August 9, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Training Workshop on Sheep Management
On Friday, August 2, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Genetic Improvement in Sheep and Goat Project facilitated a training workshop for sheep farmers in the Cayo District. The training was held at the University of Belize Central Farm Conference Room, where a total of 30 sheep farmers from San Antonio, Cristo Rey, Succotz, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Bullet Tree and Santa Familia attended the training.

Team GoFish claims top prize at 2019 Tres Pescados Slam Tournament
Anglers from Belize and abroad participated in the 11th annual Tres Pescados Slam Tournament held in San Pedro Town from Thursday, August 1st to Saturday, August 3rd. The three-day fishing tournament saw different teams competing to land the best slam in hopes of claiming the top prize. At the end of the competition, it was Team GoFish, manned by Angler Zack Kolanda and Captain Abner Marin who took the first place, winning a prize of $5,000, a Yeti cooler and fishing accessories.

Caye Bank Chairman Joel Nagel leads San Pedro Delegation trip to Iowa, USA
Members of the Caye International Bank (CIB) senior management and its board of directors traveled to Council Bluffs, Iowa USA on Sunday, July 21st to Tuesday, July 23rd to meet with their counterparts at Treynor State Bank, one of the only US Correspondent Banks presently serving banks here in Belize. The three-day trip included formal management and board meetings, as well as informal discussions about improving communications, compliance interface, operations, and profitability. The team also took time out of their meetings to visit the nearby Ethanol plant called “SIRE” (Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy) one of the largest facilities in the US converting corn into ethanol fuel.

Legislation to phase out single-use plastics and Styrofoam in Belize yet to be enacted
The banning of single-use plastic and Styrofoam products in Belize was scheduled to take place on April 22, 2019, but to date, things continue as usual. In March the Department of Environment (DOE) initiated a nationwide educational campaign, sensitizing Belizeans to the new policy and the importance of using bio-degradable items. At the same time, they were working on legislation known as the Draft Environmental Protection (Pollution from Plastics) Regulation 2019, for the ban to become a policy.

Ambergris Today

Pic Of The Week - Belize's 1st Certified Sommelier
San Pedro resident, Mukul Kanabar owner of Blue Water Grill, is Belize’s first certified Sommelier. A sommelier or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. Mukul received his certification exam in Mexico City. Mukul’s certification will add to the food and service quality of his three businesses on the island which include Red Ginger, Blue Water Grill and Wine de Vine. Congratulations to Mr. Mukul on this great achievement!

Various Belizean Sources

Newly painted art work at Corozal Central Park
This is the type of mural that grabs your soul and captures your attention. This is truly a work of art that should be replicated in every corner of our Corozal community, as it truly depicts the beginning of our northern history and identity and not a contamination of it. The mural represents several aspects of our history with one being the union and bonding of a Maya Princess and a Spanish warrior which became the birth of our Mestizo heritage. The mural will cover the four faces our our Corozal Town clock at our Central Park location and additionally, will represent our flora and fauna, our birth, the friendship, brotherhood and sisterhood that co-exist between our two neighbouring communities of Corozal Town and Chetumal, Mexico.

2020 YLAI Professional Fellows Program
Coming next week! Are you an entrepreneur looking to improve your business? Are you looking for new strategies to increase your impact? Do you want to learn about and share innovative commercial models and build ties with U.S. businesses? Applications officially open August 14 at https://ylai.state.gov/apply for the 2020 YLAI Professional Fellows Program!

43 STUDENTS GET SSB SCHOLARSHIP!
Forty-three students, from the length and breadth of Belize, have been awarded scholarships from the Social Security Board. They were awarded in four sections, students going into high school, students pursuing Associates degrees, those pursuing Bachelor’s degrees, and vocational/technical students.

PUP VILLAGE COUNCIL IMPLEMENT ILLEGAL TOLL TO SANTA CRUZ?
The Guardian Newspaper has been provided with a video of an impromptu tolling area being established at Santa Cruz in the Orange Walk District charging persons traversing the area a fee to use a road in order to access the Rio Hondo river. From there persons can go into Mexico.

South Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch Meeting Aug. 14th
Our August general meeting of the membership will be held on Wednesday, August 14th 7:00 pm at Lonestar Grill and Cantina. Special for this meeting...Steve Kraut, owner and proprietor of Lonestar is offering a 10% discount on all food purchases to SACNW members who attend the meeting! Yay - thank you Steve! This is in addition to the portion of proceeds Lonestar donates for every meeting night.

Street lights installed north of the cut on Caye Caulker
The north side of Caye Caulker now has street lights! They were installed yesterday. Thank you BEL for accommodating the area.

CONDITION OF THE NEW RIVER AND THE WAY FORWARD
The Department of the Environment (DOE) has an established Water Quality Monitoring Programme on the New River. Data collected on July 19, 2019, at five sites - four between the Toll Bridge and San Estevan Bridge and one near San Estevan Village - revealed several areas of concerns that negatively impact this aquatic ecosystem. The present situation is most likely eutrophication caused by several factors. The data shows that nutrient levels are high at these locations with sulphate showing a visible spike. Additionally, the dissolved oxygen levels are low and algae count is currently being analysed by the DOE, with all indicators suggesting a high count.

FIFA Connect and Club Licensing Training
The CFA in collaboration with the Football Federation of Belize invites all football clubs (Male and Female) to an important meeting/training to educate all football clubs owners/stakeholders on the importance of FIFA Connect and Club Licensing. The meeting is for Thursday, August 15, 2019 at the Andres Campos Civic Center. Please ensure to attend as this is the way forward in the development of football in our country and community. Please confirm attendance by Monday August 12, 2019.

ARCHANGEL MEDICAL CENTER will be open for 24 hour weekends starting this Friday, August 9th, 2019 right through the night (Corozal)
Dr. Rafael Riveroll and Dr. Toni Paharsingh will be available. We will be attending fevers,vomiting, diarrhea, ypoglycemia,hyperglycemia, hypertensive crisis, cut wounds; just to name a few. IV and IM treatments will be available and short term observation. We count with oxygen and electrocardiogram. For more information please fell free to call 638 3231. Dr. Rafael Riveroll 6065324, Dr. Toni Paharsingh 6027084.

Summer Splash 2019
The 2019 Summer Splash, where many of Cayo's up and coming DJ's and musical artists come together to do their thing, will be this Saturday at the Cayo Welcome Center.

Belize Cruise Conference 2019
Want to learn more about the inner workings of the cruise industry and improve cruise tourism business? Attend BTB’s first ever cruise conference on August 23 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel & Marina. You’ll have access to presentations, networking, and opportunities to learn valuable information first-hand from cruise industry experts! *If purchasing 4 or more tickets as a company, the price will be $40 per person. Register here.

Channel 7

Rocky Road Gangster Strayed From His Turf and Was Executed
He has been on 7News many times ranting about sustained police harassment in the Rocky Road area, but tonight 32 year old Brian Armstrong is in the news because he was executed last night around 6:40 in the Gungulung area. And it wasn't the police who killed him, it was a rival gang. Courtney Weatherburne has more Brian Armstrong, Deceased: "I am tired, I am tired, my mother will bury me directly because I don't give a f**** my brother." Those were Brian Armstrong's words two months ago and so said, so will be done. Armstrong was shot and killed last night in the CET Site area in Gungulung. Our information is that he was hanging outside this house and a gunman came up from behind and shot him three times in the back of the head and once to the back.

Cops Clueless About Armstrong Killing
Now, although Armstrong is well known to police, they haven't been able to establish a motive for his murder. There are many questions left unanswered in this case. Here is what police had to say. ACP Joseph Myvette, Head, NCIB: "What the police know so far is that sometime around 6:30 pm shots were heard in the area and as a result they were called where upon arrival is when they found his motionless body there. We are following several leads at this point in time and also at this time we don't have a motive." Reporter: "Sir there are speculations that he may have been killed by a rival gang, is there anything in the investigation pointing to that."

Armstrong Was Sentenced By The Streets
On June 6th of this year, Armstrong was convicted of being a member of a criminal gang. He pleaded guilty and was fined $3,500 dollars. But, as he told us at the time - he had already been sentenced by the streets: Brian Armstrong, Guilty to Charge of being gang member "If I move from Rocky Road, where the f*** am I going to live, where am I going to live? They are going to kill me, my brother. They just shot after me on Albert Street. I can't walk anywhere. None of us can go anywhere!"

Family Run Over On The Way Home From Work
Switching gears now... Tonight, the family of a Ladyville resident is mourning after he was knocked down and killed on his way home from work. Around 5:00 yesterday - at the height not the evening rush - 46-year-old Jordy Bainton, a resident of the Mitchell Estate area of Ladyville, was riding his bicycle home after finishing up his workday at Belize Waste Control. While he was riding through the Benny's roundabout, passing between a Mack truck and the median, he fell under the truck. Police say the truck dragged him about 35 feet before it came to a stop.

Cops Say Bainton Rode Over Crosswalk
So, as you saw in our interview, the family of Jordy Bainton wants to know what will happen to the driver who knocked him down. At a police press conference this afternoon, the head of the National Criminal Investigations Branch shared what their investigation into the accident has revealed so far: ACP Joseph Myvette, Head, NCIB: "Police were called to Chetumal Boulevard where they observed a blue mac truck which was north bound on the boulevard and just in front of the truck they observed the motionless body of a male person later identified as Jordy Bainton 44 years of a Belize City address..."

Man Dead After Casino Brawl
A Santa Cruz villager is dead tonight after a Placencia casino brawl. The report is that 3 brothers, including Everaldo Samaoya had a bit too much to drink and when the casino's security guard told them to put their liquor in a disposable cup, it incensed them and a fight broke out. The security guard was stabbed as well as Samaoya. Samaoya didn't survive the attack. At this point police don't have a much concrete details in this case. ACP Joseph Myvette, Head, NCIB: "Placencia police were called to an area at a casino in Placencia where upon arrival they learned that there was an altercation earlier between the casino security guard one Darwin Castillo and three brothers one Everaldo Samaoya, 24, Marlon Samaoya and another brother..."

Prison Rioter To Court, Injuries Exposed
On last night's news, we told you about the mini-riot which happened yesterday at the Belize Central Prison. At around 11:00 yesterday morning, 10 inmates got into a confrontation with 3 prison officers in the recreation area of the Tango 11 building. Their recreation time was up, and they were ordered to comply with the prison officers so that they could be escorted back to their cells. It is unclear what happened to escalate tensions between the officers and the guards, but several of them jumped one of the officers and held him hostage.

Minor Fire in San Pedro Hotel
The staff and the guests at the Conch Shell Inn Hotel on San Pedro had a minor scare last night when a fire broke out in one of the rooms. At around 7:20 p.m, first responders responded to a fire at the hotel, on Barrier Reef Drive. When they arrived, they found room #4, on the second floor of the hotel, ablaze. Firefighters were able to quickly put the fire out, and when the cops questioned the manager, they were led to a faulty refrigerator.

San Pedrito Fire Victims Lost Everything
Several hours later, at around 3 a.m., there was another fire on San Pedro, and in this one, the homeowners lost everything in the blaze. This 2-story home in the San Pedrito area was being occupied by Casey Bladen and his in-laws. They were sleeping upstairs when the smell of smoke woke them up. He went to check, and that's when he found the lower flat on fire. Bladden and his family then tried to contain the flames, but they could not. After resolving some communication difficulties, this family was finally able to reach the National Fire Service, who put the blaze out, but not before all their belongings went up in smoke.

100 Million Reasons To Love Taiwan
This week we've told you about Caribbean Shores representative Kareem Musa's so - called "fact finding" trip to China and the UDP's condemnation of it as a "betrayal". In the midst of the controversy, however, celebrations of the 30 years of diplomatic relations between Belize and Taiwan continue. Last night the Taiwanese mission to Belize Invited a selection of its Belizean friends including Government officials, members of the private sector and the media to a banquet. Guests were treated to a five course gourmet meal prepared by master chefs Tony HUANG and Chun Song CHU.

Special Constables Island Bound
Last month the double murders of the island tour guide Mario Graniel, and his guest, American doctor Gary Swank dominated local and international headlines and caused mass cancellations at San Pedro tourist destinations. Government and the police reacted by announcing the recruitment of 23 new Special Constables tourism police - to be deployed to key tourist destinations. They have been trained to police the country's most valuable asset, Tourism, which contributes almost 30 % of our country's GDP. This afternoon the Special Constables graduated from the Police Training Academy. We found out about their training and their mission: 13 of them will be assigned to San Pedro, five to Placencia - and the remaining five are on standby until there are funds to activate them.

DOE Tries to Rehabilitate New River
All this week, we've been telling you about the state of New River in the Orange Walk District, which passes near Orange Walk Town. Residents are concerned that its pollution levels are high, and the Department of Environment has confirmed that indeed it is. They are now instituting a plan of action to hopefully reduce the levels of that water pollution. In a press release sent today, the DOE notes that they for some time now, they've established the Water Quality Monitoring Program on the New River. On July 19th, they collected data at 5 sites near the river, 4 between the Toll Bridge and the San Estevan Bridge, and one more near San Estevan Village. Those samples revealed several areas of concern that have negatively impacted this aquatic ecosystem.

Dangriga Fishermen Get Crossed at Cross Caye: One Still Missing
The police and coast guard are still looking for Dangriga fisherman Derrick Ramirez. As we told you last night, on Sunday afternoon, Ramirez, his brother and other relatives went on a fishing trip near Cross Caye. A group of rival fishermen approached them and tried to chase them off. Ramirez and his crew complied but as they were packing up at their camp, the fishermen returned and opened fire. That is when Ramirez ran off into the mangroves. There is still no sign of Ramirez at this point. Police gave us the information they have so far. ACP Joseph Myvett: "He reported that on Sunday last sometime shortly after 2pm whilst himself, his brother Derrick Ramirez and another family relative were diving in the area some half a mile south of Cross Caye..."

Dr. Ariaga Returns From Canada With a Vision
One of Belize's most well known physicians, Dr. Pedro Ariaga, just returned from 17 months training in Toronto, Canada. He worked at that city's biggest hospital, St. Michael's where he did a fellowship in critical care. For Ariaga, who has long worked in the intensive care unit at the KHMH, the training was very useful. But, the most important realization he reached is that in Belize we have to take a more progressive view of healthcare. We spoke to him at his clinic this evening:

More Gang Members Charged
Police are reporting tonight that they've charged 6 men with the offense of being a member of a criminal gang. These men are 22-year-old Ainsworth Foreman, a resident of Mayflower Street; 29-year-old Dwayne Evelyn, a car dealer from Armadillo Street; 30-year-old Kashawn Gentle, a stevedore from Caesar Ridge Road; 26-year-old Said Pike, a mechanic from Old Fabers Road; 33 year-old Brandon Taylor, a construction worker from Unity Street; and 25 year-old Verris Ventura, a fisherman from Reggae Street. st convenience. We'll tell you all about it when that happens.

September Celebrations Money
September Celebrations are only a month away, and that means it's time for NICH to start shaking that money tree to give municipal governments a slight subvention for their local festivities. They received those funds yesterday. Here's more:... Neil Hall, NICH: "Every year the NCC is put in charge of dispersements to the municipalities where we assist them..."

River Hero Gets Gift of Sneakers
Herman Williams became a hero on Tuesday morning when he jumped on top of the Kia Sportage that was drifting beneath the swing bridge. He managed to save the life of a panicking minor who admitted that she couldn't swim. In the process however he lost his shoes, house keys, and $27.00. That's why Williams was pleased today to receive two pairs of tennis shoes.

Channel 5

Rocky Road Affiliate Slain Backa Gungulung
A thirty-two-year-old stevedore of Belize City was executed on Wednesday night. Brian Armstrong spent most of his adult life in prison and according to his family, he had been attempting [...]

Police Say No Suspects As Yet in Murder of Brian Armstrong
When police responded to the call of a barrage of shots being fired in the CET Site area, they found no one in the immediate vicinity, save for Armstrong’s motionless [...]

Santa Cruz Resident Fatally Stabbed During Altercation at Placencia Hotel and Casino
In the peninsula, police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a Santa Cruz resident. The forty-four-year-old was at the Placencia Hotel and Casino along with two of his brothers when [...]

Fatal Accident Claims Life of Ladyville Resident Jordy Bainton
A Ladyville resident left work, but never made it home. Forty-six-year-old Jordy Bainton was riding his bicycle on Chetumal Street when he was run over and crushed by a heavy [...]

Truck Driver is Issued Notice of Intended Prosecution
The family told News Five that the injuries they saw on Jordy Bainton’s body suggest that he had been dragged by the truck before it came to a stop on [...]

Derrick Ramirez Missing at Sea; Family Fears the Worse
Dangriga native Derrick Ramirez has been reported missing, but family members have a strong suspicion that he has been killed. Ramirez was last seen on August fourth at around two [...]

Ramirez’s Family Does Not Believe Details of His Disappearance
Guillermo says that he attempted to locate Hernandez several times after Ramirez’s disappearance but has not been able to locate him. Guillermo is seeking answers to many questions that Hernandez [...]

Police, Coast Guard Search for Derrick Ramirez
Guillermo is asking for Dangriga police to increase their efforts in locating Ramirez. In Belmopan today, Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch Joseph Myvett told the media that law [...]

Ibrahim Smith, Guilty of Murder
There is a murder conviction to report tonight. Twenty-seven-year-old Ibrahim Smith remains behind bars awaiting sentencing for the November 2012 murder of twenty-two-year-old William Francis.  Francis was gunned down inside [...]

GAF Crosses Over Into Belizean Waters at Sarstoon
Over the weekend, a trip to the Sarstoon by SATIIM was completed without interruption from the Guatemalan Armed Forces.  But it was not the case this morning when a small [...]

Fire Destroys Room at San Pedro Hotel
Just after seven on Wednesday night, a fire broke inside a room at Conch Shell Hotel Inn located on the beach front of Barrier Reef Drive in San Pedro Town. [...]

23 New Tourism Police Officers; San Pedro Gets 12!
On June twenty-sixth, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams laid out a plan to the San Pedro community in the wake of the double murder of well-known tour guide Mario Graniel [...]

Commissioner Williams says New Hires for the TPU Should Send Positive Message
Today, we met Commissioner of Police Chester Williams at a graduation ceremony for new recruits in the Tourism Police Unit.  At that ceremony, Commissioner Williams spoke with the media about [...]

Are Police the Next Most Important to God? Commissioner Williams Says So
Commissioner Williams addressed the new recruits today – and that message started out about how tough it is to be a police officer. He told the graduates that they are [...]

National Celebrations Committee Hands Over Cheques to Municipalities
Stakeholders and members of the National Celebrations Committee met on Wednesday to discuss logistics for the activities that will be held countrywide during the course of the next month and [...]

UNHCR Trains Border Officials on Identifying Asylum Seekers
Frontline officials at the western border point received training today organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Refugees Department.  At the session held in San Ignacio, [...]

Healthy Living: How Serious is Dengue? What You Should Know
Even though there has hardly been as much rain as we’d see in the annual rainy season; there is currently an outbreak of dengue in Belize. For anyone who has [...]

The Reporter

Wee Hours Altercation In Placencia – 1 Man Dead – Others Wounded
One man is dead and two others are being treated for cut wounds after an altercation at the Placencia Hotel Casino. According to reports three men were put out of the Casino around 1:00am. Witnesses say they then attacked the security guard with a knife.

LOVE FM

Man badly beat during mini riot at Kolbe Foundation
Yesterday, Love News reported on a mini-riot that occurred at the Kolbe Foundation. According to the prison’s CEO, Virgilio Murillo, the incident was nothing major and it was quelled within ten to twenty minutes. However, it seems this miniature riot may have been bigger than he hinted to. (PRISON RIOT UP) Not only did three …

Three stabbed in Placencia; one dies
There was another murder during the early hours of this morning, this time in Placencia. Three men, including a security guard, were stabbed, with one of them succumbing to his injuries. The incident occurred at around 1:30am when two of the victims and another man had to be escorted out of The Placencia Hotel Casino …

Belize City man dies after being shot in the head
Belize City’s latest murder victim has been identified as 32-year-old, Brian Armstrong. Armstrong was reportedly doig construction work on a friend’s house in the Gungulung Area around 6:30 last night when he was shot three times in the back of his head, and one time in the upper back. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Joseph Myvett, …

Proposal was never seen by SSB
As we reported, the Ministry of Health was proposing to build a new warehouse in Belmopan with one point six million dollars from the National Health Insurance, NHI, reserve fund. Shortly after the memorandum of the proposal made its way into the public domain, it was shutdown by the Prime Minister Dean Barrow who said …

SSB upgrading its system to provide faster reliable service
Dr. Colin Young said that the Social Security Board, SSB, is changing its system which has become sluggish due to the increase in workload. Furthermore, Dr. Young explained that it has come to SSB’s attention that the public has been frustrated with the length of time it takes to complete some transactions at SSB’s office. …

Mack truck drags man 35 feet; killing him
44-year-old, Jordy Bainton was killed yesterday evening after he reportedly fell off his bicycle and was dragged a few feet by a Mack Truck at the corner of Chetumal Street and Philip Goldson Highway. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Joseph Myvett, briefed the media on how this accident occurred. A.C.P. Joseph Myvett – Head N.C.I.B.: “Shortly …

Some employers slicing off more than is required from employees’ salaries
The new Social Security Board’s contribution rates went into effect at the beginning of July. However, it has come to the Social Security Board’s attention that there are some employers who are deducting more than the required amount from their employees’ salaries. In an interview with Love news, Dr. Colin Young, the Chief Executive Officer …

Breaking Belize News

Man knocked down in Teakettle Village passes away
Our news room has confirmed that the man who was knocked down in Teakettle Village […]

One dead, two injured, and one detained in casino altercation
Sometime around 2 o’clock this morning Placencia police were called to a casino. There, they […]

“2019 National Testing Day turnout was lower than last year,” says National AIDS Commission
The National AIDS Commission (NAC) has shared the official turnout for the second annual National […]

CARIFESTA contingent launched
The fourteenth Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) launches next week in the twin-island republic of […]

Stann Creek educator headed to teach in the US through the teacher exchange program
Alex Cruz, an educator from Stann Creek will be representing Belize as he teaches in the […]

Ministry of Education hosts teacher training on Sustainable School Garden
BBN Staff: The Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture hosted a teacher training […]

UNHCR and the Refugees Department conduct 2nd training for Border and Law Enforcement Officials
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) along with the Refugees Department of Belize […]

Belize out of U-15 CONCACAF Championship
The Football Federation of Belize announced this morning that Belize’s U-15 boys had lost 2-1 […]

PAHO releases updated list of essential medical equipment
This week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) released an updated list of key medical devices […]

New River killed by excessive runoff; Department of the Environment makes plans to save it
The Department of the Environment responded to our list of questions concerning what’s causing the stagnation […]

BTB offers free trip to Belize to Americans looking to escape Area 51 craze
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB), as part of its latest international promotion strategy, is offering 10 […]

One dead one injured in Placencia stabbing
Police in Placencia, Stann Creek are investigating an altercation which left one man dead and […]

Blogs

Tacogirl Tips on Reducing Your Footprint When Traveling to Belize
As many of you know, the Belize government is trying to take some responsibility in combating the global waste crisis by phasing out single-use plastics and non-environmentally friendly containers. As of April of 2019, news headlines read – Belize Bans Single-Use Plastic. Joining 30 countries around the world that have already done a major green effort by banning single-use plastics. Inspired by these efforts, and seeing others aiming for a zero-waste lifestyle around the world, I wanted to make it easy for both locals and travelers to reduce their footprint, and help Belize on the mission to be green by creating less waste. After all, life and vacations are meant to make you feel good and contributing less waste will help you do just that.

International Sources

Magical places on the planet that are worth seeing with your own eyes
To relax on vacation, we often choose popular places for travel. And somehow I think: “Where there are many tourists there and good”, but this is not always true. In the world there are many Paradise places which are not very popular among travelers, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to the Telegraph. Here are 15 magical places where you can relax from the hustle and bustle and people and enjoy the tranquility… The island of ambergris Caye has a rich history. At different times, there lived Maya Indians, whalers and buccaneers. Today ambergris Caye attracts divers from all over the world — the nearby Belize barrier reef, which ranks second longest in the world.

Belize trip produces adventures and visit to Mennonite community
I had the opportunity of traveling to Belize on an EF Tours trip with my daughter Kinzey right after school let out this past spring. EF stands for Education First. They are a travel company that puts together tour packages for students wanting to learn about another culture or country firsthand. While the price tag may cause a slight case of “sticker shock” at first glance, when you consider all it includes – flights, lodging, meals, tours, guides and insurance (not to mention any bus charters, boat rentals, pack mules) it is actually a very efficient and inexpensive way to travel. The day after school let out, we flew into Belize City, Belize. For those not familiar with the location of this tiny independent country it is in Central America, bordered by Mexico on the northwest, by Guatemala on the southwest and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Westminster Men's Basketball Team's Summer Adventure in Belize
The Westminster College men’s basketball team traveled to Belize over the summer (June 26 through July 2) for team building off the court and national competition on the court. The NCAA allows teams to make an international trip once every four years. The team was greeted by Great Belize Television upon arriving in Belize City at the airport. Juniors Blake Payne (Ashtabula, OH / Jefferson Area) and Dylan O’Hara (Girard, OH / Girard), along with sophomore Isaac Stamatiades (Elkridge, MD / Avalon), appeared on the Great Belize Television’s Open Your Eyes morning show. “Once in a lifetime experience,” Payne said. The team stayed in Belize City for the first two days, with one of their first stops to the Mayan Ruins by Guatemala. “It was an eye-opening experience for the guys,” head coach Kevin Siroki said.

2019 Atlantic hurricane season: Tropical activity may last longer than 2018 as El Nino pattern fades
The 2019 Atlantic Hurricane season is likely to be "back-end loaded," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski. AccuWeather meteorologists are sticking with their original forecast of 12 to 14 named systems for 2019, which includes both tropical storms and hurricanes for the Atlantic basin through the end of the year. AccuWeather first issued its Atlantic hurricane forecast for 2019 on April 3. There have been two named systems as of Aug. 8, which is about average. Of the 12-14 named systems, five to seven are predicted to become hurricanes, and two to four are predicted to become major hurricanes.

Belize’s IFSC Warns Investors about False Licenses of Forex Brokers
The financial watchdog of Belize released a series of warnings about forex companies that are operating in the country without a proper license. On Thursday, the IFSC blacklisted numerous firms, some of which were operating under the pretense that they were registered with the regulator. A few were clone firms that copied the authorized credentials, branding and logo of a legitimate firm to fool investors. The regulator went to suggest t investors who had participated in these schemes that they might not be able to recover their funds.

NOAA increases chance for above-normal hurricane season
The end of El Nino could boost Atlantic hurricane activity. “NOAA will continue to deliver the information that the public depends on before, during and after any storms throughout the hurricane season,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., acting NOAA administrator. “Armed with our next-generation satellites, sophisticated weather models, hurricane hunter aircraft, and the expertise of our forecasters, we are prepared to keep communities informed to help save lives and livelihoods.” Seasonal forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center have increased the likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season to 45% (up from 30% from the outlook issued in May). The likelihood of near-normal activity is now at 35%, and the chance of below-normal activity has dropped to 20%.

Videos

August 8, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Victor Mai and Victor Parchue arraigned for Theft and Handling of Stolen Goods
On Monday, August 5th, island residents 18-year-old Victor Mai, and 25-year-old Victor Charles Parchue Jr. were arraigned at the San Pedro Magistrate Court after pleading guilty to accusations of theft and for the crime of handling stolen goods. Mai is accused of stealing assorted one-litre bottles of rum and security cameras from Into XS Entertainment Party Lounge located on Barrier Reef Drive. Meanwhile, Parchue was found with some of the stolen liquor and security cameras. Mai was sentenced to two months in prison, and Parchue was fined $805 and was given until September 30th to pay. Both men remain in police custody and are being processed to be sent to Belize Central Prison.

