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Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Super Furia releases new song about Ambergris Caye
The Super Furia Band from the Orange Walk District have released a new song in honor of the number one island in the world according to Trip Advisor. The song is rightfully entitled, “#1 Island Ambergris Caye” by the Super Furia Band and lead singer, Roxana Alcoser. Super Furia has provided musical entertainment for Belizeans across the country for over 27 years. Lead singer Roxana Alcoser has been singing professionally for fifteen years. Alcoser contacted The San Pedro Sun to share a little more on the new single. “This song was written with sleepless nights and lots of our musical effort was put into the production of this special song, honoring an important destination in Belize,” said Alcoser.

Ambergris Today

El Pescador Lodge Hosts the Filming of "Buccaneers and Bones"
El Pescador Lodge is privileged to have hosted the filming of "Buccaneers and Bones" starring Lefty Kreh legendary angler, Tom Brokaw news anchor/author, Yvon Chouinard founder Patagonia, Bill Klyn director Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Huey Lewis singer/performer, Will Benson film maker/fishing guide and Meredith McCord angler. This is the second time that El Pescador has had the honor of hosting “Buccaneers and Bones”; the previous time was in June of 2010. Orion Multimedia, the world's largest producer of outdoor adventure television, just spent the week with El Pescador on Ambergris Caye to film the series which will air on The Outdoor Channel in January 2014. The “Buccaneers and Bones” series features the anglers' passion for fishing and the camaraderie they share as they search for answers on how to safeguard our environment. In addition to fishing the famed salt water flats of Belize, these notables are fishing for answers, too. How can we save our last great coastal environments? It's a question that has been the heart of Bonefish and Tarpon Trust's mission since 1998, and is being pursued by some of the world's top scientists.

Misc Belizean Sources

MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA, A RENEWED RELATIONSHIP
On February 20th, 2013, the President of Mexico, Enrique Pena-Nieto attended the First Summit between Mexico and member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), held in San Jose, Costa Rica. It was the second international tour of his presidency and which he dedicated to approach visit a region that binds us like no other: geographical closeness or proximity, history, sisterhood and culture. At that time, the Government leaders instructed the Foreign Ministers to convene to, “explore new formulas aimed at deepening and strengthening the ties between Mexico and Central America.” The foreign ministers of the Central American region, as well as Colombia, Dominican Republic and Mexico will meet on Friday, June 21st at San Cristobal de las Casas, state of Chiapas, an emblematic city of southern Mexico and meeting place with Central America. We will hold, as always, a frank political dialogue based on our solid democratic culture, sustained on common values. We will analyze ways to promote and strengthen our economic ties that last year reflected a trade exchange between our countries to a value of 10 billion US dollars and accumulated Mexican investments of a similar amount.

MTA with Lawrence Vernon
The The National Heritage Library had their 6th Meet the Author event last week. This time, they had Mr. Lawrence Vernon, who has written extensively about Belize in his books: Cultural Groups of Belize, From the Pages of our History, and A History of Political Parties in Belize: 1950-1981."

UB 2013 Graduation
Congratulations to the 471 graduates of the University of Belize! "Luis Ek, and Oliver Garay (will graduate at Punta Gorda Campus) both scored a GPA of 3.92 with a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelors of Science in Management respectively. Anna Petkau achieved the highest overall GPA score of 3.95 in Business Science, and Jonelle O'Brien scored the highest overall for Certificate/Diploma Program with a GPA of 3.89 in Diploma in Education Methodology."

Hanna Stables' Ride to Xunantunich
Hanna Stables horseback ride to Xunantunich has become one of the more popular tours around Cayo. Add a stop to Benny's Kitchen for lunch, and you have the perfect half day tour. Santiago is definitely the horse whisperer. "The ride to Xunantunich is pleasant and scenic, including the crossing of the Mopan river by a hand-churned ferry. Just a little further on are the well known Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. Also, if it’s a lucky day, you will be able to experience an up close encounter with howler monkeys. The Xunantunich ride has a duration 1 ½ hours of riding to the site and approximately 2 hours hiking of the site, and an additional 2 hours ride back. This is a half day to a full day ride depending on the request of the guest. Lunch stops can be included to a feast of local dishes in a pristine setting along the river. Please indicate in the booking form if you would like lunch included."

11th Annual BAAS
The 11th BAAS will be held at the SIRH's Bedran Hall, where it will start on July 2nd, and go through the 5th. The theme this year will be: 'Ancient Maya: Household and Social Identity in Belize.' Lectures start at 8:30am every day. For more information, including schedules, go to NICH's or the Institiute of Archaeology's pages. "The 11th instalment of the Belize Archaeology and Anthropology Symposium (BAAS) is scheduled for July 2nd - July 5th, 2013 in San Ignacio, Belize. Registration for the conference will begin on March 4th, 2013. Participants are encouraged to pre-register and make travel plans early so that they can be guaranteed a place as well as advantageous rates on travel. Presentations of the symposium proper will be held inside the San Ignacio Resort Hotel Bedran Hall starting on Tuesday July 2nd and continue through to Friday July 5th, 2013."

Channel 7

Peter Contreras Gets 15 for Killing Mother In Law; His Ex-Wife Says It’s Not Enough
44 year-old Peter King Contreras, the man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter for strangling his mother-in-law, will spend 15 and a half years in prison. That was the sentence handed down by Justice Adolph Lucas today. In December of 2010 Contreras offered to give his mother-in-law, 50 year-old Argentina Garcia a ride to the bus stop. It was a short distance, but he and Garcia, got into an argument in which he says Garcia told him, quote, “Why would (my daughter) want a loser like you?” The insult enraged Contreras who punched Garcia twice in the face, and she tried to get out of the vehicle. Contreras then grabbed a piece of rope, which he used to restrain her. He then took the rope and strangled her to death. After that he stuffed her body in the trunk and drove around with it for hours, leaving it in the vehicle for most of the night. At around 3 a.m., Contreras was trying to find somewhere to dump the body, when he was stopped by a police patrol which discovered the dead woman inside the trunk.

FECTAB Fires At FCCA’s Platinum Club
The Florida Caribbean Cruise Association – it represents 15 cruise lines operating 100 vessels in this hemisphere and, for those reasons, is considered to be tremendously influential in the cruise tourism business – a business which brings in more than half a million visitors to Belize every year. And that’s why it is news that an FCCA subsidiary called PAMAC, the Platinum Associate Membership Advisory Council is having a cruise conference in Belize for the next few days. As the word Platinum implies, this is the super elite club of cruise executives and, in tourism circles, it’s considered a huge deal that they are in Belize. We’ll have more on the significance of the meeting shortly, but for FECTAB their presence here is a huge problem – and that’s because they say once again, Chukka Tours, the Jamaican Outfit that’s set up a tour operation in Belize is taking a place at head table – while FECTAB’s members can’t even get a foot in the door. There’s a simple reason for that: Chukka is a platinum member and FECTAB’s members aren’t – but still, FECTAB says BTB should have done something to protect local interests. That was the subject of a press conference held early this morning – where the famous FECTAB fire was on full blast:…

BTB Responds to FECTAB; Says They Should Look To The Industry’s Wellbeing
This morning after the press conference Director of Tourism Laura Esquivel Frampton responded to those bitter complaints hurled at the Tourism Board. She said there was no intentional exclusion, but the decision was made by a committee – on which BTB was only a member, as was Chukka Tours and Cruise Solutions both members of the FCCA. She said Chukka made the offer up front: Laura Esquivel Frampton - Director of Tourism "The fact is Chukka came to the table with 'this is what we want to do complimentary', this was open knowledge to everyone who sat on the committee that they were able to put int there two cents of what they were going to do. Let's also remember that the FCCA is an association, a membership based organization and so obviously the preference goes to members of the FCCA but there are other tour operators who are providing tours, there's even a submarine tour that is on the schedule for the Belize City tour." Jules Vasquez "So who had membership on that committee and why were FECTAB members not included?"

Waters In Western And Central Belize Rising
On Monday evening, Tropical Depression 2 made landfall in Southern Belize and dropped 10 inches of rain in 24 hours. We showed you the flooding it caused in the Stann Creek District. But the news tonight is that after TD 2 travelled over Guatemala and Mexico, with winds of about 30 miles per hour, it strengthened into a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The storm is now named Barry and it is off the coast of Mexico. The projected path is for the storm to head to Veracruz, Mexico, making landfall near that port city Thursday morning. But while that is the situation to the north, in Belize the after effects of TD2 are still being felt. This afternoon NEMO reported rising water levels in Central and Western Belize. NEMO reports that in the west, the Macal River is 24 inches above normal and rising while the Mopan is 12 inches above and rising. In the Belize district, The Belize River is 6ft above normal and rising throughout the District. In Lemonal by the Governor Creek culvert there is 6 inches of water across the road.

The Stann Creek River Valley Is Like A Basin
But, while that is that situation right now, the reality is that the Stann Creek River Valley is flood prone. We didn’t get to explore that story fully yesterday, so tonight, Daniel Ortiz revisits the floods from TD 2 in the context of what these low-lying communities face every year during the hurricane season. Here’s his report: Daniel Ortiz reporting Communities in the Stann Creek River Valley experience flooding every year, and so, they’ve learned to live with the lingering threat. Sarawee Village is only a few miles away from Hope Creek, and as a result, it is susceptible to the negative effects of the North Stann Creek River. Yesterday, we found sections of the village under water; one on side, the flooding was minimal, just below knee height. Some of the young men of the village used their yards like swimming pools, where they simply enjoyed themselves as if it was just another rainy day. The other sections were completely cut off, passable only if the person waded through waist deep water, with a very strong current resembling that of a river. Keep in mind, though, that what you’re looking at are actual streets these people travel on normally, not some obscure river hidden away in the far corner of the village.

Murder Down 15% Through End Of May 2013
April and May 2013 had 16 fewer murders than the same period in 2012 – and now latest police crime statistics through to the end of May show that the number of murders is down compared to last year’s record pace. How much down. Well up to the end of May, there were 60 murders in 2012; while at the end of May 2013, there have been 51 murders – a decrease of 15%. Reports of major crimes such as burglary, robbery and rape are also down – while theft is about the same as last year. Carnal knowledge – on the other hand - is up more than 100% over last year’s figures. Today Police Minister John Saldivar held his monthly review with the Department’s Senior commanders where for the second consecutive month, the Northern Zone and the Orange Formation of the Police Department registered the greatest reduction in major crimes. Today the press was invited to the session at the Police Training academy in Belmopan. Police commissioner Allen Whylie discussed the crime trends:… Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "Our statistics are out, it is showing that at the end of May we had 51 recorded cases of murders compared to 60 at the same time in 2012. In terms of rape we had 12 reported up to the end of May compared to 14 in 2012. In terms of robberies we had 117 cases reported compared to 216 for the same period in 2012. In terms of burglaries we recorded 403 cases compared to 470 cases in 2012. In terms of theft we have record 394 cases compared to 393 cases in 2012.

Police Senior Command Will Investigate Cop Who Could Not Identify Hon. King
Last night, 7News told you how Minister of State, Mark King, was acquitted of all charges in relation to his outburst at the Princess Casino in February. Viewers may remember that he threw an ugly tantrum resulting in him being ejected from the Casino – and then later having a confrontation with police. Due to the lack of cooperation from the officers who made complaints against him, Magistrate Clive Lino was forced to acquit him of all charges. Well, that’s not sitting well with Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie, and he told the media that members of the Professional Standards Branch have been dispatched to investigate the officer who refused to cooperate with the prosecutor. He explained why: Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "My understanding, having heard the news last night and speaking to the officer commanding is that the police officer PC Ramos went to court and withdrew the charges so he did not wish to proceed. Immediately last night I called the assistant commissioner, Mr. Leal, who is the commander of the professional standards branch and he directed that he and a team proceeded to Corozal this morning and to do an internal investigation then he'll be making recommendations to me. It is my view that that officer was a police officer when this incident occurred, he was not an ordinary citizen and he had no authority to withdraw that case or to refuse to testify. It's a matter I view very seriously and as soon as the investigation is concluded we'll be taking the appropriate action against him."

COMPOL Explains Delay In Noh Mul Investigation
Commissioner Whylie also discussed the investigation into the wrongdoing at Noh Mul. As has been very extensively reported, the main temple at the northern site was bulldozed – and the company that did it – publicly owned up to the error. So why no charges? Whylie explained that for the police it is an unusual investigation. Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police "I have directed the regional commander to ensure the investigator move vigorously to complete the directives that the DPP had passed to him and he should be proceeding by Friday at the latest in that case to formally hand over to the DPP. Once she approves it and she feels satisfied that the investigation has been thorough or have the necessary grievance to lay a charge then she will direct our officers and we will comply promptly." Reporter "What has been the difference in this case because I know there have been cases where the evidence was there that it was destroyed, Mr. Grijalva took responsibility but there was no arrest - all this going to the DPP before charges are laid. Have there been consideration made on the fact that Mr. Grijalva is a political aspirant and very well connected in Orange Walk?"

Nike Sponsors Belize’s Football Uniforms
We’ve been reporting regularly on the Belize National Football Team’s performances in the friendly matches while preparing for the Gold Cup. The glimpses we’ve provided are of the only of the players in action, and from a far distance away. So today, the Football Federation of Belize decided that it was time for the Nation to meet the selection which will represent Belize in the US three weeks from now. They also unveiled the uniforms which have been provided by NIKE. Here’s how that unveiling went: Marlon Kuylen - Executive Member, FFB "We have the official Belize Jaguar's logo and as you look behind us it's on this banner here so that will be on all of our promotional items. Genesis Arts had come up with this design and they will be selling promotional items which we have in the back here, which we have, and each item that they sell - 15% of the proceeds will come to the National Team. Now we're proud to come to one of the items that we've been patiently waiting for and patiently introduced to the Belizean public. We have been in talks with Nike about sponsoring our National Team's - their headquarters is in Portland, Oregon where we will be playing USA in our first match. So when we go up there we have a meeting set with them to come fully on board to sponsor all our National Teams.

Belize Obesity Rate At 60%, Health Ministry Educates Food Providers On Nutrition
The Ministry of Health held a nutrition seminar today for popular food providers around the city. It is in conjunction with the celebration of the annual Caribbean Nutrition Day. With an obesity rate of 60 percent countrywide, the Ministry’s objective today was to educate these vendors about the basic nutrition principles of preparing a healthy meal. Robyn Daly - Nutritionist Ministry of Health "We're doing a nutrition seminar for food service providers. It is in recognition of Caribbean Nutrition day, which is celebrated June 1st. The overall objective for this training is to show and to educate the people that are preparing food for us, our food service providers. We have about 35 of them all over Belize City and we made sure we reached the very popular ones. So we have representation from Chon Saan, Li Chee, Kick Down Fence - some of our vendors that are on Coney Drive, Farmers Markey - where people access more or less everyday for lunch. We want to bring them out together and teach them about nutrition and what they need to know about our nutrition situation in Belize. They need to know how bad the situation is - looking at over 60% obesity rate in the country and looking at about 14% prominence of Diabetes, 28% of Hypertension - we need to reach out to the people that are preparing our food. We use these people every day to eat and they need to be trained in nutrition to prepare healthy meals for us."

Garifuna Collective Heads Out On Tour In support Of New Album
Andy Palacio’s backing band was known as the Garifuna Collective – and now they’re preparing to embark on their first major world tour without him. The Collective left for Minnesota today where they lead off a 25 stop, 19-city North American tour – to be followed later in the summer by a European Tour. It is in support of their first album – which will be released in Belize a month from now. Produced by Stonetree Records, the album, called “Ayo” picks up where Palacio’s “Watina” left off. But the tour is different that just a straight Garifuna affair. For a few dates, they will be teaming up on stage with Canadian folk singer Danny Michel – for a compelling musical fusion. It should make for an interesting journey and we spoke to them today at the PGIA, just before liftoff:…. Lloyd Augustine - Singer, Garifuna Collective "Everything is feeling great because we have prepared ourselves in terms of rehearsing the songs and also we are launching a new album."

Channel 5

ComPol disappointed by cops in Mark King trial
Minister of State with responsibility for gangs Mark King may be a free man since the charges of aggravated assault, threatening words and disorderly conduct were dropped after the police [...]

Still no charges for Noh Mul
Whylie also commented on the Noh Mul charges…or rather lack of charges, since nobody has been held criminally liable for the destruction of the Mayan mound in northern Belize. Our [...]

Puerto Azul: Environmentalists against another hundred million U.S. dollar development
Recently, the environmental community as well as the Belize Tourism Industry Association and the Association of Protected Areas Management Organization have been united in their objection to a proposed cruise [...]

Florida Caribbean Cruise Association meets, but FECTAB not invited to party
The Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize (FECTAB) is once again up in arms over what it claims is unremitting preferential treatment being afforded to Chukka Tours.  The Florida [...]

B.T.B. Director explains why FCCA’s visit in Belize did not include FECTAB
According to Director of Tourism Laura Esquivel-Frampton, the tours being offered by Chukka are all free of charge since a select committee, which includes B.T.B., requested assistance from local members [...]

Crime Stats: murders down for 1st half of year
The top brass of the Belize Police Department converged at the Police Training Academy as ComPol Allen Whylie presented the latest crime statistics for 2013 up to the end of [...]

Man who killed mother-in-law sentenced for manslaughter
A man who killed his mother-in-law was today sentenced to eighteen years by Justice Adolph Lucas. Peter King Contreras was not charged for murder after he strangled Argentina Garcia in [...]

Kids build virtual cities
It’s no secret that our country began as an settlement for buccaneers. There was little planning but eventually the colony of British Honduras rose to become Belize. And if you [...]

Caribbean nutrition day also looks at the health killers
No city, virtual or otherwise would be incomplete without a proper diet for its inhabitants. Caribbean Nutrition Day is recognized every year on June first. And today, at the Biltmore [...]

F.F.B. shows off new jerseys and jaguar teammates
‘On the Road to the Gold Cup’…is Channel Five’s focus on the national ‘A’ selection football team’s journey to the July 2013 Gold Cup to be held in the United [...]

Meet Ian Andrew Mork, Belize Jaguars new head coach
Since previous head coach Leroy Sherrier returned to his home in Costa Rica, the Football Federation had found a suitable replacement. Ian Andrew Mork was formally introduced as the head [...]

LOVE FM

Tourism Director Speaks on Berthing Facility for Belize
Back in March of this year the multimillion dollar proposed cruise port venture by Stake Bank Enterprises limited was back on the table. Originally the project proposed to build a cause way to nearby islands from Belize City but the project had to be downsized. A Stake Bank consultation is being ...

Food Service Providers Take Part In Nutrition Seminar
Today the Ministry of Health hosted a Nutrition Seminar for Food Service Providers. It’s in conjunction with the Caribbean Nutrition Day which is celebrated annually on June 1st According to Nutritionist in the Ministry of Health, Robyn Daly, the topics discussed included non-com...

Belize District Has Highest Reported HIV Cases
The Ministry of Health is getting ready to launch their HIV annual report next week. The report looks at data collected showing statistics of the disease for the year of 2012. The person in charge of the HIV program for the Ministry of Health, Marvin Manzanero says that collecting the...

Businessman Gets 18 Years For Manslaughter
On June 11, forty-four year old Peter Contreras, the owner of King’s Cuisine Restaurant who was charged with the murder of his mother-in-law, 50 year old Argentina Aravello, pled guilty to manslaughter. Today Justice Adolph Lucas sentenced Contreras to eighteen years in prison. Since ...

Village Resident Left Critical In Hospital Following a Road Incident
A traffic accident occurred on the Gorge Price Highway this afternoon. Correspondent Fem Cruz has the details. FEM CRUZ “A road traffic accident on the George Price Highway in the village of Camalote has left a man in a critical condition. Love News spoke to 33-year...

FECTAB Says Something Has Gone Horribly Wrong In The Cruise Industry In Belize
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture in conjunction with FECTAB is welcoming 80 delegates for the Platinum Associates Membership Advisory Council, PAMAC, hosted by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association FCCA from June 19 to the 23rd. As part of the visit complimentary land tours will be provided...

Armed Robberies On The Rise In Northern Belize
Orange Walk Police are investigating a robbery in that municipality. Reporter Dalila Ical has the story. DALILA ICAL “Orange Walk Police are investigating another armed robbery in Orange Walk Town, the fourth in less than 5 days. According to reports, on Monday at around...

Rivers On The Rise In Belize
The National Emergency Management Organization advises the public that the Macal River in the Cayo District is 24 inches above normal and riding while the Mopan River is 12 inches and rising. The Belize River is six feet above normal and rising throughout the Belize District. In Lemonal nea...

Two Belizeans Destined For Europe Via Scholarship
Two Belizeans have received top European Union Scholarship Awards under the EU’s Erasmus Mundus Program. The awardees are Leo Koop and German Lopez, both graduates of the University of Belize who will pursue Masters Degrees in Europe in September. Koop was awarded a two year stu...

LOVE TV

Tourism Sector Looks At Possibility of Berthing Facility In Belize
Back in March of this year the multimillion dollar proposed cruise port venture by Stake Bank Enterprises limited was back on the table. Originally the project proposed to build a cause way to nearby islands from Belize City but the project had to be downsized. A Stake Bank consultation is being held this evening but whatever the case may be, the Belize Tourism Board is forecasting an increase of cruise visitors for next year. And as the Platinum Associates Membership Advisory Council conference gets under way tonight in San Pedro, there is no doubt that tourism delegates will questions as to why Belize does not have a berthing facility as yet. Here is what Director of the Belize Tourism Board, Laura Esquivel-Frampton had to say about it. LAURA ESQUIVEL FRAMPTON “We are actually working right now to come up with a policy to provide the government in terms of how we move forward in looking for those kinds of investments for a berthing facility. We recognize that the Government of Belize certainly recognizes that we need a berthing facility and as you know there are many legal issues that are taking place right now having to do with contracts that were signed and projects that never happened and what not which the government on a whole is trying to deal with those things but both the BTB and the Ministry and by wider extension, the Government of Belize does recognize the importance of getting that together and ensuring that we can have a tendering port.” LOCAL REPORTER “Where will this port be because so much depend on it; will it be in Belize or will it be at Stake Bank?” LAURA ESQUIVEL FRAMPTON “Well I don’t think it is as simple as that; I think you’re bringing these up because these are proposals that have come to the government in terms of where these docking facilities will be and that is why I said that we are working very diligently to really best advise the government, if a docking facility should come in where that should be. The information that you have right now is based on where it has been proposed to us. We feel and I think the government agrees very strongly that at some point it should be the government who should be saying, ‘this is where we want it’.”

Health Ministry Gives Training To Food Providers
Today the Ministry of Health hosted a Nutrition Seminar for Food Service Providers. It’s in conjunction with the Caribbean Nutrition Day which is celebrated annually on June 1st According to Nutritionist in the Ministry of Health, Robyn Daly, the topics discussed included non-communicable disease, basic nutrition principles, food safety and food guidelines. ROBYN DALY ““We have invited people who most of the Belize population would get food from at lunch time. We have representation from most of the food vendors among popular locations in the City and we have brought all of them here today to educate them on different nutrition practices to improve healthy eating. We are looking at over 60% of the population obese, 27% having high blood pressure; 13% having diabetes, we are seeing diabetes as the leading cause of death. So, people need food, food is very important so we decided to bring them together to this location do a short training for three and a half hours, more or less, and share our information with them as a means of impacting the way that they provide food to businesses or Belizean people. Our monitoring is the Public Health Unit of the Ministry of Health; we have them here today with us and also they will be doing a presentation on food safety. They do get this training in order to get their food handlers permit but they also serve as our monitoring as well for the ministry because when we look at expiration goods on shelves, they actually go out and do that as well. They are responsible for that from the Ministry of Health and the information that they provide the general public is very informative and very helpful for us in looking at the health of our population, so they are here with us providing that. We have here with us the northern region of the Ministry of Health and there is an important reason for that; we recently hired a nutritionist that is stationed in the Orange Walk District, so we have invited that entire team to come here and observe and join us in this initiative so they can go and reproduce this exact training in Orange Walk and Corozal.

HIV/AIDS Data For Belize Shows Shift In Numbers
The Ministry of Health is getting ready to launch their HIV annual report next week. The report looks at data collected showing statistics of the disease for the year of 2012. The person in charge of the HIV program for the Ministry of Health, Marvin Manzanero says that collecting the data has taken some time since they are trying to report on more variables than what they’ve done in the previous years. He gave us a sneak peek into what the 2012 statistics look like. MARVIN MANZANERO “We have a slight increase in the total number of new infections as compared to 2011. The increase is a little bit under 10% but primarily the trend that we are noticing, particular in the last 3 years is that we are having more males being positive than females. So, the terminology that was used in the latter part of the last decade which talks about feminization of the disease can no longer be said because we are talking about more males turning out positive than females. We are obviously having less males being tested than females; so the positivity rate when you do that is significantly higher for males that is a particular trend we are noticing. When you look a total number of people dying as a result of HIV, the numbers really have not changed that much. We had about 81 deaths associated to that; we have a 1,000 plus people currently receiving treatment and we are working also to completing the data because towards 2010 we had been talking about 6,000 people living with HIV in Belize but after that data cleansing process and data quality measures that are being placed, I think our figures are closer to being anything between 3 – 4 thousand people living with HIV in the country of Belize.”

Murder Victim’s Son-In-Law Pleads Guilty For Manslaughter; Sentenced to 18 Years
On June 11, forty-four year old Peter Contreras, the owner of King’s Cuisine Restaurant who was charged with the murder of his mother-in-law, 50 year old Argentina Aravello, pled guilty to manslaughter. Today Justice Adolph Lucas sentenced Contreras to eighteen years in prison. Since Contreras has spent the last two and a half years behind bars, he will serve the next fifteen and a half years to complete his sentence. The incident occurred on December 13, 2010, in Ladyville. Contreras was represented by Attorney, Ernest L. Staine and the prosecutor was Kaysha Grant from the DPP’s office

Motorbike Rider Remains Critical Following Road Incident
A traffic accident occurred on the Gorge Price Highway this afternoon. Correspondent Fem Cruz has the details. FEM CRUZ “A road traffic accident on the George Price Highway in the village of Camalote has left a man in a critical condition. Love News spoke to 33-year-old truck driver, Aldo Carrillo from San Ignacio Town who says that around 3pm he was in front of the Community Centre checking a tractor on his truck.” ALDO CARRILLO “Well the guy was coming fairly slowly and at the same tome a dog just came out of the road and he hit the dog; the driver couldn’t control the motor cycle and just slid like 15 yards and he burst his head and it left him unconscious and he was taken to the hospital by a citizen who was willing to render aid.” FEM CRUZ “The person was transported to the Western Regional Hospital in an unconscious state suffering from serious head injuries; he is in a critical condition. His name was later learned to be Victor Castro of Teakettle Village in the Cayo District. “

FECTAB Executive Says The Cruise Pie Is Not Being Shared
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture in conjunction with FECTAB is welcoming 80 delegates for the Platinum Associates Membership Advisory Council, PAMAC, hosted by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association FCCA from June 19 to the 23rd. As part of the visit complimentary land tours will be provided by CHUKKA Belize and the Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize, FECTAB is not happy about it. FECTAB called a press conference this morning where the executive members expressed their concerns. It’s all about exposure and according to the President of FECTAB, Tom Greenwood, says that the small local tour operators were left out over preference for CHUKKA. FECTAB EXECUTIVE MEMBERS “Today we have asked for this press conference to be held because something utterly horrible has taken place in our cruise world. Only early this week, I was made aware of the fact that the Platinum Conference of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association schedule of events included something that put the local tour operators at risk completely. In fact, completely out of the picture as far as land based tours are concerned. We found out that all tours taking place on land here in Belize will be provided by Chukka Belize. Twelve tours established for land based activity have been handed to Chukka; they offered complementary tours, we offered complimentary tours; in any scenario, anywhere, it would be shared, it has always been shared; this is a first, this opens the door for God knows what. This is a simple thing, as far as I can remember in my 27 years as a tour guide, the BTB has always come to us, has always shared out things; we have been quite happy about that, sometimes upset because somebody gets a bigger part of the pie but it had been shared. This is a precedent, this is the first time by the BTB oblique stroke Ministry of Tourism granting all land based tours and remember, they talked about others having been invited and are doing something, Cruise Solutions in San Pedro, end of story; one sea cruise, done, end of story; all the land based tours have been approved to Chukka.”

Orange Walk Police Investigate Several Armed Robberies
Orange Walk Police are investigating a robbery in that municipality. Reporter Dalila Ical has the story. DALILA ICAL “Orange Walk Police are investigating another armed robbery in Orange Walk Town, the fourth in less than 5 days. According to reports, on Monday at around 8:40, four male persons exited a cream in color car in front of Chavelo’s Vegetables Place on Bakery St. in Orange Walk Town. The men described as tall and slim were all armed; three with sawed-off shot guns and one with a short arm shot gun. They entered the vegetable shop which we understand was about to close and proceeded to rob the proprietor, Isabel Paz of an undisclosed amount of cash. The men got back in their vehicle and drove off, no one was hurt. However authorities in Orange Walk are stepping up patrols in the area and town since this latest incident is the fourth in less than 5 days in Orange Walk Town. On the 14th of June, Yummy’s Restaurant was hit; on the 15th Police had a run-in and a full-fledged chase of a robber who entered and tied the female employee of ICB Insurance on Belize Corozal Road, while the would-be robber was arrested in this case, officers are investigating yet another robbery, this time at Lucille’s Guest House on San Antonio Road in Orange Walk Town that occurred over the weekend. What seems to be a hike in armed robberies in Orange Walk Town has triggered the Police Department to increase mobile patrols in town and they are asking the public to assist with any information that can lead to an arrest. In addition, if anyone notices any suspicious individual in their neighborhood, to contact the police station at 322 -2022.”

National Emergency Organisation Issues Report of State of Rivers Following TD2
The National Emergency Management Organization advises the public that the Macal River in the Cayo District is 24 inches above normal and rising while the Mopan River is 12 inches and rising. The Belize River is six feet above normal and rising throughout the Belize District. In Lemonal near the Governor Creek culverts there is six inches of water across the road. In Crooked Tree Village the lagoon is rising and is running off into Black Creek, Spanish Creek, Black Burn, Mexico Creek and Muscle Creek into the Belize River causing it to rise. In the Stann Creek District, assessment and health teams are presently in the affected communities of Sarawee, Mullins River, Gales Point and Dangriga. All shelters are closed. The coastal Road remains closed and the temporary crossing at Mullins River is closed to vehicular traffic and is currently being repaired by the Ministry of Works. In the Toledo District there is no report of flooding. The water on the Boom Creek Road has receded and the toad is now open to vehicular traffic.

EU Awards Scholarships to Two Belizeans Under The Erasmus Mundus Program
Two Belizeans have received top European Union Scholarship Awards under the EU’s Erasmus Mundus Program. The awardees are Leo Koop and German Lopez, both graduates of the University of Belize who will pursue Masters Degrees in Europe in September. Koop was awarded a two year study at the Technische Universitat Berlin in Germany and will major in Computer Simulation for Science and Engineering while Lopez will attend Bangor University in the United Kingdom for a similar period of study in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management. The scholarships cover monthly allowances, tuition, registration costs and insurance costs. Erasmus Mundus is the EU’s only scholarship program open to graduate students and institutions around the world with three main components, all with the objective of helping individual students, tertiary institutions and organizations active in the field of higher education. For the students the main objective is to promote accessibility to Europe’s top universities, help improve their career prospects, and promote intercultural understanding. The second component looks at assisting universities implement joint programs at postgraduate level or set up inter institutional partnerships between themselves and universities in Europe and targeted third countries. In the third component, organizations active in the field of higher education who wish to develop projects aimed at enhancing the attractiveness, profile, visibility and image of European higher education institutions also qualify for funding. Koop and Lopez join several Belizeans who have benefitted from the program since 2004. Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Jamaica and Belize, Paola Amadei extended her congratulations to both students and urges students and institutions in Belize to seize opportunities offered by the program.

PlusTV

Police report current crime statistics
It’s been a little over five months since Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie has taken over command of the Belize Police Department. Since then, Whylie along with his management team and policy group has tried to chart the way forward for the Police Department by shuffling things up and...

Noh Mul investigation should be complete by Friday
Will anyone be charged for Noh Mul and if so when? Those are the questions that were posed to Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie by the media. It’s destruction plastered Belize on international headlines and caused quite the local upset but eight weeks after it’s desecration, charges have not...

Tropical Depression 2 leaves flooding in parts of the country
Tropical Depression #2 has come and gone, though the effects of the storm are still prevalent in some areas of the country. NEMO today issued its 5th advisory detailing the intensity of flooding caused by the storm. Up until this morning, the Macal River was measured at 24 inches...

Northern Formation saw greatest crime reduction last month
At this afternoons’ press briefing, the Regional Command which saw the greatest reduction in crime for last month was awarded for their efforts. This was done along with Awards to the specific sub formation within that particular region. Minister of Police and Belmopan Area Representative, the Hon. John Saldivar...

Sex offenders to serve prison terms for incest and rape
In separate cases in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, two alleged sex offenders were adjudged guilty of the offenses of incest and rape. The first case comes from Orange Walk Town, where Isabel Mendez was convicted on Tuesday by a nine-member jury for ten counts of incest,...

Police say elderly man in critical condition following attack
Police have released an official report regarding an elderly man who was attacked and left for dead last week in Armenia Village. As we previously reported, the 63 year old was socializing at a bar in the village and while returning home, he was jumped by someone, beaten up...

Belize is the best place to retire
What’s the best place in the world to retire? Well Belize of course! Live and Invest Overseas, which is considered the world’s foremost authority on overseas retirement, has compiled its first Annual Retire Overseas Index titled: Best Places to Retire 2013, which features Belize, twice! Ambergris Caye snatched the...

Two Belizean students awarded Masters Degree scholarships
Two Belizean students will be travelling to Europe to pursue a Masters Degree of their choice. The awardees, Leo Koop and German Lopez, both graduates of the University of Belize are the recipients of the scholarships offered under the European Union’s Erasmus Mundus program. Leo Koop will be pursuing...

