Recent Belize News, 8/1/2014 to 8/10/2014, BelizeNews.com

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

International and National Performers blaze the stage during the second night of Costa Maya
On Friday August 8th, the stage at the 2014 Costa Maya Festival blazed with talent as a number of musical acts took the stage. Opening the night of festivity was Master of Ceremonies Eiden Salazar, followed by an address to the crowd by Mayor of San Pedro Town Daniel Guerrero. The Mayor welcomed Miss Elisa Espinosa Gómez as the newly crowned Reina de la Costa Maya and invited islanders and visitors to enjoy all the night had to offer.Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. spoke of the economic origin and the long standing traditions of the festival, while Reina de la Costa Maya 2014 Elisa Gómez expressed her enthusiasm towards being the cultural ambassador for all the Costa Maya represented.

Rachelle Lisbey participates in Verano Bacalar 2014
Sanpedrana Rachelle Lisbey participated in three day summer camp in Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Verano Bacalar 2014 summer program, which ran from Friday, August 1st to Sunday, August 3rd, saw the participation of 12 30-members teams competing in 10 social and sporting challenges. In the end, it was team New Generation that took the big win, while Lisbey’s team The Boomers’ came in a close second.

Misc Belizean Sources

Catch of the Day
Our friend Jorge "Jorgio" Reina Jr. with his catch of the day, yesterday at San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend for those travelling to the island for the festivities.

Channel 7

Common-Law Detained For Attempted Hit On Hubby
On Wednesday afternoon, fisherman Brian Clare was injured in a quite unusual shooting on Partridge Street. At 1:45, Clare was driving a pickup on Partridge Street when two men on bicycles pulled up and fired several shots at him. Clare seemed to have been prepared though; he took out his licensed gun and fired two shots back at them. The two men escaped unharmed - one of them leaving their bicycle behind. Clare was shot to the right arm. Precinct two police looked closely at the crime because the execution attempt didn't fit the profile of other crimes - since Clare was not known to be involved in any gang or underworld activities. Police worked hard to find two main suspects, and also got one of the guns they believe was used in the shooting. But their investigation also led them to Clare's common-law who was detained yesterday - and remains in police custody tonight. Police say she could be charged for attempted murder by Monday.

ASP Noble - Why Was He Unceremoniously Removed?
One week ago we told you that ASP Chris Noble had been transferred effective immediately from his post as Regional Executive Officer in the Belize District. Noble, who had gained a public reputation for vigilance and attention to duty, had been sent to the garage, the transport section - for a department that mostly outsources it's mechanical work. It was an unceremonious and swift departure ordered by COMPOL Allen Whylie himself who pulled Noble out of a meeting and called him to Belmopan to give him the news directly. So, everyone's been asking - what's really behind the sudden move? What did Noble do to the Commissioner, was it personal? Today at a BDF passing out the commissioner wouldn't talk to the press but the CEO in the Ministry of National Security did - and here's what he said:.. Ret. Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "Reposting is a prevue of the commissioner and so it is something that the ministry necessarily interfere with. So he was reposted." Reporter "Did the ComPol gave you any reason as to why he reposted Mr. Noble?" Ret. Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Ministry of National Security "As I said it is his prevue when I discussed it with him. It is something that is administrative that I would like for him personally if you would ask his that question for him to say. I can tell you that there were some discussions between Noble and him and I am quite certain that Noble and the Commissioner would be better to explain what has transpired in those discussions."

Attorney Arthur Makes Money Allegations Against Melonie
Attorney Arthur Saldivar is making national headlines - after his former client Melonie Coye accused him of making off with none hundred thousand dollars of her money that was recovered from the Central Bank. Saldivar said he did no such thing, but her new attorney Eamon Courtenay is filing suit against Saldivar to get the money back. Saldivar says that he did not take her money, but that he is owed 1.6 million dollars in fees. Last night you saw most of his interview, but tonight we have more - where he explains that the allegation came as a shock, and where he speculates as to what may be behind it:.. Arthur Saldivar. Former Attorney - Melonie Coye "In terms of the latest round of cases I have not been paid not a dime. So when I heard of this news it came as a shock, a real shock to me. The allegation itself is somewhat to me some justification or rationale that perhaps my former client is using to justify not returning funds that may not be hers. I don't know. That's the only thing I can conjure up at this time. That's the only thing I can fathom at this time. I wish her well but I don't understand why it was that she would want to drag my name through the mud like she has done here in this particular matter."

Arthur On Enforcement Of Eviction Orders
Surely, the Arthur Saldivar interview is one of the most memorable sit-down's we've had in a while - and that's because, despite the allegations against him, Saldivar always entertains. He certainly did when we asked him about the court order he went to enforce on Don Blunt in Placencia. But, that's not the first time he's faced complaints enforcing eviction orders on the peninsula. We know of at least one other time that came to our attention and almost made the news. We asked him about it:.. Jules Vasquez "This is the second time that we have been alerted to your activities as an enforcer of court orders on the Peninsula. You will remember the other case that the people captured you on camera which we never aired because I received a satisfactory explanation from you." Arthur Saldivar, attorney "You are going to go there?" Jules Vasquez "No sir." Arthur Saldivar, attorney "Who is paying you? I have to ask you Jules. Every once in a while I need to ask you." Jules Vasquez "Really?"

Attorney Arthur Sidles Up To PM's Law Partner
And while he professes to love Jules, Saldivar, it seems has also taken up a great liking for the Prime Minister's law partner, Rodwell Williams. You may recall that earlier this year, Williams won a Supreme Court judgment against Saldivar for sixty thousand dollars for defaming Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Saldivar payed Williams the first few thousand dollars in coins in May and that was rejected - but the whole sum was due by the end of July. That was a week ago and we asked Saldivar if he had paid up. Instead he told us he had found a new friend:.. Jules Vasquez "I know you have a significant fee to pay for damages to the Prime Minister." Arthur Saldivar, attorney "He is damage? Is he damage? I don't know that he has been damage." (laughing)

Capital Cops Catch Criminal
Belmopan police are reporting that they've caught a man who has been a fugitive for a month after he was the main suspect in an armed robbery in that City. He's 23 year-old Lincoln Bejerano, and tonight, he's at the Belize Central Prison. The cashier of Gas Tomza in Belmopan reported that just after midday on Friday, July 18, she was at work when she saw 2 men approaching the office on a motorcycle. Shortly after, one of the men barged into the office and quickly subdued her at knifepoint. He demanded money, and fearing for her life, she handed over a Belize Bank deposit bag, which contained $1,000 of the day's proceeds inside it.

Belizean "Wesley Snipes" Free Of Murder Charge
38 year-old Wesley Emmanuel – better known as “Wesley Snipes” is free tonight of the charge of murder after 6 years of fighting a trial in the Supreme Court. He was accused of killing 36 year-old Emi-hidio “Emi” Gomez on July 16, 2008.

Albert Vaughan Stands Alone
On Wednesday, we told you how Prime Minister Dean Barrow moved in and made all the criminal charges disappear for the BML Workers. But, one man alone still faces charges: he is the PUP’s Albert Vaughan.

NTUCB Big Behind BML Workers; Disses Cops
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize issued its statement today, supporting the BML workers and calling on the Christian Workers’ Union to immediately proceed with unionizing them. The NTUCB also calls on the Ministry of Labour and the Social Security Board to ensure that their termination is handled properly.

Security CEO Hops Wishes Soldiers Could Stay Off Streets
In early July, the BDF were brought back unto the streets – after being taken off just three months earlier. It’s not a decision that was lightly taken – and today the CEO who engineered their removal, says he hopes the soldiers can be removed from the urban jungle as quickly as they were brought back:…

Norman Rodriguez: Soldier Of Misfortune
BDF Corporal Norman Rodriguez was diagnosed with a rare and serious blood vessel disorder in 2007. He’s been unable to work or lead a normal life. He needs to undergo a surgery, but the BDF can’t afford it the hundred thousand dollar procedure.

Boom Creek Road Culvert "Bus'"!
Our colleagues from PGTV are reporting that for the past 3 days villagers of the Boom Creek Road have been cut off and forced to walk 6 Miles to Punta Gorda Town, because their road is currently inaccessible due to a broken Culvert.

Man Convicted For Weed In Attic
Raccoon Street Resident Nigel Murray is at prison tonight after he was found guilty of drug trafficking before the Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith.

Former Customs Officer Remanded
Former Customs Officer Emert Flowers is going through a rough patch after he recently lost his job with Customs was then remanded to jail on a gun charge.

Media Scolded For Showing Minor Murder Suspect
All this week, news has been dominated by the tragic story of the Wesley Graduate Chryslin Gladden who was found stabbed to death in the Lord Ridge Cemetery. As we’ve reported, investigators charged her 17 year-old classmate and the minor’s adult boyfriend for Gladden’s murder. Now, the National Committee for Families and Children and the Magistracy are scolding the media houses who published the 17 year old murder suspects name and face.

The New Crop Of Soldiers
Today was a proud day for the 72 graduates from the BDF Recruit Intake No. 58. The graduates endured 18 weeks of intense training designed to alter their physical, emotional and psychological capacity and transform them into soldiers. Courtney Weatherburne has the story:

NICH Brings Content Provider To Belize
The Belize Film Commission today announced its partnership with Ardomi Media Group to help promote Belize as a film location to the international community. Ardomi is a content provider based in Los Angeles, and by partnering with NICH, the hoping to grow Belize’s film industry. We spoke to Jeff Pogue, one of the Ardomi partners, and he told us that Sony Pictures is just one of the prospective clients scouting Belize:

Hamlet In Belize
If you took English and Literature at High School you might have read Shakespeare's works and, if not, you've definitely heard of the prolific English poet, playwright and actor. Well, next week, Belizeans will have a chance to see one of his works come to life: a production of Hamlet is coming to Belize. The Globe Theater is travelling around the world to share Hamlet with every country. We have a short clip to give you a taste of what it is all about. The Belize performance will be held on Tuesday August 12th at 7:30 pm at the Bliss Center. Tickets range from $20 to $50 and can be purchased from the Bliss or Lifeline Foundation.

A Risk Free Camp For At Risk Youths
CYDP's annual Under 19 Summer Sports Camp concluded today. The camp tries to engage at risk youths from troubled areas of the city towards positive and healthy activities and away from gangs. The camp covers two key components: competitive sport and life skills. This year the coordinators of the camp decided to make things more interesting for the youths by modifying the life skills segment. Courtney Weatherburne went to ITVET to find out more. They started off with 100 youths and they all stayed through until the end. The youths were given school supplies as well as personal items at today's closing.

The Reporter

Cyclist, Ernest Meighan shot
The Reporter has confirmed that former Cross Country cycling champion, Ernest Meighan, has been shot. The incident happened at around11:30 on Saturday morning somewhere in the George Street area of Belize City. The Reporter will have more details shortly.

PUP Leader: Arthur Saldivar could face dismissal from party
Arthur Saldivar, the attorney who is seeking political office on the PUP ticket in the Belize Rural Central constituency in the next general elections could face dismissal from the party. PUP Leader, Francis Fonseca, made the announcement publicly on Friday after Saldivar’s former client, Melonie Coye, accused him of stealing over $900,000 two months ago – monies she claims he has refused to return. Fonseca has said that his party will not wait for the outcome of the case against Saldivar. He continued that the PUP will seek to speak to the relevant parties and if Saldivar is found to have violated any of the party’s standards he could face dismissal.

New Brazilian law protects maids
Under a new law in Brazil the rights of people employed as maids are now protected. Employers who do not register their domestic workers can now be fined. The new law is part of new measures to provide basic employment protection for seven million domestic […]

Patrick Jones

Cyclist shot and killed in Belize City
Belizean cyclist Ernest Meighan was fatally wounded in a shooting incident this morning in Belize City. Preliminary information received say the shooting happened in the area of West Canal and Rocky Road.

Gender-based violence training underway in Toledo
The second part of a series of workshops on gender-based violence is being held today at the Julian Cho Technical High School auditorium. Alcaldes, second alcaldes, chairmen and vice-chairmen from different communities across the Toledo district are attending the day-long forum. The forum is organized by the Women’s Department and facilitated by the Executive Director of the National Women’s Commission Pulcheria Teul, with support from Lorraine Johnson, from the Toledo branch of the Women’s Department. During the discussion period, the leaders brought up various issues confronting them in their respective communities including husbands abusing their wives, public drinking, children and youth misbehaving and other concerns. According to the organizers the training is to help all the leaders to acquire first hand knowledge of what could be possible contributing factors of gender-based violence and possible ways of addressing them utilizing the Domestic Violence Act.

Blogs

Spice up your Belize Vacation
A while back I got an email from Gabriel, he found me on Trip Advisor Belize Travel Forum while doing some research for an upcoming trip to Ambergris Caye He went onto say that his group really wanted to see the blue hole, but don’t want to take a 2.5 hour boat ride and did I know if tropic air does private charters over the blue hole? He was thinking a great way to begin their vacation would be to start at Belize International Airport with a private charter, do a scenic flight over the blue hole and then finish off at San Pedro Airport. I wrote him back and let him know I thought it was a great idea and that Tropic Air Tours were still doing the blue hole and that it could be done from Belize City as well as the leaving from San Pedro Option. Blue Hole Tour The plane follows the reef line south to historic St. George’s Caye, then heads east to Half Moon Caye and Lighthouse Reef Atoll onto the Blue Hole. You will make a few passes of this natural wonder, and return with a great view of Northern Two Caye and north Ambergris Caye near Rocky Point, where the reef gets really close to the island. From there, the plane takes you along the Barrier Reef to San Pedro Town. On this journey you also will have the opportunity to see Turneffe Atoll, the Booby Bird Sanctuary, shipwrecks, Manatees, and other animals.

Snapshots on the Way into San Pedro, Belize
Yesterday I headed into town for a meeting, armed with my camera. Take some photos of the big Costa Maya Festival grounds…some pics around town as it is readying for the weekend of parties, music, drinking and late nights… I first ran into this street vendor. I asked him if I could take his picture and then he politely waited a few minutes as I rooted around for my camera and then realized that I had no camera card in it. Classic. It was home in my computer. I guess my IPhone is going to have to do… So much for my afternoon of what probably would have been genius photos. I like his stern look next to his display of plastic tchotkes.

Top 10 Eco Lodges in Belize
After sharing the immensely popular article on the top luxury hotels, I realized that a list of the best Eco Lodges in Belize was past due. Belize is famed as a beach destination for its diving (Blue Hole) or snorkeling (Hol Chan) but slowly it is gaining recognition for nature-based travel and jungle lodges are getting the spotlight. This is because gone are the days of when only hardcore explorers would wish to be deep in the rainforest. Nowadays, families, couples and solo travelers are seeking the soothing tranquility and nourishment that nature offers the body and mind. And with this change of trend, lodges have become nicer and nicer, making sure to accommodate adrenaline junkies, travellers with kids and even honeymooners keen to indulge in a romantic setting – after all, hearing the sounds of the rainforest at night while failing to count the stars is magical for everyone.

Highlights from the International Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant 2014
The new Reina de la Costa Maya and winner of Best Cultural Costume – Miss Mexico Elisa Espinoza Gomez The Reina de la Costa Maya stage! Miss Belize – Grisel Carballo standing strong in her cultural costume!

Videos

Video: Costa Maya 2014 Pageant, 2 hrs 5 min.

Video: snorkeling belize 4 45 10000 vimeo, 5min.
Exploring some amazing spots around Caye Caulker. Many of the fish shown are named... Killer closeups on some rays

Video: Belize Mission Trip 2014, 4min.
A mission team from our church traveled to the island of Caye Caulker for one week in July 2014 to spread the word of Jesus Christ to the children of the community through a Vacation Bible School, community clean-up and life-lasting bonding experiences. An endless amount of gratitude goes out to the giving hearts in our community and church family who made this mission possible through countless fundraisers, offerings and donations!

Video: Caribbean Aqua Terrestrial Solutions in Belize, 11min.
Cooperation between the 'Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions' (CATS) program and the Ya'axché Conservation Trust and the Belize Water Services (BWS) in Belize is based on a ridge-to-reef approach. CATS is an umbrella program that brings together two financially independent CARICOM development programs, namely "Adaptation of Rural Economies and Natural Resources to Climate Change" and "Management of Coastal Resources and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity". CATS is funded by the "German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development" (BMZ). The implementing agencies are CARPHA's Environmental Health and Sustainable Development Department and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Video: US Vacation 2014 Carnival Dream Cruise Mexico, Belize and Honduras, 8min.
This is a personal video, intended for my family and friends.

Video: Private Cave Tubing and Zipline with AlTourNative Belize Services,4 min.
The Staff at AlTourNative Belize Services likes to Welcome you to Belize. We encourage you book with a local tour operator.

Video: Best Day Ever! Ambergris Caye, Belize, 3.5min.
by Julian Rivero. In This Video I Am Testing Out Two GoPro's Hero 2 And A Hero3+ . Went Swimming With couple of Friends For the Day. Shot in Ambergris Caye, Belize Central America.

Video: Industria del amor en la isla bonita san Pedro belize 1, 8min.

Video: Industria del amor en la isla bonita san Pedro belize, 3min.

Video: Belize Filmworks, 6min.
Placencia Humane Society

Video: , min.
Highlights from the trip of a lifetime!

Video: Belize 2014, 3min.

Video: Watching lovely manatees in Belize!, 9min.

August 9, 2014

Video: Exploring Mysterious Bottom of Belize Blue Hole by Ramon Llaneza, 8min.

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

Industria del Amor and Garifuna Collective to perform Costa Maya Festival
Mexican romantic musical group Industria del Amor has arrived on the island and are excited to perform at the annual International Costa Maya Festival. The band members arrived at midday on Friday, August 8th and were flew over to inland from the Phillip Goldson International Airport. Belize’s International group, The Garifuna Collective is also on the island as part of the festivities. Also on the island is the Jewel’s pride, The Garifuna Collective. They are scheduled to perform on Friday August 8th at the Party Night event. Known for their traditional Garifuna music, The Garifuna Collective is expected to highlight Garifuna cultural preservation with their diverse sounds. “We are excited to be here and we are ready to perform,” said the group members. The Garifuna Collective recently returned to the country following a musical tour in several European countries. Organizers of this year’s festival have indicated that with the diverse lineup of entertainment the event promises to have a bit for all age range. Tickets for the festival on Friday are $65.00 and $100 for Saturday night.

Miss Mexico Elisa Espinosa Gómez takes the Reina de la Costa Maya crown!
Mexico’s Elisa Espinoza Gómez is the new Riena de La Costa Maya 2014/2015. Gómez captivated the judges and audience and took the crown in the 23rd annual pageant that highlights the rich Maya heritage. Beauty ambassadors from the seven Central American countries and Mexico vied for this prestigious title. The participants were Miss Mexico Elisa Espinoza Gómez, Miss Honduras Maria Jose Alvarado, Miss Guatemala Keyla Bermudez, Miss El Salvador Ana Graciela Hasbun, Miss Costa Rica Raquel Maria Guevara, Miss Nicaragua Katherine Gadamuza, Miss Panama Karol Salinas and Miss Belize Grisel Rosseli Carballo. Events will continue throughout the weekend with the official opening of the festivities at Friday’s Island Party Night which will include the dances of Central America and Mexico as well as cultural presentations. The entertainment lineup includes the Belize Dance Company, Grupo Crash – El Salvador, Ballet Folklorico de Chetumal and the Garifuna Collective of Belize. The main performance of the night will be Reggae singer J Boog from the USA. Activities continue on Saturday night with the main performance of Industria del Amor. The events will culminate on Sunday with a family beach day with festivities organized all along the beach.

Move over fast food, The Red Chili’s is in Town!
When the opportunity arises to sample some good food, trust me, I never pass it up. So when Kenny invited us over to his new place, The Red Chili’s, you can bet your bottom I was dragging Janelle and running over! While The Red Chili’s IS an Asian style restaurant, it is NOT the typical “Chinese fast food” we’re used to in Belize. You don’t order and leave in 5 minutes, oh no! Grab a seat and sit down because the food is made to order and cooked to perfection…you may want to sit and enjoy, but you can carry out too!

PM says a 24-hour medical facility is in the making
The Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow has announced that a 24-hour public medical facility is in the making for residents of Ambergris Caye. Made during a press conference on Wednesday July 30th in Belize City, such a promise comes after growing frustration amongst islanders who have been clamoring for a 24-hour emergency medical facility for years. As it is currently, the only public medical facility is the Dr Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Poly Clinic II, which was constructed through the fundraising efforts of the San Pedro Lions Club. Since opening its doors in March of 2005, there have been no major efforts to expand the service in to a 24-hour public health facility as originally envisioned and planned by the San Pedro Lions Club and promised by the Government of Belize (GOB). Despite the massive growth of the island and growing demands of the population, the only upgrades the health sector has seen is the extension of clinic hours up to 8PM during regular working days.

Ambergris Today

Mexico Reigns Strong at Costa Maya Pageant, Capturing the Title Once Again
Mexico remains the reigning powerhouse when it comes to the most wins at the Miss Costa Maya Pageat (Reina de la Costa Maya) as Elisa Espinosa Gomez (Miss Mexico) topped the Miss Costa Maya Pageant 2014 that took place last night Thursday, August 7, at the opening of the San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival. This brings Mexico to seven titles of Miss Costa Maya, the most wins of any of the eight participating countries in the pageant and festival. Elisa Gomez went on stage with her ‘A-Game’ and proved that she had what it takes to take the title of Miss Costa Maya, now in its 19th year. The pageant was full of life, color and entertainment, with the bevy of gorgeous contestants from around the Mundo Maya countries keeping the audience on the edge of their seats in anticipation of who would take the crown. It was a tight race for the crown as the contestants presented themselves in their cultural costumes, swimwear and evening gown with much vigor, enthusiasm and grace.

Video Pick: Behind the Scenes Costa Maya Pageant Swimsuit Photo Shoot
The official photo shoot for the Costa Maya Pageant delegates took place last weekend prior to all the fun activities the ladies partook in. They had to wake up at the crack of dawn to take advantage of the beautiful Belizean sunrise. Photographer Jose Luis Zapata was in charge of capturing the beauty of each delegate on location at Ramon’s Village Resort, the official hotel sponsor of the Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant. Ambergris Today tagged along this year to capture some great behind the scenes footage as the eight delegates delighted both the video and picture cameras. Enjoy the behind the scenes footage we captured for your enjoyment.

Misc Belizean Sources

Letter: A message to Celeo Alvarez
On behalf of the African descendants of Belize and the CABO organization, of which I am secretary for education and research, I write you this letter in peace and hope these words find you in the best of health and spirits. Brother, we have worked together as members of CABO and I have shown you the utmost respect and love just as I do for all who choose to take our African culture and heritage to new heights, I want to thank you for your part in creating media that preserves our culture in this region. It is with great sadness that we bring to your attention the obvious ills of some of your actions, ODECO has been the fiscal sponsor for CABO for more than a decade without giving a financial report to the executive body or the general assembly even though we have repeatedly requested a report on many occasion.

Channel 5

Arthur Saldivar’s Political Career in Limbo Over Missing Money
Arthur Saldivar is known as a very vocal, very dramatic and flamboyant attorney as well as a political aspirant, but tonight both his careers may be in serious risk. He [...]

Francis Fonseca Goes In on Sedi Elrington Following Anti-U.S. Remarks
And while Fonseca plans to take decisive action where Saldivar is concerned, he is also demanding that Prime Minister Dean Barrow do the same for Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred [...]

Why Was Chris Noble Abruptly Transferred From Ladyville Police Station?
Remember Rural Executive Officer Assistant Superintendent Chris Noble. He was the officer in charge of the entire rural Belize District. Well, he’s now Fleet Manager Chris Noble, in charge of [...]

P.U.P. Activist Albert Vaughan Back In Court for Loitering and Illegal Gathering
P.U.P. activist Albert Vaughan, who was arrested on Monday along with dozens of disgruntled B.M.L. employees for loitering and participating in an illegal gathering, was back in court this morning [...]

P.U.P. Party Leader Won’t Kick Darrell While He Is Down
The plight of the BML employees who, up until the prime minister’s intervention on Wednesday, were in jeopardy of losing their jobs with the sanitation company is not lost on [...]

…but Supports P.M.’s Timely Intervention in BML Fiasco
And just what are Fonseca’s thoughts on P.M. Barrow interceding in the BML fallout? Well, according to the opposition leader, he supports the idea of coming to the aid of [...]

Corrupt Cop’s Fate to be Determined by Chief Magistrate
Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith will hand down her ruling in two weeks in the case of police corporal Darius Martinez who is accused of attempting to corrupt a public [...]

Wesley Emmanuel Freed of Murder
Thirty-eight year old Wesley Emmanuel was today freed of murder charges in the death of thirty-six year old Emigdio Gomez which occurred in July of 2008. In a voir dire, [...]

B.D.F. Graduates Seventy-Six New Officers
Today, seventy-two proud recruits of intake number fifty-eight passed out at Price Barracks, ready to stand as soldiers in the Belize Defence Force. The graduation is the culmination of weeks [...]

C.E.O. of National Security on B.D.F. Presence in the Streets
Belize Defence Force soldiers are back on city streets, thanks to a surge in violent crime. They were taken off in May when things calmed down somewhat…and deployed to the [...]

Proposed Head Tax for San Pedro Tourists
The San Pedro Water Taxi Platform is a recent construction spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism. The terminal which was completed not long ago, will be used by stakeholders in [...]

Belize Film Commission Announces International Partnership with U.S.-based Media Group
The Belize Film Commission is celebrating a milestone today. At a press conference held this afternoon, Commissioner Nigel Miguel announced that the commission is partnering with ArDoMi Media Group from [...]

Belizean Videographers and Audio Technicians to be Employed on Film Projects
According to ArDoMi representative, Jeff Pogue, Belizean cameramen, audio technicians and other skilled individuals will be trained and employed in the new ventures. Jeff Pogue, Rep., ArDoMi Media Group [...]

Father of Missing Teen Makes Desperate Plea for Her Safe Return
A Belize City father is desperately looking for his missing fourteen year old daughter. Raymond Avilez says that Jada left home on Wednesday morning and has not been seen or [...]

The Juvenile Act
Both the Magistrate Court and the National Committee for Families and Children have raised concerns on the airing of information on the identity of a suspect in the murder of [...]

B.D.F. Commander Gives Update on Norman Rodriguez
In February we told you about B.D.F. Corporal Norman Rodriguez, a thirteen year veteran of the B.D.F. who was diagnosed with an arterio-venous malformation on the brain. It’s a condition [...]

Costa Maya Kicks Off on La Isla Bonita in Grand Fashion
Miss Mexico is the new La Reina De La Costa Maya 2014. Elisa Espinosa Gomez was one of the eight delegates from the seven Central American countries and Mexico to [...]

LOVE FM

Party Leader Says Saldivar Will Be Disqualified Should Allegations Prove True
On Wednesday news broke that Attorney Arthur Saldivar is being accused of taking nearly a million dollars from the Coye Family. The allegation is that on June 12, Melanie Coye along with Saldivar went to the Central Bank to get 1.6 million dollars from the FIU. After counting the money, Coye alleges that Saldivar walked out with nine hundred and four thousand dollars in a suitcase. She says she has been trying to get the monies back but Saldivar has refused to give it up. It’s a very strong allegation against Saldivar who is also the PUP’s Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North. His leader, Francis Fonseca says that if the allegation is true, Saldivar will be removed as standard Bearer. FRANCIS FONSECA “The allegations made by the Coye family I consider to be serious allegations, damning allegations which if proven to be true would certainly in my view disqualify Arthur Saldivar from being a candidate for the PUP in Belize Rural North in the next general elections.

