protected marine environents and are uninhabited except for scientific monitoring stations.

The Top Luxury Hotels in Belize
Here I am including a list of what I consider the best luxury hotels and resorts in Belize right now. Each place has something unique to offer, whether they are a hip boutique hotel with all the modern comforts and world-class amenities or a rustic Eco-haven in the middle of the jungle. If you think that I’m only mentioning the resorts below because they offer upscale full service or have an exclusive clientele, you’re mistaken. These properties have been hand selected because they offer spectacular views, exquisite food, the best tour guides and staff, and have a rich ambiance rated “5 Star” in my books. I also recommend that if you want to have the best Belize trip possible, spending a few days in the jungle before heading to the beach is optimal. Below I will feature resorts in (1) Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, (2) Western Belize, (3) the Southern Coast of Belize, (4) Southern Belize, and lastly, (5) Northern Belize, which is the least popular destination. The most popular luxury travel destinations are San Pedro, which is in Ambergris Caye, and San Ignacio, which is in Western Belize.

International Sources

World’s 10 Best Islands for Snorkeling
Want to snorkel with whale sharks, sea turtles or humpback whales? Or maybe float above underwater statues, like Christ the Abyss? We’ve updated our list of the 10 best islands around the globe for underwater adventures. Grab a mask and dive in to the best snorkeling in the world. The best snorkel reefs start shallow, and few are shallower than Glovers Reef Atoll. At low tide, coral heads pop from the sea, visible to beachgoers at the private-island Off the Wall Dive Center and Resort. Don a mask and jump in to witness the rainbow of reds, yellows and purples of the hard and soft corals, and thriving marine life. You don’t need to cover much ground to encounter diversity. Here, the best tactic is to hover above a patch of reef and check out the hundreds of species, from blenny fish, each only 3 inches long, to toadfish, a pancake-flat, whiskered bottom-dweller that betrays its hiding spots when emitting a loud croak.

Massive Sargassum Seaweed Bloom is Choking The Caribbean — Climate Change a Likely Culprit
Belize is no exception to this natural phenomenon. A great article to read to understand a bit more about this prevalent occurrence taking place along our Belize coastline, in particular the cayes and penninsula. "Massive Sargassum Seaweed Bloom is Choking the Caribbean".

Belize must act to escape cycle of defaults – IMF staff
Research from the International Monetary Fund labels parts of Belize’s latest debt restructuring as “interesting innovations”, but the researchers believe the country will remain in a cycle of debt and default unless efforts to reduce the stock of public debt are made. In a paper analysing Belize’s latest debt restructuring efforts, Tamon Asonuma, Michael Papaioannou, Eriko Togo and Bert van Selm compare action taken in 2016 with the country’s two previous debt restructuring efforts.

40s & Shorties Follows Former Bad Boy Rapper Shyne to Belize for Summer 2018
Running through the streets as the artist once did. 40s & Shorties recently unveiled its Summer 2018 collection, enlisting former Bad Boy rapper Shyne to not only star in the lookbook display but follow him around his home country of Belize. The lifestyle label got a snapshot of Shyne’s childhood upbringing, as the once-troubled artist guided the crew around the island, revisiting the street he previously lived on, while also touring the resource center he helped initiate.

Videos

May 23, 2018

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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

Three men charged for Caribeña Fuels gas station robbery
San Pedro Police have charged Zimmer Perez, Jair Brown, and Arrie Gentle for the Saturday, May 19th robbery at Caribeña Fuels Gas Station, south of San Pedro Town. According to reports, the assailants attacked the pump attendants with knives, stealing their waist bags containing money from the day’s sale. Police were alerted and soon arrested two of the thieves while they were trying to escape. The third person was apprehended hours after. Witnesses reported that one of the pump attendants was stabbed to the neck and rushed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, but the official police report did not confirm that detail. On Tuesday, May 22nd, all three men were arraigned at the San Pedro Magistrate Court and charged with robbery.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Joins Oceana’s Hand Across The Sand Event
On Saturday, May 18, 2018, Oceana was in charge of organizing the Hands Across the Sand event in Belize and it was successfully held in all the districts around the country including San Pedro, Dangriga, Corozal, Punta Gorda, Belmopan, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Caye Caulker, Belize City and Placencia. The event had participants holding hands by the shore at the San Pedro Central Park as a sign of solidarity against offshore oil drilling and sending the message to government that they do not support any of it, as it will jeopardize one of the country’s most important natural resources and industries. Oceana Belize continues to be a strong advocate and a voice for the people of Belize to send this strong message against offshore oil drilling in the country.

Misc Belizean Sources

Prime Minister Departs Country for Medical Consultations
Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow departed the country today, May 22, 2018 for Miami. He will continue medical consultations for his back ailment. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return to Belize on May 30, 2018. During the Prime Minister’s absence, Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, will act as Prime Minister of Belize.

Mr. Florencio Sansores passes away
Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Sansores friends and family on the passing of Mr. Florencio Sansores. May the family find the strength in each other to overcome this great loss. San Pedro has lost another pioneer in the fishing industry. Sail on Mr. Sansores...

Kayakers crossing the grand finish line at Corozal
Yesterday, the kayakers crossed the grand finish line at Corozal. These shots capture what seem to be the "we made it" expressions. They finished what they started, all 218 miles over 5 grueling days.

BTB Love Belize Sea Kayak Challenge
Teams Koop Sheet Metal and Team NICH were both represented at the BTB Love Belize Sea Kayak Challenge, with Henner Cruz proudly representing Team NICH.

Climate-Smart Agriculture Opportunities Workshop
The Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) with funding from the World Bank, is currently hosting a workshop on Climate-Smart Agriculture Opportunities at the Ministry of Agriculture Showgrounds Conference Room in Belmopan. The main objectives of the workshop are to share the results of the Cost-Benefit Analysis for priority Caribbean-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices and to build an investment portfolio for the agriculture sector in the face of climate change. The portfolio will be used as a planning and programming tool by various stakeholders involved in CSA in Belize.

Belize Launches Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan
As part of its commitment to deliver a well-organized, sustainable, and climate-resilient transportation sector, the Government of Belize, with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) officially launched today, May 22nd, Belize’s first ever Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan (CNTMP). The overall objective of the CNTMP is to serve as Belize’s preeminent reference document on transportation. It will aid in facilitating strategic sector planning and more efficient and effective transport of people and freight within the country, and between Belize and its main trading partners. The launch event, held at the Belize Biltmore Plaza, was attended by key representatives in the public and private sector as well as civil society.