Blogs

What to do with rain in Belize
Sometimes you just cannot help bad weather when traveling. I have seen a few weather posts on forums recently about people wanting to know what to do with themselves when it rains. Unless you are the type that melts when wet like the wicked witch of the west, going out in the rain can be lots of fun. Just make sure you are well water proofed if you do. This morning Dick and I had a few errands to run so we checked out the back roads to see just how bad they were getting from all the rain. We saw lots of big puddles and a few peoples yards were under water. I took lots of video and will start editing it tomorrow and see what I got. After coming home I was planning to finish a #TravelTuesday post but I got sidetracked with a great rainy day project instead. AVG scanning, organizing and backing up all my pictures. With 36,716 thousand of them, it has taken me a good 9 h to load them between two 16 GB flash drives and my 300 GB Samsung external hard drive. When was the last time you backed up all your important files? This was a perfect excuse to watch TV in bed while I worked

There can be no greater need or deed than saving the earth as an Eco-Kid
Eco- kids, the same in name, different in ways, but all with the same important mission, trying to help make our world a better, cleaner and healthier place for us all. We Eco-kid work together for what we want to accomplish .Ecosystems types are not only determined by their abiotic factors. Of these soil is the most important. Along the entire cost and bordering many cays lie extensive mangrove forests. We also cannot forget the submerged habitat within the Barrier Reef, lagoon includes sea grass beds. Extinction is the complete loss of one or more species from the face of the earth. Today the principal causes of species extinction are the increase of human population grows. It invades and destroys ecosystems. Life is so intricately. Interdependent that in many cases the extinction of many more species that were dependent on them, for food, pollination or shelter.

Belize’s Rise as a Cultural Mecca
Belize just keeps developing as an artistic kind of place… Across the world from Australia to Trinidad and Tobago, word is out that the Belize International Film Festival is a prestigious event, and having your film accepted to be shown at it is a big deal. According to the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday of June 17, Trinidadian filmmaker Andre Johnson had his short film, “Sweet TnT” selected for this year’s film festival in Belize City, which runs from July 11 to 15. Here’s what Newsday had to say; “Local short film Sweet TnT written and directed by Trinidadian Andre Johnson, has been selected for the 2013 Belize International Film Festival (BIFF), a major accolade for this filmmaker and Trinidad and Tobago, since the mission of this prestigious Film Festival is to ‘highlight culturally stimulating films to the Belizean audience’.” To hail a country’s film being selected for the 2013 BIFF as “a major accolade” speaks volumes for not just the artist, but for BIFF itself, and for the high regard the film festival is held in by Belize’s neighbours and the international community. And with entries from 13 nations including the United States of America, Cuba, Ukraine, Poland, France, Australia, and Spain. The BIFF has grown into a truly international event.

Anita Mesh Re-Elected As Chair Lady In San Jose, Orange Walk - Belize
San Jose Village is a large community on the Phillip Goldson Highway in the Orange Walk district adjacent to San Pablo Village. The two villages are only separated from each other by a sleeping policeman (speed bump) and are generally considered one community. Nevertheless, the villages have different village councils. While San Pablo villagers simply endorsed the uncontested participants, the people of San Jose voted for their leaders on Sunday June 9, 2013. San Jose village has a population of nearly 4,000 and about 2,000 electors. Those numbers make San Jose an important area for the politicians of Orange Walk North. That’s why on June 9, the area representative and standard bearers for Orange Walk North were present at the village council elections taking place at the San Jose Government School. Although a significant amount of electors did not vote, 1,066 votes were polled.

5 STEPS TO SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS!!
Many business people achieve their greatest successes in unexpected areas. They begin a business and then they find that it isn’t as profitable as they had anticipated, so they change direction, using their experience and their momentum, and strike pay dirt in something else. The most important thing is to begin. To take action. To move forward one step at a time, learning and growing as you go. There is enough information available in virtually every field for you to become knowledgeable enough to achieve success, but action is necessary.

“Together Again” in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
When I got up yesterday morning it was still raining. And raining quite hard. Managed to sit on the veranda with my ‘wake-up’ mug of coffee and The Times on-line for a while but then the rain started to drift in and hit me and, more importantly, my iPad so the only sensible (and,contrary to what many people might think, I am sensible) thing to do was to move inside. So I did. Once I had showered, shaved, dressed and had breakfast I set about trying to organise a replacement windscreen (windshield for non UK readers) for the one that had been stolen from our golf cart. First of I sent an email to Captain Sharks to ask how much they would charge to provide and fit a replacement. I then drove to FC Aluminium to find out what they would charge. I then went back home. When I got the response from Captain Sharks it was a close run thing but I opted for FC Aluminium so we took the ‘cart there before going to visit our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize. They were very efficient, taking slightly longer to get the replacement windscreen(windshield) from the stockroom than they did to fit once they had found it. Hopefully this one – with rivets to secure it to the ‘cart’- will remain in place!

International Sources

John McAfee’s endgame: ‘To stay alive as long as possible’
He fled the Central American country of Belize to Portland, Ore., by way of Guatemala and Miami in the wake of his neighbour’s murder, with his 20-year-old girlfriend and a film crew in tow. Yet little is what it seems with John McAfee, 67, the Virginia-raised software developer, who sold his eponymous anti-virus company in the mid-’90s to pursue a life of sun, sex and adrenalin. His life changed—though not necessarily for the worse—when he became a person of interest following the November 2012 killing of American Gregory Faull in Belize. McAfee claims the government wanted to frame him for the murder, and that he orchestrated his own media feeding frenzy to prevent his detainment. His escape from the country was certainly cable news fodder, and will be part of a series of movie and book-related projects by Montreal-based Impact Future Media.

Government approves draft agreement with Belize on exchange of tax information
A draft agreement between the Ukrainian and Belizean governments on the exchange of information on tax issues was approved at a cabinet meeting on June 19, 2013. According to a report of the press service of the Income and Tax Ministry of Ukraine, referring to Minister Oleksandr Klymenko, the provisions of the agreement will allow the exchange of information at the request of authorities of the two countries, in particular, on banking information and information on the owners of companies, agents, nominal owners and authorized delegates.

John McAfee resurfaces as ranting video star, mocks McAfee software
Eccentric former software pioneer John McAfee is back in the spotlight - lashing out at the anti-virus software that bears his name in a profanity-laced video. McAfee, an American who helped create the anti-virus software industry, generated a media frenzy at the end of last year when he fled his home on a tropical island in Belize, claiming that police in the Central American nation wanted to frame him for murder. He has begun producing a series of YouTube videos, the first of which lampoons the McAfee anti-virus software company that he founded in the late 1980s and that is now owned by Intel Corp. He has not worked for the business in more than 15 years.

BAGMO Calls On Belize Govt: GMO Soy Is Biopiracy
BAGMO Calls On the Government of Belize to Recognize Illegal Smuggling and Planting of GMO Soy to Be an Act of Biopiracy Belizeans Against GMOs are responding to the disclosure that GMO soybeans are illegally growing in Belize. BAGMO views the planting of illegal, smuggled soy seed to be an act of BIOPIRACY. Belize has banned trawling in Belizean waters, burned illegally cut rosewood, and burned rejected GMO corn in 2011, efforts at regulation and protection that were applauded across the globe. It is with this same sense of urgency that we implore that a strong and swift message be sent to all those farmers who undermine the regulation of food safety and protection by smuggling contraband genetically modified seed, which has never undergone a thorough and scientifically rigorous risk assessment, the established policy of the Belize Government. BAGMO calls on the Government of Belize to provide BAHA with the authority and necessary materials to conduct random and thorough testing throughout Belize for the presence of GMO crops and to immediately eradicate all GMO plant material that is found. BAHA must be allowed to create a precedent of zero tolerance for any illegal agricultural practices that would undermine the safety of Belizean food and the environment.

Another Look At The Science Museum’s Up-Coming Maya Exhibit
We are just a couple of days away from the opening of a huge new exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota. It’s all about the ancient Maya, people who lived in places like southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador centuries ago. Some 300 objects are in this exhibit. It’s the largest traveling exhibit the museum has ever built, and it’s also the most complex collection of artifacts of the Maya ever put together. The ancient items include artwork and tools, and they demonstrate the amazing skills the Maya people had long before anyone else in the world. “They are fairly well-renowned, I think, to some people for their pyramids and the cities that have been abandoned and disappeared into the jungle, so there is a certain mystique that goes along with the Maya,” said Dr. Ed Fleming, an archaeologist with the University of Minnesota.

Hendrix students study marine life in Belize
Eighteen students at Hendrix recently explored marine environment in Belize as part of biology professor Dr. Jenn Dearolf’s marine biology course. “The only way to teach a marine biology class at Hendrix in Arkansas is to have a trip to the ocean linked to the class,” said Dearolf, adding that the trip was required field research for students in the spring semester class. Belize’s barrier reef is the second largest in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, offering ample hands-on research opportunities, she added. Prior to the trip, students learned about rocky intertidal zones, estuaries, the epipelagic, the deep ocean, coral reefs and mangroves. They also learned about some of the organisms that they would see on the coral reefs of Belize and studied to which taxonomic groups the different organisms belonged, their scientific names, and distinctive features of the taxonomic groups.

Live and Invest Overseas Names the World's Top 21 Retirement Havens
The first thing to notice about this list is that it is a list not of countries but of particular places. You aren't going to retire to Panama or to Belize, not to France or to Ireland... just as you aren't going to retire to the United States. Every country in the world (even little Belize, to take a good example from our list) offers a diversity of lifestyle options, of costs of living, of climates, etc. You won't get far if you try to plan for your retirement to Panama... or any other country. Approach this that way, and you're guaranteed to be confused, frustrated, and disappointed. The second thing to consider about this list is: Why these destinations, specifically? That is, of all the places in all the world, why have we chosen to focus your attention on these 21 in particular? First, collectively, these 21 spots represent the best our world has to offer -- city, beaches, mountains... Old World and New... East and West.

Fly-Fishing in Belize
A novice heads to Turneffe Flats for a six-day lesson in Central America’s fishing mecca. I am covered head to toe in a long-sleeved shirt and pants, wearing heavy lace-up wading boots. My safari hat is fastened firmly under my chin, and a tubular bandana is pulled up to my eyes, which are covered by Polaroid lenses. It’s only 8 A.M., but it feels like 110 degrees. I might as well be deployed to Afghanistan instead of standing on a 16-foot flatboard skiff floating atop a deep-blue Caribbean lagoon, trying my first cast of the day. Instead of a rifle, I’m packing a ten-weight fly rod. I’m 30 miles off the coast of Belize, at Turneffe Flats, a haute-rustic fishing lodge perched on a coral reef offering 250 miles of beautiful protected waters and some of the best saltwater fly-fishing in the world. I’ve come on a lark after having had just one experience fly-fishing off the western tip of Nantucket and a single lesson on my front lawn in Washington, D.C. When my Nantucket fly-fishing pals—Linda Vollkommer, a college fencing coach, and Phyllis Burchell, a 79-year-old Nantucketer who holds an International Game Fish Association world record for catching a 26-pound permit fish with a fly off the Florida Keys—invited me to fish with them in Belize, I had no idea these were sacred waters. “Coming here to fly-fish after one lesson,” Turneffe Flats co-owner Craig Hayes tells me, “is like taking one golf lesson and going straight to Pebble Beach to tee off.”

Family of Six in Belize
Native South Carolinians McKinley and Natalie have lived in their hometown of Columbia their whole lives. Married for several years now and the parents of four little children, they feel it is time to branch out and explore parts of the world outside of their southern comfort zone. After a vacation in Belize they realized it would be the perfect place to move their family. The children are still young and therefore very flexible and both parents want them to experience a different culture, a change in landscape and grow up in a place where outside activity supersedes sitting in front of a television or video game station. Mom and Dad are outdoor enthusiasts as well so they also look forward to the outdoor activities available in Belize year-round. In order to finance the move, builder McKinley recently sold his construction business and plans to get into real estate sales in Belize once relocated. Looking to start off renting as they investigate the housing market, the couple's budget cannot exceed 5500 dollars and McKinley is adamant about that. Seeing as they need a house big enough for a family of six and both want to be close to amenities such as the beach, pools and tennis this might be a challenge for real estate agent Macarena. But she knows her stuff and will try her best to get this active family settled into a home and location that works for everyone. Will she succeed? Will McKinley and Natalie regret the move or embrace the tropical adventure they are so ready for? Find out when House Hunters International takes a long hike to Belize.

June 19, 2013

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Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Helping hands- Restoring the beach
On Tuesday the Mayor of San Pedro Town and Vice Chairman of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) – San Pedro Operational Committee Daniel Guerrero was supervising beach restoration work. “We did an assessment of the island immediately after the passage of the storm and we are ready to work to restore the island and bring it back to normal. The storm brought mostly debris and brought land erosion in some areas. What happen is that the sand from the shoreline was brought more on shore. The only place underwater is San Mateo. A few of the private docks were damaged so it is not much. It will take us two to three days to clean up the beach from the debris and we should be up and running like normal,” said Guerrero who was accompanied on site by members of NEMO San Pedro Branch.

The first Lobster catch
Lobster season is finally open, and the fishermen are already flocking to the sea. The Lobster Season is a time when many fishermen in San Pedro wake up from as early as 5AM to go lobster hunting, dedicating most of their day to checking their traps for the anticipated Spiny Lobster. Since it is the opening of the season, the fishermen are catching as many lobsters as they can to provide for the Annual Lobster Festival. Throughout the rest of the season these fishermen will have to meet the high demand of lobster to sell to the various restaurants across town. Fishing for lobster is no easy task, these little critters are fast, but they are no match for the island divers who have been fishing all their lives. With in a few hours the boats are loaded with Spiny Lobsters. After the fishermen return home with their bountiful catch, it is time to clean it. After this has been done, the fishermen are off the sell their catch and collect their well deserved earnings.

Ambergris Today

New Division at San Pedro High School Has First Graduation Class
San Pedro Adult Continuing Education (SPACE ) is the new name given to what once used to be St. Peter’s College. After running into administration problems and closed down by the Ministry of Education, San Pedro Junior College was given the license to operate this adult education institution. Others refer to this new school as San Pedro High School Night Division because it is employing high school teachers and following a curriculum similar to San Pedro High. This past Sunday, June 16, 2013, SPACE held its historic first graduation ceremonies for nine seniors who proudly marched up the aisle at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium in their blue gowns. The emcee Alex Nuñez welcomed Salutatorian Sheila Olivarez to greet the many friends, relatives, spouses and boyfriends to the ceremony. The invited guest speaker, Mr. Clive Welch of Lighthouse Christian Radio, concentrated on impressing unto the graduates the many useful meanings of the word “continuing” and coaxed the graduates into setting high goals and pursuing their dreams.

91 March at San Pedro High Graduation
San Pedro High School which commenced with a twenty five student enrollment and graduated ten in its first class has passed with flying colors its mission statement - that of providing secondary education to a wider community. Founded in 1971 when there was a yearly average of two students going to high school in Belize City, this year SPHS marched 91 seniors up the aisle at the R. Angel Nuñez Auditorium. Graduation ceremonies and Commencement Exercises were held this Saturday, June 15, 2013, in a ceremony which has been described as historical with the largest graduation class ever.

NEMO Issues Advisory on Flooding and Evacuations in Belize
Tropical Depression Two slammed into Belize yesterday and surprised everybody with torrential rains, high wind gusts and rough seas that managed to cause heavy beach erosion in parts of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and damage some piers. The storm is moving towards the west-northwest away from the country but still posing a threat with more rain. It is still raining in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, but the San Pedro Town Board has already sent out crews all over the town to commence the cleanup process and get the island back to normal for when the sun comes back shining bright. A group of 50 students of the Church of Christ from North Carolina volunteered to clean up the beaches along with the San Pedro Town Council. The group was here to volunteer their services at Holy Cross Anglican School, but because classes were cancelled due to the bad weather they decided to help out the community by cleaning up!

Keeping One Step Ahead of the Storm
It is hard to believe what a mess we got from "just" a tropical depression! The storm that hit Belize on Monday, June 17, 2013, could not by any words be described as a little one. Just because the storm is not classified a hurricane it does not make it a small tropical squall. I do believe that we do take it for granted that these ‘no named’ storms will just pass us by with rain. There have been other tropical depressions and tropical storms that have caught us off guard in the past. Have we learned from them? Indeed we have. We’ve learned what to expect, how to prepare, where to take shelter, where to secure our boats and which homes will withstand stronger hurricanes. We have learned that we can batten down the hatches and fair through a big storm if, and only if, we are prepared and take the precautionary steps to stay safe.

25 Years Ago: Disciplining Children
We hear of a whole lot of misbehavior, mischief and even delinquent acts that go unpunished or even unnoticed today. Not so many years ago in San Pedro when there were a whole lot of people whose duty it was to discipline the children. Yes, I am talking about lashing, something that cannot be done today for fear of human rights violation. On another occasion I will talk about methods of punishment. Today I want to deal only with the various situations that did require a good lashing or beating or, as our elders would say, some disciplining. Admit it; our parents could not say “You will be locked in your room without coming out for an entire week, because we did not have our own private rooms. Or they could not tell us that we would not be able to see our favorite television program because there again we did not have television.

Misc Belizean Sources

Placencia BTIA Rejects Mass Cruise Tourism in South
The Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association condemns in the strongest terms Government’s willingness to accept mass cruise tourism in southern Belize. We find it inexplicable that Cabinet could reject Norwegian Cruise Line’s proposal for a cruise port at Crawl Caye yet simultaneously encourage the company to find an alternate site, in this case Harvest Caye. Although Harvest Caye does not lie within a marine protected area, the same negative environmental impacts resulting from excessive visitor pressure remain. Likewise, despite the Prime Minister’s statements that traffic at the Belize City cruise port would not be diminished, the inevitable result of a southern alternative would be the eventual migration of ships away from the old capital. Most importantly, however, the development of a large cruise port in the south inexorably commits the area to an economic future based on mass cruise tourism. This type of mass tourism is 180 degrees opposite from the path of low impact overnight tourism that has brought the Placencia Peninsula so much success and promises to provide even greater opportunities in the future.

Full Moon Concert Series
The Corozal House of Culture is pleased to be presenting another Full Moon Concert this Saturday, June 22 beginning at 7:30 pm in front of the House of Culture. Please join us for a night of Latin music featuring one of Corozal's finest in musical entertainment, CoroSalsa will surely delight the crowd with their vibrant performance.

The Passport Party Project
First things first: Judging the Passport to Belize contest was hard. The judges and I wanted everyone who entered to win. We're travelers, so we love the idea of giving the gift of travel to everyone. For us, it is like giving a part of ourselves. If we could put the world in a box and give it to all of the girls, we would. And yet, it wouldn't be a contest if there weren't people who won and people who lost, right? It's one of those disappointing life lessons, but definitely not the end of the world. So April, Shelley, Ana, Expedia and I would like to say a special Thank You to all of the girls that put their hearts into entering The Passport Party Project's Passport to Belize contest. We believe that your shiny new little blue travel booklet is merely the beginning of your journey to global citizenship.

Video: Diving Hol Chan Marine Reserve 2013 with Manatee
Marine life was extreme today with a family of manatee passing through the reserve as tropical depression enters the region.

Video: Corals Canyon, The Belize Barrier Reef 2013
Diving outside the reef as Tropical Depression enters. San Pedro Ambergris Caye Belize

Video: Eagle Ray Canyon, Hol Chan Marine Reserve
We pass through Hol Chan Channel to reach outside the reef as tropical depression enters our region, conditions starting to effect visibility dive 6 of 7,

Video: Scuba Diving Toffey Canyon, Ambergris Caye 2013
Lots of marine life, local diving, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye with guest divers Trip, Janine and Don from Colorado. Thanks for choosing Belize as you dive vacation destination,

Video: Diving Cypress Canyon, Ambergris Caye Belize
Swim through was awesome, the Hawksbill Turtle feeding...a great dive with Trip, Janine and Don from Colorado

Video: Diving Tackle Box Canyon, Ambergris Caye
Join Guest Divers; Trip, Janine and Don as we explore Tackle Box Canyon with Belize Pro Dive Center, San Pedro Ambergris Caye.

Xunantunich's New Facilities
Xunantunich has a new visitor's center along with some new bathrooms. They should be open for guests soon.

Stonetree Rehearsal at Soul Project
Stonetree Records, based in Benque, had a rehearsal and photoshoot at the Soul Project. Lots of talent there between the musicians and the photographers. Looks like they had a great time. "lotta Belizean and international artist at the soul project"

Video: Squid Family Caye Caulker Reef

Oooh, Caye Caulker
I've probably posted about Caye Caulker, like, 80 times already, so I won't bother repeating myself; instead, I'll just share some pictures I took while I was enjoying my day off there yesterday.

Channel 7

Hope Creek Gets Flooded Again, This Time Residents Ready
Tropical Depression two dropped about ten inches of rain in the south in 24 hours resulting in raised river levels, closed schools, people in shelters and collapsed culverts on the highway. The news tonight though is that in most areas, the water is receding and life is returning to normal. But “normal” is a relative term for flood ravaged communities. Today, our news team trekked across many of the flood prone areas in the south – and we begin our coverage in Hope Creek where, at the height of the flood, 39 people were put in shelters. Hope Creek, viewers will recall experienced vicious flash floods in 2008 leading to the loss of life. Well, this time, the water didn’t come in a flash, but it did flood and, it seems, they were ready. Our Daniel Ortiz and Codie Norales were thigh deep in the flood waters today – and they have this report.. Daniel Ortiz reporting An uninformed observer maybe mistaken if they look at this area and concluded that it is some natural body of water. It's an actual street in the Hope Creek Village which was overrun by the flood waters from Tropical Depression 2.

Met Office: TD 2 Formed Unexpectedly
But first, we get the overview from the Met Department. They’ve been watching this Tropical Wave since last week – and were caught slightly off guard on the weekend when it formed into a depression 50 miles off the coast of Belize. Today, Chief Met Officer Dennis Gonguez told us that the weather system has produced heavy, but not record rainfall. Dennis Gonguez - Chief MET Officer "As tropical depression #2 moves away, we're still getting some rainfall around the country. The numbers range from 2 1/2 inches in the north to about 3 1/2 inches in the west and as high as 7 inches in the south. This has led to some flooding in some sections in the southern parts of the country. In the past 24 hours since the system was called a tropical depression we were close to about 10 inches in the south, in the previous 24 hours we had about 3 inches in the south so we're pretty much close to 10 inches in the south to this time. We tend to focus on Tropical storms and hurricanes with their wind damage but however tropical depressions can provide us with copious amount of rainfall resulting in flooding."

The Death Of Delone
And while it rained steadily in Belize City last night – it was still a time to kill at a canal side house. A masked gunman stormed into a home where 31 year old Delone Vernon was playing cards and singled him out for execution. It’s a terrifying and cold blooded act – particularly considering that the house he was in is the base of the home turf for the “Back A Town” gang. Today, Monica Bodden visited the neighborhood. Monica Bodden reporting It was through this front door that the gunman stormed into the house of Dorla Williams –ran up this narrow flight of steps – and opened fire on 31 year old Delone Vernon. It happened just before 9 last night-during the heavy showers. Vernon – was upstairs playing cards with 6 others at the time of his death. Many heard as many as 4 gunshots rang out - one of those shot caught Vernon to the chest and penetrated through his heart – killing him almost on the spot. His sister-in-law 32 year old Sherna Miller was also shot – in her left arm and right leg. She is hospitalized in a stable condition.

Hon. Mark King Cleared Of Charges
In February UDP Minister of State Mark King was at the center of an event just short of a political scandal: he’d lost his temper at the Princess Casino in Corozal and thrown an ugly tantrum resulting in him being ejected from the Casino – and then later having a confrontation with police. It resulted in charges of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and threatening words. Well today was trial day in Corozal Magistrate’s Court and he was acquitted – tonight he is free and clear of any charges. Here’s what happened in court: First off, the police officer whom he had allegedly committed an aggravated assault on? That’s constable Nelson Ramos, and he withdrew his testimony – meaning he didn’t want to press charges. And then the three other witnesses including a PC Swazo could not identify Mark King from the witness stand. That’s the basic standard of identification that has to be met and without it, Magistrate Clive Lino declared that there was insufficient evidence to continue with the case and acquitted King of all charges. King told us he was busy today and will comment tomorrow.

Man Convicted Of Incest In Orange Walk
A jury in Orange Walk convicted a man of incest today. 47 year old Isabel Mendez was convicted of 10 counts of incest by a jury of 9 in the Supreme Court sitting in Orange Walk Town. He was tried before Justice Herbert Lord for having sexual intercourse with his daughter, then 12 years old from 2006 until it was reported in 2009. Crown Counsel Sabita Maharaj was the prosecutor while Mendez was unrepresented. He will be sentenced on June 27th. In other court news involving a sex offender, last week Friday, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of alleged serial rapist Leroy Gomez. He had been convicted of rape and robbery in July of 2012 and was sentenced by Justice Adolph Lucas to 15 years on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. After hearing arguments from the DPP and Gomez’s attorney Hubert Elrington, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, so Gomez remains in jail serving his sentence. Up to the time of his conviction in 2012, Gomez had beaten 4 other rape charges.

BTIA to PM: No Bull with Noh Mul!
Last week, the Prime Minister said at a press conference that he too had gotten impatient with the slow moving investigation into the destruction of the main temple at the Noh Mul site. Well, today the Orange Walk Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association Orange Walk Chapter, sent an open letter to the PM saying that it is dissatisfied that one month later no one has been charged. The BTIA asks him to intercede to, quote, induce the relevant authorities to promptly conclude their investigation and press charges as the law provides.

Flood stories From Sarawee and Sitee
As we showed you at the top of the Newscast, Hope Creek experienced flooding which affected the low-lying areas of the village, and forced 39 residents to evacuate to the hurricane shelter. Well, Sarawee and Sittee River had their own share of flooding from Tropical Depression 2, and while on survey of the affected areas, we stopped in at both villages. Here’s what one villager told us about how the rise in water surprised him, even though it was a weak storm: Steven Emmanuel Sr. - Resident, Sarawee Village "It started from about 10:00 and I went to my bed and took a little nap and when I woke up about 3 it went down about 3 - 4 inches and then this morning it came up back a little higher because it was 3 inch to enter my house and this morning when I noticed, it almost entered the house. This is the first time i see that it takes so long to go down." Daniel Ortiz "Was there anyone from Sarawee who had to evacuate from low lying areas which had dangerous experiences with flooding?" Steven Emmanuel Sr. "Yes they have a few people that live in the North west side and over there at the east side but not to evacuate out of the village, just to get to higher land in the same village." Daniel Ortiz "What you're looking at, is your yard and it looks like a pool."

NEMO In Griga Was In Front Of the Flood
A major part of the Stann Creek District’s excellent response was that the NEMO Hub in Dangriga was very active and vigilant, watching every move of Tropical Depression 2. Today, we spoke to the Mayor of Dangriga Town, who is also the chairman of the Stann Creek Emergency Committee, and he gave us a full report on their activities since yesterday. Here’s what he told us: Mayor Gilbert Swazo - Chairman, Stann Creek Emergency Committee "Earlier this morning about 3:00 we recieved word that there were people on the Mullins river who needed to be evacuated. Again we immediately coordinated through NEMO, through Coast Guard who then subsequently deployed a vessel and we also placed an alert - one shelter, Parish Hall within Dangriga with the view to house and shelter those evacuees from Mullins River. There were 49, however, I must report that right now while the coast guard has arrived at the destination at Mullins River, we have no confirmation that the people have now been extracted but the shelter remains open and the shelter management team prepared to support those evacuees from Mullins River. Amongst the other reports that we received is that the Mullins river bridge is compromised and the coastal road is under water as a result of the bridge being compromised and the fact that the road is severely under water. That road has now been declared again in concurrence with NEMO - it is now closed for vehicular traffic. There is also a culvert on the Southern Highway which is compromised and again the Ministry of Works are on scene doing rehabilitation works with a view then that we could open the road for continuous traffic. Those areas are critical arteries to provide supplies to our people, to the villagers in those communities that are not impacted.

Fun In A Time Of Flooding
We’ve shown you the residents of the Stann Creek Valley who were affected, and who had the scare of the floods from Tropical Depression 2. Well, there were some young men from Sarawee Village who weren’t too worried about the storm. As a matter of fact, they had a good time in the floods waters of their yard. We asked them why they were taking light of a situation which the adults thought was no joke. Here’s what they told us: Rudolph Emmanuel - Resident, Sarawee Village "We're just playing football. In the water you can jump and not get hurt, just playing rough in the water." Daniel Ortiz "You usually play like this when you have flooding in this area?" Rudolph Emmanuel - "Yes we go around in canoe." Daniel Ortiz "Tell us about when you guys decide that instead of waiting until the rain passes, we will be out there playing in the water."

Channel 5

TD2 floods the south
Tropical Depression number two which made landfall on Belize on Monday afternoon has resulted in significant rainfall all across the country. But today all eyes were on the flood prone [...]

Floods chip away at newly cemented streets
Though the projected path was over Monkey River, the sheer width of the cloud cover reached the former capital, Belize City. The City is also experiencing flooding in the aftermath [...]

NEMO advises on location of Tropical Depression
Life for residents of southern Belize, who sought refuge at various shelters during the overnight passage of Tropical Depression Two, resumes normalcy, as the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) reports [...]

Meteorology Dept. says more rains for coming days
NEMO keeps close contact with the Meteorology Department that is stationed at the Philip Goldson International Airport. An hour after the NEMO advisory, the MET Office indicated that at three [...]

A King freed! Police officer drops charges against Minister Mark
And much further north, the remnants of a political storm had expectedly fizzled. There was no need for a forecaster to predict that Minister of State Mark King would be [...]

Do you have confidence in the health system because the Minister of Health won the village council elections?
And tonight’s question is: Do you have confidence in the health system because the Minister of Health won the village council elections? Yes or No. Send your comments and responses [...]

Murdered in his home on Sibun Street
A young man who had turned his life around was shot and killed on Monday night. Until he was murdered, Delone Vernon was an employee of Youth for the Future. [...]

Did wife have a role in murder of Belizean American?
A Belizean also lost his life to violence in the United States. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the murder of a Belizean American inside his home on Sunday. [...]

Armenia man sodomized and left for dead
An elderly man was reportedly beaten and sodomized in Armenia Village on the tenth of June, while socializing at a local bar.  The man, in his sixties, was said to [...]

Man acquitted for murder after 5 years on remand
A man who has spent the last five years on remand for a 2008 murder will not go back to the Belize Central prison tonight. Twenty-eight year old Anthony Sabido, [...]

5 years for firearm
A Belize City man was convicted in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court after he was found with a nine millimeter pistol loaded with nine rounds of ammunition. This afternoon, in the [...]

10 counts of incest for Isabel Mendez
The Orange Walk Town Supreme Court is also in session.  Today, Isabel Mendez was convicted by a nine member jury of ten counts of incest. Mendez was tried before Justice Herbert [...]

Water on floor in maternity ward of K.H.M.H.
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital is the nation’s only referral hospital, and is currently being bombarded with very negative publicity following the deaths of newborns in the neonatal intensive care [...]

The threats to Chiquibul featured at symposium
From hospitals inundated with water to forests under siege…The Chiquibul National Park is Belize’s largest national park; about four hundred and fourteen square miles, which is approximately the size of [...]

Sights and sounds of TD2
There are five more months to go before the end of Hurricane Season. And though we have barely begun the first month in the season, Tropical Depression Two won’t be [...]

LOVE FM

Dangriga Mayor Reports on Flooding
NEMO Stann Creek is in full effect monitoring the flood situation in that area. Correspondent Harry Arzu met with representatives and has more on the conditions in the following report. HARRY ARZU “NEMO Stann Creek held a meeting today to address the flooding situation here in...

Young Student Awarded On Behalf of ComPol
The Commissioner of Police Do the Right Thing Award for Toledo was presented yesterday to a student of Punta Gorda. Here is Correspondent Paul Mahung with the details. PAUL MAHUNG “On behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the award was presented to recipient Mellissa Rodriguez...

Northern Belize Reports Normalcy Following Passage of TD2
In Orange Walk the District Emergency Management Organization is also monitoring the weather conditions. Dalila Ical Reports. DALILA ICAL “Classes were canceled as the rain poured this morning in Orange Walk Town; DEMO Orange Walk continued to monitor the situation in the dist...

Emergency Management Issues Fourth Release on Tropical Depression 2
This afternoon the National Emergency Management Organization issued their fourth advisory on Tropical Depression Number Two. NEMO informs that at two pm, the depression was located near latitude 18.3 North, Longitude 91.9 West. It is moving towards the West-Northwest at approximately...

Four Maskall Villagers Charged With Drug Trafficking
Four persons from Maskall Village have been charged with drug trafficking. Around 5:20 am on Friday June 14th, police conducted a search at a house in the village. Present at the time of the search were forty year old Winston Devans, forty year old Sharlet Migueal, twenty one year old...

Casey Scholarship Fund Assists Residents of Gallon Jug
Hundreds of standard six students across the country are completing their eight years of basic education around this time of the year. While some will move to secondary school, others will not enjoy of that privilege. In many cases it’s not because they were not accept...

Reports of Flooding In Hospital In Western Belize
The RSV News Center has received reports of a flood at the San Ignacio Hospital. Although the hospital is well situated on a hill, we understand that the flood is being caused by a leak in the building. Reliable sources tell us that the leak has been a problem in the building for a wh...

Woman Convicted of Incest With 12-Year-Old
Isabel Mendez was today convicted by a nine member jury in the Supreme Court sitting in Orange Walk Town of 10 counts of incest. Mendez was tried before Honorable Justice Herbert Lord for having sexual intercourse with the victim who was twelve years old at the time over a period which spann...

Young Man Murdered In Girlfriends Home While Socializing
One man was shot to death and a woman was injured last night. It happened at about 8:50pm on Sibun Street and this time the victim was thirty one year old Delone Vernon, an employee of Youth for the Future who was murdered and thirty two year old Sherna Miller who is currently in a stable conditi...