Nobleâ€™s Previous Post to be Shared Among Officers
As we mentioned, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Christopher Noble was not only in-charge of the Ladyville Police Department but he also served as the Rural Executive Officer…meaning that all of the Belize River Valley was under his command. According to CEO Lovell, the responsibilities of the Rural Executive officer will now be shared between two officers. COLONEL GEORGE LOVELL “I do know there is plans to have an inspector of police that will be responsible for the Hattieville area and an inspector of police that replaces Mr. Noble. There are plans and I hope I don’t get ahead of myself on this one where they will divide that are that Noble once had where those two inspectors then report to the Deputy head of Eastern Division or directly to OCE Eastern division. What that does as you know we had a sergeant at Hattieville who had worked with Noble. There are now two people of very senior ranks and who has that sort of responsibility and expertise to carry out the functions in a more efficient and effective manner. “

Soldiers to be Removed from Cityâ€™s Streets
July was a bloody month for Belize City as the old capital recorded a high number of murders of which more than 90% of murders occurred in the south side of Belize City. It got so intense that soldiers of the Belize Defense Force were called in to assist police in patrolling the hot spots like the Jane Usher Boulevard Area, among others. The BDF were called to deal with the spike in crime and since the spike in decreasing, they will be retreating from the streets shortly. Today the media spoke to Commandant of the BDF Brigadier General David Jones and CEO in the Ministry of National Security Retired Lieutenant Colonel George Lovell about the matter. COLONEL GEORGE LOVELL “We’ve been trying to get off the streets due to our operational commitments however because of the issues in Belize City we are asked to go back. We are not back there in strength that we used to, we are only doing two of the three shifts that we used to do.

Emmanuel Relieved of Attempted Murder Charge
Thirty-eight year old Wesley Emmanuel, charged with the murder of 36 year old Emigidio “Emi” Gomez, was acquitted of the charge today in the court of Justice John Gonzalez. The case for the prosecution had depended mainly on a caution statement that Emmanuel gave to the police in which he admitted his involvement in the crime. The case for the prosecution fell apart when after a voire dire, Justice Gonzalez ruled that the statement was inadmissible as evidence because it was taken under oppression. Emmanuel’s attorney, Ernest Staine, had submitted that Emmanuel had not eaten for 2 days while he was in police custody. Crown Counsel Javier Chan told the court that he did not have any more evidence to offer. As a result, Justice Gonzalez directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. Gomez was found hanging from a tree by his own belt in the Banana Bank area on July 16, 2008. He was the driver of a lowboy with trailer that was “jacked” on the Coastal Road. Gomez sideman, Mennonite farmer Cornelio Schmitt, was shot but he survived. It was the second trial for Emmanuel. In 2010 a jury was unable to reach a verdict. Another man, Jesse James Ochoa, was charged jointly with Emmanuel but he was acquitted at the first trial.

Murray Fails to Pay Fine and Sent to Prison
Nigel Murray, a resident of 7056 Raccoon Street Extension, became an inmate of Belize Central Prison today when he was found guilty of drug trafficking. Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith fined him $10,000 and ordered him to pay $5,000 forthwith and the balance by December 31. Murray was unable to pay so he was taken to prison. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on December 28, 2012. The police executed a search warrant at Murray’s residence and found 650 grams of cannabis in the ceiling. The cannabis was in three black plastic bags that were in a transparent zip bag. Police corporal Selvin Flowers testified that Murray told him that he could take the cannabis although he invested the last money he had in it. Murray testified and denied that the cannabis was his. He said he was not the only person at the house when the police arrived and the house don’t belong to him it is owned by his mother.

Bar Owner Fined for Employing Without Permits
Twenty year old Martha Rodriguez, the manager of Daisy’s Cool Spot, located in Ladyville, was ordered to pay fines amounting to $2,000 today by Magistrate Herbert Panton after she pled guilty to 2 counts of employing a person not in possession of a temporary valid employment permit. She was given until September 5 to pay the fine. If she defaults on payment she will serve 6 months. Yesterday around 4 p.m. immigration officers on a routine patrol in Ladyville, went to Daisy’s Cool Spot and saw two women, a mother and her daughter, working as waitresses. When the officers interviewed the women, who are Honduran nationals, they found that the women did not have any work permit. As a result, Rodriguez was taken into custody and charged.

Cayo Police Seeks Sebastian for Theft
Police in San Ignacio Town are investigating a case of theft where an American farmer, 52-year-old, Karina Tyler-Churani has told police that in her absence from Belize, she would send money and items to Belize in care of Sebastian Dorsten, for him to deliver to her worker at her farm in upper Barton Creek in the Cayo District…..But instead of delivering the money and items, he visited the farm frequently and took thirty bottles of NONI Extract valued at thirty thousand dollars, broad head arrows, hunting knives, boot knives. The items, which were taken between the period April 10, 2014 and July 19, 2014, have an estimated value of thirty thousand five hundred dollars.

Taxi Driver, Fisherman and Laborer Caught with Cocaine
Police in northern Belize had set up a checkpoint on the Philip Goldson Highway yesterday between miles sixty eight and sixty nine. Just before two o’clock they conducted a search of a gold Toyota Corolla taxi sedan being driven by 20-year-old, Jorghino Chan of a Cristock Street address in Orange Walk Town. During the search, officers found twelve hundred grams of cocaine, equivalent to just over two point six pounds. As a result, the driver along with 38-year-old fisherman, Luis Chavez of the San Martin area in the City of Belmopan along with 26-year-old, Luis Valladarez, a Belizean Laborer of Armenia Village, Cayo District. The drugs were taken into the station and labeled as exhibit while Chavez, Valladarez and Chan were arrested and charged for the offence of Drug Trafficking.

PlusTV

Dead body near Santa Martha indentified as Orland Cortez
On Thursday we told you of a dead body which was discovered on the outskirts of Santa Martha Village in the Orange Walk District...

Three Men in Taxi Charged for Drug Trafficking
Three men were travelling in a taxi in Orange Walk yesterday and were heading to a nearby village when they were busted with over a thousand grams of ...

Albert Vaughan charged for loitering
The mercy extended to the workers of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) earlier this week was not in evidence for Freetown constituency chairman and PUP...

Murder accused acquitted in court
A jury of twelve was directed today to acquit 38 year old Wesley Emmanuel of murder charges in the death of 36 year old Emigdio (Emi) Gomez in July of...

Man sent to jail over weed fine
Nigel Murray will spend the next three years in jail after being found guilty of drug trafficking today by Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith...

Woman charged over undocumented workers
A bar owner from Ladyville must pay $2,000 in fines, after being found to employ persons who were not in possession of a valid temporary employment pe...

BDF soldiers getting ready to leave Belize City
They were called back earlier this year to patrol Belize City streets after an increase in criminal activity, to support their brothers in the Police ...

University of Belize awards grants
With the new academic school year being just around the corner, the University of Belize awarded school grants to over 80 students who qualified for t...

Arthur Saldivar faces action over Coye monies
It was a triumphant moment for all concerned in March of this year when the Court of Appeal cleared all remaining members of the Coye family of Belize...

Hollywood celebrities raise awareness of the ecosystem of the Barrier Reef
Information is that a trio of Hollywood celebrities recently arrived in Belize with the intent of using their “star power” to raise awar...

Another Body Found in Orange Walk
Orange Walk Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a John Doe. Reports from Orange Walk are that sometime this morning in the Village of Santa Martha in the Orange Walk district the body of an unidentified person was discovered in a state of decomposition. Up to the time of this report, the Orange Walk police were still awaiting the arrival of forensics to conduct an onsite post mortem on the body.

Fisherman Shot in Belize City
There was a shooting incident in Belize City on Wednesday. 57-year-old Brian Clare, Belizean fisherman, was shot to his right arm. Initial investigation reveals that at 1:45p.m., Clare was driving his pickup truck on Partridge Street Extension heading towards a mechanic shop, when two men of dark complexion, riding on separate bicycles, fired several shots at his direction causing the injury. As a result, Brian Clare took out his license handgun and fired two shots in their direction. One of the culprits then rode his bicycle up Partridge Street Extension while the other ran through a yard on Partridge Street Extension, both making good their escape. Brian Clare is admitted at the K.H.M.H where he is in a stable condition. Police investigations continue.

Amandala

Illegal loggers elude security forces – no arrests yet for 2014
Belize border patrols continue to come across new camps with evidence of fresh incursions into Belize – nd even attempts by Guatemalans to set up huts in Belize – and although illegal logging remains a persistent problem, Belizean authorities have so far not landed any arrest since the start of 2014, according to Rafael Manzanero, Executive Director of Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD). Illegal logging incursions now stretch 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) into Belize, reaching into the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in Cayo, and the acreage has expanded from 7,530 hectares a year ago to nearly 10,000 hectares or roughly 40 square miles today – that’s a zone of influence much larger than Belize City, the country’s largest municipality. Manzanero, who organized a presentation in San Ignacio on illegal logging inside Chiquibul today, told Amandala that Belizean security forces have to be more tactical, because the illegal loggers have found an easy way to elude security forces by working at night, when there are no patrols.

Dean saves Darrell!
Sanitation workers who are currently employed by the Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) got a breath of fresh air today after the Government of Belize (GOB) made a decision to intervene on their behalf on the heels of a dramatic standoff between their employer, BML, and the Belize City Council (CitCo) in regards to some 19 weeks of arrears which are owed to the sanitation company, and which, until today, had jeopardized the jobs of many of those workers who protested in desperation in front of City Hall this past Monday, August 4. Although the disgruntled employees – who had major concerns about the stability of their jobs – were put in lockdown for venting their frustration by hurling heaps of garbage in front of City Hall, their stance has paid off to a certain extent, since GOB, in the person of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, has stepped in to bail out the beleaguered City Council mayor, Darrell Bradley.

Belizeans protest Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip
Modern-day Israel has occupied the territory on which it presently sits since it defeated the Egyptian army in the June 1967 war and took control of the Gaza Strip, which was once Egyptian territory. Since then, as a result of various treaties signed and continuing expansions of Israel’s settlements, the Palestinian people, who once lived on the land that the Israelis now rule, have been driven into a tiny, concentrated strip of land, without many of the rights most nations have. Yet, they are determined to forge an independent state, and militants among them have used tactics such as the firing of rockets against Israel to assert their rights as a people.

Arthur, run mi money! – Melonie
Following a protracted legal battle over millions of dollars that the state had frozen, alleging that four members of the Coye family of Johnson Street in Belize City, the Belize agents for Money Exchange International Limited, had acquired the money as a result of money laundering, attorney Eamon Courtney, S.C., of the law firm of Courtenay & Coye LLP, has confirmed to Amandala this afternoon, Thursday, that he has been instructed by his client, Melonie Coye, to recover almost one million dollars from the Coye’s former attorney, Arthur Saldivar, who is also the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) standard bearer for the Belize Rural North constituency.

Lake-I minor, 13, shot through the walls of his house
BELIZE CITY—A 13-year-old minor was shot as he watched television inside his home on Holy Emmanuel Street in the Lake Independence area of Belize City last Friday, August 1, at around 3:00 a.m. According to police, [...]

Candlelight vigil held for Chryslin Gladden
BELIZE CITY—A massive crowd of about 1,000 people participated in a protest march and candlelight vigil, in an outcry against the vicious murder of Wesley College honor student Chryslin Gladden, 16, who was found dead on [...]

GSU firearm bust lands Rivero Street resident behind bars
BELIZE CITY—The Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) arrested a Rivero Street resident and charged him with possession of an unlicensed firearm and unlicensed ammunition last night, Monday. Glenford Bain, Jr., 25, a construction worker and resident of [...]

A cry of pain from C-NET
Dear Editor, I am Eric Castellanos, Executive Director of C-NET+, and I am writing to you informing you of the serious situation we presently face: C-NET+ is a small NGO legally incorporated in 2011. We work [...]

Worker beaten on the head by supervisor
SITEE RIVER, Stann Creek—Ryan Budd, 21, a worker at Sittee Point in the Stann Creek District, is recovering at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was hit on the head by his supervisor, causing him [...]

Autopsy says Chrissy Gladden died of multiple stab wounds to neck
BELIZE CITY—A post-mortem conducted on the body of Chryslin Gladden, 16, a student of Fairweather Street, Belize City, certified the cause of death to be bronchial aspiration due to multiple stab wounds to neck. The autopsy [...]

Post-mortem certifies chronic alcoholism as cause of death of Trial Farm resident
TRIAL FARM, Orange Walk—A post-mortem conducted on the body of Gregorio Medina, 43, of Trial Farm certified the cause of death to be moderate and advance visceral general conception, as a consequence of mild decomposition and [...]

Two charged for Chryslin Gladden’s horrible murder
Belize City police have charged two persons, a man and a teenage girl, for the shocking murder of Chryslin Gladden, 16, a recent graduate of Wesley College high school, whose body was discovered on Saturday morning, August 2, beside a grave in the Lord Ridge Cemetery. The female minor and the adult man, Clement Bol, Jr., 23, did not have to enter a plea when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith, who arraigned them on the single count of murder this morning. Smith remanded them to prison until their next court appearance on September 5, 2014. When he was being led into the police vehicle that would take him to the Belize Central Prison, Bol shouted out to one of his friends that “da one man snitch.”

Drill rig lands in Toledo as division emerges in Maya camp
BELIZE CITY—Heavy trucks carrying the parts of a drill rig are being mobilized from industrial equipment supplier Pitsa, in Mexico, to Toledo in southern Belize, as US Capital Energy Limited, the company contracted by the Government of Belize to drill for oil in that part of the country, prepares to commence drilling in just over a week. Alistair King, US Capital’s representative in Belize, told Amandala this morning that the company is now trucking in the parts of the rig that will drill an exploratory well 800 meters inside the Sarstoon Temash National Park, amid high optimism that a commercial supply of crude oil will be found.

Orin “Coco” Orio visits, presents “Sport Announcer” plaque to Evan X Hyde
BELIZE CITY—Arguably Belize’s best goalkeeper of the 1970’s, Orin “Coco” Orio, father of Belize international goalkeeper Shane Orio, this morning made his personal presentation of a beautiful plaque to Kremandala Chairman, Evan X Hyde, inside the [...]

FFB in chaos?
There are big problems in the Football Federation of Belize (FFB), and, while we supported the sincerity of President Ruperto Vicente, complaints keep coming to our sports desk from various quarters. So far, we have been [...]

U23 Female National Volleyball Team to Honduras
BELIZE CITY—Team Belize arrives today, August 5, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, ready to compete in the U23 Central American Female Volleyball Championship that takes place August 7 to 13. All seven (7) Central American countries will be [...]

Thank you
BELIZE CITY—The regular season and playoffs in the Harrison Parks National Cricket Competition 2014 have ended. There will be other games, maybe 20/20 or female competition, but cannot say when that could or will be played. [...]

Editorial: Mayor Bradley’s comeuppance
In legal, financial and political circles here, the Belize Waste Control (BWC) and Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) contracts are considered masterpieces of the neoliberal art. Designed at the behest of Ralph Fonseca when he controlled all the public finances of the national government and when his younger brother was Mayor of Belize City, the contracts guaranteed huge, some would say excessive, profits for the companies, and also made it next to impossible for the Belize City Council to get out of them. Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley understood the exploitative nature of the contracts, but perhaps because he himself was/is a neoliberal, he did a poor job of explaining to the Belizean people exactly what the problem was. At core, the problem was neoliberalism, a philosophy wherein those who are in a position, or happen on an opportunity, to do so, enable the few rich to become richer at the expense of the many poor. The rewards for the facilitators thereof, we leave up to your imagination.

“Let us hear you loud and often:” Major Jones
Dear Editor, In response to my letter to you captioned “Diaspora what have you done for me lately?” you published three letters from members of the Diaspora (I presume): Mario Lara, Wellington Ramos and Beryl Young. [...]

Stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestine
Dear Editor, The editorial entitled Israel, Palestine; Guatemala, Belize (Amandala July 20, 2014) covered many important issues. It highlighted the fact that the subject has not been given the attention it needs but failed to point [...]

Belize Ambassador to OAS, H.E. Nestor Mendez, intensifies lobby for OAS Secretariat seat
Guatemala former VP, Eduardo Stein, wants to replace Insulza as new Sec-Gen of the OAS, but what effect will that have on the Sec-Gen’s ability to broker Belize-Guatemala territorial talks? WASHINGTON, DC, USA—Ambassador Nestor Mendez, Belize’s [...]

Brain boost from baked and broiled fish
BELIZE CITY—A study released by the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, and publicized on Monday, August 4, 2014, highlights that nutrients in baked and broiled, but not fried, fish, improve brain health, and particularly improve [...]

Meet the Police’s new Rural Executive Officer
The 33-year veteran pledges to implement new crime fighting strategies within his jurisdiction LADYVILLE—The Belize Police Department’s Belize District Rural Formation, which comprises the general area of Ladyville, Hattieville, and the entire area from La Democracia [...]

Family pleads with public for information about their missing loved one
BURRELL BOOM—The family of a Burrell Boom resident who has been missing for the past 10 days is currently in a state of extreme anxiety, while their minds remain puzzled about his whereabouts following a domestic [...]

Expecting mother charged with escape
BELIZE CITY—A Belize City woman who is eight months pregnant and her common-law husband have been charged with drug trafficking, and she has been additionally charged with escape from lawful custody. Sandra Thompson, 30, and her [...]

US Ambassador to host media roundtable
BELIZE CITY—U.S. Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Carlos R. Moreno, will host a media roundtable next Thursday, August 14, 2014 in Belmopan, at which he has agreed to discuss current policy issues. Ambassador Moreno arrived in Belize [...]

Sister’s complaint puts brother behind bars for 2 years
BELIZE CITY—A Belize City man who recently completed a four-month prison sentence but was subsequently found guilty on two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and with a shovel, damage to property and use of [...]

Girl, 15, raped on boat in San Pedro
SAN PEDRO-Police in San Pedro are searching for a 25-year-old man in connection with the rape of a 15-year-old girl that occurred at about 3:30 Saturday afternoon in a boat that was docked at the Boca [...]

Search continues for Hattieville village council chairman, missing for 16 days
Authorities have not determined whether it was his blood that was found on a bush stick in the area HATTIEVILLE, Belize District—The chairman of the Hattieville village council, Kevin Carcamo, 43, has been missing for 16 [...]

The Reporter

South side Youth Success Program closes down
The South Side Youth Success Program closed its doors for good on Friday. In a letter of appreciation to its partners, the management and staff of SYSP stated that the project had “come to its completion.” The project, which collaborated heavily with the Department of […]

CYDP closes summer program
The Conscious Youth Development Program (CYDP) closed one of its annual sports summer programs on Friday during a ceremony at the Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET) compound on Freetown Road. The program taught life skills and sports disciplines (football and basketball) […]

Colombian president warns that peace talks with gang could fail
Juan Manuel Santos, Colombian President has warned that peace talks could fail if left-wing Farc rebels continue with attacks upon swearing in for a second term. Santos’ victory was a resounding vote of confidence for the peace process which he started with the rebels in […]

Mexico approves oil sector reforms
(BBC)-Mexico’s Congress has approved sweeping changes to the country’s energy industry which will see private oil contracts awarded in the country for the first time since 1938. New laws voted in on Wednesday will open the market to foreign oil firms. As a result, state-owned energy group Pemex will lose […]

US Embassy impressed with GREAT Program
United States Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Luis Arreaga at the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs visited Belize this week and saw the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program while familiarizing himself with security issues in Belize. Arreaga viewed a session […]

School counsellors association holds first one-week conference
The Belize School Counsellors Association this week launched its first ever counsellors’ conference, a week-long seminar for the professional development of counsellors. The conference started on Monday with an opening ceremony held at the Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET) compound in […]

Matura-Shepherd defends BML protesters
Belize City, Tues.July 5th, 2014 Fofty-four employees of Belize Maintenance Limited have been charged for taking part in an unlawful public gathering, according to attorney for the BML protesters, Audrey Matura-Shepherd. According to Shepherd the charge is simple enough to have been resolved in […]

BML workers locked up for littering
Forty-four Belize Maintenance Limited workers, led by whistleblower Delroy Herrera, were arrested for littering in front of City Hall on Monday morning. But at the urging of the Prime Minister, all charges have been dropped against the men. The BML bus carrying Herrera and […]

CitCo gets garbage trucks from Taiwan
The Government of Taiwanese donated three compactor garbage trucks to the Belize City Council on Wednesday afternoon and Mayor Darrell Bradley has said CitCo will soon be ready to assume the City’s sanitation role. Bradley said the donation of the three trucks would allow […]

Over a half million cases of CHIKV in the Caribbean says PAHO
Chikungunya cases in the Caribbean have exceeded 500,000, says a new report from the Pan American Health Organization. The new total of reported cases released this week is 513,393. The report said that the disease is most prevalent in the Dominican Republic, which accounted for […]

Chetumal Street Bridge soon complete, more work ahead
The Chetumal Street Bridge should be completed by November, followed by work on a Community Center, National Bank and new Civic Center in the Lake Independence area, according to Minister of State Mark King. King said the bridge is currently at the midway point […]

Nineteen-year-old charged for double homicide
A 19-year-old man of an Aloe Vera Street address, was arraigned in the Supreme Court on Monday for last week’s home invasion and double-homicide at 47 Mopan Street. Khaleel Careem Ponce was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of murder, two counts […]

Editorial
The uproar last week caused by sanitation workers dumping garbage in protest in front of the Belize City Council offices and demanding to be paid is a result of the unmanageable sanitation situation which Belize City faces. Even with the millions of dollars spent each year on sanitation companies which […]

PM bails out CITCO
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has assured Belize Maintenance (BML) workers that they will be paid for the rest of their time with BML. He also assured them that they will have guaranteed work with the Belize City Council after the BML contract expires in […]

Two charged for Chryslin’s murder
An underaged girl and a 23-year-old man have been charged for the brutal murder of 16-year-old student Chryslin Gladden. Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith jointly charged 23-year-old Clement Bol Jr. and a 17-year-old girl with murder when they appeared in court on Wednesday. They were both remanded to the Belize […]

Villagers reportedly kill, and ate jaguar?
The Forest Department is currently investigating the killing and alleged eating of a jaguar in Sarteneja Village Corozal this week. The jaguar had reportedly become a nuisance to farmers and their livestock. The killing happened on Tuesday and there are two versions being investigated. One […]

Patrick Jones

Woman charged over undocumented workers
A bar owner from Ladyville must pay $2,000 in fines after being found to employ persons who were not in possession of a valid temporary employment permit. 20 year old Martha Rodriguez, the owner of Daisy’s Cool Spot in Ladyville, Belize District , pleaded guilty to the charge […]

Man sent to jail over weed fine
Nigel Murray will spend the next three years in jail after being found guilty of drug trafficking today by Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith. He was fined $10,000 of which $5,000 was ordered to be paid immediately, but he could not come up with the money and so began […]

Man accused of murder is acquitted
A jury of twelve was directed today to acquit 38 year old Wesley Emmanuel of murder charges in the death of 36 year old Emigdio (Emi) Gomez in July of 2008. Justice Troadio Gonzalez refused to admit into evidence a caution statement taken from Gomez by police, ruling […]

Corozal man detained pending charges for stolen truck
Corozal police have detained one person pending the outcome of an investigation of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle, belonging to a Corozal teacher, was stolen from his garage sometime between 11 pm on July 31 and 5:30 am on August 1. Shortly after making a plea for information […]

Albert Vaughan charged for loitering
The mercy extended to the workers of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) earlier this week was not in evidence for Freetown constituency chairman and PUP talk show host and activist Albert Vaughan. The 54 year old is accused of loitering on Queen Street during the detention of BML workers […]

PSU to hold Annual General Meeting in Corozal
The Ninety Second Annual General Meeting of the Public Service Union takes place this weekend in Corozal own. The event is being hosted by the Corozal branch of the PSU and will be held at the Dreams Hall in Corozal town. The opening is scheduled for Friday night, […]

Blogs

Sitting Atop One Massive Cave System: St. Herman’s Cave & The Inland Blue Hole
Through the lodge, I signed up for the St. Herman’s Cave Tubing and Inland Blue Hole Tour. Be ready by 8:45am, wear some sturdy shoes and bring some mossie repellent and I’d be back for lunch. Perfect. A beautiful clear clear river is running along the bottom of the cave and dripping stalagmites and tites, sparkling crystal coatings in areas, colored streaks of different minerals, it’s all so beautiful in the beam of my headlamp.

We Gave Peace a Chance in Belize – And it Worked!
Sometimes the trials and tribulations of this world get to be almost overwhelming, but my husband and I recently discovered an oasis of tranquillity that went a long way in putting things back in perspective. Its name is Belize. One night during dinner after a particularly stressful week we were both feeling a little down. It was stifling in the city, traffic was terrible, and the news on TV was worse. Feeling like we needed a change of pace, and with our wedding anniversary coming up, we made the decision right then and there to take a spontaneous early holiday and get away from it all. Poring over the laptop that night going over vacation options was therapeutic, and by the time we narrowed our list of destinations down to four we were already feeling better, even if just a little apprehensive about the costs.

Women Innovators Network in the Caribbean (WINC)
As part of its Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean (EPIC), infoDev is seeking a qualified firm with presence in the Caribbean to support the team in the delivery and implementation of the Women Innovators Network in the Caribbean (WINC) program. Whilst already published on infoDev’s website, we bring this opportunity to your attention – for your own consideration and/or assistance in circulating to others who may have the interest and required capabilities to apply. As you will imagine, we are keen to bring on board the very best support possible for the region’s women entrepreneurs!

Top 10 Best Beach Resorts in Belize
Belize is one of the last unspoiled places on the planet and is rapidly growing in popularity as a to-visit destination in the Caribbean and Central America. In fact, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) recently released figures showing Belize coming in at second place on the list of fastest growing tourist destinations in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2014, behind only the Turks and Caicos Islands. With its white sandy beaches, lush rainforests and close proximity to the world’s second largest barrier reef, Belize is ultimate travel destination. Take a look at our expert top picks for the best beach resorts in Belize.

Featured Business Of The Week: Peninsula Club Belize
The Peninsula Club and Marina is Belize’s best address for those who are seeking the wonder and adventure of this amazing Caribbean country along with the comforts and amenities of a luxury resort. If you are interested in the Real Estate opportunities in Placencia Belize then The Peninsula Club Marina is for you. The Peninsula Club Marina in Belize is at the heart of an extraordinary project featuring homesites, luxury villas, exclusive health & wellness center and a lively shopping mall with boutique shops and services to make life at The Peninsula Club Belize as effortless as it is exciting!

Construction on Ambergris Caye
When you want to build a home here on the island (or anywhere for that matter). Please be wise in hiring your contractor. Here is no different then anywhere in the world. Interview several of them. DON’T go with the least expensive to “save money” or “cut corners”. The Truth has heard repeatedly that a certain contractor here will under bid a job to get the project, knowing they can’t finish the project with the amount in their bid. If you go to a few contractors and they are all over the map in pricing. ASK AROUND! ASK FOR REFERALS! Go with middle of the road in pricing if anything. There are a few reputable contractors here that will be happy to give you referrals, show you what they have built, and introduce you to their past clients. Don’t be afraid to ask.

International Sources

Dance Factory dancers participate in exchange program with Belize dance company
When Tina Hansen visited the town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye in Belize more than 20 years ago, she saw a group of female dancers wearing teal dresses and ornate headpieces. When she looked closer, she saw safety pins keeping the sides of handmade dresses together, shredded hems and girls dancing barefoot. The worn attire didn't draw Hansen in. The girls' beautiful, smiling faces and eloquent dance moves did. After speaking with a Belizean dance teacher that night, Hansen decided to create an exchange program with her competitive dancers in Delavan and the San Pedro Dance Academy. In the last 16 years, she has taken about 60 of her Dance Factory students to San Pedro and brought 55 to 60 Belizeans to Delavan.

Discovering paradise: Increasing numbers of tourists uncover Belize treasures
A naturally beautiful, near-magical place, of exotic black orchids, mysterious Mayan history and the flaming colours of wild toucans and scarlet macaws, Belize is undoubtedly magnetising. Yet, it remains one of the final unspoilt jewels in Central America’s crown. The country, which ranges around 20,000 km², is known for its diversity of flora and fauna that is second to none and makes for an enthralling experience. Spanning rich rainforests – home to tapirs who swim in the rivers and colourful motmots who dot the trees – and near-endless barrier reefs – the longest in the world – it is no surprise that Belize is growing in popularity as a to-visit destination. The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) recently released figures showing Belize coming in at second place on the list of fastest growing tourist destinations in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2014, behind only the Turks and Caicos Islands. The country registered 32,712 tourist arrivals in February, an impressive increase of 11.6% in the number of people discovering Belizean treasures on the same month the previous year. This healthy growth was complemented by interesting figures, also released by the CTO, which broke these arrivals down in terms of the main markets that were visiting. These figures showed an increase of 11% in US visitor numbers in the first quarter of 2014 as well as a vast growth of 26.6% in visitors from Europe.