Agreement Reached with Bus Operators on Mexican and Guatemalan Buses Transiting Belize
In a meeting just concluded in Belmopan this afternoon, top officials from the Government of Belize have reached an understanding with representatives of the Belizean Bus Association with respect to buses transiting the country from Guatemala and Mexico. It was agreed that going forward, only one regular bus run per day would be allowed from each country entering Belize during the day, and returning to the respective country in the evening. Those buses would only be allowed to drop off passengers within the country who travelled with them from across the border. And, on their return trip to Guatemala or Mexico, they would only be authorized to pick up passengers heading across the border into those respective countries.

San Pedro Town and Sea Isle City, New Jersey discuss Sister City Relationship
On Wednesday, July 31st, Mayor Daniel Guerrero received a visit from Werner Graf and his daughter Angelina Graf to discuss a proposal of a Sister City relationship between San Pedro Town and Sea Isle City, New Jersey, USA. The Grafs came on behalf of the City Council of Sea Isle City and presented Guerrero with the keys to the city, which bears the name of Mayor Leonard Desiderio. Mayor Guerrero shared that he welcomes the idea of this opportunity to establish a second Sister City relationship in the USA. “We already county with such a relationship with the City of Wilmington, North Carolina,” said Guerrero. “We look forward to this new opportunity to have good relations in exchange of ideas, culture, the environment, and even tourism,” Guerrero said as he accepted the keys of Sea Isle City from Angelina Graf.

Belize Tax Service Department launched
On Thursday, August 1st marked the historic joining of the Income Tax Department and Department of General Sales Tax into the newly formed Belize Tax Service Department - a department under the Ministry of Finance. The merger will be in phases through 2022. Taxpayers will experience better service with a newly trained cadre of tax professionals, providing efficiency and productivity for better tax compliance to further develop the country.

Ambergris Today

Dengue Cases On The Rise; 789 Confirmed Cases!
There is a major dengue outbreak in Belize and unfortunately the number of confirmed clinical cases are on the rise and have increased by a 10% compared to the numbers a week ago. According to reports bases on a data collection from medical facilities across the country there are a total of 789 confirmed cases in the country of which 40% of the cases are children. According to the Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero there are 49 documented cases of severe dengue but fortunately non have been fatal as a result of dengue. He also stated that the number of cases are higher in the Cayo District followed by Corozal.

Various Belizean Sources

Job Opening at Escuela Secundaria Técnica Mexico
NEW Vacancy in San Roman Village, Corozal, with Escuela Secundaria Técnica Mexico. Full-time English Teacher. Deadline: August 15, 2019.

Caye Caulker Village Council update
It's been another busy few days for the C.C.V.C. Firstly, there was an unfortunate accident with two of our staff while fumigating. An investigation is still being conducted to know what really was the cause of the accident. The employees got to the health center in time and were immediately attended to by the doctor and the nurse who did an amazing job. Nurse Cutkelvin and doctor, we thank you for your amazing efforts. Both employees were sent to Belize for precautionary measures and have been at home since yesterday resting. We wish you both a speedy recovery. Vector Control is out here conducting training of our entire staff since Tuesday. They are being trained to properly handle equipments and the importance of safety measures. Vector Control left a manual fogger and next week we will commence home fumigation. All efforts are to contain and prevent cases of dengue since there is an outbreak in the region. We sincerely thank Ministry of Health, Mr. Levy and Mr. Matus for training our staff.

BTEC, BELTRAIDE successfully completes Job Preparedness Training in Belize City
The Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC), a unit of BELTRAIDE , has successfully completed another Job Preparedness training in Belize City Participants were trained for three weeks; of which the the first two weeks covered soft skills such as professionalism, resume building, communication skills, conflict management as well as customer service excellence.

BTEC, BELTRAIDE completes Job Preparedness Training in Independence
The Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC), a unit of BELTRAIDE , in partnership with the Independence High School, has successfully completed a Job Preparedness training in Independence Village. Participants were trained for three weeks of which the the first two weeks were facilitated primarily by BTEC staff and covered soft skills such as professionalism, resume building, communication skills, conflict management as well as customer service excellence.

Medical Clinic opening in Sarteneja
Attention Sarteneja! Fulltime Medical Clinic opening August 12th. Dr. Ricardo Fabro with 26 years of experience.

ArT In ThE ParK Saturday
Art in the Park this Saturday, August 10th. Live music with Chendy and Friends! Come out and enjoy this weekend at our Corozal Central Park.

Mr. Jose Mai works with Corozal Football Association Management team
Always give thanks to those whole help in the development process of our youth. THANK you Mr. Mai. We join the Corozal Football Association Management team to acknowledge Mr. Jose Mai, U15F Head-Coach. Mr. Mai, a retired educator has been very instrumental in training our football girls. Your dedication, passion and commitment has made our U15F advance tremendously. Thank you Mr. Mai for joining our staff. Certainly, we are grateful for your services. Mr. Mai has attended the CONCACAF D License held last month at the FFB. We are proud of you Sir!

Fattie's Gourmet Burgers is back in Corozal!

The National Channel Looking for Talent
Think you've got what we're looking for? You just might! Visit our TNC10 Studio for auditions THIS Saturday, August 10th, 2019. For more information feel free to contact us at 678-6210 or [email protected]

U.S. Embassy Online Auction
The U.S. Embassy Online Auction begins Friday, August 9 at noon! To view the lots, go to https://online-auction.state.gov/, scroll down the page and click on "Belmopan." Interested bidders must register on the website in order to place bids beginning Friday. Items must be picked up on Friday, August 23 (time TBA) at the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan. Instructions will be sent to winning bidders when they are notified the next business day after the conclusion of the auction (Sunday, August 18 at 7 p.m.) that they have the winning bid. Winning bidders will be required to pay any required duty to the government of Belize and to pay the Embassy in full in cash before the item will be released. No payment/pick-up extensions will be granted. All property purchased at auction must be removed immediately from the Embassy premises.

“Everything Coconut Workshop" in Punta Gorda
Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative - YLAI Fellow Lorcia Moore led an “Everything Coconut Workshop" in Punta Gorda yesterday. We thank Lorcia and her U.S. partner and mentor Pamela Santos for continuing to empower and inspire female entrepreneurs in #Belize to be the change they want to see in their communities.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend
Aladdin, Brightburn, Rocketman, Avengers Endgame

BELIZE CRUZO'OB MAYA: THE CHILDREN OF REBELLION
The Yucatec Maya group known as the Cruzo'ob Maya were one of the main protagonist of the Maya social War wrongly called the Caste war . The Cruzo'ob Maya mantained a good relationship with the British since they bought weapons from them . The British even recognized the Maya nation of Chan Santa Cruz as independent but all this ended when the British Government assigned Sir Spenser St. John to disentangle Her Royal Majesty's Government from the Maya free state. In 1893, HRMG signed the Spenser Mariscal Treaty, which ceded the Maya free state's lands to Mexico and a border was created without asking the indigenous Maya .

Beck G Live Concert at Costa Maya International Festival 2019
Alma Caribeña Performance at Costa Maya Festival 2019. Photos by Jose Luis Zapata Photography.

Channel 7

Mini Riot At Prison - as Inmates Take Guard Hostage
Tonight, 3 person guards are recovering from injuries they suffered while trying to suppress a mini-prison riot that broke out this afternoon before midday.  Reports to 7News are that it happened at around 11:00 in the recreation area of the Tango 11 building when 10 prisoners were expected to comply with the end of their recreation time.  But, the inmates, who are rumored to be affiliates of one of the Belize City gangs, allegedly refused to comply with the directives of the prison guards, and several inmates jumped one of them and held him hostage. We are told that they are dissatisfied with the arrangements that were recently made for their prison cells, and that this dissatisfaction triggered the bold action.

Why NHI, Pablo?
Today we finally got a chance to speak to Health Minister Pablo Marin about the proposed 1.6 million dollar project to construct a Central Medical Stores building in Belmopan. This building would replace the current warehouse in Ladyville.  Marin and his CEO George Gough were seeking to get the cash from the NHI fund - which currently has a surplus.  As we have reported, the Senior Finance Officer Artemio Osorio sent a memo to the Health CEO, Gough stating that the Ministry of Finance has "no objection" to the project. Sounds simple enough right ? Nope. Quite the contrary. That's because money from the NHI fund, which is managed by the SSB, can't be used to construct this building, it is there for NHI related expenses. Second, the Ministry of Finance has no power over it; it's administered by the Social Security Board.   So why would Health Minster Marin and CEO Gough even try to get funding from this reserve ? The media questioned him on it today and he said that, in his view, there is no harm or foul in going around hat in hand.

Why Fast-track a Contract For Minister's Brother's Company?
Another issue raised relating to the Health Ministry's 1.6 million dollar project is how the contractor was chosen. In the Ministry of Finance MEMO it states "the Ministry of Finance has no objection to the award of the contract for the construction to Joehann construction and Engineering Ltd. The Ministry of Finance also has no objection to the use of the limited tendering procedure."  Joehann construction is owned by Rolando and Yanira Montero, the brother and sister-in-law of Works Minster Rene Montero. We asked Marin if this familial connection had anything to do with the selection.

SRH Morgue Dead, But Being Revived
And, moving now to another health controversy, since March, the Southern Regional Hospital's morgue has not been functioning. It has caused great inconvenience and pain to families whose primary concern is to properly store the bodies of their loved ones. Today we asked Minister Marin for an update and he says the ministry is providing transportation for families who need to take their dead to PG or Belmopan. Hon. Pablo Marin - Health Minister: "As soon as the morgue went down we had to do an estimate and send the proposals, it is already out there and a tender group won it, it will take about 60 days if I am not mistaken and it should be coming in I think next Thursday or Friday the 15th..." 

Missing Man Feared Dead In Griga
Tonight, the family of 35-year-old Derrick Ramirez, a fisherman from Dangriga Town, is very worried about him. That's after he went out on a fishing trip with 2 other family members, and while diving for Lobster, a rival fisherman and his associates allegedly tried to kill him over fishing turf. Kevin Hernandez, Ramirez's brother, reported to police that on last Sunday, August 4th, he was on a fishing trip with Ramirez and his brother-in-law Joseph Coleman. They were in an area half a mile north of Cross Caye, and they were diving for lobster. They reportedly encountered another boat on the sea, and the captain was someone Ramirez recognized. The two groups of men allegedly had an exchange of words. This fisherman reportedly told them to leave the area, and to not dive for lobster in that location.

Tapir's Carcass Carved Up On Roadside
Now, our next story is not for the squeamish - it is about the carcass of a dead animal - so, if you cringe at such sights, we urge you to take a TV time out. A dead tapir was found on the side of the northern highway near the airport dead last night.  Initially, the speculation was that it had been knocked down, but today, a much more sinister and sanguinary storyline appeared.  Chereese Halsall reports:.. This is the Facebook that got everyone's attention last night - including the Forestry Department.  Forest Ranger Edwardo Pott spoke to us off camera: Edwardo Pott - Forest Ranger: "We received some information that somebody posted it on Facebook that they had knocked down a tapir, and apparently his two back legs were missing."

Former McAfee Home Burns Again
For the second time, the building that was formerly the home and headquarters for John McAfee in Belize burned down today.
The structure, which sits at the southern approach to the Tower Hill Bridge on the banks of the New River is both famous and infamous as the first place where McAfee put down roots in Belize sometime around 2009.  From there he staged his exploits, and set up a lab - which was supposed to be doing research on natural antibiotics. That's also the location that the GSU raided in 2012, sending McAfee on a paranoid tailspin which lasted for years.  The building burned down in 2013, as the result of a bushfire.

Swing Bridge Accident Brought Into Clearer View
Yesterday we brought you the story of the vehicle that went head first into the Belize river and rested for a time under the depths of the Harbour.  Fortunately no life was lost, and there were many colorful accounts of just what happened - but today, a surveillance video gave us the most accurate account.  Chereese Halsall did a re-take: An eyewitness told us what he saw: Ramon Salgado - Driver, Jeep Cherokee: "When I look I saw the vehicle coming from straight across with speed and apparently it couldn't stop, because a guy was coming off the bridge with a motor bike and he was trying to avoid being hit."

Alleged Infant Rapist and Murderer Will Stand Trial
It sent waves of horror across the country when it hit the headlines in February 2018. 17 month old Alyssa Nunez was badly beaten and raped – she later died from the atrocious attack. Well, the update today is that her step father, Everal Martinez, the man accused of this heinous crime will stand trial at the Supreme Court for murder and rape.  That was decided today in court in the presence of his attorney, Oscar Selgado.  Senior Magistrate Ford told Martinez that at the end of the preliminary inquiry she found that a prima facie case has been made out against him and that he must stand trial at the next practical session of the Supreme Court which begins on October 1, 2019. 

Certifying the Cleopatra Clinic
The Cleopatra White Clinic got a special certification today: they are now mother-baby friendly. We found out more about the significance of that certification. Courtney Weatherburne has more: Breast feeding is the one of the most fundamental instincts of a mother, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a struggle. Suzuanni Vellos - Mother: "Breast feeding is not something easy, it's very hard, painful at times." But regardless of the discomfort, breastfeeding specifically during the first 6 months is extremely beneficial to the mother and child.

Gang Member Killed in Enemy Territory
There has been another shooting in the city. It happened about half an hour ago in the Gungulung area, off Holy Emmanuel Street.  Multiple reports tell us the victim was fatally wounded with a headshot.   The victim's name - which we can't release at this time - is that of a well known Belize City gang member - who was way out of his turf, which is on Rocky Road on West Collet Canal.

Scholarships From a Soda Company
And, shifting gears to much happier news. The start of the next school year is only a few weeks away, and 26 students from several different districts are going to get their education sponsored by the local Beverage giant, Bowen and Bowen Limited. It's the continuation of their Bowen and Bowen Dependent Scholarship program. The idea is that the company provides financial aid to the children of their 1200 employees, easing the burden of these parents, and providing the students with the best opportunity to keep studying. These dependents are invited to apply, and like any other scholarship program, the recipients are chosen based on their academic performance, and their need. This year, 42 applied, but  Bowen and Bowen could only select 26.

Come Een Carifesta Team!
A delegation of  Belizean creatives is headed to the Fourteenth annual Carifesta which is being held this year from August 16th to August 25th in Trinidad.  This year's medium sized contingent is made up of musicians, designers, a curator, and an author.  N.I.C.H. presented the team to the media today in a press conference at the Bliss. We got a chance to find out a bit more about the Arts, Music, Crafts, Fashion and Films that they will be showcasing: Sapna Budhrani - President, NICH: "The Caribbean festival of arts CARIFESTA has assumed a pre-eminent place among the elements that define and give expression to the uniqueness of our Caribbean reality like other significant institutions such as cricket; CXC and CARICOM that symbolize a Caribbean commonality the festival reinforced our unity in the midst of splendid adversity. This year's team focuses on both tangible and intangible aspects of cultural and heritage development and seeks to embody and facilitate the objectives of CARIFESTA"

UDP Tells PUP To Denounce Musa's Mission to Beijing
The ruling UDP is all hot and bothered about PUP Rep Kareem Musa's trip to Taiwan and sent out a 500 word press release today condemning the shadow Minster.   They say that Musa, quote, "falsely claimed that the invitation he accepted was also extended to the United Democratic Party."  The release adds that the UDP was never invited and, quote, "if it had been, would have been rejected out of hand. The UDP is steadfast and unwavering, both as a Party and as Government, in its support for Taiwan. This UDP administration would never countenance any overtures from Communist China," end quote.  The release concludes that Musa was in China to try to raise campaign financing for the PUP's next general election bid.

Channel 5

Health Minister Explains Ministry’s Request to Use N.H.I. Reserve Funds
Health Minister Pablo Marin today broke his silence regarding his ministry’s intention to apply for a one point six million-dollar grant to be drawn from the National Health Insurance Reserve [...]

Minister Marin Walks Back, says “We Cannot Send that Proposal There”
According to Marin, the ministry intended to draw one point six million dollars of the three million dollars that make up the N.H.I. reserve.  He says that he identified the [...]

Joehann Construction and Engineering Awarded Contract to Build Medical Stores Facility
So what the Ministry of Health did was to identify a project, in this case, the construction for a medical stores facility in Belmopan, and award the contract to Joehann [...]

Everal Martinez to Stand Trial for Rape and Murder of Baby Allyssa Nunez
In 2018, a toddler was raped and murdered while she was in the care of her stepfather at their Maskall home.  The mother of the child, Denika Flowers, was not [...]

An Update on the Southern Regional Morgue
In April, the People United Party fired off a release stating that the country should be appalled and outraged over the malfunctioning morgue at the Southern Regional Hospital.  On Friday, [...]

Belize Bus Association Gets a Solution; Small Compromise Made
The Belize Bus Association was able to come to an agreement with the Ministry of Transport about foreign owned buses making stops in Belize.  On Tuesday, the association met with [...]

Changes for Foreign-Owned Buses Becomes Effective in September
So, how will these changes take place? The B.B.A. says that the Attorney General committed to getting this done over the next few days and that it may not have [...]

Kareem Musa Explains Selection of Delegates for China Visit
A delegation of Belizean politicians, including Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa and Deputy Mayor Oscar Arnold, returned from a visit to Mainland China over the weekend.  While they may [...]

“I would have gone regardless…” – Kareem Musa
When asked if he would have accepted the offer to travel to China, considering the storm that it has since created, Musa did not shy away from reaffirming his position [...]

U.D.P.: Kareem Musa’s Visit to China Borders Betrayal of the National Interest
The governing party this afternoon sent out a release making assertions that the visit by the parliamentarian and delegation was a ploy by the People’s United Party to bolster its [...]

26 Students are Awarded B&B Scholarships
A group of students were in a celebratory mood at Bowen and Bowen Brewery in Ladyville, Belize District.  And for good reason, twenty-six of them will go on to further [...]

A Conservation Camp for Kids
The Clear Water Marine Aquarium Research Institute wrapped up its first ever Belize Marine Conservation Summer camp. Sixty children between the ages of five to fifteen attended the three-day conservation [...]

Cleopatra White Polyclinic Certified Mother-Baby Friendly Facility
An initiative to promote breastfeeding took place today as part of activities to celebrate Breastfeeding Week. The Cleopatra White Polyclinic in Belize City was designated as a mother/baby friendly facility. [...]

Adult Female Tapir is Fatally Injured and Butchered
A vehicle unfortunately knocked down and killed a female tapir on the area of Manatee Lookout on the Philip Goldson Highway.  And soon enough, the legs of the tapir were [...]

Belize Sends Delegation of Artists to CARIFESTA 2019
The Caribbean Festival of Arts, better known as CARIFESTA, has stimulated the establishment of a regional integration among Caribbean countries, bringing artisans and cultural practitioners together for more than four [...]

Belizean Artists, Musicians and Writers are Off to Trinidad for CARIFESTA
Past CARIFESTAs were effective in sharing aspects of intangible Caribbean cultural heritage such as food, music, dance and theater.  This year, the idea is to add more value by creating [...]

Amandala

The dying New River
The residents of Orange Walk Town are beginning to direct their anger and frustration at the Department of the Environment, which, they say, has done nothing to address their concerns about the level of contamination of the New River, which is an important source of water and food for the town’s people. Last month, the Deputy Mayor of Orange Walk Town, Ian Cal, informed Breaking Belize News that Program for Belize, the Ministry of Health and the Department of the Environment were conducting testing to determine the cause of the contamination of the river.

PUP Leader John Briceño and driver suffer minor injuries in road accident
Around 9:45 this morning, Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño was traveling on the Philip Goldson Highway in his Toyota Prado. Briceño and his driver, Edwin Hill, were in the vicinity of Rhaburn Ridge when an accident occurred between two other vehicles. In an attempt to avoid colliding into one of the vehicles, Hill took evasive action and drove on the shoulder of the highway, which caused the Prado to roll over multiple times.

Tourist caught drinking and urinating at archaeological site
Over the weekend, two pictures taken at a Mayan archaeological site that were posted on social media were met with outrage by Belizeans and prompted the National Institute of History and Culture (NICH) to issue a statement. In one incident, a tourist was photographed drinking a bottle of beer at one of the sites. NICH has a strict no-drinking policy at archaeological sites. The other photograph showed the same tourist with his pants pulled down, and he appeared to be urinating.

7 Aloe Vera Street is scene of fire again!
Arturo Castillo Suazo, 35, is now homeless after a fire completely destroyed his timber house at about 8:30 last night at 7 Aloe Vera Street, in Lake Independence. The Belize City Fire Service put out the fire, and no other building around the burning house was damaged. Fire investigators do not yet know the cause of the fire. The house and all its contents were destroyed, but the estimated loss to Suazo is not yet known. Suazo told police that at about 8:00 last night, he secured his house and went out to do some errands. When he returned shortly after, his house was burning. No one was in the house at the time.

Pump prices change again
The Ministry of Finance announces that on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, the pump prices of two fuel products will change. The prices for premium gasoline will register increase and kerosene will register decrease as follows: Premium gasoline will increase by 49 cents from $10.63 to $11.12 per gallon; and kerosene will decrease by 08 cents from $7.71 to $7.63 per gallon.

Income Tax and General Sales Tax Departments merge into Belize Tax Services
In late June, the Senate debated and passed the Belize Tax Services bill, which became law after it was signed by the Governor General. The primary objective of this new piece of legislation, which was initially introduced in the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Dean Barrow in his Minister of Finance capacity, was for the two revenue-collecting government departments to become one mega tax-collecting agency, collecting both Income Tax and General Sales Tax (GST) under the umbrella of the Belize Tax Services, which falls under the Ministry of Finance.

Bandits racks up second PLB Opening Season victory; poised for Concacaf League return match with Saprissa on Wednesday in Costa Rica
he Bandits Sport football club appears poised to return to championship form and secure another berth in the Concacaf League in 2020, as they are off to a blazing start in this Premier League of Belize (PLB) 2019-2020 Opening Season, racking up 2 straight wins, scoring 8 goals and conceding none, as they prepare for the return Concacaf League match on Wednesday, August 7, in Costa Rica against Saprissa, who drilled the Bandits, 3-1, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium last week Wednesday, July 31.

Belize to host the XIX Central American Beach Volleyball Championship
Belize will host the XIX Central American Men’s & Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship from August 16-18, 2019 at Kukumba Beach, Old Belize. Male and Female Teams from seven Central American countries (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama) will participate. Games will start at 9:00 a.m. each day and run through 6:00 p.m. with matches on two sand courts at Old Belize. Entrance fee is $10 for a full day of international beach volleyball action.

Stann Creek F.A. U-13 Mundialito results, standings
The Stann Creek Football Association (SCFA) hosted 4 games at the Carl Ramos Stadium on Saturday, August 3, in Week 5 of the Smart U-13 Mundialito tournament. In game 1, Foreshore Empire blanked Harlem (Montise), 3-0, with a goal each from Ralph Mendoza, Jr., Randy Williams and Jahvantey Bonilla. Game 2 saw Silk Grass SG Ballers with the 3-0 win over New Site, courtesy of 2 goals from Braden Olivas and the other from Jayden Petillo. In game 3, it was Benguche with the 2-1 victory over South Side Warriors. Aaron Estero and Torrin Serano got 1 apiece for Benguche, while Azeem Casimiro scored for South Side.

Weekend Warriors Sunday Race results, August 4
Here are the results from Weekend Warriors racing held yesterday, with the “A” going to Mile 25 and return to Old Belize, for 45 miles; and the “B” going to Rockville and return to Old Belize, for 35 miles; and the “C” going to Hattieville roundabout and return to Old Belize, for 27 miles. All races started at Leslie’s Imports, the first at 8:00 a.m., with 5 minute intervals. Eight of 10 starters completed the “A” race.

Caravans bear the label – “made by the USA”
The campaign for the highest office in the world, the US presidency, is underway, and we expect that one of the hot button topics at the presidential debates in that country will be immigration. It will be one of the most important issues for Americans when they go to the polls on November 3, 2020. People around the world are well familiar with the 151-foot tall Statue of Liberty which stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, with its famous invitation: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

No fear of the intellectuals
Once every three months my parents’ youngest son (of an original seven boys) comes home from Phoenix, Arizona, for a week, to do some work with the KHMH and La Loma Luz hospitals, for three days, and then, for the next four days, to spend time with his family and with his old friends. This quarter there’s a special, because both he and Grace Grant, one of our aunts, have birthdays around the first week of August, and to put icing on the cake at least two of our first cousins, Maxine and Jo Ann, are planning to fly home from the States to be here to celebrate the occasion.

Domestic violence rooted in childhood development
There is a trend of violence that permeates our society. It stems from what takes place in the life of our children as part of their early childhood influence and development. As adults we are quick to make pronouncements against others, children and adult, who commit some anti-social act, usually crime, without stepping back to analyse what is the root of said behaviour. If only I could let readers and society on a whole realize that the issues we see our adults manifesting are just the product of their childhood development experience. So if children grew up neglected and abused, very few will rise beyond such a life and not likewise be abusive.

ORISA’s former quarantine officer, Saul Perez, pleads guilty to theft
A former employee of ORISA (International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture) appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court today and was arraigned on a single charge of theft. Saul Perez, a resident of Succotz Village in the Cayo District, appeared before Magistrate Stephanie Gillett and pleaded guilty to the charge. Perez had concocted a story that he was robbed in the Yarborough area by three armed men, but when police investigated his story, it was not adding up, so police charged him with theft of $2,259 from his employer, ORISA.

Southern Regional Hospital’s morgue is down again
On Friday an announcement was made that the cooling system at the morgue is again malfunctioning, so once again it is not possible for bodies to be preserved in the facility. An official of the hospital said this morning that they are awaiting storage units that have been procured, and which should arrive in the country before the end of the month. It cannot be said, however, when the new storage units will be installed, since the morgue is presently being renovated. The official said that after the renovation is complete and the storage units are installed, a public notice will be made.

Inspector Dennis Lopez reinstated, but his criminal case is still before the court
On the night of Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Steven Buckley was returning to his home on George Street from his job site on Ross Pen Road. He was in the cab of a pickup truck that was traveling on Kraal Road. At the same time police were looking for a pickup truck that was involved in a shooting incident. According to police, Inspector Dennis Lopez fired his police-issued 12-gauge pump-action shotgun into the windshield of the pickup truck in which Buckley was traveling, hitting him in the face. Buckley had to be admitted into the Intensive Care Unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he managed to beat the odds and remained alive, but the injury from the shotgun blast left him paralyzed on one side of his body.

Kareem Harvey, 25, remanded on attempted murder and related charges
A resident of Maxborough, located in Sandhill Village, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning and was arraigned on charges of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. No plea was taken from Kareem Harvey, 25, due to the nature of the offences, which allegedly occurred on June 3. After reading the three charges to him, Senior Magistrate, Tricia Pitts-Anderson explained to Harvey that her court could not offer him bail because the offenses were allegedly committed with a firearm and that precludes the court from granting him bail.

The Reporter

Minister Says There Is No Nepotism & Corruption
Last week a memo written by the Ministry of Finance approving a contract worth $1.686M leaked. The contract was for the construction of a Central Stores Building for the Ministry of Health, using NHI funds managed by the SSB.

Bowen & Bowen – Steps Up Again, As Good Corporate Citizen
Today, Bowen and Bowen Company handed out 26 full scholarships to children who will be attending high school and in some cases, sixth form. The recipients are all children of the company’s employees and were selected based on need and academic performance.

Chaos & Riot At Kolbe – Belize Central Prison
The Reporter has confirmed that 10 prisoners housed in the Tango 11 section of the Belize Central Prison staged a riot this morning after 11:00. We are told three prison officers, one of them female, were hurt during the riot. Sources say within 20 minutes the ten men were subdued without serious injury.

Belizeans Encounter Violent Mystery Men Near Cross Caye
Dangriga Police are investigating the case of a man deemed missing at sea, but who is believed to have been murdered. According to reports, on Sunday a man visited the station to say that around midday he and two others were diving lobster near Cross Caye when they were approached by a boat with three men in it who told them to leave the area.