National Climate Change Youth Video Competition 2018
The National Climate Change Office (NCCO), which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development, has launched the 2018 National Climate Change Youth Video Competition. This competition is linked to the 2018 ‘Global Youth Video Competition’ being organized by the United Nations Climate Change. The top two videos for the national competition will be submitted to the UN Climate Change as Belize’s submission to the global competition. The Global Youth Video Competition will culminate with two participants being selected as winners to attend the Conference of Parties (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018.

Work being done on North Children's Park
The Caye Caulker Village Council would like to ask all parents to please refrain from taking your children to the North Children's Park as we are currently revamping and upgrading the play area, we kindly as your co operation to avoid any accidents. Thank you!

BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge
Congratulations to the First Place Male Winners and Overall BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge BCG Belize Coast Guard Champions for completing in 35 hours 59 minutes 14 seconds. Special thanks to our Corozal Town Council, Belize Port Authority, Belize Coast Guard and our Corozal Police Department for rendering great services.

Annual Marimba Dance
Happening this Friday May 25th, 2018, the Annual Marimba Dance in San Ignacio and Santa Elena House of Culture.

Channel 7

Mother of 9 Killed On Walk To The Corner Store
It's been a devastating long weekend - with 5, and possibly 6 weekend murders to report, as well as other shootings and traumatic deaths. They're all tragedies, and all profoundly sad - and one of the saddest has to be the loss of 40-year-old Michelle Anderson - a mother of nine who was randomly shot while buying a few items to make Sunday dinner for her family. Anderson and 30-year-old Nelson Lopez were in June's Meat store when a man came in and fired several shots. She was fatally shot in the chest, while Lopez was shot to the thigh. Anderson's family is left shattered by the untimely and unexpected death of their loved one. Sahar Vasquez stopped by and found that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Police Say Mother’s Murder Has No Clear Motive
The murder has left many that knew Anderson bewildered as she was not involved in any suspicious activity. And it seems the police are also puzzled by the incident. Today they said they're still looking for answers: ASP Alejandro Cowo, OC-CIB Belize City: "What police gathered so far is that both persons the female and the male person were inside of Junes Meat Shop which is located at the Finnegan Market. While Ms. Michelle was doing her shopping inside of the meat market a male person came by and fired several shots at her direction and also hitting Mr. Nelson who was beside her attending to her inside of the shop."

Sawed Off Shotgun Killed Ruta Maya Paddler
And from violence in Belize City to more bloodshed in Cayo - a man was slain in front of Blue Angels Night Club after 1:00 Monday morning. 28 year old Kyne Gentle was with his friends buying food in front of the club when a man just walked up to Gentle and shot him with a sawed off shotgun. Now Gentle is well known in the sporting community so why would anyone want this athlete dead? There just aren't any clear answers to this question. Courtney Weatherburne has more. Courtney Weatherburne, reporting: Nothing brought more pride and joy to the Gentle family than to see Kyne in the PACT team canoe getting ready for La Ruta Maya 2018. He is the man in the middle - excited to get paddling.

No Motive For Kyne Killing
And police don't have much answers in this case either. Although they say Gentle is known to police, they haven't come up with a motive as yet. ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB: "Police were called to a nightclub on Hudson Street in San Ignacio, based on information that shots were fired. Upon the police arrival, a male person was seen lying on the steps of the nightclub apparently dead with two gunshot injuries; one to the head and one to the abdomen area. Based on the police's investigation, whilst the deceased was at the foot of the steps he was approached by a lone gunman wearing a black cap who fired the two shots after him before making good his escape."

Pool Player Par Excellence Robbed and Killed
Our next murder story brings us back to Belize City - where another sportsman was killed. Juan Angel Vargas made his name as a master pool player, while he made his money as a hotdog vendor in Belize City. But he won't be playing any more pool or selling hotdogs. Around 4:00 on Sunday morning Vargas was preyed upon by robbers outside his home on Tigris Street. Sahar Vasquez found out more about the pool playing master, cut down by a petty thief: Juan Angel Vargas won this trophy two weeks ago when he crushed the competition in the Belize District Singles Pool competition. He won the rest of these trophies in his 20 years of competing in pool tournaments all around Belize. It would be an understatement to say he was a good pool player. The game came naturally to him.

Police Say Killer Ambushed Vargas
As we told you, Police believe that the motive for Vargas's death was robbery. All the money he had on him was gone when they arrived. They believe his killer trailed him home: ASP Alejandro Cowo, OC-CIB Belize City "He was approached by a male person who fired at his direction hitting him to the back of his head causing the fatal injuries. Police in the area responded and as a result, this matter is under investigation." "During the investigation police have uncovered that his wallet and other personal items were gone." "What we understand is that when he finished his sales and packed up he was followed until he reached to his home on Tigris Street."

Cabbie Killed By Mystery Caller
Earlier in the news, we told you about 2 of the weekend murders in the Belize City, and another in San Ignacio, but before the long weekend was over, another killing was reported. This one happened last night at Mile 8 on the George Price Highway - and again the victim was a taxi-man, one of the most high risk occupations in the country. It's an all - too - familiar story, Belize City cabbie Luis Moh was killed by gunmen who pretended to be legitimate customers. Daniel Ortiz has his story: Felipe Moh - Father of the Deceased: "He works hard for a little bit of money. I don't know what will happen, but why those guys that are doing this targets poor people, people that are working hard. What would the ministers do if this happens to one of their sons or daughters?"

Police Comment On the Murders Of Working People
So, that's 4 victims killed, and, according to best information, they were all working people - not gangsters. So, again, the worrying trend is resurfacing that innocent people continue to be victims of gun violence. We brought it up with police, and here's what they had to say at today's bi-weekly press conference: ASP Alejandro Cowo - CIB OC: "It is of great concern for us as we knew that this was a trend in the past and it had actually come to a pause for many years but as of recent we have seen that this is reoccurring again. So, it is something that we are really looking to see if we can put a stop because the three victims that were involved in this shooting incident are all law abiding citizens."

Man Likely Killed And Then Home Burnt Down in Hopkins
There's another traumatic death over the weekend which happened in Hopkins Village - and this one also looks like murder - but police can't say for sure yet. This community on the coast of the Stann Creek District is known for its natural beauty and for it's easygoing way of life, but, early on Sunday morning, that peace was disturbed by a three building fire, followed by the discovery of charred human remains. Police say that they found a 2-storey house completely destroyed, and it's tenant, George Magaña, missing.