Chocolate, coffee and Dengue Fever
Our family vacation to Guatemala and Belize was coming to an end. We arrived in the southern Belize town of Punta Gorda around 9:00 pm. Punta Gorda is where the road ends. This sleepy fishing village is not on the typical tourist itinerary. It’s the kind of town people go to when they don’t want to be found. There were men wearing long khaki pants with button down short sleeved shirts, thick black rimmed glasses and hard plastic briefcases, definitely not locals and definitely not tourists. There was a mysterious air here but for us, it is where we hitched a ride on a boat that would take us to the Garifuna town of Livingston. We found a hotel that had one room with eight beds. In fact, we were lucky, as it was the only hotel that we could find. Hungry from our 10-hour journey from Ambergis Caye, the hotel served rice, beans, chicken and plantains. The next morning we woke up early and headed to a small office where we gave a women money for the boat. She gave us our tickets and told us to be at the dock by 8:30. We passed through a small customs area and were soon heading south to Livingston on a calm Caribbean Sea. The boat held our group of eight, two other passengers and two crew members. We were handed a life jacket which we placed at our feet and each row given a large plastic black tarp. Within minutes the rain came crashing down with the wind whistling between our heads. We covered as best we could with the tarps. As the boat pitched back and forth I wondered if it was time to put on the vests. I heard nervous laughter coming from the tarp behind us, the kind of laughter one spews out in a life and death situation mixed with a little disbelief.

Videos

Video: Behind The Scenes Swimsuit Photo Shoot Costa Maya Pageant, 4min.
Take a look at some behind the scenes footage of the official swimsuit photo shoot of the Costa Maya Pageant delegates that took place at Ramon's Village Resort in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Video: Miss Mexico Crowned Miss Costa Maya 2014, 14min.
Mexico remains the reigning powerhouse when it comes to the most wins at the Miss Costa Maya Pageant (Reina de la Costa Maya) as Elisa Espinosa Gomez (Miss Mexico) topped the Miss Costa Maya Pageant 2014 that took place last night Thursday, August 7, at the opening of the San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival.

Video: GoPro 3: meeting itchy Junior Jaguar- Belize, 2min.

Video: Belize City, Belize Hal Untuk Lihat Dan Apakah, 5min.
Belize City, Belize Kurang dari tiga jam penerbangan dari Dallas, Belize seringkali disebut sebagai "lainnya Karibia". Kejahatan, narkoba, kebobrokan, dan calo penjara tagline adalah kota lain

Video: Shaneeka & Stig - Live With Gilharry Band (Belize), 5min.
Live band rehearsal for the National Song Competition 2014. Shaneeka & Stig's live performance with The Gilharry Band.

Video: Nello Player - Dah Belize Ih Deh Official Video, 4min.
The official Video for Dah Belize Ih Deh from Nello Player the 2013 winner of the Belize National Song Competition Sponsored by: Atlantic International Bank Ltd. Produced by: Belize National Song Competition

Video: SunBreeze Suite and Hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, 3min.
Cyril Uruwei, Publisher of Belize In America, interviews Ms. Julia Edwards, manager of SunBreeze Suites and Hotel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Most of the people who do come to Belize come for two reasons: To enjoy the Belizean people and to enjoy the natural resources. Your experience is boosted when you don't think "all inclusive". San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is renown for scuba diving and snorkeling. San Pedro is so small that you can really experience a lot in such a short time.

August 8, 2014

Belize Draft Code of Practice for Recreational Scuba Diving Services

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

Reggae singer J Boog arrives on the island for the International Costa Maya Festival
J Boog, born Jerry Afemata, is on Ambergris Caye. The R & B and Reggae singer is scheduled to perform at the International Costa Maya festival on Friday August 8th. The singer arrived on the island with his backup crew shortly after 4PM on Maya Island Air. “I am very happy to be in Belize and people can expect a lot of good vibes and energy. It is just great to be here and I can’t wait to meet all the fans and see what the festival is all about.

Teams begin to make their mark at the Island Cup Football Tournament
Sunday, August 3rd saw the third round of games for the Island Cup Football Tournament at the Ambergris Stadium. Teams such as the Ghetto Boys, Legends and Vince’s Warriors have made their mark in the tournament with their winning streak. Football fanatics have been gathering at the field despite the blazing heat to support their favorite team. The first game this past Sunday was between San Pedro High School (SPHS) Football Team and Ghetto Boys. Even though they played well, SPHS could not pull off a win and conceded to the Ghetto Boys, who secured their third consecutive win in a 2-4 game. In the second game, San Pedrito FC faced off Vince’s Warriors. The match was super exciting, as both teams fought hard for a win, but the game ended in a 1-1 draw. The last game of the day was between the Eleven Pirates and Legends. The Eleven Pirates were no match for the well seasoned Legends, who easily took the victory with a whopping 6-0 score.

Minister Manuel Heredia donates to SPJC Bachelor’s Program
On Friday, August 1st, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation and Area Representative Manuel Heredia Jr. made a donation to the San Pedro Junior College (SPJC). The $5,000 check went towards the University of Belize (UB) Bachelor’s Degree Program in Tourism Management offered here in San Pedro at the SPJC. The funds will assist SPJC in clearing arrears at UB in order to start the program once again in January 2014.

PC Kyle Serano honored as Officer of the Month for July
The San Pedro Police Department has reinstated its Officer of the Month Program, and taking the honor for July is Police Constable 1661 Kyle Serano. The Officer of the Month Program is part of a larger project being implemented to increase efficiency and productivity within the San Pedro Police Department. PC Serano has been working in the San Pedro precinct since February 2014 and is a rookie in the Belize Police Department, as this was his first assignment after graduating from the Belize Police Academy. According to Officer in Charge of San Pedro Police Superintendent Luis Castellanos, PC Serano was awarded Officer of the Month because of his determination and desire to work.

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Police Youth Cadets Attend National Cadet Corps Summer Camp
On Sunday, July 20, 2014, the opening ceremony of the 17th National Police Youth Cadet Corps Summer Camp 2014 was held in Benque Viejo Town, Belize. The ceremony welcomed 65 police officers and 291 youth cadets as well as a cadre of local and national guests. Amongst the group was San Pedro Community Officer P.C. Juan Choc and W.P.C. Veraline Rivas accompanied by eight San Pedro Cadets that included: Derwayne Meigha (11yrs), Zailan Reneau (12yrs), Francis Auila (10yrs), Jake Anderson (10yrs), Luis Edwards (10yrs), Daylon Meighan (9yrs), Jamal Polonio (10yrs) and Jabel Martinez (11yrs).

Misc Belizean Sources

Tour Operator Advisory
All tour guide licenses expire July 31.

Come out and Enjoy Art in the Park!
Saturday August 9th

Meet The Man Saving Belize's Manatees, One Baby At A Time
At 11 years old, Jamal Galves knew that manatees would be his life. As a child playing the lawn of his grandparents house, he would watch their hulking figures float by, imitating the researchers who trailed behind them. He saw them tagging the massive gray animals, drawing blood samples and even recording their every exhale. Since then, Galves, now aptly known as "the manatee man," has made manatees his life. Galves, now the Belize Manatee Project Program Coordinator in his home village of Gales Point Manatee, is still, in his own words, "just that kid trying to save manatees." But now he's got a lot more sway than the teenager who was working for free on the researchers' boat, cleaning and observing until he finally got a chance to participate.

Art for Kids and Teens
AKT, Art for Kids and Teens, is having drama and dance lessons at the Soul Project on Wednesdays and Fridays. "A space for kids and teenagers to express themselves through dancing, acting a singing."

2014 Reina de la Costa Maya
After costumes, swimwear and elegant evening gown segments, and the hardest: Q&A;, the 2014 Reina de la Costa Maya has been decided and she is the beautiful Miss Mexico, Elisa Espinosa Gómez! She also took the Best Costume award. First runner-up is Miss Guatemala Keyla Bermudez and second runner-up is Miss Nicaragua Katherine Guadamuz Tapia.

True elegance
during the Evening Wear segment of the 2014 Reina De Las Costa Maya Pageant

Costa Maya:
The highly anticipated Bikini Wear!

July 28 - Aug 2 2014 Fishing Report
A light week here at the lodge with beautiful weather that was really a little too calm! Just a few boats went out each day, the tarpon bite was slow even though everything was perfect - the moon, tides, wind, but they were pretty tough to convince. Even the normally aggressive migratory fish were shy to eat on most days. Several honeymoon couples graced our presence and enjoyed the weather with some of our long time friends who have visited El Pescador many times before.

Channel 7

Attorney Arthur Says He Didn't Take Melonie's Money
Last night we broke the story about attorney Arthur Saldivar - and the sensational claim from his former client Melonie Coye: she's saying that Saldivar made off with nine hundred and four thousand dollars of the 1.6 million dollars she recovered from the Central Bank. The history of that money should be well known to those who follow the news: that's the money that was found in the suitcases in the Coye family home in December 2008. It was confiscated by police as the proceeds of money laundering and tied up by the FIU for the duration of the money laundering trial and its appeal. When Saldivar won the appeal, the court ruled that the Coye's could get back the money - but even then a Panamanian company stepped in and try to claim some of it.

Saldivar Says Eamon Courtenay Is Out To Get Him
But, a bulletproof vest wouldn't do him any good in a lawsuit anyway. And, we are told, that's just what Saldivar is facing. The Courtney Coye law firm warned him that if he didn't return the money on by last week Friday, August first, they would institute legal proceedings against him. Well, Saldivar is unperturbed, and he told us, neither is he surprised since he feels Eamon Courtenay has had it in for him for a long time:.. Arthur Saldivar. Former Attorney - Melonie Coye "Mr. Courtenay have had from my assessment a hard on me for quite some time. I have no idea why. I don't really know him. I have no grudge against him - none whatsoever. But there are at least 3 occasions that I know of where he has made certain attempts. Again, I wish him well. You know at least on one occasion right, here in your studio after certain revelations were made involving the good party that I belong to and certain intrigue that were being contemplated what the response from that particular individual was. So don't put it out there as if this is some figment of my imagination and I am throwing things out there without any kind of basis, no man, come on please - let's be real."

American Alleges Arthur Acted Rogue
But that's only one legal fire that Saldivar has going on the front-burner. On the back-burner another is coming up. It's based on a complaint about Saldivar's conduct as an officer of the court. Don Blunt, an American who owned a home on Placencia has sworn in an affidavit that Saldivar trespassed into his home, and then occupied it. Now, this isn't just some random act. The background is that Blunt had sold the house to Glenn Levy, who Saldivar says is his client. But, the sale wasn't closed properly, and Levy, the new owner, had to get a court order to eject Blunt, the former homeowner. Blunt says the order gave him until July 26th to move out, but he says Saldivar and a crew of lawmen showed up on the 23rd to eject him. Jules Vasquez put the allegations to Saldivar:

Prime Ministerial Panacea Puts Street Sweeper Rebellion On Pause
The BML ruckus started with a bang on Monday, but ended with a whimper by Wednesday when a Prime Ministerial panacea put the street sweeper rebellion on pause. Everyone got their jobs back, all the charges were dropped, and they got promised that they would get jobs with city Hall when the contract was up. Now, we don't know if they'll all live happily ever after, but all told, it's a stunningly quick reversal in public policy and management - and today we put together, a brief history of the blow-up and the meltdown:

Commercial Center Vendors Upset With City Hall's Eviction
And while the BML situation is in hand for the time being, Mayor Darrell Bradley's week of worries hasn't quite finished yet because his Municipal Administration is now coming under fire from the vendors and business owners who operate out of the Commercial Center, at the foot of the Swing Bridge. The Council wants to temporarily move them out so that the commercial center can be renovated. The vendors have no complaints there, because all the problems that they're facing inside the old building will be resolved. The issue is that the Council has fast-tracked their exit, some have been given until next week Monday to get out, and if they don't, the council allegedly - and we stress, "allegedly" - has plans to change the locks on their doors and forcibly evict them.

The Plan For Lake I Boulevard
If you've been following the news, you may know well that the Government has been developing the Lake I Boulevard which will connect the Western Highway with Belama's Chetumal Street. It's been a while since the public got an update on how the project will work, and Lake Independence Area Rep. Mark King gave the media a tour of how the project is going, and what the long term plans are for the area. Here's what he told us this afternoon: Hon. Mark King - Area Rep, Lake Independence "There has been a lot of speculations about what is going to happen here especially when they had the situation with the squatters. I am figuring that we are our half way point in terms of development. Everybody must understand that in every community we are trying to bring the business to Lake I. Lake I was one of those old constituencies that was not planned properly and so with the extension of Lake I which is the Lake Independence Boulevard, the Chetumal Street area and the Holy Emmanuel into Gugulung area we are trying to now go into some detail planning in terms of drawing business that would help the same poor people of the area and also will help all Belizeans in the area."

GSU Gets Guat "Grass"
The Gang Suppression Unit has been making significant drug and ammunition busts recently, and its success continued yesterday with the discovery of 52 pounds of marijuana around mile 12 on the Western Highway. Following a tip, the police searched bushes in the area, and found a red crocus bag with the words "El Quetzal Guatemala Centro America Zona 4 La Terminal." When it was opened the cannabis was discovered and labelled as "found property" since no one was in the immediate area. It is believed that the cannabis was smuggled in from Guatemala, and was to be bagged at the area where it was found before being passed off in smaller quantities through check points.

Belizean Boat Stolen In Quintana Roo
We hear about people traveling to foreign places and being robbed of their purses or wallets and chains but on Wednesday a Belizean in Chetumal was robbed of something 'a bit' more substantial: a motorboat! The incident occurred near Panchos restaurant in Calderitas, Quintana Roo. Apparently, the victim who is from Sartenaja - but was not named - docked his boat near the coast and went shopping in the area only to return and find it gone. The victim contacted the Mexican Coast Guard and they searched coastal villages but to no avail.

Matura-Shepherd Says BML Workers Due Apologies
In our last segment, we showed you how the BML workers went from being charged to being free and clear, with a promise of being employed and paid until the life of sanitation contract with their employers expires next year. There is a plan in the works to get them assimilated into the City Council when that happens. But, their attorney says that they deserve one more thing, an apology from the Mayor, and the Police Personnel which authorized them to be charged. She explained the logic for that demand to us today: Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney "You can never give them back what they lost those two and a half days. You can never give them back the humiliation they went through. You can never undo that and I think that minimum the mayor owes them an apology and even the police department, the senior person. I will say upfront I was at the police station with them from 10:30 that morning up to 8:30 in the night and I will tell you I have to commend the police officers who were on the ground in that precinct helping.

Unleashing Counseling Potential
This week, the Belize School Counselor Association has been holding its first conference under the theme "The 21st Century Belizean School Counselor: Unleashing Your Potential". Counselors from across the country were invited to participate in these training sessions. Courtney Weatherburne was there today to find out more: Courtney Weatherburne reporting The Belize Counsellor Association is in the middle of a 5 day conference at the ITVET which focused on training counsellors to be better equipped in dealing with personal issues affecting our youths. Licia Castillo, OW Tech Counsellor "It's the first Belize School Counsellor Association conference and the purpose is to get our counselors across the country in both primary and tertiary and secondary level to give some training, share some skills and do some networking for our counsellors in Belize."

BDF's 10th Annual Summer Camp
For the past 10 years, The BDF has been running its youth summer camp at the Price Barracks and right now, the second session for 2014 is underway. There are varied activities the youths can enjoy ranging from swimming, football, cooking, and music to the more adventurous Jungle survival, Taekwondo and Bird watching. Courtney Weatherburne went to Price Barracks to find out more about the camp.

Purple Martins Flock To Belize
And many regular folks would have greatly benefited from the bird camp - in situations like Sunday when residents of Newtown Barracks were startled by the sighting of a sizeable gathering of birds weighing down power lines. Francisco explained the phenomenon: Dirk Francisco, Publicity Coordinator - BAS "The Purple Martins are migrating right now from north to south America. They have just finish breeding North America and they are on the move to winter. When it's cold in America birds migrate south, but Purple Martins are normally one of the earlier migrants that starts moving. They are heading to the Amazon, the Ecuador area, Brazil and they are just going there to spend the winter because of the abundance of food." "Belize is pass over, Belize is on their route. The Purple Martins tend to fly over land because of the availability of their food. They are insectivores; they are birds that eat insects, so Belize having a lot of insects is used as a route to go further south of the continent."

Jaguars To Compete In 2014 CA Cup
Belize's National Football team will be playing in The Central American Cup 2014 in the US Cities of Washington DC and Dallas. The schedule has been released and Belize is in Group B, along with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, while Group A features Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. While Group A's Honduras did go to the World Cup, Group B's Costa Rica made it into the quarterfinals at World Cup - a first for Central America. Belize's first game will be against Honduras on September third at the RFK Stadium in Washington DC, and it's second game will be on September 7th against Guatemala at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. And then on Wednesday September 10th., the battle this year will be at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas where Belize will play El Salvador. Qualifying teams then move on to Los Angeles for the championship.

Micah's Peace Vigil
A vigil was held yesterday for Chryslin Gladden. She was brutally murdered on Friday and her schoolmates organized a peace vigil in her memory and in memory of all those affected by violence. Well, echoing this cry for peace and justice, another vigil is scheduled for tomorrow at 5:30 pm under the theme "Recovering our Future, One Community at a Time." But this one is not organized by students, it's organized by a student turned politician. Micah Goodin, PUP Standard Bearer is the organizer of the vigil and he told us more: Micah Goodin "It is as a result of the recent outburst of violence of murders in Belize City, including that of Chryslin Gladden, David Copious, who was disembowel, gutted from belly to throat, the 64 year old who was playing dominoes and got killed and I can go and on about these different incidents of murder. I would just also like to extend and invitation to the Belizean public at large. I think crime is something that affects us all and in an effort to adequately combat crime it must be a community effort. All efforts must be combined and that is the only way we could fight alleviate crime."

Channel 5

BML Owner Lawrence Ellis Breaks Silence on Garbage Dispute
For the most part, the BML – CitCo bomb has been defused by a timely intervention by, and a very large infusion of cash from the government of Belize. As [...]

Mayor Bradley Says Taking On BML Employees In 2015 Will Be Difficult
As we’ve told you, part of the sweet deal being offered to workers is that in 2015, when BML’s contract expires, they will be assimilated into the Council. The Council [...]

Communication Breakdown Led to Garbage Fiasco Says BML Owner
In all the deals being struck, BML is perpetually owed staggering sums of money by City Hall. When it comes to payment for sanitation companies, both BML and Belize Waste [...]

Detention of Female Sanitation Workers Unjustified
With an agreement on finances being brokered, and current workers’ issues resolved, the crisis is officially over. But there’s still some unpleasantness hanging over the matter. That stems from the [...]

BML Employees Satisfied With New Financial Agreement
And for final word on the matter…at least for now, News Five spoke to Audrey Matura-Shepherd, the attorney for the BML workers. She worked all day Monday to get them [...]

Arthur Saldivar Versus Eamon Courtenay: Case of the Missing Coye Money
It is one of the most sensational cases in recent times. It involves attorney Arthur Saldivar and a very large sum of money. Saldivar has been the attorney of record [...]

Racquel Gomez Out on Bail for Drug Possession
On July seventeenth, a Crooked Tree woman was sentenced to three years and a ten thousand dollar fine for one point two grams of crack found on her. She was [...]

Ya’axche Loses to Ministry of Forests At CCJ
The Caribbean Court of Justice handed down a six-page decision today in respect of an application by the Ya’axche Conservation Trust which sought special leave to appeal a March fourteenth [...]

GSU Finds More Weed and Guns
The Gang Suppression Unit is reporting a significant drug and ammo bust. The Unit carried out an operation in a bushy area near mile twelve on the George Price Highway. [...]

City Council Issues Eviction Notice to Commercial Center Vendors
While the dust has settled on the dispute between sanitation workers and city hall, there is another storm brewing. That’s because Mayor Darrell Bradley wants to convert the commercial center [...]

Murder Suspect Freed But Later Fined for Drug Possession
In the hours following the grisly murder of sixteen-year-old Chryslin Gladden on Saturday, Belize City police arrested and detained a person of interest whom they believed could have assisted in [...]

Vigil Held In Honor of Slain Teenager
Four days after the brutal slaying of sixteen year old Chryslin Gladden, a group of family members, former classmates and others who have endured the pain of losing a loved [...]

Belizeans Galvanize Against Crime and Violence
With the success of Wednesday’s vigil held in memory of Chryslin Gladden, today activist, Micah Goodin, announced that another vigil is to be held. It is planned for Friday August [...]

2014 UB Scholarships Awarded to Over Eighty Students
The University of Belize issued its annual scholarships for qualifying students today during a pre-semester ceremony at its main campus in Belmopan. Dozens of students gathered at the auditorium where [...]

Channel 5’s Airing of Costa Maya and If You Can Sing It, Bring It
And in a programming note stay tuned to this station for the following: La Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant airs at eight-thirty this Friday, August ninth, and repeats on [...]

Healthy Living Looks at Breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Month is being celebrated globally to encourage new and expecting moms to give their newborns the best start in life with breastfeeding. The overall aim is to have [...]

CTV3

Cane Farmer Receives Second Payment For 2013/2014 Crop Season
Cane farmers received their second payment for cane delivered for the 2013/2014 sugar crop. The crop has been described as successful and BSI has said it is one of the best seasons yet but the second payment to farmers is not as good as it has been for some time. Farmer’s payments have dropped significantly and is something that they are not too pleased about. We spoke with Vice Chair of the Committee of Management in the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Alfredo Ortega who spoke more about the second payment. Alfredo Ortega – Vice Chair, Committee of Management, BSCFA “Hoy, después de la experiencia de tres años de estar consiguiendo los $70.00 por tonelada aun que en el segundo pago siempre andamos alrededor de $68.00 para el segundo pago hoy esta vez solo estamos en $62.72 y se ve ese impacto de $6.00 menos de lo que hemos estado acostumbrados pero es la calidad de cana que al final estamos entregando, hoy que estamos colectando vemos el efecto en lo que el canero esta consiguiendo por tonelada de caña, también tenemos que recordar que este ano durante la cosecha agarramos alrededor de $4.65 más que los años anteriores, anteriormente estamos agarrando $38.83 este ano fuimos $43.07 así es de que eso tiene una diferencia también ahora en el segundo pago de que el segundo pago esta en range de doce centavos hasta el que vino en primer lugar de $17.93.”

1st Anniversary In Primary Education Program Held By UB
Representative of the University of Belize were in Orange Walk today to celebrate one year of the success in their Bachelors in Primary Education program. The program started in 2013 and today the students also joined in to celebrate the occasion. Coordinator Nestor Chan told us more about the program and others being provided here in Orange Walk Town by UB. Nestor Chan – Coordinator “We have also brought in a group from the secondary schools doing a diploma in education, our aim is to try to train as many students as possible, and we are also culminating the last group of the Cert. Ed, what we call the Cert. Ed. In primary education these student are now going into internship so we are happy that we have accomplished all of this and today we are celebrating it almost like an anniversary.”

30 Orange Walkenos Complete Vocational Training Program
30 residents of San Jose and Guinea Grass have completed a ten month vocational training in a sewing project under the auspices of the Social Investment Fund. A release from the basic needs trust fund says the Government of Belize financed the project in the northern communities to a tune of over $51 thousand dollars through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank. The training was a component of the San Jose Multi-purpose centre and Guinea Grass multipurpose centre sub projects implemented by SIF. Sewing was identified by the women’s groups as a skill since many of the, buy custom-made school uniforms or sometimes travel to other communities in search of a seamstress. Acquiring this skill, will allow these women to sew uniforms for their children and other families are reasonable prices.

PUP Weight In B.M.L. Workers Issue
Since Monday, Belize City media have been reporting on a protest from 50 angry Belize Maintenance Limited workers who hurled bags of garbage in front of City Hall after things came to a head because the Council owes their employer for 19 weeks of services or almost 1.48 million dollars. Things got dirty when employees returned on Monday to work and the company informed them that they cannot continue to support their payrolls. And while they made their sentiments known they paid the ultimate price since they were locked up for several hours and charged for littering.

Corozaleno Charged For Handling Stolen Goods
Twenty six year old Gabriel Mateo Catch, mechanic of Xaibe Village in the Corozal District was charged for the crime of theft of a motor vehicle and 34 year old Miguel Edgar Coral, welder from the village of Trial Farm in the Orange Walk District was charged for the crime of handling stolen goods at the Corozal Magistrates Court this morning. The charges stem from the theft of a 1995 blue Ford Ranger pickup truck which was stolen on July 31st from the garage of Gilberto Camal from the village of Xaibe. Based on investigations carried out by Camal, the vehicle was found at a garage in Orange Walk Town. The vehicle has a value of $5,000 dollars.

PM Pays Off BML Debt For City Council
Late this afternoon after much public scrutiny, Prime Minister Dean Barrow made the announcement at the Biltmore Hotel that the Government of Belize will pay the wages of the workers of Belize Maintenance Limited for the remaining life of the current sanitation contract with the Belize City Council. Barrow says said that the decision to pay the wages for the BML workers is not a political gesture but a response to the situation facing them. Dean Barrow – Prime Minister of Belize “But in effect what the letter does is to commit the government of Belize to pay the weekly salary of the B.M.L workers. Government will do this right through to the end of the contract between B.M.L and the Belize City Council. So we will assume the obligations of the Belize City council. Government has done this of course because there's no way we could not act in the face of a situation that saw workers either been having laid off or about to be laid off. For us this is not political, this is a matter of philosophical and deeply held conviction on the part of this government. I'm not going to comment in any judgmental way on the circumstances that produced a situation in which workers were either laid off or were in danger of being laid off; But this government knew, I certainly knew that we would have to find the money to ensure that these workers could continue being paid, well in fact employ the workers who's employment with B.M.L will of course come to an end if B.M.L no longer have the job of work that the contract provides for.

Police Speaks On Un-Muzzle, Ferocious Dogs Out On The Streets
You've probably heard nightmarish stories about Pit bulls and their supposedly dangerous natures. You may even have friends who own dogs but still believe that Pit bulls are unsafe and to be avoided. As animal lovers, we know by now that Pit bulls are not "killer dogs," or monsters more dangerous than any other breed. But it's frustrating to see so much misinformation persist. How did Pit bulls go from being a trusted breed years ago to one that is hated, vilified and feared today? And since 2010, there have been two deaths in Belize caused by the mauling of pit bulls.

Police Recovers Stolen Motorcycle
Apart from the stolen pickup truck, Corozal Police were also investigating the theft of a blue in color Meilun motorcycle with L/P CZL-M-0186 belonging to 66 year old Bernard Fox, Canadian Retiree of Paraiso Village in the Corozal District. According to police reports, the motorcycle was found in the Village of Crooked Tree in the Belize District. While police have retrieved the stolen motorcycle, they are looking for George Pitts from Crooked Tree for questioning. The public's assistance is being sought in locating Pitts. For context, on Saturday, Fox was socializing with nine male friends at his residence and after drinking he fell asleep. Fox woke up moments later only to find out that all his friends had left the residence. As he walked outside his veranda, Fox found out that his motorcycle which he had left parked on his verandah had gone missing.

Cane Farmer Dissatisfied With Second Payment
At the top of the newscast we told you about the second payment to cane farmers in the last crop season. While millions of dollars is being pumped into the Belizean economy today, cane farmers were the least satisfied with the outcome of the second payment. In the Corozal District cane farmers shared the same sentiments as those in Orange Walk; the second payment was not to their satisfaction. As compared to last seasons, there were no long lines at the banks giving the indication that cane farmers were in no hurry to collect their pay as it was much less than what they collected last year. Reporter Victor Castillo caught up with some cane farmers as they walked out of the bank. They shared with him their sentiments towards the second payment.

LOVE FM

Gillett Imprisoned and Fined: Three Years + 10K
Thirty year old Trevor Gillett became an inmate of Belize Central Prison today when he was found guilty of drug trafficking by Magistrate Herbert Panton and he was fined and confined. Gillett was sentenced to 3 years and he was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000. He was given until August 6, 2017 to pay the fine. If he defaults on payment of the fine he will serve an additional 3 years because the sentences are to run consecutively. The incident occurred around 8:45 p/.m. on June 15, 2013. Gillett was riding his bicycle on Partridge Street Extension when he was stopped by 3 police officers who were on foot patrol. When police searched Gillett they found 2 bags containing cannabis that amounted to 220 grams. One bag was in his right tennis shoes, while the other bag was in his left tennis shoes. Gillett testified but he did not say anything that helped his defense.