LOVE FM

Bowen & Bowen issues twenty six scholarships to the children of their employees
Twenty-six students, all of whom are children of Bowen & Bowen employees, received scholarships to help ease the financial burden that accompanies high education. This marks the fifth year that Bowen & Bowen has had their scholarship program, and the total value of this year’s scholarships amounted to one hundred and thirty nine thousand dollars. …

UDP condemns Kareem Musa’s trip to China
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has released on official statement (UDP ON MUSA VO) concerning Caribbean Shores Representative, Kareem Musa, and his unannounced trip to China. As we have already reported, Musa said that the trip was that of a personal nature and that he was invited by the Belize-Chinese Association. However, the Association issued …

Tapir Found Dead and Without Limbs
Images of a dead tapir lying on the road side without its limbs surfaced on social media last night. Many were in disbelief, considering the tapir, or mountain cow, is Belize’s National Animal. The hunting of these animals is an Illegal act and persons can be fined a total of $10,000. Tapirs often travel at …

Artists will Represent Belize in this year’s Caribbean Festival of Arts
Various artists will be representing Belize in this year’s Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA), which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago. CARIFESTA is an annual festival that allows Caribbean countries to send their best artists from various categories to perform in one location. This year’s Belizean delegates were chosen and sponsored by the National …

Mothers receive overwhelming support for exclusive breastfeeding
Studies have shown that breast-milk is the ideal source of nutrition for new-borns as babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives are healthier and smarter. And while breastfeeding is seen as an experience involving a mother and her baby, little by little fathers are getting involved in the breastfeeding …

Missing man believed to be dead
A man is currently missing and his family is fearing the worse. Derrick Ramirez (RAMIREZ MISSING VO) was reportedly about half a mile north of Cross Caye with his brother and brother-in-law when a boat approached them and docked beside them. Ramirez’s brother, Kevin Hernandez, reported to police that he recognized the captain only, and …

Marin says looking at other options to source funds for warehouse
Over the past week, we have been reporting on an alleged scandal that saw the Ministry of Health proposing to build a new Central Medical Store in Belmopan using money from the NHI reserve fund, which is managed by Social Security Board, without even informing SSB of their plans. Last we heard on the scandal, …

Mini-riot staged at Kolbe Foundation
Earlier today, our newsroom received reports of a problem at the Kolbe Foundation in Hattieville. In previous instances, dangerous prisoners had escaped from Kolbe, most of whom were eventually found. This time, however, there was apparently a mini-riot at the prison. Love News visited the prison and spoke to the CEO, Virgilio Murillo, who said …

Marin says morgue will be up and running soon
Residents of Dangriga are frustrated with the Southern Regional Hospital’s morgue which is out of operation for the second time within six months. Meanwhile, there is also a problem with the morgue at the San Ignacio Hospital. Today, the Minister of Health Pablo Marin told the media that both problems will be resolved shortly. Pablo …

Breaking Belize News

Saprissa eliminates Belmopan Bandits in CONCACAF Champions League, 3-1
One goal in it after 45 minutes, the Belmopan Bandits seemed on the verge of […]

Man accused of rape and murder of 17 month old baby Alyssa Nunez to stand trial
Everal Martinez, accused of child rape and murder was back in court today. The Maskall […]

House burns near Tower Hill bridge in Orange Walk
A house in the Orange Walk district was destroyed by fire today. Around 4:00 p.m. […]

Pablo Marin addresses controversy over NHI funds
Minister of Health Pablo Marin, today faced the media at a press event, answering questions […]

Man shot in Lake-I succumbs
Earlier tonight we reported that a man was shot in the Gungulung area of the […]

Riot reported at Belize Central Prison
Inside sources have confirmed a riot at the Belize Central Prison. According to the report, […]

Man reportedly shot in Lake-I
Minutes ago there was a shooting in Belize City. It reportedly occurred in the ‘Gungulung’ area […]

UDP condemns Kareem Musa’s visit to China
The United Democratic Party (UDP) issued a strongly-worded statement today condemning People’s United Party member Kareem […]

Banana producing countries unite against new devastating Fusarium R4T disease
This week, banana-producing countries in the region signed a joint declaration to fight the Fusarium […]

Tour Guide, Cecil Gill is convicted of drug possession
A Tour Guide of Belize City picked up a conviction for drugs after he admitted […]

Jareth Craig, 22, pleaded guilty to handling $700 stolen Toshiba Television
Twenty-two-year-old Jareth Craig, a resident of Racecourse Street, Belize City, was fined after pleading guilty […]

Belize face French Guiana, Grenada in first round of Nations League fixtures
Two days before St. George’s Caye Day on September 10, the Belize Jaguars defend home […]

Tapir knocked down and dismembered in Ladyville
Sometime around 10 o’clock last night a Tapir was knocked down and killed in the vicinity […]

John Briceño thanks everyone for prayers
People’s United Party (PUP) Leader, John Briceño, is still at home recovering from a road traffic […]

Police issue report on vehicle plunged into Belize River
Belize City police have issued a report on the accident in which a vehicle plunged into […]

Fair weather to continue
The weather forecast for today, prepared by the National Meteorological Service of Belize, calls for […]

Ministry of Agriculture hosts workshop on sheep management
On Friday, August 2, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Genetic Improvement in Sheep […]

Bandits in training ahead of Saprissa return
The Belmopan Bandits Sporting Club had their first training session on Monday at Estadio Mercedes […]

Ministry of Transport reaches agreement with bus operators on foreign buses
The Ministry of Transport announced yesterday evening that it has reached an agreement with the […]

International Sources

Manatees at risk for lack of protection against range of risks
The Antillean manatee is at risk of extinction in Mexico and Belize due to a lack of laws to protect it, says a Belizean conservationist and biologist. “. . . Our work is limited by the lack of laws and specific regulations that deal with the problems that threaten the species and provide the protection it needs,” Jamal A. Galves told the news agency EFE. There are only around 2,000 manatees living in Mexican and Belizean waters, where they face a range of risks that are exacerbated by their curious nature and lack of speed. According to the World Wildlife Fund, accidental fishing of the species and collisions with boats have caused manatee deaths and contributed to their current status as an endangered species.

Videos

August 7, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Belize to host the XIX Central American Beach Volleyball Championship
The Belize Volleyball Association (BVA) is asking all volleyball fans to come out and support the Belize teams during the three days of high-level beach volleyball action. Belize has some very strong competitors who have been training with Cuban Coach Juan Carlos Perdomo since the beginning of the year. Belize’s athletes are well-prepared and have shown excellent results in international tournaments so far this year. “After Francis Hauze and Michael Jenkins brought home the bronze medal from the U-21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship in Guatemala last month, all players and fans are excited and ready for more. Belize is ready to go for the gold!” states the BVA.

San Pedro Pirates F.C draw 0-0 against Altitude F.C
For the second week of the Premiere League of Belize (PLB) 2019 Opening Season, the San Pedro Pirates traveled to Independence Village, Stann Creek District to face Altitude F.C on Saturday, August 3rd. Held at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village, the match saw both teams going strong against each other, ultimately ending in a 0-0 draw. The match began shortly after 7PM with the home team seeking a victory. However, the island team was also eager for its first victory, and their strong defense didn’t allow any goals to enter their net. With no goal in sight, the first half came to an end with a 0-0 score.

Ambergris Today

Belize To Host The XIX Central American Beach Volleyball Championship
Belize will host the XIX Central American Men's & Women's Beach Volleyball Championship from August 16-18, 2019 at Kukumba Beach, Old Belize. Male and Female Teams from seven Central American countries (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama) will participate. Games will start at 9:00AM each day and run through 6:00PM with matches on two sand courts at Old Belize. Entrance fee is $10 for a full day of international beach volleyball action.

Various Belizean Sources

2nd Annual CCCSC19 Sailing Regatta
Don't forget our 2nd Annual CCCSC19 Sailing Regatta will be taking place this weekend, August 10th & 11th, 2019 at the Palapa Gardens right here in Caye Caulker. Come out and support our young sailors of our Caye Caulker Community Sailing Club as well as other sailors from other sailing clubs here in Belize. First race on Saturday the 10th starts at 12 noon. Everyone is invited.

Training Workshop on Sheep Management
On Friday, August 2, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Genetic Improvement in Sheep and Goat Project facilitated a training workshop for sheep farmers in the Cayo District. The training was held at the University of Belize Central Farm Conference Room, where a total of 30 sheep farmers from San Antonio, Cristo Rey, Succotz, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Bullet Tree and Santa Familia attended the training.

BDF Family Sports Day
The BDF will be having its annual Family Sports Day on 24 August 2019. Main events which is open to the public are: Half marathon, 10k, 5k.

Agreement Reached with Belizean Bus Association on Mexican and Guatemalan Buses Transiting the Country
In a meeting just concluded in Belmopan this afternoon, top officials from the Government of Belize have reached an understanding with representatives of the Belizean Bus Association with respect to buses transiting the country from Guatemala and Mexico. It was agreed that going forward, only one regular bus run per day would be allowed from each country entering Belize during the day, and returning to the respective country in the evening.

Belize Hotel Association Introduces Its New Office Team
The Belize Hotel Association welcomes Ilechia Flowers as the new Marketing Director. She has been working with BHA for the past two years as the Membership and Marketing Executive and was responsible for leading the Association’s member relationship efforts, marketing strategies, implementing activities and services to continuously promote membership and growth while working closely with the previous Marketing Director. Ms. Penny Bonilla has been promoted to Membership and Marketing Executive. Ms. Bonilla will now be responsible for leading the Association’s membership relationship efforts. She brings over fifteen years of experience in the hotel and tourism industry, with extensive knowledge in hotel management, accounting, and public relations. We welcome Ms. Mercedez Romero as our new Office Administrator. Ms. Romero has been in the business field for the past 16 years and has a vast knowledge within the International offshore industry.

Offshore Outsourcing: Outlook and Investment Opportunities
Due to a plethora of competitive advantages, Belize has proven to be one of the most attractive nearshore and offshore destinations in the region. Since the establishment of the first Call Center in 2005, the Offshore Outsourcing Industry has experienced unprecedented growth in the form of an 80% industry increase, and the subsequent opening of approximately twenty four (24) active centers to date offering services in predominantly Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and other emerging industries in Belize such as Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO). Several competitive advantages in the form of low Average Cost of Labor and Commercial Space are some of the key underlying factors that propel the industry forward.

New mural in Corozal
This is the type of mural that grabs your soul and captures your attention. This is truly a work of art that should be replicated in every corner of our Corozal community, as it truly depicts the beginning of our northern history and identity and not a contamination of it. The mural represents several aspects of our history with one being the union and bonding of a Maya Princess and a Spanish warrior which became the birth of our Mestizo heritage. The mural will cover the four faces our our Corozal Town clock at our Central Park location and additionally, will represent our flora and fauna, our birth, the friendship, brotherhood and sisterhood that co-exist between our two neighbouring communities of Corozal Town and Chetumal, Mexico. The image of our Rio Hondo represents the northern bridge between our two communities. We do not consider the river that divides us a border, but rather a bridge that unites us.

Cayo Jouvert
The 1st ever Cayo Jouvert will be on September 9th. It'll take place at Thirsty Thursdays, and goes from 10:00pm to 4:00am. DJ Mesmerize is teaming up with the SISE Town Council to make it a night to remember. DJ Iconic and DJ Wicked Vybz, along with many others, will mix the night away. "For the First Time Ever! Project XYZ Ent. in collab with SI/SE Town Council brings to you the dutty colorful Jouvert! This September!"

BTB Donates to the National Celebrations Commission
As Belize prepares to celebrate the 221st Anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye and the 38th Anniversary of our Independence, the Belize Tourism Board, today presented a check for $50,000BZ to the National Celebrations Commission. The moneys will be used to assist with the National September Celebrations activities in Belize.

Channel 7

No Brakes! Woman Plunges Into River
Two females, aged 13 and 22, are lucky to have survived this morning when their vehicle went head first into the Belize City Harbour. 22 year old Jasmine Smith's brakes failed and she barreled through one of the city's busiest intersections like a pinball, until her vehicle took the plunge. Channel Seven's Cherisse Halsall was on the scene shortly after and she spoke with eyewitnesses. Here's the story:

Belize - Chinese Association Rejects K. Musa Narrative
Last night on the news, you heard PUP Representative Kareem Musa explain why he led a delegation to mainland China last week. He said it was all set up by the Belize - Chinese Association - and, indeed, the President Johnston Ou can be seen immediately behind Musa smiling as he hands over the symbolic flag. But Ou rejected that narrative today. In a rare release from the Belize Chinese Association signed by Ou as the Chairman, he says, quote, "The invitation for (Musa) to visit China was not made by the Belize Chinese Association or myself . The invitation came directly from the China's Zhi Gong Party and specifically requested the Hon. Kareem Musa who accepted and also chose the members of his delegation.

Belize Bus Operators Get GOB To Limit Mexican and Guate Buses
Last week we told you about the ominous letter that the Belize Bus Association sent to the government. The bus operators want Guatemalan and Mexican busses to stop at the Western Border where the taxi cooperatives and the Bus association would then take over their passengers. They said, quote, "Our members have gotten enough of the dialoguewe will do whatever we need to get GOB's attention and as long as we need to do it," end quote. Well, they got Belmopan's attention, and right quick!

The New River Water Situation
Last night, we took you on a tour on the sickly green waters of the New River in the Orange Walk District. Environmentally conscious residents say that the river is in the worst state that they've seen it, and they are worried that it is polluted. Well, we've since been able to confirm with the CEO in the Ministry of Environment, Percival Cho that indeed, it is polluted. But who's the culprit? At this time, the technicians at the Department of Environment aren't that clear. They believe that there are multiple sources of pollution for the river, including town residents. Some point fingers at sugar industry giant, ASR/BSI. And, as part of yesterday's media tour, the organizers took us to a part of the river that is near to the BSI's Tower Hill facility. That's where we captured this footage of water from the facility being drained off into the river.

SATIIM and The Santa Maria
Last night, we told you how the BDF and the conservation NGO, SATIIM, successfully recovered illegally harvested timber in the Black Creek area in the Sarstoon Temash National Park. The illegal lumber was first discovered on July 11th, when SATIIM organized a Maya community patrol to confirm reports that poachers, most likely Guatemalans, had cut large quantities of the very valuable Santa Maria hardwood trees. 2 weeks ago, it made headlines when the Guatemalan military at the mouth of the Sarstoon River tried to stop the Belize Territorial Volunteers and SATIIM from going to Black Creek. They were on the way to retrieve that illegally harvested wood, but the Guatemalan military tried to prevent their passage through the river. They ended up backing off slightly when a BDF vessel showed up.

Gulisi Gets Grant
The Gulisi Museum in Dangriga on the verge of a major upgrade to its infrastructure paid for in part by a 25-thousand-dollar donation from the Belize Natural Energy's Charitable Trust. The Museum is run by the National Garifuna Council, and its purpose is to teach visitors, both Belizeans and tourists alike, about the Garifuna culture, and to preserve its rich heritage in Belize. The Council's executive members tell us that the Museum has been in a run-down state for some time now, but through partnership with the Council, the BNE Charitable Trust, and the National Institute for Culture and History (NICH), it will be refurbished.

Cecil Gill Says Yes To Possession
Well known Belize City tour guide, 52-year-old Cecil Gill, dodged a drug trafficking conviction after he was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of drug possession. Last month, a team of police officers went to his home to conduct a search on his property for illegal drugs and firearms. They asked him if he had any illegal items to declare, and that's when he handed over an envelope of marijuana, which amounted to 150 grams - or 5.29 ounces. That's 15 times more than an adult is allowed to legally possess after the marijuana decriminalization law took effect. So, police arrested and charged him with drug trafficking.

Belize Wins In U-15
Last night we told you about the FFB U15 football team in Bradenton, Florida. They are competing in the 2019 CONCACAF Championships. They lost their first game 3 nil against French Guyana yesterday, but today they redeemed themselves and won 3 nil against St. Kitts. The team plays St. Lucia on Thursday. Team Belize is also betting on French Guyana losing to St. Kitts to put them on top in their division. We will keep following their progress in Florida.

A Conservation Camp
The Sea to Shore Alliance Wildlife Conservation Summer Camp ends tomorrow. It's not your regular summer camp, not at all and Courtney Weatherburne stopped by the Belize Elementary School Auditorium to see what the kids were up to. Here's her story. 60 kids from all over the country are participating.

Jareth Said He Stole It
22-year-old Jareth Craig, a resident of Racecourse Street in Belize City, is facing the consequences of a conviction for handling stolen goods after he was caught in possession of a stolen television. Police say that 31-year-old Jermaine Ottley, a stevedore from East Collet Canal, reported to them that someone broke into his house on Saturday, and stole his 22-inch TV. On the following day, the cops searched Craig's house, where they found the stolen television.

Okele's Big Pro-Black Pitch
For the last four years Steven Okeke has been compiling a document entitled "The Wall of Fame." It's a scroll which lists the contributions of blacks to human advancement and modern technology. Okeke says the misconception that these inventions were the creations of Europeans or their descendants has led to African descendants having low self confidence in intellectual and technological matters. Okeke is trying to erase those misconceptions by presenting the facts within The Wall of Fame. He believes that his research will be extremely beneficial to the self-esteem and self-perception of young black people.

Sheep Science
Last week Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Genetic Improvement in Sheep and Goat Project held a training workshop for 30 Cayo sheep farmers. The farmers are from San Antonio, Cristo Rey, Succotz, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Bullet Tree and Santa Familia. The training was held at the University of Belize Central Farm Conference Room. With instruction form Taiwanese experts, they leaned about alternative feed sources, feeding management, selection of breeding stock, and other ovine fun facts.

Channel 5

An SUV Plunges into the Haulover Creek Near Swing Bridge
An accident in downtown Belize City this morning caused a stir for commuters in the heavily trafficked area. But for two women, it was a scary ordeal when their SUV [...]

Kareem’s Trip to China Ends in Controversy
Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa returned from China on Sunday, following an unofficial visit to the East Asian country last week.  Accompanied by a contingent of three persons, including [...]

What Does Going to China Mean for PUP and Taiwan?
According to Musa, the Chairman of the Belize Chinese Association may have been pressured into distancing himself from his role in facilitating the visit since the matter has become political.  [...]

What Should North Park Street Make of Kareem’s Visit to China?
Is Mainland China attempting to curry favour with Belize by inviting members of parliament to visit that country?  It’s a perception, Musa says, that can be drawn from the invitations. [...]

Santa Cruz Village Council’s “Fundraising” Efforts Sparks Controversy
Thousands of Belizeans illegally enter Mexico through the village of Santa Cruz in Orange Walk and into Botes.  Normally, they are lured to the area for beer, vegetables and other [...]

Three Families Expected to be Evicted From Belmopan Lands
Squatting is a perennial problem in urban cities. In Belmopan we have been following the story of a group of families who have cleared land and have made it their [...]

Ministry of Transport & BBA reach an agreement
A shutdown of public transportation has been averted.  The Ministry of Transport and the Belize Bus Association have reached an agreement to settle the B.B.A.’s concerns over Guatemalan and Mexican [...]

New River Affected by Eutrophication; DOE says Sources include Industries
The New River in Orange Walk is being affected by eutrophication.  It is the increase of nutrients in the river which has been causing the harmful algal blooms, discoloration, stagnation [...]

DOE to Host Public Consultation on New River Problem
The establishments and factories that have been discharging effluents into the New River will be sent a letter containing corrective recommendations.  An advisory will also be issued to the public, [...]

Kareem Musa Weighs in on Charge Against Cpl. Kent Martinez
Attorney Kareem Musa, who represents the family of Allyson Major Junior, was away in China last week when Corporal Kent Martinez was arraigned on a single charge of Manslaughter by [...]

Is A Judicial Review Likely in Case Against Trigger Happy Cop?
The likelihood of a judicial review challenging the charge that was brought against Corporal Martinez is also being explored by Musa’s colleague, attorney Anthony Sylvestre.  Together, they are looking at [...]

A Tour Guide is Guilty of Drug Possession
A Belize City tour guide picked up a drug conviction after he admitted to possession of one hundred and fifty grams of weed found at his home. The amount is [...]

Rehabilitating the Gulisi Garifuna Museum
A Memorandum of Understanding was penned today for the rehabilitation of the Gulisi Museum. The museum, which is located in Dangriga, is the home of Garifuna cultural heritage.  The M.O.U. [...]

SATIIM retrieves illegally harvested timber; GAF didn’t interfere
On July eleventh SATIIM visited the Sarstoon Temash National Park where they discovered a pile of harvested timber inside the park. Over a week later, on July twenty-third, SATIIM attempted [...]

SATIIM speaks on challenges to monitor STNP
As you heard just now, SATIIM was only able to retrieve about sixty percent of the harvested timber. The remainder was destroyed. While illegal logging is a problem in several [...]

Let’s Empower Parents to Enable Breastfeeding.
It’s Breastfeeding Week in Belize and the proponents of breastfeeding are championing family support to help moms. The focus is on supporting both parents, with the inclusion of fathers to [...]

KTV-The Remix takes it to the Movies
Get ready for another tight round of competition in KTV the Remix. The show gets underway at eight-thirty p.m. live from the Bliss Auditorium in Belize City. Tonight, the remaining [...]

The National U-15 Boys Compete in the 2019 CONCACAF Championships
The national under-fifteen team secured a win today against Saint Kitts and Nevis after a disappointing loss to French Guiana on the first day of competition. The team is currently [...]

The Reporter

Vehicle Runs Into The River Downtown – At Swing Bridge
A approximately 8.30am this morning (August 6th.) an SUV miraculously went into the river on the south side of the swing bridge where the commercial building is in downtown Belize City. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle somehow ended up in the middle of the river, as you can see in the video, as several people attempted to rescue the driver while it was sinking.

LOVE FM

Belize/Chinese Association denies involvement in Kareem Musa’s trip to China
Lots of questions were raised when Caribbean Shores Area Representative, Kareem Musa, took an unannounced trip to Mainland China. As we reported yesterday, Musa claimed that the trip was that of a personal nature, and that he was invited by the Belize-Chinese Association. Today, however, (OU ON MUSA VO) the Association issued a press release …

National Employment Policy
The Ministry of Labour is tasked with protecting the workforce. In this regard, the Ministry is currently working on a national employment policy, which will contain procedures that should be adhered to in the workplace. This morning, the Labour Commissioner, Anne Marie Thompson, was on the Business Perspective speaking about the employment policy. Anne Marie …

SATIIM and BDF collaborate to recover illegally harvested timber
A few weeks ago, headlines were dominated by an interaction between the Guatemalan Armed Forces and the Belize Territorial Volunteers as the BTV, along with SATIIM, attempted to travel up the Sarstoon River to Black Creek. They were trying to recover timber from Santa Maria trees that poachers had illegally cut down in the Sarstoon …

Breast is Best
According to the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO, thirty-eight percent of all babies are exclusively breastfed until six months of age in the region. When it comes to Belize, the percentage is a little lower at thirty-three percent. As we celebrate breastfeeding week, the Ministry of Health is hoping that more people will be sensitized …

New sporting complex to open in September
Very soon, sports enthusiasts will have an additional venue to play the favourite sport of their choice. The new sporting facility is being built behind the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City. On Saturday, the Minister of Sports, Patrick Faber, told Love news that the facility is being funded by Mexico. Patrick Faber – …

Ministry of Labour working to end child labour
Countries are being urged by the International Labour Organization to eliminate child labour. This morning on the Business Perspective, the Labour Commissioner, Anne Marie Thompson said that work is being done to abolish the worst kinds of child labour. Anne Marie Thompson – Labour Commissioner: “Child labor is an issue that we want to put on …

Breaking Belize News

Future Jaguars split first two games of Under-15 championship
Belize’s under-15 boys’ football team is playing in the CONCACAF championship this week at the […]

NICH appeals for all visitors of archaeological sites to be respectful
The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) is asking all visitors to archaeological sites […]

Belizean shot in Los Angeles
A Belizean is fighting for his life in the United States. He is Rodney Hudson, […]

Court to rule on Zabaneh land filling case
Primrose Gabourel, 76, and her son 43-year Dion Zabaneh, charged with for failure to obtain environmental […]

Man slapped with $2,500 fine for faking robbery, stealing company money
Belize City sees its fair, and sometimes more than fair, share of robberies. But one […]

Local hero saves persons from drowning
Minutes ago a vehicle plunged into the Belize River near the Swing Bridge in Belize […]

“Sunny skies for today,” says Met Office
The 24-hour weather forecast prepared by the National Meteorological Service of Belize calls for fair […]

Tourism minister asks public to cooperate with new water taxi regulations
Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia Jr. appealed to the public yesterday to cooperate with the new regulations on boat travel being enacted by the Belize Port Authority[…]

Blogs

Return to Blackadore Caye, Belize…Yes…Leo’s Island
I visited the island in June of 2016 for the first time – which the Blackadore development team/scientists were there. It is BEYOND stunning. And I JUST returned – with Marcos of Creative Tours – for a visit. Jeff and some friends and guests were going to wade around the island to fly fish and my friend Jamie and I wanted to do a bit of exploring, swimming and sunning. Despite what recent articles say – there is NO WAY a resort is opening here in 2020. All that you can find on the island is one white mangrove tree, caretakers, lots of high sharp grass and coconut trees and about 14 billion blue crabs. Here are my photos from one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

International Sources

Belize Reporting an Increase in Dengue Cases
Belize is reporting a 10 percent increase in the number of confirmed dengue fever cases within a one week period, with 40 percent of these cases being children. “We do have an increase from the preliminary data that we have managed to take out. We have 789 confirmed cases which will be a 10 percent increase average from what we reported exactly one week ago, with the Cayo District now having a higher increase in terms of numbers,” said Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services. He said Corozal, which is located at least nine miles from the border with Mexico, has the second-highest number of dengue cases in terms of total cases.

Will Central America’s nearly two century-old land dispute finally be put to rest?
The Central American republic of Guatemala has, since the mid-1800s, claimed much of the land governed by neighboring Belize – at times even claiming the whole country as Guatemala’s own territory. Now, after decades of tension and both countries on the brink of armed conflict, the governments of Guatemala and Belize have decided to take the issue to the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ). “The territorial and maritime dispute between Belize and Guatemala was inherited by both countries from their previous colonial powers, the United Kingdom and Spain. Following its conquest of the region, Spain claimed sovereignty over all of Central America. The British settlers and their slaves first arrived in present-day Belize in the 17th century, but they were considered outlaws by Spain. The Spanish crown signed several treaties with Great Britain during the 18th century, granting certain rights to the settlers but retaining sovereignty,” explained Victor Bulmer-Thomas, an honorary professor at University College London’s Institute of the Americas, to World Politics Review (WPR).

Ancient Maya Engaged In Violent Warfare Long Before The Start Of Their Civilization’s Collapse
It is widely thought that the Maya people were relatively peaceful compared to other civilizations such as the Aztecs, and that the warfare that led to their collapse only kicked in when climate change-related droughts reduced food supplies and escalated tensions existing in the kingdom. Warfare did exist, but it was considered ritualistic and on a small scale – raids to kidnap a high-profile captive for ransom, sacrifice or to keep rival dynasties in line, for example – rather than deliberate decimation. A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour, however, has revealed evidence that total warfare among the Maya occurred more often and much earlier than thought. The evidence suggests that they used deliberate “scorched-earth” military campaigns – designed to destroy croplands and other vital resources – even during the height of Maya prosperity and sophistication.

A tale of two basins: Tropical systems inundate West Pacific as Atlantic remains quiet
An observation of satellite imagery around the world shows a tale of two basins with an abundance of tropical systems prowling through the western Pacific, while the Atlantic Ocean remains devoid of any organized tropical storms. After five typhoon-free months, the western Pacific ocean has turned quite active. As Tropical Storm Francisco strikes Japan on Tuesday, Tropical Storm Lekima is forecast to become a typhoon by midweek and a new formed Tropical Storm, Krosa, near Guam may brew into another typhoon, potentially even stronger than the first two. Meanwhile, the Atlantic basin remains barren of any storm formations following Barry and Tropical Depression Three in July. Amid the annual doldrums period, storm activity in the Atlantic has been comparatively nonexistent. In contrast with the West Pacific, the two basins have seen polar opposite developments. Part of this could be due to the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), an oscillation with similar impacts to El Niño, that can dramatically impact weather developments around the world.

