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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Mayor Danny Guerrero attends conference in Dominican Republic
The Mayor of San Pedro Town Daniel Guerrero has returned to the country after attending the 2nd Central American and Dominican Republic Mayors' Forum. Held in the City of Santiago in the Dominican Republic from May 7th to the 9th, the event saw over 100 mayors from the region at one forum geared to discuss issues of mutual importance. Mayor Guerrero attended the event in representation of the Belize Mayor's Association. Mayors from all Central American countries, Haiti and all the municipalities in the Dominican Republic participated in the event. The main objective of the forum was to create a network for mayors from all the municipalities in the region in an effort share and integrate ideas that can help the region grow.

Raymundo Nuñez and Alexya Perez receive Jesuit Scholarships
Select graduation students of St. John's Junior College (SJCJC) have been awarded Jesuit scholarships to further their education, and two of the recipients are San Pedranos. 18-year-old Raymundo Nuñez and 19-year-old Alexya Perez will be graduating on Sunday, June 8th with their Associate's Degree, and have received scholarships due to their academic excellence. A total of eight students were awarded Jesuit scholarships;Alexya Perez, Andre Alamina, Betty Tan, Daniel Waight, Megan Martinez, Paul Sylvestre, Reneisha Banner and Raymundo Nuñez.

Family Feud results in a mother and son being shot
Police are searching for an under aged male who shot at a mother and son on Sunday, May 18th. According to San Pedro Police, at around 11AM the police Quick Response Team (QRT) responded to a report of a shooting incident in the San Pedrito Area. At the scene, police noticed two persons suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The two victims were 23-year-old Nigel Polanco and his mother, 45-year-old Aurora Gonzalez. Initial reports stated that Polanco and Gonzalez were socializing in front of their residence when they were shot. The under aged attacker fired one single gunshot, causing damage to both victims, then fled the scene. Polanco suffered injuries to his left leg while Gonzalez had injuries to her left knee and middle finger. The victims were rushed to the Dr Otto Rodriguez San Pedro PolyClinic II for primary medical treatment. They were then transported to the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) where they received further medical treatment and are currently in a stable condition.

17-year-old shot over alleged drug territory
On Saturday, May 17th, the Police Quick Response Team (QRT) responded to a shooting incident in the San Pablo Area at around 3:15AM. According to initial reports, a 17-year-old female had been shot inside a wooden apartment building located on Marina Drive. Upon arrival police found the female suffering from multiple gunshot wound. Further investigation revealed that two gunmen had fired shots at the apartment door, then gained entrance to the apartment and shot the victim. The under aged female was rushed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II for primary care and was later transported to the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in a critical but stable condition via Wings of Hope. The victim sustained gunshot wounds to the right side of the abdomen and to the right side of the jaw, with apparent wounds on the right thumb.

Ambergris Today

Mayor Daniel Guerrero Attends 2nd Regional Mayors' Forum
The first regional forum of Central American and Caribbean Mayors was held on September 25 & 26 in 2012 in the city of Guatemala. At that time issues such as public safety, urban growth, youth and their fundamental role in human development were analyzed. In this Part II Forum municipal mayors and representatives of associations of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Belize and the Dominican Republic were all present. The Third Regional Forum of Mayors will be hosted in the Republic of El Salavador. Mayor Daniel Guerrero said his trip to the Dominican Republic was a fruitful one. He learned various aspects on how other municipalities of different countries function and how San Pedro can relate to them.

165-Pounder Highlights Captain Sharks Fishing Tournament
Captain Josh Reyes and his crew topped the Captain Sharks Second Annual Bill Fish Tournament that took place over the weekend in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. With this 165-pound Marlin caught on the first day of the tournament, Captain Reyes was able to secure the first prize trophy as no other boats came close to reeling in any larger fish, except for some nice Mahi Mahi and Tuna. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants who braved the bad weather conditions during the first day of the tournament.

Aji Tapa Bar & Restaurant Celebrates with #1 Champagne in the World
It is rated the #1 champagne in the world and has made appearances in several hip-hop music videos, sometimes referenced as "Ace of Spades" in song lyrics; and now you can find it in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Bottles of Armand de Brignac were popped during the reopening on Aji Tapa Bar and Restaurant that took place on Thursday, May 15, 2014. Aji Tapa Bar & Restaurants celebrated its reopening under new ownership of Tony and Linda and with collaboration with the Beverage Division of Karl H. Menzies of Belize City, they held a wine tasting event at the restaurant. There was special presentation of wines from King Estate of Oregon, USA, and invited guests had the pleasure of tasting some rich red and white wines, included delicious tapas from Aji which included cheeses and their famous bacon wrapped dates.

Misc Belizean Sources

Belize Bird Rescue, a Belmopan based non profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and releases wild birds, is having their 'Night Out for the Birds' fundraiser this Friday, at the British High Commission's clubhouse. All proceeds go to them, and they can use it; they had 18 intakes last week alone, and aren't they cute?

Principal: Schools should always strive for improvement, building helps
The principal at the Sadie Vernon Technical High School in Belize City, Belize, said school administrators should strive to leave their schools better than when they first arrived. Laura Middleton will leave the high school improved during her tenure there with the help of New Horizons Belize 2014, an annual exercise that provides Belize Defence Force and U.S. military engineers the opportunity to train to deploy while also perfecting their crafts in civil engineering. The military engineers are constructing a new addition for the school. "Receiving a new building like this speaks of the vision for improvement in a school," said Middleton, who has been the principal at Sadie Vernon since 2006. "A principal should never be the leader of an institution that is the same as when they arrived." Sadie Vernon will definitely not be the same as when she arrived, as the 3,125 square foot-facility is nearing completion. The addition will include three classrooms, one science laboratory, two administrative offices and two restrooms.

Virtual Color Festival
Today Universe's Virtual Color Festival has a finalized date and place. It'll be happening on July 12th, at the Agric fair grounds. They'll have some neon paint, so you'll want to wear white. it'll by far be the biggest neon party Belize has ever seen. They have the DJ line ups for the stages on the event page.

Kim Simplis Barrow Addresses Diversity
Once again, Mrs Kim Simplis Barrow, the Special Envoy for Women and Children, has a great message for all regarding diversity and human rights. "Message from Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow in observance of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, May 17th"

Documentary Field Film School - 2014
This year's Documentary Field Film School started a few weeks ago, and the students have been having a great time learning about film in Belize. Last year, they did Bullet Tree Falls, with this year they are doing San Antonio, and the films will be shown at the next Cayo Film Festival. They had a screening and an Open Mic night at the Soul Project.

Belize Female Football Team at UNCAF
The female football selection is in Guatemala City, where they will be participating in the UNCAF Female World Cup Qualifier. They play Honduras tomorrow, Panama on Thursday, and the Guatemalan National Selection on Saturday. Go Team Belize! "Belize's Female National 'A' selection is in Guatemala City where they are now preparing to play against the Honduran National selection on Tuesday 20/5/2014 at 10:30am, Belize time."

Power interruption 7:00 am to 11:00 am Wednesday, May 21, San Pedro Town
Area in San Pedro from Elliot Subdivision in San Pedrito Area, to San Pedro Airstrip, including Spider Lily St., portion of Pescador Dr. and portion of Angel Coral St. BEL to conduct upgrade works, extend high voltage lines and replace a leaning utility pole carrying transformer.

6th Annual Flowers Bank Kriol Festival 5/31 & 6/1
Great for the kids to come out and learn more about the country

Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Presents US$5 million Grant to Government of Belize
Government of Belize Press Office

How to Buy Property in Belize
For anyone looking to buy property in Belize, this guide gives a first class starting point.

Channel 7

Two Women Shot In Weekend Violence In San Pedro
A teenaged girl was shot in San Pedro in a violent home invasion this weekend. Tonight, San Pedro Police have 2 men detained in what they believe is a drug related shooting. It happened at around 3:00 on Sunday morning in the San Pablo area of San Pedro Town. A 17 year-old female and her 1 month-old baby were in their house when 2 gunmen invaded her home - by shooting through the door - then and shot her in the jaw and the abdomen. She had to be taken via air ambulance from San Pedro to Belize City for emergency treatment. She has been discharged from the KHMH. Today, the Officer Commanding San Pedro Police explained how this incident unfolded and what are the criminal undercurrents at play: Supt. Luis Castellanos - OC, San Pedro "On Saturday the 17th May, 2014 about 3:15 in the morning we received information of a shooting incident on Marina Drive in the San Pablo area of San Pedro Town. As a result of information received the quick response team visited the area where they met a female by the name of Irma Maheia, 17 years of age. She was seen suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot injury to the mid-section of her stomach. A gunshot injury to the right side of her cheek and to the right side of her thumb. She was rushed to the polyclinic and eventually the clinic made arrangements through the Wings of Hope to fly her to Belize City to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. She was in s critical condition. Initial investigation revealed that the young lady was at home with her one month old baby and somebody knocked at her door, she got up to open the door and upon doing that they fired two shots into the door and the door was opened and then they fired two more shots. As a result she got those injuries."

16 Year Old Female Returned to Belize After Being Held In Mexico By Older Man
A 16 year old girl who was found in the custody of a 53 year Mexican man has been returned to Belize. The minor - who has not been identified - is reportedly from August Pine Ridge in the Orange Walk district. She was rescued in the town of Carillo Puerto on May second when Mexican police saw a male and a female arguing in a car in a secluded area. When they went to check, they found 53 year old Mexican Miguel Manzanero Cocom with the 16 year old who blurted out that she was being physically and verbally abused, and held against her will in Mexico. She had been there for 7 months. The older man was arrested and she was taken into the custody of Mexican authorities. She was scheduled to be returned to Belize on Friday - handed over from Mexican immigration to the Belize Department of Human Services. CEO Judith Alpuche confirms this evening that the child has been put into the protective care of the department. The human trafficking unit of the police department is also investigating. At this time, she has not been returned to her family because of the questions surrounding the circumstances of her departure.

Mothers' Day Murder Weapon Found In PG
Punta Gorda police have recovered what they believe is the murder weapon in the shocking mother's day murder of 26 year old Janice Vargas. On Friday, suspect Kenner Gomez Trapp took police to the town's cemetery where he led them to a .38 pistol buried in the bushes. It was a Smith and Wesson revolver for which Trapp did not have a license. He was charged with keeping a firearm without a license. He is also the main murder suspect of Vargas's killing. But he has not been charged yet, because the file has been forwarded to the DPP - who has asked the police to do some more investigative work to fill out the case.

Business Owner Held Up, Robbed Of Major Money
On Friday night, police at precinct 3 in Belize City received a call that there had been an armed robbery at Food and Beverage on New Road in Belize City - just three blocks from the Queen Street Station. Police learned that the owner of the establishment Robert Wong had been held up at gunpoint outside his store, then taken back inside where the robbers stole what we are told is a large sum of money from him. They then escaped in his Toyota Hilux. The Hilux was found abandoned an hour later near the junction of Coney Drive and Buttonwood bay Boulevard. The robbers had fled and there was no trace of the money they had stolen. Wong was not hurt.

Court Decides: Did Hon. Castro Violate Cabinet Code Of Conduct?
Edmond Castro, the Belize Rural North Area Representative, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Transport, got some good news today when he walked out of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin struck out the claim brought by Trevor Vernon, a resident of the Rural North constituency. Vernon was seeking to have the court declare that Castro behaved improperly as a public official when he accepted cheques for personal expenditure from the Belize Airport Authority, a statutory body which handles public funds for a very specific purpose. But, the actual case didn't even get heard because at the last adjournment 2 weeks ago, Castro's Attorney, Denys Barrow, made an application to strike out the claim at the initial stage. His contention was that the Vernon's claim violated the rules of the court because was brought in the wrong form. Barrow submitted that because of that, the Chief Justice shouldn't hear the case since the reliefs being sought couldn't be granted. Chief Justice Benjamin agreed with Barrow and at today's adjournment, the case was struck down. We tried to get a comment from Castro about his vindication at the early stage, but he was determined to remain mute on the topic. Phillip Palacio, the attorney who was pressing the case against him, was a bit more forthcoming, even though the matter didn't go anywhere. Here's what he had to say:

Testified Against UNIBAM, J'can Professor Being Pressured Out Of Job
Press Reports out of Jamaica say that a coalition of Gay Rights Activists in that country are trying to get Brendon Bain, a professor at the University of West Indies, fired from his post because he was an expert witness in the UNIBAM challenge in the Supreme Court, which happened in May of last year. Bain is the head of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training (CHART) Initiative, and the advocates are claiming that his expert testimony in the Caleb Orozco case in Belize represents a conflict of interest, which has destroyed their trust in him. Bain, contributed expert testimony in the UNIBAM/Caleb Orozco case. In his deposition on August of 2012, Bain testified that some public health practitioners and agencies "have hypothesized that decriminalizing the practice of anal intercourse among consenting adults would lead to a reduction in the incidence rate of HIV infections among MSM". However, he said that to date, published data have not substantiated that hypothesis. He also deposed that removing the anti-sodomy laws off the books could have a negative effect on Belize's economy.

Special Envoy On Human Rights for LBGT
And, closer to home, on Saturday night Belize's LGBT community celebrated The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia at the House of Culture in Belize City. Speakers included PUP Senator Lisa Shoman as well as US Embassy Chargé dAffaires Margaret Hawthorne. Deputy British High Commissioner, Grace Chun was also there. Special Envoy for Women and Children was there by tele-presence, delivering a prepared message - here's a snippet of what she said about human rights:.. Kim Barrow - Special Envoy for Women and Children "Hate crimes and hate speech against the LGBT community continue to rear its ugly head and we have seen cases in Belize where they have been physically attacked or subjected to insults without provocation. No one deserves the in-humane treatment that many LGBT persons suffer. They are often in fear, not only for their physical safety but for their lives and that is no way to live."

5 Million USD From Taiwan For Infrastructure
Venezuela's Petrocaribe fund may be a deep source of spending for capital projects, but for budget support, the Barrow Administration, like those that preceded it, continue to turn to the Taiwanese. Government has tapped Taipei for 20 million dollars in budgetary support in this fiscal year. And, so, today in Belmopan, Taiwanese Ambassador David Wu, presented a cheque for $5 million US Dollars to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dean Barrow. According to a press release, the cheque is a "grant from Taiwan for the year 2014 under the Bilateral Cooperation Program." The purpose of the grant is very general, it is to quote, "help in the development of Belize." Today at the handing over the Taiwanese Ambassador explained that it is for infrastructural support:

MFA: No One Requesting Ebanks
Christian Floyd Ebanks remains under remand at the Hattieivlle Prison on a gun possession charge. But still, no state has made a request for his extradition. And so, foreseeably, Ebanks who is a Belizean citizen could apply for bail after the mandatory 15 days of detention. As we have reported, news reports from Ecuador in 2012 list him among the most wanted in one state, where he allegedly committed a murder. And while there are reports that he is still wanted in Ecuador, this evening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that nothing has come to them officially. Ebanks is very well known in Belize where he owned and operated a business in Orange Walk called Sky Wireless for three years. He was also well known in the PUP where he was connected to former candidate Cayo West Candidate Oscar Sabido. And while PUP sources told us he was Sabido's campaign manager going into the 2012 election, Sabido today called us to say he cut all ties with Ebanks in mid 2011, before he became standard bearer. He says that Ebanks had campaigned with him in Benque Viejo - but because of his aggressive and glib style Sabido stopped it short. Ebanks told political operators in the PUP that he had been actively involved in national campaigns in Ecuador.

Prison Officer Played Possum To Smuggle Weed Into Jail
29 year old prison officer Ajani Smith, who tried to smuggle 54.6 grams of cannabis into the jail, has to pay a 10 thousand dollar fine after he was caught in the act. On August 25, 2013, Smith was working at the prison gate when he told a fellow officer that he was in pain from an injury to his leg and he wanted to go to the medic. He made his way limping to the main building of the prison. He thought that because he was claiming to be in pain, the mandatory search would have been bypassed. Well, that didn't happen, and upon his arrival he was told that as per procedure, he would be searched. The officer found the weed in a black plastic bag that was taped around his leg and was inside the leg of his pants. Smith was handed over to the police at Hattieville where he was charged. Today at the adjournment of his case, he decide to change his plea from not guilty to guilty, and Magistrate Dale Cayetano sentenced him to pay a fine of $10,000. He must pay the entire amount by October 31, or he will serve 3 years in the prison he was once guarding.

Can't Stop The Hustle: Rosewood
Rosewood, it seems, you can burn it, ban it, list it under CITES (SITE-EASE)...do what you like, but the movement of the prized hardwood just doesn't stop. Today 7News was alerted to two 40 foot containers stored on the compound of Belize Engineering which is adjacent to the customs building in Belize City. They are full of Rosewood - reportedly bound for China. The agent we are told is the same Chinese business-man who has been moving the lion's share of Rosewood exports from Belize over the past few years. In this case, the Forestry Department confirms that it did authorize the movement of the Rosewood last week Friday form Punta Gorda Town. Now, if you're scratching your head, saying, "Hasn't rosewood extraction end exportation been put to an end?" We were too...but that only covers newly cut Rosewood. These two containers, according to the Forestry Department is pre-amnesty. Chief Forrest Officer Wilbur Sabido told us via text that it belongs to a private estate landowner who had that material from between 2012 and 2013. The volume of pre-amnesty rosewood that just seems to be lying around seems virtually inexhaustible.

Toledo: ITVET Instructors Angry With Boss
"No confidence" - that's what the teaching staff at ITVET Toledo say they have in their manager Allen Genus. The staff have put out a 22 point list of grievances, and a signed petition for his removal. They say that the manager doesn't have a teaching license, or any formal training in education, and they say allege that he has been mismanaging the institution. They've put together a 31 page complaint, which has been submitted to the Ministry of Education. We could not get comment from the Ministry of Education this evening - but we'll keep following the story..

Harvest For Kids Gets Corporate Support
The Harvest for Kids programme has done many amazing things, like putting 15 combines into a 20 acre corn field all at once. This year they are going for rice, not corn - and Founder of Harvest For Kids Alex Perez explained how you can help with your everyday shopping:.. Alex Perez, Founder of Harvest For Kids "The partnership is that they put the Harvest for Kids logo in their packaging, so when people buy the rice, they now get the opportunity to give back to the kids. A percentage of each rice bag goes, a portion goes to the kids. The price of the rice doesn't go up, it remains the same price; it's just taking a portion of it to send to kids especially for the school programs and the summer camps that we have that are coming very soon." "The more people buy the Circle R rice, the more commission the kids get. It's not much, but in the long run the more Circle R rice people consume in Belize, the more we will receive for our kids. We are hoping that other companies would see what Circle R did and we can hopefully have other companies doing the same."

KREM To Court For Sales Tax Arrears
Last week, we told you about the Belize Times being taken to court for Sales Tax arrears; today it was another media house: KREM TV. The Media house is in trouble with the General Sales Tax Department which says that the company owes them $126,000 thousand dollars. KREM TV was summoned by General Sales Tax to appear today before Magistrate Leslie Hamilton in respect to arrears from the period June 2010 to September 2013. KREM's attorney, Yohhanseh Cave appeared and asked for an adjournment. It was granted and the case was adjourned until June 18.

Shalini Is The Champion again
The Women's cross country was held on Sunday morning. It started in Cayo and ended at Leslie's imports at mile 1 on the western highway - here's how the finish looked:.. Reporter "This is number five. Does it feel as sweet as 1, 2, 3 and 4." Shalini Zabaneh - 1St Place, Women's Cross Country "All victories are sweet, sweet, sweet." Patricia Chavarria - 2nd Place, Women's Cross Country "It feel really great because all the previous races I wasn't doing my best and today I said I am going to put everything out and that's what I did and it feels really good." Reporter "You certainly look the superior rider out in the hills from the first attack that you made which separated the peloton. You seem to cause some separation every time you got onto one of the big hills out there and I am sure that that gave you some satisfaction knowing that you were challenging some the bog riders in today's race: Shalini and Kaya. How does it feel to know that you have stepped up your game now and you will from now on be considered one of the favorites in races like this?"

Channel 5

Tensions boiling over between Government and BGYEA
Relations between the government and BGYEA have not always been cozy.  In fact, the two have been mostly at odds over a development at the Harmonyville community on the George [...]

G.O.B. says no to agriculture in Harmonyville buffer zone
Following our visit to Harmonyville to get a firsthand understanding of the lay of the land, News Five caught up with Commissioner of Lands and Surveys Wilbert Vallejos.  He explained [...]

UWI Professor under fire for testifying in UNIBAM case
A judgment has not been delivered in the case of Caleb Orosco and the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) versus the Attorney General of Belize, supported by various church groups. [...]

Court decides in favor of Minister of State Castro
A claim against Minister of State Edmond Castro was struck out by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin this morning. The matter had been before the court since February 2014, when Belize [...]

Belize City resident drowns on his birthday
A rescue team is scouring the Belize River Valley looking for the body of a resident of Isabella Bank. On Sunday, what should have been a memorable occasion ended in [...]

2 women are injured in separate shootings in San Pedro
Three persons, including two women, were injured in two separate shootings over the weekend in San Pedro where crime is spiking. The first incident occurred after three on Saturday morning [...]

Prison guard convicted for drug trafficking in prison
A prison officer was today convicted of drug trafficking inside his work place which is the Belize Central Prison.  Ajani Smith Senior was caught with fifty-four grams of marijuana strapped [...]

2 men charged for West Landivar burglary
Two men, one believed to be the mastermind behind a home burglary in the West Landivar area of Belize City, were before the court today to answer to separate charges. [...]

Lands Commissioner says Unitedville residents will not be moved
Earlier you heard about the ongoing land disputes in Harmonyville. That’s one of the most recent because there have been countless cases. Last week, News Five broke the story of [...]

Commissioner says corruption is a plague in the lands department
While this dispute has the appearance of being resolved, it points to gross negligence in the Lands Department. Those are the words of Commissioner of Lands Wilbert Vallejos, who went [...]

Couple left homeless after mid-afternoon blaze destroys their house
A mid-afternoon fire at the corners of Lawrence Avenue and Jones Street has left a Belize City couple homeless.  Sometime after one o’clock, the attention of residents was drawn to [...]

Cotton Tree man stabbed 6 times by 2 brothers
Belmopan police continue their search for one of two men believed to be involved in a stabbing on Friday morning in the village of Cotton Tree. Twenty-nine year old Kurt [...]

Ministry confirms Valley of Peace crops were destroyed by herbicide
The destruction of a sprawling acreage of farmland in Valley of Peace by crop-dusting in mid-March has resulted in a significant loss for growers in that community.  While it was [...]

SIRDI opens its headquarters up north
Today, hundreds of cane-farmers and sugar industry stakeholders joined dignitaries and government officials to officially open SIRDI’s news headquarters. The Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute was created in 2009, [...]

SIRDI’s greatest challenge is to adapt new, innovative best practices
The challenges to the industry have been many, natural and man-made. But Osorio says that in just five years SIRDI has made giant strides in the industry. Perhaps the greatest [...]

A $10 Million cheque from Taiwan
One of the country’s most generous partners is the government of Taiwan. This morning in Belmopan, Ambassador David Wu presented a cheque in the sum of five million U.S. dollars [...]

James Adderley has the stats on sports
Good evening I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.   Week 14 in the NEBL brought regular season play to a close with 3 teams vying for the remaining [...]

LOVE FM

Prison Officer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking
29-year-old, Ajani Smith, a prison officer who attempted to smuggle cannabis into Belize Central Prison by faking an injury to his leg, was fined ten thousand dollars today by Magistrate Dale Cayetano after he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty of drug trafficking. Smith was given until October 31 to pay, in default, he will serve three years in prison. The bust occurred on August 25, 2013 when Smith was working at the front gate of the prison and told a fellow officer that he was in pain from an injury to his leg and that he wanted to see the medic. Smith went limping towards the main building of the prison and when he arrived there he was told that a search would be conducted on him. The search resulted in the discovery of a black plastic bag containing 54.6 grams of cannabis that was taped around his leg and was inside the foot of his pants. As a result, the police in Hattieville were contacted and upon their arrival at the prison, Smith and the bag of cannabis were handed over to them.

PlusTV

Mexican Man Arrested for Trafficking of 16 Year old Belizean Girl
Earlier this month, we reported to you that a 16 year old Belizean female minor was found in Carillo Puerto, Mexico in the company of a 53 year old Mexican man identified as Miguel Angel Manzanero Cocom. Today we have reports that the female minor, identified only as D.M.G originally...

17 year old Girl Shot Multiple Times in San Pedro
San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye has been a hotbed of violence over the past few weeks. On Saturday there was another shooting incident on the island. It occurred in the San Pablo Area of San Pedro Town. 17-year-old Irma Mejia was shot the right side of her abdomen, to...

More Violence on La Isla Bonita; Mother and Son Shot
More violence was reported on La Isla Bonita. On Sunday night, in the San Pedrito Area of San Pedro Town, 23-year-old Nigel Polanco was shot to his left leg and his mother 45-year-old Aurora Gonzalez was shot to her left knee and left middle finger. According to police, Polanco...

Trapp Gomez Charged for Gun Possession; Charges of Murder Expected
On Friday May 16, police arrested and charged 20-year-old Kenner Gomez Trapp of Oriole Street Punta Gorda Town after they found in his possession a point 38 Revolver. Trapp was wanted by police for questioning in the shooting death of Janice Vargas, the young mother who was shot at...

Cotton Tree Man Stabbed at Bus Stop
29-year-old Kurt Hyde, a Belizean construction worker of Cotton Tree Village, was at this bus stop in Cotton Tree Village on Friday morning waiting on the bus, when he was approached by two men of Cotton Tree Village who took out a knife and stabbed him several times. Officer...

Professional Witness in Orozco Case is Discriminated Against
Those who oppose the homosexual agenda and lifestyle, even with the use of health statistics, around the world, find themselves targeted and bullied by homosexual advocacy groups. Here’s a report on how UNIBAM is trying to get another professional fired because his professional opinion was used as testimony. Bullying...

15 Year old Escaped Prisoner Recaptured
Earlier this month we told you about the two prisoners who escaped from Independence police on Mother’s Day. 26-year-old Dale Augustine of Seine Bight and a 15 year old minor of Bella Vista were in the police holding cell in that village when they somehow managed to knock the...

Prison Officer Fined for Attempted Weed Smuggling to Prison
29 year old Ajani Smith, a prison officer, pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking charges before Magistrate Dale Cayetano. But because he is a first-time offender, he was spared mandatory jail time and fined $10,000. Smith was working at the Central Prison’s front gate on August 25, 2013, when...

BGYEA Says They WILL Plant Corn in Buffer Zone
Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association known as BGYEA had big plans to utilize the 29 acre buffer zone which separates Harmonyville from the George Price Highway. The group said they were going to plant corn in order to generate to build streets in Harmonyville; streets that BGYEA says the...

Cancer Walk for Awareness
The Belmopan Cancer Society held its Cancer walk this past Saturday. A great turnout of supporters of those who are in battle with the disease and those who are rallying for a cure, participated in the event. The walk started from Camalote Village and ended in Belmopan. Besides creating...

The Reporter

EDITORIAL
Let us pause today to say “thank you” to the United States for her gift of 38 new vehicles to our Police Department to help us fight crime. Most of these vehicles are Ford pick-up trucks, but there are a number of Polaris all-terrain vehicles in the batch. These will […]

Patrick Jones

PG police believe they have found the firearm used to kill Janice Vargas
A Punta Gorda man who was wanted by police to assist in the investigation of the Mother’s Day murder of Juanita Vargas now stands criminally charged. 21 year old Kenner Trapp was charged today for the crime of keeping a firearm without a gun license. Channel 7 News reported this evening that Trap is now the main suspect in the murder of 26 year old Janice Vargas who was found mortally wounded inside the Jamaica Bar in the morning of Sunday, May 11. She died a couple hours later while enroute to the Southern Regional hospital for medical treatment. The Channel 7 News report said that on Friday, Trapp took PG police to the town’s cemetery where they found a .38 Smith & Wesson brand revolver buried in the bushes.

Helping inner city youths gain life experiences
The innovative program called Harvest for Kids which is the brainchild of the Belize Camping Experience keeps is making raves among the youths. The hit program’s purpose is to provide outreach to at risk Belize City children and young people by giving them an opportunity to get out of crime-ridden communities and visit farms around the country. The objective of the intervention is such that they get to see how the farming communities live and how peaceful living outside of the city can be. But this year, program organizers plan on getting kids from Orange Walk engaged in the program. That is according to the group’s new recruit Josie Gongora. On Saturday, a number of children from the City were taken on a field trip in Blue Creek village to see the crop that will directly benefit them through the children’s programs they attend.

Sisters knocked off their bicycle in Corozal
Two students from the Skeleton Town area of Corozal were knocked down as they double-rode a bicycle over the weekend. Around 6:30 pm on Saturday, May 17, fourteen year old Vianney Pott and 11 year old Daniela Pott were sent to the neighbourhood store by their mother but instead of returning straight home after making their purchase, went to a friend’s house which is across the Phillip Goldson Highway. On their way home, the girls were knocked off the bicycle by a truck as they attempted to cross the highway. Vianney Pott received injuries to her face, shoulder and leg, while Daniela Pott complained of pain to her body.

Taiwan gives development aid to BelizeThe government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has gifted the government of Belizethe sum of US$5 million in development assistance. A cheque-handing over ceremony was held this afternoon in Belmopan during which the Honorable the Prime Minister Mr. Dean Barrow received the grant from Taiwan’s ambassador to Belize David Wu. According to a government press release, “the purpose of the grant is to help in the development of Belize” and will be used “to cover a part of the expenditures on key infrastructure projects, including the BElize City Southside Poverty Alleviation Project Phase Two, the extendion of the Southern Highway to Jalacte in the Toledo District and for he new crossing of the Macal River in San Ignacio/Santa Elena.”

Edmond Castro misconduct case struck out
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin this morning struck out the matter of Trevor Vernon vs. Minister of State for Transport Edmond “Clear the Land” Castro. Vernon was trying to call his area representative to account for what he believes are violations of the Code of Conduct in the Constitution. Despite the objections of his attorney, Philip Palacio, to the “technical” objections brought by the other side, the Chief Justice agreed that the case was not properly brought under the Civil Procedure Rules of the Court and lacked a reasonable chance of succeeding. Palacio conceded his disappointment but said that the matter remains largely unaddressed and it will be up to his client to decide whether to continue pursuing the matter in court or by other means.

Prison officer fined for attempted weed smuggling to prison
29 year old Ajani Smith, a prison officer, pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking charges before Magistrate Dale Cayetano. But because he is a first-time offender, he was spared mandatory jail time and fined $10,000. Smith was working at the Central Prison’s front gate on August 25, 2013, when he complained of pain in his leg and said he needed to see a medic. He limped toward the office but the officer he spoke to already suspected him and he was told that a search would be conducted. In the search the officer uncovered a black plastic bag taped around his leg, inside his pants, containing 54.6 grams of suspected cannabis. Smith was immediately detained and charged. Smith changed his plea from not guilty before trial began today and asked the Magistrate to be lenient as he is the sole provider for his family.

Two charged for theft and handling stolen jewelry
Police have arrested and charged 25 year old construction worker Jamil Meighan of Ivor Street and 31 year old laborer Wilfred Stanley of Neal Pen Road for burglary and handling stolen goods respectively. They are respectively accused of breaking into the home of 29-year-old Janelle Reyes at Freshman Lane in West Landivar between April 9 and 12, stealing over $10,000 in assorted jewelry, and pawning it at several pawn shop establishments in Belize City. According to police, Reyes said the burglars took an assortment of earrings, chains, medals, bracelets, and pendants, both silver and gold, from her bedroom.

Annual Guadalupe Procession held in Belize City
were out in numbers on Sunday evening for the Annual Guadalupe Procession to raise prayers to the saint. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of the Americas and Mexico and it is traditional to pray to her for protection against natural disasters, particularly hurricanes. The hurricane season begins in less than two weeks on June 1 and concludes on November 30. The procession carried on through the principal streets of Belize City after services at Holy Redeemer Cathedral.

Communal Land Rights discussed in Big Falls village
The village of Big Falls in the Toledo district has indicated that it wants to opt out of a communal land case brought to the Supreme Court by Maya villages of the Toledo district in 2008. At a meeting on Sunday afternoon, strong objections were raised by villagers of Big Falls to the inclusion of their community in the claim, allegedly without their consent, because there was no prior consultation. The meeting was called by the chairman of the village Roberto Coh for the expressed objective of finding out what is Communal Land Rights and what are the processes involved.

Police recapture escaped teenage boy
Police say that they have recaptured a 15 year old boy who had escaped from the holding cell at the Independence Police station earlier this month. According to the Police Press Officer, the teenage boy was arrested and charged on Saturday for the crime of escape from lawful custody and damage to property. Additionally, police have arrested and charged 18 year old Bobby Garcia, a resident of Bella Vista village for the crime of harboring a criminal. The 15 year old boy and another man, Dale Augustine, busted out of the holding cell at the Independence Police Station on Saturday, May 10. Augustine was recaptured two days later by Placencia police and returned to lawful custody in Independence village.