Fight With Half-Sister Sends Him To Prison
Thirty-seven year old Michael Tesecum was taken to prison today after he was found guilty of 2 counts of aggravated assault, damage to property and using insulting words. After finding him guilty of the charges, Chief magistrate Anne Marie Smith sentenced him to 2 years for each count of aggravated assault, 6 months for damage to property and 6 months for using insulting words. She stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently, so Tesecum will only serve 2 years. The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on February 3, 2014. The evidence gleaned by the prosecution was Tesecum began to throw stones at the house of his half- sister, Tasha Jerguson and as a result, he damaged 3 sheets of plycem, valued at $360.

Couple Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking
A common-law couple, 34 year old Richard Smith and 30 year old Sandra Thompson, were charged with drug trafficking for 203.8 grams of cannabis when they appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith. They pled not guilty to the charge. They each offered a bail of $1,000 and their case was adjourned until September 1. The prosecutor had objected to bail for Smith because he has 2 cases for drug trafficking for which trial is still pending. But Chief Magistrate Smith did not uphold the objection. She, however, offered him bail with stringent conditions. One condition is that he is to report to Queen Street Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Another condition is that he is not to commit any other offence while he is on bail.

Happy Ending to A Dirty Protest
About six hours later after the workers were dismissed from the courthouse in Belize City, Prime Minister, Dean Barrow was at the Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel bringing a solution for the forty plus residents who had major concerns about the stability of their jobs. Here is how the Prime Minister saved the day. PRIME MINISTER “It’s important to put this in context and the context is that from the very beginning these two sanitation contracts, Waste Control and BML, have been unsustainable. They represent too significant an outflow of municipal funds, the municipality cannot afford to service its operations and also service its priorities together with these contracts. We’ve been doing tremendous other works in infrastructure, in parks, in upgrades and this represented too much. I had used the figure from our 2012 independent financial audit to say that 40% of our revenue is consumed by sanitation services, 40%. That’s too much and I think part of this and the hope of moving forward because a tremendous amount of effort is going into planning the next phases of our delivery of service in the area of sanitation.

Jaguar Killed By Villager; Tapir Killed By Driver
The Forestry Department is investigating the killing of a female jaguar that took place on Tuesday August 5th in Sarteneja Corozal. The information LOVE NEWS has obtained so far is that Sarteneja residents reported from March this year to the Forestry Department that the feline was a threat to livestock. Upon receiving the report, the forestry department quickly sent a forestry officer to further investigate the report. According to the officer, two residents made reports that in February a sheep and four pigs were attacked and killed by the female jaguar. Furthermore, on July 11th the department received a report from a Sarteneja resident that he had lost of cattle and pigs and suspected it was the jaguar that attacked and killed them.

Bol Jointly Charged with Minor For Chrislynâ€™s Murder
Yesterday, the news of a minor being arrested and charged for the murder of 16-year-old, Chryslin Gladden caused quite a stir in the court of public opinion. While it is expected that the minor will be arraigned today in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, investigators at the CIB Branch at Precinct Two have arrested a second person in this homicide investigation. Love News understands that 23-year-old, Clement Bol, a construction worker of a Grace Avenue Address in Belize City handed himself in to police late last night and was subsequently arrested and is now being jointly charged with the minor for Gladden’s murder. Gladden’s body was found this past Saturday around six in the morning, bearing multiple stab wounds near an open grave at the Lord Ridge Cemetery.

PlusTV

Police reverse, hold charges against BML workers
PLUS News continues its coverage of the BML dispute with a review of Tuesday and Wednesday’s events. On Tuesday afternoon police made ready to present charges against 22 of the 41 arrested workers, all women. They were charged with taking part in a public meeting contrary to Section 6(3) of the Control of Public Meetings

Government intervenes on behalf of BML workers
The Government of Belize will pay the wages of the workers of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) for the remaining life of the current sanitation contact with the Belize City Council. The announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon by Prime Minister Dean Barrow during a press conference at the Biltmore Hotel. Prime Minister Barrow, in making

Clement Bol and minor charged for murder
Police have laid charges against a 17 year old female student of Doris Brooks Street, Belize City, and 23 year old Clement Bol Jr of Grace Avenue, Belize City, for the murder of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden this past Saturday. The pair appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith, where they were remanded until September

Human skull found in Independence
A human skull was discovered in the village of Independence, Stann Creek District, on Tuesday August 5th, when a 13 year old student was chopping grass at a yard on Dafodil Street in the new site area. According to Independence Police, the skull was discovered about 30 feet into a lot, and about 12 feet

Couple charged for drugs; woman tried to escape police
A couple from Belama Phase III in Belize City face charges of drug trafficking, and in the woman’s case, escape from lawful custody. On Monday, August 4, police went to the home of 34 year old Richard Smith and 30 year old Sandra Thompson. It is alleged that when the couple saw the police coming

Belizeans protest Israel-Gaza conflict
The ongoing standoff between forces of the Republic of Israel and the Palestinian Hammas has taken nearly 2,000 innocent lives since the start of hostilities a few weeks ago. Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, lobbed almost 4000 rockets directed at Israeli Cities. Israel responded with air raids followed by a ground attack. While there is

Jaguar killing in Sarteneja under investigation
There is an ongoing investigation into the killing of a Jaguar in the village of Sarteneja, Corozal, that is causing a lot of conflict. Plus News understands that the Jaguar showed up months ago and has since been terrorizing villagers. According to information received, two villagers reported to the Forestry Department that a sheep and […]

Footbolito begins in Independence Village
The annual Footbolito in Independence village kicked off this past Sunday, with a march around the community which ended at the Micheal Ashcroft Stadi...

The Guardian

PM Barrow commits to pay BML Employees
The government of Belize has given an assurance letter to the principals of Belize Maintenance Limited that commits it will pay 35 thousand dollars weekly for the company to keep on 170 workers on its payroll. Among those on the pay sheet is Lawrence Ellis, the owner of the company. Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, made the commitment at a press conference held on Wednesday, August 6. The conference was called shortly after he along with Minister of Human Development, Hon. Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez met with BML executives in the very room where the press conference was held. “The government cannot stand by to see workers laid off or about to be laid off,” stated the Prime Minister. He added that “this is not a political issue it is based on a deeply held philosophy,” of looking out for the poor. As part of the government’s taking up the wages, the Prime Minister sought to get a commitment from the Belize City Council to take on the employees after the termination of the BML contract in January of next year. That too was committed to by Mayor Darrell Bradley who explained that it will be a “challenging road ahead”.

Citco prepares for end of BML Contract
On Monday, August 4, workers of Belize Maintenance Limited demonstrated in front of Belize City Hall, throwing garbage on the street. They were frustrated after their employer has not been paying them. The Belize City Council owes the company 18 weeks of salary at 78 thousand dollars per week which now the company says is causing them not to be able to pay. The situation is one where the council and the company have been before, Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley has always maintained that the contract is too burdensome for the municipality. He has since taken steps to notify the company that their contract will not be renewed when it comes to an end in January of 2015.

Teen girl kills teen girl
The family, friends and classmates of 16 year-old Chryslin Gladden continue to mourn her loss after she was violently killed on Friday night, August 1.She was stabbed to death in the Lord Ridge Cemetery, and her body was left for others to find in a manner that her human dignity was taken away. Police have since charged a 17 year-old former classmate and friend of hers, who is currently at prison along with a man believed to be her boyfriend. That man is 23 year-old Clement Bol Jr., and they were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate on Wednesday, 06 August 2014, for the charge of murder. Due to the nature of the offence, the Chief Magistrate didn’t take any plea from them, and they were remanded to Belize Central Prison until September 5. Gladden had recently graduated from the Wesley High School, and she was getting ready to Attend UB. On Friday, August 1, she told her family that she would be going out with friends, and she left her house. A little over 11 hours later, police found her body in the Lord Ridge Cemetery. She had multiple stab wounds to the face and neck.

Massive Voter Turnout in Belize City Convention - UDP READY
On Sunday, August 3, sixteen outstanding candidates offered themselves to represent the United Democratic Party in the 2015 Belize City Council Election. Those individuals are Fredy Cantilliano, Hyacinth Latchman-Cuellar, Jason Edwards, Alifa Elrington, Dr. Alain Gonzalez, Samson Jacobs, Dion Leslie, Percy Lewis, Noreen Martinez, Bernard “B Q” Pitts Jr., Dean Samuels, Kevin Singh, Phillip Singh, Deon Sutherland, Michael Theus and Philip Willoughby. The outstanding 16 included teachers, doctors, attorneys, business owners and community workers. Unfortunately, only ten could be selected to contest the municipal elections. Considering the fact that there was no intense campaign period leading up to the Convention, the turnout on Sunday was extremely impressive. The energy and excitement of the candidates and supporters at the ITVET compound demonstrate clearly that the United Democratic Party has overwhelming support in Belize City.

Althea Sealy is Trailblazer of the Week
It's Trailblazer Tuesday! Today we celebrate the arts and the first Artistic Director of the Belize National Dance Company, Ms. Althea Sealy. Althea Sealy, born to Cutbert Sealy and Mitt Smith on December 26, 1960 in Belize City, is renowned for her love of and dedication to arts. Unknowingly, Althea earned her place among outstanding Belizean females first when she became the first Artistic Director of the Belize National Dance Company (BNDC) in October 1990. Althea Sealy has been dancing since she was eight years old, starting with the late Bob Reneau in the 1960s and 1970s. While her academic training was completed at Holy Redeemer primary school and Wesley College, she travelled regionally and internationally for her professional training in the USA, Cuba and Jamaica. She trained under the late talented Professor Eduardo Rivera of the National Dance Theatre of Santiago de Cuba.

Happy 14th Anniversary UB!
Today the University of Belize celebrates its 14th Anniversary as the national university of Belize. The University is proud to continue molding the minds of students while giving them the training needed to empower the nation. On August 1, 2000, the University of Belize (UB) was created from a merger of five institutions: the University College of Belize (UCB), the Belize Technical College (BTC), the Belize Teachers’ Training College (BTTC), the Belize School of Nursing (BSN), and the Belize College of Agriculture (BCA). UCB, BTC and BTTC were under the supervision of the Ministry of Education (MOE); BSN was under the supervision of the Ministry of Health (MOH); and BCA was under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). In 2004, the main campus was officially moved to Belmopan City. UB now offers programs from its main campus in Belmopan, and from three other locations: Belize City campus, Central Farm campus, and from its southern campus in Punta Gorda. UB also owns and manages two marine field stations at Calabash and Hunting Caye. The University wishes to thank the people and Government of Belize for their continuing support.

True Representation versus Lack of Representaton
Representation is a fairly straight forward concept. Wikipedia describes representation in the following manner: “In politics, representation describes how some individuals stand in for others or a group of others, for a certain time period. Representation usually refers to representative democracies, where elected officials nominally speak for their constituents in the legislature. Generally, only citizens are granted representation in the government in the form of voting rights; however, some democracies have extended this right further.” In democracies such as ours in Belize that extension refers to the daily running of the constituencies. When a Politician comes to the electorate for their vote he does so based on a manifesto which is a contract with the people that he is obligated to fulfill. When elected he becomes their representative and is expected to represent them and keep his manifesto promises.

Hattiville Chairman Still Missing
A team of law enforcement personnel are still out with relatives and friends of Kevin “Ras” Carcamo searching for the popular Chairman of Hattieville Village. Carcamo was last seen in the Freetown Sibun area on Sunday, July 20, where he was working as part of a seismic operation being carried out by Discoverseis Geophysical Services. It has been more than two weeks since Carcamo was last seen and his chances of survival shrink every single day. Police have not officially relabeled the mission from a rescue to a recovery operation but that time is getting closer. The company Carcamo was working for, Discoverseis, has already pulled out of the search to continue normal operations. However, they are still offering a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to his safe recovery.

Busted with Nine Millimeter Pistol
The Gang Suppression Unit was successful in removing another gun from the streets of Belize City when they busted 25-year-old Glenford Bain Jr. with a nine millimeter pistol in the Kraal Road area on Monday, August 4. Bain, a resident of #3834 Rivero Street, appeared in the Belize City Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 5, where he was charged with one count of keeping a firearm and one count of keeping ammunition without a license. According to police, officers of the Gang Suppression Unit were on mobile patrol near Rivero Street when Officer Sam Gladden spotted Bain and two other men. According to Gladden, when Bain noticed the officers he headed into a yard.

Guatemalan Housewife Convicted of Immigration Offense and Must Leave Behind 2-Year-Old Daughter
Erika Marilou Ortega Jolon, a 20-year-old Guatemalan housewife, was caught living in Belize illegally and on Tuesday, August 5, she was convicted of an immigration offense in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court forcing her to leave behind a two-year-old daughter. Jolon is a resident of Melchor De Mencos, Petén Guatemala. On Tuesday, she appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Hettie-Mae Stewart where she was read a single charge of failure to produce a visitor’s permit. According to reports, she entered Belize on July 10, 2014 through the Western Border and was granted a permit to remain in Belize until July 13, 2014. However, at about 7:00 a.m. on Monday, August 4, Jolon was stopped and removed from a bus at the Mile 5 ½ checkpoint on the George Price Highway. She was asked to produce her visitor’s permit but was unable to do so. Jolon was then taken into custody and handed over to the Belize Immigration Department for further investigation.

Sagitun FC and San Antonio FC co-leaders in the FFB President’s Cup Tournament
The FFB President’s Cup Tournament continued over the weekend with only two of the four games on the schedule played. On Saturday, August 2, at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village, the host team and co-leaders in this year’s competition defeated the visiting Progresso FC by the score of 3-1. The goals for the Sagitun FC were scored by Rollin Burgess in the 4th minute of play, Ashley Torres in the 40th minute of play and Dellon Torres in the 74th minute of play. Meanwhile, the only goal of the game for Progresso FC was scored by Marlon Miranda in the 35th minute of play. A game was scheduled to be played at the Norman Broaster Stadium that same evening between the Benque DC and Estrellas, it was the host team Benque DC that won via the default route over Estrellas.

Vega Cup Tournament continued at San Roman Village
The 2014 Vega Cup Tournament continued on Sunday, August 3, with four games on the schedule out at the San Roman Football Field in Orange Walk North. The result of the final game of the day was not available as the game did not finish as the goal keeper for the San Roman team had to leave the game because of an injury.

Health Hookup
Back to Basics – Size Matters During the 1990’s if you bought a plate of rice and beans chances are it was served on a paper plate and covered with a piece of foil paper. Today, you purchase rice and beans and you get it in a Styrofoam container. The portion of food increased between the paper plate to the container, but we still label it as one meal. Today we are going to address “servings” of food. I would highly recommend cutting out the illustrations and placing it in your kitchen or work place so you have a better understanding of what an actual serving is vs. what you believe it to be.

Youth Talks 1
Procrastination: Are you the typical person who finds him self doing things last minute or hesitating at doing a task. Do you put off doing things that would bring you closer to your desired goals? I know you do, but why are we so foolish? With all the important things we have; we somehow convince ourselves that none of these things need to be done right now. In other words we decide that some peace and relaxation in the short term is what is important. So we take another break, read another post on facebook, watch another TV show and just kick back and relax. And life is blissful for a little while. But then, suddenly the inevitable deadline has arrived. It’s panic time! This is what is known as procrastination. Procrastination is the action of delaying or postponing something. As human beings we have a tendency of doing things last minute. There are many causes to this and also, many methods to counteract these causes. The first common cause of procrastination is rebellion and laziness. We resent the task in front of us. We feel imposed upon. “I have to do this!!”

Leadership: A Natural Gift
Leadership can be defined as “the process in which an individual influences a group of individuals to attain a common goal”. Assuming Leadership can be one of the most difficult tasks an individual undertakes; nevertheless, it is possible. Whatever the goal is, it can be achieved through mutual understanding and cooperation. A leader instills a sense of optimism and guides others to that specified goal. Various theories have been created by psychologists to explain the traits of a leader. Some traits of a good leader are intelligence, self-confidence/outgoingness, and adjustment, open-mindedness, humbleness, and diligence. An individual possessing these traits is a sign of a good leader.

Statement Regarding the Murder of Chryslin Gladden
The Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow, expresses deepest condolences to the family of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden. The news of her brutal murder is deeply saddening and brings into sharp focus the appalling levels of violence present in our society. Her death has left many in a state of shock and profound confusion as to how or why someone could commit such a horrific crime against a defenseless teenaged girl. It is difficult to imagine the indescribable pain that her family is currently enduring. Chryslin was a recent high school graduate preparing for tertiary education and everything that life had in store for her until it was all prematurely taken from her in a ruthless and violent manner. Mrs. Simplis Barrow condemns in the strongest terms, these acts of violence, especially against our children.

Taiwan donates compactor trucks to CITCO
The Belize City Council received a donation of three compactor garbage trucks courtesy of the Taiwanese government. The donation was presented to Mayor Darrell Bradley by new Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Benjamin Ho on Wednesday, August 6. The donation comes after almost a year since the Mayor of Belize City and Councilor Eric Chang visited Taiwan and the Taiwanese government asked them in what areas they could be of assistance. Sanitation was one area identified and Taiwan offered to donate three trucks. It has been a year since and it is just now that the trucks were able to be shipped to Belize since the cost of shipping was some 30 thousand Belize dollars per truck and the finances could not be identified by the council. It was then that fundraising was done in Taiwan and the funds were able to be secured and finally the shipment was possible.

Team from U.S Embassy visits the San Ignacio Police Formation
A high powered team from the United States Embassy in Belmopan has visited the San Ignacio Police Formation. United States Ambassador to Belize, Carlos Moreno, accompanied by Luis Arreaga, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement for the Western Hemisphere INL, visited San Ignacio Police on Tuesday of this week to learn about their unique community policing approach to reducing crime. Present for the meeting was Officer in Charge of San Ignacio Police Dinsdale Thompson, Ernie Braun, Chairman of the Cayo Neighborhood Watch Association (CNWA) and Caesar Sherrard, head of the People’s Coalition of Cayo PCC. Also present in the conference room were members of the Zone Ten Neighborhood Watch Committee, the San Ignacio Rotary Club as well as Police Special Constables.

Katy Sealy sets new National Record in Heptathlon for Belize
The XX commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland has ended with England finishing on top of the medals count with a 150 medals, the most that country has won in 26 years, but for Belize and Katy Sealy, three new Personal Best times and a New National Record for Belize in her performance in the Heptathlon Competition at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, is the highlight of Belize’s performance at the Games. The Heptathlon Competition started out on Tuesday, July 29, with four of the seven events in this discipline. In the 100m Hurdles competition, Sealy set a new Personal Best when she finished the course in a time of 15.61. In the High Jump competition she also set a new Personal Best with a height clearance of 1.69m. She also competed in the 200m event and the Shot Put competition. On Wednesday, July 30, Sealy set yet another Personal Best in the Long Jump competition at 5.36m.

Firms Basketball competition rolls on at Bird’s Isle
The Belize District Basketball Association Firms’ competition continued at Bird’s Isle with a number of games played over the weekend. On Saturday, August 2, in the first game of the evening, Courts edged out Heritage Bank/Belize Keen O Lal Tours by the score of 54-50. The top scorers for Courts were Keith Pollard with 15 points and 13 rebounds and Jamal Pollard also with 15 points and 7 rebounds. For Hertiage Bank, the top scorers were Steven Bonnell with 16 points and 3 rebounds, Devon Defour with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Felix Martinez with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. In the second game of the evening, it was Complex winning over Central Health by the score of 66-57. The top scorers for complex were Rhetton Belisle with 17 points, Marshall Nunez with 16 points and Wilfred Richards with 14 points.

Minister Heredia Donates To Tourism Management Program
On Friday, August 1, 2013, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Civil Aviation, Honourable Manuel Heredia Jr. presented a cheque in the amount of $5,000 to the Dean of San Pedro Jr. College, Mr. Gustavo Ellis Sr. This cheque is the first of a two-part donation that Minister Heredia will be making to San Pedro Junior College to aid students from the college who wish to further their education through a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Management at the University of Belize. Minister Heredia commented, “This is the first half of a donation that is specifically aimed at assisting San Pedro Jr. College Students who want to pursue their Bachelor’s in Tourism Management at the University of Belize. As we know, tourism plays a major role in our economy, therefore, it is very important that we help those who have a passion for the industry to further their education in order for the tourism industry to continue to grow.”

Hurricane Price Survey released to prevent price gouging
It took three persons from the consumer protection section of the Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS) one month of work in different parts of Belize to complete, just last month, the Annual Hurricane Price Survey 2014. It offered a comprehensive snapshot of prices of both food and non food items. These items are considered essential in the eventuality of a Hurricane and the Price Survey was a proactive measure by the BBS to prevent the price gouging of customers during such an emergency. For the food items a total of 75 stores were checked and for the non foods, some 25 stores were also checked in both the mainland and the Cayes. The price of corned beef, sardine, chicken Vienna sausage and potted meat varies depending on the locations within the Country. The minimum price for a seven ounce Grace Corned Beef in Corozal Town is $3.15 and the maximum price is $3.50; getting an average price of $3.35. However; in Punta Gorda the same Grace Corned Beef has a minimum of $3.50 and a maximum of $3.75 and averagely priced at $3.52.

The First Indian Diaspora Conference In Belize
The Corozal Organization of East Indian Culture and Heritage (COEICH) and the National East Indian Council of Belize – Southern Chapter (NEICBSC), along with the National Institute of Culture and History of Belize (NICH) are having the first Indian diaspora conference in Belize. The theme of the conference is: “The First Indian Diaspora Conference in Belize: Highlighting Indian Culture and Contribution in a Multi-ethnic Society.” The first two days of the conference will be held in Corozal Town (Northern Belize) and the next two days will be held in Punta Gorda Town (Southern Belize). Academic presentations will be given by presenters from the United States, the Caribbean, and Belize. Other presentations will be given by elders and others from the Indian community in Belize. Some of the areas covered in the conference include race relations, entrepreneurship, dreams of young East Indians, medicine, identity, migration, indentured laborers, East Indian women, reparation, outstanding East Indians in Belize, and agriculture, including sugar cane and rice production and yellow ginger processing.

PUP dependency Syndrome at the Jungle
7 News aired a clip on the dreadful life experience of residents of the Pickstock Jungle apartments which ironically resides in the Fort George electoral division. While the situation is sad, and they are looking for handouts, it is unfortunate that they did not line up and bring political heat on their area representative Said Musa. Mr. Musa is responsible for that eye sore. While the apartments are free, he did not even consider running water lines to the units. Instead he gave them a community stand pipe. While he and his colleagues were busy lavishing on proceeds from Taiwan and Venezuela, this architect of the Super Bond gave his constituents a stand pipe. Said has been the representative for that area for almost forty years. Some of those apartments have been through three generations. Under Said's leadership we have seen five year olds receiving scholarship to UB, thirty million to Novelo's, Yen swap causing a ten million dollar loss, eighty eight million give away to an Ashcroft company, over twenty million given to Universal Health Service. To his constituents, he gave a stand pipe.

Belize Social Investment Fund continues to provide Entrepreneur Skills Training to Belizeans in Rural Communities
Residents from San Jose and Guinea Grass, Orange Walk District, who have successfully completed a vocational training in sewing, will receive ‘Certificate of Completion’ during Graduation Exercise at the Orange Walk Technical High School campus, at 10 a.m. on Saturday 9 August, 2014. The Government of Belize financed the 10-month sewing project for the 30 residents in the northern communities at a total cost of $51,440.00 through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The training of the residents in sewing was a component of the San Jose Multipurpose Center and Guinea Grass Multipurpose Center sub-projects implemented by the Social Investment Fund as part of its mandate to work in line with the Government’s poverty alleviation strategy.

Unpaid BML workers vent frustration at the wrong place - No Charges for BML employees
“Every time a situation comes up and this matter comes up, its poor people that suffers. Why does it have to be us that suffers?” – Helen Samuels, Employee of the Belize Maintenance Limited. On Monday, August 4, over 40 employees of the Belize Maintenance Limited were led by Delroy Herrera to protest in front of the Belize City Hall without a permit or even prior notice to the Belize Police Department. They were taken from BML’s office to City Hall in the company’s bus. The protestors assembled in front of City Hall with no placards. Instead, a BML truck parked in front of City Hall on North Front Street from which employees emptied bags of garbage in the middle of the street. The filthy street was a dispicable eyesore. The City Hall is next to the Fort Street Tourism Village and Zone. It is one of the busiest areas of the city but the commotion locked down the entire area. Traffic was diverted and police were called in to disassemble the angry mob. Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster informed the crowd that they were conducting an illegal protest because they did not apply for a permit.

Belmopan Day Celebrated
Belmopan Day was celebrated on Saturday of this past weekend. Community members were out in good weather at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium to mark the founding of Belmopan City. In a formal opening ceremony, Mayor Simeon Lopez reminded the residents of the history of Belmopan. Also present at the opening were the Senior Steps and the Maya Harp Dance Group, who provided local entertainment. Tents were set up at the periphery of the football field for various groups to showcase their works. Members of the National Emergency Management Organization were present to educate members of the public about disasters. So were the Mopan Maya and Ketchi performing their traditional dance steps and in full costume. Entrepreneur Kahlil Salazar, owner of Caribbean Premiere Products was out in full force with his staff for Belmopan Day to exhibit a new line of healthy fruit drinks made from orange juice and sour sop. Caribbean Premiere products is a spinoff of Toucan Matches and their plan is now to expand in other areas of natural fruit drinks such as guava and watermelon.

Corruption as defined by the PUP
Corruption, corruption, corruption…this is the chorus of a song that the PUP’s are now singing. Well the rhetoric continues with these presumptuous and pompous ‘donkeys’ (not allowed to use the colloquial term for donkey). Every good thing that this government does is hailed as corruption; Government fixes the streets-corruption, Government creates jobs-corruption, Government assists the less fortunate-corruption, Government gives educational assistance-corruption…you get the picture. Now obviously the word corruption must have changed meaning. Corruption is now defined in THE MODERN PUP DICTIONARY of Idiocy Revised Edition, as: (1) Verb, an act by a government which seeks to empower its people using the taxes it collects in a financially prudent manner. (2) Verb, another act by government which ensures that there is accountability in every aspect of governance.

Drone Flies over University of Belize Central Campus
Students from the Natural Resources Management Program (NRMP) at the University of Belize Central Campus in Belmopan were witnesses of the inaugural flight of a Parrot 2.0 Drone at about 10:00 am on Wednesday of last week. The Quadricopter is product of an initial collaboration between the University of Belize and Georgia State University and will now be useful in the remote sensing of geophysical, biological and other data. Interim Dean for the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) Dr. Pio Saqui says that the new equipment will present a new dimension of learning for students and amplify faculty members’ capabilities to do research for stakeholders in conservation, environmental management and other social services. Chair for the Science Department Cecy Castillo has also reacted positively to the drone by expressing that the use of the drone technology will enhance Geographic Information System course offered and will enable the University of Belize to expand on its research capabilities.

Roger Espejo present in the Jungle
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep” - Robert Frost Fort George Standard Bearer Roger Espejo continued to do the job of the Area Rep. this week in ‘the jungle’. “Slowly but surely, we’ll cure the ‘cancer’ in Fort George assured Mr. Espejo to Ms. Melva Williams upon delivery of her much needed door and in response to her criticism of the current area rep on the media recently.

Charged for Double Murder in Tacos Vendors Home invasion
Details of a home invasion that occurred on Mopan Street on June 26 was disturbing even for residents of Belize City, who have become accustomed to news of violent crimes.

Francisco Rodriguez Charged for Killing Jacqueline Arteaga in Kimmie’s Fire
Jacqueline Arteaga, 23, perished in a fire that destroyed four structures on Newtown Barracks early Wednesday morning, June 25. Arteaga was three months pregnant and was unable to flee from her apartment building which was located on the floor above Kimmie’s Bar. The fire was ruled an arson by investigators from the Belize Fire Service. Police investigation led to the arrest of Francisco Rodriguez, 23, who is believed to be Arteaga’s cousin. Rodriguez was arrested when police foiled an extortion attempt upon an Orange Walk businessman by Edwin Flores on July 25. The men are believed to be members of the notorious MS-13 gang and during police interrogations Rodriguez allegedly implicated himself in the Kimmie’s arson. He also implicated himself in an armed robbery that took place in the Cayo District. Rodriguez was taken to court last week where he pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

Andrew Talbert Gets Five Years for Gun and Ammo Conviction
Andrew Talbert, 22, was busted with a 9mm Glock pistol on Sunday, January 6, 2013. According to reports, police were conducting patrols near Dean and Plues Street when an officer saw Talbert ran behind a yard on Plues Street. The officer says he saw Talbert throw an object over a fence. Talbert was tracked down, taken back to the location where the object was thrown and a 9 mm glock pistol with one live round was found. In court on Monday, August 4, Talbert was found guilty of kept firearm and ammunition without being granted a gun license.