Videos

August 6, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

University of Belize to offer Bachelor’s Degree Program in San Pedro Town
During a public ceremony, San Pedro Junior College (SPJC) and the University of Belize (UB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to offer a bachelor’s degree to residents of San Pedro Town. Held at the San Pedro High School (SPHS) conference room, the ceremony saw the attendance of UB President Professor Emeritus Clement Sankat, UB Dean of Faculty of Education and Arts, Nestor Chan, UB Dean for the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences Dr. Bernard Watler, SPJC Dean Gustavo Ellis, SPJC Assistant Dean Froylan Gilharry and interested residents.

Belmopan youth plan 2nd giant book festival to give away over 3,700 fun books to children and teens
The members of the Belmopan Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (BYSEP) are at it again with their continued goal to encourage a love for reading in Belizean children and teens. They call their project “Tek Time fi Read” and on August 17th (9am-3pm) they are planning their 2nd giant book festival at the Belmopan Civic Center. The festival will feature exciting free reading related games that the participants can play to win points. The points can then be used to “purchase” some of the thousands of books that will be on display. All children will go home with some free fun new books.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro’s Biggest Human Tragedy
Because he did not adopt very well to the sea, his parents sent him to Chetumal, Mexico to learn a trade. After a few months he returned to San Pedro to tryout his new profession as a tailor. However just about this time tourism had its origins in San Pedro and Adolfito returned once again to the sea and started working as a tour guide at Ramon's Village. His passion for the sea soon elevated him to become one of San Pedro's first dive masters. It was this passion that took Adolfito at the age of 38 to a sink hole that is located just off the coast of Caye Caulker's western side. Many divers had dived this sink hole or blue hole as some people call it. The cave is totally dark once you enter and your visibility is only enhanced with flashlights. Someone had anchored a rope for divers to find their way out. However fate would have it that this rope was old and probably broke loose. Adolfito dived as far as half of his air tank could take him and when he tried to return he realized there was no rope and he became disoriented and indeed lost. Try as he may he finally ran out of air and drowned in the depths of the sink hole.

University Of Belize And SP Junior College Sign MOU
On Thursday, August 1, 2019 the University of Belize (UB) and San Pedro Junior College (SPJC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the aim of providing tertiary level education up to a Bachelor's Degree in San Pedro. The signing took place at the conference room at San Pedro High School. Singing the MOU were Clement Sankat – President of UB, Dean of Faculty of Educationand Arts – Nestor Chan, Dean for the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences - Dr. Bernard Watler and Gustavo Ellis Dean of San Pedro Junior College.

Various Belizean Sources

2019 Belmopan Rainfall
The dotted blue line is the typical monthly rains. The dashed blue line is the rain for this year, so far. Very low.

GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE VACANCY - INFORMATION OFFICER
Job Location: Belmopan and Belize City. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applications together with curriculum vitae and two written references must be submitted by 31st August, 2019 via email to [email protected], REF: VACANCY or mailed to: Director, Government Press Office, Ground Floor-National Assembly Building, Belmopan.

Arelee Parham is our new Miss East Indian
She is from Punta Gorda in Belize. I am sure that PG is blazing with pride and joy tonight. Jalyssa Arthurs is the first runner up, Gwen Smith is the second runner up, and Kelsey Trujeque Daniels was the third runner up. Assorted prizes and awards were also given out. Thanks to Corozal Organization of East Indian Cultural Heritage (COEICH) for having these activities to keep our Indian culture in Belize alive.

National Domestic Tourism Survey to begin August 5th, 2019
For more info visit our website at www.sib.org.bz.

Junior Rangers leave for Chiquibul School experience
The Junior Rangers for the 2019 Summer Camp left Sunday for their one week Chiquibul School experience. This program is funded by the British High Commission in Belize and BECOL.

Football Meeting in Corozal
The Corozal Football Association takes this opportunity to invite all Club Owners and managers to a meeting on Friday, August 9, 2019 at 6:30pm at the Civic Center. The meeting is to establish and communicate to all stakeholders upcoming the " CFA Opening Season 2019-2020 Youth Tournament" U10, U13 and U20. Also we will relay information pertaining to the FIFA Connect Platform and Club Licensing. Your participation will be highly appreciated. Please confirm attendance by Wednesday, August 7, 2019 2:00pm

Paint N Splash
We are painting on Thursday from 2-4pm.....who’s coming to join us???

Changes in the Pump Price of Fuel Effective on August 6, 2019
The Ministry of Finance announces that on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, the pump prices of two fuel products will change. The prices for premium gasoline will register increase and kerosene will register decrease as follows: Premium gasoline will increase by 49 cents from $10.63 to $11.12 per gallon; and Kerosene will decrease by 08 cents from $7.71 to $7.63 per gallon. The price for regular gasoline and diesel will remain unchanged at $10.55 and 10.08 per gallon respectively.

Applications for 2020/2021 Chevening Awards are now open!
Chevening is the UK Government's global awards programme aimed at developing future leaders and influencers by offering fully-funded scholarships and fellowships to study in the UK. Whilst there is no 'typical' Chevening Scholar, we are looking for the kind of people who have the passion, ideas, and influence to provide the solutions and leadership needed to create a better future. On completing your studies, you will leave the UK equipped with the knowledge and networks necessary to bring your ideas to life. If that is you (or someone you know) apply at www.chevening.org/apply Study in the UK, where ideas come alive. (Scholarships deadline: 12:00 GMT, 5 November 2019)

Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Weekend 2019 Official Statement
The Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Committee would like to thank all who supported and remained hopeful with us during the Lobster Fest weekend. It was the 2, Anniversary of Caye Caulker Lobster Fest and we are very disappointed that we were not able to provide the full experience that we had planned for you all. We did our best to make much of the weekend but unfortunately, due to the limitations with the generators we were constrained as to what we could have Provided. For those who attended our 25th Anniversary Ceremony - Thank you for your patience and support as we worked our way through the night to make our ceremony a reality.

Channel 7

Opposition Leader John Briceno Recuperates at Home
This weekend was a peaceful and crime-free weekend, it certainly is a welcomed break from all the violence, with that said, we start off with an update on Friday's headline story. PUP party leader John Briceno is at his Orange Walk home recovering from Friday morning's terrifying accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Home is where he will stay for the next 3 weeks so his cuts and bruises can heal and the swelling on his head can go down. But as we have reported, Briceno and his driver Edwin Hill will be just fine and make a full recovery. Now while they both recuperate; police will continue their investigation and so far police say the Blue Bird Albion bus driver is at fault.

The Red Sea? How About the Gooey Green
If you love swimming, fishing, or some other water sport, you probably have a favorite body of water you remember fondly as a child. If your favorite spot is a river near your neighborhood, then you'll definitely be able to identify with our story featuring a group of residents from Orange Walk Town. They say that the New River is not the same pristine natural beauty that it once was about 20 or 25 years ago. They say that in recent years, the water appears to have become polluted, and they don't exactly know what is causing it. And more than lack of recreational opportunities, if the New River is polluted, it raises serious public health concerns for those residents who live near it.

Mission Accomplished: SATIIM Smooth Sailing to Sarstoon
Two weeks ago, all the headlines were about that ugly encounter on the Sarstoon.  The Guatemalan military tried to stop the Belize Territorial Volunteers and SATIIM from going up the river to Black Creek.  They were going to recover some illegally harvested timber after poachers - most likely Guatemalan - had illegally cut down Santa Maria trees in the Sarstoon Temash National Park.    But, the Guatemalan military tried to harass and intimidate them, and only backed off slightly when the BDF vessel appeared.  In the end, though, the mission was never accomplished because the BDF escort vessel broke down and the Territorial Volunteers' vessel - known as "Binky" - had to haul back the BDF vessel to its forward operating base.

NICH Condemns Belikin Beer-Drinking, Bladder-Bursting Tourist at Caracol
A tourist was having a bit too much fun at a Belizean archaeological site this weekend. Based on these pictures of the tourist drinking a beer and seemingly urinating at the site, an Institute of Archeology employee identified the site as Caracol in Cayo. The pictures have been circulating on social media and many have expressed their outrage at the blatant disrespect and desecration of the sacred Mayan site. Many on social media have weighed in saying the matter must be thoroughly investigated and the tourist as well as the tour guide, if he was present, must be sanctioned. Well, today NICH Communications officer Neil Hall stated that they are still trying to get more information in this case but stressed that the tourists' actions are utterly intolerable.

Archaeological Site Rules Applies to All
But Neil's list of rules and prohibited acts at archaeological sites isn't only for this tourist, it is for all visitors including Belizeans. Neil says there have been several cases where people have vandalized the temples. Neil Hall - Communications and Marketing, NICH: "We would also like to take this opportunity, since a magnifying glass is being lifted to the actions at the temples, we would also like to ask the general public and those people who are visiting to not vandalize the sites, to not take the opportunity to scratch your names unto the temples or the surrounding areas or even the trees on the archaeological sites as well as defacing property that is on there. We would like to ask you to stop as well and if you see someone doing it, let them know it is wrong."

Ni Hao: PUP Delegation Returns from Visit to China
A PUP delegation has just returned from a series of meetings in mainland China. The delegation was headed by Caribbean shores representative, Kareem Musa. The trip may speak volumes about the PUP's possible intentions to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese; despite long standing Belizean support for The Republic of China (Taiwan). 7 News met with Representative for Caribbean shores Kareem Musa at his office today. He elaborated on the meetings and their objectives:

Police Work to Solve Darwin Rocke's Ruthless Execution
Last week we told you about the murder of 34 year old Aloe Vera Street resident Darwin Rocke. He was killed in a ruthless manner. His arm was cut off, he was stabbed to the chest and his head was partially decapitated. His decomposed body was found on Thursday morning thrown near the Burrell Boom Bridge. Today at the police press briefing, police say they are following leads but don't have a concrete motive at this time. ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "We are still working on that case. We are concentrating our efforts in Belize City as we suspect that the primary scene is here in Belize City but we are still determining the area as to where the incident actually occurred."

No Arrests in Elderly Camalote Musicians Murder
Who killed the elderly Camalote musician? Police are also trying to figure that out too. Today police told us how their investigation is going so far in this case. ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB: "We are still investigating that matter and we are still seeking two persons we believe can assist in the investigation. Several persons were detained and later released pending further investigation." Reporter: "And a motive has still not been determined?" ACP Joseph Myvette: "At this time no, as was previously reported his monies and other personal effects were found on him at the time his body was found."

Thieving Employee Cried Wolf
Saul Perez, a resident of Succotz Village, is facing a court fine from the Magistrate's Court after he admitted that he stole from his boss, lied about it, and made up an entire story that he was robbed. Police say that on Thursday, August 1st, 2019, Perez, a former Quarantine Officer for the OIRSA Belize, visited Precinct 1 in Belize City, and made a robbery report to them. He said that at about 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31st, he was walking on Yabra Road in Belize City. That's when, according to Perez, he was approached by 3 unknown men. One of them was allegedly armed with a knife, and these men supposedly held him up and robbed him of just over $2,300 in cash.

Dion Zabaneh Seafront Property Case Back to Court
76 year old Primrose Gabourel and her son, 43 year old Dion Zabaneh were back before the Magistrate today.   In January of this year, the Department of the Environment and the police enforced a stoppage of land filling at parcel 4670 in Buttonwood Bay.  It's a lot which happens to be in the sea - and the DOE says they should have first gotten environmental clearance.   The mother and son were charged for failure to obtain environmental clearance prior to development activity; failure to comply with an enforcement notice, that is, a stop order; hindering or obstructing an officer in the conduct of his duties and proceeding with a project without complying with environmental clearance.

Trade for Economic Development in Belize
A delegation from the World Trade organization is in Belize this week to facilitate a five day advanced training in trade negotiations simulation skills. This training was requested by G.O.B. from the World Trade Organization and is intended to develop the skills of Belize's trade negotiation team in order to ensure our country's effective participation in trade negotiations at the multilateral and bilateral level. Here is more from the event. Andy Sutherland - Director General foreign Trade, Ministry of Investment, Trade and commerce: "This initiative is to be able to fine tune the team to be able to address and expand the trade mandate for Belize. You know that we launched the national trade policy in February 2019 and that policy outlines that Belize seeks additional market access for its private sector..."

From Belize to Bradenton: FFB U-15 Team Compete in CONCACAF Championships
The U-15 football team is in Florida for the 2019 CONCACAF Championship. The team left Belize on Saturday and the boys played their first game today against French Guyana. The Belize team lost 3 nil but that defeat won't get them down for the rest of the matches. Here are a couple short interviews with the players in Florida. There are 18 boys on the team. The team plays St. Kitts tomorrow morning at 9 Belize time.

Gas Prices 'Rev up' Again
Many of you won't be happy about this next story but there is no getting around it: the price for  premium gasoline is going up. The price for regular gasoline and diesel will remain unchanged at $10.55 and 10.08 per gallon respectively. Premium gasoline will increase by 49 cents from $10.63 to $11.12 per gallon. Kerosene will decrease by 08 cents from $7.71 to $7.63 per gallon.

No Grenade Danger
On last week Thursday night, we told you about this grenade which was found close to a gang affiliated house in Orange Walk Town. Looks, like a real grenade, right? Well, it turns out to be a training grenade, and one that had already been used. This was confirmed by the BDF explosives expert. A training grenade is what is generally known as a smoke grenade.

PUP Want Full Disclosure on Proposed NHI Funded Project
Last week we told you all about the NHI surplus funds, which the CEO in the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Health were trying to get set aside for a new 1.6 million dollar medical stores building in Orange Walk. Well, after they got a "no-objection: letter from the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister stepped in to stop them cold.  On. Thursday, he wrote a letter to the leader of the opposition, saying, quote, "in my view, and especially in the current circumstances, the (Ministry of Health) ought not to make any such application (for those funds).  And then on Friday, SSB CEO Dr. Colin Young told us that Social Security was never approached about the use of NHI funds. 

Channel 5

New River’s Health Declining; Residents Call on D.O.E. To Take Action
A boat ride up the New River in Orange Walk shows large scale stagnation and discoloration of the waters along a seventeen-mile stretch from the villages of Carmelita to Trial [...]

Dengue Cases on the Rise; 40% are Children
For the past two weeks, we have been reporting on the dengue outbreak in Belize and tonight the situation continues to spiral as the number of confirmed clinical cases has [...]

The Southern Regional Morgue out of Commission, Again
While we were with the Director of Health Services, we asked him for an update on the status of the morgue at the Southern Regional Hospital. On Friday, residents from [...]

A Visit to China by Parliamentarian Kareem Musa Sparks Controversy
Last week, Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa travelled to Shanghai, China.  Musa was along with Belize City Deputy Mayor Oscar Arnold and Councilor Michael Noralez.  Now, Belize does not [...]

P.U.P. Party Leader John Briceño Recovering; Bus Driver Charged
P.U.P. Leader John Briceño was released from Northern Medical Plaza over the weekend and is tonight at home recovering from injuries he sustained during a traffic accident on Friday morning [...]

A Few More Details but No Arrest in Murder of Darwin Rocke
Thirty-four-year-old Belize City resident Darwin Rocke was callously murdered. His body was found dumped far away between Burrell Boom and Hattieville, last Thursday. Rocke was partially decapitated and one of [...]

Sanctuary Belize’s Assets Frozen by U.S. Federal Court
Sanctuary Belize is back in the news tonight. The actions by the Federal Trade Commission against the defendants in the massive Sanctuary Belize real estate scam continue, as well as [...]

Fuel Prices Increase Again
For the umpteenth time, consumers are being hit in their pockets with fuel increases. Premium gasoline will increase by as much as forty-nine cents going from ten dollars and sixty-three [...]

P.U.P. Demands Answers on a Grant of $1.6 Million from N.H.I. Funds
The matter of N.H.I. funds for the construction of a one point six million-dollar Central Medical Stores Building in Belmopan is still in the news tonight. Last Friday, different explanations [...]

NICH/Institute of Archaeology Outraged over Tourist Urinating & Drinking at Caracol
Over the weekend, disturbing photographs surfaced on social media showing a tourist exposing himself at an archaeological site in Belize. It is against park rules for visitors to be imbibing [...]

NICH Revisits Protocols in Place at Archaeological Sites
Just last year, there was a murder committed at the Cahal Pech Archaeological Site in San Ignacio. Unknown to rangers, the site was accessed via paths at nights by residents [...]

No Arrests in Murder of Elderly Guatemalan Musician
Why was Manuel Barrera, an elderly Guatemalan national, killed in Young Bank?  It’s a question that investigators in the Cayo District are still trying to have answered.  The seventy-eight-year-old met [...]

A Claim that Police Shot Brandon Mejia on Jasmine Street
A formal report is yet to be filed with the Belize Police Department, following an incident on July twenty-sixth in which a vehicle driven by Brandon Mejia was reportedly shot [...]

Primrose Gabourel and Her Son Back in Court with the D.O.E.
The land dispute between the Department of the Environment and seventy-six-year-old Primrose Gabourel and her son, Dion Zabaneh, has been languishing before the courts. It involves a property on Seashore [...]

Former Assistant Quarantine Officer Avoids Jail Time, but Loses Job
Saul Perez, a former Assistant Quarantine Officer with OIRSA-Belize, is out of a job after he lied to his boss and the police when he claimed he was robbed of [...]

W.T.O. Hosts Trade Negotiations Skills Training in Belize
The Directorate General for Foreign Trade, with support from the World Trade Organization, is hosting over twenty government officials in the ‘Advanced Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Training’ this week. The [...]

Missing Belize City Yardman Returns Home Safe and Sound
Forty-six-year-old Antonio Chacon, a Honduran landscaper, was reported missing over the weekend when family members could not locate him.  He was last seen on Friday morning around five a.m. when [...]

Enforcement of Sugar Tax – is it CARICOM’s Answer to its Sugar Problems?
Last month the Stabroek News of Guyana published an article outlining the challenges in the sugar sector for CARICOM states. The article headline reads that the, “extensive tax evasion sinking [...]

The Countdown to National Song Competition 2019
The countdown is on for the 2019 September national celebrations. Among the first events is the national song competition which takes place this Saturday at the Civic Centre in Corozal [...]

Concerns over September Celebrations’ Theme are Clarified
Communications Officer Neil Hall also spoke on a concern that was expressed over the theme selected for this year’s September Celebrations. If you add the words in the chosen theme [...]

The Sporting Events over the Hot and Humid Weekend
Good evening, I’m James Adderly and this is Sports Monday.   [Highlights of the weekend in sports...]

The Reporter

The Mystery Pollution & Stagnation Of The News River
Today the Reporter joined other media houses on a tour of the New River, following months of complaints of terrible pollution in the once pristine waterway. We were shocked by the state and stench of the river, particularly behind the BSI/ASR mill where waste water empties directly into it.

WHO WILL PAY FOR $1.6M BUILDING? PM Barrow Says Ask MoH…
A Memorandum from the Ministry of Finance which was circulated to the media last week, purportedly showed approval from the Ministry for a construction contract worth more than $1.6 Million, which was awarded to Joehann Construction and Engineering Ltd., a company owned by the brother of Minister Rene Montero.

IS COP ‘GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER?’
Two weeks after Allyson Major was shot to the back of the head, an injury which would cause his death, the cop who allegedly pulled the trigger, Cpl. Kent Martinez, was taken to the Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned on one single charge of Manslaughter by Negligence, an offence usually reserved for fatalities during RTAs.

LOVE FM

Kareem Musa explains trip to China
PUP’s Caribbean Shores representative, Kareem Musa, recently went on what he understood was just an innocent trip to mainland China. However, this trip has sparked controversy among the UDP. The Guardian Newspaper immediately called out Musa – as well as Deputy Mayor, Oscar Arnold, and Michael “Chips” Noralez, both of whom had tagged along with …

PUP demands answers in Ministry of Health scandal
Last week, Love News reported on the allegations that the Ministry of Health was planning to use funds from the National Health Insurance (NHI) reaserve fund to build another Central Medical Store in Belmopan. The fund reserve is managed by the Social Security Board (SSB), however, SSB’s CEO, Colin Young, told the media that he …

Orange Walk Residents are Concerned of the New River Conditions
The New River is extremely essential in the lives of many Orange Walk residents. Some use it as a means of transportation, others use it to fish, and some use it to take a Sunday swim. Recently, the river has experienced a change in conditions, which can be seen as well as smelt. The river, …

Breaking Belize News

UNICEF salutes Belize during World Breastfeeding Week
Photo Credit UNICEF As World Breast Feeding Week (August 1-7) comes to a close, the United […]

Ministry of Finance announces changes in fuel prices
The Ministry of Finance announced a short while ago that on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, […]

July 2019 was the hottest month ever
According to the European-Union-based Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the month of July 2019 was the […]

PUP demands answers in Ministry of Health scandal
The People’s United Party( PUP) issued a statement today demanding answers in the latest government […]

You Can Be A Champion For Women and Girls in Sports!
Belize’s Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow encourages all Belizeans to be […]

Department of Youth Services hosts Open day for International Youth Day 2019
The Department of Youth Services (DYS), Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture is hosting […]

Low Lying Bridge closed for maintenance
The San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council is informing all residents that the Low […]

What’s killing the New River?
Residents of Orange Walk Town and surrounding areas say they are growing impatient with the […]

Mom refuses to spare son over crack possession
Even though it means she will not see him for 90 days except through prison bars, […]

Habitual drug pipe user spared in court
Mark Conorquie, 54, has been convicted nine times in 21 years, between 1995 and 2016, […]

Issue #42 - July 2019 of The BELIZE AG REPORT is online here!
Click HERE to download the PDF

The Belize Ag Report Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The Belize Ag Report is an independent semi-annual agriculture newsletter. Our purpose is to collect, edit and disseminate information useful to the Belizean producer, large or small. We invite opinions on issues, which are not necessarily our own. Belize Ag neither solicits nor accepts political ads.

Reducing Reliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Belize
Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs)1 have been recognized as an issue of concern, along with the need for concerted action in addressing them, through the promotion of agro-ecologically based alternatives and strengthening of national regulatory capacity to conduct risk assessment and risk management.

Belizean Lauded in London
Maya Mountain Research Farm (MMRF) is a Belizean NGO, situate in the Toledo District agroforestry farm of Christopher Nesbitt and his wife Celini Logan Nesbitt. Christopher applied for the newly created Commonwealth Innovation Award, highlighting his work of the last 30 years in agroforestry, food security, land repair, and the last 15 years’ intensive work on carbon sequestration through agroforestry and biochar.

Rainfall Reports And Charts From 2018
Although the trend of lower rainfall in northern Belize, and higher rainfall in the south still remains generally true, much variation can be seen within each area. All of the rainfall charts and graphs for this article were created by Dottie Feucht.

Managing our Streams and Rivers is Everyone’s Responsibility
Having studied streams and rivers of Belize for the past 30 years, I have witnessed a trend that has greatly accelerated during the past few years…and the news is not good. Our riparian (riverside) forests, filter systems of the landscape, are being stripped out. Wetlands are disappearing.

Regeneration Belize & Regeneration International to Host 2nd Annual Tropical Agriculture Conference
When you think of the 2nd week of November in Belize, think of the Regeneration International and Regeneration Belize’s Tropical Agriculture Conference. This year will be the 2nd annual event. The 2018 conference, (held the 2nd week of November also) was a rousing success, with over 1,100 Belizean farmers flocking to Belmopan’s NATS grounds, to listen and learn regenerative farming methods from 6 international experts, all hailing from the tropics and 11 local experts.

Beyond the Backyard: Ay Caramba!
Just when the avocado, Persea americana, season is coming to a close, I read a very disturbing article that suggests that some of our favorite indulgences could be annihilated by the effects of climate change. I am sure the same holds true for most of the basics produce but the thought of losing avocados, coffee, chocolate, lobsters, oysters and beer is far more devastating.

The History of Central Farm 1948 – 1966
The Central Farm Agricultural Station was started on the 20th October, 1948. It started as an Ex-servicemen Rehabilitation Scheme and was later changed to an experimental station. At its inception the area was completely in high bush; the first work gang consisted of twelve men under a farm manager who cleared it with machetes and axes.

Spanish Lookout Community Crop Statistics for the year 2018
Crop Statistics Table by Crop Type, Acres farmed and Bags produced in 2018.

Silvopastoral Systems: A Summary of Dr. Alvaro Cadavid’s presentation at the Tropical Agriculture Conference
A silvopastoral system (SPS) is a type of agroforestry that allows the intensification of cattle production based on natural processes that integrate trees and shrubs in pastures with animals. SPSs are recognized as an integrated approach to sustainable land use. A silvopastoral system (SPS) is a type of agroforestry that allows the intensification of cattle production based on natural processes that integrate trees and shrubs in pastures with animals. SPSs are recognized as an integrated approach to sustainable land use. A well-managed SPS has been shown to improve overall productivity and provide additional economic, environmental, and social benefits for livestock farmers and cattle compared with grass monocultures.

Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic 2018 Highlight: Poached Macaw Chicks
As with stories of illegal wildlife poaching and trade, this story starts sadly. Two Scarlet Macaw chicks were poached in the Chiquibul by a group of illegal trespassers. Thanks to the amazing Friends for Conservation & Development (FCD) Chiquibul rangers, the poachers were intercepted shortly before the Guatemalan border.

Sorosi: Bitter Melon
Sorosi, often spelled cerasee, is commonly known as bitter melon for good reason. Along with aloe vera and neem it is one of the bitterest herbs in the pharmacopeia of plant medicines in Belize. In some places it is called balsam pear and goes by a number of other names…

Black Sapote
Though originating in Central America, black sapote is still quite unknown in Belize. Usually called “chocolate pudding fruit”, the power of suggestion is necessary to extract any true chocolate flavour from it. But it has its own pleasant flavour. The tree is attractive and a good shade tree, with dense, shiny, dark green foliage. The fruits resemble large green persimmons, with black flesh that is soft when ripe.

Eggplant, ‘The King of Vegetables’
Eggplant (Solanum melongena), also known as aubergine in the UK, berenjena in Spanishspeaking countries and brinjal in India, or garden egg, is one of over onehundred plant species of the Solanaceae nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. Botanically, eggplant is actually a fruit, which is considered to be a vegetable.

Yalbac Ranch and Laguna Seca Timber Nursery
Nurseries are not required of sawmills, by the Forest Department nor the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); nevertheless, owners of Yalbac Ranch and Laguna Seca, private working forest lands located in the south west corner of the Orange Walk District, set a good example.

University of Belize Central Farm: Vegetable Grafting
The University of Belize Central Farm hosted the first of a series of workshops intended to increase the knowledge of students and industry professionals. On March 1st and 2nd the university hosted its first workshop on vegetable grafting.

A Note from Neal Kinsey
So sorry I could not be a part of the upcoming meeting in November, Transforming Tropical Agriculture. I appreciate your choice of one big word in that title, as when you look at the various meanings of a transformation, there is one that certainly applies to agriculture. Transformation – a marked change for the better.

Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown
So where to start? A much-loved British TV gardener called Percy Thrower became famous for his catchphrase on his weekly programme back in the sixties. He used to say in his west country accent, “ Oi think the answer lies in the soil”. What Gabe Brown has done in this highly readable book is to show that some sixty years later, long gone Percy Thrower was right.

IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group Regional Meeting, Placencia
During the week of June 25-29, 80 participants representing 19 countries participated in the IUCN/SSC-Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) Regional Meeting to discuss country status updates of conservation, management and research issues in the Central America and Caribbean region. The organization of this meeting was by Dr. Marisa Tellez, Sub-regional Chair of the CSG, and Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Crocodile Research Coalition…

Become a Verified Ministry of Agriculture Farmer!
On June 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture began the National Agriculture Census 2018 to register all farmers who produce half an acre or more and/or generate 30% or more of their household income from an agricultural activity. To date a total of 6,973 farmers and 8,092 farms have been registered to the Belize Agriculture Information Management System (BAIMS).