Fire Dept. Confirms Arson
The Fire Department today confirmed that someone set the fire. Orin Smith - Station Officer, National Fire Service: "The Dangriga branch of the National Fire Service received and responded to structural fire in the village of Hopkins, Stann Creek District. On arrival on the scene 2 of 3 structures was seen engulf with flames. All 3 structures were on the same property. The structure at the farthest point from the first 2 that was on fire was undamaged by the fire. Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire originated in the 2nd structure, that 2nd is a 20 by 30 wooden structure elevated approximately 4 feet off ground approximately 4 feet from the front structure. During the mop-up phase of fire extinguishing, the lifeless body of an unidentified person was also discovered. The cause of the fire is classified as incendiary. Person or persons responsible are unknown at this time."

Bruce Davidson’s Burnt Pickup And The Clues It Yields
So that's the second case of murder and arson in a week. In the arson murder case in Belmopan from last week, the cops confirmed what we reported on Friday: that they had made some major headway in the investigation of Bruce Davidson. As we told you, police found Davidson's vehicle, a Mahindra Pickup, burnt on the outskirts of Belmopan. They also recovered some of Davidson's personal belongings, including a phone system, at a house in Roaring Creek Village. Here's what the Head of the National Criminal Investigations Branch had to say about the case today:

20 Year Old Roaring Creek Resident Missing, Feared Dead
Tonight a Roaring Creek mother is desperate to find her son. 20 year old Oswald Arnold left his home on Thursday the 17th after 5:00 in the evening. His mother, Rosita Orellana says Arnold told her that he was going to the river with friends and he would be back on Friday. He never returned. Although it is hard for Orellana to accept, she says she has lost all hope in finding her son alive. Here is what she had to say. Rosita Orellana- Mother: "He came home and told me that he was going to the river with some of his friends but he did not come back." Courtney Weatherburne- Reporter: "Does he normally go out with his friends to the river?"

W/Cpl Stabs Male PC in Domestic Dispute
While police were very forthcoming about their investigation into all these cases, they were very brief in their discussing 2 cases involving their very own. The first one happened on Sunday in the Cayo District. Reports are Police Constable Hector Esquivel was at home with a woman Corporal, when they had some sort of disagreement. During the incident, the Corporal allegedly stabbed PC Esquivel, and he had to be rushed to the San Ignacio Community Hospital, reportedly in a critical condition. We asked about the case today, but the cops were tight lipped:

Cpl’s Wife Takes Gun, Grazes 12 Year Old
In another case of a police involved in a domestic dispute, leading to the injury of a family member, this morning at 4:45 in Mahogany Heights, a police Corporal was socializing with his wife when they got into a nasty argument. She reportedly got a hold of his service 9mm pistol, and she fired it in the house. That bullet reportedly grazed the leg of a 12 year-old child. We asked police about it, but they did not want to comment, saying only that it will be dealt with "internally".

Pedro Police Caught Robbers Quickly
This weekend, San Pedro police were ready when robbers struck at Caribena Fuels Gas Station, at the corner of Blake Street and Sea Grape Drive. That's right around the corner from the Tropicana Restaurant where Lamont Lipka was killed one week earlier. Around 7:15 two men approached the two gas station attendants with knives and stole their waist bags with a total of $1,900 in cash from the days sales. But, police were on active patrol in the area and sprang into action. Two patrols were able to corner the culprits within minutes, and they got back the money bags and found the knives used.

Woman Dead, Hit and Run Driver Caught
So far tonight, we've already told you about five murders, and one missing man who is feared dead. But there were still two more traumatic deaths - both involved women killed in separate hit and run accidents. The first happened on Friday night at 7:30 between miles 45 and 46 on the George Price Highway. 30 year old Silvia ZAVALA from Belmopan was driving a motorbike from Cotton Tree Village to Belmopan and was hit from behind by a taxi, and violently flung unto the side of the road - where she was found dead. The taxi fled the scene but Belmopan police, moving with their characteristic swiftness caught up with the man they believe to be the driver in just 24 hours.

Another Woman Killed In Hit And Run
The other woman killed in a it and run accident was 37 year old Rosita Requena - who was knocked down by a hit and run driver between miles 9 and 10 on the Southern Highway near of Silk Grass Village. It happened at 9:30 on Sunday morning where she was seen dead on the roadside with multiple head and body injuries. Requena lived in Silk Grass. There are also reports of another weekend accident on the southern highway. Unofficial reports say that it happened near DEEP RIVER area when the driver of a Ford Ranger pick up lost control and several of his passengers were injured.

Paul Thompson Says His Opponent & Fellow Senator Represents Special Interests
Last week the news was all about Senator Valerie Woods - who surprised political observers when she decided to contest the convention for the Albert Division. That has caused some internal disquiet in the PUP - since Paul Thompson - an ally of the Cordel Hyde power base in the city - now has to face an unexpected and unwelcomed challenge. Un-welcomed because these things do cost money - and there's no abundance of that in the Hyde base. But, when we met Thompson campaigning today, he told his challenger and fellow PUP Senator to bring it on:… Hon. Paul Thompson - PUP Caretaker, Albert: "I have been in the Albert Division now for 23 years working politically and was born and raised in Albert as well but politically I have been here for 23 years and I have never seen Miss Valerie Smith on the ground working politically..."

Mentally Ill Mother Missing, Family Asking for Help
Mother of two, Belize City resident Sharon Ferguson has been missing since last week Tuesday and her family is in extremely worried. Ferguson suffers from a mental illness called Dissociative Personality Disorder and has gone missing before, but never for this long. Her husband came by our studio to ask for the public's help in locating her. You can call Bennett at 663-7056 or 628-5090 if you know anything about her whereabouts. A reward of $100 is being offered to anyone who has any information about her.

Cops and Kids Ziplining
So far tonight you've heard about all the bad news police have to investigated, but there are also great community initiatives. On Sunday the Eastern Division Southside Commander, Sr. Superintendent Howell Gillett and staff took 30 young people between 8 and 15 from neighborhoods all across the city for a special adventure above the forest canopy. They went to Franks Eddy Village to do zip lining - just like the tourists. Police say they hope to, quote, "keep young people positive by taking them out of their usual environment to experience other possibilities. This…will help these young people by opening their minds to a life other than the status quo." End quote.

Capital Cops Playing Sports With Kids
In another care of pro-active community policing, On Saturday the Belmopan formation along with Officers from the Community Policing Unit held a sports day filled with activities for 115 cadets from various areas. Those areas include Belmopan, Camalote, Valley of Peace, Roaring Creek, Cotton Tree, St Mathews and Armenia.. The main purpose of the event was to promote physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle, and, also, to bring the kids from all these communities together.