Patrick Jones

Belize Under-15 female football team defeated by Jamaica
The Jamaica Under 15 female football team humiliated their Belizean counterpart yesterday in Group C of the CONCACAF Championship which is being played in Grand Cayman. Jamaica defeated Belize by the score of 5 goals to nil in what one regional sports report called a “mauling.” of […]

Good weather heading into the weekend
Warm and relatively dry conditions are prevailing factors in our weather heading into the weekend. The general forecast for Belize and her coastal waters is for partly cloudy skies tonight. Friday will be sunny with only isolated showers or thunderstorms expected. Winds over the open sea and […]

Majority of BML workers will be hired
The Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) dispute is on its way to settlement and among the centerpieces of the agreement is a commitment by the City Council to hire BML’s former workers to their employ. But how is that defined from a staff of 170 employees including owner/manager Lawrence […]

Mayor sticks by bond and government support
The BML issue is at its core a financial issue, not only for the company, but for the City Council. To support its grand infrastructure redevelopment plan it entered into a $20 million municipal bond that ties up revenue streams for the Council including the annual subvention from […]

Police: Workers threatened to escalate garbage dumping
Commander of Operations for Eastern Division, Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster, has said that police acted on intelligence that suggested that Monday’s protest by the BML sanitation workers in front of City Hall was threatening to escalate to other parts of the City. This was the reason he gave […]

Orange Walk farmer found dead by his brother
The decomposed body of a farmer from Santa Martha village was found this morning in a field in the village. He has been identified as 57 year old Orlando Efrian Cortez. Preliminary reports received say that the discovery was made by the Cortez’ brother this morning in […]

Clement Bol and minor charged for murder
Police have laid charges against a 17 year old female student of Doris Brooks Street and 23 year old Clement Bol Jr of Grace Avenue for the murder of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden this past Saturday. The pair appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith where they were […]

Belize Has An Unjust, Unbalanced And Broken Tax System
By Richard S. Harrison, BSc Pharm, MBA A fair and balanced tax system is important for any economy seeking to grow investments…whether domestic or foreign…because it should earn government the amount it needs to provide essential services and infrastructure, while allowing private investments to make honest profit and workers to earn fair wages that can […]

Blogs

Getting a new Belize ID card and closing accounts
When we got to the office on Middle street, it was very fast. They confirmed that both of us had been in Belize the required amount of time then we filled out paperwork, they took our pictures and wanted passport copies. Since Shirlee forgot hers she has to go back, they took the photo copy I brought and opted to do one of their own as well. My ID card should be ready within a month and the they said they will call me when it’s done. More about what it takes to get a voter ID: You are from a commonwealth country and have lived in Belize for a year without leaving and been at least 2 months in the area where you are registering in our case San Pedro. Bring a photo copy and hard copy of passport. Anyone who is Nationalized or is a Belizean needs bring their passport or birth certificate and Social Security card. The office is located in the same building as the Post Office on Middle Street – 226-2220.

Spotlight on Another Belizean Eco-Hero
In his home village of Gales Point Manatee, he has always been, in his words, “just that kid trying to save manatees.” As a child playing in his grandparents’ front yard Galves could watch researchers study and tag manatees, and a lifelong fascination was born. By the time he was a teen Galves was volunteering on the research boats, cleaning up and helping with various tasks.

International Sources

Hollywood celebrities help to protect Belize reefs
A trio of Hollywood celebrities recently took their star power to Belize to help protect the largest reef in the Western hemisphere. Cobie Smulders, Rashida Jones and Angela Kinsey traveled to coastal Belize, where they raised awareness for this delicate ocean ecosystem and promoted Oceana's ongoing work in the country. Cobie Smulders, of "How I Met Your Mother" fame, filmed a new Oceana PSA in the stunning South Water Caye Marine Reserve, where she visited a unique island made of mangrove trees. She swam through this critical habitat that is home to juvenile reef fish and provides shelter for them to grow before they settle on the nearby barrier reef. Once back on dry land, Smulders remarked on how amazing it was to see such a diverse and important habitat just beyond the surface of the water. "Maybe because it's underwater people don't really think about it as much, but this reef is Belize and you just want it to always be there," said Smulders. "It was really interesting to see how necessary these habitats are for the good of the reef. Oceana works really well with local governments and communities to empower them and educate them in how to preserve their local marine habitats," she added.

Jamaica maul Belize 5-0 in under-15 CONCACAF Championship
Jamaica’s Under-15 female footballers mauled Belize 5-0 at the TE McField Sports Complex and joined Costa Rica who defeated Anguilla 5-0 atop of Group C of the CONCACAF Championship underway in Grand Cayman. Both Jamaica and Costa Rica are on three points but the young Reggae Girls are on top with a superior goal difference. Jamaica missed at least eight chances in the first 10 minutes before Striker Chavelle Henry opened the floodgates in the 15th minute nodding home a Shanhaine Nelson left sided cross. Monique Perrier doubled the advantage with a shot from just outside the box as Jamaica went to the break two goals up. The outstanding Nelson then make it three nil from the penalty spot in the 40th minute before Sherice Clarke made it four nil with a fine solo effort, gliding past three players in the 45th. The towering Tarania Clarke scored a 35 metre effort for Jamaica’s fifth and final goal two minute later in the 47th minute. Jamaica will next play Anguilla on Saturday while Costa Rica tackle Belize at the same venue.

Rashida Jones, Cobie Smulders, and Angela Kinsey Dive In To Help Protect Belizean Reefs
A trio of Hollywood celebrities recently took their star power to Belize to help Oceana protect the largest reef in the Western hemisphere. Cobie Smulders, Rashida Jones and Angela Kinsey traveled to coastal Belize, where they raised awareness for this delicate ocean ecosystem and promoted Oceana’s ongoing work in the country. Cobie Smulders of “How I Met Your Mother” fame filmed a new Oceana PSA in the stunning South Water Caye Marine Reserve where she visited a unique island made of mangrove trees. She swam through this critical habitat that is home to juvenile reef fish and provides shelter for them to grow before they settle on the nearby barrier reef. Once back on dry land at the Pelican Bay Resort, Smulders remarked on how amazing it was to see such a diverse and important habitat just beyond the surface of the water.

Destinations Mine Underground Caves for Tourism Dollars
Most tourists don’t go looking for damp dark destinations; however, some who have fallen in love with the sport of caving are traveling worldwide to find the best spots. Others happen into the activity through circumstance or hotel brochure. Caving is a potentially dangerous activity that can be deadly without proper equipment or assistance. For this reason, it is one activity that is almost always done in coordination with a tour operator that requires tourists to wear a helmet, harness and cave suit. Caving is available in a surprisingly broad range of locations from Kentucky to Belize. Even more developed European destinations including Belgium and Spain promote caving as part of their outdoor activity options.

Francis Ford Coppola Talks Travel
The filmmaker on the best luggage, life's greatest luxury and how 'Apocalypse Now' made him a hotelier. THE STORY OF what got Francis Ford Coppola into the hotel business is one of a simple plan that became complicated. It started with the making of his Vietnam War epic, "Apocalypse Now," released 35 years ago next week. Though shooting in the jungles of the Philippines pushed Mr. Coppola to his limits psychologically and financially, he nonetheless grew attached to the setting. "When you work or stay in a location for a long time, as I did, you fall in love with it," said Mr. Coppola, now 75. "David Lean, when he made 'Lawrence of Arabia,' couldn't bear to leave the desert. Well, I felt the same way about the jungle." He later considered buying a nearby island, but at the urging of his wife, Eleanor, found something closer to the U.S.—a remote, rundown lodge in Belize. "I just wanted to have a place to go off in the jungle and write," he said. That's not what happened. As the Coppolas improved the property, they needed caretakers. Guests were inevitable. "If you say yes enough," he said, "you'll find yourself in the hotel business." In 1993, his Blancaneaux Lodge opened to the public. Over the next 21 years came the Turtle Inn in Belize; La Lancha on Lake Petén Itzá in Guatemala; Jardín Escondido in Buenos Aires; and, in 2012, Palazzo Margherita in his ancestral village of Bernalda, in southern Italy.

Big cats and wild places conjured at Holderness science center
Alan Rabinowitz, a pioneer in wildlife conservation, will visit the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center on Route 113 in Holderness on Saturday to shares some tales about protecting the world’s big cat specials and last wild places. Rabinowitz, the chief executive officer of Panthera, will give his presentation at the center’s annual Summer Celebration at 6 p.m. Dubbed “The Indiana Jones of Wildlife Conservation” by Time Magazine, Rabinowitz has traveled the globe to study jaguars, clouded leopards, Asiatic leopards, tigers, Sumatran rhinos, bears, leopard cats, raccoons and civets. His work in Belize resulted in the world’s first jaguar sanctuary, while his efforts in Taiwan led to the establishment of this country’s largest protected area and last piece of intact lowland forest.

US, 16 nations conducting PANAMAX 2014 Exercise
PANAMAX 2014, an annual U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)-sponsored multinational exercise focused on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal, will take place Aug. 8-14 at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. USSOUTHCOM and Marine Corps Forces South personnel, headquartered in Miami, as well as personnel at Navy Forces South in Mayport Naval Station, Jacksonville, Fla., and Air Forces Southern at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, are among the U.S. participants taking part in the exercise. Sixteen additional nations will join the U.S. during the seven-day exercise and use simulations to command and control multinational sea, air, land, cyber and land forces defending the vital waterway and surrounding areas against threats from violent extremism, natural disasters and pandemic outbreaks. Participating nations this year include Brazil, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the United States.

How to kill a lobster and not feel guilty
Barrister invents 'Crustastun' machine which electrocutes it to death with 110-volt shock. Robert Elwood, professor of animal behaviour at Queen’s University, Belfast, has made a study of whether crustaceans suffer pain. For instance, he’s found that hermit crabs, when given electric shocks, abandon their shells and seek an empty shell as refuge. Anyone who has seen a lobster plunged into boiling water will see how it reacts by violently flipping its tail as if in distress. Most chefs privately dislike cooking lobster — often passing the job to a low-ranking kitchen worker. Lobsters, unlike many fish and shellfish, have to be cooked very soon after coming out of sea-water. Once caught, they rapidly lose weight as they dry out. This is why they are put straight into the pot. Another reason is that lobsters harbour microbes that cause them to rot quickly when dead — a serious food-poisoning risk. Leave it too long, and there will be little or no meat in the shells, they will taste terrible, and you risk illness. Better to cook and kill them at one go, most chefs reason. But is there a way of killing a lobster humanely before cooking it? One method involves piercing its central nervous system using a sharp instrument. This kills it instantly. But skill and experience are needed to know exactly where to jab. It is rarely done, except by expert chefs in specialist seafood restaurants. One chef, however, may have found a pain-free solution. The Italian Giorgio Locatelli, who runs his restaurant Locanda Locatelli near London’s Oxford Street, has revealed how much he hates killing lobsters. He says he has heard them scream when dunked in the pan. Haunted by these sounds, he has introduced a machine to his restaurant that is said to kill lobsters, crabs and other crustaceans without pain. The ‘Crustastun’ is the size of a small suitcase. Once a lobster has been plucked from its tank, it is placed in the machine, which has been filled with saltwater. The equipment is then locked, triggering a 110-volt shock. The lobster is stunned and unconscious within a second — and dead after ten.

Videos

Video: gopro Vacation in Belize, 19min.

Video: GoPro Video Reveals (Maine) Lobster's Journey From Ocean To Plate, 4min.
Zagat just released an awesome video (embedded above) that follows the path of one lobster all the way from off the coast of Maine to the dinner plate of their editor James Mulcahy at Oceana restaurant in Manhattan. The Zagat team even strapped a GoPro camera in waterproof casing to the lobster's head to give you a lobster-eye view on the whole affair. The whole effect is a little macabre -- but also very enlightening.

Video: Stunning costumes for #ReinaDeLaCostaMaya 2014, 14sec.

Video: Belize Dive Teaser, 2min.
A teaser to show you the scuba diving life in Belize with a few sexy Canadians.

Video: Bull Shark in Belize bites camera, 1min.
Bull Shark and I playing chicken. We collided.

Video: Belize Diving 2014, 4min.
SCUBA Diving from Hamanasi Resort Hopkins Belize, Glovers reef.

Video: Kayaking the Caves Branch River Belize, 9min.
Kayaking the Caves Branch River in Belize with Maya Guide Adventures. 2014 Music by Andy Palacio.

Video: Belize GoPro Video, 8min.

August 7, 2014

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

Six contestants to vie for the Miss San Pedro title
Organizers of the Miss San Pedro Pageant have released the names of the six contestants that will grace the stage as they vie to become the island’s next beauty ambassador. They are Michelle Estrella Nuñez, Doris Celine Soriano, Maria Elma Gonzalez, Daphney Therese Panti, Ileny Linel Aguilar and Janelli Felicta Ack. The pageant has been set for August 30th and will be the first event to kick off the September celebrations. The pageant is scheduled for 7:30PM on Saturday August 30th at the Honorable Luis “Cuz” Silvestre Sporting Complex. Doors will be open as of 6PM and seating must be done by 7PM. Reserve tickets are $25, general admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children.

Belize U-15 Female Football Team leaves for the Cayman Islands
Belize’s national Under-15 female football team traveled on Monday, August 4th to the Cayman Islands for the inaugural Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) U-15 Female Championship scheduled to take place from Wednesday, August 6th to Sunday, August 17th. The tournament includes the participation of 16 national teams from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. Joining the Belizean delegates travelling to the Cayman Islands, are three San Pedro residents. Head coach for the U-15 female football team is Alex Noralez, teacher at San Pedro High School, while Ada Cordova and Chelsea Zetina are team members

Katia Marin adds to her pet-care skills
Katia Marin, owner of Pampered Paws and Director of Saga Humane Society, recently added another impressive achievement to her portfolio in animal behavior and pet training. As a huge animal lover, Katia is always eager to learn new ways to care for and understand them. Therefore, during the month of June, Katia participated in two workshops in the United States of America (USA). The first workshop was hosted at Cesar Millan’s Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, California, and it entailed pack walk training, e-collar training, treadmill workouts and swimming workouts. Katia participated as a volunteer, assisting in the organization and administration of events during the workshop. She also participated in mediation practices under the guidance of Cesar Millan, who is a renowned animal behavior expert, best-selling author, public speaker, and internationally acclaimed star of the TV shows “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan” and “Leader of the Pack”.

Ambergris Today

Six Beautiful Young Ladies to Vie for Miss San Pedro Title
The Miss San Pedro Pageant Committee officially announces today, Wednesday, August 6, 2014, that six local island ladies will be participating in the Miss San Pedro Pageant and vying for the coveted title of Miss San Pedro 2014. Michelle Estrella Nuñez, Ileny Linell Aguilar, Daphney Therese Panti, Janelli Felcita Ack, Doris Celine Soriano and Maria Elma Gonzalez will be taking center stage on Saturday, August 30, 2014, as they pursue their dreams of wearing the Miss San Pedro crown and become San Pedro’s beauty ambassador. The pageant will take place on Saturday, August 30, at the Hon. Louis "Cuz" Sylvestre Sports Complex under the theme “Beauty in Bloom”. Gates will open at 6p.m. with seating at 6:30p.m.; Reserved tickets will go for $25, General Admission for $15 and Kids tickets are $5.

Scholarships for International MBA in Peru Available for Belizeans
The application deadline has been established at September 5, 2014-08-05 The announcement can be viewed at www.oas.org/scholarships. Questions regarding admission can be sent to [email protected] and questions regarding the scholarship sent to [email protected] and [email protected].

25 Years Ago: The Circus Is Coming To San Pedro Village
Circuses are very scarce in coming to town and so it was many years ago in San Pedro but in the 1950’s the village of San Pedro had the distinct pleasure of a visit of a circus. You guessed right! The excitement mounted that day from the time the boat arrived to the final minutes when the grand show was to commence. For all of the children and even most of the people, it was the first time we even heard of the word “circus”. We noticed a huge tent being set up in the backyard of Mr. Nando Trejo which is the present day the corner of Pescador Drive and Pelican Street. We had never seen such a huge tent and we kept wondering what in the world was going to happen there. Someone had commented that there was a man who would eat a snake and that stirred up quite a thrill.

Saga Hosts Costa Maya Delegates at Furball Fashion Show
Every year prior to the Costa Maya Festival, Saga Humane Society has the privilege of hosting the pageant contestants at a fundraiser for the non-profit organization. The eight beautiful delegates become volunteers for the organization and help to raise much needed funding for their day to day operations and service to the island. This year Saga Humane Society held a Furball Fashion Show that teamed up the delegates with cute furry friends that are up for adoption at the humane society. Donned with apparel provided by Forever Fancy Boutique, the ladies rocked the fashion runway at Wet Willy’s as they helped raise money for a great cause. It was a great experience for everybody involved, knowing that all the fun, work and effort goes to a worthy cause.

Misc Belizean Sources

MAYOR HOSTS COSTA MAYA CONTESTANTS (28 photos)
Mayor Daniel Guerrero hosted the Costa Maya Contestants at the tranquil Blue Water Grill for lunch where they chatted a bit and they shared their experiences in Belize with the Mayor and Councilors present. The Mayor presented each contestant and reigning Miss Costa Maya a welcome gift so that they may always remember San Pedro back home. Miss Guatemala and Miss Belize also presented the Mayor with a gift themselves which contained various items as a token of appreciation. Lastly, the Contestants were given a tour of the Hon. Louis "Cuz" Sylvestre Sports Complex where the Festival will take place.

Vacancy at BEL
A vacancy exists at Belize Electricity Limited for the post of Accounting Clerk III in the Finance Department.

Attention all Corozal Producers
BELTRAIDE continues to promote MSMEs and through EXPORTBelize is requesting contact information for producers of coconut oil, coconut water and cohune oil! There are immense opportunities for these products in regional and international markets and we would like to engage in discussions with producers. This has been validated by queries received from importers and distributers from CARICOM, Central America, United States and Canada, hence the reason to engage producers to these potential business opportunities.

Costa Maya 2014 Delegates Official Bikini Photo Shoot (48 photos)
at Ramon's Village - Miss Belize

Corozal Predators Basketball team head to Escarcega, Mexico
This weekend August 8th & 9th to represent Corozal in Mexico. We wish our Predators and the entire organization, the best of luck. Here is hoping they bring back the gold.

Final course in the Summer Art Wave program
s underway this week at the House of Culture. Traditional Toy making with Mr. Armando Cobb; during the first two days participants produced their own kites and 'caparuchos'( mango seed spin tops)! (8 photos)

Tie Dye Summer Art Program
The Winsom Foundation teamed up with Express Oh to create the Tie Dye Summer Art Program. "ONLY TWO DAYS TO GO....LEARN TO CENTER & LOOK INSIDE USING MEDITATIVE TIE DYE...ONE DAY SESSION DURING WORKSHOP."

Round-about at the entrance to Corozal Town
has been taken down. We hope a more functional and practical one, with its full aesthetics, representing Corozal's history is erected. Sections of the main highway have been concreted and works are in progress. BWSL continues its work on 5th Avenue as well.

Power interruption Corozal District
Power interruption scheduled for entire Sarteneja Village, Corozal District on Thursday, August 7, from 8:00am to 11:00am. This scheduled power interruption is necessary for BEL to relocate a power line structure in Sarteneja Village.

Power interruption Placencia Peninsula
Power interruption 9:00am to 10:00am, Thursday, August 7, Placencia Peninsula: from Coco Plum Development to Caribbean Way, including The Plantation, Maya Beach, Belize Lands Development and Forest Lagoon Estate. BEL to energize a transformer in the area.

Channel 7

Chryslin's Killers Charged
Today a 17 year old girl and her 23 year old boyfriend were taken to court for the murder of 16 year-old Chryslin Gladden – who was stabbed to death in the Lord Ridge Cemetery on Saturday. The female minor is one of Chrislyn's former classmates. Tonight, she and her reputed boyfriend, 23 year-old Clement Bol are in jail after they were arraigned on a joint charge of murder. Both Bol and the minor appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith, in a hearing which the media was not allowed to witness – because of the involvement of a minor. Due to the nature of the offence, the Chief Magistrate didn't take any plea, and they were remanded to Belize Central Prison until September 5. As we told you, Gladden had recently graduated from the Wesley High School, and she was getting ready to Attend UB. Last week Friday, August 1st, she told her family that she would be going out with friends, and left her house at 7:00 am. A little over 11 hours later, police found her body in the Lord Ridge Cemetery with multiple stab wounds to the face and neck – the ones to the neck were fatal.

180 Degrees of Difference for BML Workers, As "Daddy Dean" Intercedes
What a difference a day has made for the 40 – plus BML employees. Yesterday, they were facing major fines and multiple criminal charges – ad tonight they are free and clear of those charges – and more than that they are going to be re-hired! How did all this happen so fast? Well there's no other way to say it, "Daddy Dean" stepped in to clean up the mess. That's the news tonight, but to tell you how it all went down – we start at court this morning. 19 of the 41 employees had to return to court for their charges – this is after the first 22 – all of them women - were charged yesterday. But instead of being forced to appear before the magistrates, the 19 had a completely different outcome – all their charges were dropped! Daniel Ortiz has that story: Daniel Ortiz "The other half of the BML workers who hadn't been arranged yesterday, showed up back to court answering their summons, readying themselves to face the charges laid against them. Their family, friends and persons who would sign for them sat down in the shade expecting that it would be another very long day in the sweltering heat, waiting for the magistrate's court to accommodate them. But an hour of so after they had reported to court news came down that the police senior command was in negotiations for all charges to be dropped, reportedly with some not so gentle prodding from central government."

How PM Dean Saved Mayor Darrell
But what about their jobs? After all, that's what started this whole thing in the first place! Well, seems "Daddy Dean" has cooked up a solution to that too…. Prime Minister Dean Barrow hosted a press conference at 4:00 this afternoon to outline how his Administration would intervene into the BML/City Hall dispute to make things right going forward. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister "An understanding was reached between government and B.M.L and between the Belize City council and B.M.L. Yesterday evening after I became aware of the details of the situation that saw the B.M.L engage in their protest action and after I had been acquainted back and forth between the Belize City council and B.M.L. I got in touch with Mr. Ellis who's the owner/manager of B.M.L and arranged for my representative in the person of economics affairs ambassador Mark Espat to sit with Mr. Ellis; to try and agree on the contours of the intervention that I have told Mr. Ellis government was prepared to make. Mr. Ellis and ambassador Espat did meet and that meeting resulted later on in the issuing of a letter on the part of the Government of Belize to Mr. Lawrence Ellis and Belize Maintenance Limited. What that letter does and I can read it in full for you if that appears to be necessary. But in effect what the letter does is to commit the government of Belize to pay the weekly salary of the B.M.L workers. Government will do this right through to the end of the contract between B.M.L and the Belize City council.

Bradley's Flip-Flops on Litter Tickets: His Human Side Came Out
So, as we've reported, all charges will be dropped, and the ticket fines for littering will be waived, which means that the workers aren't expected to pay that $500. But yesterday, Mayor Darrell Bradley flatly rejected the idea of doing what the Prime Minister announced that the City Council intended to do. During that interview, when the angry BML workers swarmed him demanding that he speak to them face to face, he was asked that question. He said that abiding by the new policy of avoiding political interference of paying ticket fines to City Hall, he wasn't prepared to entertain that idea. Here's how that conversation went: Reporter "Will you strike off the tickets for littering? Will you continue fining them at 500 dollars each?"

Carcamo Family Makes Heartbroken Plea for His Return
Hattieville Chairman Kevin Carcamo has been missing for 17 days now and his family has gone from despair to desperation. Today they held a press conference at the Hattieville Community center to make a plea to anyone to please bring him home to them, dead or alive:… Georgia Blaire – Kevin Carcamo's Sister "So we just need for all my nieces that are here and all my nephews to have comfort of knowing he's okay. Even if he's gone just let us know so we can do the proper thing. If it' money, let us know; I'm not rich but we can figure it out. If it's something you need let us know we can figure it out just give him back to us, it doesn't matter which way. I want answers from the company. This morning I spoke Mr. Martinez and of course they're going to brush me off, it is what it is, and their opinion; But my question is, how to leave somebody in the bush? When you go in as a group you come out as a group. Do we not do head counts; How do we know that there is not a serial killer out there that's chopping people down in Belize, how do we know that?

Melonie Coye Claims Arthur Saldivar Has 900K Of Her Money
Attorney Arthur Saldivar is under pressure tonight – the Coye family whom he helped recover 1.6 million dollars – is now accusing him of helping himself to more than half the money! It's an extraordinary claim against the well-known attorney and politician, but it's no rumour! 7News has learned that Melonie Coye has retained the law firm of Courtney Coye LLP to recover over nine hundred thousand dollars that she claims he helped himself to. She alleges that on June 12th. she went with Saldivar to the Central Bank to recover 1.6 million dollars of her family's money from the Financial Intelligence Unit. It took them until 8:30 pm to finish counting the money, which was in cash.

BML Attorney Matura Shepherd says All This Chaos Could Have Been Avoided
So, as we outlined at the top of the news – things are returning to normal for the 41 BML workers: they're getting their jobs back – and their criminal charges will be dropped. The Prime Minister wanted to meet with them personally today at the Biltmore to give them his assurances, but based on advice, they decided to send representative, Delroy Herrera. Their attorney Audrey Matura Shepherd today told the media that all this could have been avoided:… Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney "I do regret however from Monday when things clearly was out of control it was all over the media, people knew how bad the conditions were, that the higher ups did not intervene then. Yesterday Tuesday again it was a circus out at court, those people were left out there to punish them all day just waiting. There was no intervention and finally today when were to go back to court there was an intervention. I mean it's not too late but we could have avoided all that resources wasted."

Rt. Hon. Musa "Shocked" At BML Arrests
And, like Matura, the PUP believes that it should not have gotten to lockdown, charges or fines in the first place. Former Prime Minister Said Musa was in the Battlefield Park staging a licensed demonstration on a different issue, and while we had the opportunity we asked him about the decision to criminally prosecute the workers for their protest in front of City Hall on Monday. Now, during the end of the tenure of the Musa Administration's second term in office, his Government faced sustained protest – and not with 41 people throwing garbage! In fact, there was a street riot in 2005 and chaos on at least a handful of occasions. Those cases resulted in arrests and dramatic police action, but, still, he told us that he was shocked to see the BML workers being locked up: Rt. Hon. Said Musa "I was completely shocked. I think the whole thing is outrageous, the way these poor citizens of our country, these poor hard working people are being treated; by the administration, by the authorities, starting with the mayor and the Belize City council. But it shouldn't stop there because the mayor and the Belize City council would not be acting the way they're acting with such arrogance if they do not get the guidance from up above, from the national government, from the prime minister right down.

Did Delroy Provoke?
And one more matter on the periphery of the standoff by BML Workers is the influence of activist Delroy Herrera. He's received some criticism because there is the perception that he provoked the illegal action which the BML workers ended up being charged for. The suggestion is that because there wasn't a permit granted, the workers shouldn't have protested. So, when Herrera was released after 7 p.m. on Monday, we asked him about the way the protest was staged. He said that it was spontaneous, and out of his hands from the beginning: Hipolito Novelo, LOVE News "Why was it that a permit was not attained prior to this day?" Delroy Herrera- Organizer "Because this was nothing that was planned, this was spontaneous frustration by the workers. We were talking about certain information that was passed down on the media and so forth by Darrel saying that he has been in communication with the workers and B.M.L which is a blatant lie. What we wanted to do was to just go in front, when we move first of all spontaneously we were just to go in front and just present the 50 workers who had already been temporarily terminated. It just went out from there with frustration, so it was spontaneous."