Ag Briefs
The Mayan Alliance for the Bees of Yucatan, has asked their Agrarian Prosecutor’s Office to declare a state of emergency. Regeneration Belize to host the 2nd Annual Tropical Agriculture Conference, Nov 12-13 at the NATS grounds in Belmopan. Persons from various Ag sectors such as Ministry of Ag, CARDI, SIRDI, and other interested folks gathered to learn about biochar. And more…

Agriculture Prices At A Glance

Blogs

How to best experience Belize's Barrier Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a hotspot for recreational activities such as fishing, diving, snorkeling, and sailing. Naturally, due to the abundance of marine plants and animals that are native to the Reef, the top thing to do to best experience the Reef is to get up-close via scuba diving. However, there are other ways to similarly enjoy the Reef.

Three Quick Tips For A Great Trip To Belize
Belize is like a dear friend…warm, positive, friendly, and fun! After getting an amazing flight deal courtesy of @thesweetvoyager my friends and I enjoyed four wonderful days in paradise. Upon arriving in Belize, we promptly boarded a 15 minute Tropic Air flight to San Pedro. San Pedro is just one of Belize’s 200 islands. During our trip we didn’t spend any time on the mainland, although I am sure it is amazing. Instead, we stayed in San Pedro for the majority of our time and spent one full day in Caye Caulker. We took a private catamaran from San Pedro to Caye Caulker. Traveling between the two islands takes about 45 minutes which we spent enjoying the vast beauty of the Caribbean Sea while sipping tropical drinks and eating local fruit and fresh salsa, courtesy of our tour guides.

21 Unforgettable Places to Visit in Belize
Are you planning a trip and trying to decide where to go in Belize? For such a tiny country, Belize boasts so many fabulous cities, towns, beaches, and archealogical sites to see! Here are twenty-one of the best places to visit in Belize, selected by travel writers (with a few from yours truly, of course)!

The 15 Best Places to Visit in Belize
When most people think of visiting the Caribbean, they imagine a tropical island like Jamaica or the Cayman Islands. However, to get a taste of that tropical paradise, you might want to consider a trip to the small coastal country of Belize in Central America… As a few plusses, the country uses the dollar, English is the official language, and there are a ton of fun and beautiful places to visit in Belize. Situated just south of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize is a place worth your time and attention. If you like the idea of white sandy beaches, a diverse and exciting local culture, and fabulous memories that will last a lifetime, Belize is the place to be.

Belize The Cradle of Civilisation? New Discoveries Unearth Interesting Facts About Our Earliest Settlers
As featured in various scientific publications, including a 22 July, 2019 article in the online Science Daily, “waves of immigrants” coming from North America some 13,000 years ago brought with them tool technologies that the earliest Belizean settlers used to adapt to a changing environment and eventually led to the highly advanced Maya civilisation that flourished in the region. Researchers from the University of New Mexico (UNM) recently published the results of archaeological dig in Belize’s Bladen Nature Reserve that unearthed some of the very earliest stone tools used in southern Mesoamerica.

International Sources

Medical Marijuana Laws: An International Guide for 2019
Here’s a roundup of the status of marijuana laws in key countries worldwide. Keep in mind that even in countries where marijuana is illegal but enforcement is lax, that those who violate the law still face the chance of deportation or stiffer penalties. Belize allows a person to have up to 10 grams of marijuana and use it only on private property. Cultivation or sale is illegal. CBD oil is not sold or mentioned in the law, but local expats report that many bring it into the country without problems.

Mexican Authorities will commence work to widen and deepen the Zaragoza Channel just north of Ambergris Caye. Continuous work will be done over a span of 3 years at a time of over $100 million.

Concacaf unveils opening Nations League match-ups
Concacaf have released the schedule and venues for the first round group stage matches in the 2019-2020 Concacaf Nations League that will see 34 matches for Leagues A, B and C played in the September 2019 international window. It is the first time that all 41 member associations have participated in an official Concacaf tournament. 12 nations who competed in the expanded 16-team Gold Cup will be in action. Mexico, USA, Costa Rica and Honduras, who are all top ranked in the three team League A groups, will start their campaigns in the October and November windows.

Latin American culture, wildlife and diving in Belize
Andrew Doherty speaks to Karen Bevans, director of tourism for the Belize Tourism Board, about the country’s offering for UK travellers. What makes Belize a winter sun hot spot? The weather in Belize is warm and sunny all year round. However, many people tend to visit between November and March when the weather is drier, as it makes for a perfect escape from the UK winter. Many visitors enjoy our festivals and events during this period. Belizeans are a fun-loving people, and there are plenty of celebrations throughout the year.

Plastic packaging on bananas? Time to wrap it up
With its thick skin, there really is no need to put packaging on bananas. Yet many of those on sale come covered in their own plastic bags inside cardboard boxes lined with plastic even as the tide is turning against this practice. The information on the labels gives a clue as to why this is. Take Lidl. Some of its Oakland bananas come in clear plastic bags. Others come with a brown band holding them together, a change it says is expected to remove 10,000kg of plastic each year. The label on the bagged fruit shows us it comes from Belize, the Central American country formerly known as British Honduras. There is also a triangular symbol with a 4 inside and the letters “LDPE plastic recyclable”. This means the plastic is low-density polyethylene and can be recycled, depending on where you live and who takes your recycling. Hence the note to “check with your local council”.

Mayans conducted ‘total war’ much earlier than thought
A neat narrative linking violence and the end of civilisation is challenged by new evidence. Barry Keily reports. In a paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, researchers led by David Wahl of the US Geological Survey reveal the utter destruction of a city known as Witzna, in northern Guatemala, in the year 697 CE. The research began with the discovery of a Mayan hieroglyphic text recording that Witzna had been burned, with a calendrical reference that equated to 697.

Violent warfare which led to the demise of Maya culture may have started as long ago as the 7th-century AD, study claims
Scientists have found evidence of extreme warfare tactics in Maya culture which would bring about its eventual demise as long ago as the 7th century. The discovery suggests that the Mayan people engaged in violent warfare much earlier than previously thought. Previously, conflict during the Classic period (250–950 CE) has often been viewed as ritualised and not widespread. However, scholars have long viewed the violent warfare in the Terminal Classic Period (800–950 CE) as something that catalysed the collapse of the civilisation.

Videos

August 5, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Obituary: Remembering Wayne Thomas Castleberry
Wayne Thomas Castleberry, of Belize /San Pedro, died peacefully on Monday, July 8th, 2019, at the home of his youngest daughter, Rachel Castleberry Capron of Amarillo, Texas USA. Rachel was by his side as he took his last plane flight to Heaven. He was 82 years old. Wayne was born on November 17, 1936, in Merkle, Texas, to Faber and Rebecca Brown Castleberry. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jo Katherine Castleberry of Belize / San Pedro, and his loving sister, Mrs. June Simmons of McAllen, Texas. Wayne obtained his private pilot license at age 17 by forging his daddy’s signature. He attended West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas and graduated from University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) in Edinburgh, Texas with a degree in commercial pilot license. Wayne also was FAA Certified A&P – Airframe and Powerplant.

Wolfe’s Woofer: Forgive Your Enemies
It’s time for you to do your good deed for the year,” Sherry said to me. “What do you mean by that?” My mission, as Sherry explained it, was to give old Ms. Gannet a ride to church and bring her home when the Sunday service ended. “Why do I have to do it?” “Because I promised to and I forgot that I’m going to Jim and Lisa’s wedding.” I got the old lady safely to church where she bullied me into coming in with her. The sermon for the day was “Forgiving Your Enemies.”

Letter to the Editor: The bottom of the crab bucket in football
Dear Editor, As owner of the San Pedro Pirates F.C., 2018 - 2019 closing season champions of the Premier League of Belize, I shake my head, look down, close my eyes and wish the football community and present events was just all a bad dream. Through my rst hand experience, I have seen hate, jealousy, greed, violence, corruption and backstabbing. All this from one community and one sport. I'm appalled by the difference this community, clubs, teams and individuals have against each other in this sport. It has given me no other choice but to throw out my "red card" at these circumstances.

Doctor Love: Pants on Fire
Dear Doctor Love, My marriage is in trouble, and it’s my fault. I have a habit that I know hurts my wife, yet I don’t stop. I promise to stop, but I don’t, she finds out I’m still doing it, and then I tell a lie or make an excuse to get out of it. Naturally, this hurts her even more. It has become a terrible cycle of lies and hurt. I’m disgusted with myself when I fail to stop, but I constantly look for new ways to hide my actions. Then I feel even worse when I see the look in her eyes when she knows I’m lying to cover it up.

Various Belizean Sources

Miss Independence 2019
We present to you the beautiful delegates of Miss Independence pageant 2019. The following are official pictures taken by our photographer Mr. Dioni Marin. Who will be crowned as the New Miss Independence? Follow us on the Journey to the crown.

University of Belize 2019 Graduation Ceremony
The University of Belize had their 2019 commencement. They got tons of pictures. Congratulations, graduates! Now, go change the world for the better.

The Reporter

PUP Leader Recovering At Home After Accident
The Reporter spoke to leader of the PUP John Briceño this morning via phone from his home, where he is recovering from a traffic accident on Friday. He told us that apart from cuts and bruises and stiffness, he is in good spirits and grateful to be alive.

Breaking Belize News

Suspected burglar caught red-handed with stolen goods and marijuana
Robert Smith, 23, a resident of St. Ann’s village near Maskall in the Belize district, […]

Tourist apologizes: ‘My actions were foolish’
Two photos of a tourist at an archeological site in Belize went viral on social […]

NICH issues warning after photos of tourist drinking and peeing at a Maya site goes viral
A photo of a tourist drinking a Belikin beer at an Archeological Maya site in […]

Chinese restaurant in Guinea Grass burglarized
Reports to BBN is that a popular Chinese restaurant in Guinea Grass, Orange Walk was […]

Forestry Department seeking help in finding jaguar poachers
The Forestry Department is asking the public for information leading to the apprehension of the person/persons […]

Belmopan Bandits on top as Premier League returns
The Premier League of Belize returned on July 27 for its 2019 opening season and […]

Belize City resident reported missing
Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for 46-year-old Belize City resident […]

Ranchito woman reported missing found alive
Police have confirmed that Consuela Ek, the woman from Ranchito Village who was reported, missing […]

Videos

August 4, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Fusarium Wilt of Bananas
With the current suspected case in Colombia, the threat of this disease is now closer to Belize and therefore raises the risk level. The banana industry in Belize represents one of the major agricultural pillars of the economy and stands to lose significantly if this disease is accidentally introduced. The value of the industry currently stands at approximately 75 million Belize Dollars and employs thousands of labourers and provides business to several related services. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), the Ministry of Agriculture and partner organizations have met with stakeholders in the banana industry and are discussing a comprehensive strategy to keep the disease out of Belize. The Quarantine Department of BAHA has initiated actions at the Philip Goldson International Airport through the placement of shoe disinfection mats for visitors potentially coming from countries where the disease is present.

G.R.E.A.T. Instructor Training Closing Ceremony
Yesterday, 36 police officers – 21 from Belize and 15 from El Salvador – became new Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Instructors. The G.R.E.A.T. program is one of the many tools the United States is supporting in Belize, and the Central American region, to improve citizen security, decrease impunity, and prevent crime. CDA Gilges spoke at the ceremony and underscored the U.S. Embassy’s partnership with the Belize Police Department and other organizations that seek to prevent youth from being drawn into gangs. Superintendent Gerald Jones, Commandant of the National Police Training Academy also spoke at the ceremony.

Editorial: Costa Maya 2019: Successfully Reignited!
By Mary Gonzalez. Sometimes, it can be hard to accept change. After over two decades at the helm of a committee that steered what was once known as Sea and Air Festival and then the International Costa Maya Festival, 2019 brought in a new team determined to inject some new ideas. When it was announced as ‘Costa Maya: Reignited,’ many wondered just what it would mean for the three-day festival that brings in visitors (local and international) for a fun-filled weekend to breathe economic life into Ambergris Caye while celebrating our Latin American heritage.

Various Belizean Sources

Construction licensing procedures on Caye Caulker
Your new C.C.V.C. is asking for your kind support and participation. Thank you! PUBLIC NOTICE: In working with the community and ensuring transparency, the new C.C.V.C. would like to humbly ask the community for your participation in submitting documents, permits, and licenses for the following BEFORE construction is started: 1) construction of new homes/ hotels/ apartments/ business establishments. 2) Building/ Extension of piers. 3) Over the Water Structures. 4) Construction of fences. 5) Building of seawalls. We ask that these documents are submitted to avoid ceasing or stop order of any project. In good faith of development and communication with the new Council, we ask for your kind assistance. Thank you

Power outages from 5:45am to 6:00am and 1:45pm to 2:00pm on Sunday, August 4 to affect:
Mile 1 to Mile 37 on Philip Goldson Highway from Belize Flour Mill area up to Rahburn Ridge including West Landivar, Coral Grove, Buttonwood Bay, Belama Phases 1,2,3 & 4, Bella Vista, Driftwood Bay, North End Estate, Ladyville, Vista Del Mar, Lord’s Bank, Green Estate, Lake Gardens, Dew Drop Estate, Maxboro, Double Run, Salt Creek, Los Lagos, Sandhill, Maxboro, Gardenia, Biscayne, Crooked Tree and Rhaburn Ridge. All communities along the Old Northern Highway including Boston, Rockstone Pond, Lucky Strike, Santana, St. Anne’s, Chicago, Corozalito, Maskall and Bomba...

SSB 18th Scholarship Award Ceremony
The Social Security Board had their 18th annual Scholarship Award Ceremony, and this year, they awarded 43 scholars. Thanks, SSB! "Congratulations to all 43 Scholarship Recipients who were awarded scholarships to pursue their High School, Vo-Tech, Sixth Form and Bachelor's studies. SSB is committed to building stronger communities!"

Introducing the new Miss Universe Belize logo
Special thanks to the Belize Tourism Board our Platinum Sponsor.

Happy 49th Birthday Belmopan!
The U.S. Embassy is proud to call the Garden City home!

The Reporter

BTL CEO SPEAKS ON IMMINENT DEPARTURE
At the end of June, two years after he took over as Chief Executive Officer at BTL, and just two days after an explosive allegation that BTL owed GST $29M in unpaid taxes, the announcement came that Rochus Schreiber was department the company. While there was and still is speculation of a connection between the allegation and the departure, BTL claimed that the decision was an amicable one based on personal reasons, and Schreiber never commented.

MOH CAUGHT IN NHI RESERVES SCANDAL
A source at the Ministry of Health has informed the Reporter that neither CEO George Gough nor Minister of Health Pablo Marin have any plans to issue a release explaining or clarifying the $1.67M mess which has erupted this past week. The Reporter has made attempts to contact both men all week, through their cell phones and through the Ministry, with no success.

Bus Association Threatens Nationwide Shutdown
The Belize Bus Association has written to the Minister of Transport as well as the Prime Minister, threatening a nation-wide shutdown of the transport sector as bus operators have reached a boiling point waiting for the Ministry to address the issue of foreign bus runs into the country, which have cut into local operators’ bottom lines.

DoE Addresses Drainage Issue in Placencia
The Department of the Environment (DOE) has written to a company in Placencia and instructed them to make urgent changes to their drainage system after someone in the village made a Facebook post showing how treated sewer water from a sewer pipe had darkened the colour of that portion of the lagoon.

SSB PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO 43 STUDENTS
The Social Security Board has received nothing but negative publicity recently, primarily because increases in contributions from employees and employers took effect at the start of July 2019. But it was all smiles this morning, as 43 students from across the country received scholarships from the SSB, providing access to education which may have proved difficult to attain otherwise.

Breaking Belize News

Medical supplies building ineligible for NHI funds,” says Social Security CEO
A recently leaked government memo says that the Ministry of Health is seeking approval from […]

Emancipation day reflections Part 2 – 5 point plan to get us out of mental slavery and dependency
The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize […]

Bus operators threaten national shutdown
The Belize Bus Association has threatened a national shutdown of the country’s transport services in […]

Woman missing in Ranchito Village
The family of Ranchito resident, Consuelo Ek is concerned about her whereabouts. Ek was reported missing […]

New Belize Tax Service Department inaugurated
Yesterday, a ceremony for the historic amalgamation of the Income Tax Department and General Sales […]

Child Cancer Organization “1000 Smiles for Cleyon” invites Belize to a night of Disney magic
The community organization ‘1000 Smiles for Cleyon’ is inviting Belizeans to support its work in […]

Belize to host Central American Beach Volleyball championship
Belize will host the XIX Central American Men’s & Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship from August […]

International Sources

Vintage Map Of Belize 1787
Take a look at this 1787 map of the top half of Belize. What I like about it is that if you touch various parts of the map a high definition view of that portion will open and you will be able to read the names of the various areas on that section (only seem to work on a laptop). You might have heard of some of those names and some might be new to you. Many of the names you will see are the names of the original Baymen. The year this map was made is significant because it was around this time that our first Superintendent, Edward Marcus Despard, came to British Honduras. It was around this time also when the Mosquito Indians, about 2500 of them, were sent to British Honduras after Spain gave the British a choice as to whether they would keep the Mosquito Coast or British Honduras. As it turned out, the British chose British Honduras and they had to vacate the Mosquito Coast (parts of Honduras and Nicaragua). The British gave the Mosquito Indians a choice to stay in Honduras/Nicaragua or leave, but the Indians chose to leave and resettle in British Honduras. The shaded area on the map between the Belize River and the Sibun River caused a lot of heartache for the Baymen since a lot of the land in this area was given to the Mosquito Indians during their resettlement. If you click around where Belize City is you will notice they call the Belize River the Old River Bellese and that area called Rogues Point is where Government House is today.

Videos

August 3, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro residents Melvin Montesino and Silverio Cal remain missing
It has been over a month since San Pedro residents 27-year-old Silverio Cal and 26-year-old Melvin Montesino were reported missing. The last time the men were accounted for was when they departed their homes en-route to the northern coast of Ambergris Caye on the evening of Thursday, June 13th. According to their family members, they both left after they received a phone call, and since then, have not been heard from. On Friday, June 14th, police officers reported that they found a motorcycle helmet, slippers, and a mirror, suspected to be from a motorcycle, on the northern beach. On Wednesday, June 26th during a public meeting held in San Pedro Town, Commissioner of Police (ComPol) Chester Williams stated that they further found a motorcycle in the sea, suspected to be the one that Montesino and Cal left on the night they went missing.

Team Belize competes at Lima 2019 Pan American Games
Belize is well represented with champion sprinter Hilary Gladden, kayakers Francisca Cruz-Phaender, Ruth Cruz, Amado Cruz, triathlete Jordan Santos, and bodybuilder Godfrey Alford at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games being held from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11. At Friday night’s opening ceremonies, San Pedro’s Jordan Santos had the honor of being the Belize flag-bearer leading Team Belize into the Lima National Stadium, where Latin heart-throb singer Luis Fonsi sang five of his hits, including "Despacito" and "Echame la Culpa." Games continue through August 11th.

Belize Port Authority Mandates Boat Manifest
The implementation of a mandatory boat manifest for water taxi companies operating within Belize came into effect on Thursday, August 1st. Passengers traveling to the islands from the Belize City via Ocean Ferry or San Pedro Belize Express water taxi companies, including Thunderbolt from Corozal Town, will now be required to have with them an identification document (ID) to purchase a ticket. The directive for this manifest came from Belize Port Authority (BPA) under the Water Taxi Regulations Statutory Instrument 29 of 2019. The manifest will provide entry and exit information of passengers and is essential in case of an accident at sea.

U-15 and U-17 Inter-District Football Tournament continues
Belize’s female and male U-15 and U-17 Inter-District Football Tournament continue to see youngsters showcasing their football skills. On Saturday, July 27th San Pedro’s female and male U-15 and U-17 teams travelled to Belize City to go against the city’s team. At 11AM, the first match saw San Pedro’s male U-15 versus Belize’s male U-15 at the MCC Grounds. Both teams fought for a victory, but when the whistle blew, it was a 2-2 draw.

Ambergris Today

Government Of Belize Launches The Belize Tax Service Department
August 1st, 2019 marks the historic amalgamation of the Income Tax Department and Department of General Sales Tax into the newly formed Belize Tax Service Department- a department under the Ministry of Finance. The amalgamation will be done in a phased approach through to 2022. Taxpayers will experience better service by a newly trained cadre of tax professionals, efficiency, productivity and better tax compliance to further develop the country.

Fusarium Wilt Of Bananas - Belize’s Banana Industry At Risk
Stakeholders of the banana industry, government agencies, agricultural partner organizations and the public are hereby informed of a notification of a suspected detection of Fusarium Wilt of Bananas in La Guajira Province in Colombia.

Various Belizean Sources

Mr. Frank Panton passes away
Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Panton friends and family on the sadly passing of Mr. Frank Panton. San Pedro has lost a great friend and we will definitely miss him. May his soul rest in peace.

Belize's Wonder Women! Iris Centeno
For the month of August, we are proud to announce that Iris Centeno is our Belize Wonder Woman! Iris motivates, inspires, and empowers women in her community through female football. Although she dropped out of high school, she took to heart her family's encouragement to continue education. Eventually, Iris enrolled at Georgetown Technical High School, buckled down on her studies, became captain of the school's female football team, and graduated as the Valedictorian!

BIIX
The Maya tradition of Biix pronounce as "Biish" which is the last day of U Janal Pixan in which the Souls return to the Spiritual world. For Biix the Maya Masewal put candles in front their doors,yard entrance, cementary to guide the souls path to the spiritual world .A Pib is offered for that day along with prayers .

Junior Miss Belize 2019
Todat, Saturday August 3rd. Is our 2nd bbq and pastr sale fundraiser at the basketball court! Come out and support us! We will have tickets for the pageant and team Thandie tshirts on sale aswell. Lets keep on giving Thandie our love and support on her journey to make Caye Caulker proud! Thanks to you all who help so that we can make this possible too

The Ministry of Natural Recourses Clarifies Issuance of Permission to Survey
The Ministry of Natural Resources clarifies that the issuance of permission to survey is the sole authority of the Ministry. In July of this year, the Ministry gave a Superintendent of Police and other Belizeans the permission to survey national land in the Drill Camp Area, Young Gal/McRae Registration Section, Block 19, Cayo District (La Gracia area) with the goal of resolving a long-standing land matter. The surveys were being carried out by private surveyors on those person’s behalf.

Junior Miss Belize
Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 6 PM, Bliss Center for Performing Arts.

Battle of The Drums 13th Annual Summer Camp
This year, the Battle of The Drums celebrated their 13th Annual Summer Camp. Oceana Belize's Toledo Field Representative, Analee Nicky Chuc along with JICA Representative, Royoko and BTIA's operator, Charmagne Westby-Ramirez hosted arts and craft sessions on Wednesday and Thursday for over 75 students. Take a look at what the kids were up to this week!

International Costa Maya Festival 2019 Comedy Night
— with Eduardo España and Jose Luis Zapata Photography at Hon. Louis Sylvester Sport Complex.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve Demarcation Buoys
Mexico Rocks was established as a part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in 2015. The area consists of a general use zone and a conservation zone. While the conservation zone has been marked for some time the general use zone was not. Today, the staff of Hol Chan placed two buoys to demarcate the general use area of the Reserve (Zone G). The buoys also serve to inform persons when they are about to enter the boundaries of the Reserve. The demarcation buoys are anchored at a position 17.96686 87.92115 east of White Sands; and 18.03255 87.88918 east of Sapphire Beach Resort.

Channel 7

Post-Accident Prayers for PUP Party Leader John Briceno
Tonight, PUP party leader John Briceno is at the Northern Medical Plaza in Orange Walk recovering from minor injuries he received in this morning's Philp Goldson Highway accident. It sent waves of panic on social media after it happened. Although Briceno's vehicle was totaled, he and his driver, Edwin Hill survived the impact. Based on the police report, Mervin Armstrong, the driver of a green Toyota Rav4 was heading towards Orange Walk Town when a pickup truck traveling in the same direction suddenly slowed down but did not indicate direction causing the driver of the Rav4 to apply brakes and slow down. However, Nadiel Cajun, who was driving a Blue Bird Albion bus traveling behind the Rav 4 failed to stop in time and collided into the rear of the Rav 4. This is where Briceno's Prado comes in. Briceno's driver Edwin Hill traveling in the opposite direction, swerved off the highway to avoid a collision. The Prado overturned several times causing Briceno to receive injuries to the left side of head, neck, and shoulder. While Hill complained of pain to the left side of the chest. Courtney Weatherburne traveled up north and has the story.

The Big Tax Dept. Merge is Here
By now, viewers should know about the General Sales Tax Department, and the Income Tax Department, and what they do. These are the 2 offices under the Ministry of Finance which collect mandatory taxes revenues from all citizens so that, in theory, all Belizeans should contribute equally to the financial sustainability of the country's economy. General Sales Tax collects 12.5% revenue on all goods and services that have been deemed taxable under that regime. Meanwhile, the Income Tax Department taxes the salaries of all employees who meet a certain threshold with the total amount of their entire monthly pay. These 2 departments are now merging into one mega tax-collecting entity known as the Belize Tax Service Department. With the amalgamation, this new department will seek to modernize the way they do business, so that you, the taxpayers, will get better service.

Fin Sec. Weighs in on Health Ministry's 1.6 Million Dollar Project Proposal
Today's even gave the press an opportunity to ask the Financial Secretary about 2 matters that came to the general public attention earlier this month. For several days now, we've been telling you about a proposal which the Ministry of Health has made to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Health is seeking to use 1.6 million dollars out of the National Health Insurance fund reserve, for which the Social Security Board. As we told you, Senior Finance Officer Artemio Osorio wrote a memo on behalf of the Financial Secretary to Health CEO George Goff, indicating that the Finance Ministry has "no objection" to the award of a 1.68-million-dollar contract for the construction of a Central Medical Stores Building in Belmopan.

SSB CEO Says Health Ministry Needs to Explain Themselves
The media also caught up with Dr. Colin Young, the CEO of the Social Security Board, at another event today. We asked him if any such proposal can be made to use the NHI Fund reserve money in the manner that the Ministry of Health is requesting. He said that based on his knowledge of the law governing the NHI Fund, this project does not qualify. Here's our conversation with him from today:

No Jumping the Gun: Fin Sec Says BTL Audit Should be Completed Soon
Turning back now to our interview with the Financial Secretary, we also asked him about the ongoing audit by the General Sales Tax Department to determine whether or not BTL owes them taxes. Allegations emerged that Belize Telemedia Limited, now known as Digi, owed the government some 29.3 million dollars in tax arrears for the years 2012 to 2017. Documents emerged making such an indication, and on July 3rd, the Acting Commissioner of the General Sales Tax sent out a press release saying, "The Department's position is that BTL is compliant in fulfilling their obligations to file and pay monthly as is required by law."

It Wasn't...Cpl. Kent Martinez
Last night on the news, you heard from Vince Martinez, the Belize City resident who claimed that Corporal Kent Martinez shot him in the groin area. Well, tonight, we have to retract that story and apologize. Vince Martinez was sure that Corporal Kent Martinez was the person who shot him, but police today confirmed that it was not Corporal Kent Martinez. This official police clarification came 24 hours after various journalists raised the issue in the Police and media chat - with no response.

Maskall Burglar Shows Off Stolen Clothes
Tonight, 23-year-old Robert Smith, a resident of Maskall Village, is at Belize Central Prison after he was taken to court for burglarizing a house in St. Ann's Village in the Belize District. Police say that they caught him wearing the victim's stolen clothes. 58-year-old Andy Boddy, a self-employed resident of St. Ann Village, reported to Maskall Police that on Saturday, July 27th, 2019, someone broke into his house through his wooden back door. That person then ransacked his home and stole several of his personal items including, a speaker, a flash drive, 3 bottles of coconut oil, a shirt, a black Motorola Verizon cellular phone, a black warm cap, a brown wooden handle knife, and an assortment of canned food, all to a total value of $389.