Sands, Hands, Saving Seas
Every year countries promote clean energy with solidarity events. And On Saturday Belize was one of 117 countries to conduct a Hands Across the Sand Event. Belizeans from twelve municipalities in the country joined hands on beaches, bridges, sea walls, and other public areas to promote clean energy and alternatives to fossil fuels and also to celebrate Belize's historic decision to implement offshore oil moratorium. Vice President of Oceana Janelle Chanona said, quote, "this decision by the Belizeans, Government and people therefore makes Belize a global leader not just in coral reef protection but most importantly of the people who depend on them."

Fire Dept Puts Out Fire
On Sunday morning at 11:30, the fire department responded to a blaze at a home in the Buttonwood Bay area. They say the residential fire was on the lower flat:.. Police reports say a cell phone charger may have been involved in the fire.

PM Gone Away To See About Bad Back
Last week the Prime Minister spoke about his bad back - he said he is weighing the possibility of surgery. Well, he left the country today, for Miami where he will continue medical consultations for his back. He returns next week Wednesday, May 30, 2018. During the Prime Minister's absence, Patrick Faber, will act as Prime Minister.

Hon. Boots Says UDP Wants Gilroy
Earlier we told you about the upcoming Albert convention which is contested. But, over the weekend, an uncontested convention, known as an endorsement, was held in Port Loyola for Gilroy Usher - who's been in there since 2012. His opponent says he wants Usher to stay right there:.. Reporter: "Would you have prefer to see a convention?" Hon. Anthony Martinez: "Put it this way, I wanted Mr. Usher. We need Mr. Usher, because he can't win. He didn't come close. The man says you don't mess with anything that doesn't need fix. Mr. Usher got beaten 2 times, so why should I happy for anybody come? Anybody else comes maybe the result could be different. I am happy. I was an advocate and I was the type of person who were saying to people that they were chancing Mr. Usher. We need him, because it's him we can beat."

Channel 5

Cabbie’s Last Fare Leads to Murder
The extended Commonwealth Holiday weekend was an exceptionally violent and bloody one across the country, with murders, disappearances and road traffic accidents being reported as early as Saturday morning.  The [...]

Hot dog Vendor Cruelly Ambushed Outside Home, then Robbed
A hot dog vendor of Belize City was robbed and shot dead in front of his home on Sunday morning. Forty-four-year-old Honduran businessman Juan Angel Vargas, who had lived in [...]

In Cayo, Execution Outside Blue Angels Night Club
A resident of Santa Elena was killed in the early hours of Monday morning outside a night club in San Ignacio. Contrary to speculations that Kyne Gentle was partying at [...]

Fire in Hopkins Guest House May Cover Apparent Murder
There is yet another murder case, similar to that in Belmopan last Tuesday in which it is believed that a British national was killed and then his house set on [...]

Mom Michelle Anderson Caught in Shooting at Market
Tonight, the Conch Shell Bay community is mourning the death of Michelle Anderson, a staple at the nearby fish market whose job was to scrape and clean the day’s catch.  [...]

Hit and Run Claims Silvia Zavala on George Price Highway
A mother of three was knocked off her motorcycle and killed on Friday night as she made her way home from work near Cotton Tree Village. Silvia Zavala was on [...]

Was Mom Run Over or Murdered in Silk Grass?
There is also a report of a fatal traffic accident in Silk Grass Village, Stann Creek District. Police say officers responded to an RTA between miles nine and ten on [...]

Police Uncover Items Stolen from Bruce Davidson
A trio of Roaring Creek men is in police custody tonight pending charges of handling stolen goods, after being found in possession of a number of items belonging to Bruce [...]

Where is Oswald Arnold?
A twenty-year-old young man from Roaring Creek Village is missing tonight and his family fears the worst. Oswald Arnold was last seen alive around five o’clock on Thursday evening and [...]

Mom with ‘Split Personality’ Now Missing for a Week
Tonight a family is worried as their mother and partner has been missing for a week. The last anyone saw of Sharon Ferguson, she had left her home following an [...]

Bail for Accused Robber at Courts – in Magistrate’s Court
A Belize City man accused of robbing his former workplace was given the opportunity to be out on bail in a surprise decision in the Magistrate’s Court. But he is [...]

G.S.T. Warns Against ‘Impersonators’
It’s not exactly a glamorous profession, but the Department of General Sales Tax is reporting tonight that there are people out there impersonating officers of the department. All G.S.T. officers [...]

The Bold Plan to Transform Belize’s Transportation Sector
Belize’s commuters are already experiencing the growing pains of the infrastructure work taking place across the country. But there is a lot more to come, as in the next two [...]

Garifuna Council Re-Elects Executive at Annual Convention
The National Garifuna Council held its thirty-fourth annual convention in Dangriga Town, Stann Creek District this weekend and elected its new executive. Sandra Miranda was re-elected as President, Vice President, [...]

Fire Scorches Buttonwood Bay House
Earlier in the newscast, we told you about the inferno down south in Hopkins on Sunday morning in which the charred remains of a man were found. That was just [...]

Electrical Fault Claims Home of Caye Caulker Family
The third fire occurred on Saturday night on Caye Caulker. A family of six remains homeless tonight after the wooden structure they called home was completely destroyed by an electrical [...]

New Football Champion and Nail-Biting Basketball Playoffs on Sports Tuesday
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   [Highlights of the weekend sporting activities…]

CTV3

CNTMP Launched In Belize
Today the Government of Belize launched its first Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan (CNTMP) as part of its pledge to deliver a well-organized, sustainable and climate-resilient transportation sector. The aim of the CNTMP is to serve as Belize’s leading reference document on transportation which will assist in facilitating strategic sector planning and more efficient and effective transport of people and freight within the country, as well as between Belize and its main trading partners.

PM Travels Abroad
Last week Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow announced during his press conference that his health condition regarding his back ailment has aggravated… meaning that he is now required to conduct a surgery or receive stem cell treatment. While the PM has been battling with this ailment for quite some time now and has travelled away from the country on several occasions to consult with doctors, today the PM travelled to Miami for another medical consultation.

Be On Alert For Wanna Be GST Officers
Today the Department of General Sales Tax (DGST) issued a public notice alerting that the department has received reports of an individual or individuals who are deceiving the public by pretending to be GST officers. The department emphasized that when interacting with registered persons, all GST officers must present a GST identification card and further added that if individuals suspect that someone might be an imposter, they can feel free to call the office for confirmation.