BTIA Orange Walk Chapter Wants Charges Levied For Destruction of Maya Temple
The Orange Walk Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association, BTIA, has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow in connection to the destruction of a temple at Noh Mul in the Orange Walk District. Chairperson of the association, Osmani Salas says they are calling on the Pr...

No Evidence of Charges Against Minister of State
Love News understands that Lake Independence Representative Mark King appeared before the Magistrates court in Corozal this morning. After hearing the evidence from four prosecution witnesses, the Magistrate declared that there was no evidence to prove any of all the three minor charges.&nb...;

Belize City Laborer Remanded on Firearm and Ammunition Offences
Twenty-one year old Stephon Anderson, a laborer of number 7 Ebony Street charged with firearm and ammunition offences became an inmate of Belize Central Prison today after he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and pled not guilty to the charges. Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith remanded hi...

Accused For A 2008 Murder Acquitted
Twenty-eight year old Lincoln Sabido, charged with the murder of Norman Reyes, was acquitted of the charge today in court. After the prosecution closed its case, Sabido’s attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, submitted that he does not have a case to answer to. Justice Gonzalez uphel...

CTV3

Tropical Depression Number 2 Floods Parts Of The South
Tropical Depression number 2 drenched the country last night especially the South as the system headed further west and crossed over Belize. As a result of the heavy rains classes were cancelled countrywide. The system unleashed torrential rainfall in the South causing major flooding in several areas. The Mullins River is rising and the temporary crossing is under 12 feet of water as the Coastal Highway remains closed. In Sarawee, the water is residing and most of the people who sought refuge at the Community Center have returned to their homes. In Hope Creek, the water is also receding rapidly and the highway is no longer under water. Most of the people who were in the shelter have returned to their homes. Near Sittee River, the Hopkins Road is closed and is under 2 feet of water. In Dangriga Town, where flooding was also experienced, the water is receding. In Belize City flooding was recorded in some areas but there was no major damage. The same goes for Orange Walk and Corozal. Nemo’s 4th release indicated that at 2:00pm Tropical Depression Two was located near Latitude 18.3 North, Longitude 91.9 West. The depression is moving towards the West-Northwest at approx. 10 mph over the Southern Bay of Campeche and away from Belize, with maximum sustained winds at 30 mph with higher gusts. Flooding is likely to continue in the low-lying communities. This afternoon we spoke to Chief Meteorologist Dennis Gonguez who told us that the system is presently moving away from Belize. Dennis Gonguez- Chief Meteorologist “The depression continues to produce some rainfall around the country and rainfall beakers varied from as low as three inches in the north to as high as seven inches in the south, we did receive significant amount of rainfall out of the system.”

Stanley Tillett Accused Of ICB Robbery Goes To Court
Stanley Tillett, accused of the broad daylight armed robbery of the Insurance Corporation of Belize Orange Walk Branch on Saturday morning, appeared before the Orange Walk Magistrates today. It is important to note that since the court room was being used for the Supreme Court session, cases at the Magistrate level were heard inside the police’s conference room. Stanley was charged by police for robbery, unlicensed firearm and ammunition and harm. But before the charges could be read to him by Magistrate Hetti Mae Stuart, Stanley began complaining of pain and claimed police brutality. As a result, Magistrate Stuart stated that she would not listen to the case until Stanley is provided medical attention. The accused was then escorted out of the court room and transported to the Northern Regional Hospital. As he walked down the stairs Stanley accused police of brutality. At around 3:15 this afternoon Stanley was escorted back to the court room where all three charges were read out to him. He was remanded to prison until his next court date. On Saturday June 15th, at around 9:00am, Stanley is believed to have entered ICB located on Belize Corozal Road Orange Walk Town, pulled out a .22 pistol and pointed it at Customer Service Officer Ruth Martinez, who was alone in the office at the time.

Minister Of Gangs Mark King Acquitted Of All Charges
This morning Minister of State with Responsibility for Gangs, Mark King, walked out of the Corozal Magistrates Court bouncing with joy after he was acquitted of Aggravated Assault against P.C Nelson Ramos attached to the Corozal Police Station, as well as Threatening Words and Disorderly Conduct. Accompanying King this morning was Chairman of the United Democratic Party Alberto August and other high officials of the UDP. The three charges were levied against King back in February of this year after he became involved in a brawl with casino security and Corozal police while socializing at the Princess Casino located just outside the Corozal Commercial Free Zone in the early hours of February 5th 2013. Today in court, the prosecution, represented by Assistant Superintendent Daniel Arzu, called four witnesses to the stand- two security officers from the Princess Hotel and Casino who were on shift at the time of the incident, P.C Suazo and P.C Nelson Ramos who was on duty at the Corozal Free Zone police booth on the day of the incident. Of note is that this morning in court P.C Ramos withdrew his testimony.

Another Armed Robbery In Orange Walk
There has been a recent spike of robberies occurring here in Orange Walk Town. This past weekend alone, saw the robberies of three business establishments, one which proved to be very brutal. But while the manner in which the crime is conducted may differ, there is no doubt that Orange Walkeños now fear for their lives. Home or anywhere else around town, is safe no more since robbers have been targeting local businesses who are trying to make ends meet. Yesterday, another robbery at gun point left the owners of Chabelo’s Fruits and Vegetables located on Bakers Street in shock after they were robbed of the day’s sale. The horrendous incident happened very quickly but luckily, no one was hurt. Isabel Paz Valenzuela, proprietor of Chabelo’s Fruits and Vegetables Store, told us what happened. Isabel Paz Valenzuela, Fruit Vendor “Era cosa como las ocho a punto de cerrar la tienda, se presentaron un vehículo beige, tipo Toyota corola y bajaron tres personas armadas después bajo el ultimo que eran cuatro y nos amenazaron para que entreguemos el dinero que tenemos y nosotros hicimos lo que nos pidieron y me quitaron mi celular y el dinero que se llevaron ellos y eso fue todo y gracias a Dios no nos hicieron daño.”

UB Fires Patrick Menzies
Patrick Menzies is a well known activist who for some time now has been very vocal regarding national issues such as the death of the thirteen babies at the KHMH and also the most important one; the discrepancies in the overcharging of students along with credit transfers at the University of Belize. But today he is on the news fighting his own war after his services were terminated at U.B. Yesterday afternoon when Menzies showed up to teach his Management Information Systems class he received the shocking news that he was already replaced. Menzies’ termination comes at the heels of a research conducted by his students which shows that the University of Belize is overcharging students for some courses. As a result he strongly believes that he was fired for speaking out. Patrick Menzies- Former UB Lecturer I showed up for the class and there was another gentleman trying to find the key for the same classroom. So we came downstairs and when we met together in the secretary’s office, He asked for U4 and I said, ‘But I’m in U4.’ I asked ‘What class are you doing?’ He said MIS; I said ‘Well that’s my class.’ He said ‘Well I don’t know what’s going on; I have been here for two weeks.’ So what happens is the secretary calls and says ‘No, Mr. Menzies it’s not your class, we have given it to this other guy. I said ‘Really?’ So I go look for Dr. Urbina and he wasn’t there, so I go to the Provost’s Office, but they were already waiting for me; they expected this. So I get there and who is there? The Provost is there and then she makes all these statements and I will say now live on the media, the reality is 1. She said that I misrepresented her by saying about giving a hardcopy to the President. God as my witness and let God be the judge, she said it, so that’s a lie.

BTIA Orange Walk Chapter Writes To P.M On Destruction Of Noh Mul
When are those responsible for the destruction of Noh Mul going to charged? That is what BTIA Orange Walk Chapter is asking tonight. Despite the fact that statements have been recorded and video footage of the destruction has been obtained, charges are yet to be levied against the owner of De Mar’s Stone Company, Denny Grijalva, who has practically accepted blame for the destruction of the site, or any other person for that matter. And BTIA Orange Walk Chapter is concerned about the situation. So much so, that today the organization wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of Belize asking for his intervention into the matter. In the release, BTIA Orange Walk expresses their dissatisfaction that one month has passed and no one has been charged for, quote unquote “Committing that atrocity.” The organization is discouraged at the prolonged process that the official investigation has been taking. Based on this fact, BTIA Orange Walk Chapter pleads to the Prime Minister that he interceded so as to induce the relevant authorities to promptly conclude their investigation and press charges as the law provides.

Three Wanted Men Still On The Run
Police issued a wanted poster for their arrest on June 7th and up to news time 37 year old Robert Hill and 23 year Austin Sutherland, both residents of Corozal Town wanted for robbery and burglary respectively, are still on the run. Hill is wanted in connection to the armed robbery of Chan Li Game Room which occurred on June 5th 2013. By the time police arrived at the scene Hill had already disappeared into the night on bicycle. The 23 year old from San Antonio Village in the Corozal District is believed to be armed and dangerous. Also on the run is Austin Sutherland, a resident of G Street South Corozal Town who is wanted in connection to the burglary of the breeze Hotel situated on 1st Avenue Corozal Town. Police suspect that that on June 1st 2013 Sutherland entered the hotel and stole more some $75.00 in cash and more than $600.00 worth in items. Sutherland is also considered armed and dangerous. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Hill and Sutherland are asked to contact the nearest police station. Today marks 22 days that Orange Walk resident Nimrod Tillett absconded from police while waiting to receiving treatment at the Northern Regional Hospital on May 21st 2013.

Tropical Depression Two Brings Heavy Rains To The North
At the wake of the passage of tropical depression number 2 the entire country has experienced the remnants of the system. Down south the heavy rains caused flooding and serious damage to some highways. Here in Orange Walk, the damage, if any, was minimal yet similar to the rest of the country, classes were called off. While Orange Walk did not experience major flooding DEMO continues to monitor the situation. Zuleima Celiz, Coordinator DEMO O/W “Here in Orange Walk we haven’t had any complains or any calls concerning river levels going up or any flooding or anything so pretty much everything is normal here in Orange Walk but the villages have been calling them but there is no report of anything or any damages.” Irvin Aragon – Reporter “So at this point in time the north can breathe a sigh of relief in regards to don’t worrying about any more floods or anything in that respect.” Zuleima Celiz, Coordinator DEMO O/W “Well, we are awaiting to see if the southern part has been affected and to see if the water will come through this side but so far everything is normal and we haven’t anything in regards to TD2.” People living in the low lying areas should remain on the alert since the heavy rains are expected to continue for a few days.

LOVE TV

Mayor Swazo Gives Report on Flooding in Southern Belize
NEMO Stann Creek is in full effect monitoring the flood situation in that area. Correspondent Harry Arzu met with representatives and has more on the conditions in the following report. HARRY ARZU “NEMO Stann Creek held a meeting today to address the flooding situation here in Dangriga and surrounding communities such as Sarawee Village which is about 4 miles from Dangriga, as well as Hope Creek Village. The floodings are as a result of the heavy torrential rains produce by Tropical Depression #2. Mayor Gilbert Swazo is the Chairman of NEMO Stann Creek, he tells us what transpired from the meeting and gives us his observation on the grounds.” MAYOR GILBERT SWAZO “The Stann Creek District Emergency Management team met earlier today to get a current update of the current situation as a consequence of the impact of tropical depression number 2. We also met to confirm the state of readiness of the respective operational subcommittee. The EOC is currently activated and is poised to respond to any serious but credible risks to any of the communities, villages and Dangriga that is within the Stan Creek District. It must be noted that at the present time, two shelters are open; one in Sarawee and the other in Hope Creek. Those two shelters have combined, a total of 59 people in those shelters including the shelter managers. There is one shelter in Dangriga, the Parish Hall which is now being prepared for evacuees from Mullins River; the coast guard is now in Mullins River preparing to evacuate 49 people from Mullins River to Dangriga and as I have indicated earlier, where they will be sheltered in the parish hall.

Police In Southern Belize Awards Young Woman
The Commissioner of Police Do the Right Thing Award for Toledo was presented yesterday to a student of Punta Gorda. Here is Correspondent Paul Mahung with the details. PAUL MAHUNG “On behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the award was presented to recipient Mellissa Rodriguez by Officer in Command of Toledo Police Formation, Superintendent of Police, Simeon Alvarez.” SIMEON ALVAREZ “Mellissa Rodriguez, student of the Toledo Community College, Punta Gorda Town congratulation on behalf of the Commissioner of Police. You have been selected as the recipient of the Punta Gorda Formation, ‘Do The Right Thing’ in the program award for the month of April 2013. It is my sincere desire that you will continue your education to the highest level and develop life skills that will develop positively toward a better future for yourself and the community in which you live. Being exposed as a young person to people of different character and lifestyle allows you to appreciate yourself and your community more and aspire for your dreams. Remember to always do the right thing not because you can but because you want to make a difference.” PAUL MAHUNG “Felicia Rodriguez was grateful for the award.”

How Is Northern Belize Following TD2?
In Orange Walk the District Emergency Management Organization is also monitoring the weather conditions. Dalila Ical Reports. DALILA ICAL “Classes were canceled as the rain poured this morning in Orange Walk Town; DEMO Orange Walk continued to monitor the situation in the district. Suleima Celiz, District Coordinator tells us more about the situation.” SULEIMA CELIZ “Orange Walk is normal; I have been calling the different villages and checking the low lying areas and talking to people in the villages. The river levels remain normal; classes have been canceled early this morning by the Ministry of Education and Orange Walk is normal so far. I am waiting for advisory from the headquarters as to the situation with classes. The rains have been off and on here in Orange Walk, nothing to be concerned of here in Orange Walk. Just stay tuned to your radio especially the persons living by the river side and Trial Farm and so forth.” DALILA ICAL “In case of emergencies or queries, the number to call at the Orange Walk office is 302 3228 or Mrs. Celiz at 605-5046. The situation in Corozal is also being monitored. We spoke with District Coordinator, Willard Levy.” WILLARD LEVY “Presently we don’t have any reports from any villages or town; we don’t have any flood threats; we had rains during the course of the night and part of this morning but so far the rains have ceased and we haven’t received any reports from any of the villages, so we do not have any threats at the moment; currently the schools are closed so that’s the position with Corozal.”

Fourth Advisory on TD2 Issued By Emergency Management
This afternoon the National Emergency Management Organization issued their fourth advisory on Tropical Depression Number Two. NEMO informs that at two pm, the depression was located near latitude 18.3 North, Longitude 91.9 West. It is moving towards the West-Northwest at approximately ten miles per hour over the Southern Bay of Campeche and away from Belize with maximum sustained winds at thirty miles per hour with higher gusts. NEMO also advises that flooding is likely to continue in the low-lying communities. One of the most affected areas at this time is the Stann Creek District. A team from Love News headed south today to look at the situation and we’ll have the story for you later on in the newscast. Meanwhile in Belize City, the Coordinator for the City Emergency Management Organization, CEMO, Phillip Willoughby informed us on the situation in Belize City. PHILLIP WILLOUGHBY “Let’s establish that we are below sea level; what the engineers and the staff from the Works Department are doing is looking at the entire City doing their initial survey to see where the bottle necks are, the problem areas are and those bottle necks will be looked at and be dealt with to alleviate and facilitate free and smooth flow of water in these hot areas or blocked up areas.” HIPOLITO NOVELO “Have you visited the flooding areas?”

Reports of Flooding In Western Hospital
The RSV News Center has received reports of a flood at the San Ignacio Hospital. Although the hospital is well situated on a hill, we understand that the flood is being caused by a leak in the building. Reliable sources tell us that the leak has been a problem in the building for a while now. We understand that an entire hallway inside the hospital becomes flooded every time it rains and that although the situation has been reported to the relevant authorities, nothing has been done to fix the problem. We were even informed that a whole section of the ceiling has caved in. Our correspondent in that area today visited the hospital and she was informed that no such thing is happening and says she observed only a small leak, and that whatever problem there was has been addressed. Our sources say however, that the leak is huge and the flooding evident. Unconfirmed reports are that the representatives from the Ministry of Health were at the hospital this afternoon inspecting the problem. Love News spoke with the Deputy Regional Health Manager, Myra Pulido who told us that the reports were untrue and she was not certain who was making the reports since no one is allowed to call the media. Sources however maintain that only yesterday the entire corridor was flooded.

Boyfriend Murdered; Girlfriend Injured In Southside Belize City
One man was shot to death and a woman was injured last night. It happened at about 8:50pm on Sibun Street and this time the victim was thirty one year old Delone Vernon, an employee of Youth for the Future who was murdered and thirty two year old Sherna Miller who is currently in a stable condition at the KHMH recuperating from gunshots wounds to her hand and leg. It is believe that Vernon was shot to the chest by a gunman who barged into the house were Vernon was at the time and release a barrage of bullets. Reporter Hipolito Novelo found out the motive on this latest city killing. HIPOLITO NOVELO REPORTING The murder occurred here on Sibun Street inside Miller’s residence. The shooter made his way through the front door, scurried up the stairs, took out a firearm and released a barrage of bullets towards the direction of seven persons. FAMILY MEMBER “Last night about a few minutes before nine o’clock, I was already in my bed, I drank my medication and about a half hour after I was in bed, I heard the dogs barking but I didn’t’ pay it any mind, a few minutes later we heard BANG BANG BANG.” The bullets found their mark on 31 year old Delone Vernon, an employee of the Department of Youth Services and 32 year old Sherna Miller.

Belize Tourism Association Wants PM To Ensure Charges Are Levied For Destruction of Noh Mul
The Orange Walk Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association, BTIA, has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow in connection to the destruction of a temple at Noh Mul in the Orange Walk District. Chairperson of the association, Osmani Salas says they are calling on the Prime Minister to bring those culpable to experience punishment to the whole extent of the law. OSMANI SALAS “We had expressed our anger and disappointment a month ago and we are still very upset and disappointed that a month later no one has been charged and the investigation seems to still be ongoing. So, we felt it important as a membership organization and as an organization that represents tourism interest in northern Belize specifically, Orange Walk to express our frustration and to ask the Government represented by our Prime Minister to intercede to see how this matter can be concluded and whoever needs to be charged get charged and penalized to the full extent of the law. We feel that if nothing happens with this situation then there will be no deterrent at all for similar incidents to occur not only in Orange Walk but other parts of the country. It is a firm reminder on our part to the authorities to please get to the bottom of this, conclude investigations as completely as possible and press charges as the law provides.” Salas says he does not believe that the destruction of what was deemed to be the highest temple at the sight will soon be forgotten. OSMANI SALAS “I don’t’ think it has been forgotten; our letter serves as a strong reminder to the authorities and I have certainly spoken off the record with people in the-know from some of the relevant authorities and I know that a lot of information has been compiled and has been presented to the police department for them to do what they have to do.

Area Representative Has No Charges To Answer To
Love News understands that Lake Independence Representative Mark King appeared before the Magistrates court in Corozal this morning. After hearing the evidence from four prosecution witnesses, the Magistrate declared that there was no evidence to prove any of all the three minor charges. This is in connection to an incident that occurred in February of this year at the Princess Hotel and Casino in the Corozal Free zone. The police press release at the time reported that a uniformed police officer standing outside the casino saw the security guard from the casino escorting a man out. The guards then escorted another man out because he was behaving disorderly. The police learned that the first man was twenty two year old Diego Witz a businessman of Punta Gorda and the other man, who was later alleged by witnesses to be King, attempted to hit one of the security guards. The policeman intervened and Witz reportedly punched him in the face. He was then subdued and later escorted to the police station. At the time the police did not report that King was the next man implicated in the incident.

Ebony Street Resident Remanded to Central Prison
Twenty-one year old Stephon Anderson, a laborer of number 7 Ebony Street charged with firearm and ammunition offences, became an inmate of Belize Central Prison today after he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and pled not guilty to the charges. Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith remanded him into custody until August 6. The incident occurred around 7 a.m. on June 16. The police reported that they were on mobile patrol on Lakeview Street when they saw Anderson riding a bicycle and coming towards them. They said that when Anderson saw them he turned his bicycle around and headed for Sibun Street. The police said they pursued Anderson and when they were a few feet behind him they saw him reach into his right pocket and take out an object which he threw into an open lot. The police reported that when they retrieved the object it was a Smith and Wesson brand 9 millimetre pistol with 8 rounds of ammunition in its magazine. Anderson was apprehended and taken to the open lot where the firearm was found. He was shown the firearm and he was unable to produce a license for it so he was taken into custody and charged.

Accused Murderer Set Free
Twenty-eight year old Lincoln Sabido, charged with the murder of Norman Reyes, was acquitted of the charge today in court. After the prosecution closed its case, Sabido’s attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, submitted that he does not have a case to answer to. Justice Gonzalez upheld the “no case” submission and he directed the jury of 5 men and 7 women to return a formal verdict of not guilty. Sylvestre submitted that the prosecution did not have any evidence against his client because the witness, Dennis Nembhard now deceased, whose statement was admitted as evidence, could not have seen what he said he saw because his view was impeded by a building. Based on what was seen when the court visited the scene of the murder, the submission was upheld. Nembhard in his statement said that he heard an explosion and when he went to the corner of Moya Street and Nutmeg Street he saw Reyes on Nutmeg Street coming towards him. He said Reyes collapsed and then he went to his yard. Nembhard said that he then saw Sabido coming from the same direction with what appeared to be a firearm in his hand. The incident occurred shortly before 6 a.m. on January 15, 2008. The prosecution, represented by Crown Counsel Sheneiza Smith, called 4 witnesses.

Meeting With Venezuelan Ambassador Aims At Solidarity
On Saturday the Venezuelan Embassy hosted a meeting with several representatives of Belize’s sector including leaders of the opposition party, Mayors from across the country and other social leaders. Love News was present at the function and we spoke to Venezuela Ambassador to Belize, His Excellency Yoel del Valle Perez Marcano. YOEL DEL VALLE PEREZ MARCANO “The meeting today forms part of the Bolivarian Republic and solidarity. We invited the social movement in Belize to support in solidarity the Bolivian revolution. We have gotten a lot of people here from different organizations and cultures of Belize. They have expressed that the country of Belize stands in full solidarity with the country of Venezuela. And this support the 14 years of revolution of President Hugo Chavez Frias and at the same time represents the unity of Central America and the Caribbean I nits fight for solidarity and against the pressure of the government of the United States of America. We like to have a committee formed in every country for the solidarity of Venezuela. Each community responsible will then meet with the community in Venezuela to file reports. In the event that they try to attack the revolution then the committee will be responsible to react. We want democracy and peace; we don’t want any other interference in our county. So we call on all the people of the Caribbean and Central America to support the solidarity in Venezuela.” Guest speaker was Ambassador for Foreign Trade and Head of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adalbert Tucker who said Belize should take advantage of the relationship with Venezuela. ADALBERT TUCKER “It is a meeting called by the embassy to share the solidarity of the Belizean people with the Bolivarian Revolution and to give encouragement to Venezuela to continue the good work that it is doing for democracy, for progress, for development of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Trouble Brews At University of Belize
While the country slowly floods because of a passing tropical depression, the University of Belize also slowly floods with controversy and in the center of it is UB Lecturer, Patrick Menzies, or in this case, former lecturer, since he says he headed to UB’s Central Campus in Belmopan to teach one of his summer classes, and to his surprise there was someone else to substitute him. PATRICK MENZIES “I was scheduled to teach to a class at 2 o’clock. I have all the e-mails to show that I was to teach a class on June 1, they moved it to the 17th of June to the 19th of July. I accepted it and I postponed my trip to the US which I do every year to see my kids. What happened is that I came to teach my class and there is another man walking around trying to find the key to the class; so, I asked him what is he doing; we both went down to the office to get the same key. I asked him what class are you teaching, he said MIS, I said that’s my class. So, finally after that the Secretary called, they basically said that it wasn’t my class that this guy was teaching; I waited in Belize to teach this particular class I was asked to teach the class.” We contacted UB to find out what was happening and Head of the Office of Public Information, Selwyn King says Menzies is an adjunct teacher, but is not officially on the adjunct list. SELWYN KING “Adjunct professors/lecturers – once there is an opening, a vacuum that we need extra to teach courses, we hire from my understanding; Mr. Menzies name is not on the official list of adjunct. Within the last couple of weeks the new Information Communication Technology Director has come on board and as head of that department he has been tasked as an adjunct for an IT class.”

PlusTV

Tropical Depression Two crosses country
It will be another few days before Belize is dry as a result of the rain from Tropical Depression #2, which is still crossing the country. Schools in the entire northern half of the country including Belize City have been closed per order of the Ministry of Education as...

Mass flooding has forced evacuations in the South
In the South, mass flooding has forced evacuations in a number of areas. Our Dangriga Harry Arzu visited Chairperson in the National Emergency Management Organization, Mayor Gilbert Swaso and filed this report. Harry Arzu – Dangriga Correspondent: Flood-waterscontinue to affect residents here in this municipality and other surrounding communities...

Delone Vernon murdered in Belize City
A social night out playing cards for residents of the Sibun Street area on Monday night turned deadly. 31 year old Delone Vernon, an office assistant with Youth for the Future, was assaulted while with a female friend identified as 32 year old Sherna Miller at her home. Both...

Police identify body found on Monday morning in Western Paradise
Police have identified the body found on Monday morning in the Western Paradise area as 24 year old Elias Santos of the Stann Creek District. Santos’ body was found in a house under construction in the Western Pines division. The body had a large cut wound to the fore...

Anthony Sabido acquitted of murder
28 year old Anthony Sabido spent five years on remand for a murder case but tonight he is a free man. Sabido was today acquitted of the January 15, 2008 murder of 31-year-old Norman Reyes, also known as “Mimi”. The 31 year old victim was fatally shot once to...

Selwyn King explains Patrick Menzies status with UB
They shot the whistle-blower. That’s Patrick Menzies’ claim for why he is no longer serving as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Belize. According to Menzies, who we spoke with yesterday, when he showed up to teach his Management Information Systems class, he found out that another lecturer...

BTIA Toledo and Placencia Chapters reject large-scale cruse tourism
Earlier this month, it was announced that Cabinet rejected a proposal made by the Norwegian Cruise Line for the development of a cruise terminal at Crawl Caye. When the offer was tabled to GOB, there was a string of negative response coming from various sectors including the Belize Tourism...

Randy Wagner Jones sentenced to 5 years for firearm offenses
25 year-old Randy Wagner Jones was sentenced to 5 years in prison after he was convicted of firearm and ammunition offenses. Yesterday, Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith found Jones guilty on the charge of keeping an unlicensed firearm and keeping unlicensed ammunition. This follows an incident which occurred in...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Roots in the Sea Website
Roots In The Sea has now published their website and is asking for donations in order for them to cover the expenses for the trip to Belize. The goal of $3,000 will fund a return trip to Belize for a crew of two. Funds will cover transportation and miscellaneous expenses. Check out their website for more information on the contributions http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/roots-in-the-sea They have also been selected in the Short Documentary category for the Belize International Film Festival which starts on July 11th to July 15th 2013.

Roots In The Sea
A long form documentary examining the history and culture of a small fishing village in Belize. The story is told by long time residents of Caye Caulker.

Amandala

TD 2 – WILD WIND AND WATER!
Bringing heavy rains and 35-mile-per hour winds, Tropical Depression Two, which formed from a tropical wave over the northwestern Caribbean Sea near the Nicaragua/Honduras border earlier today, trekked ashore Belize near Monkey River, Stann Creek, mid-afternoon today, rendering portions of southern Belize impassable. Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) advised that, “Persons living in flood-prone areas across the country are advised to be on the alert for possible flooding in your areas as the system moves across Belize. Motorists are also advised to exercise extreme caution when driving on the highways and secondary roads.” Concerned about the latest developments, the Ministry of Education called off classes for certain portions of Belize, deemed to be under threat of flooding, to ensure that students would be able to get home safely. “The primary concern with this system is heavy rainfall which could cause significant flooding over portions of Central America and eastern Mexico,” said forecasters at the US National Hurricane Center in Miami. They add that the center will move over Belize and northern Guatemala tonight and early Tuesday, and over eastern Mexico later on Tuesday. The depression could emerge into the southern Bay of Campeche by early Wednesday, and become the second named storm of this very active hurricane season.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER MURDERED ON HIS WORKSITE
Police say that Elias Santos, 24, a tile layer of Orange Walk, was chopped to death at his worksite in the Western Pines area off Mile 8 ½ on the George Price Highway. Santos’ body was found in one of the houses under construction at about 9:00 this morning by co-workers who went to work. According to police, Santos had been chopped in his head and body, and he was declared dead on the scene. He was taken to the morgue at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where a post mortem was conducted to certify the cause of his death. Police believe that Santos was laying tiles in the house when the killer or killers attacked him. So far, no one has been detained, and the motive for the murder is unknown.

MAN, 64, FOUND BEATEN AND SODOMIZED IN ARMENIA
A 64-year-old man of Armenia Village is fighting for his life at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Ward after he was robbed, badly beaten and sodomized. He was found nude in an unconscious state at about 4 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12, in bushes beside the road in Armenia Village. His clothes were found torn up a short distance away from him. Witnesses told police that the man became intoxicated after socializing at a bar in the village on Tuesday night. He left the bar to go home, but fell asleep beside the road. People in the area who saw him said that about 2:00 a.m. he awoke and again began to walk home, but he did not arrive at his house. A man told police that he was travelling on the Hummingbird Highway, through Armenia, towards Cave Branch, when he saw a naked man lying on the roadside. When he stopped, another driver who was travelling in his vehicle in the opposite direction towards Belmopan from Dangriga stopped also, and they called police, who came to the scene. The elderly man was taken to the Belmopan Hospital, where he was stabilized before being rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

THE US AND EUROPEAN UNION SEEK “LANDMARK TRADE DEAL”
The deal could add £85 billion to the rest of world’s economies; protestors, however, rallied against “ruthless capitalism.” Two of Belize’s most important trading partners, the European Union (EU) and the United States, today announced the launch of major trade negotiations at the start of the 2013 G8 Summit being held at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland from Monday, June 17, to Tuesday, June 18, even as protestors rallied against what they decry as ruthless capitalism. According to official reports from the UK Government, the G8 2013 Summit began with an announcement to launch negotiations on what it describes as “a landmark trade deal” between the EU and the USA. US President Barack Obama said at a press conference held to announce the talks that the US-EU trading relationship is the largest in the world, accounting for about a half of global GDP. He announced that the US would host the first meeting to negotiate the Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership (T-TIP) in Washington next month (the week of July 8). Obama also said that he believes the US and the EU can forge an economic alliance as strong as they have in the areas of diplomacy and security – alliances which he said are the most powerful in history.

LEROY GOMEZ HAS APPEAL FOR RAPE AND ROBBERY CONVICTIONS DISMISSED
Today, the Court of Appeal dismissed Leroy Gomez’s rape and robbery conviction appeal after a panel of Justices heard arguments from his lawyer, Hubert Elrington, on Tuesday, June 11. Gomez was sentenced to 15 years concurrently for each offense on August 8, 2012, after a jury found him guilty of the crimes on July 31, 2012. The victim of the rape and robbery appeared in court and gave her testimony. She said that she was walking on Administration Drive heading toward her boyfriend’s house when she noticed someone riding toward her on a bike. Her attention was drawn to the person because he looked like a friend of hers who had passed away. She testified that she kept on walking and when she looked back, she noticed that the same person was still riding toward her in the direction she was going, but this time, he was wearing a handkerchief tied around his nose and mouth, allowing only his eyes to be visible.

3 SHOT IN THE CITY IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS
Three men are lucky to be alive after they were shot in two separate shooting incidents in the city. One man was shot multiple times in his house by two masked men, while the other two men were shot while walking on Pine Street. The shooting victims are Arturo Varela of Antelope Street Extension, Rafael Francisco Aguet of Pine Street, Belize City, and Cecil Gill, also of Pine Street. The shootings both occurred in Belize City on Tuesday, June 11. Varela told police that about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, as he was about to exit his yard, he saw two men putting masks on their faces inside his mother-in-law’s yard (she lives next door to him). He quickly ran back into his house, but the masked men ran after him, and as he shut the door, they kicked it open and one of them opened fire and the he was hit by gunshots several times.

TWO MEN ACCUSED OF ROBBERY WITH KNIFE
Jaime Villanueva and Wardworth Clark were both charged with robbery today, Friday, and granted bail of $5,000 each. Villanueva, 28, a barber, and Clark, 18, a construction worker, pleaded not guilty to their charge. They are to reappear in court on July 24, 2013. Both men were charged with robbery after being accused of holding a man at knifepoint earlier today and robbing him of a backpack, a Belize passport, a wallet, a Nokia cell phone, and a hat. All the items are valued at over $200. The two men have previous convictions, but the court did not deem them flight risks and granted them bail on the condition that they stay away from the complainant and witnesses. They are also to report to the Queen Street Police Station every Wednesday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

GENTLE TOUCH OF CAYO TAKES EARLY LEAD IN ATLANTIC BANK WOMEN INTER-DISTRICT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
The FFB’s Atlantic Bank Women Inter-district Football Tournament 2013 got under way over the weekend with Week 1 games on Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16. Garnering 3 points from the only victory over the weekend was perennial Cayo champions Gentle Touch who have taken the early lead in this competition. On Saturday afternoon at the FFB Field, Triple-B of Belmopan drew, 1-1, with visiting Toledo Scorpions, giving both teams a point each. Jenisha Scott shook the net for Triple-B, while Shireen Paulino hit the target for the Scorpions. Then on Sunday at the Ladyville Field, visiting Gentle Touch of Cayo defeated the home team, Ladyville Jaguars of the Belize District, by a 3-1 score. Gentle Touch got goals from Ethleen Gentle, Eden Gentle and Abby Halliday (by penalty); while the Jaguars’ only goal was by Kara Kisling. Seeing their first action this coming weekend will be Sugar City Girls or Orange Walk and Dangriga Pumas of the Stann Creek District. Resting will be Triple-B of Belmopan and Gentle Touch of Cayo.