Belize City Protest Against The Bombing in Gaza
If you've been following the international news, you will know that since July 8th, Israel has been bombing Palestine in the Gaza territory. And while international conflicts don't usually make local news, today a few members and sympathizers of the Local Muslim community brought the matter to the forefront with a protest in Battlefield Park. They believe that the plight of those civilians in the embattled states should be important to all those who respect human dignity: Rt. Hon. Said Musa "Over 1,900 innocent civilians have been bombed and killed and Belize is a part of the world community and we should express our outrage and our shock at this senseless killing that is going on; Because we want the world to pay attention to what is happening in Belize as well, with all the senseless killing of young people and children taking place in our country. Senseless, senseless death, murder taking place in our country and we believe that the Gaza situation should shock the conscience of the world and that is why I'm out here to protest; also of course the fact remains that I have Palestinian heritage in my upbringing. My father was a Palestinian, my family from my father's side have been disposed from their land and driven out of their land, so I have every reason to show my concern."

Sarteneja Community Supports Killing Of Problem Jaguar
Yesterday morning at 11:00, a jaguar was killed in Sartaneja village. This is the picture which was posted on FaceBook with the caption, quote, “Finally the village will stop being afraid. it was a big one,” end quote. This sparked outrage on social media and drew consternation from conservationists. When we spoke to one of the villagers, however, she told us that the animal has been killing livestock for months, and several attempts were made to contact Shipstern Conservation & Management Area, before one of the villagers acted in self-defense when the Jaguar attacked, killing it in the process. According to the villagers, a man was walking his 5 dogs when the adult jaguar attacked. The animal then turned on him, but one of the dogs barked, distracting it. When the jaguar pounced on the dog, the villager, in his panic, chopped the jaguar in its head before running away. They said that this was the last resort after months of waiting for the proper authorities to take merciful action.

Trevor The Trafficker
30 year-old Trevor Gillett is spending his spending the first night of a 3 year sentence after he was convicted of drug trafficking in Magistrates Court today. 3 police officers testified against Gillett before Magistrate Herbert Panton that on June 15, 2013, at around 9 p.m., he was riding his bike on Partridge Street Extension. That's when he encountered the officers who were on foot patrol. They stopped and searched him for drugs and guns. Inside his right tennis shoe they found 2 bags of weed, to a total weight of 220 grams – or 7.76 ounces. In his defence, Gillett denied that he had the drugs on him.

9 Days Later, Dwayne Still Missing
Last week we told you about 24 year old Dwayne Young, a caretaker in Burrel Boom who went missing on July 28th after a domestic dispute. 9 days later, he still hasn't been found. According to a co-worker, he went missing after being threatened and later assaulted by a young man whose car was parked in front of Young's girlfriend's home. Reports say that on Monday night that man was detained, but still, his whereabouts are unknown.

Woman Uses Pregnancy To Escape Police Custody
30 year-old Sandra Thompson and 34 year-old Richard Smith are out on bail tonight after she was taken to court for drug trafficking. But, Thompson almost didn't make it there because she escaped from police by playing on their sympathies as a pregnant woman. Police say that they were on patrol on Hibiscus Street on Monday, they saw the couple on a motorcycle. The officers said that when the couple recognized that they were police, Thompson allegedly threw a bag over her shoulder into the drain. They officer stopped them, and then retrieved the bag that they threw away. They discovered that it contained 7.18 ounces of weed – almost half a pound. The couple was then arrested and charged with drug trafficking. Later that night, police say Thompson concocted a plan to escape.

Remembering Chryslin
All week we have been reporting on the tragic murder of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden, and this evening, her close friends and family honoured her memory and publicly mourned her loss with a candlelight vigil and procession. It brought out hundreds of friends, family members, and supporters who marched in solidarity with a message of peace. Robin Schaffer was there:… Robin Schaffer "When we spoke to the supports, they say that all they want is peace." Andrew Munnings - Spokesperson "We are out there today as youths, as Belizeans to say that we have had enough of the crime and violence in Belize. As you can see this turn out is magnificent. Over 100 people, guys we did not expect this. First time youths have ever come together in Belize to say that we have had enough. And we have had the support of the business community and the adult community. Guys this is beautiful, this is magnificent, Chryslin live on, we love you Chryslin."

City Gets Dumptruck
The City Council and its sanitation woes have been dominating the news all this week. But in the mediums term, the mayor is hoping that when the BML contract expires on January of next year, his worries will decrease because the council will take over the responsibilities for keeping the streets clean. Today, in a move towards that, they got 3 garbage compactor dump trucks, as a donation from the Taiwanese Government. Taiwanese Ambassador Benjamin Ho officially handed the trucks over today, and 7News attended that ceremony. Here's what the mayor told us about how it will be used: Darrell Bradley - Mayor, City Hall "We expect that we will be able fully assume these responsibilities immediately upon the expiration of the contract which is January of 2015. I had indicated we had formed a sub-committee which had councilors and technical staff on there, we've put in place mechanism to ensure we are able to absorb the function. The handing over ceremony today of these 3 compacter garbage trucks increases our capacity to deal with that. We are talking today about how we are going to deal with hotspots, I've had extended meetings about that and about dealing with the sludge and different things like that. We have spoken about requiring residence to maintain in front of their yard. We have spoken about the city appropriating cemetery functions and park functions, so we expect come January 2015, we will quite comfortably move into a situation where we can assume responsibility for these things and we have been planning, its again unfortunate to unfold this way but these discussions are sometimes necessary because it makes us recognize how serious and daunting these challenges are."

Channel 5

A Pair of Belize City Youths Arraigned for the Murder of Chryslin Gladden
The gruesome murder of a sixteen year old at the Lord Ridge Cemetery has dominated the newscast since the beginning of the week. Chryslin Gladden, a promising Wesley High School [...]

City Hall Bailed Out of BML Debt by Barrow Administration
Like on every night since Monday, there is a lot to report in the BML – Belize City Council standoff. We start with the news that government has decided to [...]

G.O.B. Agrees to Only Pay Salaries of Sanitation Workers
The agreement between BML and G.O.B. is signed by Financial Secretary Joseph Waight and BML owner Lawrence Ellis. And just in case there is any ambiguity – G.O.B. will only [...]

Charges Against BML Employees for Loitering and Littering Withdrawn
With the immediate and future financial concerns of the workers addressed, government has also intervened in the current legal issues affecting them. Individual charge sheets were issued to forty-one BML [...]

Mayor Bradley Has A Change of Heart on Workers Plight
Those comments from the Prime Minister came at a press conference at the Belize Biltmore Plaza this afternoon. But shortly before that News Five spoke to a properly chastened and [...]

Female Sanitation Workers Arraigned in Magistrates’ Court
So in a nutshell…G.O.B. will assume payments to all one hundred and seventy BML workers. When the contract expires in January, the City Council will hire all workers. Charges of [...]

PM Barrow In the Dark About Lockdown of BML Workers
It was an incredible thing to see as many as twenty-two women packed in a holding cell at the aptly named ‘piss house’ in Belize City. Four workers allegedly three [...]

Former Prime Minister on BML Workers
Said Musa is the former Prime Minister of Belize, and no stranger to controversy or unrest. But he says that even he was shocked by the detention of workers and [...]

Carcamo Family Pleads for Safe Return
As days go by, the disappearance of Hattieville chairman Kevin Carcamo, remains a puzzle for his family. Carcamo, who is employed as a linesman with Discoverseis, did not return home [...]

Greg Ch’oc Says Some Community Leaders Excluded From U.S. Capital Sit-down
The arrival of drilling equipment in Sunday Wood on July twenty-fifth, has brought with it certain discord among members of the Maya communities fringing the Sarstoon Temash National Park. In [...]

Thieves Break Into C-NET+ Office
Over the weekend the C-NET+ office on Calle Al Mar Street, Belize City was vandalized. On Monday morning when the program coordinator arrived at work, he found that the office [...]

Pregnant Belize City Woman Charged for Escaping from Police Custody
A pregnant woman managed to trick the police while she was in their custody at the K.H.M.H. Thirty year-old Sandra Thompson, a mother and resident of a Belama Phase Three [...]

Said Musa Protests Ongoing Gaza Conflict
Today, while attention was on the BML workers in front of court, there was another small protest taking place in Central Park. Small protest – but big motive and big [...]

Taiwanese Government Donates Compactor Trucks to CitCo
Both Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley have maintained that the City Council will take over the works currently done by BML when that contract expires [...]

Belize Competes in U-23 Female Volleyball Championship in Honduras
Team Belize arrives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras today ready to compete in the U-twenty-three Central American Female Volleyball Championship. The event takes place from August seventh to August thirteenth 2014. The [...]

Adventist Youth Mission Returns from Guatemala
A delegation of youths recently returned from Guatemala where they attended a religious forum for members of the Seventh Day Adventists. While in Guatemala, the group took the opportunity to [...]

CTV3

Traffic Accident Leads To The Death Of One Corozaleno
His accident never made it on the news, but tonight we are saddened to report the death of another youth from Corozal who passed away on Sunday August 3rd, while receiving treatment at the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital. Nineteen year old Reiner Campos, Belizean Laborer from Halls Layout, was involved in a traffic accident on Thursday July 24th. As mentioned, the incident never made it on the news as it was not reported in the police sitrep until today. What we understand happened is that at around 7:30 on the night of July 24th, authorities visited an area near the Villages of San Narciso and San Victor in the Corozal District, where they observed a grey Toyota Prado bearing license plate CZL-C-11766 on the left hand side of the road with its four wheels in the air.

PUP Secretariat Opens Application For Candidates For Municipal Election
With approximately seven months away from the date set for Municipal Elections, The People’s United Party Secretariat has officially announced the opening of applications for candidates interested in entering the race. PUP Standard Bearer for Corozal Bay, Gregorio Papa’s Garcia, told us more about the process of applying. Gregorio Papa’s Garcia – PUP Std. Bearer Corozal Bay “We have a date scheduled for a contested convention of course we have been getting feedback and there is more than one person interested for Mayor as well as more people interested for councilors than it is possible to have, you know, we have gotten a date for October 5th which will be the date for the convention and I guess the venue will come afterwards and you can pick up your application form with Miss Thea Garcia, Chairlady for Corozal Bay, Hilberto Camal for Corozal North, as well you can do personally with the secretariat in Belize City so that is where we are right now and of course anyone interested can contact these people, contact the secretariat in Belize City, get your applications fill them out and of course send them back in before the 18th of August.”

Andy Rhaburn Was Orderd By The Court To Evacuate The Premises He Set On Fire
In our previous newscast we told you about a fire that completely destroyed a house in Carmelita Village. The house belonged to Sara Pech and was located in the middle of her yard where other wooden structures surround it. The house was apparently set ablaze by Pech’s son, 23 year old Andy Rhaburn around one on the morning of Saturday, August second. Fire officials say that by the time they arrived at the scene of the blaze the house was completely engulfed and the family lost everything inside. The total cost of the loss amounts to some six thousand dollars and it was not insured.

Jaguar Officer Speaks On The Killing Of Wild Cats
And while Forestry Officials are monitoring the bird’s situation and dialoguing with the family who have reportedly launched a petition on the island to get their birds back, another situation popped up today when residents of Sarteneja Village in the Corozal District trapped and killed an adult Jaguar that had been preying on their livestock for quite some time. Forestry officials say they have been in the village sensitising farmers on two or more occasions about the capture of wild cats. And of course legally farmers are permitted to kill jaguars when their livestock is being killed - but have to notify Forestry Department right away. According to Wildlife Officer, Edgar Correa, they have tried trans-locating cats previously and it didn't work (they either became problem cats in the new area or returned cross country to their original territory. In this case, they are simply trying to get the carcass in their possession since wildlife is government property.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle
Last night we reported on the pickup truck that was stolen from Gilberto Camal’s garage in the village of Xaibe in the Corozal District on the 31st of July 2014.Today our news team caught up with Camal who told us how his truck was stolen from his garage while they were asleep. Gilberto Camal – Victim “As we woke up Friday six o’clock we noticed that a hammock went missing and the vehicle, and after investigating the whole day Friday and part of Saturday we manage to find that it was somebody from the village who took the vehicle, he drove it out of the garage.”

Rotaract Club Of Belize Represented In 12th Triennal Interota Conference
The Rotaract Clubs of Belize have collectively been active within their communities and the chapter here in Orange Walk is certainly well known within the area. But, they are not the only ones seeking to selflessly serve their communities as thousands of other youth are equally involved in their communities around the globe. Representatives of these clubs met in one country to share their successes and trials in what they call the 12th triennal Interota. Belize sent a representative to attend the conference, which is an international Rotaract conference held every three years. This year it was hosted in Canada from July 26th to Friday August 1st. Angel Cabrera represented the Rotaract Club of Belize.

San Pedro Youth Group Raises Funds To Assist Catholic Church
Iglesia San Pedro y San Pablo, the Catholic Church in the small community of San Pedro in the Corozal District, opened its doors in the year of 1978. After almost three decades, the church’s building is in dire need of much refurbishing. Willing to solve the problem, a group of approximately 20 young and dynamic residents, have taken the task of garnering all necessary funds to carry out the project. According to President of the Youth Group, Karina Ya, in order to fulfill the project the group has organized a fair for this coming Saturday August 9th at the Church’s compound.

Trio Charged For Robbery Of Bowen And Bowen Delivery Truck
Tonight Manuel Gerardo Sosa, Jovanny Mena and Dardo Chata all of Corozal Town are spending their first night at the Kolbe Correctional Facility after they were charged for the July 28th broad daylight robbery of a Bowen and Bowen delivery truck. When the trio appeared before the Corozal Magistrates Court this morning, they were all charged for robbery and remanded to prison until the 7th of October 2014 when they are expected to re-appear in court. The men were denied bail since a firearm was used during the crime.

O/W Police Gives An Updated On Ramon Cervantes Murder Case
Since the heinous murder of 71 year old businessman Ramon Cervantes Sr, authorities remain on high alert on the whereabouts of the alleged perpetrator and mastermind, Manuel ‘Pelon’ Castillo who absconded from police in the midst of the investigation. Today marks exactly one month since Cervantes’ badly beaten body was discovered in a shallow grave on a farm in the Honey Camp area of Orange Walk Town and no closer are the police in closing this case. Three persons were arrested, charged and are on remand but that is no consolation to the family and the community since Castillo is still on the run.

LOVE FM

BML Employee Says Even Penner Didnâ€™t Get Treated This Way
Some forty plus Belize Maintenance Limited workers are waiting to be arraigned at the Belize City Magistrate’s court. The charge comes after the employees staged an impromptu protest in front of the Belize City Hall demanding that Mayor Darrell Bradley pay the debt owed to the Belize Maintenance Limited. A large amount of garbage was scattered in front of City Hall as a way to send a message to Mayor Bradley. Police were called to the scene and the group was ordered to disperse. However a bus load of employees were arrested and held up to late last night at the Queen Street Police Station. Leading the crowd yesterday was Activist, Delroy Herrera, who was arrested with the crowd. Also arrested was Faith Flores who told us that she suffers from asthma and was unfairly treated. In the mix was also Vibes Morning Show Host Albert Vaughn.

Bradley Says Citco Doesnâ€™t Need an Executive Mayor
Bradley explained his decision to practice law whilst holding the mayoral position for Belize City. MAYOR DARRELL BRADLEY “I have always done that and that’s something that I don’t foresee as being a problem nor do I foresee myself discontinuing it. The thing that I have always maintained is that the City Council needs to run like a Board of Directors. You don’t need an Executive Mayor because when you have an executive mayor who is nitpicking in terms of HR; who you hire, who you fire, who you do, who you this, that kind of invites the political meddling that we’ve seen in the past which is very destructive to the council so that when I go into the office to deal with the job as Mayor I deal with what I consider are strategic issues, macro issues, the bond, legislative changes.

Mayor Bradley Speaks on Defending Grijalva In Court Against OW Town
Last week we told you about a civil matter for just over eighty eight thousand dollars, filed against the Orange Walk Town Council that was heard in the Supreme Court. It is a matter that came about in 2012 when the Orange Walk Mayor, Kevin Bernard refused to pay Denny Grijalva’s company, D Mar’s Construction Company, an outstanding balance for works done on some streets in that municipality……what we found interesting was that Denny Grijalva was being represented by Belize City’s Mayor, Darrell Bradley. One would think it would be somewhat strange considering that both Bernard and Bradley are on the Mayor’s Association. But according to Mayor Bradley, it is not strange and it certainly is not a conflict of interest.

Chief Magistrate Renders Five Years for Firearm Offences
Thirty-two year old Kareem Bennett, a retail salesman charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, was sentenced to 5 years for each offence today by the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith after she found him guilty of the charges. But Bennett will only serve 5 years because Chief Magistrate Smith stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently. Bennett was busted around 3:30 a.m. on June 25, 2012. He was a passenger in the front seat of a black Saturn Vue that had 3 other occupants when the police stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Graduate Crescent and Campus Avenue. Police constable Raul Ico testified that when he searched Bennett he found a Smith and Wesson brand pistol with 6 rounds of ammunition in the waist of his pants. Bennett gave a statement from the dock in which he said that the firearm was found in the vehicle and he had no knowledge of it. But Chief Magistrate Smith in her ruling said that the testimony Ico was compelling and she did find that Bennett had knowledge of the firearm and she found him guilty.

Driver Succumbs to Accident Ten Days Later
Corozal Police are investigating a traffic accident that turned fatal when the driver involved in the incident passed away at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital this past Sunday. The incident occurred on July 24 just after seven o’clock in the evening on the San Narciso/San Victor Roads. When police arrived at the scene, they found an overturned grey Toyota Prado on the left shoulder of the road, bearing extensive damage. The driver, 19-year-old, Reiner Campos was already taken to the Corozal Community Hospital in an unconscious state with severe body injuries. Campos was listed as critical and was transported to the KHMH for further treatment. Campos, who resided on Fifth Avenue in Corozal Town, was traveling alone at the time. A post mortem examination was conducted today by Dr. Mario Estradabran.

BSI Says No to Independent Consultant in Bagasse Issue
The next major hurdle cane farmers face does not have to do with weather elements but with its main partner in the industry over the payment for bagasse. At a meeting on July 20th farmers rejected the BSI proposal of 51 cents as the quantum to be paid for a ton of cane. Farmers then sent a letter to Sugar Industry Control Board, SICB, to seek an international expert to help solve the problem between BSCFA and BSI. At a press conference last week Prime Minister Barrow said he met with BSI representatives who expressed their rejection for an international expert to intervene in a matter they consider “private” between commercial partners. Also last week, BSI’s CEO Jose Montalvo confirmed that rejection when he spoke with LOVE NEWS. In speaking, with Alfredo Ortega of BSCFA, he said that if BSI does not accept their proposal then they should propose a better solution to the problem. ALFREDO ORTEGA “Funny to note that they have come out with this – that they don’t want to accept an international consultant. This brings many things to mind. I think that if we are looking in good faith and we are really working forward that there is nothing to hide I think that they should at least they should come with something different than saying a complete No to an international consultant. I think that those things can really spark certain situations. We’re looking forward to negotiating something just for the farmers.

Minor Charged With Murder of 16-Year-Old, Chryslin Gladden
Tonight, we can tell you that there has been a leap in the investigations into the murder of 16-year-old, Chryslin Gladden that occurred sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. This news came just after five o’clock this evening from the Belize Police Press Office. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to give you the identity of who is being charged as she is a minor. Earlier today in an interview with the lead investigator, it was indicated to the media that charges would have been filed against the female minor. Here is that interview with the NCO of the Criminal Investigations Branch of Precinct Two, Roberto Novelo. ROBERTO NOVELO “So far our investigation revealed that the female had left home on Friday, August 1 around 7:00pm. Thereafter she was seen in the Boots Crescent area socializing with another female and others. So far we have a female and a male person detained and we should hear positive results in the next hours. We had a police officer detained in reference to this murder however his name has been cleared and he has been released. As I mentioned we have one female person and male person detained and we are compiling the statements at this time and we will forward it to the DPP for legal advice. Our investigation is that this female was socializing with another female and others at a certain area in the Boots Crescent area and from there was last seen leaving with the female. Both cell phones are still missing at this time and some of her jewelry as well. The police is in possession of some of her jewelry. We believe that this murder is a result of jealousy and hatred.”

Drought Affecting Cane Farmers in Northern Belize
During the scheduled start and then the latter part of the 2014 crop delivery season there was excess rainfall that had negative implications in the industry. For one, excess rain damaged the sucrose content in the cane, lowering the quality. Secondly, the heavy rainfalls had major impact on the sugar roads networks that connects the 60 thousand acres of sugar plantation to the sugar mill. While that dilemma is in the past, there is another major obstacle affecting some farmers, the shortage of rain need during the replanting season. Alfredo Ortega of the BSCFA told us how farmers are coping. ALFREDO ORTEGA “Well yes it’s a very difficult situation to those farmers that planted lately, those that managed to farm when we experienced the rain, they are doing very good, and the cane is starting to come up. Those that planted a month ago are really suffering because as you can see the drought that we are experiencing is really damaging and some of those farmers will lose almost 100% of what they have planted others it might be less but they have to go through a replanting process so it will definitely cause loss to those farmers.”

PlusTV

Jealousy leads to the Murder of promising Teen
The body of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden was discovered in Lord Ridge Cemetery Belize City sometime around 6 on Saturday morning...

BML workers arrested over protest
As we reported on Monday, 43 employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML), plus activist Delroy Herrera were held for more than 7 hours at the Queen...

Workers confront Belize City Mayor
On Tuesday we also spoke to the Mayor outside the Magistrate’s Court, surrounded by several of the workers charged over Monday’s protest...

Government Driver Busted with Weed
The driver for the Foreign Minister and the Auditor General was reportedly busted with weed at the UDP convention on Sunday August 3rd...

Another Successful Robbery in Dangriga
Two armed men made off with over 32 thousand dollars worth of items when they robbed a Madisco truck which was parked at Chaleanor Hotel situated on M...

Kareem Bennett jailed for firearm
Kareem Bennett began a five year concurrent sentence for keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license, after being found guilty by Chief Mag...

Belize City man assaulted at Someone Else’s House
Police are investigating reports of an aggravated burglary that occurred at around 4:00 pm on Monday August 4th...

Traffic Mishap Claims life of 19 year old
Corozal Police are investigating a road traffic accident that occurred on Thursday July 24th at the San Narciso/ San Victor Road in the Corozal Distri...

National Song Competition finalists meet the press
The National Song Competition is in its final stage and on Tuesday the fifteen finalists from across the country met with the press...

Patrick Jones

Government driver found with weed
Dorian Avilez, employed as a driver for Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney General Wilfred Elrington, was detained while attending Sunday’s UDP convention in Belize City. A police officer searched him at the entrance of the ITVET compound and recovered a transparent plastic bag containing 7.1 grams of cannabis in his right side pants pocket. Avilez pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to possession of controlled drugs and was offered bail and a surety of $800. But he owes the court $2,900, part of a fine given in 2003 for a conviction for possession of unlicensed ammunition which he had failed to clear.

BREAKING: GOB to pay BML workers for remainder of contract period
The Government of Belize will pay he wages of the workers of Belize Maintenance Limited for the remaining life of the current sanitation contact with the Belize City Council. The announcement was made this afternoon by Prime Minister Dean Barrow during a press conference at the Biltmore Hotel. Prime Minister Barrow, in making the announcement, said that the decision to pay the wages for the BML workers is not a political gesture but a response to the situation facing them. The Prime Minister also announced that the Belize City Council has committed to taking on as many of the BML workers as is needed when the sanitation contract expires in Jaunary, 2015.

Skills training for Toledo youth
A five day workshop for young people is underway in Punta Gorda town. Close to 30 young people are taking part in the event which is being held at the PG Methodist School. They are learning about various subjects including technology and the advantage to their use, business entrepreneurship , self esteem and leadership. These are all issues that affect young people. One of the organizers Yvonne Nixon told the Belize Media Group that the week of having youths learning about themselves is very much needed.

Police halt charges against BML workers pending negotiations
Reports from Belize City say that the police is suspending the process of bringing charges against the male workers of Belize Maintenance Limited who were arrested on Monday. According to information received, the decision to suspend charges at this time is because negotiations are ongoing. When those negotiations are completed, the police will determine whether to continue with the charges. It is not sure if the charges against the women who were arraigned on Tuesday will be suspended as well.

Blogs

Magical, Magical Sleeping Giant Lodge in Belize’s Maya Mountains
Sunday morning, I reluctantly boarded a private van for the 1 hour, 15 minute ride through the valley lined with citrus groves and then the twisty, turny Maya Mountains. We turned in at the rather unremarkable Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge sign. 2 minutes later we were there. Immediately surrounded by flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds, I climbed the stairs to the lodge, bar and dining area and met Eugene, the manager and my host. He took me on a quick tour of the lodge – showed me the view from the dining room… I was totally enchanted. It almost makes sense that a giant is sleeping right in front of you. After first seeing the suite and the pool, I wasn’t sure that much else would shock me. But about an hour after arriving, I took the guided 20 minute hike up the hillside, to a three story lookout tower called The Gazebo…

A Belize Zoo Jabiru Rescue – With assistance from other wildlife friends!
Over two months ago, juvenile jabiru stork, “Donovan,” was rescued within the forests of the Orange Walk District. The young fellow who found the badly injured stork was Donovan, and so to honour his heroic actions, his name became the name of the jabiru. It was thought by all that young stork Donovan took a tumble from his nest. In doing so, the baby bird’s wing was severely injured. Luckily for “Donovan,” after a quick stop at Cheers restaurant so that an effort could be made to get some badly needed water into the weak stork, Donovan was taken to the Belize Wildlife Referral Clinic. Intensive care was provided. Dr. Isabel and her crew of assistants, attended to “Donovan’s” injured wing, but sadly noted that it was way beyond repair. Medications and food became a daily part of “Donovan’s” life. Belize Zoo Animal management supervisor, Humberto Wohlers, became the “fish delivery man”, taking bags of fish to the clinic, assisting in the dinner needs for “Donovan.” Oh, how the youngster loved those fish!

International Sources

Miami’s port tunnel to open in August
More than two months and $7 million in contractor fines after it was supposed to open, Port Miami’s billion-dollar tunnel is finally about ready to handle traffic, officials said Thursday. “It’ll be open in early August, no later than two weeks from today,” said Chris Hodgkins, vice president of MAT Concessionaire, the consortium of companies that built the tunnel and will operate it. The tunnel was scheduled to debut on May 19, pulling a projected 16,000 port-bound vehicles a day off Miami’s downtown streets. But various glitches, including malfunctioning exhaust fans and a leaking drainage pipe, have prevented it from opening. “I know it’s a cliché, but whether it’s your kitchen or a tunnel under Biscayne Bay, you don’t let the contractor leave until everything’s perfect,” Hodgkins said, reciting a phrase that’s become a mantra to nearly everybody connected with the tunnel project over the past two months.

Weddings in Belize are Hot Hot Hot!
When we say weddings in Belize can get hot – we’re not exaggerating. Everything about this particular wedding was hot. Welcome to weddings in the tropics where it all gets a bit steamy, blazing and well..downright decalescent (ok we admit to consulting a thesaurus on this one, but it is a real word and it sounds good!)

Rashida Jones, Cobie Smulders, and Angela Kinsey Dive in to Help Oceana Protect Belizean Reefs
A trio of Hollywood celebrities recently took their star power to Belize to help Oceana protect the largest reef in the Western hemisphere. Cobie Smulders, Rashida Jones and Angela Kinsey traveled to coastal Belize, where they raised awareness for this delicate ocean ecosystem and promoted Oceana’s ongoing work in the country. Cobie Smulders of “How I Met Your Mother” fame filmed a new Oceana PSA in the stunning South Water Caye Marine Reserve where she visited a unique island made of mangrove trees. She swam through this critical habitat that is home to juvenile reef fish and provides shelter for them to grow before they settle on the nearby barrier reef. Once back on dry land at the Pelican Bay Resort, Smulders remarked on how amazing it was to see such a diverse and important habitat just beyond the surface of the water. “Maybe because it’s underwater people don’t really think about it as much, but this reef is Belize and you just want it to always be there,” said Smulders. “It was really interesting to see how necessary these habitats are for the good of the reef. Oceana works really well with local governments and communities to empower them and educate them in how to preserve their local marine habitats,” she added.

FCC Youth Mission Team to recap recent Belize trip with special program
The youth mission team from First Christian Church Rockwall just returned from working in San Lazaro, Belize. In the 8:45 am and 11:00 am morning worship services on August 17th at the First Christian Church in Rockwall, the youth missionary team will give a presentation of their trip to share their experiences and spiritual journeys, as well as a slide show of the trip. Immediately following the 11:00 am service, the youth group will serve a Belizean meal. During the mission trip, the group replaced the roof on a church in the community of San Lazaro and participated in a food ministry where they went into town and bought staples in 100 lb. bags and repackaged them for 20 different families – rice, flour, beans, masa, soap, etc. They delivered the packages to indigent families in the community.