Blogs

Casa de Paradiso, Ambergris Caye: A Night at A Gorgeous Rental House in A Gorgeous Location
Just a few weeks ago, I received a note from a house owner in the beautiful Tres Cocos area of Ambergris Caye. She rents her house out by the weekend or by the week and would like to advertise on my site. Okay, I thought…perfect. This is, after all, my job & how I keep myself fed and clothed. But in all my travelling both in Belize or anywhere else, I had never done a house rental. I've always stayed in B&Bs; or hotels so to make sure I could properly understand what I was advertising (critical you see), I was going to have to stay the night. And HOLY CRAP. If you are travelling with a group or with your extended family or just another couple, let me show you this place. Because both the area and the home itself knocked my socks off. What a crazy fun week you could have at this spot, Casa Paradiso. The home is located just 1.5 miles north of the bridge. A very easy ride to and from town by bike or golf cart or Coastal Express water taxi. That's the route I went and we were the first stop…right at the Palapa Bar.

Belize Butterflies on the Road: Chaa Creek visits school
As part of our commitment at The Lodge at Chaa Creek is to work with our local communities in building awareness and educating our local people on conservation and preservation of our natural environment. And in that respect, as part of our community outreach program, today saw our “Butterfly on the Road” Program when two of our Naturalist Guides packed up their equipment and visited the Sacred Heart Primary School in San Ignacio Town. A total of 110 local students in the infant division had the opportunity to learn more about one of the most magnificent butterflies in Belize, the “Blue Morpho” or the Morpho Peleides, and butterflies in general, along with the significant roles that butterflies play in our eco-system. The 110 boys and girls were all thrilled to have had this great learning experience, which gave them the opportunity to learn the complete life cycle of a butterfly. They also learned the importance of butterflies in our environment; how they contribute and how they adapt to the environment. Our naturalist guides also thought them about what humans can do to protect butterflies in our environment.

Banana Oat Smoothie
On a hot Summer's day a smoothie is just the thing to hit the spot. This is a healthy alternative to the usual sugar laden cool libations that we normally consume. Chock full of healthy things like oat flakes and yogurt, this drink is sure to please.

Twenty Essential Items Every DIY Travel First Aid Kit Must Have
Nobody plans for cuts, scrapes, or itchy rashes while on vacation. But if that slip on a gravel road leaves you with a cut up knee, or that walk through poison ivy has you frantically itching your leg, are you prepared? Or would you need to seek out the nearest store for bandages or anti-itch cream? Don’t lose precious vacation time in search of the local pharmacy! Bring your own first aid kit instead. D0-It-Yourself (DIY) travel first aid kits are easy to make and easy to bring. You probably already have most of the essential items at home. The items you don’t have can be purchased at your local pharmacy, Target, Walmart, or other stores.

International Sources

Belize has the 3rd highest rate of alcoholism in Latin America and the Caribbean
The beer-loving Central American country of Costa Rica had the fourth highest rate of alcohol dependence in the region, though it was not significantly higher than the regional average. The World Health Organization (WHO) published a worldwide study (PDF) on alcohol consumption and its effects last Monday. WHO measured consumption rates, favorite types of alcohol, and side effects such as addiction, road accidents and liver cirrhosis. Perú reported the highest rate of alcoholism, at 4.9 percent of its population, followed by Colombia and Belize. Costa Rica reported a rate of 3.1 percent, barely edging out 27 other countries in the region who reported rates between 2.9 percent and 2.5 percent. For comparison, the U.S. had a rate of 4.7 percent.

Throw me a bone...fish
When I began my career in fly fishing I never considered traveling to far off places. The thought of traveling to far off places or even getting on a plane was not realistic for me. I have said before the notion of fishing in those now familiar places were a child’s dreams and nothing more. I had someone suggest to me that I might host a trip to one of these places to lower the cost of my travel or even get it paid for. So that’s what I decided to do, host a trip. However, now I had to make a decision on where to go. I had fished in saltwater as a kid, dad took me to Florida to reef fish, and I loved it. The most exotic thing I could think of was fly fishing in saltwater and specifically for Bonefish. It was a fish I had seen Larry Dahlberg fish for, and I thought that would be a fish I would really like to catch. So after a little research I decided on Belize and specifically Turneffe Island.

Videos

Video: The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan visits Belize, 3min.

Video: Meet the family! U.S. Ambassador to Belize Carlos Moreno, 20sec.
Meet the new U.S. Ambassador to Belize Carlos Moreno and his family!

Video: The Ozone Layer, Department of the Environment-DOE,Belize, 3min.

Video: Ewaste Chemicals, Department of the Environment-DOE,Belize, 2min.

Video: Organic Farming, Department of the Environment,Belize, 2min.

Video: BELIZE CAMALOTE VILLAGE, 5min.

Video: BELIZE CAMALOTE VILLAGE ,THE JOURNEY,1, 11min.

Video: BELIZE CAMALOTE VILLAGE ,THE JOURNEY,2, 2min.

Video: BELIZE CAMALOTE VILLAGE ,THE JOURNEY,3, 1min.

Video: Whale Shark - Belize, 2min.

Video: Popeye's Beach Resort, 1min.
Popeye's Beach Resort sits on the beach front of Caye Caulker and offer sea front accommodation, for the perfect tropical vacation getaway. Our rooms, cabanas and suites are comfortable and affordable. Wake up in the morning to the sounds of the ocean as it crashes against the shore or enjoy a warm cup of coffee from your balcony while enjoying the beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea. You do not need to walk far to find that perfect spot to get a tan. Due to our convenient location our guest just need to walk couple steps from their room to the beach side to get their tan on.

Video: Belize - San Ignacio area, 5min.

Video: Whale Shark in Belize, 1min.
Crossing off swimming with Whale Sharks from my bucket list for the second time. This one was a 25 footer I'm told.

Video: Caye Caulker, Belize, 5min.

Video: Joseph Stamp - My Life, 35min.
"My Father and Mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me..."Joseph Stamp tells us about his life as a child growing up on the streets of Belize and explains that though many did not care for him The Lord, full of grace and love never left him.

Video: The friendly bull shark guides of Belize, 1min.
As we were finishing our last dive, we noticed a new guide had shown up. Just hanging out, making sure we got back on the boat safely, by, you know, circling us for a few minutes.

Video: The Jungle Belize, 4min.
Cayo District Belize Carocol Mayan Ruins

Video: Aggressor Dancer Belize 2012, 5min.

May 19, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Letter to the Editor: San Pedro Community
San Pedro is a loving community. It has always been. I have seen the way we come together as neighbors and a community when there is a need. Well, there is a need again… Lately we are being robbed of the peace and tranquility that our island represents. That our very community represents. There have been tragedies, there have been losses of family members, there have been losses of homes and businesses. Losses that have left us do bruised and empty, so full of hate and anger, losses that have left us so damaged. It is time to rise up. The bible says that, “out of the ashes we shall rise.” We cannot allow ourselves to be overcome by our losses and emotions, we must find a way to forgive, to let go and to move on. Of course we will never forget the people we have lost or the homes and businesses we have sacrificed so much for, but we cannot let it damage or destroy this community or each other.

Wolfe’s Woofer: The Human Body
“Can you please give Davin a ride to school?” Melody asked me. “I’m so angry that I’m afraid my blood pressure will go up too high if I take him.” “Why? What did he do?” “It’s what he didn’t do. He had all weekend to do his homework and he didn’t do it.” On the […]

Obituary: Jim Huber
ames “Jim” Huber, a long-time visitor to San Pedro, passed away Monday, May 5, 2014 after a brief illness. He was born April 23, 1937 in Geneva, Illinois to the late Rudolph G and Mary M. Huber. Jim was a partner in the Price Waterhouse accounting firm in Chicago until retirement. He spent several months a year for the past 25+ years at his vacation home here in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Survivors include his sister Mary Huber Carle; nieces and nephews, Julie Thulson, Ann Angel, Katy Kelly, Karen Farrell, James W. Huber, James Carle and his caretaker and good friend Abel Bueso. Those who knew Jim will undoubtedly remember him not only for his corny jokes and boisterous laugh, but also for his kindness and generosity in supporting many charitable organizations and individuals on the island. He will be missed! Friends may sign the online guest book at www.saundersmcfarlin.net

Doctor Love: Hung Up
Readers, please send your letters. They can be emails, formal letters or handwritten notes. They are edited solely for grammar and spelling. Also, they are sometimes edited for length. Dear Doctor Love, I am a twenty-two year-old female and I am Creole, born in Belize City. My fiancé is twenty-three and he is Chinese, born […]

Misc Belizean Sources

Full Moon Concert - In Bloom
In Bloom was at the Full Moon Concert that the SISE House of Culture organized, and had at the Santa Elena basketball court. "Full moon concert organized by the SISE House of Culture Featuring The New Sensation Band and In Bloom!"

SISE HoC Celebrates Museum Day
It was a big week for the SISE House of Culture, as they celebrated International Museum Day, and had a new art exhibit start. They launched the new exhibit, which is triptych art that was made by Sacred Heart College's 2nd form students. They also had NICH come in on Wednesday, Thusday, and Friday. Antonio Beardall and Sherry Gibbs gave presentations to local primary schools about the artifacts found under Burns avenue a few years ago. The exhibit will continue until March 28th.

Belmopan Bandits Win Belikin Cup
Congratulations, Belmopan Bandits, for winning the PLB Belikin Cup. Elroy Kuylen scored the only goal in the Bandits win over the Police FC. Trophy pictures and game pictures. Next stop, CONCACAF. "A GIGANTIC and ENORMOUS THANK YOU to all the Players, Technical Staff and Management of the back to back Champs, Belmopan Bandits for your pure passion, dedication and love shown to the Club! Team Work, Commitment and Hard Work made this Team! To the Club Owner, Hon. John Saldivar, if there was an award for Most Outstanding Owner, you would easily be given that award. YOU ROCK! There is no turning back! CONCACAF Champions League......HERE WE COME!!!"

Female Cross Country Cycling Classic
Congratulations, Shalini Zabaneh, on winning this year's Female Cross Country Cycling Classic, which took place this morning. Patricia Chavarria came in 2nd, and Kaya Cattouse took 3rd. Pictures of the winners can be found here, and race pictures here.

Belmopan Cancer Walk
The Belmopan branch of the Belize Cancer Society had their Cancer Walk, and they had a huge turnout. They got some great pictures from the event. More here. In related news, there will be a Cancer Forum at the National Heritage Library on May 22nd, starting at 6:00pm.

Belmopan Bandits Beat Ballaz
The Western Ballaz hosted the Bandits last Friday in the last game of the normal season(pictures on G+). The Bandits won in overtime, 81 - 78, with an amazing 3 point shot, which was shot as the buzzer rang. The Bandits really needed the win, and are now in the playoffs, meaning that both Cayo teams are in. The Bandits have some pictures from the game. The Bandits will travel to San Pedro this weekend to play the Tiger Sharks. Go Bandits! The Western Ballaz will host the Belize City No Limit this Friday at 9:00pm. Go Ballaz!

2013–14 Premier League of Belize
The 2013–14 Premier League of Belize (also known as The Belikin Cup) is the third season of the highest competitive football league in Belize, after it was founded in 2011. There are two seasons which are spread over two years, the opening (which will be played towards the end of 2013) and the closing (which will be played at the beginning of 2014).

CTV3

Teachers In O/W Celebrate Their Day
Today is being observed as Teacher’s Day all across the country with the theme ‘Quality Teachers – Nurturing the inherent potential of our children’. This means that teachers were out of their normal routines at school and came together to engage in social gatherings and interactions with each other at various locations in the districts. It would have been a national celebration which would have taken place in Benque Viejo but plans had to be changed after the Belize National Teacher's Union was unable to fulfill its financial obligations to the event. And despite their differences, events were held at district level. Our news team was on hand to capture the highlights of the event and bring you the following report. A little over three hundred teachers from the Orange Walk District converged at riverside Maracas Bar and Grill in Orange Walk Town to celebrate their roles in providing quality education at all levels. District Education Manager for Orange Walk, Carla Alvarez, says it was a joint effort between the BNTU and the Ministry of Education.

Principal Of Saint Peters Is Named Outstanding School Leader Of he Year
Teachers are celebrating their day today a across the country but last night, many teachers were awarded with for their hard work and dedication to their vocation at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. One of the highest awards was received by an Orange Walk Town educator who has contributed significantly at Saint Peter’s Anglican School and is an exemplary leader. She is Rosanna Briceno who was awarded for Outstanding School Leader of the Year. Briceno has been a teacher for twenty-six years. She has spent seventeen of these years at Saint Peter’s Anglican School and over the last five years she has led the team of educators there as the School Principal. Briceno says though that going to that institution was not her choice but rather was sent there to help with the special education center at the school and improve it. She spoke with us today and told us a little about her journey to today. “I found that St. Peter’s is an amazing little school to work with and I know that every effort that is placed in our school goes a long way so I know that I am making a difference there. She has clearly done an outstanding job at that and was present to receive her award last night at the Bliss.

Audubon Society Carries Out Work In Sarteneja
The Audubon Society continues to work on a project funded by the Gulf and the Caribbean Fisheries Institute to build capacity of protected areas management. The project is being implemented in fishing communities. Dareece Chuc is the Environmental education and communications director at the Society and tells us more about the project. Dareece Chuc - Environmental Education and Communications Director “Another aspect of the project involves collecting socio economic information from these three fishing communities and that will help us to get a better understanding of dependency of the marine resources that we can begin to plan more strategically to address the issues in these communities.” Dalila Ical – Reporter “So how has it been going so far?” Dareece Chuc - Environmental Education and Communications Director “It has been going very well, the community work is helping us to strengthen our relation with the fishing communities which are the stakeholders communities for the Light House Reef which we have Half Moon Caye and blue Hole National monuments which are the two sites that we manage.”

Chairman Of San Andres Carries Out Mothers Day Program Without Area Reps. Assistance
San Andres Village celebrated mothers in that area for the fourth year and it was a success. Despite the challenges, and despite not having received a penny of the fifty thousand dollars granted to UDP area representatives for mothers’ day programs, the village council carried through with their program and mothers responded rather well. Glenford Melvin Chairman of San Andres Village tells us more about the event. Glenford Melvin - Melvin Chairman of San Andres Village “This year the village council were waiting for the help from the minister Hugo Patt, things that we hear that $50,000.00 was given out for mother’s day program in the north or most of the district so we as the village council went to see Mr. Hugo Patt one week before mother’s day and we cannot get in touch with him and I went to his office and to get his number and did not get no assistance from them. So we never did gave up and worked hard with the council and went tout to knock on doors of friends and companies and business people and the villagers along with Mr. David Castillo and so we get help to promote our mothers’ day that was held this Sunday. We had about 120 mothers that take part in this day and we want to make this whole country know that we the village council had invited all mothers of the village and most of them have come out and we have treat all of them equally, now we don’t look on no colors like what the government in power do you know trying to depict colors but everything is a success.”

O/W Residents Sustain Minor Injuries In Traffic Accident
Two adults and two children are left shaken up after a road traffic accident last night. Reports reaching CTV-3 News are that a twenty year old man was driving a red Kia towards Tower Hill around nine thirty last night and upon reaching an area in front of the BSI factory on the Phillip Goldson Highway the high beam of another vehicle blinded him. The driver immediately slowed down after seeing that a trailer was parked a short distance in front of him but due to the rains, the slippery road just caused the vehicle to slide straight into the back of the trailer. The trailer was filled with cane and that dented the bonnet and shattered the windshield.

Businessman Chopped And Robbed of $3,000
Owner and businessman of Prestige Block Factory in Carmelita Village, Dennis Eiley is listed as stable at the Northern Regional Hospital after he was attacked and sustained chop wounds to the forehead and left hand this morning around 8:30am. According to an eyewitness who spoke to us off camera, three men arrived at the block factory and alighted a vehicle. They asked for the owner of the business and were informed that he was at the back. Within minutes, the men assaulted and robbed Eiley of cash he had on his person. Eyewitness “They ask we want see the boss and then I went and tell the boss that they want to see the boss but he told me go back and tell them the boss is not here but afterward Dennis come out and the called Dennis but I thought it was business that I didn’t have to show up there and went at the back and a little more ahead I hear the bang from the vehicle and then I saw Dennis start to bleed up and he done get chopped on his forehead and his left hand big and deep and afterward my cousin beat up the two of three of them not two and he stone one of them and then I notice he is bleeding on his face. It look like they took my cousin money which is three thousand dollars and they gone with it and then afterward we went to the hospital and then they over took us on the way and the started to drive little slowly in front of us and then they went to Carmelita to hide and then arrived to the hospital.”

The Reporter

Mexican gang leader jailed
Leonor Nava Romero, the alleged boss of the Los Rojos cartel, is in prison following his arrest on Friday. Mexican federal police say Romero, also known as The Claw or The Tiger, was armed with an assault rifle and ammunition. Romero is alleged to be a close partner of one of Mexico’s most wanted crime barons, Hector Beltran Leyva, and accused of murders and kidnappings. He is also reportedly connected to the murder of eight officers of the National Defense Secretary in 2008.

Priest charged with sexually-related offenses of altar boy
Israel Berrios Berrios, 58, a Roman Catholic priest in Puerto Rico, faces four sexually-related charges upon a 14-year-old boy. U.S. authorities arrested Berrios this past week at his residence in Naranjito, Puerto Rico. Angel Melendez, a Puerto Rico-based special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, alleges that Berrios gained the trust of the boy’s mother over several years and then used a car connected to the local San Jose parish to transport the alleged victim knowing the young man “would engage in a commercial sex act.” The indictment includes four charges: two counts of sex trafficking of children and two counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution and criminal sexual activity. Two of the charges stem from an alleged trip to the Bahamas.

EU Ambassador to the region hosts documentary
Ambassador Paola Amadei, the European Union’s plenipotentiary to the region held a two-day student, public and private viewing of a documentary called “Songs of Redemption”. The event on Friday and Saturday showcased the personal and musical talent of a group of inmates in a prison at Kingston Jamaica. Ambassador Amadei told The Reporter that the rehabilitation program that the inmates are a part of is funded by the Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights of the European Union. “It is designed to foster peace and unity after so many years of conflict back in the 1950’s. The European Union has a long-standing policy against the death penalty and this [documentary] is also a part of our campaign against the death penalty. We would like people that people who have been in conflict with the law – prisoners – are not beyond redemption.”

Grassroots activist holds day of healing
About 30 persons of Pinks Alley, also known as the Majestic Alley, gathered to hold a day of healing activities, including sports, speeches, and amid a light drizzle, a candle-light vigil around their block on Saturday evening. According to Perry Smith, organizer of the event, the murders of four men inside the house on George Street in early 2013 prompted him to begin a crusade of unity in communities troubled by violence. The Reporter was present for the occasion and asked Smith what this type of event does for a community shattered by gun warfare. “It brings about a sense of camaraderie” he said, “among people either torn by crime or families on opposing sides of disputes.

Patrick Jones

How Belize Can Harness the Economic Potential of USA Based Diaspora
“About one out of every three Belizeans now live overseas and outside of Belize; the majority have migrated to Anglophone countries, especially the United States, where there are some 54,925 Belizeans,[1] and the United Kingdom, with around 3,000 Belizeans. Smaller numbers now live in Canada. Kriols and other ethnic groups are emigrating mostly to the United States, but also to the United Kingdom and other developed nations for better opportunities. Based on the latest U.S. Census, Belizeans in the United States are primarily of the Kriol and Garinagu ethnic groups.[4] In 1990, there were about 10,000 Belizean Americans citizens in the United States.” ~ Wikipedia The total Belizean Americans was estimated at 21,205 in 1990. By 2000, the estimate had grown to 37,688, a growth of 78%. In 2010, the estimate was 54,925, a growth of 46% for that decade. 1990 estimates suggest that around 50% of Belizean diaspora living in the USA had become US citizens. The US Embassy in Belize estimated that two out of every three Belizeans living in the US were undocumented…suggesting that the real population was closer to 150,000 in 2010.

Ground broken for new church building for the Salvation Army in Georgeville
Ground was broken this morning in Georgeville village, Cayo district, for the construction of a new church building for the Salvation Army Church. At the Ground Breaking Ceremony, the Salvation Army’s territorial programme secretary Lt. Col. Devon Haughton declared the project officially started. The Jamaican-born Lt. Col. Haughton prayed that every person who will be employed at the project site will be protected and that the work will be completed on time. The first phase of the construction of the two-storey concrete structure is expected to be completed in time for the Salvation Army’s Centenary Celebrations in April of 2015. “We pray that it will be an edifice to you glory and your honour, oh God,” said Lt. Col. Haughton.

Cancer awareness walk held in Orange Walk town
The Orange Walk Cancer Support Group today spearheaded a walk for cancer awareness. According to a report posted on the organization’s Facebook page, over a thousand people took part in today’s cancer walk which was held with the theme: “Together We Are Strong.” As part of the 6th annual Orange Walk Cancer Walk, a health fair was also held today. During the fair, the Orange Walk Cancer Support Group and the family of cancer patients had various items on sale. The annual cancer walk is one of the biggest fundraising events for the Orange Walk Cancer Support Group. It comprises about 40 volunteers who have taken up this great challenge .

Venezuelan ambassador pays tribute to Bert Tucker
The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Belize and Belizean Organization of Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution organized a tribute to His Excellency Adalbert Tucker, Ambassador of Belize for International Cooperation. Ambassador Tucker died on April 10th, 2014 after his battle with Cancer. The tribute was held at the Venezuelan Embassy in the City of Belmopan. His Excellency Yoel Pérez Marcano, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Belize, spoke about the life of Ambassador Tucker. He described him as a visionary, revolutionist, and a man who dedicated his life to fight against colonialism. He concluded his address by reciting a poem he wrote for his friend H.E. Tucker. Carlos Clarke also read one of H.E. Tucker’s poems.

Volleyball camp set for July/August
The school year is quickly coming to an end and soon thousands of boys and girls will be on vacation. With that in mind, the Belize Volleyball Association has announced the dated for its summer camp. The camp will run from July 1 through to the middle of August and will cater for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 17 years old. The camp will be held at the Belize Elementary School Auditorium and will run from Monday to Friday. According to a press release from the Belize Volleyball Association, the camp is being offered free of cost and coaching will be available at all skill levels. A Cuban international coach will also be conducting a portion of the training. Anyone interested in signing up for the volleyball summer camp is asked to contact the Belize Volleyball Association by calling telephone numbers: 610-5565 or 607-6939.

Belmopan residents walk for cancer awareness
Hundreds of proud Belizeans in the Belmopan area made the meaningful walk against cancer on Saturday, May 17th, 2014 from Camalote Village to the City of Belmopan. The Belmopan Cancer Society organizes this annual walk to bring awareness to Cancer and to provide support to those living with cancer and honour those family members who have died from some form of cancer. Unlike other cancer walks, the Belmopan Branch of the Belize Cancer Society ensures that all the participants walk together instead of competing. Mrs. Beverly Swasey, Chair of the Society, announced before the journey that walking together signifies unity and support for the cancer patients.

Belizean girl rescued in Mexico may be returned to Belize soon
A teenage Belizean girl who was recued by Mexican police earlier this month in Carrillo Puerto, Mexico is now one step closer to returning to Belize. The 16 years old girl says she is the victim of physical and verbal abuse and reports in the Mexican media at the time of her rescue, said that she told authorities that she was being kept against her will and was in Mexico illegally. In a report published on Saturday in the Diario de Quintana Roo, it was noted that the teenage girl, said to be from August Pine Ridge village, has been handed over to the National Migration Institute of Mexico which is now tasked with resturning the teen to Belize. The girl told Mexican authorities that she had been in Mexico illegally for the last seven months and when she was rescued on May second told the police that the man she was with was abusing her.

Community activist challenges teachers to “stand strong”
Teachers in the Cayo District gathered at Cancha Marshalleck in Benque Viejo del Carmen on Friday, May 16th, 2014 for Teachers’ Day activities. The event began with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. where the teachers were addressed by Mayor Miguel Velasquez, Benque Viejo Town Council; Mrs. Gwen Nuñez Gonzalez, Education Officer; Mrs. Leandra Chulin, President National Teachers Union (BNTU) Benque Branch; Mr. Manuel Medina, President BNTU San Ignacio Branch; Mrs. Frances Avella, President BNTU Belmopan Branch; and Mr. Mose Hyde, the Guest Speaker. Mr. Hyde challenged the teachers to provide the best quality they can as he reflected on the theme for Education Showcase ”Quality Teachers: Nurturing the Inherent Potential of our Children”.

Cashew Fest in Crooked Tree celebrates “magic fruit”
The 29th Annual Cashew Festival and Agricultural Show took place this weekend in the village of Crooked Tree off the Philip Goldson Highway in the Belize District. The festival was started by villagers in 1985 as a response to the banning of fishing, forestry and other practices by the Audubon Society which they said affected the nearby Wildlife Sanctuary and Crooked Tree Lagoon. The cashew trees bloom from March to June and have become a trusted source of income, mainly because of its adaptability. In addition to the cashew seeds themselves, products made from cashew for sale include pastries like buns, cakes and pies; wine, vinegar and syrup, among others. Displays of these products as well as other agricultural produce lined the edges of the village fairground and basketball court where official ceremonies took place on Saturday.

Shalini Zabaneh wins fifth Women’s Cross Country title
Independence village’s own Shalini Zabaneh added to her impressive record with a fifth Women’s Cross Country Cycling Classic title on Sunday, but it did not come easy. Nine women lined up in Santa Elena Town for the 70-mile journey to Belize City, ending in front of ‘s Leslie’s Imports. Eight Belizeans and one foreigner, Mexican Laura Rodriguez rode the race. The decisive move of the race came at Three Sisters Hill in Unitedville Village, where Patricia Chavarria attacked and rivals Zabaneh and Kaya Cattouse responded, distancing themselves from the rest of the field, which consisted of sisters Gina and Gabrielle Lovell and Alicia Thompson and Marinette Flowers. The trio stayed together all the way to Hattieville with the chase group unable to get closer than forty seconds. Zabaneh attacked and neither Cattouse nor Chavarria was able to run her down.

Blogs

Extravagant Wine Pairing Dinner at the Always Delicious Casa Picasso
Wine De Vine is a gorgeous wine & cheese shop just south of town that has so many of my favorite foods – from olives to pate to proscuitto to cheese cakes. (I’m a food gal.) They also have an extensive selection of wines and champagnes. Last night, they partnered with Casa Picasso restaurant to show off quite a few of them. And the menu and pairings. Small print but worth reading. Some specials, some…like the luscious (YES LUSCIOUS) short ribs…are on the regular menu.

Un-BELIZE-able
Welcome to the world of Chicken Buses. Old American school buses with minimal space and three rows of seats stacked to the roof high with our rucksacks. Belize City was our next stop, destination: Caye Caulker. It was pretty surreal to enter an English speaking country in Central America and we saw our first sight of Mennonites, who are similar to Amish but are more lenient with the use of technology. Originally they are from Germany but have taken residence in Belize and as hardworkers they are welcomed and accepted by Belize. Obviously they stand out quite a bit, and Abi the Aussie started her obsession and Googled everything there is to know about Mennonites. We took a boat ride to Caye Caulker and checked into a really cute little hotel called Tropical Paradise which was located right on the beach. We put the patio to good use the couple of nights we were there, enjoying the drinks and the Caribbean lifestyle- Go Slow. Caye Caulker is a really beautiful island which you can easily walk or take a little taxi golf buggy. The main “road” is lined with bikes, little beach huts selling food/tours and restaurants with a real Caribbean feel- the music, the people walking bare foot and the friendliness.

Top Reasons To Retire In Belize
Known in travel circles as “Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret”, Belize is truly a tropical paradise. An exotic tropical paradise that now opens it’s doors to all your dreams of new experiences. Everyone around the world dreams about coming to an exotic tranquil locale, complete with sun-drenched beaches and limitless recreational activities on land and in beautiful tropical waters. Belize boasts all this and more not only for the retiree but for the entire family. Belize is well known as a travel destination around the world and this is attributed to primarily the lower cost of living, our tropical climate and the official language of Belize being English. Belize prides itself in providing schools with high academic standards and a reputation for excellence, good health care facilities, historic homes, convenient local shopping and most importantly warm and welcoming neighbors.

The May 18th, 2014 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

• One Charged In BWEL Robbery:
  Just as we were closing off last week’s edition of the newspaper, the report came in of a robbery at the BWEL butane service station on Buena Vista Street in San Ignacio Town. San Ignacio police received the robbery report at exactly 5:55 pm on Thursday, May 8, 2014. A team of policemen rushed to the crime scene where they met the still shaken supervisor, Ernest Hill, 46, his 13 year old son and the security guard, Francisco Escobar, 28. Hill told the police that he was with his son in the office when at around 5:50 pm, two barefaced, slim built, male persons of dark complexion, both wearing white caps, stormed into the office. One of the men, wearing a white shirt and khaki short pants, was armed with a rusty looking handgun which he held to the neck of the security guard as he held him in a chokehold.
• Were The Bullets Planted In the Car Itza Drove?:
  Despite his pleas of innocence, a taxi driver from San Jose Succotz Village, Cayo, will be arrested and mandatorily remanded to prison on a possession of ammunition charge. Acting upon information received, a team of policemen from San Ignacio rushed towards Benque Viejo with intent to intercept a small white taxi car in which they were told they would find ammunition. The targeted vehicle was intercepted on the George Price Highway about midway between the western towns of Benque Viejo and San Ignacio.
• Garnett Charged For Theft And Harm:
  Arrested and charged for stealing a sheep and injuring the caretaker of the farm in the process, Deon Garnett, a 36 year old Belizean laborer of a 6th Street address in San Ignacio Town, is out on bail after pleading not guilty to both charges. The incident began to unfold at around 7:30 pm on Sunday, May 11 when a team of policemen on mobile patrol on Bullet Tree Road in San Ignacio Town came upon a male person of fair complexion walking toward town with a newborn black and white lamb across his shoulders. When questioned the man told the police that he has just bought it from a farm further up the road. The man was ordered by the police to take them to farm to confirm his story.
• Health Corner: STROKE:
  What Is a Stroke? A stroke occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. Without oxygen, brain cells start to die after a few minutes. Sudden bleeding in the brain also can cause a stroke if it damages brain cells. If brain cells die or are damaged because of a stroke, symptoms occur in the parts of the body that these brain cells control. Examples of stroke symptoms include sudden weakness; paralysis or numbness of the face, arms, or legs (paralysis is an inability to move); trouble speaking or understanding speech; and trouble seeing. A stroke is a serious medical condition that requires emergency care. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9–1–1 right away. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room. During a stroke, every minute counts.
• Mexican Troops 'Kill Zetas Cartel Founder Mellado':
  Mexican security officials say one of the founders of the Zetas drug cartel has been killed in a gun battle in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas. Galindo Mellado Cruz is accused of being one of the original members of the Zetas, which first emerged as a group of enforcers for the Gulf cartel. The two groups later split and became bitter rivals, their fights accounting for much of the violence in the area. He is believed to be among five gunmen shot dead by the army on Friday. A Tamaulipas state official told the Associated Press news agency that while Mellado no longer held a command position within the Zetas, he had been one of the 30 ex-special forces members to found the group.
• Belizean Book “My Body is Precious” Gets International Recognition:
  “My Body is Precious” has received an Honorable Mention in the category “Best Publication” of the ALAS-IDB Early Childhood Awards. These Awards are presented by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the ALAS Foundation to recognize the commitment of individuals and organizations working in early childhood development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Written by Belizean authors Kim Simplis Barrow and Starla Bradley, “My Body is Precious” provides a basis for talking to children about sexual abuse. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Kinnevik Executive Chairman Cristina Stenbeck, ALAS Foundation President Alejandro Santo Domingo, and IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno presented the distinction as part of the ALAS-IDB Awards Ceremony.
• Twin F150 Ford Trucks For The Twin Towns:
  Thirty eighty brand new heavy duty police vehicles were handed over on Wednesday, May 14, to the Government of Belize by the Government of the United States of America. This latest donation, valued at over two and a half million dollars forms a part of the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARCI) which to date has implemented over 15 million dollars worth of initiatives relating to Belize. Present for the handing over ceremony along with National Security Ministry CEO George Lovell and Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, was US Charge d’ Affaires Margaret Hawthorne who told the gathering of invited guests that the trucks will be used to improve citizen security. The vehicles have since been dispatched to police formations across the country. Not to be left behind, the San Ignacio Police formation was personally touched with the addition of, not one but two of the heavy Duty Ford F150 super cab pickup trucks. One of the vehicles has been assigned to the Crimes Investigation Branch of the detachment while the other goes to Community Policing.
• Developing The Twin Towns:
  While the opposition People’s United Party and its operatives continue with their childish political mischief, the United Democratic Party Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, continues to develop the nation with the Hon. Rene Montero, Area Representative for Cayo Central and Minister of Works and Transport, bringing major development to San Ignacio and Santa Elena. The total transformation of La Loma Luz Boulevard in Santa Elena and the Joseph Andrews Drive in San Ignacio, complete with a first ever two lane bridge across the Macal, have got to be the very most any government has ever done for the twin municipalities. Notwithstanding this major accomplishment, a five million dollar expenditure on signature sporting projects is on the horizon. The realization of this project will bring to reality major transformation to the Falcon Field in San Ignacio and the Santa Elena football stadium. Area Representative/ Minister of Works, Hon. Rene Montero informed that in addition to improving sporting facilities in each of the two towns, this five million dollar project will create additional employment for the residents of both towns as well as for residents from surrounding villages.
• “Ageing in Belize”:
  The National Council on Ageing takes great pleasure in announcing the launch of the documentary “Ageing in Belize” Featuring interviews with older persons across the country this short film illustrates some to the main concerns and typifies the issues that many older persons face in their struggle to maintain health and wellbeing on a daily basis. Ageing can be a joy to some when surrounded by loved ones who make later years comfortable but for others getting older is a sad and lonely experience especially when faced with debilitating illness and disability. The Ageing in Belize documentary is not designed to frighten viewers, although it might well touch a few heartstrings, but to education and enlighten those who do not think about the ageing process.
• The Transformation Of Far West Street:
  Last week we told you about total transformation of the upper portion of Burns Avenue between, Atlantic/Scotia Banks on the upper end and the Belize Bank at the lower end. It is with much please this week that we report on the total transformation started this week on Far West Street also in San Ignacio Town. Residents of Far West Street informed that they have never seen this kind of attention being afforded to their street. One resident said that the temporary inconvenience caused by the project is a minor price to pay for the much needed development in their street. Mayor John August informed that the council has for a long time realized the need to upgrade Far West Street as that as soon as the funds were made available last week, the council immediately jumped on the opportunity to bring to fruition the long time desire of the council to improve Far West Street.
• Two Meals A Day 'Effective' To Treat Type 2 Diabetes:
  Only eating breakfast and lunch may be more effective at managing type 2 diabetes than eating smaller, more regular meals, scientists say. Researchers in Prague fed two groups of 27 people the same calorie diet spread over two or six meals a day. They found volunteers who ate two meals a day lost more weight than those who ate six, and their blood sugar dropped. Experts said the study supported "existing evidence" that fewer, larger meals were the way forward. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood, meaning blood sugar levels become too high.
• STAR Humor
• Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
• Letters to the Editor
• Public Notices

International Sources

Millionaire returns to his dream of affordable housing in Sarasota
Harvey Vengroff has had a change of heart about leaving Sarasota for Belize. A phone call from a city official had a lot to do with it. It was November when Vengroff — a self-made multimillionaire and one of the largest property owners in the city — said he had started to sell off his $75 million Southwest Florida real estate portfolio, amassed since he arrived here in 1990. An investment group was offering $38 million in cash for a little less than half of his 1,400 units. While Vengroff said he was drawn by the lack of bureaucracy in Belize, he felt torn by the idea of seeing his affordable-housing empire here turn into a government subsidy program. At the same time, he and his wife Carol were growing frustrated with the lack of progress on a waterfront town-house they planned to buy in the Caribbean nation. He suggested that they fly down to see the progress being made before he made the major commitment of sailing his 58-foot boat, “Lollipop,” to Belize for keeps. “It was supposed to be done by a couple of months ago. They haven't even started. So we could be living on the boat for two years or longer,” Vengroff said. “Which is not so bad, but there is no electricity or water to the marina either.” At 73, Vengroff's sense of his own mortality also played a role. “I am not sure I will live long enough to be able to move into something, and Carol doesn't want to be there alone. It is fine if we live there together, but she doesn't want to live there if I die.” While he was cooling off on Belize, he was warming up to the new can-do attitude at city hall.