TWO-WAY CRICKET SHOWDOWN
Excellence vs Berlan and Brilliant vs Sunrise. Cricket fans are poised for a real treat, with both best-of-3 semifinal series coming down to a final third game, as this past Saturday, June 15, saw both Game 1 losers avenging their loss in Game 2, knotting up both series at 1-1. The decisive Game 3 will determine the two finalists in the 2013 SMART Harrison Parks National Cricket Competition. At the Bermudian Landing cricket field on Saturday, Zone 1 #1 seed, defending champions Excellence of Double Head Cabbage rebounded from their Game 1 loss by defeating the Zone 2 #2 seed Berlan of Bermudian Landing. Berlan batted first, garnering 103 runs, but Excellence eclipsed that total with 104 runs, with 4 wickets to spare, forcing a decisive Game 3. For Berlan, Jerry Casasola scored 34 runs and took 2 wickets; while for Excellence, Keenan Flowers batted 39 runs, and Orson Flowers took 5 wickets. Meanwhile, at the field in Crooked Tree Village on Saturday, it was Zone 1 #2 seed Sunrise of Lords Bank exacting their revenge against Zone 2 #1 seed Brilliant of Crooked Tree, who had won Game 1 of their semifinal series the previous week. Sunrise went to bat first, and they put up the formidable total of 197 runs, with Barbadian born Michael Sobers leading the scoring with 66 runs. Brilliant was unable to match that total, their last wicket falling at 151 runs, despite 22 runs each from Shane Westby and J. Smith. For the victorious Sunrise, Dwayne Hendy, Justin Sanchez and Edison Parks took 2 wickets each; while for Brilliant, Lawrence Banner and Brandon Lewis took 3 wickets apiece.

THE PUZZLE THAT IS THE JEWEL Editorial
There are certain individuals in Belize who have proven themselves to be the most rank of villains in different spheres of our Belizean society, but these individuals move around in our society with absolute impunity. Why is this so? It is because these individuals are protected by powerful institutions and forces, and, because they are so protected, the disapproval, or even condemnation, of the Belizean people is of no account. Such is Belize. Belize is a free market capitalist society which has produced some wealthy families and individuals. When one points fingers and calls names, then these families and individuals raise a hue and a cry, on the grounds that exposure of their wealth will endanger them. Since Belize’s criminals appear not to have yet developed any expertise in blackmail and kidnapping, one wonders if such danger would have to originate from across our borders. It is the poor who are in danger in Belize, we think, not the rich. In a football tournament in Costa Rica in January this year, Belize’s footballers overachieved and qualified for the so-called Gold Cup tournament in the United States next month. We say “overachieved,” because Belize’s football programs are generally haphazard and poorly financed. The Central American teams against which the Belize selection competed have very well-organized and highly financed football programs. Plus, Belizean football had only last year managed to escape from the selfish, suffocating, and suspicious rule of one Dr. Bertie Chimilio. The Belizean people, at home and abroad, were quite thrilled by our boys’ success in Costa Rica, but the new executive of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) did not move quickly enough to exploit the Costa Rica success in financial terms. When they finally managed to stage a fund-raising telethon last Saturday, the FFB’s approach to the telethon was a kind of socialist one. Their executive spokesman explained that the FFB’s goal was a half million dollars, and he reasoned that, it being the case that Belize had 300,000 people, if each person gave a dollar, then they would be more than halfway there.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
It’s a distinct handicap in business here to be a person of roots ancestry, as opposed to being of immigrant background. If you are in any kind of business, our Belizean people expect you to be always in possession of liquid cash, and they have developed a habit, which has become almost obsessive, of asking for money. Our people do not ask the immigrant business people for money because they know they will not receive any. But, when they see a native business person, the request has become almost automatic, and sometimes it is practically demanding. In competitive businesses which require various kinds of machines and equipment, like ours on Partridge Street, you are always seeking to accumulate capital so as to update your machinery and equipment. The more modern your machines are, the higher the quality of the product you can deliver to your customers, and the more competitive your business will be. The more competitive your business is, the more you will be able to expand, which means the more jobs you can create. In between charity and outright extortion, however, native businesses in poor neighborhoods suffer an amount of capital hemorrhaging on a daily and weekly basis which makes capital formation more difficult to achieve. It is impossible to explain this to the individual supplicant, because he or she considers his/her situation to be critical, and the supplicant really does not want to hear you are trying to buy a machine which will make your newspaper look better or your radio station sound cleaner. No, no, no. Gimme money, right now!

GUAT XATEROS CAUGHT IN CHIQUIBUL FOREST
Two Guatemala nationals, Adelmo Mancia, 24, and Rolando Ramirez, 35, were arrested on Friday, June 14, 2013 in the Chiquibul Forest. The Joint Forces Team for the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) were on patrol in the Chiquibul Forest near the Tapir Camp, where they saw two Hispanic men moving towards the Caracol Road. The men were caught around 7:30 p.m. in the area. Mancia was armed with a .38 revolver with five cartridges while Ramirez was armed with a 16-gauge shotgun with three .38 revolver ammunition. The men also had in their possession 64.6 grams of cannabis. The men were about five miles away from the Western Border and were moving further into the interior of the forest. They were apparently seeking xate leaves and hunting game species, both of which are illegal activities in the area. Both men were detained and taken to the San Ignacio Police Station, where they were formally charged for keeping a firearm without a gun license, keeping ammunition without a license and drug trafficking.

OCEANA AND GOB EXCHANGE BLOWS AS THEY AWAIT CJ’S RULING
Prime Minister Dean Barrow reasserted his Government’s position last week that until they can come up with “firm metrics” on which zones offshore of Belize will be excluded from petroleum exploration, it will hold off on the issuance of any new petroleum concessions. Meanwhile, the most recently released map showing the petroleum contracts indicates that two petroleum concessions, those issued to Princess Petroleum Limited and Providence Energy, continue to be included – a bone of contention between the Government and Oceana, which obtained a favorable ruling from Supreme Court Justice Oswell Legall in April declaring six offshore contracts to be “unlawful, null and void.” Oceana says that the inclusion of the two concessions on the latest map, dated May 2013, is “outright disregard” for the Legall ruling. Treaty Energy Corporation, the joint venture partner of Princess, paused petroleum exploration works shortly after the Legall ruling, but announced shortly after that it was resuming works based on the advice of its attorneys and public statements from the Government of Belize. Government’s attorney, Denys Barrow, SC, has argued in court that the contracts were not quashed by Legall, but that the Government is fettered from conducting any oversight of Treaty’s activities. However, Oceana contends that Treaty ought not to be doing any works under the petroleum contracts.

DANGRIGA TOWN BEHIND IN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Market renovation delay is causing vendors to lose revenue. Dangriga Town is the only municipality that has not seen completion of phase one of the two-part Belize Municipal Development Project (BMDP) under the Social Investment Fund. We were told that last Wednesday a team from the World Bank and Social Investment Fund (SIF) visited the Town Council to take a mid-term review for the BMDP and to check the project’s progress, challenges and lessons learned, among other things. The Dangriga Market Extension and Renovation Project is a $1.3 million dollar project and is the largest project under phase one of the BMDP. However, Dangriga’s market project is the only phase one project in the country that has not been completed as yet. Dangriga Town Mayor Gilbert Swaso said it is all due to poor management and financing. “The Dangriga Market Extension and Renovation is significantly delayed,” he said. “As a matter of fact, since the signing of the contract it was expected that that project should have been completed end of July, which is the one-year period since the signing of the contract. However, because of several factors which include from a SIF perspective, poor management and poor financing of the contractor, that market is significantly delayed.”

VENEZUELA AND BELIZE STRENGTHEN TIES
The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Belize held an “Act of Friendship and Solidarity” activity today, Saturday, in the city of Belmopan. The purpose of the gathering, which was held at the Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation (IVCC), was for the people of Belize to be reassured that Venezuela will continue to build their political and economic relationship. His Excellency Yoel del Valle Perez Marcano, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Belize, said in his address that the economic, political, and military sectors of his country are being threatened by Venezuelan and Latin American opposition groups. He went on to add that those in opposition are seeking support from the United States government in overthrowing the democratic government of President Nicolas Maduro. He said that overthrowing President Maduro would lead to an end of policies of cooperation, integration and solidarity that the country has already formed with Latin American and Caribbean sister nations. For that reason, the Venezuelan government is seeking to further strengthen their ties with those nations without foreign interference. Adalbert Tucker, Ambassador For Foreign Trade and Head International Cooperation for the Government of Belize, told us that the day’s activity was an opportunity, not only for Venezuela to show their solidarity but also for the Belizean people to offer their encouragement to Venezuela as the country pushes for increased solidarity.

MINISTRY OF FINANCE DENIES VETTING THE IBC AND SHIPPING REGISTRIES TERM EXTENSION LETTER
The Ministry of Finance has categorically denied a statement made by the Leader of the Opposition that the letter of March 24, 2005, signed by him and the then Prime Minister, which purported to extend the term of the Management Services Agreement for the International Business Companies Registry and the Shipping Registry for another seven years from 2013 to 2020, had been vetted by officials of the Ministry of Finance. Gian Gandhi, who has been legal advisor in the Ministry of Finance for the last 13 years, says that at no time was his advice sought on the validity of this letter and that the first time he saw it was last month when it was produced by Belize International Services Limited in response to a letter from the Financial Secretary. Gandhi also says that he has carefully looked through the Cabinet Briefing Notes for the period January 1, 2003 to March 31, 2005, prepared by the then Cabinet Secretary, Robert Leslie, and that he found absolutely no mention of extension of term of the Management Services Agreement for the IBC and Shipping Registries. This contradicts the Leader of Opposition’s claim that the extension letter had been approved by Cabinet.

Blogs

VIDEO: Friday night boxing San Pedro Style
This Video shows how action packed Belize boxing matches are. Great people watching, excellent boxing and prizes too.

Lobster Fest in Belize
Belize is a country filled with diverse cultures, and an array of different terrains. Every year the country hosts many events. One very popular and rapidly growing island celebration, held for the last 17 years in June and July, is the Belize Lobster festival, better known as Lobster Fest. This festival marks the opening of the lobster season and the closing of the conch season. Lobster fest features Belizean music, live entertainment, water activities and a variety of contests that are fun for everyone but most importantly it features manydifferent Lobster dishes. Lobster fest is celebrated in three different locations; Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Pedro. These celebrations include activities and entertainment for locals and visitors. Lobster fest begun in Caye Caulker as a local tradition 17 years ago. Since then its popularity has increased attracting not only locals but many tourists to the island to enjoy the different seafood delicacies. Each year this lobster fest develops into a larger and more productive event as the public demand and business participation increases. Caye Caulker, the original Lobster Fest locale, has gone from a local fest to an international festival gaining recognition from both locals and tourists world wide. Placencia was the second destination to host the Lobster fest in 1998 in an effort, by the Belize Tourism Industry Association, to attract and increase visitors to the Peninsula during the slow summer months. Placencia attracts many to its sandy beaches and turquoise waters. If you are in Placencia in the month of June make sure to stop by to enjoy the lobster delicacies, the fun family activities and most importantly indulge in the Belizean Culture.

What to do with rain in Belize
Sometimes you just cannot help bad weather when traveling. I have seen a few weather posts on forums recently about people wanting to know what to do with themselves when it rains. Unless you are the type that melts when wet like the wicked witch of the west, going out in the rain can be lots of fun. Just make sure you are well water proofed if you do. This morning Dick and I had a few errands to run so we checked out the back roads to see just how bad they were getting from all the rain. We saw lots of big puddles and a few peoples yards were under water. I took lots of video and will start editing it tomorrow and see what I got. After coming home I was planning to finish a #TravelTuesday post but I got sidetracked with a great rainy day project instead. AVG scanning, organizing and backing up all my pictures. With 36,716 thousand of them, it has taken me a good 9 h to load them between two 16 GB flash drives and my 300 GB Samsung external hard drive. When was the last time you backed up all your important files? This was a perfect excuse to watch TV in bed while I worked

Making Waves in Belize
On twitter, there’s a big chat every week that you can follow with the hashtag #FriFotos or by tuning in to the @FriFotos account. Participants share photos and stories around a certain subject which is usually chosen early in the week by a committee and then announced through the FriFotos account and by co-hosts of the chat. This week’s theme is: waves. Immediately I thought back to Belize which was my last destination right before returning to NYC for the summer. One of our days involved being out in a boat and there are few things I love more than cutting through the water, making waves, on a bright and sunny day. Particularly when it’s the Caribbean. Just look at the color of that water!! I hope you enjoy it. And I hope you will join in the photo-sharing fun on your own blog or over on twitter. I look forward to seeing your images.

Belizean Beef Panuchos
Panuchos are a Spanish dishes of Central America. It is cooked only in certain districts in Belize and is not as popular as garnaches, enchilader or panades. This dish is similar to the Belizean Salbutes, but with the twist of adding the main ingredient of Belizean Tamales. The cheese that is added on top and allowed to melt makes this dish irresistible.

Grow your business through better cash management
“When it comes to your small business one of the biggest challenges can be having the cash to grow. There are a number of “cash management” tools offered by banks that can help your business pick up surprising amounts of cash flow without increasing traditional borrowing levels. As simple as it may seem, before you can identify tools to improve cash flow you must understand your company’s cash cycle. The cash cycle consists of: How you get paid. What you do with the cash you have on hand. How you pay it out.

“Wasting My Time” in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Another rainy morning yesterday created no great desire on my part to do much at all. Even attempts to sit in the fresh air on the veranda didn’t last too long before the rain swirled in and I retreated for cover in to the condo. Boy did I get through some pages of the latest book that I am reading though (The Covenant by James A. Michener). Fairly raced through the pages! As the day progressed the weather started to improve. The downpours became less frequent and slightly lighter and the sun made attempts at showing itself so Rose and I decided to head off to our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize to look at progress. With our raincoats with us and the windscreen on our golf cart it didn’t matter if it rained, did it? Well that is where we were wrong. Why? Well, when we got to the golf cart-parked just outside the condo we are renting- we found it minus the windscreen. Some b@&#*^d had stolen it. We briefly (for all of two minutes) contemplated reporting it to the police but concluded that it would be a pointless exercise and I really didn’t see the sense in wasting my time! Nothing about our windscreen that discerns it from the hundreds and hundreds on the island anyway. So, feeling well and truly pissed off (angry/irritated for non UK readers) we set off on our journey north and got to our lot shortly after 3 pm (much of the water on the road north of the bridge had gone).

June 9, 2013 - June 15, 2013 Fishing Report
What a fun week. Thanks everyone for expressing your fishing passion and fun with us here at El Pescador. It’s always heart felt to see our returning guests, thank you. What can we say? We have been “sold out,” for weeks! All of our guides are working full time and they keep exploring. We are so proud of our guide team: Without you, new angers would never know how it feels to land a bonefish on fly. Without you, our “Grand Slam” plaque is now filled, and now we need to have the guys make a new frame. Wow. YOU GUYS ROCK!

What Follows Low Proficiency Scores?
According to the recently released results of the 2013 PSE (Public School Examinations) proficiency exams, more than half of all exiting Primary school students throughout Belize ranked poorly in English and Math. The results that were released to the media show that 53% of the 7359 students who took the exams were assessed as not proficient. The median score in English was 58% while in Math it remained steady at around 54% as the previous year. These low proficiency scores indicate loudly that our students in Primary schools are not learning as they should. Readers who follow my Guidance Counseling columns know that, for years now, I strongly advocate and assert that Education, especially at early levels, needs to be focused on successful “learning”. Low PSE results this year show, without a doubt, that there continues to be large disparities between teaching and learning in our Primary schools. The results of these standardized exams deem that half of all students who complete Primary school throughout the country this month are “not ready” to enter high school. How valid is this statistic? At the outset, I submit that it does not mean that our children and schools are deficient. Moreover, no amount of finger-pointing or vocal public accusations against schools/ teachers will even out any disparities between teaching and learning, or improve student performance. Politicization of these results merely focuses on blaming, and adds to the trauma that students and schools may be suffering now. Let us, especially after this unfavorable assessment, respect and uphold the dignity of our schools and teachers, and students. To remove the stigma of failure, policymakers who manage Belize’s Education Systems can focus on designing and providing multiple resources for schools and educators to use to help young students learn to develop their inquiry and reflection skills. Rote learning and memorization of fragmented academic subjects, which we continue to emphasize in Primary schools, are not learning methods. Teamwork, experimentation, and problem-solving are preferable.

Standards 6 Teachers Can’t Pass The PSE Either
As a follow up to our last article about the high failure on the PSE in Belize. Well it turns out that the teachers can’t pass the exam either. This tells us that something is still seriously wrong and actually makes the argument stronger. Either the teachers are so under educated or the system is so broken. I go with the last one, there is no way on this rock we call home that we have that high failure rate in our Educators base. This latest finding actually proves my point even more that we DESPERATELY need to do something about the current state of our education system but we need each and everyone of you to join hands and do your part no matter how small. Here is the article as per 7News As we’ve reported, failure rates in the PSE continued last year and with examinations coming up in May, most educators concede that it won’t get much better. And today, new information released by the Ministry of Education tells us why that may be the case. Late last year, teachers took the test and the results were alarming. Those were released to mixed reaction at a Ministry of Education press conference this morning. We were there.

VIDEO: Cavern Diving safety message
Cavern Diving with a certified Cavern guide is a safe and enjoyable experience however many unscrupulous "guides" risk unsuspecting open water clients lives on a daily basis to make an extra buck or because they simply do not care. Please watch this brief video that explains the cavern diving safety guidelines.

International Sources

The new “Most expensive expat cites” list is out, with the usual misleading data
The fine folks at ECA International, which is evidently a global human resources consultancy firm, has released its 2013 list of the most expensive cities for expats, and most outlets seem to reprint it without evaluation. I’ve actually mentioned this in the past, but this year the list is even more skewed than before, so I can’t help but discuss it again. On top of the list of most expensive cities is Oslo, which is actually a justifiable champion because it’s the most expensive city in an expensive country where nothing is cheap. There’s another more obscure Norwegian city on the list, as well as Zurich, Geneva, Bern, and Basel, which are also solid choices for similar reasons in Switzerland. Tokyo also deserves its place, even if it has fallen down the list this year due to a weakening Yen. The cities that don’t really belong Where I begin to take issue with the list is that Luanda, Angola comes in #2, Juba, South Sudan is #4, and Moscow is #5. The average incomes of locals in these three cities are only a fraction of the incomes of the others on the list, so this “expat” list only really applies to executives at multi-national companies and oil engineers.

Angela Amos to study overseas
A Colcord woman has been selected to participate in summer 2013 global graduate studies in the Central American country of Belize. Beginning in mid-July, Siloam Springs High School staff member Angela Amos of Colcord, will study conservation and marine ecology in the Central American country of Belize. “I’ve struggled a bit for several years with the increasing throwaway mentality that seems to have taken over our world. This led me to studying more about conservation efforts both locally and internationally. I’m especially interested in purchasing local goods and seeing local farms and businesses thrive, and I try to make purchasing decisions with that in mind. Last fall my principal sent a flyer about a program that seemed tailor-made for me, focusing on conservation and ecology methods. The first year I will be able to study in Belize, but in the three years it takes to finish the program, I’ll be able to travel to three different international locales to research differing conservation methods (both animal, marine, and community-based conservation efforts),” said Amos.

New chair of CRFM Ministerial Council urges implementation of Castries Declaration on IUU fishing and CARICOM Common Fisheries Policy
The recently appointed chairman of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Barbados Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick, has urged fellow Caribbean ministers to place special emphasis on the implementation of policies and recommendations coming out of the 7th Ministerial Council of the CRFM, held at the end of May in Barbados. An area where focus is definitely needed is the implementation of policies and recommendations in a much more timely manner. We have seen tardiness to this end in the implementation of policy decisions from the Ministerial Council. One such policy that readily comes to mind is the Castries Declaration in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated [IUU] fishing and the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy,” said Estwick.

Best Places To Retire 2013: 21 Cities Around The World Are Named
Where's the best place in the world to retire? Is it Abruzzo, Italy or maybe Cayo, Belize? The truth? Only you can decide. But to help anyone who might be contemplating a move abroad, Live and Invest Overseas has compiled its First Annual Retire Overseas Index. After considering 12 factors -- things like taxes, safety, climate, health care and real estate -- Live and Invest Overseas came up with 21 destinations it believes offer the greatest potential for the would-be retiree in 2013. Note that none of the destinations are countries -- but cities. "Naming countries as top places to retire is silly. It doesn’t make any sense. Because even very small countries can offer dramatically different standards of living, lifestyle options, costs of living, climates, etc.," said Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas and Huff/Post50 blogger. "Belize is maybe the best example. It’s a tiny country with all of 350,000 people, yet it offers both Caribbean beach living and back-to-basics country living on the mainland in the Cayo district," she added. There's also no ranking. According to Peddicord, all the destinations should be considered.

June 18, 2013

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 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

NEMO ADVISORY No. 1

Doctor Love: Grounded because of friends
When a youngster gets grounded, for fighting or because of friends fighting - who is the stupid one?

The Garifuna Collective live at Rojo Lounge
On Wednesday June 12th, many came out to hear the musical selections of The Garifuna Collective who performed live at Rojo Beach Bar just a few miles north of San Pedro Town. It was a great opportunity to witness the band’s final show in the country before they set off on their international tour through the United States of America and Canada from June 20th-August 10th. As time drew nearer and the band was just about ready to play, guests were invited closer to be a part of the inspiring musical experience. The cultural Paranda rhythms of the Garifuna Collective were perfectly blended with Canadian Danny Michel’s soulful indie sounds. The band played started off with songs such as Just the way I am, Love until you break your heart and a few more selections which were done in collaboration with Michel, then they were followed this by a jam session of classic Garifuna songs such as Pomona and Watina that certainly got the crowd moving. Between intermissions, band members greeted guests and new- found fans of their music.

Ambergris Today

Danny Michel and The Garifuna Collective Prepare for Tour, Perform at Rojo Lounge
It was their first performance before heading to the United States of America and Canada to kick off their tour together; Danny Michel and Belize’s Garifuna Collective performed a free concert at Rojo Lounge, Azul Resort on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. The evening was a magical one filled with the unique blending of Danny Michel’s rock n’ roll influences with that of the Afro-Amerindian Garifuna Collective sounds. It was a once in a life time event at Rojo Lounge as the Garifuna Collective performed sets as themselves and along with Danny with new music from his album titled “Blackbirds are Dancing Over Me”. Their performance was nothing short of spectacular as you can see that both artists have developed new musical styles and working together surely was one of the best decisions they have ever made.

Matachica Resort and Spa Partners Launch San Pedro Day Camp for Kids

Never Underestimate a Small Tropical Depression, Belize Drenched
Even if it is just a small tropical depression that is only forecasted to bring rain, one should never underestimate these storms during the Atlantic Hurricane Season. The second tropical depression of the 2013 season hit Belize today, June 17, 2013, and has been drenching the country with much rainfall and expected winds of up to 35mph. The effects on Ambergris Caye can be seen with much beach erosion as the large waves have been pounding the beaches, piers and seawalls. Some coconut trees along the beach are in danger of toppling over, while tons of sea grass has been piling up as well. Business is slow – dive boats cannot go out to sea. Classes have been canceled during the beginning of exam week, one cannot walk the beach and enjoy a sunny day and most boat owners have opted to tie up their vessels or haul them up to land to protect them. There have even been some flights cancelled to Belize City after the Municipal Airport there had to be closed down due to flooding of the runway.

Flashbacks: High Science Lobster Pats
Built with wood frames and covered with pimento or bamboo strips, these nasas provide shade which is what lobsters are looking for to hide. However, once inside, they just can’t figure a way to come out and remain there until the dutiful fisherman takes them out. After securing them at the bottom of the sea with weights, nine to 15 feet deep, the fisherman will check once a week. On an unlucky day you might get anything from one to three lobsters but on a lucky day you might get anything from ten to twenty lobsters. The large ones will be kept and the undersized ones are thrown back into the sea. If a pat gives you 20 lobsters in a month you get 160 during the season or about fifty pounds for a total of one thousand dollars at today’s selling price. A small producer works with some one hundred pats while a big producer operates with as many as three hundred during the eight month season. Now do you want to know who brought the idea of the lobster pats to Belize and San Pedro? Will tell you all about that in another issue.

Pic of the Week: Wave Hopping During Tropical Depression
While his friends are ducked under this large wave, we see this one boy jumping high to avoid being hit by it. Although they were having much fun, we understand that the Belize Coast Guard is conducting security patrols along the coast and has discouraged the young boys from this activity due to the high tide and strong rip currents. Safety First!

Check Out Belize Through My Lens
The ability to capture images and see them in motion to tell a story is what made me fall in love with videography. Recently I started venturing into the world of videos and informing people about the beautiful and exciting things happening in Belize through my eyes. Since then I have been documenting stories of my beautiful country through my eyes. The journey has been fun and it has made me love my job even more. What I like the most about my video blog is that people appreciate the work that I do and most importantly enjoy my adventures and experiences I go through. For example: exploring the popular ATM Caves, walking through the historical Maya ruins, documenting fun school events, interviews with lovely pageant contestants and much more.

Misc Belizean Sources

New Trend Spurs Belize’s “Great Gatsby” Honeymoons
A growing trend towards luxurious honeymoons in exotic locales is behind a record number of couples taking advantage of the more affordable casual luxury of Belize, according the Lodge at Chaa Creek’s wedding and honeymoon planner. The Belizean eco-resort’s Denise Duran said the increase in the number of couples “looking for that extra something” has spurred greater interest in what she calls “adventure romance travel” in exotic locations such as Belize. Ms Duran said she believed that all-inclusive honeymoon vacation packages, which put the cost of an overseas honeymoon in reach of more people, are helping to fuel the trend towards more exotic honeymoons. “Honeymoons have always been important to people, but we’re seeing a definite trend towards couples wanting to do something different, to share a more exotic and at the same time luxurious experience. Think The Great Gatsby in the bush. It seems as if more couples are looking to start their lives together by doing something extraordinary.

114 Photos of TROPICAL DEPRESSION 2 in San Pedro
Images showing damages done to the beach from Spindrift Hotel to the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge.

VIDEO: Diving Dardenellos Canyon, Ambergris Caye
Scuba Diving Belize with Trip, Janine and Don from Colorado. Lots of marine life encounters captured on film this week. Thanks for choosing Belize as your dive vacation destination. Belize Pro Dive Center, Ambergris Caye

The Jade Mask's Journey
The Jade Mask that was found at Cahal Pech and adopted by the SIRH is about to go on display at the Science Museum of Minnesota's Maya exhibit. Thanks, Shauniece Heusner, Research & Education Officer at the Museum of Belize, for the great history of the mask. "This mask was adopted by San Ignacio Resort Hotel from the Museum of Belize & House of Culture. This mask was found at Cahal Pech along with 3 large jade celts and is dated to the Terminal Classic period around A.D. 800-900. This amazing ancient Belize artifact is made of jade and shell and was used as a belt worn by a royal ruler along with the accompanying celts that were found. Currently, both the mask and the celts are being installed in the Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed exhibition at the Science Museum of Minnesota, along with other pieces from the Belize National Collection. The exhibition opens June 21st, 2013."

Catwalk in the Jungle Pictures
The Catwalk in the Jungle Fashion Show was great - the Cayo Welcome Center really is the perfect place for events of this type - and here are some more awesome pictures from the event, courtesy of D Russell Photography.

Massage Weekend Workshops
There are some massage workshops coming up at the end of the month, and the middle of July. The Vision Exchange will have workshops for Reiki and Cranial Sacral Therapy the weekend of the 29th, and deep tissue therapy for the shoulder and hips the weekend of July 12th. Contact Jude at 652-8595 or email at [email protected].

Sneak Peak of Miss Tourism Photoshoot
Jasmine Skeen, who won the Miss Tourism International pageant that was held in Cayo at the end of March, had a photoshoot with Jonathan Cariddi, and he's released a few pictures as a sneak peek. She'll be representing Belize in December in Malaysia. In related news, she'll also be at the Cayo session of the Belize Film Festival, which will be at Midas on July 13th. "Sneak Peak of Miss Tourism International 2013. Jasmine Monique Skeen, was crowned Miss Tourism Belize 2013. She will represent Belize at the Miss Tourism International Pageant to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December."

Belize Travel and Trade
Belize comes to South Florida Saturday June 29th.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP LAB
Are you constantly thinking how to create and build new business ideas or how to improve it? If you answered yes to this question, then this workshop is designed for you. The session will provide you with: Skills and knowledge necessary to effectively assess yourself Ability to utilize the tools to develop innovative business ideas, Ability to develop marketing strategies, Provide you with tools to effectively generate a business model that will allow you’re venture to be unique, structured, and focused; leading to profitability. Guest Speaker Mr. Michael Singh

Channel 7

Torrential Rain From TD Two!
At this hour, Tropical Depression #2 is over Southern Belize near Monkey River with winds of 35 miles an hour. Now that is over land, the weather system is weakening but it has dumped and continues to dump torrents of rain – particularly on Southern Belize. NEMO reports that Mullins river is three feet above the temporary bridge on the Coastal Road and that is closed to vehicular traffic. Further south, the North Stann Creek River is 3 ft above normal and rising in Middlesex, Pamona And Hope Creek. The South Stann Creek River is also 3 ft above normal and rising. Sittee River is 4 ft above normal and also rising. Water is across the Hummingbird Highway at miles 13, 18 and 20 while the Bowman housing area at mile 15 is under 6 inches of water. Today, the Chief Met Officer said they have been watching the system develop since Saturday.

Stann Creek Construction Worker Murdered At Jobsite
Tonight, the family and friends of 24 year-old Elias Santos a resident of Bella Vista Village in Stann Creek are trying to come to terms with the terrible news that he passed away sometime this weekend. But while Santos resides in Stann Creek, he was killed 8 miles outside of Belize City. That’s a far away from his home, and so 7News went looking for answers today at his workplace. Daniel Ortiz has that story. Daniel Ortiz reporting This morning, police responded to the report that someone had been found dead in the Western Pines area at around 8:20. Inspector Calbert Flowers - Acting Rural Executive Officer "Acting upon information received, the hattieville police visited the house of which is under construction in the Western Pines area on the Western Highway. Where upon arrival they saw the apparent lifeless body of a male person lying face up in the bathroom area of the house. The body was examined where it was observed that it had several cut wounds to the head area. The body was later identified as Elias Santos, a 24 year old male who resides in Bella Vista village in the Stann Creek district."

NTUCB Supports GOB Takeover of IBC & Shipping Registries
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has come out in favour of government’s take-over of the IBC and Immarbe Registries. A release issued this afternoon calls it a “bold and necessary move.” The release concedes that Government is opening itself to litigation – but adds quote “we are rightfully concerned about this cost but we deem it a necessary one…given the EU’s blacklisting of Belize…the government’s take back of the registries is undoubted necessary.” End quote. The NTUCB demands form the Government transparency in the take-over process and form the opposition, they want them to, quote, “come clean to the Belizean people and release any and all other secret documents/agreements.” End quote. The NTUCB is also asking for a Senate Select Inquiry into this secret agreement. It’s a rare declaration of support for the government from the unions – but not completely unexpected as the Prime Minister has publicly committed to put 50% of any additional revenue from the Registries towards a raise for teachers and public officers. Last year, the Registries’ Revenue was estimated at 13 million US dollars.

Gandhi Says Francis Fonseca Fibbed
And that is not the only interesting statement on the registries takeover tonight. The legal advisor in the Ministry of Finance, the enigmatic Gian Ghandi has made – to our knowledge – the first public statement of his career. Ghandi who has been legal advisor in the Ministry of Finance for the last 13 years came up last week because in 2003 he wrote a letter to Belize International Services Limited of behalf of the Musa Administration saying that the Registries contract could not be extended for a number of what appeared to be very valid reasons – reasons still valid today including the European Union’s concern over the Ships Resgistry. But in 2005, the then Finance Minister Said Musa went against that advice and signed a 10 year renewal and a 7 year one after that, taking the life of the contract up to 2020. The leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca who co - signed those agreements went on record last week to say that the legal Counsel in the Ministry of Finance was consulted before the letter granting the extension was signed. Well, in his statement today, Ghandi says that at no time was his advice sought on the validity of the extension and that the first time he saw it was last month when it was produced by BISL.

Man Gets Five Years For Gun
25 year-old Randy Wagner Jones, a resident of Mopan Street, is spending the first night of a 5 year sentence after he was convicted in Magistrate’s Court today. 2 police officers testified in his trial before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith that on September 8, 2012, they saw when Jones pulled out a gun from his pants waist and threw it away at the corner of Mopan and Mahogany Streets. The officers detained him, retrieved the gun, and discovered that it was a 9mm pistol, loaded with 9 live rounds of ammunition. As a result, they charged him with keeping an unlicensed firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition. In his defence, he told the court that indeed, he was there as the police officers testified, but he didn’t have any gun, and neither did he throw anything away. He also asked the court to consider that the scenes of crime personnel could not find any fingerprints on the gun which matched. This followed a testimony from a technician that the gun’s materials proved difficult to lift fingerprints without special equipment.

FFB Telethon Fell Short of Financial Target
On Saturday, the Football Federation of Belize held its telethon to raise funds for the National Football Team, the Jaguars as they prepare for their historic appearance at the 2013 Gold Cup. The FFB set out to raise half a million dollars – but when the final tally was made, they had only raised a little less than $120,000 thousand dollars, leaving them $380,000 thousand dollars short of their target. That’s a major let down – but there were still inspiring stories of members of the public going to the Princess to make five and ten dollar contributions. Still, it’s corporate Belize that failed: they came through with only forty thousand dollars – only a third of what was raised. Today, FFB Executive Member Marlon Kuylen told us they are disappointed but still moving forward. Jules Vasquez "How much of an effect will this have on the plans going forward that you fell $380,000 short of your target?" Marlon Kuylen, FFB Executive Member "Well right now as it is, we owe the players $40,000 for stipends for the last game they played in Guatemala and for what we owe them for Costa Rica because I don't know if I had mentioned it to you but in Costa Rica for coming fourth we were supposed to collect $25,000usd which was promised to the players and when we collected the money we got a check for fifteen hundred and add dollars because the previous administration had owed UNICAF twenty three thousand and add dollars.