Videos

Video: Costa Maya Furball Fashion Show Hosted by Saga Humane Society, 4min.
Every year prior to the Costa Maya Festival, Saga Humane Society has the privilege of hosting the pageant contestants at a fundraiser for the non-profit organization. The eight beautiful delegates become volunteers for the organization and help to raise much needed funding for their day to day operations and service to the island.

Video: Love Belize, 2min.
Roxana Alcoser a Belizean singer from Sugar City Belize. This is a short clip which was made from a performance onstage here in Los Angeles and also from segments of her existing video... This is basically an advertisement for her Sept.20th. & 21 st. appearance at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood Ca. -Mellowvision-

Video: Angela Kinsey & Rashida Jones Talk Protecting Belize's Hidden Treasures, 2min.
“The Office” co-stars Rashida Jones and Angela Kinsey traveled together to the island of Ambergris Caye and swam with Oceana along the second-largest barrier reef in the world. See what they have to say about the reef's beauty, biodiversity and need for protection.

Video: Belize City, Belize oft als andere Karibik, 5min.

Video: Shipstern behoud van een natuurgebied in Belize | Burgers' Zoo in de Wereld, 3min.
Belize heeft een omvattend systeem van beschermde gebieden, sommige goed beschermd, andere slechts op papier. Het grootste (drie keer het oppervlakte van park de Hoge Veluwe) en best beschermde natuurgebied in Belize is in handen van Burgers' Zoo.

Video: Belize Tropical Adventure - S03E06, 20min.
Belize was relatively expensive for us to travel so we decided to cut down on time and ramp up on energy. This episode may have only taken a couple of weeks to record but 2 weeks in Belize is 2 weeks packed with adventure!

Video: If You Can Sing It... Bring It (August 5, 2014), 1hr50min.

August 6, 2014

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

Saga hosts Furball Fashion Show
It was a night of beauty queens, fashion and dogs at the first ever Saga Humane Society and Foreva Fancy’s Furball Fashion Show. The event was hosted at Wet Willy’s Restaurant and Bar on Monday, August 4th, and saw the eight lovely contestants of the 2014 Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant alongside reigning Miss […]

Costa Maya delegates explore Hol Chan, Shark Ray and Caye Caulker!
Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley and Caye Caulker fit the bill for an idyllic Sunday, and the Costa Maya delegates sure enjoyed themselves!

Colville Richards drafted to Houston Hurricanes Football Club
A former football player of Ambergris Caye has been drafted to play for a top Texas Football Club. Colville Richards, 24 and father of three Belizean born children, was contracted to play with the Houston Hurricanes FC, and has been on the team since June. Richards, who has both US and Belizean nationality, told The […]

Ambergris Today

Costa Maya Pageant Delegates Enjoy the Belizean Island Sun and Sea
When the Costa Maya Pageant delegates arrive on Ambergris Caye, Belize, they are treated with the utmost in hospitality, friendliness and service. Part of all the hospitality is wining and dining them at top restaurants, hosting them at special events, giving them a tour of the island and making sure they enjoy some fun in the sun. It is all part of making them feel at home and comfortable before they hit the stage on pageant night. The day after arriving on the island on Friday, August 1, the eight delegates were taken on an underwater Snuba exploration at the Mexico Rocks dive site which was provided by Discovery Expeditions. With no need of prior dive experience, the Snuba equipment allowed the ladies to explore the underwater world at about a depth of 15 feet without the need to come up for air. They became one with the underwater creatures of the sea and had a blast exploring the surrounding coral reef.

Contestants of the upcoming Miss San Pedro Pageant
Just came from interviewing the contestants of the upcoming Miss San Pedro Pageant. All we have to say is WOW! We have six very beautiful and charismatic young ladies up for the coveted title this year. Announcement coming tomorrow. Keep you posted.

Misc Belizean Sources

COEICH presents Moonlight Cultural Program, Corozal (7 photos)
Witness Corozal's muti - ethnic cultural program on August 7, 2014 @ 7:00 p.m. in front of House of Culture. If it rains , it will be at the Civic Centre.

Neha Dawa in Corozal
Neha Dawar, Indian dancer/fashion designer from Trinidad will be conducting dance workshop on August 7 & 8, 2014 in Corozal Town during the First Indian Diaspora conference.Contact COEICH member Brenda Hall 672 0265

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - OAS-GCUB SCHOLARSHIP
This Program offers more than 500 scholarship opportunities for master’s and doctoral programs in Brazilian universities and does not require applicants to be proficient in Portuguese. Please note deadline has been extended to August 20, 2014.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - OAS/PERUVIAN SCHOLARSHIP
The Organization of American States in collaboration with the ESAN University in Peru herein offer scholarships onsite for Masters Degrees. The application deadline has been established at September 5, 2014-08-05 The announcement can be viewed at www.oas.org/scholarships. Questions regarding admission can be sent to [email protected] and questions regarding the scholarship sent to [email protected] and [email protected].

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY - SWISS SCHOLARSHIP
The Swiss Authorities herein offer scholarships to conduct research, doctoral and post-doctoral studies for the academic year 2015/2016. The application forms must be requested by contacting [email protected] . The application deadline has been established at October 10, 2014. Successful candidates must bear their travel cost to Switzerland; notwithstanding the Federal Commission would bear their return airfare.

Belmopan Day
Belmopan had their Belmopan Day Fair this weekend. Click for LOTS of photos!

Reef TV gets Television replaced
Thank you Mayor Danny for your kind donation of a Television to replace the one stolen Saturday night at Reef T V Studio. Much appreciated. (The Staff)

Channel 7

17 Year Old Female Classmate Charged For 16 Year Old Chryslin's Graveyard Murder
This evening at around five police laid murder charges against a 17 year old female for the murder of her former classmate Chryslin Gladden. First, off, because she is a minor we won't share her name or show her picture, but the resident of Doris Brooks Street in Belize City is expected to be taken to court tomorrow where she will be arraigned on a charge of murder. It is one more stunning development in a case that shocked even the Belize City community where violent crime is commonplace. On Saturday morning, the teenager who had just graduated from Wesley High was found dead in the Lord Ridge Cemetery. She had multiple stab wounds to her neck and face, and a post mortem found that she died from those stab wounds to her neck. And now, police are saying those stab wounds were inflicted by her 17 year old former classmate at Wesley High. But why would one teenaged girl kill another - and to do it in the cemetery? Indeed, it boggles the mind. Today, precinct 2 police discussed the case:..

BML Workers, 40+ In the Cell Block
Last night, we gave you an extensive look at the protest from 50 angry BML workers who threw bags of garbage in front of City Hall. That's after things came to a head because the Council owes their employer for 19 weeks of services or almost 1.48 million dollars. There is no timeline on when the company will be paid, and this has spilt over to the workers because BML can't afford to keep paying them. Those workers raged, vented at the Mayor, and made a powerful statement with their pile of garbage spread on the street, but they also paid a price for it. First, they were in lockdown for several hours, then they were charged, and then, they spent an entire day at court waiting to be arraigned.

Courthouse Full to Overflowing With BML Employees
That was followed this morning, with a summons of all of those 40+ employees who ended up being charged for yesterday's protest. Today's criminal proceedings ended up being an all-day event, and 7News at the courthouse the entire time. Daniel Ortiz has that story: Daniel Ortiz reporting All around Treasury Lane, the forty-plus BML workers who were charged last night, paced back and forth or stood around, waiting for Magistrates Court Police to call them in for their arraignment. After about an hour or so, one of the lead employees emerged with the document that would need for the hearing. Their attorney worked on getting everything together, so that the hearing would be as streamlined as possible. But about half hour later, she emerged from Court's Office, with bad news.

How Do You Arraign so Many?
When the Mayor left the court house that close to midday, the workers waited for another 3 hours before the Magistrate's Court could accommodate them. In total, 41 were jointly charged with taking part in an unlawful meeting under the Public Meeting and Public Procession Act. They were jointly charged, which means that they all have to be arraigned together to follow proper procedures of the court. But, there is no court big enough to accommodate 41 defendants in one arraignment. That's what caused the delay, and the attorney for the BML workers explained more to us this evening: Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney "We waited all morning. We are here from 9am. At 10am I was informed that they can't find a courtroom big enough and that the persecution was advised to split the charges, so we stayed here until midday, I kept hoping that we would have started some of them since they were splitting the charges. I was told at that point that they had done 15 charge sheets, so I said can we start the 15, but then the inspector told me no, we have to wait until two o' clock to come back at two and we will do all 41. At two o'clock I called again and they said that they have only completed 22 charge sheets, I said no problem we will do the 22. However, when we came and they started the arraignment process I realized they never brought new charge sheets, they did new court books which are different.

Hon. Elrington's Driver Charged For Weed
Sunday's municipal convention for the UDP at the ITVET in Belize City was like a party for the Red's - and police say one ministerial driver took it too far. Dorian Albert Avilez, the driver for Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington was allegedly busted with 7.1 grammes or two ounces of weed when police searched him as he entered the gate at 5:00 pm. At 10:00 this morning, the thirty six year-old was taken to court in handcuffs where he appeared before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart and was read a single charge of possession of controlled drugs. He was unrepresented, pleaded not guilty and was offered bail. But court reports couldn't just meet it and go, because he owes the court two thousand nine hundred and ninety dollars for an ammunition conviction some years ago. So he had to pay the fine, and his bail, and then he was free to leave.

GSU's Surge of Seizures
We haven't heard much from the Gang Suppression Unit since former Commander Marco Vidal was transferred, but today the Unit updated the media on some significant drug and ammunition seizures. It started last week Thursday when roughly 1.2 pounds of cannabis was found near the yard of a person they say is a well-known drug trafficker in Belama Phase 4. It happened during a search of the residence, but the drugs were found in two plastic bags in a white bucket behind the property. It was deposited as found property since no one was around when the weed was discovered. The next bust happened yesterday at about 15 miles outside of Burrell Boom Village. A 16 gauge shotgun was found loaded with one cartridge near a lagoon. It was found during a joint search by the GSU and the Belize Special Assignment Group. The search continued in Burrel Boom Village near a Chinese shop. This time, a black plastic bag containing 6 parcels of cannabis was found. In total, it weighed 2.4 ounces, but once again it was labelled as found property since no one was around when it was discovered.

Mayor's Marquee Performance, A Review
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley has been burning up the news these past two days. And yesterday in a 45-minute press conference yesterday he gave one of his marquee performances: alternately straightforward and mercurial. Sure, he was under the regular pressure any "malpago" faces - but under the added burden of having forty angry protestors whooping it outside his office, and throwing garbage in the streets, Bradley gave a captivating performance. We looked back at it today:.. Mitchell Danderson- Operations Manager "He hasn't been in communication with the management any at all." Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City "I've always spoken to them." Geovannie Brackett "He have said that it's been months that you have spoken to him." Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City "I've always spoken to them." Geovannie Brackett "But when will you speak with them again?" Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City "I've always spoken to them."

City Fire Started By Fire Hearth
There was a fire on Sunday in the Lake Independence Area on Sunday. It happened in the Peter Seco and Partridge Street area. Courtney Weatherburne found out more: It was a depressing scene at the residence of 50 year old Charles Herbert, from the blackened remnants of his home appliances and tools scattered around his yard to the charred windows - reminders of the mishap that destroyed his home. Herbert told us what happened. Charles Herbert, Fire Victim "Last week Sunday I was at work and my neighbor call and told me that my house was on fire. When I reached home everything was burnt up." Courtney Weatherburne "What's the name of your neighbor?" Charles Herbert, Fire Victim "Mr. Hemsley." Courtney Weatherburne "When you came home what exactly did you observed?" Charles Herbert, Fire Victim "My house was burnt and my kids was out there. When I got inside everything was burnt up."

Survey Says Cell Phone Spending High in Belize
According to a new survey of Caribbean countries, Belizeans spends more of their income on cell phone service than anywhere else in the Caribbean. A recent survey conducted by ICT Pulse reviewed the cost of cell service and mobile internet in 17 Caribbean countries, and Belize stuck out as the least affordable in all categories. Belize's service providers almost tripled the average chunk of monthly income that could be spent on 1 gigabyte of mobile data. And Belize's 2 gigabyte data plan, comes at the highest cost in the region, with users spending approximately 6 percent of their monthly income to get it. This is about three times the Caribbean average of 2.1%. The final graph compares the 2013 results with those of 2014, but while Belize did have marginal improvement, mobile data still remains prohibitively expensive when compared with the rest of the Caribbean.

A CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL FOR CHRISLYN
Tomorrow, a 17 year old female will be charged for the murder of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden. And while we are all shocked by it - hardest hit is the Wesley High community where the two girls are recent graduates. As part of the healing process her close friends are organizing a candle light vigil for Chryslin as well as those who lost loved ones to violence. It starts at 5:30 tomorrow Wednesday at the Yabra Basketball court. WE found out the route from her friends today:.. Andrew Munnings, Spokesperson, Vigil "It will be a candle light march from the court, Fairweather Street, Cemetery Road, Orange Street, Albert Street and back at the court as well. Anybody that knew Chryslin, anybody that lost anybody to violence this is a time for us to come out as one. This is a time for youths with a voice to come out and say that we have had enough. We are going to come out and stand up we are going to make a change in our country Belize. Everyone please dress in white, every one wear some form of white for peace. Bring your candle, white, red and blue balloons to signify peace in Belize, your posters, your t-shirts, whatsoever you guys have to put towards the cause. It will be great guys."

Confidence Building Through Christianity
We always hear about confidence building measures in the context of the Belize Guatemala dispute - but while most of that happens in the airy remove of diplomacy, on the ground 300 youths from the Seventh Day Adventist Church's youth group were making it real. They visited Guatemala as a community service initiative and Youth Director for the church, Gelder Gamboa told us how it went:. According to Gamboa his youth group intends to carry on its initiative in Belize.

King Stands By His Words
UDP Area Representative Mark King made that immortal statement "UDP First, Belizeans Second, PUP last", when he was discussing job opportunities with Norwegian Cruise Lines and their Harvest Caye Project. Since then, the Opposition Party has used that comment at every opportunity to suggest that the UDP administration neglects its duties to those residents who don't support their party. The Prime Minister has stated that he wished King hadn't said it. So when we met King at the City Council convention this weekend, and asked him if he's had second thoughts, he told us that he still stands by it: Daniel Ortiz "That comment you made is now immortalized, you said UDP first, Belizeans and PUP last. Seeing the backlash and the way the opposition party has used it, would you have wanted to retract if you had the opportunity?"

Who Will Be The Best Songster or Songstress?
3 weeks ago, we showed you preliminary rounds for the 2014 National Song Competition. Today, the National Celebrations Commission hosted an opening ceremony and invited the media to get to know all 17 finalists from all corners of the country who will perform this weekend. 7News attended and spoke with the newcomers and the defending champs about the show they intend to put on. The finals will be held on this Saturday and we'll carry it live on Channel 7.

Channel 5

Seventeen-year-old Ex-Classmate Charged with the Murder of Chryslin Gladden
Chryslin Gladden was murdered at the Lord Ridge cemetery on Friday night in a most vicious fashion and tonight there is a sensational arrest to report. This morning, police confirmed [...]

Over Forty Sanitation Workers Arraigned for Loitering and Littering Following Protest
There is a lot to report tonight from the court, including the all-day arraignment of forty-one BML sanitation workers and a near confrontation between those workers and Mayor Darrell Bradley. [...]

Is the police justified in arresting protesting sanitation workers?
And our question for tonight: Is the police justified in arresting protesting sanitation workers? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on [...]

Mayor Bradley Comments On Not Addressing Disgruntled BML Employees
As we told you sanitation workers were at court this morning and there, a near-confrontation between angry BML workers and Mayor Darrell Bradley happened in front of Magistrate’s Court number [...]

The Artful Dodger Escapes the Rage of the Angry
The media was prepared to grill the Mayor, and the Mayor seemed game until the crowd started getting a little loud. For the sanitation workers it’s a matter of survival, [...]

Still No Timeline for Payment of BML Debt
At the heart of the ongoing sanitation crisis is an outstanding balance of one point four million dollars which City Hall owes to Belize Maintenance Limited for eighteen weeks of [...]

BML’s Operations Manager On CitCo’s Plan to Address Garbage in 2015
Mayor Bradley has maintained his hard line where Belize Maintenance Limited is concerned. BML’s contract is worth seventy-eight thousand dollars a week, and Bradley says that CitCo can take over [...]

Minister of Foreign Affairs Comes to the Aid of His Wanted Brother
The fugitive status of Errol Elrington has come under much scrutiny lately. The doctor is wanted in the US for racketeering and medical fraud. He is accused of defrauding Medicare [...]

…But His Driver is Busted for Weed
The driver for the Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington was busted at the U.D.P. Convention on Sunday by police who allegedly found him to be in possession of marijuana. This morning, thirty-six year [...]

Accused Rapist Dennis Gabourel Charged with Attempting to Suppressing Evidence
Also in court today was Belize City businessman, fifty-seven year old Dennis Gabourel. The tour guide of Antelope Street Extension is facing a charge of Attempting to Suppress Evidence in [...]

Belize City Duo Detained Following Pre-dawn Shooting Over Mangoes
On the August first, 2014 at about three-thirty a.m. Andrew Augustine was shot in the foot on Holy Emmanuel Street in the Lake Independence area of Belize City. The altercation [...]

Maya Community Leaders Say They Were Not Invited to Meeting with U.S. Capital
There is an apparent dissention within the Maya community to report on tonight, following a release from the elected leaders of Conejo, Crique Sarco, Midway and Graham Creek. The group [...]

Forestry Department investigates killing of a Jaguar
The Forestry Department is currently investigating the killing of a jaguar up north. Two officers of the department are currently in Sarteneja Village, in the Corozal district where the vicious [...]

Vigil to be Held in Honor of Slain Teenager
As we told you, a seventeen year old Wesley High School graduate has been charged with the murder of sixteen year old Chryslin Gladden. That has sparked a vigil for [...]

Meet The Finalists for 2014 National Song Competition
The date for the national song competition is quickly approaching. The event takes place this Saturday at Memorial Park in Belize City. Aside from the defending champions, the competition will [...]

If You Can Sing Bring It!
Live at the Bliss tonight, another round of fierce competition as performers in this year’s hottest television show, bring their A game to the stage. Having endured several challenging rounds, [...]

CTV3

Police Investigates Stolen Vehicle
A woman from the Corozal District is tonight without a vehicle as her Ford Ranger Pickup truck was stolen from her garage. Gilberto Camal, Belizean teacher of Xaibe Village, Corozal District, reported to police that the 1995 pickup truck was stolen around 11:00p.m on the 31st of July and 5:30am on the 1st of August. The vehicle, with license plate number CZL-C-17357, is valued at $5,000.00. Police are investigating.

Police Strong In The Fight To Remove Firearms Off The Street
On Friday we told you about the firearms and drugs that Corozal Police managed to remove off the streets of that municipality as a result of the departments sustained investigation techniques and consistent work with the community. And over the weekend officers did it again as they managed to confiscate two more firearms. The first discovery was made on a bushy lot located off Rose Street in the area of Altamira where cops discovered a black in color Samsonite school bag which contained clothing, a pair of slippers, a pair of brown booths and a home-made 16 gauge shotgun. No-one was in the immediate area and the items were marked and deposited as found property. The second firearm was discovered in the Chula Vista Area of Corozal Town. Acting upon information received, police visited an open lot in the area where they found a blue canvas bag containing one Stevens brand 12 gauge sawed off shotgun serial number AU629146, which was buried about four inches underground. Police’s database revealed that the said shotgun was reported stolen by Eloy Briceno, 44 year old Belizean Farmer of Paraiso Village, Corozal District, on the 10th of April 2014. Shotgun was marked and deposited as found property.

Police Investigates Stolen Motorcycle
Apart from a stolen Ford Ranger Pickup Corozal Police are also investigating the case of a stolen motorcycle. On the afternoon of Saturday August 2nd, 2014, 66 year old Bernard Fox, Canadian Retiree of Paraiso Village, Corozal District, was socializing with nine male friends at his residence and after drinking he fell asleep. Fox woke up moments later only to find out that all his friends had left the residence. As he walked outside his veranda Fox found out that his blue in color Meilun motorcycle L/P CZL-M-0186 which he had left parked on the verandah with the key in the ignition was missing.

Fiesta Rama 2014, Another Huge Success
There was much to do over the weekend in just one place as the Orange Walk Town Council held the annual Fiesta Rama Business Expo. The event saw the participation of many business establishments and proved to be popular with the public once more. Here is a look of what the event had in store for visitors. Dalila ical – Reporting There was much to see and do at this year’s Fiestarama Business Expo. Food and drinks abounded as every year and according to the Mayor Kevin Bernard, there were more businesses taking part in the event. And there were all sorts of products on display and on sale, anywhere from large scale companies to the small and even micro businesses were out promoting their products. Caribe Beer Promoter - Fiesta Rama Participant “We have Caribe, we have Stag Beer and we have the Mcasson Stout and we have a promotion going on three for ten dollars and the minute you guy you get a ticket for a raffle for some six packs of Caribe and we also going to raffle a case of Caribe today right after the Abraxus Band comes on.”

A Complete Review Of Burglaries In The Corozal District
Over the past weeks the District of Corozal has seen an increase in burglaries so much so that we can confirm that the month of July saw more burglaries than any other month since the beginning of 2014. Today, Officer In Charge of the Corozal Police Department, Andrew Ramirez, provided us with the burglary statistics for the Corozal District for the first 7 months of 2014. Andrew Ramirez – Supt. Corozal Police Formation “In January we did report a burglary in zone II, one in zone III, one in zone IV and one in the rural area. In the rural area is everything excluding town limits, for February we came down a bit by reflecting two burglaries namely one in zone two and two in zone three, for March we reflect four burglaries, one in zone I and three in the rural areas, for April we reflected three burglaries, one in zone I, II, and III respectively, for May we reflect four one in zone I, one in zone III and two in the rural areas, for June we are noticing two burglaries in zone I, one in zone III, however in July is a very shocking one for us because we reflected a total of ten; one in zone I, three in zone II, one in zone III, one in zone IV and four in the rural areas for a total of ten so we did saw a 150% basically, when the information in relation to the burglaries you were asking about.”

Chief Fireman Urges General Public to Be Precise and Accurate When Making Any Report
The fire department continues to urge the community at large and especially residents in villages to take extra care when burning bushes. The situation may be double the risk given the heat being experienced these weeks. Fire chief at the Orange Walk Fire Station, says in case of emergencies the public should call directly to their line and give accurate information on the emergency being reported. Miguel Medina “The lady that called reported that a bush fire that was threatening a house but actually it was a house that was engulfed with flames so that is why when people call we asked them to please to directly to the question that we asked them and give us the exact answers that we need so that we prepared ourselves for when we arrive there we arrive prepared to fight a house fire and not a bush fire because each one of them has different ways to respond so we encourage them to please do that and to call the fire department which our phone number is 302-2090.”

Carmelita Resident Leaves House On Fire
Police are investigating a case of arson that took place in the wee hours of Saturday morning. The fire was reported in Carmelita Village and even after prompt response; the fire department was unable to salvage the wooden structure from being completely destroyed. Dalila Ical reports. Dalila Ical – Reporting Even after two days, this post keeps burning. Fire officials received the call around six minutes past one on Saturday morning. The report however, was that a bush fire was threatening a residence at the village but when the fire officials got to the scene, they found that an entire house was ablaze. Miguel Medina, is the fire chief at the Orange Walk Fire Station.

Murder At Close Range Claims Life Of Young Corozaleno
What was supposed to be a festive weekend in the North turned out tragic for two families as they mourn the deaths of their loved one. We have both full stories and start off with the murder of a teenager from the Corozal District who lost his life early Saturday morning while having breakfast at the Fort Cairns Market Plaza. When we arrived at the area the scene was still fresh and the body of the male teen had already been transported to the Northern Regional Hospital. Reporter Maria Novelo has the story from the Police perspective. Before airing the story, we must mention that viewer discretion is advised.

Male Body Found In The New River Identified To Be Gregorio Medina Of Orange Walk Town
The second major fatality in Orange walk was recorded some 12 hours after the Bayliss shooting when police were called to an area in Trial Farm Village where they found a body floating in the New River. While police are not ruling out foul play, they say no signs of violence were seen on the body. But the family of the deceased disagree with police as they suspect that 43 year old Gregorio Medina was murdered. Reporter Maria Novelo and video journalist Jesus Melgar went looking for answers and here is what they found out. Maria Novelo – Reporting Authorities received the tip around 6:15 Sunday evening of a male person floating on the riverside bank in the Trial Farm area in front of this fenced property. Up to this morning, the partially decomposed body of 43 year old Gregorio Medina, labourer or Trial Farm Village in the Orange Walk District, remained where it was discovered as police awaited the arrival of a forensic pathologist.

Roy Baylis Celebrating His Birthday Was Shot and Killed At Close Range
The death of the eighteen year old teenager on Sunday morning has shocked the community and has left one more family in mourning. While police continue their investigation, we spoke with the mother of the deceased, Sharon Bailey. She said that the last time she spoke with her son was on Saturday night when he called her to inform her that he had reached Orange Walk. Bailey says it was not something she allowed him to do often but never expected what happened hours after he left home. Sharon Bayliss - Mother of the deceased “I spoke to my son on the 3rd Saturday night, he called me from Orange walk stating that he had reached because before he left he said mom as I reach there I’ll give you a call, he called me and he told me I am here and I told him Roy just take care and don’t get into any trouble remember you are not at home and he said no worry mom I just come to have some fun, it was his birthday the Friday and he asked me and I don’t normally send my children on his own normally he would go with his brother if he goes out but my other son he was working and he came and asked me permission to go. When he recall me he said, mom I reach as soon as I left in the morning I’ll give you a call, that was the last I heard from my son because he didn’t have the opportunity to call me again in the morning."

LOVE FM

Recent High School Graduate Found Murdered
Just after six o’clock on Saturday morning, officers of Precinct Two responded to a call of a body near an open grave at the Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City. Their response led them to a young girl of creole descent lying face up in a pool of blood. The body of 16-year-old, Chrislyn Gladden bore apparent stab wounds to the left side of the neck and face. Love News spoke with a relative of the young girl, who has been appointed by the family as the spokesperson in this incident. RELATIVE “Chryslin left a little after six after speaking with her mom. She informed her mom that she was going to visit some friends. That’s about it when it comes to the last person from the house that actually spoke to Chryslin.” RENEE TRUJILLO: “After she left home, did she at any point contact any family member via phone or text?” RELATIVE “Not that I am aware of. Everybody that’s actually living at the family house that Chryslin used to reside, we don’t have any information as to whether she got in touch with any of us after she spoke to her mom saying that she was leaving.

Vegetable Vendor Hijacked on Hummingbird Highway
A robbery on the Hummingbird Highway is being investigated by Belmopan Police. Fem Cruz had the details of the incident in the following report. FEM CRUZ “Belmopan police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred yesterday evening on the Hummingbird Highway. 25-year-old, Manuel Hernandez, a Honduran national, who resides in Dangriga Town, told police that on Sunday afternoon around 2:45, he along with his side man, 16-year-old, Ricardo Alexander Baldarez were traveling from Dangriga en route to Belmopan in his Isuzu truck to purchase vegetables. He was driving about 30mph and upon reaching an area between miles 28 and 29 on a hill he suddenly heard a gunshot and saw a man dressed in full black. The assailant with a handkerchief covering his face and wielding a weapon jumped to the passenger side of the truck, broke the window, opened the door and got inside. The gunman then punched Baldarez to the right side of the face, pointed the gun to his face and told Hernandez to stop the truck and surrender the money otherwise he would kill Baldarez. Fearing for their lives the driver stopped the truck and handed over a medium sized black plastic bag which contained $8600. The robber then jumped out of the truck and made good his escape.”