In Boon to Travelers, Mexico Disbands Secondary Checkpoints on Borders
The end has finally arrived. After 40 years of corruption, Mexico’s infamous “garitas” are being dismantled, thanks to new national legislation. The garitas are secondary checkpoints, where customs officers can inspect vehicles outside an established 20-kilometer border strip, a privileged zone where taxation is lowered in order to promote and boost local economies. Most notable of the garitas being abolished is the “Caobas” garita of Chetumal, in southeastern Mexico, in the state of Quintana Roo, bordering Belize and Guatemala. Here, thousands of people have been extorted for transporting alleged export merchandise without paying the established import tax fee. Chetumal, as a border city, used to be a hub for the sale and acquisition of contraband until 1994, when the Belizean Free Zone was established. Up until the mid-1990s, the Caobas garita was literally bursting with confiscated goods, including stereos, televisions, clothing and, especially, Orient and Citizen watches, liquor, perfumes and Chinese shoes.

Videos

Video: Birds of Caribbean Belize | Bird Rescue - Feeding a Baby Pigeon, 5min.
The neighbor saw a baby pigeon drop from it's nest in a Beach Pine. We looked closely and finally saw the birds nest high up in the tree and decided it would be too dangerous to try to return the baby pigeon to the bird nest. Our daughter decided to go ahead and try doing Bird Rescue. She started feeding the baby pigeon and it seems to be doing just fine. She made a sort of pigeon nest for it out of a Coconut shell and feeds it oatmeal. Hopefully it will continue to do well and continue to feather out as t is doing rapidly.

Video: Down town Placencia, Belize General Views, 3min.
Early sleepy Saturday morning driving slowly through Placencia, Belize.....not much going on !!!!!

Video: Scuba Diving Half Moon Caye, Belize, 15min.
Amazing corals, very cool landscape, barracuda, garden eels, spotted eagle ray (very faint, just before the...), Caribbean reef shark, and a turtle while we were doing out safety stop. Best dive so far!

Video: Carnival at Princess anchor and Legend Belize Caribbean, 4min.
Carnival Legend and Caribbean Princess Arrive and Anchor off the coast of Belize City, Belize

Video: departing Carnival Glory 4/30/14 on Belize, 3min.
When ships leave there anchor point 8 miles off the coast of belize city they have to make 8 sharp turns to weave there way through the shallows to reach open water. In this video I am filming facing toward the aft of the ship from above the bridge wing. I have sped up this video 60x normal speed, hope you enjoy

Video: Belize wonderful lightning - Belize nádherné blesky, 2min.

Video: Whale Shark - Gladden Spit, Belize, 1/2min.
We saw this and three others on May 16, two days after the full moon. Between them, we had one with us for most of the dive!

Video: Belize Pig Roast 2014, 2min.
If you missed our Belize Video in church here it is...Next stop Belize!

Video: Border of Belize to San Ignacio, Belize, 7min.
Border of Belize to San Ignacio, Belize, cab, drugs, drug,

Video: Whale Shark Dive Placencia Belize, 2min.
We went whale shark diving this weekend and this is the 1st of the videos from the 1st dive. A friend actually was pushed up to the top by the shark but was not hurt! Now he has anamzing story and video to back it up.

Video: Belize Diving, 4min.
Scuba diving in Belize on the aggressor.com.

Video: 2014 Belize Vacation - Randy and Cheryl Foreman - Scuba Diving Video, 19min.
This is the culmination of our videos we took while scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef off of Belize. We stayed at the Hamanasi Resort near Hopkins, Stann Creek, Belize.

Video: Forum 7 Belize May 2014 Movie, 8min.

Video: Slickrock Belize 2014, 3min.
On April 7th, 2014 I flew into Belize City to capture photo and video footage of the adventurous travel destination, Slickrock Adventures. Slickrock is a popular travel location dedicated to teaching travelers how to sea kayak, surf, surf kayak, paddleboard, fish from a kayak, windsurf, kitesurf, snorkel, dive, whitewater kayak, raft, and cave. I was hoping to catch some unique footage for a promo video for the company.

Video: Xunantunich, 18min.
This video is about Xunantunich

May 18, 2014

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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Pepé – From Beast to Best Friend in One Easy Snip
Pepé was not born with size and strength on his side, but what he lacked in stature, he certainly made up for in swagger. He had spent most of his life hanging around a local park, but didn’t have any real owners, people who loved and cared for him. Like most dogs, a home and a family to protect, that would love him in return was all he really wanted. Because he was uncared for, he ran the streets with the big dogs, ripping open people’s trash, fighting and barking at night and generally being a nuisance to San Pedro. But deep down, he was determined to work his way into the hearts of someone who would appreciate him. So, when he met a little girl who treated him with kindness, he followed her home. When he wasn’t out chasing female dogs, fighting and causing trouble, he would come round to visit her and they developed a close bond. The only problem was that Pepé did not seem able to stay at home and become a good and trusted member of the family because he was too busy trying to be a ‘big dog’ in the neighbourhood.

Police Report
On Monday, May 12th, 33-year-old KhoderHarmouch reported to the San Pedro Police that on the same day at 10AM he and his brother, Ali Harmouch, parked his white golf cart, license plate number SP-C-2404, on the road side near a hardware store in the Boca del Rio Area. When he returned to the area, his golf cart was no longer there. Harmouch made checks in the surrounding areas but did not find anything. The golf cart is valued at $12,000. Police investigation led to the discovery of the golf cart which was in the possession of Jose Bacab. Bacab has been detained and is pending charges.

Injured turtle found at Hol Chan Marine Reserve receives rehabilitation
An adult male loggerhead turtle has been rescued by park rangers at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and is being rehabilitated at the reserve office. The marine turtle was found on the morning of Tuesday May 6th suffering from a fractured shell that has allowed air under the carapace. According to Biologist Kirah Forman, who heads the Ambergris Caye Marine Turtle Monitoring Program, park rangers observed that the turtle was unable to submerge. A closer look revealed that the reptile was hurt and needed some attention. “The ranger, with assistance from a passing vessel, managed to place him on the boat and bring him in for an assessment and further care. His shell was slightly fractured near the base. It seems that he was hit by a small vessel,” she said via a statement issued from the Ambergris Caye Marine Turtle Monitoring Program. Those injuries caused air to be trapped under its upper carapace, preventing the loggerhead from diving.“When a turtle has air under the shell, it is unable to dive for food, and because it remains floating on the surface, it becomes an easy target for predators as it is unable to swim fast,” outlined Foreman.

Misc Belizean Sources

THE ROAD TO HANA ON NORTH AMBERGRIS CAYE BELIZE – CENTRAL AMERICA
In Hawaii on the island of Maui on the north east coast is a small town named Hana. The road to Hana is famous for its scenery and many hairpin curves. Even though it is only 68 miles long it takes about two hours to drive from one end to the other. On the far north east end of Ambergris Caye is a place called Robles Point. The reef that fronts the island nearly touches shore here. It actually does touch at the next projected land mass and that is called Rocky Point. I have dubbed the road north of the bridge ‘the road to Hana.’ I have some property between Robles Point and Rocky point and because it takes me two hours to drive from my house at Birdland I will legitimize the name of the road by calling my property ‘HANA.’ Before I bought I had made two trips up there with friends from the US. My third trip was Mother’s Day, May 11, 2014. This time I took a camera but didn’t think to start taking pictures until we reached the 8 mile marker and I realized all the talk about paving the road north intends to go to this point. I knew they had worked from the bridge to Grande Caribe but was shocked how much further they had gone. Except for a section behind Matachica the road was in excellent condition – up to mile 8.

Joining the Air Force at 17, structures engineer now spends his time building schools in Belize
He was just 17 years old when his mother signed the papers for him to enlist in the Air Force. Deciding to join the military for educational benefits and to serve his country, he never thought of having a career in construction but the Air Force had plans for him. And now seven years later, Staff Sgt. Kurt Figueroa, a structural engineer from the 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, is on a deployment to Belize participating in the U.S. Southern-command sponsored New Horizons exercise. Though his current deployment is very different than his first deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was facing outside the wire dangers to go to remote areas to assist Soldiers with constructing tents and buildings, he’s still excited and up for the challenge.

Hospital administrator eager to achieve better patient care in new facility
In order to provide better care to patients, the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, Belize, is receiving an addition to the facility as part of New Horizons Belize 2014. The work at the hospital is nearing completion and should be ready to hand over to hospital administrators by June 20. New Horizons is a multifaceted exercise that involves Belize Defence Force and U.S. military engineers training and operating together as they build additions at four schools and the one medical facility throughout Belize. "We've had renovations before, but I can't recall the last time we had a building added," said Bernadette Nicholson, Western Regional Hospital administrator who has managed the hospital since 2008. "We are very excited, and it feels like a great accomplishment. We have a lot of expectations for this building."

Actor, pilot, Marine: Reservist deploys for USSOUTHCOM
Volunteer firefighter, actor, flight instructor, commercial airline pilot and Marine. United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Keith Day holds all of these titles. “I believe you have to find what your niche is,” he said. “My dad used to tell me to do whatever I wanted to do as long as I’m successful.” And, he has been in all his chosen paths. At the young age of 14, Day began working as a volunteer firefighter starting with the Lower South Hampton Fire Department in Trevose, Pennsylvania, then moving to the Langhorne Middletown Fire Company in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, of which he is still an inactive member today. “God blessed me with the ability to love people,” he said. “I always want to help people.” Throughout his adolescence, Day lacked passion for any specific career path but had dreams of becoming a professional drummer, veterinarian, or a defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Indigenous Music With a Message
First Peoples Worldwide recently received a wonderful Spring gift from one of our grantees in Belize, the Sarstoon-Temash Insitute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM). This original song about SATIIM’s work, written and recorded in collaboration with Belizean musician Denroy Garcia, puts the struggle and optimism of Indigenous Peoples in Belize to powerful, danceable music. Click here to listen to the song: SATIIM’s Fight Is Also Our Fight Here’s what SATIIM’s executive director, Gregory Ch’oc, had to say about the song: SATIIM and the indigenous communities in southern Belize have been engaged in tense political and legal advocacy against oil drilling inside the Sarstoon Temash National Park and Maya Ancestral lands. I made this song as part of our campaign to sensitize the larger Belizean public to SATIIM and the indigenous peoples fight/struggles in southern Belize. I want for the Belizean public to recognize that the struggles of SATIIM and the indigenous people is the struggle of every Belizean. The song is written in a mix of English and Creole. Creole is a dialect spoken by Afro-Caribbean Belizeans which is commonly spoken in Belize. I [have tried] to translate the lyrics into English. It has a brukdown/Punta Rock music beat. The song was written Denroy Garcia with my input. Denroy Garcia is a Garifuna artist who has released many albums. He is the singer. This song will be used at public events, radio shows, and press conferences, etc.

Teachers Celebrated on Teacher's Day
Mrs. Eufemia Usher, Sacred Heart College's Assistant Principle, was presented the 2014 Outstanding Educational Leader award by the Ministry of Education on Teacher's Day. Well deserved. Congratulations, Mrs. Usher!

Cayo National Youth Council Consultations
The Department of Youth Services is starting the Belize National Youth Council, the statutory youth body designated to oversee and advocate for the interest, concerns and needs of youth. Youths and teachers from all over Cayo met at CET to get the process going. "There the youths shared some of the challenges they encounter on a daily basis, as well as made suggestions and recommendation on how the Department of Youth Services and other youth stakeholders could better reach out to the youths to help improve their situation, so as to promote an easier transition for their development into adult hood and well-being. This was all brought forward through group discussions and presentations. It is important to note that our young people in the Cayo District share a common vision for a better Belize; they were very enthusiastic and eager to share their views and ideas. The Department of Youth Services is grateful to all the youths and schools represented at this consultation, as their input has set a stepping stone towards fueling the commencement of a district youth council."

The Reporter

Police investigate stabbing
Police are investigating a stabbing that occurred in Cotton Tree Village on Friday morning and left Salvapan resident, Kurt Hyde injured. Hyde told police that just before 6 a.m.on Friday he was at a bus stop waiting to catch a bus when two men approached him and stabbed him six times over his body. Hyde said he believed the incident was the result of a previous misunderstanding with the men.

Educators celebrate Teachers’ Day across Belize
Educators from across the country gathered on Friday to celebrate Teachers’ Day, designed to highlight and honour the many roles, duties and responsibilities of teachers. In Belize City, teachers assembled at the BTL Park on Newtown Barracks for a day of speeches, acknowledgements, entertainment and lunch. Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, underscored the importance of having teachers that are committed to their noble profession. “Having pedagogical skills is not enough…to be a good teacher you have to have a heart”, he reminded.

Alleged Immigration ringleaders change pleas as evidence mounts
Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos, 46, and his common-law wife, Marleni Elizabeth Castellanos, 46, reversed their pleas to not guilty on appearing in court on Friday, for what was supposed to be their sentencing. However, their troubles are only just beginning, as Immigration authorities have identified them as the center of a ring of Immigration document fraud – charging up to $2,000 to obtain Belizean passports, nationality certificates, birth certificates and other attendant documents using the identities of dead or incapacitated Belizeans. Marleni Castellanos now faces 16 additional counts of aiding a person to use a document to which they were not entitled. She pled not guilty to these additional charges.

Research suggests walking lowers risk of stroke in women
A research from Spain shows that women who walk at least three hours every week are less likely to suffer a stroke than women who walk less or not at all. The researchers who conducted the study say that it contributes to a small body of evidence for potential relationships between specific kinds of exercise and risk for specific diseases. Women who walked briskly for 210 minutes or more per week had a lower stroke risk than inactive women but also lower than those who cycled and did other higher-intensity workouts for a shorter amount of time. The results for women who were regular walkers translated to a 43 percent reduction in stroke risk compared to the inactive group.

Colombian government and rebel group agree on drug trade plan
The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Farc – the country’s largest rebel group – have agreed on a plan to deal with that country’s illicit drug trade. If they manage to reach a final decision, the two sides agreed to eliminate all illicit drug production in Colombia as part of a six-point peace agenda being negotiated in Cuba. Both parties also agreed on a program to clear rural areas of land mines. Coming less than a week before elections, the agreement on Friday marked the end of the last round of negotiations that President Juan Manuel Santos initiated.

Protests and strikes break out in Brazil
Brazilians angry about the changes that next month’s World Cup has and hasn’t brought are staging violent protests and strikes across the country. The incidents come barely a month before the event opens in Brazil. The protesters accuse their government of spending billions on new stadiums and not enough on low-income housing. On Thursday demonstrations took place in 18 cities – with the biggest and most violent happening in Sao Paulo where police released tear gas and protesters hurled rocks, breaking the windows of a bank and a car dealership in the process. The inaugural game of the World Cup will take place on June 12 at the Arena Sao Paulo.

Patrick Jones

Toledo village leaders meet to discuss drilling for oil
Village leaders from 18 communities in the Toledo district congregated at the Elridgeville Community Center this morning for a consultation meeting. The meeting was organized by the Toledo District Association of Village Councils under the leadership of President Gabriel Edwards and had as its main objective to discuss the issue of oil exploration in the Toledo district. One of the village leaders, the chairman of Barranco village Dr. Joseph Palacio was thankful for the forum this morning. His village is one of the buffer communities around the Sarstoon Temash National Park where US Capital Energy Limited is currently conducting pre-drilling activities. Dr. Palacio described this morning’s meeting as “very informative” and “very understandable.” He went on to say that “if all the communities, especially the buffer communities can allow themselves to be more educated about the whole idea of oil drilling, then I believe they would make more reasonable decisions about the matter.”

Blogs

Milky Way Cafe in Belize City: Strange, Fun, Tasty and TOTALLY Unexpected
A few friends had mentioned that Milky Way Cafe is a favorite spot to eat lunch in Belize City. So to get a bit more information, I visited the their facebook page and fascinating website. Bubble tea? Flower pot coffees? Themes and the motto: Enjoy your time? (Is this an assisted living facility?) Easy to find in Belize City but the front of the building has you wondering if the place is open or closed. The decor, the food menu, the drinks, ice cream/smoothies and bubble tea menu (a Taiwanese thing – yummy flavored milk with strange flavorless gummy globs at the bottom)…this place is GOOD TIMES. Kids would love it, adults will love it.

Operation Get This Party Started
We exited the plane directly onto the tarmac of the tiny international airport in Belize City on May 1. We were greeted by live reggae music as we walked into the building toward Customs and Immigration. We stood in line for no more than 15 minutes and smiled broadly at one another when the official said, “Enjoy your stay!” in a thick Caribbean accent. Operation Get This Party Started had officially begun. We were shocked when we walked out of the terminal to find a taxi and not a single person asked us where we were going or if we needed a ride. We ended up walking straight past the nondescript taxi pick up area and asked an older man for a ride. He let us that there was an order for the drivers and showed us to the man that would take us to the water taxi. Honesty and hassle free; it was a great way to start.

International Sources

A Professor's Trial
A University of the West Indies (UWI) professor has found himself in a prickly spot after testifying in Belize that gay men are at a higher risk of contracting the HIV virus, and that it was in the best interest of that country to retain its anti-same-sex relationship laws. Professor Brendan Bain, director of the university's Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Programme (CHART), told the Belize Supreme Court that countries which have repealed their buggery laws have seen an increase in HIV/AIDS rate among the population of men who have sex with men (MSM). He argued that a change in the law could have a deleterious effect on Belize's economy. However, his testimony has not gone done well with some 35 advocacy groups across the region that have demanded that he be sacked from some positions at the UWI.

Here Are All The Private Islands You Should Visit This Summer
Cayo Espanto How do you feel about rolling out of bed onto a private beach? Or watching tropical fish through a window built into the floorboards of your bungalow? At Cayo Espanto in Belize, there's a private palm tree forest to explore -- but more adventurous types can take a day trip to Mayan ruins on the mainland.

Videos

Video: MY TRIP TO BELIZE! [Part 1!], 11min.
Thanks for watching :) part 2 should be up soon!

Video: Diving Belize - Esmerelda Dive Spot, San Pedro, 10min.
A great day diving at the Esmerelda Dive Spot, San Pedro Belize. We dove with Ambergris Divers. Most of the video was shot on a Panasonic GH3 in a 10Bar housing with a red filter and a Intova Galaxy 2500 Lumens Underwater Video Light. All of this video was a single dive on April 10th, 2014. The video was edited in Premiere Pro CC and Speedgrade. Category

Video: Belize Half Moon Caye Ambergris Caye, 4min.
Island Expeditions

Video: 2014-05 Belize Medical, 6min.
The Belize medical team talks about their favorite memories from the mission.

Video: Snorkeling Belize January 2014, 5min.
Christine's first time snorkeling. San Pedro on ambergris caye, Belize

Video: Envisioning the Classic Period Taskscape of K'axob, Belize, through Paleoethnobotany, 20min.
This is a presentation at the joint meeting of the Society for Economic Botany and Society of Ethnobiology: "The Energy of People, Places, and Life". Cherokee, NC. May 11-14, 2014. Author(s): DEDRICK, Maia - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Patricia McANANY - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Disparities in structure size within Maya sites have been used to argue for hierarchical relationships among residents. We compare flotation samples from two Late Classic hearths within two structures at the site of K'axob, Belize, which have been referred to as adjacent households. One structure was larger, with a longer occupation history than the other. The larger structure's hearth contained tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and hogplum (Spondias sp.), with a high ratio of charred wood to seeds. The hearth from the smaller structure included seeds from numerous species, wild and cultivated, that require processing prior to use. Considering this evidence in conjunction with mollusk, ceramic, and burial information, we argue for a revised understanding of K'axob's taskscape. Rather than representing separate households of unequal rank, the two structures likely featured distinct areas dedicated to ritual and plant-processing activities for one social group utilizing a wider expanse of the settlement.

Video: Spotted Eagle Rays, Placencia, Belize, 2min.
Came across this pod of six Spotted Eagle rays while diving three Cuts, with at least one Juvenile. They continued to swim around us for at least 10 minutes.

Video: Snorkeling on the Hol Chan Reef, Belize, 3min.

Video: Diving in Belize, 4min.
A day of diving with Frenchie's Diving Services on Caye Caulker. Dives at the Blue Hole, Halfmoon Caye and Long Island Caye. Filmed with a Gopro Hero 3+

Video: Snorkeling Belize 2014 #1 #2, 5min.

Video: Belize Bitters Natural Herbal Remedy Belize City, 2min.

Video: BELIZE Street Art 2014 CROZ & RAS w/ ComeUnity Works ft. Kabaka Pyramid, 3min.
CROZ & RAS in association with Hannah Rose of ComeUnity Works beautifying multiple community projects around Dangriga and Belize City on our second annual Street Art Trip! HUGE thanks and Ras-pect to Kabaka Pyramid for his permission to use the track, "No Capitalist", off Lead the Way from Bebble Rock music, 2013.

Video: Playoff video promotional for the Belize National Elite Basketball League Tournament!!!, 2min.

Video: Amigos del Mar, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 10min.

Video: Belize 2014 Highlights, 13min.

Video: 14 Countries, Over 10 Months, In 11 Minutes, 11min.
I crammed the last 10 months (August 2013 to May 2014) into a video that is 11 minutes long (it's not easy). I travelled to 14 countries meeting people, exploring, and being humbled by a world of possibilities. This is the first video montage I've made of this scale that includes over 60 people that I've had the pleasure of meeting and traveling with. This video does not include everything. It does, however, cover a lot of ground and unique highlights of the many trips this video entails. Although there were a lot of cuts, I feel like this is ready for sharing. This is not possible without you: open minded travelers, and adventurers. This is for you my friends.

Video: First encounter with a Sea Turtle (Belize), 2min.
My first encounter with a Sea Turtle - with IZE and Hopkins Underwater Adventures at South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Belize

Video: Honduras & Belize, 4min.
When traveling for such long, eventually there will come that time - You simply cannot value the beauty of your surrounding anymore. You cannot grasp it. Too many impressions, too many pictures in your head - You need a break! Belize & Honduras with the Caribbean coast is the perfect place to do so. And so much more! Grab your goggles - We'll go diving! #Spoiler: Whale Shark!

Video: Belize 1, 15min.

Video: Belize 2, 6min.

May 17, 2014

FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

Sea turtles Lucky and Ellen released into their natural habitat
This week (May 11 to 17th) is being observed as Reef Week on the islands of Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. Several activities were planned for both islands by Hol Chan Marine Reserve under the theme “Our Reef Needs Our Protection for Future Generations.” One of the highlights was the release of two marine turtles that had been rescued and kept for months as part of their rehabilitation. Lucky, one of the two female loggerheads (Caretta Caretta) was rescued back in October 2013 by tour guides of Tuff E Nuff Tours while on an expedition at sea. The adult marine turtle was missing her left hind flipper and had several lacerations on its other flippers due to a shark attack. Lucky also had a broken plastron (the belly of the shell) and underwent surgery where veterinarians at Saga Humane Society did all within their reach to save her. Despite the slim chances of survival given to her, the 22-inch turtle made a full recovery and is now strong enough to survive the sea. The turtle was given the name Lucky since she was able to overcome her health complications and fought with resilience to survive.

Miss San Pedro High Pageant set for May 31st
Plans and preparations are well underway for the annual Miss San Pedro High School (SPHS) Pageant. This year four lovely contestants will vie for the coveted title and educational scholarship. The four lovely young women are Erica Lopez, Marisha Thompson, Sheila Chi and Ezra Jacobs. The pageant night promises to be full of surprises and certainly unforgettable. This anticipated event will take place on May 31st at 7PM at the Rafael Angel Nuñez Auditorium. Tickets bought in advance are $7 for General Admission and $10 for Reserved Seating. Tickets are available for purchase from students, teachers and PTA Board members of SPHS. Look out for contestant portfolios in next week’s issue of The San Pedro Sun!

17 pharmacies in San Pedro, but only three practicing pharmacists
The Pharmacists’ Association of Belize has brought to light serious health issues concerning the fact that several pharmacies on Ambergris Caye are operating without a licensed druggist (also referred to as a pharmacist). Of the 17 known pharmacies, there are only three registered practicing pharmacists in San Pedro Town. This is merely part of many issues within the pharmacy area of the national health sector. According to Marisol Melhado, Vice President of Pharmacists’ Association of Belize, one of the typical examples of problems in the health sector has to do with licensed pharmacists as is the case on Ambergris Caye. “In San Pedro Town, you have about 17 known drug stores or pharmacies, but only three licensed, practicing pharmacists on the entire island. This is a problem because we have people selling or distributing medication when they are not licensed to do so, and it poses a serious concern as it relates to people’s lives and safety. A trained, licensed and registered pharmacist is the person that keeps the doctors in check as far as the administering of medication is concern. We ensure that the right medication is being administered for the right purposes, but if you are not trained, registered or licensed you will be unable to keep the doctors in check. We find that for the most part, the main problem is that doctors want to administer and sell their own product, which is a direct conflict of interest. They are the doctor, they own their own pharmacy and turn around and administer medication from their own pharmacy,” said Melhado in an interview with The San Pedro Sun.

Splash into the Rio On Pools!
Surrounded by spectacular rolling hills, high peaks and continuous cascading water ways, Mountain Pine Ridge has all the right touches for a nature lover’s delight. Combine the scenic views with the euphoria of exploring one’s own country, the fun and excitement is immeasurable. I enjoyed such an experience on a recent trip to The Rio On Pools in western Belize. Over thousands of years, small waterfalls have formed small pools over large granite rocks, spilling from one pool to another. Trust me, on a hot day, the water is so tempting! I can almost guarantee you’ll be dipping far more than your toes! And if you’re like me, always looking for a little pampering, try standing under one of the falls and enjoy a natural massage as the pressure of the water rolls along your body. It’s the perfect therapy for those who want to re-energize the body after a long journey.

Policing Together to meet challenges, creating partnership, finding solutions
“The greater the momentum of a ship, the longer it takes to turn. One comforting observation is that a huge ship can nevertheless be turned by a small rudder. It just takes time and requires the rudder to set steadfastly for the turn throughout the whole turning process.” Malcolm K. Sparrow. I pray that all residents of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye “La Isla Bonita” and Caye Caulker “La Isla Carinosa” give serious attention to the economical threat to the bread winning basket (Tourism) and welfare of their future, in view of the gravity of the escalating criminal violence which remain a challenge for the present and future and in particular, the availability of the drugs and firearms.

Ambergris Today

Reef Week 2014 Celebrated in San Pedro
The 9th Annual Reef Week Trivia Competition took place at the Lion’s Den on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, where students’ knowledge about the reef and environment was put to the test. After a few hotly contested questions and deliberation from the judges the winners were announced: Zeldeth Molina of Caye Caulker RC School took 1st Place, followed by Chelsea Rodriguez of Caye Caulker RC School and Kemra Rippon of Island Academy who took second and third place respectively. It was a week full of educational activities to celebrate our natural heritage and create awareness. Ambergris Today salutes all the schools and participants in the week-long celebration and congratulates Hol Chan Marine Reserve for all its hard work and dedication in protecting our beautiful ecosystem for future generations to enjoy.

Eight Spectacular Sunsets Around Belize
There are many beautiful sceneries to be captured in Belize and thanks to technology we all can now document and share it for the world to enjoy. It’s amazing what a simple picture can do. Since I started working in the newspaper business I have learned to appreciate photography. Now that we are fully online, I enjoy taking pictures even more; simply because I get to share them on my blog for all of you to enjoy. My favorite things to photograph apart from myself (lol) are food, people and scenes. You’re probably wondering with what I take my pictures with; like most people I stick to iphonography. I choose iphonography because it is easier to capture, edit and post. Last year I started a little project which entails everybody taking pictures of their Belizean vacation and hash tagging #itravelbelize. I’m glad that many have started getting into the trend with me. Therefore, since this week’s blog is all about pictures, let me share with you pictures of spectacular sunsets taken from around the country, some by me and some friends.

Get ready for an Eco Kids Summer!
The deadline for applying to the annual Eco Kids educational summer camp is drawing near, and the Lodge at Chaa Creek is urging young Belizeans between the ages of 8 and 13 years old to get on board! Officially known as the Children’s Summer Camp Scholarship Program, the Eco Kids camp is a great opportunity for young Belizeans to learn about their natural environment and develop skills while having fun during a weeklong jungle adventure. The adventure begins on Saturday July 20th at Chaa Creek’s Macal River Camp and runs until Sunday, July 28. Twenty-four lucky young Belizeans will stay in comfortable casitas and enjoy three healthy meals and snacks each day while taking part in structured educational activities. Chaa Creek supplies all accommodation and meals, the arts and craft materials, tee shirts, 24-hour camp counselor supervision and guided tours conducted by licensed naturalist guides.

Misc Belizean Sources

Hattieville site nearing completion, principal thrilled for new preschool
Completion on a new preschool building the Hattieville Government School in Hattieville, Belize, is estimated for mid-June, and the school's principal and staff are ready to put the new facility to use. The school is one of four schools in Belize receiving new facilities as part of New Horizons Belize 2014, an exercise that provides Belize Defence Force and U.S. military civil engineers training opportunities while constructing new facilities throughout the country. "This has really come at an opportune time because the [Belize] Ministry of Education is making an effort to push more resources and emphasis on early childhood education," said Hattieville principal Rodney Griffith. "What happens in these formative years will chart the course for the rest of their lives. "This project is welcomed and something the community will benefit from greatly," said Griffith, the principal at the school for the last four years.