LOVE FM

Oswald Arnold still missing; family fears the worse
The search continues for twenty-year-old Oswald Arnold who went missing on Thursday. Arnold told his family he was going fishing with some friends, he has not returned. Over the last few days his family and authorities have been searching for him and as the days go by, their hopes of finding him alive are dwindling. …

Kyne Gentle fatally shot
A twenty-eight-year-old’s night out turned deadly on Sunday morning. Kyne Gentle was at Blue Angels nightclub in San Ignacio Town when his life was abruptly ended. He was fatally shot in the head and abdomen while he was outside the popular establishment. The murder happened at around 12:45 on Sunday morning. Assistant Commissioner of Police, …

Police have not yet identified charred remains
Police have not yet determined whose charred remains were found in the wreckage of a fire which engulfed four wooden houses on the Old Banana Bank Road last Tuesday. However, the owner, Bruce Davidson is still missing. Nevertheless, police are making some progress in the case, ACP Joseph Myvette, Head of the National Crime Investigation …

Human remains found
Charred humans remains were found at the scene of a house fire in Hopkins Village. Authorities in the village responded to the fire at around four o’clock on Sunday and after the fire was extinguished, it was discovered that someone had died inside. Hipolito Novelo reports. Voice of Business Owner: “At 3:45 I was alerted …

Recent murders reveal a grisly familiar pattern, says police
With the escalated violence over the weekend, the Belize Police Department is increasing preventative methods. Five persons were killed over the extended weekend, with four being gun-related. Police have also noticed a very familiar and alarming trend. Three of the murder victims have been classified as “law-abiding citizens”, leaving investigators to believe that innocent people …

Police officer reportedly stabbed
A police constable was stabbed by another police officer. The incident happened in the jurisdiction of San Ignacio Police over the weekend. This morning at the bi-weekly police press briefing, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Joseph Myvette was asked about the incident.

Domestic dispute results in shots being fired
Twenty-one-year old Mario Fino is behind bars tonight after he reportedly shot his father and fired at police officers. Last night, Belize City police responded to a report of a domestic dispute in the Kings Park area. When they got there they encountered an infuriated Mario Fino who had in his possession a pellet rifle. …

Taxi-man lured to his death
A taxi man was shot and killed last night in the 8 Miles Community on the George Price Highway. The latest victim of gun violence has been identified as taxi man, Luis Carlos Moh of Belize City. Assistant Superintendent of Police Alejandro Cowo told the media this morning that Moh’s body was discovered at around …

Government announces major improvements in Transport Sector
There are considerable improvements ahead in Belize’s transport sector. That was announced today by the Government as it launched the Comprehensive National Transportation Master Plan, CNTMP. The plan speaks to establishing a more efficient and effective transport system on land, air and water. It includes policy reform recommendations that will be developed over the next …

8867 Belize Peace Project promotes “NO” vote to the ICJ
As Belize moves towards the national referendum in April of next year, a new group has begun its campaign against taking the Belize/Guatemala Territorial and Maritime dispute to the International Court of Justice. They are the 8867 Belize Peace Project and according to President Robert Lopez, they are launching a peace campaign across the country …

National Fire Service quick response saves house
On Sunday, a fire broke-out at a house located in Buttonwood Bay area of Belize City. However, the structure sustained minimal damage thanks to the quick response of the National Fire Service, the Station Manager, Oren Smith, shared with the media the details of the incident. …

Shop visit ends tragically
For the most part, the Michael Finnegan Market was closed yesterday; however, a couple businesses were opened, trying to take advantage of the holiday customers. One of those businesses, Jun Shop was the scene of a fatal shooting. 40-year-old Michelle Anderson went to make a purchase, oblivious to the fact that her life was in danger …

The Reporter

Accident at Corner of Mahogany St. and Blvd.
An accident happened about a half hour ago at corner Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street in Belize City. The driver, who is yet unidentified, is being given medical attention. We will follow up on this accident.

Breaking Belize News

Beware of imposters acting as GST officers
The Department of General Sales Tax (DGST) today informed the public that the office is aware […]

National Climate Change Youth Video Competition 2018
The National Climate Change Office (NCCO), which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, […]

Canadian advertising firm wins award for Belizean travel promotion
A Canadian advertising firm recently won a Silver Award at the annual Obie Awards held by […]

Nicolas Maduro wins Venezuelan elections; US impose sanctions
On Sunday, Venezuela, which has experienced months of civil unrest and a humanitarian crisis, held its […]

Cloudiness and showers expected as weather disturbance draws near
The National Hurricane Center has issued an update on the disturbance located just east of […]

PM Barrow departs country on medical leave
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber is holding over for Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who left the […]

Woman suffering from depression reported missing
The police are requesting assistance from the public in locating Sharnell Sambula. Sambula is 29 years […]

PUP holds more endorsement conventions; announces first contested convention
Over the weekend, the People’s United Party (PUP) held an endorsement convention for Jose Abelardo […]

National Garifuna Council elects new Executive
The National Garifuna Council (NGC) held its 34th annual convention in Dangriga town, Stann Creek on […]

3 men charged with armed robbery in San Pedro Town
Yesterday, police charged Zimmer Joel Perez, Arrie Kareem Gentle, and Jair Vincent Brown for 2 counts […]

Disturbance near Belize given a moderate chance of development
Today, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is reporting a 40 percent chance of development for a low-pressure system as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico […]

Blogs

The First ever BTB held there fist annaul Love Sea Kayak Challenge
Imagine paddling along the coast of the entire country, just because you love Belize? This year, Love FM and Belize Tourism Board partnered Be lize first ever Love Sea Kayak Challenge that was held from May 17-21st. Kayakers paddled 218miles along the Belize's coast, that started from Punta Gorda to Corozal. ON Monday May 21st 2018, Corozalenos gathered at Rainbow bwach to witness the First Annual Love Sea Kayak Challenge. It commenced shortly after 1pm with gillhary playing during the event. Kids and adults swam on the water as they enjoyed the day at the Beach. Congratulations to the First Place Male Winners and Overall BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge Champions for completing the race in 35 hours 59 minutes 14 seconds. Congratulations to Third Place Male Winners BDF Breaking Waves for completing the BTB Love Belize Sea Challenge in 41 hours 45 minutes and 04 seconds.

Things You Don’t Need in Belize
Let the packing process begin. When travelling to other destinations, there’s always the question of “What to take?” And many times, you take too much. With that said, there’s a lot of checklists with the necessities you should bring along with you but we’ve decided to switch it up; our Belize luxury resort has prepared a short list highlighting the items you don’t need in Belize—save the extra space to take back some souvenirs.

International Sources

Antigua-Barbuda makes historic report on Rastafarians to OAS
Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS), in an address to the Permanent Council of the OAS on Monday morning, informed the OAS that Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has apologised to the Rastafarian community for decades of discrimination against them. Sanders also informed the Council of other measures that the government has taken or intends to take to enhance the rights of Rastafarians, who are a minority group in Antigua and Barbuda.