BML Employees Litter and Loiter In Protest of Citco’s Non-Payment
Disgruntled employees of the Belize Maintenance Limited, BML, staged an impromptu protest this morning in front of City Hall on North Front Street in Belize City. They demonstrated their frustrations by dumping a large amount of garbage in front of City hall. The City Council has a contract with the company which expires early next year and the employees will be left without a job. But the debt owed to BML has caused the company to let go some its workers and it was those workers and others standing in solidarity with them that were in front of City Hall demanding that Bradley pays up! Hipolito Novelo followed this story today and here is his report. HIPOLITO NOVELO REPORTS “Dozens of employees of Belize Maintenance Limited, BML, showed up in front of the Belize City Council this morning and staged an impromptu protest. The angered employees, more than fifty of them, brought a dump truck filled with garbage…..garbage which they violently scattered in front of the Belize City Council as a message to Mayor Darrell Bradley for him to pay his bills so that their livelihood can be saved.”

Mayor Bradley Says Ample Notice Was Given to Sanitation Workers
The garbage left on North Front Street by the protestors was picked up by employees of the City Council…..and while the BML employees demanded that Mayor Darrell Bradley pay the City Council’s debt which is about $1.3million, the City Mayor is saying that the council is not in a position to do so at the moment. Mayor Bradley says that a notice to not renew BML’s contract was issued to the company last year. While the council may have the ability to hire some of the employees that will be affected, they cannot hire the one hundred plus workers and those workers need to think what they will do when the contract’s expiration date comes. MAYOR DARRELL BRADLEY “We are doing a lot of analysis in terms of justifying and reprioritizing what we do at City Council to ensure that we spend public funds on what is considered public. I do not believe that BML has 100 people on the ground, I am not talking about supervisors, management, I am not talking about the owner; I’m talking about the people who go on the ground picking up the garbage, cutting the grass.

Scrub Board Sent to Jail On Firearm Charge
Forty-seven year old Edward Saldano, aka “Scrub Board”, a stevedore of a George Street address, was remanded to prison when he appeared today before the Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith and was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and harm. Saldano pled not guilty to the charges. He was remanded into custody until September 29. The incident occurred on August 2. The complainant, Shawn Middleton, aka “Cracker”, reported to the police that he and Saldano had a misunderstanding which led to an altercation. Middleton said that during the altercation he received an injury and Saldano pulled a firearm and pointed it at him.

21-Year-Old Charged with Double Homicide
Last week, we told you of the home invasion that occurred on Saturday, July 26 on Mopan Street in Belize City that left two persons dead and two others injured. In this incident, two men reportedly went into the home of Carlos Mayorga around five o’clock in the morning as they were preparing to come out to an area on Freetown Road to sell tacos, as was their daily routine. Today, police have reported that they have arrested and charged 21-year-old, Khaleel Caream Ponce of an Aloe Vera Street address in Belize City. Ponce has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of use of deadly means of harm and two counts of dangerous harm. In this incident, Mayorga was killed on the spot while Alida Ascencio died a few days later from the gunshot injuries she received in the incident.

Talbert Arraigned on Gun Charge
Twenty-one year old Andrew Talbert, charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, was sentenced to 5 years for each count today by the Chief magistrate, Anne Marie Smith after she found him guilty of the charges. Chief Magistrate Smith stipulated that the sentences are to run concurrently, so Talbert will only serve 5 years. The incident occurred on January 6, 2013.according to the evidence from the prosecution, Talbert ran into a yard on Plues Street when he saw the police and the police pursued him and saw when he threw and Glock brand 9 millimeter pistol over a fence into an adjoining yard. The firearm contained one round of ammunition in its magazine. Talbert testified and denied that he committed the offences. He said the police lied and that there were he and 3 other persons in the yard. Talbert’s attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, said that he is going to appeal.

PlusTV

BML workers’ frustrations erupt at City Hall
What started as a meeting with soon to be temporarily terminated employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) Monday morning erupted into a sustained display of rage and frustration with the Belize City Council and Mayor Darrell Bradley. As we have reported, the Council is eighteen weeks behind schedule on payments to BML for its work in Belize City. Even as it insists that it intends to pay when it can, the Council is talking about a transition to a plan that appears to cut BML entirely out of the sanitation picture in Belize City. Unfortunately, that threatens the jobs of about 170 employees, many single parents who have nowhere else to turn. Their cries reached the ears of activist Delroy Herrera, who orchestrated a meeting at the company’s offices on Baymen Avenue Monday morning. He started out by explaining why the Mayor was not being truthful about whether the Council was in contact with BML regarding its plans.

Mayor makes candid response
The man at the center of the maelstrom sat down with reporters after the crowd had dispersed, and laid it all on the line in a half-hour interview. Addressing the subject of the impromptu protest itself, he stated that while the issues raised are legitimate and the Council is more than aware of the workers’ plight, their decision on Monday took them over the legal line. He drew comparison with the protest of the Asian community after two murders of shopkeepers in April of 2011. Darrell Bradley – Mayor of Belize City “Now you ask me about workers and Asian protest. I was at court the day when those people protested, and that was a very peaceful demonstration. Yes, it was a large group of people, but nobody put garbage bags in front of the Supreme Court. Nobody accosted City Council staff. Nobody went on in a very rambunctious way. If persons want to peacefully demonstrate, that is your constitutional right. But no one has the right to take garbage bags and throw it on the street, going in an unruly way, to have projectiles and different things like that, and to carry on and yell. I was out there, and the people who protested that day did not yell anything into the Supreme Court. It wasn’t disruptive on the Supreme Court. City Council provided traffic coordination in relation to that, notwithstanding the fact that there was no permit granted.”

Pulled firearm during altercation
A fight between friends led to charges for forty-seven year old Edward Saldano, aka “Scrub Board”, a stevedore of George Street, Belize City. Mr Saldano is accused of aggravated assault with a firearm and harm against Shawn Middleton aka “Cracker’, who reported to the police that he and Edward Saldano had a misunderstanding which led […]

Five years for gun charges
Attorney Anthony Sylvestre is planning an appeal of a conviction for twenty-one year old Andrew Talbert, charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license. Mr Talbert was sentenced to 5 years for each count on Monday by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith, who found him guilty of the charges. Chief Magistrate Smith stipulated […]

Female Minor Found Dead at Lord Ridge Cemetery
On Saturday August 2nd at about 6:15 am, police visited the Lord Ridge cemetery, located at mile 1 and a quarter on the George Price Highway, Belize City. There they saw the body of a Creole descent female lying face up in a pool of blood. The body appeared to have […]

Khaleel Ponce charged for shooting death
Police have arrested and charged 19 year old Khaleel Caream Ponce, a Belizean Laborer of Aloe Vera Street, Belize City, for the shooting death of Carlos Mayorgo and Alida Asencio on Saturday July 26th and on Friday August 1st. On July 26th a two men invaded a house on Mopan Street, Belize City, with the […]

Police seek Andy Rhaburn following house fire
Orange Walk Police are looking for Andy Rhaburn a resident of Carmelita Village, Orange Walk, following a fire incident at two story wooden house. According to police, at about 11:00 pm on Friday August 1st, Sara Rhaburn reportedly saw her son Andy taking out some of his personal belongings from their house. A few hours […]

House burglarized in Belmopan
There was another robbery in the Capital which occurred over the weekend. According to reports the household of Michelle Cano, owner of A-Z learning school, was burglarized over the weekend. The residence, which is located on Mt. Moosey St, Belmopan, was apparently vacant during the weekend, which, according to Michelle Cano, […]

Fishers of Men Ministry holds basketball camp in Belmopan
Fishers of Men Ministry is holding a four day basketball camp at the University of Belize Gymnasium in Belmopan. The camp started on Monday August 4th, and will be concluding on Thursday August 7th. For the younger kids ages 5-11 the camp takes place from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon, and for the older kids […]

Amandala

BML workers take on City Hall!
Up to press time this evening, a total of 44 Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) employees are in police detention at the Queen Street Police Station in Belize City after they were arrested and charged for causing an uproar in front of City Hall this morning by engaging in an impromptu protest during which loads of refuse were strewn in front of the building in a show of utter discontent with the Belize City Council’s management of its staggering sanitation debt with their employer, BML. The source of their indignation stemmed from an early morning meeting that was held at the company’s Baymen Avenue office in which some 50 workers were informed that they would be placed on temporary termination since the company is struggling to meet its operating obligations, primarily due to non-payment of approximately 18 weeks of sanitation fees on the part of the City Council.

One remanded for murder of tacos vendors
This morning, a Belize City man was charged with two counts of murder and other related indictable offences in connection with a home invasion that turned fatal for two tacos vendors on the morning of July 26, when two armed men stormed into their Mopan Street home, robbed and then shot the four persons who were at home. Khaleel Ponce, 21, an unemployed laborer, did not have to enter any plea, as Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith read a total of eight indictable offences to him. Ponce stood silent in court after Smith read the first charge of murder to him and asked him if he understood what she had just read. “Yes, I understand,” Ponce replied, before falling silent as the arraignment proceeded.

Corozaleño, 18, murdered in Orange Walk
What started out as an altercation in front of a popular Orange Walk nightclub early yesterday morning, August 3, later claimed the life of a Corozal resident who was followed and shot dead outside Garcia’s Tacos Place in Orange Walk. The murder reportedly occurred sometime between 5:45 and 6:00 a.m. Orange Walk police said that they were called out to the scene at the Fort Cairns Plaza shortly after, and saw Roy Bayliss, 18, of a 3rd Street North address in Skeleton Town, Corozal, bleeding from what appeared to be gunshot wounds in the right cheek and below the left ear. According to police, Bayliss had been involved in an altercation with a man in front of Hi-5 Nightclub, and upon leaving the area, he was followed by a gunman and shot multiple times in the upper part of the body as he attempted to have breakfast in another part of that municipality.

Wesley honor student murdered in cemetery
The family of Chryslin “Chrissy” Gladden, 16, of Neal Pen Road, an honor student who placed 5th in the Wesley College 2014 graduating class, are in mourning after she was found brutally murdered in the Lord Ridge Cemetery around 5:00 Saturday morning. Chryslin’s throat had been slit and she had been stabbed multiple times in the back and in the chest. Cut wounds were also seen on her hands and her abdomen. She was found beside a tomb by a man walking on a footpath through the cemetery, who called police. Her body was taken to the morgue at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival at about 7:30 that morning. Police have reported today, Monday, that a police officer from Precinct 2 has been detained in connection with the gruesome murder.

Police seek Santiago Ricardo Palma, 48
A woman who works in the janitorial section of Bowen and Bowen Company Limited’s distribution center on its Slaughterhouse Road compound in Belize City luckily survived a life-threatening attack in which her throat was slashed by her infuriated common-law husband at her workplace just after 8:00 a.m. this morning. Amandala understands that Suzette Pavon, 37, was performing her usual cleaning duties when her estranged common-law husband, Santiago Ricardo Palma, 48, with whom she had been having a domestic dispute, managed to slip past the security checkpoint, armed with a pocket knife, and after he engaged her in a conversation, he allegedly took out the knife and slit her throat. Christelle Wilson, Bowen & Bowen’s In-house Counsel and Public Relations Officer, told Amandala how the incident played out.

Francisco Rodriguez, 23, facing murder and arson charges for Kimmie’s Bar fire
Last week, while investigating the attempt to blackmail an Orange Walk businessman, police CIB officers unwittingly stumbled upon an information bonanza when they picked up Francisco Rodriguez, 23, and Edwin Flores, after they followed Flores’ girlfriend, who had gone to pick up blackmail money from Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City, in a sting operation. It turned out that Rodriguez was wanted for an armed robbery in Cayo, and he allegedly confessed to police that he was the person who had set the fire that destroyed Kimmie’s bar on Newtown Barracks in the early morning of June 25. Rodriguez, who has been linked to the transnational criminal gang, Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery with a firearm and was sentenced to 5 years in prison when he appeared before the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court.

Police seek Crooked Tree home invader
Police in Rural Belize are on an intensive hunt for Tyrone Davis, who is believed to have been one of two robbers who attacked a pastor’s wife, Betty Westby, 51, and her family at their Crooked Tree home a little after 7:00 this past Wednesday night. Mrs. Westby, the wife of Pastor Maurice Westby, who ministers at the Ladyville Baptist Church, recognized the suspect when the hooded sweater that he wore to conceal his identity came off during a courageous struggle she had with him, after Davis had forcefully entered her house and attempted to kill her during the aggravated burglary two days ago.

Orange Walk couple charged with handling stolen goods for attorney’s iPad
An Orange Walk man and his wife were brought to the Magistrate’s Court from the Ladyville police station along with two court books, charging them for theft and handling stolen goods in connection with an attorney’s iPad that he had reported as being stolen. Ernesto Cruz, 54, and his wife, Anna Christina Cruz, 52, who are residents of Hummingbird Street, Orange Walk Town, and the owners of A&E; Bakery, located at Ramon’s Plaza in Ladyville, appeared before Magistrate Herbert Panton along with their attorney, Hubert Elrington, S.C., this afternoon. Panton read the charge of theft to the couple, but then noticed after they had pleaded not guilty, that there was a second court book in which police were also charging them for handling stolen goods. The Magistrate explained to the court prosecutor that he would not read the two charges to the couple, because a person cannot be charged with theft and handling stolen goods at the same time, so he would have to decide which of the two charges they would proceed with.

New UDP City Council slate selected
Yesterday, the United Democratic Party (UDP) held a convention at the ITVET Compound in Belize City to select its set of Belize City Council candidates that will be contesting the 2015 municipal elections. When the results were tallied, eight current city councilors who had placed their hats back in the ring, and two of the eight newcomers, emerged as the victors. One of the current city councilors who got another chance to run is Dion Leslie, who got 3,244 votes – the most votes received by any of the candidates. He was followed by fellow councilor Phillip Willoughby, who received 2,893 votes, and present Deputy Mayor, Bernard Pitts, Jr., who got 2,742 votes. Of the other councilors, Dean Samuels received 2,633 ballots; Dr. Alain Gonzalez got 2,482; Michael Theus received 2,456 votes; while Alifa Elrington-Hyde got 2,253 and Kevin Singh received 2,009 votes.

Wil Maheia to contest PG mayoral race
Wil Maheia, founding leader of the People’s National Party (PNP), told Amandala today that he plans to contest the 2015 municipal elections in Punta Gorda, with a full slate of 7, in his bid to unseat PG mayor Anthony Fuentes, who will also be challenged by the United Democratic Party’s hopeful, Fern Gutierrez. Maheia said that Gutierrez is “hand-picked” by Prime Minister and UDP leader Dean Barrow, so we asked: “What makes you think you stand a chance?” Maheia was confident, saying that it is time for the people of Punta Gorda to “send [a] message to Belmopan,” because it is the political organizations which tend to decide who runs and who gets elected. “What is your motivation for running?” we probed. Maheia then expressed his shock at learning from the weekend edition of Amandala that Belize had been importing rice.

Editorial: Drama in Toledo
Our sources are saying that the Toledo Maya have been divided, and that the leader best known to Belize’s national media, Greg Ch’oc, is in danger of being isolated, perhaps even humiliated. The combined forces of the Government of Belize, U.S. Capital Energy, and the evangelical churches in Toledo have broken the unity of the Toledo Maya, and the oil company – U.S. Capital Energy, has succeeded in bringing its oil drilling rig across our northern border and down south into Toledo. The Maya in the so-called buffer communities of the Sarstoon and Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) have remained loyal to the relatively militant Ch’oc, but the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) and the Maya Leaders Association (MLA) are marching to different drums from SATIIM, and they have a working majority over SATIIM. It was always the case that SATIIM’s campaign was an uphill battle, and that everything depended on the unity of the Toledo Maya. From the beginning, the other ethnicities in Toledo were skeptical of the Maya fight for “customary land rights.” The Creole, the Garifuna, and the East Indian communities in Toledo tended to see the “customary land rights” as exclusive.

From the Publisher
If you honestly consider life as it is in Belize, you cannot get away from the reality of poverty. The most stressful thing which poverty brings along with it, is hunger. Hunger demands the victim’s attention in an urgent way. In a household where there is poverty, where there is hunger, the sexuality of the female gender early on becomes an economic asset. Rich people can protect their girl children’s innocence indefinitely, but where there is poverty the temptation is great for parents/guardians to expose their girl children’s sexuality to the marketplace. We’re talking cold talk. Extrapolate this to the nation-state, and you will see that once you become a “destination,” and you want to increase your arrivals and the profits of your stakeholders, one of the attractions is a season when your sexual inhibitions are lessened. Inside our domestic situation, we look at our celebrations as a matter of “having fun,” but there are very rich people in the world who have the money necessary to roam the planet seeking gratification for various perverted desires. “Google,” for example, Thailand.

Julius Garvey visit postponed
Emerson Guild, spokesperson for the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Belize and the Mutual Improvement Alliance (MIA), informed our newspaper today that the Centennial Tour of Dr. Julius Garvey, the son of UNIA founder Marcus Garvey, [...]

Muslims organize protest in Belize against Gaza killings
Imam Nuri Muhammad and other members of the Muslim community in Belize, as well as non-Muslim citizens, have organized a protest rally for Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Battlefield Park, Belize City, to decry “the killing [...]

“August, look out! September, remember!” tough days ahead for Belizean football
After the U-20 debacle in El Salvador, where our national U-20 took 26 goals and scored none, on our way to last place and nary a point in the UNCAF U-20 Championships, Belize football fans need [...]

Knockout playoffs this weekend
The Belize District Basketball Association (BDBA) Firms tournament held its last regular season games in Divisions 1 and 2 over the weekend at the Bird’s Isle court in Belize City. In the Division 1 opener on [...]

1970’s Belize football pioneer “Cheezy” Hulse visits
Amandala sports desk received a visit this morning from a former Belizean footballer who left the Jewel after only a couple years of senior ball, but proceeded to leave his mark in the top level of [...]

Kaina Martinez is Trailblazer of the Week
This week’s feature is on a young Belizean athlete who has made us proud countless times, and is currently in Scotland to represent Belize once again in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Kaina Martinez, known to many [...]

Letters: Why is it that Dangriga has not requested their building money?
Dear Editor, Most of the other towns and cities in Belize have submitted their requests for funds to build a multipurpose facility in their jurisdiction except Corozal Town, Orange Walk Town, Punta Gorda Town and Dangriga [...]

Letters: Elrington editorial
Respectfully Sir Editor: Sometimes your editorial contains claims so true such as this week on Elrington: “It is because Belize is not a real nation-state; Belize cannot go after the big boys and punish them in [...]

Letters: Perspectives on the Belizean status quo
A commentary on “Stasis in Belize” Dear Editor, During my study of Belizean history at the University of Belize, we often talked about “why are things the way they are? And how can we make a change?” In [...]

Letters: Politics is not a game
Dear Editor, Third parties need to organize themselves nationwide to become a force in Belize politics. They have tried this before, but it was a complete failure. Belizeans need to be convinced that a third party [...]

Letters: Beryl on “unmarried mothers,” and other issues
Dear Editor, In my letter published in last weekend ‘s issue, a response to the July 25 letter by Major Lloyd Jones regarding dual citizen voting rights, I made a statement regarding unmarried mothers in Belize [...]

Resort to host Emmy-style events on Belize caye?
NEAC discussing terms of Puerto Azul EIA An alliance of foreign and local NGOs had come public in their opposition to the controversial Puerto Azul project, which proposed the construction of the mega resort just 8 [...]

First ever mediation forum held at the Biltmore
Roughly 60 people, including Supreme Court Justices, attorneys and civilian mediators, convened at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City today for the first ever forum intended to strengthen the court-connected mediation initiated in 2013. Supreme [...]

Sr. Supt. Broaster “leans” on PUP activist Albert Vaughan
Leader of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), Hon. Francis Fonseca, and a number of his supporters began arriving at the Magistrate’s Court between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. in anticipation that the police would bring their [...]

Inflation up! Vegans and vegetarians feeling the pinch
Higher transport, rental and vegetable prices Steamed cabbage can help lower your cholesterol, and a substance known as sinigrin in cabbage is said to be vital for cancer prevention. However, those who rely on a diet [...]

Man found dead in the New River in Trial Farm
Gregorio Medina 43, of Trial Farm, Orange Orange Walk District, was found floating in the New River about 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Family members who were looking for him after he did not come home on Saturday [...]

Patrick Jones

Will damaged cement streets be fixed?
By and large Belize City residents are enjoying the over 100 concrete streets put in by the current Belize City Council. Indeed it is their signature achievement in office. But that achievement is under threat as with the return of the rains some of the streets are beginning […]

National Song Competition finalists meet the press
The National Song Competition is in its final stage and today the fifteen finalists from across the country met with the press. Hometown entrants from Belmopan, Shameeka Moir and Earlyn Hutchinson, hope to impress the crowd and the judges at Memorial Park on Saturday, August 9 with their […]

Three men charged for robbery of Bowen and Bowen delivery truck
Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with the armed hold up of a Bowen and Bowen delivery truck in Corozal. The incident happened on July 28 and the culprits got away with an undisclosed amount of money after they accosted 50 year old Felipe Uk […]

BML workers face arraignments
As of late this evening, 41 employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) arrested on Monday, for their role in the spontaneous protest in front of City Hall, faced a charge in the Magistrate’s Court: taking part in an illegal gathering contrary to the Public Meeting (Control) Regulations. This […]

Kareem Bennett jailed for firearm
Kareem Bennett began a five year concurrent sentence for keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license after being found guilty by Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith. Bennett and three other men were stopped by police while in a black Saturn VUE around 3:30 in the morning of June […]

Teenage girl charged for murder of another teen
Belize City police have arrested and charged a 17 year old girl for the crime of murder. Ashley Meighan, a student of Doris Brooks Street in Belize City, has been charged for murder in connection with the death of 16 year old Chryslin Gladden. Police say they […]

BML workers arrested over protest
As we reported on Monday, 43 employees of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML), plus activist Delroy Herrera, were held for more than 7 hours in the original “pisshouse”, Queen Street Police Station, for their roles in Monday’s spontaneous demonstration in front of City Hall. They were each charged for […]

Blogs

Easily Accessible from Hopkins, Mayflower Bocawina National Park Brings The Beauty & The Thrills
The list of activities available through Almond Beach Resort in Hopkins, Belize was almost…well…overwhelming. They got the ocean right there – and snorkeling, diving, fishing and more. They are sandwiches between two rivers and all of those activities – monkeys, manatees, birding and more. And then the mountains and the jungle just 25 minutes away. The cayes in the south are beyond lovely, this I know. But this was my chance to do something a little bit outside of my comfort zone. So…the night before, I signed up at the activities desk for the longest zip line in Central America and maybe some waterfall rappelling. The dock is covered with clip boards and sign up sheets. Angel, who worked for years at Ramon’s Village in San Pedro, is the very helpful activity coordinator.

Airborne LiDAR Meets Archaeology in Belize: the results are amazing!
We love the idea of using new technology to unveil the secrets of the past, and LiDAR and other new tools are poised to open a new understanding of the ancient Maya civilisation while contributing to Belize’s eco and cultural tourism industries. What it is Airborne LiDAR is a scanning system that sends over 100,000 short laser pulses to the ground every second while a plane flies over it. The laser light hits the ground, and then bounces back to the aircraft. The time it takes for the light to make the return trip tells researchers the height of various points on the ground, up to differences of less than 10 centimeters (4 inches), giving us a pretty accurate picture of what’s there. Think of it as a sort of Sonar (Sound Navigation And Ranging) that uses light rather than sound echoes to describe a surface. It also maps those scans to GPS coordinates with pinpoint accuracy. Now, back in the old days, archaeologists had to hack through the jungle to find potential sites and then clear them before excavating. Often using anecdotal accounts by hunters, chicleros and other people working in the jungle to identify promising sites, it was – and is painstaking work with hit-and-miss results.

International Sources

2014 Chicago Belize Day draws national and international crowd
On Sunday, the annual Chicago Belize Day at the Park was held at the Hawthorne Race Track in the city of Chicago. The event featured music, traditional Caribbean, Belizean, Latin and American Food. Also, the most anticipated performance by local and award winning recording musicians that included Taprick, Concego, JOBO, Danki Man, Lil’ June and Lova Boy, who headlined the summer event. The family and community event has been growing for years. In 2011, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn proclaimed the first Sunday of August as “Chicago Belize Day in the State”, which serves to recognize the contributions of Chicago’s growing Belizean American and immigrant community in the city of Chicago and state. The musical and entertainment acts did not disappoint the estimated crowd of thousands who attended to be part of the festivities. From the high energy of rising stars like Lil’ June, Concego, Taprick to the crowd pleasing Danki Man and Lova Boy’s antics who featured in a Punta Dance Off with a young Punta dancer the crowd chose as the winner. The crowd included people from nearby states like Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Kentucky. In addition, people came from California, New York, Maryland, Texas, Maryland, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Honduras.

Letter: Response to Emancipation Day comments
I find this article written by Mr Smith to be factual that warrants our comments. For years many of us in Belize were taught in our primary schools that we had "good slavery" in Belize and we believed it. In fact, some Belizeans are so proud of this "good slavery" nonsense that they still preach it to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren up to this day. I have never heard of "good slavery" because the unlawful imprisonment of any human being to provide free labour for any individual or group is one of the most evil acts committed by the European nations against Africans and the other indigenous people on this Planet Earth up to this day. Not only were they unlawfully imprisoned but they were also decultured to the point where they lost their true identity and culture. Most Belizeans are proud to be British more than to be identified with any African ethnic group. The former slaves in Belize are our Creole people but some of them are mixed with these same cruel people who enslaved them that they still adore and admire up to this day.

Commentary: Why civil servants will always escape justice in Belize
The highest ranking legal official in Belize and most countries in the world is the attorney general. In the constitution of Belize, like most former British colonies, the attorney general is appointed by the prime minister of the country after the elections are held. It is also a Cabinet post and he or she is granted a ministry to have people work for him or her. The highest ranking legal official in Belize and most countries in the world is the attorney general. In the constitution of Belize, like most former British colonies, the attorney general is appointed by the prime minister of the country after the elections are held. It is also a Cabinet post and he or she is granted a ministry to have people work for him or her.

Ipswich Harriers’ member Katy Sealy is still on Cloud Nine after representing Belize at Commonwealth Games
The 23-year-old Bawdsey-based athlete, who qualified to represent Belize through her father, exceeded expectations in Scotland and has set her sights on representing the Central American country in Australia, in 2018. Ipswich Harriers’ member Sealy, who played down her chances of success prior to the Games, said: “The next big target is the Commonwealths in four years time. “I am hoping that by then I can be up there in the top-six or maybe be in a medal position. “There is also the Olympics in Rio, in two years time, and who knows if I can make it? “I am certainly going to give it my best shot and if I get there it will be a bonus.” Reflecting on her performance, Sealy added: “I was closer to some of the girls than I expected in certain events and I felt more involved than I thought I would.

10 Luxury Islands That Are Surprisingly Affordable
We've never had such a good excuse to ditch the real world. We always thought our living-on-an-island dreams would stay forever plunked on a Pinterest board, but now, there's reason to believe that actually living on a luxury island is totally possible. The folks at Samujana Retreats and Residences recently named the world's top 10 luxury islands, and the prices of average day-to-day activities -- from meals to beers to adventure excursions -- are, shockingly, lower than we ever dreamed. Pack up your yachts, people. We're moving (or at least taking a super long vacation) to the tropics. Caye Caulker, Belize Average price of three meals/day: $15

Videos

Video: Costa Maya Pageant Delegates Snuba and Snorkel in Belize, 5min.
When the Costa Maya Pageant delegates arrive on Ambergris Caye, Belize, they are treated with the utmost in hospitality, friendliness and service. Part of all the hospitality is wining and dining them at top restaurants, hosting them at special events, giving them a tour of the island and making sure they enjoy some fun in the sun. It is all part of making them feel at home and comfortable before they hit the stage on pageant night.

Video: Nello Player - Dah Belize Ih Deh ft. Lexi, 5min.
Nello Player - Dah Belize Ih Deh Ft Lexi National song competition winner 2013 Four Tweny Ent. Poconobwy Production.

Video: The JetSetter Show EP 27 - All Things Belize, 25min.
Jason Hartman and Tim discuss their recent trip to Belize.

Video: Enjoy A Beach Vacation In Caye Caulker, 4min.
If you are looking for a way to get away from it all, Caye Caulker, Belize is a good choice. Mario takes Peter to Caye Caulker, Belize, in pursuit of doing nothing but relaxing and resting on the beach.

Video: Our trip to Belize in the Hood., 6min.
People typically take the commercial version of a site seeing tour, but we took a look at what really goes down within the cities abroad with our boy Dionne. Recorded in October 2010. Our 1st trip to Central America.

August 5, 2014