Plants of the Mayan World
The official book for Plants of the Mayan World “Use of plants in Food, Medicine, Art and Culture” A beautiful edition with over 2000 photos of exotic plants, gourmet plates and Mayan art and crafts! Many authentic Mayan recipes adjusted for healthy and modern living that you can try at home. A first complete illustrated guide to the diverse flora of the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan Peninsula with the introduction into the world of Mayan traditions, culture and gastronomy. Mexico selection in the “Best in the World” by Gourmand Awards in the Best Sustainable Cook Book category for 2013

Cayo Classifieds Issue 16
The new issue of Buy and Sell Weekly is out. The Belize Audubon Society has a section on where to go bird watching.

BCS Annual Cancer Walk
The Belize Cancer Society's annual Cancer Walk is happening tomorrow morning. It will start at Camalote, and end at the DFC in Belmopan..

Revolution Artistry Makeup Class
Revolution Artistry is having another one on one Makeup Class in Cayo. They've announced the winners of their Mother's Day Makeover contest.

Power interruptions scheduled for Orange Walk District
Two 20-minute power interruptions scheduled for Orange Walk District on Sunday, May 18, from 6:00 am to 6:20 am and 3:40 pm to 4:00 pm: entire Orange Walk District. This scheduled power interruption is necessary for BEL to conduct maintenance and replace poles on the transmission line between Maskall and Buena Vista and conduct testing at the Maskall Substation.

Power interruptions scheduled for the Corozal District
Two 20-minute power interruptions scheduled for the Corozal District on Sunday, May 18, from 6:00 am to 6:20 am and 3:40 p.m. to 4:00 pm: entire Corozal District. This scheduled power interruption is necessary for BEL to conduct maintenance and replace poles on transmission line between Maskall and Buena Vista and conduct testing at Maskall Substation.

Training Workshop for the Belize-Mexico Partial Scope Agreement
On Thursday May 15th, a training workshop on the Belize/ Mexico Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) was held at the Hotel Las Vegas that included a cross section of members from the Public and Private sector. Members from the Private Sector of Belize, Quintana Roo and Merida underlined the importance of concluding this agreement to develop market opportunities and effective access to the Mexican market.

Encroachment of Buffer Zone of the Harmonyville Farming Community, Mile 41 George Price Highway
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture, through the Department of Lands and Surveys wrote to Mr. Nigel Petillo on May 15th 2014 in response to a letter he submitted dated 9th May 2014 in relation to the matter at caption.

Channel 7

Digging Deeper Into Immigration Fraud
Last night, we told you about the major bust that the Immigration Department made. 11 persons with illegal documents allegedly arranged by 46 year old Marleny Castellanos, the suspected ring leader in a mass immigration scam. Today she was charged for arranging documents for eight of those persons. As we told you on Wednesday, Immigration Officers went on a mass round up on the island of Caye Caulker and San Pedro for persons with illegal documents. They were transferred to Belmopan yesterday, and today 8 of them were taken to court and arraigned. They are Cruz Reyes, Teresa Juarez, Abis Godoy, Floridalma Juarez, Francisco Reyes, Francisco Ruiz, Myrna Ortega, and Juan Castellanos, all of them Guatemalans. The first 7 were charged with 2 counts of using documents they were not entitled to use, while Juan Castellanos was charged with 3 counts. As the suspected chief arranger, Marleny Castellanos was charged with 16 counts of aiding persons to use documents they weren't entitled to use. The allegation against her is that she helped these 8 people obtain bogus birth and nationality certificates, which they've been using to pass themselves off as legitimate Belizeans.

Ebanks, Ecuador and the 2012 Election
Floyd Wendel Ebanks Jurado, the man who is one of Ecuador's Most Wanted, remains on remand at the Belize Central Prison. Beyond that neither police nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are saying anything about him. But tonight, more is becoming known about his life here in Belize. Press reports up to 2012 list him as a most wanted fugitive for murder in the Guayas Province of Ecuador - and there are reports that he is still wanted in Ecuador. Still, there is no official confirmation coming from Belize Police. There has not been any official request from Ecuadoran law enforcement, and neither has any come from US Government. And internet search, however, shows that he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and booked in Glades, Florida.

Former COMPOL's Gun Stolen, But He Got It Back
He is currently the Director of the National Forensic Science Service, but former Police Commissioner David Henderson proved he hasn't lost his investigative edge when he recovered his licensed firearm, hours after it was stolen from his house. Henderson spoke with 7News this evening, and he told us that he left his Glock 9mm pistol, which was loaded with 14 live rounds, at his house at mile 8 on the Western Highway yesterday. While doing his job, he was questioned if he had his firearm on him. When he made checks, he discovered that the weapon was missing, and immediately he suspected that a man who was doing some construction work on his house could have been the main suspect. He gave instructions for this man to be monitored. He told us that he went today to detain the man himself, and recovered the gun. When he got it back in hand, he escorted the man to himself to the police station, where he was formally arrested and criminally charged. That man will be arraigned in court at the earliest convenience.

Robbers Used A Machete In Orange Walk
A man was viciously chopped in the Orange Walk district today during a robbery. It happened in Carmelita Village around 8:30 this morning. Dennis Eiley who owns Prestige Block Factory in Carmelita Village was chopped between the eyes and nose. Three men arrived at the block factory asking for the owner. They went to the back and attacked him. An employee was alerted when he heard Eiley scream. When he got to the back, he saw Eiley sprawled on the ground with multiple chop wounds. The men took $3,000 thousand dollars, money that Eiley had just gotten from a horse sale. Eiley also sustained chop wounds to the left hand and is in a stable condition.

Man Shot In "Da' Hood" While Under The Hood
There was a shooting in Belize City this morning at 10:00 am. Melvin Myers was reportedly shot while he was working under a car at the corner of Kut Avenue and George Street. Police suspect it may be a neighborhood rivalry - but Myers is not known to be involved in gang activity. Police detained two persons at the scene.

Children Injured In Hit And Run
Tonight, siblings 12 year-old Francine Francis and 7 year-old Herman Williams Jr. are recovering from injuries they received after being hit by a vehicle yesterday, which didn't stop and render aid. Both students were on Mahogany Street, when a vehicle struck them from behind, but the driver callously drove off, leaving the children on the street where they had to be rescued by a concerned resident. Today, their grandmother spoke with us saying that, she is upset that the person who hit them didn't think it important enough to take them to the hospital: Wilma Whylie Thompson, Grandmother of Accident Victims "Yesterday I got a call that a vehicle knock them down yesterday evening. I was in the neighborhood of Karl Heusner Hospital, so I just went there. What really happen is that I hear that the car knock them down from backwards and the flip over the handle of the bicycle and it that was how they got their injury. What hurts me the most is because they didn't stop and render aid both my grandchildren. They just took off, I heard that it was a man and a woman in the car.

Janet Felix Wants Her Sons Home After Eight Years On Remand
All this week, we’ve been reporting on the Felix brothers Maurice and Emory. They faced their third jury on Monday, and again, it was a hung jury. Since the brothers have been tried 3 times already, the DPP will not bring a fourth prosecution against them – meaning they will be set free. But when? The DPP told us that at a later date, her office will be writing to the authorities to indicate that intention. When the police and the Central Prison are officially informed, the men will be released. That’s too long to wait for Janet Felix who has been waiting for 8 years to see her sons who she says were wrongfully accused.

BEL Union Still Bex
4 BEL employees will be redundant effective tomorrow. They work at the Westlake Gas Turbine facility and today their union was still trying to secure a place for them at BEL. A week ago, the company's corporate services manager told us that the workers have basically acted stubbornly by refusing to accept an offer to be retrained so that they can be re-assigned to different posts within the company. But the union says they are being chanced. At a lunch time show of solidarity of the union today, the president told us that the company representative was being disingenuous because the offers they made were not as attractive as she put it. Here's how he explained it: Henry Balan, President - BEWU "They are offering the guys who has work for you for 20 years a position - a contract for one year. I don't believe herself would take an offer of that sort and this is when the union came in. Now that the union came in, they got defensive and say that termination is the other position. We've been through mediation and that has been the position from management - there has not been a word of change even at the end when the minister came in. We ask them is the position still at that? Why isn't we trained the guys and keep them? How did the contract came about and that's the problem from the union's side."

Glass Bottle Sodas Will Be Scarce
Bowen and Bowen will be experiencing a shortage of soft drinks in the glass bottles because they're having some production issues. The reason for it, we are told, is that they're in the process of upgrading equipment to meet the production demand. Today, the PR representative explained to the media: Christelle Wilson - PR Officer, Bowen & Bowen "We are currently upgrading our bottling line. We are upgrading our returnable glass bottling line, so what we had to do is we did need to slow down production so that we could make space for this new line. It's really ground breaking - we are installing new equipment, we have new equipment coming in and in an effort to ensure that we maintain the quality standards in our products that we produce we had to slow down this line and get ready to bring in the new line." Daniel Ortis "So what is happening in terms of this production line? What products are currently not on the shelves at the volume you would have wanted it?"

City Teachers Take A Break
Today was teacher’s day – which, for most, meant a day off, or away from the classroom. The Ministry of Education wanted to celebrate teachers for all they do – and in Belize City that meant an event of entertainment and diversion at the BTL Park. We found out more when we visited:…

Honouring The Art Of Teaching
Similar rallies were held in all the districts - as the culminating event of what is called the May Education Showcase. Last night was the big event: the Outstanding Teachers and School Leaders Awards Ceremony. It was held at the Bliss Center where all kinds of awards were given to career professionals. The teachers of the year were the centerpiece of the event - and here are a few of the videos prepared by the ministry where they speak about what makes them teach:.. Due to time constraints, we couldn't air the stories of all the top teachers, but we promise to feature the others next week.

Jah Cure Brings His Medicine To Belize
It's his first time in Belize, but Jah Cure is no stranger in the Jewel. Many of his fans gathered at the Phillip Goldson International this afternoon as they awaited the reggae superstar and his entourage. Cure came through El Salvador, because after spending years in a Jamaican jail because he can't get a US Visa. No shame in that, in fact it is a part of his legend: he recorded his first hit song, "Prison Walls" while in jail. And since gaining freedom in 2008, he's ascended to international stardom - which has now finally brought him to Belize. In a sit down interview with Monica Bodden this evening, the singer whose songs speak of true love and righteousness, told her where he gets his inspiration from The concert is on Saturday night at the Hour Bar.

A Story About Prisoners To Set Us All Free
In November of last year, we told you about the documentary being promoted by the European Union, called "Songs of Redemption". The EU Ambassador brought it to Belize for the first time earlier this year to share with inmates at the Belize Central Prison. It was expected that they would benefit from the story because it outlines the rehabilitation effort of prisoners from the Tower Street Correctional Facility in Kingston, Jamaica. These prisoners used the power of music as an outlet to express themselves while in prison. The EU Ambassador hosted another screening of "Songs of Redemption" at the Princess Ramada Hotel in Belize City today. This time it was for the public to show that inmates shouldn't just be written off as degenerates simply because they've had a brush with the law: There will be another screening of Songs of Redemption tomorrow at 7:00 at the Princess, and the public is invited to come out and view it.

We'll Meet At The Track
On Saturday over three hundred track athletes from across the country will meet up at the Marion Jones Stadium where they will be competing in a variety of track events. The track meet is organized by Body 2000 - to give these athletes an opportunity to come together and do something positive. We caught up with the organizers today. Body 2000 plans on hosting track meets at least 3 times for the year.

Channel 5

Floyd and Christian Ebanks is the same person; he is wanted in Ecuador
It’s confirmed. Christian Ebanks, remanded on firearm charges, is Ecuadoran Floyd Ebanks Jurado, wanted for murder in that country. News Five has confirmed that shortly after arriving in Belize, the [...]

More details emerge on immigration scam run by a Guatemalan couple
The arrest of a Guatemalan couple is revealing further details of an ongoing hustle at the Immigration Department. The couple was remanded to prison on Wednesday, after they pleaded guilty to [...]

Minister Santi speaks on $50,000 Mother’s Day cheer
Just before Mother’s Day, the Ministry of Finance gave seventeen U.D.P. Area Representatives eight hundred and fifty-thousand dollars. Those Area Representatives then handed out fifty and hundred dollar bills to [...]

Siblings injured in a hit and run
Two primary school children were knocked down as they headed home from school on Thursday evening. Siblings, twelve year old Francine Francis and seven year old Herman Williams, both students [...]

Unitedville residents to meet with DPM on Monday
On Thursday, we broke the story of a land dispute in Unitedville in the Cayo District. The Lands Department gave title for five acres of land in the village to [...]

Bernadette Fischer takes Unitedville resident to court
As we told you, the eviction notices were delivered to the residents in 2011. They ignored it, but the matter got new life after Bernadette Fischer took one of the [...]

Outstanding teachers honored at an award ceremony
Teachers around the country today were engaged in different activities to celebrate national teachers’ day. And while things with the Ministry of Education are not the best, at the Bliss [...]

Carmelita Businessman chopped to the head in a robbery
An Orange Walk businessman was chopped in the face this morning during an attack at his workplace. The victim, identified as Dennis Eiley, is the proprietor of Prestige Block Factory [...]

There’s a shortage in Bowen & Bowen glass products
There have been mounting complaints from various businesses across the country that there is a scarcity of Bowen and Bowen products. The complaint is that alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in [...]

Beverage company says upgrades to be completed by June
But with a move like this by the company, there must be setbacks. Christelle Wilson spoke of the risks in taking this step.   Christelle Wilson, Internal Legal Counsel & [...]

Meet the Lady Jaguars
Belize’s participation in the international football scene has been virtually absent since the Jaguars represented the Jewel in 2013 in a rather insipid debut at the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.  [...]

Lady Jaguars Head Coach confident that team will succeed
According to Lady Jaguars Head Coach Kent Gabourel, after sizing up the competition he is confident that the team will overcome the Guatemalans.  As to the financial support, Vicente says [...]

Europe Day celebrated in Belmopan
An open day, organized by the Government of Belize and the United Nations Development Program, was held in Belmopan in honor of Europe Day.  The aim was to call to [...]

EU tackles climate change in Belize
Representing the Government of Belize was Minister Godwin Hulse.  With responsibility for National Emergency Management, some eventualities the result of climate change, Hulse says the partnership between Belize and the [...]

CTV3

Complaint Launched Against NRH
The Health Sector in Belize and the community hospitals across the country have been under constant watch over the past years due to many reasons. Here in Orange Walk the NRH was in the midst of a sea of turmoil when a number of women accused the hospital of the death of their new-borns and of malpractice. Tonight the NRH is in the spotlight again and it’s not in a positive manner. A family in Orange Walk Town is concerned that the treatment to a diagnosis of kidney failure given at the NRH is the culprit for the complications to their sick loved one. The mother of a jovial and energetic student of Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico reached out to our media centre to voice her story saying that on Friday her daughter began complaining of pain on her side and was checked into the hospital NRH. After being screened, one doctor said the patient had kidney failure and so medications were prescribed to her. While in observation, the patient still complained of pain so another doctor attended to her and stated that she had a urinary tract infection and so prescribed a whole new set of medications. The mother of the patient said since her daughter has been taking the medications, her condition has worsened. When we met the family and the patient at their home, she was visibly weak and complained of blurred vision. The mother of the child, whose name we will withhold as is her request, says the family is simply asking the public to be vigilant of the treatment they are being provided with at the hospital.

Ebanks Remanded To Prison, Investigation Of His Identity Continues
Were Orange Walkenos and Belize City residents living among a murderer? That is the question that many are asking tonight after news broke out that Christian Ebanks could possibly be an Ecuadoran Fugitive that is being sought for the murder of another Ecuadoran National. As we mentioned last night, here in Orange Walk Ebanks is known as JR or Christian Ebanks, the owner of Skywireless located on Queen Victoria Avenue. And that’s all that Orange Walkenos knew that is until last night when reports surfaced that officers of the Gang Suppression Unit could have in custody an Ecuadorian man wanted by Guayas Province Police in Ecuador for the murder of another citizen of that country. Carmelita Perez – Reporting The man officers of the GSU detained provided documents, including immigration documents, which identify him as Christian Ebanks. He was detained after police conducted a search at his Belize City residence located on Teacher Street and found an illegal firearm. But Christian Ebanks looks just like the man on this flyer, identified as Floyd Wendel Ebanks Jurado, who is listed as one of Ecuador’s most wanted fugitives. Ebanks Jurado is accused of the murder of Ecuadoran National Alejandro Martín Teófilo Yagual which occurred on Puna Island. The following video uploaded on You Tube on October 25th 2011 lists the ten most wanted delinquents from Ecuador. Among them is Ebanks Jurado who is said to have killed Teofilo Yagual over a piece of land.

O/W Police Confiscate Over 10lbs Of Weed
Orange Walk Police made a huge weed bust as they confiscated over ten pounds of weed last night. Authorities were on mobile patrol on the Yo Creek Road when they saw two male persons traveling towards Orange Walk on a small motorcycle. The officers signaled the men to stop but they continued driving. This is when officers got suspicious and more so when they saw the male individual seated to the back throw two knapsacks into the bushes. At the sight of this the officers fired two warning shots and only then did the men stop. Police escorted both persons to the location where they had thrown the bags and retrieved it. Upon searching the knapsacks, authorities found suspected cannabis.

More Drugs Taken Off The Streets Of Orange Walk
That was not the only drug bust police made last night. At 8:00pm authorities searched the residence of Georgina Flores located in the Village of San Lazaro in the Orange Walk District. Present at the time of the search were 23 year old Tatiana Novelo, Belizean Domestic, twenty-two year old Wilson Flores, Belizean cane cutter and sixty-five year old Georgina Flores, Belizean Domestic all of San Lazaro Village. The search led to the discovery of a green plastic bag containing 62 small silver foil packets that contained suspected cannabis. All persons were escorted to the Orange Walk Police Station where the suspected cannabis was weighed which amounted to 64.6 grams.

Bowen And Bowen Speaks On The Quality Of Their Product
Yesterday we told you about a possible shortage of products from the powerhouse Bowen and Bowen Limited due to an increase demand for their products. And while we promised you a look into the production today, our cameras were not allowed to film inside due their strict international regulations. We were given a tour of the soft drink production, from start to end. After the tour and getting an understanding of ‘how it works’, we asked Quality Assurance Manager, Gregorio Nah on how they plan to sustain their customer satisfaction since presently, ‘demand exceeds supply’. Gregorio Nah – Quality Assurance Manager, Bowen and Bowen “Every year we put in place machineries that are of the latest technology to ensure the safety of the product we are putting in there, year by year we move ahead by getting the latest technology because when we look at the human factor we are moving from there from that position, because when we have the human factor a lot of things can come in line but with machinery ones we have it calibrated then we ensure that the product we are putting out meets our specs.”

Cola Writes To The PM
While the heat on the displaced Minister of State Elvin Penner has subsided a bit, the pressure is still virtually there to investigate Penner for two offences in the passport Act and Belizean Nationality Act. But while the investigation has been on a standstill, the Citizens organized for Liberty through action COLA unwavering pressure has not ceased. Today, president of the organization Geovanni Brackett wrote to the Prime Minister requesting from him to provide them with the materials and evidence under the Freedom of Information Act. The organization is requesting; (1) The preliminary report provided by the Auditor General on the 21st of March, 2014; (2) the scanned documents produced to the PM by Minister Hulse at his press conference held on the 15th of October, 2013; And (3) any and all other materials and evidence provided to him by any of the authorities that have been carrying out an investigation into the wrongdoings by your former Minister of State, Elvin Penner.

Journalism Courses Is Offered To Students Of Sarteneja Village
The Belize Adubon society has been working with the three fishing communities in the Corozal District: Sarteneja, Chunux and Copper Bank, in educating the residents on the importance marine protected areas. In an effort to keep making sure the message is spread, the Belize Audubon Society is reaching out to the young people in Sarteneja Village in a rather unique way. Dareece Chuc is the Environmental education and communications director at the Society. Dareece Chuc - Environmental education and communications director at the Society “Right now we have a program running called reef protectors and it is for high school age students and it is to exposed them to marine protected areas and conservation and the important role of marine protected areas in conservation for Belize and one of the tools that we are using is teaching them how to make videos and video journalism because they want to give them an opportunity to be able to participate, a lot of times when we do environmental education we tend to talk a lot and we don’t give people an opportunity to get people involve so we felt that the journalism aspect would be a mew skill and something that they could acquire and become more active in speaking out when it comes to the environment.”

Will Impasse Between MOH And PAB Lead To Industrial Action
The standoff between the Ministry of Health and Pharmacists Association of Belize over the appointment of Drug Inspectorate Danini Contreras is at the point of possible industrial action. Vice-president of the Pharmacy Association of Belize, Marisol Melhado, says they are proceeding carefully because they are part of an essential service and are working with the Public Service Union (PSU). Melhado told CTV3 News they will hold on to their demand for Contreras’ exit, insisting that she does not have the qualifications nor experience for her specially-created post. Marisol Melhado – Vice President, Pharmacists Association of Belize “We have issues with it being that the person is not a registered pharmacist nor that the person has such experience to hold such a position as the Director of the Drug Inspectorate Unit. New event has been the fact that the minister of health has publicly said that they had received the letter sent by PSU in giving the 21 days’ notice in terms of industrial action and they have answered saying that the public service needs to outline the dispute to what extent the dispute is about and so forth because clearly this is not a dispute between employee and employer so the public service union will be working on that and we will move on from there.”

LOVE FM

Hulse Comments on COLA’s Appeal to the PM
In all this back and forth on what has been dubbed, ‘the Penner investigation’, one organisation that has been adamant in seeing former Minister Penner subjected to the judicial system for his alleged involvement in the issuance of the passport to the incarcerated Korean national, Kim Wong Hong, is the Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA). COLA has launched a private prosecution against Penner and is in the process of preparing for its court date on May 29 where disclosure is scheduled to occur…but it is proving somewhat difficult considering that they are saying they are yet to receive any of the documents required from the investigators. As what one may deem, a final resort, COLA wrote the Prime Minister requesting for his intervention in the matter ….. to some it may seem like a logical thing to do but as Minister Hulse explains it, there is nothing that the Prime Minister can do as members of the Executive Branch are not to interfere with the country’s judicial branch.

The Case of the Missing Penner File Unsolved
Tonight there is nothing short of immigration issues to report…..recently, the media has learnt that there may be a case of the missing Penner file as the Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal are pointing fingers at each other, in terms of who is in possession of the file. Minister Hulse says he does not understand what the fuss is about. MINISTER GODWIN HULSE “Well, I don’t understand the back and forth at all. Let’s be clear, from day one when the story broke, everybody in the country, by now, knows that we have a copy of a nationality certificate signed by Mr. Penner ; we don’t know where the original is.

Kim Wong Hong’s Passport to Arrive in Belize
In September 2013, the story of a Korean national obtaining a Belize passport while being locked down in a prison in Taiwan led to the uncovering of a series of discrepancies within the Immigration Department as well as the investigation of several persons in the department and the termination of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration, Elvin Penner. Well, eight months later, officials from Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are expecting the near arrival of the official passport that was issued to the Korean national, Kim Wong Hong. Minister Hulse gave us the details on the expected delivery of the passport. MINISTER GODWIN HULSE “I do know they have made a request to the ministry for the original passport; that is through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who has advised us that the ambassador is coming sometime this month to Belize and will be bringing that original passport. There is an issue of the risk of that passport going awry and therefore they didn’t want to do anything else except to have it couriered.

Cuban National Opts to Be Repatriated to the US
Staying on the spate of immigration issues that authorities are dealing with, we go back to a story of a Cuban national, Raonel Valdez Valhuerdi, who was wanted for a heist in the US and was found on Belize soil back in February at the Guatemala/Belize border. Our interview with the Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Godwin Hulse on May 7, had the minister saying that the fugitive’s fate was in the hands of the Cuban authorities…..but later that day, Love News had confirmed that the Cuban was repatriated to the United States and was booked into the Miami Dade County Jail. Love News asked Hulse, what had changed in that matter. MINISTER GODWIN HULSE “I didn’t say that; I said the protocol said that we contact the embassy for the person and the person has two choices, he returns to the country of his origin or where he chooses to go or of his choice.

Immigration Looks into Ebanks Identity Issue
Yesterday, Love News had spoken to the Head of the Gang Suppression Unit, Superintendent Linden Flowers who enlightened us on the matter of 39-year-old, Christian Ebanks who was arrested and charged following a search and the discovery of a 9mm illegal firearm in his home in the West Landivar area of Belize City on Wednesday afternoon.…..but there is a twist in this story as a photo has surfaced on the internet of someone, named Floyd Ebanks, who is wanted for murder in Ecuador. The fellow wanted in Ecuador bears an uncanny resemblance of Christian Ebanks, a businessman who has made Belize his home for the last few years, working in the political, marketing and business sectors. Today, Love News asked Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Godwin Hulse, who update on the matter. MINISTER GODWIN HULSE “I don’t know about any extradition agreement but what we do know is that we are looking into his identity issue; as you know, he is here in Belize under a different name and has documents under that name and the first thing that has to be established is, and I think they are working on that, whether he is who he says he is; that is the first and most important thing because if his documents are fine, the charge will be what the police had brought for the firearm.

Minister Weighs in On Human Trafficking Ring
The process of acquiring nationality status and even the mere renewal of a Belizean passport has become somewhat tedious over the last few months …but not without reason. Following the immigration scandal that broke out in 2013, Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Godwin Hulse led the way in putting stringent measures in place in order to close the gaps in the system when it comes to obtaining immigration documents and Belizean citizenship…..but very few things are ironclad and this was proven earlier this week when an investigation revealed that a couple had used the birth certificates of deceased persons in order to obtain their Belizean documents. Marleny Castellanos and Alfredo Marcos were both charged on Wednesday and by the following day, a group of eleven persons joined them after an operations carried out on the islands of Caye Caulker and San Pedro by immigration officials led authorities to these eleven persons who were found in possession of illegal nationality certificates, allegedly obtained through a business scheme spearheaded by Castellanos. Hulse weighed in on this investigation.

PlusTV

Minister Mums on missing Rosewood
40,000 square feet of Rosewood, harvested illegally, was discovered on April 14th of this year. No one was around the area at the time and so it was labelled as found property and taken to the Savannah Forest Station in the Toledo District for “safe keeping”. Four weeks later, that...

Orange Walk Businessman Chopped in the Face
An Orange Walk businessman was chopped in the face this morning. Reports are that Dennis Eiley, the owner of Prestige Block Factory in Carmelita Village, was at his place of business sometime around 8:30 this morning. That was when three men arrived at the work site asking to speak...

Shots Fired at Forestry Officer
A 22-year-old Belizean Forestry Officer presently residing in Belize City reported that on Thursday morning, while walking on Antelope Street, he saw a man whom he knows for the past fifteen years, riding a bicycle heading towards Central American Boulevard. He stated that the person stared at him and...

Immigration Ring Widens as Ringleaders Change Pleas
42 year old Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos and his common-law wife, 46 year old Marleni Elizabeth Castellanos, reversed their pleas to not guilty on appearing in court today, Friday, for what was to have been their sentencing. However, their troubles are only just beginning, as Immigration authorities have identified them...

COLA Wants PM to Help Them Build Case Against Penner
May 28th, the next court date for COLA and Elvin Penner, draws nearer, and with no lead as to where the missing Elvin Penner files might be, COLA is turning to Prime Minister of Belize for help. Yesterday COLA sent a letter to the PM stating that, “We proceeded...

Union Supports Terminated Gas Turbine Workers
Belize Electricity Limited, still owned by the Government, has been grappling with the issue of four employees which work at the Mile 8 George Price Highway gas turbine facility. It is a key operation needed to power Belize City up after blackouts but the company says it does not...

Delays with Dangriga Market, Costly to Council and Vendors
The Dangriga market was delayed due to alleged corruption at SIF, but all that is behind us now and a new contract was signed with new builders. However, due to the occurrences with SIF, the Dangriga market remains the only municipality where a Belize Infrastructure Development project is still...

Hit and Run Accident Leaves Two Children Injured
Police see the driver and a female companion of a white Jeep vehicle that hit two children riding home from school on bicycle on Thursday evening. According to police, 12 year old Francine Francis and 7 year old Herman Williams, Jr., students of St. Luke Methodist School, were riding home on...

Local Celebrations Held for Teachers Day
After several years of a national celebration of teachers to close out Education Week, a financial dispute between the Ministry of Education and Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) returned Teachers’ Day to a mostly local celebration. The Union could not come up with its expected share of expenses because...

Amandala

GST goes after The Belize Times for tax returns
The General Sales Tax (GST) department has summoned the Opposition People’s United Party organ, The Belize Times, to court for failure to file GST returns for January and February, 2014. When the matter was called up in the courtroom of Magistrate Dale Cayetano yesterday, it could not be heard, however, because the person named as the manager of The Belize Times, Marion Marsden, is no longer employed at the Belize Times Press. Attorney Kareem Musa, who is representing The Belize Times, told the court that there must have been some kind of miscommunication, because Marsden is no longer working for The Belize Times. In the absence of Marsden, whose name appears on the GST court book, the matter could not be dealt with and was adjourned to today, Thursday. But when the matter was called up this morning, Thursday, the GST prosecutor, Jacqueline Meighan, returned with the same court book, bearing Marsden’s name.

Mother of 4 stabbed 6 times in San Pedro
Lorena Montes, 32, of Swan Street, San Pedro Town, is recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after she was stabbed with a butcher knife six times — three times in her back and three times in the head. One of the stabs reportedly punctured her lung. The incident occurred at about 12:20 yesterday afternoon in San Pedro, in Henry Store, owned by Montes, located at the corner of Swan and Glitter Streets. Present at the time of the stabbing were Montes’ four children, who had come home from school for lunch. Police say that Montes was stabbed by another woman with whom she had been having an ongoing dispute. Montes told police that she had just come back to her store with her children when she was followed by a woman with whom she had had a brief argument, and the woman pulled out a knife and attacked her.

$750,000 for UDP’s Mother’s Day cheer
Earlier this week, the Opposition People’s United Party went on record to condemn a decision taken by the Barrow administration to gift $750,000 of taxpayers’ money to select recipients for Mother’s Day, while leaving out those mothers who live in divisions which are represented by the Opposition PUP. Mother’s Day is observed internationally on the second Sunday in May, and Cabinet had apparently decided that each of the constituents with a ruling party rep would receive a $50,000 allocation for the annual Christian observance. However, it appears from official information we have gleaned from Financial Secretary Joseph Waight that the constituencies represented by Opposition members of Parliament did not receive an allocation from Central Government. “The scope of the program to include Government area representatives only was a decision of the Cabinet,” Waight told us.

Court of Appeal upholds GOB nationalization of BTL, BEL
The Court of Appeal this afternoon handed down what Attorney General Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington described as a “blowout” decision, in which two of three sitting justices upheld the Government’s nationalization of both Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and Belize Electricity Limited (BEL). “It looks like it’s a blowout for Government…” Elrington told the press, in response to the ruling, which Eamon Courtenay, SC, told the press would be swiftly appealed at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The case was heard by Justices Manuel Sosa, Samuel Awich and Douglas Mendez, who ruled against GOB. “One was completely in our favor, one was completely against us, so I think the CCJ will have to have the final decision in this,” Courtenay told the press.

Legal publication deposit: The gray area
Methodist church leader speaks on Gender Policy
The National Heritage Library in Belmopan is one of several public libraries in the country, but it also hosts the National Collection as well as the private collection of Belizean historian Assad Shoman – books he donated before his departure for overseas study. Amandala got a chance to see the collection, to which several Belizeans are adding publications which you may not think could be found at the library. Felene Swaso, librarian at the National Heritage Library in Belmopan, told Amandala that this is called “gray literature.” “Now people traditionally associate books, journals, magazines with the library, but they don’t consider that we collect funeral booklets, that we collect AGM [reports]… that we collect things, even booklets and bookmarks and a lot of other non-traditional formats.

Last Wednesday, May 7, church leaders met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow to discuss the Gender Policy and other related issues, and while some believed that it would have been a heated, confrontational session, actually it wasn’t, and by all indications, it was a cordial session. On Friday, those church leaders held a short briefing to inform the media that the Gender Policy discussion was on track and that both parties have agreed to meet again in July. However, there still seemed to be some concern raised by the church leaders over an advertisement in relation to the Gender Policy which the President of Methodist Conference was a part of, and which drew some criticism because the leaders reportedly stated on the record that he was not authorized by the Catholic Church to do that, because that is not the position of the Church.