Another Tale Of The Talented Ms. Gillett
Violinist Courtney Gillett is back from a two week training programme at what’s consider the finest music school in the USA, Julliard. And she’s also getting ready to tour Central America with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA). And more than that, she’s also a coach for the National Youth Orchestra and Choir of Belize comprising 30 youths and 13 Teachers. Today, this former winner of the open scholarship told us what the experience at Julliard was like and how she will translate it into useful instruction. Courtney Gillet - Belize Youth Orchestra Teacher "Really really fantastic and inspirational, so we learnt a lot about Violin teaching for upper level students and how to move beyond playing the notes to looking at sound production and that is what you're looking for as you advance in music, how to create different sounds to create different emotions. I hope to teach that to my students and as much as I can, I want to work with my other teachers - Cindy Burgos and that others at Pallotti and see if we can raise the level of awareness about what is needed to be professional musicians and to build a culture of professional musicianship in Belize."

Armed Xatero’s Detained Deep Inside Belize
Two weeks ago the BDF shot Guatemalan Edgar Alexander Alveno in the Chiquibul but the incursions continue, and on Friday night at 7:30, a joint forces team of Belize law enforcement officers detained two armed Guatemalan men who were about to cross the main Caracol Road – which is well into Belizean territory, more than five miles in. They are 24 year old Adelmo Hernandez Mancia, of La Rejoya, Guatemala and 35 year old Rolando Ramirez of Dolores, Peten. The had two guns, a .38 revolver and a 16 gauge shot gun, both weapons loaded. They were found with 5 shotgun cartridges and 3 rounds of (.38) revolver ammunition, as well as 64.6 grams of cannabis, which is about two ounces. And even though they were deep into Belizean territory, the pair were heading further east into the Chiquibul interior seeking xate leaves and hunting for game species. They were detained and taken to the San Ignacio Police Station where they were formally charged for keeping a firearm without a gun license, keeping ammunition without a license and drug trafficking.

“The Good, The Bad, The Nobody Road” – A Southside Story
Since August of 2012, the Department of Youth Services has been operating a pilot program called the Southside Youth Success and Drop-in Center. The idea behind it is that GOB is providing another second-chance initiative which ensures that at-risk young men between the ages of 14-17, who are living on the Southside of Belize, are provided an opportunity to become productive citizens instead of turning to crime. Well in the 10 months that the facilitators have been working with the young men, they’ve learned a lot about their lives, and the challenges which they face daily. As a result, it is inspired them to publish those stories, most resembling a biography, in a collection called “The Good, The Bad, The Nobody Road”. Sounds kind of like a southside spaghetti western but it is a compelling collage of stories of social fracture. That book was officially launched at the Port Loyola Library today, and 7News attended. Here’s an excerpt of the tales these young men have decided to share.

Clarencio Coc’s Body Awaits A Post Mortem
The body of Clarencio Coc remains in Taiwan tonight. As we reported, the 26 year old was killed in a scooter accident near the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology where he had been on scholarship since 2010. Belize’s Charge’ d Affairs in Taiwan Cherie Nisbet tells us that the autopsy has not been done yet – and only after that is completed can arrangements be made to send his body home. Coc was on the back of a motor scooter driven by a Guatemalan student, Mervin Hernandez when it was hit by an out of control car. Hernandez was reportedly crushed under the car while Coc flew into a ditch.

UB Graduates 471On Saturday 471 students graduated from UB in the University’s 17th Commencement exercises. The students received accreditation at the Associates, Bachelor, Certificate, and Diploma levels in Management & Social Sciences, the Education and Arts, Science and Technology, and Nursing, Allied Health & Social Work. Their guest speaker was Godwin Hulse, the Minister of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development and National Emergency Management. He spoke to the graduates in a 32 minute Keynote address about the importance of education. Here’s an excerpt of that presentation: Hon. Godwin Hulse - Keynote Speaker "There's a theme I selected for my presentation today as you did not give me a theme and I think that was on purpose but it is one that I have cherished from I was a kid and that is 'education is the only forward for Belize' and I want you all to always remember it. When I was a young man, my dad never used the term 'education' - he said it was too elusive and to learn every thing you have an opportunity to learn, everything, if it's to cut the grass then he told me to learn to do it well, wash the dishes - learn to do it well, kill a mosquito - learn to do it well. So when you look at my seaming disconnected CV people said 'Lord man he couldn't make up his mind what to do' - I simply learned everything that came my way and learned to do it well. There's an Intel commercial that you may be seeing and it struck me and in addition to saying that education is the only way forward, this commercial says and it is a private sector inititave - it says 'education is our primary philantrophic endeavour' - what a wonderful thought coming from a private sector institution."

Channel 5

Tropical Depression #2 crosses the country
Forecasters predict an active hurricane season with eighteen storms of which nine are expected to develop into major hurricanes. And so it is that two weeks into June, the first [...]

Schools across country close in wake of Tropical Depression #2
The depression has affected schools in the southern, central and western districts while in Cayo District, students were sent home at three p.m. The northern districts, however, have been sparred [...]

Toledo in direct path of TD2
The path of tropical depression two takes it squarely over the Toledo District. The advisory from NEMO stated that the Boom Creek Road in Toledo was under four feet of [...]

Western Pines murder by axe
There is a murder to report tonight…it is the third for the month of June and it happened at the eight miles community of Western Pines off the George Price [...]

G.O.B. says “secret agreement,” but Financial Secretary Joe Waight signature on document
Prime Minister Dean Barrow came out blazing last week, accusing former Prime Minister Said Musa and former Attorney-General Francis Fonseca of signing a secret agreement with Belize International Services Limited, [...]

Brother of Ministry’s Secretary detained with Chinese Passports
A Belizean was detained in Cuba when he landed at the Jose Marti Airport in Havana with what we have been told are as many as five Chinese passports with [...]

Foreign Affairs will help lay student to rest
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with their Taiwanese counterparts and the family of Clarencio Coc to bring the body of the twenty-six year old student home from Taiwan [...]

Caught on camera: Cayo cops flip suspect on head in truck
Amateur video of a police apprehension in San Ignacio on Saturday at around four pm has made the rounds of Facebook and has resulted in somewhat mixed reactions. The video [...]

14 year old accuses teacher of carnal knowledge
There is a disturbing report coming out of the south. A fourteen year old student of the Toledo District is claiming that she had sex with her teacher. The minor [...]

Mike Menjivar’s home shootout with GSU in court
The trial of attempted murder against Mike Menjivar continues in the Belmopan Supreme Court. Menjivar’s house was raided in May 2011 by the Gang Suppression Unit; the raid started before [...]

Who shot Valley of Peace resident?
Belmopan Police are currently investigating two incidents which occurred over the weekend that have left several persons recovering at the Western Regional Hospital. The first incident happened at around eleven-thirty [...]

3 women argue; 2 women stabbed
And on Sunday, an altercation in Ontario Village in the Cayo District also landed three women and a minor in the Western Regional Hospital. Police are still trying to sort [...]

Pallotti School music teacher plays to higher heights
The National Institute of Culture and History and the National Youth Orchestra and Choir of Belize announce the international recognition of young Belizean violinist Courtney Gillett. Gillett, who lived her [...]

Football Telethon raises over $100 thousand…400 more needed
Jaguars have not been combing through the dense forests, but also on the playing field. The national football selection, also known as the Jaguars, has been working extremely hard to [...]

Road to the Gold Cup features Woodrow Wilson West
On the Road to the Gold Cup: The National Football team will be playing the United States, Cuba and Costa Rica in the upcoming Gold Cup games in July. Tonight [...]

Sports Monday highlights with Guru James Adderley
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports.   The age old rivalry between Belize Telemedia and Mirage Lady Rebels produced another monster showdown Friday night inside Rogers Stadium [...]

LOVE FM

Belizean Violinist Returns From Intense Music Training At Julliard
Belizean Youth Musician Courtney Gillett a violinist and the principal violinist and coach in the National Youth Orchestra and Choir of Belize, began playing Suzuki violin at the age of ten. Now at the age of 26, she has a vast amount of achievements, especially in music. Gillett has ...

Venezuelan Embassy Meets With Leaders For Solidarity
On Saturday the Venezuelan Embassy hosted a meeting with several representatives of Belize’s sector including leaders of the opposition party, Mayors from across the country and other social leaders. Love News was present at the function and we spoke to Venezuela Ambassador to Belize, His E...

Activist Says He Was Replaced At University Without Notice
While the country slowly floods because of a passing tropical depression, the University of Belize also slowly floods with controversy and in the center of it is UB Lecturer, Patrick Menzies, or in this case, former lecturer, since he says he headed to UB’s Central Campus in Belmopan to tea...

Orange Walk Police Nabs Armed Robber
One man has been charged for a robbery at a business establishment in Orange Walk Town on Saturday. Reporter Dalila Ical has the story. DALILA ICAL “Orange Walk Police has charged one man for the robbery of the Insurance Corporation of Belize, ICB office in Orange Walk Town.&n...;

Committee For September Celebrations Gears Up For Activities
September is less than three months away and that means that the September Celebrations Committee is already gearing up the preparations. Love News today spoke with the President of NICH, Diane Haylock who told us more about what’s in the making DIANE HAYLOCK, President, NICH ...

Police In Southern Belize Seeks Teacher For Carnal Knowledge Investigation
Police are looking for a teacher from the Toledo District. This follows a report by a 14-year-olkd student who told police that on May 29 she went to the teacher’s house in Santa Teresa Village where he had sexual intercourse with her. Medical examination was conducted on the mi...

Russian Ambassador To Belize Presents Credentials
This morning, His Excellency Eduard R. Malayan, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Belize, presented his credentials to the Governor General of Belize His Excellency, Sir Colville Young. In his speech, Ambassador Malayan extended warm greetings from His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President o...

Belize's Trade Union Congress Supports GOB Move On International Registries
Last week the Government took control of the shipping registries, IMMARBE and IBC. Today the National Trade Union Congress of Belize says it supports the government’s move to do so. The NTUCB calls the move bold and necessary. According to the Unions while it is concerned ...

Tropical Depression #2 Brings Heavy Rains and Winds To Belize
Marion Ali, Reporting The second Tropical Depression for the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane season slammed into Belize this afternoon at around 13 MPH with wind gusts of up to 41knots. The storm formed at around nine this morning, some 98 miles ENE of Punta Gorda Town and 60 miles E of Monkey ...

World Bank and SIF Raise Questions On Incomplete Construction In Dangriga
Residents of Dangriga are become uneasy because of the slack an important project in that municipality has taken, since it is a means of revenue for the municipality. Correspondent Harry Arzu has more on the issue. HARRY ARZU “The delayed work on the existing Dangriga Market i...

Residents In Southern Belize Cautioned on Possibility of Flash Floods
The Stann Creek NEMO met this afternoon to discuss the current weather situation. Correspondent Harry Arzu has more details on the meeting. HARRY ARZU “The incessant rains continue to affect the Stann Creek District as a result of the tropical depression that is passing over B...

Planned Countrywide Activities Lead Up To UN Public Service Day
Sunday will be observed as the United Nations Public Service Day and Belize will join in on observing the day. But for the entire week starting today, the Ministry of the Public Service will engage in a series of activities to celebrate those public officers who have delivered sterling serv...

CTV3

Tropical Depression Number 2 Batters Belize With Heavy Rains
This year’s Hurricane forecast calls for a total of 16 named storms, 9 of which are expected to become hurricanes, including 5 major hurricanes between Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Tropical Storm Andrea was the first named storm of the Atlantic season which developed on the 5th of June 2013. It didn’t raise flags for Belize since it made landfall along the Florida Big Bend region, slamming with heavy rain and wind. Andrea did not develop into a hurricane but did cause flooding and storm surge on the areas affected. And today Tropical Depression number two formed in the Caribbean just off the coast of north-western Honduras, close to Belize causing heavy rainfall across the country. According to Chief Meteorologist at the National Meteorology Service, Dennis Gonguez, the system is expected to move west into parts of Belize and the Yucatán Peninsula over the next 24 hours, most likely as a tropical depression. Heavy rain will be the greatest threat over these areas along with portions of Guatemala and Honduras.

ICB Orange Walk Robbed At Gunpoint
Belize Corozal Road in Orange Walk Town turned into a crime scene on Saturday as a female employee of the Insurance Corporation of Belize Orange Walk Branch was robbed at gunpoint while inside the business. The perpetrator, disguised as a customer, gained entrance to the establishment and demanded that the employee, who was alone at the time, hand over all the cash. Luckily for the victim, her colleagues in Corozal became suspicions when they called her on the company’s line and her cell phone and she did not answer. Instead her cell phone was answered by the robber as he made a wrong move. CTV3 News’ Reporter Victor Castillo arrived at the scene minutes after the incident and filed the following report. Victor Castillo – Reporting It was a busy Saturday morning but that did not stop a lone gunman from making his way into the Insurance Corporation of Belize Orange Walk Branch, located on Belize Corozal Road and robbing Customer Service Officer Ruth Martinez, who was alone at the time, at gunpoint. At around 9:00am, a male person appearing to be an ordinary customer, showed up at the entrance door with documents in hand. The door, which can only be opened from inside was unlocked by Martinez. That is when her worst nightmare began. CTV3 News understands that as the robber entered the business, he pulled out a gun, pointed the weapon at Martinez, took away her cell phone, and demanded that she open the cash vault. Fearing for her life Martinez did as she was told.

Faber Chastises Teachers For The Second Time
In his press conference last week Thursday, the Minister of Education made a daring move as he trashed the Belize National Teacher’s Union. But it’s not the first that Minister of Education, Hon. Patrick Faber, uses strong language when referring to teachers. We’ll get to that part of the story in a while. Faber’s latest attack was due to a number of issues storming the education sector including the disappointing PSE results. In his statement the Minister categorically stated that while teachers are asking for a salary adjustment of 30% they are doing nothing to improve the PSE results. For context here are his remarks. Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education “It is absolutely amazing and I’ll go on a limb that teachers are saying that we want a salary adjustment of 30% when the government is saying we can’t afford it but then we have the same old results and there is no denying that teachers have a tremendous effect on what these results are and correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t hear the Union talking about how we can improve professionalization in the teaching service at all and I challenge them it is not a quarrel but a challenge I said before and I will do it again we want you to insist that teachers get more professional training. It is the ministry that provides the continuous professional development training in the summer time, is it not, the unions collect dues from teachers $20 dollars a month I paid for ten years, what out of that do they invest back in making sure that our teachers are trained, the ministry provided the certificate of education program paid for 95% by the ministry the other 5% by the teachers what do the Union do, but we have a Union in this country and I will get into trouble again for it that fights for teachers who are incompetent, some of them who are molesters, some of them who don’t do their job in the classrooms and the Union officials know it but we fight for them they are not functioning , they are not doing the best job but the minute the principal or the management or the ministry tries to bring them up there is a champion called the Union who fights against.”

Gian Ghandi Says He Knew Nothing About 10 Year Extension Granted To BISL
Following the most recent back and forth between Prime Minister Barrow and former Prime Minister Musa and former Attorney General Francis Fonseca regarding the so called secret agreement which purported to extend the contract for the management of the IBC and Ships Registries by Belize International Services Limited, the Ministry of Finance issued a press release today. In his press conference on June 12th, the PM boasted that the takeover of the two companies was completely legal because the letter that granted the extension to BISL was indeed illegal. But former Prime Minister Said Musa and former Attorney General, Francis Fonseca, who signed the agreement back in 2005, have indicated that there was no secret agreement since the issue was brought to cabinet and that the legal counsel in the Ministry of Finance did know about the letter. The agreement, signed on March 24th 2005 between G.O.B. and BISL, states that in consideration of a payment of one point five million dollars U.S., the Government agrees and confirms the extension of the duration of the Agreement to eleventh June 2020. Six weeks after, on May thirteenth 2005, the Ministry of Finance issued a letter asking that one point five million dollars US, payable by Belize International Services Limited, be paid to the Central Bank’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. The purpose was explicitly stated as follows – “for the purchase of the option to manage and operate the International Business Companies Registry and the Shipping Registry from 2003 to 2020. The letter was signed by Joseph Waight as Financial Secretary and it was copied to the Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank of Belize and the Legal Counsel in the Ministry of Finance, Gian Gandhi.

Ambassador of the Russian Federation Presents Credentials To Governor General
This morning, a new Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Belize presented his credentials Governor General Sir Colville Young at the Belize House. In his speech His Excellency Eduard R. Malayan, extended warm greetings from His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to the Governor General and people of Belize. He further expressed the possibility to deepen the relationship between the two countries not only in the political and diplomatic spheres, but also in trade, culture, education and technical cooperation.

Logging Season Closes
In the month of April 2013 the illegal harvesting and exportation of Rosewood, despite a moratorium set in place back in March of 2012, caused huge public outcry. This prompted the Government of Belize to declare a 19 days amnesty for those in possession of the precious hardwood and to approve the sale and export of rosewood with government splitting the profits from sales with exporters. While it seems that the illegal harvesting of Rosewood has died down on Saturday the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development and the Forest Department declared the logging season closed. This means that between June 15th and October 14th the harvesting of trees will not be permitted. According to the Ministry of Forestry the closure of logging activities coincides with the arrival of the rainy season which is not conducive to logging operations. Apart from an increased risk of loss of human life, logging during the rainy season often results in damage to forest soils and to public access roads. Of note is that there will be no consideration for extension of forest permits and licenses after the closure of the season. All forest produce not removed from the license areas prior to this date, automatically becomes the property of the Government of Belize. The logging season will re-open on the October 15th 2013. All applications for licenses for the next logging season should be submitted by November 30th, 2013 to the respective district office which will subsequently be forwarded to the Chief Forest Officer, Forest Department, Belmopan. Application forms are available at all district offices.

San Estevan Library Has A New Name And Logo
For well over 10 years, the San Estevan Library has been providing students with informative and educational literature free of cost. Students, without a doubt, have made good use of the service and most recently, now enjoy the facility of computers to further enhance their learning capacity. So as to attract more student attention, the former San Estevan Village Council along with librarian, Nancy Canche, launched a competition for students in order to find a name and a logo that will best describe the Library. Fidelmar Hernandez, Former Chairman of San Estevan Village “A few weeks ago we had a meeting with the librarian and the village council and we decided to give a prize to the standard II to standard XI classes whose over come up with the best logo and name for this library because for the moment we have it as San Estevan library.” Irvin Aragon – Reporter “How many persons more or less have submitted entries for this competition?” Fidelmar Hernandez, Former Chairman of San Estevan Village “We have approximately about 12 to 14 logos and names.”

And So Was Yummy Restaurant
Apart from ICB and Lucia’s Guest House, another establishment was robbed at gunpoint but not over the weekend. This time the robbery played out on Thursday June 13th at around 6:30pm when three men entered Yummy Restaurant located on San Antonio Road Orange Walk and robbed the owner and one of the female employees at gunpoint. According to the employee, the first individual to enter the restaurant was armed with a firearm. After he made his demands, two other men entered the restaurant and assisted the first robber in the crime. Robbery Victim “Solo entro el primero y parece que se arrepintió y después agarro la pistola y dijo que es un asalto y entraron dos más y agarraron un laptop y salieron y se fueron.” Irvin Aragon – Reporter “A qué horas paso?” Robbery Victim “A las seis y media de la tarde.” Irvin Aragon – Reporter “Llamaron a la policía, que fue lo que paso después?”

"Belize In You, Belize In Me, Land Of The Free" September Celebrations Theme
September is a little over two months away and already the soca music can be heard playing at the distance as Carnival groups prepare for the annual road march. The patriotic month is held every year under a theme and this year is of no exception. The National Celebrations Committee held a competition for the 215th Anniversary of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye and the 32nd anniversary of Belize’s Independence and this year’s winner is Jeanelle Mencias from the City of Belmopan. Mencias’ submission was among 125 entries received by the National Celebrations Committee which was selected as the winner. Mencia’s theme is, “Belize in you, Belize in me, Land of the Free.” According to an official release by the National Celebrations Committee, the theme was selected because, and we quote, “it engenders a spirit of personal pride and nationalism about being Belize and Belizean.” Jeanelle Mencias will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

Man Marries Twice, He Now Has The Law To Face
A man from the Toledo District is tonight under investigation for the crime of Bigamy. Bigamy is when one is legally married with more than one person at the same time. Yesterday morning, sixty-seven year old Faustina Coc of Punta Gorda Town reported to police that her husband, whom she had been married to for the past twenty years, was married to another woman. According to Bol, she and Ambrocio Bol were married in April of 1997 and have lived in the Cayo district since. Last month, May of this year, her husband married Magdalena Chiquin of San Felipe Village in the Toledo District. As a result of this second marriage, we all know that Hell has no fury like a woman scorned, and scorned was the sixty-seven year old first wife.

Association Of Churches And Evangelical Ministries Oppose Gender Policy
One of the main topics on the Barrow administration’s agenda is the gender policy. The Prime Minister has gone on record to say that he believes the National Revised Gender Policy 2013 is a good policy and as a result, he will not withdraw the policy as some organizations have requested. The Evangelical Church has stood against the terminologies used in the policy and believes that they are left open for wrong interpretation. The church has stated that the gender policy is a very dangerous document and puts in jeopardy the freedom of speech Belizeans on a whole enjoy today. During his press conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister stated that he has met with leaders of the churches but his position has not changed, however, he is open for dialogue so as to rephrase certain sections of the policy that may be subject to misinterpretation. As for withdrawing in entirety the policy, the PM says absolutely not. The Association of Churches and Evangelical Ministries is formed by approximately 75 churches country wide with each district having their own executive. Yesterday, the executive issued a press release in which it condemned the National Revised Gender Policy 2013 and urged the Prime Minister to withdraw the policy. We spoke to the president of the association, Oscar Barrera, who told us more.

New Exhibit Opens At he BHOC
52 years ago, on Tuesday, October 30th, 1961, Belize was rocked by Hurricane Hattie which caused major destruction having spent only three and a half hours over Belize. With recorded winds of 160 mph and gusts of up to 200 mph, the storm surge reached between 13 to 15 feet above sea level. Taking the brunt of the storm were the Turneffe Islands, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye, followed by Belize City and the Stann Creek District. In commemoration of the aftermath of the storm, a new exhibit is on display at the Banquitas House of Culture and reporter Irvin Aragon along with Cameraman Kenric Simpson visited today and relived that historic event; here’s their story. Irvin Aragon- Reporting "Eye of the Storm - Fifty Years since Hurricane Hattie" is the name of a new exhibit that is on display at the Banquitas House of Culture. Hurricane at Halloween, refers to a devastating hurricane which struck British Honduras some 52 years ago, just as the residents of British Honduras were starting to breathe a sigh of relief because the 1961 hurricane season would soon be ending, however, unexpectedly, a powerful Category 5 hurricane named Hattie hit Central America on Hollow’s Eve.

LOVE TV

Armed Robber Holds Up Insurance Office In Northern Belize
One man has been charged for a robbery at a business establishment in Orange Walk Town on Saturday. Reporter Dalila Ical has the story. DALILA ICAL “Orange Walk Police has charged one man for the robbery of the Insurance Corporation of Belize, ICB office in Orange Walk Town. The incident played out on Saturday morning around 9. Reports indicate that the man identified as Stanley Tillett of an Orange Walk Town address entered the ICB office and immediately pulled out a .22 pistol and pointed it at the female employee who was alone in the building at the time. Reports are that Tillett ripped out the phone line, tied the woman and placed her behind the counter; he then searched the cash register taking an undisclosed amount of cash but before he could finish his heist, an employee from a nearby business who says he normally check on the woman at the ICB office stopped by to make his routine check.” WITNESS “That was when my superior told me to go and check and see what happened and what is going on and if everything safe, if everything is alright. When I reached and I looked through the glass I saw a male person standing but I never saw the girl; so, I said maybe she is at the back with the papers; so, I knocked on the door and the man came and opened it. As I was looking to go inside he pulled out the gun and aimed it at me. The man said, ‘you come in wrong time now it’s you who is going to get it and who sent you; the man says I feel like killing you right now; you have spoiled my day and messed up my move; so, with that in mind the man hit me in my head and then he said I have to tie you.”

Plans for September Celebrations Underway
September is less than three months away and that means that the September Celebrations Committee is already gearing up the preparations. Love News today spoke with the President of NICH, Diane Haylock who told us more about what’s in the making DIANE HAYLOCK, President, NICH “We have recently selected the theme for this year’s celebration which is. “Belize in you, Belize in me, land of the free” – short and sweet. We have sent out that information so people can now begin to use that theme in promoting their own events, whether at the national or local levels. I think there were 145 entries; we have a subcommittee of the celebration commission that goes through the entries and then they short list and the commission itself makes the decision. So, we had a short list at our last meeting of 7 entries that was selected and the back and forth among us and you know finally choosing this one, I think it sort of resonated with us; BELIZE IN YOU, a play on BELIEVE IN YOU and it’s a play on the word, Belize. “Belize in you, Belize in me, land of the free” – it was short, it was sweet. Sometimes people write these long sentences for themes and then they don’t role off the tongue very, very easily and that for us ended up being catchy and as short as it was it had a lot of significance.” The winning theme for this year was contributed by Jeanelle Mencias from the City of Belmopan. Haylock says they hope to encourage young people to devise creative pieces centered on the theme to artistically express what it means to them. And of course one of the highlights of the September Celebrations is the Carnival which Haylock says is getting along despite shortcomings.

Teacher Incriminated In Carnal Knowledge Report
Police are looking for a teacher from the Toledo District. This follows a report by a 14-year-olkd student who told police that on May 29 she went to the teacher’s house in Santa Teresa Village where he had sexual intercourse with her. Medical examination was conducted on the minor which revealed that she was carnally known.

Belize Welcomes Russian Ambassador to Belize
This morning, His Excellency Eduard R. Malayan, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Belize, presented his credentials to the Governor General of Belize His Excellency, Sir Colville Young. In his speech, Ambassador Malayan extended warm greetings from His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to the GG and the Belizean people. Ambassador Malayan further expressed the possibility to deepen the relationship between Belize and the Russian Federation in several forms including political, diplomatic, trade, culture, education and technical cooperation. During his visit Ambassador Malayan presented his Letters of Credence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilfred Elrington and CEO, Alexis Rosado.

Belize Gets Rains and Wind From Tropical Depression #2
The second Tropical Depression for the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane season slammed into Belize this afternoon at around 13 MPH with wind gusts of up to 41knots. The storm formed at around nine this morning, some 98 miles ENE of Punta Gorda Town and 60 miles E of Monkey River and made landfall somewhere between Dangriga Town and Independence Village at around three this afternoon. Dennis Gonguez, Chief Meteorologist “As the system moves across here all this will be swinging in that direction over the northern part because the circulation is counter clock wise so this will be swinging up towards the northern part of the country.” Gonguez said that the roughly two inches of rainfall that inundated some of Belize City streets on Sunday and Sunday night were associated with the Depression. By the time the depression passes over Belize over tonight, it would have dumped another three inches of rainfall over the country, and that is cause for concern. Dennis Gonguez, Chief Meteorologist “We’re looking at, in the north this afternoon and this evening up to about 3 – 3 ½ inches up in the north and that could cause some issues then the activities switches to the south tonight where we could be getting 2 – 2 ½ inches between tonight and tomorrow morning. We are looking at the rains being the bigger threat than the winds.” While the greatest part of the storm has passed, the system will continue to deposit rain over the country and Gonguez advises people in low-lying areas to make the necessary adjustments. Dennis Gonguez, Chief Meteorologist “You should take the necessary precautions to safeguard life and property if you see the waters are rising in your vicinity.” Even when the system leaves our area that will not be the last of it. Dennis Gonguez, Chief Meteorologist “It appears that when the system goes into the Bay of Campeche, it could regenerate into a depression once it maintains its status across the Yucatan Peninsula.”

Incomplete Construction In Southern Belize Causes Revenue Loss
Residents of Dangriga are become uneasy because of the slack an important project in that municipality has taken, since it is a means of revenue for the municipality. Correspondent Harry Arzu has more on the issue. HARRY ARZU “The delayed work on the existing Dangriga Market is becoming more of a concern for the residents of this municipality and more so for Mayor Gilbert Swazo.” MAYOR SWAZO “On Wednesday, June 12, 2013, Representative of the World Bank accompanied by their counterparts from the Belize Social Investment Fund was in Dangriga to conduct their midyear review after the phase one component of the Belize Municipality Development Project which consists of the construction of the extension to and the refurbishment of the existing Dangriga Municipal Market. The review included a meeting and a site visit to the market project. During the meeting, I as the Mayor and on behalf of the people of Dangriga explicitly expressed concern on the snail pace speed of the project and its token employment of the residents of Dangriga. I also, as a consequence demanded forcefully yet respectfully that the contractor increase the number of Dangriga residents on the project and to speed up the construction of the project without compromising the quality. The World Bank Representative also expresses their concern on the present state of the project and their disappointment with the contractor for having completed only about 40% of the project.

Flash Floods Are Likely In Southern Belize
The Stann Creek NEMO met this afternoon to discuss the current weather situation. Correspondent Harry Arzu has more details on the meeting. HARRY ARZU “The incessant rains continue to affect the Stann Creek District as a result of the tropical depression that is passing over Belize. A number of primary schools were given permission to close their doors today despite the fact that primary school students were scheduled to start their third term promotional examination here in the municipality. However, NEMO Stann Creek says they are on alert and is monitoring the weather. Mayor Gilbert Swazo is the Chairperson for NEMO Stann Creek.” MAYOR SWAZO “We continue to monitor the tropical depression and along with the Regional Coordinator and the District Coordinator we continue to issue advisory in relation to the likely impacts of the rainy condition. We are giving advisory to all those flood prone areas within Dangriga and within Stann Creek District to be vigilant and to be on the lookout for flash floods. We continue to monitor and at this time we have given advisory to residents within the Stann Creek District and Dangriga in general.”

Belize Joins In UN Public Service Day Observation
Sunday will be observed as the United Nations Public Service Day and Belize will join in on observing the day. But for the entire week starting today, the Ministry of the Public Service will engage in a series of activities to celebrate those public officers who have delivered sterling service over the years. Chairperson of the Public Service National Committee, Freya Parham August, told Love News that the public officers even have a chance to get free check-ups as well. FREYA PARHAM AUGUST “What we will be having on Friday in lieu of the 23rd is an award ceremony and the ceremony is going to be held in Punta Gorda. We have been rotating the ceremony in the different municipalities just to interact with the citizens from different parts of the country. On that day we will be recognizing public officers who have done outstanding work, who have committed their lives, so to speak, for the last 25 years, to the government and people of Belize. So, that is what we will be having on Friday that is the highlight in Belize for our Public Service Day. This week we will be having a week of activities across the country; today in Belize City they will be having a Health Day where public officers can come in and get free tests.

Violin Teacher Attends Julliard 2013 Starling Symposium
Belizean Youth Musician Courtenay Gillett a violinist and the principal violinist and coach in the National Youth Orchestra and Choir of Belize, began playing Suzuki violin at the age of ten. Now at the age of 26, she has a vast amount of achievements, especially in music. Gillett has recently returned from Julliard’s 2013 Starling De-Lay Symposium for Violin studies, which provided intense music training her. She says she applied for the program as a teacher and became a participant. COURTENAY GILLETT “It was to explore how to use violin technique and to help your students get better sound; in this case they focus on the Bach, Partitas and Sonatas and also some other technical studies such as Kreutzer and what it was – it was master classes; so, they had student artists who performed for us and while there, they had professional teachers who came up and they gave their critique on how you can change the sound; it’s all about sound production. As musicians, we can’t allow ourselves to stay the same; when we perform, if I sing today in one way, I don’t expect that ten years down the road for it to sound the same way. It has to evolve even better; so it’s how to get your students to produce even better sounds; not to concentrate on playing notes but creating music.” Now Gillett is getting prepared to join the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, YOA, in touring Central America. She told us what she looks forward to in that venture.

PlusTV

Body found in Western Paradise area
Police have confirmed the discovery of the body of a man inside a house at mile 8 on the George Price Highway. Complete details are not known at this time but police have announced that the body showed apparent chop wounds to the head and have classified the incident...

Two Guatemalan xateros arrested in Belize’s Forest
Two Guatemalan xateros found in Belize’s forest were arrested and charged in San Ignacio. Acording to reports, on Friday the 14th June, the Joint Forces Team on patrol in the Chiquibul base at Tapir Camp detained two male Hispanic persons who were maneuvering to cross the main Caracol Road....

NEMO issues Advisory on Tropical Depression
Belizeans spent a very wet Father’s Day weekend as a result of severe rains affecting the country. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) this morning confirmed that the rains are a result of Tropical Depression No. 2 which formed several hours ago from an area of disturbed weather right...

Dangriga family’s home destroyed by fire
A Dangriga family is tonight asking the public’s assistance after their home was completely destroyed by fire. It happened over the weekend and our Dangriga correspondent Harry Arzu spoke to the owner of the home. He filed the following report. Harry Arzu – Dangriga Correspondent: A two-story wooden structure...

University of Belize Fires Professor Patrick Menzies
University of Belize Fires Professor Patrick Menzies. Mr Menzies is well known within the media circle as a social activist and the UB Lecturer, whose students recently conducted a research which shows that the University of Belize is overcharging students for some courses. This afternoon, Menzies showed up to...

PUP gearing up to lead national demonstration
Earlier this year the People’s United Party (PUP) had plans for a national demonstration to highlight alleged abuses and inefficiencies of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP). But there has been nothing heard of it since and members of the press asked Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca about it on...

NTUCB declares support for Government’s move to recover registries
Last week we aired the Opposition Leader’s response to allegations that he and former Prime Minister Musa signed a secret agreement to extend Management Services Agreement for the International Business Companies Registry and the Shipping Registry for another seven years from 2013 to 2020. In a press release issued...

Life sentences in prison for two men still stand
They were accused of cold-blooded murders in 2002 –after robbing bottling giants Bowen and Bowen, then fleeing the country. First tried and convicted in 2004, the cases of Leslie Pipersburgh and Patrick Robateau have gone as far as London, England and the Privy Council to be decided. But after...