Wiley College students help out in Belize as part of new missions program
Wiley College students and staff have just returned from a mission trip to Belize where they helped by serving at local schools and churches as part of a new ministry program the college started to help students realize their calling in the field of ministry. "We are here in Belize City, Belize," Wiley College Rev. Tabitha Rankin said on Thursday. "We have nine students, a combination of recent graduates and current students, along with representatives from Wiley College and the First United Methodist Church in Marshall, as part of our new Leadership Pathways Internship Program." The program allows students to travel internationally for internships, on scholarship, as they perform different roles in ministry. Students also receive two college credit hours as part of the program.

Belize's 2016-17 Sovereign Debt Restructuring - Third Time Lucky?
This paper examines the causes, processes, and outcomes of Belize’s 2016–17 sovereign debt restructuring—its third episode in last 10 years. As was the case in the earlier two restructurings, in 2006–07 and in 2012–13, the 2016–17 debt restructuring was executed through collaborative engagement with creditors outside an IMF-supported program. While providing liquidity relief and partially addressing long-term debt sustainability concerns, the restructuring will need to be underpinned by ambitious fiscal consolidation and growth-enhancing structural reforms to secure durable gains.

Videos

May 22, 2018

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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

Guatemalan Congressman presents a bill to strengthen relations with Belize
Following the positive response to the referendum in Guatemala to take the old territorial claim on Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), members of that country’s Congress have presented a bill to strengthen the relations between both countries. Congressman, Fernando Linares presented an initiative on Friday, April 20th in Guatemala City asking his government to invest in infrastructure and services in the communities along the Adjacency Zone. The Guatemalan Ministry of Education was called out to invest in new schools, and health centers along the Peten area near the Adjacency Zone. The bill also asks the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize visits by social groups of both countries to have a closer bond with Belizeans.

Misc Belizean Sources

Dear Belize Birders
I just finished an amazing chat with all Central American eBird reviewers or Global Big Day coordinators. They gave me the real run-down of what happens in each country to accomplish their results, and it leaves me baffled, in awe, in disbelief and with the tremendous task of coordinating the upcoming Global Big Day for Belize on October 6th of this year, and next year’s GBD. To put some figures to the massive effort set off by Central America, let this sink in a bit… Costa Rica had 349 eBirders reporting on GBD, Panama had 338 eBirders participating on GBD, Guatemala had 131, Honduras had 87, Belize had 85 eBirders participating, Nicaragua had 25 and El Salvador 22. That’s a total of 1,037 eBirders in all Central America! We submitted 4,253 checklists and reported an impressive 1,035 species for the region. You can start clapping now. Hang on… in comparison, Colombia reported 1,546 species among their 5,075 checklists submitted by 1,736 eBirders within the country. Feel like clapping now?

Recap of the kayakers' arrival in San Pedro yesterday

The Embassy was honored to attend the Commonwealth Day celebrations in Belize City this morning!

Ready for the Commonwealth Day celebrations this morning!

The Maya Symposium this weekend at Chactemal Corozal
Great Job TOONE Masehualoon . To'one Masehualoon is a Yucatec Maya group of Corozal .

The Reporter

One man is dead after a shooting outside Blue Angel Night Club in San Ignacio
Police say they responded to a 911 call around 12:45 a.m. and headed to the club to find Kyne Gentle of Esperanza Village, lying dead on the stairs of the establishment with two gunshot wounds, one to the head and another to the stomach. Reports are that […]

One dead, one injured in mid-morning shooting
A 40-year-old market vendor is dead this morning and another injured after a shooting that happened at the Michael Finnegan MArket in Belize City. Michelle Aguilar was at her stall in the market when a gunman approached an opened fire, hitting her in the chest and hitting […]

Deadly domestic disputes out west
There are reports coming from the the Cayo district of two separate domestic disputes involving police officers that have ended in violence. The first reportedly occurred in San Ignacio where a woman police constable (WPC) allegedly stabbed her husband leaving him in a critical condition at the […]

Three charged for gas station robbery in San Pedro
Police have formally arrested and charged three men in connection with the Saturday night robbery at Caribena Fuels Gas Station in San Pedro. Police charged Zimmer Joel Perez, Arrie Kareem Gentle and Jair Vincent Brown jointly for (2) counts of Robbery. Police also charged Perez charged for […]

Taximan charged with hit and run
Police have arrested and charged Camalote taximan Earl Wright, 46, for a fatal hit and run that happened on the George Price Highway between miles 45 and 46 on Friday night. Police charged Wright with Manslaughter by Negligence, causing death by careless conduct, failure to stop and […]

Breaking Belize News

Fish vendor shot dead inside Michael Finnegan market
Belize City police are investigating a shooting incident this morning that claimed the life of a […]

Belize’s Black Orchid went down the isle with Meghan
Fans of the English royal family woke up early on Saturday morning to watch history […]

Woman police allegedly stabs common-law-husband
According to reports, a man was rushed to the San Ignacio Community hospital for medical treatment yesterday […]

Charred human remains found in a burnt building in Hopkins
Police are investigating a fire that destroyed a 2 story building in Hopkins Village, Stann Creek […]

Police charge taxi man for manslaughter
Yesterday, police arrested and charged Earl Wright,46, a taxi driver of Camalote Village for manslaughter […]

San Ignacio police issue report on early morning murder
San Ignacio police are investigating a murder that occurred this morning. Around 12:45, police were called to […]

Belize~ Guatemalan Belizean on ICJ
The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize […]

$1,900 stolen from Caribena Gas Station in San Pedro Town
San Pedro police are investigating an armed robbery that happened at Caribena Gas station on […]

Santa Elena man shot dead this morning
This morning around 1, Kyne Gentle from Santa Elena Town was shot and killed in front […]

Blogs

Belizean Cooking 101: Fun, Food, History, Cocktails, You Can Cook!
Last week I was SO excited to receive this invitation. Belizean Cooking 101. Cooking Class! What a FANTASTIC IDEA. To learn how to cook some of the delicious and multi-cultural dishes of Belize. To listen to some history of how people arrived from Africa, the Caribbean islands, from Europe, from India, from Mexico, from El Salvador and Guatemala, how their cuisines and ingredients mixed and melded with those of the native Maya peoples to make something delicious and often unexpected. BELIZEAN FOOD! Ceviche and tamales and conch fritters and cassava bread and stew chicken and Chinese fried chicken with ketchup and rice & beans and boil up… But let me back up…

International Sources

Can We Revive and Sustain the Caribbean Queen?
What do the names Cambombia, Cambute, Cararol Rosa, Cobo, Botuto, Guarura, Lambi and Carrucho all have in common? Prized in many countries, the queen conch (Strombus gigas) has a wide variety of aliases – and rightly so, given its extensive distribution and economic impact across the wider Caribbean region. Even with all its accolades, this once abundant marine gastropod is facing the very real threats of unsustainable harvesting, over-exploitation, habitat degradation, and illegal fishing. Supply is caught between meeting the demands of a lucrative United States market for conch as well as accommodating the dietary needs of many poor subsistence fishing communities in the region. Since the late 1990s, the global conch market has been estimated at US$60 million each year, and in 2015 alone, 1.4 million kilograms of conch was exported to the United States from the Caribbean.