Revised Gender Policy 2013 review due in July
The Revised Gender Policy 2013—the controversial document which the church community has opposed on the grounds that its very language introduces “sexual orientation” clauses which run contrary to established spiritual norms in Belize and provisions which some fear could open the door for minors to seek abortions without parental consent—will be the subject of a review in July, by a steering committee to be headed by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches has announced. The Belize Association of Evangelical Churches has said that prayer and dialogue are the more effective means of getting through to the Government. They met with Barrow on Wednesday, May 7, over comments attributed to National Women’s Commission executive director, Ann-Marie Williams, suggesting that the Government is moving ahead with the new gender policy—despite calls from the church community for a revision.

Convicted cop spared jail time, fined $2,400 for three counts of theft
“You have shown some level of remorse but your action amounted to an abuse of power…,” Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith told interdicted Police Constable Brandon Hertular, 27, on Tuesday at his sentencing hearing, before imposing fines amounting to $2,400 for his conviction on Monday on theft charges. After a night in police lockdown, Hertular was brought back to the Magistrate’s Court in the police prison van for sentencing on Tuesday. The Chief Magistrate imposed the fines after she heard a submission from Hertular’s attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, and mitigation pleas from members of Hertular’s family. In his submission, Sylvestre told the court that his client was convicted only on the theft charges, because the prosecutor did not pursue the burglary charge with which he was initially charged.

Rural Police Officer critical after motorcycle accident
A police officer from Double Head Cabbage Village in the rural Belize District is listed to be in a critical but stable condition after he was involved in a traffic accident that occurred over the past weekend. Today, police reported that last Saturday, May 10, sometime after 11:00 p.m., Jahman Flowers, 23, a police officer of a Double Head Cabbage address, was riding a red Meilun motorcycle from Double Head Cabbage to Bermudian Landing when he lost control and ran off the road, subsequently suffering head and body injuries. When police visited the scene at about 11:30 p.m., they reportedly saw Flowers lying motionless on the side of the road with a cut wound to the right side of his forehead and his damaged motorcycle about seven feet away from him.

Saint Margaret girl, 13, missing
Daisy Gibbas, a 13-year-old girl of Saint Margaret village on the Hummingbird Highway in the Stann Creek District, has been reported missing after she left home on Saturday, May 10, at about 2:30 that afternoon. Her mother reported that at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, she left home, leaving her two daughters at home. On her return, her eldest daughter told her that the younger daughter, Daisy, 13, left the house without indicating where she was going, and that up to that time, she had not yet returned. Daisy Gibbas is of brown complexion, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, has short brown hair, weighs about 110 pounds and has a scar just in front of her forehead, near her hairline.

Degree but no temperature!
Dear Editor, “Education empowers a nation,” boasts the University of Belize. However, it appears that this truism has been rejected by an increasing number of Belizeans. Incredibly, people with degrees are now being looked upon with scorn, the phrase “degree but no temperature” giving expression to that contempt. Just about every morning the talk shows are swamped by Belizeans making the case about common sense and deploring “deh one with degree.” Common sense has its place, but surely it cannot take the place of a formal education. Common sense tells us that a plane weighing 100,000 pounds cannot fly, but science makes it fly. Common sense also tells us that a ship weighing 50,000 tons cannot float, but science makes it float.

Attempted robbery at the Bowen and Bowen depot in San Pedro
Vigilant security guards averted an armed robbery at the Bowen and Bowen depot on Blake Street in San Pedro at about 1:30 this afternoon. The security guards stepped forward when a thief entered the office and demanded money, but when he saw the guards, the thief fired about nine shots and ran out of the building empty-handed. All who were nearby scrambled for cover, and no one was hit. The glass door of the office was, however, damaged by the bullets. Police have detained a man in connection with the incident. Assistant Superintendent Luis Castellanos, the Commander of San Pedro Police, said that when the suspect was taken into custody, he was found with cannabis, and he was charged with drug trafficking. He will be taken to the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court on Monday on the drug charges, and should be remanded, while they conclude their investigation into the attempted robbery of the depot.

Health Minister: “I have full confidence in CEO Dr. Peter Allen.”
Ministry of Health officials, particularly Chief Executive Officer Dr. Peter Allen, have been under fire for the past few weeks from entities such as the Pharmacists Association of Belize (PAB), and although the Ministry called a press conference last Friday, May 9, to address serious allegations being made against him (Allen), not much progress was made and today, at another event being hosted by the Ministry, the media cornered Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin, who responded to some of the accusations and maintained that, despite the unpleasant scrutiny, he still has the utmost confidence in CEO Allen. The Minister first replied to e-mails provided to the media which indicated that sometime last June, whilst in a board meeting with the Ministry’s top brass, he (Marin) reportedly informed the board members that he would no longer continue to hold the requisite exams which pharmacists would regularly sit in order to get licensed and registered.

The Reporter

Penner’s file disappears! COLA writes PM requesting evidence against Penner
The Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA), using the Freedom of Information Act, has written to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, requesting whatever evidence, reports and or material that his office has received regarding the investigation into the passport scandal involving former Minister of State Elvin Penner. The letter, dated May 14, 2014, also reminds Barrow that the laws of Belize provide for “the summoning of witnesses to provide materials relevant to a trial at the summary level”, and COLA expressed the hope it will not have to take that approach at the next court hearing on May 29. The letter signed by Geovanni Brackett, president of COLA, requests in particular a preliminary report that the Auditor General delivered on March, 21, 2014.

GOB wins back BTL! Next move : CCJ!
The Government of Belize was right to acquire Belize Telemedia Limited and Belize Electricity Limited, the Court of Appeal affirmed Thursday afternoon. A majority of the appellate court’s members, with the exception of Justice Douglas Mendes, held that the government’s acquisitions of the utility companies in July 2011, buttressed by various Acts of Parliament and statutory instruments, was valid and constitutional. Therefore, as it relates to compensation to the former owners of the utility companies – the BTL Employees’ Trust, British Caribbean Bank and Fortis Energy International (Belize) – it would appear that the value of the properties should only be calculated up to July of 2011.

Budna gets 30 years more
Joseph Budna, 33, the Belizean who last year received a 25-year jail sentence for kidnapping an American boy for ransom, has received an additional 30 years for a similar offense. Prensa Libre reported this week that on Tuesday, a criminal court in Zacapa, a city in eastern Guatemala, sentenced Budna to 30 years in prison for kidnapping a man and placed a ransom of Q1 million. After negotiations, the family paid Q40 thousand, and Budna released the victim in Chiquimula. Budna, who escaped two police guards on April 21 while pretending to need medical attention, was recaptured three days later in Chiquimula as he tried to leave Guatemala. The two guards are now under investigation.

Felix Brothers get Out -of -Jail card
Brothers, Maurice, 30, and Emory Felix, 27, are expected to soon be released from prison, as Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal has indicated that she will not pursue another prosecution against the men. A jury of eight men and four women were unable to reach a verdict in the Corozal Town Supreme Court, where they began deliberations at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday after Justice Troadio Gonzalez summed up the case on Tuesday afternoon. They emerged with the news six hours later. The brothers were accused of killing mechanic Mitchum Heredia, 29, at his T-Street residence on April 10, 2006. But two previous trials – one in October 2007 and another four years later – produced differing verdicts. A 12-member jury sitting before Justice Adolph Lucas found them guilty, but the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after finding that Justice Lucas misdirected the jury on dock identification.

Guat couple pleads guilty to using false immigration documents
A Guatemalan couple who was living and working in Belize legally was remanded to prison until tomorrow, Friday, when Magistrate Dale Cayetano will determine what sentence to impose after the couple pleaded guilty to using various Belizean identification documents which they were not legally entitled to use. The couple used the identities of deceased Belizeans to obtain citizenship to live and work in Belize. This afternoon, immigration officers who had conducted a sweep on Caye Caulker turned up at court with eight more persons they are accusing of being in Belize with fraudulent documents. But the accused persons could not be arraigned, because there was no magistrate available to read the charges to them.

Budna gets 30 more years
The Guatemalan press is reporting that Joseph Budna, 33, the Belizean recently recaptured by Guatemalan authorities after he escaped the custody of two guards at a hospital in Zacapa, Guatemala, in April, has been handed an additional sentence of 30 years on another allegation of kidnapping and extortion. Prensa Libre reports that Budna was sentenced today, Tuesday, by El Tribunal de Sentencia Penal de Zacapa, to 30 years for the kidnapping of a victim for which a demand of a million quetzals (equivalent to BZ$258,784.67) was made, but the report said that after negotiations, the family paid 40,000 quetzales (equivalent to BZ$10,351.39).

Convict Denfield Lemoth adds 2 more years to his prison time
A Belize City man who is serving a 12-year sentence in prison, received two more years of jail time when he pleaded guilty to one count of theft which he reportedly committed a year ago. Denfield Lemoth, who had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, changed his plea to guilty, when he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano today, after waiting for more than a year for his day in court. Lemoth has been accused of stealing a wallet from Errol Belisle. The incident occurred on April 13, 2013, while Belisle was making a purchase at a Chinese shop on Racoon Street.

Retired US judge, Carlos Moreno, to head US mission in Belize
Retired US judge, Carlos Moreno, who is seen in some circles as an LGBT rights proponent, received the unanimous support of the US Senate yesterday, Wednesday, May 14, for his nomination by US President Barack Obama as the next US Ambassador to Belize. Moreno would replace former US Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally, who demitted office in late 2013. Since Thummalapally’s departure, the US Mission in Belize has been headed by Chargé d’Affaires, Margaret Hawthorne. Emilia Adams, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Belize, told Amandala today that they do not yet know when Moreno will arrive in Belize. She said that he should be here soon after he is through with his appointments and briefings in Washington, DC, so he should be here by the summer.

Major passport audit being finalized
Amandala has received information that a major audit exercise, probing into the issuance of Belizean passports by the Immigration Department, is nearing conclusion, and the full report should be concluded within a few weeks. There is no disclosure as yet on the findings of the comprehensive audit, which we understand came after irregularities were uncovered in the issuance of Belizean visas—for which a separate audit is being prepared. What sparked the audit was a report that an officer from the Immigration Department was being reprimanded after allegations that some visas had gone missing as far back as 2012, although the matter came up for investigation in 2013.

Big fight at Libertad leaves one chopped in the head
Giovanni Henry Borland, 23, of Western Pines, Mile 8, George Price Highway, Belize District, is clinging to life in the intensive care unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after suffering a chop wound to the head with a machete. The man who allegedly chopped him, Joseph West, was taken to the Corozal Magistrate’s Court, where he appeared in front of Magistrate Hurl Hamilton, yesterday, Tuesday, and was charged with attempted murder, grievous harm, dangerous harm, and aggravated assault. He has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July 21.

COLA writes PM Barrow
Dear Sir, As you may be aware, on the 28th of February, 2014, COLA instituted a private prosecution against former Minister of State responsible for Immigration and Nationality, Elvin Penner, for two offences under the Passports Act and the Belizean Nationality Act respectively. We proceeded with this action as recommended by you on the 17th of February, 2014, after action was taken out against the Commissioner of Police for a writ of mandamus to execute his functions as the Senior Officer in charge of our Police Department to investigate the actions of Elvin Penner. Since then, the Supreme Court has issued the writ of mandamus against the Commissioner of Police, and despite repeated requests utilizing the Freedom of Information Act (as suggested by you) to obtain the investigative file, the Commissioner and the Auditor General have utterly refused to comply with our requests. Meanwhile, the DPP has been unable to provide the information requested due to certain circumstances.

Hundreds of education stakeholders look at “raising the bar”
Hundreds of education stakeholders are gathering at the Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City on Tuesday and Wednesday this week for the Second Biennial Teacher Education Conference, as a part of Education Showcase 2014. Professor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies, Errol Miller, a highly respected academic of Jamaica, was the keynote speaker at the opening of the event on Tuesday morning. Miller pointed to statistics which indicate that the level of professional training in Belize has only increased modestly at the primary level over the last ten years—from 52.1 to 56.4%. Speaking with Amandala after the opening, Education Minister Patrick Faber said the conference is being held “merely to encourage the stakeholders, to give them that boost in the arm, to encourage them to press forward.”

Teachers’ Day goes local; national plans aborted
The Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has issued a statement rebutting suggestions that the National Teachers Day rally which was to have been held in Benque this Friday fell through because of spite on the part of the BNTU, which wrote the Ministry saying that it was unable to come up with the 30% contribution requested towards the expenses. Minister of Education Patrick Faber told the media on Tuesday that the BNTU had given a contribution of $24,000 in 2009, and the Ministry thought it reasonable to expect a similar contribution towards the $116,000 budget — most of which is for transportation to move teachers to the far west location, he said. Faber told us that the BNTU had informed the ministry that it could only afford $10,000, which, he said, is not the kind of contribution, they believe, is necessary in order to pull off the national day.

FFB President’s Cup
Four games, 1 on Saturday and 3 on Sunday, were played over the weekend in Week 2 of the inaugural FFB President’s Cup tournament. In the only game on Saturday, May 10, at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium, Sagitun bombed Pomona United, 5-0, with goals from Ashley Torres (7’ & 25’), Dillon Torres (29’), Ernie Whyte (43’) and Myron Cadle (90+’). On Sunday, at the Louisiana Field in Orange Walk, it was Progresso FC, 5-3, over Belize District Stars. Progresso was credited with goals from Hugo Castillo (46’), Gabriel Perez (59’ & 70’) and Alexander Diaz (85’), along with an own goal by Belize District’s Jaron Myvette; while the 3 goals for Belize District Stars came from Brian Martinez (33’), David McCaulay, Jr. (73’) and Dalton Cayetano (72’). Meanwhile, at the Toledo Union Field in Punta Gorda, Roaring Creek United dropped Estrellas FC, 5-1, with goals from Michael Lewis (34’ PK), Ricky Tamai (59’, 83’ & 85’) and Alden Coleman (80’); while Evan Mariano (37’ PK) got the only goal for Estrellas. And at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio, it was San Antonio FC, 1-nil, over Benque D.C. United, courtesy of a goal by Darnell Mossiah (19’ PK).

Cricket corner
My deepest sympathy to the Hyde Family on the tragic loss of their loved one, Evan Garnett, Jr. May you find comfort in God’s grace. These are the results of the games played over the weekend: On Saturday, May 10, at Isabella Bank, Isabella Uprising was all out for 126 runs; but that score was not enough, as Sunrise racked up 127 runs with 3 wickets to spare for the victory. For Uprising, John Madrid scored 28 runs, and Norman Pook and Dwayne Hendy took 2 wickets each; while for Sunrise, Percival Joseph scored 27, and Edison Parks took 4 wickets. Meanwhile, at Lords Bank, Brilliant’s score of 137 runs was enough to defeat Medicos, who were 39 all out. For Brilliant, Calbert Reynolds scored 46 runs, and Andrew Banner took 6 wickets; while Barath scored 7 for Medicos and Ashwin took 6 wickets. At St. Paul’s Bank, it was Bright Star, 75-69, over Excelsior; and at Rancho Dolores, Western Eagles defeated Police. No other results were sent it.

2014 lunchtime dangers for Belize’s children
Dear Editor, The time has come to rethink our education practices and take Belize’s children off these killing streets at lunchtime. The Ministry of Education, teachers, community activists and unions should join hands in leading the way forward on this initiative. It is traumatizing to see seven and eight-year-old children dodging between speeding cars, weaving themselves through busy streets, riding on handlebars or motorcycles, and running in front of large buses or huge trucks to make their way home for a midday meal. Added to this danger are uncaring drivers who see Belize’s streets only as a roadway to get their passengers or goods from Point A to Point B, no matter who or what is in their path.

P. M.: Study the example of Uruguay’s Mujica
First of all I would like to thank you for publishing my previous article in the Amandala issue #2791 dated Sunday April 6th, 2014. I was motivated to write again by all the corruption news I watch on headlines every single day. It is absolutely disappointing that as a nation which upholds democracy, we are faced with the acts of corruption on a daily basis. Via this newspaper I would like to challenge the Prime Minister and his Ministers to follow the governance of the President of Uruguay. President Jose Mujica, whose yearly salary is around $162,000 USD, donates 90% towards charity. The challenge is for the Prime Minister and his Ministers to do the same. Most of the Ministers are wealthy lawyers, wealthy businessmen, and economically well positioned individuals. They don’t need the salaries they are allocated from the public purse. After all they vowed to provide the best service for the people of this country.

2 KHMH board members resign weeks apart
Amandala has received confirmation of the resignation of two members of the Board of Directors of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) – albeit weeks apart. In March of this year, Mrs. Milagro Garel reportedly tendered her resignation, while Mrs. Maude Sylvester reportedly departed last Thursday, May 8. Yesterday, the chairperson of the KHMH Board of Directors, Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, told us that administering a board is sometimes challenging and oftentimes, there are disagreements between members; she cited, however, that those were not the reasons for the abrupt resignations.

No Limit Soldiers
The Belize City Smart No Limit Soldiers went into the game against the Belmopan Point Bandits last Thursday, May 8, feeling a bit down on themselves, after having lost to the Cayo Western Ballaz in Belize City the week prior. The loss to the Western Ballaz ultimately ended their hopes of getting the number 2 seed in the playoffs and home court advantage. But, while the Soldiers were bummed out about losing home court in the playoffs, the Point Bandits were fighting to get to the postseason. The Soldiers went into the game last Thursday with a record of 7-4, while the Point Bandits had a record of 6-6, which left them just out of the 4th seed behind the Dangriga Culture Warriors, who had a 7-6 record on the season. This game against the Point Bandits in Belmopan was a far cry from what we are accustomed to seeing from the Belize City Smart No Limit Soldiers. The City boys shot 1 for 10 from behind the 3-point line, a decent 14 for 25 from the charity stripe, but only made good on 21 of their 61 two-point shot attempts. When it was all said and done, the home team, Belmopan Point Bandits, got the 71-59 victory over Belize City Smart No Limit.

3 people still missing
Three persons, reported missing, have not yet been found. They are Hilmar Cal, 15, of Libertad, who went missing on Thursday, January 31; Mamerto Castillo, 87, missing since February 13; and Conrad Jones, 64, a retired inspector of police, missing since September 13, 2012. Hilmar Ical left home in Libertad to sell homemade bread in Corozal Town, and has failed to return home since, and no one seems to know where he is. Ical is described as being of Mestizo descent, with brown complexion; he is about 5 feet tall, of medium built and weighs about 85 pounds. Ical is now missing for 27 days. Marmerto Castillo, also known as “Don Mito,” of Yo Creek Village, Orange Walk, was last seen 14 days ago by his family, at about 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 13, when he left home to go for firewood in San Lazaro Village.

POLICE – DO THE RIGHT THING!
The Police Department has a youth program where it looks for youths in the community doing good and making a difference as role models and publicly recognizes them for it. So from time to time we hear the names of these young men and women in the media and we feel good to know that it is not for bad news, but rather good news. However the irony of the situation is that the very department that honors them does not follow their own example, because they do not choose to do the right thing. So it’s one thing for them to call out on youths to do the right thing and another for them by example to actually do the right thing. My recent encounters with several situations involving police have been very worrisome and point to a culture of them believing because they have the power over your freedom, they hold a big stick over you. This behavior is also seen in the conduct of the Commissioner of Police, whom I had always thought was a reasonable, above-board man, but whose public responses on several issues have left me re-assessing my position.

Ideas and Opinions – A NEW JURISPRUDENCE
How would you like to live in a country where there was peace and order, very little crime, especially murder, and citizens could leave their houses open at night and no one would invade it? There was such a country in Central America. It was Guatemala under President Jacobo Arbenz. They said he was a communist. He may have subscribed to communist principles, but what he was, was a nationalist. The people who live in a democracy, where decisions reflect the will of the people, can have the kind of country that they want, but first they have to reconstruct their criminal justice system to conform to a new jurisprudence. Now let us take a cursory look at our criminal justice system with regard to only one crime: murder. We are averaging over one hundred murders per annum during the past three years. Around fifty are tried for this crime. Five were convicted; the rest walked free.

Patrick Jones

Top Five Things to Do In Merida
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Merida, the capital of the Mexican State of Yucatan for a week vacation. It was my first time in Merida and I was looking forward to it since one of the things I promised myself to do more often this year is to disconnect from my workplace every 90 days as it not only boosts productivity but it also improves job performance and health according to Tony Swartz, in his book “The Power of Full Engagement”. I took a direct flight from Belize City with Tropic Air (Yes Tropic Air is now flying to Merida) and 2 hours later I arrived in the colonial city of Merida which is the largest metropolis in the Yucatan State and is considered the cultural and financial capital of the region. For those who do not know, Merida was founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo, a Spanish Conquistador and got its name after the town of Merida in Extremadura, Spain. Merida is also known as the White City; however the origin of this moniker is not clear. Some of the explanations include the common color of the old buildings which are painted and decorated with “cal” or the fact that the residents keep the city particularly clean.

Toledo village leaders to meet to discuss drilling for oil in the south
The Toledo District Association of Village Councils will hold a consultation meeting tomorrow, Saturday, May 17. The meeting, scheduled to start at 9 o’clock in the morning, will be held at the Community Center in Elridgeville village. According to the president of Toledo DAVCO, the purpose of the meeting is to canvass the views of village leaders of Toledo on the issue of drilling for oil in the Sarstoon Temash National Park. In a ruling handed down last month by Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana, the Government of Belize was asked to consult with the Maya people of the buffer communities on the issue of oil exploration so far as the granting of permits to conduct such exercises is concerned.

Orange Walk businessman chopped and robbed
An Orange Walk businessman was chopped in the face – between the eyes and the nose – this morning during an attack at his workplace. The victim has been identified as Dennis Eiley who owns the Prestige Block Factory in Carmelita Village. The attack reportedly happened around 8:30 am. According to reports, three men arrived at the Prestige Block Factory asking to speak with the owner. Reports are that when Eiley went outside, the three men attacked him, chopping him multiple times.

Junior College students complete advertising campaign about cancer
Students of the Business program at the Sacred Heart College Junior College have successfully completed a marketing campaign focusing on Cancer. The students, working in groups did extensive research on five different types of cancers in order to formulate and carry out a successful media campaign. On Thursday afternoon, each of the groups presented their completed campaign, including banners and posters to the San Ignacio Cancer Society. The handing over was done at the Sacred Heard College Junior College conference room.

Local celebrations held for Teachers Day
After several years of a national celebration of teachers to close out Education Week, a financial dispute between the Ministry of Education and Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) returned Teachers’ Day to a mostly local celebration. The Union could not come up with its expected share of expenses because of excessive spending over the course of this year. But they insist that they were not trying to spite the Ministry, as alleged earlier this week by Minister Patrick Faber. Today in Belize City, the Belize District Branch of the Union and the Belize District Education Centre hosted activities at the BTL Park.

Bowen and Bowen says product shortage due to plant upgrade
Coke is it!” goes the old slogan, and some will settle for nothing less. For those looking for a harder edge, you can’t go wrong with “The Beer of Belize,” Belikin. But neither is available, at least not in the usual quantities, in the classic glass bottle and its many variations. Bowen and Bowen Limited, which acquired the franchise decades ago and is now Belize’s largest employer, says that recent upgrades to their plant in Ladyville have led to a “slowdown in production.” But Christelle Wilson, the legal counsel and public relations officer for Bowen and Bowen, says there’s really no shortage as such: only glass versions of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Belikin, Guinness and Lighthouse are affected as well as Crystal Water.

Union supports terminated gas turbine workers
Belize Electricity Limited, still owned by the Government, has been grappling with the issue of four employees which work at the Mile 8 George Price Highway gas turbine facility. It is a key operation needed to power Belize City up after blackouts but the company says it does not need manual assistance to run. The Union disagrees, but the four workers are expected to be sent home as of tomorrow, Saturday, May 17. Today the Belize Energy Workers Union (BEWU) led employees in a show of solidarity outside the company’s Philip Goldson Highway offices. Union President Henry Balan says the workers were not treated fairly, as the Union was slated to meet with the Board of Directors ten days from now.

Hit and run accident leaves two children injured
Police seek the driver and a female companion of a white Jeep vehicle that hit two children riding home from school on bicycle on Thursday evening. According to police 12 year old Francine Francis and 7 year old Herman Williams, Jr., students of St. Luke Methodist School, were riding home on Mahogany Street when near the junction with Western Avenue the vehicle hit them and then flew by without rendering aid. Their grandmother, Wilma Thompson-Whylie, said she received the news shortly after the incident, while in the area of the hospital. She says she has yet to hear from the driver of the vehicle and is disappointed that they did not at least render aid.

Immigration ring widens as ringleaders plead innocent
42 year old Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos and his common-law wife, 46 year old Marleni Elizabeth Castellanos, reversed their pleas to not guilty on appearing in court today, Friday, for what was to have been their sentencing. However, their troubles are only just beginning, as Immigration authorities have identified them as the center of a ring of Immigration document fraud – charging up to $2,000 to obtain Belizean passports, nationality certificates, birth certificates and other attendant documents using the identities of dead or incapacitated Belizeans. Marleni Castellanos has been additionally charged with sixteen counts of aiding a person to use a document to which they were not entitled. She pleaded not guilty to these additional charges.

Film screened for Europe Day
Earlier this year the film “Songs of Redemption,” a documentary showcasing the day to day experiences and challenges of the inmates in a Jamaican prison, the circumstances that brought them in conflict with the law and the hope that the rehabilitation programme funded by the EU through its European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) nurtures among these inmates, was screened at Belize’s Central Prison. As part of Europe Day celebrations, this weekend at the Ramada Princess Cinema there will be wide screenings for the general public. Her Excellency Ambassador Paola Amadei says the movie was well received at the Prison and hopes that perhaps a local television company may make contact with the producers and directors of the film to buy it for distribution locally. The film was shown this afternoon and will be shown again tomorrow both at the Cinema and at the YWCA on St. Thomas Street.

Europe implements visa information scheme
The European Union’s members enjoy free travel between their states in accordance with the Schengen Convention and Agreement, but there are issues with border security. So the EU has decided to implement the Visa Information Scheme (VIS), which features protocols designed to maintain security against undesirable elements. It has now been implemented in this region and Belize is one of the countries who, for now, still require visas for travel to any EU state with exceptions. Ambassador Paola Amadei says that may soon change, however. Belize is expected to work out an agreement that will allow our citizens to travel to the EU and between EU states visa-free.

Truck overturns in Louisville village, Corozal
A truck laden with bags of cement overturned tonight on the Phillip Goldson Highway in in Louisville village, Corozal. According to reports from the scene, the driver of the truck may have been injured in the incident. The highway was blocked for a short time due to the accident. More information will be posted as they become available.

The Belize Times

Where is the Penner file? – DPP & ComPol playing “pass the hot potato” with criminal evidence
With only 13 days to go before corrupt UDP area representative Elvin Penner returns to the Belmopan Magistrates Court to answer to serious criminal charges involving the illegal giveaway of Belizean passport and nationality to a South Korean national Kim Won Hong, key state functionaries seem to be engaged in a game of “pass the hot potato” with the evidence file, in a clear attempt to hinder the prosecution. Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, who refused to investigate Penner’s crime until a Supreme Court order requested by the Leader of the Opposition Hon. Francis Fonseca forced him to, seems to be doing his best to obstruct any form of action against the corrupt UDP politician. He had told the Court back in March that he had used his discretion NOT to investigate Penner. The Court ruled that the ComPol’s decision was irrational, unreasonable and unlawful.

Editorial: A Sinking Ship
For the period 1998-2008 there was a massive influx of foreign dollars that entered the Belizean economy via Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). Investor confidence in Belize was high. Countries were booming and Belize prospered for those ten years. A website report by the Caribbean Media Corporation news agency of March 18 2006 stated, “The Belize government Friday March 17 presented a 1.2bn-BZE (Belizean dollar) tax-free budget to parliament on the basis that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would grow in real terms by 3 percent in 2006”. The state of Belize’s economy in those times, marked in history, is important and noteworthy for comparison and analysis by fledgling economists and researching students today. This was under a People’s United Party (PUP) administration and also before any oil profits entered the government’s coffers. While oil in commercial quantities was discovered under the PUP Government in 2005, it was until about 2007/2008 that it began impacting Government’s revenues. This is because the infrastructure for extraction took some time to put in place. Despite all the Prime Minister’s recent chest beating about his “billion dollar” budget, the PUP’s 2006/2007 budget was far more prosperous and equitable. Barrow’s budget for 2014/2015 gives the perception that the UDP Government has the country booming, but Belizeans know the real picture. In fact, the statistics on poverty and unemployment tell a different story. The UDP’s budget is actually stuffed with millions of dollars in projected revenue from the oil sector. Without those oil revenues, the 2014/2015 budget would shrink down drastically, with figures that pale to compare to the period when the PUP had the economy working.

Moen Stars & Jaguars 5-Barrel Veteran’s table tennis championships
The Moen Stars won their 17th Belize City volleyball championship while the Jaguars men repeat as Belize City champs in the Belize District Volleyball Association’s championship finals at the Belize Elementary Auditorium last Saturday night. The Lady Jaguars took the finals series to a Game 3 by winning Game 2 in 3 sets: 25-23, 25-19 and 25-15 against the Moen Stars who had won Game 1. They also looked to take Game 3, winning the first 2 sets: 25-18 and 25-20. Then the Stars got going, and Shelmadine Cacho, Nelissa Ramirez, Leandra Betson, Sherika Burton and Analisa Habet hammered home kills on balls set by Krystal Bevans to win the next 3 sets: 25-21, 25-16 and 15-10.

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE: NO PRINCELY SUM
Prime Minister Dean Barrow giving his ‘various topic’ interviews to the media. The interview I focus on here is the one in which Channel 7 quizzed him about the money spent on the now infamous spread in Harper’s Bazaar Interiors. When the reporter asked him whether the Government of Belize (taxpayers’ money) had footed the bill, the Prime Minister replied “I think the Belize Tourism Board found the money which was not exactly a princely sum.” He went on to say “It was entirely worked out by the Belize Tourism Board.” The question was then asked “And the princely sum is?” (Notice that Channel 7 flipped the script on the Prime Minister and jumped to their own conclusion that it was indeed a princely sum!) Here is the Prime Minister’s reply: “I am not sure. I think I may have heard fifty thousand or thirty thousand. I am not sure.”

REFLECTIONS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE: Belize: Getting Poorer under the UDP
The strong, dynamic, caring and brilliant women of the PUP held a Press Brief at Independence Hall on Tuesday of this week to highlight the many acts of corruption, abuse, nepotism, and waste taking place in Belize under this UDP Government. In examining these acts, we must appreciate the economic context in which they are taking place. With 0.7% growth recorded in 2013, the Belizean economy is effectively stagnant. While the world economy is bouncing back, Belize is still in an economic malaise and falling further and further behind the rest of the world. Since 2009, the world economy has grown 5.2%, 3.9%, 3.2% and 3.0% respectively. The emerging and developing economies have grown 7.5%, 6.3%, 5.0% and 4.7% respectively. Notably, advanced economies have grown 3.0%, 1.7%, 1.4%, and 1.3% in each of the respective years since 2009.

Degree but no temperature!
Dear Editor, “Education empowers a nation” boasts the University of Belize. However, it appears that this truism has been rejected by an increasing number of Belizeans. Incredibly, people with degrees are now being looked upon with scorn. The phrase “degree but no temperature” giving expression to that contempt. Just about every morning the talk shows are swamped by Belizeans making the case about common sense and deploring “deh one with degree”. Common sense has its place but surely it cannot take the place of a formal education. Common sense tells us that a plane weighing 100,000 pounds cannot fly but science makes it does. Common sense also tells us that a ship weighting 50,000 tons cannot float but science makes it does.

COLA to PM: Don’t force us to subpoena you!
Dear Sir, As you may be aware, on the 28th of February, 2014, COLA instituted a private prosecution against former Minister of State responsible for Immigration and Nationality, Elvin Penner, for two offences under the Passports Act and the Belizean Nationality Act respectively. We proceeded with this action as recommended by you on the 17th of February, 2014, after action was taken out against the Commissioner of Police for a writ of mandamus to execute his functions as the Senior Officer in charge of our Police Department to investigate the actions of Elvin Penner. Since then, the Supreme Court has issued the writ of mandamus against the Commissioner of Police, and despite repeated requests utilizing the Freedom of Information Act (as suggested by you) to obtain the investigative file, the Commissioner and the Auditor General have utterly refused to comply with our requests. Meanwhile, the DPP has been unable to provide the information requested due to certain circumstances.

Citizen Kim passport to be returned to Belize
The infamous “Citizen Kim passport” which is key evidence to the criminal case against disgraced UDP area representative Elvin Penner will reportedly be returned to Belize sometime this month. This is eight months after the scandal broke that Penner had personally assisted with the facilitation of the passport to South Korean national Kim Won Hong, who was in a Taiwan prison, awaiting extradition in relation to a major embezzlement scheme. The passport was discovered when Kim, in an attempt to escape extradition, claimed he had Belizean citizenship. Taiwan officials launched an immediate investigation which eventually led to the Belize Immigration Department, Elvin Penner and other actors.