Stabbing and shooting in Belize City
There was both a stabbing and a shooting incident in Belize City over the weekend. On Friday June, 14th, at 9:30pm police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they saw RUSHELL LOPEZ, Belizean Domestic of a Fabers Road address, suffering from (2) stab wounds to the left side...

Belmopan Police investigates shooting and incidents
Belmopan Police investigates shooting incident. On Sunday June 16th shortly after 1pm. Police visited the emergency ward at that Western Regional Hospital where they observe Edwardo Antonio GARCIA, a Salvadoran Farmer of Valley of Peace Village, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the upper rib cage area. Garcia...

Local Musician returns from two-week training at Juilliard Music School
Burrell Boom native and musician and teacher Courtney Gillett has scored a pair of major accomplishments. She has just returned from a two-week training for music teachers at the world-renowned Juilliard Music School in New York City, and soon leaves for Panama as Belize’s first and sole representative in...

Toledo Police investigate Carnal Knowledge accusation
Police in the Toledo District is looking for a teacher after a carnal knowledge report by one of his students. Over the weekend a 14yr, old student visited the Police Station in the company of her father and reported that on May 29th around 7:45pm she went to her...

Police investigate firearms offence and robbery
On Saturday June 15th, Police conducted a searched at the residence of 31yr old Omar CALDERON, of Orange Walk Town. Present at time of the search was CALDERON and a 16year old minor. As a result of the search police recovered a black plastic bag containing (12) rounds of...

Belizean Artists First hosted Father’s Day Song Competition and Concert
On Saturday night, the Association for Belizean Artists First (ABAF) hosted its fifth annual Father’s Day Song Competition and Concert, which for the first time is being held among high school entrants only. Ahead of the concert, on Friday Promoter Tony Wright told us how his organization collaborated with...

Football legend maintains Hostel Field for 27 years
Last week, we met football legend and community activist Bernard “Dubu” Thomas, a star forward on the Coke Milpros teams of the late 1980’s and later on the over-35 Ebony Lake football team. But for the past 27 years, he has been known for something else: a one-man effort...

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Ocean Academy graduates 10!
Ocean Academy High School held it’s annual graduation ceremonies on Friday, June 14th. 10 students graduated with their high school diplomas. Canadian musician, Danny Michel, was the guest speaker. Congratulations to all the graduates on a job well done! May your future be as bright as the Caye Caulker sun. Congratulations to the staff, faculty and friends of Ocean Academy high school as well. You are an oasis of hope for the village.

Crazy Weather on Caye Caulker
Tropical Depression 2 which formed over Belize yesterday is blanketing the country with heavy rains and gusty conditions. Out on Caye Caulker, heavy breakers are rolling in from the reef. Locally, this heavy surf is referred to as “rekaladas”, or rolling waves. The sea is at the level of some of the piers at this point, and there has been some erosion along the seashore.

Thank You from Tracie Young
Tracie Young ran for councilor and won with a total of 315 votes. Chairperson was won by Mr. Wayne Miller, other councilors are Enelda Rosado, Julian Rosado, Ilda Marin, Ralph Humes and Raul Young.

The June 16th, 2013 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• Jarod “Steel Bob” Lamb Finally Captured:
  Jarod “Steel Bob” Arthurs Lamb has been on the San Ignacio police’s most wanted list since the January 2013 home invasion/murder of Belizean businessman Steven Valencia in his Loma Luz Boulevard home in Santa Elena, Cayo. Lamb, who had managed to evade the police for over five months while committing more crimes, was today caught off guard when Belmopan police was alerted of his location. San Ignacio police informed that Lamb, 25, Belizean laborer of Ontario village in the Cayo district was captured in neighboring Camalote village. He was escorted to the Belmopan police station where he is to face charges for crimes he is accused of committing in that area.
• BECOL Warning System Failed:
  Reliable reports reaching us indicates that the Tuesday, June 4, 2013, planned testing of BECOL’s early warning system, in the event of a dam break, failed. The rather embarrassing incident reportedly occurred in the presence of representatives from the National Emergency Management Organization and from the Department of the Environment both legally charged with overseeing such exercises. The system at San Ignacio fire station failed as well as the one located at Black Rock Resort. The siren was to have blasted seven times for three consecutive minutes at three minute intervals none of which reportedly occurred. The failure now begs the question: Is BECOL really prepared to issue the relevant warning in the event of a dam break, or will residences in the destructive path of the dam feel before they hear the warning?
• Hon Rene Montero - Delivering On His Promises:
  2013: In fulfilling his manifesto promise to support young athletes in Cayo Central, Minister of Works and Transport, Hon Rene Montero, today handed over a thousand dollar check to the captain of the Georgeville football team. The donation explained the coach could not have come at a better time as the Georgeville football team is preparing to play, in Georgeville, a friendly match against a Guatemalan team. The coach is asking villagers from Georgeville and surrounding communities to come out and support their team. As works continue to progress in the village, with the upgrading of streets, refurbishing of the community center and support for the feeding program in the village primary school, Minister Montero pledged to continue supporting the community and the entire Cayo Central constituency.
• St. Andrews Excels In PSE:
  Bernice York Institute of Learning is this year’s top PSE student, the management and staff St. Andrews Anglican Primary School in San Ignacio are proud to have produced the next two top students in the Primary School Examination (PSE). St. Andrews Primary School’s Vincent Hulse and Nelson Esteban tied for 2nd place both receiving perfect scores in Math and Science finishing the examinations with an astounding 386 points out of a possible 400. Other top PSE St. Andrews School students are Alain Morris and Zahara Zul who both tied in 6th place.
• Evangelism In Politics:
  When televangelist Silas Malafaia gathered 40,000 followers outside Brazil's congress this week, it wasn't just to raise their arms to the sky and praise the Lord. The rally was a show of support for lawmakers who oppose abortion and same-sex marriage and a message to other politicians that they should not ignore Brazil's fast-growing evangelical churches if they want to stay in office. "Gay activism is moral garbage," Malafaia roared into the microphone to a cheering crowd on the grassy esplanade of the Brazilian capital. "Satan will not destroy our family values."
• Belizeans In The United States And Abroad Agressively Demanding Full Citizenship Rights In Their Homeland:
  By: Wellington C. Ramos When the Government of Belize started the debate to educate Belizeans throughout the country on the Referendum Initiative to take the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (I.C.J.), many Belizeans in the United States and Belize became insecure about their current citizenship status. Since the 1980’s the Government of Belize has been granting citizenship status to many Guatemalans who entered the country illegally. These citizens now have the right to vote, run for political office and become the Prime Minister of Belize. While, the Belizeans who were born in Belize and became citizens of the United States and other countries, are not entitled to these same fundamental rights unless they renounce the citizenships of their new countries.
• Response to Briceno’s letter on behalf of Fortis:
  Contributed by: Candy Gonzalez Mr. Briceno penned a Letter to the Editor that Fortis, Inc. used in a full page ad as part of their attempt to quash any objections to their purchase of C.H. Energy, in upstate New York. One of the letters opposing the takeover was from Robert Kennedy, Jr., who spoke of Fortis’ record in Belize. Briceno felt “compelled to correct the errors in the commentary and present your readers with an accurate account of the developments that took place under my watch”. Unfortunately, his “accurate account” is about as accurate as his pronouncements back in 1999-2008. One has to wonder if Mr. Briceno even wrote this letter. The reason I say this is because he refers to the NEAC as the “National Environmental Assessment Committee.” The NEAC reviews all Environmental Impact Assessments. The Department of Environment was part of Briceno’s portfolio, Wouldn’t he know the NEAC stands for the “National Environmental Appraisal Committee”?
• Belize Embassy in Washington Raises funds for the Inspiration Center:
  The Embassy of Belize in Washington has raised US$60,000 for the Inspiration Center. His Excellency, Ambassador Nestor Mendez, who is visiting Belize, handed over the cheque to the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow on Tuesday. The donation is the proceeds of several fundraising events hosted in Washington between October 2011 and May 2013. The majority of the funds were raised at a hugely successful gala on February 16th, 2013, which brought in over US$40,000. Mrs. Barrow is extremely grateful to Ambassador Mendez and his team for their hard work and dedication as well as the Belizean diaspora in Washington for supporting the important cause of providing a safe, inclusive environment for children with disabilitiesto access much needed services.
• Fuego Bar and Grill- At The New Cayo Welcome Center:
  After a barrage of photos and tempting advertisements promising the latest and greatest “elevated Belizean street cuisine” I was excited to attend the tasting preview for Fuego Bar and Grill this past Monday. Fuego made a great first impression as I stepped up the sidewalk of the new Welcome Center into the patio area with simple clean edges and clever little flairs of style making their appearance as drinks we served and dishes popped out of the kitchen. The interior of the restaurant continued to warm the taste buds with oversized photos of the local market and glowing lamps dangling over the bar illuminating Leo Arguelles and his team of Mixologists as they blended and twisted to keep up with thirsty tasters. Trays of tiny little treats began to make their way out of the kitchen window where I could see Chef Jesse Mas was in his element constantly smiling and making sure every morsel was up to his standard. Each dish that was served was unique and enticing and well prepared. The tastes were a brilliant mix of local flavor and international styling.
• National Gender Policy Issue What’s The Fuss? Part 1:
  On May 17th, news broke about the new Revised National Gender Policy developed by the National Women’s Commission, and the INCLUSION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION into the Gender Policy. Turns out that Caleb Orozco and UNIBAM were actively brought into the process of CREATING the new Gender Policy, and that this Policy was already APPROVED BY CABINET IN MARCH!! Now hold on a minute!! You trying to tell us that while Govt was fighting UNIBAM with one hand in Court, they had ALREADY APPROVED a Gender Policy months before, and UNIBAM helped draft it and it includes the homosexual agenda? How can this be?
• Official Results of the June 9th Village Council Elections:
• Santa Elena Primary School Receives Much Needed Assistance:
  The Infant one and two students of Santa Elena Primary School have been housed in two trailer home classrooms for the past ten years. The classrooms have since deteriorated considerably, with one of the major problems being the flooring of the buildings. We have echoed these sentiments to our community and other stakeholders at every opportunity we get, but to no avail. The cries of our teachers reached the ears of Mr. Richard Zul and Lucille Sosa who visited our school and saw the urgent need for the repairs of the floor and immediately contacted their partner, Mr. Robert Trausch who has been bringing teams to Belize for the past years to do voluntary services in various communities. Proactive, retired couple, Gary and Jerry Dennis, heard about the plans to renovate the floorings at SEPS and assisted Mr. Zul with the ground work before the arrival of the main team. Hence, the students from Nederland High School in Colorado have spent the last week under the guidance of their teacher Ms. Lorie Kinczel working on the flooring of three much needed classrooms.
• STAR Humor
• Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
• Letters to the Editor
• Public Notices

Blogs

Crazy Wet Weather
The one inch of rain that we got yesterday during Lobstermania pool party felt like 7, we could have had a great wet tee shirt contest The band got rained out and anyone who was not taking shelter under the tents or in the pool bar got drenched as well. At one point someone offered me a towel and I had to laugh there was no way I was staying dry until the rain stopped. Between floaty toy wrangling and trying to keep the taco cam streaming a good pool party view, I got soaked big time. It was pretty funny, every time I asked someone sitting in the bar if the webcam view looked ok they gave a few directions to reposition it and would say ‘it looks great.’ Then wen I got back to check it myself on the laptop, it looked all tilted like a drunken monkey had set it up

Why I would like to be an eco-kid
Hi! My name is Lillian Aguirre. I live in hope creek village on the Stann creek valley road. I am attending hope creek Methodist school. I am in the class of standard 4. My favorite sport is volleyball, my father is a diver at Marisol caye, and my mother goes to school at the junior college in Dangriga. She loves nature as well as I do; by the way I am 11years old! I want to be an eco-kid because I love nature and would like to help to protect the rainforest. When I visit the rainforest, the shade from the canopy of tree refreshes me. The smell of green trees relaxes me and the singing of the birds inspires me. I hope and pray that I might find and fallow a jaguar’s paw prints on a trail or I may look up high above and see an owl staring at me. If I am lucky I hope to see soldier ants carrying leave to build their homes wild pigs grunting by howler monkeys hanging on trees branches like thunder.

“I Can’t Stand the Rain” in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
I mentioned in the previous edition that it rained for the greater part of Sunday and right through the night. Well, it didn’t abate and rained just as hard yesterday morning. A rainy and blustery view from the veranda around 8.30 am. I had intended to wash the golf cart because the dusty roads, (and especially on the road north of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge to our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize) make it look very dirty. And very quickly. I then was going to spend some ‘quality time’ on the beach with my book. Well the rain put paid to that idea. I can’t stand the rain when it stops me from doing things that I want to do. With my plan in tatters there was only one sensible form of recourse for me. No, not go back to bed, but to Estel’s for breakfast. What would you have done in the same circumstances? Exactly. So. I got the raincoat out of the cupboard (haven’t had to wear it for nearly a year) and went for my breakfast and found a nearly empty Estel’s . Very unusual. Just as unusual was that I sat inside. It made sense to do do because even though they had the ‘rain shades’ down the rain was getting through them to hit the tables on the deck. In the afternoon I made the trip to visit our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize on my own because Rose wasn’t feeling the greatest. The best place for her was in the dry at our rented condo.

Raggamuffin Tours Summer Promotions
Raggamuffin Tours offers a unique 2 night/ 3 day sailing, snorkeling and fishing adventure from Caye Caulker to Placencia. The tour is unrivaled in quality and value for money and is a must for all who enjoy the Caribbean and the magic it holds. The tour is devised to take passengers away from the high tourist traffic and population areas of San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Belize City by traveling South. Customers are offered the chance to access the more remote parts of the inner reef and therefore some of the world’s most highly regarded snorkeling and even fishing opportunities.

The Cat Lady of Caye Caulker, Belize
Beyond the sounds of the waves and the beat of the reggae music on Caye Caulker, you might also hear a “meow,” or maybe 86 of them. This side of the island is home to P.A.W.’s, run by Madi Collins. She started the animal sanctuary after returning home from the United States. One day in 2003, she was on the dock next to her home and saw a bag floating in the ocean. Four kittens were trapped inside. Madi jumped into the ocean to rescue the kittens and nurse them back to health. “My life changed forever …” Madi told me. “People out here don’t want cats. They beat them or they throw them out in the ocean to die.” Ten years have passed since then. As I visited her in November 2012, I saw the toll that working 12 hours every day has left on her. She said she feels pain, but the cats keep her going. “If I die, who’s going to take care of them?” she said. “The culture here in Belize isn’t like the United States. People won’t think twice about abusing animals.”

GMO Products to stay away from
Ensuring that your family is healthy is a huge priority and buying non-GMO foods should be part of that process. If you are health conscious and want to keep GMO’s out of your diet, here is a list of products that contain GMO so you can avoid them. The list is not 100% guaranteed to list all GMO containing products but it’s a good start. Mainly you should read the ingredients list and research them to see how they may impact you and your family. Baby Food ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients Nabisco (Phillip Morris) Arrowroot Teething Biscuits Infant formula Carnation Infant Formulas(Nestle) AlSoy Good Start Follow-Up Follow-Up Soy Enfamil Infant Formulas (Mead Johnson) Enfamil with Iron Enfamil Low Iron Enfamil A.R. Enfamil Nutramigen Enfamil Lacto Free Enfamil 22 Enfamil Next step (soy and milk-based varieties) Enfamil Pro-Soybee

International Sources

A 6-Month Escape to Belize
Life was good in the States. We had a big house, two cars, and a community of friends in our Pennsylvania hometown. We had meaningful work and our weeks rushed by in a whirlwind of activity for both us and our children. We espoused the American view of “work hard, play hard.” But something was missing. The lifestyle we were living was too stressful, too busy, too unhealthy, and too expensive. We found ourselves accumulating—and worrying about—unnecessary stuff. We felt we were running on a work-and-spend treadmill that didn’t get us anywhere and left us exhausted. In the name of living the good life, we felt we were actually losing ours. So last winter my husband Kevin and I decided we needed a break—a family escape—from what we knew to be “normal.” We realized we couldn’t stay where we were with our four kids and find the change we wanted. We focused on Central and South America because of their proximity to the U.S., their warm tropical climates, and their low cost of living. We spent many hours online researching and talking to expats who lived in the countries we were considering: Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, and Ecuador. We paid flying visits to several places to see in person if we would like it there. Ultimately, we decided on Belize, nestled between Mexico and Guatemala and facing the morning sunrise over the Caribbean Sea. A sparsely-populated country of around 300,000 people, Belize is English-speaking. It’s also very affordable and would allow our family of six to live comfortably, even without selling off everything we owned in the States.

President Otto Pérez Molina: Guatemala Dry Canal Plan Well Underway
Guatemala’s President Otto Pérez Molina, has said that his country’s plans for a dry canal between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are more advanced than a similar project being undertaken by Nicaragua, The president made the statement in Taiwan, where he is on an official visit. In an article published in Guatemala’s Prensa Libre newspaper today, Perez is quoted as saying that “there is a difference” between the Guatemalan dry inter-oceanic canal and Nicaragua’s project made official in a concession given on June 13, to the Chinese company HK Nicaragua Canal Development. “Nicaragua’s project is more akin to the Panama canal,” while Guatemala’s is “a project of 390 km, with oil and gas pipelines, a federal expressway and railway line,” said the President.

Tropical depression heads towards Belize
Tropical depression number two formed on Monday in the far western Caribbean Sea and, at 5:00 pm EDT, was 10 miles northeast of Monkey River Town, Belize, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, with higher gusts. According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the depression was moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph and this general motion, with a decrease in forward speed, is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the centre will move over Belize and northern Guatemala on Monday night and early Tuesday, and over eastern Mexico later on Tuesday. The depression could emerge into the southern Bay of Campeche by early Wednesday. Weakening will occur as the centre moves over land on Monday night and Tuesday. Some strengthening is possible by early Wednesday if the centre emerges into the Bay of Campeche.

June 17, 2013

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Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Wolfe’s Woofers: Talking to the ladies
Well, of course what would you expect to happen at Ladies' night at Wet Willy's? FUN of course!!

ABC celebrates Father’s Day
The students at ABC Pre-School on Ambergris Caye had a very special day on Friday June 14th. All students were invited to bring along their dad to a Father’s Day event that the management had planned as part of the school’s calendar of events. The Father’s Day event included arts and a few songs which the students had prepared weeks in advance. “This is the first time we have had so many dads for an event like this. We are happy that they took time out to be with their kids,” said a very happy Wil Alamilla, Principal of ABC Pre-School. He said that the event is part of the school’s many activity which forms part of their school’s curriculum. “Today we invited the dads of all the kids. Events like this allow family member to come and spend time with their children at school and see what they are doing.”

Misc Belizean Sources

Caye Caulker Election results
Official results...meet your new CCVC Councillors!!! Enelda Rosado 414, Tracy Young 315, Julian Rosado 298, Ilda Marin 270, Ralph Humes 258, Raul young 243 official results for Chairman.... Congrats to our new Chairman of the Village Council Mr. Wayne Miller Official tally is Marcial Alamina 29, Errol Guizar 53, Wayne Allison Miller 303, Eduaro Arceo 108, Mineli Young 234 and 40 rejected votes.

BECOL Warning System Failed
Reliable reports reaching us indicate that the Tuesday, June 4, 2013, planned testing of BECOL's early warning system, in the event of a dam break, failed. The rather embarrassing incident reportedly occurred in the presence of representatives from the National Emergency Management Organization and from the Department of the Environment, both legally charged with overseeing such exercises. The system at San Ignacio fire station failed as well as the one located at Black Rock Resort. The siren was to have blasted seven times for three consecutive minutes at three minute internals non of which reportedly occurred. The failure now begs the question. Is BECOL really prepared to issue the relevant warning in the event of a dam break, or will residences in the destructive path of the dam feel before they hear the warning?

Belize Takes Steps to Improve Internet Service
After ranking dead last in a recent survey of Internet pricing and speeds in English-speaking Caribbean countries, Belize is taking steps to improve. The country’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) hosted Belize’s first Internet Exchange Point Open Forum, bringing together international and local stakeholders to discuss options for improving the quality and lowering the cost of Internet services for Belizeans. PUC Commissioner Kimano Barrow stated, “The PUC wants to create an environment where Internet based companies and entrepreneurs can thrive in Belize. We were able to get two internationally recognised experts in this area to share their knowledge with our local stakeholders.” Over 65 persons representing ISPs, business, government agencies, civil society groups and academia, attended the half-day event in Belize City on June 6. Interactions centered on the economic and social benefits of improved local Internet service and how best these benefits can be realised in a Belize context. Bill Woodcock and Bevil Wooding from the US-based Internet research and training firm Packet Clearing House (PCH) facilitated the special forum.

Catwalk in the Jungle
The Catwalk in the Jungle Fashion Show at the Cayo Welcome Center last night was an outstanding success. The venue was filled as the models of all ages showed the fashions on the catwalk. Kubuli sponsored the event, and had special prices on beer. There was a silent auction with such great prizes as resort stays, canoe trips, and phones. Emmanuel Mangar was there strumming, and Almost 7 ended the night with some rock and roll. "What a great night at the Cayo Welcome Center! It was packed, and the fashion show went off without a hitch. Emmanuel Mangar played, as did Almost 7(a mix of Ascenthium and Echoes). The models did a wonderful job on the catwalk."

Calla Creek's New Basketball Court
Feelgood news of the day. 4 the World has finished the basketball court at Calla Creek primary school. Thanks for all your hard work over the years, 4 the World. They've also uploaded a little video entitled 'What If,' of which some was filmed in Calla Creek. "We finished up the baskeball court last week in Calla Creek and put basketballs at the tienda that any kids in the village can use whenever they want to play."

Chaa Creek's Eco Kids Summer Camp
There's still time to submit essays for Chaa Creek's Children’s Summer Camp Scholarship Program. They have a short video out about the program. "Every year we team up with a number of private sector businesses to offer a weeklong summer camp scholarship program for Belize's resident school children between the ages of 8 to 13 years old in order to educate them about biodiversity, natural resource conservation, the ancient Maya, traditional healing, and the three "R's" Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The program aims to install memorable values that will have an impact on the way children conduct their lives, their relationship with our fragile Earth, and the sustainable development of our future."

SCNW Box Kart Race
The Santa Cruz Neighborhood Watch is having a Box Kart Race today at 10am at the Santa Cruz park. There's no fee to enter the race. This event will be for everyone, so bring the family out for some fun and games. Call 600-8947 for more information.

Caye Caulker Chronicles

New Village Council for Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker Village has a new village council. On Sunday, June 16th, villagers elected Mr. Wayne Miller as the new Chairman. Six councilors were also elected. They are: Enelda Rosado 414 Tracy Young 315 Julian Rosado 298 Ilda Marin 270 Ralph Humes 258 Raul young 243 Now that the election and campaigning is over, it’s time to rally behind our new chairman and councilors to make the village work for all of us. Congratulations to the new council!

Blogs

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
Here in Belize we’re celebrating in the usual fashion, as well as having a special Father’s Day celebration and song competition at the at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts in Belize City, which sounds like a great idea. The competition will feature songs in different genres done by students and is being hosted by the Association for Belizean Artist First and the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports. Belizean Artists First vice president Jorge Ernesto Babb had this to say: “My message to the fathers is to go to the Bliss and listen to the children and get the wisdom and the understanding that they are putting out for you; they love you, they honour you, respect you and they want to unite with you.”

International Sources

U.K. Territories to Join Tax Agreement
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday that Britain's 10 crown dependencies and overseas territories—including financial centers like the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Jersey—will sign an international convention to help combat tax evasion. Together with advancing free trade and increasing corporate transparency, combating tax evasion and avoidance is among the priorities of Britain's presidency of the Group of Eight nations this year. Mr. Cameron is due to host a G-8 summit, with leaders of the U.S., Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Italy and the European Union, on Monday and Tuesday in Northern Ireland. The leaders of the overseas territories and crown dependencies agreed to sign the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters following meetings with Mr. Cameron on Saturday. The convention is led by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and has been signed by more than 50 nations. The crown dependencies and overseas territories—Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man—also agreed to produce action plans about providing information on who owns which companies and who benefits, the so-called beneficial ownership, Mr. Cameron said.

Local film for Belize Film Festival
Local short film Sweet TnT written and directed by Trinidadian Andre Johnson, has been selected for the 2013 Belize International Film Festival (BIFF), a major accolade for this filmmaker and Trinidad and Tobago, since the mission of this prestigious Film Festival is to “highlight culturally stimulating films to the Belizean audience.” The film will compete with 13 others from countries including the United States of America, Cuba, Ukraine, Poland, France, Australia, and Spain. Sweet TnT was produced by The Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (ttfc) and Johnson and was shot on location in several areas of Trinidad and Tobago. It was screened in 2011 at the Portobello Film Festival, London and The Antigua International Film Festival, Antigua and as part of Dark Tales from Paradise. Sweet TnT was combined with Radica directed by Francis Escayg and The Midnite Affair directed by Ryan Khan to form Dark Tales from Paradise, which was the premier feature film to open the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2010.

New World Oil and Gas secures six-month extension for Danish licences
New World Oil and Gas, an oil and gas operating company focused on Denmark and Belize, has secured a six-month extension in work programme commitment deadlines for Licences 1/09 and 2/09 at its Danica Jutland Project in Western Denmark. The company said that the extension had been discussed with Danica Jutland ApS and the Danish North Sea Fund, the company’s 20% full-paying partner, and approved by the Danish Energy Agency. It said that the agreement would allow the results of the recent acquisition of 3D seismic survey and some soil geochemistry work over the Jensen prospects to be incorporated into a forward work programme on these licences. In addition to allowing New World more time to evaluate the 3D data interpretation and the prospects defined by the survey, the extra six months would provide New World with more time to continue on-going discussions with potential farm-in partners, the group added. William Kelleher, Chief Executive Officer of New World Oil and Gas, said: ‘We continue our efforts to secure a farm-out agreement that will allow us to drill as many of our drill-ready prospects as possible at our Danica Jutland Project and, at the same time, highlight the value we have created to date through our seismic acquisition programme.

De Vos and Canada Win
New Town signing Jason De Vos captained Canada to a second 4-0 victory over Belize within four days as they progressed to the semi-final stages of CONCACAF's lengthy World Cup qualifying campaign. De Vos played the full 90 minutes of the game - his 46th full cap - picking up a yellow card in the first half. Canada's goals came from Tomasz Radzinski, Dwayne De Rosario (2) and Jim Brennan. Head coach and former Town defender Frank Yallop was pleased with the 8-0 aggregate victory: “Good to get through to the next round. With two very good results, we are looking forward to the semi-final round.”

Disturbed weather has medium chance of becoming tropical cyclone
An area of disturbed weather associated with a tropical wave near the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras became better organised on Sunday, with a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone. According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, although this system is expected to move over Central America Sunday night, some development is possible if the disturbance emerges into the northwestern Caribbean Sea in a day or so. This system has a medium chance -- 30 percent -- of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Regardless of development, heavy rains and gusty winds are likely over portions of Central America during the next couple of days.

Belize Food – Best Served at Street Food Stands
Belize, as of right now, is probably our favorite country. The beautiful weather, beaches, and people make it a place where I would consider moving to. However, the most fun we had was eating Local Belize Food at the tons of food stands that are as varied in food as they are in character. Yes this is a Food stand and was a great spot for a quick morning coffee while looking for a place to get some breakfast.

How to Ditch a Vehicle in Belize: A Running Diary, Part I
After a whirlwind 72 hours last week that saw me leave home with my prized Jeep and return empty-handed, I figured the story deserved it’s own kind of post. So… welcome to my Belize-trip running diary! And yes, if you’ve ever read any of Bill Simmons’ running diaries over at Grantland.com, I’m not ashamed to say I totally “borrowed” the format from him. At the very least, I hope this gimmick makes for more interesting storytelling, as I’ll narrate it exactly as the event unfolded. On with the diary:

June 16, 2013

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 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Manatee mortality rate on the rise
Manatees occur along the coast of Belize and have been studied for the past 16 years. Presently, an NGO, Sea-To-Shore Alliance along with its local partners conducts research which focuses on movements and ecology of the Antillean manatees. Over time, 161 manatees have been captured and approximately 40% of them have been tagged with a satellite and/or radio transmitter for tracking purposes.

Caye Caulker Village Council Chairperson Candidates provide answers at a peaceful forum
Islanders on Caye Caulker will be going to the polls on Sunday June 16th. While elections at the village level are a little different than town and national elections, a number of people have openly declared their intention to run as candidates. Five people will be running for the position of Chairman. Ahead of the elections, The San Pedro Sun newspaper, working in partnership with the Caye Caulker Village Council hosted a “Meet the Candidates Question and Answer Forum” on June 12th. The five candidates are Wayne Miller, Philip Errol Guizar, Mineli Young, Marcial Alamina III and Eduardo Arceo. The event was well attended and questions ranged from issues relating to tourism, development, infrastructure and roads, taxes, noise pollution, governance and even crime. Each candidate was allowed four minutes for an opening statement where they introduced themselves as well as the reasons why they are running for Village Council.

Misc Belizean Sources

San Pedro Sailing Club Lobsterfest National Regatta 2013
Come watch the young sailors of Belize battle it out on the water and enjoy a charity beach BBQ and presentations by ACES (a live crocodile) and Belize Shark Awareness (no live shark unfortunately)

Belize Football Telethon
Final Total for the Telethon: 115,079.84 Thank you Belize! (Belize National Football Team)

SCNW Box Kart Race
The Santa Cruz Neighborhood Watch is having a Box Kart Race tomorrow at 10am at the Santa Cruz park. There's no fee to enter the race. This event will be for everyone, so bring the family out for some fun and games. Call 600-8947 for more information.

ROWKIDS in San Antonio
Feelgood news of the day. Rowkids has been in Cayo a lot lately, and in San Antonio, they've just finished building new restrooms for the primary school students, and installing a new Safe Water system there to provide safe drinking water. Thanks, Rowkids! "Great team of Servents from New Life Church as they workedin San Antonio Belize. Finishing 6 restrooms and and installing electric in the Safe Water Building. They worked hard and played hard. Showing Christ's live. More pictures to come so keep checking back." "Pictures of the 6 new bathroom that Wright Christian Acadamy from Tulsa Ok. helped build in May 2013. Huge blessing for the 165 Student at this primary school. Great job Wright Christian!"

SHC's Future Bus Stop
Sacred Heart College is getting a new bus stop. There will be a big area for buses to pull in so they can load and unload students safely. This will also stop there from being any traffic backups because the buses won't be stopping in the middle of the road anymore. Congratulations, SHC! "SHC is getting a bus stop, which will be safer for the students, and will ease up on traffic since the buses won't stop in the middle of the road, like idiots. Looking great so far, and they are moving quickly."

Fuego Bar and Grill Opens
The Fuego Bar and Grill has officially opened. They opened on Tuesday night, to much fanfare. They have a beautiful place at the Cayo Welcome Center. They open at 4:00pm Tuesdays through Saturdays.

LOVE TV

Churches Oppose Gay Pageant
Yesterday the Association of Evangelical Churches and Evangelical Missions from Orange Walk sent out a press release stating their opposition against a gay pageant that was planned to be held on June 29th. In the release the association claims the event violates the principles and moral values of the majority of Orange Walk residents and at the same time promotes the lifestyle of the homosexual community. We spoke with the organizer of the event, Marcos, who told us that at no point their agenda was to “pervert” the Orange Walk community. ARTURO CANTUN REPORTING MARCUS “Well for now we are just basically standing back and allowing the churches to do what they have to do; we don’t want a conflict with the churches, we are not people to cause violence or anything like that. This is just solely a private event and we will keep it like that; all our guests are registered and we will give the churches the opportunity to do what they have to do and when they are done, we will just continue with our private event..” ARTURO “Are you guys are planning on moving the event from that place to go somewhere more private?” MARCUS “We are still meeting with our partners at this moment but that is a possibility. We don’t want to be confrontational with any of the church members and also the safety of my guests and the people attending, that is very important to us. So, for that reason we are thinking about making some changes from the current location.” ARTURO “This not the first time you guys are holding this type of event; now they are calling it a homosexual pageant how you would describe it?” MARCUS “I would describe it as an entertainment for people of our interest; there is no way possible that our agenda is to pervert the society. All the guests that are attending are people of our kind; people that share similar interest and it is not a public event and it is very private and positive, for that matter. So, our intension is just simply entertainment for our group and people of our kind.” ARTURO “You are saying, ‘people of our kind’ what do you mean by that?” MARCUS “Well by that I mean the LGBT; the gays, bisexual and stuff like that; people that share similar interest.” The organizers have postponed the event and are planning to move the venue for the pageant.

Caye Caulker Chronicles

Tracie Young for Councilor
Tracie Young shares some of her views with you and asks for your support on Sunday. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201340245207134

Eduardo Arceo’s Message to the Islanders

Village Council elections are set for Sunday!
Village Council elections on the island of Caye Caulker are set for Sunday, June 16th. Five candidates are vying for the post of Chairman, while at least fifteen people have thrown their hat into the ring for the six councilor positions. There are two full slates that have been presented. The remaining candidates are all running as independents.

Lobster season opens today
Lobster season opens today. The opening of the season heralds the coming of the yearly Lobster Fest. The season runs for 8 continuous months, after which it closes for 4 so that the lobsters can reproduce. The village of Caye Caulker, long before it was discovered by tourists, was a fishing village whose main catch was lobster. The first and largest fishing cooperative in the country of Belize was started here on Caye Caulker, and is still in existence today.

Blogs

Melting and loving the new taco cam view
It is a totally melty day out there, unless you are lucky enough to be in air conditioned places today, be prepared for your showers to feel like they lasted 3 minutes if that. Loving our new live streaming resort cam view from Grand Caribe go to taco cam page to check it out. For those of you who cannot make it, we will be broadcasting Lobstermainia 2013 at Cowboy’s pool bar live so you can still join the fun. I am sure a few of you will be adding San Pedro Lobster Festival 2014 to your travel list while you watch. Going to go take a break and rest up for the opening night party tonight at El Divino. This years menu: Lobster Sushi Roll, Tropical Lobster and Key Lime Pie price $50 BZD. Will add a few pics of last night’s boxing match in central park and a short video clip to this post asap.