Man Shot by Ghost Gunman?
Lucky Strike wood carver 29 year old Delroy Cutkelvin was shot to his shoulder. According to Cutkelvin he was walking along with Adam Mejivar on the Maskall road heading towards Altun Ha Junction. That is when he heard a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot and felt a warm sensation to the upper left shoulder. He quickly realized that he had been shot.

Faiya Blazing on Aloe Vera
Two Aloe Vera Street homes were destroyed by fire last night. CIB personnel met Fire Chief Nicholas Chacon whose fire team had already put out the fire. The occupant of one of the homes, Arturo Castillo Swazo, reported that last night at about 8:32pm he left his home secured with no appliance on or anything lit.

Toledo Man Caught with a Pound of Weed
A San Pedro Columbia Villager has been detained pending drug charges. Yesterday police conducted searches in the Toledo district where they observed 21-year-old Comelio Chiac throwing an object in some nearby bushes. Chiac was apprehended and returned to the location where Police found a black plastic bag containing 644 grams or 1.4 pounds of suspected cannabis.

Used Grenade Found in Orange Walk
Yesterday afternoon police searched an abandoned lot on Asuncion Street in Orange Walk Town where they found a black plastic bag containing a blue handle pin grenade.

SSB Scholarships: A Bright Future for Bright Minds
Today the Social Security Board handed out $70,000 worth of scholarships to 43 students at their 18th annual award ceremony. It was held at the Belize Chamber of Commerce, Mcfield Conference Room and 7news was there to capture all the smiles from the worthy recipients.

Here Comes Trouble, Here comes ...CHRONIXX!
Chronixx is in Belize this weekend! The Reggae artist is in the country to headline a concert in celebration of the 10th anniversary of promotion company Flavaz entertainment. Earlier today the National Institute for Culture and History in partnership with Flavaz Entertainment and the Department of Youth Services' brought the public A Conversation with Chronixx at the Bliss theatre for the performing arts. Chronixx was engaged in discussions on wide ranging topics suc as emancipation day, crime and poverty, and the importance of education and self-awareness for young people in society. 7News was there for the discussion at the Bliss.

Digi Signature Store Doors are Open
Belize Telemedia Limited opened its office at the newly built Mirab building on the Northern Highway. The store has the latest gadgets and technology and virtually friendly to kids. CEO Mr. Rochus Schreiber explained more at the grand opening this evening

Schreiber Signing off Soon
BTL CEO Rochus Schreiber is in his final month and he says that he has been preparing for this ever since he got the job. Schreiber explained today that he knew at some point he would have to leave however the company has been preparing for this. He told us that even though a permanent CEO has not been name, Ivan Tesicum will be acting CEO.

Channel 5

Opposition Leader Johnny Briceño Survives Near-Fatal Road Traffic Accident
P.U.P. Leader John Briceño and his driver, Edwin Hill, are tonight recovering at the Northern Medical Plaza in Orange Walk Town after they were injured in a traffic accident earlier [...]

Good Road Safety Practices Saved Their Lives
According to Chief of Staff Stuart Leslie, Edwin Hill has been driving the party leader for eleven years. He is an experienced, defensive driver and was trained by the Special [...]

A Full Recovery for John Briceño and Edwin Hill
There has been an outpour of support for the speedy recovery of P.U.P. Party Leader John Briceño. In the aftermath of the accident, social media was abuzz with Belizeans expressing [...]

Speeding on the Highway; Residents Ask for Monitoring and Enforcement
There have been many reports made to the Ministry of Transport about speeding on the highways and the need for monitoring and enforcement. Just last Sunday, four Belize City men [...]

Belize Tax Service is Here
This morning at the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building, government officially launched the Belize Tax Service.  The amalgamated department aims to provide optimal services where GST and income tax are concerned.  [...]

FinSec Joe Waight Addresses Central Medical Stores Issue
Financial Secretary Joseph Waight has weighed in on the Ministry of Health issue involving the awarding of a contract for the building of the Central Medical Stores in Belmopan.  The [...]

S.S.B. C.E.O. Says No Request Was Received from M.O.H.
Today, Chief Executive Officer for the Social Security Board, Doctor Colin Young confirmed to the media that the Board did not receive any communication from the Ministry of Health, asking [...]

Construction of Central Medical Stores Cannot Be Funded with NHI Reserve Fund
According to the memo, the request for the grant funding is to build a Central Medical Stores in Belmopan.  Doctor Young says that such a request does not fall under [...]

Joe Waight Confirms Audit of B.T.L.’s GST Payments
An audit of Belize Telemedia Limited to determine whether it owes anything in taxes to the GST Department is underway and nearing completion.  Financial Secretary Joseph Waight is on record [...]

Rochus Schreiber Knew He Would Not Remain B.T.L. C.E.O.
Two days after news broke of B.T.L.’s purported multi-million dollar debt; the resignation of C.E.O. Rochus Schreiber was announced.  Via an employee bulletin, staffers were told that Schreiber “has decided [...]

Belize Bus Association says Foreign Owned Buses Taking Money Out of Their Pockets
The Belize Bus Association is not happy with the foreign bus runs happening in Belize. The B.B.A. wrote a letter to the Minister of Transport to say that its members [...]

B.B.A. Threatens Strike if Ministry Doesn’t Address Issue
So, what is the B.B.A. prepared to do to resolve this issue? The members have threatened industrial action.  That means that most major public transportation will not be operating because [...]

Fire Destroys Wooden Home on Aloe Vera Street
A fire destroyed a wooden house in Belize City on Thursday night. It happened on Aloe Vera Street, a few minutes before nine.  The house was engulfed in flames for [...]

Ministry of Natural Resources Speaks on La Gracia
The Ministry of Natural Resources issued a press release today to clarify the land issue in La Gracia. The release states that last month, the ministry gave a Superintendent of [...]

43 Students Receive Academic Scholarships Courtesy S.S.B.
Forty-three young men and women today officially entered into an agreement with the Social Security Board for financial assistance to achieve higher education.  The eighteenth annual Social Security Board Scholarship [...]

Digi Signature Store Officially Launched
The Digi Signature Store was officially launched this afternoon in Belize City.  The Digi outlet is located at the Mirab building along the Philip Goldson Highway. In 2018, Belize Telemedia [...]

Amandala

$1.686 million of NHI funds for minister’s brother?
Concern has been growing among the public in wake of a memorandum from the Ministry of Finance that made its way into the spotlight on July 29. The memorandum, addressed to the CEO of the Ministry of Health, Dr. George Gough, from Artemio Osorio for the Secretary of the Minister of Finance, highlighted the Ministry’s stance on a proposal to construct the Central Medical Stores in Belmopan under a 1.6 million dollar contract. “After a careful review of the evaluation report, the Ministry of Finance has no objection to the award of contract for the construction of the Central Medical Stores building in Belmopan to Joehann Construction and Engineering Ltd., 156 Benque Viejo Road, San Ignacio, Cayo District, for a total cost of 1,686,505.70, inclusive of GST,” stated the memorandum.

Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka celebrates Emancipation Day with UEF
On Tuesday morning, Mutabaruka, the fiery Jamaican dub poet, educator, actor and talk show host touched down in Belize at the Philip Goldson International airport, where he was welcomed by a small contingent from the United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF). Mutabaruka’s visit to Belize is in connection with the UEF Emancipation Day festivities which kicked off before sunrise this morning with a visit to the seaside, on Marine Parade Boulevard where there was drumming libation and petal release to commemorate the 181st anniversary of Emancipation Day.

Darwin Rocke, 31, found dead near Burrell Boom Bridge
The body of Darwin Devon Rocke, 31, of Belize City, was found at about 8:30 this morning on the road to Burrell Boom, about 500 feet from the bridge on the Burrell Boom-Hattieville road. The body was about 10 feet off the road in some bushes. People in the area smelled decomposing flesh and they went to investigate the source. They came upon the corpse and called the police. The corpse was fully clothed; the upper body was wrapped in plastic and the lower body was wrapped in a blue tarpaulin.

Dr. Candice Pitts endorsed as PUP standard bearer for Mesop
Independence Hall, the home of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), was packed with party supporters, standard bearers and some parliamentarians who attended an endorsement convention for the standard bearer for the Mesopotamia constituency. Just before Belize got its political independence in 1981, Mesopotamia was one of the PUP’s strongholds in Belize City, where the late Carl Lindbergh Rogers, the Deputy Premier of Belize, dominated the constituency. In the push toward independence, however, Rogers spent a lot of his time working for the Independence Secretariat outside the country and lost the division.

Cop arraigned for Allyson Major’s shooting death
The reality that the police will always protect their own was on full display at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning. Their mission to bar the media from capturing the image of the corporal charged with manslaughter by negligence for allegedly firing the bullet that ended the life of Allyson Major, Jr., on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 16, at the foot of the Belize City Swing Bridge, was executed with cold precision. When Corporal Kent Martinez arrived at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning, he was sandwiched between two plainclothes officers from the Crimes Investigation Branch. The trio arrived from the southern side of the sprawling court building. Reporters and television cameramen were waiting on the Treasury Lane side of the building, which lies to the north.

Domestic exports down 16.4% in June 2019
The June 2019 report from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) shows that the value of Belize’s domestic exports was a disappointing $29.7 million, “down 16.4 percent or $5.8 million from the $35.5 million recorded for June of 2018”, as exports from four of the five major commodities shrank during the period. Belize’s domestic exports in June (and for the entire year) started dipping five years ago, and this year is the lowest in at least fifteen years. Statistics from the SIB show that the value of Belize’s domestic exports in June 2003 was $40.94 million. The value of Belize’s domestic exports for June 2014 was $66.6 million, for June 2015 it was $52.7 million, for June 2016 it was $36.7 million, for June 2017 it was $38.7 million, and for June 2018 it was $ 35.5 million. Our domestic exports for June 2019, $29.7 million, is less than half the value of our domestic exports in June 2014, which was $66.6 million.

Orange Walk Belikin 8-Ball Billiards Tournament semifinals this weekend
Here are the results and standings of the Orange Walk Branch of the 22nd Annual Belikin 8-Ball Billiards Tournament 2019. This past weekend was the end of the Orange Walk Billiards Association’s (OWBA) Belikin 8-Ball Billiards Tournament regular season, with 4 teams set for the playoffs. These games were not critical for all four teams, but there could have been minor changes in seeding, depending on the outcome of a few of the games.

Cricket Corner – Bandits stands alone from Zone One; Berlan, Wicked 11 and BDF are all from Zone Two
A pleasant hello to all cricket enthusiasts! The Sir Barry Bowen/Harrison Parks Cricket Competition semifinals will continue this weekend with Bandits vs BDF at Belmopan. This is the second game in a best-of-three series. Bandits won the first at BDF grounds last Sunday with a score of 334 in the 50 overs allotted, losing only 6 wickets. Jermaine Smith scored 81 not-out, followed by Pharon Muslar with 75. These batsmen started to “use” the bowlers of BDF early in the game, as the stats sheet shows: 1 for 14; 2 for 85; 3 for 147; 4 for 169; 5 for 170; 6 for 268. No more wickets were lost, with the score reaching the previously mentioned total number of runs scored (334). The wickets were shared among several bowlers. That’s an impressive amount of runs for any team to chase, if the opponent’s bowlers are on target

Dangriga sports stats – PLB football and DBA basketball
After that Week One Dangriga Derby last week Saturday inside the Carl Ramos Stadium between both teams playing out of Griga, Wagiya was victorious over the Freedom Fighters Valley Pride, 1 goal to nil, with a goal from Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton in the 84th minute. Both teams are set once again this weekend for Week Two games. Wagiya got 3 straight games at home, while Freedom Fighters Valley Pride will be on the road for 3 straight games. The Dangriga Basketball Association’s (DBA) U-23 Summer Bounce Tournament Week 1 games were held on Friday and Saturday, July 26 & 27, at the Russell Chiste Garcia Auditorium.

Rural North football Week 10 results
This past Sunday, July 28, at the Burrell Boom football field, Week 10 games were played in the Belize Rural North Football Tournament for the Edmond “Clear the Land” Castro Cup 2019. In game 1, (U-17) Kings College Strikers dropped Maskall Youths, 1-0, on a goal by Akeem Gillett (17’). Game 2 (Seniors) saw Burrell Boomers playing to a 1-1 draw with Maskall United. Hosni Thurton (49’) put Maskall in front, but Ever Simon (82’) got the equalizer for Boom.

Editorial: A Caribbean leader questioned the lawyers
Belizeans know that poverty and unequal distribution of wealth are causing unbearable pressure on certain sections of our society. Every five years or so we go to the polls, hoping that the party that succeeds to form the government has the formula to make things better for poorer Belizeans. It has never worked out for us, but our hope for a better tomorrow remains very much alive. We know the drug trade has the pull of a magnet for some of our people, our young males especially, and we know how dangerous that illegal business is. Homicide is one of the top five causes of death in countries that lie between the cocaine producers in South America, and the main consumers of the product, in the USA.

From The Publisher
The population of African Belizeans has shrunk here by perhaps two thirds during my lifetime, so that it is no longer as noteworthy that, whereas all the British possessions in our region had been celebrating Emancipation Day and freedom from slavery since August 1, 1838, Belize barely began to mark Emancipation Day six years ago. The Belizean initiative was not an official, or publicly enthusiastic one, but rather a private initiative of the activist UBAD Educational Foundation (UEF). There are different reasons why British Honduras’/Belize’s perspectives on slavery and Emancipation were always so weird, as it were, and one of the reasons, I submit, is that people of color here have always been so powerful in this settlement whose families had slave owning histories but who also had identifiable slave ancestry somewhere in their genealogy. Prominent Belizeans of color had convinced themselves that they were, for all intents and purposes, white.

Recommendations from concerned fishers regarding trawling and gill nets
Dear Editor, The purpose of this letter is to demonstrate that the ban on trawlers was good for Belize, just as the ban on gill nets will be good for Belize in the long term, and that local fishers need to be recognized and rewarded for their significant contribution towards achieving these goals. Before trawlers got banned in Belize, there was a severe lack of fish, especially large snappers. The people who lived along the coast were concerned about the amount of snappers that used to wash up on the beach, as well as the turtles due to the high bycatch from the trawlers.

We Walk As One Foundation
Dear Editor, I am a 16-year-old youth of Nazarene High School. I am Christian, I am passionate for God, and I love my country, but not only the country, my people as well. Last year my dad, Daniel Guardado, was killed due to gun violence on our streets (Partridge Street). And so, this year, as a part of my goals for the year, I have established my very own foundation entitled “We Walk As One Foundation.” Along with me I have a large number of foundation members whose group name is “World Changers,” and the purpose of the foundation is to change Belize, help the poor and impact the lives of others and show that even our youths are capable of making a change, and being a change in Belize.

Domestic violence rooted in childhood development
There is a trend of violence that permeates our society. It stems from what takes place in the life of our children as part of their early childhood influence and development. As adults we are quick to make pronouncements against others, children and adult, who commit some anti-social act, usually crime, without stepping back to analyse what is the root of said behaviour. If only I could let readers and society on a whole realize that the issues we see our adults manifesting are just the product of their childhood development experience. So if children grew up neglected and abused, very few will rise beyond such a life and not likewise be abusive. But often when I say this, some are quick to say that they grew up poor and never turned out bad … but they miss that I did not say “poverty” was the factor. Poverty just adds to the deeper issue of failure of parents or adults in ensuring

Haynes, like Garvey, was looking at the big picture
Just about every school child knows that Galileo was condemned by religious fanatics because he proposed that the earth revolved around the sun instead of vice versa. That’s the line we were fed, what we were taught, what we believed. In 1633 the Catholic Church hauled in Galileo (Galileo Galilei), an Italian astronomer, for his heresy, and after he apologized he was sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. The editors at history.com (website) say that on June 22, 1633, the Church handed down the following order: “We pronounce, judge, and declare, that you, the said Galileo … have rendered yourself vehemently suspected by this Holy Office of heresy, that is, of having believed and held the doctrine (which is false and contrary to the Holy and Divine Scriptures) that the sun is the center of the world, and that it does not move from east to west, and that the earth does move, and is not the center of the world.”

The political order in changing Belize
Belize has some of the most interesting politics in this region, hemisphere, and I dare say, the world. Although we have adopted and/or emulated (depend on how you see it) some of the most developed political systems, they seem to be very ineffective when applied within these 8867 sq. miles. So what happens when political systems attempt to use policies and procedures from modern states in a developing country with a changing society? You end up with a cesspool of opportunistic politicians, a host of failed or abandoned projects and a population that widely distrusts the political system but are too handicapped intellectually and financially to incite any actionable change.

While it is a good idea for Garifuna people in the diaspora to visit their motherland, St.Vincent and the Grenadines, it is a painful experience.
From the time our people were forcefully removed from Baliceaux, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, where they were imprisoned, tortured, killed and buried in 1797, to Roatan, Honduras, their lives have never been the same in the countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize and the United States of America, where they live today. This act of genocide that was committed by the British against us has never been addressed and forcefully challenged by our government in Saint Vincent & The Grenadines. Why? Because of the French and British’s intention to do everything in their capacity to eradicate our people from this planet earth.

Rafael Usher, 27, survives gun attack on Arlington Avenue
Rafael Usher, 27, of Arlington Drive, is in a critical but stable condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, with gunshot injuries to his body. He suffered gunshots in the left thigh, in the right buttocks, and in the left side of the abdomen, and had been rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Information to us is that at about 9:00 last night, Usher was on his way home and was walking on Central American Boulevard into Arlington Drive when two men riding on a motorcycle drove past him and the motorcycle stopped at a short distance in front of him.

Dangriga home invader gets a “bad beating”
At about 11:00 Monday night on Plantain Street, the home of Minnette Bermudez, 54, a domestic of Dangriga, was invaded by a man who went into her bedroom while she was sleeping, put a knife on her throat and attempted to assault her. She screamed, which alerted her family members who were at home sleeping. Her nephews, two robust young men, went into the room and saw the man, who at this time was trying to escape. One nephew got a stick and hit the intruder on the leg, which caused him to stumble, and the nephews then grabbed him and beat him.

Hon. Wilfred Elrington takes on Progresso Heights in Supreme Court
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, the Pickstock area representative and Foreign Minister of Belize, appeared in the Supreme Court of Justice Courtenay Abel for a strange case involving Progresso Heights Limited, a real estate company. Elrington is a minority shareholder of the company, which deals in real estate. He represented himself and was assisted by his nephew, Orson Elrington, in the civil claim he brought against the company. The case also includes the government’s Lands Registry, because there are a number of parcels of land on which there exists a caution, which prevents the company from selling those lands.

Musings by the Curious Non-Conformist
I dabble in the art of poetry now and again. In fact, I have been writing poetry since the time of the art-centric youth organization named Youth Voices. A group that bred leaders of the coveted Spoken Word 501 group that now has its own anthology and boasts international representation in festivals that celebrate the language art form. I wrote this poem some time ago to perform at the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors event on May 5, 2018, on the banks of the Belize River on North Front Street. It was my only poetic performance and I was terrified. Once I was through, though, none other than Leroy “Grandmaster” Young came to congratulate me on the performance, and really that was the only validation I needed.

The Reporter

The Law Is An
The Law Is An … By, Major Lloyd Jones (Ret’d) - In 2011 the Barrow administration penned Statutory Instrument No. 19 of 2011 to control the tint on motor vehicles. The underlying purpose of the SI was supposedly to help reduce crime but the SI was a net, cast so wide, that it impacted on the ordinary law abiding citizens in a negative way.

PUP LEADER ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURY IN MAJOR RTA – Detail Report
Tonight, Leader of the People’s United Party John Briceño is at the Northern Medical Plaza in Orange Walk Town overnight for observation after he received injuries to his head in a road traffic accident this morning. Briceño’s driver, Edwin Hill, was treated for cut and bruises and released.

Editorial – Friday, August 2nd. 2019
It was announced this week that the Belize Police Department is ready to train more than a hundred recruits to enter the Police Force. These were chosen from more than a thousand applicants.

Hospital Abuse: The Casualties of Caring
By: Dr. Abigail Joseph - We can never truly estimate what a person’s response will be towards intense grief, anxiety, fright or any of the other emotions one may feel when experiencing what they consider to be an emergency. I guess that was why I would sit in my truck for a while before entering the hospital doors – to prepare myself mentally for the inevitable daily emotional clashes.

Strategic Location
By Neri Briceno – Prior to the planned and expected invasion of Nazi occupied Europe on July 9th, 1943, which was definitely anticipated by the Germans, the Allies had to decide where to strike them first in order to weaken their machinery by having them fighting on multiple fronts. The obvious target became Italy, which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill described as ‘fortress Europe’s soft underbelly.’

UPDATE: Serious Accident Involving Political Leader
The Reporter has confirmed that following a traffic accident near Rhaburn Ridge on the Phillip Goldson Highway an hour ago, both PUP leader John Briceño and Edwin Hill are being treated for cuts and bruises sustained when Briceño’s Toyota Prado flipped multiple times.

LOVE FM

Launch of Belize Tax Service
Today was the launch of the Belize Tax Service Department, which will house both the General Sales Tax and the Income Tax Departments. The creation of the new tax department is in an effort to modernize the tax administration. Reporter Johnelle McKenzie attended the launch and filed this report. Johnelle Mckenzie: “The General Sales Tax …

Will BTL audit report shows it owes GST?
In late June, a document purportedly being (BTL VO) financials of almost thirty million dollars owing to GST by Belize Telemedia Limited was leaked to the media. The debt was accumulated by the company from 2012 to 2017. While the allegations were denied by the Chairman of BTL Board Nestor Vasquez and the Prime Minister …

MOH wants to construction warehouse with NHI money
The medical supplies for the Ministry of Health (MOH) are currently stored at Central Medical Stores (CMS) located in Ladyville, but MOH is hoping to construct a new CMS building in Belmopan. Reports are, however, that MOH is planning to use funds from the National Health Insurance (NHI) Fund Reserve, which is managed by the …

Breaking Belize News

Brandon Baptist walks again as brothers to be tried for murder
Thirty-four-year-old Brandon Baptist is a free man again, having walked from another murder charge. But […]

UWI, University of Glasgow agree on reparatory justice payments
On Wednesday, a day before the region-wide observation of Emancipation Day commemorating the formal end of […]

Ministry of Natural Resources confirm permission to survey disputed lands in La Gracia was issued to ranking Police official
The Ministry of Natural Resources issued a statement today regarding the land issue that is […]

Reggae sensation, Chronixx, is back in Belize
The Here Comes Trouble deejay is here to celebrate Flavaz Entertainment’s 10th anniversary. The show […]

Maxboro resident charged for shooting at bus shed
Maxboro Community resident Kareem Harvey, 25, has been charged with the attempted murder of a […]

Corporal Kent Martinez arraigned; “Dickie” explains it all
The long-awaited arraignment of Corporal of Police Kent Martinez, 36, in the shooting death of […]

US Embassy Belize sends ‘Get well’ wishes to PUP Leader
The United States (U.S.) Embassy in Belmopan has issued a statement saying their thoughts are […]

Dance for Hope! Fundraiser for Leo!
The family of San Ignacio resident, Leo Arguelles, is seeking the assistance of the public […]

Police find grenade in Orange Walk
Authorities conducting a search in Orange Walk found a training hand grenade yesterday. When police […]

Police investigating shooting in Santa Cruz
Authorities are investigating a shooting incident that occurred yesterday in Santa Cruz, Stann Creek. Anthony […]

PUP asks for prayers for Party Leader after traffic accident this morning
The People’s United Party (PUP) issued a statement seconds ago informing the nation that PUP […]

PUP Leader involved in traffic accident, condition unknown
Minutes ago PUP leader, John Briceno, was reportedly involved in an accident. The accident occurred […]

New Tax Department to be launched today
August 1, 2019 marked the historic amalgamation of the Income Tax Department and Department of […]

Prime Minister responds to Opposition over NHI funds
Leader of the Opposition, John Briceño, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow had a brief back […]

Blogs

The Cristo Rey Village Council Chef Competition 2019
On Sunday, June 28th, 2019 the first-ever Cristo Rey Village Council Chef Competition was held at the Central Park. The event featured seven young talented chefs from Western Belize, including our own Chef Kelvin Harris, who competed for the bragging rights of being named the first ever Cristo Rey Village Master Chef 2019. chef kelvin Chef Robert Perez and Cristo Rey Village’s Chairman, Mr. Elmer Juarez, developed the idea of a cultural and culinary event that would create entertainment in the local area as well as bring in outside interest. The event featured three, 35-minute culinary rounds with eliminations at each stage where the chefs had to incorporate a secret ingredient at each of the cook offs. These included pork chops (first round), chicken breast & pasta (second round), and T-bone steak (third round).

August in San Pedro, The Heat is On…
The last two days have been HOT. Look at what I consider to be the most accurate weather forecast for the island and it says we are hovering in the low and mid-80s. But add in HUMIDITY, the sun’s intensity down here and low low winds and it absolutely feels like its over 100 degrees. The mosquitos are coming out. You’ll most certainly want to spray up for a morning or early evening outing. A new FANCY Frozen Yogurt spot opened on the Middle Street (Yogobean) and I had to stop in and take a look. It is a serve–yourself spot. $1.50bzd an ounce and lots of toppings. I met the owner – a Belizean from the mainland. He has a shop in Belize City as well and this one in San Pedro is HUGE.

Signs of San Pedro
Walking the colourful downtown streets of San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, you will notice many signs. There are so many that the 1970’s song by Five Man Electrical Band comes to mind, ‘Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery…’ But these signs are not blocking the scenery; they are the scenery! Yes, they are advertising signs for local businesses, restaurants, events and more. Some are humorous to enliven the message. One example is a cliché of a Rastafarian-looking toucan (a large-beaked bird) advertising for a gift shop. Another sign is of a funny monkey and the smelly durian fruit promoting the better aromas of a handmade soap business.

International Sources

9 Restaurants with Wildly Unique Views
From a glass-encased underwater restaurant to a treehouse where the waiter greets you via a zipline, some restaurants take dining to the next level. These nine restaurants are so spectacular, they’re worth traveling to see. You know the views are special at the San Ignacio Resort’s restaurant when you sit down for breakfast and spot binoculars on the table. Take that as your cue to enjoy epic birdwatching while enjoying your morning coffee and fry jacks, which are an airy, breakfast pastry. The restaurant is perched in the jungle. Ask for a “Bird List” to see how many species you can spot. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a Keel- Billed Toucan, a colorful bird that takes up residence in the Belizean jungle.

Belize moves to protect banana industry from deadly fungus
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) says it has been holding discussions with several stakeholders in the banana industry in a bid to prevent the Fusarium Wilt of Bananas, which has been detected in neighbouring Colombia from entering the country. BAHA said that the discussions with the stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture and partner organisations, are to develop a comprehensive strategy to keep the disease out of Belize. Fusarium Wilt of Bananas is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense, and described as a devastating disease of bananas.

CRFM - CDEMA sign agreement to enhance disaster management and resilience in fisheries
The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to enhance comprehensive disaster management and climate change resilience in the fisheries and aquaculture sector within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, signed the MOU for CRFM while the Executive Director of CDEMA, Ronald Jackson, signed on behalf of CDEMA. The signing took place during the tenth general meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations (UN) System, Wednesday, 24 July 2019, in Georgetown, Guyana. CRFM executive director said: 'This MOU was prepared to facilitate enhanced cooperation between the CRFM and CDEMA, recognizing the need for effective and progressive responses to the urgent and growing threats of climate change and associated hazards, as well as the vulnerability of our fisherfolk and fishing communities which constitute a very important part of our food production system.'

CTO event celebrates contributions of indigenous people to Caribbean tourism
Today’s travelers are booking experiential vacations that allow them to immerse themselves in the culture, people and history of a destination. Recognising this, indigenous communities across the Caribbean are accessing tourism markets and welcoming visitors to encounter their traditional ways of life. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will highlight this important development in a general session at the upcoming Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development taking place 26-29 Aug. 2019 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Videos

August 2, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

H.E. Alexis Rosado Presents Credentials in the Republic of Nicaragua
Non-resident Ambassador of Belize to Nicaragua, H.E. Alexis Rosado, presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Commandante José Daniel Ortega Saavedra on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019. Ambassador Rosado also met with Vice President H.E. Doña Rosario Murillo Zambrana.

Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute collaborates with the Commonwealth Marine Economies
The Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute is hosting a team (3 persons) from the United Kingdom’s Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme to consult on the development of a Maritime Economy Plan for Belize on July 30th, 2019 in Belmopan and August 1st, 2019 in Belize City. The CME Programme was launched in 2016 by the British government to support 17 Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS), of which Belize is a beneficiary country, in identifying the potential of, and developing, their marine economies in a sustainable, resilient and integrated way.

Health authorities on the island report an increase in Dengue fever
As cases of Dengue fever continue to increase across Belize, health authorities on the island are closely monitoring the situation after more than 20 cases were confirmed on Ambergris Caye. This is expected to increase, and islanders are urged to take preventative measures and to visit their nearest medical center if they suspect they have dengue symptoms. Dengue causes painful fever, rashes, and is a very debilitating illness. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes Egypti species of mosquito.

Team El Pescador Lodge wins 3rd Annual International Silver Scales Fly Fishing Tournament
Team El Pescador Lodge are the winners of 2019 Silver Scales Fly Fishing Tournament held from Thursday, July 26th to Sunday, July 28th at Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Organized by the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco through the Municipal Sports Directorate and the Municipal Tourism Development Directorate, the fly-fishing tournament saw the participation of 18 teams from Mexico, Belize and different parts of the world. The main objective of this tournament is to promote the importance of fly fishing/sports tourism, focusing on catch and release species and prioritizing their health.

Ambergris Today

Ministry Of Tourism & Civil Aviation Receive International Certification For Quality Management
On July 24, 2019 the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MTCA) received notification from its Certification Agent in Jamaica (National Certification Body of Jamaica), that effective July 18, 2019 the MTCA has been approved for Certification under the International Organization for Standardization’s 9001-2015 Standard (ISO 9001-2015). This makes the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation the first Government Ministry of Belize to have achieved this coveted international certification in Quality Management.

Haters Will Hate
by Seleni Reyes. In life we have our highs and lows with good times that bring us great memories and bad times that teach us how to become better people. All our lives we dedicate ourselves to improving our paths or as how we may refer to it “improve our luck”. But, the truth is that on either scenario people will always have something to say. I was once told that every mind is its own island, and this is true because people will always have something to say, which is nothing we can control. Yet one thing we can control is our thoughts and intentions. Invest your time on positive thoughts, examine yourself and improve as an individual.

Various Belizean Sources

DGFT Facilitates National WTO Advanced Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Trainin
The Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT), a department of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, will be hosting a World Trade Organization (WTO) Advanced Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Training from August 5th-9th, 2019 in Belize City. The objective of the training is to enhance the negotiating skills of government officials by deepening their understanding of how the concept works in practice. It will provide them with the skills and knowledge regarding the development of appropriate strategies and tactics for the conduct of trade negotiations, as well as systematic decision analysis techniques for the monitoring and management of the negotiating process.

H.E. Alexis Rosado Presents Credentials in the Republic of Nicaragua
Non-resident Ambassador of Belize to Nicaragua, H.E. Alexis Rosado, presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Commandante José Daniel Ortega Saavedra on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019. Ambassador Rosado also met with Vice President H.E. Doña Rosario Murillo Zambrana. In his public address during the official ceremony, President Ortega noted the historic close ties of friendship and cooperation that happily exist between the governments and people of Belize and Nicaragua.

BELIZE FISHING REPORT: JULY 21, 2019 THROUGH JULY 28, 2019
A week of beautiful weather provided opportunities for a variety of species. Congratulations to El Pescador guides Junior and Cesar Acosta on taking first prize in the 2019 Silver Scales Fly Fishing Tournament in Xcalak, Mexico!

Making A Switch Really Isn't That Difficult
Written By: Tanya McNab. I’m an extreme creature of habit. In every part of my life from my work to my wardrobe, my diet to my travel habits, I follow an unvarying routine. Recently, I’ve taken a keen interest in learning more about conservation efforts globally but specifically regarding single-use plastics since Belize is on the path to achieving this goal later in 2019. (High-five Belize!) I think we can all agree each of us could do better in our personal and professional lives to be more environmentally responsible, by switching some of our day-in/day-out routines and habits. To make a long story short, what I have realized is, we, as humans … just simply don’t want to break our habits. Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioral patterns which humans repeat become imprinted in our minds. Most of our bad habits have just become nearly or completely involuntary, a settled tendency. It is however, possible to form new habits through repetition AND the right attitude - it’s all in our mind!

SBDC Workshop: Quick Books Workshop
Presented by: Mr. Jorge Gentle, Business Adviser, SBDCBelize, Beltraide Location: BTEC Building, ITVET Campus, Belize City. Workshop Date: August 08th, 2019, Time: 9am to 3pm. This course was created for anyone who wants to learn QuickBooks. Whether you signed up simply to learn QuickBooks or are a complete newbie to the software does not matter. We will teach you the software from beginning to end so that anyone, regardless of experience, learns all that they need to know to successfully use the program. Cost: $60.00, Includes snacks, lunch and refreshments.

PRESS RELEASE from BAHA - Fusarium Wilt of Bananas
Stakeholders of the banana industry, government agencies, agricultural partner organizations and the public are hereby informed of a notification of a suspected detection of Fusarium Wilt of Bananas in La Guajira Province in Colombia. Fusarium Wilt of Bananas, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Tropical Race 4), is a devastating disease of bananas. Once infected, the plants die rapidly and the disease spreads quickly within farms and then throughout an industry. It originated in South East Asia in the early 1960s and is now prevalent in that region causing devastation to banana plantations. The disease has been detected as well in Mozambique, Jordan, Israel and Australia.

WATER TAXI REGULATIONS STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 29 OF 2019
The public is hereby informed of the Water Taxi Regulations Statutory Instrument 29 of 2019 that is in effect. The major provisions of the regulations include: Effective 1 August 2019: 1. Issuance of Personal Flotation Devices to passengers over one-year old. 2. Submission of Passenger Manifests at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure time. This requires passengers to provide their names.

DGFT Facilitates National WTO Advanced Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Training
The Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT), a department of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, will be hosting a World Trade Organization (WTO) Advanced Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Training from August 5th-9th, 2019 in Belize City. The objective of the training is to enhance the negotiating skills of government officials by deepening their understanding of how the concept works in practice. It will provide them with the skills and knowledge regarding the development of appropriate strategies and tactics for the conduct of trade negotiations, as well as systematic decision analysis techniques for the monitoring and management of the negotiating process.

Venancio Williams/Martinez passes away
It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Venancio Williams/Martinez. 59 years of age, better known as ( Dirty Cash) originally from Hopkins Village. Mr.Venancio lived on the island for the past forty years as a former electrician. He is survived by his common law wife Marilyn Simpson. 5 children Merrick Martinez, Malick, Jervis, Esse and Ted williams and a host of other relatives and friends. A wake will be held next week Friday August 9th, 2019 followed by the funeral Services on Saturday August 10th, 2019 in Hopkins village . Venancio Williams ( Dirty Cash) Sunrise: May 18th, 1960 - Sunset: August 1st , 2019

Launch of the Belize Tax Service Department
August 1st, 2019 marks the historic amalgamation of the Income Tax Department and Department of General Sales Tax into the newly formed Belize Tax Service Department- a department under the Ministry of Finance. The amalgamation will be done in a phased approach through to 2022. Taxpayers will experience better service by a newly trained cadre of tax professionals, efficiency, productivity and better tax compliance to further develop the country. In October 2014, the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) approved a technical assistance mission to support the Government of Belize’s medium-term action plan to Modernize Tax Administration. The objective of that program was to strengthen institutional reforms in tax administration.

New Water TAxi for Corozal area
Here is wishing the best of luck to Exodus water taxi. New Water Taxi from Sarteneja to make inaugural run this August 5th, 2019 from Corozal Town - Sarteneja - San Pedro R/T. For price and more information call 634-9178. Will carry freight as well.

ESTM Vacancies in San Roman, Corozal District, with Escuela Secundaria Técnica México
7 Cooks. 2 Cafeteria Service & Cleaning Assistants. 1 Cafeteria Manager. 1 Cafeteria Assistant Manager. 1 Cashier / Kitchen Assistant. Deadline: August 2, 2019. Postal Address: PO Box 6, San Roman Village, Corozal District. Email: [email protected] Website: http://estm.edu.bz

Three Corozal Youths make National U15 Male Team
Three great kids are proudly representing our Corozal District. Congratulations to Jordan Casanova, Kendale Butler and Eliceo Rosales. Our entire Corozal Football community is proud of you three guys that made it to the National U15 Male Team.

BTB Newsletter- Toucan Talk, Issue #22
Want to know more about the tourism industry? Check out the 22nd edition of our Toucan Talk Newsletter!

New Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Instructors
Yesterday, 36 police officers – 21 from Belize and 15 from El Salvador – became new Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Instructors. The G.R.E.A.T. program is one of the many tools the United States is supporting in Belize, and the Central American region, to improve citizen security, decrease impunity, and prevent crime. Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Keith Gilges spoke at the ceremony and underscored the Embassy’s partnership with the Belize Police Department and other organizations that seek to prevent youth from being drawn into gangs. Superintendent Gerald Jones, Commandant of the National Police Training Academy also spoke at the ceremony.

Paradise Theater playing this weekend:
Avengers: End Game, Lion King, The Red Sea Diving Resort. Note: Avengers is playing at 6 and 9 on screen 1 and this is the original Lion King .. for some reason, everyone has been asking for it.. Also, If you haven't heard.. we installed new A/C's in the large room.. nice and cold again.

Miss Costa Maya International Pageant 2019
Miss Costa Maya International Pageant 2019. Photos by Jose Luis Zapata Photography.

Channel 7

Belize City Man Very Cruelly Killed and Dumped
Tonight, we have a hideous and cruel murder to report in the Belize district. 34 Year old Darwin Rocke's decomposed body was found this morning at 8:30 near the Burrell Boom bridge. His body was stuffed in a plastic bag and wrapped in a blue tarp. When police uncovered it - they found stab wounds to his chest, one of his hands cut off, and his head partially decapitated. He met an especially cruel end - a torturous execution - and tonight his family is asking why.

Police Have No Suspects For Torturous Murder
This morning at the police press briefing - they didn't have the name of the deceased yet but they described the physical state of the body that the cops encountered:.. ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "This morning at about 8:30, police were called to the Burrell Boom Road, where police, upon arrival, about 500 feet off the old Burrell Boom Bridge, about 10 feet off Boom road, they observed the body of a person wrapped up in a plastic bag, and a blue trampoline. The body was recently removed from the scene, and it was taken to the medical college for a post-mortem, as it is in an advanced state of decomposition. Up to now, we have not determined the identity of the person, but we have received information of a possible identity. So, we are trying to contact family members at this moment."

Why Would They Kill Don Manuel?
As we reported last night, an elderly man was murdered, and his body left inside his Camalote house to rot. The victim is 78 year old Guatemalan national Manuel Barrera. He was chopped and stabbed to death. Courtney Weatherburne went out west to speak to the family and they are stunned that someone would be so heartless to kill an old man in such a vicious way. Here is that story. Aracely Barrera burst into tears as she tried to mask the putrid odor left inside her father's house after he was slashed and stabbed to death. Manuel Barrera's body was found yesterday evening on the floor. Neighbors picked up on the stench coming from his home and alerted the police.

Cops Don't Have a Motive
And today at the bi-weekly press briefing, police told us they are following leads in Barrera's case and don't have a concrete motive at this time. ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB: "Yesterday, sometime around 3 p.m., Roaring Creek police were called to an area in Young Bank, the home of one Manuel Barrera Vasquez, a 78-year-old Guatemalan National, who resides alone in a wooden and zinc structure. On the police's arrival, they met the son of Mr. Vasquez there, who accompanied them to the area. And the structure was observed to be locked and secured from the backdoor, and the front door had a padlock, which was locked. As a result, the door was forced open, where, upon entering the building, the lifeless body of Mr. Manuel Vasquez was found in a decomposed state, with apparent chop wounds to the upper body. The scene was processed, where the body was processed, and a post-mortem was later conducted yesterday. So far, we know that he was last seen alive on Monday."

Near Fatal Shooting On Busy Street
And from those murders in the Belize and Cayo Districts, we turn now to a near-fatal shooting in Belize City involving a 27-year-old man from Arlington Drive. The victim is Rafael Usher, and tonight, he's clinging to life at the KHMH after suffering gunshot injuries to the left thigh, the right buttocks, and the left side of his abdomen. Reports are that sometime around 8:00 last night, Usher was walking on Central American Boulevard, and as soon as he passed the 88 Better Living store, he was about to turn into Arlington Drive, which is where his family's home is located. He didn't make it far, however, because 2 unknown men on motorcycles rode up on him. One of them pulled out a gun, fired several shots at him, and the duo sped off. Usher was left injured, and bleeding on the street.

Police Say Usher May Have Had Beef
Raphael Usher's shooting was one of the cases that the media asked the police to discuss in today's bi-weekly briefing. They told us that they have no ideas yet why he was targeted, but they did receive reports that he had some sort of disagreement with someone earlier that day: ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City: "Last night, at about 8:30 p.m., police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where they observed Rafael Usher, 27-year-old, suffering from apparent gun wounds to his body. What we understand is that Mr. Usher was walking on Central American Boulevard, heading toward Arlington Drive, when 2 persons on board a motorcycle stopped beside him, and one of the male persons fired several shots in his direction, which resulted in him suffering gunshot wounds to his body. He is presently admitted in a critical condition at this moment."

"Killer Cop Kent Shot Me" Man Claims
Yesterday, we showed you how Police Corporal Kent Martinez was arraigned for the manslaughter by negligence of Allyson Major Jr. But, should Martinez even have been on active duty? Two months ago, on mothers' day back in May, Vince Martinez - who is no relation - said Corporal Kent shot him in his home for no reason. Vince Martinez says when he saw the Corporal on television last night it all came back to him:...

Major New Regs For Water Taxi Ferries
If you traveled on any of the water taxi ferries today, you would have noticed important changes to the way these companies are now doing business. That's because the Belize Port Authority is cracking down on monitoring and enforcement for public safety. The need for increased safety was highlighted in a terrible way back in May. That's when a vessel at the Ocean Ferry Water terminal spontaneously exploded injuring 12 passengers and killing two sisters: 10-year-old Yamiri Yasmin Guy, and 8-year-old Kimberly Melissa Guy. So now, safety measures which have been in the planning stage since 2015 are now being put in effect under the Water Taxi Regulations Statutory Instrument 29 of 2019.

PM Drops The Bomb On The Ministry of Health
Last night we told you about that letter from the Financial Secretary's Office to the CEO in the Ministry of Health. Senior Finance Officer Artemio Osorio tells the Health CEO, George Gough that the Ministry of Finance has "no objection" to the award of a 1.68 million dollar contract for the construction of a Central Medical Stores Building in Belmopan. What caught everyone's attention is the final paragraph, which says, quote, "funds to cover this expenditure will be obtained from a grant from the National Health Insurance Fund Reserve managed by the Belize Social Security Board." End quote.

Grenade Found In OW
Thanks to Special Branch intelligence, a grenade was found in Orange Walk today. Cops searched an empty lot located beside the property of a known gang leader in the town, and they found what is believed to be a training grenade. The BDF has yet to confirm what type of grenade it is. the gang is called Uprising. Special Branch also led a number of operations countrywide starting before dawn today. They searched dozens of persons and homes and found a total of 4 kilos of weed and destined a number of persons. They also came upon 56 cans of contraband Mexican beer, and a few marijuana plants.

Still Searching For Dangriga Killer
So, while police en the north led those searches, cops from Dangriga continue to try and locate their main suspect in the murder of 41-year-old Geraldine Flowers. You'll remember that on Sunday morning, she reportedly allowed her ex-common-law husband into her home in the New Site area. She and this individual had a protracted history of domestic violence. But on that day, she decided to speak to him. Reports are that their discussion escalated to a quarrel, and then later to her murder. She was found dead in her bedroom, after suffering from gunshot injuries and stab wounds.

Few Clues In Yanira's Murder
Meanwhile, police in Orange Walk are no closer to solving the murder of Yanira Novelo. About 3 weeks ago, this 26-year-old mother of 2 from San Jose Village was found dead in a cane field on the San Lorenzo Road. She left her home that day with her son to go pick up money from Western Union, which her husband in the US had sent for her. She never made it home, and several hours later, a farmer found her injured 4-year-old son wondering down that same road. On the following day, search parties went back to the same area that her son was found, and that's when they discovered her mutilated body in a cane-field.

SHOOTING IN SANTA CRUZ...
Police have not released details, but 7News has confirmed that two men were shot in Santa Cruz village in the Stann Creek District today. At 10:20 this morning Anthony Dennison and Ralph Forbes were reportedly standing on the side of a street when a red vehicle pulled up and one of the passengers opened fire, injuring both men. One of their friends got away.

Emancipation Day, The State Acknowledges
August 1st is celebrated as Emancipation day in the wider Caribbean as a National Holiday. This morning at 6:00 on Marine Parade, the significance of the day was marked by a drumming and libation rituals organized by the UBAD Education Foundation. And, while that was a community effort, a few hundred feet away, the state made its observance at the Museum of Belize.

Crazy Cops Try to Muzzle Costa Rican Football Fans
Last night The Belmopan Bandits hosted Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in the preliminary round of the Concacaf League 2019 eliminations for the Champions League. The Bandits were defeated 3-1 but what's making news tonight is the outrageous behaviour of the Police who were involved in some overzealous refereeing of Costa Rican fans. The Fans of Deportiva Saprissa were merely trying to cheer on their team by singing and blowing horns - but in something that smacks of a police state, the cops weren't having it.

Channel 5

Darwin Rocke is Murdered and His Body Dumped Off Boom Hattieville Road
A body was found this morning at entrance of the Burrell Boom, Belize District. The upper part of the body was covered with a plastic bag and covered with a [...]

Murder in Young Bank; Elderly Musician is Chopped to Death inside his Home
Police are also investigating the murder of an elderly man in the village of Young Bank, Cayo District.  On Wednesday afternoon, police were called out to the village located along [...]

Police Comment on Murder of Elderly Musician
So, what are police saying about this murder? They say that they don’t know what the motive is as yet. The investigation is in its early stages and they are [...]

Who Wants Ragga Dead?
While two persons were found dead in less than twenty-four hours, in Belize City, twenty-seven year old Rafael Usher survived a shooting.  Usher was on Central American Boulevard on Wednesday [...]

PM Barrow & John Briceño on $1.6 Million Grant to Cayo Company Using N.H.I. Reserve Funds
A memo dated July twenty-ninth, 2019 has been leaked and is making its rounds on social media.  It is signed by Artemio Osorio on behalf of the Financial Secretary and [...]

No Sight of Accused Murderer Rodwell Arzu
An all-points bulletin remains in effect for the apprehension of Rodwell Arzu, the man whom police believe shot and killed his ex-girlfriend on Sunday morning in Dangriga, before turning the [...]

Purse Found, But Still No Arrest in Murder of Yanira Novelo
Twenty-four-year-old Yanira Novelo, a mother of two from San Jose Village in Orange Walk District, was murdered on her son’s fourth birthday during a deadly attack that also saw the [...]

No Evidence to Arrest Suspects in Murder of Porfilio Nino
The gruesome murder of sixty-four-year-old Porfilio Nino whose remains were found inside a shallow grave in Maya Mopan remains unsolved.  Despite rounding up several persons for questioning in relation to [...]

Maxboro Resident is Remanded for Attempted Murder
A Maxboro resident, who shot his former neighbour at a bus shed, is tonight on remand at the Belize Central Prison.  Kareem Harvey appeared before Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts-Anderson and [...]

BAHA on Alert for Disease that Can Wipe Out Banana Industry
There is an alert tonight in the banana industry in the south. The Belize Agriculture Health Authority informs of a suspected detection of Fusarium wilt of bananas in La Guajira [...]

New Rules for Water Taxis and Passenger Safety
A new set of regulations came into effect today for water taxis and those changes have one industry stakeholder up in arms.  Beginning August first, all seagoing vessels operated as [...]

Other Rules to Come on Stream for Water Taxis
Additional regulations that are set to come into effect as of September sixteenth include an approved safety management and emergency response plan, as well as the outfitting of each vessel [...]

Same Officer Who Shot Vince Martinez Killed Allyson Major Jr.
On Mother’s Day, Vince Martinez was shot in the groin by an officer who responded to a call of a domestic issue at his home.  While a formal complaint was [...]

Vince Martinez to Take Action against BPD
According to Martinez, what hurts most is finding out that the victim is the son of a childhood friend.  He says that he is preparing to take legal action against [...]

1000 Smiles for Cleon Holds 6th Disney Show Fundraiser
The Magic of Disney is an entertainment show for kids and adults alike and will take place this Saturday at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts in Belize City [...]

Emancipation Day is Commemorated in Belize
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery” – the popular song from Bob Marley is being used across the region today in English-speaking Caribbean as slavery to mark the abolition of slavery [...]

Healthy Living: “Empowering Parents; Enabling Breastfeeding.”
World breastfeeding week starts today and continues to August eighth. This year’s theme is “Empowering Parents; Enabling Breastfeeding.”  While breastfeeding is often seen as the sole responsibility of the mother, [...]

The Reporter

Human Body Found Near Boom Bridge
Police are on the scene near the Boom Bridge where what is suspected to be a human body has been discovered. Sources tell us that they are in the process of ascertaining that it is indeed a human body, since it is completely wrapped up.

LOVE FM

Cop arraigned for manslaughter
36-year-old, Corporal Kent Martinez appeared yesterday in court before Magistrate Michelle Trapp with his attorney, Richard “Dickie” Bradley, to be arraigned on a charge of manslaughter by negligence in connection with the death of Allyson Major Jr. On July 16, Major was shot to the head while he tried to escape a pursuing police mobile …

Creating a Geo-Map for Belize
The Belize National Spatial Data Infrastructure project is a project that collects geographic data in Belize before compiling it and making it available to the Government of Belize and other partners. The project seeks to improve the infrastructure planning in Belize and also to create an accurate geographical map for Belize. This week the BNSDI …

Maya Museum to Be Established Soon
Belize’s first Maya Museum is in the planning phase and is expected to be completed by December of this year. The Museum will see exhibits from the Mayan as well as the Mestizo culture. Love News spoke to the curator, Hugo Carillo, who told us what the the museum will entail. Hugo Ryne Carillo – …

Emancipation Day Liberate Yourself
Today marks the anniversary of the day that slavery was abolished and slaves emancipated. Emancipation Day is celebrated by many Caribbean countries, and Belize is celebrating too. The National Institute of Culture and History held an all-day event that allowed the public to enter for free and view their “Enslaved” exhibit at The Museum of …

Elderly man murdered in Camalote Village
Yesterday, Love News reported on a 79-year-old man who was found dead by his neighbour in Camalote Village, Cayo District. The victim, Manuel Barrera, had sustained chopped wounds to the head as well as stab wounds to the body. Our Cayo Correspondent, Fem Cruz, spoke to Barrera’s son, who said that family has an idea …

Leader of the Opposition defends La Garcia
The People’s United Party has been winning a large percentage of the village council elections, including the village of La Garcia. According to the villagers, they have received threats that their properties will be taken away by the government since they did not vote for the United Democratic Party. Today, the Leader of the Opposition, …

Fisheries Department holds regional workshop
Dishes made from Queen Conch such as conch soup, conch fritters and conch ceviche are high in demand by locals and tourists alike. However, the amount of conch meat that is available for a particular season depends upon the quota that is set. The Belize Fisheries Department, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization …

Imports down 1.4%, Exports down 16.4%
During the month of June 2019, imported goods were down by 1.4 percent, a total value of $2.3 million from $170.8 million imported in June 2018. According to the Statistical Institute of Belize, the decrease was due to the demand for less diesel and a reduction in a variety of food items imported into the …

Consumer Prices down 0.3%
The Statistical Institute of Belize released its latest figures for June 2019, which shows a decrease of zero-point three percent in the prices of goods when compared to June 2018. The All-items Consumer Price Index, (CPI) went down from 105.0 in June 2018 to 104.7 in June 2019. The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages category recorded an …

Breaking Belize News

Fire in Belize City
There is an ongoing fire in Belize City at Mile 2 on the Phillip Goldson […]

Reimers Feed Mill celebrating 60 years of business
In 1959, two brothers that used to work at a feed mill in Mexico opened […]

Last night’s shooting victim in critical condition
Just before 9 o’clock last night a man was shot in Belize City. He has […]

Police: Blind man locked in home and hacked to death
Sometime around 3:00 p.m. yesterday police were called to the Young Bank area of Roaring […]

Yanira Novelo’s purse found days after her death
Last month Yanira Novelo, 24, was found dead in a cane field off the San […]

BAHA takes precautionary measures against disease affecting banana farms
Stakeholders of the banana industry, government agencies, agricultural partner organizations and the public are informed […]

Update to Water Taxi regulations
The public is reminded of the Water Taxi Regulations Statutory Instrument 29 of 2019 that […]

Body found near Burrell Boom road
Authorities have identified the body of the man found this morning near the Burrell Boom […]

Belizean Officers complete GREAT training for instructors
On July 31, thirty-six police officers – 21 from Belize and 15 from El Salvador […]

Emancipation day reflections Part I – The mindset of ‘blacks’ in Belize
By Hugh O'Brien: This article was written after deep reflection and with resilient optimism that where there is a will there is a way […]

Government of Belize holds stakeholder meeting for Sustainable and Child Friendly Municipalities Initiative
The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Labour, Local Government & Rural Development (MLLGRD) […]

Advanced Trade Negotiations training to be hosted in Belize
The Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT), a department of the Ministry of Investment, Trade […]

Santa Elena residents invited to join for Clean Up campaign
The Bishop Martin and Bradleys Bank Neighborhood Watch have teamed up to conduct a clean […]

Leader of Opposition to meet with La Gracia Farmers
Reports to Breaking Belize News is that Leader of the Opposition, PUP, John Briceno will […]

Belize celebrates Emancipation Day
On August 1, 1834, slavery was abolished in Belize and in the Caribbean. As a […]

Ambassador Alexis Rosado presents Credentials in Nicaragua
Non-resident Ambassador of Belize to Nicaragua, Alexis Rosado, presented his Letters of Credence to the […]

Dr. Candice Pitts to be endorsed for Mesop!
Belize City Councilor, Dr. Candice Pitts, is taking another challenge. The politician and educator is […]

Videos

August 1, 2019

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, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials.

The San Pedro Sun

Belize Natural Energy Donates to the Belize Youth Challenge Program
Belize Natural Energy (BNE) today, July 30th, donated a Toyota Hilux pickup from its fleet, complete with one-year full servicing to the Belize Youth Challenge Program (BYC). The handing over of the keys and vehicle certificate was done by CEO of BNE, Mr. Marlow Neal, to CEO of the Ministry of National Security, Mr. Felix Enriquez. On hand to receive the donation was Captain Ivan Locario, Deputy Commandant of the BYC. CEO Neal commented that they are very impressed with the way the BYC Program is run and as such, they are happy to be able to assist in the efforts to uplift the lives of the young men who have volunteered to take the challenge. CEO Enriquez expressed his gratitude for the donation and appreciation to BNE for taking this proactive initiative as a corporate entity.

Police claim a reduction in major crime for the first six months of 2019
The crime situation in Belize for the first six months of 2019 has made local and international headlines after a spate of violence left Belizeans and foreigners dead. The Belize Police Department is yet to issue their mid-year crime statistics, but during a gathering on Monday, July 15th they claimed that compared to the same period in 2018, there is an 18% reduction in major crimes. However, that claim does not include the many Belizeans that have gone missing and are feared dead. One of the major crime statistics that caught the attention of Belizeans is that of murder. According to a report by the Belize Crime Observatory, the period of January to June of 2019 recorded fewer murders compared to the same period in 2018. A total of 82 murders were recorded in 2018 the mid-year crime report, and although this year’s report has not been officially issued by police so far, reliable sources indicate that 66 were registered up to June this year.

Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries launches campaign to ban gillnets in Belize
As gillnets continue to hurt the fishing industry and marine life of Belize, the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries (CSF) has launched a campaign to ban gillnets in the country. CSF is a group of conservation organizations, commercial fishermen, tourism representatives, and sports fishing enthusiasts with a single priority, which is to ban gillnets in Belize. The Coalition recently presented a formal proposal to the government calling for an end to all gillnet fishing in Belizean waters following a one-year phase-out period. This proposal includes a commitment by the Coalition to provide at least $1,000,000 BZ to assist licensed gillnet fishermen in transitioning to more sustainable fishing methods and/or other alternative livelihoods. Commercial fishermen are leading the movement to ban gillnets in Belize.

2019 PLB Opening Season begins: San Pedro Pirates lose first home match
For their first game in the 2019 Premiere League of Belize (PLB), San Pedro Pirates hosted the Belmopan Bandits at the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro Town on Saturday, July 27th. The island team fought hard for the first game of the season, but the visiting team managed to claim a 2-0 win. For their next match, San Pedro Pirates will be traveling to Independence Village, Stann Creek District to go against Altitude F.C on Saturday, August 3rd. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30PM at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village. Any person that is interested in accompanying the Pirates as a fan can call 608-6396 for more information.

Ambergris Today

CrossFit San Pedro Represented At The Reebok Crossfit Games In USA
The Reebok CrossFit Games 2019 will be taking place from August 1 – 4 in Madison, Minnesota in the USA. Our tiny country of Belize is being represented, San Pedro Town in particular by Belizeans Cricel Castillo and Vernon Neal as they compete under CrossFit San Pedro and Crossfit Subterranean as their affiliate box, respectively. The 2019 CrossFit Games are the 13th CrossFit Games. They will be held from August 1–4, 2019, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The 2019 Games are the first games to operate under a new set of qualification rules. For the Team events, it is also the first year where a team can be composed of any group of members regardless of gym affiliation.

Various Belizean Sources

CONSUMER PRICES DOWN 0.3% IN JUNE 2019, IMPORTS DOWN 1.4%, DOMESTIC EXPORTS DOWN 16.4% IN JUNE 2019
Results from the Statistical Institute of Belize’s monthly Consumer Price Index survey indicated that, for the month of June 2019, Belizean households experienced a small overall decrease of 0.3 percent in the cost of regularly purchased goods and services, when compared to June 2018. The All-Items Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 104.7 in June 2019, a decline of 0.3 percent from 105.0 recorded in June 2018 (see Figure 1). It was observed that higher prices for food items, electricity, tertiary education and nightclub admissions were off set by lower prices in rent, fuel and international airfares. The cumulative infl ation rate for the fi rst six months in 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, stood at 0.01 percent. During the month of June 2019, Belize’s imported goods were valued at $168.5 million, down 1.4 percent or $2.3 million from the $170.8 million imported in June of 2018. The total value of Belize’s domestic exports for the month of June 2019 was $29.7 million, down 16.4 percent or $5.8 million from the $35.5 million recorded for June of 2018.

Caye Caulker Humane Society spay and neuter day
The Caye Caulker Humane Society clinic is having a spay and neuter day this coming Tuesday, 6 August. Call 639 0801 to get your pet on the list.

Village Council Election Results for 28th July, 2019

BEL offers chance for prizes by completing Renewable Energy Survey
Get a chance to win a 40” TV, a microwave and $250 rebate on your electricity bill! Take our Renewable Energy Survey from July 29 to August 5 online at http://bit.ly/2ZpgAgg or when our reps call you. Survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Photos from the Arts & Craft Market Day at the San Pedro House of Culture

Almaht'an or Santo Almaj T'áan
Almaht'an or Santo Almaj T'áan is series of Documents consisting of prophecies and Historical events given by Juan de La cruz Puc considered as a Yucatec Maya(Masewal) Prophet . Juan de la Cruz Puc is known as the interpreter from the messages of Hahal Ku(God) during the Caste war . It is considered important Between the Yucatec Maya of the Cruzo'ob Maya faith . Cruzoob Maya faith is still followed in Quintana Roo(Mex) and Northern Belize.

Busy few days for the new C.C.V.C.
It's been a very busy few days for the new C.C.V.C. This week we met with Source Hydropanel who should be installing panels on the roof of the Community Center and the C.C.R.C. School. The team did inspections at the two locations and should follow through with implementation by November of this year. The panels will provide drinking water to the staff of the Health Center and the students of C.C.R.C School. The project is being funded by the International Development Bank. The new council also met with the Vector Control Unit and Regional Managers to implement a Dengue Prevention Plan and to come up to date with the new proposed health center. Fumigation of North Side Caye Caulker homes were conducted on Tuesday. We thank Mr. Harrison Cadle for ferrying across the Vector Control Team.

Remarks by Yasser Musa at the book presentation Pengereng by Ivory Kelly
This book Pengereng is a gift, to the small jipijapa basket that is Belizean literature. Is there such a thing as Belizean literature? Belizean poetry? Belizean writing? Belizean research? Well, we can say it, and want it to be so. But I think the bigger question rather than a declaration and a macho exercise is, do we need Belizean literature, poetry, writing, research? Inside our schools, we have over 90,000 students. What are the stories of the imagination? Our future cannot just be about our constant hunger for technology, but about how we can harness and nourish the imagination of our youth.

Ministry of National Security Clarifies Report on Gang-Related Murders
The Ministry of National Security wishes to record its disappointment with the inaccurate reporting carried out by multiple media houses earlier this week, claiming that all murders reported in Belize for the month of June were gang-related. The media incorrectly cited the June 2019 Crime Analysis Report published by the Belize Crime Observatory (BCO). The report provided a detailed breakdown of the location of the incidents, noting that nine had been recorded by Belize City police. This included the 5 murders at Swallow Caye, which fell under the jurisdiction of Belize City Police Department. The media reports which claimed that the BCO stated that all murders for June were gang-related are incorrect and irresponsible and does no good for those who are the audience of these messages.

STYROFOAM BAN Has 1 Ban on importation begins today

Emancipation Day at the Belize Museum
Come and Join us in observing Emancipation Day 2019, tomorrow Thursday August 1st, 2019 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm.

Yaaxche: JOIN US As Development Officer Volunteer
We have an exciting volunteer opportunity to join our team as Development Officer. The Development Officer Volunteer works closely with the Ya’axché team to develop project concepts and financing ideas for programs according to the organization's Fundraising Strategy. Deadline to apply is Friday, 30th of August 2019. Find out more about this opportunity by following the link.

Channel 7

Elderly Man Found Murdered in Roaring Creek
A 79 year old was found dead this evening in the Cayo District.  At around 2:00 Manuel Barrera's family found his decomposing body inside his zinc home on the Young Bank Road - outside Roaring Creek  about 4 hours ago. The Guatemalan appeared to have a chop wound to the back of his head.  A police report says he had apparent chop wounds to his body.  His neighbor told Plus TV that the deceased was a singer:.. Edin Reynolds - Neighbour: "I was going; he told us that something smells bad right. So his wife tells me to let us search what it is, so we started to search and now we see a lot of flies around the house so took a little peep and see the old man's body laying down right there. So I called his son and when the police came they opened the door and yeah, he had a cop in his head. It was a lot of bleeding and all of that."

Cop Charged for Manslaughter, Attorney Blames Training For Killing
Police Corporal Kent Martinez is the police officer who allegedly fired the fatal shot that killed Alyson Major Jr two weeks ago.   Well, today, he went to court. And even though the media was camped out there all day, we can't show you any quality picture or video of him at court - because - as they always do - the police protected their own.  Through diversion and trickery, they shielded him from the media at every turn. Sad, but it's standard behavior when a cop is charged.  
But he couldn't hide from the magistrate.  Martinez appeared before Magistrate Michelle Trapp where he was charged with manslaughter by negligence.

Super-Sedi's Day In Court: Blameless Defendant, Bellicose Defense Attorney and Jilted Shareholder
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington got his big day in court today.  The owners of the company named Progresso Heights, a real estate company  of which Elrington is a minority shareholder - are suing him to get a caution lifted against more than a dozen land titles. So, Elrington is the defendant - and he appeared today along with is nephew OJ Elrington.   But when the man suing him,  Lawrence Schneider appeared via teleconference from the US, Elrington was the one who took the lead in cross examination.  

Did Hon. Elrington Misuse Authority to Place Hold On Titles?
Elrington resumed cross examination for about half an hour after lunch.  The trial concluded at around 2:00 - with Justice Abel reserving judgement. We asked Elrington about the central allegation in this case - as attested by the Assistant Registrar of Lands in a witness statement - that he used the weight of his office to maintain cautions on the parcels of land - after they should have been listen in the normal course.  We asked Elrington about it:..

Mason Trial Hits The Road
Last night, we took you to Belmopan for the continuation of the murder trial of William "Danny" Mason, and his for co-accused, Ashton Vanegas, Keiron Fernandez, Terrence Fernandez, and Ernest Castillo. Yesterday, retired Assistant Police Commissioner Russell Blackett was re-called to testify. He had to defend himself against assertions from the defense attorneys for the accused men that he had a conflict of interest because Pastor Lu was a friend of his.  After that, the lead police investigator, whose effort led to the arrest and criminal charging of all these men, took the stand. He had to give an in-depth account of every single action he took while he was working on this case.

FM Espouses Lennon-Esque "Imagine" Sarstoon Solution
Turning back now to the Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington. Today we also asked him about a comment made yesterday in the press that the government is not inclined to ask the CIJ for provisional measures to curb Guatemalan military aggression on the Sarstoon because such things are, quote, "run-of-the-mill."   That raised a few eyebrows, but today he wouldn't comment further on it - going instead for a John Lennon, "Imagine" approach: Jules Vasquez: "Would you amply those remarks for us?" Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I don't want to amply it because I am not the expert on that kind of things. What I'm saying to you is what I got second and third hand..."

Anisha's Family Wants To Re-Examine DNA
In May, we told you about Anisha Young's DNA results, they were inconclusive. Of course Young's family was disappointed that they had run into another dead end in her case but they are relentless and are looking into other options for closure. Well, their private investigator Jose Espat emerged today and called a press briefing to discuss that option. Espat says he and the family have engaged the director of a lab in Los Angeles where Young's mother lives. Espat says that with Commissioner Chester Willaims' approval, the family can access the sample and establish a chain of custody so the samples can be sent to the lab in Los Angeles for another round of testing.

Big Brother Coming For Malpagos
Malpagos, beware! We say that because today, Credit master systems, a collection agency established in 1993, launched its premier app at its sister company JL's Quickloan.  The creator hopes it will aid in the economic growth and development of Belize by assisting businesses and consumers in making more informed decisions.  But, for malpagos who come up in the system it means the game's up - if you haven't paid one creditor in the system - then all of them will know. The App will allow users to check on consumers' Compliant Score (C-Score) prior to extending goods and services which includes credit, employment, renting, leasing or any relationship where a person's integrity is in "question".

Brigel Died of A Heart Attack
Brigel Teck, the 31 year old father of two who died while trying out for the Coast Guard died from a heart attack. That's what a post mortem determined. The result says he died from an acute heart attack, pulmonary edema and brain death due to hypoxia. Doctors tell the Coast Guard they still need to run more tests.

"Pengreng" - The Sound Heard All Over Belize
For all of us, Kriol is one of the most important expressions of  our "Belizean-ness", but many of us don't know how to write or read Kriol. Well, award winning Belizean writer and UB literature lecturer, Ivory Kelly is challenging everyone to embrace the language through her new publication entitled "Pengereng". Kelly launched her book today at the Image Factory and Courtney Weatherburne found out more about the stories featured in the publication and what message Kelly wants her readers to get. Ivory Kelly - Writer: "Diana stares at the unread email for a long time. She contemplates deleting it, then changes her mind. Deep breathnice and steady. She straightens her torso to full height in the dining chair and clicks the email open." Those are the opening lines of one of the short stories in Ivory Kelly’s new book “Pengereng.”

Court Martial Sends Brit Soldier to Jail For Drunk Driving Death in Belize
British Army Sergeant Lee Humphreys, a 44-year-old British soldier has been found guilty of causing a death at a nightclub in Belize.  In September 2016, he knocked down and killed a man at Dream Like City Night Club. As we reported a British Army court martial has been ongoing.  Well it is now concluded and it found him guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. Back in 2016, Humphreys was stationed in Belize as a member of BATSUB. Details coming out of the Bulford Military Court is that Humphreys spent the night drinking at the Dream Like City Night Club". Just after midnight on the night of the accident, Humphrey's jumped into his Ford F-150 to drive home.

NICH Good With Grants
Today 12 artists each received funding for their projects from NICH's Cultural Development Fund. The fund was launched in mid-June and it provides much needed assistance to Belizean artists to realize their creative visions. Each recipient got a different amount of money based on their budget and proposal. In total, NICH handed out  $30,000 in cheques. Here is more from the ceremony.

Bus Operators Threaten
The Belize Bus Association is fed up with government.  A latter dated July 29th says, quote "Our members have gotten enough of the dialoguewe will do whatever we need to get GOB's attention and as long as we need to do it," end quote.   If we have to spell it out for you, that's subtly hinting at the possibility of a bus strike which would cripple the transport system and immobilize a large part of the country.   And, the bus owners are frustrated because since April of this year, they've been having meeting after meeting with the government, ranging form the ministry of transport to tourism, to foreign affairs.  

Courts and The Kids
We joined Courts and Unicomer today for their Dare to Dream Scholarship Award Ceremony. Sixteen young students from the length and breadth of the country were awarded with an 80% coverage of their high school books and tuition fees during their four years of high school.  Courts has been giving out scholarships to students countrywide for over 21 years. This year the scholarship prioritized the students of extraordinary ability most in need of financial aid.

Uh-Oh, Osorio!
There's been some concerns raised about a memorandum sent out on July 29th form the Ministry of Finance.   Writing for the financial secretary, Artemio Osorio  says the ministry has no objection to spending 1.6 million dollars on a medical stores building in Belmopn. The issue that funds will come form the NHIO fund reserve. So, using NHI funds for the construction of a building for Ministry of Health?  Well, that's not too popular and Osorio may have overstepped. 

Mutabaruka, Mystic Wisdom
As we told you last night, Jamaican dub poet and social commentator Mutabaruka is in Belize for activities related to Emancipation Day which is tomorrow. His visit is organized by the UBAD Educational Foundation and this morning after he appears don the KREM WUB, he spoke to the press. We asked him what has changed since he last visited here in 1994.  At the time he came barefooted, and this time he was still the same.  But he said the internet has changed global consciousness:

Channel 5

Alleged Killer Cop Arraigned for Allyson Major’s Shooting Death
Fifteen days after a former teacher was shot to the back of his head in a police chase, a cop was arraigned for manslaughter by negligence.  According to a ballistic [...]

Dickie Bradley: “There is a stupid weed law”
The decision to charge Corporal Kent Martinez with the lesser charge of manslaughter by negligence has the family of Allyson Major Junior up in arms. On Tuesday, through attorney Kareem [...]

Unjustified Force by Police Officers Needs to be Addressed
According to Bradley, the case will be tried at the Supreme Court level. He says that the circumstances surrounding the case have undoubtedly left the public enraged. Major Junior is [...]

Decomposing Body of Elderly Man Found in the West
A gruesome discovery was made this afternoon in the Young Bank area of Camalote Village, Cayo and up to news time tonight, police are still processing the murder scene. Well-known [...]

Sedi Goes at it with Director of Progresso Heights Ltd.
This morning in the Supreme Court, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, one of three parties involved in ongoing litigation over the sale of land in the Corozal District, appeared before Justice [...]

A Hot Day in Court Over Progresso Heights Lands
Following this morning’s session, attorney Wilfred Elrington spoke briefly with the media, explaining how that piece of corporate law works.  Secondly, when pressed about his role in the company, Elrington [...]

Did Sedi Advise PHL Directors About the Need for AGMs?
To make his point, Elrington uses the example of B.T.L. and Holy Redeemer Credit Union, both organizations that are legally required to hold annual general meetings during which auditors are [...]

A Locus is Conducted in the Murder Trial of William Mason and Four Accused Men
A significant event took place today in the murder trial of William “Danny” Mason and four other accused men. The judge and prosecution as well as attorneys visited the sites [...]

An Update on Anisha Young
In May, the family of Anisha Young received more devastating news when they were informed that DNA test results conducted in Jamaica were inconclusive. The twenty-three-year-old young woman went missing [...]

La Gracia Village to Host Meeting to Discuss Steps to Resolve Land Issue
Farmers in La Gracia say that they will be hosting a meeting this week in the village to discuss next steps to resolve a land dispute. They say that government [...]

Brandon Baptist is Freed of Murder
A Belize City man who was on remand for a 2016 murder along with two brothers is tonight home after he was told he was a free man. Thirty-four-year-old Brandon [...]

3 Minors Detained for Theft of Scratch Tickets
Police have swiftly detained three minors in connection with the theft of the popular Scratch tickets. One of them was captured on camera stealing the tickets from a Belize City [...]

The Economic Outlook for June 2019
Turning to economic news, during the month of June 2019, imports into the country were down to one hundred and sixty-eight million, that is a one point four percent when [...]

The First Grant Recipients of Receive Funding from Cultural Development Fund
Today, the National Institute of Culture and History handed over twenty-five thousand dollars to the first ever recipients of the Cultural Development Fund. The fund was launched two weeks ago [...]

Pengereng: A Book by Ivory Kelly
Belizean author Ivory Kelly launched her brand new book today at the Image Factory in Belize City. The book is a collection of short stories, which includes one of the [...]

S&B Ministry Joins Forces with CitCo for Children of Belize City
With the date for the resumption of classless quickly approaching, assistance is on the way for deserving students. In the city, aside from the awarding of scholarships, school bags were [...]

16 Students Dare to Dream with Courts Belize
Those who dared to dream are heading to high school courtesy of Courts. Sixteen students today received scholarships from the business based on financial need as well as academic performance. [...]

Credit Master Systems Launches App
The Complaint Information System, or CMS, is an essential partner in the economic growth and development of Belize.  It is a collection agency that was established in 1993 by Maurice [...]

Expanding CMS’ Services to the Caribbean
Founder and owner, Maurice Underwood, says that the idea is to take CMS to the Caribbean by introducing the system to other countries within the region.   Maurice Underwood, Owner, [...]

The Reporter

Officer Accused Of Shooting Major, Gets Bail – Attorney Comments
Today, two weeks after the shooting of Allyson Major at the foot of the Swing Bridge in Belize City, the Police Corporal who allegedly pulled the trigger, causing Major’s death, was charged for Manslaughter by Negligence.

Guatemalan Found Dead In Camalote Village
The body of the Guatemalan man discovered dead this afternoon has been identified as that of Manuel Barrera, 79. Barrera was discovered on the floor of his home in the Young Bank area of Camalote.

Conjoined Twins – How they were separate
A team of British surgeons at the famous Great Ormond Street Children’s Pediatric Hospital in London have succeeded in separating two little girls who were born sharing the same head. Each girl had separate brains, but these were fused together with a tangle of nerves and blood vessels.

Power Outage Notice – Sunday Aug. 4th. Details: BEL Info
Two power outages scheduled on Sunday, August 4 to affect different areas of Belize City between 6:00am to 2:00pm as follows:

LOVE FM

Belizean author publishes book in Kriol
This morning saw the launch of Belizean author, Ivory Kelly’s second work of fiction. Her latest book of short stories is entitled “Pengereng,” and, as we told you yesterday, it is a Belizean Kriol word that refers to the sound something makes when it hits the floor. Figuratively, it refers to an upheaval or disturbance. …

Dare to Dream Scholarship Program
Courts continues to help students realize their educational goals through its “Dare to Dream Scholarship Program”. A short ceremony was held this morning where sixteen students were awarded with the scholarships. Grisel Carballo, Corporate/Social Responsibility Coordinator of Unicomer told the media it’s the company’s way of giving back to the community. Each scholarship will …

Man walks from murder charge
34-year-old Brandon Baptist was acquitted of another murder charge. Baptist along with brothers, John and Sheldon Grinage were charged jointly with the murder of Stann Creek resident, 32-year-old Mariano Castillo who was allegedly stabbed to death. Today at the Case Management Conference, CMC, Baptist and John Grinage were represented by attorney, Oscar Selgado while John …

Breaking Belize News

Bandits defeated 3-1 by Deportivo Saprissa from Costa Rica
The visiting Purple Monsters of Deportivo Saprissa handcuffed the Belmopan Bandits at home by a […]

Is Belize overcrowded with tourists? – Yahoo Finance says Yes, Belize says No.
Usually when Belize is referenced in travel articles it’s to highlight one or more of […]

Jasmine Alert issued for missing female minor
A Jasmine Alert has been issued for 16 year old Serena Sanchez of Cristo Rey, […]

Ministry of National Security: Media reports on gang-related crimes are ‘inaccuate’
Ministry of National Security: Media reports on gang-related crimes are ‘inaccuate’ The Ministry of National […]

Decomposed body of elderly man found
Authorities have confirmed that around 2:00 p.m. today, the body of an elderly man was […]

Credit Master Systems introduces app for complaint score
Not paying your debts? Now, there’s an app for that. The collection agency Credit Master […]

Thank a Ranger today!
Park rangers around the world are on the front line in the fight to protect […]

PAHO urges for Maternity Protection Laws to protect breastfeeding moms in the workplace
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued a statement today saying that working mothers should […]

Body found in Roaring Creek, Cayo
The body of an elderly man was found this afternoon in Roaring Creek, Cayo. Authorities […]

Southern Environmental Association conduct Strategic Planning Session
Since the formation of the Southern Environmental Association (SEA) in 2008, protected areas management for […]

Moist weather to continue
Moist and unstable conditions are expected to continue today and tonight. Cloudy skies with a […]

First month for employee contributions under new SSB scheme comes calling
Today, Wednesday, is the end of month pay day for many across the country. But […]

Emmerson Garnett charged in murder of Jose Hilario Diaz
Emmerson Garnett of Freetown Road, accused in the murder of businessman Jose Hilario Diaz on […]

Police officer charged for death of Alyson Major to be arraigned this morning
Today, police corporal Kent Martinez is expected to appear in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court […]

Police ask for help in identifying the scratch ticket thief
A man was caught on camera yesterday stealing a large amount of scratch tickets from […]

Blogs

Lunch and Chocolate on the Beach in Downtown San Pedro
Yesterday we ate lunch at Caliente Restaurant – and then walked the beach south for chocolates at the Belize Chocolate Company. Here are some pictures of a beautiful HOT late July day in San Pedro Belize. Jamie LOVES the Belize Chocolate Shop (who doesn’t!) and the Walmart of San Pedro – A&R Store. (When A&R first opened in town – in 2011, it was filled with bizarre Chinese goods. It’s now a mainstay in my shopping life.) My favorite part of A&R is the $1.25bzd popcorn to enjoy while shopping.

International Sources

How Mosquitoes Changed Everything
The buzz is in. A new book estimates that mosquitoes have killed more people than any other single cause—fifty-two billion of us, nearly half of all humans who have ever lived. In 1698, five ships set sail from Scotland, carrying a cargo of fine trade goods, including wigs, woollen socks and blankets, mother-of-pearl combs, Bibles, and twenty-five thousand pairs of leather shoes. There was even a printing press, with which the twelve hundred colonists aboard planned to manage a future busy with contracts and treaties. To make space for the luxuries, the usual rations for food and farming were reduced by half. But farming wasn’t the point. The ships’ destination was the Darien region of Panama, where the Company of Scotland hoped to create a trading hub that would bridge the isthmus and unite the world’s great oceans, while raising the economic prospects of a stubbornly independent kingdom that had just struggled through years of famine. The scheme was wildly popular in the desperate country, attracting a wide range of investors, from members of the national Parliament down to poor farmers; it has been estimated that between one-quarter and one-half of all the money in circulation in Scotland at the time followed the trade winds to Panama.

The Mexican Caribbean: 2,000 rooms emptier today than a year ago
The Mexican Caribbean shows this 2019 an average of 2,000 occupied hotel rooms less than in the same period last year. According to Jorge Hernandez, president of the Mexican Federation of Tourist Associations (Fematur), the main destinations of Quintana Roo have recorded a drop in hotel occupancy of between 2 and 4.8 percentage points, which means an amount of between 1,000 and 2,000 rooms less. Hoteliers have already lowered prices by up to 25% to try to maintain last year’s occupancy levels. However, it seems that the idea is not yielding the expected results. As for sargasso, the main problem that is hitting the tourism industry in the country, Vanegas denies that the scenario is a “tourist catastrophe” and says that this year the state government expects to collect up to one million tons of this seaweed, 100% more than in 2018. “The tourists who come this summer will be our best spokepersons on how beautiful the beaches of Quintana Roo are,” said Vanegas, who also noted that the images posted on social networks do not coincide with those of the current situation.

Capacity what? The intangible side of conservation
Ya’axché values capacity building – it is part of the foundation that makes our programs within the Maya Golden Landscape successful. Over the past 20 years, Ya’axché has treasured the capacity building provided by Fauna & Flora International for it has enabled the organization to become a leader in conservation. Ya’axché continues to grow and have long-lasting impact in Belize. Here is beautifully written article by our long-term partner FFI.

Belize Tourism Board offers residents in Nevada town a free vacation during ‘Storm Area 51' raid
As the date for the viral “Storm Area 51” raid draws nearer, residents in a small town just outside of the U.S. Air Force base in Nevada are being offered the chance to flee from the possible chaos and relax in Belize. The Belize Tourism Board is offering 10 residents of Rachel, Nevada, a town of only 54, the chance at a free flight and hotel accommodations from Sept. 19-21.

Suga Candy Mas presents ‘Nubian Gods and Goddesses’
Suga Candy Mas, at 755 Linden Blvd / Utica, Brooklyn, is adorned with a dazzling array of costumes, designed to depict “Nubian Gods and Goddesses.” Designer Maxine Magdaleno told Caribbean Life last Sunday, that the grand opening was amazing, and since this is her fifth year, she is excited to push forward with momentum to capture yet another win after taking home trophies for titles in every category for the last four years. “My band will be made up of predominately Caribbean nationals, but masquerades from Central America and other countries will join in, because carnival is celebrated across the world,” said the Belize-roots designer, who won titles for four consecutive years.

Fugitive tech millionaire John McAfee ‘moves into tin foil-covered compound in Lithuania to evade CIA kidnap teams’
FUGITIVE anti-virus tycoon John McAfee claims him and his wife have fled to an “ultra-secure” facility in Lithuania to evade the CIA. The 73-year-old shared his location - which was covered in tin foil - as being in Vilnius in a tweet and it comes just days after fleeing the Dominican Republic. He tweeted: “Sorry for the silence. @theemrsmcafee and I are now in Eastern Europe at an ultra-secure facility. “We are, for now, out of reach of the corrupt elements of the (In-)Justice Department. We are healthy and safe. Have missed you guys. Will tell more later.” Last week, McAfee claimed to have sought refuge in London and Paris after being released by Dominican authorities on Wednesday. In each location he has been in Europe he has tweeted a time stamped picture though it’s possible he could be using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

My latest essential ingredient is coconut milk
My latest essential ingredient is coconut milk and, wow, I’m so late to the game. It’s a staple in Southeast Asian and Indian cuisine among many other cultures, of course, but now that I live part time in Belize, a place where I’m literally surrounded by coconut palms, I finally appreciate its many uses. It’s now a staple on my pantry shelf not just in cans, but in cartons like our almond and soy milk come in as well as little dried powder packets. I don’t drink it as a beverage because it’s higher in fat and calories than almond milk et al, but I do use it in my cooking at least three times a week, adding flavor and a touch of “cream” to my dishes. I even started making my own, so abundant are the coconuts in my part-time Belize home.

Videos