Now a Medium risk for Tropical Development
We now have a 40% chance tropical development in 3-5 days. A broad surface low has developed a couple of hundred miles east of Belize. It's moving West 9 mph. Winds about 30 mph. There is little rain around this low. It's dealing with dry air and some stronger winds aloft. When it moves into the Gulf conditions are expected to become more favorable for development. Regardless of development, it will cause increasing rain as we go into the weekend.

25 vacations every horror buff should take in their lifetime
Not all vacations necessarily involve lounging by the beach or exploring art museums. For lovers of all things scary and unsettling, it would be infinitely more interesting to spend a night in a house full of ghosts or take a walk through a haunted forest. Whether you're more fascinated by the mysterious and the supernatural or real-life horrors and atrocities that actually took place, you can find inspiration for your next spooky trip on this list. From an old fortress in London that is teeming with paranormal activity to a museum in Hollywood that displays serial killer artwork, there's something to thrill and delight every horror buff. The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave in Belize is a site where the ancient Maya made ritual human sacrifices. The cave contains pottery and sacrificial tools including sharp rock blades and ancient bowls with "kill holes" that would allow the blood of victims to drain — as well as the skeletal remains of the sacrificial victims.

Videos

May 21, 2018

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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

Wolfe’s Woofer: Spots
“You’ll have to get your own dinner,” Sherry said. “I’m meeting Diane for drinks.” “That’s fine with me. I’ll just go out for something.” I was sitting at the big picnic table at my favorite taco stand when Mario and Vernon joined me. As we sat eating our food Mario said, “Vernon, what’s up with your eyes?” “What you mean what’s up with my eyes?” “You keep blinking them and every once in a while, you rub them. It ain’t them spots again is it?” “Yeah. I been seeing them again.” Vernon said. “What spots are you talking about?” I asked.

Letter to the Editor: Cayo Rosario is a burden
Dear Editor and other concerned stake holders, Please let me first introduce myself. My name is David Arnold. My wife and I own property in the Ambergris Bay Subdivision about 500 ft. south of the planned Cayo Rosario Utility Zone on Ambergris Caye. You are receiving this email as each of you have been identified, with email addresses provided, on the Cayo Rosario Consultation List of the Cayo Rosario Development Project Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) document, and I write to you as a concerned Ambergris Caye property owner, and a very concerned future resident and business owner at our property located close to the Cayo Rosario Utility Zone. Other contacts cc’d on this email were provided to me independent of the EIA.

Doctor Love: Not Selfish
Dear Doctor Love, I am an attractive widow in my early sixties. My late husband made sure I would not find myself in financial straits, and while I am not wealthy, I have no need to work or remarry in order to face the future. I have been casually dating an older divorced man who has started pressuring me to “combine our assets” as he likes to put it. He says he is fond of me and he does treat me well, we get along and have many common interests but there are no fireworks or passion. He doesn’t hide the fact that he wants someone to look after him—he hates having a cleaning woman come in, wants home cooked meals and our relationship already shows signs that I would be “the little woman”.

Ambergris Today

Police Apprehend Two Men During Fuel Station Robbery
Police reports indicate no injuries during the early evening robbery that took place at the Caribena Fuels Gas Station, located on the Corner of Blake Street and Sea Grape Drive, San Pedro Town, on Saturday, May 19, 2018. The report states that Police responded to the robbery while it was in progress at the gas station that took place around 7:15p.m. Upon arrival Police set chase after and detained two male persons in the nearby bushes.

Misc Belizean Sources

Police Report Re: Hold up at Gas Station
On Saturday 19th May, 2018 at 7:15 p.m., Police responded to a robbery in progress at, Caribena Fuels Gas Station, Corner of Blake Street and Sea Grape Drive, San Pedro Town. Upon arrival Police set chase after and detained two male persons in the nearby bushes. Initial investigation revealed that about 7:15 p.m., Adolfo Victor Gongora Jr 33 years Belizean Pump Attendant of a San Pedro address was working along with his co-worker, Jonathan Reyes when two male persons approached him and held a knife at his throat and stole a black waist bag that contained money's from the days sale; they also stole, Reyes, waist bag that contained money's from the days sale. The total amount of money Stolen from, Reyes was $900.00 and from, Gongora $1,000.00 total $1900.00.Police are investigating.

BTIA 33rd Bi-Annual General Meeting
BTIA President, Raineldo Guerrero and the Board of Directors cordially invite all Members to our 33rd Bi-Annual General Meeting to be held in the City of Belmopan. SAVE THE DATE.

Hands Across the Sand, Corozal
Courtesy Ryan Rivera, Oceana Belize - "These pictures speak volumes. We as people are the only ones capable of defending our natural resources. Beautiful Corozal has a lot to offer and so much beauty. Together we draw a line against extreme energy and support renewable energy. Hands Across The Sand. We are the waves of change. Thank you everyone who came out. Rotaract Corozal, Scouts of Belize, Wave Makers, and special thanks to Juan Carlos Menzies for the shots as well as Nekeisha Lima from Department of Youth Services for the face painting".

Miss East Indian Pageant 2018- 2019
Would you want to represent Belize in Trinidad & Tobago at the Divali Queen Pageant on November 6, 2018? Corozal Organization of East Indian Cultural Heritage (COEICH) invites all interested Belizean young ladies of East Indian origin to participate in the upcoming Miss East Indian Pageant on July 28,2018 which will take place at the Andres Campus Civic Centre, Corozal Town at 7:00 p.m. It will undoubtedly be a fun-filled experience with fabulous prizes!

THE MAYA LEGEND OF CHECHEN (aka CHECHEM) AND CHACA TREES
A very curious rule that occurs in the jungle of the peninsula, is that where a Chechem tree is born, there is always a Chaca tree next to it, and most of the time they are a few centimeters together; they say: "for every poison, there is always an antidote". In the Maya worldview, there is a conception of the balance between good and evil and in this case, according to the Maya of the Region, it obeys an ancient Maya legend that took place thousands of years ago.