Go Girls Go! Chaa Creek likes the “Girls Fly” Initiative
Every now and then something comes along through the bush telegraph that grabs our attention and makes the day a little bit brighter. This time it’s a report that that Belize’s First Lady Kim Simplis Barrow is behind an interesting initiative that kicks off with an exciting event this month. Word is that over ten thousand Belizean girls are expected to become involved in “Girls Fly” a motivational program designed to help young women realise their dreams by believing in themselves and others. Led by Gael Sylvia Pullen, a businesswoman, media host and speaker from the US, the effort also involves the very inspirational Ms Simplis Barrow and Dr Carol Babb, the Deputy Chief Education Officer from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and sounds like a very worthy endeavour. The three women met with the local media on June 10 and described Girls Fly as an inspirational week of motivational talks and activities, beginning June 24, for Belizean girls and women. Ms Sylvia Pullen said the idea is for, “…girls and women from the local community to have an experience that empowers them into believing into their dreams, to understand the power of their dreams and to celebrate them”

The Good and Bad of Feeding Lionfish to Other Marine Life
The invasion of lionfish into areas of the world where they are not natively found has become a huge problem in the marine world. Lionfish were typically only found in warm regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and thirty years ago, there were no sightings of lionfish in Atlantic waters off of the coast of the USA. However, over the last ten years or so, they have become more and more common in areas like North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Bermuda and Belize, and have even been identified as far north as New York. Why Is The Lionfish Invasion A Bad Thing? The lionfish invasion is problematic for several reasons. For example: Lionfish are voracious eaters. They herd juvenile reef fish and feast on them, their stomachs able to stretch to three times their original size as they gorge, and the stomach contents of dead lionfish have shown that not only do they eat lots of juvenile fish, but they also favour a lot of different species. Reef fish are key factors in keeping a reef clean. If there are no more fish to eat the algae on the reefs the reefs will die and this will have catastrophic consequences. Lionfish have no natural predators in these areas. They breed prolifically all year round.

Drinks for Dieters
Ok folks. Time to get a post on having fun while trying to be healthy. Here are a few things to help you on your way…. While alcohol is fat-free and low in carbs, it’s important to remember that it’s the calories that count when it comes to weight management. As you know, alcohol and dieting don’t mix well—your body processes alcohol first, leaving carbohydrates and fats to get stored as fat instead of getting used as fuel.

June 15, 2013

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 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Silly for Sliders
We all have things that we look forward to throughout the year. Maybe it’s a holiday or celebrating your birthday that you eagerly anticipate each year, or maybe it’s a favorite season or event? Some could say they live for the opening season of baseball while others can’t wait for mangos to ripen on the tree. Whatever the occasion may be, you find yourself counting the days, hours and minutes until the long awaited day has arrived. Gushing with embarrassing enthusiasm you find yourself acting like a kid on Christmas morning or the birthday girl who finally got her pony, your zeal and excitement is off the charts. One such occasion that has me salivating in anticipation each year is the opening of lobster season on June 15th. Of course this means bring on the grilled lobster, the stewed and stirred and baked and broiled lobster…all a delicious treat, but you can have them…because I will be waiting on the doorstep at Casa Picasso on the evening of June 15th waiting for LOBSTER SLIDERS!

Prom 2013 – SPHS Graduates get Glam!
Thursday June 13th was a highly anticipated night, as San Pedro High School (SPHS) graduates had the opportunity to dress up for that most glamorous of occasions: Prom Night! As always, a crowd awaited the arrival of the couples, dressed to impress, as they walked the red/purple carpet heading to their party station at El Divino at Banana Beach Resort. Below is a gallery of some of the evening’s looks.

Matachica launches San Pedro Day Camp
Just in time for the summer holidays, Matachica Resort and Spa is pleased to announce the launch of San Pedro Day Camp. After identifying a need for summer activities for Belizean children, Nicholas Lighter, son of Daniel Lighter, owner of both properties, established a brand new summer program, San Pedro Day Camp. Nicholas and four of his Montreal-based classmates have banded together to fundraise and organize San Pedro Day Camp, a nonprofit summer camp that will offer fun outdoor activities to local children to enjoy the summer months with friends. The camp will offer daily activities such as swimming, soccer, football, volleyball, dodge ball, beach games, treasure hunts, snorkeling, board games, and arts & crafts. Based at Isla Bonita Elementary School, San Pedro Day Camp will host 50 children each week throughout July. As a result of their fundraising efforts in Canada, Nicholas and his team are able to cover all expenses for the program, including free camp T-shirts, daily snacks, games, sports equipment and arts & crafts supplies. Each child will be able to enjoy the fun of summer camp without any costs to their families.

An overview of the national PSE results
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports officially released the Primary School Examination (PSE) results late on Friday June 7th, and one student from Ambergris Caye is amongst the highest in the country. 13 year-old Jennessa Sierra of San Pedro Roman Catholic School (SPRC) came in second in the entire country from amongst 7,359 students who sat the exams. She tied with two other students from the Cayo District. According to Miriam Pott Codd, the Education Officer for Belize Rural South, of the 197 registered students, 192 sat the exam on two separate dates earlier this year. Sierra did not only capture the highest in both her school and on the island, but tied with Nelson Esteban and Vicente Hulse of Saint Andrews Anglican School in the Cayo District for second place countrywide. She obtained a total of 386 points of a possible 400 points. A few minutes after receiving the good news at her home, an overjoyed Sierra spoke to The San Pedro Sun. “It feels great and I am amazed. I knew that if I put my all I would do good. I didn’t expect to do so well!” she said. “I want to thank my parents, teachers, friends and everyone who helped me.” Sierra added, “This means a lot to me and I don’t have words to describe how I feel.” She plans to attend San Pedro High School (SPHS).

Ambergris Today

Belize in Cover of National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine June/July Issue
National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine June/July issue features Belize’s Turtle Inn on its cover. The magazine features the World’s Best Eco-lodges where it highlights 25 spots to sleep in the wild. Here is what National Georgrphic wrote about Belize’s Turtle Inn:

A Night In Dubai Themed Prom for San Pedro High
San Pedro High School Prom Night has become a spectator’s sport on Ambergris Caye as hundreds flocked to the street outside of Banana Beach Resort, prom venue, to marvel at the beautiful dresses and suits worn by the senior class of 2013. This year’s prom theme was “A Night in Dubai” and was held at El Divino Restaurant on Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Misc Belizean Sources

“Biggest Ever” Lobster Fest Kicks Off in Belize
This year’s series of Lobster Fests celebrated along Belize’s Caribbean coast and cayes is set to become the biggest yet, with three main festivals taking up most of the month of, according to The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s food and beverage manager. “The Lobster Fests have always been something people all over Belize look forward to, and as more and more travellers discovered Belize, the seasonal parties began growing from small local celebrations to major events.” Ms Fleming Bradley explained, “And this year, judging from the number of enquiries we’ve had, we’ll be seeing the fests biggest yet,” she added. Originally held in fishing villages to celebrate the opening of lobster season in June, the lobster fests would welcome in the first catches of the season and the long awaited return of income for many of the villages’ inhabitants. Musical groups would arrive and along with conspicuous consumption of seafood and drinks there would be dances and beachside barbeques.

Caribbean fisheries experts attend 9th CRFM Scientific Meeting
National and regional fish experts from across the Caribbean are meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this week for the 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, organised and sponsored by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). The group—which is meeting in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines this week, until Friday, June 14—is currently engaged in working group meetings to conduct scientific data analyses for providing advice to the region’s fishery managers, to review fisheries management progress and ongoing challenges, and to identify priorities for advancing statistical and other scientific approaches required to support new and emerging management needs of major fisheries within the CRFM membership and the Wider Caribbean. During this 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, national fisheries reports from CRFM member states—which provide details on production data and the fishing fleet—are also being presented.

Catwalk in the Jungle Models
The Catwalk in the Jungle Fashion Show is tonight at the Cayo Welcome Center. It starts at 7:00pm. Emmanuel Mangar will be performing during the event. A portion of the proceeds from the event will got to a feeding program to support families with children who are unable to provide nutritious meals for the kids.

Commemorating our Fishermen – 18th Annual Lobster Festival!
Caye Caulker’s biggest annual event, Lobster Fest is just one week away! We are anticipating another exciting weekend celebration commencing with the Miss Lobster Fest Pageant Friday evening at 7pm and ending with the beach party on Sunday, June 30. As the official lobster season opens today, June 15, fishermen will set their lobster traps and get ready to reel in the bountiful catch and so we mustn’t forget why we celebrate: “to commemorate all the fishermen who have made Caye Caulker what it is today.” Caye Caulker began as a fishing village, with lobster as its main catch. Today fishermen observe conservation policies which regulate their catch. The length of the lobster’s tail must weigh over four ounces or the cape length/carapace must exceed three inches. The lobster season ends in mid-February, 2014. As we kick off the new lobster season during next week’s Lobster Fest, we can expect an array of lobster dishes, fourteen food booths, a live band, local DJs and eight other booths including The Fisheries Department, Wildlife Conservation, and the Belize Shark Project. Contests including the “biggest-lobster” contest and perhaps another “greasy pole climb” contest will also highlight the weekend. This highly sought out annual event is a celebration for the entire family –the young and the young at heart and we encourage those who miss the island to visit next week, or to simply visit our Facebook page for a mini play-by-play of Lobster Fest 2013. Let the celebration begin!

Channel 7

Belizean Student Dies In Taiwan Cycle Accident
Tonight a family in the Cayo district is making preparations to bring their loved one home – after Clarencio Coc died in Taiwan where the 26 year old was on an academic scholarship. According to reports posted by Belizean students in Taiwan on Facebook, last night in Pingtung, Taiwan, Coc was on the back of a motor scooter driven by a Guatemalan student, Mervin Hernandez when it was hit by an out of control car. Hernandez was reportedly crushed under the car while Coc flew into a ditch. It was in a heavy rain, so he was reportedly carried downstream – and rescuers took some time to find his body. But by the time they did, he had already drowned. The accident is reported to have happened near the entrance to their school, the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology.

Convicted Quadruple Murderers Denied By Appeals Court
You probably remember convicted quadruple murderers Leslie Pipersburg and Patrick Robateau. In March 2004, they were convicted of killing security guards Kevin Alvarez and Fidel Mai and civilians David Flores and Cherry Tucker after a robbery of Bowen and Bowen in July of 2002. They appealed that conviction at the Privy Council, and in February of 2008, the court quashed it and set aside their death sentences. They were granted a retrial, which took place in April of 2011, where they were convicted a second time, and sentenced to life in prison. Well, they weren’t satisfied with that, so they filed an appeal which was heard today at the Court of Appeal. Attorney Simeon Sampson presented the court with one main ground on behalf of his client Patrick Robateau. After the session 7News discussed it with him outside of court, and here’s how he explained it: Simeon Sampson - Attorney for Patrick Robateau "Robateau was intercepted in Mexico, apparently in flight and he was taken by the Mexican authorities to our Belize Embassy in Mexico City where he was met by Mr. Figueroa, our Ambassador at the time, and the case for the prosecution - not the trial - was that when the Ambassador was apparently investigating this matter, it was back and forth with the Belize authorities and so forth.

Belizean Detained In Cuba With Chinese Passports
Tonight, a Belizean man is detained by authorities in Cuba after he tried to get into that country while carrying two Chinese Passports. 7news has learned that he is 28 year old Carlos Murga who was intercepted flying into the Jose Marti Airport in Havana Cuba over last weekend. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belize has confirmed through a spokesperson that the Belize Embassy in Cuba is aware of his detention and is assisting him as they would any Belizean detained by a foreign authority. Now, a case like this points immediately to the possibility of human smuggling and visa fraud – and in previous cases Cuba has been known as a gateway for this type of illicit activity. Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse confirmed today that his ministry is aware of the case and is quote, “gathering information so that it can get a clear picture of what has taken place.”

Hon. Briceno Defends Fortis
Former PUP Leader John Briceno is making news tonight after a thousand word letter he wrote to a US Newspaper was used as an advertisement by Fortis in New York Newspapers. You’ll recall that Fortis used to own BEL and still owns BECOL. Well, now Fortis is trying to purchase an electric company in the Central Hudson Valley in New York State and must appear before the New York Public Service Commission to prove their worthiness. Opponents of the FORTIS in the US have enlisted the support of conservationists in Belize – and Fortis, it seems has enlisted Briceno. His letter is in response to a newspaper commentary published in the US by Robert Kennedy, Jr. in which he said that Fortis has a deceitful past and pointed to its track record in Belize when the Chalillo Dam was built in 2003 – when Briceno was Minister of Natural resources.

An Educational Legend Retires
Today was the last day of the 2012-2013 high school year at Wesley College in Belize City, and it was also the last day for Brenda Armstrong as the school’s principal. She’s a career educator had an institution-defining tenure of 24 years as the school’s leader, but she’s decided that it is time for her to retire from the teaching profession. But after so many years, one just doesn’t end a profession without a major disruption in routine and lifestyle. So 7News caught up with her today where she discussed the decision. She also told us about the hundreds of Belizeans she’s influenced, and how her final class gave her a grand send-off yesterday: Brenda Armstrong - Outgoing Principal, Wesley College "That going away session was really a heart-warming experience, 24 years as a school leader is not a short time and it doesn't hit you until you actually are in the position of having somebody read a citation for you, or write a poem for you, sing a song and all of that was done by my students and they really made me feel very appreciated. In fact it was called Appreciation Day and it made me realize that I have touched the lives of a lot of people.

FFB Needs Half Mil
Tomorrow will make exactly 2 weeks since Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Barrow held the Inspiration Telethon to raise half a million dollars for the Inspiration Center. And now the Football Federation of Belize is hoping the public is still inspired to give them – half a million for their historic run to the Gold Cup. They’re asking each Belizean to donate at least 1 dollar to fund the National Team’s first appearance in the Cup, which will be played next month in the US. They’ve organized their own Telethon, which happens tomorrow, and this evening, 7News spoke to a representative of the FFB, who explained how it will work: Marlon Kuylen - Executive Member, FFB "Well we're hoping that the Belizean citizens continue to display the patriotism that they have or they did when we were playing in Costa Rica. We can only do as good as our funds allow us to. Right now that the team is in full camp which means 4-5 days they'll be at the federation, it's costing us around $13,000 a week. We have to train in the Mountain Pine Ridge because of the altitude in Salt Lake City where we will play Costa Rica so the players need to do that kind of training to get used to it. Then again there's the diet, a special diet that they have to abide by and if we don't get the funding, something will have to suffer."

Marin On Mute But Popular At The Polls
Health Minister Pablo Marin is probably the only politician in recent memory who’s made news by not saying anything. Marin appeared front and center at a press conference two weeks ago to discuss the 13 babies that died in the pediatric intensive care unit. But he was the only one at the head table who didn’t say anything. Now, to put it kindly, he is not a man known for his oratorical skills – and it was a heated event, so we could kind of understand his role there as a mute placeholder. But others have taken exception to it – and now are taking further exception because at his press conference this week – the PM basically said, it’s ok if the Honourable Marin keeps quiet, because he wins elections. Here’s what the PM said, and what the Leader of the Opposition had to say in response:.. Reporter "This is your Minister of Health and he does not say a word - I don't know if he was not allowed to speak or he chose not to speak." Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "You know I was at that press conference and I'm doing a press conference and there's three Ministers, four Ministers here - it's good to welcome Santi back after his accident - and they don't speak.

UDP Claiming Village Victories, PUP Playing The Romantic
And while Fonseca took issue with Barrow’s explanation about Marin’s popular successes as a fair trade for his press conference quietude – the background issue is that success at the village council polls. We are loathe to get into village council politics, because the slates do not run under PUP or UDP colours and to know who’s running for which party, you’d really have to know the village personalities. But it’s made it to the news tonight because– and with just a week left to go, the UDP is boasting that it has made impressive gains in the number of village councils it controls. Those gains have been largely in the Belize District Stann Creek districts while the PUP has made gains in the Toledo District. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister boasted that the UDP has increased its hold on village seats by 10% since the last round of council elections in 2010 which would mean that in 2013, Francis Fonseca’s PUP is faring off worse than John Briceno’s did in 2010. Here are the comments of both political leaders:… Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize "This Sunday is the last Sunday in the 2013th Village Council election. Every single Sunday the UDP has been recording massive victories, we're now at a point where we're at 67.7% of the seats we have won. In 2010 we won 54."

Seeking Community Healing
For as many problems as there are on the southside of Belize City – there are thinkers with solutions – some say a curfew will help, others say poverty alleviation, some say more community policing. But having an opinion is easy, it’s doing the work that’s the tough part. And that’s why Perry Sticks Smith stands out; he’s planning his second day of healing for this weekend at the Albert Hoy Field on Raccoon street. What’s a day of healing? Well it started early this year in the George Street community after the Dean Street Massacre. Sticks plugged into that effort and used it as a model which he’s now taking to the Queen Square and Mesopotamia Divisions. He explained:…. Perry Smith, AKA Sticks - Care-taker, Dubu Field "All those days of healing started from Dean street from the tragic quadruple murder that took place. That community saw that they needed to rebuild their morale, build back up their spirit and show that they aren't like what everybody thinks they are. I was out there and I saw that it is beautiful that it sparked form a tragedy but it was something beautiful that needs to be taken not only on Dean Street because other communities are suffering just like how Dean St. is suffering. In the Lake Constituency, right at St. Martin's we had the second day of healing in April and during that day of healing - Ptita came to me and told me he is with me and wanted to work and that he had a community that we needed to 'buss' next, and that was Dubu Field."

The Garifuna Collective Taking Up Andy’s Torch
The Garifuna Collective is going on a major, 25 stop North American tour with Canadian Folk Singer Denny Michel. The collective has collaborated with Michel on a few songs – and this video shows them rehearsing for the tour this week in San Pedro. But the tour won’t just be collaboration, the Collective has its first album named Ayo – a word that means goodbye, a nod to the band leader they used to tour with, Andy Palacio. Now, the collective is forging out on its own with this new album – which will be released in July when they are on tour. And while that album – produced by Ivan Duran – should be well received, Michel’s album with the collective has already been nominated for a Juno award – which is the like the Canadian Grammy’s.

Concert for The Youths
Tomorrow, the Institute of Creative Arts is organizing a concert for the youths as part of the schedule for this year’s Festival of the Arts. It is part of ICA’s effort to use the arts as an avenue of outreach to Belizean youths and they’ve put together a line-up of big name Belizean artists. The Creative Arts Development Officer explained more about the show: Joseph 'Stamp' Romero - Creative Arts Development Officer ICA "As we move to finish the Fesitval of Arts calendar we have a huge concert planned for the youths, it's one of those concerts where we allow the arist to give back to their community. A lot of our recent artists are just proud to be a part of this event, this is another event where they can say they are a part of something huge, something that helps develop the young people artistically. So people can come out and see Nello Player, Jackie Castillo, Jenko, Ernestine Carballo, Denise Castillo, Belize Generation Dance Company, TR Shine just to name a few so we have a really great line up of artist who just basically said yes to the idea to doing a concert just for the young people." Daniel Ortiz "Ok so tell us what exactly are you guys hoping to accomplish?" Joseph 'Stamp' Romero "Well we have one featured act, Marlen Vancin, from E.P York he's one of the young artist that I've seen that shows a great deal of promise and so tomorrow she's featured with these bigger acts.

Tony Wright Wants Kids To Feel Fathers Day
Sunday is father’s day and Promoter and Musician Tony Wright is organizing his fifth annual Father’s Day Song Competition and Concert. But this year, there’s a change. He recruited the involvement of the Ministry of Education and gotten high schoolers to participate. The rule is they have to write inspiring songs about fathers – which they’ll perform with a band. Wright explained:.. Tony Wright - Promoter, Father's Day Concert "First it started with mothers and we didn't have any problem with that but we definitely thought that Dad needed some love also. We have a lot of dads out there that put out their all for their children and so it's all about Dad and we wanted them to write lyrical content concerning Dads. We didn't want anything with 'deadbeat dad' we wanted something with upliftment with Dad. They will have a variety of music, some will sing reggae, some will sing rap and some will do punta so it's a variety of different music." ‘ The concert will be on Saturday night at 7:30 at the Bliss Center. The first place winner will win a thousand dollars – plus get a thousand dollar scholarship.

RDX in BZE
They are one of the hottest dancehall groups in the Caribbean with hit songs like Jump and Kotch – and tonight RDX is in town to perform at a weekend concert. The group who has been touring in Europe this year landed in the jewel this afternoon and one of their first stops was here at 7news. Renigade - RDX "First and foremost I'd like to just say that it's a pleasure being here, it's coming to you all shortly. I want to big up all the Belizeans here at home and abroad and RDX is here. It's a good feeling. This place hot though and they said it will be hotter tomorrow night." Monica Bodden "You guys just touched down?" Delomar - RDX "Yes we just touched down and as Renegade just said it's a wonderful vibe. The second time around and that time we were like in the country area and now we're in town. We're ready to mash up the town."

Channel 5

Is G.O.B.’s $30 Million tax assessment of BISL lawful?
The government took control of the Belize International Services Limited (B.I.S.L.) and nationalized the International Business Companies Registry (I.B.C.R.) and the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) on Tuesday, [...]

Teachers’ Union meets to respond to Education Minister’s verbal assault
The international business community is not the only sector that is taking a hit from G.O.B. The Belize National Teachers Union (B.N.T.U.) is considering its next move after Minister of [...]

OCEANA says G.O.B. refuses to accept ruling of court
The Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities it’s in its own battle with OCEANA Belize. On Thursday, the ministry sent out a release responding to a recent [...]

But how does G.O.B. continue to defy court orders?
The ministry has also proceeded to issue maps indicating areas currently being held by various companies, including Princess Petroleum and Providence Belize Energy, for oil exploration.  The Petroleum and Geology [...]

Belizean student killed in accident in Taiwan
A Belizean studying in Taiwan has passed away. Clarencio Coc has been studying Plant Health at the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in southern Taiwan since 2010. According [...]

How do P.S.E. students fare in Social Studies and Science
By now you are aware that the seven thousand five hundred and thirty-three students that took the Primary School Examination did not perform well in English and Math. The Ministry [...]

Coalition says teachers won’t get raise on G.O.B.’s schedule
The potential of a commercial oil find by Maranco Energy Belize Limited in northwestern Orange Walk was used by Prime Minister Barrow much like a dangling carrot back in April, [...]

But Maranco’s Production Sharing Agreement is favorable to G.O.B.
The report was generated using cost data from BNE’s Spanish Lookout oil field, the existing terms of Maranco’s production sharing agreement, as well as corporate tax.  The Production Sharing Agreement, [...]

Senior citizen busted by his wife for marrying another woman
Crime in Belize is typically categorized by murder, assault, carnal knowledge, robbery and burglary… So it is rare when a case falls out of those categories. But a senior citizen [...]

Murder suspect on the run with his son
An all points bulletin, issued for the apprehension of Sergio Moran, whom it is strongly believed brutally killed his wife on Wednesday in Caye Caulker, remains in effect tonight.  Moran [...]

Duo loses appeal and remains convicted of robbery/murder
Twice convicted multiple murderers Patrick Robateau and Leslie Pipersburgh were in the Court of Appeal, just one of the their many stops during a legal process which has gone from [...]

1 year anniversary of Jasmine Lowe’s murder
When thirteen year old Jasmine Lowe disappeared in June, 2012, the nation joined her parents in fear, and Cayo residents combed the land for clues. The murdered teen’s death changed [...]

They robbed him, but court gave him bail
Two Belize City men were today charged for a robbery of an Orange Walk businessman in the court of Magistrate Adolph Lucas. The duo, twenty-eight year old Jaime Villanueva and [...]

Entire Maskall family hauled to court for marijuana charges
Also in court, four persons including two females, one a minor and the mother of a one month old newborn were in court today facing charges for drug trafficking. Earlier [...]

Tests show Cross Country cyclists rode drug free
Immediately following the 2013 annual cross country cycling classic held in late March, several cyclists were selected to take a mandatory anti-doping test of which Channel Five was one of [...]

Mayor dragged one more time to court to decided old city debt
The headlines and the country’s immediate future are both mired in court battles. The former managers of the registries and OCEANA Belize are not the only people taking on G.O.B. [...]

Taiwan gives scholarships to Belizean students
Earlier this year, in January, the Taiwanese Embassy held a scholarship briefing with students, teachers and principals from various educational institutions across the country.  It was to provide information on [...]

Artist’s works are Contagious
Contagious…it is a new exhibit that is launching tonight at the Image Factory. Although presumed to be the works of several artists, it is in fact the artwork of nineteen [...]

Jeanelle Mencias writes September Celebrations Theme
The September celebrations are months away but the National Celebrations Commission held its 2013 competition for the theme. And earlier this week, the commission announced that this year’s theme is: [...]

LOVE FM

Driver's License Fee Increases
If you drive a motor vehicle and you have to renew your driver’s license then you will have to pay an additional 20 dollars hereafter, no matter where you live. Today Belize City Mayor told Love News that it was a decision that came from the Ministries of Transport and Local Governmen...

Organizer of Gay Pageant Says Event Is Private
Yesterday the Association of Evangelical Churches and Evangelical Missions from Orange Walk sent out a press release stating their opposition against a gay pageant that was planned to be held on June 29th. In the release the association claims the event violates the principles and moral val...

Belize Prepares For A Special Father's Day Event
Father’s day will be internationally observed this weekend and in Belize there is preparation for a special event geared toward that special person and that is a song competition. The competition is being hosted by the Association for Belizean Artist First, which is an organization th...

Concerned Residents In Dangriga Discuss National Gender Policy
The Revised National Gender Policy has been in the forefront of controversy lately. As a result we have been reporting on various discussions led by different groups and organizations who oppose to some of its content, the latest being that of the Association of Churches and Evangelical Lea...

Scholarship Recipient Dies In Taiwan
A Belizean student has been confirmed dead following a traffic accident in Taiwan which occurred around 9:45 on Friday night in Taiwan which is sometime after 8:00 o’clock local time. He has been identified as twenty six year old Clarencio Coc of San Antonio Village in the Cayo Distri...

Possession of Sea Cucumber Deemed Illegal Shortly
The Belize Fisheries Department sent out a press release this morning informing all fishermen and the general public that in accordance with the law, no persons shall take, buy, sell or have in possession, export or attempt to export any sea cucumber after June 30th of this year. The Ministry of ...

Family of Eight Loses Home In Fire
A family of eight has been left homeless after a fire completely destroyed their houses in Belmopan. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. FEM CRUZ “On Thursday, June 7 sometime around 6:15 Belmopan Police responded to information received that a house in the Salvapan Area in Panama...

Another Dismissal By The Belize Court of Appeals
An appeal by 27 year old Leroy Gomez, who was convicted of rape and robbery and was sentenced to 15 years for each offence, was dismissed today by Belize Court of Appeal. Gomez’ conviction and sentence were affirmed. Gomez’ attorney, Hubert Elrington, had appealed on five g...

Guilty Verdict Upheld For Convicted Murderers
Appeals by Leslie Pipersburgh and Patrick Robateau, who were convicted of two counts of murder and were sentenced to life imprisonment, were dismissed today by Belize court of Appeal. Their convictions and sentences were affirmed. The main ground of appeal for Pipersburgh was that there was no ev...

Sugar Factory Workers Receive Dividends Earlier Than Expected
LOVE NEWS understands that some 400 hourly paid BSI workers today received 30% of dividends owed to them by the sugar processing company before ASR acquired majority shares in October 2012. This represents approximately 1.5 million dollars. The workers received 50% upon the signing of ...

Weekend Graduation For University of Belize
Over four hundred students are expected to graduate from the University of Belize this weekend. Students who have successfully completed their course of studies will receive diplomas at the Associate, Bachelor and Certificate levels tomorrow at the Seventeenth Commencement Exercise at the U...

Elderly Citizen Sodomized In His Village
Unconfirmed information to Love News is that an elderly man of Armenia village was raped by two young men from the village. Our sources tell us the incident happened on Tuesday night as the elderly man was on his way home. We understand that in the process the...

CTV3

Leader Of The Opposition Says There Was No Secret Agreement
In a lengthy press conference held in the old capital yesterday, the Prime Minister of Belize revealed the details of what he called a secret agreement made between Belize International Services Limited, (B.I.S.L.) and the Musa Administration. The agreement, which gave BISL and extension to operate for 10 years, was signed back in 2005 by then Prime Minister Said Musa and then Attorney-General Francis Fonseca. But according to the now Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca, the Prime Minister is just finding an excuse to divert from the real issues affecting the country. Honorable Francis Fonseca- Leader of the Opposition To the substantive issue of disagreement, it was a letter of agreement…this was an old agreement that dates back to 1993—some ten years before I became a member of parliament. But when this matter came up—and this is a matter that was discussed in cabinet and I recall that discussion quite clearly—it was a discussion about the performance of the company, how it had been doing and generally the discussion that was generated demonstrated that the company was doing well; it had served Belize well.

Who's To Blame For Bad Performance In PSE Results
This year, a total of seven thousand five hundred and thirty students sat the Primary School Examination which indicated a 5% increase over last year. This year’s results, which were released last week Friday, show that despite having top scorers in every district, there is nothing to applaud for when it comes to overall performance. While subjects such as Science and Social Studies have steadily improved to satisfactory performance, Math and English continue to be the centre focus for most of the stakeholders in the education system. That was revealed today during a press conference held by the Ministry of Education in Belize City. Christopher Aird, Chief Education Officer explained that English is one of the areas that needs urgent attention since half of the student body that sits the PSE, is scoring below performance.

Miscalculation Leads To Inconsistency In PSE Grades
Yesterday CTV3 News received several calls from irate parents stating that the Ministry of Education was retracting their child’s PSE scores because an error was committed with the calculation. Most of the calls were made by parents of students enrolled at Trail Farm Government School. Every year the Ministry of Education releases two PSE reports. One is provided to the principal of each school and the second, an individual report, is made available to each student that sat the exam. While both reports should enclose the same grades some schools have discovered that the grade of the student is either higher or lower showing a discrepancy on behalf of the Ministry of Education. This, we are made to understand, is taking place country wide and today when we questioned Minister of Education Patrick Faber about the situation, during a press conference held in Belize City, he was vague in his response.

No Need For Pablo To Apologize For Death Of 13 Infants
During yesterdays press conference Prime Minister Dean Barrow fielded a number of questions from the media as he touched basis on a number of national issues including the KHMH scandal. The P.M mentioned that as it pertains to the death of 13 infants at the nation’s referral hospital back in March, the draft final report prepared by the Pan American Health Organization is looking to give a black eye to the KHMH. All indications are that as a result of the report, two persons are about to resign from their position at the hospital. Now, all of that sounds good. But what shocked the nation yesterday was the response provided by the P.M when asked why the Minister of Health Pablo Marin did not address the nation on the issue during a press conference held at the KHMH back in May. In his response the Prime Minister beat his chest keeping to his motto that a party is all about winning elections. So, if the parents of the dead infants expect an apology from the Minister of Health, well, it’s best they wait sitting down.

Minister Of Education Lashes Out At BNTU
The main topic of discussion for today’s press conference held by the Ministry of Education was to discuss the 2013 PSE results. We’ll get to that in a few, but for now we’ll tell you that the overall results are not good. But who’s to blame? Apparently it is the teachers because today Minister of Education, Hon. Patrick Faber, lashed out at the Belize Teachers Union. The minister says that one of the reasons the results have not been able to improve is because the union has not given the Ministry its full support. The Belize National Teacher’s Union is the largest union in the country of Belize which provides a number of services for teachers and those in the education system. But according to the Minister, the union has been failing miserably which has taken its toll especially in the results of not only the PSE, but all other examinations that are conducted throughout the year. The lack of professionalism and proper ethics in the classroom spells failure, according to Faber. Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education “It is absolutely amazing and I’ll go on a limb that teachers are saying that we want a salary adjustment of 30% when the government is saying we can’t afford it but then we have the same old results and there is no denying that teachers have a tremendous effect on what these results are and correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t hear the Union talking about how we can improve professionalization in the teaching service at all and I challenge them it is not a quarrel but a challenge I said before and I will do it again we want you to insist that teachers get more professional training.

Controversial Revised Gender Policy Is Here To Stay
The revised Gender Policy 2013 continues to gain major opposition from the religious sector. On June 7th Prime Minister Dean Barrow met with church leaders from Belmopan to discuss the contents and the language used in the policy, which according to church leaders, promotes homosexuality. But even after the meeting, the Prime Minister has categorically stated that the policy is here to stay. And he made that clear yesterday during his lengthy press conference in Belize City. Dean Barrow Prime Minister of Belize “To the extent that there is that paragraph that calls for diversity that is a matter of principle for the Government of Belize and cannot be reviled for, however as you know I have met with a number of church leaders last such meeting being on Friday I was accompanied in that meeting by ministers Godwin Hulse, John Saldivar and Lizell Alamilla and I reiterated my position I will not withdraw the gender policy but I have said repeatedly to the extent that there is terminology used to the extent that are wordings there are language formulations that are being misunderstood that are subject to misinterpretation the government is perfectly willing to sit with the churches and rework the language in order to put matter beyond any doubt, already there were three such formulation that were agreed that could be reworked that group was the representatives of the Belmopan pastors there is clearly a far larger body that they tell me will sent formal submission to government by way of brief being prepared by lawyers, we will look at that I thought we could work things out without the presence of the lawyers, you know when lawyers get into any equation that trouble and if they call for their lawyer I would have to call for my lawyers and I don’t think that is necessarily helpful but in any event suffice it to say that we made some progress on Friday against the backdrop of my insistence and I believe the acceptance on the part of churches that there would be no withdrawal of the policy.”