PUP WOMEN LEADERS CALL OUT UDP ABUSE
We the women of the People’s United Party continue to voice our concern about the lack of accounting on spending of taxpayers’ money on the Women’s Rally held in March and also on the spending of Belize Tourism Board, which is taxpayers’ money, on Ms. Kim Simplis Barrow’s spread in Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Magazine. We believe that these activities coming under her office as Special Envoy of Women and Children do nothing about the serious situation of women and children of Belize and in fact demonstrate only that the Special Envoy is greatly detached from the harsh reality that most women in Belize are suffering.

$366,468 Stolen from Southern Regional Hospital – Auditor General Blames CEO!!
A leaked 23-page report by the Auditor General Dorothy Bradley has concluded that poor financial control and a total lack of oversight by the embattled Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health, Peter Allen, allowed the misappropriation of almost $400,000 at the Southern Regional Hospital. The Auditor General, who was called to investigate reports of missing funds at the hospital seven months ago when the Ministry seemed to have suddenly remembered its obligations and then “found” something fishy going on, has exposed a major embezzlement scheme involving the stealing of taxpayers’ money.

Blogs

Not freezing yet and our all you can eat gluttony
So far so good we are not freezing yet which is surprising after being spoiled by tropical weather the last 8 years. Yesterday morning we took the dogs for a nice nature walk at the conservation park across from our friends house. It was nice to see that a good chunk of land was untouched by the concrete jungle. We ended up going on a short shopping trip before dinner, Monique wanted to bring me to the mall where my mom used to have a cosmetics shop and to new Asian grocery store called Oceans so I could restock on more iced coffee. We got mall head fast and were overwhelmed by choices so other than a sim chip for Paul’s phone and a phone case for mine we did not bother with anything else. At Oceans I was in heaven and told everyone they could lock me up there for 24h and I would eat my way around the store.

Moonlight, Fine Wines and Champagne Draw A Crowd to the Grand Re-Opening of Aji Tapas Restaurant
About a week ago, I received an invitation to a party from the Karl H. Menzie’s company – a large distributor in Belize of everything from Heinekin to…expensive champagne. They were presenting a line of American wines and another line of uber-high end bubbly at the always lovely Aji Restaurant. Located about 2 miles north bridge, Aji has always been known for it’s delicious tapas (especially the bacon wrapped dates) and beautiful BEAUTIFUL beach dining. This year, the property and the restaurant were purchased by new owners, Linda and Tony. Tony is a partner in a high end catering firm in Washington DC but his love of food and Belize and the search for a better lifestyle led him to Ambergris Caye and Aji Tapa Restaurant. Linda just recently has joined him.

New US Ambassador to Belize: Carlos Moreno
Prior to serving on California’s highest court, Mr Moreno had been appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by then President Bill Clinton. He has also served in California on the Los Angeles Superior Court, and the Compton Municipal Court. As for his personal history, Mr Moreno is the son of a Mexican immigrant mother who arrived in the US “with few skills and no resources after the death of his father”. Spanish was the first language at home, and he was the first member of his family to continue his education past high school. After high school Mr Moreno went on to graduate from Yale University in 1970, and then from the prestigious Stanford law school in 1975. From there he became the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles. From there his impressive career progressed to California Supreme Court Judge.

International Sources

Cruise ship conventions will take Tolkien fans to Belize, Bruges
Trilo3y Voyages says it is planning new conventions for avid J.R.R Tolkien fans aboard cruise ships bound for Belize, Bermuda, Bruges, Cozumel, Paris and Sydney. The events are expected to offer aficionados of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion novels and movies exclusive access to cast members, directors, producers, cosplayers, movie marathons and workshops. A Caribbean cruise is planned for Dec. 6-11, while the Sydney voyage is set for Jan. 21-25.

Belizean book gets international recognition
Written by Belizean authors Kim Simplis Barrow and Starla Bradley, “My Body is Precious” has received an Honorable Mention in the category “Best Publication” of the ALAS-IDB Early Childhood Awards. These Awards are presented by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the ALAS Foundation to recognize the commitment of individuals and organizations working in early childhood development in Latin America and the Caribbean. “My Body is Precious” provides a basis for talking to children about sexual abuse. Former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Kinnevik executive chairman Cristina Stenbeck, ALAS Foundation president Alejandro Santo Domingo, and IDB president Luis Alberto Moreno presented the distinction as part of the ALAS-IDB Awards Ceremony.

Videos

Video: Into Che Chem Hah Caves, 19min.

Video: Trip to Ambergris Caye, Belize, 6min.
This is the travel video from me and my girlfriend's trip to Belize! It was shot entirely with my GoPro Hero 3+ Black. If you have any questions on locations that were filmed please feel free to ask! We had a great trip, and would recommend all of these places to anyone!

Video: San Pedro Belize, 3.5min.
This video is about San Pedro Belize

Video: EASTER SAN PEDRO, BELIZE 2014, 9min.

Video: Loggerhead Turtles Released at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, 4min.
Ellen and Lucky the Loggerhead Turtles are rehabilitated at San Pedro, Ambergris Caye's, Hol Chan Marine Reserve Facility and then released into the Marine Park. Watch as the rangers and work crew release the happy turtles back home.

Video: Amigos del Mar, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, 10min.

Video: Magnetic Hill in Belize, 1/2min.
Can you believe a vehicle can go up hill in neutral? Watch this!!!

Video: Indian Church Village, Orange Walk, Belize, 6min.

Video: , 5min.
This is a video of our 2012 family vacation to Belize. Entire video was shot with GoPro Hero 2 cameras

Video: Belize Vacation 2012, 6min.

Video: Snorkeling with Sharks in Shark Ray Alley in Belize, 3min.

Video: Villa Boscardi, 3min.
This is a wonderful and peaceful place to stay in Belize City, Belize!

Video: Tapir Encounter, 1/2min.
Driving along a back road in Belize we came across a set of tapirs.

May 16, 2014

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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The San Pedro Sun

BTIA hosts 2014 BETEX in Belize City
Over 40 travel agencies from various parts of the world attended the 2014 bi-annual Belize Tourism Expo (BETEX) held from May 7th to 10th. Organized by the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), the event brought tourism stakeholders and international tourism and travel agencies under one roof, with the ultimate motive of luring tourists to Belize. The BETEX 2014 meetings were hosted at the newly renamed Ramada Belize City Princess. Following a day and a half of face-to-face meetings, the travel agents toured the country to experience the tourism products Belize has to offer. For Maria Elisa Muralles of Guayacan Tours in Guatemala, inquiries from Europeans visiting their country and wanting to come to Belize are also growing. “We are looking for accommodations as well as tour operators so that we can establish tour packages to Belize. Many Europeans that travel from far and go to Guatemala want to combine their stay in Central American by going to a second country. Belize has the experience most of the Europeans are looking for, and so BETEX allows us to look at the options we have before we can seal our Belizean/Guatemalan tourism package,” said Muralles.

Dangriga Warriors defeats San Pedro Tigersharks in week 13 of the NEBL
Week 13 of the National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) continued on Saturday May 10th and saw the San Pedro Tigersharks hitting the road to meet the Dangriga Warriors at the Stann Creek Ecumenical High School Auditorium. The southern Warriors defended their home turf and stunned the league’s leading team in what would be a Tigersharks’ upset. Having defeated the Dangriga Warriors before, the islanders went in confident that a win was guaranteed, given their respectable record of 11 wins and one loss against the home team’s record of seven wins and five losses. But, as the Warriors they are, the home team brought out all their soldiers to defend the battle ground and took the Tigersharks by surprise. At the end of the game, the Warriors were able to take down the Tigersharks ending the game 58 – 46.

Ambergris Today

Beltraide & McNab Publishing Ltd Partners for the Invest Belize Magazine
BELTRAIDE & McNab Publishing Ltd. are pleased to announce their new partnership for the Invest Belize Magazine. McNab Publishing Ltd. is known for their award winning Flavors of Belize Magazine as well as the Flavors of Belize Cookbook among other publications such as the Belize Travel Guide and the Belize Hotel Guide. The Invest Belize Magazine was officially launched in 2013 and has since released two editions of the publication. As a country with much to offer not only tourists but investors as well, this is one outlet whereby we can effectively and aggressively market Belize as a haven for investment and developments. This in turn invites foreign investment and revenue to boost the Belizean economy. It is the primary tool of BELTRAIDE and their constant efforts both in-country and internationally to promote Belize and attract relevant parties.

Matachica Resort & Spa Supports Queen's Health Outreach
Matachica Resort & Spa is proud to support Queen's Health Outreach, a student-run nonprofit from Queen's University, dedicated to promoting health around the world through needs-based peer education. Queen's Health Outreach is currently leading a project in Belize, teaching physical, mental, and sexual health education to youths at primary and secondary levels. Matachica Resort & Spa has joined the initiative as a corporate donor, to further support health education in Belize. "We are honored to join forces with Queen's Health Outreach, and grateful for this opportunity to give back to our community," says proprietor Daniel Lighter, who also owns GAÏA Riverlodge in Belize.

Castillo's Hardware Mother's Day Raffle Winners
Castillo’s Do It Best Hardware is happy to announce their Mother’s Day Raffle winners. 1st Prize Mirro Cookware Set - Segret Young 2nd Prize Presto Griddle - Aldo Marin Jr. 3rd Prize Gibson Dinnerware Set - Char Vidrine

Misc Belizean Sources

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY and NURSES WEEK!
San Pedro Town Council

Happy Teachers Day to all the great and wonderful teachers of Corozal
The real point is to provide a time to look at and address issues pertaining to teachers in Belize. Strangely one of the most central, vital professionals to society does not receive the respect it deserves in some parts of the world, including Belize. Happy Teachers Day to all the great and wonderful teachers of Corozal. Power to the teachers in the struggle!!

Lydia Rancharan Pollard Collection on display
Window into the Past East Indian Museum's curator Lydia Rancharan Pollard will be displaying a portion of her collection at the House of Culture on Monday May 19th as part of International. It is located in front of Jal's Travel Agency on the Northern Highway, where Corozal Town meets Ranchito Village. Look for the orange and white sign. Corozal House of Culture (NICH)

Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Logo Winner
The Caye Caulker Lobster Fest Committee is pleased to announce the winner for the 2014 logo competition is entry #7 by Keron Tzul! We believe that this logo is a diverse representation of the Caye Caulker Lobster Fest, and also incorporates aspects of our beloved home, Caye Caulker. We are working closely with the artist to finalize the official draft of the Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2014 logo, and will posting that in the coming days! We will keep you updated on the latest Caye Caulker Lobster Fest 2014!!

A HURTING HAND!
Political handouts in Belize – the poverty trap – and how it continues to hurt our Belizean society. At this corner of the Corozal Daily, we don’t like to write about our local politician’s dos and don’ts. However, this article is important as it reflects the true reality of political handouts and electoral pay-offs in Belize using Belizean tax dollars. In my opinion, growth in Belize is measured by how productive our individual citizens are and their economic contribution to our Belizean society. The government of Belize is the care taker and custodian of our tax dollars and as tax payers, each one of us must have a say on how these tax dollars are used and spent by the Government of Belize and by extensions it’s Ministers. Imagine if this morning while eating your breakfast and reading this article the headline read. “Young child dead Yesterday due to poverty”. Now imagine if tomorrow the article said the same thing, as well as the next day and so on. We would have a crisis on our hands large enough to draw attention and search for solutions. Unfortunately, this headline is not imaginary but instead is a true reality.

Cayo Full Moon Concert
The SISE House of Culture is having a Full Moon Concert tonight, starting at 6:00pm. It'll be at the Santa Elena basketball court this time. The New Sensation Band will be headlining the event, and In Bloom is one of the opening acts.

Belmopan Bandits Inspirational Video
The Belmopan Bandits are coming to Cayo tonight in their final game of the season. They have an inspirational video out, which chronicles the highlights of their season. The video captures the true meaning of the league. It mentions tonight 'As a Point Bandit we will face the greatest obstactle ever!!!' Well done video, Joaquin Magana. Inspirational to all. Now...Go Ballaz! The game is at SHC, and starts at 8:30pm. "Inspirational video for our team that needs to win a spot in the NEBL Tournament."

Mrs. Pearl Stuart the Trailblazer of the Week
Mrs. Pearl Stuart, born in Dangriga Town, spent her teen years in Belize City where she started her secondary education at St. Catherine’s Academy and completed it at West Philadelphia Catholic High School in the United States, placing second honors in a school of 8000 students. Mrs. Stuart graduated from Holy Family College with a major in education. Her first job was as a 4th grade (Standard II) teacher in United States elementary school – Our Lady of Victory in Philadelphia.

Mother's Day Dance at Tabu
Tabu, Cayo's newest downtown club, has been having some great late night dances. Their Mother's Day bash was wild, and they are planning Full Moon dances tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday. Tonight, it's 'Margarita Thursday,' and ladies get in free. Tomorrow is VIP Friday, and ladies that wear all white get in free.

BDF sergeant shares years of experience, marvels at joint capabilities
With less than a handful of years left until his retirement, Belize Defence Force Sgt. Gerald Bainton, Light Engineer Company engineer, is sharing his 19 years of experience with younger BDF soldiers, as well as U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine engineers supporting New Horizons Belize 2014. New Horizons is an annual training exercise that provides BDF, Canadian and U.S. service members the opportunity to train together in the fields of health care and civil engineering. The multi-national engineering team is constructing facilities at four schools and one medical facility in the country. Bainton plans on retiring in 2017, but he is using the New Horizons mission and the next few years to pass on his technical and leadership knowledge to his the soldiers who will proceed him in the BDF. With 10 of his 19 years in service in the engineer company, he has a lot to share.

Occupy Belmopan II
By Abdulmajeed K Nunez Sound the alarm The prime minister has been informed He has sixty days to conform There is too much contradiction with the gender policy and the constitution Or Independence Hill will be taken by storm All those in BDF and police uniform It is time you all join the people’s right ranks for reform When the Mexican police and the NYPD decided on reform They put down their guns and took off their uniforms Those who have been analyzing Belize’s political climate for years When you read Louis Wade’s “two foot stool…” it will bring you to tears

BCS at SHJC Marketing Expo
The Belize Cancer Society worked with SHJC students to get the word out at the SHJC Marketing Expo. "The Belize Cancer Society - San Ignacio Branch extends a sincere and hearty congratulations to the students of SHJC for all the effort they placed in promoting health and cancer education during their Expo held on April 30th 2014. Our Branch is very much looking forward to receiving all the information and material created by the students in order for us to promote it and use it in our educational campaigns. May is a month set aside for education and awareness and we look forward to showcasing this excellent material on our Face Book page on a daily basis."

2014 Belize Archaeology and Anthropology Symposium
Coming in....46 more days!!!

Corozal’s Art in the Park
A huge Success since 2009 - A special Edition of our monthly ART IN THE PARK event will be held this Saturday May 17th at the Corozal Central Park. A special guest appearance by professional clowns Jimmy and Qudus from neighbouring Chetumal, Mexico, to promote their own talent, will be made for the children of Corozal. Art in the Park celebrates 5 years of its inception and its success has attracted the very best and most talented artists from Corozal. This is the only monthly event in the entire country that features and supports raw talent and local artists. So, this Saturday bring out the entire family and enjoy this special edition of ART IN THE PARK. Let’s continue to support Art in the Park, as one of Corozal’s hallmark. Power to the local artists of Corozal.

Channel 7

Big Win For GOB: Court of Appeal Rules BTL's Second Acquisition Lawful
The Government of Belize gets to keep the Belize Telemedia Limited and Belize Electricity Limited. That's the decision of the Court of Appeal after deliberating for 1 year and 7 months on whether or not the Government lawfully acquired both utility companies to ensure the government and people of Belize maintain perpetual ownership. In a majority decision, Justice of Appeal Samuel Awich and President Justice Manuel Sosa allowed the appeal from the Government and set aside the Justice Oswell Legall's Supreme Court decision which said that the re-acquisition was unlawful, null and void. It's a hugely consequential win for the Government because the last time this issue was argued at Court of Appeal in June of 2011, the judges declared that the Government improperly took over control of BTL.

What If The Judgment Had Gone the Other Way?
And so, tonight, that status quo remains in effect: government retains unquestioned control of BTL and BEL - which is a long ways off from June 24, 2011. That's when the Court of Appeal ruled that the acquisition of BTL in 2009 was unconstitutional. Right after the judgment was delivered at 4:30 pm, Dean Boyce and Godfrey Smith went over to BTL's Corporate Headquarters on St. Thomas Street to take the company over, immediately. And they did, for only a few hours though, because by 9:00 pm, government took it back, using the police to enforce possession. The technicality employed to justify the enforced possession was that the Ashcroft Alliance got the judgment from the court, but they didn't get an enforcement order to carry it out. But, none of that drama happened today - because the majority Court decision affirmed government's lawful possession. But what if it had gone the other way? Would government have again sent the police to secure the utility on behalf of the state? One man who is uniquely equipped to answer that question is CEO in the Ministry of National Security George Lovell. He also sits as a Director on the BTL Board - and this morning before the judgment came down we asked him if contingencies were in place to block the Alliance form trying another takeover - in the event that the judgment went against government.

Ebanks Remanded While The Mystery Of His Identity Unfurls
Last night, 7News broke the story of the 39 year-old Floyd Wendell Ebanks, one of Ecuador's most wanted who has been living in Belize under the assumed identity of "Christian Ebanks". Well tonight, we can confirm that he is at the Belize Central Prison after being taken to court for an unlicensed firearm. As we told you, the Gang Suppression Unit searched his house at #122 Teacher's Street yesterday afternoon at around 12:30, following an anonymous tip on the crime-stoppers hotline. After an extensive search, the officers found a chrome 9 mm pistol with an empty magazine in a black plastic bag that was hidden in the oven area of a stove in his house. He was subsequently charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm, and arraigned today before Magistrate Dale Cayetano. His immigration documents say that his name is Christian Ebanks, so that is the name he was arraigned under. His court book also said that he is a naturalized Belizean. Even though he pleaded not guilty, he was remanded to prison until July 21.

A Dozen Detained: Immigration Cracking Down On Ring of Fraudsters
Last night we told you about the Guatemalan couple 42 year-old Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos, and his common-law wife 46 year-old Marleny Elizabeth Castellanos who are currently remanded to prison after they confessed to mass immigration fraud. Well, credible reports tell us that the Immigration Department has closed in on an immigration scam of which Marleny Castellanos is supposedly the ring leader. We're told that on Tuesday, Castellanos was detained at the Western Border as she was trying to flee the country, after being investigated for over a month by the Immigration Department. Information to our newsroom says that Castellanos is suspected of being a chief facilitator for persons trying to illegally obtain Belizean nationality certificates. Yesterday, Immigration Officers went on a mass-round up on both Caye Caulker and San Pedro where some 11 persons were detained for illegal nationality certificates - allegedly engineered by Castellanos.

Woman-On-Woman Stabbing On San Pedro
Tonight a San Pedro woman is recovering from a punctured lung at the KHMH after she was stabbed multiple times by another woman in front of her four children. It happened on Wednesday afternoon inside Henry's Store located at the corner of Swan and Glitter Streets in San Pedro town. According to eyewitnesses, Lorena Montes was entering her store when Roxanne Canul ran up and stabbed her nine times. Today Montes's mother gave us an update on her condition. Rosa Perez - Mother of Montes "A woman came to our store with a knife and attacked my daughter, stabbed her with a knife. My daughter was full of blood. She punctured her lungs. The doctor said that the wound was 6-8 centimeters and then she put the next stab wound in her neck and when my daughter pushed away the knife, she stab her in the cheek about 4-5 stab wounds. After that others came to defend her and stop the attacker. The wound in the back is the major injury."

COLA Pleads To PM For Dirt On Penner
Like the Greek Philosopher Diogenes looking all over for an honest man, COLA is knocking on all the doors of officialdom trying to tease out evidence against Elvin Penner. The activist group has been ignored by the Police, shot down by the Auditor General, and put on pause by the DPP....so now, they are going to the boss, the Prime Minister. COLA President Geovannie Brackett wrote a letter to the PM today asking for The Auditor General's preliminary report; documents indicting Penner which the Prime Minister referred to in October, 2013; and any and all other materials and evidence against Penner which may have crossed the PM's desk. It seems like a long shot, but Brackett even follows up with a sort of threat, saying, quote, "the laws of Belize provide for the summoning of witnesses....We are hopeful that we will not have to exercise this option on the 29th of May, 2014, when the court reconvenes for disclosure of evidence to the Defendant, Elvin Penner."

Police Promotions, The Remix
Last night on the news Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie brushed off our suggestion that a recent round of promotions for senior officers had created dissension in the ranks. He said no new promotions had gone through. Well, after - and even during the news - we got major blowback on this. Enough of our police friends called and texted to say the knew of recent promotions and that the newly promoted were already wearing their insignias to denote their new rank. So, did the promotions go through or not? Today we asked CEO in the Ministry Gorge Lovell - who oversees all promotions. He explained:... Ret. Col. George Lovell - C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "There have been people who have been promoted last year for whom I know that the official documentations are slowly trickling in and so there might be some names where you might see some people who you may not have seen at a particular rank, who eventually turns up with a rank and then you say how about that person who have been promoted."

BDF Officially Off The Streets, Better, But Not "For Good"
We also asked Lovell about the BDF on the streets of Belize City. We first reported on it in February when the soldiers were supposed to be removed from street patrols at the end of that month. But it didn't happen because of a flare up in violence. And then it was re-scheduled for the end of April - but when we asked Lovell on that day, he told us that still was not the date. But, it turns out it was. For the past two weeks, there have been no BDF on the city streets - which is a first in 20 years of extended deployment. Lovell stressed today though, that you can never say never:.. Ret. Col. George Lovell - C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "The BDF who were there on a regular basis were in fact removed, so if you were to go there today there will be no BDF in the streets, but God forbid, if there is an increase in crime and violence and there is a need to be supported by the BDF they will be out there to support the police. I can also say that during those festive seasons; during the September celebrations and during the Christmas periods we will have BDF again supporting the police, so I do not want to say that the BDF days on the streets are all gone and it's all behind us."

Making A Hard Pitch For a Helicopter
And finally from Lovell tonight, he says Belize needs a helicopter for security and safety reasons. Yesterday when the US Embassy handed over 38 new vehicles, he made a kind of hard pitch for one. He appealed, perhaps in vain, to the United States war on drugs like marijuana. That war is just about over for the US, but in 2013, it was on when they used their helicopters to provide the BDF with Air Support for a massive marijuana plantation eradication effort. Here's how Lovell put it:.. Ret. Col. George Lovell - C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "What we achieved in just two days of operations using the helicopters, we were not able to match with the entire area of operations without those assets. This is certainly a must have asset for Belize if we are to continue to get concrete results. So I would like to once more publicly mention that this government is committed to any serious cost sharing arrangement that our partners are prepared to undertake in the acquisition of helicopters for Belize and hope that the seeds I am now sewing will fall on futile ground."

Belize Times Sales Tax Case Adjourned
Last night, we told you about the Sales Tax troubles that the PUP's party organ, the Belize Times newspaper, is having. It went to court today, but it still wasn't resolved. That's because Jacqueline Meighan, the prosecutor for the General Sale Tax Department, went before Magistrate Dale Cayetano today, with a court book, which named Marian Marsden as the Defendant representing the Belize Times Press. That became an issue for the actual arraignment because Marsden was not present in court. Attorney Kareem Musa, who appeared on behalf of the Belize Times Press, explained to the court that Marsden is no longer employed at the Belize Times, and that she was the former business manager up until 2008. Musa went on to explain that there are currently only 2 employees who actually work on the newspaper, Alberto Vellos, the editor, and Chris Williams, the desktop publisher. Musa also told the court that he gave Meighan the names of directors of the Belize Times Press who she could have summoned to court to represent the newspaper. Because of the difficulties, Magistrate Cayetano stood the matter down until a later date to allow the GST prosecutor to prepare a new court book. As we understand it, the GST Prosecutor intends to press 2 counts of failure to file GST returns against the Belize Times.

Department Of Human Services Steps Up
If you were rating government departments in terms of sexiness, the Coast Guard with all their fancy boats and their SEALS would probably be a 9; the MET Department maybe a 7, but only because they're always on the radio, while Immigration - with its constant controversy - that would be a definite 10! And the Department of Human Services?....naaah...that would be like a one. Don't get us wrong they do important work, but it's trench work: they don't get fancy SUV's, or fend off major controversies - they do the important, un-recognized work, holding together a society that's tearing at the seams. It's tough work acting as the safety net, the last resort for those in desperate social circumstances. But the Department has been earning kudos for its BOOST programme, which is now being upheld as a regional model, and now for the use of information and communication technology for a customized web-based case management system called "FAM Care." It's not just a system to untangle the bureaucracy, but it will also see the more prompt, accountable and efficient delivery of services. CEO Judith Alpuche explained today:..

IDB Broadband Report Rates Belize Broadband 25 out of 26.
On Monday we told you about a survey of Caribbean countries, which found that high speed internet in Belize was the most costly in the region. The top speed being offered - that's 8 megs - is also among the slowest. Well a new study by the IDB finds that of 26 countries surveyed for broadband penetration, Belize is ranked 25 out of 26, behind only Haiti. But, it's not just a matter of speed or price, the broadband penetration index as they call it, is calculated based on 37 variables obtained from various public sources and grouped around four key pillars for the development: I) Public Policy and Strategic Outlook, II) Strategic Regulation, III) Infrastructure and IV) Applications and Training. Chile ranked first.

Channel 5

Court of Appeal decides who owns B.T.L. and B.E.L.
A small crowd packed into the Court of Appeal this afternoon at two o’clock to hear the long anticipated judgment of the Court of Appeal in the cases involving the [...]

Government retains control of utility companies
The Court of Appeal also ruled interestingly on the Eighth Amendment. Respective counsels did not delve into the details of the judgment, and that is fair since neither has had [...]

Christian Ebanks is charged for firearm offenses, but is he wanted in Ecuador?
Is thirty-nine year old naturalized Belizean Christian Ebanks also Floyd Wendel Ebanks Jurado, one of Ecuador’s most wanted fugitives? That’s the million dollar question, and tonight Police say they are [...]

San Pedro woman in critical, but stable condition following stabbing incident
On Wednesday, we reported on the vicious attack on a mother of four children in San Pedro. Lorena Montes, the proprietor at Henry’s Store near the airstrip on the island, [...]

Mother says stabbing is result of longstanding dispute
According to Perez, there has been a longstanding dispute between her daughter and her alleged attacker. They were bound over the peace some time ago, but it was a misunderstanding [...]

8 persons picked up for fake documents in immigration crackdown in Caye Caulker
A Guatemalan couple is believed to be behind a scam providing fake nationality documents to Central American nationals; they were busted in an immigration crackdown and arraigned on Wednesday even [...]

A land dispute escalates in Unitedville
There is a developing land controversy in the community of Unitedville. The Government of Belize has given five acres of land in the community to Bernadette Fishcher. Those five acres [...]

A murder attempt foiled; police fires shot at gunman
A murder attempt was foiled today in south side Belize City. Sometime after ten this morning, Garrick Hemmans Senior was heading to his sister’s home on Antelope Street when he [...]

GST takes Belize Times to court
The Opposition’s mouthpiece, the Belize Times, was called to court this morning for non-payment of GST for the months of January and February 2014. The matter first came up on [...]

COLA wants the PM to hand over Auditor General’s report on immigration scandal
As we reported on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie says he’s uncertain of the whereabouts of the Penner files, a bundle of documents sent to him outlining various offences [...]

Attorney says documents to be submitted by May 29th
Having exhausted all avenues to proceed with the private prosecution of Elvin Penner, Musa says that they are anticipating the prime minister’s assistance in handing over the files that are [...]

Carlos Moreno approved as US Ambassador to Belize
The United States Embassy in Belize, since the departure of Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally last year, has remained without an ambassador.  Currently, Margaret Hawthorne is at the helm of the embassy [...]

B.N.T.U. takes on the Minister of Education
What should have been a unified celebration in honor of all teachers on Friday, in Benque Viejo del Carmen, has been scaled down significantly to district level festivities commemorating National [...]

The plans for National Teachers Day
B.N.T.U.’s Executive Secretary, Keesha Young, says that despite the downgrading of activities, the day will be celebrated in grand fashion at a much smaller level.  Furthermore, it is the sentiment [...]

Joel McD’s EX-5 Workout Program
You don’t have to miss a workout again….Fitness Trainer Joel McDougall on Wednesday officially launched the Joel McD’s workout program, EX-Five, to help you stay in shape. The fitness trainer [...]

Healthy Living looks at skin cancer
May is cancer awareness month in Belize. Worldwide, awareness about skin cancer is also a priority throughout the month.   While it may not be the most prevalent, Belizeans are highly [...]

CTV3

Hung Jury On Third Retrial For Felix Brothers
After deliberating for 6 hours yesterday, brothers Emory and Maurice Felix were acquitted of the 2006 murder of 29 year old Mitchum Heredia. As we’ve reported, Heredia was gunned down just before 6:30 p.m. on April 10th 2006, as he arrived at his house on T Street. He was entering his yard in a Nissan Maxima car, when 2 armed men, ambushed and shot him 6 times at close range. The 12 member jury was listening to evidence and testimonies for nine weeks and the hearing ended in a hung jury. CTV3 News spoke with Attorney Arthur Saldivar via telephone who says this was the third trial in court. Arthur Saldivar– Attorney at Law “We have a situation here where the evidence that was presented by the prosecution side as in all cases like this comes from the police department and many times there are gaps in the evidence and I think that some of those gaps in those evidence was what lead to the strong feeling for and against the acquittal and what it resulted in people not giving ground because they didn’t sound trusted and some didn’t trust the account for police witnesses and the investigation itself which basically appears to be incomplete, the jury deliberated today the issue for six hours and there were those for the acquittal and those for the conviction and none of the groups gave ground because they had strong feelings either way.”

Giovanni Borland Clings To Life At KHMH
Police continue to investigate the chopping incident in Libertad Village that has left 34 year old Giovanni Borland in a critical condition in the hospital and his assailant, Joseph West behind bars. This morning, the social media was abuzz and it was over the allegation that Borland had succumbed to the chop wound to his head and that the case was upgraded to murder. After making checks with authorities, we verified that Borland remains alive but in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. As for Joseph West, he was arraigned at the Corozal Magistrates Court yesterday morning where he was charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. Because of the nature of the offence, West was not offered bail by Magistrate Hurl Hamilton. Instead he was remanded to the Hattieville Prison until July 15th 2014 when he is scheduled to reappear in court.

Is One Of Ecuador's Most Wanted Living In Belize?
Here in Orange Walk he is known as J.R Ebanks or Christian Ebanks, the owner of Sky Wireless located on Queen Victoria Avenue. So where are we getting at? Well, simple, is Ebanks one of Ecuador's most wanted fugitive? Reports are that officers of the Gang Suppression Unit have detained an Ecuadoran man, who could possibly be a wanted man living in Belize. The individual, we understand, was caught in Belize City with a firearm inside his home. The name and documents, including immigration documents, he presented to authorities, identify him as Christian Ebanks. But posters on the internet show a fugitive from Ecuador, who looks just like Ebanks, only that in this case his name is Floyd Wendel Ebanks Jurado. He is being sought by Guayas Province Police for the murder of Ecuadoran National Alejandro Martín Teófilo Yagual. The incident reportedly took place on Puna Island. Both men look the same yet Belizean authorities are yet to determine if they are the same individual.

Celebrating Nurses Week
Yesterday we told you about Nurses week which is being observed from May 11th to the 16th all across the country. We all know the work they do goes unnoticed and unappreciated most of the time. And since they directly impact individual patient safety and health, they make up critical components in the health care sector. They care, comfort, provide a little humor to calm nerves and help save lives and so the week is designated to honor these key players in providing health care services to their communities. It’s a heavily scrutinized profession but recognizing their efforts should not be understated. So today, we decided to get a sneak peek at their daily life. Reporter Maria Novelo and Video Journalist Jesus Melgar have that story in the following report. Health care is constantly changing and evolving. Today, more than ever, nurses are stepping out of their comfort zone and becoming active contributors and innovators in the health care system. Presently, sixty four nurses make up the support staff at the Northern Regional Hospital. Vice President of the Nurses Association Richard Reid says, over the years there has been an increase of males in the profession.

Bowen and Bowen Speaks On Shortage Of Product
For the past few weeks, various business establishments around the country have been reporting challenges obtaining soft drinks and in some cases bottled water from Bowen & Bowen Limited. And as the days go by, even their flagship product, Coca Cola is rumoured to be scarce. All those shortages and supply breakdowns fuelled a storm of speculation which is culminating in the recent rumour that Belize’s biggest bottler was on the verge of collapse. And since there has been much allegations of the situation, we spoke with Public Relations Officer at Bowen, Christelle Wilson who says the availability of their soft drink products has declined due to the speed of their bottle washer mechanism. Christelle Wilson - Public relations officer, Bowen and Bowen Group of Companies Wilson – Bowen “I know that there has been a shortage on the availability of soft drink due to the slow production speed of our washer and that is the reason that why we are replacing our washer and not due to any quality issues of our products but because we want to speed up the production so we are only aware of a shortage of some soft drink.”