Power outage scheduled for portion Orange Walk on Wednesday, May 23 from 7:00am to 3:00pm
Areas to be affected: San Antonio Road, Price Avenue, San Francisco Street, Asuncion Street, portion Pasture Street, Dunn Street, Progress Street, Bakers Street, Muffles Street, Mahogany Street, Sapodilla Street, Zericote Street, Louisiana Road, Pineapple Street, Mayflower Street, Naranjal Street, Baytias Lane, Lover’s Lane, portion Main Street, portion Riverside Street, Queen Victoria Avenue, Bautista Avenue, Otro Benque Road, Petville, San Estevan Road and San Estevan Village. BEL to replace utility poles and conductor grips, install mid-span utility pole, and adjust high voltage power lines on Cinderella Street.

The Reporter

Several persons injured in traffic accident in Toledo
Unofficial reports are that a traffic accident this evening on the Southern highway, Toledo has left several persons injured. The accident happened at Deep river community when Maria Jackson lost control of a Ford Ranger pickup truck which she was driving. Among the injured passengers being transported to the Punta Gorda hospital are several members of Jackson’s family.

Pump attendants robbed at knifepoint
Last night, two men armed with a knife robbed two pump attendants at Caribena Fuels Gas Station, located at the corner of Blake Street and Sea Grape Drive, San Pedro town. Police say that around 7:15 p.m., two men approached Adolfo Victor Gongora and Jonathan Reyes, grabbed Gongora from behind and put the knife to his throat. The robbers stole two waist bands containing the day’s sales – $1900. So far no one has been detained as investigations continue.

Hotdog vendor robbed, murdered
A Belize City hotdog vendor is dead following an armed robbery between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m., today on Tigris Street. Police report that 44-year-old Juan Angel Vargas had just come home from his night’s sales when the incident occurred. Vargas was in front of his house in his van, when a robber approached him from behind and shot him twice, killing him on the spot. The robber stole Vargas’ wallet containing an undisclosed amount of cash and his identification cards. Police say they are investigating.

Woman dies from hit-and-run
A Belmopan woman is dead after a hit and run collision with a taxi on the George Price Highway last night. Police say that they found 30-year old Sylvia Zavala dead on the road side around 7:30 p.m. between miles 45 and 46 on the George Price Highway. Zavala had multiple body injuries and her motorcycle was damaged at the back. Reports are that was traveling From Cotton Tree Village to Belmopan when the taxi hit her from the rear and flung her from the motorcycle, causing her injuries. The taxi then drove off without offering assistance.

House of Shotokan hosts martial arts summit
Today the House of Shotokan (HOS) Karate Academy in Belize City gathered martial arts experts from Mexico and the United States for the first in what is hoped to be a series of martial arts summits. Shihan Raymond Kelly, Grand Master at the HOS hosted the event in collaboration with Master Manuel Torres, Taw Quand Do expert from Eagle Park Dojo in Mexico, and Floyd Baker, Jujitsu expert from the United States. Each sensei presented on a different aspect of their discipline, to students from Belize and around 40 students who came from Mexico for the summit. Kelly explained that the objective of the summit was to broaden the knowledge of the participants and allow them to see the benefits that each martial arts style possesses.

Breaking Belize News

Belmopan woman killed in hit and run accident
Belmopan police are investigating a hit and run traffic accident in which 30-year-old Belmopan resident Silvia Zavala was killed. The accident happened around 7:30 last night near mile 45 on the George Price highway. […]

Police investigate man’s disappearance
The relatives of Oswald Arnold are concerned after he went missing on Thursday, May 17. Arnold is 20 years old. He was last seen wearing a long blue jeans pants, a blue shirt and a pair of gray tennis shoes. […]

Hot dog vendor shot dead in Belize City
Belize City police are investigating the murder of a Honduran businessman from Belize city. This morning around 4:20, police visited Tigris street and saw the lifeless body of Juan Angel Vargas, 44. […]

Blogs

CULTURAL IMMERSION WITH MAYAN COMMUNITY IN BELIZE
Belize is a small country in Central America that is rich in culture and Mayan history. I traveled to Belize to explore the vast history and to gain a better cultural understanding of how the Mayans once lived and still live today. Part of traveling sustainabally is getting to know and support local cultures, explore different ways of living and to have gain a sense of cultural understanding by living new experiences. While travel can be the most amazing and beautiful experience, sometimes negative situations can cross your path. As soon as I arrived to the Mayan Community with Patty at Splash Dive Center, I was met by a nice indigenous lady who gave me one good look up and down and lead me to her outside porch area. I briefly shared with her some of the negative things that had happened to me prior to arriving, and the look of concern overwhelmed her face.

Morning Snapshots at Ak’Bol Yoga Resort & Weekend Thoughts
It’s been a very very busy week – so it’s nice to have a three-day weekend here in Belize. Monday, May 21st is Commonwealth Day. A day of observance – for the over ONE BILLION people who were part of the British empire. (Amazing, huh?) I celebrated and will continue to observe it by mooning over the photos and being glued to the commentary about the newest royal wedding. I kinda understand those who aren’t interested (they are the same, generally, who show disinterest in American Royal family, the Kardashians) and I DEFINITELY understand those who are against the very idea of monarchy – the privilege and the over-the-top snobbery on the tax payers’ dime.

Maya Reenacment was held at Santa Rita Temple
On May 19, 2018 The Northern Maya of Belize held their Maya Reenacment at Santa Rita Maya Temple. The colorful light setting gave the Temple a bright colorful background. As people waited for this event to commenced there where still setting up the equipments. Chairs were filled by 7pm. By, 8pm the event had already commenced. The wedding was Honor by Mr. Roy Rodiguez daughter's wedding. A Maya Ceremmony was done to keep away any bad spirits as the future days to come. Also, it was done to keep the good spirit within them so if anything goes wrong they will always be protected by thee good spirit. During the show, dancers from Quinta Roo, Came to show casae the Maya dances.

International Sources

Guess Which Caribbean Flowers Made It On To Meghan Markle’s Veil?
The flowers of 12 Caribbean countries will now become a part of history as the distinctive Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy veil worn by Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, on Saturday, May 19, 2018. So which Caribbean flowers made it on to the five meters long silk tulle veil with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza? (The Black Orchid – Belize)

Belize PM to step down next year
At a press conference in Belize City last week, prime minister of Belize, Dean Barrow, stated that he will be officially stepping down as leader of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) after his party’s next general convention scheduled for mid to late 2019. Barrow has served as prime minister of Belize since 2008, and the member of parliament for Queen’s Square since 1984. Barrow also served as leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2008, when he defeated then incumbent prime minister, Said Musa, in a landslide, winning 25 of the 31 seats contested, with Musa’s Peoples United Party (PUP) winning only six.

Videos