Education Is Everyone's Business
At the Ministry’s press conference today, the Minister of Education, Hon. Patrick Faber, highlighted a number of issues of utmost importance to the education system particularly the role every stakeholder plays. While the Minister stated that his Ministry has been carrying out its responsibilities with utmost attention and dedication, there is room for improvement. Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education “I want to begin with the role of the school in terms of what can be done about these results and of course we implore schools to take ownership for their performance and for the quality of education that they deliver, that is a must. Self-evaluation and development of school improvement plans are key so I want to challenge all principals, you heard Mr Lopez say we are going to get deeply into the analysis of these results but we want you to study the trend after it is presented to you. The ministry has said to our schools, we want you to take ownership, we want you to be able to self-reflect and come up with your own solutions and not wait on the ministry to put in place a one size fits all approach you to help you fix the problem that exist in your school, so we want the school to do it part. Does the ministry have a role in dealing with these grades that we aren’t happy with? Yes we do. We examined this performance nationally and we used it as a basis for further informing of our policy decisions. We also wish to provide pressure and support for school to improve. The ministry is not to be in the classroom everyday monitoring teachers, and that is to say we are depending in our management and our principals to be doing that role but I will be getting into that role of what we expect of them in just a minute but it is to tell as well that the ministry sees as one of our responsibilities to be pressuring those and supporting those more importantly. It is not a fight we want to be supporting you to make sure that you are doing what you should be doing as to improve on the quality of education.”

LOVE TV

High School Students Perform For Their Fathers
Father’s day will be internationally observed this weekend and in Belize there is preparation for a special event geared toward that special person and that is a song competition. The competition is being hosted by the Association for Belizean Artist First, which is an organization that aims at highlighting Belizean artists and music, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports and will feature songs in different genres done by students. Vice President of the Association is Jorge Ernesto Babb. JORGE ERNESTO BABB “In this competition we selected 10 finalists from 6 different high schools in Belize City because this competition is dealing directly with the students at the high schools because it is in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.” NATALIE NOVELO “So what is your primary objective of having a father’s day song out there?” BABB “Well we have found out that in the past, most Belizeans only want to celebrate Mothers’ Day and have big ceremony for Mothers’ Day; so, five years ago we said better we attack the father’s day thing and just concentrate on this and put the dedication that the children today big up their fathers; because the fact is that many children say their fathers left them and went about their business; but that’s the reality of their character; I would say that is not our business but we want to unite them and have children sing for them because the reality is that if it wasn’t for our fathers we wouldn’t have been here and if it wasn’t for your mother you wouldn’t have been here and so it is both of them to unite as one and you need to big up two of them, no one is better than the other; 2 of them come as 1 because as the bible says leave your mother and father unite as 1.

National Gender Policy Still A Pressing Issue
The Revised National Gender Policy has been in the forefront of controversy lately. As a result we have been reporting on various discussions led by different groups and organizations who oppose to some of its content, the latest being that of the Association of Churches and Evangelical Leaders. A group in Dangriga is stating their dissatisfaction with the policy and will hold consultations on the matter. Here is Correspondent Harry Arzu with the details. HARRY ARZU “A number of concerned citizens from Dangriga have organized a series of consultations for the residents of this municipality to discuss National Gender Policy. A community activist and one of the organizers of the events told Love News that influential organizations from this municipality were not consulted or involved in the drafting of the policy.” ACTIVIST “The objective of this community forum is to inform members of this community of the content of the revised National Gender Policy 2013 about things in this policy that could impact the lives of our children, morality and family life. The fact that all stakeholders were not consulted in the drafting of this policy speaks of the total disrespect for the views and opinion of all stakeholders.” HARRY ARZU “Despite the fact that the Prime Minister said that he will not withdraw the policy, what is it that you intend to accomplish form the consultation? ACTIVIST “For the members of this community to decide where we desire to be taken; what we intend to achieve is to register the concerns of the attendees with intention to protest against this policy. I am inviting all parents, parents to be, guardians, teachers, youth and all others in between to join in the struggle for our children’s future.” HARRY ARZU The first consultation to discuss the revised National Gender Policy takes place on Saturday, June 15 starting at 6pm at the Benguche Community Centre.”

Belizean Dies In Road Accident In Taiwan
A Belizean student has been confirmed dead following a traffic accident in Taiwan which occurred around 9:45 on Friday night in Taiwan which is sometime after 8:00 o’clock local time. He has been identified as twenty six year old Clarencio Coc of San Antonio Village in the Cayo District who was attending the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology and resided in Pingtung. Love News understands that Coc was travelling on a motor bike along with a Guatemalan student when they collided into a car. The Guatemalan, Melvin Hernandez died on the spot while Coc died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Ambassador of Taiwan to Belize, David Wu says there is still much more information to gather from the accident but he shared with us the information that the embassy has so far. DAVID WU “About 11 o’clock this morning, we received a phone call from Taiwan telling us that there were two students, both of them were scholarship recipients, they were starting in Pingtung Technology University. At the time, we only knew that they were in a very serious car accident; their nationalities are Guatemalan and Belizean, the Belizean is Clarencio Coc. My embassy with Belize’s Foreign Ministry and also our Foreign Ministry and Belize’s embassy in Taipei, we are working very hard to get more details and get contact with the family. Now, we have the primary report from the University where Mr. Coc was starting. One of the lecturers told us unofficially that both students went to a party on Friday evening and on the way back to the university, they had a collision and the driver was the Guatemalan and he passed away; the Belizean student was seriously injured and rushed to the ICU but he passed away later. We have been trying to get in contact with Coc’s family; the information in his file at our embassy, it states that he was a scholarship recipient in 2010 and he only had one year left to become a graduate of the university. We really regret such tragic news and now, we are working with Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; his sister has already been notified and we are trying our best to see in what way we can help his family.” Clarencio Coc is a former Food Processing Technician at the Tumul K’in Center of Learning. Wu says that a number of Belizean students will shortly leave to pursue new scholarship opportunities in Taiwan this year and he provided the following advice for the safety of students to pursue this educational venture.

Sea Cucumber Season Closes Soon
The Belize Fisheries Department sent out a press release this morning informing all fishermen and the general public that in accordance with the law, no persons shall take, buy, sell or have in possession, export or attempt to export any sea cucumber after June 30th of this year. The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development says that any person found in possession of sea cucumber after the 30th of June will be charged and prosecuted in a court of Law in accordance to the Fisheries Regulations.

Belmopan Fire Leaves Eight Homeless
A family of eight has been left homeless after a fire completely destroyed their houses in Belmopan. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. FEM CRUZ “On Thursday, June 7 sometime around 6:15 Belmopan Police responded to information received that a house in the Salvapan Area in Panama Street Extension, Belmopan was engulfed in flames. Upon arrival at the scene, they observed two wooden houses adjacent to each other with zinc roofing, one measuring 20 by 15 feet and the other measuring 12 by 12 feet along with the contents were completely destroyed by fire. Love News spoke to one of the owners of the house, Mrs. Yolanda Saki, 45-year-old, Belizean vegetable vendor of Panama Street who said that sometime around 6pm on the same date, her daughter 24-year-old, Jennifer Saki went to buy at a nearby grocery shop leaving Yolanda’s five grandchildren with her at home. Saki said it was very hot inside the house so she decided to go outside along with her grandchildren to sit down on some bags of sand. About ten minutes of sitting outside, she heard a loud pop like the sound of a gun coming from inside the house. She immediately ran inside the house and noticed that her house was on fire. Saki, along with her neighbors tried to extinguish the fire but was unable to do so. The value of the houses and items are yet to be ascertained. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Police investigation continues. Love News understands that there was nothing the family could salvage from the fire and they were left empty handed. To help the family you can call 624-5684 or 666-6720.

Workers at Belize Sugar Industry Get Early Dividends
LOVE NEWS understands that some 400 hourly paid BSI workers today received 30% of dividends owed to them by the sugar processing company before ASR acquired majority shares in October 2012. This represents approximately 1.5 million dollars. The workers received 50% upon the signing of the subscription deal on October 2ndlast year. The agreement was that after the payment of 50% of money owed to them since 1998, nine months after BSI workers would receive 30% of the monies owed. That brings them to July 2, 2013; but it seems the money came before that date, which is not bad. The remaining 20% of that money is expected to be paid in April 2014; thus closing that chapter of dividends owed to the workers for almost 14 years. In March this year (2013) the company announced a three million dollar profit sharing among the entities that owned shares from BSI before majority shares were acquired by ASR. That amount was approximately 2.4 million dollars.

University of Belize Graduation Set For The Weekend
Over four hundred students are expected to graduate from the University of Belize this weekend. Students who have successfully completed their course of studies will receive diplomas at the Associate, Bachelor and Certificate levels tomorrow at the Seventeenth Commencement Exercise at the UB Central Campus in Belmopan. Of the four hundred and seventy one graduates, two hundred and ninety eight are females and one hundred and seventy three are males. The largest number of graduates totalling one hundred and fifty-three is from the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, followed by one hundred and thirty three from the Faculty of Education and Arts, one hundred and thirty two from the Faculty of Science and Technology and fifty three from the Faculty of Nursing, Allied Health and Social Work. During the ceremony students will receive the official white, gold and purple honour chords recognizing those graduating with Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude respectively. There are forty three honour graduates. The President of UB, Dr. Cary Fraser, has extended congratulations to all graduates for their dedication, commitment and achievement saying quote “The University continues to play a significant role in nation building by educating and empowering future leaders to become decision makers who can create opportunities for Belizeans and chart the way for future generations.” End quote. The ceremony will kick off at 10:00 am and the feature address will be delivered by Guest speaker, Senator Godwin Hulse who is also the Minister of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development and National Emergency Management.

Police Seeking Young Men Following Sodomy of An Elderly Man
Unconfirmed information to Love News is that an elderly man of Armenia village was raped by two young men from the village. Our sources tell us the incident happened on Tuesday night as the elderly man was on his way home. We understand that in the process the senior citizen received injuries and had to be taken to the hospital by a concerned villager. He is receiving treatment at the KHMH. In the meantime, residents of Armenia have expressed their concern over the incident as no one has been arrested. We understand the elderly man lives with is elderly wife. Police continue their investigation into this incident.

PlusTV

Patrick Faber says media gave wrong impression on PSE comments
Yesterday, after the Hon. Patrick Faber’s press conference, headlines for media outlets countrywide were less than flattering for the Minister in charge of education. And this morning, he called in on Rise and Shine to shed further light on some of the issues he addressed, issues he says were...

Belizean student in Taiwan involved in fatal traffic accident
A Belizean studying in Taiwan was involved in a fatal traffic accident. Clarencio Coc, originally from Cayo, was along with a Guatemalan student, going home from a party, when the motorcycle they were on crashed into another vehicle. The Guatemalan student, who was the driver of the cycle, was...

Francis Fonseca defends signing of the BISL agreement
Yesterday we gave you a rundown of the Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca’s response to Prime Minister Dean Barrow calling him and former Prime Minister Said Musa out on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said in that Press conference that the two former Ministers signed a ‘secret’ agreement to...

Belize based company ordered to close
The National Post, which is a national Canadian based newspaper is reporting that Global Pharmacy Canada, which can be found online, is being ordered to close its Ontario Canada operations amid disclosure that it’s actually a Belize based company. According to the article, Global Pharmacy Canada advertise its “dedicated...

Fire in Belmopan leaves family homeless
Two houses were burnt to the ground last night in Belmopan on Panama Street in the Salva Pan area. It happened shortly after 6 o’clock. Owner of one of the homes, Yolanda Saki, says that her daughter had recently gone to a nearby store and left her five grandchildren...

Elderly man on life support after he is brutally beaten and sodomized
Disturbing reports reaching plus news is that an elderly man was beaten on Monday night and sodomized. Plus news has confirmed that the incident took place on Monday night in the Village of Armenia where the individual was socializing at a local bar. The elderly person was under the...

Opposition Leader says good leadership is needed in schools
Francis Fonseca is a former Minister of Education and presided in the early years of the Primary School Examination. Eleven years later with little change in the mean scores, Fonseca says it’s time for a serious look at the education sector. Hon. Francis Fonseca – Leader Of The Opposition:...

Orange Walk Mayor will not support transvestite pageant
Last night, we told you about a pageant for transvestite males that has been stirring controversy in the north. Pastors and other concerned citizens in Orange Walk are contesting the Ms. Gay Goddess Pageant, which sees male contestants from across the country. The show was slated for June 29th,...

Man in Southern Belize may face bigamy charge
A man in southern Belize may be facing a bigamy charge. Yesterday, a 67 year old housewife of the Magoon Area, visited the Punta Gorda Police Station and reported that her husband, whom she has been married to since 1997, wed another woman in May of this year. The...

Meet the Author Program honors Lawrence G Vernon
The Meet the Author Program, initiated by the National Heritage Library of Belize, honors Belizeans who have contributed to the literary output of the nation, and the latest author to be recognized is Lawrence G. Vernon. He joins the likes of Felicia Hernandez, His Excellency the Governor General of...

Amandala

GLENFORD “BUCKET” BERMUDEZ, 42, WINS APPEAL AFTER 2 LAWYERS “FOUND NO LEGAL GROUNDS”
Appeal Court President Manuel Sosa said that “The jury was subjected to contradictory and confusing direction.” Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez, the ex- BDF soldier who was convicted of fatally shooting his wife, Racquel Requeña Bermudez, 41, had his appeal allowed when he appeared unrepresented before the judges of the Court of Appeal. It was alleged that on November 22, 2007, Bermudez ran his wife’s car off the Hattieville/Boom Road when she was heading to the Belize Central Prison. After the car ran into a ditch, Bermudez allegedly shot Requeña with a shotgun to her head, causing her death. Bermudez then unsuccessfully attempted to end his own life by tying a piece of wire around his neck and attempting to hang himself from a tree. Bermudez was convicted of the murder on April 27, 2011, and was sentenced to life in prison by Justice Herbert Lord.

KEON “GAMBIS” WILLIAMS, 35, ACQUITTED OF UNNATURAL CRIME AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGES
The male victim, now 17, told the court that he lied to police in his statement. Keon “Gambis” Williams, 35, walked out of court a free man after Justice Adolph Lucas, Sr., instructed the jury to find him not guilty. This came about after the first witness, the now 17-year-old victim of the alleged unnatural crime and aggravated assault, took the stand and told the court that his mother made him give the report to police. He also told the court that he wants to drop the case and what he told the police in his statement was a lie. When asked by the Crown’s representative, Kaysha Grant, if he was threatened or promised anything to make such a statement to the court, the minor replied no. According to police, the child and his mother went to the police station and reported that sometime in November of 2009, the child, then 14, was at the BTL Park on Albert Street when he was approached by Gambis, whom he had known for three years. Gambis told him to take off his pants, after which Gambis turned him around and had anal sex with him.

GUAT DAD KILLS WIFE, FLEES WITH SON, 9
A 28-year-old mother, Julia Moran, of the Black Neighborhood of Caye Caulker, was viciously killed and mutilated in her home, and her husband, Sergio Moran, has since absconded, taking their 9-year-old son with him. The incident occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12. Moran lived upstairs of a house that was one of four houses in the yard of a “Ms. Paula,” her landlady. Her neighbours told police that they heard “noise and ruction” at about 12:30 Wednesday morning when Moran’s husband, who is a chef at Roses Restaurant, came home. According to Moran’s neighbours, they heard her husband knock on the door, but there was no answer, and the door was not opened. The husband, they said, then kicked open the door and went in, and an altercation with his wife began. The neighbours said that after about 45 minutes, they heard him threaten his wife with violence, and they heard her say, “Don’t do it Sergio,” and then there was silence.

2 STABBED IN ORANGE WALK; 1 ASSAILANT REMANDED
Two men, who were stabbed in two separate incidents on Saturday, June 8, in Orange Walk, are now being treated for their injuries at the Orange Walk Hospital. The victims are Misael Valdez, 18, of Trial Farm, who is in a serious condition, and Irvin Cantun, 28, of San Jose Palmar, who is in a critical condition. Valdez suffered stab injuries to his chest and neck, while Cantun was stabbed in his neck, chest, and stomach. Alejandro Itzab, 40, a Belizean laborer of San Jose Palmar Village in Orange Walk, has been charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm in connection with the stabbing of Cantun. He was taken to the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Tuesday, where he was remanded at the Belize Central Prison until August 8, when he is to be returned to court.

2 ACCUSED MURDERERS CAPTURED
The second of two vicious Cayo criminals who had terrorized the districts has been captured, and they are both locked away at the Belize Central Prison on charges of aggravated burglary, murder, armed robbery and other violent offences. They have been remanded to prison until August 8. Police said that the men, identified as Marvin “Bamboo” Neal, 25, of San Ignacio and Jerod “Steel Bab” Arthurs Lamb, 27, were the killers who went into the home of Steven Valencia in Santa Elena Town on Tuesday, January 29, and killed him in front of his two children, ages 4 and 7, and robbed him of $7, which was the only money found in Valencia’s house after they ransacked it. Valencia was shot once in the center of the upper back, in the right thigh and in the ankle. Police also contend that on Tuesday, April 16, the same two killers went into the home of a woman in Rumors Resort on the Benque Viejo Road, Cayo District, where they beat and choked her, tied her up and left her to die in her laundry room. They then went into her home, from which they stole various items, then got away.

265-GRAM WEED BUST ON SANTA CRUZ ROAD
The “weedist” walked into the hands of policemen on mobile patrol. San Ignacio police have labeled a bag containing 265 grams of marijuana as an exhibit, to be used as evidence against a man who was found with the drug and was arrested and charged with drug trafficking. Police say that about 2:15 a.m. Saturday, June 8, on Santa Cruz Road in Santa Elena, Cayo, while they were on mobile patrol, they saw a man of Hispanic descent dressed in a white T- shirt walking down the road. The officers reported that upon seeing the police vehicle, the man threw a black plastic bag into the bushes to the side of the road and continued walking towards the vehicle. Police immediately stopped him and took him back to the area where he threw the bag, and retrieved it. They said that in his presence, they opened the bag and found that ganja was in it.

DANGRIGA SPORTS STATS
Interoffice basketball finals: The Finals of the Dangriga Town Council Interoffice Basketball Tournament were held last Friday at the Why-Not Island. Third place went to Belize Bank. First place went to Police, as they defeated Digicell-4G to gain the championship. Father’s Day Over-40 cycling: This Sunday, there will be a big Over-40 cycle race in conjunction with Father’s Day. The Dangriga Amateur Cycling Association will be hosting its second Annual Over-40 Male Cycle Race, starting from Waruguma Shed on Ecumenical Drive at 10:30 a.m. and head to Silk Grass Village and back, with one lap around Dangriga Town and finish in front of Family City Supermarket. Registration per rider is only $5.00. First place $300.00; second $200.00; third $100.00. Station prizes will be provided for both going and coming. For more information, riders can contact Mr. Peter Morgan or Moses Lopez at 625-4022. Primary school volleyball: According to results from yesterday at the Why-Not Island in the Stann Creek District Sports Council Primary Schools Volleyball Regional tournament, representing the Stann Creek District next week Friday at Bird’s Isle in Belize City will be Sacred Heart Primary males and Holy Angels females.

BELMOPAN CITY COUNCIL KIDS AND YOUTH CUPS 2013 CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
The Belmopan City Council Kids and Youth Cups 2013 climaxed this past weekend at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium with All Star games on Saturday, June 8, and championship games on Sunday, June 9, for both the Kids and Youth Cups. All Star games The opener on Saturday saw the Belmopan City Council Kids All Stars defeating Orange Walk Kids All Stars, 4-0, with goals from Tahj Reid (7’), Dalton Moreira (17’), Darrel Matute (30’) and Tyzae Carr (33’). And in the nightcap, it was Belmopan City Council Youth All Stars prevailing by a similar 4-0 score over Orange Walk Youth All Stars, with goals from Noah Moro (28’), Jairo Lopez (33’ & 63’) and Tarique Humes (69’). The Belmopan Football League, the organizers of the tournament, want to extend their thanks and appreciation to La Immaculada RC School and Mr. Carlos Umana for accepting our invitation to participate in this year’s All Star games for the Belmopan City Council Kids and Youth Cups.

LORD MICHAEL’S GHOST Editorial
“The middle class in rich countries is shrinking, and a tiny set of people is accumulating unimaginable riches. Groups and individuals with huge wealth use it to gain inordinate political influence. The ’99 percent’ feel swindled, impoverished, and exploited by the rich and powerful 1 percent.” - pg. 218, The End of Power, Moisés Naím, Basic Books, New York, 2013 In late 2011, then PUP Leader Johnny Briceño resigned, and the Albert area representative and then PUP Deputy Leader, Mark Espat, became Interim Leader. During his 11 days as Interim Leader, Mark Espat was endorsed by 30 of the 31 area reps/standard bearers for leadership of Belize’s oldest political party. In early 2008, following the resignation of the 1996-2008 PUP Leader, Said Musa, Mark Espat had been one of three candidates for PUP leadership, along with the aforementioned Briceño and present PUP Leader, Francis Fonseca. Espat and Briceño had withdrawn their candidacies because they wanted a more democratic convention, with more delegates given a chance to vote. Francis Fonseca was supported by the aforementioned Musa, Ralph Fonseca (his first cousin), and PUP Leader Emeritus, Rt. Hon. George Price. Mr. Briceño then re-entered the race, supported by Mr. Espat and another PUP Deputy Leader, Cordel Hyde, and defeated Mr. Fonseca in a PUP leadership convention.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
In our editorial on Tuesday, we pointed out that the heat on the ruling UDP should definitely be more intense than it is, given the amount of “hot button” issues which have arisen recently and thrown a negative light on the present administration. We suggested that there may be a disconnect between the philosophy/policies of the Opposition PUP and the interests of the trade unions/workers of Belize. In this column, I would go even further: I would say that this present PUP does not seem to have harnessed the energies of the youth. The PUP came out of the March 2012 general elections somewhat surprised by their 14-seat performance, and definitely upbeat. There were a couple area representatives from the South and the West, in fact, who were thrilled by their ascension in the power structure of the party, and they wanted to protect their new national power. For sure, after the last generals the PUP embarked on a period of several months where it seemed as if they were convinced they could win in 2017 (or whenever) by concentrating on the Districts outside of Belize, Districts where they had won more seats than the UDP in 2012. It appears at this stage that the UDP this year have won more village councils than they did in 2010, when Orange Walk Central’s Johnny Briceño was leading the PUP. The village council results are not all that unexpected, because Belizean villagers, like the bulk of Belizean voters, are more politically sophisticated than they have ever been. They realize how immensely powerful the national government is, that the UDP may control Belmopan for the next four years, and so the pragmatic villager will not rush to go against the UDP at this stage of the political cycle. This pragmatism favors the ruling party, as well as the fact that the UDP village slates have more resources available for campaigning and election day logistics.

HY NOT “PUNTA ROCKERS” INSTEAD OF “JAGUARS”? Letters
W Dear Editor, Why did our football team come up with the name for our national team, “Jaguars”? I think the University of Belize has already used “Jaguars.” We should have been innovative and used a name like “Punta Rockers” to help promote our cultural music. For example, look at Jamaica and Trinidad national team names – Reggae Boyz for Jamaica and Soca Warriors for Trinidad. Both are promoting their type of music for which theIr countries are famous. Although the jaguar is a native of Belize it is still associated with other countries. Just an observation

NOT THE SAME PM, SAYS HAKEEM Letters
Dear Editor: In 2008 when the Barrow administration came into power I thought this administration would solve Belize’s problems and make us proud. But after listening to the PM at the press conference on Wednesday I am convinced it’s not the same PM that was elected 2008. I was very disappointed when a reporter asked him why the Minister of Health didn’t speak at the press conference concerning the babies and the answer he gave. He told the reporter he won’t blame Minister Pablo Marin because Minister Marin is winning village council elections in Corozal and that’s good for him. Come on, Mr. PM, are village council elections more important than the lives of those babies? Sometime ago when Doug Singh was Party Chairman for the UDP, he mentioned that this Barrow administration is not to govern, but to win elections. Now I see where he’s coming from. Shame on this PM; he must be losing it.

PLEASE, MR. PM, DECLARE BELIZE GMO-FREE! Letters
Dear Prime Minister Barrow, Once again the eyes of the world will be on Belize as it struggles with the disclosure that GMO soybeans are illegally growing in Northern Belize. I am not alone in considering this to be a serious issue, not unlike that of an ecoterrorist, who, by the very nature of cross-pollination, intentionally contaminates the surrounding environment (including water systems, numerous non-targeted animals, insects and organisms, and the soil) with a man-made protein whose characteristics and actions are barely understood. Vertical transfer and resistance are already being noted in scientific studies that these proteins are having impacts well beyond those desired by the biotech industry. The world is rapidly awakening to the existence of adverse and understudied GMOs – to their many and serious dangers and negative effects. I am sure you are aware of the highly-publicized March Against Monsanto that happened in 436 cities in 52 different countries on May 25. The mainstream media chose to ignore the event, but the Internet overflowed with photos, blogs and videos of the phenomenal participation of over 2 million people.

RESPONSE TO JOHN BRICEÑO’S LETTER ON BEHALF OF FORTIS Letters
Dear Editor, Hon. John Briceño penned a Letter to the Editor that Fortis, Inc. used in a full page ad as part of their attempt to quash any objections to their purchase of C.H. Energy, in upstate New York. One of the letters opposing the takeover was from Robert Kennedy, Jr., who spoke of Fortis’ record in Belize. Briceño felt “compelled to correct the errors in the commentary and present your readers with an accurate account of the developments that took place under my watch.” Unfortunately, his “accurate account” is about as accurate as his pronouncements back in 1999-2008. One has to wonder if Mr. Briceño even wrote this letter. The reason I say this is because he refers to the NEAC as the “National Environmental Assessment Committee.” The NEAC reviews all Environmental Impact Assessments. The Department of Environment was part of Briceño’s portfolio, Wouldn’t he know the NEAC stands for the “National Environmental Appraisal Committee”? He should know that but the article misnames it not once, but twice. He states that there was complete disclosure and public consultations, but this is less than accurate. There was no full disclosure on the secret contracts that the government signed with Fortis until after BACONGO sued the Department of Environment and the Public Utilities Commission.

PETER KING CONTRERAS, 44, PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER
Today, Peter King Contreras, 44, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his mother-in-law, Argentina Garcia, 50. The facts which were read to the court stated that at 9:30 a.m. on December 13, 2010, Garcia arrived at King’s Cuisine Restaurant, which was operated by Contreras, and located in Ladyville. Garcia had gone to the restaurant to see her daughter, Lesley, who was Contreras’ common-law wife. At about noon that day, Contreras offered Garcia a ride to the intersection of Philip Goldson International Airport road and the Philip Goldson Highway in order for her to catch a bus back to Indian Creek, where she resided. According to Contreras’ caution statement, which was recorded at 6:56 a.m. on December 14, 2010, “It was whilst on the way to the intersection that Garcia and I got into an argument, where she told me ‘Why would Lesley want a loser like you?’ “After that, I punched her twice in her face and then a struggle ensued and she attempted to exit the vehicle. But I stopped her by using a rope, and I used that same rope and choked her to death.

BELIZE TRYING TO AVERT EU SANCTIONS OVER IUU FISHING ON HIGH SEAS
“…Belize keeps an International Merchant Marine Registry responsible for vessel registration which does not ensure that vessels flying the flag of Belize have a genuine link with the country.” - Official Journal of the EU, November 2012 “…Belizean authorities were not empowered to require information from and to conduct administrative investigations of operators, registered owners and beneficial owners of the fishing vessels flagged to Belize,” the journal said. Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced on Wednesday that a primary justification for the Government of Belize’s decision to take full control of the merchant shipping registry, along with the registry for International Business Corporations (IBCs), which were being managed by Belize International Services Limited under a contract dating back to 1993, is to avert impending sanctions by the European Union (EU), which they have threatened to impose due to allegations that Belize—which has about 130 flagged vessels operating on the high seas, but only 28 of which land products in the EU—has been deemed uncooperative in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Barrow said that the EU, by way of the Commission decision of November 2012, has served Belize notice that unless the country gets control of the registry and does something to regularize the operations of the registry and in particular of the fishing fleet, its exports to the EU will be banned.

PERRY “STICKS” SMITH DOES IT AGAIN: ANOTHER DAY OF HEALING AND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
After a successful Day of Healing and candlelight vigil event that was held in the Lake I community in April, in which over 700 people participated, Perry “Sticks” Smith is organizing a similar event, which will be conducted in the communities of Queen Square and Mesopotamia at the Albert Hoy Football Field, next to the Raccoon Street Police Headquarters. The Day of Healing and candlelight vigil for these neighbourhoods will be held on Sunday, June 16, Father’s Day. Smith said that the aim of the event is to provide an opportunity for neighbourhood residents to show love and appreciation for each other, to make an effort to take back their community, and to appreciate and nurture the talents of the children. It is designed to be a family fun day, on which parents will come out with their children, to have wholesome fun and engage in friendly competition, and to see the talents of the children. Some of the activities planned for the occasion include writing competitions, drawing, lime and spoon races, a football tournament, a volleyball game, and plotting of the maypole. Medals and trophies will be given to the winners, and parents participating in the competitions will also be given medals and prizes, Sticks said.

The Reporter

Editorial
After so much has been said about the contaminating effect of chemically engineered grain, it has been shocking to learn that GMO soybean seeds have not only been smuggled into Belize, but actually planted by Mennonite farmers of Orange Walk.

Government takes over ship registry to avert EU sanctions
The Government of Belize has taken control of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) to prevent a ban on Belize’s marine exports to the European Union. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow explained that the EU has served Belize a written notice saying [...]

Domestic abuse ends in murder on Caye Caulker
A woman was savagely murdered on Caye Caulker on Wednesday and her husband, who is wanted for questioning by police, disappeared in the predawn hours, Caye Caulker Police reported. Around 12:15 p.m., police visited the Estella Street home of Julia Jennie Moran, 28, located in the Black Neighbourhood of Caye [...]

GOB: Oceana being reckless
The Government of Belize has said that despite Oceana’s accusation that it is disregarding a court ruling on oil contracts, it is actually trying to keep Belize from getting sued by the oil companies.

Part III: Horizon 2030, National Sustainable Development Strategy: Vision, Values, Goals, Constraints, Implementation and Evaluation
As stated last week, the Vision for Belize’s development captured in Horizon 2030 reads as follows: “Belize is a country of peace and tranquillity, where citizens live in harmony with the natural environment and enjoy a high quality of life. Belizeans are an energetic, resourceful and independent people looking after [...]

The Minister of Health and KHMH
There are some things that are just too absurd to be ignored at times, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s suggestion that the Minister of Health cannot be held accountable to any degree for last month’s neonatal deaths at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital is certainly one of those things.

Eriean Jang wins 19th annual Coca Cola Spelling Bee
Eriean Jang of Sacred Heart R.C. School in Dangriga, Stann Creek district, won the 19th annual Coca-Cola National Spelling Bee hosted by Bowen & Bowen Ltd and the Ministry of Education.The now famous spelling contest took place at the University of Belize gymnasium in Belmopan on Friday, June 7.

Belize & Mexican businessmen explore trade partnerships
Belizean business people explored possibilities of trade partnerships when they met with representatives of 14 Mexican companies at the Institute of Mexico in Belize City on Thursday, June 6.

Belize Waste Control may seek contempt ruling to force Mayor Bradley’s hand
Attorneys for Belize Waste Control (BWC) and Belize City Council (BCC) met in the chambers of Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana on Monday, over a court judgment for $2.3 million that the BCC has failed to pay and for which Mayor Darrell Bradley could be cited for contempt of court.

Chef says he strangled his mother-in-law; didn’t know what to do with the body?
A man who admitted to killing his mother-in-law and drove around Ladyville with her body in his vehicle pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on Tuesday, in the Supreme Court of Justice Adolph Lucas.

CJ withholds judgment in Oceana vs. GOB case
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin has reserved judgment in the case of Oceana and others vs the Government of Belize until June 20. The CJ decided to delay the judgment after the case’s conclusion on Tuesday where attorneys for Oceana and the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage, Godfrey Smith [...]

No pardon for imprisoned former president in Peru
Imprisoned former Peruvian leader ,Alberto Fujimori , won’t receive a pardon because the nation’s president has determined that he does not have a terminal illness, officials said Friday.

Ecology woes spark protests in Turkey
What began in late May as a demonstration focused on the environment – opposition to a plan to build a mall in Gezi Park – has evolved into a crusade against Erdogan that’s spread around the country.

Four tips to get kids to eat their vegetables
Was it announced to all children that vegetables are pure evil, dooming health-conscious parents to resort to sneaking nutrition into their meals? Well, it’s about time vegetables became a daily expectation on child dinner plates, instead of an occasional curse. According to kids cooking.about.com, kids have to be exposed to [...]

What causes nightmares and how to stop them
Although nightmares are more commonly seen in children, at least half of adults have occasional nightmares. In fact, between 2 and 8 percent of adults frequently suffer from nightmares. What are Nightmares?

Brilliant spanks Sunrise in SMART Harrison Parks cricket playoffs
Brilliant of Crooked Tree outlasted Sunrise of Lords Bank 144-122 in the first semifinal match of the 2013 SMART Harrison ParksNational Cricket Competition in Lord’s Bank on Saturday, June 8.

Camalote, Grace Kennedy & Wolverines win in Cayo softball
Undefeated Camalote United, Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy and the Esperanza Wolverines all enjoyed big victories when the Miley Garcia Softball Competition continued under the auspices of the Cayo Softball Association at the Joan Garbutt Stadium in Esperanza Village last Sunday, June 9.

The Belize Times

Barrow Exposed!!! – Another get-rich “Legal Fees” scheme for Barrow Attorneys
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has schemed another round of expensive legal battles as a result of Government’s hostile takeover of the privately managed International Business Company Registry (IBC) and the International Merchant Marne Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) on Tuesday. According to the PM, even though the Government is at its worst point financially, he is prepared to fight “to death” or did he mean “to debt”. Belize International Service Limited (BISL), which held the management contracts for IBC and IMMARBE since 1993, warned on Monday that they will pursue damages to the highest level which could see the Government become liable for over US$60m as a result of the takeover. Where Belize see