Teachers Day Planned In Corozal
Teachers’ day will be observed and celebrated this Friday May 16th. Traditionally, teachers are given a day off from work to celebrate together. That celebration is held in three ways and these include at a school, branch and national levels which are rotated every year. This year the national celebration was scheduled to take place in Benque Viejo del Carmen. However, given some unfortunate circumstances, the Ministry has ordered each district center to organize their own activities. Education Center Manager at the Corozal District Center Jahmore Lopez says they have been busy in that district and their celebration is looking to be a good one. Jahmore Lopez- District Manager “It would be in Benque but unfortunately due to budgetary constraints it is not going to work out and so the respective DEC’S country wide are tasked with planning a teachers day activity and we will be doing that here in Corozal, I believe we gotten overwhelming response from our school, our principals, our teachers, we have already confirmed over 450 plus teachers who will be joining us at Blue Iguana that is located somewhere in the Finca Solana Area and so we have a program planned where we will be an opening ceremony, short speeches and then we get on with the rest of the day where we will have a number of teachers engage in a number of fun filled activities.”

Ancient Mayan City Found Near The Belize Mexico Border
Reports coming of the Mexican newspapers indicate that an Ancient Mayan City approximated to be about 85 acres with at least six architectural groups was found hidden deep in the jungle about 7 miles from the Belize / Mexican Border line and about 37 miles away from the city of Chetumal. The Ancient Mayan City, believed to be more than one thousand five hundred years old, was named Noh Kah, meaning Large City while the six smaller cities within Noh Kah, have been named El Corozal El Pich, El Paredon,El Pocito, El Viente and Hop Na. All six cities are separated by a distance ranging between 0.5 and 3 miles and are made up of different groups which assisted in the survival of the entire city. With the assistance of members of the communities of San Francisco Botes and Rovirosa, specialists were able to perform a topographic survey of the Ancient Mayan City.

Figures For Week 16 2013/2014 Crop Season
May 11th 2014 marked the end of week 16 of the 2013/2014 sugar cane crop season. The report, provided by the Belize Sugar Industries Limited, shows that for week 16 the factory milled forty eight thousand nine hundred and eighty four tons of cane. To date, the factory has milled a total of eight hundred and thirteen thousand six hundred and thirty nine tons of cane. Last year the factory milled six hundred and sixty four thousand nineteen tons cane during the same time frame. Taking a look at sugar production, four thousand eight hundred and ninety six tons of the sweetener was produced for week 16. An overall of eighty seven thousand five hundred and thirty one tons of the product has been produced so far. Last year, the factory produced sixty eight thousand seven hundred and ten tons of sugar during the 16 weeks of crop. This week the factory worked at a grinding rate of six thousand nine hundred and ninety eight tons cane per day. Overall, for the 16 weeks of crop, the grinding rate per day stands at seven thousand five hundred and thirty four tons cane. Last crop it was at six thousand one hundred and forty eight tons cane per day.

Classes Resume At Ranchito Government School
We have been following the progress of the improvements at the Ranchito Government School where students were sent home for one week to allow officials from the Ministries of Health and Education to make necessary assessments and arrangements to fix a rodent, insect and bat infestation. When we visited the school today, the students were back on their lessons. School principal Yesenia Tun says they still have to accommodate three classes in the Community Center but they have to ensure it’s an environment conducive to learning. Yesenia Tun- Principal “Presently classes began yesterday from pre-school to standard three, the four, five and six students we can’t relocate them and they will be relocated at the Community Centre and they can’t be relocated because bathroom facilities are not available as yet but for Monday they will have classes then and all the teacher are setting up their chairs and we had ministry personnel came in this morning and they said that they will do their best to have it ready for Monday.”

LOVE FM

Woman Remains Critical Following Stabbing on San Pedro
A resident of San Pedro Town is tonight at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a critical condition after she was stabbed multiple times. Police have classified the injuries that Lorena Montes sustained as “wounding”. Police say that Montes was stabbed by Roxanne Canul while the two women were involved in a physical altercation on the island on Wednesday afternoon. Canul has been charged with one count of grievous harm and has been granted bail. Police investigations reveal that on Wednesday, Montes was inside her establishment, Henry’s Store, when Canul allegedly barged in and stabbed Montes several times in the chest area. The incident unfolded before the eyes of Montes’ children. She was quickly transported to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic before being airlifted to Belize City for her to obtain treatment at the KHMH. As for Canul, police say that she is to report on Monday for her arraignment.

Belize and Ecuador Work Together to Ascertain Identity of Ebanks
He has built a network in various fields including politics, marketing and business but tonight he is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after local authorities were tipped off that he may a person of interest in the South American country of Ecuador. 39-year-old, Floyd Ebanks was visited at his home on Teachers Street yesterday by members of the Gang Suppression Unit where a search was conducted, resulting in the discovery of an illegal 9mm firearm. Ebanks was taken in by the GSU and was charged today in the Magistrate’s court on a firearm charge….but the plight for Ebanks has just begun as Love News understands that he may be the person on a wanted list from Ecuador for the murder of one of its nationals in 2011. Head of the Gang Suppression Unit, Linden Flowers explains.

Where Are The Penner Files?
Where are the Penner Files? That’s the question that the Citizen Organized for Liberty through Action, COLA, is asking. The grassroots NGO has brought a private prosecution against Former Minister of State Elvin Penner. Several government departments have initiated investigations into the entire situation at the Immigration Department and several pieces of evidence have been collected. COLA is requesting that the Belize Police Department hand over the Penner files under the Freedom of Information Act for their prosecution to be successful……but no one seems to know where the files are. Yesterday, when questioned about the files, Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie stated that he has not received any request for the files from the Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl Lynn Vidal. Whylie continued by saying that the files were sent to her office on a previous occasion and has certainly not been sent back to him…..it begs the question again, ‘where are the Penner files?’ That question was posed to the DPP and she responded, via email, saying, “I have referred the request for copies of the documents to the police, as they are in possession of the file in the matter. I have not yet received an official response as to their position. I re-iterate that I have no difficulty whatsoever in them being provided with a copy of what is in police possession.

US Appoints New Ambassador to Belize
The United States Senate has given its stamp of approval to have Carlos R. Moreno be the new Ambassador to Belize. Moreno received unanimous support after having been nominated by the US President Barrack Obama in July 2013. Moreno, who was up for consideration as a US Supreme Court judge, is the son of Mexican immigrants who had migrated to the United States. He served as a judge in the California Supreme Court up until 2011. Moreno is the tenth US ambassador to Belize since 1981 and will succeed VinaiThumallapally, who is the current ambassador to Belize since June 2009.

PlusTV

San Pedro Woman Stabbed in Front of her Kids
A stabbing incident in San Pedro town has left a mother of four children, hospitalized at the KHMH in Belize City in a critical but stable condition. According to reports, Belizean resident of San Pedro Town Lorena Montero was brutally stabbed sometime around 1:20 pm on Wednesday, May 14th,...

Minister Pablo Marin Inaccurate in Pharmaceutical Exam
On Monday Minister Pablo Marin spoke with some of the media houses on the issue of the controversial postponement of the Pharmaceutical examination. The exam originates from an examination Board at Ministry of Health but is conducted at the University of Belize. It is considered important because, regardless of...

Christian Ebanks Charged for Unlicensed Firearm
A naturalized Belizean who is reportedly wanted in Ecuador for murder has been picked up – and as a bonus, police recovered an unlicensed firearm at his property. 39 year old businessman Christian Ebanks appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano today where he pleaded not guilty to keeping a firearm...

COLA Wants Information from PM for Penner Prosecution
Turned around by functionaries of the Government of Belize in their effort to call former Minister of State Elvin Penner to justice for his role in the Won Hong Kim scandal, Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) have turned to Prime Minister Dean Barrow in their quest to...

Will International Partners Support Belize with Helicopters?
At Wednesday’s ceremony for the donation of police vehicles by the U.S. Embassy, CEO in the Ministry of National Security Col. George Lovell made an entreaty to his American partners for assistance of a different kind – helicopter support. The Americans have sent helicopters to be used in major...

New US Ambassador to Belize Soon to Arrive
The Charge d’ Affaires Margarate Hawthorne, as you saw in the last two stories is heading the US Embassy in Belmopan, but only until the new Ambassador reaches Belize. On July 9 of last year, US President Barack Obama formally nominated retired California Supreme Court judge Carlos R. Moreno...

BDF Leave Streets of Belize City, for Now
If you are a Belize City resident, you may have noticed that there are no Belize Defence Force soldiers on the streets as there have been previously, conspicuously standing next to police officers in crime-ridden areas. That has been so since April 30 of this year, putting an end...

Belmopan Cancer Society Hosts Cancer Walk
The Belize Cancer Society Belmopan Branch is hosting its annual Cancer Walk this Saturday starting at 5:15 sharp. Beverly Swasey of the Belize Cancer Society dropped by our studios to talk about the fund raising event. Beverly Swasey- Representative for Belize Cancer Society If you pay $25, you pay...

The Guardian

PUP has no Love for Mothers
The PUP has once again shown how callous and heartless they really are when they called yet another pointless press conference on Tuesday during which they boldly declared that the mothers of Belize do not deserve to be assisted by government. The Government under the leadership of Hon. Dean Barrow took the decision to assist mothers across the length and breadth of this country to ensure that that they got some appreciation during this year’s mother’s day- absolutely nothing wrong with that! After all, it was not as if the government was giving Michael Ashcroft an 88 million dollar tax break or 20 million dollars was used to pay off a private debt. No, the money was used as social assistance to mothers in Belize. This has become the signature of this government, help people, no matter who they are- at all times! This is evident in the social assistance programs which have been instituted to assist the least fortunate among us. There is the food pantry program, the BOOST program - now being used as a regional model, the School Subsidy program, the Christmas Cheer program and now the Mothers day program. All truly instituted to raise people out of poverty.

BOOST Program Success to be duplicated in the Caribbean
Ministers and senior ranking public officials from eight Caribbean countries are in Belize on a study tour of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme called operation ‘BOOST’. The Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation (BOOST) Programme has been dubbed by the World Bank as the best social protection programme in the hemisphere and multilateral development organizations are encouraging member states to study and adopt it. The Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation is collaborating with the Organization of American States (OAS), UNICEF and UNDP to host a Horizontal Cooperation Exchange from May 13th to 15th. The Ministers with responsibility for social development from Grenada and Dominica are attending the event as well as senior officials from Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia. Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, Judith Alpuche, says the program is of particular interest to these countries because of the similarities in demographics.

38 New Vehicles for Belize Police Department
Some 38 brand new vehicles valued at some 2.3 million dollars was handed over on Wednesday to the Belize Police Department by Ms. Margaret D. Hawthorne, Charge d' Affairs, from the U.S Embassy. The fully equipped vehicles were handed over at a brief ceremony at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan. Present for the handing over were Government Officials, members of the Diplomatic Corp as well as Formation and Precinct Commanders from around the Country. In her address, Ms. Margaret D. Hawthorne said that the Police vehicles will increase the mobility of the Police and strengthen their capacity. She reminded that in a similar donation two years ago to Belize City, there was a noticeable reduction in crime in that area. “The U.S Government will be with you as a partner,” she said. Colonel George Lovell, Chief Executive Officer within the Ministry of National Security, who deputized for the Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of National Security (currently in Guatemala for a Drug Conference) said today that the United States works closely with those, from a strategic standpoint and pointed out that “…our bilateral cooperation has deepened over the past few years.”

Petillo tries to pull a Fast one
A couple of weeks ago, Nigel Petillo, the “champion” of Harmonyville, was seen on television begging the government, the Ministry of Natural Resources specifically, to remove persons he considered were squatters in the ‘buffer’ area of Harmonyville. The buffer is an area stretching about three miles along the George Price Highway and which consists some 60 acres of land which is crown land. Petillo succeeded in getting some of the people off and it seemed like quite the noble deed by the BGYEA guy. But we were clapping and congratulating a bit too early. As soon as the squatters were removed, in came heavy equipment that began to level everything, bulldozers and plows rolled in and the ground began to be readied for planting. A company called Sustainable Agriculture Development limited was the one doing the work. According to Petillo, the company was ‘his’ investor and they came in to cultivate corn on the buffer area. Remember he zealously removed persons who were on the buffer only to bring in ‘his’ investor. Also what needs to be remembered is that the 60 acres is crown land and Petillo has no authority to enter into any contract with anyone to do anything with the land.

Yolanda Schakron Takes Swings at Special Envoy
A couple days after the world celebrated Mothers Day, the men leading the People’s United Party instructed Yolanda Schakron to sling as much filth as she can at the Special Envoy for Women and Children. Mrs. Kim Simplis-Barrow’s popularity and high approval rating has been a pain in the neck of the PUP‘s executives. The wives of Prime Ministers have traditionally been left out of the political mudslinging but Mrs. Barrow is simply accomplishing too much to be ignored. From sources inside the PUP, we know that many were upset during the Briceno era for not going hard after ‘Lady Kim’. Fonseca has vouched no holds barred and Kim Barrow is now enemy number one. Not only are the party’s women leaders forbidden from attending or even publicly supporting her women empowerment initiatives, but they are also to speak ill against her and question her motives at every public forum. At a PUP press conference on Tuesday, May 13th, it was Yolanda’s number called. The woman, who launched her political career on the casket of her nephew and from the tears of mothers grieving lost sons, accused Mrs. Barrow of vanity. She voiced the concerns of the PUP women group about the money spent on the 20,000 Strong Women Empowerment Rally; accounting of funds raised internationally for the Inspiration Center and cost of the Harper’s Bazaar Interiors eleven page spread.

Guatemalans caught using dead Belizeans’ birth Papers
On Wednesday May 14, 41-year-old Alfredo Orlando Gonzalez Marcos, Guatemalan national of Quetzaltenango, Guatemalan who at the time of his arrest was working as an X-ray Technician at the KHMH and his common-law wife, 45-year-old Guatemalan housewife, Marleny Elizabeth Castellanos, a resident of Santa Elena, Petén, Guatemala appeared in Magistrate’s Court on immigration related offenses. They appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano where Marcos was charged with 6 counts while Castellanos was charged with 4 counts. Both pleaded guilty to the offenses and Magistrate Cayetano remanded the couple to the Belize Central Prison until Friday, May 16, 2014 for sentencing. It was a very emotional time for Castellanos who thought that after pleading guilty, she would be imposed a fine and then be able to go home. She was surprised when she was told that she would be remanded to the Belize Central Prison for the next two days. When she exited the courtroom alone she was crying uncontrollably as she was being consoled by one of her three daughters.

Sour Grapes
Whenever I watch the evening news or read the newspapers, I generally take a keener interest when the topic is about politics; the reason being that I tend to write a lot on that subject matter. I know that sometimes my columns are considered footnotes of headlines past, but I try not to bore readers with too many repetitions of issues on which pundits have already commented on, but rather on the utterances coming from politicians. That said, I saw Hon. Boots battling it out with Channel Fox last night, and I agree completely with what he said; Fox is so blatantly biased in its reporting that people now consider this station to be more of a political arm of the PUP than a genuine news station. Same goes for COLA and its rambunctious leader: this self-interest group is acting suspicious in taking a perpetual stand on a solitary issue that really has been dealt with swiftly and appropriately by the Prime Minister. Is there a hidden agenda here somewhere, you think?

Ascend, Belize Comprehend! (ABC)
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. - Lewis Carroll Decision making is part of our everyday life. Simple things like deciding whether or not to get out of bed (or hit the snooze button) can be tantamount to choosing a career path if we are uncertain of what we want the end result to be. Those last few minutes of sleep may make you question if getting out of bed is even worth the trouble. Undoubtedly, after weighing the options (like the need for food, water or to go to work) and the possible consequences, the decision to get out of bed becomes simplified. Choosing a career or life path requires much the same thought process. It requires thought on the end result i.e. it required direction. Not having a direction, not having a goal, not knowing where you are going, it’s all the same. You go nowhere. You can never get “there,” can never arrive anywhere, because you don’t really have a destination. Without direction, without a destination, without a goal, how do you pick a direction, choose a road, or plot a course to get “there”?

Bank Robber Shot in the Act
Alleged Bank Robber, 25 year-old Cannon Augustine Obispo, continues to receive treatment at the KHMH, after he was shot by police after he stole money from the Scotia Bank in Belmopan City on Friday, May 9, at around 10 a.m. But before, he allegedly targeted the bank, he reportedly ripped off a vendor at the Indian Store, Classic, which is right across the street. Obispo entered Classic and requested several articles of clothing, valued at a total of $210, which he asked to try out. When the vendor expected him to pay, he reportedly walked out and went to the Bank. The vendor followed him, but wasn’t suspicious because the man made for the bank, so the vendor thought he was going to withdraw money.

Charged for month-old stabbing
On Monday, May 12, 27-year-old Kareem Arnold of a Yellowtail Street address in Ladyville appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer where he was read a single charge of dangerous harm upon Parish Copious who was stabbed on April 16 of this year. In court, no plea was taken from Arnold but due to the nature of the offense, he was denied bail and remanded to the Belize Central Prison until June 30, 2014. The stabbing incident occurred on April 16, 2014 in the Ladyville area where Parish Copious was stabbed multiple times, allegedly by men. According to a police report, on that date at about 11:00 p.m., at the corner of Pigeon and Parakeet Street, he was attacked by two men. Copious told police that he was at the intersection of the streets, socializing with his cousin when he recognized, two men, Kareem Arnold, and another who approached him. Both men were armed with knives.

No Case File- Murder Suspect released
On Wednesday May 14, 21-year-old Dion Brackett who has been on remand since January 5, 2013 for the murder of Marvin Foreman was released by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. When the matter was called up, the prosecutor in the case, Sgt. Egbert Castillo told the court that he had no case file in the matter. With that the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith struck out the matter and told Brackett he was free to go home. This is the second such case to occur before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court within a week on charges of serious offenses.

Possible wanted Ecuadorian caught in Belize
Officers of the Gang Suppression Unit have detained an Ecuadorian man believed to be a fugitive in that country. They report that they conducted a search at a house on Teacher's Street in Belize City where they found a man identifying himself as Christian Ebanks. After a search of Ebanks home, police also recovered an illegal firearm. While Ebanks will be charged for that offense, police are looking into the possibility that he is an Ecuadorian by the name of Floyd Wendel Ebanks Jurado who is wanted in the Guayas Province of Ecuador for the murder of another citizen of that country, Alejandro Martin Teofilo Yagual, which took place on Puna Island.

Another Hung Jury on Felix Brothers’ trial
The murder trial of brothers Emory and Maurice Felix concluded on Tuesday night at around 11p.m with a hung jury. The men were facing murder charges following the shooting death of Mitchum Heredia which occurred on April 10, 2006. At the conclusion of the trial, a jury of 8 women and 4 men could not reach a verdict in the case after deliberating for six hours. When they emerged a mistrial was declared. The men have now been remanded back to prison for yet another retrial. Back in 2007 the Felix brothers had been found guilty of murder and were given life sentences but a year later that conviction was overturned by the Appeal’s Court and a retrial was ordered. In the retrial the jury were deadlocked and could not reach a verdict and a retrial was ordered. That retrial started in March of this year in Belize City but it was later transferred to Corozal District because of the sensitivity of the case.

Cop convicted of theft
On Monday May 12, Police Constable, Brandon Hertular was found guilty of burglary and theft when he appeared before Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. Hertular was accused of burglary and theft after a home invasion on March 4, 2012 at the home of Shirley Chicas located in Buttonwood Bay in Belize City. At the time a number of household items were reported stolen including cash, cellular phones and a pistol. At the time, Hertular was said to be in his camouflage uniform and was positively identified by the victim as one of two men that entered the home and stole the items. Due to insufficient evidence to prove the charge of burglary, the prosecutor, Mrs. Hawk only proceeded with the trial for theft against PC Hertular.

Two more Years for Denfield Lemoth
Denfield Lemoth who is serving two jail terms amounting to 12 years had two more years added to his time on Wednesday May 14. He appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano where he was sentenced to 2 years in prison which are to run consecutive to the time he is already serving. On April 13, 2013, Errol Belisle was at a Chinese store on Raccoon Street when Lemoth walked into the store and zipped open Belisle’s backpack and removed his wallet which contained $800 in cash, his social security card, ATM Card and driver’s license.

Ladyville Police continue to investigate the execution-style murder of 27 year-old Belize City resident Vince Martinez Jr., who was murdered in a shooting where the gunman ambushed him, seizing on an opportunity. On Wednesday, May 7, just before 6 p.m., Martinez was sitting under the bus stopopposite the Puma Gas Station in the village, when a gunman came running from Mirage Road and fired a single gunshot at him. The shot struck Martinez in the right side of his head, and as soon as he saw his target go down, the gunman ran back in the direction he came, and he escaped in a vehicle that was waiting for him. Police found Martinez’s body shortly after the shooting; he died on the spot.
Ladyville Police continue to investigate the execution-style murder of 27 year-old Belize City resident Vince Martinez Jr., who was murdered in a shooting where the gunman ambushed him, seizing on an opportunity. On Wednesday, May 7, just before 6 p.m., Martinez was sitting under the bus stopopposite the Puma Gas Station in the village, when a gunman came running from Mirage Road and fired a single gunshot at him. The shot struck Martinez in the right side of his head, and as soon as he saw his target go down, the gunman ran back in the direction he came, and he escaped in a vehicle that was waiting for him. Police found Martinez’s body shortly after the shooting; he died on the spot.

One of two men Acquitted of Murder charge
On Thursday May 8, Albert Ara, who was charged for the murder of Hipolito Tiul along with Juan Rivera in 2006, managed to walk free from the charge. His attorney, Carlo Mason was successful in getting him off the charge when he made a no case submission after a voidaire which was accepted by the judge and he was acquitted of the charge. Ara and Rivera were charged for the August 23, 2006 murder of Hipolito Tiul who was attacked whilst inside his home in the Society Hall Road area of Cayo. At the time Tiul was chopped to the head and he subsequently died.

PG Mom murdered on Mother’s Day
Punta Gorda Police continue to investigate the shooting death of 28 year-old Janice Vargas, who was killed in the Indianville Area of the Town. Her death is especially cruel since it happened on Mother’s Day, in front of her child, and at her home where she worked and lived and believed to be safe. Vargas, who works as a waitress for Jamaica Bar, was turning in for the night; she was heading toward the bedroom she stayed at the back of the business place. That’s when she reportedly heard knocking on the doors of the bar, which was already closed. She didn’t open up for anyone, nevertheless, her assailant somehow managed to shoot her in the right shoulder through a window.

Armed for a Funeral
On Monday May 12, 21-year-old Wilfred Ramirez, appeared in Court #1 before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith where he was read two firearm related offenses. Ramirez was charged with one count of kept prohibited firearm, for allegedly having in his possession, 1 black rusty sawed off shot gun with no serial number measuring 18 inches for which he had no gun license for. He was additionally charged with kept prohibited ammunition after he was found in possession of 1-12 gauge cartridge, maroon and brass in color for which he has not been granted a gun license by the commissioner of police.

Joseph West Detained for Chopping Man in Head
Police are investigating a chopping incident that occurred in Corozal on Sunday, May 11th, at about 10 p.m. 34-year-old Giovanni Borland of Western Pines Community in the Belize District was at a bar in Corozal when he got into an argument with 24-year-old Joseph West of Libertad Village. According to reports, Joseph and his brother Denmar West decided to leave the bar. While on their way to another bar, Borland followed them with a machete in his hand. Joseph managed to take the machete away. Shortly after, as Denmar was heading home from the bar, Borland attacked him with an object causing an injury to his forehead area above the right eye. Joseph saw the attack and set chase after Borland with the machete.

Successful National Agricultural and Trade Show 2014
The Honourable Gaspar Vega and the Honourable Hugo Patt wish to thank the general public for the solid support in attending the recently held National Agriculture and Trade Show. The show was a resounding success with approximately 36,000 visitors over the two and a half days. Gross revenue from the show reached a record $241,000. Profits from the show are being reinvested in the unprecedented improvements to infrastructure and support services for the show. The Ministers also wish to thank the National Agriculture and Trade Show Committee, the farmers, exhibitors and vendors that made the show possible. Special thanks to the Belize Police Department for their tremendous effort in making the show free of any serious incident. Special thanks also to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture team for going beyond the call of duty and their exceptional work in preparing for and conducting the show.

BNTU blunders National Teacher’s Day
Friday, May 16, is teacher's day and throughout the entire country the day will be used for teachers to have social gatherings and interactions with each other at various locations in the districts. It would have been a national celebration which would have taken place in Benque Viejo but plans had to be changed after the Belize National Teacher's Union was unable to fulfill its financial obligations to the event. The last time there was a national teacher's day was on in 2009, at that time the BNTU contributed $24,000 for the event to take place. The expectation was that the union would have been able to at least meet the same contribution as they did the last time but the union's executive said they were unable to do so. Instead they said that they would only be able to give $10,000 which simply is not enough for the event to take place.

Significant Fall in Butane Prices
On May 8, the price of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) fell significantly across the country. The supplies Control Unit in the Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection establishes prices for LPG based on mixtures of 60-40 propane to butane and 90-10 propane to butane. According to a release from the Ministry, there has been a sharp decrease in the price of propane due to warmer weather as winter months have passed and the months of summer are approaching. The LPG imported from PEMEX in Mexico has the 60-40 mixture and the price per 100 pound cylinder fell by $13 across the board. The new controlled prices to full a 100 pound cylinder are now $115 in Belize City and Corozal, $116 in Orange Walk, $117 in Belmopan and San Ignacio, $118 in Benque Viejo, $119 in Dangriga and $120 in Punta Gorda.

UDP brings Mother’s Day to Rural Central
Mrs. Beverly Castillo is not yet elected Area Representative for the Belize Rural Central constituency but she has been able to do much, much more than what the current Area Representative has done even though she has been given the resources. Mrs. Bev, as she is affectionately known, has been able to make life better for residents throughout the constituency by securing resources and mobilizing equipment to improve road conditions across the area. But it is not only about streets and drains for this UDP Standard Bearer, Mrs. Bev is also putting the personal touch that has been missing for years there. She demonstrated her ability to do so this past weekend as she traversed the entire constituency, village by village holding mother’s day programs and taking gifts to deserving mothers in the division. At every single stop that Mrs. Castillo made, she was received with welcoming smiles and embraces, and she gave them back just as readily. There was not a single village in the division which she did not visit and though it is a virtual impossibility to touch everyone in the constituency, hundreds of mothers were treated to a mothers day gift and activities.

Rasha Dawson Recognized for Strength and Perseverance
Rasha Dawson lost her right leg in a traffic accident twelve years ago when she was only six years old. Life has not been easy for the young resident of Evergreen Street living with a disability. However, she has not made her physical condition limit her potential and that is one of the many reasons she was recognized by the Belize Police Department and honoured with the Do Di Rite Ting Award for April/May 2014. Instead of being a dependent, Rasha has chosen to be a champion. She is a member of Belize Association of People living with Disabilities (BAPD) where she and her group volunteer to assist those people living with disabilities who cannot leave their homes and also raise funds to feed the less fortunate. She is also member of Motivating Youths of Belize (MYOB). MYOB helps teenagers to avoid the negatives of life and stay on the positive path. The group meets weekly and holds fundraising activities in order to give food and clothing to the less fortunate.

Labor Education Seminar Launched in Belmopan
The first in a series of ten labor education seminars was launched in Belmopan on Friday of last week at the George Price Center for Peace and Development. The seminar focused on employers and workers’ rights and responsibilities under the Belize Labor Legislation and International Labor Organization Convention, bringing together persons from both the private and public sectors. It was also an opportunity for both workers and employees to be updated on the most current developments on labor issues. In his welcoming address, His Worship the Mayor Simeon Lopez said “…employers and workers, this is the time for you to address the rights and responsibilities in the Belizean Work Force”. Dylan Reneau, President of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize also spoke about the benefits of an educational seminar. He said that the holistic training on all facets of labor administration blends with local and international commitments; assisting Belizeans to maintain favorable and harmonious industrial relations.

Mrs. Pearl Stuart the Trailblazer of the Week
This week on Trailblazer Tuesdays the Special Envoy for Women and Children recognized Mrs. Pearl Stuart for her tireless work on behalf of Belizeans living in Western United States. Mrs. Pearl Stuart, born in Dangriga Town, spent her teen years in Belize City where she started her secondary education at St. Catherine’s Academy and completed it at West Philadelphia Catholic High School in the United States, placing second honors in a school of 8000 students. Mrs. Stuart graduated from Holy Family College with a major in education. Her first job was as a 4th grade (Standard II) teacher in United States elementary school – Our Lady of Victory in Philadelphia. She was the wife of the first Honorary Counsel (unpaid, part time), Paul Warren and supported his work in facilitating Los Angeles based Belizeans and visitors to Belize. This work was done out of their home. The support was provided because of the large number of Belizeans who had settled in the California area.

Orange Walk Central Held its Mother’s Day Event
On the 25th of April the Orange Walk Central UDP Committee held its meeting to plan an event to celebrate the mothers of the constituency. All were very motivated with the plan and everyone started working on their responsibilities. On the 11th of May it was felt and seen that Denny Grijalva is indeed the man for Orange Walk Central he and the UDP Orange Walk Central committee held a massive Mother’s Day Event at the People’s Stadium. There were over Six hundred mothers in attendance. The event commenced at 3:00 p.m and the evening was filled with joy and entertainment. The mothers were serenaded by Captain Roby, Christy Grijalva and many more local artist. The moms participated in several games such as musical chairs, dancing contest and other enjoyable games just to name a few. Throughout the event there were raffles for excellent prizes and gifts were issued to four of the eldest mothers in attendance with ages ranging from 80 to 86 years old. A gift was also given to the youngest mother who is 14 years old. Over a hundred gifts were issued and each mother received a precious corsage. They were also treated to snacks and refreshments.

Orange Walk East Celebrates Mother’s Day
Elodio Aragon Jr. treated hundreds of mothers in the Orange Walk East constituency to Mother’s Day programs as well as gifts to celebrate the occasion. Aragon was able to do this after he secured assistance from the business community in his constituency. The assistance was readily forthcoming because most everyone in the area sees Aragon as a young, active and dynamic representative for the area. He is at this point the Standard Bearer for the UDP and even without being elected he has been able to do so much for the division. He was able to visit all villages of the constituency and bring some form of celebration and gifts to the mothers of the various villages and areas of the division. Aragon told the Guardian that this kind of personal touch is what he will be known for where representatives not only sit in high offices but rather come down to the people and show appreciation and ensure that things are made better for them.

Investigations heighten on Hospital Administrator
Nasley Sommerville, the Administrator of the Southern Regional Hospital, located outside of Dangriga Town, has currently come under the heavy scrutiny of an inquiry by the Public Service Commission following an audit done by the Auditor General, Dorothy Bradley. The preliminary findings of this audit suggested that she misappropriated $366,468.88 from the hospital’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) bank account. The Auditor General and her investigative team are currently in possession of 181 cheques used to cash some $352,000 out of the account. Based on their findings, they believe Sommerville abused her authority as administrator over a period 45 months from January 2010 to October 2013 and withdrew money from the MCH account from the Belize Bank Dangriga Branch. They suspect that she used 41 of those 181 cheques to cash out $81,316 which ended up in her Scotia bank account, number 12465 – 44685, which is where her government salary is currently being deposited. They also suspected that 5 cheques from the group were made out to herself as cash in which she managed to get her hands on $9,915 from the account.

Hon. Gaspar Vega and Wife meet the Pope
On April 24, Pope Francis was the co-celebrant in a mass at Rome’s St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish where Jose de Anchieta was canonized. St. Jose de Anchieta founded several Brazilian cities, including Sao Paulo. He was born in Spain’s Canary Islands in 1534 and studied at the Jesuit College at Coimbra in Portugal. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1550 and arrived in Brazil three years later. He built hospitals and educational institutions, with a primary focus on helping to teach and defend indigenous Brazilians, and served as the Jesuit superior in Brazil for 10 years. He died June 9, 1597. Also recognized as saints were Francois de Laval and Marie of the Incarnation.

Dangriga Warriors pulls off upset in National Elite Basketball Tournament
The 2014 National Elite Basketball League competition continued over the last week with five games on the schedule. On Thursday May 8 at the UB Gymnasium in Belmopan, the host team Belmopan Point Bandits defeated the visiting Belize City No Limit by the score of 71-59. The top scorers for the Belmopan Point Bandits were Adam Carswell with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, Christian Rodriguez with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals and Stephen Williams with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal. Meanwhile, the top scorers for the Belize City No Limit Team were Brandon Rogers with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, Gregory Rudon with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, and Brian White with 10 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. On Friday at the Multi-Purpose Complex in Orange Walk Town, the visiting Corozal Heats defeated the home team Orange Walk Running Rebels by the score of 71-55.

Kaya Cattouse and Brandon Cattouse capture Pablo Marin Cycling Classic
The Annual Pablo Marin Labour Day Cycling Classic was held on Thursday May 1, 2014 in Corozal. In the Elite Category, first place went to Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray Road Addikz, second place went to Nissana Arana of Predators Belize and third place went to Giovanni Choto of C-ray road Addikz. In the female category, first place went to Kaya Cattouse of Smart C-Ray, second place went to Patricia Chavarria of BECOL, and third place went to Alicia Thompson of Belize Bank. In the junior category, first place went to Zamir Guerra of Cayo High Road, second place went to Delon Gentle of BECOL Uprising and third place went to Zahir Figueroa of BELCOL Uprising.

Belmopan Bandits eyes national football title
The Closing Season for the Premier League of Belize Belikin Cup entered its championship round on Saturday May 10 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium between the defending champion the Belmopan Bandits and former champions Police United. In the first game of the series, the defending champions the Belmopan Bandits blanked the visiting Police United by the score of 3-0. The first half of the game ended in a 0-0 draw. It was not until the second half of the game that the Belmopan Bandits were able to get onto the scoreboard. The first goal of the game was scored by Jerome James in the 53rd minutes of play to give his team a 1-0 lead. The lead was further increased when James scored his 2nd goal of the game in the 60th minute of play for a 2-0 lead. The final goal of the game was scored by Denmark Casey Jr. in the 67th minute of play for the 3-0 victory.

FFB President’s Cup tournament continues
The Football Federation of Belize President’s Cup continued over the last week with a number of games across the country. On Saturday May 10, at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village, Sagitun blanked Pomona United by the score of 5-0. The goals for Sagitun were scored by Ashley Torres, Dillon Torres, Ernie White and Myron Cadle. On Sunday May 11, at the Louisiana Field in Orange Walk Town, Progresso FC defeated Belize District Stars by the score of 5-3. The goals for the Progresso FC were scored by Jaron Myvette, Hugo Castillo, Gabriel Perez and Alexander Diaz, while the goals for the Belize District Stars were scored by Brian Martinez, David MacCaulay and Dalton Cayetano.

Holy Redeemer boys and Belize Elementary girls lead in Belize City primary schools volleyball competition
The 2013-2014 Belize City Primary Schools Volleyball competition continued on Tuesday May 13, 2014 at Bird’s Isle in Belize City. In the first of five games played in the boys’ category, Trinity Methodist School defeated Wesley Upper School in two sets by the score of 25-21 and 25-21. In game two, St. Ignatius School won over St. Martin De Porres School in two sets by the score of 25-9 and 25-22. In the third boys’ game of the day, Hummingbird Elementary School defeated Queen Street Baptist School in three straight sets by the score of 25-22, 14-25 and 15-3. In game four, it was Wesley Upper School winning over All Saints’ Anglican School by the score of 25-7 and 25-17. And in the final boys’ game, it was St. John’s Primary School winning over St. Martin De Porres School by the score of 25-9 and 25-9.

Huge Mayan City Found Near Mexico and Belize Border Line!
According to Mexican Newspapers the Archaeologists from the National Institue of Anthropology and History (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia) (INAH) confirmed today that there is an Ancient Mayan City aproximated to be about 84 acres and is located in the jungles around the border line of Quintana Roo and Belize. The Ancient Mayan City was named Noh Kah, meaning Large City, and is believed to have existed more than one thousand five hundred years ago. In a statement released, INAH claim that with the assistance of members of the communities of San Francisco Botes and Rovirosa, specialists were able to perform a topographic survey of the Ancient Mayan City which is covered by the forest on the bank of the Rio Hondo. Noh Kah is located about 7 miles from the Belize / Mexican Border line and about 37 miles away from the city of Chetumal. Members of the communities of San Francisco Botes and Rovirosa first discovered the Ancient Mayan City when they found a huge wall made of stone and covered in vines hanging over the side which for them was clear that it was evidence of an Ancient City that had been eaten by the jungle long ago. According to archeologists there is data showing that Noh Kan existed since the Early Period (250 – 600 AD). The institute also reported that for the past two years, specialists from the National School of Anthropology and History (Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia) (ENAH) in coordination with the National Institue of Anthropology and History (INAH) managed to collect various ceramic materials. According to archaeologist Javier Lopez Camacho who is in charge of the survey, Noh Kah belongs to a very important area of Quintana Roo, which is the bank of the Rio Hondo River located adjacent to the country of Belize where monumental sites are extended with data relevant the historical reconstruction of what is now known as Dzibanche and Kohunlich as well as others. Noh Kah may even provide knowledge about the influence of the Kaan Dynasty in Southern Quintana Roo as they have found glyphs of a serpents head similar to ones found at Mayan Sites such as El Resbalon, Dzibanche, Pol Box and even at Los Alacranes in Campeche. According to archaeologist Javier Lopez Camacho there are a total of six smaller cities located inside the huge city of Noh Kah which have been named:
According to Mexican Newspapers the Archaeologists from the National Institue of Anthropology and History (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia) (INAH) confirmed today that there is an Ancient Mayan City aproximated to be about 84 acres and is located in the jungles around the border line of Quintana Roo and Belize. The Ancient Mayan City was named Noh Kah, meaning Large City, and is believed to have existed more than one thousand five hundred years ago. In a statement released, INAH claim that with the assistance of members of the communities of San Francisco Botes and Rovirosa, specialists were able to perform a topographic survey of the Ancient Mayan City which is covered by the forest on the bank of the Rio Hondo. Noh Kah is located about 7 miles from the Belize / Mexican Border line and about 37 miles away from the city of Chetumal. Members of the communities of San Francisco Botes and Rovirosa first discovered the Ancient Mayan City when they found a huge wall made of stone and covered in vines hanging over the side which for them was clear that it was evidence of an Ancient City that had been eaten by the jungle long ago. According to archeologists there is data showing that Noh Kan existed since the Early Period (250 – 600 AD).

Drugs to treat Pneumonia need to remain strong
The recent death of Josepha Aragon on May 2nd at number 51 George Price Avenue in Santa Elena Town, Cayo due to Pulmonary Tuberculosis brings to sharp focus, the importance of having a wide variety of effective antibiotics to treat the infections caused by the bacterium Mycobaterium tuberculosis. However; medical records show that the elderly Josepha Aragon was also suffering from malnutrition, which greatly compromised the ability of her immune system to counteract and stem the spread of the M. tuberculosis. (Husband of the deceased, 93 year old Valerio Aragon, who is blind, lost his Social Security benefits last year for unknown reasons and now lives in poverty conditions.) The ability for specialists to treat Pneumonia and other conditions is becoming more difficult over time. This is as a result of the evolution of resistant strains; a natural phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms replicate themselves erroneously or when resistant traits are exchanged between them. But now those tendencies towards resistance by these microorganisms are raising great concerns around the Globe.

Teenager dies in Traffic Accident
Evan Garnett Jr., the 19 year-old grandson of Amandala Newspaper Publisher Evan X Hyde, died in a terrible car crash on Saturday Morning, May 10. Garnett reportedly went socializing with his friends on Friday night, and sometime after 4 a.m., he was driving back home to his house at Los Lagos. At mile 11 on the Philip Goldson Highway, he lost control of his vehicle and veered into the opposite lane, and off to the opposite shoulder of the road. His white Honda Accord car slammed into an old bus parked on the side of the road. The impact was massive and his car’s roof was shorn off in the aftermath. Police believe that Garnett died almost instantly from the collision.

Ministry of Health Commemorates Nurses Week, May 11-16, 2014
The Ministry of Health joins the International Council of Nurses and all nurses across the country in celebration of Nurses’ Week, May 11-16, 2014 and International Nurses Day on May 12th, 2014. This year, Nurses Week is being celebrated under the theme: “Nurses: A Force for Change. A Vital Resource for Health”. Most health regions across the country have planned a weeklong series of activities including church services, trainings, social events, health awareness in schools and publicity appearances on media shows. The main activity will be the National Nurses Conference to be held this Friday, May 16th in Dangriga Town. Deputy Director of Health Services for Nursing, Matron Augustina Elijio shared remarks on the occasion with all nurses in Belize - “We are in a world of constant change, and responding to these changes is difficult if are to take only a local approach. As nurses, it is mandatory that we remain committed as the patient is the source of control in Nursing.”

Patrick Jones

Family of murdered PG woman holds demonstration, calls for justice
Family and friends of slain Punta Gorda resident Janice Vargas staged a demonstration this morning in front of the PG Magistrate’s Court. The protest was held even while police were preparing to question a man who the authorities believe could help them to solve the early Mother’s Day murder. Police issued a photograph of Kenner Trapp on Tuesday, asking the public for help in locating him as their investigation was ongoing. On Wednesday evening, Trapp turned himself in to PG police.

5 Fun Things to do in Belize this Summer 2014
From diving the great blue hole to exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, one of the most sacred caves in the world, here are 5 things that will certainly immerse you in the beauty and wonder of Belize this summer. The Great Blue Hole, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave), Annual Placencia Lobsterfest, Kayaking in Belize

Majority decision of Court of Appeal returns BTL to GOB
The Court of Appeal today handed down its long-awaited judgment in the cases of the Attorney General and Minister of Public Utilities versus British Caribbean Bank, BTL Employees’ Trust and Fortis Energy International. In summary, the Government won all three appeals, gaining a greater hold on Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and keeping that which it retains on Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), which previously were theirs only a provision in the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution upheld at the Supreme Court level by Justice Oswell Legall which vested them in the control of the Government and people of Belize. But both sides are now looking forward to a final determination of the case before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Senior police officers receive overdue promotions
There have been complaints from the rank and file of the Police Department that certain officers are being favored with promotions and the attendant perks. CEO in the Ministry of National Security George Lovell made it clear that there are no such favorites of either Commissioner Allen Whylie or Minister John Saldivar, as in the case of officers above the rank of Inspector the Security Services Commission makes the decisions and the Commissioner, aided by the results of examinations and other criteria, does so for the junior ranks. But the CEO did confirm that some senior officers have in fact had their promotions to ranks they now hold confirmed and a list of recommended promotees is before the Commission.

BDF soldiers leave streets of Belize City
Belize City residents may have noticed that there are no Belize Defence Force soldiers on the streets as there have been previously, conspicuously standing next to police officers in crime-ridden areas. That has been so since April 30 of this year, putting an end to 20 years of extra domestic duty for the national army. It’s comparable to the draw-down of American and British soldiers leaving Iraq and Afghanistan except that those are international conflicts and not internal. CEO in the Ministry of National Security Retired Colonel George Lovell confirmed the shift in speaking with reporters today. He said that while the days of soldiers keeping watch in crime-ridden areas of Belize City may not be fully over, it has been decided to remove them except for special occasions like holidays, when a smaller force will be deployed in a support capacity to Police.

Public Service holds Information Day
The Ministry of the Public Service is honoring the work of public officers this week and today in Belize City at the BTL Park there was a Public Service Information Fair in which departments of all stripes and colours were showcasing their work to visitors including students. The Public Service are the functionaries of the various Ministries, responsible for carrying out the day to day activities of the Government of Belize. Activities for the week continue including awards to long-standing public officials.

Christian Ebanks charged for unlicensed firearm
A naturalized Belizean who is reportedly wanted in Ecuador for murder has been picked up – and as a bonus, police recovered an unlicensed firearm at his property. 39 year old businessman Christian Ebanks appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano today where he pleaded not guilty to keeping a firearm without a gun license. Officers of the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) visited Ebanks’ residence on Teacher Street Extension in West Landivar around 12:30 p.m. and upon searching the house found a chrome 9mm handgun with black pistol grip in a plastic bag hidden inside the lower portion of a stove in the kitchen.

The May 2014 - June 2014 issue of The BELIZE AG REPORT is online.
Click HERE to download the PDF

This Issue's Stories:

• Stubeef Jerky Returns To the Delight of Former Customers: Although still a young man, Stuart Doley has been making jerky for decades. Growing up in Virginia (USA), he made venison jerky from deer that he hunted. In university he continued refining his recipes and techniques making jerky in a small dehydrator for himself and friends. It is not surprising that soon after his arrival in Belize in 2010 he was at it again, turning local grassfed beef into beef jerky. Using Running W meats he tested the local market under the trade name STUBEEF JERKY. Just as his market here was taking off, Stuart detoured to Barcelona, Spain for an MBA degree. He and his Belizean fiancé returned to Cayo District early in 2013 to tie the knot and revive and expand STUBEEF JERKY. In fall of 2013 their Belize City processing facility, including equipment enabling production of up to 100 lbs. of jerky a week, opened for business. Meats destined for jerky must be lean; wild meats such as venison, known for its lack of marbling is ideal but is not sufficiently available locally. After trying several cuts of beef, testing for texture, tenderness, leanness and flavor, Stuart decided Running W’s fresh grass-fed round steak best fits his criteria. The steak is custom cut into pieces of 1/8th inch thickness across the grain and all excess fat is trimmed. Fats are not desirable in jerky, as they increase rancidity risk. Stuart’s secret blend of spices and seasonings are mixed with soy sauce, sugar, salt and sodium and placed into a vacuum tumbler. Only natural preservatives are used. 40 lbs. of the meat pieces are added to the mixture already inside the cylindrical stainless steel container. The top is sealed shut, the vacuum tube is attached and in just a few minutes the vacuum pump sucks all of the air out of the cylinder. The sealed cylinder is placed horizontally onto rollers which rotate the container on top of the machine. In 30 minutes all of the marinade is absorbed into the meat.
• TO THE EDITOR: ORGANIC….What does that really mean? Having been involved in organic agriculture for many years, I believe that ‘organic’ is more than just agriculture; it is a commitment to a lifestyle. ‘Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food’, quoting Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician, known as ‘the father of modern medicine’. Decades of research has established the definite link between illness and diet. The counter-culture of the ‘back to the land’ generation of the 1960s, turned into the organic agriculture industry of the 1970’s until our present day. But does eating only food grown without synthetic chemicals tell the whole story? Why does organic food cost more? Because it is more labor intensive. Is the extra cost worth the extra benefits? Are you in perfect health? Do you take any man made medicines? However, eating only organic food is not the entire answer to being healthful. We are subjected to chemical toxins in our bath soaps, toothpaste, shampoo, dishwashing liquids, laundry detergents, cleaning agents and cosmetics to name just a few.
• It’s time to run the citrus industry as a business.: Ten years ago, when the Comonwealth Development Corporation handed over the citrus processing plants (Del Oro) to the Belize citrus industry, for $1, the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) was seen as a responsible conduit to handle the shares on behalf of Belizean citrus growers. Since then, the CGA has divested itself of 59% of those shares for various reasons. The rights or wrongs of these decisions can be argued from different points of view. The fact still remains that growers now own only 41% of the shares. It is time to remove totally these shares from the control of CGA and proportionally place them in individual growers names based on production. This will remove the ability of CGA to use these shares for some other scheme which will have no benefit to growers directly. Since the control of the processing has been in CGA hands, citrus production has declined dramatically to the lowest ever recorded last year, and growers delivering fruit have declined from approx. 1000 to 384 last year. Small growers production has declined from over one million boxes to less than half a million. So clearly, the ownership of the processing has not benefited growers in any way. As regards prices, we still receive less than half what USA growers receive, despite the fact that the processing factory invested four years ago in the equipment to produce consumer ready packs of fresh orange juice which sell for a much higher price and would have led to growers receiving almost double what the factory currently pays.
• Roots and Shoots Mini Ag Fair in Consejo, Corozal: A small local garden club called Roots and Shoots is a special interest group with members from around the Corozal area. Most of our members have simple gardens, grow flowers, shrubs and fruit trees, and some have small vegetable gardens, and a few have small farms. The club meets every second Monday to discuss various topics of gardening in the tropics, listen to an invited speaker or member of the club or visit members’ gardens. Our club has had many field trips to Cayo, Toledo, Stan Creek and Orange Walk Districts visiting nurseries and farms. We’ve also attended The National Agriculture Fair in Belmopan and Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) Organic Fair in Punta Gorda. On 31 March 2014, Roots and Shoots held our very own 1st Annual Mini Ag Fair at the Consejo Shores Community Center, Corozal District, just 6 miles north of Corozal Town. It was a great success -- thanks to all the organizing and hard work of one of our leading members, Beverley Griffiths. We had a very large turnout of members and guests. We had a number of interesting presenters: John Masson, Pandora Canton and Nana Mensah with Yasmin Ramirez from SHI -- who traveled to be with us from as far away as Belize City and Punta Gorda.
• Citrus Greening in Belize: Currently Belize has about 42,000 acres of land devoted to citrus groves. Over the last couple of years, Huang Long Bin (HLB) – yellow shoot disease or citrus greening - has caused several thousand acres of groves to be abandoned and now less than 400 citrus farmers are active. This is down from a high of about 1,000 + farmers a few years ago. According to the schoolmen, the disease is caused by a bacterium that inhabits the phloem (energy conducting tissues) of the tree and so far has affected all citrus varieties. The bacterium is transmitted by an insect pest called the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorinacitri. No data exists to show that the disease is transmitted by tools, wind, rain, or human interaction. According to the experts no cure exists for the HLB disease and only two solutions can work. The first is to cut down all infected trees and burn everything, then plant new trees from greenhouses that were freed of the Asian citrus psyllid. It is very expensive at some Bz$ 3,500 per acre. The other alternative is to wait and pray that soon the results of genetic engineering of citrus trees will produce citrus trees that are resistant to the Asian citrus psyllid. A new twist being tried by the CGA is to release “beneficial’ insects in the groves to attack and destroy the Asian citrus psyllid. This new approach is to buy time so that in the next two-three years the growers can be able to import GMO citrus trees from Florida.
• 2014 International Year of Family Farming Lots of Positive Change for the Future: The United Nations has designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming bringing attention to the importance of family farmers, including smallholder farmers, and their role in helping to nourish the world. The celebration is also aptly timed; it is reported that nearly 900 million people go to bed hungry every night and the global population is expected to reach more than nine billion people by the year 2050. The world will need to not only increase agricultural production, but to engage in agricultural practices that are more efficient and environmentally sustainable. Smallholder farmers are in a unique position to contribute to the global food supply, but empowering smallholder and family farmers is a vital step toward improving nutrition, increasing incomes, protecting and enhancing biodiversity, enhancing soil quality, conserving water, and mitigating and adapting to climate change. Equally important as the goal of feeding the world is the necessity of growing more nutrient-dense crops. All farmers can have a direct impact on nutrition through the crops that they choose to grow and consume, as well as through postharvest and preparation methodologies they use.
• BEYOND THE BACK YARD: By Jenny Wildman “Oh I do like to be beside the seaside”: People ask me, “What is your favourite thing that grows in your garden?” Without hesitation I say, “Asparagus” which surprises them - that it actually grows here in the tropics. I walk out most mornings and check the patch in hopes of a few delicate shoots to eat, raw and delicious. For me this is the best way and feels very healthy as it is rich in all kinds of nutritious vitamins, A, C, E, B12 and K, plus minerals and antioxidants. It is low in calories with no fat, no cholesterol, and no sodium. First off I always consider what it can do for one’s health. It is a good source of fiber, a natural diuretic, improves mental ability, contains glutathione known to break down carcinogens and therefore fights and protects against cancer and aging. There are innumerable case studies on the benefits of asparagus. People have criticized its very pungent aroma and its effect on the body yet memorably some like Dr. Urbino in Marquez’ “Love in the Time of Cholera” welcome the effects on the urine which he insisted on spraying on his beloved garden. I have only a small patch so really never get to cooking bunches from the garden. I grew this from a crown given to me from a friend who successfully grows rows and rows in Corozal District. I probably broke all the planting rules but like me, the asparagus plant originates from a maritime location and loves sand, sea and salt -which could explain why the useless sandy nature of my land is blessed with my favourite vegetable.
• Bananas in Danger: TR4 Panama Disease: The next time you bite into a banana, take a moment to savor the delicious treat. With its sweet, consistent taste and creamy texture, it is no wonder that bananas are the world’s most popular fruit. What most do not realize as they are peeling away its golden skin to devour the scrumptious pulp is that bananas are in danger. A serious fungal disease threatens to devastate the world-wide banana industry. The culprit: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense, which causes Fusarium wilt or Panama disease, particularly Tropical Race 4. According to ProMusa, an organization dedicated to promoting banana industry news and science, the fungus survives in the soil and “enters the plant through the roots and colonizes the xylem vessels thereby blocking the flow of water and nutrients.” Once water flow is obstructed, the plant’s leaves wilt, its base splits open, and the plant later dies. This is not the first time banana producers have had to deal with Panama disease. Initial reports of the original fungus were noted in 1874 in Southeast Asia. The disease was identified and researched as it began taking a devastating toll on the Gros Michel banana, which was the common commercially-produced banana. By the 1890s, the disease had reached Central America and proceeded to spread, wiping out plantations.
• TAMARIND: The tamarind tree is a leguminous tree (a tree which bears pods). Tamarind fruit in pods, or hulled is available in farmers’ markets around Belize from January – April. The tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica), a member of the Fabaceae family, is an evergreen tree which has become increasingly popular in Belize and Central America. Other names for the tamarind tree include: Indian date (tamar-hindi), or tamarindo. The origin of this leguminous tree is in East Africa, particularly in the Sudan where the tree grows wild. The fruit was well-known to the ancient Egyptians, and also to the Greeks as far back the fourth-century B.C. Its origin is also traced to India where is it well-known and prolifically cultivated. Taiwan, southern Asia, Oceana, China as well as most tropical countries world-wide produce tamarinds. Marco Polo introduced tamarinds to Europe in 1298. Tamarind trees were introduced in Mexico in the sixteenth century. Mexico presently cultivates over 10,000 acres of tamarinds. If you enjoy Worcestershire sauce or Marie Sharp’s Special Sauce, you may be surprised to know one of the main ingredients is tangy, sweet and sour tamarind syrup. Tamarind trees have many uses including: culinary, medicinal, carpentry, as a metal polish, as an ornamental shade tree, animal fodder, and as mulch. Tamarind trees are showy and elegant; they produce a magnificent canopy of year-round foliage. Trees can reach up to one hundred feet tall with graceful branches spreading over forty feet across. Some trees are known to survive and produce fruit for two hundred years!
• World Market Prices for Citrus Growers: Last year, according to figures from Citrus Products of Belize, Ltd. (CPBL), 385 growers delivered fruit to the processing facility. Orange production was 4 M cxs from a claimed 30,000 acres with an average of 130 cxs per acre. The industry has never achieved an average of 400 cxs per acre. When we delivered 7 M cxs from 40,000 acres, 8 years ago, the average was 175 cxs per acre. Some few groves had production of 400 cxs per acre. It was never an industry wide figure, as low prices prevented growers from affording the necessary inputs. Even with the same inputs our harvest figures for Valencia are different depending on rootstock. Our 18 year old Valencia are on Sour Orange rootstock; the average production is 350 cxs per acre. Fifteen years ago we were advised by the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) that trees grafted on to Sour Orange would be dead in 5 years and that we should use Swingle rootstock instead. But our 15 year old Valencia on Swingle rootstock averages only 30 cxs per acre and are dying. There is never one simple cause to the problems in agriculture. The decline in citrus production over the past 5 years is a combination of the greening disease, faulty rootstocks and, particularly, low prices to growers. For years, Belizean citrus growers have been paid prices which are much lower than world market prices for citrus juices. The citrus processors in Belize have traditionally produced citrus concentrates, which sell for much lower prices on the world market than the ready-to-drink juices produced in consumer ready packs, such as the “Tetra Pak”. These types of packs have the advantage that they can be distributed and stored without the need for refrigeration.
• Soil Conditioners: Previous articles in the Belize Ag Report have addressed the need for soil amendments which are those things added to soils to make up a deficiency or to improve the quality of soils. They include a wide range of organic and non-organic materials with different effects. This article deals with soil conditioners or beneficially changing the soil. A soil conditioner is a type of amendment that is added mostly to improve the soil’s physical qualities and thereby enhance the chemical properties, especially the ability to retain moisture and provide food for plants. Soil conditioners improve poor soils, rebuild damaged soils, and can be used to maintain soils in peak condition. Organic soil conditioners include plant and animal wastes –compost, biochar, bone, blood and fish meal, peat, coir (coconut husk), manure, straw, vermiculite, sulfur, lime, blood meal, compost tea, hydroabsorbent polymers and sphagnum moss and even some mineral fertilizers, such as ammonium sulphate, that leave acidic residues, or calcitic and magnesic fertilizers that leave basic residues. The possibility of using other materials to assume the role of composts and clays in improving the soil gave rise to the term, soil conditioning. Soil Structure. The most common use of soil conditioners is to improve looseness while having good soil structure. Depending on compaction, soils impede root growth and decrease the ability of plants to take up nutrients and water. Soil conditioners can add more airiness and improve texture ratios to keep the soil loose as well as reduce harmful chemical effects such as too high or too low pH.
• BEL-CAR Updates: A good market for beans should continue in 2014. Beans were still being harvested in late April, finishing approximately 2 weeks later than normal due to the excessive rains which delayed planting time. The later beans, black eyes and RKs, have slightly better yields than the earlier beans. This yield variation may be due to the dryness at the critical podding time for the earlier beans, rather than rains. Sales this season for beans appear bright, as there is a world shortage of beans. The US Dry Bean Council is advising US farmers to plant 15-20% more beans; however the reality is that the US is projected to be planting less due to a seed shortage. There have even been inquiries from the US to Belize seeking to purchase RK seeds here. Similar seed shortages are reported in Central America but not in Belize. Here, generally farmers save their own RKs for planting the following season; however they are encouraged to purchase certified seed every 4 or 5 years. Due to the lateness of this year’s crop, Belize was forced to import one container (50,000 lbs.) of RKs in December. Jamaica was also totally out of RKs to start the new year, due to shipping problems. Beans were ready but ships were too full to take our beans there. After this was remedied, the pendulum swung to create a glut of beans in Jamaica. There is a chance to over-export beans this year with the world shortage, but BEL-CAR monitors carefully to avoid a local shortage. Corn is stable at present on the Chicago market, but is expected to climb as demand in the world is rising.
• Bird Watch – From My Perch: By Marguerite Fly Bevis Endangered Species: Although Belize boasts at least 444 species of birds, the Scarlet Macaw (Aramacaocyanoptera) is one of the most beautiful and one of the most threatened birds in the jewel. Scarlet Macaws have survived the tragic flooding of their habitat by dams built in the mid 2000’s. In 1989 there were about 200 known Scarlet Macaws in the country. Today, there may be 200 to 250 birds. They remain at threat due to the incursion of poachers who steal chicks and cut down nesting trees. Scarlet Macaws are already extirpated in most of Central America. Funding is needed for patrolling, fuel, supplies for the conservation teams working in very remote locations within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. Due to monitoring and protection efforts of the Friends for Conservation (FCN), the “Scarlet Six,”a group dedicated to protecting this important species, and individuals, Sharon Matola of the Belize Zoo, Dr Isabelle Paquet-Durand of the Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic, Charles Britt, Kristi Drexler, Roni Martinez and many others, poaching in recent years has dropped from 90% to 30% according to a monitoring team in 2013. U.S. citizens can make tax deductible donations to the Rainforest Rescue Foundation, specifying the funds to be allocated to the Belize Scarlet Macaw project.
• Results Of The 2014 Fourth Annual Bird-A-Thon: The Bird-a-Thon is held annually with the goal of raising $15,000. Expect to see many more lodges and individual teams participating next year in March. You can help by sponsoring one of the teams or lodges, donating per species or per eagle, or just give anything you wish. Please feel free to contact me with birding news and conservation efforts
• BLPA Works to Address Membership Needs: Following a successful AGM the end of February, BLPA has buckled down following through on ongoing projects and expanding into new areas. At the AGM, one new director was added, Mr. Albert Moore, of Cayo District. Officers for the new board will be reported in issue 26. Prices for finished steers/bulls and prices for breeding heifers continue their upward climb. (See pg. 14 for charts showing Belize cattle prices over the past 5 yrs.) The market outlook for cattle production in Belize continues to look very bright. The Cattle Sweep: The second round of the sweep is almost completed in the Northern Districts of Orange Walk and Corozal. Work in the central zone will begin on May 17th. Restructuring: BLPA is undergoing analysis to see how best to revise itself to better serve members. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is assisting in that task, and sent Dr. Carlos Pomareda, an experienced livestock consultant and rancher himself, from Costa Rica to Belize.
• Pesticides Control Board Pesticide Imports Statistics April 2014: The Pesticides Control Board over the past years has been gathering data on the importation of pesticides in Belize. Since 2006, the focus has been on having the database reflect the quantities imported expressed in kilograms of Active Ingredient (kg of A.I.). The following is a report on the pesticides imported into Belize between 2010 to 2013. Figure 1 shows the total amount of pesticide imported between 2010 to 2013. This includes the following pesticide classifications: domestic, agricultural, industrial and public health use. There was a slight increase between 2010 to 2013 from seven hundred and thirty metric tons to one thousand and ninety three metric tons of Active Ingredients.
• HOMEMADE HEALTH FERMENTED FOOD: The frequent use of antibiotics and antibacterial soaps results in a depleted supply of “good bacteria”in our gut which we need to effectively get nutrients from our food. We hear about probiotics and buy expensive tablets to counteract the effects of taking antibiotics. A healthier approach is fermented food; it helps to restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gastrointestinal system while being tasty and interesting and full of nutrition. Fermentation helps pre-digest food before we consume it. Foods that are difficult to digest are more easily broken down after fermentation. In some cases micro-nutrients are synthesized during the fermentation process. For example, cabbage that has been fermented has known cancer fighting compounds. These foods are rich in enzymes which are needed to digest, absorb, and utilize the nutrients in our food. They help us to absorb the nutrients we’re consuming. Lacto-fermented food is easy and inexpensive to prepare; foods like sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers provide the same benefits as purchased probiotics. Fermentation is a good way to preserve foods, increase nutritional value and improve taste without spending a lot of money. There was a workshop on fermenting foods at the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge in January 2014. Instructors were expert artisan cheese makers from Vermont, Larry & Linda Faillace, who also periodically teach courses in cheese making at Caves Branch Jungle Lodge.
• Spanish Lookout Commercial /Industrial Expo 2014: Most of the steady stream of traffic heading for Spanish Lookout on February 28 and March 1 must have been going to the Expo held there. The park and huge covered pavilion were teeming with people. Friday’s crowd numbered 4,000, many of which were students; Saturday’s crowd was 11,000, greater than the previous Expo held in 2012. People came from all over the country to view the displays and products of the 100 exhibitors, enjoy the wonderful food and fun on buggy rides, boat rides, tractor rides, ATV rides, trampolines and in the bounce house. The agricultural and commercial exhibitors were from all over the country. A big livestock exhibition was planned but ended up very limited because the dates of the Expo coincided with the country-wide Cattle Sweep program, in which cattle were being examined and certified to be free of disease. If you haven’t attended Expo before, look forward to attending the next one in 2016.
• Honey: Nutritional Facts and Medical Uses: Honey has been consumed by humans for over 10,000 years. It is the only food from insects that we eat. Honey is derived from the nectar of flowers, which is gathered by the female, or worker bee and stored in her honey sac for transportation to the hive. While obtaining the nectar, pollen from the flower is gathered on the two hind legs of the bee. During the course of the day, a bee may make as many as 25 trips gathering nectar and pollen, but will only visit one type of flower. This phenomenon is known as flower fidelity and is nature’s way of not confusing the pollination issue. Upon her returns to the hive, she is greeted by guards who identify her as a member of the colony and allow her entrance. She then passes her partially digested nectar to another worker or deposits the nectar in an empty cell in the wax foundation. The pollen is deposited in a cell and softened with water to a paste. This pollen paste, a source of protein, is used for rearing the brood. The complex sugar (sucrose) is converted to simpler sugars (glucose and fructose) to which are added enzymes. Water, which in the beginning stage of honey is the dominate component, is evaporated by the bees fanning the honey with their wings. Less water content allows the product to better resist spoiling. Good honey contains only about 18% water or less.
• : Local and Regional Fuel Prices
• Agriculture Prices at a Glance- $$$$$: Find local and some international commodity prices on our Agriculture Prices at a Glance section.
• Ag Briefs: New Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, (IICA) Country Representative to Belize, The Chocolate Festival of Belize, Russia already has GMO labeling required for all foods with greater than 0.9% GMO, and other GMO-related news.
• Letters To THE EDITOR

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Cancun to Toronto via Newark
After a yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs with veggies, cheese and homemade chipotle sauce at the Kumar’s it was time to bust a move. We got to the airport in good time and the first thing Paul did was to hit Starbucks for iced frappe’s. Our travel route was flying from Cancun to Toronto via Newark. We got in line and check in at United and the woman at the counter noticed that we had arrived in Mexico over land, so we had to duck out of line to go over t